Genetic Diversity and Conservation of the Prespa Trout in the Balkans

The Balkans are known to have a high level of biodiversity and endemism. No less than 15 taxa have been recorded in salmonids of the Salmo genus. Among them, the Prespa trout is found in only four river systems flowing into Lake Macro Prespa, three in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and one in Greece. This is the first comprehensive survey of all streams located within the Macro Prespa Basin, encompassing the whole taxon range. A large genetic sample of 536 Prespa trout was collected mainly between 2005 and 2007. The sampling included 59 individuals from the Golema river system, 93 from the Kranska, 260 from the Brajcinska, 119 from the Agios Germanos, and five individuals from the lake itself. These specimens were analyzed with six microsatellite markers and by sequencing the mitochondrial control region. Nuclear data were examined through multidimensional analysis and assignment tests. Five clusters were detected by assignment: Golema, Kranska, Brajcinska upstream, Rzanska Brajcinska tributary and Brajcinska downstream. Most of these river systems thus hosted differentiated Prespa trout populations (with past gene flows likely dating before the construction of dams), except Agios Germanos, which was found to be composed of 5% to 32% of each cluster. Among the five trout individuals from the lake, four originated from Kranska River and one was admixed. Supported parsimonious hypotheses are proposed to explain these specificities. Conservation of this endemic taxon should take these results into account. No translocation should be performed between different tributaries of the lake and preservation of the Brajcinska populations should address the upstream-downstream differentiation described.     

Formation of nanosize ZnO particles by thermal decomposition of zinc acetylacetonate monohydrate

Formation of ZnO particles by thermal decomposition of zinc acetylacetonate monohydrate in air atmosphere has been investigated using XRD, DTA, FT-IR, and FE-SEM as experimental techniques. ZnO as a single phase was produced by direct heating at ≥200 °C. DTA in air showed an endothermic peak at 195 °C assigned to the ZnO formation and exothermic peaks at 260, 315 and 365 °C, with a shoulder at 395 °C. Exothermic peaks can be assigned to combustion of an acetylacetonate ligand released at 195 °C. ZnO particles prepared at 200 °C have shown no presence of organic species, as found by FT-IR spectroscopy. Particles prepared for 0.5 h at 200 °C were in the nanosize range from ∼20 to ∼40 nm with a maximum at 30 nm approximately. The crystallite size of 30 nm was estimated in the direction of the a₁ and a₂ crystal axes, and in one direction of the c-axis it was 38 nm, as found with XRD. With prolonged heating of ZnO particles at 200 °C the particle/crystallite size changed little. However, with heating temperature increased up to 500 or 600 °C the ZnO particle size increased, as shown by FE-SEM observation. Nanosize ZnO particles were also prepared in two steps: (a) by heating of zinc acetylacetonate monohydrate up to 150 °C and distillation of water and organic phase, and (b) with further heating of so obtained precursor at 300 °C.     

Chemical and structural properties of the system Fe2O3-Cr2O3

Chemical and structural properties of the mixed metal oxides (1–x)Fe₂O₃+xCr₂O₃ were studied by different techniques. X-ray powder diffraction showed the existence of solid solutions, (Fe_1–x Cr _x )₂O₃, over the whole concentration region, 0x1. The gradual replacement of Fe³⁺ with Cr³⁺ ions in samples prepared at 900°C caused changes in unit-cell parameters; most of these changes took place in the region fromx0.3–0.9. The samples having the fraction of Cr₂O₃ in the region from 0.7–0.8, contained two closely related phases, with slightly different compositions. After an additional heat treatment at 1100°C, these samples contained only one phase.⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy showed a gradual decrease of hyperfine magnetic field with increasing Cr₂O₃ content. The sample having the fraction of Cr₂O₃ of 0.7, and prepared at 900°C, exhibited two separated sextets at room temperature, in comparison with other compositions showing one sextet. It was shown that Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is a powerful method for the investigation of structural changes in these solid solutions. The increase in the Cr₂O₃ content resulted in shifts of the corresponding infrared bands. In addition, a gradual transition of the spectrum typical for -Fe₂O₃ to the spectrum typical for Cr₂O₃ was shown. The transition effects observed in the FT-IR spectra were correlated with the X-ray powder diffraction and⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic results.     

The improved corrosion resistance of steel in water after abrasive blasting with alumina

Polarization resistance studies and cathodic delamination studies provide evidence that steel abrasively blasted with alumina exhibits a lower initial rate of corrosion in distilled water than similar steels blasted with steel grit or abraded with silicon carbide paper. Auger spectroscopy and electron microprobe analysis revealed the presence of significant aluminum on the surface, largely in the form of embedded particles but possibly also as a constituent of the oxide film. Non-metallic abrasive blasting may have application in the chemical modification of metal surfaces.     

A round-ridge waveguide

Boundary condition expansion on basis functions method was applied in the analysis of the round-ridge waveguide. The method enabled a highly accurate determination of all relevant waveguide parameters. It was found that this type had some advantages over the commonly ridged waveguides.     

XRF法测定高异常化探样品中的铜、铅、锌、镍

在用X射线荧光法（XRF）测定化探样品中Cu、Pb、Zn、Ni等元素时，对高异常化探样品，常规分析方法有时会产生错误的结果。本文提出一种新的方法：拓宽标准样品含量范围：对回归曲线做分段处理；镍的探测器改用正比计数器；不做重迭校正，只用经验系数法做基体校正。实验证明，新方法的分析结果较好，符合化探质量管理的要求。方法简单、快速，并已用于大批量生产。     

X-ray diffraction and57Fe Mössbauer spectra of the system Fe2O3−Ga2O3

The influence of gallium substitution on the chemical and structural properties of haematite, α-Fe₂O₃, has been studied using X-ray diffraction and⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The presence of only α-(Ga _x Fe_1?x )₂O₃ phase is detected for the compositions withx between 0.01 and 0.90. A gradual decrease of the unit-cell parameters of α-(Ga _x Fe_1?x )₂O₃ with the increase of gallium substitution is measured.⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra showed that the value of the magnetic hyperfine field of pure α-Fe₂O₃ decreases with increasing gallium for iron substitution. The hyperfine magnetic structure, which is observed for α-(Ga _x Fe_1?x )₂O₃ at room temperature, collapsed for the composition withx?0.50. The changes in the⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra of the α-(Ga _x Fe_1?x )₂O₃ phase are discussed in the sense of the electronic relaxation and the superparamagnetic effects.     

Prostate Cancer Radiogenomics—From Imaging to Molecular Characterization

Radiomics and genomics represent two of the most promising fields of cancer research, designed to improve the risk stratification and disease management of patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Radiomics involves a conversion of imaging derivate quantitative features using manual or automated algorithms, enhancing existing data through mathematical analysis. This could increase the clinical value in PCa management. To extract features from imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the empiric nature of the analysis using machine learning and artificial intelligence could help make the best clinical decisions. Genomics information can be explained or decoded by radiomics. The development of methodologies can create more-efficient predictive models and can better characterize the molecular features of PCa. Additionally, the identification of new imaging biomarkers can overcome the known heterogeneity of PCa, by non-invasive radiological assessment of the whole specific organ. In the future, the validation of recent findings, in large, randomized cohorts of PCa patients, can establish the role of radiogenomics. Briefly, we aimed to review the current literature of highly quantitative and qualitative results from well-designed studies for the diagnoses, treatment, and follow-up of prostate cancer, based on radiomics, genomics and radiogenomics research.     

Chemical and structural properties of the system Fe2O3-In2O3

The system Fe₂O₃-In₂O₃ was studied using X-ray diffraction,⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The samples were prepared by chemical coprecipitation and thermal treatment of the hydroxide coprecipitates. For samples heated at 600 °C, a phase, α- (Fe_1?x In _x )₂O₃, isostructural with α-Fe₂O₃, exists for 0?x?0.8, and a phase C-(Fe_1?x In _x )₂O₃, isostructural with cubic In₂O₃, exists for 0.3?x?/1. In the two-phase region these two phases are poorly crystallized. An amorphous phase is also observed for 0.3?x?0.7. For samples heated at 900 °C the two-phase region is wider and exists for 0.1?x?0.8 with the two phases well crystallized. In these samples an amorphous phase is not observed.⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy of samples prepared at 600 °C indicated a general tendency of the broadening of spectral lines and the decrease of numerical values of the hyperfine magnetic field (HMF) with increasing molar fraction In₂O₃ in the system Fe₂O₃-In₂O₃. The samples prepared at 900 °C, in the two-phase region, are characterized by a constant HMF value of 510 kOe at room temperature. Infrared spectroscopy was also used to follow the changes in the infrared spectra of the system Fe₂O₃-In₂O₃ with gradual increase of molar fraction of In₂O₃. A correlation between X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopic and infrared spectroscopic results was obtained.