Wear and chemistry of zirconium-silicate, aluminium-silicate and zirconium-aluminium-silicate glasses in alkaline medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouse, C.G.; Lemos Guenaga, C.M. de

1984-01-01

A study of the chemical durability, in alkaline solutions, of zirconium silicate, aluminium silicate, zirconium/aluminium silicate glasses as a function of glass composition is carried out. The glasses were tested using standard DIN-52322 method, where the glass samples are prepared in small polished pieces and attacked for 3 hours in a 800 ml solution of 1N (NaOH + NA 2 CO 3 ) at 97 0 C. The results show that the presence of ZrO 2 in the glass composition increases its chemical durability to alkaline attack. Glasses of the aluminium/zirconium silicate series were melted with and without TiO 2 . It was shown experimentally that for this series of glasses, the presence of both TiO 2 and ZrO 2 gave better chemical durability results. However, the best overall results were obtained from the simpler zirconium silicate glasses, where it was possible to make glasses with higher values of ZrO 2 . (Author) [pt

Binding, internalization and fate of Huntingtin Exon1 fibrillar assemblies in mitotic and nonmitotic neuroblastoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Arlandis, G; Pieri, L; Bousset, L; Melki, R

2016-02-01

The aggregation of Huntingtin (HTT) protein and of its moiety encoded by its Exon1 (HTTExon1) into fibrillar structures inside neurons is the molecular hallmark of Huntington's disease. Prion-like transmission of these aggregates between cells has been demonstrated. The cell-to-cell transmission mechanisms of these protein aggregates and the susceptibility of different kinds of neuronal cells to these toxic assemblies still need assessment. Here, we documented the binding to and internalization by differentiated and undifferentiated neuroblastoma cells of exogenous fibrillar HTTExon1 and polyglutamine (polyQ) polypeptides containing the same number of glutamines. We assessed the contribution of endocytosis to fibrillar HTTExon1 uptake, their intracellular localization and fate. We observed that undifferentiated neuroblastoma cells were more susceptible to fibrillar HTTExon1 and polyQ than their differentiated counterparts. Furthermore, we demonstrated that exogenous HTTExon1 aggregates are mainly taken up by endocytosis and directed to lysosomal compartments in both mitotic and quiescent cells. These data suggest that the rates of endocytic processes that differ in mitotic and quiescent cells strongly impact the uptake of exogenous HTTExon1 and polyQ fibrils. This may be either the consequence of distinct metabolisms or distributions of specific protein partners for amyloid-like assemblies at the surface of highly dividing versus quiescent cells. Our results highlight the importance of endocytic processes in the internalization of exogenous HTTExon1 fibrils and suggest that a proportion of those assemblies reach the cytosol where they can amplify by recruiting the endogenous protein after escaping, by yet an unknown process, from the endo-lysosomal compartments. © 2015 British Neuropathological Society.

Location of rRNA transcription to the nucleolar components: disappearance of the fibrillar centers in nucleoli of regenerating rat hepatocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Montanaro, Lorenzo; Govoni, Marzia; Orrico, Catia; Treré, Davide; Derenzini, Massimo

2011-01-01

The precise location of rDNA transcription to the components of mammalian cell nucleolus is still debated. This was due to the fact that all the molecules necessary for rRNA synthesis are located in two of the three components, the fibrillar centers (FCs) and the dense fibrillar component (DFC), which together with the granular component (GC) are considered to be constantly present in mammalian cell nucleoli. In the present study we demonstrated that in nucleoli of many regenerating rat hepatocytes at 15 h after partial hepatectomy the FCs were no longer present, only the DFC and the GC being detected. At this time of regeneration the rRNA transcriptional activity was three fold that of resting hepatocytes, while the synthesis of DNA was not yet significantly increased, indicating that these nucleolar changes were due to the rRNA synthesis up-regulation. The DFC appeared to be organized in numerous, small, roundish tufts of fibrils. The silver staining procedure for AgNOR proteins, which are associated with the ribosomal genes, selectively and homogeneously stained these fibrillar tufts. Immuno-gold visualization of the Upstream Binding Factor (UBF), which is associated with the promoter region and the transcribed portion of the rRNA 45S gene, demonstrated that UBF was selectively located in the fibrillar tufts. We concluded that in proliferating rat hepatocytes the increased synthesis of rRNA induced an activation of the rRNA transcription machinery located in the fibrillar centers which, by becoming associated with the ribonucleoprotein transcripts, assumed the morphological pattern of the DFC.

Molecular nanomechanics of nascent bone: fibrillar toughening by mineralization

Science.gov (United States)

Buehler, Markus J.

2007-07-01

Mineralized collagen fibrils are highly conserved nanostructural building blocks of bone. By a combination of molecular dynamics simulation and theoretical analysis it is shown that the characteristic nanostructure of mineralized collagen fibrils is vital for its high strength and its ability to sustain large deformation, as is relevant to the physiological role of bone, creating a strong and tough material. An analysis of the molecular mechanisms of protein and mineral phases under large deformation of mineralized collagen fibrils reveals a fibrillar toughening mechanism that leads to a manifold increase of energy dissipation compared to fibrils without mineral phase. This fibrillar toughening mechanism increases the resistance to fracture by forming large local yield regions around crack-like defects, a mechanism that protects the integrity of the entire structure by allowing for localized failure. As a consequence, mineralized collagen fibrils are able to tolerate microcracks of the order of several hundred micrometres in size without causing any macroscopic failure of the tissue, which may be essential to enable bone remodelling. The analysis proves that adding nanoscopic small platelets to collagen fibrils increases their Young's modulus and yield strength as well as their fracture strength. We find that mineralized collagen fibrils have a Young's modulus of 6.23 GPa (versus 4.59 GPa for the collagen fibril), yield at a tensile strain of 6.7% (versus 5% for the collagen fibril) and feature a fracture stress of 0.6 GPa (versus 0.3 GPa for the collagen fibril).

Molecular nanomechanics of nascent bone: fibrillar toughening by mineralization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buehler, Markus J

2007-01-01

Mineralized collagen fibrils are highly conserved nanostructural building blocks of bone. By a combination of molecular dynamics simulation and theoretical analysis it is shown that the characteristic nanostructure of mineralized collagen fibrils is vital for its high strength and its ability to sustain large deformation, as is relevant to the physiological role of bone, creating a strong and tough material. An analysis of the molecular mechanisms of protein and mineral phases under large deformation of mineralized collagen fibrils reveals a fibrillar toughening mechanism that leads to a manifold increase of energy dissipation compared to fibrils without mineral phase. This fibrillar toughening mechanism increases the resistance to fracture by forming large local yield regions around crack-like defects, a mechanism that protects the integrity of the entire structure by allowing for localized failure. As a consequence, mineralized collagen fibrils are able to tolerate microcracks of the order of several hundred micrometres in size without causing any macroscopic failure of the tissue, which may be essential to enable bone remodelling. The analysis proves that adding nanoscopic small platelets to collagen fibrils increases their Young's modulus and yield strength as well as their fracture strength. We find that mineralized collagen fibrils have a Young's modulus of 6.23 GPa (versus 4.59 GPa for the collagen fibril), yield at a tensile strain of 6.7% (versus 5% for the collagen fibril) and feature a fracture stress of 0.6 GPa (versus 0.3 GPa for the collagen fibril)

High-performance polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Heidecker, Matthew J.

resultant nanocomposites' mechanical properties on the preferential alignment of the montmorillonite nano-platelet was also evaluated. Highly aligned filler platelets did not result in an additional enhancement in mechanical properties. PC/PET blends and their respective PC/PET/montmorillonite nanocomposites were synthesized and compared. The dispersion of the organically modified nano-fillers in the PC/PET blends was controlled via thermodynamic considerations, realized through proper surfactant choice: Nanocomposites in which the layered silicate was preferentially sequestered in the PET phase were designed and synthesized. This preferential dispersion of the nano-filler in the PET phase of the PC/PET blend was insensitive to processing conditions, including approaches employing a master-batch (filler concentrate); regardless of the master-batch matrix, both PC and PET were employed, thermodynamics drove the layered silicate to preferentially migrate to the PET phase of the PC/PET blend. In a second approach, the development of a nanocomposite with controlled PC/PET compatibilization near the montmorillonite platelets, in absence of appreciable transesterification reactions, led to the formation of very high performance nanocomposites. These latter systems, point to an exciting new avenue of future considerations for nanocomposite blends with selective nano-filler dispersions, where performance can be tailored via the controlled preferential dispersion of nano-fillers in one phase, or by filler-induced polymer compatibilization.

Automated determination of fibrillar structures by simultaneous model building and fiber diffraction refinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Potrzebowski, Wojciech; André, Ingemar

2015-07-01

For highly oriented fibrillar molecules, three-dimensional structures can often be determined from X-ray fiber diffraction data. However, because of limited information content, structure determination and validation can be challenging. We demonstrate that automated structure determination of protein fibers can be achieved by guiding the building of macromolecular models with fiber diffraction data. We illustrate the power of our approach by determining the structures of six bacteriophage viruses de novo using fiber diffraction data alone and together with solid-state NMR data. Furthermore, we demonstrate the feasibility of molecular replacement from monomeric and fibrillar templates by solving the structure of a plant virus using homology modeling and protein-protein docking. The generated models explain the experimental data to the same degree as deposited reference structures but with improved structural quality. We also developed a cross-validation method for model selection. The results highlight the power of fiber diffraction data as structural constraints.

Polymer-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites for Cryotank Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Sandi G.; Meador, Michael A.

2007-01-01

Previous composite cryotank designs have relied on the use of conventional composite materials to reduce microcracking and permeability. However, revolutionary advances in nanotechnology derived materials may enable the production of ultra-lightweight cryotanks with significantly enhanced durability and damage tolerance, as well as reduced propellant permeability. Layered silicate nanocomposites are especially attractive in cryogenic storage tanks based on results that have been reported for epoxy nanocomposite systems. These materials often exhibit an order of magnitude reduction in gas permeability when compared to the base resin. In addition, polymer-silicate nanocomposites have been shown to yield improved dimensional stability, strength, and toughness. The enhancement in material performance of these systems occurs without property trade-offs which are often observed in conventionally filled polymer composites. Research efforts at NASA Glenn Research Center have led to the development of epoxy-clay nanocomposites with 70% lower hydrogen permeability than the base epoxy resin. Filament wound carbon fiber reinforced tanks made with this nanocomposite had a five-fold lower helium leak rate than the corresponding tanks made without clay. The pronounced reduction observed with the tank may be due to flow induced alignment of the clay layers during processing. Additionally, the nanocomposites showed CTE reductions of up to 30%, as well as a 100% increase in toughness.

Final report on the safety assessment of potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, and sodium silicate.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmore, Amy R

2005-01-01

Potassium Silicate, Sodium Metasilicate, and Sodium Silicate combine metal cations with silica to form inorganic salts used as corrosion inhibitors in cosmetics. Sodium Metasilicate also functions as a chelating agent and Sodium Silicate as a buffering and pH adjuster. Sodium Metasilicate is currently used in 168 formulations at concentrations ranging from 13% to 18%. Sodium Silicate is currently used in 24 formulations at concentrations ranging from 0.3% to 55%. Potassium Silicate and Sodium Silicate have been reported as being used in industrial cleaners and detergents. Sodium Metasilicate is a GRAS (generally regarded as safe) food ingredient. Aqueous solutions of Sodium Silicate species are a part of a chemical continuum of silicates based on an equilibrium of alkali, water, and silica. pH determines the solubility of silica and, together with concentration, determines the degree of polymerization. Sodium Silicate administered orally is readily absorbed from the alimentary canal and excreted in the urine. The toxicity of these silicates has been related to the molar ratio of SiO2/Na2O and the concentration being used. The Sodium Metasilicate acute oral LD50 ranged from 847 mg/kg in male rats to 1349.3 mg/kg in female rats and from 770 mg/kg in female mice to 820 mg/kg in male mice. Gross lesions of variable severity were found in the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, larynx, lungs, and kidneys of dogs receiving 0.25 g/kg or more of a commercial detergent containing Sodium Metasilicate; similar lesions were also seen in pigs administered the same detergent and dose. Male rats orally administered 464 mg/kg of a 20% solution containing either 2.0 or 2.4 to 1.0 ratio of sodium oxide showed no signs of toxicity, whereas doses of 1000 and 2150 mg/kg produced gasping, dypsnea, and acute depression. Dogs fed 2.4 g/kg/day of Sodium Silicate for 4 weeks had gross renal lesions but no impairment of renal function. Dermal irritation of Potassium Silicate, Sodium

Nanostructured silicate polymer concrete

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Figovskiy Oleg L'vovich

2014-03-01

Full Text Available It has been known that acid-resistant concretes on the liquid glass basis have high porosity (up to 18~20 %, low strength and insufficient water resistance. Significant increasing of silicate matrix strength and density was carried out by incorporation of special liquid organic alkali-soluble silicate additives, which block superficial pores and reduce concrete shrinkage deformation. It was demonstrated that introduction of tetrafurfuryloxisilane additive sharply increases strength, durability and shock resistance of silicate polymer concrete in aggressive media. The experiments showed, that the strength and density of silicate polymer concrete increase in case of decreasing liquid glass content. The authors obtained optimal content of silicate polymer concrete, which possesses increased strength, durability, density and crack-resistance. Diffusive permeability of concrete and its chemical resistance has been investigated in various corroding media.

21 CFR 573.260 - Calcium silicate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Calcium silicate. 573.260 Section 573.260 Food and... Listing § 573.260 Calcium silicate. Calcium silicate, including synthetic calcium silicate, may be safely used as an anticaking agent in animal feed, provided that the amount of calcium silicate does not...

Effects of Matrix Alignment and Mechanical Constraints on Cellular Behavior in 3D Engineered Microtissues

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Prasenjit; Eyckmans, Jeroen; Chen, Christopher; Reich, Daniel

The adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in a variety of cellular functions. The main building blocks of the ECM are 3D networks of fibrous proteins whose structure and alignments varies with tissue type. However, the impact of ECM alignment on cellular behaviors such as cell adhesion, spreading, extension and mechanics remains poorly understood. We present results on the development of a microtissue-based system that enables control of the structure, orientation, and degree of fibrillar alignment in 3D fibroblast-populated collagen gels. The tissues self-assemble from cell-laden collagen gels placed in micro-fabricated wells containing sets of elastic pillars. The contractile action of the cells leads to controlled alignment of the fibrous collagen, depending on the number and location of the pillars in each well. The pillars are elastic, and are utilized to measure the contractile forces of the microtissues, and by incorporating magnetic material in selected pillars, time-varying forces can be applied to the tissues for dynamic stimulation and measurement of mechanical properties. Results on the effects of varying pillar shape, spacing, location, and stiffness on microtissue organization and contractility will be presented. This work is supported by NSF CMMI-1463011.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of fibrillar components of the extracellular matrix of transversalis fascia and anterior abdominal rectus sheath in men with inguinal hernia

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Rogério De Oliveira Gonçalves

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the role of fibrillar extracellular matrix components in the pathogenesis of inguinal hernias. METHODS: samples of the transverse fascia and of the anterior sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle were collected from 40 men aged between 20 and 60 years with type II and IIIA Nyhus inguinal hernia and from 10 fresh male cadavers (controls without hernia in the same age range. The staining technique was immunohistochemistry for collagen I, collagen III and elastic fibers; quantification of fibrillar components was performed with an image analysis processing software. RESULTS: no statistically significant differences were found in the amount of elastic fibers, collagen I and collagen III, and the ratio of collagen I / III among patients with inguinal hernia when compared with subjects without hernia. CONCLUSION: the amount of fibrillar extracellular matrix components did not change in patients with and without inguinal hernia.

Hierarchical Formation of Fibrillar and Lamellar Self-Assemblies from Guanosine-Based Motifs

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Paolo Neviani

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Here we investigate the supramolecular polymerizations of two lipophilic guanosine derivatives in chloroform by light scattering technique and TEM experiments. The obtained data reveal the presence of several levels of organization due to the hierarchical self-assembly of the guanosine units in ribbons that in turn aggregate in fibrillar or lamellar soft structures. The elucidation of these structures furnishes an explanation to the physical behaviour of guanosine units which display organogelator properties.

21 CFR 172.410 - Calcium silicate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Calcium silicate. 172.410 Section 172.410 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Agents § 172.410 Calcium silicate. Calcium silicate, including synthetic calcium silicate, may be safely...

Fibrillar dimer formation of islet amyloid polypeptides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiu, Chi-cheng [Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); de Pablo, Juan J. [Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2015-05-08

Amyloid deposits of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), a 37-residue hormone co-produced with insulin, have been implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes. Residues 20 – 29 of hIAPP have been proposed to constitute the amyloidogenic core for the aggregation process, yet the segment is mostly unstructured in the mature fibril, according to solid-state NMR data. Here we use molecular simulations combined with bias-exchange metadynamics to characterize the conformational free energies of hIAPP fibrillar dimer and its derivative, pramlintide. We show that residues 20 – 29 are involved in an intermediate that exhibits transient β-sheets, consistent with recent experimental and simulation results. By comparing the aggregation of hIAPP and pramlintide, we illustrate the effects of proline residues on inhibition of the dimerization of IAPP. The mechanistic insights presented here could be useful for development of therapeutic inhibitors of hIAPP amyloid formation.

Fibrillar dimer formation of islet amyloid polypeptides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-cheng Chiu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Amyloid deposits of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP, a 37-residue hormone co-produced with insulin, have been implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes. Residues 20 – 29 of hIAPP have been proposed to constitute the amyloidogenic core for the aggregation process, yet the segment is mostly unstructured in the mature fibril, according to solid-state NMR data. Here we use molecular simulations combined with bias-exchange metadynamics to characterize the conformational free energies of hIAPP fibrillar dimer and its derivative, pramlintide. We show that residues 20 – 29 are involved in an intermediate that exhibits transient β-sheets, consistent with recent experimental and simulation results. By comparing the aggregation of hIAPP and pramlintide, we illustrate the effects of proline residues on inhibition of the dimerization of IAPP. The mechanistic insights presented here could be useful for development of therapeutic inhibitors of hIAPP amyloid formation.

Decreased expression of microRNA-29 family in leiomyoma contributes to increased major fibrillar collagen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Erica E; Steinberg, Marissa L; Parker, J Brandon; Wu, Ju; Chakravarti, Debabrata; Bulun, Serdar E

2016-09-01

To determine the expression and function of the microRNA-29 family (miRNA-29a, miRNA-29b, miRNA-29c) in human leiomyoma and myometrium. Basic science experimental design. Academic medical center. Women undergoing surgery for symptomatic uterine fibroids. Overexpression and knockdown of miRNA-29a, miRNA-29b, and miRNA-29c in primary leiomyoma and myometrial cells. [1] Expression of the miRNA-29 family members in vivo in leiomyoma versus myometrium; [2] Major fibrillar collagen (I, II, III) expression in leiomyoma and myometrial cells with manipulation of miRNA-29 species. Members of the miRNA-29 family (29a, 29b, 29c) are all down-regulated in leiomyoma versus myometrium in vivo. The expression of the miRNA-29 family can be successfully modulated in primary leiomyoma and myometrial cells. Overexpression of the miRNA-29 family in leiomyoma cells results in down-regulation of the major fibrillar collagens. Down-regulation of the miRNA-29 species in myometrium results in an increase in collagen type III deposition. The miRNA-29 family is consistently down-regulated in leiomyoma compared to matched myometrial tissue. This down-regulation contributes to the increased collagen seen in leiomyomas versus myometrium. When miRNA-29 members are overexpressed in leiomyoma cells, protein levels of all of the major fibrillar collagens decrease. The miRNA-29 members are potential therapeutic targets in this highly prevalent condition. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The 26S Proteasome Degrades the Soluble but Not the Fibrillar Form of the Yeast Prion Ure2p In Vitro.

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Kai Wang

Full Text Available Yeast prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates that cause heritable and transmissible phenotypic traits. Among these, [PSI+] and [URE3] stand out as the most studied yeast prions, and result from the self-assembly of the translation terminator Sup35p and the nitrogen catabolism regulator Ure2p, respectively, into insoluble fibrillar aggregates. Protein quality control systems are well known to govern the formation, propagation and transmission of these prions. However, little is known about the implication of the cellular proteolytic machineries in their turnover. We previously showed that the 26S proteasome degrades both the soluble and fibrillar forms of Sup35p and affects [PSI+] propagation. Here, we show that soluble native Ure2p is degraded by the proteasome in an ubiquitin-independent manner. Proteasomal degradation of Ure2p yields amyloidogenic N-terminal peptides and a C-terminal resistant fragment. In contrast to Sup35p, fibrillar Ure2p resists proteasomal degradation. Thus, structural variability within prions may dictate their ability to be degraded by the cellular proteolytic systems.

The 26S Proteasome Degrades the Soluble but Not the Fibrillar Form of the Yeast Prion Ure2p In Vitro

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kai; Redeker, Virginie; Madiona, Karine; Melki, Ronald; Kabani, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Yeast prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates that cause heritable and transmissible phenotypic traits. Among these, [PSI +] and [URE3] stand out as the most studied yeast prions, and result from the self-assembly of the translation terminator Sup35p and the nitrogen catabolism regulator Ure2p, respectively, into insoluble fibrillar aggregates. Protein quality control systems are well known to govern the formation, propagation and transmission of these prions. However, little is known about the implication of the cellular proteolytic machineries in their turnover. We previously showed that the 26S proteasome degrades both the soluble and fibrillar forms of Sup35p and affects [PSI +] propagation. Here, we show that soluble native Ure2p is degraded by the proteasome in an ubiquitin-independent manner. Proteasomal degradation of Ure2p yields amyloidogenic N-terminal peptides and a C-terminal resistant fragment. In contrast to Sup35p, fibrillar Ure2p resists proteasomal degradation. Thus, structural variability within prions may dictate their ability to be degraded by the cellular proteolytic systems. PMID:26115123

Application of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for study on fibrillar and oligomeric aggregates of alpha-synuclein

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Severinovskaya, O. V.; Kovalska, V B; Losytskyy, M Yu; Cherepanov, V. V.; Subramaniam, V.; Yarmoluk, S M

2014-01-01

Aim. To study the α-synuclein (ASN) aggregates of different structural origin, namely amyloid fibrils and spherical oligomers, in comparison with a native protein. Methods. MALDI TOF mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results. The mass spectra of native and fibrillar ASN have

Environmental silicate nano-biocomposites

CERN Document Server

Pollet, Eric

2012-01-01

Environmental Silicate Nano-Biocomposites focuses on nano-biocomposites, which are obtained by the association of silicates such as bioclays with biopolymers. By highlighting recent developments and findings, green and biodegradable nano-composites from both renewable and biodegradable polymers are explored. This includes coverage of potential markets such as packaging, agricultures, leisure and the fast food industry. The knowledge and experience of more than twenty international experts in diverse fields, from chemical and biochemical engineering to applications, is brought together in four different sections covering: Biodegradable polymers and Silicates, Clay/Polyesters Nano-biocomposites, Clay/Agropolymers Nano-biocomposites, and Applications and biodegradation of Nano-biocomposites. By exploring the relationships between the biopolymer structures, the processes, and the final properties Environmental Silicate Nano-Biocomposites explains how to design nano-materials to develop new, valuable, environmenta...

SILICATE COMPOSITION OF THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fogerty, S.; Forrest, W.; Watson, D. M.; Koch, I.; Sargent, B. A.

2016-01-01

The composition of silicate dust in the diffuse interstellar medium and in protoplanetary disks around young stars informs our understanding of the processing and evolution of the dust grains leading up to planet formation. An analysis of the well-known 9.7 μ m feature indicates that small amorphous silicate grains represent a significant fraction of interstellar dust and are also major components of protoplanetary disks. However, this feature is typically modeled assuming amorphous silicate dust of olivine and pyroxene stoichiometries. Here, we analyze interstellar dust with models of silicate dust that include non-stoichiometric amorphous silicate grains. Modeling the optical depth along lines of sight toward the extinguished objects Cyg OB2 No. 12 and ζ Ophiuchi, we find evidence for interstellar amorphous silicate dust with stoichiometry intermediate between olivine and pyroxene, which we simply refer to as “polivene.” Finally, we compare these results to models of silicate emission from the Trapezium and protoplanetary disks in Taurus.

SILICATE COMPOSITION OF THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fogerty, S.; Forrest, W.; Watson, D. M.; Koch, I. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627 (United States); Sargent, B. A., E-mail: sfogerty@pas.rochester.edu [Center for Imaging Science and Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 (United States)

2016-10-20

The composition of silicate dust in the diffuse interstellar medium and in protoplanetary disks around young stars informs our understanding of the processing and evolution of the dust grains leading up to planet formation. An analysis of the well-known 9.7 μ m feature indicates that small amorphous silicate grains represent a significant fraction of interstellar dust and are also major components of protoplanetary disks. However, this feature is typically modeled assuming amorphous silicate dust of olivine and pyroxene stoichiometries. Here, we analyze interstellar dust with models of silicate dust that include non-stoichiometric amorphous silicate grains. Modeling the optical depth along lines of sight toward the extinguished objects Cyg OB2 No. 12 and ζ Ophiuchi, we find evidence for interstellar amorphous silicate dust with stoichiometry intermediate between olivine and pyroxene, which we simply refer to as “polivene.” Finally, we compare these results to models of silicate emission from the Trapezium and protoplanetary disks in Taurus.

Modifying Silicates for Better Dispersion in Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Sandi

2005-01-01

An improved chemical modification has been developed to enhance the dispersion of layered silicate particles in the formulation of a polymer/silicate nanocomposite material. The modification involves, among other things, the co-exchange of an alkyl ammonium ion and a monoprotonated diamine with interlayer cations of the silicate. The net overall effects of the improved chemical modification are to improve processability of the nanocomposite and maximize the benefits of dispersing the silicate particles into the polymer. Some background discussion is necessary to give meaning to a description of this development. Polymer/silicate nanocomposites are also denoted polymer/clay composites because the silicate particles in them are typically derived from clay particles. Particles of clay comprise layers of silicate platelets separated by gaps called "galleries." The platelet thickness is 1 nm. The length varies from 30 nm to 1 m, depending on the silicate. In order to fully realize the benefits of polymer/silicate nanocomposites, it is necessary to ensure that the platelets become dispersed in the polymer matrices. Proper dispersion can impart physical and chemical properties that make nanocomposites attractive for a variety of applications. In order to achieve nanometer-level dispersion of a layered silicate into a polymer matrix, it is typically necessary to modify the interlayer silicate surfaces by attaching organic functional groups. This modification can be achieved easily by ion exchange between the interlayer metal cations found naturally in the silicate and protonated organic cations - typically protonated amines. Long-chain alkyl ammonium ions are commonly chosen as the ion-exchange materials because they effectively lower the surface energies of the silicates and ease the incorporation of organic monomers or polymers into the silicate galleries. This completes the background discussion. In the present improved modification of the interlayer silicate surfaces

Effect of nordihydroguaiaretic acid cross-linking on fibrillar collagen: in vitro evaluation of fibroblast adhesion strength and migration

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Ana Y. Rioja

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Fixation is required to reinforce reconstituted collagen for orthopedic bioprostheses such as tendon or ligament replacements. Previous studies have demonstrated that collagen fibers cross-linked by the biocompatible dicatechol nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA have mechanical strength comparable to native tendons. This work focuses on investigating fibroblast behavior on fibrillar and NDGA cross-linked type I collagen to determine if NDGA modulates cell adhesion, morphology, and migration. A spinning disk device that applies a range of hydrodynamic forces under uniform chemical conditions was employed to sensitively quantify cell adhesion strength, and a radial barrier removal assay was used to measure cell migration on films suitable for these quantitative in vitro assays. The compaction of collagen films, mediated by the drying and cross-linking fabrication process, suggests a less open organization compared to native fibrillar collagen that likely allowed the collagen to form more inter-chain bonds and chemical links with NDGA polymers. Fibroblasts strongly adhered to and migrated on native and NDGA cross-linked fibrillar collagen; however, NDGA modestly reduced cell spreading, adhesion strength and migration rate. Thus, it is hypothesized that NDGA cross-linking masked some adhesion receptor binding sites either physically, chemically, or both, thereby modulating adhesion and migration. This alteration in the cell-material interface is considered a minimal trade-off for the superior mechanical and compatibility properties of NDGA cross-linked collagen compared to other fixation approaches.

21 CFR 582.2227 - Calcium silicate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Calcium silicate. 582.2227 Section 582.2227 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL... Calcium silicate. (a) Product. Calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent and 5 percent. (c) Limitations...

21 CFR 182.2227 - Calcium silicate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Calcium silicate. 182.2227 Section 182.2227 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR... Calcium silicate. (a) Product. Calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent and 5 percent. (c) Limitations...

Biological and therapeutic effects of ortho-silicic acid and some ortho-silicic acid-releasing compounds: New perspectives for therapy

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Jurkić Lela Munjas

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Silicon (Si is the most abundant element present in the Earth's crust besides oxygen. However, the exact biological roles of silicon remain unknown. Moreover, the ortho-silicic acid (H4SiO4, as a major form of bioavailable silicon for both humans and animals, has not been given adequate attention so far. Silicon has already been associated with bone mineralization, collagen synthesis, skin, hair and nails health atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, immune system enhancement, and with some other disorders or pharmacological effects. Beside the ortho-silicic acid and its stabilized formulations such as choline chloride-stabilized ortho-silicic acid and sodium or potassium silicates (e.g. M2SiO3; M= Na,K, the most important sources that release ortho-silicic acid as a bioavailable form of silicon are: colloidal silicic acid (hydrated silica gel, silica gel (amorphous silicon dioxide, and zeolites. Although all these compounds are characterized by substantial water insolubility, they release small, but significant, equilibrium concentration of ortho-silicic acid (H4SiO4 in contact with water and physiological fluids. Even though certain pharmacological effects of these compounds might be attributed to specific structural characteristics that result in profound adsorption and absorption properties, they all exhibit similar pharmacological profiles readily comparable to ortho-silicic acid effects. The most unusual ortho-silicic acid-releasing agents are certain types of zeolites, a class of aluminosilicates with well described ion(cation-exchange properties. Numerous biological activities of some types of zeolites documented so far might probably be attributable to the ortho-silicic acid-releasing property. In this review, we therefore discuss biological and potential therapeutic effects of ortho-silicic acid and ortho-silicic acid -releasing silicon compounds as its major natural sources.

The Effect of Wood Alignment on Wood Grinding – Part 1: Properties of Pulp and Fines Revealed in the Grinding Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erkki Tapani Saharinen

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In industrial wood grinding, logs are pressed against a rotating stone, with the logs and fiber axis parallel to the axis of the stone. The objective of this study is to clarify how the wood alignment affects the process and pulp properties. In this research, wood blocks were fed into a laboratory grinder with various alignments in relation to the surface of the grinding stone. The effects of the alignment on the properties of the pulp and the amount and quality of fines were measured. A grinding mechanism was proposed. The results show that the pulp quality is very sensitive to the angle between the stone surface and the log. In gentle refining, the fiber structure is loosened by fatigue before it is bent on the surface; pressure pulses produce fibrillar material, and fibers develop toward having good bonding ability. In forced grinding, the process is “violent”, and the fiber wears and becomes crushed immediately on the surface into small particles with low bonding ability.

NON-AUTOCLAVE SILICATE BRICK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. N. Yaglov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes a technology for obtaining bricks on the basis of lime-silica mixtures where chemical interactions are practically completely realized in dispersive state at the stage of preparation of binding contact maturing and raw mixture as a whole. The role of forming operation (moulding is changed in principle because in this case conversion of dispersive system into a rock-like solid occurs and due to this the solid obtains complete water-resistance in contact with water immediately after forming operation. Theoretical basis for the developed technology is capability of silicate dispersive substances (hydrated calcium silicate to transit in non-stable state, to form a rock-like water-resistant solid in the moment of mechanical load application during forming process. Specific feature of the proposed method is an exclusion of additional operations for autoclaving of products from the process of obtaining a silicate brick.Synthetic hydrated calcium silicate in contrast to natural ones are more uniform in composition and structure, they contain less impurities and they are characterized by dispersive composition and due to the mentioned advantages they find wider practical application. Contact-condensation binders permit to manipulate product properties on their basis and ensure maximum correspondence to the requirements of the concrete application. Raw material sources for obtaining synthetic hydrated calcium silicates are practically un-limited because calcium-silicon containing substances are found as in various technogenic wastes so in natural compounds as well. So the problem for obtaining hydrated calcium silicates having contact-condensation ability for structure formation becomes more and more actual one. This transition is considered as dependent principally on arrangement rate of substance particles which determined the level of its instability.

Regularities in Low-Temperature Phosphatization of Silicates

Science.gov (United States)

Savenko, A. V.

2018-01-01

The regularities in low-temperature phosphatization of silicates are defined from long-term experiments on the interaction between different silicate minerals and phosphate-bearing solutions in a wide range of medium acidity. It is shown that the parameters of the reaction of phosphatization of hornblende, orthoclase, and labradorite have the same values as for clayey minerals (kaolinite and montmorillonite). This effect may appear, if phosphotization proceeds, not after silicate minerals with a different structure and composition, but after a secondary silicate phase formed upon interaction between silicates and water and stable in a certain pH range. Variation in the parameters of the reaction of phosphatization at pH ≈ 1.8 is due to the stability of the silicate phase different from that at higher pH values.

The Effect of Wood Alignment on Wood Grinding – Part 2: Fines Character and Microscopic Observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Heinemann

2016-01-01

Full Text Available During industrial wood grinding, logs are pressed against a rotating stone, with the logs and fibre axes parallel to the axis of the stone. For this study, wood blocks were fed into a laboratory grinder with various alignments in relation to the surface of the grinding stone. The effects of the alignment on the properties of the pulp, the amount, and the quality of the fines were measured, and a grinding mechanism is proposed. In this paper, the obtained results showed that the pulp quality was highly sensitive to the angle between the stone surface and the log, and different for fatigue-based and force-based grinding. The tests were observed using microscopic techniques and discussed in terms of fines amount and fines quality. In gentle refining, the fibre structure is loosened by fatigue before it is bent on the surface, pressure pulses produce fibrillar material, and fibres develop good bonding ability. In forced grinding, the process is “violent” and the fibre wears and is crushed immediately on the surface into small particles with low bonding ability.

Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Silicate Vaporization

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, Nathan S.; Costa, Gustavo C. C.

2015-01-01

Silicates are a common class of materials that are often exposed to high temperatures. The behavior of these materials needs to be understood for applications as high temperature coatings in material science as well as the constituents of lava for geological considerations. The vaporization behavior of these materials is an important aspect of their high temperature behavior and it also provides fundamental thermodynamic data. The application of Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry (KEMS) to silicates is discussed. There are several special considerations for silicates. The first is selection of an appropriate cell material, which is either nearly inert or has well-understood interactions with the silicate. The second consideration is proper measurement of the low vapor pressures. This can be circumvented by using a reducing agent to boost the vapor pressure without changing the solid composition or by working at very high temperatures. The third consideration deals with kinetic barriers to vaporization. The measurement of these barriers, as encompassed in a vaporization coefficient, is discussed. Current measured data of rare earth silicates for high temperature coating applications are discussed. In addition, data on magnesium-iron-silicates (olivine) are presented and discussed.

Brain propagation of transduced α-synuclein involves non-fibrillar protein species and is enhanced in α-synuclein null mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Helwig, Michael; Klinkenberg, Michael; Rusconi, Raffaella; Musgrove, Ruth E; Majbour, Nour K; El-Agnaf, Omar M A; Ulusoy, Ayse; Di Monte, Donato A

2016-03-01

Aggregation and neuron-to-neuron transmission are attributes of α-synuclein relevant to its pathogenetic role in human synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease. Intraparenchymal injections of fibrillar α-synuclein trigger widespread propagation of amyloidogenic protein species via mechanisms that require expression of endogenous α-synuclein and, possibly, its structural corruption by misfolded conformers acting as pathological seeds. Here we describe another paradigm of long-distance brain diffusion of α-synuclein that involves inter-neuronal transfer of monomeric and/or oligomeric species and is independent of recruitment of the endogenous protein. Targeted expression of human α-synuclein was induced in the mouse medulla oblongata through an injection of viral vectors into the vagus nerve. Enhanced levels of intra-neuronal α-synuclein were sufficient to initiate its caudo-rostral diffusion that likely involved at least one synaptic transfer and progressively reached specific brain regions such as the locus coeruleus, dorsal raphae and amygdala in the pons, midbrain and forebrain. Transfer of human α-synuclein was compared in two separate lines of α-synuclein-deficient mice versus their respective wild-type controls and, interestingly, lack of endogenous α-synuclein expression did not counteract diffusion but actually resulted in a more pronounced and advanced propagation of exogenous α-synuclein. Self-interaction of adjacent molecules of human α-synuclein was detected in both wild-type and mutant mice. In the former, interaction of human α-synuclein with mouse α-synuclein was also observed and might have contributed to differences in protein transmission. In wild-type and α-synuclein-deficient mice, accumulation of human α-synuclein within recipient axons in the pons, midbrain and forebrain caused morphological evidence of neuritic pathology. Tissue sections from the medulla oblongata and pons were stained with different antibodies recognizing

Polymer-Layer Silicate Nanocomposites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Potarniche, Catalina-Gabriela

Nowadays, some of the material challenges arise from a performance point of view as well as from recycling and biodegradability. Concerning these aspects, the development of polymer layered silicate nanocomposites can provide possible solutions. This study investigates how to obtain polymer layered...... with a spectacular improvement up to 300 % in impact strength were obtained. In the second part of this study, layered silicate bio-nanomaterials were obtained starting from natural compounds and taking into consideration their biocompatibility properties. These new materials may be used for drug delivery systems...... and as biomaterials due to their high biocompatible properties, and because they have the advantage of being biodegradable. The intercalation process of natural compounds within silicate platelets was investigated. By uniform dispersing of binary nanohybrids in a collagen matrix, nanocomposites with intercalated...

LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS OF SILICATE MUD CONTAMINATION WITH CALCIUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nediljka Gaurina-Međimurec

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The silicate-based drilling fluid is a low solids KCl/polymer system with the addition of soluble sodium or potassium silicate to enhance inhibition and wellbore stability. Silicate-based drilling fluids exhibit remarkable shale and chalk stabilizing properties, resulting in gauge hole and the formation of firm cuttings when drilling reactive shales and soft chalks. Silicates protect shales by in-situ gellation when exposed to the neutral pore fluid and precipitation, which occurs on contact with divalent ions present at the surface of the shale. Also, silicates prevent the dispersion and washouts when drilling soft chalk by reacting with the Ca2+ ions present on chalk surfaces of cutting and wellbore to form a protective film. The silicate-based drilling fluid can be used during drilling hole section through shale interbeded anhydrite formations because of its superior shale stabilizing characteristics. However, drilling through the anhydrite can decrease the silicate concentration and change rheological and filtration fluid properties. So, the critical concentration of calcium ions should be investigated by lab tests. This paper details the mechanism of shale inhibition using silicate-based drilling fluid, and presents results of lab tests conducted to ascertain the effect of Ca2+ ions on silicate level in the fluid and the fluid properties.

21 CFR 582.2122 - Aluminum calcium silicate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Aluminum calcium silicate. 582.2122 Section 582.2122 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED....2122 Aluminum calcium silicate. (a) Product. Aluminum calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent. (c...

21 CFR 182.2122 - Aluminum calcium silicate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Aluminum calcium silicate. 182.2122 Section 182.2122 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED....2122 Aluminum calcium silicate. (a) Product. Aluminum calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent. (c...

Mechanism of sliding friction on a film-terminated fibrillar interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Lulin; Jagota, Anand; Hui, Chung-Yuen

2009-03-03

We study the mechanism of sliding friction on a film-terminated fibrillar interface. It has been shown that static friction increases significantly with increasing spacing between fibrils, and with increasing rate of loading. However, surprisingly, the sliding friction remains substantially unaffected both by geometry and by the rate of loading. The presence of the thin terminal film is a controlling factor in determining the sliding friction. Experimentally, and by a simple model in which the indenter is held up by the tension in the thin film, we show how the indenter maintains a nearly constant contact area that is independent of the fibril spacing, resulting in constant sliding friction. By this mechanism, using the film-terminated structure, one can enhance the static friction without affecting the sliding behavior.

Fibrillar Structure and Charge Determine the Interaction of Polyglutamine Protein Aggregates with the Cell Surface*

Science.gov (United States)

Trevino, R. Sean; Lauckner, Jane E.; Sourigues, Yannick; Pearce, Margaret M.; Bousset, Luc; Melki, Ronald; Kopito, Ron R.

2012-01-01

The pathogenesis of most neurodegenerative diseases, including transmissible diseases like prion encephalopathy, inherited disorders like Huntington disease, and sporadic diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, is intimately linked to the formation of fibrillar protein aggregates. It is becoming increasingly appreciated that prion-like intercellular transmission of protein aggregates can contribute to the stereotypical spread of disease pathology within the brain, but the mechanisms underlying the binding and uptake of protein aggregates by mammalian cells are largely uninvestigated. We have investigated the properties of polyglutamine (polyQ) aggregates that endow them with the ability to bind to mammalian cells in culture and the properties of the cell surface that facilitate such uptake. Binding and internalization of polyQ aggregates are common features of mammalian cells and depend upon both trypsin-sensitive and trypsin-resistant saturable sites on the cell surface, suggesting the involvement of cell surface proteins in this process. polyQ aggregate binding depends upon the presence of a fibrillar amyloid-like structure and does not depend upon electrostatic interaction of fibrils with the cell surface. Sequences in the huntingtin protein that flank the amyloid-forming polyQ tract also influence the extent to which aggregates are able to bind to cell surfaces. PMID:22753412

Antibacterial Activity of Silicate Bioceramics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HU Sheng; NING Congqin; ZHOU Yue; CHEN Lei; LIN Kaili; CHANG Jiang

2011-01-01

Four kinds of pure silicate ceramic particles, CaSiO3, Ca3SiO5, bredigite and akermanite were prepared and their bactericidal effects were systematically investigated. The phase compositions of these silicate ceramics were characterized by XRD. The ionic concentration meas urement revealed that the Calcium (Ca) ion concentration were relatively higher in Ca3SiO5 and bredigite, and much lower in CaSiO3 and akermanite. Accordingly, the pH values of the four silicate ceramics extracts showed a positive correlation with the particle concentrations. Meanwhile, by decreasing the particle size, higher Ca ion concentrations can be achieved, leading to the increase of aqueous pH value as well. In summary, all of the four silicate ceramics tested in our study showed antibacterial effect in a dose-dependent manner. Generally, the order of their antibacterial activity against E.coli from strong to weak is Ca3SiO5, bredigite, CaSiO3 and akermanite.

Amended Silicated for Mercury Control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James Butz; Thomas Broderick; Craig Turchi

2006-12-31

Amended Silicates{trademark}, a powdered, noncarbon mercury-control sorbent, was tested at Duke Energy's Miami Fort Station, Unit 6 during the first quarter of 2006. Unit 6 is a 175-MW boiler with a cold-side electrostatic precipitator (ESP). The plant burns run-of-the-river eastern bituminous coal with typical ash contents ranging from 8-15% and sulfur contents from 1.6-2.6% on an as-received basis. The performance of the Amended Silicates sorbent was compared with that for powdered activated carbon (PAC). The trial began with a period of baseline monitoring during which no sorbent was injected. Sampling during this and subsequent periods indicated mercury capture by the native fly ash was less than 10%. After the baseline period, Amended Silicates sorbent was injected at several different ratios, followed by a 30-day trial at a fixed injection ratio of 5-6 lb/MMACF. After this period, PAC was injected to provide a comparison. Approximately 40% mercury control was achieved for both the Amended Silicates sorbent and PAC at injection ratios of 5-6 lbs/MMACF. Higher injection ratios did not achieve significantly increased removal. Similar removal efficiencies have been reported for PAC injection trials at other plants with cold-side ESPs, most notably for plants using medium to high sulfur coal. Sorbent injection did not detrimentally impact plant operations and testing confirmed that the use of Amended Silicates sorbent does not degrade fly ash quality (unlike PAC). The cost for mercury control using either PAC or Amended Silicates sorbent was estimated to be equivalent if fly ash sales are not a consideration. However, if the plant did sell fly ash, the effective cost for mercury control could more than double if those sales were no longer possible, due to lost by-product sales and additional cost for waste disposal. Accordingly, the use of Amended Silicates sorbent could reduce the overall cost of mercury control by 50% or more versus PAC for locations where

Interstellar silicate analogs for grain-surface reaction experiments: Gas-phase condensation and characterization of the silicate dust grains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabri, T.; Jäger, C. [Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena Institute of Solid State Physics, Helmholtzweg 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Gavilan, L.; Lemaire, J. L.; Vidali, G. [Observatoire de Paris/Université de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 mail Gay Lussac, F-95000 Cergy-Pontoise (France); Mutschke, H. [Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Astrophysical Institute and University Observatory, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Schillergässchen 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Henning, T., E-mail: tolou.sabri@uni-jena.de [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

2014-01-10

Amorphous, astrophysically relevant silicates were prepared by laser ablation of siliceous targets and subsequent quenching of the evaporated atoms and clusters in a helium/oxygen gas atmosphere. The described gas-phase condensation method can be used to synthesize homogeneous and astrophysically relevant silicates with different compositions ranging from nonstoichiometric magnesium iron silicates to pyroxene- and olivine-type stoichiometry. Analytical tools have been used to characterize the morphology, composition, and spectral properties of the condensates. The nanometer-sized silicate condensates represent a new family of cosmic dust analogs that can generally be used for laboratory studies of cosmic processes related to condensation, processing, and destruction of cosmic dust in different astrophysical environments. The well-characterized silicates comprising amorphous Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and Fe{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, as well as the corresponding crystalline silicates forsterite and fayalite, produced by thermal annealing of the amorphous condensates, have been used as real grain surfaces for H{sub 2} formation experiments. A specifically developed ultra-high vacuum apparatus has been used for the investigation of molecule formation experiments. The results of these molecular formation experiments on differently structured Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and Fe{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} described in this paper will be the topic of the next paper of this series.

Effect of moisture and chitosan layered silicate on morphology and properties of chitosan/layered silicates films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, J.R.M.B. da; Santos, B.F.F. dos; Leite, I.F.

2014-01-01

Thin chitosan films have been for some time an object of practical assessments. However, to obtain biopolymers capable of competing with common polymers a significant improvement in their properties is required. Currently, the technology of obtaining polymer/layered silicates nanocomposites has proven to be a good alternative. This work aims to evaluate the effect of chitosan content (CS) and layered silicates (AN) on the morphology and properties of chitosan/ layered silicate films. CS/AN bionanocomposites were prepared by the intercalation by solution in the proportion 1:1 and 5:1. Then were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffraction (XRD) and X-ray thermogravimetry (TG). It is expected from the acquisition of films, based on different levels of chitosan and layered silicates, choose the best composition to serve as a matrix for packaging drugs and thus be used for future research. (author)

Intracellular Calreticulin Regulates Multiple Steps in Fibrillar Collagen Expression, Trafficking, and Processing into the Extracellular Matrix*

OpenAIRE

Van Duyn Graham, Lauren; Sweetwyne, Mariya T.; Pallero, Manuel A.; Murphy-Ullrich, Joanne E.

2009-01-01

Calreticulin (CRT), a chaperone and Ca2+ regulator, enhances wound healing, and its expression correlates with fibrosis in animal models, suggesting that CRT regulates production of the extracellular matrix. However, direct regulation of collagen matrix by CRT has not been previously demonstrated. We investigated the role of CRT in the regulation of fibrillar collagen expression, secretion, processing, and deposition in the extracellular matrix by fibroblasts. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts defi...

Adsorption of aqueous silicate on hematite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, P.; Ticknor, K.V.

1997-08-01

During radioisotope sorption studies, adsorption of silicate from synthetic groundwaters by synthetic hematite was observed. To further investigate this observation, the adsorption of silicate onto hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) powder from a neutral, aqueous NaC1 solution (0.1 mol/dm 3 ), containing 2.56 x 10 -4 mol/dm 3 of Si added as Na 2 SiO 3 ·9H 2 O, was measured at ∼21 deg C. Equilibrium adsorption of silicate amounted to ∼1.93 μmol/m 2 (one Si(O,OH) 4 moiety per 86 A 2 ). It is important to take this adsorption into account when evaluating the ability of iron oxides to adsorb other species, especially anions, from groundwaters. Silicate adsorption is known to diminish the ability of iron oxides to adsorb other anions. (author)

Silicates materials of high vacuum technology

CERN Document Server

Espe, Werner

2013-01-01

Materials of High Vacuum Technology, Volume 2: Silicates covers silicate insulators of special importance to vacuum technology. The book discusses the manufacture, composition, and physical and chemical properties of technical glasses, quartz glass, quartzware, vycor glass, ceramic materials, mica, and asbestos.

Fibril specific, conformation dependent antibodies recognize a generic epitope common to amyloid fibrils and fibrillar oligomers that is absent in prefibrillar oligomers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasool Suhail

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Amyloid-related degenerative diseases are associated with the accumulation of misfolded proteins as amyloid fibrils in tissue. In Alzheimer disease (AD, amyloid accumulates in several distinct types of insoluble plaque deposits, intracellular Aβ and as soluble oligomers and the relationships between these deposits and their pathological significance remains unclear. Conformation dependent antibodies have been reported that specifically recognize distinct assembly states of amyloids, including prefibrillar oligomers and fibrils. Results We immunized rabbits with a morphologically homogeneous population of Aβ42 fibrils. The resulting immune serum (OC specifically recognizes fibrils, but not random coil monomer or prefibrillar oligomers, indicating fibrils display a distinct conformation dependent epitope that is absent in prefibrillar oligomers. The fibril epitope is also displayed by fibrils of other types of amyloids, indicating that the epitope is a generic feature of the polypeptide backbone. The fibril specific antibody also recognizes 100,000 × G soluble fibrillar oligomers ranging in size from dimer to greater than 250 kDa on western blots. The fibrillar oligomers recognized by OC are immunologically distinct from prefibrillar oligomers recognized by A11, even though their sizes overlap broadly, indicating that size is not a reliable indicator of oligomer conformation. The immune response to prefibrillar oligomers and fibrils is not sequence specific and antisera of the same specificity are produced in response to immunization with islet amyloid polypeptide prefibrillar oligomer mimics and fibrils. The fibril specific antibodies stain all types of amyloid deposits in human AD brain. Diffuse amyloid deposits stain intensely with anti-fibril antibody although they are thioflavin S negative, suggesting that they are indeed fibrillar in conformation. OC also stains islet amyloid deposits in transgenic mouse models of type

Fibrillar polyaniline/diatomite composite synthesized by one-step in situ polymerization method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xingwei; Li Xiaoxuan; Wang Gengchao

2005-01-01

A fibrillar polyaniline/diatomite composite was prepared by one-step in situ polymerization of aniline in the dispersed system of diatomite, and was characterized via Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), UV-vis-NIR spectra, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as conductivity. Morphology of the composite is uniform nanofibers, which the diameters of nanofibers are about 50-80 nm. The conductivity of polyaniline/diatomite composite contained 28% polyaniline is 0.29 S cm -1 at 25 deg. C, and temperature of thermal degradation has reached 493 deg. C in air. The composite has potential commercial applications as fillers for electromagnetic shielding materials and conductive coatings

Location of silicic caldera formation in arc settings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hughes, Gwyneth R; Mahood, Gail A [Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, 450 Serra, Mall, Building 320, Stanford, CA 94305-2115 (United States)

2008-10-01

Silicic calderas are the surface expressions of silicic magma chambers, and thus their study may yield information about what tectonic and crustal features favor the generation of evolved magma. The goal of this study is to determine whether silicic calderas in arc settings are preferentially located behind the volcanic front. After a global analysis of young, arc-related calderas, we find that silicic calderas at continental margins do form over a wide area behind the front, as compared to other types of arc volcanoes.

Co-effects of matrix low elasticity and aligned topography on stem cell neurogenic differentiation and rapid neurite outgrowth

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Shenglian; Liu, Xi; Yu, Shukui; Wang, Xiumei; Zhang, Shuming; Wu, Qiong; Sun, Xiaodan; Mao, Haiquan

2016-05-01

The development of novel biomaterials that deliver precise regulatory signals to direct stem cell fate for nerve regeneration is the focus of current intensive research efforts. In this study, a hierarchically aligned fibrillar fibrin hydrogel (AFG) that was fabricated through electrospinning and the concurrent molecular self-assembly process mimics both the soft and oriented features of nerve tissue, thus providing hybrid biophysical cues to instruct cell behavior in vitro and in vivo. The electrospun hydrogels were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarized light microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering assay and atomic force microscopy (AFM), showing a hierarchically linear-ordered structure from the nanoscale to the macroscale with a soft elastic character (elasticity ~1 kPa). We found that this low elasticity and aligned topography of AFG exhibit co-effects on promoting the neurogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUMSCs) in comparison to random fibrin hydrogel (RFG) and tissue culture plate (TCP) control after two week cell culture in growth medium lacking supplementation with soluble neurogenic induction factors. In addition, AFG also induces dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons to rapidly project numerous long neurite outgrowths longitudinally along the AFG fibers for a total neurite extension distance of 1.96 mm in three days in the absence of neurotrophic factor supplementation. Moreover, the AFG implanted in a rat T9 dorsal hemisection spinal cord injury model was found to promote endogenous neural cell fast migration and axonal invasion along AFG fibers, resulting in aligned tissue cables in vivo. Our results suggest that matrix stiffness and aligned topography may instruct stem cell neurogenic differentiation and rapid neurite outgrowth, providing great promise for biomaterial design for applications in nerve regeneration.The development of novel biomaterials that deliver precise regulatory signals to

On crystallochemistry of uranil silicates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidorenko, G.A.; Moroz, I.Kh.; Zhil'tsova, I.G.

1975-01-01

A crystallochemical analysis has been made of uranil silicates. It is shown that on crystallochemical grounds it is justified to distinguish among them uranophane-kasolite, soddyite and viksite groups differing in the uranil-anion [SiO 4 ] -4 ratio and, as a consequence, in their crystallochemical structures. Widespread silicates of the uranophane-kasolite group is the formation of polytype modifications where, depending on the interlaminar cation, crystalline structures are formed with various packing of single-type uranil-anion layers. It has been shown experimentally that silicates of the uranophanekasolite group contain no oxonium ion in their crystalline structures. Minerals of the viksite group belong to a group of isostructural (homeotypic) laminated formation apt to form phases of different degrees of hydration. Phases with a smaller interlaminar cation form hydrates with a greater number of water molecules in the formulas unit

Conformational targeting of fibrillar polyglutamine proteins in live cells escalates aggregation and cytotoxicity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erik Kvam

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Misfolding- and aggregation-prone proteins underlying Parkinson's, Huntington's and Machado-Joseph diseases, namely alpha-synuclein, huntingtin, and ataxin-3 respectively, adopt numerous intracellular conformations during pathogenesis, including globular intermediates and insoluble amyloid-like fibrils. Such conformational diversity has complicated research into amyloid-associated intracellular dysfunction and neurodegeneration. To this end, recombinant single-chain Fv antibodies (scFvs are compelling molecular tools that can be selected against specific protein conformations, and expressed inside cells as intrabodies, for investigative and therapeutic purposes.Using atomic force microscopy (AFM and live-cell fluorescence microscopy, we report that a human scFv selected against the fibrillar form of alpha-synuclein targets isomorphic conformations of misfolded polyglutamine proteins. When expressed in the cytoplasm of striatal cells, this conformation-specific intrabody co-localizes with intracellular aggregates of misfolded ataxin-3 and a pathological fragment of huntingtin, and enhances the aggregation propensity of both disease-linked polyglutamine proteins. Using this intrabody as a tool for modulating the kinetics of amyloidogenesis, we show that escalating aggregate formation of a pathologic huntingtin fragment is not cytoprotective in striatal cells, but rather heightens oxidative stress and cell death as detected by flow cytometry. Instead, cellular protection is achieved by suppressing aggregation using a previously described intrabody that binds to the amyloidogenic N-terminus of huntingtin. Analogous cytotoxic results are observed following conformational targeting of normal or polyglutamine-expanded human ataxin-3, which partially aggregate through non-polyglutamine domains.These findings validate that the rate of aggregation modulates polyglutamine-mediated intracellular dysfunction, and caution that molecules designed to

Effect of silicate module of water glass on rheological parameters of poly(sodium acrylate)/sodium silicate hydrogels

Science.gov (United States)

Mastalska-Popiawska, J.; Izak, P.

2017-01-01

The poly(sodium acrylate)/sodium silicate hydrogels were synthesized in the presence of sodium thiosulphate and potassium persulphate as the redox initiators and N,N’-methylene-bisacrylamide as the cross-linking monomer. 20 wt% aqueous solution of sodium acrylate was polymerized together with water glass with different silicate modules (M) from 1.74 to 2.29, in three mass ratio of the monomer solution to the water glass 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2. Such obtained hybrid composites were rheologically tested using the oscillation method. It allowed to designate the crossover point during polymerization, as well as to define the viscoelastic properties of the casted hydrogel samples one week after the reaction. The obtained results of the oscillation measurements showed that cross-linking reaction proceeds very quickly and the lower the silicate module is, the process starts faster. After the completion of the reaction the silicate-polymer hydrogels are strongly elastic materials and the highest elasticity characterizes systems with the mass ratio 1:2, i.e. with the highest water glass content.

40 CFR 721.9513 - Modified magnesium silicate polymer (generic).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Modified magnesium silicate polymer... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9513 Modified magnesium silicate polymer (generic). (a) Chemical... as modified magnesium silicate polymer (PMN P-98-604) is subject to reporting under this section for...

Lattice thermal conductivity of silicate glasses at high pressures

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Y. Y.; Hsieh, W. P.

2016-12-01

Knowledge of the thermodynamic and transport properties of magma holds the key to understanding the thermal evolution and chemical differentiation of Earth. The discovery of the remnant of a deep magma ocean above the core mantle boundary (CMB) from seismic observations suggest that the CMB heat flux would strongly depend on the thermal conductivity, including lattice (klat) and radiative (krad) components, of dense silicate melts and major constituent minerals around the region. Recent measurements on the krad of dense silicate glasses and lower-mantle minerals show that krad of dense silicate glasses could be significantly smaller than krad of the surrounding solid mantle phases, and therefore the dense silicate melts would act as a thermal insulator in deep lower mantle. This conclusion, however, remains uncertain due to the lack of direct measurements on the lattice thermal conductivity of silicate melts under relevant pressure-temperature conditions. Besides the CMB, magmas exist in different circumstances beneath the surface of the Earth. Chemical compositions of silicate melts vary with geological and geodynamic settings of the melts and have strong influences on their thermal properties. In order to have a better view of heat transport within the Earth, it is important to study compositional and pressure dependences of thermal properties of silicate melts. Here we report experimental results on lattice thermal conductivities of silicate glasses with basaltic and rhyolitic compositions up to Earth's lower mantle pressures using time-domain thermoreflectance coupled with diamond-anvil cell techniques. This study not only provides new data for the thermal conductivity of silicate melts in the Earth's deep interior, but is crucial for further understanding of the evolution of Earth's complex internal structure.

One-step derivation of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells on a fibrillar collagen coating.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongxing Liu

Full Text Available Controlled differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs into cells that resemble adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs is an attractive approach to obtain a readily available source of progenitor cells for tissue engineering. The present study reports a new method to rapidly derive MSC-like cells from hESCs and hiPSCs, in one step, based on culturing the cells on thin, fibrillar, type I collagen coatings that mimic the structure of physiological collagen. Human H9 ESCs and HDFa-YK26 iPSCs were singly dissociated in the presence of ROCK inhibitor Y-27632, plated onto fibrillar collagen coated plates and cultured in alpha minimum essential medium (alpha-MEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 50 uM magnesium L-ascorbic acid phosphate and 100 nM dexamethasone. While fewer cells attached on the collagen surface initially than standard tissue culture plastic, after culturing for 10 days, resilient colonies of homogenous spindle-shaped cells were obtained. Flow cytometric analysis showed that a high percentage of the derived cells expressed typical MSC surface markers including CD73, CD90, CD105, CD146 and CD166 and were negative as expected for hematopoietic markers CD34 and CD45. The MSC-like cells derived from pluripotent cells were successfully differentiated in vitro into three different lineages: osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic. Both H9 hES and YK26 iPS cells displayed similar morphological changes during the derivation process and yielded MSC-like cells with similar properties. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that bioimimetic, fibrillar, type I collagen coatings applied to cell culture plates can be used to guide a rapid, efficient derivation of MSC-like cells from both human ES and iPS cells.

High Pressure/Temperature Metal Silicate Partitioning of Tungsten

Science.gov (United States)

Shofner, G. A.; Danielson, L.; Righter, K.; Campbell, A. J.

2010-01-01

The behavior of chemical elements during metal/silicate segregation and their resulting distribution in Earth's mantle and core provide insight into core formation processes. Experimental determination of partition coefficients allows calculations of element distributions that can be compared to accepted values of element abundances in the silicate (mantle) and metallic (core) portions of the Earth. Tungsten (W) is a moderately siderophile element and thus preferentially partitions into metal versus silicate under many planetary conditions. The partitioning behavior has been shown to vary with temperature, silicate composition, oxygen fugacity, and pressure. Most of the previous work on W partitioning has been conducted at 1-bar conditions or at relatively low pressures, i.e. pressure. Predictions based on extrapolation of existing data and parameterizations suggest an increased pressured dependence on metal/ silicate partitioning of W at higher pressures 5. However, the dependence on pressure is not as well constrained as T, fO2, and silicate composition. This poses a problem because proposed equilibration pressures for core formation range from 27 to 50 GPa, falling well outside the experimental range, therefore requiring exptrapolation of a parametereized model. Higher pressure data are needed to improve our understanding of W partitioning at these more extreme conditions.

Suppressive effects of a polymer sodium silicate solution on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sodium silicate was dissolved in water in either a monomer form or polymer form; the effects of both forms of sodium silicate aqueous solution on rose powdery mildew and root rot diseases of miniature rose were examined. Both forms of sodium silicate aqueous solution were applied to the roots of the miniature rose.

Spectral properties of porphyrins in the systems with layered silicates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceklovsky, A.

2009-03-01

This work is focused on investigation of hybrid materials based on layered silicates, representing host inorganic component, and porphyrin dyes as organic guest. Aqueous colloidal dispersions, as well as thin solid films of layered silicate/porphyrin systems were studied. Modification of photophysical properties, such as absorption and fluorescence of molecules, adsorbed or incorporated in layered silicate hosts, were studied mainly to spread the knowledge about the environments suitable for incorporating aromatic compounds, providing photoactive properties of potential technological interest. TMPyP cations interact with the surfaces of layered silicates via electrostatic interactions. The extent of dye adsorption on colloidal particles of the silicates is influenced by the CEC values and swelling ability of silicates. Interaction of porphyrins with layered silicate hosts leads to significant changes of dye spectral properties. One of the key parameters that has a crucial impact on this interaction is the layer charge of silicate template. Other factors influence the resulting spectral properties of hybrid systems, such as the method of hybrid material preparation, the material's type (colloid, film), and the modification of the silicate host. Molecular orientation studies using linearly-polarized spectroscopies in VIS and IR regions revealed that TMPyP molecules were oriented in almost parallel fashion with respect to the silicate surface plane. Slightly higher values of the orientation angle of TMPyP transition moment were observed for the TMPyP/FHT system. Thus, flattening of the guest TMPyP molecules is the next important factor (mainly in the systems with lower layer charge), influencing its spectral properties upon the interaction with layered silicates. Fluorescence was effectively quenched in the systems based on solid films prepared from the high concentration of the dye (10-3 mol.dm-3). The quenching is most probably related to the structure of the

The kinetic fragility of natural silicate melts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giordano, Daniele; Dingwell, Donald B

2003-01-01

Newtonian viscosities of 19 multicomponent natural and synthetic silicate liquids, with variable contents of SiO 2 (41-79 wt%), Al 2 O 3 (10-19 wt%), TiO 2 (0-3 wt%), FeO tot (0-11 wt%); alkali oxides (5-17 wt%), alkaline-earth oxides (0-35 wt%), and minor oxides, obtained at ambient pressure using the high-temperature concentric cylinder, the low-temperature micropenetration, and the parallel plates techniques, have been analysed. For each silicate liquid, regression of the experimentally determined viscosities using the well known Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) equation allowed the viscosity of all these silicates to be accurately described. The results of these fits, which provide the basis for the subsequent analysis here, permit qualitative and quantitative correlations to be made between the VFT adjustable parameters (A VFT , B VFT , and T 0 ). The values of B VFT and T 0 , calibrated via the VFT equation, are highly correlated. Kinetic fragility appears to be correlated with the number of non-bridging oxygens per tetrahedrally coordinated cation (NBO/T). This is taken to infer that melt polymerization controls melt fragility in liquid silicates. Thus NBO/T might form an useful ingredient of a structure-based model of non-Arrhenian viscosity in multicomponent silicate melts

Synthesis of non-siliceous mesoporous oxides.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Dong; Schüth, Ferdi

2014-01-07

Mesoporous non-siliceous oxides have attracted great interest due to their unique properties and potential applications. Since the discovery of mesoporous silicates in 1990s, organic-inorganic assembly processes by using surfactants or block copolymers as soft templates have been considered as a feasible path for creating mesopores in metal oxides. However, the harsh sol-gel conditions and low thermal stabilities have limited the expansion of this method to various metal oxide species. Nanocasting, using ordered mesoporous silica or carbon as a hard template, has provided possibilities for preparing novel mesoporous materials with new structures, compositions and high thermal stabilities. This review concerns the synthesis, composition, and parameter control of mesoporous non-siliceous oxides. Four synthesis routes, i.e. soft-templating (surfactants or block copolymers as templates), hard-templating (mesoporous silicas or carbons as sacrificial templates), colloidal crystal templating (3-D ordered colloidal particles as a template), and super lattice routes, are summarized in this review. Mesoporous metal oxides with different compositions have different properties. Non-siliceous mesoporous oxides are comprehensively described, including a discussion of constituting elements, synthesis, and structures. General aspects concerning pore size control, atomic scale crystallinity, and phase control are also reviewed.

Collagen metabolism and basement membrane formation in cultures of mouse mammary epithelial cells: Induction of assembly on fibrillar type I collagen substrata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

David, G.; van der Schueren, B.; van den Berghe, H.; Nusgens, B.; Van Cauwenberge, D.; Lapiere, C.

1987-01-01

Collagen metabolism was compared in cultures of mouse mammary epithelial cells maintained on plastic or fibrillar type I collagen gel substrata. The accumulation of dialysable and non-dialysable [ 3 H]hydroxyproline and the identification of the collagens produced suggest no difference between substrata in the allover rates of collagen synthesis and degradation. The proportion of the [ 3 H]collagen which accumulates in the monolayers of cultures on collagen, however, markedly exceeds that of cultures on plastic. Cultures on collagen deposit a sheet-like layer of extracellular matrix materials on the surface of the collagen fibers. Transformed cells on collagen produce and accumulate more [ 3 H]collage, yet are less effective in basement membrane formation than normal cells, indicting that the accumulation of collagen alone and the effect of interstitial collagen thereupon do not suffice. Thus, exogenous fibrillar collagen appears to enhance, but is not sufficient for proper assembly of collagenous basement membrane components near the basal epithelial cell surface

Comparison of silicon nanoparticles and silicate treatments in fenugreek.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazaralian, Sanam; Majd, Ahmad; Irian, Saeed; Najafi, Farzaneh; Ghahremaninejad, Farrokh; Landberg, Tommy; Greger, Maria

2017-06-01

Silicon (Si) fertilization improves crop cultivation and is commonly added in the form of soluble silicates. However, most natural plant-available Si originates from plant formed amorphous SiO 2 particles, phytoliths, similar to SiO 2 -nanoparticles (SiNP). In this work we, therefore, compared the effect by sodium silicate and that of SiNP on Si accumulation, activity of antioxidative stress enzymes catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, lignification of xylem cell walls and activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) as well as expression of genes for the putative silicon transporter (PST), defensive (Tfgd 1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and protein in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) grown in hydroponics. The results showed that Si was taken up from both silicate and SiNP treatments and increasing sodium silicate addition increased the translocation of Si to the shoot, while this was not shown with increasing SiNP addition. The silicon transporter PST was upregulated at a greater level when sodium silicate was added compared with SiNP addition. There were no differences in effects between sodium silicate and SiNP treatments on the other parameters measured. Both treatments increased the uptake and accumulation of Si, xylem cell wall lignification, cell wall thickness, PAL activity and protein concentration in seedlings, while there was no effect on antioxidative enzyme activity. Tfgd 1 expression was strongly downregulated in leaves at Si addition. The similarity in effects by silicate and SiNP would be due to that SiNP releases silicate, which may be taken up, shown by a decrease in SiNP particle size with time in the medium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Silicate enamel for alloyed steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ket'ko, K.K.

1976-01-01

The use of silicate enamels in the metallurgical industry is discussed. Presented are the composition and the physico-chemical properties of the silicate enamel developed at the factory 'Krasnyj Oktyabr'. This enamel can be used in the working conditions both in the liquid and the solid state. In so doing the enamel is melted at 1250 to 1300 deg C, granulated and then reduced to a fraction of 0.3 to 0.5 mm. The greatest homogeneity is afforded by a granulated enamel. The trials have shown that the conversion of the test ingots melted under a layer of enamel leads to the smaller number of the ingots rejected for surface defect reasons and the lower metal consumption for slab cleaning. The cost of the silicate enamel is somewhat higher than that of synthetic slags but its application to the melting of stainless steels is still economically beneficial and technologically reasonable. Preliminary calculations only for steel EhI4IEh have revealed that the use of this enamel saves annually over 360000 roubles [ru

Effect of rate on adhesion and static friction of a film-terminated fibrillar interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Vajpayee, Shilpi; Long, Rong; Shen, Lulin; Jagota, Anand; Hui, Chung-Yuen

2009-03-03

A film-terminated fibrillar interface has been shown to result in significant enhancement of adhesion and static friction compared to a flat control. This enhancement increases with interfibril spacing. In this, the first of a two-part study, by studying the effect of rate on adhesion and static friction, we show that both adhesion and static friction enhancement are due to a crack-trapping mechanism. For adhesion, as measured by an indentation experiment, an analytical model is used to relate the applied indenter displacement rate and measured forces to contact line velocity and energy release rate, respectively. The two mechanisms for adhesion enhancement--varying rate and crack-trapping--are found to be coupled multiplicatively.

Heterogeneous nucleation of protein crystals on fluorinated layered silicate.

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Keita Ino

Full Text Available Here, we describe an improved system for protein crystallization based on heterogeneous nucleation using fluorinated layered silicate. In addition, we also investigated the mechanism of nucleation on the silicate surface. Crystallization of lysozyme using silicates with different chemical compositions indicated that fluorosilicates promoted nucleation whereas the silicates without fluorine did not. The use of synthesized saponites for lysozyme crystallization confirmed that the substitution of hydroxyl groups contained in the lamellae structure for fluorine atoms is responsible for the nucleation-inducing property of the nucleant. Crystallization of twelve proteins with a wide range of pI values revealed that the nucleation promoting effect of the saponites tended to increase with increased substitution rate. Furthermore, the saponite with the highest fluorine content promoted nucleation in all the test proteins regardless of their overall net charge. Adsorption experiments of proteins on the saponites confirmed that the density of adsorbed molecules increased according to the substitution rate, thereby explaining the heterogeneous nucleation on the silicate surface.

Wind-eroded silicate as a source of hydrogen peroxide on Mars

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, Ebbe Norskov; Merrison, Jonathan P.; Jensen, Svend Knak

-sists of silicates [4] that due to wind erosion has a very fine grained texture. Based on the composition of the surface material and investigations showing that crushing of silicates can give rise to reactive oxygen species [5], we hypothesized that wind erosion of silicates can explain the reactivity of Martian...... soil. Wind-erosion of silicate could thus be one of several causes of the soil’s reactivity. As our experiments show, the globally distributed wind eroded silicate dust can lead to the production of hydrogen peroxide which might explain the reactivity of the Martian soil. The reactivity of eroded...

Ultrastructural changes in nucleoli and fibrillar centers under the effect of local ultraviolet microbeam irradiation of interphase culture cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zatsepina, O.V.; Voronkova, L.N.; Sakharov, V.N.; Chentsov, Y.S.

1989-01-01

As shown previously, ultraviolet (uv) microbeam irradiation of one of the two mature nucleoli within an interphase cell nucleus causes significant diminution and inactivation of the irradiated nucleolus and compensatory growth and activation of the nonirradiated one. In the present work we describe the results of an ultrastructural study of this phenomenon. The changes in the nucleoli were examined by means of complete series of ultrathin sections obtained from seven irradiated pig kidney cells. The compensatory hypertrophy of the nonirradiated nucleoli is shown to be accompanied by a nearly twofold increase in the number of fibrillar centers (FCs) and by a decrease in their linear dimensions compared with the control cells of the same ploidy. In the degraded nucleoli the number of FCs decreases, but their dimensions increase. Ultraviolet microbeam irradiation causes dramatic diminution of the dense fibrillar component within the irradiated nucleoli as well. The nucleolar capacity for compensatory hypertrophy indicates that in addition to active ribosomal genes, mature nucleoli also contain silent genes capable of being activated under extreme conditions to sustain the required level of rRNA synthesis. It is assumed that activation of latent ribosomal genes is accompanied by FC fragmentation without a considerable increase in their total volume per cell

PETROLOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF CALC-SILICATE SCHISTS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DR OKONKOWO

2012-02-29

silicate reaction bands have higher contents of CaO and Sr and lower concentrations of K2O, Rb, Ni, and Ba relative to the calc-silicate schists; and relatively higher SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, K2O and P2O5 and lower ...

The application of silicon and silicates in dentistry: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lührs, A-K; Geurtsen, Werner

2009-01-01

Silicates and silicate-based compounds are frequently used materials in dentistry. One of their major applications is their use as fillers in different dental filling materials such as glass-ionomer cements, compomers, composites, and adhesive systems. In these materials, the fillers react with acids during the setting process or they improve the mechanical properties by increasing physical resistance, thermal expansion coefficient and radiopacity in acrylic filling materials. They also reduce polymerization shrinkage, and increase esthetics as well as handling properties. Furthermore, silicates are used for the tribochemical silication of different surfaces such as ceramics or alloys. The silicate layer formed in this process is the chemical basis for silanes that form a bond between this layer and the organic composite matrix. It also provides a micromechanical bond between the surface of the material and the composite matrix. Silicates are also a component of dental ceramics, which are frequently used in dentistry, for instance for veneers, inlays, and onlays, for denture teeth, and for full-ceramic crowns or as crown veneering materials.

Surface charges and Np(V) sorption on amorphous Al- and Fe- silicates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Nero, M.; Assada, A.; Barillon, R.; Duplatre, G.; Made, B.

2005-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Sorption onto Si-rich alteration layers of crystalline minerals and nuclear glasses, and onto amorphous secondary silicates of rocks and soils, are expected to retard the migration of actinides in the near- and far-field of HLW repositories. We present experimental and modeling studies on the effects of silicate structure and bulk chemistry, and of solution chemistry, on charges and adsorption of neptunyl ions at surfaces of synthetic, amorphous or poorly ordered silica, Al-silicates and Fe-silicates. The Al-silicates display similar pH-dependent surface charges characterized by predominant Si-O - Si sites, and similar surface affinities for neptunyl ions, irrespective to their Si/Al molar ratio (varying from 10 to 4.3). Such experimental features are explained by incorporation of Al atoms in tetrahedral position in the silicate lattice, leading to only trace amounts of high-affinity Al-OH surface groups due to octahedral Al. By contrast, the structure of the Fe-silicates ensures the occurrence of high-affinity Fe-OH surface groups, whose concentration is shown by proton adsorption measurements to increase with decreasing of the silicate Si/Fe molar ratio (from 10 to 2.3). Nevertheless, experimental data of the adsorption of neptunyl and electrolyte ions show unexpectedly weak effect of the Si/Fe ratio, and suggest predominant Si-OH surface groups. A possible explanation is that aqueous silicate anions, released by dissolution, adsorb at OH Fe - surface groups and / or precipitate as silica gel coatings, because experimental solutions were found at near-equilibrium with respect to amorphous silica. Therefore, the environmental sorption of Np(V) onto Si-rich, amorphous or poorly ordered Al-silicates may primarily depend on pH and silicate specific surface areas, given the low overall chemical affinity of such phases for dissolved metals. By contrast, the sorption of Np(V) on natural, amorphous or poorly ordered Fe-silicates may be a

Properties of Tricalcium Silicate Sealers.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, Issam; Naaman, Alfred; Camilleri, Josette

2016-10-01

Sealers based on tricalcium silicate cement aim at an interaction of the sealer with the root canal wall, alkalinity with potential antimicrobial activity, and the ability to set in a wet field. The aim of this study was to characterize and investigate the properties of a new tricalcium silicate-based sealer and verify its compliance to ISO 6876 (2012). A new tricalcium silicate-based sealer (Bio MM; St Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon), BioRoot RCS (Septodont, St Maure de Fosses, France), and AH Plus (Dentsply, DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany) were investigated. Characterization using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis was performed. Furthermore, sealer setting time, flow, film thickness, and radiopacity were performed following ISO specifications. pH and ion leaching in solution were assessed by pH analysis and inductively coupled plasma. Bio MM and BioRoot RCS were both composed of tricalcium silicate and tantalum oxide in Bio MM and zirconium oxide in BioRoot RCS. In addition, the Bio MM contained calcium carbonate and a phosphate phase. The inorganic components of AH Plus were calcium tungstate and zirconium oxide. AH Plus complied with the ISO norms for both flow and film thickness. BioRoot RCS and Bio MM exhibited a lower flow and a higher film thickness than that specified for sealer cements in ISO 6876. All test sealers exhibited adequate radiopacity. Bio MM interacted with physiologic solution, thus showing potential for bioactivity. Sealer properties were acceptable and comparable with other sealers available clinically. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Silicic magma generation at Askja volcano, Iceland

Science.gov (United States)

Sigmarsson, O.

2009-04-01

Rate of magma differentiation is an important parameter for hazard assessment at active volcanoes. However, estimates of these rates depend on proper understanding of the underlying magmatic processes and magma generation. Differences in isotope ratios of O, Th and B between silicic and in contemporaneous basaltic magmas have been used to emphasize their origin by partial melting of hydrothermally altered metabasaltic crust in the rift-zones favoured by a strong geothermal gradient. An alternative model for the origin of silicic magmas in the Iceland has been proposed based on U-series results. Young mantle-derived mafic protolith is thought to be metasomatized and partially melted to form the silicic end-member. However, this model underestimates the compositional variations of the hydrothermally-altered basaltic crust. New data on U-Th disequilibria and O-isotopes in basalts and dacites from Askja volcano reveal a strong correlation between (230Th/232Th) and delta 18O. The 1875 AD dacite has the lowest Th- and O isotope ratios (0.94 and -0.24 per mille, respectively) whereas tephra of evolved basaltic composition, erupted 2 months earlier, has significantly higher values (1.03 and 2.8 per mille, respectively). Highest values are observed in the most recent basalts (erupted in 1920 and 1961) inside the Askja caldera complex and out on the associated fissure swarm (Sveinagja basalt). This correlation also holds for older magma such as an early Holocene dacites, which eruption may have been provoked by rapid glacier thinning. Silicic magmas at Askja volcano thus bear geochemical signatures that are best explained by partial melting of extensively hydrothermally altered crust and that the silicic magma source has remained constant during the Holocene at least. Once these silicic magmas are formed they appear to erupt rapidly rather than mixing and mingling with the incoming basalt heat-source that explains lack of icelandites and the bi-modal volcanism at Askja

COMPARISON OF SOL-GEL SILICATE COATINGS ON Ti SUBSTRATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DIANA HORKAVCOVÁ

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of the submitted work was to prepare and to characterize two types of silicate coatings prepared by the sol-gel method using the dip-coating technique on a titanium substrate. Efforts have been made to use mechanical properties of bio-inert titanium and bioactive properties of a silicate layer enriched with an admixture of compounds identified below. The first group consisted of silicate coatings containing silver, brushite and monetite. The other group of silicate coatings contained calcium nitrate and triethyl phosphate. Mechanically and chemically treated titanium substrates were dipped into sols and dried and fired. Silicate coatings from the first group were also chemically treated in 10 mol.l-1 solution of sodium hydroxide. All coatings were measured to determine their adhesive and bioactive properties and furthermore the antibacterial properties were tested in the case of first group. Surfaces of the coated substrates were investigated after the firing and after the individual tests with optical and electron microscopy and X-ray microdiffraction. A tape test demonstrated excellent adhesive property of all coatings to the substrate, classified with degree 5. A static in vitro test demonstrated bioactivity of nearly all the coatings. The basic silicate coating from the first group and one type of coating from the second group were identified as inert. Antibacterial properties of silicate coatings containing silver showed to be different when tested against Escherichia coli bacteria. A complete inhibition of the growth of bacteria under our experimental conditions was observed for the coating containing silver and monetite and a partial inhibition of the growth of bacteria for coatings containing silver and silver in combination with brushite.

Enhancement of C/C-LAS joint using aligned carbon nanotubes prepared by injection chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Feng-Ling; Fu, Qian-Gang, E-mail: fuqiangang@nwpu.edu.cn; Feng, Lei; Shen, Qing-Liang

2016-01-05

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enhanced carbon/carbon-lithium aluminum silicate (C/C-LAS) joint was prepared by a three-step technique of pack cementation, injection chemical vapor deposition (ICVD) and hot-pressing. A layer of aligned CNTs was grown on the surface of SiC coated C/C composites by ICVD method, and the joint was obtained by hot-pressing with magnesium aluminum silicate (MAS) as the interlayer. SEM observation reveals that the introduced CNTs result in the formation of a dense and crack-free CNT/MAS nanocomposite interface between SiC and MAS. Compared with the joints without CNTs, the average shear strength of the joints reinforced by CNTs was improved by 48% accompanied by an obvious change in failure mode from brittle fracture without CNTs to plastic fracture with CNTs. The pulling-out and bridging of CNTs on the fracture surfaces had a positive effect on the strength enhancement of the C/C-LAS joint.

Conversion of rice hull ash into soluble sodium silicate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edson Luiz Foletto

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Sodium silicate is used as raw material for several purposes: silica gel production, preparation of catalysts, inks, load for medicines, concrete hardening accelerator, component of detergents and soaps, refractory constituent and deflocculant in clay slurries. In this work sodium silicate was produced by reacting rice hull ash (RHA and aqueous sodium hydroxide, in open and closed reaction systems. The studied process variables were time, temperature of reaction and composition of the reaction mixture (expressed in terms of molar ratios NaOH/SiO2 and H2O/SiO2. About 90% silica conversion contained in the RHA into sodium silicate was achieved in closed system at 200 °C. The results showed that sodium silicate production from RHA can generate aggregate value to this residue.

Alignment of human cardiomyocytes on laser patterned biphasic core/shell nanowire assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiefer, Karin; Haidar, Ayman; Abdul-Khaliq, Hashim; Lee, Juseok; Martinez Miró, Marina; Kaan Akkan, Cagri; Cenk Aktas, Oral; Veith, Michael

2014-01-01

The management of end stage heart failure patients is only possible by heart transplantation or by the implantation of artificial hearts as a bridge for later transplantation. However, these therapeutic strategies are limited by a lack of donor hearts and by the associated complications, such as coagulation and infection, due to the used artificial mechanical circulatory assist devices. Therefore, new strategies for myocardial regenerative approaches are under extensive research to produce contractile myocardial tissue in the future to replace non-contractile myocardial ischemic and scarred tissue. Different approaches, such as cell transplantation, have been studied intensively. Although successful approaches have been observed, there are still limitations to the application. It is envisaged that myocardial tissue engineering can be used to help replace infarcted non-contractile tissue. The developed tissue should later mimic the aligned fibrillar structure of the extracellular matrix and provide important guidance cues for the survival, function and the needed orientation of cardiomyocytes. Nanostructured surfaces have been tested to provide a guided direction that cells can follow. In the present study, the cellular adhesion/alignment of human cardiomyocytes and the biocompatibility have been investigated after cultivation on different laser-patterned nanowires compared with unmodified nanowires. As a result, the nanostructured surfaces possessed good biocompatibility before and after laser modification. The laser-induced scalability of the pattern enabled the growth and orientation of the adhered myocardial tissue. Such approaches may be used to modify the surface of potential scaffolds to develop myocardial contractile tissue in the future. (paper)

Structures and lithofacies of inferred silicic conduits in the Paraná-Etendeka LIP, southernmost Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Simões, M. S.; Lima, E. F.; Sommer, C. A.; Rossetti, L. M. M.

2018-04-01

Extensive silicic units in the Paraná-Etendeka LIP have been long interpreted as pyroclastic density currents (rheomorphic ignimbrites) derived from the Messum Complex in Namibia. In recent literature, however, they have been characterized as effusive lava flows and domes. In this paper we describe structures and lithofacies related to postulated silicic lava feeder conduits at Mato Perso, São Marcos and Jaquirana-Cambará do Sul areas in southern Brazil. Inferred conduits are at least 15-25 m in width and the lithofacies include variably vesicular monomictic welded and non-welded breccias in the margins to poorly vesicular, banded, spherulitic and microfractured vitrophyres in the central parts. Flat-lying coherent vitrophyres and massive obsidian are considered to be the subaerial equivalents of the conduits. Large-scale, regional tectonic structures in southern Brazil include the NE-SW aligned Porto Alegre Suture, Leão and Açotea faults besides the Antas Lineament, a curved tectonic feature accompanying the bed of Antas river. South of the Antas Lineament smaller-scale, NW-SE lineaments limit the exposure areas of the inferred conduits. NE-SW and subordinate NW-SE structures within this smaller-scale lineaments are represented by the main postulated conduit outcrops and are parallel to the dominant sub-vertical banding in the widespread banded vitrophyre lithofacies. Upper lava flows display flat-lying foliation, pipe-like and spherical vesicles and have better developed microlites. Petrographic characteristics of the silicic vitrophyres indicate that crystal-poor magmas underwent distinct cooling paths for each inferred conduit area. The vitrophyre chemical composition is defined by the evolution of trachydacitic/dacitic vitrophyres with 62-65 wt% SiO2 to rhyodacite and rhyolite with 66-68 wt% SiO2. The more evolved rocks are assigned to the latest intrusive grey vitrophyre outcropping in the center of the conduits. Degassing pathways formed during

Co-effects of matrix low elasticity and aligned topography on stem cell neurogenic differentiation and rapid neurite outgrowth.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Shenglian; Liu, Xi; Yu, Shukui; Wang, Xiumei; Zhang, Shuming; Wu, Qiong; Sun, Xiaodan; Mao, Haiquan

2016-05-21

The development of novel biomaterials that deliver precise regulatory signals to direct stem cell fate for nerve regeneration is the focus of current intensive research efforts. In this study, a hierarchically aligned fibrillar fibrin hydrogel (AFG) that was fabricated through electrospinning and the concurrent molecular self-assembly process mimics both the soft and oriented features of nerve tissue, thus providing hybrid biophysical cues to instruct cell behavior in vitro and in vivo. The electrospun hydrogels were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarized light microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering assay and atomic force microscopy (AFM), showing a hierarchically linear-ordered structure from the nanoscale to the macroscale with a soft elastic character (elasticity ∼1 kPa). We found that this low elasticity and aligned topography of AFG exhibit co-effects on promoting the neurogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUMSCs) in comparison to random fibrin hydrogel (RFG) and tissue culture plate (TCP) control after two week cell culture in growth medium lacking supplementation with soluble neurogenic induction factors. In addition, AFG also induces dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons to rapidly project numerous long neurite outgrowths longitudinally along the AFG fibers for a total neurite extension distance of 1.96 mm in three days in the absence of neurotrophic factor supplementation. Moreover, the AFG implanted in a rat T9 dorsal hemisection spinal cord injury model was found to promote endogenous neural cell fast migration and axonal invasion along AFG fibers, resulting in aligned tissue cables in vivo. Our results suggest that matrix stiffness and aligned topography may instruct stem cell neurogenic differentiation and rapid neurite outgrowth, providing great promise for biomaterial design for applications in nerve regeneration.

Structure and properties of polymer-silicate nanocomposites based on polytetrafluoroethylene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sleptsova, Sardana A.; Okhlopkova, Aitalina A. [North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk (Russian Federation)

2011-07-01

The results of physicomechanical, tribological , and structural investigation of polytetrafluoroethylene based polymers and natural layered silicates are reported. It is shown that the tribological behaviour of the composites can be significantly improved by introducing a small amount of activated silicates. The results of structural examination of the composite friction surfaces by scanning-probe microscopy and IR spectroscopy are discussed. Key words: polytetrafluoroethylene, layered silicates, wear resistance, friction coefficient, structure, IR-spectrum.

Cell-mediated fibre recruitment drives extracellular matrix mechanosensing in engineered fibrillar microenvironments

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Brendon M.; Trappmann, Britta; Wang, William Y.; Sakar, Mahmut S.; Kim, Iris L.; Shenoy, Vivek B.; Burdick, Jason A.; Chen, Christopher S.

2015-12-01

To investigate how cells sense stiffness in settings structurally similar to native extracellular matrices, we designed a synthetic fibrous material with tunable mechanics and user-defined architecture. In contrast to flat hydrogel surfaces, these fibrous materials recapitulated cell-matrix interactions observed with collagen matrices including stellate cell morphologies, cell-mediated realignment of fibres, and bulk contraction of the material. Increasing the stiffness of flat hydrogel surfaces induced mesenchymal stem cell spreading and proliferation; however, increasing fibre stiffness instead suppressed spreading and proliferation for certain network architectures. Lower fibre stiffness permitted active cellular forces to recruit nearby fibres, dynamically increasing ligand density at the cell surface and promoting the formation of focal adhesions and related signalling. These studies demonstrate a departure from the well-described relationship between material stiffness and spreading established with hydrogel surfaces, and introduce fibre recruitment as a previously undescribed mechanism by which cells probe and respond to mechanics in fibrillar matrices.

Silicon K-edge XANES spectra of silicate minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dien; Bancroft, G. M.; Fleet, M. E.; Feng, X. H.

1995-03-01

Silicon K-edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of a selection of silicate and aluminosilicate minerals have been measured using synchrotron radiation (SR). The spectra are qualitatively interpreted based on MO calculation of the tetrahedral SiO{4/4-}cluster. The Si K-edge generally shifts to higher energy with increased polymerization of silicates by about 1.3 eV, but with considerable overlap for silicates of different polymerization types. The substitution of Al for Si shifts the Si K-edge to lower energy. The chemical shift of Si K-edge is also sensitive to cations in more distant atom shells; for example, the Si K-edge shifts to lower energy with the substitution of Al for Mg in octahedral sites. The shifts of the Si K-edge show weak correlation with average Si-O bond distance (dSi-O), Si-O bond valence (sSi-O) and distortion of SiO4 tetrahedra, due to the crystal structure complexity of silicate minerals and multiple factors effecting the x-ray absorption processes.

Preparation of β-belite using liquid alkali silicates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koutník, P.

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is the preparation of β-belite by a solid-state reaction using powdered limestone, amorphous silica and liquid alkali silicates. The raw materials were blended, the mixtures were agglomerated and then burnt. The resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Free lime content in the β-belite samples was also determined. The effects of CaO/SiO2 ratio (1.6–2.1), burning temperature (800–1400 °C), utilization of different raw materials (silica fume, synthetic silica, potassium silicate, sodium silicate, potassium hydroxide) and burning time (0.5–16 h) on free lime content and mineralogical composition were investigated. The purest ?-belite samples were prepared from a mixture of powdered limestone, silica fume and liquid potassium silicate with a ratio CaO/SiO2 = 2 by burning at temperatures between 1100 and 1300 °C for more than 2 h. Decreasing of the CaO/SiO2 ratio led to rankinite formation and lower a burning temperature led to the formation of wollastonite. [es

Lead-silicate glass optical microbubble resonator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Pengfei, E-mail: pengfei.wang@dit.ie [Photonics Research Centre, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8 (Ireland); Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Ward, Jonathan; Yang, Yong; Chormaic, Síle Nic [Light-Matter Interactions Unit, OIST Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495 (Japan); Feng, Xian; Brambilla, Gilberto [Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Farrell, Gerald [Photonics Research Centre, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8 (Ireland)

2015-02-09

Microbubble whispering gallery resonators have the potential to become key components in a variety of active and passive photonic circuit devices by offering a range of significant functionalities. Here, we report on the fabrication, optical characterization, and theoretical analysis of lead-silicate glass and optical microbubble resonators. Evanescent field coupling to the microbubbles was achieved using a 1 μm diameter, silica microfiber at a wavelength of circa 775 nm. High Q-factor modes were efficiently excited in both single-stem and two-stem, lead-silicate glass, and microbubble resonators, with bubble diameters of 38 μm (single-stem) and 48 μm (two-stem). Whispering gallery mode resonances with Q-factors as high as 2.3 × 10{sup 5} (single-stem) and 7 × 10{sup 6} (two-stem) were observed. By exploiting the high-nonlinearity of the lead-silicate glass, this work will act as a catalyst for studying a range of nonlinear optical effects in microbubbles, such as Raman scattering and four-wave mixing, at low optical powers.

I-Xe dating of silicate and troilite from IAB iron meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemeyer, S.

1979-01-01

Silicate and troilite (FeS) from IAB irons were analyzed by the I-Xe technique. Four IAB silicate samples gave well-defined I-Xe ages [in millions of years relative to Bjurbole: - 3.7 +- 0.3 for Woodbine, -0.7 +- 0.6 for Mundrabilla, + 1.4 +- 0.7 for Copiapo, and +2.6 +- 0.6 for Landes. The ( 129 Xe/ 132 Xe)sub(trapped) ratios are consistent with previous values for chondrites, with the exception of Landes which has an extraordinary trapped ratio of 3.5 +- 0.2. Both analyses of silicate from Pitts gave anomalous I-Xe patterns. Troilite samples were also analyzed: Pitts troilite gave a complex I-Xe pattern, which suggests an age of +17 Myr; Mundrabilla troilite defined a good I-Xe correlation, which after correction for neutron capture on 128 Te gave an age of -10.8 +- 0.7 Myr. Thus, low-melting troilite predates high-melting silicate in Mundrabilla. Abundances of Ga, Ge, and Ni in metal from these meteorites are correlated with I-Xe ages of the silicate; meteorites with older silicates have greater Ni contents. No model easily accounts for this result as well as other properties of IAB irons; nevertheless, these results, taken at face value, favour a nebular formation model. The great age of troilite from Mundrabilla suggests that this troilite formed in a different nebular region from the silicate and metal, and was later mechanically mixed with these other phases. The correlation between the trace elements in the metal and the I-Xe ages of the silicate provides one of the first known instances in which another well-defined meteoritic property correlates with I-Xe ages. In addition, almost all the 129 Xe in Mundrabilla silicate (etched in acid) was correlated with 128 Xe. These two results further support the validity of the I-Xe dating method. (author)

On the Relation of Silicates and SiO Maser in Evolved Stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jiaming; Jiang, Biwei, E-mail: bjiang@bnu.edu.cn [Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

2017-04-01

The SiO molecule is one of the candidates for the seed of silicate dust in the circumstellar envelope of evolved stars, but this opinion is challenged. In this work we investigate the relation of the SiO maser emission power and the silicate dust emission power. With both our own observation by using the PMO/Delingha 13.7 m telescope and archive data, a sample is assembled of 21 SiO v  = 1, J  = 2 − 1 sources and 28 SiO v  = 1, J  = 1 − 0 sources that exhibit silicate emission features in the ISO /SWS spectrum as well. The analysis of their SiO maser and silicate emission power indicates a clear correlation, which is not against the hypothesis that the SiO molecules are the seed nuclei of silicate dust. On the other hand, no correlation is found between SiO maser and silicate crystallinity, which may imply that silicate crystallinity does not correlate with mass-loss rate.

On interstellar light polarization by diamagnetic silicate and carbon dust in the infrared

Science.gov (United States)

Papoular, R.

2018-04-01

The motion of diamagnetic dust particles in interstellar magnetic fields is studied numerically with several different sets of parameters. Two types of behaviour are observed, depending on the value of the critical number R, which is a function of the grain inertia, the magnetic susceptibility of the material and of the strength of rotation braking. If R ≤ 10, the grain ends up in a static state and perfectly aligned with the magnetic field, after a few braking times. If not, it goes on precessing and nutating about the field vector for a much longer time. Usual parameters are such that the first situation can hardly be observed. Fortunately, in the second and more likely situation, there remains a persistent partial alignment that is far from negligible, although it decreases as the field decreases and as R increases. The solution of the complete equations of motion of grains in a field helps understanding the details of this behaviour. One particular case of an ellipsoidal forsterite silicate grain is studied in detail and shown to polarize light in agreement with astronomical measurements of absolute polarization in the infrared. Phonons are shown to contribute to the progressive flattening of extinction and polarization towards long wavelengths. The measured dielectric properties of forsterite qualitatively fit the Serkowski peak in the visible.

EFFECT OF SILICATE ON GRAM STAINING AND VIABILITY OF PNEUMOCOCCI AND OTHER BACTERIA

Science.gov (United States)

MacLeod, Colin M.; Roe, Amy S.

1956-01-01

Application of silicate solutions to living or heat-killed pneumococci and to certain "viridans" streptococci causes their conversion from a Gram-positive to a Gram-negative state. The original staining properties can be restored by suspending the silicate-treated bacteria in alkaline solutions of various salts but not by simple washing in water. Living pneumococci and the strains of streptococci whose staining properties are similarly affected are killed when suspended in silicate solutions. In other Gram-positive species silicate causes conversion to Gram negativity but restoration to positivity occurs upon washing in water. In a third group of Gram-positive organisms silicate has no effect on the Gram reaction. The viability of organisms in these two groups is unaffected by silicate under the conditions employed. No effect on staining or viability of Gram-negative bacteria has been observed. The effects of silicate on staining and viability are inhibited by nutrient broth or whole serum but not by purified serum albumin. Lecithin, choline, and other substituted ammonium compounds also inhibit the effects of silicate on pneumococci. PMID:13306854

Carbonation of metal silicates for long-term CO2 sequestration

Science.gov (United States)

Blencoe, James G; Palmer, Donald A; Anovitz, Lawrence M; Beard, James S

2014-03-18

In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a process of sequestering carbon dioxide. The process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting a metal silicate with a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide to produce a hydroxide of the metal formerly contained in the silicate; (b) reacting carbon dioxide with at least one of a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide and an alkali-metal silicate to produce at least one of an alkali-metal carbonate and an alkali-metal bicarbonate; and (c) reacting the metal hydroxide product of step (a) with at least one of the alkali-metal carbonate and the alkali-metal bicarbonate produced in step (b) to produce a carbonate of the metal formerly contained in the metal silicate of step (a).

Viscosity of Heterogeneous Silicate Melts: A Non-Newtonian Model

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhuangzhuang; Blanpain, Bart; Guo, Muxing

2017-12-01

The recently published viscosity data of heterogeneous silicate melts with well-documented structure and experimental conditions are critically re-analyzed and tabulated. By using these data, a non-Newtonian viscosity model incorporating solid fraction, solid shape, and shear rate is proposed on the basis of the power-law equation. This model allows calculating the viscosity of the heterogeneous silicate melts with solid fraction up to 34 vol pct. The error between the calculated and measured data is evaluated to be 32 pct, which is acceptable considering the large error in viscosity measurement of the completely liquid silicate melt.

Decomposition of pre calcined aluminium silicate ores of Afghanistan by hydrochloric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khomidi, A.K.; Mamatov, E.D.

2015-01-01

Present article is devoted to decomposition of pre calcined aluminium silicate ores of Afghanistan by hydrochloric acid. The physicochemical properties of initial aluminium silicate ores were studied by means of X-ray phase, differential thermal and silicate analysis. The chemical composition of aluminium containing ores was determined. The optimal conditions of interaction of initial and pre calcined siallites with hydrochloric acid were defined. The kinetics of acid decomposition of aluminium silicate ores was studied as well.

Sodium Silicate Behavior in Porous Media Applied for In-Depth Profile Modifications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein A. Akhlaghi Amiri

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses alkaline sodium silicate (Na-silicate behavior in porous media. One of the advantages of the Na-silicate system is its water-like injectivity during the placement stage. Mixing Na-silicate with saline water results in metal silicate precipitation as well as immediate gelation. This work demonstrated that low salinity water (LSW, sea water diluted 25 times could be used as a pre-flush in flooding operations. A water override phenomenon was observed during gel formation which is caused by gravity segregation. Dynamic adsorption tests in the sand-packed tubes showed inconsiderable adsorbed silicon density (about 8.5 × 10−10 kg/cm3 for a solution with 33 mg/L silicon content, which is less than the estimated mono-layer adsorption density of 1.4 × 10−8 kg/cm3. Na-silicate enhanced water sweep efficiency after application in a dual-permeability sand-pack system, without leak off into the oil-bearing low permeability (LP zone. Field-scale numerical sensitivity studies in a layered reservoir demonstrated that higher permeability and viscosity contrasts and lower vertical/horizontal permeability ratio result in lower Na-silicate leakoff into the matrix. The length of the mixing zone between reservoir water and the injected Na-silicate solution, which is formed by low salinity pre-flush, acts as a buffer zone.

3D collagen fibrillar microstructure guides pancreatic cancer cell phenotype and serves as a critical design parameter for phenotypic models of EMT.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T J Puls

Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers, is characterized by high rates of metastasis and intense desmoplasia, both of which are associated with changes in fibrillar type I collagen composition and microstructure. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT, a critical step of metastasis, also involves a change in extracellular matrix (ECM context as cells detach from basement membrane (BM and engage interstitial matrix (IM. The objective of this work was to develop and apply an in-vitro three-dimensional (3D tumor-ECM model to define how ECM composition and biophysical properties modulate pancreatic cancer EMT. Three established pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC lines were embedded within 3D matrices prepared with type I collagen Oligomer (IM at various fibril densities to control matrix stiffness or Oligomer and Matrigel combined at various ratios while maintaining constant matrix stiffness. Evaluation of cell morphology and protein expression at both the cellular- and population-levels revealed a spectrum of matrix-driven EMT phenotypes that were dependent on ECM composition and architecture as well as initial PDAC phenotype. In general, exposure to fibrillar IM was sufficient to drive EMT, with cells displaying spindle-shaped morphology and mesenchymal markers, and non-fibrillar BM promoted more epithelial behavior. When cultured within low density Oligomer, only a subpopulation of epithelial BxPC-3 cells displayed EMT while mesenchymal MiaPaCa-2 cells displayed more uniform spindle-shaped morphologies and mesenchymal marker expression. Interestingly, as IM fibril density increased, associated changes in spatial constraints and matrix stiffness resulted in all PDAC lines growing as tight clusters; however mesenchymal marker expression was maintained. Collectively, the comparison of these results to other in-vitro tumor models highlights the role of IM fibril microstructure in guiding EMT heterogeneity and showcases the potential

SILICATE EVOLUTION IN BROWN DWARF DISKS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riaz, B.

2009-01-01

We present a compositional analysis of the 10 μm silicate spectra for brown dwarf disks in the Taurus and Upper Scorpius (UppSco) star-forming regions, using archival Spitzer/Infrared Spectrograph observations. A variety in the silicate features is observed, ranging from a narrow profile with a peak at 9.8 μm, to nearly flat, low-contrast features. For most objects, we find nearly equal fractions for the large-grain and crystalline mass fractions, indicating both processes to be active in these disks. The median crystalline mass fraction for the Taurus brown dwarfs is found to be 20%, a factor of ∼2 higher than the median reported for the higher mass stars in Taurus. The large-grain mass fractions are found to increase with an increasing strength in the X-ray emission, while the opposite trend is observed for the crystalline mass fractions. A small 5% of the Taurus brown dwarfs are still found to be dominated by pristine interstellar medium-like dust, with an amorphous submicron grain mass fraction of ∼87%. For 15% of the objects, we find a negligible large-grain mass fraction, but a >60% small amorphous silicate fraction. These may be the cases where substantial grain growth and dust sedimentation have occurred in the disks, resulting in a high fraction of amorphous submicron grains in the disk surface. Among the UppSco brown dwarfs, only usd161939 has a signal-to-noise ratio high enough to properly model its silicate spectrum. We find a 74% small amorphous grain and a ∼26% crystalline mass fraction for this object.

I-Xe dating of silicate and troilite from IAB iron meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemeyer, S.

1978-01-01

The IAB iron meteorites may be related to the chondrites; siderophile elements in the metal matrix have chondritic abundances, and the abundant silicate inclusions are chondritic both in mineralogy and in chemical composition. Silicate and troilite (FeS) and IAB irons were analyzed by the I-Xe technique. Four IAB silicate samples gave well-defined I-Xe ages [in millions of years relative to Bjurboele; the monitor error (+-2.5 m.y.) is not included]: -3.7 +- 0.3 for Woodbine, -0.7 +- 0.6 for Mundrabilla, +1.4 +- 0.7 for Copiapo, and +2.6 +- 0.6 for Landes. The ( 129 Xe/ 132 Xe)/sub trapped/ ratios are consistent with previous values for chondrites, with the exception of Landes which has an extraordinary trapped ratio of 3.5 +- 0.2. Both analyses of silicate from Pitts gave anomalous I-Xe patterns: intermediate-temperature points defined good correlations but higher-temperature (greater than or equal to 1400 0 C) points lay above (extra 129 Xe) these lines. The two correlations have different slopes, so it cannot be assigned a definite I-Xe age to Pitts silicate. Troilite samples from Mundrabilla and Pitts were also analyzed: Pitts troilite gave a complex I-Xe pattern, which suggests an age of +17 m.y.; Mundrabilla troilite defined a good I-Xe correlation, which after correction for neutron capture on 128 Te an age of -10.8 +- 0.7 m.y. Thus, surprisingly, low-melting troilite substantially predates high-melting silicate in Mundrabilla. Abundances of Ga, Ge, and Ni in metal from these meteorites are correlated with I-Xe ages of the silicate (referred to henceforth as the metal-silicate correlation). After exploring possible relationships between the I-Xe ages and other properties of the IAB group, it was concluded that the metal-silicate correlation, the old Mundrabilla troilite, and other results favor a nebular formation model (e.g. Wasson, 1970a)

Aligning the unalignable: bacteriophage whole genome alignments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bérard, Sèverine; Chateau, Annie; Pompidor, Nicolas; Guertin, Paul; Bergeron, Anne; Swenson, Krister M

2016-01-13

In recent years, many studies focused on the description and comparison of large sets of related bacteriophage genomes. Due to the peculiar mosaic structure of these genomes, few informative approaches for comparing whole genomes exist: dot plots diagrams give a mostly qualitative assessment of the similarity/dissimilarity between two or more genomes, and clustering techniques are used to classify genomes. Multiple alignments are conspicuously absent from this scene. Indeed, whole genome aligners interpret lack of similarity between sequences as an indication of rearrangements, insertions, or losses. This behavior makes them ill-prepared to align bacteriophage genomes, where even closely related strains can accomplish the same biological function with highly dissimilar sequences. In this paper, we propose a multiple alignment strategy that exploits functional collinearity shared by related strains of bacteriophages, and uses partial orders to capture mosaicism of sets of genomes. As classical alignments do, the computed alignments can be used to predict that genes have the same biological function, even in the absence of detectable similarity. The Alpha aligner implements these ideas in visual interactive displays, and is used to compute several examples of alignments of Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium bacteriophages, involving up to 29 genomes. Using these datasets, we prove that Alpha alignments are at least as good as those computed by standard aligners. Comparison with the progressive Mauve aligner - which implements a partial order strategy, but whose alignments are linearized - shows a greatly improved interactive graphic display, while avoiding misalignments. Multiple alignments of whole bacteriophage genomes work, and will become an important conceptual and visual tool in comparative genomics of sets of related strains. A python implementation of Alpha, along with installation instructions for Ubuntu and OSX, is available on bitbucket (https://bitbucket.org/thekswenson/alpha).

Production of a calcium silicate cement material from alginate impression material.

Science.gov (United States)

Washizawa, Norimasa; Narusawa, Hideaki; Tamaki, Yukimichi; Miyazaki, Takashi

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to synthesize biomaterials from daily dental waste. Since alginate impression material contains silica and calcium salts, we aimed to synthesize calcium silicate cement from alginate impression material. Gypsum-based investment material was also investigated as control. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that although firing the set gypsum-based and modified investment materials at 1,200°C produced calcium silicates, firing the set alginate impression material did not. However, we succeeded when firing the set blend of pre-fired set alginate impression material and gypsum at 1,200°C. SEM observations of the powder revealed that the featured porous structures of diatomite as an alginate impression material component appeared useful for synthesizing calcium silicates. Experimentally fabricated calcium silicate powder was successfully mixed with phosphoric acid solution and set by depositing the brushite. Therefore, we conclude that the production of calcium silicate cement material is possible from waste alginate impression material.

Potassium Silicate Foliar Fertilizer Grade from Geothermal Sludge and Pyrophyllite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muljani Srie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Potassium silicate fertilizer grade were successfully produced by direct fusion of silica (SiO2 and potasium (KOH and K2CO3 in furnaces at temperatures up to melting point of mixture. The geothermal sludge (98% SiO2 and the pyrophyllite (95% SiO2 were used as silica sources. The purposes of the study was to synthesise potassium silicate fertilizer grade having solids concentrations in the range of 31-37% K2O, and silica in the range of 48-54% SiO2. The weight ratio of silicon dioxide/potasium solid being 1:1 to 5:1. Silica from geothermal sludge is amorphous, whereas pyrophylite is crystalline phase. The results showed that the amount of raw materials needed to get the appropriate molar ratio of potassium silicate fertilizer grade are different, as well as the fusion temperature of the furnace. Potassium silicate prepared from potassium hydroxide and geothermal sludge produced a low molar ratio (2.5: 1 to 3: 1. The potassium required quite small (4:1 in weight ratio, and on a fusion temperature of about 900 °C. Meanwhile, the potassium silicate prepared from pyrophyllite produced a high molar ratio (1.4 - 9.4 and on a fusion temperature of about 1350 °C, so that potassium needed large enough to meet the required molar ratio for the fertilizer grade. The product potassium silicate solid is amorphous with a little trace of crystalline.

Contact compliance effects in the frictional response of bioinspired fibrillar adhesives

Science.gov (United States)

Piccardo, Marco; Chateauminois, Antoine; Fretigny, Christian; Pugno, Nicola M.; Sitti, Metin

2013-01-01

The shear failure and friction mechanisms of bioinspired adhesives consisting of elastomer arrays of microfibres terminated by mushroom-shaped tips are investigated in contact with a rigid lens. In order to reveal the interplay between the vertical and lateral loading directions, experiments are carried out using a custom friction set-up in which normal stiffness can be made either high or low when compared with the stiffness of the contact between the fibrillar adhesive and the lens. Using in situ contact imaging, the shear failure of the adhesive is found to involve two successive mechanisms: (i) cavitation and peeling at the contact interface between the mushroom-shaped fibre tip endings and the lens; and (ii) side re-adhesion of the fibre's stem to the lens. The extent of these mechanisms and their implications regarding static friction forces is found to depend on the crosstalk between the normal and lateral loading directions that can result in contact instabilities associated with fibre buckling. In addition, the effects of the viscoelastic behaviour of the polyurethane material on the rate dependence of the shear response of the adhesive are accounted for. PMID:23554349

Controlled structure and properties of silicate nanoparticle networks for incorporation of biosystem components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai-Kato, Kumiko; Kawanishi, Toru; Hasegawa, Toshiaki; Takaoka, Akio; Kato, Masaru; Toyo'oka, Toshimasa; Utsunomiya-Tate, Naoko

2011-01-01

Inorganic nanoparticles are of technological interest in many fields. We created silicate nanoparticle hydrogels that effectively incorporated biomolecules that are unstable and involved in complicated reactions. The size of the silicate nanoparticles strongly affected both the physical characteristics of the resulting hydrogel and the activity of biomolecules incorporated within the hydrogel. We used high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to analyze in detail the hydrogel network patterns formed by the silicate nanoparticles. We obtained clear nanostructured images of biomolecule-nanoparticle composite hydrogels. The TEM images also showed that larger silicate nanoparticles (22 nm) formed more loosely associated silicate networks than did smaller silicate nanoparticles (7 nm). The loosely associated networks formed from larger silicate nanoparticles might facilitate substrate diffusion through the network, thus promoting the observed increased activity of the entrapped biomolecules. This doubled the activity of the incorporated biosystems compared with that of biosystems prepared by our own previously reported method. We propose a reaction scheme to explain the formation of the silicate nanoparticle networks. The successful incorporation of biomolecules into the nanoparticle hydrogels, along with the high level of activity exhibited by the biomolecules required for complicated reaction within the gels, demonstrates the nanocomposites' potential for use in medical applications.

Identification of an Extremely 180-Rich Presolar Silicate Grain in Acfer 094

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, A. N.; Messenger, S.

2009-01-01

Presolar silicate grains have been abundantly identified since their first discovery less than a decade ago [1,2,3]. The O isotopic compositions of both silicate and oxide stardust indicate the vast majority (>90%) condensed around Orich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Though both presolar phases have average sizes of 300 nm, grains larger than 1 m are extremely uncommon for presolar silicates. Thus, while numerous isotopic systems have been measured in presolar oxide grains [4], very few isotopic analyses for presolar silicates exist outside of O and Si [2,5]. And still, these measurements suffer from isotopic dilution with surrounding matrix material [6]. We conduct a search for presolar silicates in the primitive carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094 and in some cases obtain high spatial resolution, high precision isotopic ratios.

Nanostructure of Calcium Silicate Hydrates in Cements

KAUST Repository

Skinner, L. B.; Chae, S. R.; Benmore, C. J.; Wenk, H. R.; Monteiro, P. J. M.

2010-01-01

Calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) is the major volume phase in the matrix of Portland cement concrete. Total x-ray scattering measurements with synchrotron x rays on synthetic CSH(I) shows nanocrystalline ordering with a particle diameter of 3.5(5) nm, similar to a size-broadened 1.1 nm tobermorite crystal structure. The CSH component in hydrated tricalcium silicate is found to be similar to CSH(I). Only a slight bend and additional disorder within the CaO sheets is required to explain its nanocrystalline structure. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

Nanostructure of Calcium Silicate Hydrates in Cements

KAUST Repository

Skinner, L. B.

2010-05-11

Calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) is the major volume phase in the matrix of Portland cement concrete. Total x-ray scattering measurements with synchrotron x rays on synthetic CSH(I) shows nanocrystalline ordering with a particle diameter of 3.5(5) nm, similar to a size-broadened 1.1 nm tobermorite crystal structure. The CSH component in hydrated tricalcium silicate is found to be similar to CSH(I). Only a slight bend and additional disorder within the CaO sheets is required to explain its nanocrystalline structure. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

Crystallochemical characteristics of alkali calcium silicates from charoitites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rozhdestvenskaya, I.V.; Nikishova, L.V.

2002-01-01

The characteristic features of the crystal structures of alkali calcium silicates from various deposits are considered. The structures of these minerals, which were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods, are described as the combinations of large construction modules, including the alternating layers of alkali cations and tubular silicate radicals (in canasite, frankamenite, miserite, and agrellite) and bent ribbons linked through hydrogen bonds in the layers (in tinaksite and tokkoite). The incorporation of impurities and the different ways of ordering them have different effects on the structures of these minerals and give rise to the formation of superstructures accompanied by a change of the space group (frankamenite-canasite), leading, in turn, to different mutual arrangements of the layers of silicate tubes and the formation of pseudopolytypes (agrellites), structure deformation, and changes in the unit-cell parameters (tinaksite-tokkoite)

Energetic Processing of Interstellar Silicate Grains by Cosmic Rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bringa, E M; Kucheyev, S O; Loeffler, M J; Baragiola, R A; Tielens, A G Q M; Dai, Z R; Graham, G; Bajt, S; Bradley, J; Dukes, C A; Felter, T E; Torres, D F; van Breugel, W

2007-03-28

While a significant fraction of silicate dust in stellar winds has a crystalline structure, in the interstellar medium nearly all of it is amorphous. One possible explanation for this observation is the amorphization of crystalline silicates by relatively 'low' energy, heavy ion cosmic rays. Here we present the results of multiple laboratory experiments showing that single-crystal synthetic forsterite (Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) amorphizes when irradiated by 10 MeV Xe{sup ++} ions at large enough fluences. Using modeling, we extrapolate these results to show that 0.1-5.0 GeV heavy ion cosmic rays can rapidly ({approx}70 Million yrs) amorphize crystalline silicate grains ejected by stars into the interstellar medium.

Deep-Earth Equilibration between Molten Iron and Solid Silicates

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, M.; Zurkowski, C. C.; Chidester, B.; Campbell, A.

2017-12-01

Elemental partitioning between iron-rich metals and silicate minerals influences the properties of Earth's deep interior, and is ultimately responsible for the nature of the core-mantle boundary. These interactions between molten iron and solid silicates were influential during planetary accretion, and persist today between the mantle and liquid outer core. Here we report the results of diamond anvil cell experiments at lower mantle conditions (40 GPa, >2500 K) aimed at examining systems containing a mixture of metals (iron or Fe-16Si alloy) and silicates (peridotite). The experiments were conducted at pressure-temperature conditions above the metallic liquidus but below the silicate solidus, and the recovered samples were analyzed by FIB/SEM with EDS to record the compositions of the coexisting phases. Each sample formed a three-phase equilibrium between bridgmanite, Fe-rich metallic melt, and an oxide. In one experiment, using pure Fe, the quenched metal contained 6 weight percent O, and the coexisting oxide was ferropericlase. The second experiment, using Fe-Si alloy, was highly reducing; its metal contained 10 wt% Si, and the coexisting mineral was stishovite. The distinct mineralogies of the two experiments derived from their different starting metals. These results imply that metallic composition is an important factor in determining the products of mixed phase iron-silicate reactions. The properties of deep-Earth interfaces such as the core-mantle boundary could be strongly affected by their metallic components.

Carbonation of metal silicates for long-term CO.sub.2 sequestration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blencoe, James G.; Palmer, Donald A.; Anovitz, Lawrence M.; Beard, James S.

2017-08-01

In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a process of sequestering carbon dioxide. The process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting a metal silicate with a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide to produce a hydroxide of the metal formerly contained in the silicate; (b) reacting carbon dioxide with at least one of a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide and an alkali-metal silicate to produce at least one of an alkali-metal carbonate and an alkali-metal bicarbonate; and (c) reacting the metal hydroxide product of step (a) with at least one of the alkali-metal carbonate and the alkali-metal bicarbonate produced in step (b) to produce a carbonate of the metal formerly contained in the metal silicate of step (a).

Carbonation of metal silicates for long-term CO.sub.2 sequestration

Science.gov (United States)

Blencoe, James G [Harriman, TN; Palmer, Donald A [Oliver Springs, TN; Anovitz, Lawrence M [Knoxville, TN; Beard, James S [Martinsville, VA

2012-02-14

In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a process of sequestering carbon dioxide. The process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting a metal silicate with a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide to produce a hydroxide of the metal formerly contained in the silicate; (b) reacting carbon dioxide with at least one of a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide and an alkali-metal silicate to produce at least one of an alkali-metal carbonate and an alkali-metal bicarbonate; and (c) reacting the metal hydroxide product of step (a) with at least one of the alkali-metal carbonate and the alkali-metal bicarbonate produced in step (b) to produce a carbonate of the metal formerly contained in the metal silicate of step (a).

Synthesis and characterization of silica gel from siliceous sands of southern Tunisia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Sdiri

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to achieve valorization of Albian sands for the preparation of sodium silicates that are commonly used as a precursor to prepare silica gel. A siliceous sand sample was mixed with sodium carbonate and heated at a high temperature (1060 °C to prepare sodium silicates. The sodium silicates were dissolved in distilled water to obtain high quality sodium silicate solution. Hydrochloric acid was then slowly added to the hydrated sodium silicates to obtain silica gel. The collected raw siliceous sands, as well as the prepared silica gels, were characterized by different techniques, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF, X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and thermal analysis (DSC. XRF confirmed that the detrital sand deposits of southern Tunisia contain high amounts of silica, with content ranging from 88.8% to 97.5%. The internal porosity varied between 17% and 22%, and the specific surface area was less than 5 m2/g. After the treatment described above, it was observed that the porosity of the obtained silica gel reached 57% and the specific surface area exceeded 340 m2/g. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms showed that the prepared silica gels are microporous and mesoporous materials with high adsorption capacities. These results suggest that the obtained silica gels are promising materials for numerous environmental applications.

Q-Speciation and Network Structure Evolution in Invert Calcium Silicate Glasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaseman, Derrick C; Retsinas, A; Kalampounias, A G; Papatheodorou, G N; Sen, S

2015-07-02

Binary silicate glasses in the system CaO-SiO2 are synthesized over an extended composition range (42 mol % ≤ CaO ≤ 61 mol %), using container-less aerodynamic levitation techniques and CO2-laser heating. The compositional evolution of Q speciation in these glasses is quantified using (29)Si and (17)O magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results indicate progressive depolymerization of the silicate network upon addition of CaO and significant deviation of the Q speciation from the binary model. The equilibrium constants for the various Q species disproportionation reactions for these glasses are found to be similar to (much smaller than) those characteristic of Li (Mg)-silicate glasses, consistent with the corresponding trends in the field strengths of these modifier cations. Increasing CaO concentration results in an increase in the packing density and structural rigidity of these glasses and consequently in their glass transition temperature Tg. This apparent role reversal of conventional network-modifying cations in invert alkaline-earth silicate glasses are compared and contrasted with that in their alkali silicate counterparts.

Stability constants for silicate adsorbed to ferrihydrite

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Hans Christian Bruun; Wetche, T.P.; Raulund-Rasmussen, Karsten

1994-01-01

Intrinsic surface acidity constants (K(a1)intr, K(a2)intr) and surface complexation constant for adsorption of orthosilicate onto synthetic ferrihydrite (K(Si) for the complex = FeOSi(OH)3) have been determined from acid/base titrations in 0.001-0.1 m NaClO4 electrolytes and silicate adsorption...... experiments in 0.01 m NaNO3 electrolyte (pH 3-6). The surface equilibrium constants were calculated according to the two-layer model by Dzombak & Morel (1990). Near equilibrium between protons/hydroxyls in solution and the ferrihydrite surface was obtained within minutes while equilibration with silicate...

The stable Cr isotopic compositions of chondrites and silicate planetary reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenberg, Ronny; Merdian, Alexandra; Holmden, Chris; Kleinhanns, Ilka C.; Haßler, Kathrin; Wille, Martin; Reitter, Elmar

2016-06-01

The depletion of chromium in Earth's mantle (∼2700 ppm) in comparison to chondrites (∼4400 ppm) indicates significant incorporation of chromium into the core during our planet's metal-silicate differentiation, assuming that there was no significant escape of the moderately volatile element chromium during the accretionary phase of Earth. Stable Cr isotope compositions - expressed as the ‰-difference in 53Cr/52Cr from the terrestrial reference material SRM979 (δ53/52CrSRM979 values) - of planetary silicate reservoirs might thus yield information about the conditions of planetary metal segregation processes when compared to chondrites. The stable Cr isotopic compositions of 7 carbonaceous chondrites, 11 ordinary chondrites, 5 HED achondrites and 2 martian meteorites determined by a double spike MC-ICP-MS method are within uncertainties indistinguishable from each other and from the previously determined δ53/52CrSRM979 value of -0.124 ± 0.101‰ for the igneous silicate Earth. Extensive quality tests support the accuracy of the stable Cr isotope determinations of various meteorites and terrestrial silicates reported here. The uniformity in stable Cr isotope compositions of samples from planetary silicate mantles and undifferentiated meteorites indicates that metal-silicate differentiation of Earth, Mars and the HED parent body did not cause measurable stable Cr isotope fractionation between these two reservoirs. Our results also imply that the accretionary disc, at least in the inner solar system, was homogeneous in its stable Cr isotopic composition and that potential volatility loss of chromium during accretion of the terrestrial planets was not accompanied by measurable stable isotopic fractionation. Small but reproducible variations in δ53/52CrSRM979 values of terrestrial magmatic rocks point to natural stable Cr isotope variations within Earth's silicate reservoirs. Further and more detailed studies are required to investigate whether silicate

Non-conservative controls on distribution of dissolved silicate in Cochin Backwaters

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Balachandran, K.K.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Joseph, T.; Nair, M.

Cochin backwater system was studied with regard to dissolved silicate (DSi) to understand its seasonal distribution and behaviour during estuarine mixing. Silicate had a linear relationship with salinity during the high river discharge period...

E-Beam-Cured Layered-Silicate and Spherical Silica Epoxy Nanocomposites (Preprint)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Chen, Chenggang; Anderson, David P

2007-01-01

.... The nanofillers can be two dimensional (layered-silicate) and zero dimensional (spherical silica). Both the spherical silica epoxy nanocomposite and the layered-silicate epoxy nanocomposite can be cured to a high degree of curing...

SOFT X-RAY IRRADIATION OF SILICATES: IMPLICATIONS FOR DUST EVOLUTION IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ciaravella, A.; Cecchi-Pestellini, C.; Jiménez-Escobar, A. [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, P.za Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo (Italy); Chen, Y.-J.; Huang, C.-H. [Department of Physics, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan County 32054, Taiwan (China); Muñoz Caro, G. M. [Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Carretera de Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, E-28850 Madrid (Spain); Venezia, A. M., E-mail: aciaravella@astropa.unipa.it [ISMN—CNR, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, I-90146 Palermo (Italy)

2016-09-01

The processing of energetic photons on bare silicate grains was simulated experimentally on silicate films submitted to soft X-rays of energies up to 1.25 keV. The silicate material was prepared by means of a microwave assisted sol–gel technique. Its chemical composition reflects the Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} stoichiometry with residual impurities due to the synthesis method. The experiments were performed using the spherical grating monochromator beamline at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center in Taiwan. We found that soft X-ray irradiation induces structural changes that can be interpreted as an amorphization of the processed silicate material. The present results may have relevant implications in the evolution of silicate materials in X-ray-irradiated protoplanetary disks.

AlignMe—a membrane protein sequence alignment web server

Science.gov (United States)

Stamm, Marcus; Staritzbichler, René; Khafizov, Kamil; Forrest, Lucy R.

2014-01-01

We present a web server for pair-wise alignment of membrane protein sequences, using the program AlignMe. The server makes available two operational modes of AlignMe: (i) sequence to sequence alignment, taking two sequences in fasta format as input, combining information about each sequence from multiple sources and producing a pair-wise alignment (PW mode); and (ii) alignment of two multiple sequence alignments to create family-averaged hydropathy profile alignments (HP mode). For the PW sequence alignment mode, four different optimized parameter sets are provided, each suited to pairs of sequences with a specific similarity level. These settings utilize different types of inputs: (position-specific) substitution matrices, secondary structure predictions and transmembrane propensities from transmembrane predictions or hydrophobicity scales. In the second (HP) mode, each input multiple sequence alignment is converted into a hydrophobicity profile averaged over the provided set of sequence homologs; the two profiles are then aligned. The HP mode enables qualitative comparison of transmembrane topologies (and therefore potentially of 3D folds) of two membrane proteins, which can be useful if the proteins have low sequence similarity. In summary, the AlignMe web server provides user-friendly access to a set of tools for analysis and comparison of membrane protein sequences. Access is available at http://www.bioinfo.mpg.de/AlignMe PMID:24753425

Effect of antioxidants and silicates on peroxides in povidone.

Science.gov (United States)

Narang, Ajit S; Rao, Venkatramana M; Desai, Divyakant S

2012-01-01

Reactive peroxides in povidone often lead to degradation of oxidation-labile drugs. To reduce peroxide concentration in povidone, the roles of storage conditions, antioxidants, and silicates were investigated. Povidone alone and its physical mixtures with ascorbic acid, propyl gallate, sodium sulfite, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were stored at 25 °C and 40 °C, at 11%, 32%, and 50% relative humidity. In addition, povidone solution in methanol was equilibrated with silicates (silica gel and molecular sieves), followed by solvent evaporation to recover povidone powder. Peroxide concentrations in povidone were measured. The concentration of peroxides in povidone increased under very-low-humidity storage conditions. Among the antioxidants, ascorbic acid, propyl gallate, and sodium sulfite reduced the peroxide concentration in povidone, whereas BHA and BHT did not. Water solubility appeared to determine the effectiveness of antioxidants. Also, some silicates significantly reduced peroxide concentration in povidone without affecting its functionality as a tablet binder. Porosity of silicates was critical to their ability to reduce the peroxide concentration in povidone. A combination of these approaches can reduce the initial peroxide concentration in povidone and minimize peroxide growth under routine storage conditions. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sorption of Europium in zirconium silicate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia R, G.

2004-01-01

Some minerals have the property of sipping radioactive metals in solution, that it takes advantage to manufacture contention barriers that are placed in the repositories of nuclear wastes. The more recent investigations are focused in the development of new technologies guided to the sorption of alpha emissors on minerals which avoid their dispersion in the environment. In an effort to contribute to the understanding of this type of properties, some studies of sorption of Europium III are presented like homologous of the americium, on the surface of zirconium silicate (ZrSiO 4 ). In this work the results of sorption experiences are presented as well as the interpretation of the phenomena of the formation of species in the surface of the zirconium silicate. (Author)

Effects of ionization on silicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Primak, W.

1982-02-01

This evaluation of radiation effects in silicate glasses caused by ionization is based on our own investigations, on material collected in our files (reports, articles, and notes), and on a computer literature search through recent issues of Physics Abstracts and Chemical Abstracts (and the apparently pertinent references which appeared). Some of our recent results, available heretofore only in internal correspondence, are presented in some detail. It is concluded that research into the behavior of silicate glasses generally will be required before the specific effects in the radioactive waste storage glasses can be properly understood and evaluated. Two particular neglected areas of investigation are targeted for immediate concern: a kinetic analysis of annealing data and the acquisition of data on effects of irradiation at controlled elevated temperatures

Simultaneous Changes of Spatial Memory and Spine Density after Intrahippocampal Administration of Fibrillar Aβ 1–42 to the Rat Brain

OpenAIRE

Borbély, Emőke; Horváth, János; Furdan, Szabina; Bozsó, Zsolt; Penke, Botond; Fülöp, Lívia

2014-01-01

Several animal models of Alzheimer's disease have been used in laboratory experiments. Intrahippocampal injection of fibrillar amyloid-beta (fAβ) peptide represents one of the most frequently used models, mimicking Aβ deposits in the brain. In our experiment synthetic fAβ 1–42 peptide was administered to rat hippocampus. The effect of the Aβ peptide on spatial memory and dendritic spine density was studied. The fAβ 1–42-treated rats showed decreased spatial learning ability measured in Morris...

Obtainment and characterization of pure and doped gadolinium oxy ortho silicates with terbium III, precursor of luminescent silicates with sulphur

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simoneti, J.A.

1992-01-01

Silicate and sulfide lattices are uniquely efficient luminescent materials to excitation by cathodic rays and furthermore the cathodoluminescence study of these compounds have been few investigated. In this work it has been prepared, characterized and investigated some spectroscopic properties of pure and Tb a+ - activated Gd 2 Si O 3 system and it has been tried to substitute oxygen by sulphur in order to obtain this or sulfide-silicate lattices. Products were characterized by vibrational infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction patterns and electronic emission in UV-VIS region. (author)

Wind-Eroded Silicate as a Source of Hydrogen Peroxide on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Bak, E. N.; Merrison, J. P.; Jensen, S. K.; Nørnberg, P.; Finster, K.

2014-07-01

Laboratory simulations show that wind-eroded silicate can be a source of hydrogen peroxide. The ubiquitous, fine-grained silicate dust might thus explain the oxidizing properties of the martian soil and affect the preservation of organic compounds.

Application of Sodium Silicate Enhances Cucumber Resistance to Fusarium Wilt and Alters Soil Microbial Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xingang Zhou

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Exogenous silicates can enhance plant resistance to pathogens and change soil microbial communities. However, the relationship between changes in soil microbial communities and enhanced plant resistance remains unclear. Here, effects of exogenous sodium silicate on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. seedling resistance to Fusarium wilt caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum Owen (FOC were investigated by drenching soil with 2 mM sodium silicate. Soil bacterial and fungal community abundances and compositions were estimated by real-time PCR and high-throughput amplicon sequencing; then, feedback effects of changes in soil biota on cucumber seedling resistance to FOC were assessed. Moreover, effects of sodium silicate on the growth of FOC and Streptomyces DHV3-2, an antagonistic bacterium to FOC, were investigated both in vitro and in the soil environment. Results showed that exogenous sodium silicate enhanced cucumber seedling growth and resistance to FOC. In bare soil, sodium silicate increased bacterial and fungal community abundances and diversities. In cucumber-cultivated soil, sodium silicate increased bacterial community abundances, but decreased fungal community abundances and diversities. Sodium silicate also changed soil bacterial and fungal communality compositions, and especially, decreased the relative abundances of microbial taxa containing plant pathogens but increased these with plant-beneficial potentials. Moreover, sodium silicate increased the abundance of Streptomyces DHV3-2 in soil. Soil biota from cucumber-cultivated soil treated with sodium silicate decreased cucumber seedling Fusarium wilt disease index, and enhanced cucumber seedling growth and defense-related enzyme activities in roots. Sodium silicate at pH 9.85 inhibited FOC abundance in vitro, but did not affect FOC abundance in soil. Overall, our results suggested that, in cucumber-cultivated soil, sodium silicate increased cucumber seedling

GraphAlignment: Bayesian pairwise alignment of biological networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kolář Michal

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With increased experimental availability and accuracy of bio-molecular networks, tools for their comparative and evolutionary analysis are needed. A key component for such studies is the alignment of networks. Results We introduce the Bioconductor package GraphAlignment for pairwise alignment of bio-molecular networks. The alignment incorporates information both from network vertices and network edges and is based on an explicit evolutionary model, allowing inference of all scoring parameters directly from empirical data. We compare the performance of our algorithm to an alternative algorithm, Græmlin 2.0. On simulated data, GraphAlignment outperforms Græmlin 2.0 in several benchmarks except for computational complexity. When there is little or no noise in the data, GraphAlignment is slower than Græmlin 2.0. It is faster than Græmlin 2.0 when processing noisy data containing spurious vertex associations. Its typical case complexity grows approximately as O(N2.6. On empirical bacterial protein-protein interaction networks (PIN and gene co-expression networks, GraphAlignment outperforms Græmlin 2.0 with respect to coverage and specificity, albeit by a small margin. On large eukaryotic PIN, Græmlin 2.0 outperforms GraphAlignment. Conclusions The GraphAlignment algorithm is robust to spurious vertex associations, correctly resolves paralogs, and shows very good performance in identification of homologous vertices defined by high vertex and/or interaction similarity. The simplicity and generality of GraphAlignment edge scoring makes the algorithm an appropriate choice for global alignment of networks.

Experimental evidence for Mo isotope fractionation between metal and silicate liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Hin, Remco C.; Burkhardt, Christoph; Schmidt, Max W.; Bourdon, Bernard; Kleine, Thorsten

2013-10-01

Stable isotope fractionation of siderophile elements may inform on the conditions and chemical consequences of core-mantle differentiation in planetary objects. The extent to which Mo isotopes fractionate during such metal-silicate segregation, however, is so far unexplored. We have therefore investigated equilibrium fractionation of Mo isotopes between liquid metal and liquid silicate to evaluate the potential of Mo isotopes as a new tool to study core formation. We have performed experiments at 1400 and 1600 °C in a centrifuging piston cylinder. Tin was used to lower the melting temperature of the Fe-based metal alloys to double spike technique. In experiments performed at 1400 °C, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.19±0.03‰ (95% confidence interval) heavier than that of metal. This fractionation is not significantly affected by the presence or absence of carbon. Molybdenum isotope fractionation is furthermore independent of oxygen fugacity in the range IW -1.79 to IW +0.47, which are plausible values for core formation. Experiments at 1600 °C show that, at equilibrium, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.12±0.02‰ heavier than that of metal and that the presence or absence of Sn does not affect this fractionation. Equilibrium Mo isotope fractionation between liquid metal and liquid silicate as a function of temperature can therefore be described as ΔMoMetal-Silicate98/95=-4.70(±0.59)×105/T2. Our experiments show that Mo isotope fractionation may be resolvable up to metal-silicate equilibration temperatures of about 2500 °C, rendering Mo isotopes a novel tool to investigate the conditions of core formation in objects ranging from planetesimals to Earth sized bodies.

Polymer/Silicate Nanocomposites Developed for Improved Strength and Thermal Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Sandi G.

2003-01-01

Over the past decade, polymer-silicate nanocomposites have been attracting considerable attention as a method of enhancing polymer properties. The nanometer dimensions of the dispersed silicate reinforcement can greatly improve the mechanical, thermal, and gas barrier properties of a polymer matrix. In a study at the NASA Glenn Research Center, the dispersion of small amounts (less than 5 wt%) of an organically modified layered silicate (OLS) into the polymer matrix of a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite has improved the thermal stability of the composite. The enhanced barrier properties of the polymer-clay hybrid are believed to slow the diffusion of oxygen into the bulk polymer, thereby slowing oxidative degradation of the polymer. Electron-backscattering images show cracking of a nanocomposite matrix composite in comparison to a neat resin matrix composite. The images show that dispersion of an OLS into the matrix resin reduces polymer oxidation during aging and reduces the amount of cracking in the matrix significantly. Improvements in composite flexural strength, flexural modulus, and interlaminar shear strength were also obtained with the addition of OLS. An increase of up to 15 percent in these mechanical properties was observed in composites tested at room temperature and 288 C. The best properties were seen with low silicate levels, 1 to 3 wt%, because of the better dispersion of the silicate in the polymer matrix.

Relationships between mineralization and silicic volcanism in the central Andes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Francis, P.W.; Halls, C.; Baker, M.C.W.

1983-10-01

Studies of late Tertiary silicic volcanic centers in the Western and Eastern Cordilleras of the Central Andes show that three volcanic environments are appropriate sites for mineralization: (1) ring-fracture extrusions post-dating large calderas; (2) similar extrusions within ignimbrite shields; and (3) isolated, small silicic volcanoes. Subvolcanic tin mineralization in the Eastern Cordillera is located in silicic stocks and associated breccias of Miocene age. The Cerro Rico stock, Potosi, Bolivia, contains tin and silver mineralization and has an intrusion age apparently millions of years younger than that of the associated Kari Kari caldera. Similar age relationships between mineralization and caldera formation have been described from the San Juan province, Colorado. The vein deposits of Chocaya, southern Bolivia, were emplaced in the lower part of an ignimbrite shield, a type of volcanic edifice as yet unrecognized in comparable areas of silicic volcanism. The El Salvador porphyry copper deposit, Chile, is related to silicic stocks which may have been intruded along a caldera ring fracture. Existing models for the genesis of porphyry copper deposits suggest that they formed in granodioritic stocks located in the infrastructure of andesitic stratovolcanoes. The dome of La Soufriere, Guadeloupe is proposed as a modern analog for the surface expression of subvolcanic mineralization processes, the phreatic eruptions there suggesting the formation of hydrothermal breccia bodies in depth.

Synthesis, characterization and modelling of zinc and silicate co-substituted hydroxyapatite.

Science.gov (United States)

Friederichs, Robert J; Chappell, Helen F; Shepherd, David V; Best, Serena M

2015-07-06

Experimental chemistry and atomic modelling studies were performed here to investigate a novel ionic co-substitution in hydroxyapatite (HA). Zinc, silicate co-substituted HA (ZnSiHA) remained phase pure after heating to 1100 °C with Zn and Si amounts of 0.6 wt% and 1.2 wt%, respectively. Unique lattice expansions in ZnSiHA, silicate Fourier transform infrared peaks and changes to the hydroxyl IR stretching region suggested Zn and silicate co-substitution in ZnSiHA. Zn and silicate insertion into HA was modelled using density functional theory (DFT). Different scenarios were considered where Zn substituted for different calcium sites or at a 2b site along the c-axis, which was suspected in singly substituted ZnHA. The most energetically favourable site in ZnSiHA was Zn positioned at a previously unreported interstitial site just off the c-axis near a silicate tetrahedron sitting on a phosphate site. A combination of experimental chemistry and DFT modelling provided insight into these complex co-substituted calcium phosphates that could find biomedical application as a synthetic bone mineral substitute. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, characterization and modelling of zinc and silicate co-substituted hydroxyapatite

Science.gov (United States)

Friederichs, Robert J.; Chappell, Helen F.; Shepherd, David V.; Best, Serena M.

2015-01-01

Experimental chemistry and atomic modelling studies were performed here to investigate a novel ionic co-substitution in hydroxyapatite (HA). Zinc, silicate co-substituted HA (ZnSiHA) remained phase pure after heating to 1100°C with Zn and Si amounts of 0.6 wt% and 1.2 wt%, respectively. Unique lattice expansions in ZnSiHA, silicate Fourier transform infrared peaks and changes to the hydroxyl IR stretching region suggested Zn and silicate co-substitution in ZnSiHA. Zn and silicate insertion into HA was modelled using density functional theory (DFT). Different scenarios were considered where Zn substituted for different calcium sites or at a 2b site along the c-axis, which was suspected in singly substituted ZnHA. The most energetically favourable site in ZnSiHA was Zn positioned at a previously unreported interstitial site just off the c-axis near a silicate tetrahedron sitting on a phosphate site. A combination of experimental chemistry and DFT modelling provided insight into these complex co-substituted calcium phosphates that could find biomedical application as a synthetic bone mineral substitute. PMID:26040597

AC electrical breakdown phenomena of epoxy/layered silicate nanocomposite in needle-plate electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jae-Jun; Lee, Jae-Young

2013-05-01

Epoxy/layered silicate nanocomposite for the insulation of heavy electric equipments were prepared by dispersing 1 wt% of a layered silicate into an epoxy matrix with a homogenizing mixer and then AC electrical treeing and breakdown tests were carried out. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation showed that nano-sized monolayers were exfoliated from a multilayered silicate in the epoxy matrix. When the nano-sized silicate layers were incorporated into the epoxy matrix, the breakdown rate in needle-plate electrode geometry was 10.6 times lowered than that of the neat epoxy resin under the applied electrical field of 520.9 kV/mm at 30 degrees C, and electrical tree propagated with much more branches in the epoxy/layered silicate nanocomposite. These results showed that well-dispersed nano-sized silicate layers retarded the electrical tree growth rate. The effects of applied voltage and ambient temperature on the tree initiation, growth, and breakdown rate were also studied, and it was found that the breakdown rate was largely increased, as the applied voltage and ambient temperature increased.

New Silicate Phosphors for a White LED(Electronic Displays)

OpenAIRE

Toda, Kenji; Kawakami, Yoshitaka; Kousaka, Shin-ichiro; Ito, Yutaka; Komeno, Akira; Uematsu, Kazuyoshi; Sato, Mineo

2006-01-01

We focus on the development of new silicate phosphors for a white LED. In the europium doped silicate system, four LED phosphor candidates-Li_2SrSiO_4:Eu^, Ba_9Sc_2Si_6O_:Eu^, Ca_3Si_2O_7:Eu^ and Ba_2MgSi_2O_7:Eu^ were found. Luminescent properties under near UV and visible excitation were investigated for the new Eu^ doped LED silicate phosphors. These new phosphors have a relatively strong absorption band in a long wavelength region.

Development of Li+ alumino-silicate ion source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, P.K.; Seidl, P.A.; Waldron, W.; Greenway, W.; Lidia, S.; Anders, A.; Kwan, J.

2009-01-01

To uniformly heat targets to electron-volt temperatures for the study of warm dense matter, one strategy is to deposit most of the ion energy at the peak of energy loss (dE/dx) with a low (E < 5 MeV) kinetic energy beam and a thin target. Lower mass ions have a peak dE/dx at a lower kinetic energy. To this end, a small lithium (Li+) alumino-silicate source has been fabricated, and its emission limit has been measured. These surface ionization sources are heated to 1000-1150 C where they preferentially emit singly ionized alkali ions. Alumino-silicates sources of K+ and Cs+ have been used extensively in beam experiments, but there are additional challenges for the preparation of high-quality Li+ sources: There are tighter tolerances in preparing and sintering the alumino-silicate to the substrate to produce an emitter that gives uniform ion emission, sufficient current density and low beam emittance. We report on recent measurements ofhigh ( up to 35 mA/cm2) current density from a Li+ source. Ion species identification of possible contaminants is being verified with a Wien (E x B) filter, and via time-of-flight.

Confined Water in Layered Silicates: The Origin of Anomalous Thermal Expansion Behavior in Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, N. M. Anoop; Wang, Bu; Falzone, Gabriel; Le Pape, Yann; Neithalath, Narayanan

2016-01-01

Water, under conditions of nanoscale confinement, exhibits anomalous dynamics, and enhanced thermal deformations, which may be further enhanced when such water is in contact with hydrophilic surfaces. Such heightened thermal deformations of water could control the volume stability of hydrated materials containing nanoconfined structural water. Understanding and predicting the thermal deformation coefficient (TDC, often referred to as the CTE, coefficient of thermal expansion), which represents volume changes induced in materials under conditions of changing temperature, is of critical importance for hydrated solids including: hydrogels, biological tissues, and calcium silicate hydrates, as changes in their volume can result in stress development, and cracking. By pioneering atomistic simulations, we examine the physical origin of thermal expansion in calcium-silicate-hydrates (C–S–H), the binding agent in concrete that is formed by the reaction of cement with water. We report that the TDC of C–S–H shows a sudden increase when the CaO/SiO_2 (molar ratio; abbreviated as Ca/Si) exceeds 1.5. This anomalous behavior arises from a notable increase in the confinement of water contained in the C–S–H’s nanostructure. We identify that confinement is dictated by the topology of the C–S–H’s atomic network. Altogether, the results suggest that thermal deformations of hydrated silicates can be altered by inducing compositional changes, which in turn alter the atomic topology and the resultant volume stability of the solids.

Confined Water in Layered Silicates: The Origin of Anomalous Thermal Expansion Behavior in Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, N M Anoop; Wang, Bu; Falzone, Gabriel; Le Pape, Yann; Neithalath, Narayanan; Pilon, Laurent; Bauchy, Mathieu; Sant, Gaurav

2016-12-28

Water, under conditions of nanoscale confinement, exhibits anomalous dynamics, and enhanced thermal deformations, which may be further enhanced when such water is in contact with hydrophilic surfaces. Such heightened thermal deformations of water could control the volume stability of hydrated materials containing nanoconfined structural water. Understanding and predicting the thermal deformation coefficient (TDC, often referred to as the CTE, coefficient of thermal expansion), which represents volume changes induced in materials under conditions of changing temperature, is of critical importance for hydrated solids including: hydrogels, biological tissues, and calcium silicate hydrates, as changes in their volume can result in stress development, and cracking. By pioneering atomistic simulations, we examine the physical origin of thermal expansion in calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H), the binding agent in concrete that is formed by the reaction of cement with water. We report that the TDC of C-S-H shows a sudden increase when the CaO/SiO 2 (molar ratio; abbreviated as Ca/Si) exceeds 1.5. This anomalous behavior arises from a notable increase in the confinement of water contained in the C-S-H's nanostructure. We identify that confinement is dictated by the topology of the C-S-H's atomic network. Taken together, the results suggest that thermal deformations of hydrated silicates can be altered by inducing compositional changes, which in turn alter the atomic topology and the resultant volume stability of the solids.

Tip-induced nanoreactor for silicate

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ming; Ma, Liran; Liang, Yong; Gao, Yuan; Luo, Jianbin

2015-09-01

Nanoscale scientific issues have attracted an increasing amount of research interest due to their specific size-effect and novel structure-property. From macro to nano, materials present some unique chemical reactivity that bulk materials do not own. Here we introduce a facile method to generate silicate with nanoscale control based on the establishment of a confined space between a meso/nanoscale tungsten tip and a smooth silica/silicon substrate. During the process, local water-like droplets deposition can be obviously observed in the confinement between the Si/SiO2 surfaces and the KOH-modified tungsten tip. By the combination of in-situ optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, we were able to take a deep insight of both the product composition and the underlying mechanism of such phenomena. It was indicated that such nanoreactor for silicate could be quite efficient as a result of the local capillarity and electric field effect, with implications at both nano and meso scales.

Radiation effects in silicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibler, N.E.; Howitt, D.G.

1988-01-01

The study of radiation effects in complex silicate glasses has received renewed attention because of their use in special applications such as high level nuclear waste immobilization and fiber optics. Radiation changes the properties of these glasses by altering their electronic and atomic configurations. These alterations or defects may cause dilatations or microscopic phase changes along with absorption centers that limit the optical application of the glasses. Atomic displacements induced in the already disordered structure of the glasses may affect their use where heavy irradiating particles such as alpha particles, alpha recoils, fission fragments, or accelerated ions are present. Large changes (up to 1%) in density may result. In some cases the radiation damage may be severe enough to affect the durability of the glass in aqueous solutions. In the paper, the authors review the literature concerning radiation effects on density, durability, stored energy, microstructure and optical properties of silicate glasses. Both simple glasses and complex glasses used for immobilization of nuclear waste are considered

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G.Gomez.

Since June of 2009, the muon alignment group has focused on providing new alignment constants and on finalizing the hardware alignment reconstruction. Alignment constants for DTs and CSCs were provided for CRAFT09 data reprocessing. For DT chambers, the track-based alignment was repeated using CRAFT09 cosmic ray muons and validated using segment extrapolation and split cosmic tools. One difference with respect to the previous alignment is that only five degrees of freedom were aligned, leaving the rotation around the local x-axis to be better determined by the hardware system. Similarly, DT chambers poorly aligned by tracks (due to limited statistics) were aligned by a combination of photogrammetry and hardware-based alignment. For the CSC chambers, the hardware system provided alignment in global z and rotations about local x. Entire muon endcap rings were further corrected in the transverse plane (global x and y) by the track-based alignment. Single chamber track-based alignment suffers from poor statistic...

Non-uniform self-assembly: On the anisotropic architecture of α-synuclein supra-fibrillar aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Semerdzhiev, Slav A; Shvadchak, Volodymyr V; Subramaniam, Vinod; Claessens, Mireille M A E

2017-08-09

Although the function of biopolymer hydrogels in nature depends on structural anisotropy at mesoscopic length scales, the self-assembly of such anisotropic structures in vitro is challenging. Here we show that fibrils of the protein α-synuclein spontaneously self-assemble into structurally anisotropic hydrogel particles. While the fibrils in the interior of these supra-fibrillar aggregates (SFAs) are randomly oriented, the fibrils in the periphery prefer to cross neighboring fibrils at high angles. This difference in organization coincides with a significant difference in polarity of the environment in the central and peripheral parts of the SFA. We rationalize the structural anisotropy of SFAs in the light of the observation that αS fibrils bind a substantial amount of counterions. We propose that, with the progress of protein polymerization into fibrils, this binding of counterions changes the ionic environment which triggers a change in fibril organization resulting in anisotropy in the architecture of hydrogel particles.

Natural penetrating radiation inside silicate dwellings in Chengdu and recommendation on permissible limits for radioactivity of building material made of silicate cinders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Guangzao

1984-01-01

This paper reports the results of external exposure rate of penetrating radiation inside silicate dwellings in Chengdu. The average exposure rate was 24.3+-3.5 R/h. It was evidently higher than of red brick dwellings. The average effective equivalent of the population in silicate dwellings was 123.4+-10.4 mrem/y and the average additional dose was 29.5+-12.5 mrem/y. The permissible limits recommended for silicate building material would be 6 pCi/g, 7 pCi/g and 102 pCi/g for 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. The total activity must fulfill the formula of Csub(Ra)/6 + Csub(Th)/7 + Csub(k)/102 1. Under ordinary condition the exposure rate (10+background) R/h of penetrating radiation from the surface of dry building material might be taken as the permissible limit for dwellings and other public buildings

Calcium and magnesium silicate hydrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lothenbach, B.; L'Hopital, E.; Nied, D.; Achiedo, G.; Dauzeres, A.

2015-01-01

Deep geological disposals are planed to discard long-lived intermediate-level and high-level radioactive wastes. Clay-based geological barriers are expected to limit the ingress of groundwater and to reduce the mobility of radioelements. In the interaction zone between the cement and the clay based material alteration can occur. Magnesium silicate hydrates (M-S-H) have been observed due to the reaction of magnesium sulfate containing groundwater with cements or in the interaction zone between low-pH type cement and clays. M-S-H samples synthesized in the laboratory showed that M-S-H has a variable composition within 0.7 ≤ Mg/Si ≤ 1.5. TEM/EDS analyses show an homogeneous gel with no defined structure. IR and 29 Si NMR data reveal a higher polymerization degree of the silica network in M-S-H compared to calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H). The presence of mainly Q 3 silicate tetrahedrons in M-S-H indicates a sheet like or a triple-chain silica structure while C-S-H is characterised by single chain-structure. The clear difference in the silica structure and the larger ionic radius of Ca 2+ (1.1 Angstrom) compared to Mg 2+ (0.8 Angstrom) make the formation of an extended solid solution between M-S-H and C-S-H gel improbable. In fact, the analyses of synthetic samples containing both magnesium and calcium in various ratios indicate the formation of separate M-S-H and C-S-H gels with no or very little uptake of magnesium in CS-H or calcium in M-S-H

Rubber curing chemistry governing the orientation of layered silicate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-11-01

Full Text Available The effect of curing systems on the orientation and the dispersion of the layered silicates in acrylonitrile butadiene rubber nanocomposite is reported. Significant differences in X-ray diffraction pattern between peroxide curing and sulfur curing was observed. Intense X-ray scattering values in the XRD experiments from peroxide cured vulcanizates indicate an orientation of the layers in a preferred direction as evinced by transmission electron micrographs. However, sulfur cured vulcanizates show no preferential orientation of the silicate particles. Nevertheless, a closer inspection of transmission electron microscopy (TEM images of peroxide and sulfur cured samples shows exfoliated silicate layers in the acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR matrix. It was revealed in the prevailing study that the use of an excess amount of stearic acid in the formulation of the sulfur curing package leads to almost exfoliated type X-ray scattering pattern.

Silicate Phases on the Surfaces of Trojan Asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Audrey; Emery, Joshua P.; Lindsay, Sean S.

2017-10-01

Determining the origin of asteroids provides an effective means of constraining the solar system’s dynamic past. Jupiter Trojan asteroids (hereafter Trojans) may help in determining the amount of radial mixing that occurred during giant planet migration. Previous studies aimed at characterizing surface composition show that Trojans have low albedo surfaces and are spectrally featureless in the near infrared. The thermal infrared (TIR) wavelength range has advantages for detecting silicates on low albedo asteroids such as Trojans. The 10 μm region exhibits strong features due to the Si-O fundamental molecular vibrations. Silicates that formed in the inner solar system likely underwent thermal annealing, and thus are crystalline, whereas silicates that accreted in the outer solar system experienced less thermal processing, and therefore are more likely to have remained in an amorphous phase. We hypothesize that the Trojans formed in the outer solar system (i.e., the Kuiper Belt), and therefore will have a more dominant amorphous spectral silicate component. With TIR spectra from the Spitzer Space Telescope, we identify mineralogical features from the surface of 11 Trojan asteroids. Fine-grain mixtures of crystalline pyroxene and olivine exhibit a 10 μm feature with sharp cutoffs between about 9 μm and 12 μm, which create a broad flat plateau. Amorphous phases, when present, smooth the sharp emission features, resulting in a dome-like shape. Preliminary results indicate that the surfaces of analyzed Trojans contain primarily amorphous silicates. Emissivity spectra of asteroids 1986 WD and 4709 Ennomos include small peaks in the 10 μm region, diagnostic of small amounts of crystalline olivine. One explanation is that Trojans formed in the same region as Kuiper Belt objects, and when giant planet migration ensued, they were swept into Jupiter’s stable Lagrange points where they are found today. As such, it is possible that an ancestral group of Kuiper Belt

Steam based conversion coating on AA6060 alloy: Effect of sodium silicate chemistry and corrosion performance

Science.gov (United States)

Din, Rameez Ud; Bordo, Kirill; Tabrizian, Naja; Jellesen, Morten Stendahl; Ambat, Rajan

2017-11-01

Surface treatment of aluminium alloy AA6060 using an industrially applicable pilot steam jet system with and without silicate chemistry has been investigated. Treatment using steam alone and steam with silicate, resulted in an oxide layer formation with thickness ∼425 nm and ∼160 nm, respectively. Moreover, the use of sodium silicate resulted in the formation of distinct microstructure and incorporation of silicate into the oxide film. These oxide films reduced the anodic activity 4 times, while the corrosion protection by silicate containing oxide was the function of its concentration. Further, in acid salt spray and filiform corrosion tests, oxide layer containing silicate exhibited two times higher corrosion resistance.

Uranium-thorium silicates, with specific reference to the species in the Witwatersrand reefs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smits, G.

1987-01-01

(U,Th)-silicates form two complete series of anhydrous and hydrated species with general formulae (U,Th)SiO 4 and (U,Th)SiO 4 .nH 2 O respectively. The end-members of the anhydrous series are anhydrous coffinite and thorite, and those of the hydrated series, coffinite and thorogummite. Although the silicates are relatively rare in nature, coffinite is a common ore mineral in uranium deposits of the sandstone type. In the Witwatersrand reefs, (U,Th)-silicates are extremely rare in most reefs, except for the Elsburg Reefs on the West Rand Goldfield and the Dominion Reef. In these reefs detrital uraninite has been partly or entirely transformed to (U,Th)-silicates of coffinite composition, but thorite and thorogummite of detrital origin are also found in the Dominion Reef. In leaching tests on polished sections of rock samples containing (U,Th)-silicates, a dilute sulphuric acid solution, to which ferric iron had been added, was used as the lixiviant. It appeared that the dissolution of coffinite is less rapid than that of uraninite and uraniferous leucoxene. However, the reaction of silicates of high thorium content is much slower, and was not completed during the tests

Formatt: Correcting protein multiple structural alignments by incorporating sequence alignment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniels Noah M

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The quality of multiple protein structure alignments are usually computed and assessed based on geometric functions of the coordinates of the backbone atoms from the protein chains. These purely geometric methods do not utilize directly protein sequence similarity, and in fact, determining the proper way to incorporate sequence similarity measures into the construction and assessment of protein multiple structure alignments has proved surprisingly difficult. Results We present Formatt, a multiple structure alignment based on the Matt purely geometric multiple structure alignment program, that also takes into account sequence similarity when constructing alignments. We show that Formatt outperforms Matt and other popular structure alignment programs on the popular HOMSTRAD benchmark. For the SABMark twilight zone benchmark set that captures more remote homology, Formatt and Matt outperform other programs; depending on choice of embedded sequence aligner, Formatt produces either better sequence and structural alignments with a smaller core size than Matt, or similarly sized alignments with better sequence similarity, for a small cost in average RMSD. Conclusions Considering sequence information as well as purely geometric information seems to improve quality of multiple structure alignments, though defining what constitutes the best alignment when sequence and structural measures would suggest different alignments remains a difficult open question.

Synthesis of yttrium silicate luminescent materials by sol-gel method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arkhipov, D.V.; Vasina, O.Yu.; Popovich, N.V.; Galaktionov, S.S.; Soshchin, N.P.

1996-01-01

Several yttrium-silicate composition with Y 2 O 3 content within 44-56% have been synthesized. it is ascertained that employment of sol-gel technique permits preparation of luminescent materials on yttrium silicate basis, which compare favourably with bath-produced specimens. The influence of phase composition of sol-gel phosphors on basic performance indices: intensity and luminescence spectrum, has been analyzed

Development of Biomedical Polymer-Silicate Nanocomposites: A Materials Science Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Jung Wu

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Biomedical polymer-silicate nanocomposites have potential to become critically important to the development of biomedical applications, ranging from diagnostic and therapeutic devices, tissue regeneration and drug delivery matrixes to various bio-technologies that are inspired by biology but have only indirect biomedical relation. The fundamental understanding of polymer-nanoparticle interactions is absolutely necessary to control structure-property relationships of materials that need to work within the chemical, physical and biological constraints required by an application. This review summarizes the most recent published strategies to design and develop polymer-silicate nanocomposites (including clay based silicate nanoparticles and bioactive glass nanoparticles for a variety of biomedical applications. Emerging trends in bio-technological and biomedical nanocomposites are highlighted and potential new fields of applications are examined.

Measurement of the efficacy of calcium silicate for the protection and repair of dental enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Alexander S; Patel, Anisha N; Al Botros, Rehab; Snowden, Michael E; McKelvey, Kim; Unwin, Patrick R; Ashcroft, Alexander T; Carvell, Mel; Joiner, Andrew; Peruffo, Massimo

2014-06-01

To investigate the formation of hydroxyapatite (HAP) from calcium silicate and the deposition of calcium silicate onto sound and acid eroded enamel surfaces in order to investigate its repair and protective properties. Calcium silicate was mixed with phosphate buffer for seven days and the resulting solids analysed for crystalline phases by Raman spectroscopy. Deposition studies were conducted on bovine enamel surfaces. Acid etched regions were produced on the enamel surfaces using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) with acid filled pipettes and varying contact times. Following treatment with calcium silicate, the deposition was visualised with FE-SEM and etch pit volumes were measured by AFM. A second set of bovine enamel specimens were pre-treated with calcium silicate and fluoride, before acid exposure with the SECCM. The volumes of the resultant acid etched pits were measured using AFM and the intrinsic rate constant for calcium loss was calculated. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that HAP was formed from calcium silicate. Deposition studies demonstrated greater delivery of calcium silicate to acid eroded than sound enamel and that the volume of acid etched enamel pits was significantly reduced following one treatment (penamel was 0.092 ± 0.008 cm/s. This was significantly reduced, 0.056 ± 0.005 cm/s, for the calcium silicate treatments (penamel surfaces. Calcium silicate can provide significant protection of sound enamel from acid challenges. Calcium silicate is a material that has potential for a new approach to the repair of demineralised enamel and the protection of enamel from acid attacks, leading to significant dental hard tissue benefits. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collagen-based cell migration models in vitro and in vivo.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolf, K.A.; Alexander, S.; Schacht, V.; Coussens, L.M.; Andrian, U.H. von; Rheenen, J. van; Deryugina, E.; Friedl, P.H.A.

2009-01-01

Fibrillar collagen is the most abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) constituent which maintains the structure of most interstitial tissues and organs, including skin, gut, and breast. Density and spatial alignments of the three-dimensional (3D) collagen architecture define mechanical tissue

Steam based conversion coating on AA6060 alloy: Effect of sodium silicate chemistry and corrosion performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Din, Rameez Ud; Bordo, Kirill; Tabrizian, Naja

2017-01-01

. Moreover, the use of sodium silicate resulted in the formation of distinct microstructure and incorporation of silicate into the oxide film. These oxide films reduced the anodic activity 4 times, while the corrosion protection by silicate containing oxide was the function of its concentration. Further......Surface treatment of aluminium alloy AA6060 using an industrially applicable pilot steam jet system with and without silicate chemistry has been investigated. Treatment using steam alone and steam with silicate, resulted in an oxide layer formation with thickness ∼425 nm and ∼160 nm, respectively......, in acid salt spray and filiform corrosion tests, oxide layer containing silicate exhibited two times higher corrosion resistance....

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G.Gomez

2010-01-01

The main developments in muon alignment since March 2010 have been the production, approval and deployment of alignment constants for the ICHEP data reprocessing. In the barrel, a new geometry, combining information from both hardware and track-based alignment systems, has been developed for the first time. The hardware alignment provides an initial DT geometry, which is then anchored as a rigid solid, using the link alignment system, to a reference frame common to the tracker. The “GlobalPositionRecords” for both the Tracker and Muon systems are being used for the first time, and the initial tracker-muon relative positioning, based on the link alignment, yields good results within the photogrammetry uncertainties of the Tracker and alignment ring positions. For the first time, the optical and track-based alignments show good agreement between them; the optical alignment being refined by the track-based alignment. The resulting geometry is the most complete to date, aligning all 250 DTs, ...

The utilization of waste by-products for removing silicate from mineral processing wastewater via chemical precipitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jianhua; Sun, Wei; Hu, Yuehua; Gao, Zhiyong; Liu, Runqing; Zhang, Qingpeng; Liu, Hang; Meng, Xiangsong

2017-11-15

This study investigates an environmentally friendly technology that utilizes waste by-products (waste acid and waste alkali liquids) to treat mineral processing wastewater. Chemical precipitation is used to remove silicate from scheelite (CaWO 4 ) cleaning flotation wastewater and the waste by-products are used as a substitute for calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ). A series of laboratory experiments is conducted to explain the removal of silicate and the characterization and formation mechanism of calcium silicate. The results show that silicate removal reaches 90% when the Ca:Si molar ratio exceeds 1.0. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirm the characterization and formation of calcium silicate. The pH is the key factor for silicate removal, and the formation of polysilicic acid with a reduction of pH can effectively improve the silicate removal and reduce the usage of calcium. The economic analysis shows that the treatment costs with waste acid (0.63 $/m 3 ) and waste alkali (1.54 $/m 3 ) are lower than that of calcium chloride (2.38 $/m 3 ). The efficient removal of silicate is confirmed by industrial testing at a plant. The results show that silicate removal reaches 85% in the recycled water from tailings dam. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data in support of the identification of neuronal and astrocyte proteins interacting with extracellularly applied oligomeric and fibrillar α-synuclein assemblies by mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrivastava, Amulya Nidhi; Redeker, Virginie; Fritz, Nicolas; Pieri, Laura; Almeida, Leandro G; Spolidoro, Maria; Liebmann, Thomas; Bousset, Luc; Renner, Marianne; Léna, Clément; Aperia, Anita; Melki, Ronald; Triller, Antoine

2016-06-01

α-Synuclein (α-syn) is the principal component of Lewy bodies, the pathophysiological hallmark of individuals affected by Parkinson disease (PD). This neuropathologic form of α-syn contributes to PD progression and propagation of α-syn assemblies between neurons. The data we present here support the proteomic analysis used to identify neuronal proteins that specifically interact with extracellularly applied oligomeric or fibrillar α-syn assemblies (conditions 1 and 2, respectively) (doi: 10.15252/embj.201591397[1]). α-syn assemblies and their cellular partner proteins were pulled down from neuronal cell lysed shortly after exposure to exogenous α-syn assemblies and the associated proteins were identified by mass spectrometry using a shotgun proteomic-based approach. We also performed experiments on pure cultures of astrocytes to identify astrocyte-specific proteins interacting with oligomeric or fibrillar α-syn (conditions 3 and 4, respectively). For each condition, proteins interacting selectively with α-syn assemblies were identified by comparison to proteins pulled-down from untreated cells used as controls. The mass spectrometry data, the database search and the peak lists have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium database via the PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifiers PRIDE: PXD002256 to PRIDE: PXD002263 and doi: 10.6019/PXD002256 to 10.6019/PXD002263.

Carbonate formation in non-aqueous environments by solid-gas carbonation of silicates

Science.gov (United States)

Day, S. J.; Thompson, S. P.; Evans, A.; Parker, J. E.

2012-02-01

We have produced synthetic analogues of cosmic silicates using the Sol Gel method, producing amorphous silicates of composition Mg(x)Ca(1-x)SiO3. Using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction on Beamline I11 at the Diamond Light Source, together with a newly-commissioned gas cell, real-time powder diffraction scans have been taken of a range of silicates exposed to CO2 under non-ambient conditions. The SXPD is complemented by other techniques including Raman and Infrared Spectroscopy and SEM imaging.

Activation of Ca(OH){sub 2} using different siliceous materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karatepe, N.; Ersoy-Mericboyu, A.; Kucukbayrak, S. [Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul (Turkey)

1999-04-01

Siliceous materials such as silica fume, bentonite and diatomite were mixed with Ca(OH){sub 2} and hydrated at different conditions to produce reactive SO{sub 2} sorbents. Two different hydration methods were used, namely atmospheric and pressure hydration. The effects of the hydration temperature, time and siliceous material/Ca(OH){sub 2} weight ratio on the physical properties of the activated sorbents wereinvestigated. A statistical design technique was applied by use of a two-level factorial design matrix to interpret experimental results. In atmospheric hydration, it was found that increasing the temperature and hydration time caused an increase in the total surface area of the sorbents. But, increasing the siliceous material/Ca(OH){sub 2} weight ratio caused a decrease in the total surface area of the sorbents. In pressure hydration, mathematical analysis showed that the surface area of the activated sorbents was positively affected by the hydration variables. Thermogravimetric measurements showed that increasing the amount of reacted Ca(OH){sub 2} during hydration caused an increase in the surface area of the sorbent. X-ray diffraction studies also indicated that calcium silicate hydrates were the principal Ca-containing species formed during hydration.

Determination of reactivity rates of silicate particle-size fractions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angélica Cristina Fernandes Deus

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The efficiency of sources used for soil acidity correction depends on reactivity rate (RR and neutralization power (NP, indicated by effective calcium carbonate (ECC. Few studies establish relative efficiency of reactivity (RER for silicate particle-size fractions, therefore, the RER applied for lime are used. This study aimed to evaluate the reactivity of silicate materials affected by particle size throughout incubation periods in comparison to lime, and to calculate the RER for silicate particle-size fractions. Six correction sources were evaluated: three slags from distinct origins, dolomitic and calcitic lime separated into four particle-size fractions (2, 0.84, 0.30 and <0.30-mm sieves, and wollastonite, as an additional treatment. The treatments were applied to three soils with different texture classes. The dose of neutralizing material (calcium and magnesium oxides was applied at equal quantities, and the only variation was the particle-size material. After a 90-day incubation period, the RER was calculated for each particle-size fraction, as well as the RR and ECC of each source. The neutralization of soil acidity of the same particle-size fraction for different sources showed distinct solubility and a distinct reaction between silicates and lime. The RER for slag were higher than the limits established by Brazilian legislation, indicating that the method used for limes should not be used for the slags studied here.

Electrical conductivity studies of nanocrystalline lanthanum silicate synthesized by sol-gel route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nallamuthu, N.; Prakash, I.; Satyanarayana, N.; Venkateswarlu, M.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Nanocrystalline La 10 Si 6 O 27 material was synthesized by sol-gel method. → TG/DTA curves predicted the thermal behavior of the material. → FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of SiO 4 and La-O network in the La 10 Si 6 O 27 . → XRD patterns confirmed the formation of pure crystalline La 10 Si 6 O 27 phase. → The grain interior and the grain boundary conductivities are evaluated. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline apatite type structured lanthanum silicate (La 10 Si 6 O 27 ) sample was synthesized by sol-gel process. Thermal behavior of the dried gel of lanthanum silicate sample was studied using TG/DTA. The structural coordination of the dried gel of lanthanum silicate, calcined at various temperatures, was identified from the observed FTIR spectral results. The observed XRD patterns of the calcined dried gel were compared with the ICDD data and confirmed the formation of crystalline lanthanum silicate phase. The average crystalline size of La 10 Si 6 O 27 was calculated using the Scherrer formula and it is found to be ∼80 nm. The observed SEM images of the lanthanum silicate indicate the formation of the spherical particles and the existence of O, Si and La in the lanthanum silicate are confirmed from the SEM-EDX spectrum. The grain and grain boundary conductivities are evaluated by analyzing the measured impedance data, using winfit software, obtained at different temperatures, of La 10 Si 6 O 27 sample. Also, the observed grain and grain boundary conductivity behaviors of the La 10 Si 6 O 27 sample are analysed using brick layer model. The electrical permittivity and electrical modulus were calculated from the measured impedance data and were analyzed by fitting through the Havriliak and Negami function to describe the dielectric relaxation behavior of the nanocrystalline lanthanum silicate.

Methylated silicates may explain the release of chlorinated methane from Martian soil

Science.gov (United States)

Bak, Ebbe N.; Jensen, Svend J. Knak; Nørnberg, Per; Finster, Kai

2016-01-01

The only organic compounds that have been detected in the Martian soil are simple chlorinated compounds released from heated surface material. However, the sources of the organic carbon are in dispute. Wind abraded silicates, which are widespread on the Martian surface, can sequester atmospheric methane which generates methylated silicates and thus could provide a mechanism for accumulation of reduced carbon in the surface soil. In this study we show that thermal volatilization of methylated silicates in the presence of perchlorate leads to the production of chlorinated methane. Thus, methylated silicates could be a source of the organic carbon released as chlorinated methane upon thermal volatilization of Martian soil samples. Further, our experiments show that the ratio of the different chlorinated compounds produced is dependent on the mass ratio of perchlorate to organic carbon in the soil.

Silicates in Alien Asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

This plot of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescopes shows that asteroid dust around a dead 'white dwarf' star contains silicates a common mineral on Earth. The data were taken primarily by Spitzer's infrared spectrograph, an instrument that breaks light apart into its basic constituents. The yellow dots show averaged data from the spectrograph, while the orange triangles show older data from Spitzer's infrared array camera. The white dwarf is called GD 40.

Synthesis and luminescence properties of erbium silicate thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miritello, Maria; Lo Savio, Roberto; Iacona, Fabio; Franzo, Giorgia; Bongiorno, Corrado; Priolo, Francesco

2008-01-01

We have studied the structure and the room temperature luminescence of erbium silicate thin films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering. Films deposited on silicon oxide layers are characterized by good structural properties and excellent stability. The optical properties of these films are strongly improved by rapid thermal annealing processes performed in the range of temperature 800-1250 deg. C. In fact through the reduction of the defect density of the material, a very efficient room temperature photoluminescence at 1535 nm is obtained. We have also investigated the influence of the annealing ambient, by finding that treatments in O 2 atmosphere are significantly more efficient in improving the optical properties of the material with respect to processes in N 2 . Upconversion effects become effective only when erbium silicate is excited with high pump powers. The evidence that all Er atoms (about 10 22 cm -3 ) in erbium silicate films are optically active suggests interesting perspectives for optoelectronic applications of this material

Calc-silicate mineralization in active geothermal systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, D.K.; Schiffman, P.; Elders, W.A.; Williams, A.E.; McDowell, S.D.

1983-01-01

The detailed study of calc-silicate mineral zones and coexisting phase relations in the Cerro Prieto geothermal system were used as examples for thermodynamic evaluation of phase relations among minerals of variable composition and to calculate the chemical characteristics of hydrothermal solutions compatible with the observed calc-silicate assemblages. In general there is a close correlation between calculated and observed fluid compositions. Calculated fugacities of O{sub 2} at about 320{degrees}C in the Cerro Prieto geothermal system are about five orders of magnitude less than that at the nearby Salton Sea geothermal system. This observation is consistent with the occurrence of Fe{sup 3+} rich epidotes in the latter system and the presence of prehnite at Cerro Prieto.

Insight into silicate-glass corrosion mechanisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cailleteau, C; Angeli, F; Gin, S; Jollivet, P [CEA VALRHO, DEN, Lab Etude Comportement Long Terme, F-30207 Bagnols Sur Ceze, (France); Devreux, F [Ecole Polytech, CNRS, Lab Phys Mat Condensee, F-91128 Palaiseau, (France); Jestin, J [CEA, CNRS, Lab Leon Brillouin, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France); Spalla, O [CEA, DSM, Lab Interdisciplinaire Org Nanometr et Supramol, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France)

2008-07-01

The remarkable chemical durability of silicate glass makes it suitable for a wide range of applications. The slowdown of the aqueous glass corrosion kinetics that is frequently observed at long time is generally attributed to chemical affinity effects (saturation of the solution with respect to silica). Here, we demonstrate a new mechanism and highlight the impact of morphological transformations in the alteration layer on the leaching kinetics. A direct correlation between structure and reactivity is revealed by coupling the results of several structure-sensitive experiments with numerical simulations at mesoscopic scale. The sharp drop in the corrosion rate is shown to arise from densification of the outer layers of the alteration film, leading to pore closure. The presence of insoluble elements in the glass can inhibit the film restructuring responsible for this effect. This mechanism may be more broadly applicable to silicate minerals. (authors)

The preparation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles and their use as an efficient UV absorber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Podbrscek, Peter [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Drazic, Goran [Department for Nanostructured Materials, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Anzlovar, Alojz [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Center of Excellence for Polymer Materials and Technologies, Tehnoloski Park 24, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Orel, Zorica Crnjak, E-mail: zorica.crnjak.orel@ki.si [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Center of Excellence for Polymer Materials and Technologies, Tehnoloski Park 24, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2011-11-15

Highlights: {yields} We used innovative gel-route in order to prepare zinc silicate/ZnO nano-particles. {yields} Continuous reactor was efficient for synthesizing ZnO and zinc silicate/ZnO precursors. {yields} Introduction of Si into reaction mixture influenced on particle size and their photoactivity. {yields} Prepared particles are appropriate for UV absorbers in polymers. -- Abstract: The formation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles synthesized by a two-step method and their incorporation into PMMA is presented. In the first step a segmented-flow tubular reactor was used for the continuous room-temperature preparation of a zinc silicate/Zn(OH){sub 2} gel that was thermally treated after rinsing and drying in the second step. The same preparation procedure was also employed for the synthesis of pure ZnO and pure zinc silicate particles. It was found that the presence of the zinc silicate phase significantly influenced the final particle size, decreased the degree of crystallization and reduced the particles' UV absorption capabilities. The reduced photocatalytic activity of the zinc silicate/ZnO particles indicated that the majority of ZnO crystallites were formed inside the zinc silicate matrix. The nanocomposite prepared from zinc silicate/ZnO particles (0.04 wt.%) and PMMA showed high UV shielding and at the same time sufficient transmittance in the visible-light region.

The preparation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles and their use as an efficient UV absorber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podbrscek, Peter; Drazic, Goran; Anzlovar, Alojz; Orel, Zorica Crnjak

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We used innovative gel-route in order to prepare zinc silicate/ZnO nano-particles. → Continuous reactor was efficient for synthesizing ZnO and zinc silicate/ZnO precursors. → Introduction of Si into reaction mixture influenced on particle size and their photoactivity. → Prepared particles are appropriate for UV absorbers in polymers. -- Abstract: The formation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles synthesized by a two-step method and their incorporation into PMMA is presented. In the first step a segmented-flow tubular reactor was used for the continuous room-temperature preparation of a zinc silicate/Zn(OH) 2 gel that was thermally treated after rinsing and drying in the second step. The same preparation procedure was also employed for the synthesis of pure ZnO and pure zinc silicate particles. It was found that the presence of the zinc silicate phase significantly influenced the final particle size, decreased the degree of crystallization and reduced the particles' UV absorption capabilities. The reduced photocatalytic activity of the zinc silicate/ZnO particles indicated that the majority of ZnO crystallites were formed inside the zinc silicate matrix. The nanocomposite prepared from zinc silicate/ZnO particles (0.04 wt.%) and PMMA showed high UV shielding and at the same time sufficient transmittance in the visible-light region.

Potassium silicate and calcium silicate on the resistance of soybean to Phakopsora pachyrhizi infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Fernanda Cruz

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The control of Asian Soybean Rust (ASR, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, has been difficult due to the aggressiveness of the pathogen and the lack of resistant cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spray of potassium silicate (PS and soil amendment with calcium silicate (CS on soybean resistance to ASR. The PS solution was sprayed to leaves 24 hours prior to fungal inoculation while CS was amended to the soil at thirty-five days before sowing. The infection process of P. pachyrhizi was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The uredia on leaves of plants sprayed with PS were smaller and more compact than those observed on the leaves of plants grown in soil amended with CS or in soil non-amended with CS (control treatment. On leaves of plants from the control treatment, uredia produced many urediniospores at 9 days after inoculation, and the ASR severity was 15, 8 and 9%, respectively, for plants from control, PS and CS treatments. In conclusion, the spray of PS contributed to reduce the number of uredia per cm² of leaf area and both PS spray and CS resulted in lower ASR symptoms.

Valence determination of rare earth elements in lanthanide silicates by L 3-XANES spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravtsova, Antonina N; Guda, Alexander A; Soldatov, Alexander V; Goettlicher, Joerg; Taroev, Vladimir K; Suvorova, Lyudmila F; Tauson, Vladimir L; Kashaev, Anvar A

2016-01-01

Lanthanide silicates have been hydrothermally synthesized using Cu and Ni containers. Chemical formulae of the synthesized compounds correspond to K 3 Eu[Si 6 O 15 ] 2H 2 O, HK 6 Eu[Si 10 O 25 ], K 7 Sm 3 [Si 12 O 32 ], K 2 Sm[AlSi 4 O 12 ] 0.375H 2 O, K 4 Yb 2 [Si 8 O 21 ], K 4 Ce 2 [Al 2 Si 8 O 24 ]. The oxidation state of lanthanides (Eu, Ce, Tb, Sm, Yb) in these silicates has been determined using XANES spectroscopy at the Eu, Ce, Tb, Sm, Yb, L 3 - edges. The experimental XANES spectra were recorded using the synchrotron radiation source ANKA (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) and the X-ray laboratory spectrometer Rigaku R- XAS. By comparing the absorption edge energies and white line intensities of the silicates with the ones of reference spectra the oxidation state of lanthanides Eu, Ce, Tb, Sm, Yb has been found to be equal to +3 in all investigated silicates except of the Ce-containing silicate from the run in Cu container where the cerium oxidation state ranges from +3 (Ce in silicate apatite and in a KCe silicate with Si 12 O 32 layers) to +4 (starting CeO 2 or oxidized Ce 2 O 3 ). (paper)

Carbonate-silicate liquid immiscibility in the mantle propels kimberlite magma ascent

Science.gov (United States)

Kamenetsky, Vadim S.; Yaxley, Gregory M.

2015-06-01

Kimberlite is a rare volcanic rock renowned as the major host of diamonds and originated at the base of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Although kimberlite magmas are dense in crystals and deeply-derived rock fragments, they ascend to the surface extremely rapidly, enabling diamonds to survive. The unique physical properties of kimberlite magmas depend on the specific compositions of their parental melts that, in absence of historical eruptions and due to pervasive alteration of kimberlite rocks, remain highly debatable. We explain exceptionally rapid ascent of kimberlite magma from mantle depths by combining empirical data on the essentially carbonatite composition of the kimberlite primary melts and experimental evidence on interaction of the carbonate liquids with mantle minerals. Our experimental study shows that orthopyroxene is completely dissolved in a Na2CO3 melt at 2.0-5.0 GPa and 1000-1200 °C. The dissolution of orthopyroxene results in homogeneous silicate-carbonate melt at 5.0 GPa and 1200 °C, and is followed by unmixing of carbonate and carbonated silicate melts and formation of stable magmatic emulsion at lower pressures and temperatures. The dispersed silicate melt has a significant capacity for storing a carbonate component in the deep mantle (13 wt% CO2 at 2.0 GPa). We envisage that this component reaches saturation and is gradually released as CO2 bubbles, as the silicate melt globules are transported upwards through the lithosphere by the carbonatite magma. The globules of unmixed, CO2-rich silicate melt are continuously produced upon further reaction between the natrocarbonatite melt and mantle peridotite. On decompression the dispersed silicate melt phase ensures a continuous supply of CO2 bubbles that decrease density and increase buoyancy and promote rapid ascent of the magmatic emulsion.

Field and Experimental Constraints on the Dynamics of Replenished Silicic Magma Chambers

Science.gov (United States)

Bain, A. A.; Jellinek, M.

2008-12-01

The underlying causes of catastrophic caldera-forming volcanic eruptions remain poorly understood. However, the occurrence of magma mixing within bimodal systems has become increasingly linked with such eruptions. In particular, buoyancy effects related to unstable density contrasts arising as a result of silicic- basaltic magma interactions may play an important role in the growth, differentiation and catastrophic eruption of silicic magma chambers. Evidence of such magmatic interactions can be found in layered intrusions from the Coastal Maine Magmatic Province (USA), where well-exposed cross-sections reveal hundreds of laterally-extensive basaltic sheets, apparently injected as intrusive lava flows onto the growing floors of silicic magma chambers. Interfaces between mafic and silicic layers are commonly sharply defined and exhibit deformation parallel to the inferred direction of palaeo-gravity. Our field observations suggest that the cooling, settling and buckling of gravitationally-unstable mafic replenishments may have driven large-scale (basalt layer depth) and small- scale (crystal diameter) upwelling and/or overturning of underlying buoyant silicic cumulate material. In order to characterize the full range of buoyancy effects, we carried out extensive spectral analysis of high- resolution digital field measurements from the Pleasant Bay and Mount Desert Island intrusions. In many cases, Rayleigh-Taylor theory and the longest measured wavelength of deformation indicate that a large and potentially-quantifiable fraction of the original, pre-replenishment silicic cumulate thickness may be missing, implying that vertical mass transfer has occurred. In addition, the shortest wavelengths of deformation are generally consistent with observed length-scales of crystals and clumps of crystals at these localities. With the aim of understanding the initial conditions that gave rise to these field observations, we conduct a series of laboratory experiments in which we

Silicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lutze, W.

1988-01-01

Vitrification of liquid high-level radioactive wastes has received the greatest attention, world-wide, compared to any other HLW solidification process. The waste form is a borosilicate-based glass. The production of phosphate-based glass has been abandoned in the western world. Only in the Soviet Union are phosphate-based glasses still being developed. Vitrification techniques, equipment and processes and their remote operation have been developed and studied for almost thirty years and have reached a high degree of technical maturity. Industrial demonstration of the vitrification process has been in progress since 1978. This chapter is a survey of world-wide research and development efforts in nuclear waste glasses and its production technology. The principal glasses considered are silicate glasses which contain boron, i.e., borosilicate glasses

Selective silicate-directed motility in diatoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bondoc, Karen Grace V.; Heuschele, Jan; Gillard, Jeroen

2016-01-01

the major sink in the global Si cycle. Dissolved silicic acid (dSi) availability frequently limits diatom productivity and influences species composition of communities. We show that benthic diatoms selectively perceive and behaviourally react to gradients of dSi. Cell speed increases under d...

Mid-infrared spectra of cometary dust: the evasion of its silicate mineralogy

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, H.; Chigai, T.; Yamamoto, T.

2008-04-01

Infrared spectra of dust in cometary comae provide a way to identify its silicate constituents, and this is crucial for correctly understanding the condition under which our planetary system is formed. Recent studies assign a newly detected peak at a wavelength of 9.3 μm to pyroxenes and regard them as the most abundant silicate minerals in comets. Here we dispense with this pyroxene hypothesis to numerically reproduce the infrared features of cometary dust in the framework of our interstellar dust models. Presolar interstellar dust in a comet is modeled as fluffy aggregates consisting of submicrometer-sized organic grains with an amorphous-silicate core that undergoes nonthermal crystallization in a coma. We assert that forsterite (Mg2SiO4) is the carrier of all the observed features, including the 9.3 μm peak and that the major phase of iron is sulfides rather than iron-rich silicates.

X-ray emission spectroscopy study of iron silicate catalyst FeZSM-5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Csencsits, R.; Lyman, C.E.; Gronsky, R.

1988-03-01

Iron silicate analogs of the zeolite ZMS-5 may be directly synthesized from iron silicate gels in a manner which differs slightly from the alumino-silicate ZSM-5. The resultant white, crystalline iron silicate is referred to as FeZSM-5 in the as-synthesized form. Thermal treatment removes the organic crystal-directing agent and moves some of the framework iron into non-framework sites producing the calcined form of the molecular sieve FeZSM-5. Homogeneity in the distribution of catalytic iron throughout the particles is desired in an optimal catalyst. Distribution of the iron throughout the framework in the as-synthesized forms would affect the final distribution of catalytic iron in the calcined and steamed forms; thus, the iron distribution throughout the as-synthesized and calcined forms of FeZSM-5 were studied using the high spatial resolution on the analytical electron microscope. 7 refs., 3 figs

Silicate bonding properties: Investigation through thermal conductivity measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lorenzini, M; Cesarini, E; Cagnoli, G; Campagna, E; Losurdo, G; Martelli, F; Piergiovanni, F; Vetrano, F [INFN, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sez. di Firenze, via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Haughian, K; Hough, J; Martin, I; Reid, S; Rowan, S; Veggel, A A van, E-mail: lorenzini@fi.infn.i [SUPA, University of Glasgow, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Kelvin Building G12 8QQ Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom)

2010-05-01

A direct approach to reduce the thermal noise contribution to the sensitivity limit of a GW interferometric detector is the cryogenic cooling of the mirrors and mirrors suspensions. Future generations of detectors are foreseen to implement this solution. Silicon has been proposed as a candidate material, thanks to its very low intrinsic loss angle at low temperatures and due to its very high thermal conductivity, allowing the heat deposited in the mirrors by high power lasers to be efficiently extracted. To accomplish such a scheme, both mirror masses and suspension elements must be made of silicon, then bonded together forming a quasi-monolithic stage. Elements can be assembled using hydroxide-catalysis silicate bonding, as for silica monolithic joints. The effect of Si to Si bonding on suspension thermal conductance has therefore to be experimentally studied. A measurement of the effect of silicate bonding on thermal conductance carried out on 1 inch thick silicon bonded samples, from room temperature down to 77 K, is reported. In the explored temperature range, the silicate bonding does not seem to affect in a relevant way the sample conductance.

Silicate fertilization of tropical soils: silicon availability and recovery index of sugarcane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mônica Sartori de Camargo

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Sugarcane is considered a Si-accumulating plant, but in Brazil, where several soil types are used for cultivation, there is little information about silicon (Si fertilization. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the silicon availability, uptake and recovery index of Si from the applied silicate on tropical soils with and without silicate fertilization, in three crops. The experiments in pots (100 L were performed with specific Si rates (0, 185, 370 and 555 kg ha-1 Si, three soils (Quartzipsamment-Q, 6 % clay; Rhodic Hapludox-RH, 22 % clay; and Rhodic Acrudox-RA, 68 % clay, with four replications. The silicon source was Ca-Mg silicate. The same Ca and Mg quantities were applied to all pots, with lime and/or MgCl2, when necessary. Sugarcane was harvested in the plant cane and first- and second-ratoon crops. The silicon rates increased soil Si availability and Si uptake by sugarcane and had a strong residual effect. The contents of soluble Si were reduced by harvesting and increased with silicate application in the following decreasing order: Q>RH>RA. The silicate rates promoted an increase in soluble Si-acetic acid at harvest for all crops and in all soils, except RA. The amounts of Si-CaCl2 were not influenced by silicate in the ratoon crops. The plant Si uptake increased according to the Si rates and was highest in RA at all harvests. The recovery index of applied Si (RI of sugarcane increased over time, and was highest in RA.

Hierarchical macroscopic fibrillar adhesives: in situ study of buckling and adhesion mechanisms on wavy substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Christina T; Kroner, Elmar; Fleck, Norman A; Arzt, Eduard

2015-10-23

Nature uses hierarchical fibrillar structures to mediate temporary adhesion to arbitrary substrates. Such structures provide high compliance such that the flat fibril tips can be better positioned with respect to asperities of a wavy rough substrate. We investigated the buckling and adhesion of hierarchically structured adhesives in contact with flat smooth, flat rough and wavy rough substrates. A macroscopic model for the structural adhesive was fabricated by molding polydimethylsiloxane into pillars of diameter in the range of 0.3-4.8 mm, with up to three different hierarchy levels. Both flat-ended and mushroom-shaped hierarchical samples buckled at preloads one quarter that of the single level structures. We explain this behavior by a change in the buckling mode; buckling leads to a loss of contact and diminishes adhesion. Our results indicate that hierarchical structures can have a strong influence on the degree of adhesion on both flat and wavy substrates. Strategies are discussed that achieve highly compliant substrates which adhere to rough substrates.

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G.Gomez

2010-01-01

Most of the work in muon alignment since December 2009 has focused on the geometry reconstruction from the optical systems and improvements in the internal alignment of the DT chambers. The barrel optical alignment system has progressively evolved from reconstruction of single active planes to super-planes (December 09) to a new, full barrel reconstruction. Initial validation studies comparing this full barrel alignment at 0T with photogrammetry provide promising results. In addition, the method has been applied to CRAFT09 data, and the resulting alignment at 3.8T yields residuals from tracks (extrapolated from the tracker) which look smooth, suggesting a good internal barrel alignment with a small overall offset with respect to the tracker. This is a significant improvement, which should allow the optical system to provide a start-up alignment for 2010. The end-cap optical alignment has made considerable progress in the analysis of transfer line data. The next set of alignment constants for CSCs will there...

Origins of saccharide-dependent hydration at aluminate, silicate, and aluminosilicate surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Benjamin J; Rawal, Aditya; Funkhouser, Gary P; Roberts, Lawrence R; Gupta, Vijay; Israelachvili, Jacob N; Chmelka, Bradley F

2011-05-31

Sugar molecules adsorbed at hydrated inorganic oxide surfaces occur ubiquitously in nature and in technologically important materials and processes, including marine biomineralization, cement hydration, corrosion inhibition, bioadhesion, and bone resorption. Among these examples, surprisingly diverse hydration behaviors are observed for oxides in the presence of saccharides with closely related compositions and structures. Glucose, sucrose, and maltodextrin, for example, exhibit significant differences in their adsorption selectivities and alkaline reaction properties on hydrating aluminate, silicate, and aluminosilicate surfaces that are shown to be due to the molecular architectures of the saccharides. Solid-state (1)H, (13)C, (29)Si, and (27)Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy measurements, including at very high magnetic fields (19 T), distinguish and quantify the different molecular species, their chemical transformations, and their site-specific adsorption on different aluminate and silicate moieties. Two-dimensional NMR results establish nonselective adsorption of glucose degradation products containing carboxylic acids on both hydrated silicates and aluminates. In contrast, sucrose adsorbs intact at hydrated silicate sites and selectively at anhydrous, but not hydrated, aluminate moieties. Quantitative surface force measurements establish that sucrose adsorbs strongly as multilayers on hydrated aluminosilicate surfaces. The molecular structures and physicochemical properties of the saccharides and their degradation species correlate well with their adsorption behaviors. The results explain the dramatically different effects that small amounts of different types of sugars have on the rates at which aluminate, silicate, and aluminosilicate species hydrate, with important implications for diverse materials and applications.

Thermal properties and application of potential lithium silicate breeder materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skokan, A.; Wedemeyer, H.; Vollath, D.; Gunther, E.

1987-01-01

Phase relations, thermal stability and preparation methods of the Li 2 O-rich silicates Li 8 SiO 6 and ''Li 6 SiO 5 '' have been investigated experimentally, the application of these compounds as solid breeder materials is discussed. In the second part of this contribution, the results of thermal expansion measurements on the silicates Li 2 SiO 3 , Li 4 SiO 4 and Li 8 SiO 6 are presented

Thermal properties and application of potential lithium silicate breeder materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skokan, A.; Wedemeyer, H.; Vollath, D.; Guenther, E.

1986-01-01

Phase relations, thermal stability and preparation methods of the Li 2 O-rich silicates Li 8 SiO 6 and 'Li 6 SiO 5 ' have been investigated experimentally, the application of these compounds as solid breeder materials is discussed. In the second part of this contribution, the results of thermal expansion measurements on the silicates Li 2 SiO 3 , Li 4 SiO 4 and Li 8 SiO 6 are presented. (author)

Influence of the type of aqueous sodium silicate on the stabilization and rheology of kaolin clay suspensions

Science.gov (United States)

Izak, Piotr; Ogłaza, Longin; Mozgawa, Włodzimierz; Mastalska-Popławska, Joanna; Stempkowska, Agata

2018-05-01

To avoid agglomeration and sedimentation of grains, ceramic slurries should be modified by stabilizers in order to increase the electrostatic interactions between the dispersed particles. In this study we present the spectral analysis of aqueous sodium silicates obtained by different synthesis methods and their influence on the rheological properties of kaolin based slurries. Infrared and Raman spectra can be used to describe the structure of silicate structural units present in aqueous sodium silicates. It was confirmed that the best stabilization results possess aqueous sodium silicates of the silicate moduli of about 2 and the optimal concentration of the used fluidizer is 0.3 wt% to the kaolin clay dry mass. One of the most important conclusions is that the synthesis method of the fluidizer has no significant effect on its stabilization properties but used medium does create adequate stabilization mechanism depending on the silicate structures present in the sodium silicate solution.

Analyses and predictions of the thermodynamic properties and phase diagrams of silicate systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blander, M. (Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)); Pelton, A.; Eriksson, G. (Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering)

1992-01-01

Molten silicates are ordered solutions which can not be well represented by the usual polynomial representation of deviations from ideal solution behavior (i.e. excess free energies of mixing). An adaptation of quasichemical theory which is capable of describing the properties of ordered solutions represents the measured properties of binary silicates over broad ranges of composition and temperature. For simple silicates such as the MgO-FeO-SiO{sub 2} ternary system, in which silica is the only acid component, a combining rule generally leads to good predictions of ternary solutions from those of the binaries. In basic solutions, these predictions are consistent with those of the conformal ionic solution theory. Our results indicate that our approach could provide a potentially powerful tool for representing and predicting the properties of multicomponent molten silicates.

Analyses and predictions of the thermodynamic properties and phase diagrams of silicate systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blander, M. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Pelton, A.; Eriksson, G. [Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering

1992-07-01

Molten silicates are ordered solutions which can not be well represented by the usual polynomial representation of deviations from ideal solution behavior (i.e. excess free energies of mixing). An adaptation of quasichemical theory which is capable of describing the properties of ordered solutions represents the measured properties of binary silicates over broad ranges of composition and temperature. For simple silicates such as the MgO-FeO-SiO{sub 2} ternary system, in which silica is the only acid component, a combining rule generally leads to good predictions of ternary solutions from those of the binaries. In basic solutions, these predictions are consistent with those of the conformal ionic solution theory. Our results indicate that our approach could provide a potentially powerful tool for representing and predicting the properties of multicomponent molten silicates.

Solidification of low-level radioactive liquid waste using a cement-silicate process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grandlund, R.W.; Hayes, J.F.

1979-01-01

Extensive use has been made of silicate and Portland cement for the solidification of industrial waste and recently this method has been successfully used to solidify a variety of low level radioactive wastes. The types of wastes processed to date include fuel fabrication sludges, power reactor waste, decontamination solution, and university laboratory waste. The cement-silicate process produces a stable solid with a minimal increase in volume and the chemicals are relatively inexpensive and readily available. The method is adaptable to either batch or continuous processing and the equipment is simple. The solid has leaching characteristics similar to or better than plain Portland cement mixtures and the leaching can be further reduced by the use of ion-exchange additives. The cement-silicate process has been used to solidify waste containing high levels of boric acid, oils, and organic solvents. The experience of handling the various types of liquid waste with a cement-silicate system is described

Dynamic shear stiffness and damping ratio of marine calcareous and siliceous sands

Science.gov (United States)

Javdanian, Hamed; Jafarian, Yaser

2018-03-01

Shear stiffness and damping ratio of two marine calcareous and siliceous sands were evaluated through an experimental program. Resonant column and cyclic triaxial experiments were conducted to measure the dynamic properties of the sands in small and large shear strain amplitudes. The tests were conducted under various initial stress-density conditions. The influence of effective confining pressure on the dynamic properties of the sands was assessed and compared in a preceding paper. It was shown that the calcareous sand has higher shear stiffness and lower damping ratio in comparison to the siliceous sand. In this note, the results are presented in more details and the dynamic behavior curves of the studied sands are compared with some available models, mostly developed based on the laboratory data of siliceous sands. This comparative study reveals that the previous models predict the dynamic properties of the calcareous sand in less precision than those of the siliceous sand.

Properties and Alignment of Interstellar Dust Grains toward Type Ia Supernovae with Anomalous Polarization Curves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoang, Thiem, E-mail: thiemhoang@kasi.re.kr [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute 776, Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055 (Korea, Republic of); Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H8 (Canada); Institute of Theoretical Physics, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

2017-02-10

Recent photometric and polarimetric observations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) show unusually low total-to-selective extinction ratios ( R {sub V} < 2) and wavelengths of maximum polarization ( λ{sub max} < 0.4 μ m) for several SNe Ia, which indicates peculiar properties of interstellar (IS) dust in the SN-hosted galaxies and/or the presence of circumstellar (CS) dust. In this paper, we use an inversion technique to infer the best-fit grain size distribution and the alignment function of interstellar grains along the lines of sight toward four SNe Ia with anomalous extinction and polarization data (SN 1986G, SN 2006X, SN 2008fp, and SN 2014J). We find that to reproduce low values of R{sub V}, a significant enhancement in the mass of small grains of radius a < 0.1 μ m is required. For SN 2014J, a simultaneous fit to its observed extinction and polarization is unsuccessful if all the data are attributed to IS dust (model 1), but a good fit is obtained when accounting for the contribution of CS dust (model 2). For SN 2008fp, our best-fit results for model 1 show that in order to reproduce an extreme value of λ{sub max} ∼ 0.15 μ m, small silicate grains must be aligned as efficiently as big grains. For this case, we suggest that strong radiation from the SN can induce efficient alignment of small grains in a nearby intervening molecular cloud via the radiative torque (RAT) mechanism. The resulting time dependence polarization from this RAT alignment model can be tested by observing at ultraviolet wavelengths.

Polymer/Silicate Nanocomposites Used to Manufacture Gas Storage Tanks With Reduced Permeability

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Sandi G.; Johnston, Chris

2004-01-01

Over the past decade, there has been considerable research in the area of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites. This research has shown that the dispersion of small amounts of an organically modified layered silicate improves the polymer strength, modulus, thermal stability, and barrier properties. There have been several reports on the dispersion of layered silicates in an epoxy matrix. Potential enhancements to the barrier properties of epoxy/silicate nanocomposites make this material attractive for low permeability tankage. Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) have several advantages for cryogenic storage tanks. They are lightweight, strong, and stiff; therefore, a smaller fraction of a vehicle's potential payload capacity is used for propellant storage. Unfortunately, the resins typically used to make PMC tanks have higher gas permeability than metals. This can lead to hydrogen loss through the body of the tank instead of just at welds and fittings. One approach to eliminate this problem is to build composite tanks with thin metal liners. However, although these tanks provide good permeability performance, they suffer from a substantial mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion, which can lead to failure of the bond between the liner and the body of the tank. Both problems could be addressed with polymersilicate nanocomposites, which exhibit reduced hydrogen permeability, making them potential candidates for linerless PMC tanks. Through collaboration with Northrop Grumman and Michigan State University, nanocomposite test tanks were manufactured for the NASA Glenn Research Center, and the helium permeability was measured. An organically modified silicate was prepared at Michigan State University and dispersed in an epoxy matrix (EPON 826/JeffamineD230). The epoxy/silicate nanocomposites contained either 0 or 5 wt% of the organically modified silicate. The tanks were made by filament winding carbon fibers with the nanocomposite resin. Helium permeability

Silicate bonded ceramics of laterites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagh, A.S.; Douse, V.

1989-05-01

Sodium silicate is vacuum impregnated in bauxite waste (red mud) at room temperature to develop ceramics of mechanical properties comparable to the sintered ceramics. For a concentration up to 10% the fracture toughness increases from 0.12 MNm -3/2 to 0.9 MNm -3/2 , and the compressive strength from 7 MNm -2 to 30 MNm -2 . The mechanical properties do not deteriorate, when soaked in water for an entire week. The viscosity and the concentration of the silicate solution are crucial, both for the success of the fabrication and the economics of the process. Similar successful results have been obtained for bauxite and lime stone, even though the latter has poor weathering properties. With scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis, an attempt is made to identify the crystals formed in the composite, which are responsible for the strength. The process is an economic alternative to the sintered ceramics in the construction industry in the tropical countries, rich in lateritic soils and poor in energy. Also the process has all the potential for further development in arid regions abundant in limestone. (author). 6 refs, 20 figs, 3 tabs

Sensing Characteristics of A Precision Aligner Using Moire Gratings for Precision Alignment System

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHOU Lizhong; Hideo Furuhashi; Yoshiyuki Uchida

2001-01-01

Sensing characteristics of a precision aligner using moire gratings for precision alignment sysem has been investigated. A differential moire alignment system and a modified alignment system were used. The influence of the setting accuracy of the gap length and inclination of gratings on the alignment accuracy has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Setting accuracy of the gap length less than 2.5μm is required in modified moire alignment. There is no influence of the gap length on the alignment accuracy in the differential alignment system. The inclination affects alignment accuracies in both differential and modified moire alignment systems.

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

Z. Szillasi and G. Gomez.

2013-01-01

When CMS is opened up, major components of the Link and Barrel Alignment systems will be removed. This operation, besides allowing for maintenance of the detector underneath, is needed for making interventions that will reinforce the alignment measurements and make the operation of the alignment system more reliable. For that purpose and also for their general maintenance and recalibration, the alignment components will be transferred to the Alignment Lab situated in the ISR area. For the track-based alignment, attention is focused on the determination of systematic uncertainties, which have become dominant, since now there is a large statistics of muon tracks. This will allow for an improved Monte Carlo misalignment scenario and updated alignment position errors, crucial for high-momentum muon analysis such as Z′ searches.

Triangular Alignment (TAME). A Tensor-based Approach for Higher-order Network Alignment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohammadi, Shahin [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Gleich, David F. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Kolda, Tamara G. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Grama, Ananth [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)

2015-11-01

Network alignment is an important tool with extensive applications in comparative interactomics. Traditional approaches aim to simultaneously maximize the number of conserved edges and the underlying similarity of aligned entities. We propose a novel formulation of the network alignment problem that extends topological similarity to higher-order structures and provide a new objective function that maximizes the number of aligned substructures. This objective function corresponds to an integer programming problem, which is NP-hard. Consequently, we approximate this objective function as a surrogate function whose maximization results in a tensor eigenvalue problem. Based on this formulation, we present an algorithm called Triangular AlignMEnt (TAME), which attempts to maximize the number of aligned triangles across networks. We focus on alignment of triangles because of their enrichment in complex networks; however, our formulation and resulting algorithms can be applied to general motifs. Using a case study on the NAPABench dataset, we show that TAME is capable of producing alignments with up to 99% accuracy in terms of aligned nodes. We further evaluate our method by aligning yeast and human interactomes. Our results indicate that TAME outperforms the state-of-art alignment methods both in terms of biological and topological quality of the alignments.

Experimental determination of the Mo isotope fractionation factor between metal and silicate liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Hin, R. C.; Burkhardt, C.; Schmidt, M. W.; Bourdon, B.

2011-12-01

The conditions and chemical consequences of core formation have mainly been reconstructed from experimentally determined element partition coefficients between metal and silicate liquids. However, first order questions such as the mode of core formation or the nature of the light element(s) in the Earth's core are still debated [1]. In addition, the geocentric design of most experimental studies leaves the conditions of core formation on other terrestrial planets and asteroids even more uncertain than for Earth. Through mass spectrometry, records of mass-dependent stable isotope fractionation during high-temperature processes such as metal-silicate segregation are detectable. Stable isotope fractionation may thus yield additional constrains on core formation conditions and its consequences for the chemical evolution of planetary objects. Experimental investigations of equilibrium mass-dependent stable isotope fractionation have shown that Si isotopes fractionate between metal and silicate liquids at temperatures of 1800°C and pressures of 1 GPa, while Fe isotopes leave no resolvable traces of core formation processes [2,3]. Molybdenum is a refractory and siderophile trace element in the Earth, and thus much less prone to complications arising from mass balancing core and mantle and from potential volatile behaviour than other elements. To determine equilibrium mass-dependent Mo isotope fractionation during metal-silicate segregation, we have designed piston cylinder experiments with a basaltic silicate composition and an iron based metal with ~8 wt% Mo, using both graphite and MgO capsules. Metal and silicate phases are completely segregated by the use of a centrifuging piston cylinder at ETH Zurich, thus preventing analysis of mixed metal and silicate signatures. Molybdenum isotope compositions were measured using a Nu Instruments 1700 MC-ICP-MS at ETH Zurich. To ensure an accurate correction of analytical mass fractionation a 100Mo-97Mo double spike was admixed

Petrophysical Analysis of Siliceous Ooze Sediments, Ormen Lange Field, Norway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Awedalkarim, Ahmed; Fabricius, Ida Lykke

, but apparent porosity indications in any other lithology, such as siliceous ooze, are wrong and they should be corrected. The apparent bulk density log should be influenced by the hydrogen in opal as also the neutron porosity tools because they are sensitive to the amount of hydrogen in a formation...... present in the solid. Some minerals of siliceous ooze, such as opal, have hydrogen in their structures which influences the measured hydrogen index (HI). The neutron tool obtains the combined signal of the HI of the solid phase and of the water that occupies the true porosity. The HI is equal to true...... to interpret lithology and the unusual physical properties of the studied intervals. The integration of all these data revealed that the studied siliceous ooze is a mixture of opal and non-opal (shale). Our results proved to be reasonably consistent. The studied intervals apparently do not contain hydrocarbons....

Wastewater reuse in liquid sodium silicate manufacturing in alexandria, egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Gaber A; Abd El-Salam, Magda M; Arafa, Anwar K

2009-01-01

Soluble sodium silicates (waterglass) are liquids containing dissolved glass which have some water like properties. They are widely used in industry as sealants, binders, deflocculants, emulsifiers and buffers. Their most common applications in Egypt are in the pulp and paper industry (where they improve the brightness and efficiency of peroxide bleaching) and the detergent industry, in which they improve the action of the detergent and lower the viscosity of liquid soaps. The survey results showed that the production was carried out batch-wise, in an autoclave (dissolver). Sodium silicate in the state of crushed glass was charged in an autoclave (dissolver) with sodium hydroxide and water. The product is filtered through a press. The left over sludge (mud and silicates impurities) is emptied into the local sewer system. Also, sludge (silica gel) was discharged from the neutralization process of the generated alkaline wastewater and consequently clogging the sewerage system. So this study was carried out to modify the current wastewater management system which eliminates sludge formation, the discharge of higher pH wastewater to the sewer system, and to assess its environmental and economic benefits. To assess the characteristics of wastewater to be reused, physico-chemical parameters of 12 samples were tested using standard methods. The survey results showed that a total capacity of the selected enterprise was 540 tons of liquid sodium silicates monthly. The total amount of wastewater being discharged was 335 m3/month. Reusing of wastewater as feed autoclave water reduced water consumption of 32.1% and reduced wastewater discharge/month that constitutes 89.6% as well as saving in final product of 6 ton/month. It was concluded that reusing of wastewater generated from liquid sodium silicate manufacturing process resulted in cheaper and environmental-friendly product.

Energetics of silicate melts from thermal diffusion studies. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, D.

1997-01-01

Initially this project was directed towards exploiting Soret diffusion of silicate liquids to learn about the internal energetics of the constituents of the liquids. During the course of this project this goal was realized at the same time a series of intellectual and technical developments expanded the scope of the undertaking. Briefly recapping some of the highlights, the project was initiated after the discovery that silicate liquids were strongly Soret-active. It was possible to observe the development of strong diffusive gradients in silicate liquid composition in response to laboratory-imposed thermal gradients. The character of the chemical separations was a direct window into the internal speciation of the liquids; the rise time of the separation was a useful entree to quantitatively measuring chemical diffusivity; and the steady state magnitude of the separation proved to be an excellent determinant of the constituents' mixing energies. A comprehensive program was initiated to measure the separations, rise times, and mixing energies of a range of geologically and technically interesting silicate liquids. An additional track of activities in the DOE project has run in parallel to the Soret investigation of single-phase liquids in a thermal gradient. This additional track is the study of liquid-plus-crystal systems in a thermal gradient. In these studies solubility-driven diffusion introduced many useful effects, some quite surprising. In partially molten silicate liquids the authors applied their experiments to understanding magmatic cumulate rocks. They have also applied their understanding of these systems to aspects of evaporite deposits in the geological record. They also undertook studies of this sort in systems with retrograde solubility in order to form the basis for understanding remediation for brine migration problems in evaporite-hosted nuclear waste repositories such as the WIPP

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G. Gomez and J. Pivarski

2011-01-01

Alignment efforts in the first few months of 2011 have shifted away from providing alignment constants (now a well established procedure) and focussed on some critical remaining issues. The single most important task left was to understand the systematic differences observed between the track-based (TB) and hardware-based (HW) barrel alignments: a systematic difference in r-φ and in z, which grew as a function of z, and which amounted to ~4-5 mm differences going from one end of the barrel to the other. This difference is now understood to be caused by the tracker alignment. The systematic differences disappear when the track-based barrel alignment is performed using the new “twist-free” tracker alignment. This removes the largest remaining source of systematic uncertainty. Since the barrel alignment is based on hardware, it does not suffer from the tracker twist. However, untwisting the tracker causes endcap disks (which are aligned ...

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

Gervasio Gomez

The main progress of the muon alignment group since March has been in the refinement of both the track-based alignment for the DTs and the hardware-based alignment for the CSCs. For DT track-based alignment, there has been significant improvement in the internal alignment of the superlayers inside the DTs. In particular, the distance between superlayers is now corrected, eliminating the residual dependence on track impact angles, and good agreement is found between survey and track-based corrections. The new internal geometry has been approved to be included in the forthcoming reprocessing of CRAFT samples. The alignment of DTs with respect to the tracker using global tracks has also improved significantly, since the algorithms use the latest B-field mapping, better run selection criteria, optimized momentum cuts, and an alignment is now obtained for all six degrees of freedom (three spatial coordinates and three rotations) of the aligned DTs. This work is ongoing and at a stage where we are trying to unders...

Corrosion of low Si-alloyed steels in aqueous solution at 90 deg. C. Inhibitive action of silicates; Corrosion d'aciers faiblement allies au silicium en solution aqueuse a 90 deg. C. Action inhibitrice des silicates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giordana, S

2002-02-01

Low-Si alloyed steels, with Si content ranging from 0.25 to 3.2 wt%, as potential candidate materials for high-level nuclear waste disposal containers, have been studied four the point of view of their corrosion behaviour at 90 deg C in an aqueous solution simulating groundwater (0.1 M NaCl borate-buffered solution with a pH of 8.5) both in reducing and in aerated conditions. The influence of silicate addition to the solution is examined so as to represent the silicon of groundwater, coming from the clay dissolution. When no silicate was added to the solution, silicon as an alloying element was proved to degrade in the first moments the steel ability to passivate. For longer immersion times, protective effects developed most efficiently on the steel containing 3.2 wt% silicon both in reducing an in aerating conditions, Infrared spectroscopy, EDSX, XRD and Raman microprobe were applied to characterise the oxide layer composition, which was found to be a mixture of magnetite and maghemite. In the presence of silicate in the solution, clay-like iron silicates appeared in the corrosion layer. Electrochemical tests results show that adding silicate into solution resulted in increasing the steel ability to passivate. In the short term, the inhibiting effect of silicate was confirmed by mass loss tests, but the tendency was inverse in the long term. Silicate iron layers were eventually less protective than the magnetite layers formed in the absence of silicate. (author)

Development of Silicate Extraction Method for Detection of Irradiated Potatoes by Thermoluminescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teerasarn, Wannapha; Sudprasert, Wanwisa

2009-07-01

Full text: Thermoluminescence (TL) is a promising technique used for detection of irradiated foods. In practice, silicate minerals are first isolated from foods by density gradient with sodium poly tungstate of a density 2.0 g/cm 3 , which is very expensive. The study was carried out to develop a new low-cost reagent for silicate extraction. The silicate minerals were extracted from irradiated potatoes (at doses of 0, 0.05, 0.15, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 kGy) using potassium carbonate of a density 2 g/cm 3 . X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) was employed to investigate the types of silicate minerals present in the extracts. The TL measurement was performed to identify the irradiation status of the samples using a TL reader. The results showed that quartz was found as the major mineral of the samples. The TL analysis of glow curve showed that irradiated potatoes exhibited a maximum glow peak between 208-280 c degree, where as non-irradiated potatoes exhibited a maximum glow peak between 289-351 C degree. The results clearly indicated that the silicate minerals can effectively be isolated from potatoes by using potassium carbonate instead of sodium poly tungstate for the purpose of irradiation identification. In this sense, the cost of irradiation identification will be reduced at least 20 times comparing to using the conventional extraction reagent

Adsorption of dimeric surfactants in lamellar silicates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balcerzak, Mateusz; Pietralik, Zuzanna [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Domka, Ludwik [Department of Metalorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Grunwaldzka 6, 60-780 Poznań (Poland); Skrzypczak, Andrzej [Institute of Chemical Technology, Poznań University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznań (Poland); Kozak, Maciej, E-mail: mkozak@amu.edu.pl [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań (Poland)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • The intercalation of dimeric surfactants changed the morphology of MMT samples. • XRD indicated structures formed by surfactant molecules in interlayer space. • The four-step thermal decomposition of dimeric surfactant, confirms intercalation. - Abstract: The adsorption of different types of cationic surfactants in lamellar silicates changes their surface character from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. This study was undertaken to obtain lamellar silicates modified by a series of novel dimeric (gemini) surfactants of different length alkyl chains and to characterise these organophilised materials. Synthetic sodium montmorillonite SOMASIF® ME 100 (M) and enriched bentonite of natural origin (Nanoclay – hydrophilic bentonite®) were organophilised with dimeric (gemini) surfactants (1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)bis(alkoxymethyl)imidazolium dichlorides). As a result of surfactant molecule adsorption in interlamellar space, the d-spacing (d{sub 001}) increased from 0.97 nm (for the anhydrous structure) to 2.04 nm. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the modified systems reveals bands assigned to the stretching vibrations of the CH{sub 2} and CH{sub 3} groups and the scissoring vibrations of the NH group from the structure of the dimeric surfactants. Thermogravimetric (TG) and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) studies imply a four-stage process of surfactant decomposition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images provide information on the influence of dimeric surfactant intercalation into the silicate structures. Particles of the modified systems show a tendency toward the formation of irregularly shaped agglomerates.

Discovery of Ni-smectite-rich saprolite at Loma Ortega, Falcondo mining district (Dominican Republic): geochemistry and mineralogy of an unusual case of "hybrid hydrous Mg silicate - clay silicate" type Ni-laterite

Science.gov (United States)

Tauler, Esperança; Lewis, John F.; Villanova-de-Benavent, Cristina; Aiglsperger, Thomas; Proenza, Joaquín A.; Domènech, Cristina; Gallardo, Tamara; Longo, Francisco; Galí, Salvador

2017-10-01

Hydrous Mg silicate-type Ni-laterite deposits, like those in the Falcondo district, Dominican Republic, are dominated by Ni-enriched serpentine and garnierite. Recently, abundant Ni-smectite in the saprolite zone have been discovered in Loma Ortega, one of the nine Ni-laterite deposits in Falcondo. A first detailed study on these Ni-smectites has been performed (μXRD, SEM, EPMA), in addition to a geochemical and mineralogical characterisation of the Loma Ortega profile (XRF, ICP-MS, XRD). Unlike other smectite occurrences in laterite profiles worldwide, the Loma Ortega smectites are trioctahedral and exhibit high Ni contents never reported before. These Ni-smectites may be formed from weathering of pyroxene and olivine, and their composition can be explained by the mineralogy and the composition of the Al-depleted, olivine-rich parent ultramafic rock. Our study shows that Ni-laterites are mineralogically complex, and that a hydrous Mg silicate ore and a clay silicate ore can be confined to the same horizon in the weathering profile, which has significant implications from a recovery perspective. In accordance, the classification of "hybrid hydrous Mg silicate - clay silicate" type Ni-laterite deposit for Loma Ortega would be more appropriate.

Reduction experiment of FeO-bearing amorphous silicate: application to origin of metallic iron in GEMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuno, Junya; Tsuchiyama, Akira; Miyake, Akira [Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Noguchi, Ryo [Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Ichikawa, Satoshi, E-mail: jmatsuno@kueps.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Institute for Nano-science Design, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan)

2014-09-10

Glass with embedded metal and sulfides (GEMS) are amorphous silicates included in anhydrous interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and can provide information about material evolution in our early solar system. Several formation processes for GEMS have been proposed so far, but these theories are still being debated. To investigate a possible GEMS origin by reduction of interstellar silicates, we synthesized amorphous silicates with a mean GEMS composition and performed heating experiments in a reducing atmosphere. FeO-bearing amorphous silicates were heated at 923 K and 973 K for 3 hr, and at 1023 K for 1-48 hr at ambient pressure in a reducing atmosphere. Fe grains formed at the interface between the silicate and the reducing gas through a reduction. In contrast, TEM observations of natural GEMS show that metallic grains are uniformly embedded in amorphous silicates. Therefore, the present study suggests that metallic inclusions in GEMS could not form as reduction products and that other formation process such as condensation or irradiation are more likely.

Sulfur Saturation Limits in Silicate Melts and their Implications for Core Formation Scenarios for Terrestrial Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Holzheid, Astrid; Grove, Timothy L.

2002-01-01

This study explores the controls of temperature, pressure, and silicate melt composition on S solubility in silicate liquids. The solubility of S in FeO-containing silicate melts in equilibrium with metal sulfide increases significantly with increasing temperature but decreases with increasing pressure. The silicate melt structure also exercises a control on S solubility. Increasing the degree of polymerization of the silicate melt structure lowers the S solubility in the silicate liquid. The new set of experimental data is used to expand the model of Mavrogenes and O'Neill(1999) for S solubility in silicate liquids by incorporating the influence of the silicate melt structure. The expected S solubility in the ascending magma is calculated using the expanded model. Because the negative pressure dependence of S solubility is more influential than the positive temperature dependence, decompression and adiabatic ascent of a formerly S-saturated silicate magma will lead to S undersaturation. A primitive magma that is S-saturated in its source region will, therefore, become S-undersaturated as it ascends to shallower depth. In order to precipitate magmatic sulfides, the magma must first cool and undergo fractional crystallization to reach S saturation. The S content in a metallic liquid that is in equilibrium with a magma ocean that contains approx. 200 ppm S (i.e., Earth's bulk mantle S content) ranges from 5.5 to 12 wt% S. This range of S values encompasses the amount of S (9 to 12 wt%) that would be present in the outer core if S is the light element. Thus, the Earth's proto-mantle could be in equilibrium (in terms of the preserved S abundance) with a core-forming metallic phase.

Les silicates alcalins, matière de base des mousses minérales isolantes. Etude bibliographique Alkaline Silicates, As a Basic Material for Insulating Mineral Foams. Bibliographie Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lesage J.

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Dans cette étude bibliographique, on décrit les méthodes d'obtention des silicates alcalins ainsi que leurs propriétés et les propriétés de leurs polymères en insistant sur l'influence du pH, de la concentration et de la température sur la polymérisation et les caractéristiques des polymères obtenus. On présente ensuite le mode d'obtention des mousses à partir de solutions aqueuses de silicates, ainsi que leurs propriétés et l'influence de divers additifs tels que les agents tensioactifs, moussants, gélifiants ou les agents de durcissement sur les propriétés des mousses. II ressort de cette bibliographie que des mousses polysilicates solubles peuvent être obtenues à partir de solutions de silicates à faible rapport molaire SiO2/Na2O. Par ailleurs, en faisant varier la composition des solutions de silicates alcalins et par l'emploi d'additifs, il est possible de produire une gamme très variée de mousses polysilicates dont les propriétés d'isolation, de solubilité et de résistance mécanique, voire de perméabilité, sont très variées, ce qui leur ouvre la voie à de nombreuses possibilités de débouchés industriels. This article gives a bibliographic description of methods for obtaining alkaline silicates as well as their properties and the properties of their polymers. Emphasis is placed on the influence of the pH, and on the influence of the concentration and temperature on the polymerization and the characteristics of the polymers obtained. Then a method is recommended for obtaining foams from aqueous silicate solutions together with the properties of such foams and the influence of different additives such as surfactants, foaming agents, gelling agents and hardening agents on the properties of foams. This bibliographic study shows that soluble polysilicate foams may be obtained from silicate solutions with a low SiO2/Na2O molar ratio. Furthermore, by varying the composition of alkaline silicate solutions and by

Dielectric properties of plasma sprayed silicates

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ctibor, Pavel; Sedláček, J.; Neufuss, Karel; Dubský, Jiří; Chráska, Pavel

-, č. 31 (2005), s. 315-321 ISSN 0272-8842 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA202/03/0708 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : Optical microscopy * electrical properties * silicates * insulators * plasma spraying Subject RIV: JH - Ceramics, Fire-Resistant Materials and Glass Impact factor: 0.702, year: 2005

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G. Gomez

Since December, the muon alignment community has focused on analyzing the data recorded so far in order to produce new DT and CSC Alignment Records for the second reprocessing of CRAFT data. Two independent algorithms were developed which align the DT chambers using global tracks, thus providing, for the first time, a relative alignment of the barrel with respect to the tracker. These results are an important ingredient for the second CRAFT reprocessing and allow, for example, a more detailed study of any possible mis-modelling of the magnetic field in the muon spectrometer. Both algorithms are constructed in such a way that the resulting alignment constants are not affected, to first order, by any such mis-modelling. The CSC chambers have not yet been included in this global track-based alignment due to a lack of statistics, since only a few cosmics go through the tracker and the CSCs. A strategy exists to align the CSCs using the barrel as a reference until collision tracks become available. Aligning the ...

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G.Gomez

2011-01-01

The Muon Alignment work now focuses on producing a new track-based alignment with higher track statistics, making systematic studies between the results of the hardware and track-based alignment methods and aligning the barrel using standalone muon tracks. Currently, the muon track reconstruction software uses a hardware-based alignment in the barrel (DT) and a track-based alignment in the endcaps (CSC). An important task is to assess the muon momentum resolution that can be achieved using the current muon alignment, especially for highly energetic muons. For this purpose, cosmic ray muons are used, since the rate of high-energy muons from collisions is very low and the event statistics are still limited. Cosmics have the advantage of higher statistics in the pT region above 100 GeV/c, but they have the disadvantage of having a mostly vertical topology, resulting in a very few global endcap muons. Only the barrel alignment has therefore been tested so far. Cosmic muons traversing CMS from top to bottom are s...

Topotactic conversion of β-helix-layered silicate into AST-type zeolite through successive interlayer modifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Asakura, Yusuke; Takayama, Ryosuke; Shibue, Toshimichi; Kuroda, Kazuyuki

2014-02-10

AST-type zeolite with a plate morphology can be synthesized by topotactic conversion of a layered silicate (β-helix-layered silicate; HLS) by using N,N-dimethylpropionamide (DPA) to control the layer stacking of silicate layers and the subsequent interlayer condensation. Treatment of HLS twice with 1) hydrochloric acid/ethanol and 2) dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) are needed to remove interlayer hydrated Na ions and tetramethylammonium (TMA) ions in intralayer cup-like cavities (intracavity TMA ions), both of which are introduced during the preparation of HLS. The utilization of an amide molecule is effective for the control of the stacking sequence of silicate layers. This method could be applicable to various layered silicates that cannot be topotactically converted into three-dimensional networks by simple interlayer condensation by judicious choice of amide molecules. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of temperature on hydration kinetics and polymerization of tricalcium silicate in stirred suspensions of CaO-saturated solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grant, Steven A.; Boitnott, Ginger E.; Korhonen, Charles J.; Sletten, Ronald S.

2006-01-01

Tricalcium silicate was hydrated at 274, 278, 283, 298, and 313 K in stirred suspensions of saturated CaO solutions under a nitrogen-gas atmosphere until the end of deceleratory period. The suspension conductivities and energy flows were measured continuously. The individual reaction rates for tricalcium silicate dissolution, calcium silicate hydrate precipitation, and calcium hydroxide precipitation were calculated from these measurements. The results suggest that the proportion of tricalcium silicate dissolved was determined by the rate of tricalcium silicate dissolution and the time to very rapid calcium hydroxide precipitation. The time to very rapid calcium hydroxide precipitation was more sensitive to changes in temperature than was the rate of tricalcium silicate dissolution, so that the proportion of tricalcium silicate hydration dissolved by the deceleratory period increased with decreasing temperature. The average chain length of the calcium silicate hydrate ascertained by magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy increased with increasing temperature

ION-INDUCED PROCESSING OF COSMIC SILICATES: A POSSIBLE FORMATION PATHWAY TO GEMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jäger, C.; Sabri, T. [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Laboratory Astrophysics and Cluster Physics Group, Institute of Solid State Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Wendler, E. [Institute of Solid State Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Henning, Th., E-mail: cornelia.jaeger@uni-jena.de [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

2016-11-01

Ion-induced processing of dust grains in the interstellar medium and in protoplanetary and planetary disks plays an important role in the entire dust cycle. We have studied the ion-induced processing of amorphous MgFeSiO{sub 4} and Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} grains by 10 and 20 keV protons and 90 keV Ar{sup +} ions. The Ar{sup +} ions were used to compare the significance of the light protons with that of heavier, but chemically inert projectiles. The bombardment was performed in a two-beam irradiation chamber for in situ ion-implantation at temperatures of 15 and 300 K and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy to monitor the alteration of the silicate composition under ion irradiation. A depletion of oxygen from the silicate structure by selective sputtering of oxygen from the surface of the grains was observed in both samples. The silicate particles kept their amorphous structure, but the loss of oxygen caused the reduction of ferrous (Fe{sup 2+}) ions and the formation of iron inclusions in the MgFeSiO{sub 4} grains. A few Si inclusions were produced in the iron-free magnesium silicate sample pointing to a much less efficient reduction of Si{sup 4+} and formation of metallic Si inclusions. Consequently, ion-induced processing of magnesium-iron silicates can produce grains that are very similar to the glassy grains with embedded metals and sulfides frequently observed in interplanetary dust particles and meteorites. The metallic iron inclusions are strong absorbers in the NIR range and therefore a ubiquitous requirement to increase the temperature of silicate dust grains in IR-dominated astrophysical environments such as circumstellar shells or protoplanetary disks.

Hydration water and microstructure in calcium silicate and aluminate hydrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fratini, Emiliano; Ridi, Francesca; Chen, Sow-Hsin; Baglioni, Piero

2006-01-01

Understanding the state of the hydration water and the microstructure development in a cement paste is likely to be the key for the improvement of its ultimate strength and durability. In order to distinguish and characterize the reacted and unreacted water, the single-particle dynamics of water molecules in hydrated calcium silicates (C 3 S, C 2 S) and aluminates (C 3 A, C 4 AF) were studied by quasi-elastic neutron scattering, QENS. The time evolution of the immobile fraction represents the hydration kinetics and the mobile fraction follows a non-Debye relaxation. Less sophisticated, but more accessible and cheaper techniques, like differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, and near-infrared spectroscopy, NIR, were validated through QENS results and they allow one to easily and quantitatively follow the cement hydration kinetics and can be widely applied on a laboratory scale to understand the effect of additives (i.e., superplasticizers, cellulosic derivatives, etc) on the thermodynamics of the hydration process. DSC provides information on the free water index and on the activation energy involved in the hydration process while the NIR band at 7000 cm -1 monitors, at a molecular level, the increase of the surface-interacting water. We report as an example the effect of two classes of additives widely used in the cement industry: superplasticizers, SPs, and cellulose derivatives. SPs interact at the solid surface, leading to a consistent increment of the activation energy for the processes of nucleation and growth of the hydrated phases. In contrast, the cellulosic additives do not affect the nucleation and growth activation energy, but cause a significant increment in the water availability: in other words the hydration process is more efficient without any modification of the solid/liquid interaction, as also evidenced by the 1 H-NMR. Additional information is obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultra small angle neutron scattering (USANS) and wide

KINETICS OF A SILICATE COMPOSITION GELATION IN PRESENCE OF REACTION RATE REGULATING COMPOUNDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Titova

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The influence of organic and inorganic additions on the formation rate of the silicate gels standard systems – sodium silicate solution in model fresh water was studied. As a result of the experiments were selected optimum concentrations of additives - gelation time regulators

FT-IR and 29 Si-NMR for evaluating aluminium silicate precursors for geopolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valcke, S.L.A.; Pipilikaki, P.; Fischer, H.R.; Verkuijlen, M.H.W.; Eck, E.R.H.

2014-01-01

Geopolymers are systems of inorganic binders that can be used for sustainable, cementless concrete and are formed by alkali activation of an aluminium–silicate precursor (often secondary resources like fly ash or slag). The type of aluminium– silicate precursor and its potential variations within

Spectroscopic properties of 1.8 μm emission in Tm3+ doped bismuth silicate glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Guoying; Tian, Ying; Wang, Xin; Fan, Huiyan; Hu, Lili

2013-01-01

The emission properties around 1.8 μm in Tm 3+ doped bismuth silicate glass have been investigated. Based on the obtained Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry curves, it is found the introduced Bi 2 O 3 can efficiently reduce the phonon energy of silicate glass to 926 cm −1 . The energy gap between glass transition temperature and onset temperature of crystallization is 169 °C. The OH − content maintains lower in glass by bubbling dry O 2 during the melting process. The cut-off wavelength in mid-infrared range is as long as 5 μm. Bismuth silicate glass has high radiative transition probability of 238.80 s −1 corresponding to the Tm 3+ : 3 F 4 → 3 H 6 transition compared with conventional silicate glasses. The strongest emission at 1.8 μm with a large full width at half-maximum of 238 nm is achieved from this bismuth silicate glass doped with 0.9 mol% Tm 2 O 3 . Its fluorescence lifetime at 1.8 μm is 640 μs. - Highlights: ► The 1.8 μm fluorescence of Tm 3+ -doped bismuth silicate glass is investigated. ► The prepared glass has lower phonon energy than other typical silicate glasses. ► A broadband 1.8 μm emission with the FWHM of 238 nm is observed. ► The fluorescence lifetime of Tm 3+ : 3 F 4 level reaches 640 μs.

Evaluation of the effect of sodium silicate addition to mine backfill, Gelfill − Part 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kermani

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the mechanical properties of sodium silicate-fortified backfill, called Gelfill, were investigated by conducting a series of laboratory experiments. Two configurations were tested, i.e. Gelfill and cemented hydraulic fill (CHF. The Gelfill has an alkali activator such as sodium silicate in its materials in addition to primary materials of mine backfill which are tailings, water and binders. Large numbers of samples of Gelfill and CHF with various mixture designs were cast and cured for over 28 d. The mechanical properties of samples were investigated using uniaxial compression test, and the results were compared with those of reference samples made without sodium silicate. The test results indicated that the addition of an appropriate amount of an alkali activator such as sodium silicate can enhance the mechanical (uniaxial compressive strength and physical (water retention properties of backfill. The microstructure analysis conducted by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP revealed that the addition of sodium silicate can modify the pore size distribution and total porosity of Gelfill, which can contribute to the better mechanical properties of Gelfill. It was also shown that the time and rate of drainage in the Gelfill specimens are less than those in CHF specimens made without sodium silicate. Finally, the study showed that the addition of sodium silicate can reduce the required setting time of mine backfill, which can contribute to increase mine production in accordance with the mine safety.

Alignment-Annotator web server: rendering and annotating sequence alignments.

Science.gov (United States)

Gille, Christoph; Fähling, Michael; Weyand, Birgit; Wieland, Thomas; Gille, Andreas

2014-07-01

Alignment-Annotator is a novel web service designed to generate interactive views of annotated nucleotide and amino acid sequence alignments (i) de novo and (ii) embedded in other software. All computations are performed at server side. Interactivity is implemented in HTML5, a language native to web browsers. The alignment is initially displayed using default settings and can be modified with the graphical user interfaces. For example, individual sequences can be reordered or deleted using drag and drop, amino acid color code schemes can be applied and annotations can be added. Annotations can be made manually or imported (BioDAS servers, the UniProt, the Catalytic Site Atlas and the PDB). Some edits take immediate effect while others require server interaction and may take a few seconds to execute. The final alignment document can be downloaded as a zip-archive containing the HTML files. Because of the use of HTML the resulting interactive alignment can be viewed on any platform including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android and iOS in any standard web browser. Importantly, no plugins nor Java are required and therefore Alignment-Anotator represents the first interactive browser-based alignment visualization. http://www.bioinformatics.org/strap/aa/ and http://strap.charite.de/aa/. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Lettuce production in greenhouse under fertirrgation with nitrogen and potassium silicate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renan Soares de Souza

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and potassium silicate on the productive and commercial aspects of curly lettuce, Vera cultivar. The experimental design was completely randomized (CRD, with ten treatments and three replications. The treatments, arranged in a factorial design according to the Plan Puebla III matrix (Turrent & Laird, 1975, consisted of the combination of five doses of nitrogen (9; 54; 90; 126 and 171 kg ha-1 and five doses of potassium silicate (1.15; 6.90; 11.50; 16.10 and 21.85 kg ha-1. A control treatment without application of nitrogen and potassium silicate was also inserted. The crop was grown in a greenhouse and the doses were applied as sidedressing using drip micro-irrigation system. Total fresh matter, commercial fresh matter, non-commercial fresh matter, number of leaves and commercial trade index were evaluated. The commercial fresh matter and the number of commercial leaves per plant were affected only by nitrogen fertigation and increased linearly with the increase in the nitrogen dose of N, with the best responses observed at the highest dose of this element (171 kg ha-1. Potassium silicate had effect only in non-commercial fresh matter, not influencing the other characteristics.

Eu-, Tb-, and Dy-Doped Oxyfluoride Silicate Glasses for LED Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhu, C.F.; Wang, J.; Zhang, M.M.

2014-01-01

Luminescence glass is a potential candidate for the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) applications. Here, we study the structural and optical properties of the Eu-, Tb-, and Dy-doped oxyfluoride silicate glasses for LEDs by means of X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence spectra, Commission Internationale...... de L’Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates, and correlated color temperatures (CCTs). The results show that the white light emission can be achieved in Eu/Tb/Dy codoped oxyfluoride silicate glasses under excitation by near-ultraviolet light due to the simultaneous generation of blue, green, yellow......, and red-light wavelengths from Tb, Dy, and Eu ions. The optical performances can be tuned by varying the glass composition and excitation wavelength. Furthermore, we observed a remarkable emission spectral change for the Tb3+ single-doped oxyfluoride silicate glasses. The 5D3 emission of Tb3+ can...

Mechanical properties of zirconia reinforced lithium silicate glass-ceramic.

Science.gov (United States)

Elsaka, Shaymaa E; Elnaghy, Amr M

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess the mechanical properties of recently introduced zirconia reinforced lithium silicate glass-ceramic. Two types of CAD/CAM glass-ceramics (Vita Suprinity (VS); zirconia reinforced lithium silicate and IPS e.max CAD (IC); lithium disilicate) were used. Fracture toughness, flexural strength, elastic modulus, hardness, brittleness index, and microstructures were evaluated. Data were analyzed using independent t tests. Weibull analysis of flexural strength data was also performed. VS had significantly higher fracture toughness (2.31±0.17MPam(0.5)), flexural strength (443.63±38.90MPa), elastic modulus (70.44±1.97GPa), and hardness (6.53±0.49GPa) than IC (Pglass-ceramic revealed significantly a higher brittleness index (2.84±0.26μm(-1/2)) (lower machinability) than IC glass-ceramic (Pglass-ceramic revealed a lower probability of failure and a higher strength than IC glass-ceramic according to Weibull analysis. The VS zirconia reinforced lithium silicate glass-ceramic revealed higher mechanical properties compared with IC lithium disilicate glass-ceramic. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Universality of the high-temperature viscosity limit of silicate liquids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zheng, Qiuju; Mauro, John C.; Ellison, Adam J.

2011-01-01

We investigate the high-temperature limit of liquid viscosity by analyzing measured viscosity curves for 946 silicate liquids and 31 other liquids including metallic, molecular, and ionic systems. Our results show no systematic dependence of the high-temperature viscosity limit on chemical...... composition for the studied liquids. Based on theMauro-Yue-Ellison-Gupta-Allan (MYEGA) model of liquid viscosity, the high-temperature viscosity limit of silicate liquids is 10−2.93 Pa·s. Having established this value, there are only two independent parameters governing the viscosity-temperature relation...

Water speciation in sodium silicate glasses (quenched melts): A comprehensive NMR study

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, X.; Kanzaki, M.; Eguchi, J.

2012-12-01

Dissolution mechanism of water is an important factor governing how the dissolved water affects the physical and thermodynamic properties of silicate melts and glasses. Our previous studies have demonstrated that 1H MAS NMR in combination with 29Si-1H and 27Al-1H double-resonance NMR experiments is an effective approach for unambiguously differentiating and quantifying different water species in quenched silicate melts (glasses). Several contrasting dissolution mechanisms have been revealed depending on the melt composition: for relatively polymerized melts, the formation of SiOH/AlOH species (plus molecular H2O) and depolymerization of the network structure dominate; whereas for depolymerized Ca-Mg silicate melts, free OH (e.g. MgOH) become increasingly important (cf. [1]). The proportion of free OH species has been shown to decrease with both increasing melt polymerization (silica content) and decreasing field strength of the network modifying cations (from Mg to Ca). Our previous 1H and 29Si MAS NMR results for hydrous Na silicate glasses of limited compositions (Na2Si4O9 and Na2Si2O5) were consistent with negligible free OH (NaOH) species and depolymerizing effect of water dissolution [2]. On the other hand, there were also other studies that proposed the presence of significant NaOH species in hydrous glasses near the Na2Si2O5 composition. The purpose of this study is apply the approach of combined 1H MAS NMR and double-resonance (29Si-1H and 23Na-1H) NMR to gain unambiguous evidence for the OH speciation in Na silicate glasses (melts) as a function of composition. Hydrous Na silicate glasses containing mostly ≤ 1 wt% H2O for a range of Na/Si ratios from 0.33 to 1.33 have been synthesized by rapidly quenching melts either at 0.2 GPa using an internally heated gas pressure vessel or at 1 GPa using a piston cylinder high-pressure apparatus. NMR spectra have been acquired using a 9.4 T Varian Unity-Inova spectrometer. The 29Si and 1H chemical shifts are

Some Structural Observations of Self-Assembling, Fibrillar Gels Composed of Two-Directional Bolaform Arborols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, J.

2005-01-12

Arborols are dumbbell shaped molecules (bolaform amphiphiles) in which a hydrophobic spacer separates two hydrophilic end groups. They are a valuable model for naturally occurring fibers, such as actin or amyloid. Applications to materials science can be envisioned. On cooling from warm aqueous or methanolic solutions, arborols spontaneously assemble into long fibers. When the solutions are above a certain concentration that depends on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance, this leads to thermally reversible gels stabilized by a mechanism that is poorly understood. With the help of wide angle X-ray scattering, details of the arborol fiber and gel structure were obtained on wet gels. The characteristic dimensions of the fibers vary in a sensible fashion with the molecular specifics. Solvent character appears to affect the average domain length of arborols stacked into fibers. Fluorescently labeled arborols were prepared. The label does not prevent incorporation into the fibrillar structure, rendering fibril bundles visible in wet gels. Bundles are visible in concentrated gels, but not in less concentrated sols. These results are consistent with observations of dried arborols using atomic force microscopy and with previously published freeze-fracture electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering experiments on dried gels.

Optical waveguides in fluoride lead silicate glasses fabricated by carbon ion implantation

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xiao-liang; Wang, Yue; Zhu, Qi-feng; Lü, Peng; Li, Wei-nan; Liu, Chun-xiao

2018-03-01

The carbon ion implantation with energy of 4.0 MeV and a dose of 4.0×1014 ions/cm2 is employed for fabricating the optical waveguide in fluoride lead silicate glasses. The optical modes as well as the effective refractive indices are measured by the prism coupling method. The refractive index distribution in the fluoride lead silicate glass waveguide is simulated by the reflectivity calculation method (RCM). The light intensity profile and the energy losses are calculated by the finite-difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) and the program of stopping and range of ions in matter (SRIM), respectively. The propagation properties indicate that the C2+ ion-implanted fluoride lead silicate glass waveguide is a candidate for fabricating optical devices.

Shear-peel strength comparison of orthodontic band cements including novel calcium silicate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leo, Mariantonietta; Løvschall, Henrik

calcium silicate with fluoride and fast-setting, Glass ionomer, and Zinc phosphate cement, used for luting of orthodontic bands on molars kept one month in phosphate buffering solution (PBS). Materials and methods: The roots of 35 extracted human molars were embedded in acryl. Three groups were allocated....... An orthodontic band (AO) was fitted on the free crown. Each group of the teeth (n>10) was cemented with novel calcium silicate (Protooth), Glass ionomer (Orthocem), or Zinc phosphate (DeTrey Zinc). The cements were mixed according to the manufacturers instructions. Samples were stored at 37ºC in humid chamber...... Silicate (Protooth) and Zinc phosphate cement (DeTrey Zinc) were significantly higher than Glass ionomer cement (Orthocem) when looking for the force (N, p

Data in support of the identification of neuronal and astrocyte proteins interacting with extracellularly applied oligomeric and fibrillar α-synuclein assemblies by mass spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amulya Nidhi Shrivastava

2016-06-01

Full Text Available α-Synuclein (α-syn is the principal component of Lewy bodies, the pathophysiological hallmark of individuals affected by Parkinson disease (PD. This neuropathologic form of α-syn contributes to PD progression and propagation of α-syn assemblies between neurons. The data we present here support the proteomic analysis used to identify neuronal proteins that specifically interact with extracellularly applied oligomeric or fibrillar α-syn assemblies (conditions 1 and 2, respectively (doi: 10.15252/embj.201591397 [1]. α-syn assemblies and their cellular partner proteins were pulled down from neuronal cell lysed shortly after exposure to exogenous α-syn assemblies and the associated proteins were identified by mass spectrometry using a shotgun proteomic-based approach. We also performed experiments on pure cultures of astrocytes to identify astrocyte-specific proteins interacting with oligomeric or fibrillar α-syn (conditions 3 and 4, respectively. For each condition, proteins interacting selectively with α-syn assemblies were identified by comparison to proteins pulled-down from untreated cells used as controls. The mass spectrometry data, the database search and the peak lists have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium database via the PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifiers PRIDE: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD002256 to PRIDE: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD002263 and doi: 10.6019/http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD002256 to 10.6019/http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/archive/projects/PXD002263.

Sputtering analysis of silicates by XY-TOF-SIMS: Astrophysical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Rafael; Langlinay, Thomas; Ponciano, Cassia; da Silveira, Enio F.; Palumbo, Maria Elisabetta; Strazzulla, Giovanni; Brucato, John R.; Hijazi, Hussein; Boduch, Philippe; Cassimi, Amine; Domaracka, Alicja; Ropars, Frédéric; Rothard, Hermann

2015-08-01

Silicates are the dominant material of many objects in the Solar System, e.g. asteroids, the Moon, the planet Mercury and meteorites. Ion bombardment by cosmic rays and solar wind may alter the reflectance spectra of irradiated silicates by inducing physico-chemical changes known as “space weathering”. Furthermore, sputtered particles contribute to the composition of the exosphere of planets or moons. Mercury’s complex particle environment surrounding the planet is composed by thermal and directional neutral atoms (exosphere) originating via surface release and charge-exchange processes, and by ionized particles originated through photo-ionization and again by surface release processes such as ion induced sputtering.As a laboratory approach to understand the evolution of the silicate surfaces and the Na vapor (as well as, in lower concentration, K and Ca) discovered on the solar facing side of Mercury, we measured sputtering yields, velocity spectra and angular distributions of secondary ions from terrestrial silicate analogs. Experiments were performed using highly charged MeV/u and keV/u ions at GANIL in a new UHV set-up (under well controlled surface conditions) [1]. Other experiments were conducted at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) by using Cf fission fragments (~ 1 MeV/u). Nepheline, an aluminosilicate containing Na and K, evaporated on Si substrates (wafers) was used as model for silicates present in Solar System objects. Production yields, measured as a function of the projectile fluence, allow to study the possible surface stoichiometry changes during irradiation. In addition, from the energy distributions N(E) of sputtered particles it is possible to estimate the fraction of particles that can escape from the gravitational field of Mercury, and those that fall back to the surface and contribute to populate the atmosphere (exosphere) of the planet.The CAPES-COFECUB French-Brazilian exchange program, a CNPq postdoctoral

RevTrans: multiple alignment of coding DNA from aligned amino acid sequences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wernersson, Rasmus; Pedersen, Anders Gorm

2003-01-01

The simple fact that proteins are built from 20 amino acids while DNA only contains four different bases, means that the 'signal-to-noise ratio' in protein sequence alignments is much better than in alignments of DNA. Besides this information-theoretical advantage, protein alignments also benefit...... proteins. It is therefore preferable to align coding DNA at the amino acid level and it is for this purpose we have constructed the program RevTrans. RevTrans constructs a multiple DNA alignment by: (i) translating the DNA; (ii) aligning the resulting peptide sequences; and (iii) building a multiple DNA...

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF IRRADIATION-DRIVEN HYDROGEN ISOTOPE FRACTIONATION IN ANALOGS OF PROTOPLANETARY HYDROUS SILICATE DUST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roskosz, Mathieu; Remusat, Laurent [IMPMC, CNRS UMR 7590, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, IRD, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, Paris F-75231 (France); Laurent, Boris; Leroux, Hugues, E-mail: mathieu.roskosz@mnhn.fr [Unité Matériaux et Transformations, Université Lille 1, CNRS UMR 8207, Bâtiment C6, F-59655 Villeneuve d’Ascq (France)

2016-11-20

The origin of hydrogen in chondritic components is poorly understood. Their isotopic composition is heavier than the solar nebula gas. In addition, in most meteorites, hydrous silicates are found to be lighter than the coexisting organic matter. Ionizing irradiation recently emerged as an efficient hydrogen fractionating process in organics, but its effect on H-bearing silicates remains essentially unknown. We report the evolution of the D/H of hydrous silicates experimentally irradiated by electrons. Thin films of amorphous silica, amorphous “serpentine,” and pellets of crystalline muscovite were irradiated at 4 and 30 keV. For all samples, irradiation leads to a large hydrogen loss correlated with a moderate deuterium enrichment of the solid residue. The entire data set can be described by a Rayleigh distillation. The calculated fractionation factor is consistent with a kinetically controlled fractionation during the loss of hydrogen. Furthermore, for a given ionizing condition, the deuteration of the silicate residues is much lower than the deuteration measured on irradiated organic macromolecules. These results provide firm evidence of the limitations of ionizing irradiation as a driving mechanism for D-enrichment of silicate materials. The isotopic composition of the silicate dust cannot rise from a protosolar to a chondritic signature during solar irradiations. More importantly, these results imply that irradiation of the disk naturally induces a strong decoupling of the isotopic signatures of coexisting organics and silicates. This decoupling is consistent with the systematic difference observed between the heavy organic matter and the lighter water typically associated with minerals in the matrix of most carbonaceous chondrites.

Microstructure engineering of Portland cement pastes and mortars through addition of ultrafine layer silicates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgreen, Holger; Geiker, Mette; Krøyer, Hanne

2008-01-01

Pozzolanic submicron-sized silica fume and the non-pozzolanic micron- and nano-sized layer silicates (clay minerals) kaolinite, smectite and palygorskite have been used as additives in Portland cement pastes and mortars. These layer silicates have different particle shape (needles and plates......), surface charge, and size (micron and nano). The structure of the resulting cement pastes and mortars has been investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), helium porosimetry, nitrogen adsorption (specific surface area and porosity), low-temperature calorimetry (LTC) and thermal analysis. The main result...... is that the cement paste structure and porosity can be engineered by addition of selected layer silicates having specific particle shapes and surface properties (e.g., charge and specific surface area). This seems to be due to the growth of calcium-silicate hydrates (C-S-H) on the clay particle surfaces...

Preparation and characterization of magnesium–aluminium–silicate ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A three-stage heating schedule involving calcination, nucleation and crystallization, has been evolved for the preparation of magnesium aluminium silicate (MAS) glass ceramic with MgF2 as a nucleating agent. The effect of sintering temperature on the density of compacted material was studied. Microstructure and ...

A NEAR-INFRARED SEARCH FOR SILICATES IN JOVIAN TROJAN ASTEROIDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Bin; Jewitt, David

2011-01-01

We obtained near-infrared (NIR; 0.8-2.5 μm) spectra of seven Jovian Trojan asteroids that have been formerly reported to show silicate-like absorption features near 1 μm. Our sample includes the Trojan (1172) Aneas, which is one of the three Trojans known to possess a comet-like 10 μm emission feature, indicative of fine-grained silicates. Our observations show that all seven Trojans appear featureless in high signal-to-noise ratio spectra. The simultaneous absence of the 1 μm band and the presence of the 10 μm emission can be understood if the silicates on (1172) Aneas are iron-poor. In addition, we present NIR observations of five optically gray Trojans, including three objects from the collisionally produced Eurybates family. The five gray Trojans appear featureless in the NIR with no diagnostic absorption features. The NIR spectrum of Eurybates can be best fitted with the spectrum of a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite, which hints that the C-type Eurybates family members may have experienced aqueous alteration.

Radiochemical investigations to the complex formation of uranium (VI) with silicic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hrnecek, E.

1997-12-01

The complexation of tracer amounts of UO 2 2+ by silicic acid was investigated by an extraction method using 2,5. 10 -3 M 1-(2-thenoyl)-3,3,3-trifloroacetone (IMA) in benzene as extractant at 25 degree C. The tracer used in the experiments was uranium-232, which has been separated from its daughter nuclides by ion exchange from 10 M HCl on Dowex 1x2. The ionic strength in the aqueous phase for the extractions was kept constant at 0,2 M (Na, H)ClO 4 and the pH was varied between pH 2,5 and pH 4,5. For the determination of the stability constants, a silicic acid concentration of 0,01 M, 0,03 M and 0,067 M in the (Na, H)ClO 4 solution was used. The time- and pH- dependence of the polymerization of these silicic acid solutions was determined by kinetical investigations with an ammoniumheptamolybdate-reagent. The uranium concentration in the aqueous and organic phases was determined by liquid scintillation counting using α/β -discrimination. The stability constants determined were log Q1, = -2,20 for the reaction UO 2 2+ Si(OH) 4 = UO 2 OSi(OH) 3 + + H + and Q 2 = -5,87 for the reaction of the polymeric silicate UO 2 2+ (-SiOH) j (-SiOH) j-2 (SiO) 2 UO 2 +2 H + . The influence of silicate on the speciation calculations for uranium in a model natural water is also discussed. (author)

Water purification from cesium-137 and strontium-90 using natural and activated laminar and laminar-band silicates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kornilovich, B.Yu.; Pshinko, G.N.; Kosorukov, A.A.; Mas'ko, A.N.; Spasenova, L.N.; Dregval', T.N.

1991-01-01

Cesium-137 and strontium-90 radionuclides are studied for the process of their sorption from natural waters by basic representatives of disperse silicates: kaolinites of Glukhovetskoe and Glukhovskoe deposits (Ukraine), montmorillonites of the Cherkassy (Ukraine) and Oglanlin (Turkmenia) deposits, palygorskite and natural mixture of montmorillonite and palygorskite of the Cherkassy deposit. The best sorption properties are revealed for laminated silicates with a swelling structure (montmorillonites) and high-dispersive laminar-band silicates (palygorskite). It proved possible to improve sorption properties of silicate minerals for radionuclides by means of their mechanochemical activation

Production of precipitated calcium carbonate from calcium silicates and carbon dioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teir, Sebastian; Eloneva, Sanni; Zevenhoven, Ron

2005-01-01

The possibilities for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the pulp and paper industry by calcium carbonation are presented. The current precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) production uses mined, crushed calcium carbonate as raw materials. If calcium silicates were used instead, carbon dioxide emissions from the calcination of carbonates would be eliminated. In Finland, there could, thus, be a potential for eliminating 200 kt of carbon dioxide emissions per year, considering only the PCC used in the pulp and paper industry. A preliminary investigation of the feasibility to produce PCC from calcium silicates and the potential to replace calcium carbonate as the raw material was made. Calcium carbonate can be manufactured from calcium silicates by various methods, but only a few have been experimentally verified. The possibility and feasibility of these methods as a replacement for the current PCC production process was studied by thermodynamic equilibrium calculations using HSC software and process modelling using Aspen Plus[reg]. The results from the process modelling showed that a process that uses acetic acid for extraction of the calcium ions is a high potential option for sequestering carbon dioxide by mineral carbonation. The main obstacle seems to be the limited availability and relatively high price of wollastonite, which is a mineral with high calcium silicate content. An alternative is to use the more common, but also more complex, basalt rock instead

Ore-forming environment and ore-forming system of carbonaceous-siliceous-pelitic rock type uranium deposit in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi Fucheng; Zhang Zilong; Li Zhixing; He Zhongbo; Wang Wenquan

2012-01-01

It is proposed that there are four types of ore-forming systems about carbonaceous-siliceous-pelitic rock type uranium deposit in China based on systematic study on structural environment and distribution regularity of uraniferous construction of marine carbonaceous-siliceous-pelitic rock in China: continental margin rift valley ore-forming systems, continental margin rifting deep fracture zone ore-forming systems, landmass boundary borderland basin ore-forming systems and epicontinental mobile belt downfaulted aulacogen ore-forming systems. It is propounded definitely that it is controlled by margin rift valley ore-forming systems and continental margin rifting deep fracture zone ore-forming systems for large-scale uranium mineralization of carbonaceous-siliceous-pelitic rock type uranium deposit in China, which is also controlled by uraniferous marine carbonaceous-siliceous-pelitic rock construction made up of silicalite, siliceous phosphorite and carbonaceous-siliceous-pelitic rock, which settled down accompany with submarine backwash and sub marine volcanic eruption in margin rift valley and continental margin rifting mineralizing environment. Continental mar gin rift valley and continental margin rifting thermal sedimentation or exhalation sedimentation is the mechanism of forming large-scale uraniferous marine carbonaceous-siliceous-pelitic rock construction Early Palaeozoic Era in China or large-scale uranium-polymetallic mineralization. (authors)

Combustion synthesis and photoluminescence study of silicate ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

sorbable and durable materials for orthopaedic and dental implants, that are capable of bearing high stress ... Other studies showed that these silicate ceramics also possess good in vivo bioactivity (Hench 1998; ... ceramic powders without the intermediate decomposition and/or calcining steps has attracted a good deal of ...

Evolution of silicate dust in interstellar, circumstellar and cometary environments: the role of irradiation and temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davoisne, Carine

2006-01-01

Due to the development of observational and analytical tools, our knowledge of the silicate dust has considerably increased these last years. Dust is formed around evolved stars and injected in the interstellar medium (ISM) in which it travels. Dust is then incorporated in the proto-planetary disks around young stars. During its life cycle, the silicate dust is subjected by numerous processes. The aim of this PhD work is firstly to study the chemical and morphological modifications of silicate dust in supernovae shock waves then to indicate its evolution when it is incorporated around young stars. We have developed low energy ion irradiations in situ in a photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The chemical and morphological changes have been measured respectively by XPS and atomic force microscopy. We have also carried out thermal annealing under controlled atmosphere of amorphous silicates. The structural and chemical modifications have been observed by analytical transmission electron microscopy. We have shown that ion irradiation induces chemical and morphological changes in silicate. In the ISM, supernovae shock waves are thus a major process which could affect the silicate dust evolution. The microstructure obtained after thermal annealing strongly depends on oxygen fugacity. They often offer a good comparison with those observed in primitive materials present in our solar system. The recrystallization of amorphous interstellar precursors in the inner accretion disk is thus an efficient process to form crystalline silicates which are furthermore incorporated in small parent bodies (asteroids or comets). (author) [fr

Preparation and properties of isotropic Nd-Fe-B bonded magnets with sodium silicate binder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, W.Q.; Hu, R.J.; Yue, M., E-mail: yueming@bjut.edu.cn; Yin, Y.X.; Zhang, D.T.

2017-08-01

Graphical abstract: To improve the working temperature of bonded Nd-Fe-B magnets, the heat-resistant binder, sodium silicate, was used to prepare new type bonded Nd-Fe-B magnets. The three-dimensional Si-O-Si structure formed in the curing process has excellent strength; it can ensure that the bonded magnets have a certain shape and usable magnetic properties when working at 200 °C. - Highlights: • Sodium silicate enables bonded Nd-Fe-B magnets to be used for higher operation temperatures. • The sodium silicate bonded magnets exhibit usable maximum energy product of 4.057 MGOe at 200 °C. • The compressive strength of sodium silicate bonded magnets is twice bigger than that of epoxy resin bonded magnets. - Abstract: In present study, sodium silicate, a kind of heat-resistant binder, was used to prepare bonded Nd-Fe-B magnets with improved thermal stability and mechanical strength. Effect of curing temperature and curing time of the new binder to the magnetic properties, microstructure, and mechanical strength of the magnets was systematically investigated. Fracture surface morphology observation show that sodium silicate in bonded magnets could completely be cured at 175 °C for 40 min, and the magnets prepared under this condition exhibit optimal properties. They exhibit usable magnetic properties of B{sub r} of 4.66 kGs, H{sub cj} of 4.84 kOe, and (BH){sub max} of 4.06 MGOe at 200 °C. Moreover, the magnets possess high compressive strength of 63 MPa.

Core Formation on Asteroid 4 Vesta: Iron Rain in a Silicate Magma Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Kiefer, Walter S.; Mittlefehldt, David W.

2017-01-01

Geochemical observations of the eucrite and diogenite meteorites, together with observations made by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, suggest that Vesta resembles H chondrites in bulk chemical composition, possibly with about 25% of a CM-chondrite like composition added in. For this model, the core is 15% by mass (or 8 volume %) of the asteroid. The abundances of moderately siderophile elements (Ni, Co, Mo, W, and P) in eucrites require that essentially all of the metallic phase in Vesta segregated to form a core prior to eucrite solidification. Melting in the Fe-Ni-S system begins at a cotectic temperature of 940 deg. C. Only about 40% of the total metal phase, or 3-4 volume % of Vesta, melts prior to the onset of silicate melting. Liquid iron in solid silicate initially forms isolated pockets of melt; connected melt channels, which are necessary if the metal is to segregate from the silicate, are only possible when the metal phase exceeds about 5 volume %. Thus, metal segregation to form a core does not occur prior to the onset of silicate melting.

The thermodynamic activity of ZnO in silicate melts

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, R. A.; Gaskell, D. R.

1983-12-01

The activity of ZnO in ZnO-SiO2 and CaO-ZnO-SiO2 melts has been measured at 1560 °C using a transpiration technique with CO-CO2 mixtures as the carrier gas. The activities of ZnO in dilute solution in 42 wt pct SiO2-38 wt pct CaO-20 wt pct A12O3 in the range 1400° to 1550 °C and in 62 wt pct SiO2-23.3 wt pct CaO-14.7 wt pct A12O3 at 1550 °C have also been measured. The measured free energies of formation of ZnO-SiO2 melts are significantly more negative than published estimated values and this, together with the behavior observed in the system CaO-Al2O3-SiO2, indicate that ZnO is a relatively basic oxide. The results are discussed in terms of the polymerization model of binary silicate melts and ideal silicate mixing in ternary silicate melts. The behavior of ZnO in dilute solution in CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 melts is discussed in terms of the possibility of the fluxing of ZnO by iron blast furnace slags.

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

S. Szillasi

2013-01-01

The CMS detector has been gradually opened and whenever a wheel became exposed the first operation was the removal of the MABs, the sensor structures of the Hardware Barrel Alignment System. By the last days of June all 36 MABs have arrived at the Alignment Lab at the ISR where, as part of the Alignment Upgrade Project, they are refurbished with new Survey target holders. Their electronic checkout is on the way and finally they will be recalibrated. During LS1 the alignment system will be upgraded in order to allow more precise reconstruction of the MB4 chambers in Sector 10 and Sector 4. This requires new sensor components, so called MiniMABs (pictured below), that have already been assembled and calibrated. Image 6: Calibrated MiniMABs are ready for installation For the track-based alignment, the systematic uncertainties of the algorithm are under scrutiny: this study will enable the production of an improved Monte Carlo misalignment scenario and to update alignment position errors eventually, crucial...

Suspension hydration of tricalcium silicate at constant pH. I. Variation of particle size and tricalcium silicate content

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McCurdy, K.G.; Stein, H.N.

1973-01-01

Calcium and silicate ion concentrations during suspension hydration of C3S indicate that at pH 11.5 an equilibrium is established between one of the hydrates and the solution during about 80 minutes. The concentrations found in this period are indipendent of the particle size of the C3S and (within

The mitochondrial activation of silicate and its role in silicosis, black lung disease and lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadler, H I; Cook, G L

1979-01-01

Silicate substitutes for phosphate in the transitory uncoupling of rat liver mitochondria induced by hydrazine when beta-hydroxy-butyrate is the substrate. Uncoupling is blocked by rutamycin. Just as in the case when phosphate is combined with hydrazine, ATP, ADP, PPi, and Mg++ protect against hydrazine when silicate is combined with hydrazine. A high level of ADP in the absence of added phosphate, but in the presence of silicate, induces a pseudo state three of the mitochondria. Silicate, like sulfate and arsenate which have been reported previously, is activated by the enzymes which mediate oxidative phosphorylation. These results serve to explain a role for silicate in silicosis, black lung disease, and cancer. In addition, since there is suggestive evidence in the literature that lung tissue solubilizes asbestos fibers, these results not only expand the confluence between oxidative phosphorylation and chemical carcinogenesis but are correlated with the synergistic carcinogenicity of asbestos and smoking observed by epidemiologists.

Influence of iron on crystallization behavior and thermal stability of the insulating materials - porous calcium silicates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haastrup, Sonja; Yu, Donghong; Yue, Yuanzheng

2017-01-01

The properties of porous calcium silicate for high temperature insulation are strongly influenced by impurities. In this work we determine the influence of Fe3+ on the crystallization behavior and thermal stability of hydrothermally derived calcium silicate. We synthesize porous calcium silicate...... with Ca/Si molar ratio of 1, to which Fe2O3 is added with Fe/Si molar ratios of 0.1, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, and 1.3%. Structure and morphology of the porous calcium silicate, with different iron concentrations, are investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). FTIR...... measurements reveal a pronounced decrease in the number of Q3 sites in the calcium silicate with an increase of Fe3+, and thereby lower the crystal fraction of xonotlite (Ca6Si6O17(OH)2) phase, and increase the crystal fractions of tobermorite(Ca5Si6O16(OH)2·4H2O) and calcite (CaCO3) phases, as confirmed...

Single-ion conducting polymer-silicate nanocomposite electrolytes for lithium battery applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurian, Mary; Galvin, Mary E.; Trapa, Patrick E.; Sadoway, Donald R.; Mayes, Anne M.

2005-01-01

Solid-state polymer-silicate nanocomposite electrolytes based on an amorphous polymer poly[(oxyethylene) 8 methacrylate], POEM, and lithium montmorillonite clay were fabricated and characterized to investigate the feasibility of their use as 'salt-free' electrolytes in lithium polymer batteries. X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy studies indicate the formation of an intercalated morphology in the nanocomposites due to favorable interactions between the polymer matrix and the clay. The morphology of the nanocomposite is intricately linked to the amount of silicate in the system. At low clay contents, dynamic rheological testing verifies that silicate incorporation enhances the mechanical properties of POEM, while impedance spectroscopy shows an improvement in electrical properties. With clay content ≥15 wt.%, mechanical properties are further improved but the formation of an apparent superlattice structure correlates with a loss in the electrical properties of the nanocomposite. The use of suitably modified clays in nanocomposites with high clay contents eliminates this superstructure formation, yielding materials with enhanced performance

Does Silicate Weathering of Loess Affect Atmospheric CO2?

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, S. P.

2002-12-01

Weathering of glacial loess may be a significant, yet unrecognized, component of the carbon cycle. Glaciers produce fine-grained sediment, exposing vast amounts of mineral surface area to weathering processes, yet silicate mineral weathering rates at glacier beds and of glacial till are not high. Thus, despite the tremendous potential for glaciers to influence global weathering rates and atmospheric CO2 levels, this effect has not been demonstrated. Loess, comprised of silt-clay sizes, may be the key glacial deposit in which silicate weathering rates are high. Loess is transported by wind off braid plains of rivers, and deposited broadly (order 100 km from the source) in vegetated areas. Both the fine grain size, and hence large mineral surface area, and presence of vegetation should render loess deposits highly susceptible to silicate weathering. These deposits effectively extend the geochemical impact of glaciation in time and space, and bring rock flour into conditions conducive to chemical weathering. A simple 1-d model of silicate weathering fluxes from a soil profile demonstrates the potential of loess deposition to enhance CO2 consumption. At each time step, computed mineral dissolution (using anorthite and field-based rate constants) modifies the size of mineral grains within the soil. In the case of a stable soil surface, this results in a gradual decline in weathering fluxes and CO2 consumption through time, as finer grain sizes dissolve away. Computed weathering fluxes for a typical loess, with an initial mean grain size of 25 μm, are an order of magnitude greater than fluxes from a non-loess soil that differs only in having a mean grain size of 320 μm. High weathering fluxes are maintained through time if loess is continually deposited. Deposition rates as low as 0.01 mm/yr (one loess grain thickness per year) can lead to a doubling of CO2 consumption rates within 5 ka. These results suggest that even modest loess deposition rates can significantly

MaxAlign: maximizing usable data in an alignment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, Rodrigo Gouveia; Sackett, Peter Wad; Pedersen, Anders Gorm

2007-01-01

Align. In this paper we also introduce a new simple measure of tree similarity, Normalized Symmetric Similarity (NSS) that we consider useful for comparing tree topologies. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate how MaxAlign is helpful in detecting misaligned or defective sequences without requiring manual inspection. We also...

Aligning for Innovation - Alignment Strategy to Drive Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Hurel; Teltschik, David; Bussey, Horace, Jr.; Moy, James

2010-01-01

With the sudden need for innovation that will help the country achieve its long-term space exploration objectives, the question of whether NASA is aligned effectively to drive the innovation that it so desperately needs to take space exploration to the next level should be entertained. Authors such as Robert Kaplan and David North have noted that companies that use a formal system for implementing strategy consistently outperform their peers. They have outlined a six-stage management systems model for implementing strategy, which includes the aligning of the organization towards its objectives. This involves the alignment of the organization from the top down. This presentation will explore the impacts of existing U.S. industrial policy on technological innovation; assess the current NASA organizational alignment and its impacts on driving technological innovation; and finally suggest an alternative approach that may drive the innovation needed to take the world to the next level of space exploration, with NASA truly leading the way.

A framework for predicting global silicate weathering and CO2 drawdown rates over geologic time-scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilley, George E; Porder, Stephen

2008-11-04

Global silicate weathering drives long-time-scale fluctuations in atmospheric CO(2). While tectonics, climate, and rock-type influence silicate weathering, it is unclear how these factors combine to drive global rates. Here, we explore whether local erosion rates, GCM-derived dust fluxes, temperature, and water balance can capture global variation in silicate weathering. Our spatially explicit approach predicts 1.9-4.6 x 10(13) mols of Si weathered globally per year, within a factor of 4-10 of estimates of global silicate fluxes derived from riverine measurements. Similarly, our watershed-based estimates are within a factor of 4-18 (mean of 5.3) of the silica fluxes measured in the world's ten largest rivers. Eighty percent of total global silicate weathering product traveling as dissolved load occurs within a narrow range (0.01-0.5 mm/year) of erosion rates. Assuming each mol of Mg or Ca reacts with 1 mol of CO(2), 1.5-3.3 x 10(8) tons/year of CO(2) is consumed by silicate weathering, consistent with previously published estimates. Approximately 50% of this drawdown occurs in the world's active mountain belts, emphasizing the importance of tectonic regulation of global climate over geologic timescales.

The importance of the Maillard-metal complexes and their silicates in astrobiology

Science.gov (United States)

Liesch, Patrick J.; Kolb, Vera M.

2007-09-01

The Maillard reaction occurs when sugars and amino acids are mixed together in the solid state or in the aqueous solution. Since both amino acids and sugar-like compounds are found on meteorites, we hypothesized that they would also undergo the Maillard reaction. Our recent work supports this idea. We have shown previously that the water-insoluble Maillard products have substantial similarities with the insoluble organic materials from the meteorites. The Maillard organic materials are also part of the desert varnish on Earth, which is a dark, shiny, hard rock coating that contains iron and manganese and is glazed in silicate. Rocks that are similar in appearance to the desert varnish have been observed on the Martian surface. They may also contain the organic materials. We have undertaken study of the interactions between the Maillard products, iron and other metals, and silicates, to elucidate the role of the Maillard products in the chemistry of desert varnish and meteorites. Specifically, we have synthesized a series of the Maillard-metal complexes, and have tested their reactivity towards silicates. We have studied the properties of these Maillard-metal-silicate products by the IR spectroscopy. The astrobiological potential of the Maillard-metal complexes is assessed.

Role of the oxidation state of cerium on the ceria surfaces for silicate adsorption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Jihoon [WCD Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Moon, Jinok [WCD Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Clean/CMP Technology Team, Memory, Samsung Electronics, Hwaseong (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Joo Hyun; Lee, Kangchun [WCD Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Junha [WCD Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Materials R& D Center, K.C.Tech, Anseong (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Heesung [WCD Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yi, Dong Kee, E-mail: vitalis@mju.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry, Myongji University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Paik, Ungyu, E-mail: upaik@hanyang.ac.kr [WCD Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

Highlights: • We investigated the role of Ce oxidation state (Ce{sup 3+}/Ce{sup 4+}) on the CeO{sub 2} surfaces for the silicate adsorption. • As the Ce{sup 3+} concentration increased from 19.3 to 27.6%, the surface density of −OH group increased from 0.34 to 0.72 OH/nm{sup 2}. • The Freundlich constant for the relative adsorption capacity (K{sub F}) and adsorption intensity (1/n) indicated that CeO{sub 2} NPs with high Ce{sup 3+} concentration show higher adsorption affinity with silicate ions. - Abstract: In this study, we have investigated the role of the Ce oxidation state (Ce{sup 3+}/Ce{sup 4+}) on the CeO{sub 2} surfaces for silicate adsorption. In aqueous medium, the Ce{sup 3+} sites lead to the formation of −OH groups at the CeO{sub 2} surface through H{sub 2}O dissociation. Silicate ions can adsorb onto the CeO{sub 2} surface through interaction with the −OH groups (−Ce−OH− + −Si−O{sup −} ↔ −Ce−O−Si− + OH{sup −}). As the Ce{sup 3+} concentration increased from 19.3 to 27.6%, the surface density of −OH group increased from 0.34 to 0.72 OH/nm{sup 2}. To evaluate the adsorption behaviors of silicate ions onto CeO{sub 2} NPs, we carried out an adsorption isothermal analysis, and the adsorption isotherm data followed the Freundlich model. The Freundlich constant for the relative adsorption capacity (K{sub F}) and adsorption intensity (1/n) indicated that CeO{sub 2} NPs with high Ce{sup 3+} concentration show higher adsorption affinity with silicate ions. As a result, we have demonstrated that the Ce oxidation state (Ce{sup 3+}/Ce{sup 4+}) on the CeO{sub 2} surface can have a significant influence on the silicate adsorption.

In vitro bioactivity and cytocompatibility of tricalcium silicate

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

tricalcium silicate powder showed that it could induce bone- like apatite formation after ... ated by soaking them in SBF, cell adhesion and MTT assay, respectively. 2. .... tibility, which might be used as one of the bioactive coating materials and ...

Control rod housing alignment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, R.C.; Deaver, G.A.; Punches, J.R.; Singleton, G.E.; Erbes, J.G.; Offer, H.P.

1990-01-01

This patent describes a process for measuring the vertical alignment between a hole in a core plate and the top of a corresponding control rod drive housing within a boiling water reactor. It comprises: providing an alignment apparatus. The alignment apparatus including a lower end for fitting to the top of the control rod drive housing; an upper end for fitting to the aperture in the core plate, and a leveling means attached to the alignment apparatus to read out the difference in angularity with respect to gravity, and alignment pin registering means for registering to the alignment pin on the core plate; lowering the alignment device on a depending support through a lattice position in the top guide through the hole in the core plate down into registered contact with the top of the control rod drive housing; registering the upper end to the sides of the hole in the core plate; registering the alignment pin registering means to an alignment pin on the core plate to impart to the alignment device the required angularity; and reading out the angle of the control rod drive housing with respect to the hole in the core plate through the leveling devices whereby the angularity of the top of the control rod drive housing with respect to the hole in the core plate can be determined

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G. Gomez

2012-01-01

  A new muon alignment has been produced for 2012 A+B data reconstruction. It uses the latest Tracker alignment and single-muon data samples to align both DTs and CSCs. Physics validation has been performed and shows a modest improvement in stand-alone muon momentum resolution in the barrel, where the alignment is essentially unchanged from the previous version. The reference-target track-based algorithm using only collision muons is employed for the first time to align the CSCs, and a substantial improvement in resolution is observed in the endcap and overlap regions for stand-alone muons. This new alignment is undergoing the approval process and is expected to be deployed as part of a new global tag in the beginning of December. The pT dependence of the φ-bias in curvature observed in Monte Carlo was traced to a relative vertical misalignment between the Tracker and barrel muon systems. Moving the barrel as a whole to match the Tracker cures this pT dependence, leaving only the &phi...

Nanotubes within transition metal silicate hollow spheres: Facile preparation and superior lithium storage performances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Fan; An, Yongling; Zhai, Wei; Gao, Xueping [Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution & Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Jinan 250100 (China); Feng, Jinkui, E-mail: jinkui@sdu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution & Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Jinan 250100 (China); Ci, Lijie [Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution & Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Jinan 250100 (China); Xiong, Shenglin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • The hollow Co{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, MnSiO{sub 3} and CuSiO{sub 3} were successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal method using SiO{sub 2} nanosphere. • The hollow Co{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, MnSiO{sub 3} and CuSiO{sub 3} were tested as anode materials for lithium batteries. • The hollow Co{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, MnSiO{sub 3} and CuSiO{sub 3} delivered superior electrochemical performance. • The lithium storage mechanism is probe via cyclic voltammetry and XPS. - Abstract: A series of transition metal silicate hollow spheres, including cobalt silicate (Co{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}), manganese silicate (MnSiO{sub 3}) and copper silicate (CuSiO{sub 3}.2H{sub 2}O, CuSiO{sub 3} as abbreviation in the text) were prepared via a simple and economic hydrothermal method by using silica spheres as chemical template. Time-dependent experiments confirmed that the resultants formed a novel type of hierarchical structure, hollow spheres assembled by numerous one-dimensional (1D) nanotubes building blocks. For the first time, the transition metal silicate hollow spheres were characterized as novel anode materials of Li-ion battery, which presented superior lithium storage capacities, cycle performance and rate performance. The 1D nanotubes assembly and hollow interior endow this kind of material facilitate fast lithium ion and electron transport and accommodate the big volume change during the conversion reactions. Our study shows that low-cost transition metal silicate with rationally designed nanostructures can be promising anode materials for high capacity lithium-ion battery.

Spiculogenesis in the siliceous sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis studied with fluorescent staining.

Science.gov (United States)

Annenkov, Vadim V; Danilovtseva, Elena N

2016-04-01

Siliceous sponges are the most primitive multicellular animals whose skeleton consists of spicules - needle-like constructions from silicon dioxide surrounding organic axial filaments. Mechanisms of spicule formation have been intensively studied due to the high ecological importance of sponges and their interest to materials science. Light and electron microscopy are not appropriate enough to display the process from silicon-enriched cells to mature spicules because of composite structure of the sponge tissues. In this article, spiculogenesis in the siliceous sponge has been studied for the first time with the use of fluorescent microscopy. Fluorescent vital dye NBD-N2 was applied to stain growing siliceous structures in the sponge and primmorph cell system. The main stages of spicule growth in the fresh-water sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis (Pallas, 1773) were visualized: silicon accumulation in sclerocytes; formation of an organic filament protruding from the cell; further elongation of the filament and growth of the spicule in a spindle-like form with enlargement in the center; merger with new sclerocytes and formation of the mature spicule. Fluorescent microscopy combined with SEM allows us to overcome the virtual differentiation between intra- and extracellular mechanisms of spicule growth. The growing spicule can capture silicic acid from the extracellular space and merge with new silicon-enriched cells. Visualization of the growing spicules with the fluorescent dye allows us to monitor sponge viability in ecological or toxicological experiments and to apply genomic, proteomic and biochemical techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulation of beamline alignment operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Annese, C; Miller, M G.

1999-01-01

The CORBA-based Simulator was a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project that applied simulation techniques to explore critical questions about distributed control systems. The simulator project used a three-prong approach that studied object-oriented distribution tools, computer network modeling, and simulation of key control system scenarios. The National Ignition Facility's (NIF) optical alignment system was modeled to study control system operations. The alignment of NIF's 192 beamlines is a large complex operation involving more than 100 computer systems and 8000 mechanized devices. The alignment process is defined by a detailed set of procedures; however, many of the steps are deterministic. The alignment steps for a poorly aligned component are similar to that of a nearly aligned component; however, additional operations/iterations are required to complete the process. Thus, the same alignment operations will require variable amounts of time to perform depending on the current alignment condition as well as other factors. Simulation of the alignment process is necessary to understand beamline alignment time requirements and how shared resources such as the Output Sensor and Target Alignment Sensor effect alignment efficiency. The simulation has provided alignment time estimates and other results based on documented alignment procedures and alignment experience gained in the laboratory. Computer communication time, mechanical hardware actuation times, image processing algorithm execution times, etc. have been experimentally determined and incorporated into the model. Previous analysis of alignment operations utilized average implementation times for all alignment operations. Resource sharing becomes rather simple to model when only average values are used. The time required to actually implement the many individual alignment operations will be quite dynamic. The simulation model estimates the time to complete an operation using

CAB-Align: A Flexible Protein Structure Alignment Method Based on the Residue-Residue Contact Area.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Genki Terashi

Full Text Available Proteins are flexible, and this flexibility has an essential functional role. Flexibility can be observed in loop regions, rearrangements between secondary structure elements, and conformational changes between entire domains. However, most protein structure alignment methods treat protein structures as rigid bodies. Thus, these methods fail to identify the equivalences of residue pairs in regions with flexibility. In this study, we considered that the evolutionary relationship between proteins corresponds directly to the residue-residue physical contacts rather than the three-dimensional (3D coordinates of proteins. Thus, we developed a new protein structure alignment method, contact area-based alignment (CAB-align, which uses the residue-residue contact area to identify regions of similarity. The main purpose of CAB-align is to identify homologous relationships at the residue level between related protein structures. The CAB-align procedure comprises two main steps: First, a rigid-body alignment method based on local and global 3D structure superposition is employed to generate a sufficient number of initial alignments. Then, iterative dynamic programming is executed to find the optimal alignment. We evaluated the performance and advantages of CAB-align based on four main points: (1 agreement with the gold standard alignment, (2 alignment quality based on an evolutionary relationship without 3D coordinate superposition, (3 consistency of the multiple alignments, and (4 classification agreement with the gold standard classification. Comparisons of CAB-align with other state-of-the-art protein structure alignment methods (TM-align, FATCAT, and DaliLite using our benchmark dataset showed that CAB-align performed robustly in obtaining high-quality alignments and generating consistent multiple alignments with high coverage and accuracy rates, and it performed extremely well when discriminating between homologous and nonhomologous pairs of proteins

CAB-Align: A Flexible Protein Structure Alignment Method Based on the Residue-Residue Contact Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Terashi, Genki; Takeda-Shitaka, Mayuko

2015-01-01

Proteins are flexible, and this flexibility has an essential functional role. Flexibility can be observed in loop regions, rearrangements between secondary structure elements, and conformational changes between entire domains. However, most protein structure alignment methods treat protein structures as rigid bodies. Thus, these methods fail to identify the equivalences of residue pairs in regions with flexibility. In this study, we considered that the evolutionary relationship between proteins corresponds directly to the residue-residue physical contacts rather than the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of proteins. Thus, we developed a new protein structure alignment method, contact area-based alignment (CAB-align), which uses the residue-residue contact area to identify regions of similarity. The main purpose of CAB-align is to identify homologous relationships at the residue level between related protein structures. The CAB-align procedure comprises two main steps: First, a rigid-body alignment method based on local and global 3D structure superposition is employed to generate a sufficient number of initial alignments. Then, iterative dynamic programming is executed to find the optimal alignment. We evaluated the performance and advantages of CAB-align based on four main points: (1) agreement with the gold standard alignment, (2) alignment quality based on an evolutionary relationship without 3D coordinate superposition, (3) consistency of the multiple alignments, and (4) classification agreement with the gold standard classification. Comparisons of CAB-align with other state-of-the-art protein structure alignment methods (TM-align, FATCAT, and DaliLite) using our benchmark dataset showed that CAB-align performed robustly in obtaining high-quality alignments and generating consistent multiple alignments with high coverage and accuracy rates, and it performed extremely well when discriminating between homologous and nonhomologous pairs of proteins in both

Li+ alumino-silicate ion source development for the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment (NDCX)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roy, Prabir K.; Greenway, Wayne G.; Kwan, Joe W.; Seidl, Peter A.; Waldron, William L.; Wu, James K.

2010-10-01

We report results on lithium alumino-silicate ion source development in preparation for warmdense-matter heating experiments on the new Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment (NDCXII). The practical limit to the current density for a lithium alumino-silicate source is determined by the maximum operating temperature that the ion source can withstand before running into problems of heat transfer, melting of the alumino-silicate material, and emission lifetime. Using small prototype emitters, at a temperature of ~;;1275 oC, a space-charge-limited Li+ beam current density of J ~;;1 mA/cm2 was obtained. The lifetime of the ion source was ~;;50 hours while pulsing at a rate of 0.033 Hz with a pulse duration of 5-6 mu s.

Li+ alumino-silicate ion source development for the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment (NDCX)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Prabir K.; Greenway, Wayne G.; Kwan, Joe W.; Seidl, Peter A.; Waldron, William L.; Wu, James K.

2010-01-01

We report results on lithium alumino-silicate ion source development in preparation for warm-dense-matter heating experiments on the new Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment (NDCX-II). The practical limit to the current density for a lithium alumino-silicate source is determined by the maximum operating temperature that the ion source can withstand before running into problems of heat transfer, melting of the alumino-silicate material, and emission lifetime. Using small prototype emitters, at a temperature of ∼1275 C, a space-charge-limited Li + beam current density of J ∼1 mA/cm 2 was obtained. The lifetime of the ion source was ∼50 hours while pulsing at a rate of 0.033 Hz with a pulse duration of 5-6 (micro) s.

Porous Silicates Modified with Zirconium Oxide and Sulfate Ions for Alcohol Dehydration Reactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heriberto Esteban Benito

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Porous silicates were synthesized by a nonhydrothermal method, using sodium silicate as a source of silica and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a template agent. Catalysts were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, pyridine adsorption, potentiometric titration with n-butylamine, scanning electronic microscopy, and transmission electronic microscopy. The surface area of the materials synthesized was greater than 800 m2/g. The introduction of zirconium atoms within the porous silicates increased their acid strength from −42 to 115 mV, while the addition of sulfate ions raised this value to 470 mV. The catalytic activity for the dehydration of alcohols yields conversions of up to 70% for ethanol and 30% for methanol.

To the question of peculiarities of thermal activation of natural siliceous raw material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chumachenko Natalya

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The results of research of activity enhancement of natural siliceous raw material are given in the article. Fossil meal of Khotynetsky deposit, diatomite of Sharlovsky deposit, silica clay of Balasheika deposit were used as natural active mineral admixtures. The influence of heat-treating temperature and dispersion on activity of different types of siliceous raw material is studied. The increase of activity of fixation of Ca(OH2 in several times is traced after heat-treating at a certain temperature in the range from 100 to 800°C. The type of activity change is discovered. Explanation is given connected with the change of silica structure in the surface layer. Parameters of the highest activity are defined for every type of siliceous raw material.

BinAligner: a heuristic method to align biological networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jialiang; Li, Jun; Grünewald, Stefan; Wan, Xiu-Feng

2013-01-01

The advances in high throughput omics technologies have made it possible to characterize molecular interactions within and across various species. Alignments and comparison of molecular networks across species will help detect orthologs and conserved functional modules and provide insights on the evolutionary relationships of the compared species. However, such analyses are not trivial due to the complexity of network and high computational cost. Here we develop a mixture of global and local algorithm, BinAligner, for network alignments. Based on the hypotheses that the similarity between two vertices across networks would be context dependent and that the information from the edges and the structures of subnetworks can be more informative than vertices alone, two scoring schema, 1-neighborhood subnetwork and graphlet, were introduced to derive the scoring matrices between networks, besides the commonly used scoring scheme from vertices. Then the alignment problem is formulated as an assignment problem, which is solved by the combinatorial optimization algorithm, such as the Hungarian method. The proposed algorithm was applied and validated in aligning the protein-protein interaction network of Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and that of varicella zoster virus (VZV). Interestingly, we identified several putative functional orthologous proteins with similar functions but very low sequence similarity between the two viruses. For example, KSHV open reading frame 56 (ORF56) and VZV ORF55 are helicase-primase subunits with sequence identity 14.6%, and KSHV ORF75 and VZV ORF44 are tegument proteins with sequence identity 15.3%. These functional pairs can not be identified if one restricts the alignment into orthologous protein pairs. In addition, BinAligner identified a conserved pathway between two viruses, which consists of 7 orthologous protein pairs and these proteins are connected by conserved links. This pathway might be crucial for virus packing and

Prediction of molecular alignment of nucleic acids in aligned media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Bin; Petersen, Michael; Girard, Frederic; Tessari, Marco; Wijmenga, Sybren S.

2006-01-01

We demonstrate - using the data base of all deposited DNA and RNA structures aligned in Pf1-medium and RDC refined - that for nucleic acids in a Pf1-medium the electrostatic alignment tensor can be predicted reliably and accurately via a simple and fast calculation based on the gyration tensor spanned out by the phosphodiester atoms. The rhombicity is well predicted over its full range from 0 to 0.66, while the alignment tensor orientation is predicted correctly for rhombicities up to ca. 0.4, for larger rhombicities it appears to deviate somewhat more than expected based on structural noise and measurement error. This simple analytical approach is based on the Debye-Huckel approximation for the electrostatic interaction potential, valid at distances sufficiently far away from a poly-ionic charged surface, a condition naturally enforced when the charge of alignment medium and solute are of equal sign, as for nucleic acids in a Pf1-phage medium. For the usual salt strengths and nucleic acid sizes, the Debye-Huckel screening length is smaller than the nucleic acid size, but large enough for the collective of Debye-Huckel spheres to encompass the whole molecule. The molecular alignment is then purely electrostatic, but it's functional form is under these conditions similar to that for steric alignment. The proposed analytical expression allows for very fast calculation of the alignment tensor and hence RDCs from the conformation of the nucleic acid molecule. This information provides opportunities for improved structure determination of nucleic acids, including better assessment of dynamics in (multi-domain) nucleic acids and the possibility to incorporate alignment tensor prediction from shape directly into the structure calculation process. The procedures are incorporated into MATLAB scripts, which are available on request

USE OF LOCAL NATURAL SILICEOUS RAW MATERIAL AND WASTES FOR PRODUCTION OF HEAT-INSULATING FOAMCONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. U. Matsapulin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the resource base, reserves and the use of siliceous rocks, their economic feasibility of the use for production of building materials of new generation with low-energy and other costs. Presented are the results of laboratory research and testing technology of production of insulating foam from a composition based on an aqueous solution of sodium silicate obtained from the local siliceous rocks (diatomite and the liquid alkali component - soapstock, hardener from ferrochrome slag and waste carbonate rock able to harden at a low temperature processing ( 100-110 ° C.

Lithium concentration dependence of implanted helium retention in lithium silicates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szocs, D.E., E-mail: szocsd@rmki.kfki.h [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, H-1525 Budapest, P.O. Box 49 (Hungary); Szilagyi, E.; Bogdan, Cs.; Kotai, E. [KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, H-1525 Budapest, P.O. Box 49 (Hungary); Horvath, Z.E. [Research Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science, H-1525 Budapest, P.O. Box 49 (Hungary)

2010-06-15

Helium ions of 500 keV were implanted with a fluence of 1.4 x 10{sup 17} ion/cm{sup 2} into various lithium silicates to investigate whether a threshold level of helium retention exists in Li-containing silicate ceramics similar to that found in SiO{sub x} in previous work. The composition and phases of the as prepared lithium silicates were determined by proton backscattering spectrometry (p-BS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods with an average error of {+-}10%. Electrostatic charging of the samples was successfully eliminated by wrapping the samples in Al foil. The amounts of the retained helium within the samples were determined by subtracting the non-implanted spectra from the implanted ones. The experimental results show a threshold in helium retention depending on the Li concentration. Under 20 at.% all He is able to escape from the material; at around 30 at.% nearly half of the He, while over 65 at.% all implanted He is retained. With compositions expressed in SiO{sub 2} volume percentages, a trend similar to those reported of SiO{sub x} previously is found.

CRYSTALLINE SILICATES IN EVOLVED STARS. I. SPITZER/INFRARED SPECTROGRAPH SPECTROSCOPY OF IRAS 16456-3542, 18354-0638, AND 23239+5754

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, B. W.; Zhang, Ke [Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Li, Aigen [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211 (United States); Lisse, C. M., E-mail: bjiang@bnu.edu.cn, E-mail: kzhang@caltech.edu, E-mail: lia@missouri.edu, E-mail: carey.lisse@jhuapl.edu [Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States)

2013-03-01

We report the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) observations of three evolved stars: IRAS 16456-3542, 18354-0638, and 23239+5754. The 9.9-37.2 {mu}m Spitzer/IRS high-resolution spectra of these three sources exhibit rich sets of enstatite-dominated crystalline silicate emission features. IRAS 16456-3542 is extremely rich in crystalline silicates, with >90% of its silicate mass in crystalline form, the highest to date ever reported for crystalline silicate sources.

Extra-fibrillar matrix mechanics of annulus fibrosus in tension and compression.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortes, Daniel H; Elliott, Dawn M

2012-07-01

The annulus fibrosus (AF) of the disk is a highly nonlinear and anisotropic material that undergoes a complex combination of loads in multiple orientations. The tensile mechanical behavior of AF in the lamellar plane is dominated by collagen fibers and has been accurately modeled using exponential functions. On the other hand, AF mechanics perpendicular to the lamella, in the radial direction, depend on the properties of the ground matrix with little to no fiber contribution. The ground matrix is mainly composed of proteoglycans (PG), which are negatively charged macromolecules that maintain the tissue hydration via osmotic pressure. The mechanical response of the ground matrix can be divided in the contribution of osmotic pressure and an elastic solid part known as extra-fibrillar matrix (EFM). Mechanical properties of the ground matrix have been measured using tensile and confined compression tests. However, EFM mechanics have not been measured directly. The objective of this study was to measure AF nonlinear mechanics of the EFM in tension and compression. To accomplish this, a combination of osmotic swelling and confined compression in disk radial direction, perpendicular to the lamella, was used. For this type of analysis, it was necessary to define a stress-free reference configuration. Thus, a brief analysis on residual stress in the disk and a procedure to estimate the reference configuration are presented. The proposed method was able to predict similar swelling deformations when using different loading protocols and models for the EFM, demonstrating its robustness. The stress-stretch curve of the EFM was linear in the range 0.9 disk and can be applied to differentiate between functional degeneration effects such as PG loss and stiffening due to cross-linking.

Impact of Micro Silica Surface Hydroxyl Groups on the Properties of Calcium Silicate Products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haastrup, Sonja; Jørgensen, Bianca; Yu, Donghong

2017-01-01

Porous calcium silicates are widely used in insulating systems for high temperature applications. In the production of porous calcium silicates, quicklime and micro silica have been utilized as key raw materials. In the reaction between SiO2 and CaO, the dissolution of SiO2 has been proven...

Leaf application of silicic acid to upland rice and corn

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Alexandre Costa Crusciol

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Si (stabilized silicic acid, Silamol® leaf application on mineral nutrition and yield in upland rice and corn crops. The treatments were the control (without Si and Si foliar split spraying using 2 L ha-1 of the Silamol® commercial product, with 0.8% soluble Si as concentrated stabilized silicic acid. Silicon leaf application increased the concentrations of K, Ca and Si in rice and corn leaves, the number of panicles per m2 of rice and the number of grains per ear of corn; accordingly, the Si leaf application provided a higher grain yield in both crops.

A new prosthetic alignment device to read and record prosthesis alignment data.

Science.gov (United States)

Pirouzi, Gholamhossein; Abu Osman, Noor Azuan; Ali, Sadeeq; Davoodi Makinejad, Majid

2017-12-01

Prosthetic alignment is an essential process to rehabilitate patients with amputations. This study presents, for the first time, an invented device to read and record prosthesis alignment data. The digital device consists of seven main parts: the trigger, internal shaft, shell, sensor adjustment button, digital display, sliding shell, and tip. The alignment data were read and recorded by the user or a computer to replicate prosthesis adjustment for future use or examine the sequence of changes in alignment and its effect on the posture of the patient. Alignment data were recorded at the anterior/posterior and medial/lateral positions for five patients. Results show the high level of confidence to record alignment data and replicate adjustments. Therefore, the device helps patients readjust their prosthesis by themselves, or prosthetists to perform adjustment for patients and analyze the effects of malalignment.

Improved mechanical and corrosion properties of nickel composite coatings by incorporation of layered silicates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tientong, J. [University of North Texas, Department of Chemistry, 1155 Union Circle #305070, Denton, TX 76203 (United States); Ahmad, Y.H. [Center for Advanced Materials, P.O. Box 2713, Qatar University, Doha (Qatar); Nar, M.; D' Souza, N. [University of North Texas, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Denton, TX 76207 (United States); Mohamed, A.M.A. [Center for Advanced Materials, P.O. Box 2713, Qatar University, Doha (Qatar); Golden, T.D., E-mail: tgolden@unt.edu [University of North Texas, Department of Chemistry, 1155 Union Circle #305070, Denton, TX 76203 (United States)

2014-05-01

Layered silicates as exfoliated montmorillonite are incorporated into nickel films by electrodeposition, enhancing both corrosion resistance and hardness. Films were deposited onto stainless steel from a plating solution adjusted to pH 9 containing nickel sulfate, sodium citrate, and various concentrations of exfoliated montmorillonite. The presence of the incorporated layered silicate was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The composite films were also compact and smooth like the pure nickel films deposited under the same conditions as shown by scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction results showed that incorporation of layered silicates into the film do not affect the nickel crystalline fcc structure. The nanocomposite films exhibited improved stability and adhesion. Pure nickel films cracked and peeled from the substrate when immersed in 3.5% NaCl solution within 5 days, while the nanocomposite films remained attached even after 25 days. The corrosion resistance of the nickel nanocomposites was also improved compared to nickel films. Nickel-layered silicate composites showed a 25% increase in Young's modulus and a 20% increase in hardness over pure nickel films. - Highlights: • 0.05–2% of layered silicates are incorporated into crystalline nickel films. • Resulting composite films had improved stability and adhesion. • Corrosion resistance improved for the composite films. • Hardness improved 20% and young's modulus improved 25% for the composite films.

Calcium silicates synthesised from industrial residues with the ability for CO2 sequestration.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales-Flórez, Victor; Santos, Alberto; López, Antonio; Moriña, Isabel; Esquivias, Luis

2014-12-01

This work explored several synthesis routes to obtain calcium silicates from different calcium-rich and silica-rich industrial residues. Larnite, wollastonite and calcium silicate chloride were successfully synthesised with moderate heat treatments below standard temperatures. These procedures help to not only conserve natural resources, but also to reduce the energy requirements and CO2 emissions. In addition, these silicates have been successfully tested as carbon dioxide sequesters, to enhance the viability of CO2 mineral sequestration technologies using calcium-rich industrial by-products as sequestration agents. Two different carbon sequestration experiments were performed under ambient conditions. Static experiments revealed carbonation efficiencies close to 100% and real-time resolved experiments characterised the dynamic behaviour and ability of these samples to reduce the CO2 concentration within a mixture of gases. The CO2 concentration was reduced up to 70%, with a carbon fixation dynamic ratio of 3.2 mg CO2 per g of sequestration agent and minute. Our results confirm the suitability of the proposed synthesis routes to synthesise different calcium silicates recycling industrial residues, being therefore energetically more efficient and environmentally friendly procedures for the cement industry. © The Author(s) 2014.

Attributes of the soil fertilized with sewage sludge and calcium and magnesium silicate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geraldo R. Zuba Junio

2015-11-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTThis study aimed to evaluate the chemical attributes of an Inceptisol cultivated with castor bean (Ricinus communis L., variety ‘BRS Energia’, fertilized with sewage sludge compost and calcium (Ca and magnesium (Mg silicate. The experiment was conducted at the ICA/UFMG, in a randomized block design, using a 2 x 4 factorial scheme with three replicates, and the treatments consisted of two doses of Ca-Mg silicate (0 and 1 t ha-1 and four doses of sewage sludge compost (0, 23.81, 47.62 and 71.43 t ha-1, on dry basis. Soil organic matter (OM, pH, sum of bases (SB, effective cation exchange capacity (CEC(t, total cation exchange capacity (CEC(T, base saturation (V% and potential acidity (H + Al were evaluated. There were no significant interactions between doses of sewage sludge compost and doses of Ca-Mg silicate on soil attributes, and no effect of silicate fertilization on these attributes. However, fertilization with sewage sludge compost promoted reduction in pH and increase in H + Al, OM and CEC. The dose of 71.43 t ha-1 of sewage sludge compost promoted the best soil chemical conditions.

Volatile diffusion in silicate melts and its effects on melt inclusions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Scarlato

2005-06-01

Full Text Available A compendium of diffusion measurements and their Arrhenius equations for water, carbon dioxide, sulfur, fluorine, and chlorine in silicate melts similar in composition to natural igneous rocks is presented. Water diffusion in silicic melts is well studied and understood, however little data exists for melts of intermediate to basic compositions. The data demonstrate that both the water concentration and the anhydrous melt composition affect the diffusion coefficient of water. Carbon dioxide diffusion appears only weakly dependent, at most, on the volatilefree melt composition and no effect of carbon dioxide concentration has been observed, although few experiments have been performed. Based upon one study, the addition of water to rhyolitic melts increases carbon dioxide diffusion by orders of magnitude to values similar to that of 6 wt% water. Sulfur diffusion in intermediate to silicic melts depends upon the anhydrous melt composition and the water concentration. In water-bearing silicic melts sulfur diffuses 2 to 3 orders of magnitude slower than water. Chlorine diffusion is affected by both water concentration and anhydrous melt composition; its values are typically between those of water and sulfur. Information on fluorine diffusion is rare, but the volatile-free melt composition exerts a strong control on its diffusion. At the present time the diffusion of water, carbon dioxide, sulfur and chlorine can be estimated in silicic melts at magmatic temperatures. The diffusion of water and carbon dioxide in basic to intermediate melts is only known at a limited set of temperatures and compositions. The diffusion data for rhyolitic melts at 800°C together with a standard model for the enrichment of incompatible elements in front of growing crystals demonstrate that rapid crystal growth, greater than 10-10 ms-1, can significantly increase the volatile concentrations at the crystal-melt interface and that any of that melt trapped

Effects of variable attachment shapes and aligner material on aligner retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasy, Hiltrud; Dasy, Andreas; Asatrian, Greg; Rózsa, Noémi; Lee, Hao-Fu; Kwak, Jin Hee

2015-11-01

To evaluate the retention of four types of aligners on a dental arch with various attachments. For this study, three casts were manufactured, two of which contained attachments (ellipsoid and beveled), and one without any attachments to serve as a control. Four types of aligners were thermoformed: Clear-Aligner (CA)-soft, CA-medium, and CA-hard, with various thicknesses, and Essix ACE. Measurements of vertical displacement force during aligner removal were performed with the Gabo Qualimeter Eplexor. Means and standard deviations were next compared between different aligner thicknesses and attachment shapes. CA-soft, CA-medium, and CA-hard did not present a significant increase in retention, except when used in the presence of attachments. Additionally, CA-medium and CA-hard required significantly more force for removal. Essix ACE demonstrated a significant decrease in retention when used with ellipsoid attachments. The force value for Essix ACE removal from the cast with beveled attachments was comparable to that of CA-medium. Forces for aligner removal from the model without attachments showed a linear trend. Essix ACE did not show a continuous increase in retention for each model. Overall, ellipsoid attachments did not present a significant change in retention. In contrast, beveled attachments improved retention. Ellipsoid attachments had no significant influence on the force required for aligner removal and hence on aligner retention. Essix ACE showed significantly less retention than CA-hard on the models with attachments. Furthermore, beveled attachments were observed to increase retention significantly, compared with ellipsoid attachments and when using no attachments.

The Impact of Microwave Penetration Depth on the Process of Heating the Moulding Sand with Sodium Silicate

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Nowak D.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the impact of microwave penetration depth on the process of heating the moulding sand with sodium silicate. For each material it is affected by: the wavelength in vacuum and the real and imaginary components of the relative complex electrical permittivity εr for a selected measurement frequency. Since the components are not constant values and they change depending on the electrical parameters of materials and the frequency of the electromagnetic wave, it is indispensable to carry out laboratory measurements to determine them. Moreover, the electrical parameters of materials are also affected by: temperature, packing degree, humidity and conductivity. The measurements of the dielectric properties of moulding sand with sodium silicate was carried out using the perturbation method on a stand of waveguide resonance cavity. The real and imaginary components of the relative complex electrical permittivity was determined for moulding sand at various contents of sodium silicate and at various packing degrees of the samples. On the basis of the results the microwave penetration depth of moulding sand with sodium silicate was established. Relative literature contains no such data that would be essential to predicting an effective process of microwave heating of moulding sand with sodium silicate. Both the packing degree and the amount of sodium silicate in moulding sand turned out to affect the penetration depth, which directly translates into microwave power density distribution in the process of microwave heating of moulding sand with sodium silicate.

Non-Topotactic Transformation of Silicate Nanolayers into Mesostructured MFI Zeolite Frameworks During Crystallization.

Science.gov (United States)

Berkson, Zachariah J; Messinger, Robert J; Na, Kyungsu; Seo, Yongbeom; Ryoo, Ryong; Chmelka, Bradley F

2017-05-02

Mesostructured MFI zeolite nanosheets are established to crystallize non-topotactically through a nanolayered silicate intermediate during hydrothermal synthesis. Solid-state 2D NMR analyses, with sensitivity enhanced by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), provide direct evidence of shared covalent 29 Si-O- 29 Si bonds between intermediate nanolayered silicate moieties and the crystallizing MFI zeolite nanosheet framework. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Calcined clay lightweight ceramics made with wood sawdust and sodium silicate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santis, Bruno Carlos de; Rossignolo, Joao Adriano, E-mail: desantis.bruno@gmail.com [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Pirassununga, SP (Brazil); Morelli, Marcio Raymundo [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais

2016-11-15

This paper aims to study the influence of including wood sawdust and sodium silicate in the production process of calcined clay lightweight ceramics. In the production process first, a sample used by a company that produces ceramic products in Brazil was collected. The sample was analysed by techniques of liquidity (LL) and plasticity (LP) limits, particle size analysis, specific mass, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). From the clay, specimens of pure clay and mixtures with wood sawdust (10%, 20% and 30% by mass) and sodium silicate were produced and fired at a temperature of 900 deg C. These specimens were submitted to tests of water absorption, porosity, specific mass and compressive strength. Results of this research indicate that the incorporation of wood sawdust and sodium silicate in the ceramic paste specimens can be useful to make calcined clay lightweight ceramics with special characteristics (low values of water absorption and specific mass and high values of compressive strength), which could be used to produce calcined clay lightweight aggregates to be used in structural concrete. (author)

Limiting of photo induced changes in amorphous chalcogenide/alumino-silicate nanomultilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charnovych, S.; Nemec, P.; Nazabal, V.; Csik, A.; Allix, M.; Matzen, G.; Kokenyesi, S.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Amorphous chalcogenides were investigated in this work. → Photo-induced effects were investigated in the created thin films. → Limiting of photo induced changes in amorphous chalcogenide/alumino-silicate nanomultilayers have been studied. - Abstract: Photo induced changes in amorphous As 20 Se 80 /alumino-silicate nanomultilayers (NML) produced by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method have been studied in this work. The aim was to investigate the photo induced optical and surface relief changes due to the band gap illumination under the size- and hard cover limited conditions. It was observed that the hard cover layer on the surface of the uniform film or alumino-silicate sub-layers in the NML structure influences the photo darkening and restricts surface relief formations in As 20 Se 80 film or in the related NML compared with this effect in a pure chalcogenide layer. The influence of hard layers is supposed to be connected with limiting the free volume formation at the initial stage of the transformation process, which in turn limits the atomic movement and so the surface relief formation.

Mask alignment system for semiconductor processing

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Aaron P.; Carlson, Charles T.; Weaver, William T.; Grant, Christopher N.

2017-02-14

A mask alignment system for providing precise and repeatable alignment between ion implantation masks and workpieces. The system includes a mask frame having a plurality of ion implantation masks loosely connected thereto. The mask frame is provided with a plurality of frame alignment cavities, and each mask is provided with a plurality of mask alignment cavities. The system further includes a platen for holding workpieces. The platen may be provided with a plurality of mask alignment pins and frame alignment pins configured to engage the mask alignment cavities and frame alignment cavities, respectively. The mask frame can be lowered onto the platen, with the frame alignment cavities moving into registration with the frame alignment pins to provide rough alignment between the masks and workpieces. The mask alignment cavities are then moved into registration with the mask alignment pins, thereby shifting each individual mask into precise alignment with a respective workpiece.

Radiation Shielding Properties Comparison of Pb-Based Silicate, Borate, and Phosphate Glass Matrices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suwimon Ruengsri

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Theoretical calculations of mass attenuation coefficients, partial interactions, atomic cross-section, and effective atomic numbers of PbO-based silicate, borate, and phosphate glass systems have been investigated at 662 keV. PbO-based silicate glass has been found with the highest total mass attenuation coefficient and then phosphate and borate glasses, respectively. Compton scattering has been the dominate interaction contributed to the different total attenuation coefficients in each of the glass matrices. The silicate and phosphate glass systems are more appropriate choices as lead-based radiation shielding glass than the borate glass system. Moreover, comparison of results has shown that the glasses possess better shielding properties than standard shielding concretes, suggesting a smaller size requirement in addition to transparency in the visible region.

Silica from triethylammonium tris (oxalato) silicate (IV) thermal decomposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferracin, L.C.; Ionashiro, M.; Davolos, M.R.

1990-01-01

Silica can be obtained from differents precursors by differents methods. In this paper it has been investigated the thermal decomposition of triethylammonium tris (oxalato) silicate (IV) to render silica. Among the trisoxalato-complexes of silicon preparation methods reviewed it has been used the Bessler's one with the reflux adaptaded in microwave oven. Thermal decomposition analysis of the compound has been made by TG-DTG and DTA curves. Silica powders obtained and heated between 300 to 900 0 C in a oven were characterized by infrared vibrational spectroscopy, X-ray powder difraction and nitrogen adsorption isotherm (BET). The triethylammonium tris (oxalato) silicate (IV) thermal decomposition takes place at 300 0 C and the silica powder obtained is non cristalline with impurities that are eliminated with heating at 400 0 C. (author) [pt

Effect of moisture and chitosan layered silicate on morphology and properties of chitosan/layered silicates films; Efeito do teor de quitosana e do silicato em camadas na morfologia e propriedades dos filmes quitosana/silicatos em camadas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, J.R.M.B. da; Santos, B.F.F. dos; Leite, I.F., E-mail: itamaraf@gmail.com [Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), PB (Brazil). Centro de Tecnologia. Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais

2014-07-01

Thin chitosan films have been for some time an object of practical assessments. However, to obtain biopolymers capable of competing with common polymers a significant improvement in their properties is required. Currently, the technology of obtaining polymer/layered silicates nanocomposites has proven to be a good alternative. This work aims to evaluate the effect of chitosan content (CS) and layered silicates (AN) on the morphology and properties of chitosan/ layered silicate films. CS/AN bionanocomposites were prepared by the intercalation by solution in the proportion 1:1 and 5:1. Then were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffraction (XRD) and X-ray thermogravimetry (TG). It is expected from the acquisition of films, based on different levels of chitosan and layered silicates, choose the best composition to serve as a matrix for packaging drugs and thus be used for future research. (author)

Enzyme stabilization by glass-derived silicates in glass-exposed aqueous solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Ives, J.A.; Moffett, J.R.; Arun, P.; Lam, D.; Todorov, T.I.; Brothers, A.B.; Anick, D.J.; Centeno, J.; Namboodiri, M.A.A.; Jonas, W.B.

2010-01-01

Objectives: To analyze the solutes leaching from glass containers into aqueous solutions, and to show that these solutes have enzyme activity stabilizing effects in very dilute solutions. Methods: Enzyme assays with acetylcholine esterase were used to analyze serially succussed and diluted (SSD) solutions prepared in glass and plastic containers. Aqueous SSD preparations starting with various solutes, or water alone, were prepared under several conditions, and tested for their solute content and their ability to affect enzyme stability in dilute solution. Results: We confirm that water acts to dissolve constituents from glass vials, and show that the solutes derived from the glass have effects on enzymes in the resultant solutions. Enzyme assays demonstrated that enzyme stability in purified and deionized water was enhanced in SSD solutions that were prepared in glass containers, but not those prepared in plastic. The increased enzyme stability could be mimicked in a dose-dependent manner by the addition of silicates to the purified, deionized water that enzymes were dissolved in. Elemental analyses of SSD water preparations made in glass vials showed that boron, silicon, and sodium were present at micromolar concentrations. Conclusions: These results show that silicates and other solutes are present at micromolar levels in all glass-exposed solutions, whether pharmaceutical or homeopathic in nature. Even though silicates are known to have biological activity at higher concentrations, the silicate concentrations we measured in homeopathic preparations were too low to account for any purported in vivo efficacy, but could potentially influence in vitro biological assays reporting homeopathic effects. ?? 2009 The Faculty of Homeopathy.

SILICATE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION'S SOLIDIFICATION/ STABILIZATION TECHNOLOGY FOR ORGANIC AND INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN SOILS - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

Science.gov (United States)

This Applications Analysis Report evaluates the solidification/stabilization treatment process of Silicate Technology Corporation (STC) for the on-site treatment of hazardous waste. The STC immobilization technology utilizes a proprietary product (FMS Silicate) to chemically stab...

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

M. Dallavalle

2013-01-01

A new Muon misalignment scenario for 2011 (7 TeV) Monte Carlo re-processing was re-leased. The scenario is based on running of standard track-based reference-target algorithm (exactly as in data) using single-muon simulated sample (with the transverse-momentum spectrum matching data). It used statistics similar to what was used for alignment with 2011 data, starting from an initially misaligned Muon geometry from uncertainties of hardware measurements and using the latest Tracker misalignment geometry. Validation of the scenario (with muons from Z decay and high-pT simulated muons) shows that it describes data well. The study of systematic uncertainties (dominant by now due to huge amount of data collected by CMS and used for muon alignment) is finalised. Realistic alignment position errors are being obtained from the estimated uncertainties and are expected to improve the muon reconstruction performance. Concerning the Hardware Alignment System, the upgrade of the Barrel Alignment is in progress. By now, d...

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G. Gomez

2011-01-01

A new set of muon alignment constants was approved in August. The relative position between muon chambers is essentially unchanged, indicating good detector stability. The main changes concern the global positioning of the barrel and of the endcap rings to match the new Tracker geometry. Detailed studies of the differences between track-based and optical alignment of DTs have proven to be a valuable tool for constraining Tracker alignment weak modes, and this information is now being used as part of the alignment procedure. In addition to the “split-cosmic” analysis used to investigate the muon momentum resolution at high momentum, a new procedure based on reconstructing the invariant mass of di-muons from boosted Zs is under development. Both procedures show an improvement in the momentum precision of Global Muons with respect to Tracker-only Muons. Recent developments in track-based alignment include a better treatment of the tails of residual distributions and accounting for correla...

Chemical bonding and structural ordering of cations in silicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calas, G.; Cormier, L.; Galoisy, L.; Ramos, A.; Rossano, St.

1997-01-01

The specific surrounding of cations in multicomponent silicate glasses is briefly presented. Information about interatomic distances and site geometry may be gained by using spectroscopic methods among which x-ray absorption spectroscopy may be used for the largest number of glass components. Scattering of x-rays and neutrons may also be used to determine the importance of medium range order around specific cations. All the existing data show that cations occur in sites with a well-defined geometry, which are in most cases connected to the silicate polymeric network. Medium range order has been detected around cations such as Ti, Ca and Ni, indicating that these elements have an heterogeneous distribution within the glassy matrix. (authors)

In vitro bioactivity of a tricalcium silicate cement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morejon-Alonso, L.; Bareiro, O.; Santos, L.A. dos, E-mail: loreley.morejon@ufrgs.b [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRG), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia. Dep. de Materiais; Carrodeguas R, Garcia [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Madrid (Spain). Inst. de Ceramica y Vidrio. Dept. de Ceramica

2009-07-01

Tricalcium silicate is the major constituent of Portland cement and the responsible for their mechanical strength at early stages. In order to be used as and additive of conventional calcium phosphate cement (CPC), in vitro bioactivity of a calcium silicate cement (CSC) after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 14 days was study. The cement was obtained by mixing Ca{sub 3}SiO{sub 5}, obtained by sol-gel process, and a Na{sub 2}HPO{sub 4} solution. The morphological and structural changes of the material before and after soaking were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed the formation of a layer of a Hydroxyapatite (HA) onto the CSC cement after soaking for 1h in SBF that became denser with the increase of soaking time. The study suggests that Ca{sub 3}SiO{sub 5} would be an effective additive to improve the bioactivity and long term strength of conventional CPC. (author)

Diblock Copolymer/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite Thin Film Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Limary, Ratchana; Green, Peter

2000-03-01

The stability of thin film symmetric diblock copolymers blended with layered silicate nanocomposites were examined using a combination of optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Two cases were examined PS-b-PMMA (polystyrene-b-polymethylacrylate) blended with montmorillonite stoichiometrically loaded with alkyl ammonium ions, OLS(S), and PS-b-PMMA blended with montmorillonite loaded with excess alkyl ammonium ions, OLS(E). XRD spectra show an increase in the gallery spacing of the OLSs, indicating that the copolymer chains have intercalated the layered silicates. AFM images reveal a distinct difference between the two nanocomposite thin films: regions in the vicinity of OLS(S) aggregates were depleted of material, while in the vicinity of OLS(E) aggregates, dewetting of the substrate occurred. We show that the stability of the copolymer/OLS nanocomposite films is determined by the enthalpic driving force associated with intercalation of the copolymer chains into the galleries of the modified OLS layers and by the substrate/organic modifier interactions.

Reducing beam shaper alignment complexity: diagnostic techniques for alignment and tuning

Science.gov (United States)

Lizotte, Todd E.

2011-10-01

Safe and efficient optical alignment is a critical requirement for industrial laser systems used in a high volume manufacturing environment. Of specific interest is the development of techniques to align beam shaping optics within a beam line; having the ability to instantly verify by a qualitative means that each element is in its proper position as the beam shaper module is being aligned. There is a need to reduce these types of alignment techniques down to a level where even a newbie to optical alignment will be able to complete the task. Couple this alignment need with the fact that most laser system manufacturers ship their products worldwide and the introduction of a new set of variables including cultural and language barriers, makes this a top priority for manufacturers. Tools and methodologies for alignment of complex optical systems need to be able to cross these barriers to ensure the highest degree of up time and reduce the cost of maintenance on the production floor. Customers worldwide, who purchase production laser equipment, understand that the majority of costs to a manufacturing facility is spent on system maintenance and is typically the largest single controllable expenditure in a production plant. This desire to reduce costs is driving the trend these days towards predictive and proactive, not reactive maintenance of laser based optical beam delivery systems [10]. With proper diagnostic tools, laser system developers can develop proactive approaches to reduce system down time, safe guard operational performance and reduce premature or catastrophic optics failures. Obviously analytical data will provide quantifiable performance standards which are more precise than qualitative standards, but each have a role in determining overall optical system performance [10]. This paper will discuss the use of film and fluorescent mirror devices as diagnostic tools for beam shaper module alignment off line or in-situ. The paper will also provide an overview

Tidal alignment of galaxies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blazek, Jonathan; Vlah, Zvonimir; Seljak, Uroš

2015-08-01

We develop an analytic model for galaxy intrinsic alignments (IA) based on the theory of tidal alignment. We calculate all relevant nonlinear corrections at one-loop order, including effects from nonlinear density evolution, galaxy biasing, and source density weighting. Contributions from density weighting are found to be particularly important and lead to bias dependence of the IA amplitude, even on large scales. This effect may be responsible for much of the luminosity dependence in IA observations. The increase in IA amplitude for more highly biased galaxies reflects their locations in regions with large tidal fields. We also consider the impact of smoothing the tidal field on halo scales. We compare the performance of this consistent nonlinear model in describing the observed alignment of luminous red galaxies with the linear model as well as the frequently used "nonlinear alignment model," finding a significant improvement on small and intermediate scales. We also show that the cross-correlation between density and IA (the "GI" term) can be effectively separated into source alignment and source clustering, and we accurately model the observed alignment down to the one-halo regime using the tidal field from the fully nonlinear halo-matter cross correlation. Inside the one-halo regime, the average alignment of galaxies with density tracers no longer follows the tidal alignment prediction, likely reflecting nonlinear processes that must be considered when modeling IA on these scales. Finally, we discuss tidal alignment in the context of cosmic shear measurements.

Suppressive effects of a polymer sodium silicate solution on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mohsen

2015-10-21

Oct 21, 2015 ... suppressive effects of sodium silicate in the polymer form were confirmed against powdery mildew and ... crops (such as rice) controls diseases and could reduce ... negative charge and sodium ions with a positive charge.

Fast global sequence alignment technique

KAUST Repository

Bonny, Mohamed Talal; Salama, Khaled N.

2011-01-01

fast alignment algorithm, called 'Alignment By Scanning' (ABS), to provide an approximate alignment of two DNA sequences. We compare our algorithm with the wellknown sequence alignment algorithms, the 'GAP' (which is heuristic) and the 'Needleman

Energetically benign synthesis of lanthanum silicate through “silica garden” route and its characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parmar, Kavita [Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi (India); Bhattacharjee, Santanu, E-mail: santanu@nmlindia.org [CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur (India)

2017-06-15

Lanthanum silicate synthesis through “silica garden” route has been reported as an alternative to energy intensive milling procedure. Under optimum conditions lanthanum chloride crystals react with water glass (sodium silicate) to produce self generating hollow lanthanum silicate precipitation tube(s) (LaSPT). The micro tubes are irregular, thick, white coloured and amorphous but are hierarchically built from smaller tubules of 10–20 nm diameters. They retain their amorphous nature on being heated up to 600 °C beyond which crystallization starts. The major phase in the LaSPT heated at 900 °C is La{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7}. “As synthesized” LaSPT is heterogeneous and comprises non stoichiometric phases. The exterior and interior surfaces of these tubes are remarkably different in their morphology and chemical composition. LaSPT sintered at 1200 and 1300 °C show fair amount of ionic conductivity. - Graphical abstract: Lanthanum silicate precipitation tube (LaSPT) produced through ‘silica garden’ route offers a green alternative to energy intensive milling procedure. - Highlights: • La-silicate precipitation tube (LaSPT) synthesized via silica garden route. • The microtubes are irregular, thick, white coloured and amorphous. • They are hierarchically built from smaller tubules of 10–20 nm diameters. • The major phase in the LaSPT heated at 900 °C is La{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7}. • LaSPT sintered at 1200 °C is fairly conducting.

Energetically benign synthesis of lanthanum silicate through “silica garden” route and its characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parmar, Kavita; Bhattacharjee, Santanu

2017-01-01

Lanthanum silicate synthesis through “silica garden” route has been reported as an alternative to energy intensive milling procedure. Under optimum conditions lanthanum chloride crystals react with water glass (sodium silicate) to produce self generating hollow lanthanum silicate precipitation tube(s) (LaSPT). The micro tubes are irregular, thick, white coloured and amorphous but are hierarchically built from smaller tubules of 10–20 nm diameters. They retain their amorphous nature on being heated up to 600 °C beyond which crystallization starts. The major phase in the LaSPT heated at 900 °C is La_2Si_2O_7. “As synthesized” LaSPT is heterogeneous and comprises non stoichiometric phases. The exterior and interior surfaces of these tubes are remarkably different in their morphology and chemical composition. LaSPT sintered at 1200 and 1300 °C show fair amount of ionic conductivity. - Graphical abstract: Lanthanum silicate precipitation tube (LaSPT) produced through ‘silica garden’ route offers a green alternative to energy intensive milling procedure. - Highlights: • La-silicate precipitation tube (LaSPT) synthesized via silica garden route. • The microtubes are irregular, thick, white coloured and amorphous. • They are hierarchically built from smaller tubules of 10–20 nm diameters. • The major phase in the LaSPT heated at 900 °C is La_2Si_2O_7. • LaSPT sintered at 1200 °C is fairly conducting.

Hydration characteristics and environmental friendly performance of a cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Na; Li, Hongxu [School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Rare and Precious Metals Green Recycling and Extraction, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhao, Yazhao [School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Liu, Xiaoming, E-mail: liuxm@ustb.edu.cn [School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Rare and Precious Metals Green Recycling and Extraction, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China)

2016-04-05

Highlights: • Cementitious material was designed according to [SiO{sub 4}] polymerization degree of raw materials. • The cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag yields excellent physical and mechanical properties. • Amorphous C–A–S–H gel and rod-like ettringite are predominantly responsible for the strength development. • Leaching toxicity and radioactivity tests show the cementitious material is environmentally acceptable. - Abstract: Calcium silicate slag is an alkali leaching waste generated during the process of extracting Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} from high-alumina fly ash. In this research, a cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag was developed, and its mechanical and physical properties, hydration characteristics and environmental friendly performance were investigated. The results show that an optimal design for the cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag was determined by the specimen CFSC7 containing 30% calcium silicate slag, 5% high-alumina fly ash, 24% blast furnace slag, 35% clinker and 6% FGD gypsum. This blended system yields excellent physical and mechanical properties, confirming the usefulness of CFSC7. The hydration products of CFSC7 are mostly amorphous C–A–S–H gel, rod-like ettringite and hexagonal-sheet Ca(OH){sub 2} with small amount of zeolite-like minerals such as CaAl{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}·4H{sub 2}O and Na{sub 2}Al{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}·H{sub 2}O. As the predominant hydration products, rod-like ettringite and amorphous C–A–S–H gel play a positive role in promoting densification of the paste structure, resulting in strength development of CFSC7 in the early hydration process. The leaching toxicity and radioactivity tests results indicate that the developed cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag is environmentally acceptable. This study points out a promising direction for the proper utilization of calcium silicate slag in large quantities.

Thirteen million years of silicic magma production in Iceland: Links between petrogenesis and tectonic settings

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, E.; Sigmarsson, O.

2010-04-01

The origin of the Quaternary silicic rocks in Iceland is thought to be linked to the thermal state of the crust, which in turn depends on the regional tectonic settings. This simple model is tested here on rocks from the Miocene to present, both to suggest an internally consistent model for silicic magma formation in Iceland and to constrain the link between tectonic settings and silicic magma petrogenesis. New major and trace-element compositions together with O-, Sr- and Nd-isotope ratios have been obtained on silicic rocks from 19 volcanic systems ranging in age from 13 Ma to present. This allows us to trace the spatial and temporal evolution of both magma generation and the corresponding sources. Low δ18O (geothermal gradient. But later than 5.5 Ma they were produced in a flank zone environment by fractional crystallisation alone, probably due to decreasing geothermal gradient, of basalts derived from a mantle source with lower 143Nd/ 144Nd. This is in agreement with an eastwards rift-jump, from Snæfellsnes towards the present Reykjanes Rift Zone, between 7 and 5.5 Ma. In the South Iceland Volcanic Zone (SIVZ), the intermediate Nd-signature observed in silicic rocks from the Torfajökull central volcano reflects the transitional character of the basalts erupted at this propagating rift segment. Therefore, the abundant evolved rocks at this major silicic complex result from partial melting of the transitional alkaline basaltic crust (Iceland can, therefore, be used for deciphering past geodynamic settings characterized by rift- and off-rift zones resulting from interaction of a mantle plume and divergent plate boundaries.

Silicates Eroded under Simulated Martian Conditions Effectively Kill Bacteria-A Challenge for Life on Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Bak, Ebbe N; Larsen, Michael G; Moeller, Ralf; Nissen, Silas B; Jensen, Lasse R; Nørnberg, Per; Jensen, Svend J K; Finster, Kai

2017-01-01

The habitability of Mars is determined by the physical and chemical environment. The effect of low water availability, temperature, low atmospheric pressure and strong UV radiation has been extensively studied in relation to the survival of microorganisms. In addition to these stress factors, it was recently found that silicates exposed to simulated saltation in a Mars-like atmosphere can lead to a production of reactive oxygen species. Here, we have investigated the stress effect induced by quartz and basalt abraded in Mars-like atmospheres by examining the survivability of the three microbial model organisms Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis , and Deinococcus radiodurans upon exposure to the abraded silicates. We found that abraded basalt that had not been in contact with oxygen after abrasion killed more than 99% of the vegetative cells while endospores were largely unaffected. Exposure of the basalt samples to oxygen after abrasion led to a significant reduction in the stress effect. Abraded quartz was generally less toxic than abraded basalt. We suggest that the stress effect of abraded silicates may be caused by a production of reactive oxygen species and enhanced by transition metal ions in the basalt leading to hydroxyl radicals through Fenton-like reactions. The low survivability of the usually highly resistant D. radiodurans indicates that the effect of abraded silicates, as is ubiquitous on the Martian surface, would limit the habitability of Mars as well as the risk of forward contamination. Furthermore, the reactivity of abraded silicates could have implications for future manned missions, although the lower effect of abraded silicates exposed to oxygen suggests that the effects would be reduced in human habitats.

Alleviating aluminum toxicity in an acid sulfate soil from Peninsular Malaysia by calcium silicate application

Science.gov (United States)

Elisa, A. A.; Ninomiya, S.; Shamshuddin, J.; Roslan, I.

2016-03-01

In response to human population increase, the utilization of acid sulfate soils for rice cultivation is one option for increasing production. The main problems associated with such soils are their low pH values and their associated high content of exchangeable Al, which could be detrimental to crop growth. The application of soil amendments is one approach for mitigating this problem, and calcium silicate is an alternative soil amendment that could be used. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to ameliorate soil acidity in rice-cropped soil. The secondary objective was to study the effects of calcium silicate amendment on soil acidity, exchangeable Al, exchangeable Ca, and Si content. The soil was treated with 0, 1, 2, and 3 Mg ha-1 of calcium silicate under submerged conditions and the soil treatments were sampled every 30 days throughout an incubation period of 120 days. Application of calcium silicate induced a positive effect on soil pH and exchangeable Al; soil pH increased from 2.9 (initial) to 3.5, while exchangeable Al was reduced from 4.26 (initial) to 0.82 cmolc kg-1. Furthermore, the exchangeable Ca and Si contents increased from 1.68 (initial) to 4.94 cmolc kg-1 and from 21.21 (initial) to 81.71 mg kg-1, respectively. Therefore, it was noted that calcium silicate was effective at alleviating Al toxicity in acid sulfate, rice-cropped soil, yielding values below the critical level of 2 cmolc kg-1. In addition, application of calcium silicate showed an ameliorative effect as it increased soil pH and supplied substantial amounts of Ca and Si.

Silicates Eroded under Simulated Martian Conditions Effectively Kill Bacteria—A Challenge for Life on Mars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebbe N. Bak

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The habitability of Mars is determined by the physical and chemical environment. The effect of low water availability, temperature, low atmospheric pressure and strong UV radiation has been extensively studied in relation to the survival of microorganisms. In addition to these stress factors, it was recently found that silicates exposed to simulated saltation in a Mars-like atmosphere can lead to a production of reactive oxygen species. Here, we have investigated the stress effect induced by quartz and basalt abraded in Mars-like atmospheres by examining the survivability of the three microbial model organisms Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis, and Deinococcus radiodurans upon exposure to the abraded silicates. We found that abraded basalt that had not been in contact with oxygen after abrasion killed more than 99% of the vegetative cells while endospores were largely unaffected. Exposure of the basalt samples to oxygen after abrasion led to a significant reduction in the stress effect. Abraded quartz was generally less toxic than abraded basalt. We suggest that the stress effect of abraded silicates may be caused by a production of reactive oxygen species and enhanced by transition metal ions in the basalt leading to hydroxyl radicals through Fenton-like reactions. The low survivability of the usually highly resistant D. radiodurans indicates that the effect of abraded silicates, as is ubiquitous on the Martian surface, would limit the habitability of Mars as well as the risk of forward contamination. Furthermore, the reactivity of abraded silicates could have implications for future manned missions, although the lower effect of abraded silicates exposed to oxygen suggests that the effects would be reduced in human habitats.

Electrophoretic deposition of calcium silicate-reduced graphene oxide composites on titanium substrate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mehrali, Mehdi; Akhiani, Amir Reza; Talebian, Sepehr

2016-01-01

Calcium silicate (CS)/graphene coatings have been used to improve the biological and mechanical fixation of metallic prosthesis. Among the extraordinary features of graphene is its very high mechanical strength, which makes it an attractive nanoreinforcement material for composites. Calcium...... silicate-reduced graphene oxide (CS-rGO) composites were synthesized, using an in situ hydrothermal method. CS nanowires were uniformly decorated on the rGO, with an appropriate interfacial bonding. The CS-rGO composites behaved like hybrid composites when deposited on a titanium substrate by cathodic...

Electrophoretic deposition of magnesium silicates on titanium implants: Ion migration and silicide interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Afshar-Mohajer, M. [Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Material Processing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Yaghoubi, A., E-mail: yaghoubi@siswa.um.edu.my [Center for High Impact Research, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Ramesh, S., E-mail: ramesh79@um.edu.my [Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Material Processing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Bushroa, A.R.; Chin, K.M.C.; Tin, C.C. [Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Material Processing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Chiu, W.S. [Low Dimensional Materials Research Center, Department of Physics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia)

2014-07-01

Magnesium silicates (Mg{sub x}SiO{sub y}) and in particular forsterite (Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) owing to their low thermal expansion mismatch with metals are promising materials for bioactive coating of implants. Here, we report the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of forsterite onto titanium substrates using different precursors. Unlike bulk samples which achieve full stoichiometry only beyond 1400 °C, non-stoichiometric magnesium silicate rapidly decomposes into magnesium oxide nanowires during sintering. Elemental mapping and X-ray diffraction suggest that oxygen diffusion followed by ion exchange near the substrate leads to formation of an interfacial Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} layer. Pre-annealed forsterite powder on the other hand shows a comparatively lower diffusion rate. Overall, magnesium silicate coatings do not exhibit thermally induced microcracks upon sintering as opposed to calcium phosphate bioceramics which are currently in use.

Structure change of soda-silicate glass by mechanical milling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwao, M; Okuno, M

2010-01-01

Structure change of ground soda-silicate glass (SiO 2 -Na 2 O binary systems) was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy. The measurement results were discussed comparison to that of SiO 2 glass. With increasing Na 2 O concentrations, the XRD intensity around 2θ = 22 0 decreased and the intensity around 32 0 increased. The intensity around 22 0 and 32 0 maybe attributed to SiO 2 glass structure unit and soda-silicate glass unit, respectively. The peaks of Na 2 CO 3 crystal for 2SiO 2 -Na 2 O glass were observed with increasing milling time. This crystallization was suggested that Na + ion on 2SiO 2 -Na 2 O glass surface connected CO 2 in air. The intensity around 22 0 and 32 0 decreased and the intensity around 30 0 increased with increasing milling time. These may indicate that SiO 2 glass structure unit and soda-silicate glass structure unit were mixed by milling. In addition, IR absorption band near v = 1100 cm -1 was separated to two bands near 940 cm -1 and 1070 cm -1 with increasing Na 2 O concentrations. The band near 940 cm -1 decreased and the band near 1070 cm -1 increased with increasing milling time. These spectra changes were suggested due to decrease of Na 2 O concentrations in 2SiO 2 -Na 2 O glass with Na 2 CO 3 crystallization.

Proton tunneling in low dimensional cesium silicate LDS-1

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Hiroshi; Iwamoto, Kei; Mochizuki, Dai; Osada, Shimon; Asakura, Yusuke; Kuroda, Kazuyuki

2015-07-01

In low dimensional cesium silicate LDS-1 (monoclinic phase of CsHSi2O5), anomalous infrared absorption bands observed at 93, 155, 1210, and 1220 cm-1 are assigned to the vibrational mode of protons, which contribute to the strong hydrogen bonding between terminal oxygen atoms of silicate chain (O-O distance = 2.45 Å). The integrated absorbance (oscillator strength) for those modes is drastically enhanced at low temperatures. The analysis of integrated absorbance employing two different anharmonic double-minimum potentials makes clear that proton tunneling through the potential barrier yields an energy splitting of the ground state. The absorption bands at 93 and 155 cm-1, which correspond to the different vibrational modes of protons, are attributed to the optical transition between the splitting levels (excitation from the ground state (n = 0) to the first excited state (n = 1)). Moreover, the absorption bands at 1210 and 1220 cm-1 are identified as the optical transition from the ground state (n = 0) to the third excited state (n = 3). Weak Coulomb interactions in between the adjacent protons generate two types of vibrational modes: symmetric mode (93 and 1210 cm-1) and asymmetric mode (155 and 1220 cm-1). The broad absorption at 100-600 cm-1 reveals an emergence of collective mode due to the vibration of silicate chain coupled not only with the local oscillation of Cs+ but also with the proton oscillation relevant to the second excited state (n = 2).

Radiation Shielding Properties Comparison of Pb-Based Silicate, Borate, and Phosphate Glass Matrices

OpenAIRE

Ruengsri, Suwimon

2014-01-01

Theoretical calculations of mass attenuation coefficients, partial interactions, atomic cross-section, and effective atomic numbers of PbO-based silicate, borate, and phosphate glass systems have been investigated at 662 keV. PbO-based silicate glass has been found with the highest total mass attenuation coefficient and then phosphate and borate glasses, respectively. Compton scattering has been the dominate interaction contributed to the different total attenuation coefficients in each of th...

Ancestral sequence alignment under optimal conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brown Daniel G

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple genome alignment is an important problem in bioinformatics. An important subproblem used by many multiple alignment approaches is that of aligning two multiple alignments. Many popular alignment algorithms for DNA use the sum-of-pairs heuristic, where the score of a multiple alignment is the sum of its induced pairwise alignment scores. However, the biological meaning of the sum-of-pairs of pairs heuristic is not obvious. Additionally, many algorithms based on the sum-of-pairs heuristic are complicated and slow, compared to pairwise alignment algorithms. An alternative approach to aligning alignments is to first infer ancestral sequences for each alignment, and then align the two ancestral sequences. In addition to being fast, this method has a clear biological basis that takes into account the evolution implied by an underlying phylogenetic tree. In this study we explore the accuracy of aligning alignments by ancestral sequence alignment. We examine the use of both maximum likelihood and parsimony to infer ancestral sequences. Additionally, we investigate the effect on accuracy of allowing ambiguity in our ancestral sequences. Results We use synthetic sequence data that we generate by simulating evolution on a phylogenetic tree. We use two different types of phylogenetic trees: trees with a period of rapid growth followed by a period of slow growth, and trees with a period of slow growth followed by a period of rapid growth. We examine the alignment accuracy of four ancestral sequence reconstruction and alignment methods: parsimony, maximum likelihood, ambiguous parsimony, and ambiguous maximum likelihood. Additionally, we compare against the alignment accuracy of two sum-of-pairs algorithms: ClustalW and the heuristic of Ma, Zhang, and Wang. Conclusion We find that allowing ambiguity in ancestral sequences does not lead to better multiple alignments. Regardless of whether we use parsimony or maximum likelihood, the

Charge trapping and dielectric breakdown in lead silicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weeks, R.A.; Kinser, D.L.; Lee, J.M.

1976-01-01

When irradiated with beams of energetic electrons or gamma rays, many insulating glasses and plastics exhibit a spontaneous electrical discharge producing permanent patterns in the materials (Lichtenberg figures). In the case of inorganic glasses, this effect is not observed in pure silicate, germanate, or phosphate glasses nor in their crystalline forms and has only been reported in mixed-oxide glasses with low alkali content. In a series of lead silicate glasses of composition [PbO]/sub (x)/[SiO 2 ]/sub [1-(x)]/, the effect is observed only for 0 less than x less than or equal to 0.40. Changes in electrical properties are related to structural changes in these glasses. Electron microscopy of these glasses confirms the existence of microphase separation in the range 0.2 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.5

Clear aligners in orthodontic treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Weir, T

2017-03-01

Since the introduction of the Tooth Positioner (TP Orthodontics) in 1944, removable appliances analogous to clear aligners have been employed for mild to moderate orthodontic tooth movements. Clear aligner therapy has been a part of orthodontic practice for decades, but has, particularly since the introduction of Invisalign appliances (Align Technology) in 1998, become an increasingly common addition to the orthodontic armamentarium. An internet search reveals at least 27 different clear aligner products currently on offer for orthodontic treatment. The present paper will highlight the increasing popularity of clear aligner appliances, as well as the clinical scope and the limitations of aligner therapy in general. Further, the paper will outline the differences between the various types of clear aligner products currently available. © 2017 Australian Dental Association.

On the distribution of silicic acid as a frontal zone tracer in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Prego

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The subantarctic frontal zone surveyed during the April-May 1991 SUZIL cruise in the Crozet-Kerguelen-Amsterdam area shows a strong horizontal (north to south gradient of dissolved silicate, increasing with depth, from 5 to 10 µmolSi kg-1 at 100 m, and 10 to 70 µmolSi kg-1 at 600 m. The northern limit of this frontal zone, which is formed by the confluence of the Subtropical and Subantarctic Fronts, is delimited at the surface by the 2 µmolSi kg-1 silicate isoline. Silicate-salinity diagrams also allow different water regimes to be positioned relative to the frontal zone. This sloping interface is between two water bodies, one to the north with more saline subtropical waters of less concentrated silicate than the southern one, corresponding to subantarctic waters which are less saline and richer in silicate. It is concluded that dissolved silicate can be used as a useful tracer of frontal zone water masses in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean, providing a sound complement to other hydrographic data.

Evidence for seismogenic fracture of silicic magma.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuffen, Hugh; Smith, Rosanna; Sammonds, Peter R

2008-05-22

It has long been assumed that seismogenic faulting is confined to cool, brittle rocks, with a temperature upper limit of approximately 600 degrees C (ref. 1). This thinking underpins our understanding of volcanic earthquakes, which are assumed to occur in cold rocks surrounding moving magma. However, the recent discovery of abundant brittle-ductile fault textures in silicic lavas has led to the counter-intuitive hypothesis that seismic events may be triggered by fracture and faulting within the erupting magma itself. This hypothesis is supported by recent observations of growing lava domes, where microearthquake swarms have coincided with the emplacement of gouge-covered lava spines, leading to models of seismogenic stick-slip along shallow shear zones in the magma. But can fracturing or faulting in high-temperature, eruptible magma really generate measurable seismic events? Here we deform high-temperature silica-rich magmas under simulated volcanic conditions in order to test the hypothesis that high-temperature magma fracture is seismogenic. The acoustic emissions recorded during experiments show that seismogenic rupture may occur in both crystal-rich and crystal-free silicic magmas at eruptive temperatures, extending the range of known conditions for seismogenic faulting.

Calculation of Oxygen Fugacity in High Pressure Metal-Silicate Experiments and Comparison to Standard Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Righter, K.; Ghiorso, M.

2009-01-01

Calculation of oxygen fugacity in high pressure and temperature experiments in metal-silicate systems is usually approximated by the ratio of Fe in the metal and FeO in the silicate melt: (Delta)IW=2*log(X(sub Fe)/X(sub FeO)), where IW is the iron-wustite reference oxygen buffer. Although this is a quick and easy calculation to make, it has been applied to a huge variety of metallic (Fe- Ni-S-C-O-Si systems) and silicate liquids (SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, FeO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O systems). This approach has surely led to values that have little meaning, yet are applied with great confidence, for example, to a terrestrial mantle at "IW-2". Although fO2 can be circumvented in some cases by consideration of Fe-M distribution coefficient, these do not eliminate the effects of alloy or silicate liquid compositional variation, or the specific chemical effects of S in the silicate liquid, for example. In order to address the issue of what the actual value of fO2 is in any given experiment, we have calculated fO2 from the equilibria 2Fe (metal) + SiO2 (liq) + O2 = Fe2SiO4 (liq).

Novel understanding of calcium silicate hydrate from dilute hydration

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Lina; Yamauchi, Kazuo; Li, Zongjin; Zhang, Xixiang; Ma, Hongyan; Ge, Shenguang

2017-01-01

The perspective of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) is still confronting various debates due to its intrinsic complicated structure and properties after decades of studies. In this study, hydration at dilute suspension of w/s equaling to 10

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

Gervasio Gomez

2012-01-01

  The new alignment for the DT chambers has been successfully used in physics analysis starting with the 52X Global Tag. The remaining main areas of development over the next few months will be preparing a new track-based CSC alignment and producing realistic APEs (alignment position errors) and MC misalignment scenarios to match the latest muon alignment constants. Work on these items has been delayed from the intended timeline, mostly due to a large involvement of the muon alignment man-power in physics analyses over the first half of this year. As CMS keeps probing higher and higher energies, special attention must be paid to the reconstruction of very-high-energy muons. Recent muon POG reports from mid-June show a φ-dependence in curvature bias in Monte Carlo samples. This bias is observed already at the tracker level, where it is constant with muon pT, while it grows with pT as muon chamber information is added to the tracks. Similar studies show a much smaller effect in data, at le...

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G. Gomez

2010-01-01

For the last three months, the Muon Alignment group has focussed on providing a new, improved set of alignment constants for the end-of-year data reprocessing. These constants were delivered on time and approved by the CMS physics validation team on November 17. The new alignment incorporates several improvements over the previous one from March for nearly all sub-systems. Motivated by the loss of information from a hardware failure in May (an entire MAB was lost), the optical barrel alignment has moved from a modular, super-plane reconstruction, to a full, single loop calculation of the entire geometry for all DTs in stations 1, 2 and 3. This makes better use of the system redundancy, mitigating the effect of the information loss. Station 4 is factorised and added afterwards to make the system smaller (and therefore faster to run), and also because the MAB calibration at the MB4 zone is less precise. This new alignment procedure was tested at 0 T against photogrammetry resulting in precisions of the order...

Vesuvianite–wollastonite–grossular-bearing calc-silicate rock near ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Felsic layers are white in colour, whereas mafic layers range from green, brown to grey colour depending on the modal abundance of different mafic minerals. Layers rich in diopside are green coloured and those rich in garnet are brown. Keywords. Vesuvianite; wollastonite; grossular; diopside; calc-silicate rock. J. Earth ...

Carbonate-silicate ratio for soil correction and influence on nutrition, biomass production and quality of palisade grass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato Ferreira de Souza

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Silicates can be used as soil correctives, with the advantage of being a source of silicon, a beneficial element to the grasses. However, high concentrations of silicon in the plant would affect the digestibility of the forage. To evaluate the influence of the substitution of the calcium carbonate by calcium silicate on the nutrition, biomass production and the feed quality of the palisade grass [Urochloa brizantha (C. Hochstetter ex A. Rich. R. Webster], three greenhouse experiments were conducted in completely randomized designs with four replications. Experimental units (pots contained a clayey dystrophic Rhodic Haplustox, a sandy clay loam dystrophic Typic Haplustox and a sandy loam dystrophic Typic Haplustox. Each soil received substitution proportions (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % of the carbonate by calcium silicate. The increase in the proportion of calcium silicate elevated the concentrations and accumulations of Si, Ca, Mg, and B, reduced Zn and did not alter P in the shoot of plants. The effects of the treatments on the other nutrients were influenced by the soil type. Inclusion of calcium silicate also increased the relative nutritional value and the digestibility and ingestion of the forage, while the concentration and accumulation of crude protein and the neutral detergent and acid detergent fibers decreased. Biomass production and feed quality of the palisade grass were generally higher with the 50 % calcium silicate treatment.

ON THE 10 μm SILICATE FEATURE IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikutta, Robert; Elitzur, Moshe; Lacy, Mark

2009-01-01

The 10 μm silicate feature observed with Spitzer in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) reveals some puzzling behavior. It (1) has been detected in emission in type 2 sources, (2) shows broad, flat-topped emission peaks shifted toward long wavelengths in several type 1 sources, and (3) is not seen in deep absorption in any source observed so far. We solve all three puzzles with our clumpy dust radiative transfer formalism. Addressing (1), we present the spectral energy distribution (SED) of SST1721+6012, the first type 2 quasar observed to show a clear 10 μm silicate feature in emission. Such emission arises in models of the AGN torus easily when its clumpy nature is taken into account. We constructed a large database of clumpy torus models and performed extensive fitting of the observed SED. We find that the cloud radial distribution varies as r -1.5 and the torus contains 2-4 clouds along radial equatorial rays, each with optical depth at visual ∼60-80. The source bolometric luminosity is ∼3 x 10 12 L sun . Our modeling suggests that ∼<35% of objects with tori sharing these characteristics and geometry would have their central engines obscured. This relatively low obscuration probability can explain the clear appearance of the 10 μm emission feature in SST1721+6012 together with its rarity among other QSO2. Investigating (2), we also fitted the SED of PG1211+143, one of the first type 1 QSOs with a 10 μm silicate feature detected in emission. Together with other similar sources, this QSO appears to display an unusually broadened feature whose peak is shifted toward longer wavelengths. Although this led to suggestions of non-standard dust chemistry in these sources, our analysis fits such SEDs with standard galactic dust; the apparent peak shifts arise from simple radiative transfer effects. Regarding (3), we find additionally that the distribution of silicate feature strengths among clumpy torus models closely resembles the observed distribution, and the

On the 10 μm Silicate Feature in Active Galactic Nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Nikutta, Robert; Elitzur, Moshe; Lacy, Mark

2009-12-01

The 10 μm silicate feature observed with Spitzer in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) reveals some puzzling behavior. It (1) has been detected in emission in type 2 sources, (2) shows broad, flat-topped emission peaks shifted toward long wavelengths in several type 1 sources, and (3) is not seen in deep absorption in any source observed so far. We solve all three puzzles with our clumpy dust radiative transfer formalism. Addressing (1), we present the spectral energy distribution (SED) of SST1721+6012, the first type 2 quasar observed to show a clear 10 μm silicate feature in emission. Such emission arises in models of the AGN torus easily when its clumpy nature is taken into account. We constructed a large database of clumpy torus models and performed extensive fitting of the observed SED. We find that the cloud radial distribution varies as r -1.5 and the torus contains 2-4 clouds along radial equatorial rays, each with optical depth at visual ~60-80. The source bolometric luminosity is ~3 × 1012 Lsun. Our modeling suggests that lsim35% of objects with tori sharing these characteristics and geometry would have their central engines obscured. This relatively low obscuration probability can explain the clear appearance of the 10 μm emission feature in SST1721+6012 together with its rarity among other QSO2. Investigating (2), we also fitted the SED of PG1211+143, one of the first type 1 QSOs with a 10 μm silicate feature detected in emission. Together with other similar sources, this QSO appears to display an unusually broadened feature whose peak is shifted toward longer wavelengths. Although this led to suggestions of non-standard dust chemistry in these sources, our analysis fits such SEDs with standard galactic dust; the apparent peak shifts arise from simple radiative transfer effects. Regarding (3), we find additionally that the distribution of silicate feature strengths among clumpy torus models closely resembles the observed distribution, and the feature

Dispersion of Silicate in Tricalcium Phosphate Elucidated by Solid-State NMR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rewal, A.; Wei, X.; Akinc, M.; Schmidt-Rohr, K.

2008-03-12

The dispersion of silicate in tricalcium phosphate, a resorbable bioceramics for bone replacement, has been investigated by various solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods. In samples prepared with 5 and 10 mol% of both {sup 29}SiO{sub 2} and ZnO, three types of silicate have been detected: (i) SiO{sub 4}{sup 4-} (Q{sub 0} sites) with long longitudinal (T{sub 1,Si}) relaxation times ({approx} 10,000 s), which substitute for {approx}1% of PO{sub 4}{sup 3-}; (ii) silicate nanoinclusions containing Q{sub 2}, Q{sub 1}, and Q{sub 0} sites with T{sub 1,Si} 100 s, which account for most of the silicon; and (iii) crystalline Q{sub 4} (SiO{sub 2}) with long T{sub 1,Si}. Sensitivity was enhanced >100-fold by {sup 29}Si enrichment and refocused detection. The inclusions in both samples have a diameter of {approx}8 nm, as proved by {sup 29}Si{l_brace}{sup 31}P{r_brace} REDOR dephasing on a 30-ms time scale, which was simulated using a multispin approach specifically suited for nanoparticles. {sup 29}Si CODEX NMR with 30-s {sup 29}Si spin diffusion confirms that an inclusion contains >10 Si (consistent with the REDOR result of >100 Si per inclusion). Overlapping signals of silicate Q{sub 2}, Q{sub 1}, and Q{sub 0} sites were spectrally edited based on their J-couplings, using double-quantum filtering. The large inhomogeneous broadening of the Q{sub 2}, Q{sub 1}, and Q{sub 0} {sup 29}Si subspectra indicates that the nanoinclusions are amorphous.

Infrared spectroscopy of four carbon stars with 9.8 micron emission from silicate grains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, D.L.; Smith, V.V.; Hinkle, K.H.

1990-01-01

High-resolution K band and low resolution 4 micron spectra were obtained for four carbon stars showing IR emission by silicate grains. The results of the analysis of the K band spectra show that they are J-type stars. These results, together with published spectral classifications, show that all known carbon stars with a silicate emission feature are J-type stars. The 4 micron spectra are very similar to the spectra of classical J-type carbon stars, and do not show SiO bands that might come from a M giant companion. A binary model with a luminous M giant companion as a source of the silicate grain is rejected. It is proposed that the silicate grains formed from gas ejecta at or before the He-core flash, and that the flash initiates severe mixing, leading to the star's conversion to a J-type carbon star. The ejecta are stored in an accretion disk around a low mass unevolved companion. If it can be shown that the hypothesized accretion disk is stable and may be heated adequately, this binary model appears to account for these peculiar carbon stars. 41 refs

Making Earth's earliest continental crust - an analogue from voluminous Neogene silicic volcanism in NE-Iceland

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Sylvia E.; Troll, Valentin R.; Burchardt, Steffi; Riishuus, Morten S.; Deegan, Frances M.; Harris, Chris; Whitehouse, Martin J.; Gústafsson, Ludvik E.

2014-05-01

Borgarfjörður Eystri in NE-Iceland represents the second-most voluminous exposure of silicic eruptive rocks in Iceland and is a superb example of bimodal volcanism (Bunsen-Daly gap), which represents a long-standing controversy that touches on the problem of crustal growth in early Earth. The silicic rocks in NE-Iceland approach 25 % of the exposed rock mass in the region (Gústafsson et al., 1989), thus they significantly exceed the usual ≤ 12 % in Iceland as a whole (e.g. Walker, 1966; Jonasson, 2007). The origin, significance, and duration of the voluminous (> 300 km3) and dominantly explosive silicic activity in Borgarfjörður Eystri is not yet constrained (c.f. Gústafsson, 1992), leaving us unclear as to what causes silicic volcanism in otherwise basaltic provinces. Here we report SIMS zircon U-Pb ages and δ18O values from the region, which record the commencement of silicic igneous activity with rhyolite lavas at 13.5 to 12.8 Ma, closely followed by large caldera-forming ignimbrite eruptions from the Breiðavik and Dyrfjöll central volcanoes (12.4 Ma). Silicic activity ended abruptly with dacite lava at 12.1 Ma, defining a ≤ 1 Myr long window of silicic volcanism. Magma δ18O values estimated from zircon range from 3.1 to 5.5 (± 0.3; n = 170) and indicate up to 45 % assimilation of a low-δ18O component (e.g. typically δ18O = 0 ‰, Bindeman et al., 2012). A Neogene rift relocation (Martin et al., 2011) or the birth of an off-rift zone to the east of the mature rift associated with a thermal/chemical pulse in the Iceland plume (Óskarsson & Riishuus, 2013), likely brought mantle-derived magma into contact with fertile hydrothermally-altered basaltic crust. The resulting interaction triggered large-scale crustal melting and generated mixed-origin silicic melts. Such rapid formation of silicic magmas from sustained basaltic volcanism may serve as an analogue for generating continental crust in a subduction-free early Earth (e.g. ≥ 3 Ga, Kamber et

TiO2 on magnesium silicate monolith: effects of different preparation techniques on the photocatalytic oxidation of chlorinated hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardona, Ana I.; Candal, Roberto; Sanchez, Benigno; Avila, Pedro; Rebollar, Moises

2004-01-01

In this article, the comparative results of the photocatalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene (TCE) alone and a mixture of chlorinated hydrocarbons (trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and chloroform) in gas phase, obtained with three different monolithic catalysts in a flat reactor frontally illuminated with a Xenon lamp are presented. The three catalysts incorporate titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) as active phase on a magnesium silicate support, by means of different procedures: (i) incorporation of commercial TiO 2 powder into the silicate matrix ('massic monolith'); (ii) sol-gel coating of the silicate support; (iii) impregnation with a commercial TiO 2 aqueous suspension of the same silicate support. In the first case, the massic monolith was made from a 50:50 w/w mixture of magnesium silicate and 'Titafrance G5' TiO 2 powder. In the second case, a magnesium silicate monolith was coated with several layers of an aqueous TiO 2 sol prepared from hydrolysis and condensation of titanium tetra-isopropoxide (Ti(OC 3 H 7 ) 4 ) in excess of acidified water (acid catalysis). The third catalyst was prepared by impregnating the same silicate support with several layers of 'Titafrance G5' TiO 2 powder water suspension. All the catalysts were thermal treated under comparable conditions in order to fix the TiO 2 active phase to the silicate support. Although the performance of the massic monolith was better than the sol-gel monolith, the latter is of great interest because this technique allows the chemical composition of the active films to be easily modified

How accurate is anatomic limb alignment in predicting mechanical limb alignment after total knee arthroplasty?

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung Ah; Choi, Sang-Hee; Chang, Moon Jong

2015-10-27

Anatomic limb alignment often differs from mechanical limb alignment after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We sought to assess the accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity for each of three commonly used ranges for anatomic limb alignment (3-9°, 5-10° and 2-10°) in predicting an acceptable range (neutral ± 3°) for mechanical limb alignment after TKA. We also assessed whether the accuracy of anatomic limb alignment was affected by anatomic variation. This retrospective study included 314 primary TKAs. The alignment of the limb was measured with both anatomic and mechanical methods of measurement. We also measured anatomic variation, including the femoral bowing angle, tibial bowing angle, and neck-shaft angle of the femur. All angles were measured on the same full-length standing anteroposterior radiographs. The accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity for each range of anatomic limb alignment were calculated and compared using mechanical limb alignment as the reference standard. The associations between the accuracy of anatomic limb alignment and anatomic variation were also determined. The range of 2-10° for anatomic limb alignment showed the highest accuracy, but it was only 73 % (3-9°, 65 %; 5-10°, 67 %). The specificity of the 2-10° range was 81 %, which was higher than that of the other ranges (3-9°, 69 %; 5-10°, 67 %). However, the sensitivity of the 2-10° range to predict varus malalignment was only 16 % (3-9°, 35 %; 5-10°, 68 %). In addition, the sensitivity of the 2-10° range to predict valgus malalignment was only 43 % (3-9°, 71 %; 5-10°, 43 %). The accuracy of anatomical limb alignment was lower for knees with greater femoral (odds ratio = 1.2) and tibial (odds ratio = 1.2) bowing. Anatomic limb alignment did not accurately predict mechanical limb alignment after TKA, and its accuracy was affected by anatomic variation. Thus, alignment after TKA should be assessed by measuring mechanical alignment rather than anatomic

Strategic Alignment and New Product Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Acur, Nuran; Kandemir, Destan; Boer, Harry

2012-01-01

Strategic alignment is widely accepted as a prerequisite for a firm’s success, but insight into the role of alignment in, and its impact on, the new product evelopment (NPD) process and its performance is less well developed. Most publications on this topic either focus on one form of alignment...... of NPD performance indicators. Strategic planning and innovativeness appear to affect technological, market, and NPD-marketing alignment positively. Environmental munificence is negatively associated with NPD-marketing alignment, but has no effect on the two other forms of alignment. Technological change...... has a positive effect on technological alignment, a negative effect on NPD-marketing alignment, but no effect on market alignment. These findings suggest that internal capabilities are more likely to be associated with the development of strategic alignment than environmental factors are. Furthermore...

Hard X-ray irradiation of cosmic silicate analogs: structural evolution and astrophysical implications

Science.gov (United States)

Gavilan, L.; Jäger, C.; Simionovici, A.; Lemaire, J. L.; Sabri, T.; Foy, E.; Yagoubi, S.; Henning, T.; Salomon, D.; Martinez-Criado, G.

2016-03-01

Context. Protoplanetary disks, interstellar clouds, and active galactic nuclei contain X-ray-dominated regions. X-rays interact with the dust and gas present in such environments. While a few laboratory X-ray irradiation experiments have been performed on ices, X-ray irradiation experiments on bare cosmic dust analogs have been scarce up to now. Aims: Our goal is to study the effects of hard X-rays on cosmic dust analogs via in situ X-ray diffraction. By using a hard X-ray synchrotron nanobeam, we seek to simulate cumulative X-ray exposure on dust grains during their lifetime in these astrophysical environments and provide an upper limit on the effect of hard X-rays on dust grain structure. Methods: We prepared enstatite (MgSiO3) nanograins, which are analogs to cosmic silicates, via the melting-quenching technique. These amorphous grains were then annealed to obtain polycrystalline grains. These were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) before irradiation. Powder samples were prepared in X-ray transparent substrates and were irradiated with hard X-rays nanobeams (29.4 keV) provided by beamline ID16B of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble). X-ray diffraction images were recorded in transmission mode, and the ensuing diffractograms were analyzed as a function of the total X-ray exposure time. Results: We detected the amorphization of polycrystalline silicates embedded in an organic matrix after an accumulated X-ray exposure of 6.4 × 1027 eV cm-2. Pure crystalline silicate grains (without resin) do not exhibit amorphization. None of the amorphous silicate samples (pure and embedded in resin) underwent crystallization. We analyze the evolution of the polycrystalline sample embedded in an organic matrix as a function of X-ray exposure. Conclusions: Loss of diffraction peak intensity, peak broadening, and the disappearance of discrete spots and arcs reveal the amorphization

Creep of Sylramic-iBN Fiber Tows at Elevated Temperature in Air and in Silicic Acid-Saturated Steam

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-01

CREEP OF SYLRAMIC-iBN FIBER TOWS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE IN AIR AND IN SILICIC ACID-SATURATED STEAM ...protection in the United States. AFIT-ENY-15-J-46 CREEP OF SYLRAMIC-iBN FIBER TOWS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE IN AIR AND IN SILICIC ACID-SATURATED STEAM ...DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. AFIT-ENY-15-J-46 CREEP OF SYLRAMIC-iBN FIBER TOWS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE IN AIR AND IN SILICIC ACID-SATURATED STEAM

Polymer/Silicate Nanocomposites Developed for Improved Thermal Stability and Barrier Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Sandi G.

2001-01-01

The nanoscale reinforcement of polymers is becoming an attractive means of improving the properties and stability of polymers. Polymer-silicate nanocomposites are a relatively new class of materials with phase dimensions typically on the order of a few nanometers. Because of their nanometer-size features, nanocomposites possess unique properties typically not shared by more conventional composites. Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites can attain a certain degree of stiffness, strength, and barrier properties with far less ceramic content than comparable glass- or mineral-reinforced polymers. Reinforcement of existing and new polyimides by this method offers an opportunity to greatly improve existing polymer properties without altering current synthetic or processing procedures.

Thermogravimetric analysis of phase transitions in cement compositions mixed by sodium silicate solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fedosov Sergey Viktorovich

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study of the capability to modify cement by mechanical activation of sodium silicate water solution. Admixtures or blends of binding agents were employed for modifying concrete properties. The liquid glass is applied to protect from chemically or physically unfavorable environmental impacts, such as acidic medium and high temperature. The sodium silicate is a high-capacity setting accelerator. The increasing of the liquid glass proportion in the mix leads to the degradation of the cement paste plasticity and for this reason it is necessary to reduce the amount of liquid glass in the cement paste. The activation of dilute water solution of sodium silicate into rotary pulsating apparatus directly before tempering of the cement paste is an effective way to decrease mass fraction of liquid glass in the cement paste. The results of the combined influence of liquid glass and mechanical activation on physicochemical processes taking place in cement stone are represented in this research. Thermogravimetric analysis was used in order to study cement blends. Thermogravimetric analysis of modified cement stone assays was performed by thermo analyzer SETARAM TGA 92-24. The results of the analysis of phase transition taking place under high-temperature heating of cement stone modified by the mechanical activation of the water solution of the sodium silicate were introduced. Thermograms of cement stone assays were obtained at different hardening age. The comparison of these thermograms allows us to come to a conclusion on the formation and the retention during long time of a more dense structure of the composite matrix mixed by the mechanical activation of sodium silicate water solution. The relation between the concrete composition and its strength properties was stated. Perhaps, the capability of modified concrete to keep calcium ions in sparingly soluble hydrosilicates leads to the increase in its durability and corrosion resistance.

ABS: Sequence alignment by scanning

KAUST Repository

Bonny, Mohamed Talal; Salama, Khaled N.

2011-01-01

Sequence alignment is an essential tool in almost any computational biology research. It processes large database sequences and considered to be high consumers of computation time. Heuristic algorithms are used to get approximate but fast results. We introduce fast alignment algorithm, called Alignment By Scanning (ABS), to provide an approximate alignment of two DNA sequences. We compare our algorithm with the well-known alignment algorithms, the FASTA (which is heuristic) and the 'Needleman-Wunsch' (which is optimal). The proposed algorithm achieves up to 76% enhancement in alignment score when it is compared with the FASTA Algorithm. The evaluations are conducted using different lengths of DNA sequences. © 2011 IEEE.

ABS: Sequence alignment by scanning

KAUST Repository

Bonny, Mohamed Talal

2011-08-01

Sequence alignment is an essential tool in almost any computational biology research. It processes large database sequences and considered to be high consumers of computation time. Heuristic algorithms are used to get approximate but fast results. We introduce fast alignment algorithm, called Alignment By Scanning (ABS), to provide an approximate alignment of two DNA sequences. We compare our algorithm with the well-known alignment algorithms, the FASTA (which is heuristic) and the \\'Needleman-Wunsch\\' (which is optimal). The proposed algorithm achieves up to 76% enhancement in alignment score when it is compared with the FASTA Algorithm. The evaluations are conducted using different lengths of DNA sequences. © 2011 IEEE.

Fast global sequence alignment technique

KAUST Repository

Bonny, Mohamed Talal

2011-11-01

Bioinformatics database is growing exponentially in size. Processing these large amount of data may take hours of time even if super computers are used. One of the most important processing tool in Bioinformatics is sequence alignment. We introduce fast alignment algorithm, called \\'Alignment By Scanning\\' (ABS), to provide an approximate alignment of two DNA sequences. We compare our algorithm with the wellknown sequence alignment algorithms, the \\'GAP\\' (which is heuristic) and the \\'Needleman-Wunsch\\' (which is optimal). The proposed algorithm achieves up to 51% enhancement in alignment score when it is compared with the GAP Algorithm. The evaluations are conducted using different lengths of DNA sequences. © 2011 IEEE.

Quercetin protects human brain microvascular endothelial cells from fibrillar β-amyloid1–40-induced toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongjie Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Amyloid beta-peptides (Aβ are known to undergo active transport across the blood-brain barrier, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy has been shown to be a prominent feature in the majority of Alzheimer׳s disease. Quercetin is a natural flavonoid molecule and has been demonstrated to have potent neuroprotective effects, but its protective effect on endothelial cells under Aβ-damaged condition is unclear. In the present study, the protective effects of quercetin on brain microvascular endothelial cells injured by fibrillar Aβ1–40 (fAβ1–40 were observed. The results show that fAβ1–40-induced cytotoxicity in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs can be relieved by quercetin treatment. Quercetin increases cell viability, reduces the release of lactate dehydrogenase, and relieves nuclear condensation. Quercetin also alleviates intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and increases superoxide dismutase activity. Moreover, it strengthens the barrier integrity through the preservation of the transendothelial electrical resistance value, the relief of aggravated permeability, and the increase of characteristic enzyme levels after being exposed to fAβ1–40. In conclusion, quercetin protects hBMECs from fAβ1–40-induced toxicity.

Origin of silicic magmas along the Central American volcanic front: Genetic relationship to mafic melts

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Thomas A.; Patino, Lina C.; Eaton, Jonathon K.; Valley, John W.; Rose, William I.; Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Viray, Ela L.

2006-09-01

Silicic pyroclastic flows and related deposits are abundant along the Central American volcanic front. These silicic magmas erupted through both the non-continental Chorotega block to the southeast and the Paleozoic continental Chortis block to the northwest. The along-arc variations of the silicic deposits with respect to diagnostic trace element ratios (Ba/La, U/Th, Ce/Pb), oxygen isotopes, Nd and Sr isotope ratios mimic the along-arc variation in the basaltic and andesitic lavas. This variation in the lavas has been interpreted to indicate relative contributions from the slab and asthenosphere to the basaltic magmas [Carr, M.J., Feigenson, M.D., Bennett, E.A., 1990. Incompatible element and isotopic evidence for tectonic control of source mixing and melt extraction along the Central American arc. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 105, 369-380.; Patino, L.C., Carr, M.J. and Feigenson, M.D., 2000. Local and regional variations in Central American arc lavas controlled by variations in subducted sediment input. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 138 (3), 265-283.]. With respect to along-arc trends in basaltic lavas the largest contribution of slab fluids is in Nicaragua and the smallest input from the slab is in central Costa Rica — similar trends are observed in the silicic pyroclastic deposits. Data from melting experiments of primitive basalts and basaltic andesites demonstrate that it is difficult to produce high K 2O/Na 2O silicic magmas by fractional crystallization or partial melting of low-K 2O/Na 2O sources. However fractional crystallization or partial melting of medium- to high-K basalts can produce these silicic magmas. We interpret that the high-silica magmas associated Central America volcanic front are partial melts of penecontemporaneous, mantle-derived, evolved magmas that have ponded and crystallized in the mid-crust — or are melts extracted from these nearly completely crystallized magmas.

Pareto optimal pairwise sequence alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

DeRonne, Kevin W; Karypis, George

2013-01-01

Sequence alignment using evolutionary profiles is a commonly employed tool when investigating a protein. Many profile-profile scoring functions have been developed for use in such alignments, but there has not yet been a comprehensive study of Pareto optimal pairwise alignments for combining multiple such functions. We show that the problem of generating Pareto optimal pairwise alignments has an optimal substructure property, and develop an efficient algorithm for generating Pareto optimal frontiers of pairwise alignments. All possible sets of two, three, and four profile scoring functions are used from a pool of 11 functions and applied to 588 pairs of proteins in the ce_ref data set. The performance of the best objective combinations on ce_ref is also evaluated on an independent set of 913 protein pairs extracted from the BAliBASE RV11 data set. Our dynamic-programming-based heuristic approach produces approximated Pareto optimal frontiers of pairwise alignments that contain comparable alignments to those on the exact frontier, but on average in less than 1/58th the time in the case of four objectives. Our results show that the Pareto frontiers contain alignments whose quality is better than the alignments obtained by single objectives. However, the task of identifying a single high-quality alignment among those in the Pareto frontier remains challenging.

Synthesis of the Tube Silicate Litidionite and Structural Relationships between It and Some Other Silicates.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-02-17

CuSi4015 Others are agrellite, NaCa2Si4O0oF, 1 6 narsarsukite, Na2TiSi4O 1 7 miserite, KCa5 i2 07 Si601 5 (OH)F,18 and probably canasite , Na4K2Ca 5...and canasite are rare. Litidionite is apparently very rare, the only reported occurrence of it being in the crater of Mt. Vesuvius. Both litidionite1...narsarsukite, miserite, and probably canasite contain, like 13-19 lititionite, tube silicate ions. The first three contain ions that are the same as that in

TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT: SILICATE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION - SOLIDIFICATION/STABILIZATION OF PCP AND INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN SOILS - SELMA, CA

Science.gov (United States)

This Technolgy Evaluation Report evaluates the solidification/stabilization process of Silicate Technology Corporation (STC) for the on-site treatment of contaminated soil The STC immobilization technology uses a proprietary product (FMS Silicate) to chemically stabilize and ...

Alignment for CSR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shoujin; Man Kaidi; Guo Yizhen; Cai Guozhu; Guo Yuhui

2002-01-01

Cooled Storage Ring of Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL-CSR) belongs to China great scientific project in China. The alignment for it is very difficult because of very large area and very high accuracy. For the special case in HIRFL-CSR, some new methods and new instruments are used, including the construction of survey control network, the usage of laser tracker, and CSR alignment database system with applications developed to store and analyze data. The author describes the whole procedure of CSR alignment

40 CFR 721.10018 - Calcium hydroxide oxide silicate (Ca6(OH)2O2(Si2O5)3).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Calcium hydroxide oxide silicate (Ca6... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10018 Calcium hydroxide oxide silicate (Ca6(OH)2O2... substance identified as calcium hydroxide oxide silicate (Ca6(OH)2O2(Si2O5)3) (PMN P-01-442; CAS No. 13169...

INFLUENCE OF SILICEOUS AND CALCAREOUS FLY-ASHES ON PROPERTIES OF CEMENT MORTARS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Monika Rutkowska

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Care of the environment in accordance with the principles of sustainable development introduces the possibility and need for waste recycling. Construction and building industries have the greatest potential for reuse of waste. The article presents the results of investigations of cement mortars – tests of compressive and tensile strength after 28 and 56 days of curing – for normative mortars and mortars containing fly ashes – calcareous and siliceous ash – in their composition. To make the samples, the Portland cement CEM I 32,5 R, 42,5R and natural aggregate with graining of 0–2 mm were used. Concrete with siliceous and calcareous admixtures was made in six lots where the ash was added in the quantity of 2%, 5%, 10% of the cement mass or the 2%, 5%, 10% of cement was replaced by ashes. After the tests, it was stated that the siliceous fly-ash admixture increases the compressive and bending strength in comparison to the mortars with the calcareous ash admixtures.

A generalized global alignment algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiaoqiu; Chao, Kun-Mao

2003-01-22

Homologous sequences are sometimes similar over some regions but different over other regions. Homologous sequences have a much lower global similarity if the different regions are much longer than the similar regions. We present a generalized global alignment algorithm for comparing sequences with intermittent similarities, an ordered list of similar regions separated by different regions. A generalized global alignment model is defined to handle sequences with intermittent similarities. A dynamic programming algorithm is designed to compute an optimal general alignment in time proportional to the product of sequence lengths and in space proportional to the sum of sequence lengths. The algorithm is implemented as a computer program named GAP3 (Global Alignment Program Version 3). The generalized global alignment model is validated by experimental results produced with GAP3 on both DNA and protein sequences. The GAP3 program extends the ability of standard global alignment programs to recognize homologous sequences of lower similarity. The GAP3 program is freely available for academic use at http://bioinformatics.iastate.edu/aat/align/align.html.

Pairwise Sequence Alignment Library

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2015-05-20

Vector extensions, such as SSE, have been part of the x86 CPU since the 1990s, with applications in graphics, signal processing, and scientific applications. Although many algorithms and applications can naturally benefit from automatic vectorization techniques, there are still many that are difficult to vectorize due to their dependence on irregular data structures, dense branch operations, or data dependencies. Sequence alignment, one of the most widely used operations in bioinformatics workflows, has a computational footprint that features complex data dependencies. The trend of widening vector registers adversely affects the state-of-the-art sequence alignment algorithm based on striped data layouts. Therefore, a novel SIMD implementation of a parallel scan-based sequence alignment algorithm that can better exploit wider SIMD units was implemented as part of the Parallel Sequence Alignment Library (parasail). Parasail features: Reference implementations of all known vectorized sequence alignment approaches. Implementations of Smith Waterman (SW), semi-global (SG), and Needleman Wunsch (NW) sequence alignment algorithms. Implementations across all modern CPU instruction sets including AVX2 and KNC. Language interfaces for C/C++ and Python.

Progressive multiple sequence alignments from triplets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stadler Peter F

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The quality of progressive sequence alignments strongly depends on the accuracy of the individual pairwise alignment steps since gaps that are introduced at one step cannot be removed at later aggregation steps. Adjacent insertions and deletions necessarily appear in arbitrary order in pairwise alignments and hence form an unavoidable source of errors. Research Here we present a modified variant of progressive sequence alignments that addresses both issues. Instead of pairwise alignments we use exact dynamic programming to align sequence or profile triples. This avoids a large fractions of the ambiguities arising in pairwise alignments. In the subsequent aggregation steps we follow the logic of the Neighbor-Net algorithm, which constructs a phylogenetic network by step-wisely replacing triples by pairs instead of combining pairs to singletons. To this end the three-way alignments are subdivided into two partial alignments, at which stage all-gap columns are naturally removed. This alleviates the "once a gap, always a gap" problem of progressive alignment procedures. Conclusion The three-way Neighbor-Net based alignment program aln3nn is shown to compare favorably on both protein sequences and nucleic acids sequences to other progressive alignment tools. In the latter case one easily can include scoring terms that consider secondary structure features. Overall, the quality of resulting alignments in general exceeds that of clustalw or other multiple alignments tools even though our software does not included heuristics for context dependent (mismatch scores.

Synthesis of silicated hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6-x(SiO4)x(OH)2-x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palard, Mickael; Champion, Eric; Foucaud, Sylvie

2008-01-01

The preparation of silicated hydroxyapatite Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6-x (SiO 4 ) x (OH) 2-x (SiHA) with 0≤x≤2 was investigated using a wet precipitation method followed by a heat treatment. X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement, Fourier transformed IR (FTIR) spectroscopy, elemental analyses, transmission electron microscopy and thermal analyses were used to characterize the samples. The raw materials were composed of a partially silicated and carbonated apatite and a secondary minor phase containing the excess silicon. Single phase silicated hydroxyapatites, with 0≤x≤1, could be synthesized after a thermal treatment of the raw powders above 700 deg. C. The presence of carbonate groups in the raw apatite played an important role in the incorporation of silicates during heating. From the different results, the mechanisms of formation of SiHA are discussed. - Graphical abstract: The preparation of pure silicated hydroxyapatite Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6-x (SiO 4 ) x (OH) 2-x powders with controlled silicon content was investigated. The synthesis route included a precipitation in aqueous media. It required an additional high temperature solid-state reaction to fully incorporate the silicon into the apatite crystals

Belt Aligning Revisited

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yurchenko Vadim

2017-01-01

parts of the conveyor, the sides of the belt wear intensively. This results in reducing the life of the belt. The reasons for this phenomenon are well investigated, but the difficulty lies in the fact that they all act simultaneously. The belt misalignment prevention can be carried out in two ways: by minimizing the effect of causes and by aligning the belt. The construction of aligning devices and errors encountered in practice are considered in this paper. Self-aligning roller supports rotational in plan view are recommended as a means of combating the belt misalignment.

The Evolution of Land Plants and the Silicate Weathering Feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Ibarra, D. E.; Caves Rugenstein, J. K.; Bachan, A.; Baresch, A.; Lau, K. V.; Thomas, D.; Lee, J. E.; Boyce, C. K.; Chamberlain, C. P.

2017-12-01

It has long been recognized that the advent of vascular plants in the Paleozoic must have changed silicate weathering and fundamentally altered the long-term carbon cycle. Efforts to quantify these effects have been formulated in carbon cycle models that are, in part, calibrated by weathering studies of modern plant communities. In models of the long-term carbon cycle, plants play a key role in controlling atmospheric CO2, particularly in the late Paleozoic. We test the impact of some established and recent theories regarding plant-enhanced weathering by coupling a one-dimensional vapor transport model to a reactive transport model of silicate weathering. In this coupled model, we evaluate consequences of plant evolutionary innovation that have not been mechanistically incorporated into most existing models: 1) the role of evolutionary shifts in plant transpiration in enhancing silicate weathering by increasing downwind transport and recycling of water vapor to continental interiors; 2) the importance of deeply-rooted plants and their associated microbial communities in increasing soil CO2 and weathering zone length scales; and, 3) the cumulative effect of these processes. Our modeling approach is framed by energy/supply constraints calibrated for minimally vegetated-, vascular plant forested-, and angiosperm-worlds. We find that the emergence of widespread transpiration and associated inland vapor recycling approximately doubles weathering solute concentrations when deep-rooted vascular plants (Devonian-Carboniferous) fully replace a minimally vegetated (pre-Devonian) world. The later evolution of angiosperms (Cretaceous and Cenozoic) and subsequent increase in transpiration fluxes increase weathering solute concentrations by approximately an additional 20%. Our estimates of the changes in weatherability caused by land plant evolution are of a similar magnitude, but explained with new process-based mechanisms, than those used in existing carbon cycle models. We

Antares beam-alignment-system performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appert, Q.D.; Bender, S.C.

1983-01-01

The beam alignment system for the 24-beam-sector Antares CO 2 fusion laser automatically aligns more than 200 optical elements. A visible-wavelength alignment technique is employed which uses a telescope/TV system to view point-light sources appropriately located down the beamline. The centroids of the light spots are determined by a video tracker, which generates error signals used by the computer control system to move appropriate mirrors in a closed-loop system. Final touch-up alignment is accomplished by projecting a CO 2 alignment laser beam through the system and sensing its position at the target location. The techniques and control algorithms employed have resulted in alignment accuracies exceeding design requirements. By employing video processing to determine the centroids of diffraction images and by averaging over multiple TV frames, we achieve alignment accuracies better than 0.1 times system diffraction limits in the presence of air turbulence

The formation of molecular hydrogen on silicate dust analogs: The rotational distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gavilan, L.; Lemaire, J. L. [LERMA, UMR 8112 du CNRS, de l' Observatoire de Paris et de l' Université de Cergy Pontoise, 5 mail Gay Lussac, F-95000 Cergy Pontoise Cedex (France); Vidali, G. [Visiting Professor. Permanent address: Syracuse University, Physics Department, Syracuse, NY 13244-1320, USA. (United States); Sabri, T.; Jæger, C., E-mail: lisseth.gavilan@obspm.fr [Laboratory Astrophysics and Cluster Physics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany)

2014-02-01

Our laboratory experiments continue to explore how the formation of molecular hydrogen is influenced by dust and how dust thereby affects hydrogen molecules adsorbed on its surface. In Sabri et al., we present the preparation of nanometer-sized silicate grain analogs via laser ablation. These analogs illustrate extremes in structure (fully crystalline or fully amorphous grains), and stoichiometry (the forsterite and fayalite end-members of the olivine family). These were inserted in FORMOLISM, an ultra-high vacuum setup where they can be cooled down to ∼5 K. Atomic beams are directed at these surfaces and the formation of new molecules is studied via REMPI(2+1) spectroscopy. We explored the rotational distribution (0 ≤ J'' ≤ 5) of v'' = 0 of the ground electronic state of H{sub 2}. The results of these measurements are reported here. Surprisingly, molecules formed and ejected from crystalline silicates have a cold (T {sub rot} ∼ 120 K) rotational energy distribution, while for molecules formed on and ejected from amorphous silicate films, the rotational temperature is ∼310 K. These results are compared to previous experiments on metallic surfaces and theoretical simulations. Solid-state surface analysis suggests that flatter grains could hinder the 'cartwheel' rotation mode. A search for hot hydrogen, predicted as a result of H{sub 2} formation, hints at its production. For the first time, the rotational distribution of hydrogen molecules formed on silicate dust is reported. These results are essential to understanding the chemistry of astrophysical media containing bare dust grains.

Evaluation of alignment marks using ASML ATHENA alignment system in 90nm BEOL process

CERN Document Server

Tan Chin Boon; Koh Hui Peng; Koo Chee, Kiong; Siew Yong Kong; Yeo Swee Hock

2003-01-01

As the critical dimension (CD) in integrated circuit (IC) device reduces, the total overlay budget needs to be more stringent. Typically, the allowable overlay error is 1/3 of the CD in the IC device. In this case, robustness of alignment mark is critical, as accurate signal is required by the scanner's alignment system to precisely align a layer of pattern to the previous layer. Alignment issue is more severe in back-end process partly due to the influenced of Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP), which contribute to the asymmetric or total destruction of the alignment marks. Alignment marks on the wafer can be placed along the scribe-line of the IC pattern. ASML scanner allows such type of wafer alignment using phase grating mark, known as Scribe-line Primary Mark (SPM) which can be fit into a standard 80um scribe-line. In this paper, we have studied the feasibility of introducing Narrow SPM (NSPM) to enable a smaller scribe-line. The width of NSPM has been shrunk down to 70% of the SPM and the length remain...

Relations between structure and material properties in earth alkaline silicate basing phosphors; Struktureigenschaftsbeziehungen in Erdalkalisilikat basierenden Leuchtstoffen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hempel, Wolfgang

2008-03-19

This work is basing on the relation between structure and luminescence of Eu{sup 2+} doped Earth-Alkaline-Silicates. After an overview of Earth-Alkaline-Silicates silicates with an additional cation (Li{sup +}, Al{sup 3+}) and an additional anion (Cl{sup -}, N{sup 3-}) are examined in chapter 4 and 5. Basing on this data an relation between structural influence - like ion-radii, anion and coordination polyeder - and phosphor luminescence is set up. The ability of using as an industrial phosphor is made in the final chapter. (orig.)

Silicate melt metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle beneath SW Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Puziewicz, Jacek; Matusiak-Małek, Magdalena; Ntaflos, Theodoros; Grégoire, Michel; Kukuła, Anna

2014-05-01

The xenoliths of peridotites representing the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath SW Poland and adjacent parts of Germany occur in the Cenozoic alkaline volcanic rocks. Our study is based on detailed characterization of xenoliths occurring in 7 locations (Steinberg in Upper Lusatia, Księginki, Pilchowice, Krzeniów, Wilcza Góra, Winna Góra and Lutynia in Lower Silesia). One of the two major lithologies occurring in the xenoliths, which we call the "B" lithology, comprises peridotites (typically harzburgites) with olivine containing from 90.5 to 84.0 mole % of forsterite. The harzburgites contain no clinopyroxene or are poor in that mineral (eg. in Krzeniów the group "B" harzburgites contain pfu in ortho-, and pfu in clinopyroxene). The exception are xenoliths from Księginki, which contain pyroxenes characterised by negative correlation between mg# and Al. The REE patterns of both ortho- and clinopyroxene in the group "B" peridotites suggest equilibration with silicate melt. The rocks of "B" lithology were formed due to alkaline silicate melt percolation in the depleted peridotitic protolith. The basaltic melts formed at high pressure are usually undersaturated in both ortho- and clinopyroxene at lower pressures (Kelemen et al. 1992). Because of cooling and dissolution of ortho- and clinopyroxene the melts change their composition and become saturated in one or both of those phases. Experimental results (e.g. Tursack & Liang 2012 and references therein) show that the same refers to alkaline basaltic silicate melts and that its reactive percolation in the peridotitic host leads to decrease of Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios of olivine and pyroxenes. Thus, the variation of relative volumes of olivine and orthopyroxene as well as the decrease of mg# of rock-forming silicates is well explained by reactive melt percolation in the peridotitic protolith consisting of high mg# olivine and pyroxenes (in the area studied by us that protolith was characterised by olivine

The inhibitory effects of potassium chloride versus potassium silicate application on (137)Cs uptake by rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimura, Shigeto; Yoshioka, Kunio; Ota, Takeshi; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Sato, Makoto; Satou, Mutsuto

2016-03-01

After the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant owned by the Tokyo Electric Power Company on 11 March 2011, potassium fertilizer was applied to agricultural fields in the southern Tohoku and northern Kanto regions of Japan to reduce the uptake of radiocesium by crops. In this study, we examined the effects of two types of potassium fertilizers, potassium chloride (a readily available potassium fertilizer) and potassium silicate (a slow-release potassium fertilizer), as well as a split application of potassium, on the accumulation of (137)Cs by rice plants in two pot experiments. The (137)Cs concentrations in the brown rice and in the above-ground plants were significantly lower after potassium chloride application than after potassium silicate application. The potassium ion (K(+)) concentrations in soil solutions sampled 9 and 21 d after transplanting were significantly higher for the potassium chloride application than for the potassium silicate application. The K(+) concentrations in soil solutions observed in the application of potassium silicate were similar to those in the treatment when no potassium was applied. This finding indicates that the application of potassium silicate did not sufficiently increase the available K(+) for rice plants in the soil, which led to a greater uptake of (137)Cs after the potassium silicate application than after the application of potassium chloride. The (137)Cs concentration in brown rice was higher in the split application of potassium fertilizer with the second application at the full heading stage than that without split application and the split application with the second application before heading. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photo-induced changes of silicate glasses optical parameters at multi-photon laser radiation absorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efimov, O.M.; Glebov, L.B.; Mekryukov, A.M.

1995-01-01

In this paper the results of investigations of the mechanisms of photo-induced changes of alkali-silicate (crown) and lead-silicate (flint) glasses optical parameters upon the exposure to the intense laser radiation, and the basic regularities of these processes are reported. These investigations were performed in Research Center open-quotes S. I. Vavilov State Optical Instituteclose quotes during last 15 years. The kinetics of stable and unstable CC formation and decay, the effect of widely spread impurity ions on these processes, the characteristics of fundamental and impure luminescence, the kinetics of refractive index change under conditions of multi-photon glass matrix excitation, and other properties are considered. On the basis of analysis of received regularities it was shown that the nonlinear coloration of alkali-silicate glasses (the fundamental absorption edge is nearly 6 eV) takes place only as a result of two-photon absorption. Important efforts were aimed at the detection of three- or more photon matrix ionization of these glasses, but they were failed. However it was established that in the lead silicate glasses the long-wave carriers mobility boundary (> 5.6 eV) is placed considerably higher the fundamental absorption edge (∼ 3.5 eV) of material matrix. This results in that the linear color centers formation in the lead silicate glasses is not observed. The coloration of these glasses arises only from the two- or three-photon matrix ionization, and the excitation occurs through virtual states that are placed in the fundamental absorption region. In the report the available mechanisms of photo-induced changes of glasses optical parameters, and some applied aspects of this problem are discussed

Calcium silicate structure and carbonation shrinkage of a tobermorite-based material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsushita, Fumiaki; Aono, Yoshimichi; Shibata, Sumio

2004-01-01

Carbonated autoclaved aerated concretes (AACs) show no shrinkage at a degree of carbonation approximately less than 20%. The 29 Si MAS NMR spectrum showed that at a degree of carbonation less than 25%, the typical double-chain silicate anion structure of tobermorite-11A was well maintained and interlayer Ca ions were exchanged with protons. This corresponded to the absence of carbonation shrinkage at a degree of carbonation less than 20%. When the degree of carbonation increased from 25% to 50% up to 60%, the double-chain silicate anion structure of tobermorite-11A was decomposed and Ca ions in the Ca-O layers were dissolved, showing a possible mechanism of carbonation shrinkage

Galaxy Alignments: Theory, Modelling & Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Kiessling, Alina; Cacciato, Marcello; Joachimi, Benjamin; Kirk, Donnacha; Kitching, Thomas D.; Leonard, Adrienne; Mandelbaum, Rachel; Schäfer, Björn Malte; Sifón, Cristóbal; Brown, Michael L.; Rassat, Anais

2015-11-01

The shapes of galaxies are not randomly oriented on the sky. During the galaxy formation and evolution process, environment has a strong influence, as tidal gravitational fields in the large-scale structure tend to align nearby galaxies. Additionally, events such as galaxy mergers affect the relative alignments of both the shapes and angular momenta of galaxies throughout their history. These "intrinsic galaxy alignments" are known to exist, but are still poorly understood. This review will offer a pedagogical introduction to the current theories that describe intrinsic galaxy alignments, including the apparent difference in intrinsic alignment between early- and late-type galaxies and the latest efforts to model them analytically. It will then describe the ongoing efforts to simulate intrinsic alignments using both N-body and hydrodynamic simulations. Due to the relative youth of this field, there is still much to be done to understand intrinsic galaxy alignments and this review summarises the current state of the field, providing a solid basis for future work.

The CMS Muon System Alignment

CERN Document Server

Martinez Ruiz-Del-Arbol, P

2009-01-01

The alignment of the muon system of CMS is performed using different techniques: photogrammetry measurements, optical alignment and alignment with tracks. For track-based alignment, several methods are employed, ranging from a hit and impact point (HIP) algorithm and a procedure exploiting chamber overlaps to a global fit method based on the Millepede approach. For start-up alignment as long as available integrated luminosity is still significantly limiting the size of the muon sample from collisions, cosmic muon and beam halo signatures play a very strong role. During the last commissioning runs in 2008 the first aligned geometries have been produced and validated with data. The CMS offline computing infrastructure has been used in order to perform improved reconstructions. We present the computational aspects related to the calculation of alignment constants at the CERN Analysis Facility (CAF), the production and population of databases and the validation and performance in the official reconstruction. Also...

[Isotope tracer studies of diffusion in silicates and of geological transport processes using actinide elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasserburg, G.J.

1991-01-01

This report consists of sections entitled resonance ionization mass spectrometry of Os, Mg self-diffusion in spinel and silicate melts, neotectonics: U-Th ages of solitary corals from the California coast, uranium-series evidence on diagenesis and hydrology of carbonates of Barbados, diffusion of H 2 O molecules in silicate glasses, and development of an extremely high abundance sensitivity mass spectrometer

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G.Gomez

Since September, the muon alignment system shifted from a mode of hardware installation and commissioning to operation and data taking. All three optical subsystems (Barrel, Endcap and Link alignment) have recorded data before, during and after CRAFT, at different magnetic fields and during ramps of the magnet. This first data taking experience has several interesting goals: •    study detector deformations and movements under the influence of the huge magnetic forces; •    study the stability of detector structures and of the alignment system over long periods, •    study geometry reproducibility at equal fields (specially at 0T and 3.8T); •    reconstruct B=0T geometry and compare to nominal/survey geometries; •    reconstruct B=3.8T geometry and provide DT and CSC alignment records for CMSSW. However, the main goal is to recons...

40 CFR 721.3100 - Oligomeric silicic acid ester compound with a hy-droxyl-al-kyla-mine.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Oligomeric silicic acid ester compound with a hy-droxyl-al-kyla-mine. 721.3100 Section 721.3100 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.3100 Oligomeric silicic acid ester compound with a...

Synthesis and crystal structures of a novel layered silicate SSA-1 and its microporous derivatives by topotactic transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, S; Kurita, Y; Ikeda, T; Miyamoto, M; Uemiya, S; Oumi, Y

2016-10-18

The synthesis of a novel layered silicate SSA-1 (SSA: silicate synthesized with a quaternary amine) was achieved in the SiO 2 -H 2 O-TEAOH (TEAOH: tetraethylammonium hydroxide - as an organic structural directing agent) system. The crystal structure of SSA-1 involved two silicate layers composed of bre [10T]-type CBU (Composite Building Unit) and TEAOH in interlayers. The topotactic transformation of SSA-1 by calcination was examined, resulting in a porous material (PML-1: porous material transformed from a layered silicate) with a 108 m 2 g -1 BET surface area and 0.035 cm 3 g -1 pore volume. PML-1 is a siliceous microporous material with silanols in the framework and possesses unique properties, such as hydrophilicity, in spite of all its silica composition. The most reasonable crystal structure of PML-1 was successfully determined on the basis of the crystal structure of SSA-1 by a combination of manual modelling, PXRD pattern simulation, DFT optimization and Rietveld analysis. Additionally, an interlayer expanded siliceous zeolite SSA-1 (IEZ-SSA-1) was also successfully prepared by silylation using trichloro(methyl)silane under acidic conditions. IEZ-SSA-1 showed hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity properties by changing the functional group of the pillar part in the interlayer. Additionally, IEZ-SSA-1 showed a large gas adsorption property (537 m 2 g -1 and 0.21 cm 3 g -1 ).

Relation between film character and wafer alignment: critical alignment issues on HV device for VLSI manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Yi-Chuan; Lee, Chih-Hsiung; Lin, Hsun-Peng; Peng, Chiou-Shian

1998-06-01

Several continuous splits for wafer alignment target topography conditions to improve epitaxy film alignment were applied. The alignment evaluation among former layer pad oxide thickness (250 angstrom - 500 angstrom), drive oxide thickness (6000 angstrom - 10000 angstrom), nitride film thickness (600 angstrom - 1500 angstrom), initial oxide etch (fully wet etch, fully dry etch and dry plus wet etch) will be split to this experiment. Also various epitaxy deposition recipe such as: epitaxy source (SiHCl2 or SiCHCl3) and growth rate (1.3 micrometer/min approximately 2.0 micrometer/min) will be used to optimize the process window for alignment issue. All the reflectance signal and cross section photography of alignment target during NIKON stepper alignment process will be examined. Experimental results show epitaxy recipe plays an important role to wafer alignment. Low growth rate with good performance conformity epitaxy lead to alignment target avoid washout, pattern shift and distortion. All the results (signal monitor and film character) combined with NIKON's stepper standard laser scanning alignment system will be discussed in this paper.

Rice husks as a sustainable silica source for hierarchical flower-like metal silicate architectures assembled into ultrathin nanosheets for adsorption and catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shouwei; Gao, Huihui; Li, Jiaxing; Huang, Yongshun; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Hayat, Tasawar; Xu, Xijin; Wang, Xiangke

2017-01-05

Metal silicates have attracted extensive interests due to their unique structure and promising properties in adsorption and catalysis. However, their applications were hampered by the complex and expensive synthesis. In this paper, three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical flower-like metal silicate, including magnesium silicate, zinc silicate, nickel silicate and cobalt silicate, were for the first time prepared by using rice husks as a sustainable silicon source. The flower-like morphology, interconnected ultrathin nanosheets structure and high specific surface area endowed them with versatile applications. Magnesium silicate was used as an adsorbent with the maximum adsorption capacities of 557.9, 381.3, and 482.8mg/g for Pb 2+ , tetracycline (TC), and UO 2 2+ , respectively. Ni nanoparticles/silica (Ni NPs/SiO 2 ) exhibited high catalytic activity and good stability for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction within only ∼160s, which can be attributed to the ultra-small particle size (∼6.8nm), good dispersion and high loading capacity of Ni NPs. Considering the abundance and renewability of rice husks, metal silicate with complex architecture can be easily produced at a large scale and become a sustainable and reliable resource for multifunctional applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermochemistry of dense hydrous magnesium silicates

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Kunal; Burnley, Pamela; Navrotsky, Alexandra

1994-01-01

Recent experimental investigations under mantle conditions have identified a suite of dense hydrous magnesium silicate (DHMS) phases that could be conduits to transport water to at least the 660 km discontinuity via mature, relatively cold, subducting slabs. Water released from successive dehydration of these phases during subduction could be responsible for deep focus earthquakes, mantle metasomatism and a host of other physico-chemical processes central to our understanding of the earth's deep interior. In order to construct a thermodynamic data base that can delineate and predict the stability ranges for DHMS phases, reliable thermochemical and thermophysical data are required. One of the major obstacles in calorimetric studies of phases synthesized under high pressure conditions has been limitation due to the small (less than 5 mg) sample mass. Our refinement of calorimeter techniques now allow precise determination of enthalpies of solution of less than 5 mg samples of hydrous magnesium silicates. For example, high temperature solution calorimetry of natural talc (Mg(0.99) Fe(0.01)Si4O10(OH)2), periclase (MgO) and quartz (SiO2) yield enthalpies of drop solution at 1044 K to be 592.2 (2.2), 52.01 (0.12) and 45.76 (0.4) kJ/mol respectively. The corresponding enthalpy of formation from oxides at 298 K for talc is minus 5908.2 kJ/mol agreeing within 0.1 percent to literature values.

I-Xe and 40Ar-39Ar dating of silicate from Weekeroo Station and Netschaevo IIE iron meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemeyer, S.

1980-01-01

Silicate inclusions from two IIE iron meteorites were dated by the I-Xe and 40 Ar- 39 Ar techniques. Weekeroo Station, a 'normal' IIE iron, shows no loss of radiogenic 40 Ar at low temperature, and the well defined 40 Ar- 39 Ar plateau yields an age of 4.54 +- 0.03 Byr. The xenon data define a good I-Xe correlation with an age of + 10.9 +- 0.5 Myr relative to Bjurbole. Despite its relatively young age, Weekeroo Station's ( 129 Xe/ 132 Xe)sub(trapped) ratio (= 0.84 +- 0.05) lies significantly below the solar value. Netschaevo silicate has a chondritic composition, unlike 'normal' IIE silicate which is more differentiated. Nevertheless Netschaevo gives a 40 Ar- 39 Ar plateau-age of only 3.79 +- 0.03 Byr, with the xenon data failing to define an I-Xe isochron. Only irons from the IAB and IIE groups contain silicate inclusions, but these two groups differ in many other respects, mostly suggesting that IAB meteorites are more primitive. The I-Xe chronology supports this suggestion inasmuch as Weekeroo Station formed well after IAB silicates. The four silicate-bearing IIE irons which have now been dated can be subdivided into distinct pairs: Weekeroo Station and Colomera formed near the beginning of the solar system, while Netschaevo and Kodaikanal both formed only 3.8 Byr ago. A review of other properties of these meteorites generally supports this subdivision. This work underscores the complexity of the history of IIE meteorites; in particular, an adequate model must account for the formation of two IIE irons at 3.8 Byr without disturbing rare gases in Weekeroo Station. All formation models are quite speculative, but the one which seems best to fit the available evidence postulates two parent bodies: the 3.8 Byr old silicate formed on one parent body, all other IIE material resided in a separate body, and subsequent collision(s) mixed the young silicate with IIE metal. (author)

Nova laser alignment control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Arsdall, P.J.; Holloway, F.W.; McGuigan, D.L.; Shelton, R.T.

1984-01-01

Alignment of the Nova laser requires control of hundreds of optical components in the ten beam paths. Extensive application of computer technology makes daily alignment practical. The control system is designed in a manner which provides both centralized and local manual operator controls integrated with automatic closed loop alignment. Menudriven operator consoles using high resolution color graphics displays overlaid with transport touch panels allow laser personnel to interact efficiently with the computer system. Automatic alignment is accomplished by using image analysis techniques to determine beam references points from video images acquired along the laser chain. A major goal of the design is to contribute substantially to rapid experimental turnaround and consistent alignment results. This paper describes the computer-based control structure and the software methods developed for aligning this large laser system

Comparative investigation on the spectroscopic properties of Pr3+-doped boro-phosphate, boro-germo-silicate and tellurite glasses

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liaolin; Dong, Guoping; Peng, Mingying; Qiu, Jianrong

We report on the spectroscopic properties of Pr3+-doped boro-phosphate, boro-germo-silicate and tellurite glasses. The stimulated absorption and emission cross sections were estimated. Only one emission at 596 nm and 605 nm is observed in Pr3+-doped boro-phosphate and boro-germo-silicate glasses, respectively, while three emissions at 605 nm, 612 nm and 645 nm are observed in Pr3+-doped tellurite glass when excited at 467 nm. The fluorescence lifetime at 600 nm in Pr3+-doped boro-phosphate, boro-germo-silicate and tellurite glasses is 137 μs, 73 μs and 51 μs, respectively. The emissions from Pr3+-doped boro-phosphate, boro-germo-silicate and tellurite glasses show different decay behaviors and can be well explained by multiphonon relaxation theory.

Analysis of the color alteration and radiopacity promoted by bismuth oxide in calcium silicate cement.

Science.gov (United States)

Marciano, Marina Angélica; Estrela, Carlos; Mondelli, Rafael Francisco Lia; Ordinola-Zapata, Ronald; Duarte, Marco Antonio Hungaro

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine if the increase in radiopacity provided by bismuth oxide is related to the color alteration of calcium silicate-based cement. Calcium silicate cement (CSC) was mixed with 0%, 15%, 20%, 30% and 50% of bismuth oxide (BO), determined by weight. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was the control group. The radiopacity test was performed according to ISO 6876/2001. The color was evaluated using the CIE system. The assessments were performed after 24 hours, 7 and 30 days of setting time, using a spectrophotometer to obtain the ΔE, Δa, Δb and ΔL values. The statistical analyses were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn and ANOVA/Tukey tests (poxide was added showed radiopacity corresponding to the ISO recommendations (>3 mm equivalent of Al). The MTA group was statistically similar to the CSC/30% BO group (p>0.05). In regard to color, the increase of bismuth oxide resulted in a decrease in the ΔE value of the calcium silicate cement. The CSC group presented statistically higher ΔE values than the CSC/50% BO group (poxide has no relation to the color alteration of calcium silicate-based cements.

Determination of Thermal Conductivity of Silicate Matrix for Applications in Effective Media Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Fiala, Lukáš; Jerman, Miloš; Reiterman, Pavel; Černý, Robert

2018-02-01

Silicate materials have an irreplaceable role in the construction industry. They are mainly represented by cement-based- or lime-based materials, such as concrete, cement mortar, or lime plaster, and consist of three phases: the solid matrix and air and water present in the pores. Therefore, their effective thermal conductivity depends on thermal conductivities of the involved phases. Due to the time-consuming experimental determination of the effective thermal conductivity, its calculation by means of homogenization techniques presents a reasonable alternative. In the homogenization theory, both volumetric content and particular property of each phase need to be identified. For porous materials the most problematic part is to accurately identify thermal conductivity of the solid matrix. Due to the complex composition of silicate materials, the thermal conductivity of the matrix can be determined only approximately, based on the knowledge of thermal conductivities of its major compounds. In this paper, the thermal conductivity of silicate matrix is determined using the measurement of a sufficiently large set of experimental data. Cement pastes with different open porosities are prepared, dried, and their effective thermal conductivity is determined using a transient heat-pulse method. The thermal conductivity of the matrix is calculated by means of extrapolation of the effective thermal conductivity versus porosity functions to zero porosity. Its practical applicability is demonstrated by calculating the effective thermal conductivity of a three-phase silicate material and comparing it with experimental data.

Asteroid (16) Psyche: Evidence for a silicate regolith from spitzer space telescope spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Landsman, Zoe A.; Emery, Joshua P.; Campins, Humberto; Hanuš, Josef; Lim, Lucy F.; Cruikshank, Dale P.

2018-04-01

Asteroid (16) Psyche is a unique, metal-rich object belonging to the "M" taxonomic class. It may be a remnant protoplanet that has been stripped of most silicates by a hit-and-run collision. Because Psyche offers insight into the planetary formation process, it is the target of NASA's Psyche mission, set to launch in 2023. In order to constrain Psyche's surface properties, we have carried out a mid-infrared (5-14 μm) spectroscopic study using data collected with the Spitzer Space Telescope's Infrared Spectrograph. Our study includes two observations covering different rotational phases. Using thermophysical modeling, we find that Psyche's surface is smooth and likely has a thermal inertia Γ = 5-25 J/m2/K/s1/2 and bolometric emissivity ɛ = 0.9, although a scenario with ɛ = 0.7 and thermal inertia up to 95 J/m2/K/s1/2 is possible if Psyche is somewhat larger than previously determined. The smooth surface is consistent with the presence of a metallic bedrock, which would be more ductile than silicate bedrock, and thus may not readily form boulders upon impact events. From comparisons with laboratory spectra of silicate and meteorite powders, Psyche's 7-14 μm emissivity spectrum is consistent with the presence of fine-grained (Psyche's surface. We conclude that Psyche is likely covered in a fine silicate regolith, which may also contain iron grains, overlying an iron-rich bedrock.

Tribo-exoemission from some silicate materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holzapfel, G.; Lesz, J.; Otto, W.

1983-01-01

The tribo-exoemission from some minerals has been investigated in view of applications in the porcelain industries. Milling and sample preparation were performed under defined (liquid and solvent free) conditions. Quartz and the members of the alumo-silicate family feldspar, kaolin, and pegmatite are characterised by a strongly overlapped TSEE-peak between 100 0 C and 200 0 C, growing strongly with the mechanical dispersion of the powders. Thermal (TSEE) as well as optical (OSEE) stimulation reveal pegmatite as the strongest emitter with a very low fading of the tribo-signal at room temperature. (author)

MUON DETECTORS: ALIGNMENT

CERN Multimedia

G. Gomez and Y. Pakhotin

2012-01-01

  A new track-based alignment for the DT chambers is ready for deployment: an offline tag has already been produced which will become part of the 52X Global Tag. This alignment was validated within the muon alignment group both at low and high momentum using a W/Z skim sample. It shows an improved mass resolution for pairs of stand-alone muons, improved curvature resolution at high momentum, and improved DT segment extrapolation residuals. The validation workflow for high-momentum muons used to depend solely on the “split cosmics” method, looking at the curvature difference between muon tracks reconstructed in the upper or lower half of CMS. The validation has now been extended to include energetic muons decaying from heavily boosted Zs: the di-muon invariant mass for global and stand-alone muons is reconstructed, and the invariant mass resolution is compared for different alignments. The main areas of development over the next few months will be preparing a new track-based C...

From illite/smectite clay to mesoporous silicate adsorbent for efficient removal of chlortetracycline from water.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wenbo; Tian, Guangyan; Zong, Li; Zhou, Yanmin; Kang, Yuru; Wang, Qin; Wang, Aiqin

2017-01-01

A series of mesoporous silicate adsorbents with superior adsorption performance for hazardous chlortetracycline (CTC) were sucessfully prepared via a facile one-pot hydrothermal reaction using low-cost illite/smectite (IS) clay, sodium silicate and magnesium sulfate as the starting materials. In this process, IS clay was "teared up" and then "rebuilt" as new porous silicate adsorbent with high specific surface area of 363.52m 2 /g (about 8.7 folds higher than that of IS clay) and very negative Zeta potential (-34.5mV). The inert SiOSi (Mg, Al) bonds in crystal framework of IS were broken to form Si(Al) O - groups with good adsorption activity, which greatly increased the adsorption sites served for holding much CTC molecules. Systematic evaluation on adsorption properties reveals the optimal silicate adsorbent can adsorb 408.81mg/g of CTC (only 159.7mg/g for raw IS clay) and remove 99.3% (only 46.5% for raw IS clay) of CTC from 100mg/L initial solution (pH3.51; adsorption temperature 30°C; adsorbent dosage, 3g/L). The adsorption behaviors of CTC onto the adsorbent follows the Langmuir isotherm model, Temkin equation and pseudo second-order kinetic model. The mesopore adsorption, electrostatic attraction and chemical association mainly contribute to the enhanced adsorption properties. As a whole, the high-efficient silicate adsorbent could be candidates to remove CTC from the wastewater with high amounts of CTC. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Multiple ways of producing intermediate and silicic rocks within Thingmúli and other Icelandic volcanoes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Charreteur, Gilles; Tegner, Christian; Haase, Karsten

2013-01-01

Major and trace element compositions of rocks and coexisting phenocrysts of the ThingmA(0)li volcano suggest a revision of the existing models for the formation of intermediate and silicic melts in Iceland. The new data define two compositional tholeiitic trends with a significant gap between the...... between the compositions of intermediate and silicic rocks and plate tectonic setting, therefore, should be avoided....

The inhibitory effects of potassium chloride versus potassium silicate application on 137Cs uptake by rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujimura, Shigeto; Yoshioka, Kunio; Ota, Takeshi; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Sato, Makoto; Satou, Mutsuto

2016-01-01

After the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant owned by the Tokyo Electric Power Company on 11 March 2011, potassium fertilizer was applied to agricultural fields in the southern Tohoku and northern Kanto regions of Japan to reduce the uptake of radiocesium by crops. In this study, we examined the effects of two types of potassium fertilizers, potassium chloride (a readily available potassium fertilizer) and potassium silicate (a slow-release potassium fertilizer), as well as a split application of potassium, on the accumulation of 137 Cs by rice plants in two pot experiments. The 137 Cs concentrations in the brown rice and in the above-ground plants were significantly lower after potassium chloride application than after potassium silicate application. The potassium ion (K + ) concentrations in soil solutions sampled 9 and 21 d after transplanting were significantly higher for the potassium chloride application than for the potassium silicate application. The K + concentrations in soil solutions observed in the application of potassium silicate were similar to those in the treatment when no potassium was applied. This finding indicates that the application of potassium silicate did not sufficiently increase the available K + for rice plants in the soil, which led to a greater uptake of 137 Cs after the potassium silicate application than after the application of potassium chloride. The 137 Cs concentration in brown rice was higher in the split application of potassium fertilizer with the second application at the full heading stage than that without split application and the split application with the second application before heading. - Highlights: • Potassium application reduced 137 Cs uptake by rice grown in pot experiments. • Readily available K fertilizer more effectively decreased brown rice 137 Cs concentration. • Potassium should be applied before heading to reduce brown rice 137 Cs concentration.

Cracking phenomena in lithium-di-silicate glass ceramics

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

Abstract. Lithium-di-silicate glass ceramic (Li2O, SiO2) with uniformly oriented crystals was placed on a. Vickers indentation with extrusion axis horizontally parallel to the base axis. The material was rotated through. 0°– 90° and at each angle a 20 N load was applied to ascertain the crack path. It was observed that the crack.

R3D Align web server for global nucleotide to nucleotide alignments of RNA 3D structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahrig, Ryan R; Petrov, Anton I; Leontis, Neocles B; Zirbel, Craig L

2013-07-01

The R3D Align web server provides online access to 'RNA 3D Align' (R3D Align), a method for producing accurate nucleotide-level structural alignments of RNA 3D structures. The web server provides a streamlined and intuitive interface, input data validation and output that is more extensive and easier to read and interpret than related servers. The R3D Align web server offers a unique Gallery of Featured Alignments, providing immediate access to pre-computed alignments of large RNA 3D structures, including all ribosomal RNAs, as well as guidance on effective use of the server and interpretation of the output. By accessing the non-redundant lists of RNA 3D structures provided by the Bowling Green State University RNA group, R3D Align connects users to structure files in the same equivalence class and the best-modeled representative structure from each group. The R3D Align web server is freely accessible at http://rna.bgsu.edu/r3dalign/.

Phosphorus Elimination at Sodium Silicate from Quartz Sand Roasted with Complexation using Chitosan-EDTA

Science.gov (United States)

Wahyuningsih, S.; Ramelan, A. H.; Suharty, N. S.; Handayani, M.; Firdiyono, F.; Sulistiyono, E.; Munawaroh, H.; Sari, P. P.; Kristiawan, Y. R.

2018-03-01

A phosphorus elimination from sodium silicate solution has been studied. Phosphorus elimination was performed by adding chitosan-EDTA to remove cation phosphorus. Characterization of chitosan-EDTA material was performed using FT-IR, while the decreasing level of phosphorus content was analyzed by quantitative analysis using spectrophotometer UV-Vis refers to SNI 06-6989-2004. The results showed that the content of the sodium silicate can be reduced up to 67.1% through Chitosan-EDTA complexation with phosphorus.

Aligned Layers of Silver Nano-Fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrii B. Golovin

2012-02-01

Full Text Available We describe a new dichroic polarizers made by ordering silver nano-fibers to aligned layers. The aligned layers consist of nano-fibers and self-assembled molecular aggregates of lyotropic liquid crystals. Unidirectional alignment of the layers is achieved by means of mechanical shearing. Aligned layers of silver nano-fibers are partially transparent to a linearly polarized electromagnetic radiation. The unidirectional alignment and density of the silver nano-fibers determine degree of polarization of transmitted light. The aligned layers of silver nano-fibers might be used in optics, microwave applications, and organic electronics.

The effect of melt composition on metal-silicate partitioning of siderophile elements and constraints on core formation in the angrite parent body

Science.gov (United States)

Steenstra, E. S.; Sitabi, A. B.; Lin, Y. H.; Rai, N.; Knibbe, J. S.; Berndt, J.; Matveev, S.; van Westrenen, W.

2017-09-01

We present 275 new metal-silicate partition coefficients for P, S, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Ge, Mo, and W obtained at moderate P (1.5 GPa) and high T (1683-1883 K). We investigate the effect of silicate melt composition using four end member silicate melt compositions. We identify possible silicate melt dependencies of the metal-silicate partitioning of lower valence elements Ni, Ge and V, elements that are usually assumed to remain unaffected by changes in silicate melt composition. Results for the other elements are consistent with the dependence of their metal-silicate partition coefficients on the individual major oxide components of the silicate melt composition suggested by recently reported parameterizations and theoretical considerations. Using multiple linear regression, we parameterize compiled metal-silicate partitioning results including our new data and report revised expressions that predict their metal-silicate partitioning behavior as a function of P-T-X-fO2. We apply these results to constrain the conditions that prevailed during core formation in the angrite parent body (APB). Our results suggest the siderophile element depletions in angrite meteorites are consistent with a CV bulk composition and constrain APB core formation to have occurred at mildly reducing conditions of 1.4 ± 0.5 log units below the iron-wüstite buffer (ΔIW), corresponding to a APB core mass of 18 ± 11%. The core mass range is constrained to 21 ± 8 mass% if light elements (S and/or C) are assumed to reside in the APB core. Incorporation of light elements in the APB core does not yield significantly different redox states for APB core-mantle differentiation. The inferred redox state is in excellent agreement with independent fO2 estimates recorded by pyroxene and olivine in angrites.

TiO{sub 2} on magnesium silicate monolith: effects of different preparation techniques on the photocatalytic oxidation of chlorinated hydrocarbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardona, Ana I.; Candal, Roberto; Sanchez, Benigno; Avila, Pedro; Rebollar, Moises

2004-05-01

In this article, the comparative results of the photocatalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene (TCE) alone and a mixture of chlorinated hydrocarbons (trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and chloroform) in gas phase, obtained with three different monolithic catalysts in a flat reactor frontally illuminated with a Xenon lamp are presented. The three catalysts incorporate titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) as active phase on a magnesium silicate support, by means of different procedures: (i) incorporation of commercial TiO{sub 2} powder into the silicate matrix ('massic monolith'); (ii) sol-gel coating of the silicate support; (iii) impregnation with a commercial TiO{sub 2} aqueous suspension of the same silicate support. In the first case, the massic monolith was made from a 50:50 w/w mixture of magnesium silicate and 'Titafrance G5' TiO{sub 2} powder. In the second case, a magnesium silicate monolith was coated with several layers of an aqueous TiO{sub 2} sol prepared from hydrolysis and condensation of titanium tetra-isopropoxide (Ti(OC{sub 3}H{sub 7}){sub 4}) in excess of acidified water (acid catalysis). The third catalyst was prepared by impregnating the same silicate support with several layers of 'Titafrance G5' TiO{sub 2} powder water suspension. All the catalysts were thermal treated under comparable conditions in order to fix the TiO{sub 2} active phase to the silicate support. Although the performance of the massic monolith was better than the sol-gel monolith, the latter is of great interest because this technique allows the chemical composition of the active films to be easily modified.

Vibrational investigation of calcium-silicate cements for endodontics in simulated body fluids

Science.gov (United States)

Taddei, Paola; Modena, Enrico; Tinti, Anna; Siboni, Francesco; Prati, Carlo; Gandolfi, Maria Giovanna

2011-05-01

Calcium-silicate MTA (Mineral Trioxide Aggregate) cements have been recently developed for oral and endodontic surgery. This study was aimed at investigating commercial (White ProRoot MTA, White and Grey MTA-Angelus) and experimental (wTC-Bi) accelerated calcium-silicate cements with regards to composition, hydration products and bioactivity upon incubation for 1-28 days at 37 °C, in Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffered Saline (DPBS). Deposits on the surface of the cements and the composition changes during incubation were investigated by micro-Raman and ATR/FT-IR spectroscopy, and pH measurements. Vibrational techniques disclosed significant differences in composition among the unhydrated cements, which significantly affected the bioactivity as well as pH, and hydration products of the cements. After one day in DPBS, all the cements were covered by a more or less homogeneous layer of B-type carbonated apatite. The experimental cement maintained a high bioactivity, only slightly lower than the other cements and appears a valid alternative to commercial cements, in view of its adequate setting time properties. The bioactivity represents an essential property to favour bone healing and makes the calcium-silicate cements the gold standard materials for root-apical endodontic surgery.

PHYSIOLOGICAL MATURATION IN SEEDS OF SWEET SOGHUM FOR FOLIAR FERTILISATION WITH SILICATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BRUNO FRANÇA DA TRINDADE LESSA

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate physiological quality in seeds of sweet sorghum grown under semi-arid conditions, and to determine the age of physiological maturity of the seeds as a function of the foliar application of potassium silicate. The experiment was carried out at the Curu Valley Experimental Farm, in Pentecoste in the state of Ceará, during the rainy seasons of 2014 and 2015. The BRS 506 and BRS 511 varieties were used, under foliar fertilisation with potassium silicate at doses of 500, 1000 and 1500 mL.ha -1, in addition to the control lots (with no application; harvesting was at four periods, 30, 37, 44 and 51 days after full bloom (DAB. The percentage and speed of germination were evaluated, together with the accelerated ageing test and seedling growth. The seeds presented greater than 90% germination from 37 DAB, reaching high seedling vigour at 51 DAB. Foliar fertilisation with potassium silicate under the conditions of the experiment resulted in an increase in the physiological quality of the seeds. The BRS 506 and BRS 511 cultivars displayed the highest physiological quality between 49 and 53 DAF.

Characterization and nutrient release from silicate rocks and influence on chemical changes in soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas Ramos Guelfi Silva

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The expansion of Brazilian agriculture has led to a heavy dependence on imported fertilizers to ensure the supply of the growing food demand. This fact has contributed to a growing interest in alternative nutrient sources, such as ground silicate rocks. It is necessary, however, to know the potential of nutrient release and changes these materials can cause in soils. The purpose of this study was to characterize six silicate rocks and evaluate their effects on the chemical properties of treated soil, assessed by chemical extractants after greenhouse incubation. The experimental design consisted of completely randomized plots, in a 3 x 6 factorial scheme, with four replications. The factors were potassium levels (0-control: without silicate rock application; 200; 400; 600 kg ha-1 of K2O, supplied as six silicate rock types (breccia, biotite schist, ultramafic rock, phlogopite schist and two types of mining waste. The chemical, physical and mineralogical properties of the alternative rock fertilizers were characterized. Treatments were applied to a dystrophic Red-Yellow Oxisol (Ferralsol, which was incubated for 100 days, at 70 % (w/w moisture in 3.7 kg/pots. The soil was evaluated for pH; calcium and magnesium were extracted with KCl 1 mol L-1; potassium, phosphorus and sodium by Mehlich 1; nickel, copper and zinc with DTPA; and the saturation of the cation exchange capacity was calculated for aluminum, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, and overall base saturation. The alternative fertilizers affected soil chemical properties. Ultramafic rock and Chapada mining byproduct (CMB were the silicate rocks that most influenced soil pH, while the mining byproduct (MB led to high K levels. Zinc availability was highest in the treatments with mining byproduct and Cu in soil fertilized with Chapada and mining byproduct.

Role of organically modified layered silicate both as an active interfacial modifier and nanofiller for immiscible polymer blends.

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ray, SS

2007-05-01

Full Text Available ) revealed efficient mixing of the polymers in the presence of organically modified layered silicate. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observations showed that silicate layers were either intercalated or exfoliated...

Rapid screening of nuclear grade zirconium silicate without separation of hafnium from the bulk matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkatesh, Manisha; Sharma, P.K.; Avhad, D.K.; Basu, H.; Singhal, R.K.; Reddy, A.V.R.

2014-01-01

Zirconium silicate, also zirconium orthosilicate, (ZrSiO 4 ) is a chemical compound, and occurs in nature as zircon, a silicate mineral. The concentration of Hafnium in nuclear grade Zirconium must be less than 0.2% w/w of Zr. In view of this it must be accurately chemically characterized before issuing a certification for export under non nuclear category. As the chemistry of Zr and Hf is similar, it is difficult to separate Hf by direct wet chemical method. During this work, concentration of Hf in zirconium silicate was measured by Field Portable X-ray Fluorescence (FPXRF) and results obtained were validated by using detailed chemical method. FPXRF spectrometry has become a common analytical technique for on-site screening and fast turnaround analysis of contaminant elements in environmental samples

NMR study of hydrated calcium silicates; Etude par RMN de la structure des silicates de calcium hydrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klur, I

1996-02-26

Radioactive wastes storage methods are developed by the CEA. As cements are important materials as well for hours living radioisotopes than for years living radioisotopes, a better knowledge of this material will allow to anticipate its behaviour and to obtain safer storage methods. The structure of calcium silicates (C-S-H) (main constituent of cements) have then been determined in this thesis by nuclear magnetic resonance. This method has allow to explain in structural terms, the different calcium rates that can be measured in the C-S-H too. (O.M.) 101 refs.

Alignment of CEBAF cryomodules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, W.J.; Bisognano, J.J.; Fischer, J.

1993-06-01

CEBAF, the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility, when completed, will house a 4 GeV recirculating accelerator. Each of the accelerator's two linacs contains 160 superconducting radio frequency (SRF) 1497 MHz niobium cavities in 20 cryomodules. Alignments of the cavities within the cryomodule with respect to beam axis is critical to achieving the optimum accelerator performance. This paper discusses the rationale for the current specification on cavity mechanical alignment: 2 mrad (rms) applied to the 0.5 m active length cavities. We describe the tooling that was developed to achieve the tolerance at the time of cavity pair assembly, to preserve and integrate alignment during cryomodule assembly, and to translate alignment to appropriate installation in the beam line

Evolution of permeability in siliceous rocks induced by mineral dissolution and precipitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasuhara, Hideaki; Kinoshita, Naoki; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Nakashima, Shinichiro; Kishida, Kiyoshi

2007-01-01

A conceptual model is presented to follow the evolution of permeability in siliceous rocks mediated by pressure solution. Specifically, the main minerals of siliceous rocks that are quartz, cristobalite, and amorphous silica, are focused to examine differences of the permeability evolutions among them at effective pressures of 1, 5, and 10 MPa, and temperatures of 20 and 90degC. The rates and magnitudes of permeability reduction increase with increases of the pressures and temperatures applied. Ultimate permeabilities reduced by the order of 90 % at the completion of dissolution-mediated compaction at 10 MPa and 90degC. Precipitation may augment more degradation of flow transport in time. (author)

Composite nanoparticles: A new way to siliceous materials and a model of biosilica synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Annenkov, Vadim V.; Pal'shin, Viktor A.; Verkhozina, Olga N.; Larina, Lyudmila I.; Danilovtseva, Elena N.

2015-01-01

A new polyampholyte based on poly (acrylic acid) which bears pendant polyamine oligomeric chains (average number of the nitrogen atoms is 11.2) is obtained. This polymer is a model of silaffins – proteins playing important role in formation of siliceous structures in diatom algae and sponges. The polymer catalyses condensation of silicic acid. The obtained solutions contain oligosilicates coordinated with the polymer chains. The action of 50,000 g gravity on this solution results in concentrating-induced condensation of the pre-condensed siliceous oligomers. The obtained solid silica contains 4% admixture of the organic polymer which is close to the silica from diatom frustules. These results confirm the hypothesis about formation of biosilica under the action of desiccation agent, e.g. aquaporins. The formation of solid substances during centrifugation of solutions containing soluble oligomers is a new promising approach to inorganic and composite materials which allows to work in aqueous medium and to reuse the organic polymer. - Highlights: • A polyampholyte with pendant polyamine chains is obtained. • The polymer catalyses condensation of silicic acid giving stable solutions. • Gravity-induced (50,000 g) formation of solid silica was observed in these solutions. • The obtained silica is close to biosilica from diatom frustules. • A new approach to inorganic and composite materials is proposed.

Composite nanoparticles: A new way to siliceous materials and a model of biosilica synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Annenkov, Vadim V., E-mail: annenkov@lin.irk.ru [Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033 (Russian Federation); Pal' shin, Viktor A.; Verkhozina, Olga N. [Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033 (Russian Federation); Larina, Lyudmila I. [A. E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033 (Russian Federation); Danilovtseva, Elena N. [Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033 (Russian Federation)

2015-09-01

A new polyampholyte based on poly (acrylic acid) which bears pendant polyamine oligomeric chains (average number of the nitrogen atoms is 11.2) is obtained. This polymer is a model of silaffins – proteins playing important role in formation of siliceous structures in diatom algae and sponges. The polymer catalyses condensation of silicic acid. The obtained solutions contain oligosilicates coordinated with the polymer chains. The action of 50,000 g gravity on this solution results in concentrating-induced condensation of the pre-condensed siliceous oligomers. The obtained solid silica contains 4% admixture of the organic polymer which is close to the silica from diatom frustules. These results confirm the hypothesis about formation of biosilica under the action of desiccation agent, e.g. aquaporins. The formation of solid substances during centrifugation of solutions containing soluble oligomers is a new promising approach to inorganic and composite materials which allows to work in aqueous medium and to reuse the organic polymer. - Highlights: • A polyampholyte with pendant polyamine chains is obtained. • The polymer catalyses condensation of silicic acid giving stable solutions. • Gravity-induced (50,000 g) formation of solid silica was observed in these solutions. • The obtained silica is close to biosilica from diatom frustules. • A new approach to inorganic and composite materials is proposed.

Physician-Hospital Alignment in Orthopedic Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Bushnell, Brandon D

2015-09-01

The concept of "alignment" between physicians and hospitals is a popular buzzword in the age of health care reform. Despite their often tumultuous histories, physicians and hospitals find themselves under increasing pressures to work together toward common goals. However, effective alignment is more than just simple cooperation between parties. The process of achieving alignment does not have simple, universal steps. Alignment will differ based on individual situational factors and the type of specialty involved. Ultimately, however, there are principles that underlie the concept of alignment and should be a part of any physician-hospital alignment efforts. In orthopedic surgery, alignment involves the clinical, administrative, financial, and even personal aspects of a surgeon's practice. It must be based on the principles of financial interest, clinical authority, administrative participation, transparency, focus on the patient, and mutual necessity. Alignment can take on various forms as well, with popular models consisting of shared governance and comanagement, gainsharing, bundled payments, accountable care organizations, and other methods. As regulatory and financial pressures continue to motivate physicians and hospitals to develop alignment relationships, new and innovative methods of alignment will also appear. Existing models will mature and evolve, with individual variability based on local factors. However, certain trends seem to be appearing as time progresses and alignment relationships deepen, including regional and national collaboration, population management, and changes in the legal system. This article explores the history, principles, and specific methods of physician-hospital alignment and its critical importance for the future of health care delivery. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Fibrillar organization in tendons: A pattern revealed by percolation characteristics of the respective geometric network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Andres Dos Santos

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Since the tendon is composed by collagen fibrils of various sizes connected between them through molecular cross-links, it sounds logical to model it via a heterogeneous network of fibrils. Using cross sectional images, that network is operatively inferred from the respective Gabriel graph of the fibril mass centers. We focus on network percolation characteristics under an ordered activation of fibrils (progressive recruitment going from the smallest to the largest fibril. Analyses of percolation were carried out on a repository of images of digital flexor tendons obtained from samples of lizards and frogs. Observed percolation thresholds were compared against values derived from hypothetical scenarios of random activation of nodes. Strikingly, we found a significant delay for the occurrence of percolation in actual data. We interpret this finding as the consequence of some non-random packing of fibrillar units into a size-constrained geometric pattern. We erect an ideal geometric model of balanced interspersion of polymorphic units that accounts for the delayed percolating instance. We also address the circumstance of being percolation curves mirrored by the empirical curves of stress-strain obtained from the same studied tendons. By virtue of this isomorphism, we hypothesize that the inflection points of both curves are different quantitative manifestations of a common transitional process during mechanical load transference.

The CMS Silicon Tracker Alignment

CERN Document Server

Castello, R

2008-01-01

The alignment of the Strip and Pixel Tracker of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment, with its large number of independent silicon sensors and its excellent spatial resolution, is a complex and challenging task. Besides high precision mounting, survey measurements and the Laser Alignment System, track-based alignment is needed to reach the envisaged precision.\\\\ Three different algorithms for track-based alignment were successfully tested on a sample of cosmic-ray data collected at the Tracker Integration Facility, where 15\\% of the Tracker was tested. These results, together with those coming from the CMS global run, will provide the basis for the full-scale alignment of the Tracker, which will be carried out with the first \\emph{p-p} collisions.

Formation mechanisms of colloidal silica via sodium silicate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, M.-S.; Huang, P.Y.; Yang, C.-H.

2006-01-01

Colloidal silica is formed by titrating active silicic acid into a heated KOH with seed solution. The colloidal silica formation mechanisms are investigated by sampling the heated solution during titration. In the initial stage, the added seeds were dissolved. This might due to the dilution of seed concentration, the addition of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and the heating at 100 deg. C. Homogenous nucleation and surface growth occur simultaneously in the second stage of colloidal silica formation. Homogenous nucleation is more important when the seed concentration is relatively low. On the other hand, surface growth plays an important role when the seed concentration is increased. In the middle seed concentration, the seed particles grow up and some new small particles are born by the homogenous nucleation process to form a bimodal size distribution product. As the titrating volume of active silicic acid exceeds a specific value in the last stage the particle size increases rapidly and the particle number decreases, which may be caused by the aggregation of particles. The intervals between each stage were varied with the seed concentration. Increasing the seed concentration led to the formation of uniform particle size colloidal silica

Spectroscopic study of silicate glass structure. Application to the case of iron and magnesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossano, Stephanie

2008-01-01

During the last 10 years, I focused my research topics on silicate glass structure. More specifically I have been interested by two main components of natural and technological silicate glasses, Fe and Mg. Using solid state spectroscopic methods adapted to the disordered nature of glass coupled to molecular dynamics simulation and modeling or ab initio calculation, I have studied the environment of iron and magnesium and their impact on glass properties. Information on the distribution of environments in glasses have been extracted. (author)

Geochemistry of dissolved and suspended loads of the Seine River, France: anthropogenic impact, carbonate and silicate weathering

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, S.; Gaillardet, J.; Allègre, C. J.

1999-05-01

This study focuses on the chemistry of the Seine river system, one of the major rivers in Europe, and constitutes the first geochemical investigation of both suspended and dissolved loads of this river. The Seine river drains a typical Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary basin: the Paris basin, constituted of limestones mixed or interbedded with terrigenous sediments derived from the paleoreliefs bordering the Mesozoic and Cenozoic seas. In the context of quantifying the global influence of carbonate and silicate weathering on atmospheric CO 2 consumption, the Seine river offers the possibility of examining weathering rates in a flat sedimentary environment, under temperate climatic conditions. One of the major problems associated with the Seine river, as with many temperate rivers, is pollution. We propose, in this paper, 2 approaches in order to correct the dissolved load of the Seine river for anthropogenic inputs and to calculate weathering rates of carbonates and silicates. The first uses the dissolved load of rivers and tries to allocate the different solutes to different sources. A mixing model, based on elemental ratios, is established and solved by an inversion technique. The second approach consists in using the suspended load geochemistry. Under steady state conditions, we show that the geochemistry of suspended sediments makes it possible to estimate the amount of solutes released during the chemical weathering of silicates, and thus to calculate weathering rates of silicates. The total dissolved load of the Seine river at Paris can be decomposed into 2% of solutes derived from natural atmospheric sources, 7% derived from anthropogenic atmospheric sources, 6% derived from agriculture, 3% derived from communal inputs, and 82% of solutes derived from rock weathering. During high floods, the contribution of atmospheric and agriculture inputs predominates. The weathering rate of carbonates is estimated to be 48 t/km 2/yr (25 mm/1000 yr). Only 10% of carbonates

Unified Alignment of Protein-Protein Interaction Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Malod-Dognin, Noël; Ban, Kristina; Pržulj, Nataša

2017-04-19

Paralleling the increasing availability of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network data, several network alignment methods have been proposed. Network alignments have been used to uncover functionally conserved network parts and to transfer annotations. However, due to the computational intractability of the network alignment problem, aligners are heuristics providing divergent solutions and no consensus exists on a gold standard, or which scoring scheme should be used to evaluate them. We comprehensively evaluate the alignment scoring schemes and global network aligners on large scale PPI data and observe that three methods, HUBALIGN, L-GRAAL and NATALIE, regularly produce the most topologically and biologically coherent alignments. We study the collective behaviour of network aligners and observe that PPI networks are almost entirely aligned with a handful of aligners that we unify into a new tool, Ulign. Ulign enables complete alignment of two networks, which traditional global and local aligners fail to do. Also, multiple mappings of Ulign define biologically relevant soft clusterings of proteins in PPI networks, which may be used for refining the transfer of annotations across networks. Hence, PPI networks are already well investigated by current aligners, so to gain additional biological insights, a paradigm shift is needed. We propose such a shift come from aligning all available data types collectively rather than any particular data type in isolation from others.

Bismuth silicate glass containing heavy metal oxide as a promising radiation shielding material

Science.gov (United States)

Elalaily, Nagia A.; Abou-Hussien, Eman M.; Saad, Ebtisam A.

2016-12-01

Optical and FTIR spectroscopic measurements and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) properties have been utilized to investigate and characterize the given compositions of binary bismuth silicate glasses. In this work, it is aimed to study the possibility of using the prepared bismuth silicate glasses as a good shielding material for γ-rays in which adding bismuth oxide to silicate glasses causes distinguish increase in its density by an order of magnitude ranging from one to two more than mono divalent oxides. The good thermal stability and high density of the bismuth-based silicate glass encourage many studies to be undertaken to understand its radiation shielding efficiency. For this purpose a glass containing 20% bismuth oxide and 80% SiO2 was prepared using the melting-annealing technique. In addition the effects of adding some alkali heavy metal oxides to this glass, such as PbO, BaO or SrO, were also studied. EPR measurements show that the prepared glasses have good stability when exposed to γ-irradiation. The changes in the FTIR spectra due to the presence of metal oxides were referred to the different housing positions and physical properties of the respective divalent Sr2+, Ba2+ and Pb2+ ions. Calculations of optical band gap energies were presented for some selected glasses from the UV data to support the probability of using these glasses as a gamma radiation shielding material. The results showed stability of both optical and magnetic spectra of the studied glasses toward gamma irradiation, which validates their irradiation shielding behavior and suitability as the radiation shielding candidate materials.

Precision alignment device

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, N.E.

1988-03-10

Apparatus for providing automatic alignment of beam devices having an associated structure for directing, collimating, focusing, reflecting, or otherwise modifying the main beam. A reference laser is attached to the structure enclosing the main beam producing apparatus and produces a reference beam substantially parallel to the main beam. Detector modules containing optical switching devices and optical detectors are positioned in the path of the reference beam and are effective to produce an electrical output indicative of the alignment of the main beam. This electrical output drives servomotor operated adjustment screws to adjust the position of elements of the structure associated with the main beam to maintain alignment of the main beam. 5 figs.

Conduction mechanism in bismuth silicate glasses containing titanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dult, Meenakshi; Kundu, R.S.; Murugavel, S.; Punia, R.; Kishore, N.

2014-01-01

Bismuth silicate glasses mixed with different concentrations of titanium dioxide having compositions xTiO 2 –(60−x)Bi 2 O 3 –40SiO 2 with x=0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 were prepared by the normal melt quench technique. The frequency dependence of the ac electrical conductivity of different compositions of titanium bismuth silicate glasses has been studied in the frequency range 10 −1 Hz to 10 MHz and in the temperature range 623–703 K. The temperature and frequency dependent conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's universal power law for all the compositions of titanium bismuth silicate glass system. The dc conductivity (σ dc ), so called crossover frequency (ω H ), and frequency exponent (s) have been estimated from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with Jonscher's universal power law. Enthalpy to dissociate the cation from its original site next to a charge compensating center (H f ) and enthalpy of migration (H m ) have also been estimated. The conductivity data have been analyzed in terms of different theoretical models to determine the possible conduction mechanism. Analysis of the conductivity data and the frequency exponent shows that the correlated barrier hopping of electrons between Ti 3+ and Ti 4+ ions in the glasses is the most favorable mechanism for ac conduction. The temperature dependent dc conductivity has been analyzed in the framework of theoretical variable range hopping model (VRH) proposed by Mott which describe the hopping conduction in disordered semiconducting systems. The various polaron hopping parameters have also been deduced. Mott's VRH model is found to be in good agreement with experimental data and the values of inverse localization length of s-like wave function (α) obtained by this model with modifications suggested by Punia et al. are close to the ones reported for a number of oxide glasses

Development of alumino-silicate refractories in Ghana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kisiedu, A. K.; Tetteh, D.M.B.; Obiri, H. A.; Brenya, E. F.; Ayensu, A.

2008-01-01

Alumino-silicate (bauxite), andalusite, kaolin and clay were investigated for suitability in production of alumina, mullite and fireclay brick refractories. The raw materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal and silicate analyses. The x-ray diffraction analysis of alumina and mullite refractories fired at 1450 0 C, and fireclay bricks fired at 1350 0 C, indicated presence of corundum and alpha-alumina crystals. The values of thermal (fired) shrinkage, crushing, strength, porosity, water absorption and bulk density determined were 31.1%, 2.3 x 10 3 kg/m 3 , 4.86 x 10 6 N/m 2 and 13.2 % for mullite; 30.2%, 2.4 x 10 3 kg/m 3 , 3.20 x 10 6 N/m 2 and W = 12.8 % for alumina; and 25.2 %, 2.1 x 10 3 kg/m 3 , 2.61 x 10 6 N/m 2 and W = 11.8% for fireclay, respectively. Bauxite, andalusite and special kaolin were identified as potential raw materials for developing alumina and mullite refractories for construction of high temperature kilns and furnaces operating at 1350 0 C. The clay and kaolin minerals could be used to produce fireclay refractories for construction of incinerators operating at maximum temperatures of about 1000 0 C. The performance of the refractories was demonstrated by producing bricks to construct kilns and incinerators for the ceramic industry and hospitals. (au)

Curricular Alignment: A Re-examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Lorin W.

2002-01-01

Examines key differences among content coverage, opportunity to learn, and curriculum alignment, suggesting that the revised Taxonomy provides a framework for analyzing curriculum alignment and illustrating how the Taxonomy Table can be used to estimate curriculum alignment. The paper notes that the revised Taxonomy enables educators to probe…

Derivation of intermediate to silicic magma from the basalt analyzed at the Vega 2 landing site, Venus.

Science.gov (United States)

Shellnutt, J Gregory

2018-01-01

Geochemical modeling using the basalt composition analyzed at the Vega 2 landing site indicates that intermediate to silicic liquids can be generated by fractional crystallization and equilibrium partial melting. Fractional crystallization modeling using variable pressures (0.01 GPa to 0.5 GPa) and relative oxidation states (FMQ 0 and FMQ -1) of either a wet (H2O = 0.5 wt%) or dry (H2O = 0 wt%) parental magma can yield silicic (SiO2 > 60 wt%) compositions that are similar to terrestrial ferroan rhyolite. Hydrous (H2O = 0.5 wt%) partial melting can yield intermediate (trachyandesite to andesite) to silicic (trachydacite) compositions at all pressures but requires relatively high temperatures (≥ 950°C) to generate the initial melt at intermediate to low pressure whereas at high pressure (0.5 GPa) the first melts will be generated at much lower temperatures (< 800°C). Anhydrous partial melt modeling yielded mafic (basaltic andesite) and alkaline compositions (trachybasalt) but the temperature required to produce the first liquid is very high (≥ 1130°C). Consequently, anhydrous partial melting is an unlikely process to generate derivative liquids. The modeling results indicate that, under certain conditions, the Vega 2 composition can generate silicic liquids that produce granitic and rhyolitic rocks. The implication is that silicic igneous rocks may form a small but important component of the northeast Aphrodite Terra.

Low-voltage bendable pentacene thin-film transistor with stainless steel substrate and polystyrene-coated hafnium silicate dielectric.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Dong-Jin; Lee, Seunghyup; Yong, Kijung; Rhee, Shi-Woo

2012-04-01

The hafnium silicate and aluminum oxide high-k dielectrics were deposited on stainless steel substrate using atomic layer deposition process and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and polystyrene (PS) were treated improve crystallinity of pentacene grown on them. Besides, the effects of the pentacene deposition condition on the morphologies, crystallinities and electrical properties of pentacene were characterized. Therefore, the surface treatment condition on dielectric and pentacene deposition conditions were optimized. The pentacene grown on polystyrene coated high-k dielectric at low deposition rate and temperature (0.2-0.3 Å/s and R.T.) showed the largest grain size (0.8-1.0 μm) and highest crystallinity among pentacenes deposited various deposition conditions, and the pentacene TFT with polystyrene coated high-k dielectric showed excellent device-performance. To decrease threshold voltage of pentacene TFT, the polystyrene-thickness on high-k dielectric was controlled using different concentration of polystyrene solution. As the polystyrene-thickness on hafnium silicate decreases, the dielectric constant of polystyrene/hafnium silicate increases, while the crystallinity of pentacene grown on polystyrene/hafnium silicate did not change. Using low-thickness polystyrene coated hafnium silicate dielectric, the high-performance and low voltage operating (pentacene thin film transistor (μ: ~2 cm(2)/(V s), on/off ratio, >1 × 10(4)) and complementary inverter (DC gains, ~20) could be fabricated.

Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of calcium silicate-based cements on an osteoblast lineage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Lívia GOMES-CORNÉLIO

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Several calcium silicate-based biomaterials have been developed in recent years, in addition to Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and apoptosis/necrosis in human osteoblast cells (SAOS-2 of pure calcium silicate-based cements (CSC and modified formulations: modified calcium silicate-based cements (CSCM and three resin-based calcium silicate cements (CSCR1 (CSCR 2 (CSCR3. The following tests were performed after 24 hours of cement extract exposure: methyl-thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT, apoptosis/necrosis assay and comet assay. The negative control (CT- was performed with untreated cells, and the positive control (CT+ used hydrogen peroxide. The data for MTT and apoptosis were submitted to analysis of variance and Bonferroni’s posttest (p < 0.05, and the data for the comet assay analysis, to the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests (p < 0.05. The MTT test showed no significant difference among the materials in 2 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL concentrations. CSCR3 showed lower cell viability at 10 mg/mL. Only CSC showed lower cell viability at 50 mg/mL. CSCR1, CSCR2 and CSCR3 showed a higher percentage of initial apoptosis than the control in the apoptosis test, after 24 hours exposure. The same cements showed no genotoxicity in the concentration of 2 mg/mL, with the comet assay. CSC and CSCR2 were also not genotoxic at 10 mg/mL. All experimental materials showed viability with MTT. CSC and CSCR2 presented a better response to apoptosis and genotoxicity evaluation in the 10 mg/mL concentration, and demonstrated a considerable potential for use as reparative materials.

Molecular crowding of collagen: a pathway to produce highly-organized collagenous structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Saeidi, Nima; Karmelek, Kathryn P; Paten, Jeffrey A; Zareian, Ramin; DiMasi, Elaine; Ruberti, Jeffrey W

2012-10-01

Collagen in vertebrate animals is often arranged in alternating lamellae or in bundles of aligned fibrils which are designed to withstand in vivo mechanical loads. The formation of these organized structures is thought to result from a complex, large-area integration of individual cell motion and locally-controlled synthesis of fibrillar arrays via cell-surface fibripositors (direct matrix printing). The difficulty of reproducing such a process in vitro has prevented tissue engineers from constructing clinically useful load-bearing connective tissue directly from collagen. However, we and others have taken the view that long-range organizational information is potentially encoded into the structure of the collagen molecule itself, allowing the control of fibril organization to extend far from cell (or bounding) surfaces. We here demonstrate a simple, fast, cell-free method capable of producing highly-organized, anistropic collagen fibrillar lamellae de novo which persist over relatively long-distances (tens to hundreds of microns). Our approach to nanoscale organizational control takes advantage of the intrinsic physiochemical properties of collagen molecules by inducing collagen association through molecular crowding and geometric confinement. To mimic biological tissues which comprise planar, aligned collagen lamellae (e.g. cornea, lamellar bone or annulus fibrosus), type I collagen was confined to a thin, planar geometry, concentrated through molecular crowding and polymerized. The resulting fibrillar lamellae show a striking resemblance to native load-bearing lamellae in that the fibrils are small, generally aligned in the plane of the confining space and change direction en masse throughout the thickness of the construct. The process of organizational control is consistent with embryonic development where the bounded planar cell sheets produced by fibroblasts suggest a similar confinement/concentration strategy. Such a simple approach to nanoscale

Application of siliceous metal product for preliminary deoxidizing of metal in open-hearth furnaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luk'yanenko, A.A.; Evdokimov, A.V.; Kornilov, V.N.; Il'in, V.I.; Kuleshov, Yu.V.

1995-01-01

Metal wastes of abrasive processes-concomitant product of synthetic corundum production containing approximately 10 % Si - were tested for preliminary deoxidizing of metal in furnace to reduce manganese loss in burning and to increase the steel deoxidizing. The technology of preliminary deoxidizing of metal by siliceous metal product was mastered in the course of low carbon steel melting (st3sp, st4sp). The results of the study has shown that the use of siliceous metal product permits reducing the consumption of manganese-containing ferroalloys. 1 tab

libgapmis: extending short-read alignments.

Science.gov (United States)

Alachiotis, Nikolaos; Berger, Simon; Flouri, Tomáš; Pissis, Solon P; Stamatakis, Alexandros

2013-01-01

A wide variety of short-read alignment programmes have been published recently to tackle the problem of mapping millions of short reads to a reference genome, focusing on different aspects of the procedure such as time and memory efficiency, sensitivity, and accuracy. These tools allow for a small number of mismatches in the alignment; however, their ability to allow for gaps varies greatly, with many performing poorly or not allowing them at all. The seed-and-extend strategy is applied in most short-read alignment programmes. After aligning a substring of the reference sequence against the high-quality prefix of a short read--the seed--an important problem is to find the best possible alignment between a substring of the reference sequence succeeding and the remaining suffix of low quality of the read--extend. The fact that the reads are rather short and that the gap occurrence frequency observed in various studies is rather low suggest that aligning (parts of) those reads with a single gap is in fact desirable. In this article, we present libgapmis, a library for extending pairwise short-read alignments. Apart from the standard CPU version, it includes ultrafast SSE- and GPU-based implementations. libgapmis is based on an algorithm computing a modified version of the traditional dynamic-programming matrix for sequence alignment. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the functions of the CPU version provided in this library accelerate the computations by a factor of 20 compared to other programmes. The analogous SSE- and GPU-based implementations accelerate the computations by a factor of 6 and 11, respectively, compared to the CPU version. The library also provides the user the flexibility to split the read into fragments, based on the observed gap occurrence frequency and the length of the read, thereby allowing for a variable, but bounded, number of gaps in the alignment. We present libgapmis, a library for extending pairwise short-read alignments. We

Alignment performance monitoring for ASML systems

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Woong-Jae; Temchenko, Vlad; Hauck, Tarja; Schmidt, Sebastian

2006-03-01

In today's semiconductor industry downscaling of the IC design puts a stringent requirement on pattern overlay control. Tighter overlay requirements lead to exceedingly higher rework rates, meaning additional costs to manufacturing. Better alignment control became a target of engineering efforts to decrease rework rate for high-end technologies. Overlay performance is influenced by known parameters such as "Shift, Scaling, Rotation, etc", and unknown parameters defined as "Process Induced Variation", which are difficult to control by means of a process automation system. In reality, this process-induced variation leads to a strong wafer to wafer, or lot to lot variation, which are not easy to detect in the mass-production environment which uses sampling overlay measurements for only several wafers in a lot. An engineering task of finding and correcting a root cause for Process Induced Variations of overlay performance will be greatly simplified if the unknown parameters could be tracked for each wafer. This paper introduces an alignment performance monitoring method based on analysis of automatically generated "AWE" files for ASML scanner systems. Because "AWE" files include alignment results for each aligned wafer, it is possible to use them for monitoring, controlling and correcting the causes of "process induced" overlay performance without requiring extra measurement time. Since "AWE" files include alignment information for different alignment marks, it is also possible to select and optimize the best alignment recipe for each alignment strategy. Several case studies provided in our paper will demonstrate how AWE file analysis can be used to assist engineer in interpreting pattern alignment data. Since implementing our alignment data monitoring method, we were able to achieve significant improvement of alignment and overlay performance without additional overlay measurement time. We also noticed that the rework rate coming from alignment went down and

Geodetic alignment of laser power installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shtorm, V.V.; Gostev, A.M.; Drobikov, A.V.

1989-01-01

Main problems occuring in applied geodesy under initial alignment of laser power installation optical channel are considered. Attention is paid to alignment of lens beamguide telescopic pairs and alignment quality control. Methods and means of geodetic measurements under alignment are indicated. Conclusions are made about the degree of working through certain aspects of the problem

Silicate species of water glass and insights for alkali-activated green cement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jansson, Helén, E-mail: helen.jansson@chalmers.se [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden); Bernin, Diana, E-mail: diana.bernin@nmr.gu.se [Swedish NMR Centre, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, 41390 Sweden (Sweden); Ramser, Kerstin, E-mail: kerstin.ramser@ltu.se [Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå (Sweden)

2015-06-15

Despite that sodium silicate solutions of high pH are commonly used in industrial applications, most investigations are focused on low to medium values of pH. Therefore we have investigated such solutions in a broad modulus range and up to high pH values (∼14) by use of infrared (IR) spectroscopy and silicon nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 29}Si-NMR). The results show that the modulus dependent pH value leads to more or less charged species, which affects the configurations of the silicate units. This in turn, influences the alkali-activation process of low CO{sub 2} footprint cements, i.e. materials based on industrial waste or by-products.

A study of redox kinetic in silicate melt; Etude cinetique des reactions d'oxydoreduction dans les silicates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magnien, V

2005-12-15

The aim of this thesis is to understand better iron redox reactions and mechanisms in silicate glasses and melts. Particular interest has been paid to the influence of temperature and chemical composition. For this purpose, the influence of alkali element content, iron content and network formers on the kinetics of redox reactions has been determined through XANES and Raman spectroscopy experiments performed either near the glass transition or above the liquidus temperature. As a complement, electrical conductivity and RBS spectroscopy experiments have been made to characterize the diffusivity of the species that transport electrical charges and the reaction morphology, respectively. Temperature and composition variations can induce changes in the dominating redox mechanism. At a given temperature, the parameters that exert the strongest influence on redox mechanisms are the presence or lack of divalent cations and the existing decoupling between the mobility of network former and modifier elements. Near Tg, the diffusion of divalent cations, when present in the melt, controls the kinetics of iron redox reactions along with a flux of electron holes. Composition, through the degree of polymerization and the silicate network structure, influences the kinetics and the nature of the involved cations, but not the mechanisms of the reaction. Without alkaline earth elements, the kinetics of redox reactions are controlled by the diffusion of oxygen species. With increasing temperatures, the diffusivities of all ionic species tend to become similar. The decoupling between ionic fluxes then is reduced so that several mechanisms become kinetically equivalent and can thus coexist. (author)

Ab-initio structure determination of novel strontium-containing layered silicate AES-18 synthesized using mechanochemical reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeda, Takuji [AIST Tohoku, Sendai (Japan). Research Center for Compact Chemical System; Ideta, Chiaki; Yamamoto, Katsutoshi [Kitakyushu Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Environmental Engineering

2013-07-01

A new strontium-containing layered silicate, alkaline earth-containing silicate (AES)-18 [chemical composition: Si{sub 16}O{sub 24}(OH){sub 16} . {Sr(OH)_2}{sub 8} . (KOH){sub 2}], was synthesized utilizing a mechanochemical reaction in which an admixture of strontium hydroxide, which unfavorably precipitates in conventional syntheses, and a fumed silica (Aerosil) was allowed to react in the solid phase. The crystal structure of AES-18 was elucidated by the charge-flipping method using powder X-ray diffraction data, and the obtained structure was refined by a combination with the Rietveld method and the maximum entropy method (MEM). The structure analyses showed a tetragonal symmetry with a = 0.912738(3) nm, c = 1.628120(8) nm, and the space group P4{sub 2}/mnc. Two silicate layers composed of Q{sup 3} local structure [(-SiO){sub 3}Si-OH], 7-coordinated Sr{sup 2+} cations, and K{sup +} cations were included in a unit cell, and a Sr{sub 4}(OH){sub 17} cluster was formed between adjacent silicate layers. The framework topology of AES-18 containing 4- and 8-Si-membered rings was similar to that of paracelsian.

Laser ablation of silicate glasses doped with transuranic actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, J.K.; Haire, R.G.

1998-01-01

Direct sampling laser ablation plasma mass spectrometry (DS-LAMS) was applied to silica glasses doped with 237 Np, 242 Pu or 241 Am using a unique instrument recently installed into a transuranic glovebox. The primary goal was to assess the utility of mass spectrometry of directly ablated ions for facile evaluation of actinide (An) constituents of silicate glass immobilization matrices used for encapsulation of radionuclides. The instrument and general procedures have been described elsewhere. Three high-purity silicate glasses prepared by a sol-gel process (SG) and one conventional high-temperature (HT; melting point ∼ 1,450 C) borosilicate glass were studied. These glasses comprised the following constituents, with compositions expressed in mass percentages: Np-HT ∼ 30% SiO 2 + 6% B 2 O 3 + 3% BaO + 13% Al 2 O 3 + 10% PbO + 30% La 2 O 3 + 8% 237 NpO 2 ; Np-SG ∼ 70% SiO 2 + 30% 237 NpO 2 ; Pu-SG ∼ 70% SiO 2 + 30% 242 PuO 2 ; Am-SG ∼ 85% SiO 2 + 15% 241 AmO 2

Novel understanding of calcium silicate hydrate from dilute hydration

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Lina

2017-05-13

The perspective of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) is still confronting various debates due to its intrinsic complicated structure and properties after decades of studies. In this study, hydration at dilute suspension of w/s equaling to 10 was conducted for tricalcium silicate (C3S) to interpret long-term hydration process and investigate the formation, structure and properties of C-S-H. Based on results from XRD, IR, SEM, NMR and so forth, loose and dense clusters of C-S-H with analogous C/S ratio were obtained along with the corresponding chemical formulae proposed as Ca5Si4O13∙6.2H2O. Crystalline structure inside C-S-H was observed by TEM, which was allocated at the foil-like proportion as well as the edge of wrinkles of the product. The long-term hydration process of C3S in dilute suspension could be sketchily described as migration of calcium hydroxide and in-situ growth of C-S-H with equilibrium silicon in aqueous solution relatively constant and calcium varied.

6Li-doped silicate glass for thermal neutron shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stone, C.A.; Blackburn, D.H.; Kauffman, D.A.; Cranmer, D.C.; Olmez, I.

1994-01-01

Glass formulations are described that contain high concentrations of 6 Li and are suitable for use as thermal neutron shielding. One formulation contained 31 mol% of 6 Li 2 O and 69 mol% of SiO 2 . Studies were performed on a second formulation that contained as much as 37 mol% of 6 Li 2 O and 59 mol% of SiO 2 , with 4 mol% Al 2 O 3 added to prevent crystallization at such high 6 Li 2 O concentrations. These lithium silicate glasses can be formed into a variety of shapes using conventional glass fabrication techniques. Examples include flat plates, disks, hollow cylinders, and other more complex geometries. Both in-beam and in-core experiments have been performed to study the use and durability of Li silicate glasses. In-core experiments show the glass can withstand the intense radiation fields near the core of a reactor. The neutron attenuation of the glasses used in these studies was 90%/mm. In-beam studies show that the glass is effective for reducing the gamma-ray and neutron fields near experiments. ((orig.))

Transition metal ions in silicate melts. I. Manganese in sodium silicate melts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelson, C; White, W B

1980-01-01

Optical absorption spectra obtained on glasses quenched from sodium silicate melts show Mn/sup 3 +/ to be the dominant species for melts heated in air and Mn/sup 2 +/ to be the dominant species for melts heated at P/sub O/sub 2// = 10/sup -17/ bar. The absorption spectrum of Mn/sup 3 +/ consists of an intense band at 20,000 cm/sup -1/ with a 15,000 cm/sup -1/ satellite possibly arising from the Jahn-Teller effect. The independence of the spectrum from melt composition and the high band intensity is offered as evidence for a distinct Mn/sup 3 +/ complex in the melt. The spectrum of Mn/sup 2 +/ is weak and many expected bands are not observed. A two-band luminescence spectrum from Mn/sup 2 +/ has been tentatively interpreted as due to Mn/sup 2 +/ in interstitial sites in the network and Mn/sup 2 +/ coordiated by non-bridging oxygens.

AlignNemo: a local network alignment method to integrate homology and topology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Ciriello

Full Text Available Local network alignment is an important component of the analysis of protein-protein interaction networks that may lead to the identification of evolutionary related complexes. We present AlignNemo, a new algorithm that, given the networks of two organisms, uncovers subnetworks of proteins that relate in biological function and topology of interactions. The discovered conserved subnetworks have a general topology and need not to correspond to specific interaction patterns, so that they more closely fit the models of functional complexes proposed in the literature. The algorithm is able to handle sparse interaction data with an expansion process that at each step explores the local topology of the networks beyond the proteins directly interacting with the current solution. To assess the performance of AlignNemo, we ran a series of benchmarks using statistical measures as well as biological knowledge. Based on reference datasets of protein complexes, AlignNemo shows better performance than other methods in terms of both precision and recall. We show our solutions to be biologically sound using the concept of semantic similarity applied to Gene Ontology vocabularies. The binaries of AlignNemo and supplementary details about the algorithms and the experiments are available at: sourceforge.net/p/alignnemo.

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) study of uranium, neptunium and plutonium oxides in silicate-based glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, D.J.; Veal, B.W.; Paulikas, A.P.

1982-11-01

Using XPS as the principal investigative tool, we are in the process of examining the bonding properties of selected metal oxides added to silicate glass. In this paper, we present results of XPS studies of uranium, neptunium, and plutonium in binary and multicomponent silicate-based glasses. Models are proposed to account for the very diverse bonding properties of 6+ and 4+ actinide ions in the glasses

Identification of the man-made barium copper silicate pigments among some ancient Chinese artifacts through spectroscopic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Q H; Yang, J C; Li, L; Dong, J Q; Zhao, H X; Liu, S

2015-03-05

This article describes the complementary application of non-invasive micro-Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to the characterization of some ancient Chinese silicate artifacts. A total of 28 samples dated from fourth century BC to third century AD were analyzed. The results of chemical analysis showed that the vitreous PbO-BaO-SiO2 material was used to sinter these silicate artifacts. The barium copper silicate pigments including BaCuSi4O10, BaCuSi2O6 and BaCu2Si2O7 were widely identified from colorful areas of the samples by Raman spectroscopy. In addition, other crystalline phases such as Fe2O3, BaSi2O5, BaSO4, PbCO3 and quartz were also identified. The present study provides very valuable information to trace the technical evolution of man-made barium copper silicate pigments and their close relationship with the making of ancient PbO-BaO-SiO2 glaze and glass. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FMIT alignment cart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, R.C.; Dauelsberg, L.B.; Clark, D.C.; Grieggs, R.J.

1981-01-01

The Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) Facility alignment cart must perform several functions. It must serve as a fixture to receive the drift-tube girder assembly when it is removed from the linac tank. It must transport the girder assembly from the linac vault to the area where alignment or disassembly is to take place. It must serve as a disassembly fixture to hold the girder while individual drift tubes are removed for repair. It must align the drift tube bores in a straight line parallel to the girder, using an optical system. These functions must be performed without violating any clearances found within the building. The bore tubes of the drift tubes will be irradiated, and shielding will be included in the system for easier maintenance

Production of reactive oxygen species from abraded silicates. Implications for the reactivity of the Martian soil

Science.gov (United States)

Bak, Ebbe N.; Zafirov, Kaloyan; Merrison, Jonathan P.; Jensen, Svend J. Knak; Nørnberg, Per; Gunnlaugsson, Haraldur P.; Finster, Kai

2017-09-01

The results of the Labeled Release and the Gas Exchange experiments conducted on Mars by the Viking Landers show that compounds in the Martian soil can cause oxidation of organics and a release of oxygen in the presence of water. Several sources have been proposed for the oxidizing compounds, but none has been validated in situ and the cause of the observed oxidation has not been resolved. In this study, laboratory simulations of saltation were conducted to examine if and under which conditions wind abrasion of silicates, a process that is common on the Martian surface, can give rise to oxidants in the form of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radicals (ṡOH). We found that silicate samples abraded in simulated Martian atmospheres gave rise to a significant production of H2O2 and ṡOH upon contact with water. Our experiments demonstrated that abraded silicates could lead to a production of H2O2 facilitated by atmospheric O2 and inhibited by carbon dioxide. Furthermore, during simulated saltation the silicate particles became triboelectrically charged and at pressures similar to the Martian surface pressure we observed glow discharges. Electrical discharges can cause dissociation of CO2 and through subsequent reactions lead to a production of H2O2. These results indicate that the reactions linked to electrical discharges are the dominant source of H2O2 during saltation of silicates in a simulated Martian atmosphere, given the low pressure and the relatively high concentration of CO2. Our experiments provide evidence that wind driven abrasion could enhance the reactivity of the Martian soil and thereby could have contributed to the oxidation of organic compounds and the O2 release observed in the Labeled Release and the Gas Exchange experiments. Furthermore, the release of H2O2 and ṡOH from abraded silicates could have a negative effect on the persistence of organic compounds in the Martian soil and the habitability of the Martian surface.

Properties of zirconium silicate and zirconium-silicon oxynitride high-k dielectric alloys for advanced microelectronic applications: Chemical and electrical characterizations

Science.gov (United States)

Ju, Byongsun

2005-11-01

As the microelectronic devices are aggressively scaled down to the 1999 International Technology Roadmap, the advanced complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) is required to increase packing density of ultra-large scale integrated circuits (ULSI). High-k alternative dielectrics can provide the required levels of EOT for device scaling at larger physical thickness, thereby providing a materials pathway for reducing the tunneling current. Zr silicates and its end members (SiO2 and ZrO2) and Zr-Si oxynitride films, (ZrO2)x(Si3N 4)y(SiO2)z, have been deposited using a remote plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RPECVD) system. After deposition of Zr silicate, the films were exposed to He/N2 plasma to incorporate nitrogen atoms into the surface of films. The amount of incorporated nitrogen atoms was measured by on-line Auger electron spectrometry (AES) as a function of silicate composition and showed its local minimum around the 30% silicate. The effect of nitrogen atoms on capacitance-voltage (C-V) and leakage-voltage (J-V) were also investigated by fabricating metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors. Results suggested that incorporating nitrogen into silicate decreased the leakage current in SiO2-rich silicate, whereas the leakage increased in the middle range of silicate. Zr-Si oxynitride was a pseudo-ternary alloy and no phase separation was detected by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis up to 1100°C annealing. The leakage current of Zr-Si oxynitride films showed two different temperature dependent activation energies, 0.02 eV for low temperature and 0.3 eV for high temperature. Poole-Frenkel emission was the dominant leakage mechanism. Zr silicate alloys with no Si3N4 phase were chemically separated into the SiO2 and ZrO2 phase as annealed above 900°C. While chemical phase separation in Zr silicate films with Si 3N4 phase (Zr-Si oxynitride) were suppressed as increasing the amount of Si3N4 phase due to the narrow bonding network m Si3

Alignment method for parabolic trough solar concentrators

Science.gov (United States)

Diver, Richard B [Albuquerque, NM

2010-02-23

A Theoretical Overlay Photographic (TOP) alignment method uses the overlay of a theoretical projected image of a perfectly aligned concentrator on a photographic image of the concentrator to align the mirror facets of a parabolic trough solar concentrator. The alignment method is practical and straightforward, and inherently aligns the mirror facets to the receiver. When integrated with clinometer measurements for which gravity and mechanical drag effects have been accounted for and which are made in a manner and location consistent with the alignment method, all of the mirrors on a common drive can be aligned and optimized for any concentrator orientation.

Reduction-induced inward diffusion and crystal growth on the surfaces of iron-bearing silicate glasses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, S.J.; Tao, H.Z.; Zhang, Y.F.

2015-01-01

We investigate the sodium inward diffusion (i.e., sodium diffusion from surface toward interior) in iron containing alkaline earth silicate glasses under reducing conditions around Tg and the induced surface crystallization. The surface crystallization is caused by formation of a silicate-gel lay......+ ions have stronger bonds to oxygen and lower coordination number (4~5) than Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+ ions. In contrast, a cristobalite layer forms in Ca-, Sr- and Ba-containing glasses....

Probabilistic biological network alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Todor, Andrei; Dobra, Alin; Kahveci, Tamer

2013-01-01

Interactions between molecules are probabilistic events. An interaction may or may not happen with some probability, depending on a variety of factors such as the size, abundance, or proximity of the interacting molecules. In this paper, we consider the problem of aligning two biological networks. Unlike existing methods, we allow one of the two networks to contain probabilistic interactions. Allowing interaction probabilities makes the alignment more biologically relevant at the expense of explosive growth in the number of alternative topologies that may arise from different subsets of interactions that take place. We develop a novel method that efficiently and precisely characterizes this massive search space. We represent the topological similarity between pairs of aligned molecules (i.e., proteins) with the help of random variables and compute their expected values. We validate our method showing that, without sacrificing the running time performance, it can produce novel alignments. Our results also demonstrate that our method identifies biologically meaningful mappings under a comprehensive set of criteria used in the literature as well as the statistical coherence measure that we developed to analyze the statistical significance of the similarity of the functions of the aligned protein pairs.

Silicic acid competes for dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) immobilization by the iron hydroxide plaque mineral goethite.

Science.gov (United States)

Kersten, Michael; Daus, Birgit

2015-03-01

A surface complexation modeling approach was used to extend the knowledge about processes that affect the availability of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in the soil rhizosphere in presence of a strong sorbent, e.g., Fe plaques on rice roots. Published spectroscopic and molecular modeling information suggest for the organoarsenical agent to form bidentate-binuclear inner-sphere surface complexes with Fe hydroxides similar to the inorganic As oxyanions. However, since also the ubiquitous silicic acid oxyanion form the same bidentate binuclear surface complexes, our hypothesis was that it may have an effect on the adsorption of DMA by Fe hydroxides in soil. Our experimental batch equilibrium data show that DMA is strongly adsorbed in the acidic pH range, with a steep adsorption edge in the circumneutral pH region between the DMA acidity constant (pKa=6.3) and the point of zero charge value of the goethite adsorbent (pHpzc=8.6). A 1-pK CD-MUSIC surface complexation model was chosen to fit the experimental adsorption vs. pH data. The same was done for silicic acid batch equilibrium data with our goethite adsorbent. Both model parameters for individual DMA and silicic acid adsorption were then merged into one CD-MUSIC model to predict the binary DMA+Si adsorption behavior. Silicic acid (500 μM) was thus predicted by the model to strongly compete for DMA with up to 60% mobilization of the latter at a pH6. This model result could be verified subsequently by experimental batch equilibrium data with zero adjustable parameters. The thus quantified antagonistic relation between DMA and silicic acid is discussed as one of factors to explain the increase of the DMA proportion in rice grains as observed upon silica fertilization of rice fields. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Origin of Silicic Arc Crust - Insights from the Northern Pacific Volcanic Arcs through Space and Time

Science.gov (United States)

Straub, S. M.; Kelemen, P. B.

2016-12-01

The remarkable compositional similarities of andesitic crust at modern convergent margins and the continental crust has long evoked the hypothesis of similar origins. Key to understanding either genesis is understanding the mode of silica enrichment. Silicic crust cannot be directly extracted from the upper mantle. Hence, in modern arcs, numerous studies - observant of the pervasive and irrefutable evidence of melt mixing - proposed that arc andesites formed by mixing of mantle-derived basaltic melts and fusible silicic material from the overlying crust. Mass balance requires the amount of silicic crust in such hybrid andesites to be on the order to tens of percent, implying that their composition to be perceptibly influenced by the various crustal basements. In order to test this hypothesis, major and trace element compositions of mafic and silicic arc magmas with arc-typical low Ce/PbMexico) were combined with Pb isotope ratios. Pb isotope ratios are considered highly sensitive to crustal contamination, and hence should reflect the variable composition of the oceanic and continental basement on which these arcs are constructed. In particular, in thick-crust continental arcs where the basement is isotopically different from the mantle and crustal assimilation thought to be most prevalent, silicic magmas must be expected to be distinct from those of the associated mafic melts. However, in a given arc, the Pb isotope ratios are constant with increasing melt silica regardless of the nature of the basement. This observation argues against a melt origin of silicic melts from the crustal basement and suggest them to be controlled by the same slab flux as their co-eval mafic counterparts. This inference is validated by the spatial and temporal pattern of arc Pb isotope ratios along the Northern Pacific margins and throughout the 50 million years of Cenozoic evolution of the Izu Bonin Mariana arc/trench system that are can be related to with systematic, `real

Geotechnical properties of two siliceous cores from the central Indian Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Khadge, N.H.

Physical properties of the siliceous sediments from the Central Indian Basin are measured on two short cores. The properties such as water content, Atterberg limits, porosity specific gravity, wet density show the medium to high plastic sediment...

Hybrid vehicle motor alignment

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Michael Benjamin

2001-07-03

A rotor of an electric motor for a motor vehicle is aligned to an axis of rotation for a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. A locator is provided on the crankshaft, a piloting tool is located radially by the first locator to the crankshaft. A stator of the electric motor is aligned to a second locator provided on the piloting tool. The stator is secured to the engine block. The rotor is aligned to the crankshaft and secured thereto.

Test procedure for calibration, grooming and alignment of the LDUA Optical Alignment Scope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, J.D.

1995-01-01

The Light Duty Utility Arm (LDUA) is a remotely operated manipulator used to enter into underground waste tanks through one of the tank risers. The LDUA must be carefully aligned with the tank riser during the installation process. The Optical Alignment Scope (OAS) is used to determine when optimum alignment has been achieved between the LDUA and the riser. This procedure is used to assure that the instrumentation and equipment comprising the OAS is properly adjusted in order to achieve its intended functions successfully

STELLAR: fast and exact local alignments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weese David

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Large-scale comparison of genomic sequences requires reliable tools for the search of local alignments. Practical local aligners are in general fast, but heuristic, and hence sometimes miss significant matches. Results We present here the local pairwise aligner STELLAR that has full sensitivity for ε-alignments, i.e. guarantees to report all local alignments of a given minimal length and maximal error rate. The aligner is composed of two steps, filtering and verification. We apply the SWIFT algorithm for lossless filtering, and have developed a new verification strategy that we prove to be exact. Our results on simulated and real genomic data confirm and quantify the conjecture that heuristic tools like BLAST or BLAT miss a large percentage of significant local alignments. Conclusions STELLAR is very practical and fast on very long sequences which makes it a suitable new tool for finding local alignments between genomic sequences under the edit distance model. Binaries are freely available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X at http://www.seqan.de/projects/stellar. The source code is freely distributed with the SeqAn C++ library version 1.3 and later at http://www.seqan.de.

The potential for carbon bio-sequestration in China's paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) as impacted by slag-based silicate fertilizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Alin; Ning, Dongfeng; Fan, Fenliang; Li, Zhaojun; Provance-Bowley, Mary; Liang, Yongchao

2015-12-01

Rice is a typical silicon-accumulating plant. Silicon (Si), deposited as phytoliths during plant growth, has been shown to occlude organic carbon, which may prove to have significant effects on the biogeochemical sequestration of atmospheric CO2. This study evaluated the effects of silicate fertilization on plant Si uptake and carbon bio-sequestration in field trials on China's paddy soils. The results showed (1) Increased Si concentrations in rice straw with increasing application rates of silicate fertilizer; (2) Strong positive correlations between phytolith contents and straw SiO2 contents and between phytolith contents and phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC) contents in rice straw; (3) Positive correlations between the phytolith production flux and either the above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) or the PhytOC production rates; (4) Increased plant PhytOC storage with increasing application rates of silicate fertilizer. The average above-ground PhytOC production rates during China's rice production are estimated at 0.94 × 10(6) tonnes CO2 yr(-1) without silicate fertilizer additions. However, the potential exists to increase PhytOC levels to 1.16-2.17 × 10(6) tonnes CO2 yr(-1) with silicate fertilizer additions. Therefore, providing silicate fertilizer during rice production may serve as an effective tool in improving atmospheric CO2 sequestration in global rice production areas.

Modified alignment CGHs for aspheric surface test

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jae-Bong; Yang, Ho-Soon; Rhee, Hyug-Gyo; Lee, Yun-Woo

2009-08-01

Computer Generated Holograms (CGH) for optical test are commonly consisted of one main pattern for testing aspheric surface and some alignment patterns for aligning the interferometer, CGH, and the test optics. To align the CGH plate and the test optics, we designed the alignment CGHs modified from the cat's eye alignment method, which are consisted of a couple of CGH patterns. The incident beam passed through the one part of the alignment CGH pattern is focused onto the one radius position of the test aspheric surface, and is reflected to the other part, and vice versa. This method has several merits compared to the conventional cat's eye alignment method. First, this method can be used in testing optics with a center hole, and the center part of CGH plate can be assigned to the alignment pattern. Second, the alignment pattern becomes a concentric circular arc pattern. The whole CGH patterns including the main pattern and alignment patterns are consisted of only concentric circular fringes. This concentric circular pattern can be easily made by the polar coordinated writer with circular scanning. The required diffraction angle becomes relatively small, so the 1st order diffraction beams instead of the 3rd order diffraction beam can be used as alignment beams, and the visibility can be improved. This alignment method also is more sensitive to the tilt and the lateral shift of the test aspheric surface. Using this alignment pattern, a 200 mm diameter F/0.5 aspheric mirror and a 600 mm diameter F/0.9 mirror were tested.

Aligned, isotropic and patterned carbon nanotube substrates that control the growth and alignment of Chinese hamster ovary cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdullah, Che Azurahanim Che; Asanithi, Piyapong; Brunner, Eric W; Jurewicz, Izabela; Bo, Chiara; Sear, Richard P; Dalton, Alan B [Department of Physics and Surrey Materials Institute, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Azad, Chihye Lewis; Ovalle-Robles, Raquel; Fang Shaoli; Lima, Marcio D; Lepro, Xavier; Collins, Steve; Baughman, Ray H, E-mail: r.sear@surrey.ac.uk [Alan G MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080-3021 (United States)

2011-05-20

Here we culture Chinese hamster ovary cells on isotropic, aligned and patterned substrates based on multiwall carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes provide the substrate with nanoscale topography. The cells adhere to and grow on all substrates, and on the aligned substrate, the cells align strongly with the axis of the bundles of the multiwall nanotubes. This control over cell alignment is required for tissue engineering; almost all tissues consist of oriented cells. The aligned substrates are made using straightforward physical chemistry techniques from forests of multiwall nanotubes; no lithography is required to make inexpensive large-scale substrates with highly aligned nanoscale grooves. Interestingly, although the cells strongly align with the nanoscale grooves, only a few also elongate along this axis: alignment of the cells does not require a pronounced change in morphology of the cell. We also pattern the nanotube bundles over length scales comparable to the cell size and show that the cells follow this pattern.

Quantitative analysis of three-dimensional fibrillar collagen microstructure within the normal, aged and glaucomatous human optic nerve head.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, H J; Girard, M J; White, N; Fautsch, M P; Morgan, J E; Ethier, C R; Albon, J

2015-05-06

The aim of this study was to quantify connective tissue fibre orientation and alignment in young, old and glaucomatous human optic nerve heads (ONH) to understand ONH microstructure and predisposition to glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Transverse (seven healthy, three glaucomatous) and longitudinal (14 healthy) human ONH cryosections were imaged by both second harmonic generation microscopy and small angle light scattering (SALS) in order to quantify preferred fibre orientation (PFO) and degree of fibre alignment (DOFA). DOFA was highest within the peripapillary sclera (ppsclera), with relatively low values in the lamina cribrosa (LC). Elderly ppsclera DOFA was higher than that in young ppsclera (p < 0.00007), and generally higher than in glaucoma ppsclera. In all LCs, a majority of fibres had preferential orientation horizontally across the nasal-temporal axis. In all glaucomatous LCs, PFO was significantly different from controls in a minimum of seven out of 12 LC regions (p < 0.05). Additionally, higher fibre alignment was observed in the glaucomatous inferior-temporal LC (p < 0.017). The differences between young and elderly ONH fibre alignment within regions suggest that age-related microstructural changes occur within the structure. The additional differences in fibre alignment observed within the glaucomatous LC may reflect an inherent susceptibility to glaucomatous optic neuropathy, or may be a consequence of ONH remodelling and/or collapse.

Reuse of waste foundry sand through interaction with sodium silicate binder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, J.C.; Chinelatto, A.S.A.; Chinelatto, A.L.; Oliveira, I.L.

2012-01-01

Green sand molds are used in metal casting process. However, after heating, activated bentonite present in green sand lose the binding properties, and part of the foundry sand has to be discarded from the process. The ABNT NBR 15.984/2011 establishes the management of waste foundry sand (WFS) avoiding disposal in landfills. The objective of this work was to investigate the possibility of reusing the WFS from the study of their interaction with sodium silicate binder. Studies with silica sand and new green sand was performed to compare the results obtained with the WFS. The characterizations of the samples were performed by measures the compressive strength, X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that there is interaction of the sodium silicate with the WFS as well as with the silica sand and green sand. (author)

Core–shell Au/Ag nanoparticles embedded in silicate sol–gel ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Dedicated to the memory of the late Professor S K Rangarajan. *For correspondence. Core–shell Au/Ag nanoparticles embedded in silicate sol–gel network for sensor .... An immediate colour change was observed for the mixed solution, indicating the dis- persion of metal nanoparticles in the MTMOS sol– gel matrix.

Dielectric properties of plasma sprayed silicates subjected to additional annealing

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ctibor, Pavel; Sedláček, J.; Nevrlá, Barbara; Neufuss, Karel

2017-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 2 (2017), s. 105-114 ISSN 2008-2134 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Annealing * Dielectric properties * Plasma spraying * Silicates * Electrical properties * Insulators Subject RIV: JK - Corrosion ; Surface Treatment of Materials OBOR OECD: Coating and films http://pccc.icrc.ac.ir/Articles/1/18/990/

Influence of LaSiOx passivation interlayer on band alignment between PEALD-Al2O3 and 4H-SiC determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qian; Cheng, Xinhong; Zheng, Li; Shen, Lingyan; Zhang, Dongliang; Gu, Ziyue; Qian, Ru; Cao, Duo; Yu, Yuehui

2018-01-01

The influence of lanthanum silicate (LaSiOx) passivation interlayer on the band alignment between plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD)-Al2O3 films and 4H-SiC was investigated by high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). An ultrathin in situ LaSiOx interfacial passivation layer (IPL) was introduced between the Al2O3 gate dielectric and the 4H-SiC substrate to enhance the interfacial characteristics. The valence band offset (VBO) and corresponding conduction band offset (CBO) for the Al2O3/4H-SiC interface without any passivation were extracted to be 2.16 eV and 1.49 eV, respectively. With a LaSiOx IPL, a VBO of 1.79 eV and a CBO of 1.86 eV could be obtained across the Al2O3/4H-SiC interface. The difference in the band alignments was dominated by the band bending or band shift in the 4H-SiC substrate as a result of different interfacial layers (ILs) formed at the interface. This understanding of the physical details of the band alignment could be a good foundation for Al2O3/LaSiOx/4H-SiC heterojunctions applied in the 4H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).

Hydration of dicalcium silicate and diffusion through neo-formed calcium-silicate-hydrates at weathered surfaces control the long-term leaching behaviour of basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking slag.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Douglas I; Bray, Andrew W; Udoma, Gideon; Hobson, Andrew J; Mayes, William M; Rogerson, Mike; Burke, Ian T

2018-04-01

Alkalinity generation and toxic trace metal (such as vanadium) leaching from basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steel slag particles must be properly understood and managed by pre-conditioning if beneficial reuse of slag is to be maximised. Water leaching under aerated conditions was investigated using fresh BOF slag at three different particle sizes (0.5-1.0, 2-5 and 10 × 10 × 20 mm blocks) and a 6-month pre-weathered block. There were several distinct leaching stages observed over time associated with different phases controlling the solution chemistry: (1) free-lime (CaO) dissolution (days 0-2); (2) dicalcium silicate (Ca 2 SiO 4 ) dissolution (days 2-14) and (3) Ca-Si-H and CaCO 3 formation and subsequent dissolution (days 14-73). Experiments with the smallest size fraction resulted in the highest Ca, Si and V concentrations, highlighting the role of surface area in controlling initial leaching. After ~2 weeks, the solution Ca/Si ratio (0.7-0.9) evolved to equal those found within a Ca-Si-H phase that replaced dicalcium silicate and free-lime phases in a 30- to 150-μm altered surface region. V release was a two-stage process; initially, V was released by dicalcium silicate dissolution, but V also isomorphically substituted for Si into the neo-formed Ca-Si-H in the alteration zone. Therefore, on longer timescales, the release of V to solution was primarily controlled by considerably slower Ca-Si-H dissolution rates, which decreased the rate of V release by an order of magnitude. Overall, the results indicate that the BOF slag leaching mechanism evolves from a situation initially dominated by rapid hydration and dissolution of primary dicalcium silicate/free-lime phases, to a slow diffusion limited process controlled by the solubility of secondary Ca-Si-H and CaCO 3 phases that replace and cover more reactive primary slag phases at particle surfaces.

ChromAlign: A two-step algorithmic procedure for time alignment of three-dimensional LC-MS chromatographic surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadygov, Rovshan G; Maroto, Fernando Martin; Hühmer, Andreas F R

2006-12-15

We present an algorithmic approach to align three-dimensional chromatographic surfaces of LC-MS data of complex mixture samples. The approach consists of two steps. In the first step, we prealign chromatographic profiles: two-dimensional projections of chromatographic surfaces. This is accomplished by correlation analysis using fast Fourier transforms. In this step, a temporal offset that maximizes the overlap and dot product between two chromatographic profiles is determined. In the second step, the algorithm generates correlation matrix elements between full mass scans of the reference and sample chromatographic surfaces. The temporal offset from the first step indicates a range of the mass scans that are possibly correlated, then the correlation matrix is calculated only for these mass scans. The correlation matrix carries information on highly correlated scans, but it does not itself determine the scan or time alignment. Alignment is determined as a path in the correlation matrix that maximizes the sum of the correlation matrix elements. The computational complexity of the optimal path generation problem is reduced by the use of dynamic programming. The program produces time-aligned surfaces. The use of the temporal offset from the first step in the second step reduces the computation time for generating the correlation matrix and speeds up the process. The algorithm has been implemented in a program, ChromAlign, developed in C++ language for the .NET2 environment in WINDOWS XP. In this work, we demonstrate the applications of ChromAlign to alignment of LC-MS surfaces of several datasets: a mixture of known proteins, samples from digests of surface proteins of T-cells, and samples prepared from digests of cerebrospinal fluid. ChromAlign accurately aligns the LC-MS surfaces we studied. In these examples, we discuss various aspects of the alignment by ChromAlign, such as constant time axis shifts and warping of chromatographic surfaces.

An optical fibre-type silicate glass thermoluminescent detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Zheng; Dai Honggui; Hu Shangze; Liu Jian; Fang Jie

1991-01-01

A description of dosimetric properties and the preparation method of an optical fibre-type silicate glass thermoluminescent detector (TLD) is presented. Results showed that this new phosphor is a good one which could be used as a routine dosimeter in the range 10 -1 -10 3 Gy. The preparation method is a new one which differs greatly from all previous ones. Furthermore this kind of detector is small and of low weight. (orig.)

Chromatic bifocus alignment system for SR stepper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyatake, Tsutomu

1991-01-01

A new alignment system developed for synchrotron radiation (SR) X-ray stepper is described. The alignment system has three key elements as follows. The first is a chromatic bifocus optics which observe high contrast bright images of alignment marks printed on a mask and a wafer. The second is broad band light illumination to observe the wafer alignment mark images which is unaffected by resist film coated on a wafer. The third is a new correlation function which is used in measuring of displacement between a mask and a wafer. The alignment system has achieved alignment accuracy on the order of 0.01 μm. The experimental results of this alignment system are discussed in this paper. (author)

Small angle X-ray scattering from hydrating tricalcium silicate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vollet, D.

1983-01-01

The small-angle X-ray scattering technique was used to study the structural evolution of hydrated tricalcium silicate at room temperature. The changes in specific area of the associated porosity and the evolution of density fluctuations in the solid hydrated phase were deduced from the scattering data. A correlation of these variations with the hydration mechanism is tried. (Author) [pt

Tracing magnetic fields with aligned grains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarian, A.

2007-01-01

Magnetic fields play a crucial role in various astrophysical processes, including star formation, accretion of matter, transport processes (e.g., transport of heat), and cosmic rays. One of the easiest ways to determine the magnetic field direction is via polarization of radiation resulting from extinction or/and emission by aligned dust grains. Reliability of interpretation of the polarization maps in terms of magnetic fields depends on how well we understand the grain-alignment theory. Explaining what makes grains aligned has been one of the big issues of the modern astronomy. Numerous exciting physical effects have been discovered in the course of research undertaken in this field. As both the theory and observations matured, it became clear that the grain-alignment phenomenon is inherent not only in diffuse interstellar medium or molecular clouds but also is a generic property of the dust in circumstellar regions, interplanetary space and cometary comae. Currently the grain-alignment theory is a predictive one, and its results nicely match observations. Among its predictions is a subtle phenomenon of radiative torques. This phenomenon, after having stayed in oblivion for many years after its discovery, is currently viewed as the most powerful means of alignment. In this article, I shall review the basic physical processes involved in grain alignment, and the currently known mechanisms of alignment. I shall also discuss possible niches for different alignment mechanisms. I shall dwell on the importance of the concept of grain helicity for understanding of many properties of grain alignment, and shall demonstrate that rather arbitrarily shaped grains exhibit helicity when they interact with gaseous and radiative flows

DNAAlignEditor: DNA alignment editor tool

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guill Katherine E

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With advances in DNA re-sequencing methods and Next-Generation parallel sequencing approaches, there has been a large increase in genomic efforts to define and analyze the sequence variability present among individuals within a species. For very polymorphic species such as maize, this has lead to a need for intuitive, user-friendly software that aids the biologist, often with naïve programming capability, in tracking, editing, displaying, and exporting multiple individual sequence alignments. To fill this need we have developed a novel DNA alignment editor. Results We have generated a nucleotide sequence alignment editor (DNAAlignEditor that provides an intuitive, user-friendly interface for manual editing of multiple sequence alignments with functions for input, editing, and output of sequence alignments. The color-coding of nucleotide identity and the display of associated quality score aids in the manual alignment editing process. DNAAlignEditor works as a client/server tool having two main components: a relational database that collects the processed alignments and a user interface connected to database through universal data access connectivity drivers. DNAAlignEditor can be used either as a stand-alone application or as a network application with multiple users concurrently connected. Conclusion We anticipate that this software will be of general interest to biologists and population genetics in editing DNA sequence alignments and analyzing natural sequence variation regardless of species, and will be particularly useful for manual alignment editing of sequences in species with high levels of polymorphism.

MEMS Integrated Submount Alignment for Optoelectronics

Science.gov (United States)

Shakespeare, W. Jeffrey; Pearson, Raymond A.; Grenestedt, Joachim L.; Hutapea, Parsaoran; Gupta, Vikas

2005-02-01

One of the most expensive and time-consuming production processes for single-mode fiber-optic components is the alignment of the photonic chip or waveguide to the fiber. The alignment equipment is capital intensive and usually requires trained technicians to achieve desired results. Current technology requires active alignment since tolerances are only ~0.2 μ m or less for a typical laser diode. This is accomplished using piezoelectric actuated stages and active optical feedback. Joining technologies such as soldering, epoxy bonding, or laser welding may contribute significant postbond shift, and final coupling efficiencies are often less than 80%. This paper presents a method of adaptive optical alignment to freeze in place directly on an optical submount using a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) shape memory alloy (SMA) actuation technology. Postbond shift is eliminated since the phase change is the alignment actuation. This technology is not limited to optical alignment but can be applied to a variety of MEMS actuations, including nano-actuation and nano-alignment for biomedical applications. Experimental proof-of-concept results are discussed, and a simple analytical model is proposed to predict the stress strain behavior of the optical submount. Optical coupling efficiencies and alignment times are compared with traditional processes. The feasibility of this technique in high-volume production is discussed.

Source fabrication and lifetime for Li⁺ ion beams extracted from alumino-silicate sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roy, Prabir K.; Greenway, Wayne G.; Kwan, Joe W

2012-03-05

A space-charge-limited beam with current densities (J) exceeding 1 mA/cm² have been measured from lithium alumino-silicate ion sources at a temperature of ~1275 °C. At higher extraction voltages, the source appears to become emission limited with J ≥ 1.5 mA/cm², and J increases weakly with the applied voltage. A 6.35 mm diameter source with an alumino-silicate coating, ≤0.25 mm thick, has a measured lifetime of ~40 h at ~1275 °C, when pulsed at 0.05 Hz and with pulse length of ~6 μs each. At this rate, the source lifetime was independent of the actual beam charge extracted due to the loss of neutral atoms at high temperature. Finally, the source lifetime increases with the amount of alumino-silicate coated on the emitting surface, and may also be further extended if the temperature is reduced between pulses.

Source fabrication and lifetime for Li⁺ ion beams extracted from alumino-silicate sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roy, Prabir K.; Greenway, Wayne G.; Kwan, Joe W.

2012-04-01

A space-charge-limited beam with current densities (J) exceeding 1 mA/cm² have been measured from lithium alumino-silicate ion sources at a temperature of ~1275 °C. At higher extraction voltages, the source appears to become emission limited with J ≥ 1.5 mA/cm², and J increases weakly with the applied voltage. A 6.35 mm diameter source with an alumino-silicate coating, ≤0.25 mm thick, has a measured lifetime of ~40 h at ~1275 °C, when pulsed at 0.05 Hz and with pulse length of ~6 μs each. At this rate, the source lifetime was independent of the actual beam charge extracted due to the loss of neutral atoms at high temperature. Finally, the source lifetime increases with the amount of alumino-silicate coated on the emitting surface, and may also be further extended if the temperature is reduced between pulses.

Polymer/silicate well treatment techniques: state-of-art and experiences at the AlgyoeField, Hungary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lakatos, I.; Lakatos-Szabo, J. [Miskolc Univ. (Hungary). Resarch Inst. of Applied Chemistry; Troemboeczky, S.; Munkacsi, I.; Kosztin, B.; Palasthy, G. [Hungarian Oil and Gas Company, Szolnok (Hungary). Upstream Div.

2000-04-01

By joint application of silicates and polymers, a multifunctional, self-controlling chemical system is formed which works spontaneously even under harsh reservoir conditions, meanwhile the methods remain inexpensive, flexible and adaptable to any production technologies. A concise summary of the technique, its principle and main field projects are discussed in this article. It is shown that the silicates, combined with polymers offer unique opportunity to cure numerous production/injection problems including water shutt-off, profile correction, gas coning, etc. in oil and gas fields. Between 1980 and 1998 the field projects, comprising more than forty well treatments, yielded substantial additional oil production, life time of wells were extended and the overall profitability of the field was significantly increased, meanwhile environmentally friendly chemicals were used. Therefore, the Hungarian experts are convinced that the polymer/silicate method is reasonable alternative wherever and whenever the application of bulk or surface gelation or deposition is arising. (orig.)

A cross-species alignment tool (CAT)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Heng; Guan, Liang; Liu, Tao

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: The main two sorts of automatic gene annotation frameworks are ab initio and alignment-based, the latter splitting into two sub-groups. The first group is used for intra-species alignments, among which are successful ones with high specificity and speed. The other group contains more...... sensitive methods which are usually applied in aligning inter-species sequences. RESULTS: Here we present a new algorithm called CAT (for Cross-species Alignment Tool). It is designed to align mRNA sequences to mammalian-sized genomes. CAT is implemented using C scripts and is freely available on the web...... at http://xat.sourceforge.net/. CONCLUSIONS: Examined from different angles, CAT outperforms other extant alignment tools. Tested against all available mouse-human and zebrafish-human orthologs, we demonstrate that CAT combines the specificity and speed of the best intra-species algorithms, like BLAT...

Methods in ALFA Alignment

CERN Document Server

Melendez, Jordan

2014-01-01

This note presents two model-independent methods for use in the alignment of the ALFA forward detectors. Using a Monte Carlo simulated LHC run at \\beta = 90m and \\sqrt{s} = 7 TeV, the Kinematic Peak alignment method is utilized to reconstruct the Mandelstam momentum transfer variable t for single-diractive protons. The Hot Spot method uses fluctuations in the hitmap density to pinpoint particular regions in the detector that could signal a misalignment. Another method uses an error function fit to find the detector edge. With this information, the vertical alignment can be determined.

Multiple Whole Genome Alignments Without a Reference Organism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubchak, Inna; Poliakov, Alexander; Kislyuk, Andrey; Brudno, Michael

2009-01-16

Multiple sequence alignments have become one of the most commonly used resources in genomics research. Most algorithms for multiple alignment of whole genomes rely either on a reference genome, against which all of the other sequences are laid out, or require a one-to-one mapping between the nucleotides of the genomes, preventing the alignment of recently duplicated regions. Both approaches have drawbacks for whole-genome comparisons. In this paper we present a novel symmetric alignment algorithm. The resulting alignments not only represent all of the genomes equally well, but also include all relevant duplications that occurred since the divergence from the last common ancestor. Our algorithm, implemented as a part of the VISTA Genome Pipeline (VGP), was used to align seven vertebrate and sixDrosophila genomes. The resulting whole-genome alignments demonstrate a higher sensitivity and specificity than the pairwise alignments previously available through the VGP and have higher exon alignment accuracy than comparable public whole-genome alignments. Of the multiple alignment methods tested, ours performed the best at aligning genes from multigene families?perhaps the most challenging test for whole-genome alignments. Our whole-genome multiple alignments are available through the VISTA Browser at http://genome.lbl.gov/vista/index.shtml.

Structure peculiarities of mixed alkali silicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)