Consequences of anisotropy in electrical charge storage: application to the characterization by the mirror method of TiO2 rutile

This article is devoted first to anisotropic distributions of stored electric charges in isotropic materials, second to charge trapping and induced electrostatic potential in anisotropic dielectrics. On the one hand, we examine the case of anisotropic trapped charge distributions in linear homogeneous isotropic (LHI) insulators, obtained after an electron irradiation in a scanning electron microscope. This injection leads to the formation of a mirror image

Applications of multi-walled carbon nanotube in electronic packaging

Thermal management of integrated circuit chip is an increasing important challenge faced today. Heat dissipation of the chip is generally achieved through the die attach material and solders. With the temperature gradients in these materials, high thermo-mechanical stress will be developed in them, and thus they must also be mechanically strong so as to provide a good mechanical support to the chip. The use of multi-walled carbon nanotube to enhance the thermal conductivity, and the mechanical strength of die attach epoxy and Pb-free solder is demonstrated in this work

Immunohistochemical analysis of the mucosal lesion in mucocutaneous leishmaniasis

Using antibodies against surface antigens of inflammatory cells and against extra-cellular matrix components, immunocytochemical studies permit the investigation of the in situ cellular immune response and the associated fibrosis, in mucosal lesions. 57 paraffin embedded skin biopsies of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis originating from Bolivia and due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, were studied. Memory T cells predominate within a non-organized granulomatous reaction, in which were observed proliferating macrophages. At the top of the lesion, epithelial cells expressed HLA-DR. Some characteristics of this lesion, particularly its chronic destructive pattern, presently lack any clear explanation

Induction of a putative laminin-binding protein of Streptococcus gordonii in human infective endocarditis.

There is evidence to suggest that the virulence of Streptococcus strains in infective endocarditis might be due to the expression of binding sites for the extracellular matrix proteins of damaged valves. In this communication, we draw attention to one laminin-binding protein from a strain of Streptococcus gordonii isolated from a patient with human endocarditis. This 145-kDa protein was found on the cell wall of the bacterium. The level of expression of this binding protein might be regulated by the presence of extracellular matrix proteins: the protein was lacking after in vitro selection of laminin, collagen I, and fibronectin nonbinding variants, and it was recovered after growth of the variants when laminin or collagen I was added to the growth medium. It was also missing after 10 subcultures in minimal medium, indicating some positive control. Furthermore, the 145-kDa protein was recognized as a major antigen by sera from patients treated for streptococcal infective endocarditis, while sera from patients with valvulopathies gave only slight recognition, suggesting an increase of the expression of this protein during infective endocarditis. It was also shown that the 145-kDa protein carried a collagen I-like determinant detected with anti-human collagen I antibodies