Effect of vanadium and chromium on the microstructural features of V–Cr–Mn–Ni spheroidal carbide cast irons

The objective of this investigation is to study the influence of vanadium（5.0wt%–10.0wt%） and chromium（0–9.0wt%） on the microstructure and hardness of Cr-V-Mn-Ni white cast irons with spheroidal vanadium carbides. The alloys＇ microstructural features are presented and discussed with regard to the distribution of phase elements. The structural constituents of the alloys are spheroidal VC, proeutectoid cementite, ledeburite eutectic, rosette-shaped carbide eutectic（based on M7C3）, pearlite, martensite, and austenite. Their combinations and area fraction（AF） ratios are reported to be influenced by the alloys＇ chemical composition. Spheroidized VC particles are found to be sites for the nucleation of carbide eutectics. Cr and V are shown to substitute each other in the VC and M7C3 carbides, respectively. Chromium alloying leads to the formation of a eutectic（γ-Fe ＋ М7С3）, preventing the appearance of proeutectoid cementite in the structure. Vanadium and chromium are revealed to increase the total carbide fraction and the amount of austenite in the matrix. Cr is observed to play a key role in controlling the metallic matrix microstructure.     

Efficiency of classical molecular dynamics algorithms on supercomputers

High performance computing hardware is developed faster than the algorithms for fundamental mathematical models such as classical molecular dynamics are adapted. A wide variety of choice makes it necessary to determine clear criteria based on the computational efficiency of a specific algorithm on a particular hardware. The LINPACK benchmark can no longer serve this purpose. In this paper, we analyze the solution time–peak performance metric based on practical considerations. In this metric, we compare different hardware (both current and obsolete) based on the example of the LAMMPS benchmark, which is widely used for atomistic simulations. It is shown that the considered metric can be used for unambiguous comparison of different combinations of CPUs, accelerators, and interconnection.     

In vivo fluorescence microscopy for the assessment of microvascular reperfusion injury in small bowel transplants in rats

With the use of in vivo fluorescence microscopy we have analyzed microvascular reperfusion injury of small bowel isograft transplants in rats. Following 1 hr cold storage in University of Wisconsin solution, the small bowel was transplanted heterotopically, and the intestinal microcirculation was quantitatively analyzed 20-60 min after onset of reperfusion. The intestinal grafts' capillary perfusion of both the mucosa and the circular and longitudinal muscles was not found altered when compared with the intestinal capillary perfusion of sham-operated controls. In contrast, leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction, including leukocyte rolling (40 +/- 5%) and sticking (280 +/- 100 mm-2) in submucosal postcapillary venules, was significantly increased when compared with nontransplanted controls (12 +/- 8% and 20 +/- 10 mm-2, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction was associated with a marked alteration of lymphatic capillary drainage, as indicated by the low functional density of lymphatic microvessels of 10.2 +/- 6.1 cm-1 (P < 0.01 vs. sham-operated controls (39.2 +/- 6.1 cm-1)). From these results we propose that leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction, not capillary "no-reflow," is the primary step in the manifestation of microvascular reperfusion injury following a short period of cold ischemia in small bowel grafts.     

Recent advances in amperometric glucose biosensors for in vivo monitoring

The substance-use, positive health practices, diet and eating habits, driving behaviours and preventive health care practices of 113 nurses living in the southeast of England were assessed by means of a postal questionnaire. Females were generally more compliant than males with most of the behaviours assessed. Females reported taking greater risks with driving behaviours by an occasional tendency to "drink and drive". Many males reported both a lack of knowledge of how to self-examine their testicles for signs of cancer and little compliance with this behaviour. This sample reported more smoking and alcohol use than previously reported samples of American nurses and U.K. norms. The nurses in this sample were more likely to avoid foods high in cholesterol, add fibre to their diet and be more vigilant in their driving behaviour than American nurses and British non-nurses.     

Growth of diamond microcrystals by the oriented attachment mechanism at high pressure and high temperature

For the first time it has been experimentally shown that a powder of detonation nanodiamonds (DND) and a saturated acyclic hydrocarbon, mono- or dibasic alcohol, used as the reaction mixture after treatment at high pressures (5–8 GPa) and high temperatures (1300–1800°C) results in the formation of diamond single crystals up to 15 micron in size. The Raman spectrum indicates that the diamonds have a perfect of crystal structure. It has been suggested that the oriented attachment mechanism is responsible for growth of micrometer-size diamond single crystals out of DND particles with sizes of about 5 nm under these technological conditions.     

Ionization of glycine molecules by α-particles with keV energies

The method of “multistop” time-of-flight mass spectrometry has been used to study the mechanism of radiation damage to glycine molecules in the gas phase upon their interaction with He²⁺ ions with energy E _p = 4 keV/amu. The relative cross sections of various elementary processes occurring in single collisions of glycine molecules with the ions were measured for the first time. A difference was found between the fragmentations of intermediate doubly charged ions formed in capture of a single electron with ionization and in two-electron capture, which is accounted for by the difference between the excitation energies of molecular ions.     

Mechanisms of Current Transfer in Electrodeposited Layers of Submicron Semiconductor Particles

Technical Physics Letters - Current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of conductance in multigrain layers of submicron particles of silicon, gallium arsenide, indium arsenide, and indium...