A techno-economic evaluation of biomass briquetting in India

A financial analysis of biomass briquetting technology in India has been undertaken. Simple cost functions for briquetting machines have been developed. Unit cost of briquette production for various types of raw materials and different capacities of briquetting units have been calculated. Role of different factors affecting the cost of production of briquettes have also been analysed.     

Double aperture double-gate vertical high-electron-mobility transistor

In this paper, we propose a double aperture double-gate AlGaN/GaN vertical high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) to improve the device characteristics, such as the current and the ON resistance (\(\hbox {\textit{R}}_{\mathrm{ON}}\)). The proposed vertical HEMT results are compared to the conventional single aperture single-gate vertical HEMT of equal dimensions, and increased drain current and lower \(\hbox {\textit{R}}_{\mathrm{ON}}\) are shown. A comprehensive simulation study has also been carried out for the proposed device, to analyse the impact of thickness and doping concentration of aperture, drift region, and current blocking layer. In addition, the effect of different materials in current blocking layer on device characteristics is also studied. The obtained results and their effect on device characteristics have been thoroughly analysed and explained accordingly.     

Fabrication and Characterization of Electrodeposited Ni-SiC-h/BN Composite Coatings

Ni—SiC—h/BN composite materials were prepared by electrodeposition technique with the dispersion of SiC（10 g/L） and h/BN nanosheets（10 g/L） in a nickel sulfamate electrolytic bath.Different ratio of sodium dodecyl sulfate（SDS） and cetyltrymethyl ammonium bromide（CTAB） surfactants were used to evaluate the effect of surfactants on the properties of the electrodeposited composite coatings.The coating samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,Vickers microhardness test,scratch and tribology tests.The results revealed that the co-deposition of nanoparticles was significantly influenced by surfactants during electrodeposition process.Pyramidal or polyhedral nickel crystallites were observed at higher ratio of SDS/CTAB while smaller oval grains with refined surface morphologies were obtained at lower ratio of SDS/CTAB surfactants.In addition,wt%of particles co-deposition was increased,and Vickers microhardness,wear and coefficient of friction of the electrodeposited composite coatings were improved at increased CTAB and decreased SDS contents in the electrolyte during electrodeposition process.     

Solar cell array parameters

A generalized method of combining non identical parameters like series and shunt resistance dependent photocurrents under open circuit conditions (I_phoa) and the loaded conditions (I_pha) have been deduced. It is found that in the case of series array, only I_pha is dependent upon shunt resistance, while in the case of parallel array both are dependent upon shunt resistance.     

Effect of thin Mo2C layer on thermal stability of Si/SiO2/Ti/Cu system

The effect of introducing a thin Mo₂C (30 nm) layer between Ti and Cu on the thermal stability of Si/SiO₂/Ti/Cu system was studied using four-point probe (FPP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The measured value of the sheet resistance in the bi-layered diffusion barrier structure does not show any change up to an annealing temperature of 750??C. The sheet resistance when measured after annealing at 800??C marginally increases but less than twice its value at room temperature. The XRD analysis indicated no copper diffusion and the formation of Cu₃Si phase up to 800??C. The bi-layered barrier structure annealed at elevated temperature shows copper-depleted and agglomerated regions. The sheet resistance measurement, study of surface morphology and the XRD analysis confirm that the insertion of thin Mo₂C layer increases the thermal stability of the system from 400??C to 750??C. The increased thermal stability of the system is ascribed to longer diffusion path length in the bi-layered system probably because of grain boundaries mismatch at Ti-Mo₂C interface.     

Epitope mapping of a 95 kDa antigen in complex with antibody by solution-phase amide backbone hydrogen/deuterium exchange monitored by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

The epitopes of a homohexameric food allergen protein, cashew Ana o 2, identified by two monoclonal antibodies, 2B5 and 1F5, were mapped by solution-phase amide backbone H/D exchange (HDX) coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS) and the results were compared to previous mapping by immunological and mutational analyses. Antibody 2B5 defines a conformational epitope, and 1F5 defines a linear epitope. Intact murine IgG antibodies were incubated with recombinant Ana o 2 (rAna o 2) to form antigen-monoclonal antibody (Ag-mAb) complexes. mAb-complexed and uncomplexed (free) rAna o 2 were then subjected to HDX. HDX instrumentation and automation were optimized to achieve high sequence coverage by protease XIII digestion. The regions protected from H/D exchange upon antibody binding overlap and thus confirm the previously identified epitope-bearing segments: the first extension of HDX monitored by mass spectrometry to a full-length antigen-antibody complex in solution.     

Dielectric and electro-optical study of ZnO nano rods doped ferroelectric liquid crystals

Addition of Nano rods results change in the dielectric and electro-optical properties of pure Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal (FLC) considerably. The present study is devoted to characterize the dielectric and electro-optical parameters of the FLC nano rods composite system. The size of nano rods is usually much bigger than that of FLC molecules, therefore, when they are doped in different concentrations, in pure FLC, their volume fraction plays considerable role in deciding the molecular dynamics of the resultant composite system. For the lesser concentrations, the nano rods offer mechanical strength to system geometry while at higher concentration of nano rods, they offer additional constraints on the system. In present report both of these aspects have been analyzed and explained.     

Transcriptional regulation of cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein in the retinal pigment epithelium. A role for the photoreceptor consensus element

Cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP) is abundantly expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Muller cells of the retina, where it is thought to function in retinoid metabolism and visual pigment regeneration. Mutations in human CRALBP that destroy retinoid binding have been linked to autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. To identify the DNA elements that regulate expression of the human CRALBP gene in the RPE, transient transfection studies were carried out with three CRALBP-expressing human RPE cell culture systems. The regions from -2089 to -1539 base pairs and from -243 to +80 base pairs demonstrated positive regulatory activity. Similar activity was not observed with cultured human breast, liver, or skin cells. Since sequence analysis of the -243 to +80 region identified the presence of two photoreceptor consensus element-1 (PCE-1) sites, elements that have been implicated in photoreceptor gene regulation, the role of these sequences in RPE expression was examined. Mutation of either PCE-1 site significantly reduced reporter activity, and mutation or deletion of both sites dramatically reduced activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis with RPE nuclear extracts revealed two complexes that required intact PCE-1 sites. These studies also identified two identical sequences (GCAGGA) flanking PCE-1, termed the binding CRALBP element (BCE), that are also important for complex formation. Southwestern analysis with PCE-1/BCEcontaining probes identified species with apparent masses near 90-100 and 31 kDa. These results begin to identify the regulatory regions required for RPE expression of CRALBP and suggest that PCE-1-binding factor(s) may play a role in regulating RPE as well as photoreceptor gene expression.     

The prevention of cancer

The purpose of this review is to summarize recent functional and structural findings regarding non-collagenous matrix proteins in bone and teeth, to compare gene locations for bone and tooth matrix proteins with loci for hereditary skeletal diseases, and to present several provocative hypotheses which integrate this new information into a physiological context. Hypothesis I proposes that the molecular composition of rapidly deposited and mineralized woven bone, as well as the responsiveness of cells synthesizing woven bone to stimuli, is different from that for more slowly synthesized lamellar bone, implying the existence of distinctive osteogenic mechanisms. This review of recent research strongly supports this proposal. Briefly, the protein composition of woven bone matrix is enriched in acidic phosphoproteins BAG-75 and BSP, which are not expressed in lamellar bone, which is itself enriched in osteocalcin. De novo deposition and mineralization of woven bone occurs faster than in lamellar bone by means of a matrix-vesicle-assisted mechanism. Deposition of woven bone occurs at sites experiencing biomechanical strains higher than those experienced by lamellar bone. In addition, woven bone in metaphyseal regions is more susceptible to osteoclastic resorption after space flight, ovariectomy, and loss of weightbearing than is lamellar bone. Finally, osteoprogenitor cells responsive to parathyroid hormone reside in the metaphyseal region of long bones. Taken together, these findings suggest that Hypothesis I represents a useful paradigm for future studies. Specific functions mediated by most individual bone and tooth matrix proteins remain uncertain. A review of current literature suggests that the functionality of skeletal matrix proteins is expressed through specific binding sites composed of particular species-conserved structural motifs (Hypothesis 2). Examples include the previously recognized Asp-Ser-Ser motif of dentin phosphophoryns and the gamma-carboxyglutamic acid motif of matrix GLA protein and osteocalcin. A new polyacidic amino acid motif composed of consecutive Asp and Glu residues (n > 7) was defined in extracellular matrix components osteopontin, bone sialoprotein, and bone acidic glycoprotein-75 on the basis of strong functional analogies with similar polyacidic stretches in divalent metal storage proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum and sarcoplasmic reticulum. These structural motifs represent prime targets for future structure-function studies in vivo and in vitro.