Nanoscale Interphase Characterization of Porous CNT Buckypaper Composites in Correlation to Interlaminar Mode I Fracture

In this conference paper, nanoscale material property data and ASTM mode I interlaminar fracture results for three-phase buckypaper samples are presented and analyzed. Vacuum filtration and surfactant-free methods were used to manufacture buckypaper membranes. Epoxy infused buckypaper membranes were placed in front of the crack tip in a stitch bonded carbon fiber polymer matrix composite. Peak Force Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping (PFQNM), using probes with nominal tip radius in the range of 5–8 nm were used. PFQNM characterized the interphase region between a three-phase sample of carbon monofilament, epoxy resin, and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) buckypaper. This experiment captured reproducible nanoscale morphological, viscoelastic, elastic and energy properties of porous MWCNT buckypaper samples. An enlarged interphase region surrounding the CNT buckypaper was found. The buckypaper and epoxy interphase thickness was found to be 50nm, higher than the 10–40nm reported for epoxy and carbon monofilaments. The observed MWCNT structure provides explanation of the increased surface roughness compared to the smooth carbon monofilaments. The increased surface roughness likely improves mechanical interlocking with the epoxy of adjacent lamina. The nanoscale interphase and subsurface characterization data provide explanation for a change in crack propagation toughness. Buckypaper exhibited inhomogeneous properties at micrometer length scales.

Weights-Based Image Demosaicking Using Posteriori Gradients and the Correlation of R–B Channels in High Frequency

In this paper, we propose a weights-based image demosaicking algorithm which is based on the Bayer pattern color filter array (CFA). When reconstructing the missing G components, the proposed algorithm uses weights based on posteriori gradients to mitigate color artifacts and distortions. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm makes full use of the correlation of R–B channels in high frequency when interpolating R/B values at B/R positions. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is superior to previous similar algorithms in composite peak signal-to-noise ratio (CPSNR) and subjective visual effect. The biggest advantage of the proposed algorithm is the use of posteriori gradients and the correlation of R–B channels in high frequency.

A fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance study of 5-fluorouracil metabolism in Mesocestoides corti tetrathyridia

Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of live tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti incubated in 10 mM 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) showed that these larvae metabolize 5-FU to α-fluoro-β-ureidopropionic acid (FUPA), α-fluoro-β-alanine (FBA1) and fluoronucleotides (FNuct). This metabolism is predominantly catabolic, since as time progressed (up to 7 h) the 5-FU signal continuously decreased while the FBA1 signal correspondingly increased and the composite FNuct peak remained small. Similar spectra were obtained from acid extracts of tetrathyridia, except that an additional, very small fluoronucleoside (FNuc) composite peak could be detected. We found 5-FU to be unsuccessful in inhibiting the growth of M. corti tetrathyridia in mice; it is postulated that this was due to the failure of the larvae to effectively anabolize 5-FU.

Monaural and binaural response properties of neurons in the inferior colliculus of the rabbit: effects of sodium pentobarbital

1. We studied the effects of sodium pentobarbital on 22 neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the rabbit. We recorded changes in the sensitivity of these neurons to monaural stimulation and to ongoing interaural time differences (ITDs). Monaural stimuli were tone bursts at or near the neuron's best frequency. The ITD was varied by delivering tones that differed by 1 Hz to the two ears, resulting in a 1-Hz binaural beat. 2. We assessed a neuron's ITD sensitivity by calculating three measures from the responses to binaural beats: composite delay, characteristic delay (CD), and characteristic phase (CP). To obtain the composite delay, we first derived period histograms by averaging, showing the response at each stimulating frequency over one period of the beat frequency. Second, the period histograms were replotted as a function of their equivalent interaural delay and then averaged together to yield the composite delay curve. Last, we calculated the composite peak or trough delay by fitting a parabola to the peak or trough of this composite curve. The composite delay curve represents the average response to all frequencies within the neuron's responsive range, and the peak reflects the interaural delay that produces the maximum response. The CD and CP were estimated from a weighted fit of a regression line to the plot of the mean interaural phase of the response versus the stimulating frequency. The slope and phase intercept of this regression line yielded estimates of CD and CP, respectively. These two quantities are thought to reflect the mechanism of ITD sensitivity, which involves the convergence of phase-locked inputs on a binaural cell. The CD estimates the difference in the time required for the two inputs to travel from either ear to this cell, whereas the CP reflects the interaural phase difference of the inputs at this cell. 3. Injections of sodium pentobarbital at subsurgical dosages (less than 25 mg/kg) almost invariably altered the neuron's response rate, response latency, response pattern, and spontaneous activity. Most of these changes were predictable and consistent with an enhancement of inhibitory influences. For example, if the earliest response was inhibitory, later excitation was usually reduced and latency increased. If the earliest response was excitatory, the level of this excitation was unaltered or slightly enhanced, and changes in latency were minimal. 4. The neuron's response pattern also changed in a predictable way. For example, a response with an inhibitory pause could either change to a response with a longer pause or to a response with an onset only.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Interaural phase-sensitive units in the inferior colliculus of the unanesthetized rabbit: effects of changing frequency

We studied the interaural phase sensitivity of 85 units in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the unanesthetized rabbit. We assessed this sensitivity at several frequencies within each unit's responsive range. The interaural phase disparity was varied by delivering tones that differed by 1 Hz to the two ears, resulting in a 1-Hz binaural beat. We analyzed each unit's response to different frequencies by calculating four measures: characteristic delay (CD), characteristic phase (CP), composite peak delay, and mean peak delay. We estimated the CD and CP from the slope and phase intercept, respectively, of the regression line fitted to a plot of the mean interaural phase against stimulating frequency. The composite peak delay was estimated from the peak of a composite delay curve. This was generated by replotting the response to changes in interaural phase, as a function of the equivalent interaural delay and averaging the resultant interaural delay curves. The composite delay curve reflects the unit's average response to interaural delays across frequencies. Last, we calculated a mean peak delay, derived by converting the mean interaural phase of the response at each frequency to an equivalent delay and then averaging these delays. Interaural phase sensitivity was observed to frequencies as high as 2,150 Hz. However, the majority of units showed such sensitivity below 1,500 Hz. For most units, the interaural delay curves measured at several frequencies coincided near the peak discharge. This result is consistent with a neural model, where excitatory inputs from each ear converge upon a binaural cell, evoking maximum discharge only when the two inputs arrive simultaneously. As a first approximation, our data fit this model, indicating that IC neurons can act like coincidence detectors or cross-correlators. The distributions of CD, composite peak delay, and mean peak delay showed that most units preferred ipsilateral stimulus delays, which in the natural situation corresponds to sounds emanating from the contralateral field. Moreover, most units preferred delays that were within the estimated physiological range of the rabbit. These results support the viewpoint that neurons in the IC participate in sound localization. The distributions of CP and CD differ substantially from those found in the IC of the anesthetized cat. These differences may reflect species differences, the effects of anesthesia, or a difference in the population of units sampled. For each unit, we assessed the linearity of the plot of mean interaural phase against frequency of stimulation using a chi 2 method. For most units the plots were significantly nonlinear.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Multiple forms of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus and amygdala of the rat: selective localization of somatostatin-28 in the median eminence

ABSTRACT The presence of multiple forms of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SSLI) in the rat hypothalamus was confirmed using a sensitive radioimmunoassay in conjunction with gel filtration chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Gel filtration chromatography of hypothalamic extracts revealed the presence of four forms of SSLI with estimated molecular weights of 1500, 3000, 6000 and 10000. Analysis by HPLC indicated that the 1500 and 3000 mol. wt forms of SSLI corresponded respectively to somatostatin-14 (SS14) and somatostatin-28 (SS28) whereas the 6000 and 10 000 mol. wt forms eluted together as a composite peak of high molecular weight somatostatin (HMW-SS). The proportions of SS14 (63%), SS28 (12%) and HMW-SS (25%) present in the hypothalamus were similar to those in the amygdala (59, 9 and 32% respectively). In contrast, the median eminence contained a greater proportion of SS28 than the other tissues: SS14, SS28 and HMW-SS were present in the proportions 40:24:26%. These results show that the rat median eminence differs from the hypothalamus as a whole in containing SS14 and SS28 in almost equimolar concentrations. The localized abundance of SS28 in the nerve terminals of the median eminence suggests a specific role for this peptide in the hypothalamic regulation of growth hormone secretion. J. Endocr. (1985) 105, 383–389

The Use of Energy Loss Structures in XPS Characterisation of Surfaces

ABSTRACTThis paper describes advances in the use of the energy loss background associated with individual photoelectron peaks. The subtraction of a Shirley-type background is now normal practice in quantitative XPS analysis. However, in the case of a composite peak containing features from differing depths the subtraction of a common background has a clear disadvantage: i.e. the proportion of background rise associated with each component should be different but is, in fact, fixed. A peak-fitting procedure is described which enables individual backgrounds to be used for each component. The method has been tested using evaporated overlayers and this enables a mean free path for electrons undergoing small energy losses (less than 10 eV) to be determined. The findings are in accord with those of Tougaard and Sigmund and suggest that the use of background intensities in conjunction with the peaks themselves enables the information depth of XPS to be extended by about 10%. A few observations on the behaviour and use in analysis of the large energy loss structure are made.The use of the findings to aid in characterisation of the near surface distribution of elements and ions is described for the following systems: the distribution within oxide films on alloys; the locus of disbondment of organic films on metals; and the surface contamination of surfaces removed from aqueous media.