Reactive Element Effects in High-Temperature Alloys Disentangled

Reactive elements—REs—are decisive for the longevity of high-temperature alloys. This work joins several previous efforts to disentangle various RE effects in order to explain apparently contradicting experimental observations in alumina forming alloys. At 800–1000 °C, “messy” aluminum oxy-hydroxy-hydride transients initially formed due to oxidation by H₂O which in turn undergo secondary oxidation by O₂. The formation of the transient oxide becomes supported by dispersed RE oxide particles acting as water equivalents. At higher temperatures, electron conductivity in impurity states owing to oxygen vacancies in grain boundaries (GBs) becomes increasingly relevant. These channels are subsequently closed by REs pinning the said vacancies. The universality of the emerging understanding is supported by a comparative first-principles study by means of density functional theory addressing RE(III): Sc₂O₃, Y₂O₃, and La₂O₃, and RE(IV): TiO₂, ZrO₂, and HfO_2, that upon reaction with water, co-decorate a generic GB model by hydroxide and RE ions. At 100% RE coverage, the GB model becomes relevant at both temperature regimes. Based on reaction enthalpy ΔH_r considerations, “messy” aluminum oxy-hydroxy-hydride transients are accessed in both classes. Larger variations in ΔH_r are found for RE(III)-decorated alumina GBs as compared to RE(IV). For RE(III), correlation with GB width is found, increasing with increased ionic radius. Similarly, upon varying RE(IV), minor changes in stability correlate with minor structural variations. GB decorations by Ce(III) and Ce(IV) further consolidate the emerging understanding. The findings are used to discuss experimental observations that include impact of co-doping by RE(III) and RE(IV).

     

X-ray or UV adjustment of MOS threshold voltage: Analytical and numerical modeling

A model is formulated that describes how radiation-induced charge accumulates in the gate oxide of a MOS structure and how it decays through tunneling and thermal emission. The model is used in a numerical analysis of the x-ray or UV adjustment of threshold voltage in MOS-circuit manufacture. The limits of this process technique are evaluated.     

Apoptosis and delayed neuronal damage after carbon monoxide poisoning in the rat

Delayed neurological damage after CO hypoxia was studied in rats to determine whether programmed cell death (PCD), in addition to necrosis, is involved in neuronal death. In rats exposed to either air or CO (2500 ppm), microdialysis in brain cortex and hippocampus was performed to determine the extent of glutamate release and hydroxyl radical generation during the exposures. Groups of control and CO-exposed rats also were tested in a radial maze to assess the effects of the CO exposures on learning and memory. At 3, 7, and 21 days after CO exposure brains were perfusion-fixed and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) was used to assess injury and to select regions for further examination. DNA fragmentation was sought by examining cryosections with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) reaction. We found significant increases in glutamate release and .OH generation during and immediately after CO hypoxia. CO-exposed rats showed learning and memory deficits after exposure associated with heterogeneous cell loss in cortex, globus pallidus, and cerebellum. The frontal cortex was affected most seriously; the damage was slight at Day 3, increased at Day 7, and persistent at Day 21 after CO exposure. TUNEL staining was positive at all three time points, and TUNEL-labeled cells were distributed similarly to eosinophilic cells. The number of cells stained by TUNEL was less than by H&E and amounted to 2 to 5% of all cell nuclei in regions of injury. Ultrastructural features of both neuronal necrosis and apoptosis also were observed readily by electron microscopy. These findings indicate that both necrosis and apoptosis (PCD) contribute to CO poisoning-induced brain cell death.     

A set expression based inheritance system

This paper describes a new formalism for inheritance systems, based on the formal semantics of set expressions. Using the formalism, it is possible to define new semantic classes by arbitrary set expressions operating on previously defined classes. Thus generalizing bothIS-A links andIS-NOT-A links and adding the set intersection operation. We present an efficient algorithm which follows these definitions to deduce the properties implied by the inheritance network, i.e., the properties of the classes containing a given element. The application which motivated the development of the formalism, namely semantic disambiguation of natural language, is also described.     

混合信号芯片设计处理关键的转折阶段

通过简单地剪切和粘贴知识产权(IP)内核可以加快无工厂半导体公司的系统级芯片(SOC)设计。 过去十年中,涌现出大量的为系统制造商提供专用芯片(ASIC)的小型IC设计公司。这些被称为无工厂企业(因为他们将IC制造过程转交给商业芯片制造工厂),需要的启动资金较少,而且如果市场接受他们的产品的话,能够获得丰厚的回报。在大量设计工具的支持下,这些无工厂设计企业在历史悠久的大型芯片制造商,如IBM、Intel、Motorola和德州仪器公司所主导的市场中赢得了一席之地。     

Intrathecal fentanyl with small-dose dilute bupivacaine: better anesthesia without prolonging recovery

Recent concern regarding lidocaine neurotoxicity has prompted efforts to find alternatives to lidocaine spinal anesthesia. Small-dose dilute bupivacaine spinal anesthesia yields a comparably rapid recovery profile but may provide insufficient anesthesia. By exploiting the synergism between intrathecal opioids and local anesthetics, it may be possible to augment the spinal anesthesia without prolonging recovery. Fifty patients undergoing ambulatory surgical arthroscopy were randomized into two groups receiving spinal anesthesia with 3 ml 0.17% bupivacaine in 2.66% dextrose without (Group I) or with (Group II) the addition of 10 microg fentanyl. Median block levels reached T7 and T8, respectively (P = not significant [NS]). Mean times to two-segment regression, S2 regression, time out of bed, time to urination, and time to discharge were 53 vs 67 min (P < 0.01), 120 vs 146 min (P < 0.05), 146 vs 163 min (P = NS), 169 vs 177 min (P = NS), and 187 vs 195 min (P = NS) respectively. Motor blockade was similar between groups, but sensory blockade was significantly more intense in Group II (P < 0.01). Six of 25 blocks failed in Group I, whereas none failed in Group II. The addition of 10 microg fentanyl to spinal anesthesia with dilute small-dose bupivacaine intensifies and increases the duration of sensory blockade without increasing the intensity of motor blockade or prolonging recovery to micturition or street fitness. IMPLICATIONS: Concerns about the neurotoxicity of lidocaine have prompted efforts to find alternatives to lidocaine spinal anesthesia. We studied 50 patients undergoing ambulatory surgical arthroscopy and found that although small-dose bupivacaine alone is inadequate for this procedure, the addition of fentanyl makes it reliable.     

Determining flow rate in discharge pipes by measuring velocity at one point of the outlet section of a convergent duct

Results are presented from a study of a method for determining flow rate in discharge pipes by measuring velocity at one point of the outlet section of a convergent duct that smoothly connects two pipes of different diameters. A metrological analysis, of the measurement method is presented. Translated from Izmeritel'naya Teknika, No. 4, pp. 40–45, April, 1996     

Low-flow measurements with roller/blade tachometric chamber transducers

Three roller/blade tachometric chamber transducers, with capacities of 2, 10, and 20 cm³/rev, have been designed for measuring low flow rates. Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 5, pp. 37–41, May, 1996.