The effect of structural features on mechanical properties of loose optical fiber poly(butylene terephthalate) tubes

Results of a study on the modifying mechanical properties of loose optical‐fiber poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) tubes, produced during the standard industrial extrusion process, show that heat treatment make the structure of their material to change. The study comprised measurements of mechanical strengths properties of the tubes (tensile strength, compression strength, kinking) and determination of tube material structure [by differential thermal analysis (DTA), wide angle X‐ray scattering analysis (WAXD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)]. Results of the study allowed observation that the annealing at 70°C for 34 h of the tubes caused the crystalline α phase to increase in the tube material from ～28.5% to ～31.5% and the structure of the existing crystallites to become more perfect. This made the values of certain mechanical properties of the tubes to increase even by as much as 30%. The tubes following such thermal treatment could be used in cables exposed to heavy‐duty operation in arduous environments, where a larger margin from the standpoint of mechanical properties is required. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 2130–2134, 2002     

Anodising potential influence on well-ordered nanostructures formed by anodisation of aluminium in sulphuric acid

High-density structures with relatively well-ordered nanopore arrays have been obtained by the self-ordering growth of nanopores occurring during anodisation of aluminium in sulphuric acid. The resulting array of well-ordered nanopores strongly depends on an applied voltage of anodising, temperature and a procedure of synthesis. Regular arranged hexagonal arrays on aluminium with a relatively uniform pore diameter, interpore distance, and depth of pores exceeding 90 μm, can be formed by the self-ordering two-step anodising at 1 °C. The interpore distance and the pore diameter were evaluated on anodised aluminium layers obtained at different cell potentials ranging from 15 to 25 V. The detailed analyses of their uniformity were performed from SEM images. The analysis of a pore arrangement defects was made from SEM top view images taken on samples anodised at various cell potentials. The defect maps, known as Delaunay triangulations, of the arrangement of about 1000 pores were constructed for different applied anodising potentials. The percentage of pores that are not six-fold coordinated by the neighbouring pores indicates the percentage of defected surface.     

Overexpression of amyloid precursor protein of Alzheimer's type in brains of intoxicated children

The coincidence of neuronal stress induced by intoxication and an overexpression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the brains of children was examined. Brains of ten children accidentally intoxicated by poisonous mushroom were studied by means of immunohistochemical methods using monoclonal antibodies generated against different domains of APP and glial cell markers. Overexpression of APP was found in the brain neurons of all intoxicated children. Neurons were immunopositive with the antibodies generated against the middle (amyloid beta protein) domain of APP. No extracellular deposits were found in the tissue. Our results provided, for the first time, the evidence that overexpression of APP concomitant with the neuronal stress is age-independent phenomenon appearing not only in the brain of adults but in very young individuals as well.     

Superparamagnetic particle dynamics and mixing in a rotating capillary tube with a stationary magnetic field

The dynamics of superparamagnetic particles subject to competing magnetic and viscous drag forces have been examined with a uniform, stationary, external magnetic field. In this approach, competing drag and magnetic forces were created in a fluid suspension of superparamagnetic particles that was confined in a capillary tube; competing viscous drag and magnetic forces were established by rotating the tube. A critical Mason number was determined for conditions under which the rotation of the capillary prevents the formation of chains from individual particles. The statistics of chain length was investigated by image analysis while varying parameters such as the rotation speed and the viscosity of the liquid. The measurements showed that the rate of particle chain formation was decreased with increased viscosity and rotation speed; the particle dynamics could be quantified by the same dimensionless Mason number that has been demonstrated for rotating magnetic fields. The potential for enhancement of mixing in a bioassay was assessed using a fast chemical reaction that was diffusion-limited. Reducing the Mason number below the critical value, so that chains were formed in the fluid, gave rise to a modest improvement in the time to completion of the reaction.     

Kinetic and spectral aspects in chemiluminescence system Eu(III)/HCO3/H2O2

Chemiluminescence (CL) of the systems containing Eu₂⁺ or HCO₃⁻ ions and hydrogen peroxide was studied. The kinetic curves and CL emission spectra of the systems were discussed. The emission spectrum of the system containing carbonates revealed two emission maxima: the first directly after initiation of the reaction by hydrogen peroxide and the second in several seconds after the first. On the basis of the characteristic bands in the CL spectrum the emitters in the system Eu₂⁺/HCO₃⁻/H₂O₂ were identified as: excited Eu³⁺ ions and excited products of carbonate decomposition. The emission bands for λ=600 and 420 nm appeared in a time distance of a few ten seconds.     

mRNA and miRNA Expression Analyses of the MYC/E2F/miR-17-92 Network in the Most Common Pediatric Brain Tumors

Numerous molecular factors disrupt the correctness of the cell cycle process leading to the development of cancer due to increased cell proliferation. Among known causative factors of such process is abnormal gene expression. Nowadays in the light of current knowledge such alterations are frequently considered in the context of mRNA–miRNA correlation. One of the molecular factors with potential value in tumorigenesis is the feedback loop between MYC and E2F genes in which miR-17-5p and miR-20a from the miR-17-92 cluster are involved. The current literature shows that overexpression of the members of the OncomiR-1 are involved in the development of many solid tumors. In the present work, we investigated the expression of components of the MYC/E2F/miR-17-92 network and their closely related elements including members of MYC and E2F families and miRNAs from two paralogs of miR-17-92: miR-106b-25 and miR-106a-363, in the most common brain tumors of childhood, pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), WHO grade 1; ependymoma (EP), WHO grade 2; and medulloblastoma (MB), WHO grade 4. We showed that the highest gene expression was observed in the MYC family for MYCN and in the E2F family for E2F2. Positive correlation was observed between the gene expression and tumor grade and type, with the highest expression being noted for medulloblastomas, followed by ependymomas, and the lowest for pilocytic astrocytomas. Most members of miR-17-92, miR-106a-363 and miR-106b-25 clusters were upregulated and the highest expression was noted for miR-18a and miR-18b. The rest of the miRNAs, including miR-19a, miR-92a, miR-106a, miR-93, or miR-25 also showed high values. miR-17-5p, miR-20a obtained a high level of expression in medulloblastomas and ependymomas, while close to the control in the pilocytic astrocytoma samples. miRNA expression also depended on tumor grade and histology.     

Binary blends of polyethers with fatty acids: A thermal characterization of the phase transitions

A series of binary blends of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(propylene oxide) (PPO), and polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF), characterized by similar average molecular weights, with selected fatty acids (capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid) were prepared by melt mixing. Differential scanning calorimetry was applied to characterize the phase transitions of melting and crystallization, and a synergistic effect was found to occur for PEO/fatty acid blends, as evidenced by the values of the enthalpy of the phase transition. This effect was probably due to hydrogen bonding between PEO and the fatty (carboxylic) acids, which facilitated the formation of crystalline structures; an analysis of IR spectroscopy data showed a shift in the absorption bands of OH groups. The morphology development of the PEO/carboxylic acid blends, as observed with polarizing light microscopy, could be described as spherulitic growth with spontaneous selection of the lamellar thickness. The textures of the individual fibrils, consisting of stacks of several tens of lamellae corresponding to PPO and PTHF, were less regular than the texture of PEO and showed large macroscopic heterogeneity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 861–870, 2003