Bilayer systems of tantalum or zirconium nitrides and molybdenum for optimized diamond deposition

Thermo chemical computing validates the stability of different nitrides against Co, Mo, and methane up to 1150 K, showing the highest chemical stability against carburization for ZrN and TaN under static conditions.Single zirconium and tantalum nitrides layers have been sputtered onto WC-Co substrates as diffusion barriers and buffer layers under specific reactive sputtering conditions. To improve the nuclei density of diamond during CVD processing, a thin Mo extra layer has been added (< 500 nm). In this study, two bilayer systems have been tested: TaN-Mo and ZrN-Mo. Nano crystalline diamond has been grown under negative biased substrates.After diamond deposition, a massive carburization of molybdenum and tantalum nitride is observable whereas zirconium nitride is not. Nevertheless, a small amount of cobalt has migrated through the ZrN layer. The better efficiency of the ZrN layer to prevent diffusion of the Co element, leads to expect an increased adhesion of diamond on ZrN-Mo bilayer coating. A TEM study is done to improve understanding of phenomena occurring at the interfaces during process.     

Access to new carbohydrate-functionalized polylactides via organocatalyzed ring-opening polymerization

The 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of lactide using various carbohydrate initiators has been assessed for the functionalization of polylactide. Selectively protected glucose derivatives bearing a free primary alcohol (Glc-1r) and a free secondary alcohol (Glc-2r), glucose and cyclodextrin diol derivatives (Glc-diol and CD-diol), methyl-α-d-glucopyranoside (Glc-Me) and native β-cyclodextrin (CD) were used as initiators. According to the solubility of the carbohydrate derivative, the polymerizations were conducted in chlorinated solvents and in the bulk. Relatively narrow distributions are obtained in high yields in the absence of side reactions, affording a 100% functionalization efficiency. The catalytic synthesis of new carbohydrate link-functionalized polylactides and carbohydrate core star polylactides is reported.     

New huprine derivatives functionalized at position 9 as highly potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

A series of 24 huprine derivatives diversely functionalized at position 9 have been synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against human recombinant acetylcholinesterase (AChE). These derivatives were prepared in one to five steps from huprine 1 bearing an ester function at position 9. Ten analogues ( 1 , 2 , 6 – 9 , 13 – 15 , and 23 ) are active in the low nanomolar range (IC₅₀ <5 nM ), very close to the parent compound huprine X. Compounds 2 , 6 , and 7 show a very good selectivity for AChE, with AChE inhibitory activities 700–1160‐fold higher than those for butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The inhibitory potency of these compounds decreases with the steric bulk of the substituents at position 9. According to docking simulations, small substituents fit into the acyl‐binding pocket, whereas the larger ones stick out of the active site gorge of AChE. Determination of the kinetic parameters of three of the most potent huprines ( 2 , 6 , and 7 ) showed that most of the difference in K_D is accounted by a decrease in k_on, which is correlated to the increase of the substituent size. A first in vivo evaluation has been performed in mice for the most active compound 2 (IC₅₀=1.1 nM ) and showed a rather weak toxicity (LD₅₀=40 mg kg^?1) and an ability to cross the blood–brain barrier with doses above 15 mg kg^?1.     

Directed Biosynthesis of Phytotoxic Alkaloids in the Cyanobacterium Nostoc 78–12A

Out of the green! Precursor‐directed biosynthesis allowed for the production of new nostocarboline derivatives that display phytotoxic and algicidal properties—in a phototrophic organism. The mechanism of action includes downregulation of photosynthesis, as demonstrated by chlorophyll‐a fluorescence imaging.

     

Experimental Measurement of Both Kinetic and Total Mass Transfer Between Two Electromagnetically Stirred Molten Layers

In ladle metallurgical processing,two liquid layers,a metallic layer below a salty or oxide layer,are separated by an interface where mass exchanges occur by the way of a redox reaction.The mass transfer associated with such reaction is strongly dependent on the agitation of each phase as well of their interface.We use an experimental system able to melt separately metal and salt.Once these elements are molten a sampling system is used.The experimenter chooses the sampling times.Finally,the collected samples and the final metal and salt ingots are analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy(ICP-AES).During the experiments,both temperature and,intensity and frequency of the inducting current,are measured.Comparisons on experimental results are done varying the induction as well as the transferred element.     

Theoretical study for safe and efficient energy transfer to deeply implanted devices using ultrasound

The goal of this paper is to prove that a safe and efficient energy transfer is possible between an external transducer located on the patient's skin and a device deeply implanted in the abdomen. An ultrasound propagation model based on the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integral is coupled with the data from the Visible Human Project to account for the geometry of the organs in the body. The model is able to predict the amount of acoustic power received by the device for different acoustic paths. The acoustic model is validated by comparison with measurements in water and in heterogeneous liquid phantoms. Care is taken to minimize adverse bioeffects-mainly temperature rise and cavitation in tissues. Simulations based on the bio-heat transfer equation are performed to check that thermal effects are indeed small.     

Disposable immunochips for the detection of Legionella pneumophila using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

The rapid diagnosis of Legionellosis is crucial for the effective treatment of this disease. Currently, most clinical laboratories utilize rapid immunoassays that are sufficient for the detection of Legionella serogroup 1, but not other clinically relevant serogroups. In this report, the development of a disposable immunochip system is described in connection with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The immunochips were prepared by covalently immobilizing fluorophore-conjugated L. pneumophilaantibodies on Au chips. The analytical performance of the immunochips was optimized as a prescreening tool for L. pneumophila. The versatile immunochips described here can be easily adapted for the monitoring of all Legionella serogroups in clinical and environmental samples.     

Highly Efficient Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence via an Unconjugated Donor–Acceptor System Realizing EQE of Over 30%

In this work, two novel thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters, 2tDMG and 3tDMG, are synthesized for high-efficiency organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), The two emitters have a tilted face-to-face alignment of donor (D)/acceptor (A) units presenting intramolecular noncovalent interactions. The two TADF materials are deposited either by an evaporation-process or by a solution-process, both of them leading to high OLED performance. 2tDMG used as the emitter in evaporation-processed OLEDs achieves a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 30.8% with a very flat efficiency roll-off of 7% at 1000 cd m⁻². The solution-processed OLEDs also display an interesting EQE of 16.2%. 3tDMG shows improved solubility and solution processability as compared to 2tDMG, and thus a high EQE of 20.2% in solution-processed OLEDs is recorded. The corresponding evaporation-processed OLEDs also reach a reasonably high EQE of 26.3%. Encouragingly, this work provides a novel strategy to address the imperious demands for OLEDs with high EQE and low roll-off.     

Data Distribution in a Peer to Peer Storage System

This article presents distributions for data storage in a P2P system. In peer to peer storage system we have to face a continuous stream of peer failures. So to insure data durability data are usually disseminated using a dispersal redundant scheme and a dynamic data reconstruction process is used to rebuild lost data. There is an important communication traffic to maintain data integrity. So, it is important to reduce the impact of this reconstruction process on peer. To minimize end user traffic according to the reconstruction process, distribution must take into account a new measure: The maximum disturbance cost of a peer. To begin with, we define a static distribution scheme which minimizes this reconstruction cost based on prime numbers theory. We compare this distribution with the random distribution, the most used in data distribution.This Project () is supported by the ACI GRID CGP2P and the ACI MD GDX.