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IR measurements reveal the enhanced hydrolysis resistance of molybdenum titanium oxide compared to molybdenum oxide when exposed to controlled humidity conditions.

Dielectric/metal/dielectric (DMD) transparent electrodes emerged as a compelling alternative to the widely used indium-tin-oxide (ITO) for solar cells and optoelectronic devices. DMD electrodes are especially attractive for flexible substrates, as, in contrast to ITO, they retain their low electrical resistance upon substrate bending and they do not require deposition at elevated temperatures. In a DMD, the choice of the dielectric is mainly dictated by the device architecture. Owing to its high work function, MoO3 is a commonly used hole-selective dielectric layer. The present work investigates MoOx/metal/MoOx (with 2

Although γ/η-Mo4O11 and Mo2Ta2O11 are used in a variety of industrial applications and can easily be synthesized in a chemical vapour transport (CVT) process or reactions in silica ampoules, respectively, only few data are available concerning their physical properties. In this paper, we further explore the properties of the three compounds with respect to their thermal and magnetic behavior, surface composition, and Raman spectroscopic properties.

Recently, dielectric/metal/dielectric (DMD) transparent electrodes based on MoO3 have been applied in solar cells and organic light emitting diodes, by virtue of the favourable properties of MoO3 as hole-transport/hole-injection material. However, amorphous MoO3 layers are easily dissolved in water, thus inhibiting device processing with water-based solutions. To improve the stability in water, the present study introduces DMD electrodes based on mixed molybdenum–titanium–oxide (MTO), fabricated by DC magnetron sputtering from a conductive oxide target. It is demonstrated that the addition of Ti strongly increases the stability in water, while the desirable electronic properties of MoO3, specifically the high work function and wide bandgap, are maintained. The DMD electrodes, with Ag as metal layer, were fabricated on both rigid and flexible substrates, namely glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The obtained electrodes have low sheet resistance around 5 Ω/sq and high average visible transmittance well above 0.7 (including the substrate). As a result of the MTO stability, processing with water-based solutions takes place without electrode degradation. To demonstrate the process compatibility for large-scale, industrial production, the DMDs were sputter-deposited by a roll-to-roll process on a 300 mm-wide PET foil, achieving similar electrode properties with the laboratory-scale samples. Graphical abstract

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common chronic diseases associated with high mortality. Previous studies suggested a prognostic role for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) assessed during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with COPD. However, most of these studies had small sample sizes or short follow-up periods, and despite their relevance, CPET parameters are not included in the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) tool for assessment of severity. Objectives: We therefore aimed to assess the prognostic value of CPET parameters in a large cohort of outpatients with COPD. Methods: In this retrospective, multicentre cohort study, medical records of patients with COPD who underwent CPET during 2004–2017 were reviewed and demographics, smoking habits, GOLD grade and category, exacerbation frequency, dyspnoea score, lung function measurements, and CPET parameters were documented. Relationships with survival were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Of a total of 347 patients, 312 patients were included. Five-year and 10-year survival probability was 75% and 57%, respectively. VO2peak significantly predicted survival (hazard ratio: 0.886 [95% confidence interval: 0.830; 0.946]). The optimal VO2peak threshold for discrimination of 5-year survival was 14.6 mL/kg/min (area under ROC curve: 0.713). Five-year survival in patients with VO2peak Conclusions: We confirm that VO2peak is a highly significant predictor of survival in COPD patients and recommend the incorporation of VO2peak into the assessment of COPD severity.

This study investigates whether the personalities of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) of technology-based new ventures affect how the increasing maturity of new ventures translates into web traffic. Drawing on upper echelon theory and the interactionist theory of job performance, we explain how certain personality traits from the five-factor model are relevant to the job demands a CMO faces in technology-based new ventures. We build a multi-source dataset on 627 new ventures and use a novel approach to measuring personality that is based on computer text analysis—specifically, the LIWC application—which we apply to the CMOs’ Twitter accounts. Our findings indicate that a CMO’s extraversion positively moderates the relationship between a new venture’s maturity and web traffic, while a CMO’s conscientiousness is a negative moderator of this relationship. These results have useful theoretical and practical implications for the role of the CMO and for marketing new ventures in general.

Cyclic bending tests of magnetron sputter-deposited Al/Mo bilayer thin films on flexible substrates were performed with a custom-built bending apparatus to evaluate the reliability of possible applications for metal wiring electrodes such as signal and data bus lines in flexible electronics. Intermittent measurements of mechanical damage and electrical resistance were performed to elucidate the damage evolution of Al/Mo bilayers with increasing cycle numbers. It was found that a 3:1 thickness ratio would have an extremely long lifetime when only compressive bending is applied for strains

To form antireflection (AR) coatings to hide metal architecture in display technologies, we deposited thin films of metal Mo and oxide MoOx by sputtering targets of various compositions using pure Ar sputter gas. The optical constants [n,k] of these samples were measured by the direct numerical solution of reflectance and transmittance at each wavelength point measured. We find that 50 nm films are uniform in the growth direction, but for thicker 100 nm samples, evidence exists for nonuniform growth, where the top 20 nm appears to be metal rich. From these [n,k], negative Tauc bandgap energies show these oxides are semi-metals. We then identified the specific composition (x) that optimizes the AR response for a host of metals (Al, Cu, Ag, Au). Finally, two methods were used to understand why these MoOx materials function well as AR media, including (i) using phasor rays and (ii) developing a universal expression for the AR condition that applies to both dielectric and metal substrates. In (i), we find two characteristics for AR of metals: (a) its optical thickness should be roughly [Formula: see text], not the [Formula: see text] for dielectrics, since for MoOx, their [Formula: see text] Fresnel phases differ from the usual [180°, 0°] of dielectrics; and (b) the medium incorporates a k-dominant strategy whose function is to absorb the energy that is reflected at the AR/metal interface. In (ii), the universal AR condition is found to be [Formula: see text]. For dielectrics, this reduces to the well-known [Formula: see text] condition. However, for metals, a concise analytic expression is lacking since this expression is highly nonlinear but is easily solved by numerical methods.

Magnetron sputter deposited Mo thin films are frequently used as part of the metallization of thin film transistors. To ensure technological applications these Mo thin films are often combined with Al thin films, but are inherently brittle compared to the electrical charge carrying ductile Al thin films. To improve the fracture behavior of bilayered stacks containing Mo layers for future flexible devices like rollable or foldable displays, an optimum ductile/brittle layer thickness ratio is necessary. Within this work the electro-mechanical behavior of bilayered Al/Mo thin films grown by dc magnetron sputter deposition on polyimide substrates under tensile strain was investigated. Various Al/Mo layer thickness ratios (1:1, 3:1, 5:1 and 10:1), all with a base Mo film of 30 nm were tested. In situ tensile tests combining electrical 4-point probe resistance and optical measurements revealed an optimum thickness ratio between 5:1 and 10:1 for the crack onset strain. Post mortem analysis on the crack morphology revealed that higher thickness ratios better compensate cracks by leaving wider subsurface pathways for electron conduction of the layer stack than lower thickness ratios.

The use of Mo in large area thin film deposition includes back contact layers for thin film solar cells as well as diffusion barriers and source/drain electrodes in microelectronics and relies on its excellent thermal stability and chemical inertness as well as low electrical resistivity. A constant high quality of sputter deposited thin films during the entire target lifetime is of vital importance for these applications. Thus, this study addresses the sputter performance, i.e. changes of current, voltage and arc rate, recorded during erosion of a rotatable Mo target as well as the quality of thin films deposited at different erosion stages. The enhanced target erosion and the thus reduced target wall thickness cause an increase of the magnetic field strength in front of the target and yield a slightly reduced voltage and increased current. Increased arc rates could be related to venting the vacuum chamber during interruptions in target erosion which were needed for thin film depositions. Both, microstructure and electrical resistivity of the films deposited are widely unaffected by the progressing target erosion. In contrast, different substrate carrier oscillation modes determine film topography, stress and electrical resistivity. The end of target life is determined by the pronounced sputter grooves formed at both ends of the rotatable target due to the shape of the permanent magnetic field at the turnarounds rather than changes in the quality of the films deposited.

Sputter deposited Mo-based thin films play a key role in the manufacturing of modern flat panel displays and microelectronic components. They are widely used as source/drain electrodes, as gate material or as metallization layer for signal and data bus lines. Within this work, the sputter performance of a Mo0.70Al0.20Ti0.10 rotatable target was investigated to correlate processing conditions to thin film growth and chemistry. An industrial-scale in-line magnetron sputter system was used to deposit a series of thin films on silicon wafers at Ar pressures from 0.25 to 0.70 Pa. The center of the substrate carrier was kept at a constant offset from the target middle axis. Film thickness and chemical composition were evaluated for substrates located at different lateral positions. The morphologies and cross-sections of the films were examined by scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam milling, revealing dense fibrous structures opposite the target and fine isolated columnar grain structures at extended positions from the center of the target. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed a depletion of Al in favor of Mo enrichment opposite the target and a reverse trend at extended distances. The plasma used for sputtering was modelled after realistic target geometries using the S3M computer code and served as input for subsequent SRIM scatter simulations. It is demonstrated that the combination of experiments and simulations allows to distinguish a high- and low-flux regime, leading to different film structures and chemical compositions.

The present work investigates the microstructure-property relations of Mo-O thin films synthesised by non-reactive dc magnetron sputter deposition from ceramic MoO x targets with compositions ranging from x = 2.5 to 2.8. Two series of films with different deposition powers, 150 and 450 W, were synthesised. The O content in the films is ~ 10% lower than in the target due to element-specific scattering of the sputtered species during the transport from the target to the substrate. The evolution of microstructure and chemical bonds was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The structure of the films is dominated by the thermodynamically stable phases MoO 2 and MoO 3 , as well as the intermediate phases Mo 4 O 11 and Mo 9 O 26 . The films exhibit high absorbance of up to 75% and reflectance below 12% with electrical resistivity values in the range of 10 − 2 to 1 Ωcm. In general, the use of oxide targets in dc magnetron sputter deposition of Mo-O films offers an efficient and reliable alternative to films sputtered reactively from metal targets and might thus enable their use in a wide range of opto-electronic applications.

The in situ characterization of the deformation and fracture behavior of brittle metal films is of great technological interest for many modern applications. A prominent example is the field of flexible electronics, which rely on the electrical and mechanical integrity of metal thin films on compliant substrates when exposed to straining or bending. Within this work, failure mechanisms, such as cracking and buckling, were studied as a function of film thickness and correlated with the elastic-plastic material response during straining. Mo thin films were synthesized with thicknesses between 40 and 500 nm on polyimide substrates using an industrial scale in-line direct current magnetron sputtering system. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction was employed to determine the evolution of lattice strain and film stress during uniaxial tensile straining while simultaneously measuring the change in electrical resistance. The results highlight that the electro-mechanical properties of Mo thin films scale with the film thickness. In general, a significant increase in fracture strength was observed with decreasing film thickness. Thus thinner Mo films were able to withstand higher tensile strains before cracking. In contrast, the 40 nm thick Mo film was the earliest to show delamination in the form of buckles, but the applied tensile strain of 12% was not high enough to induce buckling in the 500 nm thick Mo film. A model based on film buckling under uniaxial tensile tests was used to assess the interfacial adhesion energy between the Mo films and the polyimide substrates yielding values between 11±1 and 14±5 J/m 2 .

Objectives Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease with limited survival and occurs as a frequent complication in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). A definite diagnosis of PAH is obtained by right heart catheterisation (RHC); however, the initial suspicion is raised by non-invasive methods. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of key parameters derived from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for detecting and ruling out SSc-associated PAH. Methods In a multicentre setting, we prospectively evaluated 173 consecutive patients with SSc without known PAH, but with clinical suspicion of PAH. Each patient underwent CPET and RHC. Results RHC identified PAH in 48 patients (27.8%), postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) in 10 patients (5.8%) and ruled out PH in 115 patients (66.5%). CPET parameters correlated significantly with pulmonary haemodynamics. PeakVO 2 and VE/VCO 2 showed highest correlations with pulmonary arterial pressure, transpulmonary pressure gradient and pulmonary vascular resistance. Several parameters showed high sensitivity and specificity for PAH detection by receiver operating characteristic analysis. However, peakVO 2 showed highest diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 74.8% at a threshold level of 13.8 mL/min/kg). A peakVO 2 of >18.7 mL/kg/min was reached by 38/173 patients (22%) and excluded PAH in our cohort (negative predictive value 1.0). A nadir VE/VCO 2 ratio of >45.5 showed a positive predictive value of 1.0. Diagnostic accuracy was highest in patients with low pulmonary arterial wedge pressure ( Conclusions CPET is a safe and valuable method in the non-invasive detection of SSc-associated PAH. It may be particularly beneficial for reducing unnecessary RHC procedures.

Benralizumab is an interleukin-5 receptor α-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody that has been shown to safely reduce exacerbations and improve lung function for patients with asthma. We assessed the long-term safety and efficacy of benralizumab for patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma.We conducted a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, phase 3 extension study at 447 sites in 24 countries. Eligible patients had to have completed the SIROCCO or CALIMA trials and remained on subcutaneous benralizumab 30 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) or every 8 weeks (Q8W). Patients who had received placebo in those trials were re-randomised in a 1:1 ratio, using an interactive web-based system, to benralizumab 30 mg either Q4W or Q8W (first three doses 4 weeks apart). Treatment lasted for 56 weeks for adult patients (age ≥18 years) and 108 weeks for adolescent patients (age 12-17 years). The primary endpoint was the safety and tolerability of the two dosing regimens of benralizumab up to 68 weeks for adult patients (including the follow-up visit post-treatment) and up to 56 weeks for adolescent patients. This endpoint was assessed in the full analysis set, which included all patients from the SIROCCO and CALIMA predecessor studies who received at least one dose of study treatment in BORA and did not continue into another trial. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02258542).Between Nov 19, 2014, and July 6, 2016, we enrolled 1926 patients, of whom 633 had received benralizumab Q4W and 639 had received benralizumab Q8W in SIROCCO or CALIMA. The remaining 654 patients had received placebo in those trials and were randomly re-assigned in this trial to receive benralizumab Q4W (n=320) or Q8W (n=334). 1576 patients, including 783 who received benralizumab Q4W (265 newly assigned) and 793 who received benralizumab Q8W (281 newly assigned), were included in the full analysis set. The most common adverse events in all groups were viral upper respiratory tract infection (14-16%) and worsening asthma (7-10%). The most common serious adverse events were worsening asthma (3-4%), pneumonia (1% to 1%), and pneumonia caused by bacterial infection (0-1%). The percentages of patients who had any on-treatment adverse event, any serious adverse event, or any adverse event leading to treatment discontinuation during BORA were similar between patients originally assigned benralizumab and those originally assigned placebo and between benralizumab treatment regimens. The percentage of patients who had any adverse event was similar between SIROCCO or CALIMA (71-75%; benralizumab group only) and BORA (65-71%), as was the percentage of patients who had an adverse event that led to treatment discontinuation (2% in SIROCCO and CALIMA vs 2-3% in BORA).The 2 years of safety results validate that observations observed in the first year of benralizumab continued through a second year of treatment. No new consequences of long-term eosinophil depletion occurred, and the incidence of other adverse events, including opportunistic infections, were similar during the second year.AstraZeneca and Kyowa Hakko Kirin.

This study sheds light on the role of compassion in driving individuals' intentions to pursue social entrepreneurship. Drawing on the embedded agent view of the social entrepreneur, we argue that individuals (agents) are embedded in regulative, cognitive and regulatory institutions that either facilitate or inhibit the relationship between compassion and social entrepreneurial intentions. Compassion as a motive supports personal feasibility and desirability judgments of social venturing, but whether they are actualized into social entrepreneurial intentions is linked to national institutions. We test our model by means of two independent survey studies with 350 respondents from the US population (Study 1) and 223 student respondents from nine countries (Study 2). The results suggest that compassion is linked to social entrepreneurship via the intervening cognitive mechanisms of feasibility and desirability and that this relationship is moderated by national institutions. These results have theoretical implications for social entrepreneurship research and useful practical implications for investors and policy-makers.

Sputter deposited Mo/Al/Mo multilayers are widely used material systems for electrodes in display technologies. In this study, the electro-mechanical behavior of simplified bilayer versions was improved for flexible applications through substitution of the Mo by Mo-Ta alloy layers. Sputter deposited Al/Mo-Ta bilayers were tested under uniaxial tensile and cyclic bending loads. Compared to similar Al/Mo bilayers from previous studies, the Mo-Ta interlayer with 50 at.% Ta improved the crack onset strain under tensile load by more than 1% strain. Furthermore, after 50 000 cycles under 1.3% bending strain, the Al/Mo-Ta bilayers were nearly undamaged and experienced a relatively small electrical resistance increase of 25%, compared to Al/Mo bilayers, which were 40 to 100 times higher. This work shows that the substitution of the brittle Mo interlayer with a more ductile Mo-Ta interlayer can improve the performance and lifetime of the electrodes and is more suitable for flexible displays than the currently used materials.

The current work investigates structure and property relations of molybdenum oxide thin films deposited by reactive dc magnetron sputtering from a molybdenum target with varying oxygen/argon gas flow ratio during deposition. With increasing oxygen partial pressure, the film growth rate decreased from 90 to 7 nm/min, whereas the oxygen content in the films increased up to 75 at.%. The dominating phases found by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were MoO 2 , different polymorphs of Mo 4 O 11 , and MoO 3 . The optical appearance changed from metallic to yellowish transparent with increasing oxygen content in the thin film, while the electrical properties varied from electrically conductive to insulating. In general, structure and properties of the deposited molybdenum oxide thin films are tuneable by adjusting the oxygen/argon gas flow ratio during deposition, which enables the use of these films in a wide range of optical and electronic applications.

The electro-mechanical performance of Mo thin films grown by dc magnetron sputter deposition on polyimide substrates was investigated. A series of 500 nm thick Mo films was synthesized at different discharge powers to evaluate the effect of deposition conditions on the structure–stress relationship and to correlate the intrinsic properties of the Mo films with their electro-mechanical response. Different in-situ fragmentation tests were performed to assess the crack morphology, the change in electrical resistance and the film stress during straining. A direct relation between the residual stress state of the Mo thin films and the discharge power was noticed as the stress changed from tensile to compressive with increasing discharge power. All Mo films showed brittle fracture when strained in tension and the critical crack onset strain correlated with the residual stress state. In-situ synchrotron diffraction experiments enabled the characterization of the fracture strength, which was unaltered by the discharge power and found to be approximately 1700 MPa for all Mo thin films studied.

Molybdenum thin films are commonly used as electrode materials for thin film transistor liquid crystal displays. As low-temperature oxidation deteriorates their electrical resistivity, the aim of this study was to improve their oxidation resistance by alloying with tantalum. Thin films with tantalum contents ranging from 0 to 100 at.% have been synthesized by magnetron co-sputtering. Beside the evaluation of microstructure and resistivity with increasing tantalum content, special emphasis is laid on formation of surface oxides during exposure to elevated temperature and humidity. The formation of a transparent tantalum oxide minimizes surface oxidation, preventing growth of intensively colored molybdenum oxide scales. Potentio-dynamic measurements further highlight the positive influence of tantalum, evidencing the development of a passive region and a drop of the corrosion current density to almost zero.

Currently used Mo/Al/Mo electrodes in thin film transistor display technologies potentially limit the lifetime of flexible displays due to brittle fracture behavior. The aim of the current work is to improve the electro-mechanical behavior of these electrode stacks by alloying the Mo adhesion layer with suitable metals to increase its ductility, while maintaining their good electrical conductivity and adhesion. Magnetron sputtered Mo thin films, alloyed with Al, Nb or Ta, on flexible Polyimide substrates were tested with monotonic in situ uniaxial tensile tests to evaluate their respective fracture resistance, electrical behavior, and interface strength to the substrate. Among the tested alloys, Mo-Ta best combines low electrical resistivity with high crack onset strains and improved interface strength. Therefore, Mo-Ta shows the best prospects to substitute the Mo adhesion layers in display technologies to increase the performance and lifetime of flexible displays.

Journal of vacuum science & technology : JVST / A 38(2), 023401 (2020). doi:10.1116/1.5138248 special issue: "Festschrift Honoring Dr. Steve Rossnagel", Published by American Institute of Physics, New York, NY

Magnetron sputter deposited Mo-based thin films are widely used as diffusion barriers and metallization layers for signal and data bus lines of flat panel displays or back electrodes of thin film solar cells. These films are deposited at large-scale from rectangular planar sputter targets, with the necessity of constant film thickness and properties over target usage. Within this work, a new 600 × 125 mm2 planar Mo-target was sputtered at a constant power of 3.5 kW until the erosion track reached 80% of the maximum useable target thickness. Every other 50 kWh, films were deposited onto a 9 × 5 matrix of (100) Si in different deposition modes (i.e. static and oscillation of the substrate carrier). By investigating the individual sample sets, the sputter behavior at different stages of target usage could be assessed. The sputter behavior changes with the progressing evolution of an erosion groove and affects thickness, stress and electrical resistivity of the films. In the beginning and end of target usage, films with low electrical resistivity and high tensile stresses are grown, whereas a medium target erosion leads to films with increased resistivity and lower tensile stresses. This time variance is attributed to two competing effects changing with proceeding target erosion, which affect the growth conditions of the films: (i) the increase of the reflection angle of Ar neutrals due to the evolution of an erosion groove, lowering the energy input into the growing film, and (ii) a rising number of Ar+ ions due to an increase of target current, directly affecting the overall number of reflected Ar neutrals, increasing the energy input into the growing film.

In order to further optimize the efficiency of today&rsquo, s internal combustion engines, specific coatings are used on functional surfaces to reduce internal engine friction and wear. In the current research project, oxymethylene ether (OME) is discussed because it is CO2 neutral and has a strong soot-reducing effect as a fuel or fuel additive. In some operational regimes of the internal combustion engine a dilution of engine oil by fuel must be assumed. In this paper, the frictional contact between piston ring and cylinder raceway is modelled using a pin-on-disk tribometer and the friction and wear behavior between a diamond-like carbon coating (DLC) and a thermal spray coating is characterized. The wear of the spray layer could be continuously detected by radionuclide technology (RNT). With the aid of photoelectron spectroscopic measurements (XPS), the steel thermal spray coating was chemically analyzed before and after the tribometer tests and the oxidative influence of OME was investigated. In addition, confocal microscopy was used to assess the topographies of the specimens. The measurements showed that the addition of OME to the lubricant reduced the viscosity and load-bearing capacity of the lubricating film, which led to an increase in the coefficient of friction. While almost no wear on the pin could be detected at 10% OME, the first visible material removal occurs at an OME content of 20% and the layer delaminated at 30% OME. The evaluation of the RNT wear tests showed that both the tests with engine oil and with engine oil plus 20% OME achieved very low wear rates. No corrosion of the thermal spray coating could be detected by XPS. Only the proportion of engine oil additives in the friction track increased with increasing OME concentration.

During a regional monitoring project of organic-farmed, free-range and cage-free eggs, high levels of dioxin-like compounds were detected in organic-farmed eggs, using the dioxin responsive chemical-activated luciferase gene expression (DR-CALUX®) bioassay. Further evaluations performed with GC–HRMS (gas chromatography in combination with high resolution mass spectrometry) revealed elevated amounts of non-dioxin-like (non-dl) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) dominated by most lipophilic congeners like PCB 138, 153 and 180 and of dioxin-like (dl) PCBs, with a congener pattern in the descending order of PCB 118, 156, 167, 105, 189, 157, 105, 126 and PCB 77. Contaminations with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) appeared of minor priority, with only hepta- and octa-substituted dioxins above their limits of quantification (LOQs). The pattern of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) was dominated by low amounts of tetra- and penta-chlorinated congeners. To identify the source of contamination, several samples of organic-farmed eggs, soil, laying hens, feedstuff, corrugated asbestos-cement cover plates (ACPs), stable dust and debris collected in the gutter of the stable, were analyzed. Comparing PCB congener-pattern of individual samples, the source was traced back to the coating of ACPs, which covered roof and sidewalls of the stable. Because coating materials probably have been used for roofing and cladding in many countries worldwide, there is a high probability that the presented case report is not a local incident but rather describes a new source of PCB contamination, yet widely unknown or underestimated. Keywords: Asbestos-cement plates, dl-PCB, PCDD/F, DR-CALUX® bioassay, Organic-farmed eggs

A new set of ternary Mo-alloys with very high oxidation resistance during annealing in air (up to 400°C) were developed. The new materials exhibit suitable high wet etch rate in a standard Al-etchant, while maintaining good diffusion barrier properties.

The treatment after open and infected fractures with extensive soft tissue damage and bone deficit remains a challenging clinical problem. The technique described by Masquelet, using a temporary cement spacer to induce a membrane combined with reconstructive soft tissue coverage, is a possible solution. This study describes the work-up, operative procedure, complications, and the outcome of a homogenous group of patients with an open and infected tibia fracture and segmental bone loss treated with the Masquelet technique (MT). This retrospective study evaluates patients having sustained an open tibia fracture treated with the MT between 2008 and 2013 with a follow up of at least 1 year. The defect was either primary, caused by a high-grade open fracture or secondary due to a non-union after an open fracture. Prerequisite conditions prior to the procedure of the Masquelet were a defect zone with eradicated infection, an intact soft tissue cover and stability provided by an external fixation. Volume of the defect, time until the implantation of the spacer, time of the spacer in situ and the time to clinical and radiological union were evaluated. Patient records were screened for reoperations and complications. The functional clinical outcome was measured. Eight patients were treated with a follow up over 1 year. The spacer was implanted after a median of 11 (2–70) weeks after the accident. The predefined conditions for the Masquelet phase were reached after a median of 12 (7–34) operations. Seven patients required reconstructive soft tissue coverage. The volume of the defect had a median of 111 (53.9–621.6) cm3, the spacer was in situ for a median of 12 (7–26) weeks. Radiological healing was achieved in 7 cases after a median time of 52 (26–93) weeks. Full weight bearing was achieved after a median time of 16 (11–24) weeks. Four patients needed a reoperation. The lower limb functional index was a median of 60% (32–92%). Seven out of 8 patients treated in this group of severe open and infected tibia fractures did both clinically and radiologically heal. Due to the massive destruction of the soft tissue, patients needed several reoperations with soft tissue debridements and reconstruction before the spacer and the bone graft could be implanted.

Background The use of novel algorithmic techniques is pivotal to many important problems in life science. For example the sequencing of the human genome ( Venter et al., 2001 ) would not have been possible without advanced assembly algorithms and the development of practical BWT based read mappers have been instrumental for NGS analysis. However, owing to the high speed of technological progress and the urgent need for bioinformatics tools, there was a widening gap between state-of-the-art algorithmic techniques and the actual algorithmic components of tools that are in widespread use. We previously addressed this by introducing the SeqAn library of efficient data types and algorithms in 2008 ( Doring et al., 2008 ). Results The SeqAn library has matured considerably since its first publication 9 years ago. In this article we review its status as an established resource for programmers in the field of sequence analysis and its contributions to many analysis tools. Conclusions We anticipate that SeqAn will continue to be a valuable resource, especially since it started to actively support various hardware acceleration techniques in a systematic manner.

Scientific reports 7(1), 7374(2017). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07825-1, Published by Nature Publishing Group, London

The mechanical and electrical limits of magnetron sputter deposited Al/Mo bilayer thin film systems were tested for their potential use in flexible displays and sensors. Al/Mo bilayers with different Al layer thicknesses (30, 75 and 150 nm) and a constant Mo layer thickness of 30 nm were subjected to 20,000 cycles of combined tensile and compressive bending at different bending strains (0.6, 1.3 and 3.1%). Intermittent optical and electrical measurements allowed the quantification of their reliability as electrode materials. The reliability strongly depends on the used bending strains and the Al layer thickness. Crack nucleation and growth lead to an increase in electrical resistance beyond 50% within the first 100 bending cycles at bending strains larger than 1.3%. Here, most of the studied bilayers fail electrically due to fracture. Increasing the bilayers' Al layer thickness does not improve fracture behavior, which is dominated by the Mo layer, but lowers the measured electrical resistance values for all experiments. Al/Mo bilayers with layer thicknesses of 75/30 nm revealed the least amount of surface damage for all tested bending strains, however do not have the best electrical conductivity.

Within the current work, MoAlTi thin films have been developed and deposited by d.c. magnetron sputtering from a cold gas sprayed MoAlTi cylindrical rotatable target, to act as a novel molybdenum-based thin film system with improved oxidation and good wet-etching behavior. Chemical composition, microstructure, oxidation behavior, wet-etching properties, and electrical resistivity of the films are compared to those of a pure Mo reference film. Deviations in the chemical composition of the films with respect to the target are attributed to differences in gas phase scattering of the individual sputtered species. The films deposited are characterized by the formation of an Mo-based body-centered cubic solid solution, resulting in an increased electrical resistivity compared to the pure Mo film. While alloying Mo films with Al and Ti decreases the wet-etching rate in a phosphoric acid-based etching solution, the oxidation behavior could be significantly improved and the metallic-reflecting surface was maintained after annealing for 1 h at 330 °C in air.Within the current work, MoAlTi thin films have been developed and deposited by d.c. magnetron sputtering from a cold gas sprayed MoAlTi cylindrical rotatable target, to act as a novel molybdenum-based thin film system with improved oxidation and good wet-etching behavior. Chemical composition, microstructure, oxidation behavior, wet-etching properties, and electrical resistivity of the films are compared to those of a pure Mo reference film. Deviations in the chemical composition of the films with respect to the target are attributed to differences in gas phase scattering of the individual sputtered species. The films deposited are characterized by the formation of an Mo-based body-centered cubic solid solution, resulting in an increased electrical resistivity compared to the pure Mo film. While alloying Mo films with Al and Ti decreases the wet-etching rate in a phosphoric acid-based etching solution, the...

The effect of point defects, dislocations and grain boundaries on the electron scattering in molybdenum thin films having a constant thickness of 500 nm was described quantitatively in form of a dependence of the electrical resistivity on the concentration of impurity atoms, stress-free lattice parameter, microstrain and grain size. The concentration of impurity atoms and the dislocation density were modified by depositing the Mo thin films using different techniques (DC magnetron sputtering, pulsed DC magnetron sputtering and RF magnetron sputtering) and by varying the substrate temperature (25 °C, 150 °C, 250 °C and 350 °C). As expected, the electrical resistivity of the Mo films decreased with decreasing density of microstructure defects. For all deposition methods, the dislocation density decreased with increasing substrate temperature, which led to an overall decrease of the measured resistivity with increasing substrate temperature. Due to the deposition equipment constraints during the RF sputtering, up to 3 at.% of Fe, Cr and Ni were incorporated at the regular lattice positions in the crystal structure of molybdenum, which increased the resistivity of the Mo films nearly two times as compared to the DC and pulsed DC sputtered films.

Die Schichtabscheidung uber Magnetronsputtern ist Bestandteil wichtiger Prozessschritte bei der Herstellung von CIGS-Dunnschicht Photovoltaikmodulen. Diese basieren auf dem Halbleiter Cu(In, Ga)Se2 und erfordern einen Ruckkontakt aus Molybdan. Herstellung und Anwendung von Sputtertargets aus Molybdan, MoNa und CuGa werden diskutiert. Die Targetherstellung uber pulvermetallurgische Fertigungsverfahren wird am Beispiel von Molybdan eingefuhrt. Der Herstellungsweg uber Pressen-Sintern-Umformen resultiert in hochreinem Material mit voller Dichte. Durch Zugabe einer Natriumverbindung wurden MoNa Targets entwickelt, wodurch die Dotierung des CIGS-Absorbers mit geringen Mengen Natrium erreicht werden kann. Bei CuGa-Targets bietet die pulvermetallurgische Fertigung gegenuber der Schmelzmetallurgie Vorteile: Eine feinere und gleichmasigere Mikrostruktur des Targets resultiert in einer homogenen lateralen Zusammensetzung der CuGa-Schichten. Sputtering Targets Made by Powder Metallurgy for CIGS Thin Film Photovoltaics Thin film deposition by magnetron sputtering is an important process step in the manufacturing of CIGS thin film solar cells. They are based on the semiconductor Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and comprise a back contact of molybdenum. This article describes the manufacturing and application of sputtering targets made from molybdenum (Mo), MoNa and CuGa used in the CIGS production. The powder-metallurgical manufacturing route for sputtering targets is introduced using Mo as example. Sputtering targets produced by pressing-sintering-deformation show the highest material purity and density. MoNa targets are a composite material made from a sodium (Na) compound and Mo powder. Sputtering a MoNa layer is an easy solution to dope the CIGS absorber with small amounts of Na. CuGa targets made by powder metallurgy show a much finer microstructure compared to casted targets, which results in a smooth sputtering surface and a more homogeneous lateral film composition.

The 2009 European Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension have been adopted for Germany. The guidelines contain detailed recommendations for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. However, the practical implementation of the European Guidelines in Germany requires the consideration of several country-specific issues and already existing novel data. This requires a detailed commentary to the guidelines, and in some aspects an update already appears necessary. In June 2010, a Consensus Conference organized by the PH working groups of the German Society of Cardiology (DGK), the German Society of Respiratory Medicine (DGP) and the German Society of Pediatric Cardiology (DGPK) was held in Cologne, Germany. This conference aimed to solve practical and controversial issues surrounding the implementation of the European Guidelines in Germany. To this end, a number of working groups was initiated, one of which was specifically dedicated to the non-invasive diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. This manuscript describes in detail the results and recommendations of the working group which were last updated in October 2011.