A Nondestructive Methodology for the Study of Colored Enamels: Insights into Manufacturing and Weathering Processes

We studied ancient enamels on gilded copper from a collection of archeological horse harness pendants of the Museo Instituto Valencia de Don Juan (Madrid, Spain) to test the benefits of a new, nondestructive analytical methodology based on chemometric analysis (i.e., Principal Component Analysis, PCA) on micro‐ATR‐FTIR spectral data and chemical quantification using SEM‐EDS. The novelty of this approach was threefold: (i) PCA allowed the discrimination of the different harness pendants of known origin and attributed to the 14th and 15th centuries according to the chemical complex composition, nanostructure, glass weathering, and/or coloring mechanisms of each colored enamel, separately (i.e., red, purple, blue, and white), (ii) it is a cheap, easily available and nondestructive methodology that enables us to (iii) draw archeological conclusions about the quality of the manufacturing process, reassess the chronology of these objects and attempt to attribute them to different workshops according to the different traditional recipes identified. In particular, the enamels were made of alkali and/or alkaline earth lead‐glass with a wide range of chemical compounds in the form of pigments or opacifiers. Two types of coloring mechanisms were identified, colloidal particles such as copper‐ruby for red enamels, and ionic mechanisms such as Fe(II) and Co(II) to achieve a blue pigments; Mn(III) in the purple pigment; and two kind of white enamels were identified, i.e., tin oxide as an opacifier and uranium oxide. In addition, we established the reason for the poor state of conservation of some of the enamels by means of the identification of depolymerization and ion exchanges, well‐known harmful effects of glass weathering, and finally a chronology was assigned for some of these pieces according to the enamel composition.     

Tensile modulus modeling of carbon‐filled nylon 6,6 and polycarbonate‐based resins

Electrically and thermally conductive resins can be produced by adding conductive fillers to insulating polymers. Mechanical properties, such as tensile modulus, are also important. This research focused on performing compounding runs followed by injection molding and tensile testing of carbon‐filled nylon 6,6 and polycarbonate‐based resins. The three carbon fillers investigated included an electrically conductive carbon black, synthetic graphite particles, and a milled pitch–based carbon fiber. For each polymer, resins were produced and tested that contained varying amounts of these single‐carbon fillers. In addition, combinations of fillers were investigated by conducting a full 2³ factorial design and a complete replicate in each polymer. These tensile modulus experimental results were then compared to results predicted by several different models. For the composites containing only one filler type, the Nielsen model with the modified Ψ term provided the best prediction of the actual experimental values. For the composites containing more than one filler type, a new parameter, which includes the vibrated bulk density (VBD) of the fillers, was incorporated into the Nielsen model with the modified Ψ term. This model with the new VBD parameter provided the best estimate of experimental tensile modulus for composites containing multiple‐filler types. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 1716–1728, 2003     

The Influence of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on the Phospholipase D Isoforms Trafficking and Activity in Mast Cells

The impact of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation on phospholipase D (PLD) trafficking and activity in mast cells was investigated. The enrichment of mast cells with different PUFA including α-linolenic acid (LNA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), linoleic acid (LA) or arachidonic acid (AA) revealed a PUFA-mediated modulation of the mastoparan-stimulated PLD trafficking and activity. All PUFA examined, except AA, prevented the migration of the PLD1 to the plasma membrane. For PLD2 no PUFA effects on trafficking could be observed. Moreover, PUFA supplementation resulted in an increase of mastoparan-stimulated total PLD activity, which correlated with the number of double bonds of the supplemented fatty acids. To investigate, which PLD isoform was affected by PUFA, stimulated mast cells were supplemented with DHA or AA in the presence of specific PLD-isoform inhibitors. It was found that both DHA and AA diminished the inhibition of PLD activity in the presence of a PLD1 inhibitor. By contrast, only AA diminished the inhibition of PLD activity in the presence of a PLD2 inhibitor. Thus, PUFA modulate the trafficking and activity of PLD isoforms in mast cells differently. This may, in part, account for the immunomodulatory effect of unsaturated fatty acids and contributes to our understanding of the modulation of mast cell activity by PUFA.     

Rancidity development during the chilled storage of farmed Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) is a fatty fish species whose farming production has greatly increased in recent years. Lipid damage produced during Coho salmon chilled storage was studied for up to 24 d. Lipid hydrolysis (free fatty acids, FFA) and oxidation (conjugated dienes; peroxide value, PV; thiobarbituric acid index, TBA‐i; fluorescent compounds formation, FR; browning development) were determined and compared to lipid composition (polyene index, PI; astaxanthin, AX) changes and sensory assessment (rancid odour development) results. Most lipid damage indices developed slowly during storage; thus, values obtained for FFA, PV, TBA‐i and FR were in all cases under 1.5 g/100 g, 4.0 meq oxygen/kg lipid, 0.40 mg malondialdehyde/kg muscle and 0.40, respectively. Odour assessment showed a significant (p <0.05) rancidity development at day 10, when compared to starting fish material; then, non‐acceptable values were obtained at days 19 and 24. The PI analysis showed not many differences during the storage time, with the lowest mean value at day 19. AX analysis indicated a relatively high content in the white muscle, which was maintained till the end of the experiment. A low oxidation development is concluded for Coho salmon lipids when compared to other fatty fish species under the same chilling conditions. AX was found to contribute to the oxidation stability of Coho salmon lipids, due to its free radical scavenger properties.     

Shielding‐effectiveness modeling of carbon‐fiber/nylon‐6,6 composites

We have formulated a linear theory for the shielding effectiveness of composite matrix materials and have tested the theory for various amounts of ThermalGraph DKD X carbon fiber within nylon 6,6. The theory predicts that the most important parameters for the shielding effectiveness of a sample are the carbon‐fiber volume percentage and the frequency of the wave to be shielded. Although we expected the model to be valid at low filler‐loading levels, it actually performs remarkably, covering an electrical‐resistivity range of 10¹⁶ (at low filler‐loading levels) to 10¹ Ω cm (at high filler‐loading levels), well above the percolation threshold of electrical‐resistivity theory. The model performs much better than those reported in the literature and can be used to determine filler loadings needed to provide a certain level of shielding of electromagnetic waves. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 62–69, 2005     

Removal of lindane using electrokinetic soil flushing coupled with air stripping

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry - This paper evaluates the remediation of soil spiked with lindane using a combined treatment consisting of electrokinetic soil flushing (EKSF) with air...     

Overexpression of microRNAs miR-25-3p,miR-185-5p and miR-132-3p in Late Onset Fetal Growth Restriction,Validation of Results and Study of the Biochemical Pathways Involved

In a prospective study, 48 fetuses were evaluated with Doppler ultrasound after 34 weeks and classified, according to the cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) and estimated fetal weight (EFW), into fetuses with normal growth and fetuses with late-onset fetal growth restriction (LO-FGR). Overexpression of miRNAs from neonatal cord blood belonging to LO-FGR fetuses, was validated by real-time PCR. In addition, functional characterization of overexpressed miRNAs was performed by analyzing overrepresented pathways, gene ontologies, and prioritization of synergistically working miRNAs. Three miRNAs: miR-25-3p, miR-185-5p and miR-132-3p, were significantly overexpressed in cord blood of LO-FGR fetuses. Pathway and gene ontology analysis revealed over-representation of certain molecular pathways associated with cardiac development and neuron death. In addition, prioritization of synergistically working miRNAs highlighted the importance of miR-185-5p and miR-25-3p in cholesterol efflux and starvation responses associated with LO-FGR phenotypes. Evaluation of miR-25-3p; miR-132-3p and miR-185-5p might serve as molecular biomarkers for the diagnosis and management of LO-FGR; improving the understanding of its influence on adult disease.     

Clinical and Genetic Re-Evaluation of Inherited Retinal Degeneration Pedigrees following Initial Negative Findings on Panel-Based Next Generation Sequencing

Although rare, inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are the most common reason for blind registration in the working age population. They are highly genetically heterogeneous (>300 known genetic loci), and confirmation of a molecular diagnosis is a prerequisite for many therapeutic clinical trials and approved treatments. First-tier genetic testing of IRDs with panel-based next-generation sequencing (pNGS) has a diagnostic yield of ≈70–80%, leaving the remaining more challenging cases to be resolved by second-tier testing methods. This study describes the phenotypic reassessment of patients with a negative result from first-tier pNGS and the rationale, outcomes, and cost of second-tier genetic testing approaches. Removing non-IRD cases from consideration and utilizing case-appropriate second-tier genetic testing techniques, we genetically resolved 56% of previously unresolved pedigrees, bringing the overall resolve rate to 92% (388/423). At present, pNGS remains the most cost-effective first-tier approach for the molecular assessment of diverse IRD populations Second-tier genetic testing should be guided by clinical (i.e., reassessment, multimodal imaging, electrophysiology), and genetic (i.e., single alleles in autosomal recessive disease) indications to achieve a genetic diagnosis in the most cost-effective manner.     

Enhanced transport properties of Sn-substituted proton-conducting BaZr0.8Sc0.2O3–δ ceramic materials

High-temperature proton conductors based on acceptor-doped barium zirconate exhibit excellent chemical stability in atmospheres containing CO₂ or H₂O. However, due to their refractory nature, these conductors have a low grain growth rate, which negatively affects the overall electrical conductivity. A possible strategy for increasing the ionic conductivity of zirconates lies in the partial substitution of Zr-ions with other isovalent dopants. In this work, we carried out systematic studies of the crystal structure, microstructure, hydration capacity, transport, and thermal properties of BaZr_0.8–xSn_xSc_0.2O_3–δ (x = 0, 0.1, and 0.2). According to X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy data, all studied ceramic samples have a cubic perovskite structure, whose average grain size decreases with tin doping. It is found that the composition with x = 0.1 exhibits the highest values in terms of total, ionic, grain, and grain-boundary conductivities. The complex analysis of the obtained data shows that a low-level substitution of Zr⁴⁺- with Sn⁴⁺-ions is a competent approach for designing new proton-conducting electrolytes attractive for high-temperature applications.