X-Ray absorption study of CeO2 and Ce/V mixed oxide thin films obtained by sol-gel deposition

CeO₂ and Ce/V mixed oxide thin films prepared by sol-gel deposition and annealed in an air or argon atmosphere have been studied by chronocoulometry and by XAFS (X-ray absorption fine structure). Multielectron photoexcitations (MPE), well known to pervade XAFS spectra of Ce making the analysis of structural parameters unreliable, are removed with the help of the atomic absorption background, determined on simple Ce compounds. Distinct MPE estimates for Ce³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ ions are used. In the analysis of the recovered pure XAFS signal, the degree of disorder is found to depend on the Ce/V molar ratio and on the heating atmosphere. The disorder correlates with charge capacity of films, both increasing with vanadium content and V⁴⁺/V⁵⁺ molar ratio.     

Recycled Polyolefin Blends: Effect of Modified Natural Zeolite on their Properties and Morphology

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of treated natural zeolite on the flow behavior, morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties in recycled polyolefin blends. A model polymer blend consisting of 95 wt% polyolefines and 5 wt% polystyrene was studied. Compositions from this recycled blend and dehydrated zeolite in a narrow concentration range (0–5 wt%) were treated with maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene and initiator dicumyl peroxide. The compositions were characterized by capillary rheometry, wide-angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical tests. The results show a compatibilizing effect of treated zeolite expressed by increase of shear viscosity and improvement of interfacial interactions and impact strength. The results can open wide possibilities for utilization of treated zeolite in recycling of unsorted polymer wastes.     

Denoising of sparse images in impulsive disturbance environment

Multimedia Tools and Applications - The paper presents a method for denoising and reconstruction of sparse images based on a gradient-descent algorithm. It is assumed that the original (non-noisy)...     

Arylene bisimides with triarylamine N-substituents as new solution processable organic semiconductors: Synthesis,spectroscopic, electrochemical and electronic properties

New solution processable organic semiconductors, consisting of pyrromelitic, naphthalene or perylene bisimide core and triarylamine N-substituents, have been synthesized. All three compounds are electrochemically active and undergo quasi-reversible oxidation and reduction as evidenced by cyclic voltammetry investigations. The oxidation process involves the transformation of the triarylamine substituents into radical cations as proven spectroscopically and spectroelectrochemically. The reduction process occurs at the arylene bisimide core leading to the formation of a radical anion and eventually a dianion in the second step. These findings are in perfect agreement with the DFT calculations which show that in the synthesized molecules the HOMO orbital is located on the triarylamine moiety whereas the LUMO one on the bisimide core. In all molecules studied the electrochemically determined ionization potential (IP) is slightly higher than 5.0 eV whereas in naphthalene and perylene derivatives the electron affinity (EA) is close to ?3.9 eV. These values fulfill the requirements for n-type (electron) semiconductors in air operating n-channel field effect transistors (FETs) as well as for p-type (hole) conductors in p-channel FETs. To verify whether the newly synthesized compounds exhibit the expected electrical transport properties all organic (CYTOP dielectric) test transistors were fabricated. All three semiconductors showed no field effect in the n-channel configuration. To the contrary, they could be used in p-channel FETs showing, in the saturation regime, the hole mobility approaching 10^?4 cm² V^?1 s^?1 – the value which slightly exceeds that measured for low molecular weight, amorphous triarylamine semiconductors.     

Influence of Nb5+ ions on phase transitions and polar disorder above TC in PbZrO3 studied by Raman spectroscopy

Micro-Raman light scattering experiments on PbZrO₃ (PZO) single crystal doped with Nb⁵⁺ have been investigated. Special attention was paid to the paraelectric (PE) phase in which nominally forbidden first-order Raman spectra were detected at temperatures far above the phase transition T_C. Complex Raman spectra were observed in the vicinity of three structural phase transitions. These results mainly from the coexistence of phases with different symmetries in a wide temperature range below T_C. The Raman measurements have been compared with dielectric and optical observations and proved that polar nanoregions in a centrosymmetric lattice appear well above T_C. It was shown that doping ABO₃ perovskites with heterovalent ions like Nb⁵⁺ unbalances charge neutrality of the lattice and strongly extends the temperature range of polar regions. The investigations performed point out that in the PE matrix the interaction between electrons and lattice vibrations, as recently suggested for pure PZO, plays an important role.     

Effect of Acute Sprint Exercise on Myokines and Food Intake Hormones in Young Healthy Men

Physical exercise is known to influence hormonal mediators of appetite, but the effect of short-term maximal intensity exercise on plasma levels of appetite hormones and cytokines has been little studied. We investigated the effect of a 30 s Wingate Test, followed by a postprandial period, on appetite sensations, food intake, and appetite hormones. Twenty-six physically active young males rated their subjective feelings of hunger, prospective food consumption, and fatigue on visual analogue scales at baseline, after exercise was completed, and during the postprandial period. Blood samples were obtained for the measurement of nesfatin-1, ghrelin, leptin, insulin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), human growth factor (hGH) and cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), irisin and plasma lactate concentrations, at 30 min before exercise, immediately (210 s) after exercise, and 30 min following a meal and at corresponding times in control sedentary males without ad libitum meal intake, respectively. Appetite perceptions and food intake were decreased in response to exercise. Plasma levels of irisin, IL-6, lactate, nesfatin-1 and ghrelin was increased after exercise and then it was returned to postprandial/control period in both groups. A significant rise in plasma insulin, hGH and PP levels after exercise was observed while meal intake potentiated this response. In conclusion, an acute short-term fatiguing exercise can transiently suppress hunger sensations and food intake in humans. We postulate that this physiological response involves exercise-induced alterations in plasma hormones and the release of myokines such as irisin and IL-6, and supports the notion of existence of the skeletal muscle–brain–gut axis. Nevertheless, the detailed relationship between acute exercise releasing myokines, appetite sensations and impairment of this axis leading to several diseases should be further examined.     

Wheat flour confectionery products as a source of inorganic nutrients: zinc and copper contents in hard biscuits

Cereal-based confectionery products being consumed through whole human life are considered mainly to be a source of carbohydrates, that is energy, although cereals are a rich source of minerals as well. To evaluate some hard biscuits produced in Croatia as a source of different trace elements in nutrition, in this study Zn and Cu contents were determined in classic wheat flour biscuits and in dietetic biscuits enriched with whole wheat grain flour or whole wheat grain grits, soya flour and skimmed milk. Zn was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS); Cu was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The results show that the Zn content in different kinds of biscuits ranges from 5.89 up to 17.64 mg/kg and the Cu content ranges from 1.15 up to 2.79 mg/kg depending on the type of wheat milling products and mineral content of other ingredients used. Enriched dietetic biscuits produced from wheat flour type 850 and whole wheat grain flour and/or soya flour and skimmed milk were almost 200% and 150% higher in Zn and Cu, respectively, in comparison to classic white wheat flour biscuits and can be considered as good sources of Zn and Cu in nutrition.     

Comparative Effects of Deferiprone and Salinomycin on Lead-Induced Disturbance in the Homeostasis of Intrarenal Essential Elements in Mice

Lead (Pb) exposure induces severe nephrotoxic effects in humans and animals. Herein, we compare the effects of two chelating agents, salinomycin and deferiprone, on Pb-induced renal alterations in mice and in the homeostasis of essential elements. Adult male mice (Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)) were randomized into four groups: control (Ctrl)—untreated mice administered distilled water for 28 days; Pb-exposed group (Pb)—mice administered orally an average daily dose of 80 mg/kg body weight (BW) lead (II) nitrate (Pb(NO₃)₂) during the first two weeks of the experimental protocol followed by the administration of distilled water for another two weeks; salinomycin-treated (Pb + Sal) group—Pb-exposed mice, administered an average daily dose of 16 mg/kg BW salinomycin for two weeks; deferiprone-treated (Pb + Def) group—Pb-exposed mice, administered an average daily dose of 20 mg/kg BW deferiprone for 14 days. The exposure of mice to Pb induced significant accumulation of the toxic metal in the kidneys and elicited inflammation with leukocyte infiltrations near the glomerulus. Biochemical analysis of the sera revealed that Pb significantly altered the renal function markers. Pb-induced renal toxicity was accompanied by a significant decrease in the endogenous renal concentrations of phosphorous (P), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se). In contrast to deferiprone, salinomycin significantly improved renal morphology in Pb-treated mice and decreased the Pb content by 13.62% compared to the Pb-exposed group. There was also a mild decrease in the renal endogenous concentration of magnesium (Mg) and elevation of the renal concentration of iron (Fe) in the salinomycin-treated group compared to controls. Overall, the results demonstrated that salinomycin is a more effective chelating agent for the treatment of Pb-induced alterations in renal morphology compared to deferiprone.     

Structure of the cokes obtained from the group components separated from coking coal vitrites by selective thermosolvolysis

The examination of the structure of cokes obtained from extracts separated from preheated vitrites of coking coals by progressive and continuous extraction with chloroform was carried out. The structural ordering (interplanar spacing and crystallite dimensions) of the cokes depends on the rank of the parent vitrites but it does not depend on the degree of extraction. The occurrence of optical anisotropy in cokes from the extracts is connected with both the rank of the parent vitrite and the degree of extraction. In the formation of the optical anisotropic structure during the carbonization of coking coal vitrites, the part of the extract which is of small size, which partially undergoes decomposition, is an important factor.