Analytical method of calculating preheating temperature in order to avoid cold cracking

Summary

The IIW method is shown to be one of the most precise and that it may be programmed to advantage.     

Bimetallic Au–Cu, Ag–Cu/CrAl3O6 Catalysts for Methanol Synthesis

The influence of silver and gold addition on the activity and physicochemical properties of supported Cu/CrAl₃O₆ catalysts was the aim of this work. The reduction of CrAl₃O₆ support shows only one reduction stage attributed to Cr (VI) species reduction originating from previously oxidized binary oxide. Supported copper catalysts reduce in one or two stages depending on copper concentration representing the reduction of copper oxide—CuO, copper oxide chemically combined with Cr(III) oxide as copper chromite—CuCr₂O₄ and Cr(VI) species originating from surface chromate ions CrO₄ ^2?. Additionally, the introduction of silver into supported copper catalysts Cu/CrAl₃O₆ can led to the appearance of silver chromate phase. XRD investigations of support CrAl₃O₆ alone, supported copper and gold and silver promoted copper supported catalysts calcined at 400, 700 and 900 °C indicated the presence of highly amorphous alumina γ-Al₂O₃ like structure network in which some of cationic locations of aluminum were occupied by chromium atoms and small quantities of α-Cr₂O₃ phase. Additionally, for copper, silver–copper, and gold–copper supported catalysts the following oxide phases were distinguished: monometallic oxides CuO, Ag₂O, binary oxides CuAl₂O₄, Ag₂CrO₄, CuCr₂O₄ and even ternary oxide CuAlCrO₄. In the case of gold promoted copper supported catalysts metallic gold phase was detected. Activity tests carried out for these catalysts show that the most active was 20 wt.% Cu/CrAl₃O₆ catalyst. Promotion of copper catalysts by silver improves the activity in methanol synthesis, what can be assigned to silver chromate formation. The analogical gold chromate like formation was not confirmed.     

Redox potential measurement as a rapid method for microbiological testing and its validation for coliform determination

The redox potential is one of the most complex indicators of the physiological state of microbial cultures and its measurement could be a useful tool for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the microbial contamination. During the bacterial growth, the redox potential of the medium decreases. The shape of the redox potential curve is characteristic on the type of microorganism, and the rate of the change (dE/dt) is proportional to the living cell concentration. Defining the time required to reach a significant change in redox potential as Time to Detection (TTD), similarly to the impedimetric measurements, a strict linear correlation could be established between the TTD and the logarithm of the initial concentration of microorganisms. On the base of this calibration curve, the determination of living cell concentration could be simplified. For the experiments, a computer-controlled multi-channel measuring system and software was developed by the authors. The redox potential measurement method was tested and validated for the determination of coliform bacteria. The results have proved the high efficiency and reliability of the new method.     

Resorcylidene Aminoguanidine (RAG) Improves Cardiac Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Impaired by Hyperglycaemia in a Model of Experimental Diabetes

Diabetes is associated with a mitochondrial dysfunction. Hyperglycaemia is also clearly recognized as the primary culprit in the pathogenesis of cardiac complications. In response to glycation and oxidative stress, cardiac mitochondria undergo cumulative alterations, often leading to heart deterioration. There is a continuous search for innovative treatment strategies for protecting the heart mitochondria from the destructive impact of diabetes. Aminoguanidine derivatives have been successfully used in animal model studies on the treatment of experimental diabetes, as well as the diabetes-driven dysfunctions of peripheral tissues and cells. Considerable attention has been paid particularly to β-resorcylidene aminoguanidine (RAG), often shown as the efficient anti-glycation and anti-oxidant agent in both animal studies and in vitro experiments. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that RAG improves oxidative phosphorylation and electron transport capacity in mitochondria impaired by hyperglycaemia. Diabetes mellitus was induced in Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (70 mg/kg body weight). Heart mitochondria were isolated from healthy rats and rats with streptozotocin-diabetes. Mitochondrial respiratory capacity was measured by high resolution respirometry with the OROBOROS Oxygraph-2k according to experimental protocol including respiratory substrates and inhibitors. The results revealed that RAG protects the heart against diabetes-associated injury by improving the mitochondrial bioenergetics, thus suggesting a possible novel pharmacological strategy for cardioprotection.     

Correlation between electrical properties and microstructure of nanocrystallized V2O5-P2O5 glasses

It was shown that by thermal nanocrystallization of a 90V₂O₅·10P₂O₅ glass one can obtain a novel nanomaterial exhibiting enhanced electronic conductivity. Using a combination of methods: DTA, SEM, XRD and impedance spectroscopy (IS), it was possible to find correlation between microstructure and electrical properties of the obtained material and to optimize conditions of its synthesis. The room temperature electronic conductivity of the nanocrystallized samples is σ₂₅ = 2 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ and is by a factor of 25 higher than the conductivity of the as-received glass. The nanocrystallized material is thermally stable up to ca 400 °C, which is about 150 °C above the glass transition temperature of the original glass. Maximum electronic conductivity of the thermally treated samples reaches 2 × 10⁻¹ S cm⁻¹ at ca 400 °C. The activation energy for these samples (0.28 eV) are substantially lower than that found for the starting glass (0.34 eV). The experimental results were discussed in terms of a model proposed in this paper and based on a “core-shell” concept. The results obtained here can be important for the progress in the search of novel nanocrystalline cathode materials for applications in Li-ion batteries.     

Conformational mobility of immobilized alpha3beta2, alpha3beta4, alpha4beta2, and alpha4beta4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Four affinity chromatography stationary phases have been developed based upon immobilized nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes, the alpha3beta2, alpha3beta4, alpha4beta2, and alpha4beta4 nAChRs. The stationary phases were created using membranes from cell lines expressing the subtypes and an immobilized artificial membrane stationary phase. The immobilized nAChRs were characterized using frontal chromatography with the agonist epibatidine as the marker. The observed binding affinities for the agonists epibatidine, nicotine, and cytisine were consistent with reported values, indicating that the nAChRs retained their ability to bind agonists. The noncompetitive inhibitors (NCIs) of the nAChR (R)- and (S)-mecamylamine, phencylcidine, dextromethoprphan, and levomethorphan were also chromatographed on the columns using nonlinear chromatography techniques. The studies were carried out before and after exposure of the columns to epibatidine. The NCI retention times increased after exposure to epibtatidine as did the enantioselective separation of mecamylamine and methorphan. The results indicate that the immobilized nAChRs retained their ability to undergo agonist-induced conformational change from the resting to the desensitized states. The columns provide a unique ability to study the interactions of NCIs with both of these conformational states.     

Novel design of driver and ESD transistors with significantly reduced silicon area

This paper presents three novel design techniques, which combined fulfill all major requirements posed on large driver and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection transistors: minimum area consumption, good ESD robustness and optimized normal operation. Transistors protecting 5 V/μm² human body model were demonstrated. Significant silicon area reduction was demonstrated in deep-sub-micron CMOS, ranging from 0.35 μm down to 0.13 μm CMOS. This novel design solution follows standard design flows and does not require any process modifications.     

Type 2M von Willebrand disease: F606I and I662F mutations in the glycoprotein Ib binding domain selectively impair ristocetin- but not botrocetin-mediated binding of von Willebrand factor to platelets

von Willebrand disease (vWD) is a common, autosomally inherited, bleeding disorder caused by quantitative and/or qualitative deficiency of von Willebrand factor (vWF). We describe two families with a variant form of vWD where affected members of both families have borderline or low vWF antigen levels, normal vWF multimer patterns, disproportionately low ristocetin cofactor activity, and significant bleeding symptoms. Whereas ristocetin-induced binding of plasma vWF from affected members of both families to fixed platelets was reduced, botrocetin-induced platelet binding was normal. The sequencing of genomic DNA identified unique missense mutations in each family in the vWF exon 28. In Family A, a missense mutation at nucleotide 4105T --> A resulted in a Phe606Ile amino acid substitution (F606I) and in Family B, a missense mutation at nucleotide 4273A --> T resulted in an Ile662Phe amino acid substitution (I662F). Both mutations are within the large disulfide loop between Cys509 and Cys695 in the A1 domain that mediates vWF interaction with platelet glycoprotein Ib. Expression of recombinant vWF containing either F606I or I662F mutations resulted in mutant recombinant vWF with decreased ristocetin-induced platelet binding, but normal multimer structure, botrocetin-induced platelet binding, collagen binding, and binding to the conformation-sensitive monoclonal antibody, AvW-3. Both mutations are phenotypically distinct from the previously reported variant type 2MMilwaukee-1 because of the presence of normal botrocetin-induced platelet binding, collagen binding, and AvW-3 binding, as well as the greater frequency and intensity of clinical bleeding. When the reported type 2M mutations are mapped on the predicted three-dimensional structure of the A1 loop of vWF, the mutations cluster in one region that is distinct from the region in which the type 2B mutations cluster.     

Integrating Through-Wafer Interconnects With Active Devices and Circuits

Through wafer interconnects (TWIs) enable vertical stacking of integrated circuit chips in a single package. A complete process to fabricate TWIs has been developed and demonstrated using blank test wafers. The next step in integrating this technology into 3D microelectronic packaging is the demonstration of TWIs on wafers with preexisting microcircuitry. The circuitry must be electrically accessible from the backside of the wafer utilizing the TWIs; the electrical performance of the circuitry must be unchanged as a result of the TWI processing; and the processing must be as cost effective as possible. With these three goals in mind, several options for creating TWIs were considered. This paper explores the various processing options and describes in detail, the final process flow that was selected for testing, the accompanying masks that were designed, the actual processing of the wafers, and the electrical test results.