Diagnostics for ion beam driven high energy density physics experiments

Intense beams of heavy ions are capable of heating volumetric samples of matter to high energy density. Experiments are performed on the resulting warm dense matter (WDM) at the NDCX-I ion beam accelerator. The 0.3 MeV, 30 mA K(+) beam from NDCX-I heats foil targets by combined longitudinal and transverse neutralized drift compression of the ion beam. Both the compressed and uncompressed parts of the NDCX-I beam heat targets. The exotic state of matter (WDM) in these experiments requires specialized diagnostic techniques. We have developed a target chamber and fielded target diagnostics including a fast multichannel optical pyrometer, optical streak camera, laser Doppler-shift interferometer (Velocity Interferometer System for Any Reflector), beam transmission diagnostics, and high-speed gated cameras. We also present plans and opportunities for diagnostic development and a new target chamber for NDCX-II.     

Stimulation of AMP‐activated protein kinase and enhancement of basal glucose uptake in muscle cells by quercetin and quercetin glycosides,active principles of the antidiabetic medicinal plant Vaccinium vitis‐idaea

Several medicinal plants that stimulate glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells were identified from among species used by the Cree of Eeyou Istchee of northern Quebec to treat symptoms of diabetes. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of action of one of these products, the berries of Vaccinium vitis idaea, as well as to isolate and identify its active constituents using a classical bioassay‐guided fractionation approach. Western immunoblot analysis in C2C12 muscle cells revealed that the ethanol extract of the berries stimulated the insulin‐independent AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. The extract mildly inhibited ADP‐stimulated oxygen consumption in isolated mitochondria, an effect consistent with metabolic stress and the ensuing stimulation of AMPK. This mechanism is highly analogous to that of Metformin. Fractionation guided by glucose uptake activity resulted in the isolation of ten compounds. The two most active, quercetin‐3‐O‐glycosides, enhanced glucose uptake by 38–59% (50 μM; 18 h treatment) in the absence of insulin. Quercetin aglycone, a minor constituent, stimulated uptake by 37%. The quercetin glycosides and the aglycone stimulated the AMPK pathway at concentrations of 25–100 μM, but only the aglycone inhibited ATP synthase in isolated mitochondria (by 34 and 79% at 25 and 100 μM, respectively). This discrepancy suggests that the activity of the glycosides may require hydrolysis to the aglycone form. These findings indicate that quercetin and quercetin 3‐O‐glycosides are responsible for the antidiabetic activity of V. vitis crude berry extract mediated by AMPK. These common plant products may thus have potential applications for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance and other metabolic diseases.     

Experimental investigation of oil pockets effect on abrasive wear resistance

The experiments were carried out using a block-on-ring tester. The stationary blocks were modified by a burnishing technique in order to obtain surfaces with oil pockets of spherical shape. The area density of oil pockets varied in order to explore their effect on wear resistance and wear intensity. Specimen surfaces had dimples with depths 45-60 μm and diameters 1-1.2 mm. The area density of oil pockets S_p was in the range 4-20%. The block samples were made from bronze B101 (CuSn10P) of 138 HB hardness. The rotated rings were made from 42CrMo4 steel, hardness of 40 HRC obtained after heat treatment. The tested assembly was lubricated by mineral oil L-AN 46. The experiment was carried out under artificially increased dustiness conditions. The dust added to oil consists mainly of SiO₂ (74%) and Al₂O₃ (15%) particles. During the test friction force and temperature of block sample were registered. The tendencies of block surface topography changes during wear were analysed. It was found that sliding pairs with textured specimens were not superior to a system with a turned block with regard to abrasive wear resistance.     

Laser Processing of MMC Layers on a Metal Base

Metal matrix composite type layers produced by concentrated energy beam processing show a series of features influenced by the manner of application and the thermal properties of the added materials. This paper discusses the laboratory research results regarding the production SiC-Cu alloy and WC-steel type composite layers under the conditions of electrochemical codepositing of the added materials (SiC-Cu, WC-Co) prior to laserbeam processing. Composite layers possess load carrying capacity and wear resistance greater than the base materials prior to implantation, thus leading to increased lifetime in friction applications.     

Investigation of the polyurethane chain length influence on the molecular dynamics in networks crosslinked by hyperbranched polyester

Several non-conventional polyurethane (PU) networks crosslinked with hyperbranched polyester (Boltorn^®H40) were synthesised with an aim to determine an influence of the PU chain length on molecular relaxations in such systems. The PU chain length was regulated by changing the macrodiol length or by changing the number of the repeating macrodiol/diisocyanate units n. Molecular dynamics were investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy and by dynamic mechanical analysis. It was found that the macrodiol length has a strong influence on the glass transition and the α-relaxation, and also on the crystallization. By contrast, the changes of n practically do not affect the molecular relaxations. This effect was explained by the formation of a physical network by hydrogen bonds between urethane groups, controlling the molecular mobility. The rheological measurements have shown, that at temperatures above 150 °C, when hydrogen bonds were thermally destroyed, not only macrodiol length but also n had strong influence on the flowing point.     

Electrochemical destruction of thiourea dioxide in an undivided parallel plate electrodes batch reactor

The paper presents the results of a study on the electrochemical destruction of pollutants present in a spent reducing bath of a textile factory. The investigations comprised the electro-oxidation of thiourea dioxide (TUD) (the main component of the reducing bath), sulphites and urea, which are formed during oxidation of TUD. The study performed in an undivided cell parallel plate electrodes reactor, using eight different anode materials under various hydrodynamic conditions, proved that electro-oxidation can be successfully applied for treatment of spent reducing baths. The best results of TUD and SO₃²⁻ electro-oxidation were obtained with a Ti/Pt electrode, which showed electrocatalytic effect for both the compounds, indicating a possibility of their direct electro-oxidation on the anode. Destruction of TUD and SO₃²⁻ proceeded also via indirect electro-oxidation, mediated by chlorine evolved on the anode. The process kinetics was mass transport controlled till Re=5000. No electrocatalytic effects were observed for urea with any of the tested anode materials. The elimination of urea resulted to proceed only by indirect electro-oxidation, mediated by chlorine. For elimination of urea a Ti/Pt–Ir electrode proved to be the best anode, probably due to its high efficiency in electro-oxidation of chlorides into chlorine.     

Identification of Three Type II Toxin-Antitoxin Systems in Model Bacterial Plant Pathogen Dickeya dadantii 3937

Type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are genetic elements usually encoding two proteins: a stable toxin and an antitoxin, which binds the toxin and neutralizes its toxic effect. The disturbance in the intracellular toxin and antitoxin ratio typically leads to inhibition of bacterial growth or bacterial cell death. Despite the fact that TA modules are widespread in bacteria and archaea, the biological role of these systems is ambiguous. Nevertheless, a number of studies suggests that the TA modules are engaged in such important processes as biofilm formation, stress response or virulence and maintenance of mobile genetic elements. The Dickeya dadantii 3937 strain serves as a model for pathogens causing the soft-rot disease in a wide range of angiosperm plants. Until now, several chromosome-encoded type II TA systems were identified in silico in the genome of this economically important bacterium, however so far only one of them was experimentally validated. In this study, we investigated three putative type II TA systems in D. dadantii 3937: ccdAB_2Dda, phd-doc_Dda and dhiTA, which represents a novel toxin/antitoxin superfamily. We provide an experimental proof for their functionality in vivo both in D. dadantii and Escherichia coli. Finally, we examined the prevalence of those systems across the Pectobacteriaceae family by a phylogenetic analysis.     

Crystalline structure and mechanical properties of wet‐spun dibutyrylchitin fibers and products of their alkaline treatment

Dibutyrylchitin was obtained during krill chitin esterification with butyric anhydride in the presence of perchloric acid. The wet spinning of a 14.5% solution in dimethylformamide created dibutyrylchitin filaments, which were treated with an alkali solution for chitin regeneration. Fiber samples with different degrees of chitin restoration were obtained, and their fine structure and mechanical properties were investigated. The restoration of the chitin structure resulted in a gradual increase in the degree of crystallinity, the density of the structured area, the tensile strength, and the average elongation at rupture and in a decrease in the diameter of the fibers. The crystallinity degree of fully regenerated chitin, the final product of alkaline hydrolysis, reached a value close to that of native chitin. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1861–1868, 2004     

End life tyres: Alternative final disposal processes compared by LCA

Life cycle assessment has been used to compare different processes for the end life treatment of exhausted tyres: combustion in a conventional waste-to-energy (WtE) process; substitution of conventional fuel in the cement clink process and two different hypotheses of reuse as filling material based on a cryogenic pulverisation process (CPP) or on a mechanical pulverisation process (MPP). The analysis shows that the fuel substitution in cement production and the use in WtE processes allow an interesting result in terms of avoided effects, mainly because of the avoided use of conventional fuels. Between these two alternatives, a better result is obtained with the fuel substitution in cement clink process. CPP and MPP for reuse as filling materials show worse results in terms of environmental impact with respect to the other alternatives, because of the high energy consumption related to the pulverisation processes.