Quantum Mechanical Study of Diamond-based Materials for Electronic Applications

Diamant je veľmi sľubným materiálom pre mnoho aplikácii v elektronike. Vďaka tomu sa oplatí skúmať jeho elektronické vlastnosti za účelom ich optimálneho využitia. V tejto bakalárskej práci bol skúmaný vplyv rôznych dopantov a ich koncentrácii na elektronické vlastnosti a geometriu diamantových dopovaných systémov za použitia kvantovo mechanického popisu založeného na teórii hustotového funkcionálu.Špeciálne sa kládol dôraz na vlastnosti zakázaného pásu. Aby bolo možné študovať, ktoré vlastnosti ovplyvňujú zakázaný pás bolo použitých päť dopantov v troch koncentráciách. Výskum preukázal, že tri z dopantov (Al, B, Si) sa správaju v diamantovej štruktúre ako akceptory a zakázaný pás zmenšujú pridaním akceptorových stavov.Ostatné dva dopanty (N, P) ukazujú kovové správanie úplným eliminovaním zakázaného pásu a do pásovej štruktúry pridávajú energetické úrovne donora. S klasajúcou koncentráciou dopantu sa zakázaný pás rozširuje a viac pripomína čistý diamant. Našli sme spojitosť medzi veľkosťou zakázaného pásu a vzdialenosťou medzi dopantom a najbližšími uhlíkmi.Výsledky budú rozšírené o ďalší výskum, ktorý povedie k vytvoreniu vedeckej publikácie v známych žurnáloch.Diamond is a very promising material for a vast variety of electronic applications. It is then worthy to study its electronic properties in order to harness them in an optimal way. In this bachelor's thesis, influences of different dopants and their concentrations on the electronic properties and geometry of diamond-doped systems have been investigated using quantum mechanical descriptions based on the Density Functional Theory. Particular importance has been given to the band gap features; to study the relevant ones, five dopants at three different concentrations were considered. The study showed that three of the dopants (Al, B, Si) are behaving as acceptors in the diamond structure and are lowering the size of the band gap by adding acceptor states. The other two dopants (N, P) are showing metallic behaviour by eliminating band gap entirely and are adding donor energy levels to the band structure. With lowering concentration of dopant, the band gap is widening and the system is more similar to the pristine diamond. We find a relation between the band gap and the distance between the dopant and the carbon atoms in its first coordination shell. The results will be extended by performing further analyses, which will lead to the production of scientific publications in impacted journals, as already planned

Maintenance Implications for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Remote Locations

Maintenance in the aviation industry has evolved considerably since commercial and general aviation became a modern mode of transportation. ICAO has made maintenance a top priority by directing local National Aviation Authorities, NAA, to have implemented, robust and standardized training and qualifications for all maintenance personnel that work on any safety critical structure or component. There are rules, law and standards that are audited and the aviation industry is, perhaps, the most successful industry in maintaining standards and reliability. With the advent of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAV, the role of maintenance is now needing to be reviewed to determine how and what is needed. This research paper reviews the concepts and importance of maintenance in this new and expanding industry and the complexity of having international standards for engineers to support continuous airworthiness

Der Einfluss der Hämolyse auf die Bestimmung von Neuronspezifischer Enolase in Serum

Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Einfluss der Hämolyse, insbesondere nicht sichtbare Hämolyse, auf die Bestimmung von Neuronspezifischer Enolase in Serum. Die Neuronspezifische Enolase (NSE) ist ein zellspezifisches Isoenzym des Enzyms Enolase und ist ein wertvoller Tumormarker bei der Verlaufskontrolle und Prognose von kleinzelligem Bronchialkarzinom und Neuroblastom. Zu erhöhten NSE Werten kommt es auch bei Seminom, Nierenzellkarzinom, Melanom, Merkelzellkarzinom, intrazerebralen Blutungen und zerebralen Gewebsschädigungen nach ischämischem Schlaganfall1. Außerdem verfälscht Hämolyse, aufgrund der in Erythrozyten und Thrombozyten enthaltenen NSE, das Messergebnis. Laut einer Studie von Mastroianni et al. gibt es eine Korrelation zwischen dem Hämolyse Index (HI) und einem steigenden NSE-Wert. Untersucht wurden nur Proben mit nicht sichtbarer Hämolyse, mit einem HI von 5-30. Es wurde gezeigt, dass jeder Hämolyseindex einem Mittelwert von 0,29±0,09ng/ml NSE, die aus den Erythrozyten freigesetzt wird, entspricht2. Ähnliche Erkenntnisse wie diese Studie, fanden auch Verfaillie et al. heraus. Dort konnte ein Mittelwert von 0.30±0.08 ng/ml NSE pro Hämolyseindex festgestellt werden. Bei Hämolyseindices von 5-30 konnten Anstiege von NSE von 1,5-9ng/ml gemessen werden. Derzeit gibt es noch keine allgemein anwendbare Korrekturformel, um auch hämolytische Proben messen zu können. Eine automatisierte Messung der Serum Indices wäre bei anfälligen Parametern von Vorteil, um falsche Messergebnisse zu vermeiden.This thesis deals with the influence of hemolysis, especially non-visible hemolysis, on the determination of serum neuron-specific enolase. Neuron specific enolase (NSE) is a cell-specific isoenzyme of enolase. It is a valuable tumor marker for monitoring and prognosis of small cell lung cancer and neuroblastoma. Elevated NSE levels are also found in seminoma, renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, merkel cell carcinoma, intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral tissue damage after ischemic stroke. In addition, hemolysis can alter the measurement result due to NSE contained in red blood cells and thrombocytes. According to a study by Mastroianni et al. there is a correlation between hemolysis index (HI) and an increase in NSE. Only samples with a hemolysis index between 5 and 30 were measured. It was shown that each hemolysis index corresponds to a mean value of 0.29±0.09ng/ml of NSE released from the erythrocytes. A study by Verfaillie et al. shows similar results. There, a mean value of 0.30±0.08 ng/ml NSE per hemolysis index was found. An increase in NSE of 1.5-9 ng/ml could be measured in samples with an HI of 5-30. Currently there is no generally applicable correction formula to measure hemolytic samples. An automated measurement of the serum indices would be advantageous for susceptible parameters to avoid false measurement results

Maintenance Implications for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Remote Locations

Maintenance in the aviation industry has evolved considerably since commercial and general aviation became a modern mode of transportation. ICAO has made maintenance a top priority by directing local National Aviation Authorities, NAA, to have implemented, robust and standardized training and qualifications for all maintenance personnel that work on any safety critical structure or component. There are rules, law and standards that are audited and the aviation industry is, perhaps, the most successful industry in maintaining standards and reliability. With the advent of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAV, the role of maintenance is now needing to be reviewed to determine how and what is needed. This research paper reviews the concepts and importance of maintenance in this new and expanding industry and the complexity of having international standards for engineers to support continuous airworthiness

Correction to “Solute Diffusion in Ionic Liquids, NMR Measurements and Comparisons to Conventional Solvents”

Correction to “Solute Diffusion in Ionic Liquids, NMR Measurements and Comparisons to Conventional Solvents