Cycle symmetrization,asymmetrical behaviour and ratchetting during low cycle fatigue of high temperature alloys

Strain-controlled (low-cycle fatigue type) experiments were performed on 12 different high temperature alloys (ferritic, austenitic, superalloys, single-crystal material, a directionally solidified alloy and two titanium alloys) in the range 550–950°C. Symmetrical cycling conditions were suddenly changed to offset strain cycling at the same strain range, but in the tension or compression direction. Up to 50 cycles were allowed to determine the subsequent approach to symmetrical stress limits for each material (elastoplastic shakedown). Comparison is made with limited reported tests and related load-control tests involving strain ratchetting . Shakedown behaviour is shown to depend both on the path of approach, defined by stress–strain properties, but overall trends of stress versus cycle plots are best made by assuming an effective strain range which is less than the imposed experimental strain range.     

Synthesis and Structure of 1,5-Di-(Ethylphenyl)-1,5-Dimethyl-3,3,7,7-Tetraphenylcycloterasiloxane: a Novel Cyclotetramer

Herein we report the first synthesis of 1,5- di-(ethylphenyl)-1,5-dimethyl-3,3,7,7-tetraphenylcyclotetrasiloxane using a new ‘One Pot’ procedure as recently reported for the preparation of strictly alternating 1,1,5,5-tetramethyl-3,3,7,7-tetraphenylcyclotetrasiloxane by the heterofunctional condensation of diphenylsilanediol with (phenylethyl)methyldichlorosilane in the presence of the ter tiary amine, triethylamine (Nguyen et al. Silicon 6:21–26 2014). The prepared 1,5-di-(ethylphenyl)-1,5-dimethyl-3,3,7,7-tetraphenylcyclotetrasi loxane was fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, ¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, elemental analysis, mass spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calori metric studies.     

Dietary calcium decreases blood pressure without decreasing renal vascular resistance or altering the response to NO blockade

Many vasoactive elements are involved in the elevation of blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Elevated dietary calcium has been observed to reduce blood pressure in SHR. This study investigates interactions among dietary calcium, renal vascular resistance (RVR), elevation of blood pressure and effects of norepinephrine and nitric oxide synthesis. We completed a series of experiments on two groups each (fed low, 0.1% and high, 2.0% dietary calcium, respectively) of 9-week-old Wistar Kyoto (WKY), 9-week-old and 6-week-old SHR. Although 9-week-old SHR had elevated baseline blood pressure compared to 9-week-old WKY and also compared to 6 week-old SHR, there was no corresponding elevation in baseline RVR. All SHR fed high calcium diets had lower blood pressure compared to low calcium diets, and there was no corresponding reduction in RVR. WKY controls' blood pressure and RVR were unaffected by dietary calcium levels. In all hypertensive rats the blood pressure and renal vascular resistance were elevated by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME), but the dietary differences were sustained. Blood pressure of WKY was unaffected by the low dose of L-NAME. The increase in RVR to L-NAME was greater in SHR than in controls. The renal vascular response to norepinephrine was related to diet in older SHR, but smaller and unrelated to diet in younger SHR. Following L-NAME, WKY had greater responses to norepinephrine than 9-week-old SHR. We conclude that noradrenergic vasoconstriction is enhanced in the adult SHR, especially in the absence of high calcium diet. Alterations in NO synthesis may effect the norepinephrine response.     

A polar octapeptide fused to the N-terminal fusion peptide solubilizes the influenza virus HA2 subunit ectodomain

As a step toward studying membrane fusion with a simplified molecule, the ectodomain, residues 1-185, of the membrane-anchored subunit HA2 of the influenza virus haemagglutinin (HA) was solubilized by adding the very polar FLAG octapeptide (Asp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys) to the N-terminal HA2 fusion peptide. The resulting chimeric protein, F185, when expressed in bacteria, folded spontaneously into a soluble trimer, with a high alpha-helical content and a high melting temperature, structural characteristics of the low-pH-induced conformation of HA2. Removal of the FLAG octapeptide by proteolysis with enterokinase converted the soluble molecule to one that aggregated, bound nonionic detergent, and bound to lipid vesicles, properties of the low-pH-induced conformation of HA. Thermolysin treatment of the aggregated protein removed the nonpolar fusion peptide, regenerating soluble trimers of HA2 (residues 24-185), which is analogous to thermolysin treatment of HA in the low-pH-induced conformation. Thermolysin treatment also dissociates F185 from the detergent-protein complex by removing the fusion peptide. These results suggest that highly polar peptides can be fused to the membrane-binding regions of membrane proteins to increase their solubility. They also indicate that ectodomains of HA2 made in bacteria have membrane-binding properties similar to those of the same ectodomain generated by low-pH treatment of HA isolated from virus.     

Application of fracture mechanics tofailure analysis and to residual life assessment of components operating at high temperatures

Abstract

MCrAlY overlay coatings have been successfully used as a means of improving the oxidation performance of gas turbine blades operating at elevated temperatures. However, depletion of aluminium can limit the ability of such coatings to form a protective oxide layer should spallation of the original α-Al₂O₃ oxide layer occur under thermal cycling conditions. It is the objective of the current research to evaluate the potential of NiAl₃ as a reservoir phase for a NiCrAlY overlay coating on a IN738LC superalloy substrate at 1,100°C in air. The morphologies and microstructures of the conventional NiCrAlY and NiAl3-modified NiCrAlY overlay coatings in the as-sprayed and oxidised conditions were characterised using SEM, EDX and XRD techniques.     

Correlation of antibiotic-induced endotoxin release and cytokine production in Escherichia coli-inoculated mouse whole blood ex vivo

Escherichia coli were incubated in mouse whole blood ex vivo supplemented with beta-lactam antibiotics that possessed preferential affinities for penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). After 4 h, viable bacteria were undetectable in the presence of any of the 3 antibiotics tested, whereas significant increases in colony-forming units were detected in samples not treated with antibiotics. Differential levels of endotoxin in platelet-rich plasma were detected using the limulus amebocyte lysate assay, according to differential antibiotic affinities for the various PBPs. Levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in antibiotic-treated cultures after 8 h of incubation correlated well with the levels of endotoxin at 4 h (r = .96, P < .0001 for TNF-alpha; r = .91, P = .0002 for IL-6). These data indicate that differential affinities of beta-lactam antibiotics for PBPs affect both endotoxin and cytokine responses ex vivo in mouse blood and correlate with in vivo protective efficacy of these antibiotics in gram-negative experimental models.     

The small heat shock protein HSP27 is not an independent prognostic marker in axillary lymph node-negative breast cancer patients

Heat shock protein 27 (hsp27) belongs to the family of heat shock proteins and is thought to be involved in thermotolerance, cell proliferation, drug resistance, and chaperone processes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hsp27 levels are correlated with clinical outcome in axillary lymph node-negative breast cancer patients. We describe a Western blot study measuring hsp27 levels in 425 patients and an immunohistochemistry (IHC) study analyzing 788 patients. Results obtained by both methods were concordant. Univariate survival analysis was performed considering hsp27 either as an optimally dichotomized variable or as a continuous variable. Additional data include age at biopsy, tumor size, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor status, tumor ploidy and percentage of cells in S phase, and adjuvant therapy. hsp27 levels correlated positively with ER status (P = 0.0001 in Western blot and IHC study), progesterone receptor status (P = 0.0001 in Western blot and IHC study), and aneuploidy (Western blot study, P = 0.0012; IHC study, P = 0.0004) but not with tumor size (Western blot study, P = 0.69; IHC, P = 0.53) or S phase (Western blot study, P = 0.19; IHC study, P = 0.38). Overall, there was no relationship between hsp27 expression and disease-free survival (Western blot study, P = 0.70/0.54; IHC, P = 0.47/0.30) or overall survival (Western blot study, P = 0.16/0.15; IHC, P = 0.46/0.78). Exploratory subset analyses defined by ER status and use of adjuvant treatment indicated that in ER+/untreated patients, high hsp27 levels correlated modestly with shorter disease-free survival (Western blot, P = 0.04/0.04; IHC, P = 0.11/0. 03). hsp27 is not a useful prognostic marker for the clinic in axillary lymph node-negative patients. However, the finding of modest prognostic value of hsp27 in the subgroup of ER+/untreated patients raises new questions about the biological function of hsp27 in breast cancer.     

Decoying the cap- mRNA degradation system by a double-stranded RNA virus and poly(A)- mRNA surveillance by a yeast antiviral system

The major coat protein of the L-A double-stranded RNA virus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae covalently binds m7 GMP from 5' capped mRNAs in vitro. We show that this cap binding also occurs in vivo and that, while this activity is required for expression of viral information (killer toxin mRNA level and toxin production) in a wild-type strain, this requirement is suppressed by deletion of SKI1/XRN1/SEP1. We propose that the virus creates decapped cellular mRNAs to decoy the 5'-->3' exoribonuclease specific for cap- RNA encoded by XRN1. The SKI2 antiviral gene represses the copy numbers of the L-A and L-BC viruses and the 20S RNA replicon, apparently by specifically blocking translation of viral RNA. We show that SKI2, SKI3, and SKI8 inhibit translation of electroporated luciferase and beta-glucuronidase mRNAs in vivo, but only if they lack the 3' poly(A) structure. Thus, L-A decoys the SKI1/XRN1/SEP1 exonuclease directed at 5' uncapped ends, but translation of the L-A poly(A)- mRNA is repressed by Ski2,3,8p. The SKI2-SKI3-SKI8 system is more effective against cap+ poly(A)- mRNA, suggesting a (nonessential) role in blocking translation of fragmented cellular mRNAs.     

Dominance of conserved B-cell epitopes of the Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein, MSP1, in blood-stage infections of naive Aotus monkeys

We have shown that conserved B epitopes were immunodominant in animals hyperimmunized with parasite-purified or recombinant merozoite surface protein MSP1 of Plasmodium falciparum. Cross-priming studies also suggested that a conserved T-helper epitope(s) is efficient in inducing the anti-MSP1 antibody response. In this study, we determined whether a similar profile of immune responses was induced during live P. falciparum infections. Naive Aotus monkeys were infected by blood-stage challenge with either one of the two dimorphic MSP1 alleles represented by the FUP and FVO parasites. Sera collected after parasite clearance were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Monkeys infected with parasites carrying one allelic form of MSP1 had antibodies that were equally reactive with homologous or heterologous MSP1s. This preferential recognition of conserved epitopes of MSP1 was confirmed by competitive binding ELISAs. Studies with Plasmodium yoelii and P. falciparum show that the C-terminal 19-kDa fragment of MSP1, MSP1(19), is the target of protective immunity. Thus, monkey sera were assayed for recognition with recombinant MSP1(19)s expressing variant and conserved B epitopes. Results of direct and competitive binding ELISAs showed that the anti-MSP1(19) antibodies were also directed primarily against conserved determinants. The similarities between vaccine- or infection-induced antibody responses suggest a possible reciprocal enhancement of the two populations of anti-MSP1 antibodies when a subunit MSP1 vaccine is introduced into populations living in areas where malaria is endemic. This together with previous observations that conserved determinants are important in MSP1-mediated immunity provides an optimistic outlook that a subunit MSP1 vaccine may be effective and practical for field applications in malaria-exposed populations.     

Cyclin D1, another molecule of the year?

AIM: Testicular germ cell tumours may present as metastases in cervical lymph nodes, yet the primary tumours remain clinically occult. The aim of the study is to alert pathologists and clinicians to this uncommon but important presentation and highlight the clues and the diagnostic adjuncts to its correct diagnosis. METHODS: The clinical, cytological, histological, and immunohistochemical features of two patients with germ cell tumour initially presenting as cervical lymphadenopathy were described and analysed. RESULTS: Both patients were young adult males, who were found to have metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma on fine needle aspiration of the enlarged cervical lymph nodes. The tumour cells in both cases were positive for placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) and negative for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians and pathologists should be aware of the possibility of germ cell tumour when encountering a young adult male with metastatic poorly differentiated carcinoma. Positivity for PLAP and negativity for EMA are helpful adjuncts in arriving at the correct diagnosis.