Surface crystallization and second-order optical non-linearity in Gd2O3–Bi2O3–B2O3 glasses

Some ternary Gd₂O₃–Bi₂O₃–B₂O₃ glasses are prepared, and crystallization behavior and second harmonic intensity are examined to develop new non-linear optical crystallized glasses. The glasses with Gd₂O₃ contents of 8–14 mol% have large densities of over 6 g/cm³ and large refractive indices of ～ 1.9. Transparent surface crystallized glasses consisting of two kinds of crystalline phases with different morphologies, i.e. plate shape and needle shape crystals, are fabricated by heat-treatment at temperatures between glass transition and crystallization temperatures. From second harmonic generation microscope observations, micro-Raman scattering spectra and XRD analyses, plate shape crystals are determined to be non-linear optical Gd_xBi_1KxBO₃ and needle shape crystals are Bi₃B₅O₁₂ having no second-order optical non-linearity. Since crystallized glasses consisting of Gd_xBi_1KxBO₃ crystals exhibit relatively strong SHGs, they have a high potential for application to light control devices.     

Electronic structure and surface morphology of [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester films

We investigate the electronic structure of [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₀BM) films by ultraviolet photoelectron and inverse photoemission spectroscopy. We discuss the electronic structure of PC₇₀BM in comparison with C₇₀ and [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₆₀BM). The molecular orbitals around the energy gap of PC₇₀BM are broadly distributed due to the low symmetry of the molecular structure. Consequently, the energy gap of PC₇₀BM is smaller than that of C₇₀ and PC₆₀BM. The film deposition method affects the polarization energy between the PC₇₀BM molecules, and thus affects the electronic structure of the films.     

Effects of SCF content,injection speed,and CF content on the morphology and tensile properties of microcellular injection‐molded CF/PP composites

Carbon fiber/polypropylene composite foams were prepared by microcellular injection molding using nitrogen as a foaming agent. The effects of nitrogen content, injection speed, and CF content on the morphology and tensile properties of the composite foams were investigated. A three‐layer structure was formed in the microcellular foams: the skin layer was solid, the intermediate layer contained stretched cells parallel to the flow direction, and the core layer consisted of spherical cells. The average cell diameter of the machine direction decreased from 41 to 34 μm as the nitrogen content increased from 0.5 to 1 wt%, increased from 34 to 43 μm as the injection speed increased from 50 to 150 mm/s, and decreased from 34 to 25 μm as the CF content increased from 10 to 30 wt%. Thus, the microcellular structure was improved by increasing the nitrogen and CF content and by decreasing the injection speed. Furthermore, when the CF content increased from 10 to 30 wt%, the Young's modulus of the solids and foams increased by 78% and 113%, respectively. Thus, the Young's modulus of the foams improved by 35% due to the improvement in the cellular structure. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:1371–1380 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Structure and photoactivity of titania derived from nanotubes and nanofibers

In the present study, accumulation and distribution of toxic metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, Zn, Fe, Ni, Mn, and Pb) and their biochemical effect on wheat and mustard plants irrigated with mixed distillery and tannery effluents are reported. Analyses of effluents and soil samples have shown high metal content than the permissible limit except Pb. Further, analyses of plant samples have indicated the maximum accumulation of Fe (340 mg kg(-1) in wheat root and 560 mg kg(-1) in mustard leaves) followed by Mn and Zn in root>shoot>leaves>seeds. Maximum increase in photosynthetic pigment was observed between 30 and 60 days while protein content was found maximum between 60 and 90 days of growth period in both plants. An increase in malondialdehyde, cysteine and ascorbic acid antioxidants content was also observed in root and leaves of treated plants upto 60 and 90 days of growth. Hence, wheat and mustard plants irrigated with effluents without adequate treatment are health hazards for environment, humans and animals.     

Plasma‐Duplexschichten auf Aluminium Strangpresswerkzeugen

In the extrusion process of aluminium alloys at elevated temperature, the dies are used under very severe thermal and mechanical stresses. Furthermore slide friction and adhesive wear occur in the interaction zone between extrusion die and extrusion product. This tribological process has significant effects in several aspects such as the surface quality, the dimensional tolerances of extruded products and the lifetimes of the dies. To improve the die performance and the quality of aluminium products, a duplex process combining a plasma nitriding (PN) pretreatment and a plasma‐assisted CVD or PVD was applied on the extrusion dies, which are made of hot working steel (X38Cr MoV51). The duplex layers are produced at a temperature of 530°C This is below the tempering temperature of the hot working steel. The effects of process parameters during plasma nitriding, such as duty cycle, nitrogen concentration in process gas and nitriding time, are investigated. The optimized modification of the die surface has been achieved. The duplex layers (TiBN‐, CrN‐ and W‐C:H‐films on the plasmanitriding films) have higher macro hardness (HV9.5) and critical load, in comparison with the conventional films without plasma nitriding pretreatment. The performance of the coated dies are examined by means of a direct extrusion. It is confirmed that the duplex layers suit best for the extrusion at elevated temperature.     

Plasmaborieren – Untersuchungen zum Einfluß der Glimmentladung beim Borieren in einer BCl3‐H2‐Ar‐Atmosphäre

Plasma Boriding – Influence of Glow Discharge Conditions Using a BCl₃‐H₂‐Ar‐Atmosphere The plasma boriding process using BCl₃‐H₂‐Ar‐atmosphere is analized by characterisation of glow discharge conditions using optical emission spectroscopy. Additional exhaust‐examination by mass spectrometry depending on treatment parameters contributes to the determination of the reaction mechanisms. Effects that have influence on plasma boriding using BCl₃ are investigated by comparison of the treatment results with the characterisation of the glow discharge. The etching mechanism on the substrate surface can be effectively reduced selecting optimised parameters. So the plasma boriding process using BCl₃‐precursor gets interesting for industrial application.     

Effects of Oral Exposure to Low-Dose Bisphenol S on Allergic Asthma in Mice

Bisphenol S (BPS) is increasingly being used as an alternative for bisphenol A; however, its health effects remain unclear. We investigated the effects of oral exposure to low-dose BPS on allergic asthma. C3H/HeJ male mice were intratracheally administered with allergen (ovalbumin (OVA), 1 μg/animal) every 2 weeks from 6 to 11 weeks old. BPS was ingested by drinking water at doses equivalent to 0.04, 0.4, and 4 μg/kg/day. We then examined pulmonary inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, serum OVA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, Th2 cytokine/chemokine production, and mediastinal lymph node (MLN) cell activities. Compared with OVA alone, moderate-dose BPS (BPS-M) with OVA significantly enhanced pulmonary inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and OVA-specific IgE and IgG1. Furthermore, interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, IL-33, and CCL11/Eotaxin protein levels in the lungs increased. Conversely, these allergic responses were reduced in the high-dose BPS+OVA group. In MLN cells, BPS-M with OVA increased the total cell count and activated antigen-presenting cells including conventional dendritic cell subset (cDC2). After OVA restimulation, cell proliferation and Th2 cytokine production (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) in the culture supernatant also increased. Therefore, oral exposure to low-dose BPS may exacerbate allergic asthmatic responses by enhancing Th2-polarized responses and activating the MLN cells.     

Metabolism of 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D in Human Macrophages Is Highly Dependent on Macrophage Polarization

Macrophages synthesize active vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D) and express the vitamin D receptor in the nucleus; however, vitamin D metabolism in relation to macrophage polarization and function is not well understood. We studied monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) from human buffy coats polarized into M0, M1 (LPS + IFNγ), M2a (IL4 + IL13) and M2c (IL10) macrophage subtypes stimulated with 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (1000 and 10,000 nanomolar). We measured vitamin D metabolites (25-hydroxy-vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D, 24,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D and 3-epi-25-hydroxy-vitamin D) in cell media with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry. The mRNA expression (CYP27B1, CYP24A1 and CYP24A1-SV) was measured with qPCR. We found that reparative MDMs (M2a) had significantly more 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D compared to the other MDMs (M0, M1 and M2c). All MDMs were able to produce 3-epi-25-hydroxy-vitamin D, but this pathway was almost completely attenuated in inflammatory M1 MDMs. All MDM subtypes degraded vitamin D through the 24-hydroxylase pathway, although M1 MDMs mainly expressed an inactive splice variant of CYP24A1, coding the degrading enzyme. In conclusion, this study shows that vitamin D metabolism is highly dependent on macrophage polarization and that the C3-epimerase pathway for vitamin D is active in macrophages.     

Striatal-Inoculation of α-Synuclein Preformed Fibrils Aggravated the Phenotypes of REM Sleep without Atonia in A53T BAC-SNCA Transgenic Mice

Accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) is the pathological hallmark of α-synucleinopathy. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a pivotal manifestation of α-synucleinopathy including Parkinson’s disease (PD). RBD is clinically confirmed by REM sleep without atonia (RWA) in polysomnography. To accurately characterize RWA preceding RBD and their underlying α-syn pathology, we inoculated α-syn preformed fibrils (PFFs) into the striatum of A53T human α-syn BAC transgenic (A53T BAC-SNCA Tg) mice which exhibit RBD-like phenotypes with RWA. RWA phenotypes were aggravated by PFFs-inoculation in A53T BAC-SNCA Tg mice at 1 month after inoculation, in which prominent α-syn pathology in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) was observed. The intensity of RWA phenotype could be dependent on the severity of the underlying α-syn pathology.