Sintering of Nanosized MnZn Ferrite Powders

The sintering and microstructural evolution of nanosized MnZn ferrite powders prepared by a hydrothermal method were investigated. The microstructure of sintered ferrite compacts depends strongly on the strength of the agglomerates formed during the compacting of nanosized ferrite powders. It was found that at 700°C the theoretical density of sintered compacts can almost be reached, while above 900°C an increase of porosity was identified. The formation of extra porosity at higher sintering temperatures is caused mainly by the oxygen release which accompanies the dissolution of relatively large grains of residual alpha-Fe₂O₃ in the spinel lattice.     

Analysis of miR-9-5p,miR-124-3p,miR-21-5p,miR-138-5p,and miR-1-3p in Glioblastoma Cell Lines and Extracellular Vesicles

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary brain tumor, is a complex and extremely aggressive disease. Despite recent advances in molecular biology, there is a lack of biomarkers, which would improve GBM’s diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Here, we analyzed by qPCR the expression levels of a set of miRNAs in GBM and lower-grade glioma human tissue samples and performed a survival analysis in silico. We then determined the expression of same miRNAs and their selected target mRNAs in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) of GBM cell lines. We showed that the expression of miR-21-5p was significantly increased in GBM tissue compared to lower-grade glioma and reference brain tissue, while miR-124-3p and miR-138-5p were overexpressed in reference brain tissue compared to GBM. We also demonstrated that miR-9-5p and miR-124-3p were overexpressed in the sEVs of GBM stem cell lines (NCH421k or NCH644, respectively) compared to the sEVs of all other GBM cell lines and astrocytes. VIM mRNA, a target of miR-124-3p and miR-138-5p, was overexpressed in the sEVs of U251 and U87 GBM cell lines compared to the sEVs of GBM stem cell line and also astrocytes. Our results suggest VIM mRNA, miR-9-5p miRNA, and miR-124-3p miRNA could serve as biomarkers of the sEVs of GBM cells.     

Preparation of Silica-Coated Lanthanum–Strontium Manganite Particles with Designable Curie Point, for Application in Hyperthermia Treatments

Silica-coated lanthanum–strontium manganite particles with La_0.76Sr_0.24MnO_3+δ stoichiometric formula, exhibiting Curie temperature at ∼40°C, were prepared by using a traditional solid-state method of synthesis of magnetic ceramic particles, followed by milling and a low-temperature coating procedure in an aqueous alcoholic alkali medium. The properties of the obtained material establish it as a potential candidate for self-regulated power-absorbing and temperature-controlling materials in hyperthermia treatments. Moreover, core-comprising LaSr–manganites with different stoichiometries, ranging from La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO_3+δ to LaMnO_3+δ, were synthesized, with magnetic and structural properties examined thereof. Herein reported findings can potentially be used in the preparation of silica-coated magnetic particles with designable Curie temperature, offering a wide range of possibilities of adapting the material to practical instrumental setups in drug delivery and hyperthermia treatments.     

Initial Specific Surface Area and Graln Growth in Donor-Doped Barium Titanate

The grain growth of donor-doped BaTiO₃ prepared from BaTiO₃ powders with different initial specific surface areas was studied. Results show that a higher initial surface area and, consequently, a smaller critical grain size at the phase boundary drastically increase the critical amount of donor dopant, causing the grain size anomaly during sintering.     

VIENNA Rectifier — Grundfunktion und Vergleich hochfrequent getakteter ein- und zweistufiger Dreiphasen-Pulsgleichrichtersysteme mit sinusförmiger Stromaufnahme

In this paper a three-phase PFC PWM rectifier system with low effects on the mains (VIENNA Rectifier 1) which has been developed at the Technical University Vienna in 1994 is described. As compared to conventional rectifier systems the VIENNA Rectifier 1 shows significant advantages such as unity power factor, sinusoidal input current shape (fundamental ohmic mains behavior), controlled output voltage, high efficiency (typically 97%), low costs, high power density and/or low volume, high reliability, and significantly reduced conducted common-mode noise emission. Research is done on this system in companies and universities, e.g. in Europe, U.S.A., Canada, Japan, China and Australia. Furthermore, the paper presents a comparison of a two-stage converter system, which is formed by connecting the VIENNA Rectifier 1 to a DC/DC converter with high frequency isolation (e.g. for applications in uninterruptible power supply systems) and two further developements of the Technical University Vienna which feature single-stage power conversion, i.e. VIENNA Rectifier 2 and VIENNA Rectifier 3.     

Preparation of cadmium telluride nanoparticles from aqueous solutions by sonochemical method

Cadmium telluride nanoparticles with sizes between 8 and 13 nm have been synthesized via a sonochemical route using cadmium sulfate hydrate (CdSO₄·8/3H₂O), cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) and elemental Te as precursors and aqueous solutions of NaOH and EDTA as solvents. The qualitative characterization and estimation of nanoparticle size were carried out by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The morphology of nanoparticles was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Changes of physical and chemical properties of the prepared CdTe nanoparticles at increased temperature were studied by thermal analysis (TGA, SDTA). A probable mechanism for the sonochemical formation of CdTe is proposed.     

Oleic-acid-coated CoFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis

Oleic-acid-coated CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis. The coprecipitation of the nanoparticles was achieved by the rapid addition of a strong base to an aqueous solution of cations in the presence of the oleic acid surfactant, or without this additive. The nanoparticles were also synthesized by a hydrothermal treatment of suspensions of the precipitates, coprecipitated at room temperature in the presence of the oleic acid, or without it. The influence of the synthesis conditions, such as the valence state of the iron cation in the starting aqueous solution, the temperature of the treatment and the presence of oleic acid, on the particles size was systematically studied. X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed that, although spinel forms at room temperature, a substantial amount of Co was incorporated within the secondary, feroxyhyte-like phase when the iron cation was in the 2+ state. In contrast, when iron was in the 3+ state, the spinel forms at elevated temperatures of approximately 60 °C. The presence of the oleic acid further increased the formation temperature for the stoichiometric spinel. Moreover, the oleic acid impeded the particles’ growth and enabled the preparation of colloidal suspensions of the nanoparticles in non-polar organic solvents. The nanoparticles’ size was successfully controlled by the temperature of the synthesis in the region where superparamagnetism dominates to the region where mono-domain ferrimagnetism dominates the magnetic properties.     

A Computational Study of Calcium(II) and Copper(II) Ion Binding to the Hyaluronate Molecule

The hyaluronate molecule is a negatively charged polysaccharide that performs a plethora of physiological functions in many cell tissues depending on its conformation. In the present paper, molecular modeling at three levels of theory and two basis sets was used to gain a deeper insight in the complex molecular structure of calcium(II) and copper(II) hyaluronate. Simulation results were compared with the experimental data (EXAFS or X-ray). It was found that B3LYP does not properly reproduce the experimental data while the HF and M06 methods do. Simulation data confirm that the N-acetyl group of the N-acetylglucosamine residue does not participate in the coordination bonding to the calcium(II) or copper(II) ion, as evident from the experimental data.