Allotropic phase transformations induced by ultraviolet power laser irradiation of graphite

Optically induced allotropic phase transformations of carbon were studied. Under irradiation with a laser beam of 337.1 nm wavelength, at an energy density of 1.9 mJ per 0.1 mm², graphite transformed into -carbin, and amorphous carbon-film transformed into rhombohedral graphite with no evidence of high-temperature effects. The transformations differ from the changes occurring due to heating alone. We suggest that the results could be explained by the one-photon excitation and recombination of electrons.     

Allotropie phase transformation induced by UV power laser irradiation of boron nitride

The optically induced allotropic phase transformations of boron nitride were studied. Under irradiation with laser beam of 337.1 nm wavelength, at energy density of 1.9mJ per 0.1 mm² a hexagonal boron nitride transformed into the cubic form. The suggestion is made that the results obtained could be explained by the multiphoton excitation and recombination of electrons.     

Human attributes from 3D pose tracking

It is well known that biological motion conveys a wealth of socially meaningful information. From even a brief exposure, biological motion cues enable the recognition of familiar people, and the inference of attributes such as gender, age, mental state, actions and intentions. In this paper we show that from the output of a video-based 3D human tracking algorithm we can infer physical attributes (e.g., gender and weight) and aspects of mental state (e.g., happiness or sadness). In particular, with 3D articulated tracking we avoid the need for view-based models, specific camera viewpoints, and constrained domains. The task is useful for man–machine communication, and it provides a natural benchmark for evaluating the performance of 3D pose tracking methods (vs. conventional Euclidean joint error metrics). We show results on a large corpus of motion capture data and on the output of a simple 3D pose tracker applied to videos of people walking.     

Sensing properties of the CB-PCV composites for chlorinated hydrocarbon vapours

The conductivity measurements of carbon black (CB)-polyvinyl chloride (PCV) composite in a tetrachloride (CCl₄), trichloromethane (chloroform, CHCl₃) or methylene chloride (CH₂Cl₂) vapour ambient have been performed. The composite contains 20% Chezacarb K2 carbon black and was prepared as a plastic strip. Based on the =f(t) dependence, three methods to determine the vapour concentration,c, are presented. The investigations could allow one to construct a CCl₄ and CHCl₃ vapour detector.     

A universal dependence for thermal conductivity of metals and dilute alloys

A universal curve relating the maximum of thermal conductivity and its respective temperature with the residual electrical resistivity has been proposed for metals and dilute alloys. Based on the equation of that curve, a comparative analysis of selected literature data of thermal conductivity of metals, which have residual electrical resistivity in the range 10^–11<₀<10^–5. cm, have been performed. Using the data for 33 metals, confirmation of the Wiedemann-Franz law for the impurity component/T of thermal conductivity was obtained, which means that _th/_el1, where _th and _el are the parameters of the electron-lattice defect interaction obtained from measurements of thermal and electrical conductivity, respectively. Examples of the failure of the Wiedemann-Franz law are also presented, exhibiting the values of _th/_el in the range 0.16 to 25. Measurements of thermal conductivity in the range 2 to 20 K and determination of the residual electrical resistivity for the samples of Cd doped with Zn and quenched were performed, resulting in values _th/_el1.     

Spreading of a water drop on a marble surface

Measurements of the wetting contact angle for a marble surface were carried out for two systems: dry marble plate-water drop-saturated water vapour and marble wetted by water-water drop-dry air (in the presence of molecular sieves). The marble plate was placed in a measuring chamber and contact angles were measured after different lengths of time; it was found that their values grew to a maximum which was reached after about 30 min. It was found that when the dry marble plate was placed in saturated water vapour for 24 h the contact angle decreased in comparison with its maximal value. To explain the results obtained, theoretical calculations were made. The theoretical calculations and measurements showed that it was possible to obtain a contact angle greater than zero on a marble surface, depending on the structure and thickness of the water film.     

Computer-Aided Search for 5-Arylideneimidazolone Anticancer Agents Able To Overcome ABCB1-Based Multidrug Resistance

ABCB1 modulation is an interesting strategy in the search for new anticancer agents that can overcome multidrug resistance (MDR). Hence, 17 new 5-arylideneimidazolones containing an amine moiety, as potential ABCB1 inhibitors, were designed, synthesized, and investigated. The series was tested in both parental (PAR) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) ABCB1-overexpressing T-lymphoma cancer cells using cytotoxicity assays. The ABCB1-modulating activity was examined in rhodamine 123 accumulation tests, followed by Pgp-Glo™ Assay to determine the influence of the most active compounds on ATPase activity. Lipophilic properties were assessed both, in silico and experimentally (RP-TLC). Pharmacophore-based molecular modelling toward ABCB1 modulation was performed. The studies allowed the identification of anticancer agents (p-fluorobenzylidene derivatives) more potent than doxorubicin, with highly selective action on MDR T-lymphoma cells (selectivity index >40). Most of the investigated compounds showed ABCB1-modulating action; in particular, two 5-benzyloxybenzylidene derivatives displayed activity nearly as strong as that of tariquidar.     

Luminescent Amphiphilic Aminoglycoside Probes to Study Transfection

We report the characterization of amphiphilic aminoglycoside conjugates containing luminophores with aggregation-induced emission properties as transfection reagents. These inherently luminescent transfection vectors are capable of binding plasmid DNA through electrostatic interactions; this binding results in an emission “on” signal due to restriction of intramolecular motion of the luminophore core. The luminescent cationic amphiphiles effectively transferred plasmid DNA into mammalian cells (HeLa, HEK 293T), as proven by expression of a red fluorescent protein marker. The morphologies of the aggregates were investigated by microscopy as well as ζ-potential and dynamic light-scattering measurements. The transfection efficiencies using luminescent cationic amphiphiles were similar to that of the gold-standard transfection reagent Lipofectamine® 2000.     

Effect of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions on the sintering and spectroscopic properties of cr-doped yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics

In this work, we investigated the effects of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions and annealing temperature on the spectroscopic parameters of chromium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics (Cr:YAG). Samples were obtained with either a separate or a simultaneous addition of calcium and magnesium oxides. To achieve this, aqueous suspensions were prepared using Y₂O₃, Al₂O₃, Cr₂O₃, MgO, and CaO high-purity powders as raw materials. The obtained suspensions were freeze-granulated, pressed into pellets, debinded, and subjected to reactive sintering in vacuum at 1715°C for 6 h. Each material was annealed in air with temperatures between 1300 and 1700°C. Samples were also compared to Cr:YAG ceramics with the addition of silica as a sintering aid. All the materials obtained were then exposed to 445 nm excitation, and emission spectra in the visible and infrared wavelengths were recorded. The results showed that the emission spectra of Cr:YAG ceramics varied according to the annealing conditions: as-sintered samples exhibited strong emissions of around 680 nm and, after air annealing, of around 1400 nm. This phenomenon is attributed to the Cr³⁺→Cr⁴⁺ transition. Samples doped solely with MgO exhibited the highest emission intensity in the infrared region. Thus, Mg²⁺ ions provided the best conversion efficiency of chromium ions.