Effect of high field stresses on interface states of n-MOS capacitors

High electrical stresses have been applied to n-MOS capacitors prepared following two thermal oxidation methods. The increase of the interface state density was investigated by means of a conductance method and incidentally by a quasi-static method. A threshold effect, possibly related to a Fowler-Nordheim injection, has been found in the increase of this density versus field stress. At high field stresses, a second conductance peak has been observed, which can be explained in terms of new interface states, rather than lateral nonuniformities.     

Effect of artificial perspiration and cleaning chemicals on the mechanical and chemical properties of ballistic materials

During routine field use of soft body armor, the ballistic panels become saturated with perspiration. This condition motivates the user to clean and/or deodorize the armor, and anecdotal evidence is given for various methods used to accomplish this. Although the cleaning/deodorization is usually performed on the armor liners and coverings, there is concern that the chemicals could seep into the ballistic panels and damage the fibers. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of artificial perspiration and cleaning chemicals on the mechanical and chemical properties of aramid, poly(p‐phenylene benzobisoxazole), and ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene yarns after controlled cycles of exposure to artificial perspiration and dilute solutions of common cleaning chemicals. It was observed that the effect of the artificial perspiration on the properties of all of the materials tested was the same as that of water alone. Of all of the cleaning chemicals used, only chlorine bleach had a detrimental effect on the yarn properties. All other cleaning chemicals had the same effect as water alone. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Estimation of time-varying heat sources through inversion of a low order model built with the Modal Identification Method from in-situ temperature measurements

An approach using an experimentally built low order model is proposed for the estimation of time-varying heat sources. In a first step, a low order dynamical system of equations, linking up temperatures at a set of specific points to heat sources strengths, is identified from experimental data using the Modal Identification Method. In a second step, the low order model is used to efficiently solve the transient inverse problem for the estimation of heat sources intensities from temperature measurements. The proposed approach is illustrated with an experimental set-up involving thermal diffusion with convective and radiative boundary conditions.     

Intake and digestibility of fatty acids in late-lactating dairy cows fed flaxseed hulls supplemented with monensin

Flaxseed hull, a co-product obtained from flax processing, is a rich source of n-3 fatty acids but there is little information on digestibility of its nutrients by dairy cows. Four rumen-cannulated multiparous Holstein cows averaging 665 ± 21 kg of body weight and 190 ± 5 d in milk at the beginning of the experiment were assigned to a 4 × 4 Latin square design with four 28-d experimental periods to determine the effects of feeding monensin and flaxseed hulls on total tract apparent digestibility of nutrients and fatty acids. The four treatments were: (1) diet CO: control with neither flaxseed hulls nor monensin added; (2) diet FH containing 19·8 g flaxseed hulls/100 g dry matter (DM); (3) diet MO with 16 mg monensin/kg DM; (4) diet HM containing 19·8 g flaxseed hulls/100 g DM and 16 mg monensin/kg DM. Diets provided similar amounts of protein and net energy of lactation. Digestibility of crude protein was higher for diets containing flaxseed hulls and for diets supplemented with monensin. Flaxseed hulls supplementation decreased digestibility of acid and neutral detergent fibre. Significantly higher digestibility of ether extract and individual fatty acids was observed for treatments with flaxseed hulls compared with treatments without flaxseed hulls. A combination of flaxseed hulls and monensin did not result in better fatty acid digestibility than when feeding only flaxseed hulls.     

Physiological and biochemical characteristics of the ethyl tiglate production pathway in the yeast Saprochaete suaveolens

A yeast identified as Saprochaete suaveolens was investigated for its capacity to produce a large panel of flavouring molecules. With a production of 32 compounds including 28 esters, S. suaveolens seems to be a good producer of fruity flavours and fragrances and especially of unsaturated esters, such as ethyl tiglate. Physiological and biochemical analyses were performed in this study in an attempt to comprehend the metabolic route to the formation of this compound. We show that the accumulation of ethyl tiglate by S. suaveolens is specifically induced by isoleucine. However, and contrary to S. cerevisiae, which harbours a classical Ehrlich pathway leading to the production of 2‐methylbutanol from isoleucine, our results provide phenotypic and enzymological evidence of ethyl tiglate biosynthesis in S. suaveolens through the catabolism of this amino acid by the β‐oxidation pathway, which generates tiglyl‐CoA as a probable intermediate. A kinetic analysis of this flavour molecule during growth of S. suaveolens on glucose and isoleucine showed a phase of production of ethyl tiglate that culminated concurrently with isoleucine exhaustion, followed by a disappearance of this compound, likely due to reassimilation by the yeast. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ureteral metastases from prostatic cancers. 2 cases. Review of the literature

The authors report two new observations of ureteral metastases from prostatic cancers and review the 17 already published cases. The relative rarity might well be only apparent, in relation with the delay in the exploration of the first observations. The diagnostic criteria are less clinical and radiological than anatomo-pathological, the metastases contrasting themselves with ureteral invasion by direct propagation. The anatomical status shows no predominance between tumoral or infiltrating forms, nor of any particular site on the ureter, while noting a relative frequence of bilateral involvement. The therapeutic approach is dependant upon these factors. The prognostic is reserved, at the cost of a segmental ureteral resection or a nephro-ureterectomy.