Label-Free LC-MS Profiling of Skeletal Muscle Reveals Heart-Type Fatty Acid Binding Protein as a Candidate Biomarker of Aerobic Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulezwan A. Malik

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis provides robust comparative analysis of skeletal muscle, but this technique is laborious and limited by its inability to resolve all proteins. In contrast, orthogonal separation by SDS-PAGE and reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC coupled to mass spectrometry (MS affords deep mining of the muscle proteome, but differential analysis between samples is challenging due to the greater level of fractionation and the complexities of quantifying proteins based on the abundances of their tryptic peptides. Here we report simple, semi-automated and time efficient (i.e., 3 h per sample proteome profiling of skeletal muscle by 1-dimensional RPLC electrospray ionisation tandem MS. Solei were analysed from rats (n = 5, in each group bred as either high- or low-capacity runners (HCR and LCR, respectively that exhibited a 6.4-fold difference (1,625 ± 112 m vs. 252 ± 43 m, p < 0.0001 in running capacity during a standardized treadmill test. Soluble muscle proteins were extracted, digested with trypsin and individual biological replicates (50 ng of tryptic peptides subjected to LC-MS profiling. Proteins were identified by triplicate LC-MS/MS analysis of a pooled sample of each biological replicate. Differential expression profiling was performed on relative abundances (RA of parent ions, which spanned three orders of magnitude. In total, 207 proteins were analysed, which encompassed almost all enzymes of the major metabolic pathways in skeletal muscle. The most abundant protein detected was type I myosin heavy chain (RA = 5,843 ± 897 and the least abundant protein detected was heat shock 70 kDa protein (RA = 2 ± 0.5. Sixteen proteins were significantly (p < 0.05 more abundant in HCR muscle and hierarchal clustering of the profiling data highlighted two protein subgroups, which encompassed proteins associated with either the respiratory chain or fatty acid oxidation. Heart-type fatty acid binding protein (FABPH was 1

Photoresponsive smart surface of LC azo-dendrimer: photomanipulation of topological structures and real-time imaging at a nano-scale

Science.gov (United States)

Araoka, Fumito; Eremin, Alexey; Aya, Satoshi; Lee, Guksik; Ito, Atsuki; Nadasi, Hajnalka; Sebastian, Nerea; Ishikawa, Ken; Haba, Osamu; Stannarius, Ralf; Yonetake, Koichiro; Takezoe, Hideo

2017-02-01

In this paper, we review some results on our recent studies on photo-induced phenomena of liquid crystals (LCs) by means of interfaces decorated with a photo-responsive azobenzene dendrimer (azo-dendrimer). The azo-dendrimer molecules doped in a LC are spontaneously segregated from bulk and adsorbed onto substrate/LC or solvent/LC interfaces, and their photo-isomerization can bring about the so-called anchoring transition, i.e. reversible switching between homeotropic and planar alignment states of the bulk LC, when exposed to UV/VIS light. In addition to photoinduced anchoring transition in a LC cell, several interesting photo-induced phenomena through the azo-dendrimerdecorated interfaces have been reported, such as photo-induced transformation of the interior topological structures of nematic, cholesteric and smectic droplets, photo-mechanical motion of the micro particles dispersed in a nematic matrix, and optical assistance of the athermal anchoring transition with the aid of a perfluoropolymer surface. In addition to such phenomena, we also discuss the conditions of such photo-responsive interfaces in terms of the polar anchoring energy at the interface upon photo-isomerization under illumination of UV and/or VIS lights. The anisotropy of the polar anchoring energy was evaluated experimentally by means of Polarization Microscopy (POM), Dielectric Spectroscopy (DS), Second Harmonic Generation (SHG), and Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-IR) Spectroscopy, and theoretically based on the simple Rapini-Papoular model. We also demonstrate the continuous bulk orientation change by the photo-dynamic process through the fine control of the polar anchoring energy. Besides, the state-of-the-art video-rate atomic force microscopy (ν-AFM) was carried out to visualize the dynamics of such interfaces at a nano-meter scale.

Rapid Screening of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors by Effect-Directed Analysis Using LC × LC Fractionation, a High Throughput in Vitro Assay, and Parallel Identification by Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouyang, Xiyu; Leonards, Pim E G; Tousova, Zuzana; Slobodnik, Jaroslav; de Boer, Jacob; Lamoree, Marja H

2016-02-16

Effect-directed analysis (EDA) is a useful tool to identify bioactive compounds in complex samples. However, identification in EDA is usually challenging, mainly due to limited separation power of the liquid chromatography based fractionation. In this study, comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC) based microfractionation combined with parallel high resolution time of flight (HR-ToF) mass spectrometric detection and a high throughput acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assay was developed. The LC × LC fractionation method was validated using analytical standards and a C18 and pentafluorophenyl (PFP) stationary phase combination was selected for the two-dimensional separation and fractionation in four 96-well plates. The method was successfully applied to identify AChE inhibitors in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. Good orthogonality (>0.9) separation was achieved and three AChE inhibitors (tiapride, amisulpride, and lamotrigine), used as antipsychotic medicines, were identified and confirmed by two-dimensional retention alignment as well as their AChE inhibition activity.

The effect of microstructure at interface between coating and substrate on damping capacity of coating systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xueqin; Pei, Yanling; Ma, Yue

2013-01-01

Samples with various interface microstructures between the coating and the substrate were designed and fabricated in this paper. Dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMTA) was utilized to investigate the dynamic mechanical properties of the samples and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the interface microstructure between the substrate and coating. The effect of the interface microstructure on damping was studied, and results indicated that the larger the coating/substrate interface thickness was and the more interface defects were, the higher interface system damping was. When the micro-hardness ratio of substrate to coating was increased, the damping of coating system was enhanced. The effect of the APS and EB-PVD coating on damping capacity was investigated. There was a dramatic increase in the damping value of the APS coating when the strain was higher than 20 ppm, while the damping amplitude effect of the EB-PVD coating was not so obvious, which could mainly be caused by the different energy dissipation mechanisms of the two coatings.

Can LC and LC-MS ever replace immunoassays?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy G. Cross

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Immunoassays have been the technology of choice for the analysis of biomolecules for many decades across a wide range of applications in research, diagnostics and infectious disease monitoring. There are good reasons for the wide adoption of immunoassays but even such a well established and characterised technique has limitations and as such investigators are looking at alternative technologies. One such alternative is liquid chromatography (LC and, more specifically, liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS. This article will review both immunoassay and LC and LC-MS technologies and methodologies and discuss the advantages and limitations of both approaches. In addition, the next developments that will need to occur before there is widespread adoption of LC and LC-MS technology preferentially over immunoassays will be examined.

High-cycle fatigue of Ni-base superalloy Inconel 713LC

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kunz, Ludvík; Lukáš, Petr; Konečná, R.

2010-01-01

Roč. 32, č. 6 (2010), s. 908-913 ISSN 0142-1123 R&D Projects: GA MPO FT-TA4/023; GA MŠk MEB080812 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : IN 713LC * High-cycle fatigue * Effect of mean stress * Fractography * Casting defetcts * Extreme value statistics Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.799, year: 2010

1990s: High Capacity Backbones

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. 1990s: High Capacity Backbones. Backbone capacities increased from 2.5 Gb/s to 100s of Gb/s during the 1990's. Wavelength division multiplexing with 160 waves of 10 Gb/s was commercially available. Several high-capacity backbones built in the US and Europe.

LIQUID: an-open source software for identifying lipids in LC-MS/MS-based lipidomics data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kyle, Jennifer E.; Crowell, Kevin L.; Casey, Cameron P.; Fujimoto, Grant M.; Kim, Sangtae; Dautel, Sydney E.; Smith, Richard D.; Payne, Samuel H.; Metz, Thomas O.

2017-01-31

We introduce an open-source software, LIQUID, for semi-automated processing and visualization of LC-MS/MS based lipidomics data. LIQUID provides users with the capability to process high throughput data and contains a customizable target library and scoring model per project needs. The graphical user interface provides visualization of multiple lines of spectral evidence for each lipid identification, allowing rapid examination of data for making confident identifications of lipid molecular species.

Structure Annotation and Quantification of Wheat Seed Oxidized Lipids by High-Resolution LC-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Riewe, David; Wiebach, Janine; Altmann, Thomas

2017-10-01

Lipid oxidation is a process ubiquitous in life, but the direct and comprehensive analysis of oxidized lipids has been limited by available analytical methods. We applied high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to quantify oxidized lipids (glycerides, fatty acids, phospholipids, lysophospholipids, and galactolipids) and implemented a platform-independent high-throughput-amenable analysis pipeline for the high-confidence annotation and acyl composition analysis of oxidized lipids. Lipid contents of 90 different naturally aged wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) seed stocks were quantified in an untargeted high-resolution LC-MS experiment, resulting in 18,556 quantitative mass-to-charge ratio features. In a posthoc liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry experiment, high-resolution MS/MS spectra (5 mD accuracy) were recorded for 8,957 out of 12,080 putatively monoisotopic features of the LC-MS data set. A total of 353 nonoxidized and 559 oxidized lipids with up to four additional oxygen atoms were annotated based on the accurate mass recordings (1.5 ppm tolerance) of the LC-MS data set and filtering procedures. MS/MS spectra available for 828 of these annotations were analyzed by translating experimentally known fragmentation rules of lipids into the fragmentation of oxidized lipids. This led to the identification of 259 nonoxidized and 365 oxidized lipids by both accurate mass and MS/MS spectra and to the determination of acyl compositions for 221 nonoxidized and 295 oxidized lipids. Analysis of 15-year aged wheat seeds revealed increased lipid oxidation and hydrolysis in seeds stored in ambient versus cold conditions. © 2017 The author(s). All Rights Reserved.

Introduction to optical methods for characterizing liquid crystals at interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Daniel S; Carlton, Rebecca J; Mushenheim, Peter C; Abbott, Nicholas L

2013-03-12

This Instructional Review describes methods and underlying principles that can be used to characterize both the orientations assumed spontaneously by liquid crystals (LCs) at interfaces and the strength with which the LCs are held in those orientations (so-called anchoring energies). The application of these methods to several different classes of LC interfaces is described, including solid and aqueous interfaces as well as planar and nonplanar interfaces (such as those that define a LC-in-water emulsion droplet). These methods, which enable fundamental studies of the ordering of LCs at polymeric, chemically functionalized, and biomolecular interfaces, are described in this Instructional Review on a level that can be easily understood by a nonexpert reader such as an undergraduate or graduate student. We focus on optical methods because they are based on instrumentation that is found widely in research and teaching laboratories.

Interface of data transmission for a transcutaneous communication system using the human body as transmission medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Okamoto, Eiji; Kato, Yoshikuni; Seino, Kazuyuki; Mitamura, Yoshinori

2012-03-01

We have been developing a new transcutaneous communication system (TCS) that uses the human body as an electrical conductive medium. We studied an interface circuit of the TCS in order to optimize the leading data current into the human body effectively. Two types of LC circuits were examined for the interface circuit, one was an LC series-parallel circuit, and the other was a parallel-connected LC circuit. The LC series-parallel circuit connected to the body could be tuned to a resonant frequency, and the frequency was determined by the values of an external inductor and an external capacitor. Permittivity of the body did not influence the electrical resonance. Connection of the LC series-parallel circuit to the body degraded the quality factor Q because of the conductivity of the body. However, the LC parallel-connected circuit when connected to the body did not indicate electrical resonance. The LC series-parallel circuit restricts a direct current and a low-frequency current to flow into the body; thus, it can prevent a patient from getting a shock. According to the above results, an LC series-parallel circuit is an optimum interface circuit between the TCS and the body for leading data current into the body effectively and safely.

Diet-induced perturbation of the rat liver mitochondrial acetylome studied by quantitative (iTRAQ) LC-MS/MS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

León, Ileana R.; Schwämmle, Veit; Williamson, James

described3. Quantitation by MS/MS was achieved by using iTRAQ 8-Plex reagents (Life Technologies). LC-MS/MS analyses were performed using an Easy-nLC (Proxeon/ThermoFisher) fitted with an in-house made 17 cm C18 column that was interfaced to an LTQ-OrbiTrap XL instrument (ThermoFisher). Data analysis...

High-order FDTD methods via derivative matching for Maxwell's equations with material interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Shan; Wei, G.W.

2004-01-01

This paper introduces a series of novel hierarchical implicit derivative matching methods to restore the accuracy of high-order finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) schemes of computational electromagnetics (CEM) with material interfaces in one (1D) and two spatial dimensions (2D). By making use of fictitious points, systematic approaches are proposed to locally enforce the physical jump conditions at material interfaces in a preprocessing stage, to arbitrarily high orders of accuracy in principle. While often limited by numerical instability, orders up to 16 and 12 are achieved, respectively, in 1D and 2D. Detailed stability analyses are presented for the present approach to examine the upper limit in constructing embedded FDTD methods. As natural generalizations of the high-order FDTD schemes, the proposed derivative matching methods automatically reduce to the standard FDTD schemes when the material interfaces are absent. An interesting feature of the present approach is that it encompasses a variety of schemes of different orders in a single code. Another feature of the present approach is that it can be robustly implemented with other high accuracy time-domain approaches, such as the multiresolution time-domain method and the local spectral time-domain method, to cope with material interfaces. Numerical experiments on both 1D and 2D problems are carried out to test the convergence, examine the stability, access the efficiency, and explore the limitation of the proposed methods. It is found that operating at their best capacity, the proposed high-order schemes could be over 2000 times more efficient than their fourth-order versions in 2D. In conclusion, the present work indicates that the proposed hierarchical derivative matching methods might lead to practical high-order schemes for numerical solution of time-domain Maxwell's equations with material interfaces

Highly Porous Silicon Embedded in a Ceramic Matrix: A Stable High-Capacity Electrode for Li-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Vrankovic, Dragoljub; Graczyk-Zajac, Magdalena; Kalcher, Constanze; Rohrer, Jochen; Becker, Malin; Stabler, Christina; Trykowski, Grzegorz; Albe, Karsten; Riedel, Ralf

2017-11-28

We demonstrate a cost-effective synthesis route that provides Si-based anode materials with capacities between 2000 and 3000 mAh·g Si -1 (400 and 600 mAh·g composite -1 ), Coulombic efficiencies above 99.5%, and almost 100% capacity retention over more than 100 cycles. The Si-based composite is prepared from highly porous silicon (obtained by reduction of silica) by encapsulation in an organic carbon and polymer-derived silicon oxycarbide (C/SiOC) matrix. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the highly porous silicon morphology delivers free volume for the accommodation of strain leading to no macroscopic changes during initial Li-Si alloying. In addition, a carbon layer provides an electrical contact, whereas the SiOC matrix significantly diminishes the interface between the electrolyte and the electrode material and thus suppresses the formation of a solid-electrolyte interphase on Si. Electrochemical tests of the micrometer-sized, glass-fiber-derived silicon demonstrate the up-scaling potential of the presented approach.

Review: Current applications and challenges for liquid chromatography coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (LC/IRMS).

Science.gov (United States)

Godin, Jean-Philippe; McCullagh, James S O

2011-10-30

High-precision isotope analysis is recognized as an essential research tool in many fields of study. Until recently, continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) was available via an elemental analyzer or a gas chromatography inlet system for compound-specific analysis of light stable isotopes. In 2004, however, an interface that coupled liquid chromatography with IRMS (LC/IRMS) became commercially available for the first time. This brought the capability for new areas of application, in particular enabling compound-specific δ(13)C analysis of non-volatile, aqueous soluble, compounds from complex mixtures. The interface design brought with it several analytical constraints, however, in particular a lack of compatibility with certain types of chromatography as well as limited flow rates and mobile phase compositions. Routine LC/IRMS methods have, however, been established for measuring the δ(13)C isotopic ratios of underivatized individual compounds for application in archeology, nutrition and physiology, geochemistry, hydrology, soil science and food authenticity. Seven years after its introduction, we review the technical advances and constraints, methodological developments and new applications of liquid chromatography coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High-throughput screening and confirmation of 22 banned veterinary drugs in feedstuffs using LC-MS/MS and high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xufeng; Liu, Yanghong; Su, Yijuan; Yang, Jianwen; Bian, Kui; Wang, Zongnan; He, Li-Min

2014-01-15

A new analytical strategy based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with accurate mass high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry (HR-Orbitrap MS) was performed for high-throughput screening, confirmation, and quantification of 22 banned or unauthorized veterinary drugs in feedstuffs according to Bulletin 235 of the Ministry of Agriculture, China. Feed samples were extracted with acidified acetonitrile, followed by cleanup using solid-phase extraction cartridge. The extracts were first screened by LC-MS/MS in a single selected reaction monitoring mode. The suspected positive samples were subjected to a specific pretreatment for confirmation and quantification of analyte of interest with LC-MS/MS and HR-Orbitrap MS. Mean recoveries for all target analytes (except for carbofuran and chlordimeform, which were about 35 and 45%, respectively) ranged from 52.2 to 90.4%, and the relative standard deviations were screening of real samples obtained from local feed markets and confirmation of the suspected target analytes. It provides a high-throughput, sensitive, and reliable screening, identification, and quantification of banned veterinary drugs in routine monitoring programs of feedstuffs.

Casting defects and high temperature fatigue life of IN 713LC superalloy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kunz, Ludvík; Lukáš, Petr; Konečná, R.; Fintová, S.

2012-01-01

Roč. 41, AUG (2012), s. 47-51 ISSN 0142-1123 R&D Projects: GA MPO(CZ) FR-TI3/055; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : IN 713LC * High-cycle fatigue * casting defects * hot isostatic pressing * extreme value statistics Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.976, year: 2012

A high-speed interface for multi-channel analyzer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Ji; Zheng Zhong; Qiao Chong; Chen Ziyu; Ye Yunxiu; Ye Zhenyu

2003-01-01

This paper presents a high-speed computer interface for multi-channel analyzer based on DMA technique. Its essential principle and operating procedure are introduced. By the detecting of γ spectrum of 137 Cs with the interface, it's proved that the interface can meet the requirements of high-speed data acquisition

Thiol-ene Monolithic Pepsin Microreactor with a 3D-Printed Interface for Efficient UPLC-MS Peptide Mapping Analyses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jönsson, Alexander; Svejdal, Rasmus R; Bøgelund, Nanna

2017-01-01

To improve the sample handling, and reduce cost and preparation time, of peptide mapping LC-MS workflows in protein analytical research, we here investigate the possibility of replacing conventional enzymatic digestion methods with a polymer microfluidic chip based enzyme reactor. Off-stoichiomet...... used in LC-MS based protein analyses. The chip IMER is found to rival the conventional column in terms of digestion efficiency at comparable residence time and, using a 3D-printed interface, be directly interfaceable with LC-MS....

Matrix effects break the LC behavior rule for analytes in LC-MS/MS analysis of biological samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Nianbai; Yu, Shanggong; Ronis, Martin Jj; Badger, Thomas M

2015-04-01

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are generally accepted as the preferred techniques for detecting and quantitating analytes of interest in biological matrices on the basis of the rule that one chemical compound yields one LC-peak with reliable retention time (Rt.). However, in the current study, we have found that under the same LC-MS conditions, the Rt. and shape of LC-peaks of bile acids in urine samples from animals fed dissimilar diets differed significantly among each other. To verify this matrix effect, 17 authentic bile acid standards were dissolved in pure methanol or in methanol containing extracts of urine from pigs consuming either breast milk or infant formula and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The matrix components in urine from piglets fed formula significantly reduced the LC-peak Rt. and areas of bile acids. This is the first characterization of this matrix effect on Rt. in the literature. Moreover, the matrix effect resulted in an unexpected LC behavior: one single compound yielded two LC-peaks, which broke the rule of one LC-peak for one compound. The three bile acid standards which exhibited this unconventional LC behavior were chenodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and glycocholic acid. One possible explanation for this effect is that some matrix components may have loosely bonded to analytes, which changed the time analytes were retained on a chromatography column and interfered with the ionization of analytes in the MS ion source to alter the peak area. This study indicates that a comprehensive understanding of matrix effects is needed towards improving the use of HPLC and LC-MS/MS techniques for qualitative and quantitative analyses of analytes in pharmacokinetics, proteomics/metabolomics, drug development, and sports drug testing, especially when LC-MS/MS data are analyzed by automation software where identification of an analyte is based on its exact molecular weight and Rt

Identification of alkyl dimethylbenzylammonium surfactants in water samples by solid-phase extraction followed by ion trap LC/MS and LC/MS/MS

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrer, I.; Furlong, E.T.

2001-01-01

A novel methodology was developed for the determination of alkyl (C12, C14, and C16) dimethylbenzylammonium chloride (benzalkonium chloride or BAC, Chemical Abstract Service number: 8001-54-5) in water samples. This method is based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) using polymeric cartridges, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and tandem mass spectrometry(MS/MS) detection, equipped with an electrospray interface in positive ion mode. Chromatographic separation was achieved for three BAC homologues by using a C18 column and a gradient of acetonitrile/10 millimolar aqueous ammonium formate. Total method recoveries were higher than 71% in different water matrices. The main ions observed by LC/MS were at mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) of 304, 332, and 360, which correspond to the molecular ions of the C12, C14, and C16 alkyl BAC, respectively. The unequivocal structural identification of these compounds in water samples was performed by LC/MS/MS after isolation and subsequent fragmentation of each molecular ion. The main fragmentation observed for the three different homologues corresponded to the loss of the toluyl group in the chemical structure, which leads to the fragment ions at m/z 212, 240, and 268 and a tropylium ion, characteristic of all homologues, at m/z 91. Detection limits for the methodology developed in this work were in the low nanogram-per-liter range. Concentration levels of BAC - ranging from 1.2 to 36.6 micrograms per liter - were found in surface-water samples collected downstream from different wastewater-treatment discharges, thus indicating its input and persistence through the wastewater-treatment process.

Development of high-performance chemical isotope labeling LC-MS for profiling the human fecal metabolome.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wei; Chen, Deying; Wang, Nan; Zhang, Ting; Zhou, Ruokun; Huan, Tao; Lu, Yingfeng; Su, Xiaoling; Xie, Qing; Li, Liang; Li, Lanjuan

2015-01-20

Human fecal samples contain endogenous human metabolites, gut microbiota metabolites, and other compounds. Profiling the fecal metabolome can produce metabolic information that may be used not only for disease biomarker discovery, but also for providing an insight about the relationship of the gut microbiome and human health. In this work, we report a chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the amine- and phenol-containing metabolites in fecal samples. Differential (13)C2/(12)C2-dansyl labeling of the amines and phenols was used to improve LC separation efficiency and MS detection sensitivity. Water, methanol, and acetonitrile were examined as an extraction solvent, and a sequential water-acetonitrile extraction method was found to be optimal. A step-gradient LC-UV setup and a fast LC-MS method were evaluated for measuring the total concentration of dansyl labeled metabolites that could be used for normalizing the sample amounts of individual samples for quantitative metabolomics. Knowing the total concentration was also useful for optimizing the sample injection amount into LC-MS to maximize the number of metabolites detectable while avoiding sample overloading. For the first time, dansylation isotope labeling LC-MS was performed in a simple time-of-flight mass spectrometer, instead of high-end equipment, demonstrating the feasibility of using a low-cost instrument for chemical isotope labeling metabolomics. The developed method was applied for profiling the amine/phenol submetabolome of fecal samples collected from three families. An average of 1785 peak pairs or putative metabolites were found from a 30 min LC-MS run. From 243 LC-MS runs of all the fecal samples, a total of 6200 peak pairs were detected. Among them, 67 could be positively identified based on the mass and retention time match to a dansyl standard library, while 581 and 3197 peak pairs could be putatively

Nanoscale surface modification of Li-rich layered oxides for high-capacity cathodes in Li-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Xiwei; Xin, Yue; Wang, Libin; Hu, Xianluo

2018-03-01

Li-rich layered oxides (LLOs) have been developed as a high-capacity cathode material for Li-ion batteries, but the structural complexity and unique initial charging behavior lead to several problems including large initial capacity loss, capacity and voltage fading, poor cyclability, and inferior rate capability. Since the surface conditions are critical to electrochemical performance and the drawbacks, nanoscale surface modification for improving LLO's properties is a general strategy. This review mainly summarizes the surface modification of LLOs and classifies them into three types of surface pre-treatment, surface gradient doping, and surface coating. Surface pre-treatment usually introduces removal of Li2O for lower irreversible capacity while surface doping is aimed to stabilize the structure during electrochemical cycling. Surface coating layers with different properties, protective layers to suppress the interface side reaction, coating layers related to structural transformation, and electronic/ionic conductive layers for better rate capability, can avoid the shortcomings of LLOs. In addition to surface modification for performance enhancement, other strategies can also be investigated to achieve high-performance LLO-based cathode materials.

Ferro-based derivatizing agents for LC/MS an LC/EC/MS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Seiwert, Bettina

2007-01-01

Within this thesis, the development and application of ferrocene-based derivatizing agents for LC/MS and LC/EC/MS is presented. The advantages of derivatization by ferrocenes are the similtaneous introduction of a mass tag and an electroactive group, which make them ideally suited for LC/MS and

Instructional Review: An Introduction to Optical Methods for Characterizing Liquid Crystals at Interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Daniel S.; Carlton, Rebecca J.; Mushenheim, Peter C.; Abbott, Nicholas L.

2013-01-01

This Instructional Review describes methods and underlying principles that can be used to characterize both the orientations assumed spontaneously by liquid crystals (LCs) at interfaces and the strength with which the LCs are held in those orientations (so-called anchoring energies). The application of these methods to several different classes of LC interfaces is described, including solid and aqueous interfaces as well as planar and non-planar interfaces (such as those that define a LC-in-water emulsion droplet). These methods, which enable fundamental studies of the ordering of LCs at polymeric, chemically-functionalized and biomolecular interfaces, are described in this article at a level that can be easily understood by a non-expert reader such as an undergraduate or graduate student. We focus on optical methods because they are based on instrumentation that is found widely in research and teaching laboratories. PMID:23347378

General oscillation damping analysis of the L-C filter circuit in the high-power rectifying power supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Weihua; Chen Yonghao; Wu Junshuan; Kuang Guangli

1998-06-01

Rectifier circuit is the most popular converter. For the ripple demand of high-power load, the L-C filter with invert 'L' type has been used universally. Due to the influence of the second-order link, damped oscillation will occur with proper condition while the circuit state is changed. The ideal cascade damping condition and the parallel one can be obtained easily. Generally, the damping condition of the step response of the L-C filter circuit is induced, and the discussion is given

Integrated computer network high-speed parallel interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frank, R.B.

1979-03-01

As the number and variety of computers within Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory's Central Computer Facility grows, the need for a standard, high-speed intercomputer interface has become more apparent. This report details the development of a High-Speed Parallel Interface from conceptual through implementation stages to meet current and future needs for large-scle network computing within the Integrated Computer Network. 4 figures

Autophagosome Proteins LC3A, LC3B and LC3C Have Distinct Subcellular Distribution Kinetics and Expression in Cancer Cell Lines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael I Koukourakis

Full Text Available LC3s (MAP1-LC3A, B and C are structural proteins of autophagosomal membranes, widely used as biomarkers of autophagy. Whether these three LC3 proteins have a similar biological role in autophagy remains obscure. We examine in parallel the subcellular expression patterns of the three LC3 proteins in a panel of human cancer cell lines, as well as in normal MRC5 fibroblasts and HUVEC, using confocal microscopy and western blot analysis of cell fractions. In the cytoplasm, there was a minimal co-localization between LC3A, B and C staining, suggesting that the relevant autophagosomes are formed by only one out of the three LC3 proteins. LC3A showed a perinuclear and nuclear localization, while LC3B was equally distributed throughout the cytoplasm and localized in the nucleolar regions. LC3C was located in the cytoplasm and strongly in the nuclei (excluding nucleoli, where it extensively co-localized with the LC3A and the Beclin-1 autophagy initiating protein. Beclin 1 is known to contain a nuclear trafficking signal. Blocking nuclear export function by Leptomycin B resulted in nuclear accumulation of all LC3 and Beclin-1 proteins, while Ivermectin that blocks nuclear import showed reduction of accumulation, but not in all cell lines. Since endogenous LC3 proteins are used as major markers of autophagy in clinical studies and cell lines, it is essential to check the specificity of the antibodies used, as the kinetics of these molecules are not identical and may have distinct biological roles. The distinct subcellular expression patterns of LC3s provide a basis for further studies.

Isoenergetic feeding of low carbohydrate-high fat diets does not increase brown adipose tissue thermogenic capacity in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Betz, Matthias J; Bielohuby, Maximilian; Mauracher, Brigitte; Abplanalp, William; Müller, Hans-Helge; Pieper, Korbinian; Ramisch, Juliane; Tschöp, Matthias H; Beuschlein, Felix; Bidlingmaier, Martin; Slawik, Marc

2012-01-01

Low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LC-HF) diets are popular for inducing weight loss in overweighed adults. Adaptive thermogenesis increased by specific effects of macronutrients on energy expenditure has been postulated to induce this weight loss. We studied brown adipose tissue (BAT) morphology and function following exposure to different LC-HF diets. Male Wistar rats were fed a standard control diet ad libitum or pair-fed isoenergetic amounts of three experimental diets for 4 weeks. The diets had the following macronutrient composition (% metabolizable energy: carbohydrates, fat, protein): control (64.3/16.7/19), LC-HF-low protein (LC-HF-LP, 1.7/92.8/5.5), LC-HF-normal-protein (LC-HF-NP, 2.2/78.7/19.1), and a high fat diet with carbohydrates ("high fat", 19.4/61.9/18.7). Body weight gain was reduced in all pair-fed experimental groups as compared to rats fed the control diet, with more pronounced effect in rats on LC-HF diets than on the high fat diet with carbohydrates. High fat diets increased expression of PGC1α and ADRB3 in BAT indicating higher SNS outflow. However, UCP1 mRNA expression and expression of UCP1 assessed by immunohistochemistry was not different between diet groups. In accordance, analysis of mitochondrial function in-vitro by extracellular flux analyser (Seahorse Bioscience) and measurement of inducible thermogenesis in vivo (primary endpoint), explored by indirect calorimetry following norepinephrine injection, did not show significant differences between groups. Histology of BAT revealed increased lipid droplet size in rats fed the high-fat diet and both LC-HF diets. All experimental diets upregulated expression of genes which are indicative for increased BAT activity. However, the functional measurements in vivo revealed no increase of inducible BAT thermogenesis. This indicates that lower body weight gain with LC-HF diets and a high fat diet in a pair-feeding setting is not caused by increased adaptive thermogenesis in BAT.

Isoenergetic feeding of low carbohydrate-high fat diets does not increase brown adipose tissue thermogenic capacity in rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias J Betz

Full Text Available UNLABELLED: Low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LC-HF diets are popular for inducing weight loss in overweighed adults. Adaptive thermogenesis increased by specific effects of macronutrients on energy expenditure has been postulated to induce this weight loss. We studied brown adipose tissue (BAT morphology and function following exposure to different LC-HF diets. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were fed a standard control diet ad libitum or pair-fed isoenergetic amounts of three experimental diets for 4 weeks. The diets had the following macronutrient composition (% metabolizable energy: carbohydrates, fat, protein: control (64.3/16.7/19, LC-HF-low protein (LC-HF-LP, 1.7/92.8/5.5, LC-HF-normal-protein (LC-HF-NP, 2.2/78.7/19.1, and a high fat diet with carbohydrates ("high fat", 19.4/61.9/18.7. RESULTS: Body weight gain was reduced in all pair-fed experimental groups as compared to rats fed the control diet, with more pronounced effect in rats on LC-HF diets than on the high fat diet with carbohydrates. High fat diets increased expression of PGC1α and ADRB3 in BAT indicating higher SNS outflow. However, UCP1 mRNA expression and expression of UCP1 assessed by immunohistochemistry was not different between diet groups. In accordance, analysis of mitochondrial function in-vitro by extracellular flux analyser (Seahorse Bioscience and measurement of inducible thermogenesis in vivo (primary endpoint, explored by indirect calorimetry following norepinephrine injection, did not show significant differences between groups. Histology of BAT revealed increased lipid droplet size in rats fed the high-fat diet and both LC-HF diets. CONCLUSION: All experimental diets upregulated expression of genes which are indicative for increased BAT activity. However, the functional measurements in vivo revealed no increase of inducible BAT thermogenesis. This indicates that lower body weight gain with LC-HF diets and a high fat diet in a pair-feeding setting is not caused by

Expedient data mining for nontargeted high-resolution LC-MS profiles of biological samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Hnatyshyn, Serhiy; Shipkova, Petia; Sanders, Mark

2013-05-01

The application of high-resolution LC-MS metabolomics for drug candidate toxicity screening reflects phenotypic changes of an organism caused by induced chemical interferences. Its success depends not only on the ability to translate the acquired analytical information into biological knowledge, but also on the timely delivery of the results to aid the decision making process in drug discovery and development. Recent improvements in analytical instrumentation have resulted in the ability to acquire extremely information-rich datasets. These new data collection abilities have shifted the bottleneck in the timeline of metabolomic studies to the data analysis step. This paper describes our approach to expedient data analysis of nontargeted high-resolution LC-MS profiles of biological samples. The workflow is illustrated with the example of metabolomics study of time-dependent fasting in male rats. The results from measurement of 220 endogenous metabolites in urine samples illustrate significant biochemical changes induced by fasting. The developed software enables the reporting of relative quantities of annotated components while maintaining practical turnaround times. Each component annotation in the report is validated using both calculated isotopic peaks patterns and experimentally determined retention time data on standards.

CSTI High Capacity Power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, J.M.

1989-01-01

The SP-100 program was established in 1983 by DOD, DOE, and NASA as a joint program to develop the technology necessary for space nuclear power systems for military and civil application. During FY-86 and 87, the NASA SP-100 Advanced Technology Program was devised to maintain the momentum of promising technology advancement efforts started during Phase 1 of SP-100 and to strengthen, in key areas, the chances for successful development and growth capability of space nuclear reactor power systems for future space applications. In FY-88, the Advanced Technology Program was incorporated into NASA's new Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The CSTI Program was established to provide the foundation for technology development in automation and robotics, information, propulsion, and power. The CSTI High Capacity Power Program builds on the technology efforts of the SP-100 program, incorporates the previous NASA SP-100 Advanced Technology project, and provides a bridge to NASA Project Pathfinder. The elements of CSTI High Capacity Power development include Conversion Systems, Thermal Management, Power Management, System Diagnostics, and Environmental Interactions. Technology advancement in all areas, including materials, is required to assure the high reliability and 7 to 10 year lifetime demanded for future space nuclear power systems. The overall program will develop and demonstrate the technology base required to provide a wide range of modular power systems as well as allowing mission independence from solar and orbital attitude requirements. Several recent advancements in CSTI High Capacity power development will be discussed

Stable High-Capacity Lithium Ion Battery Anodes Produced by Supersonic Spray Deposition of Hematite Nanoparticles and Self-Healing Reduced Graphene Oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong-Gun; Joshi, Bhavana N.; Lee, Jong-Hyuk; Kim, Tae-Gun; Kim, Do-Yeon; Al-Deyab, Salem S.; Seong, Il Won; Swihart, Mark T.; Yoon, Woo Young; Yoon, Sam S.

2017-01-01

Hematite (Fe 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were supersonically sprayed onto copper current collectors to create high-performance, binder-free lithium ion battery (LIB) electrodes. Supersonic spray deposition is rapid, low-cost, and suitable for large-scale production. Supersonic impact of rGO sheets and Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles on the substrate produces compacted nanocomposite films with short diffusion lengths for Li + ions. This structure produces high reversible capacity and markedly improved capacity retention over many cycles. Decomposition of lithium oxide generated during cycling activates the solid electrolyte interface layer, contributing to high capacity retention. The optimal composition ratio of rGO to Fe 2 O 3 was 9.1 wt.%, which produced a reversible capacity of 1242 mAh g −1 after N = 305 cycles at a current density of 1000 mA g −1 (1C).

Capacity Bounds and High-SNR Capacity of MIMO Intensity-Modulation Optical Channels

KAUST Repository

Chaaban, Anas

2018-02-19

The capacity of the intensity modulation direct detection multiple-input multiple-output channel is studied. Therein, the nonnegativity constraint of the transmit signal limits the applicability of classical schemes, including precoding. Thus, new ways are required for deriving capacity bounds for this channel. To this end, capacity lower bounds are developed in this paper by deriving the achievable rates of two precodingfree schemes: Channel inversion and QR decomposition. The achievable rate of a DC-offset SVD-based scheme is also derived as a benchmark. Then, capacity upper bounds are derived and compared against the lower bounds. As a result, the capacity at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is characterized for the case where the number of transmit apertures is not larger than the number of receive apertures, and is shown to be achievable by the QR decomposition scheme. This is shown for a channel with average intensity or peak intensity constraints. Under both constraints, the high-SNR capacity is approximated within a small gap. Extensions to a channel with more transmit apertures than receive apertures are discussed, and capacity bounds for this case are derived.

Capacity Bounds and High-SNR Capacity of MIMO Intensity-Modulation Optical Channels

KAUST Repository

Chaaban, Anas; Rezki, Zouheir; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2018-01-01

The capacity of the intensity modulation direct detection multiple-input multiple-output channel is studied. Therein, the nonnegativity constraint of the transmit signal limits the applicability of classical schemes, including precoding. Thus, new ways are required for deriving capacity bounds for this channel. To this end, capacity lower bounds are developed in this paper by deriving the achievable rates of two precodingfree schemes: Channel inversion and QR decomposition. The achievable rate of a DC-offset SVD-based scheme is also derived as a benchmark. Then, capacity upper bounds are derived and compared against the lower bounds. As a result, the capacity at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is characterized for the case where the number of transmit apertures is not larger than the number of receive apertures, and is shown to be achievable by the QR decomposition scheme. This is shown for a channel with average intensity or peak intensity constraints. Under both constraints, the high-SNR capacity is approximated within a small gap. Extensions to a channel with more transmit apertures than receive apertures are discussed, and capacity bounds for this case are derived.

Alterations in the muscle-to-capillary interface in patients with different degrees of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdel-Halim Samy M

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is hypothesized that decreased capillarization of limb skeletal muscle is implicated in the decreased exercise tolerance in COPD patients. We have recently demonstrated decreased number of capillaries per muscle fibre (CAF but no changes in CAF in relation to fibre area (CAFA, which is based on the diffusion distance between the capillary and muscle fibre. The aim of the current study is to investigate the muscle-to-capillary interface which is an important factor involved in oxygen supply to the muscle that has previously been suggested to be a more sensitive marker for changes in the capillary bed compared to CAF and CAFA. Methods 23 COPD patients and 12 age-matched healthy subjects participated in the study. Muscle-to-capillary interface was assessed in muscle biopsies from the tibialis anterior muscle using the following parameters: 1 The capillary-to-fibre ratio (C:Fi which is defined as the sum of the fractional contributions of all capillary contacts around the fibre 2 The ratio between C:Fi and the fibre perimeter (CFPE-index 3 The ratio between length of capillary and fibre perimeter (LC/PF which is also referred to as the index of tortuosity. Exercise capacity was determined using the 6-min walking test. Results A positive correlation was found between CFPE-index and ascending disease severity with CFPE-index for type I fibres being significantly lower in patients with moderate and severe COPD. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between exercise capacity and CFPE-index for both type I and type IIa fibres. Conclusion It can be concluded that the muscle-to-capillary interface is disturbed in the tibialis anterior muscle in patients with COPD and that interface is strongly correlated to increased disease severity and to decreased exercise capacity in this patient group.

A locus coeruleus-norepinephrine account of individual differences in working memory capacity and attention control.

Science.gov (United States)

Unsworth, Nash; Robison, Matthew K

2017-08-01

Studies examining individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) have suggested that low WMC individuals have particular deficits in attention control processes compared to high WMC individuals. In the current article we suggest that part of the WMC-attention control relation is due to variation in the functioning of the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system (LC-NE). Specifically, we suggest that because of dysregulation of LC-NE functioning, the fronto-parietal control network for low WMC individuals is only weakly activated, resulting in greater default-mode network activity (and greater mind-wandering) for low WMC individuals compared to high WMC individuals. This results in disrupted attention control and overall more erratic performance (more lapses of attention) for low WMC individuals than for high WMC individuals. This framework is used to examine previous studies of individual differences in WMC and attention control, and new evidence is examined on the basis of predictions of the framework to pupillary responses as an indirect marker of LC-NE functioning.

High-pressure needle interface for thermoplastic microfluidics.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, C F; Liu, J; Hromada, L P; Tsao, C W; Chang, C C; DeVoe, D L

2009-01-07

A robust and low dead volume world-to-chip interface for thermoplastic microfluidics has been developed. The high pressure fluidic port employs a stainless steel needle inserted into a mating hole aligned to an embedded microchannel, with an interference fit used to increase pressure resistance. Alternately, a self-tapping threaded needle screwed into a mating hole is also demonstrated. In both cases, the flat bottom needle ports seat directly against the microchannel substrate, ensuring low interfacial dead volumes. Low dispersion is observed for dye bands passing the interfaces. The needle ports offer sufficient pull-out forces for applications such as liquid chromatography that require high internal fluid pressures, with the epoxy-free interfaces compatible with internal microchannel pressures above 40 MPa.

Structure dependent antioxidant capacity of phlorotannins from Icelandic Fucus vesiculosus by UHPLC-DAD-ECD-QTOFMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermund, Ditte Baun; Plaza, Merichel; Turner, Charlotta

2018-01-01

Brown algae are rich in polyphenolic compounds, phlorotannins, which have been found to possess high in vitro antioxidant capacity, especially DPPH radical scavenging activity, due to the high number of hydroxyl groups. Whereas, the overall antioxidant capacity of brown algae extracts has been...... was determined by an on-line method using liquid chromatography and an electrochemical detector followed by quadrupole Time of Flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-ECD-QTOFMS). Tentative structural elucidation of 13 phlorotannin isomers from EAF was obtained by LC-DAD-QTOFMS, ranging from 374 to 870 Da. On...

Nanoscale Affinity Chip Interface for Coupling Inhibition SPR Immunosensor Screening with Nano-LC TOF MS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marchesini, G.R.; Buijs, J.; Haasnoot, W.; Hooijerink, H.; Jansson, O.; Nielen, M.W.F.

2008-01-01

The on-line nanoscale coupling of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based inhibition biosensor immunoassay (iBIA) for the screening of low molecular weight molecules with nano-liquid-chromatography electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (nano-LC ESI TOF MS) for identification is

High Capacity cylinder roller bearing; High Capacity Zylinderrollenlager. Ein vollrolliges Lager mit Kaefig

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reichert, J.; Baum, J. [SKF, Schweinfurt (Germany)

2007-07-15

The high capacity cylinder roller bearing is an example for continuous development of SKF products and does an effective contribution to increase operational safety and offers the possibility to reduce weight and compact design. (GL)

Sensitivity and proportionality assessment of metabolites from microdose to high dose in rats using LC-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Jinsong; Ouyang, Hui; Seto, Carmai; Sakuma, Takeo; Ellis, Robert; Rowe, Josh; Acheampong, Andrew; Welty, Devin; Szekely-Klepser, Gabriella

2010-03-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity requirement for LC-MS/MS as an analytical tool to characterize metabolites in plasma and urine at microdoses in rats and to investigate proportionality of metabolite exposure from a microdose of 1.67 µg/kg to a high dose of 5000 µg/kg for atorvastatin, ofloxacin, omeprazole and tamoxifen. Only the glucuronide metabolite of ofloxacin, the hydroxylation metabolite of omeprazole and the hydration metabolite of tamoxifen were characterized in rat plasma at microdose by LC-MS/MS. The exposure of detected metabolites of omeprazole and tamoxifen appeared to increase in a nonproportional manner with increasing doses. Exposure of ortho- and para-hydroxyatorvastatin, but not atorvastatin and lactone, increased proportionally with increasing doses. LC-MS/MS has demonstrated its usefulness for detecting and characterizing the major metabolites in plasma and urine at microdosing levels in rats. The exposure of metabolites at microdose could not simply be used to predict their exposure at higher doses.

Toward High-Performance Communications Interfaces for Science Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Oviatt, Sharon L.; Cohen, Adrienne O.

2010-12-01

From a theoretical viewpoint, educational interfaces that facilitate communicative actions involving representations central to a domain can maximize students' effort associated with constructing new schemas. In addition, interfaces that minimize working memory demands due to the interface per se, for example by mimicking existing non-digital work practice, can preserve students' attentional focus on their learning task. In this research, we asked the question: What type of interface input capabilities provide best support for science problem solving in both low- and high- performing students? High school students' ability to solve a diverse range of biology problems was compared over longitudinal sessions while they used: (1) hardcopy paper and pencil (2) a digital paper and pen interface (3) pen tablet interface, and (4) graphical tablet interface. Post-test evaluations revealed that time to solve problems, meta-cognitive control, solution correctness, and memory all were significantly enhanced when using the digital pen and paper interface, compared with tablet interfaces. The tangible pen and paper interface also was the only alternative that significantly facilitated skill acquisition in low-performing students. Paradoxically, all students nonetheless believed that the tablet interfaces provided best support for their performance, revealing a lack of self-awareness about how to use computational tools to best advantage. Implications are discussed for how pen interfaces can be optimized for future educational purposes, and for establishing technology fluency curricula to improve students' awareness of the impact of digital tools on their performance.

High speed UNIBUS-VME interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olmos, P.

1987-01-01

An interface between VME an the UNIBUS of PDP or VAX computer is presented. The system supports high speed parallel communication (up to 1MB/S) and is composed of two modules. One of these is a commercial DR11M board which performs DMA transfers between UNIBUS and the external word. The other is a VME module specifically developed for this application. The interface has been tested under VMS operating system in VAX and VALET-PLUS system for the VME Bus. We describe in detail the VME module and its connection with the DR11M. Software, both in WMS and VALET, is also described. (Author) 7 refs

QCScreen: a software tool for data quality control in LC-HRMS based metabolomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Simader, Alexandra Maria; Kluger, Bernhard; Neumann, Nora Katharina Nicole; Bueschl, Christoph; Lemmens, Marc; Lirk, Gerald; Krska, Rudolf; Schuhmacher, Rainer

2015-10-24

Metabolomics experiments often comprise large numbers of biological samples resulting in huge amounts of data. This data needs to be inspected for plausibility before data evaluation to detect putative sources of error e.g. retention time or mass accuracy shifts. Especially in liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) based metabolomics research, proper quality control checks (e.g. for precision, signal drifts or offsets) are crucial prerequisites to achieve reliable and comparable results within and across experimental measurement sequences. Software tools can support this process. The software tool QCScreen was developed to offer a quick and easy data quality check of LC-HRMS derived data. It allows a flexible investigation and comparison of basic quality-related parameters within user-defined target features and the possibility to automatically evaluate multiple sample types within or across different measurement sequences in a short time. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows an easy selection of processing steps and parameter settings. The generated results include a coloured overview plot of data quality across all analysed samples and targets and, in addition, detailed illustrations of the stability and precision of the chromatographic separation, the mass accuracy and the detector sensitivity. The use of QCScreen is demonstrated with experimental data from metabolomics experiments using selected standard compounds in pure solvent. The application of the software identified problematic features, samples and analytical parameters and suggested which data files or compounds required closer manual inspection. QCScreen is an open source software tool which provides a useful basis for assessing the suitability of LC-HRMS data prior to time consuming, detailed data processing and subsequent statistical analysis. It accepts the generic mzXML format and thus can be used with many different LC-HRMS platforms to process both multiple

Label-Free LC-MS Profiling of Skeletal Muscle Reveals Heart-Type Fatty Acid Binding Protein as a Candidate Biomarker of Aerobic Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, Zulezwan Ab; Cobley, James N; Morton, James P; Close, Graeme L; Edwards, Ben J; Koch, Lauren G; Britton, Steven L; Burniston, Jatin G

2013-12-01

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis provides robust comparative analysis of skeletal muscle, but this technique is laborious and limited by its inability to resolve all proteins. In contrast, orthogonal separation by SDS-PAGE and reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) affords deep mining of the muscle proteome, but differential analysis between samples is challenging due to the greater level of fractionation and the complexities of quantifying proteins based on the abundances of their tryptic peptides. Here we report simple, semi-automated and time efficient ( i.e ., 3 h per sample) proteome profiling of skeletal muscle by 1-dimensional RPLC electrospray ionisation tandem MS. Solei were analysed from rats (n = 5, in each group) bred as either high- or low-capacity runners (HCR and LCR, respectively) that exhibited a 6.4-fold difference (1,625 ± 112 m vs . 252 ± 43 m, p ions, which spanned three orders of magnitude. In total, 207 proteins were analysed, which encompassed almost all enzymes of the major metabolic pathways in skeletal muscle. The most abundant protein detected was type I myosin heavy chain (RA = 5,843 ± 897) and the least abundant protein detected was heat shock 70 kDa protein (RA = 2 ± 0.5). Sixteen proteins were significantly ( p ion (551.21 m/z ) of the doubly-charged peptide SLGVGFATR (454.19 m/z ) of residues 23-31 of FABPH. SRM was conducted on technical replicates of each biological sample and exhibited a coefficient of variation of 20%. The abundance of FABPH measured by SRM was 2.84-fold greater ( p = 0.0095) in HCR muscle. In addition, SRM of FABPH was performed in vastus lateralis samples of young and elderly humans with different habitual activity levels (collected during a previous study) finding FABPH abundance was 2.23-fold greater ( p = 0.0396) in endurance-trained individuals regardless of differences in age. In summary, our findings in HCR/LCR rats provide protein-level confirmation for

Structure dependent antioxidant capacity of phlorotannins from Icelandic Fucus vesiculosus by UHPLC-DAD-ECD-QTOFMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermund, Ditte B; Plaza, Merichel; Turner, Charlotta; Jónsdóttir, Rosa; Kristinsson, Hordur G; Jacobsen, Charlotte; Nielsen, Kristian Fog

2018-02-01

Brown algae are rich in polyphenolic compounds, phlorotannins, which have been found to possess high in vitro antioxidant capacity, especially DPPH radical scavenging activity, due to the high number of hydroxyl groups. Whereas, the overall antioxidant capacity of brown algae extracts has been widely studied, the antioxidant capacity of individual phlorotannins has been rarely explored. The aim of this study was to determine the structure dependant antioxidant capacity of phlorotannins from Icelandic brown algae, Fucus vesiculosus. The antioxidant capacity of individual phlorotannins was determined by an on-line method using liquid chromatography and an electrochemical detector followed by quadrupole Time of Flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-ECD-QTOFMS). Tentative structural elucidation of 13 phlorotannin isomers from EAF was obtained by LC-DAD-QTOFMS, ranging from 374 to 870Da. On-line determination of antioxidant capacity of the individual phlorotannins generally showed that low molecular phlorotannins exhibited higher antioxidant capacity and that the capacity decreased with polymerisation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-Throughput Proteomics Using High Efficiency Multiple-Capillary Liquid Chromatography With On-Line High-Performance ESI FTICR Mass Spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Yufeng (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Tolic, Nikola (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Zhao, Rui (ASSOC WESTERN UNIVERSITY); Pasa Tolic, Ljiljana (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Li, Lingjun (Illinois Univ Of-Urbana/Champa); Berger, Scott J.(ASSOC WESTERN UNIVERSITY); Harkewicz, Richard (BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Anderson, Gordon A.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Belov, Mikhail E.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)); Smith, Richard D.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB))

2000-12-01

We report on the design and application of a high-efficiency multiple-capillary liquid chromatography (LC) system for high-throughput proteome analysis. The multiple-capillary LC system was operated at the pressure of 10,000 psi using commercial LC pumps to deliver the mobile phase and newly developed passive feedback valves to switch the mobile phase flow and introduce samples. The multiple-capillary LC system was composed of several serially connected dual-capillary column devices. The dual-capillary column approach was designed to eliminate the time delay for regeneration (or equilibrium) of the capillary column after its use under the mobile phase gradient condition (i.e. one capillary column was used in separation and the other was washed using mobile phase A). The serially connected dual-capillary columns and ESI sources were operated independently, and could be used for either''backup'' operation or with other mass spectrometer(s). This high-efficiency multiple-capillary LC system uses switching valves for all operations and is highly amenable to automation. The separations efficiency of dual-capillary column device, optimal capillary dimensions (column length and packed particle size), suitable mobile phases for electrospray, and the capillary re-generation were investigated. A high magnetic field (11.5 tesla) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer was coupled on-line with this high-efficiency multiple-capillary LC system through an electrospray ionization source. The capillary LC provided a peak capacity of {approx}600, and the 2-D capillary LC-FTICR provided a combined resolving power of > 6 x 10 7 polypeptide isotopic distributions. For yeast cellular tryptic digests, > 100,000 polypeptides were typically detected, and {approx}1,000 proteins can be characterized in a single run.

La crescita di Gesù nello Spirito Santo alla luce di Lc 4, 1. 14

OpenAIRE

Piotr Florencjan Szymański

2006-01-01

L’autore analizza i due versetti di Lc (4, 1. 14) in cui appare in modo evidente il legame fra Gesù e lo Spirito Santo nel contesto della tentazione del Signore da parte del diavolo. L’indagine di Lc 4, 1 mostra che Gesù, come in Mt e Mc, fu condotto nel deserto dallo Spirito che Egli ha ricevuto al battesimo. Grazie alla forza dello Spirito, Gesù è capace di affrontare il diavolo nella lotta iniziale decisiva e poi compiere fedelmente la sua missione. Realizzandola il Sig...

Analysis of membrane proteome by data-dependent LC-MS/MS combined with data-independent LC-MSE technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Kwon

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Proteomics work resembles the search for a needle in a haystack. The identification of protein biomarker requires the removal of the false protein data from the whole protein mixture. For high quality proteomic data, even a strict filtration step using the false discovery rate (FDR is insufficient for obtaining perfect protein information from the biological samples. In this study, the cyanobacterial whole membrane fraction was applied to the data-dependent analysis (DDA mode of LC-MS/MS, which was used along with the data-independent LC-MSE technique in order to evaluate the membrane proteomic data. Furthermore, the identified MSE-information (MSE-i data based on the peptide mass and the retention time were validated by the other database search, i.e., the probability-based MASCOT and de novo search engine PEAKS. In this present study, 208 cyanobacterial proteins with FDR of 5% were identified using the data-independent nano-UPLC/MSE acquisition with the Protein Lynx Global Server (PLGS, and 56 of these proteins were the predicted membrane proteins. When a total of 208 MSE-i proteomic data were applied to the DDA mode of LC-MS/MS, the number of identified membrane proteins was 26 and 33 from MASCOT and PEAKS with a FDR of 5%, respectively. The number of totally overlapped membrane proteins was 25. Therefore, the data-independent LC-MSE identified more proteins with a high confidence.

OFDM and PAM comparison using a high baudrate low resolution IM/DD interface for 400G Ethernet access.

Science.gov (United States)

André, Nuno Sequeira; Louchet, Hadrien; Filsinger, Volker; Hansen, Erik; Richter, André

2016-05-30

We compare OFDM and PAM for 400G Ethernet based on a 3-bit high baudrate IM/DD interface at 1550nm. We demonstrate 27Gb/s and 32Gb/s transmission over 10km SSMF using OFDM and PAM respectively. We show that capacity can be improved through adaptation/equalization to achieve 42Gb/s and 64Gb/s for OFDM and PAM respectively. Experimental results are used to create realistic simulations to extrapolate the performance of both modulation formats under varied conditions. For the considered interface we found that PAM has the best performance, OFDM is impaired by quantization noise. When the resolution limitation is relaxed, OFDM shows better performance.

High-resolution method for evolving complex interface networks

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Shucheng; Hu, Xiangyu Y.; Adams, Nikolaus A.

2018-04-01

In this paper we describe a high-resolution transport formulation of the regional level-set approach for an improved prediction of the evolution of complex interface networks. The novelty of this method is twofold: (i) construction of local level sets and reconstruction of a global level set, (ii) local transport of the interface network by employing high-order spatial discretization schemes for improved representation of complex topologies. Various numerical test cases of multi-region flow problems, including triple-point advection, single vortex flow, mean curvature flow, normal driven flow, dry foam dynamics and shock-bubble interaction show that the method is accurate and suitable for a wide range of complex interface-network evolutions. Its overall computational cost is comparable to the Semi-Lagrangian regional level-set method while the prediction accuracy is significantly improved. The approach thus offers a viable alternative to previous interface-network level-set method.

On-line coupled LC-LC-GC for irradiation detection in complex lipid matrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulzki, G.; Spiegelberg, A.; Helle, N.; Boegl, K.W.; Schreiber, G.A.

1993-01-01

Since sample preparation with HPLC coupled on-line to the GC has been performed for only a few weeks in our laboratory, the results presented give a first look at what can be done by means of this technique. Even difficult samples as the described fish species, where an unequivocal identification regarding an irradiation treatment seemed to become a hopeless enterprise, could be managed. Because of the greater variety of fatty acids in fish ''new'' radiation-induced hydrocarbons were available. According to the theory of Nawar in addition to 16:2 and 17:2 hydrocarbons we have looked for in irradiated meat, further alkadienes appeared in irradiated fish, which were 14:2, 18:2 and 20:2. Analysis of the alkadiene-fraction, transferred to the GC after a two step LC clean up, resulted in an unequivocal identification of all fish samples as well as the fruits and sponge cake. For fruits and sponge cake the detection limit seems to be clearly below 0.5 kGy. It can further be lowered by increasing the amount of lipid whereas the upper limit for a certain LC column has to be determined. In contrast to these samples only qualitative results were obtained for fish. In the case of sponge cake for the first time irradiation of a component of a heat treated food was detected. Further investigations regarding reproducibility, dose dependence and detection limit have to be done. On-line coupled (LC-)LC-GC was proved to be a highly efficient method for analysis of complex samples. In contrast to off-line Florisil column chromatography only a small part of the initial lipid material is needed because the complete hydrocarbon fraction is transferred on-line to the GC. This offers the possibility to analyze even foods with a low fat content like various seafoods. Classification of the hydrocarbon fraction by a two step LC may facilitate the identification of the radiolytic products also if no mass spectrometric detection system is available. (orig./vhe)

High voltage/high resolution studies of metal and semiconductor interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westmacott, K.H.; Dahmen, U.

1989-11-01

The application of high resolution transmission electron microscopy to the study of homo- or hetero-phase interface structures requires specimens that meet stringent criteria. In some systems the necessary geometric imaging conditions are established naturally, thus greatly simplifying the analysis. This is illustrated for a diamond-hexagonal/diamond-cubic interface in deformed silicon, a Σ99 tilt boundary in a pure aluminum bicrystal, and a germanium precipitate in an aluminum matrix. 13 refs., 5 figs

High speed UNIBUS-VME interface; Interface de alta velocidad VME-UNIBUS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olmos, P

1987-07-01

An interface between VME an the UNIBUS of PDP or VAX computer is presented. The system supports high speed parallel communication (up to 1MB/S) and is composed of two modules. One of these is a commercial DR11M board which performs DMA transfers between UNIBUS and the external word. The other is a VME module specifically developed for this application. The interface has been tested under VMS operating system in VAX and VALET-PLUS system for the VME Bus. We describe in detail the VME module and its connection with the DR11M. Software, both in WMS and VALET, is also described. (Author) 7 refs.

High voltage and high specific capacity dual intercalating electrode Li-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

West, William C. (Inventor); Blanco, Mario (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The present invention provides high capacity and high voltage Li-ion batteries that have a carbonaceous cathode and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution comprising LiF salt and an anion receptor that binds the fluoride ion. The batteries can comprise dual intercalating electrode Li ion batteries. Methods of the present invention use a cathode and electrode pair, wherein each of the electrodes reversibly intercalate ions provided by a LiF salt to make a high voltage and high specific capacity dual intercalating electrode Li-ion battery. The present methods and systems provide high-capacity batteries particularly useful in powering devices where minimizing battery mass is important.

A new strategy for faster urinary biomarkers identification by Nano-LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Le Meur Y

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis is a potent tool in biomarkers discovery characterized by its high sensitivity and high throughput capacity. However, methods based on MALDI-TOF/TOF for biomarkers discovery still need optimization, in particular to reduce analysis time and to evaluate their reproducibility for peak intensities measurement. The aims of this methodological study were: (i to optimize and critically evaluate each step of urine biomarker discovery method based on Nano-LC coupled off-line to MALDI-TOF/TOF, taking full advantage of the dual decoupling between Nano-LC, MS and MS/MS to reduce the overall analysis time; (ii to evaluate the quantitative performance and reproducibility of nano-LC-MALDI analysis in biomarker discovery; and (iii to evaluate the robustness of biomarkers selection. Results A pool of urine sample spiked at increasing concentrations with a mixture of standard peptides was used as a specimen for biological samples with or without biomarkers. Extraction and nano-LC-MS variabilities were estimated by analyzing in triplicates and hexaplicates, respectively. The stability of chromatographic fractions immobilised with MALDI matrix on MALDI plates was evaluated by successive MS acquisitions after different storage times at different temperatures. Low coefficient of variation (CV%: 10–22% and high correlation (R2 > 0.96 values were obtained for the quantification of the spiked peptides, allowing quantification of these peptides in the low fentomole range, correct group discrimination and selection of "specific" markers using principal component analysis. Excellent peptide integrity and stable signal intensity were found when MALDI plates were stored for periods of up to 2 months at +4°C. This allowed storage of MALDI plates between LC separation and MS acquisition (first decoupling, and between MS and MSMS acquisitions while the selection of inter-group discriminative ions is done (second decoupling

A new strategy for faster urinary biomarkers identification by Nano-LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Benkali, K; Marquet, P; Rérolle, JP; Le Meur, Y; Gastinel, LN

2008-01-01

Background LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis is a potent tool in biomarkers discovery characterized by its high sensitivity and high throughput capacity. However, methods based on MALDI-TOF/TOF for biomarkers discovery still need optimization, in particular to reduce analysis time and to evaluate their reproducibility for peak intensities measurement. The aims of this methodological study were: (i) to optimize and critically evaluate each step of urine biomarker discovery method based on Nano-LC coupled off-line to MALDI-TOF/TOF, taking full advantage of the dual decoupling between Nano-LC, MS and MS/MS to reduce the overall analysis time; (ii) to evaluate the quantitative performance and reproducibility of nano-LC-MALDI analysis in biomarker discovery; and (iii) to evaluate the robustness of biomarkers selection. Results A pool of urine sample spiked at increasing concentrations with a mixture of standard peptides was used as a specimen for biological samples with or without biomarkers. Extraction and nano-LC-MS variabilities were estimated by analyzing in triplicates and hexaplicates, respectively. The stability of chromatographic fractions immobilised with MALDI matrix on MALDI plates was evaluated by successive MS acquisitions after different storage times at different temperatures. Low coefficient of variation (CV%: 10–22%) and high correlation (R2 > 0.96) values were obtained for the quantification of the spiked peptides, allowing quantification of these peptides in the low fentomole range, correct group discrimination and selection of "specific" markers using principal component analysis. Excellent peptide integrity and stable signal intensity were found when MALDI plates were stored for periods of up to 2 months at +4°C. This allowed storage of MALDI plates between LC separation and MS acquisition (first decoupling), and between MS and MSMS acquisitions while the selection of inter-group discriminative ions is done (second decoupling). Finally the recording of

High capacity getter pump for UHV operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manini, P.; Marino, M.; Belloni, F.; Porro, M.

1993-01-01

UHV pumps based on non-evaporable getter coated strips find widespread use in particle accelerators, synchrotron radiation machines and nuclear fusion experimental devices. Depending on the geometric constraints, pressure operation conditions and the foreseen gas loads, optimized getter structures, such as modules and cartridges, can be designed and assembled into a high-efficiency pump. In the present paper, the design and performance of a newly conceived High Capacity Getter Pump (HCGP) based on sintered getter bodies, in the shape of blades instead of strips, is illustrated. The porosity and the specific surface area of the blades and their arrangement in the cartridge have been optimized to significantly increase sorption capacity at a given speed. These pumps are well suited for those applications where a very high gas load is expected during the machine operation. The sintered getter bodies increase surface area and capacity, requiring less frequent reactivation and facilitating greater overall life of the pump. A discussion of the experimental results in terms of sorption speed and capacity for various gases is presented

Accurate LC peak boundary detection for ¹⁶O/¹⁸O labeled LC-MS data.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Jian; Petritis, Konstantinos; Tegeler, Tony; Petritis, Brianne; Ma, Xuepo; Jin, Yufang; Gao, Shou-Jiang S J; Zhang, Jianqiu Michelle

2013-01-01

In liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), parts of LC peaks are often corrupted by their co-eluting peptides, which results in increased quantification variance. In this paper, we propose to apply accurate LC peak boundary detection to remove the corrupted part of LC peaks. Accurate LC peak boundary detection is achieved by checking the consistency of intensity patterns within peptide elution time ranges. In addition, we remove peptides with erroneous mass assignment through model fitness check, which compares observed intensity patterns to theoretically constructed ones. The proposed algorithm can significantly improve the accuracy and precision of peptide ratio measurements.

The development and application of high-capacity thickening techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Zhenwan; Song Yuejie

1995-01-01

On the basis of sedimentation theory and comparison between the high-capacity and conventional thickening techniques, the authors analyse the ways to increase capacity and to improve technological parameters of thickeners, describes the construction features, development, application, automatic control and test installations of high-capacity thickeners at home and abroad

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activity and antioxidant capacity of bioactive peptides derived from enzymatic hydrolysis of buffalo milk proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abdel-Hamid, Mahmoud; Otte, Jeanette; De Gobba, Cristian

2017-01-01

was hydrolysed using papain, pepsin or trypsin. The papain hydrolysate showed the highest ACE-inhibitory activity and radical scavenging capacity and was fractionated by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and characterized by LC-MS analysis. A SEC-fraction with intermediate peptide size showed very high ACE...

High-capacity nanocarbon anodes for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Haitao; Sun, Xianzhong; Zhang, Xiong; Lin, He; Wang, Kai; Ma, Yanwei

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The nanocarbon anodes in lithium-ion batteries deliver a high capacity of ∼1100 mA h g −1 . • The nanocarbon anodes exhibit excellent cyclic stability. • A novel structure of carbon materials, hollow carbon nanoboxes, has potential application in lithium-ion batteries. - Abstract: High energy and power density of secondary cells like lithium-ion batteries become much more important in today’s society. However, lithium-ion battery anodes based on graphite material have theoretical capacity of 372 mA h g −1 and low charging-discharging rate. Here, we report that nanocarbons including mesoporous graphene (MPG), carbon tubular nanostructures (CTN), and hollow carbon nanoboxes (HCB) are good candidate for lithium-ion battery anodes. The nanocarbon anodes have high capacity of ∼1100, ∼600, and ∼500 mA h g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 for MPG, CTN, and HCB, respectively. The capacity of 181, 141, and 139 mA h g −1 at 4 A g −1 for MPG, CTN, and HCB anodes is retained. Besides, nanocarbon anodes show high cycling stability during 1000 cycles, indicating formation of a passivating layer—solid electrolyte interphase, which support long-term cycling. Nanocarbons, constructed with graphene layers which fulfill lithiation/delithiation process, high ratio of graphite edge structure, and high surface area which facilitates capacitive behavior, deliver high capacity and improved rate-capability

Battery designs with high capacity anode materials and cathode materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masarapu, Charan; Anguchamy, Yogesh Kumar; Han, Yongbong; Deng, Haixia; Kumar, Sujeet; Lopez, Herman A.

2017-10-03

Improved high energy capacity designs for lithium ion batteries are described that take advantage of the properties of high specific capacity anode active compositions and high specific capacity cathode active compositions. In particular, specific electrode designs provide for achieving very high energy densities. Furthermore, the complex behavior of the active materials is used advantageously in a radical electrode balancing design that significantly reduced wasted electrode capacity in either electrode when cycling under realistic conditions of moderate to high discharge rates and/or over a reduced depth of discharge.

High-Capacity Cathode Material with High Voltage for Li-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Ji-Lei; Xiao, Dong-Dong; Ge, Mingyuan; Yu, Xiqian; Chu, Yong; Huang, Xiaojing; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Yin, Ya-Xia; Yang, Xiao-Qing; Guo, Yu-Guo; Gu, Lin; Wan, Li-Jun

2018-03-01

Electrochemical energy storage devices with a high energy density are an important technology in modern society, especially for electric vehicles. The most effective approach to improve the energy density of batteries is to search for high-capacity electrode materials. According to the concept of energy quality, a high-voltage battery delivers a highly useful energy, thus providing a new insight to improve energy density. Based on this concept, a novel and successful strategy to increase the energy density and energy quality by increasing the discharge voltage of cathode materials and preserving high capacity is proposed. The proposal is realized in high-capacity Li-rich cathode materials. The average discharge voltage is increased from 3.5 to 3.8 V by increasing the nickel content and applying a simple after-treatment, and the specific energy is improved from 912 to 1033 Wh kg -1 . The current work provides an insightful universal principle for developing, designing, and screening electrode materials for high energy density and energy quality. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Early LC3 lipidation induced by d-limonene does not rely on mTOR inhibition, ERK activation and ROS production and it is associated with reduced clonogenic capacity of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Berliocchi, Laura; Chiappini, Carlotta; Adornetto, Annagrazia; Gentile, Debora; Cerri, Silvia; Russo, Rossella; Bagetta, Giacinto; Corasaniti, Maria Tiziana

2018-02-01

stimulates ROS generation, yet none of these events is implicated in lipidation of LC3, which was only partly reduced by chelation of intracellular calcium. The early LC3 lipidation induced by d-limonene is associated with inhibition of clonogenic capacity which is reverted by the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine. d-Limonene rapidly stimulates the autophagic flux in cultured cancer cells, which could be usefully exploited for therapeutic purposes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Improving Reversible Capacities of High-Surface Lithium Insertion Materials – The Case of Amorphous TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganapathy, Swapna; Basak, Shibabrata; Lefering, Anton; Rogers, Edith; Zandbergen, Henny W.; Wagemaker, Marnix

2014-01-01

Chemisorbed water and solvent molecules and their reactivity with components from the electrolyte in high-surface nano-structured electrodes remains a contributing factor toward capacity diminishment on cycling in lithium ion batteries due to the limit in maximum annealing temperature. Here, we report a marked improvement in the capacity retention of amorphous TiO 2 by the choice of preparation solvent, control of annealing temperature, and the presence of surface functional groups. Careful heating of the amorphous TiO 2 sample prepared in acetone under vacuum lead to complete removal of all molecular solvent and an improved capacity retention of 220 mAh/g over 50 cycles at a C/10 rate. Amorphous TiO 2 when prepared in ethanol and heated under vacuum showed an even better capacity retention of 240 mAh/g. From Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements, the improved capacity is attributed to the complete removal of ethanol and the presence of very small fractions of residual functional groups coordinated to oxygen-deficient surface titanium sites. These displace the more reactive chemisorbed hydroxyl groups, limiting reaction with components from the electrolyte and possibly enhancing the integrity of the solid electrolyte interface. The present research provides a facile strategy to improve the capacity retention of nano-structured electrode materials.

High capacity photonic integrated switching circuits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albores Mejia, A.

2011-01-01

As the demand for high-capacity data transfer keeps increasing in high performance computing and in a broader range of system area networking environments; reconfiguring the strained networks at ever faster speeds with larger volumes of traffic has become a huge challenge. Formidable bottlenecks

High visual working memory capacity in trait social anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Moriya, Jun; Sugiura, Yoshinori

2012-01-01

Working memory capacity is one of the most important cognitive functions influencing individual traits, such as attentional control, fluid intelligence, and also psychopathological traits. Previous research suggests that anxiety is associated with impaired cognitive function, and studies have shown low verbal working memory capacity in individuals with high trait anxiety. However, the relationship between trait anxiety and visual working memory capacity is still unclear. Considering that people allocate visual attention more widely to detect danger under threat, visual working memory capacity might be higher in anxious people. In the present study, we show that visual working memory capacity increases as trait social anxiety increases by using a change detection task. When the demand to inhibit distractors increased, however, high visual working memory capacity diminished in individuals with social anxiety, and instead, impaired filtering of distractors was predicted by trait social anxiety. State anxiety was not correlated with visual working memory capacity. These results indicate that socially anxious people could potentially hold a large amount of information in working memory. However, because of an impaired cognitive function, they could not inhibit goal-irrelevant distractors and their performance decreased under highly demanding conditions.

Application of MCU to intelligent interface of high precision magnet power supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Ruinian; Li Deming

2004-01-01

Application of the high-capability MCU in the intelligent interface is introduced in this paper. A prototype of intelligent interface for high precision huge magnet power supply was developed successfully. This intelligent interface was composed of two parts: operation panel and main board, both of which adopt a MCU of PIC16F877 respectively. The interface has many advantages, such as small size, low cost and good interference immunity. (authors)

High capacity anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Herman A.; Anguchamy, Yogesh Kumar; Deng, Haixia; Han, Yongbon; Masarapu, Charan; Venkatachalam, Subramanian; Kumar, Suject

2015-11-19

High capacity silicon based anode active materials are described for lithium ion batteries. These materials are shown to be effective in combination with high capacity lithium rich cathode active materials. Supplemental lithium is shown to improve the cycling performance and reduce irreversible capacity loss for at least certain silicon based active materials. In particular silicon based active materials can be formed in composites with electrically conductive coatings, such as pyrolytic carbon coatings or metal coatings, and composites can also be formed with other electrically conductive carbon components, such as carbon nanofibers and carbon nanoparticles. Additional alloys with silicon are explored.

An integrated high performance fastbus slave interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christiansen, J.; Ljuslin, C.

1992-01-01

A high performance Fastbus slave interface ASIC is presented. The Fastbus slave integrated circuit (FASIC) is a programmable device, enabling its direct use in many different applications. The FASIC acts as an interface between Fastbus and a 'standard' processor/memory bus. It can work stand-alone or together with a microprocessor. A set of address mapping windows can map Fastbus addresses to convenient memory addresses and at the same time act as address decoding logic. Data rates of 100 MBytes/s to Fastbus can be obtained using an internal FIFO buffer in the FASIC. (orig.)

Interface bonding of SA508-3 steel under deformation and high temperature diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Bin; Shao, Chunjuan; Sun, Mingyue

2018-05-01

There are mainly two parameters affecting high temperature interface bonding: deformation and diffusion. To study these two parameters, interface bonding of SA508-3 bainitic steel at 1100°C are simulated by gleeble3500 thermal simulator. The results show that interface of SA508-3 steel can be bonded under deformation and high temperature. For a specimen pressed at 1100°C without further high temperature diffusion, a reduction ratio of 30% can make the interface begun to bond, but the interface is still part of the grain boundary and small grains exist near the interface. When reduction ratio reaches 50%, the interface can be completely bonded and the microstructure near the interface is the same as that of the base material. When deformation is small, long time diffusion can also help the interface bonding. The results show that when the diffusion time is long enough, the interface under small deformation can also be bonded. For a specimen holding for 24h at 1100°C, only 13% reduction ratio is enough for interface bonding.

High-throughput, 384-well, LC-MS/MS CYP inhibition assay using automation, cassette-analysis technique, and streamlined data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Halladay, Jason S; Delarosa, Erlie Marie; Tran, Daniel; Wang, Leslie; Wong, Susan; Khojasteh, S Cyrus

2011-08-01

Here we describe a high capacity and high-throughput, automated, 384-well CYP inhibition assay using well-known HLM-based MS probes. We provide consistently robust IC(50) values at the lead optimization stage of the drug discovery process. Our method uses the Agilent Technologies/Velocity11 BioCel 1200 system, timesaving techniques for sample analysis, and streamlined data processing steps. For each experiment, we generate IC(50) values for up to 344 compounds and positive controls for five major CYP isoforms (probe substrate): CYP1A2 (phenacetin), CYP2C9 ((S)-warfarin), CYP2C19 ((S)-mephenytoin), CYP2D6 (dextromethorphan), and CYP3A4/5 (testosterone and midazolam). Each compound is incubated separately at four concentrations with each CYP probe substrate under the optimized incubation condition. Each incubation is quenched with acetonitrile containing the deuterated internal standard of the respective metabolite for each probe substrate. To minimize the number of samples to be analyzed by LC-MS/MS and reduce the amount of valuable MS runtime, we utilize timesaving techniques of cassette analysis (pooling the incubation samples at the end of each CYP probe incubation into one) and column switching (reducing the amount of MS runtime). Here we also report on the comparison of IC(50) results for five major CYP isoforms using our method compared to values reported in the literature.

Mechanics of high-capacity electrodes in lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Ting

2016-01-01

Rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, play an important role in the emerging sustainable energy landscape. Mechanical degradation and resulting capacity fade in high-capacity electrode materials critically hinder their use in high-performance lithium-ion batteries. This paper presents an overview of recent advances in understanding the electrochemically-induced mechanical behavior of the electrode materials in lithium-ion batteries. Particular emphasis is placed on stress generation and facture in high-capacity anode materials such as silicon. Finally, we identify several important unresolved issues for future research. (topical review)

High thermal stability of abrupt SiO2/GaN interface with low interface state density

Science.gov (United States)

Truyen, Nguyen Xuan; Taoka, Noriyuki; Ohta, Akio; Makihara, Katsunori; Yamada, Hisashi; Takahashi, Tokio; Ikeda, Mitsuhisa; Shimizu, Mitsuaki; Miyazaki, Seiichi

2018-04-01

The effects of postdeposition annealing (PDA) on the interface properties of a SiO2/GaN structure formed by remote oxygen plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RP-CVD) were systematically investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy clarified that PDA in the temperature range from 600 to 800 °C has almost no effects on the chemical bonding features at the SiO2/GaN interface, and that positive charges exist at the interface, the density of which can be reduced by PDA at 800 °C. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current density-SiO2 electric field characteristics of the GaN MOS capacitors also confirmed the reduction in interface state density (D it) and the improvement in the breakdown property of the SiO2 film after PDA at 800 °C. Consequently, a high thermal stability of the SiO2/GaN structure with a low fixed charge density and a low D it formed by RP-CVD was demonstrated. This is quite informative for realizing highly robust GaN power devices.

Interface polymerization synthesis of conductive polymer/graphite oxide@sulfur composites for high-rate lithium-sulfur batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiwen; Zhang, Zhian; Yan, Xiaolin; Qu, Yaohui; Lai, Yanqing; Li, Jie

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A hybrid nanostructure that incorporate the merits of conductive polymer nanorods and graphite oxide sheets. • A novel approach based on interface polymerization for synthesizing CP/GO@S ternary composite. • CP/GO@S ternary composite cathode shows enhanced electrochemical properties compared with CP@S binary composite cathode. • PEDOT/GO@S composite is the material system that have best electrochemical performance in all CP/GO@S ternary composites. - Abstract: The novel ternary composites, conductive polymers (CPs)/graphene oxide (GO)@sulfur composites were successfully synthesized via a facile one-pot route and used as cathode materials for Li-S batteries The poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/GO and polyaniline (PANI)/GO composites were prepared by interface polymerization of monomers on the surface of GO sheets. Then sulfur was in-situ deposited on the CPs/GO composites in same solution. The component and structure of the composites were characterized by XPS, TGA, FTIR, SEM, TEM and electrochemical measurements. In this structure, the CPs nanostructures are believed to serve as a conductive matrix and an adsorbing agent, while the highly conductive GO will physically and chemically confine the sulfur and polysulfide within cathode. The PEDOT/GO@S composites with the sulfur content of 66.2 wt% exhibit a reversible discharge capacity of 800.2 mAh g −1 after 200 cycles at 0.5 C, which is much higher than that of PANI/GO@S composites (599.1 mAh g −1 ) and PANI@S (407.2 mAh g −1 ). Even at a high rate of 4 C, the PEDOT/GO@S composites still retain a high specific capacity of 632.4 mAh g −1

Adhesion at Entangled Polymer Interfaces: A Unified Approach..

Science.gov (United States)

Wool, Richard

2006-03-01

A unified theory of fracture of polymer interfaces was developed which was based on the Rigidity Percolation model of fracture [R.P. Wool, J.Polym.Sci. Part A: Polym Phys., 43,168(2005)]. The polymer fractured critically when the normalized entanglement density p, approached the percolation threshold pc. The fracture energy was found to be G1c ˜ [p-pc]. When applied to interfaces of width X, containing an areal density σ of chains, each contributing L chain entanglements, the percolation term p ˜ σL/X and the percolation threshold was related to σc, Lc, or Xc. For welding of A/A symmetric interfaces, p = σL/X, and pc Lc/M 0, such that when σ/X ˜1/M for randomly distributed chain ends, p˜L ˜ (t/M)^1/2, G/G* = (t/τ*)^1/2, where the weld time τ* ˜ M. When the chain ends are segregated to the surface, σ is constant with time and G/G* = [t/τ*]^1/4. For sub-Tg welding, there exists a surface mobile layer (due to the critical Lindemann Atom fraction) of depth X ˜ 1/δT^ν such that G ˜ δT-2ν, where the critical exponent v = 0.8. For incompatible A/B interfaces of Helfand width d, normalized width w = d/Rge, and entanglement density Nent ˜ d/Le, p ˜ d such that, G1c ˜ [d-dc], G1c ˜ [w-1], and G ˜ [Nent-Nc]. For incompatible A/B interfaces reinforced by an areal density σ of compatibilizer chains, L and X are constant, p ˜ σ, pc ˜σc, such that G1c ˜ [σ-σc], which is in excellent agreement with experimental data.

High Performance Computing - Power Application Programming Interface Specification.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laros, James H.,; Kelly, Suzanne M.; Pedretti, Kevin; Grant, Ryan; Olivier, Stephen Lecler; Levenhagen, Michael J.; DeBonis, David

2014-08-01

Measuring and controlling the power and energy consumption of high performance computing systems by various components in the software stack is an active research area [13, 3, 5, 10, 4, 21, 19, 16, 7, 17, 20, 18, 11, 1, 6, 14, 12]. Implementations in lower level software layers are beginning to emerge in some production systems, which is very welcome. To be most effective, a portable interface to measurement and control features would significantly facilitate participation by all levels of the software stack. We present a proposal for a standard power Application Programming Interface (API) that endeavors to cover the entire software space, from generic hardware interfaces to the input from the computer facility manager.

High toughness alumina/aluminate: The role of hetero-interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brito, M.E.; Yasuoka, M.; Kanzaki, S.

1996-01-01

Silica doped alumina/aluminate materials present a combination of high strength and high toughness not achieved before in other alumina systems, except for transformation toughened alumina. The authors have associated the increase in toughness to crack bridging by anisotropically grown alumina grains with concurrent interfacial debonding of these grains. A HREM study of grain boundaries and hetero-interface structures in this material shows the absence of amorphous phases at grain boundaries. Local Auger electron analysis of fractured surfaces revealed the coexistence of Si and La at the grain facets exposed by the noticeable intergranular fracture mode of this material. It is concluded that a certain and important degree of boundaries weakness is related to both presence of Si at the interfaces and existence of alumina/aluminate hetero-interfaces

Stabilizing the Electrode/Electrolyte Interface of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 through Tailoring Aluminum Distribution in Microspheres as Long-Life, High-Rate, and Safe Cathode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Peiyu; Zhang, Hongzhou; Deng, Xiaolong; Xu, Xijin; Zhang, Lianqi

2017-09-06

The unstable electrode/electrolyte interface of high-capacity LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA) cathodes, especially at a highly delithiated state, usually leads to the transformation of layered to spinel and/or rock-salt phases, resulting in drastic capacity fade and poor thermal stability. Herein, the Al-increased and Ni-,Co-decreased electrode surface is fabricated through tailoring element distribution in micrometer-sized spherical NCA secondary particles via coprecipitation and solid-state reactions, aimed at stabilizing the electrode/electrolyte interface during continuous cycles. As expected, it shows much extended cycle life, 93.6% capacity retention within 100 cycles, compared with that of 78.5% for the normal NCA. It also delivers large reversible capacity of about 140 mAh g -1 even at 20 C, corresponding to energy density of around 480 Wh kg -1 , which is enhanced by 45% compared to that of the normal NCA (about 330 Wh kg -1 ). Besides, the delayed heat emission temperature and reduced heat generation mean remarkably improved thermal stability. These foregoing improvements are ascribed to the Al-increased spherical secondary particle surface that stabilizes the electrode/electrolyte interface by protecting inner components from directly contacting with electrolyte and suppressing the side reaction on electrode surface between high oxidizing Ni 4+ and electrolyte.

Influence of modulation method on using LC-traps with single-phase voltage source converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Xiongfei; Min, Huang; Bai, Haofeng

2015-01-01

The switching-frequency LC-trap filter has recently been employed with high-order passive filters for Voltage Source Inverters (VSIs). This paper investigates the influence of modulation method on using the LC-traps with single-phase VSIs. Two-level (bipolar) and three-level (unipolar) modulations...... that include phase distortion and alternative phase opposition distortion methods are analyzed. Harmonic filtering performances of four LC-trap-based filters with different locations of LC-traps are compared. It is shown that the use of parallel-LC-traps in series with filter inductors, either grid...... or converter side, has a worse harmonic filtering performance than using series-LC-trap in the shunt branch. Simulations and experimental results are presented for verifications....

Improving Reversible Capacities of High-Surface Lithium Insertion Materials – The Case of Amorphous TiO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ganapathy, Swapna [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Department of Radiation, Radionucleides and Reactors, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Basak, Shibabrata [Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Lefering, Anton; Rogers, Edith [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Department of Radiation, Radionucleides and Reactors, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Zandbergen, Henny W. [Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Wagemaker, Marnix, E-mail: m.wagemaker@tudelft.nl [Fundamental Aspects of Materials and Energy, Department of Radiation, Radionucleides and Reactors, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands)

2014-11-28

Chemisorbed water and solvent molecules and their reactivity with components from the electrolyte in high-surface nano-structured electrodes remains a contributing factor toward capacity diminishment on cycling in lithium ion batteries due to the limit in maximum annealing temperature. Here, we report a marked improvement in the capacity retention of amorphous TiO{sub 2} by the choice of preparation solvent, control of annealing temperature, and the presence of surface functional groups. Careful heating of the amorphous TiO{sub 2} sample prepared in acetone under vacuum lead to complete removal of all molecular solvent and an improved capacity retention of 220 mAh/g over 50 cycles at a C/10 rate. Amorphous TiO{sub 2} when prepared in ethanol and heated under vacuum showed an even better capacity retention of 240 mAh/g. From Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements, the improved capacity is attributed to the complete removal of ethanol and the presence of very small fractions of residual functional groups coordinated to oxygen-deficient surface titanium sites. These displace the more reactive chemisorbed hydroxyl groups, limiting reaction with components from the electrolyte and possibly enhancing the integrity of the solid electrolyte interface. The present research provides a facile strategy to improve the capacity retention of nano-structured electrode materials.

High throughput LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous analysis of multiple vitamin D analytes in serum.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkinson, Carl; Taylor, Angela E; Hassan-Smith, Zaki K; Adams, John S; Stewart, Paul M; Hewison, Martin; Keevil, Brian G

2016-03-01

Recent studies suggest that vitamin D-deficiency is linked to increased risk of common human health problems. To define vitamin D 'status' most routine analytical methods quantify one particular vitamin D metabolite, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD3). However, vitamin D is characterized by complex metabolic pathways, and simultaneous measurement of multiple vitamin D metabolites may provide a more accurate interpretation of vitamin D status. To address this we developed a high-throughput liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to analyse multiple vitamin D analytes, with particular emphasis on the separation of epimer metabolites. A supportive liquid-liquid extraction (SLE) and LC-MS/MS method was developed to quantify 10 vitamin D metabolites as well as separation of an interfering 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (7αC4) isobar (precursor of bile acid), and validated by analysis of human serum samples. In a cohort of 116 healthy subjects, circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD3), 3-epi-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (3-epi-25OHD3), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (24R,25(OH)2D3), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2D3), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 (25OHD2) were quantifiable using 220μL of serum, with 25OHD3 and 24R,25(OH)2D3 showing significant seasonal variations. This high-throughput LC-MS/MS method provides a novel strategy for assessing the impact of vitamin D on human health and disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving peak detection in high-resolution LC/MS metabolomics data using preexisting knowledge and machine learning approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tianwei; Jones, Dean P

2014-10-15

Peak detection is a key step in the preprocessing of untargeted metabolomics data generated from high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The common practice is to use filters with predetermined parameters to select peaks in the LC/MS profile. This rigid approach can cause suboptimal performance when the choice of peak model and parameters do not suit the data characteristics. Here we present a method that learns directly from various data features of the extracted ion chromatograms (EICs) to differentiate between true peak regions from noise regions in the LC/MS profile. It utilizes the knowledge of known metabolites, as well as robust machine learning approaches. Unlike currently available methods, this new approach does not assume a parametric peak shape model and allows maximum flexibility. We demonstrate the superiority of the new approach using real data. Because matching to known metabolites entails uncertainties and cannot be considered a gold standard, we also developed a probabilistic receiver-operating characteristic (pROC) approach that can incorporate uncertainties. The new peak detection approach is implemented as part of the apLCMS package available at http://web1.sph.emory.edu/apLCMS/ CONTACT: tyu8@emory.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

ICPD-a new peak detection algorithm for LC/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jianqiu; Haskins, William

2010-12-01

The identification and quantification of proteins using label-free Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) play crucial roles in biological and biomedical research. Increasing evidence has shown that biomarkers are often low abundance proteins. However, LC/MS systems are subject to considerable noise and sample variability, whose statistical characteristics are still elusive, making computational identification of low abundance proteins extremely challenging. As a result, the inability of identifying low abundance proteins in a proteomic study is the main bottleneck in protein biomarker discovery. In this paper, we propose a new peak detection method called Information Combining Peak Detection (ICPD ) for high resolution LC/MS. In LC/MS, peptides elute during a certain time period and as a result, peptide isotope patterns are registered in multiple MS scans. The key feature of the new algorithm is that the observed isotope patterns registered in multiple scans are combined together for estimating the likelihood of the peptide existence. An isotope pattern matching score based on the likelihood probability is provided and utilized for peak detection. The performance of the new algorithm is evaluated based on protein standards with 48 known proteins. The evaluation shows better peak detection accuracy for low abundance proteins than other LC/MS peak detection methods.

MIMO Intensity-Modulation Channels: Capacity Bounds and High SNR Characterization

KAUST Repository

Chaaban, Anas

2016-10-01

The capacity of MIMO intensity modulation channels is studied. The nonnegativity of the transmit signal (intensity) poses a challenge on the precoding of the transmit signal, which limits the applicability of classical schemes in this type of channels. To resolve this issue, capacity lower bounds are developed by using precoding-free schemes. This is achieved by channel inversion or QR decomposition to convert the MIMO channel to a set of parallel channels. The achievable rate of a DC-offset SVD based scheme is also derived as a benchmark. Then, a capacity upper bound is derived and is shown to coincide with the achievable rate of the QR decomposition based scheme at high SNR, consequently characterizing the high-SNR capacity of the channel. The high-SNR gap between capacity and the achievable rates of the channel inversion and the DC-offset SVD based schemes is also characterized. Finally, the ergodic capacity of the channel is also briefly discussed.

LC-MS (/MS) in clinical toxicology screening methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Viette, Véronique; Hochstrasser, Denis; Fathi, Marc

2012-01-01

Toxicological screening is the analysis of biological samples to detect and identify unknown compounds. The high selectivity and sensitivity of liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) technology provide an attractive alternative to the current methods (LC-UV, GC/MS, etc.). For these reasons, an increasing number of applications are being published. This paper is a brief overview of LC-MS(/MS) screening methods developed for clinical toxicology in recent years. Various sample treatments, chromatographic separations and detection by mass spectrometry can be combined to obtain screening methods adapted to the constraints and needs of clinical toxicology laboratories. Currently the techniques are in the hands of specialists, mainly in academic institutions. However, the evolution in technology should allow application of these techniques as a tool in toxicology laboratories, thus allowing a more widespread exploitation of their potential.

A Series-LC-Filtered Active Trap Filter for High Power Voltage Source Inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bai, Haofeng; Wang, Xiongfei; Loh, Poh Chiang

2016-01-01

Passive trap filters are widely used in high power Voltage Source Inverters (VSI) for the switching harmonic attenuation. The usage of the passive trap filters requires clustered and fixed switching harmonic spectrum, which is not the case for low pulse-ratio or Variable Switching Frequency (VSF...... current control of the auxiliary converter, which can be challenging considering that the switching harmonics have very high orders. In this paper, an Active Trap Filter (ATF) based on output impedance shaping is proposed. It is able to bypass the switching harmonics by providing nearly zero output...... impedance. A series-LC-filter is used to reduce the power rating and synthesize the desired output impedance of the ATF. Compared with the existing approaches, the compensated frequency range is greatly enlarged. Also, the current reference is simply set to zero, which reduces the complexity of the control...

eRNA: a graphic user interface-based tool optimized for large data analysis from high-throughput RNA sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Tiezheng; Huang, Xiaoyi; Dittmar, Rachel L; Du, Meijun; Kohli, Manish; Boardman, Lisa; Thibodeau, Stephen N; Wang, Liang

2014-03-05

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is emerging as a critical approach in biological research. However, its high-throughput advantage is significantly limited by the capacity of bioinformatics tools. The research community urgently needs user-friendly tools to efficiently analyze the complicated data generated by high throughput sequencers. We developed a standalone tool with graphic user interface (GUI)-based analytic modules, known as eRNA. The capacity of performing parallel processing and sample management facilitates large data analyses by maximizing hardware usage and freeing users from tediously handling sequencing data. The module miRNA identification" includes GUIs for raw data reading, adapter removal, sequence alignment, and read counting. The module "mRNA identification" includes GUIs for reference sequences, genome mapping, transcript assembling, and differential expression. The module "Target screening" provides expression profiling analyses and graphic visualization. The module "Self-testing" offers the directory setups, sample management, and a check for third-party package dependency. Integration of other GUIs including Bowtie, miRDeep2, and miRspring extend the program's functionality. eRNA focuses on the common tools required for the mapping and quantification analysis of miRNA-seq and mRNA-seq data. The software package provides an additional choice for scientists who require a user-friendly computing environment and high-throughput capacity for large data analysis. eRNA is available for free download at https://sourceforge.net/projects/erna/?source=directory.

Interface and oxide traps in high-κ hafnium oxide films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, H.; Zhan, N.; Ng, K.L.; Poon, M.C.; Kok, C.W.

2004-01-01

The origins of the interface trap generation and the effects of thermal annealing on the interface and bulk trap distributions are studied in detail. We found that oxidation of the HfO 2 /Si interface, removal of deep trap centers, and crystallization of the as-deposited film will take place during the post-deposition annealing (PDA). These processes will result in the removal of interface traps and deep oxide traps and introduce a large amount of shallow oxide traps at the grain boundaries of the polycrystalline film. Thus, trade-off has to be made in considering the interface trap density and oxide trap density when conducting PDA. In addition, the high interface trap and oxide trap densities of the HfO 2 films suggest that we may have to use the SiO 2 /HfO 2 stack or hafnium silicate structure for better device performance

Construction and Capacity Analysis of High-Rank LoS MIMO Channels in High Speed Railway Scenarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingya Yang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The validity of the maximum capacity criterion applied to realize high-rank line-of-sight (LoS multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO channels is investigated for high speed railway scenarios. Performance is evaluated by ergodic capacity. Numerical results demonstrate that by simply adjusting antenna spacing according to the maximum capacity criterion, significant capacity gains are achievable. We find relatively low sensitivity of the system to displacements from the optimal point and angle in relatively short range. Thus, we present two proposals to reconfigure antenna arrays so as to maximize LoS MIMO capacity in the high speed railway scenarios

Increased productivity in construction of civil and mining tunnels through the use of high-capacity tunnel-boring machines and continuous belt conveyor muck haulage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beatty, J.G.; Ganey, R.J.; Killingsworth, J.E. [Perini Corp., Chicago, IL (United States). US Heavy Division

1994-12-31

The use of a large diameter high production tunnel boring machine interfaced with a high capacity continuous belt conveyor system provides a highly productive and cost effective construction system for both civil and mining tunnels. Continuous advance of the tunnel boring machine for a distance of 1,000 feet (305 m) allows for very efficient operation of the system. The available cost reductions will likely prove that this approach to waste handling will make marginally viable projects economically feasible. 9 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.

Study of Ag and PE interface after plasma treatment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Macková, Anna; Malinský, Petr; Bočan, Jiří; Švorčík, V.; Pavlík, J.; Strýhal, Z.; Sajdl, P.

2008-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 4 (2008), s. 964-967 ISSN 1862-6351. [9th International workshop on plasma based ion implantation and deposition. Leipzig, 02.09.2007-06.09.2007] R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC06041 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10480505 Keywords : RBS and AFM study * metal-polymer interface * plasma treatment Subject RIV: JJ - Other Materials

Crack-resistant polyimide coating for high-capacity battery anodes

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yingshun; Wang, Shuo; Lee, Pui-Kit; He, Jieqing; Yu, Denis Y. W.

2017-10-01

Electrode cracking is a serious problem that hinders the application of many next-generation high-capacity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Even though nano-sizing the material can reduce fracturing of individual particles, capacity fading is still observed due to large volume change and loss of contact in the electrode during lithium insertion and extraction. In this study, we design a crack-resistant high-modulus polyimide coating with high compressive strength which can hold multiple particles together during charge and discharge to maintain contact. The effectiveness of the coating is demonstrated on tin dioxide, a high-capacity large-volume-change material that undergoes both alloy and conversion reactions. The polyimide coating improves capacity retention of SnO2 from 80% to 100% after 80 cycles at 250 mA g-1. Stable capacity of 585 mAh g-1 can be obtained even at 500 mA g-1 after 300 cycles. Scanning electron microscopy and in-situ dilatometry confirm that electrode cracking is suppressed and thickness change is reduced with the coating. In addition, the chemically-stable polyimide film can separate the surface from direct contact with electrolyte, improving coulombic efficiency to ∼100%. We expect the novel strategy of suppressing electrode degradation with a crack-resistant coating can also be used for other alloy and conversion-based anodes.

Development of high capacity, high rate lithium ion batteries utilizing metal fiber conductive additives

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Soonho; Kim, Youngduk; Kim, Kyung Joon; Kim, Tae Hyung; Lee, Hyungkeun; Kim, Myung H.

As lithium ion cells dominate the battery market, the performance improvement is an utmost concern among developers and researchers. Conductive additives are routinely employed to enhance electrode conductivity and capacity. Carbon particulates—graphite or carbon black powders—are conventional and popular choices as conductive fillers. However, percolation requirements of particles demand significant volumetric content of impalpable, and thereby high area conductive fillers. As might be expected, the electrode active surface area escalates unnecessarily, resulting in overall increase in reaction with electrolytes and organic solvents. The increased reactions usually manifest as an irreversible loss of anode capacity, gradual oxidation and consumption of electrolyte on the cathode—which causes capacity decline during cycling—and an increased threat to battery safety by gas evolution and exothermic solvent oxidation. In this work we have utilized high aspect ratio, flexible, micronic metal fibers as low active area and high conductivity additives. The metal fibers appear well dispersed within the electrode and to satisfy percolation requirements very efficiently at very low volumetric content compared to conventional carbon-based conductive additives. Results from 18650-type cells indicate significant enhancements in electrode capacity and high rate capability while the irreversible capacity loss is negligible.

When High-Capacity Readers Slow Down and Low-Capacity Readers Speed Up: Working Memory and Locality Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicenboim, Bruno; Logačev, Pavel; Gattei, Carolina; Vasishth, Shravan

2016-01-01

We examined the effects of argument-head distance in SVO and SOV languages (Spanish and German), while taking into account readers' working memory capacity and controlling for expectation (Levy, 2008) and other factors. We predicted only locality effects, that is, a slowdown produced by increased dependency distance (Gibson, 2000; Lewis and Vasishth, 2005). Furthermore, we expected stronger locality effects for readers with low working memory capacity. Contrary to our predictions, low-capacity readers showed faster reading with increased distance, while high-capacity readers showed locality effects. We suggest that while the locality effects are compatible with memory-based explanations, the speedup of low-capacity readers can be explained by an increased probability of retrieval failure. We present a computational model based on ACT-R built under the previous assumptions, which is able to give a qualitative account for the present data and can be tested in future research. Our results suggest that in some cases, interpreting longer RTs as indexing increased processing difficulty and shorter RTs as facilitation may be too simplistic: The same increase in processing difficulty may lead to slowdowns in high-capacity readers and speedups in low-capacity ones. Ignoring individual level capacity differences when investigating locality effects may lead to misleading conclusions.

When high-capacity readers slow down and low-capacity readers speed up: Working memory and locality effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno eNicenboim

2016-03-01

Full Text Available We examined the effects of argument-head distance in SVO and SOV languages (Spanish and German, while taking into account readers’ working memory capacity and controlling for expectation (Levy, 2008 and other factors. We predicted only locality effects, that is, a slow-down produced by increased dependency distance (Gibson, 2000; Lewis & Vasishth, 2005. Furthermore, we expected stronger locality effects for readers with low working memory capacity. Contrary to our predictions, low-capacity readers showed faster reading with increased distance, while high-capacity readers showed locality effects. We suggest that while the locality effects are compatible with memory-based explanations, the speedup of low-capacity readers can be explained by an increased probability of retrieval failure. We present a computational model based on ACT-R built under the previous assumptions, which is able to give a qualitative account for the present data and can be tested in future research. Our results suggest that in some cases, interpreting longer RTs as indexing increased processing difficulty and shorter RTs as facilitation may be too simplistic: The same increase in processing difficulty may lead to slowdowns in high-capacity readers and speedups in low-capacity ones. Ignoring individual level capacity differences when investigating locality effects may lead to misleading conclusions.

Capacity expansion analysis of UGSs rebuilt from low-permeability fractured gas reservoirs with CO2 as cushion gas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yufei Tan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The techniques of pressurized mining and hydraulic fracturing are often used to improve gas well productivity at the later development stage of low-permeability carbonate gas reservoirs, but reservoirs are watered out and a great number of micro fractures are produced. Therefore, one of the key factors for underground gas storages (UGS rebuilt from low-permeability fractured gas reservoirs with CO2 as the cushion gas is how to expand storage capacity effectively by injecting CO2 to displace water and to develop control strategies for the stable migration of gas–water interface. In this paper, a mathematical model was established to simulate the gas–water flow when CO2 was injected into dual porosity reservoirs to displace water. Then, the gas–water interface migration rules while CO2 was injected in the peripheral gas wells for water displacement were analyzed with one domestic UGS rebuilt from fractured gas reservoirs as the research object. And finally, discussion was made on how CO2 dissolution, bottom hole flowing pressure (BHFP, CO2 injection rate and micro fracture parameters affect the stability of gas–water interface in the process of storage capacity expansion. It is shown that the speed of capacity expansion reaches the maximum value at the fifth cycle and then decreases gradually when UGS capacity is expanded in the pattern of more injection and less withdrawal. Gas–water interface during UGS capacity expansion is made stable due to that the solubility of CO2 in water varies with the reservoir pressure. When the UGS capacity is expanded at constant BHFP and the flow rate, the expansion speed can be increased effectively by increasing the BHFP and the injection flow rate of gas wells in the central areas appropriately. In the reservoir areas with high permeability and fracture-matrix permeability ratio, the injection flow rate should be reduced properly to prevent gas–water interface fingering caused by a high-speed flow

Account of volume heat capacity on interface in numerical solution of the Stephen problem using the strained coordinates method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latynin, V.A.; Reshetov, V.A.; Karaseva, L.N.

1988-01-01

Numerical solution of the Stephen problem by the strained coordinate method is presented for an one-dimensional sphere. Differential formulae of heat fluxes from moving interfaces do not take into account volume heat capacities of the front nodes. Calculations, carried out according to these balanced formulae, as well as according to those usually used, have shown that the balanced formulae permit to reduce approximately by an order the number of nodes on the sphere radius, if similar accuracy of heat balance of the whole process of melting or crystallization is observed. 2 refs.; 1 fig

LC Data QUEST: A Technical Architecture for Community Federated Clinical Data Sharing.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephens, Kari A; Lin, Ching-Ping; Baldwin, Laura-Mae; Echo-Hawk, Abigail; Keppel, Gina A; Buchwald, Dedra; Whitener, Ron J; Korngiebel, Diane M; Berg, Alfred O; Black, Robert A; Tarczy-Hornoch, Peter

2012-01-01

The University of Washington Institute of Translational Health Sciences is engaged in a project, LC Data QUEST, building data sharing capacity in primary care practices serving rural and tribal populations in the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho region to build research infrastructure. We report on the iterative process of developing the technical architecture for semantically aligning electronic health data in primary care settings across our pilot sites and tools that will facilitate linkages between the research and practice communities. Our architecture emphasizes sustainable technical solutions for addressing data extraction, alignment, quality, and metadata management. The architecture provides immediate benefits to participating partners via a clinical decision support tool and data querying functionality to support local quality improvement efforts. The FInDiT tool catalogues type, quantity, and quality of the data that are available across the LC Data QUEST data sharing architecture. These tools facilitate the bi-directional process of translational research.

An integrated high performance Fastbus slave interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christiansen, J.; Ljuslin, C.

1993-01-01

A high performance CMOS Fastbus slave interface ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) supporting all addressing and data transfer modes defined in the IEEE 960 - 1986 standard is presented. The FAstbus Slave Integrated Circuit (FASIC) is an interface between the asynchronous Fastbus and a clock synchronous processor/memory bus. It can work stand-alone or together with a 32 bit microprocessor. The FASIC is a programmable device enabling its direct use in many different applications. A set of programmable address mapping windows can map Fastbus addresses to convenient memory addresses and at the same time act as address decoding logic. Data rates of 100 MBytes/sec to Fastbus can be obtained using an internal FIFO in the FASIC to buffer data between the two buses during block transfers. Message passing from Fastbus to a microprocessor on the slave module is supported. A compact (70 mm x 170 mm) Fastbus slave piggy back sub-card interface including level conversion between ECL and TTL signal levels has been implemented using surface mount components and the 208 pin FASIC chip

Spectroscopic Constants and Vibrational Frequencies for l-C3H+ and Isotopologues from Highly-Accurate Quartic Force Fields: The Detection of l-C3H+ in the Horsehead Nebula PDR Questioned

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xinchuan; Fortenberry, Ryan Clifton; Lee, Timothy J.

2013-01-01

Very recently, molecular rotational transitions observed in the photon-dominated region of the Horsehead nebula have been attributed to l-C3H+. In an effort to corroborate this finding, we employed state-of-the art and proven high-accuracy quantum chemical techniques to compute spectroscopic constants for this cation and its isotopologues. Even though the B rotational constant from the fit of the observed spectrum and our computations agree to within 20 MHz, a typical level of accuracy, the D rotational constant differs by more than 40%, while the H rotational constant differs by three orders of magnitude. With the likely errors in the rotational transition energies resulting from this difference in D on the order of 1 MHz for the lowest observed transition (J = 4 yields 3) and growing as J increases, the assignment of the observed rotational lines from the Horsehead nebula to l-C3H+ is questionable.

How much separation for LC-MS/MS quantitative bioanalysis of drugs and metabolites?

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Aimin; Fanaras, John C

2018-05-01

LC-MS/MS has been the dominant analytical technology for quantitative bioanalysis of drugs and metabolites for more than two decades. Despite this, a very fundamental question like how much separation is required for LC-MS/MS quantitative bioanalysis of drugs and metabolites has not been adequately addressed. Some think that no or only very limited separation is necessary thanks to the unparalleled selectivity offered by tandem mass spectrometry. Others think that the more separation, the better, because of the potential detrimental impact of matrix effect (ion suppression or enhancement). Still others just use a rule-of-thumb approach by keeping the adjusted retention/capacity factor always between 2 and 5. The purpose of this article is to address this fundamental question through rational thinking together with various real case examples drawn from regulated bioanalytical laboratories. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterisation of the ester-substituted products of the reaction of p-t-butyl calix[4]arene and ethyl bromoacetate using LC-UV-MS and LC-DAD.

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Gillian; Wall, Rachel; Nolan, Kieran; Diamond, Dermot

2002-07-19

A series of derivatisation reactions between p-t-butyl calix[4]arene and ethyl bromoacetate were carried out in order to prepare 1,3 diester substituted calix[4]arene. Mass spectral data, obtained from direct injection of samples, indicated that the reactions were rich in the desired product. Since the ultra violet (UV) spectra of the desired product and possible impurities are very similar, liquid chromatography (LC) chromatographic data seemed to corroborate these results. However, when on-line LC-UV-MS was carried out and each LC peak subjected to MS analysis as it eluted, a very different picture emerged. It was found that many of these reactions actually contained high levels of the monoester product which, having less affinity for sodium in the MS, is therefore seriously underestimated in any direct injection assay. LC-diode array detection (DAD) methods were also used to help successfully identify and characterise the compounds being formed in these complex reactions. The overall results obtained in this paper allowed the optimal reaction conditions to be determined for this reaction. LC-MS analysis of the chromatographic peaks also identified the presence of two isomers of the diester substituted calix[4]arene (1,3 and 1,2 diesters). The combination of LC and UV/MS detection is required for accurate analysis of the products of such reactions.

LC-lens array with light field algorithm for 3D biomedical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yi-Pai; Hsieh, Po-Yuan; Hassanfiroozi, Amir; Martinez, Manuel; Javidi, Bahram; Chu, Chao-Yu; Hsuan, Yun; Chu, Wen-Chun

2016-03-01

In this paper, liquid crystal lens (LC-lens) array was utilized in 3D bio-medical applications including 3D endoscope and light field microscope. Comparing with conventional plastic lens array, which was usually placed in 3D endoscope or light field microscope system to record image disparity, our LC-lens array has higher flexibility of electrically changing its focal length. By using LC-lens array, the working distance and image quality of 3D endoscope and microscope could be enhanced. Furthermore, the 2D/3D switching ability could be achieved if we turn off/on the electrical power on LClens array. In 3D endoscope case, a hexagonal micro LC-lens array with 350um diameter was placed at the front end of a 1mm diameter endoscope. With applying electric field on LC-lens array, the 3D specimen would be recorded as from seven micro-cameras with different disparity. We could calculate 3D construction of specimen with those micro images. In the other hand, if we turn off the electric field on LC-lens array, the conventional high resolution 2D endoscope image would be recorded. In light field microscope case, the LC-lens array was placed in front of the CMOS sensor. The main purpose of LC-lens array is to extend the refocusing distance of light field microscope, which is usually very narrow in focused light field microscope system, by montaging many light field images sequentially focusing on different depth. With adjusting focal length of LC-lens array from 2.4mm to 2.9mm, the refocusing distance was extended from 1mm to 11.3mm. Moreover, we could use a LC wedge to electrically shift the optics axis and increase the resolution of light field.

The high level programmer and user interface of the NSLS control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Y.N.; Smith, J.D.; Sathe, S.

1993-01-01

This paper presents the major components of the high level software in the NSLS upgraded control system. Both programmer and user interfaces are discussed. The use of the high-speed work stations, fast network communications, UNIX system, X-window and Motif have greatly changed and improved these interfaces

LC-NMR, NMR, and LC-MS identification and LC-DAD quantification of flavonoids and ellagic acid derivatives in Drosera peltata.

Science.gov (United States)

Braunberger, Christina; Zehl, Martin; Conrad, Jürgen; Fischer, Sonja; Adhami, Hamid-Reza; Beifuss, Uwe; Krenn, Liselotte

2013-08-01

The herb of Drosera peltata, commonly named the shield sundew, is used as an antitussive in phytotherapy, although the plants' composition has not been determined in detail so far. Hence, in this study, we present a validated, sensitive, reliable, and cheap narrow-bore LC-DAD method for the simultaneous quantification of flavonoids and ellagic acid derivatives in this herbal drug. In addition, the structures of 13 compounds have been elucidated by LC-MS, LC-NMR, and offline NMR experiments after isolation: herbacetin-3-O-glucoside (1), gossypitrin (2), ellagic acid (3), quercetin-7-O-glucoside (4), isoquercitrin (5), kaempferol-3-O-(6″-O-galloyl)-glucoside (6), herbacetin-7-O-glucoside (7), astragalin (8), gossypetin (9), herbacetin (10), quercetin (11), 3,3'-di-O-methyl ellagic acid (12), and kaempferol (13). Compounds 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 have been identified in D. peltata for the first time, and compounds 1, 4, 6, 7, and 10 have not been detected in any Drosera species before. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Myosins and DYNLL1/LC8 in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Calábria, Luciana Karen; Peixoto, Pablo Marco Veras; Passos Lima, Andreia Barcelos; Peixoto, Leonardo Gomes; de Moraes, Viviane Rodrigues Alves; Teixeira, Renata Roland; Dos Santos, Claudia Tavares; E Silva, Letícia Oliveira; da Silva, Maria de Fátima Rodrigues; dos Santos, Ana Alice Diniz; Garcia-Cairasco, Norberto; Martins, Antônio Roberto; Espreafico, Enilza Maria; Espindola, Foued Salmen

2011-09-01

Honey bees have brain structures with specialized and developed systems of communication that account for memory, learning capacity and behavioral organization with a set of genes homologous to vertebrate genes. Many microtubule- and actin-based molecular motors are involved in axonal/dendritic transport. Myosin-Va is present in the honey bee Apis mellifera nervous system of the larvae and adult castes and subcastes. DYNLL1/LC8 and myosin-IIb, -VI and -IXb have also been detected in the adult brain. SNARE proteins, such as CaMKII, clathrin, syntaxin, SNAP25, munc18, synaptophysin and synaptotagmin, are also expressed in the honey bee brain. Honey bee myosin-Va displayed ATP-dependent solubility and was associated with DYNLL1/LC8 and SNARE proteins in the membrane vesicle-enriched fraction. Myosin-Va expression was also decreased after the intracerebral injection of melittin and NMDA. The immunolocalization of myosin-Va and -IV, DYNLL1/LC8, and synaptophysin in mushroom bodies, and optical and antennal lobes was compared with the brain morphology based on Neo-Timm histochemistry and revealed a distinct and punctate distribution. This result suggested that the pattern of localization is associated with neuron function. Therefore, our data indicated that the roles of myosins, DYNLL1/LC8, and SNARE proteins in the nervous and visual systems of honey bees should be further studied under different developmental, caste and behavioral conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Passivation of Ge/high-κ interface using RF Plasma nitridation

Science.gov (United States)

Dushaq, Ghada; Nayfeh, Ammar; Rasras, Mahmoud

2018-01-01

In this paper, plasma nitridation of a germanium surface using NH3 and N2 gases is performed with a standard RF-PECVD method at a substrate temperature of 250 °C. The structural and optical properties of the Ge surface have been investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometery (VASE). Study of the Ge (100) surface revealed that it is nitrated after plasma treatment while the GeO2 regrowth on the surface has been suppressed. Also, stability of the treated surface under air exposure is observed, where all the measurements were performed at room ambient. The electrical characteristics of fabricated Al/Ti/HfO2/GeON/p-Ge capacitors using the proposed surface treatment technique have been investigated. The C-V curves indicated a negligible hysteresis compared to ˜500 mV observed in untreated samples. Additionally, the C-V characteristic is used to extract the high-κ/Ge interface trap density using the most commonly used methods in determining the interface traps. The discussion includes the Dit calculation from the high-low frequency (Castagné-Vapaille) method and Terman (high-frequency) method. The high-low frequency method indicated a low interface trap density of ˜2.5 × 1011 eV-1.cm-2 compared to the Terman method. The J-V measurements revealed more than two orders of magnitude reduction of the gate leakage. This improved Ge interface quality is a promising low-temperature technique for fabricating high-performance Ge MOSFETs.

Interface investigation of solution processed high- κ ZrO2/Si MOS structure by DLTS

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Arvind; Mondal, Sandip; Rao, Ksr Koteswara

The interfacial region is dominating due to the continuous downscaling and integration of high- k oxides in CMOS applications. The accurate characterization of high- k oxides/semiconductor interface has the significant importance towards its usage in memory and thin film devices. The interface traps at the high - k /semiconductor interface can be quantified by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) with better accuracy in contrast to capacitance-voltage (CV) and conductance technique. We report the fabrication of high- k ZrO2 films on p-Si substrate by a simple and inexpensive sol-gel spin-coating technique. Further, the ZrO2/Si interface is characterized through DLTS. The flat-band voltage (VFB) and the density of slow interface states (oxide trapped charges) extracted from CV characteristics are 0.37 V and 2x10- 11 C/cm2, respectively. The activation energy, interface state density and capture cross-section quantified by DLTS are EV + 0.42 eV, 3.4x1011 eV- 1 cm- 2 and 5.8x10- 18 cm2, respectively. The high quality ZrO2 films own high dielectric constant 15 with low leakage current density might be an appropriate insulating layer in future electronic application. The low value of interface state density and capture cross-section are the indication of high quality interface and the defect present at the interface may not affect the device performance to a great extent. The DLTS study provides a broad understanding about the traps present at the interface of spin-coated ZrO2/Si.

Free-space optical communications with peak and average constraints: High SNR capacity approximation

KAUST Repository

Chaaban, Anas

2015-09-07

The capacity of the intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) free-space optical channel with both average and peak intensity constraints is studied. A new capacity lower bound is derived by using a truncated-Gaussian input distribution. Numerical evaluation shows that this capacity lower bound is nearly tight at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), while it is shown analytically that the gap to capacity upper bounds is a small constant at high SNR. In particular, the gap to the high-SNR asymptotic capacity of the channel under either a peak or an average constraint is small. This leads to a simple approximation of the high SNR capacity. Additionally, a new capacity upper bound is derived using sphere-packing arguments. This bound is tight at high SNR for a channel with a dominant peak constraint.

High temperature creep properties of directionally solidified CM-247LC Ni-based superalloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiou, Mau-Sheng [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 840, Taiwan (China); Jian, Sheng-Rui, E-mail: srjian@gmail.com [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 840, Taiwan (China); Yeh, An-Chou [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China); Kuo, Chen-Ming [Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 840, Taiwan (China); Juang, Jenh-Yih [Department of Electrophysics, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China)

2016-02-08

This study explores the effects of cooling rate after solution heat treatment on the high temperature/low stress (982 °C/200 MPa) creep properties of CM-247LC Nickel base superalloy. Cooling rate was controlled by blowing argon gas, air cooling, and furnace cooling, which, in turn, gave rise to corresponding cooling rates (from 1260 °C to 800 °C) of 18.7, 7.4, and 0.19 °C/s, respectively. The results indicated that higher cooling rate from the solution heat treatment temperature led to finer γ′ precipitates and much improved tertiary creep as well as rupture life time in high-temperature creep test. The microstructural analyses using both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that finer γ′ precipitates and narrower γ channel width could result in denser rafting structure which might have hindered the climb of dislocations across the precipitates rafts.

Voluntary Running Aids to Maintain High Body Temperature in Rats Bred for High Aerobic Capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Karvinen, Sira M.; Silvennoinen, Mika; Ma, Hongqiang; Törmäkangas, Timo; Rantalainen, Timo; Rinnankoski-Tuikka, Rita; Lensu, Sanna; Koch, Lauren G.; Britton, Steven L.; Kainulainen, Heikki

2016-01-01

The production of heat, i.e., thermogenesis, is a significant component of the metabolic rate, which in turn affects weight gain and health. Thermogenesis is linked to physical activity (PA) level. However, it is not known whether intrinsic exercise capacity, aging, and long-term voluntary running affect core body temperature. Here we use rat models selectively bred to differ in maximal treadmill endurance running capacity (Low capacity runners, LCR and High capacity Runners, HCR), that as adults are divergent for aerobic exercise capacity, aging, and metabolic disease risk to study the connection between PA and body temperature. Ten high capacity runner (HCR) and ten low capacity runner (LCR) female rats were studied between 9 and 21 months of age. Rectal body temperature of HCR and LCR rats was measured before and after 1-year voluntary running/control intervention to explore the effects of aging and PA. Also, we determined whether injected glucose and spontaneous activity affect the body temperature differently between LCR and HCR rats at 9 vs. 21 months of age. HCRs had on average 1.3°C higher body temperature than LCRs (p temperature level of HCRs to similar levels with LCRs. The opportunity to run voluntarily had a significant impact on the body temperature of HCRs (p temperature at a similar level as when at younger age. Compared to LCRs, HCRs were spontaneously more active, had higher relative gastrocnemius muscle mass and higher UCP2, PGC-1α, cyt c, and OXPHOS levels in the skeletal muscle (p temperature of LCRs. However, glucose injection resulted in a lowering of the body temperature of LCRs (p temperature compared to rats born with low exercise capacity and disease risk. Voluntary running allowed HCRs to maintain high body temperature during aging, which suggests that high PA level was crucial in maintaining the high body temperature of HCRs. PMID:27504097

High-level Component Interfaces for Collaborative Development: A Proposal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Marlowe

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Software development has rapidly moved toward collaborative development models where multiple partners collaborate in creating and evolving software intensive systems or components of sophisticated ubiquitous socio-technical-ecosystems. In this paper we extend the concept of software interface to a flexible high-level interface as means for accommodating change and localizing, controlling and managing the exchange of knowledge and functional, behavioral, quality, project and business related information between the partners and between the developed components.

Comparison of on-line flow-cell and off-line solvent-elimination interfaces for size-exclusion chromatography and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in polymer analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kok, S.J.; Wold, C.A.; Hankemeier, Th.; Schoenmakers, P.J.

2003-01-01

Two commercial liquid chromatography-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy interfaces (LC-FTIR), viz. a flow cell and a solvent-elimination interface have been assessed for use in size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) with respect to their chromatographic integrity (i.e. peak asymmetry,

On-line LC-GC and comprehensive two-dimensional LCxGC-ToF MS for the analysis of complex samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janssen, Hans-Gerd [Central Analytical Science, Unilever Research and Development, P.O. Box 114, 3130 AC, Vlaardingen (Netherlands); Koning, Sjaak de [Separation Science Group, LECO Instrumente GmbH, Marie-Bernays-Ring 31, 41199, Moenchengladbach (Germany); Brinkman, Udo A.Th. [Department of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, Free University, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2004-04-01

LC x GC is a logical extension of LC-GC. Unlike LC-GC, which only allows detailed analysis of one group of analytes from a complex sample, LC x GC enables detailed mapping of the entire sample. Due to the high degree of orthogonality and the complementary nature of the two dimensions, the method has a very high resolving power. Comprehensive LC x GC chromatograms often show ordered structures which allow group-wise integration as well as detailed target compound analysis. Hyphenation with mass spectrometry is straightforward, which further widens the application range of the technique. (orig.)

A HIGH-LEVEL PYTHON INTERFACE TO THE FERMILAB ACNET CONTROL SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piot, P. [Fermilab; Halavanau, A. [Fermilab

2016-10-19

This paper discusses the implementation of a python- based high-level interface to the Fermilab acnet control system. The interface has been successfully employed during the commissioning of the Fermilab Accelerator Science & Technology (FAST) facility. Specifically, we present examples of applications at FAST which include the interfacing of the elegant program to assist lattice matching, an automated emittance measurement via the quadrupole-scan method and tranverse transport matrix measurement of a superconducting RF cavity.

Development of a structure-dependent materials model for complex high-temperature loads: Turbine blades of IN 738 LC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

In the framework of a material research programme of the Federal Ministry for Research and Technology a joint project of 10 institutes has started. It aims at developing new concepts for high-temperature components. A subtask is concerned with the internally cooled turbine blade of IN 738 LC for stationary gas turbines. The envisaged procedure for the development of the design conception and the level of knowledge concerning the influencing parameters of the structure and the mechanical behaviour at high operating temperatures are reported on. (orig.) [de

Identification and quantification of flavonoids and ellagic acid derivatives in therapeutically important Drosera species by LC-DAD, LC-NMR, NMR, and LC-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zehl, Martin; Braunberger, Christina; Conrad, Jürgen; Crnogorac, Marija; Krasteva, Stanimira; Vogler, Bernhard; Beifuss, Uwe; Krenn, Liselotte

2011-06-01

Droserae herba is a drug commonly used for treatment of convulsive or whooping cough since the seventeenth century. Because of the contribution of flavonoids and ellagic acid derivatives to the therapeutic activity of Droserae herba, an LC-DAD method has been developed for quantification of these analytes in four Drosera species used in medicine (Drosera anglica, D. intermedia, D. madagascariensis, and D. rotundifolia). During elaboration of the method 13 compounds, including three substances not previously described for Drosera species, were detected and unambiguously identified by means of extensive LC-MS and LC-NMR experiments and by off-line heteronuclear 2D NMR after targeted isolation. The most prominent component of D. rotundifolia and D. anglica, 2″-O-galloylhyperoside, with myricetin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside and kaempferol-3-O-(2″-O-galloyl)-β-galactopyranoside, were identified for the very first time in this genus. The LC-DAD method for quantification was thoroughly validated, and enables, for the first time, separation and precise analysis of these analytes in Droserae herba. Simple sample preparation and use of a narrow-bore column guarantee low cost and simplicity of the suggested system, which is excellently suited to quality control of the drug or herbal medicinal products containing this drug.

Identification of Forced Degradation Products of Itopride by LC-PDA and LC-MS

OpenAIRE

Joshi, Payal; Bhoir, Suvarna; Bhagwat, A. M.; Vishwanath, K.; Jadhav, R. K.

2011-01-01

Degradation products of itopride formed under different forced conditions have been identified using LC-PDA and LC-MS techniques. Itopride was subjected to forced degradation under the conditions of hydrolysis, photolysis, oxidation, dry and wet heat, in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization. The stress solutions were chromatographed on reversed phase C18 (250×4.6 mm, 5 μm) column with a mobile phase methanol:water (55:45, v/v) at a detection wavelength of 215 nm. Itop...

Patterning of high mobility electron gases at complex oxide interfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trier, Felix; Prawiroatmodjo, G. E. D. K.; von Soosten, Merlin

2015-01-01

Oxide interfaces provide an opportunity for electronics. However, patterning of electron gases at complex oxide interfaces is challenging. In particular, patterning of complex oxides while preserving a high electron mobility remains underexplored and inhibits the study of quantum mechanical effects...... of amorphous-LSM (a-LSM) thin films, which acts as a hard mask during subsequent depositions. Strikingly, the patterned modulation-doped interface shows electron mobilities up to ∼8 700 cm2/V s at 2 K, which is among the highest reported values for patterned conducting complex oxide interfaces that usually...... where extended electron mean free paths are paramount. This letter presents an effective patterning strategy of both the amorphous-LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (a-LAO/STO) and modulation-doped amorphous-LaAlO3/La7/8Sr1/8MnO3/SrTiO3 (a-LAO/LSM/STO) oxide interfaces. Our patterning is based on selective wet etching...

Metabolic profiling of Vitex agnus castus leaves, fruits and sprouts: analysis by LC/ESI/(QqQ)MS and (HR) LC/ESI/(Orbitrap)/MS n.

Science.gov (United States)

Mari, Angela; Montoro, Paola; D'Urso, Gilda; Macchia, Mario; Pizza, Cosimo; Piacente, Sonia

2015-01-01

Food supplements based on Vitex agnus castus L. (Verbenaceae) fruits, also known as chasteberry, are routinely used by women against somatic and psychic premenstrual symptoms such as depression, sadness or irritability. With the aim of highlighting the differences in the chemical profiles of cultivated fruits and different parts of wild plants (fruits, leaves and sprouts) of V. agnus castus, a method concerning with the quali-quantitative study of the derived hydroalcoholic extracts was carried out by using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray negative ionization Orbitrap multicollisional high resolution mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/(Orbitrap)MS(n)) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray negative ionization triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/(QqQ)MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the High Altitude Platform (HAP W-CDMA System Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. de Haro-Ariet

2004-06-01

Full Text Available The performance of a downlink power control model, based on a n-thpower distance law, is evaluated for high altitude platform station(HAPS W-CDMA systems. The downlink capacity using this model iscompared with the uplink capacity. It is shown that the uplink capacityis higher than the downlink capacity.

Isotope ratio monitoring LC/MS (IRM-LC/MS): new applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juchelka, D; Hilkert, A.; Krummen, M.

2005-01-01

With the introduction of compound specific isotope analysis by isotope ratio monitoring GC/ MS (IRM-GC/MS) the immediate demand for similar applications using HPLC was created. Many compounds of biological, medical, pharmaceutical and environmental interest are not volatile or too polar. Consequently, they cannot be directly analyzed by gas chromatography. In IRM-GC/MS the carrier is helium, which does not interfere with the essential combust ion step prior to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). In opposite the LC mobile phase has inhibited a similar direct conversion up to now. All earlier IRM-LC/MS approaches were based on the removal of the liquid phase prior to combustion risking fractionation of the isotope ratios of the eluted compounds. To avoid such restrictions we developed a new continuous flow concept for the coupling of an HPLC system to the isotope ratio MS for 13 C/ 12C isotope ratio analysis. In the Finnigan LC IsoLink, the liquid phase is not removed from the sample prior to oxidation. The sample is oxidized still in the mobile phase followed by on-line separation of the CO 2 from the liquid phase and transfer into the isotope ratio MS. Therefore, this strategy is based on water and inorganic buffers as mobile phase. The new approach opens up a whole new world in the application of gas isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The 13 C/ 12 C ratio s of organic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates and nucleotides can now be measured. These components typically within a complex matrix are separated by liquid chromatography followed by on-line determination of the isotope ratios. The draw backs of using derivatization and off-line preparation procedures can now be over come. This new technique allow s studying biochemical cycles, running tracer experiments and determining the origin of components. Applications from different scientific areas such as biogeochemistry, molecular biology, and pharmacy as well as authenticity control o f foods will be presented

LC-MSMS assays of urinary cortisol, a comparison between four in-house assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Brossaud, Julie; Leban, Monique; Corcuff, Jean-Benoit; Boux de Casson, Florence; Leloupp, Anne-Gaëlle; Masson, Damien; Moal, Valérie; Bach-Ngohou, Kalyane

2018-06-27

Twenty-four hour urinary free cortisol (UFC) determination can be used for screening and follow-up of Cushing syndrome (CS). As immunoassay methods lack specificity for UFC measurement, the use of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (LC-MSMS) is recommended. The aim of our study was to compare UFC results using four LC-MSMS methods performed in four independent laboratories in order to evaluate interlaboratory agreement. Frozen aliquots of 24-h urine samples (78 healthy volunteers and 20 patients with CS) were sent to four different laboratories for analysis. Following liquid-liquid or solid-liquid extraction, UFC were determined using four different LC-MSMS assay. UFC intra- and interassays variation coefficients were lower than 10% for each centre. External quality control results were not significantly different. UFC normal ranges (established from healthy volunteers) were 17-126, 15-134, 12-118 and 27-157 nmol/day, respectively. Classification of UFC from healthy volunteers and patients with CS using a 95th percentile threshold was similar. However, for extreme UFC values (270 nmol/day), negative or positive bias was noted. Even for highly specific methods such as LC-MSMS, variations of results can be found depending on analytical process. Validation of LC-MSMS methods including determination of the reference range is essential.

A Review and Modern Approach to LC Ladder Synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander J. Casson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Ultra low power circuits require robust and reliable operation despite the unavoidable use of low currents and the weak inversion transistor operation region. For analogue domain filtering doubly terminated LC ladder based filter topologies are thus highly desirable as they have very low sensitivities to component values: non-exact component values have a minimal effect on the realised transfer function. However, not all transfer functions are suitable for implementation via a LC ladder prototype, and even when the transfer function is suitable the synthesis procedure is not trivial. The modern circuit designer can thus benefit from an updated treatment of this synthesis procedure. This paper presents a methodology for the design of doubly terminated LC ladder structures making use of the symbolic maths engines in programs such as MATLAB and MAPLE. The methodology is explained through the detailed synthesis of an example 7th order bandpass filter transfer function for use in electroencephalogram (EEG analysis.

High-speed Integrated Circuits for electrical/Optical Interfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Christoffer Felix

2008-01-01

This thesis is a continuation of the effort to increase the bandwidth of communicationnetworks. The thesis presents the results of the design of several high-speed electrical ircuits for an electrical/optical interface. These circuits have been a contribution to the ESTA project in collaboration...... circuits at the receiver interface, though VCOs are also found in the transmitter where a multitude of independent sources have to be mutually synchronized before multiplexing. The circuits are based on an InP DHBT process (VIP-2) supplied by Vitesse and made publicly available as MPW. The VIP-2 process...... represents the avant-garde of InP technology, with ft and fmax well above 300 GHz. Principles of high speed design are presented and described as a useful background before proceeding to circuits. A static divider is used as an example to illustrate many of the design principles. Theory and fundamentals...

Simulation of high SNR photodetector with L-C coupling and transimpedance amplifier circuit and its verification

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shaofeng; Xiang, Xiao; Zhou, Conghua; Zhai, Yiwei; Quan, Runai; Wang, Mengmeng; Hou, Feiyan; Zhang, Shougang; Dong, Ruifang; Liu, Tao

2017-01-01

In this paper, a model for simulating the optical response and noise performances of photodetectors with L-C coupling and transimpedance amplification circuit is presented. To verify the simulation, two kinds of photodetectors, which are based on the same printed-circuit-board (PCB) designing and PIN photodiode but different operational amplifiers, are developed and experimentally investigated. Through the comparisons between the numerical simulation results and the experimentally obtained data, excellent agreements are achieved, which show that the model provides a highly efficient guide for the development of a high signal to noise ratio photodetector. Furthermore, the parasite capacitances on the developed PCB, which are always hardly measured but play a non-negligible influence on the photodetectors' performances, are estimated.

Contaminant screening of wastewater with HPLC-IM-qTOF-MS and LC+LC-IM-qTOF-MS using a CCS database.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephan, Susanne; Hippler, Joerg; Köhler, Timo; Deeb, Ahmad A; Schmidt, Torsten C; Schmitz, Oliver J

2016-09-01

Non-target analysis has become an important tool in the field of water analysis since a broad variety of pollutants from different sources are released to the water cycle. For identification of compounds in such complex samples, liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry are often used. The introduction of ion mobility spectrometry provides an additional separation dimension and allows determining collision cross sections (CCS) of the analytes as a further physicochemical constant supporting the identification. A CCS database with more than 500 standard substances including drug-like compounds and pesticides was used for CCS data base search in this work. A non-target analysis of a wastewater sample was initially performed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to an ion mobility-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometer (IM-qTOF-MS). A database search including exact mass (±5 ppm) and CCS (±1 %) delivered 22 different compounds. Furthermore, the same sample was analyzed with a two-dimensional LC method, called LC+LC, developed in our group for the coupling to IM-qTOF-MS. This four dimensional separation platform revealed 53 different compounds, identified over exact mass and CCS, in the examined wastewater sample. It is demonstrated that the CCS database can also help to distinguish between isobaric structures exemplified for cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide. Graphical Abstract Scheme of sample analysis and database screening.

Resonance Damping and Parameter Design Method for LCL-LC Filter Interfaced Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Zipeng; Jiang, Aiting; Shen, Pan

2016-01-01

, this paper presents a systematic design method for the LCL-LC filtered grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system. With this method, controller parameters and the active damping feedback coefficient are easily obtained by specifying the system stability and dynamic performance indices, and it is more convenient......-frequency harmonics attenuation ability, but the resonant problem affects the system stability remarkably. In this paper, active damping based on the capacitor voltage feedback is proposed using the concept of the equivalent virtual impedance in parallel with the capacitor. With the consideration of system delay...... to optimize the system performance according to the predefined satisfactory region. Finally, the simulation results are presented to validate the proposed design method and control scheme....

Does visual short-term memory have a high-capacity stage?

Science.gov (United States)

Matsukura, Michi; Hollingworth, Andrew

2011-12-01

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) has long been considered a durable, limited-capacity system for the brief retention of visual information. However, a recent work by Sligte et al. (Plos One 3:e1699, 2008) reported that, relatively early after the removal of a memory array, a cue allowed participants to access a fragile, high-capacity stage of VSTM that is distinct from iconic memory. In the present study, we examined whether this stage division is warranted by attempting to corroborate the existence of an early, high-capacity form of VSTM. The results of four experiments did not support Sligte et al.'s claim, since we did not obtain evidence for VSTM retention that exceeded traditional estimates of capacity. However, performance approaching that observed in Sligte et al. can be achieved through extensive practice, providing a clear explanation for their findings. Our evidence favors the standard view of VSTM as a limited-capacity system that maintains a few object representations in a relatively durable form.

The language capacity: architecture and evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Chomsky, Noam

2017-02-01

There is substantial evidence that the human language capacity (LC) is a species-specific biological property, essentially unique to humans, invariant among human groups, and dissociated from other cognitive systems. Each language, an instantiation of LC, consists of a generative procedure that yields a discrete infinity of hierarchically structured expressions with semantic interpretations, hence a kind of "language of thought" (LOT), along with an operation of externalization (EXT) to some sensory-motor system, typically sound. There is mounting evidence that generation of LOT observes language-independent principles of computational efficiency and is based on the simplest computational operations, and that EXT is an ancillary process not entering into the core semantic properties of LOT and is the primary locus of the apparent complexity, diversity, and mutability of language. These conclusions are not surprising, since the internal system is acquired virtually without evidence in fundamental respects, and EXT relates it to sensory-motor systems that are unrelated to it. Even such properties as the linear order of words appear to be reflexes of the sensory motor system, not available to generation of LOT. The limited evidence from the evolutionary record lends support to these conclusions, suggesting that LC emerged with Homo sapiens or not long after, and has not evolved since human groups dispersed.

Developing Leadership Capacity in Others: An Examination of High School Principals' Personal Capacities for Fostering Leadership

Science.gov (United States)

Huggins, Kristin Shawn; Klar, Hans W.; Hammonds, Hattie L.; Buskey, Frederick C.

2017-01-01

In this multisite case study, we examine the personal capacities of six high school principals who have developed the leadership capacities of other leaders in their respective schools. Participants were purposefully selected by two teams of researchers in two states of the United States, one on the east coast and one on the west coast, who…

Crystal interface and high-resolution electron microscopy—the best partner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Ichinose

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Several contributions of HRTEM on the interface science are reviewed in chronological order. The first contribution of HRTEM is the observation of gold (113Σ°11 boundary, giving experimental proof of the CSL model. An observation of the asymmetric (112Σ°3 boundary follows. A SiC grain boundary is effectively assessed not by the density of CSL point but the number of dangling bonds in the boundary. A ZnO/Pd interface provides an example that a misfit dislocation does not necessarily accommodate the lattice mismatch. Segregated interface shows characteristic HRTEM image contrast, suggesting change in atomic bonding. An atomic height step in the semiconductor hetero interface is observed by the Chemical Lattice Image technique. In the diamond grain boundary a dangling bond may not elevate the boundary energy, being contradictory of the least dangling bond rule. Super-high resolution of the HVHRTEM enable us to determine atomic species in the grain boundary. Combined use of HRTEM and EELSE allows us to discuss the correlation between atomic structure and nature of the corresponding interface. It is not exaggeration to say that modern interface science does not exist witout HRTEM. On the other hand, many complicated interfaces found by HRTEM remained as unaswered questions. An innovative structural model is requested to appear on the scene.

OTDM Networking for Short Range High-Capacity Highly Dynamic Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Medhin, Ashenafi Kiros

This PhD thesis aims at investigating the possibility of designing energy-efficient high-capacity (up to Tbit/s) optical network scenarios, leveraging on the effect of collective switching of many bits simultaneously, as is inherent in high bit rate serial optical data signals. The focus...... is on short range highly dynamic networks, catering to data center needs. The investigation concerns optical network scenarios, and experimental implementations of high bit rate serial data packet generation and reception, scalable optical packet labeling, simple optical label extraction and stable ultra...

MetMatch: A Semi-Automated Software Tool for the Comparison and Alignment of LC-HRMS Data from Different Metabolomics Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Koch

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Due to its unsurpassed sensitivity and selectivity, LC-HRMS is one of the major analytical techniques in metabolomics research. However, limited stability of experimental and instrument parameters may cause shifts and drifts of retention time and mass accuracy or the formation of different ion species, thus complicating conclusive interpretation of the raw data, especially when generated in different analytical batches. Here, a novel software tool for the semi-automated alignment of different measurement sequences is presented. The tool is implemented in the Java programming language, it features an intuitive user interface and its main goal is to facilitate the comparison of data obtained from different metabolomics experiments. Based on a feature list (i.e., processed LC-HRMS chromatograms with mass-to-charge ratio (m/z values and retention times that serves as a reference, the tool recognizes both m/z and retention time shifts of single or multiple analytical datafiles/batches of interest. MetMatch is also designed to account for differently formed ion species of detected metabolites. Corresponding ions and metabolites are matched and chromatographic peak areas, m/z values and retention times are combined into a single data matrix. The convenient user interface allows for easy manipulation of processing results and graphical illustration of the raw data as well as the automatically matched ions and metabolites. The software tool is exemplified with LC-HRMS data from untargeted metabolomics experiments investigating phenylalanine-derived metabolites in wheat and T-2 toxin/HT-2 toxin detoxification products in barley.

Analysis of achievable capacity in irregularly-placed high performance mesh nodes

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Olwal, TO

2012-09-01

Full Text Available -directional antenna for backhaul mesh connectivity and access. The third radio interface card is attached to a 2.4 GHz omni-directional antenna for mesh client access network. As shown in Figure 2, the HPN block diagram has a weather proof Unshielded Twisted Pair... by an embedded microcontroller technology [11]. To ensure high speed performance, the innovation has the first radio interface card attached to a 5 GHz directional antenna for backhaul mesh routing; the second interface card is connected to a 5 GHz omni...

Supercritical fluid chromatography-A Hybrid of GC and LC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neha Sethi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available High performance specifications and unique functionality of chromatographic techniques is a demand of pharmaceutical industry and research. This leads to the origin of Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC. It is a rapidly expanding analytical technique. The main feature that differentiates SFC from other chromatographic techniques is the replacement of either the liquid or gas mobile phase with a supercritical fluid mobile phase. It is considered a hybrid of GC and LC technique. High diffusion coefficient and low viscosity of supercritical fluids is responsible for high speed analysis, high efficiency and high sensitivity. Low mobile-phase flow rate, density programming and compatability with GC and LC detectors make SFC a versatile chromatographic technique in analytical re-search and development. It has a unique characteristic of analyzing thermo labile or non-volatile substances. This review highlights the role of supercritical fluid chromatography in the separation of polymers, thermally labile pesticides, fatty acids, metal chelates and organometallic compounds, chiral and achiral molecules, identification and analysis of polar samples, explosives, drugs of abuse and application of SFC in forensic science (fingerprint-ing.

Characterization of starter kimchi fermented with Leuconostoc kimchii GJ2 and its cholesterol-lowering effects in rats fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet.

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Se Yeon; Choi, Eun A; Lee, Jae Joon; Chang, Hae Choon

2015-10-01

The hypocholesterolemic effects of lactic acid bacteria and kimchi have been demonstrated previously. However, the kimchi fermentation process still relies on naturally present microorganisms. To obtain functional kimchi with consistent quality, we validated the capacity of Leuconostoc kimchii GJ2 as a starter culture to control kimchi fermentation. Moreover, cholesterol-lowering effects of starter kimchi as a health-promoting product were explored. Bacteriocin production by Lc. kimchii GJ2 was highly enhanced in the presence of 5% Lactobacillus sakei NJ1 cell fractions. When kimchi was fermented with bacteriocin-enhanced Lc. kimchii GJ2, Lc. kimchii GJ2 became overwhelmingly predominant (98.3%) at the end of fermentation and maintained its dominance (up to 82%) for 84 days. Growing as well as dead cells of Lc. kimchii GJ2 showed high cholesterol assimilation (in vitro). Rats were fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet supplemented with starter kimchi. The results showed that feeding of starter kimchi significantly reduced serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Additionally, atherogenic index, cardiac risk factor and triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in liver and epididymal adipose tissue decreased significantly in rats fed starter kimchi. Kimchi fermented with Lc. kimchii GJ2 as a starter culture has efficient cholesterol-lowering effects. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Metabolic engineering of the phenylpropanoid pathway enhances the antioxidant capacity of Saussurea involucrata.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Qiu

Full Text Available The rare wild species of snow lotus Saussurea involucrata is a commonly used medicinal herb with great pharmacological value for human health, resulting from its uniquely high level of phenylpropanoid compound production. To gain information on the phenylpropanid biosynthetic pathway genes in this critically important medicinal plant, global transcriptome sequencing was performed. It revealed that the phenylpropanoid pathway genes were well represented in S. involucrata. In addition, we introduced two key phenylpropanoid pathway inducing transcription factors (PAP1 and Lc into this medicinal plant. Transgenic S. involucrata co-expressing PAP1 and Lc exhibited purple pigments due to a massive accumulation of anthocyanins. The over-expression of PAP1 and Lc largely activated most of the phenylpropanoid pathway genes, and increased accumulation of several phenylpropanoid compounds significantly, including chlorogenic acid, syringin, cyanrine and rutin. Both ABTS (2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzotiazo-line-6-sulfonic acid and FRAP (ferric reducing anti-oxidant power assays revealed that the antioxidant capacity of transgenic S. involucrata lines was greatly enhanced over controls. In addition to providing a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of phenylpropanoid metabolism, our results potentially enable an alternation of bioactive compound production in S. involucrata through metabolic engineering.

Co-firing behavior of ZnTiO3-TiO2 dielectrics/hexagonal ferrite composites for multi-layer LC filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Mao; Zhou Ji; Yue Zhenxing; Li Longtu; Gui Zhilun

2003-01-01

The low-temperature co-firing compatibility between ferrite and dielectric materials is the key issue in the production process of multi-layer chip LC filters. This paper presents the co-firing behavior and interfacial diffusion of ZnTiO 3 -TiO 2 dielectric/Co 2 Z hexagonal ferrite multi-layer composites. It has been testified that proper constitutional modification is feasible to diminish co-firing mismatch and enhance co-firing compatibility. Interfacial reactions occur at the interface, which can strengthen combinations between ferrite layers and dielectric layers. Titanium and barium tend to concentrate at the interface; iron and zinc have a wide diffusion range

Reversible anionic redox chemistry in high-capacity layered-oxide electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Sathiya, M.; Rousse, G.; Ramesha, K.; Laisa, C. P.; Vezin, H.; Sougrati, M. T.; Doublet, M.-L.; Foix, D.; Gonbeau, D.; Walker, W.; Prakash, A. S.; Ben Hassine, M.; Dupont, L.; Tarascon, J.-M.

2013-09-01

Li-ion batteries have contributed to the commercial success of portable electronics and may soon dominate the electric transportation market provided that major scientific advances including new materials and concepts are developed. Classical positive electrodes for Li-ion technology operate mainly through an insertion-deinsertion redox process involving cationic species. However, this mechanism is insufficient to account for the high capacities exhibited by the new generation of Li-rich (Li1+xNiyCozMn(1-x-y-z)O2) layered oxides that present unusual Li reactivity. In an attempt to overcome both the inherent composition and the structural complexity of this class of oxides, we have designed structurally related Li2Ru1-ySnyO3 materials that have a single redox cation and exhibit sustainable reversible capacities as high as 230 mA h g-1. Moreover, they present good cycling behaviour with no signs of voltage decay and a small irreversible capacity. We also unambiguously show, on the basis of an arsenal of characterization techniques, that the reactivity of these high-capacity materials towards Li entails cumulative cationic (Mn+→M(n+1)+) and anionic (O2-→O22-) reversible redox processes, owing to the d-sp hybridization associated with a reductive coupling mechanism. Because Li2MO3 is a large family of compounds, this study opens the door to the exploration of a vast number of high-capacity materials.

Antiferromagnetism at the YBa2Cu3O7/La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haberkorn, N.; Guimpel, J.; Sirena, M.; Steren, L.B.; Saldarriaga, W.; Baca, E.; Gomez, M.E.

2004-01-01

The magnetic properties of a series of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x /La 2/3 Ca 1/3 MnO 3 (YBCO/LC 1/3 MO) superlattices grown by dc sputtering at high oxygen pressures (3.5 mbar) show the expected ferromagnetic behavior. However, field-cooled hysteresis loops at a low temperatures show the unexpected existence of exchange bias effect associated with the existence of ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic (AF) interfaces. The blocking temperature (T B ) is found to be thickness dependent and the exchange bias field (H EB ) is found to be inversely proportional to the ferromagnetic layer thickness, as expected. The presence of an AF material is probably associated with interface disorder and Mn valence shift toward Mn 4+

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling by the intermediary of a liquid micro chromatography-electro spray interface; Couplage chromatographie liquide-spectrometrie de masse par l`intermediaire d`une interface electrospray-microchromatographie liquide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gillard Factor, C

1996-12-06

The objective of this work is to realize a liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry coupling by the intermediary of an electro spray interface and the evaluation of performances of tis analytical tool to study pollutants in water, and more particularly pesticides whom maximum admissible concentration in a table water is 0.1{mu}g/l. This study has allowed to bring to the fore the interest of the ionization mode by electro spray in a LC/MS coupling to identify and quantify pesticides in the state of traces without treating the sample. Then, it was demonstrated the usefulness of this analytical tool to detect high molecular masses molecules. (N.C.)

Binders and Hosts for High-Capacity Lithium-ion Battery Anodes

Science.gov (United States)

Dufficy, Martin Kyle

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are universal electrochemical energy storage devices that have revolutionized our mobile society. Nonetheless, societal and technological advances drive consumer demand for LIBs with enhanced electrochemical performance, such as higher charge capacity and longer life, compared to conventional LIBs. One method to enhance LIB performance is to replace graphite, the industry standard anode since commercialization of LIBs in 1991, with high-charge capacity materials. Implementing high-capacity anode materials such as tin, silicon, and manganese vanadates, to LIBs presents challenges; Li-insertion is destructive to anode framework, and increasing capacity increases structural strains that pulverize anode materials and results in a short-cycle life. This thesis reports on various methods to extended the cycle life of high-capacity materials. Most of the work is conducted on nano-sized anode materials to reduce Li and electron transport pathway length (facilitating charge-transfer) and reduce strains from volume expansions (preserving anode structure). The first method involves encapsulating tin particles into a graphene-containing carbon nanofiber (CNF) matrix. The composite-CNF matrix houses tin particles to assume strains from tin-volume expansions and produces favorable surface-electrolyte chemistries for stable charge-discharge cycling. Before tin addition, graphene-containing CNFs are produced and assessed as anode materials for LIBs. Graphene addition to CNFs improves electronic and mechanical properties of CNFs. Furthermore, the 2-D nature of graphene provides Li-binding sites to enhance composite-CNF both first-cycle and high-rate capacities > 150% when compared to CNFs in the absence of graphene. With addition of Sn, we vary loadings and thermal production temperature to elucidate structure-composition relationships of tin and graphene-containing CNF electrodes that lead to increased capacity retention. Of note, electrodes containing

High performance as-grown and annealed high band gap tunnel junctions: Te behavior at the interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedair, S. M., E-mail: bedair@ncsu.edu; Harmon, Jeffrey L.; Carlin, C. Zachary; Hashem Sayed, Islam E.; Colter, P. C. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

2016-05-16

The performance of n{sup +}-InGaP(Te)/p{sup +}-AlGaAs(C) high band gap tunnel junctions (TJ) is critical for achieving high efficiency in multijunction photovoltaics. Several limitations for as grown and annealed TJ can be attributed to the Te doping of InGaP and its behavior at the junction interface. Te atoms in InGaP tend to get attached at step edges, resulting in a Te memory effect. In this work, we use the peak tunneling current (J{sub pk}) in this TJ as a diagnostic tool to study the behavior of the Te dopant at the TJ interface. Additionally, we used our understanding of Te behavior at the interface, guided by device modeling, to modify the Te source shut-off procedure and the growth rate. These modifications lead to a record performance for both the as-grown (2000 A/cm{sup 2}) and annealed (1000 A/cm{sup 2}) high band gap tunnel junction.

Characterization of foot-and-mouth disease virus's viral peptides with LC-ESI-MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pzdemir, Z.O.; Bulut, E.K.; Mustafeva, Z.; Karahan, M.

2010-01-01

Peptides and proteins play a central role in numerous biological and physiological processes in living organisms. Viral capsid peptides are part of the viruses' outer shell of genetic materials. Viruses are recognized by immune system via capsid peptides. Depending on this property of capsid peptides, prototypes synthetic peptide-based vaccine can be developed. In this work, we synthesized three different viral peptide sequences of foot-and-mouth disease virus with microwave enhanced solid phase synthesis method. These peptides were characterized by using liquid chromatography electro spray interface mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) with electro spray ionization. We briefly describe the essential facts for peptide characterization. (author)

Capacity Decline and Characteristics Changes of Lithium-ion Cells with Large Capacity during Trickle Charge at High Temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Matsushima, Toshio

Large-scale 40-Ah Li-ion cells have been developed for use in industrial applications. To contribute to techniques for ascertaining the state of these cells and detecting deterioration during actual use, we produce a cell whose capacity is reduced by trickle charging at high temperature, and we determine the relationship between the cell's properties such as its capacity and charging/discharging characteristics when the capacity is reduced. When the capacity of a Li-ion cell is reduced, the discharge voltage also decreases. We show that the residual capacity is well correlated to the discharge voltage and to the duration of continuous discharge before reaching a fixed end-voltage. We also show that the constant-current constant-voltage charging characteristics are maintained even when the capacity is degraded, and that the constant-current charging time and discharge voltage are closely related to the residual capacity. We confirm that the reaction coefficient of the capacity degradation formula can be calculated from the capacity change characteristics at multiple temperatures, and that an 8°C change in temperature causes the lifetime to decrease by half.

Development of Immunocapture-LC/MS Assay for Simultaneous ADA Isotyping and Semiquantitation

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Therapeutic proteins and peptides have potential to elicit immune responses resulting in anti-drug antibodies that can pose problems for both patient safety and product efficacy. During drug development immunogenicity is usually examined by risk-based approach along with specific strategies for developing “fit-for-purpose” bioanalytical approaches. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and electrochemiluminescence immunoassays are the most widely used platform for ADA detection due to their high sensitivity and throughput. During the past decade, LC/MS has emerged as a promising technology for quantitation of biotherapeutics and protein biomarkers in biological matrices, mainly owing to its high specificity, selectivity, multiplexing, and wide dynamic range. In fully taking these advantages, we describe here an immunocapture-LC/MS methodology for simultaneous isotyping and semiquantitation of ADA in human plasma. Briefly, ADA and/or drug-ADA complex is captured by biotinylated drug or anti-drug Ab, immobilized on streptavidin magnetic beads, and separated from human plasma by a magnet. ADA is then released from the beads and subjected to trypsin digestion followed by LC/MS detection of specific universal peptides for each ADA isotype. The LC/MS data are analyzed using cut-point and calibration curve. The proof-of-concept of this methodology is demonstrated by detecting preexisting ADA in human plasma. PMID:27034966

Development of Immunocapture-LC/MS Assay for Simultaneous ADA Isotyping and Semiquantitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lin-Zhi; Roos, David; Philip, Elsy

2016-01-01

Therapeutic proteins and peptides have potential to elicit immune responses resulting in anti-drug antibodies that can pose problems for both patient safety and product efficacy. During drug development immunogenicity is usually examined by risk-based approach along with specific strategies for developing "fit-for-purpose" bioanalytical approaches. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and electrochemiluminescence immunoassays are the most widely used platform for ADA detection due to their high sensitivity and throughput. During the past decade, LC/MS has emerged as a promising technology for quantitation of biotherapeutics and protein biomarkers in biological matrices, mainly owing to its high specificity, selectivity, multiplexing, and wide dynamic range. In fully taking these advantages, we describe here an immunocapture-LC/MS methodology for simultaneous isotyping and semiquantitation of ADA in human plasma. Briefly, ADA and/or drug-ADA complex is captured by biotinylated drug or anti-drug Ab, immobilized on streptavidin magnetic beads, and separated from human plasma by a magnet. ADA is then released from the beads and subjected to trypsin digestion followed by LC/MS detection of specific universal peptides for each ADA isotype. The LC/MS data are analyzed using cut-point and calibration curve. The proof-of-concept of this methodology is demonstrated by detecting preexisting ADA in human plasma.

Completion of a high efficiency ultralarge capacity three-phase transformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maejima, Masaaki; Maruyama, Katsuya; Fukuda, Teruo.

1986-01-01

As for the boosting transformers for thermal and nuclear power stations, at present the ultralarge capacity transformers of 1000 - 1200 MVA class are the main, and particularly in nuclear power, accompanying the development of improved type BWRs and the rise of system stability, there is the tendency toward further large capacity and large size. Consequently, reflecting the recent rise of energy cost, the demand of energy conservation and the reduction of required sites heightened largely as well as the high reliability. In order to meet these demands, Hitachi Ltd. has established the technology of changing to iron machines such as ultralarge iron cores and ultralarge capacity undivided disk windings using the latest design and manufacture techniques were applied to the 525 kV, 1200 MVA transformer for No.4 plant in Fukushima No.2 Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc., thus a three-phase transformer of the highest level, high efficiency and ultralarge capacity was completed. In this paper, the outline of this transformer and the test for verifying its reliability are described. The technical change of large capacity three-phase transformers, the specifications, construction, manufacture, reliability test and the effect of modification of this transformer, and the expansion of application to the next generation ultralarge capacity transformers are reported. (Kako, I.)

Comparative LC-MS: A landscape of Peaks and Valleys

NARCIS (Netherlands)

America, A.H.P.; Cordewener, J.H.G.

2008-01-01

Quantitative proteomics approaches using stable isotopes are well-known and used in many labs nowadays. More recently, high resolution quantitative approaches are reported that rely on LC-MS quantitation of peptide concentrations by comparing peak intensities between multiple runs obtained by

200 Area TEDF interface control document

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, M.J.; Hildebrand, R.A.

1994-11-15

Because the TEDF does not have any treatment or retention capacity, strict control at the generator interface is essential to operate the TEDF in compliance with good engineering practices, Hanford site requirements, and the 216 Discharge Permit. The information in the Interface Control Document (ICD) forms the basis of understanding between all parties involved in the TEDF; DOE, WHC, and the generating facilities. The ICD defines the controlling document hierarchy; LEF, and generator responsibilities; monitoring and sampling requirements; and specifies the TEDF/Generator Interface points.

200 Area TEDF interface control document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.J.; Hildebrand, R.A.

1994-01-01

Because the TEDF does not have any treatment or retention capacity, strict control at the generator interface is essential to operate the TEDF in compliance with good engineering practices, Hanford site requirements, and the 216 Discharge Permit. The information in the Interface Control Document (ICD) forms the basis of understanding between all parties involved in the TEDF; DOE, WHC, and the generating facilities. The ICD defines the controlling document hierarchy; LEF, and generator responsibilities; monitoring and sampling requirements; and specifies the TEDF/Generator Interface points

Colloidal silica films for high-capacity DNA arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Glazer, Marc Irving

The human genome project has greatly expanded the amount of genetic information available to researchers, but before this vast new source of data can be fully utilized, techniques for rapid, large-scale analysis of DNA and RNA must continue to develop. DNA arrays have emerged as a powerful new technology for analyzing genomic samples in a highly parallel format. The detection sensitivity of these arrays is dependent on the quantity and density of immobilized probe molecules. We have investigated substrates with a porous, "three-dimensional" surface layer as a means of increasing the surface area available for the synthesis of oligonucleotide probes, thereby increasing the number of available probes and the amount of detectable bound target. Porous colloidal silica films were created by two techniques. In the first approach, films were deposited by spin-coating silica colloid suspensions onto flat glass substrates, with the pores being formed by the natural voids between the solid particles (typically 23nm pores, 35% porosity). In the second approach, latex particles were co-deposited with the silica and then pyrolyzed, creating films with larger pores (36 nm), higher porosity (65%), and higher surface area. For 0.3 mum films, enhancements of eight to ten-fold and 12- to 14-fold were achieved with the pure silica films and the films "templated" with polymer latex, respectively. In gene expression assays for up to 7,000 genes using complex biological samples, the high-capacity films provided enhanced signals and performed equivalently or better than planar glass on all other functional measures, confirming that colloidal silica films are a promising platform for high-capacity DNA arrays. We have also investigated the kinetics of hybridization on planar glass and high-capacity substrates. Adsorption on planar arrays is similar to ideal Langmuir-type adsorption, although with an "overshoot" at high solution concentration. Hybridization on high-capacity films is

Biomarker Discovery Using New Metabolomics Software for Automated Processing of High Resolution LC-MS Data

Science.gov (United States)

Hnatyshyn, S.; Reily, M.; Shipkova, P.; McClure, T.; Sanders, M.; Peake, D.

2011-01-01

Robust biomarkers of target engagement and efficacy are required in different stages of drug discovery. Liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry provides sensitivity, accuracy and wide dynamic range required for identification of endogenous metabolites in biological matrices. LCMS is widely-used tool for biomarker identification and validation. Typical high resolution LCMS profiles from biological samples may contain greater than a million mass spectral peaks corresponding to several thousand endogenous metabolites. Reduction of the total number of peaks, component identification and statistical comparison across sample groups remains to be a difficult and time consuming challenge. Blood samples from four groups of rats (male vs. female, fully satiated and food deprived) were analyzed using high resolution accurate mass (HRAM) LCMS. All samples were separated using a 15 minute reversed-phase C18 LC gradient and analyzed in both positive and negative ion modes. Data was acquired using 15K resolution and 5ppm mass measurement accuracy. The entire data set was analyzed using software developed in collaboration between Bristol Meyers Squibb and Thermo Fisher Scientific to determine the metabolic effects of food deprivation on rats. Metabolomic LC-MS data files are extraordinarily complex and appropriate reduction of the number of spectral peaks via identification of related peaks and background removal is essential. A single component such as hippuric acid generates more than 20 related peaks including isotopic clusters, adducts and dimers. Plasma and urine may contain 500-1500 unique quantifiable metabolites. Noise filtering approaches including blank subtraction were used to reduce the number of irrelevant peaks. By grouping related signals such as isotopic peaks and alkali adducts, data processing was greatly simplified by reducing the total number of components by 10-fold. The software processes 48 samples in under 60minutes. Principle

What are the current solutions for interfacing supercritical fluid chromatography and mass spectrometry?

Science.gov (United States)

Guillarme, Davy; Desfontaine, Vincent; Heinisch, Sabine; Veuthey, Jean-Luc

2018-04-15

Mass spectrometry (MS) is considered today as one of the most popular detection methods, due to its high selectivity and sensitivity. In particular, this detector has become the gold standard for the analysis of complex mixtures such as biological samples. The first successful SFC-MS hyphenation was reported in the 80's, and since then, several ionization sources, mass analyzers and interfacing technologies have been combined. Due to the specific physicochemical properties and compressibility of the SFC mobile phase, directing the column effluent into the ionization source is more challenging than in LC. Therefore, some specific interfaces have to be employed in SFC-MS, to i) avoid (or at least limit) analytes precipitation due to CO 2 decompression, when the SFC mobile phase is not anymore under backpressure control, ii) achieve adequate ionization yield, even with a low proportion of MeOH in the mobile phase and iii) preserve the chromatographic integrity (i.e. maintaining retention, selectivity, and efficiency). The goal of this review is to describe the various SFC-MS interfaces and highlight the most favorable ones in terms of reliability, flexibility, sensitivity and user-friendliness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High Performance Computing - Power Application Programming Interface Specification Version 2.0.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laros, James H. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Grant, Ryan [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Levenhagen, Michael J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Olivier, Stephen Lecler [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Pedretti, Kevin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Ward, H. Lee [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Younge, Andrew J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-03-01

Measuring and controlling the power and energy consumption of high performance computing systems by various components in the software stack is an active research area. Implementations in lower level software layers are beginning to emerge in some production systems, which is very welcome. To be most effective, a portable interface to measurement and control features would significantly facilitate participation by all levels of the software stack. We present a proposal for a standard power Application Programming Interface (API) that endeavors to cover the entire software space, from generic hardware interfaces to the input from the computer facility manager.

Highly efficient pulsed power supply system with a two-stage LC generator and a step-up transformer for fast capillary discharge soft x-ray laser at shorter wavelength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Yusuke; Takahashi, Shnsuke; Komatsu, Takanori; Song, Inho; Watanabe, Masato; Hotta, Eiki

2010-01-01

Highly efficient and compact pulsed power supply system for a capillary discharge soft x-ray laser (SXRL) has been developed. The system consists of a 2.2 μF two-stage LC inversion generator, a 2:54 step-up transformer, a 3 nF water capacitor, and a discharge section with a few tens of centimeter length capillary. Adoption of the pulsed transformer in combination with the LC inversion generator enables us to use only one gap switch in the circuit for charging the water capacitor up to about 0.5 MV. Furthermore, step-up ratio of a water capacitor voltage to a LC inversion generator initial charging voltage is about 40 with energy transfer efficiency of about 50%. It also leads to good reproducibility of a capillary discharge which is necessary for lasing a SXRL stably. For the study of the possibility of lasing a SXRL at shorter wavelength in a small laboratory scale, high-density and high-temperature plasma column suitable for the laser can be generated relatively easily with this system.

An upstream open reading frame represses expression of Lc, a member of the R/B family of maize transcriptional activators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Damiani, R.D. Jr.; Wessler, S.R. (Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States))

1993-09-01

The R/B genes of maize encode a family of basic helix-loop-helix proteins that determine where and when the anthocyanin-pigment pathway will be expressed in the plant. Previous studies showed that allelic diversity among family members reflects differences in gene expression, specifically in transcription initiation. The authors present evidence that the R gene Lc is under translational control. They demonstrate that the 235-nt transcript leader of Lc represses expression 25- to 30-fold in an in vivo assay. Repression is mediated by the presence in cis of a 38-codon upstream open reading frame. Furthermore, the coding capacity of the upstream open reading frame influences the magnitude of repression. It is proposed that translational control does not contribute to tissue specificity but prevents overexpression of the Lc protein. The diversity of promoter and 5' untranslated leader sequences among the R/B genes provides an opportunity to study the coevolution of transcriptional and translational mechanisms of gene regulation. 36 refs., 5 figs.

Bubble-Sheet-Like Interface Design with an Ultrastable Solid Electrolyte Layer for High-Performance Dual-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Panpan; Wang, Meng; Li, Na; Zhu, Haili; Ding, Xuan; Tang, Yongbing

2017-05-01

In this work, a bubble-sheet-like hollow interface design on Al foil anode to improve the cycling stability and rate performance of aluminum anode based dual-ion battery is reported, in which, a carbon-coated hollow aluminum anode is used as both anode materials and current collector. This anode structure can guide the alloying position inside the hollow nanospheres, and also confine the alloy sizes within the hollow nanospheres, resulting in significantly restricted volumetric expansion and ultrastable solid electrolyte interface (SEI). As a result, the battery demonstrates an excellent long-term cycling stability within 1500 cycles with ≈99% capacity retention at 2 C. Moreover, this cell displays an energy density of 169 Wh kg -1 even at high power density of 2113 W kg -1 (10 C, charge and discharge within 6 min), which is much higher than most of conventional lithium ion batteries. The interfacial engineering strategy shown in this work to stabilize SEI layer and control the alloy forming position could be generalized to promote the research development of metal anodes based battery systems. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Experimental Study on Bond Behavior of FRP-Concrete Interface in Hygrothermal Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. H. Zheng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available As the technique of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP composite material strengthened reinforced concrete structures is widely used in the field of civil engineering, durability of the strengthened structures has attracted more attention in recent years. Hygrothermal environment has an adverse effect on the bond behavior of the interface between FRP and concrete. This paper focuses on the bond durability of carbon fiber laminate- (CFL- concrete interface in hygrothermal condition which simulates the climate characteristic in South China. Twenty 100 mm × 100 mm × 720 mm specimens were divided into 6 groups based on different temperature and humidity. After pretreatment in hygrothermal environment, the specimens were tested using double shear method. Strain gauges bonded along the CFL surface and linear variation displacement transducers (LVDTs were used to measure longitudinal strains and slip of the interface. Failure mode, ultimate capacity, load-deflection relationship, and relative slip were analyzed. The bond behavior of FRP-concrete interface under hygrothermal environment was studied. Results show that the ultimate bearing capacity of the interface reduced after exposure to hygrothermal environments. The decreasing ranges were up to 27.9% after exposure at high temperature and humidity (60°C, 95% RH. The maximum strains (εmax of the specimens pretreated decreased obviously which indicated decay of the bond behavior after exposure to the hygrothermal environment.

Multi-mycotoxin analysis of animal feed and animal-derived food using LC-MS/MS system with timed and highly selective reaction monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhiyong; Liu, Na; Yang, Lingchen; Deng, Yifeng; Wang, Jianhua; Song, Suquan; Lin, Shanhai; Wu, Aibo; Zhou, Zhenlei; Hou, Jiafa

2015-09-01

Mycotoxins have the potential to enter the human food chain through carry-over of contaminants from feed into animal-derived products. The objective of the study was to develop a reliable and sensitive method for the analysis of 30 mycotoxins in animal feed and animal-derived food (meat, edible animal tissues, and milk) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In the study, three extraction procedures, as well as various cleanup procedures, were evaluated to select the most suitable sample preparation procedure for different sample matrices. In addition, timed and highly selective reaction monitoring on LC-MS/MS was used to filter out isobaric matrix interferences. The performance characteristics (linearity, sensitivity, recovery, precision, and specificity) of the method were determined according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and 401/2006/EC. The established method was successfully applied to screening of mycotoxins in animal feed and animal-derived food. The results indicated that mycotoxin contamination in feed directly influenced the presence of mycotoxin in animal-derived food. Graphical abstract Multi-mycotoxin analysis of animal feed and animal-derived food using LC-MS/MS.

Nitride passivation of the interface between high-k dielectrics and SiGe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sardashti, Kasra [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0358 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0411 (United States); Hu, Kai-Ting [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0358 (United States); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0411 (United States); Tang, Kechao; McIntyre, Paul [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Madisetti, Shailesh; Oktyabrsky, Serge [Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, New York 12222 (United States); Siddiqui, Shariq; Sahu, Bhagawan [TD Research, GLOBALFOUNDRIES US, Inc., Albany, New York 12203 (United States); Yoshida, Naomi; Kachian, Jessica; Dong, Lin [Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, California 95054 (United States); Fruhberger, Bernd [California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0436 (United States); Kummel, Andrew C., E-mail: akummel@ucsd.edu [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0358 (United States)

2016-01-04

In-situ direct ammonia (NH{sub 3}) plasma nitridation has been used to passivate the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiGe interfaces with Si nitride and oxynitride. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the buried Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiGe interface shows that NH{sub 3} plasma pre-treatment should be performed at high temperatures (300 °C) to fully prevent Ge nitride and oxynitride formation at the interface and Ge out-diffusion into the oxide. C-V and I-V spectroscopy results show a lower density of interface traps and smaller gate leakage for samples with plasma nitridation at 300 °C.

Reassembling and testing of a high-precision heat capacity drop calorimeter. Heat capacity of some polyphenyls at T = 298.15 K

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, Luis M.N.B.F., E-mail: lbsantos@fc.up.pt [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica, Departamento de Quimica e Bioquimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Rocha, Marisa A.A.; Rodrigues, Ana S.M.C. [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica, Departamento de Quimica e Bioquimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Stejfa, Vojtech; Fulem, Michal [Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Technology, Technicka 5, CZ-166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Bastos, Margarida [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica, Departamento de Quimica e Bioquimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal)

2011-12-15

Graphical abstract: Highlights: > We present the reassembling, improvement and testing of a high-precision C{sub p} drop calorimeter. > The apparatus was tested, using benzoic acid and hexafluorobenzene. > The high sensitivity of the apparatus is comparable to the one obtained in adiabatic calorimetry. > Heat capacities at T = 298.15 K of some polyphenyls were measured. > Subtle heat capacity differences among position isomers (ortho, meta, para) were detected. - Abstract: The description of the reassembling and testing of a twin heat conduction, high-precision, drop microcalorimeter for the measurement of heat capacities of small samples are presented. The apparatus, originally developed and used at the Thermochemistry Laboratory, Lund, Sweden, has now been reassembled and modernized, with changes being made as regarding temperature sensors, electronics and data acquisition system. The apparatus was thereafter thoroughly tested, using benzoic acid and hexafluorobenzene as test substances. The accuracy of the C{sub p,m}{sup 0} (298.15 K) data obtained with this apparatus is comparable to that achieved by high-precision adiabatic calorimetry. Here we also present the results of heat capacity measurements on of some polyphenyls (1,2,3-triphenylbenzene, 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene, p-terphenyl, m-terphenyl, o-terphenyl, p-quaterphenyl) at T = 298.15 K, measured with the renewed high precision heat capacity drop calorimeter system. The high resolution and accuracy of the obtained heat capacity data enabled differentiation among the ortho-, meta-, and para-phenyl isomers.

Identification of Forced Degradation Products of Itopride by LC-PDA and LC-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Payal; Bhoir, Suvarna; Bhagwat, A M; Vishwanath, K; Jadhav, R K

2011-05-01

Degradation products of itopride formed under different forced conditions have been identified using LC-PDA and LC-MS techniques. Itopride was subjected to forced degradation under the conditions of hydrolysis, photolysis, oxidation, dry and wet heat, in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization. The stress solutions were chromatographed on reversed phase C18 (250×4.6 mm, 5 μm) column with a mobile phase methanol:water (55:45, v/v) at a detection wavelength of 215 nm. Itopride degraded in acid, alkali and oxidative stress conditions. The stability indicating method was developed and validated. The degradation pathway of the drug to products II-VIII is proposed.

High-performance, polymer-based direct cellular interfaces for electrical stimulation and recording

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seong-Min; Kim, Nara; Kim, Youngseok; Baik, Min-Seo; Yoo, Minsu; Kim, Dongyoon; Lee, Won-June; Kang, Dong-Hee; Kim, Sohee; Lee, Kwanghee; Yoon, Myung-Han

2018-04-01

Due to the trade-off between their electrical/electrochemical performance and underwater stability, realizing polymer-based, high-performance direct cellular interfaces for electrical stimulation and recording has been very challenging. Herein, we developed transparent and conductive direct cellular interfaces based on a water-stable, high-performance poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) film via solvent-assisted crystallization. The crystallized PEDOT:PSS on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate exhibited excellent electrical/electrochemical/optical characteristics, long-term underwater stability without film dissolution/delamination, and good viability for primarily cultured cardiomyocytes and neurons over several weeks. Furthermore, the highly crystallized, nanofibrillar PEDOT:PSS networks enabled dramatically enlarged surface areas and electrochemical activities, which were successfully employed to modulate cardiomyocyte beating via direct electrical stimulation. Finally, the high-performance PEDOT:PSS layer was seamlessly incorporated into transparent microelectrode arrays for efficient, real-time recording of cardiomyocyte action potentials with a high signal fidelity. All these results demonstrate the strong potential of crystallized PEDOT:PSS as a crucial component for a variety of versatile bioelectronic interfaces.

Design and characteristics of L-C thin films filter at microwave frequency band

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, In-Sung; Min, Bok-Ki; Song, Jae-Sung

2005-12-01

Multifunction corresponding to multimedia age has furthermore required high integration to the devices at microwave band, so more evolution for multi-layer integration like system on chip(SoC) becomes to be necessary. In wireless mobile communication, portable mobile phones grew up to a huge market. Microwave devices have played an important role in the wireless communication systems. One challenge in the implementation of circuit integration is in the design of micro wave band pass filter with thin film MOM capacitor and spiral inductor. In this paper, Cu and TaO thin film with RF sputtering was deposited for inductor and capacitor on the SiO II/Si(100) substrate. MIM capacitor and spiral inductor was fabricated for L-C band pass filter by sputtering and lift-off. We are analyzed and designed thin films L-C passive components for band pass filter at 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz, an important devices for mobile communication. Based on the high-Q values of passive components, MIM capacitor and spiral inductors for L-C band pass filter, a low insertion loss of L-C passive components can be realized with a minimized chip area. The insertion loss was 3 dB for a 1.8 GHz filter, and was 5 dB for a 900 MHz filter. This paper also discusses a theoretical analysis and practical design to L-C band pass filter.

Effects of 16-week high-intensity interval training using upper and lower body ergometers on aerobic fitness and morphological changes in healthy men: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Osawa, Yusuke; Azuma, Koichiro; Tabata, Shogo; Katsukawa, Fuminori; Ishida, Hiroyuki; Oguma, Yuko; Kawai, Toshihide; Itoh, Hiroshi; Okuda, Shigeo; Matsumoto, Hideo

2014-01-01

It is unclear whether combined leg and arm high-intensity interval training (HIIT) improves fitness and morphological characteristics equal to those of leg-based HIIT programs. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of HIIT using leg-cycling (LC) and arm-cranking (AC) ergometers with an HIIT program using only LC. Effects on aerobic capacity and skeletal muscle were analyzed. Twelve healthy male subjects were assigned into two groups. One performed LC-HIIT (n=7) and the other LC- and AC-HIIT (n=5) twice weekly for 16 weeks. The training programs consisted of eight to 12 sets of >90% VO2 (the oxygen uptake that can be utilized in one minute) peak for 60 seconds with a 60-second active rest period. VO2 peak, watt peak, and heart rate were measured during an LC incremental exercise test. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of trunk and thigh muscles as well as bone-free lean body mass were measured using magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The watt peak increased from baseline in both the LC (23%±38%; PHIIT program improves aerobic capacity and muscle hypertrophy in both leg and trunk muscles.

Interface Engineering and Gate Dielectric Engineering for High Performance Ge MOSFETs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiabao Sun

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, germanium has attracted intensive interests for its promising applications in the microelectronics industry. However, to achieve high performance Ge channel devices, several critical issues still have to be addressed. Amongst them, a high quality gate stack, that is, a low defect interface layer and a dielectric layer, is of crucial importance. In this work, we first review the existing methods of interface engineering and gate dielectric engineering and then in more detail we discuss and compare three promising approaches (i.e., plasma postoxidation, high pressure oxidation, and ozone postoxidation. It has been confirmed that these approaches all can significantly improve the overall performance of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET device.

Silver ion chromatography for peak resolution enhancement: Application to the preparative separation of two sesquiterpenes using online heart-cutting LC-LC technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yang; Zhang, Yongmin; Wei, Chong; Li, Jing; Sun, Wenji

2018-09-01

Silver ion chromatography, utilizing columns packed with silver ions bonded to silica gel, has proved to be an invaluable technique for the analysis of some positional isomers. In this work, silver ion chromatography by combination with online heart-cutting LC-LC technique for the preparative separation of two sesquiterpenes positional isomers from a natural product was investigated. On the basis of the evaluation that silver ion content impacts on the separation, the laboratory-made silver ion columns, utilizing silica gel impregnated with 15% silver nitrate as column packing materials, were used for peak resolution improvement of these two isomers and the preparative separation of them in heart-cutting LC-LC. The relationship among the maximal sample load, flow rate and peak resolution in the silver ion column were optimized, and the performance of the silver ion column was compared with conventional C 18 column and silica gel column. Based on the developed chromatographic conditions, online heart-cutting LC-LC chromatographic separation system in combination with a silica gel column and a silver ion column that was applied to preparative separation of these two isomers from a traditional Chinese medicine, Inula racemosa Hook.f., was established. The results showed that the online heart-cutting LC-LC technique by combination of a silica gel column and a silver ion column for the preparative separation of these two positional isomers from this natural plant was superior to the preparative separation performed on a single-column system with C 18 column or silica gel column. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

pH-Driven Ordering Transitions in Liquid Crystal Induced by Conformational Changes of Cardiolipin.

Science.gov (United States)

Sidiq, Sumyra; Verma, Indu; Pal, Santanu Kumar

2015-04-28

We report an investigation of interfacial phenomena occurring at aqueous-liquid crystal (LC) interfaces that triggers an orientational ordering transition of the LC in the presence of cardiolipin (CL) by varying pH, salt concentration and valence. In particular, the effects of three different conformational isomeric forms of the CL are observed to cause the response of the LC ordering to vary significantly from one to another at those interfaces. An ordering transition of the LC was observed when the CL is mostly in undissociated (at pH 2) and/or in bicyclic (at pH 4) conformation in which LC shows changes in the optical appearance from bright to dark. By contrast, no change in the optical appearance of the LC was observed when the pH of the system increases to 8 or higher in which the CL mostly exists in the open conformation. Fluorescence microscopy measurements further suggest that pH-dependent conformational forms of the CL have different ability to self-assemble (thus different packing efficiency) at aqueous-LC interfaces leading to dissimilar orientational behavior of the LC. Specifically, we found that change in headgroup-headgroup repulsion of the central phosphatidyl groups of the CL plays a key role in tuning the lipid packing efficiency and thus responses to interfacial phenomena. Orientational ordering transition of the LC was also observed as a function of increasing the ionic strength (buffer capacity) and strongly influenced in the presence of mono and divalent cations. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) and polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) measurements provide further insight in modulation of the lipid packing efficiency and alkyl chain conformation of the CL at different pH and ionic conditions. Overall, the results presented in this paper establish that LCs offer a promising approach to differentiate different conformations (label free detection) of the CL through ordering transition of the LC at aqueous-LC

High-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry for mass spectrometry-based proteomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Swearingen, Kristian E; Moritz, Robert L

2012-10-01

High-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) is an atmospheric pressure ion mobility technique that separates gas-phase ions by their behavior in strong and weak electric fields. FAIMS is easily interfaced with electrospray ionization and has been implemented as an additional separation mode between liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS) in proteomic studies. FAIMS separation is orthogonal to both LC and MS and is used as a means of on-line fractionation to improve the detection of peptides in complex samples. FAIMS improves dynamic range and concomitantly the detection limits of ions by filtering out chemical noise. FAIMS can also be used to remove interfering ion species and to select peptide charge states optimal for identification by tandem MS. Here, the authors review recent developments in LC-FAIMS-MS and its application to MS-based proteomics.

Improved interface quality and luminescence capability of InGaN/GaN quantum wells with Mg pretreatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Zhengyuan; Shen, Xiyang; Xiong, Huan; Li, Qingfei; Kang, Junyong; Fang, Zhilai [Xiamen University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Optoelectronic Semiconductors and Efficient Devices, Department of Physics, Xiamen (China); Lin, Feng; Yang, Bilan; Lin, Shilin [San' an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd, Xiamen (China); Shen, Wenzhong [Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics, Shanghai (China); Zhang, Tong-Yi [Shanghai University, Shanghai University Materials Genome Institute and Shanghai Materials Genome Institute, Shanghai (China)

2016-02-15

Interface modification of high indium content InGaN/GaN quantum wells was carried out by Mg pretreatment of the GaN barrier surface. The indium in the Mg-pretreated InGaN layer was homogeneously distributed, making the interfaces abrupt. The improved interface quality greatly enhanced light emission capacity. The cathodoluminescence intensity of the Mg-pretreated InGaN/GaN quantum wells was correspondingly much stronger than those of the InGaN/GaN quantum wells without Mg pretreatment. (orig.)

Metabolism of the new psychoactive substances N,N-diallyltryptamine (DALT) and 5-methoxy-DALT and their detectability in urine by GC-MS, LC-MSn, and LC-HR-MS-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Michely, Julian A; Helfer, Andreas G; Brandt, Simon D; Meyer, Markus R; Maurer, Hans H

2015-10-01

N,N-Diallyltryptamine (DALT) and 5-methoxy-DALT (5-MeO-DALT) are synthetic tryptamine derivatives commonly referred to as so-called new psychoactive substances (NPS). They have psychoactive effects that may be similar to those of other tryptamine derivatives. The objectives of this work were to study the metabolic fate and detectability, in urine, of DALT and 5-MeO-DALT. For metabolism studies, rat urine obtained after high-dose administration was prepared by precipitation and analyzed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-MS-MS). On the basis of the metabolites identified, several aromatic and aliphatic hydroxylations, N-dealkylation, N-oxidation, and combinations thereof are proposed as the main metabolic pathways for both compounds. O-Demethylation of 5-MeO-DALT was also observed, in addition to extensive glucuronidation or sulfation of both compounds after phase I transformation. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes predominantly involved in DALT metabolism were CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4; those mainly involved in 5-MeO-DALT metabolism were CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4. For detectability studies, rat urine was screened by GC-MS, LC-MS(n), and LC-HR-MS-MS after administration of low doses. LC-MS(n) and LC-HR-MS-MS were deemed suitable for monitoring consumption of both compounds. The most abundant targets were a ring hydroxy metabolite of DALT, the N,O-bis-dealkyl metabolite of 5-MeO-DALT, and their glucuronides. GC-MS enabled screening of DALT by use of its main metabolites only.

Transparent hydrogel with enhanced water retention capacity by introducing highly hydratable salt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Yuanyuan; Xiang, Feng; Wang, Hong, E-mail: hwang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn, E-mail: suo@seas.harvard.edu [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Chen, Baohong; Zhou, Jinxiong [State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, International Center for Applied Mechanics and School of Aerospace, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Suo, Zhigang, E-mail: hwang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn, E-mail: suo@seas.harvard.edu [School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Kavli Institute of Bionano Science and Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States)

2014-10-13

Polyacrylamide hydrogels containing salt as electrolyte have been used as highly stretchable transparent electrodes in flexible electronics, but those hydrogels are easy to dry out due to water evaporation. Targeted, we try to enhance water retention capacity of polyacrylamide hydrogel by introducing highly hydratable salts into the hydrogel. These hydrogels show enhanced water retention capacity in different level. Specially, polyacrylamide hydrogel containing high content of lithium chloride can retain over 70% of its initial water even in environment with relative humidity of only 10% RH. The excellent water retention capacities of these hydrogels will make more applications of hydrogels become possible.

Transparent hydrogel with enhanced water retention capacity by introducing highly hydratable salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, Yuanyuan; Xiang, Feng; Wang, Hong; Chen, Baohong; Zhou, Jinxiong; Suo, Zhigang

2014-01-01

Polyacrylamide hydrogels containing salt as electrolyte have been used as highly stretchable transparent electrodes in flexible electronics, but those hydrogels are easy to dry out due to water evaporation. Targeted, we try to enhance water retention capacity of polyacrylamide hydrogel by introducing highly hydratable salts into the hydrogel. These hydrogels show enhanced water retention capacity in different level. Specially, polyacrylamide hydrogel containing high content of lithium chloride can retain over 70% of its initial water even in environment with relative humidity of only 10% RH. The excellent water retention capacities of these hydrogels will make more applications of hydrogels become possible.

Video-microscopy of NCAP films: the observation of LC droplets in real time

Science.gov (United States)

Reamey, Robert H.; Montoya, Wayne; Wong, Abraham

1992-06-01

We have used video-microscopy to observe the behavior of liquid crystal (LC) droplets within nematic droplet-polymer films (NCAP) as the droplets respond to an applied electric field. The textures observed at intermediate fields yielded information about the process of liquid crystal orientation dynamics within droplets. The nematic droplet-polymer films had low LC content (less than 1 percent) to allow the observation of individual droplets in a 2 - 6 micrometers size range. The aqueous emulsification technique was used to prepare the films as it allows the straightforward preparation of low LC content films with a controlled droplet size range. Standard electro-optical (E-O) tests were also performed on the films, allowing us to correlate single droplet behavior with that of the film as a whole. Hysteresis measured in E-O tests was visually confirmed by droplet orientation dynamics; a film which had high hysteresis in E-O tests exhibited distinctly different LC orientations within the droplet when ramped up in voltage than when ramped down in voltage. Ramping the applied voltage to well above saturation resulted in some droplets becoming `stuck'' in a new droplet structure which can be made to revert back to bipolar with high voltage pulses or with heat.

Regulation of the autophagy protein LC3 by phosphorylation

Science.gov (United States)

Cherra, Salvatore J.; Kulich, Scott M.; Uechi, Guy; Balasubramani, Manimalha; Mountzouris, John; Day, Billy W.

2010-01-01

Macroautophagy is a major catabolic pathway that impacts cell survival, differentiation, tumorigenesis, and neurodegeneration. Although bulk degradation sustains carbon sources during starvation, autophagy contributes to shrinkage of differentiated neuronal processes. Identification of autophagy-related genes has spurred rapid advances in understanding the recruitment of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) in autophagy induction, although braking mechanisms remain less understood. Using mass spectrometry, we identified a direct protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation site on LC3 that regulates its participation in autophagy. Both metabolic (rapamycin) and pathological (MPP+) inducers of autophagy caused dephosphorylation of endogenous LC3. The pseudophosphorylated LC3 mutant showed reduced recruitment to autophagosomes, whereas the nonphosphorylatable mutant exhibited enhanced puncta formation. Finally, autophagy-dependent neurite shortening induced by expression of a Parkinson disease–associated G2019S mutation in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 was inhibited by dibutyryl–cyclic adenosine monophosphate, cytoplasmic expression of the PKA catalytic subunit, or the LC3 phosphorylation mimic. These data demonstrate a role for phosphorylation in regulating LC3 activity. PMID:20713600

RKIP phosphorylation–dependent ERK1 activation stimulates adipogenic lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes overexpressing LC3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hahm, Jong Ryeal [Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, JinJu, 527-27 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, JinJu, 527-27 (Korea, Republic of); Ahmed, Mahmoud [Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, JinJu, 527-27 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, JinJu, 527-27 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Deok Ryong, E-mail: drkim@gnu.ac.kr [Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, JinJu, 527-27 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, JinJu, 527-27 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-09-09

3T3-L1 preadipocytes undergo adipogenesis in response to treatment with dexamethaxone, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, and insulin (DMI) through activation of several adipogenic transcription factors. Many autophagy-related proteins are also highly activated in the earlier stages of adipogenesis, and the LC3 conjugation system is required for formation of lipid droplets. Here, we investigated the effect of overexpression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-LC3 fusion protein on adipogenesis. Overexpression of GFP-LC3 in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes using poly-L-lysine-assisted adenoviral GFP-LC3 transduction was sufficient to produce intracellular lipid droplets. Indeed, GFP-LC3 overexpression stimulated expression of some adipogenic transcription factors (e.g., C/EBPα or β, PPARγ, SREBP2). In particular, SREBP2 was highly activated in preadipocytes transfected with adenoviral GFP-LC3. Also, phosphorylation of Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) at serine 153, consequently stimulating extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK)1 activity, was significantly increased during adipogenesis induced by either poly-L-lysine-assisted adenoviral GFP-LC3 transduction or culture in the presence of dexamethasone, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, and insulin. Furthermore, RKIP knockdown promoted ERK1 and PPARγ activation, and significantly increased the intracellular accumulation of triacylglycerides in DMI-induced adipogenesis. In conclusion, GFP-LC3 overexpression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes stimulates adipocyte differentiation via direct modulation of RKIP-dependent ERK1 activity. - Highlights: • Overexpression of GFP-LC3 in 3T3-L1 cells produces intracellular lipid droplets. • SREBP2 is highly activated in preadipocytes transfected with adenoviral GFP-LC3. • RKIP phosphorylation at serine 153 is significantly increased during adipogenesis. • RKIP knockdown promotes ERK1 and PPARγ activation during adipogenesis. • RKIP-dependent ERK1 activation increases triacylglycerides in

Review: LC coupled to low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry for new psychoactive substance screening in biological matrices - Where do we stand today?

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Markus R; Maurer, Hans H

2016-07-13

The field of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is highly dynamic and the situation changes from year to year. Therefore, the current review provides a timely update about the latest developments to help analysts keep the pace with NPS distribution. It covers PubMed-listed studies published between January 2014 and January 2016 dealing with the application of liquid chromatography (LC) coupled low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) for broad screenings for NPS in clinical (CT) and forensic (FT) toxicology. Latest developments and applications are highlighted and selected papers critically discussed. Comprehensive tables summarizing all discussed articles complete the overview. Finally, an outlook on the future of LC coupled MS in CT and FT is provided and readers will learn why low-resolution mass spectrometry might remain the standard for the next couple of years at least for easy-to-use quantitative screening procedures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinicopathological Profiling of LC3B, an Autophagy Marker, and ESRRA (Estrogen-related Receptor-alpha) in Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sup; Lee, Adam Jaehyeok; Yeo, Min-Kyung; Na, Yong Gil; Kim, Ji-Yeon; Cho, Moon-June; Kim, Jun-Sang; Jo, Eun-Kyeong; Kim, Jin-Man

2018-04-01

Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B), an autophagy marker, has been used as a promising marker in various cancer types. However, the expression of LC3B in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and its prognostic significance have not been investigated. Recent studies pointed to the involvement of ESRRA in regulating autophagy via both transcriptional and post-translational control. In the current study, prognostic importance of LC3B and ESRRA in MIBC was investigated. We immunohistochemically studied the expression of LC3B and ESRRA in 56 MIBC samples. LC3B was stained high in 16 patients (28.6%) and low or negative in 40 patients (71.4%). ESRRA expression was high for 20 patients (35.7%) and low for 36 patients (64.3%). Both LC3B (p=0.003) and ESRRA (p=0.026) expression correlated significantly with disease-free survival rates. Double-positive LC3B and ESRRA correlated with poor overall survival (p=0.007) and disease-free survival (p=0.001) in MIBC patients. LC3B and ESRRA might be a useful prognostic factor in patients with MIBC. The co-expression of LC3B and ESRRA might be a prognostic and therapeutic target for patients with bladder cancer. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Integrated Interface Strategy toward Room Temperature Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ju, Jiangwei; Wang, Yantao; Chen, Bingbing; Ma, Jun; Dong, Shanmu; Chai, Jingchao; Qu, Hongtao; Cui, Longfei; Wu, Xiuxiu; Cui, Guanglei

2018-04-25

Solid-state lithium batteries have drawn wide attention to address the safety issues of power batteries. However, the development of solid-state lithium batteries is substantially limited by the poor electrochemical performances originating from the rigid interface between solid electrodes and solid-state electrolytes. In this work, a composite of poly(vinyl carbonate) and Li 10 SnP 2 S 12 solid-state electrolyte is fabricated successfully via in situ polymerization to improve the rigid interface issues. The composite electrolyte presents a considerable room temperature conductivity of 0.2 mS cm -1 , an electrochemical window exceeding 4.5 V, and a Li + transport number of 0.6. It is demonstrated that solid-state lithium metal battery of LiFe 0.2 Mn 0.8 PO 4 (LFMP)/composite electrolyte/Li can deliver a high capacity of 130 mA h g -1 with considerable capacity retention of 88% and Coulombic efficiency of exceeding 99% after 140 cycles at the rate of 0.5 C at room temperature. The superior electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the good compatibility of the composite electrolyte with Li metal and the integrated compatible interface between solid electrodes and the composite electrolyte engineered by in situ polymerization, which leads to a significant interfacial impedance decrease from 1292 to 213 Ω cm 2 in solid-state Li-Li symmetrical cells. This work provides vital reference for improving the interface compatibility for room temperature solid-state lithium batteries.

A new high-throughput LC-MS method for the analysis of complex fructan mixtures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verspreet, Joran; Hansen, Anders Holmgaard; Dornez, Emmie

2014-01-01

In this paper, a new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for the analysis of complex fructan mixtures is presented. In this method, columns with a trifunctional C18 alkyl stationary phase (T3) were used and their performance compared with that of a porous graphitized carbon (PGC...

High Performance Computing - Power Application Programming Interface Specification Version 1.4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laros III, James H. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); DeBonis, David [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Grant, Ryan [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Kelly, Suzanne M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Levenhagen, Michael J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Olivier, Stephen Lecler [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Pedretti, Kevin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-10-01

Measuring and controlling the power and energy consumption of high performance computing systems by various components in the software stack is an active research area [13, 3, 5, 10, 4, 21, 19, 16, 7, 17, 20, 18, 11, 1, 6, 14, 12]. Implementations in lower level software layers are beginning to emerge in some production systems, which is very welcome. To be most effective, a portable interface to measurement and control features would significantly facilitate participation by all levels of the software stack. We present a proposal for a standard power Application Programming Interface (API) that endeavors to cover the entire software space, from generic hardware interfaces to the input from the computer facility manager.

High Field Asymmetric Waveform Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) for Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics

Science.gov (United States)

Swearingen, Kristian E.; Moritz, Robert L.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY High field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) is an atmospheric pressure ion mobility technique that separates gas-phase ions by their behavior in strong and weak electric fields. FAIMS is easily interfaced with electrospray ionization and has been implemented as an additional separation mode between liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS) in proteomic studies. FAIMS separation is orthogonal to both LC and MS and is used as a means of on-line fractionation to improve detection of peptides in complex samples. FAIMS improves dynamic range and concomitantly the detection limits of ions by filtering out chemical noise. FAIMS can also be used to remove interfering ion species and to select peptide charge states optimal for identification by tandem MS. Here, we review recent developments in LC-FAIMS-MS and its application to MS-based proteomics. PMID:23194268

Entangled Coherent States Generation in two Superconducting LC Circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Meiyu; Zhang Weimin

2008-01-01

We proposed a novel pure electronic (solid state) device consisting of two superconducting LC circuits coupled to a superconducting flux qubit. The entangled coherent states of the two LC modes is generated through the measurement of the flux qubit states. The interaction of the flux qubit and two LC circuits is controlled by the external microwave control lines. The geometrical structure of the LC circuits is adjustable and makes a strong coupling between them achievable. This entangled coherent state generator can be realized by using the conventional microelectronic fabrication techniques which increases the feasibility of the experiment.

Free-space optical communications with peak and average constraints: High SNR capacity approximation

KAUST Repository

Chaaban, Anas; Morvan, Jean-Marie; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2015-01-01

. Numerical evaluation shows that this capacity lower bound is nearly tight at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), while it is shown analytically that the gap to capacity upper bounds is a small constant at high SNR. In particular, the gap to the high

Recycling rice husks for high-capacity lithium battery anodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Dae Soo; Ryou, Myung-Hyun; Sung, Yong Joo; Park, Seung Bin; Choi, Jang Wook

2013-07-23

The rice husk is the outer covering of a rice kernel and protects the inner ingredients from external attack by insects and bacteria. To perform this function while ventilating air and moisture, rice plants have developed unique nanoporous silica layers in their husks through years of natural evolution. Despite the massive amount of annual production near 10(8) tons worldwide, so far rice husks have been recycled only for low-value agricultural items. In an effort to recycle rice husks for high-value applications, we convert the silica to silicon and use it for high-capacity lithium battery anodes. Taking advantage of the interconnected nanoporous structure naturally existing in rice husks, the converted silicon exhibits excellent electrochemical performance as a lithium battery anode, suggesting that rice husks can be a massive resource for use in high-capacity lithium battery negative electrodes.

Excess lithium storage in LiFePO4-Carbon interface by ball-milling

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Hua; Song, Xiaohe; Zheng, Jiaxin; Pan, Feng

2016-07-01

As one of the most popular cathode materials for high power lithium ion batteries (LIBs) of the electrical-vehicle (EV), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4 (LFP)) is limited to its relatively lower theoretical specific capacity of 170mAh g-1. To break the limits and further improve the capacity of LFP is promising but challenging. In this study, the ball-milling method is applied to the mixture of LFP and carbon, and the effective capacity larger than the theoretical one by 30mAh g-1 is achieved. It is demonstrated that ball-milling leads to the LFP-Carbon interface to store the excess Li-ions.

Reducing the cost of semi-automated in-gel tryptic digestion and GeLC sample preparation for high-throughput proteomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruelcke, Jayde E; Loo, Dorothy; Hill, Michelle M

2016-10-21

Peptide generation by trypsin digestion is typically the first step in mass spectrometry-based proteomics experiments, including 'bottom-up' discovery and targeted proteomics using multiple reaction monitoring. Manual tryptic digest and the subsequent clean-up steps can add variability even before the sample reaches the analytical platform. While specialized filter plates and tips have been designed for automated sample processing, the specialty reagents required may not be accessible or feasible due to their high cost. Here, we report a lower-cost semi-automated protocol for in-gel digestion and GeLC using standard 96-well microplates. Further cost savings were realized by re-using reagent tips with optimized sample ordering. To evaluate the methodology, we compared a simple mixture of 7 proteins and a complex cell-lysate sample. The results across three replicates showed that our semi-automated protocol had performance equal to or better than a manual in-gel digestion with respect to replicate variability and level of contamination. In this paper, we also provide the Agilent Bravo method file, which can be adapted to other liquid handlers. The simplicity, reproducibility, and cost-effectiveness of our semi-automated protocol make it ideal for routine in-gel and GeLC sample preparations, as well as high throughput processing of large clinical sample cohorts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transparent hydrogel with enhanced water retention capacity by introducing highly hydratable salt

OpenAIRE

Bai, Yuanyuan; Chen, Baohong; Xiang, Feng; Zhou, Jinxiong; Wang, Hong; Suo, Zhigang

2014-01-01

Polyacrylamide hydrogels containing salt as electrolyte have been used as highly stretchable transparent electrodes in flexible electronics, but those hydrogels are easy to dry out due to water evaporation. Targeted, we try to enhance water retention capacity of polyacrylamide hydrogel by introducing highly hydratable salts into the hydrogel. These hydrogels show enhanced water retention capacity in different level. Specially, polyacrylamide hydrogel containing high content of lithium chlorid...

MassCascade: Visual Programming for LC-MS Data Processing in Metabolomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Beisken, Stephan; Earll, Mark; Portwood, David; Seymour, Mark; Steinbeck, Christoph

2014-04-01

Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is commonly applied to investigate the small molecule complement of organisms. Several software tools are typically joined in custom pipelines to semi-automatically process and analyse the resulting data. General workflow environments like the Konstanz Information Miner (KNIME) offer the potential of an all-in-one solution to process LC-MS data by allowing easy integration of different tools and scripts. We describe MassCascade and its workflow plug-in for processing LC-MS data. The Java library integrates frequently used algorithms in a modular fashion, thus enabling it to serve as back-end for graphical front-ends. The functions available in MassCascade have been encapsulated in a plug-in for the workflow environment KNIME, allowing combined use with e.g. statistical workflow nodes from other providers and making the tool intuitive to use without knowledge of programming. The design of the software guarantees a high level of modularity where processing functions can be quickly replaced or concatenated. MassCascade is an open-source library for LC-MS data processing in metabolomics. It embraces the concept of visual programming through its KNIME plug-in, simplifying the process of building complex workflows. The library was validated using open data.

High-capacity composite adsorbents for nucleic acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiainen, Peter; Rokebul Anower, M; Larsson, Per-Olof

2011-08-05

Cytopore™ is a bead-shaped, macroporous and easily compressible cellulose-based anion-exchange material intended for cultivation of anchor-dependent animal cells. Reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) is a strong, non-compressible, high voidage (97%) matrix material that can be cut to desired geometrical shapes. Cytopore and RVC were combined to cylindrical composites (25 mm × 10 mm) fitted inside chromatography columns. The composite combined the advantageous properties of both its constituents, making it suitable for column chromatography. The composite could withstand very high flow rates without compaction of the bed (>25 column volumes/min; 4000 cm h(-1)). Chromatography runs with tracers showed a low HETP value (0.3mm), suggesting that pore flow was in operation. The dynamic binding capacities (10% breakthrough) per gram of dry weight Cytopore were determined for several compounds including DNA and RNA and were found to be 240-370 mg/g. The composite was used to isolate pUC 18-type plasmids from a cleared alkaline lysate in a good yield. Confocal microscopy studies showed that plasmids were bound not only to the surface of the Cytopore material but also within the matrix walls, thus offering an explanation to the very high binding capacities observed. The concept of using a composite prepared from a mechanically weak, high-binding material and a strong scaffold material may be applied to other systems as well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organic characterisation of cave drip water by LC-OCD and fluorescence analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Rutlidge, Helen; Andersen, Martin S.; Baker, Andy; Chinu, Khorshed J.; Cuthbert, Mark O.; Jex, Catherine N.; Marjo, Christopher E.; Markowska, Monika; Rau, Gabriel C.

2015-10-01

Cathedral Cave, Wellington, Australia, is a natural laboratory for studying water movement and geochemical processes in the unsaturated zone by using artificial irrigation to activate drip sites within the cave. Water sampled from two drip sites activated by irrigations carried out in summer 2014 was analysed for dissolved inorganic ions and fluorescent organic matter. The analysis allowed the development of a conceptual flow path model for each drip site. DOM analysis was further complemented by liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD), applied for the first time to karst drip waters, allowing the characterisation of six organic matter fractions. The differences in organic matter fractions at each drip site are interpreted as a signature of the proposed flow paths. LC-OCD was also compared with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of the fluorescence and good correlations were observed for high molecular weight organic matter. Strong positive correlations were also observed for high molecular weight matter and Cu and Ni. This is suggestive of colloidal transport of Cu and Ni by organic matter with high molecular weight, while small molecular weight colloids were not efficient transporters. LC-OCD uniquely provides information on non-fluorescent organic matter and can be used to further quantify drip water organic matter composition.

Heat capacity of iron, aluminum, and chromium vanadates at high temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheshnitskii, S.M.; Fotiev, A.A.; Ignashin, V.P.; Kesler, Y.A.

1985-09-01

The thermodynamic characteristics of compounds participating in the processing of vanadium-containing raw materials have not been sufficiently investigated. In this paper the authors report on measurements of the heat capacities of the compounds FeVO/sub 4/, CrVO/sub 4/, AIVO/sub 4/, Fe/sub 2/V/sub 4/O/sub 13/ and FeCr(VO/sub 4/)/sub 2/ at high temperatures. The obtained experimental data on the high-temperature heat capacity of iron, aluminum, and chromium vanadates makes it possible to calculate the thermodynamic functions of these compounds at high temperatures.

Capillary Isotachophoresis-Nanoelectrospray Ionization-Selected Reaction Monitoring MS via a Novel Sheathless Interface for High Sensitivity Sample Quantification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Chenchen (Chloe); Lee, Cheng S.; Smith, Richard D.; Tang, Keqi

2013-06-21

A novel sheathless CITP/CZE-MS interface featuring a large i.d. separation capillary and a detachable small i.d. ESI emitter was developed in this study to simultaneously achieve large sample loading capacity and stable nanoESI operation. Crucial operating parameters, including sample loading volume, flow rate, and separation window, were systematically investigated to attain optimum CITP/CZE separation efficiency and MS detection sensitivity. The performance of CITP/CZE-nanoESI-MS using the new sheathless interface was evaluated for its achievable low limit of quantitation (LOQ) by analyzing targeted peptides, leu-enkephalin and angiotensin II, spiked in a BSA tryptic digest matrix at different concentrations. A linear dynamic range spanning 4.5 orders of magnitude and a 10 pM LOQ with excellent measurement reproducibility were obtained experimentally for both targeted peptides, representing a 5-fold sensitivity improvement as compared to using the sheath liquid interface developed previously.

The impact of interface bonding efficiency on high-burnup spent nuclear fuel dynamic performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Hao, E-mail: jiangh@ornl.gov; Wang, Jy-An John; Wang, Hong

2016-12-01

Highlights: • To investigate the impact of interfacial bonding efficiency at pellet-pellet and pellet-clad interfaces of high-burnup (HBU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) on its dynamic performance. • Flexural rigidity, EI = M/κ, estimated from FEA results were benchmarked with SNF dynamic experimental results, and used to evaluate interface bonding efficiency. • Interface bonding efficiency can significantly dictate the SNF system rigidity and the associated dynamic performance. • With consideration of interface bonding efficiency and fuel cracking, HBU SNF fuel property was estimated with SNF static and dynamic experimental data. - Abstract: Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to investigate the impact of interfacial bonding efficiency at pellet-pellet and pellet-clad interfaces of high-burnup (HBU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) on system dynamic performance. Bending moments M were applied to FEA model to evaluate the system responses. From bending curvature, κ, flexural rigidity EI can be estimated as EI = M/κ. The FEA simulation results were benchmarked with experimental results from cyclic integrated reversal bending fatigue test (CIRFT) of HBR fuel rods. The consequence of interface debonding between fuel pellets and cladding is a redistribution of the loads carried by the fuel pellets to the clad, which results in a reduction in composite rod system flexural rigidity. Therefore, the interface bonding efficiency at the pellet-pellet and pellet-clad interfaces can significantly dictate the SNF system dynamic performance. With the consideration of interface bonding efficiency, the HBU SNF fuel property was estimated with CIRFT test data.

Non-Faradaic Li ⁺ Migration and Chemical Coordination across Solid-State Battery Interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gittleson, Forrest S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); El Gabaly, Farid [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-10-17

Efficient and reversible charge transfer is essential to realizing high-performance solid-state batteries. Efforts to enhance charge transfer at critical electrode–electrolyte interfaces have proven successful, yet interfacial chemistry and its impact on cell function remains poorly understood. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with electrochemical techniques, we elucidate chemical coordination near the LiCoO₂–LIPON interface, providing experimental validation of space-charge separation. Space-charge layers, defined by local enrichment and depletion of charges, have previously been theorized and modeled, but the unique chemistry of solid-state battery interfaces is now revealed. Here we highlight the non-Faradaic migration of Li+ ions from the electrode to the electrolyte, which reduces reversible cathodic capacity by ~15%. Inserting a thin, ion-conducting LiNbO₃ interlayer between the electrode and electrolyte, however, can reduce space-charge separation, mitigate the loss of Li+ from LiCoO₂, and return cathodic capacity to its theoretical value. This work illustrates the importance of interfacial chemistry in understanding and improving solid-state batteries.

Molecular-dynamics method for the simulation of bulk-solid interfaces at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lutsko, J.F.; Wolf, D.; Yip, S.; Phillpot, S.R.; Nguyen, T.

1988-01-01

A new method for the molecular-dynamics simulation of bulk planar interfaces at high temperatures is presented. The method uses the basic Parrinello-Rahman (constant-stress) scheme, modified for the application to inhomogeneous systems. Since our computational cell contains only one interface with two-dimensional (2D) periodic border conditions, we are able to study isolated interfaces all the way up to melting. The interaction between boundaries which may lead to their annihilation at higher temperatures, which is a problem when 3D periodic borders are applied, is thus avoided. As an application, the method is used to study the stability of a grain boundary at high temperatures. Observations on a possible connection between grain-boundary migration and ''premelting'' are discussed

Silicon oxide based high capacity anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Haixia; Han, Yongbong; Masarapu, Charan; Anguchamy, Yogesh Kumar; Lopez, Herman A.; Kumar, Sujeet

2017-03-21

Silicon oxide based materials, including composites with various electrical conductive compositions, are formulated into desirable anodes. The anodes can be effectively combined into lithium ion batteries with high capacity cathode materials. In some formulations, supplemental lithium can be used to stabilize cycling as well as to reduce effects of first cycle irreversible capacity loss. Batteries are described with surprisingly good cycling properties with good specific capacities with respect to both cathode active weights and anode active weights.

Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography (HILIC) × Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (RP-LC-UV-MS) Analysis of Anthocyanins and Derived Pigments in Red Wine.

Science.gov (United States)

Willemse, Chandré M; Stander, Maria A; Vestner, Jochen; Tredoux, Andreas G J; de Villiers, André

2015-12-15

Changes in anthocyanin chemistry represent some of the most important transformations involved in red wine aging. However, accurate analysis of the derived pigments, as required to study the evolution of anthocyanins and tannins during aging, is hampered by their extreme structural diversity, low levels, and the fact that many of these compounds have identical mass spectral characteristics. In this context, chromatographic separation is critical. In this contribution, the application of online hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) × reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) separation coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) is described for the detailed characterization of anthocyanins and their derived pigments in aged red wine. A systematic approach was followed for the optimization of HILIC × RP-LC separation parameters using a capillary liquid chromatography (LC) system in the first dimension and an ultrahigh-pressure LC system in the second dimension to ensure maximum sensitivity and performance. Ninety four (94) anthocyanin-derived pigments were tentatively identified in one- and six-year-old Pinotage wines using accurate mass and fragmentation information obtained using quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS). Online HILIC × RP-LC-MS was found to offer high-resolution separation, because of the combination of two different separation modes, while the structured elution order observed improved the certainty in compound identification. Therefore, this approach shows promise for the detailed elucidation of the chemical alteration of anthocyanins during wine aging.

A 500-600 MHz GaN power amplifier with RC-LC stability network

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xinyu; Duan, Baoxing; Yang, Yintang

2017-08-01

A 500-600 MHz high-efficiency, high-power GaN power amplifier is designed and realized on the basis of the push-pull structure. The RC-LC stability network is proposed and applied to the power amplifier circuit for the first time. The RC-LC stability network can significantly reduce the high gain out the band, which eliminates the instability of the power amplifier circuit. The developed power amplifier exhibits 58.5 dBm (700 W) output power with a 17 dB gain and 85% PAE at 500-600 MHz, 300 μs, 20% duty cycle. It has the highest PAE in P-band among the products at home and abroad. Project supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB339901).

Multiple testing issues in discriminating compound-related peaks and chromatograms from high frequency noise, spikes and solvent-based nois in LC-MS data sets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nyangoma, S.O.; Van Kampen, A.A.; Reijmers, T.H.; Govorukhina, N.I; van der Zee, A.G.; Billingham, I.J; Bischoff, Rainer; Jansen, R.C.

2007-01-01

Multiple testing issues in discriminating compound-related peaks and chromatograms from high frequency noise, spikes and solvent-based noise in LC-MS data sets.Nyangoma SO, van Kampen AA, Reijmers TH, Govorukhina NI, van der Zee AG, Billingham LJ, Bischoff R, Jansen RC. University of Birmingham.

Crystalline-Amorphous Core−Shell Silicon Nanowires for High Capacity and High Current Battery Electrodes

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng

2009-01-14

Silicon is an attractive alloy-type anode material for lithium ion batteries because of its highest known capacity (4200 mAh/g). However silicon\\'s large volume change upon lithium insertion and extraction, which causes pulverization and capacity fading, has limited its applications. Designing nanoscale hierarchical structures is a novel approach to address the issues associated with the large volume changes. In this letter, we introduce a core-shell design of silicon nanowires for highpower and long-life lithium battery electrodes. Silicon crystalline- amorphous core-shell nanowires were grown directly on stainless steel current collectors by a simple one-step synthesis. Amorphous Si shells instead of crystalline Si cores can be selected to be electrochemically active due to the difference of their lithiation potentials. Therefore, crystalline Si cores function as a stable mechanical support and an efficient electrical conducting pathway while amorphous shells store Li ions. We demonstrate here that these core-shell nanowires have high charge storage capacity (̃1000 mAh/g, 3 times of carbon) with ̃90% capacity retention over 100 cycles. They also show excellent electrochemical performance at high rate charging and discharging (6.8 A/g, ̃20 times of carbon at 1 h rate). © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Peak capacity, peak-capacity production rate, and boiling point resolution for temperature-programmed GC with very high programming rates

Science.gov (United States)

Grall; Leonard; Sacks

2000-02-01

Recent advances in column heating technology have made possible very fast linear temperature programming for high-speed gas chromatography. A fused-silica capillary column is contained in a tubular metal jacket, which is resistively heated by a precision power supply. With very rapid column heating, the rate of peak-capacity production is significantly enhanced, but the total peak capacity and the boiling-point resolution (minimum boiling-point difference required for the separation of two nonpolar compounds on a nonpolar column) are reduced relative to more conventional heating rates used with convection-oven instruments. As temperature-programming rates increase, elution temperatures also increase with the result that retention may become insignificant prior to elution. This results in inefficient utilization of the down-stream end of the column and causes a loss in the rate of peak-capacity production. The rate of peak-capacity production is increased by the use of shorter columns and higher carrier gas velocities. With high programming rates (100-600 degrees C/min), column lengths of 6-12 m and average linear carrier gas velocities in the 100-150 cm/s range are satisfactory. In this study, the rate of peak-capacity production, the total peak capacity, and the boiling point resolution are determined for C10-C28 n-alkanes using 6-18 m long columns, 50-200 cm/s average carrier gas velocities, and 60-600 degrees C/min programming rates. It was found that with a 6-meter-long, 0.25-mm i.d. column programmed at a rate of 600 degrees C/min, a maximum peak-capacity production rate of 6.1 peaks/s was obtained. A total peak capacity of about 75 peaks was produced in a 37-s long separation spanning a boiling-point range from n-C10 (174 degrees C) to n-C28 (432 degrees C).

Solution Structure of LC4 Transmembrane Segment of CCR5

OpenAIRE

Miyamoto, Kazuhide; Togiya, Kayo

2011-01-01

CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a specific co-receptor allowing the entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The LC4 region in CCR5 is required for HIV-1 entry into the cells. In this study, the solution structure of LC4 in SDS micelles was elucidated by using standard 1H two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and fluorescdence quenching. The LC4 structure adopts two helical structures, whereas the C-terminal part remains unstructured. The positions in which LC4 ...

High-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of sulfidation of brass at the rubber/brass interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozawa, Kenichi; Kakubo, Takashi; Shimizu, Katsunori; Amino, Naoya; Mase, Kazuhiko; Komatsu, Takayuki

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Chemical composition at the rubber/brass interface is investigated. ► The 2-min vulcanization reaction is enough to convert the interface composition. ► Five S-containing species are identified at the interface. ► Strong rubber–brass adhesion is related to the Cu 2 S/CuS ratio. ► Degradation of adhesion proceeds along with desulfidation of the interface. - Abstract: High resolution photoelectron spectroscopy is utilized to investigate the chemical composition at the rubber/brass interface to elucidate the origin of strong adhesion as well as the degradation between rubber and brass. Special attention has been given to copper sulfides formed at the interface during the vulcanization reaction at 170 °C. At least five sulfur-containing species are identified in the adhesive interlayer including crystalline CuS and amorphous Cu x S (x ≃ 2). These copper sulfide species are not uniformly distributed within the layer, but there exits the concentration gradation; the concentration of Cu x S is high in the region on the rubber side and is diminished in the deeper region, while vice versa for that of CuS. Degradation of the interface adhesive strength by prolonged vulcanization arises from the decrease in the Cu x S/CuS ratio accompanying desulfurization of the adhesive layer.

Untargeted LC-MS/MS Profiling of Cell Culture Media Formulations for Evaluation of High Temperature Short Time Treatment Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Floris, Patrick; McGillicuddy, Nicola; Albrecht, Simone; Morrissey, Brian; Kaisermayer, Christian; Lindeberg, Anna; Bones, Jonathan

2017-09-19

An untargeted LC-MS/MS platform was implemented for monitoring variations in CHO cell culture media upon exposure to high temperature short time (HTST) treatment, a commonly used viral clearance upstream strategy. Chemically defined (CD) and hydrolysate-supplemented media formulations were not visibly altered by the treatment. The absence of solute precipitation effects during media treatment and very modest shifts in pH values observed indicated sufficient compatibility of the formulations evaluated with the HTST-processing conditions. Unsupervised chemometric analysis of LC-MS/MS data, however, revealed clear separation of HTST-treated samples from untreated counterparts as observed from analysis of principal components and hierarchical clustering sample grouping. An increased presence of Maillard products in HTST-treated formulations contributed to the observed differences which included organic acids, observed particularly in chemically defined formulations, and furans, pyridines, pyrazines, and pyrrolidines which were determined in hydrolysate-supplemented formulations. The presence of Maillard products in media did not affect cell culture performance with similar growth and viability profiles observed for CHO-K1 and CHO-DP12 cells when cultured using both HTST-treated and untreated media formulations.

Interface control scheme for computer high-speed interface unit

Science.gov (United States)

Ballard, B. K.

1975-01-01

Control scheme is general and performs for multiplexed and dedicated channels as well as for data-bus interfaces. Control comprises two 64-pin, dual in-line packages, each of which holds custom large-scale integrated array built with silicon-on-sapphire complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology.

Interfaces between transport and geological disposal systems for high level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-09-01

This document is an IAEA publication which identifies and discusses the interfaces and the interface requirements between high level waste, the waste transport system used for carriage of the waste to the disposal facility, and the high level waste disposal facility. The development of this document was prompted in part by the initiatives in various Member States to select, characterize and design the facilities for potential high level waste geological repositories. These initiatives have progressed to the point where an international document would be useful in calling attention to the need for establishing, in a systematic way, interfaces and interface requirements between the transport systems to be used and the waste disposal packages and geological repository. Refs, figs and tabs

Supercritical Fluid Chromatography- A Hybrid of GC and LC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaushal K Chandrul

2010-03-01

Full Text Available

High performance specifications and unique functionality of chromatographic techniques is a demand of pharmaceutical industry and research. This leads to the origin of Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC. It is a rapidly expanding analytical technique. The main feature that differentiates SFC from other chromatographic techniques is the replacement of either the liquid or gas mobile phase with a supercritical fluid mobile phase. It is considered a hybrid of GC and LC technique. High diffusion coefficient and low viscosity of supercritical fluids is responsible for high speed analysis, high efficiency and high sensitivity. Low mobile-phase flow rate, density programming and compatability with GC and LC detectors make SFC a versatile chromatographic technique in analytical research and development. It has a unique characteristic of analyzing thermo labile or non-volatile substances. This review highlights the role of supercritical fluid chromatography in the separation of polymers, thermally labile pesticides, fatty acids, metal chelates and organometallic compounds, chiral and achiral molecules, identification and analysis of polar samples, explosives, drugs of abuse and application of SFC in forensic science (fingerprinting. 

Development of a new screening method for the detection of antibiotic residues in muscle tissues using liquid chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry with a LC-LTQ-Orbitrap instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurtaud-Pessel, D; Jagadeshwar-Reddy, T; Verdon, E

2011-10-01

A liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method was developed for screening meat for a wide range of antibiotics used in veterinary medicine. Full-scan mode under high resolution mass spectral conditions using an LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer with resolving power 60,000 full width at half maximum (FWHM) was applied for analysis of the samples. Samples were prepared using two extraction protocols prior to LC-HRMS analysis. The scope of the method focuses on screening the following main families of antibacterial veterinary drugs: penicillins, cephalosporins, sulfonamides, macrolides, tetracyclines, aminoglucosides and quinolones. Compounds were successfully identified in spiked samples from their accurate mass and LC retention times from the acquired full-scan chromatogram. Automated data processing using ToxId software allowed rapid treatment of the data. Analyses of muscle tissues from real samples collected from antibiotic-treated animals was carried out using the above methodology and antibiotic residues were identified unambiguously. Further analysis of the data for real samples allowed the identification of the targeted antibiotic residues but also non-targeted compounds, such as some of their metabolites.

High-capacity NO2 denuder systems operated at various temperatures (298-473 K).

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Jan-Christoph; Niessner, Reinhard

2012-12-01

In this study, we investigated several coatings for high-temperature, high-capacity, and high-efficiency denuder-based NO(2) removal, with the scope to face the harsh conditions and requirements of automotive exhaust gas sampling. As first coating, we propose a potassium iodide (KI)/polyethylene glycol coating with a high removal efficiency (ε > 98%) for about 2 h and 50 ppm NO(2) at room temperature (298 K). At elevated temperatures (423 K), the initial capacity (100 ppmh) is decreased to 15 ppmh. Furthermore, this is the first proposal of the ionic liquid methyl-butyl-imidazolium iodide ([BMIm(+)][I(-)]) as denuder coating material. At room temperature, this ionic liquid exhibits far greater capacity (300 ppmh) and NO(2) removal efficiency (ε > 99.9%) than KI. Nevertheless, KI exhibits a slightly (~10%) higher capacity at elevated temperatures than [BMIm(+)][I(-)]. Both coatings presented are suitable for applications requiring selective denuding of NO(2) at temperatures up to 423 K.

Aerobic Capacities of Early College High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Loflin, Jerry W.

2014-01-01

The Early College High School Initiative (ECHSI) was introduced in 2002. Since 2002, limited data, especially student physical activity data, have been published pertaining to the ECHSI. The purpose of this study was to examine the aerobic capacities of early college students and compare them to state and national averages. Early college students…

Small scale affinity purification and high sensitivity reversed phase nanoLC-MS N-glycan characterization of mAbs and fusion proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Higel, Fabian; Seidl, Andreas; Demelbauer, Uwe; Sörgel, Fritz; Frieß, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

N-glycosylation is a complex post-translational modification with potential effects on the efficacy and safety of therapeutic proteins and known influence on the effector function of biopharmaceutical monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Comprehensive characterization of N-glycosylation is therefore important in biopharmaceutical development. In early development, e.g. during pool or clone selection, however, only minute protein amounts of multiple samples are available for analytics. High sensitivity and high throughput methods are thus needed. An approach based on 96-well plate sample preparation and nanoLC-MS of 2- anthranilic acid or 2-aminobenzoic acid (AA) labeled N-glycans for the characterization of biopharmaceuticals in early development is reported here. With this approach, 192 samples can be processed simultaneously from complex matrices (e.g., cell culture supernatant) to purified 2-AA glycans, which are then analyzed by reversed phase nanoLC-MS. Attomolar sensitivity has been achieved by use of nanoelectrospray ionization, resulting in detailed glycan maps of mAbs and fusion proteins that are exemplarily shown in this work. Reproducibility, robustness and linearity of the approach are demonstrated, making use in a routine manner during pool or clone selection possible. Other potential fields of application, such as glycan biomarker discovery from serum samples, are also presented.

High-capacity neutron activation analysis facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hochel, R.C.

1979-01-01

A high-capacity neutron activation analysis facility, the Reactor Activation Facility, was designed and built and has been in operation for about a year at one of the Savannah River Plant's production reactors. The facility determines uranium and about 19 other trace elements in hydrogeochemical samples collected in the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. The facility has a demonstrated average analysis rate of over 10,000 samples per month, and a peak rate of over 16,000 samples per month. Uranium is determined by cyclic activation and delayed neutron counting of the U-235 fission products; other elements are determined from gamma-ray spectra recorded in subsequent irradiation, decay, and counting steps. The method relies on the absolute activation technique and is highly automated for round-the-clock unattended operation

High-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of sulfidation of brass at the rubber/brass interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozawa, Kenichi, E-mail: ozawa.k.ab@m.titech.ac.jp [Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan); Kakubo, Takashi; Shimizu, Katsunori; Amino, Naoya [Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Oiwake, Hiratsuka 254-8601 (Japan); Mase, Kazuhiko [Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba 305-0801 (Japan); Komatsu, Takayuki [Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan)

2013-01-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Chemical composition at the rubber/brass interface is investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The 2-min vulcanization reaction is enough to convert the interface composition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Five S-containing species are identified at the interface. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Strong rubber-brass adhesion is related to the Cu{sub 2}S/CuS ratio. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Degradation of adhesion proceeds along with desulfidation of the interface. - Abstract: High resolution photoelectron spectroscopy is utilized to investigate the chemical composition at the rubber/brass interface to elucidate the origin of strong adhesion as well as the degradation between rubber and brass. Special attention has been given to copper sulfides formed at the interface during the vulcanization reaction at 170 Degree-Sign C. At least five sulfur-containing species are identified in the adhesive interlayer including crystalline CuS and amorphous Cu{sub x}S (x Asymptotically-Equal-To 2). These copper sulfide species are not uniformly distributed within the layer, but there exits the concentration gradation; the concentration of Cu{sub x}S is high in the region on the rubber side and is diminished in the deeper region, while vice versa for that of CuS. Degradation of the interface adhesive strength by prolonged vulcanization arises from the decrease in the Cu{sub x}S/CuS ratio accompanying desulfurization of the adhesive layer.

Capacity building efforts and perceptions for wildlife surveillance to detect zoonotic pathogens: comparing stakeholder perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwind, Jessica S; Goldstein, Tracey; Thomas, Kate; Mazet, Jonna A K; Smith, Woutrina A

2014-07-04

The capacity to conduct zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife is critical for the recognition and identification of emerging health threats. The PREDICT project, a component of United States Agency for International Development's Emerging Pandemic Threats program, has introduced capacity building efforts to increase zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife in global 'hot spot' regions where zoonotic disease emergence is likely to occur. Understanding priorities, challenges, and opportunities from the perspectives of the stakeholders is a key component of any successful capacity building program. A survey was administered to wildlife officials and to PREDICT-implementing in-country project scientists in 16 participating countries in order to identify similarities and differences in perspectives between the groups regarding capacity needs for zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife. Both stakeholder groups identified some human-animal interfaces (i.e. areas of high contact between wildlife and humans with the potential risk for disease transmission), such as hunting and markets, as important for ongoing targeting of wildlife surveillance. Similarly, findings regarding challenges across stakeholder groups showed some agreement in that a lack of sustainable funding across regions was the greatest challenge for conducting wildlife surveillance for zoonotic pathogens (wildlife officials: 96% and project scientists: 81%). However, the opportunity for improving zoonotic pathogen surveillance capacity identified most frequently by wildlife officials as important was increasing communication or coordination among agencies, sectors, or regions (100% of wildlife officials), whereas the most frequent opportunities identified as important by project scientists were increasing human capacity, increasing laboratory capacity, and the growing interest or awareness regarding wildlife disease or surveillance programs (all identified by 69% of project scientists). A One

Rugged Large Volume Injection for Sensitive Capillary LC-MS Environmental Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanne Roberg-Larsen

2017-08-01

Full Text Available A rugged and high throughput capillary column (cLC LC-MS switching platform using large volume injection and on-line automatic filtration and filter back-flush (AFFL solid phase extraction (SPE for analysis of environmental water samples with minimal sample preparation is presented. Although narrow columns and on-line sample preparation are used in the platform, high ruggedness is achieved e.g., injection of 100 non-filtrated water samples did not result in a pressure rise/clogging of the SPE/capillary columns (inner diameter 300 μm. In addition, satisfactory retention time stability and chromatographic resolution were also features of the system. The potential of the platform for environmental water samples was demonstrated with various pharmaceutical products, which had detection limits (LOD in the 0.05–12.5 ng/L range. Between-day and within-day repeatability of selected analytes were <20% RSD.

Automated 2D peptide separation on a 1D nano-LC-MS system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taylor, Paul; Nielsen, Peter A; Trelle, Morten Beck

2009-01-01

the on-line separation of highly complex peptide mixtures directly coupled with mass spectrometry-based identification. Here, we present a variation of the traditional MudPIT protocol, combining highly sensitive chromatography using a nanoflow liquid chromatography system (nano-LC) with a two...

Wireless Impedance Sensor with PZT-Interface for Prestress-Loss Monitoring in Prestressed Concrete Girder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Khac Duy; Lee, So Young; Kim, Jeong Tae

2011-01-01

Ensuring the designed prestress force is very important for the safety of prestressed concrete bridge. The loss of prestress force in tendon could significantly reduce load carrying capacity of the structure. In this study, an automated prestress-loss monitoring system for prestressed concrete girder using PZT-interface and wireless impedance sensor node is presented. The following approaches are carried out to achieve the objective. Firstly, wireless impedance sensor nodes are designed for automated impedance-based monitoring technique. The sensor node is mounted on the high-performance Imote2 sensor platform to fulfill high operating speed, low power requirement and large storage memory. Secondly, a smart PZT-interface designed for monitoring prestress force is described. A linear regression model is established to predict prestress-loss. Finally, a system of the PZT-interface interacted with the wireless sensor node is evaluated from a lab-scale tendon-anchorage connection of a prestressed concrete girder

Future High Capacity Backbone Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Jiayuan

are proposed. The work focuses on energy efficient routing algorithms in a dynamic optical core network environment, with Generalized MultiProtocol Label Switching (GMPLS) as the control plane. Energy ef- ficient routing algorithms for energy savings and CO2 savings are proposed, and their performance...... aiming for reducing the dynamic part of the energy consumption of the network may increase the fixed part of the energy consumption meanwhile. In the second half of the thesis, the conflict between energy efficiency and Quality of Service (QoS) is addressed by introducing a novel software defined......This thesis - Future High Capacity Backbone Networks - deals with the energy efficiency problems associated with the development of future optical networks. In the first half of the thesis, novel approaches for using multiple/single alternative energy sources for improving energy efficiency...

Design Technique for the High-Boiling Propellant Storage and Preparation Facility at the Cosmodrome «Vostochny»

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. E. Denisov

2014-01-01

to tanks of the rocket-carriers through the pipeline.A direct supply of the prepared component to the rocket-carrier tanks allows a significantly decreasing equipment demand at the launch complex (LC owing to almost full abandonment of the near-launch storehouses and propellant-feed systems.The pipeline fuel remnants are discharged through the branch in the sump from which fuel can be directed to the storage capacities to have its future preparation again.Existing LC versus LC with the storage facility:- Each LC has a separate near-launch storehouse;- Each near-launch storehouse contains several charges to feed fuel tanks of rocket-carrier;- Each LC has the unique systems of propellant preparation.Application of storage facility:- storage facility allows bulk receipt and storage of high-boiling propellant to meet needs of all LC of the spaceport;- there are all means at the storage facility to prepare high-boiling propellant in all required parameters;- high-boiling propellant can be supplied from the storage facility using both transport capacities, and pipelines directly to the rocket-carrier tanks.Advantages:+ possibility to receive and store the bulk high-boiling propellant+ decreasing total demand of technological systems+ simplified spaceport infrastructureDisadvantages:- decreasing reliability rates caused by a lack of reservation of technological systems

The NASA CSTI High Capacity Power Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, J.M.

1991-09-01

The SP-100 program was established in 1983 by DOD, DOE, and NASA as a joint program to develop the technology necessary for space nuclear power systems for military and civil applications. During 1986 and 1987, the NASA Advanced Technology Program was responsible for maintaining the momentum of promising technology advancement efforts started during Phase 1 of SP-100 and to strengthen, in key areas, the chances for successful development and growth capability of space nuclear reactor power systems for future space applications. In 1988, the NASA Advanced Technology Program was incorporated into NASA's new Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The CSTI program was established to provide the foundation for technology development in automation and robotics, information, propulsion, and power. The CSTI High Capacity Power Program builds on the technology efforts of the SP-100 program, incorporates the previous NASA advanced technology project, and provides a bridge to the NASA exploration technology programs. The elements of CSTI high capacity power development include conversion systems: Stirling and thermoelectric, thermal management, power management, system diagnostics, and environmental interactions. Technology advancement in all areas, including materials, is required to provide the growth capability, high reliability, and 7 to 10 year lifetime demanded for future space nuclear power systems. The overall program will develop and demonstrate the technology base required to provide a wide range of modular power systems while minimizing the impact of day/night operations as well as attitudes and distance from the Sun. Significant accomplishments in all of the program elements will be discussed, along with revised goals and project timelines recently developed

Effects of Chimonanthus nitens Oliv. Leaf Extract on Glycolipid Metabolism and Antioxidant Capacity in Diabetic Model Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper investigated the antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic efficacy and antioxidant capacity of Chimonanthus nitens Oliv. leaf extract (COE in combination of high-glucose-fat diet-fed and streptozotocin-induced diabetic model mice. Various physiological indexes in diabetic model mice were well improved especially by oral administration of high dose of COE; the results were listed as follows. Fast blood glucose (FBG level and serum triglyceride (TC, total cholesterol (TG, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC, and malondialdehyde (MDA as well as MDA in liver were significantly reduced; fasting serum insulin (FINS and insulin sensitivity index (ISI were both increased; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC in serum was significantly increased; total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, and catalase (CAT in serum and liver were apparently enhanced; liver coefficient (LC, liver transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP were decreased. Furthermore, pancreas islets and liver in diabetic model mice showed some extend of improvement in morphology and function after 4 weeks of COE treatment. In consequence, COE was advantageous to regulate glycolipid metabolism and elevate antioxidant capacity in diabetic model mice. Thus, the present study will provide a scientific evidence for the use of COE in the management of diabetes and its related complications.

Visual stimuli for the P300 brain-computer interface: a comparison of white/gray and green/blue flicker matrices.

Science.gov (United States)

Takano, Kouji; Komatsu, Tomoaki; Hata, Naoki; Nakajima, Yasoichi; Kansaku, Kenji

2009-08-01

The white/gray flicker matrix has been used as a visual stimulus for the so-called P300 brain-computer interface (BCI), but the white/gray flash stimuli might induce discomfort. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of green/blue flicker matrices as visual stimuli. Ten able-bodied, non-trained subjects performed Alphabet Spelling (Japanese Alphabet: Hiragana) using an 8 x 10 matrix with three types of intensification/rest flicker combinations (L, luminance; C, chromatic; LC, luminance and chromatic); both online and offline performances were evaluated. The accuracy rate under the online LC condition was 80.6%. Offline analysis showed that the LC condition was associated with significantly higher accuracy than was the L or C condition (Tukey-Kramer, p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between L and C conditions. The LC condition, which used the green/blue flicker matrix was associated with better performances in the P300 BCI. The green/blue chromatic flicker matrix can be an efficient tool for practical BCI application.

Exploring on the Sensitivity Changes of the LC Resonance Magnetic Sensors Affected by Superposed Ringing Signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tingting; Zhou, Kun; Yu, Sijia; Wang, Pengfei; Wan, Ling; Zhao, Jing

2018-04-25

LC resonance magnetic sensors are widely used in low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and surface nuclear magnetic resonance (SNMR) due to their high sensitivity, low cost and simple design. In magnetically shielded rooms, LC resonance magnetic sensors can exhibit sensitivities at the fT/√Hz level in the kHz range. However, since the equivalent magnetic field noise of this type of sensor is greatly affected by the environment, weak signals are often submerged in practical applications, resulting in relatively low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). To determine why noise increases in unshielded environments, we analysed the noise levels of an LC resonance magnetic sensor ( L ≠ 0) and a Hall sensor ( L ≈ 0) in different environments. The experiments and simulations indicated that the superposed ringing of the LC resonance magnetic sensors led to the observed increase in white noise level caused by environmental interference. Nevertheless, ringing is an inherent characteristic of LC resonance magnetic sensors. It cannot be eliminated when environmental interference exists. In response to this problem, we proposed a method that uses matching resistors with various values to adjust the quality factor Q of the LC resonance magnetic sensor in different measurement environments to obtain the best sensitivity. The LF-NMR experiment in the laboratory showed that the SNR is improved significantly when the LC resonance magnetic sensor with the best sensitivity is selected for signal acquisition in the light of the test environment. (When the matching resistance is 10 kΩ, the SNR is 3.46 times that of 510 Ω). This study improves LC resonance magnetic sensors for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection in a variety of environments.

Mesoporous Silicon-Based Anodes for High Capacity, High Performance Li-ion Batteries, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A new high capacity anode composite based on mesoporous silicon is proposed. By virtue of a structure that resembles a pseudo one-dimensional phase, the active anode...

Relative Fitness and Feeding Capacity of Imidacloprid Resistant Nilaparvata lugens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesayas A. Londingkene

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide that is recommended for controlling Nilaparvata lugens. In Asian countries, such as, China, Vietnam, India, and Thailand, imidacloprid has caused resistance to N. lugens. Imidacloprid has also caused resistance to N. lugens based on some previous studies in Indonesia. The aim of this study was to determine the fitness and feeding capacity of imidacloprid-resistant N. lugens. The population of N. lugens used in this study had a resistance level of 50.64 times compared to the susceptible population. When the resistant and susceptible population of N. lugens did not receive any exposure to imidacloprid, the susceptible population had better fitness than the resistance one. However, the fitness of the resistant population increased when this population was resistance which sublethal cencentration (LC50 & LC20 of imidacloprid. The increase fitness of this resistant population most likely related to the increase in feeding capacity of the resistant population when they were treated which sublethal imidacloprid. These findings suggest that the field population of N. lugens that have developed resistance would increase the probability of outbreak if they were sprayed with imidacloprid.   INTISARI   Imidakloprid adalah insektisida neonicotinoid yang direkomendasikan untuk mengendalikan Nilaparvata lugens. Di negara Asia, seperti, China, Vietnam, India, dan Thailand, imidakloprid telah menyebabkan resistensi terhadap N. lugens. Di Indonesia, berdasarkan beberapa penelitian sebelumnya dilaporkan imidakloprid juga menyebabkan resistensi terhadap N. lugens. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui kebugaran relatif dan kemampuan makan N. lugens resisten terhadap imidakloprid. Populasi N. lugens yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini mempunyai tingkat resistensi 50,64 kali dibandingkan dengan populasi peka. N. lugens populasi resisten dan peka apabila tidak dipapar dengan imidakloprid, populasi peka mempunyai kebugaran

Anti-LC1 autoantibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Béland, Kathie; Lapierre, Pascal; Marceau, Gabriel; Alvarez, Fernando

2004-03-01

Various autoantibodies have been reported in patients chronically infected by hepatitis C virus. 2% to 10% of theses patients have anti-liver-kidney microsome type 1 (anti-LKM1) autoantibodies. In type 2 autoimmune hepatitis, anti-LKM1 autoantibodies are frequently associated with anti-liver-cytosol type 1 (anti-LC1) autoantibodies. To determine the prevalence of anti-LC1 autoantibodies in a hepatitis C-positive population and characterize their reactivity. 146 patients suffering from liver diseases, of which 99 were chronically infected by hepatitis C virus, were tested by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation to detect and characterize anti-LC1 autoantibodies. 12% of this hepatitis C population had anti-LC1 autoantibodies. LC1 positivity by Western blotting was 30% of LC1+ sera. Epitopes were found throughout the protein but linear epitopes were situated in the 395-541 amino acid region of formiminotransferase cyclodeaminase. Three putative conformational epitopes were identified by phage display. Anti-LC1 autoantibodies are as prevalent as anti-LKM1 autoantibodies in patients infected with hepatitis C virus and their production is not dependent of anti-LKM1 autoantibodies formation. Autoantibody reactivity against the anti-LC1 antigen is different in hepatitis C than in type 2 autoimmune hepatitis. Anti-LC1 autoantibodies can now be regarded as a serological marker of autoimmunity in chronic hepatitis C infection.

High resolution interface nanochemistry and structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

A summary is given of results on nanospectroscopy etc. during the previous three years, divided into the following subsections: development of methods and instrumentation for interface/boundary chemical analysis, interface and boundary structure in ceramic matrix composites, quantitative composition measurements of thin films and inclusions, theoretical calculations for electron energy loss near edge fine structure and grain boundary structure, and small probe radiation effects in ceramics. Materials studied include SiC whisker-reinforced Si3N4, SiC, Si oxides, Si, Si oxynitride, other ceramics. Methods mentioned include field emission, EELS (electron energy loss spectroscopy), nanospectroscopy, electron nanoprobe, etc

User interface support

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Clayton; Wilde, Nick

1989-01-01

Space construction will require heavy investment in the development of a wide variety of user interfaces for the computer-based tools that will be involved at every stage of construction operations. Using today's technology, user interface development is very expensive for two reasons: (1) specialized and scarce programming skills are required to implement the necessary graphical representations and complex control regimes for high-quality interfaces; (2) iteration on prototypes is required to meet user and task requirements, since these are difficult to anticipate with current (and foreseeable) design knowledge. We are attacking this problem by building a user interface development tool based on extensions to the spreadsheet model of computation. The tool provides high-level support for graphical user interfaces and permits dynamic modification of interfaces, without requiring conventional programming concepts and skills.

The Sensory Components of High-Capacity Iconic Memory and Visual Working Memory

OpenAIRE

Bradley, Claire; Pearson, Joel

2012-01-01

Early visual memory can be split into two primary components: a high-capacity, short-lived iconic memory followed by a limited-capacity visual working memory that can last many seconds. Whereas a large number of studies have investigated visual working memory for low-level sensory features, much research on iconic memory has used more “high-level” alphanumeric stimuli such as letters or numbers. These two forms of memory are typically examined separately, despite an intrinsic overlap in their...

The sensory components of high-capacity iconic memory and visual working memory

OpenAIRE

Claire eBradley; Claire eBradley; Joel ePearson

2012-01-01

Early visual memory can be split into two primary components: a high-capacity, short-lived iconic memory followed by a limited-capacity visual working memory that can last many seconds. Whereas a large number of studies have investigated visual working memory for low-level sensory features, much research on iconic memory has used more high-level alphanumeric stimuli such as letters or numbers. These two forms of memory are typically examined separately, despite an intrinsic overlap in their c...

The clinical impact of recent advances in LC-MS for cancer biomarker discovery and verification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hui; Shi, Tujin; Qian, Wei-Jun; Liu, Tao; Kagan, Jacob; Srivastava, Sudhir; Smith, Richard D.; Rodland, Karin D.; Camp, David G.

2015-12-04

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics has become an indispensable tool in biomedical research with broad applications ranging from fundamental biology, systems biology, and biomarker discovery. Recent advances in LC-MS have made it become a major technology in clinical applications, especially in cancer biomarker discovery and verification. To overcome the challenges associated with the analysis of clinical samples, such as extremely wide dynamic range of protein concentrations in biofluids and the need to perform high throughput and accurate quantification, significant efforts have been devoted to improve the overall performance of LC-MS bases clinical proteomics. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in LC-MS in the aspect of cancer biomarker discovery and quantification, and discuss its potentials, limitations, and future perspectives.

Crystallographic Habit Tuning of Li2MnSiO4 Nanoplates for High-Capacity Lithium Battery Cathodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Zhengping; Feng, Yiming; Zhang, Datong; Ji, Ran; Chen, Libao; Ivey, Douglas G; Wei, Weifeng

2018-02-21

Li 2 MnSiO 4 has attracted significant attention as a cathode material for lithium ion batteries because of its high theoretical capacity (330 mA h g -1 with two Li + ions per formula unit), low cost, and environmentally friendly nature. However, its intrinsically poor Li diffusion, low electronic conductivity, and structural instability preclude its use in practical applications. Herein, elongated hexagonal prism-shaped Li 2 MnSiO 4 nanoplates with preferentially exposed {001} and {210} facets have been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal method. Density functional theory calculations and experimental characterization reveal that the formation mechanism involves the decomposition of solid precursors to nanosheets, self-assembly into nanoplates, and Ostwald ripening. Hydroxyl-containing solvents such as ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol play a crucial role as capping agents in tuning the preferential growth. Li 2 MnSiO 4 @C nanoplates demonstrate a near theoretical discharge capacity of 326.7 mA h g -1 at 0.05 C (1 C = 160 mA h g -1 ), superior rate capability, and good cycling stability. The enhanced electrochemical performance is ascribed to the electrochemically active {001} and {210} exposed facets, which provide short and fast Li + diffusion pathways along the [001] and [100] axes, a conformal carbon nanocoating, and a nanoscaled platelike structure, which offers a large electrode/electrolyte contact interface for Li + extraction/insertion processes.

High-Capacity, High-Voltage Composite Oxide Cathode Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Hagh, Nader M.

2015-01-01

This SBIR project integrates theoretical and experimental work to enable a new generation of high-capacity, high-voltage cathode materials that will lead to high-performance, robust energy storage systems. At low operating temperatures, commercially available electrode materials for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries do not meet energy and power requirements for NASA's planned exploration activities. NEI Corporation, in partnership with the University of California, San Diego, has developed layered composite cathode materials that increase power and energy densities at temperatures as low as 0 degC and considerably reduce the overall volume and weight of battery packs. In Phase I of the project, through innovations in the structure and morphology of composite electrode particles, the partners successfully demonstrated an energy density exceeding 1,000 Wh/kg at 4 V at room temperature. In Phase II, the team enhanced the kinetics of Li-ion transport and electronic conductivity at 0 degC. An important feature of the composite cathode is that it has at least two components that are structurally integrated. The layered material is electrochemically inactive; however, upon structural integration with a spinel material, the layered material can be electrochemically activated and deliver a large amount of energy with stable cycling.

Moisture buffering capacity of highly absorbing materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cerolini, S.; D' Orazio, M.; Stazi, A. [Department of Architecture, Construction and Structures (DACS), Faculty of Engineering, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona (Italy); Di Perna, C. [Department of Energetics, Faculty of Engineering, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona (Italy)

2009-02-15

This research investigates the possibility to use highly absorbing materials to dampen indoor RH% variations. The practical MBV of sodium polyacrylate, cellulose-based material, perlite and gypsum is evaluated for a daily cyclic exposure that alternates high (75%) and low (33%) RH% levels for 8 h and 16 h, respectively. The adjustment velocity to RH% variations and the presence of hysteretic phenomena are also presented. The cellulose-based material proves to be the most suitable for moisture buffering applications. Starting from this material's properties, the effect of thickness, vapour resistance factor ({mu}) and mass surface exchange coefficient (Z{sub v}) on sorption capacity is evaluated by the use of a numerical model. (author)

Novel graphene papers with sporadic alkyl brushes on the basal plane as a high-capacity flexible anode for lithium ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Kyung Min; Cho, Sung-Woo; Kim, Gyeong-Ok; Ryu, Kwang-Sun; Jeong, Han Mo

2014-01-01

Graphene paper that exhibits an excellent stabilized capacity, as high as 1300 mAh g −1 at a current rate of 60 mA g −1 , as a lithium ion battery anode is fabricated and evaluated. The few-layer graphene used to make the graphene paper is prepared via the thermal reduction of graphite oxide. The graphene is then modified by a novel method utilizing inherent defects, namely epoxy groups, on the graphene as active sites for a reaction with methanol, 1-butanol, 1-hexanol, and 1-octanol. The density values and X-ray diffraction patterns obtained for the graphene paper demonstrate that the alkyl brushes on the graphene sheets expand the d-spacing and hinder close restacking of the sheets, thereby inducing the formation of extra cavities within the paper. This loose packing due to the alkyl brushes increases sensitively as the alkyl chain length of the alcohol becomes longer. The lithium ion insertion capacity of a graphene paper electrode at the first cycle also increases with the alkyl chain length. However, fading of the capacity at early charge/discharge cycles is accelerated by the modification process because of electrolyte penetration into the gallery and the acceleration of protective solid electrolyte interface film formation due to looser packing. The paper composed of graphene modified with 1-butanol rather than shorter or longer alcohols exhibits the best reversible storage capacity, more than two-fold higher when compared to that of pristine graphene paper, due to a compromise between two conflicting effects on the reversible storage capacity by long alkyl brushes. The tensile properties and electrical conductivity of the graphene papers are also examined

Role of interfaces i nthe design of ultra-high strength, radiation damage tolerant nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Misra, Amit [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Wang, Yongqiang [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Nastasi, Michael A [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Baldwin, Jon K [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Wei, Qiangmin [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Li, Nan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mara, Nathan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Zhang, Xinghang [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Fu, Engang [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Anderoglu, Osman [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Li, Hongqi [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Bhattacharyya, Dhriti [NON LANL

2010-12-09

The combination of high strength and high radiation damage tolerance in nanolaminate composites can be achieved when the individual layers in these composites are only a few nanometers thick and contain special interfaces that act both as obstacles to slip, as well as sinks for radiation-induced defects. The morphological and phase stabilities and strength and ductility of these nano-composites under ion irradiation are explored as a function of layer thickness, temperature and interface structure. Magnetron sputtered metallic multilayers such as Cu-Nb and V-Ag with a range of individual layer thickness from approximately 2 nm to 50 nm and the corresponding 1000 nm thick single layer films were implanted with helium ions at room temperature. Cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was used to measure the distribution of helium bubbles and correlated with the helium concentration profile measured vis ion beam analysis techniques to obtain the helium concentration at which bubbles are detected in TEM. It was found that in multilayers the minimum helium concentration to form bubbles (approximately I nm in size) that are easily resolved in through-focus TEM imaging was several atomic %, orders of magnitude higher than that in single layer metal films. This observation is consistent with an increased solubility of helium at interfaces that is predicted by atomistic modeling of the atomic structures of fcc-bcc interfaces. At helium concentrations as high as 7 at.%, a uniform distribution of I nm diameter bubbles results in negligible irradiation hardening and loss of deformability in multi layers with layer thicknesses of a few nanometers. The control of atomic structures of interfaces to produce high helium solubility at interfaces is crucial in the design of nano-composite materials that are radiation damage tolerant. Reduced radiation damage also leads to a reduction in the irradiation hardening, particularly at layer thickness of approximately 5 run

Microwave assisted saponification (MAS) followed by on-line liquid chromatography (LC)-gas chromatography (GC) for high-throughput and high-sensitivity determination of mineral oil in different cereal-based foodstuffs.

Science.gov (United States)

Moret, Sabrina; Scolaro, Marianna; Barp, Laura; Purcaro, Giorgia; Conte, Lanfranco S

2016-04-01

A high throughput, high-sensitivity procedure, involving simultaneous microwave-assisted extraction (MAS) and unsaponifiable extraction, followed by on-line liquid chromatography (LC)-gas chromatography (GC), has been optimised for rapid and efficient extraction and analytical determination of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in cereal-based products of different composition. MAS has the advantage of eliminating fat before LC-GC analysis, allowing an increase in the amount of sample extract injected, and hence in sensitivity. The proposed method gave practically quantitative recoveries and good repeatability. Among the different cereal-based products analysed (dry semolina and egg pasta, bread, biscuits, and cakes), egg pasta packed in direct contact with recycled paperboard had on average the highest total MOSH level (15.9 mg kg(-1)), followed by cakes (10.4 mg kg(-1)) and bread (7.5 mg kg(-1)). About 50% of the pasta and bread samples and 20% of the biscuits and cake samples had detectable MOAH amounts. The highest concentrations were found in an egg pasta in direct contact with recycled paperboard (3.6 mg kg(-1)) and in a milk bread (3.6 mg kg(-1)). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-capacity, selective solid sequestrants for innovative chemical separation: Inorganic ion exchange approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bray, L.

1995-01-01

The approach of this task is to develop high-capacity, selective solid inorganic ion exchangers for the recovery of cesium and strontium from nuclear alkaline and acid wastes. To achieve this goal, Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL) is collaborating with industry and university participants to develop high capacity, selective, solid ion exchangers for the removal of specific contaminants from nuclear waste streams

Superposed Redox Chemistry of Fused Carbon Rings in Cyclooctatetraene-Based Organic Molecules for High-Voltage and High-Capacity Cathodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiaolin; Qiu, Wujie; Ma, Chao; Zhao, Yingqin; Wang, Kaixue; Zhang, Wenqing; Kang, Litao; Liu, Jianjun

2018-01-24

Even though many organic cathodes have been developed and have made a significant improvement in energy density and reversibility, some organic materials always generate relatively low voltage and limited discharge capacity because their energy storage mechanism is solely based on redox reactions of limited functional groups [N-O, C═X (X = O, N, S)] linking to aromatic rings. Here, a series of cyclooctatetraene-based (C 8 H 8 ) organic molecules were demonstrated to have electrochemical activity of high-capacity and high-voltage from carbon rings by means of first-principles calculations and electronic structure analysis. Fused molecules of C 8 -C 4 -C 8 (C 16 H 12 ) and C 8 -C 4 -C 8 -C 4 -C 8 (C 24 H 16 ) contain, respectively, four and eight electron-deficient carbons, generating high-capacity by their multiple redox reactions. Our sodiation calculations predict that C 16 H 12 and C 24 H 16 exhibit discharge capacities of 525.3 and 357.2 mA h g -1 at the voltage change from 3.5 to 1.0 V and 3.7 to 1.3 V versus Na + /Na, respectively. Electronic structure analysis reveals that the high voltages are attributed to superposed electron stabilization mechanisms, including double-bond reformation and aromatization from carbon rings. High thermodynamic stability of these C 24 H 16 -based systems strongly suggests feasibility of experimental realization. The present work provides evidence that cyclooctatetraene-based organic molecules fused with the C 4 ring are promising in designing high-capacity and high-voltage organic rechargeable cathodes.

High current capacity electrical connector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bettis, E.S.; Watts, H.L.

1976-01-01

An electrical connector is provided for coupling high current capacity electrical conductors such as copper busses or the like. The connector is arranged in a ''sandwiched'' configuration in which a conductor plate contacts the busses along major surfaces clamped between two stainless steel backing plates. The conductor plate is provided with contact buttons in a spaced array such that the caps of the buttons extend above the conductor plate surface to contact the busses. When clamping bolts provided through openings in the sandwiched arrangement are tightened, Belleville springs provided under the rim of each button cap are compressed and resiliently force the caps into contact with the busses' contacting surfaces to maintain a predetermined electrical contact area provided by the button cap tops. The contact area does not change with changing thermal or mechanical stresses applied to the coupled conductors

Determination of Insecticidal Effect (LC50 and LC90) of Organic Fatty Acids Mixture (C8910+Silicone) Against Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Dunford, James C; Falconer, Aneika; Leite, Laura N; Wirtz, Robert A; Brogdon, William G

2016-05-01

Emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases such as chikungunya and dengue and associated Aedes vectors are expanding their historical ranges; thus, there is a need for the development of novel insecticides for use in vector control programs. The mosquito toxicity of a novel insecticide and repellent consisting of medium-chain carbon fatty acids (C8910) was examined. Determination of LC 50 and LC 90 was made against colony-reared Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) using probit analysis on mortality data generated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bottle bioassays. Six different concentrations of C8910 + silicone oil yielded an LC 50 of 160.3 µg a.i/bottle (147.6-182.7) and LC 90 of 282.8 (233.2-394.2) in Ae. aegypti; five concentrations yielded an LC 50 of 125.4 (116.1-137.6) and LC 90 of 192.5 (165.0-278.9) in Ae. albopictus. Further development of C8910 and similar compounds could provide vector control specialists novel insecticides for controlling insect disease vectors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

High-capacity neutron activation analysis facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hochel, R.C.; Bowman, W.W.; Zeh, C.W.

1980-01-01

A high-capacity neutron activation analysis facility, the Reactor Activation Facility, was designed and built and has been in operation for about a year at one of the Savannah River Plant's production reactors. The facility determines uranium and about 19 other elements in hydrogeochemical samples collected in the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program, which is sponsored and funded by the United States Department of Energy, Grand Junction Office. The facility has a demonstrated average analysis rate of over 10,000 samples per month, and a peak rate of over 16,000 samples per month. Uranium is determined by cyclic activation and delayed neutron counting of the U-235 fission products; other elements are determined from gamma-ray spectra recorded in subsequent irradiation, decay, and counting steps. The method relies on the absolute activation technique and is highly automated for round-the-clock unattended operation

Lacticin LC14, a new bacteriocin produced by Lactococcus lactis BMG6.14: isolation, purification and partial characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Lasta, Samar; Ouzari, Hadda; Andreotti, Nicolas; Fajloun, Ziad; Mansuelle, Pascal; Boudabous, Abdellatif; Sampieri, Francois; Sabatier, Jean Marc

2012-08-01

A new bacteriocin, lacticin LC14, produced by Lactococcus lactis BMG6.14, was isolated and characterized. It was purified to homogeneity from overnight broth culture by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sep-Pak chromatography, and two steps of reversed-phase HPLC. Lacticin LC14 showed bactericidal-type antimicrobial activity against several lactic acid bacteria and pathogenic strains including Listeria monocytogenes. It was inactivated by proteinase K and pronase E, but was resistant to papain, lysozyme, lipase and catalase. Lacticin LC14 was heat resistant, stable over a wide range of pH (2-10) and after treatment by solvents and detergents. Its N-terminal end was found unreactive towards Edman sequencing. Based on MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, its molecular mass was 3333.7 Da. LC14 amino acid composition revealed a high proportion of hydrophobic residues, but no modified ones. LC14 may be able to challenge other well known other bacteriocins in probiotic and therapeutic applications.

Effective application of freezing lipid precipitation and SCX-SPE for determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in high lipid foodstuffs by LC-ESI-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Soo Hwan; Kim, Min-Sun; Kim, Sang Hoon; Park, Hyun Mee; Pyo, Heesoo; Lee, Yong Moon; Lee, Kyung-Tae; Hong, Jongki

2015-06-15

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are naturally occurring plant toxins associated with serious hepatic disease in humans and animals. In this study, rapid and sensitive analytical method was developed for the determination of 9 toxic PAs in popularly high lipid foodstuffs by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). PAs in lipid foodstuff were effectively purified by freezing lipid precipitation (FLP) and strong cation exchange (SCX)-solid-phase extraction (SPE). Especially, FLP could easily remove the large amounts of triacylglycerols in the lipid sample extract and effectively combine with SPE cleanup. During the FLP procedure, over 77% of the lipids in the foodstuff extracts were rapidly eliminated without any significant loss of the PAs with over 81% recovery. The elimination efficiency of lipids by FLP was tested with LC-atmospheric chemical ionization (APCI)-MS. For further purification, SCX-SPE cartridge could successfully purify PAs from the remaining interfering substances by the variation pH with 5% NH4OH in methanol. For precise quantification and confirmation of PAs in complicate sample matrices, appropriate transition ions in LC-MS/MS-multiple-ion reaction monitoring (MRM) mode were selected on the basis of MS/MS fragmentation pathways of PAs. The established analytical method was validated in terms of the linearity, limits of detection (LOD), and quantification (LOQ), precision, and accuracy. The method was deemed satisfactory by inter- and intra-day validation and exhibited both high accuracy and precision (relative standard deviation<11.06%). Overall limits of detection and quantitation of PAs were approximately 0.06-0.60ng/mL at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3 and were about 0.20-1.99ng/mL at a S/N of 10 for all foodstuffs. The established method was successfully applied for the monitoring of toxic PAs in several types of high lipid foodstuffs such as soybeans, seed oil, milk, and margarine. Copyright �

Three-dimensional carbon network confined antimony nanoparticle anodes for high-capacity K-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chunhua; Han, Kang; Wang, Xuanpeng; Wang, Chenyang; Li, Qi; Meng, Jiashen; Xu, Xiaoming; He, Qiu; Luo, Wen; Wu, Liming; Mai, Liqiang

2018-04-19

Antimony (Sb) represents a promising anode for K-ion batteries (KIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity and suitable working voltage. However, the large volume change that occurs in the potassiation/depotassiation process can lead to severe capacity fading. Herein, we report a high-capacity anode material by in situ confining Sb nanoparticles in a three-dimensional carbon framework (3D SbNPs@C) via a template-assisted freeze-drying treatment and subsequent carbothermic reduction. The as-prepared 3D SbNPs@C hybrid material delivers high reversible capacity and good cycling stability when used as the anode for KIBs. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry and in situ X-ray diffraction analysis were performed to reveal the intrinsic mechanism of a K-Sb alloying reaction. Therefore, this work is of great importance to understand the electrochemical process of the Sb-based alloying reaction and will pave the way for the exploration of high performance KIB anode materials.

High Capacity Radio over Fiber Transmission Links

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Caballero Jambrina, Antonio

. This achievement has satisfied the requirements on transmission robustness and high capacity of next generation hybrid optical fibre-wireless networks. One important contribution of this thesis is the novel concept of photonic downconversion with free-running pulsed laser source for phase modulated Radio-over-Fiber......This thesis expands the state-of-the-art on the detection of high speed wireless signals using optics. Signal detection at speeds over 1 Gbps at carrier Radio Frequency (RF) ranging from 5 GHz to 100 GHz have been achieved by applying novel concepts on optical digital coherent receivers......-wave frequencies at carrier frequencies exceeding 60 GHz, using photonic baseband technologies. For signal generation, high spectral-efficient optical modulation technologies are used together with optical heterodyning. In the detection side, the mm-wave signal is modulated in the optical domain and received using...

A turbulence model for large interfaces in high Reynolds two-phase CFD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coste, P.; Laviéville, J.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Two-phase CFD commonly involves interfaces much larger than the computational cells. • A two-phase turbulence model is developed to better take them into account. • It solves k–epsilon transport equations in each phase. • The special treatments and transfer terms at large interfaces are described. • Validation cases are presented. - Abstract: A model for two-phase (six-equation) CFD modelling of turbulence is presented, for the regions of the flow where the liquid–gas interface takes place on length scales which are much larger than the typical computational cell size. In the other regions of the flow, the liquid or gas volume fractions range from 0 to 1. Heat and mass transfer, compressibility of the fluids, are included in the system, which is used at high Reynolds numbers in large scale industrial calculations. In this context, a model based on k and ε transport equations in each phase was chosen. The paper describes the model, with a focus on the large interfaces, which require special treatments and transfer terms between the phases, including some approaches inspired from wall functions. The validation of the model is based on high Reynolds number experiments with turbulent quantities measurements of a liquid jet impinging a free surface and an air water stratified flow. A steam–water stratified condensing flow experiment is also used for an indirect validation in the case of heat and mass transfer

File list: Unc.PSC.20.AllAg.EpiLC [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Unc.PSC.20.AllAg.EpiLC mm9 Unclassified Pluripotent stem cell EpiLC SRX1074910,SRX1...074907 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Unc.PSC.20.AllAg.EpiLC.bed ...

File list: Unc.PSC.50.AllAg.EpiLC [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Unc.PSC.50.AllAg.EpiLC mm9 Unclassified Pluripotent stem cell EpiLC SRX1074910,SRX1...074907 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Unc.PSC.50.AllAg.EpiLC.bed ...

File list: Unc.PSC.10.AllAg.EpiLC [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Unc.PSC.10.AllAg.EpiLC mm9 Unclassified Pluripotent stem cell EpiLC SRX1074910,SRX1...074907 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Unc.PSC.10.AllAg.EpiLC.bed ...

File list: Unc.PSC.05.AllAg.EpiLC [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Unc.PSC.05.AllAg.EpiLC mm9 Unclassified Pluripotent stem cell EpiLC SRX1074910,SRX1...074907 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Unc.PSC.05.AllAg.EpiLC.bed ...

Influence of W-phase on mechanical properties and damping capacity of Mg–Zn–Y–Nd–Zr alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Hao, E-mail: haofeng804@gmail.com [College of Science, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, Hebei (China); Yang, Yang [College of Science, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, Hebei (China); Chang, Haixia [College of Law and Politics, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000 (China)

2014-07-15

This work mainly investigated the influence of W-phase on the mechanical properties and damping capacities of as-cast Mg–Zn–Y–Nd–Zr alloys with Zn/RE (rare element) ratio about 1.0. Obtained results indicate that the alloys with Zn and RE addition are composed of α-Mg matrix and W-phase. With the contents of Zn and RE increasing, the diffraction peaks of W-phase are gradually intensified and the morphology of W-phase transforms from fine-network microstructure to coarse-network microstructure. The tensile strength and fracture mechanism are strongly dependent on the quality of W-phase and the alloy with W-phase content of 8.0% has the highest strength as a result of strong atomic bonding between the W-phase and the Mg matrix. The damping capacities of Mg–Zn–Y–Nd–Zr alloys decrease gradually with the increasing amount of W-phase and then maintain at high level at high strain amplitude. The decline of damping capacity can be explained by the forming of W-phase, which makes more phases and interfaces form in the alloys. And the mobile dislocation densities in the alloys increase as residual stress at the interface of W-phase/Mg matrix and long dislocations generate in the α-Mg matrix. Therefore, the damping of alloy with high W-phase content improves accordingly with the increasing amount of moving dislocations.

Methyl and Pentyl Chloride in a Microhydrated Environment and at the Liquid Water-Vapor Interface: A Theoretical Study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pašalič, H.; Roeselová, Martina; Lischka, H.

2011-01-01

Roč. 115, č. 8 (2011), s. 1807-1816 ISSN 1520-6106 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ME09064; GA MŠk LC512; GA ČR(CZ) GAP208/10/1724 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : alkyl halides * air-water interface Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.696, year: 2011

A Guideline to Univariate Statistical Analysis for LC/MS-Based Untargeted Metabolomics-Derived Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Vinaixa

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Several metabolomic software programs provide methods for peak picking, retention time alignment and quantification of metabolite features in LC/MS-based metabolomics. Statistical analysis, however, is needed in order to discover those features significantly altered between samples. By comparing the retention time and MS/MS data of a model compound to that from the altered feature of interest in the research sample, metabolites can be then unequivocally identified. This paper reports on a comprehensive overview of a workflow for statistical analysis to rank relevant metabolite features that will be selected for further MS/MS experiments. We focus on univariate data analysis applied in parallel on all detected features. Characteristics and challenges of this analysis are discussed and illustrated using four different real LC/MS untargeted metabolomic datasets. We demonstrate the influence of considering or violating mathematical assumptions on which univariate statistical test rely, using high-dimensional LC/MS datasets. Issues in data analysis such as determination of sample size, analytical variation, assumption of normality and homocedasticity, or correction for multiple testing are discussed and illustrated in the context of our four untargeted LC/MS working examples.

Auger electron spectroscopy analysis for growth interface of cubic boron nitride single crystals synthesized under high pressure and high temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Meizhe; Xu, Bin; Cai, Lichao; Guo, Xiaofei; Yuan, Xingdong

2018-05-01

After rapid cooling, cubic boron nitride (c-BN) single crystals synthesized under high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) are wrapped in the white film powders which are defined as growth interface. In order to make clear that the transition mechanism of c-BN single crystals, the variation of B and N atomic hybrid states in the growth interface is analyzed with the help of auger electron spectroscopy in the Li-based system. It is found that the sp2 fractions of B and N atoms decreases, and their sp3 fractions increases from the outer to the inner in the growth interface. In addition, Lithium nitride (Li3N) are not found in the growth interface by X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiment. It is suggested that lithium boron nitride (Li3BN2) is produced by the reaction of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and Li3N at the first step, and then B and N atoms transform from sp2 into sp3 state with the catalysis of Li3BN2 in c-BN single crystals synthesis process.

Hollow Carbon Nanofiber-Encapsulated Sulfur Cathodes for High Specific Capacity Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

KAUST Repository

Zheng, Guangyuan; Yang, Yuan; Cha, Judy J.; Hong, Seung Sae; Cui, Yi

2011-01-01

Sulfur has a high specific capacity of 1673 mAh/g as lithium battery cathodes, but its rapid capacity fading due to polysulfides dissolution presents a significant challenge for practical applications. Here we report a hollow carbon nanofiber

Precipitate microstructure evolution in exposed IN738LC superalloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strunz, Pavel, E-mail: strunz@ujf.cas.cz [Nuclear Physics Institute ASCR, CZ-25068 Řež near Prague (Czech Republic); Petrenec, Martin [Institute of Physics of Materials of the AS CR, Brno (Czech Republic); Gasser, Urs [Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, PSI, CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Tobiáš, Jiří; Polák, Jaroslav [Institute of Physics of Materials of the AS CR, Brno (Czech Republic); Šaroun, Jan [Nuclear Physics Institute ASCR, CZ-25068 Řež near Prague (Czech Republic)

2014-03-15

Highlights: • Evolution of γ′-phase morphology in IN738LC Ni-base superalloy was examined by SANS. • In situ tests at high temperatures revealed trimodal precipitate distribution. • Formation, dissolution and (slow) kinetics of small γ′ precipitates was determined. • Equilibrium volume fraction of γ′ phase is significantly higher than 45%. • The small γ′ precipitates arise regardless the application of the mechanical load. -- Abstract: Nickel base superalloy IN738LC has been studied after low-cycle fatigue by Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS). Samples subjected to high-temperature low-cycle fatigue were annealed at various temperatures to change the size and the distribution of precipitates. Ex and in situ SANS and TEM studies were performed. It was found that additional precipitates are formed either during slow cooling from high temperatures or after reheating above 570 °C. Their size and distribution were evaluated. The precipitates arise regardless the application of the mechanical load. Nevertheless, these small precipitates influence low-cycle fatigue resistance. From the SANS data, it can be also deduced that the equilibrium volume fraction of γ′-precipitates at temperatures from room temperature to 825 °C is significantly higher than 45%. The kinetics of formation of small and medium-size γ′ precipitates at 700 and 800 °C was determined as well.

Expression and Clinical Significance of the Autophagy Proteins BECLIN 1 and LC3 in Ovarian Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido Valente

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Autophagy is dysregulated in cancer and might be involved in ovarian carcinogenesis. BECLIN-1, a protein that interacts with either BCL-2 or PI3k class III, plays a critical role in the regulation of both autophagy and cell death. Induction of autophagy is associated with the presence of vacuoles characteristically labelled with the protein LC3. We have studied the biological and clinical significance of BECLIN 1 and LC3 in ovary tumours of different histological types. The positive expression of BECLIN 1 was well correlated with the presence of LC3-positive autophagic vacuoles and was inversely correlated with the expression of BCL-2. The latter inhibits the autophagy function of BECLIN 1. We found that type I tumours, which are less aggressive than type II, were more frequently expressing high level of BECLIN 1. Of note, tumours of histologic grade III expressed low level of BECLIN 1. Consistently, high level of expression of BECLIN 1 and LC3 in tumours is well correlated with the overall survival of the patients. The present data are compatible with the hypotheses that a low level of autophagy favours cancer progression and that ovary cancer with upregulated autophagy has a less aggressive behaviour and is more responsive to chemotherapy.

Estimation of interface resistivity in bonded Si for the development of high performance radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanno, Ikuo; Yamashita, Makoto; Nomiya, Seiichiro; Onabe, Hideaki

2007-01-01

For the development of high performance radiation detectors, direct bonding of Si wafers would be an useful method. Previously, p-n bonded Si were fabricated and they showed diode characteristics. The interface resistivity was, however, not investigated in detail. For the study of interface resistivity, n-type Si wafers with different resistivities were bonded. The resistivity of bonded Si wafers were measured and the interface resistivity was estimated by comparing with the results of model calculations. (author)

Use of nitrogen to remove solvent from through oven transfer adsorption desorption interface during analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by large volume injection in gas chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Áragón, Alvaro; Toledano, Rosa M; Cortés, José M; Vázquez, Ana M; Villén, Jesús

2014-04-25

The through oven transfer adsorption desorption (TOTAD) interface allows large volume injection (LVI) in gas chromatography and the on-line coupling of liquid chromatography and gas chromatography (LC-GC), enabling the LC step to be carried out in normal as well as in reversed phase. However, large amounts of helium, which is both expensive and scarce, are necessary for solvent elimination. We describe how slight modification of the interface and the operating mode allows nitrogen to be used during the solvent elimination steps. In order to evaluate the performance of the new system, volumes ranging from 20 to 100μL of methanolic solutions of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were sampled. No significant differences were found in the repeatability and sensitivity of the analyses of standard PAH solutions when using nitrogen or helium. The performance using the proposed modification was similar and equally satisfactory when using nitrogen or helium for solvent elimination in the TOTAD interface. In conclusion, the use of nitrogen will make analyses less expensive. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High strength bimetallic composite material fabricated by electroslag casting and characteristics of its composite interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian-shun Dong

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Bimetallic composite material of bainitic steel and PD3 steel was produced with electroslag casting process, and element distribution of its composite interface was investigated by theoretical calculation and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS. Results show that the tensile strength (1,450 MPa, hardness (HRC 41-47 and impact toughness (94.7J·cm-2 of bainitic steel were comparatively high, while its elongation was slightly low (4.0%. Tensile strength (1,100 MPa, hardness (>HRC 31 and elongation (7.72% of the interface were also relatively high, but its impact toughness was low at 20.4 J·cm-2. Results of theoretical calculation of the element distribution in the interface region were basically consistent with that of EDS. Therefore, electroslag casting is a practical process to produce bimetallic composite material of bainitic steel and PD3 steel, and theoretical calculation also is a feasible method to study element distribution of their interface.

A Sensitive in Vitro High-Throughput Screen To Identify Pan-filoviral Replication Inhibitors Targeting the VP35–NP Interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Gai; Nash, Peter J.; Johnson, Britney; Pietzsch, Colette; Ilagan, Ma. Xenia G.; Bukreyev, Alexander; Basler, Christopher F.; Bowlin, Terry L.; Moir, Donald T.; Leung, Daisy W.; Amarasinghe, Gaya K. (WU-MED); (GSU); (Texas-MED); (Microbiotix)

2017-01-24

The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the largest outbreak on record, highlighted the need for novel approaches to therapeutics targeting Ebola virus (EBOV). Within the EBOV replication complex, the interaction between polymerase cofactor, viral protein 35 (VP35), and nucleoprotein (NP) is critical for viral RNA synthesis. We recently identified a peptide at the N-terminus of VP35 (termed NPBP) that is sufficient for interaction with NP and suppresses EBOV replication, suggesting that the NPBP binding pocket can serve as a potential drug target. Here we describe the development and validation of a sensitive high-throughput screen (HTS) using a fluorescence polarization assay. Initial hits from this HTS include the FDA-approved compound tolcapone, whose potency against EBOV infection was validated in a nonfluorescent secondary assay. High conservation of the NP–VP35 interface among filoviruses suggests that this assay has the capacity to identify pan-filoviral inhibitors for development as antivirals.

利用SPSS软件计算杀虫剂的LC50%Calculatiang the LC50 of insecticides with software SPSS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

贾春生

2006-01-01

利用实例和SPSS 130软件上的Probit过程,介绍如何进行LC50计算,并对主要输出结果进行了解释.并通过与其它软件比较,表明应用SPSS软件进行LC50等计算简便、快速、准确.

Improvements on high voltage capacity and high temperature performances of Si-based Schottky potential barrier diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yongshun; Rui Li; Adnan Ghaffar; Wang Zaixing; Liu Chunjuan

2015-01-01

In order to improve the reverse voltage capacity and low junction temperature characteristics of the traditional silicon-based Schottky diode, a Schottky diode with high reverse voltage capacity and high junction temperature was fabricated using ion implantation, NiPt60 sputtering, silicide-forming and other major technologies on an N-type silicon epitaxial layer of 10.6–11.4 μm and (2.2–2.4) × 10 15 cm −3 doping concentration. The measurement results show that the junction temperature of the Schottky diode fabricated can reach 175 °C, that is 50 °C higher than that of the traditional one; the reverse voltage capacity V R can reach 112 V, that is 80 V higher than that of the traditional one; the leakage current is only 2 μA and the forward conduction voltage drop is V F = 0.71 V at forward current I F = 3 A. (semiconductor devices)

A high-throughput urinalysis of abused drugs based on a SPE-LC-MS/MS method coupled with an in-house developed post-analysis data treatment system.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Wing-Chi; Yau, Tsan-Sang; Wong, Ming-Kei; Chan, Lai-Ping; Mok, Vincent King-Kuen

2006-10-16

A rapid urinalysis system based on SPE-LC-MS/MS with an in-house post-analysis data management system has been developed for the simultaneous identification and semi-quantitation of opiates (morphine, codeine), methadone, amphetamines (amphetamine, methylamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)), 11-benzodiazepines or their metabolites and ketamine. The urine samples are subjected to automated solid phase extraction prior to analysis by LC-MS (Finnigan Surveyor LC connected to a Finnigan LCQ Advantage) fitted with an Alltech Rocket Platinum EPS C-18 column. With a single point calibration at the cut-off concentration for each analyte, simultaneous identification and semi-quantitation for the above mentioned drugs can be achieved in a 10 min run per urine sample. A computer macro-program package was developed to automatically retrieve appropriate data from the analytical data files, compare results with preset values (such as cut-off concentrations, MS matching scores) of each drug being analyzed and generate user-defined Excel reports to indicate all positive and negative results in batch-wise manner for ease of checking. The final analytical results are automatically copied into an Access database for report generation purposes. Through the use of automation in sample preparation, simultaneous identification and semi-quantitation by LC-MS/MS and a tailored made post-analysis data management system, this new urinalysis system significantly improves the quality of results, reduces the post-data treatment time, error due to data transfer and is suitable for high-throughput laboratory in batch-wise operation.

Implementation of a structural dependent model for the superalloy IN738LC in ABAQUS-code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolters, J.; Betten, J.; Penkalla, H.J.

1994-05-01

Superalloys, mainly consisting of nickel, are used for applications in aerospace as well as in stationary gas turbines. In the temperature range above 800 C the blades, which are manufactured of these superalloys, are subjected to high centrifugal forces and thermal induced loads. For computer based analysis of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of the blades models for the stress-strain behaviour are necessary. These models have to give a reliable description of the stress-strain behaviour, with emphasis on inelastic affects. The implementation of the model in finite element codes requires a numerical treatment of the constitutive equations with respect to the given interface of the used code. In this paper constitutive equations for the superalloy IN738LC are presented and the implementation in the finite element code ABAQUS with the numerical preparation of the model is described. In order to validate the model calculations were performed for simple uniaxial loading conditions as well as for a complete cross section of a turbine blade under combined thermal and mechanical loading. The achieved results were compared with those of additional calculations by using ABAQUS, including Norton's law, which was already implemented in this code. (orig.) [de

Mechanisms of Degradation and Strategies for the Stabilization of Cathode-Electrolyte Interfaces in Li-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabana, Jordi; Kwon, Bob Jin; Hu, Linhua

2018-02-20

Undesired reactions at the interface between a transition metal oxide cathode and a nonaqueous electrolyte bring about challenges to the performance of Li-ion batteries in the form of compromised durability. These challenges are especially severe in extreme conditions, such as above room temperature or at high potentials. The ongoing push to increase the energy density of Li-ion batteries to break through the existing barriers of application in electric vehicles creates a compelling need to address these inefficiencies. This goal requires a combination of deep knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning reactivity, and the ability to assemble multifunctional electrode systems where different components synergistically extend cycle life by imparting interfacial stability, while maintaining, or even increasing, capacity and potential of operation. The barriers toward energy storage at high density apply equally in Li-ion, the leading technology in the battery market, and in related, emerging concepts for high energy density, such as Na-ion and Mg-ion, because they also conceptually rely on electroactive transition metal oxides. Therefore, their relevance is broad and the quest for solutions inevitable. In this Account, we describe mechanisms of reaction that can degrade the interface between a Li-ion battery electrolyte and the cathode, based on an oxide with transition metals that can reach high formal oxidation states. The focus is placed on cathodes that deliver high capacity and operate at high potential because their development would enable Li-ion battery technologies with high capacity for energy storage. Electrode-electrolyte instabilities will be identified beyond the intrinsic potential windows of stability, by linking them to the electroactive transition metals present at the surface of the electrode. These instabilities result in irreversible transformations at these interfaces, with formation of insulating layers that impede transport or material loss due

An improved method for fast and selective separation of carotenoids by LC-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Abate-Pella, Daniel; Freund, Dana M; Slovin, Janet P; Hegeman, Adrian D; Cohen, Jerry D

2017-11-01

Carotenoids are a large class of compounds that are biosynthesized by condensation of isoprene units in plants, fungi, bacteria, and some animals. They are characteristically highly conjugated through double bonds, which lead to many isomers as well susceptibility to oxidation and other chemical modifications. Carotenoids are important because of their potent antioxidant activity and are the pigments responsible for color in a wide variety of foods. Human consumption is correlated to many health benefits including prevention of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and age-related disease. Extreme hydrophobicity, poor stability, and low concentration in biological samples make these compounds difficult to analyze and difficult to develop analytical methods for aimed towards identification and quantification. Examples in the literature frequently report the use of exotic stationary phases, solvents, and additives, such as ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, and methyl tert-butyl ether that are incompatible with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In order to address these issues, we implemented the use of LC-MS friendly conditions using a low-hydrophobicity cyano-propyl column (Agilent Zorbax SB-CN). We successfully differentiated between isomeric carotenoids by optimizing two gradient methods and using a mixture of 11 standards and LC-MS in positive ionization mode. Three complex biological samples from strawberry leaf, chicken feed supplement, and the photosynthetic bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus were analyzed and several carotenoids were resolved in these diverse backgrounds. Our results show this methodology is a significant improvement over other alternatives for analyzing carotenoids because of its ease of use, rapid analysis time, high selectivity, and, most importantly, its compatibility with typical LC-MS conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

LC-MS/MS signal suppression effects in the analysis of pesticides in complex environmental matrices.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, B K; Hercules, D M; Gusev, A I

2001-02-01

The application of LC separation and mobile phase additives in addressing LC-MS/MS matrix signal suppression effects for the analysis of pesticides in a complex environmental matrix was investigated. It was shown that signal suppression is most significant for analytes eluting early in the LC-MS analysis. Introduction of different buffers (e.g. ammonium formate, ammonium hydroxide, formic acid) into the LC mobile phase was effective in improving signal correlation between the matrix and standard samples. The signal improvement is dependent on buffer concentration as well as LC separation of the matrix components. The application of LC separation alone was not effective in addressing suppression effects when characterizing complex matrix samples. Overloading of the LC column by matrix components was found to significantly contribute to analyte-matrix co-elution and suppression of signal. This signal suppression effect can be efficiently compensated by 2D LC (LC-LC) separation techniques. The effectiveness of buffers and LC separation in improving signal correlation between standard and matrix samples is discussed.

Reduction of Solvent Effect in Reverse Phase Gradient Elution LC-ICP-MS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, Patrick Allen [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2005-12-17

%-35% (simulated) and 8%-32% (actual). Quadrupole (low resolution) and sector field (high resolution) ICP-MS instrumentation were utilized in these studies. Once an AIS pair is determined, quantification studies can be performed. First, an analysis is performed by adding both elements of the AIS pair post-column while performing the gradient elution without sample injection. A comparison of the ratio of the measured intensities to the atomic ratio of the two standards is used to determine a correction factor that can be used to account for the matrix effects caused by the mobile phase. Then, organic and/or biological molecules containing one of the two elements in the AIS pair are injected into the LC column. A gradient method is used to vary the methanol-water mixture in the mobile phase and to separate out the compounds in a given sample. A standard solution of the second ion in the AIS pair is added continuously post-column. By comparing the ratio of the measured intensities to the atomic ratio of the eluting compound and internal standard, the concentration of the injected compound can be determined.

Hollow Carbon Nanofiber-Encapsulated Sulfur Cathodes for High Specific Capacity Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

KAUST Repository

Zheng, Guangyuan

2011-10-12

Sulfur has a high specific capacity of 1673 mAh/g as lithium battery cathodes, but its rapid capacity fading due to polysulfides dissolution presents a significant challenge for practical applications. Here we report a hollow carbon nanofiber-encapsulated sulfur cathode for effective trapping of polysulfides and demonstrate experimentally high specific capacity and excellent electrochemical cycling of the cells. The hollow carbon nanofiber arrays were fabricated using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates, through thermal carbonization of polystyrene. The AAO template also facilitates sulfur infusion into the hollow fibers and prevents sulfur from coating onto the exterior carbon wall. The high aspect ratio of the carbon nanofibers provides an ideal structure for trapping polysulfides, and the thin carbon wall allows rapid transport of lithium ions. The small dimension of these nanofibers provides a large surface area per unit mass for Li2S deposition during cycling and reduces pulverization of electrode materials due to volumetric expansion. A high specific capacity of about 730 mAh/g was observed at C/5 rate after 150 cycles of charge/discharge. The introduction of LiNO3 additive to the electrolyte was shown to improve the Coulombic efficiency to over 99% at C/5. The results show that the hollow carbon nanofiber-encapsulated sulfur structure could be a promising cathode design for rechargeable Li/S batteries with high specific energy. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Interface States in AlGaN/GaN Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor High Electron Mobility Transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Qian; Du Kai; Li Yu-Kun; Shi Peng; Feng Qing

2013-01-01

Frequency-dependent capacitance and conductance measurements are performed on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and NbAlO/AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor HEMTs (MISHEMTs) to extract density and time constants of the trap states at NbAlO/AlGaN interface and gate/AlGaN interface with the gate-voltage biased into the accumulation region and that at the AlGaN/GaN interface with the gate-voltage biased into the depletion region in different circuit models. The measurement results indicate that the trap density at NbAlO/AlGaN interface is about one order lower than that at gate/AlGaN interface while the trap density at AlGaN/GaN interface is in the same order, so the NbAlO film can passivate the AlGaN surface effectively, which is consistent with the current collapse results

Development of high-capacity antimatter storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howe, Steven D.; Smith, Gerald A.

2000-01-01

Space is vast. Over the next few decades, humanity will strive to send probes farther and farther into space to establish long baselines for interferometry, to visit the Kuiper Belt, to identify the heliopause, or to map the Oort cloud. In order to solve many of the mysteries of the universe or to explore the solar system and beyond, one single technology must be developed--high performance propulsion. In essence, future missions to deep space will require specific impulses between 50,000 and 200,000 seconds and energy densities greater than 10 14 j/kg in order to accomplish the mission within the career lifetime of an individual, 40 years. Only two technologies available to mankind offer such performance--fusion and antimatter. Currently envisioned fusion systems are too massive. Alternatively, because of the high energy density, antimatter powered systems may be relatively compact. The single key technology that is required to enable the revolutionary concept of antimatter propulsion is safe, reliable, high-density storage. Under a grant from the NASA Institute of Advanced Concepts, we have identified two potential mechanisms that may enable high capacity antimatter storage systems to be built. We will describe planned experiments to verify the concepts. Development of a system capable of storing megajoules per gram will allow highly instrumented platforms to make fast missions to great distances. Such a development will open the universe to humanity

Catastrophic degradation of the interface of epitaxial silicon carbide on silicon at high temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pradeepkumar, Aiswarya; Mishra, Neeraj; Kermany, Atieh Ranjbar; Iacopi, Francesca [Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre and Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan QLD 4111 (Australia); Boeckl, John J. [Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433 (United States); Hellerstedt, Jack; Fuhrer, Michael S. [Monash Centre for Atomically Thin Materials, Monash University, Monash, VIC 3800 (Australia)

2016-07-04

Epitaxial cubic silicon carbide on silicon is of high potential technological relevance for the integration of a wide range of applications and materials with silicon technologies, such as micro electro mechanical systems, wide-bandgap electronics, and graphene. The hetero-epitaxial system engenders mechanical stresses at least up to a GPa, pressures making it extremely challenging to maintain the integrity of the silicon carbide/silicon interface. In this work, we investigate the stability of said interface and we find that high temperature annealing leads to a loss of integrity. High–resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis shows a morphologically degraded SiC/Si interface, while mechanical stress measurements indicate considerable relaxation of the interfacial stress. From an electrical point of view, the diode behaviour of the initial p-Si/n-SiC junction is catastrophically lost due to considerable inter-diffusion of atoms and charges across the interface upon annealing. Temperature dependent transport measurements confirm a severe electrical shorting of the epitaxial silicon carbide to the underlying substrate, indicating vast predominance of the silicon carriers in lateral transport above 25 K. This finding has crucial consequences on the integration of epitaxial silicon carbide on silicon and its potential applications.

The Decline of Soil Infiltration Capacity Due To High Elevation Groundwater

OpenAIRE

Isri Ronald Mangangka

2008-01-01

Infiltration capacity of soil mainly depends on two factors; the particle size and the moisture content of the soil. Groundwater increases the soil moisture, not only below the water table but also within the capillary zone, above the water table. Field experiment in a high groundwater area was conducted to understand the relationship among the groundwater, soil moisture and infiltration capacity. Using a single ring infiltrometer, the effect of groundwater in the infiltration rate was observ...

Beyond the magic number four: Remapping high-capacity, pre-attentive, fragile working memory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zerr, P.; Gayet, S.; Mulder, K.T.; Sligte, I.G.; Stigchel, S. van der

2017-01-01

Visual short term memory allows us to access visual information after termination of its retinal input. Generally, a distinction is made between a robust, capacity-limited form (working memory, WM) and high-capacity, pre-attentive, maskable forms (sensory memory, e.g. fragile memory, FM). Eye

High-Capacity Spacesuit Evaporator Absorber Radiator (SEAR)

Science.gov (United States)

Izenson, Michael G.; Chen, Weibo; Phillips, Scott; Chepko, Ariane; Bue, Grant; Quinn, Gregory

2015-01-01

Future human space exploration missions will require advanced life support technology that can operate across a wide range of applications and environments. Thermal control systems for space suits and spacecraft will need to meet critical requirements for water conservation and multifunctional operation. This paper describes a Space Evaporator Absorber Radiator (SEAR) that has been designed to meet performance requirements for future life support systems. A SEAR system comprises a lithium chloride absorber radiator (LCAR) for heat rejection coupled with a space water membrane evaporator (SWME) for heat acquisition. SEAR systems provide heat pumping to minimize radiator size, thermal storage to accommodate variable environmental conditions, and water absorption to minimize use of expendables. We have built and tested a flight-like, high-capacity LCAR, demonstrated its performance in thermal vacuum tests, and explored the feasibility of an ISS demonstration test of a SEAR system. The new LCAR design provides the same cooling capability as prior LCAR prototypes while enabling over 30% more heat absorbing capacity. Studies show that it should be feasible to demonstrate SEAR operation in flight by coupling with an existing EMU on the space station.

Preparation and characterization of magnetic polymer nanospheres with high protein binding capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xianqiao; Guan Yueping; Liu Huizhou; Ma Zhiya; Yang Yu; Wu Xiaobing

2005-01-01

A novel magnetic support with high protein binding capacity was prepared by mini-emulsion polymerization. The magnetic poly(methacrylate-divinylbenzene) nanospheres prepared are 390 nm in diameter with narrow size distribution and star-like external morphology which leads to a large increase in specific surface area. Experimental results indicate that the maximum protein binding capacity is 316 mg bovine hemoglobin (BHb)/g support

Keefektifan Model Pembelajaran LC 5E Dan TSTS Berbantuan LKPD Terhadap Hasil Belajar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ririn Asmawati

2014-06-01

Full Text Available AbstrakTujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui apakah hasil belajar pada pembelajaran Learning Cycle 5E (LC 5E dan kooperatif Two Stay Two Stray (TSTS berbantuan LKPD dapat mencapai KKM yang ditetapkan sekolah; untuk mengetahui apakah rata-rata hasil belajar pada pembelajaran LC 5E dan TSTS berbantuan LKPD lebih tinggi daripada pem-belajaran ekspositori, serta apakah rata-rata hasil belajar pada pembelajaran LC 5E berban-tuan LKPD lebih baik daripada pembelajaran TSTS berbantuan LKPD. Data penelitian diperoleh dengan metode tes dan observasi. Analisis data hasil belajar meliputi uji nor-malitas, uji homogenitas, uji perbedaan rata-rata, uji scheffe, dan uji proporsi. Hasil pene-litian menunjukkan bahwa hasil belajar pada pembelajaran LC 5E berbantuan LKPD telah mencapai KKM, sedangkan hasil belajar pada pembelajaran TSTS berbantuan LKPD dan pembelajaran ekspositori belum mencapai KKM. Selain itu, rata-rata hasil belajar pada pembelajaran LC 5E dan TSTS berbantuan LKPD lebih tinggi daripada pembelajaran eks-positori, sedangkan rata-rata hasil belajar pada pembelajaran LC 5E berbantuan LKPD le-bih baik daripada pembelajaran TSTS berbantuan LKPD. Kata kunci:       hasil belajar; LC 5E; TSTS  AbstractThe purposes of this research are to find out whether the learning outcomes in the Learning Cycle 5E (LC 5E and the cooperative Two Stay Two Stray (TSTS assisted LKPD may attain the KKM settled by the school; to find out whether the average of the learning outcome in the LC 5E and TSTS assisted LKPD is higher than the expository learning, and whether the average of the learning outcome in the LC 5E assisted LKPD is better than TSTS assisted LKPD. The data of the research were obtained by testing and observation methods. The data analysis of learning outcomes included normality test, homogeneity test, mean difference test, Scheffe test, and proportions test. The research outcome indicated that the learning outcome in the implementation of

The sensory components of high-capacity iconic memory and visual working memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, Claire; Pearson, Joel

2012-01-01

EARLY VISUAL MEMORY CAN BE SPLIT INTO TWO PRIMARY COMPONENTS: a high-capacity, short-lived iconic memory followed by a limited-capacity visual working memory that can last many seconds. Whereas a large number of studies have investigated visual working memory for low-level sensory features, much research on iconic memory has used more "high-level" alphanumeric stimuli such as letters or numbers. These two forms of memory are typically examined separately, despite an intrinsic overlap in their characteristics. Here, we used a purely sensory paradigm to examine visual short-term memory for 10 homogeneous items of three different visual features (color, orientation and motion) across a range of durations from 0 to 6 s. We found that the amount of information stored in iconic memory is smaller for motion than for color or orientation. Performance declined exponentially with longer storage durations and reached chance levels after ∼2 s. Further experiments showed that performance for the 10 items at 1 s was contingent on unperturbed attentional resources. In addition, for orientation stimuli, performance was contingent on the location of stimuli in the visual field, especially for short cue delays. Overall, our results suggest a smooth transition between an automatic, high-capacity, feature-specific sensory-iconic memory, and an effortful "lower-capacity" visual working memory.

What Is in Your Wallet? Quantitation of Drugs of Abuse on Paper Currency with a Rapid LC-MS/MS Method

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Patrick D.; Beers, Brandon; Vergne, Matthew J.

2017-01-01

Laboratory experiments were developed to introduce students to the quantitation of drugs of abuse by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Undergraduate students were introduced to internal standard quantitation and the LC-MS/MS method optimization for cocaine. Cocaine extracted from paper currency was…

The NASA CSTI High Capacity Power Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, J.; Dudenhoefer, J.; Juhasz, A.; Schwarze, G.; Patterson, R.; Ferguson, D.; Schmitz, P.; Vandersande, J.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the elements of NASA's CSTI High Capacity Power Project which include Systems Analysis, Stirling Power Conversion, Thermoelectric Power Conversion, Thermal Management, Power Management, Systems Diagnostics, Environmental Interactions, and Material/Structural Development. Technology advancement in all elements is required to provide the growth capability, high reliability and 7 to 10 year lifetime demanded for future space nuclear power systems. The overall project will develop and demonstrate the technology base required to provide a wide range of modular power systems compatible with the SP-100 reactor which facilitates operation during lunar and planetary day/night cycles as well as allowing spacecraft operation at any attitude or distance from the sun. Significant accomplishments in all of the project elements will be presented, along with revised goals and project timeliness recently developed

Curtailment in a Highly Renewable Power System and Its Effect on Capacity Factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Kies

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The capacity factor of a power plant is the ratio of generation over its potential generation. It is an important measure to describe wind and solar resources. However, the fluctuating nature of renewable power generation makes it difficult to integrate all generation at times. Whenever generation exceeds the load, curtailment or storage of energy is required. With increasing renewable shares in the power system, the level of curtailment will further increase. In this work, the influence of the curtailment on the capacity factors for a highly renewable German power system is studied. An effective capacity factor is introduced, and the implications for the distribution of renewable power plants are discussed. Three years of highly-resolved weather data were used to model wind and solar power generation. Together with historical load data and a transmission model, a possible future German power system was simulated. It is shown that effective capacity factors for unlimited transmission are strongly reduced by up to 60% (wind and 70% (photovoltaics and therefore of limited value in a highly renewable power system. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that wind power benefits more strongly from a reinforced transmission grid than photovoltaics (PV does.

Top-down approach for the direct characterization of low molecular weight heparins using LC-FT-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lingyun; Zhang, Fuming; Zaia, Joseph; Linhardt, Robert J

2012-10-16

Low molecular heparins (LMWHs) are structurally complex, heterogeneous, polydisperse, and highly negatively charged mixtures of polysaccharides. The direct characterization of LMWH is a major challenge for currently available analytical technologies. Electrospray ionization (ESI) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a powerful tool for the characterization complex biological samples in the fields of proteomics, metabolomics, and glycomics. LC-MS has been applied to the analysis of heparin oligosaccharides, separated by size exclusion, reversed phase ion-pairing chromatography, and chip-based amide hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). However, there have been limited applications of ESI-LC-MS for the direct characterization of intact LMWHs (top-down analysis) due to their structural complexity, low ionization efficiency, and sulfate loss. Here we present a simple and reliable HILIC-Fourier transform (FT)-ESI-MS platform to characterize and compare two currently marketed LMWH products using the top-down approach requiring no special sample preparation steps. This HILIC system relies on cross-linked diol rather than amide chemistry, affording highly resolved chromatographic separations using a relatively high percentage of acetonitrile in the mobile phase, resulting in stable and high efficiency ionization. Bioinformatics software (GlycReSoft 1.0) was used to automatically assign structures within 5-ppm mass accuracy.

LC-MS data processing with MAVEN: a metabolomic analysis and visualization engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Clasquin, Michelle F; Melamud, Eugene; Rabinowitz, Joshua D

2012-03-01

MAVEN is an open-source software program for interactive processing of LC-MS-based metabolomics data. MAVEN enables rapid and reliable metabolite quantitation from multiple reaction monitoring data or high-resolution full-scan mass spectrometry data. It automatically detects and reports peak intensities for isotope-labeled metabolites. Menu-driven, click-based navigation allows visualization of raw and analyzed data. Here we provide a User Guide for MAVEN. Step-by-step instructions are provided for data import, peak alignment across samples, identification of metabolites that differ strongly between biological conditions, quantitation and visualization of isotope-labeling patterns, and export of tables of metabolite-specific peak intensities. Together, these instructions describe a workflow that allows efficient processing of raw LC-MS data into a form ready for biological analysis.

Trans Ova Genetics, L.C.

Science.gov (United States)

The EPA is providing notice of a proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment against Trans Ova Genetics, L.C., a business located at 2938 380th Street Sioux Center, IA 51250, for alleged violations at the Trans Ova Genetics, L.C.’s facility located in 12425

Multiple testing issues in discriminating compound-related peaks and chromatograms from high frequency noise, spikes and solvent-based noise in LC-MS data sets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nyangoma, Stephen O.; van Kampen, Antoine A. H. C.; Reijmers, Theo H.; Govorukhina, Natalia I.; van der Zee, Ate G. J.; Billingham, Lucinda J.; Bischoff, Rainer; Jansen, Ritsert C.

2007-01-01

Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) is a powerful method for sensitive detection and quantification of proteins and peptides in complex biological fluids like serum. LC-MS produces complex data sets, consisting of some hundreds of millions of data points per sample at a resolution of

Expressions and clinical significance of autophagy-related markers Beclin1, LC3, and EGFR in human cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hu YF

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Yun-Feng Hu,1 Xia Lei,2 Hong-Yi Zhang,3 Jun-wei Ma,1 Wei-wei Yang,1 Min-lin Chen,1 Jie Cui,1,4 Hong Zhao1 1Department of Oncology, 2Department of Gynecology, 3Department of Urology, Yan’an University Affiliated Hospital, Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China Purpose: We aimed to investigate the expression of EGFR and the autophagy-related markers Beclin1 and LC3 in cervical cancer.Methods: Beclin1, LC3, and EGFR expression were analyzed in 80 samples of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, 40 samples of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN, and 40 samples of normal cervical tissues by immunohistochemistry. The protein expression rates were analyzed with χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests. Differences in overall survival (OS were determined using the Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank tests.Results: Cervical cancer, high-grade CIN, and normal cervical epithelial cells expressed Beclin1 in 26.2%, 77.5%, and 82.5% of patients, respectively, and expressed LC3 in 28.8%, 70.0%, and 75.0% of patients, respectively. There was a significant difference between cervical SCC and high-grade CIN or normal cervical epithelial cells (P=0.000. Cervical cancer cells, high-grade CIN cells, and normal cervical epithelial cells expressed EGFR in 68.8%, 62.5%, and 12.5% of patients, respectively. There was a significant difference between cervical SCC or high-grade CIN and normal cervical epithelial cells (P=0.000. No significant association between Beclin1 or LC3 or EGFR expression and various clinicopathological parameters was observed in cervical SCC. There was no significant correlation between Beclin1, LC3, EGFR expression, and 5-year OS rates of cervical SCC patients. Beclin1- or LC3-negativity with EGFR-positivity in cervical SCC was associated with a higher Federation International of

High resolution microstructure characterization of the interface between cold sprayed Al coating and Mg alloy substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qiang; Qiu, Dong; Xiong, Yuming; Birbilis, Nick; Zhang, Ming-Xing

2014-01-01

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) has validated the intimate metallurgical (atomic) bond formed along the interface of a cold-sprayed Al coating upon an Mg-alloy (AZ91) substrate. The compressive impact led to the formation of nanostructured layers of about 300–500 nm into the substrate. A highly distorted lattice structure with the inclusion of small amorphous zones was observed at the periphery of the particle/substrate interface, as a result of adiabatic shear plastic deformation at a high strain rate.

International workshop on the 'Physics of interfaces by synchrotron radiation and other high energy probes'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krummacher, S.; Gudat, W.

1986-05-01

The present 'book of abstracts' consists of the abstracts of 23 lectures, held at the international workshop on the 'Physics of interfaces by synchrotron radiation and other high energy probes', April 1986, Bad Honnef, FRG. The subjects are: The use of photoemission in the study of interfaces and adsorbates, EEL spectroscopy applications, spin polarization, photoionization processes and EXAFS. (BHO)

High speed capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry via an electrokinetically pumped sheath flow interface for rapid analysis of amino acids and a protein digest.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiavone, Nicole M; Sarver, Scott A; Sun, Liangliang; Wojcik, Roza; Dovichi, Norman J

2015-06-01

While capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been used to produce very rapid and efficient separations, coupling these high-speed separations with mass spectrometry (MS) has been challenging. Now, with much faster and sensitive mass spectrometers, it is possible to take full advantage of the CZE speed and reconstruct the fast migrating peaks. Here are three high-speed CZE-MS analyses via an electrokinetically pumped sheath-flow interface. The first separation demonstrates CZE-ESI-MS of an amino acid mixture with a 2-min separation, >50,000 theoretical plates, low micromolar concentration detection limits, and subfemtomole mass detection limits (LTQ XL mass spectrometer). The second separation with our recently improved third-generation CE-MS interface illustrates a 20 amino acid separation in ∼7min with an average over 200,000 plate counts, and results in almost-baseline resolution of structural isomers, leucine and isoleucine. The third separation is of a BSA digest with a reproducible CZE separation and mass spectrometry detection in 2min. CZE-MS/MS analysis of the BSA digest identified 31 peptides, produced 52% sequence coverage, and generated a peak capacity of ∼40 across the 1-min separation window (Q-Exactive mass spectrometer). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon−Silicon Core−Shell Nanowires as High Capacity Electrode for Lithium Ion Batteries

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng

2009-09-09

We introduce a novel design of carbon-silicon core-shell nanowires for high power and long life lithium battery electrodes. Amorphous silicon was coated onto carbon nanofibers to form a core-shell structure and the resulted core-shell nanowires showed great performance as anode material. Since carbon has a much smaller capacity compared to silicon, the carbon core experiences less structural stress or damage during lithium cycling and can function as a mechanical support and an efficient electron conducting pathway. These nanowires have a high charge storage capacity of ∼2000 mAh/g and good cycling life. They also have a high Coulmbic efficiency of 90% for the first cycle and 98-99.6% for the following cycles. A full cell composed of LiCoO2 cathode and carbon-silicon core-shell nanowire anode is also demonstrated. Significantly, using these core-shell nanowires we have obtained high mass loading and an area capacity of ∼4 mAh/cm2, which is comparable to commercial battery values. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Relationship between plasma and salivary melatonin and cortisol investigated by LC-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

van Faassen, Martijn; Bischoff, Rainer; Kema, Ido P

2017-08-28

Disturbance of the circadian rhythm has been associated with disease states, such as metabolic disorders, depression and cancer. Quantification of the circadian markers such as melatonin and cortisol critically depend on reliable and reproducible analytical methods. Previously, melatonin and cortisol were primarily analyzed separately, mainly using immunoassays. Here we describe the validation and application of a high-throughput liquid chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the combined analysis of melatonin and cortisol in plasma and saliva. The LC-MS/MS method was validated according to international validation guidelines. We used this method to analyze total plasma, free plasma (as obtained by equilibrium dialysis) and saliva melatonin and cortisol in healthy adults. Validation results for plasma and saliva melatonin and cortisol were well within the international validation criteria. We observed no difference between saliva collected by passive drooling or Salivette. Moreover, we noted a significant difference in saliva vs. free plasma melatonin. We observed on average 36% (95% CI: 4%-60%) higher salivary melatonin levels in comparison to free plasma melatonin, suggestive of local production of melatonin in the salivary glands. The novel outcome of this study is probably due to the high precision of our LC-MS/MS assay. These outcomes illustrate the added value of accurate and sensitive mass spectrometry based methods for the quantification of neuroendocrine biomarkers.

Degenerate Ising model for atomistic simulation of crystal-melt interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schebarchov, D., E-mail: Dmitri.Schebarchov@gmail.com [University Chemical Laboratories, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW (United Kingdom); Schulze, T. P., E-mail: schulze@math.utk.edu [Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1300 (United States); Hendy, S. C. [The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140 (New Zealand); Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010 (New Zealand)

2014-02-21

One of the simplest microscopic models for a thermally driven first-order phase transition is an Ising-type lattice system with nearest-neighbour interactions, an external field, and a degeneracy parameter. The underlying lattice and the interaction coupling constant control the anisotropic energy of the phase boundary, the field strength represents the bulk latent heat, and the degeneracy quantifies the difference in communal entropy between the two phases. We simulate the (stochastic) evolution of this minimal model by applying rejection-free canonical and microcanonical Monte Carlo algorithms, and we obtain caloric curves and heat capacity plots for square (2D) and face-centred cubic (3D) lattices with periodic boundary conditions. Since the model admits precise adjustment of bulk latent heat and communal entropy, neither of which affect the interface properties, we are able to tune the crystal nucleation barriers at a fixed degree of undercooling and verify a dimension-dependent scaling expected from classical nucleation theory. We also analyse the equilibrium crystal-melt coexistence in the microcanonical ensemble, where we detect negative heat capacities and find that this phenomenon is more pronounced when the interface is the dominant contributor to the total entropy. The negative branch of the heat capacity appears smooth only when the equilibrium interface-area-to-volume ratio is not constant but varies smoothly with the excitation energy. Finally, we simulate microcanonical crystal nucleation and subsequent relaxation to an equilibrium Wulff shape, demonstrating the model's utility in tracking crystal-melt interfaces at the atomistic level.

Degenerate Ising model for atomistic simulation of crystal-melt interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schebarchov, D.; Schulze, T. P.; Hendy, S. C.

2014-01-01

One of the simplest microscopic models for a thermally driven first-order phase transition is an Ising-type lattice system with nearest-neighbour interactions, an external field, and a degeneracy parameter. The underlying lattice and the interaction coupling constant control the anisotropic energy of the phase boundary, the field strength represents the bulk latent heat, and the degeneracy quantifies the difference in communal entropy between the two phases. We simulate the (stochastic) evolution of this minimal model by applying rejection-free canonical and microcanonical Monte Carlo algorithms, and we obtain caloric curves and heat capacity plots for square (2D) and face-centred cubic (3D) lattices with periodic boundary conditions. Since the model admits precise adjustment of bulk latent heat and communal entropy, neither of which affect the interface properties, we are able to tune the crystal nucleation barriers at a fixed degree of undercooling and verify a dimension-dependent scaling expected from classical nucleation theory. We also analyse the equilibrium crystal-melt coexistence in the microcanonical ensemble, where we detect negative heat capacities and find that this phenomenon is more pronounced when the interface is the dominant contributor to the total entropy. The negative branch of the heat capacity appears smooth only when the equilibrium interface-area-to-volume ratio is not constant but varies smoothly with the excitation energy. Finally, we simulate microcanonical crystal nucleation and subsequent relaxation to an equilibrium Wulff shape, demonstrating the model's utility in tracking crystal-melt interfaces at the atomistic level

Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene (PEDOT as a micro-neural interface material for electrostimulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seth J Wilks

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Chronic microstimulation-based devices are being investigated to treat conditions such as blindness, deafness, pain, paralysis and epilepsy. Small area electrodes are desired to achieve high selectivity. However, a major trade-off with electrode miniaturization is an increase in impedance and charge density requirements. Thus, the development of novel materials with lower interfacial impedance and enhanced charge storage capacity is essential for the development of micro-neural interface-based neuroprostheses. In this report, we study the use of conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene (PEDOT as a neural interface material for microstimulation of small area iridium electrodes on silicon-substrate arrays. Characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, electrodeposition of PEDOT results in lower interfacial impedance at physiologically-relevant frequencies, with the 1kHz impedance magnitude being 23.3 ± 0.7 kΩ compared to 113.6 ± 3.5 kΩ for iridium oxide (IrOx on 177μm2 sites. Further, PEDOT exhibits enhanced charge storage capacity at 75.6 ± 5.4 mC/cm2 compared to 28.8 ± 0.3 mC/cm2 for IrOx, characterized by cyclic voltammetry (50 mV/s. These improvements at the electrode interface were corroborated by observation of the voltage excursions that result from constant current pulsing. The PEDOT coatings provide both a lower amplitude voltage and a more ohmic representation of the applied current compared to IrOx. During repetitive pulsing, PEDOT-coated electrodes show stable performance and little change in electrical properties, even at relatively high current densities which cause IrOx instability. These findings support the potential of PEDOT coatings as a micro-neural interface material for electrostimulation.

Current implementation and future plans on new code architecture, programming language and user interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brun, B. [Commissariat a l`Energie Atomique, Grenoble (France)

1997-07-01

Computer technology has improved tremendously during the last years with larger media capacity, memory and more computational power. Visual computing with high-performance graphic interface and desktop computational power have changed the way engineers accomplish everyday tasks, development and safety studies analysis. The emergence of parallel computing will permit simulation over a larger domain. In addition, new development methods, languages and tools have appeared in the last several years.

Current implementation and future plans on new code architecture, programming language and user interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brun, B.

1997-01-01

Computer technology has improved tremendously during the last years with larger media capacity, memory and more computational power. Visual computing with high-performance graphic interface and desktop computational power have changed the way engineers accomplish everyday tasks, development and safety studies analysis. The emergence of parallel computing will permit simulation over a larger domain. In addition, new development methods, languages and tools have appeared in the last several years

Improved Performance and Safety for High Energy Batteries Through Use of Hazard Anticipation and Capacity Prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Atwater, Terrill

1993-01-01

Prediction of the capacity remaining in used high rate, high energy batteries is important information to the user. Knowledge of the capacity remaining in used batteries results in better utilization. This translates into improved readiness and cost savings due to complete, efficient use. High rate batteries, due to their chemical nature, are highly sensitive to misuse (i.e., over discharge or very high rate discharge). Battery failure due to misuse or manufacturing defects could be disastrous. Since high rate, high energy batteries are expensive and energetic, a reliable method of predicting both failures and remaining energy has been actively sought. Due to concerns over safety, the behavior of lithium/sulphur dioxide cells at different temperatures and current drains was examined. The main thrust of this effort was to determine failure conditions for incorporation in hazard anticipation circuitry. In addition, capacity prediction formulas have been developed from test data. A process that performs continuous, real-time hazard anticipation and capacity prediction was developed. The introduction of this process into microchip technology will enable the production of reliable, safe, and efficient high energy batteries.

On-demand high-capacity ride-sharing via dynamic trip-vehicle assignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Mora, Javier; Samaranayake, Samitha; Wallar, Alex; Frazzoli, Emilio; Rus, Daniela

2017-01-17

Ride-sharing services are transforming urban mobility by providing timely and convenient transportation to anybody, anywhere, and anytime. These services present enormous potential for positive societal impacts with respect to pollution, energy consumption, congestion, etc. Current mathematical models, however, do not fully address the potential of ride-sharing. Recently, a large-scale study highlighted some of the benefits of car pooling but was limited to static routes with two riders per vehicle (optimally) or three (with heuristics). We present a more general mathematical model for real-time high-capacity ride-sharing that (i) scales to large numbers of passengers and trips and (ii) dynamically generates optimal routes with respect to online demand and vehicle locations. The algorithm starts from a greedy assignment and improves it through a constrained optimization, quickly returning solutions of good quality and converging to the optimal assignment over time. We quantify experimentally the tradeoff between fleet size, capacity, waiting time, travel delay, and operational costs for low- to medium-capacity vehicles, such as taxis and van shuttles. The algorithm is validated with ∼3 million rides extracted from the New York City taxicab public dataset. Our experimental study considers ride-sharing with rider capacity of up to 10 simultaneous passengers per vehicle. The algorithm applies to fleets of autonomous vehicles and also incorporates rebalancing of idling vehicles to areas of high demand. This framework is general and can be used for many real-time multivehicle, multitask assignment problems.

E- and W-band high-capacity hybrid fiber-wireless link

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vegas Olmos, Juan José; Pang, Xiaodan; Tafur Monroy, Idelfonso

2014-01-01

In this paper we summarize the work conducted in our group in the area of E- and W-band optical high-capacity fiber-wireless links. We present performance evaluations of E- and W-band mm-wave signal generation using photonic frequency upconversion employing both VCSELs and ECLs, along with transm...... in mobile backhaul/fronthaul applications, dense distributed antenna systems and fiber-over-radio scenarios.......In this paper we summarize the work conducted in our group in the area of E- and W-band optical high-capacity fiber-wireless links. We present performance evaluations of E- and W-band mm-wave signal generation using photonic frequency upconversion employing both VCSELs and ECLs, along...... with transmission over different type of optical fibers and for a number of values for the wireless link distance. Hybrid wireless-optical links can be composed of mature and resilient technology available off-the-shelf, and provide functionalities that can add value to optical access networks, specifically...

An Insect Herbivore Microbiome with High Plant Biomass-Degrading Capacity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suen, Garret; Barry, Kerrie; Goodwin, Lynne; Scott, Jarrod; Aylward, Frank; Adams, Sandra; Pinto-Tomas, Adrian; Foster, Clifton; Pauly, Markus; Weimer, Paul; Bouffard, Pascal; Li, Lewyn; Osterberger, Jolene; Harkins, Timothy; Slater, Steven; Donohue, Timothy; Currie, Cameron; Tringe, Susannah G.

2010-09-23

Herbivores can gain indirect access to recalcitrant carbon present in plant cell walls through symbiotic associations with lignocellulolytic microbes. A paradigmatic example is the leaf-cutter ant (Tribe: Attini), which uses fresh leaves to cultivate a fungus for food in specialized gardens. Using a combination of sugar composition analyses, metagenomics, and whole-genome sequencing, we reveal that the fungus garden microbiome of leaf-cutter ants is composed of a diverse community of bacteria with high plant biomass-degrading capacity. Comparison of this microbiome?s predicted carbohydrate-degrading enzyme profile with other metagenomes shows closest similarity to the bovine rumen, indicating evolutionary convergence of plant biomass degrading potential between two important herbivorous animals. Genomic and physiological characterization of two dominant bacteria in the fungus garden microbiome provides evidence of their capacity to degrade cellulose. Given the recent interest in cellulosic biofuels, understanding how large-scale and rapid plant biomass degradation occurs in a highly evolved insect herbivore is of particular relevance for bioenergy.

An insect herbivore microbiome with high plant biomass-degrading capacity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garret Suen

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Herbivores can gain indirect access to recalcitrant carbon present in plant cell walls through symbiotic associations with lignocellulolytic microbes. A paradigmatic example is the leaf-cutter ant (Tribe: Attini, which uses fresh leaves to cultivate a fungus for food in specialized gardens. Using a combination of sugar composition analyses, metagenomics, and whole-genome sequencing, we reveal that the fungus garden microbiome of leaf-cutter ants is composed of a diverse community of bacteria with high plant biomass-degrading capacity. Comparison of this microbiome's predicted carbohydrate-degrading enzyme profile with other metagenomes shows closest similarity to the bovine rumen, indicating evolutionary convergence of plant biomass degrading potential between two important herbivorous animals. Genomic and physiological characterization of two dominant bacteria in the fungus garden microbiome provides evidence of their capacity to degrade cellulose. Given the recent interest in cellulosic biofuels, understanding how large-scale and rapid plant biomass degradation occurs in a highly evolved insect herbivore is of particular relevance for bioenergy.

Development of High Capacity Split Stirling Cryocooler for HTS

Science.gov (United States)

Yumoto, Kenta; Nakano, Kyosuke; Hiratsuka, Yoshikatsu

Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (SHI) developed a high-power Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler for cooling high-temperature superconductor (HTS) devices, such as superconductor motors, superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES), and fault current limiters. The experimental results of a prototype pulse tube cryocooler were reported in September 2013. For a U-type expander, the cooling capacity was 151 W at 70 K with a compressor input power of 4 kW. Correspondingly, the coefficient of performance (COP) was about 0.038. However, the efficiency of the cryocooler is required to be COP > 0.1 and it was found that, theoretically, it is difficult to further improve the efficiency of a pulse tube cryocooler because the workflow generated at the hot end of the pulse tube cannot be recovered. Therefore, it was decided to change the expander to a free-piston type from a pulse tube type. A prototype was developed and preliminary experiments were conducted. A cooling capacity of 120 W at 70 K with a compressor input power of 2.15 kW with corresponding COP of 0.056, was obtained. The detailed results are reported in this paper.

High-capacity method for hiding data in the discrete cosine transform domain

Science.gov (United States)

Qazanfari, Kazem; Safabakhsh, Reza

2013-10-01

Steganography is the art and science of hiding data in different media such as texts, audios, images, and videos. Data hiding techniques are generally divided into two groups: spatial and frequency domain techniques. Spatial domain methods generally have low security and, as a result, are less attractive to researchers. Discrete cosine transform (DCT) is the most common transform domain used in steganography and JPEG compression. Since a large number of the DCT coefficients of JPEG images are zero, the capacity of DCT domain-based steganography methods is not very high. We present a high-capacity method for hiding messages in the DCT domain. We describe the method in two classes where the receiver has and where the receiver does not have the cover image. In each class, we consider three cases for each coefficient. By considering n coefficients, there are 3n different situations. The method embeds ⌊log2 3n⌋ bits in these n coefficients. We show that the maximum reachable capacity by our method is 58% higher than the other general steganography methods. Experimental results show that the histogram-based steganalysis methods cannot detect the stego images produced by the proposed method while the capacity is increased significantly.

New theory of effective work functions at metal/high-k dielectric interfaces : application to metal/high-k HfO2 and la2O 3 dielectric interfaces

OpenAIRE

Shiraishi, Kenji; Nakayama, Takashi; Akasaka, Yasushi; Miyazaki, Seiichi; Nakaoka, Takashi; Ohmori, Kenji; Ahmet, Parhat; Torii, Kazuyoshi; Watanabe, Heiji; Chikyow, Toyohiro; Nara, Yasuo; Iwai, Hiroshi; Yamada, Keisaku

2006-01-01

We have constructed a universal theory of the work functions at metal/high-k HfO2 and La2O3 dielectric interfaces by introducing a new concept of generalized charge neutrality levels. Our theory systematically reproduces the experimentally observed work functions of various gate metals on Hf-based high-k dielectrics, including the hitherto unpredictable behaviors of the work functions of p-metals. Our new concept provides effective guiding principles to achieving near-bandedge work functions ...

An adaptive simplex cut-cell method for high-order discontinuous Galerkin discretizations of elliptic interface problems and conjugate heat transfer problems

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Huafei; Darmofal, David L.

2014-12-01

In this paper we propose a new high-order solution framework for interface problems on non-interface-conforming meshes. The framework consists of a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretization, a simplex cut-cell technique, and an output-based adaptive scheme. We first present a DG discretization with a dual-consistent output evaluation for elliptic interface problems on interface-conforming meshes, and then extend the method to handle multi-physics interface problems, in particular conjugate heat transfer (CHT) problems. The method is then applied to non-interface-conforming meshes using a cut-cell technique, where the interface definition is completely separate from the mesh generation process. No assumption is made on the interface shape (other than Lipschitz continuity). We then equip our strategy with an output-based adaptive scheme for an accurate output prediction. Through numerical examples, we demonstrate high-order convergence for elliptic interface problems and CHT problems with both smooth and non-smooth interface shapes.

High-Capacity Hybrid Optical Fiber-Wireless Communications Links in Access Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pang, Xiaodan

of broadband services access. To realize the seamless convergence between the two network segments, the lower capacity of wireless systems need to be increased to match the continuously increasing bandwidth of fiber-optic systems. The research works included in this thesis are devoted to experimental...... investigations of photonic-wireless links with record high capacities to fulfill the requirements of next generation hybrid optical fiber-wireless access networks. The main contributions of this thesis have expanded the state-of-the-art in two main areas: high speed millimeter-wave (mm-wave) communication links......Integration between fiber-optic and wireless communications systems in the "last mile" access networks is currently considered as a promising solution for both service providers and users, in terms of minimizing deployment cost, shortening upgrading period and increasing mobility and flexibility...

Highly Stable Sr-Free Cobaltite-Based Perovskite Cathodes Directly Assembled on a Barrier-Layer-Free Y2 O3 -ZrO2 Electrolyte of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ai, Na; Li, Na; Rickard, William D A; Cheng, Yi; Chen, Kongfa; Jiang, San Ping

2017-03-09

Direct assembly is a newly developed technique in which a cobaltite-based perovskite (CBP) cathode can be directly applied to a barrier-layer-free Y 2 O 3 -ZrO 2 (YSZ) electrolyte with no high-temperature pre-sintering steps. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on directly assembled CBPs such as La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ show high performance initially but degrade rapidly under SOFC operation conditions at 750 °C owing to Sr segregation and accumulation at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Herein, the performance and interface of Sr-free CBPs such as LaCoO 3-δ (LC) and Sm 0.95 CoO 3-δ (SmC) and their composite cathodes directly assembled on YSZ electrolyte was studied systematically. The LC electrode underwent performance degradation, most likely owing to cation demixing and accumulation of La on the YSZ electrolyte under polarization at 500 mA cm -2 and 750 °C. However, the performance and stability of LC electrodes could be substantially enhanced by the formation of LC-gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) composite cathodes. Replacement of La by Sm increased the cell stability, and doping of 5 % Pd to form Sm 0.95 Co 0.95 Pd 0.05 O 3-δ (SmCPd) significantly improved the electrode activity. An anode-supported YSZ-electrolyte cell with a directly assembled SmCPd-GDC composite electrode exhibited a peak power density of 1.4 W cm -2 at 750 °C, and an excellent stability at 750 °C for over 240 h. The higher stability of SmC as compared to that of LC is most likely a result of the lower reactivity of SmC with YSZ. This study demonstrates the new opportunities in the design and development of intermediate-temperature SOFCs based on the directly assembled high-performance and durable Sr-free CBP cathodes. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interfacing Lab-on-a-Chip Embryo Technology with High-Definition Imaging Cytometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Feng; Hall, Christopher J; Crosier, Philip S; Wlodkowic, Donald

2015-08-01

To spearhead deployment of zebrafish embryo biotests in large-scale drug discovery studies, automated platforms are needed to integrate embryo in-test positioning and immobilization (suitable for high-content imaging) with fluidic modules for continuous drug and medium delivery under microperfusion to developing embryos. In this work, we present an innovative design of a high-throughput three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic chip-based device for automated immobilization and culture and time-lapse imaging of developing zebrafish embryos under continuous microperfusion. The 3D Lab-on-a-Chip array was fabricated in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) transparent thermoplastic using infrared laser micromachining, while the off-chip interfaces were fabricated using additive manufacturing processes (fused deposition modelling and stereolithography). The system's design facilitated rapid loading and immobilization of a large number of embryos in predefined clusters of traps during continuous microperfusion of drugs/toxins. It was conceptually designed to seamlessly interface with both upright and inverted fluorescent imaging systems and also to directly interface with conventional microtiter plate readers that accept 96-well plates. Compared with the conventional Petri dish assays, the chip-based bioassay was much more convenient and efficient as only small amounts of drug solutions were required for the whole perfusion system running continuously over 72 h. Embryos were spatially separated in the traps that assisted tracing single embryos, preventing interembryo contamination and improving imaging accessibility.

High-capacity aqueous zinc batteries using sustainable quinone electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Qing; Huang, Weiwei; Luo, Zhiqiang; Liu, Luojia; Lu, Yong; Li, Yixin; Li, Lin; Hu, Jinyan; Ma, Hua; Chen, Jun

2018-01-01

Quinones, which are ubiquitous in nature, can act as sustainable and green electrode materials but face dissolution in organic electrolytes, resulting in fast fading of capacity and short cycle life. We report that quinone electrodes, especially calix[4]quinone (C4Q) in rechargeable metal zinc batteries coupled with a cation-selective membrane using an aqueous electrolyte, exhibit a high capacity of 335 mA h g−1 with an energy efficiency of 93% at 20 mA g−1 and a long life of 1000 cycles with a capacity retention of 87% at 500 mA g−1. The pouch zinc batteries with a respective depth of discharge of 89% (C4Q) and 49% (zinc anode) can deliver an energy density of 220 Wh kg−1 by mass of both a C4Q cathode and a theoretical Zn anode. We also develop an electrostatic potential computing method to demonstrate that carbonyl groups are active centers of electrochemistry. Moreover, the structural evolution and dissolution behavior of active materials during discharge and charge processes are investigated by operando spectral techniques such as IR, Raman, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopies. Our results show that batteries using quinone cathodes and metal anodes in aqueous electrolyte are reliable approaches for mass energy storage. PMID:29511734

File list: InP.PSC.50.AllAg.EpiLC [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available InP.PSC.50.AllAg.EpiLC mm9 Input control Pluripotent stem cell EpiLC SRX823839,SRX5...5,SRX823838,SRX823831,SRX823826,SRX590324 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/InP.PSC.50.AllAg.EpiLC.bed ...

Passive Reactor Compensated Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel LC-StatCom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farivar, Glen; Townsend, Christopher David; Hredzak, Branislav

2017-01-01

The cascaded H-bridge (CHB) low-capacitance StatCom (LC-StatCom) has a limited operating area in the inductive region compared to a conventional StatCom's V–I characteristic. This limitation for operation in the inductive region is considered to be the biggest disadvantage of CHB LC-StatCom. In t...

Developing a Personnel Capacity Indicator for a high turnover Cartographic Production Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Mandarino, Flávia; Pessôa, Leonardo A. M.

2018-05-01

This paper describes a framework for development of an indicator for human re-sources capacity management in a military organization responsible for nautical chart production. Graphic chart for the results of the model COPPE-COSENZA (Cosenza et al. 2015) is used to properly present the personnel capacity within a high people turnover environment. The specific skills for the nautical charts production allied to the turnover rate require continuous and adequate personnel in-corporation and a capacity building through education and on-the-job training. The adopted approach for the study establishes quantitative values to fulfill quality requirements, and also presents graphically a profile for the human resources on a specific job to facilitate diagnosis and corrective actions.

Extreme genetic structure in a social bird species despite high dispersal capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Morinha, Francisco; Dávila, José A; Bastos, Estela; Cabral, João A; Frías, Óscar; González, José L; Travassos, Paulo; Carvalho, Diogo; Milá, Borja; Blanco, Guillermo

2017-05-01

Social barriers have been shown to reduce gene flow and contribute to genetic structure among populations in species with high cognitive capacity and complex societies, such as cetaceans, apes and humans. In birds, high dispersal capacity is thought to prevent population divergence unless major geographical or habitat barriers induce isolation patterns by dispersal, colonization or adaptation limitation. We report that Iberian populations of the red-billed chough, a social, gregarious corvid with high dispersal capacity, show a striking degree of genetic structure composed of at least 15 distinct genetic units. Monitoring of marked individuals over 30 years revealed that long-distance movements over hundreds of kilometres are common, yet recruitment into breeding populations is infrequent and highly philopatric. Genetic differentiation is weakly related to geographical distance, and habitat types used are overall qualitatively similar among regions and regularly shared by individuals of different populations, so that genetic structure is unlikely to be due solely to isolation by distance or isolation by adaptation. Moreover, most population nuclei showed relatively high levels of genetic diversity, suggesting a limited role for genetic drift in significantly differentiating populations. We propose that social mechanisms may underlie this unprecedented level of genetic structure in birds through a pattern of isolation by social barriers not yet described, which may have driven this remarkable population divergence in the absence of geographical and environmental barriers. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Water structuring and hydroxide ion binding at the interface between water and hydrophobic walls of varying rigidity and van der waals interactions

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vácha, Robert; Zangi, R.; Engberts, J. B. F. N.; Jungwirth, Pavel

2008-01-01

Roč. 112, č. 20 (2008), s. 7689-7692 ISSN 1932-7447 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC512; GA ČR(CZ) GD203/05/H001 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : molecular dynamics * hydroxide * water interfaces Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.396, year: 2008

Interface state density evaluation of high quality hetero-epitaxial 3C–SiC(0 0 1) for high-power MOSFET applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anzalone, R., E-mail: ruggero.anzalone@imm.cnr.it; Privitera, S.; Camarda, M.; Alberti, A.; Mannino, G.; Fiorenza, P.; Di Franco, S.; La Via, F.

2015-08-15

Graphical abstract: Figure shows the normalized capacitance (C/C{sub OX}) versus voltage (V) for the MOS capacitors on 3 μm, 7 μm thick 3C–SiC films and silicon (as reference), respectively. The shift of the curve respect to the reference is due to the presence of fixed and/or trapped charge in the oxide and interface trapped charge, due to the presence of interface states of density D{sub it}, located at the semiconductor/oxide interface. - Highlights: • We analyzed the flat-band voltage shift for different semiconductor epi-thickness. • The interface state density as a function of epi-defects was evaluated. • We observed the relationship between XRD and C–V results. • Epitaxial thickness influence on interface state density was evaluated. - Abstract: The effects of the crystal quality and surface morphology on the electrical properties of MOS capacitors have been studied in devices manufactured on 3C–SiC epitaxial layers grown on silicon (1 0 0) substrate. The interface state density, which represents one of the most important parameters, has been determined through capacitance measurements. A cross-correlation between high resolution X-ray diffraction, AFM analysis and electrical conductance measurements has allowed to determine the relationship between the crystalline quality and the interface state density. A decrease of the interface state density down to about 10{sup 11} cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1} was observed with improving the crystalline quality.

Fish oil LC-PUFAs do not affect blood coagulation parameters and bleeding manifestations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jeansen, Stephanie; Witkamp, Renger F.; Garthoff, Jossie A.; Helvoort, van Ardy; Calder, Philip C.

2017-01-01

Background & aims: The increased consumption of fish oil enriched-products exposes a wide diversity of people, including elderly and those with impaired health to relatively high amounts of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFAs). There is an ongoing debate around the

SnO2 nanoparticles anchored on vertically aligned graphene with a high rate, high capacity, and long life for lithium storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Na; Sonsg, Huawei; Cui, Hao; Wang, Chengxin

2014-01-01

As a high-theoretical-capacity (782 mA hg-1), low-cost and low-toxicity material, SnO2 has attracted intense interest for use as an anode electrode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Despite intensive study, the practical use of SnO2-based anodes is hindered by their poor capacity retention and low rate capacity resulting from their large specific-volume changes and kinetic limitations in ion/electron transfer during the lithium ion insertion/extraction process. Improving the performance of SnO2-based electrodes has become one of the most popular scientific and industrial efforts. Herein, we present a type of SnO2-graphene composite anode in which SnO2 nanoparticles are uniformly anchored on both sides of vertically aligned graphene nanosheets (SnO2-VAGN-SnO2). The VAGNs sandwiched by the nanoparticles can supply rapid ion and electron transport pathways for Li+ and e-. Such integrated electrodes exhibit high specific capacity and excellent cycling stability, even at high current densities. The cells can cycle more than 5,000 times and retain a reversible capacity of 210 mA h g-1 at 9 A g-1. A high current density of up to 20 A g-1 is achieved, and the power and energy density can reach 1576.75 W kg-1 and 110.14 Wh kg-1, respectively. These performances indicate that the composite could offer the advantages of both LIBs (high energy density) and supercapacitors (high power density)

Cofiring behavior and interfacial structure of NiCuZn ferrite/PMN ferroelectrics composites for multilayer LC filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao Chunlin; Zhou Ji; Cui Xuemin; Wang Xiaohui; Yue Zhenxing; Li Longtu

2006-01-01

The cofiring behavior, interfacial structure and cofiring migration between NiCuZn ferrite and lead magnesium niobate (PMN)-based relaxor ferroelectric materials were investigated via thermomechanical analyzer (TMA), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Mismatched sintering shrinkage between NiCuZn ferrite and PMN was modified by adding an appropriate amount of sintering aids, Bi 2 O 3 , into NiCuZn ferrite. Pyrochlore phase appeared in the mixture of NiCuZn ferrite and PMN, which is detrimental to the final electric properties of LC filters. EDS results indicated that the interdiffusion at the heterogeneous interfaces in the composites, such as Fe, Pb, Zn, existed which can strengthen combinations between ferrite layers and ferroelectrics layers

Building the UPPA high capacity tensiometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mendes Joao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available High capacity tensiometers (HCTs are sensors capable of directly measuring tensile pore water pressure (suction in soils. HCTs are typically composed of a casing that encapsulates a high air entry value ceramic filter, a water reservoir and a pressure sensing element. Since the creation of the first HCT by Ridley and Burland in 1993 at Imperial College London, HCTs have been almost exclusively built and used in academic research. The limited use in industrial applications can be explained by a lack of unsaturated soil mechanics knowledge among engineering practitioners but also by the technical difficulties associated to the direct measurement of tensile water pressures beyond the cavitation limit of -100kPa. In this paper, we present the recent design and manufacture of a new HCT at the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA in France. Different prototypes were tried by changing the main components of the device including the type of ceramic filter, pressure transducer and geometry of the external casing. In particular, two ceramic filters of distinct porosity, three pressure transducers with distinct materials/geometries and four casing designs were tested.

Freckle Defect Formation near the Casting Interfaces of Directionally Solidified Superalloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Jianping; Ma, Dexin; Wang, Jun; Wang, Fu; Sun, Baode; Dong, Anping; Li, Fei; Bührig-Polaczek, Andreas

2016-11-16

Freckle defects usually appear on the surface of castings and industrial ingots during the directional solidification process and most of them are located near the interface between the shell mold and superalloys. Ceramic cores create more interfaces in the directionally solidified (DS) and single crystal (SX) hollow turbine blades. In order to investigate the location of freckle occurrence in superalloys, superalloy CM247 LC was directionally solidified in an industrial-sized Bridgman furnace. Instead of ceramic cores, Alumina tubes were used inside of the casting specimens. It was found that freckles occur not only on the casting external surfaces, but also appear near the internal interfaces between the ceramic core and superalloys. Meanwhile, the size, initial position, and area of freckle were investigated in various diameters of the specimens. The initial position of the freckle chain reduces when the diameter of the rods increase. Freckle area follows a linear relationship in various diameters and the average freckle fraction is 1.1% of cross sectional area of casting specimens. The flow of liquid metal near the interfaces was stronger than that in the interdendritic region in the mushy zone, and explained why freckle tends to occur on the outer or inner surfaces of castings. This new phenomenon suggests that freckles are more likely to occur on the outer or inner surfaces of the hollow turbine blades.

Freckle Defect Formation near the Casting Interfaces of Directionally Solidified Superalloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianping Hong

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Freckle defects usually appear on the surface of castings and industrial ingots during the directional solidification process and most of them are located near the interface between the shell mold and superalloys. Ceramic cores create more interfaces in the directionally solidified (DS and single crystal (SX hollow turbine blades. In order to investigate the location of freckle occurrence in superalloys, superalloy CM247 LC was directionally solidified in an industrial-sized Bridgman furnace. Instead of ceramic cores, Alumina tubes were used inside of the casting specimens. It was found that freckles occur not only on the casting external surfaces, but also appear near the internal interfaces between the ceramic core and superalloys. Meanwhile, the size, initial position, and area of freckle were investigated in various diameters of the specimens. The initial position of the freckle chain reduces when the diameter of the rods increase. Freckle area follows a linear relationship in various diameters and the average freckle fraction is 1.1% of cross sectional area of casting specimens. The flow of liquid metal near the interfaces was stronger than that in the interdendritic region in the mushy zone, and explained why freckle tends to occur on the outer or inner surfaces of castings. This new phenomenon suggests that freckles are more likely to occur on the outer or inner surfaces of the hollow turbine blades.

LcMYB1 is a key determinant of differential anthocyanin accumulation among genotypes, tissues, developmental phases and ABA and light stimuli in Litchi chinensis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Biao Lai

Full Text Available The red coloration of litchi fruit depends on the accumulation of anthocyanins. The anthocyanins level in litchi fruit varies widely among cultivars, developmental stages and environmental stimuli. Previous studies on various plant species demonstrate that anthocyanin biosynthesis is controlled at the transcriptional level. Here, we describe a litchi R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene, LcMYB1, which demonstrates a similar sequence as other known anthocyanin regulators. The transcription levels of the LcMYB1 and anthocyanin biosynthetic genes were investigated in samples with different anthocyanin levels. The expression of LcMYB1 was strongly associated with tissue anthocyanin content. LcMYB1 transcripts were only detected in anthocyanin-accumulating tissues and were positively correlated with anthocyanin accumulation in the pericarps of 12 genotypes. ABA and sunlight exposure promoted, whereas CPPU and bagging inhibited the expression of LcMYB1 and anthocyanin accumulation in the pericarp. Cis-elements associated with light responsiveness and abscisic acid responsiveness were identified in the promoter region of LcMYB1. Among the 6 structural genes tested, only LcUFGT was highly correlated with LcMYB1. These results suggest that LcMYB1 controls anthocyanin biosynthesis in litchi and LcUFGT might be the structural gene that is targeted and regulated by LcMYB1. Furthermore, the overexpression of LcMYB1 induced anthocyanin accumulation in all tissues in tobacco, confirming the function of LcMYB1 in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. The upregulation of NtAn1b in response to LcMYB1 overexpression seems to be essential for anthocyanin accumulation in the leaf and pedicel. In the reproductive tissues of transgenic tobacco, however, increased anthocyanin accumulation is independent of tobacco's endogenous MYB and bHLH transcriptional factors, but associated with the upregulation of specific structural genes.

LcMYB1 is a key determinant of differential anthocyanin accumulation among genotypes, tissues, developmental phases and ABA and light stimuli in Litchi chinensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Biao; Li, Xiao-Jing; Hu, Bing; Qin, Yong-Hua; Huang, Xu-Ming; Wang, Hui-Cong; Hu, Gui-Bing

2014-01-01

The red coloration of litchi fruit depends on the accumulation of anthocyanins. The anthocyanins level in litchi fruit varies widely among cultivars, developmental stages and environmental stimuli. Previous studies on various plant species demonstrate that anthocyanin biosynthesis is controlled at the transcriptional level. Here, we describe a litchi R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene, LcMYB1, which demonstrates a similar sequence as other known anthocyanin regulators. The transcription levels of the LcMYB1 and anthocyanin biosynthetic genes were investigated in samples with different anthocyanin levels. The expression of LcMYB1 was strongly associated with tissue anthocyanin content. LcMYB1 transcripts were only detected in anthocyanin-accumulating tissues and were positively correlated with anthocyanin accumulation in the pericarps of 12 genotypes. ABA and sunlight exposure promoted, whereas CPPU and bagging inhibited the expression of LcMYB1 and anthocyanin accumulation in the pericarp. Cis-elements associated with light responsiveness and abscisic acid responsiveness were identified in the promoter region of LcMYB1. Among the 6 structural genes tested, only LcUFGT was highly correlated with LcMYB1. These results suggest that LcMYB1 controls anthocyanin biosynthesis in litchi and LcUFGT might be the structural gene that is targeted and regulated by LcMYB1. Furthermore, the overexpression of LcMYB1 induced anthocyanin accumulation in all tissues in tobacco, confirming the function of LcMYB1 in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. The upregulation of NtAn1b in response to LcMYB1 overexpression seems to be essential for anthocyanin accumulation in the leaf and pedicel. In the reproductive tissues of transgenic tobacco, however, increased anthocyanin accumulation is independent of tobacco's endogenous MYB and bHLH transcriptional factors, but associated with the upregulation of specific structural genes.

Surface Reconstruction for Preparation of Plasmonic Au/TiO₂ Nanoparticle with Perfect Hetero Interface and Improved Photocatalytic Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Guoqiu; Ping, Chen; Zhao, Qin; Cao, Min; Jin, Yonglong; Ge, Cunwang

2018-07-01

The photocatalytic activity of plasmonic Au/TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) is dependent on distances between Au and TiO2. The preparation of plasmonic NPs is still a challenge because of an inherent lattice mismatch on heterogeneous interfaces. The combination between Au and TiO2 NPs often exhibits physical adsorption, which affect block the electron transferring process by photo-induction from TiO2 to Au NPs and weaken the photocatalytic activity. In this work an approach for preparing plasmonic Au/TiO2 NPs with perfect hetero-interface was proposed based on reconstruction of anatase TiO2 with (101) surface and in-situ reduction of Au NPs. Under UV-irradiation, anatase TiO2 NPs with a high percentage of (001) facets in formaldehyde solution undergo photochemical reactions to reconstruct the (101) surface of TiO2 and simultaneously allow polyformaldehyde to absorb on the same surface. Thus, Au(OH)-4 ions could be adsorbed on the (101) surfaces of TiO2 through electrostatic adsorption and reduced to form nano-Au in situ after recrystallization at 180 °C. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images showed clear nanoscale lattice transition on heterogeneous interfaces of Au/TiO2 NPs. The surface structure of TiO2 NPs and the growth mechanism of Au/TiO2 NPs were evaluated with HRTEM, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was demonstrated that the as-prepared plasmonic Au/TiO2 NPs had higher photocatalytic activity and corrosion resistance in comparison with primary TiO2 NPs by photo-electrochemical measurements. The reinforcing mechanism could be interpreted with Mott-Schottky analysis in terms of quantum mechanics. Our study implied that the reconstruction based synthesis may open up more opportunities to obtain lattice-mismatch nanomaterials for photocatalysis.

Optical signal processing for enabling high-speed, highly spectrally efficient and high capacity optical systems

Science.gov (United States)

Fazal, Muhammad Irfan

The unabated demand for more capacity due to the ever-increasing internet traffic dictates that the boundaries of the state of the art maybe pushed to send more data through the network. Traditionally, this need has been satisfied by multiple wavelengths (wavelength division multiplexing), higher order modulation formats and coherent communication (either individually or combined together). WDM has the ability to reduce cost by using multiple channels within the same physical fiber, and with EDFA amplifiers, the need for O-E-O regenerators is eliminated. Moreover the availability of multiple colors allows for wavelength-based routing and network planning. Higher order modulation formats increases the capacity of the link by their ability to encode data in both the phase and amplitude of light, thereby increasing the bits/sec/Hz as compared to simple on-off keyed format. Coherent communications has also emerged as a primary means of transmitting and receiving optical data due to its support of formats that utilize both phase and amplitude to further increase the spectral efficiency of the optical channel, including quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK). Polarization multiplexing of channels can double capacity by allowing two channels to share the same wavelength by propagating on orthogonal polarization axis and is easily supported in coherent systems where the polarization tracking can be performed in the digital domain. Furthermore, the forthcoming IEEE 100 Gbit/s Ethernet Standard, 802.3ba, provides greater bandwidth, higher data rates, and supports a mixture of modulation formats. In particular, Pol-MUX QPSK is increasingly becoming the industry's format of choice as the high spectral efficiency allows for 100 Gbit/s transmission while still occupying the current 50 GHz/channel allocation of current 10 Gbit/s OOK fiber systems. In this manner, 100 Gbit/s transfer speeds using current fiber links, amplifiers, and filters

High-precision shape representation using a neuromorphic vision sensor with synchronous address-event communication interface

Science.gov (United States)

Belbachir, A. N.; Hofstätter, M.; Litzenberger, M.; Schön, P.

2009-10-01

A synchronous communication interface for neuromorphic temporal contrast vision sensors is described and evaluated in this paper. This interface has been designed for ultra high-speed synchronous arbitration of a temporal contrast image sensors pixels' data. Enabling high-precision timestamping, this system demonstrates its uniqueness for handling peak data rates and preserving the main advantage of the neuromorphic electronic systems, that is high and accurate temporal resolution. Based on a synchronous arbitration concept, the timestamping has a resolution of 100 ns. Both synchronous and (state-of-the-art) asynchronous arbiters have been implemented in a neuromorphic dual-line vision sensor chip in a standard 0.35 µm CMOS process. The performance analysis of both arbiters and the advantages of the synchronous arbitration over asynchronous arbitration in capturing high-speed objects are discussed in detail.

High-precision shape representation using a neuromorphic vision sensor with synchronous address-event communication interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belbachir, A N; Hofstätter, M; Litzenberger, M; Schön, P

2009-01-01

A synchronous communication interface for neuromorphic temporal contrast vision sensors is described and evaluated in this paper. This interface has been designed for ultra high-speed synchronous arbitration of a temporal contrast image sensors pixels' data. Enabling high-precision timestamping, this system demonstrates its uniqueness for handling peak data rates and preserving the main advantage of the neuromorphic electronic systems, that is high and accurate temporal resolution. Based on a synchronous arbitration concept, the timestamping has a resolution of 100 ns. Both synchronous and (state-of-the-art) asynchronous arbiters have been implemented in a neuromorphic dual-line vision sensor chip in a standard 0.35 µm CMOS process. The performance analysis of both arbiters and the advantages of the synchronous arbitration over asynchronous arbitration in capturing high-speed objects are discussed in detail

A highly sensitive method for quantification of iohexol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schulz, A.; Boeringer, F.; Swifka, J.

2014-01-01

-chromatography-electrospray-massspectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) approach using the multiple reaction monitoring mode for iohexol quantification. In order to test whether a significantly decreased amount of iohexol is sufficient for reliable quantification, a LC-ESI-MS approach was assessed. We analyzed the kinetics of iohexol in rats after application...... of different amounts of iohexol (15 mg to 150 1.tg per rat). Blood sampling was conducted at four time points, at 15, 30, 60, and 90 min, after iohexol injection. The analyte (iohexol) and the internal standard (iotha(amic acid) were separated from serum proteins using a centrifugal filtration device...... with a cut-off of 3 kDa. The chromatographic separation was achieved on an analytical Zorbax SB C18 column. The detection and quantification were performed on a high capacity trap mass spectrometer using positive ion ESI in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Furthermore, using real-time polymerase...

Effect of trans fatty acid intake on LC-MS and NMR plasma profiles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gürdeniz, Gözde; Rago, Daniela; Bendsen, Nathalie Tommerup

2013-01-01

The consumption of high levels of industrial trans fatty acids (TFA) has been related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and sudden cardiac death but the causal mechanisms are not well known. In this study, NMR and LC-MS untargeted metabolomics has been used as an approach to explore the impact...

LC Quadrature Generation in Integrated Circuits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Kåre Tais

2001-01-01

Today quadrature signals for IQ demodulation are provided through RC polyphase networks, quadrature oscillators or double frequency VCOs. This paper presents a new method for generating quadrature signals in integrated circuits using only inductors and capacitors. This LC quadrature generation...

Hydroxylamine hydrochloride: A novel anode material for high capacity lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Lianyi; Shu, Jie; Lao, Mengmeng; Lin, Xiaoting; Wu, Kaiqiang; Shui, Miao; Li, Peng; Long, Nengbing; Ren, Yuanlong

2014-12-01

H3NOHCl is used for the first time as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical results show that H3NOHCl with particle size of 4-12 μm can deliver an initial charge capacity of 1018.6 mAh g-1, which is much higher than commercial graphite. After 30 cycles, the reversible capacity can be kept at 676.1 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1. Up to 50 cycles, H3NOHCl still maintains a lithium storage capacity of 368.9 mAh g-1. Even cycled at 200 mA g-1, H3NOHCl can deliver a charge capacity of 715.7 mAh g-1. It suggests that H3NOHCl has high lithium storage capacity, excellent cycling stability and outstanding rate performance. Besides, the electrochemical reaction between H3NOHCl and Li is also investigated by various ex-situ techniques. It can be found that H3NOHCl irreversibly decomposes into Li3N and LiCl during the initial discharge process and LiNO2 can be formed after a reverse charge process.

Interface Promoted Reversible Mg Insertion in Nanostructured Tin-Antimony Alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Yingwen; Shao, Yuyan; Parent, Lucas R.; Sushko, Maria L.; Li, Guosheng; Sushko, Petr; Browning, Nigel D.; Wang, Chong M.; Liu, Jun

2015-11-11

This paper demonstrates intermetallic compounds SnSb are highly active materials for reversibly hosting Mg ions. Compared with monometallic Sn and Sb, SnSb alloy exhibited exceptionally high reversible capacity (420 mAh/g), excellent rate capability and good cyclic stability. Mg insertion into pristine SnSb involves an activation process to complete, which induces particle breakdown and results in phase segregation to Sn-rich and Sb-rich phases. Both experimental analysis and DFT simulation suggest that the Sn-rich phase is particularly active and provides most of the capacity whereas the Sb-rich phase is not as active, and the interface between these two phases play a key role in promoting the formation and stabilization of the cubic Sn phase that is more favorable for fast and reversible Mg insertion. We further show that activated SnSb alloy has good compatibility with simple Mg electrolytes. Overall, this work could provide new approaches for designing materials capable of reversible Mg ion insertion and new opportunities for understanding Mg electrochemistry.

Polymerization speed and diffractive experiments in polymer network LC test cells

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Larissa; Gong, Zhen; Habibpourmoghadam, Atefeh; Schafforz, Samuel L.; Wolfram, Lukas; Lorenz, Alexander

2018-02-01

Polymer-network liquid crystals (LCs), where the response properties of a LC can be enhanced by the presence of a porous polymer network, are investigated. In the reported experiments, liquid crystals were doped with a small amount (situ generated polymer network, the electro-optic response properties of photo cured samples were enhanced. For example, their continuous phase modulation properties led to more localized responses in samples with interdigitated electrodes, which caused suppression of selected diffraction orders in the diffraction patterns recorded in polymer network LC samples. Moreover, capacitance changes were investigated during photopolymerization of a blue phase LC.

High capacity carbon dioxide sorbent

Science.gov (United States)

Dietz, Steven Dean; Alptekin, Gokhan; Jayaraman, Ambalavanan

2015-09-01

The present invention provides a sorbent for the removal of carbon dioxide from gas streams, comprising: a CO.sub.2 capacity of at least 9 weight percent when measured at 22.degree. C. and 1 atmosphere; an H.sub.2O capacity of at most 15 weight percent when measured at 25.degree. C. and 1 atmosphere; and an isosteric heat of adsorption of from 5 to 8.5 kilocalories per mole of CO.sub.2. The invention also provides a carbon sorbent in a powder, a granular or a pellet form for the removal of carbon dioxide from gas streams, comprising: a carbon content of at least 90 weight percent; a nitrogen content of at least 1 weight percent; an oxygen content of at most 3 weight percent; a BET surface area from 50 to 2600 m.sup.2/g; and a DFT micropore volume from 0.04 to 0.8 cc/g.

A high mitochondrial transport rate characterizes CNS neurons with high axonal regeneration capacity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romain Cartoni

Full Text Available Improving axonal transport in the injured and diseased central nervous system has been proposed as a promising strategy to improve neuronal repair. However, the contribution of each cargo to the repair mechanism is unknown. DRG neurons globally increase axonal transport during regeneration. Because the transport of specific cargos after axonal insult has not been examined systematically in a model of enhanced regenerative capacity, it is unknown whether the transport of all cargos would be modulated equally in injured central nervous system neurons. Here, using a microfluidic culture system we compared neurons co-deleted for PTEN and SOCS3, an established model of high axonal regeneration capacity, to control neurons. We measured the axonal transport of three cargos (mitochondria, synaptic vesicles and late endosomes in regenerating axons and found that the transport of mitochondria, but not the other cargos, was increased in PTEN/SOCS3 co-deleted axons relative to controls. The results reported here suggest a pivotal role for this organelle during axonal regeneration.

Mutual couling reduction using a lumped LC circuit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thaysen, Jesper; Jakobsen, Kaj Bjarne

2004-01-01

A technique to reduce the mutual coupling between two Planar Inverted F Antennas (PIFA) is presented in this paper. By the use of a parallel LC circuit it is possible to reduce the mutual coupling between two antennas. This results in a 16 % improvement in the radiation efficiency.......A technique to reduce the mutual coupling between two Planar Inverted F Antennas (PIFA) is presented in this paper. By the use of a parallel LC circuit it is possible to reduce the mutual coupling between two antennas. This results in a 16 % improvement in the radiation efficiency....

High temperature heat capacities and electrical conductivities of boron carbides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsui, Tsuneo; Arita, Yuri; Naito, Keiji; Imai, Hisashi

1991-01-01

The heat capacities and the electrical conductivities of B x C(x=3, 4, 5) were measured by means of direct heating pulse calorimetry in the temperature range from 300 to 1500 K. The heat capacities of B x C increased with increasing x value. This increase in the heat capacity is probably related to the change of the lattice vibration mode originated from the reduction of the stiffness of the intericosahedral chain accompanied with a change from C-B-C to C-B-B chains. A linear relationship between the logarithm of σT (σ is the electrical conductivity and T is the absolute temperature) of B x C and the reciprocal temperature was observed, indicating the presence of small polaron hopping as the predominant conduction mechanism. The electrical conductivity of B x C also increased with increasing x value (from 4 to 5) due to an increase of the polaron hopping of holes between carbon atoms at geometrically nonequivalent sites, since these nonequivalent sites of carbon atoms were considered to increase in either B 11 C icosahedra or in icosahedral chains with increasing x. The electrical conductivity of B 3 C was higher than that of B 4 C, which is probably due to the precipitation of high-conducting carbon. The thermal conductivity and the thermodynamic quantities of B 4 C were also determined precisely from the heat capacity value. (orig.)

How high is visual short-term memory capacity for object layout?

Science.gov (United States)

Sanocki, Thomas; Sellers, Eric; Mittelstadt, Jeff; Sulman, Noah

2010-05-01

Previous research measuring visual short-term memory (VSTM) suggests that the capacity for representing the layout of objects is fairly high. In four experiments, we further explored the capacity of VSTM for layout of objects, using the change detection method. In Experiment 1, participants retained most of the elements in displays of 4 to 8 elements. In Experiments 2 and 3, with up to 20 elements, participants retained many of them, reaching a capacity of 13.4 stimulus elements. In Experiment 4, participants retained much of a complex naturalistic scene. In most cases, increasing display size caused only modest reductions in performance, consistent with the idea of configural, variable-resolution grouping. The results indicate that participants can retain a substantial amount of scene layout information (objects and locations) in short-term memory. We propose that this is a case of remote visual understanding, where observers' ability to integrate information from a scene is paramount.

Effects of high fluoride intake on child mental work capacity: preliminary investigation into the mechanisms involved

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Y.; Li, X.J.; Wei, S.Q. [Child & Adolescent Hygiene Teaching Research Station, Chengdu (China)

2008-10-15

A study was carried out on 157 children, age 12-13, from a coal-burning fluorosis endemic area together with an experiment looking into the effect of high fluoride intake in animals. The results showed that early, prolonged high fluoride intake causes a decrease in a child's mental work capacity and that prolonged high uptake of fluoride causes a child's levels of hair zinc to drop. A multifactoral correlative analysis demonstrated a direct correlation between hair zinc and mental work capacity. The decrease of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and the increase of norepinephrine in animal brains exposed to high levels of fluoride suggest a possible mechanism for mental work capacity deficits in children. However, further research is necessary.

Nano features of Al/Au ultrasonic bond interface observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Hongjun; Li Mingyu; Kim, Jong-Myung; Kim, Dae-Won; Wang Chunqing

2008-01-01

Nano-scale interfacial details of ultrasonic AlSi1 wire wedge bonding to a Au/Ni/Cu pad were investigated using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The intermetallic phase Au 8 Al 3 formed locally due to diffusion and reaction activated by ultrasound at the Al/Au bond interface. Multilayer sub-interfaces roughly parallel to the wire/pad interface were observed among this phase, and interdiffusional features near the Au pad resembled interference patterns, alternately dark and bright bars. Solid-state diffusion theory cannot be used to explain why such a thick compound formed within milliseconds at room temperature. The major formation of metallurgical bonds was attributed to ultrasonic cyclic vibration

Role of AMPK in regulation of LC3 lipidation as a marker of autophagy in skeletal muscle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fritzen, Andreas Mæchel; Frøsig, Christian; Jeppesen, Jacob Fuglsbjerg

2016-01-01

During induction of the autophagosomal degradation process, LC3-I is lipidated to LC3-II and associates to the cargo isolation membrane allowing for autophagosome formation. Lipidation of LC3 results in an increased LC3-II/LC3-I ratio, and this ratio is an often used marker for autophagy in vario...

Exploring Practical Responses of M3LC for Learning Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Nasrullah; Baharman

2018-01-01

This study aims to explore the responses of participants toward Mathematics-Language Literacy Learning Courseware (M3LC) for learning literacy. There are five practical aspects concerned by involving 30 participants in the focus group discussion. In the beginning, participants were given some response sheet and introduced to M3LC by watching learning video of M3LC. At the end, they were asked to concern about response sheet and give comments related what they saw during the introduction session. The results show that the responses of users’ agree and strongly agree are still higher than those of users’ disagree or strongly disagree, with below 30% of responses are in the fair category. It means that the participants tend to give a positive opinion that M3LC is a useful courseware since it is qualified to satisfy 5 practical aspects, including knowledge use, knowledge construction, evaluation practice, social programming, and valuing to support literacy learning. In future, the implementation of using this courseware can be enhanced to further recognition of literacy level so that students can be well-prepared before starting learning activities in the classroom.

Study of the physicochemical properties of the interface between titanium dioxide and various aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazilier, C.

1988-01-01

The aim of this work is the study of ion exchange capacity of titanium dioxide in view of high temperature water purification and radioactive effluent processing because of its resistance to heat and radiations. Titanium dioxide is obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of an aqueous solution of Ti (IV) and is characterized by analytical physical chemistry methods. Interface between Ti0 2 and simple aqueous solutions (electrolytes) is more particularly studied by potentiometry [fr

High-Density Signal Interface Electromagnetic Radiation Prediction for Electromagnetic Compatibility Evaluation.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halligan, Matthew

2017-11-01

Radiated power calculation approaches for practical scenarios of incomplete high- density interface characterization information and incomplete incident power information are presented. The suggested approaches build upon a method that characterizes power losses through the definition of power loss constant matrices. Potential radiated power estimates include using total power loss information, partial radiated power loss information, worst case analysis, and statistical bounding analysis. A method is also proposed to calculate radiated power when incident power information is not fully known for non-periodic signals at the interface. Incident data signals are modeled from a two-state Markov chain where bit state probabilities are derived. The total spectrum for windowed signals is postulated as the superposition of spectra from individual pulses in a data sequence. Statistical bounding methods are proposed as a basis for the radiated power calculation due to the statistical calculation complexity to find a radiated power probability density function.

Study on the flow nonuniformity in a high capacity Stirling pulse tube cryocooler

Science.gov (United States)

You, X.; Zhi, X.; Duan, C.; Jiang, X.; Qiu, L.; Li, J.

2017-12-01

High capacity Stirling-type pulse tube cryocoolers (SPTC) have promising applications in high temperature superconductive motor and gas liquefaction. However, with the increase of cooling capacity, its performance deviates from well-accepted one-dimensional model simulation, such as Sage and Regen, mainly due to the strong field nonuniformity. In this study, several flow straighteners placed at both ends of the pulse tube are investigated to improve the flow distribution. A two-dimensional model of the pulse tube based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method has been built to study the flow distribution of the pulse tube with different flow straighteners including copper screens, copper slots, taper transition and taper stainless slot. A SPTC set-up which has more than one hundred Watts cooling power at 80 K has been built and tested. The flow straighteners mentioned above have been applied and tested. The results show that with the best flow straightener the cooling performance of the SPTC can be significantly improved. Both CFD simulation and experiment show that the straighteners have impacts on the flow distribution and the performance of the high capacity SPTC.

The sensory components of high-capacity iconic memory and visual working memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claire eBradley

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Early visual memory can be split into two primary components: a high-capacity, short-lived iconic memory followed by a limited-capacity visual working memory that can last many seconds. Whereas a large number of studies have investigated visual working memory for low-level sensory features, much research on iconic memory has used more high-level alphanumeric stimuli such as letters or numbers. These two forms of memory are typically examined separately, despite an intrinsic overlap in their characteristics. Here, we used a purely sensory paradigm to examine visual short-term memory for 10 homogeneous items of 3 different visual features (colour, orientation and motion across a range of durations from 0 to 6 seconds. We found that the amount of information stored in iconic memory is smaller for motion than for colour or orientation. Performance declined exponentially with longer storage durations and reached chance levels after ~2 seconds. Further experiments showed that performance for the 10 items at 1 second was contingent on unperturbed attentional resources. In addition, for orientation stimuli, performance was contingent on the location of stimuli in the visual field, especially for short cue delays. Overall, our results suggest a smooth transition between an automatic, high-capacity, feature-specific sensory-iconic memory and an effortful ‘lower-capacity’ visual working memory.

Effects of 16-week high-intensity interval training using upper and lower body ergometers on aerobic fitness and morphological changes in healthy men: a preliminary study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osawa Y

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Yusuke Osawa,1,2,* Koichiro Azuma,3,* Shogo Tabata,3 Fuminori Katsukawa,2 Hiroyuki Ishida,2 Yuko Oguma,2 Toshihide Kawai,4 Hiroshi Itoh,4 Shigeo Okuda,5 Hideo Matsumoto3 1Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; 2Sports Medicine Research Center, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan; 3Institute for Integrated Sports Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan; 4Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan; 5Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan *Yusuke Osawa and Koichiro Azuma are co-first authors of this article Abstract: It is unclear whether combined leg and arm high-intensity interval training (HIIT improves fitness and morphological characteristics equal to those of leg-based HIIT programs. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of HIIT using leg-cycling (LC and arm-cranking (AC ergometers with an HIIT program using only LC. Effects on aerobic capacity and skeletal muscle were analyzed. Twelve healthy male subjects were assigned into two groups. One performed LC-HIIT (n=7 and the other LC- and AC-HIIT (n=5 twice weekly for 16 weeks. The training programs consisted of eight to 12 sets of >90% VO2 (the oxygen uptake that can be utilized in one minute peak for 60 seconds with a 60-second active rest period. VO2 peak, watt peak, and heart rate were measured during an LC incremental exercise test. The cross-sectional area (CSA of trunk and thigh muscles as well as bone-free lean body mass were measured using magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The watt peak increased from baseline in both the LC (23%±38%; P<0.05 and the LC–AC groups (11%±9%; P<0.05. The CSA of the quadriceps femoris muscles also increased from baseline in both the LC (11%±4%; P<0.05 and the LC–AC groups (5%±5%; P<0.05. In contrast, increases were observed in the CSA of

Cycloaddition in peptides for high-capacity optical storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lohse, Brian; Berg, Rolf Henrik; Hvilsted, Søren

2006-01-01

Photodimerization of chromophores attached to a short peptide chain is investigated for high-capacity optical digital storage with UV lasers. The length and rigidity of the peptide chain assure an optimal distance and orientation of the chromophores for effective photodimerization. Using a theory...... developed by Tomlinson, the absorption cross section for the dimerization process in a uracil-ornithine-based hexamer is determined to be 9 x 10(-20) cm(2). A large change in the transmission due to irradiation in the UV area may make it possible to realize multilevel storage in a thin film of the peptides....

Initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks in cast IN713LC superalloy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kunz, Ludvík; Lukáš, Petr; Konečná, R.

2010-01-01

Roč. 77, č. 11 (2010), s. 2008-2015 ISSN 0013-7944 R&D Projects: GA MPO FT-TA4/023; GA AV ČR 1QS200410502 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : IN 713LC * high temperature fatigue * crystallographic fatigue crack initiation * mean stress effect Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.571, year: 2010

Towards high-reliability organising in healthcare: a strategy for building organisational capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboumatar, Hanan J; Weaver, Sallie J; Rees, Dianne; Rosen, Michael A; Sawyer, Melinda D; Pronovost, Peter J

2017-08-01

In a high-reliability organisation (HRO), safety and quality (SQ) is an organisational priority, and all workforce members are engaged, continuously learning and improving their work. To build organisational capacity for SQ work, we have developed a role-tailored capacity-building framework that we are currently employing at the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality as part of an organisational strategy towards HRO. This framework considers organisation-wide competencies for SQ that includes all staff and faculty and is integrated into a broader organisation-wide operating management system for improving quality. In this framework, achieving safe, high-quality care is connected to healthcare workforce preparedness. Capacity-building efforts are tailored to the needs of distinct groups within the workforce that fall within three categories: (1) front-line providers and staff, (2) managers and local improvement personnel and (3) SQ leaders and experts. In this paper we describe this framework, our implementation efforts to date, challenges met and lessons learnt. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Synthesis and properties of a high-capacity iron oxide adsorbent for fluoride removal from drinking water

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chang; Li, Yingzhen; Wang, Ting-Jie; Jiang, Yanping; Fok, Jason

2017-12-01

A novel iron oxide adsorbent with a high fluoride adsorption capacity was prepared by a facile wet-chemical precipitation method and ethanol treatment. The ethanol-treated adsorbent was amorphous and had a high specific surface area. The adsorption capacity of the treated adsorbent was much higher than that of untreated adsorbent. The Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent prepared at a low final precipitation pH (≤9.0) and treated with ethanol reached 60.8 mg/g. A fast adsorption rate was obtained, and 80% of the adsorption equilibrium capacity was achieved within 2 min. The adsorbent had high fluoride-removal efficiency for water in a wide initial pH range of 3.5-10.3 and had a high affinity for fluoride in the presence of common co-anions. The ethanol treatment resulted in structure transformation of the adsorbent by inhibiting the crystallization of the nano-precipitates. The adsorption was confirmed to be ion exchange between fluoride ions and the hydroxyl groups on the adsorbent surface.

Sensitivity of GC-EI/MS, GC-EI/MS/MS, LC-ESI/MS/MS, LC-Ag(+) CIS/MS/MS, and GC-ESI/MS/MS for analysis of anabolic steroids in doping control.

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Eunju; Kim, Sohee; Kim, Ho Jun; Lee, Kang Mi; Kim, Ki Hun; Kwon, Oh-Seung; Lee, Jaeick

2015-01-01

This study compared the sensitivity of various separation and ionization methods, including gas chromatography with an electron ionization source (GC-EI), liquid chromatography with an electrospray ionization source (LC-ESI), and liquid chromatography with a silver ion coordination ion spray source (LC-Ag(+) CIS), coupled to a mass spectrometer (MS) for steroid analysis. Chromatographic conditions, mass spectrometric transitions, and ion source parameters were optimized. The majority of steroids in GC-EI/MS/MS and LC-Ag(+) CIS/MS/MS analysis showed higher sensitivities than those obtained with other analytical methods. The limits of detection (LODs) of 65 steroids by GC-EI/MS/MS, 68 steroids by LC-Ag(+) CIS/MS/MS, 56 steroids by GC-EI/MS, 54 steroids by LC-ESI/MS/MS, and 27 steroids by GC-ESI/MS/MS were below cut-off value of 2.0 ng/mL. LODs of steroids that formed protonated ions in LC-ESI/MS/MS analysis were all lower than the cut-off value. Several steroids such as unconjugated C3-hydroxyl with C17-hydroxyl structure showed higher sensitivities in GC-EI/MS/MS analysis relative to those obtained using the LC-based methods. The steroids containing 4, 9, 11-triene structures showed relatively poor sensitivities in GC-EI/MS and GC-ESI/MS/MS analysis. The results of this study provide information that may be useful for selecting suitable analytical methods for confirmatory analysis of steroids. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Acyl and silyl group effects in reactivity-based one-pot glycosylation: synthesis of embryonic stem cell surface carbohydrates Lc4 and IV(2)Fuc-Lc4.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Yun; Lu, Xin-An; Zulueta, Medel Manuel L; Tsai, Chih-Ming; Lin, Kuo-I; Hung, Shang-Cheng; Wong, Chi-Huey

2012-03-14

Relative reactivity evaluations showed the graded arming of toluenyl thioglucosides by variously positioned silyl groups but not by their acyl counterparts. These findings were applied in reactivity-based one-pot assembly of linker-attached Lc(4) and IV(2)Fuc-Lc(4), which are components of human embryonic stem cell surface. The sugar-galectin-1 binding was also examined.

On the interaction of the morphological structure and the LC behaviour of LC side chain block copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fischer, H.R.; Poser, S.; Arnold, M.

1995-01-01

The interaction between morphological structure and phase behaviour of a LC side group block copolymer has been investigated using DSC, TEM and small angle X-ray diffraction. All samples of Polystyrene-block-2-(3-cholesteryloxycarbonyloxy)ethyl methacrylate (PS-b-PChEMA) show a phase separation

AMP-regulated protein kinase activity in the hearts of mice treated with low- or high-fat diet measured using novel LC-MS method.

Science.gov (United States)

Rybakowska, I M; Slominska, E M; Romaszko, P; Olkowicz, M; Kaletha, K; Smolenski, R T

2015-06-01

AMP-regulated protein kinase (AMPK) is involved in regulation of energy-generating pathways in response to the metabolic needs in different organs including the heart. The activity of AMPK is mainly controlled by AMP concentration that in turn could be affected by nucleotide metabolic pathways. This study aimed to develop a procedure for measurement of AMPK activity together with nucleotide metabolic enzymes and its application for studies of mice treated with high-fat diet. The method developed was based on analysis of conversion of AMARA peptide to pAMARA by partially purified heart homogenate by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Activities of the enzymes of nucleotide metabolism were evaluated by analysis of conversion of substrates into products by HPLC. The method was applied for analysis of hearts of mice fed 12 weeks with low- (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD). The optimized method for AMPK activity analysis (measured in presence of AMP) revealed change of activity from 0.089 ± 0.035 pmol/min/mg protein in LFD to 0.024 ± 0.002 in HFD. This coincided with increase of adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity from 0.11 ± 0.02 to 0.19 ± 0.06 nmol/mg tissue/min and decrease of AMP-deaminase (AMPD) activity from 1.26 ± 0.35 to 0.56 ± 0.15 nmol/mg tissue/min for LFD and HFD, respectively. We have proven quality of our LC/MS method for analysis of AMPK activity. We observed decrease in AMPK activity in the heart of mice treated with high-fat diet. However, physiological consequences of this change could be modulated by decrease in AMPD activity.

Energy deposition at the bone-tissue interface from nuclear fragments produced by high-energy nucleons

Science.gov (United States)

Cucinotta, Francis A.; Hajnal, Ferenc; Wilson, John W.

1990-01-01

The transport of nuclear fragmentation recoils produced by high-energy nucleons in the region of the bone-tissue interface is considered. Results for the different flux and absorbed dose for recoils produced by 1 GeV protons are presented in a bidirectional transport model. The energy deposition in marrow cavities is seen to be enhanced by recoils produced in bone. Approximate analytic formulae for absorbed dose near the interface region are also presented for a simplified range-energy model.

High energy bursts from a solid state laser operated in the heat capacity limited regime

Science.gov (United States)

Albrecht, G.; George, E.V.; Krupke, W.F.; Sooy, W.; Sutton, S.B.

1996-06-11

High energy bursts are produced from a solid state laser operated in a heat capacity limited regime. Instead of cooling the laser, the active medium is thermally well isolated. As a result, the active medium will heat up until it reaches some maximum acceptable temperature. The waste heat is stored in the active medium itself. Therefore, the amount of energy the laser can put out during operation is proportional to its mass, the heat capacity of the active medium, and the temperature difference over which it is being operated. The high energy burst capacity of a heat capacity operated solid state laser, together with the absence of a heavy, power consuming steady state cooling system for the active medium, will make a variety of applications possible. Alternately, cooling takes place during a separate sequence when the laser is not operating. Industrial applications include new material working processes. 5 figs.

Behavior of beta-Amyloid 1-16 at the Air-Water Interface at Varying pH by Nonlinear Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Miller, A. E.; Petersen, P. B.; Hollars, C. H.; Saykally, R. J.; Heyda, Jan; Jungwirth, Pavel

2011-01-01

Roč. 115, č. 23 (2011), s. 5873-5880 ISSN 1089-5639 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC512; GA ČR GA203/08/0114 Grant - others:NSF(US) 0650950 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : beta-amyloid * air /water interface * SHG spectroscopy * molecular dynamics Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.946, year: 2011

Does consumption of LC omega-3 PUFA enhance cognitive performance in healthy school-aged children and throughout adulthood? Evidence from clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Stonehouse, Welma

2014-07-22

Long-chain (LC) omega-3 PUFA derived from marine sources may play an important role in cognitive performance throughout all life stages. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the dominant omega-3 in the brain, is a major component of neuronal cell membranes and affects various neurological pathways and processess. Despite its critical role in brain function, human's capacity to synthesize DHA de novo is limited and its consumption through the diet is important. However, many individuals do not or rarely consume seafood. The aim of this review is to critically evaluate the current evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCT) in healthy school-aged children, younger and older adults to determine whether consumption of LC omega-3 PUFA improves cognitive performance and to make recommendations for future research. Current evidence suggests that consumption of LC omega-3 PUFA, particularly DHA, may enhance cognitive performance relating to learning, cognitive development, memory and speed of performing cognitive tasks. Those who habitually consume diets low in DHA, children with low literacy ability and malnourished and older adults with age-related cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment seem to benefit most. However, study design limitations in many RCTs hamper firm conclusions. The measurement of a uniform biomarker, e.g., % DHA in red blood cells, is essential to establish baseline DHA-status, to determine targets for cognitive performance and to facilitate dosage recommendations. It is recommended that future studies be at least 16 weeks in duration, account for potential interaction effects of gender, age and apolipoprotein E genotype, include vegan/vegetarian populations, include measures of speed of cognitive performance and include brain imaging technologies as supportive information on working mechanisms of LC omega-3 PUFA.

The effect of angiotensin converting enzyme genotype on aerobic capacity following high intensity interval training

OpenAIRE

Goddard, N; Baker, M.D; Higgins, T; Cobbold, C

2014-01-01

Obesity increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Physical activity can reduce T2DM and CVD risk, and increase aerobic capacity, a significant predictor of all-cause mortality and morbidity. High intensity interval training (HIIT) produces similar improvements in aerobic capacity to continuous moderate exercise (CME). Different genotypes of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) have been implicated in improving aerobic capacity and theref...

Lactulose:Mannitol Diagnostic Test by HPLC and LC-MSMS Platforms: Considerations for Field Studies of Intestinal Barrier Function and Environmental Enteropathy

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Gwenyth O.; Kosek, Peter; Lima, Aldo A.M.; Singh, Ravinder; Yori, Pablo P.; Olortegui, Maribel P.; Lamsam, Jesse L.; Oliveira, Domingos B.; Guerrant, Richard L.; Kosek, Margaret

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives: The lactulose:mannitol (L:M) diagnostic test is frequently used in field studies of environmental enteropathy (EE); however, heterogeneity in test administration and disaccharide measurement has limited the comparison of results between studies and populations. We aim to assess the agreement between L:M measurement between high-performance liquid chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPLC-PAD) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS) platforms. Methods: The L:M test was administered in a cohort of Peruvian infants considered at risk for EE. A total of 100 samples were tested for lactulose and mannitol at 3 independent laboratories: 1 running an HPLC-PAD platform and 2 running LC-MSMS platforms. Agreement between the platforms was estimated. Results: The Spearman correlation between the 2 LC-MSMS platforms was high (ρ ≥ 0.89) for mannitol, lactulose, and the L:M ratio. The correlation between the HPLC-PAD platform and LC-MSMS platform was ρ = 0.95 for mannitol, ρ = 0.70 for lactulose, and ρ = 0.43 for the L:M ratio. In addition, the HPLC-PAD platform overestimated the lowest disaccharide concentrations to the greatest degree. Conclusions: Given the large analyte concentration range, the improved accuracy of LC-MSMS has important consequences for the assessment of lactulose and mannitol following oral administration in populations at risk for EE. We recommend that researchers wishing to implement a dual-sugar test as part of a study of EE use an LC-MSMS platform to optimize the accuracy of results and increase comparability between studies. PMID:24941958

Direct coupling of a flow-flow electromembrane extraction probe to LC-MS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fuchs, David; Gabel-Jensen, Charlotte; Jensen, Henrik

2016-01-01

the fully automated EME-LC-MS system offers a significant time saving and in addition demonstrates increased sensitivity as the analytes were automatically enriched during the extraction process. The experiment revealed 6 to 16 times higher S/N ratios of the EME-LC-MS method compared to protein...... precipitation followed by LC-MS and thus concomitantly lower LOD and LOQ. The setup integrates a complete analytical workflow of rapid extraction, enrichment, separation and detection of analytes in a fully automated manner. These attributes make the developed system a powerful alternative approach for a wide...

High accuracy interface characterization of three phase material systems in three dimensions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Peter Stanley; Hansen, Karin Vels; Larsen, Rasmus

2010-01-01

Quantification of interface properties such as two phase boundary area and triple phase boundary length is important in the characterization ofmanymaterial microstructures, in particular for solid oxide fuel cell electrodes. Three-dimensional images of these microstructures can be obtained...... by tomography schemes such as focused ion beam serial sectioning or micro-computed tomography. We present a high accuracy method of calculating two phase surface areas and triple phase length of triple phase systems from subvoxel accuracy segmentations of constituent phases. The method performs a three phase...... polygonization of the interface boundaries which results in a non-manifold mesh of connected faces. We show how the triple phase boundaries can be extracted as connected curve loops without branches. The accuracy of the method is analyzed by calculations on geometrical primitives...

Sorption-capacity limited retardation of radionuclides transport in water-saturated packing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pescatore, C.; Sullivan, T.

1984-01-01

Radionuclides breakthrough times as calculated through constant retardation factors obtained in dilute solutions are non-conservative. The constant retardation approach regards the solid as having infinite sorption capacity throughout the solid. However, as the solid become locally saturated, such as in the proximity of the waste form-packing materials interface, it will exhibit no retardation properties, and transport will take place as if the radionuclides were locally non-reactive. The magnitude of the effect of finite sorption capacity of the packing materials on radionuclide transport is discussed with reference to high-level waste package performance. An example based on literature sorption data indicated that the breakthrough time may be overpredicted by orders of magnitude using a constant retardation factor as compared to using the entire sorption isotherm to obtain a concentration-dependent retardation factor. 8 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Sorption-capacity limited retardation of radionuclides transport in water-saturated packing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pescatore, C.; Sullivan, T.

1984-01-01

Radionuclides breakthrough times as calculated through constant retardation factors obtained in dilute solutions are non-conservative. The constant retardation approach regards the solid as having infinite sorption capacity throughout the solid. However, as the solid becomes locally saturated, such as in the proximity of the waste form-packing materials interface, it will exhibit no retardation properties, and transport will take place as if the radionuclides were locally non-reactive. The magnitude of the effect of finite sorption capacity of the packing materials on radionuclide transport is discussed with reference to high-level waste package performance. An example based on literature sorption data indicates that the breakthrough time may be overpredicted by orders of magnitude using a constant retardation factor as compared to using the entire sorption isotherm to obtain a concentration-dependent retardation factor. 8 references, 3 figures, 3 tables

LabVIEW Graphical User Interface for a New High Sensitivity, High Resolution Micro-Angio-Fluoroscopic and ROI-CBCT System.

Science.gov (United States)

Keleshis, C; Ionita, Cn; Yadava, G; Patel, V; Bednarek, Dr; Hoffmann, Kr; Verevkin, A; Rudin, S

2008-01-01

A graphical user interface based on LabVIEW software was developed to enable clinical evaluation of a new High-Sensitivity Micro-Angio-Fluoroscopic (HSMAF) system for real-time acquisition, display and rapid frame transfer of high-resolution region-of-interest images. The HSMAF detector consists of a CsI(Tl) phosphor, a light image intensifier (LII), and a fiber-optic taper coupled to a progressive scan, frame-transfer, charged-coupled device (CCD) camera which provides real-time 12 bit, 1k × 1k images capable of greater than 10 lp/mm resolution. Images can be captured in continuous or triggered mode, and the camera can be programmed by a computer using Camera Link serial communication. A graphical user interface was developed to control the camera modes such as gain and pixel binning as well as to acquire, store, display, and process the images. The program, written in LabVIEW, has the following capabilities: camera initialization, synchronized image acquisition with the x-ray pulses, roadmap and digital subtraction angiography acquisition (DSA), flat field correction, brightness and contrast control, last frame hold in fluoroscopy, looped playback of the acquired images in angiography, recursive temporal filtering and LII gain control. Frame rates can be up to 30 fps in full-resolution mode. The user friendly implementation of the interface along with the high framerate acquisition and display for this unique high-resolution detector should provide angiographers and interventionalists with a new capability for visualizing details of small vessels and endovascular devices such as stents and hence enable more accurate diagnoses and image guided interventions. (Support: NIH Grants R01NS43924, R01EB002873).

A biomimetic high-capacity phenazine-based anolyte for aqueous organic redox flow batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Hollas, Aaron; Wei, Xiaoliang; Murugesan, Vijayakumar; Nie, Zimin; Li, Bin; Reed, David; Liu, Jun; Sprenkle, Vincent; Wang, Wei

2018-06-01

Aqueous soluble organic (ASO) redox-active materials have recently attracted significant attention as alternatives to traditional transition metal ions in redox flow batteries (RFB). However, reported reversible capacities of ASO are often substantially lower than their theoretical values based on the reported maximum solubilities. Here, we describe a phenazine-based ASO compound with an exceptionally high reversible capacity that exceeds 90% of its theoretical value. By strategically modifying the phenazine molecular structure, we demonstrate an increased solubility from near-zero with pristine phenazine to as much as 1.8 M while also shifting its redox potential by more than 400 mV. An RFB based on a phenazine derivative (7,8-dihydroxyphenazine-2-sulfonic acid) at its near-saturation concentration exhibits an operating voltage of 1.4 V with a reversible anolyte capacity of 67 Ah l-1 and a capacity retention of 99.98% per cycle over 500 cycles.

Comparative studies of HPLC-fluorometry and LC/MS method for the determination of N-acetylneuraminic acid as a marker of deteriorated ophthalmic solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwatsuka, Kinya; Yasueda, Shin-ichi; Bando, Eiji; Fujii, Hiroyuki; Terada, Takashi; Okubo, Hiroya; Iwamoto, Hiroki; Kinoshita, Mitsuhiro; Kakehi, Kazuaki

2011-10-01

Methods for determining the deterioration of ophthalmic solutions using both high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection and liquid chromatography coupled with selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry (LC/MS) are described. The methods are based on the determination of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) released by the hydrolysis of foreign bodies that contaminate eye drops during use. The released NeuAc was either labeled with 1,2-diamino-4,5-methylenedioxybenzene (DMB) for fluorometric detection or detected without derivatization by mass spectrometry. The calibration curves for NeuAc showed good linearity between 1.2 ng/mL and 39 ng/mL for fluorometric HPLC and 5.0 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL for LC/MS, respectively. Detection limits for fluorometric HPLC and LC/MS were 0.20 ng/mL and 0.88 ng/mL, respectively. The NeuAc content of some model glycoproteins determined by LC/MS method were 62-78% of those determined by fluorometry. The differences are attributed to matrix effects but the LC/MS method afforded sufficiently high sensitivity that NeuAc in the foreign bodies could be determined in eight of nine test samples. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of high frequency ground motion effects on the seismic capacity of NPP equipments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, In Kil; Seo, Jeong Moon; Choun, Young Sun

2003-04-01

In this study, the uniform hazard spectrum for the example Korean nuclear power plants sites were developed and compared with various response spectra used in past seismic PRA and SMA. It shows that the high frequency ground motion effects should be considered in seismic safety evaluations. The floor response spectra were developed using the direct generation method that can develop the floor response spectra from the input response spectrum directly with only the dynamic properties of structures obtained from the design calculation. Most attachment of the equipments to the structure has a minimum distortion capacity. This makes it possible to drop the effective frequency of equipment to low frequency before it is severely damaged. The results of this study show that the high frequency ground motion effects on the floor response spectra were significant, and the effects should be considered in the SPRA and SMA for the equipments installed in a building. The high frequency ground motion effects are more important for the seismic capacity evaluation of functional failure modes. The high frequency ground motion effects on the structural failure of equipments that attached to the floor by welding can be reduced by the distortion capacity of welded anchorage

Novel asymptotic results on the high-order statistics of the channel capacity over generalized fading channels

KAUST Repository

Yilmaz, Ferkan

2012-06-01

The exact analysis of the higher-order statistics of the channel capacity (i.e., higher-order ergodic capacity) often leads to complicated expressions involving advanced special functions. In this paper, we provide a generic framework for the computation of the higher-order statistics of the channel capacity over generalized fading channels. As such, this novel framework for the higher-order statistics results in simple, closed-form expressions which are shown to be asymptotically tight bounds in the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime of a variety of fading environment. In addition, it reveals the existence of differences (i.e., constant capacity gaps in log-domain) among different fading environments. By asymptotically tight bound we mean that the high SNR limit of the difference between the actual higher-order statistics of the channel capacity and its asymptotic bound (i.e., lower bound) tends to zero. The mathematical formalism is illustrated with some selected numerical examples that validate the correctness of our newly derived results. © 2012 IEEE.

Facile ultrasonic synthesis of CoO quantum dot/graphene nanosheet composites with high lithium storage capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Chengxin; Chen, Bingdi; Qin, Yao; Yang, Shihe; Li, Chunzhong; Zuo, Yuanhui; Liu, Siyang; Yang, Jinhu

2012-02-28

In this paper, we report a facile ultrasonic method to synthesize well-dispersed CoO quantum dots (3-8 nm) on graphene nanosheets at room temperature by employing Co(4)(CO)(12) as cobalt precursor. The prepared CoO/graphene composites displayed high performance as an anode material for lithium-ion battery, such as high reversible lithium storage capacity (1592 mAh g(-1) after 50 cycles), high Coulombic efficiency (over 95%), excellent cycling stability, and high rate capability (1008 mAh g(-1) with a total retention of 77.6% after 50 cycles at a current density of 1000 mA g(-1), dramatically increased from the initial 50 mA g(-1)). The extraordinary performance arises from the structure advantages of the composites: the nanosized CoO quantum dots with high dispersity on conductive graphene substrates supply not only large quantity of accessible active sites for lithium-ion insertion but also good conductivity and short diffusion length for lithium ions, which are beneficial for high capacity and rate capability. Meanwhile, the isolated CoO quantum dots anchored tightly on the graphene nanosheets can effectively circumvent the volume expansion/contraction associated with lithium insertion/extraction during discharge/charge processes, which is good for high capacity as well as cycling stability. Moreover, regarding the anomalous behavior of capacity increase with cycles (activation effect) observed, we proposed a tentative hypothesis stressing the competition between the conductivity increase and the amorphorization of the composite electrodes during cycling in determining the trends of the capacity, in the hope to gain a fuller understanding of the inner working of the novel nanostructured electrode-based lithium-ion batteries.

Interface between path and orbital angular momentum entanglement for high-dimensional photonic quantum information.

Science.gov (United States)

Fickler, Robert; Lapkiewicz, Radek; Huber, Marcus; Lavery, Martin P J; Padgett, Miles J; Zeilinger, Anton

2014-07-30

Photonics has become a mature field of quantum information science, where integrated optical circuits offer a way to scale the complexity of the set-up as well as the dimensionality of the quantum state. On photonic chips, paths are the natural way to encode information. To distribute those high-dimensional quantum states over large distances, transverse spatial modes, like orbital angular momentum possessing Laguerre Gauss modes, are favourable as flying information carriers. Here we demonstrate a quantum interface between these two vibrant photonic fields. We create three-dimensional path entanglement between two photons in a nonlinear crystal and use a mode sorter as the quantum interface to transfer the entanglement to the orbital angular momentum degree of freedom. Thus our results show a flexible way to create high-dimensional spatial mode entanglement. Moreover, they pave the way to implement broad complex quantum networks where high-dimensionally entangled states could be distributed over distant photonic chips.

Detection of heavy-metal ions using liquid crystal droplet patterns modulated by interaction between negatively charged carboxylate and heavy-metal cations.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Gyeo-Re; Jang, Chang-Hyun

2014-10-01

Herein, we demonstrated a simple, sensitive, and rapid label-free detection method for heavy-metal (HM) ions using liquid crystal (LC) droplet patterns on a solid surface. Stearic-acid-doped LC droplet patterns were spontaneously generated on an n-octyltrichlorosilane (OTS)-treated glass substrate by evaporating a solution of the nematic LC, 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB), dissolved in heptane. The optical appearance of the droplet patterns was a dark crossed texture when in contact with air, which represents the homeotropic orientation of the LC. This was caused by the steric interaction between the LC molecules and the alkyl chains of the OTS-treated surface. The dark crossed appearance of the acid-doped LC patterns was maintained after the addition of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution (pH 8.1 at 25°C). The deprotonated stearic-acid molecules self-assembled through the LC/aqueous interface, thereby supporting the homeotropic anchoring of 5CB. However, the optical image of the acid-doped LC droplet patterns incubated with PBS containing HM ions appeared bright, indicating a planar orientation of 5CB at the aqueous/LC droplet interface. This dark to bright transition of the LC patterns was caused by HM ions attached to the deprotonated carboxylate moiety, followed by the sequential interruption of the self-assembly of the stearic acid at the LC/aqueous interface. The results showed that the acid-doped LC pattern system not only enabled the highly sensitive detection of HM ions at a sub-nanomolar concentration but it also facilitated rapid detection (<10 min) with simple procedures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct identification of amyloids by label-free quantitative LC-MS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dueholm, Morten Simonsen; Danielsen, Heidi Nolsøe; Hansen, Susan Hove

adhesive and therefore bind to pipette tips and other consumables. Pure cultures, large sample volumes and high productivity of amyloids are therefore required for successful purification. We here present a quantitative proteomics technique that allow direct identification of functional amyloid candidates......Direct identification of amyloids by label-free quantitative LC-MS H. N. Danielsen, S. H. Hansen, F.-A. Herbst, P. H. Nielsen, M. S. Dueholm Amyloids are highly ordered fibrillar protein polymers used by organisms from all domains of life due to their exceptional properties. We have previously...... in complex samples based on their structural stability in the presence of increasing concentrations of formic acid....

Polyethylenimine-modified fungal biomass as a high-capacity biosorbent for Cr(VI) anions: sorption capacity and uptake mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Shubo; Ting, Yen Peng

2005-11-01

Heavy metal pollution in the aqueous environment is a problem of global concern. Biosorption has been considered as a promising technology for the removal of low levels of toxic metals from industrial effluents and natural waters. A modified fungal biomass of Penicillium chrysogenum with positive surface charges was prepared by grafting polyethylenimine (PEI) onto the biomass surface in a two-step reaction. The presence of PEI on the biomass surface was verified by FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. Due to the high density of amine groups in the long chains of PEI molecules on the surface, the modified biomass was found to possess positive zeta potential at pH below 10.4 as well as high sorption capacity for anionic Cr(VI). Using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, the maximum sorption capacity for Cr(VI) at a pH range of 4.3-5.5 was 5.37 mmol/g of biomass dry weight, the highest sorption capacity for Cr(VI) compared to other sorbents reported in the literature. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) provided evidence of chromium aggregates formed on the biomass surface. XPS results verified the presence of Cr(III) on the biomass surface in the pH range 2.5-10.5, suggesting that some Cr(VI) anions were reduced to Cr(III) during the sorption. The sorption kinetics indicated that redox reaction occurred on the biomass surface, and whether the converted Cr(III) ions were released to solution or adsorbed on the biomass depended on the solution pH. Sorption mechanisms including electrostatic interaction, chelation, and precipitation were found to be involved in the complex sorption of chromium on the PEI-modified biomass.

Combinatorial Nano-Bio Interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Pingqiang; Zhang, Xiaoqian; Wang, Ming; Wu, Yun-Long; Chen, Xiaodong

2018-06-08

Nano-bio interfaces are emerging from the convergence of engineered nanomaterials and biological entities. Despite rapid growth, clinical translation of biomedical nanomaterials is heavily compromised by the lack of comprehensive understanding of biophysicochemical interactions at nano-bio interfaces. In the past decade, a few investigations have adopted a combinatorial approach toward decoding nano-bio interfaces. Combinatorial nano-bio interfaces comprise the design of nanocombinatorial libraries and high-throughput bioevaluation. In this Perspective, we address challenges in combinatorial nano-bio interfaces and call for multiparametric nanocombinatorics (composition, morphology, mechanics, surface chemistry), multiscale bioevaluation (biomolecules, organelles, cells, tissues/organs), and the recruitment of computational modeling and artificial intelligence. Leveraging combinatorial nano-bio interfaces will shed light on precision nanomedicine and its potential applications.

Screening of veterinary drug residues in food by LC-MS/MS. Background and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Delatour, Thierry; Racault, Lucie; Bessaire, Thomas; Desmarchelier, Aurélien

2018-04-01

Regulatory agencies and government authorities have established maximum residue limits (MRL) in various food matrices of animal origin for supporting governments and food operators in the monitoring of veterinary drug residues in the food chain, and ultimately in the consumer's plate. Today, about 200 veterinary drug residues from several families, mainly with antibiotic, antiparasitic or antiinflammatory activities, are regulated in a variety of food matrices such as milk, meat or egg. This article provides a review of the regulatory framework in milk and muscle including data from Codex Alimentarius, Europe, the U.S.A., Canada and China for about 220 veterinary drugs. The article also provides a comprehensive overview of the challenge for food control, and emphasizes the pivotal role of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), either in tandem with quadrupoles (LC-MS/MS) or high resolution MS (LC-HRMS), for ensuring an adequate consumer protection combined with an affordable cost. The capability of a streamlined LC-MS/MS platform for screening 152 veterinary drug residues in a broad range of raw materials and finished products is highlighted in a production line perspective. The rationale for a suite of four methods intended to achieve appropriate performance in terms of scope and sensitivity is presented. Overall, the platform encompasses one stream for the determination of 105 compounds in a run (based on acidic QuEChERS-like), plus two streams for 23 β-lactams (alkaline QuEChERS-like) and 10 tetracyclines (low-temperature partitioning), respectively, and a dedicated stream for 14 aminoglycosides (molecularly-imprinted polymer).

On the interaction of the morphological structure and the LC behaviour of LC side chain block copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fischer, H.R.; Arnold, M.

1995-01-01

The interaction between morphological structure and phase behaviour of a group of LC side group block copolymers have been investigated using DSC, TEM and small angle X-ray diffraction. Generally, phase separation between the two blocks was observed. It was found that in the case of those samples,

Inkjet color-printer control interface

Science.gov (United States)

Kistler, R.; Kriegler, F. J.; Marshall, R. E.

1977-01-01

Special purpose interface permits computer-driven control of inkjet printers. Inkjet printers are answer to problem of high-speed peripheral output devices for computer systems. Control interface was developed to provide high-resolution color-classification maps quickly and economically from multispectral data.

Effects of sample injection amount and time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection dynamic range on metabolome analysis by high-performance chemical isotope labeling LC-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ruokun; Li, Liang

2015-04-06

The effect of sample injection amount on metabolome analysis in a chemical isotope labeling (CIL) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) platform was investigated. The performance of time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers with and without a high-dynamic-range (HD) detection system was compared in the analysis of (12)C2/(13)C2-dansyl labeled human urine samples. An average of 1635 ± 21 (n = 3) peak pairs or putative metabolites was detected using the HD-TOF-MS, compared to 1429 ± 37 peak pairs from a conventional or non-HD TOF-MS. In both instruments, signal saturation was observed. However, in the HD-TOF-MS, signal saturation was mainly caused by the ionization process, while in the non-HD TOF-MS, it was caused by the detection process. To extend the MS detection range in the non-HD TOF-MS, an automated switching from using (12)C to (13)C-natural abundance peaks for peak ratio calculation when the (12)C peaks are saturated has been implemented in IsoMS, a software tool for processing CIL LC-MS data. This work illustrates that injecting an optimal sample amount is important to maximize the metabolome coverage while avoiding the sample carryover problem often associated with over-injection. A TOF mass spectrometer with an enhanced detection dynamic range can also significantly increase the number of peak pairs detected. In chemical isotope labeling (CIL) LC-MS, relative metabolite quantification is done by measuring the peak ratio of a (13)C2-/(12)C2-labeled peak pair for a given metabolite present in two comparative samples. The dynamic range of peak ratio measurement does not need to be very large, as only subtle changes of metabolite concentrations are encountered in most metabolomic studies where relative metabolome quantification of different groups of samples is performed. However, the absolute concentrations of different metabolites can be very different, requiring a technique to provide a wide detection dynamic range to allow the detection of as

Preparative separation and structural identification of impurities of a new α{sub 2}-Adrenoceptor agonist using stacking injection, LC-MS{sup n} and LC-SPE-NMR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardoso, Josiane O.; Thomasi, Sérgio S.; Venâncio, Tiago; Oliveira, Regina V., E-mail: oliveirarv@ufscar.br [Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil). Departamento de Química; Pitta, Ivan R.; Lima, Maria do Carmo A. de [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (NUPIT/UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Núcleo de Pesquisa em Inovação Tecnológica

2017-07-01

Identifying impurities in drug substances has become one of the most important issues in pharmaceutical analysis since it can have a significant impact on the efficacy of new pharmaceutical products. Due to the purity requirements, in this paper a new synthetic α{sub 2}-adrenoceptor agonist, called LPSF-PT-31, was purified and its impurities were characterized by liquid chromatography multistage mass spectrometry (LC-MS{sup n}) and liquid chromatography-solid phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-SPE-NMR). The purification step was conducted using a semi-preparative liquid chromatography and stacked injections as a new approach to drug purification. As a result, a total yield of 75% of the pure LPSF-PT-31 and 2.9 L day{sup -}'1 in solvent reduction was obtained. The combination of semi-preparative stacking injection, LC-MS{sup n}, and LC-SPE-NMR, demonstrated to be efficient to purify active drugs and unambiguously identify its impurities. In addition, isolation and identification of drug impurities in the early stages of development can improve the synthetic pathway, preventing the formation of impurities or minimizing this formation to minimum levels. (author)

Complete genome sequence of the Lactococcus lactis temperate phage phiLC3: comparative analysis of phiLC3 and its relatives in lactococci and streptococci

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blatny, Janet Martha; Godager, Linda; Lunde, Merete; Nes, Ingolf Figved

2004-01-01

Complete genome sequencing of the P335 temperate Lactococcus lactis bacteriophage phiLC3 (32, 172 bp) revealed fifty-one open reading frames (ORFs). Four ORFs did not show any homology to other proteins in the database and twenty-one ORFs were assigned a putative biological function. phiLC3 contained a unique replication module and orf201 was identified as the putative replication initiator protein-encoding gene. phiLC3 was closely related to the L. lactis r1t phage (73% DNA identity). Similarity was also shared with other lactococcal P335 phages and the Streptococcus pyogenes prophages 370.3, 8232.4 and 315.5 over the non-structural genes and the genes involved in DNA packaging/phage morphogenesis, respectively. phiLC3 contained small homologous regions distributed among lactococcal phages suggesting that these regions might be involved in mediating genetic exchange. Two regions of 30 and 32 bp were conserved among the streptococcal and lactococcal r1t-like phages. These two regions, as well as other homologous regions, were located at mosaic borders and close to putative transcriptional terminators indicating that such regions together might attract recombination. The conserved regions found among lactococcal and streptococcal phages might be used for identification of phages/prophages/prophage remnants in their hosts

LC-NMR coupling technology: recent advancements and applications in natural products analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Exarchou, V.; Krucker, M.; Beek, van T.A.; Vervoort, J.J.M.; Gerothanassis, I.P.; Albert, K.

2005-01-01

An overview of recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) coupled with separation technologies and their application in natural product analysis is given and discussed. The different modes of LC-NMR operation are described, as well as how technical improvements assist in establishing LC-NMR

LabVIEW Interface for PCI-SpaceWire Interface Card

Science.gov (United States)

Lux, James; Loya, Frank; Bachmann, Alex

2005-01-01

This software provides a LabView interface to the NT drivers for the PCISpaceWire card, which is a peripheral component interface (PCI) bus interface that conforms to the IEEE-1355/ SpaceWire standard. As SpaceWire grows in popularity, the ability to use SpaceWire links within LabVIEW will be important to electronic ground support equipment vendors. In addition, there is a need for a high-level LabVIEW interface to the low-level device- driver software supplied with the card. The LabVIEW virtual instrument (VI) provides graphical interfaces to support all (1) SpaceWire link functions, including message handling and routing; (2) monitoring as a passive tap using specialized hardware; and (3) low-level access to satellite mission-control subsystem functions. The software is supplied in a zip file that contains LabVIEW VI files, which provide various functions of the PCI-SpaceWire card, as well as higher-link-level functions. The VIs are suitably named according to the matching function names in the driver manual. A number of test programs also are provided to exercise various functions.

Flower-like SnO2/graphene composite for high-capacity lithium storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hongdong; Huang Jiamu; Li Xinlu; Liu Jia; Zhang Yuxin; Du Kun

2012-01-01

Flower-like SnO 2 /graphene composite is synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method for high-capacity lithium storage. The as-prepared products are characterized by XRD, FTIR, FESEM, TGA and Nitrogen adsorption/desorption. The electrochemical performance of the flower-like SnO 2 /graphene composite is measured by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling. The results show that the flower-like SnO 2 nanorod clusters are 800 nm in size and homogeneously adhere on graphene sheets. The flower-like SnO 2 /graphene composite displays superior Li-battery performance with large reversible capacity, excellent cyclic performance and good rate capability.

Detection of N-(1-deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl) Fumonisins B₂ and B₃ in Corn by High-Resolution LC-Orbitrap MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuo, Yosuke; Takahara, Kentaro; Sago, Yuki; Kushiro, Masayo; Nagashima, Hitoshi; Nakagawa, Hiroyuki

2015-09-16

The existence of glucose conjugates of fumonisin B₂ (FB₂) and fumonisin B₃ (FB₃) in corn powder was confirmed for the first time. These "bound-fumonisins" (FB₂ and FB₃ bound to glucose) were identified as N-(1-deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl) fumonisin B₂ (NDfrc-FB₂) and N-(1-deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl) fumonisin B₃ (NDfrc-FB₃) respectively, based on the accurate mass measurements of characteristic ions and fragmentation patterns using high-resolution liquid chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-Orbitrap MS) analysis. Treatment on NDfrc-FB₂ and NDfrc-FB₃ with the o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) reagent also supported that D-glucose binding to FB₂ and FB₃ molecules occurred to their primary amine residues.

High-Density Near-Field Readout over 50 GB Capacity Using Solid Immersion Lens with High Refractive Index

Science.gov (United States)

Shinoda, Masataka; Saito, Kimihiro; Kondo, Takao; Ishimoto, Tsutomu; Nakaoki, Ariyoshi

2003-02-01

We have investigated high-density near-field readout using a solid immersion lens with a high refractive index. By using a glass material with a high refractive index of 2.08, we developed an optical pick-up with the effective numerical aperture of 1.8. We could observe a clear eye pattern for a 50 GB capacity disc in 120 mm diameter. We confirmed that the near-field readout system is promising method of realizing a high-density optical disc system.

A high speed PE-ALD ZnO Schottky diode rectifier with low interface-state density

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Jidong; Zhang, Jiawei; Shaw, Andrew; Kudina, Valeriya N.; Mitrovic, Ivona Z.; Wrench, Jacqueline S.; Chalker, Paul R.; Balocco, Claudio; Song, Aimin; Hall, Steve

2018-02-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has recently attracted attention for its potential application to high speed electronics. In this work, a high speed Schottky diode rectifier was fabricated based on a ZnO thin film deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition and a PtOx Schottky contact deposited by reactive radio-frequency sputtering. The rectifier shows an ideality factor of 1.31, an effective barrier height of 0.79 eV, a rectification ratio of 1.17  ×  107, and cut-off frequency as high as 550 MHz. Low frequency noise measurements reveal that the rectifier has a low interface-state density of 5.13  ×  1012 cm-2 eV-1, and the noise is dominated by the mechanism of a random walk of electrons at the PtO x /ZnO interface. The work shows that the rectifier can be used for both noise sensitive and high frequency electronics applications.

Active damping of LLCL-filter resonance based on LC-trap voltage and capacitor current feedback

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Min; Wang, Xiongfei; Loh, Poh Chiang

2015-01-01

. In this paper, different feedback coefficients like the proportional, derivative, integral, high pass and low pass feedback coefficients of the filter capacitor current and the LC-trap circuit voltage are investigated for damping the filter resonance. Active damping methods are analyzed by using the concept...

LC-MS at core of university-industry link

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linding, Rune

2013-01-01

, and the Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid system is designed for precisely this type of visionary research.’’ DTU is establishing the state-of-the-art laboratory to develop new experiments to dig deeper into the core machinery of the cell. The new laboratory will use four TFS Q Exactive LC-MS/MS systems, and nano-LC 1000.......’’ ‘‘We are immensely pleased to be working with this talented and motivated team of scientists,’’ said Iain Mylchreest, vice president, research and development, life science mass spectrometry, TFS. ‘‘We share with them the objective of pushing the limits of science to make the world a better place...

Review on anionic redox for high-capacity lithium- and sodium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Chenglong; Lu, Yaxiang; Hu, Yong-Sheng; Chen, Liquan; Wang, Qidi; Li, Baohua

2017-01-01

Rechargeable batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries, are now widely used as power sources for portable electronics and electric vehicles, but material innovations are still needed to satisfy the increasing demand for larger energy density. Recently, lithium- and sodium-rich electrode materials, including the A 2 MO 3 -family layered compounds (A  =  Li, Na; M  =  Mn 4+ , Ru 4+ , etc), have been extensively studied as potential high-capacity electrode materials for a cumulative cationic and anionic redox activity. Negatively charged oxide ions can potentially donate electrons to compensate for the absence of oxidable transition metals as a redox center to further increase the reversible capacity. Understanding and controlling the state-of-the-art anionic redox processes is pivotal for the design of advanced energy materials, highlighted in rechargeable batteries. Hence, experimental and theoretical approaches have been developed to consecutively study the diverting processes, states, and structures involved. In this review, we attempt to present a literature overview and provide insight into the reaction mechanism with respect to the anionic redox processes, proposing some opinions as target oriented. It is hoped that, through this discussion, the search for anionic redox electrode materials with high-capacity rechargeable batteries can be advanced, and practical applications realized as soon as possible. (topical review)

The Role of Ca2+ and BK Channels of Locus Coeruleus (LC) Neurons as a Brake to the CO2 Chemosensitivity Response of Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Imber, Ann N; Patrone, Luis G A; Li, Ke-Yong; Gargaglioni, Luciane H; Putnam, Robert W

2018-06-15

The cellular mechanisms by which LC neurons respond to hypercapnia are usually attributed to an "accelerator" whereby hypercapnic acidosis causes an inhibition of K + channels or activation of Na + and Ca +2 channels to depolarize CO 2 -sensitive neurons. Nevertheless, it is still unknown if this "accelerator" mechanism could be controlled by a brake phenomenon. Whole-cell patch clamping, fluorescence imaging microscopy and plethysmography were used to study the chemosensitive response of the LC neurons. Hypercapnic acidosis activates L-type Ca 2+ channels and large conductance Ca-activated K + (BK) channels, which function as a "brake" on the chemosensitive response of LC neurons. Our findings indicate that both Ca 2+ and BK currents develop over the first 2 weeks of postnatal life in rat LC slices and that this brake pathway may cause the developmental decrease in the chemosensitive firing rate response of LC neurons to hypercapnic acidosis. Inhibition of this brake by paxilline (BK channel inhibitor) returns the magnitude of the chemosensitive firing rate response from LC neurons in rats older than P10 to high values similar to those in LC neurons from younger rats. Inhibition of BK channels in LC neurons by bilateral injections of paxilline into the LC results in a significant increase in the hypercapnic ventilatory response of adult rats. Our findings indicate that a BK channel-based braking system helps to determine the chemosensitive respiratory drive of LC neurons and contributes to the hypercapnic ventilatory response. Perhaps, abnormalities of this braking system could result in hypercapnia-induced respiratory disorders and panic responses. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LC-MS/MS Peptide Mapping with Automated Data Processing for Routine Profiling of N-Glycans in Immunoglobulins

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Bhavana; Jiang, Xinzhao Grace; Chen, Louise; Zhang, Zhongqi

2014-06-01

Protein N-Glycan analysis is traditionally performed by high pH anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC), reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) on fluorescence-labeled glycans enzymatically released from the glycoprotein. These methods require time-consuming sample preparations and do not provide site-specific glycosylation information. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) peptide mapping is frequently used for protein structural characterization and, as a bonus, can potentially provide glycan profile on each individual glycosylation site. In this work, a recently developed glycopeptide fragmentation model was used for automated identification, based on their MS/MS, of N-glycopeptides from proteolytic digestion of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Experimental conditions were optimized to achieve accurate profiling of glycoforms. Glycan profiles obtained from LC-MS/MS peptide mapping were compared with those obtained from HPAEC, RPLC, and HILIC analyses of released glycans for several mAb molecules. Accuracy, reproducibility, and linearity of the LC-MS/MS peptide mapping method for glycan profiling were evaluated. The LC-MS/MS peptide mapping method with fully automated data analysis requires less sample preparation, provides site-specific information, and may serve as an alternative method for routine profiling of N-glycans on immunoglobulins as well as other glycoproteins with simple N-glycans.

Clean-up and matrix effect in LC-MS/MS analysis of food of plant origin for high polar herbicides.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaczyński, Piotr

2017-09-01

This study reports an innovative and sensitive procedure for analysis of difficult high polar herbicides (HPH) in diverse foods of plant origin. The QuPPe (Quick Polar Pesticides) method followed by determination by LC-MS/MS was modified. Chromatographic conditions, extraction, clean-up, and matrix effect were studied. Several liquid chromatography stationary and mobile phases were evaluated, and it was found that hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) gives good retention and sensitivity. An acidified methanol-water mixture was used as an effective extraction solvent of eleven HPH. Dispersive solid-phase clean-up sorbents (C18, GCB, Florisil, chitosan and graphene) were evaluated. The efficiency of the method was examined using data on recovery, precision and matrix effects. High extraction yields were achieved, and recoveries were within the 64-97% range with relative standard deviations <20% for all HPH in all commodities. Low matrix effects were observed when graphene was used during clean-up of onion extract and when chitosan was used for wheat, potato and pea extract. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spongelike Nanosized Mn 3 O 4 as a High-Capacity Anode Material for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

KAUST Repository

Gao, Jie

2011-07-12

Mn3O4 has been investigated as a high-capacity anode material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries. Spongelike nanosized Mn 3O4 was synthesized by a simple precipitation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering and scanning electron microscopy. Its electrochemical performance, as an anode material, was evaluated by galvanostatic discharge-charge tests. The results indicate that this novel type of nanosized Mn3O4 exhibits a high initial reversible capacity (869 mA h/g) and significantly enhanced first Coulomb efficiency with a stabilized reversible capacity of around 800 mA h/g after over 40 charge/discharge cycles. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Preparation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane based hybrid monoliths by ring-opening polymerization for capillary LC and CEC.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hui; Zhang, Zhenbin; Dong, Jing; Liu, Zhongshan; Ou, Junjie; Zou, Hanfa

2013-09-01

A new organic-inorganic hybrid monolith was prepared by the ring-opening polymerization of octaglycidyldimethylsilyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) with 1,4-butanediamine (BDA) using 1-propanol, 1,4-butanediol, and PEG 10,000 as a porogenic system. Benefiting from the moderate phase separation process, the resulting poly(POSS-co-BDA) hybrid monolith possessed a uniform microstructure and exhibited excellent performance in chromatographic applications. Neutral, acidic, and basic compounds were successfully separated on the hybrid monolith in capillary LC (cLC), and high column efficiencies were achieved in all of the separations. In addition, as the amino groups could generate a strong EOF, the hybrid monolith was also applied in CEC for the separation of neutral and polar compounds, and a satisfactory performance was obtained. These results demonstrate that the poly(POSS-co-BDA) hybrid monolith is a good separation media in chromatographic separations of various types of compounds by both cLC and CEC. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interface superconductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gariglio, S., E-mail: stefano.gariglio@unige.ch [DQMP, Université de Genève, 24 Quai E.-Ansermet, CH-1211 Genève (Switzerland); Gabay, M. [Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Bat 510, Université Paris-Sud 11, Centre d’Orsay, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Mannhart, J. [Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany); Triscone, J.-M. [DQMP, Université de Genève, 24 Quai E.-Ansermet, CH-1211 Genève (Switzerland)

2015-07-15

Highlights: • We discuss interfacial superconductivity, a field boosted by the discovery of the superconducting interface between LaAlO. • This system allows the electric field control and the on/off switching of the superconducting state. • We compare superconductivity at the interface and in bulk doped SrTiO. • We discuss the role of the interfacially induced Rashba type spin–orbit. • We briefly discuss superconductivity in cuprates, in electrical double layer transistor field effect experiments. • Recent observations of a high T{sub c} in a monolayer of FeSe deposited on SrTiO{sub 3} are presented. - Abstract: Low dimensional superconducting systems have been the subject of numerous studies for many years. In this article, we focus our attention on interfacial superconductivity, a field that has been boosted by the discovery of superconductivity at the interface between the two band insulators LaAlO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3}. We explore the properties of this amazing system that allows the electric field control and on/off switching of superconductivity. We discuss the similarities and differences between bulk doped SrTiO{sub 3} and the interface system and the possible role of the interfacially induced Rashba type spin–orbit. We also, more briefly, discuss interface superconductivity in cuprates, in electrical double layer transistor field effect experiments, and the recent observation of a high T{sub c} in a monolayer of FeSe deposited on SrTiO{sub 3}.

High charge carrier density at the NaTaO3/SrTiO3 hetero-interface

KAUST Repository

Nazir, Safdar

2011-08-05

The formation of a (quasi) two-dimensional electron gas between the band insulators NaTaO3 and SrTiO3 is studied by means of the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method of density functional theory. Optimization of the atomic positions points to only small changes in the chemical bonding at the interface. Both the p-type (NaO)−/(TiO2)0 and n-type (TaO2)+/(SrO)0 interfaces are found to be metallic with high charge carrier densities. The effects of O vacancies are discussed. Spin-polarized calculations point to the formation of isolated O 2pmagnetic moments, located in the metallic region of the p-type interface.

Host and bacterial proteins that repress recruitment of LC3 to Shigella early during infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leigh A Baxt

Full Text Available Shigella spp. are intracytosolic gram-negative pathogens that cause disease by invasion and spread through the colonic mucosa, utilizing host cytoskeletal components to form propulsive actin tails. We have previously identified the host factor Toca-1 as being recruited to intracellular S. flexneri and being required for efficient bacterial actin tail formation. We show that at early times during infection (40 min., the type three-secreted effector protein IcsB recruits Toca-1 to intracellular bacteria and that recruitment of Toca-1 is associated with repression of recruitment of LC3, as well as with repression of recruitment of the autophagy marker NDP52, around these intracellular bacteria. LC3 is best characterized as a marker of autophagosomes, but also marks phagosomal membranes in the process LC3-associated phagocytosis. IcsB has previously been demonstrated to be required for S. flexneri evasion of autophagy at late times during infection (4-6 hr by inhibiting binding of the autophagy protein Atg5 to the Shigella surface protein IcsA (VirG. Our results suggest that IcsB and Toca-1 modulation of LC3 recruitment restricts LC3-associated phagocytosis and/or LC3 recruitment to vacuolar membrane remnants. Together with published results, our findings suggest that IcsB inhibits innate immune responses in two distinct ways, first, by inhibiting LC3-associated phagocytosis and/or LC3 recruitment to vacuolar membrane remnants early during infection, and second, by inhibiting autophagy late during infection.

Durability testing of the high-capacity GA-4/GA-9 trailer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimmer, A.

1993-01-01

General Atomics (GA) is under contract to the US Department of Energy (DOE), Idaho Field Office, to develop two legal-weight truck from-reactor spent-fuel shipping casks with trailers. GA is developing these high capacity transport systems to support the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management's (OCRWM) mission to transport spent fuel from reactors to a permanent disposal site. GA's goal is to maximize the number of fuel assemblies that the transport system can safely carry. The GA-4 Cask is being designed to transport four pressurized-water-reactor (PWR) spent-fuel assemblies, and the GA-9 Cask is being designed to transport nine boiling-water-reactor (BWR) spent-fuel assemblies. The use of these high-capacity transport systems will have a large benefit to-public safety since the number of legal-weight truck shipments will be reduced by at least a factor of four over existing spent-fuel shipping cask systems. Achieving these capacities requires that the weight of each component of the transport system. i.e., cask, trailer and tractor, be minimized. The weight of the trailer is of particular importance. With a high load-to-weight ratio, the durability and reliability of the trailer become significant factors in the success of the transport system. In order to verify that the trailer design will meet the durability and performance requirements to safely transport spent-fuel, GA has planned an extensive testing program. The testing program includes non-destructive examination (NDE) of the trailer welds, operational testing, a static load test, an over-the-road performance test, and a test to verify the durability of the trailer up to its 1,000,000-mile design life. Since a prototype cask will not be available for the testing, GA designed and built a dummy payload that simulates the correct weight distribution and approximates the dynamic response of the prototype cask

High-Order Finite-Difference Solution of the Poisson Equation with Interface Jump Conditions II

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Alexandre; Nave, Jean-Christophe; Rosales, Rodolfo

2010-11-01

The Poisson equation with jump discontinuities across an interface is of central importance in Computational Fluid Dynamics. In prior work, Marques, Nave, and Rosales have introduced a method to obtain fourth-order accurate solutions for the constant coefficient Poisson problem. Here we present an extension of this method to solve the variable coefficient Poisson problem to fourth-order of accuracy. The extended method is based on local smooth extrapolations of the solution field across the interface. The extrapolation procedure uses a combination of cubic Hermite interpolants and a high-order representation of the interface using the Gradient-Augmented Level-Set technique. This procedure is compatible with the use of standard discretizations for the Laplace operator, and leads to modified linear systems which have the same sparsity pattern as the standard discretizations. As a result, standard Poisson solvers can be used with only minimal modifications. Details of the method and applications will be presented.

Atomistic Origins of High Capacity and High Structural Stability of Polymer-Derived SiOC Anode Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hong; Zhao, Kejie

2017-10-11

Capacity and structural stability are often mutually exclusive properties of electrodes in Li-ion batteries (LIBs): a gain in capacity is usually accompanied by the undesired large volumetric change of the host material upon lithiation. Polymer-derived ceramics, such as silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) of hybrid Si-O-C bonds, show an exceptional combination of high capacity and superior structural stability. We investigate the atomistic origins of the unique chemomechanical performance of carbon-rich SiOC using the first-principles theoretical approach. The atomic model of SiOC is composed of continuous Si-O-C units caged by a graphene-like cellular network and percolated nanovoids. The segregated sp 2 carbon network serves as the backbone to maintain the structural stability of the lattice. Li insertion is first absorbed at the nanovoid sites, and then it is accommodated by the SiOC tetrahedral units, excess C atoms, and topological defects at the edge of or within the segregated carbon network. SiOC expands up to 22% in volumetric strain at the fully lithiated capacity of 1230 mA h/g. We examine in great detail the evolution of the microscopic features of the SiOC molecule in the course of Li reactions. The first-principles modeling provides a fundamental understanding of the physicochemical properties of Si-based glass ceramics for their application in LIBs.

Development of a new screening method for the detection of antibiotic residues in muscle tissues using liquid chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry with a LC-LTQ-Orbitrap instrument.

OpenAIRE

2011-01-01

Abstract In the present work, a liquid chromatography- high resolution mass spectrometry method was developed for the screening in meat of a wide range of antibiotics used in veterinary medicine. Full scan mode under high resolution mass spectral conditions using LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer with resolving power 60.000 FWHM was applied for analysis of the samples. Samples were prepared using two extractions protocols prior to LC-MS analysis. The scope of the method focuses on the...

Titanium oxynitride thin films as high-capacity and high-rate anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, Kuo-Feng; Su, Shih-Hsuan; Leu, Hoang-Jyh; Hsia, Chen-Hsien

2015-01-01

Titanium oxynitride (TiO_xN_y) was synthesized by reactive magnetron sputtering in a mixed N_2/O_2/Ar gas at ambient temperature. TiO_xN_y thin films with various amounts of nitrogen contents were deposited by varying the N_2/O_2 ratios in the background gas. The synthesized TiO_xN_y films with different compositions (TiO_1_._8_3_7N_0_._0_6_0_, TiO_1_._8_9_0N_0_._0_6_8_, TiO_1_._8_6_5N_0_._0_7_3, and TiO_1_._8_8_2N_0_._1_6_3) all displayed anatase phase, except TiO_1_._8_8_2N_0_._1_6_3. The impedances and grain sizes showed obvious variations with the nitrogen contents. A wide potential window from 3.0 V to 0.05 V, high-rate charge–discharge testing, and long cycle testing were applied to investigate the performances of synthesized TiO_xN_y and pure TiO_2 as anodes for lithium-ion batteries. These TiO_xN_y anodes can be cycled under high rates of 125 μA/cm"2 (10 °C) because of the lower charge–transfer resistance compared with the TiO_2 anode. At 10 °C the discharge capacity of the optimal TiO_xN_y composition is 1.5 times higher than that of pure TiO_2. An unexpectedly large reversible capacity of ~ 300 μAh/cm"2 μm (~ 800 mAh/g) between 1.0 V and 0.05 V was recorded for the TiO_xN_y anodes. The TiO_xN_y anode was cycled (3.0 V to 0.05 V) at 10 °C over 300 times without capacity fading while delivering a capacity of ~ 150 μAh/cm"2 μm (~ 400 mAh/g). - Highlights: • Titanium oxynitride (TiO_xN_y) thin films as anode materials were studied. • TiO_xN_y thin films with various amounts of nitrogen contents were studied_. • High rate capability of TiO_xN_y was studied.

Microbes at Surface-Air Interfaces: The Metabolic Harnessing of Relative Humidity, Surface Hygroscopicity, and Oligotrophy for Resilience

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Wendy; Kroukamp, Otini; Korber, Darren R.; McKelvie, Jennifer; Wolfaardt, Gideon M.

2016-01-01

The human environment is predominantly not aqueous, and microbes are ubiquitous at the surface-air interfaces with which we interact. Yet microbial studies at surface-air interfaces are largely survival-oriented, whilst microbial metabolism has overwhelmingly been investigated from the perspective of liquid saturation. This study explored microbial survival and metabolism under desiccation, particularly the influence of relative humidity (RH), surface hygroscopicity, and nutrient availability on the interchange between these two phenomena. The combination of a hygroscopic matrix (i.e., clay or 4,000 MW polyethylene glycol) and high RH resulted in persistent measurable microbial metabolism during desiccation. In contrast, no microbial metabolism was detected at (a) hygroscopic interfaces at low RH, and (b) less hygroscopic interfaces (i.e., sand and plastic/glass) at high or low RH. Cell survival was conversely inhibited at high RH and promoted at low RH, irrespective of surface hygroscopicity. Based on this demonstration of metabolic persistence and survival inhibition at high RH, it was proposed that biofilm metabolic rates might inversely influence whole-biofilm resilience, with ‘resilience’ defined in this study as a biofilm’s capacity to recover from desiccation. The concept of whole-biofilm resilience being promoted by oligotrophy was supported in desiccation-tolerant Arthrobacter spp. biofilms, but not in desiccation-sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. The ability of microbes to interact with surfaces to harness water vapor during desiccation was demonstrated, and potentially to harness oligotrophy (the most ubiquitous natural condition facing microbes) for adaptation to desiccation. PMID:27746774

Si-based optical I/O for optical memory interface

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Kyoungho; Shin, Dongjae; Byun, Hyunil; Cho, Kwansik; Na, Kyoungwon; Ji, Hochul; Pyo, Junghyung; Hong, Seokyong; Lee, Kwanghyun; Lee, Beomseok; Shin, Yong-hwack; Kim, Junghye; Kim, Seong-gu; Joe, Insung; Suh, Sungdong; Choi, Sanghoon; Han, Sangdeok; Park, Yoondong; Choi, Hanmei; Kuh, Bongjin; Kim, Kichul; Choi, Jinwoo; Park, Sujin; Kim, Hyeunsu; Kim, Kiho; Choi, Jinyong; Lee, Hyunjoo; Yang, Sujin; Park, Sungho; Lee, Minwoo; Cho, Minchang; Kim, Saebyeol; Jeong, Taejin; Hyun, Seokhun; Cho, Cheongryong; Kim, Jeong-kyoum; Yoon, Hong-gu; Nam, Jeongsik; Kwon, Hyukjoon; Lee, Hocheol; Choi, Junghwan; Jang, Sungjin; Choi, Joosun; Chung, Chilhee

2012-01-01

Optical interconnects may provide solutions to the capacity-bandwidth trade-off of recent memory interface systems. For cost-effective optical memory interfaces, Samsung Electronics has been developing silicon photonics platforms on memory-compatible bulk-Si 300-mm wafers. The waveguide of 0.6 dB/mm propagation loss, vertical grating coupler of 2.7 dB coupling loss, modulator of 10 Gbps speed, and Ge/Si photodiode of 12.5 Gbps bandwidth have been achieved on the bulk-Si platform. 2x6.4 Gbps electrical driver circuits have been also fabricated using a CMOS process.

Automated Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) LC/NMR Applied to the Structural Analysis of Extractable Compounds from a Pharmaceutical Packaging Material of Construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Norwood, Daniel L; Mullis, James O; Davis, Mark; Pennino, Scott; Egert, Thomas; Gonnella, Nina C

2013-01-01

The structural analysis (i.e., identification) of organic chemical entities leached into drug product formulations has traditionally been accomplished with techniques involving the combination of chromatography with mass spectrometry. These include gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for volatile and semi-volatile compounds, and various forms of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS or HPLC/MS) for semi-volatile and relatively non-volatile compounds. GC/MS and LC/MS techniques are complementary for structural analysis of leachables and potentially leachable organic compounds produced via laboratory extraction of pharmaceutical container closure/delivery system components and corresponding materials of construction. Both hyphenated analytical techniques possess the separating capability, compound specific detection attributes, and sensitivity required to effectively analyze complex mixtures of trace level organic compounds. However, hyphenated techniques based on mass spectrometry are limited by the inability to determine complete bond connectivity, the inability to distinguish between many types of structural isomers, and the inability to unambiguously determine aromatic substitution patterns. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) does not have these limitations; hence it can serve as a complement to mass spectrometry. However, NMR technology is inherently insensitive and its ability to interface with chromatography has been historically challenging. This article describes the application of NMR coupled with liquid chromatography and automated solid phase extraction (SPE-LC/NMR) to the structural analysis of extractable organic compounds from a pharmaceutical packaging material of construction. The SPE-LC/NMR technology combined with micro-cryoprobe technology afforded the sensitivity and sample mass required for full structure elucidation. Optimization of the SPE-LC/NMR analytical method was achieved using a series of model compounds

Estimation of Parameters Obtained by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy on Systems Containing High Capacities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjana Rajčić Vujasinović

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Electrochemical systems with high capacities demand devices for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS with ultra-low frequencies (in order of mHz, that are almost impossible to accomplish with analogue techniques, but this becomes possible by using a computer technique and accompanying digital equipment. Recently, an original software and hardware for electrochemical measurements, intended for electrochemical systems exhibiting high capacities, such as supercapacitors, has been developed. One of the included methods is EIS. In this paper, the method of calculation of circuit parameters from an EIS curve is described. The results of testing on a physical model of an electrochemical system, constructed of known elements (including a 1.6 F capacitor in a defined arrangement, proved the validity of the system and the method.

A micro-structured Si-based electrodes for high capacity electrical double layer capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krikscikas, Valdas; Oguchi, Hiroyuki; Hara, Motoaki; Kuwano, Hiroki; Yanazawa, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

We challenged to make basis for Si electrodes of electric double layer capacitors (EDLC) used as a power source of micro-sensor nodes. Mcroelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes were successfully introduced to fabricate micro-structured Si-based electrodes to obtain high surface area which leads to high capacity of EDLCs. Study of fundamental properties revealed that the microstructured electrodes benefit from good wettability to electrolytes, but suffer from electric resistance. We found that this problem can be solved by metal-coating of the electrode surface. Finally we build an EDLC consisting of Au-coated micro-structured Si electrodes. This EDLC showed capacity of 14.3 mF/cm 2 , which is about 530 times larger than that of an EDLC consisting of flat Au electrodes

Capacity Payments in Restructured Markets under Low and High Penetration Levels of Renewable Energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jenkin, Thomas [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Beiter, Philipp [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Margolis, Robert [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2016-02-11

remain in implementing capacity markets that provide both adequate operational and investment incentives, particularly under high-VRE scenarios with greater need for flexible capacity.

Simultaneous determination of water-soluble vitamins in beverages and dietary supplements by LC-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Kakitani, Ayano; Inoue, Tomonori; Matsumoto, Keiko; Watanabe, Jun; Nagatomi, Yasushi; Mochizuki, Naoki

2014-01-01

An LC-MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 15 water-soluble vitamins that are widely used as additives in beverages and dietary supplements. This combined method involves the following simple pre-treatment procedures: dietary supplement samples were prepared by centrifugation and filtration after an extraction step, whereas beverage samples were diluted prior to injection. Chromatographic analysis in this method utilised a multi-mode ODS column, which provided reverse-phase, anion- and cation-exchange capacities, and therefore improved the retention of highly polar analytes such as water-soluble vitamins. Additionally, the multi-mode ODS column did not require adding ion pair reagents to the mobile phase. We optimised the chromatographic separation of 15 water-soluble vitamins by adjusting the mobile phase pH and the organic solvent. We also conducted an analysis of a NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM 3280 Multi-vitamin/Multi-element tablets) using this method to verify its accuracy. In addition, the method was applied to identify the vitamins in commercial beverages and dietary supplements. By comparing results with the label values and results obtained by official methods, it was concluded that the method could be used for quality control and to compose nutrition labels for vitamin-enriched products.

Damping Capacity of High Manganese Austenitic Stainless Steel with a Two Phase Mixed Structure of Martensite and Austenite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Tae Hyun; Kang, Chang-Yong

2013-01-01

The damping capacity of high manganese austenitic stainless steel with a two phase mixed structure of deformation-induced martensite and reversed austenite was studied. Reversed austenite with an ultra-fine grain size of less than 0.2 μm was obtained by reversion treatment. The two phase structure of deformation-induced martensite and reversed austenite was obtained by annealing treatment at a range of 500-700 °C and various times in cold rolled high manganese austenitic stainless steel. The damping capacity increased with an increasing annealing temperature and time. In high manganese stainless steel with the two phase mixed structure of martensite and austenite, the damping capacity decreased with an increasing volume fraction of deformation-induced martensite. Thus, the damping capacity was strongly affected by deformation-induced martensite. The results confirmed that austenitic stainless steel with a good combination of strength and damping capacity was obtained from the two phase mixed structure of austenite and martensite.