Fatigue Crack Nucleation at Σ3(1 1 2) Boundary in a Ferritic Stainless Steel

The effect of a geometrical relationship between a grain boundary (GB) plane and a tensile axis on intergranular fatigue cracking along 3(1 1 2) twin boundaries has been investigated in Fe-30%Cr alloy crystals. Fatigue experiments were carried out on the three kinds of the specimens containing the 3(1 1 2) twin boundary. It was found that the fatigue cracking behavior was sensitive to the geometry of the GB plane. In a specimen where both the GB plane and a slip vector lying in the GB plane in adjacent grains are inclined to the tensile axis at 45°, the fatigue cracks were nucleated preferentially along the twin boundary at a stress amplitude of 170 MPa. The specimen with the GB plane normal to the tensile axis showed that the fatigue crack was initiated from a slip band formed within a constituent grain at a stress amplitude of 300 MPa. When the GB plane was inclined to the tensile axis but the slip vector lying in the GB plane was normal to the tensile axis, development of additional slips formed perpendicular to the GB plane were observed at a specific site of the GB. Initiation of intergranular fatigue cracks at the site was recognized at a stress amplitude of 250 MPa. It can be suggested that the GB plane normal to the tensile axis provides the highest fatigue performance among them. The difference in the cracking property among these specimens could be understood in terms of the effective Schmid factor derived from elastically incompatible stress.     

Molecular-level chiral discrimination and induction

The review describes the mechanism of chiral discrimination of racemic amines upon crystallization and the induction of chirality in organic reactions by using them as chiral auxiliaries. In order to form conglomerates, which can be resolved into the two enantiomers upon alternative seeding, both formation and packing of 2₁-columns are essentially very important. On the other hand, in order to achieve high efficiency in resolution through diastereomeric salt formation, which is the most practical method, one of a pair of diastereomeric salts derived from a racemic amine and an enantiomerically pure resolving agent should at least have two 2₁-columns and planar boundary surfaces in its crystal structure. On the basis of this knowledge, we developed several artificial chiral auxiliaries such as erythro-2-amino-1,2-diphenylethanol,cis-2-amino-1-acenaphthenol, andcis-2-amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-indanol. These were found to be very efficient chiral auxiliaries in asymmetric inductions: alkylation of chiral imines, catalytic borane-reduction, and alkylation of chiral N-acylated oxazolidinone.     

Cardiac glycosides: 5. Stereoselective syntheses of digitoxigenin α-D, β-D, α-L,and β-L-glucosides

As part of a continuing study of cardiac g1ycos1des,^1,2 stereoselective syntheses of the four possible glucosides of digitoxigenin were developed via the thermodynamically produced tetra-O-benzyl-D- and L-glucosyl α-trichloroacetaimidates 2α and 11α, and the kinetically produced β-trichloroacetaimidates 2β and 11β. A 58%:19% isolated yield ratio of α-D and β-D benzyl protected glycosides 6 and 3 could be obtained in 30 minutes reaction at ?10°. Halide ion catalysis with a 2:1 excess of tetra-O-benzyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide for 14 days in methylene chloride at room temperature gave a 39%:11% ratio of 6 and 3, along with 43% of recovered digitoxigenin. Debenzylation of the D-glucosides required milder conditions (20% Pd/C, atmospheric pressure, 45 min-1 hr) than the L-glucosides (40% Pd/C, 2 hr) but yields were typically 80% for both groups.     

Scattering of light by deformed disordered spherulites

The change in the light-scattering patterns upon deforming two-dimensional disordered spherulites is shown to arise from four effects occurring upon stretching: (1) the change in shape of the spherulite, (2) the change in average orientation of the optic axes of the scattering volume elements, (3) the change in deviation of the optic axis orientation angle from its average value, and (4) the change in the distance over which this deviation is correlated. The effects of these contributions upon the experimental scattering patterns are analyzed.     

A novel type secoiridoid glucoside,hydrangenoside a from Hydrangea macrophylla

Hydrangenoside A, isolated along with its three congeners from Hydrangea macrophylla, was proved to have a novel type of structure which is thought to be biosynthesized through an aldol-type condensation of secologanin with a unit formed by the shikimate-malonate route followed by decarboxylation.     

Thermally stimulated current from extended-chain crystals of polyethylene

Thermally stimulated current (TSC) has been observed in extended-chain crystals of polyethylene above room temperature. The TSC spectra exhibit two current peaks of opposite polarity. The peaks were separated into separate components by curve fitting. The position of the negative peak, which appears at 123°C, is independent of charging conditions. The positive current increases after γ irradiation or aging of the samples.     

Signalling crosstalk in FGF2-mediated protection of endothelial cells from HIV-gp120

Background  

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is the first line of defence of the central nervous system (CNS) against circulating pathogens, such as HIV. The cytotoxic HIV protein, gp120, damages endothelial cells of the BBB, thereby compromising its integrity, which may lead to migration of HIV-infected cells into the brain. Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), produced primarily by astrocytes, promotes endothelial cell fitness and angiogenesis. We hypothesized that treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with FGF2 would protect the cells from gp120-mediated toxicity via endothelial cell survival signalling.