Synthesis and thermomechanical characterization of polyurethane elastomers extended with α,ω‐alkane diols

A series of polyurethane (PU) elastomers was prepared by the reaction of poly(?‐caprolactone) and 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate, which was extended with a series of chain extenders (CEs) having 2–10 methylene units in their structure. The completion of the reaction was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The chemical structures of the synthesized PU samples were characterized with Fourier transform infrared, ¹H‐NMR, and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, and the thermal properties were determined by thermogravimetric analysis, DSC, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis techniques. The mechanical properties were also studied and are discussed. The thermogravimetric analysis and DSC analysis showed that CE length had a considerable effect on the thermal properties of the prepared samples. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and damping peaks were also affected by the number of methylene units in the CE length. The elastomer extended with 1,2‐ethane diol exhibited optimum thermal properties, whereas the elastomer based on 1,10‐decane diol displayed the worst thermal properties. Tensile strength and elongation at break decreased with increasing CE length, whereas hardness showed the opposite trend. The glass‐transition temperature moved toward lower temperatures with increasing CE length. The decrease in the glass‐transition temperature and tensile properties were interpreted in terms of decreasing hard segments and increasing chain flexibility. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Regulation of Autophagy Machinery in Magnaporthe oryzae

Plant diseases cause substantial loss to crops all over the world, reducing the quality and quantity of agricultural goods significantly. One of the world’s most damaging plant diseases, rice blast poses a substantial threat to global food security. Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blast disease, which challenges world food security by causing substantial damage in rice production annually. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved breakdown and recycling system in eukaryotes that regulate homeostasis, stress adaption, and programmed cell death. Recently, new studies found that the autophagy process plays a vital role in the pathogenicity of M. oryzae and the regulation mechanisms are gradually clarified. Here we present a brief summary of the recent advances, concentrating on the new findings of autophagy regulation mechanisms and summarize some autophagy-related techniques in rice blast fungus. This review will help readers to better understand the relationship between autophagy and the virulence of plant pathogenic fungi.     

SER and throughput analysis of space–time analog network coded relaying system over shadowed Rician fading channels

Wireless Networks - This research article presents an innovative approach based on analog network coding (ANC) in conjunction with space time block coding (STBC) which is termed as space time...     

Evaluation of process parameter space of bulk FinFETs using 3D TCAD

Using full 3D TCAD, an evaluation of process parameter space of bulk FinFET is presented from the point of view of DRAM, SRAM and I/O applications. Process and device simulations are performed with varying uniform fin doping, anti-punch implant dose and energy, fin width, fin height and gate oxide thickness. Bulk FinFET architecture with anti-punch implant is introduced beneath the channel region to reduce the punch-through and junction leakage. For 30 nm bulk FinFET, anti-punch implant with low energy of 15 to 25 keV and dose of 5.0 × 10¹³ to 1.0 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻² is beneficial to effectively suppress the punch-through leakage with reduced GIDL and short channel effects. Our simulations show that bulk FinFETs are approximately independent of back bias effect. With identical fin geometry, bulk FinFETs with anti-punch implant show same I_ON-I_OFF behavior and approximately equal short channel effects like SOI FinFETs.     

Influence of absorber doping in a-SiC：H/a-Si：H/a-SiGe：H solar cells

This work deals with the design evaluation and influence of absorber doping for a-Si:H/a-SiC:H/a-SiGe:H based thin-film solar cells using a two-dimensional computer aided design (TCAD) tool. Various physical parameters of the layered structure, such as doping and thickness of the absorber layer, have been studied. For reliable device simulation with realistic predictability, the device performance is evaluated by implementing necessary models (e.g., surface recombinations, thermionic field emission tunneling model for carrier transport at the heterojunction, Schokley-Read Hall recombination model, Auger recombination model, bandgap narrowing effects, doping and temperature dependent mobility model and using Fermi-Dirac statistics). A single absorber with a graded design gives an efficiency of 10.1% for 800 nm thick multiband absorption. Similarly, a tandem design shows an efficiency of 10.4% with a total absorber of thickness of 800 nm at a bandgap of 1.75 eV and 1.0 eV for the top a-Si and bottom a-SiGe component cells. A moderate n-doping in the absorber helps to improve the efficiency while p doping in the absorber degrades efficiency due to a decrease in the V_OC (and fill factor) of the device.     

A new charge conserving capacitance model for GaAs MESFET's

We present a new charge conserving capacitance model for Gallium-Arsenide (GaAs) metal semiconductor field effect transistors (MESFET's) based on the quasi-static approximation and a proper partitioning of the channel charge between the source and the drain terminals. A total of nine so-called transcapacitances were determined by taking derivatives of the various terminal charges with respect to the voltages at source, drain, and gate. The transcapacitances are nonreciprocal, i.e., C_ij≠C_ji when i≠j, and can be organized in a 3×3 matrix incorporating Kirchhoff's current law (charge conservation) and independence of reference. The present capacitance model is valid both above and below threshold, and shows good agreement with experimental data over a wide range of gate and drain biases. The model is analytical and suitable for implementation in circuit simulators     

A Novel Sprague-Dawley Rat Model Presents Improved NASH/NAFLD Symptoms with PEG Coated Vitexin Liposomes

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a global threat to the human population, with manifestations resulting from alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD, if not treated, may progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Furthermore, inflammation leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Vitexin, a natural flavonoid, has been recently reported for inhibiting NAFLD. It is a lipogenesis inhibitor and activates lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. In addition, owing to its antioxidant properties, it appeared as a hepatoprotective candidate. However, it exhibits low bioavailability and low efficacy due to its hydrophobic nature. A novel rat model for liver cirrhosis was developed by CCL4/Urethane co-administration. Vitexin encapsulated liposomes were synthesized by the ‘thin-film hydration’ method. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was coated on liposomes to enhance stability and stealth effect. The diseased rats were then treated with vitexin and PEGylated vitexin liposomes, administered intravenously and orally. Results ascertained the liposomal encapsulation of vitexin and subsequent PEG coating to be a substantial strategy for treating liver cirrhosis through oral drug delivery.     

Silicon Seed Priming Combined with Foliar Spray of Sulfur Regulates Photosynthetic and Antioxidant Systems to Confer Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Silicon - The present study evaluated the effect of silicon (Si) seed priming and sulfur (S) foliar spray on drought tolerance of two contrasting maize hybrids viz. drought tolerant Hi-Corn 11 and...     

Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers synthesis from methanol and formaldehyde solution over one-pot synthesized spherical mesoporous sulfated zirconia

The synthesis of polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers as an ideal diesel fuel additive is the current hot topic of modern petrochemical industry for their expedient properties in mitigating air pollutants emission during combustion. In this work, a series of spherical sulfated zirconia catalysts were prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal method assisted with surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The prepared sulfated zirconia catalysts were used to catalyze PODE_n synthesis from methanol and formaldehyde solution. Various characterization (XRD, BET, SEM, TGA, NH₃-TPD, FTIR, and Py-IR) were employed to elaborate the structure–activity relationship of the studied catalytic system. The results demonstrated that S/Zr molar ratio in precursor solution played an effective role on catalyst morphology and acidic properties, where the weak Brønsted acid sites and strong Lewis acid sites were favorable to the conversion of methanol and formation of long-chain PODE_n, respectively. The reaction parameters such as catalyst amount, molar ratio of FA/MeOH, reaction time, temperature and pressure were optimized. The speculated reaction pathway for PODE_n synthesis was proposed based on the synergy of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites, which suggested that Brønsted and Lewis acid sites might be advantageous to the activation of polyoxymethylene hemiformals [CH₃(OCH₂)_nOH] and methylene glycol (HOCH₂OH), respectively.     

Effects of repeated frying on physicochemical characteristics,oxidative stress,and free radical scavenging potential of canola oil and ghee

The repeated use of cooking oils and ghee for the deep frying of food materials may affect their nutritional quality. The present study evaluated the effect of repeated frying on the physicochemical characteristics and antiradical potential of canola oil and ghee. The oil and ghee were used for frying of fish and chicken for 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 frying cycles followed by the analysis of physicochemical, oxidative stress, and antiradical parameters. Regression analysis of the data showed a frying cycle-dependent significant linear increase in saponification (R² = 0.9507–0.9748), peroxide and acid values (R² = 0.956–0.9915), and malondialdehyde (MDA) production (R² = 0.9058–0.9557) of canola oil and ghee subjected to fish and chicken frying but exponential increase in saponification value (R² = 0.9778) and MDA production (R² = 0.7407) of canola oil and ghee used for fish frying. The increase in the number of frying cycles linearly decreased the iodine value (R² = 0.9781–0.9924), and 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, and 2, 2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging potential (R² = 0.9089–0.9979) of canola oil and ghee. Repeated frying in cooking oil and ghee increases oxidative stress and decreases their physicochemical and antioxidant qualities. Canola oil was comparatively more oxidative resistant than canola ghee. The regression equations derived from regression analysis will guide researchers to conduct similar types of univariate studies.