Pd20Pt20Cu20Ni20P20 high-entropy alloy as a bulk metallic glass in the centimeter

A Pd₂₀Pt₂₀Cu₂₀Ni₂₀P₂₀ bulk metallic glass (BMG) with a high-entropy (HE) alloy composition and a maximum diameter of 10 mm was fabricated by fluxed water quenching. The system and composition of the Pd₂₀Pt₂₀Cu₂₀Ni₂₀P₂₀ alloy were determined from a prototype ternary Pd₄₀Ni₄₀P₂₀ BMG in accordance with two strategic alloy designs of (1) HE alloy defined by an equi-atomic alloy with five or more elements and (2) exchangeability of the constituent elements with a similar chemical nature in the periodic table. Pd₂₀Pt₂₀Cu₂₀Ni₂₀P₂₀ HE-BMG had a supercooled liquid range of 65 K and a reduced glass transition temperature of 0.71. Successful formation of Pd₂₀Pt₂₀Cu₂₀Ni₂₀P₂₀ HE-BMG is significant to develop new alloys for HE alloys and BMGs.     

Highly reliable copper dual-damascene interconnects with self-formed MnSi/sub x/O/sub y/ barrier Layer

Copper (Cu) dual-damascene interconnects with a self-formed MnSi/sub x/O/sub y/ barrier layer were successfully fabricated. Transmission electron microscopy shows that approximately 2-nm thick and continuous MnSi/sub x/O/sub y/ layer was formed at the interface of Cu and dielectric SiO/sub 2/, and that no barrier was formed at the via bottom because no oxygen was at the via bottom during annealing. No leakage-current increase was observed, and electron energy loss analysis shows that no Cu was in SiO/sub 2/, suggesting that MnSi/sub x/O/sub y/ layer has sufficient barrier properties for Cu, and that the concept of self-forming barrier process works in Cu dual-damascene interconnects. Via chain yield of more than 90% and 50% reduction in via resistance were obtained as compared with physical vapor deposited tantalum barrier, because there is no barrier at the via bottom. In addition, no failure in the stress-induced voiding measurement was found even after a 1600-h testing. No failure in electromigration (EM) testing was found, as the electron flow is from the lower level interconnects through via up to upper level interconnects even after 1000-h testing. At least, four times EM lifetime improvement was obtained in the case of electron flow from upper level interconnect through via down to lower level interconnects. Significant EM lifetime improvement is due to no flux divergence site at the via bottom, resulting from there being no bottom barrier at the via.     

Short communication: estimation of plasma osmolality from plasma electrolytes, glucose, and urea in calves

Plasma osmolality estimated from plasma concentrations of Na+, Cl-, K+, glucose, and urea was compared with measured osmolality in preweaned Holstein calves. When calves (n = 5) were fed only milk replacer after fasting for 24 h, measured osmolality fluctuated almost in parallel with estimated osmolality during the 8-h period after feeding, although estimated values were about 90% of measured values. When calves (n = 5) were fed only calf starter after fasting for more than 16 h, measured osmolality did not parallel the estimated osmolality during the 8-h period after feeding. Some factors depressed measured osmolality in the first 2 h.     

Design of a spotsize-converter-integrated laser diode (SS-LD) witha lateral taper, thin-film core and ridge in the 1.3-μm-wavelengthregion based on the 3-D BPM

In order to develop spotsize-converter-integrated laser diodes (SS-LDs) with high efficiency and large-misalignment tolerances in the 13-μm-wavelength region, spotsize converters (SSCs), which consist of lateral taper, thin-film core and ridge, are investigated employing the three-dimensional (3-D) semivectorial finite-difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) with nonequidistant discretization. The sum of the spot-conversion loss and coupling loss between the laser diode (LD) eigenmode and the single-mode fiber (SMF) eigenmode are calculated for various structural parameters. Small loss of around 1.5 dB can be achieved by introducing a nonlinear taper. The fabrication tolerances for the SSCs are also clarified. The calculated results agree well with the results for actually fabricated SS-LD's. It is also shown that the radiation loss and coupling characteristics of the SS-LDs with a buried thin-film core structure can be improved using a nonlinear taper     

Influence of Y2O3 distribution on the rate of tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation of yttria-stabilized zirconia during hydrothermal aging

Tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation of yttria-stabilized zirconia, namely plasma-sprayed coatings and sintered bodies containing 4–8 mass % Y₂O₃ during hydrothermal aging was investigated with respect to Y₂O₃ distribution using 1 m area from electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and 20 nm area from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Phase transformation at 473 K was prevented only in plasma-sprayed coatings having more than 6.7 mass % Y₂O₃ in 20 nm microscopic area. Furthermore, it was confirmed influence of Y₂O₃ distribution on the rate constants of this phase transformation was observed at 368 K.     

Antimicrobial activity in the skin of the channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus: characterization of broad-spectrum histone-like antimicrobial proteins

BACKGROUND: A major reduction in the energy demand of the myocardium results from the electromechanical arrest, and cooling contributes to a lesser degree to this reduction. It is from this assumption that strategies of myocardial protection, utilizing warm blood cardioplegic induction, followed by cold cardioplegia with terminal warm reperfusion before removal of the aortic cross clamp, became established as optimal myocardial protection. Continuous normothermic perfusion 'closed the loop' by avoiding myocardial ischemia and linking warm induction and terminal reperfusion. A series of laboratory and clinical data confirmed the benefits of warm heart surgery on myocardial function and metabolism. The disadvantages of continuous warm blood cardioplegia including disturbance of the operative field, led surgeons to administer warm hyperkalaemic blood intermittently as a new cardioplegic strategy. METHODS: This review examines the laboratory and clinical data with reference to the intermittent warm blood cardioplegia, to establish its experimental basis and place in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: Experimental observation and clinical application have established intermittent warm blood cardioplegia as a practical, effective and cheap myocardial protection technique, particularly with reference to coronary artery surgery.     

Risk factors for cognitive impairment in epilepsy.

The literature suggests that seizure disorders are associated with an increased likelihood of intellectual problems, prompting researchers to investigate risk factors of cognitive impairment in epileptic patients. This study examined the contribution of certain variables (age of seizure onset, duration, etiology, seizure location and laterality, sex, handedness, and cerebral speech pattern) to cognitive outcome in patients with medically refractory seizures. Seizure location (temporal or extratemporal), age of onset of seizures, and handedness proved to be the best indicators of general intellectual ability. There was a relatively diverse pattern of relationships when neuropsychological tests of language, visuospatial ability, and memory were considered individually. However, a factor analytic approach revealed a simpler pattern in which location of dysfunction, age at seizure onset, hand preference, cerebral speech dominance, and gender were relevant and independent indicators of verbal and nonverbal ability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determination of 6s-trans conformation of retinal chromophore in sensory rhodopsin I and phoborhodopsin

8,16-Ethanoretinal 3 was synthesized from 2-methylcyclohexanone. From the binding experiments of 3 and 8,18-ethanoretinal 2 with apoproteins of sensory rhodopsin I and phoborhodopsin, it was found that retinal was incorporated as 6s-trans conformation in the both proteins.     

Therapeutic effects of prostacyclin analog on crescentic glomerulonephritis of rat

Prostacyclin (PGI2) is known to have a relaxative action on vascular smooth muscle, an inhibitory action against platelet activation and neutrophil function. Previous studies showed the preventive effects of PGI2 on lupus nephritis and Thy-1 nephritis, although the mechanism has not been clarified. Glomerular endothelial expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is up-regulated in experimental and human glomerular diseases, and is known to facilitate leukocyte infiltration into the glomeruli, which ultimately induces the various glomerular injuries. In the present study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of PGI2 on a rat model for crescentic glomerulonephritis and investigated its putative mechanism in relation to ICAM-1-mediated leukocyte recruitment. Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were injected with nephrotoxic serum and received continuous intraperitoneal infusion of PGI2. PGI2 dramatically decreased proteinuria (123.0 +/- 18.8 vs. 31.6 +/- 4.5), crescent formation and deposition of fibrinogen in the glomeruli, while the deposition of rabbit IgG, rat IgG and rat C3 along the capillary walls was not changed. Furthermore, intraglomerular expression of ICAM-1 and infiltration of macrophages were significantly suppressed by administration with PGI2. In contrast, influx of CD4 or CD8 positive cells was not altered. The present results suggest that PGI2 shows the preventive effects on experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis by inhibiting intraglomerular coagulation and ICAM-1-mediated macrophage-glomerular endothelial cell adhesive pathway.