Chemotaxis can take plant-parasitic nematodes to the source of a chemo-attractant via the shortest possible routes

It has long been recognized that chemotaxis is the primary means by which nematodes locate host plants. Nonetheless, chemotaxis has received scant attention. We show that chemotaxis is predicted to take nematodes to a source of a chemo-attractant via the shortest possible routes through the labyrinth of air-filled or water-filled channels within a soil through which the attractant diffuses. There are just two provisos: (i) all of the channels through which the attractant diffuses are accessible to the nematodes and (ii) nematodes can resolve all chemical gradients no matter how small. Previously, this remarkable consequence of chemotaxis had gone unnoticed. The predictions are supported by experimental studies of the movement patterns of the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne graminicola in modified Y-chamber olfactometers filled with Pluronic gel. By providing two routes to a source of the attractant, one long and one short, our experiments, the first to demonstrate the routes taken by nematodes to plant roots, serve to test our predictions. Our data show that nematodes take the most direct route to their preferred hosts (as predicted) but often take the longest route towards poor hosts. We hypothesize that a complex of repellent and attractant chemicals influences the interaction between nematodes and their hosts.     

Luminescent Silicon Diatom Replicas: Self‐Reporting and Degradable Drug Carriers with Biologically Derived Shape for Sustained Delivery of Therapeutics

Current development of drug microcarriers is mainly based on spherical shapes, which are not biologically favorable geometries for complex interactions with biological systems. Scalable synthesis of drug carriers with nonspherical and anisotropic shapes featuring sustained drug‐releasing performances, biocompatibility, degradability, and sensing capabilities is challenging. These challenges are addressed in this work by employing Nature's optimized designs obtained from low‐cost diatomaceous earth mineral derived from single‐cell algae diatoms. Silica diatoms with unique shapes and 3D microcapsule morphology are converted into silicon diatom replicas with identical structure by a magnesiothermic reduction process. The results reveal that prepared silicon diatoms have a set of unique properties including favorable microcapsule structure with high surface area and micro/mesoporosity providing high drug loading, fast biodegradability, and intrinsic luminescence, which make them highly suitable for low‐cost production of advanced drug microcarriers. Their sustained drug release >30 days combined with self‐reporting function based on silicon luminescence properties using nonluminescent and luminescent drugs for intravitreal drug therapy is successfully demonstrated. These silicon diatoms offer promising potential toward scalable production of low‐cost and advanced microcarriers for broad medical therapies, including theranostics and microrobotic guided drug delivery devices.     

Detection of Winding Faults in Wound Rotor Induction Motor Using Loci of Direct and Quadrature Axes of Rotor Currents

In this paper, loci of direct and quadrature axis of rotor currents are used for online detection of winding fault on stator side as well as rotor side in three-phase wound rotor induction motor. The proposed technique is used for detecting load on induction motor and open circuit fault condition on stator side as well as rotor side. Detection of winding fault is affected by unbalanced supply voltage. In order to overcome this problem, FFT of modulus of direct and quadrature axis is used. The experimental results of rotor current analysis are validated with stator current analysis. Research works reported in the literature are based on stator currents analysis. The proposed technique of detecting winding faults and distinguishing between stator winding faults and unbalanced supply voltage using rotor current is not reported in the literature.     

Improving the hydrodynamic performance of diffuser vanes via shape optimization

The performance of a diffuser in a pump stage depends on its configuration and placement within the stage. The influence of vane shape on the hydrodynamic performance of a diffuser has been studied. The goal of this effort has been to improve the performance of a pump stage by optimizing the shape of the diffuser vanes. The shape of the vanes was defined using Bezier curves and circular arcs. Surrogate model based tools were used to identify regions of the vane that have a strong influence on its performance. Optimization of the vane shape, in the absence of manufacturing and stress constraints, led to a nearly 8% reduction in the total pressure losses compared to the baseline design by reducing the base separation.     

Functionalization of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene with biologically active fluorescent molecule

A biologically active molecule, 2-chloro-4,6-bis(dimethylamino)-1,3,5-triazine (CBDT), has been covalently attached at the terminal carbon atoms of the hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) backbone. The modification of HTPB backbone by CBDT molecule does not affect the unique physico-chemical properties such as fluidity, hydroxyl value and microstructure of the parent HTPB. The formation of hydrogen bonding between the terminal hydroxyl groups and the nitrogen atoms of triazine moiety is the driving force for the terminal attachment chemistry. The functionalized HTPB (HTPB-CBDT) shows a strong fluorescence emission at 385 nm.     

Neural network models for predicting the properties of chemical compounds

Neural networks are a universal tool used to investigate the dependences between the structure of organic compounds and a broad spectrum of their physicochemical properties. The potential of neural network modeling is not yet exhausted, as the increasing number of publications on their use indicates. Neural network models can solve both classification (for a discrete set of values of the modeled property) and regression problems (for continuous values of the modeled property). The reason for the popularity of neural network models in applied research is their clarity and the fact that no deep knowledge of mathematical statistics is required for their effective use. Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 3, pp. 82–86, May–June, 2008.     

Biomimicry in textiles: past,present and potential. An overview

The natural world around us provides excellent examples of functional systems built with a handful of materials. Throughout the millennia, nature has evolved to adapt and develop highly sophisticated methods to solve problems. There are numerous examples of functional surfaces, fibrous structures, structural colours, self-healing, thermal insulation, etc., which offer important lessons for the textile products of the future. This paper provides a general overview of the potential of bioinspired textile structures by highlighting a few specific examples of pertinent, inherently sustainable biological systems. Biomimetic research is a rapidly growing field and its true potential in the development of new and sustainable textiles can only be realized through interdisciplinary research rooted in a holistic understanding of nature.     

在低迷的市场环境中取得胜利:无线语音质量的重要性

~~在低迷的市场环境中取得胜利:无线语音质量的重要性@Tushar Shah$NMS公司!EMEA高级业务开发经理     

Kinetics and reaction mechanism of hydrogen sulfide oxidation over activated carbon in the temperature range of 125–200°c

The kinetics and reaction mechanism of the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide over activated carbon were studied in the temperature range 125–200°C. The heats of adsorption of oxygen and H₂S were found to be 73.8 and 16.0 kJ/mol, respectively, in the above temperature range. The sorption constants and the reaction constant have been expressed as a function of temperature. The role of water in the oxidation reaction has been clarified. No evidence was found to show that sulfur catalyzes the oxidation reaction.