Development and characterization of inks for screen printing of glass solders for SOFCs

Glass ceramics are supposed to produce stable sealants between ceramic electrolyte and ferritic steel in planar SOFC stacks. The screen printing method is a suitable industrial process in order to produce layers with tailored height and width reproducibly. An appropriate suspension was developed for this application and improved by adjusting the additive composition. This study investigates the rheological behavior of screen printing inks and the corresponding topography of the printed layers. Rotary measurements were carried out to analyse the impact of shear rates on viscosity showing shear thinning behavior. In addition, oscillatory rheometry is performed to gain information about the viscoelastic properties of the slurries and to understand the internal structure of the developed inks. The viscoelasticity and the recovery behavior after shear loading are crucial for the topography of printed films. The principal investigations are executed on solvent-based suspensions, whereby the knowledge gained is used for a transfer to water-based systems allowing a more environmentally friendly handling.     

Industrie 4.0

Industry 4.0 – Challenges for constructions of vacuum systems Vacuum systems are finding their way into branches and belonging modern process chains which were hardly in contact with UHV technology in the past. Besides an automatic operation and a flawless processing of parts, vacuum systems and their peripheral devices have to feature options for data output and analysis for subsequent processing in e.g. MES to come up with Industry 4.0 requirements. Subcomponents in vacuum technology partly comply with these requirements in a insufficient way because of their unchanged demands over the last decades. This makes integration into an automatic system more difficult. Despite of that, Industry 4.0 compliant vacuum systems are already producible when there's access to high-level experiences in vacuum and automation technology. This is shown by the examples of residual gas analysis and cleanliness measurement systems and the vacuum bake out oven. A cooperation of vacuum system manufacturers and manufacturers of components is necessary in the future to be able to produce automated vacuum systems in a more efficient way.     

A Dual Inhibitor of DYRK1A and GSK3β for β-Cell Proliferation: Aminopyrazine Derivative GNF4877

Loss of β-cell mass and function can lead to insufficient insulin levels and ultimately to hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. The mainstream treatment approach involves regulation of insulin levels; however, approaches intended to increase β-cell mass are less developed. Promoting β-cell proliferation with low-molecular-weight inhibitors of dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) offers the potential to treat diabetes with oral therapies by restoring β-cell mass, insulin content and glycemic control. GNF4877, a potent dual inhibitor of DYRK1A and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) was previously reported to induce primary human β-cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we describe the lead optimization that lead to the identification of GNF4877 from an aminopyrazine hit identified in a phenotypic high-throughput screening campaign measuring β-cell proliferation.     

Fox Hunting in Wild Apples: Searching for Novel Genes in Malus Sieversii

Malus sieversii is considered the progenitor of modern apple (Malus pumila) cultivars and to represent a valuable source of genetic diversity. Despite the importance of M. sieversii as a source of disease resistance, stress tolerance, and novel fruit traits, little is known about gene function and diversity in M. sieversii. Notably, a publicly annotated genome sequence for this species is not available. In the current study, the FOX (Full-length cDNA OvereXpressing) gene hunting system was used to construct a library of transgenic lines of Arabidopsis in which each transgenic line overexpresses a full-length gene obtained from a cDNA library of the PI619283 accession of M. sieversii. The cDNA library was constructed from mRNA obtained from bark tissues collected in late fall–early winter, a time at which many abiotic stress-adaptative genes are expressed. Over 4000 apple FOX Arabidopsis lines have been established from the pool of transgenic seeds and cDNA inserts corresponding to various Gene Ontology (GO) categories have been identified. A total of 160 inserts appear to be novel, with no or limited homology to M. pumila, Arabidopsis, or poplar. Over 1300 lines have also been screened for freezing resistance. The constructed library of transgenic lines provides a valuable genetic resource for exploring gene function and diversity in Malus sieversii. Notably, no such library of t-DNA lines currently exists for any Malus species.     

Structural Aspects and Prediction of Calmodulin-Binding Proteins

Calmodulin (CaM) is an important intracellular protein that binds Ca²⁺ and functions as a critical second messenger involved in numerous biological activities through extensive interactions with proteins and peptides. CaM’s ability to adapt to binding targets with different structures is related to the flexible central helix separating the N- and C-terminal lobes, which allows for conformational changes between extended and collapsed forms of the protein. CaM-binding targets are most often identified using prediction algorithms that utilize sequence and structural data to predict regions of peptides and proteins that can interact with CaM. In this review, we provide an overview of different CaM-binding proteins, the motifs through which they interact with CaM, and shared properties that make them good binding partners for CaM. Additionally, we discuss the historical and current methods for predicting CaM binding, and the similarities and differences between these methods and their relative success at prediction. As new CaM-binding proteins are identified and classified, we will gain a broader understanding of the biological processes regulated through changes in Ca²⁺ concentration through interactions with CaM.     

Bayesian optimization with approximate set kernels

Machine Learning - We propose a practical Bayesian optimization method over sets, to minimize a black-box function that takes a set as a single input. Because set inputs are permutation-invariant,...     

Fabrication of Anticounterfeiting Nanocomposites with Multiple Security Features via Integration of a Photoresponsive Polymer and Upconverting Nanoparticles

Anticounterfeiting materials are used to distinguish real banknotes, products, and documents from counterfeits, fakes, or unauthorized replicas. However, conventional anticounterfeiting materials generally exhibit a single anticounterfeiting function, resulting in a low level of security. Herein, a novel anticounterfeiting nanocomposite is demonstrated with numerous prominent security features. The nanocomposite is fabricated by doping upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) in a photoresponsive azobenzene-containing polymer (azopolymer). Because of the cis–trans photoisomerization of the azopolymer, the nanocomposite exhibits photoinduced reversible color changes suitable for anticounterfeiting applications. Additionally, the hard nanocomposite can be converted to a rubber-like soft solid by light irradiation. Imprinted microstructures are fabricated on the photosoftened nanocomposite, which result in photonic colors. Moreover, polarization-dependent structures are fabricated on the nanocomposite via photoinduced orientation for encryption. Importantly, UCNPs in the nanocomposite emit visible light upon excitation by near-infrared light, enabling the observation of various anticounterfeiting structures with high contrast. An advantage of the anticounterfeiting nanocomposite is that the security features can be observed by the naked eye for quick discrimination and can be analyzed using laboratory equipment for higher accuracy. The anticounterfeiting nanocomposite is easily processed on paper, glass, and plastic, which demonstrates its potential anticounterfeiting functions for banknotes, wines, and medicines.     

The effect of maturity and tissue on the ability of mid infrared spectroscopy to predict the geographical origin of banana (Musa Cavendish)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sample presentation (tissue type) and maturity (ripe and unripe) on the classification of banana (Musa Cavendish) samples sourced from two different geographical regions and analysed using mid infrared (MIR) spectroscopy. The coefficient of determination (R²) and the standard error of cross-validation (SECV) obtained using partial least squares discriminant analysis were 0.83 (0.33), 0.75 (0.25) and 0.94 (0.19) for the prediction of maturity, geographical origin and tissue type, respectively. No effect of either of type of tissue (e.g. pulp or peel) or maturity was observed. The results of this study demonstrated that MIR spectroscopy might be used to classify the origin of the banana samples at different degrees of ripeness. However, one of the limitations of this study is on the number of samples analysed and further validation must be recommended using samples from other sources, regions and harvest seasons.     

How drivers decide whether to get a fuel cell vehicle: An ethnographic decision model

This article develops and tests an ethnographic decision model (EDM) of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) adoption using interviews with California residents that either actually adopted an FCV or “seriously considered” doing so before deciding against it. We developed an initial model from 25 semi-structured interviews in which respondents self-described their decision-making processes. We iteratively tested and refined the model in a second round of 53 structured interviews. The final model consists of a first stage that assesses FCV adoption feasibility and a second stage that compares FCVs to other vehicle types. The model ultimately correctly predicts 86.8% of cases in the sample. In the first stage, respondents preferred to satisfy their need for a primary refueling station near home but a substantial number were willing to rely on a station near or on the way to work or other destination. Most drivers required a convenient backup station and a means of managing long-distance trips. Vehicle size options eliminated a few respondents. None rejected FCV adoption due to insufficient driving range. In the second stage, nearly all drivers engaged in some kind of cost comparison, though the factors considered varied greatly. Most opted for what they viewed as the less costly option, although a few FCV adopters and non-adopters were willing to pay more for their more preferred option. EDM is a promising qualitative research method for generating insights into how people navigate the decision whether or not to get an alternative-fuel vehicle.