Recent progress on ZnO-based metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors and their application in transparent integrated circuits

Metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) are widely known from opaque high-speed GaAs or high-power SiC and GaN technology. For the emerging field of transparent electronics, only metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MISFETs) were considered so far. This article reviews the progress of high-performance MESFETs in oxide electronics and reflects the recent advances of this technique towards transparent MESFET circuitry. We discuss design prospects as well as limitations regarding device performance, reliability and stability. The presented ZnO-based MESFETs and inverters have superior properties compared to MISFETs, i.e., high channel mobilities and on/off-ratios, high gain, and low uncertainty level at comparatively low operating voltages. This makes them a promising approach for future low-cost transparent electronics.     

Surface energy of corona treated PP,PE and PET films,its alteration as function of storage time and the effect of various corona dosages on their bond strength after lamination

The aim of this study was to analyze how corona dosages above recommended levels affect film surface energy and hydrophobic recovery of such treated film surfaces as well as laminate bond strength of laminates made of these films. The adhesive for lamination was a polyurethane‐adhesive with a dry film thickness of ～5 µm. Polar and dispersive parts of the surface energy were measured frequently according to DIN 55660‐2 (Owens–Wendt–Rabel‐and‐Kaelble method) for up to 140 days after corona treatment. The corona dosage had a value of up to 280 W min/m². Laminate bond strength was measured according to DIN 55543‐5. The effect of corona treatment was highest for low‐density polyethylene (PE‐LD) films, mean for biaxial‐oriented polypropylene (PP‐BO) films, and lowest for biaxial‐oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET‐BO) films. With increasing storage time, surface energy decreased, as expected. The higher the effect of corona treatment, the faster the polar part of surface energy decreased. At PE‐LD, laminate bond strength increased with a higher corona dosage from 0.05 to 8.87 mN/15 mm, whereas at PET‐BO and PP‐BO laminate bond strength was so high that samples teared before delamination during bond strength testing. By our results is shown that corona dosages above recommended levels resulted in higher laminate bond strength. Only at PP‐BO a reduction of laminate bond strength due to “overtreatment” was be observed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45842.     

Surfactant adsorption onto activated carbon and its effect on absorption with chemical reaction

The effects of surfactant contaminations and activated carbon addition on physical gas absorption, and absorption with fast and instantaneous reaction (sulphite oxidation, carbon dioxide absorption into sodium hydroxide and monoethanol amine (MEA) solutions) have been studied in a stirred cell with a flat gas/liquid interface. Surfactants significantly decrease the liquid-side mass transfer coefficient k_L even at very small concentrations. The surfactants can be removed by adsorption onto activated carbon (“surfactant grazing”).In absorption with fast chemical reaction of the gas (sulphite oxidation), the liquid side mass transfer coefficient k_L has no effect on the absorption rate and, consequently, there are no effects of surfactant and activated carbon. CO₂ absorption into sodium hydroxide solution may occur in the instantaneous absorption regime; then, any change in k_L causes a proportional change in the absorption rate. In CO₂ absorption into MEA solution, however, in the instantaneous regime, much stronger effects of surfactant and of its removal by activated carbon are observed. It is suggested that in the absence of surfactants surface convection (Marangoni instability) may occur in MEA solutions.     

Ionic mobilities of monovalent cations in molten salt mixtures

For a better understanding of the mechanism of electrical conductivity of ionic melts, additive binary systems yield more heuristic information than pure melts do. Thus, mobility isotherms of monovalent cations with a common anion are discussed. The difference in external and internal mobilities is explained. The methods for determining transport numbers of individual ionic species in mixtures are briefly mentioned. The profiles of the isotherms of the internal mobilities of monovalent cations in common anion binary systems may be classified into two types. In most of the binary melts a crossing of the isotherms occurs. Interpretation of the ionic mobilities reversal is given based on molecular dynamics simulation as well as experimental data, which is a clue for elucidation of the mechanism of ionic transport in molten salts.     

Kohlenstoff-Recycling aus Abfallbehandlungsanlagen – Baustein für eine biobasierte Industrie?

Today, the thermal disposal of waste is the acknowledged state of the art. During the incineration process various volume flows are generated, in particular carbon dioxide. This study describes a novel approach to the material use of carbon dioxide for methanol. The developed model enables a timely evaluation of investment and operating costs and generates a reliable basis for decision-making within the framework of a site analysis.     

Co-staining of KCa3.1 Channels in NSCLC Cells with a Small-Molecule Fluorescent Probe and Antibody-Based Indirect Immunofluorescence

The Ca²⁺ activated potassium channel 3.1 (K_Ca3.1) is involved in critical steps of the metastatic cascade, such as proliferation, migration, invasion and extravasation. Therefore, a fast and efficient protocol for imaging of K_Ca3.1 channels was envisaged. The novel fluorescently labeled small molecule imaging probes 1 and 2 were synthesized by connecting a dimethylpyrrole-based BODIPY dye with a derivative of the K_Ca3.1 channel inhibitor senicapoc via linkers of different length. Patch-clamp experiments revealed the inhibition of K_Ca3.1 channels by the probes confirming interaction with the channel. Both probes 1 and 2 were able to stain K_Ca3.1 channels in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells following a simple, fast and efficient protocol. Pre-incubation with unlabeled senicapoc removed the punctate staining pattern showing the specificity of the new probes 1 and 2 . Staining of the channel with the fluorescently labeled senicapoc derivatives 1 or 2 or with antibody-based indirect immunofluorescence yielded identical or very similar densities of stained K_Ca3.1 channels. However, co-staining using both methods did not lead to the expected overlapping punctate staining pattern. This observation was explained by docking studies showing that the antibody used for indirect immunofluorescence and the probes 1 and 2 label different channel populations. Whereas the antibody binds at the closed channel conformation, the probes 1 and 2 bind within the open channel.     

Digital Image Processing of Gas-Liquid Reactions in Coiled Capillaries

In the course of the investigation of biocatalytic gas-liquid reactions with color change in straight and coiled capillaries, a non-invasive evaluation method is needed to determine reaction progress and selectivity. Correlations between hydrodynamics, mass transfer phenomena, and reaction kinetics are in the focus of our work. For this purpose, it is necessary to investigate the flow and evaluate the reaction progress without disturbing the flow. Digital image processing (DIP) is presented as a suitable optical evaluation method for reactions with color change in capillary reactor designs. The developed DIP program is independent from the capillary reactor design, applicable to differently colored systems, and can analyze up to three different species simultaneously.     

Gene Therapy for Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis: Current Progress and Future Prospects

Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC) are inherited severe liver disorders presenting early in life, with high serum bile salt and bilirubin levels. Six types have been reported, two of these are caused by deficiency of an ABC transporter; ABCB11 (bile salt export pump) in type 2; ABCB4 (phosphatidylcholine floppase) in type 3. In addition, ABCB11 function is affected in 3 other types of PFIC. A lack of effective treatment makes a liver transplantation necessary in most patients. In view of long-term adverse effects, for instance due to life-long immune suppression needed to prevent organ rejection, gene therapy could be a preferable approach, as supported by proof of concept in animal models for PFIC3. This review discusses the feasibility of gene therapy as an alternative for liver transplantation for all forms of PFIC based on their pathological mechanism. Conclusion: Using presently available gene therapy vectors, major hurdles need to be overcome to make gene therapy for all types of PFIC a reality.     

Synthesis and adsorption properties of nanocrystalline ferrites for kinetic modeling development

Nanocrystalline ferrites are known to be used in different applications, including industrial wastewater management. For environmental water issues, one of the most widely applied techniques is the adsorption of pollutants. The adsorption capacity of Congo red (CR) dye on different MFe₂O₄ (M = Co²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺) ferrites, synthesized by coprecipitation method, was determined. Specific isotherms and kinetic models were used to characterize the adsorption process. Interesting results were obtained for MgFe₂O₄ with adsorption capacity ranging from 39% up to 70% dependent on the initial dye concentration. Furthermore, an artificial intelligence model based on neural network was developed in order to model the adsorption rates followed by the generation of 3D adsorption rate models for each type of synthesized ferrite. These models were obtained in order to provide information about the particle-dye system`s kinetics at various initial CR concentration. Specific techniques were used to characterize the functionalized magnetic particles.     

Unsupervised Learning of Foreground Object Segmentation

International Journal of Computer Vision - Unsupervised learning represents one of the most interesting challenges in computer vision today. The task has an immense practical value with many...