Preparation of Cu-Ni Film Resistors with Low Resistivity and Low TCR

Thin film resistors with low TCR and low electric resistivity were prepared from phosphorus free Cu-Ni alloy obtained by electroless and electrolytic deposition with heat treatment at low temperature.     

The Effects of Insulin on Immortalized Rat Schwann Cells,IFRS1

Schwann cells play an important role in peripheral nerve function, and their dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy and other demyelinating diseases. The physiological functions of insulin in Schwann cells remain unclear and therefore define the aim of this study. By using immortalized adult Fischer rat Schwann cells (IFRS1), we investigated the mechanism of the stimulating effects of insulin on the cell proliferation and expression of myelin proteins (myelin protein zero (MPZ) and myelin basic protein (MBP). The application of insulin to IFRS1 cells increased the proliferative activity and induced phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, but not P38-MAPK. The proliferative potential of insulin-stimulated IFRS1 was significantly suppressed by the addition of LY294002, a PI3 kinase inhibitor. The insulin-stimulated increase in MPZ expression was significantly suppressed by the addition of PD98059, a MEK inhibitor. Furthermore, insulin-increased MBP expression was significantly suppressed by the addition of LY294002. These findings suggest that both PI3-K/Akt and ERK/MEK pathways are involved in insulin-induced cell growth and upregulation of MPZ and MBP in IFRS1 Schwann cells.     

Effect of in-flight particle behavior on the morphology of flame sprayed Er2O3 splats

The morphology and microstructure of splats impact the comprehensive capability of a new coating methodology called chelate flame spraying (CFS). This study addresses the quantitative characterization of the spread morphologies of flame sprayed Er₂O₃ splats directly deposited under different spray conditions on aluminum alloy substrates with a mirror finish. The influence of the in-flight particle temperature and velocity, carrier gas type, and carrier gas ratio on the solidification mechanism of molten droplets was investigated. Image analysis methods were employed to identify single splats from the morphology observed with field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). In addition, Er₂O₃ films were synthesized on an Al–Mg alloy (A5052) substrate using N₂ or O₂ as the carrier gas. When O₂ was used as the carrier gas, 109-μm-thick films were deposited on the A5052 substrate. The cross-sectional porosity of the films was 3.8%. In contrast, films with 101-μm thickness were synthesized on the A5052 substrate when N₂ was used as the carrier gas. The cross-sectional porosity of these films was 13.8%. The results showed that the carrier gas type (N₂) and carrier gas ratio had a significant effect on the flattening behavior of the molten droplets. A spraying method combined with multidimensional modes is proposed to control the morphology of the splats.     

Predicting Long‐Term Changes in Riparian Bird Communities in Floodplain Landscapes

As anthropogenic impacts on riverine ecosystems expand, both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are influenced over large spatiotemporal scales. We predicted how riparian bird communities changed in response to long‐term changes in floodplain landscapes such as woodland expansion (i.e. rapid increases in vegetation cover on gravel bars and the progress of vegetation succession due to a decrease in the frequency and magnitude of flood disturbance). To test the hypothesis that woodland expansion after dam construction reduces the abundance of gravel bar‐nesting birds and increases the abundance of forest‐nesting birds, we estimated historical changes between past and present bird abundances using species distribution models across multiple rivers that were either unregulated or regulated by dams. We created past and present vegetation maps from remote sensing images and used habitat quantities as explanatory variables in the species distribution models. As we hypothesized, the estimated abundance of gravel bar‐nesting birds decreased and that of forest‐nesting birds increased because of woodland expansion in some regulated rivers. This suggests that anthropogenic alterations of riverine conditions (e.g. dam construction) can affect terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. riparian bird communities) through changes in floodplains (e.g. woodland expansion). In addition, our findings highlight the efficacy of combining spatial and temporal analyses when examining long‐term ecological dynamics. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 thin films by sequential evaporation and annealing in sulfur atmosphere

Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ thin films with high Ga/III ratio (around 0.8) were prepared by sequential evaporation from CuGaSe₂, CuInSe₂, In₂Se₃ and Ga₂Se₃ compounds and then annealing in H₂S gas atmosphere. The annealing temperature was varied from 400 to 500 °C. These samples were characterized by means of XRF, EPMA, XRD and SEM. The S/(S+Se) mole ratio in the thin films increased with increase in the annealing temperature, keeping the Cu, In and Ga contents nearly constant. The open circuit voltage increased and the short circuit current density decreased with increase in the annealing temperature. The best solar cell using Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ thin film with Ga/(In+Ga)=0.79 and S/(S+Se)=0.11 annealed at 400 °C demonstrated V_oc=535 mV, I_sc=13.3 mA/cm², FF=0.61 and efficiency=4.34% without AR-coating.     

Payments for watershed services: Directing incentives for improving lake basin governance

This study introduces the emerging integrated ecosystem management approach known as Payments for Watershed Services (PWS) as utilized for lake and reservoir basin governance. PWS is built on the central concept of providing economic incentives to watershed stakeholders to assist in management efforts. It channels conservation payments from downstream payers to finance conservation activities conducted by upstream payees. The upstream conservation activities are expected to enhance ecosystem functions, thereby improving water‐related ecosystem services desired by downstream stakeholders. Information on 163 PWS projects in 34 developing countries through the year 2008 was collected and analysed, including their common goals, processes, outcomes, scientific assumptions and socioeconomic rationales. This study recognized one unique PWS characteristic, namely the role of intermediary organizations (i.e. brokers) in integrating the economic incentives of upstream payees and downstream payers in order to facilitate their transactions by means of contracts. Although 75% of the reviewed PWS projects have focused on rivers, and only 10% have considered lakes and reservoirs, the similarity of the intermediary functions performed by lake management organizations and PWS intermediary organizations suggests a greater potential for the future application of PWS designs in lake basins. Drawing on components in the field of New Institutional Economics to interpret the intermediary function within the PWS framework, a three‐part PWS design with 15 steps is proposed in this study for lake basin governance, with a Costa Rican PWS scheme serving as an illustration. This study seeks to communicate the scientific and socioeconomic frontiers for developing locally suitable and integrated watershed governance structures to lake management organizations and other watershed stakeholder groups.     

Development of a mathematical model for predicting water vapor mass generated in micro-explosion

This paper describes a mathematical model for predicting the mass of water vapor generated in micro-explosion. First, a single droplet experiment was carried out. A W/O (water/oil) emulsified fuel droplet suspended by a thermocouple was heated by a halogen spot heater, and micro-explosion was observed using a high-speed video camera. The progress of the coalescence of the dispersed water droplet was observed while droplet was heated, and an aggregated water droplet was formed in the oil layer. Based on the measured micro-explosion characteristics, a mathematical model for predicting water vapor mass generated in micro-explosion was proposed. The size of the aggregated water droplet just before micro-explosion was measured to verify the proposed mathematical model. Under certain assumptions, mass and energy conservation equations were applied to micro-explosion process, and an equation to calculate water vapor mass generated in micro-explosion was derived. The derived equation and some measurement results provide enough information to calculate water vapor mass generated in micro-explosion. The calculated diameter of the water droplet, which changed to vapor in micro-explosion, was compared to that of the aggregated water droplet just before micro-explosion. The calculated results roughly agreed with experimental ones, and the validity of the proposed model was verified.     

A numerical investigation of evaporation characteristics of a fuel droplet suspended from a thermocouple

Numerical simulations of combined natural convection–conduction in a droplet of n-dodecane suspended from a thermocouple were carried out, taking into consideration evaporation, and the effect of thermocouple diameter on the evaporation characteristics was investigated. The calculated temperature history of the droplet is in good agreement with experimental results; both show that the rate of heating decreases with increasing thermocouple diameter. The maximum error in temperature due to the thermocouple increases linearly with increasing thermocouple diameter. Thus, in investigations involving a droplet suspended from a thermocouple, it is preferable to use a thermocouple with the smallest possible diameter.