Low-consistency refining of CTMP targeting high strength and bulk: effect of filling pattern and trial scale

Chemithermomechanical pulp (CTMP) is often used in central layers of multiply paperboards due to its high bulk and strength. Such a CTMP should consist of well-separated undamaged fibres with sufficient bonding capacity. The basic objective of this work is to optimize process conditions in low-consistency (LC) refining, i. e. to select or ultimately develop new optimal LC refiner filling patterns, in order to produce fibrillar fines and improve the separation of fibres from each other while preserving the natural fibre morphology as much as possible. Furthermore, the aim is to evaluate if this type of work can be done at laboratory-scale or if it is necessary to run trials in pilot- or mill-scale in order to get relevant answers. First stage CTMP made from Norway spruce (Picea abies) was LC refined in mill-, pilot- and laboratory-scale trials and with different filling patterns. The results show that an LR1 laboratory refiner can favourably be used instead of larger refiners in order to characterize CTMP with regard to tensile index and z-strength versus bulk. A fine filling pattern resulted in CTMP with higher tensile index, z-strength and energy efficiency at maintained bulk compared to a standard filling pattern.

Leakage Current in P-N Junction Diode by Influent from SRFE Process

This paper present the effect from soft radiation flash exposure (SRFE) on electrical properties of semiconductor device. SRFE process take only few second on semiconductor device but it quite impact to device performance. The part we will study impact from SRFE such as surface and bulk. COMSOL is tool for help to understand more detail in term of surface recombination, temperature and bulk effect. Surface of device get impact from radiation and temperature generate from radiation. Also, silicon bulk get damage from radiation due to has high penetrate. From electrical results show that leakage current of device has reduce after SRFE process, mean radiation can help to improve or recover damage from fabrication process.

Improvement of Photoresponse in Organic Phototransistors through Bulk Effect of Photoresponsive Gate Insulators

In this study, we investigate the bulk effect of photoresponsive gate insulators on the photoresponse of organic phototransistors (OPTs), using OPTs with poly(4-vinylphenol) layers of two different thicknesses. For the photoresponse, the interplay between the charge accumulation (capacitance) and light-absorbance capabilities of a photoresponsive gate insulator was investigated. Although an OPT with a thicker gate insulator exhibits a lower capacitance and hence a lower accumulation capability of photogenerating charges, a thicker poly(4-vinylphenol) layer, in contrast to a thinner one, absorbs more photons to generate more electron–hole pairs, resulting in a higher photoresponse of the device. That is, in these two cases, the degree of light absorption by the photoresponsive gate insulators dominantly governed the photoresponse of the device. Our physical description of the bulk effect of photoresponsive insulators on the performance of OPTs will provide a useful guideline for designing and constructing high-performance organic-based photosensing devices and systems.

Structural Analysis of Variability and Interaction of the N-terminal of the Oncogenic Effector CagA of Helicobacter pylori with Phosphatidylserine

Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated gene A protein (CagA) has been associated with the increase in virulence and risk of cancer. It has been demonstrated that CagA’s translocation is dependent on its interaction with phosphatidylserine. We evaluated the variability of the N-terminal CagA in 127 sequences reported in NCBI, by referring to molecular interaction forces with the phosphatidylserine and the docking of three mutations chosen from variations in specific positions. The major sites of conservation of the residues involved in CagA–Phosphatidylserine interaction were 617, 621 and 626 which had no amino acid variation. Position 636 had the lowest conservation score; mutations in this position were evaluated to observe the differences in intermolecular forces for the CagA–Phosphatidylserine complex. We evaluated the docking of three mutations: K636A, K636R and K636N. The crystal and mutation models presented a ΔG of −8.919907, −8.665261, −8.701923, −8.515097 Kcal/mol, respectively, while mutations K636A, K636R, K636N and the crystal structure presented 0, 3, 4 and 1 H-bonds, respectively. Likewise, the bulk effect of the ΔG and amount of H-bonds was estimated in all of the docking models. The type of mutation affected both the ΔG ( χ 2 ( 1 ) = 93.82 , p-value < 2.2 × 10 − 16 ) and the H-bonds ( χ 2 ( 1 ) = 91.93 , p-value < 2.2 × 10 − 16 ). Overall, 76.9% of the strains that exhibit the K636N mutation produced a severe pathology. The average H-bond count diminished when comparing the mutations with the crystal structure of all the docking models, which means that other molecular forces are involved in the CagA–Phosphatidylserine complex interaction.