New and Simple Staining Method for Visualizing UHMWPE Lamellar Structure in TEM

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used in arthroplasty as a key component of total joint replacements. In order to increase its wear resistance, the polymer is often cross-linked in a two-step procedure comprising irradiation and thermal treatment. Both modification steps impact UHMWPE lamellar structure. In this study we introduce a new staining method that makes it possible to visualize the UHMWPE lamellae by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The method consists of one-step staining with oleum (H ₂ SO ₄ solution of SO ₃ ) for 4 days and ultramicrotomy; this is significantly simpler than previously described techniques and yields micrographs of the same quality. The lamellar thicknesses from TEM correlated well with those from small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry. It has also been demonstrated that the exact values of lamellar thicknesses obtained from TEM micrographs strongly depend on the place selected for image analysis.     

Impact of Dose-Rate on Rheology,Structure and Wear of Irradiated UHMWPE

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used as a bearing material in total joint replacements (TJR). UHMWPE for TJR is usually modified by irradiation and thermal treatment to increase wear resistance. We modified UHMWPE in three ways, differing in radiation dose-rate and/or atmosphere during irradiation. Rheological properties before and after irradiation were determined by means of oscillatory shear measurements. Structural changes were followed by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, electron spin resonance, and solubility measurements. Wear resistance of selected samples was obtained by the pin-on-disk method. Rheological properties changed sensitively with modification conditions including radiation dose rate. Moreover, rheological results correlated well with both crosslinking extent and wear resistance. Finally, it was demonstrated that the optimal radiation dose, i.e. the dose leading to maximum crosslinking density and wear resistance, was different for each of the three modification procedures.     

Scaled total least squares fundamentals

Summary. The standard approaches to solving overdetermined linear systems construct minimal corrections to the vector c and/or the matrix B such that the corrected system is compatible. In ordinary least squares (LS) the correction is restricted to c, while in data least squares (DLS) it is restricted to B. In scaled total least squares (STLS) [22], corrections to both c and B are allowed, and their relative sizes depend on a real positive parameter . STLS unifies several formulations since it becomes total least squares (TLS) when , and in the limit corresponds to LS when , and DLS when . This paper analyzes a particularly useful formulation of the STLS problem. The analysis is based on a new assumption that guarantees existence and uniqueness of meaningful STLS solutions for all parameters . It makes the whole STLS theory consistent. Our theory reveals the necessary and sufficient condition for preserving the smallest singular value of a matrix while appending (or deleting) a column. This condition represents a basic matrix theory result for updating the singular value decomposition, as well as the rank-one modification of the Hermitian eigenproblem. The paper allows complex data, and the equivalences in the limit of STLS with DLS and LS are proven for such data. It is shown how any linear system can be reduced to a minimally dimensioned core system satisfying our assumption. Consequently, our theory and algorithms can be applied to fully general systems. The basics of practical algorithms for both the STLS and DLS problems are indicated for either dense or large sparse systems. Our assumption and its consequences are compared with earlier approaches. Received June 2, 1999 / Revised version received July 3, 2000 / Published online July 25, 2001     

Interaction of carboranes with biomolecules: formation of dihydrogen bonds.

Noncovalent interactions of the polyhedral carborane 1-carba-closo-dodecaborane (CB(11)H(12))(-) with building blocks of biomolecules, modelled by glycine (GLY), serine (SER), phenylalanine (PHE), glutamic acid (GLU), lysine (LYS) and arginine (ARG), were investigated in vacuo by molecular dynamics simulations with the UFF empirical potential. Selected structures were further studied by accurate ab initio quantum chemical procedures. Interactions with a peptide bond (GLY-SER dipeptide) and a nucleic acid building block (guanine) were also considered. The RESP and NPA charges of carboranes and small model systems are compared and their use is discussed. The dominant interaction between carboranes and biomolecules is the formation of unconventional proton-hydride hydrogen bonds (dihydrogen bonds) characterized by a short distance between hydrogen atoms (as close as 1.8 A) and an average strength in the range of 4.2-5.8 kcal mol(-1). The total stabilization energy of complexes investigated is rather large, and the largest value (approximately 15 kcal mol(-1)) was found for the carborane complexes with ARG and the GLY-SER dipeptide. These interactions are ubiquitous under geometrical constraints influencing the strength of the interaction. The carborane forms dihydrogen bonds with biomolecules preferably with the hydrogen atoms of its lower hemisphere (i.e. the part of the cage opposite to the carbon atom). These two geometrical factors can be used to explain the specificity of inhibition of HIV protease by carboranes.     

Cheese whey tangential filtration using tubular mineral membranes

Membrane separation techniques are extensively used in dairy industry both for milk and cheese whey processing. However, cheese whey might still be considered as a problematic waste despite its high content of many valuable substances, such as proteins, lactose or minerals, which can be further used, e.g. in human nutrition, pharmacy or biotechnologies. Another problem, which food technologists have to face, is variable quality, composition and properties of food materials bringing high demands on manufacturing industry. In this paper, filtration kinetics and separation efficiency during purification and fractionation of cheese whey (sweet and salty) from Czech dairies by pilot-plant filtration (Bollene, France) was studied using tubular membranes (Membralox, USA). Various mineral membranes’ cut-offs were tested and all experiments ran in the retentate recycling mode. The obtained mass concentration factors were between 1.9 and 16.5. Steady state fluxes were calculated from the experimental data using a mathematical model. Fine ultrafiltration on a 5 kDa membrane gave steady state fluxes of 14–19 L m^?2 h^?1. The coarse pre-filtration on 100 nm, 200 nm or 500 nm membranes showed various permeate fluxes between 22 L m^?2 h^?1 and 153 L m^?2 h^?1. Despite the high pore sizes of the used membranes, lactose was partially rejected by all membranes tested.     

世贸大厦坍塌的原因——————简要分析

对2001年9月11日纽约世贸中心大厦整体坍塌的原因作了简化的 近似分析.分析表明：如果大厦某一层大部分支柱在持续高温作用下失去 了承载能力，则整个大厦就会彻底坍塌.尽管采用了一些对承载能力有利 的简化假设，但仍发现其结构抗力比实际所需的承载能力低一个数量级.     

Viscoelasticity of a surfactant and its drag-reducing ability

There is considerable interest in the use of viscoelastic cationic surfactant-counterion mixtures in district heating and cooling systems to reduce pressure losses. A recent field test in a secondary system near Prague showed a 30+% reduction in pumping energy requirements.We have studied a number of commercial surfactants and we report here results of rheological, drag reduction and turbulence measurements on Arquad 18–50 (octadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (AR 18)) with an excess of sodium salicylate (NA). The concentration studied was 1.6 mM AR 18 and 4.0 mM NA which is about one third the concentration for excellent drag reduction in this surfactant's effective temperature range 30–90°C.Viscosity, , vs. shear rate,D, first normal stress difference,N ₁, vs. shear rate, drag reduction (as pressure drop,i=P/1) vs. average velocity,U _ave, in a 39.4 mm tube for AR 18, and turbulence intensity data for three drag reducing surfactants are reported.Of particular interest are the generally low turbulence intensities in all three directions which correspond to reduced heat, mass and momentum transfer rates compared to water, and the existence of large normal stress differences at 20°C for AR 18, a temperature at which no drag reduction occurs with this surfactant, indicating that normal stress effects do not correlate directly with drag reduction.The effect of time of pumping on increasing drag reduction demonstrates that this factor overwhelms the expected increase in drag reduction as temperature is raised from 18–19°C to 40.5°C.     

Synthesis and structure of lanthanide complexes with large-bite diphosphine dioxide ligands

Three large-bite diphosphine dioxide ligands were reacted with lanthanide salts to yield either molecular or polymeric complexes. The two flexible ligands gave bischelate complexes of general formulae [Ln(dppfO₂)₂Cl_x(NO₃)_2−x][FeCl₄] and [Ln(dppdO₂)₂(NO₃)₂]NO₃, where dppfO₂ and dppdO₂ are bis(diphenylphosphoryl)ferrocene and bis(diphenylphosphoryl)diphenyl ether, respectively. Reactions of the rigid bis(diphenylphosphoryl)benzene (dppbO₂) with lanthanide salts yielded linear coordination polymers of a 1:1.5 metal-to-ligand stoichiometry. The compounds were studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and TG/DSC techniques.