The rational design of a Au(I) precursor for focused electron beam induced deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marashdeh, Ali; Tiesma, Thiadrik; van Velzen, Niels J. C.; Harder, Sjoerd; Havenith, Remco W. A.; De Hosson, Jeff T. M.; van Dorp, Willem F.

2017-01-01

Au(I) complexes are studied as precursors for focused electron beam induced processing (FEBIP). FEBIP is an advanced direct-write technique for nanometer-scale chemical synthesis. The stability and volatility of the complexes are characterized to design an improved precursor for pure Au deposition.

Induced surface stress at crystal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahmen, K.

2002-05-01

Changes of the surfaces stress Δτ (s) can be studied by observing the bending of thin crystalline plates. With this cantilever method one can gain the induced change of surface stress Δτ (s) from the bending of plates with the help of elasticity theory. For elastic isotropic substrates the relevant relations are known. Here the relations are generalized to elastic anisotropic crystals with a C 2v - Symmetry. The equilibrium shapes of crystalline plates oriented along the (100)-, (110)-, or (111)-direction which are clamped along one edge are calculated with a numeric method under the load of a homogeneous but pure isotropic or anisotropic surface stress. The results can be displayed with the dimensionality, so that the effect of clamping can be described in a systematic way. With these tabulated values one can evaluate cantilever experiments exactly. These results are generalized to cantilever methods for determining magnetoelastic constants. It is shown which magnetoelastic constants are measured in domains of thin films with ordered structures. The eigenshape and the eigenfrequency of plates constraint through a clamping at one side are calculated. These results give a deeper understanding of the elastic anisotropy. The induced surface stress of oxygen on the (110)-surface of molybdenum is measured along the principle directions Δτ [001] and Δτ [ anti 110] . The anisotropy of the surface stress is found for the p(2 x 2)-reconstruction. Lithium induces a tensile surface stress on the Molybdenum (110)-surface up to a coverage of Θ = 0, 3 monolayer. For a higher coverage the induced stress drops and reaches a level of less than -1, 2 N/m at one monolayer. It is shown, that cobalt induces a linear increasing stress with respect to the coverage on the (100)-surface of copper with a value of 2, 4GPa. The copper (100)-surface is bombarded with accelerated ions in the range between 800-2200 eV. The resulting induced compressive stress (Δτ (s) < 0) of the order

Effects of precursors on the crystal structure and photoluminescence of CdS nanocrystalline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Zuoling; Zhou Shihong; Shi Jinsheng; Zhang Siyuan

2005-01-01

A series of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystalline were synthesized by precipitation from a mixture of aqueous solutions of cadmium salts and sulfur salts without adding any surface-termination agent. Their crystal structures and particle sizes were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The CdS nanocrystalline precipitated from different precursors exhibited three cases: cubic phase, hexagonal phase and a hybrid of cubic and hexagonal phases. The photoluminescence (PL) of cadmium salt precursors and CdS nanocrystalline is also analyzed. Similar spectral band structure of cadmium salt precursors and CdS nanocrystalline is found. The PL of 3.4, 2.4 and 2.0 nm sized CdS nanocrystalline with the same crystal structure indicated quantum confinement effect

Ions-induced nanostructuration: effect of specific ionic adsorption on hydrophobic polymer surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Siretanu, Igor; Chapel, Jean-Paul; Bastos-González, Delfi; Drummond, Carlos

2013-06-06

The effect of surface charges on the ionic distribution in close proximity to an interface has been extensively studied. On the contrary, the influence of ions (from dissolved salts) on deformable interfaces has been barely investigated. Ions can adsorb from aqueous solutions on hydrophobic surfaces, generating forces that can induce long-lasting deformation of glassy polymer films, a process called ion-induced polymer nanostructuration, IPN. We have found that this process is ion-specific; larger surface modifications are observed in the presence of water ions and hydrophobic and amphiphilic ions. Surface structuration is also observed in the presence of certain salts of lithium. We have used streaming potential and atomic force microscopy to study the effect of dissolved ions on the surface properties of polystyrene films, finding a good correlation between ionic adsorption and IPN. Our results also suggest that the presence of strongly hydrated lithium promotes the interaction of anions with polystyrene surfaces and more generally with hydrophobic polymer surfaces, triggering then the IPN process.

Beneficial effect of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursors in spinal cord injury repair

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Romanyuk, Nataliya; Amemori, Takashi; Turnovcová, Karolína; Procházka, Pavel; Onteniente, B.; Syková, Eva; Jendelová, Pavla

2015-01-01

Roč. 24, č. 9 (2015), s. 1781-1797 ISSN 0963-6897 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LH12024; GA ČR(CZ) GA13-00939S; GA ČR(CZ) GBP304/12/G069; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1309 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : human induced pluripotent stem cells * neural precursors * spinal cord injury Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 3.427, year: 2015

The Effect of Precursor Ligands and Oxidation State in the Synthesis of Bimetallic Nano-Alloys

KAUST Repository

LaGrow, Alec P.

2015-05-12

The characteristics of bimetallic nanomaterials are dictated by their size, shape and elemental distribution. Solution synthesis is widely utilized to form nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, with controlled size and shape. However, the effects of variables on the characteristics of bimetallic nanomaterials are not completely understood. In this study, we used a continuous-flow synthetic strategy to explore the effects of the ligands and the oxidation state of a metal precursor in a shape-controlled synthesis on the final shape of the nanomaterials and the elemental distribution within the alloy. We demonstrate that this strategy can tune the size of monodisperse PtM (M=Ni or Cu) alloy nanocrystals ranging from 3 to 16 nm with an octahedral shape using acetylacetonate or halide precursors of Pt(II), Pt(IV) and Ni or Cu (II). The nanoparticles formed from halide precursors showed an enrichment of platinum on their surfaces, and the bromides could oxidatively etch the nanoparticles during synthesis with the O2/Br- pair. The two nanocrystal precursors can be uti-lized independently and can control the size with a trend of Pt(acac)2effect of the ligand shell of a precursor during the synthesis of alloy nanoparticles as well as to control, in a scalable manner, the nanomaterial size and surface chemistry.

Effect of surface wettability caused by radiation induced surface activation on leidenfrost condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takamasa, T.; Hazuku, T.; Tamura, N.; Okamoto, K.; Mishima, K.; Furuya, M.

2003-01-01

Improving the limit of boiling heat transfer or critical heat flux requires that the cooling liquid can contact the heating surface, or a high-wettability, highly hydrophilic heating surface, even if a vapor bubble layer is generated on the surface. From this basis, we investigated surface wettability and Leidenfrost condition using metal oxides irradiated by γ-rays. In our previous study, contact angle, an indicator of macroscopic wettability, of a water droplet on metal oxide at room temperature was measured by image processing of the images obtained by a CCD video camera. The results showed that the surface wettability on metal oxide pieces of titanium, Zircaloy No. 4, SUS-304, and copper was improved significantly by the Radiation Induced Surface Activation (RISA) phenomenon. To delineate the effect of Radiation Induced Surface Activation (RISA) on heat transferring phenomena, the Leidenfrost condition and quenching of metal oxides irradiated by γ-rays were investigated. In the Leidenfrost experiment, when the temperature of the heating surface reached the wetting limit temperature, water-solid contact vanished because a stable vapor film existed between the droplet and the metal surface; i.e., a Leidenfrost condition obtained. The wetting limit temperature increased with integrated irradiation dose. After irradiation, the wet length and the duration of contact increased, and the contact angle decreased. In the quenching test, high surface wettability, or a highly hydrophilic condition, of a simulated fuel rod made of SUS was achieved, and the quenching velocities were increased up to 20-30% after 300 kGy 60Co γ-ray irradiation

Effect of surface wettability caused by radiation induced surface activation on leidenfrost condition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takamasa, T.; Hazuku, T.; Tamura, N.; Okamoto, K. [Tokyo Univ., Tokyo (Japan); Mishima, K. [Kyoto Univ., Kyoto (Japan); Furuya, M. [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Tokyo (Japan)

2003-07-01

Improving the limit of boiling heat transfer or critical heat flux requires that the cooling liquid can contact the heating surface, or a high-wettability, highly hydrophilic heating surface, even if a vapor bubble layer is generated on the surface. From this basis, we investigated surface wettability and Leidenfrost condition using metal oxides irradiated by {gamma}-rays. In our previous study, contact angle, an indicator of macroscopic wettability, of a water droplet on metal oxide at room temperature was measured by image processing of the images obtained by a CCD video camera. The results showed that the surface wettability on metal oxide pieces of titanium, Zircaloy No. 4, SUS-304, and copper was improved significantly by the Radiation Induced Surface Activation (RISA) phenomenon. To delineate the effect of Radiation Induced Surface Activation (RISA) on heat transferring phenomena, the Leidenfrost condition and quenching of metal oxides irradiated by {gamma}-rays were investigated. In the Leidenfrost experiment, when the temperature of the heating surface reached the wetting limit temperature, water-solid contact vanished because a stable vapor film existed between the droplet and the metal surface; i.e., a Leidenfrost condition obtained. The wetting limit temperature increased with integrated irradiation dose. After irradiation, the wet length and the duration of contact increased, and the contact angle decreased. In the quenching test, high surface wettability, or a highly hydrophilic condition, of a simulated fuel rod made of SUS was achieved, and the quenching velocities were increased up to 20-30% after 300 kGy 60Co {gamma}-ray irradiation.

Effect of template-induced surface species on electronic structure and photocatalytic activity of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Yu; Guo, Xiaojuan; Bo, Xiangkun; Wang, Yongzheng [Key Lab of Mesoscopic Chemistry MOE, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Guo, Xiangke [Key Lab of Mesoscopic Chemistry MOE, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Application of Catalytic Materials, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); Xie, Mingjiang, E-mail: xiemingjiang@hotmail.com [Key Lab of Mesoscopic Chemistry MOE, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Guo, Xuefeng, E-mail: guoxf@nju.edu.cn [Key Lab of Mesoscopic Chemistry MOE, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Application of Catalytic Materials, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • The effect of template on the surface chemistry of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} were investigated. • Template induces more non-graphitic species (sp{sup 3}−C−C− and −NH{sub x}) on g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. • Non-graphitic species influence electronic structure and performance of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. - Abstract: In view of the fact that the photocatalytic activity of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) is greatly influenced by its electronic structure, herein, effect of templates induced surface species variation on the electronic structure and photocatalytic activity of the templated g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} was investigated. By mixing the precursor of cyanamide with different templates (SiO{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and template-free) in the preparation of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}), carbon nitrides with different surface species were obtained. The obtained carbon nitride (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}-Si) templated by SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles exhibits enlarged band gap (3.26 eV) and enhanced photo-degradation ability towards Methyl Orange (MO) compared to that of bulk g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} (2.67 eV) synthesized from direct condensation/carbonization of melamine and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-templated g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}-Al (2.76 eV). Detailed characterizations confirm that the introduction of templates in the synthesis process resulted in more non-graphitic species (sp{sup 3}−C−C− and −NH{sub x}) on the surface of the derived carbon nitrides, exerting remarkable effect on the electronic structure and photocatalytic performance.

Effect of neurotrophin-3 precursor on glutamate-induced calcium homeostasis deregulation in rat cerebellum granule cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Safina, Dina R; Surin, Alexander M; Pinelis, Vsevolod G; Kostrov, Sergey V

2015-12-01

Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) belongs to the family of highly conserved dimeric growth factors that controls the differentiation and activity of various neuronal populations. Mammals contain both the mature (NT-3) and the precursor (pro-NT-3) forms of neurotrophin. Members of the neurotrophin family are involved in the regulation of calcium homeostasis in neurons; however, the role of NT-3 and pro-NT-3 in this process remains unclear. The current study explores the effects of NT-3 and pro-NT-3 on disturbed calcium homeostasis and decline of mitochondrial potential induced by a neurotoxic concentration of glutamate (Glu; 100 µM) in the primary culture of rat cerebellar granule cells. In this Glu excitotoxicity model, mature NT-3 had no effect on the induced changes in Ca²⁺ homeostasis. In contrast, pro-NT-3 decreased the period of delayed calcium deregulation (DCD) and concurrent strong mitochondrial depolarization. According to the amplitude of the increase in the intracellular free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]i ) and Fura-2 fluorescence quenching by Mn²⁺ within the first 20 sec of exposure to Glu, pro-NT-3 had no effect on the initial rate of Ca²⁺ entry into neurons. During the lag period preceding DCD, the mean amplitude of [Ca²⁺]i rise was 1.2-fold greater in the presence of pro-NT-3 than in the presence of Glu alone (1.67 ±  0.07 and 1.39 ± 0.04, respectively, P < 0.05). The Glu-induced changes in Са²⁺ homeostasis in the presence of pro-NT-3 likely are due to the decreased rate of Са²⁺ removal from the cytosol during the DCD latency period. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effective Boundary Slip Induced by Surface Roughness and Their Coupled Effect on Convective Heat Transfer of Liquid Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunlu Pan

2018-05-01

Full Text Available As a significant interfacial property for micro/nano fluidic system, the effective boundary slip can be induced by the surface roughness. However, the effect of surface roughness on the effective slip is still not clear, both increased and decreased effective boundary slip were found with increased roughness. The present work develops a simplified model to study the effect of surface roughness on the effective boundary slip. In the created rough models, the reference position of the rough surfaces to determinate effective boundary slip was set based on ISO/ASME standard and the surface roughness parameters including Ra (arithmetical mean deviation of the assessed profile, Rsm (mean width of the assessed profile elements and shape of the texture varied to form different surface roughness. Then, the effective boundary slip of fluid flow through the rough surface was analyzed by using COMSOL 5.3. The results show that the effective boundary slip induced by surface roughness of fully wetted rough surface keeps negative and further decreases with increasing Ra or decreasing Rsm. Different shape of roughness texture also results in different effective slip. A simplified corrected method for the measured effective boundary slip was developed and proved to be efficient when the Rsm is no larger than 200 nm. Another important finding in the present work is that the convective heat transfer firstly increases followed by an unobvious change with increasing Ra, while the effective boundary slip keeps decreasing. It is believed that the increasing Ra enlarges the area of solid-liquid interface for convective heat transfer, however, when Ra is large enough, the decreasing roughness-induced effective boundary slip counteracts the enhancement effect of roughness itself on the convective heat transfer.

Pair-breaking effects by parallel magnetic field in electric-field-induced surface superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nabeta, Masahiro; Tanaka, Kenta K.; Onari, Seiichiro; Ichioka, Masanori

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Zeeman effect shifts superconducting gaps of sub-band system, towards pair-breaking. • Higher-level sub-bands become normal-state-like electronic states by magnetic fields. • Magnetic field dependence of zero-energy DOS reflects multi-gap superconductivity. - Abstract: We study paramagnetic pair-breaking in electric-field-induced surface superconductivity, when magnetic field is applied parallel to the surface. The calculation is performed by Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory with s-wave pairing, including the screening effect of electric fields by the induced carriers near the surface. Due to the Zeeman shift by applied fields, electronic states at higher-level sub-bands become normal-state-like. Therefore, the magnetic field dependence of Fermi-energy density of states reflects the multi-gap structure in the surface superconductivity.

A review on remotely sensed land surface temperature anomaly as an earthquake precursor

Science.gov (United States)

Bhardwaj, Anshuman; Singh, Shaktiman; Sam, Lydia; Joshi, P. K.; Bhardwaj, Akanksha; Martín-Torres, F. Javier; Kumar, Rajesh

2017-12-01

The low predictability of earthquakes and the high uncertainty associated with their forecasts make earthquakes one of the worst natural calamities, capable of causing instant loss of life and property. Here, we discuss the studies reporting the observed anomalies in the satellite-derived Land Surface Temperature (LST) before an earthquake. We compile the conclusions of these studies and evaluate the use of remotely sensed LST anomalies as precursors of earthquakes. The arrival times and the amplitudes of the anomalies vary widely, thus making it difficult to consider them as universal markers to issue earthquake warnings. Based on the randomness in the observations of these precursors, we support employing a global-scale monitoring system to detect statistically robust anomalous geophysical signals prior to earthquakes before considering them as definite precursors.

Effect of substrate surface on electromigration-induced sliding at hetero-interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Praveen; Dutta, Indranath

2013-01-01

Electromigration (EM)-induced interfacial sliding between a metal film and Si substrate occurs when (i) only few grains exist across the width of the film and (ii) diffusivity through the interfacial region is significantly greater than diffusivity through the film. Here, the effect of the substrate surface layer on the kinetics of EM-induced interfacial sliding is assessed using Si substrates coated with various thin film interlayers. The kinetics of interfacial sliding, and therefore the EM-driven mass flow rate, strongly depends on the type of the interlayer (and hence the substrate surface composition), such that strongly bonded interfaces with slower interfacial diffusivity produce slower sliding. (paper)

Effect of fullerenol surface chemistry on nanoparticle binding-induced protein misfolding

Science.gov (United States)

Radic, Slaven; Nedumpully-Govindan, Praveen; Chen, Ran; Salonen, Emppu; Brown, Jared M.; Ke, Pu Chun; Ding, Feng

2014-06-01

Fullerene and its derivatives with different surface chemistry have great potential in biomedical applications. Accordingly, it is important to delineate the impact of these carbon-based nanoparticles on protein structure, dynamics, and subsequently function. Here, we focused on the effect of hydroxylation -- a common strategy for solubilizing and functionalizing fullerene -- on protein-nanoparticle interactions using a model protein, ubiquitin. We applied a set of complementary computational modeling methods, including docking and molecular dynamics simulations with both explicit and implicit solvent, to illustrate the impact of hydroxylated fullerenes on the structure and dynamics of ubiquitin. We found that all derivatives bound to the model protein. Specifically, the more hydrophilic nanoparticles with a higher number of hydroxyl groups bound to the surface of the protein via hydrogen bonds, which stabilized the protein without inducing large conformational changes in the protein structure. In contrast, fullerene derivatives with a smaller number of hydroxyl groups buried their hydrophobic surface inside the protein, thereby causing protein denaturation. Overall, our results revealed a distinct role of surface chemistry on nanoparticle-protein binding and binding-induced protein misfolding.Fullerene and its derivatives with different surface chemistry have great potential in biomedical applications. Accordingly, it is important to delineate the impact of these carbon-based nanoparticles on protein structure, dynamics, and subsequently function. Here, we focused on the effect of hydroxylation -- a common strategy for solubilizing and functionalizing fullerene -- on protein-nanoparticle interactions using a model protein, ubiquitin. We applied a set of complementary computational modeling methods, including docking and molecular dynamics simulations with both explicit and implicit solvent, to illustrate the impact of hydroxylated fullerenes on the structure and

[Effects of surface roughness of bone cements on histological characteristics of induced membranes].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hai-Xiao; Xu, Hua-Zi; Zhang, Yu; Hu, Gang; Shen, Yue; Cheng, Xiao-Jie; Peng, Lei

2012-08-01

To explore surface roughness of bone cement and surround tissue on histological characteristic of induced membranes. Bone cements with smooth and rough surface were implanted in radius bone defect, intramuscular and subcutaneous sites of rabbits, and formed induced membranes. Membranes were obtained and stained (HE) 6 weeks later. Images of membrane tissue were obtained and analyzed with an automated image analysis system. Five histological parameters of membranes were measured with thickness,area,cell density,ECM density and microvessel density. Double factor variance analysis was used to evaluate the effect of the two factors on histological characteristics of induced membranes. Membranes can be induced by each kind of bone cement and at all the three tissue sites. In histological parameters of thickness,area and micro vessel,there were significant differences among the membranes induced at different tissue sites (P = 0.000, P = 0.000, P = 0.000); whereas, there were no significant differences in histological parameters of cell density and ECM density (P = 0.734, P = 0.638). In all five histological parameters of membranes, there were no significant differences between the membranes induced by bone cements with different surface roughness (P = 0.506, P = 0.185, P = 0.883, P = 0.093, P = 0.918). Surround tissue rather than surface roughness of bone cements can affect the histological characteristics of induced membranes. The fibrocystic number, vascularity, mechanical tension and micro motion of the surround tissue may be closely correlated with the histological characteristics of induced membranes.

Reproducibility of aluminum foam properties: Effect of precursor distribution on the structural anisotropy and the collapse stress and its dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nosko, M.; Simancik, F.; Florek, R.

2010-01-01

The porous structure of aluminum foam manufactured through the foaming of precursors containing blowing agent is stochastic in nature, usually with a random distribution of pores of different size and shape, creating difficulties in the modeling and prediction of foam properties. In this study, the effect of the initial location of the precursor material in the mold on the foam structure and compression behavior was investigated. Structural characterization showed that the porosity distribution, surface skin thickness and pore orientation was affected by the location of the precursors in the mold and by the extrusion direction of the precursors. Moreover, compression tests demonstrated a significant effect of the structural anisotropy on the collapse stress and its dispersion. The collapse stress of the foam increased if the loading was performed parallel to the thicker surface skin or parallel to the preferential pore orientation, leading to a 20% difference in collapse stress. The dispersion of the collapse stress could be significantly decreased if the loading was performed with regard to the structural anisotropy.

Pulsed laser-assisted focused electron-beam-induced etching of titanium with XeF2: enhanced reaction rate and precursor transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, J H; Fowlkes, J D; Timilsina, R; Stanford, M G; Lewis, B B; Rack, P D

2015-02-25

In order to enhance the etch rate of electron-beam-induced etching, we introduce a laser-assisted focused electron-beam-induced etching (LA-FEBIE) process which is a versatile, direct write nanofabrication method that allows nanoscale patterning and editing. The results demonstrate that the titanium electron stimulated etch rate via the XeF2 precursor can be enhanced up to a factor of 6 times with an intermittent pulsed laser assist. The evolution of the etching process is correlated to in situ stage current measurements and scanning electron micrographs as a function of time. The increased etch rate is attributed to photothermally enhanced Ti-F reaction and TiF4 desorption and in some regimes enhanced XeF2 surface diffusion to the reaction zone.

Induction of Skin-Derived Precursor Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiyama-Nakagiri, Yoriko; Fujimura, Tsutomu; Moriwaki, Shigeru

2016-01-01

The generation of full thickness human skin from dissociated cells is an attractive approach not only for treating skin diseases, but also for treating many systemic disorders. However, it is currently not possible to obtain an unlimited number of skin dermal cells. The goal of this study was to develop a procedure to produce skin dermal stem cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Skin-derived precursor cells (SKPs) were isolated as adult dermal precursors that could differentiate into both neural and mesodermal progenies and could reconstitute the dermis. Thus, we attempted to generate SKPs from iPSCs that could reconstitute the skin dermis. Human iPSCs were initially cultured with recombinant noggin and SB431542, an inhibitor of activin/nodal and TGFβ signaling, to induce neural crest progenitor cells. Those cells were then treated with SKP medium that included CHIR99021, a WNT signal activator. The induction efficacy from neural crest progenitor cells to SKPs was more than 97%. No other modifiers tested were able to induce those cells. Those human iPSC-derived SKPs (hiPSC-SKPs) showed a similar gene expression signature to SKPs isolated from human skin dermis. Human iPSC-SKPs differentiated into neural and mesodermal progenies, including adipocytes, skeletogenic cell types and Schwann cells. Moreover, they could be induced to follicular type keratinization when co-cultured with human epidermal keratinocytes. We here provide a new efficient protocol to create human skin dermal stem cells from hiPSCs that could contribute to the treatment of various skin disorders.

Darkening effect on AZ31B magnesium alloy surface induced by nanosecond pulse Nd:YAG laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guan, Y.C., E-mail: guan0013@e.ntu.edu.sg [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 638075 (Singapore); Zhou, W. [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 638075 (Singapore); Zheng, H.Y.; Li, Z.L. [Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 638075 (Singapore)

2013-09-01

Permanent darkening effect was achieved on surface of AZ31B Mg alloy irradiated with nanosecond pulse Nd:YAG laser, and special attention was made to examine how surface structure as well as oxidation affect the darkening effect. Experiments were carried out to characterize morphological evolution and chemical composition of the irradiated areas by optical reflection spectrometer, Talysurf surface profiler, SEM, EDS, and XPS. The darkening effect was found to be occurred at the surface under high laser energy. Optical spectra showed that the induced darkening surface was uniform over the spectral range from 200 nm to 1100 nm. SEM and surface profiler showed that surface morphology of darkening areas consisted of large number of micron scale cauliflower-like clusters and protruding particles. EDS and XPS showed that compared to non-irradiated area, oxygen content at the darkening areas increased significantly. It was proposed a mechanism that involved trapping of light in the surface morphology and chemistry variation of irradiated areas to explain the laser-induced darkening effect on AZ31B Mg alloy.

Understanding Animal Detection of Precursor Earthquake Sounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Garstang, Michael; Kelley, Michael C

2017-08-31

We use recent research to provide an explanation of how animals might detect earthquakes before they occur. While the intrinsic value of such warnings is immense, we show that the complexity of the process may result in inconsistent responses of animals to the possible precursor signal. Using the results of our research, we describe a logical but complex sequence of geophysical events triggered by precursor earthquake crustal movements that ultimately result in a sound signal detectable by animals. The sound heard by animals occurs only when metal or other surfaces (glass) respond to vibrations produced by electric currents induced by distortions of the earth's electric fields caused by the crustal movements. A combination of existing measurement systems combined with more careful monitoring of animal response could nevertheless be of value, particularly in remote locations.

Method for forecasting an earthquake from precursor signals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farnworth, D.F.

1996-01-01

A method for forecasting an earthquake from precursor signals by employing characteristic first electromagnetic signals, second, seismically induced electromagnetic signals, seismically induced mechanical signals, and infrasonic acoustic signals which have been observed to precede an earthquake. From a first electromagnetic signal, a magnitude, depth beneath the surface of the earth, distance, latitude, longitude, and first and second forecasts of the time of occurrence of the impending earthquake may be derived. From a second, seismically induced electromagnetic signal and the mechanical signal, third and fourth forecasts of the time of occurrence of an impending earthquake determined from the analysis above, a magnitude, depth beneath the surface of the earth and fourth and fifth forecasts of the time of occurrence of the impending earthquake may be derived. The forecasts of time available from the above analyses range from up to five weeks to substantially within one hour in advance of the earthquake. (author)

Depletion region surface effects in electron beam induced current measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haney, Paul M.; Zhitenev, Nikolai B. [Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States); Yoon, Heayoung P. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 (United States); Gaury, Benoit [Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States); Maryland NanoCenter, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)

2016-09-07

Electron beam induced current (EBIC) is a powerful characterization technique which offers the high spatial resolution needed to study polycrystalline solar cells. Current models of EBIC assume that excitations in the p-n junction depletion region result in perfect charge collection efficiency. However, we find that in CdTe and Si samples prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) milling, there is a reduced and nonuniform EBIC lineshape for excitations in the depletion region. Motivated by this, we present a model of the EBIC response for excitations in the depletion region which includes the effects of surface recombination from both charge-neutral and charged surfaces. For neutral surfaces, we present a simple analytical formula which describes the numerical data well, while the charged surface response depends qualitatively on the location of the surface Fermi level relative to the bulk Fermi level. We find that the experimental data on FIB-prepared Si solar cells are most consistent with a charged surface and discuss the implications for EBIC experiments on polycrystalline materials.

Interleukin-2 (rIL-2)-induced lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and their precursors express the VGO1 antigen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denegri, J.F.; Peterson, J.; Tilley, P.

1989-01-01

Precursor and effector cells of recombinant interleukin-2 (r-IL-2)-induced lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity were investigated for their expression of VGO1. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from normal donors were purified and separated in a FACS 420 into VGO1+- and VGO1- cell fractions before and after culture for 96 hr with 100 U/ml of r-IL-2. Their lytic activity against K 562 and Daudi cells was measured in a 51Cr release assay. The majority, if not all, of the LAK effector and precursor cells was VGO1+ lymphocytes. The expression of VGO1 by LAK precursor cells remained stable under the culture conditions used in our experiments. VGO1- lymphocytes cultured with r-IL-2 demonstrated neither LAK-induced activity nor expression of VGO1 antigen

The Effect of 1-Pentylamine as Solid Electrolyte Interphase Precursor on Lithium Metal Anodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Markus S.; Koch, Stephan L.; Passerini, Stefano

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Manufacturing of a well-controlled artificial SEI on lithium metal electrodes. • Native SEI-free lithium electrodes. • Lithium electrodes with decreased impedance and overpotential due to artificial SEI. • Process development to remove influence of native SEI. • 1-pentylamine in n-pentane as artificial SEI precursor for lithium metal. - Abstract: In this study, the formation of an artificial primary solid electrolyte interphase on a fresh Li surface, via reaction with 1-pentylamine (PA), is reported, allowing removing the influence of the metal electrode’s prior history. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, galvanostatic cycling, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are used in order to investigate the effect of PA as solid electrolyte interphase precursor on Li metal. It is shown that pretreating native SEI-free Li metal surfaces with 1 M PA in n-pentane sharply decreases the electrode impedance and overpotential with respect to the treatment with only n-pentane. The treatment with 1 M PA in n-pentane results in surface roughening, but no increase of dendrite formation upon cycling. However, the use of higher PA concentration (5 M) increases impedance and overpotential and leads to dendrite growth.

Precursor Ion Scan Mode-Based Strategy for Fast Screening of Polyether Ionophores by Copper-Induced Gas-Phase Radical Fragmentation Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Crevelin, Eduardo J; Possato, Bruna; Lopes, João L C; Lopes, Norberto P; Crotti, Antônio E M

2017-04-04

The potential of copper(II) to induce gas-phase fragmentation reactions in macrotetrolides, a class of polyether ionophores produced by Streptomyces species, was investigated by accurate-mass electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Copper(II)/copper(I) transition directly induced production of diagnostic acylium ions with m/z 199, 185, 181, and 167 from α-cleavages of [macrotetrolides + Cu] 2+ . A UPLC-ESI-MS/MS methodology based on the precursor ion scan of these acylium ions was developed and successfully used to identify isodinactin (1), trinactin (2), and tetranactin (3) in a crude extract of Streptomyces sp. AMC 23 in the precursor ion scan mode. In addition, copper(II) was also used to induce radical fragmentation reactions in the carboxylic acid polyether ionophore nigericin. The resulting product ions with m/z 755 and 585 helped to identify nigericin in a crude extract of Streptomyces sp. Eucal-26 by means of precursor ion scan experiments, demonstrating that copper-induced fragmentation reactions can potentially identify different classes of polyether ionophores rapidly and selectively.

Laser damage in optical components: metrology, statistical and photo-induced analysis of precursor centres; Endommagement laser dans les composants optiques: metrologie, analyse statistique et photo-induite des sites initiateurs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallais, L

2002-11-15

This thesis deals with laser damage phenomena for nanosecond pulses, in optical components such as glasses, dielectric and metallic thin films. Firstly, a work is done on the laser damage metrology, in order to obtain accurate and reliable measurement of laser-induced damage probabilities, with a rigorous control of test parameters. Then, with the use of a specific model, we find densities of laser damage precursors in the case of bulk glasses (few tens by (100{mu}m){sup 3}) and in the case of glass surfaces (one precursor by {mu}m{sup 3}). Our analysis is associated to morphology studies by Atomic Force Microscope to discuss about precursor nature and damage process. Influence of wavelength (from 355 to 1064 nm) and cumulated shots is also studied. Simulations are performed to study initiation mechanisms on these inclusions. This work gives an estimation of complex index and size of the precursor, which permits to discuss about possible detection by non-destructive tools. (author)

Silicon structuring by etching with liquid chlorine and fluorine precursors using femtosecond laser pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radu, C.; Simion, S.; Zamfirescu, M.; Ulmeanu, M.; Enculescu, M.; Radoiu, M.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the micrometer and submicrometer scale structuring of silicon by liquid chlorine and fluorine precursors with 200 fs laser pulses working at both fundamental (775 nm) and frequency doubled (387 nm) wavelengths. The silicon surface was irradiated at normal incidence by immersing the Si (111) substrates in a glass container filled with liquid chlorine (CCl 4 ) and fluorine (C 2 Cl 3 F 3 ) precursors. We report that silicon surfaces develop an array of spikes with single step irradiation processes at 775 nm and equally at 387 nm. When irradiating the Si surface with 400 pulses at 330 mJ/cm 2 laser fluence and a 775 nm wavelength, the average height of the formed Si spikes in the case of fluorine precursors is 4.2 μm, with a full width at half maximum of 890 nm. At the same irradiation wavelength chlorine precursors develop Si spikes 4 μm in height and with a full width at half maximum of 2.3 μm with irradiation of 700 pulses at 560 mJ/cm 2 laser fluence. Well ordered areas of submicrometer spikes with an average height of about 500 nm and a width of 300 nm have been created by irradiation at 387 nm by chlorine precursors, whereas the fluorine precursors fabricate spikes with an average height of 700 nm and a width of about 200 nm. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy of the surface show that the formation of the micrometer and sub-micrometer spikes involves a combination of capillary waves on the molten silicon surface and laser-induced etching of silicon, at both 775 nm and 387 nm wavelength irradiation. The energy-dispersive x-ray measurements indicate the presence of chlorine and fluorine precursors on the structured surface. The fluorine precursors create a more ordered area of Si spikes at both micrometer and sub-micrometer scales. The potential use of patterned Si substrates with gradient topography as model scaffolds for the systematic exploration of the role of 3D micro/nano morphology on cell

RNA precursor pool metabolism and RNA synthesis in X-irradiated Tetrahymena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephens, R.E.; Paul, I.J.; Zimmerman, A.M.

1976-01-01

The incorporation of a radioactive RNA precursor ( 3 H-uridine) has been used in many studies as an index for measuring the synthesis of RNA, yet there is a distinct possibility that the results so obtained were significantly influenced by radiation-induced effects on the metabolism of this precursor into UTP (the primary immediate precursor of RNA) before its incorporation into RNA. A direct examination was therefore undertaken of the effects of X-irradiation on the metabolism of 3 H-uridine and its relationship to RNA synthesis as determined by incorporation. X-irradiation of logarithmically growing Tetrahymena pyriformis caused a dose-dependent depression of total cellular RNA synthesis. Ribosomal RNA (which comprises about 80 per cent of total cellular RNA) synthesis was also depressed by X-irradiation in a dose-dependent manner. Measurements of the levels of radioactivity present in the UTP precursor pool of both irradiated and unirradiated cells were obtained by means of DEAE-cellulose column chromatography of the extracted free nucleotides. Metabolism of 3 H-uridine into UMP, UDP and UTP was depressed by 40%, 26% and 27% respectively, whereas incorporation of 3 H-uridine into RNA was depressed by 77%. The results show that about one-third of the observed (apparent) depression in RNA synthesis was due to radiation-induced effects on the precursor pool, and the remaining two-thirds due to some definite effect of radiation at the transcription level leading to depressed synthesis of RNA. (U.K.)

Investigations of plasma induced effects on the surface properties of lignocellulosic natural coir fibres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Praveen, K.M., E-mail: praveenkmiiucnn@gmail.com [International and Inter University Centre for Nano Science and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala (India); Centre de Recherche C.Huygens, LIMATB (Laboratoired’Ingénierie des Matériaux de Bretagne), Université De Bretagne-Sud, Rue stMaudé – BP 92116, Cedex Lorient 56321 Lorient (France); Thomas, Sabu [International and Inter University Centre for Nano Science and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala (India); Grohens, Yves [Centre de Recherche C.Huygens, LIMATB (Laboratoired’Ingénierie des Matériaux de Bretagne), Université De Bretagne-Sud, Rue stMaudé – BP 92116, Cedex Lorient 56321 Lorient (France); Mozetič, Miran; Junkar, Ita; Primc, Gregor [Department of Surface Engineering, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamovacesta 39, Ljubljana 1000 (Slovenia); Gorjanc, Marija [Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, Ljubljana 1000 (Slovenia)

2016-04-15

Graphical abstract: Plasma induced changes on the morphology of coir fibres (Viewed and Analysed using scanning electron microscopy, Jeol JSM 7600 FEG). The O{sub 2} plasma treated fibre possessed increased hydrophilicity due to the chemical and physical changes induced by plasma. - Highlights: • Plasma-induced effects on the surface properties of lignocellulosic natural coir fibres were investigated. • The morphological study using SEM analysis also confirmed the surface changes which were observed after plasma treatment. • The water absorption studies show an increase of water absorption from 39% to around 100%. • The topographic measurements done using atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed etching of fibre wall, and this is responsible for higher water absorption. • XPS analysis reveals that the oxygen content measured for samples treated at 50 Pa increased from initial 18 at% to about 32 at%. - Abstract: The development of lignocellulosic natural-fibre-reinforced polymers composites are constrained by two limitations: the upper temperature at which the fibre can be processed and the significant differences between the surface energy of the fibre and the polymer matrix. Since the fibres and matrices are chemically different, strong adhesion at their interface is needed for the effective transfer of stress and bond distribution throughout the interface. The present study investigated the plasma induced effects on the surface properties of natural coir fibres. Weakly ionized oxygen plasma was created in two different discharge chambers by an inductively coupled radiofrequency (RF) discharge. The water absorption studies showed an increase of water sorption from 39% to 100%. The morphological study using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis also confirmed the surface changes which were observed after the plasma treatment. The topographic measurements and phase imaging done using atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated difference in topographic

Self-induced free surface oscillations caused by water jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukaya, M.; Madarame, H.; Okamoto, K.; Iida, M.; Someya, S.

1995-01-01

The interaction between the high speed flow and the free surfaces could induced surface oscillations. Recently, some kinds of self-induced free surface oscillations caused by water jet were discovered, e.g., a self-induced sloshing, 'Jet-Flutter' and a self-induced manometer oscillation. These oscillations have many different characteristics with each other. In this study, the similarities and differences of these oscillations are examined, and the geometrical effects on the phenomena are experimentally investigated. The self-induced sloshing and the Jet-Flutter have different dimensionless traveling times, which suggests a difference in the energy supply mechanism. When the distance between the inlet and the outlet is small in a vessel, the self-induced manometer oscillation could occur in the multi-free-surface system. (author)

Effective reduction in the nanoparticle sizes of NiO obtained via the pyrolysis of nickel malonate precursor modified using oleylamine surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lontio Fomekong, Roussin, E-mail: lonforou@yahoo.fr [Chemistry Department, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, B.P. 47, Yaoundé (Cameroon); Institut de la Matière Condensée et des Nanosciences, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 1, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve (Belgium); Ngolui Lambi, John; Ebede, Guy Roland [Chemistry Department, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, B.P. 47, Yaoundé (Cameroon); Kenfack Tsobnang, Patrice [Chemistry Department, University of Dschang, PO Box 96, Dschang (Cameroon); Tedjieukeng Kamta, Hypolite Mathias; Ngnintedem Yonti, Cedrik [Chemistry Department, Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, B.P. 47, Yaoundé (Cameroon); Delcorte, Arnaud [Institut de la Matière Condensée et des Nanosciences, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 1, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve (Belgium)

2016-09-15

Nickel oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via thermal decomposition of two precursors, the first, a simple nickel malonate and the second, a nickel malonate modified by oleylamine, a surfactant, both having been synthesized by precipitation. While FTIR, TGA and ToF-SIMS were used to characterize the two precursors and to show the presence of oleylamine in the modified precursor, XRD, SEM, TEM and BET were employed to investigate the structure, the morphology and the specific surface area of the decomposition products obtained after pyrolysis. The results showed that the modification of nickel malonate by oleylamine was effective. The XRD results, which showed a cubic structure for the NiO obtained, suggest with SEM an important particle size reduction (at least 54%) when oleylamine was used to modify the nickel malonate precursor. The SEM images also showed a well-defined spherical nanoparticle morphology in both cases, not affected by the presence of oleylamine. The TEM also confirmed the reduction of particle size and their spherical nature but at the same time showed that, in the presence of oleylamine, there was no agglomeration resulting in a more uniform particle size distribution. The specific surface area of the NiO obtained by the oleylamine-modified precursor was 4.7 times larger than that obtained with the regular precursor. This again confirms the particle size reduction. - Highlights: • Nickel malonate precursor has been synthesized by precipitation method. • This precursor was successfully modified by a surfactant (oleylamine). • NiO was identified as the decomposition products of the previous precursors. • Oleylamine has provoked around 54% of particle size reduction of the NiO.

Rejuvenation of MPTP-induced human neural precursor cell senescence by activating autophagy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Liang [East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai (China); Dong, Chuanming [East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai (China); Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong (China); Sun, Chenxi; Ma, Rongjie; Yang, Danjing [East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai (China); Zhu, Hongwen, E-mail: hongwen_zhu@hotmail.com [Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin Academy of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin (China); Xu, Jun, E-mail: xunymc2000@yahoo.com [East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai (China)

2015-08-21

Aging of neural stem cell, which can affect brain homeostasis, may be caused by many cellular mechanisms. Autophagy dysfunction was found in aged and neurodegenerative brains. However, little is known about the relationship between autophagy and human neural stem cell (hNSC) aging. The present study used 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) to treat neural precursor cells (NPCs) derived from human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line H9 and investigate related molecular mechanisms involved in this process. MPTP-treated NPCs were found to undergo premature senescence [determined by increased senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species level, and decreased proliferation] and were associated with impaired autophagy. Additionally, the cellular senescence phenotypes were manifested at the molecular level by a significant increase in p21 and p53 expression, a decrease in SOD2 expression, and a decrease in expression of some key autophagy-related genes such as Atg5, Atg7, Atg12, and Beclin 1. Furthermore, we found that the senescence-like phenotype of MPTP-treated hNPCs was rejuvenated through treatment with a well-known autophagy enhancer rapamycin, which was blocked by suppression of essential autophagy gene Beclin 1. Taken together, these findings reveal the critical role of autophagy in the process of hNSC aging, and this process can be reversed by activating autophagy. - Highlights: • We successfully establish hESC-derived neural precursor cells. • MPTP treatment induced senescence-like state in hESC-derived NPCs. • MPTP treatment induced impaired autophagy of hESC-derived NPCs. • MPTP-induced hESC-derived NPC senescence was rejuvenated by activating autophagy.

Effect of precursor solutions on ZnO film via solution precursor plasma spray and corresponding gas sensing performances

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Z. X.; Ma, Y. Z.; Zhao, Y. L.; Huang, J. B.; Wang, W. Z.; Moliere, M.; Liao, H. L.

2017-08-01

Solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS) as a novel thermal spray method was employed to deposit nano-structured ZnO thin film using different formulations of the precursor solution. This article focuses on the influence of the solution composition on the preferential orientation of crystal growth, on crystal size and surface morphology of the resulting ZnO films. The trend of preferential growth along (002) lattice plane of ZnO film was studied by slow scanning X-ray diffraction using a specific coefficient P(002). It appears that the thermal spray process promotes the buildup of ZnO films preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The shape of single particle tends to change from round shaped beads to hexagonal plates by increasing the volume ratio of ethanol in the solvent. Both cauliflower and honeycomb-like surface morphologies featuring high specific surface area and roughness were obtained through the SPPS process by varying solution composition. These ZnO films are hydrophobic with contact angle as high as 136°, which is seemingly associated with micro reliefs developing high surface specific area. Then the gas sensing performances of ZnO films preferentially oriented along (002) face were tentatively predicted using the "first principle calculation method" and were compared with those of conventional films that are mainly oriented along the (101) face. The (002) face displays better hydrogen adsorption capability than the (101) face with much larger resulting changes in electrical resistance. In conclusion, the c-axis oriented ZnO films obtained through SSPS have favorable performances to be used as sensitive layer in gas sensing applications.

Effect of surface grinding on chloride induced SCC of 304L

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Nian, E-mail: nzh@du.se [Department of Material Science, Dalarna University, SE-79188 Falun (Sweden); KTH, SE-10044 Stockholm (Sweden); Pettersson, Rachel [KTH, SE-10044 Stockholm (Sweden); Jernkontoret, SE-11187 Stockholm (Sweden); Lin Peng, Ru [Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping (Sweden); Schönning, Mikael [Corrosion Department, Avesta Research Centre – Outokumpu Stainless AB, SE-774 22 Avesta (Sweden)

2016-03-21

The effect of surface grinding on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of 304L austenitic stainless steel in boiling magnesium chloride has been investigated. SCC tests were conducted both without external loading and with varied levels of four-point bend loading for as-delivered material and for specimens which had been ground parallel or perpendicular to the loading direction. Residual stresses due to the grinding operation were measured using the X-ray diffraction technique. In addition, surface stress measurements under applied load were performed before exposure to evaluate the deviation between actual applied loading and calculated values according to ASTM G39. Micro-cracks initiated by a high level of tensile residual stress in the surface layer were observed for all the ground specimens but not those in the as-delivered condition. Grinding along the loading direction increased the susceptibility to chloride induced SCC; while grinding perpendicular to the loading direction improved SCC resistance. Surface tensile residual stresses were largely relieved after the initiation of cracks.

Effect of surface grinding on chloride induced SCC of 304L

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Nian; Pettersson, Rachel; Lin Peng, Ru; Schönning, Mikael

2016-01-01

The effect of surface grinding on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of 304L austenitic stainless steel in boiling magnesium chloride has been investigated. SCC tests were conducted both without external loading and with varied levels of four-point bend loading for as-delivered material and for specimens which had been ground parallel or perpendicular to the loading direction. Residual stresses due to the grinding operation were measured using the X-ray diffraction technique. In addition, surface stress measurements under applied load were performed before exposure to evaluate the deviation between actual applied loading and calculated values according to ASTM G39. Micro-cracks initiated by a high level of tensile residual stress in the surface layer were observed for all the ground specimens but not those in the as-delivered condition. Grinding along the loading direction increased the susceptibility to chloride induced SCC; while grinding perpendicular to the loading direction improved SCC resistance. Surface tensile residual stresses were largely relieved after the initiation of cracks.

Effect of Chlorine precursor in surface and cataytic properties of Fe/TiO2 Catalysts

OpenAIRE

López, Tessi; Pecchi, Gina; Moreno, Abel; García Fierro, José Luis; Gómez, R.; Reyes, P.

2002-01-01

Titania-supported iron (1wt%) catalysts were prepared by the sol-gel method using different gelation pH (3 and 9), metal precursors (FeCl2 and FeCl3) and calcination temperatures (873 and 1073K). Characterization data of calcined catalysts revealed that in all samples the dominant iron species is Fe3+ and the crystalline phase of the TiO2 substrate depends on the gelation pH and the metal precursor used. It was found that in the Fe/TiO2 ex-FeCl3 samples an important part of the iron ions beca...

The Innate Lymphoid Cell Precursor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishizuka, Isabel E; Constantinides, Michael G; Gudjonson, Herman; Bendelac, Albert

2016-05-20

The discovery of tissue-resident innate lymphoid cell populations effecting different forms of type 1, 2, and 3 immunity; tissue repair; and immune regulation has transformed our understanding of mucosal immunity and allergy. The emerging complexity of these populations along with compounding issues of redundancy and plasticity raise intriguing questions about their precise lineage relationship. Here we review advances in mapping the emergence of these lineages from early lymphoid precursors. We discuss the identification of a common innate lymphoid cell precursor characterized by transient expression of the transcription factor PLZF, and the lineage relationships of innate lymphoid cells with conventional natural killer cells and lymphoid tissue inducer cells. We also review the rapidly growing understanding of the network of transcription factors that direct the development of these lineages.

Photoluminescence effects of graphitic core size and surface functional groups in carbon dots: COO− induced red-shift emission

KAUST Repository

Hola, Katerina; Bourlinos, Athanasios B.; Kozak, Ondrej; Berka, Karel; Siskova, Karolina M.; Havrdova, Marketa; Tucek, Jiri; Safarova, Klara; Otyepka, Michal; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Zboril, Radek

2014-01-01

We present a simple molecular approach to control the lipophilic/ hydrophilic nature of photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs) based on pyrolysis of alkyl gallate precursors. Depending on the gallic acid derivative used, CDs with different alkyl groups (methyl, propyl, lauryl) on the surface can be obtained by isothermal heating at 270 C. This precursor-derived approach allows not only the control of lipophilicity but also the length of the particular alkyl chain enables the control over both the size and photoluminescence (PL) of the prepared CDs. Moreover, the alkyl chains on the CDs surface can be readily converted to carboxylate groups via a mild base hydrolysis to obtain water dispersible CDs with a record biocompatibility. The observed differences in PL properties of CDs and time-resolved PL data, including contributions from carbogenic cores and surface functional group, are rationalized and discussed in detail using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence effects of graphitic core size and surface functional groups in carbon dots: COO− induced red-shift emission

KAUST Repository

Hola, Katerina

2014-04-01

We present a simple molecular approach to control the lipophilic/ hydrophilic nature of photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs) based on pyrolysis of alkyl gallate precursors. Depending on the gallic acid derivative used, CDs with different alkyl groups (methyl, propyl, lauryl) on the surface can be obtained by isothermal heating at 270 C. This precursor-derived approach allows not only the control of lipophilicity but also the length of the particular alkyl chain enables the control over both the size and photoluminescence (PL) of the prepared CDs. Moreover, the alkyl chains on the CDs surface can be readily converted to carboxylate groups via a mild base hydrolysis to obtain water dispersible CDs with a record biocompatibility. The observed differences in PL properties of CDs and time-resolved PL data, including contributions from carbogenic cores and surface functional group, are rationalized and discussed in detail using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenol removal onto novel activated carbons made from lignocellulosic precursors: Influence of surface properties

OpenAIRE

Valente Nabais, Joao; Gomes, Jose; Suhas, Suhas; Carrott, Peter; Laginhas, Carlos; Roman, Silvia

2009-01-01

The adsorption of phenol from dilute aqueous solutions onto new activated carbons (AC) was studied. The novel activated carbon was produced from lignocellulosic (LC) precursors of rapeseed and kenaf. Samples oxidised with nitric acid in liquid phasewere also studied. The results have shown the significant potential of rapeseed and kenaf for the activated carbon production. The activated carbons produced by carbon dioxide activation were mainly microporous with BET apparent surface...

Production of sorption-active polypropylene fibers by radiation-induced grafting of glycidyl methacrylate as a precursor monomer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondar, Yu.V.; Kim, H.J.; Lim, Y.J.

2006-01-01

The design and development of sorption-active natural and synthetic polymer fibers and textile materials is of great scientific and practical interest. The advantages of that type of polymeric adsorbents, as their highly developed specific surface, excellent ion-exchange and adsorption parameters and ease of their use especially under continuous conditions, allow them to find a great application in the chemical, biomedical, ecological and industrial fields. To obtain functional polymer materials with the desired performance, the non-active polymer surface have to be modified. Among different innovative techniques used for the introduction of graft chains, the radiation-chemical method of initiation has some economical and ecological preferences over others. It allows to introduce into inert polymeric matrix chains of a monomer already containing a desirable functional group, or to graft chains of a precursor-monomer and subsequently its chemical modification to form required functional groups. At present an epoxy-group containing monomer, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), is successfully used as a precursor-monomer for production of polymeric adsorbents of variety applications on the base of membranes, films, fibers and fabrics. Two types of sorption-active polypropylene fiber carrying strong-acid sulfonate groups and amino groups have been synthesized by radiation-induced graft polymerization of GMA, with subsequent chemical modification of the epoxy groups of poly-GMA graft chains. The effect of various polymerization parameters on the GMA grafting degree was investigated in detail. The epoxy ring-opening of poly-GMA graft chains with introduction of strong-acid sulfonate groups was carried out with sodium hydrogen sulfite in water-dimethylformamide solution at 70 deg C. The main peculiarities of the sulfonation reaction in depending on the reaction time and GMA grafting degree have been investigated. Amine groups were incorporated by treatment of the GMA

Radiation induced diffusion as a method to protect surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumvol, I.J.R.

1980-01-01

Radiation induced diffusion forms a coating adeherent and without interface on the surface of metalic substrates. This coating improves the behaviour of metal to corrosion and abrasion. The effect of radiation induced diffusion of tin and calcium on pure iron surface is described and analyzed in this work. (author) [pt

Human hepatitis B viral e antigen and its precursor P20 inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purvina, Maija; Hoste, Astrid; Rossignol, Jean-Michel; Lagaudrière-Gesbert, Cécile

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► P20, precursor of the HBeAg, interacts with the cellular protein gC1qR. ► HBeAg and P20 bind to T cell surface and inhibit mitogen-induced T cell division. ► HBeAg and P20 inhibition of T cell proliferation is gC1qR and IL-1RAcP-independent. -- Abstract: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) Precore protein is processed through the secretory pathway directly as HBeAg or with the generation of an intermediate (P20). Precore gene has been shown to be implicated in viral persistence, but the functions of HBeAg and its precursors have not been fully elucidated. We show that the secreted proteins HBeAg and P20 interact with T cell surface and alter Kit-225 and primary T cells proliferation, a process which may facilitate the establishment of HBV persistence. Our data indicate that the N-terminal end of Precore is important for these inhibitory effects and exclude that they are dependent on the association of HBeAg and P20 with two characterized cell surface ligands, the Interleukin-1 Receptor Accessory Protein and gC1qR (present study).

Human hepatitis B viral e antigen and its precursor P20 inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Purvina, Maija; Hoste, Astrid; Rossignol, Jean-Michel [Universite de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Laboratoire de Genetique et Biologie Cellulaire, EA 4589, 45 avenue des Etats-Unis, 78035 Versailles (France); Lagaudriere-Gesbert, Cecile, E-mail: cecile.lagaudriere-gesbert@u-psud.fr [Universite de Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Laboratoire de Genetique et Biologie Cellulaire, EA 4589, 45 avenue des Etats-Unis, 78035 Versailles (France)

2012-01-27

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer P20, precursor of the HBeAg, interacts with the cellular protein gC1qR. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HBeAg and P20 bind to T cell surface and inhibit mitogen-induced T cell division. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HBeAg and P20 inhibition of T cell proliferation is gC1qR and IL-1RAcP-independent. -- Abstract: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) Precore protein is processed through the secretory pathway directly as HBeAg or with the generation of an intermediate (P20). Precore gene has been shown to be implicated in viral persistence, but the functions of HBeAg and its precursors have not been fully elucidated. We show that the secreted proteins HBeAg and P20 interact with T cell surface and alter Kit-225 and primary T cells proliferation, a process which may facilitate the establishment of HBV persistence. Our data indicate that the N-terminal end of Precore is important for these inhibitory effects and exclude that they are dependent on the association of HBeAg and P20 with two characterized cell surface ligands, the Interleukin-1 Receptor Accessory Protein and gC1qR (present study).

Meat flavor precursors and factors influencing flavor precursors--A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muhammad Issa; Jo, Cheorun; Tariq, Muhammad Rizwan

2015-12-01

Flavor is the sensory impression sensed by taste and smell buds and is a leading factor determining the meat quality and purchasing decision of the consumer. Meat flavor is characteristic of volatiles produced as a result of reactions of non-volatile components that are induced thermally. The water soluble compounds having low molecular weight and meat lipids are important precursors of cooked meat flavor. The Maillard reaction, lipid oxidation, and vitamin degradation are leading reactions during cooking which develop meat flavor from uncooked meat with little aroma and bloody taste. The pre-slaughter and postmortem factors like animal breed, sex, age, feed, aging and cooking conditions contribute to flavor development of cooked meat. The objective of this review is to highlight the flavor chemistry, meat flavor precursors and factors affecting meat flavor precursors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of precursor solutions on ZnO film via solution precursor plasma spray and corresponding gas sensing performances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Z.X.; Ma, Y.Z.; Zhao, Y.L.; Huang, J.B.; Wang, W.Z.; Moliere, M.; Liao, H.L.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • C-axis preferential oriented grown ZnO films were firstly deposited via SPPS with different solutions. • ZnO films were hydrophobic due to cauliflower and honeycomb-like surface morphologies with high surface specific area. • Gas detecting performance of (002) plane oriented ZnO was predicted and compared by “first principle calculation method”. - Abstract: Solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS) as a novel thermal spray method was employed to deposit nano-structured ZnO thin film using different formulations of the precursor solution. This article focuses on the influence of the solution composition on the preferential orientation of crystal growth, on crystal size and surface morphology of the resulting ZnO films. The trend of preferential growth along (002) lattice plane of ZnO film was studied by slow scanning X-ray diffraction using a specific coefficient P_(_0_0_2_)_. It appears that the thermal spray process promotes the buildup of ZnO films preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The shape of single particle tends to change from round shaped beads to hexagonal plates by increasing the volume ratio of ethanol in the solvent. Both cauliflower and honeycomb-like surface morphologies featuring high specific surface area and roughness were obtained through the SPPS process by varying solution composition. These ZnO films are hydrophobic with contact angle as high as 136°, which is seemingly associated with micro reliefs developing high surface specific area. Then the gas sensing performances of ZnO films preferentially oriented along (002) face were tentatively predicted using the “first principle calculation method” and were compared with those of conventional films that are mainly oriented along the (101) face. The (002) face displays better hydrogen adsorption capability than the (101) face with much larger resulting changes in electrical resistance. In conclusion, the c-axis oriented ZnO films obtained through SSPS have

Effect of precursor solutions on ZnO film via solution precursor plasma spray and corresponding gas sensing performances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Z.X., E-mail: zexin.yu@utbm.fr [Univ Bourgogne Franche Comte, CNRS, Lab ICB, UMR 6303, Site UTBM, F-90010 Belfort (France); Ma, Y.Z., E-mail: yangzhou.ma@outlook.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan 243002 (China); Zhao, Y.L. [Univ Bourgogne Franche Comte, CNRS, Lab ICB, UMR 6303, Site UTBM, F-90010 Belfort (France); Huang, J.B.; Wang, W.Z. [Key Lab of Safety Science of Pressurized System, Ministry of Education, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Moliere, M.; Liao, H.L. [Univ Bourgogne Franche Comte, CNRS, Lab ICB, UMR 6303, Site UTBM, F-90010 Belfort (France)

2017-08-01

Highlights: • C-axis preferential oriented grown ZnO films were firstly deposited via SPPS with different solutions. • ZnO films were hydrophobic due to cauliflower and honeycomb-like surface morphologies with high surface specific area. • Gas detecting performance of (002) plane oriented ZnO was predicted and compared by “first principle calculation method”. - Abstract: Solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS) as a novel thermal spray method was employed to deposit nano-structured ZnO thin film using different formulations of the precursor solution. This article focuses on the influence of the solution composition on the preferential orientation of crystal growth, on crystal size and surface morphology of the resulting ZnO films. The trend of preferential growth along (002) lattice plane of ZnO film was studied by slow scanning X-ray diffraction using a specific coefficient P{sub (002).} It appears that the thermal spray process promotes the buildup of ZnO films preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The shape of single particle tends to change from round shaped beads to hexagonal plates by increasing the volume ratio of ethanol in the solvent. Both cauliflower and honeycomb-like surface morphologies featuring high specific surface area and roughness were obtained through the SPPS process by varying solution composition. These ZnO films are hydrophobic with contact angle as high as 136°, which is seemingly associated with micro reliefs developing high surface specific area. Then the gas sensing performances of ZnO films preferentially oriented along (002) face were tentatively predicted using the “first principle calculation method” and were compared with those of conventional films that are mainly oriented along the (101) face. The (002) face displays better hydrogen adsorption capability than the (101) face with much larger resulting changes in electrical resistance. In conclusion, the c-axis oriented ZnO films obtained through SSPS have

Effect of Climate Change on Surface Ozone over North America, Europe, and East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Schnell, Jordan L.; Prather, Michael J.; Josse, Beatrice; Naik, Vaishali; Horowitz, Larry W.; Zeng, Guang; Shindell, Drew T.; Faluvegi, Greg

2016-01-01

The effect of future climate change on surface ozone over North America, Europe, and East Asia is evaluated using present-day (2000s) and future (2100s) hourly surface ozone simulated by four global models. Future climate follows RCP8.5, while methane and anthropogenic ozone precursors are fixed at year-2000 levels. Climate change shifts the seasonal surface ozone peak to earlier in the year and increases the amplitude of the annual cycle. Increases in mean summertime and high-percentile ozone are generally found in polluted environments, while decreases are found in clean environments. We propose climate change augments the efficiency of precursor emissions to generate surface ozone in polluted regions, thus reducing precursor export to neighboring downwind locations. Even with constant biogenic emissions, climate change causes the largest ozone increases at high percentiles. In most cases, air quality extreme episodes become larger and contain higher ozone levels relative to the rest of the distribution.

GDNF/GFRα1 Complex Abrogates Self-Renewing Activity of Cortical Neural Precursors Inducing Their Differentiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonela Bonafina

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Summary: The balance between factors leading to proliferation and differentiation of cortical neural precursors (CNPs determines the correct cortical development. In this work, we show that GDNF and its receptor GFRα1 are expressed in the neocortex during the period of cortical neurogenesis. We show that the GDNF/GFRα1 complex inhibits the self-renewal capacity of mouse CNP cells induced by fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2, promoting neuronal differentiation. While GDNF leads to decreased proliferation of cultured cortical precursor cells, ablation of GFRα1 in glutamatergic cortical precursors enhances its proliferation. We show that GDNF treatment of CNPs promoted morphological differentiation even in the presence of the self-renewal-promoting factor, FGF2. Analysis of GFRα1-deficient mice shows an increase in the number of cycling cells during cortical development and a reduction in dendrite development of cortical GFRα1-expressing neurons. Together, these results indicate that GDNF/GFRα1 signaling plays an essential role in regulating the proliferative condition and the differentiation of cortical progenitors. : In this article, Ledda and colleagues show that GDNF acting through its receptor GFRα1 plays a critical role in the maturation of cortical progenitors by counteracting FGF2 self-renewal activity on neural stem cells and promoting neuronal differentiation. Keywords: GDNF, GFRα1, cortical precursors, proliferation, postmitotic neurons, neuronal differentiation

Effect of Precursor Concentration on Structural Optical and Electrical Properties of NiO Thin Films Prepared by Spray Pyrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafia Barir

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Undoped nickel oxide (NiO thin films were deposited on 500°C heated glass substrates using spray pyrolysis method at (0.015–0.1 M range of precursor. The latter was obtained by decomposition of nickel nitrate hexahydrate in double distilled water. Effect of precursor concentration on structural, optical, and electrical properties of NiO thin films was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD shows the formation of NiO under cubic structure with single diffraction peak along (111 plane at 2θ=37.24°. When precursor concentration reaches 0.1 M, an increment in NiO crystallite size over 37.04 nm was obtained indicating the product nano structure. SEM images reveal that beyond 0.04 M as precursor concentration the substrate becomes completely covered with NiO and thin films exhibit formation of nano agglomerations at the top of the sample surface. Ni-O bonds vibrations modes in the product of films were confirmed by FT-IR analysis. Transparency of the films ranged from 57 to 88% and band gap energy of the films decreases from 3.68 to 3.60 eV with increasing precursor concentration. Electrical properties of the elaborated NiO thin films were correlated to the precursor concentration.

Correlation of Effective Dispersive and Polar Surface Energies in Heterogeneous Self-Assembled Monolayer Coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhuang, Yanxin; Hansen, Ole

2009-01-01

grown oil oxidized (100) silicon Surfaces in a vapor phase process using five different precursors. Experimentally, effective surface energy components of the fluorocarbon self-assembled monolayers were determined from measured contact angles using the Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Kaelble method. We show...

Effect of surface conditions on blast wave propagation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Seung Ho; Li, Yi Bao; Lee, Chang Hoon; Choi, Jung Il

2016-01-01

We performed numerical simulations of blast wave propagations on surfaces by solving axisymmetric two-dimensional Euler equations. Assuming the initial stage of fireball at the breakaway point after an explosion, we investigated the effect of surface conditions considering surface convex or concave elements and thermal conditions on blast wave propagations near the ground surface. Parametric studies were performed by varying the geometrical factors of the surface element as well as thermal layer characteristics. We found that the peak overpressure near the ground zero was increased due to the surface elements, while modulations of the blast wave propagations were limited within a region for the surface elements. Because of the thermal layer, the precursor was formed in the propagations, which led to the attenuation of the peak overpressure on the ground surface

Differential and directional estrogenic signaling pathways induced by enterolignans and their precursors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun Zhu

Full Text Available Mammalian lignans or enterolignans are metabolites of plant lignans, an important category of phytochemicals. Although they are known to be associated with estrogenic activity, cell signaling pathways leading to specific cell functions, and especially the differences among lignans, have not been explored. We examined the estrogenic activity of enterolignans and their precursor plant lignans and cell signaling pathways for some cell functions, cell cycle and chemokine secretion. We used DNA microarray-based gene expression profiling in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells to examine the similarities, as well as the differences, among enterolignans, enterolactone and enterodiol, and their precursors, matairesinol, pinoresinol and sesamin. The profiles showed moderate to high levels of correlation (R values: 0.44 to 0.81 with that of estrogen (17β-estradiol or E2. Significant correlations were observed among lignans (R values: 0.77 to 0.97, and the correlations were higher for cell functions related to enzymes, signaling, proliferation and transport. All the enterolignans/precursors examined showed activation of the Erk1/2 and PI3K/Akt pathways, indicating the involvement of rapid signaling through the non-genomic estrogen signaling pathway. However, when their effects on specific cell functions, cell cycle progression and chemokine (MCP-1 secretion were examined, positive effects were observed only for enterolactone, suggesting that signals are given in certain directions at a position closer to cell functions. We hypothesized that, while estrogen signaling is initiated by the enterolignans/precursors examined, their signals are differentially and directionally modulated later in the pathways, resulting in the differences at the cell function level.

Amorphous surface layer versus transient amorphous precursor phase in bone - A case study investigated by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Von Euw, Stanislas; Ajili, Widad; Chan-Chang, Tsou-Hsi-Camille; Delices, Annette; Laurent, Guillaume; Babonneau, Florence; Nassif, Nadine; Azaïs, Thierry

2017-09-01

The presence of an amorphous surface layer that coats a crystalline core has been proposed for many biominerals, including bone mineral. In parallel, transient amorphous precursor phases have been proposed in various biomineralization processes, including bone biomineralization. Here we propose a methodology to investigate the origin of these amorphous environments taking the bone tissue as a key example. This study relies on the investigation of a bone tissue sample and its comparison with synthetic calcium phosphate samples, including a stoichiometric apatite, an amorphous calcium phosphate sample, and two different biomimetic apatites. To reveal if the amorphous environments in bone originate from an amorphous surface layer or a transient amorphous precursor phase, a combined solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment has been used. The latter consists of a double cross polarization 1 H→ 31 P→ 1 H pulse sequence followed by a 1 H magnetization exchange pulse sequence. The presence of an amorphous surface layer has been investigated through the study of the biomimetic apatites; while the presence of a transient amorphous precursor phase in the form of amorphous calcium phosphate particles has been mimicked with the help of a physical mixture of stoichiometric apatite and amorphous calcium phosphate. The NMR results show that the amorphous and the crystalline environments detected in our bone tissue sample belong to the same particle. The presence of an amorphous surface layer that coats the apatitic core of bone apatite particles has been unambiguously confirmed, and it is certain that this amorphous surface layer has strong implication on bone tissue biogenesis and regeneration. Questions still persist on the structural organization of bone and biomimetic apatites. The existing model proposes a core/shell structure, with an amorphous surface layer coating a crystalline bulk. The accuracy of this model is still debated because amorphous calcium

Hydrogen induced surface effects on the mechanical properties of type 304 stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, T.C.V. da; Pascual, R.; Miranda, P.E.V. de.

1983-01-01

The possibilities of modifying the mechanical properties of type 304 stainless steel by cathodic hydrogen charging were studied. The situations analysed included hydrogen embrittlement itself in tensile tests of hydrogen containing samples and the effects of delayed cracks in fatigue tests of hydrogenated and outgassed samples. SEM and TEM observations were also performed. It was found that hydrogen induced surface delayed cracks appear in great quantity during outgassing (of the order of several millions in a square centimeter). Hydrogen embrittlement was responsible for drastic losses in ductility in tension, while surface cracks severely reduced fatigue life. (author) [pt

Acute Exposure to a Precursor of Advanced Glycation End Products Induces a Dual Effect on the Rat Pancreatic Islet Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghada Elmhiri

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Advanced glycation end products, known as AGEs, are a major risk factor for diabetes onset and maintenance. Methylglyoxal (MG, a highly reactive metabolite of glucose, is a precursor for the generation of endogenous AGEs. Methods. In this current study we incubated in vitro pancreatic islets from adult rats in absence or presence of MG (10 μmol/l with different concentrations of glucose and different metabolic components (acetylcholine, epinephrine, potassium, forskolin, and leucine. Results. Different effects of MG on insulin secretion were evidenced. In basal glucose stimulation (5.6 mM, MG induced a significant (P<0.05 increase of insulin secretion. By contrast, in higher glucose concentrations (8.3 mM and 16.7 mM, MG significantly inhibited insulin secretion (P<0.05. In the presence of potassium, forskolin, and epinephrine, MG enhanced insulin secretion (P<0.05, while when it was incubated with acetylcholine and leucine, MG resulted in a decrease of insulin secretion (P<0.05. Conclusion. We suggest that MG modulates the secretion activity of beta-cell depending on its level of stimulation by other metabolic factors. These results provide insights on a dual acute effect of MG on the pancreatic cells.

Removal of both N-nitrosodimethylamine and trihalomethanes precursors in a single treatment using ion exchange resins.

Science.gov (United States)

Beita-Sandí, Wilson; Karanfil, Tanju

2017-11-01

Drinking water utilities are relying more than ever on water sources impacted by wastewater effluents. Disinfection/oxidation of these waters during water treatment may lead to the formation of several disinfection by-products, including the probable human carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and the regulated trihalomethanes (THMs). In this study, the potential of ion exchange resins to control both NDMA and THMs precursors in a single treatment is presented. Two ion exchange resins were examined, a cation exchange resin (Plus) to target NDMA precursors and an anion exchange resin (MIEX) for THMs precursors control. We applied the resins, individually and combined, in the treatment of surface and wastewater effluent samples. The treatment with both resins removed simultaneously NDMA (43-85%) and THMs (39-65%) precursors. However, no removal of NDMA precursors was observed in the surface water with low initial NDMA FP (14 ng/L). The removals of NDMA FP and THMs FP with Plus and MIEX resins applied alone were (49-90%) and (41-69%), respectively. These results suggest no interaction between the resins, and thus the feasibility of effectively controlling NDMA and THMs precursors concomitantly. Additionally, the effects of the wastewater impact and the natural attenuation of precursors were studied. The results showed that neither the wastewater content nor the attenuation of the precursor affected the removals of NDMA and THMs precursors. Finally, experiments using a wastewater effluent sample showed that an increase in the calcium concentration resulted in a reduction in the removal of NDMA precursors of about 50%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the thermal effect on silicon surface induced by ion beam from plasma focus device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmad, Z., E-mail: pscientific5@aec.org.sy [Scientific Service Department, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P.O. Box: 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic); Ahmad, M. [IBA Laboratory, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P.O. Box: 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic); Chemistry Department, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P.O. Box: 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic); Al-Hawat, Sh.; Akel, M. [Physics Department, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P.O. Box: 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic)

2017-04-01

Structural modifications in form of ripples and cracks are induced by nitrogen ions from plasma focus on silicon surface. The investigation of such structures reveals correlation between ripples and cracks formation in peripheral region of the melt spot. The reason of such correlation and structure formation is explained as result of thermal effect. Melting and resolidification of the center of irradiated area occur within one micro second of time. This is supported by a numerical simulation used to investigate the thermal effect induced by the plasma focus ion beams on the silicon surface. This simulation provides information about the temperature profile as well as the dynamic of the thermal propagation in depth and lateral directions. In accordance with the experimental observations, that ripples are formed in latter stage after the arrival of last ion, the simulation shows that the thermal relaxation takes place in few microseconds after the end of the ion beam arrival. Additionally, the dependency of thermal propagation and relaxation on the distance of the silicon surface from the anode is presented.

Multi-phase-field method for surface tension induced elasticity

Science.gov (United States)

Schiedung, Raphael; Steinbach, Ingo; Varnik, Fathollah

2018-01-01

A method, based on the multi-phase-field framework, is proposed that adequately accounts for the effects of a coupling between surface free energy and elastic deformation in solids. The method is validated via a number of analytically solvable problems. In addition to stress states at mechanical equilibrium in complex geometries, the underlying multi-phase-field framework naturally allows us to account for the influence of surface energy induced stresses on phase transformation kinetics. This issue, which is of fundamental importance on the nanoscale, is demonstrated in the limit of fast diffusion for a solid sphere, which melts due to the well-known Gibbs-Thompson effect. This melting process is slowed down when coupled to surface energy induced elastic deformation.

Fluxon induced resistance and field emission

CERN Document Server

Calatroni, Sergio; Darriulat, Pierre; Peck, M A; Valente, A M; Van't Hof, C A

2000-01-01

The surface resistance of superconducting niobium films induced by the presence of trapped magnetic flux, presumably in the form of a pinned fluxon lattice, is shown to be modified by the presence of a field emitting impurity or defect. The modification takes the form of an additional surface resistance proportional to the density of the fluxon lattice and increasing linearly with the amplitude of the microwave above a threshold significantly lower than the field emission threshold. Such an effect, precursor of electron emission, is observed here for the first time in a study using radiofrequency cavities operated at their fundamental 1.5 GHz frequency. The measured properties of the additional surface resistance severely constrain possible explanations of the observed effect.

Effects of Roughness and Inertia on Precursors to Frictional Sliding

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Mark O.; Salerno, K. Michael

2012-02-01

Experiments show that when a PMMA block on a surface is normally loaded and driven by an external shear force, contact at the interface is modified in discrete precursor slips prior to steady state sliding.[1] Our simulations use an atomistic model of a rough two-dimensional block in contact with a flat surface to investigate the evolution of stress and displacement along the contact between surfaces. The talk will show how local and global stress conditions govern the initiation of interfacial cracks as well as the spatial extension of the cracked region. Inertia also plays an important role in determining the number and size of slips before sliding and influences the distribution of stresses at the interface. Finally, the geometry of surface asperities also influences the interfacial evolution and the total friction force. The relationship between the interfacial stress state and rupture velocity will also be discussed. [1] S.M. Rubinstein, G. Cohen and J. Fineberg, PRL 98, 226103 (2007)

The stream of precursors that colonizes the thymus proceeds selectively through the early T lineage precursor stage of T cell development

Science.gov (United States)

Benz, Claudia; Martins, Vera C.; Radtke, Freddy; Bleul, Conrad C.

2008-01-01

T cell development in the thymus depends on continuous colonization by hematopoietic precursors. Several distinct T cell precursors have been identified, but whether one or several independent precursor cell types maintain thymopoiesis is unclear. We have used thymus transplantation and an inducible lineage-tracing system to identify the intrathymic precursor cells among previously described thymus-homing progenitors that give rise to the T cell lineage in the thymus. Extrathymic precursors were not investigated in these studies. Both approaches show that the stream of T cell lineage precursor cells, when entering the thymus, selectively passes through the early T lineage precursor (ETP) stage. Immigrating precursor cells do not exhibit characteristics of double-negative (DN) 1c, DN1d, or DN1e stages, or of populations containing the common lymphoid precursor 2 (CLP-2) or the thymic equivalent of circulating T cell progenitors (CTPs). It remains possible that an unknown hematopoietic precursor cell or previously described extrathymic precursors with a CLP, CLP-2, or CTP phenotype feed into T cell development by circumventing known intrathymic T cell lineage progenitor cells. However, it is clear that of the known intrathymic precursors, only the ETP population contributes significant numbers of T lineage precursors to T cell development. PMID:18458114

GH mediates exercise-dependent activation of SVZ neural precursor cells in aged mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel G Blackmore

Full Text Available Here we demonstrate, both in vivo and in vitro, that growth hormone (GH mediates precursor cell activation in the subventricular zone (SVZ of the aged (12-month-old brain following exercise, and that GH signaling stimulates precursor activation to a similar extent to exercise. Our results reveal that both addition of GH in culture and direct intracerebroventricular infusion of GH stimulate neural precursor cells in the aged brain. In contrast, no increase in neurosphere numbers was observed in GH receptor null animals following exercise. Continuous infusion of a GH antagonist into the lateral ventricle of wild-type animals completely abolished the exercise-induced increase in neural precursor cell number. Given that the aged brain does not recover well after injury, we investigated the direct effect of exercise and GH on neural precursor cell activation following irradiation. This revealed that physical exercise as well as infusion of GH promoted repopulation of neural precursor cells in irradiated aged animals. Conversely, infusion of a GH antagonist during exercise prevented recovery of precursor cells in the SVZ following irradiation.

GH Mediates Exercise-Dependent Activation of SVZ Neural Precursor Cells in Aged Mice

Science.gov (United States)

Blackmore, Daniel G.; Vukovic, Jana; Waters, Michael J.; Bartlett, Perry F.

2012-01-01

Here we demonstrate, both in vivo and in vitro, that growth hormone (GH) mediates precursor cell activation in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the aged (12-month-old) brain following exercise, and that GH signaling stimulates precursor activation to a similar extent to exercise. Our results reveal that both addition of GH in culture and direct intracerebroventricular infusion of GH stimulate neural precursor cells in the aged brain. In contrast, no increase in neurosphere numbers was observed in GH receptor null animals following exercise. Continuous infusion of a GH antagonist into the lateral ventricle of wild-type animals completely abolished the exercise-induced increase in neural precursor cell number. Given that the aged brain does not recover well after injury, we investigated the direct effect of exercise and GH on neural precursor cell activation following irradiation. This revealed that physical exercise as well as infusion of GH promoted repopulation of neural precursor cells in irradiated aged animals. Conversely, infusion of a GH antagonist during exercise prevented recovery of precursor cells in the SVZ following irradiation. PMID:23209615

Zwitterionic sulfobetaine-grafted poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane with highly effective blood compatibility via atmospheric plasma-induced surface copolymerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Yung; Chang, Wan-Ju; Shih, Yu-Ju; Wei, Ta-Chin; Hsiue, Ging-Ho

2011-04-01

Development of nonfouling membranes to prevent nonspecific protein adsorption and platelet adhesion is critical for many biomedical applications. It is always a challenge to control the surface graft copolymerization of a highly polar monomer from the highly hydrophobic surface of a fluoropolymer membrane. In this work, the blood compatibility of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes with surface-grafted electrically neutral zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA), from atmospheric plasma-induced surface copolymerization, was studied. The effect of surface composition and graft morphology, electrical neutrality, hydrophilicity and hydration capability on blood compatibility of the membranes were determined. Blood compatibility of the zwitterionic PVDF membranes was systematically evaluated by plasma protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, plasma-clotting time, and blood cell hemolysis. It was found that the nonfouling nature and hydration capability of grafted PSBMA polymers can be effectively controlled by regulating the grafting coverage and charge balance of the PSBMA layer on the PVDF membrane surface. Even a slight charge bias in the grafted zwitterionic PSBMA layer can induce electrostatic interactions between proteins and the membrane surfaces, leading to surface protein adsorption, platelet activation, plasma clotting and blood cell hemolysis. Thus, the optimized PSBMA surface graft layer in overall charge neutrality has a high hydration capability and the best antifouling, anticoagulant, and antihemolytic activities when comes into contact with human blood. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Surface modifications induced by pulsed-laser texturing—Influence of laser impact on the surface properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costil, S., E-mail: sophie.costil@utbm.fr [IRTES-LERMPS, Université de Technologie de Belfort - Montbéliard, site de Sévenans, 90010 Belfort Cedex (France); Lamraoui, A.; Langlade, C. [IRTES-LERMPS, Université de Technologie de Belfort - Montbéliard, site de Sévenans, 90010 Belfort Cedex (France); Heintz, O.; Oltra, R. [ICB, Université de Bourgogne, 21078 Dijon Cedex (France)

2014-01-01

Laser cleaning technology provides a safe, environmentally friendly and very cost effective way to improve cleaning and surface preparation of metallic materials. Compared with efficient cleaning processes, it can avoid the disadvantages of ductile materials prepared by conventional technologies (cracks induced by sand-blasting for example) and treat only some selected areas (due to the optical fibers). By this way, laser technology could have several advantages and expand the range of thermal spraying. Moreover, new generations of lasers (fiber laser, disc laser) allow the development of new methods. Besides a significant bulk reduction, no maintenance, low operating cost, laser fibers can introduce alternative treatments. Combining a short-pulse laser with a scanner allows new applications in terms of surface preparation. By multiplying impacts using scanning laser, it is possible to shape the substrate surface to improve the coating adhesion as well as the mechanical behaviour. In addition, during the interactions of the laser beam with metallic surfaces, several modifications can be induced and particularly thermal effects. Indeed, under ambient conditions, a limited oxidation of the clean surface can occur. This phenomenon has been investigated in detail for silicon but few works have been reported concerning metallic materials. This paper aims at studying the surface modifications induced on aluminium alloy substrates after laser texturing. After morphological observations (SEM), a deeper surface analysis will be performed using XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) measures and microhardness testing.

An optimized In–CuGa metallic precursors for chalcopyrite thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jun-feng, E-mail: junfeng.han@cnrs-imn.fr [Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, UMR CNRS 6502, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Liao, Cheng [Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Chengdu Green Energy and Green Manufacturing Technology R and D Center, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 601207 (China); Jiang, Tao; Xie, Hua-mu; Zhao, Kui [Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Besland, M.-P. [Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, UMR CNRS 6502, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)

2013-10-31

We report a study of CuGa–In metallic precursors for chalcopyrite thin film. CuGa and In thin films were prepared by DC sputtering at room temperature. Due to low melting point of indium, the sputtering power on indium target was optimized. Then, CuGa and In multilayers were annealed at low temperature. At 120 °C, the annealing treatment could enhance diffusion and alloying of CuGa and In layers; however, at 160 °C, it caused a cohesion and crystalline of indium from the alloy which consequently formed irregular nodules on the film surface. The precursors were selenized to form copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin films. The morphological and structural properties were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra. The relationships between metallic precursors and CIGS films were discussed in the paper. A smooth precursor layer was the key factor to obtain a homogeneous and compact CIGS film. - Highlights: • An optimized sputtered indium film • An optimized alloying process of metallic precursor • An observation of nodules forming on the indium film and precursor surface • An observation of cauliflower structure in copper indium gallium selenide film • The relationship between precursor and CIGS film surface morphology.

Treatment of surfaces with low-energy electrons

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, L.; Mikmeková, E.; Lejeune, M.

2017-06-01

Electron-beam-induced deposition of various materials from suitable precursors has represented an established branch of nanotechnology for more than a decade. A specific alternative is carbon deposition on the basis of hydrocarbons as precursors that has been applied to grow various nanostructures including masks for subsequent technological steps. Our area of study was unintentional electron-beam-induced carbon deposition from spontaneously adsorbed hydrocarbon molecules. This process traditionally constitutes a challenge for scanning electron microscopy practice preventing one from performing any true surface studies outside an ultrahigh vacuum and without in-situ cleaning of samples, and also jeopardising other electron-optical devices such as electron beam lithographs. Here we show that when reducing the energy of irradiating electrons sufficiently, the e-beam-induced deposition can be converted to e-beam-induced release causing desorption of hydrocarbons and ultimate cleaning of surfaces in both an ultrahigh and a standard high vacuum. Using series of experiments with graphene samples, we demonstrate fundamental features of e-beam-induced desorption and present results of checks for possible radiation damage using Raman spectroscopy that led to optimisation of the electron energy for damage-free cleaning. The method of preventing carbon contamination described here paves the way for greatly enhanced surface sensitivity of imaging and substantially reduced demands on vacuum systems for nanotechnological applications.

Polymer-induced liquid precursor (PILP) phases of calcium carbonate formed in the presence of synthetic acidic polypeptides - relevance to biomineralization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schenk, A.S.; Zope, H.; Kim, Y.; Kros, A.; Sommerdijk, N.A.J.M.; Meldrum, F.C.

2012-01-01

Polymer-induced liquid precursor (PILP) phases of calcium carbonate have attracted significant interest due to possible applications in materials synthesis, and their resemblance to intermediates seen in biogenic mineralisation processes. Further, these PILP phases have been formed in vitro using

Progress in molecular precursors for electronic materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buhro, W.E. [Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)

1996-09-01

Molecular-precursor chemistry provides an essential underpinning to all electronic-materials technologies, including photovoltaics and related areas of direct interest to the DOE. Materials synthesis and processing is a rapidly developing field in which advances in molecular precursors are playing a major role. This article surveys selected recent research examples that define the exciting current directions in molecular-precursor science. These directions include growth of increasingly complex structures and stoichiometries, surface-selective growth, kinetic growth of metastable materials, growth of size-controlled quantum dots and quantum-dot arrays, and growth at progressively lower temperatures. Continued progress in molecular-precursor chemistry will afford precise control over the crystal structures, nanostructures, and microstructures of electronic materials.

Degradation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and its precursor dimethylamine (DMA) in mineral micropores induced by microwave irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yuanzhen; Cheng, Hefa

2016-05-01

Removal of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in drinking water treatment poses a significant technical challenge due to its small molecular size, high polarity and water solubility, and poor biodegradability. Degradation of NDMA and its precursor, dimethylamine (DMA), was investigated by adsorbing them from aqueous solution using porous mineral sorbents, followed by destruction under microwave irradiation. Among the mineral sorbents evaluated, dealuminated ZSM-5 exhibited the highest sorption capacities for NDMA and DMA, which decreased with the density of surface cations present in the micropores. In contrast, the degradation rate of the sorbed NDMA increased with the density of surface cations under microwave irradiation. Evolutions of the degradation products and C/N ratio indicate that the sorbed NDMA and DMA could be eventually mineralized under continuous microwave irradiation. The degradation rate was strongly correlated with the bulk temperature of ZSM-5 and microwave power, which is consistent with the mechanism of pyrolysis caused by formation of micro-scale "hot spots" within the mineral micropores under microwave irradiation. Compared to existing treatment options for NDMA removal, microporous mineral sorption coupled with microwave-induced degradation has the unique advantages of being able to simultaneously remove NDMA and DMA and cause their full mineralization, and thus could serve as a promising alternative method. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diffusion processes in bombardment-induced surface topography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, R.S.

1984-01-01

The bombardment of surfaces with moderate energy ions can lead to the development of various micron-sized surface structures. These structures include ridges, ledges, flat planes, pits and cones. The causal phenomena in the production of these features are sputtering, ion reflection, redeposition of sputtered material, and surface diffusion of both impurity and target-atom species. The authors concentrate on the formation of ion bombardment-induced surface topography wherein surface diffusion is a dominant process. The most thoroughly understood aspect of this topography development is the generation of cone-like structures during sputtering. The formation of cones during sputtering has been attributed to three effects. These are: (1) the presence of asperities, defects, or micro-inclusions in the surface layers, (2) the presence of impurities on the surfaces, and (3) particular crystal orientations. (Auth.)

Micro-structural evolution and biomineralization behavior of carbon nanofiber/bioactive glass composites induced by precursor aging time.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Xiaolong; Tang, Tianhong; Cheng, Dan; Zhang, Cuihua; Zhang, Ran; Cai, Qing; Yang, Xiaoping

2015-12-01

Bioactive glass (BG)-containing carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are promising orthopaedic biomaterials. Herein, CNF composites were produced from electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/BG sol-gel precursor solution, followed by carbonization. Choosing 58S-type BG (mol%: 58.0% SiO2-26.3% CaO-15.7% P2O5) as the model, micro-structural evolution of CNF/BG composites was systematically evaluated in relating to aging times of BG precursor solution. With aging time prolonging, BG precursors underwent morphological changes from small sol clusters with loosely and randomly branched structure to highly crosslinked Si-network structure, showing continuous increase in solution viscosity. BG precursor solution with low viscosity could mix well with PAN solution, resulting in CNF composite with homogeneously distributed BG component. Whereas, BG precursor gel with densely crosslinked Si-network structure led to uneven distribution of BG component along final CNFs due to its significant phase separation from PAN component. Meanwhile, BG nanoparticles in CNFs demonstrated micro-structural evolution that they transited from weak to strong crystal state along with longer aging time. Biomineralization in simulated body fluid and in vitro osteoblasts proliferation were then applied to determine the bioactivity of CNF/BG composites. CNF/BG composites prepared from shorter aging time could induce both faster apatite deposition and cell proliferation rate. It was suggested weakly crystallized BG nanoparticles along CNFs dissolved fast and was able to provide numerous nucleation sites for apatite deposition, which also favored the proliferation of osteoblasts cells. Aging time could thus be a useful tool to regulate the biological features of CNF/BG composites. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of reaction parameters of radiation induced grafting of 1-vinylimidazole onto poly(ethylene-co-tetraflouroethene) using response surface method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nasef, Mohamed Mahmoud, E-mail: mahmoudeithar@fkkksa.utm.my [Institute of Hydrogen Economy, International Campus, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 54100 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Aly, Amgad Ahmed; Saidi, Hamdani; Ahmad, Arshad [Institute of Hydrogen Economy, International Campus, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 54100 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2011-11-15

Radiation induced grafting of 1-vinylimidazole (1-VIm) onto poly(ethylene-co-tetraflouroethene) (ETFE) was investigated. The grafting parameters such as absorbed dose, monomer concentration, grafting time and temperature were optimized using response surface method (RSM). The Box-Behnken module available in the design expert software was used to investigate the effect of reaction conditions (independent parameters) varied in four levels on the degree of grafting (G%) (response parameter). The model yielded a polynomial equation that relates the linear, quadratic and interaction effects of the independent parameters to the response parameter. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the results of the model and detect the significant values for the independent parameters. The optimum parameters to achieve a maximum G% were found to be monomer concentration of 55 vol%, absorbed dose of 100 kGy, time in the range of 14-20 h and a temperature of 61 {sup o}C. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to investigate the properties of the obtained films and provide evidence for grafting. - Highlights: > A precursor for phosphoric acid membrane for a high temperature PEM fuel cell was prepared. > The grafting parameters for radiation induced grafting of 1-VIm onto ETFE film were optimized. > Surface response method was used to predict the degree of grafting. > The predicted value agreed well with the experimental data as indicated by a 3% deviation. > The number of the experiments and cost of radiation induced grafting were reduced.

Adsorption and surface reaction of bis-diethylaminosilane as a Si precursor on an OH-terminated Si (0 0 1) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baek, Seung-Bin; Kim, Dae-Hee; Kim, Yeong-Cheol

2012-01-01

The adsorption and the surface reaction of bis-diethylaminosilane (SiH 2 [N(C 2 H 5 ) 2 ] 2 , BDEAS) as a Si precursor on an OH-terminated Si (0 0 1) surface were investigated to understand the initial reaction mechanism of the atomic layer deposition (ALD) process using density functional theory. The bond dissociation energies between two atoms in BDEAS increased in the order of Si-H, Si-N, and the rest of the bonds. Therefore, the relatively weak Si-H and Si-N bonds were considered for bond breaking during the surface reaction. Optimum locations of BDEAS for the Si-H and Si-N bond breaking were determined on the surface, and adsorption energies of 0.43 and 0.60 eV, respectively, were obtained. The Si-H bond dissociation energy of the adsorbed BDEAS on the surface did not decrease, so that a high reaction energy barrier of 1.60 eV was required. On the other hand, the Si-N bond dissociation energy did decrease, so that a relatively low reaction energy barrier of 0.52 eV was required. When the surface reaction energy barrier was higher than the adsorption energy, BDEAS would be desorbed from the surface instead of being reacted. Therefore, the Si-N bond breaking would be dominantly involved during the surface reaction, and the result is in good agreement with the experimental data in the literature.

Thermo-radiosensitivity of the granulocyte and macrophage precursor cells of mice. I.-Development of the in vivo culture and effects induced by the hyperthermia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bueren, J. A.; Nieto, M.

1983-01-01

The present report shows the agar diffusion chamber technique for culturing granulocyte- macrophage precursor cells, obtained from mice bone marrow. Diffusion chambers containing the bone marrow suspension are implanted intraperitoneally Into mice and constitute a compartment which avoids the migration of cells, but allows the transit of the mouse biological fluxes, necessary for the cellular proliferation. By means of this technique, we studied the lethal effects of the hyperthermia on the precursors and their capacity to repair sublethal damage. (Author) 129 refs

[Study on Precursors for Synthesis of Anthraquinone Metabolites from Rheum tanguticum].

Science.gov (United States)

Hasi, Qi-mei-ge; Lj, Hai-ling; Cheng, Yan; Menggen, Qi-qi-ge; Zhang, Yang

2015-01-01

To explore the potential precursors of the anthraquinone metabolites from Rheum tanguticum and preliminanly identify the synthesis pathway thereof. Sterile seedlings sprouted from the seeds of Rheum tanguticum were chosen as materials for inducing callus. The effects of different precursors and feeding duration on the callus of Rheum tanguticum and the anthraquinone yield in adult rheum were studied. The greatest improvement of anthraquinone yield was achieved by acetic acid, increasing 43. 9% for the callus and 45. 8% in the adult rheum; the second greatest improvement was achieved by malonic acid, increasing 15. 8% for the callus and only 3. 6% in the adult rheum. The yield of anthraquinone was not influenced significantly by benzoic acid and p-benzoquinone, and in contrast, was inhibited in some degree by shikimic acid and α-ketoglutaric acid. A suitable feeding duration was 36 h, which worked well for the effects of precursors. The precursor for synthesis of anthraquinone metabolites from Rheum tan- guticum is acetic acid, which improves the yields of callus and anthraquinone in adult rheum, concluding that the anthraquinone metabolites are synthesized via polyketone pathway.

Slurry erosion induced surface nanocrystallization of bulk metallic glass

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiulin; Wu, Jili; Pi, Jinghong; Cheng, Jiangbo; Shan, Yiping; Zhang, Yingtao

2018-05-01

Microstructure evolution and phase transformation of metallic glasses (MGs) could occur under heating condition or mechanical deformation. The cross-section of as-cast Zr55Cu30Ni5Al10 MG rod was impacted by the solid particles when subjected to erosion in slurry flow. The surface microstructure was observed by XRD before and after slurry erosion. And the stress-driven de-vitrification increases with the increase of erosion time. A microstructure evolution layer with 1-2 μm thickness was formed on the topmost eroded surface. And a short range atomic ordering prevails in the microstructure evolution layer with crystalline size around 2-3 nm embedded in the amorphous matrix. The XPS analysis reveals that most of the metal elements in the MG surface, except for Cu, were oxidized. And a composite layer with ZrO2 and Al2O3 phases were formed in the topmost surface after slurry erosion. The cooling rate during solidification of MG has a strong influence on the slurry erosion induced nanocrystallization. And a lower cooling rate favors the surface nanocrystallization because of lower activation energy and thermo-stability. Finally, the slurry erosion induced surface nanocrystallization and microstructure evolution result in surface hardening and strengthening. Moreover, the microstructure evolution mechanisms were discussed and it is related to the cooling rate of solidification and the impact-induced temperature rise, as well as the combined effects of the impact-induced plastic flow, inter-diffusion and oxidation of the metal elements.

Effect of plasma-induced surface charging on catalytic processes: application to CO2 activation

Science.gov (United States)

Bal, Kristof M.; Huygh, Stijn; Bogaerts, Annemie; Neyts, Erik C.

2018-02-01

Understanding the nature and effect of the multitude of plasma-surface interactions in plasma catalysis is a crucial requirement for further process development and improvement. A particularly intriguing and rather unique property of a plasma-catalytic setup is the ability of the plasma to modify the electronic structure, and hence chemical properties, of the catalyst through charging, i.e. the absorption of excess electrons. In this work, we develop a quantum chemical model based on density functional theory to study excess negative surface charges in a heterogeneous catalyst exposed to a plasma. This method is specifically applied to investigate plasma-catalytic CO2 activation on supported M/Al2O3 (M = Ti, Ni, Cu) single atom catalysts. We find that (1) the presence of a negative surface charge dramatically improves the reductive power of the catalyst, strongly promoting the splitting of CO2 to CO and oxygen, and (2) the relative activity of the investigated transition metals is also changed upon charging, suggesting that controlled surface charging is a powerful additional parameter to tune catalyst activity and selectivity. These results strongly point to plasma-induced surface charging of the catalyst as an important factor contributing to the plasma-catalyst synergistic effects frequently reported for plasma catalysis.

Radiation-induced apoptosis of neural precursors cell cultures: early modulation of the response mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gisone, P.; Dubner, D.; Robello, E.; Michelin, S.; Perez, M. R.

2004-07-01

Apoptosis, the typical mode of radiation-induced cell death in developing Central Nervous System (CNS), is closely related with the oxidative status. Enhanced radiation-induced generation of ROS/RNS has been observed after exposures to low radiation doses leading to cellular amplification of signal transduction and further molecular and cellular radiation-responses. Moreover Nitric oxide (NO) and hydroxyl radical are implicated in dopaminergic neurotoxicity in different parading. This study is an attempt to address the participation of radiation-induced free radicals production, the contribution of endogenous NO generation, and the excitonic pathway, in the radiation-induced apoptosis of neural cortical precursors. Cortical cells obtained from at 17 gestational day (gd) were irradiated with doses from 0,2 Gy to 2 Gy at a dose-rate of 0.3 Gy/m. A significant decrease of Luminol-dependent Chemiluminescence was evident 30 m after irradiation reaching basal levels at 120 m follow for a tendency to increasing values Incubations with Superoxide Dismatuse (SOD) decreased significantly the chemiluminescence in irradiated samples NO content estimated by measuring the stable products NO{sub 2} and NO{sub 3} released to the culture medium in the same period, has shown a time-dependent accumulation from 1 h post-irradiation. the apoptosis, determined 24 h post-irradiation by flow cytometry, morphology and DNA fragmentation revealed a dose-effect relationship with significant differences from 0.4 Gy. The samples pre-treated with 10 mM of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) a precursor of intracellular GSH synthesis, shown a significant decrease of the apoptosis. Apoptosis was significantly increased in irradiated cells after inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) byL-NAME. We conclude that ROS/RNS play a pivotal role in the early signaling pathways leading to a radiation-induced cell death. (Author) 40 refs.

Radiation-induced apoptosis of neural precursors cell cultures: early modulation of the response mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gisone, P.; Dubner, D.; Robello, E.; Michelin, S.; Perez, M. R.

2004-01-01

Apoptosis, the typical mode of radiation-induced cell death in developing Central Nervous System (CNS), is closely related with the oxidative status. Enhanced radiation-induced generation of ROS/RNS has been observed after exposures to low radiation doses leading to cellular amplification of signal transduction and further molecular and cellular radiation-responses. Moreover Nitric oxide (NO) and hydroxyl radical are implicated in dopaminergic neurotoxicity in different parading. This study is an attempt to address the participation of radiation-induced free radicals production, the contribution of endogenous NO generation, and the excitonic pathway, in the radiation-induced apoptosis of neural cortical precursors. Cortical cells obtained from at 17 gestational day (gd) were irradiated with doses from 0,2 Gy to 2 Gy at a dose-rate of 0.3 Gy/m. A significant decrease of Luminol-dependent Chemiluminescence was evident 30 m after irradiation reaching basal levels at 120 m follow for a tendency to increasing values Incubations with Superoxide Dismatuse (SOD) decreased significantly the chemiluminescence in irradiated samples NO content estimated by measuring the stable products NO 2 and NO 3 released to the culture medium in the same period, has shown a time-dependent accumulation from 1 h post-irradiation. the apoptosis, determined 24 h post-irradiation by flow cytometry, morphology and DNA fragmentation revealed a dose-effect relationship with significant differences from 0.4 Gy. The samples pre-treated with 10 mM of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) a precursor of intracellular GSH synthesis, shown a significant decrease of the apoptosis. Apoptosis was significantly increased in irradiated cells after inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) byL-NAME. We conclude that ROS/RNS play a pivotal role in the early signaling pathways leading to a radiation-induced cell death. (Author) 40 refs

Treatment of surfaces with low-energy electrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frank, L., E-mail: ludek@isibrno.cz [Institute of Scientific Instruments of the CAS, v.v.i., Královopolská 147, 61264 Brno (Czech Republic); Mikmeková, E. [Institute of Scientific Instruments of the CAS, v.v.i., Královopolská 147, 61264 Brno (Czech Republic); FEI Company, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven (Netherlands); Lejeune, M. [LPMC – Faculte des Sciences d’Amiens, Universite de Picardie Jules Verne, 33 rue Saint Leu, 80039 Amiens Cedex 2 (France)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • Using proper irradiation parameters, adsorbed hydrocarbons are released from surfaces. • Slow electrons remove hydrocarbons instead of depositing carbon. • Prolonged irradiation with very slow electrons does not create defects in graphene. - Abstract: Electron-beam-induced deposition of various materials from suitable precursors has represented an established branch of nanotechnology for more than a decade. A specific alternative is carbon deposition on the basis of hydrocarbons as precursors that has been applied to grow various nanostructures including masks for subsequent technological steps. Our area of study was unintentional electron-beam-induced carbon deposition from spontaneously adsorbed hydrocarbon molecules. This process traditionally constitutes a challenge for scanning electron microscopy practice preventing one from performing any true surface studies outside an ultrahigh vacuum and without in-situ cleaning of samples, and also jeopardising other electron-optical devices such as electron beam lithographs. Here we show that when reducing the energy of irradiating electrons sufficiently, the e-beam-induced deposition can be converted to e-beam-induced release causing desorption of hydrocarbons and ultimate cleaning of surfaces in both an ultrahigh and a standard high vacuum. Using series of experiments with graphene samples, we demonstrate fundamental features of e-beam-induced desorption and present results of checks for possible radiation damage using Raman spectroscopy that led to optimisation of the electron energy for damage-free cleaning. The method of preventing carbon contamination described here paves the way for greatly enhanced surface sensitivity of imaging and substantially reduced demands on vacuum systems for nanotechnological applications.

Antagonism by hemoglobin of effects induced by L-arginine in neuromuscular preparations from rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.R. Ambiel

2001-04-01

Full Text Available Nitric oxide (NO-synthase is present in diaphragm, phrenic nerve and vascular smooth muscle. It has been shown that the NO precursor L-arginine (L-Arg at the presynaptic level increases the amplitude of muscular contraction (AMC and induces tetanic fade when the muscle is indirectly stimulated at low and high frequencies, respectively. However, the precursor in muscle reduces AMC and maximal tetanic fade when the preparations are stimulated directly. In the present study the importance of NO synthesized in different tissues for the L-Arg-induced neuromuscular effects was investigated. Hemoglobin (50 nM did not produce any neuromuscular effect, but antagonized the increase in AMC and tetanic fade induced by L-Arg (9.4 mM in rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations. D-Arg (9.4 mM did not produce any effect when preparations were stimulated indirectly at low or high frequency. Hemoglobin did not inhibit the decrease of AMC or the reduction in maximal tetanic tension induced by L-Arg in preparations previously paralyzed with d-tubocurarine and directly stimulated. Since only the presynaptic effects induced by L-Arg were antagonized by hemoglobin, the present results suggest that NO synthesized in muscle acts on nerve and skeletal muscle. Nevertheless, NO produced in nerve and vascular smooth muscle does not seem to act on skeletal muscle.

An effective approach to synthesize monolayer tungsten disulphide crystals using tungsten halide precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thangaraja, Amutha; Shinde, Sachin M.; Kalita, Golap; Tanemura, Masaki

2016-01-01

The synthesis of large-area monolayer tungsten disulphide (WS 2 ) single crystal is critical for realistic application in electronic and optical devices. Here, we demonstrate an effective approach to synthesize monolayer WS 2 crystals using tungsten hexachloride (WCl 6 ) as a solid precursor in atmospheric chemical vapor deposition process. In this technique, 0.05M solution of WCl 6 in ethanol was drop-casted on SiO 2 /Si substrate to create an even distribution of the precursor, which was reduced and sulfurized at 750 °C in Ar atmosphere. We observed growth of triangular, star-shaped, as well as dendritic WS 2 crystals on the substrate. The crystal geometry evolves with the shape and size of the nuclei as observed from the dendritic structures. These results show that controlling the initial nucleation and growth process, large WS 2 single crystalline monolayer can be grown using the WCl 6 precursor. Our finding shows an easier and effective approach to grow WS 2 monolayer using tungsten halide solution-casting, rather than evaporating the precursor for gas phase reaction

The influence of precursor addition order on the porosity of sol-gel bioactive glasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernando, Delihta; Colon, Pierre; Cresswell, Mark; Journet, Catherine; Pradelle-Plasse, Nelly; Jackson, Phil; Grosgogeat, Brigitte; Attik, Nina

2018-06-16

The superior textural properties of sol-gel derived bioactive glasses compared to conventional melt quench glasses accounts for their accelerated bioactivity in vitro. Several studies have explored ways to improve the surface properties of sol-gel glasses in order to maximise their efficiency for bone and tooth regeneration. In this study, we investigated the effect of order of network modifying precursor addition on the textural properties of sol-gel derived bioactive glasses. The effect of precursor addition order on the glass characteristics was assessed by switching the order of network modifying precursor (calcium acetate monohydrate and sodium acetate anhydrous) addition for a fixed composition of bioactive glass (75SiO 2 :5CaO:10Na 2 O:10P 2 O 5 ). The results of this study showed that the order of precursor addition does influence the porosity of these glasses. For the glasses of a fixed composition and preparation conditions we achieved a doubling of surface area, a 1.5 times increase in pore volume and a 1.2 times decrease in pore size just by the mixing the network modifying precursors and adding them together in the sol-gel preparation. This simple and straightforward route adaptation to the preparation of bioactive glasses would allow us to enhance the textural properties of existing and novel composition of bioactive glasses and thus accelerate their bioactivity. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell adhesion signaling regulates RANK expression in osteoclast precursors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayako Mochizuki

Full Text Available Cells with monocyte/macrophage lineage expressing receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK differentiate into osteoclasts following stimulation with the RANK ligand (RANKL. Cell adhesion signaling is also required for osteoclast differentiation from precursors. However, details of the mechanism by which cell adhesion signals induce osteoclast differentiation have not been fully elucidated. To investigate the participation of cell adhesion signaling in osteoclast differentiation, mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs were used as osteoclast precursors, and cultured on either plastic cell culture dishes (adherent condition or the top surface of semisolid methylcellulose gel loaded in culture tubes (non-adherent condition. BMMs cultured under the adherent condition differentiated into osteoclasts in response to RANKL stimulation. However, under the non-adherent condition, the efficiency of osteoclast differentiation was markedly reduced even in the presence of RANKL. These BMMs retained macrophage characteristics including phagocytic function and gene expression profile. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS and tumor necrosis factor -αTNF-α activated the NF-κB-mediated signaling pathways under both the adherent and non-adherent conditions, while RANKL activated the pathways only under the adherent condition. BMMs highly expressed RANK mRNA and protein under the adherent condition as compared to the non-adherent condition. Also, BMMs transferred from the adherent to non-adherent condition showed downregulated RANK expression within 24 hours. In contrast, transferring those from the non-adherent to adherent condition significantly increased the level of RANK expression. Moreover, interruption of cell adhesion signaling by echistatin, an RGD-containing disintegrin, decreased RANK expression in BMMs, while forced expression of either RANK or TNFR-associated factor 6 (TRAF6 in BMMs induced their differentiation into osteoclasts even under the non

Hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling requires recruitment of circulating mesenchymal precursors of a monocyte/macrophage lineage.

Science.gov (United States)

Frid, Maria G; Brunetti, Jacqueline A; Burke, Danielle L; Carpenter, Todd C; Davie, Neil J; Reeves, John T; Roedersheimer, Mark T; van Rooijen, Nico; Stenmark, Kurt R

2006-02-01

Vascular remodeling in chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension includes marked fibroproliferative changes in the pulmonary artery (PA) adventitia. Although resident PA fibroblasts have long been considered the primary contributors to these processes, we tested the hypothesis that hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling requires recruitment of circulating mesenchymal precursors of a monocyte/macrophage lineage, termed fibrocytes. Using two neonatal animal models (rats and calves) of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, we demonstrated a dramatic perivascular accumulation of mononuclear cells of a monocyte/macrophage lineage (expressing CD45, CD11b, CD14, CD68, ED1, ED2). Many of these cells produced type I collagen, expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin, and proliferated, thus exhibiting mesenchymal cell characteristics attributed to fibrocytes. The blood-borne origin of these cells was confirmed in experiments wherein circulating monocytes/macrophages of chronically hypoxic rats were in vivo-labeled with DiI fluorochrome via liposome delivery and subsequently identified in the remodeled pulmonary, but not systemic, arterial adventitia. The DiI-labeled cells that appeared in the vessel wall expressed monocyte/macrophage markers and procollagen. Selective depletion of this monocytic cell population, using either clodronate-liposomes or gadolinium chloride, prevented pulmonary adventitial remodeling (ie, production of collagen, fibronectin, and tenascin-C and accumulation of myofibroblasts). We conclude that circulating mesenchymal precursors of a monocyte/macrophage lineage, including fibrocytes, are essential contributors to hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling.

Physicochemical modifications accompanying UV laser induced surface structures on poly(ethylene terephthalate) and their effect on adhesion of mesenchymal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Rebollar, Esther; Pérez, Susana; Hernández, Margarita; Domingo, Concepción; Martín, Margarita; Ezquerra, Tiberio A; García-Ruiz, Josefa P; Castillejo, Marta

2014-09-07

This work reports on the formation of different types of structures on the surface of polymer films upon UV laser irradiation. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) was irradiated with nanosecond UV pulses at 193 and 266 nm. The polarization of the laser beam and the irradiation angle of incidence were varied, giving rise to laser induced surface structures with different shapes and periodicities. The irradiated surfaces were topographically characterized by atomic force microscopy and the chemical modifications induced by laser irradiation were inspected via micro-Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies. Contact angle measurements were performed with different liquids, and the results evaluated in terms of surface free energy components. Finally, in order to test the influence of surface properties for a potential application, the modified surfaces were used for mesenchymal stem cell culture assays and the effect of nanostructure and surface chemistry on cell adhesion was evaluated.

Chemistry of surface nanostructures in lead precursor-rich PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} sol–gel films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gueye, I.; Le Rhun, G.; Gergaud, P.; Renault, O. [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, F-38054 Grenoble (France); Defay, E. [Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Materials Research and Technology Department, 41 Rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux (Luxembourg); Barrett, N., E-mail: nick.barrett@cea.fr [SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

2016-02-15

Highlights: • We have studied the effect of lead excess on the surface of PZT sol–gel films. • For low lead excess (10%) nanostructured surface phase is observed. • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the surface phase is Zr oxide. - Abstract: We present a study of the chemistry of the nanostructured phase at the surface of lead zirconium titanate PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} (PZT) films synthesized by sol–gel method. In sol–gel synthesis, excess lead precursor is used to maintain the target stoichiometry. Surface nanostructures appear at 10% excess whereas 30% excess inhibits their formation. Using the surface-sensitive, quantitative X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and glancing angle X-ray diffraction we have shown that the chemical composition of the nanostructures is ZrO{sub 1.82−1.89} rather than pyrochlore often described in the literature. The presence of a possibly discontinuous layer of wide band gap ZrO{sub 1.82−1.89} could be of importance in determining the electrical properties of PZT-based metal-insulator-metal heterostructures.

Tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline indirectly increases the proliferation of adult dentate gyrus-derived neural precursors: an involvement of astrocytes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuken Boku

Full Text Available Antidepressants increase the proliferation of neural precursors in adult dentate gyrus (DG, which is considered to be involved in the therapeutic action of antidepressants. However, the mechanism underlying it remains unclear. By using cultured adult rat DG-derived neural precursors (ADP, we have already shown that antidepressants have no direct effects on ADP. Therefore, antidepressants may increase the proliferation of neural precursors in adult DG via unknown indirect mechanism. We have also shown that amitriptyline (AMI, a tricyclic antidepressant, induces the expressions of GDNF, BDNF, FGF2 and VEGF, common neurogenic factors, in primary cultured astrocytes (PCA. These suggest that AMI-induced factors in astrocytes may increase the proliferation of neural precursors in adult DG. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effects of AMI-induced factors and conditioned medium (CM from PCA treated with AMI on ADP proliferation. The effects of CM and factors on ADP proliferation were examined with BrdU immunocytochemistry. AMI had no effect on ADP proliferation, but AMI-treated CM increased it. The receptors of GDNF, BDNF and FGF2, but not VEGF, were expressed in ADP. FGF2 significantly increased ADP proliferation, but not BDNF and GDNF. In addition, both of a specific inhibitor of FGF receptors and anti-FGF2 antibody significantly counteracted the increasing effect of CM on ADP proliferation. In addition, FGF2 in brain is mainly derived from astrocytes that are key components of the neurogenic niches in adult DG. These suggest that AMI may increase ADP proliferation indirectly via PCA and that FGF2 may a potential candidate to mediate such an indirect effect of AMI on ADP proliferation via astrocytes.

Boron nitride ceramics from molecular precursors: synthesis, properties and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernard, Samuel; Salameh, Chrystelle; Miele, Philippe

2016-01-21

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) attracts considerable interest because its structure is similar to that of carbon graphite while it displays different properties which are of interest for environmental and green technologies. The polar nature of the B-N bond in sp(2)-bonded BN makes it a wide band gap insulator with different chemistry on its surface and particular physical and chemical properties such as a high thermal conductivity, a high temperature stability, a high resistance to corrosion and oxidation and a strong UV emission. It is chemically inert and nontoxic and has good environmental compatibility. h-BN also has enhanced physisorption properties due to the dipolar fields near its surface. Such properties are closely dependent on the processing method. Bottom-up approaches consist of transforming molecular precursors into non-oxide ceramics with retention of the structural units inherent to the precursor molecule. The purpose of the present review is to give an up-to-date overview on the most recent achievements in the preparation of h-BN from borazine-based molecular single-source precursors including borazine and 2,4,6-trichloroborazine through both vapor phase syntheses and methods in the liquid/solid state involving polymeric intermediates, called the Polymer-Derived Ceramics (PDCs) route. In particular, the effect of the chemistry, composition and architecture of the borazine-based precursors and derived polymers on the shaping ability as well as the properties of h-BN is particularly highlighted.

Pressure controlled transition into a self-induced topological superconducting surface state

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Zhiyong; Cheng, Yingchun; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2014-01-01

Ab-initio calculations show a pressure induced trivial-nontrivial-trivial topological phase transition in the normal state of 1T-TiSe2. The pressure range in which the nontrivial phase emerges overlaps with that of the superconducting ground state. Thus, topological superconductivity can be induced in protected surface states by the proximity effect of superconducting bulk states. This kind of self-induced topological surface superconductivity is promising for a realization of Majorana fermions due to the absence of lattice and chemical potential mismatches. For appropriate electron doping, the formation of the topological superconducting surface state in 1T-TiSe 2 becomes accessible to experiments as it can be controlled by pressure.

Pressure controlled transition into a self-induced topological superconducting surface state

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Zhiyong

2014-02-07

Ab-initio calculations show a pressure induced trivial-nontrivial-trivial topological phase transition in the normal state of 1T-TiSe2. The pressure range in which the nontrivial phase emerges overlaps with that of the superconducting ground state. Thus, topological superconductivity can be induced in protected surface states by the proximity effect of superconducting bulk states. This kind of self-induced topological surface superconductivity is promising for a realization of Majorana fermions due to the absence of lattice and chemical potential mismatches. For appropriate electron doping, the formation of the topological superconducting surface state in 1T-TiSe 2 becomes accessible to experiments as it can be controlled by pressure.

Surface characterization of III-V MOCVD films from heterocyclic single-source precursors; Oberflaechencharakterisierung von III-V MOCVD-Filmen aus heterozyklischen Single Source Precursoren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seemayer, Andreas

2009-07-13

In the present thesis the sublimation and evaporation properties of heterocyclic gallium and antimony containing single-source precursors as well as the chemical composition and morphology of the films fabricated from this were studied. The single-source precursors available by a new synthesis route were characterized concerning their evaporation properties and the obtained films studied surface-physically. By this way the process parameters were optimized and the applicability of the single-source precursors in HV-MOCVD processes studied. By evaporation experiments in the UHV it could be shown that thereby lighter ligands like ethyl- and methyl-groups lead to a lower contamination of the reaction space with carbon containing molecules. Furthermore it was expected that the 6-rings synthetized with short ligands exhibit a high stability. This however could not be confirmed. By unwanted parasitary reactions in the gaseous phase respectively dissociative sublimation in the gaseous phase a deposition of GaSb with these precursors was not possible. The 4-ring stabilized with tertiary-butyl and ethyl-groups caused in the evaporation the largest contamination of the gaseous phase, becauselonger-chain hydrocarbons exhibil only a bad pump cross section. By parasitary reactions originating elementary antimony is detectable in the gaseous phase. The films were studied concerning their chemical composition and their transport- respectively storage-conditioned surface contamination. Furthermore it has become clear that not only a purely synthetized precursor substance but also the reactor design is deciding for a successful deposition and a high film quality. First by successive optimization of the evaporation geometry it was possible to reduce the roughness of the produced GaSb films down to about 10 nm-30 nm.

An effective approach to synthesize monolayer tungsten disulphide crystals using tungsten halide precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thangaraja, Amutha; Shinde, Sachin M.; Kalita, Golap, E-mail: kalita.golap@nitech.ac.jp; Tanemura, Masaki [Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555 (Japan)

2016-02-01

The synthesis of large-area monolayer tungsten disulphide (WS{sub 2}) single crystal is critical for realistic application in electronic and optical devices. Here, we demonstrate an effective approach to synthesize monolayer WS{sub 2} crystals using tungsten hexachloride (WCl{sub 6}) as a solid precursor in atmospheric chemical vapor deposition process. In this technique, 0.05M solution of WCl{sub 6} in ethanol was drop-casted on SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate to create an even distribution of the precursor, which was reduced and sulfurized at 750 °C in Ar atmosphere. We observed growth of triangular, star-shaped, as well as dendritic WS{sub 2} crystals on the substrate. The crystal geometry evolves with the shape and size of the nuclei as observed from the dendritic structures. These results show that controlling the initial nucleation and growth process, large WS{sub 2} single crystalline monolayer can be grown using the WCl{sub 6} precursor. Our finding shows an easier and effective approach to grow WS{sub 2} monolayer using tungsten halide solution-casting, rather than evaporating the precursor for gas phase reaction.

Photocatalytic deposition of Ag nanoparticles on TiO2: Metal precursor effect on the structural and photoactivity properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Albiter

2015-09-01

Full Text Available A series of 1 wt.% Ag–TiO2 photocatalysts were obtained by photodeposition using different organic (acetylacetonate, Ag-A and inorganic (nitrate, Ag-N, and perchlorate, Ag-C silver precursors in order to determinate the influence of the silver precursor on final properties of the photocatalysts. The resulting photocatalytic materials were characterized by different techniques (UV–Vis DRS, TEM/HRTEM and XPS and their photocatalytic activity was evaluated in the degradation of rhodamine B (used as model pollutant in aqueous solution under simulated solar light. The photocatalytic reduction of Ag species to Ag0 on TiO2 was higher with silver nitrate as precursor compared to acetylacetonate or perchlorate. All the Ag-modified TiO2 photocatalysts exhibited a surface plasmon resonance effect in the visible region (400–530 nm indicating different metal particle sizes depending on the Ag precursor used in their synthesis. A higher photocatalytic activity was obtained with all the Ag/TiO2 samples compared with non-modified TiO2. The descending order of photocatalytic activity was as follows: Ag-A/TiO2 ≈ Ag-N/TiO2 > Ag-C/TiO2 > TiO2-P25. The enhanced photoactivity was attributed to the presence of different amounts Ag0 nanoparticles homogeneously distributed on Ag2O and TiO2, trapping the photogenerated electrons and avoiding charge recombination.

Effects of ZnO Seed Layers Prepared with Various Precursor Concentrations on Structural and Defect Emission Properties of ZnO Nanorods Grown by Hydrothermal Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Soaram; Nam, Giwoong; Leem, Jae-Young; Kim, Yangsoo [Inje University, Gimhae (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ghun Sik; Yoon, Sung Pil [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2013-07-15

ZnO nanorods were grown by a hydrothermal method on ZnO seed layers that had previously been prepared from solutions containing various precursor concentrations. The effects of the ZnO seed layers prepared with various precursor concentrations on the structural and defect emissions of the ZnO nanorods were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The surface morphology of the ZnO seed layers changed with an increasing precursor concentration, and the diameters and densities of the ZnO nanorods depended on the morphologies of the ZnO seed layers. The ZnO seed layers prepared with various precursor concentrations affected the residual stress in the nanorods grown on the seed layers, the intensity and full widths at half maximum of the 2-theta angle in the XRD spectra for the nanorods, and the intensity and position of the defect emission peak in deep-level emission (DLE) PL spectra for the ZnO nanorods.

Electron emission from tungsten surface induced by neon ions

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Zhongfeng; Zeng, Lixia; Zhao, Yongtao; Cheng, Rui; Zhang, Xiaoan; Ren, Jieru; Zhou, Xianming; Wang, Xing; Lei, Yu; Li, Yongfeng; Yu, Yang; Liu, Xueliang; Xiao, Guoqing; Li, Fuli

2014-04-01

The electron emission from W surface induced by Neq+ has been measured. For the same charge state, the electron yield gradually increases with the projectile velocity. Meanwhile, the effect of the potential energy of projectile has been found obviously. Our results give the critical condition for "trampoline effect".

Multiscale analysis: a way to investigate laser damage precursors in materials for high power applications at nanosecond pulse duration

Science.gov (United States)

Natoli, J. Y.; Wagner, F.; Ciapponi, A.; Capoulade, J.; Gallais, L.; Commandré, M.

2010-11-01

The mechanism of laser induced damage in optical materials under high power nanosecond laser irradiation is commonly attributed to the presence of precursor centers. Depending on material and laser source, the precursors could have different origins. Some of them are clearly extrinsic, such as impurities or structural defects linked to the fabrication conditions. In most cases the center size ranging from sub-micrometer to nanometer scale does not permit an easy detection by optical techniques before irradiation. Most often, only a post mortem observation of optics permits to proof the local origin of breakdown. Multi-scale analyzes by changing irradiation beam size have been performed to investigate the density, size and nature of laser damage precursors. Destructive methods such as raster scan, laser damage probability plot and morphology studies permit to deduce the precursor densities. Another experimental way to get information on nature of precursors is to use non destructive methods such as photoluminescence and absorption measurements. The destructive and non destructive multiscale studies are also motivated for practical reasons. Indeed LIDT studies of large optics as those used in LMJ or NIF projects are commonly performed on small samples and with table top lasers whose characteristics change from one to another. In these conditions, it is necessary to know exactly the influence of the different experimental parameters and overall the spot size effect on the final data. In this paper, we present recent developments in multiscale characterization and results obtained on optical coatings (surface case) and KDP crystal (bulk case).

Investigations of plasma induced effects on the surface properties of lignocellulosic natural coir fibres

Science.gov (United States)

Praveen, K. M.; Thomas, Sabu; Grohens, Yves; Mozetič, Miran; Junkar, Ita; Primc, Gregor; Gorjanc, Marija

2016-04-01

The development of lignocellulosic natural-fibre-reinforced polymers composites are constrained by two limitations: the upper temperature at which the fibre can be processed and the significant differences between the surface energy of the fibre and the polymer matrix. Since the fibres and matrices are chemically different, strong adhesion at their interface is needed for the effective transfer of stress and bond distribution throughout the interface. The present study investigated the plasma induced effects on the surface properties of natural coir fibres. Weakly ionized oxygen plasma was created in two different discharge chambers by an inductively coupled radiofrequency (RF) discharge. The water absorption studies showed an increase of water sorption from 39% to 100%. The morphological study using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis also confirmed the surface changes which were observed after the plasma treatment. The topographic measurements and phase imaging done using atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated difference in topographic features and etching of coir wall, which points to the removal of the first layer of coir fibre. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that the oxygen content measured for samples treated at 50 Pa increased from initial 18% to about 32%.

Effect of Applied Stress and Temperature on Residual Stresses Induced by Peening Surface Treatments in Alloy 600

Science.gov (United States)

Telang, A.; Gnäupel-Herold, T.; Gill, A.; Vasudevan, V. K.

2018-04-01

In this study, the effects of applied tensile stress and temperature on laser shock peening (LSP) and cavitation shotless peening (CSP)-induced compressive residual stresses were investigated using neutron and x-ray diffraction. Residual stresses on the surface, measured in situ, were lower than the applied stress in LSP- and CSP-treated Alloy 600 samples (2 mm thick). The residual stress averaged over the volume was similar to the applied stress. Compressive residual stresses on the surface and balancing tensile stresses in the interior relax differently due to hardening induced by LSP. Ex situ residual stress measurements, using XRD, show that residual stresses relaxed as the applied stress exceeded the yield strength of the LSP- and CSP-treated Alloy 600. Compressive residual stresses induced by CSP and LSP decreased by 15-25% in magnitude, respectively, on exposure to 250-450 °C for more than 500 h with 10-11% of relaxation occurring in the first few hours. Further, 80% of the compressive residual stresses induced by LSP and CSP treatments in Alloy 600 were retained even after long-term aging at 350 °C for 2400 h.

Comparison of the reactivity of alkyl and alkyl amine precursors with native oxide GaAs(100) and InAs(100) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henegar, A.J., E-mail: henegar1@umbc.edu; Gougousi, T., E-mail: gougousi@umbc.edu

2016-12-30

Graphical abstract: The interaction of the native oxides of GaAs(100) and InAs(100) with alkyl (trimethyl aluminum) and alkyl amine (tetrakis dimethylamino titanium) precursors during thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and TiO{sub 2} is compared. Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} if found to be a significantly better barrier against the transport of the surface native oxide during the film deposition as well as after post-deposition heat treatment. This superior blocking ability also limits the removal of the native oxides during the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ALD process. - Highlights: • Native oxide diffusion is required for continuous native oxide removal. • The diffusion barrier capabilities of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} limits native oxide removal during ALD. • Arsenic oxide exhibits higher mobility from InAs compared to GaAs substrates. • Oxygen scavenging from the surface by trimethyl aluminum is confirmed. - Abstract: In this manuscript we compare the interaction of alkyl (trimethyl aluminum) and alkyl amine (tetrakis dimethylamino titanium) precursors during thermal atomic layer deposition with III-V native oxides. For that purpose we deposit Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and TiO{sub 2}, using H{sub 2}O as the oxidizer, on GaAs(100) and InAs(100) native oxide surfaces. We find that there are distinct differences in the behavior of the two films. For the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ALD very little native oxide removal happens after the first few ALD cycles while the interaction of the alkyl amine precursor for TiO{sub 2} and the native oxides continues well after the surface has been covered with 2 nm of TiO{sub 2}. This difference is traced to the superior properties of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} as a diffusion barrier. Differences are also found in the behavior of the arsenic oxides of the InAs and GaAs substrates. The arsenic oxides from the InAs surface are found to mix more efficiently in the growing dielectric film than those from the GaAs surface. This difference is attributed to

Comparison of the reactivity of alkyl and alkyl amine precursors with native oxide GaAs(100) and InAs(100) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henegar, A.J.; Gougousi, T.

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: The interaction of the native oxides of GaAs(100) and InAs(100) with alkyl (trimethyl aluminum) and alkyl amine (tetrakis dimethylamino titanium) precursors during thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al_2O_3 and TiO_2 is compared. Al_2O_3 if found to be a significantly better barrier against the transport of the surface native oxide during the film deposition as well as after post-deposition heat treatment. This superior blocking ability also limits the removal of the native oxides during the Al_2O_3 ALD process. - Highlights: • Native oxide diffusion is required for continuous native oxide removal. • The diffusion barrier capabilities of Al_2O_3 limits native oxide removal during ALD. • Arsenic oxide exhibits higher mobility from InAs compared to GaAs substrates. • Oxygen scavenging from the surface by trimethyl aluminum is confirmed. - Abstract: In this manuscript we compare the interaction of alkyl (trimethyl aluminum) and alkyl amine (tetrakis dimethylamino titanium) precursors during thermal atomic layer deposition with III-V native oxides. For that purpose we deposit Al_2O_3 and TiO_2, using H_2O as the oxidizer, on GaAs(100) and InAs(100) native oxide surfaces. We find that there are distinct differences in the behavior of the two films. For the Al_2O_3 ALD very little native oxide removal happens after the first few ALD cycles while the interaction of the alkyl amine precursor for TiO_2 and the native oxides continues well after the surface has been covered with 2 nm of TiO_2. This difference is traced to the superior properties of Al_2O_3 as a diffusion barrier. Differences are also found in the behavior of the arsenic oxides of the InAs and GaAs substrates. The arsenic oxides from the InAs surface are found to mix more efficiently in the growing dielectric film than those from the GaAs surface. This difference is attributed to lower native oxide stability as well as an initial diffusion path formation by the indium oxides.

Reduction of Friction of Metals Using Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhuo Wang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available We report on the effect of femtosecond-laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS on the tribological properties of stainless steel. Uniform periodic nanostructures were produced on AISI 304L (American Iron and Steel Institute steel grade steel surfaces using an 800-nm femtosecond laser. The spatial periods of LIPSS measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy ranged from 530 to 570 nm. The tribological properties of smooth and textured surfaces with periodic nanostructures were investigated using reciprocating ball-on-flat tests against AISI 440C balls under both dry and starved oil lubricated conditions. The friction coefficient of LIPSS covered surfaces has shown a lower value than that of the smooth surface. The induced periodic nanostructures demonstrated marked potential for reducing the friction coefficient compared with the smooth surface.

Effect of precursors on the solid-state synthesis of semiconducting PbS nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sujata Kasabe

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In this communication, we report facile and economical in-situ preparation of lead sulphide (PbS nanorods and nanocubes within the Polyphenylene sulphide (PPS matrix. PPS plays a dual role in the synthesis of the resultant nanostructures as - (i a chalcogen source and (ii a stabilizing matrix. We studied the effect of change of lead precursor from lead nitrate to acetate on the morphological properties of the resultant nanostructures. The effect of molar ratios of the reactants (1:1, 1:5, 1:10, 1:15 and 1:20 on the morphology of the products was also studied. The resultant nanocomposites were characterized by various physico-chemical techniques like X-ray Diffractometry (XRD, SEM equipped with EDAX, TEM and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The prima-facie observations suggest effective formation and subsequent entrapment of lead sulphide nanorods and nanocubes, respectively, when lead acetate and lead nitrate precursors were used. Additionally, simultaneous occurrence of nanocrystalline cubic lead as an impurity phase is noticed in case of heated admixtures for both the precursors.

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Surface Properties of Activated Carbons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meriem Belhachemi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This work reports the effect of heat treatment on the porosity and surface chemistry of two series of activated carbons prepared from a local agricultural biomass material, date pits, by physical activation with carbon dioxide and steam. Both series samples were oxidized with nitric acid and subsequently heat treated under N2 at 973 K in order to study the effect of these treatments in porosity and surface functional groups of activated carbons. When the activated carbons were heat treated after oxidation the surface area and the pore volume increase for both activated carbons prepared by CO2 and steam activations. However the amount of surface oxygen complexes decreases, the samples keep the most stable oxygen surface groups evolved as CO by temperature-programmed desorption experiments at high temperature. The results show that date pits can be used as precursors to produce activated carbons with a well developed porosity and tailored oxygen surface groups.

Reduced amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid beta-protein precursor by the small-molecule Differentiation Inducing Factor-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Myre, Michael A; Washicosky, Kevin; Moir, Robert D; Tesco, Giuseppina; Tanzi, Rudolph E; Wasco, Wilma

2009-04-01

The detection of cell cycle proteins in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains may represent an early event leading to neurodegeneration. To identify cell cycle modifiers with anti-Abeta properties, we assessed the effect of Differentiation-Inducing Factor-1 (DIF-1), a unique, small-molecule from Dictyostelium discoideum, on the proteolysis of the amyloid beta-protein precursor (APP) in a variety of different cell types. We show that DIF-1 slows cell cycle progression through G0/G1 that correlates with a reduction in cyclin D1 protein levels. Western blot analysis of DIF-treated cells and conditioned medium revealed decreases in the levels of secreted APP, mature APP, and C-terminal fragments. Assessment of conditioned media by sandwich ELISA showed reduced levels of Abeta40 and Abeta42, also demonstrating that treatment with DIF-1 effectively decreases the ratio of Abeta42 to Abeta40. In addition, DIF-1 significantly diminished APP phosphorylation at residue T668. Interestingly, site-directed mutagenesis of APP residue Thr668 to alanine or glutamic acid abolished the effect of DIF-1 on APP proteolysis and restored secreted levels of Abeta. Finally, DIF-1 prevented the accumulation of APP C-terminal fragments induced by the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin, and calpain inhibitor N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (ALLN). Our findings suggest that DIF-1 affects G0/G1-associated amyloidogenic processing of APP by a gamma-secretase-, proteasome- and calpain-insensitive pathway, and that this effect requires the presence of residue Thr668.

Reduced amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid β-protein precursor by the small-molecule Differentiation Inducing Factor-1

Science.gov (United States)

Myre, Michael A.; Washicosky, Kevin; Moir, Robert D.; Tesco, Giuseppina; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Wasco, Wilma

2013-01-01

The detection of cell cycle proteins in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains may represent an early event leading to neurodegeneration. To identify cell cycle modifiers with anti-Aβ properties, we assessed the effect of Differentiation-Inducing Factor-1 (DIF-1), a unique, small-molecule from Dictyostelium discoideum, on the proteolysis of the amyloid β-protein precursor (APP) in a variety of different cell types. We show that DIF-1 slows cell cycle progression through G0/G1 that correlates with a reduction in cyclin D1 protein levels. Western blot analysis of DIF-treated cells and conditioned medium revealed decreases in the levels of secreted APP, mature APP, and C-terminal fragments. Assessment of conditioned media by sandwich ELISA showed reduced levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42, also demonstrating that treatment with DIF-1 effectively decreases the ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40. In addition, DIF-1 significantly diminished APP phosphorylation at residue T668. Interestingly, site-directed mutagenesis of APP residue Thr668 to alanine or glutamic acid abolished the effect of DIF-1 on APP proteolysis and restored secreted levels of Aβ. Finally, DIF-1 prevented the accumulation of APP C-terminal fragments induced by the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin, and calpain inhibitor N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (ALLN). Our findings suggest that DIF-1 affects G0/G1-associated amyloidogenic processing of APP by a γ-secretase-, proteasome- and calpain-insensitive pathway, and that this effect requires the presence of residue Thr668. PMID:19154786

Electron emission from tungsten surface induced by neon ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Zhongfeng; Zeng, Lixia; Zhao, Yongtao; Liu, Xueliang; Xiao, Guoqing; Li, Fuli; Cheng, Rui; Zhang, Xiaoan; Ren, Jieru; Zhou, Xianming; Wang, Xing; Lei, Yu; Li, Yongfeng; Yu, Yang

2014-01-01

The electron emission from W surface induced by Ne q+ has been measured. For the same charge state, the electron yield gradually increases with the projectile velocity. Meanwhile, the effect of the potential energy of projectile has been found obviously. Our results give the critical condition for ''trampoline effect''

Disturbance induced by surface preparation on instrumented indentation test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yugang; Kanouté, Pascale; François, Manuel

2015-01-01

Surface preparation, which may induce considerable sample disturbance, plays an important role in instrumented indentation test (IIT). In this study, the sample disturbance (mainly divided into residual stresses and plastic strain) induced by the surface preparation process of instrumented indentation test specimens were investigated with both experimental tests and numerical simulations. Grazing incidence X-ray diffractions (GIXRD) and uniaxial tensile tests were conducted for characterizing the residual stresses and high plastic strain in the top surface layers of a carefully mechanically polished indentation sample, which, in the present work, is made of commercially pure titanium. Instrumented indentation tests and the corresponding finite element simulations were performed as well. For comparison, a reference sample (carefully mechanically polished & electrolytically polished) which represents the raw material was prepared and tested. Results showed that a careful mechanical polishing procedure can effectively reduce the level of residual stresses induced by this process. However, the high plastic strain in the surface region imposed by the polishing process is significant. The induced plastic strain can affect a depth up to 5 µm, which is deeper than the maximum penetration depth h max (3 µm) used for the instrumented indentation tests. In the near surface layer (in the range of depth about 350 nm), the plastic strain levels are fairly high. In the very top layer, the plastic strain was even estimated to reach more than 60%. The simultaneous use of indentation tests and numerical simulations showed that the existence of high plastic strain in the surface region will make the load vs depth (P–h) curve shift upwards, the contact hardness (H) increase and the contact stiffness (S) decrease

Disturbance induced by surface preparation on instrumented indentation test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yugang, E-mail: yugang.li@utt.fr [Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), ICD-LASMIS, UMR CNRS 6281, 12, rue Marie Curie-CS 42060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France); Kanouté, Pascale, E-mail: pascale.kanoute@onera.fr [Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), ICD-LASMIS, UMR CNRS 6281, 12, rue Marie Curie-CS 42060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France); The French Aerospace Lab (ONERA), DMSM/MCE, 29 avenue de la Division Leclerc-BP 72, F-92322 Chatillon Cedex (France); François, Manuel, E-mail: manuel.francois@utt.fr [Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), ICD-LASMIS, UMR CNRS 6281, 12, rue Marie Curie-CS 42060, 10010 Troyes Cedex (France)

2015-08-26

Surface preparation, which may induce considerable sample disturbance, plays an important role in instrumented indentation test (IIT). In this study, the sample disturbance (mainly divided into residual stresses and plastic strain) induced by the surface preparation process of instrumented indentation test specimens were investigated with both experimental tests and numerical simulations. Grazing incidence X-ray diffractions (GIXRD) and uniaxial tensile tests were conducted for characterizing the residual stresses and high plastic strain in the top surface layers of a carefully mechanically polished indentation sample, which, in the present work, is made of commercially pure titanium. Instrumented indentation tests and the corresponding finite element simulations were performed as well. For comparison, a reference sample (carefully mechanically polished & electrolytically polished) which represents the raw material was prepared and tested. Results showed that a careful mechanical polishing procedure can effectively reduce the level of residual stresses induced by this process. However, the high plastic strain in the surface region imposed by the polishing process is significant. The induced plastic strain can affect a depth up to 5 µm, which is deeper than the maximum penetration depth h{sub max} (3 µm) used for the instrumented indentation tests. In the near surface layer (in the range of depth about 350 nm), the plastic strain levels are fairly high. In the very top layer, the plastic strain was even estimated to reach more than 60%. The simultaneous use of indentation tests and numerical simulations showed that the existence of high plastic strain in the surface region will make the load vs depth (P–h) curve shift upwards, the contact hardness (H) increase and the contact stiffness (S) decrease.

Surface modification of blood-contacting biomaterials by plasma-polymerized superhydrophobic films using hexamethyldisiloxane and tetrafluoromethane as precursors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsiao, Chaio-Ru [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, No. 100, Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen District, Taichung City 40724, Taiwan (China); Lin, Cheng-Wei [Department of Dental Technology and Materials Science, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 666, Buzih Rd., Beitun District, Taichung City 40601, Taiwan (China); Chou, Chia-Man, E-mail: cmchou@vghtc.gov.tw [Department of Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 1650, Sec. 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Seatwen District, Taichung City 40705, Taiwan (China); Department of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Linong Street, Beitou District, Taipei City 11221, Taiwan (China); Chung, Chi-Jen, E-mail: cjchung@seed.net.tw [Department of Dental Technology and Materials Science, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 666, Buzih Rd., Beitun District, Taichung City 40601, Taiwan (China); He, Ju-Liang [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, No. 100, Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen District, Taichung City 40724, Taiwan (China)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • Biomaterials modified by nanoparticle-containing plasma polymerized films. • A superhydrophoic film was obtained, and the properties of the coating were examined. • In vitro blood compatibility tests revealed neither platelet adhesion nor fibrinogen adsorption. • Surface modification technology of medical devices: non-cytotoxic and no blood clot formation. - Abstract: This paper proposes a plasma polymerization system that can be used to modify the surface of the widely used biomaterial, polyurethane (PU), by employing low-cost hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and tetrafluoromethane (CF{sub 4}) as precursors; this system features a pulsed-dc power supply. Plasma-polymerized HMDSO/CF{sub 4} (pp-HC) with coexisting micro- and nanoscale morphology was obtained as a superhydrophobic coating material by controlling the HMDSO/CF{sub 4} (f{sub H}) monomer flow ratio. The developed surface modification technology can be applied to medical devices, because it is non-cytotoxic and has favorable hemocompatibility, and no blood clots form when the device surface direct contacts. Experimental results reveal that the obtained pp-HC films contained SiO{sub x} nanoparticles randomly dispersed on the micron-scale three-dimensional network film surface. The −CF functional group, −CF{sub 2} bonding, and SiO{sub x} were detected on the film surface. The maximal water contact angle of the pp-HC coating was 161.2°, apparently attributable to the synergistic effect of the coexisting micro- and nanoscale surface morphology featuring a low surface-energy layer. The superhydrophobic and antifouling characteristics of the coating were retained even after it was rubbed 20 times with a steel wool tester. Results of in vitro cytotoxicity, fibrinogen adsorption, and platelet adhesion tests revealed favorable myoblast cell proliferation and the virtual absence of fibrinogen adsorption and platelet adhesion on the pp-HC coated specimens. These quantitative findings imply

Harmful impact on presynaptic glutamate and GABA transport by carbon dots synthesized from sulfur-containing carbohydrate precursor.

Science.gov (United States)

Borisova, Tatiana; Dekaliuk, Mariia; Pozdnyakova, Natalia; Pastukhov, Artem; Dudarenko, Marina; Borysov, Arsenii; Vari, Sandor G; Demchenko, Alexander P

2017-07-01

Carbon nanoparticles that may be potent air pollutants with adverse effects on human health often contain heteroatoms including sulfur. In order to study in detail their effects on different physiological and biochemical processes, artificially produced carbon dots (CDs) with well-controlled composition that allows fluorescence detection may be of great use. Having been prepared from different types of organic precursors, CDs expose different atoms at their surface suggesting a broad variation of functional groups. Recently, we demonstrated neurotoxic properties of CDs synthesized from the amino acid β-alanine, and it is of importance to analyze whether CDs obtained from different precursors and particularly those exposing sulfur atoms induce similar neurotoxic effects. This study focused on synthesis of CDs from the sulfur-containing precursor thiourea-CDs (TU-CDs) with a size less than 10 nm, their characterization, and neuroactivity assessment. Neuroactive properties of TU-CDs were analyzed based on their effects on the key characteristics of glutamatergic and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in isolated rat brain nerve terminals. It was observed that TU-CDs (0.5-1.0 mg/ml) attenuated the initial velocity of Na + -dependent transporter-mediated uptake and accumulation of L-[ 14 C]glutamate and [ 3 H]GABA by nerve terminals in a dose-dependent manner and increased the ambient level of the neurotransmitters. Starting from the concentration of 0.2 mg/ml, TU-CDs evoked a gradual dose-dependent depolarization of the plasma membrane of nerve terminals measured with the cationic potentiometric dye rhodamine 6G. Within the concentration range of 0.1-0.5 mg/ml, TU-CDs caused an "unphysiological" step-like increase in fluorescence intensity of the рН-sensitive fluorescent dye acridine orange accumulated by synaptic vesicles. Therefore, despite different surface properties and fluorescent features of CDs prepared from different starting materials

An integrated approach for analysing earthquake-induced surface effects: A case study from the Northern Apennines, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Castaldini, D.; Genevois, R.; Panizza, M.; Puccinelli, A.; Berti, M.; Simoni, A.

This paper illustrates research addressing the subject of the earthquake-induced surface effects by means of a multidisciplinary approach: tectonics, neotectonics, seismology, geology, hydrogeology, geomorphology, soil/rock mechanics have been considered. The research is aimed to verify in areas affected by earthquake-triggered landslides a methodology for the identification of potentially unstable areas. The research was organized according to regional and local scale studies. In order to better emphasise the complexity of the relationships between all the parameters affecting the stability conditions of rock slopes in static and dynamic conditions a new integrated approach, Rock Engineering Systems (RES), was applied in the Northern Apennines. In the paper, the different phases of the research are described in detail and an example of the application of RES method in a sample area is reported. A significant aspect of the study can be seen in its attempt to overcome the exclusively qualitative aspects of research into the relationship between earthquakes and induced surface effects, and to advance the idea of beginning a process by which this interaction can be quantified.

Light induced modulation instability of surfaces under intense illumination

KAUST Repository

Burlakov, V. M.

2013-12-17

We show that a flat surface of a polymer in rubber state illuminated with intense electromagnetic radiation is unstable with respect to periodic modulation. Initial periodic perturbation is amplified due to periodic thermal expansion of the material heated by radiation. Periodic heating is due to focusing-defocusing effects caused by the initial surface modulation. The surface modulation has a period longer than the excitation wavelength and does not require coherent light source. Therefore, it is not related to the well-known laser induced periodic structures on polymer surfaces but may contribute to their formation and to other phenomena of light-matter interaction.

Usage of cobalt oxide particles as precursor for FEBID: Ab initio study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skachkova, Veranika [Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (Belarus); Tamuliene, Jelena, E-mail: Jelena.Tamuliene@tfai.vu.lt [Vilnius University, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy (Lithuania); Stempitsky, Viktor [Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (Belarus)

2016-09-15

The investigation of the fragmentation of Co{sub 18}O{sub n} (n = 0–17) particles is presented with the aim to demonstrate that the mentioned particles could be used as precursors for focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID). The shape of Co{sub 18} and Co{sub 18}O{sub n} particles is confirmed. The study validates that oxygen atoms stabilize Co nanoparticles. The thermal and chemical stabilities, toxicity, hardness and softness of the particles under study are determined. It is found that the absorption of oxygen atoms could occur when the number of oxygen atoms is larger than the number of external Co atoms. A low volatility and high sticking on the surface probability of Co{sub 18}O{sub 17} particles are proposed referring to the obtained results. The results of the calculated susceptibility exhibit Co{sub 18}O{sub n} particles as paramagnetics with some exceptions. The value of magnetic susceptibility of Co{sub 18}O{sub 12} is the largest one among the particle under investigation. Referring to the obtained results several most effective reactions of fragmentation are proposed and their appearance energy is evaluated. The obtained results also evidenced that Co{sub 18}O{sub 17} nanoparticle shows great potential to be used as a precursor for FEBID.

Surface hardening induced by high flux plasma in tungsten revealed by nano-indentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terentyev, D., E-mail: dterenty@sckcen.be [SCK-CEN, Nuclear Materials Science Institute, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium); Bakaeva, A. [SCK-CEN, Nuclear Materials Science Institute, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium); Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, St. Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Pardoen, T.; Favache, A. [Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Sainte Barbe 2 L5.02.02, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Zhurkin, E.E. [Department of Experimental Nuclear Physics K-89, Faculty of Physics and Mechanics, St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University, 29 Polytekhnicheskaya str., 195251 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

2016-08-01

Surface hardness of tungsten after high flux deuterium plasma exposure has been characterized by nanoindentation. The effect of plasma exposure was rationalized on the basis of available theoretical models. Resistance to plastic penetration is enhanced within the 100 nm sub-surface region, attributed to the pinning of geometrically necessary dislocations on nanometric deuterium cavities – signature of plasma-induced defects and deuterium retention. Sub-surface extension of thereby registered plasma-induced damage is in excellent agreement with the results of alternative measurements. The study demonstrates suitability of nano-indentation to probe the impact of deposition of plasma-induced defects in tungsten on near surface plasticity under ITER-relevant plasma exposure conditions.

Extreme Wetting-Resistant Multiscale Nano-/Microstructured Surfaces for Viscoelastic Liquid Repellence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aoythip Chunglok

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate exceptional wetting-resistant surfaces capable of repelling low surface tension, non-Newtonian, and highly viscoelastic liquids. Theoretical analysis and experimental result confirm that a higher level of multiscale roughness topography composed of at least three structural length scales, ranging from nanometer to supermicron sizes, is crucial for the reduction of liquid-solid adhesion hysteresis. With Cassie-Baxter nonwetting state satisfied at all roughness length scales, the surface has been proven to effectively repel even highly adhesive liquid. Practically, this high-level hierarchical structure can be achieved through fractal-like structures of silica aggregates induced by siloxane oligomer interparticle bridges. The induced aggregation and surface functionalization of the silica particles can be performed simultaneously within a single reaction step, by utilizing trifunctional fluoroalkylsilane precursors that largely form a disordered fluoroalkylsiloxane grafting layer under the presence of sufficient native moisture preadsorbed at the silica surface. Spray-coating deposition of a particle surface layer on a precoated primer layer ensures facile processability and scalability of the fabrication method. The resulting low-surface-energy multiscale roughness exhibits outstanding liquid repellent properties, generating equivalent lotus effect for highly viscous and adhesive natural latex concentrate, with apparent contact angles greater than 160°, and very small roll-off angles of less than 3°.

Detection of induced seismicity effects on ground surface using data from Sentinel 1A/1B satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Milczarek, W.

2017-12-01

Induced seismicity is the result of human activity and manifests itself in the form of shock and vibration of the ground surface. One of the most common factors causing the occurrence of induced shocks is underground mining activity. Sufficiently strong high-energy shocks may cause displacements of the ground surface. This type of shocks can have a significant impact on buildings and infrastructure. Assessment of the size and influence of induced seismicity on the ground surface is one of the major problems associated with mining activity. In Poland (Central Eastern Europe) induced seismicity occurs in the area of hard coal mining in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin and in the area of the Legnica - Głogów Copper Basin.The study presents an assessment of the use of satellite radar data (SAR) for the detection influence of induced seismicity in mining regions. Selected induced shocks from the period 2015- 2017 which occurred in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin and the Legnica - Głogów Copper Basin areas have been analyzed. In the calculations SAR data from the Sentinel 1A and Sentinel 1B satellites have been used. The results indicate the possibility of quickly and accurate detection of ground surface displacements after an induced shock. The results of SAR data processing were compared with the results from geodetic measurements. It has been shown that SAR data can be used to detect ground surface displacements on the relative small regions.

Reliable solution processed planar perovskite hybrid solar cells with large-area uniformity by chloroform soaking and spin rinsing induced surface precipitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yann-Cherng Chern

2015-08-01

Full Text Available A solvent soaking and rinsing method, in which the solvent was allowed to soak all over the surface followed by a spinning for solvent draining, was found to produce perovskite layers with high uniformity on a centimeter scale and with much improved reliability. Besides the enhanced crystallinity and surface morphology due to the rinsing induced surface precipitation that constrains the grain growth underneath in the precursor films, large-area uniformity with film thickness determined exclusively by the rotational speed of rinsing spinning for solvent draining was observed. With chloroform as rinsing solvent, highly uniform and mirror-like perovskite layers of area as large as 8 cm × 8 cm were produced and highly uniform planar perovskite solar cells with power conversion efficiency of 10.6 ± 0.2% as well as much prolonged lifetime were obtained. The high uniformity and reliability observed with this solvent soaking and rinsing method were ascribed to the low viscosity of chloroform as well as its feasibility of mixing with the solvent used in the precursor solution. Moreover, since the surface precipitation forms before the solvent draining, this solvent soaking and rinsing method may be adapted to spinless process and be compatible with large-area and continuous production. With the large-area uniformity and reliability for the resultant perovskite layers, this chloroform soaking and rinsing approach may thus be promising for the mass production and commercialization of large-area perovskite solar cells.

In vivo MRI evaluation of anabolic steroid precursor growth effects in a guinea pig model

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Haiying; Vasselli, Joseph R.; Tong, Christopher; Heymsfield, Steven B.; Wu, Ed X.

2015-01-01

Anabolic steroids are widely used to increase skeletal muscle (SM) mass and improve physical performance. Some dietary supplements also include potent steroid precursors or active steroid analogs such as nandrolone. Our previous study reported the anabolic steroid effects on SM in a castrated guinea pig model with SM measured using a highly quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol. The aim of the current study was to apply this animal model and in vivo MRI protocol to evaluate the growth effects of four widely used over-the-counter testosterone and nandrolone precursors: 4-androstene-3 17-dione (androstenedione), 4-androstene-3β 17β-diol (4-androsdiol), 19-nor-4-androstene-3β-17β-diol (bolandiol) and 19-nor-4-androstene-3 17-dione (19-norandrostenedione). The results showed that providing precursor to castrated male guinea pigs led to plasma steroid levels sufficient to maintain normal SM growth. The anabolic growth effects of these specific precursors on individual and total muscle volumes, sexual organs, and total adipose tissue over a 10-week treatment period, in comparison with those in the respective positive control testosterone and nandrolone groups, were documented quantitatively by MRI. PMID:19463691

In vivo MRI evaluation of anabolic steroid precursor growth effects in a guinea pig model.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Haiying; Vasselli, Joseph R; Tong, Christopher; Heymsfield, Steven B; Wu, Ed X

2009-08-01

Anabolic steroids are widely used to increase skeletal muscle (SM) mass and improve physical performance. Some dietary supplements also include potent steroid precursors or active steroid analogs such as nandrolone. Our previous study reported the anabolic steroid effects on SM in a castrated guinea pig model with SM measured using a highly quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol. The aim of the current study was to apply this animal model and in vivo MRI protocol to evaluate the growth effects of four widely used over-the-counter testosterone and nandrolone precursors: 4-androstene-3 17-dione (androstenedione), 4-androstene-3beta 17beta-diol (4-androsdiol), 19-nor-4-androstene-3beta-17beta-diol (bolandiol) and 19-nor-4-androstene-3 17-dione (19-norandrostenedione). The results showed that providing precursor to castrated male guinea pigs led to plasma steroid levels sufficient to maintain normal SM growth. The anabolic growth effects of these specific precursors on individual and total muscle volumes, sexual organs, and total adipose tissue over a 10-week treatment period, in comparison with those in the respective positive control testosterone and nandrolone groups, were documented quantitatively by MRI.

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) induced surface chemistry on Ru

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, Feng; Sturm, Jacobus Marinus; Lee, Christopher James; Bijkerk, Frederik

2013-01-01

EUV photon induced surface chemistry can damage multilayer mirrors causing reflectivity loss and faster degradation. EUV photo chemistry involves complex processes including direct photon induced surface chemistry and secondary electron radiation chemistry. Current cleaning techniques include dry

Precursor Mediated Synthesis of Nanostructured Silicas: From Precursor-Surfactant Ion Pairs to Structured Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Hesemann, Peter; Nguyen, Thy Phung; Hankari, Samir El

2014-04-11

The synthesis of nanostructured anionic-surfactant-templated mesoporous silica (AMS) recently appeared as a new strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials. This method is based on the use of anionic surfactants together with a co-structure-directing agent (CSDA), mostly a silylated ammonium precursor. The presence of this CSDA is necessary in order to create ionic interactions between template and silica forming phases and to ensure sufficient affinity between the two phases. This synthetic strategy was for the first time applied in view of the synthesis of surface functionalized silica bearing ammonium groups and was then extended on the formation of materials functionalized with anionic carboxylate and bifunctional amine-carboxylate groups. In the field of silica hybrid materials, the "anionic templating" strategy has recently been applied for the synthesis of silica hybrid materials from cationic precursors. Starting from di- or oligosilylated imidazolium and ammonium precursors, only template directed hydrolysis-polycondensation reactions involving complementary anionic surfactants allowed accessing structured ionosilica hybrid materials. The mechanistic particularity of this approach resides in the formation of precursor-surfactant ion pairs in the hydrolysis-polycondensation mixture. This review gives a systematic overview over the various types of materials accessed from this cooperative ionic templating approach and highlights the high potential of this original strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials which appears as a complementary strategy to conventional soft templating approaches.

Future heat waves and surface ozone

Science.gov (United States)

Meehl, Gerald A.; Tebaldi, Claudia; Tilmes, Simone; Lamarque, Jean-Francois; Bates, Susan; Pendergrass, Angeline; Lombardozzi, Danica

2018-06-01

A global Earth system model is used to study the relationship between heat waves and surface ozone levels over land areas around the world that could experience either large decreases or little change in future ozone precursor emissions. The model is driven by emissions of greenhouse gases and ozone precursors from a medium-high emission scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway 6.0–RCP6.0) and is compared to an experiment with anthropogenic ozone precursor emissions fixed at 2005 levels. With ongoing increases in greenhouse gases and corresponding increases in average temperature in both experiments, heat waves are projected to become more intense over most global land areas (greater maximum temperatures during heat waves). However, surface ozone concentrations on future heat wave days decrease proportionately more than on non-heat wave days in areas where ozone precursors are prescribed to decrease in RCP6.0 (e.g. most of North America and Europe), while surface ozone concentrations in heat waves increase in areas where ozone precursors either increase or have little change (e.g. central Asia, the Mideast, northern Africa). In the stabilized ozone precursor experiment, surface ozone concentrations increase on future heat wave days compared to non-heat wave days in most regions except in areas where there is ozone suppression that contributes to decreases in ozone in future heat waves. This is likely associated with effects of changes in isoprene emissions at high temperatures (e.g. west coast and southeastern North America, eastern Europe).

Fe-Impregnated Mineral Colloids for Peroxide Activation: Effects of Mineral Substrate and Fe Precursor.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yue; Machala, Libor; Yan, Weile

2016-02-02

Heterogeneous iron species at the mineral/water interface are important catalysts for the generation of reactive oxygen species at circumneutral pH. One significant pathway leading to the formation of such species arises from deposition of dissolved iron onto mineral colloids due to changes in redox conditions. This study investigates the catalytic properties of Fe impregnated on silica, alumina, and titania nanoparticles (as prototypical mineral colloids). Fe impregnation was carried out by immersing the mineral nanoparticles in dilute Fe(II) or Fe(III) solutions at pH 6 and 3, respectively, in an aerobic environment. The uptake of iron per unit surface area follows the order of nTiO2 > nAl2O3 > nSiO2 for both types of Fe precursors. Impregnation of mineral particles in Fe(II) solutions results in predominantly Fe(III) species due to efficient surface-mediated oxidation. The catalytic activity of the impregnated solids to produce hydroxyl radical (·OH) from H2O2 decomposition was evaluated using benzoic acid as a probe compound under dark conditions. Invariably, the rates of benzoic acid oxidation with different Fe-laden particles increase with the surface density of Fe until a critical density above which the catalytic activity approaches a plateau, suggesting active Fe species are formed predominantly at low surface loadings. The critical surface density of Fe varies with the mineral substrate as well as the aqueous Fe precursor. Fe impregnated on TiO2 exhibits markedly higher activity than its Al2O3 and SiO2 counterparts. The speciation of interfacial Fe is analyzed with diffuse reflectance UV-vis analysis and interpretation of the data in the context of benzoic oxidation rates suggests that the surface activity of the solids for ·OH generation correlates strongly with the isolated (i.e., mononuclear) Fe species. Therefore, iron dispersed on mineral colloids is a significant form of reactive iron surfaces in the aquatic environment.

Inhibition of Cariogenic Plaque Formation on Root Surface with Polydopamine-Induced-Polyethylene Glycol Coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

May Lei Mei

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Root caries prevention has been a challenge for clinicians due to its special anatomical location, which favors the accumulation of dental plaque. Researchers are looking for anti-biofouling material to inhibit bacterial growth on exposed root surfaces. This study aimed to develop polydopamine-induced-polyethylene glycol (PEG and to study its anti-biofouling effect against a multi-species cariogenic biofilm on the root dentine surface. Hydroxyapatite disks and human dentine blocks were divided into four groups for experiments. They received polydopamine-induced-PEG, PEG, polydopamine, or water application. Contact angle, quartz crystal microbalance, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to study the wetting property, surface affinity, and an infrared spectrum; the results indicated that PEG was induced by polydopamine onto a hydroxyapatite disk. Salivary mucin absorption on hydroxyapatite disks with polydopamine-induced-PEG was confirmed using spectrophotometry. The growth of a multi-species cariogenic biofilm on dentine blocks with polydopamine-induced-PEG was assessed and monitored by colony-forming units, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that dentine with polydopamine-induced-PEG had fewer bacteria than other groups. In conclusion, a novel polydopamine-induced-PEG coating was developed. Its anti-biofouling effect inhibited salivary mucin absorption and cariogenic biofilm formation on dentine surface and thus may be used for the prevention of root dentine caries.

Using superoxide dismutase/catalase mimetics to manipulate the redox environment of neural precursor cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Limoli, C. L.; Giedzinski, E.; Baure, J.; Doctrow, S. R.; Rola, R.; Fike, J. R.

2006-01-01

Past work has shown that neural precursor cells are predisposed to redox sensitive changes, and that oxidative stress plays a critical role in the acute and persistent changes that occur within the irradiated CNS. Irradiation leads to a marked rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that correlates with oxidative endpoints in vivo and reductions in neuro-genesis. To better understand the impact of oxidative stress on neural precursor cells, and to determine if radiation-induced oxidative damage and precursor cell loss after irradiation could be reduced, a series of antioxidant compounds (EUK-134, EUK-163, EUK-172, EUK-189) were tested, three of which possess both superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities and one (EUK-163) whose only significant activity is SOD. Our results show that these SOD/catalase mimetics apparently increase the oxidation of a ROS-sensitive fluorescent indicator dye, particularly after short (12 h) treatments, but that longer treatments (24 h) decrease oxidation attributable to radiation-induced ROS. Similarly, other studies found that cells incubated with CuZnSOD showed some increase in intracellular ROS levels. Subsequent data suggested that the dye-oxidising capabilities of the EUK compounds were linked to differences in their catalase activity and, most likely, their ability to catalyse per-oxidative pathways. In unirradiated mice, the EUK-134 analogue induced some decrease of proliferating precursor cells and immature neurons 48 h after radiation, an effect that may be attributable to cytotoxicity and/or inhibition of precursor proliferation. In irradiated mice, a single injection of EUK-134 was not found to be an effective radioprotector at acute times (48 h). The present results support continued development of our in vitro model as a tool for predicting certain in vivo responses, and suggest that in some biological systems the capability to scavenge superoxide but produce excess H 2 O 2 , as is known for CuZnSOD, may be

Influence of Pd-precursor on the acetoxylation activity of Pd-Sb/TiO{sub 2} catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben-homeid, A. [Benghazi Univ. (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya). Chemistry Dept.; Kalevaru, V.N.; Radnik, J.; Luecke, B.; Martin, A. [Leibniz-Institut fuer Katalyse e.V. an der Universitaet Rostock (Germany)

2013-11-01

The impact of palladium precursors (e.g. chloride-PdCl{sub 2}; acetate-Pd(OAc){sub 2}; nitrate-Pd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}) on the catalytic properties of Pd-Sb/TiO{sub 2} catalysts used for acetoxylation of toluene has been investigated. The catalysts were characterized by different techniques such as N{sub 2}-adsorption (BET-surface area and pore volume), XRD, TEM, CO-Chemisorption and XPS for better understanding of the catalytic properties of the catalysts. The acetate and nitrate-type precursors exhibited higher surface areas, pore volumes and higher dispersion of Pd, but displayed poor performance compared to chloride precursor. TEM analysis indicated that the size of Pd particles depended upon the nature of Pd-precursor. Among the three, chloride precursor exhibited bigger Pd particles. XPS results revealed that all the fresh catalysts irrespective of Pd-precursor contained Pd in oxidized state (i.e. Pd{sup +2}), while in the spent catalysts such oxidized Pd species were reduced. The catalytic performance was found to depend strongly on the nature of precursor used. Among the three, the catalysts prepared from chloride-type precursor showed much higher overall catalytic activity (68%) than those of nitrate and/or acetate type precursors. Moreover, these two precursors (acetate and nitrate) gave higher total oxidation products due to oxidative decomposition of mainly acetic acid. Furthermore, the catalyst prepared from Cl-precursor revealed easy deactivation due to coke deposition and also due to loss of Pd in the near-surface-region. (orig.)

Purification of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursors using magnetic activated cell sorting.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Gonçalo M C; Fernandes, Tiago G; Rodrigues, Carlos A V; Cabral, Joaquim M S; Diogo, Maria Margarida

2015-01-01

Neural precursor (NP) cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), and their neuronal progeny, will play an important role in disease modeling, drug screening tests, central nervous system development studies, and may even become valuable for regenerative medicine treatments. Nonetheless, it is challenging to obtain homogeneous and synchronously differentiated NP populations from hiPSCs, and after neural commitment many pluripotent stem cells remain in the differentiated cultures. Here, we describe an efficient and simple protocol to differentiate hiPSC-derived NPs in 12 days, and we include a final purification stage where Tra-1-60+ pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are removed using magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS), leaving the NP population nearly free of PSCs.

Effect of surfactant concentration on characteristics of mesoporous bioactive glass prepared by evaporation induced self-assembly process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shih, Chi-Chung; Chien, Chi-Sheng; Kung, Jung-Chang; Chen, Jian-Chih; Chang, Shy-Shin; Lu, Pei-Shan; Shih, Chi-Jen

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► All the unwanted organic contents were removed completely at temperatures above 600 °C. ► Specific surface area and pore volume of Mesoporous bioactive glasses reached maximum at the critical surfactant concentration. ► SAED pattern suggests that some glassy structures in the Bioactive Glasses became crystalline due to the heat treatment. ► The MBGs can induce the formation of an apatite-like layer on their surface in SBF, even after short soaking periods. - Abstract: Mesoporous bioactive glasses were prepared by the evaporation-induced self-assembly method. The main objective of the present study is to determine the effect of surfactant concentration on the synthesis of SiO 2 –CaO–P 2 O 5 mesoporous bioactive glasses; the characterization techniques used include X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms. The results show that the specific surface area initially increased with increasing surfactant concentrations in the range of 2.1–9.1 wt% and significantly decreased from 328.7 to 204.0 m 2 /g in the concentration range of 9.1–12.5 wt%. For texture evaluation, the selected area electron diffraction patterns of the mesoporous bioactive glass precursor gels (9.1 wt% F127) calcined at different temperatures were analyzed; these patterns support the notion that some glassy structures in bioactive glasses become crystalline following heat treatment. The scanning electron microscopy images and X-ray diffraction patterns obtained agree with the inductively coupled plasma with atomic emission spectroscopy results as the mesoporous bioactive glasses can induce the formation of an apatite-like layer on their surface in SBF, even after short soaking periods.

Toxicologic study of carboxyatractyloside (active principle in cocklebur--Xanthium strumarium) in rats treated with enzyme inducers and inhibitors and glutathione precursor and depletor.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatch, R C; Jain, A V; Weiss, R; Clark, J D

1982-01-01

Male rats (10 rats/group) were treated with phenobarbital (PB), phenylbutazone (PBZ), stanozolol (3 inducers of cytochrome P450-dependent enzymes), piperonyl butoxide (PBO; a P450 inhibitor), cobaltous chloride (CoCl2; an inhibitor of hemoprotein synthesis), 5,6-benzoflavone (BNF; an inducer of cytochrome P448 dependent enzymes), cysteine [CYS; a glutathione (GSH) precursor], or ethyl maleate (EM; a GSH depletor). The rats were then given a calculated LD50 dosage (13.5 mg/kg of body weight) of carboxyatractyloside (CAT) intraperitoneally. Clinical signs of toxicosis, duration of illness, lethality, gross lesions, and hepatic and renal histopathologic lesions were recorded. Seemingly, (i) CAT toxicosis has independent lethal and cytotoxic components (PBZ decreased lethality and cytotoxicity; CoCl2 decreased cytotoxicity but not lethality; BNF decreased duration of illness, and perhaps lethality, but not cytotoxicity); (ii) CAT cytotoxicity could be partly due to an active metabolite formed by de novo-synthesized, P450-/P448-independent hemoprotein (PBZ and CoCl2 had anticytotoxic effects, but PB, stanozolol, PBO, and BNF did not); (iii) CAT detoxification may occur partly through a hemoprotein-independent, PBZ-inducible enzyme, and partly through a P448-dependent (BNF-inducible) enzyme; and (iv) CAT detoxification apparently is not P450 or GSH-dependent because PB, stanozolol, and CYS had no beneficial effects, and PBO, CoCl2, and EM did not enhance toxicosis. Metabolism of CAT may have a role in its cytotoxic and lethal effects.

Ghrelin precursor gene polymorphism and methamphetamine dependence in the Korean population.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Su-Jung; Pae, Chi-Un; Lee, Heejin; Choi, Bomoon; Kim, Tae-Suk; Lyoo, In Kyoon; Kwon, Do-Hoon; Kim, Dai-Jin

2005-12-01

Ghrelin is a recently isolated brain-gut peptide that has growth hormone-releasing and appetite-inducing activities. Several recent studies have suggested that ghrelin plays a major role in the pathophysiology of drug-seeking behavior and anxiety. Therefore, we assessed the effect of the ghrelin precursor polymorphism on methamphetamine dependence in the Korean population. One hundred and eighteen patients with methamphetamine dependence, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) criteria, and the 144 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Genotyping for the ghrelin precursor polymorphism was performed by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism-based technique. The genotypic and allelic distributions of the ghrelin precursor polymorphism in the patients with methamphetamine dependence were not significantly different from those of the control subjects. However, the Met72 carriers were associated with the emotional problems of methamphetamine dependence. The patients with the Met72 allele were more depressed and anxious than the homozygous patients with the wild Leu72 allele. The present study suggests that the ghrelin precursor polymorphism may not confer a susceptibility to the development of methamphetamine dependence in the Korean population. However, the Leu72Met polymorphism could have a potential role in the emotional problems that are associated with this disease.

Identified EM Earthquake Precursors

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Kenneth, II; Saxton, Patrick

2014-05-01

Many attempts have been made to determine a sound forecasting method regarding earthquakes and warn the public in turn. Presently, the animal kingdom leads the precursor list alluding to a transmission related source. By applying the animal-based model to an electromagnetic (EM) wave model, various hypotheses were formed, but the most interesting one required the use of a magnetometer with a differing design and geometry. To date, numerous, high-end magnetometers have been in use in close proximity to fault zones for potential earthquake forecasting; however, something is still amiss. The problem still resides with what exactly is forecastable and the investigating direction of EM. After a number of custom rock experiments, two hypotheses were formed which could answer the EM wave model. The first hypothesis concerned a sufficient and continuous electron movement either by surface or penetrative flow, and the second regarded a novel approach to radio transmission. Electron flow along fracture surfaces was determined to be inadequate in creating strong EM fields, because rock has a very high electrical resistance making it a high quality insulator. Penetrative flow could not be corroborated as well, because it was discovered that rock was absorbing and confining electrons to a very thin skin depth. Radio wave transmission and detection worked with every single test administered. This hypothesis was reviewed for propagating, long-wave generation with sufficient amplitude, and the capability of penetrating solid rock. Additionally, fracture spaces, either air or ion-filled, can facilitate this concept from great depths and allow for surficial detection. A few propagating precursor signals have been detected in the field occurring with associated phases using custom-built loop antennae. Field testing was conducted in Southern California from 2006-2011, and outside the NE Texas town of Timpson in February, 2013. The antennae have mobility and observations were noted for

Essential elucidation for preparation of supported nickel phosphide upon nickel phosphate precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xuguang; Xu, Lei; Zhang, Baoquan

2014-01-01

Preparation of supported nickel phosphide (Ni 2 P) depends on nickel phosphate precursor, generally related to its chemical composition and supports. Study of this dependence is essential and meaningful for the preparation of supported Ni 2 P with excellent catalytic activity. The chemical nature of nickel phosphate precursor is revealed by Raman and UV–vis spectra. It is found that initial P/Ni mole ratio ≥0.8 prohibits the Ni-O-Ni bridge bonding (i.e., nickel oxide). This chemical bonding will not result in Ni 2 P structure, verified by XRD characterization results. The alumina (namely, γ-Al 2 O 3 , θ-Al 2 O 3 , or α-Al 2 O 3 ) with distinct physiochemical properties also results in diverse chemical nature of nickel phosphate, and then different nickel phosphides. The influence of alumina support on producing Ni 2 P was explained by the theory of surface energy heterogeneity, calculated by the NLDFT method based on N 2 -sorption isotherm. The uniform surface energy of α-Al 2 O 3 results only in the nickel phosphosate precursor and thus the Ni 2 P phase. - Graphical abstract: Surface energy heterogeneity in alumina (namely α-Al 2 O 3 , θ-Al 2 O 3 , and γ-Al 2 O 3 ) supported multi-oxidic precursors with different reducibilities and thus diverse nickel phosphides (i.e., Ni 3 P, Ni 12 P 5 , Ni 2 P). - Highlights: • Preparing pure Ni 2 P. • Elucidating nickel phosphate precursor. • Associating with surface energy

Precursor Mediated Synthesis of Nanostructured Silicas: From Precursor-Surfactant Ion Pairs to Structured Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Hesemann

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The synthesis of nanostructured anionic-surfactant-templated mesoporous silica (AMS recently appeared as a new strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials. This method is based on the use of anionic surfactants together with a co-structure-directing agent (CSDA, mostly a silylated ammonium precursor. The presence of this CSDA is necessary in order to create ionic interactions between template and silica forming phases and to ensure sufficient affinity between the two phases. This synthetic strategy was for the first time applied in view of the synthesis of surface functionalized silica bearing ammonium groups and was then extended on the formation of materials functionalized with anionic carboxylate and bifunctional amine-carboxylate groups. In the field of silica hybrid materials, the “anionic templating” strategy has recently been applied for the synthesis of silica hybrid materials from cationic precursors. Starting from di- or oligosilylated imidazolium and ammonium precursors, only template directed hydrolysis-polycondensation reactions involving complementary anionic surfactants allowed accessing structured ionosilica hybrid materials. The mechanistic particularity of this approach resides in the formation of precursor-surfactant ion pairs in the hydrolysis-polycondensation mixture. This review gives a systematic overview over the various types of materials accessed from this cooperative ionic templating approach and highlights the high potential of this original strategy for the formation of nanostructured silica based materials which appears as a complementary strategy to conventional soft templating approaches.

Microencapsulation of silicon nitride particles with yttria and yttria-alumina precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garg, A.K.; De Jonghe, L.C.

1990-01-01

Procedures are described to deposit uniform layers of yttria and yttria-alumina precursors on fine powders and whiskers of silicon nitride. The coatings were produced by aging at elevated temperatures aqueous systems containing the silicon nitride core particles, yttrium and aluminum nitrates, and urea. Optimum concentrations of the core particles, in relation to the reactants, were established to promote surface deposition of the oxide precursors. Polymeric dispersants were used effectively to prevent agglomeration of the solids during the microencapsulation process. The morphology of the powders was characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The mechanisms for the formation of the coated layers are discussed. A description is provided that allows qualitative assessment of the experimental factors that determine microencapsulation by a slurry method

Ion-induced surface modification of alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiedersich, H.

1983-11-01

In addition to the accumulation of the implanted species, a considerable number of processes can affect the composition of an alloy in the surface region during ion bombardment. Collisions of energetic ions with atoms of the alloy induce local rearrangement of atoms by displacements, replacement sequences and by spontaneous migration and recombination of defects within cascades. Point defects form clusters, voids, dislocation loops and networks. Preferential sputtering of elements changes the composition of the surface. At temperatures sufficient for thermal migration of point defects, radiation-enhanced diffusion promotes alloy component redistribution within and beyond the damage layer. Fluxes of interstitials and vacancies toward the surface and into the interior of the target induce fluxes of alloying elements leading to depth-dependent compositional changes. Moreover, Gibbsian surface segregation may affect the preferential loss of alloy components by sputtering when the kinetics of equilibration of the surface composition becomes competitive with the sputtering rate. Temperature, time, current density and ion energy can be used to influence the individual processes contributing to compositional changes and, thus, produce a rich variety of composition profiles near surfaces. 42 references

Reduction of Friction of Metals Using Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Nanostructures

OpenAIRE

Zhuo Wang; Quanzhong Zhao; Chengwei Wang

2015-01-01

We report on the effect of femtosecond-laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on the tribological properties of stainless steel. Uniform periodic nanostructures were produced on AISI 304L (American Iron and Steel Institute steel grade) steel surfaces using an 800-nm femtosecond laser. The spatial periods of LIPSS measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy ranged from 530 to 570 nm. The tribological properties of smooth and textured surfaces with periodic nanostructures...

Spin Hall effect by surface roughness

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Lingjun; Grigoryan, Vahram L.; Maekawa, Sadamichi; Wang, Xuhui; Xiao, Jiang

2015-01-01

induced by surface roughness subscribes only to the side-jump contribution but not the skew scattering. The paradigm proposed in this paper provides the second, not if only, alternative to generate a sizable spin Hall effect.

Numerical Investigation on the Effects of a Precursor Wetting Film on the Displacement of Two Immiscible Phases Along a Channel

KAUST Repository

Bao, Kai; Salama, Amgad; Sun, Shuyu

2015-01-01

A set of numerical experiments has been conducted to study the effect of a precursor fluid layer on the motion of two phase system in a channel. This system is characterized by coupled Cahn-Hillard and Navier-Stokes system together with slip boundary conditions. The solution of the governing equation involves first the solution of Cahn-Hillard equation with semi-implicit and Mixed finite element discritization with a convex splitting scheme. The Navier-Stokes equations are then solved with a P2-P0 mixed finite element method. Three cases have been investigated; in the first the effect of different wettability scenarios with no precursor layer has been investigated. In the second scenario, the effect of the precursor layer for different wettability conditions is investigated. In the third case, the effect of the thickness of the precursor layer is investigated. It is found that, wettability conditions have considerable effect on the flow of the considered two-phase system. Furthermore the existence of the precursor layer has additional influence on the breakthrough of the phases.

Numerical Investigation on the Effects of a Precursor Wetting Film on the Displacement of Two Immiscible Phases Along a Channel

KAUST Repository

Bao, Kai

2015-10-08

A set of numerical experiments has been conducted to study the effect of a precursor fluid layer on the motion of two phase system in a channel. This system is characterized by coupled Cahn-Hillard and Navier-Stokes system together with slip boundary conditions. The solution of the governing equation involves first the solution of Cahn-Hillard equation with semi-implicit and Mixed finite element discritization with a convex splitting scheme. The Navier-Stokes equations are then solved with a P2-P0 mixed finite element method. Three cases have been investigated; in the first the effect of different wettability scenarios with no precursor layer has been investigated. In the second scenario, the effect of the precursor layer for different wettability conditions is investigated. In the third case, the effect of the thickness of the precursor layer is investigated. It is found that, wettability conditions have considerable effect on the flow of the considered two-phase system. Furthermore the existence of the precursor layer has additional influence on the breakthrough of the phases.

Molecular cloning of a preprohormone from sea anemones containing numerous copies of a metamorphosis-inducing neuropeptide: a likely role for dipeptidyl aminopeptidase in neuropeptide precursor processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leviev, I; Grimmelikhuijzen, C J

1995-01-01

a polyp, a medusa, and a planula larva stage. Recently, a neuropeptide, metamorphosis in a hydroid planula larva to become a hydropolyp [Leitz, T., Morand, K. & Mann, M. (1994) Dev. Biol. 163, 440-446]. Here, we have cloned...... the precursor protein for this metamorphosis-inducing neuropeptide from sea anemones. The precursor protein is 514-amino acid residues long and contains 10 copies of the immature, authentic neuropeptide (Gln-Gln-Pro-Gly-Leu-Trp-Gly). All neuropeptide copies are preceded by Xaa-Pro or Xaa-Ala sequences...

Single-particle spectra and magnetic field effects within precursor superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieri, P.; Pisani, L.; Strinati, G.C.; Perali, A.

2004-01-01

We study the single-particle spectra below the superconducting critical temperature from weak to strong coupling within a precursor superconductivity scenario. The spectral-weight function is obtained from a self-energy that includes pairing-fluctuations within a continuum model representing the hot spots of the Brillouin zone. The effects of strong magnetic fields on the pseudogap temperature are also discussed within the same scenario

Occurrence of THM and NDMA precursors in a watershed: Effect of seasons and anthropogenic pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Aydin, Egemen; Yaman, Fatma Busra; Ates Genceli, Esra; Topuz, Emel; Erdim, Esra; Gurel, Melike; Ipek, Murat; Pehlivanoglu-Mantas, Elif

2012-06-30

In pristine watersheds, natural organic matter is the main source of disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors. However, the presence of point or non-point pollution sources in watersheds may lead to increased levels of DBP precursors which in turn form DBPs in the drinking water treatment plant upon chlorination or chloramination. In this study, water samples were collected from a lake used to obtain drinking water for Istanbul as well as its tributaries to investigate the presence of the precursors of two disinfection by-products, trihalomethanes (THM) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). In addition, the effect of seasons and the possible relationships between these precursors and water quality parameters were evaluated. The concentrations of THM and NDMA precursors measured as total THM formation potential (TTHMFP) and NDMA formation potential (NDMAFP) ranged between 126 and 1523μg/L THM and NDMA, respectively. Such wide ranges imply that some of the tributaries are affected by anthropogenic pollution sources, which is also supported by high DOC, Cl(-) and NH(3) concentrations. No significant correlation was found between the water quality parameters and DBP formation potential, except for a weak correlation between NDMAFP and DOC concentrations. The effect of the sampling location was more pronounced than the seasonal variation due to anthropogenic pollution in some tributaries and no significant correlation was obtained between the seasons and water quality parameters. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photon- and electron-induced surface voltage in electron spectroscopies on ZnSe(0 0 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantoni, M.; Bertacco, R.; Brambilla, A.; Ciccacci, F.

2009-01-01

The surface band bending in ZnSe(0 0 1), as a function of the temperature, is investigated both in the valence band (by photoemission) and in the conduction band (by inverse photoemission and absorbed current spectroscopies). Two different mechanisms are invoked for interpreting the experimental data: the band bending due to surface states, and the surface voltage induced by the incident beam. While the latter is well known in photoemission (surface photovoltage), we demonstrate the existence of a similar effect in inverse photoemission and absorbed current spectroscopies, induced by the incident electrons instead of photons. These results point to the importance of considering the surface voltage effect even in electron-in techniques for a correct evaluation of the band bending.

Phenol removal onto novel activated carbons made from lignocellulosic precursors: influence of surface properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabais, J M Valente; Gomes, J A; Suhas; Carrott, P J M; Laginhas, C; Roman, S

2009-08-15

The adsorption of phenol from dilute aqueous solutions onto new activated carbons (AC) was studied. The novel activated carbon was produced from lignocellulosic (LC) precursors of rapeseed and kenaf. Samples oxidised with nitric acid in liquid phase were also studied. The results have shown the significant potential of rapeseed and kenaf for the activated carbon production. The activated carbons produced by carbon dioxide activation were mainly microporous with BET apparent surface area up to 1350 m(2)g(-1) and pore volume 0.5 cm(3)g(-1). The effects of concentration (0.1-2 mM) and pH (3-13) were studied. The phenol adsorption isotherms at 25 degrees C followed the Freundlich model with maximum adsorption capacities of approximately 80 and 50 mg g(-1) for the pristine and oxidised activated carbons, respectively. The influence of pH on the adsorption has two trends for pH below and above 10. It was possible to conclude that when phenol is predominantly in the molecular form the most probable mechanism is based on the pi-pi dispersion interaction between the phenol aromatic ring and the delocalised pi electrons present in the activated carbon aromatic structure. When phenolate is the major component the electrostatic repulsion that occurs at high pH values is the most important aspect of the adsorption mechanism.

Phenol removal onto novel activated carbons made from lignocellulosic precursors: Influence of surface properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valente Nabais, J.M.; Gomes, J.A.; Suhas; Carrott, P.J.M.; Laginhas, C.; Roman, S.

2009-01-01

The adsorption of phenol from dilute aqueous solutions onto new activated carbons (AC) was studied. The novel activated carbon was produced from lignocellulosic (LC) precursors of rapeseed and kenaf. Samples oxidised with nitric acid in liquid phase were also studied. The results have shown the significant potential of rapeseed and kenaf for the activated carbon production. The activated carbons produced by carbon dioxide activation were mainly microporous with BET apparent surface area up to 1350 m 2 g -1 and pore volume 0.5 cm 3 g -1 . The effects of concentration (0.1-2 mM) and pH (3-13) were studied. The phenol adsorption isotherms at 25 deg. C followed the Freundlich model with maximum adsorption capacities of approximately 80 and 50 mg g -1 for the pristine and oxidised activated carbons, respectively. The influence of pH on the adsorption has two trends for pH below and above 10. It was possible to conclude that when phenol is predominantly in the molecular form the most probable mechanism is based on the π-π dispersion interaction between the phenol aromatic ring and the delocalised π electrons present in the activated carbon aromatic structure. When phenolate is the major component the electrostatic repulsion that occurs at high pH values is the most important aspect of the adsorption mechanism.

Mapping of local argon impingement on a virtual surface: an insight for gas injection during FEBID

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wanzenboeck, H.D.; Hochleitner, G.; Mika, J.; Shawrav, M.M.; Gavagnin, M.; Bertagnolli, E. [Vienna University of Technology, Institute for Solid State Electronics, Vienna (Austria)

2014-12-15

During the last decades, focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) has become a successful approach for direct-write fabrication of nanodevices. Such a deposition technique relies on the precursor supply to the sample surface which is typically accomplished by a gas injection system using a tube-shaped injector nozzle. This precursor injection strategy implies a position-dependent concentration gradient on the surface, which affects the geometry and chemistry of the final nanodeposit. Although simulations already proposed the local distribution of nozzle-borne gas molecules impinging on the surface, this isolated step in the FEBID process has never been experimentally measured yet. This work experimentally investigates the local distribution of impinging gas molecules on the sample plane, isolating the direct impingement component from surface diffusion or precursor depletion by deposition. The experimental setup used in this work maps and quantifies the local impinging rate of argon gas over the sample plane. This setup simulates the identical conditions for a precursor molecule during FEBID. Argon gas was locally collected with a sniffer tube, which is directly connected to a residual gas analyzer for quantification. The measured distribution of impinging gas molecules showed a strong position dependence. Indeed, a 300-μm shift of the deposition area to a position further away from the impingement center spot resulted in a 50 % decrease in the precursor impinging rate on the surface area. With the same parameters, the precursor distribution was also simulated by a Monte Carlo software by Friedli and Utke and showed a good correlation between the empirical and the simulated precursor distribution. The results hereby presented underline the importance of controlling the local precursor flux conditions in order to obtain reproducible and comparable deposition results in FEBID. (orig.)

Mapping of local argon impingement on a virtual surface: an insight for gas injection during FEBID

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanzenboeck, H.D.; Hochleitner, G.; Mika, J.; Shawrav, M.M.; Gavagnin, M.; Bertagnolli, E.

2014-01-01

During the last decades, focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) has become a successful approach for direct-write fabrication of nanodevices. Such a deposition technique relies on the precursor supply to the sample surface which is typically accomplished by a gas injection system using a tube-shaped injector nozzle. This precursor injection strategy implies a position-dependent concentration gradient on the surface, which affects the geometry and chemistry of the final nanodeposit. Although simulations already proposed the local distribution of nozzle-borne gas molecules impinging on the surface, this isolated step in the FEBID process has never been experimentally measured yet. This work experimentally investigates the local distribution of impinging gas molecules on the sample plane, isolating the direct impingement component from surface diffusion or precursor depletion by deposition. The experimental setup used in this work maps and quantifies the local impinging rate of argon gas over the sample plane. This setup simulates the identical conditions for a precursor molecule during FEBID. Argon gas was locally collected with a sniffer tube, which is directly connected to a residual gas analyzer for quantification. The measured distribution of impinging gas molecules showed a strong position dependence. Indeed, a 300-μm shift of the deposition area to a position further away from the impingement center spot resulted in a 50 % decrease in the precursor impinging rate on the surface area. With the same parameters, the precursor distribution was also simulated by a Monte Carlo software by Friedli and Utke and showed a good correlation between the empirical and the simulated precursor distribution. The results hereby presented underline the importance of controlling the local precursor flux conditions in order to obtain reproducible and comparable deposition results in FEBID. (orig.)

Mapping of local argon impingement on a virtual surface: an insight for gas injection during FEBID

Science.gov (United States)

Wanzenboeck, H. D.; Hochleitner, G.; Mika, J.; Shawrav, M. M.; Gavagnin, M.; Bertagnolli, E.

2014-12-01

During the last decades, focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) has become a successful approach for direct-write fabrication of nanodevices. Such a deposition technique relies on the precursor supply to the sample surface which is typically accomplished by a gas injection system using a tube-shaped injector nozzle. This precursor injection strategy implies a position-dependent concentration gradient on the surface, which affects the geometry and chemistry of the final nanodeposit. Although simulations already proposed the local distribution of nozzle-borne gas molecules impinging on the surface, this isolated step in the FEBID process has never been experimentally measured yet. This work experimentally investigates the local distribution of impinging gas molecules on the sample plane, isolating the direct impingement component from surface diffusion or precursor depletion by deposition. The experimental setup used in this work maps and quantifies the local impinging rate of argon gas over the sample plane. This setup simulates the identical conditions for a precursor molecule during FEBID. Argon gas was locally collected with a sniffer tube, which is directly connected to a residual gas analyzer for quantification. The measured distribution of impinging gas molecules showed a strong position dependence. Indeed, a 300-µm shift of the deposition area to a position further away from the impingement center spot resulted in a 50 % decrease in the precursor impinging rate on the surface area. With the same parameters, the precursor distribution was also simulated by a Monte Carlo software by Friedli and Utke and showed a good correlation between the empirical and the simulated precursor distribution. The results hereby presented underline the importance of controlling the local precursor flux conditions in order to obtain reproducible and comparable deposition results in FEBID.

MiR-21 is involved in radiation-induced bystander effects

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Shuai; Ding, Nan; Pei, Hailong; Hu, Wentao; Wei, Wenjun; Zhang, Xurui; Zhou, Guangming; Wang, Jufang

2014-01-01

Radiation-induced bystander effects are well-established phenomena, in which DNA damage responses are induced not only in the directly irradiated cells but also in the non-irradiated bystander cells through intercellular signal transmission. Recent studies hint that bystander effects are possibly mediated via small non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs. Thus, more details about the roles of microRNA in bystander effects are urgently needed to be elucidated. Here we demonstrated that bystander effects were induced in human fetal lung MRC-5 fibroblasts through medium-mediated way by different types of radiation. We identified a set of differentially expressed microRNAs in the cell culture medium after irradiation, among which the up-regulation of miR-21 was further verified with qRT-PCR. In addition, we found significant upregulation of miR-21 in both directly irradiated cells and bystander cells, which was confirmed by the expression of miR-21 precursor and its target genes. Transfection of miR-21 mimics into non-irradiated MRC-5 cells caused bystander-like effects. Taken together, our data reveals that miR-21 is involved in radiation-induced bystander effects. Elucidation of such a miRNA-mediated bystander effect is of utmost importance in understanding the biological processes related to ionizing radiation and cell-to-cell communication. PMID:25483031

[The role of endothelial cells and endothelial precursor cells in angiogenesis].

Science.gov (United States)

Poreba, Małgorzata; Usnarska-Zubkiewicz, Lidia; Kuliczkowski, Kazimierz

2006-01-01

Endothelium plays a key role in maintenance of vascular homeostasis in human organism. According to new data endothelial cells and hematopoietic cells have a common precursor in prenatal life--a hemangioblast, which explains the fact of sharing the same determinants on the surface of both type of cells. Circulating endothelial precursors were identified in adults and this suggests that hemangioblasts may be present not only during embriogenesis. In some clinical situations the increased numbers of endothelial cells and endothelial precursors were noted, and especially in patients with neoplastic diseases, which is probably the result of increased angiogenesis. Endothelial precursors are thought to be the promice for therapeutic purposes in future--to increase local angiogenesis.

Wire-Array Precursor Plasma Interactions With On-Axis Foam Targets

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, J. B. A.; Bland, S. N.

2005-10-01

The Dynamic Hohlraum (DH) Z-pinch on Z at Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) has been used to drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) relevant experiments. The power pulse from the DH cannot yet be reproduced using codes that can reproduce the performance of a Vacuum Hohlraum (VH) configuration on Z. Unlike the VH the DH has a low-density CH foam cylinder placed on the array axis. Production of precursor plasma, prior to the main implosion, is not included in the codes. This plasma is accelerated towards the array axis by the global J x B force and impacts onto the on-axis target. This bombardment alters the foam in various ways. Experiments have been performed on the 1 MA MAGPIE generator at Imperial College, London, to investigate the effect of this precursor bombardment. Diagnostics used were point-projection radiography with x-pinches, x-ray emission framing cameras, shadowgraphy and photoconduction diodes. Results show ablation of low-density plasma from the foam surface and compression of the foam by precursor pressure. Research sponsored by AWE, SNL, the SSAA program of NNSA under DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-FC03-02NA00057.

Effect of the Type of Surface Treatment and Cement on the Chloride Induced Corrosion of Galvanized Reinforcements

Science.gov (United States)

Tittarelli, Francesca; Mobili, Alessandra; Vicerè, Anna Maria; Roventi, Gabriella; Bellezze, Tiziano

2017-10-01

The effect of a new passivation treatment, obtained by immersion of the galvanized reinforcements in a trivalent chromium salts based solution, on the chlorides induced corrosion has been investigated. To investigate also the effect of cement alkalinity on corrosion behaviour of reinforcements, concretes manufactured with three different European cements were compared. The obtained results show that the alternative treatment based on hexavalent chromium-free baths forms effective protection layers on the galvanized rebar surfaces. The higher corrosion rates of zinc coating in concrete manufactured with Portland cement compared to those recorded for bars in concrete manufactured with pozzolanic cement depends strongly on the higher chloride content at the steel concrete interface.

Femtosecond-laser induced dynamics of CO on Ru(0001): Deep insights from a hot-electron friction model including surface motion

Science.gov (United States)

Scholz, Robert; Floß, Gereon; Saalfrank, Peter; Füchsel, Gernot; Lončarić, Ivor; Juaristi, J. I.

2016-10-01

A Langevin model accounting for all six molecular degrees of freedom is applied to femtosecond-laser induced, hot-electron driven dynamics of Ru(0001)(2 ×2 ):CO. In our molecular dynamics with electronic friction approach, a recently developed potential energy surface based on gradient-corrected density functional theory accounting for van der Waals interactions is adopted. Electronic friction due to the coupling of molecular degrees of freedom to electron-hole pairs in the metal are included via a local density friction approximation, and surface phonons by a generalized Langevin oscillator model. The action of ultrashort laser pulses enters through a substrate-mediated, hot-electron mechanism via a time-dependent electronic temperature (derived from a two-temperature model), causing random forces acting on the molecule. The model is applied to laser induced lateral diffusion of CO on the surface, "hot adsorbate" formation, and laser induced desorption. Reaction probabilities are strongly enhanced compared to purely thermal processes, both for diffusion and desorption. Reaction yields depend in a characteristic (nonlinear) fashion on the applied laser fluence, as well as branching ratios for various reaction channels. Computed two-pulse correlation traces for desorption and other indicators suggest that aside from electron-hole pairs, phonons play a non-negligible role for laser induced dynamics in this system, acting on a surprisingly short time scale. Our simulations on precomputed potentials allow for good statistics and the treatment of long-time dynamics (300 ps), giving insight into this system which hitherto has not been reached. We find generally good agreement with experimental data where available and make predictions in addition. A recently proposed laser induced population of physisorbed precursor states could not be observed with the present low-coverage model.

Airway Surface Dehydration Aggravates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Hallmarks of COPD in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Seys, Leen J M; Verhamme, Fien M; Dupont, Lisa L; Desauter, Elke; Duerr, Julia; Seyhan Agircan, Ayca; Conickx, Griet; Joos, Guy F; Brusselle, Guy G; Mall, Marcus A; Bracke, Ken R

2015-01-01

Airway surface dehydration, caused by an imbalance between secretion and absorption of ions and fluid across the epithelium and/or increased epithelial mucin secretion, impairs mucociliary clearance. Recent evidence suggests that this mechanism may be implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the role of airway surface dehydration in the pathogenesis of cigarette smoke (CS)-induced COPD remains unknown. We aimed to investigate in vivo the effect of airway surface dehydration on several CS-induced hallmarks of COPD in mice with airway-specific overexpression of the β-subunit of the epithelial Na⁺ channel (βENaC). βENaC-Tg mice and wild-type (WT) littermates were exposed to air or CS for 4 or 8 weeks. Pathological hallmarks of COPD, including goblet cell metaplasia, mucin expression, pulmonary inflammation, lymphoid follicles, emphysema and airway wall remodelling were determined and lung function was measured. Airway surface dehydration in βENaC-Tg mice aggravated CS-induced airway inflammation, mucin expression and destruction of alveolar walls and accelerated the formation of pulmonary lymphoid follicles. Moreover, lung function measurements demonstrated an increased compliance and total lung capacity and a lower resistance and hysteresis in βENaC-Tg mice, compared to WT mice. CS exposure further altered lung function measurements. We conclude that airway surface dehydration is a risk factor that aggravates CS-induced hallmarks of COPD.

Effect of Pre-Irradiation Annealing and Laser Modification on the Formation of Radiation-Induced Surface Color Centers in Lithium Fluoride

Science.gov (United States)

Voitovich, A. P.; Kalinov, V. S.; Novikov, A. N.; Radkevich, A. V.; Runets, L. P.; Stupak, A. P.; Tarasenko, N. V.

2017-01-01

It is shown that surface color centers of the same type are formed in the surface layer and in regions with damaged crystal structure inside crystalline lithium fluoride after γ-irradiation. Results are presented from a study of the effect of pre-irradiation annealing on the efficiency with which surface centers are formed in lithium fluoride nanocrystals. Raising the temperature for pre-irradiation annealing from room temperature to 250°C leads to a substantial reduction in the efficiency with which these centers are created. Surface color centers are not detected after γ-irradiation for pre-irradiation annealing temperatures of 300°C and above. Adsorption of atmospheric gases on the crystal surface cannot be regarded as a necessary condition for the formation of radiation-induced surface centers.

The effect of magnetic nanoparticles on neuronal differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jiráková, Klára; Šeneklová, Monika; Jirák, D.; Turnovcová, Karolína; Vosmanská, M.; Babič, Michal; Horák, Daniel; Veverka, Pavel; Jendelová, Pavla

2016-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 2016 (2016), s. 6267-6281 E-ISSN 1178-2013 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1604; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA MŠk(CZ) 7F14057 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 ; RVO:61389013 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : neural precursors * magnetic resonance imaging * cell differentiation Subject RIV: FH - Neurology; EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology (FGU-C); CD - Macromolecular Chemistry (UMCH-V) Impact factor: 4.300, year: 2016

Effect of surfactant concentration on characteristics of mesoporous bioactive glass prepared by evaporation induced self-assembly process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shih, Chi-Chung [Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Department of Family Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Chien, Chi-Sheng [Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Department of Orthopaedics, Chi Mei Foundation Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Department of Electrical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Kung, Jung-Chang [Department of Family Dentistry, Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan (China); Chen, Jian-Chih [Department of Orthopaedics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan (China); Chang, Shy-Shin [Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Department of Family Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Lu, Pei-Shan [Department of Fragrance and Cosmetic Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shi-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan (China); Shih, Chi-Jen, E-mail: cjshih@kmu.edu.tw [Department of Fragrance and Cosmetic Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shi-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan (China)

2013-01-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer All the unwanted organic contents were removed completely at temperatures above 600 Degree-Sign C. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Specific surface area and pore volume of Mesoporous bioactive glasses reached maximum at the critical surfactant concentration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SAED pattern suggests that some glassy structures in the Bioactive Glasses became crystalline due to the heat treatment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The MBGs can induce the formation of an apatite-like layer on their surface in SBF, even after short soaking periods. - Abstract: Mesoporous bioactive glasses were prepared by the evaporation-induced self-assembly method. The main objective of the present study is to determine the effect of surfactant concentration on the synthesis of SiO{sub 2}-CaO-P{sub 2}O{sub 5} mesoporous bioactive glasses; the characterization techniques used include X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms. The results show that the specific surface area initially increased with increasing surfactant concentrations in the range of 2.1-9.1 wt% and significantly decreased from 328.7 to 204.0 m{sup 2}/g in the concentration range of 9.1-12.5 wt%. For texture evaluation, the selected area electron diffraction patterns of the mesoporous bioactive glass precursor gels (9.1 wt% F127) calcined at different temperatures were analyzed; these patterns support the notion that some glassy structures in bioactive glasses become crystalline following heat treatment. The scanning electron microscopy images and X-ray diffraction patterns obtained agree with the inductively coupled plasma with atomic emission spectroscopy results as the mesoporous bioactive glasses can induce the formation of an apatite-like layer on their surface in SBF, even after short soaking periods.

Layered niobate KNb3O8 synthesized by the polymeric precursor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, J.K.D. de; Honório, L.M.C.; Torres, S.M.; Santos, I.M.G.; Maia, A.S.; Ferreira, J.M.

2018-01-01

The polymeric precursor method was used for the synthesis of KNb 3 O 8 and compared to the solid-state method. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and determination of surface area and total pore volume by nitrogen isotherms at 77 K. The material prepared by the polymeric precursor method was single-phase while K 2 Nb 4 O 11 was obtained as secondary phase when the solid state method was used, as evidenced by the XRD patterns and the Raman spectra. The morphology of the materials was significantly altered by the synthesis method, as the KNb 3 O 8 prepared by the polymeric precursor method presented a more porous morphology leading to a higher surface area and pore volume. (author)

Surface effects in controlled thermonuclear fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaminsky, M.

1975-08-01

During the operation of large size plasma facilities and future controlled thermonuclear fusion reactors the surfaces of such major components as container walls, beam limiters, diverter walls and beam-dump walls of the injector region will be exposed to particle and photon bombardment from primary plasma radiations and from secondary radiations. Such radiations can cause, for example, physical and chemical sputtering, blistering, particle- and photon-impact induced desorption, secondary electron and x-ray emission, backscattering, nuclear reactions, photo-decomposition of surface compounds, photocatalysis, and vaporization. Such effects in turn can (a) seriously damage and erode the bombarded surface and (b) release major quantities of impurities which will contaminate the plasma. The effects of some of the major surface phenomena on the operation of plasma facilities and future fusion reactors are discussed

The effect of precursor powder size on the microstructure and integranular properties of Bi2223 superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Abdolhosseini

2006-09-01

Full Text Available  We have studied the effect of precursor powder size on the microstructure and intergranular behavior of polycrystalline Bi2223 superconductors using the XRD, SEM, electrical resistivity and AC susceptibility techniques. Polycrystalline Bi2223 superconductors were prepared from the powders with different milling times. The XRD results show that by decreasing the precursor powder size the Bi2223 phase fraction increases. It was found that the grain size and grain connectivity improved by decreasing the precursor powder size. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the AC susceptibility near the transition temperature (Tc has been done employing Beans critical state model. The observed variation of intergranular critical current densities (Jc with temperature indicates that the decreasing of precursor powder size in the Bi2223 system cases an increase in the intergranular critical current density.

ETOH inhibits embryonic neural stem/precursor cell proliferation via PLD signaling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, Yuko; Hiroyama, Masami; Sanbe, Atsushi; Yamauchi, Junji; Murase, Shoko; Tanoue, Akito

2008-01-01

While a mother's excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy is known to have adverse effects on fetal neural development, little is known about the underlying mechanism of these effects. In order to investigate these mechanisms, we investigated the toxic effect of ethanol (ETOH) on neural stem/precursor cell (NSC) proliferation. In cultures of NSCs, phospholipase D (PLD) is activated following stimulation with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). Exposure of NSCs to ETOH suppresses cell proliferation, while it has no effect on cell death. Phosphatidic acid (PA), which is a signaling messenger produced by PLD, reverses ETOH inhibition of NSC proliferation. Blocking the PLD signal by 1-butanol suppresses the proliferation. ETOH-induced suppression of NSC proliferation and the protective effect of PA for ETOH-induced suppression are mediated through extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling. These results indicate that exposure to ETOH impairs NSC proliferation by altering the PLD signaling pathway

The effect of the temperature in the formation of sputter-induced surface topography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jiping; Wang Zhenxia; Tao Zhenlan; Pan Jisheng

1992-01-01

The formation of the ion-induced surface topography has been studied extensively, but we know little of how to control the formation of the surface topography. In order to study further the mechanism of the formation of the surface topography at different target temperatures, we have selected two samples of the metal indium (99.99% purity) for study. The samples were bombarded by 27 keV Ar + ions at normal incidence, and the temperature was kept at 25 or 70 o C. The Ar + beam current was about 0.7 μA and the total dose was 1.4 x 10 18 ions cm -2 for each sample. The examination of the bombarded surface for each sample was carried out on an S-570 scanning electron microscope (SEM). In the bombarded surface of sample A at 25 o C, there are some terraces surrounded by deep ditches and among them there exhibit pebble-or sand-like structures. The terraces respond to the lowest-index planes of specimens in which the channel effect can be seen. The ditches are originated from grain boundaries, and the other part is high-index planes. In sample B at 70 o C, there are the same pebble-or sand-like structures, but instead of terraces there are some craters whose size and distribution is similar to that of the terraces in sample A. The middle of the crater is cavitated a little and its edge is raised. Like sample A, there are some deep ditches surrounding the craters. Comparing samples A and B, it can be accepted that these terraces and craters originated from the plane of the same orientation of grain. An interpretation of these observations is offered. (author)

Deactivation of wastewater-derived N-nitrosodimethylamine precursors with chlorine dioxide oxidation and the effect of pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Uzun, Habibullah; Kim, Daekyun; Karanfil, Tanju

2018-09-01

In this study, the effect of chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 ) oxidation on the deactivation of wastewater (WW)-derived N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors was investigated under various conditions (i.e., ClO 2 application pH, dose and contact time). At pH 6.0, decreases in NDMA formation potentials (FPs) or occurrences (under uniform formation conditions [UFC]) were relatively low (NDMA FP removals were significant (up to ~85%) under the same oxidation conditions in WW-impacted waters at pH 7.8. This indicates that the majority of WW-derived NDMA precursors can be deactivated with ClO 2 oxidation above neutral pH. This was attributed to the better oxidative reaction of ClO 2 with amines that have lone pair electrons to be shared at higher oxidation pH conditions. In addition, relatively short oxidation periods with ClO 2 (i.e., ≤10 min) or low Ct (concentration × time, ~10 mg ∗ min/L) values were sufficient for the deactivation of WW-derived NDMA precursors. ClO 2 oxidation was effective in freshly WW-impacted waters. Natural attenuation processes (e.g., sorption, biodegradation, etc.) can change the reactivity of WW-derived NDMA precursors for oxidation with ClO 2 . The effect of ClO 2 on the removal of THM precursors was low (NDMA and regulated DBP formation during water treatment, especially for utilities treating WW-impacted water sources. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of polymeric fluorinated sol–gel precursor for fabrication of superhydrophobic coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Qianqian; Yan, Yuheng; Yu, Miao; Song, Botao; Shi, Suqing; Gong, Yongkuan

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A polymeric fluorinated sol–gel precursor PFT is designed to fabricate superhydrophobic coatings. • The superhydrophobicity could be governed by the concentration of PFT. • Bio-mimicking self-cleaning property similar to lotus leaves could also be achieved. - Abstract: A fluorinated polymeric sol–gel precursor (PFT) is synthesized by copolymerization of 2,3,4,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-bis(trifluorinated methyl)pentyl methacrylate (FMA) and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (TSMA) to replace the expensive long chain fluorinated alkylsilanes. The fluorinated silica sol is prepared by introducing PFT as co-precursor of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in the sol–gel process with ammonium hydroxide as catalyst, which is then used to fabricate superhydrophobic coating on glass substrate through a simple dip-coating method. The effects of PFT concentrations on the chemical structure of the formed fluorinated silica, the surface chemical composition, surface morphology, wetting and self-cleaning properties of the resultant fluorinated silica coatings were studied by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrophotometer (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle measurements (WCA). The results show that the fluorinated silica sols are successfully obtained. The size and size distribution of the fluorinated silica particles are found greatly dependent on the concentration of PFT, which play a crucial role in the surface morphology of the corresponding fluorinated silica coatings. The suitable PFT concentration added in the sol–gel stage, i.e. for F-sol-1 and F-sol-2, is helpful to achieve both the low surface energy and multi-scaled microstructures, leading to the formation of the superhydrophobic coatings with bio-mimicking self-cleaning property similar to lotus leaves.

Atomic layer deposition precursor step repetition and surface plasma pretreatment influence on semiconductor–insulator–semiconductor heterojunction solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talkenberg, Florian, E-mail: florian.talkenberg@ipht-jena.de; Illhardt, Stefan; Schmidl, Gabriele; Schleusener, Alexander; Sivakov, Vladimir [Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, D-07745 Jena (Germany); Radnóczi, György Zoltán; Pécz, Béla [Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Konkoly-Thege Miklós u. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest (Hungary); Dikhanbayev, Kadyrjan; Mussabek, Gauhar [Department of Physics and Engineering, al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 al-Farabi Ave., 050040 Almaty (Kazakhstan); Gudovskikh, Alexander [Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre, St. Petersburg Academic University, Russian Academy of Sciences, Hlopina Str. 8/3, 194021 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

2015-07-15

Semiconductor–insulator–semiconductor heterojunction solar cells were prepared using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The silicon surface was treated with oxygen and hydrogen plasma in different orders before dielectric layer deposition. A plasma-enhanced ALD process was applied to deposit dielectric Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} on the plasma pretreated n-type Si(100) substrate. Aluminum doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO or AZO) was deposited by thermal ALD and serves as transparent conductive oxide. Based on transmission electron microscopy studies the presence of thin silicon oxide (SiO{sub x}) layer was detected at the Si/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface. The SiO{sub x} formation depends on the initial growth behavior of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and has significant influence on solar cell parameters. The authors demonstrate that a hydrogen plasma pretreatment and a precursor dose step repetition of a single precursor improve the initial growth behavior of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and avoid the SiO{sub x} generation. Furthermore, it improves the solar cell performance, which indicates a change of the Si/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface states.

A facile precursor route to highly loaded metal/ceramic nanofibers as a robust surface-enhanced Raman template

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jay Hoon; Joo, Yong Lak

2017-09-01

We report silver (Ag)/ceramic nanofibers with highly robust and sensitive optical sensory capabilities that can withstand harsh conditions. These nanofibers are fabricated by first electrospinning solutions of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) and metal precursor polymers, followed by subsequent series of heat treatment. The reported fabrication method demonstrate the effects of (i) the location of Ag crystals, (ii) crystal size and shape, and (iii) constituents of the ceramic matrix as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) templates with 10-6 M 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA). Notably, these silver/ceramic nanofibers preserved most of their highly sensitive localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) even under high temperature of 400 °C, in contrast to preformed Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in PVA nanofibers which lost most of its optical property presumably due to (i) Ag oxidation and (ii) loss of the matrix material. Among the ceramic substrates of ZrO2, Al2O3, and ZnO with silver crystals, we discovered that the ZnO substrate showed the most consistent and the strongest signal strength owing to the synergistic chemical and optical properties of the ZnO substrate. Moreover, the pure Ag nanofiber proved to be the best heat-resistant SERS template, owing to its (i) anisotropic morphology and (ii) thicker diameter when compared with other conventional Ag nanomaterials. These results demonstrated simple yet highly controllable fabrication of robust SERS templates, with potential applications in a catalytic sensory which is often exposed to harsh conditions.

Neuroprotective effects of statins against amyloid β-induced neurotoxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsin-Hua Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A growing body of evidence suggests that disruption of the homeostasis of lipid metabolism affects the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD. In particular, dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis in the brain has been reported to considerably increase the risk of developing AD. Thus, dysregulation of lipid homeostasis may increase the amyloid β (Aβ levels by affecting amyloid precursor protein (APP cleavage, which is the most important risk factor involved in the pathogenesis of AD. Previous research demonstrated that Aβ can trigger neuronal insulin resistance, which plays an important role in response to Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in AD. Epidemiological studies also suggested that statin use is associated with a decreased incidence of AD. Therefore, statins are believed to be a good candidate for conferring neuroprotective effects against AD. Statins may play a beneficial role in reducing Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. Their effect involves a putative mechanism beyond its cholesterol-lowering effects in preventing Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of the protective effect of statins have not been clearly determined in Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. Given that statins may provide benefits beyond the inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA reductase, these drugs may also improve the brain. Thus, statins may have beneficial effects on impaired insulin signaling by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK in neuronal cells. They play a potential therapeutic role in targeting Aβ-mediated neurotoxicity.

Spin Hall effect by surface roughness

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Lingjun

2015-01-08

The spin Hall and its inverse effects, driven by the spin orbit interaction, provide an interconversion mechanism between spin and charge currents. Since the spin Hall effect generates and manipulates spin current electrically, to achieve a large effect is becoming an important topic in both academia and industries. So far, materials with heavy elements carrying a strong spin orbit interaction, provide the only option. We propose here a new mechanism, using the surface roughness in ultrathin films, to enhance the spin Hall effect without heavy elements. Our analysis based on Cu and Al thin films suggests that surface roughness is capable of driving a spin Hall angle that is comparable to that in bulk Au. We also demonstrate that the spin Hall effect induced by surface roughness subscribes only to the side-jump contribution but not the skew scattering. The paradigm proposed in this paper provides the second, not if only, alternative to generate a sizable spin Hall effect.

Influence of the precursor chemical composition on heavy metal adsorption properties of hemp (Cannabis Sativa fibers based biocarbon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vukčević Marija M.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Waste hemp (Cannabis sativa fibers were used as sustainable and renewable raw materials for production of low-cost biocarbon sorbent for heavy metals removal. Carbon precursors of different chemical composition were obtained by oxidative and alkaline treatments of hemp fibers. Influence of lignocellulosic precursor chemical composition on hemp fibers-based biocarbon (HFB characteristics was examined by BET surface area measurement, scanning electron microscopy and mass titration. It was found that lignin content and polymorphic transformation of cellulose increase the SBET of microporous HFBs, while hemicelluloses induce more homogeneous distribution of adsorption active sites. Heavy metal ions adsorption onto HFBs is primarily influenced by the amount of surface oxygen groups, while specific surface area plays a secondary role. Equilibrium data obtained for lead ions adsorption were analyzed by different nonlinear adsorption isotherms, and the best fitting model was chosen using standard deviation and Akaike information criterion (AICC. The maximum adsorption capacities of HFBs ranged from 103.1 to 116.3 mg Pb/g. Thermodynamic parameters showed that Pb2+ adsorption onto HFBs is a spontaneous and complex endothermic process, suggesting the coexistence of physisorption and chemisorption mechanisms. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 172007 and Grant no. 172029

Effect of elicitors and precursors on azadirachtin production in hairy root culture of Azadirachta indica.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Smita; Srivastava, A K

2014-02-01

The present study involved strategies for enhancement in in vitro azadirachtin (commercially used biopesticide) production by hairy root cultivation of Azadirachta indica. Improvement in the azadirachtin production via triggering its biosynthetic pathway in plant cells was carried out by the exogenous addition of precursors and elicitors in the growth medium. Among the different abiotic stress inducers (Ag(+), Hg(+2), Co(+2), Cu(+2)) and signal molecules (methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid) tested, salicylic acid at 15 mg l(-1) of concentration was found to enhance the azadirachtin yield in the hairy roots to the maximum (up to 4.95 mg g(-1)). Similarly, among the different biotic elicitors tested (filter-sterilized fungal culture filtrates of Phoma herbarium, Alternaria alternata, Myrothecium sp., Fusarium solani, Curvularia lunata, and Sclerotium rolfsii; yeast extract; and yeast extract carbohydrate fraction), addition of filter-sterilized fungal culture filtrate of C. lunata (1 % v/v) resulted in maximum azadirachtin yield enhancement in hairy root biomass (up to 7.1 mg g(-1)) with respect to the control (3.3 mg g(-1)). Among all the biosynthetic precursors studied (sodium acetate, cholesterol, squalene, isopentynyl pyrophosphate, mavalonic acid lactone, and geranyl pyrophosphate), the overall azadirachtin production (70.42 mg l(-1) in 25 days) was found to be the highest with cholesterol (50 mg l(-1)) addition as an indirect precursor in the medium.

CO-induced Pd segregation and the effect of subsurface Pd on CO adsorption on CuPd surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padama, A A B; Villaos, R A B; Albia, J R; Diño, W A; Nakanishi, H; Kasai, H

2017-01-01

We report results of our study on the adsorption of CO on CuPd surfaces with bulk stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric layers using density functional theory (DFT). We found that the presence of Pd atoms in the subsurface layer promotes the adsorption of CO. We also observed CO-induced Pd segregation on the CuPd surface and we attribute this to the strong CO–Pd interaction. Lastly, we showed that the adsorption of CO promotes Pd–Pd interaction as compared to the pristine surface which promotes strong Cu–Pd interaction. These results indicate that CO adsorption on CuPd surfaces can be tuned by taking advantage of the CO-induced segregation and by considering the role of subsurface Pd atoms. (paper)

On the dual nature of lichen-induced rock surface weathering in contrasting micro-environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Joana; Gonçalves, João; Oliveira, Cláudia; Favero-Longo, Sergio E; Paz-Bermúdez, Graciela; Almeida, Rubim; Prieto, Beatriz

2016-10-01

Contradictory evidence from biogeomorphological studies has increased the debate on the extent of lichen contribution to differential rock surface weathering in both natural and cultural settings. This study, undertaken in Côa Valley Archaeological Park, aimed at evaluating the effect of rock surface orientation on the weathering ability of dominant lichens. Hyphal penetration and oxalate formation at the lichen-rock interface were evaluated as proxies of physical and chemical weathering, respectively. A new protocol of pixel-based supervised image classification for the analysis of periodic acid-Schiff stained cross-sections of colonized schist revealed that hyphal spread of individual species was not influenced by surface orientation. However, hyphal spread was significantly higher in species dominant on northwest facing surfaces. An apparently opposite effect was noticed in terms of calcium oxalate accumulation at the lichen-rock interface; it was detected by Raman spectroscopy and complementary X-ray microdiffraction on southeast facing surfaces only. These results suggest that lichen-induced physical weathering may be most severe on northwest facing surfaces by means of an indirect effect of surface orientation on species abundance, and thus dependent on the species, whereas lichen-induced chemical weathering is apparently higher on southeast facing surfaces and dependent on micro-environmental conditions, giving only weak support to the hypothesis that lichens are responsible for the currently observed pattern of rock-art distribution in Côa Valley. Assumptions about the drivers of open-air rock-art distribution patterns elsewhere should also consider the micro-environmental controls of lichen-induced weathering, to avoid biased measures of lichen contribution to rock-art deterioration. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Controlling successive ionic layer absorption and reaction cycles to optimize silver nanoparticle-induced localized surface plasmon resonance effects on the paper strip

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae-Chul; Kim, Wansun; Park, Hun-Kuk; Choi, Samjin

2017-03-01

This study investigates why a silver nanoparticle (SNP)-induced surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) paper chip fabricated at low successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) cycles leads to a high SERS enhancement factor (7 × 108) with an inferior nanostructure and without generating a hot spot effect. The multi-layered structure of SNPs on cellulose fibers, verified by magnified scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analyzed by a computational simulation method, was hypothesized as the reason. The pattern of simulated local electric field distribution with respect to the number of SILAR cycles showed good agreement with the experimental Raman intensity, regardless of the wavelength of the excitation laser sources. The simulated enhancement factor at the 785-nm excitation laser source (2.8 × 109) was 2.5 times greater than the experimental enhancement factor (1.1 × 109). A 532-nm excitation laser source exhibited the highest maximum local electric field intensity (1.9 × 1011), particularly at the interparticle gap called a hot spot. The short wavelength led to a strong electric field intensity caused by strong electromagnetic coupling arising from the SNP-induced local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects through high excitation energy. These findings suggest that our paper-based SILAR-fabricated SNP-induced LSPR model is valid for understanding SNP-induced LSPR effects.

The interrelationships of mathematical precursors in kindergarten.

Science.gov (United States)

Cirino, Paul T

2011-04-01

This study evaluated the interrelations among cognitive precursors across quantitative, linguistic, and spatial attention domains that have been implicated for math achievement in young children. The dimensionality of the quantity precursors was evaluated in 286 kindergarteners via latent variable techniques, and the contribution of precursors from each domain was established for small sums addition. Results showed a five-factor structure for the quantity precursors, with the major distinction being between nonsymbolic and symbolic tasks. The overall model demonstrated good fit and strong predictive power (R(2)=55%) for addition number combinations. Linguistic and spatial attention domains showed indirect relationships with outcomes, with their effects mediated by symbolic quantity measures. These results have implications for the measurement of mathematical precursors and yield promise for predicting future math performance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Atomically precise graphene nanoribbon heterojunctions from a single molecular precursor

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Giang D.; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Omrani, Arash A.; Marangoni, Tomas; Wu, Meng; Rizzo, Daniel J.; Rodgers, Griffin F.; Cloke, Ryan R.; Durr, Rebecca A.; Sakai, Yuki; Liou, Franklin; Aikawa, Andrew S.; Chelikowsky, James R.; Louie, Steven G.; Fischer, Felix R.; Crommie, Michael F.

2017-11-01

The rational bottom-up synthesis of atomically defined graphene nanoribbon (GNR) heterojunctions represents an enabling technology for the design of nanoscale electronic devices. Synthetic strategies used thus far have relied on the random copolymerization of two electronically distinct molecular precursors to yield GNR heterojunctions. Here we report the fabrication and electronic characterization of atomically precise GNR heterojunctions prepared through late-stage functionalization of chevron GNRs obtained from a single precursor. Post-growth excitation of fully cyclized GNRs induces cleavage of sacrificial carbonyl groups, resulting in atomically well-defined heterojunctions within a single GNR. The GNR heterojunction structure was characterized using bond-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy, which enables chemical bond imaging at T = 4.5 K. Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy reveals that band alignment across the heterojunction interface yields a type II heterojunction, in agreement with first-principles calculations. GNR heterojunction band realignment proceeds over a distance less than 1 nm, leading to extremely large effective fields.

Ionospheric earthquake precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulachenko, A.L.; Oraevskij, V.N.; Pokhotelov, O.A.; Sorokin, V.N.; Strakhov, V.N.; Chmyrev, V.M.

1996-01-01

Results of experimental study on ionospheric earthquake precursors, program development on processes in the earthquake focus and physical mechanisms of formation of various type precursors are considered. Composition of experimental cosmic system for earthquake precursors monitoring is determined. 36 refs., 5 figs

Method for the preparation of carbon fiber from polyolefin fiber precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naskar, Amit Kumar; Hunt, Marcus Andrew; Saito, Tomonori

2017-11-28

Methods for the preparation of carbon fiber from polyolefin fiber precursor, wherein the polyolefin fiber precursor is partially sulfonated and then carbonized to produce carbon fiber. Methods for producing hollow carbon fibers, wherein the hollow core is circular- or complex-shaped, are also described. Methods for producing carbon fibers possessing a circular- or complex-shaped outer surface, which may be solid or hollow, are also described.

Non-Viral Generation of Neural Precursor-like Cells from Adult Human Fibroblasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maucksch C

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have reported direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts to mature neurons by the introduction of defined neural genes. This technology has potential use in the areas of neurological disease modeling and drug development. However, use of induced neurons for large-scale drug screening and cell-based replacement strategies is limited due to their inability to expand once reprogrammed. We propose it would be more desirable to induce expandable neural precursor cells directly from human fibroblasts. To date several pluripotent and neural transcription factors have been shown to be capable of converting mouse fibroblasts to neural stem/precursor-like cells when delivered by viral vectors. Here we extend these findings and demonstrate that transient ectopic insertion of the transcription factors SOX2 and PAX6 to adult human fibroblasts through use of non-viral plasmid transfection or protein transduction allows the generation of induced neural precursor (iNP colonies expressing a range of neural stem and pro-neural genes. Upon differentiation, iNP cells give rise to neurons exhibiting typical neuronal morphologies and expressing multiple neuronal markers including tyrosine hydroxylase and GAD65/67. Importantly, iNP-derived neurons demonstrate electrophysiological properties of functionally mature neurons with the capacity to generate action potentials. In addition, iNP cells are capable of differentiating into glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP-expressing astrocytes. This study represents a novel virus-free approach for direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts to a neural precursor fate.

Energy dependence of average half-life of delayed neutron precursors in fast neutron induced fission of 235U and 236U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaev, S.G.; Piksaikin, L.E.; Kazakov, L.E.; Tarasko, M.Z.

2000-01-01

The measurements of relative abundances and periods of delayed neutrons from fast neutron induced fission of 235 U and 236 U have been made at the electrostatic accelerator CG-2.5 at IPPE. The preliminary results were obtained and discussed in the frame of the systematics of the average half-life of delayed neutron precursors. It was shown that the average half-life value in both reactions depends on the energy of primary neutrons [ru

Titanium di-oxide films using a less hygroscopic colloidal precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vandana,, E-mail: vandana1@nplindia.org; Batra, Neha; Kumar, Praveen; Sharma, Pooja; Singh, P.K., E-mail: pksingh@nplindia.org

2014-04-01

We report the study of titanium dioxide films (TiO{sub 2}) using titanium di-isopropoxyl di-2ethyl hexanoate Ti(OC{sub 3}H{sub 7}){sub 2} (C{sub 7}H{sub 15}COO){sub 2} colloidal precursor. This compound is less hygroscopic in nature and easy to use with processes like spin or dip coating. Thin films of TiO{sub 2} are made on silicon substrates and their structural and optical properties are studied. The effect of Ti content in the precursor, sintering temperature and its duration on film thickness and refractive index are investigated. Refractive index shows an increasing trend with the rise in the sintering temperature but remains unchanged with the time. The film thickness decreases with both sintering temperature and time and increases with Ti content in the precursor. Reflectivity measurements show marked reduction in the reflection losses compared to bare silicon surface wherein the film thickness is altered by spin speed. XRD results show anatase phase in the samples sintered at lower temperature (<680 °C), however, a mix of anatase, brookite and rutile phases is seen above this temperature. In the samples sintered above 1100 °C, rutile phase is dominant. These results are supported by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopy reveals larger grain size at higher sintering temperature. The titanium dioxide films of desirable thickness and refractive index could be used as an antireflection coating on solar cells. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} films are made using titanium di-isopropoxyl di-2ethyl hexanoate precursor. • Effect of Ti content in the precursor, sintering temperature and time is studied. • Refractive index (μ) increases with sintering temperature but is independent of time. • Films of desired thickness and μ could be used as an antireflection coating. • XRD results show that rutile phase dominates in samples sintered above 1100 °C.

Effects of surface and interface scattering on anomalous Hall effect in Co/Pd multilayers

KAUST Repository

Guo, Zaibing

2012-09-27

In this paper, we report the results of surface and interface scattering on anomalous Hall effect in Co/Pd multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The surface scattering effect has been extracted from the total anomalous Hall effect. By scaling surface scattering contribution with ρAHs∼ργss, the exponent γ has been found to decrease with the increase of surface scattering resistivity, which could account for the thickness-dependent anomalous Hall effect. Interface diffusion induced by rapid thermal annealing modifies not only the magnetization and longitudinal resistivity but also the anomalous Hall effect; a large exponent γ ∼ 5.7 has been attributed to interface scattering-dominated anomalous Hall effect.

Surface effects of underground nuclear explosions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, B.M.; Drellack, S.L. Jr.; Townsend, M.J.

1997-06-01

The effects of nuclear explosions have been observed and studied since the first nuclear test (code named Trinity) on July 16, 1945. Since that first detonation, 1,053 nuclear tests have been conducted by the US, most of which were sited underground at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The effects of underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) on their surroundings have long been the object of much interest and study, especially for containment, engineering, and treaty verification purposes. One aspect of these explosion-induced phenomena is the disruption or alteration of the near-surface environment, also known as surface effects. This report was prepared at the request of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), to bring together, correlate, and preserve information and techniques used in the recognition and documentation of surface effects of UNEs. This report has several main sections, including pertinent background information (Section 2.0), descriptions of the different types of surface effects (Section 3.0), discussion of their application and limitations (Section 4.0), an extensive bibliography and glossary (Section 6.0 and Appendix A), and procedures used to document geologic surface effects at the NTS (Appendix C). Because a majority of US surface-effects experience is from the NTS, an overview of pertinent NTS-specific information also is provided in Appendix B. It is not within the scope of this report to explore new relationships among test parameters, physiographic setting, and the types or degree of manifestation of surface effects, but rather to compile, summarize, and capture surface-effects observations and interpretations, as well as documentation procedures and the rationale behind them.

Surface modifications by field induced diffusion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Olsen

Full Text Available By applying a voltage pulse to a scanning tunneling microscope tip the surface under the tip will be modified. We have in this paper taken a closer look at the model of electric field induced surface diffusion of adatoms including the van der Waals force as a contribution in formations of a mound on a surface. The dipole moment of an adatom is the sum of the surface induced dipole moment (which is constant and the dipole moment due to electric field polarisation which depends on the strength and polarity of the electric field. The electric field is analytically modelled by a point charge over an infinite conducting flat surface. From this we calculate the force that cause adatoms to migrate. The calculated force is small for voltage used, typical 1 pN, but due to thermal vibration adatoms are hopping on the surface and even a small net force can be significant in the drift of adatoms. In this way we obtain a novel formula for a polarity dependent threshold voltage for mound formation on the surface for positive tip. Knowing the voltage of the pulse we then can calculate the radius of the formed mound. A threshold electric field for mound formation of about 2 V/nm is calculated. In addition, we found that van der Waals force is of importance for shorter distances and its contribution to the radial force on the adatoms has to be considered for distances smaller than 1.5 nm for commonly used voltages.

Processing and characterization of yttrium-stabilized zirconia thin films on polyimide from aqueous polymeric precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorman, B.P.; Anderson, H.U.

2004-01-01

Low-temperature deposition of dense, nanocrystalline yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films on polyimide (PI) substrates is illustrated using an aqueous polymeric precursor spin-coating technique. The polymeric precursor uses low-cost materials, is water-soluble and the viscosity and cation concentrations can be easily adjusted in order to vary the film thickness from 0.02 to 0.3 μm. Due to the use of water as the solvent in the YSZ precursor and the hydrophobic nature of the PI surface, surface modification processes were utilized in order to improve the wetting characteristics. Surface modification of PI substrates using wet chemical and oxygen plasma techniques led to a decrease in the precursor contact angle, and ultimately allowed for uniform film formation on both bulk and thin film PI substrates. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and UV/Vis absorption illustrate that near full-density nanocrystalline thin films of YSZ can be produced at temperatures as low as 350 deg. C. Thermogravimetric analyses illustrate that the PI substrate does not undergo any weight loss up to these temperatures

Investigation of the Surface Properties of an Oxide of Interest in the Field of a Conductive Oxide System: Influence of Precursor and Purification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gomes Gilmar de Almeida

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The surface properties of commercial TiO2 and samples synthesized by the thermal decomposition procedure using several precursor salts were investigated by a microelectrophoresis technique. The iep was determined as a function of the ionic strength which was controlled with KNO3 or KCl. The experimental results showed: 1 The commercial sample and the ones synthesized from the chloride salt dissolved in HCl 1:1 (v/v show low iep?s due to chloride inclusion; 2 The purification methods explored (oxide suspension at pH~12 and dialysis are inefficient; 3 TiO2 samples synthesized from an organic precursor salt under totally chloride-free conditions furnished an iep of 5.9 in excellent agreement with literature data; 4 Chloride specific adsorption on TiO2 is weak.

Electron backscatter diffraction characterization of laser-induced periodic surface structures on nickel surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sedao, Xxx, E-mail: sedao.xxx@gmail.com [Laboratoire Hubert Curien, Université Jean Monnet, 42000 St-Etienne (France); Maurice, Claire [Laboratoire Georges Friedel, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, 42023 St-Etienne (France); Garrelie, Florence; Colombier, Jean-Philippe; Reynaud, Stéphanie [Laboratoire Hubert Curien, Université Jean Monnet, 42000 St-Etienne (France); Quey, Romain; Blanc, Gilles [Laboratoire Georges Friedel, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, 42023 St-Etienne (France); Pigeon, Florent [Laboratoire Hubert Curien, Université Jean Monnet, 42000 St-Etienne (France)

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: -- Highlight: •Lattice rotation and its distribution in laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) and the subsurface region on a nickel substrate are revealed using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). -- Abstract: We report on the structural investigation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) generated in polycrystalline nickel target after multi-shot irradiation by femtosecond laser pulses. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is used to reveal lattice rotation caused by dislocation storage during LIPSS formation. Localized crystallographic damages in the LIPSS are detected from both surface and cross-sectional EBSD studies. A surface region (up to 200 nm) with 1–3° grain disorientation is observed in localized areas from the cross-section of the LIPSS. The distribution of the local disorientation is inhomogeneous across the LIPSS and the subsurface region.

Report on Fukushima Daiichi NPP precursor events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The main questions to be answered by this report were: The Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident, could it have been prevented? If there is a next severe accident, may it be prevented? To answer the first question, the report addressed several aspects. First, the report investigated whether precursors to the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident existed in the operating experience; second, the reasons why these precursors did not evolve into a severe accident. Third, whether lessons learned from these precursor events were adequately considered by member countries; and finally, if the operating experience feedback system needs to be improved, based on the previous analysis. To address the second question which is much more challenging, the report considered precursor events identified through a search and analysis of the IRS database and also precursors events based on risk significance. Both methods can point out areas where further work may be needed, even if it depends heavily on design and site-specific factors. From the operating experience side, more efforts are needed to ensure timely and full implementation of lessons learnt from precursor events. Concerning risk considerations, a combined use of risk precursors and operating experience may drive to effective changes to plants to reduce risk. The report also contains a short description and evaluation of selected precursors that are related to the course of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. The report addresses the question whether operating experience feedback can be effectively used to identify plant vulnerabilities and minimize potential for severe core damage accidents. Based on several of the precursor events national or international in-depth evaluations were started. The vulnerability of NPPs due to external and internal flooding has clearly been addressed. In addition to the IRS based investigation, the WGRISK was asked to identify important precursor events based on risk significance. These precursors have

Current Progress in Solution Precursor Plasma Spraying of Cermets: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romnick Unabia

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Ceramic and metal composites, known also as cermets, may considerably improve many material properties with regards to that of initial components. Hence, cermets are frequently applied in many technological fields. Among many processes which can be employed for cermet manufacturing, thermal spraying is one of the most frequently used. Conventional plasma spraying of powders is a popular and cost-effective manufacturing process. One of its most recent innovations, called solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS, is an emerging coating deposition method which uses homogeneously mixed solution precursors as a feedstock. The technique enables a single-step deposition avoiding the powder preparation procedures. The nanostructured coatings developed by SPPS increasingly find a place in the field of surface engineering. The present review shows the recent progress in the fabrication of cermets using SPPS. The influence of starting solution precursors, such as their chemistry, concentration, and solvents used, to the micro-structural characteristics of cermet coatings is discussed. The effect of the operational plasma spray process parameters such as solution injection mode to the deposition process and coatings’ microstructure is also presented. Moreover, the advantages of the SPPS process and its drawbacks compared to the conventional powder plasma spraying process are discussed. Finally, some applications of SPPS cermet coatings are presented to understand the potential of the process.

Fire-induced albedo change and surface radiative forcing in sub-Saharan Africa savanna ecosystems: Implications for the energy balance

Science.gov (United States)

Dintwe, Kebonye; Okin, Gregory S.; Xue, Yongkang

2017-06-01

Surface albedo is a critical parameter that controls surface energy balance. In dryland ecosystems, fires play a significant role in decreasing surface albedo, resulting in positive radiative forcing. Here we investigate the long-term effect of fire on surface albedo. We devised a method to calculate short-, medium-, and long-term effect of fire-induced radiative forcing and their relative effects on energy balance. We used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data in our analysis, covering different vegetation classes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Our analysis indicated that mean short-term fire-induced albedo change in SSA was -0.022, -0.035, and -0.041 for savannas, shrubland, and grasslands, respectively. At regional scale, mean fire-induced albedo change in savannas was -0.018 and -0.024 for northern sub-Saharan of Africa and the southern hemisphere Africa, respectively. The short-term mean fire-induced radiative forcing in burned areas in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) was 5.41 W m-2, which contributed continental and global radiative forcings of 0.25 and 0.058 W m-2, respectively. The impact of fire in surface albedo has long-lasting effects that varies with vegetation type. The long-term energetic effects of fire-induced albedo change and associated radiative forcing were, on average, more than 19 times greater across SSA than the short-term effects, suggesting that fires exerted far more radiative forcing than previously thought. Taking into account the actual duration of fire's effect on surface albedo, we conclude that the contribution of SSA fires, globally and throughout the year, is 0.12 W m-2. These findings provide crucial information on possible impact of fire on regional climate variability.

Conformation evolution of oil contaminants onto aluminum oxide surface in aqueous solution: The effect of surface coverage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Wenkun; Liu, Haitao, E-mail: xwk584523412@126.com; Sun, Yazhou; Fu, Hongya; Liang, Yingchun

2017-01-15

Highlights: • The dynamic conformational change of oil contaminations, at various surface coverages onto perfect α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surface in aqueous solution is given. • The effect of surface coverage of oil molecules on the driving forces for the conformational change of oil contaminations is described. • The effect of interfacial water on the conformational change and even detachment of oil contaminations is considered. - Abstract: The microscopic conformational change process of oil contaminants adhered onto perfect α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (0001) surface in aqueous solution was investigated by using all-atom classic molecular dynamics simulations. The change in removal mechanism of oil contaminants induced by surface coverage (surface area per molecule) was emphatically explored. Our simulation results strongly reveal that the increase in oil surface coverage induces an evident difference in microscopic detachment processes of oil contaminants. At a low surface coverage, oil contaminants can be thoroughly detached from solid surface. The whole detachment process could be divided into multi stages, including conformational change of oil contaminants on solid surface, dynamic motion of those in bulk solution and rapid migration of those from bulk solution to air/water interface. With surface coverage increasing, water diffusion becomes the key to induce conformational change and promote the detachment of oil contaminants. When oil surface coverage exceeds a threshold value, oil contaminants also undertake an evident conformational change process exhibiting typical characteristics but an incomplete detachment process occurs. All findings of the present study are helpful for the interpretation of the removal mechanism of oil contaminants on solid surface.

Effect of tyrosine administration on duodenal ulcer induced by cysteamine in the rat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oishi, T.; Szabo, S.

1987-01-01

Duodenal ulcers were produced by administering cysteamine to rats. Pretreatment with the catecholamine precursor, L-tyrosine (40 mg/100 g i.p. for 5 days), decreased the intensity of duodenal ulcers induced by cysteamine. Equimolar doses of tyrosine methyl ester (51.2 mg/100 g i.p. or s.c.) were equally effective in reducing ulcer intensity. Other amino acids (i.e., alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, leucine, lysine, tryptophan and valine) did not prevent experimental duodenal ulcers. Coadministration of other large neutral amino acids (e.g., leucine and valine) that compete with tyrosine for uptake into the brain did not inhibit the effect of tyrosine on duodenal ulcers induced by cysteamine. Gastric, duodenal and brain dopamine concentrations were increased 1 hr after the injection of tyrosine methyl ester (25.6 mg/100 g s.c.). These results suggest that the effect of tyrosine on duodenal ulcer induced by cysteamine may be mediated by changes in gastrointestinal dopamine metabolism

Shadowgraphic investigations into the laser-induced forward transfer of different SnO2 precursor films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattle, Thomas; Shaw-Stewart, James; Hintennach, Andreas; Schneider, Christof W.; Lippert, Thomas; Wokaun, Alexander

2013-01-01

Laser-induced forward transfer of different SnO 2 precursor films for sensor applications were investigated using time resolved imaging, from 0 to 2 μs after the onset of the ablation process. Transfers of SnCl 2 (acac) 2 and SnO 2 nano-particles, both with and without a triazene polymer dynamic release layer (DRL), were investigated and compared to transfers of aluminum films with a triazene polymer DRL. Shockwave speed and flyer speeds at high laser fluences of Φ = 650 mJ/cm 2 and at the lower fluences, suitable for the transfer of functional and well defined pixels were analyzed. No influence of the use of a triazene polymer DRL on shockwave and flyer speed was observed. Material ejected under transfer condition showed a velocity of around 200 m/s with a weak shockwave.

Shadowgraphic investigations into the laser-induced forward transfer of different SnO2 precursor films

Science.gov (United States)

Mattle, Thomas; Shaw-Stewart, James; Hintennach, Andreas; Schneider, Christof W.; Lippert, Thomas; Wokaun, Alexander

2013-08-01

Laser-induced forward transfer of different SnO2 precursor films for sensor applications were investigated using time resolved imaging, from 0 to 2 μs after the onset of the ablation process. Transfers of SnCl2(acac)2 and SnO2 nano-particles, both with and without a triazene polymer dynamic release layer (DRL), were investigated and compared to transfers of aluminum films with a triazene polymer DRL. Shockwave speed and flyer speeds at high laser fluences of Φ = 650 mJ/cm2 and at the lower fluences, suitable for the transfer of functional and well defined pixels were analyzed. No influence of the use of a triazene polymer DRL on shockwave and flyer speed was observed. Material ejected under transfer condition showed a velocity of around 200 m/s with a weak shockwave.

Modelling earth current precursors in earthquake prediction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Di Maio

1997-06-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the theory of earth current precursors of earthquake. A dilatancy-diffusion-polarization model is proposed to explain the anomalies of the electric potential, which are observed on the ground surface prior to some earthquakes. The electric polarization is believed to be the electrokinetic effect due to the invasion of fluids into new pores, which are opened inside a stressed-dilated rock body. The time and space variation of the distribution of the electric potential in a layered earth as well as in a faulted half-space is studied in detail. It results that the surface response depends on the underground conductivity distribution and on the relative disposition of the measuring dipole with respect to the buried bipole source. A field procedure based on the use of an areal layout of the recording sites is proposed, in order to obtain the most complete information on the time and space evolution of the precursory phenomena in any given seismic region.

Effects of surface and interface scattering on anomalous Hall effect in Co/Pd multilayers

KAUST Repository

Guo, Zaibing; Mi, W. B.; Aboljadayel, Razan; Zhang, Bei; Zhang, Q.; Gonzalez Barba, Priscila; Manchon, Aurelien; Zhang, Xixiang

2012-01-01

. By scaling surface scattering contribution with ρAHs∼ργss, the exponent γ has been found to decrease with the increase of surface scattering resistivity, which could account for the thickness-dependent anomalous Hall effect. Interface diffusion induced

Cobalt surface modification during γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticle synthesis by chemical-induced transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Junming; Li, Jian; Chen, Longlong; Lin, Yueqiang; Liu, Xiaodong; Gong, Xiaomin; Li, Decai

2015-01-01

In the chemical-induced transition of FeCl 2 solution, the FeOOH/Mg(OH) 2 precursor was transformed into spinel structured γ-Fe 2 O 3 crystallites, coated with a FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O layer. CoCl 2 surface modified γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were prepared by adding Co(NO 3 ) 2 during the synthesis. CoFe 2 O 4 modified γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were prepared by adding NaOH during the surface modification with Co(NO 3 ) 2 . The CoFe 2 O 4 layer grew epitaxially on the γ-Fe 2 O 3 crystallite to form a composite crystallite, which was coated by CoCl 2 ·6H 2 O. The composite could not be distinguished using X-ray diffraction or transmission electron microscopy, since CoFe 2 O 4 and γ-Fe 2 O 3 possess similar spinel structures and lattice constants. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to distinguish them. The saturation magnetization and coercivity of the spinel structured γ-Fe 2 O 3 -based nanoparticles were related to the grain size. - Highlights: • γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical induced transition. • CoCl 2 modified nanoparticles were prepared by additional Co(NO 3 ) 2 during synthesization. • CoFe 2 O 4 modified nanoparticles were prepared by additional Co(NO 3 ) 2 and NaOH. • The magnetism of the nanoparticles is related to the grain size

Nano structured TiO2 thin films by polymeric precursor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroppa, Daniel Grando; Giraldi, Tania Regina; Leite, Edson Roberto; Varela, Jose Arana; Longo, Elson

2008-01-01

This work focuses in optimizing setup for obtaining TiO 2 thin films by polymeric precursor route due to its advantages on stoichiometric and morphological control. Precursor stoichiometry, synthesis pH, solids concentration and rotation speed at deposition were optimized evaluating thin films morphology and thickness. Thermogravimetry and NMR were applied for precursor's characterization and AFM, XRD and ellipsometry for thin films evaluation. Results showed successful attainment of homogeneous nanocrystalline anatase TiO 2 thin films with outstanding control over morphological characteristics, mean grain size of 17 nm, packing densities between 57 and 75%, estimated surface areas of 90 m 2 /g and monolayers thickness within 20 and 128 nm. (author)

Climate Impacts of Fire-Induced Land-Surface Changes

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y.; Hao, X.; Qu, J. J.

2017-12-01

One of the consequences of wildfires is the changes in land-surface properties such as removal of vegetation. This will change local and regional climate through modifying the land-air heat and water fluxes. This study investigates mechanism by developing and a parameterization of fire-induced land-surface property changes and applying it to modeling of the climate impacts of large wildfires in the United States. Satellite remote sensing was used to quantitatively evaluate the land-surface changes from large fires provided from the Monitoring Trends in Burning Severity (MTBS) dataset. It was found that the changes in land-surface properties induced by fires are very complex, depending on vegetation type and coverage, climate type, season and time after fires. The changes in LAI are remarkable only if the actual values meet a threshold. Large albedo changes occur in winter for fires in cool climate regions. The signs are opposite between the first post-fire year and the following years. Summer day-time temperature increases after fires, while nigh-time temperature changes in various patterns. The changes are larger in forested lands than shrub / grassland lands. In the parameterization scheme, the detected post-fire changes are decomposed into trends using natural exponential functions and fluctuations of periodic variations with the amplitudes also determined by natural exponential functions. The final algorithm is a combination of the trends, periods, and amplitude functions. This scheme is used with Earth system models to simulate the local and regional climate effects of wildfires.

Influence of starting precursors and synthesis methods on the physiochemical properties of zirconia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaydhankar, T.R., E-mail: tr.gaydhankar@ncl.res.in [Catalysis Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008 (India); Jha, R.K. [Catalysis Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008 (India); Nikalje, M.D. [Department of Chemistry, University of Pune, Pune 411 007 (India); Waghmare, K.J. [Catalysis Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008 (India)

2014-07-01

Graphical abstract: Crystallite size of tetragonal phase of the zirconia samples prepared using different synthesis parameters and precursors as a function of calcination temperature. Surface area values of the zirconia samples calcined at 500 and 700 °C are in given brackets. - Highlights: • Zirconia prepared with modified sol–gel method is less stable compared with zirconia prepared by precipitation method. • Optimized synthesis conditions shifted the glow exotherm to higher temperature range indicating better thermal stability. • Tetragonal-zirconia could be synthesized in cost-effective manner using zirconium oxy-nitrate. • In our studies no co-relation between the surface area and crystallite size was observed. - Abstract: Under identical and judiciously pre-optimized synthesis conditions, the influence of different combinations of zirconium sources and/or post treatment conditions on structural properties, thermal stability, phase composition and morphology of zirconia has been investigated. High surface area tetragonal zirconia could be synthesized in a cost-effective manner from 1 M solution of zirconium oxy-nitrate at pH 11 using aqueous ammonia solution as a precipitant when calcined at 400 °C for 3 h. Irrespective of the preparation method, pH and starting precursor, zirconia samples prepared without digestion contained dominant monoclinic phase with some traces of tetragonal phase when calcined at 700 °C. Even though there is linear decrease in surface area with increase in the crystallite size for each sample as a function of calcination temperature, no co-relation between the surface area and crystallite size could be achieved. SEM images show agglomerated and irregular shape particles between 10 to 20 μm.

Performance Improvement of Polymer Solar Cells by Surface-Energy-Induced Dual Plasmon Resonance.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Mengnan; Shen, Ping; Liu, Yan; Chen, Boyuan; Guo, Wenbin; Ruan, Shengping; Shen, Liang

2016-03-09

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) is effectively applied on polymer solar cells (PSCs) to improve power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, universality of the reported results mainly focused on utilizing single type of MNPs to enhance light absorption only in specific narrow wavelength range. Herein, a surface-energy-induced dual MNP plasmon resonance by thermally evaporating method was presented to achieve the absorption enhancement in wider range. The differences of surface energy between silver (Ag), gold (Au), and tungsten trioxide (WO3) compared by contact angle images enable Ag and Au prefer to respectively aggregate into isolated islands rather than films at the initial stage of the evaporation process, which was clearly demonstrated in the atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement. The sum of plasmon-enhanced wavelength range induced by both Ag NPs (350-450 nm) and Au NPs (450-600 nm) almost cover the whole absorption spectra of active layers, which compatibly contribute a significant efficiency improvement from 4.57 ± 0.16 to 6.55 ± 0.12% compared to the one without MNPs. Besides, steady state photoluminescence (PL) measurements provide strong evidence that the SPR induced by the Ag-Au NPs increase the intensity of light absorption. Finally, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) reveals that doping Au and Ag causes upper shift of both the work function and valence band of WO3, which is directly related to hole collection ability. We believe the surface-energy-induced dual plasmon resonance enhancement by simple thermally evaporating technique might pave the way toward higher-efficiency PSCs.

Effect of cationic/anionic organic surfactants on evaporation induced self assembled tin oxide nanostructured films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khun Khun, Kamalpreet; Mahajan, Aman; Bedi, R.K.

2011-01-01

Tin oxide nanostructures with well defined morphologies have been obtained through an evaporation induced self assembly process. The technique has been employed using an ultrasonic nebulizer for production of aersol and its subsequent deposition onto a heated glass substrate. The precursor used for aersol production was modified by introducing cationic and anionic surfactants namely cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide and sodium dodecyl sulphate respectively. The effect of surfactants on the structural, electrical and optical properties of self assembled tin oxide nanostructures were investigated by using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electroscope microscopy, two probe technique and photoluminiscence studies. The results reveal that high concentration of surfactants in the precursor solution leads to reduction in crystallite size with significant changes in the morphology of tin oxide nanostructures. Photoluminiscence studies of the nanostructures show emissions in the visible region which exhibit marked changes in the intensities upon variation of surfactants in the precursor solutions.

Effect of cationic/anionic organic surfactants on evaporation induced self assembled tin oxide nanostructured films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khun Khun, Kamalpreet [Material Science Laboratory, Department of Physics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005 (India); Mahajan, Aman, E-mail: dramanmahajan@yahoo.co.in [Material Science Laboratory, Department of Physics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005 (India); Bedi, R.K. [Material Science Laboratory, Department of Physics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005 (India)

2011-01-15

Tin oxide nanostructures with well defined morphologies have been obtained through an evaporation induced self assembly process. The technique has been employed using an ultrasonic nebulizer for production of aersol and its subsequent deposition onto a heated glass substrate. The precursor used for aersol production was modified by introducing cationic and anionic surfactants namely cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide and sodium dodecyl sulphate respectively. The effect of surfactants on the structural, electrical and optical properties of self assembled tin oxide nanostructures were investigated by using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electroscope microscopy, two probe technique and photoluminiscence studies. The results reveal that high concentration of surfactants in the precursor solution leads to reduction in crystallite size with significant changes in the morphology of tin oxide nanostructures. Photoluminiscence studies of the nanostructures show emissions in the visible region which exhibit marked changes in the intensities upon variation of surfactants in the precursor solutions.

Precursor effect on the property and catalytic behavior of Fe-TS-1 in butadiene epoxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Mei; Zhao, Huahua; Yang, Jian; Zhao, Jun; Song, Huanling; Chou, Lingjun

2017-11-01

The effect of iron precursor on the property and catalytic behavior of iron modified titanium silicalite molecular sieve (Fe-TS-1) catalysts in butadiene selective epoxidation has been studied. Three Fe-TS-1 catalysts were prepared, using iron nitrate, iron chloride and iron sulfate as precursors, which played an important role in adjusting the textural properties and chemical states of TS-1. Of the prepared Fe-TS-1 catalysts, those modified by iron nitrate (FN-TS-1) exhibited a significant enhanced performance in butadiene selective epoxidation compared to those derived from iron sulfate (FS-TS-1) or iron chloride (FC-TS-1) precursors. To obtain a deep understanding of their structure-performance relationship, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Temperature programmed desorption of NH3 (NH3-TPD), Diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectra (DR UV-Vis), Fourier transformed infrared spectra (FT-IR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were conducted to characterize Fe-TS-1 catalysts. Experimental results indicated that textural structures and acid sites of modified catalysts as well as the type of Fe species influenced by the precursors were all responsible for the activity and product distribution.

Electroacupuncture-Induced Dynamic Processes of Gene Expression Levels of Endogenous Opioid Peptide Precursors and Opioid Receptors in the CNS of Goats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li-Li Cheng

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the dynamic processes of mRNA levels of proenkephalin, proopiomelanocortin, prodynorphin, and opioid receptors (δ-, μ-, and κ-receptor induced by electroacupuncture (EA in the central nerve system, goats were stimulated by EA of 60 Hz for 0.5 h at a set of Baihui, Santai, Ergen, and Sanyangluo points. The pain threshold was measured using the method of potassium iontophoresis. The mRNA levels of the three opioid peptide precursors and three opioid receptors were determined with quantitative real-time PCR and the levels of Met-enkephalin with SABC immunohistochemistry at 0.5 h before and at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h after EA. The results showed that the pain threshold correlated (P<0.01 with Met-enkephalin immunoactivities in the measured nuclei and areas of goats. The analgesic aftereffect lasted for 12 h at least. The mRNA levels of the three opioid peptide precursors and three opioid receptors began to increase at 0 h, reached the peak during the time from 4 h to 6 h or at 12 h, and remained higher at 24 h after EA was discontinued. These results suggested that the initiation of gene expression of opioid peptides and the three receptors may be associated with EA-induced analgesic aftereffect.

Ion bombardment induced smoothing of amorphous metallic surfaces: Experiments versus computer simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vauth, Sebastian; Mayr, S. G.

2008-01-01

Smoothing of rough amorphous metallic surfaces by bombardment with heavy ions in the low keV regime is investigated by a combined experimental-simulational study. Vapor deposited rough amorphous Zr 65 Al 7.5 Cu 27.5 films are the basis for systematic in situ scanning tunneling microscopy measurements on the smoothing reaction due to 3 keV Kr + ion bombardment. The experimental results are directly compared to the predictions of a multiscale simulation approach, which incorporates stochastic rate equations of the Langevin type in combination with previously reported classical molecular dynamics simulations [Phys. Rev. B 75, 224107 (2007)] to model surface smoothing across length and time scales. The combined approach of experiments and simulations clearly corroborates a key role of ion induced viscous flow and ballistic effects in low keV heavy ion induced smoothing of amorphous metallic surfaces at ambient temperatures

Noise-and delay-induced phase transitions of the dimer–monomer surface reaction model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Chunhua; Wang Hua

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We study the dimer–monomer surface reaction model. ► We show that noise induces first-order irreversible phase transition (IPT). ► Combination of noise and time-delayed feedback induce first- and second-order IPT. ► First- and second-order IPT is viewed as noise-and delay-induced phase transitions. - Abstract: The effects of noise and time-delayed feedback in the dimer–monomer (DM) surface reaction model are investigated. Applying small delay approximation, we construct a stochastic delayed differential equation and its Fokker–Planck equation to describe the state evolution of the DM reaction model. We show that the noise can only induce first-order irreversible phase transition (IPT) characteristic of the DM model, however the combination of the noise and time-delayed feedback can simultaneously induce first- and second-order IPT characteristics of the DM model. Therefore, it is shown that the well-known first- and second-order IPT characteristics of the DM model may be viewed as noise-and delay-induced phase transitions.

Optical Effects Induced by Bloch Surface Waves in One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina V. Soboleva

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The review considers the influence of Bloch surface waves on the optical and magneto-optical effects observed in photonic crystals; for example, the Goos–Hänchen effect, the Faraday effect, optical trapping and so on. Prospects for using Bloch surface waves for spatial light modulation, for controlling the polarization of light, for optical trapping and control of micro-objects are discussed.

Ion beam induced optical and surface modification in plasmonic nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Udai B., E-mail: udaibhansingh123@gmail.com; Gautam, Subodh K.; Kumar, Sunil; Hooda, Sonu; Ojha, Sunil; Singh, Fouran

2016-07-15

In present work, ion irradiation induced nanostructuring has been exploited as an efficient and effective tool for synthesis of coupled plasmonics nanostructures by using 1.2 MeV Xe ions on Au/ZnO/Au system deposited on glass substrate. The results are correlated on the basis of their optical absorption, surface morphologies and enhanced sensitivity of evolved phonon modes by using UV Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy (RS), respectively. Optical absorbance spectra of plasmonic nanostructures (NSs) show a decrease in band gap, which may be ascribed to the formation of defects with ion irradiation. The surface morphology reveals the formation of percolated NSs upon ion irradiation and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) study clearly shows the formation of multilayer system. Furthermore, RS measurements on samples are studied to understand the enhanced sensitivity of ion irradiation induced phonon mode at 573 cm{sup −1} along with other modes. As compared to pristine sample, a stronger and pronounced evolution of these phonon modes is observed with further ion irradiation, which indicates localized surface plasmon results with enhanced intensity of phonon modes of Zinc oxide (ZnO) material. Thus, such plasmonic NSs can be used as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates.

Protective effect of surface layer proteins isolated from four Lactobacillus strains on hydrogen-peroxide-induced HT-29 cells oxidative stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bin-Bin; Meng, Jun; Zhang, Qiu-Xiang; Kang, Ting-Ting; Lu, Rong-Rong

2017-09-01

The objective of this study was to explore the antioxidant effect of the surface layer proteins (SLPs) and their mechanism. We investigated four SLPs which were extracted from L. casei zhang, L. rhamnosus, L. gasseri and L. acidophilus NCFM respectively using LiCl. The protective effect of SLPs on H 2 O 2 -induced HT-29 cells oxidative injury was investigated. As results, SLPs (100μg/mL) could significantly mitigate HT-29 cells cytotoxicity, improve the activities of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), decrease the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), compared with H 2 O 2 -induced group (Pproteins of caspase-3 and caspase-9 (Pcells induced by H 2 O 2 , and the mechanism could be attributed to SLPs' ability to enhance the activity of the intracellular antioxidant enzyme system, reduce ROS accumulation and to inhibit apoptosis by regulating mitochondrial pathway. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of hydroperoxides as a precursor in the radiation-induced graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enomoto, Ichiro, E-mail: enomoto.ichiro@iri-tokyo.j [Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute, KFC bldg., 12F, 1-6-1, Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0015 (Japan); School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Katsumura, Yosuke [School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata Shirane, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Kudo, Hisaaki [School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Sekiguchi, Masayuki [Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute, KFC bldg., 12F, 1-6-1, Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0015 (Japan)

2010-06-15

A graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with Co-60 gamma-ray irradiation in air at room temperature has been carried out. The grafting yields were measured as a function of the storage time (elapsed time from the end of irradiation to the start of grafting), and it was found that the yields reach at the maximum values at around several days since the end of irradiation. In order to clarify the precursor of the graft polymerization, changes of the radical yields and the carbonyl groups were measured as a function of storage time with ESR and microscopic FT-IR, respectively. From the similarities between the depth profiles of the hydroperoxide formation and the grafting products, it was concluded that the hydroperoxides can be main precursors of the grafting of the radiation-induced polymerization of MMA to UHMWPE under the given conditions.

The role of hydroperoxides as a precursor in the radiation-induced graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enomoto, Ichiro; Katsumura, Yosuke; Kudo, Hisaaki; Sekiguchi, Masayuki

2010-01-01

A graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with Co-60 γ-ray irradiation in air at room temperature has been carried out. The grafting yields were measured as a function of the storage time (elapsed time from the end of irradiation to the start of grafting), and it was found that the yields reach at the maximum values at around several days since the end of irradiation. In order to clarify the precursor of the graft polymerization, changes of the radical yields and the carbonyl groups were measured as a function of storage time with ESR and microscopic FT-IR, respectively. From the similarities between the depth profiles of the hydroperoxide formation and the grafting products, it was concluded that the hydroperoxides can be main precursors of the grafting of the radiation-induced polymerization of MMA to UHMWPE under the given conditions.

Microstructure evolution in nanoporous gold thin films made from sputter-deposited precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwak, Eun-Ji; Kang, Na-Ri; Baek, Un Bong; Lee, Hae Moo; Nahm, Seung Hoon; Kim, Ju-Young

2013-01-01

We fabricate almost crack-free 1.5 μm thick nanoporous gold thin films using free-corrosion dealloying and transfer processes from sputter-deposited precursors. By controlling the temperature and the concentration of the nitric acid solution during free-corrosion dealloying, we obtain ligament sizes in nanoporous gold between 22 and 155 nm. We investigate the effects of dissolution rate of Ag atoms, surface diffusivity of Au atoms and formation of Ag oxide on nanoporosity evolution

Size effect of the elastic modulus of rectangular nanobeams: Surface elasticity effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao Hai-Yan; Fan Wen-Liang; Yun Guo-Hong

2013-01-01

The size-dependent elastic property of rectangular nanobeams (nanowires or nanoplates) induced by the surface elasticity effect is investigated by using a developed modified core-shell model. The effect of surface elasticity on the elastic modulus of nanobeams can be characterized by two surface related parameters, i.e., inhomogeneous degree constant and surface layer thickness. The analytical results show that the elastic modulus of the rectangular nanobeam exhibits a distinct size effect when its characteristic size reduces below 100 nm. It is also found that the theoretical results calculated by a modified core-shell model have more obvious advantages than those by other models (core-shell model and core-surface model) by comparing them with relevant experimental measurements and computational results, especially when the dimensions of nanostructures reduce to a few tens of nanometers. (condensed matter: structural, mechanical, and thermal properties)

Influence of ozone precursors and particulate matter on the variation of surface ozone at an urban site of Delhi, India

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Ashima Sharma

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Continuous measurements of surface O3 and its precursors (NO, NO2, CO, CH4 and NMHCs at an urban site of Delhi, India during January 2012 to December 2013 are presented. In the present study, the annual average mixing ratios of surface O3, NO, NO2, CO, CH4 and NMHC were 30 ± 6 ppb, 24 ± 6 ppb, 15 ± 4 ppb, 1.5 ± 0.4 ppm, 2.4 ± 0.4 ppm and 0.4 ± 0.1 ppm, respectively. The maximum average mixing ratios of surface O3, NO and NO2 were observed during the summer, whereas, the minimum average mixing ratios of ambient NO and NO2 were during monsoon seasons. The surface O3, NO and NO2 have shown the prominent diurnal variations during all the seasons at the observational site of Delhi. The result reveals that the surface O3 was negatively correlated with NOx and CO during the study. The linear scatter plot analysis shows that the PM2.5 and PM10 present in the ambient air of Delhi influence the production of surface O3 at observational site.

Effects of Chemical Curing Temperature and Time on the Properties of Liquefied Wood based As-cured Precursors and Carbon Fibers

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Junbo Shang

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Liquefied wood based as-cured precursors and carbon fibers prepared by different chemical curing processes were carried out to investigate the effects of curing temperature and time on the thermostability and microstructure of liquefied wood based precursors, the tensile strength of carbon fibers as well. The primary fibers can be converted into precursors with high performance by directly heating at target curing temperature. With the temperature and duration increasing, the numbers of methylene bonds in precursors increased, resulting in the enhancement of cross-linkages among molecular chains and then the improvement of thermostability of precursors. Carbon fibers prepared from as-cured precursors (curing temperature 95 oC, curing time 3h had the minimum value of the average interlayer spacing (d002, it also showed the highest tensile strength, almost 800 MPa, which can be classified as fibers of general grade.

Mechanisms of the anti-obesity effects of oxytocin in diet-induced obese rats.

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Nicolas Deblon

Full Text Available Apart from its role during labor and lactation, oxytocin is involved in several other functions. Interestingly, oxytocin- and oxytocin receptor-deficient mice develop late-onset obesity with normal food intake, suggesting that the hormone might exert a series of beneficial metabolic effects. This was recently confirmed by data showing that central oxytocin infusion causes weight loss in diet-induced obese mice. The aim of the present study was to unravel the mechanisms underlying such beneficial effects of oxytocin. Chronic central oxytocin infusion was carried out in high fat diet-induced obese rats. Its impact on body weight, lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity was determined. We observed a dose-dependent decrease in body weight gain, increased adipose tissue lipolysis and fatty acid β-oxidation, as well as reduced glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. The additional observation that plasma oxytocin levels increased upon central infusion suggested that the hormone might affect adipose tissue metabolism by direct action. This was demonstrated using in vitro, ex vivo, as well as in vivo experiments. With regard to its mechanism of action in adipose tissue, oxytocin increased the expression of stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1, as well as the tissue content of the phospholipid precursor, N-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, the biosynthetic precursor of the oleic acid-derived PPAR-alpha activator, oleoylethanolamide. Because PPAR-alpha regulates fatty acid β-oxidation, we hypothesized that this transcription factor might mediate the oxytocin effects. This was substantiated by the observation that, in contrast to its effects in wild-type mice, oxytocin infusion failed to induce weight loss and fat oxidation in PPAR-alpha-deficient animals. Altogether, these results suggest that oxytocin administration could represent a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of human obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Lovastatin-induced RhoA modulation and its effect on senescence in prostate cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jeeyun; Lee, Inkyoung; Park, Chaehwa; Kang, Won Ki

2006-01-01

Lovastatin inhibits a 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and prevents the synthesis of cholesterol precursors, such as farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), responsible for important cell signaling in cell proliferation and migration. Recently, the anti-cancer effect of lovastatin has been suggested in various tumor types. In this study, we showed that a low dose lovastatin induced senescence and G1 cell cycle arrest in human prostate cancer cells. Addition of GGPP or mevalonate, but not FPP, prevented the lovastatin-induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest and cell senescence. We found that constitutively active RhoA (caRhoA) reversed lovastatin-induced senescence in caRhoA-transfected PC-3 cells. Thus, we postulate that modulation of RhoA may be critical in lovastatin-induced senescence in PC-3 cells

Are any public-reported earthquake precursors valid?

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N. E. Whitehead

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This article examines retrospective public-supplied precursor reports statistically, and confirms published hypotheses that some alleged precursors within 100km and within a day prior to the large 1995 Kobe and 1999 Izmit earthquakes, may be valid. The confirmations are mostly at the p<0.001 level of significance. Most significant were alleged meteorological and geophysical precursors, and less often, animal reports. The chi-squared test used, for the first time eliminates the distorting effects of psychological factors on the reports. However it also shows that correct reports are diluted with about the same number which are merely wishful thinking, and obtaining more reliable data would be logistically difficult. Some support is found for another published hypothesis in which other precursors occurred within the ten days prior to the earthquake.

On the nano-hillock formation induced by slow highly charged ions on insulator surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Lemell, C.; El-Said, A. S.; Meissl, W.; Gebeshuber, I. C.; Trautmann, C.; Toulemonde, M.; Burgdörfer, J.; Aumayr, F.

2007-10-01

We discuss the creation of nano-sized protrusions on insulating surfaces using slow highly charged ions. This method holds the promise of forming regular structures on surfaces without inducing defects in deeper lying crystal layers. We find that only projectiles with a potential energy above a critical value are able to create hillocks. Below this threshold no surface modification is observed. This is similar to the track and hillock formation induced by swift (˜GeV) heavy ions. We present a model for the conversion of potential energy stored in the projectiles into target-lattice excitations (heat) and discuss the possibility to create ordered structures using the guiding effect observed in insulating conical structures.

Domain growth of carbon nanotubes assisted by dewetting of thin catalyst precursor films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srivastava, Alok Kumar [Defence Materials and Stores R and D Establishment (DRDO), GT Road, Kanpur 208013 (India); Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India); Sachan, Priyanka; Samanta, Chandan [Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India); Mukhopadhyay, Kingsuk [Defence Materials and Stores R and D Establishment (DRDO), GT Road, Kanpur 208013 (India); Sharma, Ashutosh, E-mail: ashutos@iitk.ac.in [Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India)

2014-01-01

We explore self-organized dewetting of ultrathin films of a novel metal complex as a one step surface patterning method to create nanoislands of iron, using which spatially separated carbon nanostructures were synthesized. Dewetting of ultrathin metal complex films was induced by two different methods: liquid solvent exposure and thermal annealing to engender surface patterning. For thermal dewetting, thin films of the iron oleate complex were dewetted at high temperature. In the case of liquid solvent assisted dewetting, the metal complex, mixed with a sacrificial polymer (polystyrene) was spin coated as thin films (<40 nm) and then dewetted under an optimal solution mixture consisting of methyl ethyl ketone, acetone and water. The carrier polymer was then selectively removed to produce the iron metal islands. These metal islands were used for selective growth of discrete patches of multiwall CNTs and CNFs by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Solvent induced dewetting showed clear advantages over thermal dewetting owing to reduced size of catalyst domains formed by dewetting, an improved control over CNT growth as well as in its ability to immobilize the seed particles. The generic solution mediated dewetting and pattern generation in thin films of various catalytic precursors can thus be a powerful method for selective domain growth of a variety of functional nanomaterials.

Microglia modulate hippocampal neural precursor activity in response to exercise and aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukovic, Jana; Colditz, Michael J; Blackmore, Daniel G; Ruitenberg, Marc J; Bartlett, Perry F

2012-05-09

Exercise has been shown to positively augment adult hippocampal neurogenesis; however, the cellular and molecular pathways mediating this effect remain largely unknown. Previous studies have suggested that microglia may have the ability to differentially instruct neurogenesis in the adult brain. Here, we used transgenic Csf1r-GFP mice to investigate whether hippocampal microglia directly influence the activation of neural precursor cells. Our results revealed that an exercise-induced increase in neural precursor cell activity was mediated via endogenous microglia and abolished when these cells were selectively removed from hippocampal cultures. Conversely, microglia from the hippocampi of animals that had exercised were able to activate latent neural precursor cells when added to neurosphere preparations from sedentary mice. We also investigated the role of CX(3)CL1, a chemokine that is known to provide a more neuroprotective microglial phenotype. Intraparenchymal infusion of a blocking antibody against the CX(3)CL1 receptor, CX(3)CR1, but not control IgG, dramatically reduced the neurosphere formation frequency in mice that had exercised. While an increase in soluble CX(3)CL1 was observed following running, reduced levels of this chemokine were found in the aged brain. Lower levels of CX(3)CL1 with advancing age correlated with the natural decline in neural precursor cell activity, a state that could be partially alleviated through removal of microglia. These findings provide the first direct evidence that endogenous microglia can exert a dual and opposing influence on neural precursor cell activity within the hippocampus, and that signaling through the CX(3)CL1-CX(3)CR1 axis critically contributes toward this process.

Adsorption of perfluoroalkyl acids by carbonaceous adsorbents: Effect of carbon surface chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhi, Yue; Liu, Jinxia

2015-01-01

Adsorption by carbonaceous sorbents is among the most feasible processes to remove perfluorooctane sulfonic (PFOS) and carboxylic acids (PFOA) from drinking and ground waters. However, carbon surface chemistry, which has long been recognized essential for dictating performance of such sorbents, has never been considered for PFOS and PFOA adsorption. Thus, the role of surface chemistry was systematically investigated using sorbents with a wide range in precursor material, pore structure, and surface chemistry. Sorbent surface chemistry overwhelmed physical properties in controlling the extent of uptake. The adsorption affinity was positively correlated carbon surface basicity, suggesting that high acid neutralizing or anion exchange capacity was critical for substantial uptake of PFOS and PFOA. Carbon polarity or hydrophobicity had insignificant impact on the extent of adsorption. Synthetic polymer-based Ambersorb and activated carbon fibers were more effective than activated carbon made of natural materials in removing PFOS and PFOA from aqueous solutions. - Highlights: • Adsorption of PFOS and PFOA by ten carbonaceous adsorbents were compared. • Surface chemistry of the adsorbents controlled adsorption affinity. • Carbon surface basicity was positively correlated with the extent of PFOS and PFOA uptake. • Carbon polarity or hydrophobicity was not correlated with adsorption affinity. • Synthetic polymer-based adsorbents were more effective in removing PFOS and PFOA. - Carbon surface basicity is the primary factor that influences adsorption affinity of the carbonaceous sorbents for perfluorooctane sulfonic and carboxylic acids

P120-Catenin Regulates Early Trafficking Stages of the N-Cadherin Precursor Complex.

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Diana P Wehrendt

Full Text Available It is well established that binding of p120 catenin to the cytoplasmic domain of surface cadherin prevents cadherin endocytosis and degradation, contributing to cell-cell adhesion. In the present work we show that p120 catenin bound to the N-cadherin precursor, contributes to its anterograde movement from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER to the Golgi complex. In HeLa cells, depletion of p120 expression, or blocking its binding to N-cadherin, increased the accumulation of the precursor in the ER, while it decreased the localization of mature N-cadherin at intercellular junctions. Reconstitution experiments in p120-deficient SW48 cells with all three major isoforms of p120 (1, 3 and 4 had similar capacity to promote the processing of the N-cadherin precursor to the mature form, and its localization at cell-cell junctions. P120 catenin and protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B facilitated the recruitment of the N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF, an ATPase involved in vesicular trafficking, to the N-cadherin precursor complex. Dominant negative NSF E329Q impaired N-cadherin trafficking, maturation and localization at cell-cell junctions. Our results uncover a new role for p120 catenin bound to the N-cadherin precursor ensuring its trafficking through the biosynthetic pathway towards the cell surface.

Surface solitons of four-wave mixing in an electromagnetically induced lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yanpeng; Yuan, Chenzhi; Zhang, Yiqi; Zheng, Huaibin; Chen, Haixia; Li, Changbiao; Wang, Zhiguo; Xiao, Min

2013-01-01

By creating lattice states with two-dimensional spatial periodic atomic coherence, we report an experimental demonstration of generating two-dimensional surface solitons of a four-wave mixing signal in an electromagnetically induced lattice composed of two electromagnetically induced gratings with different orientations in an atomic medium, each of which can support a one-dimensional surface soliton. The surface solitons can be well controlled by different experimental parameters, such as probe frequency, pump power, and beam incident angles, and can be affected by coherent induced defect states. (letter)

Effect of Precursors on Key Opto-electrical Properties of Successive Ion Layer Adsorption and Reaction-Prepared Al:ZnO Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, K. Deva Arun; Valanarasu, S.; Ganesh, V.; Shkir, Mohd.; Kathalingam, A.; AlFaify, S.

2018-02-01

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method using different precursors. This inexpensive SILAR method involves dipping of substrate sequentially in zinc solution, de-ionized water and ethylene glycol in multiple cycles. Prepared films were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), optical absorption, photoluminescence (PL), Raman spectroscopy and electrical studies. XRD study confirmed incorporation of aluminum in ZnO lattice with a polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure of the films. The crystallite size determined by the Scherrer equation showed an increase from 28 nm to 35 nm for samples S1 to S4, respectively. SEM study showed smooth morphology with homogeneous distribution of particles. From the AFM images, the surface roughness was found to change according to precursors. For the optical analysis, the zinc chloride precursor showed high optical transmittance of about 90% in the visible range with a band gap value 3.15 eV. The room-temperature PL spectra exhibited a stronger violet emission peak at 420 nm for all the prepared samples. The Raman spectra showed a peak around 435 cm-1 which could be assigned to non-polar optical phonons (E2-high) mode AZO films of a ZnO wurtzite structure. Hall effect measurements showed n-type conductivity with low resistivity ( ρ) and high carrier concentrations ( n) of 2.39 × 10-3 Ω-cm and 8.96 × 1020 cm-3, respectively, for the film deposited using zinc chloride as precursor. The above properties make the prepared AZO film to be regarded as a very promising electrode material for fabrication of optoelectronic devices.

Multiparameter monitoring of short-term earthquake precursors and its physical basis. Implementation in the Kamchatka region

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Pulinets Sergey

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We apply experimental approach of the multiparameter monitoring of short-term earthquake precursors which reliability was confirmed by the Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC model created recently [1]. A key element of the model is the process of Ion induced Nucleation (IIN and formation of cluster ions occurring as a result of the ionization of near surface air layer by radon emanating from the Earth's crust within the earthquake preparation zone. This process is similar to the formation of droplet’s embryos for cloud formation under action of galactic cosmic rays. The consequence of this process is the generation of a number of precursors that can be divided into two groups: a thermal and meteorological, and b electromagnetic and ionospheric. We demonstrate elements of prospective monitoring of some strong earthquakes in Kamchatka region and statistical results for the Chemical potential correction parameter for more than 10 years of observations for earthquakes with M≥6. As some experimental attempt, the data of Kamchatka volcanoes monitoring will be demonstrated.

Effect of different nickel precursors on capacitive behavior of electrodeposited NiO thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kore, R. M.; Ghadge, T. S.; Ambare, R. C.; Lokhande, B. J., E-mail: bjlokhande@yahoo.com [School of Physical Sciences, Solapur University, Solapur-413 255, M.S. (India)

2016-04-13

In the present study, the effect of nickel precursors containing different anions like nitrate, chloride and sulphate on the morphology and pseudocapacitance behavior of NiO is investigated. The NiO samples were prepared by using a potentiondynamic electrodeposition technique in the three electrode cell. Cyclic voltammetry technique was exploited for potentiodynamic deposition of the films. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc. The XRD reveals the cubic crystal structure for all samples. The SEM micrograph shows nanoflakelike, up grown nanoflakes and honeycomb like nanostructured morphologies for nitrate, chloride and sulphate precursors respectively. The capacitive behavior of these samples was recorded using cyclic voltammetry (CV), charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 1 M KOH electrolyte. The specific capacitance values of NiO samples obtained using CV for nitrate, chloride and sulphate precursors were 136, 214 and 893 Fg{sup −1} respectively, at the scan rate of 5 mVs{sup −1}. The charge discharge study shows high specific energy for the sample obtained from sulphate (23.98 Whkg{sup −1}) as compared to chloride (9.67 Whkg{sup −1}) and nitrate (4.9 Whkg{sup −1}), whereas samples of cholride (13.9 kWkg{sup −1} and nitrate (10.5 kWkg{sup −1}) shows comparatively more specific power than samples obtained from sulphate (7.6 kWkg{sup −1}). The equivalent series resistance of NiO samples observed from EIS study are 1.34, 1.29 and 1.27 Ω respectively for nitrate, chloride and sulphate precursors. These results emphasizes that the samples obtained from sulphate precursors provides very low impedance through honeycomb like nanostructured morphology which supports good capacitive behavior of NiO.

Direct observation of the lattice precursor of the metal-to-insulator transition in V2O3 thin films by surface acoustic waves

Science.gov (United States)

Kündel, J.; Pontiller, P.; Müller, C.; Obermeier, G.; Liu, Z.; Nateprov, A. A.; Hörner, A.; Wixforth, A.; Horn, S.; Tidecks, R.

2013-03-01

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) delay line is used to study the metal-to-insulator (MI) transition of V2O3 thin films deposited on a piezoelectric LiNbO3 substrate. Effects contributing to the sound velocity shift of the SAW which are caused by elastic properties of the lattice of the V2O3 films when changing the temperature are separated from those originating from the electrical conductivity. For this purpose the electric field accompanying the elastic wave of the SAW has been shielded by growing the V2O3 film on a thin metallic Cr interlayer (coated with Cr2O3), covering the piezoelectric substrate. Thus, the recently discovered lattice precursor of the MI transition can be directly observed in the experiments, and its fine structure can be investigated.

Shadowgraphic investigations into the laser-induced forward transfer of different SnO{sub 2} precursor films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mattle, Thomas [General Energy Research Department, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI (Switzerland); Shaw-Stewart, James [General Energy Research Department, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI (Switzerland); Laboratory for Functional Polymers, Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf (Switzerland); Hintennach, Andreas [General Energy Research Department, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI (Switzerland); Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Cars), Electrochemical Layers, HPC H152, 70176 Stuttgart (Germany); Schneider, Christof W. [General Energy Research Department, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI (Switzerland); Lippert, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.lippert@psi.ch [General Energy Research Department, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI (Switzerland); Wokaun, Alexander [General Energy Research Department, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen-PSI (Switzerland)

2013-08-01

Laser-induced forward transfer of different SnO{sub 2} precursor films for sensor applications were investigated using time resolved imaging, from 0 to 2 μs after the onset of the ablation process. Transfers of SnCl{sub 2}(acac){sub 2} and SnO{sub 2} nano-particles, both with and without a triazene polymer dynamic release layer (DRL), were investigated and compared to transfers of aluminum films with a triazene polymer DRL. Shockwave speed and flyer speeds at high laser fluences of Φ = 650 mJ/cm{sup 2} and at the lower fluences, suitable for the transfer of functional and well defined pixels were analyzed. No influence of the use of a triazene polymer DRL on shockwave and flyer speed was observed. Material ejected under transfer condition showed a velocity of around 200 m/s with a weak shockwave.

Rapid detection of sugar alcohol precursors and corresponding nitrate ester explosives using direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Sisco, Edward; Forbes, Thomas P

2015-04-21

This work highlights the rapid detection of nitrate ester explosives and their sugar alcohol precursors by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) using an off-axis geometry. Demonstration of the effect of various parameters, such as ion polarity and in-source collision induced dissociation (CID) on the detection of these compounds is presented. Sensitivity of sugar alcohols and nitrate ester explosives was found to be greatest in negative ion mode with sensitivities ranging from hundreds of picograms to hundreds of nanograms, depending on the characteristics of the particular molecule. Altering the in-source CID potential allowed for acquisition of characteristic molecular ion spectra as well as fragmentation spectra. Additional studies were completed to identify the role of different experimental parameters on the sensitivity for these compounds. Variables that were examined included the DART gas stream temperature, the presence of a related compound (i.e., the effect of a precursor on the detection of a nitrate ester explosive), incorporation of dopant species and the role of the analysis surface. It was determined that each variable affected the response and detection of both sugar alcohols and the corresponding nitrate ester explosives. From this work, a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of individual sugar alcohols and corresponding nitrate ester explosives, or mixtures of the two, has been developed, providing a useful tool in the real-world identification of homemade explosives.

Memory effect on energy losses of charged particles moving parallel to solid surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwei, C.M.; Tu, Y.H.; Hsu, Y.H.; Tung, C.J.

2006-01-01

Theoretical derivations were made for the induced potential and the stopping power of a charged particle moving close and parallel to the surface of a solid. It was illustrated that the induced potential produced by the interaction of particle and solid depended not only on the velocity but also on the previous velocity of the particle before its last inelastic interaction. Another words, the particle kept a memory on its previous velocity, v , in determining the stopping power for the particle of velocity v. Based on the dielectric response theory, formulas were derived for the induced potential and the stopping power with memory effect. An extended Drude dielectric function with spatial dispersion was used in the application of these formulas for a proton moving parallel to Si surface. It was found that the induced potential with memory effect lay between induced potentials without memory effect for constant velocities v and v. The memory effect was manifest as the proton changes its velocity in the previous inelastic interaction. This memory effect also reduced the stopping power of the proton. The formulas derived in the present work can be applied to any solid surface and charged particle moving with arbitrary parallel trajectory either inside or outside the solid

The fate of wastewater-derived NDMA precursors in the aquatic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pehlivanoglu-Mantas, Elif; Sedlak, David L

2006-03-01

To assess the stability of precursors of the chloramine disinfection byproduct N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) under conditions expected in effluent-dominated surface waters, effluent samples from four municipal wastewater treatment plants were subjected to chlorination and chloramination followed by incubation in the presence of inocula derived from activated sludge. Samples subjected to free chlorine disinfection showed lower initial concentrations of NDMA precursors than those that were not chlorinated or were disinfected with pre-formed chloramines. For chloraminated and control (unchlorinated) treatments, the concentration of NDMA precursors decreased by an average of 24% over the 30-day incubation in samples from three of the four facilities. At the fourth facility, where samples were collected on three different days, NDMA precursor concentrations decreased by approximately 80% in one sample and decreased by less than 20% in the other two samples. In contrast to the low reactivity of the NDMA precursors, NDMA disappeared within 30 days under the conditions employed in these experiments. These results and measurements made in an effluent-dominated river suggest that although NDMA may be removed after wastewater effluent is discharged, wastewater-derived NDMA precursors could persist long enough to form significant concentrations of NDMA in drinking water treatment plants that use water originating from sources that are subjected to wastewater effluent discharges.

Effect of different precursors in the chemical synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusatti, M.; Barroso, G.S.; Souza, D.A.R.; Rosario, J.A.; Lima, R.B.; Silva, L.A.; Riella, H.G.; Kuhnen, N.C.; Campos, C.E.M.

2010-01-01

This work aims to evaluate the effect of ZnCl 2 and Zn(NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O precursors in the synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals. The materials were obtained at a temperature of 90 deg C by a simple solochemical route. The resulting samples were characterized with respect to the determination of the formed phases, particle size and morphology, using the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These characterization techniques confirmed that the sample obtained with Zn(NO 3 ) 2. 6H 2 O has hexagonal crystal structure of ZnO and dimensions in the nanoscale. However, the material formed with ZnCl 2 was composed of a mixture of the ZnO phase and another correspondent to the Zn 5 (OH) 8 Cl 2 .H 2 O phase. For both precursors, the predominant morphology of the obtained ZnO nanocrystals is rod- like structure.(author)

Effect of regional precursor emission controls on long-range ozone transport – Part 2: Steady-state changes in ozone air quality and impacts on human mortality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. J. West

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Large-scale changes in ozone precursor emissions affect ozone directly in the short term, and also affect methane, which in turn causes long-term changes in ozone that affect surface ozone air quality. Here we assess the effects of changes in ozone precursor emissions on the long-term change in surface ozone via methane, as a function of the emission region, by modeling 10% reductions in anthropogenic nitrogen oxide (NO_x emissions from each of nine world regions. Reductions in NO_x emissions from all world regions increase methane and long-term surface ozone. While this long-term increase is small compared to the intra-regional short-term ozone decrease, it is comparable to or larger than the short-term inter-continental ozone decrease for some source-receptor pairs. The increase in methane and long-term surface ozone per ton of NO_x reduced is greatest in tropical and Southern Hemisphere regions, exceeding that from temperate Northern Hemisphere regions by roughly a factor of ten. We also assess changes in premature ozone-related human mortality associated with regional precursor reductions and long-range transport, showing that for 10% regional NO_x reductions, the strongest inter-regional influence is for emissions from Europe affecting mortalities in Africa. Reductions of NO_x in North America, Europe, the Former Soviet Union, and Australia are shown to reduce more mortalities outside of the source regions than within. Among world regions, NO_x reductions in India cause the greatest number of avoided mortalities per ton, mainly in India itself. Finally, by increasing global methane, NO_x reductions in one hemisphere tend to cause long-term increases in ozone concentration and mortalities in the opposite hemisphere. Reducing emissions of methane, and to a lesser extent carbon monoxide and non-methane volatile organic compounds, alongside NO_x reductions would

Surface plasmon-enhanced molecular fluorescence induced by gold nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, Y.; Ueno, K.; Shi, X.; Aoyo, D.; Misawa, H.; Qiu, J.

2012-01-01

The authors report on surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence of Eosin Y molecules induced by gold nanostructures. Al 2 O 3 films deposited by atomic layer deposition with sub-nanometer resolution were used as the spacer layer to control the distance between molecules and the gold surface. As the thickness of the Al 2 O 3 film increased, the fluorescence intensity first increased and then decreased. The highest enhancement factor is achieved with a 1 nm Al 2 O 3 film. However, the trend for the fluorescence lifetime is the opposite. It first decreased and then increased. The changes in the fluorescence quantum yield were also calculated. The yield shows a similar trend to the fluorescence intensity. The competition between the surface plasmon-induced increase in the radiative decay rate and the gold-induced fluorescence quenching is responsible for the observed phenomenon. In addition, this competition strongly depends on the thickness of the spacer layer between Eosin Y molecules and the gold surface. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Effect of the Milling Time of the Precursors on the Physical Properties of Sprayed Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO:Al Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María De La Luz Olvera

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al thin films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates by the chemical spray technique. The atomization of the solution was carried out by ultrasonic excitation. Six different starting solutions from both unmilled and milled Zn and Al precursors, dissolved in a mix of methanol and acetic acid, were prepared. The milling process was carried out using a planetary ball mill at a speed of 300 rpm, and different milling times, namely, 15, 25, 35, 45, and 60 min. Molar concentration, [Al]/[Zn] atomic ratio, deposition temperature and time, were kept at constant values; 0.2 M, 3 at.%, 475 °C, and 10 min, respectively. Results show that, under the same deposition conditions, electrical resistivities of ZnO:Al thin films deposited from milled precursors are lower than those obtained for films deposited from unmilled precursors. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that all films display a polycrystalline structure, fitting well with the hexagonal wurtzite structure. Changes in surface morphology were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM as well, since films deposited from unmilled precursors show triangular shaped grains, in contrast to films deposited from 15 and 35 min milled precursors that display thin slices with hexagonal shapes. The use of milled precursors to prepare starting solutions for depositing ZnO:Al thin films by ultrasonic pyrolysis influences their physical properties.

Graphene nanoribbons synthesized from molecular precursor polymerization on Au(110)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massimi, Lorenzo; Ourdjini, Oualid; Della Pia, Ada; Mariani, Carlo; Betti, Maria Grazia [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, I - 00185 Roma (Italy); Cavaliere, Emanuele; Gavioli, Luca [i-LAMP & Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Università Cattolica, 25121 Brescia (Italy)

2015-06-23

A spectroscopic study of 10,10-dibromo-9,9 bianthracene (DBBA) molecules deposited on the Au(110) surface is presented, by means of ultraviolet and X-ray photoemission, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Through a thermally activated procedure, these molecular precursors polymerize and eventually form graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with atomically controlled shape and width, very important building blocks for several technological applications. The GNRs observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) appear as short segments on top of the gold surface reconstruction, pointing out the delicate balance among surface diffusion and surface corrugation in their synthesis on the Au(110) surface.

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis of LaMO{sub 3} perovskite-type oxide using heteronuclearcyano metal complex precursors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sánchez-Rodríguez, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.sanchez@udg.edu [GRMT, Department of Physics, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, Edif.PII, E17071 Girona, Catalonia (Spain); Wada, Hiroki; Yamaguchi, Syuhei [Department of Materials Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Farjas, Jordi [GRMT, Department of Physics, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, Edif.PII, E17071 Girona, Catalonia (Spain); Yahiro, Hidenori, E-mail: yahiro.hidenori.me@ehime-u.ac.jp [Department of Materials Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan)

2015-11-15

The decomposition of La[Fe(CN){sub 6}]·5H{sub 2}O and La[Co(CN){sub 6}]·5H{sub 2}O under different atmospheres has been analyzed by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). In addition, the decomposition temperature at different sample locations was monitored for sample masses around 2 g of La[Fe(CN){sub 6}]·5H{sub 2}O and La[Co(CN){sub 6}]·5H{sub 2}O, when they were calcined for 1 h at temperatures ranging from 200 to 400 °C in a controlled gas-flow system. Results showed that, the large enough of the cyano complex precursors undergo combustion when they are decomposed under oxygen atmosphere. X-ray diffraction results revealed that perovskite-type oxides crystallize due to the overheating of the process. As a result, it has been possible to produce LaFeO{sub 3} and LaCoO{sub 3} perovskite-type oxide powders by SHS under oxygen atmosphere using La[Fe(CN){sub 6}]·5H{sub 2}O and La[Co(CN){sub 6}]·5H{sub 2}O as a precursor. The effect of the ignition temperature has been investigated. The specific surface area of the perovskite-type oxides produced via SHS using heteronuclearcyano metal complex as a precursor is significantly higher than that of other LaMO{sub 3} produced using the same technique but obtained from other type of precursors. - Highlights: • The decomposition of La[Fe(CN){sub 6}] and La[Co(CN){sub 6}] precursors was analyzed. • The combustion process proceeded under oxygen when sample was large enough. • Perovskite oxides via SHS from the cyano complex precursors were synthesized. • LaMO{sub 3} perovskite oxides via SHS was obtained with high specific surface area.

Flavonoid metabolites reduce tumor necrosis factor‐α secretion to a greater extent than their precursor compounds in human THP‐1 monocytes

Science.gov (United States)

di Gesso, Jessica L.; Kerr, Jason S.; Zhang, Qingzhi; Raheem, Saki; Yalamanchili, Sai Krishna; O'Hagan, David; Kay, Colin D.; O'Connell, Maria A.

2015-01-01

1 Scope Flavonoids are generally studied in vitro, in isolation, and as unmetabolized precursor structures. However, in the habitual diet, multiple flavonoids are consumed together and found present in the circulation as complex mixtures of metabolites. Using a unique study design, we investigated the potential for singular or additive anti‐inflammatory effects of flavonoid metabolites relative to their precursor structures. 2 Methods and results Six flavonoids, 14 flavonoid metabolites, and 29 combinations of flavonoids and their metabolites (0.1–10 μM) were screened for their ability to reduce LPS‐induced tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) secretion in THP‐1 monocytes. One micromolar peonidin‐3‐glucoside, cyanidin‐3‐glucoside, and the metabolites isovanillic acid (IVA), IVA‐glucuronide, vanillic acid‐glucuronide, protocatechuic acid‐3‐sulfate, and benzoic acid‐sulfate significantly reduced TNF‐α secretion when in isolation, while there was no effect on TNF‐α mRNA expression. Four combinations of metabolites that included 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) and/or protocatechuic acid also significantly reduced TNF‐α secretion to a greater extent than the precursors or metabolites alone. The effects on LPS‐induced IL‐1β and IL‐10 secretion and mRNA expression were also examined. 4HBA significantly reduced IL‐1β secretion but none of the flavonoids or metabolites significantly modified IL‐10 secretion. 3 Conclusion This study provides novel evidence suggesting flavonoid bioactivity results from cumulative or additive effects of circulating metabolites. PMID:25801720

Tailored synthesis of nanostructures by laser irradiation of a precursor microdroplet stream in open-air

Science.gov (United States)

Palanco, S.; Marino, S.; Gabás, M.; Ayala, L.; Ramos-Barrado, J. R.

2014-12-01

A method to synthesize multicomponent nanostructures in open-air is presented. A microdroplet precursor target is irradiated with a nanosecond laser pulse to induce plasma. At low droplet dispensing rates, the precursor and solvent are fully atomized without debris to produce nanoparticles and nanofilaments during plasma cooling. More complex structures like nanolayers or nanofoams can be synthetised at kilohertz droplet dispensing rates as additional droplets in the vicinity of the target droplet are subjected to the laser-induced plasma and its associated shockwave. Examples of both low- and fast-rate mechanisms are presented for Mn-Fe bi-metal oxide nanoparticles and zinc oxide nanoparticles, nanofilaments and nanofoams. Real-time diagnostics were carried out with time-resolved imaging, atomic emission spectroscopy, light scattering and shadowgraphy. In addition to overcoming some of the difficulties associated with pulsed-laser deposition (PLD), the use of a liquid precursor whose composition can be tailored on a droplet-to-droplet basis opens a number of possibilities.A method to synthesize multicomponent nanostructures in open-air is presented. A microdroplet precursor target is irradiated with a nanosecond laser pulse to induce plasma. At low droplet dispensing rates, the precursor and solvent are fully atomized without debris to produce nanoparticles and nanofilaments during plasma cooling. More complex structures like nanolayers or nanofoams can be synthetised at kilohertz droplet dispensing rates as additional droplets in the vicinity of the target droplet are subjected to the laser-induced plasma and its associated shockwave. Examples of both low- and fast-rate mechanisms are presented for Mn-Fe bi-metal oxide nanoparticles and zinc oxide nanoparticles, nanofilaments and nanofoams. Real-time diagnostics were carried out with time-resolved imaging, atomic emission spectroscopy, light scattering and shadowgraphy. In addition to overcoming some of the

Gigantic 2D laser-induced photovoltaic effect in magnetically doped topological insulators for surface zero-bias spin-polarized current generation

Science.gov (United States)

Shikin, A. M.; Voroshin, V. Yu; Rybkin, A. G.; Kokh, K. A.; Tereshchenko, O. E.; Ishida, Y.; Kimura, A.

2018-01-01

A new kind of 2D photovoltaic effect (PVE) with the generation of anomalously large surface photovoltage up to 210 meV in magnetically doped topological insulators (TIs) has been studied by the laser time-resolved pump-probe angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The PVE has maximal efficiency for TIs with high occupation of the upper Dirac cone (DC) states and the Dirac point located inside the fundamental energy gap. For TIs with low occupation of the upper DC states and the Dirac point located inside the valence band the generated surface photovoltage is significantly reduced. We have shown that the observed giant PVE is related to the laser-generated electron-hole asymmetry followed by accumulation of the photoexcited electrons at the surface. It is accompanied by the 2D relaxation process with the generation of zero-bias spin-polarized currents flowing along the topological surface states (TSSs) outside the laser beam spot. As a result, the spin-polarized current generates an effective in-plane magnetic field that is experimentally confirmed by the k II-shift of the DC relative to the bottom non-spin-polarized conduction band states. The realized 2D PVE can be considered as a source for the generation of zero-bias surface spin-polarized currents and the laser-induced local surface magnetization developed in such kind 2D TSS materials.

Controlled synthesis of ZnO hollow microspheres via precursor-template method and its gas sensing property

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Yu; Li, Jinchai; Xiong, Hui; Dai, Jiangnan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Zn powder as precursor template for synthesis ZnO hollow spheres. ► Different precursor templates result in different ZnO nanostructures. ► Different experimental conditions enable growth of different surface morphologies of ZnO sphere. ► ZnO hollow sphere materials have good gas sensing performance for detecting ethanol gas. - Abstract: Using Zn powder as precursor templates, ZnO hollow microspheres were successfully prepared by thermal evaporation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. It was found that different size and shape of precursor resulted in different ZnO nanostructures. When varying experimental conditions, such as air flow rate and working pressure, ZnO hollow spheres with different surface morphologies could be obtained. The advantages of the present synthetic technology are simple, relatively low cost, and high reproducibility. A gas sensor was fabricated from the as-prepared ZnO hollow microspheres and tested to the ethanol gas at different operating temperatures.

Sputtering induced surface composition changes in copper-palladium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundararaman, M.; Sharma, S.K.; Kumar, L.; Krishnan, R.

1981-01-01

It has been observed that, in general, surface composition is different from bulk composition in multicomponent materials as a result of ion beam sputtering. This compositional difference arises from factors like preferential sputtering, radiation induced concentration gradients and the knock-in effect. In the present work, changes in the surface composition of copper-palladium alloys, brought about by argon ion sputtering, have been studied using Auger electron spectroscopy. Argon ion energy has been varied from 500 eV to 5 keV. Enrichment of palladium has been observed in the sputter-altered layer. The palladium enrichment at the surface has been found to be higher for 500 eV argon ion sputtering compared with argon ion sputtering at higher energies. Above 500 eV, the surface composition has been observed to remain the same irrespective of the sputter ion energy for each alloy composition. The bulk composition ratio of palladium to copper has been found to be linearly related to the sputter altered surface composition ratio of palladium to copper. These results are discussed on the basis of recent theories of alloy sputtering. (orig.)

Effects of humoral factors on amplification of nonrecognizable erythrocytic and granulocytic precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cronkite, E.P.; Carsten, A.L.; Cohen, R.; Miller, M.E.; Moccia, G.

1978-01-01

The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the effects of humoral factors on amplification of nonrecognizable erythrocytic and granulocytic precursors using the in vivo plasma clot diffusion chamber and the in vitro plasma clot culture methods. Plasma erythropoietin levels changes in the reticulocyte concentration and hematocrits of irradiated and non-irradiated Long-Evans rats exposed to hypoxia were also determined. While erythropoietin plasma levels appeared to effect BFU-E and CFU-E growth, results suggest erythropoietin may not be the sole regulator of red cell production and that inhibitors or chalone-like mechanisms may be involved. Measurements made on granulocyte precursors treated with CSF containing L-cell conditioned medium revealed granulocytic colonies and burst-like formations, similar to those seen for erythrocytic growth. There is strong evidence suggesting that CSF is a regulator of granulopoiesis; however, it is not the sole regulator and it appears that inhibitors may play an in vivo role. Growth of colonies with cell numbers not a power of 2 implies either asymmetric nitosis due to loss of genetic information required for continuing division, or differences in concentration of, or ability to recognize inhibitory factors. These possibilities are examined on the basis of results using in vivo and in vitro culture techniques

Precursor conditions related to Zimbabwe's summer droughts

Science.gov (United States)

Nangombe, Shingirai; Madyiwa, Simon; Wang, Jianhong

2018-01-01

Despite the increasing severity of droughts and their effects on Zimbabwe's agriculture, there are few tools available for predicting these droughts in advance. Consequently, communities and farmers are more exposed, and policy makers are always ill prepared for such. This study sought to investigate possible cycles and precursor meteorological conditions prior to drought seasons that could be used to predict impending droughts in Zimbabwe. The Single Z-Index was used to identify and grade drought years between 1951 and 2010 according to rainfall severity. Spectral analysis was used to reveal the cycles of droughts for possible use of these cycles for drought prediction. Composite analysis was used to investigate circulation and temperature anomalies associated with severe and extreme drought years. Results indicate that severe droughts are more highly correlated with circulation patterns and embedded weather systems in the Indian Ocean and equatorial Pacific Ocean than any other area. This study identified sea surface temperatures in the average period June to August, geopotential height and wind vector in July to September period, and air temperature in September to November period as precursors that can be used to predict a drought occurrence several months in advance. Therefore, in addition to sea surface temperature, which was identified through previous research for predicting Zimbabwean droughts, the other parameters identified in this study can aid in drought prediction. Drought cycles were established at 20-, 12.5-, 3.2-, and 2.7-year cycles. The spectral peaks, 12.5, 3.2, and 2.7, had a similar timescale with the luni-solar tide, El Niño Southern Oscillation and Quasi Biennial Oscillation, respectively, and hence, occurrence of these phenomena have a possibility of indicating when the next drought might be.

The Effect of Precursor Ligands and Oxidation State in the Synthesis of Bimetallic Nano-Alloys

KAUST Repository

LaGrow, Alec P.; Knudsen, Kristian; AlYami, Noktan; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Bakr, Osman

2015-01-01

of variables on the characteristics of bimetallic nanomaterials are not completely understood. In this study, we used a continuous-flow synthetic strategy to explore the effects of the ligands and the oxidation state of a metal precursor in a shape

Bio-Inspired Functional Surfaces Based on Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Frank A; Kunz, Clemens; Gräf, Stephan

2016-06-15

Nature developed numerous solutions to solve various technical problems related to material surfaces by combining the physico-chemical properties of a material with periodically aligned micro/nanostructures in a sophisticated manner. The utilization of ultra-short pulsed lasers allows mimicking numerous of these features by generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). In this review paper, we describe the physical background of LIPSS generation as well as the physical principles of surface related phenomena like wettability, reflectivity, and friction. Then we introduce several biological examples including e.g., lotus leafs, springtails, dessert beetles, moth eyes, butterfly wings, weevils, sharks, pangolins, and snakes to illustrate how nature solves technical problems, and we give a comprehensive overview of recent achievements related to the utilization of LIPSS to generate superhydrophobic, anti-reflective, colored, and drag resistant surfaces. Finally, we conclude with some future developments and perspectives related to forthcoming applications of LIPSS-based surfaces.

The effects of electrospun substrate-mediated cell colony morphology on the self-renewal of human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Maldonado, Maricela; Wong, Lauren Y; Echeverria, Cristina; Ico, Gerardo; Low, Karen; Fujimoto, Taylor; Johnson, Jed K; Nam, Jin

2015-05-01

The development of xeno-free, chemically defined stem cell culture systems has been a primary focus in the field of regenerative medicine to enhance the clinical application of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). In this regard, various electrospun substrates with diverse physiochemical properties were synthesized utilizing various polymer precursors and surface treatments. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) cultured on these substrates were characterized by their gene and protein expression to determine the effects of the substrate physiochemical properties on the cells' self-renewal, i.e., proliferation and the maintenance of pluripotency. The results showed that surface chemistry significantly affected cell colony formation via governing the colony edge propagation. More importantly, when surface chemistry of the substrates was uniformly controlled by collagen conjugation, the stiffness of substrate was inversely related to the sphericity, a degree of three dimensionality in colony morphology. The differences in sphericity subsequently affected spontaneous differentiation of IPSCs during a long-term culture, implicating that the colony morphology is a deciding factor in the lineage commitment of PSCs. Overall, we show that the capability of controlling IPSC colony morphology by electrospun substrates provides a means to modulate IPSC self-renewal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermo-radiosensitivity of the granulocyte and macrophage precursor cells of mice. I.-Development of the in vivo culture and effects induced by the hyperthermia; Termo-radiosensibilidad del precursor hematopoyetico que origina las series granulocitica y macrofaga de raton. I.- Desarrollo del cultivo in vivo y efectos producidos por la hipertermia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bueren, J A; Nieto, M

1983-07-01

The present report shows the agar diffusion chamber technique for culturing granulocyte- macrophage precursor cells, obtained from mice bone marrow. Diffusion chambers containing the bone marrow suspension are implanted intraperitoneally Into mice and constitute a compartment which avoids the migration of cells, but allows the transit of the mouse biological fluxes, necessary for the cellular proliferation. By means of this technique, we studied the lethal effects of the hyperthermia on the precursors and their capacity to repair sublethal damage. (Author) 129 refs.

Silicon dioxide obtained by Polymeric Precursor Method; Obtencao de dioxido de silicio pelo Metodo dos Precursores Polimericos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, C.T.; Granado, S.R.; Lopes, S.A.; Cavalheiro, A.A., E-mail: cinthia_quimica@hotmail.com [Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul (CPTREN/UEMS), Navirai, MS (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas Tecnologicas em Recursos Naturais

2011-07-01

The Polymeric Precursor Method is able for obtaining several oxide material types with high surface area even obtained in particle form. Several MO{sub 2} oxide types such as titanium, silicon and zirconium ones can be obtained by this methodology. In this work, the synthesis of silicon oxide was monitored by thermal analysis, XRD and surface area analysis in order to demonstrate the influence of the several synthesis and calcining parameters. Surface area values as higher as 370m2/g and increasing in the micropore volume nm were obtained when the material was synthesized by using ethylene glycol as polymerizing agent. XRD analysis showed that the material is amorphous when calcinated at 600°C in despite of the time of calcining, but the material morphology is strongly influenced by the polymeric resin composition. Using Glycerol as polymerizing agent, the pore size increase and the surface area goes down with the increasing in decomposition time, when compared to ethylene glycol. (author)

A theoretical study on the effect of piezoelectric charges on the surface potential and surface depletion region of ZnO nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purahmad, Mohsen; Stroscio, Michael A; Dutta, Mitra

2013-01-01

The electrostatic potential and depletion width in piezoelectric semiconductor nanowires are derived by considering a non-depleted region and a surface depleted region and solving the Poisson equation. By determining the piezoelectric-induced charge density, in terms of equivalent density of charges, the effect of piezoelectric charges on the surface depletion region and the distributed electric potential in nanowire have been investigated. The numerical results demonstrate that the ZnO NWs with a smaller radius have a larger surface depletion region which results in a stronger surface potential and depletion region perturbation by induced piezoelectric charges. (paper)

Synthesis and characterization of bulk and coatings of hydroxyapatite using methanol precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khongwar, Jasper K.; Kannan, K.R.; Buvaneswari, G.

2008-01-01

Hydroxyapatite, an important bioceramic was synthesized in the bulk form and developed as a coating by a sol-gel route using alcoholic precursor. The bioactive coating was developed on bio-inert α-alumina and yttria stabilized zirconia substrates. The apatite phase began to form after the heat treatment of the precursor at 500 deg. C for 10 min. The complete crystallization of the apatite was obtained at 800 deg. C heat treatment for 10 min. The phase composition of the bulk and the coatings was identified by FT-IR spectroscopic and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Surface morphology was determined by scanning electron microscopy. The study indicates different surface textures for the powder and for the coatings on α-alumina and yttria stabilized zirconia substrates

Human papillomavirus (HPV vaccination for the prevention of HPV 16/18 induced cervical cancer and its precursors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greiner, Wolfgang

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Essential precondition for the development of cervical cancer is a persistent human papillomavirus (HPV infection. The majority - approximately 70% - of cervical carcinomas is caused by two high-risk HPV types (16 and 18. Recently, two vaccines have been approved to the German market with the potential to induce protection against HPV 16 and HPV 18 among additional low-risk virus types. Objectives: To analyse whether HPV vaccination is effective with regard to the reduction of cervical cancer and precursors of cervical carcinoma (CIN, respectively? Does HPV vaccination represent a cost-effective alternative or supplement to present screening practice? Are there any differences concerning cost-effectiveness between the two available vaccines? Should HPV vaccination be recommended from a health economic point of view? If so, which recommendations can be conveyed with respect to a (reorganization of the German vaccination strategy? Which ethical, social and legal implications have to be considered? Methods: Based on a systematic literature review, randomized controlled trials (RCT looking at the effectiveness of HPV vaccination for the prevention of cervical carcinoma and its precursors - cervical intraepithelial neoplasia - have been identified. In addition, health economic models were identified to address the health economic research questions. Quality assessment of medical and economic literature was assured by application of general assessment standards for the systematic and critical appraisal of scientific studies. Results: Vaccine efficacy in prevention of CIN 2 or higher lesions in HPV 16 or HPV 18 negative women, who received all vaccination doses, ranges between 98% and 100%. Side effects of the vaccination are mainly associated with injection site reactions (redness, turgor, pain. No significant differences concerning serious complications between the vaccination- and the placebo-groups were reported. Results of base case

Precursors prior to type IIn supernova explosions are common: Precursor rates, properties, and correlations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ofek, Eran O.; Steinbok, Aviram; Arcavi, Iair; Gal-Yam, Avishay; Tal, David; Ben-Ami, Sagi; Yaron, Ofer [Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot (Israel); Sullivan, Mark [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Shaviv, Nir J. [Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, 91904 Jerusalem (Israel); Kulkarni, Shrinivas R. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Nugent, Peter E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Kasliwal, Mansi M. [Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Cenko, S. Bradley [Astrophysics Science Division, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 661, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Laher, Russ; Surace, Jason [Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, M/S 314-6, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Bloom, Joshua S.; Filippenko, Alexei V. [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States); Silverman, Jeffrey M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2014-07-10

There is a growing number of Type IIn supernovae (SNe) which present an outburst prior to their presumably final explosion. These precursors may affect the SN display, and are likely related to poorly charted phenomena in the final stages of stellar evolution. By coadding Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) images taken prior to the explosion, here we present a search for precursors in a sample of 16 Type IIn SNe. We find five SNe IIn that likely have at least one possible precursor event (PTF 10bjb, SN 2010mc, PTF 10weh, SN 2011ht, and PTF 12cxj), three of which are reported here for the first time. For each SN we calculate the control time. We find that precursor events among SNe IIn are common: at the one-sided 99% confidence level, >50% of SNe IIn have at least one pre-explosion outburst that is brighter than 3 × 10{sup 7} L{sub ☉} taking place up to 1/3 yr prior to the SN explosion. The average rate of such precursor events during the year prior to the SN explosion is likely ≳ 1 yr{sup –1}, and fainter precursors are possibly even more common. Ignoring the two weakest precursors in our sample, the precursors rate we find is still on the order of one per year. We also find possible correlations between the integrated luminosity of the precursor and the SN total radiated energy, peak luminosity, and rise time. These correlations are expected if the precursors are mass-ejection events, and the early-time light curve of these SNe is powered by interaction of the SN shock and ejecta with optically thick circumstellar material.

Bidirectional Regulation of Amyloid Precursor Protein-Induced Memory Defects by Nebula/DSCR1: A Protein Upregulated in Alzheimer's Disease and Down Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Jillian L; Zhang, Shixing; Chang, Karen T

2015-08-12

Aging individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by impaired memory. Memory problems in both DS and AD individuals usually develop slowly and progressively get worse with age, but the cause of this age-dependent memory impairment is not well understood. This study examines the functional interactions between Down syndrome critical region 1 (DSCR1) and amyloid-precursor protein (APP), proteins upregulated in both DS and AD, in regulating memory. Using Drosophila as a model, we find that overexpression of nebula (fly homolog of DSCR1) initially protects against APP-induced memory defects by correcting calcineurin and cAMP signaling pathways but accelerates the rate of memory loss and exacerbates mitochondrial dysfunction in older animals. We report that transient upregulation of Nebula/DSCR1 or acute pharmacological inhibition of calcineurin in aged flies protected against APP-induced memory loss. Our data suggest that calcineurin dyshomeostasis underlies age-dependent memory impairments and further imply that chronic Nebula/DSCR1 upregulation may contribute to age-dependent memory impairments in AD in DS. Most Down syndrome (DS) individuals eventually develop Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like dementia, but mechanisms underlying this age-dependent memory impairment remain poorly understood. This study examines Nebula/Down syndrome critical region 1 (DSCR1) and amyloid-precursor protein (APP), proteins upregulated in both DS and AD, in regulating memory. We uncover a previously unidentified role for Nebula/DSCR1 in modulating APP-induced memory defects during aging. We show that upregulation of Nebula/DSCR1, an inhibitor of calcineurin, rescues APP-induced memory defects in young flies but enhances memory loss of older flies. Excitingly, transient Nebula/DSCR1 overexpression or calcineurin inhibition in aged flies ameliorates APP-mediated memory problems. These results

Process comparison for fracture-induced formation of surface structures on polymer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yueh-Ying [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Yang, Fuqian [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506 (United States); Chen, Chia-Chieh [Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Longtan, Taoyuan 32546, Taiwan (China); Lee, Sanboh, E-mail: sblee@mx.nthu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)

2014-01-01

Using three different splitting approaches such as point-load splitting, tension-splitting and peeling–splitting, different surface ripples were produced on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based polymer films. Independent of the splitting approaches, the spatial wavelength of the surface structures is a linear function of the film thickness with the approximately same differential ratio of the spatial wavelength to the film thickness. The apparent surface residual stress was calculated from the thickness dependence of the spatial frequency, and the magnitude of the apparent surface stress increased with the increase of the film thickness. After exposing the aged PMMA-based photoresist at liquid state to gamma-irradiation, the effects of aging and the gamma-irradiation were investigated on the splitting-induced formation of surface structures. For the peeling–splitting process, the differential ratio of the spatial wavelength to the film thickness for the aged samples is larger than that for non-aged samples. The point-load splitting could not produce any surface pattern on the gamma-irradiated films. None of the splitting approaches could form surface structures for polymer films exposed to irradiation of high dose. Both the spatial wavelength and the apparent surface stress increased with the film thickness for the irradiated polymer films. - Highlights: • Using splitting processes, surface ripples were formed on polymer films. • The surface ripples were induced by compressively apparent surface stress. • The spatial wavelength of the ripples is a linear function of the film thickness. • The spatial wavelength of the ripples is affected by gamma-ray irradiation. • The spatial wavelength of the ripples is affected by aging.

Bio-Inspired Functional Surfaces Based on Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank A. Müller

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Nature developed numerous solutions to solve various technical problems related to material surfaces by combining the physico-chemical properties of a material with periodically aligned micro/nanostructures in a sophisticated manner. The utilization of ultra-short pulsed lasers allows mimicking numerous of these features by generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS. In this review paper, we describe the physical background of LIPSS generation as well as the physical principles of surface related phenomena like wettability, reflectivity, and friction. Then we introduce several biological examples including e.g., lotus leafs, springtails, dessert beetles, moth eyes, butterfly wings, weevils, sharks, pangolins, and snakes to illustrate how nature solves technical problems, and we give a comprehensive overview of recent achievements related to the utilization of LIPSS to generate superhydrophobic, anti-reflective, colored, and drag resistant surfaces. Finally, we conclude with some future developments and perspectives related to forthcoming applications of LIPSS-based surfaces.

Strong coupling electrostatics for randomly charged surfaces: antifragility and effective interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghodrat, Malihe; Naji, Ali; Komaie-Moghaddam, Haniyeh; Podgornik, Rudolf

2015-05-07

We study the effective interaction mediated by strongly coupled Coulomb fluids between dielectric surfaces carrying quenched, random monopolar charges with equal mean and variance, both when the Coulomb fluid consists only of mobile multivalent counterions and when it consists of an asymmetric ionic mixture containing multivalent and monovalent (salt) ions in equilibrium with an aqueous bulk reservoir. We analyze the consequences that follow from the interplay between surface charge disorder, dielectric and salt image effects, and the strong electrostatic coupling that results from multivalent counterions on the distribution of these ions and the effective interaction pressure they mediate between the surfaces. In a dielectrically homogeneous system, we show that the multivalent counterions are attracted towards the surfaces with a singular, disorder-induced potential that diverges logarithmically on approach to the surfaces, creating a singular but integrable counterion density profile that exhibits an algebraic divergence at the surfaces with an exponent that depends on the surface charge (disorder) variance. This effect drives the system towards a state of lower thermal 'disorder', one that can be described by a renormalized temperature, exhibiting thus a remarkable antifragility. In the presence of an interfacial dielectric discontinuity, the singular behavior of counterion density at the surfaces is removed but multivalent counterions are still accumulated much more strongly close to randomly charged surfaces as compared with uniformly charged ones. The interaction pressure acting on the surfaces displays in general a highly non-monotonic behavior as a function of the inter-surface separation with a prominent regime of attraction at small to intermediate separations. This attraction is caused directly by the combined effects from charge disorder and strong coupling electrostatics of multivalent counterions, which dominate the surface-surface repulsion due to

Natural attenuation of NDMA precursors in an urban, wastewater-dominated wash.

Science.gov (United States)

Woods, Gwen C; Dickenson, Eric R V

2016-02-01

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a disinfection by-product (DBP) that is potentially carcinogenic and has been found to occur in drinking water treatment systems impacted with treated wastewater. A major gap in NDMA research is an understanding of the persistence of wastewater-derived precursors within the natural environment. This research sought to fill this knowledge gap by surveying NDMA precursors across the length of a wastewater effluent-dominated wash. Significant precursor reduction (17%) was found to occur from introduction into the wash to a point 9 h downstream. This reduction translates into a half-life of roughly 32 h for bulk NDMA precursors. Further laboratory experiments examining rates of photolysis, biodegradation and loss to sediments, illustrated that both photolytic and biological degradation were effective removal mechanisms for NDMA precursors. Loss to sediments that were acquired from the wash did not appear to reduce NDMA precursors in the water column, although a control conducted with DI water provided evidence that significant NDMA precursors could be released from autoclaved sediments (suggesting that sorption does occur). Microbial experiments revealed that microbes associated with sediments were much more effective at degrading precursors than microbes within the water column. Overall, this study demonstrated that natural processes are capable of attenuating NDMA precursors relatively quickly within the environment, and that utilities might benefit from maximizing source water residency time in the environment, prior to introduction into treatment plants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Common Inhalational Anesthetic Sevoflurane Induces Apoptosis and Increases β-Amyloid Protein Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yuanlin; Zhang, Guohua; Zhang, Bin; Moir, Robert D.; Xia, Weiming; Marcantonio, Edward R.; Culley, Deborah J.; Crosby, Gregory; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Xie, Zhongcong

2009-01-01

Objective: To assess the effects of sevoflurane, the most commonly used inhalation anesthetic, on apoptosis and β-amyloid protein (Aβ) levels in vitro and in vivo. Subjects: Naive mice, H4 human neuroglioma cells, and H4 human neuroglioma cells stably transfected to express full-length amyloid precursor protein. Interventions: Human H4 neuroglioma cells stably transfected to express full-length amyloid precursor protein were exposed to 4.1% sevoflurane for 6 hours. Mice received 2.5% sevoflurane for 2 hours. Caspase-3 activation, apoptosis, and Aβ levels were assessed. Results: Sevoflurane induced apoptosis and elevated levels of β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme and Aβ in vitro and in vivo. The caspase inhibitor Z-VAD decreased the effects of sevoflurane on apoptosis and Aβ. Sevoflurane-induced caspase-3 activation was attenuated by the γ-secretase inhibitor L-685,458 and was potentiated by Aβ. These results suggest that sevoflurane induces caspase activation which, in turn, enhances β-site amyloid precursor protein–cleaving enzyme and Aβ levels. Increased Aβ levels then induce further rounds of apoptosis. Conclusions: These results suggest that inhalational anesthetic sevoflurane may promote Alzheimer disease neuropathogenesis. If confirmed in human subjects, it may be prudent to caution against the use of sevoflurane as an anesthetic, especially in those suspected of possessing excessive levels of cerebral Aβ. PMID:19433662

Effects of diluents on soot surface temperature and volume fraction in diluted ethylene diffusion flames at pressure

KAUST Repository

Kailasanathan, Ranjith Kumar Abhinavam

2014-05-20

Soot surface temperature and volume fraction are measured in ethylene/air coflowing laminar diffusion flames at high pressures, diluted with one of four diluents (argon, helium, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide) using a two-color technique. Both temperature and soot measurements presented are line-of-sight averages. The results aid in understanding the kinetic and thermodynamic behavior of the soot formation and oxidation chemistry with changes in diluents, ultimately leading to possible methods of reducing soot emission from practical combustion hardware. The diluted fuel and coflow exit velocities (top-hat profiles) were matched at all pressures to minimize shear effects. In addition to the velocity-matched flow rates, the mass fluxes were held constant for all pressures. Addition of a diluent has a pronounced effect on both the soot surface temperature and volume fraction, with the helium diluted flame yielding the maximum and carbon dioxide diluted flame yielding minimum soot surface temperature and volume fraction. At low pressures, peak soot volume fraction exists at the tip of the flame, and with an increase in pressure, the location shifts lower to the wings of the flame. Due to the very high diffusivity of helium, significantly higher temperature and volume fraction are measured and explained. Carbon dioxide has the most dramatic soot suppression effect. By comparing the soot yield with previously measured soot precursor concentrations in the same flame, it is clear that the lower soot yield is a result of enhanced oxidation rates rather than a reduction in precursor formation. Copyright © 2014 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Low temperature catalyst-assisted pyrolysis of polymer precursors to ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2017-11-15

Nov 15, 2017 ... convert the organic compounds into high-performance car- bon. PAN is one of the ... yield, RF organic gel is also identified as a widely used precursor to produce ..... sis were applied to estimate radius of gyration (Rg) and surface ... pyrolysis approach without compromising the yield and qual- ity of the final ...

Flavonoid metabolites reduce tumor necrosis factor-α secretion to a greater extent than their precursor compounds in human THP-1 monocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

di Gesso, Jessica L; Kerr, Jason S; Zhang, Qingzhi; Raheem, Saki; Yalamanchili, Sai Krishna; O'Hagan, David; Kay, Colin D; O'Connell, Maria A

2015-06-01

Flavonoids are generally studied in vitro, in isolation, and as unmetabolized precursor structures. However, in the habitual diet, multiple flavonoids are consumed together and found present in the circulation as complex mixtures of metabolites. Using a unique study design, we investigated the potential for singular or additive anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoid metabolites relative to their precursor structures. Six flavonoids, 14 flavonoid metabolites, and 29 combinations of flavonoids and their metabolites (0.1-10 μM) were screened for their ability to reduce LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion in THP-1 monocytes. One micromolar peonidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and the metabolites isovanillic acid (IVA), IVA-glucuronide, vanillic acid-glucuronide, protocatechuic acid-3-sulfate, and benzoic acid-sulfate significantly reduced TNF-α secretion when in isolation, while there was no effect on TNF-α mRNA expression. Four combinations of metabolites that included 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) and/or protocatechuic acid also significantly reduced TNF-α secretion to a greater extent than the precursors or metabolites alone. The effects on LPS-induced IL-1β and IL-10 secretion and mRNA expression were also examined. 4HBA significantly reduced IL-1β secretion but none of the flavonoids or metabolites significantly modified IL-10 secretion. This study provides novel evidence suggesting flavonoid bioactivity results from cumulative or additive effects of circulating metabolites. © 2015 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhancement of vortex induced forces and motion through surface roughness control

Science.gov (United States)

Bernitsas, Michael M [Saline, MI; Raghavan, Kamaldev [Houston, TX

2011-11-01

Roughness is added to the surface of a bluff body in a relative motion with respect to a fluid. The amount, size, and distribution of roughness on the body surface is controlled passively or actively to modify the flow around the body and subsequently the Vortex Induced Forces and Motion (VIFM). The added roughness, when designed and implemented appropriately, affects in a predetermined way the boundary layer, the separation of the boundary layer, the level of turbulence, the wake, the drag and lift forces, and consequently the Vortex Induced Motion (VIM), and the fluid-structure interaction. The goal of surface roughness control is to increase Vortex Induced Forces and Motion. Enhancement is needed in such applications as harnessing of clean and renewable energy from ocean/river currents using the ocean energy converter VIVACE (Vortex Induced Vibration for Aquatic Clean Energy).

Electron-beam-induced post-grafting polymerization of acrylic acid onto the surface of Kevlar fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lu; Hu, Jiangtao; Ma, Hongjuan; Wu, Guozhong

2018-04-01

The surface of Kevlar fibers was successfully modified by electron beam (EB)-induced post-grafting of acrylic acid (AA). The generation of radicals in the fibers was confirmed by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements, and the concentration of radicals was shown to increase as the absorbed dose increased, but decrease with increasing temperature. The influence of the synthesis conditions on the degree of grafting was also investigated. The surface microstructure and chemical composition of the modified Kevlar fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The SEM images revealed that the surface of the grafted fibers was rougher than those of the pristine and irradiated fibers. XPS analysis confirmed an increase in C(O)OH groups on the surface of the Kevlar fibers, suggesting successful grafting of AA. These results indicate that EB-induced post-grafting polymerization is effective for modifying the surface properties of Kevlar fibers.

Charging effects during focused electron beam induced deposition of silicon oxide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, Sanne K.; van Dorp, Willem F.; De Hosson, Jeff Th. M.

2011-01-01

This paper concentrates on focused electron beam induced deposition of silicon oxide. Silicon oxide pillars are written using 2, 4, 6, 8, 10-pentamethyl-cyclopenta-siloxane (PMCPS) as precursor. It is observed that branching of the pillar occurs above a minimum pillar height. The branching is

Effect of precursors on flavonoid production by Hydrocotyle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Callus tissue of Hydrocotyle bonariensis was initiated from the leaf of H. bonariensis treated with 2 mg/l of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1 mg/l kinetin. The culture was kept at 25°C, under light (cool white fluorescent tubes, 1200 lux). To optimize the precursors to increase the production of flavonoid, different ...

Facile synthesis of a conjugation-grafted-TiO2 nanohybrid with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic properties from nanotube titanic acid precursors

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yanru; Zhang, Min; Zhang, Zhihua; Li, Qiuye; Yang, Jianjun

2016-08-01

A conjugation-grafted-TiO2 nanohybrid was synthesized by chemically grafting conjugated structures on the surface of nanotube titanic acid (NTA) precursor-based TiO2 through the controlled thermal degradation of a coacervated polymer layer of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The interfacial interactions between the NTA precursor-based TiO2 and conjugated structures were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Moreover, the effects of the NTA's pretreatment temperature and the weight ratio of NTA to PVA on the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange were also investigated. A higher NTA pretreatment temperature and a lower NTA to PVA weight ratio were found to enhance photogenerated electron-hole separation efficiency and photocatalytic activity. Moreover, the conjugation-grafted-TiO2 nanohybrid synthesized from the NTA precursor displayed a much higher visible-light photocatalytic activity than that of the sample obtained from the P25 precursor. The origin of the enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation is also discussed in detail.

Electron-beam induced deposition and autocatalytic decomposition of Co(CO3NO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian Vollnhals

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The autocatalytic growth of arbitrarily shaped nanostructures fabricated by electron beam-induced deposition (EBID and electron beam-induced surface activation (EBISA is studied for two precursors: iron pentacarbonyl, Fe(CO5, and cobalt tricarbonyl nitrosyl, Co(CO3NO. Different deposits are prepared on silicon nitride membranes and silicon wafers under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, and are studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM, including near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS spectroscopy. It has previously been shown that Fe(CO5 decomposes autocatalytically on Fe seed layers (EBID and on certain electron beam-activated surfaces, yielding high purity, polycrystalline Fe nanostructures. In this contribution, we investigate the growth of structures from Co(CO3NO and compare it to results obtained from Fe(CO5. Co(CO3NO exhibits autocatalytic growth on Co-containing seed layers prepared by EBID using the same precursor. The growth yields granular, oxygen-, carbon- and nitrogen-containing deposits. In contrast to Fe(CO5 no decomposition on electron beam-activated surfaces is observed. In addition, we show that the autocatalytic growth of nanostructures from Co(CO3NO can also be initiated by an Fe seed layer, which presents a novel approach to the fabrication of layered nanostructures.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Carbon Materials; The Effect of Surfactant Concentrations and Salts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shokoofeh Geranmayeh

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Nanoporous carbon framework was synthesized using phenol and formaldehyde as carbon precursors and triblock copolymer (pluronic F127 as soft template via evaporation induced self-assembly. Hexagonal mesoporous carbon with specific surface area of 350 m2/g through optimizing the situation was obtained. The effects of different surfactant/phenol molar ratio and presence of salts on specific surface area, pore size and pore volume for all the prepared samples were studied by means of the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET formalism, powder X-ray diffraction technique and FT-IR spectroscopy.

Spectroscopy Study of Synthetic Forsterite Obtained from Zeolite Precursors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subotić, B.

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Important ceramics materials are prepared from aluminosilicate based precursors using novel methods, offering at the same time a better control over many important properties. Forsterite, due to its good refractoriness with melting point at 2163 K, excellent electrical insulation properties even at high temperatures, low dielectric permittivity, thermal expansion and chemical stability, is a material of interest to engineers and designers especially as an active medium for tuneable laser and is also a material of interest to SOFC (Solid oxide fuel cells manufacturers. The aim of this study is to investigate the synthesis of crystalline forsterite using different zeolite precursors previously activated by ball milling. Synthetic forsterite was synthesized from different zeolite precursors and MgO combining highenergy ball milling and thermal treatment of the mixture under determined conditions of time and temperature for each operation. In this research are studied the solid-state phase transformations taking place at temperatures below 1273 K. The obtained products were characterized using different spectroscopy techniques in comparison with surface analysis method and X-ray diffraction.

Impact of the atomic layer deposition precursors diffusion on solid-state carbon nanotube based supercapacitors performances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiorentino, Giuseppe; Vollebregt, Sten; Ishihara, Ryoichi; Sarro, Pasqualina M; Tichelaar, F D

2015-01-01

A study on the impact of atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors diffusion on the performance of solid-state miniaturized nanostructure capacitor array is presented. Three-dimensional nanostructured capacitor array based on double conformal coating of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) bundles is realized using ALD to deposit Al 2 O 3 as dielectric layer and TiN as high aspect-ratio conformal counter-electrode on 2 μm long MWCNT bundles. The devices have a small footprint (from 100 μm 2 to 2500 μm 2 ) and are realized using an IC wafer-scale manufacturing process with high reproducibility (≤0.3E-12F deviation). To evaluate the enhancement of the electrode surface, the measured capacitance values are compared to a lumped circuital model. The observed discrepancies are explained with a partial coating of the CNT, that determine a limited use of the available electrode surface area. To analyze the CNT coating effectiveness, the ALD precursors diffusions inside the CNT bundle is studied using a Knudsen diffusion mechanism. (paper)

Impact of the atomic layer deposition precursors diffusion on solid-state carbon nanotube based supercapacitors performances

Science.gov (United States)

Fiorentino, Giuseppe; Vollebregt, Sten; Tichelaar, F. D.; Ishihara, Ryoichi; Sarro, Pasqualina M.

2015-02-01

A study on the impact of atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors diffusion on the performance of solid-state miniaturized nanostructure capacitor array is presented. Three-dimensional nanostructured capacitor array based on double conformal coating of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) bundles is realized using ALD to deposit Al2O3 as dielectric layer and TiN as high aspect-ratio conformal counter-electrode on 2 μm long MWCNT bundles. The devices have a small footprint (from 100 μm2 to 2500 μm2) and are realized using an IC wafer-scale manufacturing process with high reproducibility (≤0.3E-12F deviation). To evaluate the enhancement of the electrode surface, the measured capacitance values are compared to a lumped circuital model. The observed discrepancies are explained with a partial coating of the CNT, that determine a limited use of the available electrode surface area. To analyze the CNT coating effectiveness, the ALD precursors diffusions inside the CNT bundle is studied using a Knudsen diffusion mechanism.

Flash light sintered copper precursor/nanoparticle pattern with high electrical conductivity and low porosity for printed electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Wan-Ho; Hwang, Hyun-Jun; Kim, Hak-Sung

2015-01-01

In this work, the hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated and sintered via flash light irradiation to achieve highly conductive electrode pattern with low porosity. The hybrid copper ink was made of copper nanoparticles and various copper precursors (e.g., copper(II) chloride, copper(II) nitrate trihydrate, copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and copper(II) trifluoroacetylacetonate). The printed hybrid copper inks were sintered at room temperature and under ambient conditions using an in-house flash light sintering system. The effects of copper precursor weight fraction and the flash light irradiation conditions (light energy and pulse duration) were investigated. Surfaces of the sintered hybrid copper patterns were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. Also, spectroscopic characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the crystal phases of the flash light sintered copper precursors. High conductivity hybrid copper patterns (27.3 μΩ cm), which is comparable to the resistivity of bulk copper (1.68 μΩ cm) were obtained through flash light sintering at room temperature and under ambient conditions. - Highlights: • The hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated. • The hybrid copper ink was sintered via flash light irradiation. • The resistivity of sintered hybrid copper ink was 27.3 μΩ cm. • Highly conductive copper film with low porosity could be achieved

Flash light sintered copper precursor/nanoparticle pattern with high electrical conductivity and low porosity for printed electronics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Wan-Ho; Hwang, Hyun-Jun [Department of Mechanical Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haendang-Dong, Seongdong-Gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hak-Sung, E-mail: kima@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haendang-Dong, Seongdong-Gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-01

In this work, the hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated and sintered via flash light irradiation to achieve highly conductive electrode pattern with low porosity. The hybrid copper ink was made of copper nanoparticles and various copper precursors (e.g., copper(II) chloride, copper(II) nitrate trihydrate, copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and copper(II) trifluoroacetylacetonate). The printed hybrid copper inks were sintered at room temperature and under ambient conditions using an in-house flash light sintering system. The effects of copper precursor weight fraction and the flash light irradiation conditions (light energy and pulse duration) were investigated. Surfaces of the sintered hybrid copper patterns were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. Also, spectroscopic characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the crystal phases of the flash light sintered copper precursors. High conductivity hybrid copper patterns (27.3 μΩ cm), which is comparable to the resistivity of bulk copper (1.68 μΩ cm) were obtained through flash light sintering at room temperature and under ambient conditions. - Highlights: • The hybrid copper inks with precursor and nanoparticles were fabricated. • The hybrid copper ink was sintered via flash light irradiation. • The resistivity of sintered hybrid copper ink was 27.3 μΩ cm. • Highly conductive copper film with low porosity could be achieved.

Self-induced oscillation of free surface in a tank with circulating flow, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okamoto, Koji; Madarame, Haruki; Hagiwara, Tsuyoshi

1991-01-01

An energy supply mechanism to self-induced sloshing in a tank with circulating flow is proposed. The circulating flow impinges on the free surface making it swell partially. The amount of swell increases with increasing water level under the condition of growing sloshing. The change of the free surface contour by this effect supplies sufficient energy to the sloshing. The dependency of the sloshing growth on the flow rate and the water level is explained well by this model. (author)

Geometrically induced surface polaritons in planar nanostructured metallic cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davids, P. S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Intravia, F [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Dalvit, Diego A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2014-01-14

We examine the modal structure and dispersion of periodically nanostructured planar metallic cavities within the scattering matrix formulation. By nanostructuring a metallic grating in a planar cavity, artificial surface excitations or spoof plasmon modes are induced with dispersion determined by the periodicity and geometric characteristics of the grating. These spoof surface plasmon modes are shown to give rise to new cavity polaritonic modes at short mirror separations that modify the density of modes in nanostructured cavities. The increased modal density of states form cavity polarirons have a large impact on the fluctuation induced electromagnetic forces and enhanced hear transfer at short separations.

Surface modification on a glass surface with a combination technique of sol–gel and air brushing processes

KAUST Repository

Tsai, Meng-Yu; Hsu, Chin-Chi; Chen, Ping-Hei; Lin, Chao-Sung; Chen, Alexander

2011-01-01

This study fabricated the large area and optically transparent superhydrophobic silica based films on glass surface with optimized hardness. A silane coupling agent, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), effectively bonds silica particles onto the glass substrate. Desired surface roughness was obtained by adjusting nano silica particles concentration of the precursors prepared by the sol-gel process. Silica suspension was coated onto the glass substrate by the air brushing methods. This method can deposit a uniform, transparent coating on the glass substrate efficiently. Diluting the precursor by adding ethanol or a mixture of D.I. water and ethanol further improved the transmittance and superhydrophobicity efficiency. The results showed that as the silica particle concentration and the thickness of the coating were increased, the surface roughness was enhanced. Rougher surface displayed a higher superhydrophobicity and lower transmittance. Therefore, the concentration of silica particle, volume of coatings, and the ratio of ethanol and D.I. water are of great importance to deposit a transparent, superhydrophobic coating on glass. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface modification on a glass surface with a combination technique of sol–gel and air brushing processes

KAUST Repository

Tsai, Meng-Yu

2011-08-01

This study fabricated the large area and optically transparent superhydrophobic silica based films on glass surface with optimized hardness. A silane coupling agent, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), effectively bonds silica particles onto the glass substrate. Desired surface roughness was obtained by adjusting nano silica particles concentration of the precursors prepared by the sol-gel process. Silica suspension was coated onto the glass substrate by the air brushing methods. This method can deposit a uniform, transparent coating on the glass substrate efficiently. Diluting the precursor by adding ethanol or a mixture of D.I. water and ethanol further improved the transmittance and superhydrophobicity efficiency. The results showed that as the silica particle concentration and the thickness of the coating were increased, the surface roughness was enhanced. Rougher surface displayed a higher superhydrophobicity and lower transmittance. Therefore, the concentration of silica particle, volume of coatings, and the ratio of ethanol and D.I. water are of great importance to deposit a transparent, superhydrophobic coating on glass. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photo-induced formation of nitrous acid (HONO) on protein surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Meusel, Hannah; Elshorbany, Yasin; Bartels-Rausch, Thorsten; Selzle, Kathrin; Lelieveld, Jos; Ammann, Markus; Pöschl, Ulrich; Su, Hang; Cheng, Yafang

2014-05-01

ovalbumin (OVA) also show a clear light induced decomposition of nitrated proteins with HONO identified as one of the major products. This suggests a shortening of the lifetime of nitrated proteins during daytime. Our results indicate an important role of light to the fate of proteins, and through HONO, important OH precursors. Proteins and nitrated proteins on aerosol and ground surfaces may therefore influence the atmospheric chemistry and contribute to the oxidation capacity. References Bejan, I. et al., Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2006, 8 (17), 2028-2035. Kleffmann, J. et al., Geophysical Research Letters 2005, 32 (5). Miguel, A. G. et al., Environmental Science & Technology 1999, 33 (23), 4159-4168. Sosedova, Y., et al., Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences 2011, 10, 1680-1690. Stemmler, K. et al., Nature 2006, 440 (7081), 195-198. Su et al., Science 2010, 333, 1616-1618. Vogel, B. et al., Atmospheric Environment 2003, 37 (21), 2957-2966.

Relationship between organic precursors and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation in tropical water sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Wang; Fang Yee, Lim; Jiangyong, Hu

2014-12-01

The presence of organic compounds in water sources is one of the concerns in water treatment. They are potential precursors of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and thus induce health problems in humans. Among the emerging DBPs, carcinogenic compound N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has been receiving attention during the last decade. This study examined the characteristics of organic components in various water sources and investigated their relationships with NDMA formation. Experiments were carried out on selected water samples from both natural water and wastewater. Results showed similar NDMA formation kinetics for both water sources. However, more contribution of NDMA precursors was found to be from the wastewater due to its higher organic nitrogen content. NDMA formation potential (NDMAFP) of secondary effluent ranged from 264 to 530 ng/L. A correlation study between organic compound characteristics and NDMAFP indicated that the majority of NDMA precursors came from dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compound with small molecular weight (smaller than 500 Da), with correlation R(2) = 0.898. Although secondary treatment removed more than 90% of NDMA precursors, the remaining precursors in secondary effluent would still pose a challenge for water quality.

Coalescence-induced jumping of micro-droplets on heterogeneous superhydrophobic surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Attarzadeh, Reza; Dolatabadi, Ali

2017-01-01

The phenomenon of droplets coalescence-induced self-propelled jumping on homogeneous and heterogeneous superhydrophobic surfaces was numerically modeled using the volume of fluid method coupled with a dynamic contact angle model. The heterogeneity of the surface was directly modeled as a series of micro-patterned pillars. To resolve the influence of air around a droplet and between the pillars, extensive simulations were performed for different droplet sizes on a textured surface. Parallel computations with the OpenMP algorithm were used to accelerate computation speed to meet the convergence criteria. The composition of the air-solid surface underneath the droplet facilitated capturing the transition from a no-slip/no-penetration to a partial-slip with penetration as the contact line at triple point started moving to the air pockets. The wettability effect from the nanoscopic roughness and the coating was included in the model by using the intrinsic contact angle obtained from a previously published study. As the coalescence started, the radial velocity of the coalescing liquid bridge was partially reverted to the upward direction due to the counter-action of the surface. However, we found that the velocity varied with the size of the droplets. A part of the droplet kinetic energy was dissipated as the merged droplet started penetrating into the cavities. This was due to a different area in contact between the liquid and solid and, consequently, a higher viscous dissipation rate in the system. We showed that the effect of surface roughness is strongly significant when the size of the micro-droplet is comparable with the size of the roughness features. In addition, the relevance of droplet size to surface roughness (critical relative roughness) was numerically quantified. We also found that regardless of the viscous cutoff radius, as the relative roughness approached the value of 44, the direct inclusion of surface topography was crucial in the modeling of the

Light-induced alterations of pineapple (Ananas comosus [L.] Merr.) juice volatiles during accelerated ageing and mass spectrometric studies into their precursors.

Science.gov (United States)

Steingass, Christof Björn; Glock, Mona Pia; Lieb, Veronika Maria; Carle, Reinhold

2017-10-01

Alterations of volatiles during accelerated light-induced ageing of pineapple juice were assessed by HS-SPME-GC-MS in a non-targeted profiling analysis over a 16-week period. Multivariate statistics permitted to reveal substantial chemical markers generally describing the effect of light storage. Volatiles generated comprised phenylpropenes, carbonyls, 2-methylthiophene, toluene, and furfural, while concentrations of methyl and ethyl esters, terpenes, and furanones decreased. In addition, the qualitative composition of phenolic compounds and glycoside-bound volatiles in selected samples was characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS n as well as HR-ESI-MS. The fresh juice contained unique pineapple metabolites such as S-p-coumaryl, S-coniferyl, S-sinapylglutathione, and structurally related derivatives. Among others, the presence of p-coumaroyl, feruloyl, and caffeoylisocitrate as well as three 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone glycosides in pineapples could be substantiated by the HR-ESI-MS experiment. Mass spectrometric assignments of selected metabolites are presented, and putative linkages between volatiles and their precursors are established. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined effect of carcinogenic n-nitrosodimethylamine precursors and fractioned γ-irradiation on tumor development in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galenko, P.M.; Nedopitanskaya, N.N.

1996-01-01

The influence of combined action of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and fractioned γ-irradiation on tumor development in rats was investigated. Both the tumor frequency and tumor plurality coefficient have been studied for two types of treatment: precursors of NDMA (amidopyrine and/or sodium nitrite (SN)) alone and the combination 'precursors plus radiation'. Tumor frequency decreased by about 11% after combination of γ-irradiation and precursors in comparison with precursors alone. Nevertheless, treatment with SN and γ-irradiation did not change tumor frequency in comparison with SN alone. Irradiation of rats treated with precursors led to an increased tumor plurality coefficient

Surface-environment effects in spin crossover solids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gudyma, Iu., E-mail: yugudyma@gmail.com; Maksymov, A.

2017-06-15

Highlights: • The spin-crossover nanocrystals were described by modified Ising-like model. • The ligand field on the surface is a function of external fluctuations. • The thermal hysteresis with surface and bulk interactions of the lattice was studied. • The system behavior with fluctuating ligand field on the surface was examined. • The fluctuations enlarge the hysteresis, but smaller surface interaction narrows it. - Abstract: The impact of surface effects on thermal induced spin crossover phenomenon is a subject of a broad and current interest. Using the modified Ising-like model of spin crossover solids with the ligand field as function of the molecule’ positions and random component on surface by means of Metropolis Monte Carlo algorithm the thermal spin transition curves were calculated. The analysis of spin configuration during transition gives a general idea about contribution of molecules from the surface and inside the lattice into resulting magnetization of the systems. The behavior of hysteresis loop for various surface coupling and fluctuations strength has been described.

Electron heating, magnetic field amplification, and cosmic-ray precursor length at supernova remnant shocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laming, J. Martin [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7684, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Hwang, Una [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Ghavamian, Parviz [Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252 (United States); Rakowski, Cara, E-mail: laming@nrl.navy.mil, E-mail: Una.Hwang-1@nasa.gov, E-mail: pghavamian@towson.edu

2014-07-20

We investigate the observability, by direct and indirect means, of a shock precursor arising from magnetic field amplification by cosmic rays. We estimate the depth of such a precursor under conditions of nonresonant amplification, which can provide magnetic field strengths comparable to those inferred for supernova remnants. Magnetic field generation occurs as the streaming cosmic rays induce a plasma return current, and it may be quenched by either nonresonant or resonant channels. In the case of nonresonant saturation, the cosmic rays become magnetized and amplification saturates at higher magnetic fields. The precursor can extend out to 10{sup 17}-10{sup 18} cm and is potentially detectable. If resonant saturation occurs, the cosmic rays are scattered by turbulence and the precursor length will likely be much smaller. The dependence of precursor length on shock velocity has implications for electron heating. In the case of resonant saturation, this dependence is similar to that in the more familiar resonantly generated shock precursor, which when expressed in terms of the cosmic-ray diffusion coefficient kappav and shock velocity v{sub s} is kappav/v{sub s} . In the nonresonantly saturated case, the precursor length declines less quickly with increasing v{sub s} . Where precursor length proportional to 1/v{sub s} gives constant electron heating, this increased precursor length could be expected to lead to higher electron temperatures for nonresonant amplification. This should be expected at faster supernova remnant shocks than studied by previous works. Existing results and new data analysis of SN 1006 and Cas A suggest some observational support for this idea.

Variations in sea surface roughness induced by the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman tsunami

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. A. Godin

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Observations of tsunamis away from shore are critically important for improving early warning systems and understanding of tsunami generation and propagation. Tsunamis are difficult to detect and measure in the open ocean because the wave amplitude there is much smaller than it is close to shore. Currently, tsunami observations in deep water rely on measurements of variations in the sea surface height or bottom pressure. Here we demonstrate that there exists a different observable, specifically, ocean surface roughness, which can be used to reveal tsunamis away from shore. The first detailed measurements of the tsunami effect on sea surface height and radar backscattering strength in the open ocean were obtained from satellite altimeters during passage of the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman tsunami. Through statistical analyses of satellite altimeter observations, we show that the Sumatra-Andaman tsunami effected distinct, detectable changes in sea surface roughness. The magnitude and spatial structure of the observed variations in radar backscattering strength are consistent with hydrodynamic models predicting variations in the near-surface wind across the tsunami wave front. Tsunami-induced changes in sea surface roughness can be potentially used for early tsunami detection by orbiting microwave radars and radiometers, which have broad surface coverage across the satellite ground track.

Effect of precursor solutions stirring on deep level defects concentration and spatial distribution in low temperature aqueous chemical synthesis of zinc oxide nanorods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alnoor, Hatim, E-mail: hatim.alnoor@liu.se; Chey, Chan Oeurn; Pozina, Galia; Willander, Magnus; Nur, Omer [Department of Science and Technology (ITN), Campus Norrköping, Linköping University, SE-601 74 Norrköping (Sweden); Liu, Xianjie; Khranovskyy, Volodymyr [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, SE-583 81 Linköping (Sweden)

2015-08-15

Hexagonal c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs) with 120-300 nm diameters are synthesized via the low temperature aqueous chemical route at 80 °C on silver-coated glass substrates. The influence of varying the precursor solutions stirring durations on the concentration and spatial distributions of deep level defects in ZnO NRs is investigated. Room temperature micro-photoluminesnce (μ-PL) spectra were collected for all samples. Cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra of the as-synthesized NRs reveal a significant change in the intensity ratio of the near band edge emission (NBE) to the deep-level emission (DLE) peaks with increasing stirring durations. This is attributed to the variation in the concentration of the oxygen-deficiency with increasing stirring durations as suggested from the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Spatially resolved CL spectra taken along individual NRs revealed that stirring the precursor solutions for relatively short duration (1-3 h), which likely induced high super saturation under thermodynamic equilibrium during the synthesis process, is observed to favor the formation of point defects moving towards the tip of the NRs. In contrary, stirring for longer duration (5-15 h) will induce low super saturation favoring the formation of point defects located at the bottom of the NRs. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to control the concentration and spatial distribution of deep level defects in ZnO NRs by varying the stirring durations of the precursor solutions.

Effect of precursor solutions stirring on deep level defects concentration and spatial distribution in low temperature aqueous chemical synthesis of zinc oxide nanorods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatim Alnoor

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Hexagonal c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO nanorods (NRs with 120-300 nm diameters are synthesized via the low temperature aqueous chemical route at 80 °C on silver-coated glass substrates. The influence of varying the precursor solutions stirring durations on the concentration and spatial distributions of deep level defects in ZnO NRs is investigated. Room temperature micro-photoluminesnce (μ-PL spectra were collected for all samples. Cathodoluminescence (CL spectra of the as-synthesized NRs reveal a significant change in the intensity ratio of the near band edge emission (NBE to the deep-level emission (DLE peaks with increasing stirring durations. This is attributed to the variation in the concentration of the oxygen-deficiency with increasing stirring durations as suggested from the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Spatially resolved CL spectra taken along individual NRs revealed that stirring the precursor solutions for relatively short duration (1-3 h, which likely induced high super saturation under thermodynamic equilibrium during the synthesis process, is observed to favor the formation of point defects moving towards the tip of the NRs. In contrary, stirring for longer duration (5-15 h will induce low super saturation favoring the formation of point defects located at the bottom of the NRs. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to control the concentration and spatial distribution of deep level defects in ZnO NRs by varying the stirring durations of the precursor solutions.

Filament-induced remote surface ablation for long range laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohwetter, Ph.; Stelmaszczyk, K.; Woeste, L.; Ackermann, R.; Mejean, G.; Salmon, E.; Kasparian, J.; Yu, J.; Wolf, J.-P.

2005-01-01

We demonstrate laser induced ablation and plasma line emission from a metallic target at distances up to 180 m from the laser, using filaments (self-guided propagation structures ∼ 100 μm in diameter and ∼ 5 x 10 13 W/cm 2 in intensity) appearing as femtosecond and terawatt laser pulses propagating in air. The remarkable property of filaments to propagate over a long distance independently of the diffraction limit opens the frontier to long range operation of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique. We call this special configuration of remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy 'remote filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy'. Our results show main features of filament-induced ablation on the surface of a metallic sample and associated plasma emission. Our experimental data allow us to estimate requirements for the detection system needed for kilometer-range remote filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy experiment

Low energy helium ion irradiation induced nanostructure formation on tungsten surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ajlony, A.; Tripathi, J.K.; Hassanein, A.

2017-01-01

We report on the low energy helium ion irradiation induced surface morphology changes on tungsten (W) surfaces under extreme conditions. Surface morphology changes on W surfaces were monitored as a function of helium ion energy (140–300 eV), fluence (2.3 × 10 24 –1.6 × 10 25 ions m −2 ), and flux (2.0 × 10 20 –5.5 × 10 20 ion m −2 s −1 ). All the experiments were performed at 900° C. Our study shows significant effect of all the three ion irradiation parameters (ion flux, fluence, and energy) on the surface morphology. However, the effect of ion flux is more pronounced. Variation of helium ion fluence allows to capture the very early stages of fuzz growth. The observed fuzz growth and morphology changes were understood in the realm of various possible phenomena. The study has relevance and important impact in the current and future nuclear fusion applications. - Highlights: •Reporting formation of W nanostructure (fuzz) due to low energy He ion beam irradiation. •Observing the very early stages for the W-Fuzz formation. •Tracking the surface morphological evolution during the He irradiation. •Discussing in depth our observation and drawing a possible scenario that explain this phenomenon. •Studying various ions irradiation parameters such as flux, fluence, and ions energy.

Silicon dioxide obtained by Polymeric Precursor Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, C.T.; Granado, S.R.; Lopes, S.A.; Cavalheiro, A.A.

2011-01-01

The Polymeric Precursor Method is able for obtaining several oxide material types with high surface area even obtained in particle form. Several MO 2 oxide types such as titanium, silicon and zirconium ones can be obtained by this methodology. In this work, the synthesis of silicon oxide was monitored by thermal analysis, XRD and surface area analysis in order to demonstrate the influence of the several synthesis and calcining parameters. Surface area values as higher as 370m2/g and increasing in the micropore volume nm were obtained when the material was synthesized by using ethylene glycol as polymerizing agent. XRD analysis showed that the material is amorphous when calcinated at 600°C in despite of the time of calcining, but the material morphology is strongly influenced by the polymeric resin composition. Using Glycerol as polymerizing agent, the pore size increase and the surface area goes down with the increasing in decomposition time, when compared to ethylene glycol. (author)

Zinc Deficiency Induces Apoptosis via Mitochondrial p53- and Caspase-Dependent Pathways in Human Neuronal Precursor Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Seth, Rohit; Corniola, Rikki S.; Gower-Winter, Shannon D.; Morgan, Thomas J., Jr.; Bishop, Brian; Levenson, Cathy W.

2015-01-01

Previous studies have shown that zinc deficiency leads to apoptosis of neuronal precursor cells in vivo and in vitro. In addition to the role of p53 as a nuclear transcription factor in zinc deficient cultured human neuronal precursors (NT-2), we have now identified the translocation of phosphorylated p53 to the mitochondria and p53-dependent…

Effects of Sea-Surface Waves and Ocean Spray on Air-Sea Momentum Fluxes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ting; Song, Jinbao

2018-04-01

The effects of sea-surface waves and ocean spray on the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) at different wind speeds and wave ages were investigated. An MABL model was developed that introduces a wave-induced component and spray force to the total surface stress. The theoretical model solution was determined assuming the eddy viscosity coefficient varied linearly with height above the sea surface. The wave-induced component was evaluated using a directional wave spectrum and growth rate. Spray force was described using interactions between ocean-spray droplets and wind-velocity shear. Wind profiles and sea-surface drag coefficients were calculated for low to high wind speeds for wind-generated sea at different wave ages to examine surface-wave and ocean-spray effects on MABL momentum distribution. The theoretical solutions were compared with model solutions neglecting wave-induced stress and/or spray stress. Surface waves strongly affected near-surface wind profiles and sea-surface drag coefficients at low to moderate wind speeds. Drag coefficients and near-surface wind speeds were lower for young than for old waves. At high wind speeds, ocean-spray droplets produced by wind-tearing breaking-wave crests affected the MABL strongly in comparison with surface waves, implying that wave age affects the MABL only negligibly. Low drag coefficients at high wind caused by ocean-spray production increased turbulent stress in the sea-spray generation layer, accelerating near-sea-surface wind. Comparing the analytical drag coefficient values with laboratory measurements and field observations indicated that surface waves and ocean spray significantly affect the MABL at different wind speeds and wave ages.

Selective Disparity of Ordinary Chondritic Precursors in Micrometeorite Flux

Science.gov (United States)

Rudraswami, N. G.; Fernandes, D.; Naik, A. K.; Shyam Prasad, M.; Carrillo-Sánchez, J. D.; Plane, J. M. C.; Feng, W.; Taylor, S.

2018-01-01

All known extraterrestrial dust (micrometeoroids) entering the Earth’s atmosphere is anticipated to have a significant contribution from ordinary chondritic precursors, as seen in meteorites, but this is an apparent contradiction that needs to be addressed. Ordinary chondrites represent a minor contribution to the overall meteor influx compared to carbonaceous chondrites, which are largely dominated by CI and/or CM chondrites. However, the near-Earth asteroid population presents a scenario with sufficient scope for generation of dust-sized debris from ordinary chondritic sources. The bulk chemical composition of 3255 micrometeorites (MMs) collected from Antarctica and deep-sea sediments has shown Mg/Si largely dominated by carbonaceous chondrites, and less than 10% having ordinary chondritic precursors. The chemical ablation model is combined with different initial chondritic compositions (CI, CV, L, LL, H), and the results clearly indicate that high-density (≥2.8 g cm‑3) precursors, such as CV and ordinary chondrites in the size range 100–700 μm and zenith angle 0°–70°, ablate at much faster rates and lose their identity even before reaching the Earth’s surface and hence are under-represented in our collections. Moreover, their ability to survive as MMs remains grim for high-velocity micrometeoroids (>16 km s‑1). The elemental ratio for CV and ordinary chondrites are also similar to each other irrespective of the difference in the initial chemical composition. In conclusion, MMs belonging to ordinary chondritic precursors’ concentrations may not be insignificant in thermosphere, as they are found on Earth’s surface.

Morphology and phase structures of CW laser-induced oxide layers on iron surface with evolving reflectivity and colors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Taotao, E-mail: wutaotao@nint.ac.cn; Wang, Lijun; Wei, Chenghua; Zhou, Menglian; He, Minbo; Wu, Lixiong

2016-11-30

Highlights: • Firstly, iron samples with different color features were obtained by continuous wave laser irradiation depending on progressive durations. The real-time reflectivity and temperature of samples were measured. The color and the reflectivity evolution were related. They were both caused by the forming oxide films. • Secondly, laser-induced oxidation process of iron was studied by microscope, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum. The first formed magnetite made the surface reflectivity decline rapidly and caused the “positive feedback” effect because of molecular absorption. The later formed hematite oscillated the reflectivity by interference effect. • Lastly, the laser-induced oxide films were thin, orientated and badly crystallized. The Wagner oxidation theory was incapable of describing the non-isothermal and early stage oxidation process. So we emphasized that a precise oxidation model depending on the experiment and the optical constants of the laser-induced oxides must be studied. - Abstract: Laser-induced oxidation will change the laser reflectivity and color features of metal surface. Both changes can be theoretically calculated based on the oxidation kinetics and the optical constants of oxides. For the purpose of calculation, the laser-induced oxidation process of pure polycrystalline iron was studied. Samples with various color features were obtained by continuous wave Nd:YAG fiber laser (1.06 μm) irradiation depending on progressive durations in the intensity of 1.90 W/cm{sup 2}. The real-time reflectivity and temperature were measured with integral sphere and thermocouples. The irradiated surface morphology and phase structures were characterized by microscope, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum. It was found that the first formed magnetite made the surface reflectivity decline rapidly and caused the “positive feedback” effect because of molecular absorption. The later formed hematite oscillated the reflectivity by

Thermo-radiosensitivity of the granulocyte and macrophage precursor cells of mice. II. - X irradiation effects and influence of hyperthermia on the radiosensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bueren, J.A.; Nieto, M.

1983-01-01

The effects of the X-irradiation on the viability of the granulocyte-macrophage precursors, has been determined by means of the agar diffusion chamber culture technique. The results show the high radiosensitivity of these cells, with survival parameter similar to those previously reported in the literature about different granulocyte-macrophage precursors. When a hyperthermic treatment is performed prior to the X-irradiation, a radiosensitization phenomenon is observed due to the synergism existent between hyperthermia and X rays on the lethality of the precursors. (Authors) 37 refs

Molecular Signaling Pathways Mediating Osteoclastogenesis Induced by Prostate Cancer Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafiei, Shahrzad; Komarova, Svetlana V

2013-01-01

Advanced prostate cancer commonly metastasizes to bone leading to osteoblastic and osteolytic lesions. Although an osteolytic component governed by activation of bone resorbing osteoclasts is prominent in prostate cancer metastasis, the molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis are not well-understood. We studied the effect of soluble mediators released from human prostate carcinoma cells on osteoclast formation from mouse bone marrow and RAW 264.7 monocytes. Soluble factors released from human prostate carcinoma cells significantly increased viability of naïve bone marrow monocytes, as well as osteoclastogenesis from precursors primed with receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand (RANKL). The prostate cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis was not mediated by RANKL as it was not inhibited by osteoprotegerin (OPG). However inhibition of TGFβ receptor I (TβRI), or macrophage-colony stimulating factor (MCSF) resulted in attenuation of prostate cancer-induced osteoclastogenesis. We characterized the signaling pathways induced in osteoclast precursors by soluble mediators released from human prostate carcinoma cells. Prostate cancer factors increased basal calcium levels and calcium fluctuations, induced nuclear localization of nuclear factor of activated t-cells (NFAT)c1, and activated prolonged phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in RANKL-primed osteoclast precursors. Inhibition of calcium signaling, NFATc1 activation, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation significantly reduced the ability of prostate cancer mediators to stimulate osteoclastogenesis. This study reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying the direct osteoclastogenic effect of prostate cancer derived factors, which may be beneficial in developing novel osteoclast-targeting therapeutic approaches

Effects of surface relaxation and reconstruction on the vibration characteristics of nanobeams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Wen-Ming; Hu, Kai-Ming; Peng, Zhi-Ke; Meng, Guang; Yang, Bin

2016-01-01

Surface effects on the free vibration characteristics of nanobeams are investigated by a modified continuum model. In this paper, the relationship between the parameters of the modified continuum model of surface effects including surface elasticity, surface density, and residual surface stresses, and the parameters of the atomistic lattice model such as surface relaxation and reconstruction in nanobeams is characterized by an atomistic lattice model. The surface effects are incorporated into nanobeams to develop a modified continuum model depicting the free vibrational behavior of nanobeams. The model is validated with the experimental data of an effective size-dependent Young’s modulus and the previous theoretical results. The results demonstrate that both surface elasticity and surface density vary exponentially with surface layer thickness. Therefore, surface elasticity and density can be affected by surface relaxation and residual surface stresses can be induced by surface reconstruction. The natural frequencies of doubly clamped nanobeams can be affected by the dimensions of the nanobeams, surface layer thickness, and residual surface stress. This work may be helpful for understanding surface effects and their influence on the vibrational behavior of nanobeams. (paper)

Patterned YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films from photopolymerizable precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, Y.; Agostinelli, J.A.

1990-01-01

A technique which combines the fabrication and patterning of thin films of the high T c superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x has been developed. The technique possesses the essential features of the metalorganic decomposition method with the additional attribute that the metalorganic precursor is photopolymerizable. Patterns are generated directly in the precursor film using optical exposure through a mask followed by development in a solvent. A subsequent thermal treatment transforms the patterned precursor film to the oriented superconducting phase with c axis perpendicular to the substrate surface. Resistivity measurements for such a patterned film on a single crystal (100)MgO substrate show an onset to the superconducting state occurring at 85 K with zero resistivity below 67 K

Synthesis and characterization of graphene layers prepared by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition using triphenylphosphine as precursor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mastrapa, G.C.; Maia da Costa, M.E.H. Maia [Departamento de Física, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, 22451-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Larrude, D.G., E-mail: dunigl@vdg.fis.puc-rio.br [Departamento de Física, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, 22451-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Freire, F.L. [Departamento de Física, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, 22451-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Brazilian Center for Physical Research, 22290-180, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2015-09-15

The synthesis of a single-layer graphene using a low-pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) system with triphenylphosphine as precursor is reported. The amount of triphenylphosphine used as precursor was in the range of 10–40 mg. Raman spectroscopy was employed to analyze samples prepared with 10 mg of the precursor, and these spectra were found typical of graphene. The Raman measurements indicate that the progressive degradation of graphene occurs as the amount of triphenylphosphine increases. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements were performed to investigate the different chemical environments involving carbon and phosphorous atoms. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were also employed and the results reveal the formation of dispersed nanostructures on top of the graphene layer, In addition, the number of these nanostructures is directly related to the amount of precursor used for sample growth. - Highlights: • We grow graphene using the solid precursor triphenylphosphine. • Raman analysis confirms the presence of monolayer graphene. • SEM images show the presence of small dark areas dispersed on the graphene surface. • Raman I{sub D}/I{sub G} ratio increases in the dark region of the graphene surface.

Carbon fibre as a composites materials precursor-A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, A.F.; Yusof, N.; Mustafa, A.

2010-01-01

Carbon fibers are widely used as reinforcement in composite materials such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics, carbon fiber reinforced ceramics, carbon-carbon composites and carbon fiber reinforced metals, due to their high specific strength and modulus. Carbon fiber composites are ideally suited to applications where strength, stiffness, lower weight and outstanding fatigue characteristics are critical requirements. Generally, there are two main sectors of carbon fiber applications. Application of carbon fiber in high technology sectors includes aerospace and nuclear engineering whereby the use of carbon fiber is driven by maximum performance and not significantly influenced by cost factors. Meanwhile, the application in general engineering and transportations sector is dominated by cost constraints. Carbon fibers used in composites are often coated or surface treated to improve interaction between the fiber surface and the matrix. PAN/ CNT composite fibers are good candidates for the development of next generation carbon fibers with improved tensile strength and modulus while retaining its compressive strength. This paper aims at reviewing and critically discussing the fabrication aspects of carbon fiber for composites which can be divided into several sections: precursor selection, spinning process, pretreatment of the precursor, pyrolysis process, and also surface treatment of the carbon fiber. The future direction of carbon fiber for composite is also briefly identified to further extend the boundary of science and technology in order to fully exploit its potential. (author)

The effect of incidence angle on ion bombardment induced surface topography development on single crystal copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, G.; Nobes, M.J.; Lewis, G.W.; Whitton, J.L.

1982-01-01

The fluence dependence of development of microscopic surface features, particularly etch pits, during 9 keV Ar + ion bombardment of (11,3,1) oriented Cu single crystals has been studied employing quasi-dynamic irradiation and observation techniques in a scanning electron microscope-accelerator system. 9 keV ions are observed not to produce crystallographic pyramids under all irradiation conditions for this surface, a very different result from our earlier studies with higher energy ions. The bombardment does elaborate etch pits however, the habits and growth kinetics of which depend upon both polar and azimuthal angles of ion incidence to the surface. The results are explained in terms of differential erosion of crystal planes modified by the presence of pre-existing and irradiation induces extended defects. (orig.)

Large-area uniform periodic microstructures on fused silica induced by surface phonon polaritons and incident laser

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chuanchao; Liao, Wei; Zhang, Lijuan; Jiang, Xiaolong; Chen, Jing; Wang, Haijun; Luan, Xiaoyu; Yuan, Xiaodong

2018-06-01

A simple and convenient means to self-organize large-area uniform periodic microstructures on fused silica by using multiple raster scans of microsecond CO2 laser pulses with beam spot overlapping at normal incidence is presented, which is based on laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) attributed to the interference between surface phonon polaritons and incident CO2 laser. The evolution of fused silica surface morphologies with increasing raster scans indicates that the period of microstructures changed from 10.6 μm to 9 μm and the profiles of microstructures changed from a sinusoidal curve to a half-sinusoidal shape. Numerical simulation results suggest that the formation of the half-sinusoidal profile is due to the exponential relationship between evaporation rate and surface temperature inducing by the intensive interference between surface phonon polaritons and incident laser. The fabricated uniform periodic microstructures show excellent structural color effect in both forward-diffraction and back-diffraction.

Silica-supported, single-site titanium catalysts for olefin epoxidation. A molecular precursor strategy for control of catalyst structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarupatrakorn, Jonggol; Don Tilley, T

2002-07-17

A molecular precursor approach involving simple grafting procedures was used to produce site-isolated titanium-supported epoxidation catalysts of high activity and selectivity. The tris(tert-butoxy)siloxy titanium complexes Ti[OSi(O(t)Bu)(3)](4) (TiSi4), ((i)PrO)Ti[OSi(O(t)Bu)(3)](3) (TiSi3), and ((t)BuO)(3)TiOSi(O(t)Bu)(3) (TiSi) react with the hydroxyl groups of amorphous Aerosil, mesoporous MCM-41, and SBA-15 via loss of HO(t)Bu and/or HOSi(O(t)Bu)(3) and introduction of titanium species onto the silica surface. Powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, infrared, and diffuse reflectance ultraviolet spectroscopies were used to investigate the structures and chemical natures of the surface-bound titanium species. The titanium species exist mainly in isolated, tetrahedral coordination environments. Increasing the number of siloxide ligands in the molecular precursor decreases the amount of titanium that can be introduced this way, but also enhances the catalytic activity and selectivity for the epoxidation of cyclohexene with cumene hydroperoxide as oxidant. In addition, the high surface area mesoporous silicas (MCM-41 and SBA-15) are more effective than amorphous silica as supports for these catalysts. Supporting TiSi3 on the SBA-15 affords highly active cyclohexene epoxidation catalysts (0.25-1.77 wt % Ti loading) that provide turnover frequencies (TOFs) of 500-1500 h(-1) after 1 h (TOFs are reduced by about half after calcination). These results demonstrate that oxygen-rich siloxide complexes of titanium are useful as precursors to supported epoxidation catalysts.

Directed Hierarchical Patterning of Polycarbonate Bisphenol A Glass Surface along Predictable Sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mazen Khaled

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports a new approach in designing textured and hierarchical surfaces on polycarbonate bisphenol A type glass to improve hydrophobicity and dust repellent application for solar panels. Solvent- and vapor-induced crystallization of thermoplastic glass polycarbonate bisphenol A (PC is carried out to create hierarchically structured surfaces. In this approach dichloromethane (DCM and acetone are used in sequence. Samples are initially immersed in DCM liquid to generate nanopores, followed by exposing to acetone vapor resulting in the generation of hierarchical structure along the interporous sites. The effects of exposure time on the size, density, and distance of the generated spherules and gaps are studied and correlated with the optical transmittance and contact angle measurements at the surface. At optimized exposure time a contact angle of 98° was achieved with 80% optical transmittance. To further increase the hydrophobicity while maintaining optical properties, the hierarchical surfaces were coated with a transparent composite of tetraethyl orthosilicate as precursor and hexamethyldisilazane as silylation agent resulting in an average contact angle of 135.8° and transmittance of around 70%. FTIR and AFM characterization techniques are employed to study the composition and morphology of the generated surfaces.

The interleukin (IL-1a precursor is biologically active and is likely a key alarmin in the IL-1 family of cytokines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busun eKim

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Among the eleven members of the IL-1 family cytokines, the precursors of IL-1a, IL-1b, and IL-33 have relatively long N-terminal pro-sequences of approximately one hundred amino acid residues prior to the N-terminus of the mature forms. Compared to the mature forms secreted from the cell, 80-90% of the primary translation product is in the intracellular compartment in the precursor form. However, the precursors are readily released from cells during infections but also with non-infectious conditions such a hypoxia and trauma. In this setting, the precursors act rapidly as alarmins in the absence of a processing mechanism to remove the pro-sequence and generate a mature form. In the case of IL-1a, the release of the precursor activates adjacent cells via receptor-mediated signaling. However, there are no data comparing the specific activity of the IL-1a precursor to the mature form. In the present study, we compared the precursor and mature forms of recombinant human IL-1a, IL-1b and IL-33 proteins on the induction of cytokines from A549 cells as well as from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC. Similar to the mature form, the IL-1a precursor was active in inducing IL 6 and TNFa, whereas the precursor forms of IL 1b and IL-33 were not active. On PBMC, precursor and mature IL-1a at 0.04 and 0.2 nano-mole were equally active in inducing IL-6. Given the fact that during necrotic cell death, the IL-1a precursor is released intact and triggers IL-1 receptors on tissue macrophages, these data identify the precursor form of IL-1a as a key player in sterile inflammation.

Ion-Induced Surface Modification of Magnetically Operated Contacts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Arushanov

2012-02-01

Full Text Available A study has been made of permalloy (iron-nickel contacts of reed switches before and after ion-induced surface modification using atomic force and optical microscopy, Auger electron and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been found that the formation of surface nitride layers enhances corrosion and erosion resistance of contacts. We proposed to produce such layers directly into sealed reed switches by means of pulsing glow-discharge nitrogen plasma.

Helium-induced hardening effect in polycrystalline tungsten

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Fanhang; Qu, Miao; Yan, Sha; Zhang, Ailin; Peng, Shixiang; Xue, Jianming; Wang, Yugang

2017-09-01

In this paper, helium induced hardening effect of tungsten was investigated. 50 keV He2+ ions at fluences vary from 5 × 1015 cm-2 to 5 × 1017 cm-2 were implanted into polycrystalline tungsten at RT to create helium bubble-rich layers near the surface. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the irradiated specimens were studied by TEM and nano-indentor. Helium bubble rich layers are formed in near surface region, and the layers become thicker with the rise of fluences. Helium bubbles in the area of helium concentration peak are found to grow up, while the bubble density is almost unchanged. Obvious hardening effect is induced by helium implantation in tungsten. Micro hardness increases rapidly with the fluence firstly, and more slowly when the fluence is above 5 × 1016 cm-2. The hardening effect of tungsten can be attributed to helium bubbles, which is found to be in agreement with the Bacon-Orowan stress formula. The growing diameter is the major factor rather than helium bubbles density (voids distance) in the process of helium implantation at fluences below 5 × 1017 cm-2.

Origins of ion irradiation-induced Ga nanoparticle motion on GaAs surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, M.; Wu, J. H.; Chen, H. Y.; Thornton, K.; Goldman, R. S.; Sofferman, D. L.; Beskin, I.

2013-01-01

We have examined the origins of ion irradiation-induced nanoparticle (NP) motion. Focused-ion-beam irradiation of GaAs surfaces induces random walks of Ga NPs, which are biased in the direction opposite to that of ion beam scanning. Although the instantaneous NP velocities are constant, the NP drift velocities are dependent on the off-normal irradiation angle, likely due to a difference in surface non-stoichiometry induced by the irradiation angle dependence of the sputtering yield. It is hypothesized that the random walks are initiated by ion irradiation-induced thermal fluctuations, with biasing driven by anisotropic mass transport

Solvent-induced synthesis of nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres with tunable surface morphology for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Feng; Yuan, Ren-Lu; Zhang, Ning; Ke, Chang-Ce; Ma, Shao-Xia; Zhang, Ru-Liang; Liu, Lei

2018-04-01

Nitrogen doped hollow carbon spheres (NHCSs) with tunable surface morphology have been prepared through one-pot carbonization method by using melamine-formaldehyde spheres as template and resorcinol-based resin as carbon precursor in ethanol-water solution. Well-dispersed NHCSs with particle size of 800 nm were obtained and the surface of NHCSs turn from smooth to tough, wrinkled, and finally concave by increasing the ethanol concentration. The fabricated NHCSs possessed high nitrogen content (3.99-4.83%) and hierarchical micro-dual mesoporous structure with surface area range of 265-405 m2 g-1 and total pore volume of 0.18-0.29 cm3 g-1, which contributed to high specific capacitance, excellent rate capability and long cycle life.

The use of radioactive precursors for the labeling of ribosomal proteins in Euglena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freyssinet, Georges

1977-01-01

The metabolism of three radioactive compounds has been studied in Euglena gracilis, either in the dark during the non-growing phase, or during light-induced greening, in the presence or absence of inhibitors of protein synthesis. The results can be summarized as follows: the fixation of 14 CO 2 and its incorporation into proteins occurs rapidly. Their intensities depend on the time of incubation and the physiological state of cells. Radioactive amino acids penetrate the cells within 2-4 hours and incorporation into proteins follows the uptake. In a few cases, amino acid uptake is low or even nonexistent. The rates of uptake and incorporation of radioactive sodium sulfate depend on the sulfur deficiency induced during growth in the dark, and on the time of incubation. Protein synthesis inhibitors act either on uptake or on incorporation or on both. The rate of inhibition depends on the inhibitor and precursor used. The radioactive precursors can be used for the labeling of cytoplasmic and chloroplast ribosomal proteins. The most favourable conditions for this labeling are mostly related to the uptake and incorporation measured on whole cells. All these results allow criteria to be determined which facilitate the choice of inhibitors, precursors and conditions of incubation depending on the protein studied

Silver Nanoparticle-Decorated Shape-Memory Polystyrene Sheets as Highly Sensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates with a Thermally Inducible Hot Spot Effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Mengesha, Zebasil Tassew; Yang, Jyisy

2016-11-15

In this study, an active surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate with a thermally inducible hot spot effect for sensitive measurement of Raman-active molecules was successfully fabricated from silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-decorated shape-memory polystyrene (SMP) sheets. To prepare the SERS substrate, SMP sheets were first pretreated with n-octylamine for effective decoration with AgNPs. By varying the formulation and condition of the reduction reaction, AgNP-decorated SMP (Ag@SMP) substrates were successfully prepared with optimized particle gaps to produce inducible hot spot effects on thermal shrink. High-quality SERS spectra were easily obtained with enhancement factors higher than 10 8 by probing with aromatic thiols. Several Ag@SMP substrates produced under different reaction conditions were explored for the creation of inducible hot spot effects. The results indicated that AgNP spacing is crucial for strong hot spot effects. The suitability of Ag@SMP substrates for quantification was also evaluated according to the detection of adenine. Results confirmed that prepared Ag@SMP substrates were highly suitable for quantitative analysis because they yielded an estimated limit of detection as low as 120 pg/cm 2 , a linear range of up to 7 ng/cm 2 , and a regression coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.9959. Ag@SMP substrates were highly reproducible; the average relative standard deviation for all measurements was less than 10%.

Effect of heat absorbing powder addition on cell morphology of porous titanium composite manufactured by reactive precursor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobashi, Makoto; Kamiya, Yoshinori; Kanetake, Naoyuki

2012-01-01

Open-cell structured porous titanium/ceramics composite was synthesized by a reactive precursor method using titanium and boron carbide (B 4 C) as reactant powders. Pore morphology was controlled by adding heat absorbing powder (titanium diboride: TiB 2 ) in the Ti+B 4 C blended powder. The effects of molar blending ratio of titanium and B 4 C and the amount of heat absorbing powder addition on the cell morphology (either open or closed) were investigated. Fine and homogeneous open-cell structure was achieved by adding appropriate amount of heat absorbing agent powder (>15 vol%), and the relative density of the specimen after the reaction became closer to that of the precursor by increasing TiB 2 volume fraction. When the volume fraction of TiB 2 addition was 20%, the open-cell fraction was maintained as 1.0 regardless of the relative density of the precursor.

Effects of a combination of elicitation and precursor feeding on grape amino acid composition through foliar applications to Garnacha vineyard.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-Gamboa, Gastón; Portu, Javier; López, Rosa; Santamaría, Pilar; Garde-Cerdán, Teresa

2018-04-01

Vine foliar applications of phenylalanine (Phe) or methyl jasmonate (MeJ) could improve the synthesis of secondary metabolites. However, there are no reports focusing on the effects of elicitation supported by precursor feeding on must amino acid composition in grapevines. The aim of this research was to study the effect of the elicitation of methyl jasmonate (MeJ) supported by phenylalanine (Phe) as a precursor feeding (MeJ+Phe) and its application individually on must amino acid composition. Results showed that foliar Phe and MeJ treatments decreased the concentration of most of the studied amino acids with respect to the control (p≤0.05). MeJ+Phe treatment did not affect must nitrogen content. Musts obtained from MeJ+Phe showed higher concentration of several amino acids than samples from Phe and MeJ applications. Therefore, other sources of precursor feeding could support elicitation, to improve amino acid composition and be considered as a tool for viticulture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adult subependymal neural precursors, but not differentiated cells, undergo rapid cathodal migration in the presence of direct current electric fields.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robart Babona-Pilipos

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The existence of neural stem and progenitor cells (together termed neural precursor cells in the adult mammalian brain has sparked great interest in utilizing these cells for regenerative medicine strategies. Endogenous neural precursors within the adult forebrain subependyma can be activated following injury, resulting in their proliferation and migration toward lesion sites where they differentiate into neural cells. The administration of growth factors and immunomodulatory agents following injury augments this activation and has been shown to result in behavioural functional recovery following stroke. METHODS AND FINDINGS: With the goal of enhancing neural precursor migration to facilitate the repair process we report that externally applied direct current electric fields induce rapid and directed cathodal migration of pure populations of undifferentiated adult subependyma-derived neural precursors. Using time-lapse imaging microscopy in vitro we performed an extensive single-cell kinematic analysis demonstrating that this galvanotactic phenomenon is a feature of undifferentiated precursors, and not differentiated phenotypes. Moreover, we have shown that the migratory response of the neural precursors is a direct effect of the electric field and not due to chemotactic gradients. We also identified that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR signaling plays a role in the galvanotactic response as blocking EGFR significantly attenuates the migratory behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest direct current electric fields may be implemented in endogenous repair paradigms to promote migration and tissue repair following neurotrauma.

Method for the preparation of carbon fiber from polyolefin fiber precursor, and carbon fibers made thereby

Science.gov (United States)

Naskar, Amit Kumar; Hunt, Marcus Andrew; Saito, Tomonori

2015-08-04

Methods for the preparation of carbon fiber from polyolefin fiber precursor, wherein the polyolefin fiber precursor is partially sulfonated and then carbonized to produce carbon fiber. Methods for producing hollow carbon fibers, wherein the hollow core is circular- or complex-shaped, are also described. Methods for producing carbon fibers possessing a circular- or complex-shaped outer surface, which may be solid or hollow, are also described.

Assessing the effects of oil sands related ozone precursor emissions on ambient ozone levels in the Alberta oil sands region, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Sunny; Vijayaraghavan, Krish; Spink, David; Cosic, Biljana; Davies, Mervyn; Jung, Jaegun

2017-11-01

A study was undertaken to determine whether, and the extent to which, increased ground-level ozone (O3) precursor emissions from oil sands development have impacted ambient air quality in the north-eastern Alberta, Canada, over the period 1998 to 2012. Temporal trends in emissions of O3 precursors (NOx and VOC) and ambient air concentrations of O3 precursors, and O3 were examined using the Theil-Sen statistical analysis method. Statistically significant correlations between NOx emissions and ambient NOx concentrations were found mainly near surface (open-pit) mining areas where mine fleets are a large source of NOx emissions. No statistically significant trends in the 4th highest daily maximum 8-hr average O3 at any of the continuous and passive ambient air monitoring stations were found. A significant long-term decrease in monthly averaged O3 is observed at some ambient monitoring sites in summer. A visual examination of long-term variations in annual NOx and VOC emissions and annual 4th highest daily maximum 8-hr O3 concentrations does not reveal any indication of a correlation between O3 concentrations and O3 precursor emissions or ambient levels in the study area. Despite a significant increase in oil sands NOx emissions (8%/yr), there is no statistically significant increase in long-term O3 concentrations at any of monitoring stations considered. This suggests that there is surplus NOx available in the environment which results in a titration of ambient O3 in the areas that have ambient monitoring. The limited ambient O3 monitoring data distant from NOx emission sources makes it impossible to assess the impact of these increased O3 precursor levels on O3 levels on a regional scale. As a precautionary measure, the increasing oil sands development O3 precursor emissions would require that priority be given to the management of these emissions to prevent possible future O3 ambient air quality issues.

Binder-induced surface structure evolution effects on Li-ion battery performance

Science.gov (United States)

Rezvani, S. J.; Pasqualini, M.; Witkowska, A.; Gunnella, R.; Birrozzi, A.; Minicucci, M.; Rajantie, H.; Copley, M.; Nobili, F.; Di Cicco, A.

2018-03-01

A comparative investigation on binder induced chemical and morphological evolution of Li4Ti5O12 electrodes was performed via X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical measurements. Composite electrodes were obtained using three different binders (PAA, PVdF, and CMC) with 80:10:10 ratio of active material:carbon:binder. The electrochemical performances of the electrodes, were found to be intimately correlated with the evolution of the microstructure of the electrodes, probed by XPS and SEM analysis. Our analysis shows that the surface chemistry, thickness of the passivation layers and the morphology of the electrodes are strongly dependent on the type of binders that significantly influence the electrochemical properties of the electrodes. These results point to a key role played by binders in optimization of the battery performance and improve our understanding of the previously observed and unexplained electrochemical properties of these electrodes.

Low energy helium ion irradiation induced nanostructure formation on tungsten surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Ajlony, A., E-mail: montaserajlony@yahoo.com; Tripathi, J.K.; Hassanein, A.

2017-05-15

We report on the low energy helium ion irradiation induced surface morphology changes on tungsten (W) surfaces under extreme conditions. Surface morphology changes on W surfaces were monitored as a function of helium ion energy (140–300 eV), fluence (2.3 × 10{sup 24}–1.6 × 10{sup 25} ions m{sup −2}), and flux (2.0 × 10{sup 20}–5.5 × 10{sup 20} ion m{sup −2} s{sup −1}). All the experiments were performed at 900° C. Our study shows significant effect of all the three ion irradiation parameters (ion flux, fluence, and energy) on the surface morphology. However, the effect of ion flux is more pronounced. Variation of helium ion fluence allows to capture the very early stages of fuzz growth. The observed fuzz growth and morphology changes were understood in the realm of various possible phenomena. The study has relevance and important impact in the current and future nuclear fusion applications. - Highlights: •Reporting formation of W nanostructure (fuzz) due to low energy He ion beam irradiation. •Observing the very early stages for the W-Fuzz formation. •Tracking the surface morphological evolution during the He irradiation. •Discussing in depth our observation and drawing a possible scenario that explain this phenomenon. •Studying various ions irradiation parameters such as flux, fluence, and ions energy.

Ion induced optical emission for surface and depth profile analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, C.W.

1977-01-01

Low-energy ion bombardment of solid surfaces results in the emission of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet radiation produced by inelastic ion-solid collision processes. The emitted optical radiation provides important insight into low-energy particle-solid interactions and provides the basis for an analysis technique which can be used for surface and depth profile analysis with high sensitivity. The different kinds of collision induced optical radiation emitted as a result of low-energy particle-solid collisions are reviewed. Line radiation arising from excited states of sputtered atoms or molecules is shown to provide the basis for surface and depth profile analysis. The spectral characteristics of this type of radiation are discussed and applications of the ion induced optical emission technique are presented. These applications include measurements of ion implant profiles, detection sensitivities for submonolayer quantities of impurities on elemental surfaces, and the detection of elemental impurities on complex organic substrates

In Situ Passivation for Efficient PbS Quantum Dot Solar Cells by Precursor Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yongjie; Lu, Kunyuan; Han, Lu; Liu, Zeke; Shi, Guozheng; Fang, Honghua; Chen, Si; Wu, Tian; Yang, Fan; Gu, Mengfan; Zhou, Sijie; Ling, Xufeng; Tang, Xun; Zheng, Jiawei; Loi, Maria Antonietta; Ma, Wanli

2018-04-01

Current efforts on lead sulfide quantum dot (PbS QD) solar cells are mostly paid to the device architecture engineering and postsynthetic surface modification, while very rare work regarding the optimization of PbS synthesis is reported. Here, PbS QDs are successfully synthesized using PbO and PbAc 2  · 3H 2 O as the lead sources. QD solar cells based on PbAc-PbS have demonstrated a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.82% (and independently certificated values of 10.62%), which is significantly higher than the PCE of 9.39% for PbO-PbS QD based ones. For the first time, systematic investigations are carried out on the effect of lead precursor engineering on the device performance. It is revealed that acetate can act as an efficient capping ligands together with oleic acid, providing better surface coverage and replace some of the harmful hydroxyl (OH) ligands during the synthesis. Then the acetate on the surface can be exchanged by iodide and lead to desired passivation. This work demonstrates that the precursor engineering has great potential in performance improvement. It is also pointed out that the initial synthesis is an often neglected but critical stage and has abundant room for optimization to further improve the quality of the resultant QDs, leading to breakthrough efficiency. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Vacuum surface flashover and high pressure gas streamers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elizondo, J.M.; Krogh, M.L.; Smith, D.; Stolz, D.; Wright, S.N.

1997-07-01

Pre-breakdown current traces obtained during high pressure gas breakdown and vacuum surface flashover show similar signatures. The initial pre-breakdown current spike, a flat constant current phase, and the breakdown phase with voltage collapse and current surge differ mostly in magnitude. Given these similarities, a model, consisting of the initial current spike corresponding to a fast precursor streamer (ionization wave led by a photoionizing front), the flat current stage as the heating or glow phase, and the terminal avalanche and gap closure, is applied to vacuum surface flashover. A simple analytical approximation based on the resistivity changes induced in the vacuum and dielectric surface is presented. The approximation yields an excellent fit to pre-breakdown time delay vs applied field for previously published experimental data. A detailed kinetics model that includes surface and gas contributions is being developed based in the initial approximation

MRI and image quantitation for drug assessment - growth effects of anabolic steroids and precursors.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Haiying; Wu, Ed; Vasselli, Joseph

2005-01-01

MRI and image quantitation play an expanding role in modern drug research, because MRI offers high resolution and non-invasive ability, and provides excellent soft tissue contrast. Moreover, with development of effective image segmentation and analysis methods, in-vivo and serial tissue growth measurements could be assessed. In the study, MR image acquisition and analysis protocol were established and validated for investigating the effects of anabolic steroids and precursors on muscle growth and body composition in a guinea pig model. Semi-automatic and interactive segmentation methods were developed to accurately label the tissue of interest for tissue volume estimation. In addition, a longitudinal tissue area outlining procedure was proposed for study of tissue geometric features in relation to tissue growth. Finally, a fully automatic data retrieval and analysis scheme was implemented to facilitate the overall huge amount of image quantitation, statistical analysis, as well as study group comparisons. As a result, highly significant differences in muscle and organ growth were detected between intact and castrated guinea pigs using the selected anabolic steroids, indicating the viability of employing such protocol to assess other anabolic steroids. Furthermore, the anabolic potential of selected steroid precursors and their effects on muscle growth, in comparison with that in respective positive control groups of castrated guinea pigs, were evaluated with the proposed protocol.

Compositional Similarities and Differences between Transparent Exopolymer Particles (TEP) from two Marine Bacteria and two Marine Algae: Significance to Surface Biofouling

KAUST Repository

Li, Sheng

2015-06-12

Transparent-exopolymer-particles (TEP) have been recently identified as a significant contributor to surface biofouling, such as on reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. TEP research has mainly focused on algal TEP/TEP precursors while limited investigations have been conducted on those released by bacteria. In this study, TEP/TEP precursors derived from both algae and bacteria were isolated and then characterized to investigate their similarities and/or differences using various advanced analytical techniques, thus providing a better understanding of their potential effect on biofouling. Bacterial TEP/TEP precursors were isolated from two species of marine bacteria (Pseudidiomarina homiensis and Pseudoalteromonas atlantica) while algal TEP/TEP precursors were isolated from two marine algae species (Alexandrium tamarense and Chaetoceros affinis). Results indicated that both isolated bacterial and algal TEP/TEP precursors were associated with protein-like materials, and most TEP precursors were high-molecular-weight biopolymers. Furthermore all investigated algal and bacterial TEP/TEP precursors showed a lectin-like property, which can enable them to act as a chemical conditioning layer and to agglutinate bacteria. This property may enhance surface biofouling. However, both proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and the nitrogen/carbon (N/C) ratios suggested that the algal TEP/TEP precursors contained much less protein content than the bacterial TEP/TEP precursors. This difference may influence their initial deposition and further development of surface biofouling.

The Effect of Increasing Amount of Glucogenic Precursors on Reproductive Performance in Young Postpartum Range Cows

Science.gov (United States)

Supplementing CP and propionate salts (PS) may improve returns in young range beef cows by increasing the dietary supply of glucogenic precursors which may have the effect of improving sensitivity to insulin. A 3-yr study conducted at Corona Range and Livestock Research Center from February to mid-...

Effect of dew point on the formation of surface oxides of twinning-induced plasticity steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yunkyum; Lee, Joonho; Shin, Kwang-Soo; Jeon, Sun-Ho; Chin, Kwang-Geun

2014-01-01

The surface oxides of twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel annealed at 800 °C for 43 s were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. During the annealing process, the oxygen potential was controlled by adjusting the dew point in a 15%H 2 –N 2 gas atmosphere. It was found that the type of surface oxides formed and the thickness of the oxide layer were determined by the dew point. In a gas mixture with a dew point of − 20 °C, a MnO layer with a thickness of ∼ 100 nm was formed uniformly on the steel surface. Under the MnO layer, a MnAl 2 O 4 layer with a thickness of ∼ 15 nm was formed with small Mn 2 SiO 4 particles that measured ∼ 70 nm in diameter. Approximately 500 nm below the MnAl 2 O 4 layer, Al 2 O 3 was formed at the grain boundaries. On the other hand, in a gas mixture with a dew point of − 40 °C, a MnAl 2 O 4 layer with a thickness of ∼ 5 nm was formed on most parts of the surface. On some parts of the surface, Mn 2 SiO 4 particles were formed irregularly up to a thickness of ∼ 50 nm. Approximately 200 nm below the MnAl 2 O 4 layer, Al 2 O 3 was found at the grain boundaries. Thermodynamic calculations were performed to explain the experimental results. The calculations showed that when a O2 > ∼ 1.26 × 10 −28 , MnO, MnAl 2 O 4 , and Mn 2 SiO 4 can be formed together, and the major oxide is MnO. When a O2 is in the range of 1.26 × 10 −28 –2.51 × 10 −31 , MnO is not stable but MnAl 2 O 4 is the major oxide. When a O2 < ∼ 2.51 × 10 −31 , only Al 2 O 3 is stable. Consequently, the effective activity of oxygen is considered the dominant factor in determining the type and shape of surface oxides of TWIP steel. - Highlights: • The surface oxides of TWIP steel annealed at 800 °C were investigated using TEM. • The surface oxides were determined by the dew point during the annealing process. • The activity of oxygen is the major factor determining the oxides of TWIP steel

Laser-driven coating of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes with manganese oxide from metal organic precursors for energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez del Pino, A.; György, E.; Alshaikh, I.; Pantoja-Suárez, F.; Andújar, J. L.; Pascual, E.; Amade, R.; Bertran-Serra, E.

2017-09-01

Carbon nanotubes-transition metal oxide systems are intensively studied due to their excellent properties for electrochemical applications. In this work, an innovative procedure is developed for the synthesis of vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) coated with transition metal oxide nanostructures. VACNTs are grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and coated with a manganese-based metal organic precursor (MOP) film based on manganese acetate solution. Subsequent UV pulsed laser irradiation induces the effective heating-decomposition of the MOP leading to the crystallization of manganese oxide nanostructures on the VACNT surface. The study of the morphology, structure and composition of the synthesized materials shows the formation of randomly oriented MnO2 crystals, with few nanometers in size, and to their alignment in hundreds of nm long filament-like structures, parallel to the CNT’s long axis. Electrochemical measurements reveal a significant increase of the specific capacitance of the MnO2-VACNT system (100 F g-1) as compared to the initial VACNT one (21 F g-1).

Effect of treatment duration on surface nanocrystallization induced by fast multiple rotation rolling and its thermal stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chui Pengfei; Liu Yi; Liang Yanjie; Li Yang [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structure Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Fan Suhua [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structure Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Shandong Women' s University, Jinan 250300 (China); Sun Kangning, E-mail: sunkangning@sdu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structure Evolution and Processing of Materials (Ministry of Education), Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China)

2012-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Effect of treatment time on surface nanocrystallization of a low carbon steel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The grain size decreases gradually with the increase of treatment duration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The microhardness of FMRR treated sample reaches 284 HV. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The nanocrystalline layer is stable during annealing treatment up to 400 Degree-Sign C. - Abstract: A nanocrystalline surface layer of low carbon steel induced by fast multiple rotation rolling (FMRR) was determined by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the grain size decreases gradually with the increase of treatment duration. Equiaxed nanocrystalline with the average grain size about 20 nm is obtained in the top surface layer after FMRR treatment for 30 min. With the increase of treatment duration (60 min), the average grain size further reduces to about 9 nm. At the same time, the microhardness of surface layer for treated sample is improved correspondingly owing to grain refinement and work-hardening. Compared with original sample, the microhardness of FMRR treated sample is increased by more than 200%. After annealing treatment, the investigation of thermal stability of nanocrystalline layer indicates that the grains begin to grow obviously at annealing for 400 Degree-Sign C, and abnormal grain growth also occurs in individual grains. Due to grain growth and stress relaxation during annealing, the microhardness slightly decreases at 400 Degree-Sign C. In spite of this, the majority of grains are still nanocrystalline, ranging from about 30 to 60 nm. It demonstrates that the nanocrystalline layer has high thermal stability.

Surface-passivation-induced optical changes in Ge quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reboredo, F. A.; Zunger, Alex

2001-01-01

One of the most interesting properties of quantum dots is the possibility to tune the band gap as a function of their size. Here we explore the possibility of changing the lifetime of the lowest-energy excited state by altering the surface passivation. We show that a moderately electronegative passivation potential can induce long-lived excitons without appreciable changes to the band gap. In addition, for such passivation the symmetry of the valence-band maximum is γ 8# sub v# (t 1 derived) instead of the more usual γ 8v (t 2 derived). This reverses the effect of the exchange interaction on the bright-dark exciton splitting

Ultrahighly Dispersed Titanium Oxide on Silica : Effect of Precursors on the Structure and Photocatalysis

OpenAIRE

Yoshida , S.; Takenaka , S.; Tanaka , T.; Funabiki , T.

1997-01-01

The effect of precursor on the dispersion and catalytic performance of titanium oxide supported on silica has ben investigated. The catalysts were prepared by a simple impregnation method with three kinds of titanium complexes of different ligands (bis(isopropyato)-bis(pivaroylmethanato) : DPM, acetylacetonato : ACAC, tetrakis(isopropylato) : IPRO) with the aim of preparing ultrahighly dispersed titanium oxide on silica. The XAFS study revealed that titanium species in the catalyst prepared f...

Biocidal action of ozone-treated polystyrene surfaces on vegetative and sporulated bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahfoudh, Ahlem; Barbeau, Jean; Moisan, Michel; Leduc, Annie; Seguin, Jacynthe

2010-01-01

Surfaces of materials can be modified to ensure specific interaction features with microorganisms. The current work discloses biocidal properties of polystyrene (PS) Petri-dish surfaces that have been exposed to a dry gaseous-ozone flow. Such treated PS surfaces are able to inactivate various species of vegetative and sporulated bacteria on a relatively short contact time. Denaturation of proteins seems likely based on a significant loss of enzymatic activity of the lysozyme protein. Characterization of these surfaces by atomic-force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals specific structural and chemical modifications as compared to untreated PS. Persistence of the biocidal properties of these treated surfaces is observed. This ozone-induced process is technically simple to achieve and does not require active precursors as in grafting.

Micro-mechanisms of Surface Defects Induced on Aluminum Alloys during Plastic Deformation at Elevated Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Gali, Olufisayo A.

Near-surface deformed layers developed on aluminum alloys significantly influence the corrosion and tribological behavior as well as reduce the surface quality of the rolled aluminum. The evolution of the near-surface microstructures induced on magnesium containing aluminum alloys during thermomechanical processing has been investigated with the aim generating an understanding of the influence of individual forming parameters on its evolution and examine the microstructure of the roll coating induced on the mating steel roll through material transfer during rolling. The micro-mechanisms related to the various features of near-surface microstructure developed during tribological conditions of the simulated hot rolling process were identified. Thermomechanical processing experiments were performed with the aid of hot rolling (operating temperature: 550 to 460 °C, 4, 10 and 20 rolling pass schedules) and hot forming (operating temperature: 350 to 545 °C, strain rate: 4 x 10-2 s-1) tribo-simulators. The surface, near-surface features and material transfer induced during the elevated temperature plastic deformation were examined and characterized employing optical interferometry, SEM/EDS, FIB and TEM. Near-surface features characterized on the rolled aluminum alloys included; cracks, fractured intermetallic particles, aluminum nano-particles, oxide decorated grain boundaries, rolled-in oxides, shingles and blisters. These features were related to various individual rolling parameters which included, the work roll roughness, which induced the formation of shingles, rolling marks and were responsible for the redistribution of surface oxide and the enhancements of the depth of the near-surface damage. The enhanced stresses and strains experienced during rolling were related to the formation and propagation of cracks, the nanocrystalline structure of the near-surface layers and aluminum nano-particles. The mechanism of the evolution of the near-surface microstructure were

Reduction of vortex induced forces and motion through surface roughness control

Science.gov (United States)

Bernitsas, Michael M; Raghavan, Kamaldev

2014-04-01

Roughness is added to the surface of a bluff body in a relative motion with respect to a fluid. The amount, size, and distribution of roughness on the body surface is controlled passively or actively to modify the flow around the body and subsequently the Vortex Induced Forces and Motion (VIFM). The added roughness, when designed and implemented appropriately, affects in a predetermined way the boundary layer, the separation of the boundary layer, the level of turbulence, the wake, the drag and lift forces, and consequently the Vortex Induced Motion (VIM), and the fluid-structure interaction. The goal of surface roughness control is to decrease/suppress Vortex Induced Forces and Motion. Suppression is required when fluid-structure interaction becomes destructive as in VIM of flexible cylinders or rigid cylinders on elastic support, such as underwater pipelines, marine risers, tubes in heat exchangers, nuclear fuel rods, cooling towers, SPAR offshore platforms.

Effect of precursor supply on structural and morphological characteristics of fe nanomaterials synthesized via chemical vapor condensation method.

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Jong-Keun; Ahn, Hyo-Jun; Kim, Ki-Won; Nam, Tae-Hyun; Cho, Kwon-Koo

2012-01-01

Various physical, chemical and mechanical methods, such as inert gas condensation, chemical vapor condensation, sol-gel, pulsed wire evaporation, evaporation technique, and mechanical alloying, have been used to synthesize nanoparticles. Among them, chemical vapor condensation (CVC) has the benefit of its applicability to almost all materials because a wide range of precursors are available for large-scale production with a non-agglomerated state. In this work, Fe nanoparticles and nanowires were synthesized by chemical vapor condensation method using iron pentacarbonyl (Fe(CO)5) as the precursor. The effect of processing parameters on the microstructure, size and morphology of Fe nanoparticles and nanowires were studied. In particular, we investigated close correlation of size and morphology of Fe nanoparticles and nanowires with atomic quantity of inflow precursor into the electric furnace as the quantitative analysis. The atomic quantity was calculated by Boyle's ideal gas law. The Fe nanoparticles and nanowires with various diameter and morphology have successfully been synthesized by the chemical vapor condensation method.

Opposing Effects of α2- and β-Adrenergic Receptor Stimulation on Quiescent Neural Precursor Cell Activity and Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Prosper, Boris W.; Marathe, Swanand; Husain, Basma F. A.; Kernie, Steven G.; Bartlett, Perry F.; Vaidya, Vidita A.

2014-01-01

Norepinephrine regulates latent neural stem cell activity and adult hippocampal neurogenesis, and has an important role in modulating hippocampal functions such as learning, memory and mood. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is a multi-stage process, spanning from the activation and proliferation of hippocampal stem cells, to their differentiation into neurons. However, the stage-specific effects of noradrenergic receptors in regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis remain poorly understood. In this study, we used transgenic Nestin-GFP mice and neurosphere assays to show that modulation of α2- and β-adrenergic receptor activity directly affects Nestin-GFP/GFAP-positive precursor cell population albeit in an opposing fashion. While selective stimulation of α2-adrenergic receptors decreases precursor cell activation, proliferation and immature neuron number, stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors activates the quiescent precursor pool and enhances their proliferation in the adult hippocampus. Furthermore, our data indicate no major role for α1-adrenergic receptors, as we did not observe any change in either the activation and proliferation of hippocampal precursors following selective stimulation or blockade of α1-adrenergic receptors. Taken together, our data suggest that under physiological as well as under conditions that lead to enhanced norepinephrine release, the balance between α2- and β-adrenergic receptor activity regulates precursor cell activity and hippocampal neurogenesis. PMID:24922313

Cobalt surface modification during γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticle synthesis by chemical-induced transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Junming [School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Li, Jian, E-mail: aizhong@swu.edu.cn [School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Chen, Longlong; Lin, Yueqiang; Liu, Xiaodong; Gong, Xiaomin [School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Li, Decai [School of Mechanical and Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044 (China)

2015-02-01

In the chemical-induced transition of FeCl{sub 2} solution, the FeOOH/Mg(OH){sub 2} precursor was transformed into spinel structured γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} crystallites, coated with a FeCl{sub 3}·6H{sub 2}O layer. CoCl{sub 2} surface modified γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were prepared by adding Co(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} during the synthesis. CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} modified γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were prepared by adding NaOH during the surface modification with Co(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}. The CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} layer grew epitaxially on the γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} crystallite to form a composite crystallite, which was coated by CoCl{sub 2}·6H{sub 2}O. The composite could not be distinguished using X-ray diffraction or transmission electron microscopy, since CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} possess similar spinel structures and lattice constants. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to distinguish them. The saturation magnetization and coercivity of the spinel structured γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-based nanoparticles were related to the grain size. - Highlights: • γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical induced transition. • CoCl{sub 2} modified nanoparticles were prepared by additional Co(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} during synthesization. • CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} modified nanoparticles were prepared by additional Co(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} and NaOH. • The magnetism of the nanoparticles is related to the grain size.

Luminescence Properties of Surface Radiation-Induced Defects in Lithium Fluoride

Science.gov (United States)

Voitovich, A. P.; Kalinov, V. S.; Martynovich, E. F.; Novikov, A. N.; Runets, L. P.; Stupak, A. P.

2013-11-01

Luminescence and luminescence excitation spectra are recorded for surface radiation-induced defects in lithium fluoride at temperatures of 77 and 293 K. The presence of three bands with relatively small intensity differences is a distinctive feature of the excitation spectrum. These bands are found to belong to the same type of defects. The positions of the peaks and the widths of the absorption and luminescence bands for these defects are determined. The luminescence decay time is measured. All the measured characteristics of these surface defects differ from those of previously known defects induced by radiation in the bulk of the crystals. It is found that the luminescence of surface defects in an ensemble of nanocrystals with different orientations is not polarized. The number of anion vacancies in the surface defects is estimated using the polarization measurements. It is shown that radiative scattering distorts the intensity ratios of the luminescence excitation bands located in different spectral regions.

Solvothermal synthesis of Zn1−xMnxO nanoparticles using oxalate precursor route: Optical and magnetic properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tokeer Ahmad

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Nanoparticles of Zn1−xMnxO (x = 0.022, 0.061 and 0.098 were synthesized by a modified solvothermal method through the oxalate precursor route. The precursors were characterized by TG/DTA analysis. Their kinetics has also been studied using the Freeman and Carroll method. The prepared oxide nanoparticles were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, optical and BET surface area studies. PXRD patterns were matched with hexagonal ZnO structure, however few impurity peaks of ZnMnO3 appeared. Reflectance measurements showed that Mn2+ is incorporated in the Zn matrix. The band gap decreases on increasing Mn concentration. The particle size decreases from 18 to 9 nm and the surface area increases (255.4–582.9 m2g−1 on increasing Mn concentration. All these solid solutions show paramagnetic behaviour with very weak antiferromagnetic interactions. The effective magnetic moment of these nanoparticles comes out to be 4.91, 4.77 and 4.18 μB/Mn2+.

Effect of precursor concentration on the growth of zinc oxide nanorod arrays on pre-treated substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urgessa, Z.N.; Oluwafemi, O.S.; Botha, J.R.

2012-01-01

Well aligned zinc oxide nanorod arrays (ZNAs) synthesized by a simple chemical bath deposition method were fabricated on pre-treated Si substrates. By keeping the molar VI/II ratio constant, the effect of precursor concentration on the growth and optical quality of the ZNAs was investigated. The as-synthesized ZNAs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). FESEM images show that both the diameter and aspect ratio of the ZNAs increase dramatically as the precursor concentration increases. The XRD analysis indicates that all the as-grown ZNAs are crystalline and are preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The high intensity ratio of the UV emission to visible emission in the room temperature PL spectra illustrate that high optical quality ZNAs were produced.

Effect of precursor concentration on the growth of zinc oxide nanorod arrays on pre-treated substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urgessa, Z.N. [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Oluwafemi, O.S., E-mail: oluwafemi.oluwatobi@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha Campus, Private Bag XI, 5117 (South Africa); Botha, J.R. [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa)

2012-05-15

Well aligned zinc oxide nanorod arrays (ZNAs) synthesized by a simple chemical bath deposition method were fabricated on pre-treated Si substrates. By keeping the molar VI/II ratio constant, the effect of precursor concentration on the growth and optical quality of the ZNAs was investigated. The as-synthesized ZNAs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). FESEM images show that both the diameter and aspect ratio of the ZNAs increase dramatically as the precursor concentration increases. The XRD analysis indicates that all the as-grown ZNAs are crystalline and are preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The high intensity ratio of the UV emission to visible emission in the room temperature PL spectra illustrate that high optical quality ZNAs were produced.

Hydroxyapatite growth induced by native extracellular matrix deposition on solid surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pramatarova L.

2005-02-01

Full Text Available Biological systems have a remarkable capability to produce perfect fine structures such as seashells, pearls, bones, teeth and corals. These structures are composites of interacting inorganic (calcium phosphate or carbonate minerals and organic counterparts. It is difficult to say with certainty which part has the primary role. For example, the growth of molluscan shell crystals is thought to be initiated from a solution by the extracellular organic matrix (ECM. According to this theory, the matrix induces nucleation of calcium containing crystals. Recently, an alternative theory has been put forward, stating that a class of granulocytic hemocytes would be directly involved in shell crystal production in oysters. In the work presented here the surface of AISI 316 stainless steel was modified by deposition of ECM proteins. The ability of the modified substrates to induce nucleation and growth of hydroxyapatite (HA from simulated body fluid (SBF was examined by a kinetic study using two methods: (1 a simple soaking process in SBF and (2 a laser-liquid-solid interaction (LLSI process which allows interaction between a scanning laser beam and a solid substrate immersed in SBF. The deposited HA layers were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. It was found that a coating of stainless steel surface with native ECM proteins induced nucleation and growth of HA and facilitated its crystallization. By the process of simple soaking of the samples, irrespective of their horizontal or vertical position in the solution, HA layers were grown due to the reactive ECM-coated stainless steel surface. It was shown that the process occurring in the first stages of the growth was not only a result of the force of gravity. The application of the LLSI process strongly influenced HA formation on the ECM-modified substrates by promoting and enhancing the HA nucleation and growth through a synergistic effect

Facile synthesis of a conjugation-grafted-TiO{sub 2} nanohybrid with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic properties from nanotube titanic acid precursors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Yanru; Zhang, Min, E-mail: zm1012@henu.edu.cn; Zhang, Zhihua; Li, Qiuye; Yang, Jianjun [Henan University, National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials (China)

2016-08-15

A conjugation-grafted-TiO{sub 2} nanohybrid was synthesized by chemically grafting conjugated structures on the surface of nanotube titanic acid (NTA) precursor-based TiO{sub 2} through the controlled thermal degradation of a coacervated polymer layer of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The interfacial interactions between the NTA precursor-based TiO{sub 2} and conjugated structures were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Moreover, the effects of the NTA’s pretreatment temperature and the weight ratio of NTA to PVA on the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange were also investigated. A higher NTA pretreatment temperature and a lower NTA to PVA weight ratio were found to enhance photogenerated electron–hole separation efficiency and photocatalytic activity. Moreover, the conjugation-grafted-TiO{sub 2} nanohybrid synthesized from the NTA precursor displayed a much higher visible-light photocatalytic activity than that of the sample obtained from the P25 precursor. The origin of the enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation is also discussed in detail.

Preparation of protein- and cell-resistant surfaces by hyperthermal hydrogen induced cross-linking of poly(ethylene oxide).

Science.gov (United States)

Bonduelle, Colin V; Lau, Woon M; Gillies, Elizabeth R

2011-05-01

The functionalization of surfaces with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is an effective means of imparting resistance to the adsorption of proteins and the attachment and growth of cells, properties that are critical for many biomedical applications. In this work, a new hyperthermal hydrogen induced cross-linking (HHIC) method was explored as a simple one-step approach for attaching PEO to surfaces through the selective cleavage of C-H bonds and subsequent cross-linking of the resulting carbon radicals. In order to study the effects of the process on the polymer, PEO-coated silicon wafers were prepared and the effects of different treatment times were investigated. Subsequently, using an optimized treatment time and a modified butyl polymer with increased affinity for PEO, the technique was applied to butyl rubber surfaces. All of the treated surfaces exhibited significantly reduced protein adsorption and cell growth relative to control surfaces and compared favorably with surfaces that were functionalized with PEO using conventional chemical methods. Thus HHIC is a simple and effective means of attaching PEO to non-functional polymer surfaces.

The coupling of mechanical dynamics and induced currents in plates and surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weissenburger, D.W.; Bialek, J.M.

1986-10-01

Significant mechanical reactions and deflections may be produced when electrical eddy currents induced in a conducting structure by transformer-like electromotive forces interact with background magnetic fields. Additional eddy currents induced by structural motion through the background fields modify both the mechanical and electrical dynamic behavior of the system. The observed effects of these motional eddy currents are sometimes referred to as magnetic damping and magnetic stiffness. This paper addresses the coupled structural deformation and eddy currents in flat plates and simple two-dimensional surfaces in three-space. A coupled system of equations has been formulated using finite element techniques for the mechanical aspects and a mesh network method for the electrical aspects of the problem

Synergistic effects of hollow structure and surface fluorination on the photocatalytic activity of titania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv Kangle; Yu Jiaguo; Deng Kejian; Sun Jie; Zhao Yanxi; Du Dongyun; Li Mei

2010-01-01

To study the synergistic effects of hollow structure and surface fluorination on the photoactivity of TiO 2 , TiO 2 hollow microspheres were synthesized by a hydrolysis-precipitate method using sulfonated polystyrene (PS) as templates and tetrabutylorthotitanate (TBOT) as precursor, and then calcined at 500 o C for 2 h. The calcined samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and N 2 sorption. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated using reactive brilliant red X3B, an anionic organic dye, as a model pollutant in water. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 hollow microspheres is significantly higher than that of TiO 2 nanoparticles prepared in the same experimental conditions. At pH 7 and 3, the apparent rate constants of the former exceed that of the latter by a factor of 3.38 and 3.15, respectively. After surface fluorination at pH 3, the photoactivity of hollow microspheres and nanoparticles further increases for another 1.61 and 2.19 times, respectively. The synergistic effect of surface fluorination and hollow structure can also be used to prepare other highly efficient photocatalyst.

Surface mechanical attrition treatment induced phase transformation behavior in NiTi shape memory alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, T.; Wen, C.S.; Lu, J.; Wu, S.L.; Xin, Y.C.; Zhang, W.J.; Chu, C.L.; Chung, J.C.Y.; Yeung, K.W.K.; Kwok, D.T.K.; Chu, Paul K.

2009-01-01

The phase constituents and transformation behavior of the martensite B19' NiTi shape memory alloy after undergoing surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) are investigated. SMAT is found to induce the formation of a parent B2 phase from the martensite B19' in the top surface layer. By removing the surface layer-by-layer, X-ray diffraction reveals that the amount of the B2 phase decreases with depth. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) further indicates that the deformed martensite in the sub-surface layer up to 300 μm deep exhibits the martensite stabilization effect. The graded phase structure and transformation behavior in the SMATed NiTi specimen can be attributed to the gradient change in strain with depth.

Recyclable Aggregates of Mesoporous Titania Synthesized by Thermal Treatment of Amorphous or Peptized Precursors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cristina Mascolo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Recyclable aggregates of mesoporous titania with different anatase–rutile ratios have been prepared by thermal treatments of either amorphous or peptized precursors. These last two have been obtained by hydrolysis of either Ti(OC2H54 or of Ti(OC2H54 in mixture with 5 mol % Zr(OC3H74 at room temperature in the presence of NH4OH as a catalyzing agent. The anatase–rutile ratio, the recyclable aggregates of the nano-sized particles, the mesoporosity, the surface area and the crystallinity of the resulting crystallized products of titania can be controlled by the synthesis parameters including: concentration of ammonia catalyst, stirring time and concentration of the peptizing HNO3, drying method of peptized precursors, calcination temperature, and finally the ramp rate up to the titania crystallization temperature. A broad range of synthesis parameters control the crystal sizes of titania particles produced. This allows catalyst preparation with very different crystal size, surface area, anatase to rutile crystal ratio and various mesoporous structures. Drying by lyophilization of precursors reduce the aggregation of the primary particles giving micro-/macroporous structures.

The role of original surface roughness in laser-induced periodic surface structure formation process on poly-carbonate films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Csete, M.; Hild, S.; Plettl, A.; Ziemann, P.; Bor, Zs.; Marti, O.

2004-01-01

Poly-carbonate films containing different types of original surface roughness were illuminated by a polarized ArF excimer laser beam having a fluence of 4 mJ/cm 2 . Atomic force microscopy was applied to study the laser-induced periodic surface structure formation process at 0 deg. , 30 deg. and 45 deg. angles of incidence. The effect of initial surface structures on the intensity distribution was investigated in cases of: (a) grains on oriented and amorphous thick films; (b) holes on thin spin-coated films; and (c) nanoparticles arranged along micrometer long sides of hexagons below the spin-coated films. The presence of the scattering objects caused symmetry breaking, if the samples were illuminated by oblique incident 's' polarized beam. The Fourier analysis of the AFM pictures has shown the competition of structures having different periods. The characteristic of the permanent surface patterns proved that the interference of the incoming beam and the beams scattered on previously existing structures is the LIPSS generating feedback process. Ring-shaped structures having 228 nm diameter were produced

Surface modification of silica nanoparticles by UV-induced graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sooyeon; Kim, Eunhye; Kim, Sungsoo; Kim, Woosik

2005-12-01

In this study we modified the surface of silica nanoparticles with methyl methacrylate by UV-induced graft polymerization. It is a surface-initiated polymerization reaction induced by ultraviolet irradiation. The resulting organic-inorganic nanocomposites were near-monodisperse and fabricated without homopolymerization of the monomer. Substantial increase in mean particle size was observed by SEM image analysis after UV-induced grafting of methyl methacrylate onto pure silica particles. FT-Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies of these materials revealed the successful grafting of methyl methacrylate onto the silica surface. The formation of a covalent bond between the grafted PMMA chains and silica surface was indicated by FT-Raman spectra. Thermogravimetric analysis of the PMMA-grafted silica particles indicated the polymer contents in good agreement with SEM photographs.

Characterization of electrochemically deposited films from aqueous and ionic liquid cobalt precursors toward hydrogen evolution reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dushatinski, Thomas; Huff, Clay; Abdel-Fattah, Tarek M., E-mail: fattah@cnu.edu

2016-11-01

Highlights: • Co films deposition via aqueous and ionic liquid Precursors. • Hydrogen evolution produced from reactive surfaces. • Co deposited films characterized by SEM, AFM, EDX and XRD techniques. - Abstract: Electrodepositions of cobalt films were achieved using an aqueous or an ethylene glycol based non-aqueous solution containing choline chloride (vitamin B4) with cobalt chloride hexahydrate precursor toward hydrogen evolution reactions from sodium borohydride (NaBH{sub 4}) as solid hydrogen feedstock (SHF). The resulting cobalt films had reflectivity at 550 nm of 2.2% for aqueously deposited films (ACoF) and 1.3% for non-aqueously deposited films (NCoF). Surface morphology studied by scanning electron microscopy showed a positive correlation between particle size and thickness. The film thicknesses were tunable between >100 μm and <300 μm for each film. The roughness (Ra) value measurements by Dektak surface profiling showed that the NCoF (Ra = 165 nm) was smoother than the ACoF (Ra = 418 nm). The NCoFs and ACoFs contained only α phase (FCC) crystallites. The NCoFs were crystalline while the ACoFs were largely amorphous from X-ray diffraction analysis. The NCoF had an average Vickers hardness value of 84 MPa as compared to 176 MPa for ACoF. The aqueous precursor has a single absorption maximum at 510 nm and the non-aqueous precursor had three absorption maxima at 630, 670, and 695 nm. The hydrogen evolution reactions over a 1 cm{sup 2} catalytic surface with aqueous NaBH{sub 4} solutions generated rate constants (K) = equal to 4.9 × 10{sup −3} min{sup −1}, 4.6 × 10{sup −3} min{sup −1}, and 3.3 × 10{sup −3} min{sup −1} for ACoF, NCoF, and copper substrate respectively.

Femtosecond laser-induced surface wettability modification of polystyrene surface

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bing; Wang, XinCai; Zheng, HongYu; Lam, YeeCheong

2016-12-01

In this paper, we demonstrated a simple method to create either a hydrophilic or hydrophobic surface. With femtosecond laser irradiation at different laser parameters, the water contact angle (WCA) on polystyrene's surface can be modified to either 12.7° or 156.2° from its original WCA of 88.2°. With properly spaced micro-pits created, the surface became hydrophilic probably due to the spread of the water droplets into the micro-pits. While with properly spaced micro-grooves created, the surface became rough and more hydrophobic. We investigated the effect of laser parameters on WCAs and analyzed the laser-treated surface roughness, profiles and chemical bonds by surface profilometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). For the laser-treated surface with low roughness, the polar (such as C—O, C=O, and O—C=O bonds) and non-polar (such as C—C or C—H bonds) groups were found to be responsible for the wettability changes. While for a rough surface, the surface roughness or the surface topography structure played a more significant role in the changes of the surface WCA. The mechanisms involved in the laser surface wettability modification process were discussed.

Irradiation induced surface segregation in concentrated alloys: a contribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grandjean, Y.

1996-01-01

A new computer modelization of irradiation induced surface segregation is presented together with some experimental determinations in binary and ternary alloys. The model we propose handles the alloy thermodynamics and kinetics at the same level of sophistication. Diffusion is described at the atomistic level and proceeds vis the jumps of point defects (vacancies, dumb-bell interstitials): the various jump frequencies depend on the local composition in a manner consistent with the thermodynamics of the alloy. For application to specific alloys, we have chosen the simplest statistical approximation: pair interactions in the Bragg Williams approximation. For a system which exhibits the thermodynamics and kinetics features of Ni-Cu alloys, the model generates the behaviour parameters (flux and temperature) and of alloy composition. Quantitative agreement with the published experimental results (two compositions, three temperatures) is obtained with a single set of parameters. Modelling austenitic steels used in nuclear industry requires taking into account the contribution of dumbbells to mass transport. The effects of this latter contribution are studied on a model of Ni-Fe. Interstitial trapping on dilute impurities is shown to delay or even suppress the irradiation induced segregation. Such an effect is indeed observed in the experiments we report on Fe 50 Ni 50 and Fe 49 Ni 50 Hf 1 alloys. (author)

Next-Generation Probiotics Targeting Clostridium difficile through Precursor-Directed Antimicrobial Biosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Auchtung, Jennifer; Brown, Aaron; Boonma, Prapaporn; Oezguen, Numan; Ross, Caná L.; Luna, Ruth Ann; Runge, Jessica; Versalovic, James; Peniche, Alex; Dann, Sara M.; Britton, Robert A.; Haag, Anthony; Savidge, Tor C.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Integration of antibiotic and probiotic therapy has the potential to lessen the public health burden of antimicrobial-associated diseases. Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) represents an important example where the rational design of next-generation probiotics is being actively pursued to prevent disease recurrence. Because intrinsic resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics used to treat CDI (vancomycin, metronidazole, and fidaxomicin) is a desired trait in such probiotic species, we screened several bacteria and identified Lactobacillus reuteri to be a promising candidate for adjunct therapy. Human-derived L. reuteri bacteria convert glycerol to the broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound reuterin. When supplemented with glycerol, strains carrying the pocR gene locus were potent reuterin producers, with L. reuteri 17938 inhibiting C. difficile growth at a level on par with the level of growth inhibition by vancomycin. Targeted pocR mutations and complementation studies identified reuterin to be the precursor-induced antimicrobial agent. Pathophysiological relevance was demonstrated when the codelivery of L. reuteri with glycerol was effective against C. difficile colonization in complex human fecal microbial communities, whereas treatment with either glycerol or L. reuteri alone was ineffective. A global unbiased microbiome and metabolomics analysis independently confirmed that glycerol precursor delivery with L. reuteri elicited changes in the composition and function of the human microbial community that preferentially targets C. difficile outgrowth and toxicity, a finding consistent with glycerol fermentation and reuterin production. Antimicrobial resistance has thus been successfully exploited in the natural design of human microbiome evasion of C. difficile, and this method may provide a prototypic precursor-directed probiotic approach. Antibiotic resistance and substrate bioavailability may therefore represent critical new determinants of

Effect of electropulsing on surface mechanical properties and microstructure of AISI 304 stainless steel during ultrasonic surface rolling process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Haibo [Advanced Materials Institute, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Song, Guolin [Advanced Materials Institute, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Tang, Guoyi, E-mail: tanggy@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Advanced Materials Institute, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2016-04-26

The present work integrates 3D digital optical microscopy (OM), nano-indentation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to systematically investigate the effect of electropulsing on the surface mechanical properties and microstructure of AISI 304 stainless steel during the ultrasonic surface rolling process (USRP). Compared with the original USRP, the introduction of electropulsing with optimal parameters can effectively facilitate surface crack healing and improve surface hardness and wear resistance dramatically, and the residual compressive stress is further enhanced. Meanwhile, more martensite phase and fewer deformation twins can be found in the strengthened layer. Rapid improvement of the surface mechanical properties should be attributed to the ultra-refined grains, accelerated martensitic phase transformation and suppressed deformation twining induced by the coupling effect of USRP and electropulsing. The high strain rate given by USRP, increased stacking fault energy and accelerated dislocation mobility caused by electropulsing are likely the primary intrinsic reasons for the observed phenomena.

Theory of the oxygen-induced restructuring of Cu(110) and Cu(100) surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Karsten Wedel; Nørskov, Jens Kehlet

1990-01-01

A model calculation based on the effective-medium theory of the oxygen-induced reconstruction of the (110) and (100) surfaces of Cu is presented. Equilibrium structures are calculated from a minimization of the total energy of the system. Missing-row-type reconstructions are found to be most stable...... in both cases, and an analysis is presented, showing what the driving force is behind these reconstructions....

Data on the role of accessible surface area on osmolytes-induced protein stabilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safikur Rahman

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper describes data related to the research article “Testing the dependence of stabilizing effect of osmolytes on the fractional increase in the accessible surface area on thermal and chemical denaturations of proteins” [1]. Heat- and guanidinium chloride (GdmCl-induced denaturation of three disulfide free proteins (bovine cytochrome c (b-cyt-c, myoglobin (Mb and barstar in the presence of different concentrations of methylamines (sarcosine, glycine-betaine (GB and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO was monitored by [ϴ]222, the mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm at pH 7.0. Methylamines belong to a class of osmolytes known to protect proteins from deleterious effect of urea. This paper includes comprehensive thermodynamic data obtained from the heat- and GdmCl-induced denaturations of barstar, b-cyt-c and Mb.

Investigation of nano-SiC{sub p} effect on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al/TiH{sub 2} foam precursor produced via ARB process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseini, S.M., E-mail: sm.hosseini@ma.iut.ac.ir; Habibolahzadeh, A.

2015-07-15

In this study, a new type of hybrid composite which can be potentially used as a foam precursor was achieved by 0.75 TiH{sub 2} and 0.75 nano-SiC{sub p} addition (wt%) between 5 pure Al strips, followed by 6 accumulative roll bonding (ARB) cycles at room temperature. The effect of nano-SiC particles addition on the resulting microstructures as well as the corresponding mechanical properties of the products was investigated. Al/0.75 wt% TiH{sub 2} sheets were also fabricated by the ARB process to compare with the hybrid nanocomposite specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and related EDS color images revealed that applying 6 ARB cycles led to fairly homogeneous distribution of the TiH{sub 2} and nano-SiC{sub p} and elimination of porosity between the particles and matrix. It was also found that the tensile strength of the Al/TiH{sub 2}/nano-SiC hybrid composite was about 1.27 times higher than that of the Al/TiH{sub 2} precursor. SEM observation of fractured surfaces showed that the failure mechanism of the composite and nanocomposite was shear ductile rupture.

Alkoxide-based precursors for direct drawing of metal oxide micro- and nanofibres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taette, Tanel; Hussainov, Medhat; Paalo, Madis; Part, Marko; Talviste, Rasmus; Kiisk, Valter; Maendar, Hugo; Pohako, Kaija; Reivelt, Kaido; Lohmus, Ants [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia 142, Tartu 51014 (Estonia); Pehk, Tonis [National Institute of Chemical and Biological Physics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn 12618 (Estonia); Natali, Marco [ICIS-CNR, Corso Stati Uniti 4, Padova 35127 (Italy); Gurauskis, Jonas [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragon C.S.I.C., University of Zaragoza Fac. De Ciencias, c/Pedro Cerbuna 12, Zaragoza 50009 (Spain); Maeeorg, Uno, E-mail: tanelt@fi.tartu.ee [Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Ravila 14a, Tartu 50411 (Estonia)

2011-06-15

The invention of electrospinning has solved the problem of producing micro- and nanoscaled metal oxide fibres in bulk quantities. However, until now no methods have been available for preparing a single nanofibre of a metal oxide. In this work, the direct drawing method was successfully applied to produce metal oxide (SnO{sub 2}, TiO{sub 2}, ZrO{sub 2}, HfO{sub 2} and CeO{sub 2}) fibres with a high aspect ratio (up to 10 000) and a diameter as small as 200 nm. The sol-gel processing includes consumption of precursors obtained from alkoxides by aqueous or non-aqueous polymerization. Shear thinning of the precursors enables pulling a material into a fibre. This rheological behaviour can be explained by sliding of particles owing to external forces. Transmission (propagation) of light along microscaled fibres and their excellent surface morphology suggest that metal oxide nanofibres can be directly drawn from sol precursors for use in integrated photonic systems.

Stress-induced roughening instabilities along surfaces of piezoelectric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, N.Y.; Gao, H.

1993-01-01

The possibility of using electric field to stabilize surfaces of piezoelectric solids against stress-induced morphological roughening is explored in this paper. Two types of idealized boundary conditions are considered: (1) a traction free and electrically insulating surface and (2) a traction free and electrically conducting surface. A perturbation solution for the energy variation associated with surface roughening suggests that the electric field can be used to suppress the roughening instability to various degrees. A completely stable state is possible in the insulating case, and kinetically more stable states can be attained in the conducting case. The stabilization has importance in reducing concentration of stress and electric fields due to microscopic surface roughness which might trigger failure processes involving dislocation, cracks and dielectric breakdown

α-MnO2 nanowires transformed from precursor δ-MnO2 by refluxing under ambient pressure: The key role of pH and growth mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qin; Xiao Zhidong; Feng Xionghan; Tan Wenfeng; Qiu Guohong; Liu Fan

2011-01-01

α-MnO 2 nanowires were obtained by reflux treatment of precursor δ-MnO 2 in acidic medium under ambient pressure. The great effects of pH on the transformation of δ-MnO 2 to α-MnO 2 and the concentration of coexistent cations (K + , Mn 2+ ) was investigated in systematically designed experiments by using powder X-ray diffraction and atomic absorption spectrometry analysis. The specific surface area of the products could be simply controlled by adjusting the initial pH value of the suspension. The micro-morphologies during the transition process from the precursors to final products were characterized by SEM and TEM. A dissolution-recrystallization mechanism was proposed to describe the growth process of the one-dimensional nanowire. MnO x units or MnO 6 octahedra was formed firstly from the dissolution of outmost surfaces of δ-MnO 2 , followed by a rearrangement/crystallization to form one-dimensional α-MnO 2 nanowire. In addition, the time-dependent process of dissolution would take place gradually from the external to internal of the precursor.

Laser-induced damage of materials in bulk, thin-film, and liquid forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natoli, Jean-Yves; Gallais, Laurent; Akhouayri, Hassan; Amra, Claude

2002-01-01

Accurate threshold curves of laser-induced damage (7-ns single shot at 1.064 μm) are measured in bulk and at the surfaces of optical components such as substrates, thin films, multilayers, and liquids. The shapes and the slopes of the curves are related to the spot size and to the densities of the nanodefects that are responsible for damage. First, these densities are reported for bulk substrates. In surfaces and films the recorded extrinsic and intrinsic threshold curves permit the discrimination of the effects of microdefects and nanodefects. In all cases the density of nanocenters is extracted by means of a phenomenological approach. Then we test liquids and mixtures of liquids with controlled defect densities. The results emphasize the agreement between measurement and prediction and demonstrate the validity of the presence of different kinds of nanocenter as the precursors of laser damage

Effect of dew point on the formation of surface oxides of twinning-induced plasticity steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yunkyum [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Anam-Dong, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul 136–713 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Joonho, E-mail: joonholee@korea.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Anam-Dong, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul 136–713 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Kwang-Soo [Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Pohang 790–600 (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Sun-Ho; Chin, Kwang-Geun [POSCO Technical Research Laboratories, Gwangyang 545–090 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-03-01

The surface oxides of twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel annealed at 800 °C for 43 s were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. During the annealing process, the oxygen potential was controlled by adjusting the dew point in a 15%H{sub 2}–N{sub 2} gas atmosphere. It was found that the type of surface oxides formed and the thickness of the oxide layer were determined by the dew point. In a gas mixture with a dew point of − 20 °C, a MnO layer with a thickness of ∼ 100 nm was formed uniformly on the steel surface. Under the MnO layer, a MnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} layer with a thickness of ∼ 15 nm was formed with small Mn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} particles that measured ∼ 70 nm in diameter. Approximately 500 nm below the MnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} layer, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was formed at the grain boundaries. On the other hand, in a gas mixture with a dew point of − 40 °C, a MnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} layer with a thickness of ∼ 5 nm was formed on most parts of the surface. On some parts of the surface, Mn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} particles were formed irregularly up to a thickness of ∼ 50 nm. Approximately 200 nm below the MnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} layer, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was found at the grain boundaries. Thermodynamic calculations were performed to explain the experimental results. The calculations showed that when a{sub O2} > ∼ 1.26 × 10{sup −28}, MnO, MnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}, and Mn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} can be formed together, and the major oxide is MnO. When a{sub O2} is in the range of 1.26 × 10{sup −28}–2.51 × 10{sup −31}, MnO is not stable but MnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} is the major oxide. When a{sub O2} < ∼ 2.51 × 10{sup −31}, only Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} is stable. Consequently, the effective activity of oxygen is considered the dominant factor in determining the type and shape of surface oxides of TWIP steel. - Highlights: • The surface oxides of TWIP steel annealed at 800 °C were investigated using TEM. • The surface oxides were determined by the dew point

Vibrations and spatial patterns in biomimetic surfaces: using the shark-skin effect to control blood clotting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Maani, Nazanin; Rayz, Vitaliy L; Nosonovsky, Michael

2016-08-06

We study the effect of small-amplitude fast vibrations and small-amplitude spatial patterns on various systems involving wetting and liquid flow, such as superhydrophobic surfaces, membranes and flow pipes. First, we introduce a mathematical method of averaging the effect of small spatial and temporal patterns and substituting them with an effective force. Such an effective force can change the equilibrium state of a system as well as a phase state, leading to surface texture-induced and vibration-induced phase control. Vibration and patterns can effectively jam holes in vessels with liquid, separate multi-phase flow, change membrane properties, result in propulsion and locomotion and lead to many other multi-scale, nonlinear effects including the shark-skin effect. We discuss the application of such effects to blood flow for novel biomedical 'haemophobic' applications which can prevent blood clotting and thrombosis by controlling the surface pattern at a wall of a vessel (e.g. a catheter or stent).This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Dry Etch Black Silicon with Low Surface Damage: Effect of Low Capacitively Coupled Plasma Power

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iandolo, Beniamino; Plakhotnyuk, Maksym; Gaudig, Maria

2017-01-01

Black silicon fabricated by reactive ion etch (RIE) is promising for integration into silicon solar cells thanks to its excellent light trapping ability. However, intensive ion bombardment during the RIE induces surface damage, which results in enhanced surface recombination velocity. Here, we pr...... carrier lifetime thanks to reduced ion energy. Surface passivation using atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 improves the effective lifetime to 7.5 ms and 0.8 ms for black silicon n- and p-type wafers, respectively.......Black silicon fabricated by reactive ion etch (RIE) is promising for integration into silicon solar cells thanks to its excellent light trapping ability. However, intensive ion bombardment during the RIE induces surface damage, which results in enhanced surface recombination velocity. Here, we...... present a RIE optimization leading to reduced surface damage while retaining excellent light trapping and low reflectivity. In particular, we demonstrate that the reduction of the capacitively coupled power during reactive ion etching preserves a reflectance below 1% and improves the effective minority...

Do glycine-extended hormone precursors have clinical significance?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rehfeld, Jens Frederik

2014-01-01

Half of the known peptide hormones are C-terminally amidated. Subsequent biogenesis studies have shown that the immediate precursor is a glycine-extended peptide. The clinical interest in glycine-extended hormones began in 1994, when it was suggested that glycine-extended gastrin stimulated cancer...... and clinical effects of glycine-extended precursors for most other amidated hormones than gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK). The idea of glycine-extended peptides as independent messengers was interesting. But clinical science has to move ahead from ideas that cannot be supported at key points after decades...

Surface-induced patterns from evaporating droplets of aqueous carbon nanotube dispersions

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hongbo; Kristiansen, Kai De Lange; Wang, Peng; Bergli, Joakim; Israelachvili, Jacob N.

2011-01-01

Evaporation of aqueous droplets of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with a physisorbed layer of humic acid (HA) on a partially hydrophilic substrate induces the formation of a film of CNTs. Here, we investigate the role that the global geometry of the substrate surfaces has on the structure of the CNT film. On a flat mica or silica surface, the evaporation of a convex droplet of the CNT dispersion induces the well-known "coffee ring", while evaporation of a concave droplet (capillary meniscus) of the CNT dispersion in a wedge of two planar mica sheets or between two crossed-cylinder sheets induces a large area (>mm 2) of textured or patterned films characterized by different short- and long-range orientational and positional ordering of the CNTs. The resulting patterns appear to be determined by two competing or cooperative sedimentation mechanisms: (1) capillary forces between CNTs giving micrometer-sized filaments parallel to the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and (2) fingering instability at the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and subsequent pinning of CNTs on the surface giving micrometer-sized filaments of CNTs perpendicular to this boundary line. The interplay between substrate surface geometry and sedimentation mechanisms gives an extra control parameter for manipulating patterns of self-assembling nanoparticles at substrate surfaces. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Surface-induced patterns from evaporating droplets of aqueous carbon nanotube dispersions

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hongbo

2011-06-07

Evaporation of aqueous droplets of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with a physisorbed layer of humic acid (HA) on a partially hydrophilic substrate induces the formation of a film of CNTs. Here, we investigate the role that the global geometry of the substrate surfaces has on the structure of the CNT film. On a flat mica or silica surface, the evaporation of a convex droplet of the CNT dispersion induces the well-known "coffee ring", while evaporation of a concave droplet (capillary meniscus) of the CNT dispersion in a wedge of two planar mica sheets or between two crossed-cylinder sheets induces a large area (>mm 2) of textured or patterned films characterized by different short- and long-range orientational and positional ordering of the CNTs. The resulting patterns appear to be determined by two competing or cooperative sedimentation mechanisms: (1) capillary forces between CNTs giving micrometer-sized filaments parallel to the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and (2) fingering instability at the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and subsequent pinning of CNTs on the surface giving micrometer-sized filaments of CNTs perpendicular to this boundary line. The interplay between substrate surface geometry and sedimentation mechanisms gives an extra control parameter for manipulating patterns of self-assembling nanoparticles at substrate surfaces. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Numerical Calculation of Distribution of Induced Carge Density on Planar Confined Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolotov, V.; Druzhchenko, R.; Karazin, V.; Lominadze, J.; Kharadze, F.

2007-01-01

The calculation method of distribution of induced charge density on planar surfaces, including fractal structures of Sierpinski carpet type, is propesed. The calculation scheme is based on the fact that simply connected conducting surface of arbitrary geometry is an equipotential surface. (author)

Effects of Ionizing Radiation and Glutathione Precursor on Antioxidant Enzyme and Cell Survival in Yeast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jinkyu; Roh, Changhyun; Ryu, Taeho; Park, Jiyoung [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Nili, Michael A. [Oxiage Cosmeceutical Research Institute, Virginia (United States)

2013-05-15

Cells react to such an induced oxidative stress through scavenging the generated reactive oxygen species to reduce oxidative damage. Antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase are immediately triggered for reactive oxygen species. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a precursor of glutathione, is one of the antioxidants. The effect of NAC as an antioxidant and/or a cell rescue agent was investigated in the present study. Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant intracellular thiol, which involves in antioxidant defense via direct interaction with ROS or via activities of detoxication enzymes like glutathione peroxidases (GPx). NAC flowed in the cell is converted to cysteine by deacetylation, that is supplied to the depleted GSH by oxidative stress. NAC prevents the depletion of GSH by radiation, increases the production of GSH, and improves enzymes activity such as GPx and alkaline phosphatase. Cell growth and survivorship and transcriptional level of glutathione gene are analyzed in two yeast strains exposed to combined treatment of NAC with gamma-rays. The effect of NAC on cell growth was measured during 72 hours. The cell growth was hampered by higher concentrations of NAC at stationary phase. NAC, however, didn't affect the cell division at the exponential phase. The survival of the cells decreased with radiation dose. The cell viability of the strain W303-1A was reduced significantly at the low dose (10 and 30 Gy). By comparison, the strain W303-1A was more sensitive to radiation with having a half lethal dose (LD{sub 50}) of about 20 Gy. The quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the transcriptional expression of antioxidant enzyme gene GPX1 increased after irradiation while the expression of the gene decreased by the combined treatment of NAC with 100 Gy radiation. The present study shows that NAC can directly scavenge ROS against oxidative stress in vivo. In conclusion, NAC can prevent radiation-induced oxidative

Effects of Ionizing Radiation and Glutathione Precursor on Antioxidant Enzyme and Cell Survival in Yeast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jinkyu; Roh, Changhyun; Ryu, Taeho; Park, Jiyoung; Nili, Michael A.

2013-01-01

Cells react to such an induced oxidative stress through scavenging the generated reactive oxygen species to reduce oxidative damage. Antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase are immediately triggered for reactive oxygen species. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a precursor of glutathione, is one of the antioxidants. The effect of NAC as an antioxidant and/or a cell rescue agent was investigated in the present study. Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant intracellular thiol, which involves in antioxidant defense via direct interaction with ROS or via activities of detoxication enzymes like glutathione peroxidases (GPx). NAC flowed in the cell is converted to cysteine by deacetylation, that is supplied to the depleted GSH by oxidative stress. NAC prevents the depletion of GSH by radiation, increases the production of GSH, and improves enzymes activity such as GPx and alkaline phosphatase. Cell growth and survivorship and transcriptional level of glutathione gene are analyzed in two yeast strains exposed to combined treatment of NAC with gamma-rays. The effect of NAC on cell growth was measured during 72 hours. The cell growth was hampered by higher concentrations of NAC at stationary phase. NAC, however, didn't affect the cell division at the exponential phase. The survival of the cells decreased with radiation dose. The cell viability of the strain W303-1A was reduced significantly at the low dose (10 and 30 Gy). By comparison, the strain W303-1A was more sensitive to radiation with having a half lethal dose (LD 50 ) of about 20 Gy. The quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the transcriptional expression of antioxidant enzyme gene GPX1 increased after irradiation while the expression of the gene decreased by the combined treatment of NAC with 100 Gy radiation. The present study shows that NAC can directly scavenge ROS against oxidative stress in vivo. In conclusion, NAC can prevent radiation-induced oxidative stress by

Laser-induced plasma spectrometry: truly a surface analytical tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vadillo, Jose M.; Laserna, J.

2004-01-01

For a long period, analytical applications of laser induced plasma spectrometry (LIPS) have been mainly restricted to overall and quantitative determination of elemental composition in bulk, solid samples. However, introduction of new compact and reliable solid state lasers and technological development in multidimensional intensified detectors have made possible the seeking of new analytical niches for LIPS where its analytical advantages (direct sampling from any material irrespective of its conductive status without sample preparation and with sensitivity adequate for many elements in different matrices) could be fully exploited. In this sense, the field of surface analysis could take advantage from the cited advantages taking into account in addition, the capability of LIPS for spot analysis, line scan, depth-profiling, area analysis and compositional mapping with a single instrument in air at atmospheric pressure. This review paper outlines the fundamental principles of laser-induced plasma emission relevant to sample surface studies, discusses the experimental parameters governing the spatial (lateral and in-depth) resolution in LIPS analysis and presents the applications concerning surface examination

The dynamics of ultraviolet-induced oxygen vacancy at the surface of insulating SrTiO_3(0 0 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suwanwong, S.; Eknapakul, T.; Rattanachai, Y.; Masingboon, C.; Rattanasuporn, S.; Phatthanakun, R.; Nakajima, H.; King, P.D.C.; Hodak, S.K.; Meevasana, W.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The dynamics of UV-induced oxygen vacancy is studied from the change of surface resistance. • The formation of 2DEG at the insulating surface of SrTiO_3 is confirmed by ARPES. • The UV-induced change in resistance responds differently to oxygen/gas exposure. • The behavior of resistance recovery suggests an alternative method of low-pressure sensing. - Abstract: The effect of ultra-violet (UV) irradiation on the electronic structure and the surface resistance of an insulating SrTiO_3(0 0 1) crystal is studied in this work. Upon UV irradiation, we show that the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) emerges at the insulating SrTiO_3 surface and there is a pronounced change in the surface resistance. By combining the observations of the change in valance band and the resistance change under different environments of gas pressure and gas species, we find that UV-induced oxygen vacancies at the surface plays a major role in the resistance change. The dynamic of the resistance change at different oxygen pressures also suggests an alternative method of low-pressure sensing.

Thin films by metal-organic precursor plasma spray

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulz, Douglas L.; Sailer, Robert A.; Payne, Scott; Leach, James; Molz, Ronald J.

2009-01-01

While most plasma spray routes to coatings utilize solids as the precursor feedstock, metal-organic precursor plasma spray (MOPPS) is an area that the authors have investigated recently as a novel route to thin film materials. Very thin films are possible via MOPPS and the technology offers the possibility of forming graded structures by metering the liquid feed. The current work employs metal-organic compounds that are liquids at standard temperature-pressure conditions. In addition, these complexes contain chemical functionality that allows straightforward thermolytic transformation to targeted phases of interest. Toward that end, aluminum 3,5-heptanedionate (Al(hd) 3 ), triethylsilane (HSi(C 2 H 5 ) 3 or HSiEt 3 ), and titanium tetrakisdiethylamide (Ti(N(C 2 H 5 ) 2 ) 4 or Ti(NEt 2 ) 4 ) were employed as precursors to aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and titanium nitride, respectively. In all instances, the liquids contain metal-heteroatom bonds envisioned to provide atomic concentrations of the appropriate reagents at the film growth surface, thus promoting phase formation (e.g., Si-C bond in triethylsilane, Ti-N bond in titanium amide, etc.). Films were deposited using a Sulzer Metco TriplexPro-200 plasma spray system under various experimental conditions using design of experiment principles. Film compositions were analyzed by glazing incidence x-ray diffraction and elemental determination by x-ray spectroscopy. MOPPS films from HSiEt 3 showed the formation of SiC phase but Al(hd) 3 -derived films were amorphous. The Ti(NEt 2 ) 4 precursor gave MOPPS films that appear to consist of nanosized splats of TiOCN with spheres of TiO 2 anatase. While all films in this study suffered from poor adhesion, it is anticipated that the use of heated substrates will aid in the formation of dense, adherent films.

Modification of silica surface by gamma ray induced Ad micellar Polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buathong, Salukjit; Pongprayoon, Thirawudh; Suwanmala, Phiriyatorn

2005-10-01

Precipitated silica is often added to natural rubber compounds in order to improve performance in commercial application. A problem with using silica as filler is the poor compatibility between silica and natural rubber. In this research, polyisoprene was coated on silica surface by gamma ray induced ad micellar polymerization in order to achieve the better compatibility between silica and natural rubber. The modified silica was characterized by FT-IR, and SEM. The results show that polyisoprene was successfully coated on silica surface via gamma ray induced ad micellar polymerization

Laser induced forward transfer of SnO2 for sensing applications using different precursors systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mattle, Thomas; Hintennach, Andreas; Lippert, Thomas; Wokaun, Alexander

2013-02-01

This paper presents the transfer of SnO2 by laser induced forward transfer (LIFT) for gas sensor applications. Different donor substrates of SnO2 with and without triazene polymer (TP) as a dynamic release layer were prepared. Transferring these films under different conditions were evaluated by optical microscopy and functionality. Transfers of sputtered SnO2 films do not lead to satisfactory results and transfers of SnO2 nanoparticles are difficult. Transfers of SnO2 nanoparticles can only be achieved when applying a second laser pulse to the already transferred material, which improves the adhesion resulting in a complete pixel. A new approach of decomposing the transfer material during LIFT transfer was developed. Donor films based on UV absorbing metal complex precursors namely, SnCl2(acac)2 were prepared and transferred using the LIFT technique. Transfer conditions were optimized for the different systems, which were deposited onto sensor-like microstructures. The conductivity of the transferred material at temperatures of about 400 ∘C are in a range usable for SnO2 gas sensors. First sensing tests were carried out and the transferred material proved to change conductivity when exposed to ethanol, acetone, and methane.

Sonic hedgehog-induced histone deacetylase activation is required for cerebellar granule precursor hyperplasia in medulloblastoma.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung Joon Lee

Full Text Available Medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor, is thought to arise from deregulated proliferation of cerebellar granule precursor (CGP cells. Sonic hedgehog (Shh is the primary mitogen that regulates proliferation of CGP cells during the early stages of postnatal cerebellum development. Aberrant activation of Shh signaling during this time has been associated with hyperplasia of CGP cells and eventually may lead to the development of medulloblastoma. The molecular targets of Shh signaling involved in medulloblastoma formation are still not well-understood. Here, we show that Shh regulates sustained activation of histone deacetylases (HDACs and that this activity is required for continued proliferation of CGP cells. Suppression of HDAC activity not only blocked the Shh-induced CGP proliferation in primary cell cultures, but also ameliorated aberrant CGP proliferation at the external germinal layer (EGL in a medulloblastoma mouse model. Increased levels of mRNA and protein of several HDAC family members were found in medulloblastoma compared to wild type cerebellum suggesting that HDAC activity is required for the survival/progression of tumor cells. The identification of a role of HDACs in the early steps of medulloblastoma formation suggests there may be a therapeutic potential for HDAC inhibitors in this disease.