Distribution of one of the ascitic fluid antigens of ovarian cancer patients in malignant tumors of the stomach and intestines

The indirect immunofluorescent technique was used to study the distribution of the ascitic fluid antigen (AgD) on histological sections from surgical specimens of gastric and colon tumours from proximal to distal lines of resection. AgD was found in gastric tumours exceptionally in the tumour area and in colon cancer--both in the tumour stroma and in surrounding histologically normal mucosa.     

Thermodynamic state of reinforced interpenetrating polymer networks

The free energies of mixing of two networks in the interpenetrating polymer network based on crosslinked polyurethane and poly(ester acrylate) have been determined by the vapour sorption method. It was established that the constituent networks in the IPN are not miscible. The introduction of fillers of different chemical nature increases the compatibility. The thermodynamic affinity of the fillers to the individual networks and IPN was estimated. It was established that when the free energy of interaction of one or both components of the IPN with the filler is negative, reinforcement leads to the formation of a compatible and equilibrium system. For fillers having no affinity to the polymers, compatibilization is observed, which is connected with slowing down of phase separation in the system in the presence of filler.     

Semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks based on polyurethane and polyvinylpyrrolidone. II. Dielectric relaxation and thermal behaviour

Semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) based on crosslinked polyurethane (PU) and linear polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were synthezised, and their thermal and dynamic mechanical properties and dielectric relaxation behavior were studied to provide insight into their structure, especially according to their composition. The differential scanning calorimetry results showed the glass transitions of the pure components: one glass‐transition temperature (T_g) for PU and two transitions for PVP. Such glass transitions were also present in the semi‐IPNs, whatever their composition. The viscoelastic properties of the semi‐IPNs reflected their thermal behavior; it was shown that the semi‐IPNs presented three distinct dynamic mechanical relaxations related to these three T_g values. Although the temperature position of the PU maximum tan δ of the α‐relaxation was invariable, on the contrary the situation for the two maxima observed for PVP was more complex. Only the maximum of the highest temperature relaxation was shifted to lower temperatures with decreasing PVP content in the semi‐IPNs. In this study, we investigated the molecular mobility of the IPNs by means of dielectric relaxation spectroscopy; six relaxation processes were observed and indexed according the increase in the temperature range: the secondary β‐relaxations related to PU and PVP chains, an α‐relaxation due to the glass–rubber transition of the PU component, two α‐relaxations associated to the glass–rubber transitions of the PVP material, and an ionic conductivity relaxation due to the space charge polarization of PU. The temperature position of the α‐relaxation of PU was invariable in semi‐IPNs, as observed dynamic mechanical analysis measurements. However, the upper α‐relaxation process of PVP shifted to higher temperatures with increasing PVP content in the semi‐IPNs. We concluded that the investigated semi‐IPNs were two‐phase systems with incomplete phase separation and that the content of PVP in the IPNs governed the structure and corresponding properties of such systems through physical interactions. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 1191–1201, 2003     

Internal Stresses, Corrosion and Electrochemical Behavior in Soils, and Stress Corrosion of Pipe Steels

The results of field tests carried out at main gas pipelines (MP) are shown. The distribution of internal stresses along the MP perimeter is obtained. Polarization currents at differently strained pipeline fragments are determined in soils taken at different distances from the failure epicenter. The mechanoelectrochemical effect is shown to be twice greater in failure soils. Its value can serve as a criterion of the stress corrosion probability.     

Laser-Printed Plasmonic Metasurface Supporting Bound States in the Continuum Enhances and Shapes Infrared Spontaneous Emission of Coupled HgTe Quantum Dots

In order to advance the development of quantum emitter-based devices, it is essential to enhance light-matter interactions through coupling between semiconductor quantum dots with high quality factor resonators. Here, efficient tuning of the emission properties of HgTe quantum dots in the infrared spectral region is demonstrated by coupling them to a plasmonic metasurface that supports bound states in the continuum. The plasmonic metasurface, composed of an array of gold nanobumps, is fabricated using single-step direct laser printing, opening up new opportunities for creating exclusive 3D plasmonic nanostructures and advanced photonic devices in the infrared region. A 12-fold enhancement of the photoluminescence in the 900–1700 nm range is observed under optimal coupling conditions. By tuning the geometry of the plasmonic arrays, controllable shaping of the emission spectra is achieved, selectively enhancing specific wavelength ranges across the emission spectrum. The observed enhancement and shaping of the emission are attributed to the Purcell effect, as corroborated by systematic measurements of radiative lifetimes and optical simulations based on the numerical solution of Maxwell's equations. Moreover, coupling of the HgTe photoluminescence to high quality factor modes of the metasurface improves emission directivity, concentrating output within an ≈20° angle.     

Assurance of metrological traceability of water determination results in functional materials and pure substances

The problem of water determination in the creation of pure substances and new functional materials with a low moisture content is considered. The structure, metrological characteristics, and prospects of application of the state primary standard of mass fraction and mass (molar) concentration of water in solid and liquid substances and materials GET 173-2013 are presented. Examples of developing thermogravimetric and chemical analyses are provided.     

Managerial identity work in action: performative narratives and anecdotal stories of innovation

Innovation is invariably accepted as a central component of construction sector competitiveness. Yet, there remains a paucity of empirical research, which explores the gap between the way innovation is promoted in the policy discourse and how it is interpreted in practice. We follow the “narrative turn” in organization studies to explore the ways in which senior executives in the UK construction sector ascribe themselves with informal roles while advocating the cause of innovation. Empirical data is derived from narrative interviews with 32 senior executives who self-identify as “innovation champions”. When talking about innovation, the respondents were found to oscillate between performative narratives of innovation and more personalized stories derived from their own experience. The narratives were invariably pre-rehearsed often to the point of being monotonous. In contrast, the personalized stories tended to be engaging and emotionally laden. The tendency for senior executives to oscillate between narratives and stories is seen as an important means through which they search for meaning while at the same time legitimizing their self-identities as “innovation champions”. Of particular note is the way in which senior managers self-ascribe themselves with informal roles which are notably at odds with those described in more formalized narratives.     

Quadrupole lenses on the basis of permanent magnets for a PRIOR proton microscope prototype

Four quadrupole lenses based on permanent magnets of the NdFeB material (PMQ) were developed for the imaging section for forming images of the ion-optical system of the PRIOR proton microscope prototype: the effective length of two of them is 144 mm, and the other two are 288 mm long. The field induction at the radius of the lens aperture is 1.77 Т, and the aperture is 30 mm in size. The modular design of the PMQ makes it possible to vary the length of the lenses, compensate for the offset of the magnetic axis from the ion optical axis of the microscope channel, and decrease the variation of the angular position of the magnetic medians. The PMQ magnetic field was adjusted, scanned, and its main characteristics were determined. The 3D mathematical models of the magnetic-field distribution that are obtained as a result of PMQ measurements are intended for the use in calculations of the beam dynamics during adjustment of the ion-optical system of the proton microscope and for attaining the highest spatial resolution. The developed lenses were used in the first experiments on the PRIOR facility.     

Design of Porous Alginate Hydrogels by Sacrificial CaCO3 Templates: Pore Formation Mechanism

Fabrication of porous alginate hydrogels with a well‐controlled architecture useful for tissue engineering is still a challenge. Here, CaCO₃‐based templating is utilized to design stable alginate gels with controlled pore dimensions in the range of 5–50 μm. The mechanism of pore formation is studied considering two factors affecting the pore size: i) osmotic pressure generated during the dissolution of sacrificial CaCO₃ templates and ii) alginate gel network density. Osmotic pressure can achieve an upper limit of 100 MPa but does not affect the gel porosity. Additional osmotic pressure (range of kPa) induced by dextrans pre‐encapsulated into CaCO₃ vaterite is also insufficient for pore enlargement. Pore stability depends merely on the gel network density and on the number of crosslinking calcium ions provided locally per unit time; pores are collapsed when template dissolution is too slow or if there is insufficient alginate concentration (below 2%). Young's modulus indicates the soft nature of the prepared hydrogels (tens of kPa) applicable as soft porous scaffolds with a tuned internal structure.     

Effect of lead oxide on the dielectric characteristics of heterogeneous Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 + PbO films obtained by a two-stage method

We have studied changes in the dielectric properties of thin lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) films, obtained using a two-stage ex-situ technology, as dependent on the microstructure of a perovskite phase and the content of microinclusions of excess lead oxide. The presence of these microinclusions leads to either anomalously low or high values of dielectric permittivity and anomalous pyroelectric response.