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Notes: The effect of particulate volume fraction vp and diameter dp on the composite Young's modulus Ec is studied both experimentally, using a silica bead/epoxy system, as well as with the help of computer simulations. The experimental and simulation results show that for a given particulate size, the overall Ec vs vp curve displays a concave upward shape and not a linear shape. This superlinear trend of the data implies that the average strain normalized to the applied strain λ=ε¯p/εc transferred to the particulates increases with volume fraction. The above finding is explained in terms of a mean-field picture, where a single particle interacts with an effective medium consisting of the remaining particles embedded in the matrix. As the modulus of the effective medium surrounding a reference particle increases with vp, the modulus mismatch between the reference particulate and the medium is consequently reduced. This leads to an overall increase in the normalized average strain λ transferred to each particulate as vp is increased. The experimental results using silica particulates with various sizes dp, as well as the simulation results, show that smaller particulates provide an increased composite modulus as compared to larger particulates, at constant vp. General equations are developed, which relate the composite modulus to the average particle stress or strain, given only information about the volume fraction and the Young's modulus of each of the phases present.Through the application of these relations, it is found that smaller particulates display a greater amount of normalized average strain λ transferred than larger particulates. The effect of particulate Young's modulus Ep in combination with particulate size on the resulting Ec is also studied using simulations only. It is found that for a low particulate to matrix modulus ratio Ep/Em, the particulate size has very little influence on Ec. Moreover, the shape of the Ec vs vp curve can be well approximated by a straight line up to large values of vp. On the other hand, as the ratio Ep/Em is increased, the superlinear trend of the composite modulus Ec vs vp data is more apparent. This results in a smaller range of the Ec vs vp curve, which can be approximated by a linear function. It is also found that the extent of this linear region also decreases with particle size.

Notes: Light emission from a ridge waveguide 1.3 μm InGaAsP/InP semiconductor laser pumped both electrically and optically was analyzed by polarization- and time-resolved measurements. The electric and the optical excitation was realized with a dc-bias current and with 150 ps pulses from a Q-switched Nd-YAG laser at 1.064 μm wavelength, respectively. The pump light was introduced into the InGaAsP/InP laser through a window opened in the substrate gold contact. The steady-state P–I characteristics of the semiconductor laser exhibited a transition from TM- to TE-polarized light emission if the injection current surpasses a certain value that depends on the heatsink temperature. Depending on the dc-bias current and the optical pulse power, a variety of different emission characteristics of the semiconductor laser were observed: pure TE or TM pulsations, in combination with a background cw emission in some cases; simultaneous emission of TE and TM pulses and switching between TM and TE emission states with switching times as short as 30 ps. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: Decays of the diffraction efficiency of gratings written in Fe:LiNbO3 have been studied in connection with photorefractive fixing. Measurements have been carried at five different temperatures within the range of interest in photorefractive fixing, 144–168 °C. The decay curves are nonexponential and can be fitted to a sum of three simple exponential components, whose effective activation energies and preexponential factors have been determined. The dependence of the last exponential component on the grating period Λ has been measured and a 1/Λ2 law has been found. The decay constants have also been found to depend on the time the crystal is kept at the setting temperature before writing the grating. The difficulties for establishing a model taking into account the occurrence of several sites for protons in LiNbO3 are discussed. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: The effect of electron cyclotron resonance plasma cleaning on the contact resistance between a superconducting Nb layer and a two-dimensional electron gas in a strained InxGa1−xAs/InP heterostructure is investigated. Cleaning by a He/H plasma results in a rough semiconductor surface and a high interface resistance. In contrast, by using a pure He plasma a smooth semiconductor surface with a considerably lower interface resistance is obtained. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: Objective To identify counselling requirements, we reviewed the frequency and type of non-trisomy 21 chromosome abnormalities found at amniocentesis after maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome.Design The study involved a review of the cytogenetic results of amniocenteses performed because of a raised maternal serum screening risk.Setting The maternal serum screening and amniocenteses were performed at hospitals in the Yorkshire region.Sample 1715 amniocenteses were performed as a result of a raised maternal serum screening risk for the period 1990 to 1993.Methods The cytogenetic results were classified into the main categories of numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities.Main outcome measures The nature and frequency of abnormal cytogenetic results were identified in which parental samples were required in order to determine if the abnormal finding was de novo or familial and/or for which specialist genetic counselling was required.Results Sixty-nine pregnancies of 1715 amniocenteses were identified with a chromosomal abnormality (4.0%): 35 (2.0%) with trisomy 21 and 34 (2.0%) with another chromosomal abnormality. For 20 of these 34 abnormalities, parental karyotypes were required and in 29 of the 34 specialist genetic counselling was required.Conclusions Women undergoing maternal serum screening and, in particular, those proceeding to amniocentesis, should be informed that there is an equal chance that a chromosomal abnormality other than trisomy 21 will be found at amniocentesis, the nature of which usually requires parental samples and specialist counselling.

Notes: Synopsis Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) have been introduced as a novel carrier system for drugs and cosmetics. It has been found that SLN possess characteristics of physical UV-blockers on their own, thus offering the possibility of developing a more effective sunscreen system with reduced side-effects. Incorporation of the chemical sunscreen tocopherol acetate into SLN prevents chemical degradation and increases the UV-blocking capacity. Aqueous SLN dispersions were produced and incorporated into gels, followed by particle size examination, stability testing upon storage and thermoanalytical examination. Investigation of the UV-blocking capacity using different in vitro techniques revealed that the SLN dispersions produced in this study are at least twice as effective as their reference emulsions (conventional emulsions with identical lipid content). Placebo SLN even show greater UV-blocking efficacy than emulsions containing tocopherol acetate as the molecular sunscreen. Incorporation of tocopherol acetate into SLN leads to an overadditive UV-blocking effect. Furthermore, film formation of SLN on the skin and occlusivity were examined. The obtained data show that incorporation of tocopherol acetate into SLN leads to an improved sunscreen and skin care formulation.