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- Einspielen <Werkstoff> (7)
- avalanche (5)
- Earthquake (4)
- FEM (4)
- Finite-Elemente-Methode (4)
- LAPS (4)
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- frequency mixing magnetic detection (4)
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- additive manufacturing (3)
- capacitive field-effect sensor (3)
- hydrogen peroxide (3)
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- shakedown analysis (3)
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- tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) (3)
- Acyl-amino acids (2)
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Persistent infection with the high-risk Human Papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16) is the causative event for the development of cervical cancer and other malignant tumors of the anogenital tract and of the head and neck. Despite many attempts to develop therapeutic vaccines no candidate has entered late clinical trials. An interesting approach is a DNA based vaccine encompassing the nucleotide sequence of the E6 and E7 viral oncoproteins. Because both proteins are consistently expressed in HPV infected cells they represent excellent targets for immune therapy. Here we report the development of 8 DNA vaccine candidates consisting of differently rearranged HPV-16 E6 and E7 sequences within one molecule providing all naturally occurring epitopes but supposedly lacking transforming activity. The HPV sequences were fused to the J-domain and the SV40 enhancer in order to increase immune responses. We demonstrate that one out of the 8 vaccine candidates induces very strong cellular E6- and E7- specific cellular immune responses in mice and, as shown in regression experiments, efficiently controls growth of HPV 16 positive syngeneic tumors. This data demonstrates the potential of this vaccine candidate to control persistent HPV 16 infection that may lead to malignant disease. It also suggests that different sequence rearrangements influence the immunogenecity by an as yet unknown mechanism.
Design of a Measurement Setup for the Impedance of Low-Resistance Plate-Conductors in the RF-Range
(2006)
The maintenance of wind turbines is of growing importance considering the transition to renewable energy. This paper presents a multi-robot-approach for automated wind turbine maintenance including a novel climbing robot. Currently, wind turbine maintenance remains a manual task, which is monotonous, dangerous, and also physically demanding due to the large scale of wind turbines. Technical climbers are required to work at significant heights, even in bad weather conditions. Furthermore, a skilled labor force with sufficient knowledge in repairing fiber composite material is rare. Autonomous mobile systems enable the digitization of the maintenance process. They can be designed for weather-independent operations. This work contributes to the development and experimental validation of a maintenance system consisting of multiple robotic platforms for a variety of tasks, such as wind turbine tower and rotor blade service. In this work, multicopters with vision and LiDAR sensors for global inspection are used to guide slower climbing robots. Light-weight magnetic climbers with surface contact were used to analyze structure parts with non-destructive inspection methods and to locally repair smaller defects. Localization was enabled by adapting odometry for conical-shaped surfaces considering additional navigation sensors. Magnets were suitable for steel towers to clamp onto the surface. A friction-based climbing ring robot (SMART— Scanning, Monitoring, Analyzing, Repair and Transportation) completed the set-up for higher payload. The maintenance period could be extended by using weather-proofed maintenance robots. The multi-robot-system was running the Robot Operating System (ROS). Additionally, first steps towards machine learning would enable maintenance staff to use pattern classification for fault diagnosis in order to operate safely from the ground in the future.
Design of enzyme reactors as chromatographic columns for racemic resolution of amino acid esters
(1989)
Within the Crystal Clear Collaboration four centres are developing 2nd generation high performance small animal PET scanners for different kinds of animals and medical applications. The first prototypes are PMT-based systems including depth of interaction (DOI) detection by using a phoswich layer of LSO and LuYAP. The aim of these simulation studies is to optimize sensitivity and spatial resolution of given designs, which vary in FOVs caused by different detector configurations (ring/octagon) and sizes. For this purpose the simulation tool GEANT3 (CERN) was used. The simulations have shown that all PMT designs with one-to-one coupling of crystals have a very nonlinear axial sensitivity profile. By shifting every other PMT 1/4 of a PMT length in axial direction the sampling of the FOVs became more homogeneous. At an energy threshold of 350keV the regression coefficient increases from 0.818 for the non-shifted to 0.993 for the shifted design. Simulations of a point source centred in the FOV (threshold: 350keV) resulted in sensitivities of 4.2% for a 4×20PMT (LSO/LuYAP a 10mm) and 3.8% for a 4×16PMT (LSO/LuYAP a 8mm) ring design. The 3D-MLEM reconstruction of a point source shows the enormous improvement of resolution using a crystal double layer with DOI (3.1mm at 40mm from CFOV) instead of a 20mm single layer (11.9mm).
Within the Crystal Clear Collaboration (CCC), four centers are developing second generation high performance small animal positron emission tomography (PET) scanners for different kinds of animals and medical applications. The first prototypes are photomultiplier tube (PMT)-based systems including depth of interaction (DOI) detection by using a phoswich layer of lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) and lutetium yttrium aluminum perovskite (LuYAP). The aim of these simulation studies is to optimize sensitivity and spatial resolution of given designs, which vary in fields of view (FOVs) caused by different detector configurations (ring/octagon) and sizes. For this purpose the simulation tool GEANT3 (CERN, Geneva, Switzerland) was used.
Design, evaluation and comparison of endorectal coils for hybrid MR-PET imaging of the prostate
(2020)
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men and its early detection is critical for its successful treatment. The use of multimodal imaging, such as MR-PET, is most advantageous as it is able to provide detailed information about the prostate. However, as the human prostate is flexible and can move into different positions under external conditions, it is important to localise the focused region-of-interest using both MRI and PET under identical circumstances. In this work, we designed five commonly used linear and quadrature radiofrequency surface coils suitable for hybrid MR-PET use in endorectal applications. Due to the endorectal design and the shielded PET insert, the outer face of the coils investigated was curved and the region to be imaged was outside the volume of the coil. The tilting angles of the coils were varied with respect to the main magnetic field direction. This was done to approximate the various positions from which the prostate could be imaged. The transmit efficiencies and safety excitation efficiencies from simulations, together with the signal-to-noise ratios from the MR images were calculated and analysed. Overall, it was found that the overlapped loops driven in quadrature were superior to the other types of coils we tested. In order to determine the effect of the different coil designs on PET, transmission scans were carried out, and it was observed that the differences between attenuation maps with and without the coils were negligible. The findings of this work can provide useful guidance for the integration of such coil designs into MR-PET hybrid systems in the future.
Bioconjugates containing the GnRH-III hormone decapeptide as a targeting moiety are able to deliver chemotherapeutic agents specifically to cancer cells expressing GnRH receptors, thereby increasing their local efficacy while limiting the peripheral toxicity. However, the number of GnRH receptors on cancer cells is limited and they desensitize under continuous hormone treatment. A possible approach to increase the receptor mediated tumor targeting and consequently the cytostatic effect of the bioconjugates would be the attachment of more than one chemotherapeutic agent to one GnRH-III molecule. Here we report on the design, synthesis and biochemical characterization of multifunctional bioconjugates containing GnRH-III as a targeting moiety and daunorubicin as a chemotherapeutic agent. Two different drug design approaches were pursued. The first one was based on the bifunctional [4Lys]-GnRH-III (Glp-His-Trp-Lys-His-Asp-Trp-Lys-Pro-Gly-NH2) containing two lysine residues in positions 4 and 8, whose ϵ-amino groups were used for the coupling of daunorubicin. In the second drug design, the native GnRH-III (Glp-His-Trp-Ser-His-Asp-Trp-Lys-Pro-Gly-NH2) was used as a scaffold; an additional lysine residue was coupled to the ϵ-amino group of 8Lys in order to generate two free amino groups available for conjugation of daunorubicin. The in vitro stability/degradation of all synthesized compounds was investigated in human serum, as well as in the presence of rat liver lysosomal homogenate. Their cellular uptake was determined on human breast cancer cells and the cytostatic effect was evaluated on human breast, colon and prostate cancer cell lines. Compared with a monofunctional compound, both drug design approaches resulted in multifunctional bioconjugates with increased cytostatic effect.
A method for detecting and approximating fault lines or surfaces, respectively, or decision curves in two and three dimensions with guaranteed accuracy is presented. Reformulated as a classification problem, our method starts from a set of scattered points along with the corresponding classification algorithm to construct a representation of a decision curve by points with prescribed maximal distance to the true decision curve. Hereby, our algorithm ensures that the representing point set covers the decision curve in its entire extent and features local refinement based on the geometric properties of the decision curve. We demonstrate applications of our method to problems related to the detection of faults, to multi-criteria decision aid and, in combination with Kirsch’s factorization method, to solving an inverse acoustic scattering problem. In all applications we considered in this work, our method requires significantly less pointwise classifications than previously employed algorithms.
Detecting synchronization clusters in multivariate time series via coarse-graining of Markov chains
(2007)
Detection and identification of free radicals in hydrocarbon pyrolysis by an iodine trapping method
(1992)
Acetoin and diacetyl have a major impact on the flavor of alcoholic beverages such as wine or beer. Therefore, their measurement is important during the fermentation process. Until now, gas chromatographic techniques have typically been applied; however, these require expensive laboratory equipment and trained staff, and do not allow for online monitoring. In this work, a capacitive electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor sensor modified with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles as enzyme nanocarriers for the detection of acetoin and diacetyl is presented. The enzyme acetoin reductase from Alkalihalobacillus clausii DSM 8716ᵀ is immobilized via biotin–streptavidin affinity, binding to the surface of the TMV particles. The TMV-assisted biosensor is electrochemically characterized by means of leakage–current, capacitance–voltage, and constant capacitance measurements. In this paper, the novel biosensor is studied regarding its sensitivity and long-term stability in buffer solution. Moreover, the TMV-assisted capacitive field-effect sensor is applied for the detection of diacetyl for the first time. The measurement of acetoin and diacetyl with the same sensor setup is demonstrated. Finally, the successive detection of acetoin and diacetyl in buffer and in diluted beer is studied by tuning the sensitivity of the biosensor using the pH value of the measurement solution.
An amperometric enzyme biosensor has been applied for the detection of adrenaline. The adrenaline biosensor has been prepared by modification of an oxygen electrode with the enzyme laccase that operates at a broad pH range between pH 3.5 to pH 8. The enzyme molecules were immobilized via cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The sensitivity of the developed adrenaline biosensor in different pH buffer solutions has been studied.
An amperometric bi-enzyme biosensor based on substrate recycling principle for the amplification of the sensor signal has been developed for the detection of adrenaline in blood. Adrenaline can be used as biomarker verifying successful adrenal venous sampling procedure. The adrenaline biosensor has been realized via modification of a galvanic oxygen sensor with a bi-enzyme membrane combining a genetically modified laccase and a pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent glucose dehydrogenase. The measurement conditions such as pH value and temperature were optimized to enhance the sensor performance. A high sensitivity and a low detection limit of about 0.5–1 nM adrenaline have been achieved in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4, relevant for measurements in blood samples. The sensitivity of the biosensor to other catecholamines such as noradrenaline, dopamine and dobutamine has been studied. Finally, the sensor has been successfully applied for the detection of adrenaline in human blood plasma.
In this work, the catalyst manganese(IV) oxide (MnO2), of calorimetric gas sensors (to monitor the sterilization agent vaporized hydrogen peroxide) has been investigated in more detail. Chemical analyses by means of X-ray-induced photoelectron spectroscopy have been performed to unravel the surface chemistry prior and after exposure to hydrogen peroxide vapor at elevated temperature, as applied in the sterilization processes of beverage cartons. The surface characterization reveals a change in oxidation states of the metal oxide catalyst after exposure to hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, a cleaning effect of the catalyst, which itself is attached to the sensor surface by means of a polymer interlayer, could be observed.
Field-effect-based electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensors were modified with a bilayer of positively charged weak polyelectrolyte (poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)) and probe single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and are used for the detection of complementary single-stranded target DNA (cDNA) in different test solutions. The sensing mechanism is based on the detection of the intrinsic molecular charge of target cDNA molecules after the hybridization event between cDNA and immobilized probe ssDNA. The test solutions contain synthetic cDNA oligonucleotides (with a sequence of tuberculosis mycobacteria genome) or PCR-amplified DNA (which origins from a template DNA strand that has been extracted from Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis-spiked human sputum samples), respectively. Sensor responses up to 41 mV have been measured for the test solutions with DNA, while only small signals of ∼5 mV were detected for solutions without DNA. The lower detection limit of the EIS sensors was ∼0.3 nM, and the sensitivity was ∼7.2 mV/decade. Fluorescence experiments using SybrGreen I fluorescence dye support the electrochemical results.
Plant viruses are major contributors to crop losses and induce high economic costs worldwide. For reliable, on-site and early detection of plant viral diseases, portable biosensors are of great interest. In this study, a field-effect SiO2-gate electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor was utilized for the label-free electrostatic detection of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles as a model plant pathogen. The capacitive EIS sensor has been characterized regarding its TMV sensitivity by means of constant-capacitance method. The EIS sensor was able to detect biotinylated TMV particles from a solution with a TMV concentration as low as 0.025 nM. A good correlation between the registered EIS sensor signal and the density of adsorbed TMV particles assessed from scanning electron microscopy images of the SiO2-gate chip surface was observed. Additionally, the isoelectric point of the biotinylated TMV particles was determined via zeta potential measurements and the influence of ionic strength of the measurement solution on the TMV-modified EIS sensor signal has been studied.
Detection of triacetone triperoxide using temperature cycled metal-oxide semiconductor gas sensors
(2015)
A novel method to determine the extruded length of a metallic wire for a directed energy deposition (DED) process using a microwave (MW) plasma jet with a straight-through wire feed is presented. The method is based on the relative comparison of the measured frequency response obtained by the large-signal scattering parameter (Hot-S) technique. In the practical working range, repeatability of less than 6% for a nonactive plasma and 9% for the active plasma state is found. Measurements are conducted with a focus on a simple solution to decrease the processing time and reduce the integration time of the process into the existing hardware. It is shown that monitoring a single frequency for magnitude and phase changes is sufficient to achieve good accuracy. A combination of different measurement values to determine the length is possible. The applicability to different diameter of the same material is shown as well as a contact detection of the wire and metallic substrate.
Due to the interfering effects of acetic acid in many fermentation processes, a gas-diffusion technique was developed for the online determination of acetic acid. The measurements were accomplished with a flow diffusion analysis (FDA) unit from the TRACE Analytics GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany. The diffusion analysis is based on the UV-absorbance of acetic acid at 205 nm. The measurement was achieved by the separation of an acceptor and a carrier stream (acidified fermentation broth) using a gas permeable polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane, whereby broth constituents that would otherwise disturb the UV-measurement of acetic acid, are held back efficiently. Merely, the fermentation by-products, e.g. formic acid, is capable of diffusing through the membrane. While formic acid can disturb the measurement, carbon dioxide does not absorb at 205 nm. The method operates with time-dependent sample enrichment. During the analysis, a small volume of the acceptor stream is stopped for a defined time interval in the acceptor chamber. During this period, the gaseous acetic acid diffuses through the membrane and is enriched in the acceptor chamber. Subsequently after the enrichment, the acceptor stream flows through a UV-detector. The intensity of the signal is proportional to the acetic acid concentration. Online measurements in bioreactors via a sterile filtration probe have been accomplished. A linear calibration in the range of 0.5–5.0 g/L acetic acid with a relative standard deviation of <5 % was obtained. A sampling rate of 8 samples per hour was possible. The system was applied for the determination of acetic acid in E. coli fermentation broth. The instrument is easy to clean, very user-friendly and does not require any toxic or expensive reagents.
On-line monitoring of the metabolic activity of microorganisms involved in intermediate stages of biogas production plays an important role to avoid undesirable “down times” during the biogas production. In order to control this process, an on-chip differential measuring system based on the light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) principle combined with a 3D-printed multi-chamber structure has been realized. As a test microorganism, Escherichia coli K12 (E. coli K12) were used for cell-based measurements. Multi-chamber structures were developed to determine the metabolic activity of E. coli K12 in suspension for a different number of cells, responding to the addition of a constant or variable amount of glucose concentrations, enabling differential and simultaneous measurements.
Determination of the frictional coefficient of the implant-antler interface : experimental approach
(2012)
The similar bone structure of reindeer antler to human bone permits studying the osseointegration of dental implants in the jawbone. As the friction is one of the major factors that have a significant influence on the initial stability of immediately loaded dental implants, it is essential to define the frictional coefficient of the implant-antler interface. In this study, the kinetic frictional forces at the implant-antler interface were measured experimentally using an optomechanical setup and a stepping motor controller under different axial loads and sliding velocities. The corresponding mean values of the static and kinetic frictional coefficients were within the range of 0.5–0.7 and 0.3–0.5, respectively. An increase in the frictional forces with increasing applied axial loads was registered. The measurements showed an evidence of a decrease in the magnitude of the frictional coefficient with increasing sliding velocity. The results of this study provide a considerable assessment to clarify the suitable frictional coefficient to be used in the finite element contact analysis of antler specimens.
The capacitive electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) structure is a typical device based on a field-effect sensor platform. With a simple silicon-based structure, EIS have been useful for several sensing applications, especially with incorporation of nanostructured films to modulate the ionic transport and the flat-band potential. In this paper, we report on ion transport and changes in flat-band potential in EIS sensors made with layer-by-layer films containing poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) adsorbed on p-Si/SiO 2 /Ta 2 O 5 chips with an Al ohmic contact. The impedance spectra were fitted using an equivalent circuit model, from which we could determine parameters such as the double-layer capacitance. This capacitance decreased with the number of bilayers owing to space charge accumulated at the electrolyte–insulator interface, up to three PAMAM/SWNTs bilayers, after which it stabilized. The charge-transfer resistance was also minimum for three bilayers, thus indicating that this is the ideal architecture for an optimized EIS performance. The understanding of the influence of nanostructures and the fine control of operation parameters pave the way for optimizing the design and performance of new EIS sensors.
Booster stations can fulfill a varying pressure demand with high energy-efficiency, because individual pumps can be deactivated at smaller loads. Although this is a seemingly simple approach, it is not easy to decide precisely when to activate or deactivate pumps. Contemporary activation controls derive the switching points from the current volume flow through the system. However, it is not measured directly for various reasons. Instead, the controller estimates the flow based on other system properties. This causes further uncertainty for the switching decision. In this paper, we present a method to find a robust, yet energy-efficient activation strategy.
Developing a new production host from a blueprint: Bacillus pumilus as an industrial enzyme producer
(2014)
Chemical imaging systems allow the visualisation of the distribution of chemical species on the sensor surface. This work represents a new flexible approach to read out light-addressable potentiometric sensors (LAPS) with the help of a digital light processing (DLP) set-up. The DLP, known well for video projectors, consists of a mirror-array MEMS device, which allows fast and flexible generation of light patterns. With the help of these light patterns, the sensor surface of the LAPS device can be addressed. The DLP approach has several advantages compared to conventional LAPS set-ups, e.g., the spot size and the shape of the light pointer can be changed easily and no mechanical movement is necessary, which reduces the size of the set-up and increases the stability and speed of the measurement. In addition, the modulation frequency and intensity of the light beam are important parameters of the LAPS set-up. Within this work, the authors will discuss two different ways of light modulation by the DLP set-up, investigate the influence of different modulation frequencies and different light intensities as well as demonstrate the scanning capabilities of the new set-up by pH mapping on the sensor surface.
A capacitive electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) field-effect biosensor for acetoin detection has been presented for the first time. The EIS sensor consists of a layer structure of Al/p-Si/SiO₂/Ta₂O₅/enzyme acetoin reductase. The enzyme, also referred to as butane-2,3-diol dehydrogenase from B. clausii DSM 8716T, has been recently characterized. The enzyme catalyzes the (R)-specific reduction of racemic acetoin to (R,R)- and meso-butane-2,3-diol, respectively. Two different enzyme immobilization strategies (cross-linking by using glutaraldehyde and adsorption) have been studied. Typical biosensor parameters such as optimal pH working range, sensitivity, hysteresis, linear concentration range and long-term stability have been examined by means of constant-capacitance (ConCap) mode measurements. Furthermore, preliminary experiments have been successfully carried out for the detection of acetoin in diluted white wine samples.
An enzyme-based multi-parameter biosensor is developed for monitoring the concentration of formate, d-lactate, and l-lactate in biological samples. The sensor is based on the specific dehydrogenation by an oxidized β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent dehydrogenase (formate dehydrogenase, d-lactic dehydrogenase, and l-lactic dehydrogenase, respectively) in combination with a diaphorase from Clostridium kluyveri (EC 1.8.1.4). The enzymes are immobilized on a platinum working electrode by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde (GA). The principle of the determination scheme in case of l-lactate is as follows: l-lactic dehydrogenase (l-LDH) converts l-lactate into pyruvate by reaction with NAD+. In the presence of hexacyanoferrate(III), the resulting reduced β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is then regenerated enzymatically by diaphorase. The electrochemical detection is based on the current generated by oxidation of hexacyanoferrate(II) at an applied potential of +0.3 V vs. an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The biosensor will be electrochemically characterized in terms of linear working range and sensitivity. Additionally, the successful practical application of the sensor is demonstrated in an extract from maize silage.
Within the present work a sterilization process by a heated gas mixture that contains hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is validated by experiments and numerical modeling techniques. The operational parameters that affect the sterilization efficacy are described alongside the two modes of sterilization: gaseous and condensed H₂O₂. Measurements with a previously developed H₂O₂ gas sensor are carried out to validate the applied H₂O₂ gas concentration during sterilization. We performed microbiological tests at different H₂O₂ gas concentrations by applying an end-point method to carrier strips, which contain different inoculation loads of Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores. The analysis of the sterilization process of a pharmaceutical glass vial is performed by numerical modeling. The numerical model combines heat- and advection-diffusion mass transfer with vapor–pressure equations to predict the location of condensate formation and the concentration of H₂O₂ at the packaging surfaces by changing the gas temperature. For a sterilization process of 0.7 s, a H₂O₂ gas concentration above 4% v/v is required to reach a log-count reduction above six. The numerical results showed the location of H₂O₂ condensate formation, which decreases with increasing sterilant-gas temperature. The model can be transferred to different gas nozzle- and packaging geometries to assure the absence of H₂O₂ residues.
Cupriavidus necator H16 gains increasing attention in microbial research and biotechnological application due to its diverse metabolic features. Here we present a tightly controlled gene expression system for C. necator including the pBBR1-vector that contains hybrid promoters originating from C. necator native tolC-promoter in combination with a synthetic tetO-operator. The expression of the reporter gene from these plasmids relies on the addition of the exogenous inducer doxycycline (dc). The novel expression system offers a combination of advantageous features as; (i) high and dose-dependent recombinant protein production, (ii) tight control with a high dynamic range (On/Off ratio), which makes it applicable for harmful pathways or for toxic protein production, (iii) comparable cheap inducer (doxycycline, dc), (iv) effective at low inducer concentration, that makes it useful for large scale application, (v) rapid, diffusion controlled induction, and (vi) the inducer does not interfere within the cell metabolism. As applications of the expression system in C. necator H16, the growth ability on glycerol was enhanced by constitutively expressing the E. coli glpk gene-encoding for glycerol kinase. Likewise, we used the system to overcome the expression toxicity of mevalonate pathway in C. necator H16. With this system, the mevalonate-genes were successfully introduced in the host and the recombinant strains could produce about 200 mg/l mevalonate.
Glucose oxidase (GOx) is an enzyme frequently used in glucose biosensors. As increased temperatures can enhance the performance of electrochemical sensors, we investigated the impact of temperature pulses on GOx that was drop-coated on flattened Pt microwires. The wires were heated by an alternating current. The sensitivity towards glucose and the temperature stability of GOx was investigated by amperometry. An up to 22-fold increase of sensitivity was observed. Spatially resolved enzyme activity changes were investigated via scanning electrochemical microscopy. The application of short (<100 ms) heat pulses was associated with less thermal inactivation of the immobilized GOx than long-term heating.
In the friction tests between honeycomb with film adhesive and prepreg, the relative displacement occurs between the film adhesive and the prepreg. The film adhesive does not shift relative to the honeycomb. This is consistent with the core crush behavior where the honeycomb moves together with the film adhesive, as can be seen in Figure 2(a). The pull-through forces of the friction measurements between honeycomb and prepreg at 1 mm deformation are plotted in Figure 17(a). While the friction at 100°C is similar to the friction at 120°C, it decreases significantly at 130°C and exhibits a minimum at 140°C. At 150°C, the friction rises again slightly and then sharply at 160°C. Since the viscosity of the M18/1 prepreg resin drops significantly before it cures [23], the minimum friction at 140°C could result from a minimum viscosity of the mixture of prepreg resin and film adhesive before the bond subsequently cures. Figure 17(b) shows the mean value curve of the friction measurements at 140°C. The error bars, which represent the standard deviation, reveal the good repeatability of the tests. The force curve is approximately horizontal between 1 mm and 2 mm. The friction then slightly rises. As with interlaminar friction measurements, this could be due to the fact that resin is removed by friction and the proportion of boundary lubrication increases. Figure 18 shows the surfaces after the friction measurement. The honeycomb cell walls are clearly visible in the film adhesive. There are areas where the film adhesive is completely removed and the carrier material of the film adhesive becomes visible. In addition, the viscosity of the resin changes as the curing progresses during the friction test. This can also affect the force-displacement curve.
In industrial processes there is a variety of heavy metals (e.g., copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead) in use for wires, coatings, paints, alloys, batteries, etc. Since the application of these transition metals for industry is inevitable, it is a vital task to develop proper analytical techniques for their monitoring at low activity levels, especially because most of these elements are acutely toxic for biological organisms. The determination of ions in solution by means of a simple and inexpensive sensor array is, therefore, a promising task. In this work, a sensor array with heavy metal-sensitive chalcogenide glass membranes for the simultaneous detection of the four ions Ag⁺, Cu2⁺, Cd2⁺, and Pb2⁺ in solution is realized. The results of the physical characterization by means of microscopy, profilometry, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as the electrochemical characterization by means of potentiometric measurements are presented. Additionally, the possibility to expand the sensor array by polymeric sensor membranes is discussed.
Three amperometric biosensors have been developed for the detection of L-malic acid, fumaric acid, and L -aspartic acid, all based on the combination of a malate-specific dehydrogenase (MDH, EC 1.1.1.37) and diaphorase (DIA, EC 1.8.1.4). The stepwise expansion of the malate platform with the enzymes fumarate hydratase (FH, EC 4.2.1.2) and aspartate ammonia-lyase (ASPA, EC 4.3.1.1) resulted in multi-enzyme reaction cascades and, thus, augmentation of the substrate spectrum of the sensors. Electrochemical measurements were carried out in presence of the cofactor β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and the redox mediator hexacyanoferrate (III) (HCFIII). The amperometric detection is mediated by oxidation of hexacyanoferrate (II) (HCFII) at an applied potential of + 0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl. For each biosensor, optimum working conditions were defined by adjustment of cofactor concentrations, buffer pH, and immobilization procedure. Under these improved conditions, amperometric responses were linear up to 3.0 mM for L-malate and fumarate, respectively, with a corresponding sensitivity of 0.7 μA mM−1 (L-malate biosensor) and 0.4 μA mM−1 (fumarate biosensor). The L-aspartate detection system displayed a linear range of 1.0–10.0 mM with a sensitivity of 0.09 μA mM−1. The sensor characteristics suggest that the developed platform provides a promising method for the detection and differentiation of the three substrates.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a typical surface sterilization agent for packaging materials used in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage industries. We use the finite-elements method to analyze the conceptual design of an in-line thermal evaporation unit to produce a heated gas mixture of air and evaporated H2O2 solution. For the numerical model, the required phase-transition variables of pure H2O2 solution and of the aerosol mixture are acquired from vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) diagrams derived from vapor-pressure formulations. This work combines homogeneous single-phase turbulent flow with heat-transfer physics to describe the operation of the evaporation unit. We introduce the apparent heat-capacity concept to approximate the non-isothermal phase-transition process of the H2O2-containing aerosol. Empirical and analytical functions are defined to represent the temperature- and pressure-dependent material properties of the aqueous H2O2 solution, the aerosol and the gas mixture. To validate the numerical model, the simulation results are compared to experimental data on the heating power required to produce the gas mixture. This shows good agreement with the deviations below 10%. Experimental observations on the formation of deposits due to the evaporation of stabilized H2O2 solution fits the prediction made from simulation results.
Development of an optimized LSO/LuYAP phoswich detector head for the Lausanne ClearPET demonstrator
(2006)
This paper describes the LSO/LuYAP phoswich detector head developed for the ClearPET small animal PET scanner demonstrator that is under construction in Lausanne within the Crystal Clear Collaboration. The detector head consists of a dual layer of 8×8 LSO and LuYAP crystal arrays coupled to a multi-anode photomultiplier tube (Hamamatsu R7600-M64). Equalistion of the LSO/LuYAP light collection is obtained through partial attenuation of the LSO scintillation light using a thin aluminum deposit of 20-35 nm on LSO and appropriate temperature regulation of the phoswich head between 30°C to 60°C. At 511keV, typical FWHM energy resolutions of the pixels of a phoswich head amounts to (28±2)% for LSO and (25±2)% for LuYAP. The LSO versus LuYAP crystal identification efficiency is better than 98%. Six detector modules have been mounted on a rotating gantry. Axial and tangential spatial resolutions were measured up to 4 cm from the scanner axis and compared to Monte Carlo simulations using GATE. FWHM spatial resolution ranges from 1.3 mm on axis to 2.6 mm at 4 cm from the axis.
In this paper, a coupled multiphase model considering both non-linearities of water retention curves and solid state modeling is proposed. The solid displacements and the pressures of both water and air phases are unknowns of the proposed model. The finite element method is used to solve the governing differential equations. The proposed method is demonstrated through simulation of seepage test and partially consolidation problem. Then, implementation of the model is done by using hypoplasticity for the solid phase and analyzing the fully saturated triaxial experiments. In integration of the constitutive law error controlling is improved and comparisons done accordingly. In this work, the advantages and limitations of the numerical model are discussed.
Self-aeration is traditionally explained by the water turbulent boundary layer outer edge intersection with the free surface. This paper presents a discussion on the commonly accepted hypothesis behind the computation of the critical point of self-aeration in spillway flows and a new formulation is proposed based on the existence of a developing air flow over the free surface. Upstream of the inception point of self-aeration, some surface roughening has been often reported in previous studies which consequently implies some entrapped air transport and air–water flows coupling. Such air flow is proven in this study by presenting measured air velocities and computing the air boundary layer thickness for a 1V:2H smooth chute flow. Additionally, the growth rate of free surface waves has been analysed by means of Ultrasonic Sensors measurements, obtaining also the entrapped air concentration. High-speed camera imaging has been used for qualitative study of the flow perturbations.
As a semiconductor-based electrochemical sensor, the light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) can realize two dimensional visualization of (bio-)chemical reactions at the sensor surface addressed by localized illumination. Thanks to this imaging capability, various applications in biochemical and biomedical fields are expected, for which the spatial resolution is critically significant. In this study, therefore, the spatial resolution of the LAPS was investigated in detail based on the device simulation. By calculating the spatiotemporal change of the distributions of electrons and holes inside the semiconductor layer in response to a modulated illumination, the photocurrent response as well as the spatial resolution was obtained as a function of various parameters such as the thickness of the Si substrate, the doping concentration, the wavelength and the intensity of illumination.
The simulation results verified that both thinning the semiconductor substrate and increasing the doping concentration could improve the spatial resolution, which were in good agreement with known experimental results and theoretical analysis. More importantly, new findings of interests were also obtained. As for the dependence on the wavelength of illumination, it was found that the known dependence was not always the case. When the Si substrate was thick, a longer wavelength resulted in a higher spatial resolution which was known by experiments. When the Si substrate was thin, however, a longer wavelength of light resulted in a lower spatial resolution. This finding was explained as an effect of raised concentration of carriers, which reduced the thickness of the space charge region.
The device simulation was found to be helpful to understand the relationship between the spatial resolution and device parameters, to understand the physics behind it, and to optimize the device structure and measurement conditions for realizing higher performance of chemical imaging systems.
A novel photoexcitation method for the light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) realized a higher spatial resolution of chemical imaging. In this method, a modulated light probe, which generates the alternating photocurrent signal, is surrounded by a ring of constant light, which suppresses the lateral diffusion of photocarriers by enhancing recombination. A device simulation verified that a higher spatial resolution could be obtained by adjusting the gap between the modulated and constant light. It was also found that a higher intensity and a longer wavelength of constant light was more effective. However, there exists a tradeoff between the spatial resolution and the amplitude of the photocurrent, and thus, the signal-to-noise ratio. A tilted incidence of constant light was applied, which could achieve even higher resolution with a smaller loss of photocurrent.
Die Garantie im Kaufrecht
(1995)
Dielectric Properties of Polyolefins Stressed by High Electrical Fields / Fruth, B. ; Krause, G.
(1988)
Dielectric Properties of Polyolefins Stressed by High Electrical Fields. Fruth, B. ; Krause, G.
(1987)
Extracellular acidification is a basic indicator for alterations in two vital metabolic pathways: glycolysis and cellular respiration. Measuring these alterations by monitoring extracellular acidification using cell-based biosensors such as LAPS plays an important role in studying these pathways whose disorders are associated with numerous diseases including cancer. However, the surface of the biosensors must be specially tailored to ensure high cell compatibility so that cells can represent more in vivo-like behavior, which is critical to gain more realistic in vitro results from the analyses, e.g., drug discovery experiments. In this work, O2 plasma patterning on the LAPS surface is studied to enhance surface features of the sensor chip, e.g., wettability and biofunctionality. The surface treated with O2 plasma for 30 s exhibits enhanced cytocompatibility for adherent CHO–K1 cells, which promotes cell spreading and proliferation. The plasma-modified LAPS chip is then integrated into a microfluidic system, which provides two identical channels to facilitate differential measurements of the extracellular acidification of CHO–K1 cells. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that extracellular acidification within microfluidic channels is quantitatively visualized as differential (bio-)chemical images.
A light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) is a field-effect-based potentiometric sensor with an electrolyte/insulator/semiconductor (EIS) structure, which is able to monitor analyte concentrations of (bio-)chemical species in aqueous solutions in a spatially resolved way. Therefore, it is also an appropriate tool to record 2D-chemical images of concentration variations on the sensor surface. In the present work, two differential, LAPS-based measurement principles are introduced to determine the metabolic activity of Escherichia coli (E. coli) K12 and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells as test microorganisms. Hereby, we focus on i) the determination of the extracellular acidification rate (ΔpH/min) after adding glucose solutions to the cell suspensions; and ii) recording the amplitude increase of the photocurrent (Iph) related to the produced acids from E. coli K12 bacteria and CHO cells on the sensor surface by 2D-chemical imaging. For this purpose, 3D-printed multi-chamber structures were developed and mounted on the planar sensor-chip surface to define four independent compartments, enabling differential measurements with varying cell concentrations. The differential concept allows eliminating unwanted drift effects and, with the four-chamber structures, measurements on the different cell concentrations were performed simultaneously, thus reducing also the overall measuring time.
Differential modulation of valence and arousal in high-alexithymic and low-alexithymic individuals
(2010)
High-alexithymic individuals are characterized by an impaired ability to identify and communicate emotions whereas low-alexithymic individuals have a wide-ranging ability to deal with emotions. This study examined the hypothesis that valence and arousal modifications of emotional stimuli differentially modulate cortical regions in high-alexithymic and low-alexithymic individuals. To this end, 28 high-alexithymic and 25 low-alexithymic individuals were investigated with event-related fMRI using visual emotional stimuli. We found differential neural activations in the dorsal anterior cingulate, the insula and the amygdala. We suggest that these differences may account for the impaired ability of high-alexithymic individuals to appropriately handle emotional stimuli.
The objective of this study is the establishment of a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) based method for online analysis of the biodegradation of polymers in complex environments. Structural changes during biodegradation, such as an increase in brittleness or crystallinity, can be detected by carefully observing characteristic changes in DSC profiles. Until now, DSC profiles have not been used to draw quantitative conclusions about biodegradation. A new method is presented for quantifying the biodegradation using DSC data, whereby the results were validated using two reference methods.
The proposed method is applied to evaluate the biodegradation of three polymeric biomaterials: polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), cellulose acetate (CA) and Organosolv lignin. The method is suitable for the precise quantification of the biodegradability of PHB. For CA and lignin, conclusions regarding their biodegradation can be drawn with lower resolutions. The proposed method is also able to quantify the biodegradation of blends or composite materials, which differentiates it from commonly used degradation detection methods.