The magnetic properties of glass-ceramics in the CoO-Fe2O3-B2O3 system

The preparation of glasses in the CoO-Fe₂O₃-B₂O₃ system is described and it is shown that the magnetic spinel cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) can be obtained in precipitate when the glasses are heat-treated. The identity of the crystalline phase is established by means of Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is shown that the magnetic properties of the glass-ceramics can be controlled by means of the heat-treatment schedule and intrinsic coercivities as high as 1900 Oe are recorded. The magnetic properties of the as-cast and heat-treated material are discussed generally in terms of superparamagnetic, single domain and multi-domain behaviour. The highest values of the intrinsic coercivity and remanence are compared to those calculated for an assembly of non-interacting single domain particles with positive cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy.     

Calibrating SECCM measurements by means of a nanoelectrode ruler.The intrinsic oxygen reduction activity of PtNi catalyst nanoparticles

Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy(SECCM)is increasingly applied to determine the intrinsic catalytic activity of single electrocatalyst particle.This is especially feasible if the catalyst nanoparticles are large enough that they can be found and counted in post-SECCM scanning electron microscopy images.Evidently,this becomes impossible for very small nanoparticles and hence,a catalytic current measured in one landing zone of the SECCM droplet cannot be correlated to the exact number of catalyst particles.We show,that by introducing a ruler method employing a carbon nanoelectrode decorated with a countable number of the same catalyst particles from which the catalytic activity can be determined,the activity determined using SECCM from many spots can be converted in the intrinsic catalytic activity of a certain number of catalyst nanoparticles.     

Second harmonic generation from a ferroelectric film

We derive an expression for transmittivity (T_SHG) of second harmonic generation (SHG) signals from a ferroelectric (FE) film. Intensities of up and down fields in the medium are investigated in relation to T_SHG. The derivations are made based on undepletion of input fields and nonlinear wave equation derived from the Maxwell equations. We present two cases: film without mirrors and with partial mirrors. Expressions for the newly derived nonlinear susceptibility coefficients of SHG for real crystal symmetry [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 19 (2002) 2007] are used to get more realistic results. Variations in T_SHG with respect to film thickness are illustrated.     

The electronics industry in Central Europe: recent changes andfuture prospects

Political changes in the Central European countries since 1989 have led to a radical shake-up in the electronics industry in the region. This article shows how the former state monoliths in the region have been broken up or sold off, and profiles the emergence of new market-oriented companies. The low wage rates for assembly workers in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland make them a potential location for low-cost production close to the European Union. There is already clear evidence that German electronics companies are moving lower value-added activities to their Eastern neighbours     

Can the Shape of Nanoparticles Enable the Targeting to Cancer Cells over Healthy Cells?

Macropinocytosis is a consequence of oncogenic alterations of cancer cells while most healthy cells are non-macropinocytic. It is currently unclear whether macropinocytic cancer cells can be targeted rather than healthy cells, by adjusting the shape and size of nanoparticles. Herein, the endocytosis of two differently shaped nanoparticles; nanorods and nanospheres are compared in cancer and healthy cells. The cells are breast epithelial cancer cells (MCF7) and breast epithelial healthy cells (MCF10A) and pancreas cancer cells (PANC-1 cells) and non-tumourogenic patient-derived cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The endocytosis pathway is quantified by a combination of pair correlation microscopy and endocytosis inhibitors. MCF7 cells use clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis to take up the nanorods while MCF10A cells use predominantly clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Based on the comparison of endocytic behavior of cancer and healthy cells, MCF7 cells can be induced to take up more nanorods and suppress the metabolism and endocytosis of nanorods in MCF10A cells. The nanorods allow targeting to breast cancer MCF7 cells and pancreas cancer cells over the healthy cells. This study opens exciting possibilities for shape to target the cancer cells over healthy cells, by adjusting nanoparticle shape.     

Synthesis of porous hydrogel structures by polymerizing the continuous phase of a microemulsion

A series of microemulsions have been formulated, with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) or HEMA/water/propanol mixtures as the continuous phase and methylcyclohexane as the discontinuous phase. The effect of surfactant type was investigated with the utilization of both anionic and nonionic surfactants. The microemulsion continuous phase was polymerized by UV radiation and a thermal post-cure. The resultant polymers were extracted to remove the discontinuous phase and the surfactant. On swelling, the majority of the polymers became opaque, although transparent PHEMA hydrogels were synthesized with an improved equilibrium water content (EWC). The cause of opacity was shown by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The breakdown in the microemulsion on polymerization is caused by unfavourable interactions between the PHEMA and the stabilizing surfactants causing agglomerization of the discontinuous phase. All the hydrogels were found to have higher water retention than PHEMA, with EWCs of up to 70%. The modified polymers also demonstrated an increased rate of water diffusion into the matrix. A preliminary study of oxygen permability revealed that a significant improvement had been made over standard PHEMA membranes. The porous structure of the PHEMA gels has been shown to be dependent on the type of surfactant used during synthesis.