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With proper adjustments of the magnetic fields inside an existing dc magnetron sputter (MS), trajectories of those argon electrons in the vacuum chamber can be further confined and the racetrack erosion patterns on the target surface can be better controlled. Hence the target can be more effectively utilized and the system sputtering rate can also be enhanced. By implementing appropriate passive iron annulus and active compensation magnetizations onto the dc MS, based on Taguchi’s method, three typical reference target erosion patterns are selected for verification. From the promising emulation results, it can be demonstrated that these target erosion patterns can be precisely controlled to the designated profiles and more electron trajectories can be confined, hence the objectives of designing structural refinements for better the dc MS performance can be confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Novel composite carbon particles are developed that can self-assemble as a coating on a substrate without a binder. These carbon particles were used as a coating to enhance thermal dissipation and their thermal conductivity, surface emissivity and cooling performance were measured. Carbon particles with both thiol and epoxy functional groups self-assembled to form a coating on the surface of a heat sink without a binder, which greatly improved the thermal conductivity of the coating. Coating a heat sink with the carbon particles yielded a higher thermal conductivity and emissivity than could be obtained with the addition of binder in the conventional approach, and significantly enhanced the cooling performance. In addition, the cooling performance of the carbon nanotube outperformed all other particles when coated on a substrate, because it had the highest thermal conductivity and good radiation emissivity. We developed an equation to describe the various parameters affecting the cooling performance of the thermally dissipative coating. This equation was confirmed by the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The staphylococcal enterotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus are associated with pyrogenic response in humans and primates. This study investigates the role of NADPH oxidase and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) on enterotoxin staphylococcal enterotoxin C1 (SEC1)-induced pyrogenic cytokine production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The results indicate that the febrile response to the supernatant fluids of SEC1-stimulated PBMC in rabbits was in parallel with the levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in the supernatants. The release of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6, nuclear translocation of NF-κB and its DNA binding activity in the SEC1-stimulated PBMC were time-dependent and were completely eliminated by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate or SN-50 (NF-κB inhibitors). The release of reactive oxygen species in the supernatants and translocation of the NADPH oxidase p47 phox subunit to the plasma membrane of SEC1-stimulated PBMC were time-dependent. Administration of apocynin (NADPH oxidase inhibitor) attenuated the febrile response to the supernatants in rabbits and decreased the translocation of NADPH oxidase p47 phox subunit and NF-κB activity in the SEC1-stimulated PBMC, and suppressed reactive oxygen species and pyrogenic cytokine production in the supernatants. Taken together, SEC1 may act through an NADPH oxidase mechanism to release reactive oxygen species, which activate NF-κB in PBMC to stimulate the synthesis of pyrogenic cytokines that trigger a fever response in rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]