Calciprotein Particles Cause Physiologically Significant Pro-Inflammatory Response in Endothelial Cells and Systemic Circulation

Calciprotein particles (CPPs) represent an inherent mineral buffering system responsible for the scavenging of excessive Ca²⁺ and PO₄³⁻ ions in order to prevent extraskeletal calcification, although contributing to the development of endothelial dysfunction during the circulation in the bloodstream. Here, we performed label-free proteomic profiling to identify the functional consequences of CPP internalisation by endothelial cells (ECs) and found molecular signatures of significant disturbances in mitochondrial and lysosomal physiology, including oxidative stress, vacuolar acidification, accelerated proteolysis, Ca²⁺ cytosolic elevation, and mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilisation. Incubation of intact ECs with conditioned medium from CPP-treated ECs caused their pro-inflammatory activation manifested by vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) upregulation and elevated release of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/ C-C motif ligand 2 (MCP-1/CCL2). Among the blood cells, monocytes were exclusively responsible for CPP internalisation. As compared to the co-incubation of donor blood with CPPs in the flow culture system, intravenous administration of CPPs to Wistar rats caused a considerably higher production of chemokines, indicating the major role of monocytes in CPP-triggered inflammation. Upregulation of sICAM-1 and IL-8 also suggested a notable contribution of endothelial dysfunction to systemic inflammatory response after CPP injections. Collectively, our results demonstrate the pathophysiological significance of CPPs and highlight the need for the development of anti-CPP therapies.     

Structural parameters of the low-temperature metastable form of the carbide W2C

A sufficiently complete spectrum of superstructure reflections was obtained by the x-ray diffraction analysis of a monocrystal to unequivocally determine, for the first time, the ordered structure of W₂C annealed for a long time at a temperature below that of its eutectoidal decomposition. It was shown that W₂C of eutectoidal composition in a metastable state has a rhombic ordered structure with the lattice parameters a=4.719 ± ± 0.003 nm × 10=c₀, b=6.017 ± 0.003 nm × 10 ≈ 2a₀, c=5.181 ± 0.003 nm × 10 ≈ √3a₀ (a₀, c₀ ≡ a_HCP, c_HCP). The specimens were obtained from tungsten alloys containing 30.5 and 35 at. % C, prepared by are melting followed by annealing at ∼2700°C (1 h) and stepwise cooling to 850°C (the total annealing time at temperatures below 1200°C was 538 h). Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, Nos. 3/4(412), pp. 46–53, March–April, 2000.     

Investigation of the Al-Ti-Pt alloy system at 1100 °C

The 1100 °C isothermal section of the Al-Ti-Pt system was experimentally studied in the compositional region below 50 at.% Pt. Most of the binary Al-Ti and Al-Pt intermetallics dissolve about 1.5-3.5 at.% of the third element. Only TiAl and Ti₃Al contain up to ∼5.5 at.% Pt and Al₂Pt ∼13 at.% Ti. The Ti₃Pt, Ti₃Pt₄ and TiPt phases extend up to 7.5, 9 and 30 at.% Al, respectively. The homogeneity range of the ternary phase τ₁ extends from Al_63.3Ti_30.6Pt_6.1 to Al_69.0Ti_24.2Pt_6.6 and that of τ₂ from Al_44.1Ti_34.0Pt_21.9 to Al_55.1Ti_20.9Pt_24.0. The τ₃-phase is formed in the compositional region from Al₃₇Ti_37.5Pt_25.5 to Al₄₂Ti₃₂Pt₂₆. Only the Nb(Ir,Al)₂-type structure of the latter was revealed. The τ₄-phase exists between Al_31.3Ti_33.7Pt₃₅ and Al_36.6Ti_29.4Pt₃₄ while the τ₅-phase exists between Al_12.9Ti_58.9Pt_28.2 and Al_27.3Ti_57.3Pt_15.4. Apart from these previously reported phases, five new ternary compounds designated τ₆ to τ₁₀ were revealed. The τ₆-phase exists between the Al_25.5Ti_54.2Pt_20.3 and the Al₃₀Ti₅₄Pt₁₆ compositions, and probably has a primitive cubic structure with a = 0.68477(6) nm. The τ₇-phase was found to be formed around the Al₁₂Ti₅₁Pt₃₇ composition, τ₈, τ₉ and τ₁₀-phases exist in the compositional ranges of Al_28.5Ti₅₅Pt_27.5 to Al_33.7Ti₄₀Pt_26.3, Al_34.5Ti₄₈Pt_17.5 to Al₃₈Ti₄₄Pt₁₈ and Al_32.6Ti_44.3Pt_23.1 to Al_37.4Ti₄₁Pt_21.6, respectively.     

Some features of spinning hollow fibres from polycarbonatesiloxane melts

Conclusions The following parameters have been determined as a result of calculations: fibre tension, solidification path length, and the change along the spinning path of the following: stretching stresses, speed, radius, wall thickness, and fibre temperature.It has been shown that, with increase in take-up speed, the length of the section of fibre deformation is reduced, varying practically proportionally to the flow rate of the polymer system.Stability of the process of spinning hollow fibres from polycarbonatesiloxane melts is assured within a narrow range of stretching force.Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 3, pp. 41–43, May–June, 1989.     

Phase equilibria in the Ti-rich corner of the Ti-Si-Ga system

Phase relations in the ternary Ti-Si-Ga system have been established experimentally by means of a study of alloy samples in the as-cast condition and annealed at 1350 °C. The alloys were prepared by arc melting. The investigation was carried out using physico chemical methods of analyses (metallography, X-ray powder diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and electron probe microanalysis over a limited composition range with samples containing less than 38 at.% Ga and more than 62 at.% Ti. Liquidus and solidus surface projections, the isothermal section at 1350 °C, and the isopleth at 68 at.% Ti are presented. Three surfaces of primary crystallization of phases have been established: extended ones for Ti₅(Si,Ga)₃ and β (Ti-base solid solution) and a narrow one of Ti₂Ga. The monovariant curves separating these are due to the eutectic reactions L↔β+Ti₅(Si,Ga)₃ and L↔β+Ti₂Ga and to the L+Ti₅(Si,Ga)₃↔Ti₂Ga peritectic reaction. The three-phase region (β+Ti₅(Si,Ga)₃+Ti₂Ga) results from the four-phase eutectic reaction L↔β+Ti₅(Si,Ga)₃+Ti₂Ga. The composition of the ternary eutectic point E and the compositions of the coexisting solid phases have been determined. The solubilities of Si in the gallides, and of Ga in Ti₅Si₃ and of both the elements in Ti are given.