DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETER UPGRADE

这个子项目是许多利用资源的研究子项目之一 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目的主要支持 而子项目的主要调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括其它NIH来源。 列出的子项目总成本可能 代表子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 而不是由NCRR赠款提供给子项目或子项目工作人员的直接资金。 ACERT拥有一台Perkin-Elmer型DSC-4量热计，我们偶尔会使用该量热计对中心用户提供的样品进行量热测量。这台仪器已经有30年的历史了，尽管热量计部分功能良好，但控制界面、专用操作计算机和数据存储介质仅具有历史意义。因此，我们不再能够使用原始计算平台存储数据或执行分析。为了使这台功能齐全的仪器重新焕发活力，我们调查了商业售后计算机/控制系统升级（Instrument Specialists，Inc.）但发现现有的计算机硬件和数据分析软件包比我们的要求更全面，更昂贵。相反，我们注意到我们的需要是基本的，即，除了收集热流与温度的数据外，我们对P-E DSC-4装置进行了检查，并确定提取适当的信号并提供将其转换为数据以供分析和存储的方法将是一项相当简单的任务。随后，我们将计算机更新为当代IBM兼容单元，并添加了外部USB接口通用数据采集设备（National Instruments，Inc.）。由于我们无法访问描述Perkin-Elmer专有控制信号的信息，因此目前通过手动操作DSC-4控制和样品机箱开始数据收集，此时计算机开始收集数据。用当前装置转换的数据包括DSC-4热流率和温度模拟信号，以及对应于每10 ℃出现的温度标记的数字信号。我们计划在夏末开发一套基本的量热分析软件，用于DSC-4数据的半自动分析。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. ACERT possesses a Perkin-Elmer model DSC-4 calorimeter which we occasionally want to employ for calorimetric measurements on samples provided by center users. This instrument is almost 30 years old and, although the calorimeter section functions well, the control interface, dedicated operating computer and data storage media are only of historical interest. Consequently, we were no longer able to store data or perform analysis with the original computing platform. To revitalize this otherwise functional instrument, we investigated the availability of a commercial aftermarket computer/control system upgrade (Instrument Specialists, Inc.) but found the available package of computer hardware with data analysis software to be both more comprehensive and more expensive than our requirements justified. Noting instead that our need was elementary, i.e., only the collection of heat flow vs. temperature data, we undertook an examination of the P-E DSC-4 apparatus and determined that extraction of appropriate signals and providing a means for their conversion to data for analysis and storage would be a reasonably straightforward task. Subsequently, we have updated the computer to a contemporary IBM-compatible unit and added an external, USB-interfaced universal data acquisition device (National Instruments, Inc.). Because we did not have access to information describing the Perkin-Elmer proprietary control signals, data collection is for now initiated by manual operation of the DSC-4 control and sample chasses at which time the computer begins collecting data. The data that is converted with the current arrangement comprises the DSC-4 heat flow rate and temperature analog signals, and a digital signal corresponding to temperature marker occurring every 10 ¿ C. We plan to develop by the end of the summer a suite of basic calorimetry analysis software routines for semiautomated analysis of the DSC-4 data.