Characterization of polycrystalline layers by channelling measurements

Properties of polycrystalline Pd₂Si layers formed on <111> Si single-crystal substrates have been investigated by channelling measurements. Previous X-ray pole figure analysis indicated that the Pd₂Si layers have a preferential orientation of the c-axis parallel to that of the <111> axis of the substrate. The spread in crystallite orientations was found to depend strongly on heat treatment. The present measurements indicate that channelling minimum yields in these layers depend on this spread in orientation, and they show that channelling techniques can be used to obtain information on the orientation of polycrystalline films when the spread is of the order of the critical angle for channelling (1°).Minimum yields have been measured for protons and for ⁴He⁺ ions incident at energies from 0.2 to 2 MeV. Contrary to what is ordinarily observed for disordered single crystals, it was found that the minimum yields for the polycrystalline layers decrease markedly with decreasing beam energy. Assuming a gaussian distribution of crystallite orientations, calculations of the energy dependence of the minimum yield are consistent with the experimental findings.     

Protease inhibitor from barley embryo inhibiting trypsin and trypsin-like microbial proteases. Purification and characterisation of two isoforms

Two isoforms of an embryonal inhibitor of serine proteases have been isolated from barley grains. Both forms strongly inhibit animal trypsins and the microbial trypsinlike protease in Pronase. Chymotrypsin is weakly inhibited, and no effect is observed on subtilisin. Grains of the high-lysine barley mutant Risø 1508 contain about 0.35 mg inhibitor g^?1 grain, which is 2–4 times more than in normal barley varieties. The two inhibitor forms were isolated from Risø 1508 barley by extraction with a 5 g litre^?1 solution of sodium chloride acidified to pH 4.9, ammonium sulphate fractionation, anion exchange, cation exchange and gel filtration. The final preparations were homogeneous in electrophoretic analyses. The two isolated inhibitor forms are basic proteins with isoelectric points higher than pI 9 and molecular weights of about 16 000. There are only slight differences between the amino acid composition of the two forms, both being rich in cyst(e)ine, proline and basic amino acids. The properties of the two forms are very similar showing high stability to pepsin at pH 2, and to heat at 100°C, and having identical inhibitor properties against trypsin, Pronase and chymotrypsin. Both inhibitor forms have two active sites against trypsin and the trpysin-like protease in Pronase, but apparently only one against chymotrypsin. The two purified barley inhibitor forms show immunochemical identities between themselves and with corresponding protease inhibitors from rye and wheat embryos.     

Koordinatenunabhängige Darstellung von Geometrie und Kinematik des starren Körpers

Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Geometrie und Kinematik eines starren K?rpers mit festgehaltenem Punkt im Zusammenhang mit den durch Matrizen vermittelten linearen Abbildungen betrachtet. Dabei ergeben sich einige koordinatenunabh?ngige Darstellungen von Drehformeln, die besonders bei quasikinematischen Problemen mit Vorteil angewendet werden k?nnen. Herrn. o. Prof. Dr.-Ing.B. Dizioĝlu zur Vollendung des 60. Lebensjahres gewidmet     

Studies on the biological responses of rats to seed trypsin inhibitors using near-isogenic lines of Pisum sativum L (pea)

In order to determine the true antinutritional status of pea seed trypsin inhibitor (TI) proteins, pea lines are being produced that are near-isogenic except for the genetic locus, Tri, containing the TI structural genes. These lines are based on selection from the progeny of a cross between lines showing quantitative variation in TI content, as well as TI isoform and gene polymorphisms that serve as markers. Chemical analyses revealed that the composition of seeds from lines of each near-isogenic pair was extremely similar, except for a more than five-fold difference in TI content. Such lines provide material that is superior to the diverse lines previously used for nutritional assessment of pea TI. The specific biological effects of pea TI were studied by including the near-isogenic lines in standardised rat diets. The results indicated that TI content was correlated with a significant negative effect on protein digestibility and biological value. The difference in TI content of the pea seeds was reflected in the relative activity of pancreatic chymotrypsin whereas the activities of trypsin, lipase and amylase were less clearly affected. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Economic Plantwide Control Over a Wide Throughput Range: A Systematic Design Procedure

A systematic top‐down procedure to design an effective plantwide control system for economically (near) optimum process operation over a wide throughput range is developed. The proposed procedure focuses on devising a control system for optimal operation at maximum throughput, where usually the highest number of constraints is active and the economic benefits of improved operation are the greatest. To do so, loops for tight control of all the active constraints and economically sound controlled variables (CVs) corresponding to unconstrained degrees of freedom are first implemented (Step 1) followed by a consistent inventory control system (Step 2). This control system is adapted with setpoints that become unconstrained at lower throughputs taking up additional economic CV control or throughput manipulation (Step 3). Iteration between the three steps may be necessary to eliminate fragile/unconventional inventory loops (Step 4). The application of the methodology is demonstrated on three realistic example processes. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 2407–2426, 2013     

[3H]UR‐DE257: Development of a Tritium‐Labeled Squaramide‐Type Selective Histamine H2 Receptor Antagonist

A series of new piperidinomethylphenoxypropylamine‐type histamine H₂ receptor (H₂R) antagonists with different substituted “urea equivalents” was synthesized and characterized in functional in vitro assays. Based on these data as selection criteria, radiosynthesis of N‐[6‐(3,4‐dioxo‐2‐{3‐[3‐(piperidin‐1‐ylmethyl)phenoxy]propylamino}cyclobut‐1‐enylamino)hexyl]‐(2,3‐³H₂)propionic amide ([³H]UR‐DE257) was performed. The radioligand (specific activity: 63 Ci mmol^?1) had high affinity for human, rat, and guinea pig H₂R (hH₂R, Sf9 cells: K_d, saturation binding: 31 nM , kinetic studies: 20 nM ). UR‐DE257 revealed high H₂R selectivity on membranes of Sf9 cells, expressing the respective hH_xR subtype (K_i values: hH₁R: >10 000 nM , hH₂R: 28 nM , hH₃R: 3800 nM , hH₄R: >10 000 nM ). In spite of insurmountable antagonism, probably due to rebinding of [³H]UR‐DE257 to the H₂R (extended residence time), the title compound proved to be a valuable pharmacological tool for the determination of H₂R affinities in competition binding assays.     

Frameworks for comparing emissions associated with production, consumption, and international trade

While the problem of climate change is being perceived as increasingly urgent, decision-makers struggle to agree on the distribution of responsibility across countries. In particular, representatives from countries hosting emissions-intensive exporting industries have argued that the importers of emissions-intensive goods should bear the responsibility, and ensuing penalties. Indeed, international trade and carbon leakage appear to play an increasingly important role in the carbon emissions debate. However, definitions of quantities describing the embodiment of carbon emissions in internationally traded products, and their measurement, have to be sufficiently robust before being able to underpin global policy. In this paper we critically examine a number of emissions accounting concepts, examine whether the ensuing carbon balances are compatible with monetary trade balances, discuss their different interpretations, and highlight implications for policy. In particular, we compare the emissions embodied in bilateral trade (EEBT) method which considers total trade flows with domestic emission intensities, with the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) method which considers trade only into final consumption with global emission intensities. If consumption-based emissions of different countries were to be compared, we would suggest an MRIO approach because of the global emissions coverage inherent in this method. If trade-adjusted emission inventories were to be compared, we would suggest an EEBT approach due to the consistency with a monetary trade balance.     

Biodegradable latexes from animal-derived waste: Biosynthesis and characterization of mcl-PHA accumulated by Ps. citronellolis

Backgroundmcl-PHA biosynthesis by Pseudomonas citronellolis from tallow-based biodiesel as inexpensive carbon feed stock was accomplished. Fermentation protocols, kinetic analysis, an efficient product recovery strategy, and a detailed product characterization are presented.ResultsA maximum specific growth rate, μ_max. of 0.10 and 0.08 h^?1, respectively, was achieved in two different fermentation set-ups. Volumetric productivity for mcl-PHA amounted to 0.036 g/L h and 0.050 g/L h, final intracellular PHA contents calculated from the sum of active biomass and PHA to 20.1 and 26.6 wt.%, respectively. GC-FID analysis showed that the obtained biopolyester predominantly consists of 3-hydroxyoctanoate and 3-hydroxydecanoate, and, to a minor extent, 3-hydroxydodecanoate, 3-hydroxynonanoate, 3-hydroxyhexanoate, and 3-hydroxyheptanoate monomers. This was confirmed by ¹H- and ¹³C NMR, also evidencing the occurrence of low quantities of unsaturated and 3-hydroxyvalerate building blocks. High purity of the recovered materials was proofed by elemental analysis. Regarding the results from thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and molecular mass determination, results were in a range typical for this type of PHA (1st fermentation: decomposition temperature T_d = 296 °C, peak of melting range T_m = 48.6 °C; glass transition temperature T_g = ?46.9 °C, degree of crystallinity X_c = 12.3%, M_w = 66,000, M_n = 35,000, dispersity index P_i = 1.9; 2nd fermentation: T_d = 295 °C, T_m = 53.6 °C, T_g = -43.5 °C, X_c = 10.4%, M_w = 78,000, M_n = 196,000, P_i = 2.5).     

Identification of Quaternary Shape Memory Alloys with Near‐Zero Thermal Hysteresis and Unprecedented Functional Stability

Improving the functional stability of shape memory alloys (SMAs), which undergo a reversible martensitic transformation, is critical for their applications and remains a central research theme driving advances in shape memory technology. By using a thin‐film composition‐spread technique and high‐throughput characterization methods, the lattice parameters of quaternary Ti–Ni–Cu–Pd SMAs and the thermal hysteresis are tailored. Novel alloys with near‐zero thermal hysteresis, as predicted by the geometric non‐linear theory of martensite, are identified. The thin‐film results are successfully transferred to bulk materials and near‐zero thermal hysteresis is observed for the phase transformation in bulk alloys using the temperature‐dependent alternating current potential drop method. A universal behavior of hysteresis versus the middle eigenvalue of the transformation stretch matrix is observed for different alloy systems. Furthermore, significantly improved functional stability, investigated by thermal cycling using differential scanning calorimetry, is found for the quaternary bulk alloy Ti_50.2Ni_34.4Cu_12.3Pd_3.1.