Hypokinetic stress and neuronal porosome complex in the rat brain: the electron microscopic study

Porosomes are the universal secretory machinery in cells, where membrane-bound secretory vesicles transiently dock and fuse to release intravesicular contents to the outside of the cell during cell secretion. Studies using atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, electron density and 3D contour mapping, provided rich nanoscale information on the structure and assembly of proteins within the neuronal porosome complex in normal brain. However it remains uncertain whether pathological conditions that alter process of neurotransmission, provoke alterations in the porosome structure also. To determine if porosomes are altered in disease states, the current study was undertaken for first time using high resolution electron microscope. One of pathologies that produce subtle alteration at the presynaptic terminals has been demonstrated to be hypokinetic stress. The central nucleus of amygdale is the brain region, where such alterations are mostly expressed. We have examined the width and depth of the neuronal porosome complex and their alterations provoked by chronic hypokinetic stress in above mentioned limbic region. Specifically, we have demonstrated that despite alterations in the presynaptic terminals and synaptic transmission provoked by this pathological condition in this region, the final step/structure in neurosecretion--the porosome--remains unaffected: the morphometric analysis of the depth and diameter of this cup-shaped structure at the presynaptic membrane point out to the heterogeneity of porosome dimensions, but with unchanged fluctuation in norm and pathology.     

Nanoparticles and surfaces presenting antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties

Here, we present new antimicrobial nanoparticles based on silica nanoparticles (SNPs) coated with a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB). Depending on the initial concentration of DDAB, SNPs immobilize between 45 and 275 μg of DDAB per milligram of nanoparticle. For high concentrations of DDAB adsorbed to SNP, a bilayer is formed as confirmed by zeta potential measurements, thermogravimetry, and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) analyses. Interestingly, these nanoparticles have lower minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against bacteria and fungi than soluble surfactant. The electrostatic interaction of the DDAB with the SNP is strong, since no measurable loss of antimicrobial activity was observed after suspension in aqueous solution for 60 days. We further show that the antimicrobial activity of the nanoparticle does not require the leaching of the surfactant from the surface of the NPs. The SNPs may be immobilized onto surfaces with different chemistry while maintaining their antimicrobial activity, in this case extended to a virucidal activity. The versatility, relative facility in preparation, low cost, and large antimicrobial activity of our platform makes it attractive as a coating for large surfaces.     

Cyanuric chloride catalyzed Beckmann rearrangement of ketoximes in biodegradable ionic liquids

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) containing ester moieties in the side chain were successfully used as an alternative to traditional ILs in the Beckmann rearrangement of ketoximes catalyzed by 2,4,6-trichloro[1,3,5]triazine. The procedure is mild and suitable for both aromatic and cycloaliphatic substrates affording the rearrangement products in good to quantitative yields. The process is eco-sustainable since these ILs are biodegradable and in addition they can be recovered and reused.     

3D Printing of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Porous Structures Using Selective Laser Sintering

Summary: Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) 3D porous cubes were successfully built with Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), one of the many existing 3D printing technologies. The resulting cubes presented shape and dimensions very close to the corresponding virtual model. Moreover, they were resistant to handling without presenting any visible damage. The PHB powder did not present variation in thermal properties and chemical composition after 32.15 hours of SLS process as observed by proton nuclear resonance (¹H NMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, indicating that it can be re-utilized to print additional structures without affecting the reproducibility of the process.     

Steady vibrations problem in the theory of viscoelasticity for Kelvin-Voigt materials with voids

In this paper the linear theory of viscoelasticity for Kelvin-Voigt materials with voids is considered. The uniqueness and existence theorems for internal boundary value problem (BVP) of steady vibrations are proved by means of the potential method (boundary integral method) and the theory of singular integral equations. The application of this method to the 3D BVP of the considered theory reduces this problem to 2D singular integral equation. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Axioma for Mach's Mechanics

We present an axiomatic framework for what we call Mach's mechanics, inspired on the ideas by A. K. T. Assis and P. Graneau about relational mechanics. We show that, in contrast to a suggestion of these authors, Mach's principle does not need to be committed with any Weber's like gravitational force. Actually it is possible to settle an axiomatic framework for non-relativistic classical particle mechanics which incorporates Mach's principle and is still consistent with any force that obeys the Newtonian action-reaction principle. We make further criticisms concerning relational mechanics.     

Geometry of the Einstein and Yang-Mills equations

It is shown that the Einstein and Yang-Mills equations arise from the conditions for the space-time to be a submanifold of a pseudo-Euclidean space with dimension greater than 5. Some possible applications to cosmology, spin-2 fields, and geometrodynamics are discussed.     

Synthesis and Characterization of the β-BaB2O4 Phase Obtained by the Polymeric Precursor Method

A modified polymeric precursor method based on the Pechini process was used to synthesize -BaB₂O₄ (-BBO) crystalline phase. D-sorbitol (C₆H₁₄O₆) was used as a polymerizing agent to avoid the loss of boron during the samples' calcination and crystallization. The -BBO stoichiometric crystalline phase was only obtained when sorbitol was added to the solution. The results of Raman spectroscopy show that the amorphous phase is only completely eliminated when the samples are heat-treated at 750°C for 20 h. Thin films of -BBO phase displaying a preferred orientation were obtained when crystallized at 750°C for 2 h and deposited on sapphire substrate.     

Physicochemical and electrochemical properties of Gd3+-doped ZnSe thin films fabricated by single-step electrochemical deposition process

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Gd3+ (gadolinium)-doped ZnSe thin films (1 to 5 mol%) are grown onto indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate by single-step electrochemical...