Genetic Background of Fetal Growth Restriction

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is one of the most formidable challenges in present-day antenatal care. Pathological fetal growth is a well-known factor of not only in utero demise in the third trimester, but also postnatal morbidity and unfavorable developmental outcomes, including long-term sequalae such as metabolic diseases, diabetic mellitus or hypertension. In this review, the authors present the current state of knowledge about the genetic disturbances responsible for FGR diagnosis, divided into fetal, placental and maternal causes (including preeclampsia), as well as their impact on prenatal diagnostics, with particular attention on chromosomal microarray (CMA) and noninvasive prenatal testing technique (NIPT).     

Detection of Starch Transformation Under γ-Irradiation by Small-angle X-Ray Scattering

The small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to examine structural changes of starches after γ-irradiation with 10, 20, 30 kGy doses. The diminution of intensity of small-angle reflexion relating to 100 A spacing indicates destruction of long-range ordering in granules after γ-irradiation. It was observed as well in the case of irradiation of dry pure starches as a starch contained in potatoes. The method suggests possibility of quick identification of irradiated foodstuffs.     

Branched copolymers with biodegradable core and pendant oxirane groups

The reactive oxirane groups were incorporated into the macromolecule as substituents in the side chains of loosely‐grafted copolymer or in the arms of star‐shaped copolymer using glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) in the controlled atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The branched GMA copolymers with various architectures were obtained by using hydrophobic copolymers containing six and seven units of caprolactone 2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl ester (CLMA) functionalized with bromoester groups, and trifunctional poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL), as well as hydrophilic tri‐, and six‐functional acetal derivatives of D ‐glucopyranosides as (macro)initiators with biodegradable and biocompatible properties. The well‐defined copolymers with core‐shell structures and polymerization degrees of GMA in the range of 20–100 per side chain/arm at 20–70% of monomer conversion within 1–6 h and narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n = 1.14–1.4) were obtained. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synthese und Eigenschaften von Dian-Epoxidharz-Kompositen unter Verwendung eines latenten Beschleunigers

The synthesis of tertiary amine salts used as latent accelerator in the investigated diene composites of hardened epoxy resins prepared from modified Diels-Alder adducts of terpene hydrocarbons and maleic anhydride is described. The mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of cured resins have been examined. Out of a selected composite, with the help of the injection moulding method, a number of insulators was produced which were then subjected to further investigation. The composite under examination proved to be fully suitable for making electrical insulating materials with the traditional method as well as with the injection moulding method.     

Static and Dynamic Mechanical Behavior of Electron Beam‐Cured Monomer and Monomer/Liquid Crystal Systems

Summary: This paper discusses static and dynamic mechanical properties of electron beam‐cured mixtures made of the nematic liquid crystal (LC) E7 and either tripropyleneglycol diacrylate (TPGDA) or propoxylated glycerol triacrylate (GPTA) as monomers differing essentially by their functionality. Dilution of the initial mixture with LC leads to a significant weakening of the film mechanical strength. Strong effects were found on Young modulus and rubbery state modulus. As the concentration of LC increases, these mechanical parameters drop significantly together with the glass transition temperature of the polymer showing a plasticizing effect. The results for the glass transition temperatures for the polymer and the LC were confirmed by thermograms obtained by differential scanning calorimetry.

Storage tensile modulus versus temperature of EB‐cured TPGDA/E7 films for different LC concentrations.     

Nickel hydroxide ageing time influence on its solubility in water acidified with sulphuric acid

Nickel hydroxide samples freshly settled as well as stored over 1 month, 2 months and 6.5 years were examined for their solubility rate in diluted H2SO4 solutions of pH 1.9 and 2.8 as a function of time. Samples with a longer ageing history dissolved less readily than freshly settled ones. It was determined that the resistance to dissolving rose with sample ageing time and the solubility of the 6.5 years stored sample was particularly low. X-ray examination evidenced that during storage the crystallinity of Ni(OH)2 subsequently rose. The parallelity of both time-dependent phenomena allows the conclusion that with nickel hydroxide ageing the transformation of disordered nickel hydroxide species into crystalline Ni(OH)2 (without phase changes) is responsible for increasing nickel hydroxide resistance to dissolving in acidic solutions. Such decrease of nickel hydroxide solubility with ageing in case of waste nickel hydroxide, is worth to notice in a view of environment protection against pollution with electroplating waste.     

Design, fabrication and optical characterization of cerium oxide-magnesium fluoride double layer antireflection coatings on monocrystalline silicon substrates

Theoretical and experimental studies of a double layer antireflection coating deposited onto silicon wafers have been carried out. Magnesium oxide and cerium oxide fabricated by physical vapor deposition method have been applied as low- and high-refractive index materials. MgF₂–CeO₂–Si structures exhibited the reflectivity below 3% in the wavelength window from 0.5 μm to 1.2 μm. Theoretical simulations of spectral characteristics of the reflectivity of these coatings have been performed. A good correlation between experimental data and theoretical curves has been observed with the assumption that a thin SiO₂ layer of a thickness of 16 nm is formed onto Si substrates.