Cryo-X-ray analysis-A novel tool to better understand the physicochemical reactions at the bioglass/biological fluid interface

The present study deals with the short-term physicochemical reactions at the interface between bioactive glass particles [55SiO(2)-20CaO-9P(2)O(5)-12Na(2)O-4MgO. mol%] and biological fluid (Dulbecco Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM)). The physicochemical reactions within the interface are characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (STEM) associated with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS). Microanalysis of diffusible ions such as sodium, potassium, or oxygen requires a special care. In the present investigation the cryo-technique was adopted as a suitable tool for the specimen preparation and characterization. Cryosectioning is essential for preserving the native distribution of ions so that meaningful information about the local concentrations can be obtained by elemental microanalysis. The bioglass particles immersed in biological fluid for 24 h revealed five reaction stages: (i) dealkalization of the surface by cationic exchange (Na(+), Ca(2+) with H(+) or H(3)O(+)); (ii) loss of soluble silica in the form of Si(OH)(4) to the solution resulting from the breakdown of Si--O--Si bonds (iii); repolymerization of Si(OH)(4) leading to condensation of SiO(2)); (iv) migration of Ca(2+) and PO(4) (3-) to the surface through the SiO(2)-rich layer to form CaO-P(2)O(5) film; (v) crystallization of the amorphous CaO-P(2)O(5) by incorporating OH-- or CO(3) (2-) anions with the formation of three different surface layers on the bioactive glass periphery. The thickness of each layer is approximately 300 nm and from the inner part to the periphery they consist of Si--OH, which permits the diffusion of Ca(2+) and PO(4) (3-) ions and the formation of the middle Ca--P layer, and finally the outer layer composed of Na--O, which acts as an ion exchange layer between Na(+) ions and H(+) or H(3)O(+) from the solution.     

Effect of dietary n−3 and n−6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on lipid-metabolizing enzymes in obese rat liver

This study was designed to examine whether n−3 and n−6 polyunsaturated fatty acids at a very low dietary level (about 0.2%) would alter liver activities in respect to fatty acid oxidation. Obese Zucker rats were used because of their low level of fatty acid oxidation, which would make increases easier to detect. Zucker rats were fed diets containing different oil mixtures (5%, w/w) with the same ratio of n−6/n−3 fatty acids supplied either as fish oil or arachidonic acid concentrate. Decreased hepatic triacylglycerol levels were observed only with the diet containing fish oil. In mitochondrial outer membranes, which support carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity, cholesterol content was similar for all diets, while the percentage of 22∶6n−3 and 20∶4n−6 in phospholipids was enhanced about by 6 and 3% with the diets containing fish oil and arachidonic acid, respectively. With the fish oil diet, the only difference found in activities related to fatty acid oxidation was the lower sensitivity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I to malonyl-CoA inhibition. With the diet containing arachidonic acid, peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity were markedly depressed. Compared with the control diet, the diets enriched in fish oil and in arachidonic acid gave rise to a higher specific activity of aryl-ester hydrolase in microsomal fractions. We suggest that slight changes in composition of n−3 or n−6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in mitochondrial outer membranes may alter carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity.     

Morphological and chemical studies of pathological human and mice brain at the subcellular level: correlation between light, electron, and nanosims microscopies

Neurodegenerative diseases induce morphological and chemical alterations in well-characterized regions of the brain. Understanding their pathological processes requires the use of methods that assess both morphological and chemical alterations in the tissues. In the past, microprobe approaches such as scanning electron microscopy combined with an X-ray spectrometer, Proton induced X-ray emission, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and laser microprobe mass analysis have been used for the study of pathological human brain with limited success. At the present, new SIMS instruments have been developed, such as the NanoSIMS-50 ion microprobe, that allow the simultaneous identification of five elements with high sensitivity, at subcellular spatial resolution (about 50-100 nm with the Cs(+) source and about 150-200 nm with O(-) source). Working in scanning mode, 2D distribution of five elements (elemental maps) can be obtained, thus providing their exact colocalization. The analysis can be performed on semithin or ultrathin embedded sections. The possibility of using transmission electron microscopy and SIMS on the same ultrathin sections allows the correlation between structural and analytical observations at subcellular and ultrastructural level to be established. Our observations on pathological brain areas allow us to establish that the NanoSIMS-50 ion microprobe is a highly useful instrument for the imaging of the morphological and chemical alterations that take place in these brain areas. In the human brain our results put forward the subcellular distribution of iron-ferritin-hemosiderin in the hippocampus of Alzheimer disease patients. In the thalamus of transgenic mice, our results have shown the presence of Ca-Fe mineralized amyloid deposits.     

75 mm stroke flexure stage for the LNE watt balance experiment

The LNE watt balance experiment aims at measuring the ratio of the Planck constant h to a standard mass m with a relative uncertainty smaller than 10⁻⁸. One step of our experiment requires to move a coil vertically inside a magnetic field along a total stroke of about 75 mm. To limit the uncertainty of our experiment, the velocity of the coil is servo-controlled at a constant value of 2 mm/s and the deviations of the trajectory from a rectilinear translation must be kept within 1 μm for straightness and within 5 μrad for yaw and pitch. These requirements must be performed along a useful stroke of 40 mm.To avoid play and friction, which are likely to perturb the feedback loop of the coil velocity, a flexure stage has been built to constrain the movement of the coil. For a 40 mm stroke, measurements show that the two straightness errors are smaller than 0.2 μm and 0.5 μm respectively, and that pitch and yaw are smaller than 4 μrad and 6 μrad respectively.     

Commissioning of a new ice-free anemometer: 2011 Field tests at WEICan

The main objective of this article is to present the results gathered during the commissioning of a new ice-free cup anemometer developed at Université Laval. These tests took place at the Wind Energy Institute of Canada (WEICan) between January 2011 and April 2011, whereby icing events occurred and through the observations in this paper will show the need for ice-free anemometers in the wind industry in cold climates. Unbiased wind measurements cannot be obtained without ice-free anemometers. At such sites, the use of unheated wind speed sensors during the resource assessment phase leads to higher uncertainty of the wind speed. The use of properly heated anemometers can reduce wind speed measurement uncertainty, thus reducing financial uncertainty. A crude estimation of the financial losses based on the number of icing hours and the number of installed MW is also proposed. Caution should be exerted when choosing and installing ice-free instruments. Under specific conditions, improperly heated anemometers can lead to less accurate wind measurements than unheated anemometers. Wind turbines safe operation could be jeopardized with the use of improperly heated anemometers.     

Low speed lifting cable diagnosis using instantaneous angular speed

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - This paper describes an experimental study of lifting cable fault diagnostic based on instantaneous angular speed (IAS) technique. During the study...     

Germanium,zinc’s important byproduct

A pioneer of germanium as well as Europe’s oldest and largest producer of zinc is Vieille-Montagne. Germanium output is centered at the zinc-lead plant of Balen, Belgium, where it is a byproduct of electrolytic zinc.     

Process modeling of hybrid machining system consisted of electro discharge machining and end milling

This paper presents a novel hybrid machining process (HMP) that combines cutting action with machining using discharge pulses. Working conditions for a machine tool capable of combining micro-electro discharge machining (EDM) with milling is still an ill-defined problem relying on heuristics because there is insufficient knowledge of the discharge mechanism and the effects of machining parameters. The proposed HMP that combines micro-EDM and milling processes was applied to a steel alloy (AISI 1045) as the workpiece and end mill tungsten carbide as the tool electrode. Test results obtained from a number of experiments showed that the developed HMP yields reasonable machining time and surface roughness. Significant controlling variables for the machining response were identified and ranked using the Taguchi method. Furthermore, the response surface method was used to develop an empirical model based on the correlation between input variables and output responses.     

Contribution of epididymal secretory proteins for spermatozoa maturation

The final stages of sperm differentiation occur outside the gonad and are not under the genomic control of germ cells. Only sequential interactions with the medium surrounding the sperm are believed to induce the final steps of spermatogenesis. The epididymis, a long tubule with very active secretory and reabsorption functions, is able to create sequential changes in the composition of luminal fluid throughout its length. The chronologies of the changes, which occur on/in the sperm with those in their surrounding environment, are described. Correlations between the highly regionalized epididymal activities and sperm characteristics linked to their survival and fertility potential are presented in this review.     

Determination of the mixing performance of sulzer SMV static mixers by laser induced fluorescence

Local concentrations are measured at the outlet of different configurations of Sulzer SMV static mixers placed in a tube. Laser Induced Fluorescence is the non intrusive technique used to measure mean and RMS concentrations. The two fluids mixed are miscible and the flow regime is turbulent. The influence of the number of elements, their position and the ratio between the velocities of the two compounds on the mixing is studied. The results show that these parameters are important for the quality of mixing. The velocity ratio influences the radial mixing, while the mixing length depends on the number and position of the elements.