Electric-Field-Induced Crack Initiation From a Notch in a Ferroelectric Ceramic

Crack initiation of ferroelectrics under a cyclic electric field was studied using DCB specimens, which contained through-thickness notches of different lengths. An electric field larger than the coercive field strength of the material was applied and resulted in pop-in of a crack in the direction perpendicular to the field. The length of the pop-in varied with the length of the notch. Finite Element modeling was used to quantify the stresses occurring in the specimen under the application of the electric field. The model took into account the fully coupled ferroelectric and ferroelastic hysteresis behavior. Stress intensity factors were derived from the resulting stress distribution using the weight function method. The results were found to agree well with the experimental data.     

Effect of the oat,horse chestnut,cowherb, soy,quinoa and soapwort extracts on skin-mimicking monolayers and cell lines

The main goal of the study was to compare the effect of aqueous extracts of oat (Avena sativa L.), horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), soapwort (Saponaria officinalis L.), cowherb (Vaccaria hispanica [P. Mill.] Rauschert) and soy (Glycine max L.) on model lipid monolayers mimicking the lipid membrane of keratinocytes and intercellular lipids of stratum corneum, and on human skin-related cell lines. Two lipid monolayers, consisting of a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and cholesterol mixture in a molar ratio of 7:3 and Ceramide VI, stearic acid and cholesterol in a molar ratio of 1:1:0.7, and two cell lines (human keratinocyte HaCaT and human skin malignant melanoma A375) were employed. None of the extracts reduced surface pressure below the level achieved for bare monolayers. The strength of the effect on the lipid monolayers (horse chestnut > cowherb > soapwort > soy) points to the existence of some specific interactions responsible for the observed affinity of biosurfactants from the extracts to the lipids in the monolayers. The cytotoxicity tests performed with two model skin cell lines showed that all six plants extracts significantly reduced the cells' viability in a concentration-dependent way. The model lipid monolayers were not solubilized by the investigated surface-active extracts. The latter thus proved interesting candidates for application in mild cleansing cosmetic formulations. Penetration of the monolayers by surface-active components of some extracts, especially horse chestnut, cowherb and soapwort, opens new possibilities for topical delivery of active components.     

The use of intensity-dependent weight functions to “Weberize” $$L^2$$ L 2 -based methods of signal and image approximation

Optimization and Engineering - We consider the problem of modifying $$L^2$$ -based approximations so that they “conform” in a better way to Weber’s model of perception: Given a...     

Interaction of Chrysosporium merdarium with titanium oxide surface

The growth of Chrysosporium merdarium on TiO₂ (rutile, anatase) and its possibility to deteriorate the surface were investigated. Treated with fungi and untreated samples of deteriorated TiO₂ surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microbial deterioration of TiO₂ is also discussed. The attachment to the TiO₂ surface via metabolic products resulted in the formation of cryptand [2,2,2] complex with Ca²⁺ ions. According to water contact angle (CA) measurements microbial growth increases the wettability of TiO₂ film surfaces. A much more intensive fungal action during microbial treatment on rutile in comparison with that of anatase was observed. A chemical deterioration product, the volatile trimethyl borate, on rutile in exudation of C. merdarium was detected by gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis.     

Alleviation of Osmotic Stress Effects by Exogenous Application of Salicylic or Abscisic Acid on Wheat Seedlings

The aim of the study was to assess the role of salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid (ABA) in osmotic stress tolerance of wheat seedlings. This was accomplished by determining the impact of the acids applied exogenously on seedlings grown under osmotic stress in hydroponics. The investigation was unique in its comprehensiveness, examining changes under osmotic stress and other conditions, and testing a number of parameters simultaneously. In both drought susceptible (SQ1) and drought resistant (CS) wheat cultivars, significant physiological and biochemical changes were observed upon the addition of SA (0.05 mM) or ABA (0.1 μM) to solutions containing half-strength Hoagland medium and PEG 6000 (−0.75 MPa). The most noticeable result of supplementing SA or ABA to the medium (PEG + SA and PEG + ABA) was a decrease in the length of leaves and roots in both cultivars. While PEG treatment reduced gas exchange parameters, chlorophyll content in CS, and osmotic potential, and conversely, increased lipid peroxidation, soluble carbohydrates in SQ1, proline content in both cultivars and total antioxidants activity in SQ1, PEG + SA or PEG + ABA did not change the values of these parameters. Furthermore, PEG caused a two-fold increase of endogenous ABA content in SQ1 and a four-fold increase in CS. PEG + ABA increased endogenous ABA only in SQ1, whereas PEG + SA caused a greater increase of ABA content in both cultivars compared to PEG. In PEG-treated plants growing until the harvest, a greater decrease of yield components was observed in SQ1 than in CS. PEG + SA, and particularly PEG + ABA, caused a greater increase of these yield parameters in CS compared to SQ1. In conclusion, SA and ABA ameliorate, particularly in the tolerant wheat cultivar, the harmful effects and after effects of osmotic stress induced by PEG in hydroponics through better osmotic adjustment achieved by an increase in proline and carbohydrate content as well as by an increase in antioxidant activity.     

Properties of LiMn2O4 cathode in electrolyte based on N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide

LiMn₂O₄ was examined as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, working together with a room temperature ionic liquid electrolyte, obtained by dissolution of solid lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiNTf₂) in liquid N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (MePrPipNTf₂), with the formation of a liquid LiNTf₂-MePrPipNTf₂ system. The Li/LiMn₂O₄ cell was tested by galvanostatic charging/discharging and by impedance spectroscopy. The LiMn₂O₄ cathode showed good cyclability and Coulombic efficiency in the presence of 10 wt.% of vinylene carbonate (VC) as an additive to the ionic liquid. The flash point of the LiNTf₂-MePrPipNTf₂-VC(10%) electrolyte was estimated to be above 300 °C.     

Detergent-free incorporation of a seven-transmembrane receptor protein into nanosized bilayer lipodisq particles for functional and biophysical studies

SMA-Lipodisq nanoparticles, with one bacteriorhodopsin (bR) per 12 nm particle on average (protein/lipid molar ratio, 1:172), were prepared without the use of detergents. Using pulsed and continuous wave nitroxide spin label electron paramagnetic resonance, the structural and dynamic integrity of bR was retained when compared with data for bR obtained in the native membrane and in detergents and then with crystal data. This indicates the potential of Lipodisq nanoparticles as a useful membrane mimetic.     

Severe accident recriticality analyses (SARA)

Recriticality in a BWR during reflooding of an overheated partly degraded core, i.e. with relocated control rods, has been studied for a total loss of electric power accident scenario. In order to assess the impact of recriticality on reactor safety, including accident management strategies, the following issues have been investigated in the SARA project: (1) the energy deposition in the fuel during super-prompt power burst; (2) the quasi steady-state reactor power following the initial power burst; and (3) containment response to elevated quasi steady-state reactor power. The approach was to use three computer codes and to further develop and adapt them for the task. The codes were SIMULATE-3K, APROS and RECRIT. Recriticality analyses were carried out for a number of selected reflooding transients for the Oskarshamn 3 plant in Sweden with SIMULATE-3K and for the Olkiluoto 1 plant in Finland with all three codes. The core initial and boundary conditions prior to recriticality have been studied with the severe accident codes SCDAP/RELAP5, MELCOR and MAAP4. The results of the analyses show that all three codes predict recriticality—both super-prompt power bursts and quasi steady-state power generation—for the range of parameters studied, i.e. with core uncovering and heat-up to maximum core temperatures of approximately 1800 K, and water flow rates of 45–2000 kg s⁻¹ injected into the downcomer. Since recriticality takes place in a small fraction of the core, the power densities are high, which results in large energy deposition in the fuel during power burst in some accident scenarios. The highest value, 418 cal g⁻¹, was obtained with SIMULATE-3K for an Oskarshamn 3 case with reflooding rate of 2000 kg s⁻¹. In most cases, however, the predicted energy deposition was smaller, below the regulatory limits for fuel failure, but close to or above recently observed thresholds for fragmentation and dispersion of high burn-up fuel. The highest calculated quasi steady-state power following initial power excursion was in most cases approximately 20% of the nominal reactor power, according to SIMULATE-3K and APROS. However, in some RECRIT cases higher power levels, approaching 50% of the nominal power, were predicted leading to fuel temperatures exceeding the melting point, as a result of insufficient cooling of the fuel. Long-term containment response to recriticality was assessed through MELCOR calculations for the Olkiluoto 1 plant. At a stabilised reactor power of 19% of nominal power, the containment failure due to overpressurisation was predicted to occur 1.3 h after recriticality, if the accident is not mitigated. The SARA studies have clearly shown the sensitivity of recriticality phenomena to thermal-hydraulic modelling, the specifics of accident scenario, such as distribution of boron-carbide, and importance of multi-dimensional kinetics for determination of local power distribution in the core. The results of the project have pointed out the importance of adequate accident management strategies to be used by reactor operators and emergency staff during recovery actions. Recommendations in this area are given in the paper.     

The role of drinking in the suppression of food intake by recent activity.

The standard activity-based anorexia procedure provides rats with access to a running wheel while restricting their access to dry food. This can produce reduced food intake and progressive weight loss. Using this procedure, in the present study (Experiment 1) the authors found changes in drinking patterns both in the period of high activity preceding food access and during the feeding period. Varying the procedure by providing wet mash (Experiment 2) or by prior adaptation to a drinking schedule (Experiment 3) prevented the self-starvation effect. These results indicate the importance of drinking when analyzing the effect of recent activity on food intake. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)