Thermal decomposition of struvite

Struvite (NH₄MgPO₄·6H₂O) is a mineral often found in urinary tracts and kidneys. Thermal decomposition using slow low heating shows that the 'kidney' stone can be decomposed at temperatures below 40°C. At this temperature both ammonia and water are evolved. If more rapid heating is employed the decomposition occurs at around 80°C. The implication of this work rests with the use of low slow heat for the decomposition of the kidney stones. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy of torbernites and metatorbernites

A suite of torbernites and metatorbernites have been analysed by near-infrared spectroscopy. The spectra of torbernites and metatorbernites in the first HOH fundamental overtone are different and the spectra of torbernites of different origins in the 6000-7500 cm(-1) region vary. NIR spectroscopy provides a method of studying the hydration of cations in the interlayer of torbernite. NIR spectroscopy shows that the spectra of torbernites from different origins in the water HOH first fundamental overtone and combination regions are different. This difference implies the hydration of cations is different for torbernite minerals. The structural arrangement of the water molecules in the interlayer is sample dependent. The NIR spectra of metatorbernites are different from that of torbernites and a similarity of the spectra of metatorbernites suggests that the water structure in metatorbernites is similar.     

Raman microscopy of selected tungstate minerals

A series of tungstate bearing minerals including scheelite, stolzite, ferberite, hübnerite, wolframite, russellite, tungstenian wulfenite and cuprotungstite have been analyzed by Raman microscopy. The results of the Raman spectroscopic analysis are compared with published data. These minerals are closely related and often have related paragenesis. Raman microscopy enables the selection of individual crystals of these minerals for spectroscopic analysis even though several of the minerals can be found in the same matrix because of the pargenetic relationships between the minerals. The Raman spectra are assigned according to factor group analysis and related to the structure of the minerals. These minerals have characteristically different Raman spectra. The nu1(Ag) band is observed at 909 cm(-1) and although the corresponding nu1(Bu) vibration should be inactive a minor band is observed around 894 cm(-1). The bands at 790 and 881 cm(-1) are associated with the antisymmetric and symmetric Ag modes of terminal WO2. The band at 695 cm(-1) is interpreted as an antisymmetric bridging mode associated with the tungstate chain. The nu4(Eg) band was absent for scheelite. The bands at 353 and 401 cm(-1) are assigned as either deformation modes or as r(Bg) and delta(Ag) modes of terminal WO2. The band at 462 cm(-1) has an equivalent band in the infrared at 455 cm(-1) assigned as delta(as)(Au) of the (W2O4)n chain. The band at 508 cm(-1) is assigned as nu(sym)(Bg) of the (W2O4)n chain.     

Thermal decomposition of liebigite

Summary A combination of high resolution thermogravimetric analysis coupled to a gas evolution mass spectrometer has been used to study the thermal decomposition of liebigite. Water is lost in two steps at 44 and 302°C. Two mass loss steps are observed for carbon dioxide evolution at 456 and 686°C. The product of the thermal decomposition was found to be a mixture of CaUO₄ and Ca₃UO₆. The thermal decomposition of liebigite was followed by hot-stage Raman spectroscopy. Two Raman bands are observed in the 50°C spectrum at 3504 and 3318 cm^-1 and shift to higher wavenumbers upon thermal treatment; no intensity remains in the bands above 300°C. Three bands assigned to the υ₁ symmetric stretching modes of the (CO₃)^2- units are observed at 1094, 1087 and 1075 cm^-1 in agreement with three structurally distinct (CO₃)^2- units. At 100°C, two bands are found at 1089 and 1078 cm^-1. Thermogravimetric analysis is undertaken as dynamic experiment with a constant heating rate whereas the hot-stage Raman spectroscopic experiment occurs as a staged experiment. Hot stage Raman spectroscopy supports the changes in molecular structure of liebigite during the proposed stages of thermal decomposition as observed in the TG-MS experiment.     

The two-phase flow at gas-evolving electrodes: Bubble-driven and Lorentz-force-driven convection

We observe electrolysis with gas evolution, a phenomenon occurring in a number of industrial scale electrochemical processes. Here, water electrolysis takes place in a small undivided electrolysis cell consisting of vertical electrodes embedded in a larger glass vessel which contains a dilute NaOH solution. Fluid flow velocities are measured by particle image velocimetry with fluorescent tracers, while size distribution and velocities of the bubbles are determined from bubble shadow images obtained with a high speed camera. Coalescence phenomena are observed in the flow and explain the relatively wide distribution of bubble sizes. Depending on the gap width and the current density, bubbles ascending near the electrodes form two discernible bubble curtains (low average void fraction, wide gaps) or a flow profile more akin to a channel flow (high average void fraction, small gaps). If the flow consists of separate bubble curtains, instabilities develop not unlike to those of a single phase wall jet. Finally, the influence of different wall parallel Lorentz force configurations on the velocity distribution in the cell is investigated. These Lorentz forces are generated by permanent magnets mounted behind the electrodes. Depending on gap width, current density, and magnet configuration, liquid phase velocities can be increased by several times compared to the baseline case.     

Protein analysis of laser capture micro-dissected tissues revealed cell-type specific biological functions in developing barley grains

Both the nucellar projection (NP) and endosperm transfer cells (ETC) of the developing barley grain (harvested 8 days after flowering) were isolated by laser capture micro-dissection combined with pressure catapulting. Protein extracts were analyzed by nanoUPLC separation combined with ESI-Q-TOF mass spectrometry. The majority of the ～160 proteins identified were involved in translation, protein synthesis, or protein destination. The NP proteome was enriched for stress defense molecules, while proteins involved in assimilate transport and the mobilization of nutrients were common to both the NP and the ETC. The combined qualitative and quantitative protein profiling allowed for the identification of several proteins showing tissue specificity in their expression, which underlines the distinct biological functions of these two tissues within the developing barley grain.     

Thermal treatment of moolooite

Evidence for the existence of primitive life forms such as lichens and fungi can be based upon the formation of oxalates. These oxalates form as a film like deposit on rocks and other host matrices. Moolooite as the natural copper(II) oxalate mineral is a classic example. High resolution thermogravimetry coupled to evolved gas mass spectrometry shows decomposition takes place at 260°C. Evolved gas mass spectrometry shows the gas lost at this temperature is carbon dioxide. No water evolution was observed, thus indicating the moolooite is the anhydrous copper(II) oxalate as compared to the synthetic compound which is the dihydrate. The high resolution thermogravimetry was complimented with hot stage Raman spectroscopy. The temperature at which no intensity remains in the bands assigned to the oxalate vibrations is the upper limit of the stability of the moolooite. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Zur topologie multivalenter selbstabbildungen von mannigfaltigkeiten

Riassunto SianoV, W due varietà topologiche edf un'applicazione continua tale che per ogni puntop diV, l'insiemef(p)⊂V sia l'immagine continua diW. Quali sono le condizioni affinchè esistano puntip inV conp∈f(p)? Di questa questione si occupa il nostro articolo.

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Résumé SoientV, W deux variétés topologiques etf une application continue telle que, pour tout pointp deV, l'ensemblef(p)⊂V soit image continue deW. Quelles sont les conditions pour qu'il existe des pointsp enV avecp∈f(p)? C'est cette question qui est traitée par notre article.

     

Zur Topologie der Abbildungen dreidimensionaler Mannigfaltigkeiten

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