Individual and Geographic Variation of Skin Alkaloids in Three Species of Madagascan Poison Frogs (Mantella)

Alkaloid profiles for 81 individual mantellid frogs, Mantella baroni (Boulenger 1988) (N = 19), M. bernhardi (N = 51), and M. madagascariensis (Grandidier 1877) (N = 11), from six different populations from Madagascar were examined. Marked individual differences in alkaloid composition (number, type, and amount) were observed between different species and between populations of the same species. Disjunct populations of each of the three species differed significantly in alkaloid composition. Sympatric populations of M. baroni and M. madagascariensis also differed significantly in alkaloid composition. In M. bernhardi, differences in alkaloid composition were marginally associated with different sexes. A total of 111 alkaloids, including isomers, were detected in analysis of the individuals from the three species. The majority (47%) appear likely to be obtained from dietary mites, whereas many of the others (18%) are presumed to be from ants, and a few (4%) are from millipedes. Putative dietary sources for the remaining alkaloids are generally unknown, but beetles are probably the source of at least some of the tricyclic alkaloids (6%). In addition, alkaloid compositions from extracts of groups of individuals from five additional populations of M. baroni and from one population of M. bernhardi (Vences et al. 1994) and one population of M. cowanii (Boulenger 1882) were examined. An additional 50 alkaloids, including isomers, were detected in the combined samples, bringing the total number of alkaloids identified from these four species of mantellid frogs to 161. Alkaloid compositions in mantellid poison frogs are diverse and highly dependent on geographic location that appear to be largely determined by the nature and availability of alkaloid-containing prey items. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi: ) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Single-crystal elastic constants of natural ettringite

The single-crystal elastic constants of natural ettringite were determined by Brillouin spectroscopy at ambient conditions. The six non-zero elastic constants of this trigonal mineral are: C₁₁ = 35.1 ± 0.1 GPa, C₁₂ = 21.9 ±0.1 GPa, C₁₃ = 20.0 ± 0.5 GPa, C₁₄ = 0.6 ± 0.2 GPa, C₃₃ = 55 ± 1 GPa, C₄₄ = 11.0 ± 0.2 GPa. The Hill average of the aggregate bulk, shear modulus and the polycrystal Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio are 27.3 ± 0.9 GPa, 9.5 ± 0.8 GPa, 25 ± 2 GPa and 0.34 ± 0.02 respectively. The longitudinal and shear elastic anisotropy are C₃₃/C₁₁ = 0.64 ± 0.01 and C₆₆/C₄₄ =0.60 ± 0.01. The elastic anisotropy in ettringite is connected to its crystallographic structure. Stiff chains of [Al(OH)₆]³⁻ octahedra alternating with triplets of Ca²⁺ in eight-fold coordination run parallel to the c-axis leading to higher stiffness along this direction. The determination of the elastic stiffness tensor can help in the prediction of the early age properties of cement paste when ettringite crystals precipitate and in the modeling of both internal and external sulfate attack when secondary ettringite formation leads to expansion of concrete.     

Ultrafine comminution of dental glass in a stirred media mill

A systematic study on the comminution of amorphous glass particles with complex composition (seven constituents) to produce nanoparticles has been performed in a high-energy stirred media mill. The influence of solids loading, dispersion stabilisation via pH and addition of dispersants on particle size was investigated in aqueous suspensions. Further, the effect of using 2-propanol and benzyl alcohol as dispersion media on the particle size and morphology is presented and compared to the aqueous system. The specific surface area of the product powder was analysed by the BET method, the secondary particle size was determined by static light scattering and the morphology was investigated by SEM and TEM. Dispersion viscosity and stability was measured using rotational viscosimetry and zeta-potential measurements, respectively. The results show that the solids loading plays a central role in the comminution efficiency, where lower loadings lead to finer particles after a given milling time. Stabilisation of the aqueous powder dispersion by adjusting the pH or by adding a dispersant did not result in an enhanced milling efficiency in terms of fast reduction of the particle size. The smallest glass nanoparticles with a primary particle size were achieved by a two-step comminution process. The particles were irregularly shaped when milled in water, however, when processed in 2-propanol and benzyl alcohol, they had a plate-like geometry.     

Textured PMN–PT and PMN–PZT

A promising way to improve the performance of piezoelectric ceramics is grain orientation by templated grain growth. In this work lead-based piezoelectric ceramics Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)_0.68Ti_0.32O₃ (PMN–32PT) and Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)_0.42(Ti_0.638Zr_0.362)_0.58O₃ (PMN–37PT–21PZ) ceramics were textured via templated grain growth process. For texturization (001)-oriented BaTiO₃ (BT) platelets (approximately 10 μm × 10 μm × 2 μm) were utilized as templates. The texturized ceramics were accomplished by aligning the templates by tape casting. The template growth into the matrix resulted in textured ceramics with Lotgering factors between 0.94 and 0.99 for both compositions. Consequences of the texture are enhanced dielectric and piezoelectric properties. Unipolar strain-field measurements of textured ceramics showed 0.25% strain s ₃₃ at 3 kV/mm. Large signal d ₃₃^* of up to 878 pm/V were determined directly from strain measurements. Compared with randomly oriented ceramics in texturized samples unipolar strain s ₃₃ and large signal d ₃₃^* was enhanced by a factor of up to 1.8.     

Solution-Based Synthesis of Submicrometer ZrB2 and ZrB2–TaB2

Zirconium diboride and a zirconium diboride/tantalum diboride mixture were synthesized by solution-based processing. Zirconium n -propoxide was refluxed with 2,4-pentanedione to form zirconium diketonate. This compound hydrolyzed in a controllable fashion to form a zirconia precursor. Boria and carbon precursors were formed via solution additions of phenol–formaldehyde and boric acid, respectively. Tantalum oxide precursors were formed similarly as zirconia precursors, in which tantalum ethoxide was used. Solutions were concentrated, dried, pyrolyzed (800°–1100°C, 2 h, flowing argon), and exposed to carbothermal reduction heat treatments (1150°–1800°C, 2 h, flowing argon). Spherical particles of 200–600 nm for pure ZrB₂ and ZrB₂–TaB₂ mixtures were formed.     

Mesoporous ordered silica structures modified by metal organic reagents and their application in catalytic Michael additions

Periodic mesoporous silica was modified with metal organic reagents via direct surface substitution reactions, thus introducing functional groups into the channels of the structure. Using materials functionalised with basic aromatic molecules as catalysts, the efficient Michael addition of diethyl malonate to trans-β-nitrostyrene was achieved. The catalysts anchored to the silica surface show high activity in the catalytic process even at low concentrations and low temperatures. The catalysts also prove to be stable during many recycling procedures. In combination with the remarkably reduced cost for the synthesis of these solid bases, the new hybrid systems are promising candidates for a new generation of catalysts.     

Comparison of 2D simultaneous multi-slice and 3D GRASE readout schemes for pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling of cerebral perfusion at 3 T

Objective

In this perfusion magnetic resonance imaging study, the performances of different pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) sequences were compared: two-dimensional (2D) single-shot readout with simultaneous multislice (SMS), 2D single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) and multishot three-dimensional (3D) gradient and spin echo (GRASE) sequences combined with a background-suppression (BS) module.

Materials and methods

Whole-brain PCASL images were acquired from seven healthy volunteers. The performance of each protocol was evaluated by extracting regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measures using an inline morphometric segmentation prototype. Image data postprocessing and subsequent statistical analyses enabled comparisons at the regional and sub-regional levels.

Results

The main findings were as follows: (i) Mean global CBF obtained across methods was were highly correlated, and these correlations were significantly higher among the same readout sequences. (ii) Temporal signal-to-noise ratio and gray-matter-to-white-matter CBF ratio were found to be equivalent for all 2D variants but lower than those of 3D-GRASE.

Discussion

Our study demonstrates that the accelerated SMS readout can provide increased acquisition efficiency and/or a higher temporal resolution than conventional 2D and 3D readout sequences. Among all of the methods, 3D-GRASE showed the lowest variability in CBF measurements and thus highest robustness against noise.

     

Fabrication of Long Lengths of Epitaxial Buffer Layers on Biaxially Textured Nickel Substrates Using a Continuous Reel-to-Reel Dip-Coating Unit

A low-cost, nonvacuum, solution precursor route has been developed to produce epitaxial oxide buffer layers of Eu₂O₃ or La₂Zr₂O₇ on biaxially textured Ni (100) tapes. A reel-to-reel continuous dip-coating unit consisting of a constant-tension tape transport system attached to a controlled atmosphere furnace was fabricated. Nickel tapes were pulled through a 2-methoxyethanol solution of europium methoxyethoxide/acetate or lanthanum zirconium methoxyethoxide. The double-sided dip-coated tapes were then annealed in a preheated furnace at 1000°–1100°C with a high flow rate of Ar/H₂ (4%) gas. The dip-coated buffers were dense, continuous, crack-free, and epitaxial with a single cube texture. A critical current ( J _c) of >1 MA/cm² at 77 K and self-field was obtained for YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ (YBCO) films with a layer sequence of YBCO ( ex situ BaF₂ process)/CeO₂ (sputtered)/YSZ (sputtered)/Eu₂O₃ (dip-coated)/nickel. We have produced 1–2 m lengths of epitaxial buffer layers on textured nickel substrates using a nonvacuum process for the first time.     

Advanced Alumina Composites Reinforced with Titanium-Based Alloys

New (inter)metallic-ceramic composites for high-temperature structural and functional applications are prepared via high-energy ball milling. During compaction by pressureless sintering, dense Al₂O₃/Ti-based alloy composites are formed that consist of inter-connected networks of the ceramic and the (inter)metallic phases. Ti-Al-V/Al₂O₃ and Ti-Al-Nb/Al₂O₃ composites show enhanced damage tolerance over monolithic Al₂O₃, i.e ., fracture toughnesses up to 5.6 MPa·m^0.5 and bending strengths up to 527 MPa. The resistance against abrasive wear is almost doubled with respect to monolithic Al₂O₃ ceramic. Electrical resistivity scales with the ceramic volume fraction and ranges between 0.3 mΩ·cm and 55.1 mΩ·cm, with only a weak temperature dependence ≤700°C.