Evaluation of detergent extraction procedures for characterising carbohydrate components in ruminant feeds and digesta

Steers fitted with simple rumen and abomasal cannulas were given isoenergetic diets of approximately equal amounts of untreated (UT) barley straw and concentrates (flaked maize + tapioca) alone (BS) or with urea (BSU) or fishmeal (BSF). Similar diets were also given in which the barley straw had been treated (AT) with NaOH (BSA, BSAU and BSAF respectively). The diets were given in a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Feed components and abomasal digesta samples were analysed for neutral (NDF) and acid (ADF) detergent fibres and for monosaccharide constituents of structural polysaccharides. Hemicellulose contents were estimated as the sum of xylose + arabinose (X + A) and by the difference between ash-free NDF and ash-free ADF (NDF-ADF). Cellulose was estimated as β-linked glucose (C) and by the difference between ash-free ADF and lignin (ADF–L).¹⁰³ Ruthenium and PEG were given as flow markers and flows (g24h^?1) at the abomasum of carbohydrate components estimated in these ways were calculated. Approximately 98% (by wt.) of the cellulose (C) found in original feed and digesta samples was recovered in both NDF and ADF. Recoveries of hemicellulose (X + A) in NDF from UT straw, AT straw and abomasal digesta were approximately 92, 48 and 50%, respectively. The ADF fraction of feeds and digesta contained 3–6 and 10–17% of the nitrogen and xylose, respectively, present in the original samples. Mouth to abomasum digestibilities of hemicellulose (NDF– ADF) for diets BS, BSU, BSF, BSA, BSAU and BSAF were 39, 62, 67, 29, 61 and 76%, respectively. Corresponding values for cellulose (ADF–L) were 37, 34, 50, 45, 48, and 63%, respectively. The use of NDF–ADF and ADF–L as measures of hemicellulose and cellulose contents, respectively, of feeds and digesta, and the digestibility of these carbohydrate fractions between mouth and abomasum of steers are discussed.     

Modification of emission wavelength in organic random lasers based on photonic glass

Control of the emission wavelength of a random laser (RL) system over a 7-nm waveband is demonstrated using a green-emitting π-conjugated polymer infiltrated into a photonic glass formed by nano/micro-size monodisperse silica spheres. The use of a solution-based conjugated polymer enables the complete filling of the voids within the photonic glass without suffering from quenching and the gain can therefore be maximized. The emission wavelength of these structures is set by a combination of the material system spectral gain and of the transport mean free path, the latter being controlled by the mean diameter of the spheres in the nano-scale range. Transport mean free paths of photons in the RL’s active region are calculated using Mie scattering theory and corroborated with coherent backscattering measurements. Further wavelength modification is also possible by changing the pump spot size and the pump fluence.     

Kinetic Control of Long-Range Cationic Ordering in the Synthesis of Layered Ni-Rich Oxides

Deciphering the sophisticated interplay between thermodynamics and kinetics of high-temperature lithiation reaction is fundamentally significant for designing and preparing cathode materials. Here, the formation pathway of Ni-rich layered ordered LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ (O-LNCM622O) is carefully characterized using in situ synchrotron radiation diffraction. A fast nonequilibrium phase transition from the reactants to a metastable disordered Li_1−x(Ni_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2)_1+xO₂ (D-LNCM622O, 0 < x < 0.95) takes place while lithium/oxygen is incorporated during heating before the generation of the equilibrium phase (O-LNCM622O). The time evolution of the lattice parameters for layered nonstoichiometric D-LNCM622O is well-fitted to a model of first-order disorder-to-order transition. The long-range cation disordering parameter, Li/TM (TM = Ni, Co, Mn) ion exchange, decreases exponentially and finally reaches a steady-state as a function of heating time at selected temperatures. The dominant kinetic pathways revealed here will be instrumental in achieving high-performance cathode materials. Importantly, the O-LNCM622O tends to form the D-LNCM622O with Li/O loss above 850 °C. In situ XRD results exhibit that the long-range cationic (dis)ordering in the Ni-rich cathodes could affect the structural evolution during cycling and thus their electrochemical properties. These insights may open a new avenue for the kinetic control of the synthesis of advanced electrode materials.     

Chaos at Interface Brings Order into Oxide/Silicon Structure

Integration of oxides with silicon fuses advanced functional properties with a mature technological platform. In particular, direct EuO/Si contact holds high promise for spintronics but requires single-crystalline epitaxial films with atomically sharp interfaces. The standard approach employing regular 2D superstructures of metal atoms on the Si surface fails to meet the challenge. Here, an alternative route is designed and shown to solve the problem. This route avoids regular templates; the chaotic 2D distribution of metal atoms on the Si surface prevents stabilization of unwanted crystal orientations. Thus, the disordered submonolayer phase at the interface promotes order in oxide/Si coupling, as witnessed by a combination of diffraction techniques and high-resolution electron microscopy. The results not only mark tangible progress in manufacturing EuO/Si contacts but also provide a general framework for monolithic integration of functional oxides with semiconductor substrates.     

Mirror or Molder? A Study of Media Coverage,Stock Prices,and Trading Volumes in Germany

This article investigates the short‐term relationship between media coverage, stock prices, and trading volumes of eight listed German companies. A content analysis of news reports about the selected companies and a secondary analysis of the daily changes in closing prices and the trading volumes of these companies were combined in a time‐series design. After ARIMA‐modeling each of them, the results suggest that media coverage rather reflects than shapes the development at stock exchanges from a short‐term perspective (2 months). There were almost no hints for a widespread media effect, that is, an impact on so many investors that it will result in a measurable change in stock prices or trading volumes. Finally, theoretical and methodological consequences for exploring widespread media effects are discussed.     

Nonstoichiometry and solubility of impurity in In-doped PbTe films on Si substrates

The chemical quantitative composition, phase constitution, and crystal structure of doped with In lead telluride films on Si (1 0 0) or SiO₂/Si (1 0 0) substrates have been studied in this work. By EPMA and atomic absorption measurements, it has been found that the concentration of In atoms y_In varied from 0.0011 to 0.045 in these deposited Pb_1−yIn_yTe films. The results of EPMA, SEM, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show that formation of In solid solutions in lead telluride matrix revealed not only in PbTe–InTe cross-section, but in PbTe–In₂Te₃ pseudobinary system also. The results of XRD show that the lattice parameter a_PbTe of PbTeIn/Si and PbTeIn/SiO₂/Si heterostructures is described by nonmonotone function and does not obey the Vegard's law within concentration interval 0.0011y_In0.045.     

Plasmatron with Microwave Excitation of Nonequilibrium Plasma

Testing results of a microwave plasma generator (plasmatron) intended for excitation of a strongly nonequilibrium plasma arepresented. Nonequilibrium properties of the plasma are described in detail.The plasma flame is formed at an open end of a coaxial line under atmospheric pressure. Argon is used as plasma forming gas, and a 10 GHz CW magnetron with 10 W output power is used for plasma excitation.The efficiency of absorption of microwave power in the plasma is higher than90% with specific absorbing capacity of 0,4.4 kW/cm³     

晶圆边缘缺陷的系统探测与分类

边缘缺陷率已成为器件制造的重要问题，然而相当多的器件制造商认为．目前对晶圆边缘进行检测的能力还远远不够。虽然有些解决方案的表现还不错．但是它们似乎主要针对的是晶圆制造商，重点关注的是晶圆上的碎片和裂缝等物理损伤。