Combined monte carlo/thermodynamic model of formation of microporous aggregate structure like silica from quaternary ammonium silicate solutions

Quaternary ammonium silicate is a surfactant with very high content of silica that allows its use for preparation of protective coatings. The problem of silica aggregation from quaternary ammonium solution in limited volume is the focus of this paper. The system is described by a model based on a Monte Carbo approach with thermodynamic limitations. Thermodynamic characteristics are estimated by statistical polymer method. The model is employed for estimation of such properties as monomer concentration and tortuosity. The results of computer simulation are used for forecasting properties of coatings and for practical preparation of samples coated with quaternary ammonium silicate-based composition.     

Novel heterometallic Cu(II)/Cr(III) complex with unique open-chain N-ligand produced in conditions of direct template synthesis

The one-pot self-assembly reaction of copper powder, Reineckes salt, acetone and tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) in dmso affords to obtain a heterometallic compound [Cu(trenac)][Cr(NCS)₄(NH₃)₂](NCS) · 6dmso with novel Schiff-base ligand N-(2-{[(1E)-3-amino-1,3-dimethylbutylidene]amino}ethyl)-N-(2-aminoethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (trenac). The ligand trenac is generated by metal-directed condensation of tren, acetone and ammonia, formed during the synthetic procedure. X-ray structural investigations showed that the complex consists of [Cu(trenac)]²⁺ cations, anions of the Reineckes salt [Cr(NCS)₄(NH₃)₂]^?, uncoordinated thiocyanate groups and dmso molecules, which are held together by electrostatic forces and hydrogen-bonded interactions. The compound was characterized by EPR spectroscopic and magnetic susceptibility measurements.     

Formation Energies of Antiphase Boundaries in GaAs and GaP: An ab Initio Study

Electronic and structural properties of antiphase boundaries in group III-V semiconductor compounds have been receiving increased attention due to the potential to integration of optically-active III-V heterostructures on silicon or germanium substrates. The formation energies of {110}, {111}, {112}, and {113} antiphase boundaries in GaAs and GaP were studied theoretically using a full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave density-functional approach. Results of the study reveal that the stoichiometric {110} boundaries are the most energetically favorable in both compounds. The specific formation energy γ of the remaining antiphase boundaries increases in the order of γ_{113} ≈ γ_{112} < γ_{111}, which suggests {113} and {112} as possible planes for faceting and annihilation of antiphase boundaries in GaAs and GaP.     

Stem Cell Therapy Enhances Motor Activity of Triceps Surae Muscle in Mice with Hereditary Peripheral Neuropathy

Impaired motor and sensory functions are the main features of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) therapy is one of the possible treatments for this disease. It was assumed that MSCs therapy can improve the contractile properties of the triceps surae (TS) muscles in mice with hereditary peripheral neuropathy. Murine adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AD-MSCs) were obtained for transplantation into TS muscles of FVB-C-Tg(GFPU)5Nagy/J mice. Three months after AD-MSCs transplantation, animals were subjected to electrophysiological investigations. Parameters of TS muscle tension after intermittent high frequency electrical sciatic nerve stimulations were analyzed. It was found that force of TS muscle tension contraction in animals after AD-MSCs treatment was two-time higher than in untreated mice. Normalized values of force muscle contraction in different phases of electrical stimulation were 0.3 ± 0.01 vs. 0.18 ± 0.01 and 0.26 ± 0.03 vs. 0.13 ± 0.03 for treated and untreated animals, respectively. It is assumed that the two-fold increase in TS muscle strength was caused by stem cell therapy. Apparently, AD-MSCs therapy can promote nerve regeneration and partial restoration of muscle function, and thus can be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of peripheral neuropathies.     

不同热变形工艺大塑性变形加工超细晶1570C铝合金的组织、强度和超塑性

将Al-5Mg-0.18Mn-0.2Sc-0.08Zr-0.01Fe-0.01Si(质量分数,％)合金铸锭进行多向等温锻造(应变12)或等径角挤压(应变10,325℃),再进行热轧(325℃)和冷轧(20℃),对比研究合金变形后的组织和力学行为.结果表明,对(亚)晶粒尺寸dUFG=2μm的超细晶组织合金进行多向等温锻造...     

Use of radial forces for fault detection in tapping

A model-based method for fault detection in tapping based on torque and radial forces is proposed. The method allows the identification of faults typical of a tapping operation including axial misalignment, tap runout, tooth breakage both singly and together. The validation experiments have been run on aluminum 356 workpieces for different combinations of process faults. Results have shown that the model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental radial force and torque signals under various fault conditions.     

Direct energy transfer to study the 3D structure of non-native proteins: AGH complex in molten globule state of apomyoglobin

The direct energy transfer technique was modified and appliedto probe the relative localization of apomyoglobin A-, G- andH-helixes, which are partly protected from deuterium exchangein the equilibrium molten globule state and in the molten globule-likekinetic intermediate. The non-radiative transfer of tryptophanelectronic energy to 3-nitrotyrosine was studied in differentconformational states of apomyoglobin (native, molten globule,unfolded) and interpreted in terms of average distances betweengroups of the protein chain. The experimental data show thatthe distance between the middle of A-helix and the N-terminusof G-helix as well as the distance between the middle of theA-helix and the C-terminus of the H-helix in the molten globulestate are close to those in the native state. This is a strongargument in favor of similarity of the overall architectureof the molten globule and native states.     

Oxidation of ZrB2–SiC–ZrSi2 ceramics in oxygen

The oxidation of ZrB₂–SiC and ZrB₂–SiC–ZrSi₂ ceramics of different composition has been studied experimentally at 1500 °C in pure oxygen for up to 50 h. ZrB₂–SiC–ZrSi₂ ceramics proved to be the most oxidation-resistant at ZrSi₂ contents of less then 4 wt%. These ceramics were more oxidation-resistant than ZrB₂–SiC ceramics. An analytical model of growth kinetics for a multilayered scale based on an oxidation–diffusion balance was developed and tested.     

Development of a new procedure for precise determination of viral aerosol lethal dose (ALD50) for birds

This paper describes a new method for precise determination of viral aerosol lethal dose (ALD₅₀) and reports the results obtained for birds exposed by H5N1 Avian influenza A strain under controlled laboratory conditions. The reported method utilizes our recently developed personal bioaerosol sampler capable of monitoring viable virus concentration in the ambient air. Up to six laboratory animals could be located in a specially designed aerosol chamber and exposed in parallel by an airborne strain of interest to generate the amount of data sufficient for representative statistical analysis. A concentration of viable airborne virus was measured by the personal aerosol samplers directly in the breathing zone of each particular bird. The results show a very low inter-sampler variation used for each particular run, which was confirmed by a single factor ANOVA test undertaken for all six personal samplers involved in each experiment. As was shown, the difference in amount of viruses collected by all samplers during each particular run was not statistically significant. It was found that the ALD₅₀ for approximately 400-g birds exposed to H5N1 Avian influenza A strain A/Chicken/Suzdalka/Nov-11/2005 was around 26.5 FFU (focus forming units).     

Direct synthesis of carbon nanofibers on the surface of copper powder

A novel approach to synthesize carbon nanofibers (CNFs) directly on the surface of metal μm-sized particles to evenly disperse the carbon nanomaterials in a composite material was proposed. As a metal matrix, 5–10 μm copper particles were utilized. As a carbon source, C₂H₂, CH₄ and CO were examined. The best conditions were found to be in C₂H₂ (30 cm³/min) and H₂ (260 cm³/min) atmosphere at the temperature of 750 °C. The composites based on copper and CNFs prepared by vacuum hot pressing showed the increase in hardness from 35 to 60 kg/mm² almost retaining pure copper electrical properties.