Silicon for thin-film transistors

We are standing at the beginning of the industrialization of flexible thin-film transistor (TFT) backplanes. The two important research directions for the TFTs are (i) processability on flexible substrates and (ii) sufficient field-effect mobilities of electrons and holes to support complementary metal insulator semiconductor operation. The most important group of TFT capable semiconductors are the several modifications of silicon films: amorphous, nanocrystalline and microcrystalline. We summarize their TFT properties and their compatibility with foil substrate materials.     

Design of 5.9 ghz dsrc-based vehicular safety communication

The automotive industry is moving aggressively in the direction of advanced active safety. Dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) is a key enabling technology for the next generation of communication-based safety applications. One aspect of vehicular safety communication is the routine broadcast of messages among all equipped vehicles. Therefore, channel congestion control and broadcast performance improvement are of particular concern and need to be addressed in the overall protocol design. Furthermore, the explicit multichannel nature of DSRC necessitates a concurrent multichannel operational scheme for safety and non-safety applications. This article provides an overview of DSRC based vehicular safety communications and proposes a coherent set of protocols to address these requirements     

Kommunikationsoberfläche Membran‐ Vorbild für moderne Nanoanalytik

A central event in the life of a cellular system is the interaction between the exterior and the interior compartments. Biochemical signals arrive at the cellular surface, bind to their membrane bound receptor followed by a conformational change triggering the release of an internal chemical or electrical signal.This basic principle is followed by all our perceptive abilities like sense of smell or taste, but also by different signal transduction pathways involved in nerve conductivity, vision, sense of touch or hearing. To follow and mimic this principle of parallel registration is one of the aims of modern nanobiotechnology. If we are able to specifically biofunctionalize small arrays of a solid surface, which could be an electrode or a semiconductor, this approach will enable us to build up devices called “biochips” or “biosensors” that allow the determination of bioactive molecules with high specificity at lowest concentrations. Potential pharmacological active substrates might be screened as well as new receptors may be determined. Applications in genomics as well as proteomics are realistic. The major prerequisite for such a broad spectrum of applications is the fabrication of receptive surfaces. Biomolecules have to be surface‐adsorbed in a highly reproducible, oriented and well organised fashion, a task which in biology is taken by the cellular membranes as external or internal receptive surfaces. The physical principles like hydrogen bonds, electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions that lead to such an organized surface are well known. To synthesize molecular building blocks and to position them onto an otherwise unspecific surface is one of the challenges of nanobiotechnology combining biological knowledge and chemical skills with biophysical techniques that allow to handle or analyze even single molecules.     

Role of Perceived Importance in Intergroup Contact.

Furthering G. W. Allport's (1954) contentions for optimal contact, the authors introduce a new construct: the perceived importance of contact. They propose that perceived importance is the best proximal predictor of contact's reduction of prejudice. If individuals have opportunities for contact at work or in the neighborhood, their chances to have intergroup acquaintances and friends increase. Intergroup contact among acquaintances and friends can be perceived as more or less important, which in turn determines intergroup evaluations. A 1st study shows that the new measure of perceived importance is indeed distinct from established quantity and quality indicators. The results are cross-validated in a 2nd study that also sheds light on the meaning of importance. In 3rd and 4th studies, structural equation analyses and a meta-analysis support the hypotheses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Application of novel extractants for actinide(III)/ lanthanide(III) separation in hollow-fibre modules

Separation tests using hollow-fibre modules were performed for the difficult selective extraction of trivalent actinides over fission lanthanides from acidic media. This article shows that with 2,6-di(5,6-dipropyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine as the extractant, up to 94% americium could be extracted from 1.0 kmol/m³ HNO₃, with minimal lanthanide co-extraction. Using a synergistic mixture of bis(chlorophenyl)dithiophosphinic acid and tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide, tests were performed on extraction, lanthanide scrubbing and stripping. In the extraction test, up to 99.99% americium could be extracted from 0.5 kmol/m³ HNO₃, with approximately one third of the lanthanides being co-extracted. Mass transfer calculations using a consistent set of input data showed good agreement with the experiments.     

Experience With Nocturnal Hemodialysis

In order to provide a highly efficient, long-duration form of hemodialysis, we developed nocturnal hemodialysis. Patients were dialyzed nightly at home for 8 – 10 hours, 6 – 7 nights/week. We kept the dialysate flow at 100 mL/min and the blood flow at 250 – 300 mL/min. Patients were monitored remotely from the hospital through a computer connection. An internal jugular line was used as an access. We have trained 12 patients over 30 months and have accumulated 160 patient-months worth of data. The patients tolerated the dialysis very well and slept through the night. There was a significant improvement in their sense of well-being. Nightly Kt/V was 0.99. Weekly removal of phosphate was two times as high and β ₂ -microglobulin four times as high as conventional hemodialysis. All patients have discontinued their phosphate binders and have increased their dietary phosphate and protein intake. Hypertension was controlled with fewer medications, and erythropoietin dosages decreased. Complications were infrequent and included catheter occlusion and infections. Reusing the dialyzers decreased the cost of the treatment to levels similar to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Nocturnal hemodialysis represents a viable dialysis modality that combines high quality, low cost, and excellent tolerance.     

Head and eye movements in unrestrained pigeons (Columba livia).

Head and eye movements were simultaneously recorded during locomotory and pecking behavior of 4 pigeons, which were trained to traverse a conditioning chamber, with a pecking key and a food dispenser at each end. Each trial involved key pecking, walking, and feeding. Head movements were registered with a skull-mounted miniature accelerometer, and eye movements were recorded with implanted electrooculogram (EOG) electrodes. An almost perfect temporal coordination between head and eye movements was observed during both walking and feeding bouts. During walking, head movements primarily provide retinal image stability, and eye movements support visual scanning. During feeding, head movements mainly subserve the grasping of food items, and eye movements maintain visual fixation on them. Because the eyes are reflexively closed during the middle phase of pecks, the head and eye movements are then under ballistic control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)