A new polymer electrolyte poly(acrylonitrile)-dimethylsulphoxide-salt for electrochemical capacitors

The PAN-DMSO-Et₄NBF₄ and PAN-DMSO-Et₄NTf (Tf is triflate ion) electrolytes were prepared as white, turbid foils with a thickness in the range of 0.1-0.5 mm, using the casting technique. Room temperature conductance of the electrolytes, detected from ac impedance experiments, was at the level of 8 and 14 mS cm⁻¹ for Et₄NBF₄ and Et₄NTf salts, respectively. The electrochemical stability window of approximately 2.6-2.8 V was estimated using a glassy carbon electrode. Temperature dependence of the conductivity is of the Arrhenius-type for both electrolytes, with an activation energy of approximately 34 kJ mol⁻¹. The double-layer capacitors built with these electrolytes, serving both as separators and activated carbon powder (ACP) binders, showed a specific capacity of 50 F g⁻¹ of carbon material. Capacitors were assembled by sandwiching the PAN-DMSO-salt electrolyte between two PAN-salt-DMSO-ACP-AB electrodes and pressing across the system; the resulting devices had a coin-like shape with 8 mm diameter and thickness between 2.0 and 2.5 mm.     

Novel N‐ethyl‐2‐styrylquinolinium iodides as sensitizers in the photoinitiated free‐radical polymerization of trimethylolopropane triacrylate. II

Results of kinetic studies of two‐component photoinitiator systems used in the visible‐light photoinduced polymerization of 2‐ethyl‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)‐1,3‐propanediol triacrylate are presented. Nine different styrylquinolinum dyes coupled with n‐butyltriphenylborate as a coinitiator have been used as photoinitiating systems. Reactive radicals that initiate the polymerization are formed by the well‐known mechanism of photoinduced electron transfer between dye cations acting as electron acceptors and borate anions acting as electron donors. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Spin-Based Quantum Information Processing in Magnetic Quantum Dots

We define the qubit as a pair of singlet and triplet states of two electrons in a He-type quantum dot (QD) placed in a diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) medium. The molecular field is here essential as it removes the degeneracy of the triplet state and strongly enhances the Zeeman splitting. Methods of qubit rotation as well as two-qubit operations are suggested. The system of a QD in a DMS is described in a way which allows an analysis of the decoherence due to spin waves in the DMS subsystem.on leave from Institute of Physics, Odessa UniversityPresented at the 36th Symposium on Mathematical Physics, “Open Systems & Quantum Information”, Toruń, Poland, June 9–12, 2004.     

Liquid film and droplet stability consideration as applied to wet steam flow

The state of art and ongoing research concerning the flow of wet steam in large steam turbines is reviewed, particularly from the viewpoint of the behavior of the liquid film deposited upon the stationary blading. New experimental results concerning the non-steady behavior of the film and the resultant wavelet formation patterns under the action of high-velocity low-pressure steam flow are presented. These results are then correlated as a flow regime “map” showing various flow regions in terms of steam velocity (or relative steam-film velocity since film velocity is relatively very small) vs. film flow rate per unit transverse distance. The distribution of liquid droplets shed from the blade trailing edge in the wake are studied as a function of distance downstream, steam velocity, and liquid film flow rate. In addition the droplet size is correlated in terms of critical droplet Weber number and compared with results of previous investigators. High-speed photographs of droplet distortions in a high-velocity air stream are also included.     

Spin singlet-triplet states of superfluid Fermi liquids in the presence of strong magnetic fields

The unitary singlet-triplet states of superfluid Fermi liquids are investigated in the presence of strong magnetic fields. The static spin susceptibility is calculated in the limith 0 in the framework of the weak coupling approximation. It is predicted that BS (a mixture of the Balian- Werthamer anisotropic state andD-wave singlet state) and 2DS (a mixture of the planar 2D state andD-wave singlet state) spin singlet-triplet states become stable at some temperatures and magnetic fields.     

Effect of hydraulic retention time on a continuous biohydrogen production in a packed bed biofilm reactor with recirculation flow of the liquid phase

The present paper reports on results obtained from experiments carried out in a laboratory-scale anaerobic packed bed biofilm reactor (APBR), with recirculation of the liquid phase, for continuously biohydrogen production via dark fermentation. The reactor was filled with Kaldnes^® biofilm carrier and inoculated with an anaerobic mesophilic sludge from a urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The APBR was operated at a temperature of 37 °C, without pH buffering. The effect of theoretical hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 1 to 5 h on hydrogen yield (HY), hydrogen production rate (HPR), substrate conversion and metabolic pathways was investigated. This study indicates the possibility of enhancing hydrogen production by using APBR with recirculation flow. Among respondents values of HRT the highest average values of HY (2.35 mol H₂/mol substrate) and HPR (0.085 L h^?1L^?1) have been obtained at HRT equal to 2 h.     

Biological Therapies in the Treatment of Cancer—Update and New Directions

Biological therapies have changed the face of oncology by targeting cancerous cells while reducing the effect on normal tissue. This publication focuses mainly on new therapies that have contributed to the advances in treatment of certain malignancies. Immunotherapy, which has repeatedly proven to be a breakthrough therapy in melanoma, as well as B-ALL therapy with CAR T cells, are of great merit in this progress. These therapies are currently being developed by modifying bispecific antibodies and CAR T cells to improve their efficiency and bioavailability. Work on improving the therapy with oncolytic viruses is also progressing, and efforts are being made to improve the immunogenicity and stability of cancer vaccines. Combining various biological therapies, immunotherapy with oncolytic viruses or cancer vaccines is gaining importance in cancer therapy. New therapeutic targets are intensively sought among neoantigens, which are not immunocompromised, or antigens associated with tumor stroma cells. An example is fibroblast activation protein α (FAPα), the overexpression of which is observed in the case of tumor progression. Universal therapeutic targets are also sought, such as the neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) gene fusion, a key genetic driver present in many types of cancer. This review also raises the problem of the tumor microenvironment. Stromal cells can protect tumor cells from chemotherapy and contribute to relapse and progression. This publication also addresses the problem of cancer stem cells resistance to treatment and presents attempts to avoid this phenomenon. This review focuses on the most important strategies used to improve the selectivity of biological therapies.     

Properties of Light MMCs Modified with Cordierite Synthesized from Fly Ash

This paper presents novel opportunities for management of fly ash by synthesizing the material into cordierite ceramics and using it as a reinforcing phase for light metal alloys. Metal matrix composites (based on magnesium alloy and aluminum alloy) were produced by squeeze casting. The magnesium matrix composites with a suitably selected reinforcing phase content (2 wt.%) exhibited much better strength properties than the unmodified alloy (AM60). It was also demonstrated that the wettability (or the lack thereof) in the metal-ceramic system is critical to successful production of the composites based on the AK7 alloy with cordierite. Light alloy matrix composites reinforced with cordierite ceramics particles are innovative materials that combine high strength with low weight, which may be a key factor of merit for numerous applications of the composite in various branches of industries.     

Non-local line method for notched elements with use of effective length calculated in an elasto-plastic condition

The paper presents a non-local line method used to the fatigue life calculation of notched elements. The presented method is based on the concept of an effective length which determines the size of the equivalent fatigue zone. Effective values of normal stress calculated in the critical plane with a weight function were applied when determining the equivalent fatigue zone. Simulation studies were performed for two types of steel and two types of loading. Five different series of tests and simulations were used. Experimental studies were carried out for 40 HM-T and EA4T steels. These materials are used in railway industry, including the manufacturing of coupling bars. The notched test specimens contained notches with a tip radius of 0.2, 0.5, 0.8 and 1 mm. Stress calculations were performed using the finite element method by adopting cyclic material properties described by the model of a multi-linear hardening. Non-local calculations were performed in a defined critical plane for normal stress distribution and a weight function. As a result, the function of variation of the effective length depending on the loading level and geometry of the notch has been determined.     

Influence of changes of the bending plane position on the fatigue life

The paper concerns influence of changes of the bending plane position on the fatigue life. The obtained results were analyzed and compared with the fatigue results for oscillatory bending. The applied specimens were smooth, they had round sections, and they were made of the leaded brass CuZn40Pb2 (MO58). The results obtained under cyclic bending with the plane position change were compared with the results obtained for the specimens with the same parameters under pure oscillatory bending. A change of the bending plane position occurred every 10% fatigue life determined under pure oscillatory bending at the given amplitude of the bending moment, according to the defined fatigue characteristics. Calculated values of nominal stress in a cross section were recalculated according with cyclic material properties and values of elasto‐plastic stress were obtained.