Search

The development and discovery of new drugs and therapy products in regenerative medicine are carried out through multiple stages which involve several strict quality protocols. The use of cell-based model systems is the most relevant alternative to deviate from animal testing. However, the underlying biomanufacturing process in a 3D environment can be prone to failures or unexpected behaviors such as cell growth anomalies or inconsistencies in cell aggregation, which can seriously affect the quality of the result. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a non-invasive and continuous monitoring mechanism that minimizes contamination risks, allows taking early decisions and enables large-scale production in the long term. The results of our embedded machine learning approach show that it is feasible to train machine learning models that can operate on a resourcelimited embedded board with acceptable prediction accuracy for the estimation of the average size of growing stem cell spheroids. Further experiments are needed to investigate the full information potential of the recorded process data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reported the influence of laser surface melting (LSM) pretreatment on the growth behavior, electrical insulation and corrosion resistance of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) film on 6061 aluminum alloy. It is found that the LSM pretreatment refines the surface structure of original Al metal, generating defects that store excessive energy, thereby enhancing reaction kinetics and phase transition during the PEO process. By LSM pretreatment, uniform electrical discharge and film growth can be obtained, resulting in fewer defects and lower porosity in PEO layers. Additionally, a large amount of columnar crystals comprising of SiO 2 phase are observed, which transformed from the SiO 3 2− deposited on the surface, and the LSM pretreatment significantly improves the electrical insulation, corrosion resistance, and substrate adhesion of following PEO layer. Under the same PEO treatment duration, the breakdown voltage of coating increased by 100 V, and icorr decreased from 3.26 × 10−4 to 9.13 × 10−6 A cm−2. It is expected that the combination of LSM and PEO processes can not only enhance the surface properties of Al metal, but also expand the practical application of aluminum alloy in high-power electronic devices and related fields. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, TiO2 coatings are deposited on Si(100) wafers by direct current pulsed magnetron sputtering technology. The crystal structure of TiO2 coatings gradually transforms from the anatase phase to the amorphous phase when the sputtering power is decreased from 900W to 150W. Besides, the growth surface temperature of TiO2 coatings decreases from 630∘C to 241∘C. The relationship between the growth behavior and growth surface temperature of TiO2 coatings is investigated using the dynamic scaling theory. The results show that in the first stage, the growth behavior of TiO2 coatings gradually transforms from the Frank–van der Merwe mode to the Volmer–Weber mode with decreasing sputtering power from 900W to 150W. In the second stage, the growth behavior of TiO2 coatings gradually transforms from the Stranski–Krastanov mode to the Volmer–Weber mode. Transformation of the growth behavior of TiO2 coatings in the second stage transforms the crystal structure of TiO2 coatings from the anatase phase to the amorphous phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective The IPEC-J2 cell line is used as an in vitro small intestine model for swine, but it is also used as a model for the human intestine, presenting a relatively unique setting. By combining electric cell-substrate impedance sensing, with next-generation-sequencing technology, we showed that mRNA gene expression profiles and related pathways can depend on the growth phase of IPEC-J2 cells. Our investigative approach welcomes scientists to reproduce or modify our protocols and endorses putting their gene expression data in the context of the respective growth phase of the cells. Results Three time points are presented: (TP1) 1 h after medium change (= 6 h after seeding of cells), (TP2) the time point of the first derivative maximum of the cell growth curve, and a third point at the beginning of the plateau phase (TP3). Significantly outstanding at TP1 compared to TP2 was upregulated PLEKHN1, further FOSB and DEGS2 were significantly downregulated at TP2 compared to TP3. Any provided data can be used to improve next-generation experiments with IPEC-J2 cells.

Calcium pyroniobate (Ca2Nb2O7) as a kind of lead‐free piezoelectric material has been applied for different fields, but the study of isothermal and non‐isothermal growth behaviors of Ca2Nb2O7 in the molten slag is infrequent. In this paper, the in situ thermal analyzer with a single hot thermocouple technique (SHTT) is used to study the growth behaviors of Ca2Nb2O7 in molten slag. In the isothermal temperatures, the Ca2Nb2O7 presents two kinds of growth morphology, including three dimensional (3D) rhombus growth and fibrous one dimensional (1D) growth. The 3D rhombus is grown under the range of 1608 to 1628 K. When the temperature further decreases to 1593 K, the growth behavior of Ca2Nb2O7 becomes fibrous in 1D. Growth velocity affected by the degree of supercooling may account for the phenomenon of two kinds of growth behaviors in different temperatures. In the non‐isothermal growth process, the cooling rate over 10 K min−1 contributes to multiple crystal nucleuses growth of Ca2Nb2O7. The cooling rate below 5 K min−1 leads to single nuclear growth. This paper provides a control guideline for Ca2Nb2O7 growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is a promising technology for enhancing the wear resistance of engine cylinders by growing a high hardness alumina ceramic film on the surface of light aluminum engine cylinders. However, the positive and negative pulse coordination, voltage characteristic signal, hardness distribution characteristics of the ceramic film, and their internal mechanism during the growth process are still unclear. This paper investigates the synergistic effect mechanism of cathodic and anodic current on the growth behaviour of alumina, dynamic voltage signal, and hardness distribution of micro-arc oxidation film. Ceramic film samples were fabricated under various conditions, including current densities of 10, 12, 14, and 16 A/dm2, and current density ratios of cathode and anode of 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, respectively. Based on the observed characteristics of the process voltage curve and the spark signal changes, the growth of the ceramic film can be divided into five stages. The influence of positive and negative current density parameters on the segmented growth process of the ceramic film is mainly reflected in the transition time, voltage variation rate, and the voltage value of different growth stages. Enhancing the cathode pulse effect or increasing the current density level can effectively shorten the transition time and accelerate the voltage drop rate. The microhardness of the ceramic film cross-section presents a discontinuous soft-hard-soft regional distribution. Multiple thermal cycles lead to a gradient differentiation of the Al2O3 crystal phase transition ratio along the thickness direction of the layer. The layer grown on the outer surface of the initial substrate exhibits the highest hardness, with a small gradient change in hardness, forming a high hardness zone approximately 20–30 μm wide. This high hardness zone extends to both sides, with hardness decreasing rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is one of the most effective techniques for producing ceramic coatings on metal surfaces and is widely used for metal surface modification. However, energy is wasted due to the dispersion of energy when handling large workpieces. Scanning micro-arc oxidation (SMAO) is a coating process developed based on conventional micro-arc oxidation, where electrode confinement is carried out during the scanning process thus saving energy. In this paper, SMAO is further investigated and simulated using simulation software, which greatly saves the experimental cost. The results show that increasing the number of scans increases the thickness of the micro-arc oxidized film, while the scanning speed is the opposite. Both anodic oxidation and passivation zones exist at the periphery of the SMAO region, the roughness of the SMAO film layer decreases from the center to the edge, and the anodic oxidation reaction mainly occurs at the edge zone of the discharge region. The thickness of the film layer is about 17 um in a single scan, and the thickness of the film layer can reach 50 um after several scans, and there is a porous structure on its surface, which is favorable for the adsorption and diffusion of gas molecules. The results show that SMAO is suitable for producing large-volume and large-area metal surface coating, and it is a feasible metal surface coating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth pattern and electronic and magnetic properties of AgnCr (n = 1–16) clusters have been investigated via density functional theory (DFT) combined with CALYPSO structure search method. The optimized geometry shows that the growth of the global minimum structures of AgnCr clusters have obvious rule. when n > 12, silver atoms grow around an icosahedron which is almost unchanged in each structure. Analyses of electronic properties indicate that the doped Cr atom can only enhance the stability of larger silver clusters. Optical absorption and photoelectron spectra of AgnCr isomers have been predicted and can be used for their structural identification. The icosahedral Ag12Cr cluster with large energy level gap can be seen as a superatom. The adsorption capacity of Cr atom in AgnCr cluster to CO is much higher than that of free Cr atom. The intensity of IR and Ramam spectra can be dramatically enhanced when CO is absorbed on AgnCr cluster that Cr atom is encapsulated by Ag atoms. Moreover, the red shift of IR and Raman spectra of CO adsorbed on these clusters is also very small compared to free CO. Magnetism calculations show that the magnetic moment of AgnCr clusters decreases linearly from n = 6 to 12 and increases linearly from n = 12 to 16. The total magnetic moment of AgnCr cluster is mainly localized on the Cr atom. The change of magnetic moment of Cr atom is related to the charge transfer between Cr and Ag atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equilibrium geometries, and electronic and magnetic properties of phosphorus, cobalt‐phosphorus, and nickel‐phosphorus (Pn+1, CoPn, and NiPn, n = 1–24) clusters have been investigated by using first principle calculations. The doping with cobalt or nickel atom favors the endohedral structures in which the metal atom is encapsulated inside the phosphorus framework, while geometrical structures are metal‐dependent. The growth pattern behaviors and stabilities are examined from the binding energies, the second‐order energy differences, and the HOMO–LUMO gaps. The doping with Co or Ni atom contributes to strengthening the stability of the phosphorus frame with a marked improvement in the case of Ni atom. The total spin magnetic moment is enhanced with doping with Co atom. In contrast, the magnetic moment is quenched in the case of NiPn. Vertical electron affinities and ionization potentials are also reported and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black coatings with superior optical properties have attracted considerable attention for the surface treatment of aluminum alloys. This study focuses on the development of black coatings with superior mechanical properties on 6061Al alloy using plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) technique. Two different electrolytes are designed, and the effects of different electrolyte components on the microstructure, composition, growth mode, and mechanical properties of black coatings are investigated. The results show that the inward-outward growth behavior and mechanical properties of coatings are strongly influenced by the deposition originating from the electrolyte. The deposition of P– and V–containing coatings in the mixed electrolyte composed of phosphate and metavanadate proceeds easily, forming outer deposition layers with loose structures. This makes the growth of coatings largely dependent on the mode of outward growth and decreases the adhesion strength. Conversely, in the mixed electrolyte of phosphate and dichromate, the deposition of species from the electrolyte is difficult, resulting in the initial growth of coatings that relies on the oxidation of the substrate. Such a growth mode is characterized by inward growth, which endows coatings with excellent wear and impact resistance. Furthermore, the coloring mechanism is discussed, and it is concluded that the doping of vanadium (V) or chromium (Cr), especially Cr, into alumina significantly contributes to the black appearance of the coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a simple method of in-situ synthesize carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on Ti–6Al–4V (TC4) alloy powder to fabricate CNTs/TC4 compound powders through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). By this approach, CNTs on TC4 alloy powder exhibit better uniform dispersion and morphology compared with the traditional CVD methods. In order to reveal the growth behavior of CNTs during the PECVD process, XRD, SEM, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy were used to analyze the morphology and graphitization of CNTs at different synthesis conditions. The plasma is benefit to the pyrolysis of CH4, but overmuch plasma bombardment also reduces the yield and quality of CNTs. The number of CNTs can be significantly improved with appropriately increasing the temperature and time, but excessive temperature, time and carbon concentration can increase the number of impurities such as amorphous carbon. Significantly, the growth mechanism of CNTs synthesized in TC4 powders is following tip-growth mode in PECVD process. Additionally, the quantity and quality were satisfactory at 600 °C for 30 min with 50 W plasma power. This study about PECVD process lays a foundation for improving the comprehensive properties of CNTs/TC4 composites in the future.

o-Cresol shows high toxicity and stability. To explore a better degradation method of o-cresol, the degradation of o-cresol by three kinds of microalgae (Selenastrum capricornutum, Scenedesmus obliquus, and Microcystis aeruginosa) was researched in this paper. The growth status and degradation rate were used to reflect the tolerance and degradation effect of microalgae. The effects of the medium's initial pH, microalgal density, and different exogenous pollutants on the degradation of o-cresol by Selenastrum capricornutum were investigated. The results showed that Selenastrum capricornutum had the best degradation effect on o-cresol. microalgal density increased after adaptation to different concentrations of o-cresol for some time. At pH 7.0 as the initial condition, the microalgal exhibited the best results of degradation. When the microalgal density OD680 was 0.20, o-cresol was the first to be completely degraded within 5 days. At higher initial concentrations of o-cresol, the microalgae preferentially degraded glucose to promote the growth of the microalgae under mixotrophic cultivation. Selenastrum capricornutum could degrade phenol and o-cresol at the same time, and the degradation was completed within 8 days when the initial concentration of o-cresol and phenol were 100 and 120 mg/L. It was proven that the degradation of o-cresol by Selenastrum capricornutum is feasible under suitable conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging class of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), two-dimensional (2D) rhenium dichalcogenides (ReX2, X = S or Se) have recently aroused great research interest due to their unique anisotropic structure (1T' phase), and the related novel properties and applications. Recently, many efforts have been devoted to the controllable syntheses of high-quality monolayer or few-layer ReX2 flakes/films by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), wherein the metallic Au foil is found to be a unique substrate, due to the relatively strong interfacial coupling between monolayer ReX2 and Au. And the conductive nature of Au enables in situ characterizations of the as-grown ReX2 samples, which is essential for exploring the fundamental properties and internal growth mechanisms. Hereby, this review focuses on the recent progresses on the CVD syntheses and in situ characterizations of high-quality monolayer ReX2 flakes/films and their heterostructures with graphene on Au foils. The effects of Au foils on improving the crystal quality and inducing the growth of monolayer ReX2 single crystals are intensively addressed. The crystallinity, domain morphology, atomic and electronic structures, as well as the growth behaviors of monolayer ReX2 flakes/films and graphene/ReX2 heterostructures on Au revealed by in situ characterization techniques are also highlighted. As contrasts, the growth behaviors of monolayer or few-layer ReX2 on insulating substrates are also discussed. Besides, the potential applications of 2D ReX2 in new-generation electronic, optoelectronic devices, and energy-related fields are also introduced. Finally, future research directions are also prospected for propelling the practical applications of 2D ReX2 materials in more versatile fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of nano-silica doping on the growth behavior and corrosion resistance of γ-APS silane films fabricated by electrochemical-assisted deposition was systematically investigated by reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, contact angle test and neutral salt spray test. Density functional theory calculation was also applied to elaborate the adsorption behavior of γ-APS on low carbon steel surfaces. And meanwhile, the changes of surface coverage and dissolved oxygen reduction in the cathode surface over time were intensively analyzed according to the I–t curve during electrodeposition process. The experimental results revealed that the impedance values of the composite films firstly increased and then decreased with increasing nano-silica concentration, and there was a critical doping concentration about 0.4 g·L−1, under which the obtained γ-APS silane composite films presented high compactness and protective properties. Other results were highly consistent with the electrochemical results. Moreover, the hydroxyl-rich nano-silica was also involved in the chemical reactions that occurred on the metal surfaces, and the influence mechanism was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rho–associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitors are used for the survival of single-dissociated human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs); however, their effects on the growth behaviors of hiPSCs in suspension culture are unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the effect of ROCK inhibitor on growth behaviors of two hiPSC lines (Tic and 1383D2) with different formation of aggregate that attached between single cells in suspension culture. The apparent specific growth rate by long-term exposure to Y-27632, a ROCK inhibitor, was maintained throughout the culture. Long-term exposure to ROCK inhibitor led to an increase in cell division throughout the culture in both lines. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed that hiPSCs forming spherical aggregates showed localization of collagen type I on its periphery. In addition, phosphorylated myosin (pMLC) was localized at the periphery in culture under short-term exposure to ROCK inhibitor, whereas pMLC was not detected at whole the aggregate in culture under long-term exposure. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that long-term exposure to ROCK inhibitor blocked the structural alteration on the surface of cell aggregates. These results indicate that pMLC inhibition by long-term ROCK inhibition leads to enhanced growth abilities of hiPSCs in suspension culture by maintaining the structures of extracellular matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TiO 2 film is prepared by direct current pulsed magnetron sputtering technology. • Annealing makes TiO 2 film with obvious anatase (0 0 1) preferred orientation. • Diffusion and orientation effect controls TiO 2 film growth with Volmer-Weber mode. • Nuclei coalescence makes TiO 2 film with anatase (0 0 1) preferred orientation. The direct current pulsed magnetron sputtering technology is employed to deposit TiO 2 film onto the glass and Si(1 0 0) substrates. After annealing treatment, TiO 2 film displays anatase (0 0 1) preferential orientation. The growth behavior of deposited and annealed TiO 2 films is investigated. The results show that in the original stage, TiO 2 film growth behavior is in Volmer–Weber mode, which is dominated by the diffusion effect. Considering the rivalry between TiO 2 crystal nuclei, both crystallographic orientation and diffusion effects jointly dominate the film growth behavior in the rest stage. More importantly, the annealing treatment resulted in the coalescence of TiO 2 crystal nuclei, as well as the growth of TiO 2 crystal nuclei. Most importantly, after coalescence and growth of TiO 2 nuclei, the anatase [0 0 1] crystal orientation of TiO 2 grains remains the same as the normal direction of TiO 2 film. Finally, after annealing treatment, TiO 2 films comprise anatase (0 0 1) preferential orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of pure metal phases (precipitation or reinforcement phases) on the PEO discharge and coating growth in Mg alloys remains underexplored. This study investigated the effects of the α-Mn phase on voltage evolution, coating morphology, phase composition, and corrosion resistance by subjecting Mg–4Zn-xMn (x = 0, 0.6, 1.2, 2.4 wt%) alloys to PEO treatment in alkaline silicate-based electrolyte. Results indicate that the presence of α-Mn does not prevent spark discharge. However, an increase in α-Mn content leads to a downward shift in the voltage-time curve. The α-Mn phase significantly slows down the voltage ascent rate and prolongs the duration of Stages I to III of PEO process. Electrochemical oxidation of the surrounding Mg matrix by the α-Mn phase induces the formation of pits and porous local morphologies, exacerbating coating unevenness. With the increasing in Mn content, the thickness and porosity of PEO coatings gradually decrease for the same treatment time. The coated Mg–4Zn-1.2Mn alloy exhibits the highest corrosion resistance. The differences in oxidizability between the α-Mn phase and the Mg matrix, as well as the stability and dielectric properties of the oxide products may be the underlying reasons for these effects. Despite Mn oxides' instability under alkaline conditions at high potentials, reaction products with the electrolyte offset this drawback. This study enhances understanding of pure metal phases' influence on Mg alloy PEO and contributes to research on PEO processes for Mg-based materials containing pure metal phases. • The influence of α-Mn phase on the PEO discharge behavior of Mg–Zn–Mn alloy was investigated. • The mechanism model for the formation and growth of PEO coatings on Mg–Zn–Mn alloy with high Mn content was established. • The fundamental reasons for the influence of pure metal second phases on PEO discharge in Mg alloys were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little room remains for further reducing lattice thermal conductivity (κL) which cannot be reduced below the amorphous limit. Further improvements in the thermoelectric (TE) figure of merit should rely on enhancing the TE power factor (PF) with low electrical thermal conductivity (κe). Layered Bi2Te3 exhibits anisotropic TE properties and modulation of its growth behavior can effectively modify the transport of electrons and phonons and thus enhance its TE properties. Herein, Bi2Te3 films are grown by molecular beam epitaxy with the modulation of substrates, seed layer, and thickness. The nanopillars‐dominated film without seed layer changes to nanoplates dominated after the seed layer is predeposited, and the grain size ratio of the (006)/(015) plane increases. The room temperature PF of the stoichiometric Bi2Te3 grown on SiO2 with seed layer reaches 34 μW cm−1 K−2 with a low κe of 0.39 W m−1 K−1. This strategy can be applied in other layered materials with specific growth behavior and properties for nano–micro devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) are rare tumor entities of the pancreas. The prognosis for SPN is generally excellent, although some tumors have malignant potential and tend to metastasize or relapse. Objective: The aim was to investigate whether there are histopathological or surgical risk factors that enable the biological potential of SPN to be estimated. Patients and methods: Data from patients with SPN treated in two large German pancreas centers from 2009 to 2018 were evaluated with respect to the occurrence of SPN, surgical management, histopathological tumor characteristics and the postoperative outcome. Results: A total of 22 patients with SPN (17 women, 5 men) were operated on. The median age of the patients was 37 years (range 19–69 years). At the time of surgery 20 patients showed tumor growth limited to the pancreas. A female patient with recurrence of an externally resected SPN had lymph node involvement. Another female patient had a hepatic metastatic recurrence (Union Internationale contre Cancer (UICC) stage IV) of an externally resected SPN. Although all patients survived recurrence-free during the follow-up, this patient developed liver metastases again. The survival rate up to the end of the follow-up (median 43 months; range 1–132 months) of this study was 100%. Conclusion: There is a lack of knowledge of the possible parameters that can be used to predict the biological behavior of SPN. Apart from an increased likelihood of recurrence after resection of an SPN recurrence, no clear risk factors could be identified in the examined patient collective that could indicate an increased malignant potential and a possibly poorer outcome. Only a radical surgical resection with lymphadenectomy enables a reliable assessment of the tumor stage and the removal of possibly affected lymph nodes, which could be the cause of a recurrence if left intact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plasma electrolytic fluorination (PEF) process was conducted on 6061 Al alloy in the NH4F-EG non-aqueous electrolyte at room temperature. The microstructure and composition of the resultant coating were characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD and XPS. Also the coating growth and plasma discharge behavior were investigated by means of a well-designed jig, digital camera and OES, in order to understand the process characteristics. Results showed that the coating was dominantly composed of AlF 3 , and characterized by a flake-like microstructure accompanying with some micro-pores and numerous micro-cracks. The internal of the coating was porous with a compact barrier layer near the substrate/coating interface. The fluorination of the substrate contributed the inward growth of the coating. PEF discharge sparks were characterized by tiny size and weak intensity during the whole process, of which the plasma electron temperature was about (3510 ± 110) K. Also, the discharge behavior and coating growth mechanism of the PEF process on Al alloy were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrometallurgy of China is the property of Hydrometallurgy of China Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The use of polymeric nanocapsules as a binder system to produce fluidized bed granules with improved in vivo bioavailability has recently been reported. This study evaluated how the nanocapsules influence the growth behavior of the fluidized bed granules. Phenytoin-loaded nanocapsules were sprayed top-down sprayed onto a substrate. A linear correlation (r = 0.9863) between the volume of the sprayed suspension and the mean particle size was found. Well-defined solid bridges were observed in the granule structure by Scanning Electron Microscopy. The surface area coverage of the granules was 0.145%, suggesting arrangement of the nanocapsules on the surface and in the solid bridges, corroborating the Raman images. The granules had a cohesive nature without powder segregation. The use of nanocapsules promotes the controlled release of phenytoin, and these data contribute to the understanding of the role of polymeric nanocapsules as a binder in fluid bed granulation to produce granules for posterior tableting or capsule filling processes. [Display omitted] • The volume of nanocapsules sprayed to the powder bed influences the growth behavior. • A controlled agglomeration of the particles is provided by the nanocapsules. • Nanocapsules improve the compaction and resistance properties of the granules. • Nanocapsules in the granule structure act as a diffusion barrier of the drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interactive effects of light, nutrient availability and grass competition on seedlings of four tropical dry forest tree species, namely, Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana), arjun (Terminalia arjuna), gum arabic (Acacia nilotica) and catechu (Acacia catechu), were evaluated in an experimental study at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. Full‐ and reduced‐ (20% of the full) sunlight, no‐nutrient and nutrient supplementation, and presence of grass and no‐grass conditions were taken in a split‐plot design to observe the effects on the plant growth and leaf nutrient parameters. We observed a significant interaction between light and nutrient availability on total dry weight and relative growth rate for the tree seedlings of all the species. Seedling growth was lower in presence of grass under full sunlight condition with/without nutrient addition, and also under reduced sunlight condition with nutrient addition. However, leaf‐N and ‐P concentration showed slight increase following nutrient addition across the species and light conditions. All the species responded positively to nutrient addition irrespective of light and grass conditions. Our study further indicates that nutrient addition under reduced light condition in tropical dry forests may be a possible strategy to ameliorate the negative impact of grasses on tree seedling growth. Overall, a better understanding of tree seedling establishment in the presence of grasses is of utmost importance for the development of management plans that may improve the diversity of tree species in tropical dry forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion couple technology was used to study the formation and growth of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) of Al/Cu bimetals at the temperature range of 480-540 ^o C for 5-20 h. The interfacial microstructure formed during interdiffusion and the growth kinetics of IMCs are determined. The results show that four different kinds of IMCs (Al _2 Cu, AlCu, Al _2 Cu _3 and Al _4 Cu _9 ) were formed at the Al/Cu interface, which is related to the interfacial diffusion reaction and the migration of phase interfaces. The growth of IMCs is mainly controlled by volume diffusion, and follows a parabolic growth kinetics, i.e. L = kt ^1/2 . Based on the effective heat of formation model and Gibbs free energy change calculation, the Al _2 Cu is predicted to form first and the formation sequence of the four IMCs is Al _2 Cu, Al _4 Cu _9 , AlCu and Al _2 Cu _3 .

Abstract The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of Ag n V (n = 1–12) clusters have been studied using density functional theory and CALYPSO structure searching method. Geometry optimizations manifest that a vanadium atom in low-energy AgnV clusters favors the most highly coordinated location. The substitution of one V atom for an Ag atom in Ag n + 1 (n ≥ 5) cluster modifies the lowest energy structure of the host cluster. The infrared spectra, Raman spectra, and photoelectron spectra of Ag n V (n = 1–12) clusters are simulated and can be used to determine the most stable structure in the future. The relative stability, dissociation channel, and chemical activity of the ground states are analyzed through atomic averaged binding energy, dissociation energy, and energy gap. It is found that V atom can improve the stability of the host cluster, Ag2 excepted. The most possible dissociation channels are Ag n V = Ag + Ag n − 1V for n = 1 and 4–12 and Ag n V = Ag2 + Ag n − 2V for n = 2 and 3. The energy gap of Ag n V cluster with odd n is much smaller than that of Ag n + 1 cluster. Analyses of magnetic property indicate that the total magnetic moment of Ag n V cluster mostly comes from V atom and varies from 1 to 5 μ B. The charge transfer between V and Ag atoms should be responsible for the change of magnetic moment.

The influence of precursors on the growth of organic films has been studied intensively, but research on their binding energy‐dependent growth behaviors and surface properties has remained an undeveloped field. Herein, we conducted molecular layer deposition of zincone films on two metal oxide substrates, SiO2 and Al2O3, and investigated the binding energy‐dependent growth behaviors and surface properties of the films experimentally. We also performed density functional theory calculations to determine the molecular geometries and surface binding energies of the films on each substrate. We established that the growth and surface characteristics of the films in the initial stages of deposition were strongly influenced by their surface binding energies, which depended on the substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effect of substrate temperature on growth behavior and microstructure-properties correlation of magnetron sputtered Ni 60 Nb 40 films were systematically investigated. With substrate temperature increasing from 293 K to 493 K, and thickness changing from 50 nm to 1 μm, all films kept in amorphous state. The characteristic of columnar growth was clearly seen, with reduced interfacial fraction between adjacent columns and increased granule size at high substrate temperature. Through scaling analysis, films deposited at all temperatures grow in an anomalous roughening mode, and at 293 K for films thicker than 200 nm, a difficult roughening phenomenon was revealed. High substrate temperature can facilitate the surface kinetic roughening. Both decreased interface fraction-to-volume ratio by particle coarsening and reduced free volume by structure relaxation caused the dense atomic atomic packing and increased density, which may be the crucial reason for enhanced mechanical properties and thermal stability against crystallization. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Amorphous Ni Nb films were deposited on Si substrate by magnetron sputtering. • Substrate temperature and thickness effects on structure and properties were studied. • Surface kinetic roughening analysis revealed an anomalous scaling for all films. • High substrate temperature facilitated the kinetics of roughening. • Dense packing caused the enhanced mechanical and thermal stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract HfC nanowire-toughened HfC ablation resistant coating was prepared on carbon/carbon composites by two steps of chemical vapor deposition. Effects of HfC nanowires on the growth behavior, microstructure and ablation resistance of the HfC coating were researched. Due to the incorporation of HfC nanowires, the deposition rate of the HfC coating was improved, the HfC coating was composed of particle-stacked crystals. After incorporating HfC nanowires, the bonding strength and fracture toughness of the HfC coating increased. HfC nanowires could restrain the crack propagation of HfC coating during ablation, contributing to improving the ablation resistance of HfC coating. After ablation for 60 s, the mass ablation rate of the HfC-coated C/C sample reduced from 0.44 to 0.26 mg/s because of the incorporation of HfC nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to provide an overview of scientific publication trends over the period of a century (1900–2017). It then drills down to three important explorations that depict world trends and the development of science, namely: the growth behaviors of different time periods; fields and research orientations; and cumulative capability patterns of different countries by size of population. To study growth behaviors, we employed logistic growth function to model the world publication trajectory. We observed that the carrying capacity of the world publication trajectory has increased, attaining a much higher level of production. The rate of publication for the period of 1990–2017 has elongated the cycle and witnessed a longer trend towards saturation. For research activities in recent decades, we noted that they were performed by coordinated entities that are endowed to chart a multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary research path. Publications were found to be oriented towards medical and industrial applications, which can be attributed to the attempts of emerging countries which aspire to develop science-based industries. The analyses and observations in this paper have enabled us to corroborate our previous findings on growth behaviors of scientific publications. We believe that these findings will allow us to theorize further on the world development of science, and realize a strong theoretical narrative for a century of publication in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to investigate the potential effect of cereal α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) on growth parameters and selective digestive enzymes of Tenebrio molitor L. larvae. The approach consisted of feeding the larvae with wheat, sorghum and rice meals containing different levels and composition of α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors. The developmental and biochemical characteristics of the larvae were assessed over feeding periods of 5 h, 5 days and 10 days, and the relative abundance of α-amylase and selected proteases in larvae were determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Overall, weight gains ranged from 21% to 42% after five days of feeding. The larval death rate significantly increased in all groups after 10 days of feeding (p < 0.05), whereas the pupation rate was about 25% among larvae fed with rice (Oryza sativa L.) and Siyazan/Esperya wheat meals, and only 8% and 14% among those fed with Damougari and S35 sorghum meals. As determined using the Lowry method, the protein contents of the sodium phosphate extracts ranged from 7.80 ± 0.09 to 9.42 ± 0.19 mg/mL and those of the ammonium bicarbonate/urea reached 19.78 ± 0.16 to 37.47 ± 1.38 mg/mL. The total protein contents of the larvae according to the Kjeldahl method ranged from 44.0 and 49.9 g/100 g. The relative abundance of α-amylase, CLIP domain-containing serine protease, modular serine protease zymogen and C1 family cathepsin significantly decreased in the larvae, whereas dipeptidylpeptidase I and chymotrypsin increased within the first hours after feeding (p < 0.05). Trypsin content was found to be constant independently of time or feed material. Finally, based on the results we obtained, it was difficult to substantively draw conclusions on the likely effects of meal ATI composition on larval developmental characteristics, but their effects on the digestive enzyme expression remain relevant.

Aluminide coatings on the K452 alloys were fabricated in this study by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) under various deposition temperature and duration aiming to investigate the growth behavior of aluminide coating. The microstructure and phase evolution of aluminide coating were discussed in detail. Results showed that the outer layer (OL) consisting of β-NiAl, and the inter-diffusion layer (IDL) comprised of carbides and topologically close packed phases TCP (Cr 3 (Ni, Co) 2) were formed in all specimens. In addition, another whisker precipitation phase can be found in aluminized specimens deposited at 850 °C, 900 °C and 950 °C, and finally transformed into Cr 3 (Ni, Co) 2 phase by further promoting the deposition temperature. As for the specimens deposited for various duration, the content of TCP in the specimens deposited at 1050 °C showed a decreasing trend with the increase of the deposition duration, and the opposite for carbides. Based on these results, the growth behavior of CVD aluminide coating on K452 superalloy was proposed comprehensively. The results of this study can provide a guidance for preparation of high-performance CVD aluminide coating on K452 superalloys. • Effect of temperature and duration on the microstructure of coatings was indicated. • A rarely-reported TCP phase, Cr 3 (Ni, Co) 2 was found in aluminide coating on K452. • Systematically summarizing the growth behavior of CVD aluminide coating on K452. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A series of chromium carbide coatings were formed on ductile cast iron QT600-3 by thermal reactive diffusion (TRD) processes in fluoride salt bath at 850–980 °C for 10 min ~ 40 h under an argon atmosphere. Coatings were analyzed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). The results demonstrate that the microstructure of chromium carbide coatings formed on ductile cast iron QT600-3 at 850 °C is related to the treatment time. At first 10 min, there is only a thin layer of Cr 7 C 3 in the coating. At 1 h, the outermost layer of the coating is a thin Cr 23 C 6 layer, and there is a thin M 3 C layer beneath the M 7 C 3 layer. With increasing treatment time, the thickness of all layers in the coatings increases. For the sample treated for longer than 1 h, the microstructure of coating is Cr 23 C 6 , M 7 C 3 and M 3 C from the outermost layer to the substrate. The microstructure of chromium carbide coatings formed on high C content steel substrates via TRD processes is independent with the composition of the base salt. The growth kinetics of chromium carbide coating follows a parabolic law with an activation energy of 129.906 kJ/mol. The evolution of hardness of coatings is consistent with the microstructure evolution of coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MgAl-LDH films were produced through hydrothermally chemical conversion of pre-prepared anodic films on Mg alloy AZ31. The growth behavior and corrosion performance of the LDH films were investigated. Results reveal that morphology, chemical compositions and structure of LDH films vary greatly as a function of the conversion treatment conditions. Internal sources of Mg 2+ and Al 3+ cations for the formation of LDH films were ascribed to: (i) degradation of the anodic films; and (ii) dissolution of the AZ31 substrate. Moreover, the Stranski-Krastanov (SK) growth mode, two-dimensional layer growth (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) growth, was proposed to explain the transformation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been no report on the influence of film growth behavior on the dielectric properties of BST films alternately doped with K and Mg up to now, thereby 1%K and 1%Mg alternately doped Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (K/Mg-BST) films with various thicknesses were prepared by an improved sol-gel method, and their growth behaviors and dielectric properties were studied in this paper. The K/Mg-BST films were designed as KBST/MgBST/...multilayer films composed of 1∼8 layers with the first K doped BST layer (about 120nm/layer). 1, 3, 5 and 7-layer films were not annealed, while 2, 4, 6 and 8-layer films were annealed. 7 or 8-layer pure BST, Mg-BST, K-BST and Mg/K-BST (with the first Mg doped BST layer) films were compared. All films show ABO3 cubic perovskite polycrystalline structures and grow mainly along (110) orientation. The K/Mg-BST films show enhancing crystallizations but fluctuant lattice constants with increasing film thickness. However, the not annealed films show larger lattice constants than the annealed films, and Mg2+ ions tend to replace Ti4+ ions and show acceptor doping mechanism. K+ ions in the not annealed films have a tendency to substitute for Sr2+ ions, and in the annealed films tend to replace Ba2+ ions. Increasing film thickness promotes K+ ions replacing Sr2+ ions and Ba2+ ions, and causes acceptor doping mechanism. The Mg/K-BST films show island growth with the fastest speed, while the other films show layer growth. The K/Mg-BST films reveal the slowest growing speed, and increasing film thicknesses gradually improve surface morphologies, thus show better comprehensive dielectric properties than K or Mg-BST films. 7-layer and 8-layer K/Mg-BST films display excellent comprehensive dielectric properties, but 7-layer film is more suitable for tunable microwave applications owing to smaller capacitance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic semiconductor 2,7‐dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2‐b][1]benzothiophene (C8‐BTBT) is deposited on a single crystal (0001) Al2O3 (C‐sapphire) by a vacuum thermal evaporation, and effects of the layer thickness and preparation temperature on structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics are investigated with X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy observation, optical absorption measurement, and resistivity measurement with and without light irradiation. The C8‐BTBT layers possess the (001) out‐of‐plane orientation irrespective of the layer thickness and preparation temperature. The C8‐BTBT grains are growing up in direction parallel to the substrate surface keeping almost constant height, and the continuous layer is formed by the coalescence of the C8‐BTBT grains. The grain size of the continuous C8‐BTBT layer increases with raise in preparation temperature. The optical band gap energy could be estimated to be 3.32–3.35 eV regardless of the layer thickness and preparation temperature. The electrical resistivity decreases from 2.1 × 106 to 1.2 × 102 Ω cm with increase in the preparation temperature due to the increase in the grain size, and the light irradiation induce the drastical decrease to 42–28 Ω cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, large-area graphene-based carbon films were synthesized through a fast and low-temperature method. The processing route is illustrated on a free surface of Ni catalyst film by vacuum thermal processing of amorphous carbon. Key in the novel approach is that the synthesis is done at low temperatures, i.e. below 350 °C, and within a time as short as 1 min. The nucleation and growth of graphene on the free surface of nickel and along the interface between Ni film and SiO 2 substrate are investigated by using a thin film Ni-C-Ni sandwiched structure on a SiO 2 /Si substrate. Raman spectroscopy demonstrates that the graphene-based carbon films consist of graphitic carbon rich of defects. HR-TEM observations reveal that the graphene-based carbon film grown on the top free surface is composed of thin multilayer graphene segments (3–6 atomic layers) and thick multilayer graphene segments (more than atomic 10 layers), covering the entire surface of Ni film over a large area. Growth parameters such as growth time, growth temperature and carbon/Ni ratio are reported in detail for a control of graphene growth kinetics. The results point at several attractive strategies for the facile synthesis of graphene-based carbon films for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of Inter-Metallic Compounds (IMCs) with dissolution was investigated on the liquid Al/solid Fe interconnection by using synchrotron radiation real-time imaging technology. At the initial stage of holding at 850 °C, a layer of the η-Fe 2 Al 5 phase formed at the interface, and tongue-like η grew into α-Fe. The tongue-like η phase had a stronger (001) texture than the layered phase. The coalescence of tongue-like η started at the bottom, followed by the dissolution of IMCs, which leads to a further increase in its growth rate. During solidification stage, the dotted, needle-like and flake θ-FeAl 3 phases were sequentially formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid phase deposition (LPD), which is a method to directly form a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) film on a substrate, is the most practical method for applying TiO 2 films to medical devices because it is performed at lower temperatures than other methods. The TiO 2 films to be applied to medical devices should offer excellent antibacterial effect, but should be stable to normal cells and have appropriate strength. In this research, we observed that the size, shape, and density of TiO 2 particles varied with the nucleation duration in LPD and confirmed that these results caused changes in several properties including the mechanical properties, cytotoxicity and antibacterial effect of TiO 2 films. From the analysis of these results, we established the conditions for the preparation of TiO 2 films that are suitable for medical devices and suggest a new approach to the study of TiO 2 films prepared by LPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of AgV ( n = 1-12) clusters have been studied using density functional theory and CALYPSO structure searching method. Geometry optimizations manifest that a vanadium atom in low-energy AgV clusters favors the most highly coordinated location. The substitution of one V atom for an Ag atom in Ag ( n ≥ 5) cluster modifies the lowest energy structure of the host cluster. The infrared spectra, Raman spectra, and photoelectron spectra of AgV ( n = 1-12) clusters are simulated and can be used to determine the most stable structure in the future. The relative stability, dissociation channel, and chemical activity of the ground states are analyzed through atomic averaged binding energy, dissociation energy, and energy gap. It is found that V atom can improve the stability of the host cluster, Ag excepted. The most possible dissociation channels are AgV = Ag + AgV for n = 1 and 4-12 and AgV = Ag + AgV for n = 2 and 3. The energy gap of AgV cluster with odd n is much smaller than that of Ag cluster. Analyses of magnetic property indicate that the total magnetic moment of AgV cluster mostly comes from V atom and varies from 1 to 5 μ . The charge transfer between V and Ag atoms should be responsible for the change of magnetic moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a low cost and highly effective metallurgical route for solar-grade Si production, we investigated the zone melting directional solidification method. In this method, bulk crystalline Si is successfully produced from Si-Sn solvent; this bulk crystalline Si demonstrates a steady growth interface and excellent compositional uniformity. Moreover, the growth rate of bulk crystalline Si along the axial direction increases because the remaining MG-Si serves as Si source to keep the Si-Sn solution saturated with Si atoms, and it is approximately three times larger than that of Si by using the Si-based alloy directional solidification method without Si source. In this work, the evolution of impurity phases segregated in different regions along the axial direction is extensively discussed. The distribution and amount of impurities, including Ca, Al, B, and P, are effectively controlled by this refining method, further improving the quality of bulk crystalline Si. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]