Maternal dexamethasone treatment reduces ovarian follicle number in neonatal rat offspring

Elevated glucocorticoid levels in the gravid female circulation affect a number of endocrine functions in the fetuses and neonates. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of maternal dexamethasone (Dx) administration during late pregnancy on the ovaries of neonatal offspring. On the 16th day of pregnancy, experimental dams received subcutaneously 1.0 mg Dx/kg b.w., followed by 0.5 mg Dx/kg b.w./day on the 17th and 18th days of gestation. The control gravid females received the same volume of saline vehicle. Left ovaries from 5‐day‐old female pups were stereologically analyzed. The ovary volumes were estimated using Cavalieri's principle. The number of healthy and atretic primordial and primary follicles was estimated using a fractionator–physical disector method. The number of secondary follicles was determined by exact counts of every fourth section encompassing whole cross‐sections of the ovary. The ovary volume was significantly decreased (by 44.4%; P < 0.05) in the group of female pups from Dx‐treated mothers comparing to the controls. The numbers of healthy primordial and atretic follicles were 38.8% (P < 0.05) and 50.9% (P < 0.05), respectively, reduced in the ovaries of pups from the Dx‐treated mothers, when compared with the control values. There were 53.4% (P < 0.05) fewer healthy primary and 41.8% (P < 0.05) fewer healthy secondary follicles as well. The numbers of atretic primary and secondary follicles were reduced by 60.0% (P < 0.05) and 61.7% (P < 0.05), respectively. It can be concluded that fetal exposure to glucocorticoids decreased the pool of non‐growing follicles in the neonatal ovary, whereas the processes of folliculogenesis and atresia remained unaffected.     

Influence of substrate orientation on the morphologyand orientation of LaNiO3 thin films

LaNiO₃ thin films were successfully prepared by a chemical method from citrate precursors. The LNO precursor solution was spin‐coated onto Si (100) and Si (111) substrates. To obtain epitaxial or highly oriented films, the deposited layers were slowly heated in a gradient thermal field, with a heating rate of 1° min^?1, and annealed at 700°C. The influence of different substrate orientations on the thin film morphology was investigated using atomic force microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Well‐crystallized films with grains aligned along a certain direction were obtained on both substrates. Films deposited on both substrates were very smooth, but with a different grain size and shape depending on the crystal orientation. Films deposited on Si (100) grew in the (110) direction and had elongated grains, whereas those on Si (111) grew in the (211) direction and had a quasi‐square grain shape.     

Modelling and experimental investigations of thin filmsof Mg phosphorus‐doped tungsten bronzes obtainedby ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

In this study, the synthesis of thin films of Mg phosphorus doped tungsten bronzes (MgPTB; MgHPW₁₂O₄₀·29H₂O) by the self‐assembly of nano‐structured particles of MgPTB obtained using the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method was investigated. As the precursor, MgPTB, prepared by the ionic exchange method, was used. Nano‐structured particles of MgPTB were obtained using the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. The nano‐structure of the particles used as the building blocks in the MgPTB thin film were investigated experimentally and theoretically, applying the model given in this article. The obtained data for the mean particle size and their size distribution show a high degree of agreement. These previously tailored particles used for the preparation of thin films during the next synthesis step, by their self‐assembly over slow deposition on a silica glass substrate, show how it is possible to create thin MgPTB films under advance projected conditions of the applied physical fields with a fully determined nanostructure of their building block particles, with a relatively small roughness and unique physical properties.     

Levels of plant cell wall structural organization revealed by atomic force microscopy

We used an atomic force microscope to image cell wall isolated from needles of Serbian spruce tree and that synthesized from cell wall components. We also observed the structure of lignin model polymer (DHP), as a best substitute for the natural lignin. A tendency of aggregate formation was observed in all samples. Cell wall was revealed as a laminated fibrous structure. General organization is similar in both isolated and synthesized cell wall samples, with dominating globular motifs arranged regularly as rods and forming cavities. The synthesized cell wall has a more regular structural organization than isolated cell wall. The dimensions of individual globular aggregates and pores differed between the two samples. DHP showed a similar, regular organization, with globular aggregates and holes. Globules and pores are smaller in size than the corresponding structures in both the isolated and synthesized cell walls. Such modular organization of cell walls may have a physiological role in response to the external mechanical stress caused to plant cells.     

Antioxidant and cell growth activities of beet root pomace extracts

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) pomace, processing by-product from food industry, was investigated in this work as a starting raw material. The contents of phenolics (1.87–11.98 mg GAE/g of dry weight) and betalains (0.75–3.75 mg betalains/g of dry weight) in the extracts were determinated spectrophotometrically. Some individual phenolic compounds, including ferulic, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic and protocatehuic acids, were identified and quantified by HPLC. The antioxidative activity of beetroot extracts was tested using DPPH, hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals by ESR spectroscopy. ${\text{IC}}_{50}^{{}^{\text{<mglyph src="https://sdfestaticassets-us-east-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/16/entities/rad"></mglyph>}}\text{OH}}$ (0.05–0.108 mg/ml), $\text{IC}{50}^{{\text{DPPH}}^{\text{<mglyph src="https://sdfestaticassets-us-east-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/16/entities/rad"></mglyph>}}}$ (0.183–0.333 mg/ml), and ${\text{IC}}_{50}^{{\text{O}}_2^{\text{<mglyph src="https://sdfestaticassets-us-east-1.sciencedirectassets.com/shared-assets/16/entities/rad"></mglyph>}-}}$ (0.198–1.000 mg/ml) were calculated. The regression analysis produced moderate to high correlation coefficients between the scavenging activities and phenolics, and some individual phenolic compounds which indicated that beetroot pomace may be used as functional food ingredient. Cell growth effects were determined in MCF7 and MRC-5 cell lines, using SRB assay. IC₅₀ values were in the range of 362.478–503.525 and 383–587.880 μg/ml in MRC-5 and MCF7, respectively.     

Performance of upgraded JET neutral beam injectors

The JET neutral beam injection (NBI) system is undergoing an upgrade of both beam power and pulse duration, which will be completed in 2011. In order to obtain an early assessment of the performance of the upgraded injectors, two positive ion neutral injectors (PINIs) with modified ion source and accelerator configuration were installed on Octant 8 Neutral Injector Box and successfully commissioned in summer 2009. Both PINIs were routinely delivering ～2 MW of deuterium neutral beam power during the JET experimental campaign in autumn 2009. These early tests allowed us to predict with confidence that the JET NBI upgrade objective of injecting 34 MW of total deuterium neutral beam power into the JET plasma will be achieved.     

The synthesis of single phase WC nanoparticles/C composite by solid state reaction involving nitrogen-rich carbonized polyaniline

Single phase tungsten carbide nanoparticles (WC-NPs), (mean particle diameter 5.4 nm), distributed over carbonized polyaniline (C-PANI) nanotubes/nanosheets were synthesized by a solid state reaction between WO₃ and nitrogen-rich carbonized polyaniline at 1000 °C in a reducing atmosphere. The resulting composite was characterized by X-ray diffractometry, electron microscopy, thermogravimetry in oxidizing and reduction atmospheres and elemental analysis. We suggested that the synthesis of WC as a single phase was facilitated by reactive C atoms with dangling bonds, formed upon nitrogen removal.     

CONVECTIVE DRYING OF THIN AND DEEP BEDS OF GRAIN

The object of this paper is the experimental and theoretical investigation of heat and mass transfer during drying of packed beds of grain. A deep bed of grain was regarded as a series of thin beds. Analytical expressions for the thin bed drying rate were obtained by defining the air parameters at the grain surface in the falling rate period of drying and using the results of drying experiments. The paper also contains a simulation model for drying deep beds of grain, consisting of four partial differential equations based on energy and mass balances in a bed element. The system of equations was solved using finite difference techniques and a digital computer. A comparison between numerical solutions and experimental results is illustrated.     

Synthesis of Pt Nanowires Inside Aerosol Derived Spherical Mesoporous Silica Particles

Spherical mesoporous silica particles prepared by evaporation induced self assembly (EISA) were used as templates to form Pt nanowires. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of these aerosol-derived silica particles reveal hexagonally ordered pores coiled within each particle, with no obvious termination of the pores on the external surface. Near the particle surface the pores are seen to run parallel to the surface, consistent with the external constraint of spherical geometry. For MCM-41 type mesoporous materials, the pores are straight and accessible at either end for pore filling, but for spherical silica particles prepared by EISA, the pores are not open to the external surface. Hence it is remarkable that Pt nanowires can be formed within the closed pores inside these spherical silica particles, where conventional mechanisms of pore filling would not be expected to be operative. These results suggest that the silica walls in these mesoporous silica allow transport of volatile Pt complexes during wet reduction in H₂. The permeability to gases makes these spherical silica particles especially suitable for gas phase catalytic reactions, while at the same time confining metallic particles within the silica pores.     

Design of control systems with random parameters†

In this paper a method for designing control systems with random parameters and random initial state is presented. The observed signal available for feedback is a function of the state and system parameters corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise with zero mean. The proposed control consists of an open-loop term, which is the optimal control for the parameters and initial state equal to their mean values, plus a feedback correction term. The feedback correction term is a linear function of the estimated values of the deviation in initial state and system parameters from their mean values. The control tends to the optimally sensitive control when the measurement noise tends to zero, and the feedback correction tends to zero when the measurement noise tends to infinity. A numerical experiment with a simplified model for nuclear reactor control shows that in spite of fairly large measurement noise, significant improvement in performance can be achieved using the proposed control compared to open-loop control.