Crystallographic Orientation in Pure and Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films Prepared by Sol–Gel Technique

Novel sol–gel processes for the preparation of grain-oriented thin films of pure and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) are reported. Using various stabilizing ligands, oxide films with different degree of c -axis orientation could be prepared on amorphous substrates. The origin of orientation in sol–gel-derived ZnO and AZO films is investigated. The texture selection of ZnO films is independent of the heat-treatment schedule but sensitive to the precursor system. The electrical properties of the films do not depend significantly on the crystallographic orientation. The film visible transmittance remained higher than 90% even after vacuum annealing.     

Antiparasitic Derivatives of the Furoquinoline Alkaloids Kokusaginine And Flindersiamine

We report the synthesis of 16 new compounds obtained from kokusaginine and flindersiamine, the main alkaloids isolated from the bark of Balfourodendron riedelianum. The activity of the compounds against axenic cultures of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigtotes and trypomastigotes, as well as intracellular amastigotes, is described, together with their cytotoxic activity against three different human cell lines. The synthetic strategy for the preparation of the new compounds was based on the reactivity at the C4 position of the furoquinoline core towards nucleophiles. The new derivatives were synthesized by a Buchwald-Hartwig reaction, in most cases under green, solvent-free conditions. Compounds 1 c and 1 e displayed better in-vitro activity against trypomastigotes than benznidazole and nifurtimox (positive controls) with IC₅₀<4 μM. In addition, both compounds were not cytotoxic against the three human cell lines K562 (erytroleukimia), LM2 (breast cancer), and HaCat (keratinocyte). Interestingly, when evaluated against intracellular amastigotes, compound 1 c was able to significantly reduce the number of this parasite form, compared to the negative control.     

Synthesis of Open Zeolite Structures from Mixtures of Tetramethylammonium and Benzylmethylalkylammonium Cations: A Step Towards Driving Aluminium Location in the Framework

Three bulky organic cations, benzylmethylpyrrolidinium (BMP), (S,S)-2-hydroxymethyl-1-benzyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium (BML) and benzylmethylhexamethyleniminium (BMH), were used in combination with the small cation tetramethylammonium (TMA) in the synthesis of zeolite materials. Two of them are distinguished by the number of carbon atoms forming the cyclic amine, which varies from 4 in BMP to 6 in BMH. In addition, a –CH₂–OH group has been introduced in the carbon atom belonging to the amine ring next to the nitrogen atom, to originate a chiral molecule, BML, the third SDA used in this work. It has been found that the combination of the small TMA with those three bulkier SDAs, promotes the crystallization of zeolite structures that contain cages and channels. BMP leads to the crystallization of the 10-ring zeolite ferrierite, where TMA is located inside the ferrierite cage. If the size of the N-cyclic amine moiety increases, the resulting cation cannot be accommodated in the relatively narrow 10-ring channels of ferrierite, and in these cases the zeolite MCM-22 crystallizes. This zeolite contains large cages whose cross section is delimited by a 12-ring, where both BMH and BML can be easily accommodated. In this system, cage-like, chlatrasil type structures often co-crystallize with the open structures, evidencing that an appropriate balance between TMA and the bulky SDA is required to achieve the crystallization of open-frameworks. When BMP is used, mixtures of structurally related ferrierite and cage-like RUB-10 are obtained if an excess of TMA is present in the synthesis gel, while MCM-22 crystallizes together with the structurally related cage-like MTN phase.     

Species-Specific and Distance-Dependent Dispersive Behaviour of Forisomes in Different Legume Species

Forisomes are giant fusiform protein complexes composed of sieve element occlusion (SEO) protein monomers, exclusively found in sieve elements (SEs) of legumes. Forisomes block the phloem mass flow by a Ca²⁺-induced conformational change (swelling and rounding). We studied the forisome reactivity in four different legume species—Medicago sativa, Pisum sativum, Trifolium pratense and Vicia faba. Depending on the species, we found direct relationships between SE diameter, forisome surface area and distance from the leaf tip, all indicative of a developmentally tuned regulation of SE diameter and forisome size. Heat-induced forisome dispersion occurred later with increasing distance from the stimulus site. T. pratense and V. faba dispersion occurred faster for forisomes with a smaller surface area. Near the stimulus site, electro potential waves (EPWs)—overlapping action (APs), and variation potentials (VPs)—were linked with high full-dispersion rates of forisomes. Distance-associated reduction of forisome reactivity was assigned to the disintegration of EPWs into APs, VPs and system potentials (SPs). Overall, APs and SPs alone were unable to induce forisome dispersion and only VPs above a critical threshold were capable of inducing forisome reactions.     

Electron beam penetration of poly (methyl methacrylate)/colemanite composite irradiated at low earth orbit space radiation environment

Poly (methyl methacrylate) modification by colemanite (CMT) addition has ensured beta shielding improvement. This study has connected with space environmental utilization with Kibo Japanese Experiment Module on International Space Station at low earth orbit. Space environment experiment was performed by using Kibo Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism–ExHAM. The changes in beta transmission of the composite were examined (by Sr-90 radioisotope) before and after space environmental utilization and details on beta penetration capacity was examined to protect the equipment (used in aviation and aerospace industries) from space radiation. Beta attenuation variations have indicated composite densification with beta attenuation enhancement after CMT addition.     

Effect of the glass substrate on the efficiency of the different orders that propagate in a transmission sinusoidal diffraction grating

In this work we study the effect of the glass substrate on the efficiencies of the different orders that propagate inside a transmission sinusoidal diffraction grating. Holographic optical elements are usually recorded on a photosensitive medium deposited on to a glass substrate. Therefore, the study of the entire system, namely the holographic element plus the glass substrate, is necessary. In this work we study the entire system by using the rigorous coupled-wave theory. As will be demonstrated, the effect of the glass is to generate an oscillatory pattern of the efficiency of the different orders around the average. The effect of the glass substrate is therefore sufficiently significant, and care must be taken in order to choose the appropriate thickness of the glass if maximum diffraction efficiency is to be achieved.     

Advantages of a combined method of decalcification compared to EDTA

Decalcification of mineralized tissues is an essential step during tissue processing in the routine histopathology. The time required for complete decalcification, and the effect of decalcifier on cellular and tissue morphology are important parameters which influence the selection of decalcifying agents. In this study, we compared a decalcifying solution (ETDA) composed of both acid and chelating agents to a classical and well‐known decalcifying agent (EDTA). To this purpose, the optic density of bone radiographs, residual calcium analysis, bone sample weight, and histological and immunohistochemical analysis were performed. Our data suggest that, similarly to EDTA, the ETDA solution completely removes the calcium ions from the samples enabling easy sectioning. However, unlike the EDTA, this agent takes much less time. Furthermore, both agents showed comparable decalcification efficacy, and similarly, they did not produce cellular, tissue or antigenicity impairments. Therefore, ETDA may be a suitable option when it is necessary an association between a rapid and complete removal of calcium minerals, and a suitable preservation of structure and antigenicity of tissues. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:111–118, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Quantitative analysis of morphological changes in yeast colonies growing on solid medium: the eccentricity and Fourier indices

The colony shape of four yeast species growing on agar medium was measured for 116 days by image analysis. Initially, all the colonies are circular, with regular edges. The loss of circularity can be quantitatively estimated by the eccentricity index, E_i, calculated as the ratio between their orthogonal vertical and horizontal diameters. E_i can increase from 1 (complete circularity) to a maximum of 1.17–1.30, depending on the species. One colony inhibits its neighbour only when it has reached a threshold area. Then, E_i of the inhibited colony increases proportionally to the area of the inhibitory colony. The initial distance between colonies affects those threshold values but not the proportionality, E_i/area; this inhibition affects the shape but not the total surface of the colony. The appearance of irregularities in the edges is associated, in all the species, not with age but with nutrient exhaustion. The edge irregularity can be quantified by the Fourier index, F_i, calculated by the minimum number of Fourier coefficients that are needed to describe the colony contour with 99% fitness. An ad hoc function has been developed in Matlab v. 7.0 to automate the computation of the Fourier coefficients. In young colonies, F_i has a value between 2 (circumference) and 3 (ellipse). These values are maintained in mature colonies of Debaryomyces, but can reach values up to 14 in Saccharomyces. All the species studied showed the inhibition of growth in facing colony edges, but only three species showed edge irregularities associated with substrate exhaustion. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.