Peracetic Acid Depolymerization of Biorefinery Lignin for Production of Selective Monomeric Phenolic Compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Ruoshui [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Guo, Mond [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Lin, Kuan-ting [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Hebert, Vincent R. [Food and Environmental Laboratory, Washington State, University-TriCities, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Zhang, Jinwen [Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164 USA; Wolcott, Michael P. [Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164 USA; Quintero, Melissa [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K. [Chemical and Biological Process Development Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Chen, Xiaowen [National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Lab, 1617 Cole Blvd Golden CO 80127 USA; Zhang, Xiao [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA

2016-07-04

Lignin is the largest source of renewable material with an aromatic skeleton. However, due to the recalcitrant and heterogeneous nature of the lignin polymer, it has been a challenge to effectively depolymerize lignin and produce high-value chemicals with high selectivity. In this study, a highly efficient lignin-to-monomeric phenolic compounds (MPC) conversion method based on peracetic acid (PAA) treatment was reported. PAA treatment of two biorefinery lignin samples, diluted acid pretreated corn stover lignin (DACSL) and steam exploded spruce lignin (SESPL), led to complete solubilization and production of selective hydroxylated monomeric phenolic compounds (MPC-H) and monomeric phenolic acid compounds (MPC-A) including 4-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid. The maximized MPC yields obtained were 18 and 22 % based on the initial weight of the lignin in SESPL and DACSL, respectively. However, we found that the addition of niobium pentoxide catalyst to PAA treatment of lignin can significantly improve the MPC yields up to 47 %. The key reaction steps and main mechanisms involved in this new lignin-to-MPC valorization pathway were investigated and elucidated.

Peracetic Acid Depolymerization of Biorefinery Lignin for Production of Selective Monomeric Phenolic Compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Ruoshui [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Guo, Mond [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Lin, Kuan-ting [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Hebert, Vincent R. [Food and Environmental Laboratory, Washington State, University-TriCities, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Zhang, Jinwen [Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164 USA; Wolcott, Michael P. [Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164 USA; Quintero, Melissa [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K. [Chemical and Biological Process Development Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99354 USA; Chen, Xiaowen [National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Lab, 1617 Cole Blvd Golden CO 80127 USA; Zhang, Xiao [Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Bioproducts, Science & Engineering Laboratory, Washington State University, 2710 Crimson Way Richland WA 99354 USA

2016-07-04

Lignin is the largest source of renewable material with an aromatic skeleton. However, due to the recalcitrant and heterogeneous nature of the lignin polymer as well as its complex side chain structures, it has been a challenge to effectively depolymerize lignin and produce high value chemicals with high selectivity. In this study, a highly efficient lignin-to-monomeric phenolic compounds (MPC) conversion method based on peracetic acid (PAA) treatment was reported. PAA treatment of two biorefinery lignin samples, diluted acid pretreated corn stover lignin (DACSL) and steam exploded spruce lignin (SESPL), led to complete solubilization and production of selective hydroxylated monomeric phenolic compounds (MPC-H) and monomeric phenolic acid compounds (MPC-A) inclduing 4-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid. The maximized MPCs yields obtained were 18% and 22% based on the initial weight of the lignin in SESPL and DACSL respectively. However, we found that the addition of niobium pentoxide catalyst to PAA treatment of lignin can significantly improve the MPC yields up to 47%. The key reaction steps and main mechanisms involved in this new lignin-to-MPC valorization pathway were investigated and elucidated.

Monomeric adiponectin modulates nitric oxide release and calcium movements in porcine aortic endothelial cells in normal/high glucose conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Grossini, Elena; Farruggio, Serena; Qoqaiche, Fatima; Raina, Giulia; Camillo, Lara; Sigaudo, Lorenzo; Mary, David; Surico, Nicola; Surico, Daniela

2016-09-15

Perivascular adipose tissue can be involved in the process of cardiovascular pathology through the release of adipokines, namely adiponectins. Monomeric adiponectin has been shown to increase coronary blood flow in anesthetized pigs through increased nitric oxide (NO) release and the involvement of adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1). The present study was therefore planned to examine the effects of monomeric adiponectin on NO release and Ca(2+) transients in porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAEs) in normal/high glucose conditions and the related mechanisms. PAEs were treated with monomeric adiponectin alone or in the presence of intracellular kinases blocker, AdipoR1 and Ca(2+)-ATPase pump inhibitors. The role of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger was examined in experiments performed in zero Na(+) medium. NO release and intracellular Ca(2+) were measured through specific probes. In PAE cultured in normal glucose conditions, monomeric adiponectin elevated NO production and [Ca(2+)]c. Similar effects were observed in high glucose conditions, although the response was lower and not transient. The Ca(2+) mobilized by monomeric adiponectin originated from an intracellular pool thapsigargin- and ATP-sensitive and from the extracellular space. Moreover, the effects of monomeric adiponectin were prevented by kinase blockers and AdipoR1 inhibitor. Finally, in normal glucose condition, a role for Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger and Ca(2+)-ATPase pump in restoring Ca(2+) was found. Our results add new information about the control of endothelial function elicited by monomeric adiponectin, which would be achieved by modulation of NO release and Ca(2+) transients. A signalling related to Akt, ERK1/2 and p38MAPK downstream AdipoR1 would be involved. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resolved single-molecule detection of individual species within a mixture of anti-biotin antibodies using an engineered monomeric nanopore.

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Fahie, Monifa; Chisholm, Christina; Chen, Min

2015-02-24

Oligomeric protein nanopores with rigid structures have been engineered for the purpose of sensing a wide range of analytes including small molecules and biological species such as proteins and DNA. We chose a monomeric β-barrel porin, OmpG, as the platform from which to derive the nanopore sensor. OmpG is decorated with seven flexible loops that move dynamically to create a distinct gating pattern when ionic current passes through the pore. Biotin was chemically tethered to the most flexible one of these loops. The gating characteristic of the loop's movement in and out of the porin was substantially altered by analyte protein binding. The gating characteristics of the pore with bound targets were remarkably sensitive to molecular identity, even providing the ability to distinguish between homologues within an antibody mixture. A total of five gating parameters were analyzed for each analyte to create a unique fingerprint for each biotin-binding protein. Our exploitation of gating noise as a molecular identifier may allow more sophisticated sensor design, while OmpG's monomeric structure greatly simplifies nanopore production.

Distinct subcellular trafficking resulting from monomeric vs multimeric targeting to endothelial ICAM-1: implications for drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaffarian, Rasa; Muro, Silvia

2014-12-01

Ligand-targeted, receptor-mediated endocytosis is commonly exploited for intracellular drug delivery. However, cells-surface receptors may follow distinct endocytic fates when bound by monomeric vs multimeric ligands. Our purpose was to study this paradigm using ICAM-1, an endothelial receptor involved in inflammation, to better understand its regulation and potential for drug delivery. Our procedure involved fluorescence microscopy of human endothelial cells to determine the endocytic behavior of unbound ICAM-1 vs ICAM-1 bound by model ligands: monomeric (anti-ICAM) vs multimeric (anti-ICAM biotin-streptavidin conjugates or anti-ICAM coated onto 100 nm nanocarriers). Our findings suggest that both monomeric and multimeric ligands undergo a similar endocytic pathway sensitive to amiloride (∼50% inhibition), but not inhibitors of clathrin-pits or caveoli. After 30 min, ∼60-70% of both ligands colocalized with Rab11a-compartments. By 3-5 h, ∼65-80% of multimeric anti-ICAM colocalized with perinuclear lysosomes with ∼60-80% degradation, while 70% of monomeric anti-ICAM remained associated with Rab11a at the cell periphery and recycled to and from the cell-surface with minimal (drug delivery.

Peracetic Acid Depolymerization of Biorefinery Lignin for Production of Selective Monomeric Phenolic Compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ruoshui; Guo, Mond; Lin, Kuan-Ting; Hebert, Vincent R; Zhang, Jinwen; Wolcott, Michael P; Quintero, Melissa; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K; Chen, Xiaowen; Zhang, Xiao

2016-07-25

Lignin is the largest source of renewable material with an aromatic skeleton. However, due to the recalcitrant and heterogeneous nature of the lignin polymer, it has been a challenge to effectively depolymerize lignin and produce high-value chemicals with high selectivity. In this study, a highly efficient lignin-to-monomeric phenolic compounds (MPC) conversion method based on peracetic acid (PAA) treatment was reported. PAA treatment of two biorefinery lignin samples, diluted acid pretreated corn stover lignin (DACSL) and steam exploded spruce lignin (SESPL), led to complete solubilization and production of selective hydroxylated monomeric phenolic compounds (MPC-H) and monomeric phenolic acid compounds (MPC-A) including 4-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid. The maximized MPC yields obtained were 18 and 22 % based on the initial weight of the lignin in SESPL and DACSL, respectively. However, we found that the addition of niobium pentoxide catalyst to PAA treatment of lignin can significantly improve the MPC yields up to 47 %. The key reaction steps and main mechanisms involved in this new lignin-to-MPC valorization pathway were investigated and elucidated. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantification of the predominant monomeric catechins in baking chocolate standard reference material by LC/APCI-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Bryant C; Sharpless, Katherine E

2003-01-29

Catechins are polyphenolic plant compounds (flavonoids) that may offer significant health benefits to humans. These benefits stem largely from their anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, and antimutagenic properties. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of flavonoid-containing foods is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Chocolate is a natural cocoa bean-based product that reportedly contains high levels of monomeric, oligomeric, and polymeric catechins. We have applied solid-liquid extraction and liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry to the identification and determination of the predominant monomeric catechins, (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin, in a baking chocolate Standard Reference Material (NIST Standard Reference Material 2384). (+)-Catechin and (-)-epicatechin are detected and quantified in chocolate extracts on the basis of selected-ion monitoring of their protonated [M + H](+) molecular ions. Tryptophan methyl ester is used as an internal standard. The developed method has the capacity to accurately quantify as little as 0.1 microg/mL (0.01 mg of catechin/g of chocolate) of either catechin in chocolate extracts, and the method has additionally been used to certify (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin levels in the baking chocolate Standard Reference Material. This is the first reported use of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for the quantitative determination of monomeric catechins in chocolate and the only report certifying monomeric catechin levels in a food-based Standard Reference Material.

Stability of human interferon-beta 1: oligomeric human interferon-beta 1 is inactive but is reactivated by monomerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Utsumi, J; Yamazaki, S; Kawaguchi, K; Kimura, S; Shimizu, H

1989-10-05

Human interferon-beta 1 is extremely stable is a low ionic strength solution of pH 2 such as 10 mM HCl at 37 degrees C. However, the presence of 0.15 M NaCl led to a remarkable loss of antiviral activity. The molecular-sieve high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that, whereas completely active human interferon-beta 1 eluted as a 25 kDa species (monomeric form), the inactivated preparation eluted primarily as a 90 kDa species (oligomeric form). The specific activity (units per mg protein) of the oligomeric form was approx. 10% of that of the monomeric form. This observation shows that oligomeric human interferon-beta 1 is apparently in an inactive form. When the oligomeric eluate was resolved by polyacrylamide gel containing sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), it appeared to be monomeric under non-reducing conditions. Monomerization of the oligomeric human interferon-beta 1 by treatment with 1% SDS, fully regenerated its antiviral activity. These results suggest that the inactivation of the human interferon-beta 1 preparation was caused by its oligomerization via hydrophobic interactions without the formation of intermolecular disulphide bonds. These oligomers can be dissociated by SDS to restore biological activity.

Principal Component Regression Analysis of the Relation Between CIELAB Color and Monomeric Anthocyanins in Young Cabernet Sauvignon Wines

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Chang-Qing Duan

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Color is one of the key characteristics used to evaluate the sensory quality of red wine, and anthocyanins are the main contributors to color. Monomeric anthocyanins and CIELAB color values were investigated by HPLC-MS and spectrophotometry during fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon red wine, and principal component regression (PCR, a statistical tool, was used to establish a linkage between the detected anthocyanins and wine coloring. The results showed that 14 monomeric anthocyanins could be identified in wine samples, and all of these anthocyanins were negatively correlated with the L*, b* and H*ab values, but positively correlated with a* and C*ab values. On an equal concentration basis for each detected anthocyanin, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (Cy3-glu had the most influence on CIELAB color value, while malvidin 3-O-glucoside (Mv3-glu had the least. The color values of various monomeric anthocyanins were influenced by their structures, substituents on the B-ring, acyl groups on the glucoside and the molecular steric structure. This work develops a statistical method for evaluating correlation between wine color and monomeric anthocyanins, and also provides a basis for elucidating the effect of intramolecular copigmentation on wine coloring.

A Domain of Herpes Simplex Virus pUL33 Required To Release Monomeric Viral Genomes from Cleaved Concatemeric DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Kui; Dang, Xiaoqun; Baines, Joel D

2017-10-15

Monomeric herpesvirus DNA is cleaved from concatemers and inserted into preformed capsids through the actions of the viral terminase. The terminase of herpes simplex virus (HSV) is composed of three subunits encoded by U L 15, U L 28, and U L 33. The U L 33-encoded protein (pU L 33) interacts with pU L 28, but its precise role in the DNA cleavage and packaging reaction is unclear. To investigate the function of pU L 33, we generated a panel of recombinant viruses with either deletions or substitutions in the most conserved regions of U L 33 using a bacterial artificial chromosome system. Deletion of 11 amino acids (residues 50 to 60 or residues 110 to 120) precluded viral replication, whereas the truncation of the last 10 amino acids from the pU L 33 C terminus did not affect viral replication or the interaction of pU L 33 with pU L 28. Mutations that replaced the lysine at codon 110 and the arginine at codon 111 with alanine codons failed to replicate, and the pU L 33 mutant interacted with pU L 28 less efficiently. Interestingly, genomic termini of the large (L) and small (S) components were detected readily in cells infected with these mutants, indicating that concatemeric DNA was cleaved efficiently. However, the release of monomeric genomes as assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was greatly diminished, and DNA-containing capsids were not observed. These results suggest that pU L 33 is necessary for one of the two viral DNA cleavage events required to release individual genomes from concatemeric viral DNA. IMPORTANCE This paper shows a role for pU L 33 in one of the two DNA cleavage events required to release monomeric genomes from concatemeric viral DNA. This is the first time that such a phenotype has been observed and is the first identification of a function of this protein relevant to DNA packaging other than its interaction with other terminase components. Copyright © 2017 Yang et al.

Monomeric insulins obtained by protein engineering and their medical implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Brange, J; Ribel, U; Hansen, J F; Dodson, G; Hansen, M T; Havelund, S; Melberg, S G; Norris, F; Norris, K; Snel, L

1988-06-16

The use of insulin as an injected therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes has been one of the outstanding successes of modern medicine. The therapy has, however, had its associated problems, not least because injection of insulin does not lead to normal diurnal concentrations of insulin in the blood. This is especially true at meal times when absorption from subcutaneous tissue is too slow to mimic the normal rapid increments of insulin in the blood. In the neutral solutions used for therapy, insulin is mostly assembled as zinc-containing hexamers and this self-association, which under normal physiological circumstances functions to facilitate proinsulin transport, conversion and intracellular storage, may limit the rate of absorption. We now report that it is possible, by single amino-acid substitutions, to make insulins which are essentially monomeric at pharmaceutical concentrations (0.6 mM) and which have largely preserved their biological activity. These monomeric insulins are absorbed two to three times faster after subcutaneous injection than the present rapid-acting insulins. They are therefore capable of giving diabetic patients a more physiological plasma insulin profile at the time of meal consumption.

Improved detection of a staphylococcal infection by monomeric and protein A-purified polyclonal human immunoglobulin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calame, W.

1993-01-01

The present study was undertaken to compare the technetium-99m labelled non-specific polyclonal human immunoglobulin (Ig) with 99m Tc-labelled monomeric human immunoglobulin (m-Ig), 99m Tc-labelled, protein A-purified, human immunoglobulin (A-IG) and 99m Tc-labelled monomeric, protein A-purified, human immunoglobulin (mA-Ig) as tracer agents for the detection of a thigh infection with Staphylococcus aureus. In vitro the binding of the various tracer agents to bacteria at various intervals was determined. For the in vivo evaluation, mice were infected and received one of the various labelled proteins. Scintigrams were made 0.25, 1, 4 and 24 h later. All 99m Tc-labelled Igs bound to bacteria in vitro: The percentages of binding for the m-Ig (from 1 h onwards) and A-Ig and mA-Ig (from 3 h onwards) were significantly higher than that for Ig. The in vivo target-to-non-target (T/NT) ratios were significantly higher from 4 h onwards for all purified Igs than for Ig. Protein A-purified Ig yielded higher T/NT ratios than m-Ig. Furthermore, the amount of activity in the liver was significantly lower 24 h after administration of m-Ig, A-Ig and mA-Ig than after administration of Ig. It is concluded that in this experimental infection 99m Tc-labelled monomeric Ig localizes a staphylococcal thigh infection better and faster than 99m Tc-labelled unpurified Ig. However, the accumulation obtained with protein A-purified Ig or protein A-purified monomeric Ig was the highest of all tracer agents tested. (orig.)

Characterization of monomeric intermediates during VSV glycoprotein structural transition.

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Aurélie A Albertini

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Entry of enveloped viruses requires fusion of viral and cellular membranes, driven by conformational changes of viral glycoproteins. Crystal structures provide static pictures of pre- and post-fusion conformations of these proteins but the transition pathway remains elusive. Here, using several biophysical techniques, including analytical ultracentrifugation, circular dichroïsm, electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering, we have characterized the low-pH-induced fusogenic structural transition of a soluble form of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV glycoprotein G ectodomain (G(th, aa residues 1-422, the fragment that was previously crystallized. While the post-fusion trimer is the major species detected at low pH, the pre-fusion trimer is not detected in solution. Rather, at high pH, G(th is a flexible monomer that explores a large conformational space. The monomeric population exhibits a marked pH-dependence and adopts more elongated conformations when pH decreases. Furthermore, large relative movements of domains are detected in absence of significant secondary structure modification. Solution studies are complemented by electron micrographs of negatively stained viral particles in which monomeric ectodomains of G are observed at the viral surface at both pH 7.5 and pH 6.7. We propose that the monomers are intermediates during the conformational change and thus that VSV G trimers dissociate at the viral surface during the structural transition.

Preparation of a highly concentrated, completely monomeric, active sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase.

Science.gov (United States)

Lüdi, H; Hasselbach, W

1985-11-21

Sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from fast skeletal muscle were partially delipidated with sodium cholate at high ionic strength and sedimented in a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Phospholipid content was reduced from 0.777 mumol/mg protein to 0.242 mumol/mg protein. As judged from gel electrophoresis and high pressure liquid gel chromatography, accessory proteins were removed during centrifugation and the Ca2+-ATPase was obtained in an almost pure form. Addition of myristoylglycerophosphocholine (1 mg/mg protein) reactivates ATPase and dinitrophenylphosphatase activity to the same degree obtained with native vesicles. Using the analytical ultracentrifuge it could be demonstrated that the reactivated Ca2+-ATPase was present exclusively in a monomeric state. These results were obtained at high and low ionic strength and up to a protein concentration of 10 mg/ml. Therefore this preparation should be very useful to investigate differences between oligomeric and monomeric Ca2+-ATPase.

Fiber-coupled Al_2O_3:C radioluminescence dosimetry for total body irradiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buranurak, S.; Andersen, C.E.

2016-01-01

In vivo dosimetry can be important and relevant in radiotherapy, especially when commissioning new treatment techniques at hospitals. This study investigates the potential use of fiber-coupled radioluminescence (RL) dosimetry based on Al_2O_3:C or organic plastic scintillators for this purpose in the context of Total Body Irradiations (TBIs) where patients are treated with large fields of 6 or 18 MV photons at an extended source-to-surface distance (SSD). The study shows that Al_2O_3:C dosimetry using the saturated-RL protocol may be suitable for real-time in vivo dosimetry during TBI treatments from the perspective of the good agreement with alanine dosimetry and other critical phantom tests, including the ability to cope with the large stem signal experienced during TBI treatments at extended SSD. In contrast, the chromatic stem removal technique often used for organic plastic scintillators did not work well in large fields with the tested calibration procedure and instrumentation. An apparent dose-rate effect discussed in a previous study of the RL properties of Al_2O_3:C (Andersen et al., 2011) was found to have resulted from an overlooked dead time problem in the counting system, and this potential caveat can therefore be removed from the list of potential problems associated with fiber-coupled Al_2O_3:C dosimetry using the saturated-RL protocol. This further has implications for TBI dosimetry using the RL Al_2O_3:C system due to large dose-rate differences between calibrations at the iso-center and in vivo measurements at extended source-to-surface distances. - Highlights: • Fiber-coupled dosimetry can be used for measurements during total body irradiations. • An apparent dose-effect associated with radioluminescence from Al2O3:C was resolved. • The gated-counting stem removal procedure worked well for Al2O3:C in pulsed accelerator beams. • The chromatic stem removal procedure did not work well with the tested instrumentation and organic plastic

Two mechanisms for dissipation of excess light in monomeric and trimeric light-harvesting complexes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dall' Osto, Luca [Univ. di Verona, Verona (Italy). Dipartimento di Biotecnologie; Cazzaniga, Stefano [Univ. di Verona, Verona (Italy). Dipartimento di Biotecnologie; Bressan, Mauro [Univ. di Verona, Verona (Italy). Dipartimento di Biotecnologie; Paleček, David [Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Chemical Physics; Židek, Karel [Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Chemical Physics; Niyogi, Krishna K. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Howard Hughes Medical Inst., Dept. of Plant and Microbial Biology; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division; Fleming, Graham R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division; Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemistry, Graduate Group in Applied Science and Technology; Zigmantas, Donatas [Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Chemical Physics; Bassi, Roberto [Univ. di Verona, Verona (Italy). Dipartimento di Biotecnologie; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Firenze (Italy). Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante (IPP)

2017-04-10

Oxygenic photoautotrophs require mechanisms for rapidly matching the level of chlorophyll excited states from light harvesting with the rate of electron transport from water to carbon dioxide. These photoprotective reactions prevent formation of reactive excited states and photoinhibition. The fastest response to excess illumination is the so-called non-photochemical quenching which, in higher plants, requires the luminal pH sensor PsbS and other yet unidentified components of the photosystem II antenna. Both trimeric light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) and monomeric LHC proteins have been indicated as site(s) of the heat-dissipative reactions. Different mechanisms have been proposed: Energy transfer to a lutein quencher in trimers, formation of a zeaxanthin radical cation in monomers. Here, we report on the construction of a mutant lacking all monomeric LHC proteins but retaining LHCII trimers. Its non-photochemical quenching induction rate was substantially slower with respect to the wild type. A carotenoid radical cation signal was detected in the wild type, although it was lost in the mutant. Here, we conclude that non-photochemical quenching is catalysed by two independent mechanisms, with the fastest activated response catalysed within monomeric LHC proteins depending on both zeaxanthin and lutein and on the formation of a radical cation. Trimeric LHCII was responsible for the slowly activated quenching component whereas inclusion in supercomplexes was not required. Finally, this latter activity does not depend on lutein nor on charge transfer events, whereas zeaxanthin was essential.

Measurements of total production cross sections for pi+ + C, pi+ + Al, K+ + C, and K+ + Al at 60 GeV/c and pi+ + C and pi+ + Al at 31 GeV/c

CERN Document Server

Aduszkiewicz, A.; The NA61 collaboration; Antićić, T.; Antoniou, N.; Baatar, B.; Baszczyk, M.; Bhosale, S.; Blondel, A.; Bogomilov, M.; Brandin, A.; Bravar, A.; Bryliński, W.; Brzychczyk, J.; Bunyatov, S.A.; Busygina, O.; Bzdak, A.; Cao, S.; Cherif, H.; Christakoglou, P.; Ćirković, M.; Czopowicz, T.; Damyanova, A.; Datta, A.; Davis, N.; Deveaux, M.; Diakonos, F.; von Doetinchem, P.; Dominik, W.; Dorosz, P.; Dumarchez, J.; Engel, R.; Feofilov, G.A.; Fields, L.; Fodor, Z.; Friend, M.; Garibov, A.; Gaździcki, M.; Golosov, O.; Golubeva, M.; Grebieszkow, K.; Guber, F.; Haesler, A.; Hasegawa, T.; Hervé, A.E.; Igolkin, S.; Ilieva, S.; Ivashkin, A.; Johnson, S.R.; Kadija, K.; Kapoyannis, A.; Kaptur, E.; Kargin, N.; Kashirin, E.; Kiełbowicz, M.; Kireyeu, V.A.; Klochkov, V.; Kobayashi, T.; Kolesnikov, V.I.; Kolev, D.; Korzenev, A.; Kovalenko, V.N.; Kowalik, K.; Kowalski, S.; Koziel, M.; Krasnoperov, A.; Kucewicz, W.; Kuich, M.; Kurepin, A.; Larsen, D.; László, A.; Lazareva, T.V.; Lewicki, M.; Łojek, K.; Łysakowski, B.; Lyubushkin, V.V.; Maćkowiak-Pawłowska, M.; Majka, Z.; Maksiak, B.; Malakhov, A.I.; Manić, D.; Marchionni, A.; Marcinek, A.; Marino, A.D.; Marton, K.; Mathes, H.-J.; Matulewicz, T.; Matveev, V.; Melkumov, G.L.; Messerly, B.; Mik, L.; Mills, G.B.; Morozov, S.; Mrówczyński, S.; Nagai, Y.; Nakadaira, T.; Naskręt, M.; Ozvenchuk, V.; Panagiotou, A.D.; Paolone, V.; Pavin, M.; Petukhov, O.; Płaneta, R.; Podlaski, P.; Popov, B.A.; Posiadała, M.; Puławski, S.; Puzović, J.; Rauch, W.; Ravonel, M.; Renfordt, R.; Richter-Wąs, E.; Röhrich, D.; Rondio, E.; Roth, M.; Rumberger, B.T.; Rustamov, A.; Rybczynski, M.; Rybicki, A.; Sadovsky, A.; Sakashita, K.; Schmidt, K.; Sekiguchi, T.; Selyuzhenkov, I.; Seryakov, A.Yu.; Seyboth, P.; Shukla, A.; Słodkowski, M.; Snoch, A.; Staszel, P.; Stefanek, G.; Stepaniak, J.; Strikhanov, M.; Ströbele, H.; Šuša, T.; Tada, M.; Taranenko, A.; Tefelska, A.; Tefelski, D.; Tereshchenko, V.; Toia, A.; Tsenov, R.; Turko, L.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Valiev, F.F.; Vassiliou, M.; Veberič, D.; Vechernin, V.V.; Walewski, M.; Wickremasinghe, A.; Włodarczyk, Z.; Wojtaszek-Szwarc, A.; Wyszyński, O.; Yarritu, K.; Zambelli, L.; Zimmerman, E.D.; Zwaska, R.

2018-01-01

This paper presents several measurements of total production cross sections and total inelastic cross sections for the following reactions: pi+ + C, pi+ + Al, K+ + C, K+ + Al at 60 GeV/c, pi+ + C and pi+ + Al at 31 GeV/c. The measurements were made using the NA61/SHINE spectrometer at the CERN SPS. Comparisons with previous measurements are given and good agreement is seen. These interaction cross sections measurements are a key ingredient for neutrino flux prediction from the reinteractions of secondary hadrons in current and future accelerator-based long-baseline neutrino experiments.

Enhanced coagulation for improving coagulation performance and reducing residual aluminum combining polyaluminum chloride with diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Wenchao; Wu, Chunde

2016-01-01

The feasibility of using enhanced coagulation, which combined polyaluminum chloride (PAC) with diatomite for improving coagulation performance and reducing the residual aluminum (Al), was discussed. The effects of PAC and diatomite dosage on the coagulation performance and residual Al were mainly investigated. Results demonstrated that the removal efficiencies of turbidity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV254 were significantly improved by the enhanced coagulation, compared with PAC coagulation alone. Meaningfully, the five forms of residual Al (total Al (TAl), total dissolved Al (TDAl), dissolved organic Al (DOAl), dissolved monomeric Al (DMAl), and dissolved organic monomeric Al (DOMAl)) all had different degrees of reduction in the presence of diatomite and achieved the lowest concentrations (0.185, 0.06, 0.053, 0.014, and 0 mg L(-1), respectively) at a PAC dose of 15 mg L(-1) and diatomite dose of 40 mg L(-1). In addition, when PAC was used as coagulant, the majority of residual Al existed in dissolved form (about 31.14-70.16%), and the content of DOMAl was small in the DMAl.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of decameric and monomeric forms of C49S mutant thioredoxin-dependent AhpC from Helicobacter pylori

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Supangat; Seo, Kyung Hye; Furqoni, Ahmad; Kwon, Young-Chul; Cho, Myung-Je; Rhee, Kwang-Ho; Lee, Sang Yeol; Lee, Kon Ho

2008-01-01

Decameric and monomeric forms of recombinant C49S mutant AhpC from H. pylori have been crystallized. Diffraction data were collected to 2.8 and 2.25 Å, respectively. Cys49Ser mutant Helicobacter pylori alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (C49S HpAhpC) was purified under reducing conditions in monomeric and decameric forms. The monomeric form was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to 2.25 Å resolution and belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 245.8, b = 140.7, c = 189.5 Å, β = 127°, and contained 20 molecules in the asymmetric unit. A crystal of the decameric form was obtained by the microbatch crystallization method and diffracted to 2.8 Å resolution. It belonged to space group C222, with unit-cell parameters a = 257.5, b = 417.5, c = 95.6 Å. The structure of the monomeric form of C49S HpAhpC has been solved by the molecular-replacement method

Development of bisphenol A-removing recombinant Escherichia coli by monomeric and dimeric surface display of bisphenol A-binding peptide.

Science.gov (United States)

Maruthamuthu, Murali Kannan; Hong, Jiyeon; Arulsamy, Kulandaisamy; Somasundaram, Sivachandiran; Hong, SoonHo; Choe, Woo-Seok; Yoo, Ik-Keun

2018-04-01

Peptide-displaying Escherichia coli cells were investigated for use in adsorptive removal of bisphenol A (BPA) both in Luria-Bertani medium including BPA or ATM thermal paper eluted wastewater. Two recombinant strains were constructed with monomeric and dimeric repeats of the 7-mer BPA-binding peptide (KSLENSY), respectively. Greater than threefold increased adsorption of BPA [230.4 µmol BPA per g dry cell weight (DCW)] was found in dimeric peptide-displaying cells compared to monomeric strains (63.4 µmol per g DCW) in 15 ppm BPA solution. The selective removal of BPA from a mixture of BPA analogs (bisphenol F and bisphenol S) was verified in both monomeric and dimeric peptide-displaying cells. The binding chemistry of BPA with the peptide was assumed, based on molecular docking analysis, to be the interaction of BPA with serine and asparagine residues within the 7-mer peptide sequence. The peptide-displaying cells also functioned efficiently in thermal paper eluted wastewater containing 14.5 ppm BPA.

Neurodevelopmental Expression Profile of Dimeric and Monomeric Group 1 mGluRs: Relevance to Schizophrenia Pathogenesis and Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lum, Jeremy S; Fernandez, Francesca; Matosin, Natalie; Andrews, Jessica L; Huang, Xu-Feng; Ooi, Lezanne; Newell, Kelly A

2016-10-10

Group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR1/mGluR5) play an integral role in neurodevelopment and are implicated in psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. mGluR1 and mGluR5 are expressed as homodimers, which is important for their functionality and pharmacology. We examined the protein expression of dimeric and monomeric mGluR1α and mGluR5 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus throughout development (juvenile/adolescence/adulthood) and in the perinatal phencyclidine (PCP) model of schizophrenia. Under control conditions, mGluR1α dimer expression increased between juvenile and adolescence (209-328%), while monomeric levels remained consistent. Dimeric mGluR5 was steadily expressed across all time points; monomeric mGluR5 was present in juveniles, dramatically declining at adolescence and adulthood (-97-99%). The mGluR regulators, Homer 1b/c and Norbin, significantly increased with age in the PFC and hippocampus. Perinatal PCP treatment significantly increased juvenile dimeric mGluR5 levels in the PFC and hippocampus (37-50%) but decreased hippocampal mGluR1α (-50-56%). Perinatal PCP treatment also reduced mGluR1α dimer levels in the PFC at adulthood (-31%). These results suggest that Group 1 mGluRs have distinct dimeric and monomeric neurodevelopmental patterns, which may impact their pharmacological profiles at specific ages. Perinatal PCP treatment disrupted the early expression of Group 1 mGluRs which may underlie neurodevelopmental alterations observed in this model.

Structure/function analysis of PARP-1 in oxidative and nitrosative stress-induced monomeric ADPR formation.

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Ben Buelow

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1 is a multifunctional enzyme that is involved in two major cellular responses to oxidative and nitrosative (O/N stress: detection and response to DNA damage via formation of protein-bound poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose (PAR, and formation of the soluble 2(nd messenger monomeric adenosine diphosphate-ribose (mADPR. Previous studies have delineated specific roles for several of PARP-1's structural domains in the context of its involvement in a DNA damage response. However, little is known about the relationship between the mechanisms through which PARP-1 participates in DNA damage detection/response and those involved in the generation of monomeric ADPR. To better understand the relationship between these events, we undertook a structure/function analysis of PARP-1 via reconstitution of PARP-1 deficient DT40 cells with PARP-1 variants deficient in catalysis, DNA binding, auto-PARylation, and PARP-1's BRCT protein interaction domain. Analysis of responses of the respective reconstituted cells to a model O/N stressor indicated that PARP-1 catalytic activity, DNA binding, and auto-PARylation are required for PARP-dependent mADPR formation, but that BRCT-mediated interactions are dispensable. As the BRCT domain is required for PARP-dependent recruitment of XRCC1 to sites of DNA damage, these results suggest that DNA repair and monomeric ADPR 2(nd messenger generation are parallel mechanisms through which PARP-1 modulates cellular responses to O/N stress.

Early High-Intensity Versus Low-Intensity Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) by Bade et al

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mechlenburg, Inger; Skoffer, Birgit; Dalgas, Ulrik

2017-01-01

Recently, a paper entitled "Early High-Intensity Versus Low-Intensity Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial" was published in Arthritis Care Res by Bade et al. (1). We have read the paper with great interest and noted that the study shows essentially no diffe......Recently, a paper entitled "Early High-Intensity Versus Low-Intensity Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial" was published in Arthritis Care Res by Bade et al. (1). We have read the paper with great interest and noted that the study shows essentially...

MONOMERIC ß-AMYLOID INTERACTS WITH TYPE-1 INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTORS TO PROVIDE ENERGY SUPPLY TO NEURONS

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Maria Laura eGiuffrida

2015-08-01

Full Text Available ß-amyloid (Aß1-42 is produced by proteolytic cleavage of the transmembrane type-1 protein, amyloid precursor protein. Under pathological conditions, Aß1-42 self-aggregates into oligomers, which cause synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss, and are considered the culprit of Alzheimer’s disease (AD. However, Aß1-42 is mainly monomeric at physiological concentrations, and the precise role of monomeric Aß1-42 in neuronal function is largely unknown. We report that the monomer of Aß1-42 activates type-1 insulin-like growth factor receptors and enhances glucose uptake in neurons and peripheral cells by promoting the translocation of the Glut3 glucose transporter from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. In neurons, activity-dependent glucose uptake was blunted after blocking endogenous Aß production, and re-established in the presence of cerebrospinal fluid Aß. APP-null neurons failed to enhance depolarization-stimulated glucose uptake unless exogenous monomeric Aß1-42 was added. These data suggest that Aß1-42 monomers were critical for maintaining neuronal glucose homeostasis. Accordingly, exogenous Aß1-42 monomers were able to rescue the low levels of glucose consumption observed in brain slices from AD mutant mice.

Induction of antibodies against epitopes inaccessible on the HIV type 1 envelope oligomer by immunization with recombinant monomeric glycoprotein 120

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schønning, Kristian; Bolmstedt, A; Novotny, J

1998-01-01

An N-glycan (N306) at the base of the V3 loop of HIV-BRU gp120 is shielding a linear neutralization epitope at the tip of the V3 loop on oligomeric Env. In contrast, this epitope is readily antigenic on monomeric gp120. Immunization with recombinant monomeric HIV-BRU gp120 may thus be expected...... immunogenic structures inaccessible on the envelope oligomer. The limited ability of recombinant gp120 vaccines to induce neutralizing antibodies against primary isolates may thus not exclusively reflect genetic variation....

Natural monomeric form of fetal bovine serum acetylcholinesterase lacks the C-terminal tetramerization domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Ashima; Hur, Regina S; Luo, Chunyuan; Doctor, Bhupendra P

2003-12-30

Acetylcholinesterase isolated from fetal bovine serum (FBS AChE) was previously characterized as a globular tetrameric form. Analysis of purified preparations of FBS AChE by gel permeation chromatography revealed the presence of a stable, catalytically active, monomeric form of this enzyme. The two forms could be distinguished from each other based on their molecular weight, hydrodynamic properties, kinetic properties, thermal stability, and the type of glycans they carry. No differences between the two forms were observed for the binding of classical inhibitors such as edrophonium and propidium or inhibitors that are current or potential drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease such as (-) huperzine A and E2020; tacrine inhibited the monomeric form 2-3-fold more potently than the tetrameric form. Sequencing of peptides obtained from an in-gel tryptic digest of the monomer and tetramer by tandem mass spectrometry indicated that the tetramer consists of 583 amino acid residues corresponding to the mature form of the enzyme, whereas the monomer consists of 543-547 amino acid residues. The subunit molecular weight of the protein component of the monomer (major species) was determined to be 59 414 Da and that of the tetramer as 64 239 Da. The N-terminal of the monomer and the tetramer was Glu, suggesting that the monomer is not a result of truncation at the N-terminal. The only differences detected were at the C-terminus. The tetramer yielded the expected C-terminus, CSDL, whereas the C-terminus of the monomer yielded a mixture of peptides, of which LLSATDTLD was the most abundant. These results suggest that monomeric FBS AChE is trimmed at the C-terminus, and the results are consistent with the involvement of C-terminal amino acids in the assembly of monomers into tetramers.

Monomeric, Oligomeric and Polymeric Proteins in Huntington Disease and Other Diseases of Polyglutamine Expansion

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Guylaine Hoffner

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Huntington disease and other diseases of polyglutamine expansion are each caused by a different protein bearing an excessively long polyglutamine sequence and are associated with neuronal death. Although these diseases affect largely different brain regions, they all share a number of characteristics, and, therefore, are likely to possess a common mechanism. In all of the diseases, the causative protein is proteolyzed, becomes abnormally folded and accumulates in oligomers and larger aggregates. The aggregated and possibly the monomeric expanded polyglutamine are likely to play a critical role in the pathogenesis and there is increasing evidence that the secondary structure of the protein influences its toxicity. We describe here, with special attention to huntingtin, the mechanisms of polyglutamine aggregation and the modulation of aggregation by the sequences flanking the polyglutamine. We give a comprehensive picture of the characteristics of monomeric and aggregated polyglutamine, including morphology, composition, seeding ability, secondary structure, and toxicity. The structural heterogeneity of aggregated polyglutamine may explain why polyglutamine-containing aggregates could paradoxically be either toxic or neuroprotective.

Monomeric banana lectin at acidic pH overrules conformational stability of its native dimeric form.

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Javed M Khan

Full Text Available Banana lectin (BL is a homodimeric protein categorized among jacalin-related family of lectins. The effect of acidic pH was examined on conformational stability of BL by using circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence, 1-anilino-8-napthalene sulfonate (ANS binding, size exclusion chromatography (SEC and dynamic light scattering (DLS. During acid denaturation of BL, the monomerization of native dimeric protein was found at pH 2.0. The elution profile from SEC showed two different peaks (59.65 ml & 87.98 ml at pH 2.0 while single peak (61.45 ml at pH 7.4. The hydrodynamic radii (R h of native BL was 2.9 nm while at pH 2.0 two species were found with R h of 1.7 and 3.7 nm. Furthermore at, pH 2.0 the secondary structures of BL remained unaltered while tertiary structure was significantly disrupted with the exposure of hydrophobic clusters confirming the existence of molten globule like state. The unfolding of BL with different subunit status was further evaluated by urea and temperature mediated denaturation to check their stability. As inferred from high Cm and ΔG values, the monomeric form of BL offers more resistance towards chemical denaturation than the native dimeric form. Besides, dimeric BL exhibited a Tm of 77°C while no loss in secondary structures was observed in monomers even up to 95°C. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on monomeric subunit of lectins showing more stability against denaturants than its native dimeric state.

mKikGR, a monomeric photoswitchable fluorescent protein.

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Satoshi Habuchi

Full Text Available The recent demonstration and utilization of fluorescent proteins whose fluorescence can be switched on and off has greatly expanded the toolkit of molecular and cell biology. These photoswitchable proteins have facilitated the characterization of specifically tagged molecular species in the cell and have enabled fluorescence imaging of intracellular structures with a resolution far below the classical diffraction limit of light. Applications are limited, however, by the fast photobleaching, slow photoswitching, and oligomerization typical for photoswitchable proteins currently available. Here, we report the molecular cloning and spectroscopic characterization of mKikGR, a monomeric version of the previously reported KikGR that displays high photostability and switching rates. Furthermore, we present single-molecule imaging experiments that demonstrate that individual mKikGR proteins can be localized with a precision of better than 10 nanometers, suggesting their suitability for super-resolution imaging.

Effects of aluminum on organic acid metabolism and secretion by red spruce cell suspension cultures and the reversal of Al effects on growth and polyamine metabolism by exogenous organic acids

Science.gov (United States)

Rakesh Minocha; Stephanie Long

2004-01-01

In the absence of added Al, the concentration of succinate in cultured red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) cells was 15-20 times higher (> 600 nmol g-1FW) than that of citrate or oxalate and 4-6 times higher than that of malate. Addition of AICIJ (effective monomeric Al concentrations of 0.23 and 0.48...

Selective defunctionalization by TiO2 of monomeric phenolics from lignin pyrolysis into simple phenols.

Science.gov (United States)

Mante, Ofei D; Rodriguez, Jose A; Babu, Suresh P

2013-11-01

This study is focused on defunctionalizing monomeric phenolics from lignin into simple phenols for applications such as phenol/formaldehyde resins, epoxidized novolacs, adhesives and binders. Towards this goal, Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was used to selectively remove hydroxyl, methoxy, carbonyl and carboxyl functionalities from the monomeric phenolic compounds from lignin to produce mainly phenol, cresols and xylenols. The results showed that anatase TiO2 was more selective and active compared to rutile TiO2. Catechols were found to be the most reactive phenolics and 4-ethylguaiacol the least reactive with anatase TiO2. An overall conversion of about 87% of the phenolics was achieved at 550°C with a catalyst-to-feed ratio of 5 w/w. Over 97% conversion of phenolics is achievable at moderate temperatures (550°C or ≤ 600°C) and a moderate catalyst-to-feed ratio of 6.5:1. The reactivity of catechols on TiO2 suggests that titania is a promising catalyst in the removal of hydroxyl moiety. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Preparation and properties of a monomeric Mn(IV)-oxo complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsell, Trenton H; Behan, Rachel K; Green, Michael T; Hendrich, Michael P; Borovik, A S

2006-07-12

Manganese-oxo complexes have long been investigated because of their proposed roles in biological and chemical catalysis. However, there are few examples of monomeric complexes with terminal oxo ligands, especially those with oxomanganese(IV) units. A oxomanganese(IV) complex has been prepared from [MnIIIH3buea(O)]2- ([H3buea]3-, tris[(N'-tert-butylureaylato)-N-ethylene]aminato), a monomeric MnIII-O complex in which the oxo ligand arises from cleavage of dioxygen. Treating [MnIIIH3buea(O)]2- with [Cp2Fe]BF4 in either DMF at -45 degrees C or DMSO at room temperature produces [MnIVH3buea(O)]-: lambdamax = 635 nm; nu(Mn-16O) = 737 cm-1; nu(Mn-18O) = 709 cm-1; g = 5.15, 2.44, 1.63, D = 3.0 cm-1, E/D = 0.26, aMn = 66 G (A = 190 MHz). These spectroscopic properties support the assignment of a mononuclear MnIV-oxo complex with an S = 3/2 ground state. Density functional theory supports this assignment and the Jahn-Teller distortion around the high-spin MnIV center that would alter the molecular structure of [MnIVH3buea(O)]- from trigonal symmetry (as indicated by the highly rhombic EPR signal). [MnIVH3buea(O)]- is relatively unstable in DMSO, converting to [MnIIIH3buea(OH)]- via a proposed X-H bond cleavage. [MnIVH3buea(O)]- reacts with 1,2-diphenylhydrazine to from azobenzene (95% yield) and [MnIIIH3buea(OH)]-. The MnIV-oxo does not react with triphenyl- or tricyclohexylphosphine. However, O-atom transfer is observed with methyldiphenylphosphine and dimethylphenylphosphine, producing the corresponding phosphine oxides. These results illustrate the diverse reactivity of the MnIV-oxo unit.

Polyimide resin composites via in situ polymerization of monomeric reactants

Science.gov (United States)

Cavano, P. J.

1974-01-01

Thermo-oxidatively stable polyimide/graphite-fiber composites were prepared using a unique in situ polymerization of monomeric reactants directly on reinforcing fibers. This was accomplished by using an aromatic diamine and two ester-acids in a methyl alcohol solvent, rather than a previously synthesized prepolymer varnish, as with other A-type polyimides. A die molding procedure was developed and a composite property characterization conducted with high modulus graphite fiber tow. Flexure, tensile, compressive, and shear tests were conducted at temperatures from 72 to 650 F on laminates before and after exposures at the given temperatures in an air environment for times up to 1000 hours. The composite material was determined to be oxidatively, thermally, and hydrolytically stable.

Monomeric RC-LH1 core complexes retard LH2 assembly and intracytoplasmic membrane formation in PufX-minus mutants of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

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Adams, Peter G; Mothersole, David J; Ng, Irene W; Olsen, John D; Hunter, C Neil

2011-09-01

In the model photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides domains of light-harvesting 2 (LH2) complexes surround and interconnect dimeric reaction centre-light-harvesting 1-PufX (RC-LH1-PufX) 'core' complexes, forming extensive networks for energy transfer and trapping. These complexes are housed in spherical intracytoplasmic membranes (ICMs), which are assembled in a stepwise process where biosynthesis of core complexes tends to dominate the early stages of membrane invagination. The kinetics of LH2 assembly were measured in PufX mutants that assemble monomeric core complexes, as a consequence of either a twelve-residue N-terminal truncation of PufX (PufXΔ12) or the complete removal of PufX (PufX(-)). Lower rates of LH2 assembly and retarded maturation of membrane invagination were observed for the larger and less curved ICM from the PufX(-) mutant, consistent with the proposition that local membrane curvature, initiated by arrays of bent RC-LH1-PufX dimers, creates a favourable environment for stable assembly of LH2 complexes. Transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution atomic force microscopy were used to examine ICM morphology and membrane protein organisation in these mutants. Some partitioning of core and LH2 complexes was observed in PufX(-) membranes, resulting in locally ordered clusters of monomeric RC-LH1 complexes. The distribution of core and LH2 complexes in the three types of membrane examined is consistent with previous models of membrane curvature and domain formation (Frese et al., 2008), which demonstrated that a combination of crowding and asymmetries in sizes and shapes of membrane protein complexes drives membrane organisation. 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Discovery of Radioiodinated Monomeric Anthraquinones as a Novel Class of Necrosis Avid Agents for Early Imaging of Necrotic Myocardium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qin; Yang, Shengwei; Jiang, Cuihua; Li, Jindian; Wang, Cong; Chen, Linwei; Jin, Qiaomei; Song, Shaoli; Feng, Yuanbo; Ni, Yicheng; Zhang, Jian; Yin, Zhiqi

2016-02-16

Assessment of myocardial viability is deemed necessary to aid in clinical decision making whether to recommend revascularization therapy for patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Dianthraquinones such as hypericin (Hyp) selectively accumulate in necrotic myocardium, but were unsuitable for early imaging after administration to assess myocardial viability. Since dianthraquinones can be composed by coupling two molecules of monomeric anthraquinone and the active center can be found by splitting chemical structure, we propose that monomeric anthraquinones may be effective functional groups for necrosis targetability. In this study, eight radioiodinated monomeric anthraquinones were evaluated as novel necrosis avid agents (NAAs) for imaging of necrotic myocardium. All (131)I-anthraquinones showed high affinity to necrotic tissues and (131)I-rhein emerged as the most promising compound. Infarcts were visualized on SPECT/CT images at 6 h after injection of (131)I-rhein, which was earlier than that with (131)I-Hyp. Moreover, (131)I-rhein showed satisfactory heart-to-blood, heart-to-liver and heart-to-lung ratios for obtaining images of good diagnostic quality. (131)I-rhein was a more promising "hot spot imaging" tracer for earlier visualization of necrotic myocardium than (131)I-Hyp, which supported further development of radiopharmaceuticals based on rhein for SPECT/CT ((123)I and (99m)Tc) or PET/CT imaging ((18)F and (124)I) of myocardial necrosis.

A strategy for complex dimer formation when biomimicry fails: total synthesis of ten coccinellid alkaloids.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherwood, Trevor C; Trotta, Adam H; Snyder, Scott A

2014-07-09

Although dimeric natural products can often be synthesized in the laboratory by directly merging advanced monomers, these approaches sometimes fail, leading instead to non-natural architectures via incorrect unions. Such a situation arose during our studies of the coccinellid alkaloids, when attempts to directly dimerize Nature's presumed monomeric precursors in a putative biomimetic sequence afforded only a non-natural analogue through improper regiocontrol. Herein, we outline a unique strategy for dimer formation that obviates these difficulties, one which rapidly constructs the coccinellid dimers psylloborine A and isopsylloborine A through a terminating sequence of two reaction cascades that generate five bonds, five rings, and four stereocenters. In addition, a common synthetic intermediate is identified which allows for the rapid, asymmetric formal or complete total syntheses of eight monomeric members of the class.

Structural Characterization of Monomeric/Dimeric State of p59fyn SH2 Domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Huculeci, Radu; Kieken, Fabien; Garcia-Pino, Abel; Buts, Lieven; van Nuland, Nico; Lenaerts, Tom

2017-01-01

Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are key modulators in various signaling pathways allowing the recognition of phosphotyrosine sites of different proteins. Despite the fact that SH2 domains acquire their biological functions in a monomeric state, a multitude of reports have shown their tendency to dimerize. Here, we provide a technical description on how to isolate and characterize by gel filtration, circular dichroism (CD), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) each conformational state of p59 fyn SH2 domain.

Comparison of excretory urographic contrast effects of dimeric and monomeric non-ionic iodinated contrast media in dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishimoto, M.; Yamada, K.; Watanabe, A.; Miyamoto, K.; Iwasaki, T.; Miyake, Y.

2007-01-01

In excretory urography, the osmolarity of contrast media has rarely been treated as important in veterinary medicine. In this study, the contrast effect of two contrast media (monomeric iohexol and dimeric iodixanol) in the renal cortex and aorta were compared using computed tomography (CT). Five beagle dogs were used and the study employed a cross-over method for each contrast media. The results showed that there was no difference between the media in the aorta, but iodixanol showed higher CT value and a longer contrast effect than iohexol in the renal cortex, in spite of having the same iodine dosage. It is believed that iodixanol, with its low osmolarity, is diluted less by osmotic diuresis than monomeric iohexol. It is important to consider the osmolarity of the contrast media when evaluating the contrast effect, and it is essential to use the same contrast media for each examination, or the renal excretory speed will be under/overestimated

α-SNAP prevents docking of the acrosome during sperm exocytosis because it sequesters monomeric syntaxin.

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Facundo Rodríguez

Full Text Available α-SNAP has an essential role in membrane fusion that consists of bridging cis SNARE complexes to NSF. α-SNAP stimulates NSF, which releases itself, α-SNAP, and individual SNAREs that subsequently re-engage in the trans arrays indispensable for fusion. α-SNAP also binds monomeric syntaxin and NSF disengages the α-SNAP/syntaxin dimer. Here, we examine why recombinant α-SNAP blocks secretion in permeabilized human sperm despite the fact that the endogenous protein is essential for membrane fusion. The only mammalian organism with a genetically modified α-SNAP is the hyh mouse strain, which bears a M105I point mutation; males are subfertile due to defective sperm exocytosis. We report here that recombinant α-SNAP-M105I has greater affinity for the cytosolic portion of immunoprecipitated syntaxin than the wild type protein and in consequence NSF is less efficient in releasing the mutant. α-SNAP-M105I is a more potent sperm exocytosis blocker than the wild type and requires higher concentrations of NSF to rescue its effect. Unlike other fusion scenarios where SNAREs are subjected to an assembly/disassembly cycle, the fusion machinery in sperm is tuned so that SNAREs progress uni-directionally from a cis configuration in resting cells to monomeric and subsequently trans arrays in cells challenged with exocytosis inducers. By means of functional and indirect immunofluorescense assays, we show that recombinant α-SNAPs--wild type and M105I--inhibit exocytosis because they bind monomeric syntaxin and prevent this SNARE from assembling with its cognates in trans. Sequestration of free syntaxin impedes docking of the acrosome to the plasma membrane assessed by transmission electron microscopy. The N-terminal deletion mutant α-SNAP-(160-295, unable to bind syntaxin, affects neither docking nor secretion. The implications of this study are twofold: our findings explain the fertility defect of hyh mice and indicate that assembly of SNAREs in trans

Sequence-specific 1H-NMR assignments for the aromatic region of several biologically active, monomeric insulins including native human insulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, M; Lee, R W; Kaarsholm, N C; Thøgersen, H; Brange, J; Dunn, M F

1990-06-12

The aromatic region of the 1H-FT-NMR spectrum of the biologically fully-potent, monomeric human insulin mutant, B9 Ser----Asp, B27 Thr----Glu has been investigated in D2O. At 1 to 5 mM concentrations, this mutant insulin is monomeric above pH 7.5. Coupling and amino acid classification of all aromatic signals is established via a combination of homonuclear one- and two-dimensional methods, including COSY, multiple quantum filters, selective spin decoupling and pH titrations. By comparisons with other insulin mutants and with chemically modified native insulins, all resonances in the aromatic region are given sequence-specific assignments without any reliance on the various crystal structures reported for insulin. These comparisons also give the sequence-specific assignments of most of the aromatic resonances of the mutant insulins B16 Tyr----Glu, B27 Thr----Glu and B25 Phe----Asp and the chemically modified species des-(B23-B30) insulin and monoiodo-Tyr A14 insulin. Chemical dispersion of the assigned resonances, ring current perturbations and comparisons at high pH have made possible the assignment of the aromatic resonances of human insulin, and these studies indicate that the major structural features of the human insulin monomer (including those critical to biological function) are also present in the monomeric mutant.

Formation of amyloid fibers by monomeric light chain variable domains.

Science.gov (United States)

Brumshtein, Boris; Esswein, Shannon R; Landau, Meytal; Ryan, Christopher M; Whitelegge, Julian P; Phillips, Martin L; Cascio, Duilio; Sawaya, Michael R; Eisenberg, David S

2014-10-03

Systemic light chain amyloidosis is a lethal disease characterized by excess immunoglobulin light chains and light chain fragments composed of variable domains, which aggregate into amyloid fibers. These fibers accumulate and damage organs. Some light chains induce formation of amyloid fibers, whereas others do not, making it unclear what distinguishes amyloid formers from non-formers. One mechanism by which sequence variation may reduce propensity to form amyloid fibers is by shifting the equilibrium toward an amyloid-resistant quaternary structure. Here we identify the monomeric form of the Mcg immunoglobulin light chain variable domain as the quaternary unit required for amyloid fiber assembly. Dimers of Mcg variable domains remain stable and soluble, yet become prone to assemble into amyloid fibers upon disassociation into monomers. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The Beckman DxI 800 prolactin assay demonstrates superior specificity for monomeric prolactin.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Byrne, Brendan

2010-02-01

Commercially available prolactin immunoassays detect macroprolactin to variable degrees. Best practice requires laboratories to assess the cross-reactivity of their prolactin assay with macroprolactin, and where appropriate, introduce a screen for the presence of macroprolactin. Our policy has been to reanalyse hyperprolactinaemic samples following polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation and to report the resultant value as the monomeric prolactin content of the sample. The goal of this study was to determine the need to continue PEG precipitation when prolactin measurements with the Wallac AutoDELFIA were replaced by the Beckman DxI 800.

11 Efficacy and Tolerability of HDM Injective Immunotherapy With Monomeric Allergoid

Science.gov (United States)

Compalati, Enrico; Atzeni, Isabella; Cabras, Sergio; Fancello, Paolo; Gaspardini, Giulio; Longo, Rocco; Patella, Vincenzo; Tore, Giorgio

2012-01-01

Background Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is an effective treatment of respiratory allergy and carbamylated monomeric allergoids (monoids), by virtue of their reduced IgE-binding activity, resulted clinically safe by sublingual administration. Purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of immunotherapy with house dust mites (HDM) monoid administered by injective route in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR). Methods A preparation of 0.70 mL of 10 BU/mL containing modified extract with 50% Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and 50% Dermatophagoides farinae (amount of major allergen: 4 μg of group 1 per milliliter) was delivered monthly for 12 months, following a 5-week build-up induction phase (0.10–0.20–0.30–0.50–0.70 mL), to 58 patients (60% males, mean age 25.1 ± 12.7) suffering from AR due to mites for at least 2 years, whereas 60 patients with similar baseline characteristics were observed as controls. All patients were allowed to assume traditional drug therapy for their condition. At the end of the study changes from baseline in symptoms scores, in number of days with drug assumption, in severity of AR (according to ARIA classification) were compared between the 2 groups; moreover an overall assessment of clinical efficacy and tolerability was based on patients' and physicians' judgements (unsatisfactory, mild, good, optimal). Results In respect to baseline both groups showed, after 1 year, an improvement in symptoms score (P allergoid was associated with a significant clinical benefit observed through objective and subjective outcomes; the traditional safety of monomeric allergoids was confirmed by the subjective judgements of tolerability.

The structure of mAG, a monomeric mutant of the green fluorescent protein Azami-Green, reveals the structural basis of its stable green emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebisawa, Tatsuki; Yamamura, Akihiro; Kameda, Yasuhiro; Hayakawa, Kou; Nagata, Koji; Tanokura, Masaru

2010-01-01

The crystal structure of a monomeric mutant of Azami-Green (mAG) from G. fascicularis was determined at 2.2 Å resolution. Monomeric Azami-Green (mAG) from the stony coral Galaxea fascicularis is the first known monomeric green-emitting fluorescent protein that is not a variant of Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein (avGFP). These two green fluorescent proteins are only 27% identical in their amino-acid sequences. mAG is more similar in its amino-acid sequence to four fluorescent proteins: Dendra2 (a green-to-red irreversibly photoconverting fluorescent protein), Dronpa (a bright-and-dark reversibly photoswitchable fluorescent protein), KikG (a tetrameric green-emitting fluorescent protein) and Kaede (another green-to-red irreversibly photoconverting fluorescent protein). To reveal the structural basis of stable green emission by mAG, the 2.2 Å crystal structure of mAG has been determined and compared with the crystal structures of avGFP, Dronpa, Dendra2, Kaede and KikG. The structural comparison revealed that the chromophore formed by Gln62-Tyr63-Gly64 (QYG) and the fixing of the conformation of the imidazole ring of His193 by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals contacts involving His193, Arg66 and Thr69 are likely to be required for the stable green emission of mAG. The crystal structure of mAG will contribute to the design and development of new monomeric fluorescent proteins with faster maturation, brighter fluorescence, improved photostability, new colours and other preferable properties as alternatives to avGFP and its variants

MxiN Differentially Regulates Monomeric and Oligomeric Species of the Shigella Type Three Secretion System ATPase Spa47.

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Heather B; Dickenson, Nicholas E

2018-04-17

Shigella rely entirely on the action of a single type three secretion system (T3SS) to support cellular invasion of colonic epithelial cells and to circumvent host immune responses. The ATPase Spa47 resides at the base of the Shigella needle-like type three secretion apparatus (T3SA), supporting protein secretion through the apparatus and providing a likely means for native virulence regulation by Shigella and a much needed target for non-antibiotic therapeutics to treat Shigella infections. Here, we show that MxiN is a differential regulator of Spa47 and that its regulatory impact is determined by the oligomeric state of the Spa47 ATPase, with which it interacts. In vitro and in vivo characterization shows that interaction of MxiN with Spa47 requires the six N-terminal residues of Spa47 that are also necessary for stable Spa47 oligomer formation and activation. This interaction with MxiN negatively influences the activity of Spa47 oligomers while upregulating the ATPase activity of monomeric Spa47. Detailed kinetic analyses of monomeric and oligomeric Spa47 in the presence and absence of MxiN uncover additional mechanistic insights into the regulation of Spa47 by MxiN, suggesting that the MxiN/Spa47 species resulting from interaction with monomeric and oligomeric Spa47 are functionally distinct and that both could be involved in Shigella T3SS regulation. Uncovering regulation of Spa47 by MxiN addresses an important gap in the current understanding of how Shigella controls T3SA activity and provides the first description of differential T3SS ATPase regulation by a native T3SS protein.

Antioxidant effects of phenolic rye (Secale cereale L.) extracts, monomeric hydroxycinnamates, and ferulic acid dehydrodimers on human low-density lipoproteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, M.F.; Landbo, Anne-Katrine Regel; Christensen, L.P.

2001-01-01

Dietary antioxidants that protect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from oxidation may help to prevent atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. The antioxidant activities of purified monomeric and dimeric hydroxycinnamates and of phenolic extracts from rye (whole grain, bran, and flour) were...

Thermophysical Properties of Cold and Vacuum Plasma Sprayed Cu-Cr-X Alloys, NiAl and NiCrAlY Coatings. Part 1; Electrical and Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Diffusivity, and Total Hemispherical Emissivity

Science.gov (United States)

Raj, S. V.

2017-01-01

This two-part paper reports the thermophysical properties of several cold and vacuum plasma sprayed monolithic Cu and Ni-based alloy coatings. Part I presents the electrical and thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and total hemispherical emissivity data while Part II reports the specific heat capacity data for these coatings. Metallic copper alloys, stoichiometric NiAl and NiCrAlY coatings were fabricated by either the cold sprayed or the vacuum plasma spray deposition processes for thermal property measurements between 77 and 1223 K. The temperature dependencies of the thermal conductivities, thermal diffusivities, electrical conductivities and total hemispherical emissivities of these cold and vacuum sprayed monolithic coatings are reported in this paper. The electrical and thermal conductivity data correlate reasonably well for Cu-8%Cr-1%Al, Cu-23%Cr-5%Al and NiAl in accordance with the Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law although a better fit is obtained using the Smith-Palmer relationship. The Lorentz numbers determined from the WF law are close to the theoretical value.

Comparison of one and two-neutron transfer near the Coulomb barrier for the 27Al(18O, 16O)29Al, 27Al(18O, 17O)28Al and 27Al(13C, 12C)28Al reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiller, S.A.; Eck, J.S.

1975-01-01

Total reaction cross sections for the transfer reactions 27 Al( 18 O, 16 O) 29 Al, 27 Al( 18 O, 17 O) 28 Al and 27 Al( 13 C, 12 C) 28 Al are reported for center-of-mass energies between 13 and 20 MeV for 18 O projectiles and between 11 and 17.5 MeV for 13 C projectiles. The reaction products, 29 Al, and 28 Al, beta decay to 29 Si and 28 Si, respectively, and the subsequent γ decays of 29 Si and 28 Si were measured. Due to the relatively long beta decay half lives, data were taken in a beam-off mode, resulting in very clean spectra. Total cross sections were calculated and compared with a theoretical model for barrier penetration proposed by C.Y. Wong. Differences between 18 O induced one and two-neutron total transfer reaction cross sections are discussed. (orig.) [de

A de novo designed monomeric, compact three helix bundle protein on a carbohydrate template

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malik, Leila; Nygård, Jesper; Christensen, Niels Johan

2015-01-01

De novo design and chemical synthesis of proteins and of other artificial structures, which mimic them, is a central strategy for understanding protein folding and for accessing proteins with novel functions. We have previously described carbohydrates as templates for the assembly of artificial...... the template could facilitate protein folding. Here we report the design and synthesis of 3-helix bundle carboproteins on deoxy-hexopyranosides. The carboproteins were analyzed by CD, AUC, SAXS, and NMR, which revealed the formation of the first compact, and folded monomeric carboprotein distinctly different...

Antioxidant effects of phenolic rye (Secale cereale L.) extracts, monomeric hydroxycinnamates, and ferulic acid dehydrodimers on human low-density lipoproteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Mette Findal; Landbo, A K; Christensen, L P

2001-01-01

Dietary antioxidants that protect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from oxidation may help to prevent atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. The antioxidant activities of purified monomeric and dimeric hydroxycinnamates and of phenolic extracts from rye (whole grain, bran, and flour) were...... investigated using an in vitro copper-catalyzed human LDL oxidation assay. The most abundant ferulic acid dehydrodimer (diFA) found in rye, 8-O-4-diFA, was a slightly better antioxidant than ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid. The antioxidant activity of the 8-5-diFA was comparable to that of ferulic acid......, but neither 5-5-diFA nor 8-5-benzofuran-diFA inhibited LDL oxidation when added at 10-40 microM. The antioxidant activity of the monomeric hydroxycinnamates decreased in the following order: caffeic acid > sinapic acid > ferulic acid > p-coumaric acid. The antioxidant activity of rye extracts...

Pleiotropic benefit of monomeric and oligomeric flavanols on vascular health--a randomized controlled clinical pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Weseler, Antje R; Ruijters, Erik J B; Drittij-Reijnders, Marie-José; Reesink, Koen D; Haenen, Guido R M M; Bast, Aalt

2011-01-01

Cardiovascular diseases are expanding to a major social-economic burden in the Western World and undermine man's deep desire for healthy ageing. Epidemiological studies suggest that flavanol-rich foods (e.g. grapes, wine, chocolate) sustain cardiovascular health. For an evidenced-based application, however, sound clinical data on their efficacy are strongly demanded. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study we supplemented 28 male smokers with 200 mg per day of monomeric and oligomeric flavanols (MOF) from grape seeds. At baseline, after 4 and 8 weeks we measured macro- and microvascular function and a cluster of systemic biomarkers for major pathological processes occurring in the vasculature: disturbances in lipid metabolism and cellular redox balance, and activation of inflammatory cells and platelets. In the MOF group serum total cholesterol and LDL decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) by 5% (n = 11) and 7% (n = 9), respectively in volunteers with elevated baseline levels. Additionally, after 8 weeks the ratio of glutathione to glutathione disulphide in erythrocytes rose from baseline by 22% (n = 15, Pbenefit of an 8 weeks supplementation with 200 mg/d MOF in humans. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00742287.

Hda monomerization by ADP binding promotes replicase clamp-mediated DnaA-ATP hydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Su'etsugu, Masayuki; Nakamura, Kenta; Keyamura, Kenji; Kudo, Yuka; Katayama, Tsutomu

2008-12-26

ATP-DnaA is the initiator of chromosomal replication in Escherichia coli, and the activity of DnaA is regulated by the regulatory inactivation of the DnaA (RIDA) system. In this system, the Hda protein promotes DnaA-ATP hydrolysis to produce inactive ADP-DnaA in a mechanism that is mediated by the DNA-loaded form of the replicase sliding clamp. In this study, we first revealed that hda translation uses an unusual initiation codon, CUG, located downstream of the annotated initiation codon. The CUG initiation codon could be used for restricting the Hda level, as this initiation codon has a low translation efficiency, and the cellular Hda level is only approximately 100 molecules per cell. Hda translated using the correct reading frame was purified and found to have a high RIDA activity in vitro. Moreover, we found that Hda has a high affinity for ADP but not for other nucleotides, including ATP. ADP-Hda was active in the RIDA system in vitro and stable in a monomeric state, whereas apo-Hda formed inactive homomultimers. Both ADP-Hda and apo-Hda could form complexes with the DNA-loaded clamp; however, only ADP-Hda-DNA-clamp complexes were highly functional in the following interaction with DnaA. Formation of ADP-Hda was also observed in vivo, and mutant analysis suggested that ADP binding is crucial for cellular Hda activity. Thus, we propose that ADP is a crucial Hda ligand that promotes the activated conformation of the protein. ADP-dependent monomerization might enable the arginine finger of the Hda AAA+ domain to be accessible to ATP bound to the DnaA AAA+ domain.

Mapping monomeric threading to protein-protein structure prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Guerler, Aysam; Govindarajoo, Brandon; Zhang, Yang

2013-03-25

The key step of template-based protein-protein structure prediction is the recognition of complexes from experimental structure libraries that have similar quaternary fold. Maintaining two monomer and dimer structure libraries is however laborious, and inappropriate library construction can degrade template recognition coverage. We propose a novel strategy SPRING to identify complexes by mapping monomeric threading alignments to protein-protein interactions based on the original oligomer entries in the PDB, which does not rely on library construction and increases the efficiency and quality of complex template recognitions. SPRING is tested on 1838 nonhomologous protein complexes which can recognize correct quaternary template structures with a TM score >0.5 in 1115 cases after excluding homologous proteins. The average TM score of the first model is 60% and 17% higher than that by HHsearch and COTH, respectively, while the number of targets with an interface RMSD benchmark proteins. Although the relative performance of SPRING and ZDOCK depends on the level of homology filters, a combination of the two methods can result in a significantly higher model quality than ZDOCK at all homology thresholds. These data demonstrate a new efficient approach to quaternary structure recognition that is ready to use for genome-scale modeling of protein-protein interactions due to the high speed and accuracy.

Hda Monomerization by ADP Binding Promotes Replicase Clamp-mediated DnaA-ATP Hydrolysis*S⃞

Science.gov (United States)

Su'etsugu, Masayuki; Nakamura, Kenta; Keyamura, Kenji; Kudo, Yuka; Katayama, Tsutomu

2008-01-01

ATP-DnaA is the initiator of chromosomal replication in Escherichia coli, and the activity of DnaA is regulated by the regulatory inactivation of the DnaA (RIDA) system. In this system, the Hda protein promotes DnaA-ATP hydrolysis to produce inactive ADP-DnaA in a mechanism that is mediated by the DNA-loaded form of the replicase sliding clamp. In this study, we first revealed that hda translation uses an unusual initiation codon, CUG, located downstream of the annotated initiation codon. The CUG initiation codon could be used for restricting the Hda level, as this initiation codon has a low translation efficiency, and the cellular Hda level is only ∼100 molecules per cell. Hda translated using the correct reading frame was purified and found to have a high RIDA activity in vitro. Moreover, we found that Hda has a high affinity for ADP but not for other nucleotides, including ATP. ADP-Hda was active in the RIDA system in vitro and stable in a monomeric state, whereas apo-Hda formed inactive homomultimers. Both ADP-Hda and apo-Hda could form complexes with the DNA-loaded clamp; however, only ADP-Hda-DNA-clamp complexes were highly functional in the following interaction with DnaA. Formation of ADP-Hda was also observed in vivo, and mutant analysis suggested that ADP binding is crucial for cellular Hda activity. Thus, we propose that ADP is a crucial Hda ligand that promotes the activated conformation of the protein. ADP-dependent monomerization might enable the arginine finger of the Hda AAA+ domain to be accessible to ATP bound to the DnaA AAA+ domain. PMID:18977760

Comparative analysis of the heme iron electronic structure and stereochemistry in tetrameric rabbit hemoglobin and monomeric soybean leghemoglobin a using Mössbauer spectroscopy with a high velocity resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Alenkina, I. V.; Kumar, A.; Berkovsky, A. L.; Oshtrakh, M. I.

2018-02-01

A comparative study of tetrameric rabbit hemoglobin and monomeric soybean leghemoglobin a in the oxy- and deoxy-forms was carried out using 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy with a high velocity resolution in order to analyze the heme iron electronic structure and stereochemistry in relation to the Mössbauer hyperfine parameters. The Mössbauer spectra of tetrameric rabbit hemoglobin in both forms were fitted using two quadrupole doublets related to the 57Fe in ɑ- and β-subunits. In contrast, the Mössbauer spectra of monomeric soybean leghemoglobin a were fitted using: (i) two quadrupole doublets for the oxy-form related to two conformational states of the distal His E7 imidazole ring and different hydrogen bonding of oxygen molecule in the oxy-form and (ii) using three quadrupole doublets for deoxy-form related to three conformational states of the proximal His F8 imidazole ring. Small variations of Mössbauer hyperfine parameters related to small differences in the heme iron electronic structure and stereochemistry in tetrameric rabbit hemoglobin and monomeric soybean leghemoglobin a are discussed.

Fermentation of Arabinoxylan-Oligosaccharides, Oligofructose and their Monomeric Sugars by Hindgut Bacteria from Siberian Sturgeon and African Catfish in Batch Culture in vitro

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geraylou, Z.; Rurangwa, E.; Wiele, van der T.; Courtin, C.M.; Delcour, J.A.; Buyse, J.; Ollevier, F.

2014-01-01

The in vitro fermentation of two Non-Digestible Oligosaccharide (NDO) preparations, Arabinoxylan- Oligosaccharides (AXOS) and Oligofructose (OF), and their respective monomeric sugars, xylose and fructose, were investigated by hindgut microbiota of two major aquaculture fish species, Siberian

LRP1 Modulates APP Intraneuronal Transport and Processing in Its Monomeric and Dimeric State

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Claus U. Pietrzik

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1, LRP1, interacts with APP and affects its processing. This is assumed to be mostly caused by the impact of LRP1 on APP endocytosis. More recently, also an interaction of APP and LRP1 early in the secretory pathway was reported whereat retention of LRP1 in the ER leads to decreased APP cell surface levels and in turn, to reduced Aβ secretion. Here, we extended the biochemical and immunocytochemical analyses by showing via live cell imaging analyses in primary neurons that LRP1 and APP are transported only partly in common (one third but to a higher degree in distinct fast axonal transport vesicles. Interestingly, co-expression of LRP1 and APP caused a change of APP transport velocities, indicating that LRP1 recruits APP to a specific type of fast axonal transport vesicles. In contrast lowered levels of LRP1 facilitated APP transport. We further show that monomeric and dimeric APP exhibit similar transport characteristics and that both are affected by LRP1 in a similar way, by slowing down APP anterograde transport and increasing its endocytosis rate. In line with this, a knockout of LRP1 in CHO cells and in primary neurons caused an increase of monomeric and dimeric APP surface localization and in turn accelerated shedding by meprin β and ADAM10. Notably, a choroid plexus specific LRP1 knockout caused a much higher secretion of sAPP dimers into the cerebrospinal fluid compared to sAPP monomers. Together, our data show that LRP1 functions as a sorting receptor for APP, regulating its cell surface localization and thereby its processing by ADAM10 and meprin β, with the latter exhibiting a preference for APP in its dimeric state.

Method for the isolation of biologically active monomeric immunoglobulin A from a plasma fraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Leibl, H; Tomasits, R; Wolf, H M; Eibl, M M; Mannhalter, J W

1996-04-12

A purification method for immunoglobulin A (IgA) yielding monomeric IgA with a purity of over 97% has been developed. This procedure uses ethanol-precipitated plasma (Cohn fraction III precipitate) as the starting material and includes heparin-Sepharose adsorption, dextran sulfate and ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydroxyapatite chromatography, batch adsorption by an anion-exchange matrix and gel permeation. Additional protein G Sepharose treatment leads to an IgA preparation of greater than 99% purity. The isolated IgA presented with an IgA subclass distribution, equivalent to IgA in unfractionated plasma, and was biologically active, as was shown by its ability to down-modulate Haemophilus influenzae-b-induced IL-6 secretion of human monocytes.

Holistic versus monomeric strategies for hydrological modelling of human-modified hydrosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Nalbantis

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The modelling of human-modified basins that are inadequately measured constitutes a challenge for hydrological science. Often, models for such systems are detailed and hydraulics-based for only one part of the system while for other parts oversimplified models or rough assumptions are used. This is typically a bottom-up approach, which seeks to exploit knowledge of hydrological processes at the micro-scale at some components of the system. Also, it is a monomeric approach in two ways: first, essential interactions among system components may be poorly represented or even omitted; second, differences in the level of detail of process representation can lead to uncontrolled errors. Additionally, the calibration procedure merely accounts for the reproduction of the observed responses using typical fitting criteria. The paper aims to raise some critical issues, regarding the entire modelling approach for such hydrosystems. For this, two alternative modelling strategies are examined that reflect two modelling approaches or philosophies: a dominant bottom-up approach, which is also monomeric and, very often, based on output information, and a top-down and holistic approach based on generalized information. Critical options are examined, which codify the differences between the two strategies: the representation of surface, groundwater and water management processes, the schematization and parameterization concepts and the parameter estimation methodology. The first strategy is based on stand-alone models for surface and groundwater processes and for water management, which are employed sequentially. For each model, a different (detailed or coarse parameterization is used, which is dictated by the hydrosystem schematization. The second strategy involves model integration for all processes, parsimonious parameterization and hybrid manual-automatic parameter optimization based on multiple objectives. A test case is examined in a hydrosystem in Greece

Ab initio supercell calculations of the (0001) α-Cr2O3 surface with a partially or totally Al-substituted external layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jizhong; Stirner, Thomas

2009-01-01

Ab initio supercell calculations employing the periodic Hartree-Fock formalism are presented of the (0001) α-Cr 2 O 3 surface with a partially or totally Al-substituted external layer. In the simulations a fraction of the Cr atoms at the surface of the chromia slab are replaced by Al atoms, and the Al surface coverage is varied between zero (pure chromia) and 100% (Al-terminated chromia). The surface Al atoms are found to relax inwards considerably, with the magnitude of the relaxation decreasing with increasing Al surface coverage. The calculations also reveal that the surface energy of the slab decreases with increasing Al coverage. Finally, the electronic properties at the surface of the Al-substituted (0001) α-Cr 2 O 3 slabs are investigated. Here the calculations show that the substitution of Cr by Al gives rise to an increase in the covalency of the Al-O bonds compared to slabs of pure alumina. In contrast, the influence of the surface Al atoms on the electrostatic potential in the (0001) plane of metal ions is relatively small. These findings support the utilisation of α-chromia substrates for the templated growth of α-alumina, which is consistent with recent experiments.

Creating a monomeric endonuclease TALE-I-SceI with high specificity and low genotoxicity in human cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jianfei; Chen, He; Luo, Ling; Lai, Yongrong; Xie, Wei; Kee, Kehkooi

2015-01-01

To correct a DNA mutation in the human genome for gene therapy, homology-directed repair (HDR) needs to be specific and have the lowest off-target effects to protect the human genome from deleterious mutations. Zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) and CRISPR-CAS9 systems have been engineered and used extensively to recognize and modify specific DNA sequences. Although TALEN and CRISPR/CAS9 could induce high levels of HDR in human cells, their genotoxicity was significantly higher. Here, we report the creation of a monomeric endonuclease that can recognize at least 33 bp by fusing the DNA-recognizing domain of TALEN (TALE) to a re-engineered homing endonuclease I-SceI. After sequentially re-engineering I-SceI to recognize 18 bp of the human β-globin sequence, the re-engineered I-SceI induced HDR in human cells. When the re-engineered I-SceI was fused to TALE (TALE-ISVB2), the chimeric endonuclease induced the same HDR rate at the human β-globin gene locus as that induced by TALEN, but significantly reduced genotoxicity. We further demonstrated that TALE-ISVB2 specifically targeted at the β-globin sequence in human hematopoietic stem cells. Therefore, this monomeric endonuclease has the potential to be used in therapeutic gene targeting in human cells. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Monomeric Aβ(1-40) and Aβ(1-42) Peptides in Solution Adopt Very Similar Ramachandran Map Distributions That Closely Resemble Random Coil.

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Julien; Shen, Yang; Lee, Jung Ho; Ying, Jinfa; Bax, Ad

2016-02-09

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the aggregation and fibrillation of amyloid peptides Aβ(1-40) and Aβ(1-42) into amyloid plaques. Despite strong potential therapeutic interest, the structural pathways associated with the conversion of monomeric Aβ peptides into oligomeric species remain largely unknown. In particular, the higher aggregation propensity and associated toxicity of Aβ(1-42) compared to that of Aβ(1-40) are poorly understood. To explore in detail the structural propensity of the monomeric Aβ(1-40) and Aβ(1-42) peptides in solution, we recorded a large set of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters, including chemical shifts, nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs), and J couplings. Systematic comparisons show that at neutral pH the Aβ(1-40) and Aβ(1-42) peptides populate almost indistinguishable coil-like conformations. Nuclear Overhauser effect spectra collected at very high resolution remove assignment ambiguities and show no long-range NOE contacts. Six sets of backbone J couplings ((3)JHNHα, (3)JC'C', (3)JC'Hα, (1)JHαCα, (2)JNCα, and (1)JNCα) recorded for Aβ(1-40) were used as input for the recently developed MERA Ramachandran map analysis, yielding residue-specific backbone ϕ/ψ torsion angle distributions that closely resemble random coil distributions, the absence of a significantly elevated propensity for β-conformations in the C-terminal region of the peptide, and a small but distinct propensity for αL at K28. Our results suggest that the self-association of Aβ peptides into toxic oligomers is not driven by elevated propensities of the monomeric species to adopt β-strand-like conformations. Instead, the accelerated disappearance of Aβ NMR signals in D2O over H2O, particularly pronounced for Aβ(1-42), suggests that intermolecular interactions between the hydrophobic regions of the peptide dominate the aggregation process.

Interaction of Classical Platinum Agents with the Monomeric and Dimeric Atox1 Proteins: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

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Xiaolei Wang

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We carried out molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations for a series of binary and ternary models of the cisplatin, transplatin and oxaliplatin agents binding to a monomeric Atox1 protein and a dimeric Atox1 protein to investigate their interaction mechanisms. All three platinum agents could respectively combine with the monomeric Atox1 protein and the dimeric Atox1 protein to form a stable binary and ternary complex due to the covalent interaction of the platinum center with the Atox1 protein. The results suggested that the extra interaction from the oxaliplatin ligand–Atox1 protein interface increases its affinity only for the OxaliPt + Atox1 model. The binding of the oxaliplatin agent to the Atox1 protein might cause larger deformation of the protein than those of the cisplatin and transplatin agents due to the larger size of the oxaliplatin ligand. However, the extra interactions to facilitate the stabilities of the ternary CisPt + 2Atox1 and OxaliPt + 2Atox1 models come from the α1 helices and α2-β4 loops of the Atox1 protein–Atox1 protein interface due to the cis conformation of the platinum agents. The combinations of two Atox1 proteins in an asymmetric way in the three ternary models were analyzed. These investigations might provide detailed information for understanding the interaction mechanism of the platinum agents binding to the Atox1 protein in the cytoplasm.

Dose-finding study of carbamylated monomeric allergoid tablets in grass-allergic rhinoconjunctivitis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Mösges, Ralph; Rohdenburg, Christina; Eichel, Andrea; Zadoyan, Gregor; Kasche, Elena-Manja; Shah-Hosseini, Kija; Lehmacher, Walter; Schmalz, Petra; Compalati, Enrico

2017-11-01

To determine the optimal effective and safe dose of sublingual immunotherapy tablets containing carbamylated monomeric allergoids in patients with grass pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, multicenter, Phase II study, four different daily doses were applied preseasonally for 12 weeks. Of 158 randomized adults, 155 subjects (safety population) received 300 units of allergy (UA)/day (n = 36), 600 UA/day (n = 43), 1000 UA/day (n = 39), or 2000 UA/day (n = 37). After treatment, 54.3, 47.6, 59.0 and 51.4% of patients, respectively, ceased to react to the highest allergen concentration in a conjunctival provocation test. Furthermore, the response threshold improved in 70.4, 62.9, 76.7 and 66.7% of patients, respectively. No serious adverse events occurred. This study found 1000 UA/day to be the optimal effective and safe dose.

Alpha B- and βA3-crystallins containing d-aspartic acids exist in a monomeric state.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakaue, Hiroaki; Takata, Takumi; Fujii, Norihiko; Sasaki, Hiroshi; Fujii, Noriko

2015-01-01

Crystallin stability and subunit-subunit interaction are essential for eye lens transparency. There are three types of crystallins in lens, designated as α-, β-, and γ-crystallins. Alpha-crystallin is a hetero-polymer of about 800kDa, consisting of 35-40 subunits of two different αA- and αB-subunits, each of 20kDa. The β/γ-crystallin superfamily comprises oligomeric β-crystallin (2-6 subunits) and monomeric γ-crystallin. Since lens proteins have very long half-lives, they undergo numerous post-translational modifications including racemization, isomerization, deamidation, oxidation, glycation, and truncation, which may decrease crystallin solubility and ultimately cause cataract formation. Racemization and isomerization of aspartyl (Asp) residues have been detected only in polymeric α- and oligomeric β-crystallin, while the situation in monomeric γ-crystallin has not been studied. Here, we investigated the racemization and isomerization of Asp in the γ-crystallin fraction of elderly donors. The results show that Asp residues of γS-, γD- and γC-crystallins were not racemized and isomerized. However, strikingly, we found that a portion of αB-crystallin and βA3-crystallin moved to the lower molecular weight fraction which is the same size of γ-crystallin. In those fractions, Asp-96 of αB-crystallin and Asp-37 of βA3-crystallin were highly inverted, which do not occur in the native lens higher molecular weight fraction. Our results indicate the possibility that the inversion of Asp residues may induce dissociation of αB- and βA3-crystallins from the polymeric and oligomeric states. This is the first report that stereoinversion of amino acids disturbs lens protein assembly in aged human lens. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a monomeric mutant of Azami-Green (mAG), an Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein-like green-emitting fluorescent protein from the stony coral Galaxea fascicularis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebisawa, Tatsuki; Yamamura, Akihiro; Kameda, Yasuhiro; Hayakawa, Kou; Nagata, Koji; Tanokura, Masaru

2009-01-01

A monomeric mutant of Azami-Green from G. fascicularis was expressed, purified and crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystal belonged to space group P1 and diffracted X-rays to 2.20 Å resolution. Monomeric Azami-Green (mAG) from the stony coral Galaxea fascicularis is the first monomeric green-emitting fluorescent protein that is not a derivative of Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein (avGFP). mAG and avGFP are 27% identical in amino-acid sequence. Diffraction-quality crystals of recombinant mAG were obtained by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 3350 as the precipitant. The mAG crystal diffracted X-rays to 2.20 Å resolution on beamline AR-NW12A at the Photon Factory (Tsukuba, Japan). The crystal belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 41.78, b = 51.72, c = 52.89 Å, α = 90.96, β = 103.41, γ = 101.79°. The Matthews coefficient (V M = 2.10 Å 3 Da −1 ) indicated that the crystal contained two mAG molecules per asymmetric unit

60Co gamma radiation effect on AlGaN//AlN/GaN HEMT devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yanping; Luo Yinhong; Wang Wei; Zhang Keying; Guo Hongxia; Guo Xiaoqiang; Wang Yuanming

2013-01-01

The testing techniques and experimental methods of the 60 Co gamma irradiation effect on AlGaN/AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are established. The degradation of the electrical properties of the device under the actual radiation environment are analyzed theoretically, and studies of the total dose effects of gamma radiation on AlGaN/AlN/GaN HEMTs at three different radiation bias conditions are carried out. The degradation patterns of the main parameters of the AlGaN/AlN/GaN HEMTs at different doses are then investigated, and the device parameters that were sensitive to the gamma radiation induced damage and the total dose level induced device damage are obtained. (authors)

Total K-vacancy production in Ne (10 MeV) traversing Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groeneveld, K.O.; Kolb, B.; Schader, J.; Sevier, K.D.

1976-01-01

Deexcitation of projectile inner shell vacancies created while traversing a solid foil may take place via competing processes: a) vacancy sharing with foil atoms in close impacts, b) radiative and non-radiative electron capture, and c) such X-ray and Auger electron transitions are possible in the heavy ion projectile. The change in K-vacancy creation with foil thickness can be investigated by measuring either projectile or target X-rays where the vacancies are created by Coulomb excitation and process a. In the system Ne (10 MeV) on Al, detecting Al K X-rays, the Ne K-vacancy production probability has been determined. (orig.) [de

Fiber-coupled Al₂O₃:C radioluminescence dosimetry for total body irradiations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buranurak, Siritorn; Andersen, Claus E.

2016-01-01

in the context of Total Body Irradiations (TBIs) where patients are treated with large fields of 6 or 18 MV photons at an extended source-to-surface distance (SSD). The study shows that Al2O3:C dosimetry using the saturated-RL protocol may be suitable for real-time in vivo dosimetry during TBI treatments from...... the perspective of the good agreement with alanine dosimetry and other critical phantom tests, including the ability to cope with the large stem signal experienced during TBI treatments at extended SSD. In contrast, the chromatic stem removal technique often used for organic plastic scintillators did not work...

Characterization of monomeric DNA-binding protein Histone H1 in Leishmania braziliensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmelo, Emma; González, Gloria; Cruz, Teresa; Osuna, Antonio; Hernández, Mariano; Valladares, Basilio

2011-08-01

Histone H1 in Leishmania presents relevant differences compared to higher eukaryote counterparts, such as the lack of a DNA-binding central globular domain. Despite that, it is apparently fully functional since its differential expression levels have been related to changes in chromatin condensation and infectivity, among other features. The localization and the aggregation state of L. braziliensis H1 has been determined by immunolocalization, mass spectrometry, cross-linking and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Analysis of H1 sequences from the Leishmania Genome Database revealed that our protein is included in a very divergent group of histones H1 that is present only in L. braziliensis. An antibody raised against recombinant L. braziliensis H1 recognized specifically that protein by immunoblot in L. braziliensis extracts, but not in other Leishmania species, a consequence of the sequence divergences observed among Leishmania species. Mass spectrometry analysis and in vitro DNA-binding experiments have also proven that L. braziliensis H1 is monomeric in solution, but oligomerizes upon binding to DNA. Finally, despite the lack of a globular domain, L. braziliensis H1 is able to form complexes with DNA in vitro, with higher affinity for supercoiled compared to linear DNA.

A model of insulin fibrils derived from the x-ray crystal structure of a monomeric insulin (despentapeptide insulin).

Science.gov (United States)

Brange, J; Dodson, G G; Edwards, D J; Holden, P H; Whittingham, J L

1997-04-01

The crystal structure of despentapeptide insulin, a monomeric insulin, has been refined at 1.3 A spacing and subsequently used to predict and model the organization in the insulin fibril. The model makes use of the contacts in the densely packed despentapeptide insulin crystal, and takes into account other experimental evidence, including binding studies with Congo red. The dimensions of this model fibril correspond well with those measured experimentally, and the monomer-monomer contacts within the fibril are in accordance with the known physical chemistry of insulin fibrils. Using this model, it may be possible to predict mutations in insulin that might alleviate problems associated with fibril formation during insulin therapy.

26Al/sup g,m/ production cross sections from the 23Na(α,n)26Al reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norman, E.B.; Chupp, T.E.; Lesko, K.T.; Schwalbach, P.; Grant, P.J.

1981-01-01

Cross sections have been determined for the production of 26 Al/sup g,m/ from the 23 Na(α,n) reaction. Total 26 Al production cross sections were obtained from measurements of the thick-target neutron yield. 26 Al/sup m/ cross sections were measured using an activation technique. 26 Al/sup g/ cross sections were deduced by subtracting the 26 Al/sup m/ cross sections from the total (α,n) cross sections. The principle of detailed balance has been applied to the low energy data to obtain cross sections for the astrophysically interesting 26 Al/sup g/(n,α 0 ) 23 Na reaction. These results are compared with the results of Hauser-Feshbach calculations

Synergistic binding of glucose and aluminium ATP to hexokinase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Woolfitt, A R; Kellett, G L; Hoggett, J G

1988-08-10

The binding of glucose, AlATP and AlADP to the monomeric and dimeric forms of the native yeast hexokinase PII isoenzyme and to the proteolytically modified SII monomeric form was monitored at pH 6.7 by the concomitant quenching of intrinsic protein fluorescence. No fluorescence changes were observed when free enzyme was mixed with AlATP at concentrations up to 7500 microM. In the presence of saturating concentrations of glucose, the maximal quenching of fluorescence induced by AlATP was between 1.5 and 3.5% depending on species, and the average value of [L]0.5, the concentration of ligand at half-saturation, over all monomeric species was 0.9 +/- 0.4 microM. The presence of saturating concentrations of AlATP diminished [L]0.5 for glucose binding by between 260- and 670-fold for hexokinase PII and SII monomers, respectively (dependent on the ionic strength), and by almost 4000-fold for PII dimer. The data demonstrate extremely strong synergistic interactions in the binding of glucose and AlATP to yeast hexokinase, arising as a consequence of conformational changes in the free enzyme induced by glucose and in enzyme-glucose complex induced by AlATP. The synergistic interactions of glucose and AlATP are related to their kinetic synergism and to the ability of AlATP to act as a powerful inhibitor of the hexokinase reaction.

Calidad total en el ICESI

OpenAIRE

González Zamora, José Hipólito

2010-01-01

En primer lugar deseo dar la bienvenida esta reunión al ingeniero Francisco Gensini, director ejecutivo de INCOLDA, quien ha sido fuente constante de inspiración para el trabajo relacionado con Control Total de Calidad (C.T.C.) que se ha venido desarrollando en el ICESI. El ingeniero Gensini ha logrado aglutinar alrededor de INCOLDA al grupo de seis empresas de la región, líderes en el estudio y aplicación de los principios del Control Total de Calidad , es decir Rica Rondo S.A., Banco de Oc...

Monomeric Aβ1–40 and Aβ1–42 Peptides in Solution Adopt Very Similar Ramachandran Map Distributions That Closely Resemble Random Coil

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the aggregation and fibrillation of amyloid peptides Aβ1–40 and Aβ1–42 into amyloid plaques. Despite strong potential therapeutic interest, the structural pathways associated with the conversion of monomeric Aβ peptides into oligomeric species remain largely unknown. In particular, the higher aggregation propensity and associated toxicity of Aβ1–42 compared to that of Aβ1–40 are poorly understood. To explore in detail the structural propensity of the monomeric Aβ1–40 and Aβ1–42 peptides in solution, we recorded a large set of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters, including chemical shifts, nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs), and J couplings. Systematic comparisons show that at neutral pH the Aβ1–40 and Aβ1–42 peptides populate almost indistinguishable coil-like conformations. Nuclear Overhauser effect spectra collected at very high resolution remove assignment ambiguities and show no long-range NOE contacts. Six sets of backbone J couplings (3JHNHα, 3JC′C′, 3JC′Hα, 1JHαCα, 2JNCα, and 1JNCα) recorded for Aβ1–40 were used as input for the recently developed MERA Ramachandran map analysis, yielding residue-specific backbone ϕ/ψ torsion angle distributions that closely resemble random coil distributions, the absence of a significantly elevated propensity for β-conformations in the C-terminal region of the peptide, and a small but distinct propensity for αL at K28. Our results suggest that the self-association of Aβ peptides into toxic oligomers is not driven by elevated propensities of the monomeric species to adopt β-strand-like conformations. Instead, the accelerated disappearance of Aβ NMR signals in D2O over H2O, particularly pronounced for Aβ1–42, suggests that intermolecular interactions between the hydrophobic regions of the peptide dominate the aggregation process. PMID:26780756

AlGaN nanocolumns and AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN nanostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ristic, J.; Sanchez-Garcia, M.A.; Ulloa, J.M.; Calleja, E. [Departamento de Ingenieria Electronica, ETSI Telecomunicacion, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Sanchez-Paramo, J.; Calleja, J.M. [Departamento de Fisica de Materiales, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Jahn, U.; Trampert, A.; Ploog, K.H. [Paul-Drude-Institut fuer Festkoerperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin (Germany)

2002-12-01

This work reports on the characterization of hexagonal, single crystal AlGaN nanocolumns with diameters in the range of 30 to 100 nm grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111) substrates. The change of the flux ratio between the Al and the total III-element controls the alloy composition. The Al composition trend versus the Al flux is consistent both with the E{sub 2} phonon energy values measured by inelastic light scattering and the luminescence emission peaks position. High quality low dimensional AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN heterostructures with five GaN quantum discs, 2 and 4 nm thick, embedded into the AlGaN columns, were designed in order to study the quantum confinement effects. (Abstract Copyright [2002], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Evidence for an early innate immune response in the motor cortex of ALS.

Science.gov (United States)

Jara, Javier H; Genç, Barış; Stanford, Macdonell J; Pytel, Peter; Roos, Raymond P; Weintraub, Sandra; Mesulam, M Marsel; Bigio, Eileen H; Miller, Richard J; Özdinler, P Hande

2017-06-26

Recent evidence indicates the importance of innate immunity and neuroinflammation with microgliosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology. The MCP1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) and CCR2 (CC chemokine receptor 2) signaling system has been strongly associated with the innate immune responses observed in ALS patients, but the motor cortex has not been studied in detail. After revealing the presence of MCP1 and CCR2 in the motor cortex of ALS patients, to elucidate, visualize, and define the timing, location and the extent of immune response in relation to upper motor neuron vulnerability and progressive degeneration in ALS, we developed MCP1-CCR2-hSOD1 G93A mice, an ALS reporter line, in which cells expressing MCP1 and CCR2 are genetically labeled by monomeric red fluorescent protein-1 and enhanced green fluorescent protein, respectively. In the motor cortex of MCP1-CCR2-hSOD1 G93A mice, unlike in the spinal cord, there was an early increase in the numbers of MCP1+ cells, which displayed microglial morphology and selectively expressed microglia markers. Even though fewer CCR2+ cells were present throughout the motor cortex, they were mainly infiltrating monocytes. Interestingly, MCP1+ cells were found in close proximity to the apical dendrites and cell bodies of corticospinal motor neurons (CSMN), further implicating the importance of their cellular interaction to neuronal pathology. Similar findings were observed in the motor cortex of ALS patients, where MCP1+ microglia were especially in close proximity to the degenerating apical dendrites of Betz cells. Our findings reveal that the intricate cellular interplay between immune cells and upper motor neurons observed in the motor cortex of ALS mice is indeed recapitulated in ALS patients. We generated and characterized a novel model system, to study the cellular and molecular basis of this close cellular interaction and how that relates to motor neuron vulnerability and progressive degeneration in

Posibilidad de identificar defectos en máquinas rotatorias utilizando la medición de nivel total de la señal vibratoria // Possibility of identification of defects in rotatory machinery by means of total level mesurations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. M. Véliz Marrero

2000-03-01

Full Text Available Se expone una herramienta propuesta por el Dr. C. Cempel, poco difundida para identificar algunos defectos al realizar eldiagnóstico de máquinas rotatorias utilizando la medición de Nivel Total. Se ilustra a modo de ejemplo el diagnóstico de unreductor de velocidad.Palabras claves: Medición, vibraciones, nivel total, diagnóstico, engranaje, reductor de velocidad.________________________________________________________________________________AbstractIn this paper is exposed a not much divulged tool proposed by Dr. C. Cempel for the identification of some defects by meansof the measurement of Total Level of vibration in diagnosis of rotatory machinery. As example, a speed reducer diagnostic ispresented.Key words: Vibration measurement, total level, diagnostic, gears, speed reducer.

Recombinant DNA derived monomeric insulin analogue: comparison with soluble human insulin in normal subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Vora, J P; Owens, D R; Dolben, J; Atiea, J A; Dean, J D; Kang, S; Burch, A; Brange, J

1988-11-12

To compare the rate of absorption from subcutaneous tissue and the resulting hypoglycaemic effect of iodine-125 labelled soluble human insulin and a monomeric insulin analogue derived by recombinant DNA technology. Single blind randomised comparison of equimolar doses of 125I labelled soluble human insulin and insulin analogue. Study in normal people at a diabetes research unit and a university department of medical physics. Seven healthy male volunteers aged 20-39 not receiving any other drugs. After an overnight fast and a basal period of one hour two doses (0.05 and 0.1 U/kg) of 125I labelled soluble human insulin and insulin analogue were injected subcutaneously into the anterior abdominal wall on four separate days. To find a fast acting insulin for meal related requirements in insulin dependent diabetics. MEASUREMENTS and main results--Residual radioactivity at the injection site was measured continuously for the first two hours after injection of the 125I labelled preparations and thereafter for five minutes simultaneously with blood sampling. Frequent venous blood samples were obtained over six hours for determination of plasma immunoreactive insulin, insulin analogue, glucose, and glucagon values. Time to 50% of initial radioactivity at the injection site for the insulin analogue compared with soluble insulin was 61 v 135 minutes (p less than 0.05) with 0.05 U/kg and 67 v 145 minutes (p less than 0.001) with 0.1 U/kg. Concentrations in plasma increased faster after the insulin analogue compared with soluble insulin, resulting in higher plasma concentrations between 10 and 150 minutes (0.001 less than p less than 0.05) after 0.05 U/kg and between 40 and 360 minutes (0.001 less than p less than 0.05) after 0.1 U/kg. The hypoglycaemic response to insulin analogue was a plasma glucose nadir at 60 minutes with both doses compared with 90 and 120 minutes with soluble insulin at 0.5 and 0.1 U/kg respectively. The response of glucagon substantiated the earlier and

Determination of Total Carbohydrates in Algal Biomass: Laboratory Analytical Procedure (LAP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Wychen, Stefanie; Laurens, Lieve M. L.

2016-01-13

This procedure uses two-step sulfuric acid hydrolysis to hydrolyze the polymeric forms of carbohydrates in algal biomass into monomeric subunits. The monomers are then quantified by either HPLC or a suitable spectrophotometric method.

Total OH Reactivity Measurements in the Boreal Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Praplan, A. P.; Hellén, H.; Hakola, H.; Hatakka, J.

2015-12-01

INTRODUCTION Atmospheric total OH reactivity (Rtotal) can be measured (Kovacs and Brune, 2001; Sinha et al., 2008) or it can be calculated according to Rtotal = ∑i kOH+X_i [Xi] where kOH+X_i corresponds to the reaction rate coefficient for the reaction of OH with a given compound Xi and [Xi] its concentration. Studies suggest that in some environments a large fraction of missing reactivity, comparing calculated Rtotal with ambient total OH reactivity measurements (Di Carlo et al., 2004; Hofzumahaus et al., 2009). In this study Rtotal has been measured using the Comparative Reactivity Method (Sinha et al., 2008). Levels of the reference compound (pyrrole, C4H5N) are monitored by gas chromatography every 2 minutes and Rtotal is derived from the difference of reactivity between zero and ambient air. RESULTS Around 36 hours of preliminary total OH reactivity data (30 May until 2 June 2015) are presented in Fig. 1. Its range matches previous studies for this site (Nölscher et al., 2012; Sinha et al., 2010) and is similar to values in another pine forest (Nakashima et al., 2014). The setup used during the period presented here has been updated and more recent data will be presented, as well as a comparison with calculated OH reactivity from measured individual species. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by Academy of Finland (Academy Research Fellowship No. 275608). The authors acknowledge Juuso Raine for technical support. REFERENCES Di Carlo et al. (2004). Science 304, 722-725.Hofzumahaus et al. (2009). Science 324, 1702-1704.Kovacs and Brune (2001). J. Atmos. Chem. 39, 105-122.Nakashima et al. (2014). Atmos. Env. 85, 1-8.Nölscher et al. (2012). Atmos. Chem. Phys. 12, 8257-8270.Sinha et al. (2008). Atmos. Chem. Phys. 8, 2213-2227.Sinha et al. (2010). Environ. Sci. Technol. 44, 6614-6620.

Functional alteration of a dimeric insecticidal lectin to a monomeric antifungal protein correlated to its oligomeric status.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilanjana Banerjee

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Allium sativum leaf agglutinin (ASAL is a 25-kDa homodimeric, insecticidal, mannose binding lectin whose subunits are assembled by the C-terminal exchange process. An attempt was made to convert dimeric ASAL into a monomeric form to correlate the relevance of quaternary association of subunits and their functional specificity. Using SWISS-MODEL program a stable monomer was designed by altering five amino acid residues near the C-terminus of ASAL. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: By introduction of 5 site-specific mutations (-DNSNN-, a β turn was incorporated between the 11(th and 12(th β strands of subunits of ASAL, resulting in a stable monomeric mutant ASAL (mASAL. mASAL was cloned and subsequently purified from a pMAL-c2X system. CD spectroscopic analysis confirmed the conservation of secondary structure in mASAL. Mannose binding assay confirmed that molecular mannose binds efficiently to both mASAL and ASAL. In contrast to ASAL, the hemagglutination activity of purified mASAL against rabbit erythrocytes was lost. An artificial diet bioassay of Lipaphis erysimi with mASAL displayed an insignificant level of insecticidal activity compared to ASAL. Fascinatingly, mASAL exhibited strong antifungal activity against the pathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani and Alternaria brassicicola in a disc diffusion assay. A propidium iodide uptake assay suggested that the inhibitory activity of mASAL might be associated with the alteration of the membrane permeability of the fungus. Furthermore, a ligand blot assay of the membrane subproteome of R. solani with mASAL detected a glycoprotein receptor having interaction with mASAL. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Conversion of ASAL into a stable monomer resulted in antifungal activity. From an evolutionary aspect, these data implied that variable quaternary organization of lectins might be the outcome of defense-related adaptations to diverse situations in plants. Incorporation of m

Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy with Monomeric Allergoid in a Mouse Model of Atopic Dermatitis

Science.gov (United States)

Babakhin, Alexander; Andreev, Sergey; Nikonova, Alexandra; Shilovsky, Igor; Buzuk, Andrey; Elisyutina, Olga; Fedenko, Elena; Khaitov, Musa

2015-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a widespread and difficult to treat allergic skin disease and is a tough challenge for healthcare. In this study, we investigated whether allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) with a monomeric allergoid obtained by succinylation of ovalbumin (sOVA) is effective in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. An experimental model of AD was reproduced by epicutaneous sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). ASIT was performed with subcutaneous (SC) administration of increasing doses of OVA or sOVA. The levels of anti-OVA antibodies, as well as cytokines, were detected by ELISA. Skin samples from patch areas were taken for histologic examination. ASIT with either OVA or sOVA resulted in a reduction of both the anti-OVA IgE level and the IgG1/IgG2a ratio. Moreover, ASIT with sOVA increased the IFN-γ level in supernatants after splenocyte stimulation with OVA. Histologic analysis of skin samples from the sites of allergen application showed that ASIT improved the histologic picture by decreasing allergic inflammation in comparison with untreated mice. These data suggest that ASIT with a succinylated allergen represents promising approach for the treatment of AD. PMID:26275152

Sulfatide promotes the folding of proinsulin, preserves insulin crystals, and mediates its monomerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Osterbye, T; Jørgensen, K H; Fredman, P; Tranum-Jensen, J; Kaas, A; Brange, J; Whittingham, J L; Buschard, K

2001-06-01

Sulfatide is a glycolipid that has been associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It is present in the islets of Langerhans and follows the same intracellular route as insulin. However, the role of sulfatide in the beta cell has been unclear. Here we present evidence suggesting that sulfatide promotes the folding of reduced proinsulin, indicating that sulfatide possesses molecular chaperone activity. Sulfatide associates with insulin by binding to the insulin domain A8--A10 and most likely by interacting with the hydrophobic side chains of the dimer-forming part of the insulin B-chain. Sulfatide has a dual effect on insulin. It substantially reduces deterioration of insulin hexamer crystals at pH 5.5, conferring stability comparable to those in beta cell granules. Sulfatide also mediates the conversion of insulin hexamers to the biological active monomers at neutral pH, the pH at the beta-cell surface. Finally, we report that inhibition of sulfatide synthesis with chloroquine and fumonisine B1 leads to inhibition of insulin granule formation in vivo. Our observations suggest that sulfatide plays a key role in the folding of proinsulin, in the maintenance of insulin structure, and in the monomerization process.

Elastic scattering and total reaction cross section for the 6He + 27Al system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benjamim, E.A.; Lepine-Szily, A.; Mendes Junior, D.R.; Lichtenthaeler, R.; Guimaraes, V.; Gomes, P.R.S.; Chamon, L.C.; Hussein, M.S.; Moro, A.M.; Arazi, A.; Padron, I.; Alcantara Nunez, J.; Assuncao, M.; Barioni, A.; Camargo, O.; Denke, R.Z.; Faria, P.N. de; Pires, K.C.C.

2007-01-01

The elastic scattering of the radioactive halo nucleus 6 He on 27 Al target was measured at four energies close to the Coulomb barrier using the RIBRAS (Radioactive Ion Beams in Brazil) facility. The Sao Paulo Potential (SPP) was used and its diffuseness and imaginary strength were adjusted to fit the elastic scattering angular distributions. Reaction cross-sections were extracted from the optical model fits. The reduced reaction cross-sections of 6 He on 27 Al are similar to those for stable, weakly bound projectiles as 6,7 Li, 9 Be and larger than stable, tightly bound projectile as 16 O on 27 Al

Development, validation and evaluation of an analytical method for the determination of monomeric and oligomeric procyanidins in apple extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollands, Wendy J; Voorspoels, Stefan; Jacobs, Griet; Aaby, Kjersti; Meisland, Ane; Garcia-Villalba, Rocio; Tomas-Barberan, Francisco; Piskula, Mariusz K; Mawson, Deborah; Vovk, Irena; Needs, Paul W; Kroon, Paul A

2017-04-28

There is a lack of data for individual oligomeric procyanidins in apples and apple extracts. Our aim was to develop, validate and evaluate an analytical method for the separation, identification and quantification of monomeric and oligomeric flavanols in apple extracts. To achieve this, we prepared two types of flavanol extracts from freeze-dried apples; one was an epicatechin-rich extract containing ∼30% (w/w) monomeric (-)-epicatechin which also contained oligomeric procyanidins (Extract A), the second was an oligomeric procyanidin-rich extract depleted of epicatechin (Extract B). The parameters considered for method optimisation were HPLC columns and conditions, sample heating, mass of extract and dilution volumes. The performance characteristics considered for method validation included standard linearity, method sensitivity, precision and trueness. Eight laboratories participated in the method evaluation. Chromatographic separation of the analytes was best achieved utilizing a Hilic column with a binary mobile phase consisting of acidic acetonitrile and acidic aqueous methanol. The final method showed linearity for epicatechin in the range 5-100μg/mL with a correlation co-efficient >0.999. Intra-day and inter-day precision of the analytes ranged from 2 to 6% and 2 to 13% respectively. Up to dp3, trueness of the method was >95% but decreased with increasing dp. Within laboratory precision showed RSD values <5 and 10% for monomers and oligomers, respectively. Between laboratory precision was 4 and 15% (Extract A) and 7 and 30% (Extract B) for monomers and oligomers, respectively. An analytical method for the separation, identification and quantification of procyanidins in an apple extract was developed, validated and assessed. The results of the inter-laboratory evaluation indicate that the method is reliable and reproducible. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Five-minute grid of total marine bird biomass densities surveyed off central California - selected warm water periods, 1980-2001 (CDAS data set AL1_MASS.shp)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — AL0_MASS is a polygon shapefile representing 5 minute x 5 minute latitude x longitude cells that house the overall total biomass densities (kg/sq.km.) of 76 species...

Hydrogen production from the monomeric sugars hydrolyzed from hemicellulose by Enterobacter aerogenes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Yunli; Wang, Jianji; Liu, Zhen; Ren, Yunlai; Li, Guozhi [School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmaceutics, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471039, Henan (China)

2009-12-15

Relatively large percentages of xylose with glucose, arabinose, mannose, galactose and rhamnose constitute the hydrolysis products of hemicellulose. In this paper, hydrogen production performance of facultative anaerobe (Enterobacter aerogenes) has been investigated from these different monomeric sugars except glucose. It was shown that the stereoisomers of mannose and galactose were more effective for hydrogen production than those of xylose and arabinose. The substrate of 5 g/l xylose resulted in a relative high level of hydrogen yield (73.8 mmol/l), hydrogen production efficiency (2.2 mol/mol) and a maximum hydrogen production rate (249 ml/l/h). The hydrogen yield, hydrogen production efficiency and the maximum hydrogen production rate reached 104 mmol/l, 2.35 mol/mol and 290 ml/l/h, respectively, on a substrate of 10 g/l galactose. The hydrogen yields and the maximum hydrogen production rates increased with an increase of mannose concentrations and reached 119 mmol/l and 518 ml/l/h on the culture of 25 g/l mannose. However, rhamnose was a relative poor carbon resource for E. aerogenes to produce hydrogen, from which the hydrogen yield and hydrogen production efficiency were about one half of that from the mannose substrate. E. aerogenes was found to be a promising strain for hydrogen production from hydrolysis products of hemicellulose. (author)

Lipoamino acid-based micelles as promising delivery vehicles for monomeric amphotericin B.

Science.gov (United States)

Serafim, Cláudia; Ferreira, Inês; Rijo, Patrícia; Pinheiro, Lídia; Faustino, Célia; Calado, António; Garcia-Rio, Luis

2016-01-30

Lipoamino acid-based micelles have been developed as delivery vehicles for the hydrophobic drug amphotericin B (AmB). The micellar solubilisation of AmB by a gemini lipoamino acid (LAA) derived from cysteine and its equimolar mixtures with the bile salts sodium cholate (NaC) and sodium deoxycholate (NaDC), as well as the aggregation sate of the drug in the micellar systems, was studied under biomimetic conditions (phosphate buffered-saline, pH 7.4) using UV-vis spectroscopy. Pure surfactant systems and equimolar mixtures were characterized by tensiometry and important parameters were determined, such as critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension at the CMC (γCMC), maximum surface excess concentration (Γmax), and minimum area occupied per molecule at the water/air interface (Amin). Rheological behaviour from viscosity measurements at different shear rates was also addressed. Solubilisation capacity was quantified in terms of molar solubilisation ratio (χ), micelle-water partition coefficient (KM) and Gibbs energy of solubilisation (ΔGs°). Formulations of AmB in micellar media were compared in terms of drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, aggregation state of AmB and in vitro antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The LAA-containing micellar systems solubilise AmB in its monomeric and less toxic form and exhibit in vitro antifungal activity comparable to that of the commercial formulation Fungizone. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic tunnel junctions with AlN and AlNxOy barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwickert, M. M.; Childress, J. R.; Fontana, R. E.; Kellock, A. J.; Rice, P. M.; Ho, M. K.; Thompson, T. J.; Gurney, B. A.

2001-01-01

Nonoxide tunnel barriers such as AlN are of interest for magnetic tunnel junctions to avoid the oxidation of the magnetic electrodes. We have investigated the fabrication and properties of thin AlN-based barriers for use in low resistance magnetic tunnel junctions. Electronic, magnetic and structural data of tunnel valves of the form Ta (100 Aa)/PtMn (300 Aa)/CoFe 20 (20 Aa - 25 Aa)/barrier/CoFe 20 (10 - 20 Aa)/NiFe 16 (35 - 40 Aa)/Ta (100 Aa) are presented, where the barrier consists of AlN, AlN x O y or AlN/AlO x with total thicknesses between 8 and 15 Aa. The tunnel junctions were sputter deposited and then lithographically patterned down to 2 x 2μm 2 devices. AlN was deposited by reactive sputtering from an Al target with 20% - 35% N 2 in the Ar sputter gas at room temperature, resulting in stoichiometric growth of AlN x (x=0.50±0.05), as determined by RBS. TEM analysis shows that the as-deposited AlN barrier is crystalline. For AlN barriers and AlN followed by natural O 2 oxidation, we obtain tunnel magnetoresistance >10% with specific junction resistance R j down to 60Ωμm 2 . [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

Total and available metal contents in sediments by synchrotron radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreira, Silvana; Sobrinho, Gilmar A.; Jesus, Edgar F.O. de; Lopes, Ricardo T.

2002-01-01

In this work the total and available contents of Al, Si, Cl, K, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Zr, Ba, Ce and Pb in sediments from river Atibaia were determined by Synchrotron Radiation Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence technique. The detection limits for K series varies from 200 ng.mL -1 for Al to 2 ng.mL -1 for Zn while for L series the value varies from 20 ng.mL -1 for Ba to 10 ng.mL -1 for Pb. The samples were submitted to two different processes, in order to obtain the total and biological available metal contents. The information about metal content is a important parameter for a correct evaluation about the hydrologic cycle in Piracicaba basin. All the measure were carried out at the National Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Campinas, SP, Brazil, using a white beam for excitation. (author)

Design Function and Structure of a Monomeric CLC Transporter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

L Robertson; L Kolmakova-Partensky; C Miller

2011-12-31

Channels and transporters of the ClC family cause the transmembrane movement of inorganic anions in service of a variety of biological tasks, from the unusual - the generation of the kilowatt pulses with which electric fish stun their prey - to the quotidian - the acidification of endosomes, vacuoles and lysosomes. The homodimeric architecture of ClC proteins, initially inferred from single-molecule studies of an elasmobranch Cl{sup -} channel and later confirmed by crystal structures of bacterial Cl{sup -}/H{sup +} antiporters, is apparently universal. Moreover, the basic machinery that enables ion movement through these proteins - the aqueous pores for anion diffusion in the channels and the ion-coupling chambers that coordinate Cl{sup -} and H{sup +} antiport in the transporters - are contained wholly within each subunit of the homodimer. The near-normal function of a bacterial ClC transporter straitjacketed by covalent crosslinks across the dimer interface and the behaviour of a concatemeric human homologue argue that the transport cycle resides within each subunit and does not require rigid-body rearrangements between subunits. However, this evidence is only inferential, and because examples are known in which quaternary rearrangements of extramembrane ClC domains that contribute to dimerization modulate transport activity, we cannot declare as definitive a 'parallel-pathways picture in which the homodimer consists of two single-subunit transporters operating independently. A strong prediction of such a view is that it should in principle be possible to obtain a monomeric ClC. Here we exploit the known structure of a ClC Cl{sup -}/H{sup +} exchanger, ClC-ec1 from Escherichia coli, to design mutants that destabilize the dimer interface while preserving both the structure and the transport function of individual subunits. The results demonstrate that the ClC subunit alone is the basic functional unit for transport and that cross-subunit interaction is not

Tribological behavior of Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-7Nb Alloys for Total Hip Prosthesis

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Mamoun Fellah

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to evaluate the friction and wear behavior of high-strength alloys Ti-6Al-7Nb used in femoral stem and compare it with a Ti-6Al-4V alloy cylindrical bar corresponding to ISO 5832-3 part 3/01-07-199 standard. The tribological behavior was investigated by wear tests, using ball-on-disc and pin-on-disc tribometers. These tests consisted of measuring the weight loss and the friction coefficient of samples. The oscillating friction and wear tests have been carried out in ambient with oscillating tribotester in accordance with standards ISO 7148, ASTM G99-95a, and ASTM G133-95 under different conditions of normal loads (3, 6, and 10 N and sliding speeds (1, 15, and 25 mm·s−1. As counter pairs, a 100Cr6 steel ball with 10 mm in diameter was used. Results show that the two alloys had similar friction and wear performance, although their grain structures and compositions are different. Occurrence of large frictional occurred, is probably caused by formation and periodic, localized fracture of a transfer layer. Higher friction with larger fluctuation and higher wear rate was observed at the higher siding speed. The Ti-6Al-4V wear mechanism transforms from ploughing and peeling off wear at low sliding speed to plastic deformation and adhesive wear.

Five-minute grid of total marine bird biomass densities surveyed off central California - selected cool water temperature periods, 1980-2001 (CDAS data set AL3_MASS.shp)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — AL3_MASS is a polygon shapefile representing 5 minute x 5 minute latitude x longitude cells that house the overall total biomass densities (kg/sq km) of up to 76...

[Dissolved aluminum and organic carbon in soil solution under six tree stands in Lushan forest ecosystems].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lianfeng; Pan, Genxing; Shi, Shengli; Zhang, Lehua; Huang, Mingxing

2003-10-01

Different depths of soils under 6 tree stands in Lushan Botany Garden were sampled and water-digested at room temperature. The dissolved aluminum and organic carbon were then determined by colorimetry, using 8-hydroxylquilin and TOC Analyzer, respectively. The results indicated that even derived from a naturally identical soil type, the test soils exhibited a diverse solution chemistry, regarding with the Al speciation. The soil solutions under Japanese cedar, giant arborvitae and tea had lower pH values and higher contents of soluble aluminum than those under Giant dogwood, azalea and bamboo. Under giant arborvitae, the lowest pH and the highest content of total soluble aluminum and monomeric aluminum were found in soil solution. There was a significant correlation between soluble aluminum and DOC, which tended to depress the accumulation of toxic monomeric aluminum. The 6 tree stands could be grouped into 2 categories of solution chemistry, according to aluminum mobilization.

A monomeric G protein-coupled receptor isolated in a high-density lipoprotein particle efficiently activates its G protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Whorton, Matthew R; Bokoch, Michael P; Rasmussen, Søren Gøgsig Faarup

2007-01-01

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) respond to a diverse array of ligands, mediating cellular responses to hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as the senses of smell and taste. The structures of the GPCR rhodopsin and several G proteins have been determined by x-ray crystallography, yet...... the organization of the signaling complex between GPCRs and G proteins is poorly understood. The observations that some GPCRs are obligate heterodimers, and that many GPCRs form both homo- and heterodimers, has led to speculation that GPCR dimers may be required for efficient activation of G proteins. However......, technical limitations have precluded a definitive analysis of G protein coupling to monomeric GPCRs in a biochemically defined and membrane-bound system. Here we demonstrate that a prototypical GPCR, the beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR), can be incorporated into a reconstituted high-density lipoprotein...

Crystal Structure of a Monomeric Form of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Endonuclease Nsp15 Suggests a Role for Hexamerization As An Allosteric Switch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joseph, J.S.; Saikatendu, K.S.; Subramanian, V.; Neuman, B.W.; Buchmeier, M.J.; Stevens, R.C.; Kuhn, P.; /Scripps Res. Inst.

2007-07-09

Mature nonstructural protein-15 (nsp15) from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) contains a novel uridylate-specific Mn{sup 2+}-dependent endoribonuclease (NendoU). Structure studies of the full-length form of the obligate hexameric enzyme from two CoVs, SARS-CoV and murine hepatitis virus, and its monomeric homologue, XendoU from Xenopus laevis, combined with mutagenesis studies have implicated several residues in enzymatic activity and the N-terminal domain as the major determinant of hexamerization. However, the tight link between hexamerization and enzyme activity in NendoUs has remained an enigma. Here, we report the structure of a trimmed, monomeric form of SARS-CoV nsp15 (residues 28 to 335) determined to a resolution of 2.9 Angstroms. The catalytic loop (residues 234 to 249) with its two reactive histidines (His 234 and His 249) is dramatically flipped by {approx}120 degrees into the active site cleft. Furthermore, the catalytic nucleophile Lys 289 points in a diametrically opposite direction, a consequence of an outward displacement of the supporting loop (residues 276 to 295). In the full-length hexameric forms, these two loops are packed against each other and are stabilized by intimate intersubunit interactions. Our results support the hypothesis that absence of an adjacent monomer due to deletion of the hexamerization domain is the most likely cause for disruption of the active site, offering a structural basis for why only the hexameric form of this enzyme is active.

Five-minute grid of the total marine bird biomass densities surveyed off central California - selected neutral water temperature periods, 1980-2001 (CDAS data set AL2_MASS.shp)

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — AL2_MASS is a polygon shapefile representing 5 minute x 5 minute latitude x longitude cells that house the overall total biomass densities (kg/sq.km.) of up to 76...

Action of Monomeric/Gemini Surfactants on Free Cells and Biofilm of Asaia lannensis

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Anna Koziróg

2017-11-01

Full Text Available We investigated the biological activity of surfactants based on quaternary ammonium compounds: gemini surfactant hexamethylene-1,6-bis-(N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylammonium bromide (C6, synthesized by the reaction of N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylamine with 1,6-dibromohexane, and its monomeric analogue dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB. The experiments were performed with bacteria Asaia lannensis, a common spoilage in the beverage industry. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC values were determined using the tube standard two-fold dilution method. The growth and adhesive properties of bacterial cells were studied in different culture media, and the cell viability was evaluated using plate count method. Both of the surfactants were effective against the bacterial strain, but the MIC of gemini compound was significantly lower. Both C6 and DTAB exhibited anti-adhesive abilities. Treatment with surfactants at or below MIC value decreased the number of bacterial cells that were able to form biofilm, however, the gemini surfactant was more effective. The used surfactants were also found to be able to eradicate mature biofilms. After 4 h of treatment with C6 surfactant at concentration 10 MIC, the number of bacterial cells was reduced by 91.8%. The results of this study suggest that the antibacterial activity of the gemini compound could make it an effective microbiocide against the spoilage bacteria Asaia sp. in both planktonic and biofilm stages.

Action of Monomeric/Gemini Surfactants on Free Cells and Biofilm of Asaia lannensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Koziróg, Anna; Kręgiel, Dorota; Brycki, Bogumił

2017-11-22

We investigated the biological activity of surfactants based on quaternary ammonium compounds: gemini surfactant hexamethylene-1,6-bis-( N,N -dimethyl- N -dodecylammonium bromide) (C6), synthesized by the reaction of N,N -dimethyl- N- dodecylamine with 1,6-dibromohexane, and its monomeric analogue dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). The experiments were performed with bacteria Asaia lannensis , a common spoilage in the beverage industry. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined using the tube standard two-fold dilution method. The growth and adhesive properties of bacterial cells were studied in different culture media, and the cell viability was evaluated using plate count method. Both of the surfactants were effective against the bacterial strain, but the MIC of gemini compound was significantly lower. Both C6 and DTAB exhibited anti-adhesive abilities. Treatment with surfactants at or below MIC value decreased the number of bacterial cells that were able to form biofilm, however, the gemini surfactant was more effective. The used surfactants were also found to be able to eradicate mature biofilms. After 4 h of treatment with C6 surfactant at concentration 10 MIC, the number of bacterial cells was reduced by 91.8%. The results of this study suggest that the antibacterial activity of the gemini compound could make it an effective microbiocide against the spoilage bacteria Asaia sp. in both planktonic and biofilm stages.

Pleiotropic benefit of monomeric and oligomeric flavanols on vascular health--a randomized controlled clinical pilot study.

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Antje R Weseler

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are expanding to a major social-economic burden in the Western World and undermine man's deep desire for healthy ageing. Epidemiological studies suggest that flavanol-rich foods (e.g. grapes, wine, chocolate sustain cardiovascular health. For an evidenced-based application, however, sound clinical data on their efficacy are strongly demanded. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study we supplemented 28 male smokers with 200 mg per day of monomeric and oligomeric flavanols (MOF from grape seeds. At baseline, after 4 and 8 weeks we measured macro- and microvascular function and a cluster of systemic biomarkers for major pathological processes occurring in the vasculature: disturbances in lipid metabolism and cellular redox balance, and activation of inflammatory cells and platelets. RESULTS: In the MOF group serum total cholesterol and LDL decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05 by 5% (n = 11 and 7% (n = 9, respectively in volunteers with elevated baseline levels. Additionally, after 8 weeks the ratio of glutathione to glutathione disulphide in erythrocytes rose from baseline by 22% (n = 15, P<0.05 in MOF supplemented subjects. We also observed that MOF supplementation exerts anti-inflammatory effects in blood towards ex vivo added bacterial endotoxin and significantly reduces expression of inflammatory genes in leukocytes. Conversely, alterations in macro- and microvascular function, platelet aggregation, plasma levels of nitric oxide surrogates, endothelin-1, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, prostaglandin F2alpha, plasma antioxidant capacity and gene expression levels of antioxidant defense enzymes did not reach statistical significance after 8 weeks MOF supplementation. However, integrating all measured effects into a global, so-called vascular health index revealed a significant improvement of overall vascular health by MOF compared to placebo (P ≤ 0.05. CONCLUSION: Our

Pushing the size limit of de novo structure ensemble prediction guided by sparse SDSL-EPR restraints to 200 residues: The monomeric and homodimeric forms of BAX

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Axel W.; Bordignon, Enrica; Bleicken, Stephanie; García-Sáez, Ana J.; Jeschke, Gunnar; Meiler, Jens

2016-01-01

Structure determination remains a challenge for many biologically important proteins. In particular, proteins that adopt multiple conformations often evade crystallization in all biologically relevant states. Although computational de novo protein folding approaches often sample biologically relevant conformations, the selection of the most accurate model for different functional states remains a formidable challenge, in particular, for proteins with more than about 150 residues. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy can obtain limited structural information for proteins in well-defined biological states and thereby assist in selecting biologically relevant conformations. The present study demonstrates that de novo folding methods are able to accurately sample the folds of 192-residue long soluble monomeric Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX). The tertiary structures of the monomeric and homodimeric forms of BAX were predicted using the primary structure as well as 25 and 11 EPR distance restraints, respectively. The predicted models were subsequently compared to respective NMR/X-ray structures of BAX. EPR restraints improve the protein-size normalized root-mean-square-deviation (RMSD100) of the most accurate models with respect to the NMR/crystal structure from 5.9 Å to 3.9 Å and from 5.7 Å to 3.3 Å, respectively. Additionally, the model discrimination is improved, which is demonstrated by an improvement of the enrichment from 5% to 15% and from 13% to 21%, respectively. PMID:27129417

Early cytokine modulation after the rapid induction phase of sublingual immunotherapy with mite monomeric allergoids.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Gioacchino, M; Perrone, A; Petrarca, C; Di Claudio, F; Mistrello, G; Falagiani, P; Dadorante, V; Verna, N; Braga, M; Ballone, E; Cavallucci, E

2008-01-01

The influence of different treatment schedules of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in activating IL-10-producing T-cells, crucial in inducing allergen-specific tolerance, is not completely understood. The present work was designed to evaluate allergen driven interleukin release by mononuclear cells in the early phase of SLIT, after application of different induction schemes. Twenty mite-allergic patients were enrolled, 10 (group A) treated with a traditional 98 day induction scheme and 10 (group B) with a 16 day scheme with monomeric allergoid vaccine. At the end of the induction phase, the cumulative doses taken by group A and group B patients were equivalent to 50.5 and 50.3 microg of mite group 1 allergens, respectively. The release of Th1-, Th2- and Treg-related interleukins was assessed in culture supernatants of 5 microg/ml Der-p1-stimulated mononuclear cells, isolated before and after the induction phases. No relevant treatment-related side effects were observed. Interleukin release was similar in the two groups at the enrolment. Non-stimulated and Der p 1 stimulated release of studied cytokines was similar in the two groups at enrolment. Der p 1 stimulation significantly increased IL-10 release (pallergoids are utilized.

Z3 -vertex magic total labeling and Z3 -edge magic total labelingfor the extended duplicate graph of quadrilateral snake

Science.gov (United States)

Indira, P.; Selvam, B.; Thirusangu, K.

2018-04-01

Based on the works of Kotzig, Rosa and MacDougall et.al., we present algorithms and prove the existence of Z3-vertex magic total labeling and Z3-edge magic total labeling for the extended duplicate graph of quadrilateral snake.

Colour, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of grape juice

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Vívian Maria Burin

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Viticultural practices in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, have shown economic growth, with the production of grapes used to produce wines and grape juice. Grapes are rich in phenolic compounds which have drawn attention not only because of their important role in the development of products derived from grapes, but also for their potential beneficial health effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate commercial, organic and homemade grape juices produced in Santa Catarina. Grape juices were analyzed for total phenolic content, colour, and antioxidant activity. The commercial juices had the highest average values for total monomeric anthocyanins and total phenolics. There was a strong positive correlation (R = 0.9566 between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content for the commercial juice. In addition, the Principle Components Analysis showed a strong positive correlation between the red colour and total monomeric anthocyanins. However, the total monomeric anthocyanis and polymeric anthocyanins showed a negative correlation.

Relationship between Al content and substitution mechanism of Al-bearing anhydrous bridgmanites

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, M.; Inoue, T.; Kakizawa, S.

2017-12-01

It is considered that two substitution mechanisms, Tschermak substitution and oxygen vacancy substitution, exist in MgSiO3 bridgmanite for the incorporation of Al in anhydrous condition. Kubo and Akaogi (2000) has conducted the phase equilibrium experiment in the system MgSiO3-Al2O3, and established the phase diagram up to 28 GPa. However the careful observation in the bridgmanite shows that the chemical compositions are slightly deviated from Tschermak substitution join. The same tendency can be also observed in the run products by Irifune et al. (1996). This result indicates that pure Tschermak substitution bridgmanite cannot be stable even in the MgSiO3-Al2O3 join experiment. However, the previous studies used powder samples as the starting materials, so the absorbed water may affect the results. Therefore, we tried to conduct the experiment in the join MgSiO3-Al2O3 in extremely anhydrous condition to clarify whether the pure Tschermak substitution bridgmanite can be stable or not. In addition, we also examined the stability of oxygen vacancy bridgmanite in the extremely anhydrous condition for the comparison. The high pressure synthesis experiments were conducted at 28 GPa and 1600-1700° for 1hour using a Kawai-type multi-anvil apparatus. Four different Al content samples were prepared as the starting materials along the ideal substitution line of Tschermak (Al=0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 mol) and oxygen-vacancy (Al=0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1 mol) substitutions, respectively (when total cation of 2). The glass rods were used as the starting materials to eliminate the absorbed water on the sample surface. The chemical compositions of the synthesized bridgmanite could not be measured by EPMA because of small grain size less than submicron. Therefore the chemical compositions were estimated from the result of the XRD pattern by subtracting the amount of the other phases. The estimated chemical compositions of Tschermak substitution bridgmanites were consistent with the

Structural Analysis of Monomeric RNA-Dependent Polymerases: Evolutionary and Therapeutic Implications.

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Rodrigo Jácome

Full Text Available The crystal structures of monomeric RNA-dependent RNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases of more than 20 different viruses are available in the Protein Data Bank. They all share the characteristic right-hand shape of DNA- and RNA polymerases formed by the fingers, palm and thumb subdomains, and, in many cases, "fingertips" that extend from the fingers towards the thumb subdomain, giving the viral enzyme a closed right-hand appearance. Six conserved structural motifs that contain key residues for the proper functioning of the enzyme have been identified in all these RNA-dependent polymerases. These enzymes share a two divalent metal-ion mechanism of polymerization in which two conserved aspartate residues coordinate the interactions with the metal ions to catalyze the nucleotidyl transfer reaction. The recent availability of crystal structures of polymerases of the Orthomyxoviridae and Bunyaviridae families allowed us to make pairwise comparisons of the tertiary structures of polymerases belonging to the four main RNA viral groups, which has led to a phylogenetic tree in which single-stranded negative RNA viral polymerases have been included for the first time. This has also allowed us to use a homology-based structural prediction approach to develop a general three-dimensional model of the Ebola virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Our model includes several of the conserved structural motifs and residues described in other viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases that define the catalytic and highly conserved palm subdomain, as well as portions of the fingers and thumb subdomains. The results presented here help to understand the current use and apparent success of antivirals, i.e. Brincidofovir, Lamivudine and Favipiravir, originally aimed at other types of polymerases, to counteract the Ebola virus infection.

Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis reveals the ATP-bound monomeric state of the ATPase domain from the homodimeric MutL endonuclease, a GHKL phosphotransferase superfamily protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Iino, Hitoshi; Hikima, Takaaki; Nishida, Yuya; Yamamoto, Masaki; Kuramitsu, Seiki; Fukui, Kenji

2015-05-01

DNA mismatch repair is an excision system that removes mismatched bases chiefly generated by replication errors. In this system, MutL endonucleases direct the excision reaction to the error-containing strand of the duplex by specifically incising the newly synthesized strand. Both bacterial homodimeric and eukaryotic heterodimeric MutL proteins belong to the GHKL ATPase/kinase superfamily that comprises the N-terminal ATPase and C-terminal dimerization regions. Generally, the GHKL proteins show large ATPase cycle-dependent conformational changes, including dimerization-coupled ATP binding of the N-terminal domain. Interestingly, the ATPase domain of human PMS2, a subunit of the MutL heterodimer, binds ATP without dimerization. The monomeric ATP-bound state of the domain has been thought to be characteristic of heterodimeric GHKL proteins. In this study, we characterized the ATP-bound state of the ATPase domain from the Aquifex aeolicus MutL endonuclease, which is a homodimeric GHKL protein unlike the eukaryotic MutL. Gel filtration, dynamic light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering analyses clearly showed that the domain binds ATP in a monomeric form despite its homodimeric nature. This indicates that the uncoupling of dimerization and ATP binding is a common feature among bacterial and eukaryotic MutL endonucleases, which we suggest is closely related to the molecular mechanisms underlying mismatch repair.

Modulation of basophils' degranulation and allergy-related enzymes by monomeric and dimeric naphthoquinones.

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Brígida R Pinho

Full Text Available Allergic disorders are characterized by an abnormal immune response towards non-infectious substances, being associated with life quality reduction and potential life-threatening reactions. The increasing prevalence of allergic disorders demands for new and effective anti-allergic treatments. Here we test the anti-allergic potential of monomeric (juglone, menadione, naphthazarin, plumbagin and dimeric (diospyrin and diosquinone naphthoquinones. Inhibition of RBL-2H3 rat basophils' degranulation by naphthoquinones was assessed using two complementary stimuli: IgE/antigen and calcium ionophore A23187. Additionally, we tested for the inhibition of leukotrienes production in IgE/antigen-stimulated cells, and studied hyaluronidase and lipoxidase inhibition by naphthoquinones in cell-free assays. Naphthazarin (0.1 µM decreased degranulation induced by IgE/antigen but not A23187, suggesting a mechanism upstream of the calcium increase, unlike diospyrin (10 µM that reduced degranulation in A23187-stimulated cells. Naphthoquinones were weak hyaluronidase inhibitors, but all inhibited soybean lipoxidase with the most lipophilic diospyrin, diosquinone and menadione being the most potent, thus suggesting a mechanism of competition with natural lipophilic substrates. Menadione was the only naphthoquinone reducing leukotriene C4 production, with a maximal effect at 5 µM. This work expands the current knowledge on the biological properties of naphthoquinones, highlighting naphthazarin, diospyrin and menadione as potential lead compounds for structural modification in the process of improving and developing novel anti-allergic drugs.

Total neutron cross section for 181Ta

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Schilling K.-D.

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The neutron time of flight facility nELBE, produces fast neutrons in the energy range from 0.1 MeV to 10 MeV by impinging a pulsed relativistic electron beam on a liquid lead circuit [1]. The short beam pulses (∼10 ps and a small radiator volume give an energy resolution better than 1% at 1 MeV using a short flight path of about 6 m, for neutron TOF measurements. The present neutron source provides 2 ⋅ 104  n/cm2s at the target position using an electron charge of 77 pC and 100 kHz pulse repetition rate. This neutron intensity enables to measure neutron total cross section with a 2%–5% statistical uncertainty within a few days. In February 2008, neutron radiator, plastic detector [2] and data acquisition system were tested by measurements of the neutron total cross section for 181Ta and 27Al. Measurement of 181Ta was chosen because lack of high quality data in an anergy region below 700 keV. The total neutron cross – section for 27Al was measured as a control target, since there exists data for 27Al with high resolution and low statistical error [3].

Gas-phase synthesis and structure of monomeric ZnOH: a model species for metalloenzymes and catalytic surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Zack, Lindsay N; Sun, Ming; Bucchino, Matthew P; Clouthier, Dennis J; Ziurys, Lucy M

2012-02-16

Monomeric ZnOH has been studied for the first time using millimeter and microwave gas-phase spectroscopy. ZnOH is important in surface processes and at the active site of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase. In the millimeter-wave direct-absorption experiments, ZnOH was synthesized by reacting zinc vapor, produced in a Broida-type oven, with water. In the Fourier-transform microwave measurements, ZnOH was produced in a supersonic jet expansion of CH(3)OH and zinc vapor, created by laser ablation. Multiple rotational transitions of six ZnOH isotopologues in their X(2)A' ground states were measured over the frequency range of 22-482 GHz, and splittings due to fine and hyperfine structure were resolved. An asymmetric top pattern was observed in the spectra, showing that ZnOH is bent, indicative of covalent bonding. From these data, spectroscopic constants and an accurate structure were determined. The Zn-O bond length was found to be similar to that in carbonic anhydrase and other model enzyme systems.

Comparison of monomeric and polymeric horseradish peroxidase as labels in competitive ELISA for small molecule detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Dongyang; Ying, Yibin; Wu, Jian; Niessner, Reinhard; Knopp, Dietmar

2013-01-01

We have developed a simple and sensitive competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine aflatoxin B1 (as a model small analyte) and using streptavidin-polymeric horseradish peroxidase complex (SApolyHRP) as a label for signal amplification. The performance of the assay was evaluated by comparing it with the classical indirect competitive ELISA using HRP labeled anti-mouse IgG as the tracer antibody. The results indicate that the SApolyHRP-based competitive ELISA exhibits a typically 2.4-fold steeper slope of the linear working range of the calibration curve compared to the monomeric HRP based classical ELISA, i.e., the sensitivity was increased. The SApolyHRP conjugate causes a typically 19-fold stronger signal generation in comparison to the traditional HRP labeled anti-mouse IgG at the same concentration (25 ng mL −1 ). Moreover, the SApolyHRP-based assay has a much wider linear range and a 3.8-fold better signal-to-noise ratio. Considering its simplicity, sensitivity and ease of operation, this competitive ELISA is considered to be a promising tool for small molecule immuno detection. (author)

No need to be HAMLET or BAMLET to interact with histones: binding of monomeric alpha-lactalbumin to histones and basic poly-amino acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Permyakov, Serge E; Pershikova, Irina V; Khokhlova, Tatyana I; Uversky, Vladimir N; Permyakov, Eugene A

2004-05-18

The ability of a specific complex of human alpha-lactalbumin with oleic acid (HAMLET) to induce cell death with selectivity for tumor and undifferentiated cells was shown recently to be mediated by interaction of HAMLET with histone proteins irreversibly disrupting chromatin structure [Duringer, C., et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 42131-42135]. Here we show that monomeric alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) in the absence of fatty acids is also able to bind efficiently to the primary target of HAMLET, histone HIII, regardless of Ca(2+) content. Thus, the modification of alpha-LA by oleic acid is not required for binding to histones. We suggest that interaction of negatively charged alpha-LA with the basic histone stabilizes apo-alpha-LA and destabilizes the Ca(2+)-bound protein due to compensation for excess negative charge of alpha-LA's Ca(2+)-binding loop by positively charged residues of the histone. Spectrofluorimetric curves of titration of alpha-LA by histone H3 were well approximated by a scheme of cooperative binding of four alpha-LA molecules per molecule of histone, with an equilibrium dissociation constant of 1.0 microM. Such a stoichiometry of binding implies that the binding process is not site-specific with respect to histone and likely is driven by just electrostatic interactions. Co-incubation of positively charged poly-amino acids (poly-Lys and poly-Arg) with alpha-LA resulted in effects which were similar to those caused by histone HIII, confirming the electrostatic nature of the alpha-LA-histone interaction. In all cases that were studied, the binding was accompanied by aggregation. The data indicate that alpha-lactalbumin can be used as a basis for the design of antitumor agents, acting through disorganization of chromatin structure due to interaction between alpha-LA and histone proteins.

Resolution of two native monomeric 90 kDa nitrate reductase active proteins from Shewanella gelidimarina and the sequence of two napA genes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, Philippa J.L.; McKinzie, Audra A.; Codd, Rachel

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Two monomeric 90 kDa nitrate reductase active proteins from Shewanella gelidimarina. → Sequence of napA from napEDABC-type operon and napA from NapDAGHB-type operon. → Isolation of NAP as NapA or NapAB correlated with NapA P47E amino acid substitution. -- Abstract: The reduction of nitrate to nitrite in the bacterial periplasm occurs in the 90 kDa NapA subunit of the periplasmic nitrate reductase (NAP) system. Most Shewanella genomes contain two nap operons: napEDABC and napDAGHB, which is an unusual feature of this genus. Two native, monomeric, 90 kDa nitrate reductase active proteins were resolved by hydrophobic interaction chromatography from aerobic cultures of Shewanella gelidimarina replete with reduced nitrogen compounds. The 90 kDa protein obtained in higher yield was characterized as NapA by electronic absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies and was identified by LC/MS/MS and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS as NapA from the napEDABC-type operon. The other 90 kDa protein, which was unstable and produced in low yields, was posited as NapA from the napDAGHB-type operon. Two napA genes have been sequenced from the napEDABC-type and napDAGHB-type operons of S. gelidimarina. Native NAP from S. putrefaciens was resolved as one NapA monomer and one NapAB heterodimer. Two amino acid substitutions in NapA correlated with the isolation of NAP as a NapA monomer or a NapAB heterodimer. The resolution of native, redox-active NapA isoforms in Shewanella provides new insight into the respiratory versatility of this genus, which has implications in bioremediation and the assembly of microbial fuel cells.

Transitions in Al Coordination during Gibbsite Crystallization Using High-Field ²⁷ Al and ²³ Na MAS NMR Spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Jian Zhi [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Zhang, Xin [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Jaegers, Nicholas R. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States; Wan, Chuan [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Graham, Trent R. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States; Hu, Mary [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Pearce, Carolyn I. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Felmy, Andrew R. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States; Clark, Sue B. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, United States; Rosso, Kevin M. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States

2017-11-30

Mechanisms of nucleation and growth of Al hydroxides such as gibbsite from aqueous solution, particularly in highly alkaline conditions, remain poorly understood. In this work, quantitative 27Al and 22Na MAS NMR experiments were conducted on solid samples extracted from the crystallization of gibbsite from an amorphous aluminum hydroxide gel precursor. The use of high magnetic field and fast sample spinning allowed transitional tetrahedral (AlT) and pentahedral (AlP) aluminum species to be observed along with the octahedral aluminum (AlO) that dominates the gibbsite product. Low-coordinated Al species could be detected at concentrations as low as 0.1% of the total Al sites. It is established that (a) AlT and AlP coexist on the surface of growing gibbsites even with a combined percentage over the total Al sites of less than 1%; (b) Different synthesis methods generate gibbsite with varying amounts of low-coordinated Al; (c) the amorphous gel precursor contains a significant amount of low-coordinated Al sites with AO: AlP: AlT ratios of approximately 4:2:1; (d) upon hydration, the external, low-coordinated Al sites become six-fold coordinated by interacting with the oxygen in H2O and the 27Al MAS NMR peak position shifts to that for the AlO sites; (e) gibbsite with increased long range order is synthesized over longer times by gradually incorporating residual AlP and AlT sites into octahedrally-coordinated AlO sites; (f) trace Na is predominantly a surface species on gibbsite particles. These findings provide a basis for understanding the gibbsite crystallization mechanism, along with a general means of characterizing gibbsite surface properties that are of equal importance for understanding related processes such as dissolution behavior.

Comparison of several methods of sires evaluation for total milk ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-01-24

Jan 24, 2015 ... Comparison of several methods of sires evaluation for total milk yield in a herd of Holstein cows in Yemen. F.R. Al-Samarai1,*, Y.K. Abdulrahman1, F.A. Mohammed2, F.H. Al-Zaidi2 and N.N. Al-Anbari3. 1Department of Veterinary Public Health/College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq.

Madbi Amran/Qishn total petroleum system of the Ma'Rib-Al Jawf/Shabwah, and Masila-Jeza basins, Yemen

Science.gov (United States)

Ahlbrandt, Thomas S.

2002-01-01

Since the first discovery of petroleum in Yemen in 1984, several recent advances have been made in the understanding of that countrys geologic history and petroleum systems. The total petroleum resource endowment for the combined petroleum provinces within Yemen, as estimated in the recent U.S. Geological Survey world assessment, ranks 51st in the world, exclusive of the United States, at 9.8 BBOE, which includes cumulative production and remaining reserves, as well as a mean estimate of undiscovered resources. Such undiscovered petroleum resources are about 2.7 billion barrels of oil, 17 trillion cubic feet (2.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent) of natural gas and 1 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. A single total petroleum system, the Jurassic Madbi Amran/Qishn, dominates petroleum generation and production; it was formed in response to a Late Jurassic rifting event related to the separation of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gondwana supercontinent. This rifting resulted in the development of two petroleum-bearing sedimentary basins: (1) the western MaRibAl Jawf / Shabwah basin, and (2) the eastern Masila-Jeza basin. In both basins, petroleum source rocks of the Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Madbi Formation generated hydrocarbons during Late Cretaceous time that migrated, mostly vertically, into Jurassic and Cretaceous reservoirs. In the western MaRibAl Jawf / Shabwah basin, the petroleum system is largely confined to syn-rift deposits, with reservoirs ranging from deep-water turbidites to continental clastics buried beneath a thick Upper Jurassic (Tithonian) salt. The salt initially deformed in Early Cretaceous time, and continued halokinesis resulted in salt diapirism and associated salt withdrawal during extension. The eastern Masila-Jeza basin contained similar early syn-rift deposits but received less clastic sediment during the Jurassic; however, no salt formed because the basin remained open to ocean circulation in the Late Jurassic. Thus, Madbi Formation

First passage times in homogeneous nucleation: Dependence on the total number of particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yvinec, Romain; Bernard, Samuel; Pujo-Menjouet, Laurent; Hingant, Erwan

2016-01-01

Motivated by nucleation and molecular aggregation in physical, chemical, and biological settings, we present an extension to a thorough analysis of the stochastic self-assembly of a fixed number of identical particles in a finite volume. We study the statistics of times required for maximal clusters to be completed, starting from a pure-monomeric particle configuration. For finite volumes, we extend previous analytical approaches to the case of arbitrary size-dependent aggregation and fragmentation kinetic rates. For larger volumes, we develop a scaling framework to study the first assembly time behavior as a function of the total quantity of particles. We find that the mean time to first completion of a maximum-sized cluster may have a surprisingly weak dependence on the total number of particles. We highlight how higher statistics (variance, distribution) of the first passage time may nevertheless help to infer key parameters, such as the size of the maximum cluster. Finally, we present a framework to quantify formation of macroscopic sized clusters, which are (asymptotically) very unlikely and occur as a large deviation phenomenon from the mean-field limit. We argue that this framework is suitable to describe phase transition phenomena, as inherent infrequent stochastic processes, in contrast to classical nucleation theory

Towards advanced structural analysis of iron oxide clusters on the surface of γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} using EXAFS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boubnov, Alexey [Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Roppertz, Andreas [Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering, Chair of Reaction Engineering, Technical University of Freiberg, Fuchsmuehlenweg 9, D-09599 Freiberg (Germany); Kundrat, Matthew D. [Center for Functional Nanostructures and Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Mangold, Stefan [Institut für Beschleunigerphysik und Technologie (IBPT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Reznik, Boris [Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Jacob, Christoph R. [Center for Functional Nanostructures and Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Str. 10, D-38106 Braunschweig (Germany); Kureti, Sven [Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Chemical Engineering, Chair of Reaction Engineering, Technical University of Freiberg, Fuchsmuehlenweg 9, D-09599 Freiberg (Germany); Grunwaldt, Jan-Dierk, E-mail: grunwaldt@kit.edu [Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Analysis of isolated and oligomeric FeOx (x = 4, 5) on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} by XANES and EXAFS. • Iron is trivalent and is mainly located at octahedral lattice sites of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. • Low Fe loading (0.1%) guarantees high dispersion of catalytically active iron sites. • Surface Fe-cluster on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and DFT-optimised Fe-doped Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} as input models for EXAFS. • Interactions of iron with support are well-accounted for using realistic models. - Abstract: Iron oxide centres are structurally investigated in 0.1% Fe/γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, which is known as highly active catalyst, for instance in the oxidation of CO. The sample was characterised by using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) in terms of X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These analyses evidenced high dispersion of the iron oxide entities without significant presence of bulk-like aggregates associated with the low Fe content of the catalyst. A library of structural models of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-supported surface Fe was created as input for EXAFS fitting. Additionally, several model structures of Fe substituting Al ions in bulk γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were created with optimised geometry based on density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. From EXAFS refinement of the best 8 out of 24 models, it was found that the trivalent Fe ions are coordinated by 4–5 oxygen atoms and are located on octahedral lattice sites of the exposed surfaces of γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. These iron oxide species exist mainly as a mixture of monomeric and binuclear species and due to the low concentration represent suitable model systems as alternative to single crystal systems for structure-function relationships.

Del total e marketing al marketing integral : ¿fuente de ventaja competitiva?

OpenAIRE

Cespedes Camargo, Yulieth Verónica; Valenzuela Cortes, Néstor Iván

2009-01-01

Según Philip Kotler, considerado el padre del mercadeo, (en su libro Principles Of Marketing) la mercadotecnia es «el proceso social y administrativo por el cual los grupos e individuos satisfacen sus necesidades al crear e intercambiar bienes y servicios». La presente investigación tomará como punto de referencia para conceptualizar el marco teórico, la historia y evolución del mercadeo y sus actuales tendencias y rumbos; así como la incidencia que tiene en la planificación del área de merca...

First total synthesis of Boehmenan

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The first total synthesis of dilignan Boehmenan has been achieved. A biomimetic oxidative coupling of the ferulic acid methyl ester in the presence of silver oxide is the crucial step in the synthesis sequence, generating the dihydrobenzofuran skeleton. Hydroxyl group was protected with DHP and reducted with LiAlH4 to ...

Explosive destruction of "2"6Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahl, D.; Yamaguchi, H.; Shimizu, H.

2016-01-01

The γ-ray emission associated with the radioactive decay of "2"6Al is one of the key pieces of observational evidence indicating stellar nucleosynthesis is an ongoing process in our Galaxy, and it was the first such radioactivity to be detected. Despite numerous efforts in stellar modeling, observation, nuclear theory, and nuclear experiment over the past four decades, the precise sites and origin of Galactic "2"6Al remain elusive. We explore the present experimental knowledge concerning the destruction of "2"6Al in massive stars. The precise stellar rates of neutron-induced reactions on "2"6Al, such as (n,p) and (n,α), have among the largest impacts on the total "2"6Al yield. Meanwhile, reactions involving the short-lived isomeric state of "2"6Al such as radiative proton capture are highly-uncertain at present. Although we presented on-going experimental work from n TOF at CERN with an "2"6Al target, the present proceeding focuses only on the "2"6Al isomeric radioactive beam production aspect and the first experimental results at CRIB.

Quinoline derivative containing monomeric and polymeric metal carboxylates: Synthesis, crystal structure and gas adsorption study over a 2D layered framework

Science.gov (United States)

Gayen, Saikat; Saha, Debraj; Koner, Subratanath

2018-06-01

A new supramolecular metal-carboxylate framework [Co(mqc)2]n (1), and another monomeric compound [Zn (mqc)2(H2O)] (2) (mqcH = 4-methoxy 2-quinolinecarboxylic acid) have been synthesized solvothermally and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR spectra, UV-vis spectra, powdered X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and thermogravimetric analysis. Compound 1 is a 2D coordination polymer, extended to a 3D porous supramolecular network having void space in between 2D layers. Compound 1 exhibits gas uptake capacity of N2, H2, CO2 and CH4 like small gas molecules in which moderately high uptake of H2 and CO2 takes place among the 2D MOFs. While the Zn variety, compound 2 features a one-dimensional chain like structure through strong intermolecular hydrogen-bonding.

Model of a DNA-protein complex of the architectural monomeric protein MC1 from Euryarchaea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Françoise Paquet

Full Text Available In Archaea the two major modes of DNA packaging are wrapping by histone proteins or bending by architectural non-histone proteins. To supplement our knowledge about the binding mode of the different DNA-bending proteins observed across the three domains of life, we present here the first model of a complex in which the monomeric Methanogen Chromosomal protein 1 (MC1 from Euryarchaea binds to the concave side of a strongly bent DNA. In laboratory growth conditions MC1 is the most abundant architectural protein present in Methanosarcina thermophila CHTI55. Like most proteins that strongly bend DNA, MC1 is known to bind in the minor groove. Interaction areas for MC1 and DNA were mapped by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR data. The polarity of protein binding was determined using paramagnetic probes attached to the DNA. The first structural model of the DNA-MC1 complex we propose here was obtained by two complementary docking approaches and is in good agreement with the experimental data previously provided by electron microscopy and biochemistry. Residues essential to DNA-binding and -bending were highlighted and confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. It was found that the Arg25 side-chain was essential to neutralize the negative charge of two phosphates that come very close in response to a dramatic curvature of the DNA.

Religiousness is positively associated with quality of life of ALS caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo, Andrea; Moglia, Cristina; Ilardi, Antonio; Cammarosano, Stefania; Gallo, Sara; Canosa, Antonio; Mastro, Enza; Montuschi, Anna; Chiò, Adriano

2011-05-01

It has been repeatedly shown that religiousness and spirituality have positive effects on quality of life (QoL) and outcome in ALS patients. here are, however, very few data on the impact of religiousness/spirituality on ALS caregivers. We determined the impact of religiousness on caregivers and its correlation with quality of life, depression and anxiety. A total of 75 consecutive ALS patients and their informal caregivers were interviewed using tests evaluating religiousness, depression, anxiety, quality of life and satisfaction with life. Results showed that there was a significant correlation between patients and caregivers' public and total religiousness. Caregivers' private religiousness was related to their age and education level, while their public religiousness was related only to their education level. Caregivers' quality of life was related to their private religiousness and satisfaction with life with their total religiousness. We conclude that religiousness is positively associated with ALS caregivers' quality of life and satisfaction with life, in a measure similar to that observed in ALS patients. Health care professionals caring for ALS patients should consider that the needs of the caregivers include religious/spiritual concerns.

Electronic structure, total energies, and STM images of clean and oxygen-covered Al(111)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Joachim; Hammer, Bjørk; Jacobsen, Karsten Wedel

1995-01-01

an attractive O-O interaction is identified together with an enhancement in the dipole moment induced per O atom. Finally, Tersoff-Hamann-type scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) topographs are derived based on the calculated one-electron wave functions and spectra. For the clean Al(111) a theoretical STM...

Formation mechanism of Al-depleted bands in MOVPE-AlGaN layer on GaN template with trenches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuwano, Noriyuki [Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Department of Applied Science for Electronics and Materials, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Ezaki, Tetsuya; Kurogi, Takuya [Department of Applied Science for Electronics and Materials, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Miyake, Hideto; Hiramatsu, Kazumasa [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mie University, Tsu, Mie 514-8507 (Japan)

2010-07-15

A microstructure in an AlGaN/GaN layer was analyzed in detail by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with special attention to the formation of steps on the surface. The AlGaN layer was grown by MOVPE on a GaN template with periodic trenches. It was revealed that there formed were Al-depleted bands in the AlGaN layer. These bands were generated from rather lower regions in the AlGaN layer or those above the trenches, and run upwards. Some of them reached the top surface to connect a macro step. The formation mechanism of the Al-depleted region is discussed in terms of thermodynamics. If the total bonding energy of atoms on the macro step of surface is assumed to be smaller than that of atoms on a flat surface, the Al-depletion can be explained provided that the local equilibrium in concentration is conserved during the growth of AlGaN layer. (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Estimación del área del ojo del lomo total in vivo y rendimiento al desposte de bovinos destinados a un mercado exigente.

OpenAIRE

Campos Parra, Jorge; De Pedro Sanz, Emiliano; Astudillo Neira, Rita; Cabas Monje, Juan; Vallejos Cartes, Rosana; Velasco Fuenmayor, Julia

2016-01-01

La evaluación de la composición y características de las canales de bovinos productores de carne ha permitido mejorar su comercialización. Se requiere de herramientas que permitan medir in vivo, parámetros que definen el rendimiento y la calidad de la canal de manera rápida, replicable y eficiente. El objetivo de esta investigación fue generar modelos matemáticos que permitirán estimar el área del ojo del lomo total (AOLT) y el rendimiento al desposte in vivo en animales seleccionados y desti...

Surface-assisted DNA self-assembly: An enzyme-free strategy towards formation of branched DNA lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhanjadeo, Madhabi M.; Nayak, Ashok K.; Subudhi, Umakanta

2017-01-01

DNA based self-assembled nanostructures and DNA origami has proven useful for organizing nanomaterials with firm precision. However, for advanced applications like nanoelectronics and photonics, large-scale organization of self-assembled branched DNA (bDNA) into periodic lattices is desired. In this communication for the first time we report a facile method of self-assembly of Y-shaped bDNA nanostructures on the cationic surface of Aluminum (Al) foil to prepare periodic two dimensional (2D) bDNA lattice. Particularly those Y-shaped bDNA structures having smaller overhangs and unable to self-assemble in solution, they are easily assembled on the surface of Al foil in the absence of ligase. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis shows homogenous distribution of two-dimensional bDNA lattices across the Al foil. When the assembled bDNA structures were recovered from the Al foil and electrophoresed in nPAGE only higher order polymeric bDNA structures were observed without a trace of monomeric structures which confirms the stability and high yield of the bDNA lattices. Therefore, this enzyme-free economic and efficient strategy for developing bDNA lattices can be utilized in assembling various nanomaterials for functional molecular components towards development of DNA based self-assembled nanodevices. - Highlights: • Al foil surface-assisted self-assembly of monomeric structures into larger branched DNA lattice. • FESEM study confirms the uniform distribution of two-dimensional bDNA lattice structures across the surface of Al foil. • Enzyme-free and economic strategy to prepare higher order structures from simpler DNA nanostructures have been confirmed by recovery assay. • Use of well proven sequences for the preparation of pure Y-shaped monomeric DNA nanostructure with high yield.

Screening for cognitive dysfunction in ALS: validation of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) using age and education adjusted normative data.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto-Grau, Marta; Burke, Tom; Lonergan, Katie; McHugh, Caroline; Mays, Iain; Madden, Caoifa; Vajda, Alice; Heverin, Mark; Elamin, Marwa; Hardiman, Orla; Pender, Niall

2017-02-01

Cognitive and behavioural changes are an important aspect in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) briefly assesses these changes in ALS. To validate the ECAS against a standardised neuropsychological battery and assess its sensitivity and specificity using age and education adjusted cut-off scores. 30 incident ALS cases were assessed on both, ECAS and neuropsychological battery. Age and education adjusted cut-off scores were created from a sample of 82 healthy controls. ECAS composite scores (Total, ALS Specific and Non-Specific) were highly correlated with battery composite scores. High correlations were also observed between ECAS and full battery cognitive domains and subtests. The ECAS Total, ALS Specific and Non-Specific scores were highly sensitive to cognitive impairment. ECAS ALS-Specific cognitive domains also evidenced high sensitivity. Individual subtest sensitivity was medium to low, suggesting that caution should be used when interpreting these scores. Low positive predictive values indicated the presence of false positives. Psychometric properties of the ECAS using age and education adjusted norms indicate that the ECAS, when used as an overall measure of cognitive decline, is highly sensitive. Further comprehensive assessment is required for patients that present as impaired on the ECAS.

Local structure and disorder in crystalline Pb9Al8O21

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hannon, Alex C.; Barney, Emma R.; Holland, Diane; Knight, Kevin S.

2008-01-01

Crystalline Pb 9 Al 8 O 21 is a model compound for the structure of non-linear optical glasses containing lone-pair ions, and its structure has been investigated by neutron powder diffraction and total scattering, and 27 Al magic angle spinning NMR. Rietveld analysis (space group Pa3-bar (No. 205), a=13.25221(4) A) shows that some of the Pb and O sites have partial occupancies, due to lead volatilisation during sample preparation, and the non-stoichiometric sample composition is Pb 9-δ Al 8 O 21-δ with δ=0.54. The NMR measurements show evidence for a correlation between the chemical shift and the variance of the bond angles at the aluminium sites. The neutron total correlation function shows that the true average Al-O bond length is 0.8% longer than the apparent bond length determined by Rietveld refinement. The thermal variation in bond length is much smaller than the thermal variation in longer interatomic distances determined by Rietveld refinement. The total correlation function is consistent with an interpretation in which AlO 3 groups with an Al-O bond length of 1.651 A occur as a result of the oxygen vacancies in the structure. The width of the tetrahedral Al-O peak in the correlation function for the crystal is very similar to that for lead aluminate glass, indicating that the extent of static disorder is very similar in the two phases. - Graphical abstract: Combined neutron powder diffraction and total scattering, and 27 Al NMR on crystalline Pb 9 Al 8 O 21 shows it to be a non-stoichiometric compound with vacancies due to PbO volatilisation. A detailed consideration of the thermal and static disorder is given, showing that glass and crystal phases have very similar disorder at short range

Corrosion inhibition of aluminum with a series of aniline monomeric surfactants and their analog polymers in 0.5 M HCl solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.M. El-Deeb

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The inhibition effect of 3-(12-sodiumsulfonate dodecyloxy aniline monomeric surfactant (MC12 and its analog polymer Poly 3-(dodecyloxy sulfonic acid aniline (PC12 on the corrosion of aluminum in 0.5 M HCl solution was investigated using weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. The presence of these two compounds in 0.5 M HCl inhibits the corrosion of aluminum without modifying the mechanism of corrosion process. It was found that these inhibitors act as mixed-type inhibitors with anodic predominance as well as the inhibition efficiency increases with increasing inhibitor concentration, but decreases with raising temperature. Langmuir and Frumkin adsorption isotherms fit well with the experimental data. Thermodynamic functions for both dissolution and adsorption processes were determined. The obtained results from weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization techniques are in good agreement with contact angle measurements.

Taiwo et al (8)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DELL

Ife Journal of Science. (2016) vol. 18, no. 4. SPATIAL ... Ogun State. On the contrary, published work in some parts of Nigeria had ..... Prevalence among. Age Group (%). Cause of Infection. (%). Adeoye et al.,. 2007. Lagos. Kato-Katz. A. lumbricoides =29.7. Hookworm = 0.7. T. Trichiura = 18.4. S. stercoralis =0.3. Total =49.1.

Analysis of monomeric and oligomeric organophosphorus flame retardants in fish muscle tissues using liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry: Application to Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from an e-waste processing area in northern Vietnam

OpenAIRE

Matsukami, Hidenori; Suzuki, Go; Tue, Nguyen Minh; Tuyen, Le Huu; Viet, Pham Hung; Takahashi, Shin; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Takigami, Hidetaka

2016-01-01

Using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry combined with liquid chromatography (LC), a novel analytical method was developed to quantify eight monomeric organophosphorus flame retardants (m-PFRs) and three oligomeric organophosphorus flame retardants (o-PFRs) in fish muscle samples. The optimization and validation experiments indicate that the developed method can determine accurately the concentrations of analytes in fish muscle samples. The recoveries of analytes in fish muscle ...

IMPACT OF A REVISED {sup 25}Mg(p, {gamma}){sup 26}Al REACTION RATE ON THE OPERATION OF THE Mg-Al CYCLE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Straniero, O.; Cristallo, S. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Collurania, Teramo (Italy); Imbriani, G.; DiLeva, A.; Limata, B. [INFN Sezione di Napoli, Napoli (Italy); Strieder, F. [Institut fuer Experimentalphysik, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Bochum (Germany); Bemmerer, D. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner Landstr. 400 (Germany); Broggini, C.; Caciolli, A. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Padova, via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Corvisiero, P.; Costantini, H.; Lemut, A. [Universita di Genova and INFN Sezione di Genova, Genova (Italy); Formicola, A.; Gustavino, C.; Junker, M. [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), Assergi (AQ) (Italy); Elekes, Z.; Fueloep, Zs.; Gyuerky, Gy. [Institute of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), Debrecen (Hungary); Gervino, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica Universita di Torino and INFN Sezione di Torino, Torino (Italy); Guglielmetti, A., E-mail: straniero@oa-teramo.inaf.it [Universita degli Studi di Milano and INFN, Sezione di Milano (Italy); and others

2013-02-15

Proton captures on Mg isotopes play an important role in the Mg-Al cycle active in stellar H-burning regions. In particular, low-energy nuclear resonances in the {sup 25}Mg(p, {gamma}){sup 26}Al reaction affect the production of radioactive {sup 26}Al{sup gs} as well as the resulting Mg/Al abundance ratio. Reliable estimations of these quantities require precise measurements of the strengths of low-energy resonances. Based on a new experimental study performed at the Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics, we provide revised rates of the {sup 25}Mg(p, {gamma}){sup 26}Al{sup gs} and the {sup 25}Mg(p, {gamma}){sup 26}Al {sup m} reactions with corresponding uncertainties. In the temperature range 50-150 MK, the new recommended rate of {sup 26}Al {sup m} production is up to five times higher than previously assumed. In addition, at T = 100 MK, the revised total reaction rate is a factor of two higher. Note that this is the range of temperature at which the Mg-Al cycle operates in a H-burning zone. The effects of this revision are discussed. Due to the significantly larger {sup 25}Mg(p, {gamma}){sup 26}Al {sup m} rate, the estimated production of {sup 26}Al{sup gs} in H-burning regions is less efficient than previously obtained. As a result, the new rates should imply a smaller contribution from Wolf-Rayet stars to the galactic {sup 26}Al budget. Similarly, we show that the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) extra-mixing scenario does not appear able to explain the most extreme values of {sup 26}Al/{sup 27}Al, i.e., >10{sup -2}, found in some O-rich presolar grains. Finally, the substantial increase of the total reaction rate makes the hypothesis of self-pollution by massive AGBs a more robust explanation for the Mg-Al anticorrelation observed in globular-cluster stars.

The evaluation of neutron total cross section for natural iron and aluminium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Shirui; Wang Chunhao; Zhao Defang

1990-05-01

The experimental data of total cross section were collected and evaluated for natural iron in the energy region from 1 keV to 20 MeV and for natural aluminium from 4.07 keV to 20 MeV. The evaluated data were recommended in the regions for them. The minimum values of Fe total cross section in the keV region were specially recommended. The resonance structures were briefly discussed for both Fe and Al. To make the evaluation better, all experimental measurements of neutron total cross section relative to Fe and Al were studied. Considering the resonance feature of medium weight nuclides, two criteria for selecting total cross section were presented: 1) the correlation between the precission of total cross section and neutron source; 2) the correlation between the accuracy of total cross section and the resolving power of the neutron spectrometer

Effect of artificial accelerated aging on the optical properties and monomeric conversion of composites used after expiration date.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Lucas da Fonseca Roberti; Mundim, Fabricio Mariano; Pires-de-Souza, Fernanda de Carvalho Panzeri; Puppin Rontani, Regina Maria; Consani, Simonides

2013-01-01

This study sought to evaluate how artificial accelerated aging (AAA) affected color stability (ΔE), opacity (ΔOP), and degree of conversion (DOC) for 3 composite materials (Tetric Ceram, Tetric Ceram HB, and Tetric Flow) used both 180 days before and 180 days after their expiration dates. To evaluate the materials' optical properties, 10 specimens of each composite-5 prior to expiration and 5 after the materials' expiration date-were made in a teflon matrix. After polishing, the specimens were submitted to initial color and opacity readings and submitted to AAA for 384 hours; at that point, new readings were taken to determine ΔE and ΔOP. To evaluate monomeric conversion evaluation, 6 specimens from each composite and expiration date-3 prior to AAA and 3 after-were submitted to DOC analysis. Results of the 2-way ANOVA and Bonferroni's tests (P 0.05). The expired Tetric Flow had the highest DOC values (71.42% ± 4.21) before AAA, significantly different than that of the other composites (P > 0.05). It was concluded that both expiration date and AAA affected the properties of the composites tested.

Optimized labeling of membrane proteins for applications to super-resolution imaging in confined cellular environments using monomeric streptavidin.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamma, Ingrid; Rossier, Olivier; Giannone, Grégory; Thoumine, Olivier; Sainlos, Matthieu

2017-04-01

Recent progress in super-resolution imaging (SRI) has created a strong need to improve protein labeling with probes of small size that minimize the target-to-label distance, increase labeling density, and efficiently penetrate thick biological tissues. This protocol describes a method for labeling genetically modified proteins incorporating a small biotin acceptor peptide with a 3-nm fluorescent probe, monomeric streptavidin. We show how to express, purify, and conjugate the probe to organic dyes with different fluorescent properties, and how to label selectively biotinylated membrane proteins for SRI techniques (point accumulation in nanoscale topography (PAINT), stimulated emission depletion (STED), stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM)). This method is complementary to the previously described anti-GFP-nanobody/SNAP-tag strategies, with the main advantage being that it requires only a short 15-amino-acid tag, and can thus be used with proteins resistant to fusion with large tags and for multicolor imaging. The protocol requires standard molecular biology/biochemistry equipment, making it easily accessible for laboratories with only basic skills in cell biology and biochemistry. The production/purification/conjugation steps take ∼5 d, and labeling takes a few minutes to an hour.

Distribution study of fatty acids (FAs) in sediments of Al-Kabeer Al-Shemali river estuary area using (HPLC) technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nasser, M.; Ali, B.; Ali, A.

2010-01-01

Samples of sediments from fife sites of Al-kabeer Al-shemali river estuary area were collected during the period (22/2/2007-7/11/2007). The samples were extracted to determine their content of Fatty acids qualitatively and quantitatively by using ( HPLC) technique for determination resources of organic matter in studied sediments . The total concentrations of (FAs) varied from (0.36-1245.5μg/g dry weight).The saturated fatty acids were dominated in all samples (12.1 - 100 %) of total fatty acids. The levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were tested percent (0-18 %) of total fatty acids except one sample from surficial sediments in St 3 during 8/8/2007 .while the concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were low (0 -21.6 %) of total fatty acids . We can use the saturated long chain fatty acid (C-22) as terrestrial biomarker. poly unsaturated fatty acid (C 1 8: 2ω6) as plankton biomarker and the Mono unsaturated fatty acid (C 1 8 : 1ω7) as bacterial biomarker.(author)

The Escherichia coli P and Type 1 Pilus Assembly Chaperones PapD and FimC Are Monomeric in Solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarowar, Samema; Hu, Olivia J.; Werneburg, Glenn T.; Thanassi, David G.; Li, Huilin; Christie, P. J.

2016-06-27

The chaperone/usher pathway is used by Gram-negative bacteria to assemble adhesive surface structures known as pili or fimbriae. Uropathogenic strains ofEscherichia coliuse this pathway to assemble P and type 1 pili, which facilitate colonization of the kidney and bladder, respectively. Pilus assembly requires a periplasmic chaperone and outer membrane protein termed the usher. The chaperone allows folding of pilus subunits and escorts the subunits to the usher for polymerization into pili and secretion to the cell surface. Based on previous structures of mutant versions of the P pilus chaperone PapD, it was suggested that the chaperone dimerizes in the periplasm as a self-capping mechanism. Such dimerization is counterintuitive because the chaperone G1 strand, important for chaperone-subunit interaction, is buried at the dimer interface. Here, we show that the wild-type PapD chaperone also forms a dimer in the crystal lattice; however, the dimer interface is different from the previously solved structures. In contrast to the crystal structures, we found that both PapD and the type 1 pilus chaperone, FimC, are monomeric in solution. Our findings indicate that pilus chaperones do not sequester their G1 β-strand by forming a dimer. Instead, the chaperones may expose their G1 strand for facile interaction with pilus subunits. We also found that the type 1 pilus adhesin, FimH, is flexible in solution while in complex with its chaperone, whereas the P pilus adhesin, PapGII, is rigid. Our study clarifies a crucial step in pilus biogenesis and reveals pilus-specific differences that may relate to biological function.

IMPORTANCEPili are critical virulence factors for many bacterial pathogens. UropathogenicE. colirelies on P and type 1 pili assembled by the chaperone/usher pathway to

Phase stability, electronic, elastic and thermodynamic properties of Al-RE intermetallics in Mg-Al-RE alloy: A first principles study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.L. Chen

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Electronic structure and elastic properties of Al2Y, Al3Y, Al2Gd and Al3Gd phases were investigated by means of first-principles calculations from CASTEP program based on density functional theory (DFT. The ground state energy and elastic constants of each phase were calculated, the formation enthalpy (ΔH, bulk modulus (B, shear modulus (G, Young's modulus (E, Poisson's ratio (ν and anisotropic coefficient (A were derived. The formation enthalpy shows that Al2RE is more stable than Al3RE, and Al-Y intermetallics have stronger phase stability than Al-Gd intermetallics. The calculated mechanical properties indicate that all these four intermetallics are strong and hard brittle phases, it may lead to the similar performance when deforming due to their similar elastic constants. The total and partial electron density of states (DOS, Mulliken population and metallicity were calculated to analyze the electron structure and bonding characteristics of the phases. Finally, phonon calculation was conducted, and the thermodynamic properties were obtained and further discussed.

Hydrolyzable tannins of tamaricaceous plants. V. Structures of monomeric-trimeric tannins and cytotoxicity of macrocyclic-type tannins isolated from Tamarix nilotica (1).

Science.gov (United States)

Orabi, Mohamed A A; Taniguchi, Shoko; Sakagami, Hiroshi; Yoshimura, Morio; Yoshida, Takashi; Hatano, Tsutomu

2013-05-24

Three new ellagitannin monomers, nilotinins M5-M7 (1-3), a dimer, nilotinin D10 (4), and a trimer, nilotinin T1 (5), together with three known dimers, hirtellin D (7) and tamarixinins B (8) and C (9), and a trimer, hirtellin T2 (6), were isolated from Tamarix nilotica dried leaves. The structures of the tannins were elucidated by intensive spectroscopic methods and chemical conversions into known tannins. The new trimer (5) is a unique macrocyclic type whose monomeric units are linked together by an isodehydrodigalloyl and two dehydrodigalloyl moieties. Additionally, dimeric and trimeric macrocyclic-type tannins isolated from T. nilotica in this study were assessed for possible cytotoxic activity against four human tumor cell lines. Tumor-selective cytotoxicities of the tested compounds were higher than those of synthetic and natural potent cytotoxic compounds, including polyphenols, and comparable with those of 5-fluorouracil and melphalan.

Triisobutylaluminum: bulkier and yet more reactive towards silica surfaces than triethyl or trimethylaluminum

KAUST Repository

Kermagoret, Anthony; Kerber, Rachel Nathaniel; Conley, Matthew P.; Callens, Emmanuel; Florian, Pierre; Massiot, Dominique; Copé ret, Christophe; Delbecq, Franç oise; Rozanska, Xavier; Sautet, Philippe

2013-01-01

Triisobutylaluminum reacts with silica yielding three different Al sites according to high-field aluminum-27 NMR and first principle calculations: a quadruply grafted dimeric surface species and two incorporated Al(O)x species (x = 4 or 5). This result is in stark contrast to the bis-grafted species that forms during Et3Al silica grafting. Thus the isobutyl ligands, which render R3Al monomeric, lead to greater reactivity towards the silica surface. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Influence of Gold on Hydrotalcite-like Compound Catalysts for Toluene and CO Total Oxidation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Genty

2013-12-01

Full Text Available X6Al2HT500 hydrotalcites, where X represents Mg, Fe, Cu or Zn were synthetized and investigated before and after gold deposition for toluene and CO total oxidation reactions. The samples have been characterized by specific areas, XRD measurements and Temperature Programmed Reduction. Concerning the toluene total oxidation, the best activity was obtained with Au/Cu6Al2HT500 catalyst with T50 at 260 °C. However, catalytic behavior of Au/X6Al2HT500 sample in both reactions depends mainly on the nature of the support.

Epidemiological trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Province, Western Region of Saudi Arabia

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Miskelyemen Abdelatti Elmekki

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the epidemiological trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, western region of KSA. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and sixty-seven parasitologically confirmed CL cases attending Al-Meeqat Hospital, Al-Madinah, during 2012–2015, were included in this study. Results: Both Saudi and non-Saudi nationals were infected, with the highest infection rate being among Saudis (68.7%. Males were more affected than females as 86.9% of the total CL cases were males. Moreover, CL was prevalent in all age groups with higher frequency among young adults and adolescents (23.1% and 22.7%, respectively. Interestingly, almost all the patients in the adolescent and child age groups were Saudis (96.2% and 93.5%, respectively. Considering geographical distribution, the highest percentage of the cases (40.5% were from the northern parts of Al-Madinah province while the eastern parts reported the least infection rate (7.3%. Few cases (2.5% were supposed to encounter the infection abroad. Additionally, the frequency of infection was found to follow a seasonal distribution. Regarding treatment, pentostam, ketoconazole, or cryotherapy were the treatment options usually used. Conclusion: CL is prevalent in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah area and new foci are being introduced. Thus, detailed studies with large surveillances regarding vector and reservoir hosts in and around the area are needed.

The monomeric form of Neisseria DNA mimic protein DMP19 prevents DNA from binding to the histone-like HU protein

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Tzu-Ping; Liao, Yi-Ting; Hsu, Kai-Cheng

2017-01-01

DNA mimicry is a direct and effective strategy by which the mimic competes with DNA for the DNA binding sites on other proteins. Until now, only about a dozen proteins have been shown to function via this strategy, including the DNA mimic protein DMP19 from Neisseria meningitides. We have shown previously that DMP19 dimer prevents the operator DNA from binding to the transcription factor NHTF. Here, we provide new evidence that DMP19 monomer can also interact with the Neisseria nucleoid-associated protein HU. Using BS3 crosslinking, gel filtration and isothermal titration calorimetry assays, we found that DMP19 uses its monomeric form to interact with the Neisseria HU dimer. Crosslinking conjugated mass spectrometry was used to investigate the binding mode of DMP19 monomer and HU dimer. Finally, an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) confirmed that the DNA binding affinity of HU is affected by DMP19. These results showed that DMP19 is bifunctional in the gene regulation of Neisseria through its variable oligomeric forms. PMID:29220372

Barium aluminides BaxAl5(x=3,3.5,4)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jehle, Michael; Scherer, Harald; Wendorff, Marco; Roehr, Caroline

2009-01-01

Three aluminides of the series Ba x Al 5 (x=3,3.5,4) were synthesized from stoichiometric ratios of the elements in Ta crucibles. The crystal structure of the new compound Ba 7 Al 10 was determined using single crystal X-ray data (space group R3-barm, a=604.23(9), c=4879.0(12)pm, Z=3, R1=0.0325). The compound exhibits Al Kagome (3.6.3.6.) nets in which half of the triangles form the basis of trigonal bipyramids Al 5 . The apical Al are thus three-bonded assuming a charge of -2 ( 27 Al-NMR chemical shift δ=660pm), whereas the Al atoms of the basal triangle (i.e. of the Kagome net) are four-bonded and thus of formal charge -1(δ=490ppm). The total charge of the anion is thus exactly compensated by the Ba cations, i.e. the compound can be interpreted as an electron precise Zintl phase, exhibiting a distinct pseudo-band gap at the Fermi level of the calculated tDOS. According to the total formula, the structure displays a combination the stacking sequences of Ba 3 Al 5 and Ba 4 Al 5 , the structures of which have been redetermined with current methods (both hexagonal with space group P6 3 /mmc; Ba 3 Al 5 : a=606.55(7), c=1461.8(2)pm, Z=2, R1=0.0239; Ba 4 Al 5 : a=609.21(7), c=1775.8(3)pm, Z=2, R1=0.0300). These three compounds with slightly different electron counts but similar polyanions allow to compare the bond lengths, the electronic structures and the overall bonding situation in dependence of positive or negative deviation of the electron count in relation to the novel formally electron precise Zintl compound Ba 7 Al 10 . - Al 5 layers of Kagome nets in the new binary electron precise Zintl compound Ba 3.5 Al 5 , also found in Ba 3 Al 5 and Ba 4 Al 5 .

Sobredentadura total superior implantosoportada Superior total overdenture on implants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Orlando Rodríguez García

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Se presenta un caso de un paciente desdentado total superior, rehabilitado en la consulta de implantología de la Clínica "Pedro Ortiz" del municipio Habana del Este en Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba, en el año 2009, mediante prótesis sobre implantes osteointegrados, técnica que se ha incorporado a la práctica estomatológica en Cuba como alternativa al tratamiento convencional en los pacientes desdentados totales. Se siguió un protocolo que comprendió una fase quirúrgica, procedimiento con o sin realización de colgajo y carga precoz o inmediata. Se presenta un paciente masculino de 56 años de edad, que acudió a la consulta multidisciplinaria, preocupado, porque se le habían elaborado tres prótesis en los últimos dos años y ninguna reunía los requisitos de retención que él necesitaba para sentirse seguro y cómodo con las mismas. El resultado final fue la satisfacción total del paciente, con el mejoramiento de la calidad estética y funcional.This is the case of a total maxilla edentulous patient seen in consultation of the "Pedro Ortíz" Clinic Implant of Habana del Este municipality in 2009 and con rehabilitation by prosthesis over osteointegration implants added to stomatology practice in Cuba as an alternative to conventional treatment in patients totally edentulous. We follow a protocol including a surgery or surgical phase, technique without or with flap creation and early or immediate load. This is a male patient aged 56 came to our multidisciplinary consultation worried because he had three prostheses in last two years and any fulfilled the requirements of retention to feel safe and comfortable with prostheses. The final result was the total satisfaction of rehabilitated patient improving its aesthetic and functional quality.

Solvent effects on extraction of aluminum(III), gallium(III), and indium(III), with decanoic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Hiromichi; Hayashi, Hisao; Fujii, Yukio; Mizuta, Masateru

1986-01-01

Extraction of aluminum(III) and indium(III) with decanoic acid in 1-octanol was carried out at 25 deg C and at an aqueous ionic strength of 0.1 mol dm -3 (NaClO 4 ). Monomeric and tetrameric aluminum(III) decanoates and monomeric indium(III) decanoate are responsible for the extraction. From a comparison of the present results with those obtained from the previous works, the polymerization of the extracted species was found to be more extensive in benzene than in 1-octanol, and the metal decanoates were highly polymerized in the following order in both solvents: Al > Ga > In. (author)

Precipitation in cold-rolled Al-Sc-Zr and Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloys prepared by powder metallurgy

KAUST Repository

Vlach, Martin

2013-12-01

The effects of cold-rolling on thermal, mechanical and electrical properties, microstructure and recrystallization behaviour of the AlScZr and AlMnScZr alloys prepared by powder metallurgy were studied. The powder was produced by atomising in argon with 1% oxygen and then consolidated by hot extrusion at 350 C. The electrical resistometry and microhardness together with differential scanning calorimetry measurements were compared with microstructure development observed by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction. Fine (sub)grain structure developed and fine coherent Al3Sc and/or Al3(Sc,Zr) particles precipitated during extrusion at 350 C in the alloys studied. Additional precipitation of the Al3Sc and/or Al3(Sc,Zr) particles and/or their coarsening was slightly facilitated by the previous cold rolling. The presence of Sc,Zr-containing particles has a significant antirecrystallization effect that prevents recrystallization at temperatures minimally up to 420 C. The precipitation of the Al6Mn- and/or Al 6(Mn,Fe) particles of a size ~ 1.0 μm at subgrain boundaries has also an essential antirecrystallization effect and totally suppresses recrystallization during 32 h long annealing at 550 C. The texture development of the alloys seems to be affected by high solid solution strengthening by Mn. The precipitation of the Mn-containing alloy is highly enhanced by a cold rolling. The apparent activation energy of the Al3Sc particles formation and/or coarsening and that of the Al6Mn and/or Al 6(Mn,Fe) particle precipitation in the powder and in the compacted alloys were determined. The cold deformation has no effect on the apparent activation energy values of the Al3Sc-phase and the Al 6Mn-phase precipitation. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Precipitation in cold-rolled Al-Sc-Zr and Al-Mn-Sc-Zr alloys prepared by powder metallurgy

KAUST Repository

Vlach, Martin; Stulí ková , Ivana; Smola, Bohumil; Kekule, Tomá š; Kudrnová , Hana; Daniš, Stanislav; Gemma, Ryota; Očená šek, Vladivoj; Má lek, Jaroslav; Tanprayoon, Dhritti; Neubert, Volkmar

2013-01-01

The effects of cold-rolling on thermal, mechanical and electrical properties, microstructure and recrystallization behaviour of the AlScZr and AlMnScZr alloys prepared by powder metallurgy were studied. The powder was produced by atomising in argon with 1% oxygen and then consolidated by hot extrusion at 350 C. The electrical resistometry and microhardness together with differential scanning calorimetry measurements were compared with microstructure development observed by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction. Fine (sub)grain structure developed and fine coherent Al3Sc and/or Al3(Sc,Zr) particles precipitated during extrusion at 350 C in the alloys studied. Additional precipitation of the Al3Sc and/or Al3(Sc,Zr) particles and/or their coarsening was slightly facilitated by the previous cold rolling. The presence of Sc,Zr-containing particles has a significant antirecrystallization effect that prevents recrystallization at temperatures minimally up to 420 C. The precipitation of the Al6Mn- and/or Al 6(Mn,Fe) particles of a size ~ 1.0 μm at subgrain boundaries has also an essential antirecrystallization effect and totally suppresses recrystallization during 32 h long annealing at 550 C. The texture development of the alloys seems to be affected by high solid solution strengthening by Mn. The precipitation of the Mn-containing alloy is highly enhanced by a cold rolling. The apparent activation energy of the Al3Sc particles formation and/or coarsening and that of the Al6Mn and/or Al 6(Mn,Fe) particle precipitation in the powder and in the compacted alloys were determined. The cold deformation has no effect on the apparent activation energy values of the Al3Sc-phase and the Al 6Mn-phase precipitation. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

High mobility two-dimensional electron gases in nitride heterostructures with high Al composition AlGaN alloy barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Guowang; Cao Yu; Xing Huili Grace; Jena, Debdeep

2010-01-01

We report high-electron mobility nitride heterostructures with >70% Al composition AlGaN alloy barriers grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Direct growth of such AlGaN layers on GaN resulted in hexagonal trenches and a low mobility polarization-induced charge. By applying growth interruption at the heterojunction, the surface morphology improved dramatically and the room temperature two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) mobility increased by an order of magnitude, exceeding 1300 cm 2 /V s. The 2DEG density was tunable at 0.4-3.7x10 13 /cm 2 by varying the total barrier thickness (t). Surface barrier heights of the heterostructures were extracted and exhibited dependence on t.

Forged HITEMAL: Al-based MMCs strengthened with nanometric thick Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balog, Martin, E-mail: ummsbama@savba.sk [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia); Krizik, Peter; Nosko, Martin; Hajovska, Zuzana [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia); Victoria Castro Riglos, Maria [Centro Atómico Bariloche, Av. Bustillo 9.500, 8400 Bariloche, Río Negro (Argentina); Rajner, Walter [New Materials Development GmbH, Römerstrasse 28, 83410 Laufen, Leobendorf (Germany); Liu, De-Shin [National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Rd., Min-Hsiung, 62102 Chia-Yi, Taiwan (China); Simancik, Frantisek [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2014-09-08

Bulk Al–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} metal matrix composites (MMCs) named HITEMAL (high temperature aluminum) were fabricated in situ by forging compaction of five different types of gas-atomized commercial purity Al powders with a mean particle size in the range of 1–9 µm. As-forged HITEMAL consisted of (sub)micrometric Al grains (matrix) decorated with nanometric thick amorphous Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) skeleton. Low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) free of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were located in the Al grain interior. The Al grain size and the portion of LAGBs increased with the increase in the relative powder surface area. As-forged HITEMAL shows excellent thermal stability up to 400 °C for 24 h. Annealing at temperatures ≥450 °C led to crystallization and morphological transformation from a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton to nanometric γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles. Owing to the pinning effect of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase, no Al grain growth took place during annealing up to 500 °C. HITEMAL showed attractive mechanical properties especially when tested at 300 °C (yield strength up to 220 MPa, Young's modulus up to 58 GPa). Despite the presence of a nearly continuous a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton along adjacent Al grains, forged HITEMAL materials had reasonable room temperature elongation of 7–26%. HITEMAL's elongation decreased as the Al grain size decreased and with increased testing temperature. The loss in elongation (uniform and total) was attributed to the inhomogeneous flow, which occurred due to high densities of high angle grain boundaries (dislocation sinks) and small content of LAGBs. The strength of HITEMAL stemmed from grain boundary mediated strengthening mechanisms. The results showed a positive deviation from the Hall–Petch plot, which is typical behavior of ultrafine-grained metals. Transformation of a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton to γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles led to deterioration of the HITEMAL strength and Young's modulus.

Unscheduled DNA synthesis in xeroderma pigmentosum cells after microinjection of yeast photoreactivating enzyme.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.C.M. Zwetsloot; J.H.J. Hoeijmakers (Jan); W. Vermeulen (Wim); A.P.M. Eker (André); D. Bootsma (Dirk)

1986-01-01

textabstractPhotoreactivating enzyme (PRE) from yeast causes a light-dependent reduction of UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) when injected into the cytoplasm of repair-proficieint human fibroblasts (Zwetsloot et al., 1985). This result indicates that the exogenous PRE monomerizers

Attenuated Total Reflection Mid-Infrared (ATR-MIR) Spectroscopy and Chemometrics for the Identification and Classification of Commercial Tannins.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricci, Arianna; Parpinello, Giuseppina P; Olejar, Kenneth J; Kilmartin, Paul A; Versari, Andrea

2015-11-01

Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to characterize 40 commercial tannins, including condensed and hydrolyzable chemical classes, provided as powder extracts from suppliers. Spectral data were processed to detect typical molecular vibrations of tannins bearing different chemical groups and of varying botanical origin (univariate qualitative analysis). The mid-infrared region between 4000 and 520 cm(-1) was analyzed, with a particular emphasis on the vibrational modes in the fingerprint region (1800-520 cm(-1)), which provide detailed information about skeletal structures and specific substituents. The region 1800-1500 cm(-1) contained signals due to hydrolyzable structures, while bands due to condensed tannins appeared at 1300-900 cm(-1) and exhibited specific hydroxylation patterns useful to elucidate the structure of the flavonoid monomeric units. The spectra were investigated further using principal component analysis for discriminative purposes, to enhance the ability of infrared spectroscopy in the classification and quality control of commercial dried extracts and to enhance their industrial exploitation.

Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Neutron Irradiated Cold-worked Al-1050 and Al-6063 Alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munitz, A.; Cotler, A; Talianker, M.

1998-01-01

The impact of neutron irradiation on the internal microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture morphology of cold-worked Al-1050 and Al-6063 alloys was studied, using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and tensile measurements. Specimens consisting of 50 mm long and 6 mm wide gauge sections, were punched out from Al-1050 and Al-6063 23% cold-worked tubes. They were exposed to prolonged neutron irradiation of up to 4.5x10 25 and 8x10 25 thermal neutrons/m 2 (E -3 s -1 . In general, the uniform and total elongation, the yield stress, and the ultimate tensile strength increase as functions of fluence. However, for Al-1050 a decrease in the ultimate tensile strength and yield stress was observed up to a fluence of 1x10 25 thermal neutrons/m 2 which then increase with thermal neutrons fluence. Metallographic examination and fractography for Al-6063 revealed a decrease in the local area reduction of the final fracture necking. This reduction is accompanied by a morphology transition from ductile transgranular shear rupture to a combination of transgranular shear with intergranular dimpled rupture. The intergranular rupture area increases with fluence. In contrast, for Al-1050, fracture morphology remains ductile transgranular shear rupture and the final local area reduction remains almost constant No voids could be observed in either alloy up to the maximum fluence. The dislocation density of cold-worked Al was found to decrease with the thermal neutron fluence. Prolonged annealing of unirradiated cold-worked Al-6063 at 52 degree led to similar results. Thus, it appears that, under our irradiation conditions, whereby the temperature encompassing the samples increases the exposure to this thermal field is the major factor influencing the mechanical properties and microstructure of aluminum alloys

A 12-week DBPC dose-finding study with sublingual monomeric allergoid tablets in house dust mite-allergic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hüser, C; Dieterich, P; Singh, J; Shah-Hosseini, K; Allekotte, S; Lehmacher, W; Compalati, E; Mösges, R

2017-01-01

In sublingual immunotherapy, optimal doses are a key factor for therapeutic outcomes. The aim of this study with tablets containing carbamylated monomeric house dust mite allergoids was to determine the most effective and safe dose. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-finding study, 131 patients with house dust mite-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis were randomized to 12-week treatments with 300 UA/day, 1000 UA/day, 2000 UA/day, 3000 UA/day or placebo. Conjunctival provocation tests (CPT) were performed before, during and after treatment. The change in mean allergic severity (primary endpoint), calculated from the severity of the CPT reaction, and the proportion of patients with an improved CPT threshold (secondary endpoint) determined the treatment effect. The mean allergic severity decreased in all groups, including the placebo group. It was lower in all active treatment groups (300 UA/day: 0.14, 1000 UA/day: 0.15, 2000 UA/day: 0.10, 3000 UA/day: 0.15) than in the placebo group (0.30). However, this difference was not statistically significant (P allergoid sublingual tablets is well tolerated and reduces the CPT reaction in house dust mite-allergic patients. © 2016 The Authors. Allergy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Monomeric, porous type II collagen scaffolds promote chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro

Science.gov (United States)

Tamaddon, M.; Burrows, M.; Ferreira, S. A.; Dazzi, F.; Apperley, J. F.; Bradshaw, A.; Brand, D. D.; Czernuszka, J.; Gentleman, E.

2017-03-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain and disability and is often associated with the degeneration of articular cartilage. Lesions to the articular surface, which are thought to progress to OA, have the potential to be repaired using tissue engineering strategies; however, it remains challenging to instruct cell differentiation within a scaffold to produce tissue with appropriate structural, chemical and mechanical properties. We aimed to address this by driving progenitor cells to adopt a chondrogenic phenotype through the tailoring of scaffold composition and physical properties. Monomeric type-I and type-II collagen scaffolds, which avoid potential immunogenicity associated with fibrillar collagens, were fabricated with and without chondroitin sulfate (CS) and their ability to stimulate the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells was assessed. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that cells produced abundant collagen type-II on type-II scaffolds and collagen type-I on type-I scaffolds. Gene expression analyses indicated that the addition of CS - which was released from scaffolds quickly - significantly upregulated expression of type II collagen, compared to type-I and pure type-II scaffolds. We conclude that collagen type-II and CS can be used to promote a more chondrogenic phenotype in the absence of growth factors, potentially providing an eventual therapy to prevent OA.

First-principles study of atomic ordering in bcc Cu-Al

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzini, F.; Gargano, P. H.; Alonso, P. R.; Rubiolo, G. H.

2011-01-01

The order-disorder transitions and phase stability in the body centered cubic structure of Cu-Al binary alloys are studied by means of theoretical methods. The total energy of different ordered compounds sharing a common bcc Bravais lattice was calculated within the framework of density functional theory. A set of effective cluster interactions was calculated through a cluster expansion (CE) of the total energies. The finite temperature phase diagram of bcc Cu-Al was obtained using the CE formalism coupled with the cluster variation method calculation of the configurational entropy. These results are confronted with a simpler semi-empirical approach based on effective pair interactions obtained from experiment. Both approaches predict a single first-order A2/DO3 transition for compositions close to Cu3Al, in agreement with the most recent experimental results.

Al-Qurû’ fi Al-Qur’an ‘Inda Al-Anbary fi Al-Adhdâd

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Raushani Azza

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This study examines about the term al-Qurû in the Qur’an. Al-Qurû is one of the most popular discussions among muslim scholars and mufasir, both in terms of language and fiqh. However, there is a bate among muslim scholar and mufasir about the meaning of al-Qurû. It’s because al-Qurû is one of the sentence of al-Adhdâd wich has two meaning, especially in the Qur’an, namely haid (menstruation and thahr. One of the most popular muslim scholar who concern in Qur’an and Arabic is al-Anbari with his book al-Adhdâd. Al-Anbari explains that Qurû has two meanings, First, al-Qurû in etymology is the form of Jama’ from aqra and qurû. Second, al-Qurû has a meaning of menstruation, thahr, or the period of iddah as a sign of being allowed to remarry after certain period of time.

A comparative immunogenicity study in rabbits of disulfide-stabilized, proteolytically cleaved, soluble trimeric human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp140, trimeric cleavage-defective gp140 and monomeric gp120

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beddows, Simon; Franti, Michael; Dey, Antu K.; Kirschner, Marc; Iyer, Sai Prasad N.; Fisch, Danielle C.; Ketas, Thomas; Yuste, Eloisa; Desrosiers, Ronald C.; Klasse, Per Johan; Maddon, Paul J.; Olson, William C.; Moore, John P.

2007-01-01

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) surface envelope glycoprotein (Env) complex, a homotrimer containing gp120 surface glycoprotein and gp41 transmembrane glycoprotein subunits, mediates the binding and fusion of the virus with susceptible target cells. The Env complex is the target for neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and is the basis for vaccines intended to induce NAbs. Early generation vaccines based on monomeric gp120 subunits did not confer protection from infection; one alternative approach is therefore to make and evaluate soluble forms of the trimeric Env complex. We have directly compared the immunogenicity in rabbits of two forms of soluble trimeric Env and monomeric gp120 based on the sequence of HIV-1 JR-FL . Both protein-only and DNA-prime, protein-boost immunization formats were evaluated, DNA-priming having little or no influence on the outcome. One form of trimeric Env was made by disrupting the gp120-gp41 cleavage site by mutagenesis (gp140 UNC ), the other contains an intramolecular disulfide bond to stabilize the cleaved gp120 and gp41 moieties (SOSIP.R6 gp140). Among the three immunogens, SOSIP.R6 gp140 most frequently elicited neutralizing antibodies against the homologous, neutralization-resistant strain, HIV-1 JR-FL . All three proteins induced NAbs against more sensitive strains, but the breadth of activity against heterologous primary isolates was limited. When antibodies able to neutralize HIV-1 JR-FL were detected, antigen depletion studies showed they were not directed at the V3 region but were targeted at other, undefined gp120 and also non-gp120 epitopes

Mechanical properties and electronic structures of Fe-Al intermetallic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, YaHui; Chong, XiaoYu; Jiang, YeHua, E-mail: jiangyehua@kmust.edu.cn; Zhou, Rong; Feng, Jing, E-mail: jingfeng@kmust.edu.cn

2017-02-01

Using the first-principles calculations, the elastic properties, anisotropy properties, electronic structures, Debye temperature and stability of Fe-Al (Fe{sub 3}Al, FeAl, FeAl{sub 2}, Fe{sub 2}Al{sub 5} and FeAl{sub 3}) binary compounds were calculated. The formation enthalpy and cohesive energy of these Fe-Al compounds are negative, and show they are thermodynamically stable structures. Fe{sub 2}Al{sub 5} has the lowest formation enthalpy, which shows the Fe{sub 2}Al{sub 5} is the most stable of Fe-Al binary compounds. These Fe-Al compounds display disparate anisotropy due to the calculated different shape of the 3D curved surface of the Young’s modulus and anisotropic index. Fe{sub 3}Al has the biggest bulk modulus with the value 233.2 GPa. FeAl has the biggest Yong’s modulus and shear modulus with the value 296.2 GPa and 119.8 GPa, respectively. The partial density of states, total density of states and electron density distribution maps of the binary Fe-Al binary compounds are analyzed. The bonding characteristics of these Fe-Al binary compounds are mainly combination by covalent bond and metallic bonds. Meanwhile, also exist anti-bond effect. Moreover, the Debye temperatures and sound velocity of these Fe-Al compounds are explored.

Al-Âyah al-Mutasyâbihât al-Lafzhiyyah fi Sûrah al-An’âm ‘Inda al-Kirmâny

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Hikmatiar Pasya

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses about the verses of mutasyâbihât in the Quran. The debate of this verses caused various opinions. The meaning of the mutasyâbihât in this paper is the similarity and difference of the words in the Qur'an. Mufasir have different opinion about the meaning of the verse of mutasyâbihât al-lafdzi. In addition, many Hufadz of the Quran who are confused from one verse to another, or one chapter to another. It’s because similarity of verses in the Qur'an with other verses. So the writer wants to explain the verses mutasyâbihât al-lafdzi in the perspective of Hamzh al-Karmani in Surah al-An'âm. In this discussion the author discovers some passages in mutasyâbihât al-lafdzi, namely Asrâru al-balaghah fi mutasyabih al-lafdzi, Asrar al-balaghah fi mutasyabih al-hurf, and murâ'ah al-ikhtilâfmurâd bi al-lafdzi al-mukarrar.

Total neutron cross sections at energies around 20 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales, J.R.; Romero, J.L.; Martens, P.

1990-09-01

The results for measurements of total cross sections on C, Al, Mg, Cu, Ge and Pb at 17.6 and 19.8 MeV are reported. A detailed comparison is presented with previous data and with the global optical model by the Ohio group. We also discuss plans for total non elastic cross section measurements. 31 refs, 12 figs, 2 tabs

Comment Response on the Final Report: Peer Review of the Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (TSPA-VA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pendleton, M. W.

1999-01-01

The Management and Operating Contractor established a Performance Assessment Peer Review Panel (hereinafter ''the Panel'') at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Office. The objectives of the peer review were to provide: (1) A formal, independent evaluation and critique of Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain: Total System Performance Assessment, Volume 3 (DOE 1998a; hereinafter ''Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment'') that was conducted in support of the Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain (DOE 1998b). (2) Suggestions for improvements as the U.S. Department of Energy prepares to develop the documentation for a Total System Performance Assessment to support a potential License Application. The Panel conducted a phased review over a two-year period to observe the development and, ultimately, to review the Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (DOE 1998a). During the development of the Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (DOE 1998a), the Panel submitted three Interim Reports (Whipple et al., 1997a, 1997b, and 1998) to the Management and Operating Contractor with recommendations and comments on the process models, model abstractions, and draft documentation for the Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (DOE 1998a). The Panel's Final Report Total System Performance Assessment Peer Review Panel (Whipple et al. 1999; hereinafter ''Final Report'') on the Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (DOE 1998a) is based primarily on the completed Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (DOE 1998a), the Total System Performance Assessment-Viability Assessment (TSPA-VA) Analyses Technical Basis Document (CRWMS M and O 1998), and the cited references. The Final Report (Whipple et al. 1999) includes the major points from the three Interim Reports (Whipple et al. 1997a, 1997b, and 1998

Sobredentadura total superior implantosoportada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Orlando Rodríguez García

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Se presenta un caso de un paciente desdentado total superior, rehabilitado en la consulta de implantología de la Clínica "Pedro Ortiz" del municipio Habana del Este en Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba, en el año 2009, mediante prótesis sobre implantes osteointegrados, técnica que se ha incorporado a la práctica estomatológica en Cuba como alternativa al tratamiento convencional en los pacientes desdentados totales. Se siguió un protocolo que comprendió una fase quirúrgica, procedimiento con o sin realización de colgajo y carga precoz o inmediata. Se presenta un paciente masculino de 56 años de edad, que acudió a la consulta multidisciplinaria, preocupado, porque se le habían elaborado tres prótesis en los últimos dos años y ninguna reunía los requisitos de retención que él necesitaba para sentirse seguro y cómodo con las mismas. El resultado final fue la satisfacción total del paciente, con el mejoramiento de la calidad estética y funcional.

Analysis of current instabilities of thin AlN/GaN/AlN double heterostructure high electron mobility transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zervos, Ch; Adikimenakis, A; Bairamis, A; Kostopoulos, A; Kayambaki, M; Tsagaraki, K; Konstantinidis, G; Georgakilas, A

2016-01-01

The current instabilities of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), based on thin double AlN/GaN/AlN heterostructures (∼0.5 μm total thickness), directly grown on sapphire substrates, have been analyzed and compared for different AlN top barrier thicknesses. The structures were capped by 1 nm GaN and non-passivated 1 μm gate-length devices were processed. Pulsed I–V measurements resulted in a maximum cold pulsed saturation current of 1.4 A mm −1 at a gate-source voltage of +3 V for 3.7 nm AlN thickness. The measured gate and drain lag for 500 ns pulse-width varied between 6%–12% and 10%–18%, respectively. Furthermore, a small increase in the threshold voltage was observed for all the devices, possibly due to the trapping of electrons under the gate contact. The off-state breakdown voltage of V br  = 70 V, for gate-drain spacing of 2 μm, was approximately double the value measured for a single AlN/GaN HEMT structure grown on a thick GaN buffer layer. The results suggest that the double AlN/GaN/AlN heterostructures may offer intrinsic advantages for the breakdown and current stability characteristics of high current HEMTs. (paper)

Low-energy electron transmission through high aspect ratio Al O nanocapillaries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milosavljević, A.R.; Jureta, J.; Víkor, G.

2009-01-01

Electron transmission through insulating AlO nanocapillaries of different diameters (40 and 270 nm) and 15 μm length has been investigated for low-energy electrons (2-120 V). The total intensity of transmitted current weakly depends on the incident electron energy and tilt angle defined with resp......Electron transmission through insulating AlO nanocapillaries of different diameters (40 and 270 nm) and 15 μm length has been investigated for low-energy electrons (2-120 V). The total intensity of transmitted current weakly depends on the incident electron energy and tilt angle defined...

Systematic errors in the tables of theoretical total internal conversion coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dragoun, O.; Rysavy, M.

1992-01-01

Some of the total internal conversion coefficients presented in widely used tables of Rosel et al (1978 Atom. Data Nucl. Data Tables 21, 291) were found to be erroneous. The errors appear for some low transition energies, all multipolarities, and probably for all elements. The origin of the errors is explained. The subshell conversion coefficients of Rosel et al, where available, agree with our calculations. to within a few percent. (author)

Site occupancy and magnetic properties of Al-substituted M-type strontium hexaferrite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dixit, Vivek; Nandadasa, Chandani N.; Kim, Seong-Gon, E-mail: kimsg@ccs.msstate.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 (United States); Center for Computational Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 (United States); Kim, Sungho [Center for Computational Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 (United States); Park, Jihoon; Hong, Yang-Ki [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and MINT Center, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 (United States); Liyanage, Laalitha S. I. [Department of Physics, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203 (United States); Moitra, Amitava [Thematic Unit of Excellence on Computational Materials Science, S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Sector-III, Block-JD, Salt Lake, Kolkata-700098 (India)

2015-06-28

We use first-principles total-energy calculations based on density functional theory to study the site occupancy and magnetic properties of Al-substituted M-type strontium hexaferrite SrFe{sub 12−x}Al{sub x}O{sub 19} with x = 0.5 and x = 1.0. We find that the non-magnetic Al{sup 3+} ions preferentially replace Fe{sup 3+} ions at two of the majority spin sites, 2a and 12k, eliminating their positive contribution to the total magnetization causing the saturation magnetization M{sub s} to be reduced as Al concentration x is increased. Our formation probability analysis further provides the explanation for increased magnetic anisotropy field when the fraction of Al is increased. Although Al{sup 3+} ions preferentially occupy the 2a sites at a low temperature, the occupation probability of the 12k site increases with the rise of the temperature. At a typical annealing temperature (>700 °C) Al{sup 3+} ions are much more likely to occupy the 12k site than the 2a site. Although this causes the magnetocrystalline anisotropy K{sub 1} to be reduced slightly, the reduction in M{sub s} is much more significant. Their combined effect causes the anisotropy field H{sub a} to increase as the fraction of Al is increased, consistent with recent experimental measurements.

Diffusion-induced quadrupole relaxation of 27Al nuclei in dilute Al-Ti, Al-Cr, Al-Mn, and Al-Cu alloys at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bottyan, L.; Beke, D.L.; Tompa, K.

1983-01-01

The temperature dependence of the laboratory frame spin-lattice relaxation time of 27 Al nuclei is measured in 5N Al and in dilute Al-Ti, Al-Cr, Al-Mn, and Al-Cu alloys at 5.7 and 9.7 MHz resonance frequencies. The relaxation in pure aluminium is found to be purely due to the conduction electrons. An excess T 1 -relaxation contribution is detected in all Al-3d alloys investigated above 670 K. The excess relaxation rate is proportional to the impurity content and the temperature dependence of the excess contribution is of Arrhenius-type with an activation energy of (1.3 +- 0.3) eV for all of the investigated alloys. The relaxation contribution is found to be quadrupolar in origin and is caused by the relative diffusional jumps of solute atoms and Al atoms relatively far from the impurity. (author)

Interfacial phenomena in the reactions of Al-B, Al-Ti-B, and Al-Zr-B alloys with KF-AlF3 and NaF-AlF3 melts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, M.S.; Terry, B.S.; Grieveson, P.

1993-01-01

The interfacial phenomena occurring during the contacting of liquid Al-B, Al-Ti-B, and Al-Zr-B melts with KF-AlF 3 liquid fluxes have been investigated by optical examination of quenched metal drops previously immersed in the liquid fluxes. Reactions in the Al-B/KF-AlF 3 system involve the formation of metastable AlB 12 at the metal/flux interface. At high KBF 4 levels in the flux, the AlB 12 is dispersed in the flux and also at low KBF 4 levels in the metal. Reactions in the Al-Ti-B/KF-AlF 3 system involve the formation of TiB 2 , which may be dispersed in either the metal or the flux depending upon the composition of the flux. The results obtained for the Al-Ti-B/NaF-AlF 3 and Al-Zr-B/KF-AlF 3 systems were similar to those observed for the Al-Ti-B/KF-AlF 3 system

Use of fluorescence to probe the surface dynamics during disorder-to-order transition and cluster formation in dihalonaphthalene-water thin films on Al2O3(0001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, M.A.; Hoss, D.R.; Howard, K.E.; Louie, A.D.; Bishop, A.J.; Martin, K.A.; Nishimura, A.M.

2006-01-01

Amorphous dihalonaphthalenes that are prepared by vacuum deposition onto a cold Al 2 O 3 surface form electronically excited dimers when optically pumped, and their emission is characteristically red-shifted, broad and featureless compared to the monomeric fluorescence. If the surface is heated, the adlayer undergoes a disorder-to-order transition at a temperature characteristic of the molecule. Since pure crystalline dihalonaphthalenes typically fluoresce and do not exhibit excimeric features, the transition was studied by taking advantage of the changes in the spectral characteristics of the adlayer. These included transmittance, and emission from fluorescence and excimer. The combination of these methods allowed a close look at the surface dynamics of molecules on the surface of Al 2 O 3 as the adlayer was heated from the deposition temperature to desorption. If a bilayer is formed by depositing water onto the surface with the organic adlayer on top, water, with its lower desorption energy, can be made to percolate into the organic layer. The optical probes indicate that the water clearly associates with the organic molecules while the excess water desorbs. By varying the coverage of either the water or the dihalonaphthalene, the stoichiometric composition of the cluster can be determined and are reported here

First-principle study of the AlP/Si interfacial adhesion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai Hongshang [Key Laboratory of Liquid Structure and Heredity of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, 73 Jingshi Road, Jinan 250061 (China); Du Jing [School of Science, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101 (China); Wang Li; Peng Chuanxiao [Key Laboratory of Liquid Structure and Heredity of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, 73 Jingshi Road, Jinan 250061 (China); Liu Xiangfa, E-mail: xfliu@sdu.edu.c [Key Laboratory of Liquid Structure and Heredity of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, 73 Jingshi Road, Jinan 250061 (China); Shandong Binzhou Bohai Piston Co. Ltd., Binzhou 256602, Shandong (China)

2010-01-15

AlP is heterogeneous nucleation substrate of primary Si in hypereutectic Al-Si alloys, while studies on the nucleation mechanism at atomic level are absent. The pseudopotential-based DFT calculations have been carried out to investigate the atomic and electronic structure, bonding and adhesion of the AlP/Si interface. In total, eight geometries have been investigated, in which the interfacial stacking sequence is different. The favorable interfaces can be deduced for the reason that adhesive interface energies (W{sub ad}) are different, which cannot be obtained from the traditional mismatch theory. The interfacial density of states and Mulliken population are also investigated. It is found that the main bond between AlP and Si is covalent Al-Si or P-Si bond, accompanying some ionic characteristic.

Corrosion behavior of TiN, TiAlN, TiAlSiN thin films deposited on tool steel in the 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Yun Ha; Le, Diem Phuong; Kim, Jung Gu; Kim, Sun Kyu; Vinh, Pham Van

2008-01-01

TiN, TiAlN and TiAlSiN hard coatings were deposited onto AISI H13 tool steel by cathodic arc plasma method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that incorporation of Al and Si into TiN led to refinement of microstructure. From the results of potentiodynamic polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test conducted in an aerated 3.5% NaCl solution, the TiAlSiN film showed the best corrosion resistance with the lowest corrosion current density and porosity, the highest protective efficiency and total resistance (pore resistance plus charge transfer resistance)

In situ attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) study of the adsorption of NO2-, NH2OH, and NH4+ on Pd/Al2O3 and Pt/Al2O3.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ebbesen, S.D.; Mojet, Barbara; Lefferts, Leonardus

2008-01-01

In relation to the heterogeneous hydrogenation of nitrite, adsorption of NO2-, NH4+, and NH2OH from the aqueous phase was examined on Pt/Al2O3, Pd/Al2O3, and Al2O3. None of the investigated inorganic nitrogen compounds adsorb on alumina at conditions presented in this study. NO2-(aq) and NH4+(aq) on

Synthesizing (ZrAl3 + AlN)/Mg-Al composites by a 'matrix exchange' method

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Tong; Li, Zengqiang; Hu, Kaiqi; Han, Mengxia; Liu, Xiangfa

2018-06-01

A method named 'matrix exchange' to synthesize ZrAl3 and AlN reinforced Mg-Al composite was developed in this paper. By inserting Al-10ZrN master alloy into Mg matrix and reheating the cooled ingot to 550 °C, Al and Mg atoms diffuse to the opposite side. As a result, liquid melt occurs once the interface areas reach to proper compositions. Then dissolved Al atoms react with ZrN, leading to the in-situ formation of ZrAl3 and AlN particles, while the Al matrix is finally replaced by Mg. This study provides a new insight for preparing Mg composites.

A reply to Iversen et al.'s comment “Monitoring of animal abundance by environmental DNA - An increasingly obscure perspective”

Science.gov (United States)

Klymus, Katy E.; Richter, Catherine A.; Chapman, Duane C.; Paukert, Craig

2015-01-01

We appreciate the conversation put forward by Iversen et al. (2015) in their response to our article “Quantification of eDNA shedding rates from invasive bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix” in the 2015 environmental DNA special issue of Biological Conservation.We agree with Iversen et al.'s concern about overly optimistic conclusions that could be drawn from the current eDNA literature. One hope for eDNA technology is that it can be used in estimating abundance or population density. Evidence suggests that eDNA measurements correlate with total biomass (Takahara et al., 2012) rather than abundance. We demonstrate a similar relationship between biomass and eDNA shedding rates. Nevertheless, without field testing of these methods and specific survey protocols, we cannot make strong conclusions regarding the technique's field applicability. In our manuscript, we attempted to point out areas in which more research is needed.

[Al3+ Absorption and Assimilation by Four Ectomycorrhizal Fungi].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ming-xia; Yuan, Ling; Huang, Jian-guo; Zhou, Zhi-feng

2015-09-01

The present experiment was carried out in order to know the resistance mechanism of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi under Al stress, to establish the theoretical foundation to alleviate the Al toxicity of trees, to guide the selection of Al-resisted ECM fungi and preserve forest health. The absorption and assimilation of Al3+ by four ECM fungi [Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt 715), Suillus luteus (Sl 08 and Sl 14), Gyroporus cyanescens (Gc 99)], which were isolated from different forest soils, were investigated in pure culture in liquid media. The growths of Pt 715 and Sl 08 were less affected by Al3+, but growths of S114 and Gc 99 were obviously inhibited by Al3+. With the increasing of Al3+ concentration in culture, the absorption and assimilation of Al3+ by four ECM fungi increased. It indicated that the concentration of Al3+ in environments might be the primary factor determining the Al3+ content in the cell of each tested fungi. Amounts of Al3+ absorbed (in total or calculated in unit hyphae) by the Al3+ tolerant strains (Pt 715 and Sl 08) were significantly lower than those by the Al3+ sensitive strains (S1 14 and Gc 99), which illustrated that reducing the absorption of Al3+ under Al3+ stress environment might be an effective approach to alleviate the Al3+ poison for these Al3+ tolerant strains. Furthermore, Al3+ stress could stimulate the ECM fungi to assimilate more N, P, and K, which might indicate that increasing requirement of the nutrients also could be helpful for ECM fungi to fight against the harmful effects caused by Al3+ stress.

Coupled growth of Al-Al2Cu eutectics in Al-Cu-Ag alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hecht, U; Witusiewicz, V; Drevermann, A

2012-01-01

Coupled eutectic growth of Al and Al 2 Cu was investigated in univariant Al-Cu-Ag alloys during solidification with planar and cellular morphology. Experiments reveal the dynamic selection of small spacings, below the minimum undercooling spacing and show that distinct morphological features pertain to nearly isotropic or anisotropic Al-Al 2 Cu interfaces.

AL ITTIJAHAT AL MUNHARIFAH FI AT TAFSIR LI BADLI ASHAB AL MADZAHIB AL NAHWIYYAH WA BADL MAN YAJHALUNA QAWAID AL LUGHAH AL ARABIYYAH FI NADHAR MUHAMMAD HUSAIN AL DZAHABIY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misbakhudin Misbakhudin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available One of the most precious achievement in qur’anic studies was the book of Al-Ittijâhât al-Munharifah fî al-Tafsîr: Dawâfi’uha wa Daf’uha written by A great Islamic scholar, Muhammad Husein al-Dzahabî. He was succeeded in discussing several issues of corruptions of the exegesis of the holy Qur’an. This article is aimed to explain and to describe his analysis toward several corrupted linguist interpretations in their originations and such corrupted linguistic interpretations of the holy Qur’an which are ignoring Arabic structures and grammers

Stability of monomeric Cro variants: Isoenergetic transformation of a type I' to a type II' beta-hairpin by single amino acid replacements.

Science.gov (United States)

Mollah, A K M M; Stennis, Rhonda L; Mossing, Michael C

2003-05-01

The thermodynamic stabilities of three monomeric variants of the bacteriophage lambda Cro repressor that differ only in the sequence of two amino acids at the apex of an engineered beta-hairpin have been determined. The sequences of the turns are EVK-XX-EVK, where the two central residues are DG, GG, and GT, respectively. Standard-state unfolding free energies, determined from circular dichroism measurements as a function of urea concentration, range from 2.4 to 2.7 kcal/mole, while those determined from guanidine hydrochloride range from 2.8 to 3.3 kcal/mole for the three proteins. Thermal denaturation yields van't Hoff unfolding enthalpies of 36 to 40 kcal /mole at midpoint temperatures in the range of 53 to 58 degrees C. Extrapolation of the thermal denaturation free energies with heat capacities of 400 to 600 cal/mole deg gives good agreement with the parameters determined in denaturant titrations. As predicted from statistical surveys of amino acid replacements in beta-hairpins, energetic barriers to transformation from a type I' turn (DG) to a type II' turn (GT) can be quite small.

Chemical equilibrium modeling of organic acids, pH, aluminum, and iron in Swedish surface waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Sjöstedt, Carin S; Gustafsson, Jon Petter; Köhler, Stephan J

2010-11-15

A consistent chemical equilibrium model that calculates pH from charge balance constraints and aluminum and iron speciation in the presence of natural organic matter is presented. The model requires input data for total aluminum, iron, organic carbon, fluoride, sulfate, and charge balance ANC. The model is calibrated to pH measurements (n = 322) by adjusting the fraction of active organic matter only, which results in an error of pH prediction on average below 0.2 pH units. The small systematic discrepancy between the analytical results for the monomeric aluminum fractionation and the model results is corrected for separately for two different fractionation techniques (n = 499) and validated on a large number (n = 3419) of geographically widely spread samples all over Sweden. The resulting average error for inorganic monomeric aluminum is around 1 µM. In its present form the model is the first internally consistent modeling approach for Sweden and may now be used as a tool for environmental quality management. Soil gibbsite with a log *Ks of 8.29 at 25°C together with a pH dependent loading function that uses molar Al/C ratios describes the amount of aluminum in solution in the presence of organic matter if the pH is roughly above 6.0.

Total oxidation of toluene over calcined trimetallic hydrotalcites type catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palacio, Luz A. [Instituto Superior Tecnico, IBB - Centro de Engenharia Biologica e Quimica, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Grupo Catalizadores y Adsorbentes, Universidad de Antioquia 1-317, A.A. 1226 Medellin (Colombia); Velasquez, Juliana; Echavarria, Adriana [Grupo Catalizadores y Adsorbentes, Universidad de Antioquia 1-317, A.A. 1226 Medellin (Colombia); Faro, Arnaldo [Departamento de Fisicoquimica, Instituto de Quimica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundao, CT bloco A, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); Ramoa Ribeiro, F. [Instituto Superior Tecnico, IBB - Centro de Engenharia Biologica e Quimica, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Ribeiro, M. Filipa, E-mail: filipa.ribeiro@ist.utl.pt [Instituto Superior Tecnico, IBB - Centro de Engenharia Biologica e Quimica, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)

2010-05-15

Two trimetallic ZnCuAl and MnCuAl hydrotalcites have been successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The manganese based material was identified as a new hydrotalcite phase. Both lamellar precursors were calcined at 450 and 600 deg. C and the resulting catalysts were tested on reaction of total oxidation of toluene. The solids were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption and H{sub 2} temperature-programmed reduction. It was found that ZnCuAl materials are composed of copper and zinc oxides supported on alumina; while MnCuAl ones comprise basically spinel phases, which were not completely identified. The catalytic behavior of the calcined samples showed that Mn hydrotalcite calcined at 450 deg. C exhibited the best catalytic performance that corresponds to 100% toluene conversion into CO{sub 2} at about 300 deg. C.

Total oxidation of toluene over calcined trimetallic hydrotalcites type catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palacio, Luz A.; Velasquez, Juliana; Echavarria, Adriana; Faro, Arnaldo; Ramoa Ribeiro, F.; Ribeiro, M. Filipa

2010-01-01

Two trimetallic ZnCuAl and MnCuAl hydrotalcites have been successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The manganese based material was identified as a new hydrotalcite phase. Both lamellar precursors were calcined at 450 and 600 deg. C and the resulting catalysts were tested on reaction of total oxidation of toluene. The solids were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, N 2 adsorption and H 2 temperature-programmed reduction. It was found that ZnCuAl materials are composed of copper and zinc oxides supported on alumina; while MnCuAl ones comprise basically spinel phases, which were not completely identified. The catalytic behavior of the calcined samples showed that Mn hydrotalcite calcined at 450 deg. C exhibited the best catalytic performance that corresponds to 100% toluene conversion into CO 2 at about 300 deg. C.

Physiochemical and antioxidant properties of roselle-mango juice blends; effects of packaging material, storage temperature and time

Science.gov (United States)

Mgaya-Kilima, Beatrice; Remberg, Siv Fagertun; Chove, Bernard Elias; Wicklund, Trude

2015-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the effects of packaging materials, seasonality, storage temperature and time on physiochemical and antioxidant properties of roselle-mango juice blends. Roselle extract (20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%) was mixed with mango juice and stored in glass and plastic bottles at 4°C and 28°C. Total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, reducing sugar, color, vitamin C, total monomeric anthocyanins, total phenols, and antioxidant activity (FRAP) were evaluated in freshly prepared juice, and after, 2, 4, and 6 months of storage. The results showed that total soluble solids, reducing sugars, and pH increased with storage times under different storage time, irrespective of packaging materials. The acidity, color, total monomeric anthocyanin, vitamin C, total phenols, and antioxidant activity decreased during storage irrespective of storage temperature and packaging material. Loss of anthocyanins, total phenols, and vitamin C content were higher in blends stored at 28°C than 4°C. PMID:25838888

Totally Asymmetric Limit for Models of Heat Conduction

Science.gov (United States)

De Carlo, Leonardo; Gabrielli, Davide

2017-08-01

We consider one dimensional weakly asymmetric boundary driven models of heat conduction. In the cases of a constant diffusion coefficient and of a quadratic mobility we compute the quasi-potential that is a non local functional obtained by the solution of a variational problem. This is done using the dynamic variational approach of the macroscopic fluctuation theory (Bertini et al. in Rev Mod Phys 87:593, 2015). The case of a concave mobility corresponds essentially to the exclusion model that has been discussed in Bertini et al. (J Stat Mech L11001, 2010; Pure Appl Math 64(5):649-696, 2011; Commun Math Phys 289(1):311-334, 2009) and Enaud and Derrida (J Stat Phys 114:537-562, 2004). We consider here the convex case that includes for example the Kipnis-Marchioro-Presutti (KMP) model and its dual (KMPd) (Kipnis et al. in J Stat Phys 27:6574, 1982). This extends to the weakly asymmetric regime the computations in Bertini et al. (J Stat Phys 121(5/6):843-885, 2005). We consider then, both microscopically and macroscopically, the limit of large externalfields. Microscopically we discuss some possible totally asymmetric limits of the KMP model. In one case the totally asymmetric dynamics has a product invariant measure. Another possible limit dynamics has instead a non trivial invariant measure for which we give a duality representation. Macroscopically we show that the quasi-potentials of KMP and KMPd, which are non local for any value of the external field, become local in the limit. Moreover the dependence on one of the external reservoirs disappears. For models having strictly positive quadratic mobilities we obtain instead in the limit a non local functional having a structure similar to the one of the boundary driven asymmetric exclusion process.

Catalytic Depolymerization of Lignin and Woody Biomass in Supercritical Ethanol : Influence of Reaction Temperature and Feedstock

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huang, Xiaoming; Atay, Ceylanpinar; Zhu, Jiadong; Palstra, Sanne W L; Korányi, Tamás I; Boot, Michael D; Hensen, Emiel J M

2017-01-01

The one-step ethanolysis approach to upgrade lignin to monomeric aromatics using a CuMgAl mixed oxide catalyst is studied in detail. The influence of reaction temperature (200-420 °C) on the product distribution is investigated. At low temperature (200-250 °C), recondensation is dominant, while

Catalytic depolymerization of lignin and woody biomass in supercritical Ethanol: influence of reaction temperature and feedstock : Influence of reaction temperature and feedstock

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huang, X.; Atay, C.; Zhu, J.; Palstra, S.W.L.; Korányi, T.I.; Boot, M.D.; Hensen, E.J.M.

2017-01-01

The one-step ethanolysis approach to upgrade lignin to monomeric aromatics using a CuMgAl mixed oxide catalyst is studied in detail. The influence of reaction temperature (200-420 °C) on the product distribution is investigated. At low temperature (200-250 °C), recondensation is dominant, while

Calidad total en Compensar, Servicio al cliente y medidas antisindicalistas 1988-1997

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Abel Ricardo Lopez Pedreros

1999-12-01

Full Text Available La historiografía laboral se preocupa, con insistencia de las relaciones laborales en la clase obrera. Se muestra como los círculos de calidad, buscan quebrantar cualquier disidencia sindicalista. A través de la lectura de diversas fuentes primarias se muestran las diferentes estrategias para lograr tal objetivo. Se observa la recepción del discurso de calidad total en la cotidianidad de los trabajadores de los servicios (secretarias, enfermeras, ingenieros, etc.

Fabrication and performance characterization of Al/Ni multilayer energetic films

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Cheng; Hu, Yan; Shen, Ruiqi; Ye, Yinghua; Wang, Shouxu; Hua, Tianli

2014-02-01

Al/Ni multilayer bridge films, which were composed of alternate Al and Ni layers with bilayer thicknesses of 50, 100 and 200 nm, were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering. In each bilayer, the thickness ratio of Al to Ni was maintained at 3:2 to obtain an overall 1:1 atomic composition. The total thickness of Al/Ni multilayer films was 2 μm. XRD measurements show that the compound of AlNi is the final product of the exothermic reactions. DSC curves show that the values of heat release in Al/Ni multilayer films with bilayer thicknesses of 50, 100 and 200 nm are 389.43, 396.69 and 409.92 J g-1, respectively. The temperatures of Al/Ni multilayer films were obviously higher than those of Al bridge film and Ni bridge film. Al/Ni multilayer films with modulation of 50 nm had the highest electrical explosion temperature of 7000 K. The exothermic reaction in Al/Ni multilayer films leads to a more intense electric explosion. Al/Ni multilayer bridge films with modulation period of 50 nm explode more rapidly and intensely than other bridge films because decreasing the bilayer thickness results in an increased reaction velocity.

Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS)-Italian version: regression based norms and equivalent scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Siciliano, Mattia; Trojano, Luigi; Trojsi, Francesca; Greco, Roberta; Santoro, Manuela; Basile, Giuseppe; Piscopo, Fausta; D'Iorio, Alfonsina; Patrone, Manila; Femiano, Cinzia; Monsurrò, Mariarosaria; Tedeschi, Gioacchino; Santangelo, Gabriella

2017-06-01

Cognitive assessment for individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) can be difficult because of frequent occurrence of difficulties with speech, writing, and drawing. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) is a recent multi-domain neuropsychological screening tool specifically devised for this purpose, and it assesses the following domains: executive functions, social cognition, verbal fluency and language (ALS-specific), but also memory and visuospatial abilities (Non-ALS specific). ECAS total score ranges from 0 (worst performance) to 136 (best performance). Moreover, a brief caregiver interview provides an assessment of behaviour changes and psychotic symptoms usually associated with ALS patients. The aim of the present study was to provide normative values for ECAS total score and sub-scores in a sample of Italian healthy subjects. Two hundred and seventy-seven Italian healthy subjects (151 women and 126 men; age range 30-79 years; educational level from primary school to university) underwent ECAS and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age and education significantly influenced performance on ECAS total score and sub-scale scores. From the derived linear equation, a correction grid for raw scores was built. Inferential cut-off scores were estimated using a non-parametric technique and equivalent scores (ES) were computed. Correlation analysis showed a good significant correlation between adjusted ECAS total scores with adjusted MoCA total scores (r rho  = 0.669, p < 0.0001). The present study provided normative data for the ECAS in an Italian population useful for both clinical and research purposes.

Personalidad y tolerancia al dolor

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JESÚS M.ª CARRILLO

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Se examina la relación de algunas variables de personalidad -EPQ-A (Eysenck y Eysenck, 1975, NEO-PI (McCrae y Costa, 1988 y STA -personalidad esquizotípica- y STB -personalidad límite-, de Claridge y Broks (1984, con la tolerancia al dolor experimental inducido mediante agua fría (cold pressor test, según el procedimiento de Staats, Heckmat y Staats (1998 en una muestra filtrada mediante un cuestionario sobre dolor crónico, dolores de cabeza, de espalda, artritis, síndrome de Raynaud, y personas bajo medicación. La tolerancia al dolor experimental se evaluó mediante el Umbral del dolor (tiempo en segundos desde la introducción de la mano en el agua hasta el primer informe de dolor, Mantenimiento del dolor (duración en segundos de la inmersión de la mano desde la aparición del umbral hasta su retirada y Tolerancia al dolor (duración total en segundos de la inmersión de la mano desde su introducción hasta su retirada. Un análisis correlacional, factorial y de regresión por pasos mostraron un efecto cruzado entre medidas de ansiedad (tolerancia negativa al dolor y psicoticismo, siendo psicoticismo junto con control emocional predictores de tolerancia positiva al dolor. En cuanto a psicoticismo, parece que son sus elementos de naturaleza paranoide y de "dureza" los que afectan a una percepción atenuada del dolor.

The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen in a Chinese Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Population.

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Shan Ye

Full Text Available The existing screening batteries assessing multiple neuropsychological functions are not specific to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS patients and are limited to their physical dysfunctions, whereas category cognitive tests are too time-consuming to assess all the domains. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS was recently developed as a fast and easy cognitive screening tool specifically designed for patients. The purpose of the study was to validate the effectiveness of the Chinese version in Chinese ALS populations.Eighty-four ALS patients and 84 age-, gender- and education-matched healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. All the participants took the ECAS, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB. Primary caregivers of patients were interviewed for behavioural and psychiatric changes.Significant differences were noted in language (p = 0.01, fluency, executive function, ALS-specific functions, and ECAS total score (p<0.01 between ALS patients and controls. The cut-off value of the total ECAS score was 81.92. Cognitive impairment was observed in 35.71% of patients, and 27.38% exhibited behavioural abnormalities. The ECAS total score had a medium correlation with education year. Memory was more easily impaired in the lower education group, whereas verbal fluency and language function tended to be preserved in the higher education group. The average time of ECAS was only 18 minutes.The Chinese version of the ECAS is the first screening battery assessing multiple neuropsychological functions specially designed for the ALS population in China, which provides an effective and rapid tool to screen cognitive and behavioural impairments.

I222 crystal form of despentapeptide (B26-B30) insulin provides new insights into the properties of monomeric insulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittingham, Jean L; Youshang, Zhang; Záková, Lenka; Dodson, Eleanor J; Turkenburg, Johan P; Brange, Jens; Dodson, G Guy

2006-05-01

Despentapeptide (des-B26-B30) insulin (DPI), an active modified insulin, has been crystallized in the presence of 20% acetic acid pH 2. A crystal structure analysis to 1.8 A spacing (space group I222) revealed that the DPI molecule, which is unable to make beta-strand interactions for physiological dimer formation and is apparently monomeric in solution, formed an alternative lattice-generated dimer. The formation of this dimer involved interactions between surfaces which included the B9-B19 alpha-helices (usually buried by the dimer-dimer contacts within the native hexamer). The two crystallographically independent molecules within the dimer were essentially identical and were similar in conformation to T-state insulin as seen in the T(6) insulin hexamer. An unusual feature of each molecule in the dimer was the presence of two independent conformations at the B-chain C-terminus (residues B20-B25). Both conformations were different from that of native insulin, involving a 3.5 A displacement of the B20-B23 beta-turn and a repositioning of residue PheB25 such that it made close van der Waals contact with the main body of the molecule, appearing to stabilize the B-chain C-terminus.

Hydrogen solution in tetrahedral or octahedral interstitial sites in Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, C.A.; Hu, J.P.; Ouyang, C.Y.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The physical nature of the site preference for H solution in BCC Al is revealed. → The site preference is result of competition between Al-H bonding interaction and local lattice distortion. → The Al-H bonding interaction lowers the solution energy while the local lattice distortion increases the solution energy. - Abstract: It is reported that H atoms prefer to stay at interstitial (defect) sites with larger space in most metals. However, H atom prefers to occupy tetrahedral interstitial sites (T-site) that provide smaller space than octahedral sites (O-site) in Al. This paper studied the H-Al interactions from first principles calculations. Through analysis of the H-induced electronic states and the local atomic relaxations, we show that H-Al bonding interaction is stronger for T-site H, which is in favor of the solution energy. On the other hand, larger local atomic distortion is observed around the T-site H, which increases the total energy.

PENETAPAN KADAR FENOLIK TOTAL DAN FLAVONOID TOTAL EKSTRAK BERAS HITAM (Oryza sativa L DARI KALIMANTAN SELATAN

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Anna Khumaira Sari

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The black rice contains anthocyanin compounds which are included in the flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Flavonoids contained in black rice are phenolic components that act as a preventive of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals by protecting membrane lipids against damaging oxidation reactions and phenol compounds also have bacteriocid, antimetic, antihelmintic, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer and other degenerative diseases. The aim of this research were to measure total phenolic content and total flavonoid in ethanol extract of black rice (Oryza sativa L. Total phenol content were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu method with gallic acid mean while total flavonoid content were measured by colorimetry method using reagent AlCl3 10% and 5% acetic acid. There are seven variation samples of black rice obtained from seven different places in South Kalimantan. The result of this study, qualitative analysis showed that all samples positive contained flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins. The total phenol content of the seven samples was 100,58 ± 1,344; 91.14 ± 1.699; 96.50 ± 1.529; 77.64 ± 0.462; 81,16 ± 0,614; 112.47 ± 1.040; 81,50 ± 2,928 mgGAE/mg extract and the percent of total flavonoid content from seven samples was 8,53 ± 0,208%; 8.11 ± 0.343%; 7.69 ± 0.446%; 6.03 ± 0.227%; 4.97 ± 0.169%; 3.74 ± 0.210%; 5.02 ± 0.403%.

Fixed interface charges between AlGaN barrier and gate stack composed of in situ grown SiN and Al2O3 in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors with normally off capability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capriotti, M.; Alexewicz, A.; Fleury, C.; Gavagnin, M.; Bethge, O.; Wanzenböck, H. D.; Bertagnolli, E.; Pogany, D.; Strasser, G.; Visalli, D.; Derluyn, J.

2014-01-01

Using a generalized extraction method, the fixed charge density N int at the interface between in situ deposited SiN and 5 nm thick AlGaN barrier is evaluated by measurements of threshold voltage V th of an AlGaN/GaN metal insulator semiconductor high electron mobility transistor as a function of SiN thickness. The thickness of the originally deposited 50 nm thick SiN layer is reduced by dry etching. The extracted N int is in the order of the AlGaN polarization charge density. The total removal of the in situ SiN cap leads to a complete depletion of the channel region resulting in V th  = +1 V. Fabrication of a gate stack with Al 2 O 3 as a second cap layer, deposited on top of the in situ SiN, is not introducing additional fixed charges at the SiN/Al 2 O 3 interface

A first approach to a neuropsychological screening tool using eye-tracking for bedside cognitive testing based on the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Jürgen; Krimly, Amon; Bauer, Lisa; Schulenburg, Sarah; Böhm, Sarah; Aho-Özhan, Helena E A; Uttner, Ingo; Gorges, Martin; Kassubek, Jan; Pinkhardt, Elmar H; Abrahams, Sharon; Ludolph, Albert C; Lulé, Dorothée

2017-08-01

Reliable assessment of cognitive functions is a challenging task in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients unable to speak and write. We therefore present an eye-tracking based neuropsychological screening tool based on the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS), a standard screening tool for cognitive deficits in ALS. In total, 46 ALS patients and 50 healthy controls matched for age, gender and education were tested with an oculomotor based and a standard paper-and-pencil version of the ECAS. Significant correlation between both versions was observed for ALS patients and healthy controls in the ECAS total score and in all of its ALS-specific domains (all r > 0.3; all p ALS patients and healthy controls in the ECAS total score (p ALS patients who are unable to speak or write.

Familial ALS

Science.gov (United States)

Boylan, Kevin

2015-01-01

Synopsis Genes linked to ALS susceptibility are being identified at an increasing rate owing to advances in molecular genetic technology. Genetic mechanisms in ALS pathogenesis appear to exert major effects in ~10% of patients, but genetic factors at some level may be important components of disease risk in most ALS patients. Identification of gene variants associated with ALS has informed concepts of the pathogenesis of ALS, aided the identification of therapeutic targets, facilitated research to develop new ALS biomarkers, and supported the establishment of clinical diagnostic tests for ALS-linked genes. Translation of this knowledge to ALS therapy development is ongoing. PMID:26515623

The evolving genetic risk for sporadic ALS.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Summer B; Downie, Jonathan M; Tsetsou, Spyridoula; Feusier, Julie E; Figueroa, Karla P; Bromberg, Mark B; Jorde, Lynn B; Pulst, Stefan M

2017-07-18

To estimate the genetic risk conferred by known amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated genes to the pathogenesis of sporadic ALS (SALS) using variant allele frequencies combined with predicted variant pathogenicity. Whole exome sequencing and repeat expansion PCR of C9orf72 and ATXN2 were performed on 87 patients of European ancestry with SALS seen at the University of Utah. DNA variants that change the protein coding sequence of 31 ALS-associated genes were annotated to determine which were rare and deleterious as predicted by MetaSVM. The percentage of patients with SALS with a rare and deleterious variant or repeat expansion in an ALS-associated gene was calculated. An odds ratio analysis was performed comparing the burden of ALS-associated genes in patients with SALS vs 324 normal controls. Nineteen rare nonsynonymous variants in an ALS-associated gene, 2 of which were found in 2 different individuals, were identified in 21 patients with SALS. Further, 5 deleterious C9orf72 and 2 ATXN2 repeat expansions were identified. A total of 17.2% of patients with SALS had a rare and deleterious variant or repeat expansion in an ALS-associated gene. The genetic burden of ALS-associated genes in patients with SALS as predicted by MetaSVM was significantly higher than in normal controls. Previous analyses have identified SALS-predisposing variants only in terms of their rarity in normal control populations. By incorporating variant pathogenicity as well as variant frequency, we demonstrated that the genetic risk contributed by these genes for SALS is substantially lower than previous estimates. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

Malamih al-Ashwat al-'Arabiyyah wa Makharijaha

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Amrah Muhammad Kasim

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This writing discusses on al-ashwat al-‘arabiyyah that is known with “phonetic” term. It talks and interprets makharij al-huruf or place for producing sounds and also processing production of sounds by parts of mouth in Arabic language. The problems of sounds and its systems in Arabic language have been conducted by the scholars of al-ashwat al-‘arabiyyah attractively, neatly, and detail and gotten ahead the phonetic western scholars. Part of their analysis results formulate the study about al-ashwat al-sakinah (al-Shamit is known with vocal and consonant sounds in research questions shawait – shawamit. Ibnu Jinni has formulated “harakat”(wowel in Arabic language and dimension of letter  mad and liyn on alif  letter - waw - ya’ (ا و ي, from these letters create  harakat fathah, dammah, and kasrah. Moreover, in this writing also exist the description of hija’i letters and its makhraj that are correct from parts of mouth and the unity of coordinative sounds that produce sounds in morphemes arrangement, in one word that produces meaning. The result of phonological study has divided al-ashwat to be kinds of sound like the pronounced sounds, produced sounds from mouth, and heard sound.

Transient oxidation of Al-deposited Fe-Cr-Al alloy foil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andoh, A.

1997-01-01

The oxide phases formed on an Al-deposited Fe-Cr-Al alloy foil and an Fe-Cr-Al alloy foil of the same levels of Al and (La+Ce) contents, and their oxidation kinetics have been studied in air at 1173 and 1373 K using TGA, XRD and SEM. Al deposition promotes the growth of metastable aluminas (θ-Al 2 O 3 , γ-Al 2 O 3 ). Scales consisting of θ-Al 2 O 3 and a small amount of α-Al 2 O 3 develop on the Al-deposited foil at 1173 K and exhibit the whisker-type morphology. In the early stage of oxidation at 1373 K, thick scales consisting of θ-Al 2 O 3 and α-Al 2 O 3 grow rapidly on the Al-deposited foil. The transformation from θ-Al 2 O 3 to α-Al 2 O 3 is very fast, and the scales result in only α-Al 2 O 3 . In contrast, α-Al 2 O 3 scales containing a minor amount of FeAl 2 O 4 develop on the alloy foil. The growth rate of α-Al 2 O 3 scales on the Al-deposited foil is smaller than that on the alloy foil and very close to that on NiAl at 1373 K. (orig.)

Structural, bonding, anisotropic mechanical and thermal properties of Al4SiC4 and Al4Si2C5 by first-principles investigations

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Liang Sun

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The structural, bonding, electronic, mechanical and thermal properties of ternary aluminum silicon carbides Al4SiC4 and Al4Si2C5 are investigated by first-principles calculations combined with the Debye quasi-harmonic approximation. All the calculated mechanical constants like bulk, shear and Young's modulus are in good agreement with experimental values. Both compounds show distinct anisotropic elastic properties along different crystalline directions, and the intrinsic brittleness of both compounds is also confirmed. The elastic anisotropy of both aluminum silicon carbides originates from their bonding structures. The calculated band gap is obtained as 1.12 and 1.04 eV for Al4SiC4 and Al4Si2C5 respectively. From the total electron density distribution map, the obvious covalent bonds exist between Al and C atoms. A distinct electron density deficiency sits between AlC bond along c axis among Al4SiC4, which leads to its limited tensile strength. Meanwhile, the anisotropy of acoustic velocities for both compounds is also calculated and discussed.

Okeleye et al., Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. (2015) 12(1):1-8 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

cadewumi

Key words: Peltophorum africanum, antioxidant, phytochemicals, polyphenolics, radicals. Introduction .... Total flavonoid was determined using the method of Ordonez et al. (2006). ... In vitro antioxidant capacities ... Scavenging activity of hydrogen peroxide by the plant extract was estimated using the method of Nabavi et al.

Fabrication and Characterization of Al/NiO Energetic Nanomultilayers

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YiChao Yan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The redox reaction between Al and metallic oxide has its advantage compared with intermetallic reaction and Al/NiO nanomutlilayers are a promising candidate for enhancing the performance of energetic igniter. Al/NiO nanomutlilayers with different modulation periods are prepared on alumina substrate by direct current (DC magnetron sputtering. The thicknesses of each period are 250 nm, 500 nm, 750 nm, 1000 nm, and 1500 nm, respectively, and the total thickness is 3 μm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscope (SEM results of the as-deposited Al/NiO nanomutlilayers show that the NiO films are amorphous and the layered structures are clearly distinguished. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS demonstrates that the thickness of Al2O3 increases on the side of Al monolayer after annealing at 450°C. The thermal diffusion time becomes greater significantly as the amount of thermal boundary conductance across the interfaces increases with relatively smaller modulation period. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC curve suggests that the energy release per unit mass is below the theoretical heat of the reaction due to the nonstoichiometric ratio between Al and NiO and the presence of impurities.

Proton irradiation studies on Al and Al5083 alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharyya, P.; Gayathri, N.; Bhattacharya, M.; Gupta, A. Dutta; Sarkar, Apu; Dhar, S.; Mitra, M. K.; Mukherjee, P.

2017-10-01

The change in the microstructural parameters and microhardness values in 6.5 MeV proton irradiated pure Al and Al5083 alloy samples have been evaluated using different model based techniques of X-ray diffraction Line Profile Analysis (XRD) and microindendation techniques. The detailed line profile analysis of the XRD data showed that the domain size increases and saturates with irradiation dose both in the case of Al and Al5083 alloy. The corresponding microstrain values did not show any change with irradiation dose in the case of the pure Al but showed an increase at higher irradiation doses in the case of Al5083 alloy. The microindendation results showed that unirradiated Al5083 alloy has higher hardness value compared to that of unirradiated pure Al. The hardness increased marginally with irradiation dose in the case of Al5083, whereas for pure Al, there was no significant change with dose.

Total cross sections for electron scattering by He

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Heer, F.J.; Jansen, R.H.J.

1977-01-01

A set of total cross sections for scattering of electrons by He has been evaluated over the energy range of zero to 3000 eV by means of the analysis of experiments and theories on total cross sections for elastic scattering, ionisation and excitation, and on differential cross sections for elastic and inelastic scattering. Between 0 and 19.8 eV, where no inelastic processes occur, the total cross sections for scattering are equal to those for elastic scattering. Above 19.8 eV total cross sections for scattering of electrons have been evaluated by adding those for ionisation, excitation and elastic scattering. The total cross sections thus obtained are probably accurate to about 5% over a large part of the energy range. They appear to be in very good agreement with the recent experimental results of Blaauw et al. (J. Phys. B.; 10:L299 (1977)). The present results have already proved useful for application in the dispersion relation for forward scattering in electron-helium collisions. (author)

PEMBARUAN MASLAḤAH DALAM MAQĀṢID AL- SHARĪ‘AH: TELAAH HUMANISTIS TENTANG AL-KULLIYYĀT AL-KHAMSAH

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Zaenuddin Mansyur

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract:   In order to answer a variety of issues faced by human being in the current era, such as human rights abuses, social disintegration, and terrorism, the renewal of Islamic law in the level of theoretical and practical aspects is very urgent. This paper aims to examine one of the Islamic legal reform efforts, namely to build a more technical understanding of the concept of maṣlaḥah contained in the maqāṣīd sharī‘ah, called the al-kulliyat al-khamsah. Therefore, the concept of maṣlaḥah in ḥifẓ al-dīn is technically defined as al-ḥurriyah al-i‘tiqād (freedom of religion and schools; in ḥifẓ al-nafs as al-karamat al-insān (human being breeding; in ḥifẓ al-nasl as ḥifẓ al-usrah (wholeness and harmony of the family; in ḥifẓ al-māl as al-taḍammun al-insān (social solidarity , and in ḥifẓ al-‘aql as al-ḥuqūq as al-tarbiyāt (increasing human resources quality.Abstrak: Demi menjawab aneka persoalan zaman yang dihadapi manusia era sekarang, seperti penyelewengan terhadap HAM, disintegrasi sosial, dan terorisme, maka pembaharuan hukum Islam dalam tataran teoretis dan praktis urgen dilakukan. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji salah satu upaya pembaruan hukum Islam, yaitu membangun pemahaman yang lebih teknis terhadap konsep maṣlaḥah yang terkandung dalam maqāṣīd sharī‘ah, yang disebut dengan al-kulliyāt al-khamsah. Oleh karena itu, konsep maṣlaḥah dalam ḥifẓu al-dīn secara teknis dimaknai sebagai ḥurriyah al-i‘tiqād (kebebasan untuk beragama dan beraliran; dalam ḥifẓu al-nafs sebagai al-karāmāt al-insān (pemuliaan kemanusiaan; dalam ḥifẓu al-nasl sebagai ḥifẓu al-usrah (keutuhan dan keharmonisan keluarga; dalam ḥifẓu al-māl sebagai al-taḍammun al-insān (solidaritas sosial; dan dalam ḥifẓu al-‘aql sebagai al-ḥuqūq al-tarbiyāt (peningkatan sumber daya manusia.

Hydrogen migration dynamics in hydrated Al clusters: The Al17(−)·H2O system as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Álvarez-Barcia, S.; Flores, J. R.

2014-01-01

The Al m (−) ·(H 2 O) n systems are known to undergo water splitting processes in the gas phase giving H k Al m (OH) k (−) ·(H 2 O) n−k systems, which can generate H 2 . The migration of H atoms from one Al atom to another on the cluster's surface is of critical importance to the mechanism of the complete H 2 production process. We have applied a combination of Molecular Dynamics and Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory including tunneling effects to study the gas-phase evolution of HAl 17 (OH) (−) , which can be considered a model system. First, we have performed an extensive search for local minima and the connecting saddle points using a density functional theory method. It is found that in the water-splitting process Al 17 (−) ·(H 2 O) → HAl 17 (OH) (−) , the H atom which bonds to the Al cluster losses rather quickly its excess energy, which is easily “absorbed” by the cluster because of its flexibility. This fact ultimately determines that long-range hydrogen migration is not a very fast process and that, probably, tunneling only plays a secondary role in the migration dynamics, at least for moderate energies. Reduction of the total energy results in the process being very much slowed down. The consequences on the possible mechanisms of H 2 generation from the interaction of Al clusters and water molecules are discussed

Combustion synthesis of AlB2-Al2O3 composite powders with AlB2 nanowire structures

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Pan; Xiao, Guoqing; Ding, Donghai; Ren, Yun; Yang, Shoulei; Lv, Lihua; Hou, Xing

2018-05-01

Using of Al and B2O3 powders as starting materials, and Mg-Al alloy as additives, AlB2-Al2O3 composite powders with AlB2 nanowire structures were successfully fabricated via combustion synthesis method in Ar atmosphere at a pressure of 1.5 MPa. The effect of different amount of Mg-Al alloy on the phase compositions and morphology of the combustion products was investigated. The results revealed that AlB2 and Al2O3 increased, whereas Al decreased with the content of Mg-Al alloy increasing. The impurities MgAl2O4 and AlB12 would exist in the sample with adding of 18 wt% Mg-Al alloy. Interestingly, FESEM/TEM/EDS results showed that AlB2 nanowires were observed in the products when the content of Mg-Al alloy is 6 wt% and 12 wt%. The more AlB2 nanowires can be found as the content of Mg-Al alloy increased. And the yield of AlB2 nanowires with the diameter of about 200 nanometers (nm) and the length up to several tens of micrometers (μm) in the combustion product is highest when the content of Mg-Al alloy is 12 wt%. The vapor, such as Mg-Al (g), B2O2 (g), AlO (g) and Al2O (g), produced during the process of combustion synthesis, reacted with each other to yield AlB2 nanowires by vapor-solid (VS) mechanism and the corresponding model was also proposed.

The effects of boron in TiAl/Ti3Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, C.R.; Michel, D.J.; Crowe, C.R.

1989-01-01

The authors discuss the TiAl/Ti 3 Al interfacial misfit dislocations structures investigated by TEM in Ti-45Al alloy and Ti-45Al/TiB 2 composite. For TiAl with c/a = 1.02, only a single set of misfit dislocation arrays are crystallographically possible; these were observed in Ti-45Al alloy. However, the observation of three sets of misfit dislocation arrays in the Ti-45Al/TiB 2 composite suggests that the occupation of octahedral sites in the TiAl structure by excess boron was responsible for a decrease in the c/a ratio leading to an increased fcc character of the TiAl at the TiAl/Ti 3 Al interface

In Situ Fabrication of AlN Coating by Reactive Plasma Spraying of Al/AlN Powder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Shahien

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Reactive plasma spraying is a promising technology for the in situ formation of aluminum nitride (AlN coatings. Recently, it became possible to fabricate cubic-AlN-(c-AlN based coatings through reactive plasma spraying of Al powder in an ambient atmosphere. However, it was difficult to fabricate a coating with high AlN content and suitable thickness due to the coalescence of the Al particles. In this study, the influence of using AlN additive (h-AlN to increase the AlN content of the coating and improve the reaction process was investigated. The simple mixing of Al and AlN powders was not suitable for fabricating AlN coatings through reactive plasma spraying. However, it was possible to prepare a homogenously mixed, agglomerated and dispersed Al/AlN mixture (which enabled in-flight interaction between the powder and the surrounding plasma by wet-mixing in a planetary mill. Increasing the AlN content in the mixture prevented coalescence and increased the nitride content gradually. Using 30 to 40 wt% AlN was sufficient to fabricate a thick (more than 200 µm AlN coating with high hardness (approximately 1000 Hv. The AlN additive prevented the coalescence of Al metal and enhanced post-deposition nitriding through N₂ plasma irradiation by allowing the nitriding species in the plasma to impinge on a larger Al surface area. Using AlN as a feedstock additive was found to be a suitable method for fabricating AlN coatings by reactive plasma spraying. Moreover, the fabricated coatings consist of hexagonal (h-AlN, c-AlN (rock-salt and zinc-blend phases and certain oxides: aluminum oxynitride (Al₅O₆N, cubic sphalerite Al₂₃O₂₇N₅ (ALON and Al₂O₃. The zinc-blend c-AlN and ALON phases were attributed to the transformation of the h-AlN feedstock during the reactive plasma spraying. Thus, the zinc-blend c-Al

Instability of TiC and TiAl3 compounds in Al-10Mg and Al-5Cu alloys by addition of Al-Ti-C master alloy

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2006-01-01

The performance of Al-Ti-C master alloy in refining Al-10Mg and A1-5Cu alloys was studied by using electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis.The results indicate that there are obvious fading phenomena in both Al-10Mg and Al-5Cu alloys with the addition of Al-5Ti-0.4C refiner which contains TiC and TiAl3 compounds.Mg element has no influence on the stability of TiC and TiAl3, while TiC particles in Al-10Mg alloy react with Al to form Al4C3 particles, resulting in the refinement fading.However, TiC particles are relatively stable in Al-5Cu alloy, while TiAl3 phase reacts with Al2Cu to produce a new phase Ti(Al, Cu)2, which is responsible for the refinement fading in Al-5Cu alloy.These indicate that the refinement fading will not occur only when both the TiC particles and TiAl3 compound of Al-Ti-C refiner are stable in Al alloys.

Low energy total cross section of 36Ar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mughabghab, S.F.; Magurno, B.A.

1975-01-01

To compare the predictions of the valence model with measured partial radiative widths of 36 Ar an accurate knowledge of the bound-level parameters is required. This is achieved by carrying out a Breit-Wigner parameter fit to the total cross section of 36 Ar measured by Chrien et al and renormalized to the recommended values of the thermal capture and scattering cross sections. (1 figure, 1 table) (U.S.)

PEMAHAMAN HADITS TARBAWI BURHAN AL ISLAM AL ZARNUJI DALAM KITAB TA’LIM AL MUTA’ALLIM

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Benny Afwadzi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the understanding of tarbawi (education hadith from one of the major influential clerics in the Islamic educational system, especially in pesantren. He is Burhan al Islam al Zarnuji with his landmark book Ta’lim al Muta’allim. The conclusion that can be drawn is that al Zarnuji has shades of sufistical view in understanding tarbawi hadith. This can be seen in his understanding of hadith on obligation to seek knowledge (thalab al ilmi faridhatun ‘ala kulli muslimin wa muslimatin, which is interpreted as ilm al hal, the science concerning the condition of the human religious or simplistically said as the religious sciences; and the hadith of intention of studying (innama al a’malu bi al niyyat with the intention for the sake of the hereafter and religion, not mundane. Such an understanding is not something taken for granted, but it can be reinterpreted and perfected in accordance with the spirit of the times of context.

The study of electronic structures and optical properties of Al-doped GaN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Enling; Hou Liping; Liu Mancang; Xi Meng; Wang Xiqiang; Dai Yuanbin; Li Lisha

2011-01-01

The electronic structures and optical properties of undoped and Al-doped GaN (Al x Ga 1-x N, x=0.0625, 0.125, 0.25) have been studied based on generalized gradient approximation (GGA) method of density functional theory (DFT). The differences of the electronic structures and optical properties of undoped and Al-doped GaN have been discussed in detail. The result shows: according to total density of state of undoped and Al-doped GaN, the conduction band becomes width and moves to high energy level with gradual increase concentration of Al impurity. Impurity energy band isn't found in energy band structures of Al x Ga 1-x N, the same as energy band structures of undoped GaN, but the band gaps gradually become wide with increase of Al impurity. Absorption spectra of undoped and Al-doped GaN of main absorption peak moves to high energy level with increase of Al impurity.

Calculation of Gibbs energy of Zr-Al-Ni, Zr-Al-Cu, Al-Ni-Cu and Zr-Al-Ni-Cu liquid alloys based on quasiregular solution model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, H.Q.; Yang, Y.S.; Tong, W.H.; Wang, Z.Y.

2007-01-01

With the effects of electronic structure and atomic size being introduced, the mixing enthalpy as well as the Gibbs energy of the ternary Zr-Al-Cu, Ni-Al-Cu, Zr-Ni-Al and quaternary Zr-Al-Ni-Cu systems are calculated based on quasiregular solution model. The computed results agree well with the experimental data. The sequence of Gibbs energies of different systems is: G Zr-Al-Ni-Cu Zr-Al-Ni Zr-Al-Cu Cu-Al-Ni . To Zr-Al-Cu, Ni-Al-Cu and Zr-Ni-Al, the lowest Gibbs energy locates in the composition range of X Zr 0.39-0.61, X Al = 0.38-0.61; X Ni = 0.39-0.61, X Al = 0.38-0.60 and X Zr = 0.32-0.67, X Al = 0.32-0.66, respectively. And to the Zr-Ni-Al-Cu system with 66.67% Zr, the lowest Gibbs energy is obtained in the region of X Al = 0.63-0.80, X Ni = 0.14-0.24

Use of the quartz crystal microbalance to determine the monomeric friction coefficient of polyimides

Science.gov (United States)

Bechtold, Mary M.

1995-01-01

When a thin film of polymer is coated on to a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), the QCM can be used to detect the rate of increase in weight of the polymer film as the volatile penetrant diffuses into the polymer. From this rate information the diffusion coefficient of the penetrant into the polymer can be computed. Calculations requiring this diffusion coefficient lead to values which approximate the monomeric friction coefficient of the polymer. This project has been concerned with the trial of crystal oscillating circuits suitable for driving polymer coated crystals in an atmosphere of penetrant. For these studies done at room temperature, natural rubber was used as an easily applied polymer that is readily penetrated by toluene vapors, qualities anticipated with polyimides when they are tested at T(g) in the presence of toluene. Three quartz crystal oscillator circuits were tested. The simplest circuit used +/- 5 volt dc and had a transistor to transistor logic (TTL) inverter chip that provides a 180 deg phase shift via a feed back loop. This oscillator circuit was stable but would not drive the crystal when the crystal was coated with polymer and subjected to toluene vapors. Removal of a variable resistor from this circuit increased stability but did not otherwise increase performance. Another driver circuit tested contained a two stage differential input, differential output, wide band video amplifier and also contain a feed back loop. The circuit voltage could not be varied and operated at +/- 5 volts dc; this circuit was also stable but failed to oscillate the polymer coated crystal in an atmosphere saturated with toluene vapors. The third oscillator circuit was of similar construction and relied on the same video amplifier but allowed operation with variable voltage. This circuit would drive the crystal when the crystal was submerged in liquid toluene and when the crystal was coated with polymer and immersed in toluene vapors. The frequency readings

Atomic layer deposition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} barrier coatings to reduce the water vapour permeability of polyetheretherketone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahmadzada, Tamkin, E-mail: tahm4852@uni.sydney.edu.au [School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); McKenzie, David R.; James, Natalie L.; Yin, Yongbai [School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Li, Qing [School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)

2015-09-30

We demonstrate significantly enhanced barrier properties of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) against water vapour penetration by depositing Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} or Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} nanofilms grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Nanoindentation analysis revealed good adhesion strength of a bilayer Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} coating to PEEK, while the single layer Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} coating displayed flaking and delamination. We identified three critical design parameters for achieving the optimum barrier properties of ALD Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} coatings on PEEK. These are a minimum total thickness dependent on the required water vapour transmission rate, the use of an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} bilayer coating and the application of the coating to both sides of the PEEK film. Using these design parameters, we achieved a reduction in moisture permeability of PEEK of over two orders of magnitude while maintaining good adhesion strength of the polymer–thin film system. - Highlights: • Atomic layer deposition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} coatings reduced water vapour permeability. • Bilayer coatings reduced the permeability more than single layer coatings. • Bilayer coatings displayed higher adhesion strength than the single layer coatings. • Double-sided coatings performed better than single-sided coatings. • Correlation was found between total thickness and reduced water vapour permeability.

Bipolar characteristics of AlGaN/AlN/GaN/AlGaN double heterojunction structure with AlGaN as buffer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Enchao; Wang, Xiaoliang; Xiao, Hongling; Wang, Cuimei; Yin, Haibo; Chen, Hong; Feng, Chun; Jiang, Lijuan; Hou, Xun; Wang, Zhanguo

2013-01-01

Highlights: •2DEG and 2DHG coexist in the AlGaN/AlN/GaN/AlGaN DH-structure. •The sheet densities of 2DEG and 2DHG vary with buffer Al content and GaN thickness. •The conditions for the disappearance of 2DHG are discussed. •Increasing buffer Al content provides better electron confinement. •Dislocation scattering is reduced in the DH-structure. -- Abstract: This is a theoretical study of AlGaN/AlN/GaN/AlGaN double heterojunction (DH) structure with AlGaN as buffer layer. Our calculation shows that as the buffer Al content increases, though two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) sheet density decreases, the channel back-barrier caused by polarization-induced electric field in GaN provides better electron confinement. And under certain conditions the DH-structure shows bipolar characteristics, with an additional two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) formed at GaN/AlGaN interface. The influence of the buffer Al content and GaN channel thickness on the 2DEG and 2DHG sheet densities are investigated, and the conditions for the disappearance of 2DHG are discussed. Also, the mobility inhibited by dislocation scattering is enhanced in DH-structure due to the enhancement of screening effect of the 2DEG

Resonance Raman assignment and evidence for noncoupling of individual 2- and 4-vinyl vibrational modes in a monomeric cyanomethemoglobin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gersonde, K.; Yu, N.T.; Lin, S.H.; Smith, K.M.; Parish, D.W.

1989-01-01

We have investigated the resonance Raman spectra of monomeric insect cyanomethemoglobins (CTT III and CTT IV) reconstituted with (1) protohemes IX selectively deuterated at the 4-vinyl as well as the 2,4-divinyls, (2) monovinyl-truncated hemes such as pemptoheme (2-hydrogen, 4-vinyl) and isopemptoheme (2-vinyl, 4-hydrogen), (3) symmetric hemes such as protoheme III (with 2- and 3-vinyls) and protoheme XIII (with 1- and 4-vinyls), and (4) hemes without 2- and 4-vinyls such as mesoheme IX, deuteroheme IX, 2,4-dimethyldeuteroheme IX, and 2,4-dibromodeuteroheme IX. Evidence is presented that the highly localized vinyl C = C stretching vibrations at the 2- and 4-positions of the heme in these cyanomet CTT hemoglobins are noncoupled and inequivalent; i.e., the 1631- and 1624-cm-1 lines have been assigned to 2-vinyl and 4-vinyl, respectively. The elimination of the 2-vinyl (in pemptoheme) or the 4-vinyl (in isopemptoheme) does not affect the C = C stretching frequency of the remaining vinyl. Furthermore, two low-frequency vinyl bending modes at 412 and 591 cm-1 exhibit greatly different resonance Raman intensities between 2-vinyl and 4-vinyl. The observed intensity at 412 cm-1 is primarily derived from 4-vinyl, whereas the 591-cm-1 line results exclusively from the 2-vinyl. Again, there is no significant coupling between 2-vinyl and 4-vinyl for these two bending modes

The code of light: al-ghazali and al-suhrawardi

OpenAIRE

Gediminaitė, Barbora

2017-01-01

The Code of Light: Al-Ghazali and Al-Suhrawardi The Bachelor’s thesis The Code of Light in Islam: al-Ghazali and al-Suhrawardi presents a comparative study of light. The study analyses the philosophical systems of al-Ghazali and al-Suhrawardi through the reconstruction of the image of light and its operation principles. The main subject of the thesis are the attributes of light. The main problem of the research is the semantics and contextuality of light in Islamic theology and philosophy. Th...

Pemikiran Filosofis Sadra Dalam Tafsir Al-Qur’an Al-Karim : Surah Al-’A‘la

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerwanto Kerwanto

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Abstrak : Dalam tafsir atas Surah al-’A‘lā, Mulla Sadra, melalui karyanya Tafsīr al Qur’ān al-Karīm, mengajak jiwa kita berpetualang menuju lapisan makna terdalam untuk mengenali realitas ketauhidan (al- mabdā’, kenabian (shirāth atau nubuwwah dan kebangkitan (ma‘ād dan mengulasnya secara filosofis. Penelitian ini merupakan suatu upaya untuk menggali manfaat dari aspek-aspek penting dari sumber-sumber keagamaan yang tergali dari petunjuk al Qur’an yang berpadu dengan prinsip- prinsip rasional filosofis dan pengalaman mistik (intuitif Sadra. Setiap bab pada tafsir ini diberikan judul dengan tasbīḥ (pernyataan pemujian dan pensucian, dengan tetap memaparkan beragam pokok persoalan terkait metafisika al-Qur’an. Prinsip-prinsip filosofis yang digunakan dalam risalah tafsir ini bisa menjadi salah satu bukti ketidakberjarakan antara filsafat dengan teks-teks keagamaan. Sadra menggunakan metode tafsir yang tetap menerima sisi lahiriah al-Qur’an, dan selanjutnya mencari misteri-misteri, rahasia-rahasia, dan dengan bantuan intelek (akal, intuisi dan iluminasi Tuhan untuk memperoleh realitas-realitas dan makna- makna dibalik selaput ekternalnya (aspek literalnyaKata kunci : Ḥikmah Muta’āliyah, irfan, al-mabdā’, kebangkitan setelah mati, nubuwwah, takwīl, gerak substansial (ḥarakah jawhariyyah, denotasi utama (al-maqshūd al-ashlī, penyempurnaan diri (takammul, tasbīḥ.  Abstract : In his commentary on Surah al-’ A‘lā, Mulla Sadra, through his Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-Karīm invites our souls to ventureinto the deepest layers of meaning to recognize the reality of Divinity (al- mabdā’, prophethood (Ṣirāṭ or nubuwwah and resurrection (ma‘ād and discusses it in a more philosophical manner. This study is an attempt to explore the benefits of these important aspects of religious sources unearthed from Qur’anic injunctions combined with rational principles of philosophical and mystical experiences

A united refinement technology for commercial pure Al by Al-10Ti and Al-Ti-C master alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Xiaoguang; Liu Xiangfa; Ding Haimin

2009-01-01

Because flake-like TiAl 3 particles in Al-Ti-C master alloys prepared in a melt reaction method dissolve slowly when they are added into Al melt at 720 deg. C, Ti atoms cannot be released rapidly to play the assistant role of grain refinement, leading to a poor refinement efficiency of Al-Ti-C master alloys. A united refinement technology by Al-10Ti and Al-Ti-C master alloys was put forward in this paper. The rational combination of fine blocky TiAl 3 particles in Al-10Ti and TiC particles in Al-Ti-C can improve the nucleation rate of α-Al. It not only improves the grain refinement efficiency of Al-Ti-C master alloys, but also reduces the consumption

Liquidus projection of the Nb-Cr-Al system near the Al3(Nb,Cr) + Cr(Al,Nb) eutectic region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, S.A.; Ferrandini, P.L.; Nunes, C.A.; Coelho, A.A.; Caram, R.

2006-01-01

The system Nb-Cr-Al was investigated in the region near the Al 3 (Nb,Cr) + Cr(Al,Nb) eutectic and the liquidus projection of that region was determined based on the microstructural characterization of arc melted alloys. The characterization utilized scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results allowed one to determine three primary solidification liquidus surfaces ((Cr,Al) 2 Nb, Cr(Al,Nb) and Al 3 (Nb,Cr)), that are originated from the binary systems Cr-Nb, Cr-Al and Al-Nb. It is proposed the occurrence of the invariant reaction L + (Cr,Al) 2 Nb ↔ Al 3 (Nb,Cr) + Cr(Al,Nb) and of a point of minimum, which involves a three phase reaction, L ↔ Al 3 (Nb,Cr) + Cr(Al,Nb). All alloys studied showed formation of the Al 3 (Nb,Cr) + Cr(Al,Nb) eutectic as the last solidification step with Al(Nb)Cr 2 precipitating from Cr(Al,Nb)

A united refinement technology for commercial pure Al by Al-10Ti and Al-Ti-C master alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma Xiaoguang [Key Laboratory of Liquid Structure and Heredity of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Liu Xiangfa [Key Laboratory of Liquid Structure and Heredity of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China)], E-mail: xfliu@sdu.edu.cn; Ding Haimin [Key Laboratory of Liquid Structure and Heredity of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China)

2009-03-05

Because flake-like TiAl{sub 3} particles in Al-Ti-C master alloys prepared in a melt reaction method dissolve slowly when they are added into Al melt at 720 deg. C, Ti atoms cannot be released rapidly to play the assistant role of grain refinement, leading to a poor refinement efficiency of Al-Ti-C master alloys. A united refinement technology by Al-10Ti and Al-Ti-C master alloys was put forward in this paper. The rational combination of fine blocky TiAl{sub 3} particles in Al-10Ti and TiC particles in Al-Ti-C can improve the nucleation rate of {alpha}-Al. It not only improves the grain refinement efficiency of Al-Ti-C master alloys, but also reduces the consumption.

Near total magnetic moment compensation with high Curie temperature in Mn2V0.5Co0.5Z (Z  =  Ga,Al) Heusler alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Midhunlal, P. V.; Arout Chelvane, J.; Arjun Krishnan, U. M.; Prabhu, D.; Gopalan, R.; Kumar, N. Harish

2018-02-01

Mn2V1-x Co x Z (Z  =  Ga,Al and x  =  0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1) Heusler alloys have been synthesized to investigate the effect of Co substitution at the V site on the magnetic moment and Curie temperature of half-metallic ferrimagnets Mn2VGa and Mn2VAl. Near total magnetic moment compensation was achieved with high Curie temperature for x  =  0.5 composition. The Co substituted alloys show a non linear decrease in lattice parameter without altering the crystal structure of the parent alloys. The end members Mn2VGa and Mn2CoGa have the saturation magnetization of 1.80 µ B/f.u. and 2.05 µ B/f.u. respectively whereas for the Mn2V0.5Co0.5Ga alloy, a near total magnetic moment compensation (0.10 µ B/f.u.) was observed due to the ferrimagnetic coupling of Mn with parallelly aligned V and Co. The Co substituted Mn2VAl has also shown a similar trend with compensated magnetic moment value of 0.06 µ B/f.u. for x  =  0.5. The Curie temperatures of the alloys including the x  =  0.5 composition are well above the room temperature (more than 650 K) which is in sharp contrast to the earlier reported values of 171 K for the (MnCo)VGa and 105 K for the (MnCo)VAl (substitution at the Mn site). The observed T C values are highest among the Mn2V based fully compensated ferrimagnets. The magnetic moment compensation without significant reduction in T C indicates that the V site substitution of Co does not weaken the magnetic interaction in Mn2VZ (Z  =  Ga,Al) alloys which is contrary to the earlier experimental reports on Mn site substitution.

United modification of Al-24Si alloy by Al-P and Al-Ti-C master alloys

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

韩延峰; 刘相法; 王海梅; 王振卿; 边秀房; 张均艳

2003-01-01

The modification effect of a new type of Al-P master alloy on Al-24Si alloys was investigated. It is foundthat excellent modification effect can be obtained by the addition of this new type of A1-P master alloy into Al-24Simelt and the average primary Si grain size is decreased below 47 μm from original 225 μm. It is also found that theTiC particles in the melt coming from Al8Ti2C can improve the modification effect of the Al-P master alloy. Whenthe content of TiC particles in the Al-24Si melt is 0.03 %, the improvement reaches the maximum and keeps steadywith increasing content of TiC particles. Modification effect occurs at 50 min after the addition of the Al-P master al-loy and TiC particles, and keeps stable with prolonging holding time.

Nanoporous Al sandwich foils using size effect of Al layer thickness during Cu/Al/Cu laminate rolling

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hailiang; Lu, Cheng; Tieu, A. Kiet; Li, Huijun; Godbole, Ajit; Kong, Charlie

2018-06-01

The roll bonding technique is one of the most widely used methods to produce metal laminate sheets. Such sheets offer interesting research opportunities for both scientists and engineers. In this paper, we report on an experimental investigation of the 'thickness effect' during laminate rolling for the first time. Using a four-high multifunction rolling mill, Cu/Al/Cu laminate sheets were fabricated with a range of thicknesses (16, 40, 70 and 130 μm) of the Al layer. The thickness of the Cu sheets was a constant 300 μm. After rolling, TEM images show good bonding quality between the Cu and Al layers. However, there are many nanoscale pores in the Al layer. The fraction of nanoscale pores in the Al layer increases with a reduction in the Al layer thickness. The finite element method was used to simulate the Cu/Al/Cu rolling process. The simulation results reveal the effect of the Al layer thickness on the deformation characteristics of the Cu/Al/Cu laminate. Finally, we propose that the size effect of the Al layer thickness during Cu/Al/Cu laminate rolling may offer a method to fabricate 'nanoporous' Al sandwich laminate foils. Such foils can be used in electromagnetic shielding of electrical devices and noisy shielding of building.

Isotopically exchangeable Al in coastal lowland acid sulfate soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yvanes-Giuliani, Yliane A.M. [UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Centre Européen de Recherche et d' Enseignement des Géosciences de l' Environnement, Aix-Marseille Université, Aix en Provence (France); Fink, D. [Centre Européen de Recherche et d' Enseignement des Géosciences de l' Environnement, Aix-Marseille Université, Aix en Provence (France); Rose, J. [Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232 (Australia); Waite, T. David [UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Collins, Richard N., E-mail: richard.collins@unsw.edu.au [UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia)

2016-01-15

Periodic discharges of high concentrations of aluminium (Al) causing fish kills and other adverse effects occur worldwide in waterways affected by coastal lowland acid sulfate soils (CLASS). The exchangeability — a metal's ability to readily transfer between the soil solid- and solution-phases — of Al in these soils is therefore of particular importance as it has implications for metal transport, plant availability and toxicity to living organisms. In the present study, the concentrations of isotopically exchangeable Al (E values) were measured in 27 CLASS and compared with common salt extractions (i.e. KCl and CuCl{sub 2}) used to estimate exchangeable soil pools of Al. E values of Al were high in the soils, ranging from 357 to 3040 mg·kg{sup −1}. Exchangeable concentrations estimated using 1 M KCl were consistently lower than measured E values, although a reasonable correlation was obtained between the two values (E = 1.68 × Al{sub KCl}, r{sup 2} = 0.66, n = 25). The addition of a 0.2 M CuCl{sub 2} extraction step improved the 1:1 agreement between extractable and isotopically exchangeable Al concentrations, but lead to significant mobilisation of non-isotopically exchangeable Al in surficial ‘organic-rich’ CLASS having E values < 1000 mg·kg{sup −1}. It was concluded that currently used (i.e. 1 M KCl) methodology severely underestimates exchangeable Al and total actual acidity values in CLASS and should be corrected by a factor similar to the one determined here. - Highlights: • Isotopically exchangeable Al was compared to 1 M KCl or 0.2 M CuCl{sub 2} extractable Al. • 1 M KCl always underestimated isotopically exchangeable Al concentrations. • 0.2 M CuCl{sub 2} mobilised non-isotopically exchangeable Al • 1 M KCl values require correction of ~ 1.7 to reflect exchangeable Al concentrations.

Structural stability and electronic properties of AlCu3, AlCu2Zr in AlZr3: Stabilnost strukture in elektronske lastnosti AlCu3, AlCu2Zr in AlZr3:

OpenAIRE

Cheng, Rong; Wu, Xiao-Yu

2013-01-01

First-principles calculations were performed to study the alloying stability and electronic structure of the Al-based intermetallic compounds AlCusub3, AlCusub{2}Zr and AlZrsub3. The results show that the lattice parameters obtained after the full relaxation of the crystalline cells are consistent with the experimental data, and these intermetallics have a strong alloying ability and structural stability due to their negative formation energies and their cohesive energies. A further analysis ...

Comparison of three persulfate digestion methods for total phosphorus analysis and estimation of suspended sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dayton, Elizabeth Ann; Whitacre, Shane; Holloman, Christopher

2017-01-01

As a result of impairments to fresh surface water quality due to phosphorus enrichment, substantial research effort has been put forth to quantify agricultural runoff phosphorus as related to on-field practices. While the analysis of runoff dissolved phosphorus is well prescribed and leaves little room for variability in methodology, there are several methods and variations of sample preparation reagents as well as analysis procedures for determining runoff total phosphorus. Due to the variation in methodology for determination of total phosphorus and an additional laboratory procedure required to measure suspended solids, the objectives of the current study are to i. compare the performance of three persulfate digestion methods (Acid Persulfate, USGS, and Alkaline Persulfate) for total phosphorus percent recovery across a wide range of suspended sediments (SS), and ii. evaluate the ability of using Al and/or Fe in digestion solution to predict SS as a surrogate to the traditional gravimetric method. Percent recovery of total phosphorus was determined using suspensions prepared from soils collected from 21 agricultural fields in Ohio. The Acid Persulfate method was most effective, with an average total phosphorus percent recovery of 96.6%. The second most effective method was the USGS with an average total phosphorus recovery of 76.1%. However, the Alkaline Persulfate method performed poorly with an average 24.5% total phosphorus recovery. As a result application of Alkaline Persulfate digestion to edge of field monitoring may drastically underestimated runoff total phosphorus. In addition to excellent recovery of total phosphorus, the Acid Persulfate method combined with analysis of Al and Fe by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry provides a robust estimate of total SS. Due to the large quantity of samples that can result from water quality monitoring, an indirect measure of total SS could be very valuable when time and budget constraints limit

A spatial analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases in the United States and their proximity to multidisciplinary ALS clinics, 2013.

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Horton, D Kevin; Graham, Shannon; Punjani, Reshma; Wilt, Grete; Kaye, Wendy; Maginnis, Kimberly; Webb, Lauren; Richman, Judy; Bedlack, Richard; Tessaro, Edward; Mehta, Paul

2018-02-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disease that typically results in death within 2-5 years of initial symptom onset. Multidisciplinary ALS clinics (MDCs) have been established to provide specialty care to people living with the disease. To estimate the proximity of ALS prevalence cases to the nearest MDC in the US to help evaluate one aspect of access to care. Using 2013 prevalence data from the National ALS Registry, cases were geocoded by city using geographic information system (GIS) software, along with the locations of all MDCs in operation during 2013. Case-to-MDC proximity was calculated and analyzed by sex, race, and age group. During 2013, there were 72 MDCs in operation in 30 different states. A total of 15,633 ALS cases were geocoded and were distributed throughout all 50 states. Of these, 62.6% were male, 77.9% were white, and 76.2% were 50-79 years old. For overall case-to-MDC proximity, nearly half (44.9%) of all geocoded cases in the US lived >50 miles from an MDC, including approximately a quarter who lived >100 miles from an MDC. There was a statistically significant difference between distance to MDC by race and age group. The high percentage of those living more than 50 miles from the nearest specialized clinic underscores one of the many challenges of ALS. Having better access to care, whether at MDCs or through other modalities, is likely key to increasing survivability and obtaining appropriate end-of-life treatment and support for people with ALS.

Bilateral custom-fit total knee arthroplasty in a patient with poliomyelitis.

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Tardy, Nicolas; Chambat, Pierre; Murphy, Colin G; Fayard, Jean-Marie

2014-09-01

In limbs affected by poliomyelitis, total knee arthroplasty results in satisfactory pain relief. However, the risk of failure is high, especially if the preoperative quadriceps power is low. Therefore, treating osteoarthritis in the current patient represented a challenging procedure. A 66-year-old man presented with tricompartmental osteoarthritis of both knees, with valgus deformity of 14° on the left knee and 11° on the right knee. He walked with a bilateral knee recurvatum of 30° and a grade 1 quadriceps power. The authors treated both knees with cemented custom-fit hinged total knee arthroplasty with 30° of recurvatum in the tibial keel. Clinical scores showed good results 1 year postoperatively, especially on the subjective data of quality of life and function. At follow-up, radiographs showed good total knee arthroplasty positioning on the right side and a small mechanical loosening at the end of the tibial keel on the left side. Only 5 studies (Patterson and Insall; Moran; Giori and Lewallen; Jordan et al; and Tigani et al) have reported total knee arthroplasty results in patients with poliomyelitis. This study reports an original case of bilateral custom-fit hinged total knee arthroplasty in a patient with poliomyelitis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of this type of procedure in the literature. The key point is the degree of recurvatum that is needed to allow walking, avoiding excessive constraints on the implants that can lead to early mechanical failure. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Total flavonoids content in the raw material and aqueous extractives from Bauhinia monandra Kurz (Caesalpiniaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Ana Josane Dantas; Ferreira, Magda Rhayanny Assunção; Randau, Karina Perrelli; de Souza, Tatiane Pereira; Soares, Luiz Alberto Lira

2012-01-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate the spectrophotometric methodology for determining the total flavonoid content (TFC) in herbal drug and derived products from Bauhinia monandra Kurz. Several analytical parameters from this method grounded on the complex formed between flavonoids and AlCl₃ were evaluated such as herbal amount (0.25 to 1.25 g); solvent composition (ethanol 40 to 80%, v/v); as well as the reaction time and AlCl₃ concentration (2 to 9%, w/v). The method was adjusted to aqueous extractives and its performance studied through precision, linearity and preliminary robustness. The results showed an important dependence of the method response from reaction time, AlCl₃ concentration, sample amount, and solvent mixture. After choosing the optimized condition, the method was applied for the matrixes (herbal material and extractives), showing precision lower than 5% (for both parameters repeatability and intermediate precision), coefficient of determination higher than 0.99, and no important influence could be observed for slight variations from wavelength or AlCl₃ concentration. Thus, it could be concluded that the evaluated analytical procedure was suitable to quantify the total flavonoid content in raw material and aqueous extractives from leaves of B. monandra.

Interaction of chemokine receptor CXCR4 in monomeric and dimeric state with its endogenous ligand CXCL12: coarse-grained simulations identify differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutolo, Pasquale; Basdevant, Nathalie; Bernadat, Guillaume; Bachelerie, Françoise; Ha-Duong, Tâp

2017-02-01

Despite the recent resolutions of the crystal structure of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in complex with small antagonists or viral chemokine, a description at the molecular level of the interactions between the full-length CXCR4 and its endogenous ligand, the chemokine CXCL12, in relationship with the receptor recognition and activation, is not yet completely elucidated. Moreover, since CXCR4 is able to form dimers, the question of whether the CXCR4-CXCL12 complex has a 1:1 or 2:1 preferential stoichiometry is still an open question. We present here results of coarse-grained protein-protein docking and molecular dynamics simulations of CXCL12 in association with CXCR4 in monomeric and dimeric states. Our proposed models for the 1:1 and 2:1 CXCR4-CXCL12 quaternary structures are consistent with recognition and activation motifs of both partners provided by the available site-directed mutagenesis data. Notably, we observed that in the 2:1 complex, the chemokine N-terminus makes more steady contacts with the receptor residues critical for binding and activation than in the 1:1 structure, suggesting that the 2:1 stoichiometry would favor the receptor signaling activity with respect to the 1:1 association.

/Cu-Al System

Science.gov (United States)

Kish, Orel; Froumin, Natalya; Aizenshtein, Michael; Frage, Nachum

2014-05-01

Wettability and interfacial interaction of the Ta2O5/Cu-Al system were studied. Pure Cu does not wet the Ta2O5 substrate, and improved spreading is achieved when relatively a high fraction of the active element (~40 at.% Al) was added. The Al2O3 and AlTaO4 phases were observed at the Ta2O5/Cu-Al interface. A thermodynamic evaluation allowed us to suggest that the lack of wetting bellow 40 at.% Al is due to the presence of a native oxide, which covers the drop. The conditions of the native oxide decomposition and the formation of the volatile Al2O suboxide strongly depend on the vacuum level during sessile drop experiments and the composition of the Cu-Al alloy. In our case, Al contents greater than 40% provides thermodynamic conditions for the formation of Al2O (as a result of Al reaction with Al2O3) and the drop spreading. It was suggested that the final contact angle in the Ta2O5/Cu-Al system (50°) is determined by Ta adsorption on the newly formed alumina interlayer.

Metodologi Kitab Ma‘alim al-Tanzil Karya Al-Bagawiy

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M. Rusydi Khalid

2017-12-01

This study aims to describe the metodology of Ma'a> lim al-tanzi>l book by al-Bagawi. The book is one of the books of exegesis written on the basis of hadith, which by the commentary scholars recognized avoided from heresy and weak hadith. The author of this book is Imam Abu Humaid Hussein bin Mas‘u>d al-Farra>’ Al-Bagawi al-Syafi‘i>, died in the year 510 H. This exegesis book combines the interpretation of the companions, tabi‘i>n, and tabi‘i> tabi‘i>n. Interpretation is broken down with easy, simple, and concise diction choices. The stoning of the interpretation of the salaf scholars without mentioning the sanad as already mentioned in the introduction to his book. This book was first printed in one edition with the exegesis book of Ibn Kas}i>r and al-kha>zin. This book interprets the Qur'an analytically from the beginning to the end of the surah by using the method of interpretation based on the hadith, namely by mentioning the arguments of the hadith sahih, the fatwa of the companions and the tabi‘i>n. The characteristic or purpose of this book is fiqh oriented, which tends to the Shafi‘i fiqh.   Abstrak Tulisan ini mendeskripsikan metode penafsiran dalam kitab Ma’a>lim al-tanzi>l karya al-bagawi. Kitab tafsir ini merupakan salah satu di antara kitab-kitab tafsir yang ditulis berdasarkan riwayat, yang oleh para ulama tafsir diakui terhindar dari bid’ah dan hadis dhaif (lemah. Penulis buku ini adalah Imam Abu Muhammad Husain bin Mas‘u>d al-Farra>‘ al-Bagawi al-Syafi‘i>, wafat pada tahun 510 H. Kitab ini adalah kitab pertengahan yang mengutip penafsiran para Sahabat, ta>bi‘i>n, dan tabi‘i ta>bi‘i>n. Penafsiran diuraikan dengan pilihan diksi yang mudah, sederhana, dan ringkas. Penukilan dari interpretasi ulama salaf tanpa menyebutkan sanad karena telah disebutkan dalam pendahuluan bukunya. Buku ini pertama kali dicetak dalam satu edisi dengan tafsir Ibn Kas\\i>r dan tafsir al-Kha>zin. Kitab ini menafsirkan al-Qur’an secara

ALS Association

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... toward a world without ALS! Walk to Defeat ALS® Walk to Defeat ALS® draws people of all ... We need your help. I Will Advocate National ALS Registry The National ALS Registry is a congressionally ...

AlN nanoparticle-reinforced nanocrystalline Al matrix composites: Fabrication and mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Y.Q.; Cong, H.T.; Wang, W.; Sun, C.H.; Cheng, H.M.

2009-01-01

To improve the specific strength and stiffness of Al-based composites, AlN/Al nanoparticles were in-situ synthesized by arc plasma evaporation of Al in nitrogen atmosphere and consolidated by hot-pressing to fabricate AlN nanoparticle-reinforced nanocrystalline Al composites (0-39 vol.% AlN). Microstructure characterization shows that AlN nanoparticles homogeneously distribute in the matrix of Al nanocrystalline, which forms atomically bonded interfaces of AlN/Al. The hardness and the elastic modulus of the nanocomposite have been improved dramatically, up to 3.48 GPa and 142 GPa, respectively. Such improvement is believed to result from the grain refinement strengthening and the interface strengthening (load transfer) between the Al matrix and AlN nanoparticles

De una fimosis a la amputación total del pene From phymosis to total amputation of the penis

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Lourdes Santana Sarrhy

2007-09-01

Full Text Available El caso que presentamos es el de un paciente de 53 años que, al no tratarse adecuadamente una fimosis, presentó un carcinoma epidermoide de pene y fue necesario realizar una amputación total de este órgano. Es sabido que en la actualidad ese tipo de enfermedad es prevenible y que su aparición se debe a una higiene genital inadecuada relacionada con la presencia de fimosis o prepucio redundanteThe case of a 53 years-old patient, who did not look for adequate treatment for phymosis and developed epidermoid carcinoma of the penis leading to the total amputation of this organ, was presented in this paper. It is known that this type of disease is preventable at present and that it occurs due to phymosis or redundant foreskin-related poor genital hygiene

Lessons learned from IDeAl - 33 recommendations from the IDeAl-net about design and analysis of small population clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilgers, Ralf-Dieter; Bogdan, Malgorzata; Burman, Carl-Fredrik; Dette, Holger; Karlsson, Mats; König, Franz; Male, Christoph; Mentré, France; Molenberghs, Geert; Senn, Stephen

2018-05-11

IDeAl (Integrated designs and analysis of small population clinical trials) is an EU funded project developing new statistical design and analysis methodologies for clinical trials in small population groups. Here we provide an overview of IDeAl findings and give recommendations to applied researchers. The description of the findings is broken down by the nine scientific IDeAl work packages and summarizes results from the project's more than 60 publications to date in peer reviewed journals. In addition, we applied text mining to evaluate the publications and the IDeAl work packages' output in relation to the design and analysis terms derived from in the IRDiRC task force report on small population clinical trials. The results are summarized, describing the developments from an applied viewpoint. The main result presented here are 33 practical recommendations drawn from the work, giving researchers a comprehensive guidance to the improved methodology. In particular, the findings will help design and analyse efficient clinical trials in rare diseases with limited number of patients available. We developed a network representation relating the hot topics developed by the IRDiRC task force on small population clinical trials to IDeAl's work as well as relating important methodologies by IDeAl's definition necessary to consider in design and analysis of small-population clinical trials. These network representation establish a new perspective on design and analysis of small-population clinical trials. IDeAl has provided a huge number of options to refine the statistical methodology for small-population clinical trials from various perspectives. A total of 33 recommendations developed and related to the work packages help the researcher to design small population clinical trial. The route to improvements is displayed in IDeAl-network representing important statistical methodological skills necessary to design and analysis of small-population clinical trials. The methods

[Duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection and pancreatic head resection with segmental duodenostomy].

Science.gov (United States)

Takada, Tadahiro; Yasuda, Hideki; Nagashima, Ikuo; Amano, Hodaka; Yoshiada, Masahiro; Toyota, Naoyuki

2003-06-01

A duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) was first reported by Beger et al. in 1980. However, its application has been limited to chronic pancreatitis because of it is a subtotal pancreatic head resection. In 1990, we reported duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection (DPTPHR) in 26 cases. This opened the way for total pancreatic head resection, expanding the application of this approach to tumorigenic morbidities such as intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IMPT), other benign tumors, and small pancreatic cancers. On the other hand, Nakao et al. reported pancreatic head resection with segmental duodenectomy (PHRSD) as an alternative pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy technique in 24 cases. Hirata et al. also reported this technique as a new pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenostomy with increased vessel preservation. When performing DPTPHR, the surgeon should ensure adequate duodenal blood supply. Avoidance of duodenal ischemia is very important in this operation, and thus it is necessary to maintain blood flow in the posterior pancreatoduodenal artery and to preserve the mesoduodenal vessels. Postoperative pancreatic functional tests reveal that DPTPHR is superior to PPPD, including PHSRD, because the entire duodenum and duodenal integrity is very important for postoperative pancreatic function.

Aluminium uptake and translocation in Al hyperaccumulator Rumex obtusifolius is affected by low-molecular-weight organic acids content and soil pH.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanislava Vondráčková

Full Text Available High Al resistance of Rumex obtusifolius together with its ability to accumulate Al has never been studied in weakly acidic conditions (pH > 5.8 and is not sufficiently described in real soil conditions. The potential elucidation of the role of organic acids in plant can explain the Al tolerance mechanism.We established a pot experiment with R. obtusifolius planted in slightly acidic and alkaline soils. For the manipulation of Al availability, both soils were untreated and treated by lime and superphosphate. We determined mobile Al concentrations in soils and concentrations of Al and organic acids in organs.Al availability correlated positively to the extraction of organic acids (citric acid < oxalic acid in soils. Monovalent Al cations were the most abundant mobile Al forms with positive charge in soils. Liming and superphosphate application were ambiguous measures for changing Al mobility in soils. Elevated transport of total Al from belowground organs into leaves was recorded in both lime-treated soils and in superphosphate-treated alkaline soil as a result of sufficient amount of Ca available from soil solution as well as from superphosphate that can probably modify distribution of total Al in R. obtusifolius as a representative of "oxalate plants." The highest concentrations of Al and organic acids were recorded in the leaves, followed by the stem and belowground organ infusions.In alkaline soil, R. obtusifolius is an Al-hyperaccumulator with the highest concentrations of oxalate in leaves, of malate in stems, and of citrate in belowground organs. These organic acids form strong complexes with Al that can play a key role in internal Al tolerance but the used methods did not allow us to distinguish the proportion of total Al-organic complexes to the free organic acids.

Retinopathy and risk factors in diabetic patients from Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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Al-Sisi A

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Mohamed F El-Bab1, Nashaat Shawky2, Ali Al-Sisi3, Mohamed Akhtar31Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia; 2Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Faculty of Medicine, El-Mansoura University, El-Mansoura, Egypt; 3Department of Ophthalmology, Ohud Hospital, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaBackground: Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by chronic and dangerous microvascular changes affecting most body systems, especially the eye, leading to diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy without appropriate management is emerging as one of the leading causes of blindness. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, reduce the risk of blindness, and identify relevant risk factors.Methods: This descriptive study was designed to estimate the prevalence of retinopathy and its staging in diabetic patients attending the diabetes clinic at King Fahd Hospital in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from 2008 to 2010. Patients completed a questionnaire, underwent a full medical assessment carried out by the treating clinicians, and were examined for evidence of diabetic retinopathy using standard ophthalmic outpatient instruments.Results: In total, 690 randomly selected diabetic patients of mean age 46.10 ± 11.85 (range 16–88 years were included, comprising 395 men (57.2% of mean age 46.50 ± 11.31 years and 295 women (42.8% of mean age 45.55 ± 12.53 years. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 11.91 ± 7.92 years in the women and 14.42 ± 8.20 years in the men, and the mean total duration of known diabetes mellitus was 13.35 ± 8.17 years. Glycated hemoglobin was higher in men (8.53% ± 1.81% than in women (7.73% ± 1.84%, and this difference was statistically significant (P ≤ 0.0001. Of the 690 diabetic patients, 249 (36.1% had retinopathy. Mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy was present in 13.6% of patients

Al-matrix composite materials reinforced by Al-Cu-Fe particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonneville, J; Laplanche, G; Joulain, A; Gauthier-Brunet, V; Dubois, S

2010-01-01

Al-matrix material composites were produced using hot isostatic pressing technique, starting with pure Al and icosahedral (i) Al-Cu-Fe powders. Depending on the processing temperature, the final reinforcement particles are either still of the initial i-phase or transformed into the tetragonal ω-Al0 0.70 Cu 0.20 Fe 0.10 crystalline phase. Compression tests performed in the temperature range 293K - 823K on the two types of composite, i.e. Al/i and Al/ω, indicate that the flow stress of both composites is strongly temperature dependent and exhibit distinct regimes with increasing temperature. Differences exist between the two composites, in particular in yield stress values. In the low temperature regime (T ≤ 570K), the yield stress of the Al/ω composite is nearly 75% higher than that of the Al/i composite, while for T > 570K both composites exhibit similar yield stress values. The results are interpreted in terms of load transfer contribution between the matrix and the reinforcement particles and elementary dislocation mechanisms in the Al matrix.

Low cycle fatigue behavior of die cast Mg-Al-Mn-Ce magnesium alloy

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Wu Wei

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Fatigue failure is a main failure mode for magnesium and other alloys. It is beneficial for fatigue design and fatigue life improvement to investigate the low cycle fatigue behavior of magnesium alloys. In order to investigate the low cycle fatigue behavior of die cast Mg-Al-Mn-Ce magnesium alloy, the strain controlled fatigue experiments were performed at room temperature and fatigue fracture surfaces of specimens were observed with scanning election microscopy for the alloys under die-cast and aged states. Cyclic stress response curves, strain amplitude versus reversals to failure curve, total strain amplitude versus fatigue life curves and cyclic stress-strain curves of Mg-Al-Mn-Ce alloys were analyzed. The results show that the Mg-Al-Mn-Ce alloys under die-cast (F and aged (T5 states exhibit cyclic strain hardening under the applied total strain amplitudes, and aging treatment could greatly increase the cyclic stress amplitudes of die cast Mg-Al-Mn-Ce alloys. The relationships between the plastic strain amplitude, the elastic strain amplitude and reversals to failure of Mg-Al-Mn-Ce magnesium alloy under different treatment states could be described by Coffin-Manson and Basquin equations, respectively. Observations on the fatigue fracture surface of specimens reveal that the fatigue cracks initiate on the surface of specimens and propagate transgranularly.

Low IDL-B and high LDL-1 subfraction levels in serum of ALS patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Delaye, J B; Patin, F; Piver, E; Bruno, C; Vasse, M; Vourc'h, P; Andres, C R; Corcia, P; Blasco, H

2017-09-15

Converging evidence highlights that lipid metabolism plays a key role in ALS pathophysiology. Dyslipidemia has been described in ALS patients and may be protective but peripheral lipoprotein subclasses have never been studied. We collected sera from 30 ALS patients and 30 gender and age-matched controls. We analyzed 11 distinct lipoprotein subclasses by linear polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Lipoprint, Quantimetrix Corporation, USA). We also measured lipoprotein (a), apolipoprotein B, and apolipoprotein E levels. ALS patients had significant higher total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels than controls (pALS patients than controls. Our preliminary work confirmed the association between ALS and dyslipidemia. The low IDL-B levels may explain the hepatic steatosis frequently reported in ALS. The high levels of the cholesterol-rich LDL-1 subfraction is consistent with previously reported hypercholesterolemia. This study describes, for the first time, the distribution of serum lipoproteins in ALS patients, with low IDL-B and high LDL-1 subfraction level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Episode of Care Payments in Total Joint Arthroplasty and Cost Minimization Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Nwachukwu, Benedict U; O'Donnell, Evan; McLawhorn, Alexander S; Cross, Michael B

2016-02-01

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is receiving significant attention in the US health care system for cost containment strategies. Specifically, payer organizations have embraced and are implementing bundled payment schemes in TJA. Consequently, hospitals and providers involved in the TJA care cycle have sought to adapt to the new financial pressures imposed by episode of care payment models by analyzing what components of the total "event" of a TJA are most essential to achieve a good outcome after TJA. As part of this review, we analyze and discuss a health economic study by Snow et al. As part of their study, the authors aimed to understand the association between preoperative physical therapy (PT) and post-acute care resource utilization, and its effect on the total cost of care during total joint arthroplasty. The purpose of this current review therefore is to (1) describe and analyze the findings presented by Snow et al. and (2) provide a framework for analyzing and critiquing economic analyses in orthopedic surgery. The study under review, while having important strengths, has several notable limitations that are important to keep in mind when making policy and coverage decisions. We support cautious interpretation and application of study results, and we encourage maintained attention to economic analysis in orthopedics as well as continued care path redesign to maximize value for patients and health care providers.

Piezo-tunnel effect in Al/Al2O3/Al junctions elaborated by atomic layer deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Rafael, R.; Puyoo, E.; Malhaire, C.

2017-11-01

In this work, the electrical transport in Al/Al2O3/Al junctions under mechanical stress is investigated in the perspective to use them as strain sensors. The metal/insulator/metal junctions are elaborated with a low temperature process (≤200 °C) fully compatible with CMOS back-end-of-line. The conduction mechanism in the structure is found to be Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, and efforts are made to extract the relevant physical parameters. Gauge factors up to -32.5 were found in the fabricated devices under tensile stress. Finally, theoretical mechanical considerations give strong evidence that strain sensitivity in Al/Al2O3/Al structures originates not only from geometrical deformations but also from the variation of interface barrier height and/or effective electronic mass in the tunneling oxide layer.

Generation and evolution of nanoscale AlP and Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4} particles in Al-Fe-P system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiao, Huan; Gao, Tong; Zhu, Xiangzhen; Wu, Yuying; Qian, Zhao; Liu, Xiangfa, E-mail: xfliu@sdu.edu.cn

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Diffusion and gradual solid reactions between Al and Fe{sub x}P phases in Al-Fe-P alloy were investigated. • Nanoscale AlP clusters are in-situ generated and evolve during the whole process. • This novel Al-Fe-P alloy has an excellent low-temperature refining performance on hypereutectic Al-Si alloy. - Abstract: In this paper, the gradual solid reactions between Al and Fe{sub x}P phases in Al-Fe-P alloy were investigated. The results show that the whole reaction process undergoes four main stages: the diffusion of Al atom, the generation of (Al, Fe, P) intermediate compound, the precipitation of nano AlP and Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4} clusters and their growth to submicron particles. The microstructure of Fe-P particles evolves from the “egg-type”, the “sponge-type” to the “sesame-cake” structure. AlP and Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4} nano phases have in-situ generated and evolved during the whole process. The gradual reaction mechanism has been discussed. Furthermore, a novel Al-Fe-P alloy which contains (Al, Fe, P) intermediate compounds and nano AlP particles has been synthesized and its low-temperature refining performance on A390 alloy has also been investigated.

Japanese version of the ALS-FTD-Questionnaire (ALS-FTD-Q-J).

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Yasuhiro; Beeldman, Emma; Raaphorst, Joost; Izumi, Yuishin; Yoshino, Hiide; Masuda, Michihito; Atsuta, Naoki; Ito, Satoru; Adachi, Tadashi; Adachi, Yoshiki; Yokota, Osamu; Oda, Masaya; Hanashima, Ritsuko; Ogino, Mieko; Ichikawa, Hiroo; Hasegawa, Kazuko; Kimura, Hideki; Shimizu, Toshio; Aiba, Ikuko; Yabe, Hayato; Kanba, Makoto; Kusumi, Kimiyoshi; Aoki, Tetsuya; Hiroe, Yu; Watanabe, Hirohisa; Nishiyama, Kazutoshi; Nomoto, Masahiro; Sobue, Gen; Nakashima, Kenji

2016-08-15

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) share common clinical, genetic and neuropathological features. Some ALS patients have behavioral/personality changes, which could result in significant obstacles in the care provided by family members and caregivers. An easy screening tool would contribute greatly to the evaluation of these symptoms. We translated the ALS-FTD-Questionnaire, developed in the Netherlands, into Japanese (ALS-FTD-Q-J) and examined the clinimetric properties (internal consistency, construct and clinical validity). Patients with ALS and/or behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) were evaluated alongside healthy controls in this multicenter study. All ALS patients, regardless of bvFTD status, were further evaluated by the frontal behavioral inventory (FBI) and for frontal/executive function, cognition, anxiety/depression, and motor functions. Data from 146 subjects were analyzed: ALS (92), ALS-bvFTD (6), bvFTD (16), and healthy controls (32). The internal consistency of the ALS-FTD-Q-J was good (Cronbach α=0.92). The ALS-FTD-Q-J showed construct validity as it exhibited a high correlation with the FBI (r=0.79). However, correlations were moderate with anxiety/depression and low with cognitive scales, in contrast to the original report, i.e. a moderate correlation with cognition and a low correlation with anxiety/depression. The ALS-FTD-Q-J discriminated ALS patients from (ALS-)bvFTD patients and controls. Thus, the ALS-FTD-Q-J is useful for evaluating Japanese ALS/FTD patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiation detection with Nb/Al-AlOx/Al/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumura, Atsuki; Takahashi, Toru; Kurakado, Masahiko

1992-01-01

Superconductor radiation detectors have the possibility of 20-30 times better energy resolution than that of a high resolution Si detector. We fabricated Nb/Al-AlOx/Al/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions with low leakage current. X rays were detected with large area junctions of 178x178 μm 2 . High energy resolution of 160 eV for 5.9 keV was obtained. We also fabricated series connected junctions which covers a rather large area of 4x4 mm 2 . α particles injected into the rear substrate were detected using nonthermal phonons induced by the radiations in the substrate. (author)

ALS-Plus Syndrome: Non-Pyramidal Features in a Large ALS Cohort

Science.gov (United States)

McCluskey, Leo; Vandriel, Shannon; Elman, Lauren; Van Deerlin, Vivianna M.; Powers, John; Boller, Ashley; Wood, Elisabeth McCarty; Woo, John; McMillan, Corey T.; Rascovsky, Katya; Grossman, Murray

2014-01-01

Objective Autopsy studies show widespread pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but clinical surveys of multisystem disease in ALS are rare. We investigated ALS-Plus syndrome, an understudied group of patients with clinical features extending beyond pyramidal and neuromuscular systems with or without cognitive/behavioral deficits. Methods In a large, consecutively-ascertained cohort of 550 patients with ALS, we documented atypical clinical manifestations. Genetic screening for C9orf72 hexanucleotide expansions was performed in 343 patients, and SOD1, TARDBP, and VCP were tested in the subgroup of patients with a family history of ALS. Gray matter and white matter imaging was available in a subgroup of 30 patients. Results Seventy-five (13.6%) patients were identified with ALS-Plus syndrome. We found disorders of ocular motility, cerebellar, extrapyramidal and autonomic functioning. Relative to those without ALS-Plus, cognitive impairment (8.0% vs 2.9%, p=0.029), bulbar-onset (49.3% vs 23.2%, pALS-Plus. Survival was significantly shorter in ALS-Plus (29.66 months vs 42.50 months, p=0.02), regardless of bulbar-onset or mutation status. Imaging revealed significantly greater cerebellar and cerebral disease in ALS-Plus compared to those without ALS-Plus. Conclusions ALS-Plus syndrome is not uncommon, and the presence of these atypical features is consistent with neuropathological observations that ALS is a multisystem disorder. ALS-Plus syndrome is associated with increased risk for poor survival and the presence of a pathogenic mutation. PMID:25086858

Measurements and modeling of total solar irradiance in X-class solar flares

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, Christopher Samuel; Chamberlin, Phillip Clyde; Hock, Rachel

2014-01-01

The Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) from NASA's SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment can detect changes in the total solar irradiance (TSI) to a precision of 2 ppm, allowing observations of variations due to the largest X-class solar flares for the first time. Presented here is a robust algorithm for determining the radiative output in the TIM TSI measurements, in both the impulsive and gradual phases, for the four solar flares presented in Woods et al., as well as an additional flare measured on 2006 December 6. The radiative outputs for both phases of these five flares are then compared to the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiance output from the Flare Irradiance Spectral Model (FISM) in order to derive an empirical relationship between the FISM VUV model and the TIM TSI data output to estimate the TSI radiative output for eight other X-class flares. This model provides the basis for the bolometric energy estimates for the solar flares analyzed in the Emslie et al. study.

Measuring reliable change in cognition using the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS).

Science.gov (United States)

Crockford, Christopher; Newton, Judith; Lonergan, Katie; Madden, Caoifa; Mays, Iain; O'Sullivan, Meabhdh; Costello, Emmet; Pinto-Grau, Marta; Vajda, Alice; Heverin, Mark; Pender, Niall; Al-Chalabi, Ammar; Hardiman, Orla; Abrahams, Sharon

2018-02-01

Cognitive impairment affects approximately 50% of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Research has indicated that impairment may worsen with disease progression. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) was designed to measure neuropsychological functioning in ALS, with its alternate forms (ECAS-A, B, and C) allowing for serial assessment over time. The aim of the present study was to establish reliable change scores for the alternate forms of the ECAS, and to explore practice effects and test-retest reliability of the ECAS's alternate forms. Eighty healthy participants were recruited, with 57 completing two and 51 completing three assessments. Participants were administered alternate versions of the ECAS serially (A-B-C) at four-month intervals. Intra-class correlation analysis was employed to explore test-retest reliability, while analysis of variance was used to examine the presence of practice effects. Reliable change indices (RCI) and regression-based methods were utilized to establish change scores for the ECAS alternate forms. Test-retest reliability was excellent for ALS Specific, ALS Non-Specific, and ECAS Total scores of the combined ECAS A, B, and C (all > .90). No significant practice effects were observed over the three testing sessions. RCI and regression-based methods produced similar change scores. The alternate forms of the ECAS possess excellent test-retest reliability in a healthy control sample, with no significant practice effects. The use of conservative RCI scores is recommended. Therefore, a change of ≥8, ≥4, and ≥9 for ALS Specific, ALS Non-Specific, and ECAS Total score is required for reliable change.

Tailoring ultrafine grained and dispersion-strengthened Ti 2 AlC/TiAl ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In situ Ti 2 AlC/TiAl composite was fabricated by hot-pressing method via the reaction system of Ti 3 AlC 2 and Ti-Al pre-alloyed powders at low temperature of 1150 ∘ C. The composite mainly consisted of TiAl, Ti 3 Al and Ti 2 AlC phases. Fine Ti 2 AlC particles were homogeneously distributed and dispersed in the matrix.

Electronic structure and phase stability during martensitic transformation in Al-doped ZrCu intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Feng; Shen Ping; Liu Tao; Lin Qiaoli; Jiang Qichuan

2010-01-01

Martensitic transformation, phase stability and electronic structure of Al-doped ZrCu intermetallics were investigated by experiments and first-principles calculations using the pseudopotentials plane wave method. The formation energy calculations indicate that the stability of the ZrCu phase increases with the increasing Al content. Al plays a decisive role in controlling the formation and microstructures of the martensite phases in Zr-Cu-Al alloys. The total energy difference between ZrCu (B2) austenite and ZrCu martensite plays an important role in the martensitic transformation. The phase stability is dependent on its electronic structure. The densities of states (DOS) of the intermetallics were discussed in detail.

Magnetostriction of the polycrystalline Fe80Al20 alloy doped with boron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bormio-Nunes, Cristina; Teodoro dos Santos, Claudio; Botani de Souza Dias, Mateus; Doerr, Mathias; Granovsky, Sergey; Loewenhaupt, Michael

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Fe 80 Al 20 polycrystalline alloy magnetostriction 40 ppm increased to 80 ppm due to 2% of B doping. ► B stabilizes α-FeAl phase and a coexistence of α-FeAl + Fe 3 Al improves magnetostriction. ► Presence of Fe 2 B phase causes domain rearrangement revealed by the decrease of the volume magnetostriction. - Abstract: The doping of Fe 80 Al 20 polycrystalline alloy with 2% of boron increased the total magnetostriction twofold compared to a sample without boron. A value close to 80 ppm was achieved at 300 K. The microstructures of the boron-doped alloys show a dendritically solidified matrix with interdendritic α-FeAl and/or Fe 3 Al and Fe 2 B eutectic between the grains. The XRD analysis reveals an increase in the volume fraction of α-FeAl and a correspondent decrease of the Fe 3 Al phase volume fraction as the boron content increases. The increase of the volume fraction of this tetragonal Fe 2 B phase in the samples doped with boron causes the decrease of the strong volume magnetostriction that was observed in the alloy without boron. There is some evidence that the improvement of the magnetostriction magnitude due to the addition of boron to the Fe 80 Al 20 alloy could reach the maximal magnetostriction if the 1:1 optimal ratio of the volume fractions of the α-FeAl and Fe 3 Al phases could be reached.

Distribution of free and total aluminium in some cocoa-growing soils ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Western Region of Ghana is currently carrying the bulk of Ghana's cocoa, and so it is important to investigate the amounts and distribution of total and free Al oxides in some cocoa-growing soils from the region. Six soil series belonging to one major compound association of soils occurring in a toposequence, the ...

Ab initio study of M2AlN (M = Ti,V,Cr)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Zhimei; Music, Denis; Ahuja, Rajeev; Schneider, Jochen M

2005-01-01

We have studied M 2 AlN phases, where M = Ti, V, and Cr, by means of ab initio total energy calculations. The bulk modulus of M 2 AlN increases as Ti is replaced with V and Cr by 19.0% and 26.5%, respectively, which can be understood on the basis of the increased number of valence electrons filling the p-d hybridized bonding states. The bulk modulus of M 2 AlN is generally higher than that of the corresponding M 2 AlC phase, which may be explained by an extra electron in the former phases contributing to stronger chemical bonding. This work is important for fundamental understanding of elastic properties of these ternary nitrides and may inspire future experimental research. (letter to the editor)

Assessing behavioural changes in ALS: cross-validation of ALS-specific measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto-Grau, Marta; Costello, Emmet; O'Connor, Sarah; Elamin, Marwa; Burke, Tom; Heverin, Mark; Pender, Niall; Hardiman, Orla

2017-07-01

The Beaumont Behavioural Inventory (BBI) is a behavioural proxy report for the assessment of behavioural changes in ALS. This tool has been validated against the FrSBe, a non-ALS-specific behavioural assessment, and further comparison of the BBI against a disease-specific tool was considered. This study cross-validates the BBI against the ALS-FTD-Q. Sixty ALS patients, 8% also meeting criteria for FTD, were recruited. All patients were evaluated using the BBI and the ALS-FTD-Q, completed by a carer. Correlational analysis was performed to assess construct validity. Precision, sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of the BBI when compared to the ALS-FTD-Q, were obtained. The mean score of the whole sample on the BBI was 11.45 ± 13.06. ALS-FTD patients scored significantly higher than non-demented ALS patients (31.6 ± 14.64, 9.62 ± 11.38; p ALS-FTD-Q was observed (r = 0.807, p ALS-FTD-Q. Good construct validity has been further confirmed when the BBI is compared to an ALS-specific tool. Furthermore, the BBI is a more comprehensive behavioural assessment for ALS, as it measures the whole behavioural spectrum in this condition.

Effect of deformation on structure and reaction of Al isotopes using relativistic mean field densities in Glauber model

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, R. N.; Sharma, Mahesh K.; Panigrahi, M.; Patra, S. K.

2018-06-01

We have examined the ground state properties of Al isotopes towards the proton rich side from A = 22 to 28 using the well known relativistic mean field (RMF) formalism with NLSH parameter set. The calculated results are compared with the predictions of finite range droplet model and experimental data. The calculation is extended to estimate the reaction cross section for ^{22-28}Al as projectiles with ^{12}C as target. The incident energy of the projectiles are taken as 950 MeV/nucleon, for both spherical and deformed RMF densities as inputs in the Glauber model approximation. Further investigation of enhanced values of total reaction cross section for ^{23}Al and ^{24}Al in comparison to rest of the isotopes indicates the proton skin structure of these isotopes. Specifically, the large value of root mean square radius and total reaction cross section of ^{23}Al could not be ruled out the formation of proton halo.

Total Flavonoids Content in the Raw Material and Aqueous Extractives from Bauhinia monandra Kurz (Caesalpiniaceae

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Ana Josane Dantas Fernandes

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to evaluate the spectrophotometric methodology for determining the total flavonoid content (TFC in herbal drug and derived products from Bauhinia monandra Kurz. Several analytical parameters from this method grounded on the complex formed between flavonoids and AlCl3 were evaluated such as herbal amount (0.25 to 1.25 g; solvent composition (ethanol 40 to 80%, v/v; as well as the reaction time and AlCl3 concentration (2 to 9%, w/v. The method was adjusted to aqueous extractives and its performance studied through precision, linearity and preliminary robustness. The results showed an important dependence of the method response from reaction time, AlCl3 concentration, sample amount, and solvent mixture. After choosing the optimized condition, the method was applied for the matrixes (herbal material and extractives, showing precision lower than 5% (for both parameters repeatability and intermediate precision, coefficient of determination higher than 0.99, and no important influence could be observed for slight variations from wavelength or AlCl3 concentration. Thus, it could be concluded that the evaluated analytical procedure was suitable to quantify the total flavonoid content in raw material and aqueous extractives from leaves of B. monandra.

Plastic deformation of Al13Fe4 particles in Al-Al13Fe4 by high-speed compression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoneyama, N.; Mizoguchi, K.; Kumai, S.; Sato, A.; Kiritani, M.

2003-01-01

Spray-formed Al-Fe alloys having undergone high-speed deformation were examined under a high-voltage electron microscope. Two types of specimens were examined; one containing fine Al 13 Fe 4 particles, and the other containing large particles. In the former specimen, deformation is found to proceed in three patterns, depending on specimen thickness and strain rate: (1) without deformation of the Al 13 Fe 4 ; (2) breaking of the Al 13 Fe 4 ; or (3) melting of the Al 13 Fe 4 . Local melting is found to alter some of the Al 13 Fe 4 particles, to impart five-fold symmetry in diffraction or an amorphous structure. In the latter specimen, introduction of glide dislocations enabled us to determine a shear system in the mc102 monoclinic c2/m crystal of Al 13 Fe 4 . On the bases of these observations, the mechanism of high-speed deformation is discussed while taking into account the highly stressed and/or heated states of Al 13 Fe 4 embedded in Al matrix

Hydrogen permeation in FeCrAl alloys for LWR cladding application

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xunxiang; Terrani, Kurt A.; Wirth, Brian D.; Snead, Lance L.

2015-06-01

FeCrAl, an advanced oxidation-resistant iron-based alloy class, is a highly prevalent candidate as an accident-tolerant fuel cladding material. Compared with traditional zirconium alloy fuel cladding, increased tritium permeation through FeCrAl fuel cladding to the primary coolant is expected, raising potential safety concerns. In this study, the hydrogen permeability of several FeCrAl alloys was obtained using a static permeation test station, which was calibrated and validated using 304 stainless steel. The high hydrogen permeability of FeCrAl alloys leads to concerns with respect to potentially significant tritium release when used for fuel cladding in LWRs. The total tritium inventory inside the primary coolant of a light water reactor was quantified by applying a 1-dimensional steady state tritium diffusion model to demonstrate the dependence of tritium inventory on fuel cladding type. Furthermore, potential mitigation strategies for tritium release from FeCrAl fuel cladding were discussed and indicate the potential for application of an alumina layer on the inner clad surface to serve as a tritium barrier. More effort is required to develop a robust, economical mitigation strategy for tritium permeation in reactors using FeCrAl clad fuel assemblies.

Synthesis and characterization of pillared bentonite with Al, AL/Fe and impregnated with Pd; Sintese e caracterizacao de bentonitas pilarizadas com Al, AL/Fe e impregnadas com Pd

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Marcus Vinicius Costa; Pizarro, Alejandro Herrero; Molina, Carmen Belen, E-mail: marcus.ufpa@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal do Para (UFPA), Belem, PA (Brazil). Instituto de Tecnologia. Faculdade de Engenharia Quimica; Seccion de Ingenieria Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madri (Spain)

2017-10-01

In this work, a north american bentonite was pillared with Al and Al/Fe, creating the Al-PILC and Al-Fe-PILC, respectively. Then the Pd was impregnated in the materials, generating Pd-Al-PILC and Pd-Al-Fe-PILC, respectively. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric and N{sub 2} adsorption at 77 K to determine the specific surface area by BET method (Brunauer - Emmett - Teller). There was an increase in the basal spacing of bentonite from 12.4Å in the original sample to 17.81Å in the Al-Fe-PILC, 17.20Å in Pd-Al-PILC and 17.05Å in the Pd-Al-Fe-PILC. The specific surface area increased from 19.05m{sup 2}/g in the original sample to 173.49m{sup 2}/g in Al-Fe-PILC, 101.31m{sup 2}/g to Pd-Al-PILC and 92m{sup 2}/g in Pd-Al-Fe-PILC. The pillaring process was successful and the synthesized materials have great potential for use as catalysts. (author)

Structural and magnetic characterization of maghemites prepared from Al-substituted magnetites

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Marcelo Augusto Batista

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Synthetic aluminum-substituted maghemites were characterized by total chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD, Mössbauer spectroscopy (ME, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM. The aim was to determine the structural, magnetic, and hyperfine properties of γ-Fe2-xAl xO3 as the Al concentration is varied. The XRD results of the synthetic products were indexed exclusively as maghemite. Increasing Al for Fe substitution decreased the mean crystalline dimension and shifted all diffraction peaks to higher º2θ angles. The a0 dimension of the cubic unit cell decreased with increasing Al according to the equation a o = 0.8385 - 3.63 x 10-5 Al (R²= 0.94. Most Mössbauer spectra were composed of one sextet, but at the highest substitution rate of 142.5 mmol mol-1 Al, both a doublet and sextet were obtained at 300 K. All hyperfine parameters from the sub-spectra were consistent with high-spin Fe3+ (0.2 a 0.7 mms-1 and suggested a strong superparamagnetic component associated with the doublet. The magnetic hyperfine field of the sextets decreased with the amount of Al-substitution [Bhf (T = 49.751 - 0.1202Al; R² = 0.94] while the linewidth increased linearly. The saturation magnetization also decreased with increasing isomorphous substitution.

Crystal structure and elasticity of Al-bearing phase H under high pressure

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Guiping Liu

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Al has significant effect on properties of minerals. We reported crystal structure and elasticity of phase H, an important potential water reservoir in the mantle, which contains different Al using first principles simulations for understanding the effect of Al on the phase H. The crystal and elastic properties of Al end-member phase H (Al2O4H2 are very different from Mg end-member (MgSiO4H2 phase H and two aluminous phase H (Mg0.875Si0.875Al0.25O4H2 (12.5at%Al and Mg0.75Si0.75Al0.5O4H2 (25at% Al. However differences between Mg end-member phase H and aluminous phase H are slight except for the O-H bond length and octahedron volume. Al located at different crystal positions (original Mg or Si position of aluminous phase H has different AlO6 octahedral volumes. For three Al-bearing phase H, bulk modulus (K, shear modulus (G, compressional wave velocity (Vp and shear wave velocity (Vs increase with increasing Al content. Under high pressure, density of phase H increases with increasing Al content. The Al content affects the symmetry of the phase H and then affects the density and elastic constants of phase H. The total ground energy of phase H also increases with increasing Al content. So an energy barrier for the formation of solid solution of phase H with δ-phase AlOOH is expected. However, if the phase H with δ-phase AlOOH solid solution does exit in the mantle, it may become an important component of the mantle or leads to a low velocity layer at the mantle.

Electrodeposition of Al from a 1-butylpyrrolidine-AlCl3 ionic liquid

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Giridhar Pulletikurthi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The addition of 1-butylpyrrolidine to AlCl3 results in the formation of an electrolyte that is suited to Al deposition. The feasibility of electrodepositing Al from the synthesized electrolyte was investigated. Several compositions of AlCl3 and 1-butylpyrrolidine were prepared for this purpose. These mixtures show a different phase behavior at various compositions of AlCl3 and 1-butylpyrrolidine. IR, Raman and NMR spectroscopy were employed to characterize the synthesized liquids. Among the prepared compositions, 1:1.2 mol ratio of 1-butylpyrrolidine:AlCl3 and the upper phase of 1:1.3 mol ratio of 1-butylpyrrolidine:AlCl3 were found to be suitable for Al electrodeposition at room temperature (RT. Uniform and thick (~µm thick layers of Al were obtained on copper at RT. Al deposition occured from the cationic species of AlCl3−xLy+ (where x≤2, y=1–2, and L=1-butylpyrrolidine in this electrolyte. This behavior is contrary to the well investigated classic AlCl3 based ionic liquids, where the deposition of Al occurs mainly from anionic Al2Cl7− ions.

Orientation of Al3Ti platelets in Al-Al3Ti functionally graded material manufactured by centrifugal method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Y.; Fukui, Y.

1997-01-01

Al-Al 3 Ti functionally graded materials (FGMs) were manufactured by the centrifugal method with a commercial ingot of Al-5 mass% Ti master alloy. The alloy was melted at a liquid/solid coexisting temperature, at which Al 3 Ti remains as a solid, and then it was cast into a thick-walled ring. It was found that the Al-Al 3 Ti functionally graded material can be successfully fabricated by the centrifugal method. It was also found that the volume fraction of the Al 3 Ti can be increased by repetition of the centrifugal method. Since the shape of Al 3 Ti particles in a commercial alloy ingot is that of a platelet, the Al 3 Ti particles are arranged with their platelet planes nearly perpendicular to the radial direction. The orientation effects become stronger when the G number becomes larger. Although the final centrifugal casting was conducted under a very large centrifugal force for the specimen cast three times, the orientation effects were weaker than those in the specimen cast one time. From these observations, it is concluded that the origin of orientation of Al 3 Ti platelets can be attributed to the angular velocity gradient of the melt along the radial direction produced by the difference in the viscosity. (orig.)

In situ synthesis of Ti{sub 2}AlC–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiAl composite by vacuum sintering mechanically alloyed TiAl powder coated with CNTs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jian [Department of Materials Science and Engineering of Tianjin University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China); Zhao, Naiqin, E-mail: nqzhao@tju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety, Tianjin (China); Department of Materials Science and Engineering of Tianjin University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China); Nash, Philip [Thermal Processing Technology Center, Illinois Institute of Technology, IL (United States); Liu, Enzuo; He, Chunnian; Shi, Chunsheng; Li, Jiajun [Department of Materials Science and Engineering of Tianjin University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China)

2013-11-25

Highlights: •Using zwitterionic surfactant to enhance the dispersion of the CNTs on the powder surface. •CNTs as carbon source decreased the formation temperature of Ti{sub 2}AlC. •Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was generated in situ from the oxygen atoms introduced in the drying procedure. •Nanosized Ti{sub 3}Al was precipitated at 1250 °C and distribute in the TiAl matrix homogeneously. •Ti{sub 2}AlC–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiAl composite was synthesized in situ by sintering pre-alloy Ti–Al coated with CNTs. -- Abstract: Bulk Ti{sub 2}AlC–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiAl composites were in situ synthesized by vacuum sintering mechanically alloyed Ti–50 at.% Al powders coated with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The pre-alloyed Ti–50 at.% Al powder was obtained by ball milling Ti and Al powders. The multi-walled carbon nanotubes as the carbon resource were covered on the surface of the pre-alloyed powders by immersing them into a water solution containing the CNTs. A zwitterionic surfactant was used to enhance the dispersion of the CNTs on the powder surface. The samples were cold pressed and sintered in vacuum at temperatures from 950 to 1250 °C, respectively. The results show that the reaction of forming Ti{sub 2}AlC can be achieved below 950 °C, which is 150 °C lower than in the Ti–Al–TiC system and 250 °C lower than for the Ti–Al–C system due to the addition of CNTs. Additionally, the reinforcement of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles was introduced in situ in Ti{sub 2}AlC/TiAl by the drying process and subsequent sintering of the composite powders. Dense Ti{sub 2}AlC–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiAl composites were obtained by sintering at 1250 °C and exhibited a homogeneous distribution of Ti{sub 2}AlC, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and precipitated Ti{sub 3}Al particles and a resulting high hardness.

27Al NMR studies of NpPd5Al2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chudo, H.; Sakai, H.; Tokunaga, Y.; Kambe, S.; Aoki, D.; Homma, Y.; Shiokawa, Y.; Haga, Y.; Ikeda, S.; Matsuda, T.D.; Onuki, Y.; Yasuoka, H.

2009-01-01

We present 27 Al NMR studies for a single crystal of the Np-based superconductor NpPd 5 Al 2 (T c =4.9K). We have observed a five-line 27 Al NMR spectrum with a center line and four satellite lines separated by first-order nuclear quadrupole splittings. The Knight shift clearly drops below T c . The temperature dependence of the 27 Al nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate shows no coherence peak below T c , indicating that NpPd 5 Al 2 is an unconventional superconductor with an anisotropic gap. The analysis of the present NMR data provides evidence for strong-coupling d-wave superconductivity in NpPd 5 Al 2 .

A study of the Al-rich part of the Al-Re alloy system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balanetskyy, S.; Grushko, B.

2008-01-01

The Al-rich part of the Al-Re phase diagram was reinvestigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. The earlier reported Al 12 Re, Al 6 Re, and Al 11 Re 4 phases were confirmed. Close to the Al 4 Re composition a high-temperature h-Al 4 Re and a low-temperature l-Al 4 Re phase were found to be formed at slightly different compositions. Both exhibited compositional ranges. A new phase was revealed close to the Al 3 Re composition. The Al 11 Re 4 phase is formed congruently at 1650 deg. C, Al 3 Re peritectically at 1610 deg. C, h-Al 4 Re peritectically at 1410 deg. C, l-Al 4 Re peritectically at ∼1000 deg. C, Al 6 Re peritectically at 813 deg. C and Al 12 Re peritectically at 746 deg. C. Finally, the Al 12 Re-(Al) eutectic is formed at 658 deg. C. The Al 3 Re and h-Al 4 Re are decomposed by eutectoid reactions at ∼946 and 833 deg., respectively. The structure of the h-Al 4 Re phase has not yet been clarified, but it is distinctly different from the Al 4 W phase suggested earlier. The structure of l-Al 4 Re was confirmed. The Al 3 Re phase was found to have a monoclinic structure with a = 0.5180(4) nm, b = 3.97641(9) nm, c = 0.4955(3) nm and β = 99.55(7) o

Sensibilización a los alérgenos de las penicilinas en pacientes que padecen enfermedades alérgicas

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Olimpio Rodríguez-Santos

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Los antibióticos ß-lactámicos son los más utilizados, dada su eficacia para patógenos bacterianos comunes y su precio relativamente bajo. Para evaluar la sensibilización a los alérgenos mayores y menores de la penicilina en pacientes que padecen enfermedades alérgicas, se realizó un estudio observacional analítico de casos y controles, en el universo de 458 individuos derivados al Servicio de Alergia Previsora (Camagüey, Cuba, desde enero del 2010 hasta noviembre del 2016. Se seleccionó una muestra de 178 niños y adultos con el diagnóstico de asma, rinitis y urticaria de las edades 6 a 60 años. Los que tenían antecedentes, no confirmados, de alergia a penicilinas se consideraron casos (n=60 y los que no tenían el antecedente controles (n=118. Toda la muestra tenía pruebas de Prick positivas a uno o más de los ácaros domésticos Dermatophagoides pteronysinus, Dermatophagoides siboney y Blomia tropicalis, así como a algún alimento. Un grupo de ellos también resultaron positivos a PPL y MD. Se distribuyeron los pacientes en sensibilizados o no con los alérgenos PPL y MD. La prevalencia general de alergia a las penicilinas fue de 24,15% (15,7% en los casos y 8,9% en los controles. La prueba DAP® - Penicilinas mostró mayor número de positivos en los casos que en los controles (p=0,037, OR=5,21. Del total de alérgicos a las penicilinas, el mayor número de pacientes correspondieron al sexo femenino (p=0,031. El test cutáneo con alérgenos PPL y MD puede confirmar el diagnóstico de alergia a penicilinas en pacientes atópicos.

Abu al-Layth al-Libi

Science.gov (United States)

2015-02-01

success. As an Arab participant acknowledged very early on, “the situation was really harsh. All the brothers were tired,” as they lacked food and... glorious battles that occurred during the early Islamic period.133 He stressed the importance of the battlefield as the path to achieve honor and dignity...diaspora in Waziristan. In the words of Walid Othmani, a French jihadi trained by al-Qa`ida in Waziristan in 2008, “[Al-Libi] was someone well-known and

Study on the dielectric properties of Al2O3/TiO2 sub-nanometric laminates: effect of the bottom electrode and the total thickness

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Elbahri, M.; Kahouli, A.; Mercey, B.; Lebedev, O.; Donner, W.; Lüders, U.

2018-02-01

Dielectrics based on amorphous sub-nanometric laminates of TiO2 and Al2O3 are subject to elevated dielectric losses and leakage currents, in large parts due to the extremely thin individual layer thickness chosen for the creation of the Maxwell-Wagner relaxation and therefore the high apparent dielectric constants. The optimization of performances of the laminate itself being strongly limited by this contradiction concerning its internal structure, we will show in this study that modifications of the dielectric stack of capacitors based on these sub-nanometric laminates can positively influence the dielectric losses and the leakage, as for example the nature of the electrodes, the introduction of thick insulating layers at the laminate/electrode interfaces and the modification of the total laminate thickness. The optimization of the dielectric stack leads to the demonstration of a capacitor with an apparent dielectric constant of 90, combined with low dielectric loss (tan δ) of 7 · 10-2 and with leakage currents smaller than 1  ×  10-6 A cm-2 at 10 MV m-1.

Total and Conceptual Vocabulary in Spanish–English Bilinguals From 22 to 30 Months: Implications for Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Core, Cynthia; Hoff, Erika; Rumiche, Rosario; Señor, Melissa

2015-01-01

Purpose Vocabulary assessment holds promise as a way to identify young bilingual children at risk for language delay. This study compares 2 measures of vocabulary in a group of young Spanish–English bilingual children to a single-language measure used with monolingual children. Method Total vocabulary and conceptual vocabulary were used to measure mean vocabulary size and growth in 47 Spanish–English bilingually developing children from 22 to 30 months of age based on results from the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI; Fenson et al., 1993) and the Inventario del Desarrollo de Habilidades Comunicativas (Jackson-Maldonado et al., 2003). Bilingual children’s scores of total vocabulary and conceptual vocabulary were compared with CDI scores for a control group of 56 monolingual children. Results The total vocabulary measure resulted in mean vocabulary scores and average rate of growth similar to monolingual growth, whereas conceptual vocabulary scores were significantly smaller and grew at a slower rate than total vocabulary scores. Total vocabulary identified the same proportion of bilingual children below the 25th percentile on monolingual norms as the CDI did for monolingual children. Conclusion These results support the use of total vocabulary as a means of assessing early language development in young bilingual Spanish–English speaking children. PMID:24023382

Multilayer CVD Diamond Coatings in the Machining of an Al6061-15 Vol % Al2O3 Composite

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Mohammadmehdi Shabani

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Ceramic cutting inserts coated with ten-fold alternating micro- and nanocrystalline diamond (MCD/NCD layers grown by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (CVD were tested in the machining of an Al based metallic matrix composite (MMC containing 15 vol % Al2O3 particles. Inserts with total coating thicknesses of approximately 12 µm and 24 µm were produced and used in turning: cutting speed (v of 250 to 1000 m·min−1; depth of cut (DOC from 0.5 to 3 mm and feed (f between 0.1 and 0.4 mm·rev−1. The main cutting force increases linearly with DOC (ca. 294 N per mm and with feed (ca. 640 N per mm·rev−1. The thicker coatings work within the following limits: DOC up to 1.5 mm and maximum speeds of 750 m·min−1 for feeds up to 0.4 mm·rev−1. Flank wear is predominant but crater wear is also observed due to the negative tool normal rake. Layer-by-layer wear of the tool rake, and not total delamination from the substrate, evidenced one of the advantages of using a multilayer design. The MCD/NCD multilayer diamond coated indexable inserts have longer tool life than most CVD diamond systems and behave as well as most polycrystalline diamond (PCD tools.

Prevalence of HCV Infections Among Hemodialysis Patients in Al ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1527 patients (11%) who were HCV free at the start of the study. By the end of the study, a total of 42.2% were found to be anti-HCV reactive. Conclusion: The study demonstrated high prevalence of anti-HCV in HD units in Al Gharbiyah Governorate. Similar studies must be conducted in all Egyptian governorates' HD units ...

Production of Monomeric Aromatic Compounds from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber Lignin by Chemical and Enzymatic Methods

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Pei-Ling Tang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFBF was pretreated with alkali, and lignin was extracted for further degradation into lower molecular weight phenolic compounds using enzymes and chemical means. Efficiency of monomeric aromatic compounds production from OPEFBF lignin via chemical (nitrobenzene versus oxygen and enzymatic [cutinase versus manganese peroxidase (MnP] approaches was investigated. The effects of sodium hydroxide concentration (2, 5, and 10% wt. and reaction time (30, 90, and 180 minutes on the yield of aromatic compounds were studied. The results obtained indicated that nitrobenzene oxidation produced the highest yield (333.17±49.44 ppm hydroxybenzoic acid, 5.67±0.25 ppm p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 25.57±1.64 ppm vanillic acid, 168.68±23.23 ppm vanillin, 75.44±6.71 ppm syringic acid, 815.26±41.77 ppm syringaldehyde, 15.21±2.19 ppm p-coumaric acid, and 44.75±3.40 ppm ferulic acid, among the tested methods. High sodium hydroxide concentration (10% wt. was needed to promote efficient nitrobenzene oxidation. However, less severe oxidation condition was preferred to preserve the hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. Cutinase-catalyzed hydrolysis was found to be more efficient than MnP-catalyzed oxidation in the production of aromatic compounds. By hydrolyzed 8% wt. of lignin with 0.625 mL cutinase g−1 lignin at pH 8 and 55°C for 24 hours, about 642.83±14.45 ppm hydroxybenzoic acid, 70.19±3.31 ppm syringaldehyde, 22.80±1.04 ppm vanillin, 27.06±1.20 ppm p-coumaric acid, and 50.19±2.23 ppm ferulic acid were produced.

SAP-like ultrafine-grained Al composites dispersion strengthened with nanometric AlN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balog, M.; Krizik, P.; Yan, M.; Simancik, F.; Schaffer, G.B.; Qian, M.

2013-01-01

This paper reports the development of novel Sinter-Aluminum-Pulver (SAP)-like Al–AlN nanocomposites via replacing the native Al 2 O 3 thin films on fine Al powder with a large volume fraction of in situ formed nanometric AlN dispersoids. Fine gas-atomized Al powder (d 50 =1.3 µm) compacts were first partially nitrided at 590 °C in flowing nitrogen, controlled by a small addition of Sn (0.3–0.4 wt%), and subsequently consolidated by hot direct extrusion. The resulting Al–AlN composites consisted of submicrometric Al grains reinforced with nanometric AlN dispersoids together with some nanometric Al 2 O 3 dispersoids. An Al–13 vol% AlN nanocomposite fabricated this way achieved exceptional ultimate tensile strength of 227 MPa, yield strength of 195 MPa and Young's modulus of 66 GPa at 300 °C, superior to typical SAP materials and coarse grained Al–AlN composites. In addition, the Al–13 vol% AlN nanocomposite exhibited good thermal stability up to 500 °C. The strengthening mechanism is discussed

Analisis Kecenderungan Manhaj Akidah Shaykh Shams al-Din al-Sumatera’i

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MOHD HAIDHAR KAMARZAMAN

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Shaykh Shams al-Din al-Sumatera'i is a very great and respected scholar during 16th and 17th century of Acheh. His knowledge in various fields recognized by local and international scholars. He had been a Qadi Malik al-’Adil, a religious leader, who became a referred by communities and country during the reign of the three Sultans of Aceh. He has authored nearly 40 pieces of books related to the theology and sufism. This study focuses on the methods used by Shaykh Shams al-Din al-Sumatera'i in his theological writings. This study found that Shaykh Shams al-Din al-Sumatera'i had used six methods in the such writings.

Assessment of Corrosion, Fretting, and Material Loss of Retrieved Modular Total Knee Arthroplasties.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Audrey J; Seagers, Kirsten A; Van Citters, Douglas W

2017-07-01

Modular junctions in total hip arthroplasties have been associated with fretting, corrosion, and debris release. The purpose of this study is to analyze damage severity in total knee arthroplasties of a single design by qualitative visual assessment and quantitative material loss measurements to evaluate implant performance and patient impact via material loss. Twenty-two modular knee retrievals of the same manufacturer were identified from an institutional review board-approved database. Junction designs included tapers with an axial screw and tapers with a radial screw. Constructs consisted of 2 metal alloys: CoCr and Ti6Al4V. Components were qualitatively scored and quantitatively measured for corrosion and fretting. Negative values represent adhered material. Statistical differences were analyzed using sign tests. Correlations were tested with a Spearman rank order test (P corrosion than other components, suggesting preferential corrosion when interfacing with Ti6Al4V. Overall, although corrosion was noted in this series, material loss was low, and none were revised for clinical metal-related reaction. This suggests the clinical impact from corrosion in total knee arthroplasty is low. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic spot welding of Al/Mg/Al tri-layered clad sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macwan, A.; Patel, V.K.; Jiang, X.Q.; Li, C.; Bhole, S.D.; Chen, D.L.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The optimal welding condition is achieved at 100 J and 0.1 s. • Failure load first increases and then decreases with increasing welding energy. • The highest failure load after welding is close to that of the clad sheets. • At low energy levels failure occurs in the mode of interfacial failure. • At high energy levels failure takes place at the edge of nugget region. - Abstract: Solid-state ultrasonic spot welding (USW) was used to join Al/Mg/Al tri-layered clad sheets, aiming at exploring weldability and identifying failure mode in relation to the welding energy. It was observed that the application of a low welding energy of 100 J was able to achieve the optimal welding condition during USW at a very short welding time of 0.1 s for the tri-layered clad sheets. The optimal lap shear failure load obtained was equivalent to that of the as-received Al/Mg/Al tri-layered clad sheets. With increasing welding energy, the lap shear failure load initially increased and then decreased after reaching a maximum value. At a welding energy of 25 J, failure occurred in the mode of interfacial failure along the center Al/Al weld interface due to insufficient bonding. At a welding energy of 50 J, 75 J and 100 J, failure was also characterized by the interfacial failure mode, but it occurred along the Al/Mg clad interface rather than the center Al/Al weld interface, suggesting stronger bonding of the Al/Al weld interface than that of the Al/Mg clad interface. The overall weld strength of the Al/Mg/Al tri-layered clad sheets was thus governed by the Al/Mg clad interface strength. At a welding energy of 125 J and 150 J, thinning of weld nugget and extensive deformation at the edge of welding tip caused failure at the edge of nugget region, leading to a lower lap shear failure load

The anchorless adhesin Eap (extracellular adherence protein) from Staphylococcus aureus selectively recognizes extracellular matrix aggregates but binds promiscuously to monomeric matrix macromolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Uwe; Hussain, Muzaffar; Villone, Daniela; Herrmann, Mathias; Robenek, Horst; Peters, Georg; Sinha, Bhanu; Bruckner, Peter

2006-05-01

Besides a number of cell wall-anchored adhesins, the majority of Staphylococcus aureus strains produce anchorless, cell wall-associated proteins, such as Eap (extracellular adherence protein). Eap contains four to six tandem repeat (EAP)-domains. Eap mediates diverse biological functions, including adherence and immunomodulation, thus contributing to S. aureus pathogenesis. Eap binding to host macromolecules is unusually promiscuous and includes matrix or matricellular proteins as well as plasma proteins. The structural basis of this promiscuity is poorly understood. Here, we show that in spite of the preferential location of the binding epitopes within triple helical regions in some collagens there is a striking specificity of Eap binding to different collagen types. Collagen I, but not collagen II, is a binding substrate in monomolecular form. However, collagen I is virtually unrecognized by Eap when incorporated into banded fibrils. By contrast, microfibrils containing collagen VI as well as basement membrane-associated networks containing collagen IV, or aggregates containing fibronectin bound Eap as effectively as the monomeric proteins. Therefore, Eap-binding to extracellular matrix ligands is promiscuous at the molecular level but not indiscriminate with respect to supramolecular structures containing the same macromolecules. In addition, Eap bound to banded fibrils after their partial disintegration by matrix-degrading proteinases, including matrix metalloproteinase 1. Therefore, adherence to matrix suprastructures by S. aureus can be supported by inflammatory reactions.

Investigation of electrorefining of metallic alloy fuel onto solid Al cathodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassayre, L.; Malmbeck, R.; Masset, P.; Rebizant, J.; Serp, J.; Soucek, P.; Glatz, J.-P.

2007-01-01

This work concerned the electrorefining of UZr and UPuZr alloys on a solid aluminium cathode, in the LiCl-KCl eutectic melt containing U 3+ , Pu 3+ , Np 3+ , Zr 2+ or Zr 4+ , Am 3+ , Nd 3+ , Y 3+ , Ce 3+ and Gd 3+ chlorides. During constant current electrolyses, the use of a cathodic cut-off potential (-1.25 V versus Ag/AgCl) allowed to selectively deposit actinides (mainly U), while lanthanides remained in the salt. The aim was to determine the maximal load achievable on a single aluminium electrode. The total exchange charge was 4300 C, which represents the deposition of 3.72 g of actinides in 4.17 g Al, yielding a composition of 44.6 wt% An in Al. It was shown that the melting of the cathode contributed to increase the total amount of actinides deposited on the aluminium

KITAB AL-SANĪ AL-MAṬĀLIB: INTERKONEKSI NAHWU DAN TASAWUF

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Zakiyah Zakiyah

2012-12-01

Tulisan ini mereview buku yang berjudul al-Sanī al-Maṭālib yang ditulis oleh Kiai Nur Iman Mlangi Yogyakarta. Buku ini ditulis dalam bahasa Arab yang me­ngandung interkoneksi antara ilmu Nahwu (tata bahasa Arab dengan mis­tisis­me. Buku ini sangat menarik karena kenyataan bahwa kedua pengetahuan tersebut memiliki aturan sendiri-sendiri. Selain itu, sangat sedikit penulis yang menulis dengan gaya seperti itu. Salah satunya adalah Syaikh Abdul Qadir bin Ahmad al-Kuhany dengan karyanya yang berjudul Manniyat al-Fāqir al-Munjarid wa Sayrat al-Murīd al-Mutafarrid. Buku al-Saniy al-Muthalib diduga telah ditulis pada akhir abad ke-18 atau awal abad ke-19, menurut periode kehidupan Kiai Nur Iman yaitu sekitar pertengahan abad ke-18. Aturan Nahwu dalam buku ini dijelaskan secara teosofi yang dimulai dengan penjelasan mengenai tauhid (keesaan Tuhan sebagai kajian dasar bagi orang Islam, yang diikuti dengan makna dari masing-masing aturan bahasa Arab dalam aspek mistiknya.

Ab initio thermodynamic properties of stoichiometric phases in the Ni-Al system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arroyave, R.; Shin, D.; Liu, Z.-K.

2005-01-01

In this work the thermodynamic properties of Al, Ni, NiAl and Ni 3 Al were obtained through ab initio methods. Through the use of density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation and projector augmented-wave (PAW) pseudopotentials, the 0 K energetics of the structures were calculated. The supercell method was used to calculate the vibrational contributions to the free energy. The contribution of electronic degrees of freedom to the total free energy was also included in the calculations. The resulting free energy was used to calculate the enthalpies and entropies of the structures investigated. The comparison with experimental data is satisfactory, and the calculations compare well with recent results using linear response theory

Rekonstruksi Konsep Ijtihad: Studi Pemikiran Ben’umar tentang al-Ijtihad fi al-Waqi’

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Duski Ibrahim

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper is the result of a research that evaluating the reconstruction the concept of ijtihad, by discuss the idea of al-Ijtihad Ben'umar fi al-waqi’. This paper concludes that Al-Ijtihad fi al-waqi’ is actually a form of collective ijtihad (al ijtihad al-jama'i, by gathering the experts of shari'ah law (fuqaha` ash-shar'i and experts Researchers and scientists (khubara` al-'ashr. Because experts know the nash purposes, while researchers and scientists (al-khubara` know the reality (al-waqi’, the effects in the future (ma'alat = future effect and challenges (tahaddiyat. The idea of formulating the concept of al-ijtihad fi al-waqi’ emerged based on a premise that ijtihad is a creation of experts to implement Islamic law in society. Therefore, the concept of ijtihad experienced a significant development, start from using the nash from the language aspects, continue to the using of logic. At the moment when the situation people are increasingly develop, then the creation of ijtihad become a necessary to developed, for example in the form of al-ijtihad fi al-waqi’ . About the source of the formation of the concept of al -ijtihad fi al-waqi’ comes from theory about the functions of nash, al-manath theory in Islamic law, and supported by the theory of al-mashlalah al-mursalah.

Ir-Ru/Al2O3 catalysts used in satellite propulsion

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T.G. Soares Neto

2003-09-01

Full Text Available Ir/Al2O3, Ir-Ru/Al2O3 and Ru/Al2O3, catalysts with total metal contents of 30% were prepared using the methods of incipient wetness and incipient coimpregnation wetness and were tested in a 2N microthruster. Their performances were then compared with that of the Shell 405 commercial catalyst (30% Ir/Al2O3. Tests were performed in continuous and pulsed regimes, where there are steep temperature and pressure gradients, from ambient values up to 650 ºC and 14 bar. Performance stability, thrust produced, temperature and stagnation pressure in the chamber and losses of mass were analyzed and compared to the corresponding parameters in Shell 405 tests. It was observed that the performance of all the above-mentioned catalysts was comparable to that of the commercial one, except for in loss of mass, where the values was higher, which was attributed to the lower mechanical resistance of the support.

Effect of Chemical and Physical Properties of River Water in Shatt Al-Hilla on Phytoplankton Communities

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Fikrat M. Hassan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to study the chemical and physical properties in the ecological system of Shatt Al-Hilla in Babylon Governorate in Iraq and its effect on phytoplankton population. In this context, several limnological parameters were evaluated during the period from December 2003 through November 2004 from four sampling stations sited along Shatt Al-Hilla. The physical parameters included: temperature, turbidity and electrical conductivity. The chemical parameters included: pH, alkalinity dissolved oxygen, total hardness and the concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and sulphate. A total of 154 species were recorded. Ninety-seven species of the total belong to Bacillariophyceae, 37 species belong to Chlorophyceae, 13 species to Cyanophyceae, 5 species to Chrysophyceae, and 2 species to Euglenophyceae. Bimodal variation of phytoplankton was observed. Five genus of phytoplankton were the highest number of species ( Nitzschia, Navicula, Gomphonema, Cymbella and Scendesmus. Some species was occurred continuously during study period such as, Cyclotella ocellata, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Aulacoseria distans, and Gomphonema abbreviatum. The phytoplankton communities at all sampling sites showed a clear seasonal variation in phytoplankton cell number. However, no significant correlation between total cell number of phytoplankton and nutrient concentration was observed. The study was revealed the city sewage discharge, agriculture and urban run-off were affecting the water quality of Shatt Al-Hilla.

The formation of intermetallic compounds during interdiffusion of Mg–Al/Mg–Ce diffusion couples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Jiahong; Jiang, Bin; Li, Xin; Yang, Qingshan; Dong, Hanwu; Xia, Xiangsheng; Pan, Fusheng

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Al–Ce intermetallic compounds (IMCs) formed in Mg–Al/Mg–Ce diffusion couples. During the whole diffusion process, Al was the dominant diffusing species, and it substituted for Mg atoms of the Mg–Ce substrate. Five Al–Ce IMCs of Al 4 Ce, Al 11 Ce 3 , Al 3 Ce, Al 2 Ce, and AlCe were formed via the reaction of Al and Ce. - Highlights: • Al–Ce IMCs formation in the Mg–Al/Mg–Ce diffusion couples was studied. • Formation of Al 4 Ce as the first phase was rationalized using the Gibbs free energy. • The activation energy for the growth of the diffusion reaction zones was 36.6 kJ/mol. - Abstract: The formation of Al–Ce intermetallic compounds (IMCs) during interdiffusion of Mg–Al/Mg–Ce diffusion couples prepared by solid–liquid contact method was investigated at 623 K, 648 K and 673 K for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, respectively. During the whole diffusion process, Al was the dominant diffusing species, and it substituted for Mg of the Mg–Ce substrate. Five Al–Ce IMCs of Al 4 Ce, Al 11 Ce 3 , Al 3 Ce, Al 2 Ce and AlCe were formed via the reaction of Al and Ce. The formation of Al 4 Ce as the first kind of IMC was rationalized on the basis of an effective Gibbs free energy model. The activation energy for the growth of the total diffusion reaction layer was 36.6 kJ/mol

Cancer-testis antigen expression and immunogenicity in AL amyloidosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenzweig, M A; Landau, H; Seldin, D; O'Hara, C; Girnius, S; Hanson, N; Frosina, D; Sedrak, C; Arcila, M; Comenzo, R L; Giralt, S; Gnjatic, S; Jungbluth, A A; Koehne, G

2012-01-01

Light-chain amyloidosis (AL) is a plasma cell dyscrasia closely related to multiple myeloma. In multiple myeloma, the cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) CT7 (MAGE-C1), CT10 (MAGE-C2) and MAGE-A CTAs are expressed in up to 80% of cases. In this study, we investigated the expression and immunogenicity of several CTAs in patients with AL amyloidosis in a total of 38 bone marrow specimens by employing standard immunohistochemistry techniques on paraffin-embedded archival tissues. Plasma samples from 35 patients (27 with matched bone marrow samples) were also analyzed by ELISA for sero reactivity to a group of full-length CTA proteins. CT7 was present in 25/38 (66%) while CT10 was demonstrated in 3/38 and GAGE in 1/38 AL amyloid cases. The expression pattern was mostly focal. There were no significant differences with regard to organ involvement, response to treatment, or prognosis in CTA positive compared to negative cases. None of the specimens showed spontaneous humoral immunity to CT7, but sero reactivity was observed in individual patients to other CTAs. This study identifies CT7 as the prevalent CTA in plasma cells of patients with AL amyloidosis. Further analyses determining the biology of CTAs in AL amyloidosis and their value as potential targets for immunotherapy are warranted

Pion-nucleus total cross sections in the (3, 3) resonance region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, A.S.; Chiang, I.; Dover, C.B.; Kycia, T.F.; Li, K.K.; Mazur, P.O.; Michael, D.N.; Mockett, P.M.; Rahm, D.C.; Rubinstein, R.

1976-01-01

The results of total cross section measurements are presented for π +- on targets of natural Li, C, Al, Fe, Sn, and Pb in the region of 65--320 MeV laboratory kinetic energy. The data are fitted with a simple phenomenological model, which allows one to extract the A dependence of the peak energy and the width which characterize the pion-nucleus interaction

Effect of sulfur removal on Al2O3 scale adhesion

Science.gov (United States)

Smialek, James L.

1991-03-01

If the role of reactive element dopants in producing A12O3 scale adhesion on NiCrAl alloys is to getter sulfur and prevent interfacial segregation, then eliminating sulfur from undoped alloys should also produce adherence. Four experiments successfully produced scale adhesion by sulfur removal alone. (1) Repeated oxidation and polishing of a pure NiCrAl alloy lowered the sulfur content from 10 to 2 parts per million by weight (ppmw), presumably by removing the segregated interfacial layer after each cycle. Total scale spallation changed to total retention after 13 such cycles, with no changes in the scale or interfacial morphology. (2) Thinner samples became adherent after fewer oxidation polishing cycles because of a more limited supply of sulfur. (3) Spalling in subsequent cyclic oxidation tests of samples from experiment (1) was a direct function of the initial sulfur content. (4) Desulfurization to 0.1 ppmw levels was accomplished by annealing melt-spun foil in 1 arm H2. These foils produced oxidation weight change curves for 500 1-hour cycles at 1100 °C similar to those for Y- or Zr-doped NiCrAl. The transition between adherent and nonadherent behavior was modeled in terms of sulfur flux, sulfur content, and sulfur segregation.

Study of the 26Al(n,p)26Mg and 26Al(n,α)23Na reactions using the 27Al(p,p')27Al inelastic scattering reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benamara, S; De Séréville, N; Hammache, F; Stefan, I; Roussel, P; Ancelin, S; Assié, M; Guillot, J; Le Crom, B; Lefebvre, L; Adsley, P; Laird, A M; Barton, C; Diget, C; Fox, S; Coc, A; Deloncle, I; Hamadache, C; Kiener, J; Lefebfre-Schuhl, A

2016-01-01

26 Al was the first cosmic radioactivity ever detected in the galaxy as well as one of the first extinct radioactivity observed in refractory phases of meteorites. Its nucleosynthesis in massive stars is still uncertain mainly due to the lack of nuclear information concerning the 26 Al(n,p) 26 Mg and 26 Al(n,α) 23 Na reactions. We report on a single and coincidence measurement of the 27 Al(p,p') 27 Al(p) 26 Mg and 27 Al(p,p') 27 Al(α) 23 Na reactions performed at the Orsay TANDEM facility aiming at the spectroscopy study of 27 Al above the neutron threshold. Fourteen states are observed for the first time within 350 keV above the 26 Al+n threshold. (paper)

AlN/Al dual protective coatings on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Jinlong; Mao Shoudong; Sun Kefei [Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Application Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China); Li Xiaomin [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Song Zhenlun [Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Application Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China)], E-mail: songzhenlun@nimte.ac.cn

2009-11-15

AlN/Al dual protective coatings were prepared on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering in a home-made industrial apparatus. Comparing with Al coating, AlN/Al coatings have a denser structure of an outmost AlN amorphous layer following an inner Al columnar crystal layer. The coatings and NdFeB substrate combine well, and moreover, there is occurrence of metallurgy bonding in the interface layer. Both Al and AlN/Al coatings have a good protective ability to NdFeB. Especially, the corrosion resistance of AlN/Al coated NdFeB is improved largely. AlN/Al and Al protective coatings not only do not deteriorate the magnetic properties of NdFeB, but contribute to their slight increase.

AlN/Al dual protective coatings on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jinlong; Mao Shoudong; Sun Kefei; Li Xiaomin; Song Zhenlun

2009-01-01

AlN/Al dual protective coatings were prepared on NdFeB by DC magnetron sputtering in a home-made industrial apparatus. Comparing with Al coating, AlN/Al coatings have a denser structure of an outmost AlN amorphous layer following an inner Al columnar crystal layer. The coatings and NdFeB substrate combine well, and moreover, there is occurrence of metallurgy bonding in the interface layer. Both Al and AlN/Al coatings have a good protective ability to NdFeB. Especially, the corrosion resistance of AlN/Al coated NdFeB is improved largely. AlN/Al and Al protective coatings not only do not deteriorate the magnetic properties of NdFeB, but contribute to their slight increase.

Al-Si/Al2O3 in situ composite prepared by displacement reaction of CuO/Al system

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Zhang Jing

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Al2O3 particle-reinforced ZL109 composite was prepared by in situ reaction between CuO and Al. The microstructure was observed by means of OM, SEM and TEM. The Al2O3 particles in sub-micron sizes distribute uniformly in the matrix, and the Cu displaced from the in situ reaction forms net-like alloy phases with other alloy elements. The hardness and the tensile strength of the composites at room temperature have a slight increase as compared to that of the matrix. However, the tensile strength at 350 ℃ has reached 90.23 MPa, or 16.92 MPa higher than that of the matrix. The mechanism of the reaction in the CuO/Al system was studied by using of differential scanning calorimetry(DSC and thermodynamic calculation. The reaction between CuO and Al involves two steps. First, CuO reacts with Al to form Cu2O and Al2O3 at the melting temperature of the matrix alloy, and second, Cu2O reacts with Al to form Cu and Al2O3 at a higher temperature. At ZL109 casting temperature of 750–780 ℃, the second step can also take place because of the effect of exothermic reaction of the first step.

Trastornos temporomandibulares en adictos al qat

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Orlando Guerra Cobián

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Introducción: los trastornos temporomandibulares se asocian frecuentemente al hábito de masticar qat, pero se carece de estudios que detallan sus particularidades, por lo que se realiza este trabajo, con los objetivos de determinar la prevalencia de trastornos temporomandibulares en pacientes adictos al qat, identificar los hallazgos clínicos- radiográficos asociados y clasificar los trastornos temporomandibulares presentes en la población estudiada. Métodos: se realizó un estudio prospectivo, descriptivo, de corte transversal, en una muestra de 352 pacientes, del total de pacientes adictos, atendidos en el Departamento de Cirugía, Colegio Dental. Ibb,Yemen en el periodo octubre 2010-abril 2011. Se determinaron los hallazgos clínicos y radiográficos presentes, y se diagnosticó el tipo de trastorno temporomandibular. Resultados: se evidenció que estaban afectados por trastornos temporomandibulares el 55,7 % de los pacientes. Se encontró dolor articular agudo en 14,1 % y aplanamiento condilar anterior en 35,6 %. Conclusiones: los trastornos temporomandibulares afectaron más de la mitad de la población estudiada, adicta al qat. Los desórdenes en la relación cóndilo-disco fueron los más encontrados (41 %. El aplanamiento condilar anterior dominó en el análisis radiográfico.

Production of rhesus monkey cloned embryos expressing monomeric red fluorescent protein by interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Hai-Ying; Kang, Jin-Dan; Li, Suo; Jin, Jun-Xue; Hong, Yu; Jin, Long; Guo, Qing; Gao, Qing-Shan; Yan, Chang-Guo; Yin, Xi-Jun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Rhesus monkey cells were electroporated with a plasmid containing mRFP1, and an mRFP1-expressing cell line was generated. • For the first time, mRFP1-expressing rhesus monkey cells were used as donor cells for iSCNT. • The effect of VPA on the development of embryos cloned using iSCNT was determined. - Abstract: Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) is a promising method to clone endangered animals from which oocytes are difficult to obtain. Monomeric red fluorescent protein 1 (mRFP1) is an excellent selection marker for transgenically modified cloned embryos during somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). In this study, mRFP-expressing rhesus monkey cells or porcine cells were transferred into enucleated porcine oocytes to generate iSCNT and SCNT embryos, respectively. The development of these embryos was studied in vitro. The percentage of embryos that underwent cleavage did not significantly differ between iSCNT and SCNT embryos (P > 0.05; 71.53% vs. 80.30%). However, significantly fewer iSCNT embryos than SCNT embryos reached the blastocyst stage (2.04% vs. 10.19%, P < 0.05). Valproic acid was used in an attempt to increase the percentage of iSCNT embryos that developed to the blastocyst stage. However, the percentages of embryos that underwent cleavage and reached the blastocyst stage were similar between untreated iSCNT embryos and iSCNT embryos treated with 2 mM valproic acid for 24 h (72.12% vs. 70.83% and 2.67% vs. 2.35%, respectively). These data suggest that porcine-rhesus monkey interspecies embryos can be generated that efficiently express mRFP1. However, a significantly lower proportion of iSCNT embryos than SCNT embryos reach the blastocyst stage. Valproic acid does not increase the percentage of porcine-rhesus monkey iSCNT embryos that reach the blastocyst stage. The mechanisms underling nuclear reprogramming and epigenetic modifications in iSCNT need to be investigated further

Production of rhesus monkey cloned embryos expressing monomeric red fluorescent protein by interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Hai-Ying; Kang, Jin-Dan; Li, Suo; Jin, Jun-Xue; Hong, Yu; Jin, Long; Guo, Qing; Gao, Qing-Shan; Yan, Chang-Guo; Yin, Xi-Jun, E-mail: yinxj33@msn.com

2014-02-21

Highlights: • Rhesus monkey cells were electroporated with a plasmid containing mRFP1, and an mRFP1-expressing cell line was generated. • For the first time, mRFP1-expressing rhesus monkey cells were used as donor cells for iSCNT. • The effect of VPA on the development of embryos cloned using iSCNT was determined. - Abstract: Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) is a promising method to clone endangered animals from which oocytes are difficult to obtain. Monomeric red fluorescent protein 1 (mRFP1) is an excellent selection marker for transgenically modified cloned embryos during somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). In this study, mRFP-expressing rhesus monkey cells or porcine cells were transferred into enucleated porcine oocytes to generate iSCNT and SCNT embryos, respectively. The development of these embryos was studied in vitro. The percentage of embryos that underwent cleavage did not significantly differ between iSCNT and SCNT embryos (P > 0.05; 71.53% vs. 80.30%). However, significantly fewer iSCNT embryos than SCNT embryos reached the blastocyst stage (2.04% vs. 10.19%, P < 0.05). Valproic acid was used in an attempt to increase the percentage of iSCNT embryos that developed to the blastocyst stage. However, the percentages of embryos that underwent cleavage and reached the blastocyst stage were similar between untreated iSCNT embryos and iSCNT embryos treated with 2 mM valproic acid for 24 h (72.12% vs. 70.83% and 2.67% vs. 2.35%, respectively). These data suggest that porcine-rhesus monkey interspecies embryos can be generated that efficiently express mRFP1. However, a significantly lower proportion of iSCNT embryos than SCNT embryos reach the blastocyst stage. Valproic acid does not increase the percentage of porcine-rhesus monkey iSCNT embryos that reach the blastocyst stage. The mechanisms underling nuclear reprogramming and epigenetic modifications in iSCNT need to be investigated further.

Qualità totale e mobilità totale Total Quality and Total Mobility

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Giuseppe Trieste

2010-05-01

Full Text Available FIABA ONLUS (Italian Fund for Elimination of Architectural Barriers was founded in 2000 with the aim of promoting a culture of equal opportunities and, above all, it has as its main goal to involve public and private institutions to create a really accessible and usable environment for everyone. Total accessibility, Total usability and Total mobility are key indicators to define quality of life within cities. A supportive environment that is free of architectural, cultural and psychological barriers allows everyone to live with ease and universality. In fact, people who access to goods and services in the urban context can use to their advantage time and space, so they can do their activities and can maintain relationships that are deemed significant for their social life. The main aim of urban accessibility is to raise the comfort of space for citizens, eliminating all barriers that discriminate people, and prevent from an equality of opportunity. “FIABA FUND - City of ... for the removal of architectural barriers” is an idea of FIABA that has already affected many regions of Italy as Lazio, Lombardy, Campania, Abruzzi and Calabria. It is a National project which provides for opening a bank account in the cities of referring, in which for the first time, all together, individuals and private and public institutions can make a donation to fund initiatives for the removal of architectural barriers within its own territory for a real and effective total accessibility. Last February the fund was launched in Rome with the aim of achieving a Capital without barriers and a Town European model of accessibility and usability. Urban mobility is a prerequisite to access to goods and services, and to organize activities related to daily life. FIABA promotes the concept of sustainable mobility for all, supported by the European Commission’s White Paper. We need a cultural change in management and organization of public means, which might focus on

KONSEPSI AL-QURAN DAN AL-HADITS TENTANG OPERASIONAL BANK SYARIAH

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Muhammad Ardy Zaini

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Islam hadir dengan beberapa tujuan, diantaranya adalah terciptanya khoirul ummah dan rahmatan lil’alamin dengan al-Qur’an dan al-Hadits sebagai penuntun umat Islam demi tercapainya tujuan tersebut. Sebagai pedoman hidup, al-Qur’an dan al-Hadits memberikan berbagai petunjuk tentang keteraturan dan permasalahan hidup, termasuk didalamnya mengenai perbankan yang telah memenuhi hampir separuh sisi-sisi kehidupan manusia. Untuk memaksimal ajaran syariah secara kaffah, maka nilai-nilai yang terdapat dalam al-Quran harus mampu diturunkan pada tataran praktis. Salah satu usaha dan langkah dalam rangka menemukan formula perbankan masa depan, al-Quran dan Hadits memiliki konsepsi dalam kegiatan operasional Bank Syariah. Hal ini dilakukan untuk membentuk sikap mental atau watak yang terjabarkan dalam pola berpikir, cara berbicara, dan etika bertingkah laku, sebagai ekspresi jiwa dari manusia yang beriman dan bertakwa kepada Allah Swt. Agar umat Islam mampu menjadi umat yang unggul (khayr ummah.

Fabrication of AlN-TiC/Al composites by gas injection processing

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

YU Huashun; CHEN Hongmei; MA Rendian; MIN Guanghui

2006-01-01

The fabrication of AlN-TiC/Al composites by carbon-and nitrogen-containing gas injection into Al-Mg-Ti melts was studied. It was shown that AlN and TiC particles could be formed by the in situ reaction of mixture gas (N2+C2H2+NH3) with Al-Mg-Ti melts. The condition for the formation of AlN was that the treatment temperature must be higher than 1373 K, and the amounts of AlN and TiC increased with the increase of the treatment temperature and the gas injection time.It was considered that AlN was formed by the direct reaction of Al with nitrogen-containing gas at the interface of the gas bubble and the melt. However, the mechanism of TiC formation is a combination mechanism of solution-precipitation and solid-liquid reaction.

Neutron diffraction on CeMnAlD{sub x} (0{<=}x{<=}2.5)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spatz, P.; Gross, K.; Schlapbach, L. [Fribourg Univ. (Switzerland); Fischer, P.; Fauth, F. [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1997-09-01

CeMnAl was found to absorb considerable amounts of hydrogen. Part of the totally stored hydrogen is absorbed at low pressures (< 10 mbar). Additional hydrogen can be absorbed and desorbed reversible in a wide pressure range (10 mbar to 10 bar) at room temperature. In order to a better understanding of this new metal-hydride system, we performed neutron diffraction on deuterated CeMnAl samples with different D-concentrations. (author) 1 fig., 2 refs.

The formation of AlB2 in an Al-B master alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xiaoming

2005-01-01

The formation of borides in an Al-3 wt.%B master alloy, produced via chemical reactions of KBF 4 and aluminium has been investigated. The chemical reactions produce boron, which dissolves into molten aluminium and subsequently forms aluminium borides. Backscattered electron imaging (BEI) of the Al-3 wt.%B master alloy under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the presence of two types of phases that contain different levels of boron. Combined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, the two types of phases are identified as AlB 2 on AlB 12 . This gives a direct evidence for a peritectic reaction of AlB 12 and aluminium, which produces AlB 2 . The thermodynamic properties of the reactions that may be involved are examined, and the presence of AlB 12 phase in the master alloy explained. The observed microstructure is explained according to the peritectic reaction in an Al-B phase diagram. The stability of AlB 2 and AlB 12 at lower temperature than 975 deg. C is clarified

Construction and evaluation of multi-component Zn-Al based bearing alloys (Zn-Al-Si, Zn-Al-Cu)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahmiri, M.; Shahin, K.

2001-01-01

Zn-Al based alloys, with excellent mechanical properties, are finding increasing applications in various industries, especially bearing and bushing fields. Observed dimensional instabilities, in their multicomponent systems, (e. g. Zn-Al-Si and, Zn-Al Si-Cu), is believed to be as the result of some kinds of phase transformation, due to the temperature variations, while in service. Profound understanding of the phase transformations due to the temperature variation, requires detailed evaluations of the isothermal sections of the multi-components phase diagrams of Zn-Al-Si and, Zn-Al-Si-Cu alloy systems. In the present article, the isothermal sections of the aforementioned ternary and quaternary systems in the solid state regions have been investigated and observed phase transitions have been critically evaluated

The Existence of a Designer Al=Al Double Bond in the LiAl2 H4- Cluster Formed by Electronic Transmutation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundell, Katie A; Zhang, Xinxing; Boldyrev, Alexander I; Bowen, Kit H

2017-12-22

The Al=Al double bond is elusive in chemistry. Herein we report the results obtained via combined photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio studies of the LiAl 2 H 4 - cluster that confirm the formation of a conventional Al=Al double bond. Comprehensive searches for the most stable structures of the LiAl 2 H 4 - cluster have shown that the global minimum isomer I possesses a geometric structure which resembles that of Si 2 H 4 , demonstrating a successful example of the transmutation of Al atoms into Si atoms by electron donation. Theoretical simulations of the photoelectron spectrum discovered the coexistence of two isomers in the ion beam, including the one with the Al=Al double bond. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Theory of Al2O3 incorporation in SiO2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lægsgaard, Jesper

2002-01-01

Different possible forms of Al2O3 units in a SiO2 network are studied theoretically within the framework of density-functional theory. Total-energy differences between the various configurations are obtained, and simple thermodynamical arguments are used to provide an estimate of their relative...

PRESENCIA DEL HG TOTAL EN UNA RELACIÓN SUELO-PLANTA-ATMÓSFERA AL SUR DE LA SIERRA GORDA DE QUERÉTARO, MÉXICO

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Gilberto Hernández-Silva

2012-01-01

Full Text Available La región minera de San Joaquín, Querétaro, México, tiene un historial de más de dos mil años de explotación. En ella se identificaron cuatro áreas con contenidos de Hg en suelos por arriba de lo permitido por la NOM y la WHO: Azogues y Ranas- San Joaquín (>300 mg kg-1 y Calabacillas-Santa Rita y La Lana (30.1-300 mg kg-1. Los suelos de estas áreas proporcionan al maíz (Zea mays, cantidades significativas de Hg total a través de mecanismos de traslocación (0.2-8.7 mg kg-1 en raíces y 0.2- 8.2 mg kg-1 en tallo y hoja; en grano, las cantidades oscilan entre 0.04-0.87 mg kg-1 (0.5 mg kg-1 es el máximo permitido. En la fracción insoluble del agua de lluvia, la concentración promedio fue de 67.47 μg L-1; en la fracción soluble se tuvo un promedio de 36.49 μg L-1. El promedio diario de vapor de Hg fue de 67 ng m-3 durante los 38 días de lectura, con un intervalo de 40 a 100 ng m-3, lo que demuestra una gran diferencia en la cantidad de volatilización del Hg. Los suelos, sedimentos y terreros de cinabrio, constituyen la fuente que provee de Hg al maíz a través de mecanismos de traslocación y material particulado hacia la atmósfera arrastrado por el viento y redepositado a sotavento. Las lecturas que se obtuvieron de vapor de Hg resultaron más altas de lo recomendable. Los resultados obtenidos en el sistema estudiado, denotan concentraciones por arriba del límite permisible. La población de San Joaquín está expuesta a una concentración de mercurio que es variable y por arriba de lo permitido, lo que puede tener serias consecuencias en la salud humana y el posible impacto en el medio ambiente.

Characteristics of BPA removal from water by PACl-Al13 in coagulation process.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiaoying, Ma; Guangming, Zeng; Chang, Zhang; Zisong, Wang; Jian, Yu; Jianbing, Li; Guohe, Huang; Hongliang, Liu

2009-09-15

This paper discussed the coagulation characteristics of BPA with polyaluminum chloride (PACl-Al(13)) as coagulant, examined the impact of coagulation pH, PACl-Al(13) dosage, TOC (total organic carbon) and turbidity on BPA removal, and analyzed the possible dominant mechanisms in water coagulation process. Formation and performance of flocs during coagulation processes were monitored using photometric dispersion analyzer (PDA). When the concentration of humic acid matters and turbidity was low in the solution, the experimental results showed that the removal of BPA experienced increase and subsequently decrease with the PACl-Al(13) dosage increasing. The optimal PACl-Al(13) dosage was found at BPA/PACl-Al(13)=1:2.6(M/M) under our experiment conditions. Results show that the maximum BPA removal efficiency occurred at pH 9.0 due to the adsorption by Al(13) aggregates onto BPA rather than charge neutralization mechanism by polynuclear aluminous salts in the solution. The humic acid matters and kaolin in the solution have significant effect on BPA removal with PACl-Al(13) in the coagulation. The BPA removal will be weakened at high humic matters. The removal rate of BPA increased and subsequently decreased with the turbidity increasing.

Characterization of N-polar AlN in GaN/AlN/(Al,Ga)N heterostructures grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haoran; Mazumder, Baishakhi; Bonef, Bastien; Keller, Stacia; Wienecke, Steven; Speck, James S.; Denbaars, Steven P.; Mishra, Umesh K.

2017-11-01

In GaN/(Al,Ga)N high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMT), AlN interlayer between GaN channel and AlGaN barrier suppresses alloy scattering and significantly improves the electron mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas. While high concentrations of gallium were previously observed in Al-polar AlN interlayers grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, the N-polar AlN (Al x Ga1-x N) films examined by atom probe tomography in this study exhibited aluminum compositions (x) equal to or higher than 95% over a wide range of growth conditions. The also investigated AlN interlayer in a N-polar GaN/AlN/AlGaN/ S.I. GaN HEMT structure possessed a similarly high x content.

Investigation of electrorefining of metallic alloy fuel onto solid Al cathodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cassayre, L. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Malmbeck, R. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany)]. E-mail: rikard.malmbeck@cec.eu.int; Masset, P. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Rebizant, J. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Serp, J. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Soucek, P. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Glatz, J.-P. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2007-01-15

This work concerned the electrorefining of UZr and UPuZr alloys on a solid aluminium cathode, in the LiCl-KCl eutectic melt containing U{sup 3+}, Pu{sup 3+}, Np{sup 3+}, Zr{sup 2+} or Zr{sup 4+}, Am{sup 3+}, Nd{sup 3+}, Y{sup 3+}, Ce{sup 3+} and Gd{sup 3+} chlorides. During constant current electrolyses, the use of a cathodic cut-off potential (-1.25 V versus Ag/AgCl) allowed to selectively deposit actinides (mainly U), while lanthanides remained in the salt. The aim was to determine the maximal load achievable on a single aluminium electrode. The total exchange charge was 4300 C, which represents the deposition of 3.72 g of actinides in 4.17 g Al, yielding a composition of 44.6 wt% An in Al. It was shown that the melting of the cathode contributed to increase the total amount of actinides deposited on the aluminium.

KRITIK ATAS KRITIK EPISTEMOLOGI TAFSIR M. ABIED AL JABIRI: Studi Kritis atas Madkhal ila al Quran al Karim

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Ahmad Fawaid

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper critically views the epistemology of Muhammad Abid al Jabiri’s interpretation in his book, Madkhal ila al Quran al Karim. His latest work is projected to make the Quran relevant to mankind today and with certainly critiquing classical Quranic studies that have been constructed by previous scholars. Starting from Arab criticism, which is expected to synergize the gap between Turath and modernity, al Jabiri tried out his theory in the realm of Quranic studies oriented to maintain its originality and interpretation from sectarian influence. Focusing on al Jabiri’s review on the Quran, this paper examines and associates some of the problems with the epistemology of critique in Arab reasoning. Finally, it is inferred that the epistemologic offer of al Jabiri used in Turath is not fully applicable in Quranic studies for several reasons. First, the Quranic studies existed within the chain of sanad in its formation. Secondly, at the application stage, al Jabri often overlooked the sanad and narrations from the companions.

MD study of primary damage in L10 TiAl structural intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voskoboinikov, Roman E.

2013-01-01

Computer modelling by molecular dynamics has been applied to study the radiation damage created in collision cascades in L1 0 TiAl intermetallic compound. Either Al or Ti primary knock-on atoms (PKA) with energy 5 keV ⩽ E PKA ⩽ 20 keV were introduced in the intermetallic crystals at temperatures ranging from 100 K to 900 K. At least 24 different cascade for each (E PKA , T, PKA type) set were modelled in order to simulate a random spatial and temporal distribution of PKAs and provide statistical reliability of the results. The total yield of more than 760 simulated cascades is the largest yet reported for this binary intermetallic material. A comprehensive treatment of the modelling results has been carried out. The number of Frenkel pairs, fraction of Al and Ti vacancies, self-interstitial atoms and anti-sites as a function of (E PKA , T, PKA type) has been established. Preferred formation of Al self-interstitial atoms has been detected in L1 0 TiAl structural intermetallics exposed to irradiation

Commercial laying hen diets formulated according to different recommendations of total and digestible amino acids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EM Casartelli

2005-09-01

Full Text Available An experiment was conducted to evaluate different commercial laying hen diets formulated based on recommendations for total and digestible amino acids. One hundred and twenty Lohmann LSL commercial laying hens aged 25 weeks were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design involving five replications of six birds in four treatments. Diet formulation on a total amino acid basis followed the recommendations of NRC (1994 and Rostagno et al. (2000, whereas formulation on digestible amino acids basis was according to Rostagno et al. (2000 and Degussa (1997 recommendations. The experimental period was divided into five periods of fourteen days. Performance parameters (egg production, feed intake, feed conversion, egg mass were evaluated for each period, and on the last two days of each period, three eggs per replication were collected to evaluate egg quality parameters (Haugh unit, egg specific gravity, egg weight, eggshell thickness and percentage. Means were compared by orthogonal contrasts. Results on feed intake, egg production, egg mass, feed conversion and egg specific gravity showed that total amino acid recommendations promoted better bird responses than digestible amino acid recommendations.

Lubrication performance and mechanisms of Mg/Al-, Zn/Al-, and Zn/Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as lubricant additives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Shuo; Bhushan, Bharat

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Mg/Al-, Zn/Al- and Zn/Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide were synthesized. • Mg/Al-LDH had superior tribological performance compared to other LDHs. • The best thermal stability of Mg/Al-LDH was responsible for its friction property. - Abstract: Solid lubricant particles are commonly used as oil additives for low friction and wear. Mg/Al-, Zn/Al-, and Zn/Mg/Al-layered double hydroxides (LDH) were synthesized by coprecipitation method. The benefits of LDH nanoparticles are that they can be synthesized using chemical methods where size and shape can be controlled, and can be modified organically to allow dispersal in fluids. The LDH nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry. A pin-on-disk friction and wear tester was used for evaluating the friction and wear properties of LDH nanoparticles as lubricant additives. LDH nanoparticles have friction-reducing and anti-wear properties compared to oil without LDHs. Mg/Al-LDH has the best lubrication, possibly due to better thermal stability in severe conditions.

Lubrication performance and mechanisms of Mg/Al-, Zn/Al-, and Zn/Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as lubricant additives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Shuo [School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 29 Xueyuan Road, Haidian Distract, Beijing 100083 (China); Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio- & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics (NLBB), The Ohio State University, 201 W. 19th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210-1142 (United States); Bhushan, Bharat, E-mail: bhushan.2@osu.edu [Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio- & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics (NLBB), The Ohio State University, 201 W. 19th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210-1142 (United States)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • Mg/Al-, Zn/Al- and Zn/Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide were synthesized. • Mg/Al-LDH had superior tribological performance compared to other LDHs. • The best thermal stability of Mg/Al-LDH was responsible for its friction property. - Abstract: Solid lubricant particles are commonly used as oil additives for low friction and wear. Mg/Al-, Zn/Al-, and Zn/Mg/Al-layered double hydroxides (LDH) were synthesized by coprecipitation method. The benefits of LDH nanoparticles are that they can be synthesized using chemical methods where size and shape can be controlled, and can be modified organically to allow dispersal in fluids. The LDH nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry. A pin-on-disk friction and wear tester was used for evaluating the friction and wear properties of LDH nanoparticles as lubricant additives. LDH nanoparticles have friction-reducing and anti-wear properties compared to oil without LDHs. Mg/Al-LDH has the best lubrication, possibly due to better thermal stability in severe conditions.

Dakwah Kultural Bayt al-Qur’an al-Akbar Ukiran Kayu Khas Melayu Palembang

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reza Pahlevi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini berusaha mengungkap berbagai fenomena yang menggambarkan serangkaian kegiatan dakwah kultural Bayt al-Qur’an al-Akbar Ukiran Khas Melayu Palembang. Sehingga dapat diperoleh sejumlah informasi mengenai berbagai upaya penerapan program yang dimaksud. Penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan, pertama kontribusi Bayt al-Qur’an al-Akbar Ukiran Khas Melayu Palembang terhadap perkembangan metode dakwah kultural adalah dakwah melalui seni. Kedua, Bayt al-Qur’an al-Akbar Ukiran Khas Melayu Palembang sebagai tempat Wisata Religi yang sangat signifikan.   This research tries to reveal the various phenomenon that describe a series of cultural propaganda activities Bayt al-Qur’an al-Akbar Ukiran Khas Melayu Palembang. In order to obtain some informations about the efforts of the implementation of the program in question. It can be concluded, the first contribution of Bayt al-Qur’an al-Akbar Ukiran Khas Melayu Palembang on the development of methods of cultural propaganda is propaganda through art. Second Bayt al-Qur’an al-Akbar Ukiran Khas Melayu Palembang as a very significant Religious Tourism.

Optical phonon scattering on electronic mobility in Al2O3/AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, X. J.; Qu, Y.; Ban, S. L.; Wang, Z. P.

2017-12-01

Considering the built-in electric fields and the two-mode property of transverse optical phonons in AlGaN material, the electronic eigen-energies and wave functions are obtained by solving Schrödinger equation with the finite difference method. The dispersion relations and potentials of the optical phonons are given by the transfer matrix method. The mobility of the two dimensional electron gas influenced by the optical phonons in Al2O3/AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures is investigated based on the theory of Lei-Ting force balance equation. It is found that the scattering from the half-space phonons is the main factor affecting the electronic mobility, and the influence of the other phonons can be ignored. The results show that the mobility decreases with increasing the thicknesses of Al2O3 and AlN layers, but there is no definite relationship between the mobility and the thickness of AlGaN barrier. The mobility is obviously reduced by increasing Al component in AlGaN crystal to show that the effect of ternary mixed crystals is important. It is also found that the mobility increases first and then decreases as the increment of the fixed charges, but decreases always with increasing temperature. The heterostructures constructed here can be good candidates as metal-oxide-semiconductor high-electron-mobility-transistors since they have higher electronic mobility due to the influence from interface phonons weakened by the AlN interlayer.

Al2O3 adherence on CoCrAl alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kingsley, L.M.

1980-04-01

Adherence of protective oxides on NiCrAl and CoCrAl superalloys has been promoted by a dispersion of a highly oxygen reactive element or its oxide being produced within the protection system. Two aspects of this subject are investigated here: the use of Al 2 O 3 as both the dispersion and protective oxide; and the production of an HfO 2 dispersion while simultaneously aluminizing the alloy. It was found that an Al 2 O 3 dispersion will act to promote the adherence of an external scale of Al 2 O 3 to a degree comparable to previously tested dispersions and an HfO 2 dispersion comparable to that produced by a Rhines pack treatment is produced during aluminization

Tracing Al Shabaab’s Decision to Cooperate with Al Qaeda in Somalia (2008

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Adlini Ilma Ghaisany Sjah

2014-02-01

Full Text Available 'Al Shabaab, a Somali insurgent with predominantly nationalistic causes (alongside transnational [global Jihad] and Islamic goals made the choice to fight on behalf of Al Qaeda in 2008. The decision to do so contrasted with Al Shabaab’s previous behaviour of actively denying cooperation and distancing itself from Al Qaeda. This study aims to uncover factors that contributed to Al Shabaab’s decision through the use of process-tracing. The results show that Al Shabaab’s declaration of cooperation with Al Qaeda in August 2008 was brought about by a series of events that traced back to four factors: public reactions to the implementation of a Salafi ideology, the shift to a radical leadership, Al Shabaab’s inability to maintain stability in areas under its control and its increasing attacks by Al Shabaab on the Somali public. Al Shabaab pursued cooperation with Al Qaeda after realizing that their nationalistic preference was no longer achievable in the near future.' ' '

Hydrogen migration dynamics in hydrated Al clusters: The Al{sub 17}{sup (−)}·H{sub 2}O system as an example

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Álvarez-Barcia, S.; Flores, J. R., E-mail: flores@uvigo.es [Facultad de Química, Universidad de Vigo, E-36310-Vigo (Pontevedra) (Spain)

2014-02-28

The Al{sub m}{sup (−)}·(H{sub 2}O){sub n} systems are known to undergo water splitting processes in the gas phase giving H{sub k}Al{sub m}(OH){sub k}{sup (−)}·(H{sub 2}O){sub n−k} systems, which can generate H{sub 2}. The migration of H atoms from one Al atom to another on the cluster's surface is of critical importance to the mechanism of the complete H{sub 2} production process. We have applied a combination of Molecular Dynamics and Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory including tunneling effects to study the gas-phase evolution of HAl{sub 17}(OH){sup (−)}, which can be considered a model system. First, we have performed an extensive search for local minima and the connecting saddle points using a density functional theory method. It is found that in the water-splitting process Al{sub 17}{sup (−)}·(H{sub 2}O) → HAl{sub 17}(OH){sup (−)}, the H atom which bonds to the Al cluster losses rather quickly its excess energy, which is easily “absorbed” by the cluster because of its flexibility. This fact ultimately determines that long-range hydrogen migration is not a very fast process and that, probably, tunneling only plays a secondary role in the migration dynamics, at least for moderate energies. Reduction of the total energy results in the process being very much slowed down. The consequences on the possible mechanisms of H{sub 2} generation from the interaction of Al clusters and water molecules are discussed.

All About ALS

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Atomistic simulations of diffusion mechanisms in off-stoichiometric Al-rich Ni3Al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan, Jinsong

2007-01-01

This paper presents dynamics simulation results of diffusion in off-stoichiometric Al-rich Ni 3 Al (Ni 73 Al 27 ) at temperature ranging from 1300 to 1550 K. The interatomic forces are described by the Finnis-Sinclair type N-body potentials. Particular attention is devoted to the effect of the extra 2% of Al atoms sitting on the Ni sublattice as antisite point defects (Al Ni ) on diffusion. Simulation results show that Ni atoms mainly diffuse through the Ni sublattice at the temperatures investigated. Al atoms diffuse via both the intrasublattice and antistructure bridge (ASB) mechanisms. The contribution to Al diffusion from the ASB mechanism decreases at the lower temperature (T Ni ) enhances both Al and Ni diffusion in Ni 73 Al 27 . The Ni-Al coupled diffusion effect is observed and understood at the atomic level for the first time

Serum prolactin revisited: parametric reference intervals and cross platform evaluation of polyethylene glycol precipitation-based methods for discrimination between hyperprolactinemia and macroprolactinemia.

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Overgaard, Martin; Pedersen, Susanne Møller

2017-10-26

Hyperprolactinemia diagnosis and treatment is often compromised by the presence of biologically inactive and clinically irrelevant higher-molecular-weight complexes of prolactin, macroprolactin. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of two macroprolactin screening regimes across commonly used automated immunoassay platforms. Parametric total and monomeric gender-specific reference intervals were determined for six immunoassay methods using female (n=96) and male sera (n=127) from healthy donors. The reference intervals were validated using 27 hyperprolactinemic and macroprolactinemic sera, whose presence of monomeric and macroforms of prolactin were determined using gel filtration chromatography (GFC). Normative data for six prolactin assays included the range of values (2.5th-97.5th percentiles). Validation sera (hyperprolactinemic and macroprolactinemic; n=27) showed higher discordant classification [mean=2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-4.4] for the monomer reference interval method compared to the post-polyethylene glycol (PEG) recovery cutoff method (mean=1.8; 95% CI 0.8-2.8). The two monomer/macroprolactin discrimination methods did not differ significantly (p=0.089). Among macroprolactinemic sera evaluated by both discrimination methods, the Cobas and Architect/Kryptor prolactin assays showed the lowest and the highest number of misclassifications, respectively. Current automated immunoassays for prolactin testing require macroprolactin screening methods based on PEG precipitation in order to discriminate truly from falsely elevated serum prolactin. While the recovery cutoff and monomeric reference interval macroprolactin screening methods demonstrate similar discriminative ability, the latter method also provides the clinician with an easy interpretable monomeric prolactin concentration along with a monomeric reference interval.

Total body irradiation as a form of preparation for bone marrow transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Toshihiko

1987-01-01

The history of total body irradiation and bone marrow transplantation is surprisingly old. Following the success of Thomas et al. in the 1970s, bone marrow transplantation appeared to be the sole curative treatment modality for high-risk leukemia. A supralethal dose of total body irradiation was widely accepted as a form of preparation for bone marrow transplantation. In this paper, I described the present status of bone marrow transplantation for leukemia patients in Japan based on the IVth national survey. Since interstitial pneumonitis was one of the most life threatening complications after bone marrow transplantation, I mentioned the dose, dose-rate and fraction of total body irradiation in more detail. In addition, I dealt with some problems of the total body irradiation, such as dose prescription, compensating contour as well as inhomogeneity, and shielding for the highrisk organs. (author) 82 refs

Methodology and Characteristics of Zad al-masir fi ‘ilm al-tafsirby AllamaIbn al-Jawzī (Urdu

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Dr. Muhammad Riaz al Azhari

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article describes the methodology and characteristics of Zad al-masir fi ‘ilm al-tafsir. This is one the finest work of AllamaIbn al-Jawzī, a 6th century prominent Interpreter. Several editions of this Tafsir have been published. However, the edition of dar al-kitab al-‘arbi, Beirut published in four volumes is selected for this study. This exegesis is based on conventional narrations, authentic quotations from the Islamic Scholars and lingual & grammatical discussions. As a witness, causes of verses (asbabal-Nuz┴l,Makki and MadaniSurah’s (chapters, the abrogating and abrogated verses (al-nasikhwal-mans┴kh and Islamic jurisprudence have been discussed in it where needed. The quality of this translation which is admirable is that mostly authentic Ahadith from original sources, and references to well known basic books in relevant discussions have been described. `

Phenotypic and genotypic studies of ALS cases in ALS-SMA families.

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Corcia, Philippe; Vourc'h, Patrick; Blasco, Helene; Couratier, Philippe; Dangoumau, Audrey; Bellance, Remi; Desnuelle, Claude; Viader, Fausto; Pautot, Vivien; Millecamps, Stephanie; Bakkouche, Salah; Salachas, FranÇois; Andres, Christian R; Meininger, Vincent; Camu, William

2018-03-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are the most frequent motor neuron disorders in adulthood and infancy, respectively. There is a growing literature supporting common pathophysiological patterns between those disorders. One important clinical issue for that is the co-occurrence of both diseases within a family. To collect families in which ALS and SMA patients co-exist and describe the phenotype and the genotype of ALS patients. Nine families with co-occurrence of SMA and ALS have been gathered over the last 15 years. Epidemiological, phenotype and genetic status were collected. Out of the nine families, six corresponded to the criteria of familial ALS (FALS). Clinical data were available for 11 patients out of the 15 ALS cases. Mean age of onset was 58.5 years, site of onset was lower limbs in nine cases (81.8%), median duration was 22 months. Four ALS patients carried a mutation: three mutations in SOD1 gene (G147N in two cases and one with E121G) and one repeat expansion in the C9ORF72 gene. Three patients had abnormal SMN1 copy numbers. While the high proportion of familial history of ALS cases in these ALS-SMA pedigrees could have suggested that these familial clusters of the two most frequent MND rely on a genetic background, we failed to exclude that this occurred by chance.

Total OH reactivity study from VOC photochemical oxidation in the SAPHIR chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Z.; Tillmann, R.; Hohaus, T.; Fuchs, H.; Novelli, A.; Wegener, R.; Kaminski, M.; Schmitt, S. H.; Wahner, A.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.

2015-12-01

It is well known that hydroxyl radicals (OH) act as a dominant reactive species in the degradation of VOCs in the atmosphere. In recent field studies, directly measured total OH reactivity often showed poor agreement with OH reactivity calculated from VOC measurements (e.g. Nölscher et al., 2013; Lu et al., 2012a). This "missing OH reactivity" is attributed to unaccounted biogenic VOC emissions and/or oxidation products. The comparison of total OH reactivity being directly measured and calculated from single component measurements of VOCs and their oxidation products gives us a further understanding on the source of unmeasured reactive species in the atmosphere. This allows also the determination of the magnitude of the contribution of primary VOC emissions and their oxidation products to the missing OH reactivity. A series of experiments was carried out in the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR in Jülich, Germany, to explore in detail the photochemical degradation of VOCs (isoprene, ß-pinene, limonene, and D6-benzene) by OH. The total OH reactivity was determined from the measurement of VOCs and their oxidation products by a Proton Transfer Reaction Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS) with a GC/MS/FID system, and directly measured by a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) at the same time. The comparison between these two total OH reactivity measurements showed an increase of missing OH reactivity in the presence of oxidation products of VOCs, indicating a strong contribution to missing OH reactivity from uncharacterized oxidation products.

Effects of Al substitution in Nd2Fe17 studied by first-principles calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, M.; Ching, W.Y.

1994-01-01

We have studied the effect of Al substitution in Nd 2 Fe 17 compound by means of first-principles calculations. We first obtain the site-decomposed potentials for Fe from self-consistent calculation on Y 2 Fe 17 and the atomiclike potentials in the crystalline environment for Al and Nd. Calculations are carried out for a single Al substituting one Fe at four different Fe sites (6c), (9d), (18f ), and (18h), two Al substituting two Fe (18h), and four Al substituting three Fe (18h) and one Fe (18f ). Our results show that the Al moment is oppositely polarized to Fe. The average moment per Fe atom actually increases for Al substituting Fe (18h) and Fe (18f ) is about the same for Al substituting Fe (6c), and is drastically reduced when replacing Fe (9d). Experimentally, Al is shown to be excluded from the (9d) sites because of the small Wigner--Seitz volume. When two Fe atoms are replaced by two Al atoms, the total moment is only slightly less than when only one Fe atom is replaced, and the M s per Fe site actually increases, in agreement with the Moessbauer data. These results are analyzed in terms of the local atomic geometry and the charge transfer effect from the neighboring Fe to Al

Oxidation precursor dependence of atomic layer deposited Al2O3 films in a-Si:H(i)/Al2O3 surface passivation stacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Yuren; Zhou, Chunlan; Jia, Endong; Wang, Wenjing

2015-01-01

In order to obtain a good passivation of a silicon surface, more and more stack passivation schemes have been used in high-efficiency silicon solar cell fabrication. In this work, we prepared a-Si:H(i)/Al2O3 stacks on KOH solution-polished n-type solar grade mono-silicon(100) wafers. For the Al2O3 film deposition, both thermal atomic layer deposition (T-ALD) and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) were used. Interface trap density spectra were obtained for Si passivation with a-Si films and a-Si:H(i)/Al2O3 stacks by a non-contact corona C-V technique. After the fabrication of a-Si:H(i)/Al2O3 stacks, the minimum interface trap density was reduced from original 3 × 10(12) to 1 × 10(12) cm(-2) eV(-1), the surface total charge density increased by nearly one order of magnitude for PE-ALD samples and about 0.4 × 10(12) cm(-2) for a T-ALD sample, and the carrier lifetimes increased by a factor of three (from about 10 μs to about 30 μs). Combining these results with an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, we discussed the influence of an oxidation precursor for ALD Al2O3 deposition on Al2O3 single layers and a-Si:H(i)/Al2O3 stack surface passivation from field-effect passivation and chemical passivation perspectives. In addition, the influence of the stack fabrication process on the a-Si film structure was also discussed in this study.

Eutectic microstructures of Al-ThA13 and Al-UA14 alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, R.R.; Ambrozio Filho, F.

1990-01-01

This paper deals on the microstructures of systems Al-ThAl3 and Al-UAL4, which are composed by a non faceted phase (aluminium) and an intermetallic phase (ThAl3 or UAL4) which is normally faceted phase. (C.M.)

Interface reactions in the Al-Si-SiC and Mg-Al-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} composite systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, P.K. [Commission of the European Communities, Petten (Netherlands). Inst. for Advanced Materials; Fazal-Ur-Rehman [Imperial Coll. of Science, Technology and Medicine, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Materials; Fox, S. [Imperial Coll. of Science, Technology and Medicine, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Materials; Flower, H.M. [Imperial Coll. of Science, Technology and Medicine, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Materials; West, D.R.F.

1995-12-31

Structural and compositional observations are reported on the influence of the interfaces on the mechanisms and kinetics of liquid metal-ceramic reactions in Al-SiC, Al-Si-SiC, Mg-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Mg-Al-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} composites. The aluminium based materials contained up to 20 vol% SiC in particulate form, and were produced by a spray casting process; subsequently the interface reactions were studied in samples heated to temperatures up to 1100 C. The reaction product was Al{sub 4}C{sub 3} in both Al-SiC and Al-Si-SiC composites. The influence of the crystallography and topology of the SiC particle surfaces on the nucleation of the Al{sub 4}C{sub 3} has been demonstrated; surface asperities play an important role. Growth of nuclei proceeds to form continuous reaction product layers which control the subsequent kinetics. The magnesium based composites contained 5 vol% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} fibres (3 {mu}m in diameter), and were produced by a liquid infiltration process. SD Safimax fibres with relatively low and high porosity, and also RF Saffil fibres, with a silica binder, were investigated. Fibre porosity plays a major role in accelerating the penetration of Mg into the fibres with reaction to form MgO. Silica binder on the fibre surface transforms to MgO. The reaction rate was reduced by the presence of aluminium in the matrix. The factors controlling the reactions in the aluminium and magnesium based composites are compared. (orig.)

Novel DDR Processing of Corn Stover Achieves High Monomeric Sugar Concentrations from Enzymatic Hydrolysis (230 g/L) and High Ethanol Concentration (10% v/v) During Fermentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xiaowen; Jennings, Ed; Shekiro, Joe; Kuhn, Erik M.; O' Brien, Marykate; Wang, Wei; Schell, Daniel J.; Himmel, Mike; Elander, Richard T.; Tucker, Melvin P.

2015-04-03

Distilling and purifying ethanol, butanol, and other products from second and later generation lignocellulosic biorefineries adds significant capital and operating cost for biofuels production. The energy costs associated with distillation affects plant gate and life cycle analysis costs. Lower titers in fermentation due to lower sugar concentrations from pretreatment increase both energy and production costs. In addition, higher titers decrease the volumes required for enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation vessels. Therefore, increasing biofuels titers has been a research focus in renewable biofuels production for several decades. In this work, we achieved over 200 g/L of monomeric sugars after high solids enzymatic hydrolysis using the novel deacetylation and disc refining (DDR) process on corn stover. The high sugar concentrations and low chemical inhibitor concentrations from the DDR process allowed ethanol titers as high as 82 g/L in 22 hours, which translates into approximately 10 vol% ethanol. To our knowledge, this is the first time that 10 vol% ethanol in fermentation derived from corn stover without any sugar concentration or purification steps has been reported. Techno-economic analysis shows the higher titer ethanol achieved from the DDR process could significantly reduce the minimum ethanol selling price from cellulosic biomass.

KONSTRUKSI FIQH BUKHARI DALAM KITAB AL-JAMI’ AL-SHAHIH

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Abdul Sattar

2011-06-01

Popularitas Imam Bukhari sebagai penyusun kitab Hadits memiliki posisi yang tinggi di kalangan masyarakat muslim. Kitab Al-Jami ‘al-Shahih karya Imam  Bukhari dianggap sebagai koleksi hadits terbaik setelah Quran. Namun, tidak ada banyak informasi tentang kemampuannya di bidang Hukum Islam (fiqh. Ada beberapa pertanyaan yang dapat diajukan dalam hal tersebut;  pertama, apakah pemikiran Imam Bukhari dipengaruh salah satu dari empat fuqaha Sunni saat menulis al-Jami ‘al-Shahih?. Kedua, apa yang diupayakan Imam Bukhari untuk mengartikulasikan pemikirannya tentang hukum Islam? Dengan menggunakan pendekatan eksploratif, verifikatif dan hermenetical, artikel ini akan mengungkapkan bahwa Imam Bukhari tidak berada di bawah pengaruh madhab tertentu dalam mengartikulasikan pemikirannya tentang hukum Islam. Dia mengartikulasikan pandangannya dengan cara yang unik dan execelent berdasarkan kapasitasnya sebagai muhaddits.

Study of total phenol, flavonoids contents and phytochemical screening of various leaves crude extracts of locally grown Thymus vulgaris.

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, Mohammad Amzad; AL-Raqmi, Khulood Ahmed Salim; AL-Mijizy, Zawan Hamood; Weli, Afaf Mohammed; Al-Riyami, Qasim

2013-09-01

To prepare various crude extracts using different polarities of solvent and to quantitatively evaluate their total phenol, flavonoids contents and phytochemical screening of Thymus vulgaris collected from Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman. The leave sample was extracted with methanol and evaporated. Then it was defatted with water and extracted with different polarities organic solvents with increasing polarities. The prepare hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and methanol crude extracts were used for their evaluation of total phenol, flavonoids contents and phytochemical screening study. The established conventional methods were used for quantitative determination of total phenol, flavonoids contents and phytochemical screening. Phytochemical screening for various crude extracts were tested and shown positive result for flavonoids, saponins and steroids compounds. The result for total phenol content was the highest in butanol and the lowest in methanol crude extract whereas the total flavonoids contents was the highest in methanol and the lowest hexane crude extract. The crude extracts from locally grown Thymus vulgaris showed high concentration of flavonoids and it could be used as antibiotics for different curable and uncurable diseases.

La "historia de los omeyas de al-Andalus" en los Masalik al-Absar

OpenAIRE

Molina, Luis

2005-01-01

[ES]Los Masalik al-absar de Ibn Fadl Allah al-`Umari incluyen un breve resumen de la Historia de los omeyas de al-Andalus. En este trabajo se analizan las relaciones textuales entre ese pasaje y el Muqtabis de Ibn Hayyan, crónica que resulta ser la fuente casi única utilizada por al-`Umari para redactar ese capítulo. [EN]The Masalik al-absar by Ibn Fadl Allah al-`Umari contains a brief summary of the Umayyad history in al-Andalus. In this article, the textual relationship between this p...

Analysis of Treated Wastewater Produced from Al-Lajoun Wastewater Treatment Plant, Jordan

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Waleed Manasreh

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Assessment of treated wastewater produced from Al-Lajoun collection tanks of the wastewater treatment plant in Karak province was carried out in term of physical properties, its major ionic composition, heavy metals and general organic content, for both wastewater influent and effluent. Sampling was done in two periods during (2005-2006 summer season and during winter season to detect the impact of climate on treated wastewater quality. Soil samples were collected from Al-Lajoun valley where the treated wastewater drained, to determine the heavy metal and total organic carbon concentrations at same time. The study showed that the treated wastewater was low in its heavy metals contents during both winter and summer seasons, which was attributed to high pH value enhancing their precipitations. Some of the major ions such as Cl-, Na+, HCO33-, Mg2+ in addition to biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand were higher than the recommended Jordanian guidelines for drained water in valleys. The treated wastewater contained some organic compounds of toxic type such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Results showed that the soil was low in its heavy metal contents and total organic carbon with distance from the discharging pond, which attributed to the adsorption of heavy metals, total organic carbon and sedimentation of suspended particulates. From this study it was concluded that the treated wastewater must be used in situ for production of animal fodder and prohibit its contact with the surface and groundwater resources of the area specially Al-Mujeb dam where it is collected.

Electronic Structure and Chemical Bond of Ti3SiC2 and Adding Al Element

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

MIN Xinmin; LU Ning; MEI Bingchu

2006-01-01

The relation among electronic structure, chemical bond and property of Ti3SiC2 and Al-doped was studied by density function and discrete variation (DFT-DVM) method. When Al element is added into Ti3SiC2, there is a less difference of ionic bond, which does not play a leading role to influent the properties. After adding Al, the covalent bond of Al and the near Ti becomes somewhat weaker, but the covalent bond of Al and the Si in the same layer is obviously stronger than that of Si and Si before adding. Therefore, in preparation of Ti3SiC2, adding a proper quantity of Al can promote the formation of Ti3SiC2. The density of state shows that there is a mixed conductor character in both of Ti3SiC2 and adding Al element. Ti3SiC2 is with more tendencies to form a semiconductor. The total density of state near Fermi lever after adding Al is larger than that before adding, so the electric conductivity may increase after adding Al.

Cryptanalysis of Lin et al.'s Efficient Block-Cipher-Based Hash Function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, Bozhong; Gong, Zheng; Chen, Xiaohong; Qiu, Weidong; Zheng, Dong

2010-01-01

Hash functions are widely used in authentication. In this paper, the security of Lin et al.'s efficient block-cipher-based hash function is reviewed. By using Joux's multicollisions and Kelsey et al.'s expandable message techniques, we find the scheme is vulnerable to collision, preimage and second

From Kitāb al-ḥadā’iq to Kitāb al-dawā’ir: Reconsidering Ibn al-Sīd al-Batalyawsī’s Philosophical Treatise

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Eliyahu, Ayala

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The philosophical treatise known as Kitāb al-ḥadā’iq is generally ascribed to the 12th century Andalusian author Ibn al-Sīd al-Batalyawsī, although this attribution is sometimes contested. This paper offers a new interpretation of the title, textual history, authorship, sources, and literary genre of this treatise, on the basis of new textual evidence, a reexamination of known evidence, and a comparison between the treatise and Batalyawsī’s works. The conclusions of this study are first, that Kitāb al-ḥadā’iq was not the treatise’s original title, and therefore it should be renamed Kitāb al-dawā’ir; second, that Kitāb al-dawā’ir was originally part of (one of the versions of Batalyawsī’s Kitāb al-masā’il; and third, that the textual and stylistic similarities between this treatise and Batalyawsī’s other works prove the authenticity of the treatise’s attribution to Batalyawsī. In addition, new findings regarding Batalyawsī’s use of formulas from the Rasā’il Ikhwān al-Safā, in Kitāb al-dawā’ir and Kitāb al-masā’il provide further evidence for the deep impact of the Ikhwān on Batalyawsī’s thought, as well as for the close connection between Kitāb al-dawā’ir and Kitāb al-masā’il. This connection is further highlighted according to the attribution of both treatises to the genre of questions and answers in Arabic literature. The evidence gathered in this paper supports the claim that Batalyawsī’s Kitāb al-dawā’ir should be seen as an integral part of his literary oeuvre, as well as of Andalusian philosophical literature in general.Generalmente el tratado filosófico conocido como Kitāb al-ḥadā’iq se asocia al autor andalusí del siglo XII Ibn al-Sid al-Batalyawsī, aunque esta atribución ha sido discutida en ocasiones. Este artículo ofrece una nueva interpretación del título, la historia del texto, la autoría, las fuentes e incluso del género literario al que se

Aluminium Uptake and Translocation in Al Hyperaccumulator Rumex obtusifolius Is Affected by Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids Content and Soil pH

Science.gov (United States)

Vondráčková, Stanislava; Száková, Jiřina; Drábek, Ondřej; Tejnecký, Václav; Hejcman, Michal; Müllerová, Vladimíra; Tlustoš, Pavel

2015-01-01

Background and Aims High Al resistance of Rumex obtusifolius together with its ability to accumulate Al has never been studied in weakly acidic conditions (pH > 5.8) and is not sufficiently described in real soil conditions. The potential elucidation of the role of organic acids in plant can explain the Al tolerance mechanism. Methods We established a pot experiment with R. obtusifolius planted in slightly acidic and alkaline soils. For the manipulation of Al availability, both soils were untreated and treated by lime and superphosphate. We determined mobile Al concentrations in soils and concentrations of Al and organic acids in organs. Results Al availability correlated positively to the extraction of organic acids (citric acid soil solution as well as from superphosphate that can probably modify distribution of total Al in R. obtusifolius as a representative of “oxalate plants.” The highest concentrations of Al and organic acids were recorded in the leaves, followed by the stem and belowground organ infusions. Conclusions In alkaline soil, R. obtusifolius is an Al-hyperaccumulator with the highest concentrations of oxalate in leaves, of malate in stems, and of citrate in belowground organs. These organic acids form strong complexes with Al that can play a key role in internal Al tolerance but the used methods did not allow us to distinguish the proportion of total Al-organic complexes to the free organic acids. PMID:25880431

Theory and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy for Aluminum Coordination Complexes – Al K-Edge Studies of Charge and Bonding in (BDI)Al, (BDI)AlR2, and (BDI)AlX2 Complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Altman, Alison B; Pemmaraju, C D; Camp, Clément; Arnold, John; Minasian, Stefan G; Prendergast, David; Shuh, David K; Tyliszczak, Tolek

2015-08-19

Polarized aluminum K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and first-principles calculations were used to probe electronic structure in a series of (BDI)Al, (BDI)AlX2, and (BDI)AlR2 coordination compounds (X = F, Cl, I; R = H, Me; BDI = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl-β-diketiminate). Spectral interpretations were guided by examination of the calculated transition energies and polarization-dependent oscillator strengths, which agreed well with the XANES spectroscopy measurements. Pre-edge features were assigned to transitions associated with the Al 3p orbitals involved in metal-ligand bonding. Qualitative trends in Al 1s core energy and valence orbital occupation were established through a systematic comparison of excited states derived from Al 3p orbitals with similar symmetries in a molecular orbital framework. These trends suggested that the higher transition energies observed for (BDI)AlX2 systems with more electronegative X(1-) ligands could be ascribed to a decrease in electron density around the aluminum atom, which causes an increase in the attractive potential of the Al nucleus and concomitant increase in the binding energy of the Al 1s core orbitals. For (BDI)Al and (BDI)AlH2 the experimental Al K-edge XANES spectra and spectra calculated using the eXcited electron and Core-Hole (XCH) approach had nearly identical energies for transitions to final state orbitals of similar composition and symmetry. These results implied that the charge distributions about the aluminum atoms in (BDI)Al and (BDI)AlH2 are similar relative to the (BDI)AlX2 and (BDI)AlMe2 compounds, despite having different formal oxidation states of +1 and +3, respectively. However, (BDI)Al was unique in that it exhibited a low-energy feature that was attributed to transitions into a low-lying p-orbital of b1 symmetry that is localized on Al and orthogonal to the (BDI)Al plane. The presence of this low-energy unoccupied molecular orbital on electron-rich (BDI)Al distinguishes

Elemental Spatiotemporal Variations of Total Suspended Particles in Jeddah City

OpenAIRE

Kadi, Mohammad W.

2014-01-01

Elements associated with total suspended particulate matter (TSP) in Jeddah city were determined. Using high-volume samplers, TSP samples were simultaneously collected over a one-year period from seven sampling sites. Samples were analyzed for Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ti, V, Cr, Co, Ni, As, and Sr. Results revealed great dependence of element contents on spatial and temporal variations. Two sites characterized by busy roads, workshops, heavy population, and heavy trucking have high lev...

Pressureless infiltration of porous Al2O3 preform in molten 6061 commercial aluminium alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marin, J.; Olivares, L.; Moreno, C.; Ordonez, S.; Martinez, V.

2001-01-01

This paper presents an infiltration study of Al 2 O 3 samples containing, approximately, 40% of pores with 1μ average radios. These samples were totally infiltrated with Al-6061 at 1100 deg C for 24 hs in air. Microstructural analysis showed the presence of an alumina matrix infiltrated through mechanisms that combine reactive processes and capillarity, and thus being coherent with the presence of open and closed porosity. The metallographic analysis showed open porosity infiltrated with Al-6061 by capillarity, while SEM micrographs corresponding to this system also showed closed pores filled with metal, that was transported into the ceramic matrix through a reactivate infiltration mechanism. The EDAX analysis for the Al 2 O 3 /Al 6061 system showed areas rich in silicon and copper at the metal-ceramic interface, while the ceramic phase showed the presence of Mg. XRD identified the presence of the MgAl 2 O 4 spinel in the ceramic phase

Thermodynamic properties of Al-Mn, Al-Cu, and Al-Fe-Cu melts and their relations to liquid and quasicrystal structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaitsev, A I; Zaitseva, N E; Shimko, R Yu; Arutyunyan, N A; Dunaev, S F; Kraposhin, V S; Lam, Ha Thanh

2008-01-01

Thermodynamic properties of molten Al-Mn, Al-Cu and Al-Fe-Cu alloys in a wide temperature range of 1123-1878 K and the whole range of concentrations have been studied using the integral effusion method and Knudsen mass spectrometry. Thermodynamic functions of melts were described by the associated solution model. The possibility of icosahedral quasicrystal (i-QC) precipitation from liquid Al-Mn and Al-Cu-Fe alloys was found to be a consequence of the existence in liquid associates (clusters). A geometric model is suggested for the structure of associates in liquid

Improved performance of UV-LED by p-AlGaN with graded composition

KAUST Repository

Yan, Jianchang

2010-11-02

AlGaN-based ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) on AlN/sapphire template were grown by metal organic chemical vapour deposition. The AlN template was characterized by atomic force microscopy and high resolution X-ray diffraction. Atomic force microscopy image shows that the AlN surface is very flat, while high resolution X-ray diffraction results prove the good crystalline quality of the AlN template. A novel structure UV-LED which has several p-AlGaN layers with graded composition is compared with a common structure UV-LED which has a single p-Al0.5Ga0.5N layer. The forward bias voltage at 20 mA driving current for the novel structure UV-LED is nearly 3 V higher than that of the common structure UV-LED, however, the electroluminescence intensity of the former is over two times higher than that of the latter. The total quantum efficiency of the novel structure UV-LED is more than 50% higher than that of the common structure UV-LED. The improvement is considered to be the result of better holes injection efficiency in the novel structure UV-LED. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Stability, electronic structures, and mechanical properties of Fe–Mn–Al system from first-principles calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Ya-Hui; Chong Xiao-Yu; Jiang Ye-Hua; Feng Jing

2017-01-01

The stability, electronic structures, and mechanical properties of the Fe–Mn–Al system were determined by first-principles calculations. The formation enthalpy and cohesive energy of these Fe–Mn–Al alloys are negative and show that the alloys are thermodynamically stable. Fe 3 Al, with the lowest formation enthalpy, is the most stable compound in the Fe–Mn–Al system. The partial density of states, total density of states, and electron density distribution maps of the Fe– Mn–Al alloys were analyzed. The bonding characteristics of these Fe–Mn–Al alloys are mainly combinations of covalent bonding and metallic bonds. The stress-strain method and Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation were used to calculate the elastic constants and moduli, respectively. Fe 2.5 Mn 0.5 Al has the highest bulk modulus, 234.5 GPa. Fe 1.5 Mn 1.5 Al has the highest shear modulus and Young’s modulus, with values of 98.8 GPa and 259.2 GPa, respectively. These Fe–Mn–Al alloys display disparate anisotropies due to the calculated different shape of the three-dimensional curved surface of the Young’s modulus and anisotropic index. Moreover, the anisotropic sound velocities and Debye temperatures of these Fe–Mn–Al alloys were explored. (paper)

Mechanochemical transformations in Li(Na)AlH4-Li(Na)NH2 systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolotko, Oleksandr; Zhang Haiqiao; Ugurlu, Ozan; Wiench, Jerzy W.; Pruski, Marek; Scott Chumbley, L.; Pecharsky, Vitalij

2007-01-01

Mechanochemical transformations of tetrahydroaluminates and amides of lithium and sodium have been investigated using gas volumetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and transmission electron microscopy. In a transformation of LiAlH 4 and LiNH 2 taken in an 1:1 molar ratio, the amount of released hydrogen (6.6 wt.% after 30 min ball milling) was higher than in any known one pot mechanochemical process involving a hydrogen-containing solid. A total of 4.3 wt.% of hydrogen is released by the NaAlH 4 -NaNH 2 system after 60 min ball milling; and 5.2 wt.% H 2 is released when LiAlH 4 and NaNH 2 or NaAlH 4 and LiNH 2 are ball milled for 90 min and 120 min, respectively. All transformations proceed at room temperature. The mechanism of the overall transformation MAlH 4 (s) + MNH 2 (s) → 2MH(s) + AlN(s) + 2H 2 (g) was identified based on detailed spectroscopic analysis of the intermediate (M 3 AlH 6 ) and final products of the ball milling process

Sintering Behavior of CNT Reinforced Al6061 and Al2124 Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nouari Saheb

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Ball milling and spark plasma sintering were successfully used to produce carbon nanotube reinforced Al6061 and Al2124 nanocomposites which have potential applications in the fields of aerospace, automotive, electronics, and high precision instrumentation. Al2124 and Al6061 nanocomposite powders containing 0.5 to 2 wt.% CNTs prepared through sonication and wet ball milling were spark plasma sintered at 400, 450, and 500°C for 20 minutes under a pressure of 35 MPa. CNTs were better dispersed, and less agglomerated and had good adhesion to the matrix in composites containing 1 wt.% CNTs. The increase of CNT content to 2 wt.% led to the formation of CNT clusters which resulted in less uniform and homogenous composite powders. Almost full densification of Al6061 reinforced with CNTs was achieved at 500°C. Also, CNTs reinforced Al2124 nanocomposites reached very high densities at 500°C. Composites reinforced with 1 wt.% CNTs displayed better densification compared to composites containing 2 wt.% CNTs. The increase of CNTs content from 0.5 to 1 wt.% increased the hardness of the Al6061 and Al2124 alloys to maximum values. Further increase of CNTs content to 2 wt.% decreased the hardness to values lower than that of the monolithic alloys.

Influence of thermal stress on the relative permittivity of the AlGaN barrier layer in an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure Schottky contacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lü Yuan-Jie; Lin Zhao-Jun; Zhang Yu; Meng Ling-Guo; Cao Zhi-Fang; Luan Chong-Biao; Chen Hong; Wang Zhan-Guo

2011-01-01

Ni Schottky contacts on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were fabricated. Some samples were thermally treated in a furnace with N 2 ambience at 600 °C for different times (0.5 h, 4.5 h, 10.5 h, 18 h, 33 h, 48 h, and 72 h), the others were thermally treated for 0.5 h at different temperatures (500 °C, 600 °C, 700 °C, and 800 °C). With the measured current—voltage (I—V) and capacitance—voltage (C—V) curves and by self-consistently solving Schrodinger's and Poisson's equations, we found that the relative permittivity of the AlGaN barrier layer was related to the piezoelectric and the spontaneous polarization of the AlGaN barrier layer. The relative permittivity was in proportion to the strain of the AlGaN barrier layer. The relative permittivity and the strain reduced with the increased thermal stress time until the AlGaN barrier totally relaxed (after 18 h at 600 °C in the current study), and then the relative permittivity was almost a constant with the increased thermal stress time. When the sample was treated at 800 °C for 0.5 h, the relative permittivity was less than the constant due to the huge diffusion of the contact metal atoms. Considering the relation between the relative permittivity of the AlGaN barrier layer and the converse piezoelectric effect, the conclusion can be made that a moderate thermal stress can restrain the converse piezoelectric effect and can improve the stability of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure devices. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Total Positivity of the Cubic Trigonometric Bézier Basis

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Xuli Han

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Within the general framework of Quasi Extended Chebyshev space, we prove that the cubic trigonometric Bézier basis with two shape parameters λ and μ given in Han et al. (2009 forms an optimal normalized totally positive basis for λ,μ∈(-2,1]. Moreover, we show that for λ=-2 or μ=-2 the basis is not suited for curve design from the blossom point of view. In order to compute the corresponding cubic trigonometric Bézier curves stably and efficiently, we also develop a new corner cutting algorithm.

Tetragonal phase in Al-rich region of U-Fe-Al system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meshi, L.; Zenou, V.; Ezersky, V.; Munitz, A.; Talianker, M.

2005-01-01

A new ternary aluminide U 2 FeAl 20 with the approximate composition Al-4.2at% Fe-8.5at% U was observed in the Al-rich corner of the U-Al-Fe system. Transmission electron microscopy and electron microdiffraction technique were used for characterization of the structure of this phase. It has a tetragonal unit cell with the parameters a=12.4A and c=10.3A and can be described by the space group I4-bar 2m

Ilhaq al-Masa'il bi Nazairiha dan Penerapannya dalam Bahth al-Masa'il

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Luthfi Hadi Aminuddin

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Ilh}a>q al-Masa>’il bi Naz}a>iriha is one of the methods used by Nahdlatul Ulama in resisting the opinion based on (manhaji analytical concept of Islamic jurisprudence (the solution for complex social problems as the main purpose of Islamic shari’ah. As known that, up to now, ilh}a>q has been understood as a process of answering a new case by the way of equating to the old one which is written in the book called al-mu’tabarah. Such ilh}a>q has got many criticisms both from the definitions, procedures and its epistemogical footing. This paper is about to reveal how the NU clerics of Islam understand the concept of Ilh}a>q}, what its epistemological footing was and how the concept was applied in discussing many cases (bah}th al-masa>’il. Based on the writer’s study to several documents of decision results of NU that Ilh}a>q did not only simplify to equate the new cases with the old ones that have been freely discussed in the books of al-mu’tabarah, but both cases should have similar legal substance, that is, both should be under the decrees of laws of al-qawa> ‘id al-fiqhi>yah. Thus, Ilh}a>q is actually answering the problem by applying al-qawa>‘id al-fiqhi>yah, whereas the formulation al-qawa>‘id al-fiqhi>yah itself was set off from the examination of a number of furu>’ generated by qiya> s. This paper also found three variations of the implementation of Ilh}a>q in bah}th al-masa>’il. First, the application of Ilh}a>q was without mentioning al-qawa> ‘id al-fiqhi>yah which covered new cases (mulh}aq and the old case law that has been known in the books of fiqh (mulh}aq bih/attached to. Second, the application of Ilh}a>q was accompanied by mentioning mulh}aq bih and al-qawa> ‘id al-fiqhi>yah. Third, the application of Ilh}a>q, was only by the mentioning al-qawa> ‘id al-fiqhi>yah.

Nanoindentation studies of ex situ AlN/Al metal matrix nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fale, Sandeep; Likhite, Ajay; Bhatt, Jatin

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Formation of in-situ phases nucleated on AlN particles strengthens the matrix. • Formation of in-situ phases increases with AlN content in nanocomposites. • Stronger in-situ phases results in increased hardness and modulus of elasticity. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline Aluminium nitride (AlN) powder is dispersed in different weight ratio in Aluminum matrix to fabricate metal matrix nanocomposite (MMNC) using ex situ melt metallurgy process. The synthesized Al–AlN nanocomposites are studied for phase analysis using high resolution scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) and for hardness behavior using microindentation and nanoindentation tests. Quantitative analysis of the oxide phases is calculated from thermodynamic data and mass balance equation using elemental data obtained from energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) results. Role of oxide phases in association with AlN particles is investigated to understand the mechanical behavior of composites using nanoindentation tester. Load–displacement profile obtained from nanoindentation test reveals distribution of oxide phases along with AlN particle and their effect on indent penetration

Isothermal cross-sections of Sr-Al-Ge and Ba-Al-Ge systems at 673 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutsenok, N.L.; Yanson, T.I.

1987-01-01

X-ray and microstructural analyses are used to study phase equilibria in Sr-Al-Ge and Ba-Al-Ge systems. Existence of SrAl 2 Ge 2 , Sr(Al, Ge) 2 Ba(Al, Ge) 2 , Sr 3 Al 2 Ge 2 , Ba 3 Al 2 Ge 2 ternary compounds is confirmed, a new BaGe 4 binary compound and also new ternary compounds of approximate composition Sr 57 Al 30 Ge 13 and Ba 20 Al 40 Ge 40 , which crystal structure is unknown, are detected. Aluminium solubility in SrAl 4 and BaAl 4 binary compounds (0.05 atomic fraction) is determined. Ba(Al, Ge) 2 compound homogeneity region is defined more exactly (aluminium content varies from 0.27 to 0.51 at. fractions)

Production of 26Al by spallation of Fe, Si, Al nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paillard, P.

1977-01-01

Cross sections for 7 Be, 10 Be and 26 Al formation in Al, Si and Fe targets bombarded with 0.6 and 24GeV protons have been measured by using highly selective chemical separation and low level background counters. Results for 26 Al at 0.6GeV are in mb: 17.9 + or - 2.7 in Al, 12.5 + or - 2.5 in Si and 0.45 + or - 0.14 in Fe; at 24GeV 2.6 + or - 0.5mb in Fe. Results for 10 Be are not valid on account of experimental difficulties. It is deduced from these values of aluminium in cosmic ray propagation that 26 Al is not yet cosmic ray chronometer [fr

Atomic bonding of precipitate and phase transformation of Al-Cu-Mg alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Yingjun; Hou Xianhua; Mo Qifeng; Wei Chengyang; Qin Xiaobing

2007-01-01

Atomic bonding of the GPB zone and S'' phase of Al-Cu-Mg alloys in early aging stage are calculated using the empirical electron theory (EET) in solid. The results show that not only the covalence bond-network is very strong in GPB zone, but the whole covalence bond energy of S'' phase is also very large, and all the primary bond-net framework of these precipitates can consolidate the matrix of alloy. Phase transformation from GPB zone to S'' phase is explained reasonably based on atomic bonding and total binding capacity of Al and Cu atoms in these precipitates

Ab initio investigation of isomerism in not rigid dimer molecules of (LiAB)2 salts with 20 valent electrons (AB-=BO-, AlO-, BS-, AlS-, CN-, CP-, SiN-, SiP-)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charkin, O.P.; Klimenko, N.M.; MakKi, M.L.; Shlojer, P.R.

1999-01-01

Ab initio calculations of potential energy surfaces in neighborhood of key structures of non rigid dimer molecules of lithium salts of (LiAB) 2 type - (LiBO) 2 , (LiAlO) 2 , (LiBS) 2 , (LiAlS) 2 , (LiCN) 2 , (LiSiN) 2 , (LiCP) 2 , (LiSiP) 2 - with 20 valent electrons are done in the framework of MP2/6-31G8//HF/6-31G* + ZPE(HF/6-31G*) and MP4SDTQ/6-31G*//MP2/6-31G* + ZPE(MP2/6-31G*) approximations. Totality of low-lying isomers containing four- and six-membered cycles with lithium bridges is localized. It is shown that for all cycles not rigidity to high deformation of angles in the case of low energy changes is characterized. Equilibrium geometrical parameters, relative energy and energy of isomer decomposition, frequency and intensities of normal vibrations are determined [ru

143 - 148_Makeri et al.

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2015-06-01

Jun 1, 2015 ... Yuan et al., 2003), antimicrobial activity (Sundarrao et al., 1993; Betancur-Galvis et al., 1999; Takashi et al., 2006), anti-parasitic, anti-malarial activities (Alali et al., 1998; Jaramillo et al., 2000; Luna et al.,. 2005). This study evaluates the antibacterial activity of extract of stem –bark and leaf extracts of Annona.

Phase relationships in the Al-rich region of the Al-Cu-Er system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Ligang; Masset, Patrick J.; Cao Fuyong; Meng Fangui; Liu Libin; Jin Zhanpeng

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → One ternary phase τ 1 -Al 8 Cu 4 Er in Al-rich region with a composition of 59.4-60.4 at.% Al, 32.2-33.8 at.% Cu, and 6.4-7.7 at.% Er is observed in both as-cast and annealed alloys. At 673 K, the binary Al 3 Er phase dissolves about 3.51 at.% Cu. → The calculated solidification paths (based on the CALPHAD method) of as-cast alloys are in agreement with the experimental results. → It can be found that the resultant thermodynamic database can be applied to case studies of as-cast alloys, showing that the literature thermodynamic description of the Al-Cu-Er system is reliable as a working basis for computer-assisted alloy design. - Abstract: The Al-rich region of the ternary Al-Cu-Er system is investigated using the method of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Phase equilibria in the Al-rich region of the Al-Cu-Er system at 673 K have been obtained, and the microstructures of as-cast alloys in the Al-rich region are also investigated. One ternary phase τ 1 -Al 8 Cu 4 Er with a composition of 59.4-60.4 at.% Al, 32.2-33.8 at.% Cu, and 6.4-7.7 at.% Er is observed in both as-cast and annealed alloys. At 673 K, the binary Al 3 Er phase dissolves about 3.51 at.% Cu. The calculated solidification paths (based on the CALPHAD method) of as-cast alloys are in agreement with the experimental results.

Mechanical properties and deformation behavior of Al/Al7075, two-phase material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherafat, Z.; Paydar, M.H.; Ebrahimi, R.; Sohrabi, S.

2010-01-01

In the present study, mechanical properties and deformation behavior of Al/Al7075, two-phase material were investigated. The two-phase materials were fabricated by mixing commercially pure Al powder with Al7075 chips and consolidating the mixture through hot extrusion process at 500 o C. Mechanical properties and deformation behavior of the fabricated samples were evaluated using tensile and compression tests. A scanning electron microscope was used to study the fracture surface of the samples including different amount of Al powder, after they were fractured in tensile test. The results of the tensile and compression tests showed that with decreasing the amount of Al powder, the strength increases and ductility decreases. Calculation of work hardening exponent (n) indicated that deformation behavior does not follow a regular trend. In a way that the n value was approved to be variable and a strong function of strain and Al powder wt% of the sample. The results of the fractography studies indicate that the type of fracture happened changes from completely ductile to nearly brittle by decreasing the wt% of Al powder from 90% to 40%.

Violence against Primary Health Care Workers in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

El-Gilany, Abdel-Hady; El-Wehady, Adel; Amr, Mostafa

2010-01-01

This self-report questionnaire study was carried out in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia to highlight the magnitude, predictors, and circumstances of workplace violence against primary health care (PHC) workers. A total of 1,091 workers completed a self-administered questionnaire. About 28% were exposed to at least one violent event during the past year.…

A Scholar from Saray: Mawlana Zada al-Sarayi (754/1353–791/1389 in the Biographical Dictionary of Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi (766/1365–845/1441 “Kitab al-Muqaffa al-Kabir” (The Great Rhymed Book

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.R. Zaynuddinov

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Research objective: to introduce into academic circulation previously unknown source on the Golden Horde history. Research materials: biographical dictionary of Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi (766/1365 – 845/1441 “Kitab al-Muqaffa al-Kabir” (The Great Rhymed Book. Results and novelty of the research: This article contains materials from the works of historians engaged in the narrative biography, which V.G. Tiesenhausen did not include in his “Collection of Materials on the Golden Horde history (extract from Arab writings”, although their writings contain very valuable information about the Golden Horde History. Research novelty consists in the fact that the author of this article presents one paragraph from biographical dictionary of Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi, whose article number 421 provides information about a scholar from Saray – Mawlana Zada al-Sarayi. The author provides its translation and commentary referring to the more than ten medieval Arab sources. After receiving basic education at home, Mawlana Zada al-Sarayi traveled to many Eastern countries in search of knowledge and after having received high recognition he settled in Cairo as a teacher of Sharia Sciences. Despite the fact that his life was interrupted at an early age (36 years, he left a deep mark in science. His son Muhibbu al-Din (Cairo, 791/1389 – Mecca, Friday, the 3rd of Dhu al-Hijjah 859/13 November 1455 also became a great scholar as well as an imam of Sultan al-Ashraf Barsbay himself and other sultans after him. Nisba al-Sarayi sounded on the lips of the Ulema of the East as a symbol of learnedness and high temper. As a result of research it must be said that the study of life of Mawlana Zada al-Sarayi (754/1353 – 791/1389 and the number of migrants from Desht-i Kipchak in Egypt will help researchers in a deeper and more detailed study of the Golden Horde history.

Improved AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Grown on Si Substrates Using Stacked AlGaN/AlN Interlayer by MOCVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yong; Yu Nai-Sen; Li Ming; Lau Kei-May

2011-01-01

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are grown on 2-inch Si (111) substrates by MOCVD. The stacked AlGaN/AlN interlayer with different AlGaN thickness and indium surfactant doped is designed and optimized to relieve the tensile stress during GaN epitaxial growth. The top 1.0μm GaN buffer layer grown on the optimized AlGaN/AlN interlayer shows a crack-free and shining surface. The XRD results show that GaN(002) FWHM is 480 arcsec and GaN(102) FWHM is 900 arcsec. The AGaN/GaN HEMTs with optimized and non-optimized AlGaN/AlN interlayer are grown and processed for comparison and the dc and rf characteristics are characterized. For the dc characteristics of the device with optimized AlGaN/AlN interlayer, maximum drain current density I dss of 737mA/mm, peak transconductance G m of 185mS/mm, drain leakage current density I ds of 1.7μA/mm, gate leakage current density I gs of 24.8 μA/mm and off-state breakdown voltage V BR of 67 V are achieved with L g /W g /L gs /L gd = 1/10/1/1 μm. For the small signal rf characteristics of the device with optimized AlGaN/AlN interlayer, current gain cutoff frequency f T of 8.3 GHz and power gain cutoff frequency f max of 19.9 GHz are achieved with L g /W g /L gs /L gd = 1/100/1/1 μm. Furthermore, the best rf performance with f T of 14.5 GHz and f max of 37.3 GHz is achieved with a reduced gate length of 0.7μm. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Hydroconversion of methyl laurate on bifunctional Ni2P/AlMCM-41 catalyst prepared via in situ phosphorization using triphenylphosphine

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Sha; Zhang, Zhena; Zhu, Kongying; Chen, Jixiang

2017-05-01

A series of Ni2P/AlMCM-41-x bifunctional catalysts with different Si/Al ratios (x) were synthesized by in situ phosphorization of Ni/AlMCM-41-x with triphenylphosphine (nominal Ni/P ratio of 0.75) at 300 °C on a fixed-bed reactor. For comparison, NiP/AlMCM-41-5-TPR was also prepared by the TPR method from the supported nickel phosphate with the Ni/P ratio of 1.0, during which metallic Ni rather than Ni2P formed. TEM images show that Ni and Ni2P particles uniformly distributed in Ni2P/AlMCM-41-x and NiP/AlMCM-41-5-TPR. The Ni2P/AlMCM-41-x acidity increased with decreasing the Si/Al ratio. In the hydroconversion of methyl laurate, the conversions were close to 100% on all catalysts at 360 °C, 3.0 MPa, methyl laurate WHSV of 2 h-1 and H2/methyl laurate ratio of 25. As to Ni2P/AlMCM-41-x, with decreasing the Si/Al ratio, the total selectivity to C11 and C12 hydrocarbons decreased, while the total selectivity to isoundecane and isododecane (Si-C11+i-C12) firstly increased and then decreased. Ni2P/AlMCM-41-5 gave the largest Si-C11+i-C12 of 43.2%. While NiP/AlMCM-41-5-TPR gave higher Si-C11+i-C12 than Ni2P/AlMCM-41-5, it was more active for the undesired Csbnd C bond cleavage and methanation. We propose that the in-situ phosphorization adopted here is a promising approach to preparing Ni2P-based bifunctional catalysts.

Konsepsi Ibnu Jarir Al-Tabari Tentang Al-Qur’an, Tafsir Dan Ta’wil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.M Ismatulloh

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research is to describe the concept of Ibnu Jarir al-Tabari about al-Qur’an, tafsir and ta’wil. Ibn Jarir al-Tabari is an outstanding expert in the classic Islamic tradition. His knowledge in hadits, fiqh, lughah, history, and tafseer is unquestionable. This study uses an analytical descriptive design. The findings show that: Firstly, in defining al-Qur’an, al-Tabari focused on the al-Qur’an as an Arabic language text, not in other language. Secondly, al-Qur’an is written in sab’ah ahruf. It means that there are 7 different kinds of language with the same meaning. Thirdly, al-Qur’an comes from seven heaven’s door. Fourthly, there is no different word between tafseer and ta’wil. They have same meaning. These concepts are different to other concepts proposed by other ulama.

Oskarssonite, AlF3, a new fumarolic mineral from Eldfell volcano, Heimaey, Iceland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Morten Jølnæs; Balic Zunic, Tonci; Mitolo, Donatella

2014-01-01

with anhydrite, bassanite, gypsum, jarosite, anatase, hematite, opal, ralstonite, jakobssonite and meniaylovite. Chemical analyses by energy-dispersive spectrometry with a scanning electronmicroscope produced the following mean elemental composition: Al, 31.70; F, 58.41; O, 9.22; total 99.33 wt.%. The empirical...

Franco et al., Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. (2016) 13(3):44 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

As microorganisms can infect wounds and hamper the wound healing process, the aim of this study was to ... to alleviate infections caused by bacteria and fungi. ... A total of 273 fruits were collected from 2003 to 2005 (Avendaño et al., 2008).

Total energy and potential enstrophy conserving schemes for the shallow water equations using Hamiltonian methods - Part 1: Derivation and properties

Science.gov (United States)

Eldred, Christopher; Randall, David

2017-02-01

The shallow water equations provide a useful analogue of the fully compressible Euler equations since they have similar characteristics: conservation laws, inertia-gravity and Rossby waves, and a (quasi-) balanced state. In order to obtain realistic simulation results, it is desirable that numerical models have discrete analogues of these properties. Two prototypical examples of such schemes are the 1981 Arakawa and Lamb (AL81) C-grid total energy and potential enstrophy conserving scheme, and the 2007 Salmon (S07) Z-grid total energy and potential enstrophy conserving scheme. Unfortunately, the AL81 scheme is restricted to logically square, orthogonal grids, and the S07 scheme is restricted to uniform square grids. The current work extends the AL81 scheme to arbitrary non-orthogonal polygonal grids and the S07 scheme to arbitrary orthogonal spherical polygonal grids in a manner that allows for both total energy and potential enstrophy conservation, by combining Hamiltonian methods (work done by Salmon, Gassmann, Dubos, and others) and discrete exterior calculus (Thuburn, Cotter, Dubos, Ringler, Skamarock, Klemp, and others). Detailed results of the schemes applied to standard test cases are deferred to part 2 of this series of papers.

Predicting glass-forming compositions in the Al-La and Al-La-Ni systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gargarella, P.; de Oliveira, M.F.; Kiminami, C.S.; Pauly, S.; Kuehn, U.; Bolfarini, C.; Botta, W.J.; Eckert, J.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The glass-forming ability of the Al-La and Al-La-Ni systems was studied using the λ* and the λ.Δe criteria. → Both criteria predicted with just 1% at. of error the best glass-former verified so far in the Al-La system. → Four new glass-former compositions could be predicted in the Al-La-Ni system using the λ.Δe criterion. → The best glass-former reported so far in the Al-La-Ni system was found. - Abstract: In this work, a criterion considering the topological instability (λ) and the differences in the electronegativity of the constituent elements (Δe) was applied to the Al-La and Al-Ni-La systems in order to predict the best glass-forming compositions. The results were compared with literature data and with our own experimental data for the Al-La-Ni system. The alloy described in the literature as the best glass former in the Al-La system is located near the point with local maximum for the λ.Δe criterion. A good agreement was found between the predictions of the λ.Δe criterion and literature data in the Al-La-Ni system, with the region of the best glass-forming ability (GFA) and largest supercooled liquid region (ΔT x ) coinciding with the best compositional region for amorphization indicated by the λ.Δe criterion. Four new glassy compositions were found in the Al-La-Ni system, with the best predicted composition presenting the best glass-forming ability observed so far for this system. Although the λ.Δe criterion needs further refinements for completely describe the glass-forming ability in the Al-La and Al-La-Ni systems, the results demonstrated that this criterion is a good tool to predict new glass-forming compositions.

The modified indeterminate couple stress model: Why Yang et al.'s arguments motivating a symmetric couple stress tensor contain a gap and why the couple stress tensor may be chosen symmetric nevertheless

OpenAIRE

Münch, Ingo; Neff, Patrizio; Madeo, Angela; Ghiba, Ionel-Dumitrel

2015-01-01

We show that the reasoning in favor of a symmetric couple stress tensor in Yang et al.'s introduction of the modified couple stress theory contains a gap, but we present a reasonable physical hypothesis, implying that the couple stress tensor is traceless and may be symmetric anyway. To this aim, the origin of couple stress is discussed on the basis of certain properties of the total stress itself. In contrast to classical continuum mechanics, the balance of linear momentum and the balance of...

Catalytic Depolymerization of Lignin and Woody Biomass in Supercritical Ethanol: Influence of Reaction Temperature and Feedstock.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiaoming; Atay, Ceylanpinar; Zhu, Jiadong; Palstra, Sanne W L; Korányi, Tamás I; Boot, Michael D; Hensen, Emiel J M

2017-11-06

The one-step ethanolysis approach to upgrade lignin to monomeric aromatics using a CuMgAl mixed oxide catalyst is studied in detail. The influence of reaction temperature (200-420 °C) on the product distribution is investigated. At low temperature (200-250 °C), recondensation is dominant, while char-forming reactions become significant at high reaction temperature (>380 °C). At preferred intermediate temperatures (300-340 °C), char-forming reactions are effectively suppressed by alkylation and Guerbet and esterification reactions. This shifts the reaction toward depolymerization, explaining high monomeric aromatics yield. Carbon-14 dating analysis of the lignin residue revealed that a substantial amount of the carbon in the lignin residue originates from reactions of lignin with ethanol. Recycling tests show that the activity of the regenerated catalyst was strongly decreased due to a loss of basic sites due to hydrolysis of the MgO function and a loss of surface area due to spinel oxide formation of the Cu and Al components. The utility of this one-step approach for upgrading woody biomass was also demonstrated. An important observation is that conversion of the native lignin contained in the lignocellulosic matrix is much easier than the conversion of technical lignin.

Electric quadrupole moments of neutron-rich nuclei {sup 32}Al and {sup 31}Al

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kameda, D., E-mail: kameda@ribf.riken.jp; Ueno, H. [RIKEN Nishina Center (Japan); Asahi, K.; Nagae, D.; Takemura, M.; Shimada, K. [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Physics (Japan); Yoshimi, A.; Nagatomo, T.; Sugimoto, T. [RIKEN Nishina Center (Japan); Uchida, M.; Arai, T.; Takase, K.; Suda, S.; Inoue, T. [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Physics (Japan); Murata, J.; Kawamura, H. [Rikkyo University, Department of Physics (Japan); Watanabe, H. [Australian National University, Department of Nuclear Physics (Australia); Kobayashi, Y.; Ishihara, M. [RIKEN Nishina Center (Japan)

2007-11-15

The electric quadrupole moments for the ground states of {sup 32}Al and {sup 31}Al have been measured by the {beta} ray-detected nuclear quadrupole resonance method. Spin-polarized {sup 32}Al and {sup 31}Al nuclei were obtained from the fragmentation of {sup 40}Ar projectiles at E/A = 95 MeV/nucleon, and were implanted in a single crystal {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} stopper. The measured Q moment of {sup 32}Al, |Q({sup 32}Al)| = 24(2) mb, is in good agreement with a conventional shell-model calculation with a full sd model space and empirical effective charges, while that of {sup 31}Al is considerably smaller than the sd calculations.

The constitution of alloys in the Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markoli, B.; Spaic, S.; Zupanic, F.

2001-01-01

The constitution of alloys and the liquidus surface in the Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system were determined by the examination of controlled heated and cooled specimens, as well as heat-treated specimens by means of optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. The Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system comprises five regions of primary crystallisation (α Al , β Si , Al 3 Sm, Al 2 Si 2 Sm and AlSiSm) with following characteristic invariant reaction sequences: ternary eutectic reaction L → α Al + β Si + Al 2 Si 2 Sm, and two liquidus transition reactions, i. e., L + Al 3 Sm → α Al + AlSiSm, and L + AlSiSm → α Al + Al 2 Si 2 Sm. Along with the position of ternary eutectic and both interstitial points in the Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system, the temperatures for each reaction were determined. (orig.)

Disordered crystal structure of 20H-AlON, Al10O3N8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banno, Hiroki; Funahashi, Shiro; Asaka, Toru; Hirosaki, Naoto; Fukuda, Koichiro

2015-01-01

The disordered crystal structure of 20H-AlON (Al 10 O 3 N 8 ) was determined by combined use of X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The title compound is hexagonal with space group P6 3 /mmc (Z=2) and the unit-cell dimensions are a=0.307082(5) nm, c=5.29447(8) nm and V=0.432376(12) nm 3 . The structural model showed the positional disordering of three of the six Al sites in the unit cell. The reliability indices calculated from the Rietveld method were R wp =6.97%, S (=R wp /R e )=1.68, R p =5.45%, R B =5.13% and R F =4.56%. We interpreted the disordered structure of 20H-AlON as a statistical average of six different types of ordered structural configurations, which are composed of an octahedral [Al(O, N) 6 ] layer and tetrahedral [Al(O, N) 4 ] layers. We demonstrated the high correlations between the hexagonal unit-cell dimensions and the octahedral layer concentrations for AlON and SiAlON polytypoids. - Graphical abstract: Variations of a and c/(n O +n T ) with n O /(n O +n T ). The a and c are the hexagonal unit-cell dimensions of AlON, SiAlON and AlN. The n O and n T are, respectively, the numbers of octahedral and tetrahedral layers in the unit cells. The unit-cell dimensions in literature are plotted in black plus for AlON and black cross for SiAlON. The unit-cell dimensions of AlN are a=0.3110 nm and c=0.4980 nm. - Highlights: • Crystal structure of Al10O3N8 is determined by laboratory X-ray powder diffraction. • The atom arrangements are represented by the split-atom model. • Six types of ordered atom arrangements are derived from the disordered structure. • Hexagonal unit-cell dimensions changed systematically for AlON and SiAlON compounds

Prinsip Pendidikan Karakter dalam Islam: Studi Komparasi Pemikiran Al-Ghazali dan Burhanuddin Al-Zarnuji

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Agus Setiawan

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The impelemtantion of character education that is done by the Indonesian government recently has been provoked by al-Ghazali and Burhanuddin al-Zarnuji long ago. It was proven by some written thoughts of al-Ghazali and Burhanuddin al-Zarnuji. They were very famous scientists in their era and widely welknown as educational experts who produced some phenomenal thoughts many people use today. Al-Ghazali and Burhanuddin al-Zarnuji lived in the era of Bani Abbasiyah monarchy, but Both of them lived in different era. Al-Ghazali was born first, then Burhanuddin al-Zarnuji. They had different mazhab, al-Ghazali went to the traditional principle of mazhab Syafi’I and Burhanuddin al-Zarnuji went to the modern principle of mazhab Hanafi. The differences, of course, would create a different thought. Still, they might have a similar principle of Islamic character education. The thoughts of character education of al-Ghazali have been poured in the “Ayyuha Walad” focusing to the students’ character building characterized by religiously obedient, skillfull of general and religious knowledge, socially helpful, affectionate, generous, good citizen, and coloring the society. Some applicable thoughts of character education of Ayyuha al-Walad of al-Gazhali to the contemporary education are: the balance of the happiness purposes of the recent life and the life after death, qana’ah and tawakal, affectionate, caring other, patience, honesty, philanthrophy, social works, generousity, democratic, peace makers, and patriotic. Those characters are also directed in the islamic character education nowdays. So that, the thoughts of al-Ghazali positively and responsively are absorbed by the Indonesian government to build the national character widely implementing in the national curriculum based on the local wisdom and the Islamic values. In the end, the students are able to live happily based on the Islamic rules by implementing the good behavior. Similar to the al

FRACTIONAL RECRYSTALLIZATION KINETICS IN DIRECTLY COLD ROLLED Al-Mg, Al-Mg-Sc AND Al-Mg-Sc-Zr ALLOY

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M. S. Kaiser

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The evaluation of texture as a function of recrystallization has been characterized for directly cold rolled Al-6Mg, Al-6Mg-0.4Sc and Al-6Mg-0.4Sc-0.2Zr alloys. Samples were annealed isothermally at 400 °C for 1 to 240 minutes to allow recrystallization. Recrystallization kinetics of the alloys is analyzed from the micro-hardness variation. Isothermally annealed samples of aluminum alloys were also studied using JMAK type analysis to see if there exists any correlation between the methods. Recrystallization fraction behavior between two methods the scandium added alloys show the higher variation due to precipitation hardening and higher recrystallization behavior. The scandium and zirconium as a combined shows the more variation due to formation of Al3(Sc, Zr precipitate. From the microstructure it is also observed that the base Al-Mg alloy attained almost fully re-crystallized state after annealing at 400 °C for 60 minutes

Chemical failure modes of AlQ3-based OLEDs: AlQ3 hydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Knox, John E; Halls, Mathew D; Hratchian, Hrant P; Schlegel, H Bernhard

2006-03-28

Tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum(III), AlQ3, is used in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) as an electron-transport material and emitting layer. The reaction of AlQ3 with trace H2O has been implicated as a major failure pathway for AlQ3-based OLEDs. Hybrid density functional calculations have been carried out to characterize the hydrolysis of AlQ3. The thermochemical and atomistic details for this important reaction are reported for both the neutral and oxidized AlQ3/AlQ3+ systems. In support of experimental conclusions, the neutral hydrolysis reaction pathway is found to be a thermally activated process, having a classical barrier height of 24.2 kcal mol(-1). First-principles infrared and electronic absorption spectra are compared to further characterize AlQ3 and the hydrolysis pathway product, AlQ2OH. The activation energy for the cationic AlQ3 hydrolysis pathway is found to be 8.5 kcal mol(-1) lower than for the neutral reaction, which is significant since it suggests a role for charge imbalance in promoting chemical failure modes in OLED devices.

Study on Mg/Al Weld Seam Based on Zn–Mg–Al Ternary Alloy

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Liming Liu

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Based on the idea of alloying welding seams, a series of Zn–xAl filler metals was calculated and designed for joining Mg/Al dissimilar metals by gas tungsten arc (GTA welding. An infrared thermography system was used to measure the temperature of the welding pool during the welding process to investigate the solidification process. It was found that the mechanical properties of the welded joints were improved with the increasing of the Al content in the Zn–xAl filler metals, and when Zn–30Al was used as the filler metal, the ultimate tensile strength could reach a maximum of 120 MPa. The reason for the average tensile strength of the joint increasing was that the weak zone of the joint using Zn–30Al filler metal was generated primarily by α-Al instead of MgZn2. When Zn–40Al was used as the filler metal, a new transition zone, about 20 μm-wide, appeared in the edge of the fusion zone near the Mg base metal. Due to the transition zones consisting of MgZn2- and Al-based solid solution, the mechanical property of the joints was deteriorated.

Morphological and phytochemical properties of mahonia aquifolium from turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunduz, K.

2013-01-01

Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt. is an important medicinal plant used as an ornamental plant in Turkey. We studied several morphological and phytochemical properties including fruit weight and dimensions, fruit soluble solid content, acidity, pH, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and total monomeric anthocyanins capacities of four selected M. aquifolium accessions. Notable differences were detected among the accessions. On average, the fruit width and length were 8.4 and 10.2 mm, respectively. Fruit weight and seeds weight of accessions were between 2.9 and 7.3 g and 0.4 and 1.2 g. The total phenolic contents ranged from 5009.3 to 6646.8 mu g GAE/g fresh weight (fw) with an average of 5976.4 mu g GAE/g fw. Antioxidant activities, determined by Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, on average to 12.9 mu mol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g fw. Total monomeric anthocyanins, among the accessions tested ranged from 52.8 to 361.0 mu g cy-3-glu/g fw. The results indicated that M. aquifolium is good source phenol, anthocyanins and antioxidants; thus, it can be used in pharmacological and food industry due to its antioxidant properties. (author)

Optical, structural, and nuclear scientific studies of AlGaN with high Al composition

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tse Yang; Chung, Yee Ling; Li, Lin; Yao, Shude; Lee, Y. C.; Feng, Zhe Chuan; Ferguson, Ian T.; Lu, Weijie

2010-08-01

AlGaN epilayers with higher Al-compositions were grown by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) on (0001) sapphire. Trimethylgallium (TMGa), trimethylaluminium (TMAl) and NH3 were used as the source precursors for Ga, Al, and N, respectively. A 25 nm AlN nucleation layer was first grown at low-temperature of 590 °C at 300 Torr. Followed, AlxGa1-xN layers were grown at 1080 °C on low-temperature AlN nucleation layers. The heterostructures were characterized by a series of techniques, including x-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering (RBS), photoluminescence (PL), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman scattering. Precise Al compositions were determined through XRD, RBS, and SEM combined measurements. Room Temperature Raman Scattering spectra shows three major bands from AlGaN alloys, which are AlN-like, A1 longitudinal optical (LO) phonon modes, and E2 transverse optical (TO) band, respectively, plus several peak comes from the substrate. Raman spectral line shape analysis lead to an optical determination of the electrical property free carrier concentration of AlGaN. The optical properties of AlGaN with high Al composition were presented here.

Ion-beam mixing and thermal annealing of Al--Nb and Al--Ta thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rai, A.K.; Bhattacharya, R.S.; Mendiratta, M.G.; Subramanian, P.R.; Dimiduk, D.M.

1988-01-01

Ion-beam mixing and thermal annealing of thin, alternating layers of Al and Nb, as well as Al and Ta, were investigated by selected area diffraction and Rutherford backscattering. The individual layer thicknesses were adjusted to obtain the overall compositions as Al 3 Nb and Al 3 Ta. The films were ion mixed with 1 MeV Au + ions at a dose of 1 x 10 16 ions cm/sup -2/ . Uniform mixing and amorphization were achieved for both Al--Nb and Al--Ta systems. Equilibrium crystalline Al 3 Nb and Al 3 Ta phases were formed after annealing of ion mixed amorphous films at 400 0 C for 6 h. Unmixed films, however, remained unreacted at 400 0 C for 1 h. Partial reaction was observed in the unmixed film of Al--Nb at 400 0 C for 6 h. After annealing at 500 0 C for 1 h, a complete reaction and formation of Al 3 Nb and Al 3 Ta phases in the respective films were observed. The influence of thermodynamics on the phase formation by ion mixing and thermal annealing is discussed

Effect of elevated Al and pH on the growth and root morphology of Al-tolerant and Al-sensitive wheat seedlings in an acid soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Toufiq Iqbal

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Aluminium ion (Al3+ toxicity and hydrogen ion (H+ activity are the major constraints for plant growth in acid soil. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of pH and Al on the growth response and changes in root morphology of Al-tolerant (ET8 and Al-sensitive (ES8 wheat seedlings. Different levels of AlCl3 and CaCO3 were added to the soils to manipulate soil pH and extractable Al. The results showed that the bulk soil pH remained constant at pH 4.1 with further applications of AlCl3, and that the seedlings died at the 200 mg AlCl3/kg treatments. The ET8 seedlings responded better than the ES8 seedlings in both low and high Al and pH. The ET8 seedlings had higher root surface areas and root tip numbers than the ES8 seedlings in the Al treatment. In contrast, the ES8 had higher root diameters than the ET8 seedlings due to the elevated Al supply. Apoplast Al increased with the increase of soil available extractable Al, and declined with the decrease of soil extractable Al. The ET8 seedlings accumulated more Al in their apoplast than the ES8 seedlings. This study concluded that accumulation of Al in the apoplast is also involved in Al tolerance mechanism with the addition of organic acid exudation.

Information of “Nukhbat al-dahr fi ‘aja’ib al-barr wa-al-bahr” by ad-Dimashqi about the Turkic Tribes of Dasht-i Kipchak »

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Z.S. Ilyasova

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This article introduced into academic circulation information of such a historical source as “Nukhbat al-dahr fi ‘aja’ib al-barr wa-al-bahr” (Excerpts of Time on the Marvels of the Land and Sea on Kipchak clans and Turkic tribes of Dasht-i Kipchak. The material of the study is drawn from this source. Main scientific result of this work was the source’s translation into Russian accompanied by scientific comments. Sheikh Shams al-Din Abu Abdallah Muhammad Abu Talib al-Ansari al-Sufi al-Dimashqi was the author of this work. Some scholars have mistakenly confuse him with another chronicler named Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Yahya Ibn Fadlallah al-Omari al-Dimashqi. There is a widespread misconception that while writing on Kipchak clans and Turkic tribes al-Dimashqi used the data of such an author as Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Yahya al-Ansari al-Qutub al-Warraq al-Vatvat, also known as Ahmad al-Tini. After had studying the manuscripts of al-Tini and al-Dimashqi, we did not notice the connection between these two authors regarding their information about Kipchak clans and Turkic tribes of Dasht-i Kipchak. After had studying the information about Kipchak clans and Turkic tribes of Dasht-i Kipchak, we put forward the theory that 16 ethnonyms previously identified as Kipchak clans, are actually the etnonyms of eight Kipchak clans and eight Turkic tribes. The article also contains the extraction from “Nukhbat al-dahr fi ‘aja’ib al-barr wa-al-bahr” regarding the geography of Dasht-i Kipchak and the countries inhabited by the Turks. The following data are unique in this source: 1. The text describes such rivers as Ceyhun (Amu Darya, Seyhun (Syr Darya, Itil (Volga, as well as Khorezm and Khazar Seas (Aral and Caspian Seas. 2. Additionally, this text lists the following Turkic peoples: al-Kharlukhiya (Karluks, al-Khirgaziya (Kyrgyz, al-Kaymakiya (Kimaks, al-Guzziya (Oguz, al-Bazhanakiya (Pechenegs, al-Tuguzguziya (Uighurs, al-Khulkhiya (?, al

Studies on SiC(p) reinforced Al-Al sub 3 Ni eutectic matrix composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masrom, A.K.; Foo, L.C.; Ismail, A.B.

1996-01-01

An investigation on processing of Al-5.69wt% Ni eutectic with SiC particulate composites is reported. The intermetallic composites are prepared by elemental powder metallurgy route and sintered at two different temperatures, i.e., 600 degree C and 620 degree C. Results show that the metal matrix was Al-Al sub 3 Ni eutectic. The phase analysis by XRD identified the presence of Al sub 3 Ni and Al as dominant phases together with silicon and Al sub 4 C sub 3 phase as minor phases. The Al sub 4 C sub 3 and Si phases are formed during sintering due to SiC-Al interface reaction. SEM micrographs also reveal the formation of microvoid surrounding the SiC particle

The constitution of alloys in the Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Markoli, B.; Spaic, S. [Ljubljana Univ. (Slovenia). Faculty of Natural Science and Engineering; Zupanic, F. [Maribor Univ. (Slovenia). Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

2001-09-01

The constitution of alloys and the liquidus surface in the Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system were determined by the examination of controlled heated and cooled specimens, as well as heat-treated specimens by means of optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. The Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system comprises five regions of primary crystallisation ({alpha}{sub Al}, {beta}{sub Si}, Al{sub 3}Sm, Al{sub 2}Si{sub 2}Sm and AlSiSm) with following characteristic invariant reaction sequences: ternary eutectic reaction L {yields} {alpha}{sub Al} + {beta}{sub Si} + Al{sub 2}Si{sub 2}Sm, and two liquidus transition reactions, i. e., L + Al{sub 3}Sm {yields} {alpha}{sub Al} + AlSiSm, and L + AlSiSm {yields} {alpha}{sub Al} + Al{sub 2}Si{sub 2}Sm. Along with the position of ternary eutectic and both interstitial points in the Al-rich corner of the Al-Si-Sm ternary system, the temperatures for each reaction were determined. (orig.)

Electronic Structures and Bonding Properties of Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

MIN Xinmin; REN Yi

2007-01-01

The relation among electronic structure, chemical bond and property of Ti2AlC, Ti3AlC2 and doping Si into Ti2AlC was studied by density function and the discrete variation (DFT-DVM) method. After adding Si into Ti2AlC, the interaction between Si and Ti is weaker than that between Al and Ti, and the strengths of ionic and covalent bonds decrease both. The ionic and covalent bonds in Ti3AlC2, especially in Ti-Al, are stronger than those in Ti2AlC. Therefore, in synthesis of Ti2AlC, the addition of Si enhances the Ti3AlC2 content instead of Ti2AlC. The density of state (DOS) shows that there is mixed conductor characteristic in Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2. The DOS of Ti3AlC2 is much like that of Ti2AlC. Ti2SixAl1-x C has more obvious tendency to form a semiconductor than Ti2AlC, which is seen from the obvious difference of partial DOS between Si and Al3p.

Extreme events in total ozone: Spatio-temporal analysis from local to global scale

Science.gov (United States)

Rieder, Harald E.; Staehelin, Johannes; Maeder, Jörg A.; Ribatet, Mathieu; di Rocco, Stefania; Jancso, Leonhardt M.; Peter, Thomas; Davison, Anthony C.

2010-05-01

Recently tools from extreme value theory (e.g. Coles, 2001; Ribatet, 2007) have been applied for the first time in the field of stratospheric ozone research, as statistical analysis showed that previously used concepts assuming a Gaussian distribution (e.g. fixed deviations from mean values) of total ozone data do not address the internal data structure concerning extremes adequately (Rieder et al., 2010a,b). A case study the world's longest total ozone record (Arosa, Switzerland - for details see Staehelin et al., 1998a,b) illustrates that tools based on extreme value theory are appropriate to identify ozone extremes and to describe the tails of the total ozone record. Excursions in the frequency of extreme events reveal "fingerprints" of dynamical factors such as ENSO or NAO, and chemical factors, such as cold Arctic vortex ozone losses, as well as major volcanic eruptions of the 20th century (e.g. Gunung Agung, El Chichón, Mt. Pinatubo). Furthermore, atmospheric loading in ozone depleting substances led to a continuous modification of column ozone in the northern hemisphere also with respect to extreme values (partly again in connection with polar vortex contributions). It is shown that application of extreme value theory allows the identification of many more such fingerprints than conventional time series analysis of annual and seasonal mean values. Especially, the extremal analysis shows the strong influence of dynamics, revealing that even moderate ENSO and NAO events have a discernible effect on total ozone (Rieder et al., 2010b). Overall the extremes concept provides new information on time series properties, variability, trends and the influence of dynamics and chemistry, complementing earlier analyses focusing only on monthly (or annual) mean values. Findings described above could be proven also for the total ozone records of 5 other long-term series (Belsk, Hohenpeissenberg, Hradec Kralove, Potsdam, Uccle) showing that strong influence of atmospheric

The Total Synthesis Problem of linear multivariable control. II - Unity feedback and the design morphism

Science.gov (United States)

Sain, M. K.; Antsaklis, P. J.; Gejji, R. R.; Wyman, B. F.; Peczkowski, J. L.

1981-01-01

Zames (1981) has observed that there is, in general, no 'separation principle' to guarantee optimality of a division between control law design and filtering of plant uncertainty. Peczkowski and Sain (1978) have solved a model matching problem using transfer functions. Taking into consideration this investigation, Peczkowski et al. (1979) proposed the Total Synthesis Problem (TSP), wherein both the command/output-response and command/control-response are to be synthesized, subject to the plant constraint. The TSP concept can be subdivided into a Nominal Design Problem (NDP), which is not dependent upon specific controller structures, and a Feedback Synthesis Problem (FSP), which is. Gejji (1980) found that NDP was characterized in terms of the plant structural matrices and a single, 'good' transfer function matrix. Sain et al. (1981) have extended this NDP work. The present investigation is concerned with a study of FSP for the unity feedback case. NDP, together with feedback synthesis, is understood as a Total Synthesis Problem.

Decision-making for tracheostomy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): a retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceriana, Piero; Surbone, Sara; Segagni, Daniele; Schreiber, Annia; Carlucci, Annalisa

2017-11-01

ALS patients should discuss the issue of tracheostomy before the onset of terminal respiratory failure. While the process of shared decision-making is desirable, there are few data on the practical application of this real-life situation. To determine how a decision-making process is actually carried out, we analysed the episodes of acute respiratory failure preceding tracheostomy. We studied the charts of a group of ALS patients after tracheostomy. An interview focusing on the existence of anticipated directives was carried out. Tracheostomies were classified as planned or unplanned according to the presence of a decision plan. A total of 209 ALS patients were cared for during a three-year period. Of these patients, 34 (16%) were tracheotomised. In 38% of cases, tracheostomy was planned, 41% were unplanned, and 21% remained undiagnosed. A minority of ALS patients make a voluntary decision for tracheostomy before the procedure is conducted. The advising process of care still presents limits that have been thus far poorly addressed. In the future, we will need to develop guidelines for the timing and content of the shared-decision making process.

Pornographie als Metapher

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Caroline Schubarth

2010-02-01

Full Text Available In diesem Artikel werden unterschiedliche metaphorische Verwendungen des Pornografiebegriffs und deren Implikationen untersucht. Während die Existenz von Pornografie der feministischen Anti-Porno-Bewegung als Erklärung für die anhaltende Diskriminierung von Frauen in westlichen Gesellschaften dient, nutzen rechtskonservative Kräfte den Pornografievorwurf als Rechtfertigung für die Zensur von als deviant empfundenen Identitäten und sexuellen Praktiken.

Simplified 2DEG carrier concentration model for composite barrier AlGaN/GaN HEMT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Palash; Biswas, Dhrubes

2014-01-01

The self consistent solution of Schrodinger and Poisson equations is used along with the total charge depletion model and applied with a novel approach of composite AlGaN barrier based HEMT heterostructure. The solution leaded to a completely new analytical model for Fermi energy level vs. 2DEG carrier concentration. This was eventually used to demonstrate a new analytical model for the temperature dependent 2DEG carrier concentration in AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Study of electronic structure and magnetic properties of epitaxial Co{sub 2}FeAl Heusler Alloy Thin Films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soni, S. [Department of Pure & Applied Physics, University of Kota, Kota 324007 (India); Dalela, S., E-mail: sdphysics@rediffmail.com [Department of Pure & Applied Physics, University of Kota, Kota 324007 (India); Sharma, S.S. [Department of Physics, Govt. Women Engineering College, Ajmer (India); Liu, E.K.; Wang, W.H.; Wu, G.H. [State Key Laboratory for Magnetism, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Kumar, M. [Department of Physics, Malviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur-302017 (India); Garg, K.B. [Department of Physics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302004 (India)

2016-07-25

This work reports the magnetic and electronic characterization of plane magnetized buried Heusler Co{sub 2}FeAl nano thin films of different thickness by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements. . The spectra on both Fe- and Co L{sub 2,3} edges show a pronounced magnetic dichroic signal in remanence, corresponding to a ferromagnetically-aligned moments on Fe and Co atoms conditioning the peculiar characteristics of the Co{sub 2}FeAl Heusler compound (a half-metallic ferromagnet). The detailed knowledge of the related magnetic and electronic properties of these samples over a wide range of thickness of films are indispensable for achieving a higher tunnel magnetoresistance ratio, and thus for spintronics device applications. - Highlights: • Electronic structure and Magnetic Properties of Epitaxial Co{sub 2}FeAl Heusler Films. • X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). • Fe- and Co L{sub 2,3} edges show a pronounced magnetic dichroic signal in remanence. • Calculated Orbital, Spin and total magnetic moments of Fe and Co for 30 nm Co{sub 2}FeAl thin film. • The total magnetic moment of Fe at L{sub 2,3} edges increases with the thickness of the Co2FeAl films.

Modeling and optimization of cylindrical grinding of Al/SiC composites using genetic algorithms

OpenAIRE

Thiagarajan, C.; Sivaramakrishnan, R.; Somasundaram, S.

2012-01-01

The Al/SiC composites have received more commercial attention than other kinds of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) due to their high performance. However, a continuing problem with MMCs is that they are difficult to machine, due to the hardness and abrasive nature of the SiC particles. Grinding is often the method of choice for machining Al/SiC composites to acquire high dimensional accuracy and surface finish in large scale production. Based on the full factorial design (3(4)), a total of 81 e...

Deletion of ALS5, ALS6 or ALS7 increases adhesion of Candida albicans to human vascular endothelial and buccal epithelial cells

OpenAIRE

ZHAO, XIAOMIN; OH, SOON-HWAN; HOYER, LOIS L.

2007-01-01

C. albicans yeast forms deleted for ALS5, ALS6 or ALS7 are more adherent than a relevant control strain to human vascular endothelial cell monolayers and buccal epithelial cells. In the buccal and vaginal reconstituted human epithelium (RHE) disease models, however, mutant and control strains caused a similar degree of tissue destruction. Deletion of ALS5 or ALS6 significantly slowed growth of the mutant strain; this phenotype was not affected by addition of excess uridine to the culture medi...

The monomeric GTPase RabA2 is required for progression and maintenance of membrane integrity of infection threads during root nodule symbiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalla Via, Virginia; Traubenik, Soledad; Rivero, Claudio; Aguilar, O Mario; Zanetti, María Eugenia; Blanco, Flavio Antonio

2017-04-01

Progression of the infection canal that conducts rhizobia to the nodule primordium requires a functional Rab GTPase located in Golgi/trans-Golgi that also participate in root hair polar growth. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) symbiotically associates with its partner Rhizobium etli, resulting in the formation of root nitrogen-fixing nodules. Compatible bacteria can reach cortical cells in a tightly regulated infection process, in which the specific recognition of signal molecules is a key step to select the symbiotic partner. In this work, we show that RabA2, a monomeric GTPase from common bean, is required for the progression of the infection canal, referred to as the infection thread (IT), toward the cortical cells. Expression of miss-regulated mutant variants of RabA2 resulted in an increased number of abortive infection events, including bursting of ITs and a reduction in the number of nodules. Nodules formed in these plants were small and contained infected cells with disrupted symbiosome membranes, indicating either early senescence of these cells or defects in the formation of the symbiosome membrane during bacterial release. RabA2 localized to mobile vesicles around the IT, but mutations that affect GTP hydrolysis or GTP/GDP exchange modified this localization. Colocalization of RabA2 with ArfA1 and a Golgi marker indicates that RabA2 localizes in Golgi stacks and the trans-Golgi network. Our results suggest that RabA2 is part of the vesicle transport events required to maintain the integrity of the membrane during IT progression.

Synthesis and properties of γ-Ga2O3-Al2O3 solid solutions

Science.gov (United States)