Mid-infrared quantum cascade laser based off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy for biogenic nitric oxide detection

Tunable-laser absorption spectroscopy in the mid-IR spectral region is a sensitive analytical technique for trace-gas quantification. The detection of nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled breath is of particular interest in the diagnosis of lower-airway inflammation associated with a number of lung diseases and illnesses. A gas analyzer based on a continuous-wave mid-IR quantum cascade laser operating at approximately 5.2 microm and on off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (ICOS) has been developed to measure NO concentrations in human breath. A compact sample cell, 5.3 cm in length and with a volume of < 80 cm3, that is suitable for on-line and off-line measurements during a single breath cycle, has been designed and tested. A noise-equivalent (signal-to-noise ratio of 1) sensitivity of 10 parts in 10(9) by volume (ppbv) of NO was achieved. The combination of ICOS with wavelength modulation resulted in a 2-ppbv noise-equivalent sensitivity. The total data acquisition and averaging time was 15 s in both cases. The feasibility of detecting NO in expired human breath as a potential noninvasive medical diagnostic tool is discussed.     

High‐Temperature Structural Transformations of 1,1‐Diamino‐2,2‐dinitroethene (FOX‐7)

Stuctural transformations of 1,1‐diamino‐2,2‐dinitroethene (FOX‐7) were investigated in the temperature range 298–513 K by means of DSC, TG, isothermal calorimetry, PXRD, IR spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The data obtained confirm the existence of the high‐temperature δ‐FOX‐7 polymorph stable above 480 K. The heat effect of the γ→δ transformation is − 4.6 J g⁻¹ (−680 J mol⁻¹). Metastable γ‐phase formed in the reverse process δ→γ has a perfect crystal structure and is stable towards thermal decomposition. Possible mechanisms of sharp deceleration of thermal decomposition of FOX‐7 at the 40 % conversion are discussed.     

Potential Urine Proteomic Biomarkers for Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis and Minimal Change Disease

Primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), along with minimal change disease (MCD), are diseases with primary podocyte damage that are clinically manifested by the nephrotic syndrome. The pathogenesis of these podocytopathies is still unknown, and therefore, the search for biomarkers of these diseases is ongoing. Our aim was to determine of the proteomic profile of urine from patients with FSGS and MCD. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of FSGS (n = 30) and MCD (n = 9) were recruited for the study. For a comprehensive assessment of the severity of FSGS a special index was introduced, which was calculated as follows: the first score was assigned depending on the level of eGFR, the second score—depending on the proteinuria level, the third score—resistance to steroid therapy. Patients with the sum of these scores of less than 3 were included in group 1, with 3 or more—in group 2. The urinary proteome was analyzed using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The proteome profiles of patients with severe progressive FSGS from group 2, mild FSGS from group 1 and MCD were compared. Results of the label free analysis were validated using targeted LC-MS based on multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) with stable isotope labelled peptide standards (SIS) available for 47 of the 76 proteins identified as differentiating between at least one pair of groups. Quantitative MRM SIS validation measurements for these 47 proteins revealed 22 proteins with significant differences between at least one of the two group pairs and 14 proteins were validated for both comparisons. In addition, all of the 22 proteins validated by MRM SIS analysis showed the same direction of change as at the discovery stage with label-free LC-MS analysis, i.e., up or down regulation in MCD and FSGS1 against FSGS2. Patients from the FSGS group 2 showed a significantly different profile from both FSGS group 1 and MCD. Among the 47 significantly differentiating proteins, the most significant were apolipoprotein A-IV, hemopexin, vitronectin, gelsolin, components of the complement system (C4b, factors B and I), retinol- and vitamin D-binding proteins. Patients with mild form of FSGS and MCD showed lower levels of Cystatin C, gelsolin and complement factor I.     

Thermal properties of 2:1 bismuth borate: Temperature-dependent characterizations of lone electron pairs

Applications of bismuth borate ceramics require understanding of the microscopic features, leading to macroscopic behaviors such as thermal expansion. We report the structural and spectroscopic features of Bi₄B₂O₉ between 4 K and 900 K using a combination of temperature-dependent neutron and X-ray powder diffractions and Raman spectroscopy. Lattice thermal expansion was modeled using the Debye-Einstein-Anharmonicity (DEA) fit. The model also follows four independent thermal expansion tensors of the monoclinic system. Phonon density of states obtained from the density functional theory (DFT) calculations helps to understand the low Debye temperature calculated from the metric expansion as well as from the isotropic atomic displacement parameters. Both Wang-Liebau eccentricity (WLE) parameter and Liebau density vector (LDV) are calculated from the structural data and from the DFT calculation, respectively. Whereas, the dimensionless absolute value of WLE measures the degree of deformation of the electronic deformation density of the 6s² lone electron pairs (LEPs) of the Bi³⁺ cations, LDV additionally shows the changes of the orientation of the LEP-lobes as function of temperature. Analyses of the temperature-dependent frequencies of some selected Raman modes support the choice of the elastic model of the Debye approach.     

Exploring the factors of efficiency in German and Ukrainian wineries

The paper is devoted to the evaluation and comparison of the efficiency of winemaking in Germany and Ukraine in order to find the key factors of efficiency of wine business in these countries. The models of data envelopment analysis (DEA), correlation and other tools of data analysis are used to analyse the efficiency of wineries in two countries. Returns to scale, scale efficiency, super-efficiency and some other indicators are examined. The study is based on the sample including 36 wineries of Germany and Ukraine. The hypothesis about a higher relative efficiency of winemaking in Germany in comparison with Ukrainian winemaking was confirmed analytically. Relatively a high average scale efficiency score indicates a good potential (above 30%) for efficiency growth due to the optimization of a scale of production and sales. Generally, winemaking in Germany and Ukraine has increasing returns to scale. It was found to be the most efficient combination of the size and legal form of business organization for wine business in Germany.     

Effect of Deformation-Induced Martensitic Transformations in a SMAW Butt Joint of the 304 Stainless Steel on its Strain Field Distributions

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - The paper reports the effect of plane tensile stresses on changes in the microstructure and phase composition in a butt joint of plates from the 304...     

Solution-processed polymer–silver nanowire top electrodes for inverted semi-transparent solar cells

We present a transparent, fully solution-processed top anode system comprising a thin, conductive polymer interlayer below a silver nanowire mesh for efficient organic electronic devices. We fabricate inverted semi-transparent polymer solar cells exhibiting power conversion efficiencies that are comparable to devices incorporating an opaque electrode. By means of scanning electron microscopy and light beam induced photocurrent measurements we show that the thin polymer interlayer facilitates charge extraction from the active layer and efficient transport to the metallic nanowire mesh.     

Radiative Properties of Stoichiometric Hafnium,Titanium, and Zirconium Carbides: Thermodynamics of Thermal Radiation

The true temperatures of the thermal radiation of stoichiometric hafnium, titanium, and zirconium carbides are defined from the generalized Wien displacement law. It is shown that Wien’s displacement law for the investigated stoichiometric carbides decreases linearly with increasing temperature. The uncertainties in the determination of the true temperature are no greater than 1 %. For determining the true temperature of stoichiometric carbides, the experimental values of the position of the maximum of the spectral density power are needed. By extrapolating the generalized Wien displacement laws in the ultra-high-temperature region, the positions of the maximum of the normal energy density of hafnium, titanium, and zirconium carbides at melting temperatures are obtained. Thermodynamics of thermal radiation of stoichiometric carbides is constructed by using the temperature dependences of the generalized Stefan–Boltzmann law. The calculated values of the normal total emissivity for the investigated carbides at different temperatures are in good agreement with experimental data. For determining the true temperatures of the thermal radiation of stoichiometric carbides, experimental values of either the normal total emissivity or the normal total energy density are needed. The temperature dependences of the Helmholtz free energy, entropy, heat capacity at constant volume, pressure, enthalpy, and internal energy of the thermal radiation of stoichiometric carbides at high temperature are obtained. It is shown that thermodynamic function values increase with increasing temperature as a power law.