Nitridophosphate‐Based Ultra‐Narrow‐Band Blue‐Emitters: Luminescence Properties of AEP8N14:Eu2+ (AE=Ca, Sr, Ba)

The nitridophosphates AEP8N14 (AE=Ca, Sr, Ba) were synthesized at 4–5 GPa and 1050–1150 °C applying a 1000 t press with multianvil apparatus, following the azide route. The crystal structures of CaP8N14 and SrP8N14 are isotypic. The space group Cmcm was confirmed by powder X‐ray diffraction. The structure of BaP8N14 (space group Amm2) was elucidated by a combination of transmission electron microscopy and diffraction of microfocused synchrotron radiation. Phase purity was confirmed by Rietveld refinement. IR spectra are consistent with the structure models and the chemical compositions were confirmed by X‐ray spectroscopy. Luminescence properties of Eu2+‐doped samples were investigated upon excitation with UV to blue light. CaP8N14 (λem=470 nm; fwhm=1380 cm−1) and SrP8N14 (λem=440 nm; fwhm=1350 cm−1) can be classified as the first ultra‐narrow‐band blue‐emitting Eu2+‐doped nitridophosphates. BaP8N14 shows a notably broader blue emission (λem=417/457 nm; fwhm=2075/3550 cm−1)

Chromoblastomycosis after a leech bite complicated by myiasis: a case report

Background Chromoblastomycosis is a chronic mycotic infection, most common in the tropics and subtropics, following traumatic fungal implantation. Case presentation A 72 year-old farmer was admitted to Luang Namtha Provincial Hospital, northern Laos, with a growth on the left lower leg which began 1 week after a forefoot leech bite 10 years previously. He presented with a cauliflower-like mass and plaque-like lesions on his lower leg/foot and cellulitis with a purulent tender swelling of his left heel. Twenty-two Chrysomya bezziana larvae were extracted from his heel. PCR of a biopsy of a left lower leg nodule demonstrated Fonsecaea pedrosoi, monophora, or F. nubica. He was successfully treated with long term terbinafin plus itraconazole pulse-therapy and local debridement. Conclusions Chromoblastomycosis is reported for the first time from Laos. It carries the danger of bacterial and myiasis superinfection. Leech bites may facilitate infection.This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Aluminum oxide barrier coatings on polymer films for food packaging applications

In the field of packaging, barrier layers are functional films, which can be applied to polymeric substrates with the objective of enhancing their end-use properties. For food packaging applications, the packaging material is required to preserve packaged food stuffs and protect them from a variety of environmental influences, particularly moisture and oxygen ingress and UV radiation. Aluminum metallized films are widely used for this purpose. More recently, transparent barrier coatings based on aluminum oxide or silicon oxide have been introduced in order to fulfill requirements such as product visibility, microwaveability or retortability. With the demand for transparent barrier films for low-cost packaging applications growing, the use of high-speed vacuum deposition techniques, such as roll-to-roll metallizers, has become a favorable and powerful tool. In this study, aluminum oxide barrier coatings have been deposited onto biaxially oriented polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate film substrates via reactive evaporation using an industrial 'boat-type' roll-to-roll metallizer. The coated films have been investigated and compared to uncoated films in terms of barrier properties, surface topography, roughness and surface energy using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurement. Coating to substrate adhesion and coating thickness have been examined via peel tests and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. © 2013 Elsevier B.V

Plastizitätstheoretische Untersuchungen von Umformvorgängen mit der Methode der Finiten Elemente

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