Adsorption of Ce(Ⅳ) Anionic Nitrato Complexes onto Anion Exchangers and Its Application for Ce(Ⅳ) Separation from Rare Earths(Ⅲ)

Ce(Ⅳ) nitrato complexes were adsorbed on two anion exchangers based on polyvinyl pyridine (PVP) and quaternized PVP incorporated into porous silica matrix. The effect of nitric acid concentration (0.5～6 mol·L-1) and temperature (278～318 K) on Ce(Ⅳ) sorption efficiency was investigated. Sorption increased with increasing nitric acid concentration, indicating that [Ce(NO3)6]2- complex is the main adsorbed Ce(Ⅳ) species. Oxidation of sorbents by adsorbed Ce(Ⅳ) species resulting in Ce(Ⅲ) release to the solution was observed. Pyridine based anion exchangers exhibited higher oxidation stability compared to the commercial strong base anion exchanger. Ce(Ⅳ) reduction was temperature dependent and obeyed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. Column separation of Ce(Ⅳ) from La(Ⅲ) and Y(Ⅲ) was carried out from 6 mol·L-1 nitric acid with PVP based anion exchanger. Reasonable Ce(Ⅳ) breakthrough capacity (0.7 mol·kg-1 PVP) was achieved. No remarkable decrease of capacity was observed within 3 consequent runs. In contrast, Ce(Ⅲ) leakage due to reduction decreased and breakthrough capacity slightly increased. This effect was more pronounced with increasing temperature. Regeneration with 0.1 mol·L-1 nitric acid was successful (recovery 100%±4%) and Ce solution of high purity (＞99.97%) with respect to La and Y content was gained.     

Absence of snapshot memory of the target view interferes with place navigation learning by rats in the water maze.

Contribution of visual and nonvisual mechanisms to spatial behavior of rats in the Morris water maze was studied with a computerized infrared tracking system, which switched off the room lights when the S entered the inner circular area of the pool with an escape platform. 10 naive male rats trained under light–dark (LD) conditions found the escape platform more slowly than 10 male rats trained in permanent light (LT). After group members were swapped, the LT-pretrained rats found under LD conditions the same target faster and eventually approached latencies attained during LT navigation. Performance of LD-trained rats deteriorated in permanent darkness (PD) but improved with continued PD training. Thus LD navigation improves gradually by procedural learning (extrapolation of the start-target azimuth into the zero-visibility zone) but remains impaired by lack of immediate visual feedback rather than by absence of the snapshot memory of the target view. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Osmium tetroxide, 2,2'-bipyridine: electroactive marker for probing accessibility of tryptophan residues in proteins

A complex of osmium tetroxide with 2,2'-bipyridine (Os,bipy) has been applied as a chemical probe of DNA structure as well as an electroactive DNA label. The Os,bipy has been known to form covalent adducts with pyrimidine DNA bases. Besides the pyrimidines, electrochemically active covalent adducts with Os,bipy are formed also by tryptophan (W) residues in peptides and proteins. In this paper we show that Os,bipy-treated proteins possessing W residues (such as avidin, streptavidin, or lysozyme) yield at the pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE) a specific signal (peak alphaW) the potential of which differs from the potentials of signals produced by free Os,bipy or by Os,bipy-modified DNA. No such signal is observed with proteins lacking W (such as ribonuclease A or alpha-synuclein). Subpicomole amounts of W-containing proteins modified with Os,bipy can easily be detected using adsorptive transfer stripping voltammetry with the PGE. Binding of biotin to avidin interferes with Os,bipy modification of the protein, in agreement with the location of W residues within the biotin-binding site of avidin. These Ws are accessible for modification in the absence of biotin but hidden (protected from modification) in the avidin-biotin complex. The Os,bipy-modified avidin is unable to bind biotin, and its quarternary structure is disrupted. Analogous effects were observed with another biotin-binding protein, streptavidin. Our results demonstrate that modification of proteins with Os,bipy under conditions close to physiological, followed by a simple electrochemical analysis, can be applied in the microanalysis of protein structure and interactions.     

Young’s Modulus of Austenite and Martensite Phases in Superelastic NiTi Wires

Young’s moduli of superelastic NiTi wires in austenite and stress-induced martensite states were evaluated by three different experimental methods (tensile tests, in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction, and dynamic mechanical analysis) and estimated via theoretical calculation from elastic constants. The unusually low value of the Young’s modulus of the martensite phase appearing in material property tables (<40 GPa) is generally ascribed in the literature to the fact that stress-driven martensitic transformation and/or twinning processes continue even beyond the transformation range and effectively decrease the value of the tangent modulus evaluated from macroscopic stress-strain curve. In this work, we claim that this low value is real in the sense that it corresponds to the appropriate combination of elastic constants of the B19′ martensite phase forming the polycrystalline wire. However, the Young’s modulus of the martensite phase is low only for wire loaded in tension, not for compression or other deformation modes. It is shown that the low value of the martensite Young’s modulus in tension is due to the combination of the unique coincidence of elastic anisotropy of the B19′ martensite characterized by the low elastic constant C55, austenite drawing texture, and strong martensite texture due to the martensite variant selection under tensile stress.     

EU-wide monitoring survey on emerging polar organic contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluents

In the year 2010, effluents from 90 European wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were analyzed for 156 polar organic chemical contaminants. The analyses were complemented by effect-based monitoring approaches aiming at estrogenicity and dioxin-like toxicity analyzed by in vitro reporter gene bioassays, and yeast and diatom culture acute toxicity optical bioassays. Analyses of organic substances were performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) or liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) or gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS). Target microcontaminants were pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), veterinary (antibiotic) drugs, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), organophosphate ester flame retardants, pesticides (and some metabolites), industrial chemicals such as benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), iodinated x-ray contrast agents, and gadolinium magnetic resonance imaging agents; in addition biological endpoints were measured. The obtained results show the presence of 125 substances (80% of the target compounds) in European wastewater effluents, in concentrations ranging from low nanograms to milligrams per liter. These results allow for an estimation to be made of a European median level for the chemicals investigated in WWTP effluents. The most relevant compounds in the effluent waters with the highest median concentration levels were the artificial sweeteners acesulfame and sucralose, benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), several organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers (e.g. tris(2-chloroisopropyl)phosphate; TCPP), pharmaceutical compounds such as carbamazepine, tramadol, telmisartan, venlafaxine, irbesartan, fluconazole, oxazepam, fexofenadine, diclofenac, citalopram, codeine, bisoprolol, eprosartan, the antibiotics trimethoprim, ciprofloxacine, sulfamethoxazole, and clindamycine, the insect repellent N,N′-diethyltoluamide (DEET), the pesticides MCPA and mecoprop, perfluoroalkyl substances (such as PFOS and PFOA), caffeine, and gadolinium.     

Processes of Socio-spatial Differentiation in Post-communist Prague

This paper analyses processes which transform the socio-spatial pattern of post-communist Prague and describes major changes in the city's social geography. It begins with a brief introduction about the socio-spatial pattern of a socialist city and a discussion of methods and concepts of investigation of processes of socio-spatial change in contemporary Prague. Growing income inequalities and transformations in the housing system are examined as the main underlying causes of growing socio-spatial disparities. In the section concerning the mechanism of socio-spatial differentiation, attention is focused on the role of social mobility, migration, housing renovation and new housing construction. The conclusions summarise major changes in the social geography of post-communist Prague and discuss implications of central and local government policies for the growth in socio-spatial disparities.     

Numerous PCR-RFLPs within the porcine CYP21 (steroid 21-hydroxylase) gene

Mesenteric cysts are rare intra-abdominal tumors with an incidence around one case per 100,000 hospital admissions. The clinical presentation is variable; patients may be asymptomatic or present with either acute or chronic abdominal pain. Physical examination commonly demonstrates a smooth, round and mobile abdominal mass. Differential diagnosis includes any abdominal cyst or tumor. Laboratory tests are usually helpless. Ultrasonography and CT scans are the best diagnostic tools. The treatment of choice is the total resection of the cyst, which is regularly performed by open surgery. This paper reports a case of a mesenteric cyst successfully resected by laparoscopy, and addresses the possible uses of this approach.     

Separation of Electrochemically Generated Ce(IV) from Rare Earths(III) in Nitric Acid Media by TBP Impregnated Resin

Abstract

Electro‐oxidation of Ce(III) to Ce(IV) in nitric acid media at different anode materials with high oxygen evolution overpotential was carried out. Ce(IV) nitrato complexes were adsorbed on a novel resin, based on porous silica beads with immobilized polystyrene/DVB copolymer, that was impregnated with tri‐n‐butyl phosphate (TBP). Under the studied conditions, Ce(IV) sorption increased with increasing nitric acid concentration (0.5–6 mol · dm^?3). Oxidation of sorbent by adsorbed Ce(IV) species resulting in Ce(III) release to the solution was observed and thoroughly evaluated. In spite of problems with TBP leakage (12%), column separation of pure Ce(IV) from Y(III) and La(III) was achieved in 6 mol · dm^?3 HNO₃ at 288 K. Ce(IV) breakthrough capacity was 0.48 mol · kg^?1‐TBP. Column regeneration with 0.1 mol · dm^?3 nitric acid yielded Ce solution with purity higher than 99.99 wt.% with respect to La and Y impurities.     

New telechelic polymers and sequential copolymers by polyfunctional initiator-transfer-agents (inifers)

Summary Linear and three-arm star telechelic polyisobutylenes PIB's with perfect end-functionalities (¯F_n = 2.0±0.1 or 3.0±0.1) have been synthesized by the use of 1,3-di(2-bromo-2-propyl)5-tert-butylbenzene (m-tBuDCB) binifer or 1,3,5-tri(2-bromo-2-propyl)benzene (TCB) trinifer/BCl₃ systems. The counter anion is most likely BCl₃Br in these polymerizations. The inifer efficiencies of these brominated inifers are lower than those of the chlorinated analogues, probably because of side reactions during the polymerization. The rate of chain transfer to inifer is similar for both the chlorinated or brominated inifer/ BCl₃ systems but that of termination is faster in the former system. Elementary analysis shows that the PIB's obtained with m-tBuDCB carry 90% bromine and 10% chlorine end groups.     

The potential of the scanning low energy electron microscopy for the examination of aluminum based alloys and composites

When studying the physical properties and technological parameters of aluminum-based alloys and composites, some partial tasks, connected with the microstructure of the material bulk, pose a problem for established microscopic techniques. The topography and distribution of sub-micrometer sized precipitates and of segregations on the particle/matrix interface, for example, are difficult to observe by conventional methods of transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The introduction of a high-resolution low-energy mode into the scanning electron microscope, relying on the deceleration of an already formed and focused primary beam just in front of the specimen, enables one to browse over the full electron energy range with great ease. This method offers added value consisting of the diminished interaction volume of electrons, the favorable combination of secondary and backscattered electron signals emitted at increased yields and collected at extremely high efficiency and the availability of unconventional contrasts excited by slow electrons. Demonstration experiments have been performed on structures based on the Al-Mg-Si alloy, and oriented towards examination of the Mg-Si precipitates in the alloy and sub-micrometer spinel crystals growing on the matrix-ceramic interface in a composite filled with alumina particles.