Inkjet printed metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) diodes for organic and flexible electronic application

All inkjet printed rectifying diodes based on a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) layer stack are presented. The rectifying properties were optimized by careful selection of the insulator interlayer thickness and the layout structure. The different diode architectures based on the following materials are investigated: (1) silver/ poly (methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid)/ polytriarylamine/ silver, (2) silver/ polytriarylamine/ poly (methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid)/ silver, and (3) silver/ poly (methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid)/ poly-triarylamine/ poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly (styrenesulfonate). The MIS diodes show an averaged rectification ratio of 200 and reasonable forward current density reaching 40 mA cm -2. They are suitable for a number of applications in flexible printed organic electronics.EU [287682

Applications Of Microspectroscopy, Hyperspectral Chemical Imaging And Fluorescence Microscopy In Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Molecular And Cell Biology

Chemical imaging is a technique for the simultaneous measurement of spectra (chemical information) and images or pictures (spatial information)^1,2^. The technique is most often applied to either solid or gel samples, and has applications in chemistry, biology^3-8^, medicine^9,10^, pharmacy^11^ (see also for example: Chemical Imaging Without Dyeing), food science, Food Physical Chemistry, Biotechnology^12,13^, Agriculture and industry. NIR, IR and Raman chemical imaging is also referred to as hyperspectral, spectroscopic, spectral or multi-spectral imaging (also see micro-spectroscopy). However, other ultra-sensitive and selective, chemical imaging techniques are also in use that involve either UV-visible or fluorescence microspectroscopy

Bronze Age moss fibre garments from Scotland – the jury’s out

In the light of recent discoveries of early to middle Bronze Age burials with mats and fibrous material in Scotland, for example at Langwell farm and Forteviot, it was deemed timely to re-evaluate earlier finds of this period, several of which were discovered and initially reported on nearly a century ago. As part of this research it was noted that three Bronze Age finds from the old literature were reported as clothing or shrouds made of hair moss (Polytrichum commune). Three of these are reassessed here, with a detailed re-examination of the “hair moss apron” from North Cairn Farm. Technological analysis of this find showed no evidence for the twining previously reported and SEM fibre analysis shows that it is unlikely to be hair moss or indeed Bronze Age. However, there is other evidence for hair moss artefacts from other British Bronze Age and Roman contexts. These suggest it is possible that hair moss fibre was used in Scotland in the Bronze Age, but that the North Cairn Farm fibrous object should no longer be considered among this evidence

High mannose-specific lectin Msl mediates key interactions of the vaginal Lactobacillus plantarum isolate CMPG5300

To characterize the interaction potential of the human vaginal isolate Lactobacillus plantarum CMPG5300, its genome was mined for genes encoding lectin-like proteins. cmpg5300.05_29 was identified as the gene encoding a putative mannose-binding lectin. Phenotypic analysis of a gene knock-out mutant of cmpg5300.05_29 showed that expression of this gene is important for auto-aggregation, adhesion to the vaginal epithelial cells, biofilm formation and binding to mannosylated glycans. Purification of the predicted lectin domain of Cmpg5300.05_29 and characterization of its sugar binding capacity confirmed the specificity of the lectin for high-mannose glycans. Therefore, we renamed Cmpg5300.05_29 as a mannose-specific lectin (Msl). The purified lectin domain of Msl could efficiently bind to HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120 and Candida albicans, and showed an inhibitory activity against biofilm formation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium. Thus, using a combination of molecular lectin characterization and functional assays, we could show that lectin-sugar interactions play a key role in host and pathogen interactions of a prototype isolate of the vaginal Lactobacillus microbiota

CSL-1: a chance projection effect or serendipitous discovery of a gravitational lens induced by a cosmic string?

CSL-1 (Capodimonte--Sternberg--Lens Candidate, No.1) is an extragalactic double source detected in the OAC-DF (Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte - Deep Field). It can be interpreted either as the chance alignment of two identical galaxies at z=0.46 or as the first case of gravitational lensing by a cosmic string. Extensive modeling shows in fact that cosmic strings are the only type of lens which (at least at low angular resolution) can produce undistorted double images of a background source. We propose an experimentum crucis to disentangle between these two possible explanations. If the lensing by a cosmic string should be confirmed, it would provide the first measurements of energy scale of symmetry breaking and of the energy scale of Grand Unified Theory (GUT).Comment: Accepted for publication in the Mon. Not. Royal Astron. Societ

A study to analyze six band multispectral images and fabricate a Fourier transform detector

An automatic Fourier transform diffraction pattern sampling system, used to investigate techniques for forestry classification of six band multispectral aerial photography is presented. Photographs and diagrams of the design, development and fabrication of a hybrid optical-digital Fourier transform detector are shown. The detector was designed around a concentric ring fiber optic array. This array was formed from many optical fibers which were sorted into concentric rings about a single fiber. All the fibers in each ring were collected into a bundle and terminated into a single photodetector. An optical/digital interface unit consisting of a high level multiplexer, and an analog-to-digital amplifier was also constructed and is described

Simple identification tools in FishBase

Simple identification tools for fish species were included in the FishBase information system from its inception. Early tools made use of the relational model and characters like fin ray meristics. Soon pictures and drawings were added as a further help, similar to a field guide. Later came the computerization of existing dichotomous keys, again in combination with pictures and other information, and the ability to restrict possible species by country, area, or taxonomic group. Today, www.FishBase.org offers four different ways to identify species. This paper describes these tools with their advantages and disadvantages, and suggests various options for further development. It explores the possibility of a holistic and integrated computeraided strategy