Genetic and Epigenomic Modifiers of Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy (DN), the most common chronic and progressive complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), strongly affects patients’ quality of life. DN could be present as peripheral, autonomous or, clinically also relevant, uremic neuropathy. The etiopathogenesis of DN is multifactorial, and genetic components play a role both in its occurrence and clinical course. A number of gene polymorphisms in candidate genes have been assessed as susceptibility factors for DN, and most of them are linked to mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species production, neurovascular impairments and modified protein glycosylation, as well as immunomodulation and inflammation. Different epigenomic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNA action have been studied in DN, which also underline the importance of “metabolic memory” in DN appearance and progression. In this review, we summarize most of the relevant data in the field of genetics and epigenomics of DN, hoping they will become significant for diagnosis, therapy and prevention of DN.     

Microstructural and compositional aspects of ZnO-based varistor ceramics prepared by direct mixing of the constituent phases and high-energy milling

ZnO-based varistor samples were prepared by the direct mixing of the constituent phases (DMCP) and sintering at 1100 °C for 2 h. The influence of the starting powder mixture's composition – the amounts of the pre-reacted varistor compounds and their composition – and its preparation, either with or without mechano-chemical activation (MCA), on the microstructure, phase composition and electrical characteristics of the varistor samples was studied. It showed that MCA improved the density and microstructural homogeneity of the varistor samples. MCA strongly affected the grain growth: it enhanced the nucleation of inversion boundaries (IBs) in the ZnO grains and the IBs-induced grain-growth mechanism resulted in uniform grain growth and hence a microstructure with smaller ZnO grains and a narrower grain size distribution. The final phase composition of the samples prepared by the DMCP method mainly depended on the presence of varistor dopants that can prevent the formation of the pyrochlore phase, especially Cr₂O₃, while MCA can affect it mostly by providing a homogeneous distribution of those dopants. The DMCP varistor samples prepared with MCA had much better current–voltage characteristics than the samples of the same composition prepared from unactivated powders.     

Synthesis and analysis of PbO-modified Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductors

High T _c superconducting materials based on a PbO-modified Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system with various ratios between the oxides were prepared by calcination at 800 °C and firing at 855 °C. From X-ray powder diffraction analysis data, the ratio of low- and high-temperature phases was calculated. The material with the nominal composition Bi₂Pb_0.5Sr₂Ca_2.5Cu_3.5O _x was chosen for further experimental work. Samples fired at 800 °C contain mostly the low-temperature phase (2212). Higher firing temperatures lead to the formation of the high T _c phase (2223) with T _c(R=0) over 100 K. Some samples were cold pressed and refired which increased the specific density to over 80% of the theoretical density. The composition of samples was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction analysis and by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The main phase in the material fired at 800 °C, is the low T _c phase 2212, and secondary phases are Ca₂PbO₄, unreacted CuO and traces of 2223 phase. At higher firing temperatures, the main phase is the high-temperature phase 2223. The material is still heterogeneous and contains Ca₂PbO₄.     

Self and mutual ground impedances of cylindrical metal plates buried in homogeneous earth

This paper presents a numerical procedure for computation of self and mutual impedance of cylindrical metal plates buried in homogeneous earth. Procedure is based on an analytical expression for scalar potential distribution of an equipotential metal plate in homogeneous unbounded medium. The effect of the air–earth boundary condition is taken into account by the exact imaging method. The robustness and accuracy of the computation procedure is based on the combination of analytical integration and 1D and 2D Gaussian quadratures for solving integrals present in expressions for self and mutual ground impedances of metal plates. The attenuation and phase shift is taken into account approximately by introducing the attenuation‐phase shift factor. The numerical procedure developed for the computation of self and mutual ground impedances of cylindrical metal plates buried in homogeneous earth is efficient, numerically stable and generally applicable. Numerical model developed for the computation of self and mutual ground impedances of cylindrical metal plates buried in homogeneous earth represents a basis of a wider numerical model for computation of ground fault current distribution in which grounding grids are approximated by metal cylindrical plates. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enhancement of electrocatalytic properties of carbonized polyaniline nanoparticles upon a hydrothermal treatment in alkaline medium

The electrocatalytic activity of carbonized polyaniline nanostructures (Carb-nanoPANI) towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), estimated in 0.1 mol dm⁻³ KOH solution, was significantly improved upon a hydrothermal treatment in 1 mol dm⁻³ KOH solution. Namely, the onset of ORR was shifted by ∼70 mV to more positive potentials, and the number of electrons consumed per O₂ molecule was enhanced in comparison to the original material. The number of electrons involved in ORR depended on loading, and with a loading of 0.5 mg cm⁻², for the potentials lower than −0.5 V vs SCE, the number of electrons approached 4. For this material, high stability of electrochemical behavior and resistance to the poisoning by ethanol was evidenced by potentiodynamic cycling.