W-CMP for sub-micron inverse metallisation

Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) of tungsten for an inverse metallisation scheme is investigated. The influence of CMP parameters on removal rate and uniformity is studied. The main effects on the removal rate are the applied pressure and the rotation rate of the polishing pad. To the first order Preston's equation is obeyed. The uniformity is best with equal rpm of pad and wafer and with perforated pads. Also, pattern density effects of CMP of W/PETEOS are investigated. Dishing increased at larger W-linewidth. Oxide erosion increased at larger pattern density and smaller W-linewidth. Electrical measurements on submicron (0.4 and 0.5 ¿m) test structures yielded good CMP results

Site selection method of solar power plant, for example Ambon Island

The article present analysis result of the best possible location for solar power plant. The result was obtain by providing a new selection method that includes multicriterion selection, graphical observe and techno-economic factor. The criterions are, availability of solar radiation, availability of vacant land, accessibility from national highways/road, distance from existing transmission line, variation of local climate, topography of site and geotechnical political issues. Google Earth and ArcGIS programs were used for the graphical observing. The result shows possible site selections with advantages in power production potential as well as low project expenses

Применение генетических алгоритмов в задачах проектирования бизнес-процессов на моделях Узел-Функция-Объект

В статті розглядаються питання проектування бізнес-процесів на моделях Вузол-Функція-Об’єкт. Пропонується використати імітаційне моделювання та методи випадкового пошуку, а саме, генетичні алгоритми для пошуку раціонального рішення в задачах моделювання бізнес-процесів. Виконана адаптація генетичних алгоритмів до розв’язання даних задач на моделях Вузол-Функція-Об’єкт. Розроблений опис початкових варіантів ВФО діаграм моделюємого бізнес-процесу; опис цільової функції моделі бізнес-процесу; опис операторів генетичного алгоритму для ВФО моделей

Anleitung zur Organisation von Webkonferenzen am Beispiel der “Bibcast”-Aktion zum Bibliothekskongress 2016

Zwischen dem 7. und 11. März 2016 fand der erste Bibcast, eine Webcast-Serie zu bibliothekarisch relevanten Themen statt. Aus der Idee heraus entstanden, abgelehnten Einreichungen für den Bibliothekskongress ein alternatives Forum zu bieten, hat sich der Bibcast als interessantes, flexibles und innovatives Format herausgestellt, das die Landschaft der Präsenzkonferenzen zukünftig sinnvoll ergänzen kann. In diesem Praxisbeitrag soll über Entstehung und Ablauf berichtet, Mehrwerte und Stolpersteine veranschaulicht und damit zugleich eine Anleitung zur Organisation von Webkonferenzen gegeben werden

Quantitative biparametric analysis of hybrid 18F-FET PET/MR-neuroimaging for differentiation between treatment response and recurrent glioma

We investigated the diagnostic potential of simultaneous 18F-FET PET/MR-imaging for differentiation between recurrent glioma and post-treatment related effects (PTRE) using quantitative volumetric (3D-VOI) lesion analysis. In this retrospective study, a total of 42 patients including 32 patients with histologically proven glioma relapse and 10 patients with PTRE (histopathologic follow-up, n = 4, serial imaging follow-up, n = 6) were evaluated regarding recurrence. PET/MR-imaging was semi-automatically analysed based on FET tracer uptake using conservative SUV thresholding (isocontour 80%) with emphasis on the metabolically most active regions. Mean (relative) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmean, rADCmean), standardised-uptake-value (SUV) including target-to-background (TBR) ratio were determined. Glioma relapse presented higher ADCmean (MD ± SE, 284 ± 91, p = 0.003) and TBRmax (MD ± SE, 1.10 ± 0.45, p = 0.02) values than treatment-related changes. Both ADCmean (AUC ± SE = 0.82 ± 0.07, p-value < 0.001) and TBRmax (AUC ± SE = 0.81 ± 0.08, p-value < 0.001) achieved reliable diagnostic performance in differentiating glioma recurrence from PTRE. Bivariate analysis based on a combination of ADCmean and TBRmax demonstrated highest diagnostic accuracy (AUC ± SE = 0.90 ± 0.05, p-value < 0.001), improving clinical (false negative and false positive) classification. In conclusion, biparametric analysis using DWI and FET PET, both providing distinct information regarding the underlying pathophysiology, presented best diagnostic accuracy and clinical benefit in differentiating recurrent glioma from treatment-related changes

Segregation and trapping of erbium during silicon molecular beam epitaxy

3 pages, 4 figures.Erbium surface segregation is observed during growth of Er-doped Si by molecular beam epitaxy on Si(100) at 600 °C. Once a critical Er surface areal density of 2 × 1014 Er/cm2 is reached, enhanced Er trapping is observed, possibly due to the formation of silicide precipitates. Er segregation on Si(100) is fully avoided when growth is performed in an oxygen background pressure of ~ 10 – 10 mbar, due to the formation of Er-O complexes. No Er segregation is observed on Si(111), which is attributed to the formation of epitaxial Er3Si5 precipitates.This work is part of the research program of FOM and was made possible by financial support from NWO, STW, and IOP Electro-Optics. R. Serna acknowledges financial support from CSIC, Spain.Peer reviewe

Mesoporous silica coatings for controlled release of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin from implants

To generate bioactive coatings for medical implants, a novel procedure has been developed using a coating of mesoporous silica for controlled drug delivery. Plain glass slides were used as substrates. The mesoporous coatings were then loaded with the antibacterial drug ciprofloxacin. The drug release kinetics were investigated in a physiological buffered solution. The drug loading capacity of the unmodified mesoporous coatings was low but could be increased nearly ten-fold (to about 2 g cm-2 of the macroscopic surface) by functionalizing the mesoporous surface with sulfonic acid groups. To achieve a controlled drug release over an extended time period, further coatings were added. Covering the surface of the drug loaded mesoporous silica layer by dip-coating with bis(trimethoxysilyl)hexane resulted in an organosiloxane layer which retarded the release for up to 30 days. By an additional evaporation coating with dioctyltetramethyldisilazane, the release of ciprofloxacin was prolonged for up to 60 days. The biocompatibility of the different coatings was tested in cell culture assays. The presence of the additional silane-derived hydrophobic coatings somewhat reduced the biocompatibility. The antibacterial efficacy of the materials was demonstrated by using clinically relevant biofilm-forming pathogenic bacteria. A test where the sequential release of ciprofloxacin (in 2 days intervals) and the bacterial viability were tested in parallel showed good concordance in the results. The material where a sulfonate-functionalized mesoporous silica layer is loaded with ciprofloxacin and then coated by an organosiloxane layer derived from bis(trimethoxysilyl)hexane showed the best results with regard to antibacterial efficacy and will further be tested in animal experiments

Calbindin-D28k and its role in apoptosis

In recent years, there was growing evidence that Calbindin-D28k, a common calcium binding protein, highly conserved among mammals, might be cytoprotective by inhibiting active Caspase-3, an important effector of apoptosis and, thereby, a crucial factor in cell physiology, oncogenesis and neurodegenerative diseases. Few in-vitro studies suggested that there might also be an interaction with the pro-domain of its zymogen, Pro-Caspase-3. To date, evidence on the various intermolecular interactions of Calbindin-D28k is essentially based on in-vitro studies. However, occasionally in-vitro studies yield results that might not correspond with conditions in living cells. To our knowledge, it is the first time that the proposed intermolecular Calbindin-D28k-Pro-Caspase-3 interaction and, moreover, the inhibition of Caspase-3 activity in a more complex, natural milieu of a cell is investigated using in-situ FRET microscopy (Acceptor-Photobleaching and Sensitized Emission). There is conclusive evidence for a calcium-independent interaction between Calbindin-D28k and an Inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) peptide sequence. Contrary to previous in-vitro studies based on peptide sequences, these results do not indicate an interaction with Pro-Caspase-3 regardless of intracellular calcium levels. This finding suggests that the inhibition of Caspase-3 activity is attributable to the intermolecular interaction with active Caspase-3. Moreover, the current findings indicate inhibition of Caspase-3 activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Further understanding of these cytoprotective pathways and mechanisms might prove beneficial to develop new cytoprotective or radio-/chemosensitizing agents and therapeutic strategies to modulate programmed cell death in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Morbus Alzheimer, Chorea Huntington or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and various tumor diseases.Calbindin-D28k ist ein hoch konserviertes Kalzium-bindendes Protein, dem ein protektiver Effekt zugesprochen wird. In-vitro Studien haben gezeigt, dass Calbindin-D28k in der Lage ist, die aktive Caspase-3 zu hemmen, ein wichtiger Effektor des programmierten Zelltodes, die eine Schlüsselrolle in Zellphysiologie, Tumorentstehung und neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen einnimmt. Wenige in-vitro Studien haben ebenso zeigen können, dass eine Interaktion mit dem Zymogen, der Pro-Caspase-3, möglich ist. Bis heute stützt sich nahezu die gesamte Beweislage zu den verschiedenen intermolekularen Interaktionen von Calbindin-D28k im Wesentlichen auf in-vitro Studien. Jedoch können in-vitro Studien vereinzelt Ergebnisse hervorbringen, die sich nicht auf das komplexe Milieu von lebenden Zellen übertragen lassen. Daher untersucht die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit, die Calbindin-D28k-Pro-Caspase-3 Interaktion und die Inhibition der Caspase-3 Aktivität im komplexeren Milieu einer Zelle mittels in-situ FRET-Mikroskopie (Acceptor-Photobleaching und Sensitized Emission). Die Daten weisen auf eine Kalzium-unabhängige Interaktion zwischen Calbindin-D28k und einem Peptid der Inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) hin. Allerdings können die Ergebnisse, unabhängig von der intrazellulären Kalzium-Konzentration, keine Interaktion mit der Pro-Caspase-3 bestätigen. Diese Ergebnisse stehen im Gegensatz zu in-vitro Studien, die eine Interaktion mit den jeweiligen Peptidsequenzen zeigen konnten. Dies legt nahe, dass die Inhibition der Caspase-3 Aktivität auf die intermolekulare Interaktion mit der aktiven Caspase-3 zurückzuführen ist. Die Ergebnisse sprechen außerdem für eine konzentrationsabhängige Hemmung der Caspase-3 Aktivität. Ein tieferes Verständnis der protektiven Signalwege und Funktionsweisen kann bei der Entwicklung von neuen protektiven oder radio-/chemosensibilisierenden Pharmaka und therapeutischen Behandlungsstrategien richtungsweisend sein, die den programmierten Zelltod in neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen, wie Morbus Alzheimer, Chorea Huntington oder Amyotrophe Lateralsklerose, aber auch diversen Tumorerkrankungen modulieren könnten

Researching Family Secrets: Methodological Approach, Reflections and Recommendations

Schreiben kann ein produktiver Weg der Erhebung sein, um Daten über sensible, schwierige und schambehaftete Themen zu erhalten. Forschungsteilnehmer*innen werden dabei gebeten, auf offene Fragen schriftlich zu antworten bzw. einen Brief zu einem vorgegebenen Thema zu verfassen. Die Datenerhebung von geheimen, unangenehmen oder schmerzlichen Aspekten der eigenen Familiengeschichte bringt zahlreiche Herausforderungen mit sich: Die meisten Menschen sind sehr vorsichtig und zurückhaltend. Sie ziehen es vor, keine Einblicke in das Familienleben und die zwischenmenschlichen Dynamiken zu geben. Darüber hinaus ist es schwierig, im Rahmen eines Interviews kurzfristig einen so starken Rapport mit den Forschungsteilnehmer*innen herzustellen, dass eine Bereitschaft zur Offenheit und zur nötigen Gesprächstiefe entsteht. Daher wurde das Schreiben von zahlreichen Forscher*innen unterschiedlicher Disziplinen als Methode verwendet. Im ersten Teil des Beitrags wird ein Überblick zu methodischen Herangehensweisen samt ihren Vor- und Nachteilen gegeben. Anschließend wird ein konkretes Forschungsprojekt zur Familienerinnerung aufgegriffen und im Detail vorgestellt und reflektiert. Im dritten Teil des Beitrags werden Empfehlungen für Forscher*innen ausgesprochen, die diese Methode selbst einsetzen möchten.In this article, I consider writing by research participants as a method of gathering data on sensitive, difficult or shameful topics. In doing so, I draw on the example of a research project on family narratives and family secrets. Gathering data on hidden, uncomfortable or even painful aspects of a family's past and present poses several challenges in a research project: Most people are reluctant to volunteer intimate insights into their family lives and dynamics. Moreover, in an interview situation, it is challenging to create the kind of rapport that allows a deeper conversation. Writing has been used by a number of scholars from different disciplines to gather data. In the first section, I review these approaches, as well as their benefits and disadvantages. I then describe and reflect upon the methodological approach taken for a project on memories of family members' actions and involvement during the Nazi era in Germany. Finally, I offer recommendations and reflections when using writing as a data gathering method

Mythic Quest: An Analysis of the Representation of Women in the Gaming Industry

This thesis covers the history of the Gamergate movement, its impact on women working in the video game industry, and how the television show Mythic Quest portrays both through its representation of game developer companies. By taking information and content from episodes in Mythic Quest, to diving deep on research about Gamergate and the history of the gaming industry in the last decade, I found that Mythic Quest effectively depicted the gaming industry and its representation of women. While Mythic Quest explores issues with misogyny in the gaming universe, the show also raised awareness and promoted solutions to solve gender inequality in this line of work