Structural investigation of high‐transmittance aluminum oxynitride films deposited by ion beam sputtering

Aluminum oxynitride films were deposited by ion beam sputtering technique at room temperature. The optical properties and morphologies of the aluminum oxynitride films were studied and reported previously. It was found that the optical properties are closely related to the O contents in the films. In this study, the structures of the films were investigated by X‐ray diffractometer and XPS. Three oxidation states of N_1s in oxynitride films, N⁺, N²⁺ and N³⁺, were clearly deduced from N_1s spectra in the amorphous films fabricated under various oxygen partial pressures (P_O2). To our knowledge, three oxidation states of N_1s have not been simultaneously observed and reported in the aluminum oxynitride films previously. Corresponding bonding variations in Al_2p and O_1s spectra indicated more oxygen in oxynitride in the film as P_O2 increases. Three aluminum oxynitride networks, AlO₂N, AlO_2.5N and AlO₃N were deduced. Optical properties of aluminum oxynitride films resemble those of AlN and Al₂O₃ films when P_O2 is low and high during the deposition. The refractive indices and extinction coefficients of the aluminum oxynitride films can be adjusted by using proper P_O2 during the film depositions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biosynthesis of Ribostamycin Derivatives by Reconstitution and Heterologous Expression of Required Gene Sets

Ribostamycin is a 4,5-disubstituted 2-deoxystreptamine (DOS)-containing aminoglycoside antibiotics and naturally produced by Streptomyces ribosidificus ATCC 21294. It is also an intermediate in the biosynthesis of butirosin and neomycin. In the biosynthesis of ribostamycin, DOS is glycosylated to generate paromamine which is converted to neamine by successive dehydrogenation followed by amination, and finally ribosylation of neamine gives ribostamycin. Here, we report the biosynthesis of 6′-deamino-6′-hydroxyribostamycin (a ribostamycin derivative or pseudoribostamycin) in Streptomyces venezuelae YJ003 by reconstructing gene cassettes for direct ribosylation of paromamine. A trace amount of pseudoribostamycin was detected with ribostamycin in the isolates of ribostamycin cosmid heterologously expressed in Streptomyces lividans TK24. It has also indicated that the ribosyltransferase can accept both neamine and paromamine. Thus, the present in vivo modification of ribostamycin could be useful for the production of hybrid compounds to defend against bacterial resistance to aminoglycosides.     

Study on tribological behaviors of short glass fiber and polytetrafluoroethylene reinforced polycarbonate composites via a d‐optimal mixture design

This study analyzed variations of tribological behaviors that depend on the injection molding techniques during the blending of short glass fiber (SGF) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) reinforced polycarbonate (PC) composites. The proposed planning of blending experiments is to use a D‐optimal mixture design (DMD). The tribological behaviors of friction coefficient and wear mass loss were selected for discussion. Nine experimental runs, based on a DMD method, utilized to train the back‐propagation neural network (BPNN) and then the simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) approach is applied to search for an optimal mixture ratio setting. In addition, the result of BPNN integrating SAA was also compared with response surface methodology (RSM) approach. The results of confirmation experiment show that DMD, RSM, and BPNN integrating SAA method are effective tools for the optimization of reinforced process. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the abundant debris are peeled off from the matrix materials and predominant delamination mechanisms and plastic deformation are shown on the worn surface after tribological behavior tests. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hybrid evolutionary algorithms in a SVR traffic flow forecasting model

Accurate urban traffic flow forecasting is critical to intelligent transportation system developments and implementations, thus, it has been one of the most important issues in the research on road traffic congestion. Due to complex nonlinear data pattern of the urban traffic flow, there are many kinds of traffic flow forecasting techniques in literature, thus, it is difficult to make a general conclusion which forecasting technique is superior to others. Recently, the support vector regression model (SVR) has been widely used to solve nonlinear regression and time series problems. This investigation presents a SVR traffic flow forecasting model which employs the hybrid genetic algorithm-simulated annealing algorithm (GA-SA) to determine its suitable parameter combination. Additionally, a numerical example of traffic flow data from northern Taiwan is used to elucidate the forecasting performance of the proposed SVRGA-SA model. The forecasting results indicate that the proposed model yields more accurate forecasting results than the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA), back-propagation neural network (BPNN), Holt-Winters (HW) and seasonal Holt-Winters (SHW) models. Therefore, the SVRGA-SA model is a promising alternative for forecasting traffic flow.     

A hybrid model for selection of an outsourcing provider

Outsourcing is a good strategy for firms that need to reduce operating costs and improve competitiveness and it is important that firms scientifically select appropriate outsourcing providers. Some efforts have been made to find systematic ways to deal with outsourcing problems, but these efforts incorrectly assumed that the criteria used in the decision process are independent, which is not true in the real world. In this study, we propose a new hybrid multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) model, which addresses the dependent relationships between the various criteria. The relations-structure among the criteria is built with the aid of the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Decision-makers tend to hold diverse opinions about their preferences due to incomplete information and knowledge, or inherent conflict between various departments. We further used the fuzzy preference programming and the analytic network process (ANP) to form a model for the selection of partners for outsourcing providers. The proposed model can help practitioners improve their decision making process, especially when criteria are numerous and inter-related. The method is demonstrated using data from a Taiwanese airline.     

Effect of oxygen evolution catalysts on hematite nanorods for solar water oxidation

Photochemical deposition of Co and Ni based oxygen evolution catalysts on hematite nanorods cathodically shifted the onset potential of photocurrent near to the flat band potential of hematite. A 9.5 fold enhancement in the photocurrent density at 0.86 V vs. RHE compared to the parent hematite photoanode was observed with the Ni-Bi/Fe(2)O(3) photoanode.     

Scanning photoemission spectromicroscopic study of 4-nm ultrathin SiO(3.4) protrusions probe-induced on the native SiO(2) layer

Atomic force microscopy probe-induced large-area ultrathin SiO(x) (x ≡ O/Si content ratio and x > 2) protrusions only a few nanometers high on a SiO(2) layer were characterized by scanning photoemission microscopy (SPEM) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). SPEM images of the large-area ultrathin SiO(x) protrusions directly showed the surface chemical distribution and chemical state specifications. The peak intensity ratios of the XPS spectra of the large-area ultrathin SiO(x) protrusions provided the elemental quantification of the Si 2p core levels and Si oxidation states (such as the Si(4+), Si(3+), Si(2+), and Si(1+) species). The O/Si content ratio (x) was evidently determined by the height of the large-area ultrathin SiO(x) protrusions.     

A New Synthesis of Benzofurans from Phenols via Claisen Rearrangement and Ring‐Closing Metathesis

Based on Claisen rearrangement, the double bond isomerization of O‐allyl function together with the formation of O‐vinyl function in one pot, and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM), various phenols were transformed into various benzofurans in good yields.