Synthesis,characterization and magnetic properties of polythiophene/SrFe12-x(ZrZn)0.5xO19 nanocomposite as a microwave absorber

Ferrites are an important group of magnetic materials which are used as absorbers. The incorporation of ferrite and conducting polymer achieves great enhancement in microwave absorption properties. The nanocomposites of hexagonal ferrites embedded by conducting polymers such as polypyrrole, polyaniline and polythiophene (PTH) have been paid much attention. In the present study, strontium hexagonal ferrite doped by Zr and Zn with the final formula of SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 considering x = 0.9 and embedded by PTH was produced to achieve a nanocomposite with the highest microwave absorbing ability. In this study, after synthesis of SrFe₁₂O₁₉(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 and PTH, the nanocomposite was prepared by in situ polymerization. Wrapping the ferrite particles and PTH chains could form nanocomposite properly, and therefore acceptable interactions were observable between SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19ferrite particles and PTH polymer chains in the composites. Assessing the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19, PTH, and PTH/SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 nanocomposite indicated that the PTH characteristic peak shifts slightly and its peak intensity reduces, which may be attribute to the coating of PTH polymer chains onto SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particles. We revealed also lower magnetic properties in the obtained nanocomposite. The morphological assessment also suggested that PTH could effectively coat the SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particles. The synergistic effect of SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particle plus PTH leads to microwave absorption percentage higher than 95% by PTH/SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 nanocomposite. Overall, nanocomposite creating by coupling interaction between SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particles (x = 0.9) and PTH can effectively lead to achieve the highest rate of absorption of electromagnetic waves.     

CaDHN3, a Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Dehydrin Gene Enhances the Tolerance against Salt and Drought Stresses by Reducing ROS Accumulation

Dehydrins (DHNs) play an important role in abiotic stress tolerance in a large number of plants, but very little is known about the function of DHNs in pepper plants. Here, we isolated a Y₁SK₂-type DHN gene “CaDHN3” from pepper. To authenticate the function of CaDHN3 in salt and drought stresses, it was overexpressed in Arabidopsis and silenced in pepper through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). Sub-cellular localization showed that CaDHN3 was located in the nucleus and cell membrane. It was found that CaDHN3-overexpressed (OE) in Arabidopsis plants showed salt and drought tolerance phenotypic characteristics, i.e., increased the initial rooting length and germination rate, enhanced chlorophyll content, lowered the relative electrolyte leakage (REL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content than the wild-type (WT) plants. Moreover, a substantial increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes; including the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and lower hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) contents and higher O₂^•− contents in the transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Silencing of CaDHN3 in pepper decreased the salt- and drought-stress tolerance, through a higher REL and MDA content, and there was more accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the CaDHN3-silenced pepper plants than the control plants. Based on the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening and Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) results, we found that CaDHN3 interacts with CaHIRD11 protein in the plasma membrane. Correspondingly, the expressions of four osmotic-related genes were significantly up-regulated in the CaDHN3-overexpressed lines. In brief, our results manifested that CaDHN3 may play an important role in regulating the relative osmotic stress responses in plants through the ROS signaling pathway. The results of this study will provide a basis for further analyses of the function of DHN genes in pepper.     

Effect of apple cider vinegar agent on the microstructure,phase evolution,and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles

In the present study, spinel structure CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by the sol-gel auto-combustion technique. The effect of apple cider vinegar (ACV) addition as an organic biocompatible agent on the size, morphology, and magnetic properties of CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The phase evolution, particle size, and lattice parameter changes of the synthesized phase have been estimated by using Rietveld structure refinement analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data. Also, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) of the samples verified the presence of two expected bands correspond to tetrahedral and octahedral metal-oxygen complexes within the spinel structure. Furthermore, microstructural observations revealed that ultrafine particles have a semi-spherical morphology. It was shown that the particles size decreased from ~45 to ~17 nm with an increase in the amount of ACV. Magnetic properties were carried out by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. Both the saturation magnetization (M_s) and coercivity (H_c) were found to be significantly dependent on the crystallite size and the amount of ACV.     

Electro-copolymerisation of indene and styrene

Electroinitiated cationic copolymerisation of indene and styrene was investigated by constant potential electrolysis. Effects of copolymerisation potential and temperature on the copolymer composition and the reactivity ratios are discussed. The reactivity ratios of the monomers were calculated according to the integrated Lewis-Mayo equation.     

Instructional texts rewritten by five expert teams: Revisions and retention improvements.

700 undergraduates were tested in 3 experiments on original or rewritten versions of 52 instructional texts about Army job tasks, general science, philosophy, and history. Five experts had rewritten various sets of the texts and stated hypotheses about the efficacious features of their revisions. We tested their hypotheses and several others. Recall and recognition tests were given immediately and after a 24-hr delay. Results showed that revisions made by 3 of the 5 experts improved retention of text information. The kind and number of revisions and improvements varied across the text sets. Most expert hypotheses were not supported, and they made many revisions they were declaratively unaware of. Some of our hypotheses about the revision features were supported, but different features were effective for different sets of texts. It was concluded that some experts have effective knowledge about improving instructional text, but it exists primarily in procedural form. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of ultrasonic wave velocity in particleboard and fiberboard

Ultrasonic wave velocities were determined at parallel and perpendicular to manufacturing direction and at the interval angles of 15° in clockwise and counterclockwise directions of particleboard and fiberboard. The experimental results were compared with the predicted values using some empirical formulae such as Hankinson and Jacoby equations. The results showed that the ultrasonic wave velocity were the highest in parallel direction in particleboard and fiberboard and decreases with increase of angle and the lowest values occurred in perpendicular direction. The predicted ultrasonic velocity using Hankinson and Jacoby equations are in close agreement with the measured values. Relationship between ultrasonic wave velocities and particles and fibers angle could be successfully presented by cubic and quadratic regression equations as well.     

Study of liquid injection impact on the performance of new refrigerant mixtures

In this paper, the test results of liquid injection impact on the performance of new alternative refrigerant mixtures such as: R-410A, R-507, R-407C and R-404A are discussed, analysed and presented. The test results were obtained using an air-source heat pump set-up with enhanced surface tubing under various liquid injection ratios. Performance tests were conducted according to the ARI/ASHRAE standards. The performance data demonstrated that as liquid injection ratio increases, compressor head pressure and discharge temperature decrease. This has a positive effect in protecting the compressor. The effect of liquid injection on mixture behaviour varies from one mixture to another depending upon the mixture's composition. Furthermore, liquid injection appears to have a significant influence on R-410A behaviour compared to the other mixtures in question. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In vitro cytotoxicity and DNA damage production in Chinese hamster ovary cells and topoisomerase II inhibition by 2-[2''-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1, 2-dihydro-3H-dibenz[de,h]isoquinoline-1,3-diones with substitutions at the 6 and 7 positions (azonafides)

The p53 tumor suppressor gene encodes a phosphoprotein which when overexpressed can induce growth arrest at the G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle, promote differentiation and apoptosis. This paper demonstrates that p53 can associate with trk tyrosine kinase. Expression of a murine temperature-sensitive (ts) p53 mutant in PC12 cells overexpressing trk (a model system to analyse cellular differentiation and signal transduction induced by NGF) induces morphological changes in the absence of NGF stimulation at 32 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C. In cells differentiated by p53, trk, but not EGFr, was hyperphosphorylated on tyrosine. Furthermore trk was not phosphorylated when expressed in Saos-2 cells (human osteosarcoma cells that lack expression of both endogenous trk and p53) at either temperature. However, transfection of ts p53 into these cells induces trk phosphorylation at 32 degrees C in the absence of NGF stimulation. Association of trk and p53 can be detected in NIH3T3 and PC12 cells co-expressing trk and the ts p53 mutant, in NIH3T3 and PC12 cells transfected with trk alone, and in untransfected PC12 cells, showing that overexpressed and/or endogenous trk associates with endogenous, low levels of p53. These data suggest a novel function for p53 which involves the stimulation of signal transduction pathways (mediating morphological properties of cells), possibly through association with and hyperphosphorylation of trk.