Aspects of fetal physiology from 18 to 37 weeks' gestation as assessed by blood sampling

OBJECTIVE: To construct reference ranges for fetal pH, oxygen pressure (PO2), and hematologic and biochemical blood constituents, which can be used to analyze changes with gestation and differences with maternal values, thus elucidating some aspects of fetal biology and the effects of the maternal and placental environments. METHODS: We assayed venous pH, PO2, hematocrit, glucose, uric acid, urea, creatinine, total protein, total and direct bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, amylase, pseudocholinesterase, creatine kinase, triglycerides, and cholesterol concentrations in 157 fetuses and 134 mothers who underwent fetal blood sampling from 18 to 37 weeks' gestation. None of the fetuses was infected or had chromosomal, hematologic, or hormonal abnormalities. RESULTS: All the variables analyzed were similar in fetuses sampled at the placental cord insertion (n = 125) or at the intrahepatic vein (n = 32). Maternal and fetal concentrations of glucose (r = 0.79, P < .001), urea (r = 0.96, P < .001), creatinine (r = 0.83, P < .001), and uric acid (r = 0.94, P < .001) correlated significantly, and their differences exhibited significant changes: the maternal-fetal differences of glucose and urea increased, whereas those of uric acid and creatinine decreased with advancing gestation. Fetal pH and PO2 decreased with gestational age, whereas hematocrit increased, similar to what has been described previously. All of the other variables, with the exception of amylase and cholesterol, changed significantly during the investigated period of pregnancy. Gestational age explained at least 40% of the variance in values of fetal total protein, pseudocholinesterase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and triglycerides, but only 3-25% of the variation in the remainder. Most enzymes were higher in the fetus than in the maternal circulation, and all except alkaline phosphatase increased with gestational age. The maternal-fetal glucose difference correlated significantly with hematocrit, pH, and PO2, independent of gestational age and independent of each other. CONCLUSION: With the exception of aspartate aminotransferase, all of the analyzed fetal variables were different from the maternal values, and most changed with gestational age. The mechanisms leading to these fetal specificities remain mostly uncertain, but the provision of reference ranges for several blood constituents may be useful in the differential diagnosis of fetal disease.     

Investigation of Ni/4H-SiC diodes as radiation detectors with low doped n-type 4H-SiC epilayers

The development of SiC minimum ionising particle (MIP) detectors imposes severe constrains in the electronic quality and the thickness of the material due to the relatively high value of the energy required to produce an electron–hole pair in this material by MIP against the value for Si. In this work, particle detectors were made using semiconductor epitaxial undoped n-type 4H-SiC as the detection medium. The thickness of the epilayer is on the order of 40 μm and the detectors are realised by the formation of a nickel silicide on the silicon surface of the epitaxial layer (Schottky contact) and of the ohmic contact on the back side of 4H-SiC substrate. The low doping concentration (6×10¹³ cm⁻³) of the epilayer allows the detector to be totally depleted at relatively low reverse voltages (100 V). We present experimental data on the charge collection properties by using 5.486 MeV -particles impinging on the Schottky contact. A 100% charge collection efficiency (CCE) is demonstrated for reverse voltages higher than the one needed to have a depletion region equal to the -particle extrapolated range in SiC. The diffusion contribution of the minority change carriers to CCE is pointed out. By comparing measured CCE values to the outcomes of drift–diffusion simulation, values are inferred for the hole lifetime within the neutral region of the charge carrier generation layer.     

Further Establishment of the Field Perturbation Theory of the Pseudogaps in HTSC

Here I establish the field perturbation theory of pseudogaps in HTSC. The proposed ground state suggests an internal particle-hole field, which is normal to nesting surfaces, and having twice the Fermi wave number. It is proved that the system violates momentum conservation by the wave vector of this internal field. This violation applies to the quasi-particle propagators, as well as to the interactions. Interaction vertices via the Pauli matrix-τ₁ are established. This, in turn, establishes the validity of the pseudogap Hartree self-energy.     

Axial dispersion and enterainment of particles in wakes of bubbles

The entrainment and dispersion of solid particles in bubble columns was investigated experimentally and heoretically. A mechanistic model for the dispersion caused by entrainment in wakes of large solitary bubbles was developed. The dispersion coefficient was found to be dependent on the bubble size, bubble frequency, particle settling velocity and column surface area. Experimental tests were conducted in a rectangular bubble column. The system consisted of air, water and copper powder. Spherical cap bubbles were produced by a single nozzle. Significant entrainment of particles in wakes of rising bubbles observed in the lower region of the column, whereas, turbulence seemed to dominate the dispersion in the upper region of the tank. Calculated particle distributions were found to be in good agreement with experimental data.     

Heat transfer efficiency in a fliuidized bed

The equilibrium stage concept used in staged contacting operations was adopted as a measure of heat transfer efficiency for a fluidized bed. A simple model was developed which postulates that solids flow through the bed can be by perfect mixing, plug flow and short-circuiting. Efficiencies were determined experimentally in a 150 mm diameter fluidized bed with air as the fluidizing medium and sand as the solid. Heat transfer efficiencies greater than 100% were obtained indicating that small diameter, low aspect ratio fluidized beds do not behave as perfect mixers. The results indicate that heat transfer measurements can be used to develop information on solids flow behavior.     

Cobalt-Molybdenum Sulfide Catalysts Prepared by In Situ Activation of Bimetallic (Co-Mo) Alkylthiomolybdates

Unsupported cobalt-molybdenum sulfide catalysts were prepared from bimetallic CoMo alkyl precursors by in situ activation during the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene (DBT). The bimetallic CoMo precursors were prepared by reaction of tetraalkylammonium thiomolybdate salts, (R₄N)₂MoS₄ (where R = H, methyl, butyl, pentyl or hexyl), with CoCl₂ in water at a Co/Mo molar ratio of 0.3. These catalysts exhibit a Swiss-cheese-like morphology, high surface areas (from 52 up to 320 m²/g), high content of carbon (C/Mo = 2.2-3.3) and type IV adsorption-desorption isotherms of nitrogen. The in situ activation of these tetraalkylammonium thiobimetalate precursors leads to a mesoporous structure with pore size ranging from 2 to 4.5 nm. X-ray diffraction showed that the structure of unsupported cobalt-molybdenum sulfide catalysts corresponds to a poorly crystalline structure characteristic of 2H-MoS₂ with low-stacked layers. The nature of the alkyl group strongly affects both the surface area and the HDS activity. The catalytic activity is strongly enhanced when using carbon-containing precursors; the CoMo catalysts prepared by in situ activation of Co/[N(C₄H₉)₄]₂MoS₄ presents the highest HDS activity. The highest surface area of the catalysts was observed for the CoMo catalyst formed from Co/[N(C₆H₁₃)₄N]₂MoS₄.     

Cu/Ti3SiC2新型受电弓滑板材料的研究

选用具有高导电、高导热性的新型陶瓷Ti3SiC2作为弥散强化相，通过与Cu的混合，采用热压和无压烧结后制备成Cu／Ti3SiC2复合材料。该材料是一种具有优良性能的新型受电弓滑板材料。实验中分析了掺杂含量、保温时间及烧结制度等因素对复合材料基本性能的影响。     

New product development team intelligence: Antecedents and consequences

Our study investigated the effect of team knowledge on new product development (NPD). By investigating 207 NPD projects, we found that the declarative and procedural knowledge of the team and their use of IT had a positive influence on the team's knowledge base; and that the higher the functional diversity of the project team, the greater their overall knowledge. We also found that team knowledge positively impacted new product creativity and success in the market place.