Studies on urethane–allophanate networks based on hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene: Modeling of network parameters and correlation to mechanical properties

Hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)‐based allophanate–urethane networks were prepared by reacting HTPB with di‐isocyanates, such as toluene–di‐isocyanate (TDI), isophorone–di‐isocyanate (IPDI), and 4,4′‐di(socyanatocyclohexyl)methane (H₁₂MDI) at stoichiometric ratios (r‐values) ranging from 1.0 to 1.5. The networks were characterized for mechanical and swell properties. The network parameters, such as “X,” which is the fraction of urethane groups involved in the allophanate formation, and effective chain length (L_x) were calculated from experimental crosslink density values determined from swell data, using α‐model equations developed by Marsh. Excellent linear correlations were obtained between mechanical properties and the calculated network parameters. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2986–2994, 2006     

Design of compact two-port dual-band dual-polarized MIMO antenna for CBRS and WLAN sub-6-GHz applications

This communication presents a compact field de-correlation lines integrated dual band with dual-polarized (LP & CP) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for the fifth generation (5G) sub-6-GHz wireless communication systems. Dual working bandwidths, smaller interelement gaps, and superior isolation within the MIMO components are the distinguishing characteristics that give the proposed MIMO system an aspect of novelty. The modeled MIMO antenna has compact configurations of 20 × 21 × 0.8 mm³. The unit cell consists of a microstrip feed line with optimized rectangular slots branches etched from the radiated patch. The MIMO module is generated by the antiparallel replication of a single unit cell. To enhance the isolation, two rectangular slots are incorporated on the patch between the unit elements, which act as field de-correlation lines. The MIMO identity is supported by diversity performance calculations in terms of ECC, DG, and TARC. Simulated and measured counterparts are found in the agreement.     

Cytopathological and ultrastructural changes in the male reproductive organs of freshwater crab Paratelphusa jacquemontii (Rathbun) exposed to nurocombi

Accumulation of pollutants in the aquatic system has a high impact on the reproductive physiology of crustaceans. The objective of the present study was to assess the possible histopathological effects of combined chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin (nurocombi) exposure on reproductive tissue in male freshwater crab Paratelphusa jacquemontii using light and electron microscopy. The testis of experimental crabs showed disorganization of testicular lobules, increased inters cellular space, necrosis, and cellular damage in both germinal cells and Sertoli cells. The treated vas deferens exhibited epithelial degeneration, misshaped spermatophores, decline in the number of spermatophores, and dehiscence of spermatophore wall. These clinical manifestations expressed in crabs following the exposure of nurocombi significantly reduce the testicular activity and substantially inhibits the seminal secretions, which ultimately lead to impairment of reproduction.     

Proteomics analysis of carbon-starved Mycobacterium smegmatis: induction of Dps-like protein

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a globally successful pathogen,infecting more than one third of total world's population. Thesebacteria have the remarkable ability to persist in the hostfor long periods of time unrecognized by the immune system andthen to re-emerge later in life causing the disease. The physiologyof such persistent or dormant bacilli is not very well characterized.Some evidence suggests that the dormant bacilli survive in anutrient-deprived state that is similar to the stationary phaseof the bacteria with respect to gene expression and physiology.Under this assumption we have studied the survival of Mycobacteriumsmegmatis in carbon starvation conditions as a model for mycobacterialpersistence. M.smegmatis, being a fast-growing strain, servesas a good model to study starvation responses. Using the two-dimensionalelectrophoresis-based proteomics approach, we identified a proteinwhich was found to be expressed preferentially under starvationconditions. This protein is homologous to a family of proteinscalled Dps (DNA binding Protein from Starved cells) that areknown to protect DNA under various kinds of environmental stressesand its existence has, so far, not been reported in mycobacteria.Upon expression and purification of this protein, we observedthat it has non-specific DNA-binding ability. Formation of acage-like dodecamer structure is a characteristic feature ofDps. Using comparative modelling we were able to show that Dpsfrom M.smegmatis could form a dodecamer structure similar tothe crystal structure of Dps from Escherichia coli.     

Reliability modeling of degradation of products with multiple performance characteristics based on gamma processes

Many highly reliable products usually have complex structure, with their reliability being evaluated by two or more performance characteristics. In certain physical situations, the degradation of these performance characteristics would be always positive and strictly increasing. In such a case, the gamma process is usually considered as a degradation process due to its independent and non-negative increments properties. In this paper, we suppose that a product has two dependent performance characteristics and that their degradation can be modeled by gamma processes. For such a bivariate degradation involving two performance characteristics, we propose to use a bivariate Birnbaum-Saunders distribution and its marginal distributions to approximate the reliability function. Inferential method for the corresponding model parameters is then developed. Finally, for an illustration of the proposed model and method, a numerical example about fatigue cracks is discussed and some computational results are presented.     

Modeling and Testing for Timing Faults in Synchronous Sequential Circuits

Even with proper design, integrated circuits and systems can have timing problems because of physical faults or variation of parameters. The authors introduce a fault model that takes into account timing related failures in both the combinational logic and the storage elements. Using their fault model and the system's requirements for proper operation, the authors propose ways to handle flipflop-to-flipflop delay, path selection, initialization, error propagation, race-around, and anomalous behavior. They discuss the advantages of scan designs like LSSD and the effectiveness of random delay testing.     

Mannopyranoside Glycolipids Inhibit Mycobacterial and Biofilm Growth and Potentiate Isoniazid Inhibition Activities in M. smegmatis

Lipomannan and lipoarabinomannan are integral components of the mycobacterial cell wall. Earlier studies demonstrated that synthetic arabinan and arabinomannan glycolipids acted as inhibitors of mycobacterial growth, in addition to exhibiting inhibitory activities of mycobacterial biofilm. Herein, it is demonstrated that synthetic mannan glycolipids are better inhibitors of mycobacterial growth, whereas lipoarabinomannan has a higher inhibition efficiency to biofilm. Syntheses of mannan glycolipids with a graded number of mannan moieties and an arabinomannan glycolipid are conducted by chemical methods and subsequent mycobacterial growth and biofilm inhibition studies are conducted on Mycobacterium smegmatis. Growth inhibition of (73±3) % is observed with a mannose trisaccharide containing a glycolipid, whereas this glycolipid did not promote biofilm inhibition activity better than that of arabinomannan glycolipid. The antibiotic supplementation activities of glycolipids on growth and biofilm inhibitions are evaluated. Increases in growth and biofilm inhibitions are observed if the antibiotic is supplemented with glycolipids, which leads to a significant reduction of inhibition concentrations of the antibiotic.     

Combined Effect of Mixed Convection and Surface Radiation Heat Transfer for Thermally Developing Flow in Vertical Channels

Combined effect of laminar flow mixed convection and surface radiation heat transfer for thermally developing airflow in a vertical channel heated from a side has been experimentally examined with different thermal and geometric parameters. The channel boundary is made of two isothermal walls and two adiabatic walls, the isothermal parallel wall is heated uniformly and the opposite cold wall temperature is maintained equal to the inlet conditions. The heated wall temperature ranged from 55 to 100°C, Reynolds number ranged from 800 to 2900 and the heat flux was varied from 250 to 870 W/m². To cover the wide range of Reynolds numbers, two aspect ratios of square and rectangular section were used. Surface radiation from the internal walls is considered through two emissivities i.e. 0.05 and 0.85, to represent weak and strong radiation effects, respectively. From the experiments, surface temperature and Nusselt number distributions of convection and radiation heat transfer are obtained for different heat flux values. Flow structure inside the channel is visualized to observe the flow pattern. The results show the combined effect of laminar flow mixed convection and surface radiation on the total heat transfer rate within the channel. The accumulating buoyancy force and airflow moves together vertically in the upward direction to give significant heat transfer enhancement in the vertical orientation of the channel.     

‘All That Glitters Is Not Gold’: High-Resolution Crystal Structures of Ligand-Protein Complexes Need Not Always Represent Confident Binding Poses

Our understanding of the structure–function relationships of biomolecules and thereby applying it to drug discovery programs are substantially dependent on the availability of the structural information of ligand–protein complexes. However, the correct interpretation of the electron density of a small molecule bound to a crystal structure of a macromolecule is not trivial. Our analysis involving quality assessment of ~0.28 million small molecule–protein binding site pairs derived from crystal structures corresponding to ~66,000 PDB entries indicates that the majority (65%) of the pairs might need little (54%) or no (11%) attention. Out of the remaining 35% of pairs that need attention, 11% of the pairs (including structures with high/moderate resolution) pose serious concerns. Unfortunately, most users of crystal structures lack the training to evaluate the quality of a crystal structure against its experimental data and, in general, rely on the resolution as a ‘gold standard’ quality metric. Our work aims to sensitize the non-crystallographers that resolution, which is a global quality metric, need not be an accurate indicator of local structural quality. In this article, we demonstrate the use of several freely available tools that quantify local structural quality and are easy to use from a non-crystallographer’s perspective. We further propose a few solutions for consideration by the scientific community to promote quality research in structural biology and applied areas.