Electron Probe Microanalysis of HfO2 Thin Films on Conductive and Insulating Substrates

Quantitative electron probe microanalysis of highly insulating materials is a complicated problem, partially solved by coating samples with grounded thin conductive layers or using novel scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, such as low-voltage and/or variable pressure SEM. In this work, some problems of quantitative X-ray microanalysis of thin HfO₂ films, in particular the possibility to determine mass thickness correlated to the density of the layer material, are discussed. For comparison, Al₂O₃, Ta₂O₅ and TiO₂ films grown onto both semiconductive Si and insulating quartz substrates were also analysed. All the films studied were synthesized by atomic layer deposition method.     

Rapid measurement of cyclosporin a plasma levels by HPLC in allograft transplant recipients

Summary An HPLC-method for the measurement of blood Cyclosporin A levels (CyA) of renal allograft transplanted patients within 9min is described. After a simple protein precipitation of the blood the supernatant is transferred to an HPLC-system. The short time of analysis is obtained by a step gradient elution technique and a precolumn separation of the fractions of interest followed by a backflush regeneration step of the precolumn. The analysis of the fraction of interest takes place on a column with high resolution power as long as the precolumn is regenerated. CyA is monitored by UV-absorption at 206nm. Detection of 20 to 2000ng/ml CyA allows the use of the method for patient monitoring and for research purposes. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984     

How far, how long: on the temporal scope of prosodic boundary effects

Acoustic lengthening at prosodic boundaries is well explored, and the articulatory bases for this lengthening are becoming better understood. However, the temporal scope of prosodic boundary effects has not been examined in the articulatory domain. The few acoustic studies examining the distribution of lengthening indicate that boundary effects extend from one to three syllables before the boundary, and that effects diminish as distance from the boundary increases. This diminishment is consistent with the pi-gesture model of prosodic influence [Byrd and Saltzman, J. Phonetics 31, 149-180 (2003)]. The present experiment tests the preboundary and postboundary scope of articulatory lengthening at an intonational phrase boundary. Movement-tracking data are used to evaluate durations of consonant closing and opening movements, acceleration durations, and consonant spatial magnitude. Results indicate that prosodic boundary effects exist locally near the phrase boundary in both directions, diminishing in magnitude more remotely for those subjects who exhibit extended effects. Small postboundary effects that are compensatory in direction are also observed.     

Stimulation of Wood Degradation by Daedaleopsis confragosa and D. tricolor

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Biological pretreatment of the lignocellulosic residues, in which white-rot fungi have a crucial role, has many advantages compared to the chemical,...     

Activation energies for nucleation and growth and critical cluster size dependence in JMAK analyses of kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations of precipitation

Kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) methods are used as an approach to simulate precipitation in Cu-alloyed bcc Fe. In order to characterize the process, transformed fractions, that is, the precipitated atoms, are related to Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov theory. However, simulated data often deviate from corresponding fit curves and so does the resulting growth exponent when compared to theoretical expectations. Furthermore, some data may suggest the development of a metastable phase. In our study, we show that the characteristics of the transformed fraction and, as a consequence, the derived growth exponents sensitively depend on the number of atoms that are considered to form a particle and hence contribute to the transformed fraction. With a temperature dependence of the critical cluster size and additionally accounting for severe impingement of the particles, we obtain growth exponents which lie close to the expected range between n = 1.5 and n = 2.5 for pre-existing nuclei or continuous nucleation, respectively. From these, we obtain activation energies for nucleation and growth of precipitates. In this way, atomistic KMC simulations yield thermodynamical quantities, which can be valuable input parameters for larger length scale simulation methods, for example, for Phase Field Method simulations.     

Compactness of operators acting from a Lorentz sequence space to an Orlicz sequence space

LetX andY be closed subspaces of the Lorentz sequence spaced(v, p) and the Orlicz sequence spacel _M , respectively. It is proved that every bounded linear operator fromX toY is compact whenever

Viscometric and volumetric behaviour of binary mixtures of sulfolane and N-methylpyrrolidone with monoethanolamine and diethanolamine in the range 303–373 K

Capillary viscometry was used to determine the kinematic viscosity of the binary systems composed of N-methylpyrrolidone + monoethanolamine and N-methylpyrrolidone + diethanolamine throughout the concentration range, at eight different temperatures in the range 303.15–373.15 K. Pure component values of viscosity were also determined in the temperature range 303.15–423.15 K. Using a rolling ball viscometer the absolute viscosity was obtained for the binary systems composed of tetramethylene sulfone (sulfolane) + monoethanolamine and tetramethylene sulfone + diethanolamine, throughout the concentration range, at three different temperatures in the range 303.15–373.15 K. Density results were obtained using a vibrating-tube densimeter for the four pure components and the four binary systems studied, in the same temperature range and the whole concentration range for the binary systems as the viscosity measurements.

The experimental viscosity results for the four pure solvents cover a broader temperature range than previously reported by other workers. The experimental results of viscosity for both pure and binary systems show a decrease with increasing temperature as expected. In the case of the binary systems the change of viscosity with concentration for the two sets of mixtures with N-methylpyrrolidone is very large in the range of 303.15–353.15 K, whereas it is small in the range 363.15–373.15 K. The observed behaviour of the change of viscosity with concentration for sulfolane with monoethanolamine is different from that shown by sulfolane with diethanolamine, at 303.15 and 323.15 K; the first system shows a minimum viscosity point in the sulfolane-rich region whereas at 373.15 K it shows values of viscosity greater than that of the pure components in the whole range of concentration; and the second system shows large variations of viscosity at low sulfolane concentration, at 303.15 and 323.15 K; whereas at 373.15 K the viscosity values change smoothly between those for the two pure components.

From the density results, molar excess volumes were derived, which were correlated using the Redlich–Kister equation; the final expression includes the functionality with both concentration and temperature.     

Detection of protein deposits using NIR spectroscopy

The aim of this study was to determine if it is possible to distinguish between the groups of spoiled and unspoiled soft contact lenses using near-infrared spectroscopy and new analytical approach – Aquaphotomics. Using the principal component analysis, it was established that the absorbance spectra of worn and new contact lenses are differed at water absorption band related to hydration of proteins. Detection of proteins thus was performed indirectly by using vibrations of water molecules. This exploratory study showed that near-infrared spectroscopy and Aquaphotomics have potential for non-invasive, chemical-free detection of protein deposits on hydrated soft contact lenses.