The h,x-diagram as a Representation of Measurements of Ranges of Comfort in a Long-Duration Test

It is well known that the inhabitants of dwellings use the room heating and ventilation to build up their own individual climatic zone in which they feel comfortable. To date individual measurements have been conducted to investigate these climatic zones, or line charts have been drawn up with a thermohygrograph in long-duration tests. Compared with the form of presentation used previously, the possibilities for evaluation have been substantially improved by the use of measured data-recording installations for the long-term investigation and presentation of results in the form of dots (temperature/humidity value pairs) in an h,x-diagram. The h,x-diagram is a type of psychrometric chart which is widely used in Germany. The advantage of this chart is that all thermodynamic properties of moist air can be determined without calculation. The dry bulb temperature, the wet bulb temperature, the dew point, the relative humidity, the humidity ratio, the specific enthalpy and the specific volume of moist air can be read directly from the diagram.     

Investigations on precious metal/alumina interactions on three-way automotive emission control catalysts,BMA catalysts and model samples

Combined XPS and SIMS measurements, partly supplemented by XRD investigations, were utilized to detect precious metal/support interactions on catalysts containing various precious metals. The Klemm-Bronger reaction between Pt and α-Al₂O₃ on methane/ammonia catalysts was used as a standard reference. Evidence was found for different stages of Pt/Al interactions and changing electronic properties of Pt on the surfaces of these Pt/α-Al₂O₃ catalysts by means of XPS and SIMS, and in the bulk material by XRD. The SIMS investigations on Pt and Rh on γ-Al₂O₃ showed that, even at temperatures around 500 °C, Rh/Al interactions can appear to a small extent in the topmost atomic layers, whereas the Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ specimens did not show any measurable effects. After on-road operation, enhanced SIMS cluster-ion signals as well as anomalous XPS signal contributions were measured on the surfaces of used three-way automotive emission control catalysts. These signals did not appear for the fresh catalysts. By analogy with the related results reported on the methane/ammonia catalysts, the ion signals were used as qualitative surface probes indicating the presence of precious metal/support interactions, especially between Rh and Al.     

Do we care about the environment?

The media are full of concern for environmental problems, and public complaints about the state of the environment have multiplied within the last decade. Yet in most countries of Western Europe we have elaborate systems to plan, design, and control this environment; we depict vividly the dangers which beset it; we launch campaigns for the protection of our architectural heritage and for the preservation of natural reserves. All this results in a widespread acceptance of the need for a high priority for environmental questions. But still our environment seems to deteriorate more and more, which indicates that this professed priority does not determine the actual decisions affecting the environment.     

Silicon bipolar 1:16-demultiplexer for 10 Gbit/s fibre opticcommunication system

A 1:16-demultiplexer based on silicon bipolar 1:4-demultiplexer ICs, which include all requirements for system applications, has been designed and tested. The authors report the design of the 1:4-demultiplexer, which operates up to 14 Gbit/s, and experimental results for the 1:16-demultiplexer at 10 Gbit/s     

A Model Study on the Influence of Structure and Membrane Capacitance on Volume Conduction in Skeletal Muscle Tissue

The differences between intra-and extracellular conductivity and the capacitive effects of the muscle fiber membranes are responsible for the fact that skeletal muscle tissue in general cannot be considered as a homogeneous volume conductor with frequency independent electrical properties.     

A 12 Gb/s Si bipolar 4:1-multiplexer IC for SDH systems

The 4:1-multiplexer reported here is based on a 21 GHz f_T 0.4 μm silicon bipolar technology and operates up to 12 Gb/s. For facilitating system applications, the input signals are aligned in phase and retiming of the output signal is provided. A phase control circuit permits the choice of the optimum clock phase for the first and the second multiplexer stages; an internal delay line is not necessary. The 4:1-multiplexer consumes about 1.8 W with a single supply voltage of -4.5 V     

Overexpression of nerve growth factor in skin causes preferential increases among innervation to specific sensory targets

The impact of increased levels of skin-derived nerve growth factor (NGF) neurotrophin on sensory and sympathetic innervation to the mouse mystacial pad and postero-orbital vibrissae was determined. Consistent with an approximate doubling of neuron number in trigeminal and superior cervical ganglia, many components of the sensory and sympathetic innervation were substantially enhanced. Although the increased number of neurons raised the possibility that all types of innervation were increased, immunohistochemical analysis indicated that enhanced NGF production had a differential effect upon sensory innervation, primarily increasing unmyelinated innervation. This increased innervation occurred in specific locations known to be innervated by small, unmyelinated fibers, suggesting that NGF modulated sensory innervation density, but not targeting. In contrast, sympathetic innervation was not only increased but also was distributed to some aberrant locations. In the intervibrissal fur of the mystacial pad, both the number of sensory axons and branches appeared increased, whereas in vibrissal follicle sinus complexes, only branching increased. In some areas, sensory ending density was lower than expected based upon the size of the source nerve bundles suggesting that many axons and branches were surviving but failing to form functional endings. Furthermore, the immunochemical profile of innervation was altered in some sensory populations as demonstrated by the coexistence of RT-97 neurofilament labeling in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) positive axons, by the loss of substance P colocalization in some CGRP axons, and by an absence of neuropeptide Y labeling in tyrosine hydroxylase positive sympathetic axons. Collectively, these results indicate that the NGF mediated increase in neuron number may be selective for particular sets of innervation and that increases among some populations may result from phenotypic switching.