Lipid- and mechanosensitivities of sodium/hydrogen exchangers analyzed by electrical methods.

Sodium/hydrogen exchangers (NHEs) are ubiquitous ion transporters that serve multiple cell functions. We have studied two mammalian isoforms, NHE1 (ubiquitous) and NHE3 (epithelial-specific), by measuring extracellular proton (H+) gradients during whole-cell patch clamp with perfusion of the cell interior. Maximal Na(+)-dependent H+ fluxes (JH+) are equivalent to currents >20 pA for NHE1 in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts, >200 pA for NHE1 in guinea pig ventricular myocytes, and 5-10 pA for NHE3 in opossum kidney cells. The fluxes are blocked by an NHE inhibitor, ethylisopropylamiloride, and are absent in NHE-deficient AP-1 cells. NHE1 activity is stable with perfusion of nonhydrolyzable ATP [adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imido)triphosphate], is abolished by ATP depletion (2 deoxy-D-glucose with oligomycin or perfusion of apyrase), can be restored with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, and is unaffected by actin cytoskeleton disruption (latrunculin or pipette perfusion of gelsolin). NHE3 (but not NHE1) is reversibly activated by phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate. Both NHE1 and NHE3 activities are disrupted in giant patches during gigaohm seal formation. NHE1 (but not NHE3) is reversibly activated by cell shrinkage, even at neutral cytoplasmic pH without ATP, and inhibited by cell swelling. NHE1 in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts (but not NHE3 in opossum kidney cells) is inhibited by agents that thin the membrane (L-alpha-lysophosphatidylcholine and octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) and activated by cholesterol enrichment, which thickens membranes. Expressed in AP-1 cells, however, NHE1 is insensitive to these agents but remains sensitive to volume changes. Thus, changes of hydrophobic mismatch can modulate NHE1 but do not underlie its volume sensitivity.

Electrical methods of blood-pressure recording.

Mode of access: Internet.

Determination of deep and shallow levels in conjugated polymers by electrical methods

Conjugated organic semiconductors have been submitted to various electrical measurement techniques in order to reveal information about shallow levels and deep traps in the forbidden gap. The materials consisted of poly[2-methoxy, 5 ethyl (2' hexyloxy) paraphenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMeT), and alpha-sexithienyl (alpha T6) and the employed techniques were IV, CV, admittance spectroscopy, TSC, capacitance and current transients. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of deep and shallow levels in conjugated polymers by electrical methods

Conjugated organic semiconductors have been submitted to various electrical measurement techniques in order to reveal information about shallow levels and deep traps in the forbidden gap. The materials consisted of poly[2-methoxy, 5 ethyl (2' hexyloxy) paraphenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMeT), and alpha-sexithienyl (alpha T6) and the employed techniques were IV, CV, admittance spectroscopy, TSC, capacitance and current transients. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Time-lapse geophysical investigations over known archaeological features using electrical resistivity imaging and earth resistance

Electrical methods of geophysical survey are known to produce results that are hard to predict at different times of the year, and under differing weather conditions. This is a problem which can lead to misinterpretation of archaeological features under investigation. The dynamic relationship between a ‘natural’ soil matrix and an archaeological feature is a complex one, which greatly affects the success of the feature’s detection when using active electrical methods of geophysical survey. This study has monitored the gradual variation of measured resistivity over a selection of study areas. By targeting difficult to find, and often ‘missing’ electrical anomalies of known archaeological features, this study has increased the understanding of both the detection and interpretation capabilities of such geophysical surveys. A 16 month time-lapse study over 4 archaeological features has taken place to investigate the aforementioned detection problem across different soils and environments. In addition to the commonly used Twin-Probe earth resistance survey, electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) and quadrature electro-magnetic induction (EMI) were also utilised to explore the problem. Statistical analyses have provided a novel interpretation, which has yielded new insights into how the detection of archaeological features is influenced by the relationship between the target feature and the surrounding ‘natural’ soils. The study has highlighted both the complexity and previous misconceptions around the predictability of the electrical methods. The analysis has confirmed that each site provides an individual and nuanced situation, the variation clearly relating to the composition of the soils (particularly pore size) and the local weather history. The wide range of reasons behind survey success at each specific study site has been revealed. The outcomes have shown that a simplistic model of seasonality is not universally applicable to the electrical detection of archaeological features. This has led to the development of a method for quantifying survey success, enabling a deeper understanding of the unique way in which each site is affected by the interaction of local environmental and geological conditions.

Geophysical investigation using resistivity and GPR methods: a case study of a lubricant oil waste disposal area in the city of Ribeiro Preto, So Paulo, Brazil

Geophysics has been shown to be effective in identifying areas contaminated by waste disposal, contributing to the greater efficiency of soundings programs and the installation of monitoring wells. In the study area, four trenches were constructed with a total volume of about 25,000 m(3). They were almost totally filled with re-refined lubricating oil waste for approximately 25 years. No protection liners were used in the bottoms and laterals of the disposal trenches. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the potential of the resistivity and ground penetrating radar (GPR) methods in characterizing the contamination of this lubricant oil waste disposal area in Ribeiro Preto, SP, situated on the geological domain of the basalt spills of the Serra Geral Formation and the sandstones of the Botucatu Formation. Geophysical results were shown in 2D profiles. The geophysical methods used enabled the identification of geophysical anomalies, which characterized the contamination produced by the trenches filled with lubricant oil waste. Conductive anomalies (smaller than 185 Omega m) immediately below the trenches suggest the action of bacteria in the hydrocarbons, as has been observed in several sites contaminated by hydrocarbons in previously reported cases in the literature. It was also possible to define the geometry of the trenches, as evidenced by the GPR method. Direct sampling (chemical analysis of the soil and the water in the monitoring well) confirmed the contamination. In the soil analysis, low concentrations of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found, mainly naphthalene and phenanthrene. In the water samples, an analysis verified contamination of the groundwater by lead (Pb). The geophysical methods used in the investigation provided an excellent tool for environmental characterization in this study of a lubricant oil waste disposal area, and could be applied in the study of similar areas.

Study of AC losses in medium-sized high temperature superconducting coils

The study of AC losses in superconducting pancake coils is of utmost importance for the development of superconducting devices. Due to different technical difficulties this study is usually performed considering one of two approaches: considering superconducting coils of few turns and studying AC losses in a large frequency range vs. superconducting coils with a large number of turns but measuring AC losses only in low frequencies. In this work, a study of AC losses in 128 turn superconducting coils is performed, considering frequencies ranging from 50 Hz till 1152 Hz and currents ranging from zero till the critical current of the coils. Moreover, the study of AC losses considering two different simultaneous harmonic components is also performed and results are compared to the behaviour presented by the coils when operating in a single frequency regime. Different electrical methods are used to verify the total amount of AC losses in the coil and a simple calorimetric method is presented, in order to measure AC losses in a multi-harmonic context. Different analytical and numerical methods are implemented and/or used, to design the superconducting coils and to compute the total amount of AC losses in the superconducting system and a comparison is performed to verify the advantages and drawbacks of each method.

3D geoelectrical monitoring to follow hydric soil behaviour during rainfall

RESUME Durant les dernières années, les méthodes électriques ont souvent été utilisées pour l'investigation des structures de subsurface. L'imagerie électrique (Electrical Resistivity Tomography, ERT) est une technique de prospection non-invasive et spatialement intégrée. La méthode ERT a subi des améliorations significatives avec le développement de nouveaux algorithmes d'inversion et le perfectionnement des techniques d'acquisition. La technologie multicanale et les ordinateurs de dernière génération permettent la collecte et le traitement de données en quelques heures. Les domaines d'application sont nombreux et divers: géologie et hydrogéologie, génie civil et géotechnique, archéologie et études environnementales. En particulier, les méthodes électriques sont souvent employées dans l'étude hydrologique de la zone vadose. Le but de ce travail est le développement d'un système de monitorage 3D automatique, non- invasif, fiable, peu coûteux, basé sur une technique multicanale et approprié pour suivre les variations de résistivité électrique dans le sous-sol lors d'événements pluvieux. En raison des limitations techniques et afin d'éviter toute perturbation physique dans la subsurface, ce dispositif de mesure emploie une installation non-conventionnelle, où toutes les électrodes de courant sont placées au bord de la zone d'étude. Le dispositif le plus approprié pour suivre les variations verticales et latérales de la résistivité électrique à partir d'une installation permanente a été choisi à l'aide de modélisations numériques. Les résultats démontrent que le dispositif pôle-dipôle offre une meilleure résolution que le dispositif pôle-pôle et plus apte à détecter les variations latérales et verticales de la résistivité électrique, et cela malgré la configuration non-conventionnelle des électrodes. Pour tester l'efficacité du système proposé, des données de terrain ont été collectées sur un site d'étude expérimental. La technique de monitorage utilisée permet de suivre le processus d'infiltration 3D pendant des événements pluvieux. Une bonne corrélation est observée entre les résultats de modélisation numérique et les données de terrain, confirmant par ailleurs que le dispositif pôle-dipôle offre une meilleure résolution que le dispositif pôle-pôle. La nouvelle technique de monitorage 3D de résistivité électrique permet de caractériser les zones d'écoulement préférentiel et de caractériser le rôle de la lithologie et de la pédologie de manière quantitative dans les processus hydrologiques responsables d'écoulement de crue. ABSTRACT During the last years, electrical methods were often used for the investigation of subsurface structures. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) has been reported to be a useful non-invasive and spatially integrative prospecting technique. The ERT method provides significant improvements, with the developments of new inversion algorithms, and the increasing efficiency of data collection techniques. Multichannel technology and powerful computers allow collecting and processing resistivity data within few hours. Application domains are numerous and varied: geology and hydrogeology, civil engineering and geotechnics, archaeology and environmental studies. In particular, electrical methods are commonly used in hydrological studies of the vadose zone. The aim of this study was to develop a multichannel, automatic, non-invasive, reliable and inexpensive 3D monitoring system designed to follow electrical resistivity variations in soil during rainfall. Because of technical limitations and in order to not disturb the subsurface, the proposed measurement device uses a non-conventional electrode set-up, where all the current electrodes are located near the edges of the survey grid. Using numerical modelling, the most appropriate arrays were selected to detect vertical and lateral variations of the electrical resistivity in the framework of a permanent surveying installation system. The results show that a pole-dipole array has a better resolution than a pole-pole array and can successfully follow vertical and lateral resistivity variations despite the non-conventional electrode configuration used. Field data are then collected at a test site to assess the efficiency of the proposed monitoring technique. The system allows following the 3D infiltration processes during a rainfall event. A good correlation between the results of numerical modelling and field data results can be observed since the field pole-dipole data give a better resolution image than the pole-pole data. The new device and technique makes it possible to better characterize the zones of preferential flow and to quantify the role of lithology and pedology in flood- generating hydrological processes.

A new method for geoelectrical investigations underwater

A new electrical method is proposed for determining the apparent resistivity of multi-earth layers located underwater. The method is based on direct current geoelectric sounding principles. A layered earth model is used to simulate the stratigraphic target. The measurement array is of pole-pole type; it is located underwater and is orientated vertically. This particular electrode configuration is very useful when conventional electrical methods cannot be used, especially if the water depth becomes very important. The calculated apparent resistivity shows a substantial quality increase in the measured signal caused by the underwater targets, from which little or no response is measured using conventional surface electrode methods. In practice, however, different factors such as water stratification, underwater streams or meteorological conditions complicate the interpretation of the field results. A case study is presented, where field surveys carried out on Lake Geneva were interpreted using the calculated apparent resistivity master-curves.

Sähköisen hankintatoiminnan arviointi benchmarkingin avulla - tapaus IBM

Työn tavoitteena on ollut arvioida Oy International Business Machines Ab:n sähköistä hankintatoimintaa benchmarkingin avulla. Tutkimuksessa on selvitetty, miten IBM:n sähköinen hankintatoiminta on toteutettu kolmen muun yrityksen sähköisiin hankintatoimintoihin verrattuna. Lisäksi tarkoituksena on ollut löytää uusia mahdollisuuksia IBM:n sähköisten hankintatoimintojen kehittämiseksi. Työn teoriaosassa on käsitelty ensin hankintatoimintaa ja sen roolia toimitusketjussa, jonka jälkeen on tarkasteltu Internetin käyttöä hankintatoiminnoissa. Lisäksi on esitelty IBM:n sähköistä hankintatoimintaa sekä benchmarkingia toiminnan arvioinnin välineenä. Soveltavassa osassa on rakennettu benchmarking-prosessi, jonka avulla benchmarking-tutkimus suoritettiin. Tutkimusaineisto on kerätty benchmarking-vierailujen ja kirjallisuuslähteiden avulla. Benchmarking-tutkimuksen tulokset osoittivat, että kaikilla yrityksillä on kokemuksia sähköisien menetelmien käytöstä yritysten hankintatoiminnoissa ja ne on koettu hyödyllisiksi. Yritysten hankintatoiminnot perustuivat kuitenkin edelleen sekä perinteisiin toimintatapoihin että sähköisiin menetelmiin, mutta niiden kehittäminen täysin sähköisiksi oli yrityksille lähivuosien tärkeä tavoite. IBM:n hankintatoimintojen kehittämiseksi on esitetty useiden eri tekniikoiden käyttämistä sähköisen hankintatoiminnan toteuttamisessa. Kehitysmahdollisuutena on myös ehdotettu toimittajien verkkosivujen käyttämistä joidenkin tuotteiden hankkimisessa.

Aplicação integrada de métodos geofísicos em uma área de disposição de resíduos sólidos urbanos em Bauru-SP

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estudo geofísico de vazamento controlado de álcool combustível em escala laboratorial

O etanol é utilizado de forma extensiva como combustível para veículos automotores no Brasil, devido tanto a características como ao clima favorável ao cultivo de cana-de-açúcar em uma cadeia produtiva bastante desenvolvida quanto à eficiência energética e ao teor quase inexistente de poluentes emitidos emsua combustão. A ampla rede de distribuição para atendimento ao consumidor final representa um risco constante de vazamentos e contaminação de rios, solo e água subterrânea. Este trabalho discute os resultados do monitoramento geofísico num experimento em escala de laboratório, resultante do vazamento controlado de etanol em sedimentos parcialmente saturados em água. A extensa aplicação de métodos elétricos em estudos ambientais e alterações significativas em termos de resistividade elétrica, provocada no ambiente geológico pela presença de compostos exógenos, justifica a seleção do método. Houve um aumento dos valores no início do experimento até o máximo em torno de 52h, seguido por queda acentuada até 342h e sucedido por crescimento lento e constante dos valores até 2.742h, quando comparados a valores prévios sem adição de etanol. Os dados sugerem uma relação temporal entre variações de resistividade elétrica e o comportamento geoquímico do etanolno ambiente geológico.

Aplicação da resistividade e cargabilidade em estudos de contaminação de sedimentos por derivados de hidrocarbonetos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Geofísica aplicada à prospecção de água subterrânea na área do Rio Paracauari – Ilha de Marajó - Pará

A região do Rio Paracauari apresenta sérios problemas hídricos devido o excesso de chuvas no inverno e escassez de água no verão. A indústria agropecuária, principal atividade econômica da região, sofre tremendamente durante o período de secas. Foram realizados estudos geofísicos através do método de resistividade para localizar e mapear os aquíferos rasos de boa potencialidade. Foram feitas 53 sondagens elétricas verticais, do tipo Schlumberger, e 5 perfis de resistividade do tipo Wenner. Foi utilizada a técnica do ponto auxiliar e, depois, os diagramas coletivamente foram tratados e processados no computador, para obtenção de modelos aproximados. Depois da interpretação, foi possível separar duas áreas distintas. A primeira com resistividade alta até 950 Ω.m, com predominância de areia, é constituída de excelentes aquíferos e, provavelmente, trata-se de "Paleocanais". A segunda, com resistividade baixa até 0,5 Ω.m, com predominância de sedimentos argilosos, sílticos, com água salobra. Com os mapas de resistência transversal total e de resistividade foram definidas as áreas mais favoráveis à exploração de água potável. A área favorável é somente 30% da área total. Foi feita coleta das águas rasas e superficiais da área, e suas resistividades variam de 362 Ω.m a 1,1 Ω.m. Algumas perfurações foram feitas, e vieram constatar a existência destas áreas distintas. Com isto, foram solucionados parcialmente os problemas de água de algumas fazendas como São Lourenço, Gavinho e Conceição.

Chemical Production and Microelectronic Applications of Graphene and Nano-Graphene Derivatives

Graphene and graphenic derivatives have rapidly emerged as an extremely promising system for electronic, optical, thermal, and electromechanical applications. Several approaches have been developed to produce these materials (i.e. scotch tape, CVD, chemical and solvent exfoliation). In this work we report a chemical approach to produce graphene by reducing graphene oxide (GO) via thermal or electrical methods. A morphological and electrical characterization of these systems has been performed using different techniques such as SPM, SEM, TEM, Raman and XPS. Moreover, we studied the interaction between graphene derivates and organic molecules focusing on the following aspects: - improvement of optical contrast of graphene on different substrates for rapid monolayer identification1 - supramolecular interaction with organic molecules (i.e. thiophene, pyrene etc.)4 - covalent functionalization with optically active molecules2 - preparation and characterization of organic/graphene Field Effect Transistors3-5 Graphene chemistry can potentially allow seamless integration of graphene technology in organic electronics devices to improve device performance and develop new applications for graphene-based materials. [1] E. Treossi, M. Melucci, A. Liscio, M. Gazzano, P. Samorì, and V. Palermo, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 15576. [2] M. Melucci, E. Treossi, L. Ortolani, G. Giambastiani, V. Morandi, P. Klar, C. Casiraghi, P. Samorì, and V. Palermo, J. Mater. Chem., 2010, 20, 9052. [3] J.M. Mativetsky, E. Treossi, E. Orgiu, M. Melucci, G.P. Veronese, P. Samorì, and V. Palermo, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 14130. [4] A. Liscio, G.P. Veronese, E. Treossi, F. Suriano, F. Rossella, V. Bellani, R. Rizzoli, P. Samorì and V. Palermo, J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 2924. [5] J.M. Mativetsky, A. Liscio, E. Treossi, E. Orgiu, A. Zanelli, P. Samorì , V. Palermo, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 14320