Employing plasma as catalyst in hydrogen production

A novel approach in hydrogen production via reforming of hydrocarbons that will use catalytic properties of non-equilibrium plasma gas discharge is presented. CH₄/CO₂ mixtures are heated to a temperature of 900°C, so that mixture will have approximately 80% of the energy required for thermal reforming. Preheated mixtures are then processed in a Pulsed Corona Discharge type plasma source and the catalytic effect of a non-equilibrium plasma is observed for promotion of hydrogen generation.     

Distributed synthesis for regular and contextfree specifications

We consider the distributed realizability problem for systems with regular and deterministic contextfree local specifications. We characterize exactly the architectures for which the realizability problem is decidable. This extends known results on local specifications in two directions. First, architectures with cycles are allowed instead of just acyclic ones and second, deterministic contextfree specifications are considered.     

Refractories for the slide gates of the steel-teeming ladles of the electric melt shop of belorussian metallurgical plant

Conclusions The imported refractories and design of the slide gate were analyzed. Experience in their use, which may be used in domestic practice for increasing refractory life and improving the designs of refractories and gates and the method of teeming steel through slide gates, was obtained.At Belorussian Metallurgical Plant a set of domestic refractories has been introduced in the Interstop slide gate in place of the imported ones. The life of the domestic refractories is equal to or exceeds that of the imported analogs.Translated from Ogneupory, No. 6, pp. 51–55, June, 1989.     

A new type of polymer-polymer PVC systems with surface layers converted into hydroxyethylcyclam nanofilms of the type “hard coating on soft substrate”

With the aim of classifying PVC materials in which surface layers are converted into interpenetrated network cyclam nanofilms among polymer-polymer systems, comparative studies of their properties were carried out with consideration for the specific conditions for the preparation of the material. The density and structures of near-surface layers, the bulk ratio of the ordered and disordered forms, the dynamics of swelling in water, and the effective partial volume occupied by water molecules were studied for PVC plates prior to and after hydrothermal treatment. The conversion of the surface layers changes the structural self-organization of PVC: the polymer structure becomes more compact and ordered both in the area adjacent to the nanofilm and in the polymer bulk, which is characteristic of systems of the type “hard coating on soft substrate”. Original Russian Text ? A.Ya. Fridman, E.M. Morozova, A.Yu. Tsivadze, N.P. Sokolova, I.I. Bardyshev, A.M. Gorbunov, O.P. Shapokhina, 2007, published in Zashchita Metallov, 2007, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 498–502.     

Formation and Properties of Electron- and Ion-Conducting Layers of N-Substituted PVC Derivatives Grafted onto Active Carbon

Protection of Metals and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces - A systematization is presented of studies of carbon sorbent functionalization based on chemical modification of the active carbon surface...     

Morphological and ultrastructural characterization of ionoregulatory cells in the teleost oreochromis niloticus following salinity challenge combining complementary confocal scanning laser microscopy and transmission electron microscopy using a novel prefixation immunogold labeling technique

Aspects of ionoregulatory or mitochondria‐rich cell (MRC) differentiation and adaptation in Nile tilapia yolk‐sac larvae following transfer from freshwater to elevated salinities, that is, 12.5 and 20 ppt are described. Investigations using immunohistochemistry on whole‐mount Nile tilapia larvae using anti‐ Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase as a primary antibody and Fluoronanogold? (Nanoprobes) as a secondary immunoprobe allowed fluorescent labeling with the high resolution of confocal scanning laser microscopy combined with the detection of immunolabeled target molecules at an ultrastructural level using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It reports, for the first time, various developmental stages of MRCs within the epithelial layer of the tail of yolk‐sac larvae, corresponding to immature, developing, and mature MRCs, identifiable by their own characteristic ultrastructure and form. Following transfer to hyperosmotic salinities the density of immunogold particles and well as the intricacy of the tubular system appeared to increase. In addition, complementary confocal scanning laser microscopy allowed identification of immunopositive ramifying extensions that appeared to emanate from the basolateral portion of the cell that appeared to be correlated with the localization of subsurface tubular areas displaying immunogold labeled Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase. This integrated approach describes a reliable and repeatable prefixation immunogold labeling technique allowing precise visualization of NaK within target cells combined with a 3D imaging that offers valuable insights into MRC dynamics at an ultrastructural level. Microsc. Res. Tech., 76:1016–1024, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Modal dynamics in multimode fibers

The dynamics of modes and their states of polarizations in multimode fibers as a function of time, space, and wavelength are experimentally and theoretically investigated. The results reveal that the states of polarizations are displaced in Poincaré sphere representation when varying the angular orientations of the polarization at the incident light. Such displacements, which complicate the interpretation of the results, are overcome by resorting to modified Poincaré sphere representation. With such modification it should be possible to predict the output modes and their state of polarization when the input mode and state of polarization are known.     

Treatment of raw poultry with nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma to reduce Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella enterica

Nonthermal plasma has been shown to be effective in reducing pathogens on the surface of a range of fresh produce products. The research presented here investigated the effectiveness of nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma on Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter jejuni inoculated onto the surface of boneless skinless chicken breast and chicken thigh with skin. Chicken samples were inoculated with antibiotic-resistant strains of S. enterica and C. jejuni at levels of 10(1) to 10(4) CFU and exposed to plasma for a range of time points (0 to 180 s in 15-s intervals). Surviving antibiotic-resistant pathogens were recovered and counted on appropriate agar. In order to determine the effect of plasma on background microflora, noninoculated skinless chicken breast and thighs with skin were exposed to air plasma at ambient pressure. Treatment with plasma resulted in elimination of low levels (10(1) CFU) of both S. enterica and C. jejuni on chicken breasts and C. jejuni from chicken skin, but viable S. enterica cells remained on chicken skin even after 20 s of exposure to plasma. Inoculum levels of 10(2), 10(3), and 10(4) CFU of S. enterica on chicken breast and chicken skin resulted in maximum reduction levels of 1.85, 2.61, and 2.54 log, respectively, on chicken breast and 1.25, 1.08, and 1.31 log, respectively, on chicken skin following 3 min of plasma exposure. Inoculum levels of 10(2), 10(3), and 10(4) CFU of C. jejuni on chicken breast and chicken skin resulted in maximum reduction levels of 1.65, 2.45, and 2.45 log, respectively, on chicken breast and 1.42, 1.87, and 3.11 log, respectively, on chicken skin following 3 min of plasma exposure. Plasma exposure for 30 s reduced background microflora on breast and skin by an average of 0.85 and 0.21 log, respectively. This research demonstrates the feasibility of nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma as an intervention to help reduce foodborne pathogens on the surface of raw poultry.     

Confocal scanning laser microscopy with complementary 3D image analysis allows quantitative studies of functional state of ionoregulatory cells in the nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) following salinity challenge

The development of a novel three‐dimensional image analysis technique of stacks generated by confocal laser scanning microscopy is described allowing visualization of mitochondria‐rich cells (MRCs) in the seawater‐adapted Nile tilapia in relation to their spatial location. This method permits the assessment and classification of both active and nonactive MRCs based on the distance of the top of the immunopositive cell from the epithelial surface. In addition, this technique offers the potential for informative and quantitative studies, for example, densitometric and morphometric measurements based on MRC functional state. Confocal scanning laser microscopy used with triple staining whole‐mount immunohistochemistry was used to detect integumental MRCs in the yolk‐sac larvae tail of the Nile tilapia following transfer from freshwater to elevated salinities, that is, 12.5 and 20 ppt. Mean active MRC volume was always significantly larger and displayed a greater staining intensity (GLM; P<0.05) than nonactive MRCs. Following transfer, the percentage of active MRCs was seen to increase as did MRC volume (GLM; P<0.05). Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:412–418, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.