Preparation,characterization, and binding profile of imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite for aluminum

Human body is greatly exposed to aluminum due to its high abundance in the environment. This nonessential metal is a threat to the patients of chronic renal disorders, as it is easily retained in their plasma and quickly accumulates in different tissues. Thus, there is great need to remove it from the aqueous environment. In this study, Al³⁺ imprinted semiinterpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN)-based cryogel composite was prepared and applied for the purification of environmental and drinking water samples from aluminum. Poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) discs were produced via cryogenic treatment and imprinted semi-IPN was introduced to the 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl acrylatemodified macroporous cryogel discs. The adsorption properties and selectivity of the aluminum (III) imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite were studied in detail. The imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite showed good selectivity towards aluminum (III) ions with the imprinting factor (IF) of 76.4 in the presence of competing copper (II), nickle (II), and iron (III) ions. The maximum adsorption capacity of 271 μmol g^-1 was obtained for aluminum (III) at pH 7.0 within 10 min using imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite. The good selectivity and reusability of aluminum (III)-imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite makes this material an eligible candidate for the purification of drinking water from aluminum (III) leaving important minerals remained in the water.     

Differentiation of recurrent brain tumor versus radiation injury using diffusion tensor imaging in patients with new contrast-enhancing lesions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the evaluation of new contrast-enhancing lesions and perilesional edema in patients previously treated for brain neoplasm in the differentiation of recurrent neoplasm from treatment-related injury. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with new contrast-enhancing lesions and perilesional edema at the site of previously treated brain neoplasms were retrospectively reviewed. Nine directional echoplanar DTIs with b=1000 s/mm(2) were obtained using a single-shot spin-echo echoplanar imaging. Standardized regions of interest were manually drawn in several regions. Mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA) and eigenvalue indices (lambda( parallel) and lambda( perpendicular)) and their ratios relative to the contralateral side were compared in patients with recurrent neoplasm versus patients with radiation injury, as established by histological examination or by clinical course, including long-term imaging studies and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. RESULTS: The ADC values in the contrast-enhancing lesions were significantly higher (P=.01) for the recurrence group (range=1.01 x 10(-3) to 1.66 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; mean+/-S.D.=1.27+/-0.15) than for the nonrecurrence group (range=0.9 x 10(-3) to 1.31 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; mean+/-S.D.=1.12+/-0.14). The ADC ratios in the white matter tracts in perilesional edema trended higher (P=.09) in treatment-related injury than in recurrent neoplasm (mean+/-S.D.=1.85+/-0.30 vs. 1.60+/-0.27, respectively). FA ratios were significantly higher in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) tracts adjacent to the edema in the nonrecurrence group (mean+/-S.D.=0.89+/-0.15) than in those in the recurrence group (mean+/-S.D.=0.74+/-0.14; P=.03). Both eigenvalue indices lambda( parallel) and lambda( perpendicular) were significantly higher in contrast-enhancing lesions in the recurrence group than in those in the nonrecurrence group (P=.02). As well, both eigenvalue indices lambda( parallel) and lambda( perpendicular) were significantly higher in perilesional edema than in normal white matter (P<.01 and P<.001, respectively) in both groups. CONCLUSION: The assessment of diffusion properties, especially ADC values and ADC ratios, in contrast-enhancing lesions, perilesional edema and NAWM adjacent to the edema in the follow-up of new contrast-enhancing lesions at the site of previously treated brain neoplasms may add to the information obtained by other imaging techniques in the differentiation of radiation injury from tumor recurrence.     

Cross reactivity between human erythropoietin antibody and horse erythropoietin

Erythropoietin (EPO) is the primary hormone of erythropoiesis. Administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO) to improve racing performance in the horse represents a new form of blood doping, which has been associated with increased mortality. While immunoassay kits have become plentiful, very few commercial hormone assays are made specifically for equine research. There is a strong degree of sequence homology reported for EPO among species, which has allowed antibodies designed for human EPO research to be used to determine EPO concentration in other species. The objective of the present study was to use Western blot analysis to determine whether the antibody to rhuEPO, provided in a commercial radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit, recognizes horse EPO. Western blot analysis of purified rhuEPO and horse plasma was conducted, using the polyclonal goat-antihuman EPO antibody supplied in the Incstar EPO Trac RIA as the primary antibody. Immunoblot analysis revealed a major band at approximately 52 kDa for both rhuEPO and the horse plasma. Our results demonstrate that a human EPO antibody recognizes equine EPO. These findings show that the Incstar EPO Trac RIA hormone assay system can be used to measure equine EPO.     

温度与应变率对钽流动应力的影响

 研究了温度在-100～400 ℃、应变率在10^-5～10³ s^-1范围内温度和应变率的变化对钽的流动应力的影响。结果表明,钽的流动应力对温度和应变率的变化相当敏感。同时还就两种本构模型对钽的温度效应与应变率效应的不同处理方法作了比较,指出Zerilli-Armstrong模型能更好地描述温度与应变率对钽流动应力的影响。     

冲击波作用下CHBr3/NaCl界面热弛豫特性研究

非透明材料冲击温度测量是通过对界面光辐射历史的观察实现的 ,因此对界面光辐射历史的研究是非透明材料冲击温度测量的基础。但由于冲击阻抗的失配导致界面上出现波的反射而引起温度的变化与界面热流动产生的温度变化交杂在一起 ,以及过程的瞬时性 ,使得对这一过程的实验研究显得非常困难。设计了一种界面波阻抗近似相同的特殊实验装置 ,用光辐射测量技术研究了在冲击压缩下CHBr3/NaCl界面的热弛豫过程。实验结果和理论分析表明CHBr3/NaCl界面的热弛豫时间在纳秒量级 ,与Grover等人的理论预估一致。     

Li_3N在生成BN反应中的作用

研究了常压高温下Li3N在B4 C与含氮化合物生成BN反应中的作用。实验结果表明 ,在 950℃高温下 ,B4 C与Si3N4 反应不生成hBN ,B4 C与NH4 Cl反应只生成少量hBN。在该两种原料中加入Li3N后 ,反应产物中hBN的生成量都明显增多。但Li3N本身没有与B4 C生成hBN的反应。由此推断 ,Li3N在上述B4 C与含氮化合物生成hBN的反应中表现出了催化作用。此外 ,在以hBN为原料 ,以Li3N为催化剂合成出cBN的温度压力区域内 ,对B4 C Si3N4 Li3N体系所做的高温高压实验没有合成出hBN或cBN。还讨论了在低压条件下原位合成cBN的探索实验中 ,应如何选择硼源和氮源的问题     

Emergency Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimetry Using Different Materials

Several materials were tested as possible individual emergency dosimeters using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) as means to assess the exposure. Materials investigated included human nails, business cards and plastic buttons. The OSL properties of these materials were studied in comparison with those of teeth. Most samples revealed OSL signals only after exposure to ionizing radiation; some samples of business cards, however, displayed a strong initial "native" signal (i.e. existing in the samples prior to irradiation). The sensitivity (minimum measurable dose) of the samples was found to vary significantly from sample to sample of the same material and was in the range from several tens of mGy to a few dozens of Gy. The dose response curves were linear for doses below 10 Gy. Fading of the OSL signals was estimated for different lenghts of times and found to be ~95%, 45%, 30% and 15% for samples of teeth, business cards, buttons and nails, respectively, following storage at room temperature in the dark for a period of 3 weeks after exposure. For samples stored under routine laboratory light, fading was much faster and the radiation-induced signals almost disappeared after a few hours of such illumination. It was concluded that the tested materials could be used in triage situations to detect and estimate the possible overexposure of individuals if the measurements can be performed soon enough after exposure.     

Dynamics of a tunable superfluid junction

We study the population dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a double-well potential throughout the crossover from Josephson dynamics to hydrodynamics. At barriers higher than the chemical potential, we observe slow oscillations well described by a Josephson model. In the limit of low barriers, the fundamental frequency agrees with a simple hydrodynamic model, but we also observe a second, higher frequency. A full numerical simulation of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation giving the frequencies and amplitudes of the observed modes between these two limits is compared to the data and is used to understand the origin of the higher mode. Implications for trapped matter-wave interferometers are discussed.     

X-ray scattering from warm dense iron

We have carried out X-ray scattering experiments on iron foil samples that have been compressed and heated using laser-driven shocks created with the VULCAN laser system at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory. This is the highest Z element studied in such experiments so far and the first time scattering from warm dense iron has been reported. Because of the importance of iron in telluric planets, the work is relevant to studies of warm dense matter in planetary interiors. We report scattering results as well as shock breakout results that, in conjunction with hydrodynamic simulations, suggest the target has been compressed to a molten state at several 100 GPa pressure. Initial comparison with modelling suggests more work is needed to understand the structure factor of warm dense iron.