Study made of dielectric properties of promising materials for cryogenic capacitors

Experimental investigations were conducted to determine dielectric properties of promising materials for cryogenic capacitors to be used in energy storage and pulse applications. The three classes of materials investigated were inorganic bonded ferroelectric materials, anodic coatings on metal foils, and polar low temperature liquids

Cryogenic capacitor investigation Final report

Electrical and mechanical properties data on dielectrics to estimate parameters of cryogenic capacitor

ARXPS-studies ofcˆ-axis textured YBa2Cu3Ox-films

YBa2Cu3Ox sputter deposited cold on MgO grows in O2 annealing epitaxially to a transparent, superconducting film with Tc 80K. The unscraped surfaces of these films are smooth showing XPS lines changing with photoelectron take-off angle. This enhanced data base allows to separate the different chemical compounds (hydroxide, peroxide, carbonate, carboxyle, cuprate, graphite ...) and to obtain their spatial distribution. This yields the compounds, their amount and distribution making up the cinder growing with O2-anneal at internal and external surfaces. The cinder stoichiometry gives insights in the chemistry going on in O2 annealing. Below the cinder the signature ofcˆ-axis oriented YBa2Cu3Ox is identified, showing that a Ba-oxide layer forms the stable surface. This coats insulating CuO2 and Y-oxide layers yielding so an intrinsic dead layer

Being a Leader in Higher Education with a Concealable Differences: Empathic Executives with a Call to Action

This study tells the story of thirteen executive leaders in higher education from across the nation who identified themselves as having a concealable difference. These differences included being gay or lesbian, experiencing an auditory or visual disability, or being from a poor socio-economic background. Grounded in a constructivist epistemology, a phenomenological systematic approach was used to understand and illuminate the nuances of the lived experiences of these individuals. Together the terms ontology, epistemology, and methodology describe the foundation for this study. Ontology is the study of Being; epistemology is how we know what we know; and methodology is the approach to new or acquired understanding. The transcripts of our interactions, plus my field notes and journals became the basis for the hermeneutical analysis of the experience of living with a concealable difference. Having differences which define them was a theme which emerged from this process. These leaders felt that living with these differences included understanding the limitations imposed upon them by society. They experienced the impacts of oppression by being set apart by their difference. These executives continued to work hard to ensure what they added to the academy was more important than their differences. They moved beyond merely feeling compassion and responded instead to an empathetic call to action. This empathy propelled them to go beyond simply using the buzzwords inclusive, tolerance, and diversity. They were engaged with partners, children, and family members. Each leader had developed a hope that was not expressed without thoughtful consideration of the harsh realities of the world they live in, nor with pessimism which would stand in the way of true progress. These leaders were comfortable with who they were. They experienced life with their very Being impacted by being cast as different. Each individual had their own unique story. Combined, these stories presented a fuller insight into Being Different. The findings of this study have application to policy makers who serve in higher education. It is vital that individuals with differences be included in leadership positions because of the broader outlook they provide to academia

Deep-time climate legacies affect origination rates of marine genera

Biodiversity dynamics are shaped by a complex interplay between current conditions and historic legacy. The interaction of short- and long-term climate change may mask the true relationship of evolutionary responses to climate change if not specifically accounted for. These paleoclimate interactions have been demonstrated for extinction risk and biodiversity change, but their importance for origination dynamics remains untested. Here, we show that origination probability in marine fossil genera is strongly affected by paleoclimate interactions. Overall, origination probability increases by 27.8% [95% CI (27.4%, 28.3%)] when a short-term cooling adds to a long-term cooling trend. This large effect is consistent through time and all studied groups. The mechanisms of the detected effect might be manifold but are likely connected to increased allopatric speciation with eustatic sea level drop caused by sustained global cooling. We tested this potential mechanism through which paleoclimate interactions can act on origination rates by additionally examining a proxy for habitat fragmentation. This proxy, continental fragmentation, has a similar effect on origination rates as paleoclimate interactions, supporting the importance of allopatric speciation through habitat fragmentation in the deep-time fossil record. The identified complex nature of paleoclimate interactions might explain contradictory conclusions on the relationship between temperature and origination in the previous literature. Our results highlight the need to account for complex interactions in evolutionary studies both between and among biotic and abiotic factors

Tissue Engineering - the gateway to regenerative medicine

Tissue Engineering as an emerging biotechnology sector aims at the in vitro regeneration of diseased tissues and promises to profoundly change medical practice, offering the possibility of regenerating tissues and organs instead of just repairing them (regenerative medicine). Improved healing processes and a higher quality of life are the expected results. This article gives an overview of different technologies for regenerative medicine and presents results of our own current applied research and development. A recent project was successfully closed with the development of a natural biomaterial for soft tissue oral defects. The establishment of an in vitro bioreactor system enabled us to simulate the mechanical and biological environment in a healing wound and to investigate the suitability of different implant materials for the oral tissue regeneration. Moreover, focusing the attention on an alternative method for the intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration, we established a new tissue engineered approach, based on the three-dimensional (3D) culture of autologous human IVD cells into a polyurethane (PU)-fibrin composite. IVD cells were able to proliferate and, thanks to the 3D conditions, to differentiate expressing the typical native tissue markers. The development of an automated platform was the goal of an additional project, to standardize the cell culture technology, increase the bio-safety and reduce the production costs, moving tissue engineering nearer to clinical application