Preparation of Some Novel Copper(I) Complexes and their Molar Conductances in Organic Solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gill, Dip Singh; Rana, Dilbag

2009-04-01

Attempts have been made to prepare some novel copper(I) nitrate, sulfate, and perchlorate complexes. Molar conductances of these complexes have been measured in organic solvents like acetonitrile (AN), acetone (AC), methanol (MeOH), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,Ndimethylacetamide (DMA), and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) at 298 K. The molar conductance data have been analyzed to obtain limiting molar conductances (λ0) and ion association constants (KA) of the electrolytes. The results showed that all these complexes are strong electrolytes in all organic solvents. The limiting ionic molar conductances (λo± ) for various ions have been calculated using Bu4NBPh4 as reference electrolyte. The actual radii for copper(I) complex ions are very large and different in different solvents and indicate some solvation effects in each solvent system

Magnetic field tunable ac electrical transport of LaFeO3-wax nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Supratim; Mandal, S. K.; Debnath, Rajesh; Nath, Debajyoti; Dey, P.

2018-04-01

Single phase perovskite LaFeO3 nanoparticles have been prepared through chemical pyrophoric reaction process. It is further grinded with paraffin wax of quantity 0.5 wt% of total composition to obtain an organic composite 99.5%LaFeO3-0.5%Wax. Studies of ac electrical properties viz. complex impedance, dielectric response, loss coefficient have been done in presence of external dc magnetic field, which reveals a good magnetoimpedance (˜221%) and a negative magnetodielectric (˜ 64%). The value of impedance, its real and imaginary part is observed to increase with dc field. The composite exhibits high dielectric constant (˜4760). The ac conductivity is found to decrease with applied field and increase with ac frequency.

Examining the Link Between Public Transit Use and Active Commuting

PubMed Central

Bopp, Melissa; Gayah, Vikash V.; Campbell, Matthew E.

2015-01-01

Background: An established relationship exists between public transportation (PT) use and physical activity. However, there is limited literature that examines the link between PT use and active commuting (AC) behavior. This study examines this link to determine if PT users commute more by active modes. Methods: A volunteer, convenience sample of adults (n = 748) completed an online survey about AC/PT patterns, demographic, psychosocial, community and environmental factors. t-test compared differences between PT riders and non-PT riders. Binary logistic regression analyses examined the effect of multiple factors on AC and a full logistic regression model was conducted to examine AC. Results: Non-PT riders (n = 596) reported less AC than PT riders. There were several significant relationships with AC for demographic, interpersonal, worksite, community and environmental factors when considering PT use. The logistic multivariate analysis for included age, number of children and perceived distance to work as negative predictors and PT use, feelings of bad weather and lack of on-street bike lanes as a barrier to AC, perceived behavioral control and spouse AC were positive predictors. Conclusions: This study revealed the complex relationship between AC and PT use. Further research should investigate how AC and public transit use are related. PMID:25898405

Examining the link between public transit use and active commuting.

PubMed

Bopp, Melissa; Gayah, Vikash V; Campbell, Matthew E

2015-04-17

An established relationship exists between public transportation (PT) use and physical activity. However, there is limited literature that examines the link between PT use and active commuting (AC) behavior. This study examines this link to determine if PT users commute more by active modes. A volunteer, convenience sample of adults (n = 748) completed an online survey about AC/PT patterns, demographic, psychosocial, community and environmental factors. t-test compared differences between PT riders and non-PT riders. Binary logistic regression analyses examined the effect of multiple factors on AC and a full logistic regression model was conducted to examine AC. Non-PT riders (n = 596) reported less AC than PT riders. There were several significant relationships with AC for demographic, interpersonal, worksite, community and environmental factors when considering PT use. The logistic multivariate analysis for included age, number of children and perceived distance to work as negative predictors and PT use, feelings of bad weather and lack of on-street bike lanes as a barrier to AC, perceived behavioral control and spouse AC were positive predictors. This study revealed the complex relationship between AC and PT use. Further research should investigate how AC and public transit use are related.

Thermal, dielectric characteristics and conduction mechanism of azodyes derived from quinoline and their copper complexes.

PubMed

El-Ghamaz, N A; Diab, M A; El-Bindary, A A; El-Sonbati, A Z; Nozha, S G

2015-05-15

A novel series of (5-(4'-derivatives phenyl azo)-8-hydroxy-7-quinolinecarboxaldehyde) (AQLn) (n=1, p-OCH3; n=2, R=H; and n=3; p-NO2) and their complexes [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O are synthesized and investigated. The optimized bond lengths, bond angles and the calculated quantum chemical parameters for AQLn are investigated. HOMO-LUMO energy gap, absolute electronegativities, chemical potentials, and absolute hardness are also calculated. The thermal properties, dielectric properties, alternating current conductivity (σac) and conduction mechanism are investigated in the frequency range 0.1-100kHz and temperature range 293-568K for AQL1-3 and 318-693K for [Cu(AQL1-3)2]·5H2O complexes. The thermal properties are of ligands (AQLn) and their Cu(II) complexes investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The temperature and frequency dependence of the real and the imaginary part of the dielectric constant are studied. The values of the thermal activation energy of conduction mechanism for AQLn and their complexes [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O under investigation are calculated at different test frequencies. The values of thermal activation energies ΔE1 and ΔE2 for AQLn and [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O decrease with increasing the values of frequency. The ac conductivity is found to be depending on the chemical structure of the compounds. Different conduction mechanisms have been proposed to explain the obtained experimental data. The small polaron tunneling (SPT) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL1 and its complex [Cu(AQL1)2]·5H2O. The quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL2 and its complex [Cu(AQL2)2]·5H2O. The correlated barrier hopping (CBH) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL3 and its complex [Cu(AQL3)2]·5H2O, and the values of the maximum barrier height (Wm) are calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of thermal aging on AC leakage current in XLPE insulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, Pulong; Song, Jiancheng; Tian, Muqin; Lei, Zhipeng; Du, Yakun

2018-02-01

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) has been widely used as cable insulation material because of its excellent dielectric properties, thermal stability and solvent resistance. To understand the influence of thermal aging on AC leakage current in XLPE insulation, all XLPE specimens were aged in oven in temperature range from 120 °C to 150 °C, and a series of tests were conducted on these XLPE specimens in different aging stages to measure the characteristic parameters, such as complex permittivity, leakage current and complex dielectric modulus. In the experiments, the effects of thermal aging, temperature and frequency on the AC leakage current in XLPE insulation were studied by analyzing complex dielectric constant and dielectric relaxation modulus spectrum, the change of relaxation peak and activation energy. It has been found that the active part of leakage current increases sharply with the increase of aging degree, and the test temperature and frequency have an influence on AC leakage current but the influence of test temperature is mainly reflected in the low frequency region. In addition, it has been shown by the experiments that the reactive part of leakage current exhibits a strong frequency dependent characteristic in the testing frequency range from 10-2 Hz to 105 Hz, but the influence of test temperature and thermal aging on it is relatively small.

Anisotropic dyonic black brane and its effects on holographic conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khimphun, Sunly; Lee, Bum-Hoon; Park, Chanyong; Zhang, Yun-Long

2017-10-01

We investigate a massive gravity theory involving the SL(2 , R) symmetry and anisotropy. Due to the SL(2 , R) invariance of the equations of motion, the complex con-ductivity of this model transforms covariantly under the SL(2 , R) transformation and the ratio of DC conductivities in different spatial directions is preserved even after the SL(2 , R) transformation. We further investigate AC and Hall conductivities by utilizing the Kubo formula. There exists a Drude-like peak in the region with a small anisotropy, while such a Drude peak disappears when anisotropy becomes large. We also show that the complex conductivity can have a cyclotron frequency pole even beyond the hydrodynamic limit.

Conformational studies of immunodominant myelin basic protein 1-11 analogues using NMR and molecular modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laimou, Despina; Lazoura, Eliada; Troganis, Anastassios N.; Matsoukas, Minos-Timotheos; Deraos, Spyros N.; Katsara, Maria; Matsoukas, John; Apostolopoulos, Vasso; Tselios, Theodore V.

2011-11-01

Τwo dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance studies complimented by molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the conformation of the immunodominant epitope of acetylated myelin basic protein residues 1-11 (Ac-MBP1-11) and its altered peptide ligands, mutated at position 4 to an alanine (Ac-MBP1-11[4A]) or a tyrosine residue (Ac-MBP1-11[4Y]). Conformational analysis of the three analogues indicated that they adopt an extended conformation in DMSO solution as no long distance NOE connectivities were observed and seem to have a similar conformation when bound to the active site of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC II). The interaction of each peptide with MHC class II I-Au was further investigated in order to explore the molecular mechanism of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induction/inhibition in mice. The present findings indicate that the Gln3 residue, which serves as a T-cell receptor (TCR) contact site in the TCR/peptide/I-Au complex, has a different orientation in the mutated analogues especially in the Ac-MBP1-11[4A] peptide. In particular the side chain of Gln3 is not solvent exposed as for the native Ac-MBP1-11 and it is not available for interaction with the TCR.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bouziane, M.; Taibi, M., E-mail: taibiens@yahoo.fr; Boukhari, A.

Electrical properties of Pb{sub 2}Na{sub 0.8}Eu{sub 0.2}Nb{sub 4.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 15} tungsten bronze compound were investigated. Ferroelectric phase transition of diffuse type is observed at 395 °C. Conductivity study as a function of temperature (RT-600 °C) and at three different frequencies (10, 100 and 1000 kHz) suggests the existence of dominant ionic conduction. The rise of ac conductivity on increasing temperature supports the NTCR (negative temperature coefficient of resistance) behaviour of the material. The activation energies have been evaluated from ac conductivity using Arrhenius equation and discussed. Different conduction mechanisms were identified. For comparison, the conducting properties of Pb{sub 2}Na{sub 0.8}R{submore » 0.2}Nb{sub 4.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 15} (R=Dy, Nd, La) were also investigated. - Graphical abstract: Thermal evolution of lnσ{sub ac} of Pb{sub 2}Na{sub 0.8}Eu{sub 0.2}Nb{sub 4.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 15} at selected frequencies. Display Omitted - Highlights: • We found that TB compounds exhibit a diffuse type of first- order transition. • A negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) behaviour is observed. • Three conduction mechanisms were identified: n-and/or p-type at low temperatures. • The conduction mechanism in the studied compounds is very complex.« less

Transport conductivity of graphene at RF and microwave frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awan, S. A.; Lombardo, A.; Colli, A.; Privitera, G.; Kulmala, T. S.; Kivioja, J. M.; Koshino, M.; Ferrari, A. C.

2016-03-01

We measure graphene coplanar waveguides from direct current (DC) to a frequency f = 13.5 GHz and show that the apparent resistance (in the presence of parasitic impedances) has an {ω }2 dependence (where ω =2π f), but the intrinsic conductivity (without the influence of parasitic impedances) is frequency-independent. Consequently, in our devices the real part of the complex alternating current (AC) conductivity is the same as the DC value and the imaginary part is ˜0. The graphene channel is modeled as a parallel resistive-capacitive network with a frequency dependence identical to that of the Drude conductivity with momentum relaxation time ˜2.1 ps, highlighting the influence of AC electron transport on the electromagnetic properties of graphene. This can lead to optimized design of high-speed analog field-effect transistors, mixers, frequency doublers, low-noise amplifiers and radiation detectors.

AC conductivity and Dielectric Study of Chalcogenide Glasses of Se-Te-Ge System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salman, Fathy

2004-01-01

The ac conductivity and dielectric properties of glassy system SexTe79 - xGe21, with x = 11, 14, 17 at.%, has been studied at temperatures 300 to 450 K and over a wide range of frequencies (50 Hz to 500 kHz). Experimental results indicate that the ac conductivity and the dielectric constants depend on temperature, frequency and Se content. The conductivity as a function of frequency exhibited two components: dc conductivity s dc, and ac conductivity s ac, where s ac ˜ w s. The mechanism of ac conductivity can be reasonably interpreted in terms of the correlated barrier hopping model (CBH). The activation energies are estimated and discussed. The dependence of ac conductivity and dielectric constants on the Se content x can be interpreted as the effect of Se fraction on the positional disorder. The impedance plot at each temperature appeared as a semicircle passes through the origin. Each semicircle is represented by an equivalent circuit of parallel resistance Rb and capacitance Cb.

Waiting for the evidence: VEMP testing and the ability to differentiate utricular versus saccular function.

PubMed

Welgampola, Miriam S; Carey, John P

2010-08-01

The advent of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (CVEMPs) marked a milestone in clinical vestibular testing because they provided a simple means of assessing human otolith function. The availability of air-conducted (AC) sound and bone-conducted vibration (BCV) to evoke CVEMPs and development of a new technique of recording ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (OVEMPs) have increased the complexity of this simple test, yet extended its diagnostic capabilities. Here we highlight the evidence-based assumptions that guide interpretation of AC sound- and BCV-evoked VEMPs and the gaps in VEMP research thus far. Copyright (c) 2010 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Defined-size DNA triple crossover construct for molecular electronics: modification, positioning and conductance properties.

PubMed

Linko, Veikko; Leppiniemi, Jenni; Paasonen, Seppo-Tapio; Hytönen, Vesa P; Toppari, J Jussi

2011-07-08

We present a novel, defined-size, small and rigid DNA template, a so-called B-A-B complex, based on DNA triple crossover motifs (TX tiles), which can be utilized in molecular scale patterning for nanoelectronics, plasmonics and sensing applications. The feasibility of the designed construct is demonstrated by functionalizing the TX tiles with one biotin-triethylene glycol (TEG) and efficiently decorating them with streptavidin, and furthermore by positioning and anchoring single thiol-modified B-A-B complexes to certain locations on a chip via dielectrophoretic trapping. Finally, we characterize the conductance properties of the non-functionalized construct, first by measuring DC conductivity and second by utilizing AC impedance spectroscopy in order to describe the conductivity mechanism of a single B-A-B complex using a detailed equivalent circuit model. This analysis also reveals further information about the conductivity of DNA structures in general.

Self-consistent modeling of terahertz waveguide and cavity with frequency-dependent conductivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Y. J.; Chu, K. R., E-mail: krchu@yahoo.com.tw; Thumm, M.

The surface resistance of metals, and hence the Ohmic dissipation per unit area, scales with the square root of the frequency of an incident electromagnetic wave. As is well recognized, this can lead to excessive wall losses at terahertz (THz) frequencies. On the other hand, high-frequency oscillatory motion of conduction electrons tends to mitigate the collisional damping. As a result, the classical theory predicts that metals behave more like a transparent medium at frequencies above the ultraviolet. Such a behavior difference is inherent in the AC conductivity, a frequency-dependent complex quantity commonly used to treat electromagnetics of metals at opticalmore » frequencies. The THz region falls in the gap between microwave and optical frequencies. However, metals are still commonly modeled by the DC conductivity in currently active vacuum electronics research aimed at the development of high-power THz sources (notably the gyrotron), although a small reduction of the DC conductivity due to surface roughness is sometimes included. In this study, we present a self-consistent modeling of the gyrotron interaction structures (a metallic waveguide or cavity) with the AC conductivity. The resulting waveguide attenuation constants and cavity quality factors are compared with those of the DC-conductivity model. The reduction in Ohmic losses under the AC-conductivity model is shown to be increasingly significant as the frequency reaches deeper into the THz region. Such effects are of considerable importance to THz gyrotrons for which the minimization of Ohmic losses constitutes a major design consideration.« less

Dielectric and impedance study of praseodymium substituted Mg-based spinel ferrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farid, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir; Ahmad, Ishtiaq; Ali, Irshad; Ramay, Shahid M.; Mahmood, Asif; Murtaza, G.

2017-07-01

Spinel ferrites with nominal composition MgPryFe2-yO4 (y = 0.00, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.10) were prepared by sol-gel method. Temperature dependent DC electrical conductivity and drift mobility were found in good agreement with each other, reflecting semiconducting behavior. The dielectric properties of all the samples as a function of frequency (1 MHz-3 GHz) were measured at room temperature. The dielectric constant and complex dielectric constant of these samples decreased with the increase of praseodymium concentration. In the present spinel ferrite, Cole-Cole plots were used to separate the grain and grain boundary's effects. The substitution of praseodymium ions in Mg-based spinel ferrites leads to a remarkable rise of grain boundary's resistance as compared to the grain's resistance. As both AC conductivity and Cole-Cole plots are the functions of concentration, they reveal the dominant contribution of grain boundaries in the conduction mechanism. AC activation energy was lower than dc activation energy. Temperature dependence normalized AC susceptibility of spinel ferrites reveals that MgFe2O4 exhibits multi domain (MD) structure with high Curie temperature while on substitution of praseodymium, MD to SD transitions occurs. The low values of conductivity and low dielectric loss make these materials best candidate for high frequency application.

Study of dielectric relaxation and AC conductivity of InP:S single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Ali, H. A. M.; El-Shazly, E. A.

2012-07-01

The dielectric relaxation and AC conductivity of InP:S single crystal were studied in the frequency range from 100 to 5.25 × 105 Hz and in the temperature range from 296 to 455 K. The dependence of the dielectric constant (ɛ1) and the dielectric loss (ɛ2) on both frequency and temperature was investigated. Since no peak was observed on the dielectric loss, we used a method based on the electric modulus to evaluate the activation energy of the dielectric relaxation. Scaling of the electric modulus spectra showed that the charge transport dynamics is independent of temperature. The AC conductivity (σAC) was found to obey the power law: Aωs. Analysis of the AC conductivity data and the frequency exponent showed that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model is the dominant mechanism for the AC conduction. The variation of AC conductivity with temperature at different frequencies showed that σAC is a thermally activated process.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cyclodextrin-based nanosponges for enhancing oral bioavailability of atorvastatin calcium.

PubMed

Zidan, Mohamed F; Ibrahim, Hany M; Afouna, Mohsen I; Ibrahim, Elsherbeny A

2018-08-01

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of complexing the poorly water-soluble drug atorvastatin calcium (AC) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) based nanosponges (NS), which offer advantages of improving dissolution rate and eventually oral bioavailability. Blank NS were fabricated at first by reacting β-CD with the cross-linker carbonyldiimidazole at different molar ratios (1:2, 1:4, and 1:8), then NS of highest solubilization extent for AC were complexed with AC. AC loaded NS (AC-NS) were characterized for various physicochemical properties. Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamics and histological finding of AC-NS were performed in rats. The prepared AC-NS showed particles size ranged from 408.7 ± 12.9 to 423 ± 15.9 nm while zeta potential values varied from -21.7 ± 0.90 to -22.7 ± 0.85 mV. The loading capacity varied from 17.9 ± 1.21 to 34.1 ± 1.16%. DSC, FT-IR, and PXRD studies confirmed the complexation of AC with NS and amorphous state of the drug in the complex. AC-NS displayed a biphasic release pattern with increase in the dissolution rate of AC as compared to plain AC. Oral administration of AC-NS (1:4 w/w, drug: NS) to rats led to 2.13-folds increase in the bioavailability as compared to AC suspension. Pharmacodynamics studies in rats with fatty liver revealed significant reduction (p < .05) in total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C and increased level of beneficial HDL-C along with improvement in the associated liver steatosis as confirmed through photomicrographs of liver sections. In this study, we confirmed that complexation of AC with NS would be a viable approach for improving oral bioavailability and in vivo performance of AC.

Structure of the cellulose synthase complex of Gluconacetobacter hansenii at 23.4 Å resolution

DOE PAGES

Du, Juan; Vepachedu, Venkata; Cho, Sung Hyun; ...

2016-05-23

Bacterial crystalline cellulose is used in biomedical and industrial applications, but the molecular mechanisms of synthesis are unclear. Unlike most bacteria, which make non-crystalline cellulose, Gluconacetobacter hansenii extrudes profuse amounts of crystalline cellulose. Its cellulose synthase (AcsA) exists as a complex with accessory protein AcsB, forming a 'terminal complex' (TC) that has been visualized by freeze-fracture TEM at the base of ribbons of crystalline cellulose. The catalytic AcsAB complex is embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. The C-terminal portion of AcsC is predicted to form a translocation channel in the outer membrane, with the rest of AcsC possibly interacting with AcsDmore » in the periplasm. It is thus believed that synthesis from an organized array of TCs coordinated with extrusion by AcsC and AcsD enable this bacterium to make crystalline cellulose. The only structural data that exist for this system are the above mentioned freeze-fracture TEM images, fluorescence microscopy images revealing that TCs align in a row, a crystal structure of AcsD bound to cellopentaose, and a crystal structure of PilZ domain of AcsA. Here we advance our understanding of the structural basis for crystalline cellulose production by bacterial cellulose synthase by determining a negative stain structure resolved to 23.4 angstrom for highly purified AcsAB complex that catalyzed incorporation of UDP-glucose into β-1,4-glucan chains, and responded to the presence of allosteric activator cyclic diguanylate. Although the AcsAB complex was functional in vitro, the synthesized cellulose was not visible in TEM. The negative stain structure revealed that AcsAB is very similar to that of the BcsAB synthase of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, a non-crystalline cellulose producing bacterium. Furthermore, the results indicate that the crystalline cellulose producing and non-crystalline cellulose producing bacteria share conserved catalytic and membrane translocation components, and support the hypothesis that it is the extrusion mechanism and order in linearly arrayed TCs that enables production of crystalline cellulose.« less

Structure of the cellulose synthase complex of Gluconacetobacter hansenii at 23.4 Å resolution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Du, Juan; Vepachedu, Venkata; Cho, Sung Hyun

Bacterial crystalline cellulose is used in biomedical and industrial applications, but the molecular mechanisms of synthesis are unclear. Unlike most bacteria, which make non-crystalline cellulose, Gluconacetobacter hansenii extrudes profuse amounts of crystalline cellulose. Its cellulose synthase (AcsA) exists as a complex with accessory protein AcsB, forming a 'terminal complex' (TC) that has been visualized by freeze-fracture TEM at the base of ribbons of crystalline cellulose. The catalytic AcsAB complex is embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. The C-terminal portion of AcsC is predicted to form a translocation channel in the outer membrane, with the rest of AcsC possibly interacting with AcsDmore » in the periplasm. It is thus believed that synthesis from an organized array of TCs coordinated with extrusion by AcsC and AcsD enable this bacterium to make crystalline cellulose. The only structural data that exist for this system are the above mentioned freeze-fracture TEM images, fluorescence microscopy images revealing that TCs align in a row, a crystal structure of AcsD bound to cellopentaose, and a crystal structure of PilZ domain of AcsA. Here we advance our understanding of the structural basis for crystalline cellulose production by bacterial cellulose synthase by determining a negative stain structure resolved to 23.4 angstrom for highly purified AcsAB complex that catalyzed incorporation of UDP-glucose into β-1,4-glucan chains, and responded to the presence of allosteric activator cyclic diguanylate. Although the AcsAB complex was functional in vitro, the synthesized cellulose was not visible in TEM. The negative stain structure revealed that AcsAB is very similar to that of the BcsAB synthase of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, a non-crystalline cellulose producing bacterium. Furthermore, the results indicate that the crystalline cellulose producing and non-crystalline cellulose producing bacteria share conserved catalytic and membrane translocation components, and support the hypothesis that it is the extrusion mechanism and order in linearly arrayed TCs that enables production of crystalline cellulose.« less

Structure of the Cellulose Synthase Complex of Gluconacetobacter hansenii at 23.4 Å Resolution

PubMed Central

Du, Juan; Vepachedu, Venkata; Cho, Sung Hyun; Kumar, Manish; Nixon, B. Tracy

2016-01-01

Bacterial crystalline cellulose is used in biomedical and industrial applications, but the molecular mechanisms of synthesis are unclear. Unlike most bacteria, which make non-crystalline cellulose, Gluconacetobacter hansenii extrudes profuse amounts of crystalline cellulose. Its cellulose synthase (AcsA) exists as a complex with accessory protein AcsB, forming a 'terminal complex' (TC) that has been visualized by freeze-fracture TEM at the base of ribbons of crystalline cellulose. The catalytic AcsAB complex is embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. The C-terminal portion of AcsC is predicted to form a translocation channel in the outer membrane, with the rest of AcsC possibly interacting with AcsD in the periplasm. It is thus believed that synthesis from an organized array of TCs coordinated with extrusion by AcsC and AcsD enable this bacterium to make crystalline cellulose. The only structural data that exist for this system are the above mentioned freeze-fracture TEM images, fluorescence microscopy images revealing that TCs align in a row, a crystal structure of AcsD bound to cellopentaose, and a crystal structure of PilZ domain of AcsA. Here we advance our understanding of the structural basis for crystalline cellulose production by bacterial cellulose synthase by determining a negative stain structure resolved to 23.4 Å for highly purified AcsAB complex that catalyzed incorporation of UDP-glucose into β-1,4-glucan chains, and responded to the presence of allosteric activator cyclic diguanylate. Although the AcsAB complex was functional in vitro, the synthesized cellulose was not visible in TEM. The negative stain structure revealed that AcsAB is very similar to that of the BcsAB synthase of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, a non-crystalline cellulose producing bacterium. The results indicate that the crystalline cellulose producing and non-crystalline cellulose producing bacteria share conserved catalytic and membrane translocation components, and support the hypothesis that it is the extrusion mechanism and order in linearly arrayed TCs that enables production of crystalline cellulose. PMID:27214134

Temperature and composition dependent density of states extracted using overlapping large polaron tunnelling model in MnxCo1-xFe2O4 (x=0.25, 0.5, 0.75) nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamil, Arifa; Afsar, M. F.; Sher, F.; Rafiq, M. A.

2017-03-01

We report detailed ac electrical and structural characterization of manganese cobalt ferrite nanoparticles, prepared by coprecipitation technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed single-phase cubic spinel structure of the nanoparticles. Tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) group complexes were present in the spinel lattice as determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images revealed presence of spherical shape nanoparticles having an average diameter 50-80 nm. Composition, temperature and frequency dependent ac electrical study of prepared nanoparticles interpreted the role of cationic distribution between A and B sites. Overlapping large polaron tunnelling (OLPT) conduction mechanism was observed from 290 to 200 K. Frequency exponent s was fitted theoretically using OLPT model. High values of Density of States (DOS) of the order of 1022-1024 eV-1 cm-3 were extracted from ac conductivity for different compositions. We found that DOS was dependent on distribution of cations in the tunnel-type cavities along the a and b axis.

Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy of aqueous solutions of diclofenac potassium over the frequency range of 20 Hz to 2 MHz at 303.15 K temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakthala, J. B.; Vankar, H. P.; Rana, V. A.

2018-05-01

The complex relative dielectric function ɛ*(ω) = ɛ' - jɛ″ of aqueous solutions of diclofenac potassium (DK) in the frequency range 20 Hz to 2 MHz at 303.15 K was measured using a precision LCR meter. The electrical/dielectric properties of the solutions samples were represented in terms of complex relative dielectric function ɛ*(ω) real part σ'(ω) of complex ac conductivity and dc conductivity. These types of studies can be used to explore various mechanism contributed in the absorption, transportation of drug through tissues and membranes of body as well as interactions of drug with body fluid and blood plasma.

Platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes with 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazone: cytogenetic and antineoplastic effects.

PubMed

Lakovidou, Z; Papageorgiou, A; Demertzis, M A; Mioglou, E; Mourelatos, D; Kotsis, A; Yadav, P N; Kovala-Demertzi, D

2001-01-01

The effect of three novel complexes of Pt(II) and three complexes of Pd(II) with 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (HAcTsc) on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) rates and human lymphocyte proliferation kinetics on a molar basis was studied. Also, the effect of Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes against leukemia P388 was investigated. Among these compounds, the most effective in inducing antitumor and cytogenetic effects were the complexes [Pt(AcTsc)2] x H2O and [Pd(AcTsc)2] while the rest, i.e. (HAcTsc), [Pt(AcTsc)Cl], [Pt(HAcTsc)2]Cl2 x 2H2O, [Pd(AcTsc)Cl] and [Pd(HAcTsc)2]Cl2, displayed marginal cytogenetic and antitumor effects.

A NASTRAN Model of a Large Flexible Swing-Wing Bomber. Volume 1: NASTRAN Model Plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mock, W. D.

1982-01-01

A review was conducted of B-1 aircraft no. 2 (A/C-2) internal loads models to determine the minimum model complexity necessary to fulfill all of the airloads research study objectives. Typical model sizings were tabulated at selected vehicle locations, and scale layouts were prepared of the NASTRAN structural analysis model.

DFT modeling, UV-Vis and IR spectroscopic study of acetylacetone-modified zirconia sol-gel materials.

PubMed

Georgieva, Ivelina; Danchova, Nina; Gutzov, Stoyan; Trendafilova, Natasha

2012-06-01

Theoretical and spectroscopic studies of a series of monomeric and dimeric complexes formed through the modification of a zirconium butoxide precursor with acetylacetone and subsequent hydrolysis and/or condensation have been performed by applying DFT/B3LYP/6-31++G(d) and highly accurate RI-ADC(2) methods as well as IR and UV-Vis transmittance and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. Based on DFT model calculations and simulated and experimental UV-Vis and IR spectra of all the studied structures, the most probable building units of the Zr(IV)-AcAc gel were predicted: the dimeric double hydroxo-bridged complex Zr(2)(AcAc)(2)(OH)(4)(OH)(2br) 9 and the monooxo-bridged complex Zr(2)(AcAc)(2)(OH)(4)O(br)·2H(2)O 12. In both structures, the two AcAc ligands are coordinated to one Zr atom. It was shown that building units 9 and 12 determine the photophysical and vibrational properties of the gel material. The observed UV-Vis and IR spectra of Zr(IV)-AcAc gel were interpreted and a relation between the spectroscopic and structural data was derived. The observed UV-Vis bands at 315 nm and 298/288 nm were assigned to partial ligand-metal transitions and to intra-/inter-AcAc ligand transitions, respectively.

Auto-combustion synthesis and characterization of Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agrawal, Shraddha, E-mail: shraddhaa32@gmail.com; Parveen, Azra; Naqvi, A. H.

2015-06-24

The synthesis of pure and Mg doped Copper aluminumoxide CuAlO{sub 2}nanoparticles, a promising p-type TCO (transparent conducting oxide) have been done bysol gel auto combustion method using NaOH as a fuel, calcinated at 600°C. The structural properties were examined by XRD and SEM techniques. The optical absorption spectra of CuAlO{sub 2} sample recorded by UV-VIS spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 800 nm have been presented. The crystallite size was determined by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The electrical behavior of pure and Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} has been studied over a wide range of frequencies by using complex impedance spectroscopy.Themore » variation of a.c. conductivity has been studied as function of frequency and temperature. The data taken together conclude that doping causes decreases in the ac conductivity of the nanoparticles as compared with the pure nanoparticles. Mg doping affects the optical properties and band gap.« less

Auto-combustion synthesis and characterization of Mg doped CuAlO2 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Shraddha; Parveen, Azra; Naqvi, A. H.

2015-06-01

The synthesis of pure and Mg doped Copper aluminumoxide CuAlO2nanoparticles, a promising p-type TCO (transparent conducting oxide) have been done bysol gel auto combustion method using NaOH as a fuel, calcinated at 600°C. The structural properties were examined by XRD and SEM techniques. The optical absorption spectra of CuAlO2 sample recorded by UV-VIS spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 800 nm have been presented. The crystallite size was determined by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The electrical behavior of pure and Mg doped CuAlO2 has been studied over a wide range of frequencies by using complex impedance spectroscopy.The variation of a.c. conductivity has been studied as function of frequency and temperature. The data taken together conclude that doping causes decreases in the ac conductivity of the nanoparticles as compared with the pure nanoparticles. Mg doping affects the optical properties and band gap.

CROSS-DISCIPLINARY PHYSICS AND RELATED AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Characteristics of alternating current hopping conductivity in DNA sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Song-Shan; Xu, Hui; Wang, Huan-You; Guo, Rui

2009-08-01

This paper presents a model to describe alternating current (AC) conductivity of DNA sequences, in which DNA is considered as a one-dimensional (1D) disordered system, and electrons transport via hopping between localized states. It finds that AC conductivity in DNA sequences increases as the frequency of the external electric field rises, and it takes the form of øac(ω) ~ ω2 ln2(1/ω). Also AC conductivity of DNA sequences increases with the increase of temperature, this phenomenon presents characteristics of weak temperature-dependence. Meanwhile, the AC conductivity in an off-diagonally correlated case is much larger than that in the uncorrelated case of the Anderson limit in low temperatures, which indicates that the off-diagonal correlations in DNA sequences have a great effect on the AC conductivity, while at high temperature the off-diagonal correlations no longer play a vital role in electric transport. In addition, the proportion of nucleotide pairs p also plays an important role in AC electron transport of DNA sequences. For p < 0.5, the conductivity of DNA sequence decreases with the increase of p, while for p >= 0.5, the conductivity increases with the increase of p.

The binuclear nickel center in the A-cluster of acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS) and two biomimetic dinickel complexes studied by X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrapers, P.; Mebs, S.; Ilina, Y.; Warner, D. S.; Wörmann, C.; Schuth, N.; Kositzki, R.; Dau, H.; Limberg, C.; Dobbek, H.; Haumann, M.

2016-05-01

Acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS) is involved in the bacterial carbon oxide conversion pathway. The binuclear nickel sites in ACS enzyme and two biomimetic synthetic compounds containing a Ni(II)Ni(II) unit (1 and 2) were compared using XAS/XES. EXAFS analysis of ACS proteins revealed similar Ni-N/O/S bond lengths and Ni-Ni/Fe distances as in the crystal structure in oxidized ACS, but elongated Ni-ligand bonds in reduced ACS, suggesting more reduced nickel species. The XANES spectra of ACS and the dinickel complexes showed overall similar shapes, but less resolved pre-edge and edge features in ACS, attributed to more distorted square-planar nickel sites in particular in reduced ACS. DFT calculation of pre-edge absorption and Kβ2,5 emission features reproduced the experimental spectra of the synthetic complexes, was sensitive even to the small geometry differences in 1 and 2, and indicated low-spin Ni(II) sites. Comparison of nickel sites in proteins and biomimetic compounds is valuable for deducing structural and electronic differences in response to ligation and redox changes.

Characteristics of dielectric properties and conduction mechanism of TlInS2:Cu single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Ali, H. A. M.; El-Zaidia, E. F. M.

2013-12-01

Single crystals of TlInS2:Cu were grown by the modified Bridgman method. The dielectric behavior of TlInS2:Cu was investigated using the impedance spectroscopy technique. The real (ε1), imaginary (ε2) parts of complex dielectric permittivity and ac conductivity were measured in the frequency range (42-2×105) Hz with a variation of temperature in the range from 291 K to 483 K. The impedance data were presented in Nyquist diagrams for different temperatures. The frequency dependence of σtot (ω) follows the Jonscher's universal dynamic law with the relation σtot (ω)=σdc+Aωs, (where s is the frequency exponent). The mechanism of the ac charge transport across the layers of TlInS2:Cu single crystals was referred to the hopping over localized states near the Fermi level. The examined system exhibits temperature dependence of σac (ω), which showed a linear increase with the increase in temperature at different frequencies. Some parameters were calculated as: the density of localized states near the Fermi level, NF, the average time of charge carrier hopping between localized states, τ, and the average hopping distance, R.

High frequency bone conduction auditory evoked potentials in the guinea pig: Assessing cochlear injury after ossicular chain manipulation.

PubMed

Bergin, M J; Bird, P A; Vlajkovic, S M; Thorne, P R

2015-12-01

Permanent high frequency (>4 kHz) sensorineural hearing loss following middle ear surgery occurs in up to 25% of patients. The aetiology of this loss is poorly understood and may involve transmission of supra-physiological forces down the ossicular chain to the cochlea. Investigating the mechanisms of this injury using animal models is challenging, as evaluating cochlear function with evoked potentials is confounded when ossicular manipulation disrupts the normal air conduction (AC) pathway. Bone conduction (BC) using clinical bone vibrators in small animals is limited by poor transducer output at high frequencies sensitive to trauma. The objectives of the present study were firstly to evaluate a novel high frequency bone conduction transducer with evoked auditory potentials in a guinea pig model, and secondly to use this model to investigate the impact of middle ear surgical manipulation on cochlear function. We modified a magnetostrictive device as a high frequency BC transducer and evaluated its performance by comparison with a calibrated AC transducer at frequencies up to 32 kHz using the auditory brainstem response (ABR), compound action potential (CAP) and summating potential (SP). To mimic a middle ear traumatising stimulus, a rotating bur was brought in to contact with the incudomalleal complex and the effect on evoked cochlear potentials was observed. BC-evoked potentials followed the same input-output function pattern as AC potentials for all ABR frequencies. Deterioration in CAP and SP thresholds was observed after ossicular manipulation. It is possible to use high frequency BC to evoke responses from the injury sensitive basal region of the cochlea and so not rely on AC with the potential confounder of conductive hearing loss. Ongoing research explores how these findings evolve over time, and ways in which injury may be reduced and the cochlea protected during middle ear surgery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical properties of Ba(Dy{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3} ceramic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nath, K. Amar, E-mail: karn190@gmail.com; Chandra, K. P., E-mail: kpchandra23@gmail.com; Dubey, K., E-mail: kirandubey45@yahoo.com

2016-05-06

Polycrystalline Ba(Dy{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3} was prepared using a high-temperature solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the formation of a single-phase cubic structure having space group Pm3m. AC impedance plots as a function of frequency at different temperatures were used to analyse the electrical behaviour of the sample, which indicated the negative temperature coefficient of resistance character. Complex impedance analysis targeted non-Debye type dielectric relaxation. Frequency dependent ac conductivity data obeyed Jonscher’s power law. The apparent activation energy was estimated to be 0.97 eV at 1 kHz.

Cole-cole analysis and electrical conduction mechanism of N{sup +} implanted polycarbonate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chawla, Mahak; Shekhawat, Nidhi; Aggarwal, Sanjeev, E-mail: write2sa@gmail.com

2014-05-14

In this paper, we present the analysis of the dielectric (dielectric constant, dielectric loss, a.c. conductivity) and electrical properties (I–V characteristics) of pristine and nitrogen ion implanted polycarbonate. The samples of polycarbonate were implanted with 100 keV N{sup +} ions with fluence ranging from 1 × 10{sup 15} to 1 × 10{sup 17} ions cm{sup −2}. The dielectric measurements of these samples were performed in the frequency range of 100 kHz to 100 MHz. It has been observed that dielectric constant decreases whereas dielectric loss and a.c. conductivity increases with increasing ion fluence. An analysis of real and imaginary parts of dielectric permittivity has beenmore » elucidated using Cole-Cole plot of the complex permittivity. With the help of Cole-Cole plot, we determined the values of static dielectric constant (ε{sub s}), optical dielectric constant (ε{sub ∞}), spreading factor (α), average relaxation time (τ{sub 0}), and molecular relaxation time (τ). The I–V characteristics were studied using Keithley (6517) electrometer. The electrical conduction behaviour of pristine and implanted polycarbonate specimens has been explained using various models of conduction.« less

Dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, P.; Ghosh, A.

2016-07-01

In this paper, we have studied the dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate. Structural and thermal properties have been examined using X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. We have analyzed the complex conductivity spectra by using power law model coupled with the contribution of electrode polarization at low frequencies and high temperatures. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity and crossover frequency exhibits Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type behavior indicating a strong coupling between the ionic and the polymer chain segmental motions. The scaling of the ac conductivity indicates that relaxation dynamics of charge carriers follows a common mechanism for all temperatures and ethylene carbonate concentrations. The analysis of the ac conductivity also shows the existence of a nearly constant loss in these polymer electrolytes at low temperatures and high frequencies. The fraction of free anions and ion pairs in polymer electrolyte have been obtained from the analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectra. It is observed that these quantities influence the behavior of the composition dependence of the ionic conductivity.

Dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pal, P.; Ghosh, A., E-mail: sspag@iacs.res.in

2016-07-28

In this paper, we have studied the dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate. Structural and thermal properties have been examined using X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. We have analyzed the complex conductivity spectra by using power law model coupled with the contribution of electrode polarization at low frequencies and high temperatures. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity and crossover frequency exhibits Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type behavior indicating a strong coupling between the ionic and the polymer chain segmental motions. The scaling of the ac conductivity indicates that relaxation dynamicsmore » of charge carriers follows a common mechanism for all temperatures and ethylene carbonate concentrations. The analysis of the ac conductivity also shows the existence of a nearly constant loss in these polymer electrolytes at low temperatures and high frequencies. The fraction of free anions and ion pairs in polymer electrolyte have been obtained from the analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectra. It is observed that these quantities influence the behavior of the composition dependence of the ionic conductivity.« less

DC and AC conductivity properties of bovine dentine hydroxyapatite (BDHA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumludag, F.; Gunduz, O.; Kılıc, O.; Ekren, N.; Kalkandelen, C.; Ozbek, B.; Oktar, F. N.

2017-12-01

Bovine dentine bio-waste may be used as a potential natural source of hydroxyapatite (BDHA), thus extraction of bovine dentin hydroxyapatite (BDHA) from bio-waste is significantly important to fabricate in a simple, economically and environmentally preferable. DC and AC conductivity properties of BDHA were investigated depending on sintering temperature (1000ºC - 1300°C) in air and vacuum (<10-2 mbar) ambient at room temperature. DC conductivity measurements performed between -1 and 1 V. AC conductivity measurements performed in the frequency range of 40 Hz - 100 kHz. DC conductivity results showed that dc conductivity values of the BDHA decrease with increasing sintering temperature in air ambient. It is not observed remarkable/systematic behavior for ac conductivity depending on sintering temperature.

Coordination-organometallic hybrid materials based on the trinuclear M(II)-Ru(II) (M=Ni and Zn) complexes: Synthesis, structural characterization, luminescence and electrochemical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawal, S. B.; Lolage, S. R.; Chavan, S. S.

2018-02-01

A new series of trinuclear complexes of the type Ni[R-C6H4Ndbnd CH(O)C6H3Ctbnd CRu(dppe)2Cl]2 (1a-c) and Zn[Rsbnd C6H4Ndbnd CH(O)C6H3Ctbnd CRu(dppe)2Cl]2 (2a-c) have been prepared from the reaction of trans-[RuCl(dppe)2Ctbnd Csbnd C6H3(OH)(CHO)] (1) with aniline, 4-nitroaniline and 4-methoxyaniline (R1-3) in presence of nickel acetate and zinc acetate in CH2Cl2/MeOH (1:1) mixture. The structural properties of the complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses and spectroscopic techniques viz. FTIR, UV-Visible, 1H NMR and 31P NMR spectral studies. The crystal structure and morphology of the hybrid complexes was investigated with the help of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The thermal properties of 1a-c and 2a-c were studied by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The electrochemical behaviour of the complexes reveals that all complexes displayed a quasireversible redox behaviour corresponding to Ru(II)/Ru(III) and Ni(II)/Ni(III) couples for 1a-c and only Ru(II)/Ru(III) couple for 2a-c. All complexes are emissive in solution at room temperature revealing the influence of substituents and solvent polarity on emission properties of the complexes.

Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis of Mg4Nb2O9 Ceramics with Different Additions of V2O5 for Microwave and Radio Frequency Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filho, J. M. S.; Rodrigues Junior, C. A.; Sousa, D. G.; Oliveira, R. G. M.; Costa, M. M.; Barroso, G. C.; Sombra, A. S. B.

2017-07-01

The complex impedance spectroscopy study of magnesium niobate Mg4Nb2O9 (MN) ceramics with different additions of V2O5 (0%, 2%, 5%) was performed in this present paper. The preparation of MN samples were carried out by using the solid-state reaction method with a high-energy milling machine. Frequency and temperature dependence of the complex impedance, complex modulus analysis, and conductivity were measured and calculated at different temperatures by using a network impedance analyzer. A non-Debye type relaxation was observed showing a decentralization of the semicircles. Cole-Cole formalism was adopted here with the help of a computer program used to fit the experimental data. A typical universal dielectric response in the frequency-dependent conductivity at different temperatures was found. The frequency dependent ac conductivity at different temperatures indicates that the conduction process is thermally activated. The activation energy was obtained from the Arrhenius fitting by using conductivity and electrical modules data. The results would help to understand deeply the relaxation process in these types of materials.

Mathematicians, Attributional Complexity, and Gender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stalder, Daniel R.

Given indirect indications in sex role and soda! psychology research that mathematical-deductive reasoning may negatively relate to social acuity, Study 1 investigated whether mathematicians were less attributionally complex than nonmathematicians. Study 1 administered the Attributional Complexity Scale, a measure of social acuity, to female and male faculty members and graduate students in four Midwestern schools. Atlrihutional complexity (AC) is the ability and motivation to give complex explanations for behavior. Study 1 found a significant interaction between field and gender. Only among women did mathematicians score lower on AC. In addition, an established gender difference in AC (that women score higher than men) was present only among nonmathematicians. Studies 2 and 3 offered some preliminary support for the possibility that it is generally female students who score tow on AC who aspire to he mathematicians and for the underlying view that female students' perceived similarity to mathematicians can influence their vocational choices.

Nature of Dielectric Properties, Electric Modulus and AC Electrical Conductivity of Nanocrystalline ZnIn2Se4 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Attia, A. A.; Ali, H. A. M.; Salem, G. F.; Ismail, M. I.

2018-02-01

The structural characteristics of thermally deposited ZnIn2Se4 thin films were indexed utilizing x-ray diffraction as well as scanning electron microscopy techniques. Dielectric properties, electric modulus and AC electrical conductivity of ZnIn2Se4 thin films were examined in the frequency range from 42 Hz to 106 Hz. The capacitance, conductance and impedance were measured at different temperatures. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss decrease with an increase in frequency. The maximum barrier height was determined from the analysis of the dielectric loss depending on the Giuntini model. The real part of the electric modulus revealed a constant maximum value at higher frequencies and the imaginary part of the electric modulus was characterized by the appearance of dielectric relaxation peaks. The AC electrical conductivity obeyed the Jonscher universal power law. Correlated barrier hopping model was the appropriate mechanism for AC conduction in ZnIn2Se4 thin films. Estimation of the density of states at the Fermi level and activation energy, for AC conduction, was carried out based on the temperature dependence of AC electrical conductivity.

Preparation and characterisation of crystalline tris(acetylacetonato)Fe(III) films grown on p-Si substrate for dielectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dakhel, A. A.; Ali-Mohamed, A. Y.

2007-02-01

Thin tris(acetylacetonato)iron(III) films were prepared by sublimation in vacuum on glass and p-Si substrates. Then comprehensive studies of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical absorption spectroscopy, AC-conductivity, and dielectric permittivity as a function of frequency and temperature have been performed. The prepared films show a polycrystalline of orthorhombic structure. The optical absorption spectrum of the film was identical with that of the bulk powder layer. For electrical measurements of the complex as insulator, sample in form of metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) structure was prepared and characterised by the measurement of the capacitance and AC-conductance as a function of gate voltage. From those measurements, the state density Dit at insulator/semiconductor interface and the density of the fixed charges in the complex film were determined. It was found that Dit was of order 1010 eV-1/cm2 and the surface charge density in the insulator film was of order 1010 cm-2. The frequency dependence of the electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of MIS structures were studied at room temperature. It was observed that the experimental data follow the correlated barrier-hopping (CBH) model, from which the fundamental absorption edge, the cut off hopping distance, and other parameters of the model were determined. It was found that the capacitance of the complex increases as temperature increases. Generally, the present study shows that the tris(acetylacetonato)iron(III) films grown on p-Si is a promising candidate for low-k dielectric applications, it displays low-k value around 2.0.

Dielectric spectroscopy of solutions of amino silicone emulsion in distilled water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, K. N.; Rana, V. A.; Trivedi, C. M.; Vankar, H. P.

2016-05-01

Complex permittivity spectra ɛ*(ω) = ɛ' - jɛ″ of solutions of amino silicone emulsion in distilled water in the frequency range 100 Hz to 2 MHz were obtained using precision LCR meter. Complex permittivity data is used to find out complex impedance z*(ω) and complex electric conductivity σ*(ω). All these spectra are used to gain information about various polarization processes taking place in the solutions of amino silicone emulsion in distilled water under the effect of ac electric field. The frequency and concentration dependent behavior of the solutions of amino silicone emulsion in distilled waterhave beenalso investigated. Density and refractive index of the samples are also measured and are reported.

Electrical properties of praseodymium oxide doped Boro-Tellurite glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagadeesha Gowda G., V.; Devaraja, C.; Eraiah, B.

2016-05-01

Glasses of the composition xPr6O11- (35-x)TeO2-65B2O3 (x=0, 0.1 to 0.5 mol %) have been prepared using the melt quenching method. The ac and dc conductivity of glass have been measured over a wide range of frequencies and temperatures. Experimental results indicate that the ac conductivity depend on temperature, frequency and Praseodymium content. The conductivity as a function of frequency exhibited two components: dc conductivity (σdc), and ac conductivity (σac). The activation energies are estimated and found to be decreases with composition. The impedance plot at each temperature appeared as a semicircle passes through the origin.

AcsF Catalyzes the ATP-dependent Insertion of Nickel into the Ni,Ni-[4Fe4S] Cluster of Acetyl-CoA Synthase*

PubMed Central

Gregg, Christina M.; Goetzl, Sebastian; Jeoung, Jae-Hun

2016-01-01

Acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS) catalyzes the reversible condensation of CO, CoA, and a methyl-cation to form acetyl-CoA at a unique Ni,Ni-[4Fe4S] cluster (the A-cluster). However, it was unknown which proteins support the assembly of the A-cluster. We analyzed the product of a gene from the cluster containing the ACS gene, cooC2 from Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans, named AcsFCh, and showed that it acts as a maturation factor of ACS. AcsFCh and inactive ACS form a stable 2:1 complex that binds two nickel ions with higher affinity than the individual components. The nickel-bound ACS-AcsFCh complex remains inactive until MgATP is added, thereby converting inactive to active ACS. AcsFCh is a MinD-type ATPase and belongs to the CooC protein family, which can be divided into homologous subgroups. We propose that proteins of one subgroup are responsible for assembling the Ni,Ni-[4Fe4S] cluster of ACS, whereas proteins of a second subgroup mature the [Ni4Fe4S] cluster of carbon monoxide dehydrogenases. PMID:27382049

Electrical, dielectric properties and study of AC electrical conduction mechanism of Li0.9□0.1NiV0.5P0.5O4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahal, A.; Borchani, S. Megdiche; Guidara, K.; Megdiche, M.

2018-02-01

In this paper, we report the measurements of impedance spectroscopy for a new olivine-type lithium deficiency Li0.9□0.1NiV0.5P0.5O4 compound. It was synthesized by the conventional solid-state technique. All the X-ray diffraction peaks of the compound are indexed, and it is found that the sample is well crystallized in orthorhombic olivine structure belonging to the space group Pnma. Conductivity and dielectric analyses of the sample are carried out at different temperatures and frequencies using the complex impedance spectroscopy technique. The electrical conductivity of Li0.9□0.1NiV0.5P0.5O4 is higher than that of parent compound LiNiV0.5P0.5O4. Temperature dependence of the DC conductivity and modulus was found to obey the Arrhenius law. The obtained values of activation energy are different which confirms that transport in the title compound is not due to a simple hopping mechanism. To determine the conduction mechanism, the AC conductivity and its frequency exponent have been analysed in this work by a theoretical model based on quantum mechanical tunnelling: the non-overlapping small polaron tunnelling model.

Risk-Significant Adverse Condition Awareness Strengthens Assurance of Fault Management Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitz, Rhonda

2017-01-01

As spaceflight systems increase in complexity, Fault Management (FM) systems are ranked high in risk-based assessment of software criticality, emphasizing the importance of establishing highly competent domain expertise to provide assurance. Adverse conditions (ACs) and specific vulnerabilities encountered by safety- and mission-critical software systems have been identified through efforts to reduce the risk posture of software-intensive NASA missions. Acknowledgement of potential off-nominal conditions and analysis to determine software system resiliency are important aspects of hazard analysis and FM. A key component of assuring FM is an assessment of how well software addresses susceptibility to failure through consideration of ACs. Focus on significant risk predicted through experienced analysis conducted at the NASA Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) Program enables the scoping of effective assurance strategies with regard to overall asset protection of complex spaceflight as well as ground systems. Research efforts sponsored by NASAs Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) defined terminology, categorized data fields, and designed a baseline repository that centralizes and compiles a comprehensive listing of ACs and correlated data relevant across many NASA missions. This prototype tool helps projects improve analysis by tracking ACs and allowing queries based on project, mission type, domain/component, causal fault, and other key characteristics. Vulnerability in off-nominal situations, architectural design weaknesses, and unexpected or undesirable system behaviors in reaction to faults are curtailed with the awareness of ACs and risk-significant scenarios modeled for analysts through this database. Integration within the Enterprise Architecture at NASA IV&V enables interfacing with other tools and datasets, technical support, and accessibility across the Agency. This paper discusses the development of an improved workflow process utilizing this database for adaptive, risk-informed FM assurance that critical software systems will safely and securely protect against faults and respond to ACs in order to achieve successful missions.

Risk-Significant Adverse Condition Awareness Strengthens Assurance of Fault Management Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitz, Rhonda

2017-01-01

As spaceflight systems increase in complexity, Fault Management (FM) systems are ranked high in risk-based assessment of software criticality, emphasizing the importance of establishing highly competent domain expertise to provide assurance. Adverse conditions (ACs) and specific vulnerabilities encountered by safety- and mission-critical software systems have been identified through efforts to reduce the risk posture of software-intensive NASA missions. Acknowledgement of potential off-nominal conditions and analysis to determine software system resiliency are important aspects of hazard analysis and FM. A key component of assuring FM is an assessment of how well software addresses susceptibility to failure through consideration of ACs. Focus on significant risk predicted through experienced analysis conducted at the NASA Independent Verification Validation (IVV) Program enables the scoping of effective assurance strategies with regard to overall asset protection of complex spaceflight as well as ground systems. Research efforts sponsored by NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance defined terminology, categorized data fields, and designed a baseline repository that centralizes and compiles a comprehensive listing of ACs and correlated data relevant across many NASA missions. This prototype tool helps projects improve analysis by tracking ACs and allowing queries based on project, mission type, domaincomponent, causal fault, and other key characteristics. Vulnerability in off-nominal situations, architectural design weaknesses, and unexpected or undesirable system behaviors in reaction to faults are curtailed with the awareness of ACs and risk-significant scenarios modeled for analysts through this database. Integration within the Enterprise Architecture at NASA IVV enables interfacing with other tools and datasets, technical support, and accessibility across the Agency. This paper discusses the development of an improved workflow process utilizing this database for adaptive, risk-informed FM assurance that critical software systems will safely and securely protect against faults and respond to ACs in order to achieve successful missions.

Analysis of the conduction mechanism and dielectric properties of N, N', N" tris(4-methylphenyl)phosphoric triamide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, H. A. M.

2016-03-01

The structure for the powder of N,N', N"-tris(4-methylphenyl)phosphoric triamide, TMP-TA, was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) techniques. The ac conductivity and dielectric properties were measured in the frequency range of 42-105 Hz for the bulk TMP-TA in a pellet form at different temperatures. The frequency dependence of ac conductivity was expressed by a Jonscher's universal power law. The frequency exponent (s) was determined from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity. The correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model was found to be responsible for the ac conduction mechanism in TMP-TA. The activation energy was calculated from the temperature dependence of ac conductivity. The values of the density of states at the Fermi level were determined for different frequencies. The components of the electric modulus (M' and M") were calculated and used to estimate the relaxation time.

Structural and electrical properties of nickel substituted cadmium ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chethan, B.; Raj Prakash, H. G.; Vijayakumari, S. C.; Ravikiran, Y. T.

2018-05-01

Spinal nano-sized Cadmium ferrite (CD) and Nickel substituted cadmium ferrite (NSCF) were fabricated by sol-gel auto combustion method. The formation of spinal structure of ferrite materials was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The crystallites size of CF and NSCF as determined by Scherrer's formula were found to be 24.73 nm and 17.70 nm respectively. comparative study of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of CF and NSCF revealed tetrahedral absorption bands shifted slightly towards higher frequency where as octahedral bands shifted towards lower frequency side confirming interfacial interaction between Ni and CF. The AC conductivity (σ), loss tangent (tan δ) and complex plane impedance plots for both CF and NSCF are determined at various frequencies ranging from 50 kHz to 5 MHz and comparatively analyzed. The increase in AC conductivity of the NSCF nano particles as compared to CF was explained in the light of hopping model. The impedance measurement of NSCF show presence of a semi-circle corresponding to the grain boundary resistance and hence shows that the conductivity takes place largely through grain boundaries.

Molecular modeling of methyl-α-Neu5Ac analogues docked against cholera toxin--a molecular dynamics study.

PubMed

Blessy, J Jino; Sharmila, D Jeya Sundara

2015-02-01

Molecular modeling of synthetic methyl-α-Neu5Ac analogues modified in C-9 position was investigated by molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods. Methyl-α-Neu5Ac analogues were docked against cholera toxin (CT) B subunit protein and MD simulations were carried out for three Methyl-α-Neu5Ac analogue-CT complexes (30, 10 and 10 ns) to estimate the binding activity of cholera toxin-Methyl-α-Neu5Ac analogues using OPLS_2005 force field. In this study, direct and water mediated hydrogen bonds play a vital role that exist between the methyl-α-9-N-benzoyl-amino-9-deoxy-Neu5Ac (BENZ)-cholera toxin active site residues. The Energy plot, RMSD and RMSF explain that the simulation was stable throughout the simulation run. Transition of phi, psi and omega angle for the complex was calculated. Molecular docking studies could be able to identify the binding mode of methyl-α-Neu5Ac analogues in the binding site of cholera toxin B subunit protein. MD simulation for Methyl-α-9-N-benzoyl-amino-9-deoxy-Neu5Ac (BENZ), Methyl-α-9-N-acetyl-9-deoxy-9-amino-Neu5Ac and Methyl-α-9-N-biphenyl-4-acetyl-deoxy-amino-Neu5Ac complex with CT B subunit protein was carried out, which explains the stable nature of interaction. These methyl-α-Neu5Ac analogues that have computationally acceptable pharmacological properties may be used as novel candidates for drug design for cholera disease.

[Air conducted ocular VEMP: I. Determination of a method and application in normal patients].

PubMed

Walther, L E; Schaaf, H; Sommer, D; Hörmann, K

2011-07-01

Air conducted (AC) cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (AC cVEMP) and air conducted ocular VEMP (AC oVEMP) may be used for measurement of otolith function. However AC oVEMP are few examined till now. The aim of this pilot study was to apply a method for use of AC oVEMP in clinical practice. AC oVEMP were recorded in healthy voluntary people (n=20) using intense AC-sound stimulation (500 Hz tone bursts, 100 dB nHL). Thermal irrigation and AC cVEMP were normal as including criteria. Values were evaluated statistically. AC oVEMP were recorded in all healthy patients. Mean and standard deviation for the first negative peak was 11.35±1.00 ms and for the first negative peak 16.30±1.10 ms. The mean amplitudes were 7.70±4.50 μV. The stability of n10 and p15 component was the same. AC oVEMP can be easy and fast obtained. N10 and p15 latencies may used as parameter for clinical interpretation. Amplitude fluctuations are relatively large. Results can be used in further clinical investigation of AC oVEMP. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of TlInS2 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Youssef, S. B.; Ali, H. A. M.; Hassan, A.

2011-07-01

TlInS2 single crystals were grown by using Bridgman-Stockbauer technique. Measurements of DC conductivity were carried out in parallel (σ//) and perpendicular (σ⊥) directions to the c-axis over a temperature range from 303 to 463 K. The anisotropic behaviour of the electrical conductivity was also detected. AC conductivity and dielectric measurements were studied as a function of both frequency (102-106 Hz) and temperature (297-375 K). The frequency dependence of the AC conductivity revealed that σac(ω) obeys the universal law: σac(ω) = Aωs. The mechanism of the ac charge transport across the layers of TlInS2 single crystals was referred to the hopping over localized states near the Fermi level in the frequency range >3.5 × 103 Hz. The temperature dependence of σac(ω) for TlInS2 showed that σac is thermally activated process. Both of ɛ1 and ɛ2 decrease by increasing frequency and increase by increasing temperature. Some parameters were calculated as: the density of localized states near the Fermi level NF = 1.5 × 1020 eV-1 cm-3, the average time of charge carrier hoping between localized states τ = 3.79 μs and the average hopping distance R = 6.07 nm.

Evidence for functional pre-coupled complexes of receptor heteromers and adenylyl cyclase.

PubMed

Navarro, Gemma; Cordomí, Arnau; Casadó-Anguera, Verónica; Moreno, Estefanía; Cai, Ning-Sheng; Cortés, Antoni; Canela, Enric I; Dessauer, Carmen W; Casadó, Vicent; Pardo, Leonardo; Lluís, Carme; Ferré, Sergi

2018-03-28

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), G proteins and adenylyl cyclase (AC) comprise one of the most studied transmembrane cell signaling pathways. However, it is unknown whether the ligand-dependent interactions between these signaling molecules are based on random collisions or the rearrangement of pre-coupled elements in a macromolecular complex. Furthermore, it remains controversial whether a GPCR homodimer coupled to a single heterotrimeric G protein constitutes a common functional unit. Using a peptide-based approach, we here report evidence for the existence of functional pre-coupled complexes of heteromers of adenosine A 2A receptor and dopamine D 2 receptor homodimers coupled to their cognate Gs and Gi proteins and to subtype 5 AC. We also demonstrate that this macromolecular complex provides the necessary frame for the canonical Gs-Gi interactions at the AC level, sustaining the ability of a Gi-coupled GPCR to counteract AC activation mediated by a Gs-coupled GPCR.

Preparation and characterization of MWCNT nanofiller incorporated polymer composite for lithium battery applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pradeepa, P.; Raj, S. Edwin; Selvakumar, K.

Poly (ethyl methacrylate) based polymer electrolyte films were prepared by solution casting technique incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as filler and characterized using XRD and Ac impedance analysis. The electrical conductivity is increased with increasing filler concentration (upto 6wt %), which is attributed to the formation of charge transfer complexes. The maximum ionic conductivity value is found to be 1.171×10{sup −3} Scm{sup −1} at 303K for PEMA (19wt %) -LiClO{sub 4} (8wt %) -MWCNT (6wt %) -PC (67wt %) electrolyte system. The temperature dependent ionic conductivity plot seems to obey Vogel -Tamman-Fulcher relation.

2010 Space Telescope Science Institute Calibration Workshop - Hubble after SM4. Preparing JWST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deustua, Susana; Oliveira, Cristina

2010-07-01

After the successful servicing mission in May 2009 (SM4), the Hubble Space Telescope now has five working science instruments: COS, WFC3, STIS, ACS, FGS. NICMOS is currently on hold. Construction has started on the James Webb Space Telescope and its instruments. Conducting research projects at the vanguard often means pushing the instruments to their limits and requires understanding and calibrating complex instrument effects.

Polymer Soft-Landing Isolation of Acetylene on Polystyrene and Poly(vinylpyridine): A Novel Approach to Probing Hydrogen Bonding in Polymers.

PubMed

Li, Yike; Samet, Cindy

2015-09-17

Hydrogen-bonded complexes of acetylene (Ac) with the polymers polystyrene (PS), poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP), and poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) have been characterized for the first time at 16 K in a "polymer soft-landing isolation" experiment which is being pioneered in our research laboratory. In particular, changes in vibrational modes of Ac provide ample evidence for hydrogen-bonded complexes between Ac and the phenyl groups of PS or the pyridyl groups of P4VP and P2VP. With PS, the proton on the top Ac molecule of the classic T-shaped Ac dimer interacts with the π cloud of the benzene (Bz) ring to form a C-H---π interaction, while the π cloud of the lower Ac forms a second C-H---π interaction with a proton on the Bz ring. An analogous (ring)1-(Ac)2 double interaction occurs between an Ac dimer and the pyridine (Pyr) rings on both P2VP and P4VP, yielding a C-H---N and C-H---π interaction. With P4VP and P2VP a second bridged (ring)2-(Ac)2 product is formed, with the Ac dimer forming nearly collinear C-H---N hydrogen bonds to adjacent Pyr rings. On P2VP this bridged product is the only one after extensive annealing. These complexes in which Ac acts as both proton donor and acceptor have not previously been observed in conventional matrix isolation experiments. This study is the second from our laboratory employing this method, which represents a slight modification of the traditional matrix isolation technique.

Electrical transport in lead-free (Na0.5Bi0.5)1-xSrxTiO3 ceramics (x = 0, 0.01 and 0.02)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutkiewicz, E. M.; Suchanicz, J.; Konieczny, K.; Czaja, P.; Kluczewska, K.; Czternastek, H.; Antonova, M.; Sternberg, A.

2017-09-01

Lead-free (Na0.5Bi0.5)1xSrxTiO3 (x = 0, 0.01 and 0.02) ceramics were manufactured through a solid-state mixed oxide method and their ac (σac) and dc (σdc) electric conductivity were studied. It is shown that the low-frequency (100 Hz-1 MHz) ac conductivity obeys a power law σac ∼ ωs characteristic for disordered materials. Both the dc and ac conductivities have thermally activated character and possess linear parts with different activation energies. The calculated activation energies are attributed to different mechanism of conductivity. Frequency dependence of σdc and exponent s is reasonably interpreted by a correlated barrier hopping model. The NBT-ST system is expected to be a new promising candidate for lead-free electronic materials.

AC conductivity of a quantum Hall line junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Amit; Sen, Diptiman

2009-09-01

We present a microscopic model for calculating the AC conductivity of a finite length line junction made up of two counter- or co-propagating single mode quantum Hall edges with possibly different filling fractions. The effect of density-density interactions and a local tunneling conductance (σ) between the two edges is considered. Assuming that σ is independent of the frequency ω, we derive expressions for the AC conductivity as a function of ω, the length of the line junction and other parameters of the system. We reproduce the results of Sen and Agarwal (2008 Phys. Rev. B 78 085430) in the DC limit (\\omega \\to 0 ), and generalize those results for an interacting system. As a function of ω, the AC conductivity shows significant oscillations if σ is small; the oscillations become less prominent as σ increases. A renormalization group analysis shows that the system may be in a metallic or an insulating phase depending on the strength of the interactions. We discuss the experimental implications of this for the behavior of the AC conductivity at low temperatures.

Aging dynamics in the polymer glass of poly(2-chlorostyrene): Dielectric susceptibility and volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukao, Koji; Tahara, Daisuke

2009-11-01

Aging dynamics was investigated in the glassy states of poly(2-chlorostyrene) by measuring the complex electrical capacitance during aging below the glass transition temperature. The variations with time and temperature of the ac dielectric susceptibility and volume could be determined by simply measuring the variation in the complex electrical capacitance. Isothermal aging at a given temperature for several hours after an intermittent stop in constant-rate cooling is stored in the deviations of both the real and imaginary parts of the complex ac dielectric susceptibility and volume. During cooling after isothermal aging, the deviation of the ac dielectric susceptibility from the reference value decreases and almost vanishes at room temperature. By contrast, the deviation in volume induced during isothermal aging remains almost constant during cooling. The simultaneous measurement of ac dielectric susceptibility and volume clearly revealed that the ac dielectric susceptibility exhibits a full rejuvenation effect, whereas the volume does not show any rejuvenation effects. We discuss a plausible model that can reproduce the present experimental results.

Contribution of Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) testing in the assessment and the differential diagnosis of otosclerosis.

PubMed

Tramontani, Ourania; Gkoritsa, Eleni; Ferekidis, Eleftherios; Korres, Stavros G

2014-02-07

The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the clinical importance of Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs) in the assessment and differential diagnosis of otosclerosis and otologic diseases characterized by "pseudo-conductive" components. We also investigated the clinical appearance of balance disorders in patients with otosclerosis by correlating VEMP results with the findings of caloric testing and pure tone audiometry(PTA). Air-conducted(AC) 4-PTA, bone-conducted(BC) 4-PTA, air-bone Gap(ABG), AC, BC tone burst evoked VEMP, and calorics were measured preoperatively in 126 otosclerotic ears. The response rate of the AC-VEMPs and BC-VEMPs was 29.36% and 44.03%, respectively. Statistical differences were found between the means of ABG, AC 4-PTA, and BC 4-PTA in the otosclerotic ears in relation to AC-VEMP elicitability. About one-third of patients presented with disequilibrium. A statistically significant interaction was found between calorics and dizziness in relation to PTA thresholds. No relationship was found between calorics and dizziness with VEMPs responses. AC and BC VEMPs can be elicited in ears with otosclerosis. AC-VEMP is more vulnerable to conductive hearing loss. Evaluation of AC-VEMP thresholds can be added in the diagnostic work-up of otosclerosis in case of doubt, enhancing differential diagnosis in patients with air-bone gaps. Otosclerosis is not a cause of canal paresis or vertigo.

[Air conducted ocular VEMP: II. First clinical investigations].

PubMed

Walther, L E; Schaaf, H; Sommer, D; Hörmann, K

2011-10-01

Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) are widely used to assess vestibular function. Air conducted (AC) cervical VEMP (cVEMP) reflect sacculus and inferior vestibular nerve function. Ocular VEMP (oVEMP) however has been hardly examined up to now. In recent studies it has been assumed that AC oVEMP probably reflects superior vestibular nerve function. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate clinical application of the AC oVEMP. AC oVEMP were recorded in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders (n=21). In addition thermal irritation and head impulse test were performed and AC cVEMP were recorded. For intense AC-sound stimulation tone bursts (500 Hz) with 100 dB nHL were used. In peripheral vestibular disorders AC oVEMP and AC cVEMP could be classified into: • type 1 (inferior vestibular neuritis) with loss of AC oVEMP but normal AC cVEMP, • type 2, probable type of superior vestibular neuritis, showing present AC cVEMP but loss of AC oVEMP, • type 3, probable complete vestibular neuritis, without AC oVEMP and AC cVEMP. AC oVEMP may be used as an appropriate test for clinical investigation in patients with vestibular disorders. AC oVEMP is an additional, essential test for assessing otolith function beside AC cVEMP. Further vestibular test are necessary for precise clinical interpretation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Effect of blending and nanoparticles on the ionic conductivity of solid polymer electrolyte systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjunatha, H.; Damle, R.; Kumaraswamy, G. N.

2018-05-01

In the present work, a polymer electrolyte blend containing polymers Poly ethylene oxide (PEO) and Poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) was prepared. The polymer blend was complexed with potassium trifluoromethanesulfonate (KCF3SO3), and titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2) (10nm size) were dispersed in to the complex at different weight percentages. The conductivity due to ions in the blend is determined by Ac impedance measurements in the frequency range of 10Hz-1MHz. The nano composite polymer blend containing 5wt% of TiO2 shows a conductivity of 7.95×10-5Scm-1, which is almost 1.5 orders more than polymer electrolyte with PEO as a polymer. XRD studies show a decrease in the coherence length of XRD peaks on addition of nanoparticles, which is due to increase the amorphous phase in the systems. Temperature dependence conductivity studies of the systems shows that, activation energy decreases with increase in the percentage of nanoparticles in the blend.

Electrical conductivity and modulus formulation in zinc modified bismuth boro-tellurite glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhankhar, Sunil; Kundu, R. S.; Dult, Meenakshi; Murugavel, S.; Punia, R.; Kishore, N.

2016-09-01

The ac conductivity of zinc modified tellurium based quaternary glasses having composition 60 TeO2-10 B2O3-(30 - x) Bi2O3-x ZnO; x = 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 has been investigated in the frequency range 10-1-105 Hz and in temperature range 483-593 K. Frequency and temperature dependent ac conductivity found to obey Jonscher power law modified by Almond-West. DC conductivity, crossover frequency and frequency exponent have been estimated from the fitting of the experimental data of conductivity with Jonscher power law modified by Almond-West. The ac conductivity and its frequency exponent have been analyzed by various theoretical models. In presently studied glasses ac conduction takes place via tunneling of overlapping large polaron tunneling. Activation energy is found to be increased with increase in zinc content and dc conduction takes place via variable range hopping proposed by Mott with some modification suggested by Punia et al. The value of the stretched exponent ( β) obtained by fitting of M^' ' }} reveals the presence of non-Debye type relaxation. Scaling spectra of ac conductivity and electric modulus collapse into a single master curve for all compositions and temperatures, reveals the presence of composition and temperature independent conduction and relaxation process in these glasses. Activation energy of conduction ( W) and electric modulus ( E R ) are nearly equal, indicating that polaron have to overcome the same energy barrier during conduction as well as relaxation processes.

Temperature and frequency dependent conductivity of bismuth zinc vanadate semiconducting glassy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Punia, R.; Kundu, R. S.; Dult, Meenakshi; Murugavel, S.; Kishore, N.

2012-10-01

The ac conductivity of bismuth zinc vanadate glasses with compositions 50V2O5. xBi2O3. (50-x) ZnO has been studied in the frequency range 10-1 Hz to 2 MHz and in temperature range 333.16 K to 533.16 K. The temperature and frequency dependent conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's universal power law for all the compositions of bismuth zinc vanadate glass system. The dc conductivity (σdc), crossover frequency (ωH), and frequency exponent (s) have been estimated from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with Jonscher's universal power law. Enthalpy to dissociate the cation from its original site next to a charge compensating center (Hf) and enthalpy of migration (Hm) have also been estimated. It has been observed that mobility of charge carriers and ac conductivity in case of zinc vanadate glass system increases with increase in Bi2O3 content. In order to determine the conduction mechanism, the ac conductivity and its frequency exponent have been analyzed in the frame work of various theoretical models based on classical hopping over barriers and quantum mechanical tunneling. The ac conduction takes place via tunneling of overlapping large polarons in all the compositions of presently studied vanadate glasses. The fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with overlapping large polarons tunneling model has also been done. The parameters; density of states at Fermi level (N(EF)), activation energy associated with charge transfer between the overlapping sites (WHO), inverse localization length (α) and polaron radius (rp) obtained from fitting of this model with experimental data are reasonable.

40 CFR 86.1773-99 - Test sequence; general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... test simulation procedures, AC1 and AC2, for the 2001 to 2003 model years only. If a manufacturer desires to conduct an alternative SC03 test simulation other than AC1 and AC2, or the AC1 and AC2 simulations for the 2004 and subsequent model years, the simulation test procedure must be approved in advance...

40 CFR 86.1773-99 - Test sequence; general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... test simulation procedures, AC1 and AC2, for the 2001 to 2003 model years only. If a manufacturer desires to conduct an alternative SC03 test simulation other than AC1 and AC2, or the AC1 and AC2 simulations for the 2004 and subsequent model years, the simulation test procedure must be approved in advance...

40 CFR 86.1773-99 - Test sequence; general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... test simulation procedures, AC1 and AC2, for the 2001 to 2003 model years only. If a manufacturer desires to conduct an alternative SC03 test simulation other than AC1 and AC2, or the AC1 and AC2 simulations for the 2004 and subsequent model years, the simulation test procedure must be approved in advance...

Charging in the ac Conductance of a Double Barrier Resonant Tunneling Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anantram, M. P.; Saini, Subhash (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

There have been many studies of the linear response ac conductance of a double barrier resonant tunneling structure (DBRTS), both at zero and finite dc biases. While these studies are important, they fail to self consistently include the effect of the time dependent charge density in the well. In this paper, we calculate the ac conductance at both zero and finite do biases by including the effect of the time dependent charge density in the well in a self consistent manner. The charge density in the well contributes to both the flow of displacement currents in the contacts and the time dependent potential in the well. We find that including these effects can make a significant difference to the ac conductance and the total ac current is not equal to the simple average of the non-selfconsistently calculated conduction currents in the two contacts. This is illustrated by comparing the results obtained with and without the effect of the time dependent charge density included correctly. Some possible experimental scenarios to observe these effects are suggested.

Unified conduction mechanism in unconventional VZnCaFeO glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, E. M.; Abdel-Wahab, F.

2014-09-01

Unconventional glasses with (70-x)%V2O5 - x%ZnO-10%CaO-20%FeO compositions (where x=0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mol %) were prepared by a normal melt-quench technique. We investigated the DC and AC conductivities of these glasses as functions of temperature and frequency. We have noted that activation energy and pre-exponential factor of the DC conductivity both vary with composition and satisfy Meyer-Neldel rule (MNR). The AC conductivity exhibited a universal dynamic response: σAC=Aωs. The obtained results of the DC, AC and exponent factor S were discussed in terms of the modified correlated barrier hopping model, which assumes that the relaxation time should contain a Meyer-Neldel rule term. An agreement between experimental and theoretical results suggests that the conduction mechanism could be hopping of polarons over barriers.

Synthesis, characterization and AC conductivity studies of silver doped conducting polyaniline/graphene/SrTiO3 composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinay, K.; Shivakumar, K.; Ravikiran, Y. T.; Revanasiddappa, M.

2018-05-01

The present work is an investigation of ac conduction behaviour and dielectric response of Polyaniline/Ag/Graphene/SrTiO3 (PAGS) composite prepared by in-situ chemical oxidative interfacial polymerization using (NH4)2S2O8 as an oxidising agent at 0-5°C. The structural characterization of the samples was examined using FT-IR and XRD techniques. The ac conductivity and dielectric response of synthesized polymer composites were investigated at room temperature in the frequency range varying from 5 × 101 - 5 × 106 Hz using HIOKI make 3532-50 LCR Hi-tester. The ac conductivity increases with increase in frequency and follows the regular trend, the real dielectric constant (ɛ') and imaginary dielectric constant (ɛ'') decreases with increase in frequency and exhibits almost zero dielectric loss at higher frequencies, which suggests that the composite is a lossless material at frequencies beyond 3Hz.

Complex capacitance in the representation of modulus of the lithium niobate crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alim, Mohammad A.; Batra, A. K.; Bhattacharjee, Sudip; Aggarwal, M. D.

2011-03-01

The lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 or LN) single crystal is grown in-house. The ac small-signal electrical characterization is conducted over a temperature range 35 ≤T≤150 °C as a function of measurement frequency (10 ≤f≤10 6 Hz). Meaningful observation is noted only in a narrow temperature range 59 ≤T≤73 °C. These electrical data when analyzed via complex plane formalisms revealed single semicircular relaxation both in the complex capacitance ( C*) and in the modulus ( M*) planes. The physical meaning of this kind of observation is obtained on identifying the relaxation type, and then incorporating respective equivalent circuit model. The simplistic non-blocking nature of the equivalent circuit model obtained via M*-plane is established as the lumped relaxation is identified in the C*-plane. The feature of the eventual equivalent circuit model allows non-blocking aspect for the LN crystal attributing to the presence of the operative dc conduction process. Identification of this leakage dc conduction via C*-plane is portrayed in the M*-plane where the blocking nature is removed. The interacting interpretation between these two complex planes is successfully presented.

Performance-Enhanced Activated Carbon Electrodes for Supercapacitors Combining Both Graphene-Modified Current Collectors and Graphene Conductive Additive.

PubMed

Wang, Rubing; Qian, Yuting; Li, Weiwei; Zhu, Shoupu; Liu, Fengkui; Guo, Yufen; Chen, Mingliang; Li, Qi; Liu, Liwei

2018-05-15

Graphene has been widely used in the active material, conductive agent, binder or current collector for supercapacitors, due to its large specific surface area, high conductivity, and electron mobility. However, works simultaneously employing graphene as conductive agent and current collector were rarely reported. Here, we report improved activated carbon (AC) electrodes (AC@G@NiF/G) simultaneously combining chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene-modified nickel foams (NiF/Gs) current collectors and high quality few-layer graphene conductive additive instead of carbon black (CB). The synergistic effect of NiF/Gs and graphene additive makes the performances of AC@G@NiF/G electrodes superior to those of electrodes with CB or with nickel foam current collectors. The performances of AC@G@NiF/G electrodes show that for the few-layer graphene addition exists an optimum value around 5 wt %, rather than a larger addition of graphene, works out better. A symmetric supercapacitor assembled by AC@G@NiF/G electrodes exhibits excellent cycling stability. We attribute improved performances to graphene-enhanced conductivity of electrode materials and NiF/Gs with 3D graphene conductive network and lower oxidation, largely improving the electrical contact between active materials and current collectors.

Performance-Enhanced Activated Carbon Electrodes for Supercapacitors Combining Both Graphene-Modified Current Collectors and Graphene Conductive Additive

PubMed Central

Wang, Rubing; Qian, Yuting; Li, Weiwei; Zhu, Shoupu; Liu, Fengkui; Guo, Yufen; Chen, Mingliang; Li, Qi; Liu, Liwei

2018-01-01

Graphene has been widely used in the active material, conductive agent, binder or current collector for supercapacitors, due to its large specific surface area, high conductivity, and electron mobility. However, works simultaneously employing graphene as conductive agent and current collector were rarely reported. Here, we report improved activated carbon (AC) electrodes (AC@G@NiF/G) simultaneously combining chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene-modified nickel foams (NiF/Gs) current collectors and high quality few-layer graphene conductive additive instead of carbon black (CB). The synergistic effect of NiF/Gs and graphene additive makes the performances of AC@G@NiF/G electrodes superior to those of electrodes with CB or with nickel foam current collectors. The performances of AC@G@NiF/G electrodes show that for the few-layer graphene addition exists an optimum value around 5 wt %, rather than a larger addition of graphene, works out better. A symmetric supercapacitor assembled by AC@G@NiF/G electrodes exhibits excellent cycling stability. We attribute improved performances to graphene-enhanced conductivity of electrode materials and NiF/Gs with 3D graphene conductive network and lower oxidation, largely improving the electrical contact between active materials and current collectors. PMID:29762528

Studies on a.c. conductivity behaviour of milled carbon fibre reinforced epoxy gradient composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigrawal, Archana; Sharma, Arun Kumar; Ojha, Pragya

2018-05-01

Temperature and frequency dependence of a.c. conductivity (σa.c) of milled carbon fibre (MCF) reinforced epoxy gradient composites has been studied in a wide temperature (30 to 150°C) and frequency range (1 to 10kHz). It is observed that the ac conductivity of composites increases with increase in temperature. Activation energy decreases from 0.55 eV to 0.43 eV on increase of MCF content from 0.45to 1.66 Vol%.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-periductal fibrosis effects of an anthocyanin complex in Opisthorchis viverrini-infected hamsters.

PubMed

Intuyod, Kitti; Priprem, Aroonsri; Limphirat, Wanwisa; Charoensuk, Lakhanawan; Pinlaor, Porntip; Pairojkul, Chawalit; Lertrat, Kamol; Pinlaor, Somchai

2014-12-01

The pharmacological activities of herbal extracts can be enhanced by complex formation. In this study, we manipulated cyanidin and delphinidin-rich extracts to form an anthocyanin complex (AC) with turmeric and evaluated activity against inflammation and periductal fibrosis in Opisthorchis viverrini-infected hamsters. The AC was prepared from anthocyanins extracted from cobs of purple waxy corn (70%), petals of blue butterfly pea (20%) and turmeric extract (10%), resulting in an enhanced free-radical scavenging capacity. Oral administration of AC (175 and 700 mg/kg body weight) every day for 1 month to O. viverrini-infected hamsters resulted in reduced inflammatory cells and periductal fibrosis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and partial least square discriminant analysis suggested nucleic acid changes in the O. viverrini-infected liver samples, which were partially prevented by the AC treatment. AC reduced 8-oxodG formation, an oxidative DNA damage marker, significantly decreased levels of nitrite in the plasma and alanine aminotransferase activity and increased the ferric reducing ability of plasma. AC also decreased the expression of oxidant-related genes (NF-κB and iNOS) and increased the expression of antioxidant-related genes (CAT, SOD, and GPx). Thus, AC increases free-radical scavenging capacity, decreases inflammation, suppresses oxidative/nitrative stress, and reduces liver injury and periductal fibrosis in O. viverrini-infected hamsters.

Parasite killing in malaria non-vector mosquito Anopheles culicifacies species B: implication of nitric oxide synthase upregulation.

PubMed

Vijay, Sonam; Rawat, Manmeet; Adak, Tridibes; Dixit, Rajnikant; Nanda, Nutan; Srivastava, Harish; Sharma, Joginder K; Prasad, Godavarthi B K S; Sharma, Arun

2011-04-04

Anopheles culicifacies, the main vector of human malaria in rural India, is a complex of five sibling species. Despite being phylogenetically related, a naturally selected subgroup species B of this sibling species complex is found to be a poor vector of malaria. We have attempted to understand the differences between vector and non-vector Anopheles culicifacies mosquitoes in terms of transcriptionally activated nitric oxide synthase (AcNOS) physiologies to elucidate the mechanism of refractoriness. Identification of the differences between genes and gene products that may impart refractory phenotype can facilitate development of novel malaria transmission blocking strategies. We conducted a study on phylogenetically related susceptible (species A) and refractory (species B) sibling species of An. culicifacies mosquitoes to characterize biochemical and molecular differences in AcNOS gene and gene elements and their ability to inhibit oocyst growth. We demonstrate that in species B, AcNOS specific activity and nitrite/nitrates in mid-guts and haemolymph were higher as compared to species A after invasion of the mid-gut by P. vivax at the beginning and during the course of blood feeding. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and real time PCR data of AcNOS concluded that this gene is more abundantly expressed in midgut of species B than in species A and is transcriptionally upregulated post blood meals. Dietary feeding of L-NAME along with blood meals significantly inhibited midgut AcNOS activity leading to an increase in oocyst production in An. culicifacies species B. We hypothesize that upregulation of mosquito innate cytotoxicity due to NOS in refractory strain to Plasmodium vivax infection may contribute to natural refractoriness in An. culicifacies mosquito population. This innate capacity of refractory mosquitoes could represent the ancestral function of the mosquito immune system against the parasite and could be utilized to understand the molecular basis of refractoriness in planning effective vector control strategies.

Parasite Killing in Malaria Non-Vector Mosquito Anopheles culicifacies Species B: Implication of Nitric Oxide Synthase Upregulation

PubMed Central

Vijay, Sonam; Rawat, Manmeet; Adak, Tridibes; Dixit, Rajnikant; Nanda, Nutan; Srivastava, Harish; Sharma, Joginder K.; Prasad, Godavarthi B. K. S.; Sharma, Arun

2011-01-01

Background Anopheles culicifacies, the main vector of human malaria in rural India, is a complex of five sibling species. Despite being phylogenetically related, a naturally selected subgroup species B of this sibling species complex is found to be a poor vector of malaria. We have attempted to understand the differences between vector and non-vector Anopheles culicifacies mosquitoes in terms of transcriptionally activated nitric oxide synthase (AcNOS) physiologies to elucidate the mechanism of refractoriness. Identification of the differences between genes and gene products that may impart refractory phenotype can facilitate development of novel malaria transmission blocking strategies. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a study on phylogenetically related susceptible (species A) and refractory (species B) sibling species of An. culicifacies mosquitoes to characterize biochemical and molecular differences in AcNOS gene and gene elements and their ability to inhibit oocyst growth. We demonstrate that in species B, AcNOS specific activity and nitrite/nitrates in mid-guts and haemolymph were higher as compared to species A after invasion of the mid-gut by P. vivax at the beginning and during the course of blood feeding. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and real time PCR data of AcNOS concluded that this gene is more abundantly expressed in midgut of species B than in species A and is transcriptionally upregulated post blood meals. Dietary feeding of L-NAME along with blood meals significantly inhibited midgut AcNOS activity leading to an increase in oocyst production in An. culicifacies species B. Conclusions/Significance We hypothesize that upregulation of mosquito innate cytotoxicity due to NOS in refractory strain to Plasmodium vivax infection may contribute to natural refractoriness in An. culicifacies mosquito population. This innate capacity of refractory mosquitoes could represent the ancestral function of the mosquito immune system against the parasite and could be utilized to understand the molecular basis of refractoriness in planning effective vector control strategies. PMID:21483693

Study of hopping type conduction from AC conductivity in multiferroic composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Rabichandra; Guha, Shampa; Pradhan, Lagen Kumar; Kumar, Sunil; Supriya, Sweety; Kar, Manoranjan

2018-05-01

0.5BiFe0.80Ti0.20O3-0.5Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4(BFTO-CNFO) multiferroic composite was prepared by planetary ball mill method. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the formation of the compound with the simultaneous presence of spinel Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 (CNFO) and perovskite BiFe0.80Ti0.20O3 (BFTO) phase. Temperature dependent dielectric permittivity and loss tangent were studied with a frequency range of 100Hz to 1MHz. AC conductivity study was performed to analyze the electrical conduction behaviour in the composite. Johnscher's power law was employed to the AC conductivity data to understand the hopping of localized charge carrier in the compound. The binding energy, minimum hopping distance and density of states of the charge carriers in the composite were evaluated from the AC conductivity data. Minimum hopping distance is found to be in order of Angstrom (Å).

Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of nanosized Ni complexed aminoclay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranchani, A. Amala Jeya; Parthasarathy, V.; Devi, A. Anitha; Meenarathi, B.; Anbarasan, R.

2017-11-01

A novel Ni complexed aminoclay (AC) catalyst was prepared by complexation method followed by reduction reaction. Various analytical techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, DSC, TGA, SEM, HRTEM, EDX, XPS and WCA measurement are used to characterize the synthesized material. The AC-Ni catalyst system exhibited improved thermal stability and fiber-like morphology. The XPS results declared the formation of Ni nanoparticles. Thus, synthesized catalyst was tested towards the Schiff base formation reaction between various bio-medical polymers and aniline under air atmosphere at 85 °C for 24 h. The catalytic activity of the catalyst was studied by varying the % weight loading of the AC-Ni system towards the Schiff base formation. The Schiff base formation was quantitatively calculated by the 1H-NMR spectroscopy. While increasing the % weight loading of the AC-Ni catalyst, the % yield of Schiff base was also increased. The k app and Ti values were determined for the reduction of indole and α-terpineol in the presence of AC-Ni catalyst system. The experimental results were compared with the literature report.

Electrical conductivity of Gd doped BiFeO3-PbZrO3 composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satpathy, Santosh Kumar; Mohanty, Nilaya Kumar; Behera, Ajay Kumar; Behera, Banarji; Nayak, Pratibindhya

2013-09-01

The composite, 0.5(BiGd0.15Fe0.85O3)-0.5(PbZrO3), was synthesized using the solid-state reaction technique. The formation of the compound was confirmed by XRD with an orthorhombic structure at room temperature. The impedance parameters were studied using an impedance analyzer in a wide range of frequency (102-106 Hz) at different temperatures. The Nyquist plot suggests the contribution of bulk effect and a slight indication of grain boundary effect and the bulk resistance decreases with a rise in temperature. The presence of temperature-dependent relaxation process occurs in the material. Electrical modulus reveals the presence of the hopping mechanism in the materials. The value of exponent n, pre-factor A and σ dc were obtained by fitting ac conductivity data with Jonscher's universal power law. The activation energies calculated from the ac conductivity were found to be 0.50, 0.46, 0.44, 0.43, 0.42 and 0.38 eV at 1, 10, 50, 100, 500 kHz and 1 MHz respectively in the temperature region of 110°C-350°C. The dc conductivity was found to increase with the rise in temperature. The activation energy calculated from complex impedance plot and from the fitted Jonscher's power law are very close, which results similar type of charge carrier exist in conduction mechanism of the material.

Processing and electrical properties of gallium-substituted lead zirconate titanate ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajra, Sugato; Sharma, Pulkit; Sahoo, Sushrisangita; Rout, P. K.; Choudhary, R. N. P.

2017-12-01

In the present paper, the effect of gallium (Ga) substitution on structural, microstructural, electrical conductivity of Pb(ZrTi)O3 (PZT) in the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region (i.e., Pb0.96Ga0.04(Zr0.48Ti0.52)0.99O3 (PGaZT-4)) was investigated. Increased grain density increases the resistivity of the Ga-modified PZT system. Preliminary structural analysis using X-ray diffraction pattern and data showed the existence of two phases [major tetragonal (T) and minor monoclinic (M)]. Field emission scanning electron micrograph (FESEM) showed the distribution of spherical as well as platelet type grains with small pores. The behavior of dielectric constant with temperature of PGaZT-4 exhibited the suppression of the ferroelectric phase transition [i.e., disappearance of Curie temperature ( T c)]. The complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS) technique helped to investigate the impedance parameters of PGaZT-4 in MPB region in a wide range of temperature (250-500 °C) and frequency (1-1000 kHz) region. The impedance parameters of the material are found to be strongly dependent on frequency of AC electric field and temperature. The substitution of gallium at the Pb site of PZT generally enhances the dielectric constant and decreases loss tangent. The AC conductivity vs frequency ( f = ω2 π) in the region of dispersion follows the universal response of Jonscher's equation. Enhanced resistive characteristics were observed for Ga-substituted PZT in comparison to the pure PZT, which was well ensured from the studies of electrical parameters, such as impedance and AC conductivity.

Reactivity of a series of isostructural cobalt pincer complexes with CO2, CO, and H(+).

PubMed

Shaffer, David W; Johnson, Samantha I; Rheingold, Arnold L; Ziller, Joseph W; Goddard, William A; Nielsen, Robert J; Yang, Jenny Y

2014-12-15

The preparation and characterization of a series of isostructural cobalt complexes [Co(t-Bu)2P(E)Py(E)P(t-Bu)2(CH3CN)2][BF4]2 (Py = pyridine, E = CH2, NH, O, and X = BF4 (1a-c)) and the corresponding one-electron reduced analogues [Co(t-Bu)2P(E)Py(E)P(t-Bu)2(CH3CN)2][BF4]2 (2a-c) are reported. The reactivity of the reduced cobalt complexes with CO2, CO, and H(+) to generate intermediates in a CO2 to CO and H2O reduction cycle are described. The reduction of 1a-c and subsequent reactivity with CO2 was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, and for 1a also by infrared spectroelectrochemistry. The corresponding CO complexes of (2a-c) were prepared, and the Co-CO bond strengths were characterized by IR spectroscopy. Quantum mechanical methods (B3LYP-d3 with solvation) were used to characterize the competitive reactivity of the reduced cobalt centers with H(+) versus CO2. By investigating a series of isostructural complexes, correlations in reactivity with ligand electron withdrawing effects are made.

Characterizing fiber-reinforced composite structures using AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Leta Y.

Property enhancement in composites depends largely on the reinforcement. For fiber-reinforced composites, the distribution of fibers is crucial in determining the electrical and mechanical performance. Image analysis methods for characterization can be time-consuming and/or destructive. This work explores the capability of AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS), an electrical measurement technique, to serve as a rapid, non-destructive tool for characterizing composite microstructure. The composite requirements include a filler that is electrically conducting or semi-conducting with higher conductivity than the matrix, and a high-impedance interface or coating between the filler and the matrix. To establish an AC-IS characterization method, cement-matrix composites with steel reinforcement were employed as both a technologically important and a model system to investigate how fibers affect the electrical response. Beginning with spherical particulates and then fibers, composites were examined using composite theory and an "intrinsic conductivity" approach. The intrinsic conductivity approach applies to composites with low volume fractions of fibers (i.e., in the dilute regime) and relates how the composite conductivity varies relative to the matrix as a function of volume fraction. A universal equivalent circuit model was created to understand the AC-IS response of composites based on the geometry and volume fraction of the filler. Deviation from predicted behavior was assessed using a developed f-function, which quantifies how fibers contribute to the overall electrical response of the composite. Using the f-function, an AC-IS method for investigating fiber dispersion was established to characterize alignment, settling/segregation, and aggregation. Alignment was investigated using measurements made in three directions. A point-probe technique characterized settling and/or large-scale inhomogeneous mixing in samples. Aggregation was quantified using a "dispersion factor" that compared theoretical with measured values and served as an upper limit for how well the fibers were dispersed. The AC-IS method was then extended to two different cement-matrix composite systems, low resistivity fresh-paste cement composites (confirmed by time domain reflectometry) and high resistivity cement composites, both of which required additional analysis to apply the AC-IS characterization method.

Synthesis and Characterization of the Actinium Aquo Ion

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Metal aquo ions occupy central roles in all equilibria that define metal complexation in natural environments. These complexes are used to establish thermodynamic metrics (i.e., stability constants) for predicting metal binding, which are essential for defining critical parameters associated with aqueous speciation, metal chelation, in vivo transport, and so on. As such, establishing the fundamental chemistry of the actinium(III) aquo ion (Ac-aquo ion, Ac(H2O)x3+) is critical for current efforts to develop 225Ac [t1/2 = 10.0(1) d] as a targeted anticancer therapeutic agent. However, given the limited amount of actinium available for study and its high radioactivity, many aspects of actinium chemistry remain poorly defined. We overcame these challenges using the longer-lived 227Ac [t1/2 = 21.772(3) y] isotope and report the first characterization of this fundamentally important Ac-aquo coordination complex. Our X-ray absorption fine structure study revealed 10.9 ± 0.5 water molecules directly coordinated to the AcIII cation with an Ac–OH2O distance of 2.63(1) Å. This experimentally determined distance was consistent with molecular dynamics density functional theory results that showed (over the course of 8 ps) that AcIII was coordinated by 9 water molecules with Ac–OH2O distances ranging from 2.61 to 2.76 Å. The data is presented in the context of other actinide(III) and lanthanide(III) aquo ions characterized by XAFS and highlights the uniqueness of the large AcIII coordination numbers and long Ac–OH2O bond distances. PMID:28386595

Purely hopping conduction in c-axis oriented LiNbO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shandilya, Swati; Tomar, Monika; Sreenivas, K.; Gupta, Vinay

2009-05-01

Dielectric constant and ac conductivity of highly c-axis oriented LiNbO3 thin film grown by pulsed laser deposition were studied in a metal-insulator-metal configuration over a wide temperature (200 to 450 K) and frequency (100 Hz to 1 MHz) range. The preferred oriented Al (1%) doped ZnO film with electrical conductivity 1.1×103 Ω-1 cm-1 was deposited for dual purpose: (1) to serve as nucleating center for LiNbO3 crystallites along preferred c-axis growth direction, and (2) to act as a suitable bottom electrode for electrical studies. The room temperature dc conductivity (σdc) of LiNbO3 film was about 5.34×10-10 Ω-1 cm-1 with activation energy ˜0.3 eV, indicating extrinsic conduction. The ac conductivity σac was found to be much higher in comparison to σdc in the low temperature region (<300 K) and exhibits a power law behavior due to the hopping of charge carriers. In higher temperature region (>300 K), σac shows a weak frequency dependence, whereas dielectric constant exhibits a strong frequency dispersion. The dielectric dispersion data has been discussed in the light of theoretical models based on Debye type mixed conduction and purely hopping conduction. The dominant conduction in c-axis oriented LiNbO3 thin film is attributed to the purely hopping where both σdc and σac arise due to same mechanism.

Multiple Hydrogen Bond Tethers for Grazing Formic Acid in Its Complexes with Phenylacetylene.

PubMed

Karir, Ginny; Kumar, Gaurav; Kar, Bishnu Prasad; Viswanathan, K S

2018-03-01

Complexes of phenylacetylene (PhAc) and formic acid (FA) present an interesting picture, where the two submolecules are tethered, sometimes multiply, by hydrogen bonds. The multiple tentacles adopted by PhAc-FA complexes stem from the fact that both submolecules can, in the same complex, serve as proton acceptors and/or proton donors. The acetylenic and phenyl π systems of PhAc can serve as proton acceptors, while the ≡C-H or -C-H of the phenyl ring can act as a proton donor. Likewise, FA also is amphiprotic. Hence, more than 10 hydrogen-bonded structures, involving O-H···π, C-H···π, and C-H···O contacts, were indicated by our computations, some with multiple tentacles. Interestingly, despite the multiple contacts in the complexes, the barrier between some of the structures is small, and hence, FA grazes around PhAc, even while being tethered to it, with hydrogen bonds. We used matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy to experimentally study the PhAc-FA complexes, with which we located global and a few local minima, involving primarily an O-H···π interaction. Experiments were corroborated by ab initio computations, which were performed using MP2 and M06-2X methods, with 6-311++G (d,p) and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets. Single-point energy calculations were also done at MP2/CBS and CCSD(T)/CBS levels. The nature, strength, and origin of these noncovalent interactions were studied using AIM, NBO, and LMO-EDA analysis.

Electron beam irradiated polymer electrolyte film: Morphology, dielectric and AC conductivity studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yesappa, L.; Niranjana, M.; Ashokkumar, S. P.; Vijeth, H.; Ganesh, S.; Devendrappa, H.

2018-05-01

The polymer (PVdF-co-HFP: LiClO4=90:10, PHL10) electrolyte films prepared by solution casting method and studied morphology, dielectric properties and ac conductivity before and after electron beam (EB) irradiation. The polarized optical micrographs reveals size of spherulite reduced with increasing EB dose represents increase in amorphousity. The dielectric measurements were studied at different temperatures and observed increase with frequency at different temperatures upon EB irradiation. The ac conductivity increases with frequency due to effect of EB dose.

Theoretical and experimental study of AC electrical conduction mechanism in the low temperature range of p-CuIn3Se5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Essaleh, L.; Amhil, S.; Wasim, S. M.; Marín, G.; Choukri, E.; Hajji, L.

2018-05-01

In the present work, an attempt has been made to study theoretically and experimentally the AC electrical conduction mechanism in disordered semiconducting materials. The key parameter considered in this analysis is the frequency exponent s(ω , T) =( ∂ln(σAC(ω , T))/∂ ln(ω)T , where σAC is the AC electrical conductivity that depends on angular frequency ω and temperature T. In the theoretical part of this work, the effect of the barrier hopping energy, the polaron radius and the characteristic relaxation time is considered. The theoretical models of Quantum Mechanical Tunneling (QMT), Non overlapping Small Polaron Tunneling (NSPT), Overlapping Large Polaron Tunneling (OLPT) and Correlated Barrier Hopping (CBH) are considered to fit experimental data of σAC in p-CuIn3Se5 (p-CIS135) in the low temperature range up to 96 K. Some important parameters, as the polaron radius, the localization length and the barrier hopping energies, are estimated and their temperature and frequency dependence discussed.

Dielectric and electrical study of PPy doped PVA-PVP films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Sushma; Tripathi, Deepti

2018-05-01

Dielectric parameters of free standing films of pure PVA (PolyvinylAlcohol) and PVA with varying concentrations of PVP(Polyvinylpyrrolidone) and Polypyrrole were prepared and studied in low frequency range (100Hz - 2MHz). The results show that dielectric constant, loss tangent and conductivity increase sharply on increasing the concentration of PVP above 50wt% in polymer matrix. PVA-PVP film with low concentration of PPy showed improvement in the values of complex permittivity, loss tangent and ac conductivity within the experimental frequency range. This eco - friendly polymeric material will be studied for its probable application for RFI/EMI shielding, biosensors, capacitors & insulation purposes.

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential elicited from binaural air-conducted stimulations: clinical feasibility in patients with peripheral vestibular dysfunction.

PubMed

Iwasaki, Shinichi; Egami, Naoya; Inoue, Aki; Kinoshita, Makoto; Fujimoto, Chisato; Murofushi, Toshihisa; Yamasoba, Tatsuya

2013-07-01

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) to binaural air-conducted stimulation (ACS) may provide a convenient way of assessing the crossed vestibulo-ocular reflex in patients with vestibular dysfunction as well as in healthy subjects. To investigate the clinical feasibility of using oVEMPs in response to binaural ACS to assess normal subjects and patients with vestibular dysfunction. The study investigated 24 normal subjects (14 men and 10 women, aged from 23 to 60 years) and 14 patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Each subject underwent oVEMP testing in response to monaural ACS and binaural ACS (500 Hz tone burst, 135 dBSPL). In normal subjects, bilateral oVEMPs were elicited in 75% of subjects in response to monaural ACS and in 91% in response to binaural ACS. Asymmetry ratios (ARs) of the responses to binaural ACS were significantly smaller than those of the responses to monaural ACS (p < 0.01). In patients with unilateral vestibular dysfunction, there were no significant differences in the amplitude, latency, or AR of the responses between monaural and binaural ACS. Approximately 30% of patients showed reduced ARs to binaural ACS relative to monaural ACS, primarily due to contamination by uncrossed responses elicited in healthy ears.

Structural, ac conductivity and dielectric properties of 3-formyl chromone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, H. A. M.

2017-07-01

The structure for the powder of 3-formyl chromone was examined by X-ray diffraction technique in the 2θ° range ( 4° - 60° . The configuration of Al/3-formyl chromone/Al samples was designed. The electrical and dielectric properties were studied as a function of frequency (42- 5 × 106 Hz) and temperature (298-408K). The ac conductivity data of bulk of 3-formyl chromone varies as a power law with the frequency at different temperatures. The predominant mechanism for ac conduction was deduced. The ac conductivity shows a thermally activated process at different frequencies. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss were determined using the capacitance and dissipation factor measurements at different temperatures. The dielectric loss shows a peak of relaxation time that shifted to higher frequency with an increase in the temperature. The activation energy of the relaxation process was estimated.

AC and DC conductivity study on Ca substituted bismuth ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Rabichandra; Pradhan, Lagen Kumar; Kumar, Sunil; Kar, Manoranjan

2018-05-01

Bi0.95Ca0.05FeO3 multiferroic compound was synthesized by the citric acid modified sol-gel method. Crystal structure of Bi0.95Ca0.05FeO3 is studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The ac impedance analysis of the compound has been carried out in a wide range of frequency (100 Hz - 1MHz) as well as temperature (40-2500C). Frequency variation of dielectric constant at different temperatures can be understood by the modified Debye formula. The activation energy was found to be 0.48eV, which was obtained by employing Arrhenius equation. The AC conductivity of the sample follows the Johnscher's power law which indicates the presence of hopping type conduction in localized charged states. To understand the conduction mechanism with localized charge states, the DC resistivity data were analyzed by Mott's variable range hopping (VRH) model. The activation energy calculated from Debye relaxation time, AC conductivity and DC resistivity are comparable to each other.

Structural and electrical properties of LiCo3/5Cu2/5VO4 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ram, Moti

2010-05-01

The LiCo3/5Cu2/5VO4 compound is prepared by a solution-based chemical method and characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and complex impedance spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction study shows an orthorhombic unit cell structure of the material with lattice parameters a=13.8263 (30) Å, b=8.7051 (30) Å and c=3.1127 (30) Å. The nature of scanning electron micrographs of a sintered pellet of the material reveals that grains of unequal sizes (˜0.2-3 μm) present an average grain size with a polydisperse distribution on the surface of the sample. Complex plane diagrams indicate grain interior and grain boundary contributions to the electrical response in the material. The electrical conductivity study reveals that electrical conduction in the material is a thermally activated process. The frequency dependence of the a.c. conductivity obeys Jonscher’s universal law.

Synthesis and Characterization of the Actinium Aquo Ion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferrier, Maryline G.; Stein, Benjamin W.; Batista, Enrique R.

Metal aquo ions occupy central roles in all equilibria that define metal complexation in natural environments. These complexes are used to establish thermodynamic metrics (i.e., stability constants) for predicting metal binding, which are essential for defining critical parameters associated with aqueous speciation, metal chelation, in vivo transport, and so on. As such, establishing the fundamental chemistry of the actinium(III) aquo ion (Ac-aquo ion, Ac(H 2O) x 3+) is critical for current efforts to develop 225Ac [t 1/2 = 10.0(1) d] as a targeted anticancer therapeutic agent. However, given the limited amount of actinium available for study and its high radioactivity,more » many aspects of actinium chemistry remain poorly defined. We overcame these challenges using the longer-lived 227Ac [t 1/2 = 21.772(3) y] isotope and report the first characterization of this fundamentally important Ac-aquo coordination complex. Our X-ray absorption fine structure study revealed 10.9 ± 0.5 water molecules directly coordinated to the Ac III cation with an Ac–O H2O distance of 2.63(1) Å. This experimentally determined distance was consistent with molecular dynamics density functional theory results that showed (over the course of 8 ps) that Ac III was coordinated by 9 water molecules with Ac–O H2O distances ranging from 2.61 to 2.76 Å. Lastly, the data is presented in the context of other actinide(III) and lanthanide(III) aquo ions characterized by XAFS and highlights the uniqueness of the large Ac III coordination numbers and long Ac–O H2O bond distances.« less

Synthesis and Characterization of the Actinium Aquo Ion

DOE PAGES

Ferrier, Maryline G.; Stein, Benjamin W.; Batista, Enrique R.; ...

2017-02-01

Metal aquo ions occupy central roles in all equilibria that define metal complexation in natural environments. These complexes are used to establish thermodynamic metrics (i.e., stability constants) for predicting metal binding, which are essential for defining critical parameters associated with aqueous speciation, metal chelation, in vivo transport, and so on. As such, establishing the fundamental chemistry of the actinium(III) aquo ion (Ac-aquo ion, Ac(H 2O) x 3+) is critical for current efforts to develop 225Ac [t 1/2 = 10.0(1) d] as a targeted anticancer therapeutic agent. However, given the limited amount of actinium available for study and its high radioactivity,more » many aspects of actinium chemistry remain poorly defined. We overcame these challenges using the longer-lived 227Ac [t 1/2 = 21.772(3) y] isotope and report the first characterization of this fundamentally important Ac-aquo coordination complex. Our X-ray absorption fine structure study revealed 10.9 ± 0.5 water molecules directly coordinated to the Ac III cation with an Ac–O H2O distance of 2.63(1) Å. This experimentally determined distance was consistent with molecular dynamics density functional theory results that showed (over the course of 8 ps) that Ac III was coordinated by 9 water molecules with Ac–O H2O distances ranging from 2.61 to 2.76 Å. Lastly, the data is presented in the context of other actinide(III) and lanthanide(III) aquo ions characterized by XAFS and highlights the uniqueness of the large Ac III coordination numbers and long Ac–O H2O bond distances.« less

Good Trellises for IC Implementation of Viterbi Decoders for Linear Block Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moorthy, Hari T.; Lin, Shu; Uehara, Gregory T.

1997-01-01

This paper investigates trellis structures of linear block codes for the integrated circuit (IC) implementation of Viterbi decoders capable of achieving high decoding speed while satisfying a constraint on the structural complexity of the trellis in terms of the maximum number of states at any particular depth. Only uniform sectionalizations of the code trellis diagram are considered. An upper-bound on the number of parallel and structurally identical (or isomorphic) subtrellises in a proper trellis for a code without exceeding the maximum state complexity of the minimal trellis of the code is first derived. Parallel structures of trellises with various section lengths for binary BCH and Reed-Muller (RM) codes of lengths 32 and 64 are analyzed. Next, the complexity of IC implementation of a Viterbi decoder based on an L-section trellis diagram for a code is investigated. A structural property of a Viterbi decoder called add-compare-select (ACS)-connectivity which is related to state connectivity is introduced. This parameter affects the complexity of wire-routing (interconnections within the IC). The effect of five parameters namely: (1) effective computational complexity; (2) complexity of the ACS-circuit; (3) traceback complexity; (4) ACS-connectivity; and (5) branch complexity of a trellis diagram on the very large scale integration (VISI) complexity of a Viterbi decoder is investigated. It is shown that an IC implementation of a Viterbi decoder based on a nonminimal trellis requires less area and is capable of operation at higher speed than one based on the minimal trellis when the commonly used ACS-array architecture is considered.

Good trellises for IC implementation of viterbi decoders for linear block codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Shu; Moorthy, Hari T.; Uehara, Gregory T.

1996-01-01

This paper investigates trellis structures of linear block codes for the IC (integrated circuit) implementation of Viterbi decoders capable of achieving high decoding speed while satisfying a constraint on the structural complexity of the trellis in terms of the maximum number of states at any particular depth. Only uniform sectionalizations of the code trellis diagram are considered. An upper bound on the number of parallel and structurally identical (or isomorphic) subtrellises in a proper trellis for a code without exceeding the maximum state complexity of the minimal trellis of the code is first derived. Parallel structures of trellises with various section lengths for binary BCH and Reed-Muller (RM) codes of lengths 32 and 64 are analyzed. Next, the complexity of IC implementation of a Viterbi decoder based on an L-section trellis diagram for a code is investigated. A structural property of a Viterbi decoder called ACS-connectivity which is related to state connectivity is introduced. This parameter affects the complexity of wire-routing (interconnections within the IC). The effect of five parameters namely: (1) effective computational complexity; (2) complexity of the ACS-circuit; (3) traceback complexity; (4) ACS-connectivity; and (5) branch complexity of a trellis diagram on the VLSI complexity of a Viterbi decoder is investigated. It is shown that an IC implementation of a Viterbi decoder based on a non-minimal trellis requires less area and is capable of operation at higher speed than one based on the minimal trellis when the commonly used ACS-array architecture is considered.

Instantaneous velocity measurement of AC electroosmotic flows by laser induced fluorescence photobleaching anemometer with high temporal resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Wei; Yang, Fang; Qiao, Rui; Wang, Guiren; Rui Qiao Collaboration

2015-11-01

Understanding the instantaneous response of flows to applied AC electric fields may help understand some unsolved issues in induced-charge electrokinetics and enhance performance of microfluidic devices. Since currently available velocimeters have difficulty in measuring velocity fluctuations with frequency higher than 1 kHz, most experimental studies so far focus only on the average velocity measurement in AC electrokinetic flows. Here, we present measurements of AC electroosmotic flow (AC-EOF) response time in microchannels by a novel velocimeter with submicrometer spatial resolution and microsecond temporal resolution, i.e. laser-induced fluorescence photobleaching anemometer (LIFPA). Several parameters affecting the AC-EOF response time to the applied electric signal were investigated, i.e. channel length, transverse position and solution conductivity. The experimental results show that the EOF response time under a pulsed electric field decreases with the reduction of the microchannel length, distance between the detection position to the wall and the conductivity of the solution. This work could provide a new powerful tool to measure AC electrokinetics and enhance our understanding of AC electrokinetic flows.

Differences between direct current and alternating current capacitance nonlinearities in high-k dielectrics and their relation to hopping conduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khaldi, O.; Kassmi, M.; El Manar University, LMOP, 2092 Tunis

2014-08-28

Capacitance nonlinearities were studied in atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2} films using two types of signals: a pure ac voltage of large magnitude (ac nonlinearities) and a small ac voltage superimposed to a large dc voltage (dc nonlinearities). In theory, ac and dc nonlinearities should be of the same order of magnitude. However, in practice, ac nonlinearities are found to be an order of magnitude higher than dc nonlinearities. Besides capacitance nonlinearities, hopping conduction is studied using low-frequency impedance measurements and is discussed through the correlated barrier hopping model. The link between hopping and nonlinearity is established. The ac nonlinearitiesmore » are ascribed to the polarization of isolated defect pairs, while dc nonlinearities are attributed to electrode polarization which originates from defect percolation paths. Both the ac and dc capacitance nonlinearities display an exponential variation with voltage, which results from field-induced lowering of the hopping barrier energy.« less

Permian arc evolution associated with Panthalassa subduction along the eastern margin of the South China block, based on sandstone provenance and U-Pb detrital zircon ages of the Kurosegawa belt, Southwest Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hara, Hidetoshi; Hirano, Miho; Kurihara, Toshiyuki; Takahashi, Toshiro; Ueda, Hayato

2018-01-01

We have studied the petrography, geochemistry, and detrital zircon U-Pb ages of sandstones from shallow-marine forearc sediments, accretionary complexes (ACs), and metamorphosed accretionary complexes (Meta-ACs) within the Kurosegawa belt of Southwest Japan. Those rocks formed in a forearc region of a Permian island arc associated with subduction of the Panthalassa oceanic crust along the eastern margin of the South China block (Yangtze block). The provenance of the shallow-marine sediments was dominated by basaltic to andesitic volcanic rocks and minor granitic rocks during the late Middle to Late Permian. The ACs were derived from felsic to andesitic volcanic rocks during the Late Permian. The provenance of Meta-ACs was dominated by andesitic volcanic rocks in the Middle Permian. The provenance, source rock compositions, and zircon age distribution for the forearc sediments, ACs and Meta-ACs have allowed us to reconstruct the geological history of the Permian arc system of the Kurosegawa belt. During the Middle Permian, the ACs were accreted along the eastern margin of the South China block. The Middle Permian arc was an immature oceanic island arc consisting of andesitic volcanic rocks. During the Late Permian, the ACs formed in a mature arc, producing voluminous felsic to andesitic volcanic rocks. A forearc basin developed during the late Middle to Late Permian. Subsequently, the Middle Permian ACs and part of the Late Permian AC underwent low-grade metamorphism in the Late to Early Jurassic, presenting the Meta-ACs.

Magnetic transit-time flowmeter

DOEpatents

Forster, George A.

1976-07-06

The flow rate of a conducting fluid in a stream is determined by disposing two permanent-magnet flowmeters in the stream, one downstream of the other. Flow of the conducting fluid causes the generation of both d-c and a-c electrical signals, the a-c comprising flow noise. Measurement of the time delay between similarities in the a-c signals by cross-correlation methods provides a measure of the rate of flow of the fluid.

Effect of Na+ impregnated activated carbon on the adsorption of NH4(+)-N from aqueous solution.

PubMed

Shi, Mo; Wang, Zhengfang; Zheng, Zheng

2013-08-01

Two kinds of activated carbons modified by Na+ impregnation after pre-treatments involving oxidation by nitric acid or acidification by hydrochloric acid (denoted as AC/N-Na and AC/HCl-Na, respectively), were used as adsorbents to remove NH4(+)-N. The surface features of samples were investigated by BET, SEM, XRD and FT-IR. The adsorption experiments were conducted in equilibrium and kinetic conditions. Influencing factors such as initial solution pH and initial concentration were investigated. A possible mechanism was proposed. Results showed that optimal NH4(+)-N removal efficiency was achieved at a neutral pH condition for the modified ACs. The Langmuir isotherm adsorption equation provided a better fit than other models for the equilibrium study. The adsorption kinetics followed both the pseudo second-order kinetics model and intra-particle kinetic model. Chemical surface analysis indicated that Na+ ions form ionic bonds with available surface functional groups created by pre-treatment, especially oxidation by nitric acid, thus increasing the removal efficiency of the modified ACs for NH4(+)-N. Na(+)-impregnated ACs had a higher removal capability in removing NH4(+)-N than unmodified AC, possibly resulting from higher numbers of surface functional groups and better intra-particle diffusion. The good fit of Langmuir isotherm adsorption to the data indicated the presence of monolayer NH4(+)-N adsorption on the active homogenous sites within the adsorbents. The applicability of pseudo second-order and intra-particle kinetic models revealed the complex nature of the adsorption mechanism. The intra-particle diffusion model revealed that the adsorption process consisted not only of surface adsorption but also intra-particle diffusion.

A single-shot spatial chirp method for measuring initial AC conductivity evolution of femtosecond laser pulse excited warm dense matter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Z.; Hering, P.; Brown, S. B.

To study the rapid evolution of AC conductivity from ultrafast laser excited warm dense matter (WDM), a spatial chirp single-shot method is developed utilizing a crossing angle pump-probe configuration. The pump beam is shaped individually in two spatial dimensions so that it can provide both sufficient laser intensity to excite the material to warm dense matter state and a uniform time window of up to 1 ps with sub-100 fs FWHM temporal resolution. Here, temporal evolution of AC conductivity in laser excited warm dense gold was also measured.

A single-shot spatial chirp method for measuring initial AC conductivity evolution of femtosecond laser pulse excited warm dense matter

DOE PAGES

Chen, Z.; Hering, P.; Brown, S. B.; ...

2016-09-19

To study the rapid evolution of AC conductivity from ultrafast laser excited warm dense matter (WDM), a spatial chirp single-shot method is developed utilizing a crossing angle pump-probe configuration. The pump beam is shaped individually in two spatial dimensions so that it can provide both sufficient laser intensity to excite the material to warm dense matter state and a uniform time window of up to 1 ps with sub-100 fs FWHM temporal resolution. Here, temporal evolution of AC conductivity in laser excited warm dense gold was also measured.

Heterologous Expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans CO Dehydrogenase Alone or Together with the Acetyl Coenzyme A Synthase Enables both Reduction of CO2 and Oxidation of CO by Clostridium acetobutylicum

PubMed Central

Carlson, Ellinor D.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT With recent advances in synthetic biology, CO2 could be utilized as a carbon feedstock by native or engineered organisms, assuming the availability of electrons. Two key enzymes used in autotrophic CO2 fixation are the CO dehydrogenase (CODH) and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) synthase (ACS), which form a bifunctional heterotetrameric complex. The CODH/ACS complex can reversibly catalyze CO2 to CO, effectively enabling a biological water-gas shift reaction at ambient temperatures and pressures. The CODH/ACS complex is part of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway (WLP) used by acetogens to fix CO2, and it has been well characterized in native hosts. So far, only a few recombinant CODH/ACS complexes have been expressed in heterologous hosts, none of which demonstrated in vivo CO2 reduction. Here, functional expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans CODH/ACS complex is demonstrated in the solventogen Clostridium acetobutylicum, which was engineered to express CODH alone or together with the ACS. Both strains exhibited CO2 reduction and CO oxidation activities. The CODH reactions were interrogated using isotopic labeling, thus verifying that CO was a direct product of CO2 reduction, and vice versa. CODH apparently uses a native C. acetobutylicum ferredoxin as an electron carrier for CO2 reduction. Heterologous CODH activity depended on actively growing cells and required the addition of nickel, which is inserted into CODH without the need to express the native Ni insertase protein. Increasing CO concentrations in the gas phase inhibited CODH activity and altered the metabolite profile of the CODH-expressing cells. This work provides the foundation for engineering a complete and functional WLP in nonnative host organisms. IMPORTANCE Functional expression of CO dehydrogenase (CODH) from Clostridium carboxidivorans was demonstrated in C. acetobutylicum, which is natively incapable of CO2 fixation. The expression of CODH, alone or together with the C. carboxidivorans acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS), enabled C. acetobutylicum to catalyze both CO2 reduction and CO oxidation. Importantly, CODH exhibited activity in both the presence and absence of ACS. 13C-tracer studies confirmed that the engineered C. acetobutylicum strains can reduce CO2 to CO and oxidize CO during growth on glucose. PMID:28625981

Heterologous Expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans CO Dehydrogenase Alone or Together with the Acetyl Coenzyme A Synthase Enables both Reduction of CO2 and Oxidation of CO by Clostridium acetobutylicum.

PubMed

Carlson, Ellinor D; Papoutsakis, Eleftherios T

2017-08-15

With recent advances in synthetic biology, CO 2 could be utilized as a carbon feedstock by native or engineered organisms, assuming the availability of electrons. Two key enzymes used in autotrophic CO 2 fixation are the CO dehydrogenase (CODH) and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) synthase (ACS), which form a bifunctional heterotetrameric complex. The CODH/ACS complex can reversibly catalyze CO 2 to CO, effectively enabling a biological water-gas shift reaction at ambient temperatures and pressures. The CODH/ACS complex is part of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway (WLP) used by acetogens to fix CO 2 , and it has been well characterized in native hosts. So far, only a few recombinant CODH/ACS complexes have been expressed in heterologous hosts, none of which demonstrated in vivo CO 2 reduction. Here, functional expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans CODH/ACS complex is demonstrated in the solventogen Clostridium acetobutylicum , which was engineered to express CODH alone or together with the ACS. Both strains exhibited CO 2 reduction and CO oxidation activities. The CODH reactions were interrogated using isotopic labeling, thus verifying that CO was a direct product of CO 2 reduction, and vice versa. CODH apparently uses a native C. acetobutylicum ferredoxin as an electron carrier for CO 2 reduction. Heterologous CODH activity depended on actively growing cells and required the addition of nickel, which is inserted into CODH without the need to express the native Ni insertase protein. Increasing CO concentrations in the gas phase inhibited CODH activity and altered the metabolite profile of the CODH-expressing cells. This work provides the foundation for engineering a complete and functional WLP in nonnative host organisms. IMPORTANCE Functional expression of CO dehydrogenase (CODH) from Clostridium carboxidivorans was demonstrated in C. acetobutylicum , which is natively incapable of CO 2 fixation. The expression of CODH, alone or together with the C. carboxidivorans acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS), enabled C. acetobutylicum to catalyze both CO 2 reduction and CO oxidation. Importantly, CODH exhibited activity in both the presence and absence of ACS. 13 C-tracer studies confirmed that the engineered C. acetobutylicum strains can reduce CO 2 to CO and oxidize CO during growth on glucose. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Dielectric and AC conductivity studies on SrBi4Ti4O15

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jose, Roshan; Saravanan, K. Venkata

2018-05-01

The four layered SrBi4Ti4O15 ceramics which belong to the aurivillius family of oxide was prepared by conventional solid state reaction technique. Analysis of the dielectric data as a function of temperature and frequency revealed normal phase transition. The frequency dependent ac conductivity follows Jonscher's universal power law. Frequency exponent (n), pre-exponential factor (A), bulk dc conductivity (σdc), and hopping frequency (ωp) were determined from the fitting curves. The variation of frequency exponent with temperature indicates that large polaron hopping mechanism up to curie-temperature, then its changes to small polaron hopping. The activation energies were calculated from ac conductivity, bulk dc conductivity and hopping frequency. The activation energies revealed that conductivity had contributions from migrations of oxygen vacancies, bismuth ion vacancies and strontium ion vacancies.

Contribution of Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) testing in the assessment and the differential diagnosis of otosclerosis

PubMed Central

Tramontani, Ourania; Gkoritsa, Eleni; Ferekidis, Eleftherios; Korres, Stavros G.

2014-01-01

Background The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the clinical importance of Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs) in the assessment and differential diagnosis of otosclerosis and otologic diseases characterized by “pseudo-conductive” components. We also investigated the clinical appearance of balance disorders in patients with otosclerosis by correlating VEMP results with the findings of caloric testing and pure tone audiometry(PTA). Material/Methods Air-conducted(AC) 4-PTA, bone-conducted(BC) 4-PTA, air-bone Gap(ABG), AC, BC tone burst evoked VEMP, and calorics were measured preoperatively in 126 otosclerotic ears. Results The response rate of the AC-VEMPs and BC-VEMPs was 29.36% and 44.03%, respectively. Statistical differences were found between the means of ABG, AC 4-PTA, and BC 4-PTA in the otosclerotic ears in relation to AC-VEMP elicitability. About one-third of patients presented with disequilibrium. A statistically significant interaction was found between calorics and dizziness in relation to PTA thresholds. No relationship was found between calorics and dizziness with VEMPs responses. Conclusions AC and BC VEMPs can be elicited in ears with otosclerosis. AC-VEMP is more vulnerable to conductive hearing loss. Evaluation of AC-VEMP thresholds can be added in the diagnostic work-up of otosclerosis in case of doubt, enhancing differential diagnosis in patients with air-bone gaps. Otosclerosis is not a cause of canal paresis or vertigo. PMID:24509900

Single crystal growth by gel technique and characterization of lithium hydrogen tartrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Nazir; Ahmad, M. M.; Kotru, P. N.

2015-02-01

Single crystal growth of lithium hydrogen tartrate by gel encapsulation technique is reported. Dependence of crystal count on gel density, gel pH, reactant concentration and temperature are studied and the optimum conditions for these crystals are worked out. The stoichiometric composition of the grown crystals is determined using EDAX/AES and CH analysis. The grown crystals are characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR and Uv-Visible spectroscopy. It is established that crystal falls under orthorhombic system and space group P222 with the cell parameters as: a=10.971 Å, b=13.125 Å and c=5.101 Å; α=90.5o, β=γ=90°. The morphology of the crystals as revealed by SEM is illustrated. Crystallite size, micro strain, dislocation density and distortion parameters are calculated from the powder XRD results of the crystal. UV-vis spectroscopy shows indirect allowed transition with an optical band gap of 4.83 eV. The crystals are also shown to have high transmittance in the entire visible region. Dependence of dielectric constant, dielectric loss and conductivity on frequency of the applied ac field is analyzed. The frequency-dependent real part of the complex ac conductivity is found to follow the universal dielectric response: σac (ω) ωs. The trend in the variation of frequency exponent with frequency corroborates the fact that correlated barrier hopping is the dominant charge-transport mechanism in the present system.

A joint swarm intelligence algorithm for multi-user detection in MIMO-OFDM system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Fengye; Du, Dakun; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Zhijun

2014-11-01

In the multi-input multi-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) system, traditional multi-user detection (MUD) algorithms that usually used to suppress multiple access interference are difficult to balance system detection performance and the complexity of the algorithm. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a joint swarm intelligence algorithm called Ant Colony and Particle Swarm Optimisation (AC-PSO) by integrating particle swarm optimisation (PSO) and ant colony optimisation (ACO) algorithms. According to simulation results, it has been shown that, with low computational complexity, the MUD for the MIMO-OFDM system based on AC-PSO algorithm gains comparable MUD performance with maximum likelihood algorithm. Thus, the proposed AC-PSO algorithm provides a satisfactory trade-off between computational complexity and detection performance.

Printing of highly conductive solution by alternating current electrohydrodynamic direct-write

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jiaxin; Zheng, Gaofeng; Wang, Xiang; Zheng, Jianyi; Liu, Juan; Liu, Yifang; Li, Wenwang; Guo, Shumin

2018-03-01

Electrohydrodynamic Direct-Write (EDW) is a novel technology for the printing of micro/nano structures. In this paper, Alternating Current (AC) electrical field was introduced to improve the ejection stability of jet with highly conductive solution. By alternating the electrical field, the polarity of free charges on the surface of jet was changed and the average density of charge, as well as the repulsive force, was reduced to stabilize the jet. When the frequency of AC electrical field increased, the EDW process became more stable and the shape of deposited droplets became more regular. The diameter of printed droplets decreased and the deposition frequency increased with the increase of voltage frequency. The phenomenon of corona discharge was overcome effectively as well. To further evaluate the performance of AC EDW for highly conductive solution, more NaCl was added to the solution and the conductivity was increased to 2810μs/cm. With such high conductivity, the problem of serious corona discharge could still be prevented by AC EDW, and the diameter of printed droplets decreased significantly. This work provides an effective way to accelerate industrial applications of EDW.

AC Conductivity and Dielectric Properties of Borotellurite Glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taha, T. A.; Azab, A. A.

2016-10-01

Borotellurite glasses with formula 60B2O3-10ZnO-(30 - x)NaF- xTeO2 ( x = 0 mol.%, 5 mol.%, 10 mol.%, and 15 mol.%) have been synthesized by thermal melting. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the glasses were amorphous. The glass density ( ρ) was determined by the Archimedes method at room temperature. The density ( ρ) and molar volume ( V m) were found to increase with increasing TeO2 content. The direct-current (DC) conductivity was measured in the temperature range from 473 K to 623 K, in which the electrical activation energy of ionic conduction increased from 0.27 eV to 0.48 eV with increasing TeO2 content from 0 mol.% to 15 mol.%. The dielectric parameters and alternating-current (AC) conductivity ( σ ac) were investigated in the frequency range from 1 kHz to 1 MHz and temperature range from 300 K to 633 K. The AC conductivity and dielectric constant decreased with increasing TeO2 content from 0 mol.% to 15 mol.%.

The Effects of Theta and Gamma tACS on Working Memory and Electrophysiology

PubMed Central

Pahor, Anja; Jaušovec, Norbert

2018-01-01

A single blind sham-controlled study was conducted to explore the effects of theta and gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on offline performance on working memory tasks. In order to systematically investigate how specific parameters of tACS affect working memory, we manipulated the frequency of stimulation (theta frequency vs. gamma frequency), the type of task (n-back vs. change detection task) and the content of the tasks (verbal vs. figural stimuli). A repeated measures design was used that consisted of three sessions: theta tACS, gamma tACS and sham tACS. In total, four experiments were conducted which differed only with respect to placement of tACS electrodes (bilateral frontal, bilateral parietal, left fronto-parietal and right-fronto parietal). Healthy female students (N = 72) were randomly assigned to one of these groups, hence we were able to assess the efficacy of theta and gamma tACS applied over different brain areas, contrasted against sham stimulation. The pre-post/sham resting electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis showed that theta tACS significantly affected theta amplitude, whereas gamma tACS had no significant effect on EEG amplitude in any of the frequency bands of interest. Gamma tACS did not significantly affect working memory performance compared to sham, and theta tACS led to inconsistent changes in performance on the n-back tasks. Active theta tACS significantly affected P3 amplitude and latency during performance on the n-back tasks in the bilateral parietal and right-fronto parietal protocols. PMID:29375347

Synthesis and Structure of Vanadium Halide Complexes Containing Diphosphine Ligands with Pendant Amines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Egbert, Jonathan D.; Labios, Liezel A.; Darmon, Jonathan M.

2016-02-18

A series of vanadium(III) diiodide complexes of the formula CpV(P RN R'P R)I 2 (Cp = 5-C 5H 5; P RN R'P R = (R 2PCH 2) 2N(R)), where R = Et, R = Me (1a), R = Ph (1b); R = Ph, R = Me (1c)) is reported. The corresponding vanadium(II) monoiodide complexes of the formula CpV(P RN R' PR)I, where R = Et, R = Me (2a), R = Ph (2b); R = Ph, R = Me (2c)) were prepared in THF by reduction of 1a-c with Zn powder. The paramagnetic complexes 1a-c and 2a-c are characterized bymore » elemental analysis, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and by cyclic voltammetry for complexes 2b and 4b. Complexes 1c and 2a-c were also characterized in the single crystal by X-ray crystallography. We report the preparation of the vanadium(II) complexes CpV(P Ph 2N Ph 2)I (3) (P Ph 2N Ph 2 = 1,5-diphenyl-3,7-diphenyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane) and trans-[VCl 2(PEtNMePEt)2] (4a) and trans-[VCl 2(PEtNPhPEt) 2] (4b). These complexes represent initial coordination chemistry of vanadium complexes with P RN R'P R and P Ph 2N Ph 2 diphosphine ligands, which contain a pendant amine in the second coordination sphere. This research was supported as part of the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy.« less

Exploiting the flexibility and the polarization of ferroelectric perovskite surfaces to achieve efficient photochemistry and enantiospecificity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rappe, Andrew

This research project explored the catalytic properties of complex surfaces of functional materials. The PI used first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations to explore a tightly integrated set of properties. The physical properties of complex functional materials that influence surface chemistry were explored, including bulk and surface electric dipoles, and surface conductivity. The energetic, compositional, electronic, and chemical properties of the surfaces of these materials were explored in detail, and connections between material properties and chemical reactivity were established. This project led to 28 publications, including Nat. Comm., JACS, 3 PRL, 7 PRB, 2 ACS Nano, 2 Nano Lett., 4more » JPCL, 2 JCP, Chem. Mater., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, Phys. Rev. Appl., and a U.S. Patent on surface catalysts. The key accomplishments in this project involved work in six coordinated areas: pioneering ways to control bulk dipoles in order to dynamically affect catalysis, exploring novel ways of bringing charge to the surface for redox catalysis, nonstoichiometric surfaces offering new sites for heterogeneous catalysis, illustrating how surface catalysis responds to applied pressure, catalytic growth of carbon-based materials, and new computational methods allowing more accurate exploration of molecule-surface interactions« less

Unique dielectric dipole and hopping ion dipole relaxation in disordered systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govindaraj, G.

2018-04-01

Dielectric or ac conductivity measurements of dielectric and ion conducting glass and crystalline systems provide considerable insight into the nature of the dipolar and ionic motions in disordered solids. However, interpreting the dielectric or ac conductivity has been a matter of considerable debate based on the existing models and empirical formalism, particularly in regards to how best to represent the relaxation process that is the result of a transition from correlated to uncorrelated dipolar and ionic motions. A unique dipole interaction process has been proposed for the (a) dielectric dipole process (b) the hopping ion conducting dipole process and the (c) combination (a) and (b) for the description of dielectric spectra and ac conductivityspectra and results are reported.

Electrical and dielectric properties of PVdF-HFP - PMMA - (PC + DEC)- LiClO4 based gel polymer electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohel, Khushbu; Kanchan, D. K.; Maheshwaran, C.

2018-04-01

In the present paper, AC impedance studies have been measured to evaluate ion conduction behavior of (PVdF-HFP - PMMA) + (PC-DEC) + LiClO4 gel polymer electrolyte system prepared by solution casting method. Structural characterization and morphology has been carried out using XRD and SEM respectively. The AC conductivity and dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and relaxation mechanism have been studied. The variation of ac conductivity with frequency obeys Jonscher power law. Maximum value of dielectric constant ɛ' in the lower frequency region has been observed for the gel polymer electrolyte containing 7.5 wt% LiClO4. The highest conducting sample shows the shortest relaxation time.

AC conductivity and dielectric properties of Ti-doped CoCr 1.2Fe 0.8O 4 spinel ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elkestawy, M. A.; Abdel kader, S.; Amer, M. A.

2010-01-01

Dielectric properties of spinel ferrite samples Co 1+xTi xCr 1.2-2xFe 0.8O 4 (0≤ x≤0.5) were investigated as a function of frequency at different temperatures using a complex impedance technique. Also Cole-Cole diagrams of both permittivity and electric modulus were investigated at different temperatures to have an insight into the electric nature of the studied solids. It has been found that the electric modulus M* is the dominating property clarifying the intrinsic picture of these polycrystalline ferrites. The low conductivity and loss factor values indicate that the studied compositions may be good candidates for practical applications.

Fluid transport in partially filled porous sol-gel silica glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'orazio, Franco; Bhattacharja, Sankar; Halperin, William P.; Gerhardt, Rosario

1990-10-01

Measurements of low-frequency ac electrical conductivity of a porous glass filled with different amounts of a saline solution are compared with the self-diffusion coefficient of water measured in the same sample, reported previously [F. D'Orazio et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 43 (1989)]. The two transport parameters are consistently related through the Einstein relation under saturation conditions. A more complex picture is revealed for the unsaturated sample, since the presence of a vapor phase enhances the self-diffusion coefficient. Conductivity experiments allow an independent assessment of the contribution to self-diffusion from the liquid phase. However, a comparison between the two experiments indicates that the role of the vapor phase is not well understood.

Development of magneto-rheologial fluid (MRF) based clutch for output torque control of AC motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Q. Hung; Do, H. M. Hieu; Nguyen, V. Quoc; Nguyen, N. Diep; Le, D. Thang

2018-03-01

In industry, the AC motor is widely used because of low price, power availability, low cost maintenance. The main disadvantages of AC motors compared to DC motors are difficulty in speed and torque control, requiring expensive controllers with complex control algorithms. This is the basic limitations in the widespread adoption of AC motor systems for industrial automation. One feasible solution for AC motor control is using MRF (magneto-rheological fluid) based clutches (shortly called MR clutches) Although there have been many studies on MR clutches, most of these clutches used traditional configuration with coils wound on the middle cylindrical part and a compotator is used to supply power to the coils. Therefore, this type of MR clutches possesses many disadvantages such as high friction and unstable applied current due to commutator, complex structure which causes difficulty in manufacture, assembly, and maintenance. In addition, the bottleneck problem of magnetic field is also a challenging issue. In this research, we will develop a new type of MR clutches that overcomes the abovementioned disadvantages of traditional MR clutches and more suitable for application in controlling of AC motor. Besides, in this study, speed and torque control system for AC motors using developed MR clutches is designed and experimental validated.

Judgement of Breath Alcohol Concentration Levels Among Pedestrians in the Night-Time Economy-A Street-Intercept Field Study.

PubMed

Cameron, M P; Roskruge, M J; Droste, N; Miller, P G

2018-05-01

To evaluate how well people in the night-time economy can assess their own breath alcohol concentration (BrAC), in the context of a change in breath alcohol limits for driving. We conducted a field study of 242 participants over 5 nights in the central business district of a university town in New Zealand. Participants completed a short survey, which included questions on their self-reported level of intoxication and the self-estimated BrAC. At the conclusion of the interview each participant was breath-tested. We compared actual and self-estimated BrAC using a scatter plot and multiple regression methods. The average BrAC error was 61.7 μg/l, meaning that on average participants overestimate their BrAC. Participants with a BrAC below 487 μg/l tended to overestimate their BrAC on average, and those with a BrAC above 487 μg/l tended to underestimate their BrAC on average. Regression results supported this observation, but also found that men who are not 'out on a typical night' overestimate their BrAC by more. Drinkers in this naturalistic setting have little idea of their level of intoxication, as measured by BrAC. However, this uncertainty may be advantageous to public health outcomes, since if drinkers are uncertain about their level of intoxication relative to the legal limit, this may lead them to avoid drunk driving. A field study of drinkers in the night-time economy of a New Zealand university town was conducted to evaluate how well drinkers can assess their breath alcohol concentration (BrAC). Drinkers in this setting inaccurately estimate their intoxication, and those with higher BrAC tended to underestimate their BrAC on average.

Frequency dependent electrical characteristics of ferroelectric Pb{4.0}K{1.0}Li{1.0}Nb{10}O{30} ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, K. S.; Krishna, P. M.; Prasad, D. M.; Latha, T. S.; Hussain, M.

2007-09-01

Dielectric, impedance, modulus and conductivity studies were performed over temperature 35 °C 600 °C and frequency 45 Hz 5 MHz range on the Lead Potassium Lithium Niobate (Pb{4.0}K{1.0}Li{1.0}Nb{10}O{30}, PKLN) ceramics. These studies established the conduction ion motion and polarization mechanism in the material. The dispersive dielectric loss at high temperature reveals the ionic conductivity. From frequency variation of \\varepsilonl response the pre-factor A(T) and critical exponent n(T) are evaluated, and are used in Jonscher's dielectric dispersion relation for \\varepsilon ' to fit with the experimental data. Complex impedance plots showed a non Debye type relaxation, are used to evaluate the grain and grain boundary conduction and relaxation activation energies. DC and ac conduction activation energies are estimated from Arrhenius plots. Occupancy of Li+ for C-sites gave a completely filled structure and enhanced the phase transition temperature to 520 °C compared to PKN. This is supported by the conduction activation energy in ferro region is more than the para region. Also, the dc conductivity characterized from bulk resistance and M^ll peak frequency. Polaron hoping mechanism at room temperature has been confirmed via the linear variation of the plot log (σ ac-σ dc) as a function of log ω 2. Stretched exponential parameter, β (0 < β ≤slant 1) has been evaluated from impedance plots, interpreted as a result of correlated motions between the Li+ ions and distribution of dielectric relaxation. Compared the results from different techniques, and discussed the conduction mechanism in the material.

Sorption, Photodegradation, and Chemical Transformation of Naproxen and Ibuprofen in Soils and Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vulava, V. M.; Cory, W. C.; Murphey, V.; Ulmer, C.

2015-12-01

Trace levels of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) are increasingly being found in municipal drinking water and natural streams around the world. PhACs enter natural water systems after passing through wastewater treatment plants that have proven to be relatively inefficient at removing them. Once they are released into the environment, they can undergo (1) soil sorption, (2) photodegradation, and/or (3) chemical transformation into structurally similar compounds. The overarching goal of this study is to understand the geochemical fate of common PhACs in the environment. Here we report on our studies with naproxen (NAP) and ibuprofen (IBP) in soils and water. Both compounds are complex nonpolar (aromatic) organic molecules with polar (carboxylic acid) functional groups. The carboxylic functional groups are likely to be deprotonated at environmentally relevant pHs (~4-8). Sorption studies of both compounds were conducted in clean and relatively acidic (soil pH ~4.5-6.5) natural soils that contained varying levels of organic matter (OM), clay minerals, and Fe oxides. OM was observed to play an important role in each of the above three processes. Sorption was observed to be stronger and nonlinear in higher OM soils, while weaker but still significant in lower OM, higher clay soils; the amphiphilic nature of NAP and IBP combined with the complex charged and nonpolar surfaces available in the soil was observed to control the sorption behavior. Both NAP and IBP underwent rapid photodegradation in aqueous suspensions when exposed to simulated sunlight. The degradation rates were observed to change in the presence of humic acid or fulvic acid. During sorption and photodegradation experiments, common transformation products were observed for both NAP and IBP. The transformation products produced were indicative of chemical transformation and not biological factors. Concentrations of the transformation products were significantly higher in the photoexposed aqueous suspensions compared to that formed in soil solutions. This study also helped in understanding the important role OM plays in geochemical fate of PhACs. The transformation products identified here are known to have higher ecotoxicity than the parent PhACs.

AC and DC conductivity due to hopping mechanism in double ion doped ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizwana, Mahboob, Syed; Sarah, P.

2018-04-01

Sr1-2xNaxNdxBi4Ti4O15 (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4) system is prepared by sol gel method involving Pechini process of modified polymeric precursor method. Phase identification is done using X-ray diffraction. Conduction in prepared materials involves different mechanisms and is explained through detailed AC and DC conductivity studies. AC conductivity studies carried out on the samples at different frequencies and different temperatures gives more information about electrical transport. Exponents used in two term power relation helps us to understand the different hopping mechanism involved at low as well as high frequencies. Activation energies calculated from the Arrhenius plots are used to calculate activation energies at different temperatures and frequencies. Hopping frequency calculated from the measured data explains hopping of charge carriers at different temperatures. DC conductivity studies help us to know the role of oxygen vacancies in conduction.

Effects of sintering temperature on electrical properties of sheep enamel hydroxyapatite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumludag, F.; Gunduz, O.; Kılıc, O.; Kılıc, B.; Ekren, N.; Kalkandelen, C.; Oktar, F. N.

2017-12-01

Bioceramics, especially calcium phosphate based bioceramics, whose examples are hydroxyapatite, and calcium phosphate powders have been widely used in the biomedical engineering applications. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the most promising biomaterials, which are derived from natural sources, chemical method, animal like dental enamel and corals. The influence of sintering temperature on the electrical properties (i.e. DC conductivity, AC conductivity) of samples of sintered sheep enamel (SSSE) was studied in air and in vacuum ambient at room temperature. The sheep enamel were sintered at varying temperatures between 1000°C and 1300°C. DC conductivity results revealed that while dc conductivity of the SSSE decreases with increasing the sintering temperature in air ambient the values increased with increasing the sintering temperature in vacuum ambient. AC conductivity measurements were performed in the frequency range of 40 Hz - 105 Hz. The results showed that ac conductivity values decrease with increasing the sintering temperature.

Experimental Investigation of Electrical Conductivity and Permittivity of SC-TiO 2 -EG Nanofluids.

PubMed

Fal, Jacek; Barylyak, Adriana; Besaha, Khrystyna; Bobitski, Yaroslav V; Cholewa, Marian; Zawlik, Izabela; Szmuc, Kamil; Cebulski, Józef; Żyła, Gaweł

2016-12-01

The paper presents experimental studies of dielectric properties of nanofluids based on ethylene glycol and SC-TiO2 nanoparticles with average size of 15-40 nm with various mass concentrations. The dielectric permittivity both real part and imaginary part as a function of temperature and frequency were measured. Also, dependence ac conductivity on frequency, temperature, and mass concentration were investigated. Based on the curves of ac conductivity, dc conductivity was calculated, and 400 % enhancement in dc conductivity was exposed.

Experimental Investigation of Electrical Conductivity and Permittivity of SC-TiO 2 -EG Nanofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fal, Jacek; Barylyak, Adriana; Besaha, Khrystyna; Bobitski, Yaroslav V.; Cholewa, Marian; Zawlik, Izabela; Szmuc, Kamil; Cebulski, Józef; żyła, Gaweł

2016-08-01

The paper presents experimental studies of dielectric properties of nanofluids based on ethylene glycol and SC-TiO2 nanoparticles with average size of 15-40 nm with various mass concentrations. The dielectric permittivity both real part and imaginary part as a function of temperature and frequency were measured. Also, dependence ac conductivity on frequency, temperature, and mass concentration were investigated. Based on the curves of ac conductivity, dc conductivity was calculated, and 400 % enhancement in dc conductivity was exposed.

Effect of Microwave Non thermal Plasma Irradiation on the Adsorptive Properties of Active Carbon Preliminarily Impregnated with Poly(vinyl alcohol)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueshima, Masato; Toda, Eriko; Nakajima, Yuki; Sugiyama, Kazuo

2010-08-01

Microwave non thermal plasma irradiation was conducted on active carbon (AC) preliminarily impregnated with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in order to modify the adsorption properties of active carbon, particularly to increase hydrophobicity. The plasma was produced by applying microwave power on the PVA-impregnated active carbon (PVA/AC) placed in a low vacuum chamber (<10 Torr). The surface of the plasma-treated PVA/AC was imaged using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (SEM and AFM, respectively), and analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Hydrophobicity of the plasma-treated PVA/AC was compared to that of untreated PVA/AC and AC by a sinking test in water/methanol mixed solutions. The hydrophobicity drastically increased for PVA/AC treatment with 1-min plasma irradiation. The AFM results indicated that the surface roughness of the PVA/AC was dependent upon the hydrophobicity, rather than reduction of free energy due to reduction of polarized functional groups. NaOH and HCl adsorption onto the plasma-treated PVA/AC was also measured. Adsorption capacity of plasma-treated PVA/AC increased for NaOH, whereas it decreased for HCl. The plasma treatment not only increased the hydrophobicity of PVA/AC, but also changed its acid-base adsorption properties. We have developed a new material based on active carbon, which is light, hydrophobic and electrically conductive by using a combination of PVA sintering and plasma irradiation.

Global loss of a nuclear lamina component, lamin A/C, and LINC complex components SUN1, SUN2, and nesprin-2 in breast cancer.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Ayaka; Hieda, Miki; Yokoyama, Yuhki; Nishioka, Yu; Yoshidome, Katsuhide; Tsujimoto, Masahiko; Matsuura, Nariaki

2015-10-01

Cancer cells exhibit a variety of features indicative of atypical nuclei. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain to be elucidated. The linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex, a nuclear envelope protein complex consisting mainly of the SUN and nesprin proteins, connects nuclear lamina and cytoskeletal filaments and helps to regulate the size and shape of the nucleus. Using immunohistology, we found that a nuclear lamina component, lamin A/C and all of the investigated LINC complex components, SUN1, SUN2, and nesprin-2, were downregulated in human breast cancer tissues. In the majority of cases, we observed lower expression levels of these analytes in samples' cancerous regions as compared to their cancer-associated noncancerous regions (in cancerous regions, percentage of tissue samples exhibiting low protein expression: lamin A/C, 85% [n = 73]; SUN1, 88% [n = 43]; SUN2, 74% [n = 43]; and nesprin-2, 79% [n = 53]). Statistical analysis showed that the frequencies of recurrence and HER2 expression were negatively correlated with lamin A/C expression (P < 0.05), and intrinsic subtype and ki-67 level were associated with nesprin-2 expression (P < 0.05). In addition, combinatorial analysis using the above four parameters showed that all patients exhibited reduced expression of at least one of four components despite the tumor's pathological classification. Furthermore, several cultured breast cancer cell lines expressed less SUN1, SUN2, nesprin-2 mRNA, and lamin A/C compared to noncancerous mammary gland cells. Together, these results suggest that the strongly reduced expression of LINC complex and nuclear lamina components may play fundamental pathological functions in breast cancer progression. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Zinc chloride modified electronic transport and relaxation studies in barium-tellurite glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhankhar, Sunil; Kundu, R. S.; Rani, Sunita; Sharma, Preeti; Murugavel, S.; Punia, Rajesh; Kishore, N.

2017-09-01

The ac conductivity of halide based tellurium glasses having composition 70 TeO2-(30-x) BaO-x ZnCl2; x = 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 has been investigated in the frequency range 10-1 Hz to 105Hz and in the temperature range 453 K to 553 K. The frequency and temperature dependent ac conductivity show mixed behaviour with increase in halide content and found to obey Jonscher's universal power law. The values of dc conductivity, crossover frequency and frequency exponent have been estimated from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with Jonscher's universal power law. For determining the conduction mechanism in studied glass system, frequency exponent has been analyzed by various theoretical models. In presently studied glasses, the ac conduction takes place via overlapping large polaron tunneling (OLPT). The values of activation energy for dc conduction (W) and the one associated with relaxation process ( E R) are found to increase with increase in x up to glass sample with x = 15 and thereafter it decrease with increase in zinc chloride content. DC conduction takes place via variable range hopping (VRH) as proposed by Mott with some modification suggested by Punia et al. The value of real part of modulus ( M') is observed to decrease with increase in temperature. The value of stretched exponent (β) obtained from fitting of M'' reveals the presence of non-Debye type of relaxation in presently studied glass samples. Scaling spectra of ac conductivity and values of electric modulus ( M' and M'') collapse into a single master curve for all the compositions and temperatures. The values of relaxation energy ( E R) for all the studied glass compositions are almost equal to W, suggesting that polarons have to overcome same barrier while relaxing and conducting. The conduction and relaxation processes in the studied glass samples are composition and temperature independent. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Thermal, Structural, AC Conductivity, and Dielectric Properties of Ethyl-2-amino-6-ethyl-5-oxo-4-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline-3-carboxylate Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Shabaan, M. M.

2018-05-01

Thermal, structural, alternating-current (AC) conductivity (σ AC), and dielectric properties of ethyl-2-amino-6-ethyl-5-oxo-4-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-pyrano[3,2-c]quinoline-3-carboxylate (HPQC) thin films have been studied. Thermogravimetry analysis and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the thermal stability of HPQC over a wide temperature range. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis were carried out on HPQC in powder form and as-deposited thin film. The crystal system and space group type were determined for HPQC in powder form. The AC conductivity and dielectric properties were determined in the frequency range from 0.5 kHz to 5 MHz and temperature range from 296 K to 443 K. The AC electrical conduction of HPQC thin film was found to be governed by the small-polaron tunneling mechanism. The polaron hopping energy (W H), tunneling distance (R), and density of states (N) near the Fermi level were determined as functions of temperature and frequency. The dielectric properties of HPQC thin film were studied by analysis of Nyquist diagrams, the dissipation factor (tan δ), and real (ɛ') and imaginary (ɛ″) parts of the dielectric constant.

Comparative studies of the structure, morphology and electrical conductivity of polyaniline weakly doped with chlorocarboxylic acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gmati, Fethi; Fattoum, Arbi; Bohli, Nadra; Dhaoui, Wadia; Belhadj Mohamed, Abdellatif

2007-08-01

We report the results of studies on two series of polyaniline (PANI), doped with dichloroacetic (DCA) and trichloroacetic (TCA) acids, respectively, at various doping rates and obtained by the in situ polymerization method. Samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and conductivity measurements. The direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) electrical conductivities of PANI salts have been investigated in the temperature range 100-310 K and frequency range 7-106 Hz. The results of this study indicate better chain ordering and higher conductivity for PANI doped with TCA. The dc conductivity of all samples is suitably fitted to Mott's three-dimensional variable-range hopping (VRH) model. Different Mott parameters such as characteristic temperature T0, density of states at the Fermi level (N(EF)), average hopping energy (W) and the average hopping distance (R) have been evaluated. The dependence of such values on the dopant acid used is discussed. At high frequencies, the ac conductivity follows the power law σac(ω,T) = A(T)ωs(T,ω), which is characteristic for charge transport in disordered materials by hopping or tunnelling processes. The observed increase in the frequency exponent s with temperature suggests that the small-polaron tunnelling model best describes the dominant ac conduction mechanism. A direct correlation between conductivity, structure and morphology was obtained in our systems.

Reaction of hydroxyl radicals with azacytosines: a pulse radiolysis and theoretical study.

PubMed

Pramod, G; Prasanthkumar, K P; Mohan, Hari; Manoj, V M; Manoj, P; Suresh, C H; Aravindakumar, C T

2006-10-12

Pulse radiolysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations at B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level have been carried out to probe the reaction of the water-derived hydroxyl radicals (*OH) with 5-azacytosine (5Ac) and 5-azacytidine (5Acyd) at near neutral and basic pH. A low percentage of nitrogen-centered oxidizing radicals, and a high percentage of non-oxidizing carbon-centered radicals were identified based on the reaction of transient intermediates with 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate), ABTS2-. Theoretical calculations suggests that the N3 atom in 5Ac is the most reactive center as it is the main contributor of HOMO, whereas C5 atom is the prime donor for the HOMO of cytosine (Cyt) where the major addition site is C5. The order of stability of the adduct species were found to be C6-OH_5Ac*>C4-OH_5Ac*>N3-OH_5Ac*>N5-OH_5Ac* both in the gaseous and solution phase (using the PCM model) respectively due to the additions of *OH at C6, C4, N3, and N5 atoms. These additions occur in direct manner, without the intervention of any precursor complex formation. The possibility of a 1,2-hydrogen shift from the C6 to N5 in the nitrogen-centered C6-OH_5Ac* radical is considered in order to account for the experimental observation of the high yield of non-oxidizing radicals, and found that such a conversion requires activation energy of about 32 kcal/mol, and hence this possibility is ruled out. The hydrogen abstraction reactions were assumed to occur from precursor complexes (hydrogen bonded complexes represented as S1, S2, S3, and S4) resulted from the electrostatic interactions of the lone pairs on the N3, N5, and O8 atoms with the incoming *OH radical. It was found that the conversion of these precursor complexes to their respective transition states has ample barrier heights, and it persists even when the effect of solvent is considered. It was also found that the formation of precursor complexes itself is highly endergonic in solution phase. Hence, the abstraction reactions will not occur in the present case. Finally, the time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations predicted an absorption maximum of 292 nm for the N3-OH_5Ac* adduct, which is close to the experimentally observed spectral maxima at 290 nm. Hence, it is assumed that the addition to the most reactive center N3, which results the N3-OH_5Ac* radical, occurs via a kinetically driven process.

Microwave a.c. conductivity of domain walls in ferroelectric thin films

DOE PAGES

Tselev, Alexander; Yu, Pu; Cao, Ye; ...

2016-05-31

Ferroelectric domain walls are of great interest as elementary building blocks for future electronic devices due to their intrinsic few-nanometre width, multifunctional properties and field-controlled topology. To realize the electronic functions, domain walls are required to be electrically conducting and addressable non-destructively. However, these properties have been elusive because conducting walls have to be electrically charged, which makes them unstable and uncommon in ferroelectric materials. Here we reveal that spontaneous and recorded domain walls in thin films of lead zirconate and bismuth ferrite exhibit large conductance at microwave frequencies despite being insulating at d.c. We explain this effect by morphologicalmore » roughening of the walls and local charges induced by disorder with the overall charge neutrality. a.c. conduction is immune to large contact resistance enabling completely non-destructive walls read-out. Finally, this demonstrates a technological potential for harnessing a.c. conduction for oxide electronics and other materials with poor d.c. conduction, particularly at the nanoscale.« less

Microwave a.c. conductivity of domain walls in ferroelectric thin films

PubMed Central

Tselev, Alexander; Yu, Pu; Cao, Ye; Dedon, Liv R.; Martin, Lane W.; Kalinin, Sergei V.; Maksymovych, Petro

2016-01-01

Ferroelectric domain walls are of great interest as elementary building blocks for future electronic devices due to their intrinsic few-nanometre width, multifunctional properties and field-controlled topology. To realize the electronic functions, domain walls are required to be electrically conducting and addressable non-destructively. However, these properties have been elusive because conducting walls have to be electrically charged, which makes them unstable and uncommon in ferroelectric materials. Here we reveal that spontaneous and recorded domain walls in thin films of lead zirconate and bismuth ferrite exhibit large conductance at microwave frequencies despite being insulating at d.c. We explain this effect by morphological roughening of the walls and local charges induced by disorder with the overall charge neutrality. a.c. conduction is immune to large contact resistance enabling completely non-destructive walls read-out. This demonstrates a technological potential for harnessing a.c. conduction for oxide electronics and other materials with poor d.c. conduction, particularly at the nanoscale. PMID:27240997

Adsorption of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (fluoranthene and anthracenemethanol) by functional graphene oxide and removal by pH and temperature-sensitive coagulation.

PubMed

Zhang, Caili; Wu, Lin; Cai, Dongqing; Zhang, Caiyun; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Jing; Wu, Zhengyan

2013-06-12

A new kind of functional graphene oxide with fine stability in water was fabricated by mixing graphene oxide (GO) and brilliant blue (BB) with a certain weight ratio. The adsorption performance of this mixture of BB and GO (BBGO) to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (anthracenemethanol (AC) and fluoranthene (FL)) was investigated, and the results indicated BBGO possessed adsorption capacity of 1.676 mmol/g and removal efficiency of 72.7% as to AC and adsorption capacity of 2.212 mmol/g and removal efficiency of 93.2% as to FL. After adsorption, pH and temperature-sensitive coagulation (PTC) method was used to remove the AC/BBGO or FL/BBGO complex and proved to be an effective approach to flocculate the AC/BBGO or FL/BBGO complex into large flocs, which tended to be removed from the aqueous solution.

The ac and dc performance of polymeric insulating materials under accelerated aging in a fog chamber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gorur, R.S.; Cherney, E.A.; Hackam, R.

1988-10-01

The paper presents the results of the dc performance of polymeric insulating materials in a fog chamber. The materials evaluated in fog produced from low (250 ..mu..S/cm) and high (1000 ..mu..S/cm) conductivity water include cylindrical rod samples of high temperature vulcanized (HTV) silicone rubber and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber containing various amounts of either alumina trihydrate (ATH) or silica fillers, or both. Comparison is made of material performance obtained with ac which was reported in an earlier study. In both low and high conductivity fog, the time to failure with ac and +dc was very similar, but amore » reduction by a factor of about four was observed in the time to failure with -dc. For both ac and dc, silicone rubber performed better than EPDM samples in low conductivity fog, while the order of performance was reversed in high conductivity fog. A theoretical model to determine the effect of dry band discharges on material is presented. Good agreement of the predicted behavior of materials with the experimental findings is shown.« less

Catalytic Subunit 1 of Protein Phosphatase 2A Is a Subunit of the STRIPAK Complex and Governs Fungal Sexual Development.

PubMed

Beier, Anna; Teichert, Ines; Krisp, Christoph; Wolters, Dirk A; Kück, Ulrich

2016-06-21

The generation of complex three-dimensional structures is a key developmental step for most eukaryotic organisms. The details of the molecular machinery controlling this step remain to be determined. An excellent model system to study this general process is the generation of three-dimensional fruiting bodies in filamentous fungi like Sordaria macrospora Fruiting body development is controlled by subunits of the highly conserved striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex, which has been described in organisms ranging from yeasts to humans. The highly conserved heterotrimeric protein phosphatase PP2A is a subunit of STRIPAK. Here, catalytic subunit 1 of PP2A was functionally characterized. The Δpp2Ac1 strain is sterile, unable to undergo hyphal fusion, and devoid of ascogonial septation. Further, PP2Ac1, together with STRIPAK subunit PRO22, governs vegetative and stress-related growth. We revealed in vitro catalytic activity of wild-type PP2Ac1, and our in vivo analysis showed that inactive PP2Ac1 blocks the complementation of the sterile deletion strain. Tandem affinity purification, followed by mass spectrometry and yeast two-hybrid analysis, verified that PP2Ac1 is a subunit of STRIPAK. Further, these data indicate links between the STRIPAK complex and other developmental signaling pathways, implying the presence of a large interconnected signaling network that controls eukaryotic developmental processes. The insights gained in our study can be transferred to higher eukaryotes and will be important for understanding eukaryotic cellular development in general. The striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex is highly conserved from yeasts to humans and is an important regulator of numerous eukaryotic developmental processes, such as cellular signaling and cell development. Although functional insights into the STRIPAK complex are accumulating, the detailed molecular mechanisms of single subunits are only partially understood. The first fungal STRIPAK was described in Sordaria macrospora, which is a well-established model organism used to study the formation of fungal fruiting bodies, three-dimensional organ-like structures. We analyzed STRIPAK subunit PP2Ac1, catalytic subunit 1 of protein phosphatase PP2A, to study the importance of the catalytic activity of this protein during sexual development. The results of our yeast two-hybrid analysis and tandem affinity purification, followed by mass spectrometry, indicate that PP2Ac1 activity connects STRIPAK with other signaling pathways and thus forms a large interconnected signaling network. Copyright © 2016 Beier et al.

Application of novel Ni(II) complex and ZrO2 nanoparticle as mediators for electrocatalytic determination of N-acetylcysteine in drug samples.

PubMed

Karimi-Maleh, Hassan; Salehi, Mehdi; Faghani, Fatemeh

2017-10-01

The electrooxidation of N-acetylcysteine (N-AC) was studied by a novel Ni(II) complex modified ZrO 2 nanoparticle carbon paste electrode [Ni(II)/ZrO 2 /NPs/CPE] using voltammetric methods. The results showed that Ni(II)/ZrO 2 /NPs/CPE had high electrocatalytic activity for the electrooxidation of N-AC in aqueous buffer solution (pH = 7.0). The electrocatalytic oxidation peak currents increase linearly with N-AC concentrations over the concentration ranges of 0.05-600μM using square wave voltammetric methods. The detection limit for N-AC was equal to 0.009μM. The catalytic reaction rate constant, k h , was calculated (7.01 × 10 2  M -1  s -1 ) using the chronoamperometry method. Finally, Ni(II)/ZrO 2 /NPs/CPE was also examined as an ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor for the determination of N-AC in real samples such as tablet and urine. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Structural Basis for Inhibition of Mammalian Adenylyl Cyclase by Calcium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mou, Tung-Chung; Masada, Nanako; Cooper, Dermot M.F.

2009-09-11

Type V and VI mammalian adenylyl cyclases (AC5, AC6) are inhibited by Ca{sup 2+} at both sub- and supramicromolar concentration. This inhibition may provide feedback in situations where cAMP promotes opening of Ca{sup 2+} channels, allowing fine control of cardiac contraction and rhythmicity in cardiac tissue where AC5 and AC6 predominate. Ca{sup 2+} inhibits the soluble AC core composed of the C1 domain of AC5 (VC1) and the C2 domain of AC2 (IIC2). As observed for holo-AC5, inhibition is biphasic, showing 'high-affinity' (K{sub i} = {approx}0.4 {mu}M) and 'low-affinity' (K{sub i} = {approx}100 {mu}M) modes of inhibition. At micromolar concentration,more » Ca{sup 2+} inhibition is nonexclusive with respect to pyrophosphate (PP{sub i}), a noncompetitive inhibitor with respect to ATP, but at >100 {mu}M Ca{sup 2+}, inhibition appears to be exclusive with respect to PP{sub i}. The 3.0 {angstrom} resolution structure of G{alpha}s{center_dot}GTP{gamma}S/forskolin-activated VC1:IIC2 crystals soaked in the presence of ATP{alpha}S and 8 {mu}M free Ca{sup 2+} contains a single, loosely coordinated metal ion. ATP soaked into VC1:IIC2 crystals in the presence of 1.5 mM Ca{sup 2+} is not cyclized, and two calcium ions are observed in the 2.9 {angstrom} resolution structure of the complex. In both of the latter complexes VC1:IIC2 adopts the 'open', catalytically inactive conformation characteristic of the apoenzyme, in contrast to the 'closed', active conformation seen in the presence of ATP analogues and Mg{sup 2+} or Mn{sup 2+}. Structures of the pyrophosphate (PP{sub i}) complex with 10 mM Mg{sup 2+} (2.8 {angstrom}) or 2 mM Ca{sup 2+} (2.7 {angstrom}) also adopt the open conformation, indicating that the closed to open transition occurs after cAMP release. In the latter complexes, Ca{sup 2+} and Mg{sup 2+} bind only to the high-affinity 'B' metal site associated with substrate/product stabilization. Ca{sup 2+} thus stabilizes the inactive conformation in both ATP- and PP{sub i}-bound states.« less

Ac conductivity and dielectric properties of bulk tin phthalocyanine dichloride (SnPcCl 2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Nahass, M. M.; Farid, A. M.; Abd El-Rahman, K. F.; Ali, H. A. M.

2008-07-01

The ac conductivity, σac( ω), has been measured for bulk tin phthalocyanine dichloride (SnPcCl 2) in the form of compressed pellet with evaporated ohmic Au electrodes in a temperature range 303-403 K. Ac conductivity, σac( ω), is found to vary as ωs in the frequency range 42 Hz-5×10 6 Hz. At low range of frequency, s<1 and it decreases with the increase in temperature indicating a dominant hopping process. At high range of frequency, s is found to be equal to ≈1.09 and is temperature independent. The dielectric constant, ε1, and dialectic loss, ε2, have been determined for bulk SnPcCl 2. Both ε1 and ε2 decrease with the increase in frequency and increase with the increase in temperature. The Cole-Cole types have been used to determine some parameters such as; the macroscopic relaxation time ( τo), the molecular relaxation time ( τ), the activation energy for relaxation ( Eo) and the distribution parameter ( α). The temperature dependence of τ is expressed by a thermally activated process with the activation energy of 0.299 eV.

Conduction in In 2O 3/YSZ heterostructures: Complex interplay between electrons and ions, mediated by interfaces

DOE PAGES

Veal, B. W.; Eastman, J. A.

2017-03-01

Thin film In 2O 3/YSZ heterostructures exhibit significant increases in electrical conductance with time when small in-plane electric fields are applied. Contact resistances between the current electrodes and film, and between current electrodes and substrate are responsible for the behavior. With an in-plane electric field, different field profiles are established in the two materials, with the result that oxygen ions can be driven across the heterointerface, altering the doping of the n-type In 2O 3. Furthermore, a low frequency inductive feature observed in AC impedance spectroscopy measurements under DC bias conditions was found to be due to frequency-dependent changes inmore » the contact resistance.« less

Synthesis, structure and catalytic properties of CNN pincer palladium(II) and ruthenium(II) complexes with N-substituted-2-aminomethyl-6-phenylpyridines.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Hao, Xin-Qi; Zhang, Xiao-Xue; Gong, Jun-Fang; Song, Mao-Ping

2011-09-21

N-substituted-2-aminomethyl-6-phenylpyridines 2a-c have been easily prepared from commercially available 6-bromo-2-picolinaldehyde in two steps. Reaction of 2a-c with PdCl(2) in toluene in the presence of triethylamine gave the CNN pincer Pd(II) complexes 3a-c in 18-28% yields. The CNN pincer Ru(II) complex 5 containing a Ru-NHR functionality could be obtained in a 71% yield by treatment of 2c with a Ru(II) precursor instead of PdCl(2). Additionally, the related CNN pincer Ru(II) complex 7 containing a Ru-NH(2) functionality has been synthesized by the reaction of 2-aminomethyl-6-phenylpyridine with the same Ru(II) precursor in a 68% yield. All the new compounds were characterized by elemental analysis (MS for ligands), (1)H, (13)C NMR, (31)P{(1)H} NMR (for Ru complexes) and IR spectra. Molecular structures of Pd complex 3c as well as Ru complexes 5 and 7 have been determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The obtained Pd complexes 3a-c were effective catalysts for the allylation of aldehydes as well as for three-component allylation of aldehydes, arylamines and allyltributyltin and their activity was found to be much higher than a related NCN Pd(II) pincer in the allylation of aldehyde. On the other hand, the two new CNN pincer Ru(II) complexes 5 and 7 displayed excellent catalytic activity in the transfer hydrogenation of ketones in refluxing 2-propanol with the latter being much more active. The final TOF values were up to 4510 h(-1) with 0.01 mol% of 5 and 220,800 h(-1) with 0.005 mol% of 7, respectively. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Thrust distribution for attitude control in a variable thrust propulsion system with four ACS nozzles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Yeerang; Lee, Wonsuk; Bang, Hyochoong; Lee, Hosung

2017-04-01

A thrust distribution approach is proposed in this paper for a variable thrust solid propulsion system with an attitude control system (ACS) that uses a reduced number of nozzles for a three-axis attitude maneuver. Although a conventional variable thrust solid propulsion system needs six ACS nozzles, this paper proposes a thrust system with four ACS nozzles to reduce the complexity and mass of the system. The performance of the new system was analyzed with numerical simulations, and the results show that the performance of the system with four ACS nozzles was similar to the original system while the mass of the whole system was simultaneously reduced. Moreover, a feasibility analysis was performed to determine whether a thrust system with three ACS nozzles is possible.

[Accidents of the everyday life (AcVC) in children in Dakar: about 201 cases].

PubMed

Mohamed, Azhar Salim; Sagna, Aloïse; Fall, Mbaye; Ndoye, Ndeye Aby; Mbaye, Papa Alassane; Fall, Aimé Lakh; Diaby, Alou; Ndour, Oumar; Ngom, Gabriel

2017-01-01

Accidents of everyday life (AcVC) are common in children and can led to disabling injuries and death. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological aspects of AcVC and the related injury mechanisms in Dakar. We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted from 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2013. All the children victims of domestic accidents, sport and leisure accidents or school accidents were included. We studied some general parameters and some parameters related to each type of AcVC. Two hundred and one children were included, accounting for 27% of emergency consultations. There were 148 boys and 53 girls. Children less than 5 years of age were most affected (37.8%). Football and wrestling game were the main causes of AcVC. AcVC occur mainly at home (58.2%) and in the areas of sport and recreation (31.8%). The fractures predominated in the different types of AcVC: 54.9% of domestic accidents, 68.8% of sport and recreation accidents and 40% of school accidents. From an epidemiological perspective, our results are superimposable to literature. Fractures predominated contrary to literature where bruises were preponderant. Wrestling game is the main cause of these fractures, after football. The acquisition of knowledge about the epidemiological aspects of AcVC and the related injury mechanisms will allow for prevention campaigns in Dakar.

Thickness-, Composition-, and Magnetic-Field-Dependent Complex Impedance Spectroscopy of Granular-Type-Barrier Co/Co-Al2O3/Co MTJs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuan, Nguyen Anh; Anh, Nguyen Tuan; Nga, Nguyen Tuyet; Tue, Nguyen Anh; Van Cuong, Giap

2016-06-01

The alternating-current (ac) electrical properties of granular-type-barrier magnetic tunnel junctions (GBMTJs) based on Co/Co x (Al2O3)1- x ( t)/Co trilayer structures have been studied using complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS). Their CIS characteristics were investigated in external magnetic fields varying from 0 kOe to 3 kOe as a function of Co composition x at 10 at.%, 25 at.%, and 35 at.%, with barrier layer thickness t of 20 nm to 90 nm. The influence of these factors on the behaviors of the ac impedance response of the GBMTJs was deeply investigated and attributed to the dielectric or conducting nature of the Co-Al2O3 barrier layer. The most remarkable typical phenomena observed in these behaviors, even appearing paradoxical, include lower impedance for thicker t for each given x, a declining trend of Z with increasing x, a clear decrease of Z with H, and especially a partition of Z into zones according to the H value. All these effects are analyzed and discussed to demonstrate that diffusion-type and mass-transfer-type phenomena can be inferred from processes such as spin tunneling and Coulomb or spin blockade in the Co-Al2O3 barrier layer.

Electrical conductivity of activated carbon-metal oxide nanocomposites under compression: a comparison study.

PubMed

Barroso-Bogeat, A; Alexandre-Franco, M; Fernández-González, C; Macías-García, A; Gómez-Serrano, V

2014-12-07

From a granular commercial activated carbon (AC) and six metal oxide (Al2O3, Fe2O3, SnO2, TiO2, WO3 and ZnO) precursors, two series of AC-metal oxide nanocomposites were prepared by wet impregnation, oven-drying at 120 °C, and subsequent heat treatment at 200 or 850 °C in an inert atmosphere. Here, the electrical conductivity of the resulting products was studied under moderate compression. The influence of the applied pressure, sample volume, mechanical work, and density of the hybrid materials was thoroughly investigated. The DC electrical conductivity of the compressed samples was measured at room temperature by the four-probe method. Compaction assays suggest that the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites are largely determined by the carbon matrix. Both the decrease in volume and the increase in density were relatively small and only significant at pressures lower than 100 kPa for AC and most nanocomposites. In contrast, the bulk electrical conductivity of the hybrid materials was strongly influenced by the intrinsic conductivity, mean crystallite size, content and chemical nature of the supported phases, which ultimately depend on the metal oxide precursor and heat treatment temperature. The supported nanoparticles may be considered to act as electrical switches either hindering or favouring the effective electron transport between the AC cores of neighbouring composite particles in contact under compression. Conductivity values as a rule were lower for the nanocomposites than for the raw AC, all of them falling in the range of semiconductor materials. With the increase in heat treatment temperature, the trend is toward the improvement of conductivity due to the increase in the crystallite size and, in some cases, to the formation of metals in the elemental state and even metal carbides. The patterns of variation of the electrical conductivity with pressure and mechanical work were slightly similar, thus suggesting the predominance of the pressure effects rather than the volume ones.

Direct simulation of phase delay effects on induced-charge electro-osmosis under large ac electric fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugioka, Hideyuki

2016-08-01

The standard theory of induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) often overpredicts experimental values of ICEO velocities. Using a nonsteady direct multiphysics simulation technique based on the coupled Poisson-Nernst-Planck and Stokes equations for an electrolyte around a conductive cylinder subject to an ac electric field, we find that a phase delay effect concerning an ion response provides a fundamental mechanism for electrokinetic suppression. A surprising aspect of our findings is that the phase delay effect occurs even at much lower frequencies (e.g., 50 Hz) than the generally believed charging frequency of an electric double layer (typically, 1 kHz) and it can decrease the electrokinetic velocities in one to several orders. In addition, we find that the phase delay effect may also cause a change in the electrokinetic flow directions (i.e., flow reversal) depending on the geometrical conditions. We believe that our findings move toward a more complete understanding of complex experimental nonlinear electrokinetic phenomena.

Facilitating the implementation of the American College of Surgeons/Association of Program Directors in Surgery phase III skills curriculum: training faculty in the assessment of team skills.

PubMed

Hull, Louise; Arora, Sonal; Stefanidis, Dimitrios; Sevdalis, Nick

2015-11-01

Effective teamwork is critical to safety in the operating room; however, implementation of phase III of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) Curriculum that focuses on team-based skills remains worryingly low. Training and assessing the complexities of teamwork is challenging. The objective of this study was to establish guidelines and recommendations for training faculty in assessing/debriefing team skills. A multistage survey-based consensus study was completed by 108 experts responsible for training and assessing surgical residents from the ACS Accredited Educational Institutes. Experts agreed that a program to teach faculty to assess team-based skills should include training in the recognition of teamwork skills, practice rating these skills, and training in the provision of feedback/debriefing. Agreement was reached that faculty responsible for conducting team-based skills assessment should be revalidated every 2 years and stringent proficiency criteria should be met. Faculty development is critical to ensure high-quality, standardized training and assessment. Training faculty to assess team-based skills has the potential to facilitate the effective implementation of phase III of the ACS and APDS Curriculum. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges of using air conditioning in an increasingly hot climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundgren-Kownacki, Karin; Hornyanszky, Elisabeth Dalholm; Chu, Tuan Anh; Olsson, Johanna Alkan; Becker, Per

2018-03-01

At present, air conditioning (AC) is the most effective means for the cooling of indoor space. However, its increased global use is problematic for various reasons. This paper explores the challenges linked to increased AC use and discusses more sustainable alternatives. A literature review was conducted applying a transdisciplinary approach. It was further complemented by examples from cities in hot climates. To analyse the findings, an analytical framework was developed which considers four societal levels—individual, community, city, and national. The main challenges identified from the literature review are as follows: environmental, organisational, socio-economical, biophysical and behavioural. The paper also identifies several measures that could be taken to reduce the fast growth of AC use. However, due to the complex nature of the problem, there is no single solution to provide sustainable cooling. Alternative solutions were categorised in three broad categories: climate-sensitive urban planning and building design, alternative cooling technologies, and climate-sensitive attitudes and behaviour. The main findings concern the problems arising from leaving the responsibility to come up with cooling solutions entirely to the individual, and how different societal levels can work towards more sustainable cooling options. It is concluded that there is a need for a more holistic view both when it comes to combining various solutions as well as involving various levels in society.

Influence of severe drought conditions on chromophoric dissolved organic matter dynamics in south Texas coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Stephanie A.; Shank, G. Christopher

2013-01-01

We investigated chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) dynamics in response to the severe drought conditions of 2009 in the Aransas-Copano (AC) Bay complex and adjacent nearshore Gulf of Mexico (GoM) along the southern Texas (USA) coast. Surface water absorption coefficients (a305 in m-1) were measured daily at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) pier located at the interface between the AC complex and the GoM. From June to August 2009, a305 averaged 0.81 ± 0.31 m-1 compared to 1.20 ± 0.70 m-1 during summer of 2008 (June-August) and 1.84 ± 0.34 m-1 during summer 2007 (non-drought year). Despite negligible freshwater input to the AC system for most of 2009, mean a305 values for AC Bay sites were similar in 2008 and 2009, ranging from 3.24 ± 0.60 m-1 in the lower estuary to 6.22 ± 0.55 m-1 in the upper estuary during summer 2009, and 3.15 ± 0.38 m-1 to 6.81 ± 0.73 m-1 during summer 2008 (no data for 2007). CDOM photobleaching experiments were performed using a SunTest XLS + solar simulator with an irradiation spectrum that closely matches solar UV at subtropical latitudes. AC Bay samples exhibited a305 photobleaching half-lives of 33-48 h, while GoM samples exhibited a305 photobleaching half-lives of 36-89 h. We estimate that summertime photobleaching may reduce CDOM levels by >50% in the AC bay complex before discharge into the GoM and by up to 25% more throughout the nearshore waters along the western GoM shelf.

Mucin genes (MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, and MUC6) detection in normal and pathological endometrial tissues.

PubMed

Alameda, Francesc; Mejías-Luque, Raquel; Garrido, Marta; de Bolós, Carme

2007-01-01

Changes in the composition and physical properties of the mucous gel covering the endometrial surface are detected during the menstrual cycle and in pathological conditions. The aim of this study is to analyze the expression patterns of the 11p15 secreted mucins, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6, and the membrane-bound mucin MUC4 in proliferative and secretory normal endometrium, simple and complex hyperplasia, and endometrial adenocarcinoma. A total of 98 samples, 19 of normal endometrium (11 proliferative and 8 secretor), 44 of endometrial hyperplasia (23 simple, 21 complex), and 35 of endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinomas were analyzed by immunohistochemical techniques using specific antimucin antibodies. In the endometrial proliferative glandular epithelium, only MUC4 is detected (36.3% cases). During the secretory phase, increased levels of MUC2 are found (37.5%), whereas MUC4 is less detected (12.5%). In simple hyperplasia, higher levels of mucins are expressed in the endometrial glands: MUC2 is detected in 8.7%, MUC4 in 43.4%, and MUC5AC and MUC6 in 13% of the samples, whereas in complex hyperplasia, decreased levels of mucin expression are found: MUC2 and MUC5AC are not detected, and MUC4 (28.5%) and MUC6 (20.4%) are positive. In endometrial adenocarcinoma, MUC4 is highly detected (77.1%) and increased levels of MUC5AC and MUC6 are found (61.7% and 48.5%), whereas MUC2 is poorly detected (8.5%). These findings suggest that during endometrial neoplasic transformation, increased levels of MUC4, MUC5AC, and MUC6 are detected, whereas MUC2 is only significantly detected in the secretory endometrium.

Development and characterisation of polymeric microparticle of poly(d,l-lactic acid) loaded with holmium acetylacetonate.

PubMed

de Azevedo, Mariangela de Burgos M; de Melo, Vitor H S; Soares, Carlos Roberto J; Miyamoto, Douglas M; Katayama, Ricardo A; Squair, Peterson L; Barros, Caio H N; Tasic, Ljubica

2018-06-14

Biodegradable polymers containing radioactive isotopes such as Holmium 166 ( 166 Ho) have potential applications as beta particle emitters in tumour tissues. It is also a gamma ray emitter, allowing nuclear imaging of any tissue to be acquired. It is frequently used in the form of complexes such as holmium acetylacetonate (HoAcAc), which may cause damages in tissues next to the targets cancer cells, as it is difficult to control its linkage or healthy tissues radiotherapy effects. Poly(d,l-lactic acid), PDLLA, was used to encapsulate holmium acetylacetonate (HoAcAc) using an emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation technique. Microspheres with sizes between 20-53 µm were extensively characterised. HoAcAc release from the microspheres was assessed through studies using Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy, and the microspheres showed no holmium leakage after a period of 10 half-lives and following gamma irradiation. Thus, HoAcAc loaded microspheres are here presented as a potential system for brachytherapy and imaging purposes.

Electrical conductivity and dielectric behavior in sodium zinc divanadates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sallemi, F.; Louati, B.; Guidara, K.

2014-11-01

The Na2ZnV2O7 compound was obtained by the conventional solid-state reaction. The sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Raman and impedance spectroscopy. The ac electrical conductivity and dielectric properties have been investigated in the frequency and temperature range of 200 Hz-1 MHz and 513 K-729 K, respectively. The direct current conductivity process is thermally activated. The frequency dependence of the conductivity is interpreted using the power law. The close values of activation energies obtained from the analysis of hopping frequency and dc conductivity implies that the transport is due to Na+ cation displacement parallel to (0 0 1) plane located between ZnO4 and VO4 tetrahedra. The evolution of the complex permittivity as a function of angular frequency was investigated. Several important parameters such as charge carrier concentration, ionic mobility and diffusion coefficient were determined. Thermodynamic parameters such as the free energy of activation ∆F, the enthalpy ∆H, and the change in entropy ∆S have been calculated.

Stereological analysis of neuron, glial and endothelial cell numbers in the human amygdaloid complex.

PubMed

García-Amado, María; Prensa, Lucía

2012-01-01

Cell number alterations in the amygdaloid complex (AC) might coincide with neurological and psychiatric pathologies with anxiety imbalances as well as with changes in brain functionality during aging. This stereological study focused on estimating, in samples from 7 control individuals aged 20 to 75 years old, the number and density of neurons, glia and endothelial cells in the entire AC and in its 5 nuclear groups (including the basolateral (BL), corticomedial and central groups), 5 nuclei and 13 nuclear subdivisions. The volume and total cell number in these territories were determined on Nissl-stained sections with the Cavalieri principle and the optical fractionator. The AC mean volume was 956 mm(3) and mean cell numbers (x10(6)) were: 15.3 neurons, 60 glial cells and 16.8 endothelial cells. The numbers of endothelial cells and neurons were similar in each AC region and were one fourth the number of glial cells. Analysis of the influence of the individuals' age at death on volume, cell number and density in each of these 24 AC regions suggested that aging does not affect regional size or the amount of glial cells, but that neuron and endothelial cell numbers respectively tended to decrease and increase in territories such as AC or BL. These accurate stereological measures of volume and total cell numbers and densities in the AC of control individuals could serve as appropriate reference values to evaluate subtle alterations in this structure in pathological conditions.

Stereological Analysis of Neuron, Glial and Endothelial Cell Numbers in the Human Amygdaloid Complex

PubMed Central

García-Amado, María; Prensa, Lucía

2012-01-01

Cell number alterations in the amygdaloid complex (AC) might coincide with neurological and psychiatric pathologies with anxiety imbalances as well as with changes in brain functionality during aging. This stereological study focused on estimating, in samples from 7 control individuals aged 20 to 75 years old, the number and density of neurons, glia and endothelial cells in the entire AC and in its 5 nuclear groups (including the basolateral (BL), corticomedial and central groups), 5 nuclei and 13 nuclear subdivisions. The volume and total cell number in these territories were determined on Nissl-stained sections with the Cavalieri principle and the optical fractionator. The AC mean volume was 956 mm3 and mean cell numbers (x106) were: 15.3 neurons, 60 glial cells and 16.8 endothelial cells. The numbers of endothelial cells and neurons were similar in each AC region and were one fourth the number of glial cells. Analysis of the influence of the individuals’ age at death on volume, cell number and density in each of these 24 AC regions suggested that aging does not affect regional size or the amount of glial cells, but that neuron and endothelial cell numbers respectively tended to decrease and increase in territories such as AC or BL. These accurate stereological measures of volume and total cell numbers and densities in the AC of control individuals could serve as appropriate reference values to evaluate subtle alterations in this structure in pathological conditions. PMID:22719923

Amino acid residues in the GerAB protein important in the function and assembly of the alanine spore germination receptor of Bacillus subtilis 168.

PubMed

Cooper, Gareth R; Moir, Anne

2011-05-01

The paradigm gerA operon is required for endospore germination in response to c-alanine as the sole germinant, and the three protein products, GerAA, GerAB, and GerAC are predicted to form a receptor complex in the spore inner membrane. GerAB shows homology to the amino acid-polyamine-organocation (APC) family of single-component transporters and is predicted to be an integral membrane protein with 10 membrane-spanning helices. Site-directed mutations were introduced into the gerAB gene at its natural location on the chromosome. Alterations to some charged or potential helix-breaking residues within membrane spans affected receptor function dramatically. In some cases, this is likely to reflect the complete loss of the GerA receptor complex, as judged by the absence of the germinant receptor protein GerAC, which suggests that the altered GerAB protein itself may be unstable or that the altered structure destabilizes the complex. Mutants that have a null phenotype for Instituto de Biotecnología de León, INBIOTEC, Parque Científico de León, Av. Real, 1, 24006 León, Spain-alanine germination but retain GerAC protein at near-normal levels are more likely to define amino acid residues of functional, rather than structural, importance. Single-amino-acid substitutions in each of the GerAB and GerAA proteins can prevent incorporation of GerAC protein into the spore; this provides strong evidence that the proteins within a specific receptor interact and that these interactions are required for receptor assembly. The lipoprotein nature of the GerAC receptor subunit is also important; an amino acid change in the prelipoprotein signal sequence in the gerAC1 mutant results in the absence of GerAC protein from the spore.

Dielectric spectroscopy investigation of proton transfer processes in carboxymethyl alpha-cyclodextrin polymer cross-linked by epichlorohydrin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papaioannou, Panagoula K.; Karagianni, Chaido S.; Kakali, Glykeria; Charalampopoulos, Vasileios G.

2018-03-01

The carboxymethyl-α-cyclodextrin polymer (cross-linked by epichlorohydrin) is investigated by dielectric spectroscopy over a frequency range of 0.1-100 kHz and the temperature ranges of 137.2-297.6 K (cooling) and 137.2-472 K (heating). Upon cooling to 288.1 K, the ac-conductivity invariance is attributed to slight changes in the topology of the H-bonded chains. From 288.1 to 244.0 K, the ac-conductivity decreases abruptly (following the Arrhenius law with Eα = 0.40 eV), whereas below 244.0 K it presents no important variations. During heating from 137.2 to 302.6 K, no thermal hysteresis is observed. From 302.6 to 364.9 K, the ac-conductivity increases (Eα = 0.71 eV), whereas above 383 K it decreases up to 436.7 K since the dehydration process has been completed and the H-bonded chains can no longer be retained. From 436.7 to 472 K, the ac-conductivity increases again (Eα = 0.76 eV) indicating the formation of "new" H-bonded chains. Curve fitting of various relaxation processes is done by Havriliak-Negami equation at selective temperatures.

Dielectric relaxation dynamics and AC conductivity scaling of metal-organic framework (MOF-5) based polymer electrolyte nanocomposites incorporated with ionic liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Rituraj; Kumar, A.

2017-10-01

Dielectric relaxation dynamics and AC conductivity scaling of a metal-organic framework (MOF-5) based poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdf-HFP) incorporated with 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate have been studied over a frequency range of 40 Hz-5 MHz and in the temperature range of 300 K-380 K. High values of dielectric permittivity (~{{\\varepsilon }\\prime} ) having strong dispersion are obtained at low frequency because of interfacial polarization. The real part of the dielectric modulus spectra (M‧) shows no prominent peak, whereas the imaginary part (M″) shows certain peaks, with a reduction in relaxation time (τ) that can be attributed to a non-Debye relaxation mechanism. The spectra also depict both concentration- and temperature-independent scaling behavior. The power law dependent variation of AC conductivity follows the jump relaxation model and reveals activated ion hopping over diffusion barriers. The value of the frequency exponent is observed to decrease with increasing concentration of ionic liquid, indicating the forward hopping of ions in the relaxation process. The AC conductivity scaling curves at different temperatures also depict the temperature-independent relaxation dynamics.

Dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity behavior of carboxyl functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes/poly (vinyl alcohol) composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amrin, Sayed; Deshpande, V. D.

2017-03-01

We study the dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity behavior of MWCNT-COOH/Polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite films in the temperature (T) range 303-423 K and in the frequency (f) range 0.1 Hz-1 MHz. The dielectric constant increases with an increase in temperature and also with an increase in MWCNT-COOH loading into the polymer matrix, as a result of interfacial polarization. The permittivity data were found to fit well with the modified Cole-Cole equation. Temperature dependent values of the relaxation times, free charge carrier conductivity and space charge carrier conductivity were extracted from the equation. An observed increment in the ac conductivity for the nanocomposites was analysed by a Jonscher power law which suggests that the correlated barrier hopping is the dominant charge transport mechanism for the nanocomposite films. The electric modulus study revealed deviations from ideal Debye-type behavior which are explained by considering a generalized susceptibility function. XRD and DSC results show an increase in the degree of crystallinity.

Practical interpretation of CYP2D6 haplotypes: Comparison and integration of automated and expert calling.

PubMed

Ruaño, Gualberto; Kocherla, Mohan; Graydon, James S; Holford, Theodore R; Makowski, Gregory S; Goethe, John W

2016-05-01

We describe a population genetic approach to compare samples interpreted with expert calling (EC) versus automated calling (AC) for CYP2D6 haplotyping. The analysis represents 4812 haplotype calls based on signal data generated by the Luminex xMap analyzers from 2406 patients referred to a high-complexity molecular diagnostics laboratory for CYP450 testing. DNA was extracted from buccal swabs. We compared the results of expert calls (EC) and automated calls (AC) with regard to haplotype number and frequency. The ratio of EC to AC was 1:3. Haplotype frequencies from EC and AC samples were convergent across haplotypes, and their distribution was not statistically different between the groups. Most duplications required EC, as only expansions with homozygous or hemizygous haplotypes could be automatedly called. High-complexity laboratories can offer equivalent interpretation to automated calling for non-expanded CYP2D6 loci, and superior interpretation for duplications. We have validated scientific expert calling specified by scoring rules as standard operating procedure integrated with an automated calling algorithm. The integration of EC with AC is a practical strategy for CYP2D6 clinical haplotyping. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temperature-accelerated molecular dynamics gives insights into globular conformations sampled in the free state of the AC catalytic domain.

PubMed

Selwa, Edithe; Huynh, Tru; Ciccotti, Giovanni; Maragliano, Luca; Malliavin, Thérèse E

2014-10-01

The catalytic domain of the adenyl cyclase (AC) toxin from Bordetella pertussis is activated by interaction with calmodulin (CaM), resulting in cAMP overproduction in the infected cell. In the X-ray crystallographic structure of the complex between AC and the C terminal lobe of CaM, the toxin displays a markedly elongated shape. As for the structure of the isolated protein, experimental results support the hypothesis that more globular conformations are sampled, but information at atomic resolution is still lacking. Here, we use temperature-accelerated molecular dynamics (TAMD) simulations to generate putative all-atom models of globular conformations sampled by CaM-free AC. As collective variables, we use centers of mass coordinates of groups of residues selected from the analysis of standard molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Results show that TAMD allows extended conformational sampling and generates AC conformations that are more globular than in the complexed state. These structures are then refined via energy minimization and further unrestrained MD simulations to optimize inter-domain packing interactions, thus resulting in the identification of a set of hydrogen bonds present in the globular conformations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The baculovirus core gene ac83 is required for nucleocapsid assembly and per os infectivity of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus.

PubMed

Zhu, Shimao; Wang, Wei; Wang, Yan; Yuan, Meijin; Yang, Kai

2013-10-01

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) ac83 is a baculovirus core gene whose function in the AcMNPV life cycle is unknown. In the present study, an ac83-knockout AcMNPV (vAc83KO) was constructed to investigate the function of ac83 through homologous recombination in Escherichia coli. No budded virions were produced in vAc83KO-transfected Sf9 cells, although viral DNA replication was unaffected. Electron microscopy revealed that nucleocapsid assembly was aborted due to the ac83 deletion. Domain-mapping studies revealed that the expression of Ac83 amino acid residues 451 to 600 partially rescued the ability of AcMNPV to produce infectious budded virions. Bioassays indicated that deletion of the chitin-binding domain of Ac83 resulted in the failure of oral infection of Trichoplusia ni larvae by AcMNPV, but AcMNPV remained infectious following intrahemocoelic injection, suggesting that the domain is involved in the binding of occlusion-derived virions to the peritrophic membrane and/or to other chitin-containing insect tissues. It has been demonstrated that Ac83 is the only component with a chitin-binding domain in the per os infectivity factor complex on the occlusion-derived virion envelope. Interestingly, a functional inner nuclear membrane sorting motif, which may facilitate the localization of Ac83 to the envelopes of occlusion-derived virions, was identified by immunofluorescence analysis. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Ac83 plays an important role in nucleocapsid assembly and the establishment of oral infection.

Comparative analysis of bleeding risk by the location and shape of arachnoid cysts: a finite element model analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Chang-Hyun; Han, In Seok; Lee, Ji Yeoun; Phi, Ji Hoon; Kim, Seung-Ki; Kim, Young-Eun; Wang, Kyu-Chang

2017-01-01

Although arachnoid cysts (ACs) are observed in various locations, only sylvian ACs are mainly regarded to be associated with bleeding. The reason for this selective association of sylvian ACs with bleeding is not understood well. This study is to investigate the effect of the location and shape of ACs on the risk of bleeding. A developed finite element model of the head/brain was modified for models of sylvian, suprasellar, and posterior fossa ACs. A spherical AC was placed at each location to compare the effect of AC location. Bowl-shaped and oval-shaped AC models were developed to compare the effect by shape. The shear force on the spot-weld elements (SFSW) was measured between the dura and the outer wall of the ACs or the comparable arachnoid membrane in the normal model. All AC models revealed higher SFSW than comparable normal models. By location, sylvian AC displayed the highest SFSW for frontal and lateral impacts. By shape, small outer wall AC models showed higher SFSW than large wall models in sylvian area and lower SFSW than large ones in posterior fossa. In regression analysis, the presence of AC was the only independent risk of bleeding. The bleeding mechanism of ACs is very complex, and the risk quantification failed to show a significant role of location and shape of ACs. The presence of AC increases shear force on impact condition and may be a risk factor of bleeding, and sylvian location of AC may not have additive risks of AC bleeding.

Using the Dynamic Model of Affect (DMA) to examine leisure time as a stress coping resource: Taking into account stress severity and gender difference

PubMed Central

Qian, Xinyi Lisa; Yarnal, Careen M.; Almeida, David M.

2014-01-01

Affective complexity (AC) is a marker of psychological well-being. According to the Dynamic Model of Affect (DMA), stressful experiences reduce AC while positive events increase AC. One type of positive events is leisure, which was also identified as a coping resource. This study extended the DMA and leisure coping research by assessing gender difference in how daily stress severity and leisure time influence AC. Analyzing eight-day diary data, we found that females, compared to males, experienced greater decrease in AC with increase in stress severity but also bigger increase in AC with increase in leisure time. The finding highlights gender difference in affective reactivity to and coping with daily stress, the value of the DMA, and the importance of severity appraisal. PMID:25242824

Testing of a Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Methane Reaction Control Thruster in a New Altitude Rocket Engine Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Michael L.; Arrington, Lynn A.; Kleinhenz, Julie E.; Marshall, William M.

2012-01-01

A relocated rocket engine test facility, the Altitude Combustion Stand (ACS), was activated in 2009 at the NASA Glenn Research Center. This facility has the capability to test with a variety of propellants and up to a thrust level of 2000 lbf (8.9 kN) with precise measurement of propellant conditions, propellant flow rates, thrust and altitude conditions. These measurements enable accurate determination of a thruster and/or nozzle s altitude performance for both technology development and flight qualification purposes. In addition the facility was designed to enable efficient test operations to control costs for technology and advanced development projects. A liquid oxygen-liquid methane technology development test program was conducted in the ACS from the fall of 2009 to the fall of 2010. Three test phases were conducted investigating different operational modes and in addition, the project required the complexity of controlling propellant inlet temperatures over an extremely wide range. Despite the challenges of a unique propellant (liquid methane) and wide operating conditions, the facility performed well and delivered up to 24 hot fire tests in a single test day. The resulting data validated the feasibility of utilizing this propellant combination for future deep space applications.

Electrical and magnetic properties of 0-3 Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3/PVDF composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranjan, Hars; Mahto, Uttam K.; Chandra, K. P.; Kulkarni, A. R.; Prasad, A.; Prasad, K.

Lead-free Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3/PVDF 0-3 composites were fabricated using melt-mixing technique. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, dielectric, impedance, ac conductivity, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and vibrating sample magnetometer studies were undertaken to characterize the samples. Average crystallite size of the Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 powder, estimated using Williamson-Hall approach, was found to be ˜42nm. The filler particles of ˜0.5-1μm were found to disperse in the polymer matrix of all the composites. Filler concentration-dependent values of real and imaginary parts of complex permittivity showed increasing trend and were seen to follow Bruggeman and Furukawa equations. The data for ac conductivity exhibited negative temperature coefficient of resistance character of the test materials and were found to obey Jonscher’s power law. The correlated barrier hopping model was found to explain satisfactorily the mechanism of charge transport occurring in the system. MFM confirmed the presence of magnetic phases in the composites. Typical magnetization versus applied field curves indicated the possibility of magnetoelectric coupling in the system. Hence, the present composites have shown themselves as potential multi-functional candidate materials for use in high density data storage applications.

Affirmative Consent: What Do College Student Leaders Think about "Yes Means Yes" as the Standard for Sexual Behavior?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Jena Nicols; Burnett, Susan

2017-01-01

Affirmative consent (AC) is becoming the standard for sexual behavior between students. However, little is known about how college students interpret and practice AC. We conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample of 31 undergraduate students to understand students' perceptions of AC and how it was practiced in their…

Adenylyl cyclase 3/adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1) complex mediates the anti-migratory effect of forskolin in pancreatic cancer cells.

PubMed

Quinn, Sierra N; Graves, Sarai H; Dains-McGahee, Clayton; Friedman, Emilee M; Hassan, Humma; Witkowski, Piotr; Sabbatini, Maria E

2017-04-01

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal human malignancies. A better understanding of the intracellular mechanism of migration and invasion is urgently needed to develop treatment that will suppress metastases and improve overall survival. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) is a second messenger that has shown to regulate migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. The rise of cyclic AMP suppressed migration and invasion of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Cyclic AMP is formed from cytosolic ATP by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase (AC). There are ten isoforms of ACs; nine are anchored in the plasma membrane and one is soluble. What remains unknown is the extent to which the expression of transmembrane AC isoforms is both modified in pancreatic cancer and mediates the inhibitory effect of forskolin on cell motility. Using real-time PCR analysis, ADCY3 was found to be highly expressed in pancreatic tumor tissues, resulting in a constitutive increase in cyclic AMP levels. On the other hand, ADCY2 was down-regulated. Migration, invasion, and filopodia formation in two different pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines, HPAC and PANC-1 deficient in AC1 or AC3, were studied. We found that AC3, upon stimulation with forskolin, enhanced cyclic AMP levels and inhibited cell migration and invasion. Unlikely to be due to a cytotoxic effect, the inhibitory effects of forskolin involved the quick formation of AC3/adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1)/G-actin complex, which inhibited filopodia formation and cell motility. Using Western blotting analysis, forskolin, through AC3 activation, caused phosphorylation of CREB, but not ERK. The effect of CREB phosphorylation is likely to be associated with long-term signaling changes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early Rockets

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-07-25

An Atlas Centaur rocket (AC-S9) was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station complex 36B carrying into orbit the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) spacecraft. CRRES was a joint NASA/Air Force mission to study the effects of chemical release on the Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere.

Establishment and application of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) system for detection of cry1Ac transgenic sugarcane

PubMed Central

Zhou, Dinggang; Guo, Jinlong; Xu, Liping; Gao, Shiwu; Lin, Qingliang; Wu, Qibin; Wu, Luguang; Que, Youxiong

2014-01-01

To meet the demand for detection of foreign genes in genetically modified (GM) sugarcane necessary for regulation of gene technology, an efficient method with high specificity and rapidity was developed for the cry1Ac gene, based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). A set of four primers was designed using the sequence of cry1Ac along with optimized reaction conditions: 5.25 mM of Mg2+, 4:1 ratio of inner primer to outer primer, 2.0 U of Bst DNA polymerase in a reaction volume of 25.0 μL. Three post-LAMP detection methods (precipitation, calcein (0.60 mM) with Mn2+ (0.05 mM) complex and SYBR Green I visualization), were shown to be effective. The sensitivity of the LAMP method was tenfold higher than that of conventional PCR when using templates of the recombinant cry1Ac plasmid or genomic DNA from cry1Ac transgenic sugarcane plants. More importantly, this system allowed detection of the foreign gene on-site when screening GM sugarcane without complex and expensive instruments, using the naked eye. This method can not only provide technological support for detection of cry1Ac, but can also further facilitate the use of this detection technique for other transgenes in GM sugarcane. PMID:24810230

Reactions of the linear tetranuclear complex Ru sub 4 (CO) sub 10 (CH sub 3 C double bond C(H)C(H) double bond N-i-Pr) sub 2 with oxidizing reagents. Syntheses of halide-bridged (Ru(CO) sub 2 X(CH sub 3 C double bond C(H)C(H) double bond N-i-Pr)) sub 2 and fac-Ru(CO) sub 3 X(CH sub 3 C double bond C(H)C(H) double bond N-i-Pr)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mul, W.P.; Elsevier, C.J.; van Leijen, M.

1991-01-01

The linear tetranuclear complex Ru{sub 4}(CO){sub 10}(CH{sub 3}C{double bond}C(H)C(H){double bond}N-i-Pr){sub 2} (1), containing two {eta}{sup 5}-azaruthenacyclopentadienyl systems, reacts with oxidizing reagents (I{sub 2}, Br{sub 2}, NBS, CCl{sub 4}) at elevated temperatures (40-90C) in heptane or benzene to give the new dimeric halide-bridged organoruthenium(II) complexes (Ru(CO){sub 2}X(CH{sub 3}C{double bond}C(H)C(H){double bond}N-i-Pr)){sub 2} (X = I (3a), X = Br (3b), Cl (3c); yield 30-80%) together with (Ru(CO){sub 3}X{sub 2}){sub 2}. The reactions of 1 with CX{sub 4} (X = I, Br, Cl) are accelerated by CO, probably because Ru{sub 4}(CO){sub 12}(CH{sub 3}C{double bond}C(H)C(H){double bond}N-i-Pr){sub 2} (5), which contains two unbridged metal-metal bonds,more » is formed prior to oxidation. The halide-bridged dimers 3a-c are obtained as mixtures of four isomers, the configurations of which are discussed. Splitting of the halide bridges takes place when a solution of 3a-c is saturated with CO, whereby mononuclear fac-Ru(CO){sub 3}X(CH{sub 3}C{double bond}C(H)C(H){double bond}N-i-Pr) (4a-c) is obtained. This process is reversible; ie., passing a stream of nitrogen through a solution of 4a-c or removal of the solvent under vacuum causes the reverse reaction with reformation of 3a-c. Compounds 3a-c and 4a-c have been characterized by IR (3, 4), FD mass (3), {sup 1}H (3, 4), and {sup 13}C{l brace}H{r brace} NMR (4) spectroscopy and satisfactory elemental analyses have been obtained for 3a-c. Compounds 3 and 4 are suitable precursors for the preparation of new homo- and heteronuclear transition-metal complexes.« less

Comparison effects and dielectric properties of different dose methylene-blue-doped hydrogels.

PubMed

Yalçın, O; Coşkun, R; Okutan, M; Öztürk, M

2013-08-01

The dielectric properties of methylene blue (MB)-doped hydrogels were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. The real part (ε') and the imaginary part (ε") of the complex dielectric constant and the energy loss tangent/dissipation factor (tan δ) were measured in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 100 MHz at room temperature for pH 5.5 value. Frequency variations of the resistance, the reactance, and the impedance of the samples have also been investigated. The dielectric permittivity of the MB-doped hydrogels is sensitive to ionic conduction and electrode polarization in low frequency. Furthermore, the dielectric behavior in high-frequency parts was attributed to the Brownian motion of the hydrogen bonds. The ionic conduction for MB-doped samples was prevented for Cole-Cole plots, while the Cole-Cole plots for pure sample show equivalent electrical circuit. The alternative current (ac) conductivity increases with the increasing MB concentration and the frequency.

Combined Experimental and Theoretical Investigations on Optical Activities of Möbius Aromatic and Möbius Antiaromatic Hexaphyrin Phosphorus Complexes.

PubMed

Mori, Tadashi; Tanaka, Takayuki; Higashino, Tomohiro; Yoshida, Kota; Osuka, Atsuhiro

2016-06-23

Intrinsically chiral Möbius aromatic [28]hexaphyrin monophosphorus(V) and Möbius antiaromatic [30]hexaphyrin bisphosphorus(V) complexes have been optically resolved and their absolute configurations (ACs) were determined by combined experimental and theoretical investigations on their circular dichroisms (CDs). First elutes in chiral HPLC exhibited strong positive Cotton effects (CEs) at the B-band, characteristic for the ML configurations in their Möbius strips. Weak CEs at the Q-band, if attainable, complemented their AC assignment. The whole CD pattern and intensity were well reproduced by time-dependent approximate coupled cluster theory using model systems that omit five outward meso-aryl substituents (inward-meso-retained model), providing a solid basis for AC assignment. The cost efficient TD-DFT method with appropriate functionals for fully substituted (nontruncated) complexes well reproduced CEs around the B-band (but less satisfactory at the Q-band), also allows the rapid AC estimation for their Möbius strips. Observed difference in CDs between aromatic and antiaromatic hexaphyrins were better interpreted by their shifts in energy levels and altered interactions of relevant molecular orbitals, rather than small differences in Möbius geometries nor aromatic/antiaromatic character, despite the correlations recently claimed in planar π-systems.

Influence of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and ballistic spin transport in the two and three-dimensional Heisenberg model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, L. S.

2018-06-01

We study the effect of Dzyaloshisnkii-Moriya interaction on spin transport in the two and three-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnetic models in the square lattice and cubic lattice respectively. For the three-dimensional model, we obtain a large peak for the spin conductivity and therefore a finite AC conductivity. For the two-dimensional model, we have gotten the AC spin conductivity tending to the infinity at ω → 0 limit and a suave decreasing in the spin conductivity with increase of ω. We obtain a small influence of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction on the spin conductivity in all cases analyzed.

Cartilage conduction is characterized by vibrations of the cartilaginous portion of the ear canal.

PubMed

Nishimura, Tadashi; Hosoi, Hiroshi; Saito, Osamu; Miyamae, Ryosuke; Shimokura, Ryota; Yamanaka, Toshiaki; Kitahara, Tadashi; Levitt, Harry

2015-01-01

Cartilage conduction (CC) is a new form of sound transmission which is induced by a transducer being placed on the aural cartilage. Although the conventional forms of sound transmission to the cochlea are classified into air or bone conduction (AC or BC), previous study demonstrates that CC is not classified into AC or BC (Laryngoscope 124: 1214-1219). Next interesting issue is whether CC is a hybrid of AC and BC. Seven volunteers with normal hearing participated in this experiment. The threshold-shifts by water injection in the ear canal were measured. AC, BC, and CC thresholds at 0.5-4 kHz were measured in the 0%-, 40%-, and 80%-water injection conditions. In addition, CC thresholds were also measured for the 20%-, 60%-, 100%-, and overflowing-water injection conditions. The contributions of the vibrations of the cartilaginous portion were evaluated by the threshold-shifts. For AC and BC, the threshold-shifts by the water injection were 22.6-53.3 dB and within 14.9 dB at the frequency of 0.5-4 kHz, respectively. For CC, when the water was filled within the bony portion, the thresholds were elevated to the same degree as AC. When the water was additionally injected to reach the cartilaginous portion, the thresholds at 0.5 and 1 kHz dramatically decreased by 27.4 and 27.5 dB, respectively. In addition, despite blocking AC by the injected water, the CC thresholds in force level were remarkably lower than those for BC. The vibration of the cartilaginous portion contributes to the sound transmission, particularly in the low frequency range. Although the airborne sound is radiated into the ear canal in both BC and CC, the mechanism underlying its generation is different between them. CC generates airborne sound in the canal more efficiently than BC. The current findings suggest that CC is not a hybrid of AC and BC.

Cartilage Conduction Is Characterized by Vibrations of the Cartilaginous Portion of the Ear Canal

PubMed Central

Nishimura, Tadashi; Hosoi, Hiroshi; Saito, Osamu; Miyamae, Ryosuke; Shimokura, Ryota; Yamanaka, Toshiaki; Kitahara, Tadashi; Levitt, Harry

2015-01-01

Cartilage conduction (CC) is a new form of sound transmission which is induced by a transducer being placed on the aural cartilage. Although the conventional forms of sound transmission to the cochlea are classified into air or bone conduction (AC or BC), previous study demonstrates that CC is not classified into AC or BC (Laryngoscope 124: 1214–1219). Next interesting issue is whether CC is a hybrid of AC and BC. Seven volunteers with normal hearing participated in this experiment. The threshold-shifts by water injection in the ear canal were measured. AC, BC, and CC thresholds at 0.5–4 kHz were measured in the 0%-, 40%-, and 80%-water injection conditions. In addition, CC thresholds were also measured for the 20%-, 60%-, 100%-, and overflowing-water injection conditions. The contributions of the vibrations of the cartilaginous portion were evaluated by the threshold-shifts. For AC and BC, the threshold-shifts by the water injection were 22.6–53.3 dB and within 14.9 dB at the frequency of 0.5–4 kHz, respectively. For CC, when the water was filled within the bony portion, the thresholds were elevated to the same degree as AC. When the water was additionally injected to reach the cartilaginous portion, the thresholds at 0.5 and 1 kHz dramatically decreased by 27.4 and 27.5 dB, respectively. In addition, despite blocking AC by the injected water, the CC thresholds in force level were remarkably lower than those for BC. The vibration of the cartilaginous portion contributes to the sound transmission, particularly in the low frequency range. Although the airborne sound is radiated into the ear canal in both BC and CC, the mechanism underlying its generation is different between them. CC generates airborne sound in the canal more efficiently than BC. The current findings suggest that CC is not a hybrid of AC and BC. PMID:25768088

Electrical studies of D%AgI-(100-D)%[0.667Ag2O- 0.333{(0.4)B2O3-(0.6)TeO2}] fast ion conducting glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, E. Ramesh; Nageswar Rao, P.; Appa Rao, B.

2016-09-01

Super ion conducting glasses of composition D%AgI-(100-D)%[MAg2O-F{(F1)B2O3- (F2)TeO2}]; D=10.0 to 60.0 in steps of 10.0 for a fixed values of F1 (0.4), F2 (0.6) which are glass network formers, fixed values of modifier M(0.667), F (0.333) and D is dopant salt which was varied. These glasses were prepared by melt quenching technique. XRD spectra taken for all the samples. Electrical characterization was done in terms of AC and DC conductivities. DC and AC conductivities at room temperature increased from 10-5 to 10-1 scm-1 and DC activation energy (Edc) found to decrease from 0.36 to 0.19eV with increase in D% ratio. Measurements are performed over the frequency range 1 kHz to 3 MHz at different temperatures. From the impedance spectroscopy real and imaginary parts of impedances (Z', Z"), conductivities were calculated and plotted, and equivalent R-C circuit parameters were obtained from Cole-Cole plots. With the increase in D%, AC conductivity is observed to increase whereas the AC activation energy (Eac) is observed to decrease from 0.23 to 0.14 eV. The quantitative analysis of these results indicates that the electrical conductivity of silver borate glasses is enhanced with increase in D% ratio. Based on conductivity values these glasses are ionic conductors, in which conduction is by hopping mechanism. An attempt is made to understand the charge transportation process.

SR 85 and 77th Special Forces Way West McWhorter Rd Overpass Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-04

Evaluation criteria were developed and used to evaluate the potential impacts of the interchange alternatives. The evaluation matrix is in a chart...Land Use 6.8 ac taken 17.25 ac taken 34.80 ac taken 27.87 ac taken 35.25 ac taken Safety Stoplight has increased the potential for high speed...change in land  use  in  the easement. The Air Force would conduct further analysis for  potential  land  use  impacts –  Environmental Baseline Study or

Analytical theory and possible detection of the ac quantum spin Hall effect

DOE PAGES

Deng, W. Y.; Ren, Y. J.; Lin, Z. X.; ...

2017-07-11

Here, we develop an analytical theory of the low-frequency ac quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect based upon the scattering matrix formalism. It is shown that the ac QSH effect can be interpreted as a bulk quantum pumping effect. When the electron spin is conserved, the integer-quantized ac spin Hall conductivity can be linked to the winding numbers of the reflection matrices in the electrodes, which also equal to the bulk spin Chern numbers of the QSH material. Furthermore, a possible experimental scheme by using ferromagnetic metals as electrodes is proposed to detect the topological ac spin current by electrical means.

DC bias effect on alternating current electrical conductivity of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/alumina nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikam, Pravin N.; Deshpande, Vineeta D.

2016-05-01

Polymer nanocomposites based on metal oxide (ceramic) nanoparticles are a new class of materials with unique properties and designed for various applications such as electronic device packaging, insulation, fabrication and automotive industries. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/alumina (Al2O3) nanocomposites with filler content between 1 wt% and 5 wt% were prepared by melt compounding method using co-rotating twin screw extruder and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and precision LCR meter techniques. The results revealed that proper uniform dispersion at lower content up to 2 wt% of nano-alumina observed by using TEM. Aggregation of nanoparticles was observed at higher content of alumina examined by using SEM and TEM. The frequency dependences of the alternating current (AC) conductivity (σAC) of PET/alumina nanocomposites on the filler content and DC bias were investigated in the frequency range of 20Hz - 1MHz. The results showed that the AC and direct current (DC) conductivity increases with increasing DC bias and nano-alumina content upto 3 wt%. It follows the Jonscher's universal power law of solids. It revealed that σAC of PET/alumina nanocomposites can be well characterized by the DC conductivity (σDC), critical frequency (ωc), critical exponent of the power law (s). Roll of DC bias potential led to an increase of DC conductivity (σDC) due to the creation of additional conducting paths with the polymer nanocomposites and percolation behavior achieved through co-continuous morphology.

Low temperature synthesis and enhanced electrical properties by substitution of Al3+ and Cr3+ in Co-Ni nanoferrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pervaiz, Erum; Gul, I. H.

2013-10-01

Aluminum and chromium substituted Co-Ni spinel nanoferrites were prepared by sol-gel auto combustion method. Structural parameters along with electrical and magnetic properties have been investigated in the present work. Crystallite sizes of nano ferrite estimated from the peak (311) lies in the range of 13-21 nm ±2 nm and compared with crystallite sizes calculated from Williamsons-Hall plots. DC electrical resistivity variations due to the concentration of aluminum and chromium in the host ferrite have been measured from 368 K to 573 K. Increase in the room temperature DC electrical resistivity was observed up to a concentration x=0.2 and then decreases for x >0.2. Dielectric parameters (real and imaginary part of complex permittivity, dielectric loss tangent) were studied as a function of frequency (20 Hz-5 MHz) and a decrease in the dielectric parameters was observed due to substitution of nickel, aluminum and chromium ions in cobalt nanoferrites. AC conductivity, complex impedance and complex electrical modulus were studied as a function of frequency for the conduction and relaxation mechanisms in the present ferrite system. Saturation magnetization, coercivity, canting angles and magneto crystalline anisotropy variations with composition were observed and presented for the present ferrites under an applied magnetic field of 10 kOe at room temperature. It was found that both magnetization and coercivity decreases with increase in the concentration of aluminum and chromium along with a decrease in the anisotropy parameters. High DC resistivity with low dielectric parameters of the present nanoferrites make them suitable for high frequency and electromagnetic wave absorbing devices. High purity mixed Co-Ni-Al-Cr nanoferrites have been prepared by sol-gel auto combustion method. DC electrical resistivity increases due to substitution of Al3+ and Cr3+. Complex permittivity decrease for Co-Ni-Al-Cr nanoferrites. Detailed AC response analysis has been presented for mixed Co-Ni-Al-Cr nanoferrites. Magnetization and coercively reduces for Al3+ and Cr3+ doped Co-Ni ferrite nanoparticles showing that material is becoming soft magnetic.

Enhanced Corrosion Resistance and Interfacial Conductivity of TiC x/a-C Nanolayered Coatings via Synergy of Substrate Bias Voltage for Bipolar Plates Applications in PEMFCs.

PubMed

Yi, Peiyun; Zhang, Weixin; Bi, Feifei; Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin

2018-06-06

Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells are one kind of renewable and clean energy conversion device, whose metallic bipolar plates are one of the key components. However, high interfacial contact resistance and poor corrosion resistance are still great challenges for the commercialization of metallic bipolar plates. In this study, we demonstrated a novel strategy for depositing TiC x /amorphous carbon (a-C) nanolayered coatings by synergy of 60 and 300 V bias voltage to enhance corrosion resistance and interfacial conductivity. The synergistic effects of bias voltage on the composition, microstructure, surface roughness, electrochemical corrosion behaviors, and interfacial conductivity of TiC x /a-C coatings were explored. The results revealed that the columnar structures in the inner layer were suppressed and the surface became rougher with the 300 V a-C layer outside. The composition analysis indicated that the sp 2 content increased with an increase of 300 V sputtering time. Due to the synergy strategy of bias voltage, lower corrosion current densities were achieved both in potentiostatic polarization (1.6 V vs standard hydrogen electrode) and potentiodynamic polarization. With the increase of 300 V sputtering time, the interfacial conductivity was improved. The enhanced corrosion resistance and interfacial conductivity of the TiC x /a-C coatings would provide new opportunities for commercial bipolar plates.

Context based computational analysis and characterization of ARS consensus sequences (ACS) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome.

PubMed

Singh, Vinod Kumar; Krishnamachari, Annangarachari

2016-09-01

Genome-wide experimental studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveal that autonomous replicating sequence (ARS) requires an essential consensus sequence (ACS) for replication activity. Computational studies identified thousands of ACS like patterns in the genome. However, only a few hundreds of these sites act as replicating sites and the rest are considered as dormant or evolving sites. In a bid to understand the sequence makeup of replication sites, a content and context-based analysis was performed on a set of replicating ACS sequences that binds to origin-recognition complex (ORC) denoted as ORC-ACS and non-replicating ACS sequences (nrACS), that are not bound by ORC. In this study, DNA properties such as base composition, correlation, sequence dependent thermodynamic and DNA structural profiles, and their positions have been considered for characterizing ORC-ACS and nrACS. Analysis reveals that ORC-ACS depict marked differences in nucleotide composition and context features in its vicinity compared to nrACS. Interestingly, an A-rich motif was also discovered in ORC-ACS sequences within its nucleosome-free region. Profound changes in the conformational features, such as DNA helical twist, inclination angle and stacking energy between ORC-ACS and nrACS were observed. Distribution of ACS motifs in the non-coding segments points to the locations of ORC-ACS which are found far away from the adjacent gene start position compared to nrACS thereby enabling an accessible environment for ORC-proteins. Our attempt is novel in considering the contextual view of ACS and its flanking region along with nucleosome positioning in the S. cerevisiae genome and may be useful for any computational prediction scheme.

ac conductivity in Gd doped Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portelles, J.; Almodovar, N. S.; Fuentes, J.; Raymond, O.; Heiras, J.; Siqueiros, J. M.

2008-10-01

This study is focused in the conduction processes taking place in 0.6 wt % Gd doped lead zirconate titanate samples PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3:Gd (PZT53/47:Gd) in the vicinity of the morphotropic phase boundary. Doped samples show very large dielectric permittivity with respect to that of undoped ones near the transition temperature. The frequency dependent ac conductivity of PZT53/47:Gd ceramics was studied in the 30-450 °C temperature range. X-ray diffraction analyses indicate the incorporation of Gd atoms to the structure. The changes in the dielectric properties as functions of temperature of the doped samples are taken as additional evidence of the incorporation of Gd into the crystal structure. Gd acts as donor center promoting extrinsic n-type conduction. The ac conductivity behavior obeys Jonscher universal relation in the 100 Hz-1 MHz frequency range for temperatures between 30 and 300 °C. The measured conductivity values for Gd doped PZT53/47 are higher than those of pure PZT53/47. According to the correlated barrier hopping model, the preponderant conduction mechanism in the frequency-temperature response was recognized as small polarons hopping mechanism.

The ac propulsion system for an electric vehicle, phase 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geppert, S.

1981-08-01

A functional prototype of an electric vehicle ac propulsion system was built consisting of a 18.65 kW rated ac induction traction motor, pulse width modulated (PWM) transistorized inverter, two speed mechanically shifted automatic transmission, and an overall drive/vehicle controller. Design developmental steps, and test results of individual components and the complex system on an instrumented test frame are described. Computer models were developed for the inverter, motor and a representative vehicle. A preliminary reliability model and failure modes effects analysis are given.

Targeting Epigenetics Therapy for Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

confounding these results , Luka and coworkers recently solved a structure of KDM1A in complex with Page 5 of 44 ACS Paragon Plus Environment...stored at −20°C in gel filtration buffer with a final concentration of 40% glycerol. Page 9 of 44 ACS Paragon Plus Environment Biochemistry 1 2 3 4...inhibitors (eq 5) resulting in a Ki app of 59.1 ± 5.95 nM (Figure 3A). Data were additionally analyzed Page 18 of 44 ACS Paragon Plus Environment

The ac propulsion system for an electric vehicle, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geppert, S.

1981-01-01

A functional prototype of an electric vehicle ac propulsion system was built consisting of a 18.65 kW rated ac induction traction motor, pulse width modulated (PWM) transistorized inverter, two speed mechanically shifted automatic transmission, and an overall drive/vehicle controller. Design developmental steps, and test results of individual components and the complex system on an instrumented test frame are described. Computer models were developed for the inverter, motor and a representative vehicle. A preliminary reliability model and failure modes effects analysis are given.

Alternate current conductivity in BSb films prepared by PLD technique: Electron transport processes in low-temperature range (10-275 K)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Shirsendu; Bhunia, Ritamay; Hussain, Shamima; Bhar, Radhaballabh; Kumar Pal, Arun

2017-04-01

This study is focused on the measurement of alternate current (a.c.) electrical conductivity of BSb films, deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrates at 673K by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The frequency-dependent a.c. conductivity is measured as a function of temperature (10-275K) and frequency (100Hz-100kHz). The transport processes governing the electrical conduction processes in this material are analyzed critically. It is observed from FESEM micrograph that the film is composed of small discrete grain with sizes varying in the range 6-12nm. It is interesting to notice from \\lnσ_ac versus 1000/T plot that there are three distinct zones: i) Semiconductor zone at high temperature from 275 to 150K, ii) Insulator zone at low temperature from 70 to 10K and iii) an abrupt change of the \\lnσ_ac versus 1000/T plot at ˜ 75 indicating MIS transition occurring in this BSb film. We found that the activation energy for the BSb films in the lower-temperature range was quite low ˜ 6 to 41neV, while that in the higher-temperature range was 20 to 50meV.

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential Produced by Bone-Conducted Stimuli: A Study on its Basics and Clinical Applications in Patients with Conductive and Sensorineural Hearing Loss and a Group with Vestibular Schawannoma.

PubMed

Mahdi, Parvane; Amali, Amin; Pourbakht, Akram; Karimi Yazdi, Alireza; Bassam, Ali

2013-06-01

Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) has recently been broadly studied in vestibular disorders. As it is evoked by loud sound stimulation, even mild conductive hearing loss may affect VEMP results. Bone-conducted (BC) stimulus is an alternative stimulation for evoking this response. This study aims to assess the characteristics of BC-VEMP in different groups of patients. We performed a cross sectional analysis on 20 healthy volunteers with normal pure-tone audiometry as a control group; and on a group of patients consisted of 20 participants with conductive hearing loss, five with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and four with vestibular schawannoma. AC and BC-VEMP were performed in all participants. In control group the VEMP responses to both kinds of stimuli had an acceptable morphology and consisted of p13 and n23 waves. Latency value of these main components in each type of stimulus was not significantly different (P>0.05). However, the mean amplitude was larger in BC modality than AC stimulation (P=0.025). In the group with conductive hearing loss, the VEMP response was absent in fifteen (46.87%) of the 32 ears using the AC method, whereas all (100%) displayed positive elicitability of VEMP by BC method. Normal VEMP responses in both stimuli were evoked in all patients with sensorineural hearing loss. In patients with unilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS), 2 (50.00%) had neither AC-VEMP nor BC-VEMP. Auditory stimuli delivered by bone conduction can evoke VEMP response. These responses are of vestibular origin and can be used in vestibular evaluation of patients with conductive hearing loss.

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential Produced by Bone-Conducted Stimuli: A Study on its Basics and Clinical Applications in Patients with Conductive and Sensorineural Hearing Loss and a Group with Vestibular Schawannoma

PubMed Central

Mahdi, Parvane; Amali, Amin; Pourbakht, Akram; Karimi Yazdi, Alireza; Bassam, Ali

2013-01-01

Introduction: Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) has recently been broadly studied in vestibular disorders. As it is evoked by loud sound stimulation, even mild conductive hearing loss may affect VEMP results. Bone-conducted (BC) stimulus is an alternative stimulation for evoking this response. This study aims to assess the characteristics of BC-VEMP in different groups of patients. Materials and Methods: We performed a cross sectional analysis on 20 healthy volunteers with normal pure-tone audiometry as a control group; and on a group of patients consisted of 20 participants with conductive hearing loss, five with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and four with vestibular schawannoma. AC and BC-VEMP were performed in all participants. Results: In control group the VEMP responses to both kinds of stimuli had an acceptable morphology and consisted of p13 and n23 waves. Latency value of these main components in each type of stimulus was not significantly different (P>0.05). However, the mean amplitude was larger in BC modality than AC stimulation (P=0.025). In the group with conductive hearing loss, the VEMP response was absent in fifteen (46.87%) of the 32 ears using the AC method, whereas all (100%) displayed positive elicitability of VEMP by BC method. Normal VEMP responses in both stimuli were evoked in all patients with sensorineural hearing loss. In patients with unilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS), 2 (50.00%) had neither AC-VEMP nor BC-VEMP. Conclusion: Auditory stimuli delivered by bone conduction can evoke VEMP response. These responses are of vestibular origin and can be used in vestibular evaluation of patients with conductive hearing loss. PMID:24303434

Effects of anhydrous AlCl3 dopant on the structural, optical and electrical properties of PVA-PVP polymer composite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanmugam, G.; Krishnakumar, V.

2018-05-01

Polymer composite films based on PVA-PVP with AlCl3 as the dopant at different concentrations were prepared using solution casting technique. XRD patterns reveal the increase in amorphousity of the films with AlCl3 doping. Optical absorption studies exhibit that the values of optical absorption coefficient, direct and indirect optical band gaps are found to decrease with increase in AlCl3 concentration. It confirms the charge transfer in complexes between the polymer and the dopant. The dielectric studies show the increase in dielectric constant at low frequency with increasing AlCl3 concentration and temperature. The ac conductivity and ionic conductivity increase with the AlCl3 content and the maximum value at room temperature is found to be 6.89 × 10-4 and 8.05 × 10-5 S/cm for higher AlCl3 doped PVA-PVP film. The estimated ionic conductivity value is three or four orders of magnitude greater than those obtained in the certain representative polymer-salt complexes as reported earlier. Electrical modulus plots confirm the removal of electrode polarization and the low conductivity relaxation time with Al doping. The activation energy estimated from the temperature dependent dc conductivity plot is agreed well with the migration energy calculated from the temperature dependent electric modulus plot.

Baculovirus AC102 Is a Nucleocapsid Protein That Is Crucial for Nuclear Actin Polymerization and Nucleocapsid Morphogenesis.

PubMed

Hepp, Susan E; Borgo, Gina M; Ticau, Simina; Ohkawa, Taro; Welch, Matthew D

2018-06-01

The baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), the type species of alphabaculoviruses, is an enveloped DNA virus that infects lepidopteran insects and is commonly known as a vector for protein expression and cell transduction. AcMNPV belongs to a diverse group of viral and bacterial pathogens that target the host cell actin cytoskeleton during infection. AcMNPV is unusual, however, in that it absolutely requires actin translocation into the nucleus early in infection and actin polymerization within the nucleus late in infection coincident with viral replication. Of the six viral factors that are sufficient, when coexpressed, to induce the nuclear localization of actin, only AC102 is essential for viral replication and the nuclear accumulation of actin. We therefore sought to better understand the role of AC102 in actin mobilization in the nucleus early and late in infection. Although AC102 was proposed to function early in infection, we found that AC102 is predominantly expressed as a late protein. In addition, we observed that AC102 is required for F-actin assembly in the nucleus during late infection, as well as for proper formation of viral replication structures and nucleocapsid morphogenesis. Finally, we found that AC102 is a nucleocapsid protein and a newly recognized member of a complex consisting of the viral proteins EC27, C42, and the actin polymerization protein P78/83. Taken together, our findings suggest that AC102 is necessary for nucleocapsid morphogenesis and actin assembly during late infection through its role as a component of the P78/83-C42-EC27-AC102 protein complex. IMPORTANCE The baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) is an important biotechnological tool for protein expression and cell transduction, and related nucleopolyhedroviruses are also used as environmentally benign insecticides. One impact of our work is to better understand the fundamental mechanisms through which AcMNPV exploits the cellular machinery of the host for replication, which may aid in the development of improved baculovirus-based research and industrial tools. Moreover, AcMNPV's ability to mobilize the host actin cytoskeleton within the cell's nucleus during infection makes it a powerful cell biological tool. It is becoming increasingly clear that actin plays important roles in the cell's nucleus, and yet the regulation and function of nuclear actin is poorly understood. Our work to better understand how AcMNPV relocalizes and polymerizes actin within the nucleus may reveal fundamental mechanisms that govern nuclear actin regulation and function, even in the absence of viral infection. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Anatomy of the chiral magnetic effect in and out of equilibrium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kharzeev, Dmitri; Stephanov, Mikhail; Yee, Ho-Ung

Here, we identify a new contribution to the chiral magnetic conductivity at finite frequencies—the magnetization current. This allows us to quantitatively reproduce the known field-theoretic time-dependent (AC) chiral magnetic response in terms of kinetic theory. We also evaluate the corresponding AC chiral magnetic conductivity in two-flavor QCD plasma at weak coupling. The magnetization current results from the spin response of chiral quasiparticles to magnetic field, and is thus proportional to the quasiparticle’s g -factor. Furthemrore, in condensed matter systems, where the chiral quasiparticles are emergent and the g -factor can significantly differ from 2, this opens up the possibility ofmore » tuning the AC chiral magnetic response.« less

Anatomy of the chiral magnetic effect in and out of equilibrium

DOE PAGES

Kharzeev, Dmitri; Stephanov, Mikhail; Yee, Ho-Ung

2017-03-28

Here, we identify a new contribution to the chiral magnetic conductivity at finite frequencies—the magnetization current. This allows us to quantitatively reproduce the known field-theoretic time-dependent (AC) chiral magnetic response in terms of kinetic theory. We also evaluate the corresponding AC chiral magnetic conductivity in two-flavor QCD plasma at weak coupling. The magnetization current results from the spin response of chiral quasiparticles to magnetic field, and is thus proportional to the quasiparticle’s g -factor. Furthemrore, in condensed matter systems, where the chiral quasiparticles are emergent and the g -factor can significantly differ from 2, this opens up the possibility ofmore » tuning the AC chiral magnetic response.« less

IBiSA_Tools: A Computational Toolkit for Ion-Binding State Analysis in Molecular Dynamics Trajectories of Ion Channels.

PubMed

Kasahara, Kota; Kinoshita, Kengo

2016-01-01

Ion conduction mechanisms of ion channels are a long-standing conundrum. Although the molecular dynamics (MD) method has been extensively used to simulate ion conduction dynamics at the atomic level, analysis and interpretation of MD results are not straightforward due to complexity of the dynamics. In our previous reports, we proposed an analytical method called ion-binding state analysis to scrutinize and summarize ion conduction mechanisms by taking advantage of a variety of analytical protocols, e.g., the complex network analysis, sequence alignment, and hierarchical clustering. This approach effectively revealed the ion conduction mechanisms and their dependence on the conditions, i.e., ion concentration and membrane voltage. Here, we present an easy-to-use computational toolkit for ion-binding state analysis, called IBiSA_tools. This toolkit consists of a C++ program and a series of Python and R scripts. From the trajectory file of MD simulations and a structure file, users can generate several images and statistics of ion conduction processes. A complex network named ion-binding state graph is generated in a standard graph format (graph modeling language; GML), which can be visualized by standard network analyzers such as Cytoscape. As a tutorial, a trajectory of a 50 ns MD simulation of the Kv1.2 channel is also distributed with the toolkit. Users can trace the entire process of ion-binding state analysis step by step. The novel method for analysis of ion conduction mechanisms of ion channels can be easily used by means of IBiSA_tools. This software is distributed under an open source license at the following URL: http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/~ktkshr/ibisa_tools/.

Synthesis and properties of a clean and sustainable deicing additive for asphalt mixture.

PubMed

Peng, Chao; Yu, Jianying; Zhao, Zhijie; Dai, Jing; Fu, Jingyi; Zhao, Meiling; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

A clean and sustainable deicing additive was prepared via the adsorption of acetate anions (Ac-) by magnesium (Mg) and aluminum (Al) calcined layered double hydroxide (Mg/Al-CLDH). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrums proved that Ac- had intercalated into LDH structure. X-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images showed that the intercalation spacing and platelet thickness of Mg and Al layered double hydroxide containing Ac- anions (Mg/Al-Ac- LDH) had been enlarged due to substitution of divalent CO32- anions by a larger quantity of monovalent Ac- anions. Differential scanning calorimetry tests testified that the insoluble Mg2/Al-Ac- LDH evidently decreased the freeze point (FP) of water to -10.68°C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses confirmed that the Ac- were strongly confined by the metal layers of LDHs. FP test of asphalt mixtures confirmed that Mg/Al-Ac- LDHs reduced FP to -5.5°C. Immersion test results indicated that Mg/Al-Ac- LDH had a good deicing durability and Ac- did not released from asphalt mixture. Snow melting observation was conducted further testified that Mg/Al-Ac- LDH melted snow or ice sustainably.

The effect of activation agent on surface morphology, density and porosity of palm shell and coconut shell activated carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leman, A. M.; Zakaria, S.; Salleh, M. N. M.; Sunar, N. M.; Feriyanto, D.; Nazri, A. A.

2017-09-01

Activated carbon (AC) has one of the promising alternative technology for filtration and adsorption process. It inexpensive material because the sources is abundant especially in Malaysia. Main purpose of this project is to develop AC by chemical activation process to improve adsorption capacity by improving porosity of AC. AC developed via carbonization using designed burner at temperature of 650°C to 850 °C and activated by Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) in 12 hour and then dried at temperature of 300°C. Characterization and analysis is conducted by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology analysis, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) for composition analysis, density and porosity analysis. Results shows that uneven surface has been observed both of AC and non-AC and also AC shows higher porosity as compared to non-AC materials. Density value of raw material has lower than AC up to 11.67% and 47.54% and porosity of raw material has higher than AC up to 31.45% and 45.69% for palm shell and coconut shell AC. It can be concluded that lower density represent higher porosity of material and higher porosity indicated higher adsorption capacity as well.

Impedance spectroscopic analysis of composite electrode from activated carbon/conductive materials/ruthenium oxide for supercapacitor applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taer, E.; Awitdrus,; Farma, R.

Activated carbon powders (ACP) were produced from the KOH treated pre-carbonized rubber wood sawdust. Different conductive materials (graphite, carbon black and carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) were added with a binder (polivinylidene fluoride (PVDF)) into ACP to improve the supercapacitive performance of the activated carbon (AC) electrodes. Symmetric supercapacitor cells, fabricated using these AC electrodes and 1 molar H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electrolyte, were analyzed using a standard electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. The addition of graphite, carbon black and CNTs was found effective in reducing the cell resistance from 165 to 68, 23 and 49 Ohm respectively, and increasing the specific capacitance ofmore » the AC electrodes from 3 to 7, 17, 32 F g{sup −1} respectively. Since the addition of CNTs can produce the highest specific capacitance, CNTs were chosen as a conductive material to produce AC composite electrodes that were added with 2.5 %, 5 % and 10 % (by weight) electro-active material namely ruthenium oxide; PVDF binder and CNTs contents were kept at 5 % by weight in each AC composite produced. The highest specific capacitance of the cells obtained in this study was 86 F g{sup −1}, i.e. for the cell with the resistance of 15 Ohm and composite electrode consists of 5 % ruthenium oxide.« less

Determination of Noncovalent Binding Using a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor as a Flow Injection Device Coupled to Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Inês C.; Waybright, Veronica B.; Fan, Hui; Ramirez, Sabra; Mesquita, Raquel B. R.; Rangel, António O. S. S.; Fryčák, Petr; Schug, Kevin A.

2015-07-01

Described is a new method based on the concept of controlled band dispersion, achieved by hyphenating flow injection analysis with ESI-MS for noncovalent binding determinations. A continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was used as a FIA device for exponential dilution of an equimolar host-guest solution over time. The data obtained was treated for the noncovalent binding determination using an equimolar binding model. Dissociation constants between vancomycin and Ac-Lys(Ac)-Ala-Ala-OH peptide stereoisomers were determined using both the positive and negative ionization modes. The results obtained for Ac- L-Lys(Ac)- D-Ala- D-Ala (a model for a Gram-positive bacterial cell wall) binding were in reasonable agreement with literature values made by other mass spectrometry binding determination techniques. Also, the developed method allowed the determination of dissociation constants for vancomycin with Ac- L-Lys(Ac)- D-Ala- L-Ala, Ac- L-Lys(Ac)- L-Ala- D-Ala, and Ac- L-Lys(Ac)- L-Ala- L-Ala. Although some differences in measured binding affinities were noted using different ionization modes, the results of each determination were generally consistent. Differences are likely attributable to the influence of a pseudo-physiological ammonium acetate buffer solution on the formation of positively- and negatively-charged ionic complexes.

An H2A Histone Isotype, H2ac, Associates with Telomere and Maintains Telomere Integrity

PubMed Central

Tzeng, Tsai-Yu; Lin, I-Hsuan; Hsu, Ming-Ta

2016-01-01

Telomeres are capped at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes and are composed of TTAGGG repeats bound to the shelterin complex. Here we report that a replication-dependent histone H2A isotype, H2ac, was associated with telomeres in human cells and co-immunoprecipitates with telomere repeat factor 2 (TRF2) and protection of telomeres protein 1 (POT1), whereas other histone H2A isotypes and mutations of H2ac did not bind to telomeres or these two proteins. The amino terminal basic domain of TRF2 was necessary for the association with H2ac and for the recruitment of H2ac to telomeres. Depletion of H2ac led to loss of telomeric repeat sequences, the appearance of dysfunctional telomeres, and chromosomal instability, including chromosomal breaks and anaphase bridges, as well as accumulation of telomere-associated DNA damage factors in H2ac depleted cells. Additionally, knockdown of H2ac elicits an ATM-dependent DNA damage response at telomeres and depletion of XPF protects telomeres against H2ac-deficiency-induced G-strand overhangs loss and DNA damage response, and prevents chromosomal instability. These findings suggest that the H2A isotype, H2ac, plays an essential role in maintaining telomere functional integrity. PMID:27228173

Seventeen-Coordinate Actinide Helium Complexes.

PubMed

Kaltsoyannis, Nikolas

2017-06-12

The geometries and electronic structures of molecular ions featuring He atoms complexed to actinide cations are explored computationally using density functional and coupled cluster theories. A new record coordination number is established, as AcHe 17 3+ , ThHe 17 4+ , and PaHe 17 4+ are all found to be true geometric minima, with the He atoms clearly located in the first shell around the actinide. Analysis of AcHe n 3+ (n=1-17) using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) confirms these systems as having closed shell, charge-induced dipole bonding. Excellent correlations (R 2 >0.95) are found between QTAIM metrics (bond critical point electron densities and delocalization indices) and the average Ac-He distances, and also with the incremental He binding energies. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Magnesium-Activated Carbon Hybrid Capacitor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoo, HD; Shterenberg, I; Gofer, Y

2013-12-11

Prototype cells of hybrid capacitor were developed, comprising activated carbon (AC) cloth and magnesium (Mg) foil as the positive and negative electrodes, respectively. The electrolyte solution included ether solvent (TBF) and a magnesium organo-halo-aluminate complex 0.25 M Mg2Cl3+-Ph2AlCl2-. In this solution Mg can be deposited/dissolved reversibly for thousands of cycles with high reversibility (100% cycling efficiency). The main barrier for integrating porous AC electrodes with this electrolyte solution was the saturation of the pores with the large ions in the AC prior to reaching the potential limit. This is due to the existence of bulky Mg and Al based ionicmore » complexes consisting Cl, alkyl or aryl (R), and THF ligands. This problem was resolved by adding 0.5 M of lithium chloride (LiCl), thus introducing smaller ionic species to the solution. This Mg hybrid capacitor system demonstrated a stable cycle performance for many thousands of cycles with a specific capacitance of 90 Fg(-1) for the AC positive electrodes along a potential range of 2.4 V. (C) 2014 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.« less

Comparative analyses of the neuron numbers and volumes of the amygdaloid complex in old and new world primates.

PubMed

Carlo, C N; Stefanacci, L; Semendeferi, K; Stevens, C F

2010-04-15

The amygdaloid complex (AC), a key component of the limbic system, is a brain region critical for the detection and interpretation of emotionally salient information. Therefore, changes in its structure and function are likely to provide correlates of mood and emotion disorders, diseases that afflict a large portion of the human population. Previous gross comparisons of the AC in control and diseased individuals have, however, mainly failed to discover these expected correlations with diseases. We have characterized AC nuclei in different nonhuman primate species to establish a baseline for more refined comparisons between the normal and the diseased amygdala. AC nuclei volume and neuron number in 19 subdivisions are reported from 13 Old and New World primate brains, spanning five primate species, and compared with corresponding data from humans. Analysis of the four largest AC nuclei revealed that volume and neuron number of one component, the central nucleus, has a negative allometric relationship with total amygdala volume and neuron number, which is in contrast with the isometric relationship found in the other AC nuclei (for both neuron number and volume). Neuron density decreases across all four nuclei according to a single power law with an exponent of about minus one-half. Because we have included quantitative comparisons with great apes and humans, our conclusions apply to human brains, and our scaling laws can potentially be used to study the anatomical correlates of the amygdala in disorders involving pathological emotion processing. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Structure and binding analysis of Polyporus squamosus lectin in complex with the Neu5Acα2-6Galβ1-4GlcNAc human-type influenza receptor

PubMed Central

Kadirvelraj, Renuka; Grant, Oliver C; Goldstein, Irwin J; Winter, Harry C; Tateno, Hiroaki; Fadda, Elisa; Woods, Robert J

2011-01-01

Glycan chains that terminate in sialic acid (Neu5Ac) are frequently the receptors targeted by pathogens for initial adhesion. Carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) with specificity for Neu5Ac are particularly useful in the detection and isolation of sialylated glycoconjugates, such as those associated with pathogen adhesion as well as those characteristic of several diseases including cancer. Structural studies of lectins are essential in order to understand the origin of their specificity, which is particularly important when employing such reagents as diagnostic tools. Here, we report a crystallographic and molecular dynamics (MD) analysis of a lectin from Polyporus squamosus (PSL) that is specific for glycans terminating with the sequence Neu5Acα2-6Galβ. Because of its importance as a histological reagent, the PSL structure was solved (to 1.7 Å) in complex with a trisaccharide, whose sequence (Neu5Acα2-6Galβ1-4GlcNAc) is exploited by influenza A hemagglutinin for viral adhesion to human tissue. The structural data illuminate the origin of the high specificity of PSL for the Neu5Acα2-6Gal sequence. Theoretical binding free energies derived from the MD data confirm the key interactions identified crystallographically and provide additional insight into the relative contributions from each amino acid, as well as estimates of the importance of entropic and enthalpic contributions to binding. PMID:21436237

Encapsulation of TCNQ and the acridinium ion within a bisporphyrin cavity: synthesis, structure, and photophysical and HOMO-LUMO-gap-mediated electron-transfer properties.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Arvind; Rath, Sankar Prasad

2012-06-11

The encapsulation of tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and fluorescent probe acridinium ions (AcH(+)) by diethylpyrrole-bridged bisporphyrin (H(4)DEP) was used to investigate the structural and spectroscopic changes within the bisporphyrin cavity upon substrate binding. X-ray diffraction studies of the bisporphyrin host (H(4)DEP) and the encapsulated host-guest complexes (H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ and [H(4)DEP⋅AcH]ClO(4)) are reported. Negative and positive shifts of the reduction and oxidation potentials, respectively, indicated that it was difficult to reduce/oxidize the encapsulated complexes. The emission intensities of bisporphyrin, upon excitation at 560 nm, were quenched by about 65 % and 95 % in H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ and [H(4)DEP⋅AcH]ClO(4), respectively, owing to photoinduced electron transfer from the excited state of the bisporphyrin to TCNQ/AcH(+); this result was also supported by DFT calculations. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity of encapsulated AcH(+) (excited at 340 nm) was also remarkably quenched compared to the free ions, owing to photoinduced singlet-to-singlet energy transfer from AcH(+) to bisporphyrin. Thus, AcH(+) acted as both an acceptor and a donor, depending on which part of the chromophore was excited in the host-guest complex. The electrochemically evaluated HOMO-LUMO gap was 0.71 and 1.42 eV in H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ and [H(4)DEP⋅AcH]ClO(4), respectively, whilst the gap was 2.12 eV in H(4)DEP. The extremely low HOMO-LUMO gap in H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ led to facile electron transfer from the host to the guest, which was manifested in the lowering of the CN stretching frequency (in the solid state) in the IR spectra, a strong radical signal in the EPR spectra at 77 K, and also the presence of low-energy bands in the UV/Vis spectra (in the solution phase). Such an efficient transfer was only possible when the donor and acceptor moieties were in close proximity to one another. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Toxoplasma gondii acetyl-CoA synthetase is involved in fatty acid elongation (of long fatty acid chains) during tachyzoite life stages.

PubMed

Dubois, David; Fernandes, Stella; Amiar, Souad; Dass, Sheena; Katris, Nicholas J; Botté, Cyrille Y; Yamaryo-Botté, Yoshiki

2018-06-01

Apicomplexan parasites are pathogens responsible for major human diseases such as toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii and malaria caused by Plasmodium spp. Throughout their intracellular division cycle, the parasites require vast and specific amounts of lipids to divide and survive. This demand for lipids relies on a fine balance between de novo synthesized lipids and scavenged lipids from the host. Acetyl-CoA is a major and central precursor for many metabolic pathways, especially for lipid biosynthesis. T. gondii possesses a single cytosolic acetyl-CoA synthetase ( Tg ACS). Its role in the parasite lipid synthesis is unclear. Here, we generated an inducible Tg ACS KO parasite line and confirmed the cytosolic localization of the protein. We conducted 13 C-stable isotope labeling combined with mass spectrometry-based lipidomic analyses to unravel its putative role in the parasite lipid synthesis pathway. We show that its disruption has a minor effect on the global FA composition due to the metabolic changes induced to compensate for its loss. However, we could demonstrate that Tg ACS is involved in providing acetyl-CoA for the essential fatty elongation pathway to generate FAs used for membrane biogenesis. This work provides novel metabolic insight to decipher the complex lipid synthesis in T. gondii . Copyright © 2018 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Schlieren optical visualization for transient EHD induced flow in a stratified dielectric liquid under gas-phase ac corona discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohyama, R.; Inoue, K.; Chang, J. S.

2007-01-01

A flow pattern characterization of electrohydrodynamically (EHD) induced flow phenomena of a stratified dielectric fluid situated in an ac corona discharge field is conducted by a Schlieren optical system. A high voltage application to a needle-plate electrode arrangement in gas-phase normally initiates a conductive type EHD gas flow. Although the EHD gas flow motion initiated from the corona discharge electrode has been well known as corona wind, no comprehensive study has been conducted for an EHD fluid flow motion of the stratified dielectric liquid that is exposed to the gas-phase ac corona discharge. The experimentally observed result clearly presents the liquid-phase EHD flow phenomenon induced from the gas-phase EHD flow via an interfacial momentum transfer. The flow phenomenon is also discussed in terms of the gas-phase EHD number under the reduced gas pressure (reduced interfacial momentum transfer) conditions.

Infrared conductivity of cuprates using Yang-Rice-Zhang ansatz: Review of our recent investigations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Navinder; Sharma, Raman

2015-05-15

A review of our recent investigations related to the ac transport properties in the psedogapped state of cuprate high temperature superconductors is presented. For our theoretical calculations we use a phenomenological Green’s function proposed by Yang, Rice and Zhang (YRZ). This is based upon the renormalized mean-field theory of the Hubbard model and takes into account the strong electron-electron interaction present in Cuprates. The pseudogap is also taken into account through a proposed self energy. We have tested the form of the Green’s function by computing ac conductivity of cuprates and then compared with experimental results. We found agreement betweenmore » theory and experiment in reproducing the doping evolution of ac conductivity but there is a problem with absolute magnitudes and their frequency dependence. This shows a partial success of the YRZ ansatz. The ways to rectify it are suggested and worked out.« less

Activated carbon with excellent chromium(VI) adsorption performance prepared by acid-base surface modification.

PubMed

Liu, S X; Chen, X; Chen, X Y; Liu, Z F; Wang, H L

2007-03-06

In the present work, activated carbon (AC) with excellent Cr(VI) adsorption performance especially at low concentrations was prepared by an acid-base surface modification method. Raw activated carbon (AC(0)) was first oxidized in boiling HNO(3) (AC(1)), then treated with a mixture of NaOH and NaCl (AC(2)). Batch equilibrium and continuous column adsorption were conducted to evaluate the adsorption performance. Boehm titration, elemental analysis, and N(2)/77K adsorption isotherm methods were used to characterize the surface properties and pore structure of modified ACs. The results revealed that the modified AC exhibited excellent Cr(VI) adsorption performance in terms of adsorption capacity and adsorption rate: AC(2)>AC(1)>AC(0). Modification caused S(BET) to decrease and the total number of surface oxygen acidic groups to increase. HNO(3) oxidization produced positive acid groups, and subsequently NaOH treatment replaced H(+) of surface acid groups by Na(+), and the acidity of AC decreased. The main cause of higher Cr(VI) adsorption capacity and rate for AC(2) was the presence of more oxygen surface acidic groups and suitable surface acidity. HNO(3)-NaOH modification shows potential for the preparation of high quality AC for the effective removal of low concentrations of Cr(VI).

Histone Core Phosphorylation Regulates DNA Accessibility*

PubMed Central

Brehove, Matthew; Wang, Tao; North, Justin; Luo, Yi; Dreher, Sarah J.; Shimko, John C.; Ottesen, Jennifer J.; Luger, Karolin; Poirier, Michael G.

2015-01-01

Nucleosome unwrapping dynamics provide transient access to the complexes involved in DNA transcription, repair, and replication, whereas regulation of nucleosome unwrapping modulates occupancy of these complexes. Histone H3 is phosphorylated at tyrosine 41 (H3Y41ph) and threonine 45 (H3T45ph). H3Y41ph is implicated in regulating transcription, whereas H3T45ph is involved in DNA replication and apoptosis. These modifications are located in the DNA-histone interface near where the DNA exits the nucleosome, and are thus poised to disrupt DNA-histone interactions. However, the impact of histone phosphorylation on nucleosome unwrapping and accessibility is unknown. We find that the phosphorylation mimics H3Y41E and H3T45E, and the chemically correct modification, H3Y41ph, significantly increase nucleosome unwrapping. This enhances DNA accessibility to protein binding by 3-fold. H3K56 acetylation (H3K56ac) is also located in the same DNA-histone interface and increases DNA unwrapping. H3K56ac is implicated in transcription regulation, suggesting that H3Y41ph and H3K56ac could function together. We find that the combination of H3Y41ph with H3K56ac increases DNA accessibility by over an order of magnitude. These results suggest that phosphorylation within the nucleosome DNA entry-exit region increases access to DNA binding complexes and that the combination of phosphorylation with acetylation has the potential to significantly influence DNA accessibility to transcription regulatory complexes. PMID:26175159

DC bias effect on alternating current electrical conductivity of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/alumina nanocomposites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nikam, Pravin N., E-mail: pravinya26@gmail.com; Deshpande, Vineeta D., E-mail: drdeshpandevd@gmail.com

Polymer nanocomposites based on metal oxide (ceramic) nanoparticles are a new class of materials with unique properties and designed for various applications such as electronic device packaging, insulation, fabrication and automotive industries. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanocomposites with filler content between 1 wt% and 5 wt% were prepared by melt compounding method using co-rotating twin screw extruder and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and precision LCR meter techniques. The results revealed that proper uniform dispersion at lower content up to 2 wt% of nano-alumina observed by using TEM. Aggregation of nanoparticles was observedmore » at higher content of alumina examined by using SEM and TEM. The frequency dependences of the alternating current (AC) conductivity (σ{sub AC}) of PET/alumina nanocomposites on the filler content and DC bias were investigated in the frequency range of 20Hz - 1MHz. The results showed that the AC and direct current (DC) conductivity increases with increasing DC bias and nano-alumina content upto 3 wt%. It follows the Jonscher’s universal power law of solids. It revealed that σ{sub AC} of PET/alumina nanocomposites can be well characterized by the DC conductivity (σ{sub DC}), critical frequency (ω{sub c}), critical exponent of the power law (s). Roll of DC bias potential led to an increase of DC conductivity (σ{sub DC}) due to the creation of additional conducting paths with the polymer nanocomposites and percolation behavior achieved through co-continuous morphology.« less

Expression of Cry1Ac toxin-binding region in Plutella xyllostella cadherin-like receptor and studying their interaction mode by molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis.

PubMed

Hu, Xiaodan; Zhang, Xiao; Zhong, Jianfeng; Liu, Yuan; Zhang, Cunzheng; Xie, Yajing; Lin, Manman; Xu, Chongxin; Lu, Lina; Zhu, Qing; Liu, Xianjin

2018-05-01

Cadherin-like protein has been identified as the primary Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry toxin receptor in Lepidoptera pests and plays a key role in Cry toxin insecticidal. In this study, we successfully expressed the putative Cry1Ac toxin-binding region (CR7-CR11) of Plutella xylostella cadherin-like in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The expressed CR7-CR11 fragment showed binding ability to Cry1Ac toxin under denaturing (Ligand blot) and non-denaturing (ELISA) conditions. The three-dimensional structure of CR7-CR11 was constructed by homology modeling. Molecular docking results of CR7-CR11 and Cry1Ac showed that domain II and domain III of Cry1Ac were taking part in binding to CR7-CR11, while CR7-CR8 was the region of CR7-CR11 in interacting with Cry1Ac. The interaction of toxin-receptor complex was found to arise from hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction. Through the computer-aided alanine mutation scanning, amino acid residues of Cry1Ac (Met341, Asn442 and Ser486) and CR7-CR11 (Asp32, Arg101 and Arg127) were predicted as the hot spot residues involved in the interaction of the toxin-receptor complex. At last, we verified the importance role of these key amino acid residues by binding assay. These results will lay a foundation for further elucidating the insecticidal mechanism of Cry toxin and enhancing Cry toxin insecticidal activity by molecular modification. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Breath Alcohol Concentrations of Designated Drivers

PubMed Central

Barry, Adam E.; Chaney, Beth H.; Stellefson, Michael L.

2013-01-01

Objective: This study established breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) and alcohol-related behaviors of designated drivers (DDs) to determine (a) whether DDs are abstaining from drinking, (b) whether alcohol-related behaviors of non-DDs and DDs were different, and (c) whether the alcohol consumption of DDs resulted in BrAC levels that affected driving performance or caused psychomotor impairment. Method: We conducted six anonymous field studies during a 3-month period in a southeastern college community restaurant and bar district. Intercept interviews were conducted with 1,071 bar patrons. Alcohol-related behaviors, BrAC, and whether one was serving as a DD were measured. The sample was primarily White (72.7%), male (62.4%) college students (64.7%). Descriptive statistics and an independent sample t test compared the BrACs of DDs versus non-DDs. A one-way analysis of variance examined the differences in the alcohol-related behaviors (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–consumption [AUDIT-C] score) across DDs abstaining from drinking (BrAC = .00 g/210 L), drinking DDs (BrACs ≥ .02 and < .05 g/210 L), and impaired DDs (BrACs ≥ .05 g/210 L). A logistic regression assessed the impact of alcohol-related behaviors (AUDIT-C) on whether one was serving as a DD. Results: Of the 165 DDs, approximately 40% did not abstain from drinking. Approximately 17% of DDs had BrACs between .02 g/210 L and .049 g/210 L, whereas 18% recorded BrACs at .05 g/210 L or greater. The mean AUDIT-C score for impaired DDs significantly differed from both abstaining DDs and drinking DDs. Participants with greater AUDIT-C scores were more likely to serve as a DD and have a BrAC that significantly inhibited driving ability and psychomotor function. Conclusions: These findings identify the need for consensus across researcher, layperson, and communication campaigns that a DD must be someone who has abstained from drinking entirely. PMID:23739013

Experimental Analysis of the Mechanism of Hearing under Water

PubMed Central

Chordekar, Shai; Kishon-Rabin, Liat; Kriksunov, Leonid; Adelman, Cahtia; Sohmer, Haim

2015-01-01

The mechanism of human hearing under water is debated. Some suggest it is by air conduction (AC), others by bone conduction (BC), and others by a combination of AC and BC. A clinical bone vibrator applied to soft tissue sites on the head, neck, and thorax also elicits hearing by a mechanism called soft tissue conduction (STC) or nonosseous BC. The present study was designed to test whether underwater hearing at low intensities is by AC or by osseous BC based on bone vibrations or by nonosseous BC (STC). Thresholds of normal hearing participants to bone vibrator stimulation with their forehead in air were recorded and again when forehead and bone vibrator were under water. A vibrometer detected vibrations of a dry human skull in all similar conditions (in air and under water) but not when water was the intermediary between the sound source and the skull forehead. Therefore, the intensities required to induce vibrations of the dry skull in water were significantly higher than the underwater hearing thresholds of the participants, under conditions when hearing by AC and osseous BC is not likely. The results support the hypothesis that hearing under water at low sound intensities may be attributed to nonosseous BC (STC). PMID:26770975

The effect of bone conduction microphone placement on intensity and spectrum of transmitted speech items.

PubMed

Tran, Phuong K; Letowski, Tomasz R; McBride, Maranda E

2013-06-01

Speech signals can be converted into electrical audio signals using either conventional air conduction (AC) microphone or a contact bone conduction (BC) microphone. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of the location of a BC microphone on the intensity and frequency spectrum of the recorded speech. Twelve locations, 11 on the talker's head and 1 on the collar bone, were investigated. The speech sounds were three vowels (/u/, /a/, /i/) and two consonants (/m/, /∫/). The sounds were produced by 12 talkers. Each sound was recorded simultaneously with two BC microphones and an AC microphone. Analyzed spectral data showed that the BC recordings made at the forehead of the talker were the most similar to the AC recordings, whereas the collar bone recordings were most different. Comparison of the spectral data with speech intelligibility data collected in another study revealed a strong negative relationship between BC speech intelligibility and the degree of deviation of the BC speech spectrum from the AC spectrum. In addition, the head locations that resulted in the highest speech intelligibility were associated with the lowest output signals among all tested locations. Implications of these findings for BC communication are discussed.

Evaluation of shuttle solid rocket booster case materials. Corrosion and stress corrosion susceptibility of several high temperature materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pionke, L. J.; Garland, K. C.

1973-01-01

Candidate alloys for the Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) case were tested under simulated service conditions to define subcritical flaw growth behavior under both sustained and cyclic loading conditions. The materials evaluated were D6AC and 18 Ni maraging steel, both heat treated to a nominal yield strength of 1380 MN/sq m (200 ksi). The sustained load tests were conducted by exposing precracked, stressed specimens of both alloys to alternate immersion in synthetic sea water. It was found that the corrosion and stress corrosion resistance of the 18 Ni maraging steel were superior to that of the D6AC steel under these test conditions. It was also found that austenitizing temperature had little influence on the threshold stress intensity of the D6AC. The cyclic tests were conducted by subjecting precracked surface-flawed specimens of both alloys to repeated load/thermal/environmental profiles which were selected to simulate the SRB missions. It was found that linear removal operations that involve heating to 589 K (600 F) cause a decrease in cyclic life of D6AC steel relative to those tests conducted with no thermal cycling.

Conformation-Specific Spectroscopy of a Prototypical γ-PEPTIDE-WATER Complex: Ac-γ2-hPhe-NHMe-(H2O)1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchanan, Evan G.; James, William H., III; Zwier, Timothy S.; Guo, Li; Gellman, Samuel H.

2010-06-01

The prototypical γ-peptide, Ac-γ2-hPhe-NHMe, has been previously studied in a supersonic jet expansion, with three different conformers observed. Two of the monomers form nine atom, intramolecular hydrogen bonded rings, which differ by the position of the aromatic chromophore relative to the backbone. The third monomer conformer has no intramolecular H-bonds, but forms instead an intramolecular, amide-amide stacked structure unique to the γ-peptide backbone. This talk focuses attention on the conformation-specific IR spectra of the Ac-γ2-hPhe-NHMe-(H2O)1 complex, which is observed to form six unique conformational isomers, all of which preserve the two distinct monomer structural motifs. Three conformers are assigned to the nine atom intramolecular hydrogen bond family with the water hydrogen bonded to it as donor in different locations. The other three belong to the amide-amide stacking family with the water forming a bridge between the two amide planes. Infrared photodissocation of the water molecule from the complex to form γ-peptide monomer conformations will also be discussed.

Synthesis and Properties of a Clean and Sustainable Deicing Additive for Asphalt Mixture

PubMed Central

Peng, Chao; Yu, Jianying; Zhao, Zhijie; Dai, Jing; Fu, Jingyi; Zhao, Meiling; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

A clean and sustainable deicing additive was prepared via the adsorption of acetate anions (Ac-) by magnesium (Mg) and aluminum (Al) calcined layered double hydroxide (Mg/Al-CLDH). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrums proved that Ac- had intercalated into LDH structure. X-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images showed that the intercalation spacing and platelet thickness of Mg and Al layered double hydroxide containing Ac- anions (Mg/Al-Ac- LDH) had been enlarged due to substitution of divalent CO3 2- anions by a larger quantity of monovalent Ac– anions. Differential scanning calorimetry tests testified that the insoluble Mg2/Al-Ac- LDH evidently decreased the freeze point (FP) of water to -10.68°C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses confirmed that the Ac- were strongly confined by the metal layers of LDHs. FP test of asphalt mixtures confirmed that Mg/Al-Ac- LDHs reduced FP to -5.5°C. Immersion test results indicated that Mg/Al-Ac- LDH had a good deicing durability and Ac- did not released from asphalt mixture. Snow melting observation was conducted further testified that Mg/Al-Ac- LDH melted snow or ice sustainably. PMID:25625279

Airway complications have a greater impact on the outcomes of living-donor lobar lung transplantation recipients than cadaveric lung transplantation recipients.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Seiichiro; Yamane, Masaomi; Otani, Shinji; Kurosaki, Takeshi; Okahara, Shuji; Hikasa, Yukiko; Toyooka, Shinichi; Kobayashi, Motomu; Oto, Takahiro

2018-04-21

Airway complications (ACs) after living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) could have different features from those after cadaveric lung transplantation (CLT). We conducted this study to compare the characteristics of ACs after LDLLT vs. those after CLT and investigate their impact on outcomes. We reviewed, retrospectively, data on 163 recipients of lung transplantation, including 83 recipients of LDLLT and 80 recipients of CLT. The incidence of ACs did not differ between LDLLT and CLT. The initial type of AC after LDLLT was limited to stenosis in all eight patients, whereas that after CLT consisted of stenosis in three patients and necrosis in ten patients (p = 0.0034). ACs after LDLLT necessitated significantly earlier initiation of treatment than those after CLT (p = 0.032). The overall survival rate of LDLLT recipients with an AC was significantly lower than that of those without an AC (p = 0.030), whereas the overall survival rate was comparable between CLT recipients with and those without ACs (p = 0.25). ACs after LDLLT, limited to bronchial stenosis, require significantly earlier treatment and have a greater adverse impact on survival than ACs after CLT.

Reversible Control of Anisotropic Electrical Conductivity using Colloidal Microfluidic Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-17

field with the induced charges on each electrode result in AC electroosmotic force and steady fluid flow (nonzero time averaged) with a velocity...direction of the AC electroosmotic force (flow is unidirectional). From the work of Green and co- workers, we can write the particle displacement due to... AC voltage-frequency phase space allows us to probe a wide range of colloidal configurations that resemble “capacitive” and “resistive” networks in

Electrolyte Engineering: Optimizing High-Rate Double-Layer Capacitances of Micropore- and Mesopore-Rich Activated Carbon.

PubMed

Chen, Ting-Hao; Yang, Cheng-Hsien; Su, Ching-Yuan; Lee, Tai-Chou; Dong, Quan-Feng; Chang, Jeng-Kuei

2017-09-22

Various types of electrolyte cations as well as binary cations are used to optimize the capacitive performance of activated carbon (AC) with different pore structures. The high-rate capability of micropore-rich AC, governed by the mobility of desolvated cations, can outperform that of mesopore-rich AC, which essentially depends on the electrolyte conductivity. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

AC-Induced Bias Potential Effect on Corrosion of Steels

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-05

induction, variable conduction Experimental Setup Super- martensitic stainless steel composition Analysis: C Mn Si Cr Ni Mo Cu N Typical 13 Cr ɘ.01 0.6... stainless steel used in pipelines. •Low carbon (ɘ.01): allows the formation of a “soft” martensite that is more resistant than standard martensitic ...Proposed AC Corrosion Models  AC Simulated Corrosion testing  Stainless steel pipe and coating  Cathodic protection  Experimental Setup  Preliminary

Palladium(II) and zinc(II) complexes of neutral [N2O2] donor Schiff bases derived from furfuraldehyde: synthesis, characterization, fluorescence and corrosion inhibitors of ligands.

PubMed

Ali, Omyma A M

2014-11-11

Metal complexes of Schiff bases derived from furfuraldehyde and 4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenylendiamine (L1) or 4,5-dichloro-1,2-phenylendiamine (L2) have been reported and characterized based on elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR, UV-Vis, magnetic moment, molar conductance and thermal analysis. The complexes are found to have the formulae [PdL1-2]Cl2 and [ZnL1-2](AcO)2·H2O. The molar conductance data reveal that Pd(II) and Zn(II) chelates are ionic in nature and are of the type 2:1 electrolytes. The spectral data are consistent with a square planar and tetrahedral geometry around Pd(II) and Zn(II), respectively, in which the ligands act as tetradentate ligands. The thermal behavior of some chelates is studied and the activation thermodynamic parameters are calculated using Coats-Redfern method. The corrosion inhibition of stainless steel types 410 and 304 in 1 M HCl using the synthesized Schiff bases as inhibitors have been studied by weight loss method. The obtained data considered these ligands as efficient corrosion inhibitors. The ligands and their metal complexes exhibited considerable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcusaureus, and Escherichiacoli and antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioturbation and dissolved organic matter enhance contaminant fluxes from sediment treated with powdered and granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Kupryianchyk, D; Noori, A; Rakowska, M I; Grotenhuis, J T C; Koelmans, A A

2013-05-21

Sediment amendment with activated carbon (AC) is a promising technique for in situ sediment remediation. To date it is not clear whether this technique sufficiently reduces sediment-to-water fluxes of sediment-bound hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) in the presence of bioturbators. Here, we report polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) pore water concentrations, fluxes, mass transfer coefficients, and survival data of two benthic species, for four treatments: no AC addition (control), powdered AC addition, granular AC addition and addition and subsequent removal of GAC (sediment stripping). AC addition decreased mass fluxes but increased apparent mass transfer coefficients because of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) facilitated transport across the benthic boundary layer (BBL). In turn, DOC concentrations depended on bioturbator activity which was high for the PAC tolerant species Asellus aquaticus and low for AC sensitive species Lumbriculus variegatus. A dual BBL resistance model combining AC effects on gradients, DOC facilitated transport and biodiffusion was evaluated against the data and showed how the type of resistance differs with treatment and chemical hydrophobicity. Data and simulations illustrate the complex interplay between AC and contaminant toxicity to benthic organisms and how differences in species tolerance affect mass fluxes from sediment to the water column.

The role of lysine(100) in the binding of acetylcoenzyme A to human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1: implications for other acetyltransferases.

PubMed

Minchin, Rodney F; Butcher, Neville J

2015-04-01

The arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) catalyze the acetylation of aromatic and heterocyclic amines as well as hydrazines. All proteins in this family of enzymes utilize acetyl coenzyme A (AcCoA) as an acetyl donor, which initially binds to the enzyme and transfers an acetyl group to an active site cysteine. Here, we have investigated the role of a highly conserved amino acid (Lys(100)) in the enzymatic activity of human NAT1. Mutation of Lys(100) to either a glutamine or a leucine significantly increased the Ka for AcCoA without changing the Kb for the acetyl acceptor p-aminobenzoic acid. In addition, substrate inhibition was more marked with the mutant enzymes. Steady state kinetic analyzes suggested that mutation of Lys(100) to either leucine or glutamine resulted in a less stable enzyme-cofactor complex, which was not seen with a positively charged arginine at this position. When p-nitrophenylacetate was used as acetyl donor, no differences were seen between the wild-type and mutant enzymes because p-nitrophenylacetate is too small to interact with Lys(100) when bound to the active site. Using 3'-dephospho-AcCoA as the acetyl donor, kinetic data confirmed that Ly(100) interacts with the 3'-phosphoanion to stabilize the enzyme-cofactor complex. Mutation of Lys(100) decreases the affinity of AcCoA for the protein and increases the rate of CoA release. Crystal structures of several other unrelated acetyltransferases show a lysine or arginine residue within 3Å of the 3'-phosphoanion of AcCoA, suggesting that this mechanism for stabilizing the complex by the formation of a salt bridge may be widely applicable in nature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structure and magnetic properties of an unprecedented syn-anti μ-nitrito-1κO:2κO' bridged Mn(III)-salen complex and its isoelectronic and isostructural formate analogue.

PubMed

Kar, Paramita; Biswas, Rituparna; Drew, Michael G B; Ida, Yumi; Ishida, Takayuki; Ghosh, Ashutosh

2011-04-07

The preparation, crystal structures and magnetic properties of two new isoelectronic and isomorphous formate- and nitrite-bridged 1D chains of Mn(III)-salen complexes, [Mn(salen)(HCOO)](n) (1) and [Mn(salen)(NO(2))](n) (2), where salen is the dianion of N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-diaminoethane, are presented. The structures show that the salen ligand coordinates to the four equatorial sites of the metal ion and the formate or nitrite ions coordinate to the axial positions to bridge the Mn(III)-salen units through a syn-antiμ-1κO:2κO' coordination mode. Such a bridging mode is unprecedented in Mn(III) for formate and in any transition metal ion for nitrite. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements of complexes 1 and 2 indicate the presence of ferromagnetic exchange interactions with J values of 0.0607 cm(-1) (for 1) and 0.0883 cm(-1) (for 2). The ac measurements indicate negligible frequency dependence for 1 whereas compound 2 exhibits a decrease of χ(ac)' and a concomitant increase of χ(ac)'' on elevating frequency around 2 K. This finding is an indication of slow magnetization reversal characteristic of single-chain magnets or spin-glasses. The μ-nitrito-1κO:2κO' bridge seems to be a potentially superior magnetic coupler to the formate bridge for the construction of single-molecule/-chain magnets as its coupling constant is greater and the χ(ac)' and χ(ac)'' show frequency dependence. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Influence of reactivation on the electrochemical performances of activated carbon based on coconut shell.

PubMed

Geng, Xin; Li, Lixiang; Zhang, Meiling; An, Baigang; Zhu, Xiaoming

2013-12-01

Coconut shell-based activated carbon (AC) were prepared by CO2 activation, and then the ACs with higher mesopore ratio were obtained by steam activation and by impregnating iron catalyst followed by steam activation, respectively. The AC with the highest mesopore ratio (AChmr) shows superior capacitive behavior, power output and high-frequency performance in supercapacitors. The results should attribute to the connection of its wide micropores and mesopores larger than 3 nm, which is more favorable for fast ionic transportation. The pore size distribution exhibits that the mesopore ratios of the ACs are significantly increased by reactivation of steam or catalyst up to 75% and 78%, respectively. As evidenced by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic measurements, the AChmr shows superior capacitive behaviors, conductivity and performance of electrolytic ionic transportation. The response current densities are evidently enhanced through the cyclic voltammery test at 50 mV/sec scan rate. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrates that the conductivity and ion transport performance of the ACs are improved. The specific capacitances of the ACs were increased from 140 to 240 F/g at 500 mA/g current density. The AChmr can provide much higher power density while still maintaining good energy density, and demonstrate excellent high-frequency performances. The pore structure and conductivity of the AChmr also improve the cycleability and self-discharge of supercapacitors. Such AChmr exhibits a great potential in supercapacitors, particularly for applications where high power output and good high-frequency capacitive performances are required. Copyright © 2013 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frequency and phase effects on cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) to air-conducted sound.

PubMed

Govender, Sendhil; Dennis, Danielle L; Colebatch, James G

2016-09-01

Few previous studies of tuning using air-conducted (AC) stimuli and the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) have compensated for the effects of middle ear (ME) attenuation. Zhang et al. (Exp Brain Res 213:111-116, 2011a) who did allow for ME effects were able to show a secondary peak around 100 Hz for the ocular VEMP (oVEMP). Recently, it has become clear that the otolith afferents responsible for the cVEMP and oVEMP differ and thus the nature of tuning may be more related to the reflex studied determining which otolith receptors are activated rather than the properties of the stimulus. We wished to reinvestigate the tuning for the cVEMP using AC stimuli, to establish whether the low-frequency peak is specific for the oVEMP or a consequence of the stimulus modality itself. In response to recent evidence using a 500 Hz AC stimulus that there was no effect of stimulus phase, we also investigated whether phase (condensation or rarefaction) had an effect at any frequency. We measured corrected cVEMP amplitudes and latencies in response to stimuli between 50 and 1200 Hz in 10 normal volunteers using an AC stimulus adjusted for ME attenuation. We confirmed earlier reports of the similarity of the tuning for both the cVEMP and oVEMP reflexes but found no separate 100 Hz peak for the cVEMP. AC stimulus phase did not affect either amplitude or latency. Both the tuning pattern and the phase effects contrast with those previously reported for bone-conducted (BC) stimuli. Unlike BC stimulation, which shows tuning consistent with an action on the otolith membrane, AC stimuli are likely to act through a different mechanism, most likely directly at the hair cell level.

AC conductivity studies of La doped Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Souza, Slavia Deeksha; Rohith, Kotla Surya; Bhatnagar, Anil K.; Kumar, A. Sendil

2017-05-01

Ferroelectric material with high dielectric constant of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 is synthesized through Solid State Reaction and fraction of Lanthanum is substituted to introduce hole concentration. XRay Diffraction shows all the samples are stabilized in cubic crystal structure. With La doped samples the Cole-Cole plot is modified and AC conductivity increases at higher temperatures as well as higher frequencies compared to undoped sample.

I-BIEM calculations of the frequency dispersion and ac current distribution at disk and ring-disk electrodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahan, Boris D.

1991-01-01

The Iterative Boundary Integral Equation Method (I-BIEM) has been applied to the problem of frequency dispersion at a disk electrode in a finite geometry. The I-BIEM permits the direct evaluation of the AC potential (a complex variable) using complex boundary conditions. The point spacing was made highly nonuniform, to give extremely high resolution in those regions where the variables change most rapidly, i.e., in the vicinity of the edge of the disk. Results are analyzed with respect to IR correction, equipotential surfaces, and reference electrode placement. The current distribution is also examined for a ring-disk configuration, with the ring and the disk at the same AC potential. It is shown that the apparent impedance of the disk is inductive at higher frequencies. The results are compared to analytic calculations from the literature, and usually agree to better than 0.001 percent.

I-BIEM calculations of the frequency dispersion and AC current distribution at disk and ring-disk electrodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahan, Boris D.

1991-01-01

The Iterative Boundary Integral Equation Method (I-BIEM) has been applied to the problem of frequency dispersion at a disk electrode in a finite geometry. The I-BIEM permits the direct evaluation of the AC potential (a complex variable) using complex boundary conditions. The point spacing was made highly nonuniform, to give extremely high resolution in those regions where the variables change most rapidly, i.e., in the vicinity of the edge of the disk. Results are analyzed with respect to IR correction, equipotential surfaces, and reference electrode placement. The current distribution is also examined for a ring-disk configuration, with the ring and the disk at the same AC potential. It is shown that the apparent impedance of the disk is inductive at higher frequencies. The results are compared to analytic calculations from the literature, and usually agree to better than 0.001 percent.

Synthesis and characterization of highly conductive charge-transfer complexes using positron annihilation spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, Abdel Majid A.; Refat, Moamen S.; Sharshar, T.; Heiba, Z. K.

Molecular charge-transfer complexes of the tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) with picric acid (Pi-OH), benzene-1,4-diol (QL), tin(IV) tetrachloride (SnCl4), iodine, bromine, and zinc chloride (ZnCl2) have been synthesized and investigated by elemental and thermal analysis, electronic, infrared, Raman and proton-NMR, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. In this work, three types of acceptors π-acceptors (Pi-OH and QL), σ-acceptors (iodine and bromine), and vacant orbital acceptors (SnCl4 and ZnCl2) were covered. The results of elemental analysis indicated that the CT complexes were formed with ratios 1:1 and 1:2 for QL, SnCl4, and ZnCl2 acceptors and iodine, Pi-OH, and Br2 acceptors, respectively. The type of chelating between the TMEDA donor and the mentioned acceptors depends upon the behavior of both items. The positron annihilation lifetime parameters were found to be dependent on the structure, electronic configuration, and the power of acceptors. The correlation between these parameters and the molecular weight and biological activities of studied complexes was also observed. Regarding the electrical properties, the AC conductivity and the dielectric coefficients were measured as a function of frequency at room temperature. The TMEDA charge-transfer complexes were screened against antibacterial (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungal (Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans) activities.

Fate and distribution of pharmaceutically active compounds in mesocosm constructed wetlands.

PubMed

He, Yujie; Sutton, Nora B; Lei, Yu; Rijnaarts, Huub H M; Langenhoff, Alette A M

2018-05-22

Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in constructed wetlands (CWs) is a complex interplay of different processes. We studied fate and distribution of seven PhACs (caffeine, CAF; naproxen, NAP; metoprolol, MET; propranolol, PRO; ibuprofen, IBP; carbamazepine, CBZ; diclofenac, DFC) in mesocosm CWs and effects of irradiation via pre-photocatalysis, substrate composition (mainly sediment) through addition of litter (dead plant biomass), and plants. CWs showed high removal of CAF, NAP, MET, PRO, and IBP (79-99%). All seven PhACs were detected in substrate and plant tissues as well as IBP intermediates. Estimated PhAC mass balance showed that sorption dominated PRO removal in CWs while other PhACs were mainly removed by biodegradation and/or phytodegradation. Pre-photocatalysis significantly increased removal of PhACs except for CAF and IBP, and decreased accumulation of PhACs in substrate and plant tissues of the following wetland compartment. Litter addition in CW significantly enhanced removal of PRO and CBZ via biodegradation and/or phytodegradation. Plants played an essential and positive role in removing PhACs, resulting from direct phytoremediation and indirectly enhancing sorption and biodegradation. Our study provides knowledge to understand removal mechanisms of PhACs in CWs and to potentially enhance PhAC removal by developing pre-photocatalysis, adding dead plant biomass, and optimizing vegetation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The electrical and dielectric properties of the Au/Ti/HfO2/n-GaAs structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karabulut, Abdulkerim; Türüt, Abdulmecit; Karataş, Şükrü

2018-04-01

In this work, temperature dependent electrical and dielectric properties of the Au/Ti/HfO2/n-GaAs structures were investigated using capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) measurements in the temperature range of 60-320 K by steps of 20 K at 1 MHz. The dielectric constant (ε‧), dielectric loss (ε″), dielectric loss tangent (tanδ) and ac electrical conductivities (σac) have been calculated as a function of temperature. These values of the ε‧, ε″, tanδ and σac have been found to be 2.272, 5.981, 2.631 and 3.32 × 10-6 (Ω-1cm-1) at 80 K, respectively, 1.779, 2.315, 1.301 and 1.28 × 10-6 (Ω-1cm-1), respectively at 320 K. These decrease of the dielectric parameters (ε‧, ε″, tanδ and σac) have been observed at high temperatures. The experimental results show that electrical and dielectric properties are strongly temperature and bias voltage dependent.

The barriers associated with emergency medical service use for acute coronary syndrome: the awareness and influence of an Australian public mass media campaign.

PubMed

Cartledge, Susie; Finn, Judith; Straney, Lahn; Ngu, Phillip; Stub, Dion; Patsamanis, Harry; Shaw, James; Bray, Janet

2017-07-01

Emergency medical services (EMS) transport to hospital is recommended in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) guidelines, but only half of patients with ACS currently use EMS. The recent Australian Warning Signs campaign conducted by the Heart Foundation addressed some of the known barriers against using EMS. Our aim was to examine the influence of awareness of the campaign on these barriers in patients with ACS. Interviews were conducted with patients admitted to an Australian tertiary hospital between July 2013 and April 2014 with a diagnosis of ACS. Patient selection criteria included: aged 35-75 years, competent to provide consent, English speaking, not in residential care and medically stable. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with EMS use. Only 54% of the 199 patients with ACS interviewed used EMS for transport to hospital. Overall 64% of patients recalled seeing the campaign advertising, but this was not associated with increased EMS use (52.0%vs56.9%, p=0.49) or in the barriers against using EMS. A large proportion of patients (43%) using other transport thought it would be faster. Factors associated with EMS use for ACS were: age >65 years, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, a sudden onset of pain and experiencing vomiting. In medically stable patients with ACS, awareness of the Australian Warning Signs campaign was not associated with increased use of EMS or a change in the barriers for EMS use. Future education strategies could emphasise the clinical role that EMS provide in ACS. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Identification and Characterization of Non-Cellulose-Producing Mutants of Gluconacetobacter hansenii Generated by Tn5 Transposon Mutagenesis

PubMed Central

Deng, Ying; Nagachar, Nivedita; Xiao, Chaowen; Tien, Ming

2013-01-01

The acs operon of Gluconacetobacter is thought to encode AcsA, AcsB, AcsC, and AcsD proteins that constitute the cellulose synthase complex, required for the synthesis and secretion of crystalline cellulose microfibrils. A few other genes have been shown to be involved in this process, but their precise role is unclear. We report here the use of Tn5 transposon insertion mutagenesis to identify and characterize six non-cellulose-producing (Cel−) mutants of Gluconacetobacter hansenii ATCC 23769. The genes disrupted were acsA, acsC, ccpAx (encoding cellulose-complementing protein [the subscript “Ax” indicates genes from organisms formerly classified as Acetobacter xylinum]), dgc1 (encoding guanylate dicyclase), and crp-fnr (encoding a cyclic AMP receptor protein/fumarate nitrate reductase transcriptional regulator). Protein blot analysis revealed that (i) AcsB and AcsC were absent in the acsA mutant, (ii) the levels of AcsB and AcsC were significantly reduced in the ccpAx mutant, and (iii) the level of AcsD was not affected in any of the Cel− mutants. Promoter analysis showed that the acs operon does not include acsD, unlike the organization of the acs operon of several strains of closely related Gluconacetobacter xylinus. Complementation experiments confirmed that the gene disrupted in each Cel− mutant was responsible for the phenotype. Quantitative real-time PCR and protein blotting results suggest that the transcription of bglAx (encoding β-glucosidase and located immediately downstream from acsD) was strongly dependent on Crp/Fnr. A bglAx knockout mutant, generated via homologous recombination, produced only ∼16% of the wild-type cellulose level. Since the crp-fnr mutant did not produce any cellulose, Crp/Fnr may regulate the expression of other gene(s) involved in cellulose biosynthesis. PMID:24013627

[Inferior vestibular neuritis: diagnosis using VEMP].

PubMed

Walther, L E; Repik, I

2012-02-01

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) are a new method to establish the functional status of the otolith organs. The sacculocollic reflex of the cervical VEMP to air conduction (AC) reflects predominantly saccular function due to saccular afferents to the inferior vestibular nerve. We describe a case of inferior vestibular neuritis as a rare differential diagnosis of vestibular neuritis. Clinical signs were a normal caloric response, unilaterally absent AC cVEMPs and bilaterally preserved ocular VEMPs (AC oVEMPs).

LASER BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE: Effect of repetitive laser pulses on the electrical conductivity of intervertebral disc tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omel'chenko, A. I.; Sobol', E. N.

2009-03-01

The thermomechanical effect of 1.56-μm fibre laser pulses on intervertebral disc cartilage has been studied using ac conductivity measurements with coaxial electrodes integrated with an optical fibre for laser radiation delivery to the tissue. The observed time dependences of tissue conductivity can be interpreted in terms of hydraulic effects and thermomechanical changes in tissue structure. The laserinduced changes in the electrical parameters of the tissue are shown to correlate with the structural changes, which were visualised using shadowgraph imaging. Local ac conductivity measurements in the bulk of tissue can be used to develop a diagnostic/monitoring system for laser regeneration of intervertebral discs.

Helicobacter pylori and Complex Gangliosides

PubMed Central

Roche, Niamh; Ångström, Jonas; Hurtig, Marina; Larsson, Thomas; Borén, Thomas; Teneberg, Susann

2004-01-01

Recognition of sialic acid-containing glycoconjugates by the human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori has been repeatedly demonstrated. To investigate the structural requirements for H. pylori binding to complex gangliosides, a large number of gangliosides were isolated and characterized by mass spectrometry and proton nuclear magnetic resonance. Ganglioside binding of sialic acid-recognizing H. pylori strains (strains J99 and CCUG 17874) and knockout mutant strains with the sialic acid binding adhesin SabA or the NeuAcα3Galβ4GlcNAcβ3Galβ4GlcNAcβ-binding neutrophil-activating protein HPNAP deleted was investigated using the thin-layer chromatogram binding assay. The wild-type bacteria bound to N-acetyllactosamine-based gangliosides with terminal α3-linked NeuAc, while gangliosides with terminal NeuGcα3, NeuAcα6, or NeuAcα8NeuAcα3 were not recognized. The factors affecting binding affinity were identified as (i) the length of the N-acetyllactosamine carbohydrate chain, (ii) the branches of the carbohydrate chain, and (iii) fucose substitution of the N-acetyllactosamine core chain. While the J99/NAP− mutant strain displayed a ganglioside binding pattern identical to that of the parent J99 wild-type strain, no ganglioside binding was obtained with the J99/SabA− mutant strain, demonstrating that the SabA adhesin is the sole factor responsible for the binding of H. pylori bacterial cells to gangliosides. PMID:14977958

Evaluation of Bt Corn with Pyramided Genes on Efficacy and Insect Resistance Management for the Asian Corn Borer in China.

PubMed

Jiang, Fan; Zhang, Tiantao; Bai, Shuxiong; Wang, Zhenying; He, Kanglai

2016-01-01

A Bt corn hybrid (AcIe) with two Bt genes (cry1Ie and cry1Ac) was derived by breeding stack from line expressing Cry1Ie and a line expressing Cry1Ac. Efficacy of this pyramided Bt corn hybrid against the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis, was evaluated. We conducted laboratory bioassays using susceptible and resistant ACB strains fed on artificial diet or fresh plant tissues. We also conducted field trials with artificial infestations of ACB neonates at the V6 and silk stages. The toxin-diet bioassay data indicated that mixtures of Cry1Ac and Cry1Ie proteins had synergistic insecticidal efficacy. The plant tissue bioassay data indicated that Bt corn hybrids expressing either a single toxin (Cry1Ac or Cry1Ie) or two toxins had high efficacy against susceptible ACB. Damage ratings in the field trials indicated that the Bt corn hybrids could effectively protect against 1st and the 2nd generation ACB in China. The hybrid line with two Bt genes showed a higher efficacy against ACB larvae resistant to Cry1Ac or CryIe than the hybrid containing one Bt gene, and the two gene hybrid would have increased potential for managing or delaying the evolution of ACB resistance to Bt corn plants.

Novel polymer electrolytes based on cationic polyurethane with different alkyl chain length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Libin; Wu, Xiwen; Li, Tianduo

2014-03-01

A series of comb-like cationic polyurethanes (PUs) were synthesized by quaternizing different bromoalkane (C2H5Br, C8H17Br, and C14H29Br) with polyurethane. Solid polymer electrolytes were prepared by complexes cationic PUs with different content of LiClO4. All the solid polymer electrolytes had sufficient thermal stability as confirmed by TGA and exhibited a single-phase behavior evidenced by DSC results. For these electrolytes, FT-IR spectra indicated the formation of polymer-ion complexes. The ac impedance spectra show that the conductivity of the electrolytes follow the Arrhenius behavior, and ionic conductivity is associated with both the charge migration of ions between coordination sites and transmission between aggregates, as confirmed by FT-IR and SEM. Alkyl quaternary ammonium salts in the polymer backbone are recognized as inherent plasticizers, which make the electrolytes exhibit liquid-like behavior. The plasticizing effect of PU-C8 and PU-C14 electrolytes are more effective than that of PU-C2 electrolyte. Maximum ionic conductivity at room temperature for PU-C8 electrolytes containing 50 wt% LiClO4 reached 1.1 × 10-4 S cm-1. This work provides a new research clue that alkyl quaternary ammonium salts could be used as inherent plasticizers and hence make the system behave like a liquid with high ionic conductivity, while preserving the dimensional stability of the solids.

The Function of UreB in Klebsiella aerogenes Urease†

PubMed Central

Carter, Eric L.; Boer, Jodi L.; Farrugia, Mark A.; Flugga, Nicholas; Towns, Christopher L.; Hausinger, Robert P.

2011-01-01

Urease from Klebsiella aerogenes is composed of three subunits (UreA, UreB, and UreC) which assemble into a (UreABC)3 quaternary structure. UreC harbors the dinuclear nickel active site, whereas the functions of UreA and UreB remain unknown. UreD and UreF accessory proteins previously were suggested to reposition UreB and increase exposure of the nascent urease active site, thus facilitating metallocenter assembly. In this study, cells were engineered to separately produce (UreAC)3 or UreB, and the purified proteins were characterized. Monomeric UreB spontaneously binds to the trimeric heterodimer of UreA plus UreC to form (UreABC*)3 apoprotein, as shown by gel filtration chromatography, integration of electrophoretic gel band intensities, and mass spectrometry. Similar to authentic urease apoprotein, active enzyme is produced by incubation of (UreABC*)3 with Ni2+ and bicarbonate. Conversely, UreBΔ1-19, lacking the 19 residue potential hinge and tether to UreC, does not form a complex with (UreAC)3 and yields negligible levels of active enzyme when incubated under activation conditions with (UreAC)3. Comparison of activities and nickel contents for (UreAC)3, (UreABC*)3, and (UreABC)3 samples treated with Ni2+ and bicarbonate and then desalted indicates that UreB facilitates efficient incorporation of the metal into the active site and protects the bound metal from chelation. Amylose resin pull-down studies reveal that MBP-UreD (a fusion of maltose binding protein with UreD) forms complexes with (UreABC)3, (UreAC)3, and UreB in vivo, but not in vitro. By contrast, MBP-UreD does not form an in vivo complex with UreBΔ1-19. The soluble MBP-UreD:UreF:UreG complex binds in vitro to (UreABC)3, but not to (UreAC)3 or UreB. Together these data demonstrate that UreB facilitates the interaction of urease with accessory proteins during metallocenter assembly, with the N-terminal hinge and tether region being specifically required for this process. In addition to its role in urease activation, UreB enhances the stability of UreC against proteolytic cleavage. PMID:21939280

Impedance and AC conductivity studies of Sm3+ substituted 0.8Ba0.2(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3 lead free ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sastry, C. V. S. S.; Ramesh, M. N. V.; Ramesh, K. V.

2017-07-01

Samarium substituted 0.8Ba0.2(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3 (here after abbreviated as BTBKT-20) lead free ceramics with composition 0.8Ba0.2(Bi0.5(1-x)Sm0.5xK0.5)TiO3 (where x=0.01,0.03,0.05) lead free ceramics have been prepared by solid state reaction and followed by high energy ball milling process. The present paper focuses the impedance and ac conductivity studies of Sm substituted BTBKT-20 lead free ceramics. Impedance spectroscopic studies revealthat temperature dependent relaxation process. Single depressed semi circle was observed in Cole-Cole plots, indicates non-Debye kind of relaxation process. Maximum grain resistance was observed for x=0.03 Sm substituted BTBKT-20 sample. Frequency and temperature dependent AC conductivity was calculated and it found to obey the universal Jonscher's power law and the values of activation energies suggest that conduction is ionic in nature.

Temperature characterization of dielectric permittivity and AC conductivity of nano copper oxide-doped polyaniline composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shubha, L. N.; Madhusudana Rao, P.

2016-06-01

The polyaniline/copper oxide (PANI/CuO) nanocomposite was prepared by mixing solutions of polyaniline and copper oxide nanoparticles in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The synthesized polymer nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy. The characteristic peaks in XRD and UV-visible spectra confirmed the presence of CuO in the polymer structure. SEM images indicated morphological changes in the composite matrix as compared to the pristine PANI. The DC conductivity measurements were performed using two-probe method for various temperatures. AC conductivity and dielectric response of the composites were investigated in the frequency range of 102-106Hz using LCR meter. Dielectric permittivity ɛ‧(w) and dielectric loss factor ɛ‧‧(w) were investigated. It was observed that ɛ‧(w) and ɛ‧‧(w) decrease with increase in frequency at all temperatures. At a particular frequency it is observed that both ɛ‧(w) and ɛ‧‧(w) increase with increase in temperature. It was also observed that AC conductivity increased with increase in frequency and temperature.

Fluoroquinolone-Gyrase-DNA Complexes

PubMed Central

Mustaev, Arkady; Malik, Muhammad; Zhao, Xilin; Kurepina, Natalia; Luan, Gan; Oppegard, Lisa M.; Hiasa, Hiroshi; Marks, Kevin R.; Kerns, Robert J.; Berger, James M.; Drlica, Karl

2014-01-01

DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV control bacterial DNA topology by breaking DNA, passing duplex DNA through the break, and then resealing the break. This process is subject to reversible corruption by fluoroquinolones, antibacterials that form drug-enzyme-DNA complexes in which the DNA is broken. The complexes, called cleaved complexes because of the presence of DNA breaks, have been crystallized and found to have the fluoroquinolone C-7 ring system facing the GyrB/ParE subunits. As expected from x-ray crystallography, a thiol-reactive, C-7-modified chloroacetyl derivative of ciprofloxacin (Cip-AcCl) formed cross-linked cleaved complexes with mutant GyrB-Cys466 gyrase as evidenced by resistance to reversal by both EDTA and thermal treatments. Surprisingly, cross-linking was also readily seen with complexes formed by mutant GyrA-G81C gyrase, thereby revealing a novel drug-gyrase interaction not observed in crystal structures. The cross-link between fluoroquinolone and GyrA-G81C gyrase correlated with exceptional bacteriostatic activity for Cip-AcCl with a quinolone-resistant GyrA-G81C variant of Escherichia coli and its Mycobacterium smegmatis equivalent (GyrA-G89C). Cip-AcCl-mediated, irreversible inhibition of DNA replication provided further evidence for a GyrA-drug cross-link. Collectively these data establish the existence of interactions between the fluoroquinolone C-7 ring and both GyrA and GyrB. Because the GyrA-Gly81 and GyrB-Glu466 residues are far apart (17 Å) in the crystal structure of cleaved complexes, two modes of quinolone binding must exist. The presence of two binding modes raises the possibility that multiple quinolone-enzyme-DNA complexes can form, a discovery that opens new avenues for exploring and exploiting relationships between drug structure and activity with type II DNA topoisomerases. PMID:24497635

Dielectric relaxation behavior and impedance studies of Cu2+ ion doped Mg - Zn spinel nanoferrites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Pankaj; Varshney, Dinesh

2018-03-01

Cu2+ substituted Mg - Zn nanoferrites is synthesized by low temperature fired sol gel auto combustion method. The spinel nature of nanoferrites was confirmed by lab x-ray technique. Williamson - Hall (W-H) analysis estimate the average crystallite size (22.25-29.19 ± 3 nm) and micro strain induced Mg0.5Zn0.5-xCuxFe2O4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5). Raman scattering measurements confirm presence of four active phonon modes. Red shift is observed with enhanced Cu concentration. Dielectric parameters exhibit a non - monotonous dispersion with Cu concentration and interpreted with the support of hopping mechanism and Maxwell-Wagner type of interfacial polarization. The ac conductivity of nanoferrites increases with raising the frequency. Complex electrical modulus reveals a non - Debye type of dielectric relaxation present in nanoferrites. Reactive impedance (Z″) detected an anomalous behavior and is related with resonance effect. Complex impedance demonstrates one semicircle corresponding to the intergrain (grain boundary) resistance and also explains conducting nature of nanoferrites. For x = 0.2, a large semicircle is observed revealing the ohmic nature (minimum potential drop at electrode surface). Dielectric properties were improved for nanoferrites with x = 0.2 and is due to high dielectric constant, conductivity and minimum loss value (∼0.009) at 1 MHz.

Effect of activated charcoal on callus growth and shoot organogenesis in tobacco. [Nicotiana tabacum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Constantin, M.J.; Henke, R.R.; Mansur, M.A.

1977-01-01

Incorporating activated charcoal (AC) in culture media has been shown to affect growth and development of various organisms. Since AC stimulates the development of tobacco haploid plantlets from cultured anthers, research was conducted to determine the effect of activated charcoal on pith-derived callus growth and shoot development in Nicotiana tabacum cv. Wisconsin 38. Our results indicate that the hormones required for callus growth and shoot development in Wisconsin-38 tobacco are adsorbed by AC, thereby inhibiting callus growth and prohibiting shoot development. This effect was observed even when AC was removed from the medium by filtration prior to culturing the callus.

An ac electroosmosis device for the detection of bioparticles with piezoresistive microcantilever sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arefin, Md Shamsul; Porter, Timothy L.

2012-03-01

This work reports on the behavior of piezoresistive microcantilever sensors under optimizing conditions of ac electroosmotic enhancement. Piezoresistive microcantilevers are used as sensor elements for detection of concentrated bio-particles. Without preconcentrating the samples, using ac electroosmosis, these bio-particles have been manipulated onto the piezoresistive microcantilever. A piezoresistive microcantilever senses the dimensional changes upon particle exposure as a resistance change. This paper represents the integration of ac electroosmosis with a piezoresistive micro-cantilever sensor for the detection of bio-particles. A working prototype is presented here, and the experiments are conducted on Herpes Simplex type-1 virus (HSV-1) and Escherichia Coli (E. coli) bacteria.

Anatomic ligament consolidation of the superior acromioclavicular ligament and the coracoclavicular ligament complex after acute arthroscopically assisted double coracoclavicular bundle stabilization.

PubMed

Jobmann, S; Buckup, J; Colcuc, C; Roessler, P P; Zimmermann, E; Schüttler, K F; Hoffmann, R; Welsch, F; Stein, T

2017-09-18

The consolidation of the acromioclavicular (AC) and coracoclavicular (CC) ligament complex after arthroscopically assisted stabilization of acute acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) separation is still under consideration. Fifty-five consecutive patients after arthroscopically assisted double-CC-bundle stabilization within 14 days after acute high-grade ACJ separation were studied prospectively. All patients were clinically analysed preoperatively (FU0) and post-operatively (FU1 = 6 months; FU2 = 12 months). The structural MRI assessments were performed at FU0 (injured ACJ) and at FU2 bilateral (radiologic control group) and assessed separately the ligament thickness and length at defined regions for the conoid, trapezoid and the superior AC ligament. Thirty-seven patients were assessed after 6.5 months and after 16.0 months. The 16-month MRI analysis revealed for all patients continuous ligament healing for the CC-complex and the superior AC ligament with in the average hypertrophic consolidation compared to the control side. Separate conoid and trapezoid strands (double-strand configuration) were detected in 27 of 37 (73%) patients, and a single-strand configuration was detected in 10 of 37 (27%) patients; both configurations showed similar CCD data. The ligament healing was not influenced by the point of surgery, age at surgery and heterotopic ossification. The clinical outcome was increased (FU0-FU2): Rowe, 47.7-97.0 pts.; TAFT, 3.9-10.6 pts.; NAS pain , 8.9-1.4 pts. (all P < 0.05). The arthroscopically assisted double-CC-bundle stabilization within 14 days after acute high-grade ACJ separation showed 16 months after surgery sufficient consolidations of the AC and double-CC ligament complex in 73%. III, Case series.

The Role of Cervical and Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in the Assessment of Patients with Vestibular Schwannomas

PubMed Central

Chiarovano, Elodie; Darlington, Cynthia; Vidal, Pierre-Paul; Lamas, Georges; de Waele, Catherine

2014-01-01

Objectives To investigate the clinical utility of VEMPs in patients suffering from unilateral vestibular schwannoma (VS) and to determine the optimal stimulation parameter (air conducted sound, bone conducted vibration) for evaluating the function of the vestibular nerve. Methods Data were obtained in 63 patients with non-operated VS, and 20 patients operated on VS. Vestibular function was assessed by caloric, cervical and ocular VEMP testing. 37/63 patients with conclusive ACS ocular VEMPs responses were studied separately. Results In the 63 non-operated VS patients, cVEMPs were abnormal in 65.1% of patients in response to AC STB and in 49.2% of patients to AC clicks. In the 37/63 patients with positive responses from the unaffected side, oVEMPs were abnormal in 75.7% of patients with ACS, in 67.6% with AFz and in 56.8% with mastoid BCV stimulation. In 16% of the patients, VEMPs were the only abnormal test (normal caloric and normal hearing). Among the 26 patients who did not show oVEMP responses on either side with ACS, oVEMPs responses could be obtained with AFz (50%) and with mastoid stimulation (89%). Conclusions The VEMP test demonstrated significant clinical value as it yielded the only abnormal test results in some patients suffering from a unilateral vestibular schwannoma. For oVEMPs, we suggest that ACS stimulation should be the initial test. In patients who responded to ACS and who had normal responses, BCV was not required. In patients with abnormal responses on the affected side using ACS, BCV at AFz should be used to confirm abnormal function of the superior vestibular nerve. In patients who exhibited no responses on either side to ACS, BCV was the only approach allowing assessment of the function of the superior vestibular nerve. We favor using AFz stimulation first because it is easier to perform in clinical practice than mastoid stimulation. PMID:25137289

Structural, morphological, dielectric and impedance spectroscopy of lead-free Bi(Zn2/3Ta1/3)O3 electronic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halder, S.; Bhuyan, S.; Das, S. N.; Sahoo, S.; Choudhary, R. N. P.; Das, P.; Parida, K.

2017-12-01

A lead-free dielectric material [Bi(Zn2/3Ta1/3)O3] has been prepared using a solid state reaction technique at high-temperature. The resistive, conducting and capacitive characteristics of the prepared electronic material have been studied in different experimental conditions. The determination of basic crystal parameters and reflection indices confirm the development of polycrystalline compound with orthorhombic crystal structure. The study of frequency-temperature dependence of ac conductivity illustrates the nature and conduction mechanism of the material. On the basis of observed impedance data and detailed dielectric analysis, the existence of non-Debye type relaxation has been affirmed. The electronic charge carriers of compound have short range order that has been validated from the complex modulus and impedance spectrum. The detailed studies of resistive, capacitive, microstructural characteristics of the prepared material provide some useful data for considering the material as an electronic component for fabrication of devices.

Obtaining continuous BrAC/BAC estimates in the field: A hybrid system integrating transdermal alcohol biosensor, Intellidrink smartphone app, and BrAC Estimator software tools.

PubMed

Luczak, Susan E; Hawkins, Ashley L; Dai, Zheng; Wichmann, Raphael; Wang, Chunming; Rosen, I Gary

2018-08-01

Biosensors have been developed to measure transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC), but converting TAC into interpretable indices of blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC/BrAC) is difficult because of variations that occur in TAC across individuals, drinking episodes, and devices. We have developed mathematical models and the BrAC Estimator software for calibrating and inverting TAC into quantifiable BrAC estimates (eBrAC). The calibration protocol to determine the individualized parameters for a specific individual wearing a specific device requires a drinking session in which BrAC and TAC measurements are obtained simultaneously. This calibration protocol was originally conducted in the laboratory with breath analyzers used to produce the BrAC data. Here we develop and test an alternative calibration protocol using drinking diary data collected in the field with the smartphone app Intellidrink to produce the BrAC calibration data. We compared BrAC Estimator software results for 11 drinking episodes collected by an expert user when using Intellidrink versus breath analyzer measurements as BrAC calibration data. Inversion phase results indicated the Intellidrink calibration protocol produced similar eBrAC curves and captured peak eBrAC to within 0.0003%, time of peak eBrAC to within 18min, and area under the eBrAC curve to within 0.025% alcohol-hours as the breath analyzer calibration protocol. This study provides evidence that drinking diary data can be used in place of breath analyzer data in the BrAC Estimator software calibration procedure, which can reduce participant and researcher burden and expand the potential software user pool beyond researchers studying participants who can drink in the laboratory. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

An Examination of Workplace Influences on Active Commuting in a Sample of University Employees.

PubMed

Bopp, Melissa; Sims, Dangaia; Colgan, Joanna; Rovniak, Liza; Matthews, Stephen A; Poole, Erika

2016-01-01

Active commuting (AC; walking or biking) to work is associated with many benefits, though rates remain low. Employers can benefit from greater employee AC, through improved employee physical activity, though how the workplace is related to AC is unclear. The current study sought to examine how the workplace environment is related to AC participation. This was a cross-sectional, online survey conducted in April-May 2014. A volunteer sample of university employees (n = 551) was recruited. A large university in the northeastern United States. The online survey addressed travel habits, demographics, and workplace social and physical environment for AC. Pearson correlations and t tests were used to examine relationships between the percentage of all trips as AC and workplace influences and a multivariate regression analysis predicted AC participation. Participants reported 0.86 ± 2.6 AC trips per week. Percentage of trips as AC trips associated with perceived coworker AC (P < .001), parking availability (r = -0.22, P < .001), and bike parking availability (r = 0.24, P < .001). Individuals reporting greater walking time from their parking spot to their workplace reported a higher percentage of trips as AC compared with those with closer parking (P < .001). Individuals with a parking pass were less likely to AC than those with no permit (P < .001). The full multivariate model explained 42.5% of the variance in percentage of trips per week via AC (P < .001), having a parking pass (B = 0.23, P < .001), parking availability (B = -0.17, P < .001), perceived coworkers AC (B = 0.08, P = .02), and greater perceived walk time to campus (B = -0.43, P < .001) as significant predictors. This study provided insight into institutional influences on AC, indicating that policy, infrastructure, and programmatic initiatives could be used to promote workplace AC.

The AC-120: The advanced commercial transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duran, David; Griffin, Ernest; Mendoza, Saul; Nguyen, Son; Pickett, Tim; Noernberg, Clemm

1993-01-01

The main objective of this design was to fulfill a need for a new airplane to replace the aging 100 to 150 passenger, 1500 nautical mile range aircraft such as the Douglas DC9 and Boeing 737-100 airplanes. After researching the future aircraft market, conducting extensive trade studies, and analysis on different configurations, the AC-120 Advanced Commercial Transport final design was achieved. The AC-120's main design features include the incorporation of a three lifting surface configuration which is powered by two turboprop engines. The AC-120 is an economically sensitive aircraft which meets the new FM Stage Three noise requirements, and has lower NO(x) emissions than current turbofan powered airplanes. The AC-120 also improves on its contemporaries in passenger comfort, manufacturing, and operating cost.

47 CFR 15.212 - Modular transmitters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Modular transmitters. 15.212 Section 15.212 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES Intentional Radiators § 15.212... powered, it must comply with the AC line conducted requirements found in § 15.207. AC or DC power lines...

47 CFR 15.212 - Modular transmitters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Modular transmitters. 15.212 Section 15.212 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES Intentional Radiators § 15.212... powered, it must comply with the AC line conducted requirements found in § 15.207. AC or DC power lines...

47 CFR 15.212 - Modular transmitters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Modular transmitters. 15.212 Section 15.212 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES Intentional Radiators § 15.212... powered, it must comply with the AC line conducted requirements found in § 15.207. AC or DC power lines...

47 CFR 15.212 - Modular transmitters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Modular transmitters. 15.212 Section 15.212 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES Intentional Radiators § 15.212... powered, it must comply with the AC line conducted requirements found in § 15.207. AC or DC power lines...

47 CFR 15.212 - Modular transmitters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Modular transmitters. 15.212 Section 15.212 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES Intentional Radiators § 15.212... powered, it must comply with the AC line conducted requirements found in § 15.207. AC or DC power lines...

Alternating current characterization of nano-Pt(II) octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP) thin film as a new organic semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

M, Dongol; M, M. El-Nahass; A, El-Denglawey; A, A. Abuelwafa; T, Soga

2016-06-01

Alternating current (AC) conductivity and dielectric properties of thermally evaporated Au/PtOEP/Au thin films are investigated each as a function of temperature (303 K-473 K) and frequency (50 Hz-5 MHz). The frequency dependence of AC conductivity follows the Jonscher universal dynamic law. The AC-activation energies are determined at different frequencies. It is found that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model is the dominant conduction mechanism. The variation of the frequency exponent s with temperature is analyzed in terms of the CBH model. Coulombic barrier height W m , hopping distance R ω , and the density of localized states N(E F) are valued at different frequencies. Dielectric constant ɛ 1(ω,T) and dielectric loss ɛ 2(ω,T) are discussed in terms of the dielectric polarization process. The dielectric modulus shows the non-Debye relaxation in the material. The extracted relaxation time by using the imaginary part of modulus (M″) is found to follow the Arrhenius law.

Improvement of thermal radiation characteristic of AC servomotor using Al-CNT composite material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Y.; Wakiwaka, H.; Yanagihara, M.

2018-02-01

This study deals with a high thermal conductivity material of aluminum-carbon nanotube (CNT) composite with carbon fiber (CF) and the high radiation performance of AC servomotor using a stator made of nanotube composite material. The composite fabrication process was performed by melting a mixture of granular aluminum of less than 200 μm and CNT under conditions of pressed atmosphere at the same time. Two kinds of motors made using aluminum and the composite were evaluated to confirm the effect of thermal conductivity as the motor stator. A test rod of the composite with 14 wt% CF-7 wt% CNT-aluminum indicated the excellent thermal conductivity of 169 W/(mK) in the radial direction and 173 W/(mK) in the lengthwise direction. According to the obtained temperature radiation characteristic of the AC servomotor, the composite stator using CNT decreased the consumption energy to 16% compared to the conventional one. As a result, the highly efficient motor improved the radiation characteristic using the CNT composite stator.

Temperature Effects of Dielectric Properties of ER Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Z. Y.; Hu, L.; Liu, M. W.; Bao, H. X.; Jiang, Y. G.; Zhou, L. W.; Tang, Y.; Gao, Z.; Sun, M.; Korobko, E. V.

Under the consideration of the role that energy transfer and dissipation play in ER effect, an improved theory frame for ER effects, polarization-dissipation-structure-rheology, is suggested. The theory frame is substantiated by the basic physical laws and certain critical experimental facts. The dielectric response of a diatomite ER fluid to temperature is measured in the temperature range of 140 K to 400 K. By comparison of the DC conductivity with the AC effective conductivity of the sample, we found that the AC dielectric loss consists of two parts. One part comes from the DC conductivity, the other from the response of the bound charges in scope of particle to AC field. It is suggested that the response of bound charges is very important to ER effects. Besides, the effect of temperature on shear stress is measured, and interpreted based on the dielectric measurements. The source of two loss peaks in the curve of the dielectric loss versus temperature is not clear.

AC conduction of Ba1-xCaxTiO3 and BZT-BCTx

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khien, Nguyen Van; Huy, Than Trong; Hong, Le Van

2018-03-01

Ba1-xCaxTiO3 (BCTx), (x =0.0-0.3) and Ba0.8Zr0.2TiO3-Ba1-xCaxTiO3 (BZT-BCTx), (x=0.15-0.35) were fabricated by the solid state reaction method. Phase structure of the material samples was identified by X-ray diffraction. The impedance versus frequency in a range of 100 Hz to 2.5 MHz was measured for all the samples at room temperature. AC conductivity versus frequency of the BCTx and BZT-BCTx was evaluated and fitted by using the extended Universal Dielectric Response (UDR) equations. The fitting results were discussed in detail and shown that the localized reorientation polarization-based mechanism is most contributed in BCTx matrial samples. Basically both two the hopping polaron and polarization mechanisms play roles in BZT-BCTx material samples. In contrary the short-range polaron hopping is dominated in ac conductivity of BZT-BCTx material samples in low frequency range.

The importance of surface functional groups in the adsorption of copper onto walnut shell derived activated carbon.

PubMed

Xie, Ruzhen; Jin, Yan; Chen, Yao; Jiang, Wenju

2017-12-01

In this study, activated carbon (AC) was prepared from walnut shell using chemical activation. The surface chemistry of the prepared AC was modified by introducing or blocking certain functional groups, and the role of the different functional groups involved in the copper uptake was investigated. The structural and chemical heterogeneity of the produced carbons are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Boehm titration method and N 2 /77 K adsorption isotherm analysis. The equilibrium and the kinetics of copper adsorption onto AC were studied. The results demonstrated that the functional groups on AC played an important role in copper uptake. Among various surface functional groups, the oxygen-containing group was found to play a critical role in the copper uptake, and oxidation is the most effective way to improve Cu (II) adsorption onto AC. Ion-exchange was identified to be the dominant mechanism in the copper uptake by AC. Some other types of interactions, like complexation, were also proven to be involved in the adsorption process, while physical force was found to play a small role in the copper uptake. The regeneration of copper-loaded AC and the recovery of copper were also studied to evaluate the reusability of the oxidized AC.

Structural, spectroscopic and thermal characterization of 2-tert-butylaminomethylpyridine-6-carboxylic acid methylester and its Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and UO(2)(II) complexes.

PubMed

Mohamed, Gehad G; El-Gamel, Nadia E A

2005-04-01

Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and UO(2)(II) complexes with the ligand 2-tert-butylaminomethylpyridine-6-carboxylic acid methylester (HL(2)) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, magnetic moment, thermal analysis and spectral data. 1:1 M:HL(2) complexes, with the general formula [M(HL(2))X(2)].nH(2)O (where M = Co(II) (X = Cl, n = 0), Ni(II) (X = Cl, n = 3), Cu(II) (grey colour, X = AcO, n = 1), Cu(II) (yellow colour, X = Cl, n = 0) and Zn(II) (X = Br, n = 0). In addition, the Fe(III) and UO(2)(II) complexes of the type 1:2 M:HL(2) and with the formulae [Fe(L(2))(2)]Cl and [UO(2)(HL(2))(2)](NO(3))(2) are prepared. From the IR data, it is seen that HL(2) ligand behaves as a terdentate ligand coordinated to the metal ions via the pyridyl N, carboxylate O and protonated NH group; except the Fe(III) complex, it coordinates via the deprotonated NH group. This is supported by the molar conductance data, which show that all the complexes are non-electrolytes, while the Fe(III) and UO(2)(II) complexes are 1:1 electrolytes. IR and H1-NMR spectral studies suggest a similar behaviour of the Zn(II) complex in solid and solution states. From the solid reflectance spectral data and magnetic moment measurements, the complexes have a trigonal bipyramidal (Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes) and octahedral (Fe(III), UO(2)(II) complexes) geometrical structures. The thermal behaviour of the complexes is studied and the different dynamic parameters are calculated applying Coats-Redfern equation.

PROXiMATE: a database of mutant protein-protein complex thermodynamics and kinetics.

PubMed

Jemimah, Sherlyn; Yugandhar, K; Michael Gromiha, M

2017-09-01

We have developed PROXiMATE, a database of thermodynamic data for more than 6000 missense mutations in 174 heterodimeric protein-protein complexes, supplemented with interaction network data from STRING database, solvent accessibility, sequence, structural and functional information, experimental conditions and literature information. Additional features include complex structure visualization, search and display options, download options and a provision for users to upload their data. The database is freely available at http://www.iitm.ac.in/bioinfo/PROXiMATE/ . The website is implemented in Python, and supports recent versions of major browsers such as IE10, Firefox, Chrome and Opera. gromiha@iitm.ac.in. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Dielectric, Impedance and Conduction Behavior of Double Perovskite Pr2CuTiO6 Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahato, Dev K.; Sinha, T. P.

2017-01-01

Polycrystalline Pr2CuTiO6 (PCT) ceramics exhibits dielectric, impedance and modulus characteristics as a possible material for microelectronic devices. PCT was synthesized through the standard solid-state reaction method. The dielectric permittivity, impedance and electric modulus of PCT have been studied in a wide frequency (100 Hz-1 MHz) and temperature (303-593 K) range. Structural analysis of the compound revealed a monoclinic phase at room temperature. Complex impedance Cole-Cole plots are used to interpret the relaxation mechanism, and grain boundary contributions towards conductivity have been estimated. From electrical modulus formalism polarization and conductivity relaxation behavior in PCT have been discussed. Normalization of the imaginary part of impedance ( Z″) and the normalized imaginary part of modulus ( M″) indicates contributions from both long-range and localized relaxation effects. The grain boundary resistance along with their relaxation frequencies are plotted in the form of an Arrhenius plot with activation energy 0.45 eV and 0.46 eV, respectively. The ac conductivity mechanism has been discussed.

Study of the Effect on Ionic Conductivity and Structral Morphology of the SR Doped Lanthanum Gallate Solid Electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sood, Kapil; Singh, K.; Pandey, O. P.

2013-07-01

In the present study, lanthanum gallate and Sr-doped lanthanum gallate samples were prepared by conventional solid state reaction method. The phase conformation has been performed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. The elemental composition has been confirmed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Ac conductivity of the samples has been measured in the frequency range 0.1-106 Hz and from 50-800 °C. The impedance plots among real and complex impedances at particular temperature have been discussed. The behavior shows the effect of bulk and grain boundary effects of the doped sample. The impedance plots with frequency have been analyzed. The plots have been well fitted to equivalent circuit model. The conductivity shows the Arrhenius type of behavior. The activation energy has been calculated from the plots and represents that the conductivity through the material is mainly ionic. The structural morphology of the samples has been investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The micrograph shows that the porosity and grain size both decreases with Sr-doping.

Indirect and direct costs of acute coronary syndromes with comorbid atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or both.

PubMed

Ghushchyan, Vahram; Nair, Kavita V; Page, Robert L

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the direct and indirect costs of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) alone and with common cardiovascular comorbidities. A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 1998 to 2009. Four mutually exclusive cohorts were evaluated: ACS only, ACS with atrial fibrillation (AF), ACS with heart failure (HF), and ACS with both conditions. Direct costs were calculated for all-cause and cardiovascular-related health care resource utilization. Indirect costs were determined from productivity losses from missed days of work. Regression analysis was developed for each outcome controlling for age, US census region, insurance coverage, sex, race, ethnicity, education attainment, family income, and comorbidity burden. A negative binomial regression model was used for health care utilization variables. A Tobit model was utilized for health care costs and productivity loss variables. Total health care costs were greatest for those with ACS and both AF and HF ($38,484±5,191) followed by ACS with HF ($32,871±2,853), ACS with AF ($25,192±2,253), and ACS only ($17,954±563). Compared with the ACS only cohort, the mean all-cause adjusted health care costs associated with ACS with AF, ACS with HF, and ACS with AF and HF were $5,073 (95% confidence interval [CI] 719-9,427), $11,297 (95% CI 5,610-16,985), and $15,761 (95% CI 4,784-26,738) higher, respectively. Average wage losses associated with ACS with and without AF and/or HF amounted to $5,266 (95% CI -7,765, -2,767), when compared with patients without these conditions. ACS imposes a significant economic burden at both the individual and society level, particularly when with comorbid AF and HF.

Novel nano-semiconductor film layer supported nano-Pd Complex Nanostructured Catalyst Pd/Ⓕ-MeOx/AC for High Efficient Selective Hydrogenation of Phenol to Cyclohexanone.

PubMed

Si, Jiaqi; Ouyang, Wenbing; Zhang, Yanji; Xu, Wentao; Zhou, Jicheng

2017-04-28

Supported metal as a type of heterogeneous catalysts are the most widely used in industrial processes. High dispersion of the metal particles of supported catalyst is a key factor in determining the performance of such catalysts. Here we report a novel catalyst Pd/Ⓕ-MeO x /AC with complex nanostructured, Pd nanoparticles supported on the platelike nano-semiconductor film/activated carbon, prepared by the photocatalytic reduction method, which exhibited high efficient catalytic performance for selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone. Conversion of phenol achieved up to more than 99% with a lower mole ratio (0.5%) of active components Pd and phenol within 2 h at 70 °C. The synergistic effect of metal nanoparticles and nano-semiconductors support layer and the greatly increasing of contact interface of nano-metal-semiconductors may be responsible for the high efficiency. This work provides a clear demonstration that complex nanostructured catalysts with nano-metal and nano-semiconductor film layer supported on high specific surface AC can yield enhanced catalytic activity and can afford promising approach for developing new supported catalyst.

The stability of DOTA-chelated radiopharmaceuticals within 225Ac decay pathway studied with density functional theory.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karolak, Aleksandra; Khabibullin, Artem; Budzevich, Mikalai; Martinez, M.; Doliganski, Michael; McLaughlin, Mark; Woods, Lilia; Morse, David

Ligand structures encapsulating metal ions play a central role as contrast agents in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or as agents delivering toxic cargo directly to tumor cells in targeted cancer therapy. The structural stability and interaction with solutions of such complexes are the key elements in understanding the foundation of delivery process. We present a comparative study for the 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) chelated to radioactive isotopes of 225Ac, 221Fr, 217At, 213Bi and a control 68Gd. Using density functional theory methods we investigate the structural stability of complexes for cancer therapy including binding energies, charge transfer, electron densities. The van der Waals interactions are included in the simulations to take into account weak dispersion forces present in such structures. Our results reveal that Ac-DOTA, Bi-DOTA and Gd-DOTA are the most stable complexes in the group. We also show that the water environment is a key ingredient for the structural coordination of the DOTA structures. Support from the US Department of Energy under Grant No. DE-FG02-06ER46297 is acknowledged.

Composite polymer electrolyte based on PEO/Pvdf-HFP with MWCNT for lithium battery applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pradeepa, P.; Edwinraj, S.; Sowmya, G.

In the present study PEO and PVdF-HFP blend based composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) has been prepared by using Multi Walled Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT), in order to examine the filler addition effect on the electrochemical properties. The complexed nanocomposite polymer electrolytes were obtained in the form of dimensionally stable and free standing films by using solution casting technique. The electrochemical properties of CPEs were measured by the AC impedance method. From the ionic conductivity results, the CPE containing MWCNT 2wt% showed the highest ionic conductivity with an excellent thermal stability at room temperature. The dielectric loss curve s for the samplemore » 6.25wt% PEO: 18.75 wt% PVdF-HFP: 2wt% MWCNT reveal the low frequency β relaxation peak pronounced at high temperature, and it may caused by side group dipoles.« less

Holographic P -wave superconductors in 1 +1 dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkac, Gokhan; Chakrabortty, Shankhadeep; Chaturvedi, Pankaj

2017-10-01

We study (1 +1 )-dimensional P -wave holographic superconductors described by three- dimensional Einstein-Maxwell gravity coupled to a massive complex vector field in the context of AdS3/CFT2 correspondence. In the probe limit, where the backreaction of matter fields is neglected, we show that there is a formation of a vector hair around the black hole below a certain critical temperature. In the dual strongly coupled (1 +1 )-dimensional boundary theory, this holographically corresponds to the formation of a charged vector condensate which breaks spontaneously both the U (1 ) and S O (1 ,1 ) symmetries. We numerically compute both the free energy and the ac conductivity for the superconducting phase of the boundary field theory. Our numerical computations clearly establish that the superconducting phase of the boundary theory is favorable to the normal phase, and the presence of a magnetic moment term in the dual bulk theory effects the conductivity in the boundary field theory.

AC impedance investigations of proton conduction in Nafion(sup TM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahan, B. D.; Wainright, J. S.

1993-12-01

AC impedance spectroscopy has been employed to study the conduction of protons in Nafion 117 polymer electrolyte membrane. Both two- and four-electrode geometries have been used to uniquely distinguish between the membrane impedance and the interfacial impedances. The results show that the impedance of Nafion for frequencies up to 100 kHz is characterized by a pure resistance, similar to conventional liquid electrolytes. The frequency dependent features observed using a two-electrode geometry are shown to be consistent will well-characterized interfacial impedances and do not arise from ionic conduction in the membrane. These results show that previous two-electrode studies reported in the literature have misinterpreted the impedance of the electrode interfaces as belonging to the conduction process in the electrolyte.

Communication: Dimensionality of the ionic conduction pathways in glass and the mixed-alkali effect.

PubMed

Novy, Melissa; Avila-Paredes, Hugo; Kim, Sangtae; Sen, Sabyasachi

2015-12-28

A revised empirical relationship between the power law exponent of ac conductivity dispersion and the dimensionality of the ionic conduction pathway is established on the basis of electrical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) measurements on crystalline ionic conductors. These results imply that the "universal" ac conductivity dispersion observed in glassy solids is associated with ionic transport along fractal pathways. EIS measurements on single-alkali glasses indicate that the dimensionality of this pathway D is ∼2.5, while in mixed-alkali glasses, D is lower and goes through a minimum value of ∼2.2 when the concentrations of the two alkalis become equal. D and σ display similar variation with alkali composition, thus suggesting a topological origin of the mixed-alkali effect.

Jwalk and MNXL Web Server: Model Validation using Restraints from Crosslinking Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Bullock, J M A; Thalassinos, K; Topf, M

2018-05-07

Crosslinking Mass Spectrometry generates restraints that can be used to model proteins and protein complexes. Previously, we have developed two methods, to help users achieve better modelling performance from their crosslinking restraints: Jwalk, to estimate solvent accessible distances between crosslinked residues and MNXL, to assess the quality of the models based on these distances. Here we present the Jwalk and MNXL webservers, which streamline the process of validating monomeric protein models using restraints from crosslinks. We demonstrate this by using the MNXL server to filter models made of varying quality, selecting the most native-like. The webserver and source code are freely available from jwalk.ismb.lon.ac.uk and mnxl.ismb.lon.ac.uk. m.topf@cryst.bbk.ac.uk, j.bullock@cryst.bbk.ac.uk.

Attachment representations and socio-emotional difficulties in alternative care: A comparison between residential, foster and family based children in Chile.

PubMed

Garcia Quiroga, Manuela; Hamilton-Giachritsis, Catherine; Ibañez Fanés, Margarita

2017-08-01

Attachment has been assessed in children living in alternative care (AC) settings, such as Residential Homes (RC) and Foster Care (FC). However, no study has been conducted to compare attachment styles in residential, foster and parental care conducted as usual in the same country at the same point in time. There is also a lack of studies conducted in less developed countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare outcomes for children living in three different types of care in Chile. Three groups of children (N=77), living in (RC), (FC) and with biological parents (PC) were compared. Attachment styles, Indiscriminate Friendliness (IF) and socio-emotional/behavioral difficulties were assessed. Higher rates of secure attachment were observed in the RC group (36.1%) when compared to studies in RC in other countries (mean 18%). However, children in both types of AC were significantly more likely to have insecure and/or disorganized attachment styles than PC children. Higher rates of socio-emotional and behavioral problems were observed in RC (55.6%) and FC (50%) compared to PC (10%). Within type of AC, no significant differences were found, for attachment styles or for socio-emotional/behavioral difficulties, the only difference were the levels of IF, with children in RC having higher levels. As a conclusion, impact of placement in AC can vary between different countries, other factors, rather than only type of AC could better explain differences in attachment security for children. Implications for research and practices are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of the Canada Acute Coronary Syndrome Risk Score for Hospital Mortality in the Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events-2.

PubMed

AlFaleh, Hussam F; Alsheikh-Ali, Alawi A; Ullah, Anhar; AlHabib, Khalid F; Hersi, Ahmad; Suwaidi, Jassim Al; Sulaiman, Kadhim; Saif, Shukri Al; Almahmeed, Wael; Asaad, Nidal; Amin, Haitham; Al-Motarreb, Ahmed; Kashour, Tarek

2015-09-01

Several risk scores have been developed for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, but their use is limited by their complexity. The new Canada Acute Coronary Syndrome (C-ACS) risk score is a simple risk-assessment tool for ACS patients. This study assessed the performance of the C-ACS risk score in predicting hospital mortality in a contemporary Middle Eastern ACS cohort. The C-ACS score accurately predicts hospital mortality in ACS patients. The baseline risk of 7929 patients from 6 Arab countries who were enrolled in the Gulf RACE-2 registry was assessed using the C-ACS risk score. The score ranged from 0 to 4, with 1 point assigned for the presence of each of the following variables: age ≥75 years, Killip class >1, systolic blood pressure <100 mm Hg, and heart rate >100 bpm. The discriminative ability and calibration of the score were assessed using C statistics and goodness-of-fit tests, respectively. The C-ACS score demonstrated good predictive values for hospital mortality in all ACS patients with a C statistic of 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74-0.80) and in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome patients (C statistic: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.73-0.79; and C statistic: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.75-0.84, respectively). The discriminative ability of the score was moderate regardless of age category, nationality, and diabetic status. Overall, calibration was optimal in all subgroups. The new C-ACS score performed well in predicting hospital mortality in a contemporary ACS population outside North America. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Complex phenotype linked to a mutation in exon 11 of the lamin A/C gene: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, atrioventricular block, severe dyslipidemia and diabetes.

PubMed

Francisco, Ana Rita G; Santos Gonçalves, Inês; Veiga, Fátima; Mendes Pedro, Mónica; Pinto, Fausto J; Brito, Dulce

2017-09-01

The lamin A/C (LMNA) gene encodes lamins A and C, which have an important role in nuclear cohesion and chromatin organization. Mutations in this gene usually lead to the so-called laminopathies, the primary cardiac manifestations of which are dilated cardiomyopathy and intracardiac conduction defects. Some mutations, associated with lipodystrophy but not cardiomyopathy, have been linked to metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes and severe dyslipidemia. Herein we describe a new phenotype associated with a mutation in exon 11 of the LMNA gene: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, atrioventricular block, severe dyslipidemia and diabetes. A 64-year-old woman with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and a point mutation in exon 11 of the LMNA gene (c.1718C>T, Ser573Leu) presented with severe symptomatic ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. She underwent septal alcohol ablation, followed by Morrow myectomy. The patient was also diagnosed with severe dyslipidemia, diabetes and obesity, and fulfilled diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome. No other characteristics of LMNA mutation-related phenotypes were identified. The development of type III atrioventricular block with no apparent cause, and mildly depressed systolic function, prompted referral for cardiac resynchronization therapy. In conclusion, the association between LMNA mutations and different phenotypes is complex and not fully understood, and can present with a broad spectrum of severity. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Theoretical evidence of maximum intracellular currents versus frequency in an Escherichia coli cell submitted to AC voltage.

PubMed

Xavier, Pascal; Rauly, Dominique; Chamberod, Eric; Martins, Jean M F

2017-04-01

In this work, the problem of intracellular currents in longilinear bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, suspended in a physiological medium and submitted to a harmonic voltage (AC), is analyzed using the Finite-Element-based software COMSOL Multiphysics. Bacterium was modeled as a cylindrical capsule, ended by semi-spheres and surrounded by a dielectric cell wall. An equivalent single-layer cell wall was defined, starting from the well-recognized three-shell modeling approach. The bacterium was considered immersed in a physiological medium, which was also taken into account in the modeling. A new complex transconductance was thus introduced, relating the complex ratio between current inside the bacterium and voltage applied between two parallel equipotential planes, separated by a realistic distance. When voltage was applied longitudinally relative to the bacterium main axis, numerical results in terms of frequency response in the 1-20 MHz range for E. coli cells revealed that transconductance magnitude exhibited a maximum at a frequency depending on the cell wall capacitance. This occurred in spite of the purely passive character of the model and could be explained by an equivalent electrical network giving very similar results and showing special conditions for lateral paths of the currents through the cell wall. It is shown that the main contribution to this behavior is due to the conductive part of the current. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:213-219, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mapping Kainate Activation of Inner Neurons in the Rat Retina

PubMed Central

Nivison-Smith, Lisa; Sun, Daniel; Fletcher, Erica L.; Marc, Robert E.; Kalloniatis, Michael

2014-01-01

Kainate receptors mediate fast, excitatory synaptic transmission for a range of inner neurons in the mammalian retina. However, allocation of functional kainate receptors to known cell types and their sensitivity remains unresolved. Using the cation channel probe 1-amino-4-guanidobutane agmatine (AGB), we investigated kainate sensitivity of neurochemically identified cell populations within the structurally intact rat retina. Most inner retinal neuron populations responded to kainate in a concentration-dependent manner. OFF cone bipolar cells demonstrated the highest sensitivity of all inner neurons to kainate. Immunocytochemical localization of AGB and macromolecular markers confirmed that type 2 bipolar cells were part of this kainate-sensitive population. The majority of amacrine (ACs) and ganglion cells (GCs) showed kainate responses with different sensitivities between major neurochemical classes (γ-aminobutyric acid [GABA]/glycine ACs > glycine ACs > GABA ACs; glutamate [Glu]/weakly GABA GCs > Glu GCs). Conventional and displaced cholinergic ACs were highly responsive to kainate, whereas dopaminergic ACs do not appear to express functional kainate receptors. These findings further contribute to our understanding of neuronal networks in complex multicellular tissues. PMID:23348566

A radical pathway in catecholase activity with nickel(II) complexes of phenol based "end-off" compartmental ligands.

PubMed

Ghosh, Totan; Adhikary, Jaydeep; Chakraborty, Prateeti; Sukul, Pradip K; Jana, Mahendra Sekhar; Mondal, Tapan Kumar; Zangrando, Ennio; Das, Debasis

2014-01-14

Seven dinuclear and one dinuclear based dicyanamide bridged polymeric Ni(II) complexes of phenol based compartmental ligands (HL(1)-HL(4)) have been synthesized with the aim to investigate their catecholase-like activity and to evaluate the most probable mechanistic pathway involved in this process. The complexes have been characterized by routine physicochemical studies as well as by X-ray single crystal structure analyses namely [Ni2(L(2))(SCN)3(H2O)(CH3OH)] (), [Ni2(L(4))(SCN)3(CH3OH)2] (), [Ni2(L(2))(SCN)2(AcO)(H2O)] (), [Ni2(L(4))(SCN)(AcO)2] (), [Ni2(L(2))(N3)3(H2O)2] (), [Ni2(L(4))(N3)3(H2O)2] (), [Ni2(L(1))(AcO)2(N(CN)2)]n () and [Ni2(L(3))(AcO)2(N(CN)2)] (), [SCN = isothiocyanate, AcO = acetate, N3 = azide, and N(CN)2 = dicyanamide anion; L(1-4) = 2,6-bis(R2-iminomethyl)-4-R1-phenolato, where R1 = methyl and tert-butyl, R2 = N,N-dimethyl ethylene for L(1-2) and R1 = methyl and tert-butyl, R2 = 2-(N-ethyl) pyridine for L(3-4)]. A UV-vis spectrophotometric study using 3,5-di-tert butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) reveals that all the complexes are highly active in catalyzing the aerobic oxidation of (3,5-DTBC) to 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone (3,5-DTBQ) in methanol medium with the formation of hydrogen peroxide. An EPR study confirms the generation of radicals during the catalysis. Cyclic voltammetric studies of the complexes in the presence and absence of 3,5-DTBC have been performed. Reduction of Ni(II) to Ni(I) and that of the imine bond of the ligand system have been detected at ∼-1.0 V and ∼-1.5 V, respectively. Coulometric separation of the species at -1.5 V followed by the EPR study at 77 K confirms the species as an organic radical and thus most probably reduced imine species. Spectroelectrochemical analysis at -1.5 V clearly indicates the oxidation of 3,5-DTBC and thus suggests that the radical pathway is supposed to be responsible for the catecholase-like activity exhibited by the nickel complexes. The ligand centred radical generation has further been verified by density functional theory calculation.

Quantitative structure-activity relationship for the oxidation of aromatic organic contaminants in water by TAML/H2O2.

PubMed

Su, Hanrui; Yu, Chunyang; Zhou, Yongfeng; Gong, Lidong; Li, Qilin; Alvarez, Pedro J J; Long, Mingce

2018-05-02

Tetra-amido macrocyclic ligand (TAML) activator is a functional analog of peroxidase enzymes, which activates hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) to form high valence iron-oxo complexes that selectively degrade persistent aromatic organic contaminants (ACs) in water. Here, we develop quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models based on measured pseudo first-order kinetic rate coefficients (k obs ) of 29 ACs (e.g., phenols and pharmaceuticals) oxidized by TAML/H 2 O 2 at neutral and basic pH values to gain mechanistic insight on the selectivity and pH dependence of TAML/H 2 O 2 systems. These QSAR models infer that electron donating ability (E HOMO ) is the most important AC characteristic for TAML/H 2 O 2 oxidation, pointing to a rate-limiting single-electron transfer (SET) mechanism. Oxidation rates at pH 7 also depend on AC reactive indices such as f min - and qH + , which respectively represent propensity for electrophilic attack and the most positive net atomic charge on hydrogen atoms. At pH 10, TAML/H 2 O 2 is more reactive towards ACs with a lower hydrogen to carbon atoms ratio (#H:C), suggesting the significance of hydrogen atom abstraction. In addition, lnk obs of 14 monosubstituted phenols is negatively correlated with Hammett constants (σ) and exhibits similar sensitivity to substituent effects as horseradish peroxidase. Although accurately predicting degradation rates of specific ACs in complex wastewater matrices could be difficult, these QSAR models are statistically robust and help predict both relative degradability and reaction mechanism for TAML/H 2 O 2 -based treatment processes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impurities or a neutral Fermi surface? A further examination of the low-energy ac optical conductivity of SmB6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurita, N. J.; Morris, C. M.; Koohpayeh, S. M.; Phelan, W. A.; McQueen, T. M.; Armitage, N. P.

2018-05-01

Recent experiments have uncovered evidence of low energy excitations in the bulk of SmB6 that are perhaps associated with unconventional quasiparticles, bringing into question whether this Kondo "insulator" is truly insulating in the bulk. Recently, we demonstrated that SmB6 possesses significant in-gap bulk ac conduction far in excess of typical disordered semiconductors. Whether such conduction is an intrinsic feature of SmB6, suggesting the formation of an exotic state, or residual conduction from impurities continues to be a topic of debate. Here, we further examine the origin of the ac optical conductivity of SmB6 in light of recent experimental and theoretical developments. The optical conductivity of SmB6 is shown to possess distinct regimes of either dominant free carrier or localized response contributions. The free carrier response is found to be in good qualitative agreement with previous literature, although quantitative differences are revealed and discussed. The localized response, which dominates at the lowest temperatures, is analyzed in the context of models of either in-gap impurity states or an exotic neutral Fermi surface. The charge density or effective mass of this low temperature in-gap conductivity is extracted through a conductivity sum rule analysis and found to be in general alignment with both models in the appropriate limits. Our results shed further light on the nature of the in-gap states of SmB6.

Atomic level insights into realistic molecular models of dendrimer-drug complexes through MD simulations.

PubMed

Jain, Vaibhav; Maiti, Prabal K; Bharatam, Prasad V

2016-09-28

Computational studies performed on dendrimer-drug complexes usually consider 1:1 stoichiometry, which is far from reality, since in experiments more number of drug molecules get encapsulated inside a dendrimer. In the present study, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were implemented to characterize the more realistic molecular models of dendrimer-drug complexes (1:n stoichiometry) in order to understand the effect of high drug loading on the structural properties and also to unveil the atomistic level details. For this purpose, possible inclusion complexes of model drug Nateglinide (Ntg) (antidiabetic, belongs to Biopharmaceutics Classification System class II) with amine- and acetyl-terminated G4 poly(amidoamine) (G4 PAMAM(NH 2 ) and G4 PAMAM(Ac)) dendrimers at neutral and low pH conditions are explored in this work. MD simulation analysis on dendrimer-drug complexes revealed that the drug encapsulation efficiency of G4 PAMAM(NH 2 ) and G4 PAMAM(Ac) dendrimers at neutral pH was 6 and 5, respectively, while at low pH it was 12 and 13, respectively. Center-of-mass distance analysis showed that most of the drug molecules are located in the interior hydrophobic pockets of G4 PAMAM(NH 2 ) at both the pH; while in the case of G4 PAMAM(Ac), most of them are distributed near to the surface at neutral pH and in the interior hydrophobic pockets at low pH. Structural properties such as radius of gyration, shape, radial density distribution, and solvent accessible surface area of dendrimer-drug complexes were also assessed and compared with that of the drug unloaded dendrimers. Further, binding energy calculations using molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area approach revealed that the location of drug molecules in the dendrimer is not the decisive factor for the higher and lower binding affinity of the complex, but the charged state of dendrimer and drug, intermolecular interactions, pH-induced conformational changes, and surface groups of dendrimer do play an important role in the stabilization of complex. Interestingly, it was observed from the equilibrated structures of dendrimer-drug complexes at low pH that encapsulated drug molecules in the G4 PAMAM(NH 2 ) formed cluster, while in the case of nontoxic G4 PAMAM(Ac) they were uniformly distributed inside the dendritic cavities. Thus, the latter dendrimer is suggested to be suitable nanovehicle for the delivery of Ntg. This computational analysis highlighted the importance of realistic molecular models of dendrimer-drug complexes (1:n) in order to obtain reliable results.

Atomic level insights into realistic molecular models of dendrimer-drug complexes through MD simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Vaibhav; Maiti, Prabal K.; Bharatam, Prasad V.

2016-09-01

Computational studies performed on dendrimer-drug complexes usually consider 1:1 stoichiometry, which is far from reality, since in experiments more number of drug molecules get encapsulated inside a dendrimer. In the present study, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were implemented to characterize the more realistic molecular models of dendrimer-drug complexes (1:n stoichiometry) in order to understand the effect of high drug loading on the structural properties and also to unveil the atomistic level details. For this purpose, possible inclusion complexes of model drug Nateglinide (Ntg) (antidiabetic, belongs to Biopharmaceutics Classification System class II) with amine- and acetyl-terminated G4 poly(amidoamine) (G4 PAMAM(NH2) and G4 PAMAM(Ac)) dendrimers at neutral and low pH conditions are explored in this work. MD simulation analysis on dendrimer-drug complexes revealed that the drug encapsulation efficiency of G4 PAMAM(NH2) and G4 PAMAM(Ac) dendrimers at neutral pH was 6 and 5, respectively, while at low pH it was 12 and 13, respectively. Center-of-mass distance analysis showed that most of the drug molecules are located in the interior hydrophobic pockets of G4 PAMAM(NH2) at both the pH; while in the case of G4 PAMAM(Ac), most of them are distributed near to the surface at neutral pH and in the interior hydrophobic pockets at low pH. Structural properties such as radius of gyration, shape, radial density distribution, and solvent accessible surface area of dendrimer-drug complexes were also assessed and compared with that of the drug unloaded dendrimers. Further, binding energy calculations using molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area approach revealed that the location of drug molecules in the dendrimer is not the decisive factor for the higher and lower binding affinity of the complex, but the charged state of dendrimer and drug, intermolecular interactions, pH-induced conformational changes, and surface groups of dendrimer do play an important role in the stabilization of complex. Interestingly, it was observed from the equilibrated structures of dendrimer-drug complexes at low pH that encapsulated drug molecules in the G4 PAMAM(NH2) formed cluster, while in the case of nontoxic G4 PAMAM(Ac) they were uniformly distributed inside the dendritic cavities. Thus, the latter dendrimer is suggested to be suitable nanovehicle for the delivery of Ntg. This computational analysis highlighted the importance of realistic molecular models of dendrimer-drug complexes (1:n) in order to obtain reliable results.

Measuring and Modeling Organochlorine Pesticide Response to Activated Carbon Amendment in Tidal Sediment Mesocosms.

PubMed

Thompson, Jay M; Hsieh, Ching-Hong; Hoelen, Thomas P; Weston, Donald P; Luthy, Richard G

2016-05-03

Activated carbon (AC) sediment amendment for hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) is attracting increasing regulatory and industrial interest. However, mechanistic and well-vetted models are needed. Here, we conduct an 18 month field mesocosm trial at a site containing dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and chlordane. Different AC applications were applied and, for the first time, a recently published mass transfer model was field tested under varying experimental conditions. AC treatment was effective in reducing DDT and chlordane concentration in polyethylene (PE) samplers, and contaminant extractability by Arenicola brasiliensis digestive fluids. A substantial AC particle size effect was observed. For example, chlordane concentration in PE was reduced by 93% 6 months post-treatment in the powdered AC (PAC) mesocosm, compared with 71% in the granular AC (GAC) mesocosm. Extractability of sediment-associated DDT and chlordane by A. brasiliensis digestive fluids was reduced by at least a factor of 10 in all AC treatments. The model reproduced the relative effects of varying experimental conditions (particle size, dose, mixing time) on concentrations in polyethylene passive samplers well, in most cases within 25% of experimental observations. Although uncertainties such as the effect of long-term AC fouling by organic matter remain, the study findings support the use of the model to assess long-term implications of AC amendment.

The in vitro antibiotic release from anti-washout apatite cement using chitosan.

PubMed

Takechi, Masaaki; Miyamoto, Youji; Momota, Yukihiro; Yuasa, Tetsuya; Tatehara, Seikou; Nagayama, Masaru; Ishikawa, Kunio; Suzuki, Kazuomi

2002-10-01

The in vitro antibiotic release from anti-washout apatite cement using chitosan (aw-AC(chi)) was investigated in a preliminary evaluation. Flomoxef sodium was employed as the antibiotic and was incorporated into the powder phase aw-AC(chi) at up to 10%. The setting times were measured for aw-AC(chi) containing various amounts of flomoxef sodium. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was also conducted for the identification of products. To evaluate the drug release profile, set aw-AC was immersed in saline and the released flomoxef sodium was determined at regular intervals. The setting time was prolonged slightly with the addition of flomoxef sodium. The difference at 10% flomoxef sodium (0% vs. 10%) was not significant (p>0.05), and can be negligible in clinic. The XRD analysis revealed that formation of hydroxyapatite (HAP) from aw-AC(chi) was reduced, even after 24 h, when the aw-AC(chi) contained flomoxef sodium at 8% or more. The flomoxef sodium release from aw-AC(chi) showed the typical profile observed in skeleton type drug delivery system (DDS). Changing the concentration of chitosan can control the rate of drug release from aw-AC. Therefore, we conclude that aw-AC(chi) is a good candidate for potential use as a DDS carrier that may be useful in surgical operations.

Single molecule magnet behaviour in robust dysprosium-biradical complexes.

PubMed

Bernot, Kevin; Pointillart, Fabrice; Rosa, Patrick; Etienne, Mael; Sessoli, Roberta; Gatteschi, Dante

2010-09-21

A Dy-biradical complex was synthesized and characterized down to very low temperature. ac magnetic measurements reveal single molecule magnet behaviour visible without any application of dc field. The transition to the quantum tunneling regime is evidenced. Photophysical and EPR measurements provide evidence of the excellent stability of these complexes in solution.

[Serological affinity of some species of nonpathogenic corynebacteria].

PubMed

Furtat, I M; Nohina, T M; Mikhal's'kyĭ, L O; Vedenieieva, O A

2002-01-01

Serological peculiarities of the species strains Corynebacterium glutamicum, C. ammoniagenes, C. vitaeruminis, C. variabilis and strain of Corynebacterium sp. (Brevibacterium stationis) UCM Ac-719 have been investigated with the help of immunoenzyme analysis ELISA with the use of mice immune serum, specific to C. ammoniagenes UCM Ac-732T, C. vitaeruminis UCM Ac-718T, C. variabilis UCM Ac-717T, C. glutamicum UCM Ac-733 and Corynebacterium sp. UCM Ac-719. It has been established that the species of nonpathogenic corynebacteria differ between themselves as to the degree of serological affinity. C. variabilis, C. ammoniagenes and C. glutamicum are the least similar as to this indication. Weak antigenic relations have been revealed in C. vitaeruminis and C. ammoniagenes. The latter displayed the higher, as compared with other strains, affinity for Corynebacterium sp. UCM Ac-719. The highest degree of serological affinity within the species was registered in strains C. glutamicum and C. variabilis. Data obtained evidence that the ELISA method permits conducting the high-reliability species diagnosis of nonpathogenic corynebacteria on the basis of their antigenic characteristics.

High surface area bio-waste based carbon as a superior electrode for vanadium redox flow battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maharjan, Makhan; Bhattarai, Arjun; Ulaganathan, Mani; Wai, Nyunt; Oo, Moe Ohnmar; Wang, Jing-Yuan; Lim, Tuti Mariana

2017-09-01

Activated carbon (AC) with high surface area (1901 m2 g-1) is synthesized from low cost bio-waste orange (Citrus sinensis) peel for vanadium redox flow battery (VRB). The composition, structure and electrochemical properties of orange peel derived AC (OP-AC) are characterized by elemental analyzer, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. CV results show that OP-AC coated bipolar plate demonstrates improved electro-catalytic activity in both positive and negative side redox couples than the pristine bipolar plate electrode and this is ascribed to the high surface area of OP-AC which provides effective electrode area and better contact between the porous electrode and bipolar plate. Consequently, the performance of VRB in a static cell shows higher energy efficiency for OP-AC electrode than the pristine electrode at all current densities tested. The results suggest the OP-AC to be a promising electrode for VRB applications and can be incorporated into making conducting plastics electrode to lower the VRB cell stack weight and cost.

Treatment of simulated wastewater containing Reactive Red 195 by zero-valent iron/activated carbon combined with microwave discharge electrodeless lamp/sodium hypochlorite.

PubMed

Fu, Jie; Xu, Zhen; Li, Qing-Shan; Chen, Song; An, Shu-Qing; Zeng, Qing-Fu; Zhu, Hai-Liang

2010-01-01

A comparative study of treatment of simulated wastewater containing Reactive Red 195 using zero-valent iron/activated carbon (ZVI/AC), microwave discharge electrodeless lamp/sodium hypochlorite (MDEL/NaClO) and the combination of ZVI/AC-MDEL/NaClO was conducted. The preliminary results showed the two steps method of ZVI/AC-MDEL/NaClO had much higher degradation efficiency than both single steps. The final color removal percentage was nearly up to 100% and the chemical oxygen demand reduction percentage was up to approximately 82%. The effects of operational parameters, including initial pH value of simulated wastewater, ZVI/AC ratio and particle size of ZVI were also investigated. In addition, from the discussion of synergistic effect between ZVI/AC and MEDL/NaClO, we found that in the ZVI/AC-MEDL/NaClO process, ZVI/AC could break the azo bond firstly and then MEDL/NaClO degraded the aromatic amine products effectively. Reversing the order would reduce the degradation efficiency.

Effect of Chelating Agents on the Stability of Nano-TiO2 Sol Particles for Sol-Gel Coating.

PubMed

Maeng, Wan Young; Yoo, Mi

2015-11-01

Agglomeration of sol particles in a titanium alkoxide (tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TBOT), > 97%) solution during the hydrolysis and condensation steps makes the sol solution difficult to use for synthesizing homogeneous sol-gel coating. Here, we have investigated the effect of stabilizing agents (acetic acid and ethyl acetoacetate (EAcAc)) on the agglomeration of Ti alkoxide particles during hydrolysis and condensation in order to determine the optimized conditions for controlling the precipitation of TiO2 particles. The study was conducted at R(AC) ([acetic acid]/[TBOT]) = 0.1-5 and R(EAcAc)([EAcAc]/[TBOT]) = 0.05-0.65. We also studied the effects of a basic catalyst ethanolamine (ETA), water, and HCl on sol stability. The chelating ligands in the precursor sol were analyzed with FT-IR. The coating properties were examined by focused ion beam. The stabilizing agents (acetic acid and EAcAc) significantly influenced the agglomeration and precipitation of TBOT precursor particles during hydrolysis. As R(AC) and R(EAcAc) increased, the agglomeration remarkably decreased. The stability of the sol with acetic acid and EAcAc arises from the coordination of the chelating ligand to TBOT that hinders hydrolysis and condensation. A uniform fine coating (thickness: 30 nm) on stainless steel was obtained by using an optimized sol with R(AC) = 0.5 and R(EAcAc) = 0.65.

Structure and mechanism of the ATP synthase membrane motor inferred from quantitative integrative modeling.

PubMed

Leone, Vanessa; Faraldo-Gómez, José D

2016-12-01

Two subunits within the transmembrane domain of the ATP synthase-the c-ring and subunit a-energize the production of 90% of cellular ATP by transducing an electrochemical gradient of H + or Na + into rotational motion. The nature of this turbine-like energy conversion mechanism has been elusive for decades, owing to the lack of definitive structural information on subunit a or its c-ring interface. In a recent breakthrough, several structures of this complex were resolved by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), but the modest resolution of the data has led to divergent interpretations. Moreover, the unexpected architecture of the complex has cast doubts on a wealth of earlier biochemical analyses conducted to probe this structure. Here, we use quantitative molecular-modeling methods to derive a structure of the a-c complex that is not only objectively consistent with the cryo-EM data, but also with correlated mutation analyses of both subunits and with prior cross-linking and cysteine accessibility measurements. This systematic, integrative approach reveals unambiguously the topology of subunit a and its relationship with the c-ring. Mapping of known Cd 2+ block sites and conserved protonatable residues onto the structure delineates two noncontiguous pathways across the complex, connecting two adjacent proton-binding sites in the c-ring to the space on either side of the membrane. The location of these binding sites and of a strictly conserved arginine on subunit a, which serves to prevent protons from hopping between them, explains the directionality of the rotary mechanism and its strict coupling to the proton-motive force. Additionally, mapping of mutations conferring resistance to oligomycin unexpectedly reveals that this prototypical inhibitor may bind to two distinct sites at the a-c interface, explaining its ability to block the mechanism of the enzyme irrespective of the direction of rotation of the c-ring. In summary, this study is a stepping stone toward establishing the mechanism of the ATP synthase at the atomic level.

Electrical Conductivity, Relaxation and the Glass Transition: A New Look at a Familiar Phenomenon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angel, Paul W.; Cooper, Alfred R.; DeGuire, Mark R.

1996-01-01

Annealed samples from a single melt of a 10 mol% K2O-90SiO2 glass were reheated to temperatures ranging from 450 to 800 C, held isothermally for 20 min, and then quenched in either air or a silicon oil bath. The complex impedance of both the annealed and quenched samples was measured as a function of temperature from 120 to 250 C using ac impedance spectroscopy from 1 Hz to 1 MHz. The dc conductivity, sigma(sub dc), was measured from the low frequency intercept of depressed semicircle fits to the complex impedance data. When the sigma(sub dc) at 150 C was plotted against soak temperature, the results fell into three separate regions that are explained in terms of the glass structural relaxation time, tau(sub S). This sigma(sub dc) plot provides a new way to look the glass transition range, Delta T(sub r). In addition, sigma(sub dc) was measured for different soak times at 550 C, from which an average relaxation time of 7.3 min was calculated. It was found that the size and position of the Delta T(sub r) is controlled by both the soak time and cooling rate.

Structural and impedance spectroscopy properties of La0.8Ba0.1Ca0.1Mn1-xRuxO3 perovskites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chebaane, M.; Talbi, N.; Dhahri, A.; Oumezzine, M.; Khirouni, K.

2017-03-01

Polycrystalline samples La0.8Ba0.1Ca0.1Mn1-xRuxO3 (x=0 and 0.075) were prepared by sol-gel-based Pechini method. The X ray diffraction study has shown that all the samples exhibit a single phase with rhombohedral structure (space group R 3 ̅c, no. 167). The complex impedance has been investigated in the temperature range 160-320 K and in the frequency range 40 Hz-1 MHz. The imaginary part of the complex impedance (Z‧‧) frequency dependence revealed one relaxation peak. The Cole-Cole plots of the impedance values exhibited a semi -circular arc that can be described by an R1+(R2//ZCPE) electrical equivalent circuit. The conductance spectra have been investigated by the Jonscher universal power law: G(ω)=GDC+Aωn, where ω is the frequency of the ac field, and n is the exponent. The activation energy obtained both from the conductance and from time relaxation analyses are very similar, and hence the relaxation process may be attributed to the same type of charge carriers.

Dielectric Properties of PANI/CuO Nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambalagi, Sharanabasamma M.; Devendrappa, Mahalesh; Nagaraja, Sannakki; Sannakki, Basavaraja

2018-02-01

The combustion method is used to prepare the Copper Oxide (CuO) nanoparticles. The nanocomposites of Polyaniline (PANI) by doping with copper oxide nanoparticles have synthesized at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 different weight percentages during the in-situ polymerization. The samples of nanocomposite of PANI-CuO were characterized by using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The physical properties such as dielectric constant, dielectric loss and A C conductivity of the nanocomposites are studied as a function of frequency in the range 5Hz-35MHz at room temperature. It is found that the dielectric constant decreases as the frequency increases. The dielectric constant it remains constant at higher frequencies and it is also observed that in particular frequency both the dielectric constant and dielectric loss are decreased as a weight percentage of CuO increased. In case of AC conductivity it is found that as the frequency increases the AC conductivity remains constant up to 3.56MHz and afterwards it increases as frequency increases. This is due to the increase in charge carriers through the hopping mechanism in the polymer nanocomposites. It is also observed that as a weight percentage of CuO increased the AC conductivity is also increasing at a particular frequency.

A type III ACC synthase, ACS7, is involved in root gravitropism in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Chang, Ing-Feng

2013-01-01

Ethylene is an important plant hormone that regulates developmental processes in plants. The ethylene biosynthesis pathway is a highly regulated process at both the transcriptional and post-translational level. The transcriptional regulation of these ethylene biosynthesis genes is well known. However, post-translational modifications of the key ethylene biosynthesis enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase (ACS) are little understood. In vitro kinase assays were conducted on the type III ACS, AtACS7, fusion protein and peptides to determine whether the AtACS7 protein can be phosphorylated by calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK). AtACS7 was phosphorylated at Ser216, Thr296, and Ser299 by AtCDPK16 in vitro. To investigate further the function of the ACS7 gene in Arabidopsis, an acs7-1 loss-of-function mutant was isolated. The acs7-1 mutant exhibited less sensitivity to the inhibition of root gravitropism by treatment with the calcium chelator ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Seedlings were treated with gradient concentrations of ACC. The results showed that a certain concentration of ethylene enhanced the gravity response. Moreover, the acs7-1 mutant was less sensitive to inhibition of the gravity response by treatment with the auxin polar transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid, but exogenous ACC application recovered root gravitropism. Altogether, the results indicate that AtACS7 is involved in root gravitropism in a calcium-dependent manner in Arabidopsis. PMID:23943848

Enhanced adsorption of benzene vapor on granular activated carbon under humid conditions due to shifts in hydrophobicity and total micropore volume.

PubMed

Liu, Han-Bing; Yang, Bing; Xue, Nan-Dong

2016-11-15

A series of hydrophobic-modified (polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating) activated carbons (ACs) were developed to answer a fundamental question: what are the determinants that dominate the adsorption on ACs under humid conditions? Using column experiments, an inter-comparison among bare-AC and PDMS-coated ACs was conducted regarding the association of surface characteristics and adsorption capacity. Primary outcomes occurred in two dominating markers, hydrophobicity and total micropore volume, which played a key role in water adsorption on ACs. However, their contributions to water adsorption on ACs substantially differed under different Pwater/Pair conditions. Hydrophobicity was the only contributor in Pwater/Pair=0.1-0.6, while the two markers contributed equally in Pwater/Pair=0.7-1.0. Furthermore, PDMS-coated AC had a significant increase in benzene adsorption capacities compared to bare-AC at 0-90% relative humidity, while these differences were not significant among PDMS-coated ACs. It is thus presumed that the balance between the two markers can be shifted to favor almost unchanged benzene adsorption capacities among PDMS-coated ACs over a large range of relative humidity. These findings suggest potential benefits of PDMS coating onto ACs in enhancing selective adsorption of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds under high humid conditions. To develop new porous materials with both high total micropore volume and hydrophobicity should thus be considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A type III ACC synthase, ACS7, is involved in root gravitropism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Huang, Shih-Jhe; Chang, Chia-Lun; Wang, Po-Hsun; Tsai, Min-Chieh; Hsu, Pang-Hung; Chang, Ing-Feng

2013-11-01

Ethylene is an important plant hormone that regulates developmental processes in plants. The ethylene biosynthesis pathway is a highly regulated process at both the transcriptional and post-translational level. The transcriptional regulation of these ethylene biosynthesis genes is well known. However, post-translational modifications of the key ethylene biosynthesis enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase (ACS) are little understood. In vitro kinase assays were conducted on the type III ACS, AtACS7, fusion protein and peptides to determine whether the AtACS7 protein can be phosphorylated by calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK). AtACS7 was phosphorylated at Ser216, Thr296, and Ser299 by AtCDPK16 in vitro. To investigate further the function of the ACS7 gene in Arabidopsis, an acs7-1 loss-of-function mutant was isolated. The acs7-1 mutant exhibited less sensitivity to the inhibition of root gravitropism by treatment with the calcium chelator ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Seedlings were treated with gradient concentrations of ACC. The results showed that a certain concentration of ethylene enhanced the gravity response. Moreover, the acs7-1 mutant was less sensitive to inhibition of the gravity response by treatment with the auxin polar transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid, but exogenous ACC application recovered root gravitropism. Altogether, the results indicate that AtACS7 is involved in root gravitropism in a calcium-dependent manner in Arabidopsis.

Dynamic magnetic hysteresis and nonlinear susceptibility of antiferromagnetic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalmykov, Yuri P.; Ouari, Bachir; Titov, Serguey V.

2016-08-01

The nonlinear ac stationary response of antiferromagnetic nanoparticles subjected to both external ac and dc fields of arbitrary strength and orientation is investigated using Brown's continuous diffusion model. The nonlinear complex susceptibility and dynamic magnetic hysteresis (DMH) loops of an individual antiferromagnetic nanoparticle are evaluated and compared with the linear regime for extensive ranges of the anisotropy, the ac and dc magnetic fields, damping, and the specific antiferromagnetic parameter. It is shown that the shape and area of the DMH loops of antiferromagnetic particles are substantially altered by applying a dc field that permits tuning of the specific magnetic power loss in the nanoparticles.

Frequent statistics of link-layer bit stream data based on AC-IM algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Chenghong; Lei, Yingke; Xu, Yiming

2017-08-01

At present, there are many relevant researches on data processing using classical pattern matching and its improved algorithm, but few researches on statistical data of link-layer bit stream. This paper adopts a frequent statistical method of link-layer bit stream data based on AC-IM algorithm for classical multi-pattern matching algorithms such as AC algorithm has high computational complexity, low efficiency and it cannot be applied to binary bit stream data. The method's maximum jump distance of the mode tree is length of the shortest mode string plus 3 in case of no missing? In this paper, theoretical analysis is made on the principle of algorithm construction firstly, and then the experimental results show that the algorithm can adapt to the binary bit stream data environment and extract the frequent sequence more accurately, the effect is obvious. Meanwhile, comparing with the classical AC algorithm and other improved algorithms, AC-IM algorithm has a greater maximum jump distance and less time-consuming.

The Effects of the Toxic Cyanobacterium Limnothrix (Strain AC0243) on Bufo marinus Larvae

PubMed Central

Daniels, Olivia; Fabbro, Larelle; Makiela, Sandrine

2014-01-01

Limnothrix (strain AC0243) is a cyanobacterium, which has only recently been identified as toxin producing. Under laboratory conditions, Bufo marinus larvae were exposed to 100,000 cells mL−1 of Limnothrix (strain AC0243) live cultures for seven days. Histological examinations were conducted post mortem and revealed damage to the notochord, eyes, brain, liver, kidney, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, and heart. The histopathological results highlight the toxicological impact of this strain, particularly during developmental stages. Toxicological similarities to β-N-Methylamino-l-alanine are discussed. PMID:24662524

Evaluation of accessory cell heterogeneity. I. Differential accessory cell requirement for T helper cell activation and for T-B cooperation.

PubMed

Ramila, G; Studer, S; Kennedy, M; Sklenar, I; Erb, P

1985-01-01

Several Ia+ tumor cell lines and peritoneal exudate macrophages were tested as accessory cells (AC) for the activation of antigen-specific T cells and for T-B cooperation. The macrophages and all the Ia+ tumor lines tested induced the release of lymphokines from T cells in a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted fashion and reconstituted the antibody responses of AC-depleted spleen cells or of purified T and B cells. However, only the normal macrophages but none of the tumor lines induced carrier-specific T helper (Th) cells which help B cells for specific antihapten antibody responses by linked recognition. For T-B cooperation accessory cells were also required, but in contrast to Th cell activation any type of Ia+ AC (e.g. macrophage or tumor line) was effective. Strong MHC-restriction between the lymphocytes and the AC was seen if antigen-pulsed AC were added into the AC-depleted T-B cooperation cultures. If the AC and antigen were concomitantly added to the AC-depleted T-B cultures, MHC-restriction was less obvious. Concanavalin A supernatant reconstituted the response of AC-depleted T-B cultures provided antigen-specific Th cells and the hapten-carrier conjugate were present. If, however, tumor line-activated T cells were added instead of macrophage-induced Th cells, no cooperation with B cells took place even in the presence of Con A supernatant. The results obtained demonstrate a differential AC requirement for the induction of Th cells depending on the differentiation stage of the Th cells.

Sociodemographic and Environmental Correlates of Active Commuting in Rural America

PubMed Central

Fan, Jessie X.; Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori

2014-01-01

Purpose This research investigated participation rates in 3 modes of active commuting (AC) and their sociodemographic and physical environmental correlates in rural America. Methods The 2000 Census supplemented with other datasets were used to analyze AC rates in percentage of workers walking, biking, and taking public transportations to work in 14,209 nonmetropolitan rural tracts identified by RUCA codes, including 4,067 small rural and 10,142 town-micropolitan rural tracts. Sociodemographic and physical environmental variables were correlated with 3 AC modes simultaneously using Seemingly Unrelated Regression for nonmetro rural, and for small rural and town-micropolitan rural separately. Findings The average AC rates in rural tracts were 3.63%, 0.26%, and 0.56% for walking, biking, and public transportation to work, respectively, with small rural tracts having a higher rate of walking but lower rates of biking and public transportation to work than town-micropolitan tracts. In general, better economic well-being was negatively associated with AC but percentage of college-educated was a positive correlate. Population density was positively associated with AC but greenness and proximity to parks were negative correlates. However, significant differences existed for different AC modes, and between small rural and town-micropolitan rural tracts. Conclusions Sociodemographic factors explained more variance in AC than physical environmental factors but the detailed relationships were complex, varying by AC mode and by degree of rurality. Any strategy to promote AC in rural America needs to be sensitive to the population size of the area and assessed in a comprehensive manner to avoid a “one size fits all” approach. PMID:25066252

Sociodemographic and environmental correlates of active commuting in rural America.

PubMed

Fan, Jessie X; Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori

2015-01-01

This research investigated participation rates in 3 modes of active commuting (AC) and their sociodemographic and physical environmental correlates in rural America. The 2000 Census supplemented with other data sets were used to analyze AC rates in percentage of workers walking, biking, and taking public transportation to work in 14,209 nonmetropolitan rural tracts identified by RUCA codes, including 4,067 small rural and 10,142 town-micropolitan rural tracts. Sociodemographic and physical environmental variables were correlated with 3 AC modes simultaneously using Seemingly Unrelated Regression for nonmetro rural, and for small rural and town-micropolitan rural separately. The average AC rates in rural tracts were 3.63%, 0.26%, and 0.56% for walking, biking, and public transportation to work, respectively, with small rural tracts having a higher rate of walking but lower rates of biking and public transportation to work than town-micropolitan tracts. In general, better economic well-being was negatively associated with AC but percentage of college-educated was a positive correlate. Population density was positively associated with AC but greenness and proximity to parks were negative correlates. However, significant differences existed for different AC modes, and between small rural and town-micropolitan rural tracts. Sociodemographic factors explained more variance in AC than physical environmental factors but the detailed relationships were complex, varying by AC mode and by degree of rurality. Any strategy to promote AC in rural America needs to be sensitive to the population size of the area and assessed in a comprehensive manner to avoid a "one size fits all" approach. © 2014 National Rural Health Association.

Electrospray mass spectrometry of NeuAc oligomers associated with the C fragment of the tetanus toxin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prieto, M C; Whittal, R M; Baldwin, M A

2005-04-03

The Clostridial neurotoxins, botulinum and tetanus, gain entry into neuronal cells by protein recognition involving cell specific binding sites. The sialic or N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) residues of gangliosides attached to the surface of motor neurons are the suspected recognition and interaction points with Clostridial neurotoxins, although not necessarily the only ones. We have used electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS) to examine formation of complexes between the tetanus toxin C fragment, or targeting domain, and carbohydrates containing NeuAc groups to determine how NeuAc residues contribute to ganglioside binding. ESI-MS was used to rapidly and efficiently measure dissociation constants for a numbermore » of related NeuAc-containing carbohydrates and NeuAc oligomers, information that has helped identify the structural features of gangliosides that determine their binding to tetanus toxin. The strength of the interactions between the C fragment and (NeuAc){sub n}, are consistent with the topography of the targeting domain of tetanus toxin and the nature of its carbohydrate binding sites. The results suggest that the targeting domain of tetanus toxin contains two binding sites that can accommodate NeuAc (or a dimer). This study also shows that NeuAc must play an important role in ganglioside binding and molecular recognition, a process critical for normal cell function and one frequently exploited by toxins, bacteria and viruses to facilitate their entrance into cells.« less

Cry1Ac production is costly for native plants attacked by non-Cry1Ac-targeted herbivores in the field.

PubMed

McGale, Erica; Diezel, Celia; Schuman, Meredith C; Baldwin, Ian T

2018-05-13

Plants are the primary producers in most terrestrial ecosystems and have complex defense systems to protect their produce. Defense-deficient, high-yielding agricultural monocultures attract abundant nonhuman consumers, but are alternatively defended through pesticide application and genetic engineering to produce insecticidal proteins such as Cry1Ac (Bacillus thuringiensis). These approaches alter the balance between yield protection and maximization but have been poorly contextualized to known yield-defense trade-offs in wild plants. The native plant Nicotiana attenuata was used to compare yield benefits of plants transformed to be defenseless to those with a full suite of naturally evolved defenses, or additionally transformed to ectopically produce Cry1Ac. An insecticide treatment allowed us to examine yield under different herbivore loads in N. attenuata's native habitat. Cry1Ac, herbivore damage, and growth parameters were monitored throughout the season. Biomass and reproductive correlates were measured at season end. Non-Cry1Ac-targeted herbivores dominated on noninsecticide-treated plants, and increased the yield drag of Cry1Ac-producing plants in comparison with endogenously defended or undefended plants. Insecticide-sprayed Cry1Ac-producing plants lagged less in stalk height, shoot biomass, and flower production. In direct comparison with the endogenous defenses of a native plant, Cry1Ac production did not provide yield benefits for plants under observed herbivore loads in a field study. © 2018 The Authors New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

Substituted Phthalimide AC94377 Is a Selective Agonist of the Gibberellin Receptor GID11[OPEN

PubMed Central

Otani, Masato; Shimotakahara, Hiroaki; Yoon, Jung-Min; Park, Seung-Hyun; Miyaji, Tomoko; Nakano, Takeshi; Nakamura, Hidemitsu; Nakajima, Masatoshi

2017-01-01

Gibberellin (GA) is a major plant hormone that regulates plant growth and development and is widely used as a plant growth regulator in agricultural production. There is an increasing demand for function-limited GA mimics due to the limitations on the agronomical application of GA to crops, including GA’s high cost of producing and its leading to the crops’ lodging. AC94377, a substituted phthalimide, is a chemical that mimics the growth-regulating activity of GAs in various plants, despite its structural difference. Although AC94377 is widely studied in many weeds and crops, its mode of action as a GA mimic is largely unknown. In this study, we confirmed that AC94377 displays GA-like activities in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and demonstrated that AC94377 binds to the Arabidopsis GIBBERELLIN INSENSITIVE DWARF1 (GID1) receptor (AtGID1), forms the AtGID1-AC94377-DELLA complex, and induces the degradation of DELLA protein. Our results also indicated that AC94377 is selective for a specific subtype among three AtGID1s and that the selectivity of AC94377 is attributable to a single residue at the entrance to the hydrophobic pocket of GID1. We conclude that AC94377 is a GID1 agonist with selectivity for a specific subtype of GID1, which could be further developed and used as a function-limited regulator of plant growth in both basic study and agriculture. PMID:27899534

Influence of Ag, Cd or Pb Addition on Electrical and Dielectric Properties of Bulk Glassy Se-Ge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Metwally, E. G.; Shakra, A. M.

2018-05-01

Bulk glassy samples of Se0.7Ge0.3 and Se0.7Ge0.25 X 0.05 (X = Ag, Cd or Pb) chalcogenide glass have been prepared by melt-quenching method. The studied compositions were examined in powder form by x-ray diffraction analysis. The direct-current (dc) conductivity σ_{{dc}} was measured for bulk samples in the temperature range from 303 K to 433 K, revealing enhancement with temperature for all samples. The results indicate two values of activation energy ( Δ E_{{σ1 }} and Δ E_{{σ2 }} ) due to two conduction mechanisms. Measurements of the alternating-current (ac) conductivity σ_{{ac}} ( ω ) and dielectric properties for bulk samples were carried out in the temperature range from 303 K to 433 K and frequency range from 1 kHz to 1 MHz. The ac conductivity σ_{{ac}} ( ω ) was temperature dependent and proportional to ωS , where S is the frequency exponent, which reduced with rising temperature, and ω is the angular frequency. These results are discussed based on a correlated barrier hopping model. The calculated values of the maximum height of the barrier W_{{M}} for each composition are consistent with carrier hopping over a potential barrier. The density of localized states N( {E_{{F}} } ) at the Fermi level lay in the range from 1019 eV-1 cm-3 to 1020 eV-1 cm-3, and increased with temperature. The dielectric constant ɛ1 ( ω ) and loss ɛ2 ( ω ) increased with temperature but decreased with frequency. The values of σ_{{dc}} , σ_{{ac}} ( ω ) , ɛ1 ( ω ) , and ɛ2 ( ω ) increased with temperature and with addition of Ag, Cd or Pb. The observed increase was greater for Se0.7Ge0.25Pb0.05 than for Se0.7Ge0.25Cd0.05, which was greater than for Se0.7Ge0.25Ag0.05.

Influence of Al3+ substitution on the electrical resistivity and dielectric behavior of Ni0.25Cu0.20Zn0.55AlxFe2-xO4 ferrites synthesized by solid state reaction technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, K. R.; Chowdhury, F.-U.-Z.; Khan, M. N. I.

2017-12-01

In this paper, the effect of Al3+ substitution on the electrical and dielectric properties of Ni0.25Cu0.20Zn0.55AlxFe2-xO4 ferrites with x = 0.0, 0.05. 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20, synthesized by solid state reaction has been reported. Using two probe method, the DC resistivity has been investigated in the temperature range from 30 °C to 300 °C. Activation energy was calculated from the Arrhenius plot. The electrical conduction is explained on the basis of the hopping mechanism. The frequency dependent dielectric properties of these spinel ferrites have been studied at room temperature by measuring AC resistivity, conductivity (σac), dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) in the frequency range between 1 kHz and 120 MHz. The study of dielectric properties showed that the dielectric constant and dielectric loss increased with increasing non-magnetic Al ions. The dependence of dielectric constant with frequency has been explained by Maxwell-Wagner interfacial polarization. Cole-Cole plots show semicircular arc(s) for the samples, and equivalent RC circuits have been proposed to clarify the phenomena involved therein. The analysis of complex impedance spectroscopy has been used to distinguish between the grain and grain boundary contribution to the total resistance.

Superconductivity in the graphene monolayer calculated using the Kubo formulalism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, L. S.

2018-03-01

We have employed the massless Dirac's fermions formalism together with the Kubo's linear response theory to study the transport by electrons in the graphene monolayer. We have calculated the electric conductivity and verified the behavior of the AC and DC electric conductivities of the system that is known to be a relativistic electron plasma. Our results show a superconductor behavior to the electron transport and consequently the spin transport for all values of T > 0 and a behavior of the AC conductivity tending to infinity in the limit ω → 0. In T = 0 our results show an insulator behavior with a transition from a superconductor state at T > 0 to an insulator state at T = 0 .

The scavenger receptor SR-A I/II (CD204) signals via the receptor tyrosine kinase Mertk during apoptotic cell uptake by murine macrophages

PubMed Central

Todt, Jill C.; Hu, Bin; Curtis, Jeffrey L.

2008-01-01

Apoptotic cells (AC) must be cleared by macrophages (Mø) to resolve inflammation effectively. Mertk and scavenger receptor A (SR-A) are two of many receptors involved in AC clearance. As SR-A lacks enzymatic activity or evident intracellular signaling motifs, yet seems to signal in some cell types, we hypothesized that SR-A signals via Mer receptor tyrosine kinase (Mertk), which contains a multisubstrate docking site. We induced apoptosis in murine thymocytes by dexamethasone and used Western blotting and immunoprecipitation to analyze the interaction of Mertk and SR-A in the J774A.1 (J774) murine Mø cell line and in peritoneal Mø of wild-type mice and SR-A−/− mice. Phagocytosis (but not adhesion) of AC by J774 was inhibited by anti-SR-A or function-blocking SR-A ligands. In resting J774, SR-A was associated minimally with unphosphorylated (monomeric) Mertk; exposure to AC induced a time-dependent increase in association of SR-A with Mertk in a direct or indirect manner. Anti-SR-A inhibited AC-induced phosphorylation of Mertk and of phospholipase Cγ2, essential steps in AC ingestion. Relative to tissue Mø of wild-type mice, AC-induced Mertk phosphorylation was reduced and delayed in tissue Mø of SR-A−/− mice, as was in vitro AC ingestion at early time-points. Thus, during AC uptake by murine Mø, SR-A is essential for optimal phosphorylation of Mertk and subsequent signaling required for AC ingestion. These data support the Mertk/SR-A complex as a potential target to manipulate AC clearance and hence, resolution of inflammation and infections. PMID:18511575

Porphyrin amino acids-amide coupling, redox and photophysical properties of bis(porphyrin) amides.

PubMed

Melomedov, Jascha; Wünsche von Leupoldt, Anica; Meister, Michael; Laquai, Frédéric; Heinze, Katja

2013-07-14

New trans-AB2C meso-substituted porphyrin amino acid esters with meso-substituents of tunable electron withdrawing power (B = mesityl, 4-C6H4F, 4-C6H4CF3, C6F5) were prepared as free amines 3a-3d, as N-acetylated derivatives Ac-3a-Ac-3d and corresponding zinc(II) complexes Zn-Ac-3a-Zn-Ac-3d. Several amide-linked bis(porphyrins) with a tunable electron density at each porphyrin site were obtained from the amino porphyrin precursors by condensation reactions (4a-4d) and mono- and bis(zinc(II)) complexes Zn(2)-4d and Zn(1)Zn(2)-4d were prepared. The electronic interaction between individual porphyrin units in bis(porphyrins) 4 is probed by electrochemical experiments (CV, EPR), electronic absorption spectroscopy, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with DFT/PCM calculations on diamagnetic neutral bis(porphyrins) 4 and on respective charged mixed-valent radicals 4(+/-). The interaction via the -C6H4-NHCO-C6H4- bridge, the site of oxidation and reduction and the lowest excited singlet state S1, is tuned by the substituents on the individual porphyrins and the metalation state.

Adsorptive Desulfurization of Model Gasoline by Using Different Zn Sources Exchanged NaY Zeolites.

PubMed

Rui, Jingwei; Liu, Fei; Wang, Rijie; Lu, Yanfei; Yang, Xiaoxia

2017-02-17

A series of Zn-modified NaY zeolites were prepared by the liquid-phase ion-exchange method with different Zn sources, including Zn(NO₃)₂, Zn(Ac)₂ and ZnSO₄. The samples were tested as adsorbents for removing an organic sulfur compound from a model gasoline fuel containing 1000 ppmw sulfur. Zn(Ac)₂-Y exhibited the best performance for the desulfurization of gasoline at ambient conditions. Combined with the adsorbents' characterization results, the higher adsorption capacity of Zn(Ac)₂-Y is associated with a higher ion-exchange degree. Further, the results demonstrated that the addition of 5 wt % toluene or 1-hexene to the diluted thiophene (TP) solution in cyclohexane caused a large decrease in the removal of TP from the model gasoline fuel. This provides evidence about the competition through the π-complexation between TP and toluene for adsorption on the active sites. The acid-catalyzed alkylation by 1-hexene of TP and the generated complex mixture of bulky alkylthiophenes would adsorb on the surface active sites of the adsorbent and block the pores. The regenerated Zn(Ac)₂-Y adsorbent afforded 84.42% and 66.10% of the initial adsorption capacity after the first two regeneration cycles.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chew, K. W.; Chen, S. S.; Pang, W. L.

The effects of Lithium triflate salt (LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}), on the poly (methyl methacrylate)(PMMA)-based solid polymer electrolytes plasticized with propylene carbonate (PC) solvated in Tetrahydrofuran (THF) have been studied through a.c impedance spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Lithium triflate was incorporated into the predetermined PMMA/PC system that has the highest value of ionic conductivity. In current investigations, four combination systems: Pure PMMA, (PMMA+PC) systems, (PMMA+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) and (PMMA+PC+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) systems were prepared using the solution cast method. Solutions were stirred for numerous hours to obtain a homogenous solution before it is poured into the petri dishes under ambient temperaturemore » to form the solid electrolyte thin film. The films were then removed from petri discs and transferred into the dessicator for further drying prior to the different tests. From the characterization done through the a.c impedance spectroscopy, the highest room temperature ionic conductivity in the pure PMMA sample, (PMMA+PC) system and (PMMA+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) system is 2.83x10{sup -12} Scm{sup -1}, 4.39x10{sup -11} Scm{sup -1} and 3.93x10{sup -6} Scm{sup -1} respectively. The conductivity for (PMMA+PC+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) system was obtained with the 30 wt% of lithium triflate, which is 2.48x10{sup -5} Scm{sup -1}. Infrared spectroscopy shows that complexation occurred between the polymer and the plasticizer, and the polymer and plasticizer and salt. The interactions have been studied in the C=O band, C-O-C band and the O-CH{sub 3} band.« less

Pincer phosphine complexes of ruthenium: formation of Ru(P-O-P)(PPh3)HCl (P-O-P = xantphos, DPEphos, (Ph2PCH2CH2)2O) and Ru(dppf)(PPh3)HCl and characterization of cationic dioxygen, dihydrogen, dinitrogen, and arene coordinated phosphine products.

PubMed

Ledger, Araminta E W; Moreno, Aitor; Ellul, Charles E; Mahon, Mary F; Pregosin, Paul S; Whittlesey, Michael K; Williams, Jonathan M J

2010-08-16

Treatment of Ru(PPh(3))(3)HCl with the pincer phosphines 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)xanthene (xantphos), bis(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)ether (DPEphos), or (Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2))(2)O affords Ru(P-O-P)(PPh(3))HCl (xantphos, 1a; DPEphos, 1b; (Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2))(2)O, 1c). The X-ray crystal structures of 1a-c show that all three P-O-P ligands coordinate in a tridentate manner through phosphorus and oxygen. Abstraction of the chloride ligand from 1a-c by NaBAr(4)(F) (BAr(4)(F) = B(3,5-C(6)H(3)(CF(3))(2))(4)) gives the cationic aqua complexes [Ru(P-O-P)(PPh(3))(H(2)O)H]BAr(4)(F) (3a-c). Removal of chloride from 1a by AgOTf yields Ru(xantphos)(PPh(3))H(OTf) (2a), which reacts with water to form [Ru(xantphos)(PPh(3))(H(2)O)H](OTf). The aqua complexes 3a-b react with O(2) to generate [Ru(xantphos)(PPh(3))(eta(2)-O(2))H]BAr(4)(F) (5a) and [Ru(DPEphos)(PPh(3))(eta(2)-O(2))H]BAr(4)(F) (5b). Addition of H(2) or N(2) to 3a-c yields the thermally unstable dihydrogen and dinitrogen species [Ru(P-O-P)(PPh(3))(eta(2)-H(2))H]BAr(4)(F) (6a-c) and [Ru(P-O-P)(PPh(3))(N(2))H]BAr(4)(F) (7a-c), which have been characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy at low temperature. Ru(PPh(3))(3)HCl reacts with 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) to give the 16-electron complex Ru(dppf)(PPh(3))HCl (1d), which upon treatment with NaBAr(4)(F), affords [Ru(dppf){(eta(6)-C(6)H(5))PPh(2)}H]BAr(4)(F) (8), in which the PPh(3) ligand binds eta(6) through one of the PPh(3) phenyl rings. Reaction of 8 with CO or PMe(3) at elevated temperatures yields the 18-electron products [Ru(dppf)(PPh(3))(CO)(2)H]BAr(F)(4) (9) and [Ru(PMe(3))(5)H]BAr(4)(F) (10).

Electrode effects in dielectric spectroscopy measurements on (Nb+In) co-doped TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crandles, D. A.; Yee, S. M. M.; Savinov, M.; Nuzhnyy, D.; Petzelt, J.; Kamba, S.; Prokeš, J.

2016-04-01

Recently, several papers reported the discovery of giant permittivity and low dielectric loss in (Nb+In) co-doped TiO2. A series of tests was performed which included the measurement of the frequency dependence of the dielectric permittivity and alternating current (ac) conductivity of co-doped (Nb+In)TiO2 as a function of electrode type, sample thickness, and temperature. The data suggest that the measurements are strongly affected by the electrodes. The consistency between four-contact van der Pauw direct current conductivity measurements and bulk conductivity values extracted from two-contact ac conductivity measurements suggest that the values of colossal permittivity are, at least in part, a result of Schottky barrier depletion widths that depend on electrode type and temperature.

Electrode effects in dielectric spectroscopy measurements on (Nb +In) co-doped TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crandles, David; Yee, Susan; Savinov, Maxim; Nuzhnyy, Dimitri; Petzelt, Jan; Kamba, Stanislav; Prokes, Jan

Recently, several papers reported the discovery of giant permittivity and low dielectric loss in (Nb+In) co-doped TiO2. A series of tests was performed which included the measurement of the frequency dependence of the dielectric permittivity and ac conductivity of co-doped (Nb+In)TiO2 as a function of electrode type, sample thickness and temperature. The data suggest that the measurements are strongly affected by the electrodes. The consistency between four contact van der Pauw dc conductivity measurements and bulk conductivity values extracted from two contact ac conductivity measurements suggest that the values of colossal permittivity are, at least in part, a result of Schottky barrier depletion widths that depend on electrode type and temperature. Nserc, Czech Science Foundation (Project 15-08389S).

Effect of pH on the electrical properties and conducting mechanism of SnO2 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Periathai, R. Sudha; Abarna, S.; Hirankumar, G.; Jeyakumaran, N.; Prithivikumaran, N.

2017-03-01

Semiconductor nanoparticles have attracted more interests because of their size-dependent optical and electrical properties.SnO2 is an oxygen-deficient n-type semiconductor with a wide band gap of 3.6 eV (300 K). It has many remarkable applications as sensors, catalysts, transparent conducting electrodes, anode material for rechargeable Li- ion batteries and optoelectronic devices. In the present work, the role of pH in determining the electrical and dielectric properties of SnO2 nanoparticles has been studied as a function of temperature ranging from Room temperature (RT) to 114 °C in the frequency range of 7 MHz to 50 mHz using impedance spectroscopic technique. The non linear behavior observed in the thermal dependence of the conductance of SnO2 nanoparticles is explained by means of the surface property of SnO2 nanoparticles where proton hopping mechanism is dealt with. Jonscher's power law has been fitted for the conductance spectra and the frequency exponent ("s" value) gives an insight about the ac conducting mechanism. The temperature dependence of electrical relaxation phenomenon in the material has been observed. The complex electric modulus analysis indicates the possibility of hopping conduction mechanism in the system with non-exponential type of conductivity relaxation.

A Study of Carbon Nanofibers and Active Carbon as Symmetric Supercapacitor in Aqueous Electrolyte: A Comparative Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daraghmeh, Allan; Hussain, Shahzad; Saadeddin, Iyad; Servera, Llorenç; Xuriguera, Elena; Cornet, Albert; Cirera, Albert

2017-12-01

Symmetric supercapacitors are fabricated by carbon nanofibers (CNF) and activated carbon (AC) using similar proportions of 7 wt% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer binder in an aqueous electrolyte. In this study, a comparison of porous texture and electrochemical performances between CNFs and AC based supercapacitors was carried out. Electrodes were assembled in the cell without a current collector. The prepared electrodes of CNFs and AC present Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 83 and 1042 m2/g, respectively. The dominant pore structure for CNFs is mesoporous while for AC is micropore. The results showed that AC provided higher specific capacitance retention up to very fast scan rate of 500 mV/s. AC carbon had a specific capacitance of 334 F/g, and CNFs had 52 F/g at scan rate 5 mV/s in aqueous solution. Also, the results indicate the superior conductivity of CNFs in contrast to AC counterparts. The measured equivalent series resistance (ESR) showed a very small value for CNFs (0.28 Ω) in comparison to AC that has an ESR resistance of (3.72 Ω). Moreover, CNF delivered higher specific power (1860 W/kg) than that for AC (450 W/kg). On the other hand, AC gave higher specific energy (18.1 Wh/kg) than that for CNFs (2 Wh/kg).This indicates that the AC is good for energy applications. Whereas, CNF is good for power application. Indeed, the higher surface area will lead to higher specific capacitance and hence higher energy density for AC. For CNF, lower ESR is responsible for having higher power density. Both CNF and AC supercapacitor exhibit an excellent charge-discharge stability up to 2500 cycles.

What is the origin of anomalous dielectric response in 2D organic dimer Mott insulators κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Cl and κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(CN)3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinterić, M.; Ivek, T.; Čulo, M.; Milat, O.; Basletić, M.; Korin-Hamzić, B.; Tafra, E.; Hamzić, A.; Dressel, M.; Tomić, S.

2015-03-01

Novel forms of the low-temperature phases in the two-dimensional molecular solids with competing interactions between charges, spins and lattice, in particular those featuring anomalous dielectric relaxation, have been the focus of intense activity in recent years. Open issues concern the nature of collective charge excitations as well as their coupling to applied ac and dc electric fields. The charge response is reasonably well understood by now in the charge-ordered phase with the formation of ferroelectric-like domains below the metal-to-insulator phase transition. Conversely, the dielectric response observed in dimer Mott insulator phases with no complete evidence for charge ordering is rather intriguing. We overview our recent results of anisotropic complex conductivity (dc - MHz) in the magnetic phase of κ-(BEDT - TTF) 2 Cu [ N(CN)2 ] Cl and in the spin-liquid phase of κ-(BEDT - TTF) 2Cu2(CN)3. We discuss possible explanations for the observed dynamics within current theoretical models and compare them with the well-known fingerprints of the spin density wave response to ac electric fields.

Conduction mechanism in bismuth silicate glasses containing titanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dult, Meenakshi; Kundu, R. S.; Murugavel, S.; Punia, R.; Kishore, N.

2014-11-01

Bismuth silicate glasses mixed with different concentrations of titanium dioxide having compositions xTiO2-(60-x)Bi2O3-40SiO2 with x=0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 were prepared by the normal melt quench technique. The frequency dependence of the ac electrical conductivity of different compositions of titanium bismuth silicate glasses has been studied in the frequency range 10-1 Hz to 10 MHz and in the temperature range 623-703 K. The temperature and frequency dependent conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's universal power law for all the compositions of titanium bismuth silicate glass system. The dc conductivity (σdc), so called crossover frequency (ωH), and frequency exponent (s) have been estimated from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with Jonscher's universal power law. Enthalpy to dissociate the cation from its original site next to a charge compensating center (Hf) and enthalpy of migration (Hm) have also been estimated. The conductivity data have been analyzed in terms of different theoretical models to determine the possible conduction mechanism. Analysis of the conductivity data and the frequency exponent shows that the correlated barrier hopping of electrons between Ti3+ and Ti4+ ions in the glasses is the most favorable mechanism for ac conduction. The temperature dependent dc conductivity has been analyzed in the framework of theoretical variable range hopping model (VRH) proposed by Mott which describe the hopping conduction in disordered semiconducting systems. The various polaron hopping parameters have also been deduced. Mott's VRH model is found to be in good agreement with experimental data and the values of inverse localization length of s-like wave function (α) obtained by this model with modifications suggested by Punia et al. are close to the ones reported for a number of oxide glasses.

Influence of sialic acids on the galactose-recognizing receptor of rat peritoneal macrophages.

PubMed

Lee, H Y; Kelm, S; Michalski, J C; Schauer, R

1990-04-01

The interaction of the galactose-recognizing receptor from rat peritoneal macrophages with ligands containing terminal galactose residues, such as asialoorosomucoid, desialylated erythrocytes or lymphocytes, can be inhibited by free N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and oligosaccharides or glycoproteins containing this sugar in terminal position. This effect of Neu5Ac on the receptor is specific. The other naturally occurring or most of synthetic neuraminic acid derivatives tested do not exhibit an equivalent inhibitory potency as Neu5Ac. Although free Neu5Ac inhibits 5-fold stronger (K50 = 0.2mM) than free galactose, clustering of Neu5Ac in oligosaccharides and glycoproteins does not lead to stronger inhibition, which is in contrast to galactose-containing ligands. A more branched (triantennary) sialooligosaccharide inhibits less than biantennary and unbranched sialooligosaccharides. This may be the reason, why complex sialic acid-containing ligands like native orosomucoid or blood cells are not bound and internalized by the macrophages. The dissociation of asialoorosomucoid from the receptor is slow under the influence of Neu5Ac and requires relatively high concentrations of this sugar, whereas the dissociation mediated by galactose is rapid and requires lower concentrations. An allosteric influence of Neu5Ac on the binding of galactose by the receptor is discussed.

77 FR 24684 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2013-2015 American Community Survey Methods...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-25

... program that is designed to address and respond to survey issues and needs. During the 2013-2015 period... Design Test, a 2015 ACS Content Test, and a series of Internet tests. Since the ACS Methods Panel is designed to address emerging issues, we may conduct additional testing as needed. Testing would focus on...

Injury patterns of the acromioclavicular ligament complex in acute acromioclavicular joint dislocations: a cross-sectional, fundamental study.

PubMed

Maier, Dirk; Jaeger, Martin; Reising, Kilian; Feucht, Matthias J; Südkamp, Norbert P; Izadpanah, Kaywan

2016-09-06

Horizontal instability impairs clinical outcome following acute acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) reconstruction and may be caused by insufficient healing of the superior acromioclavicular ligament complex (ACLC). However, characteristics of acute ACLC injuries are poorly understood so far. Purposes of this study were to identify different ACLC tear types, assess type-specific prevalence and determine influencing cofactors. This prospective, cross-sectional study comprised 65 patients with acute-traumatic Rockwood-5 (n = 57) and Rockwood-4 (n = 8) injuries treated operatively by means of mini-open ACJ reduction and hook plate stabilization. Mean age at surgery was 38.2 years (range, 19-57 years). Standardized pre- and intraoperative evaluation included assessment of ACLC tear patterns and cofactors related to the articular disc, the deltoid-trapezoidal (DT) fascia and bony ACJ morphology. Articular disc size was quantified as 0 = absent, 1 = remnant, 2 = meniscoid and 3 = complete. All patients showed complete ruptures of the superior ACLC, which could be assigned to four different tear patterns. Clavicular-sided (AC-1) tears were observed in 46/65 (70.8 %), oblique (AC-2) tears in 12/65 (18.5 %), midportion (AC-3) tears in 3/65 (4.6 %) and acromial-sided (AC-4) tears in 4/65 (6.1 %) of cases. Articular disc size manifestation was significantly (P < .001) more pronounced in patients with AC-1 tears (1.89 ± 0.57) compared to patients with AC-2 tears (0.67 ± 0.89). Other cofactors did not influence ACLC tear patterns. ACLC dislocation with incarceration caused mechanical impediment to anatomical ACJ reduction in 14/65 (21.5 %) of cases including all Rockwood-4 dislocations. Avulsion "in continuity" was a consistent mode of failure of the DT fascia. Type-specific operative strategies enabled anatomical ACLC repair of all observed tear types. Acute ACLC injuries follow distinct tear patterns. There exist clavicular-sided (AC-1), oblique (AC-2), midportion (AC-3) and acromial-sided (AC-4) tears. Articular disc size was a determinant factor of ACLC tear morphology. Mini-open surgery was required in Rockwood-4 and a relevant proportion of Rockwood-5 dislocations to achieve both anatomical ACLC and ACJ reduction. Type-specific operative repair of acute ACLC tears might promote biological healing and lower rates of horizontal ACJ instability following acute ACJ reconstruction.

Evaluation of the in vivo genotoxicity of Allura Red AC (Food Red No. 40).

PubMed

Honma, Masamitsu

2015-10-01

Allura Red AC (Food Red No. 40) is a red azo dye that is used for food coloring in beverage and confectionary products. However, its genotoxic properties remain controversial. To clarify the in vivo genotoxicity, we treated mice with Allura Red AC and investigated the induction of DNA damage (liver, glandular stomach), clastogenicity/anuegenicity (bone marrow), and mutagenicity (liver, glandular stomach) using Comet assays, micronucleus tests, and transgenic gene mutation assays, respectively. All studies were conducted in accordance with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guideline. Although Allura Red AC was administered up to the maximum doses recommended by the OECD guideline, no genotoxic effect was observed in any of the genotoxic endpoints. These data clearly show no evidence of in vivo genotoxic potential of Allura Red AC administered up to the maximum doses in mice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Use of AC-DC-AC Methods in Assessing Corrosion Resistance Performance of Coating Systems for Magnesium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCune, Robert C.; Upadhyay, Vinod; Wang, Yar-Ming; Battocchi, Dante

The potential utility of AC-DC-AC electrochemical methods in comparative measures of corrosion-resisting coating system performance for magnesium alloys under consideration for the USAMP "Magnesium Front End Research and Development" project was previously shown in this forum [1]. Additional studies of this approach using statistically-designed experiments have been conducted with focus on alloy types, pretreatment, topcoat material and topcoat thickness as the variables. Additionally, sample coupons made for these designed experiments were also subjected to a typical automotive cyclic corrosion test cycle (SAE J2334) as well as ASTM B117 for comparison of relative performance. Results of these studies are presented along with advantages and limitations of the proposed methodology.

The relation between intensity and complexity of coronary artery lesion and oxidative stress in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Turan, Turhan; Menteşe, Ümit; Ağaç, Mustafa Tarık; Akyüz, Ali Rıza; Kul, Selim; Aykan, Ahmet Çağrı; Bektaş, Hüseyin; Korkmaz, Levent; Öztaş Menteşe, Seda; Dursun, İhsan; Çelik, Şükrü

2015-10-01

Oxidative stress plays a major role in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between oxidative stress and complexity and intensity of coronary artery disease is less clear. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between oxidative stress markers and the complexity and intensity of coronary artery disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Sixty-seven consecutive patients with an early phase of ACS (<3 h) were included in this single-centre, cross-sectional, prospective study. Syntax and Gensini scores were calculated based on angiographic findings. Patients were divided into two CAD complexity groups according to their Syntax scores: low SYNTAX score (<22) and moderate to high SYNTAX score (>=22). Likewise patients were divided into two CAD severity groups according to the median Gensini score of 64: less intensive CAD with Gensini score (<64) and intensive CAD with Gensini score >=64. Blood samples were taken in 1 hour within administration in order to measure total oxidative status (TOS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels determined by Erel method. Oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated by TOS /TAC. There was no significant difference between the two SYNTAX groups for oxidative stress markers. Median TOS and OSI values were significantly high in the intensive CAD group (p=0.005, p=0.04, respectively). The Gensini score was positively correlated with TOS and OSI (p=0.003, p=0.02, respectively). Oxidative stress markers may be considered supportive laboratory parameters related to CAD intensity but not complexity in ACS patients.

AC impedance spectroscopy of NASICON type Na3Fe2(PO4)3 ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Biswajit; Thakur, A. K.

2018-05-01

Super ionic conductors (e.g.; A3M2(XO4)3, A=Li, Na) have received attention in applied research due to their interesting electrochemical property and inherently high ionic conductivity [1]. However, structural and compatibility requirements for fast ion transport is stringent and it plays a crucial role. In A3M2(XO4)3, a suitable cage formation in the crystal framework due to corner sharing arrangement of XO4 tetrahedra and MO6 octahedra creates voids that acts as host/guest site for cation transport. In this work, we report Nasicon structure Na3Fe2(PO4)3 (NFP) prepared via sol-gel route mediated by citric acid. Structural analysis confirmed that NFP sample belongs to monoclinic crystal structure having Cc space group (S. G. No 9) with lattice parameters, a=15.106 Å, b=8.722 Å, c=8.775 Å and β=124.96°. Electrical properties of the prepared sample have been studied by AC impedance spectroscopy technique. The AC conductivity results indicated typical signature of ionically conducting system.

Electric-Field-Directed Parallel Alignment Architecting 3D Lithium-Ion Pathways within Solid Composite Electrolyte.

PubMed

Liu, Xueqing; Peng, Sha; Gao, Shuyu; Cao, Yuancheng; You, Qingliang; Zhou, Liyong; Jin, Yongcheng; Liu, Zhihong; Liu, Jiyan

2018-05-09

It is of great significance to seek high-performance solid electrolytes via a facile chemistry and simple process for meeting the requirements of solid batteries. Previous reports revealed that ion conducting pathways within ceramic-polymer composite electrolytes mainly occur at ceramic particles and the ceramic-polymer interface. Herein, one facile strategy toward ceramic particles' alignment and assembly induced by an external alternating-current (AC) electric field is presented. It was manifested by an in situ optical microscope that Li 1.3 Al 0.3 Ti 1.7 (PO 4 ) 3 particles and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (LATP@PEGDA@PDMS) assembled into three-dimensional connected networks on applying an external AC electric field. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the ceramic LATP particles aligned into a necklacelike assembly. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed that the ionic conductivity of this necklacelike alignment was significantly enhanced compared to that of the random one. It was demonstrated that this facile strategy of applying an AC electric field can be a very effective approach for architecting three-dimensional lithium-ion conductive networks within solid composite electrolyte.

AC/DC electrical conduction and dielectric properties of PMMA/PVAc/C60 down-shifting nanocomposite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Bashir, S. M.; Alwadai, N. M.; AlZayed, N.

2018-02-01

Polymer nanocomposite films were prepared by doping fullerene C60 in polymer blend composed of polymethacrylate/polyvinyl acetate blends (PMMA/PVAc) using solution cast technique. The films were characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), DC/AC electrical conductivity and dielectric measurements in the frequency range (100 Hz- 1 MHz). The glass transition temperature, Tg, was increased by increasing the concentration of fullerene C60; this property reflects the increase of thermal stability by increasing the nanofiller content. The DC and AC electrical conductivities were enhanced by increasing C60 concentration due to the electron hopping or tunneling between filled and empty localized states above Tg. The relaxation time was determined from the αβ -relaxations and found to be attenuated by increasing the temperature as a typical behavior of amorphous polymers. The calculated values of thermodynamic parameters revealed the increase of molecular stability by increasing the doping concentration; this feature supports the application of PMMA/PVAc/C60 nanocomposite films in a wide scale of solar energy conversion applications such as luminescent down-shifting (LDS) coatings for photovoltaic cells.

Abdominal compartment syndrome and ruptured aortic aneurysm: Validation of a predictive test (SCA-AAR).

PubMed

Leclerc, Betty; Salomon Du Mont, Lucie; Parmentier, Anne-Laure; Besch, Guillaume; Rinckenbach, Simon

2018-06-01

The abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) has been clearly identified as being one of the main causes of mortality after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). The ACS is defined as a sustained intra-abdominal pressure > 20 mm Hg associated with a new organ dysfunction or failure. A pilot study was conducted and found that the threshold of 3 among 8 selected criteria, we would predict an ACS occurrence with a 54% positive predictive value and a 92% negative predictive value. But a multicentric prospective study was clearly needed to confirm these results. The outcome of this new study is to assess the qualities of a predictive test on occurrence of the ACS after rAAA surgery. This is a 30 months prospective cohort study conducted in 12 centers and 165 patients will be included. All patients with a rAAA will be consecutively included, whatever the surgical treatment. At the end of surgery, all patients have an abdominal closure and a monitoring of intrabladder pressure will be established every 3 to 4 hours. Decompressive laparotomy will be indicated when ACS occurs. Follow-up period is 1 month. Eight pre- and per-operative criteria will be studied: anemia, hypotension, cardiac arrest, obesity, massive fluid resuscitation, transfusion, hypothermia, and acidosis. In the literature, there is no recommendation about prophylactic decompression, but early decompressive laparotomy appears to improve survival. This study should make it possible to establish a predictive test, detect the ACS early, and consider a prophylactic decompression in the operating room. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02859662, Registered on 4 August 2016.

Electromigration analysis of solder joints under ac load: A mean time to failure model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Wei; Basaran, Cemal

2012-03-01

In this study, alternating current (ac) electromigration (EM) degradation simulations were carried out for Sn95.5%Ag4.0%Cu0.5 (SAC405- by weight) solder joints. Mass transport analysis was conducted with viscoplastic material properties for quantifying damage mechanism in solder joints. Square, sine, and triangle current wave forms ac were used as input signals. dc and pulsed dc (PDC) electromigration analysis were conducted for comparison purposes. The maximum current density ranged from 2.2×106A/cm2 to 5.0×106A/cm2, frequency ranged from 0.05 Hz to 5 Hz with ambient temperature varying from 350 K to 450 K. Because the room temperature is nearly two-thirds of SAC solder joint's melting point on absolute temperature scale (494.15 K), viscoplastic material model is essential. Entropy based damage evolution model was used to investigate mean time to failure (MTF) behavior of solder joints subjected to ac stressing. It was observed that MTF was inversely proportional to ambient temperature T1.1 in Celsius and also inversely proportional to current density j0.27 in A/cm2. Higher frequency will lead to a shorter lifetime with in the frequency range we studied, and a relationship is proposed as MTF∝f-0.41. Lifetime of a solder joint subjected to ac is longer compared with dc and PDC loading conditions. By introducing frequency, ambient temperature and current density dependency terms, a modified MTTF equation was proposed for solder joints subjected to ac current stressing.

Usefulness of layer-specific strain for identifying complex CAD and predicting the severity of coronary lesions in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome: Compared with Syntax score.

PubMed

Zhang, Li; Wu, Wei-Chun; Ma, Hong; Wang, Hao

2016-11-15

Layer-specific strain allows the assessment of the function of every layer of myocardium. To evaluate the changes of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome(NSTE-ACS) patients with and without complex coronary artery disease(CAD) by layer-specific strain and determine if myocardial strain can identify complex CAD and assess the severity of coronary lesions as defined by Syntax score (SS). A total of 139 patients undergoing coronary angiography due to suspected NSTE-ACS were prospectively enrolled. Echocardiography was performed 1h before angiography. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), territorial longitudinal strain (TLS), global circumferential strain (GCS) and territorial circumferential strain (TCS) of the three layers of LV wall were assessed by two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) with layer-specific myocardial deformation quantitative analysis based on the perfusion territories of the three major coronary arteries in an 18-segment model of LV. SS was used for predicting the severity of coronary lesions in patients with complex CAD. 78 had complex CAD, 32 had 1- or 2-vessel disease and 29 had no significant coronary stenosis confirmed by coronary angiography. According to SS value, 78 complex CAD subjects were subdivided into three groups, 24 in group SS 1 (SS≤22), 26 in group SS 2 (SS 23-32) and 28 in group SS 3 (SS≥33). Compared to the other two groups without complex CAD, patients with NSTE-ACS due to complex CAD had worse function in all 3 myocardial layers assessed by GLS, TLS, GCS and TCS. Endocardial GLS and TLS (all, P<0.01) were most affected. The absolute differences between endocardial and epicardial GLS and TLS were lower in magnitude in patients with complex CAD than in those without (all, P<0.001), and the more complex of coronary lesion, the lower magnitude of the parameters(all, P<0.001). Endocardial GLS and TLS were closely correlated with SS value(r=-0.751 and r=-0.753, respectively; P<0.001). By receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, endocardial GLS and TLS demonstrated the highest area under curve, showing better diagnostic accuracy (endocardial GLS: value<-21.35% had 72% sensitivity, 84% specificity and area under the curve ¼0.846; endocardial TLS: value<-20.15% had 72% sensitivity, 88% specificity and area under the curve ¼0.852) than GCS, TCS, mid-myocardial and epicardial GLS, and TLS(all, P<0.05). Strains, particularly endocardial GLS and TLS measurement by 2DSTE might enable a non-invasive method to identify complex CAD and predict the severity of coronary lesions in patients with NSTE-ACS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indirect and direct costs of acute coronary syndromes with comorbid atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or both

PubMed Central

Ghushchyan, Vahram; Nair, Kavita V; Page, Robert L

2015-01-01

Background The objective of this study was to determine the direct and indirect costs of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) alone and with common cardiovascular comorbidities. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 1998 to 2009. Four mutually exclusive cohorts were evaluated: ACS only, ACS with atrial fibrillation (AF), ACS with heart failure (HF), and ACS with both conditions. Direct costs were calculated for all-cause and cardiovascular-related health care resource utilization. Indirect costs were determined from productivity losses from missed days of work. Regression analysis was developed for each outcome controlling for age, US census region, insurance coverage, sex, race, ethnicity, education attainment, family income, and comorbidity burden. A negative binomial regression model was used for health care utilization variables. A Tobit model was utilized for health care costs and productivity loss variables. Results Total health care costs were greatest for those with ACS and both AF and HF ($38,484±5,191) followed by ACS with HF ($32,871±2,853), ACS with AF ($25,192±2,253), and ACS only ($17,954±563). Compared with the ACS only cohort, the mean all-cause adjusted health care costs associated with ACS with AF, ACS with HF, and ACS with AF and HF were $5,073 (95% confidence interval [CI] 719–9,427), $11,297 (95% CI 5,610–16,985), and $15,761 (95% CI 4,784–26,738) higher, respectively. Average wage losses associated with ACS with and without AF and/or HF amounted to $5,266 (95% CI −7,765, −2,767), when compared with patients without these conditions. Conclusion ACS imposes a significant economic burden at both the individual and society level, particularly when with comorbid AF and HF. PMID:25565859

Charge transport and ac response under light illumination in gate-modulated DNA molecular junctions.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Zhu, Wen-Huan; Ding, Guo-Hui; Dong, Bing; Wang, Xue-Feng

2015-05-22

Using a two-strand tight-binding model and within nonequilibrium Green's function approach, we study charge transport through DNA sequences (GC)NGC and (GC)1(TA)NTA (GC)3 sandwiched between two Pt electrodes. We show that at low temperature DNA sequence (GC)NGC exhibits coherent charge carrier transport at very small bias, since the highest occupied molecular orbital in the GC base pair can be aligned with the Fermi energy of the metallic electrodes by a gate voltage. A weak distance dependent conductance is found in DNA sequence (GC)1(TA)NTA (GC)3 with large NTA. Different from the mechanism of thermally induced hopping of charges proposed by the previous experiments, we find that this phenomenon is dominated by quantum tunnelling through discrete quantum well states in the TA base pairs. In addition, ac response of this DNA junction under light illumination is also investigated. The suppression of ac conductances of the left and right lead of DNA sequences at some particular frequencies is attributed to the excitation of electrons in the DNA to the lead Fermi surface by ac potential, or the excitation of electrons in deep DNA energy levels to partially occupied energy levels in the transport window. Therefore, measuring ac response of DNA junctions can reveal a wealth of information about the intrinsic dynamics of DNA molecules.

Testing of a 1.25-m HTS Cable Made from YBCO Tapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouge, M. J.; Lue, J. W.; Demko, J. A.; Duckworth, R. C.; Fisher, P. W.; Daumling, M.; Lindsay, D. T.; Roden, M. L.; Tolbert, J. C.

2004-06-01

Ultera and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have jointly designed, built, and tested a 1.25-m-long, prototype high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power cable made from 1-cm-wide, second-generation YBa2Cu3Ox (YBCO)-coated conductor tapes. Electrical tests of this cable were performed in boiling liquid nitrogen at 77 K. DC testing of the 1.25-m cable included determination of the V-I curve, with a critical current of 4200 A. This was consistent with the properties of the 24 individual YBCO tapes. AC testing of the cable was conducted at currents up to 2500 Arms. The ac losses were measured calorimetrically by measuring the response of a calibrated temperature sensor placed on the former and electrically by use of a Rogowski coil with a lock-in amplifier. AC losses of about 2 W/m were measured at a cable ac current of 2000 Arms. Overcurrent testing was conducted at peak current values up to 12 kA for pulse lengths of 0.1-0.2 s. The cable temperature increased to 105 K for a 12 kA, 0.2 s overcurrent pulse, and the cable showed no degradation after the sequence of overcurrent testing. This commercial-grade HTS cable demonstrated the feasibility of second-generation YBCO tapes in an ac cable application.

Repeat surveys of spawning cisco (Coregonus artedi) in western Lake Superior: timing, distribution and composition of spawning stocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yule, Daniel L.; Schreiner, Donald R.; Addison, Peter A.; Seider, Michael J.; Evrard, Lori M.; Geving, Steven A.; Quinlan, Henry R.

2012-01-01

Acoustic (AC) and midwater trawl (MT) surveys of spawning cisco (Coregonus artedi) in Lake Superior have been combined with commercial yield to estimate exploitation. To time surveys properly, it is important to understand when adults typically arrive at spawning grounds and how numbers change as the spawning season progresses. We conducted repeat autumn surveys during nighttime hours at coastal sites where commercial roe fisheries occur. Spawner densities increased significantly from October to mid-November, but differences measured at sites sampled from mid- to late-November were comparatively small. Spawners occupied the upper 20–30 m of the water column during mid-November before utilizing a wider range of depths by late-November. We compared repeat AC densities to temporal trends of catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) in suspended commercial gillnets and found good agreement within sites. Because different gillnet mesh sizes were used in each roe fishery. CPUE and AC density were poorly correlated among sites. We recommend that future surveys be conducted between mid- and late-November, and that MT gear be used to measure cisco densities in the uppermost 10 m of the water column where AC estimates may be conservative. Given the short temporal window for assessing spawner density, we believe both AC-MT and gillnet surveys will be needed to ensure that harvest of different stocks is kept at a sustainable level.

Advanced complex trait analysis.

PubMed

Gray, A; Stewart, I; Tenesa, A

2012-12-01

The Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) software package can quantify the contribution of genetic variation to phenotypic variation for complex traits. However, as those datasets of interest continue to increase in size, GCTA becomes increasingly computationally prohibitive. We present an adapted version, Advanced Complex Trait Analysis (ACTA), demonstrating dramatically improved performance. We restructure the genetic relationship matrix (GRM) estimation phase of the code and introduce the highly optimized parallel Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (BLAS) library combined with manual parallelization and optimization. We introduce the Linear Algebra PACKage (LAPACK) library into the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) analysis stage. For a test case with 8999 individuals and 279,435 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we reduce the total runtime, using a compute node with two multi-core Intel Nehalem CPUs, from ∼17 h to ∼11 min. The source code is fully available under the GNU Public License, along with Linux binaries. For more information see http://www.epcc.ed.ac.uk/software-products/acta. a.gray@ed.ac.uk Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Fluoroquinolone-gyrase-DNA complexes: two modes of drug binding.

PubMed

Mustaev, Arkady; Malik, Muhammad; Zhao, Xilin; Kurepina, Natalia; Luan, Gan; Oppegard, Lisa M; Hiasa, Hiroshi; Marks, Kevin R; Kerns, Robert J; Berger, James M; Drlica, Karl

2014-05-02

DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV control bacterial DNA topology by breaking DNA, passing duplex DNA through the break, and then resealing the break. This process is subject to reversible corruption by fluoroquinolones, antibacterials that form drug-enzyme-DNA complexes in which the DNA is broken. The complexes, called cleaved complexes because of the presence of DNA breaks, have been crystallized and found to have the fluoroquinolone C-7 ring system facing the GyrB/ParE subunits. As expected from x-ray crystallography, a thiol-reactive, C-7-modified chloroacetyl derivative of ciprofloxacin (Cip-AcCl) formed cross-linked cleaved complexes with mutant GyrB-Cys(466) gyrase as evidenced by resistance to reversal by both EDTA and thermal treatments. Surprisingly, cross-linking was also readily seen with complexes formed by mutant GyrA-G81C gyrase, thereby revealing a novel drug-gyrase interaction not observed in crystal structures. The cross-link between fluoroquinolone and GyrA-G81C gyrase correlated with exceptional bacteriostatic activity for Cip-AcCl with a quinolone-resistant GyrA-G81C variant of Escherichia coli and its Mycobacterium smegmatis equivalent (GyrA-G89C). Cip-AcCl-mediated, irreversible inhibition of DNA replication provided further evidence for a GyrA-drug cross-link. Collectively these data establish the existence of interactions between the fluoroquinolone C-7 ring and both GyrA and GyrB. Because the GyrA-Gly(81) and GyrB-Glu(466) residues are far apart (17 Å) in the crystal structure of cleaved complexes, two modes of quinolone binding must exist. The presence of two binding modes raises the possibility that multiple quinolone-enzyme-DNA complexes can form, a discovery that opens new avenues for exploring and exploiting relationships between drug structure and activity with type II DNA topoisomerases.

Physicochemical and adsorptive characteristics of activated carbons from waste polyester textiles utilizing MgO template method.

PubMed

Xu, Zhihua; Zhang, Daofang; Yuan, Zhihang; Chen, Weifang; Zhang, Tianqi; Tian, Danqi; Deng, Haixuan

2017-10-01

Activated carbons with high specific surface areas were produced, utilizing waste polyester textiles as carbon precursor by magnesium oxide (MgO) template method. Magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 ), magnesium citrate (MgCi), and MgO were employed as MgO precursors to prepare activated carbons (AC-MgCl 2 , AC-MgCi, and AC-MgO). Thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry was conducted to investigate the pore-forming mechanism, and N 2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, FTIR and pH pzc were achieved to analyze physicochemical characteristics of the samples. The specific surface areas of AC-MgCl 2 (1173 m 2 /g) and AC-MgCi (1336 m 2 /g) were much higher than that of AC-MgO (450 m 2 /g), and the pores sizes of which were micro-mesoporous, mesoporous, and macropores, respectively, due to the formation of MgO crystal with different sizes. All activated carbons had abundant acidic oxygen groups. In addition, batch adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the adsorptive characteristics of the prepared activated carbons toward Cr(VI). The adsorption kinetics fitted well with the pseudo-second order, and the adsorptive capacity of AC-MgCl 2 (42.55 mg/g) was higher than those of AC-MgCi (40.93 mg/g) and AC-MgO (35.87 mg/g).

Self-supporting activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide flexible electrode for high performance supercapacitor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Xing; Tang, Yao; Song, Junhua

A self-supporting and flexible activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide (AC/CNT/RGO) film has been rationally designed for constructing high- performance supercapacitor. The AC/CNT/RGO film is prepared by anchoring the AC particles with a 3D and porous framework built by hierarchically weaving the 1 D CNT and 2D RGO using their intrinsic van der Waals force. The CNT network is beneficial for improving the electronic conductivity of the electrode, while the AC particles could effectively suppress the aggregation of RGO and CNT due to their blocking effect. The synergistic effects among the AC, CNT and RGO validate the AC/CNT/RGO as a promisingmore » electrode for supercapacitor, exhibiting greatly enhanced electrochemical performances in comparison with the pure RGO film, pure CNT film and AC electrode. The AC/CNT/RGO electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 101 F g-1 at the current density of 0.2 A g-1, offering a maximum energy density of 30.0 W h kg-1 in organic electrolyte at the cut-off voltage range of 0.001~3.0 V. The findings of this work open a new avenue for the design of self-supporting electrodes for the development of flexible and light weight energy storage supercapacitor.« less

Electromagnetic augmentation for casting of thin metal sheets

DOEpatents

Hull, J.R.

1987-10-28

Thin metal sheets are cast by magnetically levitating molten metal deposited in a model within a ferromagnetic yoke and between AC conducting coils and linearly displacing the magnetically levitated liquid metal while it is being cooled by the water-cooled walls of the mold to form a solid metal sheet. A conducting shield is electrically coupled to the molten metal sheet to provide a return path for eddy currents induced in the metal sheet by the current in the AC conducting coils. In another embodiment, a DC conducting coil is coupled to the metal sheet for providing a direct current therein which interacts with the magnetic field to levitate the moving metal sheet. Levitation of the metal sheet in both molten and solid forms reduces its contact pressure with the mold walls while maintaining sufficient engagement therebetween to permit efficient conductive cooling by the mold through which a coolant fluid may be circulated. 8 figs.

AC-electric field dependent electroformation of giant lipid vesicles.

PubMed

Politano, Timothy J; Froude, Victoria E; Jing, Benxin; Zhu, Yingxi

2010-08-01

Giant vesicles of larger than 5 microm, which have been of intense interest for their potential as drug delivery vehicles and as a model system for cell membranes, can be rapidly formed from a spin-coated lipid thin film under an electric field. In this work, we explore the AC-field dependent electroformation of giant lipid vesicles in aqueous media over a wide range of AC-frequency from 1 Hz to 1 MHz and peak-to-peak field strength from 0.212 V/mm to 40 V/mm between two parallel conducting electrode surfaces. By using fluorescence microscopy, we perform in-situ microscopic observations of the structural evolution of giant vesicles formed from spin-coated lipid films under varied uniform AC-electric fields. The real-time observation of bilayer bulging from the lipid film, vesicle growth and fusing further examine the critical role of AC-induced electroosmotic flow of surrounding fluids for giant vesicle formation. A rich AC-frequency and field strength phase diagram is obtained experimentally to predict the AC-electroformation of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) of l-alpha-phosphatidylcholine, where a weak dependence of vesicle size on AC-frequency is observed at low AC-field voltages, showing decreased vesicle size with a narrowed size distribution with increased AC-frequency. Formation of vesicles was shown to be constrained by an upper field strength of 10 V/mm and an upper AC-frequency of 10 kHz. Within these parameters, giant lipid vesicles were formed predominantly unilamellar and prevalent across the entire electrode surfaces. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A randomized trial of the effect of automated ventricular capture on device longevity and threshold measurement in pacemaker patients.

PubMed

Koplan, Bruce A; Gilligan, David M; Nguyen, Luc S; Lau, Theodore K; Thackeray, Lisa M; Berg, Kellie Chase

2008-11-01

An automatic capture (AC) algorithm adjusts ventricular pacing output to capture the ventricle while optimizing output to 0.5 V above threshold. AC maintains this output and confirms capture on a beat-to-beat basis in bipolar and unipolar pacing and sensing. To assess the AC algorithm and its impact on device longevity. Patients implanted with a pacemaker were randomized 1:1 to have the AC feature on or off for 12 months. Two threshold tests were conducted at each visit- automatic threshold and manual threshold. Average ventricular voltage output and projected device longevity were compared between AC on and off using nonparametric tests. Nine hundred ten patients were enrolled and underwent device implantation. Average ventricular voltage output was 1.6 V for the AC on arm (n = 444) and 3.1 V for the AC off arm (n = 446) (P < 0.001). Projected device longevity was 10.3 years for AC on and 8.9 years for AC off (P < 0.0001), or a 16% increase in longevity for AC on. The proportion of patients in whom there was a difference between automatic threshold and manual threshold of

Hydroxynonenal-stimulated activity of the uncoupling protein in Acanthamoeba castellanii mitochondria under phosphorylating conditions.

PubMed

Woyda-Ploszczyca, Andrzej; Jarmuszkiewicz, Wieslawa

2013-05-01

The influence of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), a lipid peroxidation end product, on the activity of the amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii uncoupling protein (AcUCP) in isolated phosphorylating mitochondria was studied. Under phosphorylating conditions, exogenously added HNE induced GTP-sensitive AcUCP-mediated mitochondrial uncoupling. The HNE-induced proton leak decreased the yield of oxidative phosphorylation in an HNE concentration-dependent manner. The present study describes how the contributions of ATP synthase and HNE-induced AcUCP in phosphorylating respiration vary when the rate of succinate oxidation is decreased by limiting succinate uptake or inhibiting complex III activity within the range of a constant membrane potential. In phosphorylating mitochondria, at a given HNE concentration (100 μM), the efficiency of AcUCP in mitochondrial uncoupling increased as the respiratory rate decreased because the AcUCP contribution remained constant while the ATP synthase contribution decreased with the respiratory rate. HNE-induced uncoupling can be inhibited by GTP only when ubiquinone is sufficiently oxidized, indicating that in phosphorylating A. castellanii mitochondria, the sensitivity of AcUCP activity to GTP depends on the redox state of the membranous ubiquinone.

Self-assembled pH-sensitive cholesteryl pullulan nanogel as a protein delivery vehicle.

PubMed

Morimoto, Nobuyuki; Hirano, Sayaka; Takahashi, Haruko; Loethen, Scott; Thompson, David H; Akiyoshi, Kazunari

2013-01-14

A self-assembled nanogel, derived from an acid-labile cholesteryl-modified pullulan (acL-CHP), was prepared by grafting vinyl ether-cholesterol substituents onto a 100 kD pullulan main chain polymer backbone. Stable nanogels are formed by acL-CHP self-assemblies at neutral pH. The hydrodynamic radius of the nanogels, observed to be 26.5 ± 5.1 nm at pH 7.0, increased by ~135% upon acidification of the solution to pH 4.0. SEC analysis of the acL-CHP nanogel at pH 4.0 showed that the grafts were nearly 80% degraded after 24 h, whereas little or no degradation was observed over the same time period for a pH stable analog (acS-CHP) at pH 4.0 or the acL-CHP at pH 7.0. Complexation of BSA with the acL-CHP nanogel was observed at pH 7.0 with subsequent release of the protein upon acidification. These findings suggest that stimuli-responsive, self-assembled nanogels can release protein cargo in a manner that is controlled by the degradation rate of the cholesterol-pullulan grafting moiety.

Structural insight into the TFIIE–TFIIH interaction: TFIIE and p53 share the binding region on TFIIH

PubMed Central

Okuda, Masahiko; Tanaka, Aki; Satoh, Manami; Mizuta, Shoko; Takazawa, Manabu; Ohkuma, Yoshiaki; Nishimura, Yoshifumi

2008-01-01

RNA polymerase II and general transcription factors (GTFs) assemble on a promoter to form a transcription preinitiation complex (PIC). Among the GTFs, TFIIE recruits TFIIH to complete the PIC formation and regulates enzymatic activities of TFIIH. However, the mode of binding between TFIIE and TFIIH is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate the specific binding of the C-terminal acidic domain (AC-D) of the human TFIIEα subunit to the pleckstrin homology domain (PH-D) of the human TFIIH p62 subunit and describe the solution structures of the free and PH-D-bound forms of AC-D. Although the flexible N-terminal acidic tail from AC-D wraps around PH-D, the core domain of AC-D also interacts with PH-D. AC-D employs an entirely novel binding mode, which differs from the amphipathic helix method used by many transcriptional activators. So the binding surface between PH-D and AC-D is much broader than the specific binding surface between PH-D and the p53 acidic fragments. From our in vitro studies, we demonstrate that this interaction could be a switch to replace p53 with TFIIE on TFIIH in transcription. PMID:18354501

Steer by ear: Myoelectric auricular control of powered wheelchairs for individuals with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Schmalfuß, L; Rupp, R; Tuga, M R; Kogut, A; Hewitt, M; Meincke, J; Klinker, F; Duttenhoefer, W; Eck, U; Mikut, R; Reischl, M; Liebetanz, D

2015-01-01

Providing mobility solutions for individuals with tetraplegia remains challenging. Existing control devices have shortcomings such as varying or poor signal quality or interference with communication. To overcome these limitations, we present a novel myoelectric auricular control system (ACS) based on bilateral activation of the posterior auricular muscles (PAMs). Ten able-bodied subjects and two individuals with tetraplegia practiced PAM activation over 4 days using visual feedback and software-based training for 1 h/day. Initially, half of these subjects were not able to voluntarily activate their PAMs. This ability was tested with regard to 8 parameters such as contraction rate, lateralized activation, wheelchair speed and path length in a virtual obstacle course. In session 5, all subjects steered an electric wheelchair with the ACS. Performance of all subjects in controlling their PAMs improved steadily over the training period. By day 5, all subjects successfully generated basic steering commands using the ACS in a powered wheelchair, and subjects with tetraplegia completed a complex real-world obstacle course. This study demonstrates that the ability to activate PAM on both sides together or unilaterally can be learned and used intuitively to steer a wheelchair. With the ACS we can exploit the untapped potential of the PAMs by assigning them a new, complex function. The inherent advantages of the ACS, such as not interfering with oral communication, robustness, stability over time and proportional and continuous signal generation, meet the specific needs of wheelchair users and render it a realistic alternative to currently available assistive technologies.

Molecular design of boronic acid-functionalized squarylium cyanine dyes for multiple discriminant analysis of sialic acid in biological samples: selectivity toward monosaccharides controlled by different alkyl side chain lengths.

PubMed

Ouchi, Kazuki; Colyer, Christa L; Sebaiy, Mahmoud; Zhou, Jin; Maeda, Takeshi; Nakazumi, Hiroyuki; Shibukawa, Masami; Saito, Shingo

2015-02-03

We designed a new series of boronic acid-functionalized squarylium cyanine dyes (SQ-BA) with different lengths of alkyl chain residues, suitable for multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) of sialic acid (Neu5Ac) in biological samples. The SQ-BA dyes form aggregates based on hydrophobic interactions, which result in quenched fluorescence in aqueous solutions. When the boronic acid binds with saccharides, the fluorescence intensity increases as a result of dissociation to the emissive monomeric complex. We inferred that different dye aggregate structures (H-aggregates and J-aggregates) were induced depending on the alkyl chain length, so that monosaccharides would be recognized in different ways (especially, multipoint interaction with J-aggregates). A distinctive emission enhancement of SQ-BA dyes with shorter-alkyl-chains in the presence of Neu5Ac was observed (2.4-fold fluorescence enhancement; with formation constant 10(1.7) M(-1)), with no such enhancement for SQ-BA dyes with longer-alkyl-chain. In addition, various enhancement factors for other monosaccharides were observed depending on the alkyl chain length. Detailed thermodynamic and NMR studies of the SQ-BA complexes revealed the unique recognition mechanism: the dye aggregate with a shorter-alkyl-chain causes the slipped parallel structure and forms a stable 2:1 complex with Neu5Ac, as distinct from longer-alkyl-chain dyes, which form a 1:1 monomeric complex. MDA using the four SQ-BA dyes was performed for human urine samples, resulting in the successful discrimination between normal and abnormal Neu5Ac levels characteristic of disease. Thus, we successfully controlled various responses to similar monosaccharides with a novel approach that chemically modified not the boronic acid moiety itself but the length of the alkyl chain residue attached to the dye in order to generate specificity.

Acute care surgery: now that we have built it, will they come?

PubMed

Coleman, Jamie J; Esposito, Thomas J; Rozycki, Grace S; Feliciano, David V

2013-02-01

Concern over lack of resident interest caused by the nonoperative nature and compromised lifestyle associated with a career as a "trauma surgeon" has led to the emergence of a new acute care surgery (ACS) specialty. This study examined the opinions of current general surgical residents about training and careers in this new field. A 36-item online anonymous survey regarding ACS was sent to the program directors of 55 randomly selected general surgery (GS) training programs for distribution to their categorical residents. The national sample consisted of 1,515 PGY 1 to 5 trainees. Response rate was 45%. More than 90% of residents had an appropriate understanding of the components of ACS as generally described (trauma, surgical critical care, and emergency GS). Nearly half (46%) of all respondents have considered ACS as a career. Overall, ACS ranked as the second most appealing career ahead of surgical critical care and trauma but behind GS. Most residents believed that ACS offers better or equivalent case complexity (88%), scope of practice (84%), case volume (75%), and level of reimbursement (69%) compared with GS alone. Respondents who answered ACS had a better scope of practice (61% vs. 36%), lifestyle as an attending surgeon (77% vs. 34%), or level of reimbursement (83% vs. 38%) compared with GS were twice as likely (p < 0.0001) to have considered ACS as a career. Overall, 40% of the residents believed that ACS offers a worse lifestyle in comparison with GS. These results suggest that there is notable interest in the emerging specialty of ACS. The level of resident interest in ACS as a fellowship and career may be increased by marketing those aspects of practice, which are viewed positively and addressing negative perceptions related to lifestyle. It may be appealing to add an elective GS component to certain ACS practice options.

A randomized controlled, non-inferiority trial of modified natural versus artificial cycle for cryo-thawed embryo transfer.

PubMed

Groenewoud, E R; Cohlen, B J; Al-Oraiby, A; Brinkhuis, E A; Broekmans, F J M; de Bruin, J P; van den Dool, G; Fleisher, K; Friederich, J; Goddijn, M; Hoek, A; Hoozemans, D A; Kaaijk, E M; Koks, C A M; Laven, J S E; van der Linden, P J Q; Manger, A P; Slappendel, E; Spinder, T; Kollen, B J; Macklon, N S

2016-07-01

Are live birth rates (LBRs) after artificial cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer (AC-FET) non-inferior to LBRs after modified natural cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer (mNC-FET)? AC-FET is non-inferior to mNC-FET with regard to LBRs, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates (OPRs) but AC-FET does result in higher cancellation rates. Pooling prior retrospective studies of AC-FET and mNC-FET results in comparable pregnancy and LBRs. However, these results have not yet been confirmed by a prospective randomized trial. In this non-inferiority prospective randomized controlled trial (acronym 'ANTARCTICA' trial), conducted from February 2009 to April 2014, 1032 patients were included of which 959 were available for analysis. The primary outcome of the study was live birth. Secondary outcomes were clinical and ongoing pregnancy, cycle cancellation and endometrium thickness. A cost-efficiency analysis was performed. This study was conducted in both secondary and tertiary fertility centres in the Netherlands. Patients included in this study had to be 18-40 years old, had to have a regular menstruation cycle between 26 and 35 days and frozen-thawed embryos to be transferred had to derive from one of the first three IVF or IVF-ICSI treatment cycles. Patients with a uterine anomaly, a contraindication for one of the prescribed medications in this study or patients undergoing a donor gamete procedure were excluded from participation. Patients were randomized based on a 1:1 allocation to either one cycle of mNC-FET or AC-FET. All embryos were cryopreserved using a slow-freeze technique. LBR after mNC-FET was 11.5% (57/495) versus 8.8% in AC-FET (41/464) resulting in an absolute difference in LBR of -0.027 in favour of mNC-FET (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.065-0.012; P = 0.171). Clinical pregnancy occurred in 94/495 (19.0%) patients in mNC-FET versus 75/464 (16.0%) patients in AC-FET (odds ratio (OR) 0.8, 95% CI 0.6-1.1, P = 0.25). 57/495 (11.5%) mNC-FET resulted in ongoing pregnancy versus 45/464 (9.6%) AC-FET (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-1.1, P = 0.15). χ(2) test confirmed the lack of superiority. Significantly more cycles were cancelled in AC-FET (124/464 versus 101/495, OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.9, P = 0.02). The costs of each of the endometrial preparation methods were comparable (€617.50 per cycle in NC-FET versus €625.73 per cycle in AC-FET, P = 0.54). The minimum of 1150 patients required for adequate statistical power was not achieved. Moreover, LBRs were lower than anticipated in the sample size calculation. LBRs after AC-FET were not inferior to those achieved by mNC-FET. No significant differences in clinical and OPR were observed. The costs of both treatment approaches were comparable. An educational grant was received during the conduct of this study. Merck Sharpe Dohme had no influence on the design, execution and analyses of this study. E.R.G. received an education grant by Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD) during the conduct of the present study. B.J.C. reports grants from MSD during the conduct of the study. A.H. reports grants from MSD and Ferring BV the Netherlands and personal fees from MSD. Grants from ZonMW, the Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development. J.S.E.L. reports grants from Ferring, MSD, Organon, Merck Serono and Schering-Plough during the conduct of the study. F.J.M.B. receives monetary compensation as member of the external advisory board for Merck Serono, consultancy work for Gedeon Richter, educational activities for Ferring BV, research cooperation with Ansh Labs and a strategic cooperation with Roche on automated anti Mullerian hormone assay development. N.S.M. reports receiving monetary compensations for external advisory and speaking work for Ferring BV, MSD, Anecova and Merck Serono during the conduct of the study. All reported competing interests are outside the submitted work. No other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. Netherlands trial register, number NTR 1586. 13 January 2009. 20 April 2009. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A randomized controlled, non-inferiority trial of modified natural versus artificial cycle for cryo-thawed embryo transfer

PubMed Central

Groenewoud, E.R.; Cohlen, B.J.; Al-Oraiby, A.; Brinkhuis, E.A.; Broekmans, F.J.M.; de Bruin, J.P.; van den Dool, G.; Fleisher, K.; Friederich, J.; Goddijn, M.; Hoek, A.; Hoozemans, D.A.; Kaaijk, E.M.; Koks, C.A.M.; Laven, J.S.E.; van der Linden, P.J.Q.; Manger, A.P.; Slappendel, E.; Spinder, T.; Kollen, B.J.; Macklon, N.S.

2016-01-01

Abstract STUDY QUESTION Are live birth rates (LBRs) after artificial cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer (AC-FET) non-inferior to LBRs after modified natural cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer (mNC-FET)? SUMMARY ANSWER AC-FET is non-inferior to mNC-FET with regard to LBRs, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates (OPRs) but AC-FET does result in higher cancellation rates. WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN Pooling prior retrospective studies of AC-FET and mNC-FET results in comparable pregnancy and LBRs. However, these results have not yet been confirmed by a prospective randomized trial. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION In this non-inferiority prospective randomized controlled trial (acronym ‘ANTARCTICA’ trial), conducted from February 2009 to April 2014, 1032 patients were included of which 959 were available for analysis. The primary outcome of the study was live birth. Secondary outcomes were clinical and ongoing pregnancy, cycle cancellation and endometrium thickness. A cost-efficiency analysis was performed. PARTICIPANT/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS This study was conducted in both secondary and tertiary fertility centres in the Netherlands. Patients included in this study had to be 18–40 years old, had to have a regular menstruation cycle between 26 and 35 days and frozen-thawed embryos to be transferred had to derive from one of the first three IVF or IVF–ICSI treatment cycles. Patients with a uterine anomaly, a contraindication for one of the prescribed medications in this study or patients undergoing a donor gamete procedure were excluded from participation. Patients were randomized based on a 1:1 allocation to either one cycle of mNC-FET or AC-FET. All embryos were cryopreserved using a slow-freeze technique. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE LBR after mNC-FET was 11.5% (57/495) versus 8.8% in AC-FET (41/464) resulting in an absolute difference in LBR of −0.027 in favour of mNC-FET (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.065–0.012; P = 0.171). Clinical pregnancy occurred in 94/495 (19.0%) patients in mNC-FET versus 75/464 (16.0%) patients in AC-FET (odds ratio (OR) 0.8, 95% CI 0.6–1.1, P = 0.25). 57/495 (11.5%) mNC-FET resulted in ongoing pregnancy versus 45/464 (9.6%) AC-FET (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5–1.1, P = 0.15). χ2 test confirmed the lack of superiority. Significantly more cycles were cancelled in AC-FET (124/464 versus 101/495, OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.9, P = 0.02). The costs of each of the endometrial preparation methods were comparable (€617.50 per cycle in NC-FET versus €625.73 per cycle in AC-FET, P = 0.54). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The minimum of 1150 patients required for adequate statistical power was not achieved. Moreover, LBRs were lower than anticipated in the sample size calculation. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS LBRs after AC-FET were not inferior to those achieved by mNC-FET. No significant differences in clinical and OPR were observed. The costs of both treatment approaches were comparable. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) An educational grant was received during the conduct of this study. Merck Sharpe Dohme had no influence on the design, execution and analyses of this study. E.R.G. received an education grant by Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD) during the conduct of the present study. B.J.C. reports grants from MSD during the conduct of the study. A.H. reports grants from MSD and Ferring BV the Netherlands and personal fees from MSD. Grants from ZonMW, the Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development. J.S.E.L. reports grants from Ferring, MSD, Organon, Merck Serono and Schering-Plough during the conduct of the study. F.J.M.B. receives monetary compensation as member of the external advisory board for Merck Serono, consultancy work for Gedeon Richter, educational activities for Ferring BV, research cooperation with Ansh Labs and a strategic cooperation with Roche on automated anti Mullerian hormone assay development. N.S.M. reports receiving monetary compensations for external advisory and speaking work for Ferring BV, MSD, Anecova and Merck Serono during the conduct of the study. All reported competing interests are outside the submitted work. No other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Netherlands trial register, number NTR 1586. TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE 13 January 2009. FIRST PATIENT INCLUDED 20 April 2009. PMID:27179265

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectral study of [Mn(acs){sub 2}(2–pic){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}] single crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kocakoç, Mehpeyker, E-mail: mkocakoc@cu.edu.tr; Tapramaz, Recep, E-mail: recept@omu.edu.tr

Acesulfame potassium salt is a synthetic and non-caloric sweetener. It is also important chemically for its capability of being ligand in coordination compounds, because it can bind over Nitrogen and Oxygen atoms of carbonyl and sulfonyl groups and ring oxygen. Some acesulfame containing transition metal ion complexes with mixed ligands exhibit solvato and thermo chromic properties and these properties make them physically important. In this work single crystals of Mn{sup +2} ion complex with mixed ligand, [Mn(acs){sub 2}(2-pic){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}], was studied with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. EPR parameters were determined. Zero field splitting parameters indicated that themore » complex was highly symmetric. Variable temperature studies showed no detectable chance in spectra.« less

N-Acetyl-Seryl-Aspartyl-Lysyl-Proline: mechanisms of renal protection in mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus

PubMed Central

Liao, Tang-Dong; Nakagawa, Pablo; Janic, Branislava; D'Ambrosio, Martin; Worou, Morel E.; Peterson, Edward L.; Rhaleb, Nour-Eddine; Yang, Xiao-Ping

2015-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease characterized by the development of auto antibodies against a variety of self-antigens and deposition of immune complexes that lead to inflammation, fibrosis, and end-organ damage. Up to 60% of lupus patients develop nephritis and renal dysfunction leading to kidney failure. N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline, i.e., Ac-SDKP, is a natural tetrapeptide that in hypertension prevents inflammation and fibrosis in heart, kidney, and vasculature. In experimental autoimmune myocarditis, Ac-SDKP prevents cardiac dysfunction by decreasing innate and adaptive immunity. It has also been reported that Ac-SDKP ameliorates lupus nephritis in mice. We hypothesize that Ac-SDKP prevents lupus nephritis in mice by decreasing complement C5-9, proinflammatory cytokines, and immune cell infiltration. Lupus mice treated with Ac-SDKP for 20 wk had significantly lower renal levels of macrophage and T cell infiltration and proinflammatory chemokine/cytokines. In addition, our data demonstrate for the first time that in lupus mouse Ac-SDKP prevented the increase in complement C5-9, RANTES, MCP-5, and ICAM-1 kidney expression and it prevented the decline of glomerular filtration rate. Ac-SDKP-treated lupus mice had a significant improvement in renal function and lower levels of glomerular damage. Ac-SDKP had no effect on the production of autoantibodies. The protective Ac-SDKP effect is most likely achieved by targeting the expression of proinflammatory chemokines/cytokines, ICAM-1, and immune cell infiltration in the kidney, either directly or via C5-9 proinflammatory arm of complement system. PMID:25740596

Solubilization of adenylyl cyclase from human myometrium in a alphas-coupled form.

PubMed

Bajo, Ana M; Prieto, Juan C; Valenzuela, Pedro; Martinez, Pilar; Guijarro, Luis G

2003-08-01

Adenylyl cyclase (AC) was extracted from human myometrium with either non-ionic (Lubrol-PX or Triton X-100) or zwitterionic (3-[3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate, CHAPS) detergents. The soluble enzyme was stimulated by forskolin, a hydrophobic activator, in the presence of Mg2+ indicating that the catalytic subunit had not been damaged after solubilization. The enzyme was also activated by 5'-guanylyl imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) showing that the catalytic unit was not separated from stimulatory guanine nucleotide binding protein (Gs) during the extraction. Both activators showed different effects on the stimulatory efficacy and potency of AC activity solobulized with detergents. Gel filtration of Lubrol-PX and CHAPS extracts over a Sepharose CL-2B column partially resolved AC and its complexes. The chromatographic profile for Lubrol-solubilized AC presented a main peak of about 200 kDa whereas CHAPS-solubilized AC showed a dominant peak of about 1100 kDa. The heterodisperse peaks obtained revealed that the catalytic AC subunit was not separated from Gs proteins after gel filtration, and that AC could be associated with other cellular proteins. When Lubrol extract was submitted to anionic-exchange chromatography, the enzyme was purified about 7.5 fold (enzymatic activity of 48.1 pmol/min/mg of protein). The catalytic subunit was co-eluted with both AC-activating proteins Galphas large (52.2 kDa) and Galphas small (48.7 kDa). This is the first demonstration of the stable physical association of AC with both alphas subunits of G proteins in human myometrium.

Electrorotation of novel electroactive polymer composites in uniform DC and AC electric fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zrinyi, Miklós; Nakano, Masami; Tsujita, Teppei

2012-06-01

Novel electroactive polymer composites have been developed that could spin in uniform DC and AC electric fields. The angular displacement as well as rotation of polymer disks around an axis that is perpendicular to the direction of the applied electric field was studied. It was found that the dynamics of the polymer rotor is very complex. Depending on the strength of the static DC field, three regimes have been observed: no rotation occurs below a critical threshold field intensity, oscillatory motion takes place just above this value and continuous rotation can be observed above the critical threshold field intensity. It was also found that low frequency AC fields could also induce angular deformation.

Experimental and theoretical NMR studies of interaction between phenylalanine derivative and egg yolk lecithin.

PubMed

Wałęsa, Roksana; Ptak, Tomasz; Siodłak, Dawid; Kupka, Teobald; Broda, Małgorzata A

2014-06-01

The interaction of phenylalanine diamide (Ac-Phe-NHMe) with egg yolk lecithin (EYL) in chloroform was studied by (1)H and (13)C NMR. Six complexes EYL-Ac-Phe-NHMe, stabilized by N-H···O or/and C-H···O hydrogen bonds, were optimized at M06-2X/6-31G(d,p) level. The assignment of EYL and Ac-Phe-NHMe NMR signals was supported using GIAO (gauge including atomic orbital) NMR calculations at VSXC and B3LYP level of theory combined with STO-3Gmag basis set. Results of our study indicate that the interaction of peptides with lecithin occurs mainly in the polar 'head' of the lecithin. Additionally, the most probable lecithin site of H-bond interaction with Ac-Phe-NHMe is the negatively charged oxygen in phosphate group that acts as proton acceptor. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The mechanism of detection of air pollution by an ionization chamber.

PubMed

Novković, D; Vukanac; Milosević, Z

2000-01-01

The mechanism of detection of chemical vapors in air by an ionization chamber supplied by DC and AC voltage has been described. The theoretical explanation is based on numerical solutions of the differential equations of the cylindrical ionization chamber. The current of the ionization chamber operating in the AC regime has two components: a conductive component, caused by the ions drifts, and a capacitive component, caused by the distortion of the electric field. The ionization chamber operating in the DC regime has only the first component; hence the AC supplied chamber has larger response than the DC supplied chamber.

Detection of γ-radiation and heavy metals using electrochemical bacterial-based sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Shanawa, M.; Nabok, A.; Hashim, A.; Smith, T.; Forder, S.

2013-06-01

The main aim of this work is to develop a simple electrochemical sensor for detection of γ-radiation and heavy metals using bacteria. A series of DC and AC electrical measurements were carried out on samples of two types of bacteria, namely Escherichia coli and Deinococcus radiodurans. As a first step, a correlation between DC and AC electrical conductivity and bacteria concentration in solution was established. The study of the effect of γ-radiation and heavy metal ions (Cd2+) on DC and AC electrical characteristics of bacteria revealed a possibility of pattern recognition of the above inhibition factors.

Electron Transport in Multi-Terminal Graphene Nanodevice with Inclined Cross Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, En-Jia; Shi, Yi-Jian; Zhao, Xuean

2014-12-01

The DC and AC transport properties are investigated in multi-terminal graphene nanoribbon (GNR) devices. The devices are composed of three or four graphene ribbons connected with different angles. It is found that DC and AC conductances depend on the structural configurations and ribbon properties. In the vicinity of Dirac point, the intersection of graphene ribbons forms band mixing and results in resonant or anti-resonant states. The edge and width, as well as, the angles of the graphene ribbons influence the DC and AC transport properties drastically. These properties can be used to build future graphene-based nanoelectronics.

Simultaneous measurement of skin potential and conductance in electrodermal response monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabbari, A.; Johnsen, B.; Grimnes, S.; Martinsen, Ø. G.

2010-04-01

Measurement of electrodermal activity (EDA) has been an important tool in psychophysiological research. The emotional sweat activity is very sensitive to psychological stimuli or conditions. The changes are easily detected by means of electrical measurements and since the sweat ducts are predominantly resistive, a low-frequency conductance measurement is appropriate for measurement of skin conductance in electrodermal response. The main purpose of this study was to develop a measuring system where DC current was replaced by a small AC current in a system so the DC potential and AC conductance could be measured simultaneously at the same skin site. A small, battery operated, PDA based instrument has been developed. The preliminary results of this ongoing study show that there is additional information in the DC potential channel and that different stimuli seem to produce slightly different response patterns.

Microstructural and electrical properties of PVA/PVP polymer blend films doped with cupric sulphate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hemalatha, K.; Gowtham, G. K.; Somashekarappa, H., E-mail: drhssappa@gmail.com

2016-05-23

A series of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) polymer blends added with different concentrations of cupric sulphate (CuSO{sub 4}) were prepared by solution casting method and were subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Ac conductance measurements. An attempt has been made to study the changes in crystal imperfection parameters in PVA/PVP blend films with the increase in concentration of CuSO{sub 4}. Results show that decrease in micro crystalline parameter values is accompanied with increase in the amorphous content in the film which is the reason for film to have more flexibility, biodegradability and good ionic conductivity. AC conductance measurements inmore » these films show that the conductivity increases as the concentration of CuSO{sub 4} increases. These films were suitable for electro chemical applications.« less

Temperature dependent dielectric and conductivity studies of polyvinyl alcohol-ZnO nanocomposite films by impedance spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hemalatha, K. S.; Damle, R.; Rukmani, K., E-mail: rukmani9909@yahoo.co.in

2015-10-21

Dielectric and conductivity behaviors of nano ZnO doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites for various concentrations of dopant were investigated using impedance spectroscopy for a wide range of temperatures (303 K–423 K) and frequencies (5 Hz–30 MHZ). The dielectric properties of host polymer matrix have been improved by the addition of nano ZnO and are found to be highly temperature dependent. Anomalous dielectric behavior was observed in the frequency range of 2.5 MHz–5 MHz. Increase in dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss was observed with respect to temperature. The Cole-Cole plot could be modeled by low resistance regions in a high resistance matrix and the lowest resistance wasmore » observed for the 10 mol. % films. The imaginary part of the electric modulus showed asymmetric peaks with the relaxation following Debye nature below and non-Debye nature above the peaks. The ac conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's power law, whereas the variation of dc conductivity with temperature was found to follow Arrhenius behavior. Two different activation energy values were obtained from Arrhenius plot indicating that two conduction mechanisms are involved in the composite films. Fitting the ac conductivity data to Jonscher's law indicates that large polaron assisted tunneling is the most likely conduction mechanism in the composites. Maximum conductivity is observed at 423 K for all the samples and it is optimum for 10 mol. % ZnO doped PVA composite film. Significant increase in dc and ac conductivities in these composite films makes them a potential candidate for application in electronic devices.« less

The vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP): air- versus bone-conducted stimuli.

PubMed

McNerney, Kathleen M; Burkard, Robert F

2011-01-01

Several studies have evaluated the effects of different stimulus and recording parameters on the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP); however, it is difficult to directly compare these studies as they have all used different recording methods, different sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle contraction/electromyography monitoring methods, and different stimulus parameters. : This study made a direct comparison of the cVEMP in response to air-conducted (AC) and bone-conducted (BC) stimuli in the same subjects, using the same stimulus/recording/electromyography monitoring methods. We found that the input/output (I/O) functions were more linear in response to AC stimuli, whereas cVEMPs in response to BC stimuli began to saturate at the highest level. In addition, cVEMP threshold was obtained at a lower stimulus level (i.e., at a lower sensation level) in response to BC stimuli as compared with AC stimuli, and cVEMPs in response to BC stimuli were larger than cVEMPs in response to AC stimuli, which is in agreement with what has been found in previous studies. In addition, this was one of the few studies to evaluate the repeatability of the cVEMP in response to BC stimuli. Interestingly, we found that cVEMP latency in response to BC stimuli was, in most cases, less variable than cVEMP latency obtained in response to AC stimuli, whereas the reverse was true for cVEMP amplitude. We also found that BC masking presented to the forehead affected response amplitude of the AC cVEMP regardless of the specific SCM muscle contraction/toneburst presentation condition. In addition, we found that the ratio of amplitude reduction was greater in the binaural stimulation/bilateral SCM muscle contraction condition as compared with the monaural stimulation/bilateral SCM muscle contraction condition. The present experiment provided a direct comparison of the cVEMP in response to AC versus BC 500 Hz short-duration toneburst stimuli in the same subjects. The results of the present experiment also provide insight into the laterality of the cVEMP response and reveal that the cVEMP may not be completely ipsilateral (i.e., there may be a form of bilateral interaction that occurs when both sides are stimulated simultaneously). Last, the results indicate that BC stimuli likely activates the saccule as well as the utricle, given that AC VEMPs can be masked by the administration of BC masking noise presented to the midline.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals distinct ethylene-independent regulation of ripening in response to low temperature in kiwifruit.

PubMed

Asiche, William O; Mitalo, Oscar W; Kasahara, Yuka; Tosa, Yasuaki; Mworia, Eric G; Owino, Willis O; Ushijima, Koichiro; Nakano, Ryohei; Yano, Kentaro; Kubo, Yasutaka

2018-03-21

Kiwifruit are classified as climacteric since exogenous ethylene (or its analogue propylene) induces rapid ripening accompanied by ethylene production under positive feedback regulation. However, most of the ripening-associated changes (Phase 1 ripening) in kiwifruit during storage and on-vine occur largely in the absence of any detectable ethylene. This ripening behavior is often attributed to basal levels of system I ethylene, although it is suggested to be modulated by low temperature. To elucidate the mechanisms regulating Phase 1 ripening in kiwifruit, a comparative transcriptome analysis using fruit continuously exposed to propylene (at 20 °C), and during storage at 5 °C and 20 °C was conducted. Propylene exposure induced kiwifruit softening, reduction of titratable acidity (TA), increase in soluble solids content (SSC) and ethylene production within 5 days. During storage, softening and reduction of TA occurred faster in fruit at 5 °C compared to 20 °C although no endogenous ethylene production was detected. Transcriptome analysis revealed 3761 ripening-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 2742 were up-regulated by propylene while 1058 were up-regulated by low temperature. Propylene exclusively up-regulated 2112 DEGs including those associated with ethylene biosynthesis and ripening such as AcACS1, AcACO2, AcPL1, AcXET1, Acβ-GAL, AcAAT, AcERF6 and AcNAC7. Similarly, low temperature exclusively up-regulated 467 DEGS including AcACO3, AcPL2, AcPMEi, AcADH, Acβ-AMY2, AcGA2ox2, AcNAC5 and AcbZIP2 among others. A considerable number of DEGs such as AcPG, AcEXP1, AcXET2, Acβ-AMY1, AcGA2ox1, AcNAC6, AcMADS1 and AcbZIP1 were up-regulated by either propylene or low temperature. Frequent 1-MCP treatments failed to inhibit the accelerated ripening and up-regulation of associated DEGs by low temperature indicating that the changes were independent of ethylene. On-vine kiwifruit ripening proceeded in the absence of any detectable endogenous ethylene production, and coincided with increased expression of low temperature-responsive DEGs as well as the decrease in environmental temperature. These results indicate that kiwifruit possess both ethylene-dependent and low temperature-modulated ripening mechanisms that are distinct and independent of each other. The current work provides a foundation for elaborating the control of these two ripening mechanisms in kiwifruit.

[Toluene, Benzene and Acetone Adsorption by Activated Carbon Coated with PDMS].

PubMed

Liu, Han-bing; Jiang, Xin; Wang, Xin; Yang, Bing; Xue, Nan-dong; Zhang, Shi-lei

2016-04-15

To improve the adsorption selectivity of volatile organic compounds ( VOCs) , activated carbon ( AC) was modified by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and characterized by BET analysis and Boehm titration. Dynamic adsorption column experiments were conducted and Yoon-Neslon(Y-N) model was used to identify adsorption effect for toluene, beuzene and acetone on AC when relative humidity was 0%, 50% and 90%, respectively. The results showed that the BET area, micropore volume and surface functional groups decreased with the PDMS modification, and surface hydrophobicity of the modified AC was enhanced leading to a lower water adsorption capacity. The results of dynamic adsorption showed that the adsorption kinetics and capacity of Bare-AC decreased with the increase of relative humidity, and the adsorption capacities of PDMS coated AC were 1.86 times (toluene) and 1.92 times (benzene) higher than those of Bare-AC, while a significant improvement of adsorption capacity for acetone was not observed. These findings suggest that polarity of molecule can be an important influencing factor for adsorption on hydrophobic surface developed by PDMS.

The fate of fusion Cry1Ab/1Ac proteins from Bt-transgenic rice in soil and water.

PubMed

Liu, Yongbo; Li, Junsheng; Luo, Zunlan; Wang, Huaru; Liu, Fang

2016-02-01

Toxin proteins form transgenic crops entering into the environment are likely affect non-target organisms. To investigate the entry route and fate of fusion Cry1Ab/1Ac proteins from transgenic rice expressing insecticide toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in soil and water, we conducted greenhouse and field experiments in 2013 and 2014. Cry1Ab/1Ac proteins from Bt-transgenic rice in soil was found within a horizontal range of 25cm, where most of plant roots distributed. Concentration of Cry1Ab/1Ac proteins was lower in water than in soil in the greenhouse experiment, and no Cry1Ab/1Ac protein was detected in field water. Cry1Ab/1Ac concentration from rice straws was higher in ditch water than in distilled water due to the existence of aquatic organisms in ditch water. Bt proteins from transgenic crops enter into soil ecosystems mainly through root exudates and into aquatic ecosystems through plant residues, which determines Bt fate in the environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of proton-conduction in electrolyte on electric efficiency of multi-stage solid oxide fuel cells

PubMed Central

Matsuzaki, Yoshio; Tachikawa, Yuya; Somekawa, Takaaki; Hatae, Toru; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Taniguchi, Shunsuke; Sasaki, Kazunari

2015-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising electrochemical devices that enable the highest fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiencies under high operating temperatures. The concept of multi-stage electrochemical oxidation using SOFCs has been proposed and studied over the past several decades for further improving the electrical efficiency. However, the improvement is limited by fuel dilution downstream of the fuel flow. Therefore, evolved technologies are required to achieve considerably higher electrical efficiencies. Here we present an innovative concept for a critically-high fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of up to 85% based on the lower heating value (LHV), in which a high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation is combined with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte. Switching a solid electrolyte material from a conventional oxide-ion conducting material to a proton-conducting material under the high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation mechanism has proven to be highly advantageous for the electrical efficiency. The DC efficiency of 85% (LHV) corresponds to a net AC efficiency of approximately 76% (LHV), where the net AC efficiency refers to the transmission-end AC efficiency. This evolved concept will yield a considerably higher efficiency with a much smaller generation capacity than the state-of-the-art several tens-of-MW-class most advanced combined cycle (MACC). PMID:26218470

Effect of proton-conduction in electrolyte on electric efficiency of multi-stage solid oxide fuel cells.

PubMed

Matsuzaki, Yoshio; Tachikawa, Yuya; Somekawa, Takaaki; Hatae, Toru; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Taniguchi, Shunsuke; Sasaki, Kazunari

2015-07-28

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising electrochemical devices that enable the highest fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiencies under high operating temperatures. The concept of multi-stage electrochemical oxidation using SOFCs has been proposed and studied over the past several decades for further improving the electrical efficiency. However, the improvement is limited by fuel dilution downstream of the fuel flow. Therefore, evolved technologies are required to achieve considerably higher electrical efficiencies. Here we present an innovative concept for a critically-high fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of up to 85% based on the lower heating value (LHV), in which a high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation is combined with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte. Switching a solid electrolyte material from a conventional oxide-ion conducting material to a proton-conducting material under the high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation mechanism has proven to be highly advantageous for the electrical efficiency. The DC efficiency of 85% (LHV) corresponds to a net AC efficiency of approximately 76% (LHV), where the net AC efficiency refers to the transmission-end AC efficiency. This evolved concept will yield a considerably higher efficiency with a much smaller generation capacity than the state-of-the-art several tens-of-MW-class most advanced combined cycle (MACC).

Synthesis and electrical properties of (LiCo 3/5Fe 1/5Mn 1/5)VO 4 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ram, Moti

2010-03-01

(LiCo 3/5Fe 1/5Mn 1/5)VO 4 ceramic was synthesized via solution-based chemical method. X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out on the synthesized powder sample at room temperature, which confirms the orthorhombic structure with the lattice parameters of a = 10.3646 (20) Å, b = 3.7926 (20) Å, c = 9.2131 (20) Å. Field emission scanning electron microscopic analysis was carried out on the sintered pellet sample that indicates grains of unequal sizes (˜0.1 to 2 μm) presents average grains size with polydisperse distribution on the surface of the ceramic. Complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS) technique is used for the study of electrical properties. CIS analysis identifies: (i) grain interior, grain boundary and electrode-material interface contributions to electrical response (ii) the presence of temperature dependent electrical relaxation phenomena in the ceramics. Detailed conductivity study indicates that electrical conduction in the material is a thermally activated process. The variation of A.C. conductivity with frequency at different temperatures obeys Jonscher's universal law.

Insights Into the Bifunctional Aphidicolan-16-ß-ol Synthase Through Rapid Biomolecular Modeling Approaches.

PubMed

Hirte, Max; Meese, Nicolas; Mertz, Michael; Fuchs, Monika; Brück, Thomas B

2018-01-01

Diterpene synthases catalyze complex, multi-step C-C coupling reactions thereby converting the universal, aliphatic precursor geranylgeranyl diphosphate into diverse olefinic macrocylces that form the basis for the structural diversity of the diterpene natural product family. Since catalytically relevant crystal structures of diterpene synthases are scarce, homology based biomolecular modeling techniques offer an alternative route to study the enzyme's reaction mechanism. However, precise identification of catalytically relevant amino acids is challenging since these models require careful preparation and refinement techniques prior to substrate docking studies. Targeted amino acid substitutions in this protein class can initiate premature quenching of the carbocation centered reaction cascade. The structural characterization of those alternative cyclization products allows for elucidation of the cyclization reaction cascade and provides a new source for complex macrocyclic synthons. In this study, new insights into structure and function of the fungal, bifunctional Aphidicolan-16-ß-ol synthase were achieved using a simplified biomolecular modeling strategy. The applied refinement methodologies could rapidly generate a reliable protein-ligand complex, which provides for an accurate in silico identification of catalytically relevant amino acids. Guided by our modeling data, ACS mutations lead to the identification of the catalytically relevant ACS amino acid network I626, T657, Y658, A786, F789, and Y923. Moreover, the ACS amino acid substitutions Y658L and D661A resulted in a premature termination of the cyclization reaction cascade en-route from syn-copalyl diphosphate to Aphidicolan-16-ß-ol. Both ACS mutants generated the diterpene macrocycle syn-copalol and a minor, non-hydroxylated labdane related diterpene, respectively. Our biomolecular modeling and mutational studies suggest that the ACS substrate cyclization occurs in a spatially restricted location of the enzyme's active site and that the geranylgeranyl diphosphate derived pyrophosphate moiety remains in the ACS active site thereby directing the cyclization process. Our cumulative data confirm that amino acids constituting the G-loop of diterpene synthases are involved in the open to the closed, catalytically active enzyme conformation. This study demonstrates that a simple and rapid biomolecular modeling procedure can predict catalytically relevant amino acids. The approach reduces computational and experimental screening efforts for diterpene synthase structure-function analyses.

Insights into the bifunctional Aphidicolan-16-ß-ol synthase through rapid biomolecular modelling approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirte, Max; Meese, Nicolas; Mertz, Michael; Fuchs, Monika; Brück, Thomas B.

2018-04-01

Diterpene synthases catalyze complex, multi-step C-C coupling reactions thereby converting the universal, aliphatic precursor geranylgeranyl diphosphate into diverse olefinic macrocylces that form the basis for the structural diversity of the diterpene natural product family. Since catalytically relevant crystal structures of diterpene synthases are scarce, homology based biomolecular modelling techniques offer an alternative route to study the enzyme’s reaction mechanism. However, precise identification of catalytically relevant amino acids is challenging since these models require careful preparation and refinement techniques prior to substrate docking studies. Targeted amino acid substitutions in this protein class can initiate premature quenching of the carbocation centered reaction cascade. The structural characterization of those alternative cyclization products allows for elucidation of the cyclization reaction cascade and provides a new source for complex macrocyclic synthons. In this study, new insights into structure and function of the fungal, bifunctional Aphidicolan-16-ß-ol synthase were achieved using a simplified biomolecular modelling strategy. The applied refinement methodologies could rapidly generate a reliable protein-ligand complex, which provides for an accurate in silico identification of catalytically relevant amino acids. Guided by our modelling data, ACS mutations lead to the identification of the catalytically relevant ACS amino acid network I626, T657, Y658, A786, F789 and Y923. Moreover, the ACS amino acid substitutions Y658L and D661A resulted in a premature termination of the cyclization reaction cascade en-route from syn-copalyl diphosphate to Aphidicolan-16-ß-ol. Both ACS mutants generated the diterpene macrocycle syn-copalol and a minor, non-hydroxylated labdane related diterpene, respectively. Our biomolecular modelling and mutational studies suggest that the ACS substrate cyclization occurs in a spatially restricted location of the enzyme’s active site and that the geranylgeranyl diphosphate derived pyrophosphate moiety remains in the ACS active site thereby directing the cyclization process. Our cumulative data confirm that amino acids constituting the G-loop of diterpene synthases are involved in the open to the closed, catalytically active enzyme conformation. This study demonstrates that a simple and rapid biomolecular modelling procedure can predict catalytically relevant amino acids. The approach reduces computational and experimental screening efforts for diterpene synthase structure-function analyses.

Mutual cancellation between tones presented by air conduction, by bone conduction and by non-osseous (soft tissue) bone conduction.

PubMed

Chordekar, Shai; Kriksunov, Leonid; Kishon-Rabin, Liat; Adelman, Cahtia; Sohmer, Haim

2012-01-01

Auditory sensation can be elicited not only by air conducted (AC) sound or bone conducted (BC) sound, but also by stimulation of soft tissue (STC) sites on the head and neck relatively distant from deeply underlying bone. Tone stimulation by paired combinations of AC with BC (mastoid) and/or with soft tissue conduction produce the same pitch sensation, mutual masking and beats. The present study was designed to determine whether they can also cancel each other. The study was conducted on ten normal hearing subjects. Tones at 2 kHz were presented in paired combinations by AC (insert earphone), by BC (bone vibrator) at the mastoid, and by the same bone vibrator to several STC sites; e.g. the neck, the sterno-cleido-mastoid muscle, the eye, and under the chin, shifting the phases between the pairs. Subjects reported changes in loudness and cancellation. The phase for cancellation differed across subjects. Neck muscle manipulations (changes in head position) led to alterations in the phase at which cancellation was reported. Cancellation was also achieved between pairs of tones to two STC sites. The differing phases for cancellation across subjects and the change in phase accompanying different head positions may be due to the different acoustic impedances of the several tissues in the head and neck. A major component of auditory stimulation by STC may not induce actual skull bone vibrations and may not involve bulk fluid volume displacements. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coronal holes, large-scale magnetic field, and activity complexes in solar cycle 23

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavastsherna, K. S.; Polyakow, E. V.

2014-12-01

A correlation among coronal holes (CH), a large-scale magnetic field (LMF), and activity complexes (AC) is studied in this work for 1997-2007 with the use of a coronal hole series obtained from observations at the Kitt Peak Observatory in the HeI 10830 Å line in 1975-2003 and SOHO/EIT-195 Å in 1996-2012 (Tlatov et al., 2014), synoptic Hα charts from Kislovodsk Mountain Astonomical Station, and the catalog of AC cores (Yazev, 2012). From the imposition of CH boundaries on Hα charts, which characterize the positions of neutral lines of the radial components of a large-scale solar magnetic field, it turns out that 70% of CH are located in unipolar regions of their sign during the above period, 10% are in the region of an opposite sign, and 20% are mainly very large CH, which are often crossed by the neutral lines of several unipolar regions. Data on mutual arrangement of CH and AC cores were obtained. It was shown that only some activity comples cores have genetic relationships with CH.

Centralized vs decentralized lunar power system study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metcalf, Kenneth; Harty, Richard B.; Perronne, Gerald E.

1991-09-01

Three power-system options are considered with respect to utilization on a lunar base: the fully centralized option, the fully decentralized option, and a hybrid comprising features of the first two options. Power source, power conditioning, and power transmission are considered separately, and each architecture option is examined with ac and dc distribution, high and low voltage transmission, and buried and suspended cables. Assessments are made on the basis of mass, technological complexity, cost, reliability, and installation complexity, however, a preferred power-system architecture is not proposed. Preferred options include transmission based on ac, transmission voltages of 2000-7000 V with buried high-voltage lines and suspended low-voltage lines. Assessments of the total cost associated with the installations are required to determine the most suitable power system.

Alternating current (AC) iontophoretic transport across human epidermal membrane: effects of AC frequency and amplitude.

PubMed

Yan, Guang; Xu, Qingfang; Anissimov, Yuri G; Hao, Jinsong; Higuchi, William I; Li, S Kevin

2008-03-01

As a continuing effort to understand the mechanisms of alternating current (AC) transdermal iontophoresis and the iontophoretic transport pathways in the stratum corneum (SC), the objectives of the present study were to determine the interplay of AC frequency, AC voltage, and iontophoretic transport of ionic and neutral permeants across human epidermal membrane (HEM) and use AC as a means to characterize the transport pathways. Constant AC voltage iontophoresis experiments were conducted with HEM in 0.10 M tetraethyl ammonium pivalate (TEAP). AC frequencies ranging from 0.0001 to 25 Hz and AC applied voltages of 0.5 and 2.5 V were investigated. Tetraethyl ammonium (TEA) and arabinose (ARA) were the ionic and neutral model permeants, respectively. In data analysis, the logarithm of the permeability coefficients of HEM for the model permeants was plotted against the logarithm of the HEM electrical resistance for each AC condition. As expected, linear correlations between the logarithms of permeability coefficients and the logarithms of resistances of HEM were observed, and the permeability data were first normalized and then compared at the same HEM electrical resistance using these correlations. Transport enhancement of the ionic permeant was significantly larger than that of the neutral permeant during AC iontophoresis. The fluxes of the ionic permeant during AC iontophoresis of 2.5 V in the frequency range from 5 to 1,000 Hz were relatively constant and were approximately 4 times over those of passive transport. When the AC frequency decreased from 5 to 0.001 Hz at 2.5 V, flux enhancement increased to around 50 times over passive transport. While the AC frequency for achieving the full effect of iontophoretic enhancement at low AC frequency was lower than anticipated, the frequency for approaching passive diffusion transport at high frequency was higher than expected from the HEM morphology. These observations are consistent with a transport model of multiple barriers in series and the previous hypothesis that the iontophoresis pathways across HEM under AC behave like a series of reservoirs interconnected by short pore pathways.

On the inhibition of muscle membrane chloride conductance by aromatic carboxylic acids

PubMed Central

Palade, PT; Barchi, RL

1977-01-01

25 aromatic carboxylic acids which are analogs of benzoic acid were tested in the rat diaphragm preparation for effects on chloride conductance (G(Cl)). Of the 25, 19 were shown to reduce membrane G(Cl) with little effect on other membrane parameters, although their apparent K(i) varied widely. This inhibition was reversible if exposure times were not prolonged. The most effective analog studied was anthracene-9-COOH (9-AC; K(i) = 1.1 x 10(-5) M). Active analogs produced concentration-dependent inhibition of a type consistent with interaction at a single site or group of sites having similar binding affinities, although a correlation could also be shown between lipophilicity and K(i). Structure-activity analysis indicated that hydrophobic ring substitution usually increased inhibitory activity while para polar substitutions reduced effectiveness. These compounds do not appear to inhibit G(Cl) by altering membrane surface charge and the inhibition produced is not voltage dependent. Qualitative characteristics of the I-V relationship for Cl(-) current are not altered. Conductance to all anions is not uniformly altered by these acids as would be expected from steric occlusion of a common channel. Concentrations of 9-AC reducing G(Cl) by more than 90 percent resulted in slight augmentation of G(I). The complete conductance sequence obtained at high levels of 9-AC was the reverse of that obtained under control conditions. Permeability sequences underwent progressive changes with increasing 9-AC concentration and ultimately inverted at high levels of the analog. Aromatic carboxylic acids appear to inhibit G(Cl) by binding to a specific intramembrane site and altering the selectivity sequence of the membrane anion channel. PMID:894246

Gas exchange by the mesic-origin, arid land plantation species Robinia pseudoacacia under annual summer reduction in plant hydraulic conductance.

PubMed

Miyazawa, Yoshiyuki; Du, Sheng; Taniguchi, Takeshi; Yamanaka, Norikazu; Kumagai, Tomo'omi

2018-03-28

The mesic-origin plantation species Robinia pseudoacacia L. has been successfully grown in many arid land plantations around the world but often exhibits dieback and reduced growth due to drought. Therefore, to explore the behavior of this species under changing environmental conditions, we examined the relationship between ecophysiological traits, gas exchange and plant hydraulics over a 3-year period in trees that experienced reduced plant hydraulic conductance (Gp) in summer. We found that the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance (Gs) and minimum leaf water potential (Ψlmin) decreased in early summer in response to a decrease in Gp, and that Gp did not recover until the expansion of new leaves in spring. However, we did not observe any changes in the leaf area index or other ecophysiological traits at the leaf level in response to this reduction in Gp. Furthermore, model simulations based on measured data revealed that the canopy-scale photosynthetic rate (Ac) was 15-25% higher than the simulated Ac when it was assumed that Ψlmin remained constant after spring but almost the same as the simulated Ac when it was assumed that Gp remained high even after spring. These findings indicate that R. pseudoacacia was frequently exposed to a reduced Gp at the study site but offset its effects on Ac by plastically lowering Ψlmin to avoid experiencing any further reduction in Gp or Gs.

Studies on structural, thermal and AC conductivity scaling of PEO-LiPF6 polymer electrolyte with added ionic liquid [BMIMPF6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaurasia, S. K.; Saroj, A. L.; Shalu, Singh, V. K.; Tripathi, A. K.; Gupta, A. K.; Verma, Y. L.; Singh, R. K.

2015-07-01

Preparation and characterization of polymer electrolyte films of PEO+10wt.% LiPF6 + xwt.% BMIMPF6 (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) containing dopant salt lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) and ionic liquid (BMIMPF6) having common anion PF6 - are reported. The ionic conductivity of the polymer electrolyte films has been found to increase with increasing concentration of BMIMPF6 in PEO+10 wt.% LiPF6 due to the plasticization effect of ionic liquid. DSC and XRD results show that the crystallinity of polymer electrolyte decreases with BMIMPF6 concentration which, in turn, is responsible for the increase in ionic conductivity. FTIR spectroscopic study shows the complexation of salt and/or ionic liquid cations with the polymer backbone. Ion dynamics behavior of PEO+LiPF6 as well as PEO+LiPF6 + BMIMPF6 polymer electrolytes was studied by frequency dependent conductivity, σ(f) measurements. The values σ(f) at various temperatures have been analyzed in terms of Jonscher power law (JPL) and scaled with respect to frequency which shows universal power law characteristics at all temperatures.

Combining a Toggle Switch and a Repressilator within the AC-DC Circuit Generates Distinct Dynamical Behaviors.

PubMed

Perez-Carrasco, Ruben; Barnes, Chris P; Schaerli, Yolanda; Isalan, Mark; Briscoe, James; Page, Karen M

2018-04-25

Although the structure of a genetically encoded regulatory circuit is an important determinant of its function, the relationship between circuit topology and the dynamical behaviors it can exhibit is not well understood. Here, we explore the range of behaviors available to the AC-DC circuit. This circuit consists of three genes connected as a combination of a toggle switch and a repressilator. Using dynamical systems theory, we show that the AC-DC circuit exhibits both oscillations and bistability within the same region of parameter space; this generates emergent behaviors not available to either the toggle switch or the repressilator alone. The AC-DC circuit can switch on oscillations via two distinct mechanisms, one of which induces coherence into ensembles of oscillators. In addition, we show that in the presence of noise, the AC-DC circuit can behave as an excitable system capable of spatial signal propagation or coherence resonance. Together, these results demonstrate how combinations of simple motifs can exhibit multiple complex behaviors. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solution Structure of a Phytocystatin from Ananas comosus and Its Molecular Interaction with Papain

PubMed Central

Irene, Deli; Chung, Tse-Yu; Chen, Bo-Jiun; Liu, Ting-Hang; Li, Feng-Yin; Tzen, Jason T. C.; Wang, Cheng-I; Chyan, Chia-Lin

2012-01-01

The structure of a recombinant pineapple cystatin (AcCYS) was determined by NMR with the RMSD of backbone and heavy atoms of twenty lowest energy structures of 0.56 and 1.11 Å, respectively. It reveals an unstructured N-terminal extension and a compact inhibitory domain comprising a four-stranded antiparallel β-sheet wrapped around a central α-helix. The three structural motifs (G45, Q89XVXG, and W120) putatively responsible for the interaction with papain-like proteases are located in one side of AcCYS. Significant chemical shift perturbations in two loop regions, residues 45 to 48 (GIYD) and residues 89 to 91 (QVV), of AcCYS strongly suggest their involvement in the binding to papain, consistent with studies on other members of the cystatin family. However, the highly conserved W120 appears not to be involved in the binding with papain as no chemical shift perturbation was observed. Chemical shift index analysis further indicates that the length of the α-helix is shortened upon association with papain. Collectively, our data suggest that AcCYS undergoes local secondary structural rearrangements when papain is brought into close contact. A molecular model of AcCYS/papain complex is proposed to illustrate the interaction between AcCYS and papain, indicating a complete blockade of the catalytic triad by AcCYS. PMID:23139757

Arthroscopically Assisted Reconstruction of Acute Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocations: Anatomic AC Ligament Reconstruction With Protective Internal Bracing—The “AC-RecoBridge” Technique

PubMed Central

Izadpanah, Kaywan; Jaeger, Martin; Ogon, Peter; Südkamp, Norbert P.; Maier, Dirk

2015-01-01

An arthroscopically assisted technique for the treatment of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocations is presented. This pathology-based procedure aims to achieve anatomic healing of both the acromioclavicular ligament complex (ACLC) and the coracoclavicular ligaments. First, the acromioclavicular joint is reduced anatomically under macroscopic and radiologic control and temporarily transfixed with a K-wire. A single-channel technique using 2 suture tapes provides secure coracoclavicular stabilization. The key step of the procedure consists of the anatomic repair of the ACLC (“AC-Reco”). Basically, we have observed 4 patterns of injury: clavicular-sided, acromial-sided, oblique, and midportion tears. Direct and/or transosseous ACLC repair is performed accordingly. Then, an X-configured acromioclavicular suture tape cerclage (“AC-Bridge”) is applied under arthroscopic assistance to limit horizontal clavicular translation to a physiological extent. The AC-Bridge follows the principle of internal bracing and protects healing of the ACLC repair. The AC-Bridge is tightened on top of the repair, creating an additional suture-bridge effect and promoting anatomic ACLC healing. We refer to this combined technique of anatomic ACLC repair and protective internal bracing as the “AC-RecoBridge.” A detailed stepwise description of the surgical technique, including indications, technical pearls and pitfalls, and potential complications, is given. PMID:26052493

Proteomics of the Autographa californica Nucleopolyhedrovirus Budded Virions ▿

PubMed Central

Wang, RanRan; Deng, Fei; Hou, Dianhai; Zhao, Yong; Guo, Lin; Wang, Hualin; Hu, Zhihong

2010-01-01

Baculoviruses produce two progeny phenotypes during their replication cycles. The occlusion-derived virus (ODV) is responsible for initiating primary infection in the larval midgut, and the budded virus (BV) phenotype is responsible for the secondary infection. The proteomics of several baculovirus ODVs have been revealed, but so far, no extensive analysis of BV-associated proteins has been conducted. In this study, the protein composition of the BV of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), the type species of baculoviruses, was analyzed by various mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, including liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole linear ion trap (LC-Qtrap), liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight (LC-Q-TOF), and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF analyses showed that the three most abundant proteins of the AcMNPV BV were GP64, VP39, and P6.9. A total of 34 viral proteins associated with the AcMNPV BV were identified by the indicated methods. Thirteen of these proteins, PP31, AC58/59, AC66, IAP-2, AC73, AC74, AC114, AC124, chitinase, polyhedron envelope protein (PEP), AC132, ODV-E18, and ODV-E56, were identified for the first time to be BV-associated proteins. Western blot analyses showed that ODV-E18 and ODV-E25, which were previously thought to be ODV-specific proteins, were also present in the envelop fraction of BV. In addition, 11 cellular proteins were found to be associated with the AcMNPV BV by both LC-Qtrap and LC-Q-TOF analyses. Interestingly, seven of these proteins were also identified in other enveloped viruses, suggesting that many enveloped viruses may commonly utilize certain conserved cellular pathways. PMID:20444894

Binary and ternary copper(II) complexes of a new Schiff base ligand derived from 4-acetyl-5,6-diphenyl-3(2H)-pyridazinone: Synthesis, spectral, thermal, antimicrobial and antitumor studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shebl, Magdy; Adly, Omima M. I.; Abdelrhman, Ebtesam M.; El-Shetary, B. A.

2017-10-01

A new Schiff base ligand was synthesized by the reaction of 4-acetyl-5,6-diphenyl-3(2H)-pyridazinone with ethylenediamine. A series of binary copper(II) Schiff base complexes have been synthesized by using various copper(II) salts; AcO-, NO3-, ClO4-, Cl- and Br-. Ternary complexes were synthesized by using auxiliary ligands (L‧) [N,O-donor; 8-hydroxyquinoline and glycine or N,N-donor; 1,10-phenanthroline, bipyridyl and 2-aminopyridine]. The structures of the Schiff base and its complexes were characterized by elemental and thermal analyses, IR, electronic, mass, 1H NMR and ESR spectra in addition to conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The obtained complexes include neutral binuclear complexes as well as neutral and cationic mononuclear complexes according to the anion used and the experimental conditions. The ESR spin Hamiltonian parameters of some complexes were calculated and discussed. The metal complexes exhibited octahedral and square planar geometrical arrangements depending on the nature of the anion. Kinetic parameters (Ea, A, ΔH, ΔS and ΔG) of the thermal decomposition stages were evaluated using Coats-Redfern equations. The antimicrobial activity of the Schiff base and its complexes was screened against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis), Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli), yeast (Candida albicans) and fungus (Aspergillus fumigatus). The antitumor activity of the Schiff base and some of its Cu(II) complexes was investigated against HepG-2 cell line.

Investigation on discharge characteristics of a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge reactor driven by AC and ns power sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, WANG; Feng, LIU; Chuanrun, MIAO; Bing, YAN; Zhi, FANG

2018-03-01

A coaxial dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor with double layer dielectric barriers has been developed for exhaust gas treatment and excited either by AC power or nanosecond (ns) pulse to generate atmospheric pressure plasma. The comparative study on the discharge characteristics of the discharge uniformity, power deposition, energy efficiency, and operation temperature between AC and ns pulsed coaxial DBD is carried out in terms of optical and electrical characteristics and operation temperature for optimizing the coaxial DBD reactor performance. The voltages across the air gap and dielectric layer and the conduction and displacement currents are extracted from the applied voltages and measured currents of AC and ns pulsed coaxial DBDs for the calculation of the power depositions and energy efficiencies through an equivalent electrical model. The discharge uniformity and operating temperature of the coaxial DBD reactor are monitored and analyzed by optical images and infrared camera. A heat conduction model is used to calculate the temperature of the internal quartz tube. It is found that the ns pulsed coaxial DBD has a much higher instantaneous power deposition in plasma, a lower total power consumption, and a higher energy efficiency compared with that excited by AC power and is more homogeneous and stable. The temperature of the outside wall of the AC and ns pulse excited coaxial DBD reaches 158 °C and 64.3 °C after 900 s operation, respectively. The experimental results on the comparison of the discharge characteristics of coaxial DBDs excited by different powers are significant for understanding of the mechanism of DBDs, reducing energy loss, and optimizing the performance of coaxial DBD in industrial applications.

Frequency and voltage dependent profile of dielectric properties, electric modulus and ac electrical conductivity in the PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demirezen, S.; Kaya, A.; Yerişkin, S. A.; Balbaşı, M.; Uslu, İ.

In this study, praseodymium barium cobalt oxide nanofiber interfacial layer was sandwiched between Au and n-Si. Frequency and voltage dependence of ε‧, ε‧, tanδ, electric modulus (M‧ and M″) and σac of PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitor have been investigated by using impedance spectroscopy method. The obtained experimental results show that the values of ε‧, ε‧, tanδ, M‧, M″ and σac of the PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitor are strongly dependent on frequency of applied bias voltage. The values of ε‧, ε″ and tanδ show a steep decrease with increasing frequency for each forward bias voltage, whereas the values of σac and the electric modulus increase with increasing frequency. The high dispersion in ε‧ and ε″ values at low frequencies may be attributed to the Maxwell-Wagner and space charge polarization. The high values of ε‧ may be due to the interfacial effects within the material, PrBaCoO nanofibers interfacial layer and electron effect. The values of M‧ and M″ reach a maximum constant value corresponding to M∞ ≈ 1/ε∞ due to the relaxation process at high frequencies, but both the values of M‧ and M″ approach almost to zero at low frequencies. The changes in the dielectric and electrical properties with frequency can be also attributed to the existence of Nss and Rs of the capacitors. As a result, the change in the ε‧, ε″, tanδ, M‧, M″ and ac electric conductivity (σac) is a result of restructuring and reordering of charges at the PrBaCoO/n-Si interface under an external electric field or voltage and interface polarization.

Promising efficacy of novel BTK inhibitor AC0010 in mantle cell lymphoma.

PubMed

Yan, Xiao; Zhou, Yile; Huang, Shujuan; Li, Xia; Yu, Mengxia; Huang, Jiansong; Wang, Jinghan; Ma, Zhixin; Jin, Jingrui; Pan, Jiajia; Li, Chenying; Li, Fenglin; Jin, Jie

2018-04-01

We researched into the effect and mechanism of AC0010, a novel BTK inhibitor, in MCL, and compared its efficacy and safety with Ibrutinib to develop a preclinical study for the future therapy of MCL. MTS assay was used to detect the growth inhibition caused by AC0010 and Ibrutinib, respectively, in MCL cell lines (Jeko-1 and JVM-2), primary MCL cells, and normal peripheral lymphocytes. Apoptosis of Jeko-1 and JVM-2 after exposure into AC0010 and Ibrutinib was conducted by flow cytometry; the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was checked by Western blot. q-PCR and Western blot were applied to examine the expression of BTK and p-BTK at mRNA and protein level as well as the BTK-ralated signaling pathways. MCL xenograft was developed to testify the efficacy and safety of AC0010 in vivo. In contrast with Ibrutinib, AC0010 proved to be more toxic to MCL cells in vitro (p < 0.01) with no augment in cytotoxicity to normal peripheral lymphocytes, and it can induce obvious apoptosis in MCL cell lines (p < 0.01) through caspase family and Bcl-2 family. AC0010 at 300 mg/kg can prolong the survival rate in MCL xenograft (p < 0.01). The phosphorylation of BTK is inhibited by AC0010 following simultaneously inhibition of BCR-BTK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in MCL cells. AC0010 is a novel BTK inhibitor of great efficacy and safety in MCL.

Bi-directional flow induced by an AC electroosmotic micropump with DC voltage bias.

PubMed

Islam, Nazmul; Reyna, Jairo

2012-04-01

This paper discusses the principle of biased alternating current electroosmosis (ACEO) and its application to move the bulk fluid in a microchannel, as an alternative to mechanical pumping methods. Previous EO-driven flow research has looked at the effect of electrode asymmetry and transverse traveling wave forms on the performance of electroosmotic pumps. This paper presents an analysis that was conducted to assess the effect of combining an AC signal with a DC (direct current) bias when generating the electric field needed to impart electroosmosis (EO) within a microchannel. The results presented here are numerical and experimental. The numerical results were generated through simulations performed using COMSOL 3.5a. Currently available theoretical models for EO flows were embedded in the software and solved numerically to evaluate the effects of channel geometry, frequency of excitation, electrode array geometry, and AC signal with a DC bias on the flow imparted on an electrically conducting fluid. Simulations of the ACEO flow driven by a constant magnitude of AC voltage over symmetric electrodes did not indicate relevant net flows. However, superimposing a DC signal over the AC signal on the same symmetric electrode array leads to a noticeable net forward flow. Moreover, changing the polarity of electrical signal creates a bi-directional flow on symmetrical electrode array. Experimental flow measurements were performed on several electrode array configurations. The mismatch between the numerical and experimental results revealed the limitations of the currently available models for the biased EO. However, they confirm that using a symmetric electrode array excited by an AC signal with a DC bias leads to a significant improvement in flow rates in comparison to the flow rates obtained in an asymmetric electrode array configuration excited just with an AC signal. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

ARC-1967-AC-38286-3

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-02-06

Aerial Survey of Ames Research Center - Flight Simulation Complex' Flight simulators create an authentic aircraft environment by generating the appropriate physical cues that provide the sensations of flight.

Construction of Polynuclear Lanthanide (Ln = Dy(III), Tb(III), and Nd(III)) Cage Complexes Using Pyridine-Pyrazole-Based Ligands: Versatile Molecular Topologies and SMM Behavior.

PubMed

Bala, Sukhen; Sen Bishwas, Mousumi; Pramanik, Bhaskar; Khanra, Sumit; Fromm, Katharina M; Poddar, Pankaj; Mondal, Raju

2015-09-08

Employment of two different pyridyl-pyrazolyl-based ligands afforded three octanuclear lanthanide(III) (Ln = Dy, Tb) cage compounds and one hexanuclear neodymium(III) coordination cage, exhibiting versatile molecular architectures including a butterfly core. Relatively less common semirigid pyridyl-pyrazolyl-based asymmetric ligand systems show an interesting trend of forming polynuclear lanthanide cage complexes with different coordination environments around the metal centers. It is noteworthy here that construction of lanthanide complex itself is a challenging task in a ligand system as soft N-donor rich as pyridyl-pyrazol. We report herein some lanthanide complexes using ligand containing only one or two O-donors compare to five N-coordinating sites. The resultant multinuclear lanthanide complexes show interesting magnetic and spectroscopic features originating from different spatial arrangements of the metal ions. Alternating current (ac) susceptibility measurements of the two dysprosium complexes display frequency- and temperature-dependent out-of-phase signals in zero and 0.5 T direct current field, a typical characteristic feature of single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior, indicating different energy reversal barriers due to different molecular topologies. Another aspect of this work is the occurrence of the not-so-common SMM behavior of the terbium complex, further confirmed by ac susceptibility measurement.

Multiple piezo-patch energy harvesters on a thin plate with respective AC-DC conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aghakhani, Amirreza; Basdogan, Ipek

2018-03-01

Piezoelectric patch energy harvesters can be directly integrated to plate-like structures which are widely used in automotive, marine and aerospace applications, to convert vibrational energy to electrical energy. This paper presents two different AC-DC conversion techniques for multiple patch harvesters, namely single rectifier and respective rectifiers. The first case considers all the piezo-patches are connected in parallel to a single rectifier, whereas in the second case, each harvester is respectively rectified and then connected in parallel to a smoothing capacitor and a resistive load. The latter configuration of AC-DC conversion helps to avoid the electrical charge cancellation which is a problem with the multiple harvesters attached to different locations of the host plate surface. Equivalent circuit model of the multiple piezo-patch harvesters is developed in the SPICE software to simulate the electrical response. The system parameters are obtained from the modal analysis solution of the plate. Simulations of the voltage frequency response functions (FRFs) for the standard AC input - AC output case are conducted and validated by experimental data. Finally, for the AC input - DC output case, numerical simulation and experimental results of the power outputs of multiple piezo-patch harvesters with multiple AC-DC converters are obtained for a wide range of resistive loads and compared with the same array of harvesters connected to a single AC-DC converter.

Self-supporting activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide flexible electrode for high performance supercapacitor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Xing; Tang, Yao; Song, Junhua

A self-supporting and flexible activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide (AC/CNT/RGO) film has been rationally designed for constructing high-performance supercapacitor. We prepared the AC/CNT/RGO film by anchoring the AC particles with a 3D and porous framework built by hierarchically weaving the 1 D CNT and 2D RGO using their intrinsic van der Waals force. The CNT network is beneficial for improving the electronic conductivity of the electrode, while the AC particles could effectively suppress the aggregation of RGO and CNT due to their blocking effect. The synergistic effects among the AC, CNT and RGO validate the AC/CNT/RGO as a promising electrodemore » for supercapacitor, exhibiting greatly enhanced electrochemical performances in comparison with the pure RGO film, pure CNT film and AC electrode. Furthermore, the AC/CNT/RGO electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 101 F g -1 at the current density of 0.2 A g -1 offering a maximum energy density of 30.0 W h kg -1 in organic electrolyte at the cut-off voltage range of 0.001–3.0 V. The findings of this work open a new avenue for the design of self-supporting electrodes for the development of flexible and light weight energy storage supercapacitor.« less

Self-supporting activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide flexible electrode for high performance supercapacitor

DOE PAGES

Li, Xing; Tang, Yao; Song, Junhua; ...

2017-12-06

A self-supporting and flexible activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide (AC/CNT/RGO) film has been rationally designed for constructing high-performance supercapacitor. We prepared the AC/CNT/RGO film by anchoring the AC particles with a 3D and porous framework built by hierarchically weaving the 1 D CNT and 2D RGO using their intrinsic van der Waals force. The CNT network is beneficial for improving the electronic conductivity of the electrode, while the AC particles could effectively suppress the aggregation of RGO and CNT due to their blocking effect. The synergistic effects among the AC, CNT and RGO validate the AC/CNT/RGO as a promising electrodemore » for supercapacitor, exhibiting greatly enhanced electrochemical performances in comparison with the pure RGO film, pure CNT film and AC electrode. Furthermore, the AC/CNT/RGO electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 101 F g -1 at the current density of 0.2 A g -1 offering a maximum energy density of 30.0 W h kg -1 in organic electrolyte at the cut-off voltage range of 0.001–3.0 V. The findings of this work open a new avenue for the design of self-supporting electrodes for the development of flexible and light weight energy storage supercapacitor.« less

Ethnic differences in beta-cell function, dietary intake and expression of the metabolic syndrome among UK adults of South Asian, black African-Caribbean and white-European origin at high risk of metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Goff, Louise M; Griffin, Bruce A; Lovegrove, Julie A; Sanders, Tom A; Jebb, Susan A; Bluck, Les J; Frost, Gary S

2013-07-01

A cross-sectional analysis of ethnic differences in dietary intake, insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function, using the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT), was conducted on 497 healthy adult participants of the 'Reading, Imperial, Surrey, Cambridge, and Kings' (RISCK) study. Insulin sensitivity (Si) was significantly lower in African-Caribbean (AC) and South Asian (SA) participants [IVGTT-Si; AC: 2.13 vs SA: 2.25 vs white-European (WE): 2.84 (×10(-4) mL µU min)(2), p < 0.001]. AC participants had a higher prevalence of anti-hypertensive therapy (AC: 19.7% vs SA: 7.5%), the most cardioprotective lipid profile [total:high-density lipoprotein (HDL); AC: 3.52 vs SA: 4.08 vs WE: 3.83, p = 0.03] and more pronounced hyperinsulinaemia [IVGTT-acute insulin response (AIR)] [AC: 575 vs SA: 428 vs WE: 344 mL/µU/min)(2), p = 0.002], specifically in female participants. Intake of saturated fat and carbohydrate was lower and higher in AC (10.9% and 50.4%) and SA (11.1% and 52.3%), respectively, compared to WE (13.6% and 43.8%, p < 0.001). Insulin resistance in ACs is characterised by 'normal' lipid profiles but high rates of hypertension and pronounced hyperinsulinaemia.

Roebel assembled coated conductor cables (RACC): Ac-Losses and current carrying potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, A.; Heller, R.; Goldacker, W.; Kling, A.; Schmidt, C.

2008-02-01

Low ac-loss HTS cables for transport currents well above 1 kA are required for application in transformers and generators and are taken into consideration for future generations of fusion reactor coils. Coated conductors (CC) are suitable candidates for high field application at an operation temperature in the range 50-77 K. Ac-field applications require cables with low ac-losses and hence twisting of the individual strands. We solved this problem using the Roebel technique. Short lengths of Roebel bar cables were prepared from industrial DyBCO and YBCO-CC. Meander shaped tapes of 4 or 5 mm width with twist pitches of 123 or 127 mm were cut from the 10 or 12 mm wide CC tapes using a specially designed tool. Eleven or twelve of these strands were assembled to a cable. The electrical and mechanical connection of the tapes was achieved using a silver powder filled conductive epoxy resin. Ac-losses of a short sample in an external ac-field were measured as a function of frequency and field amplitude as well as the coupling current decay time constant. We discuss the results in terms of available theories and compare measured time constants in transverse field with measured coupling losses. Finally the potential of this cable type for ac-use is discussed with respect to ac-losses and current carrying capability.

Involvement of Tetrahymena pyriformis and selected fungi in the elimination of anthracene, and toxicity assessment of the biotransformation products.

PubMed

Guiraud, P; Bonnet, J L; Boumendjel, A; Kadri-Dakir, M; Dusser, M; Bohatier, J; Steiman, R

2008-02-01

Anthracene (AC) is a non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic, low-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon present in the environment. Its toxicity can be dramatically increased after solar-light exposure. Biotransformation capacities of AC by Tetrahymena pyriformis and a selection of eight micromycetes were studied, and the ability of these microorganisms to detoxify the polluted ecosystems was assessed. We showed that T. pyriformis was able to accumulate high amounts of AC without any transformation. In contrast, the fungi Cunninghamella elegans, Absidia fusca, Absidia cylindrospora, Rhodotorula glutinis, and Aspergillus terreus were able to transform AC with a high efficiency. Cytotoxicity assays conducted on HeLa cells and T. pyriformis showed that crude extract from A. fusca culture medium obtained after AC biotransformation was not toxic. For A. fusca and A. cylindrospora, 1-4 dihydroxyanthraquinone was shown to be the major product during the biotransformation process. This compound seemed to be a dead-end metabolite at least for the Absidia strains. The cytotoxicity of 1-4 dihydroxyanthraquinone was higher than that of AC to T. pyriformis but lower to HeLa cells. On the whole our results showed that the microorganisms studied were all able to decontaminate an AC-polluted ecosystem, either by accumulating or transforming the compound. A possible detoxification process resulting from AC biotransformation can be considered only using the human cell model.

Magnetic adsorbents for the removal of Hg (II) and phenanthrene from aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isari, Ekavi; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.; Manariotis, Ioannis D.; Werner, David

2015-04-01

Activated carbon (AC) acts as a strong binding agent that lowers the pollutant concentration and, thus its toxicity. Another promising sorbent material in environmental applications is biochar (BC) which is obtained from the incomplete combustion of carbon-rich biomass under oxygen-limited conditions. Both of these materials could be used as soil or sediment amendments that would lower the toxicity in the aqueous phase. A draw back of this technique is that although the pollutant will remain non- bioavailable for many years being sorbed into these sorbents, it actually stays into the system. The objective of this study was (a) to synthesize a magnetic powdered activated carbon (AC/Fe) and magnetic powdered biochar (BC/Fe) produced from commercial AC1 and AC2 samples and biochar respectively and (b) to evaluate the potential use of AC/Fe and BIO/Fe to remove aqueous Hg (II) or phenanthrene while being magnetically recoverable. The BC was produced from olive pomace. The surface area, the pore volume, and the average pore size of each sorbent were determined using gas (N2) adsorption-desorption cycles and the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) equation. Isotherms with 30 adsorption and 20 desorption points were conducted at liquid nitrogen temperature (77K). Open surface area and micropore volume were determined using t-plot method and Harkins & Jura equation. For both AC/Fe, surface area measurements resulted in 66% those of corresponding AC. For BC/Fe, the surface area was 82% that of BC. Batch experiments with all sorbent samples and mercury solutions were conducted at room temperature (25oC) and at pH 5 in order to compare the sorption properties of the materials. Similar tests were performed with phenanthrene solutions. Based on mercury isotherm data, AC/Fe and BC/Fe are effective sorbents but with lower sorption capacity compared to the initial materials (50-75% lower). All these properties point to promising materials that can effectively be used for in-situ environmental remediation and also be recovered.

Oxygen surface exchange kinetics measurement by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation and impedance spectroscopy: Sr(Ti,Fe)O3-x thin film case study.

PubMed

Perry, Nicola H; Kim, Jae Jin; Tuller, Harry L

2018-01-01

We compare approaches to measure oxygen surface exchange kinetics, by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation (OTR) and AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS), on the same mixed conducting SrTi 0.65 Fe 0.35 O 3-x film. Surface exchange coefficients were evaluated as a function of oxygen activity in the film, controlled by gas partial pressure and/or DC bias applied across the ionically conducting yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate. Changes in measured light transmission through the film over time (relaxations) resulted from optical absorption changes in the film corresponding to changes in its oxygen and oxidized Fe (~Fe 4+ ) concentrations; such relaxation profiles were successfully described by the equation for surface exchange-limited kinetics appropriate for the film geometry. The k chem values obtained by OTR were significantly lower than the AC-IS derived k chem values and k q values multiplied by the thermodynamic factor (bulk or thin film), suggesting a possible enhancement in k by the metal current collectors (Pt, Au). Long-term degradation in k chem and k q values obtained by AC-IS was also attributed to deterioration of the porous Pt current collector, while no significant degradation was observed in the optically derived k chem values. The results suggest that, while the current collector might influence measurements by AC-IS, the OTR method offers a continuous, in situ , and contact-free method to measure oxygen exchange kinetics at the native surfaces of thin films.

N-Doped Dual Carbon-Confined 3D Architecture rGO/Fe3O4/AC Nanocomposite for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Ding, Ranran; Zhang, Jie; Qi, Jie; Li, Zhenhua; Wang, Chengyang; Chen, Mingming

2018-04-25

To address the issues of low electrical conductivity, sluggish lithiation kinetics and dramatic volume variation in Fe 3 O 4 anodes of lithium ion battery, herein, a double carbon-confined three-dimensional (3D) nanocomposite architecture was synthesized by an electrostatically assisted self-assembly strategy. In the constructed architecture, the ultrafine Fe 3 O 4 subunits (∼10 nm) self-organize to form nanospheres (NSs) that are fully coated by amorphous carbon (AC), formatting core-shell structural Fe 3 O 4 /AC NSs. By further encapsulation by reduced graphene oxide (rGO) layers, a constructed 3D architecture was built as dual carbon-confined rGO/Fe 3 O 4 /AC. Such structure restrains the adverse reaction of the electrolyte, improves the electronic conductivity and buffers the mechanical stress of the entire electrode, thus performing excellent long-term cycling stability (99.4% capacity retention after 465 cycles relevant to the second cycle at 5 A g -1 ). Kinetic analysis reveals that a dual lithium storage mechanism including a diffusion reaction mechanism and a surface capacitive behavior mechanism coexists in the composites. Consequently, the resulting rGO/Fe 3 O 4 /AC nanocomposite delivers a high reversible capacity (835.8 mA h g -1 for 300 cycles at 1 A g -1 ), as well as remarkable rate capability (436.7 mA h g -1 at 10 A g -1 ).

Oxygen surface exchange kinetics measurement by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation and impedance spectroscopy: Sr(Ti,Fe)O3-x thin film case study

PubMed Central

Perry, Nicola H.; Kim, Jae Jin; Tuller, Harry L.

2018-01-01

Abstract We compare approaches to measure oxygen surface exchange kinetics, by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation (OTR) and AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS), on the same mixed conducting SrTi0.65Fe0.35O3-x film. Surface exchange coefficients were evaluated as a function of oxygen activity in the film, controlled by gas partial pressure and/or DC bias applied across the ionically conducting yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate. Changes in measured light transmission through the film over time (relaxations) resulted from optical absorption changes in the film corresponding to changes in its oxygen and oxidized Fe (~Fe4+) concentrations; such relaxation profiles were successfully described by the equation for surface exchange-limited kinetics appropriate for the film geometry. The kchem values obtained by OTR were significantly lower than the AC-IS derived kchem values and kq values multiplied by the thermodynamic factor (bulk or thin film), suggesting a possible enhancement in k by the metal current collectors (Pt, Au). Long-term degradation in kchem and kq values obtained by AC-IS was also attributed to deterioration of the porous Pt current collector, while no significant degradation was observed in the optically derived kchem values. The results suggest that, while the current collector might influence measurements by AC-IS, the OTR method offers a continuous, in situ, and contact-free method to measure oxygen exchange kinetics at the native surfaces of thin films. PMID:29511391

Serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels are correlated with the complexity and the severity of atherosclerosis in acute coronary syndrome

PubMed Central

Soylu, Korhan; Aksan, Gökhan; Nar, Gökay; Özdemir, Metin; Gülel, Okan; İnci, Sinan; Aksakal, Aytekin; İdil Soylu, Ayşegül; Yılmaz, Özcan

2015-01-01

Objective: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a novel inflammatory marker that is released from neutrophils. In this study, we evaluated the correlation between serum NGAL level and clinical and angiographic risk scores in patients diagnosed with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Methods: Forty-seven random NSTE-ACS patients and 45 patients with normal coronary arteries (NCA) who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. GRACE risk score and SYNTAX and Gensini risk scores were used, respectively, for the purpose of clinical risk assessment and angiographic risk scoring. Serum NGAL level was measured via ELISA in peripheral blood samples obtained from the patients at the time of admission. Results: Serum NGAL level was significantly higher in the NSTE-ACS group compared to the control group (112.3±49.6 ng/mL vs. 58.1±24.3 ng/mL, p<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between serum NGAL levels and the GRACE (r=0.533 and p<0.001), SYNTAX (r=0.395 and p=0.006), and Gensini risk scores (r=0.575 and p<0.001). The intermediate-high SYNTAX (>22) group had statistically significantly higher serum NGAL levels compared to the low SYNTAX (≤22) group (143±29.5 ng/mL vs. 98.7±43.2 ng/mL, p=0.001). Conclusion: NGAL level was positively correlated with lesion complexity and severity of coronary artery disease in patients with NSTE-ACS. Serum NGAL levels on admission are associated with increased burden of atherosclerosis in patients with NSTE-ACS. PMID:25430410

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Enhances Mental Rotation Performance during and after Stimulation

PubMed Central

Kasten, Florian H.; Herrmann, Christoph S.

2017-01-01

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has been repeatedly demonstrated to modulate endogenous brain oscillations in a frequency specific manner. Thus, it is a promising tool to uncover causal relationships between brain oscillations and behavior or perception. While tACS has been shown to elicit a physiological aftereffect for up to 70 min, it remains unclear whether the effect can still be elicited if subjects perform a complex task interacting with the stimulated frequency band. In addition, it has not yet been investigated whether the aftereffect is behaviorally relevant. In the current experiment, participants performed a Shepard-like mental rotation task for 80 min. After 10 min of baseline measurement, participants received either 20 min of tACS at their individual alpha frequency (IAF) or sham stimulation (30 s tACS in the beginning of the stimulation period). Afterwards another 50 min of post-stimulation EEG were recorded. Task performance and EEG were acquired during the whole experiment. While there were no effects of tACS on reaction times or event-related-potentials (ERPs), results revealed an increase in mental rotation performance in the stimulation group as compared to sham both during and after stimulation. This was accompanied by increased ongoing alpha power and coherence as well as event-related-desynchronization (ERD) in the alpha band in the stimulation group. The current study demonstrates a behavioral and physiological aftereffect of tACS in parallel. This indicates that it is possible to elicit aftereffects of tACS during tasks interacting with the alpha band. Therefore, the tACS aftereffect is suitable to achieve an experimental manipulation. PMID:28197084

Atomistic interpretation of the ac-dc crossover frequency in crystalline and glassy ionic conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marple, M. A. T.; Avila-Paredes, H.; Kim, S.; Sen, S.

2018-05-01

A comprehensive analysis of the ionic dynamics in a wide variety of crystalline and glassy ionic conductors, obtained in recent studies using a combination of electrochemical impedance and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques, is presented. These results demonstrate that the crossover frequency, between the frequency-independent dc conductivity and the frequency-dependent ac conductivity, corresponds to the time scale of "successful" diffusive hops of the mobile ions between the trapping sites in the structure. These inter-site hops are typically compound in nature and consist of several elementary hops in the intervening region between the neighboring trapping sites.

Atomistic interpretation of the ac-dc crossover frequency in crystalline and glassy ionic conductors.

PubMed

Marple, M A T; Avila-Paredes, H; Kim, S; Sen, S

2018-05-28

A comprehensive analysis of the ionic dynamics in a wide variety of crystalline and glassy ionic conductors, obtained in recent studies using a combination of electrochemical impedance and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques, is presented. These results demonstrate that the crossover frequency, between the frequency-independent dc conductivity and the frequency-dependent ac conductivity, corresponds to the time scale of "successful" diffusive hops of the mobile ions between the trapping sites in the structure. These inter-site hops are typically compound in nature and consist of several elementary hops in the intervening region between the neighboring trapping sites.

An AC-electromagnetic bearing for flywheel energy storage in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nikolajsen, Jorgen L.

1993-01-01

A repulsive type AC-electromagnetic bearing was developed and tested. It was conceived on the basis of the so-called Magnetic River suspension for high-speed trains. The appearance of the bearing is similar to the traditional DC-type electromagnetic bearing but the operating principle is different. The magnets are fed with alternating current instead of direct current and the rotor is fitted with a conducting sleeve (e.g. aluminum) instead of a ferromagnetic sleeve. The repulsion is due to induction of eddy-currents in the conducting sleeve. The bearing is inherently stable and requires no feedback control. It provides support in five degrees of freedom such that a short rotor may be fully supported by a single bearing. These capabilities were demonstrated experimentally. On the down side, the load carrying capacity and the damping obtained so far were quite low compared to the DC-type bearing. Also, significant heating of the conducting sleeve was experienced. The AC-bearing is essentially a modified induction motor and there are strong indications that it can be run both as a motor and as a generator with no commutator requirements. It is therefore considered to be a good candidate for support of energy storage flywheels in space.

Development of a Bone-Conducted Ultrasonic Hearing Aid for the Profoundly Deaf: Evaluation of Sound Quality Using a Semantic Differential Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakagawa, Seiji; Fujiyuki, Chika; Kagomiya, Takayuki

2013-07-01

Bone-conducted ultrasound (BCU) is perceived even by the profoundly sensorineural deaf. A novel hearing aid using the perception of amplitude-modulated BCU (BCU hearing aid: BCUHA) has been developed. However, there is room for improvement particularly in terms of sound quality. BCU speech is accompanied by a strong high-pitched tone and contain some distortion. In this study, the sound quality of BCU speech with several types of amplitude modulation [double-sideband with transmitted carrier (DSB-TC), double-sideband with suppressed carrier (DSB-SC), and transposed modulations] and air-conducted (AC) speech was quantitatively evaluated using semantic differential and factor analysis. The results showed that all the types of BCU speech had higher metallic and lower esthetic factor scores than AC speech. On the other hand, transposed speech was closer than the other types of BCU speech to AC speech generally; the transposed speech showed a higher powerfulness factor score than the other types of BCU speech and a higher esthetic factor score than DSB-SC speech. These results provide useful information for further development of the BCUHA.

Dielectric and ac ionic conductivity investigation of Li2SrP2O7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajili, O.; Louati, B.; Guidara, K.

2018-07-01

The pyrophosphate Li2SrP2O7 compound has been synthesized by the classic ceramic method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR, Raman and electrical impedance spectroscopy. Detailed electrical properties of the compound were analyzed as a function of frequency (209 Hz-1 MHz) and temperature (519-628) K. Impedance analysis exhibits the grain and grain boundary contribution to the electrical response of the sample. The temperature dependence of these contribution obey the Arrhenius law with activation energies (1.03 ± 0.05) and (1.25 ± 0.05) eV, respectively. The ac conductivity for grain contribution was interpreted using the universal Jonscher's power law. The temperature dependence of frequency exponent s was investigated to understand the conduction mechanism. The correlated barrier hopping model was found to be the best model describing the conduction mechanism.

Dielectric and ac ionic conductivity investigation of Li2SrP2O7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajili, O.; Louati, B.; Guidara, K.

2018-02-01

The pyrophosphate Li2SrP2O7 compound has been synthesized by the classic ceramic method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR, Raman and electrical impedance spectroscopy. Detailed electrical properties of the compound were analyzed as a function of frequency (209 Hz-1 MHz) and temperature (519-628) K. Impedance analysis exhibits the grain and grain boundary contribution to the electrical response of the sample. The temperature dependence of these contribution obey the Arrhenius law with activation energies (1.03 ± 0.05) and (1.25 ± 0.05) eV, respectively. The ac conductivity for grain contribution was interpreted using the universal Jonscher's power law. The temperature dependence of frequency exponent s was investigated to understand the conduction mechanism. The correlated barrier hopping model was found to be the best model describing the conduction mechanism.

A novel technique for the treatment of stages III to IV hemorrhoids: Homemade anal cushion suspension clamp combined with harmonic scalpel.

PubMed

Lin, Guoqiang; Ge, Qiongxiang; He, Xiaokang; Qi, Haixin; Xu, Li

2017-06-01

To compare the efficacy of homemade anal cushion suspension clamp combined with harmonic scalpel (ACS) and Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy combined with electric knife (MMH) in the treatment of stages III to IV hemorrhoids. We conducted a retrospective study of 99 patients with stages III to IV hemorrhoids hospitalized from January to December in 2013. Among them, 51 patients were treated with ACS, while 48 patients received MMH. Data from clinical recording and follow-up included operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization information, postoperative pain, and postoperative complications. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss and hospitalization time in ACS group were significantly less than those in MMH group (P < .05). Compared with MMH group, ACS group had a lower postoperative static pain score from days 1 to 14 (P < .01). The patients in ACS group exhibited less postoperative defecation pain scores from days 3 to 20 than those of MMH group (P < .05). The incidence of postoperative anal edema and delayed wound healing in ACS group was lower than that in MMH group (P < .05). Compared with MMH, our novel technique ACS was more effective and had fewer postoperative complications in the treatment of stages III to IV hemorrhoids.

A novel technique for the treatment of stages III to IV hemorrhoids

PubMed Central

Lin, Guoqiang; Ge, Qiongxiang; He, Xiaokang; Qi, Haixin; Xu, Li

2017-01-01

Abstract To compare the efficacy of homemade anal cushion suspension clamp combined with harmonic scalpel (ACS) and Milligan–Morgan hemorrhoidectomy combined with electric knife (MMH) in the treatment of stages III to IV hemorrhoids. We conducted a retrospective study of 99 patients with stages III to IV hemorrhoids hospitalized from January to December in 2013. Among them, 51 patients were treated with ACS, while 48 patients received MMH. Data from clinical recording and follow-up included operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization information, postoperative pain, and postoperative complications. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss and hospitalization time in ACS group were significantly less than those in MMH group (P < .05). Compared with MMH group, ACS group had a lower postoperative static pain score from days 1 to 14 (P < .01). The patients in ACS group exhibited less postoperative defecation pain scores from days 3 to 20 than those of MMH group (P < .05). The incidence of postoperative anal edema and delayed wound healing in ACS group was lower than that in MMH group (P < .05). Compared with MMH, our novel technique ACS was more effective and had fewer postoperative complications in the treatment of stages III to IV hemorrhoids. PMID:28658138

Correlated accumulation of anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid in mechanically stressed red cell suspensions of basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Strazzer, Pamela; Guzzo, Flavia; Levi, Marisa

2011-02-15

A red basil cell line (T2b) rich in rosmarinic acid (RA) was selected for the stable production of anthocyanins (ACs) in the dark. Cell suspension cultures were subjected to mechanical stress through increased agitation (switch from 90 to 150 rpm) to determine the relationship between AC and RA accumulation. Cell extracts were analyzed by HPLC and LC-MS, and the resulting data were processed with multivariate statistical analysis. MS and MS/MS spectra facilitated the putative annotation of several complex cyanidin-based ACs, which were esterified with coumaric acid and, in some cases, also with malonic acid. It was also possible to identify various RA-related molecules, some caffeic and coumaric acid derivatives and some flavanones. Mechanical stress increased the total AC and RA contents, but reduced biomass accumulation. Many metabolites were induced by mechanical stress, including RA and some of its derivatives, most ACs, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids, whereas the abundance of some RA dimers was reduced. Although AC and RA share a common early biosynthetic pathway (from phenylalanine to 4-coumaroyl-CoA) and could have similar or overlapping functions providing antioxidant activity against stress-generated reactive oxygen species, there appeared to be no competition between their individual pathways. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

ac electroosmotic pumping induced by noncontact external electrodes.

PubMed

Wang, Shau-Chun; Chen, Hsiao-Ping; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

2007-09-21

Electroosmotic (EO) pumps based on dc electroosmosis is plagued by bubble generation and other electrochemical reactions at the electrodes at voltages beyond 1 V for electrolytes. These disadvantages limit their throughput and offset their portability advantage over mechanical syringe or pneumatic pumps. ac electroosmotic pumps at high frequency (>100 kHz) circumvent the bubble problem by inducing polarization and slip velocity on embedded electrodes,1 but they require complex electrode designs to produce a net flow. We report a new high-throughput ac EO pump design based on induced-polarization on the entire channel surface instead of just on the electrodes. Like dc EO pumps, our pump electrodes are outside of the load section and form a cm-long pump unit consisting of three circular reservoirs (3 mm in diameter) connected by a 1x1 mm channel. The field-induced polarization can produce an effective Zeta potential exceeding 1 V and an ac slip velocity estimated as 1 mmsec or higher, both one order of magnitude higher than earlier dc and ac pumps, giving rise to a maximum throughput of 1 mulsec. Polarization over the entire channel surface, quadratic scaling with respect to the field and high voltage at high frequency without electrode bubble generation are the reasons why the current pump is superior to earlier dc and ac EO pumps.

Microarray Analysis Gene Expression Profiles in Laryngeal Muscle After Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury.

PubMed

Bijangi-Vishehsaraei, Khadijeh; Blum, Kevin; Zhang, Hongji; Safa, Ahmad R; Halum, Stacey L

2016-03-01

The pathophysiology of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) transection injury is rare in that it is characteristically followed by a high degree of spontaneous reinnervation, with reinnervation of the laryngeal adductor complex (AC) preceding that of the abducting posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscle. Here, we aim to elucidate the differentially expressed myogenic factors following RLN injury that may be at least partially responsible for the spontaneous reinnervation. F344 male rats underwent RLN injury (n = 12) or sham surgery (n = 12). One week after RLN injury, larynges were harvested following euthanasia. The mRNA was extracted from PCA and AC muscles bilaterally, and microarray analysis was performed using a full rat genome array. Microarray analysis of denervated AC and PCA muscles demonstrated dramatic differences in gene expression profiles, with 205 individual probes that were differentially expressed between the denervated AC and PCA muscles and only 14 genes with similar expression patterns. The differential expression patterns of the AC and PCA suggest different mechanisms of reinnervation. The PCA showed the gene patterns of Wallerian degeneration, while the AC expressed the gene patterns of reinnervation by adjacent axonal sprouting. This finding may reveal important therapeutic targets applicable to RLN and other peripheral nerve injuries. © The Author(s) 2015.

Probable Mechanisms of Needling Therapies for Myofascial Pain Control

PubMed Central

Chou, Li-Wei; Kao, Mu-Jung; Lin, Jaung-Geng

2012-01-01

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) has been defined as a regional pain syndrome characterized by muscle pain caused by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) clinically. MTrP is defined as the hyperirritable spot in a palpable taut band of skeletal muscle fibers. Appropriate treatment to MTrPs can effectively relieve the clinical pain of MPS. Needling therapies, such as MTrP injection, dry needling, or acupuncture (AcP) can effectively eliminate pain immediately. AcP is probably the first reported technique in treating MPS patients with dry needling based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. The possible mechanism of AcP analgesia were studied and published in recent decades. The analgesic effect of AcP is hypothesized to be related to immune, hormonal, and nervous systems. Compared to slow-acting hormonal system, nervous system acts in a faster manner. Given these complexities, AcP analgesia cannot be explained by any single mechanism. There are several principles for selection of acupoints based on the TCM principles: “Ah-Shi” point, proximal or remote acupoints on the meridian, and extra-meridian acupoints. Correlations between acupoints and MTrPs are discussed. Some clinical and animal studies of remote AcP for MTrPs and the possible mechanisms of remote effectiveness are reviewed and discussed. PMID:23346211

Unraveling the Decomposition Process of Lead(II) Acetate: Anhydrous Polymorphs, Hydrates, and Byproducts and Room Temperature Phosphorescence.

PubMed

Martínez-Casado, Francisco J; Ramos-Riesco, Miguel; Rodríguez-Cheda, José A; Cucinotta, Fabio; Matesanz, Emilio; Miletto, Ivana; Gianotti, Enrica; Marchese, Leonardo; Matěj, Zdeněk

2016-09-06

Lead(II) acetate [Pb(Ac)2, where Ac = acetate group (CH3-COO(-))2] is a very common salt with many and varied uses throughout history. However, only lead(II) acetate trihydrate [Pb(Ac)2·3H2O] has been characterized to date. In this paper, two enantiotropic polymorphs of the anhydrous salt, a novel hydrate [lead(II) acetate hemihydrate: Pb(Ac)2·(1)/2H2O], and two decomposition products [corresponding to two different basic lead(II) acetates: Pb4O(Ac)6 and Pb2O(Ac)2] are reported, with their structures being solved for the first time. The compounds present a variety of molecular arrangements, being 2D or 1D coordination polymers. A thorough thermal analysis, by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), was also carried out to study the behavior and thermal data of the salt and its decomposition process, in inert and oxygenated atmospheres, identifying the phases and byproducts that appear. The complex thermal behavior of lead(II) acetate is now solved, finding the existence of another hydrate, two anhydrous enantiotropic polymorphs, and some byproducts. Moreover, some of them are phosphorescent at room temperature. The compounds were studied by TGA, DSC, X-ray diffraction, and UV-vis spectroscopy.

The Feasibility of Applying AC Driven Low-Temperature Plasma for Multi-Cycle Detonation Initiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Dianfeng

2016-11-01

Ignition is a key system in pulse detonation engines (PDE). As advanced ignition methods, nanosecond pulse discharge low-temperature plasma ignition is used in some combustion systems, and continuous alternating current (AC) driven low-temperature plasma using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is used for the combustion assistant. However, continuous AC driven plasmas cannot be used for ignition in pulse detonation engines. In this paper, experimental and numerical studies of pneumatic valve PDE using an AC driven low-temperature plasma igniter were described. The pneumatic valve was jointly designed with the low-temperature plasma igniter, and the numerical simulation of the cold-state flow field in the pneumatic valve showed that a complex flow in the discharge area, along with low speed, was beneficial for successful ignition. In the experiments ethylene was used as the fuel and air as oxidizing agent, ignition by an AC driven low-temperature plasma achieved multi-cycle intermittent detonation combustion on a PDE, the working frequency of the PDE reached 15 Hz and the peak pressure of the detonation wave was approximately 2.0 MPa. The experimental verifications of the feasibility in PDE ignition expanded the application field of AC driven low-temperature plasma. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51176001)

External Magnetic Field Reduction Techniques for the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedra, Janis M.; Geng, Steven M.

2013-01-01

Linear alternators coupled to high efficiency Stirling engines are strong candidates for thermal-to-electric power conversion in space. However, the magnetic field emissions, both AC and DC, of these permanent magnet excited alternators can interfere with sensitive instrumentation onboard a spacecraft. Effective methods to mitigate the AC and DC electromagnetic interference (EMI) from solenoidal type linear alternators (like that used in the Advanced Stirling Convertor) have been developed for potential use in the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator. The methods developed avoid the complexity and extra mass inherent in data extraction from multiple sensors or the use of shielding. This paper discusses these methods, and also provides experimental data obtained during breadboard testing of both AC and DC external magnetic field devices.

Ossicular fusion and cholesteatoma in auriculo-condylar syndrome: in vivo evidence of arrest of embryogenesis.

PubMed

Propst, Evan J; Ngan, Bo Y; Mount, Richard J; Martin-Munoz, Daniel; Blaser, Susan; Harrison, Robert V; Cushing, Sharon L; Papsin, Blake C

2013-02-01

Auriculo-condylar syndrome (ACS) is a rare condition affecting first branchial arch structures. The types of hearing loss and temporal bone findings in ACS have not been reported. We describe a 14-year-old male with constricted pinnae, mandibular dysostosis, glossoptosis, a high-arched palate, hearing loss, and cholesteatoma. Computed tomography imaging demonstrated malleoincudal joint ankylosis. The fused malleoincudal complex was removed during mastoidectomy for cholesteatoma. Electron microscopy and histopathology of the joint suggested the fusion was congenital. This is the first report of ossicular fusion and cholesteatoma in ACS and the most detailed in vivo evidence of disruption of embryogenesis during malleoincudal joint formation. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Studies of electrical conductivity and complex initial permeability of multiferroic xBa{sub 0.95}Sr{sub 0.05}TiO{sub 3}-(1-x)BiFe{sub 0.90}Gd{sub 0.10}O{sub 3} ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miah, Mohammad J., E-mail: mmjulhash@yahoo.com; Department of Physics, Comilla University, Comilla; Khan, M. N. I.

Multiferroic xBa{sub 0.95}Sr{sub 0.05}TiO{sub 3}-(1-x)BiFe{sub 0.90}Gd{sub 0.10}O{sub 3} [xBST-(1-x)BFGO] (x = 0.00, 0.10 and 0.20) ceramics were prepared by the standard solid-state reaction technique. Crystal structure of the ceramics was determined by X-ray diffraction pattern. All the compositions exhibited rhombohedral crystal structure. The tolerance factor ‘t’ varied from 0.847 to 0.864. The AC conductivity spectrum followed the Jonscher’s power law. The Nyquist plots indicated that only grains have the contribution to the resistance in this material and the values of grain resistance (R{sub g}) increased with BST content. The real part of complex initial permeability decreased with the increase inmore » frequency and increased with increasing BST content. Magnetoelectric coefficient was determined for all compositions. The maximum value of magnetoelectric coefficient was found to be 1.467 mV.cm{sup −1}.Oe{sup −1} for x = 0.20.« less

Signal Waveform Detection with Statistical Automaton for Internet and Web Service Streaming

PubMed Central

Liu, Yiming; Huang, Nai-Lun; Zeng, Fufu; Lin, Fang-Ying

2014-01-01

In recent years, many approaches have been suggested for Internet and web streaming detection. In this paper, we propose an approach to signal waveform detection for Internet and web streaming, with novel statistical automatons. The system records network connections over a period of time to form a signal waveform and compute suspicious characteristics of the waveform. Network streaming according to these selected waveform features by our newly designed Aho-Corasick (AC) automatons can be classified. We developed two versions, that is, basic AC and advanced AC-histogram waveform automata, and conducted comprehensive experimentation. The results confirm that our approach is feasible and suitable for deployment. PMID:25032231

AC conductivity scaling behavior in grain and grain boundary response regime of fast lithium ionic conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariappan, C. R.

2014-05-01

AC conductivity spectra of Li-analogues NASICON-type Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5P3O12 (LAGP), Li-Al-Ti-P-O (LATP) glass-ceramics and garnet-type Li7La2Ta2O13 (LLTO) ceramic are analyzed by universal power law and Summerfield scaling approaches. The activation energies and pre-exponential factors of total and grain conductivities are following the Meyer-Neldel (M-N) rule for NASICON-type materials. However, the garnet-type LLTO material deviates from the M-N rule line of NASICON-type materials. The frequency- and temperature-dependent conductivity spectra of LAGP and LLTO are superimposed by Summerfield scaling. The scaled conductivity curves of LATP are not superimposed at the grain boundary response region. The superimposed conductivity curves are observed at cross-over frequencies of grain boundary response region for LATP by incorporating the exp ( {{{ - (EAt - EAg )} {{{ - (EAt - EAg )} {kT}}} ) factor along with Summerfield scaling factors on the frequency axis, where EAt and EAg are the activation energies of total and grain conductivities, respectively.

Discrimination of brief speech sounds is impaired in rats with auditory cortex lesions

PubMed Central

Porter, Benjamin A.; Rosenthal, Tara R.; Ranasinghe, Kamalini G.; Kilgard, Michael P.

2011-01-01

Auditory cortex (AC) lesions impair complex sound discrimination. However, a recent study demonstrated spared performance on an acoustic startle response test of speech discrimination following AC lesions (Floody et al., 2010). The current study reports the effects of AC lesions on two operant speech discrimination tasks. AC lesions caused a modest and quickly recovered impairment in the ability of rats to discriminate consonant-vowel-consonant speech sounds. This result seems to suggest that AC does not play a role in speech discrimination. However, the speech sounds used in both studies differed in many acoustic dimensions and an adaptive change in discrimination strategy could allow the rats to use an acoustic difference that does not require an intact AC to discriminate. Based on our earlier observation that the first 40 ms of the spatiotemporal activity patterns elicited by speech sounds best correlate with behavioral discriminations of these sounds (Engineer et al., 2008), we predicted that eliminating additional cues by truncating speech sounds to the first 40 ms would render the stimuli indistinguishable to a rat with AC lesions. Although the initial discrimination of truncated sounds took longer to learn, the final performance paralleled rats using full-length consonant-vowel-consonant sounds. After 20 days of testing, half of the rats using speech onsets received bilateral AC lesions. Lesions severely impaired speech onset discrimination for at least one-month post lesion. These results support the hypothesis that auditory cortex is required to accurately discriminate the subtle differences between similar consonant and vowel sounds. PMID:21167211

Equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption of phosphate onto iron-doped activated carbon.

PubMed

Wang, Zhengfang; Nie, Er; Li, Jihua; Yang, Mo; Zhao, Yongjun; Luo, Xingzhang; Zheng, Zheng

2011-08-01

Two series of activated carbons modified by Fe (II) and Fe (III) (denoted as AC/N-Fe(II) and AC/N-Fe(III)), respectively, were used as adsorbents for the removal of phosphate in aqueous solutions. The synthesized adsorbent materials were investigated by different experimental analysis means. The adsorption of phosphate on activated carbons has been studied in kinetic and equilibrium conditions taking into account the adsorbate concentration, temperature, and solution pH as major influential factors. Maximum removals of phosphate are obtained in the pH range of 3.78-6.84 for both adsorbents. Langmuir isotherm adsorption equation well describes the experimental adsorption isotherms. Kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second order kinetic model. Results suggest that the main phase formed in AC/N-Fe(II) and AC/N-Fe(III) is goethite and akaganeite, respectively; the presence of iron oxides significantly affected the surface area and the pore structure of the activated carbon. Studies revealed that iron-doped activated carbons were effective in removing phosphate. AC/N-Fe(II) has a higher phosphate removal capacity than AC/N-Fe(III), which could be attributed to its better intra-particle diffusion and higher binding energy. The activation energy for adsorption was calculated to be 22.23 and 10.89 kJ mol(-1) for AC/N-Fe(II) and AC/N-Fe(III), respectively. The adsorption process was complex; both surface adsorption and intra-particle diffusion were simultaneously occurring during the process and contribute to the adsorption mechanism.

Dispersion Analysis Using Particle Tracking Simulations Through Heterogeneity Based on Outcrop Lidar Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klise, K. A.; Weissmann, G. S.; McKenna, S. A.; Tidwell, V. C.; Frechette, J. D.; Wawrzyniec, T. F.

2007-12-01

Solute plumes are believed to disperse in a non-Fickian manner due to small-scale heterogeneity and variable velocities that create preferential pathways. In order to accurately predict dispersion in naturally complex geologic media, the connection between heterogeneity and dispersion must be better understood. Since aquifer properties can not be measured at every location, it is common to simulate small-scale heterogeneity with random field generators based on a two-point covariance (e.g., through use of sequential simulation algorithms). While these random fields can produce preferential flow pathways, it is unknown how well the results simulate solute dispersion through natural heterogeneous media. To evaluate the influence that complex heterogeneity has on dispersion, we utilize high-resolution terrestrial lidar to identify and model lithofacies from outcrop for application in particle tracking solute transport simulations using RWHet. The lidar scan data are used to produce a lab (meter) scale two-dimensional model that captures 2-8 mm scale natural heterogeneity. Numerical simulations utilize various methods to populate the outcrop structure captured by the lidar-based image with reasonable hydraulic conductivity values. The particle tracking simulations result in residence time distributions used to evaluate the nature of dispersion through complex media. Particle tracking simulations through conductivity fields produced from the lidar images are then compared to particle tracking simulations through hydraulic conductivity fields produced from sequential simulation algorithms. Based on this comparison, the study aims to quantify the difference in dispersion when using realistic and simplified representations of aquifer heterogeneity. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Magnetic sorbents added to soil slurries lower Cr aqueous concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aravantinos, Konstantinos; Isari, Ekavi; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.; Manariotis, Ioannis D.; Werner, David

2016-04-01

Activated carbon (AC) acts as a strong binding agent that lowers the pollutant concentration and, thus its toxicity. Another promising sorbent material in environmental applications is biochar (BC) which is obtained from the incomplete combustion of carbon-rich biomass under oxygen-limited conditions. Both of these materials could be used as soil or sediment amendments that would lower the toxicity in the aqueous phase. A draw back of this technique is that although the pollutant will remain non- bioavailable for many years being sorbed into these sorbents, it actually stays into the system. The objective of this study was (a) to synthesize a magnetic powdered activated carbon (AC/Fe) and magnetic powdered biochar (BC/Fe) produced from a commercial AC sample and BC, respectively and (b) to evaluate the potential use of AC/Fe and BC/Fe to lower Cr concentration that desorb from two soils in their soil slurries. The two soil samples originate from the vicinity of a local metal shop. The BC was produced from olive pomace. The surface area, the pore volume, and the average pore size of each sorbent were determined using gas (N2) adsorption-desorption cycles and the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) equation. Isotherms with 30 adsorption and 20 desorption points were conducted at liquid nitrogen temperature (77K). Open surface area and micropore volume were determined using t-plot method and Harkins & Jura equation. For both AC/Fe, surface area measurements resulted in 66% those of corresponding AC. For BC/Fe, the surface area was 82% that of BC. Our previous studies have shown that both AC/Fe and BC/Fe are effective sorbents for mercury in aqueous solutions but with lower sorption capacity compared to the initial materials (50-75% lower). Batch experiments with all sorbent samples and each soil were conducted at room temperature (25oC) in order to compare the sorption properties of the materials. The soil slurries demonstrated low Cr concentrations (10.9 and 14.6 μg/L, respectively). One month after the addition of amendments AC, AC/Fe, and BC/Fe, Cr concentration in the slurry was lower than the detection limit which was 0.5 μg/L (except of one of the soils with the AC that was 2.1 μg/L). The slurries with BC demonstrated Cr concentrations equal to 4.2 and 7.1 μg/L, respectively. All these properties point to promising materials that can effectively be used for in-situ environmental remediation and also be recovered.

Searching and Extracting Data from the EMBL-EBI Complex Portal.

PubMed

Meldal, Birgit H M; Orchard, Sandra

2018-01-01

The Complex Portal ( www.ebi.ac.uk/complexportal ) is an encyclopedia of macromolecular complexes. Complexes are assigned unique, stable IDs, are species specific, and list all participating members with links to an appropriate reference database (UniProtKB, ChEBI, RNAcentral). Each complex is annotated extensively with its functions, properties, structure, stoichiometry, tissue expression profile, and subcellular location. Links to domain-specific databases allow the user to access additional information and enable data searching and filtering. Complexes can be saved and downloaded in PSI-MI XML, MI-JSON, and tab-delimited formats.

Using mitogenomic and nuclear ribosomal sequence data to investigate the phylogeny of the Xiphinema americanum species complex

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nematodes within the Xiphinema americanum species complex are economically important because they vector nepoviruses which cause considerable damage to a variety of agricultural crops. The taxonomy of X. americanum is controversial, with the number of putative species being the subject of debate. Ac...

Synthesis, characterisation and computational studies on a novel one-dimensional arrangement of Schiff-base Mn3 single-molecule magnet.

PubMed

Lin, Po-Heng; Gorelsky, Serge; Savard, Didier; Burchell, Tara J; Wernsdorfer, Wolfgang; Clérac, Rodolphe; Murugesu, Muralee

2010-09-07

The syntheses, structures and magnetic properties are reported for three new manganese complexes containing the Schiff-base ((2-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methylene)isonicotinohydrazine (H(2)hmi) ligand. Complex [Mn(II)(H(2)hmi)(2)(MeOH)(2)Cl(2)] (1) was obtained from the reaction of H(2)hmi with MnCl(2) in a MeOH-MeCN mixture. Addition of triethylamine to the previous reaction mixture followed by diethyl ether diffusion yielded a dinuclear manganese [Mn(III)(2)(hmi)(2)(OMe)(2)](infinity).2MeCN.2OEt(2) (2) compound. Upon increasing the MnCl(2)/H(2)hmi ratio, the mixed valence complex [Mn(III)(2)Mn(II)(hmi)(2)(OMe)(2)Cl(2)](infinity).MeOH (3) was obtained. Dc and ac magnetic measurements were carried out on all three samples. The ac susceptibility and field dependence of the magnetisation measurements confirmed that complex 3 exhibits a single-molecule magnet behaviour with an effective energy barrier of 8.1 K and an Arrhenius pre-exponential factor of 3 x 10(-9) s.

"Structure and dynamics in complex chemical systems: Gaining new insights through recent advances in time-resolved spectroscopies.” ACS Division of Physical Chemistry Symposium presented at the Fall National ACS Meeting in Boston, MA, August 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, Daniel

8-Session Symposium on STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS IN COMPLEX CHEMICAL SYSTEMS: GAINING NEW INSIGHTS THROUGH RECENT ADVANCES IN TIME-RESOLVED SPECTROSCOPIES. The intricacy of most chemical, biochemical, and material processes and their applications are underscored by the complex nature of the environments in which they occur. Substantial challenges for building a global understanding of a heterogeneous system include (1) identifying unique signatures associated with specific structural motifs within the heterogeneous distribution, and (2) resolving the significance of each of multiple time scales involved in both small- and large-scale nuclear reorganization. This symposium focuses on the progress in our understanding of dynamics inmore » complex systems driven by recent innovations in time-resolved spectroscopies and theoretical developments. Such advancement is critical for driving discovery at the molecular level facilitating new applications. Broad areas of interest include: Structural relaxation and the impact of structure on dynamics in liquids, interfaces, biochemical systems, materials, and other heterogeneous environments.« less

A kinetico-mechanistic study on the C-H bond activation of primary benzylamines; cooperative and solid-state cyclopalladation on dimeric complexes.

PubMed

Font, Helena; Font-Bardia, Mercè; Gómez, Kerman; González, Gabriel; Granell, Jaume; Macho, Israel; Martínez, Manuel

2014-09-28

The cyclometallation reactions of dinuclear μ-acetato complexes of the type [Pd(AcO)(μ-AcO)L]2 (L = 4-RC6H4CH2NH2, R = H, Cl, F, CF3), a process found to occur readily even in the solid state, have been studied from a kinetico-mechanistic perspective. Data indicate that the dinuclear acetato bridged derivatives are excellent starting materials to activate carbon-hydrogen bonds in a facile way. In all cases the established concerted ambiphilic proton abstraction by a coordinated acetato ligand has been proved. The metallation has also been found to occur in a cooperative manner, with the metallation of the first palladium unit of the dimeric complex being rate determining; no intermediate mono-metallated compounds are observed in any of the processes. The kinetically favoured bis-cyclopalladated compound obtained after complete C-H bond activation does not correspond to the final isolated XRD-characterized complexes. This species, bearing the classical open-book dimeric form, has a much more complex structure than the final isolated compound, with different types of acetato ligands.

Effects of pipette modulation and imaging distances on ion currents measured with scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM).

PubMed

Chen, Chiao-Chen; Baker, Lane A

2011-01-07

Local conductance variations can be estimated by measuring ion current magnitudes with scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM). Factors which influence image quality and quantitation of ion currents measured with SICM have been evaluated. Specifically, effects of probe-sample separation and pipette modulation have been systematically studied for the case of imaging conductance variations at pores in a polymer membrane under transmembrane concentration gradients. The influence of probe-sample separation on ion current images was evaluated using distance-modulated (ac) feedback. Approach curves obtained using non-modulated (dc) feedback were also recorded to determine the relative influence of pipette-generated convection by comparison of ion currents measured with both ac and dc feedback modes. To better interpret results obtained, comparison to a model based on a disk-shaped geometry for nanopores in the membrane, as well as relevant position-dependent parameters of the experiment is described. These results advance our current understanding of conductance measurements with SICM.

Study of switching transients in high frequency converters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zinger, Donald S.; Elbuluk, Malik E.; Lee, Tony

1993-01-01

As the semiconductor technologies progress rapidly, the power densities and switching frequencies of many power devices are improved. With the existing technology, high frequency power systems become possible. Use of such a system is advantageous in many aspects. A high frequency ac source is used as the direct input to an ac/ac pulse-density-modulation (PDM) converter. This converter is a new concept which employs zero voltage switching techniques. However, the development of this converter is still in its infancy stage. There are problems associated with this converter such as a high on-voltage drop, switching transients, and zero-crossing detecting. Considering these problems, the switching speed and power handling capabilities of the MOS-Controlled Thyristor (MCT) makes the device the most promising candidate for this application. A complete insight of component considerations for building an ac/ac PDM converter for a high frequency power system is addressed. A power device review is first presented. The ac/ac PDM converter requires switches that can conduct bi-directional current and block bi-directional voltage. These bi-directional switches can be constructed using existing power devices. Different bi-directional switches for the converter are investigated. Detailed experimental studies of the characteristics of the MCT under hard switching and zero-voltage switching are also presented. One disadvantage of an ac/ac converter is that turn-on and turn-off of the switches has to be completed instantaneously when the ac source is at zero voltage. Otherwise shoot-through current or voltage spikes can occur which can be hazardous to the devices. In order for the devices to switch softly in the safe operating area even under non-ideal cases, a unique snubber circuit is used in each bi-directional switch. Detailed theory and experimental results for circuits using these snubbers are presented. A current regulated ac/ac PDM converter built using MCT's and IGBT's is evaluated.

Efficacy of Transcerebellar Diameter/Abdominal Circumference Versus Head Circumference/Abdominal Circumference in Predicting Asymmetric Intrauterine Growth Retardation

PubMed Central

Bhimarao; Bhat, Venkataramana; Gowda, Puttanna VN

2015-01-01

Background The high incidence of IUGR and its low recognition lead to increasing perinatal morbidity and mortality for which prediction of IUGR with timely management decisions is of paramount importance. Many studies have compared the efficacy of several gestational age independent parameters and found that TCD/AC is a better predictor of asymmetric IUGR. Aim To compare the accuracy of transcerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference with head circumference/abdominal circumference in predicting asymmetric intrauterine growth retardation after 20 weeks of gestation. Materials and Methods The prospective study was conducted over a period of one year on 50 clinically suspected IUGR pregnancies who were evaluated with 3.5 MHz frequency ultrasound scanner by a single sonologist. BPD, HC, AC and FL along with TCD were measured for assessing the sonological gestational age. Two morphometric ratios- TCD/AC and HC/AC were calculated. Estimated fetal weight was calculated for all these pregnancies and its percentile was determined. Statistical Methods The TCD/AC and HC/AC ratios were correlated with advancing gestational age to know if these were related to GA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy (DA) for TCD/AC and HC/AC ratios in evaluating IUGR fetuses were calculated. Results In the present study, linear relation of TCD and HC in IUGR fetuses with gestation was noted. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV & DA were 88%, 93.5%, 77.1%, 96.3% & 92.4% respectively for TCD/AC ratio versus 84%, 92%, 72.4%, 95.8% & 90.4% respectively for HC/AC ratio in predicting IUGR. Conclusion Both ratios were gestational age independent and can be used in detecting IUGR with good diagnostic accuracy. However, TCD/AC ratio had a better diagnostic validity and accuracy compared to HC/AC ratio in predicting asymmetric IUGR. PMID:26557588

Theoretical and experimental analysis of amplitude control ablation and bipolar ablation in creating linear lesion and discrete lesions for treating atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Yan, Shengjie; Wu, Xiaomei; Wang, Weiqi

2017-09-01

Radiofrequency (RF) energy is often used to create a linear lesion or discrete lesions for blocking the accessory conduction pathways for treating atrial fibrillation. By using finite element analysis, we study the ablation effect of amplitude control ablation mode (AcM) and bipolar ablation mode (BiM) in creating a linear lesion and discrete lesions in a 5-mm-thick atrial wall; particularly, the characteristic of lesion shape has been investigated in amplitude control ablation. Computer models of multipolar catheter were developed to study the lesion dimensions in atrial walls created through AcM, BiM and special electrodes activated ablation methods in AcM and BiM. To validate the theoretical results in this study, an in vitro experiment with porcine cardiac tissue was performed. At 40 V/20 V root mean squared (RMS) of the RF voltage for AcM, the continuous and transmural lesion was created by AcM-15s, AcM-5s and AcM-ad-20V ablation in 5-mm-thick atrial wall. At 20 V RMS for BiM, the continuous but not transmural lesion was created. AcM ablation yielded asymmetrical and discrete lesions shape, whereas the lesion shape turned to more symmetrical and continuous as the electrodes alternative activated period decreased from 15 s to 5 s. Two discrete lesions were created when using AcM, AcM-ad-40V, BiM-ad-20V and BiM-ad-40V. The experimental and computational thermal lesion shapes created in cardiac tissue were in agreement. Amplitude control ablation technology and bipolar ablation technology are feasible methods to create continuous lesion or discrete for pulmonary veins isolation.

Lack of genotoxicity in vivo for food color additive Allura Red AC.

PubMed

Bastaki, Maria; Farrell, Thomas; Bhusari, Sachin; Pant, Kamala; Kulkarni, Rohan

2017-07-01

Allura Red AC is an approved food color additive internationally with INS number 129, in the United States as food color subject to batch certification "Food, Drug, and Cosmetic" (FD&C) Red No. 40, and in Europe as food color additive with E number 129. In their evaluation of the color (2013), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) expressed concerns of potential genotoxicity, based primarily on one genotoxicity study that was not conducted according to Guidelines. The present in vivo genotoxicity study was conducted according to OECD Guidelines in response to EFSA's request for additional data. The animal species and strain, and the tissues examined were selected specifically to address the previously reported findings. The results show clear absence of genotoxic activity for Allura Red AC, in the bone marrow micronucleus assay and the Comet assay in the liver, stomach, and colon. These data addressed EFSA's concerns for genotoxicity. The Joint WHO/FAO Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) (2016) also reviewed the study and concluded that there is no genotoxicity concern for Allura Red AC. Negative findings in parallel genotoxicity studies on Tartrazine and Ponceau 4R (published separately) are consistent with lack of genotoxicity for azo dyes used as food colors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Central and peripheral hemodynamics in exercising humans: leg vs arm exercise.

PubMed

Calbet, J A L; González-Alonso, J; Helge, J W; Søndergaard, H; Munch-Andersen, T; Saltin, B; Boushel, R

2015-12-01

In humans, arm exercise is known to elicit larger increases in arterial blood pressure (BP) than leg exercise. However, the precise regulation of regional vascular conductances (VC) for the distribution of cardiac output with exercise intensity remains unknown. Hemodynamic responses were assessed during incremental upright arm cranking (AC) and leg pedalling (LP) to exhaustion (Wmax) in nine males. Systemic VC, peak cardiac output (Qpeak) (indocyanine green) and stroke volume (SV) were 18%, 23%, and 20% lower during AC than LP. The mean BP, the rate-pressure product and the associated myocardial oxygen demand were 22%, 12%, and 14% higher, respectively, during maximal AC than LP. Trunk VC was reduced to similar values at Wmax. At Wmax, muscle mass-normalized VC and fractional O2 extraction were lower in the arm than the leg muscles. However, this was compensated for during AC by raising perfusion pressure to increase O2 delivery, allowing a similar peak VO2 per kg of muscle mass in both extremities. In summary, despite a lower Qpeak during arm cranking the cardiovascular strain is much higher than during leg pedalling. The adjustments of regional conductances during incremental exercise to exhaustion depend mostly on the relative intensity of exercise and are limb-specific. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

History of the U.S. Navy Body Composition program.

PubMed

Peterson, David D

2015-01-01

The Navy currently employs maximum weight-for-height tables and body fat prediction equations based on circumference measurements to assess body composition. However, many Sailors believe the current method fails to accurately predict body fat percentage. As a result, the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) conducted numerous studies in an attempt to improve the accuracy and reliability of the Navy's Body Composition Analysis program. In 2012, NHRC conducted a study that researched the feasibility of using a single abdominal circumference (AC) measurement in lieu of circumference measurements. The Air Force and National Institutes of Health (NIH) employ a single AC measurement taken at the superior border of the iliac crest to assess body composition and all-cause mortality risk. Although the Air Force and NIH use the iliac crest, NHRC is proposing the Navy use the umbilicus as the AC site since it is less invasive and easier to identify. If implemented, the Navy would use cutoff values of 40 in. and 36 in. for males and females, respectively. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief history of the Navy's Body Composition Analysis program as well as propose the transition from circumference measurements to a single AC measurement. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

An Objective Estimation of Air-Bone-Gap in Cochlear Implant Recipients with Residual Hearing Using Electrocochleography.

PubMed

Koka, Kanthaiah; Saoji, Aniket A; Attias, Joseph; Litvak, Leonid M

2017-01-01

Although, cochlear implants (CI) traditionally have been used to treat individuals with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss, a recent trend is to implant individuals with residual low-frequency hearing. Notably, many of these individuals demonstrate an air-bone gap (ABG) in low-frequency, pure-tone thresholds following implantation. An ABG is the difference between audiometric thresholds measured using air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) stimulation. Although, behavioral AC thresholds are straightforward to assess, BC thresholds can be difficult to measure in individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss because of vibrotactile responses to high-level, low-frequency stimulation and the potential contribution of hearing in the contralateral ear. Because of these technical barriers to measuring behavioral BC thresholds in implanted patients with residual hearing, it would be helpful to have an objective method for determining ABG. This study evaluated an innovative technique for measuring electrocochleographic (ECochG) responses using the cochlear microphonic (CM) response to assess AC and BC thresholds in implanted patients with residual hearing. Results showed high correlations between CM thresholds and behavioral audiograms for AC and BC conditions, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of using ECochG as an objective tool for quantifying ABG in CI recipients.

Continuous-flow trapping and localized enrichment of micro- and nano-particles using induced-charge electrokinetics.

PubMed

Zhao, Cunlu; Yang, Chun

2018-02-14

In this work, we report an effective microfluidic technique for continuous-flow trapping and localized enrichment of micro- and nano-particles by using induced-charge electrokinetic (ICEK) phenomena. The proposed technique utilizes a simple microfluidic device that consists of a straight microchannel and a conducting strip attached to the bottom wall of the microchannel. Upon application of the electric field along the microchannel, the conducting strip becomes polarized to introduce two types of ICEK phenomena, the ICEK flow vortex and particle dielectrophoresis, and they are identified by a theoretical model formulated in this study to be jointly responsible for the trapping of particles over the edge of the conducting strip. Our experiments showed that successful trapping requires an AC/DC combined electric field: the DC component is mainly to induce electroosmotic flow for transporting particles to the trapping location; the AC component induces ICEK phenomena over the edge of the conducting strip for particle trapping. The performance of the technique is examined with respect to the applied electric voltage, AC frequency and the particle size. We observed that the trapped particles form a narrow band (nearly a straight line) defined by the edge of the conducting strip, thereby allowing localized particle enrichment. For instance, we found that under certain conditions a high particle enrichment ratio of 200 was achieved within 30 seconds. We also demonstrated that the proposed technique was able to trap particles from several microns down to several tens of nanometer. We believe that the proposed ICEK trapping would have great flexibility that the trapping location can be readily varied by controlling the location of the patterned conducting strip and multiple-location trapping can be expected with the use of multiple conducting strips.

Ambient temperature and emergency room admissions for acute coronary syndrome in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Wen-Miin; Liu, Wen-Pin; Chou, Sze-Yuan; Kuo, Hsien-Wen

2008-01-01

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an important public health problem around the world. Since there is a considerable seasonal fluctuation in the incidence of ACS, climatic temperature may have an impact on the onset of this disease. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the average daily temperature, diurnal temperature range and emergency room (ER) admissions for ACS in an ER in Taichung City, Taiwan. A longitudinal study was conducted which assessed the correlation of the average daily temperature and the diurnal temperature range to ACS admissions to the ER of the city’s largest hospital. Daily ER admissions for ACS and ambient temperature were collected from 1 January 2000 to 31 March 2003. The Poisson regression model was used in the analysis after adjusting for the effects of holiday, season, and air pollutant concentrations. The results showed that there was a negative significant association between the average daily temperature and ER admissions for ACS. ACS admissions to the ER increased 30% to 70% when the average daily temperature was lower than 26.2°C. A positive association between the diurnal temperature range and ACS admissions was also noted. ACS admissions increased 15% when the diurnal temperature range was over 8.3°C. The data indicate that patients suffering from cardiovascular disease must be made aware of the increased risk posed by lower temperatures and larger changes in temperature. Hospitals and ERs should take into account the increased demand of specific facilities during colder weather and wider temperature variations.

Enhanced biochars can match activated carbon performance in sediments with high native bioavailability and low final porewater PCB concentrations.

PubMed

Gomez-Eyles, Jose L; Ghosh, Upal

2018-07-01

A bench scale study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of in situ amendments to reduce the bioavailability of pollutants in sediments from a site impacted with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and cadmium. The amendments tested included fine and coarse coal-based activated carbons (AC), an enhanced pinewood derived biochar (EPB), organoclay, and coke dosed at 5% of sediment dry weight. Strong reductions in total PCB porewater concentrations were observed in sediments amended with the fine AC (94.9-99.5%) and EPB (99.6-99.8%). More modest reductions were observed for the coarse AC, organoclay, and coke. Strong reductions in porewater PCB concentrations were reflected in reductions in total PCB bioaccumulation in fresh water oligochaetes for both the fine AC (91.9-96.0%) and EPB (96.1-96.3%). Total PAH porewater concentrations were also greatly reduced by the fine AC (>96.1%) and EPB (>97.8%) treatments. EPB matched or slightly outperformed the fine AC throughout the study, despite sorption data indicating a much stronger affinity of PCBs for the fine AC. Modeling EPB and fine AC effectiveness on other sediments confirmed the high effectiveness of the EPB was due to the very low final porewater concentrations and differences in the native bioavailability between sediments. However, low bulk density and poor settling characteristics make biochars difficult to apply in an aquatic setting. Neither the EPB nor the fine AC amendments were able to significantly reduce Cd bioavailability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural, optical and ac electrical characterization of CBD synthesized NiO thin films: Influence of thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, M. R.; Mukherjee, A.; Mitra, P.

2017-09-01

We have studied the electrical conductivity, dielectric relaxation mechanism and impedance spectroscopy characteristics of nickel oxide (NiO) thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. Thickness dependent structural, optical and ac electrical characterization has been carried out and deposition time was varied to control the thickness. The material has been characterized using X-ray diffraction and UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Impedance spectroscopy analysis confirmed enhancement of ac conductivity and dielectric constant for films deposited with higher deposition time. Decrease of grain size in thicker films were confirmed from XRD analysis and activation energy of the material for electrical charge hopping process was increased with thickness of the film. Decrease in band gap in thicker films were observed which could be associated with creation of additional energy levels in the band gap of the material. Cole-Cole plot shows contribution of both grain and grain boundary towards total resistance and capacitance. The overall resistance was found to decrease from 14.6 × 105 Ω for 30 min deposited film ( 120 nm thick) to 2.42 × 105 Ω for 120 min deposited film ( 307 nm thick). Activation energy value to electrical conduction process evaluated from conductivity data was found to decrease with thickness. Identical result was obtained from relaxation time approach suggesting hopping mechanism of charge carriers.

The effect of superior canal dehiscence on cochlear potential in response to air-conducted stimuli in chinchilla

PubMed Central

Songer, Jocelyn E.; Rosowski, John J.

2006-01-01

A superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SCD) is a break or hole in the bony wall of the superior semicircular canal. Patients with SCD syndrome present with a variety of symptoms: some with vestibular symptoms, others with auditory symptoms (including low-frequency conductive hearing loss) and yet others with both. We are interested in whether or not mechanically altering the superior canal by introducing a dehiscence is sufficient to cause the low-frequency conductive hearing loss associated with SCD syndrome. We evaluated the effect of a surgically introduced dehiscence on auditory responses to air-conducted (AC) stimuli in 11 chinchilla ears. Cochlear potential (CP) was recorded at the round-window before and after a dehiscence was introduced. In each ear, a decrease in CP in response to low frequency (<2 kHz) sound stimuli was observed after the introduction of the dehiscence. The dehiscence was then patched with cyanoacrylate glue leading to a reversal of the dehiscence-induced changes in CP. The reversible decrease in auditory sensitivity observed in chinchilla is consistent with the elevated AC thresholds observed in patients with SCD. According to the ‘third-window’ hypothesis the SCD shunts sound-induced stapes velocity away from the cochlea, resulting in decreased auditory sensitivity to AC sounds. The data collected in this study are consistent with predictions of this hypothesis. PMID:16150562

Exploring the Details of Intermolecular Interactions via a Systematic Characterization of the Structures of the Bimolecular Heterodimers Formed Between Protic Acids and Haloethylenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, Helen O.

2017-06-01

In the early 2000's, the work of Cole and Legon, combined with that done earlier by Kisiel, Fowler, and Legon, demonstrated that comparisons among the complexes of HF, HCl, and HCCH each with vinyl fluoride could provide information concerning the strength of intermolecular interactions. Specifically, that the length of the hydrogen bond and its deviation from linearity as a result of a secondary interaction with the nucleophilic portion of the protic acid could be correlated with the hydrogen bond strength. Building on this foundation, we undertook a systematic characterization of the molecular structures of complexes formed between these three acids and the remaining polar fluoroethylenes, seeking to unravel the nature of their intermolecular interactions. What started out as a simple confirmation of chemical intuition regarding relative interaction strengths developed into a fuller appreciation of the competition between electrostatic and steric forces in determining the lowest energy configuration for the heterodimer. Additional surprises were in store for us as we expanded the study to chlorofluoroethylenes. Although the first few examples again served to confirm earlier conclusions, subsequent complexes provided unexpected results that signaled an increasing importance of the dispersion interaction in determining the geometry of the complex as well as the fundamental differences in the electron distributions surrounding the halogens in a C-F versus C-Cl bond. Our work with these species has not only allowed us to investigate fundamental questions regarding intermolecular interactions, but obtaining and analyzing the spectra of these complexes along with those of the various haloethylene monomers and their complexes with the argon atom have provided an introduction to molecular spectroscopy and structure determination for many undergraduate students. G.C. Cole and A.C. Legon, Chem. Phys. Lett. 369, 31-40 (2003). G.C. Cole and A.C. Legon, Chem. Phys. Lett. 400, 414-424 (2004). Z. Kisiel, P.W. Fowler, and A.C. Legon, J. Chem. Phys. 93, 3054-3062 (1990).

Effects of acute amphetamine (AMPH) treatment on rat striatal dopamine (DA) receptor activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roseboom, P.H.; Iwaniec, L.M.; Ackerman, J.M.

1986-03-05

Upon administration of AMPH rats display a complex series of dose and time dependent behaviors and changes in dopaminergic activity. They found a decrease in D1 DA receptor-stimulated adenylate cyclase (DA-AC) activity in rat striatal membranes after acute in vivo AMPH at a dose and time of intense stereotyped behavior. The Ka for D1-AC activity increased and the Vmax decreased in striatal membranes from rats given 7.5 mg/kg AMPH i.p. and killed 1 hr later as compared to saline (SAL) controls. They examined whether the decrease of DA-AC was due to a change in receptor number or activation of GTP-bindingmore » protein, Ns. Female Holtzman rats were injected with SAL or 7.5 mg/kg AMPH and killed 1 hr later. A 27,000 x g striatal particulate fraction was prepared for AC assay or (/sup 3/H)DA binding with 10 nM spiroperidol. They found no difference in stimulation of AC by NaF, GTP or GppNHp at any dose tested in membranes from SAL- and AMPH-treated rats. Calmodulin-stimulated AC was also unchanged after AMPH. Specific binding at a saturating concentration of (/sup 3/H)DA was 191 +/- 31 and 117 +/- 14 fmol/mg prot in membranes from SAL- and AMPH-treated rats, respectively. This suggests an alteration is occurring at the level of the D1 receptor rather than at coupling of Ns with the AC catalytic subunit.« less

Inhibition of cellular fatty acid synthase impairs replication of budded virions of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus in Spodoptera frugiperda cells.

PubMed

Li, Jingfeng; Sun, Yu; Li, Yuying; Liu, Ximeng; Yue, Qi; Li, Zhaofei

2018-05-07

Fatty acid synthase (FASN) catalyzes the synthesis of palmitate, which is required for formation of complex fatty acids and phospholipids that are involved in energy production, membrane remodeling and modification of host and viral proteins. Presently, the roles of cellular fatty acid synthesis pathway in Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) infection is not clear. In this study, we found that the transcripts level of fasn was significantly up-regulated at the early stage of AcMNPV infection. Treatment of AcMNPV-infected Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cells with C75, a specific inhibitor of FASN, did not affect the internalization of budded virions into cells, but dramatically reduced the infectious AcMNPV production. Further analysis revealed that the presence of C75 significantly decreased the expression level for two reporter genes, beta-galactosidase and beta-glucuronidase, that were separately directed by the early and late promoter of AcMNPV. Similarly, Western blot analysis showed that, in C75-treated cells, the expression of viral gp64 was delayed and decreased. Additionally, treatment with C75 also resulted in a significant reduction in the accumulation of viral genomic DNA. Together, these results demonstrate that the fatty acid synthesis pathway is required for efficient replication of AcMNPV, but it might not be necessary for AcMNPV entry into insect cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and clinical application of an evidence-based pharmaceutical care service algorithm in acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Kang, J E; Yu, J M; Choi, J H; Chung, I-M; Pyun, W B; Kim, S A; Lee, E K; Han, N Y; Yoon, J-H; Oh, J M; Rhie, S J

2018-06-01

Drug therapies are critical for preventing secondary complications in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this study was to develop and apply a pharmaceutical care service (PCS) algorithm for ACS and confirm that it is applicable through a prospective clinical trial. The ACS-PCS algorithm was developed according to extant evidence-based treatment and pharmaceutical care guidelines. Quality assurance was conducted through two methods: literature comparison and expert panel evaluation. The literature comparison was used to compare the content of the algorithm with the referenced guidelines. Expert evaluations were conducted by nine experts for 75 questionnaire items. A trial was conducted to confirm its effectiveness. Seventy-nine patients were assigned to either the pharmacist-included multidisciplinary team care (MTC) group or the usual care (UC) group. The endpoints of the trial were the prescription rate of two important drugs, readmission, emergency room (ER) visit and mortality. The main frame of the algorithm was structured with three tasks: medication reconciliation, medication optimization and transition of care. The contents and context of the algorithm were compliant with class I recommendations and the main service items from the evidence-based guidelines. Opinions from the expert panel were mostly positive. There were significant differences in beta-blocker prescription rates in the overall period (P = .013) and ER visits (four cases, 9.76%, P = .016) in the MTC group compared to the UC group, respectively. We developed a PCS algorithm for ACS based on the contents of evidence-based drug therapy and the core concept of pharmacist services. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The anti-tumor effect and mechanisms of action of penta-acetyl geniposide.

PubMed

Peng, C H; Huang, C N; Wang, C J

2005-06-01

Gardenia, the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, has been widely used to treat liver and gall bladder disorders in Chinese medicine. It has been shown recently that geniposide, the main ingredient of Gardenia Fructus, exhibits the anti-tumor effect. In this review, we discuss the anti-tumor effect and possible mechanisms of a derivative from Gardenia Fructus, penta-acetyl geniposide ((Ac)5GP). It has been demonstrated that (Ac)5GP plays more potent roles than geniposide in chemoprevention. (Ac)5GP decreased DNA damage and hepatocarcinogenesis induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by activating the phase II enzymes glutathione S-transferase (GST) and GSH peroxidase (GSH-Px). It reduced the growth and development of inoculated C6 glioma cells especially in pre-treated rats. In addition to the preventive effect, (Ac)5GP exerts its actions on apoptosis and growth arrest. Treatment of (Ac)5GP caused DNA fragmentation of glioma cells. (Ac)5GP induced sub- G1 peak through the activation of apoptotic cascades PKCdelta/JNK/Fas/caspase8 and caspase 3. Besides, p53/Bax signaling was suggested to be involved in (Ac)5GP-induced apoptosis, though its downstream cascades needs further clarified. (Ac)5GP has also been shown to inhibit DNA synthesis of tumor cells. It arrested cell cycle at G0/ G1 by inducing the expression of p21, thus suppressing the cyclin D1/cdk4 complex formation and the phosphorylation of E2F. The phosphorylation status of p53 on serine 392 correlated with the process of growth arrest. Evidences from the in vivo experiments showed that (Ac)5GP is not harmful to liver, heart and kidney. In conclusion, (Ac)5GP is highly suggested to be an anti-tumor agent for development in the future.

Biomechanical Comparison of an Intramedullary and Extramedullary Free-Tissue Graft Reconstruction of the Acromioclavicular Joint Complex

PubMed Central

Garg, Rishi; Javidan, Pooya; Lee, Thay Q.

2013-01-01

Background Several different surgical techniques have been described to address the coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments in acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries. However, very few techniques focus on reconstructing the AC ligaments, despite its importance in providing stability. The purpose of our study was to compare the biomechanical properties of two free-tissue graft techniques that reconstruct both the AC and CC ligaments in cadaveric shoulders, one with an extramedullary AC reconstruction and the other with an intramedullary AC reconstruction. We hypothesized intramedullary AC reconstruction will provide greater anteroposterior translational stability and improved load to failure characteristics than an extramedullary technique. Methods Six matched cadaveric shoulders underwent translational testing at 10 N and 15 N in the anteroposterior and superoinferior directions, under AC joint compression loads of 10 N, 20 N, and 30 N. After the AC and CC ligaments were transected, one of the specimens was randomly assigned the intramedullary free-tissue graft reconstruction while its matched pair received the extramedullary graft reconstruction. Both reconstructed specimens then underwent repeat translational testing, followed by load to failure testing, via superior clavicle distraction, at a rate of 50 mm/min. Results Intramedullary reconstruction provided significantly greater translational stability in the anteroposterior direction than the extramedullary technique for four of six loading conditions (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in translational stability in the superoinferior direction for any loading condition. The intramedullary reconstructed specimens demonstrated improved load to failure characteristics with the intramedullary reconstruction having a lower deformation at yield and a higher ultimate load than the extramedullary reconstruction (p < 0.05). Conclusions Intramedullary reconstruction of the AC joint provides greater stability in the anteroposterior direction and improved load to failure characteristics than an extramedullary technique. Reconstruction of the injured AC joint with an intramedullary free tissue graft may provide greater strength and stability than other currently used techniques, allowing patients to have improved clinical outcomes. PMID:24340150

Phorbol esters alter adenylate cyclase responses to vasoactive intestinal peptide and forskolin in the GH cell line

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Summers, S.; Florio, T.; Cronin, M.

1986-05-01

Activation of protein kinase C with phorbol ester modifies cyclic AMP production in several anterior pituitary cell systems. In the GH cell line from a rat pituitary tumor, exposure to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA: 100 nM) for 30 minutes significantly reduces vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP: 100 nM) stimulated adenylate cyclase (AC) activity in subsequent membrane preparations to 62 + 4% of control (n = 6 independent studies). In contrast, these same membrane preparations respond to forskolin (1 ..mu..M) with significantly more activity, 130 +/- 6% of controls (n = 6 independent studies). Finally, phorbol ester does not block an inhibitorymore » hormone input into the AC system; somatostatin (100 nM) reduction of VIP-stimulated AC activity is not significantly different in membrane preparations from PMA treated and control cells (n = 3 independent studies). These other findings lead the authors to propose that protein kinase C can modify several sites in the AC complex in anterior pituitary cells.« less

Selective production of chemicals from biomass pyrolysis over metal chlorides supported on zeolite.

PubMed

Leng, Shuai; Wang, Xinde; Cai, Qiuxia; Ma, Fengyun; Liu, Yue'e; Wang, Jianguo

2013-12-01

Direct biomass conversion into chemicals remains a great challenge because of the complexity of the compounds; hence, this process has attracted less attention than conversion into fuel. In this study, we propose a simple one-step method for converting bagasse into furfural (FF) and acetic acid (AC). In this method, bagasse pyrolysis over ZnCl2/HZSM-5 achieved a high FF and AC yield (58.10%) and a 1.01 FF/AC ratio, but a very low yield of medium-boiling point components. However, bagasse pyrolysis using HZSM-5 alone or ZnCl2 alone still remained large amounts of medium-boiling point components or high-boiling point components. The synergistic effect of HZSM-5 and ZnCl2, which combines pyrolysis, zeolite cracking, and Lewis acid-selective catalysis results in highly efficient bagasse conversion into FF and AC. Therefore, our study provides a novel, simple method for directly converting biomass into high-yield useful chemical. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Alternating Current and Direct Current Electrospray Ionization for Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Sarver, Scott A.; Gartner, Carlos A.; Chetwani, Nishant; Go, David B.; Dovichi, Norman J.

2014-01-01

A series of studies comparing the performance of alternating current electrospray ionization (AC ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) and direct current electrospray ionization (DC ESI) MS has been conducted, exploring the absolute signal intensity and signal-to-background ratios produced by both methods using caffeine and a model peptide as targets. Because the high-voltage AC signal was more susceptible to generating gas discharges, the operating voltage range of AC ESI was significantly smaller than that for DC ESI, such that the absolute signal intensities produced by DC ESI at peak voltages were 1 - 2 orders of magnitude greater than those for AC ESI. Using an electronegative nebulizing gas, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), instead of nitrogen (N2) increased the operating range of AC ESI by ~50%, but did not appreciably improve signal intensities. While DC ESI generated far greater signal intensities, both ionization methods produced comparable signal-to-background noise, with AC ESI spectra appearing qualitatively cleaner. A quantitative calibration analysis was performed for two analytes, caffeine and the peptide MRFA. AC ESI utilizing SF6 outperforms all other techniques for the detection of MRFA, producing chromatographic limits of detection nearly one order of magnitude lower than that of DC ESI utilizing N2, and one half that of DC ESI utilizing SF6. However, DC ESI outperforms AC ESI for the analysis of caffeine, indicating improvements in spectral quality may benefit certain compounds, or classes of compounds, on an individual basis. PMID:24464359

Diffusion tensor imaging of anterior commissural fibers in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Choi, Hongyoon; Kubicki, Marek; Whitford, Thomas J; Alvarado, Jorge L; Terry, Douglas P; Niznikiewicz, Margaret; McCarley, Robert W; Kwon, Jun Soo; Shenton, Martha E

2011-08-01

Alterations in white matter connections in schizophrenia have been investigated using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). There is also evidence from post-mortem studies as well as from magnetic resonance imaging morphometry studies that the anterior commissure (AC) might be implicated in schizophrenia, but no studies, to date, have investigated the AC using DTI or tractography. DTI scans were analyzed from 25 patients and 23 controls. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and trace were measured from the AC tracts. SANS and SAPS were used to evaluate clinical symptoms, and the Iowa Gambling Task, related to decision making, was also examined. Results revealed a significant decrease in mean FA and a significant increase in mean trace of AC tracts in patients compared with controls. In addition, patients, but not controls, showed a negative correlation between age and AC integrity. Statistically significant positive correlations were also found between AC FA and total positive symptom score. Decision making was negatively correlated with FA in patients on the Iowa Gambling Task, but not in controls. This study provides quantitative evidence for a reduction of interhemispheric connectivity in schizophrenia within the AC. Negative correlation between age and AC FA in the patients is consistent with the idea that schizophrenia may be a disorder of white matter maturation. Positive correlation between FA and positive symptom is discussed in the context of white matter's established role in modulating neural conduction velocity. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Relationship between QTL for grain shape, grain weight, test weight, milling yield, and plant height in the spring wheat cross RL4452/'AC Domain'.

PubMed

Cabral, Adrian L; Jordan, Mark C; Larson, Gary; Somers, Daryl J; Humphreys, D Gavin; McCartney, Curt A

2018-01-01

Kernel morphology characteristics of wheat are complex and quantitatively inherited. A doubled haploid (DH) population of the cross RL4452/'AC Domain' was used to study the genetic basis of seed shape. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses were conducted on a total of 18 traits: 14 grain shape traits, flour yield (Fyd), and three agronomic traits (Plant height [Plht], 1000 Grain weight [Gwt], Test weight [Twt]), using data from trial locations at Glenlea, Brandon, and Morden in Manitoba, Canada, between 1999 and 2004. Kernel shape was studied through digital image analysis with an Acurum® grain analyzer. Plht, Gwt, Twt, Fyd, and grain shape QTL were correlated with each other and QTL analysis revealed that QTL for these traits often mapped to the same genetic locations. The most significant QTL for the grain shape traits were located on chromosomes 4B and 4D, each accounting for up to 24.4% and 53.3% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively. In addition, the most significant QTL for Plht, Gwt, and Twt were all detected on chromosome 4D at the Rht-D1 locus. Rht-D1b decreased Plht, Gwt, Twt, and kernel width relative to the Rht-D1a allele. A narrow genetic interval on chromosome 4B contained significant QTL for grain shape, Gwt, and Plht. The 'AC Domain' allele reduced Plht, Gwt, kernel length and width traits, but had no detectable effect on Twt. The data indicated that this variation was inconsistent with segregation at Rht-B1. Numerous QTL were identified that control these traits in this population.

Relationship between QTL for grain shape, grain weight, test weight, milling yield, and plant height in the spring wheat cross RL4452/‘AC Domain’

PubMed Central

Cabral, Adrian L.; Jordan, Mark C.; Larson, Gary; Somers, Daryl J.; Humphreys, D. Gavin

2018-01-01

Kernel morphology characteristics of wheat are complex and quantitatively inherited. A doubled haploid (DH) population of the cross RL4452/‘AC Domain’ was used to study the genetic basis of seed shape. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses were conducted on a total of 18 traits: 14 grain shape traits, flour yield (Fyd), and three agronomic traits (Plant height [Plht], 1000 Grain weight [Gwt], Test weight [Twt]), using data from trial locations at Glenlea, Brandon, and Morden in Manitoba, Canada, between 1999 and 2004. Kernel shape was studied through digital image analysis with an Acurum® grain analyzer. Plht, Gwt, Twt, Fyd, and grain shape QTL were correlated with each other and QTL analysis revealed that QTL for these traits often mapped to the same genetic locations. The most significant QTL for the grain shape traits were located on chromosomes 4B and 4D, each accounting for up to 24.4% and 53.3% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively. In addition, the most significant QTL for Plht, Gwt, and Twt were all detected on chromosome 4D at the Rht-D1 locus. Rht-D1b decreased Plht, Gwt, Twt, and kernel width relative to the Rht-D1a allele. A narrow genetic interval on chromosome 4B contained significant QTL for grain shape, Gwt, and Plht. The ‘AC Domain’ allele reduced Plht, Gwt, kernel length and width traits, but had no detectable effect on Twt. The data indicated that this variation was inconsistent with segregation at Rht-B1. Numerous QTL were identified that control these traits in this population. PMID:29357369

Study of the Effects of the Electric Field on Charging Measurements on Individual Micron-size Dust Grains by Secondary Electron Emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tankosic, D.; Abbas, M. M.

2013-01-01

The dust charging by electron impact is an important dust charging process in Astrophysical, Planetary, and the Lunar environments. Low energy electrons are reflected or stick to the grains charging the dust grains negatively. At sufficiently high energies electrons penetrate the grain leading to excitation and emission of electrons referred to as secondary electron emission (SEE). Available theoretical models for the calculation of SEE yield applicable for neutral, planar or bulk surfaces are generally based on Sternglass Equation. However, viable models for charging of individual dust grains do not exist at the present time. Therefore, the SEE yields have to be obtained by some experimental methods at the present time. We have conducted experimental studies on charging of individual micron size dust grains in simulated space environments using an electrodynamic balance (EDB) facility at NASA-MSFC. The results of our extensive laboratory study of charging of individual micron-size dust grains by low energy electron impact indicate that the SEE by electron impact is a very complex process expected to be substantially different from the bulk materials. It was found that the incident electrons may lead to positive or negative charging of dust grains depending upon the grain size, surface potential, electron energy, electron flux, grain composition, and configuration. In this paper we give a more elaborate discussion about the possible effects of the AC field in the EDB on dust charging measurements by comparing the secondary electron emission time-period (tau (sub em) (s/e)) with the time-period (tau (sub ac) (ms)) of the AC field cycle in the EDB that we have briefly addressed in our previous publication.

Aerosolized Antimicrobial Agents Based on Degradable Dextran Nanoparticles Loaded with Silver Carbene Complexes

PubMed Central

Ornelas-Megiatto, Cátia; Shah, Parth N.; Wich, Peter R.; Cohen, Jessica L.; Tagaev, Jasur A.; Smolen, Justin A.; Wright, Brian D.; Panzner, Matthew J.; Youngs, Wiley J.; Fréchet, Jean M. J.; Cannon, Carolyn L.

2012-01-01

Degradable acetalated dextran (Ac-DEX) nanoparticles were prepared and loaded with a hydrophobic silver carbene complex (SCC) by a single-emulsion process. The resulting particles were characterized for morphology and size distribution using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The average particle size and particle size distribution were found to be a function of the ratio of the organic phase to the surfactant containing aqueous phase with a 1:5 volume ratio of Ac-DEX CH2Cl2 (organic): PBS (aqueous) being optimal for the formulation of nanoparticles with an average size of 100 ± 40 nm and a low polydispersity. The SCC loading was found to increase with an increase in the SCC quantity in the initial feed used during particle formulation up to 30% (w/w); however, the encapsulation efficiency was observed to be the best at a feed ratio of 20% (w/w). In vitro efficacy testing of the SCC loaded Ac-DEX nanoparticles demonstrated their activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria; the nanoparticles inhibited the growth of every bacterial species tested. As expected, a higher concentration of drug was required to inhibit bacterial growth when the drug was encapsulated within the nanoparticle formulations compared with the free drug illustrating the desired depot release. Compared with free drug, the Ac-DEX nanoparticles were much more readily suspended in an aqueous phase and subsequently aerosolized, thus providing an effective method of pulmonary drug delivery. PMID:23025592

Aerosolized antimicrobial agents based on degradable dextran nanoparticles loaded with silver carbene complexes.

PubMed

Ornelas-Megiatto, Cátia; Shah, Parth N; Wich, Peter R; Cohen, Jessica L; Tagaev, Jasur A; Smolen, Justin A; Wright, Brian D; Panzner, Matthew J; Youngs, Wiley J; Fréchet, Jean M J; Cannon, Carolyn L

2012-11-05

Degradable acetalated dextran (Ac-DEX) nanoparticles were prepared and loaded with a hydrophobic silver carbene complex (SCC) by a single-emulsion process. The resulting particles were characterized for morphology and size distribution using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The average particle size and particle size distribution were found to be a function of the ratio of the organic phase to the surfactant containing aqueous phase with a 1:5 volume ratio of Ac-DEX CH(2)Cl(2) (organic):PBS (aqueous) being optimal for the formulation of nanoparticles with an average size of 100 ± 40 nm and a low polydispersity. The SCC loading was found to increase with an increase in the SCC quantity in the initial feed used during particle formulation up to 30% (w/w); however, the encapsulation efficiency was observed to be the best at a feed ratio of 20% (w/w). In vitro efficacy testing of the SCC loaded Ac-DEX nanoparticles demonstrated their activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria; the nanoparticles inhibited the growth of every bacterial species tested. As expected, a higher concentration of drug was required to inhibit bacterial growth when the drug was encapsulated within the nanoparticle formulations compared with the free drug illustrating the desired depot release. Compared with free drug, the Ac-DEX nanoparticles were much more readily suspended in an aqueous phase and subsequently aerosolized, thus providing an effective method of pulmonary drug delivery.

How to include frequency dependent complex permeability Into SPICE models to improve EMI filters design?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sixdenier, Fabien; Yade, Ousseynou; Martin, Christian; Bréard, Arnaud; Vollaire, Christian

2018-05-01

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters design is a rather difficult task where engineers have to choose adequate magnetic materials, design the magnetic circuit and choose the size and number of turns. The final design must achieve the attenuation requirements (constraints) and has to be as compact as possible (goal). Alternating current (AC) analysis is a powerful tool to predict global impedance or attenuation of any filter. However, AC analysis are generally performed without taking into account the frequency-dependent complex permeability behaviour of soft magnetic materials. That's why, we developed two frequency-dependent complex permeability models able to be included into SPICE models. After an identification process, the performances of each model are compared to measurements made on a realistic EMI filter prototype in common mode (CM) and differential mode (DM) to see the benefit of the approach. Simulation results are in good agreement with the measured ones especially in the middle frequency range.

Slow magnetic relaxation at zero field in the tetrahedral complex [Co(SPh)4]2-.

PubMed

Zadrozny, Joseph M; Long, Jeffrey R

2011-12-28

The Ph(4)P(+) salt of the tetrahedral complex [Co(SPh)(4)](2-), possessing an S = (3)/(2) ground state with an axial zero-field splitting of D = -70 cm(-1), displays single-molecule magnet behavior in the absence of an applied magnetic field. At very low temperatures, ac magnetic susceptibility data show the magnetic relaxation time, τ, to be temperature-independent, while above 2.5 K thermally activated Arrhenius behavior is apparent with U(eff) = 21(1) cm(-1) and τ(0) = 1.0(3) × 10(-7) s. Under an applied field of 1 kOe, τ more closely approximates Arrhenius behavior over the entire temperature range. Upon dilution of the complex within a matrix of the isomorphous compound (Ph(4)P)(2)[Zn(SPh)(4)], ac susceptibility data reveal the molecular nature of the slow magnetic relaxation and indicate that the quantum tunneling pathway observed at low temperatures is likely mediated by intermolecular dipolar interactions. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Conduction mechanism, impedance spectroscopic investigation and dielectric behavior of La0.5Ca0.5-xAgxMnO3 manganites with compositions below the concentration limit of silver solubility in perovskites (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2).

PubMed

Rahmouni, H; Smari, M; Cherif, B; Dhahri, E; Khirouni, K

2015-06-14

This study presents the electrical properties, complex impedance analysis and dielectrical behavior of La0.5Ca0.5-xAgxMnO3 manganites with compositions below the concentration limit of silver solubility in perovskites (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2). Transport measurements indicate that all the samples have a semiconductor-like behavior. The metal-semiconductor transition is not observed across the whole temperature range explored [80 K-700 K]. At a specific temperature, a saturation region was marked in the σ (T) curves. We obtained a maximum σdc value at ambient temperature with the introduction of 20% Ag content. Two hopping models were applied to study the conduction mechanism. We found that activation energy (Ea) related to ac-conductivity is lower than the Ea implicated in dc-conductivity. Complex impedance analysis confirms the contribution of grain boundary to conductivity and permits the attribution of grain boundary capacitance evolution to the temperature dependence of the barrier layer width. From the temperature dependence of the average normalized change (ANC), we deduce the temperature at which the available density of trapped charge states vanishes. Such a temperature is close to the temperature at which the saturation region appears in σ(T) curves. Moreover, complex impedance analysis (CIA) indicates the presence of electrical relaxation in materials. It is noteworthy that relaxation species such as defects may be responsible for electrical conduction. The dielectric behavior of La0.5Ca0.5-xAgxMnO3 manganites has a Debye-like relaxation with a sharp decrease in the real part of permittivity at a frequency where the imaginary part of permittivity (ε'') and tg δ plots versus frequency demonstrate a relaxation peak. The Debye-like relaxation is explained by Maxwell-Wagner (MW) polarization. Experimental results are found to be in good agreement with the Smit and Wijn theory.

A new venous infusion pathway monitoring system.

PubMed

Maki, Hiromichi; Yonezawa, Yoshiharu; Ogawa, Hidekuni; Ninomiya, Ishio; Sata, Koji; Hamada, Shingo; Caldwell, W Morton

2007-01-01

A new infusion catheter pathway monitoring system employing linear integrated circuits and a low-power 8-bit single chip microcomputer has been developed for hospital and home use. The sensor consists of coaxial three-layer conductive tapes wrapped around the polyvinyl chloride infusion tube. The inner tape is the main electrode, which records an AC (alternating current) voltage induced on the patient's body by electrostatic coupling from the normal 100 volt, 60 Hz AC power line wiring field in the patient's room. The outside tape layer is a reference electrode to monitor the AC voltage around the main electrode. The center tape layer is connected to system ground and functions as a shield. The microcomputer calculates the ratio of the induced AC voltages recorded by the main and reference electrodes and if the ratio indicates a detached infusion, alerts the nursing station, via the nurse call system or low transmitting power mobile phone.

A critical comparison of electrical methods for measuring spin-orbit torques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xuanzi; Hung, Yu-Ming; Rehm, Laura; Kent, Andrew D.

Direct (DC) and alternating current (AC) transport measurements of spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in heavy metal-ferromagnet heterostructure with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy have been proposed and demonstrated. A DC method measures the change of perpendicular magnetization component while an AC method probes the first and second harmonic magnetization oscillation in responses to an AC current (~1 kHz). Here we conduct both types of measurements on β-Ta/CoFeB/MgO in the form of patterned Hall bars (20 μm linewidth) and compare the results. Experiments results are qualitatively in agreement with a macro spin model including Slonzewski-like and a field-like SOTs. However, the effective field from the ac method is larger than that obtained from the DC method. We discuss the possible origins of the discrepancy and its implications for quantitatively determining SOTs. Research supported by the SRC-INDEX program, NSF-DMR-1309202 and NYU-DURF award.

Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 9): Aircraft Control and Warning Site, Mather Air Force Base, CA, December 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This decision document, a Record of Decision (ROD), presents the selected remedial action for the AC W Site, Installation Restoration Program (IRP) Site 12, at Mather Air Force Base (AFB), Sacramento County, California. Reports indicate that from 1958 to 1966 waste solvents and transformer oils were disposed in a waste disposal pipe in the AC W area. Investigations conducted as part of the Air Force Installation Restoration Program (IRP) failed to locate the waste disposal pipe but did find trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination in the shallow water bearing zone (SWBZ) in the AC W area. The SWBZ is classified as amore » potential source of drinking water by the State of California, although it is not currently used in the AC W area. The selected remedy will address the potential threat to human health posed by TCE contamination in groundwater (primarily in the SWBZ).« less

Stable Rotation of Microparticles using a Combination of Dielectrophoresis and Electroosmosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Prashanta; Rezanoor, Walid

2016-11-01

Electric field induced microparticle rotation has become a powerful technique to evaluate cell membrane dielectric properties and cell morphology. In this study, stable rotations of microparticles are demonstrated in a stationary AC electric field created from a set of coplanar interdigitated microelectrodes. The medium, particle size, and material are carefully chosen so that particle can be controlled by dielectrophoretic force, while a sufficiently high AC electroosmotic flow is produced for continuous particle rotation. Stable rotation up to 218 rpm is observed at 30 Vp-p applied sinusoidal potential in the frequency range of 80 - 1000 Hz. The particle spin rate observed from the experimental study is then validated with a numerical model. The model is formulated around complex charge conservation equation to determine the electric potential distribution in the domain. Stokes equation is employed to solve for AC electroosmotic fluid flow in the domain. Complexity arising from nonlinear potential drop across the electric double layer due to the application of a very large electric potential is also addressed by introducing modified capacitance equation which considers steric effect. This work was supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMS 1317671.

Principal network analysis: identification of subnetworks representing major dynamics using gene expression data

PubMed Central

Kim, Yongsoo; Kim, Taek-Kyun; Kim, Yungu; Yoo, Jiho; You, Sungyong; Lee, Inyoul; Carlson, George; Hood, Leroy; Choi, Seungjin; Hwang, Daehee

2011-01-01

Motivation: Systems biology attempts to describe complex systems behaviors in terms of dynamic operations of biological networks. However, there is lack of tools that can effectively decode complex network dynamics over multiple conditions. Results: We present principal network analysis (PNA) that can automatically capture major dynamic activation patterns over multiple conditions and then generate protein and metabolic subnetworks for the captured patterns. We first demonstrated the utility of this method by applying it to a synthetic dataset. The results showed that PNA correctly captured the subnetworks representing dynamics in the data. We further applied PNA to two time-course gene expression profiles collected from (i) MCF7 cells after treatments of HRG at multiple doses and (ii) brain samples of four strains of mice infected with two prion strains. The resulting subnetworks and their interactions revealed network dynamics associated with HRG dose-dependent regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation and early PrPSc accumulation during prion infection. Availability: The web-based software is available at: http://sbm.postech.ac.kr/pna. Contact: dhhwang@postech.ac.kr; seungjin@postech.ac.kr Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:21193522

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of hydroxyapatite-BaTiO3 composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, C. R.; Gittings, J.; Turner, I. G.; Baxter, F.; Chaudhuri, J. B.

2006-09-01

This letter describes the relationships between the composition and the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of hydroxyapatite-barium titanate composites for polarized bone substitutes. The ac conductivity and permittivity were characterized from 0.1Hzto1MHz, along with measurements of the d33 piezoelectric charge coefficient. The addition of BaTiO3 led to an increase in permittivity and ac conductivity of the material. The increase in both properties was attributed to the presence of the high permittivity ferroelectric phase. The d33 and g33 coefficients decreased rapidly as hydroxyapatite was introduced into BaTiO3 material. Composites below 80% by volume of BaTiO3 exhibited no net piezoelectric effect.

Similarity between the superconductivity in the graphene with the spin transport in the two-dimensional antiferromagnet in the honeycomb lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, L. S.

2017-02-01

We have used the Dirac's massless quasi-particles together with the Kubo's formula to study the spin transport by electrons in the graphene monolayer. We have calculated the electric conductivity and verified the behavior of the AC and DC currents of this system, that is a relativistic electron plasma. Our results show that the AC conductivity tends to infinity in the limit ω → 0 , similar to the behavior obtained for the spin transport in the two-dimensional frustrated antiferromagnet in the honeycomb lattice. We have made a diagrammatic expansion for the Green's function and we have not gotten significative change in the results.

Micromechanical response of articular cartilage to tensile load measured using nonlinear microscopy.

PubMed

Bell, J S; Christmas, J; Mansfield, J C; Everson, R M; Winlove, C P

2014-06-01

Articular cartilage (AC) is a highly anisotropic biomaterial, and its complex mechanical properties have been a topic of intense investigation for over 60 years. Recent advances in the field of nonlinear optics allow the individual constituents of AC to be imaged in living tissue without the need for exogenous contrast agents. Combining mechanical testing with nonlinear microscopy provides a wealth of information about microscopic responses to load. This work investigates the inhomogeneous distribution of strain in loaded AC by tracking the movement and morphological changes of individual chondrocytes using point pattern matching and Bayesian modeling. This information can be used to inform models of mechanotransduction and pathogenesis, and is readily extendable to various other connective tissues. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complexation of buffer constituents with neutral complexation agents: part I. Impact on common buffer properties.

PubMed

Riesová, Martina; Svobodová, Jana; Tošner, Zdeněk; Beneš, Martin; Tesařová, Eva; Gaš, Bohuslav

2013-09-17

The complexation of buffer constituents with the complexation agent present in the solution can very significantly influence the buffer properties, such as pH, ionic strength, or conductivity. These parameters are often crucial for selection of the separation conditions in capillary electrophoresis or high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and can significantly affect results of separation, particularly for capillary electrophoresis as shown in Part II of this paper series (Beneš, M.; Riesová, M.; Svobodová, J.; Tesařová, E.; Dubský, P.; Gaš, B. Anal. Chem. 2013, DOI: 10.1021/ac401381d). In this paper, the impact of complexation of buffer constituents with a neutral complexation agent is demonstrated theoretically as well as experimentally for the model buffer system composed of benzoic acid/LiOH or common buffers (e.g., CHES/LiOH, TAPS/LiOH, Tricine/LiOH, MOPS/LiOH, MES/LiOH, and acetic acid/LiOH). Cyclodextrins as common chiral selectors were used as model complexation agents. We were not only able to demonstrate substantial changes of pH but also to predict the general complexation characteristics of selected compounds. Because of the zwitterion character of the common buffer constituents, their charged forms complex stronger with cyclodextrins than the neutral ones do. This was fully proven by NMR measurements. Additionally complexation constants of both forms of selected compounds were determined by NMR and affinity capillary electrophoresis with a very good agreement of obtained values. These data were advantageously used for the theoretical descriptions of variations in pH, depending on the composition and concentration of the buffer. Theoretical predictions were shown to be a useful tool for deriving some general rules and laws for complexing systems.

Integration of a Miniaturized Conductivity Sensor into an Animal-Borne Instrument

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

an Animal -Borne Instrument Lars Boehme Sea Mammal Research Unit Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews, KY16 8LB United... Kingdom phone: +44 1334-462677 fax: +44 1334-463443 email: lb284@st-andrews.ac.uk Robin Pascal Sensors Development Group National...Oceanography Centre Southampton, SO14 3ZY United Kingdom phone: +44 2380-596138 fax: +44 2380-593029 email: rwp@nerc.ac.uk Phil Lovell

Malignant transformation of actinic cheilitis: A systematic review of observational studies.

PubMed

Dancyger, Alex; Heard, Victoria; Huang, Baikai; Suley, Cameron; Tang, Dorothy; Ariyawardana, Anura

2018-06-04

The aim of the present systematic review was to determine the malignant transformation rate of actinic cheilitis (AC). A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Medline/PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, OvidSP, and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria comprised of observational human studies involving the malignant transformation of AC and publications in English. Studies included in this review were clinical follow-up, cohort, retrospective, or prospective investigations. The search yielded 1126 articles, and after exclusion, 34 full-text articles were eligible for full-text analysis. Only one article met the inclusion criteria. Based on the included article, it was determined that the malignant transformation rate of AC to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was 3.07%. Excluded articles focused on the clinicopathological characteristics and treatment efficacies of AC, and no malignant transformation rate was assessed. There is a need for more clinical studies on the malignant transformation of AC, as lip cancer is a public health concern. High-risk populations, including those living in tropical regions, have excessive exposure to UV radiation, and have older aged males, fair-skinned people, and smokers should be identified to prevent AC and its malignant change. Health practitioners should facilitate early intervention to prevent the progression of AC to SCC of the lip. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Producing fluid flow using 3D carbon electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouabah, H. A.; Park, B. Y.; Zaouk, R. B.; Madou, M. J.; Green, Nicolas G.

2008-12-01

Moving and manipulating bio-particles and fluids on the microscale is central to many lab-on-a-chip applications. Techniques for pumping fluids which use electric fields have shown promise using both DC and AC voltages. AC techniques, however, require the use of integrated metal electrodes which have a low resistance but can suffer from unwanted chemical reactions even at low potentials. In this paper we introduce the use of carbon MEMS technology (C-MEMS), a fabrication method which produces 3D conductive polymeric structures. Results are presented of the fabrication of an innovative design of 3D AC-electroosmotic micropump and preliminary experimental measurements which demonstrate the potential of both the technology and the design.

Dielectric Measurements on Sol-Gel Derived Titania Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capan, Rifat; Ray, Asim K.

2017-11-01

Alternating current (AC) impedance measurements were performed on 37 nm thick nanostructured sol-gel derived anatase titania films on ultrasonically cleaned (100) p-silicon substrates at temperatures T ranging from 100 K to 300 K over a frequency range between 20 Hz and 1 MHz. The frequency-dependent behavior of the AC conductivity σ ac( f, T) obeys the universal power law, and the values of the effective hopping barrier and hopping distance were found to be 0.79 eV and 6.7 × 10-11 m from an analysis due to the correlated barrier-hopping model. The dielectric relaxation was identified as a thermally activated non-Debye process involving an activation energy of 41.5 meV.

Linking results of key and supplementary comparisons of AC/DC voltage transfer references

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velychko, Oleh

2018-04-01

A regional key comparison (KC) COOMET.EM-K6.a and a supplementary comparison (SC) COOMET.EM-S1 of AC/DC voltage transfer references were conducted between participating laboratories from the Eurasian region. Measurements were made over the period 2004-2014. The results showed good agreement between all but one of the participating laboratories. The proposed procedure of linking results of key and SCs of regional metrology organization of AC/DC voltage transfer references is presented. Linking results is realized for COOMET.EM-K6.a and CCEM-K6.a KCs, and for COOMET.EM-K6.a KC and COOMET.EM-S1 SC.

Trophic effects of adipose-tissue-derived and bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells enhance cartilage generation by chondrocytes in co-culture

PubMed Central

Pleumeekers, M. M.; Nimeskern, L.; Koevoet, J. L. M.; Karperien, M.; Stok, K. S.; van Osch, G. J. V. M.

2018-01-01

Aims Combining mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and chondrocytes has great potential for cell-based cartilage repair. However, there is much debate regarding the mechanisms behind this concept. We aimed to clarify the mechanisms that lead to chondrogenesis (chondrocyte driven MSC-differentiation versus MSC driven chondroinduction) and whether their effect was dependent on MSC-origin. Therefore, chondrogenesis of human adipose-tissue-derived MSCs (hAMSCs) and bone-marrow-derived MSCs (hBMSCs) combined with bovine articular chondrocytes (bACs) was compared. Methods hAMSCs or hBMSCs were combined with bACs in alginate and cultured in vitro or implanted subcutaneously in mice. Cartilage formation was evaluated with biochemical, histological and biomechanical analyses. To further investigate the interactions between bACs and hMSCs, (1) co-culture, (2) pellet, (3) Transwell® and (4) conditioned media studies were conducted. Results The presence of hMSCs–either hAMSCs or hBMSCs—increased chondrogenesis in culture; deposition of GAG was most evidently enhanced in hBMSC/bACs. This effect was similar when hMSCs and bAC were combined in pellet culture, in alginate culture or when conditioned media of hMSCs were used on bAC. Species-specific gene-expression analyses demonstrated that aggrecan was expressed by bACs only, indicating a predominantly trophic role for hMSCs. Collagen-10-gene expression of bACs was not affected by hBMSCs, but slightly enhanced by hAMSCs. After in-vivo implantation, hAMSC/bACs and hBMSC/bACs had similar cartilage matrix production, both appeared stable and did not calcify. Conclusions This study demonstrates that replacing 80% of bACs by either hAMSCs or hBMSCs does not influence cartilage matrix production or stability. The remaining chondrocytes produce more matrix due to trophic factors produced by hMSCs. PMID:29489829

Trophic effects of adipose-tissue-derived and bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells enhance cartilage generation by chondrocytes in co-culture.

PubMed

Pleumeekers, M M; Nimeskern, L; Koevoet, J L M; Karperien, M; Stok, K S; van Osch, G J V M

2018-01-01

Combining mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and chondrocytes has great potential for cell-based cartilage repair. However, there is much debate regarding the mechanisms behind this concept. We aimed to clarify the mechanisms that lead to chondrogenesis (chondrocyte driven MSC-differentiation versus MSC driven chondroinduction) and whether their effect was dependent on MSC-origin. Therefore, chondrogenesis of human adipose-tissue-derived MSCs (hAMSCs) and bone-marrow-derived MSCs (hBMSCs) combined with bovine articular chondrocytes (bACs) was compared. hAMSCs or hBMSCs were combined with bACs in alginate and cultured in vitro or implanted subcutaneously in mice. Cartilage formation was evaluated with biochemical, histological and biomechanical analyses. To further investigate the interactions between bACs and hMSCs, (1) co-culture, (2) pellet, (3) Transwell® and (4) conditioned media studies were conducted. The presence of hMSCs-either hAMSCs or hBMSCs-increased chondrogenesis in culture; deposition of GAG was most evidently enhanced in hBMSC/bACs. This effect was similar when hMSCs and bAC were combined in pellet culture, in alginate culture or when conditioned media of hMSCs were used on bAC. Species-specific gene-expression analyses demonstrated that aggrecan was expressed by bACs only, indicating a predominantly trophic role for hMSCs. Collagen-10-gene expression of bACs was not affected by hBMSCs, but slightly enhanced by hAMSCs. After in-vivo implantation, hAMSC/bACs and hBMSC/bACs had similar cartilage matrix production, both appeared stable and did not calcify. This study demonstrates that replacing 80% of bACs by either hAMSCs or hBMSCs does not influence cartilage matrix production or stability. The remaining chondrocytes produce more matrix due to trophic factors produced by hMSCs.