Occupational prolonged organic solvent exposure in shoemakers: brain MR spectroscopy findings

Our purpose was to investigate, by magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy, the metabolite changes in the brains of subjects in the shoemaking industry who had been chronically exposed to organic solvents. A total of 49 male subjects and 30 age-matched healthy volunteers underwent detailed neurological and psychiatric examinations. All subjects had long-echo [repetition time (TR) 2000 ms, echo time (TE) 136 ms] single-voxel MR spectroscopy. Voxels (15 x 15 x 15 mm(3)) were placed in the parietal white matter, thalamus, and basal ganglia. N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios were calculated. There was no significant difference between the study subjects and the control group in NAA/Cr ratios obtained from thalamus, basal ganglia, and parietal white matter. Cho/Cr ratios in thalamus, basal ganglia, and parietal white matter were found to be significantly increased compared to controls. There was a positive correlation between basal ganglia Cho/Cr ratio and duration of exposure (r = 0.63). MR spectroscopy should be performed to reveal metabolite changes and determine the degree of brain involvement in solvent-related industry workers.     

MgCu metallic glass

We generate an amorphous MgCu model using the rapid solidification of the melt through a first-principles molecular dynamics approach within a generalised gradient approximation and reveal, for the first time, its structural features and mechanical properties in details. The liquid and glassy MgCu are found to acquire slightly distinct local structures. Yet in both forms of MgCu, most Cu atoms have a tendency to form the ideal and defective icosahedrons while Mg atoms are arranged in complex configurations. The mean coordination number of Cu and Mg at 300 K is 11.31 and 13.73, respectively. The short-range order of MgCu glass is projected to be different than the known crystalline MgCu and Mg₂Cu phases. The mechanical properties of MgCu glass and the CsCl-type MgCu crystal are computed and compared. On the basis of the enthalpy analyses, a possible pressure-induced crystallisation of the MgCu glass into a CsCl-type structure is proposed to occur at around 11 GPa.     

Amorphous silicon hexaboride at high pressure

ABSTRACT

We investigate the pressure-induced structural phase transformation of amorphous silicon hexaboride (a-SiB₆) using a constant pressure first principles approach. a-SiB₆ is found to undergo a gradual phase transformation to a high-density amorphous phase (HDA) in which the average coordination number of both B and Si atoms is about 6. The HDA phase consists of differently coordinated motifs ranging from 4 to 8. B₁₂ icosahedra are found to persist during compression of a-SiB₆ and the structural modifications primarily occur around Si atoms and in the regions linking pentagonal pyramid-like configurations to each other. Upon pressure release, an amorphous structure, similar to the uncompressed one, is recovered, indicating a reversible amorphous-to-amorphous phase change in a-SiB_6. When the electronic structure is considered, the HDA phase is perceived to have a wider forbidden band gap than the uncompressed one.     

Spectral,electron microscopic and chemical investigations of gamma-induced purple color zonings in amethyst crystals from the Dursunbey-Balıkesir region of Turkey

Amethyst crystals on matrix specimens from the Dursunbey-Bal?kesir region in Turkey have five representative purple color zonings: dark purple, light purple, lilac, orchid, and violet. The purple color zonings have been analyzed with optical absorption spectra in the visible wavelength region, chemical full trace element analyses (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy), and scanning electron microscopic images with high magnification. It can be proposed that the production of the purple color in amethyst crystals is due to three dominant absorption bands centered at 375, 530, and 675 nm, respectively. In addition, the purple color zonings are also due to four minor absorption bands centered at 435, 480, 620, and 760 nm. X-ray diffraction graphics of the investigated amethyst crystals indicate that these crystals are composed of a nearly pure alpha-quartz phase and do not include any moganite silica phase and/or other mineral implications. Trace element analyses of the amethyst crystals show five representative purple color zonings, suggesting that the absorption bands can be mainly attributed to extrinsic defects (chemical impurities). However, another important factor that influences all structural defects in amethyst is likely to be the gamma irradiation that exists during amethyst crystallization and its inclusion in host materials. This gamma irradiation originates from the large underlying intrusive granitoid body in the region of amethyst formation. Irradiation modifies the valence values of the impurity elements in the amethyst crystals. It is observed that the violet-colored amethyst crystals have the most stable and the least reversible coloration when exposed to strong light sources. This situation can be related to the higher impurity content of Fe (2.50 ppm), Co (3.1 ppm), Ni (38 ppm), Cu (17.9 ppm), Zn (10 ppm), Zr (3.9 ppm), and Mo (21.8 ppm).     

Pressure-induced phase transition in wurtzite ZnS: An ab initio constant pressure study

We study the pressure-induced phase transition of wurtzite ZnS using a constant pressure ab initio technique. A first-order phase transition into a rocksalt state at 30–35 GPa is observed in the constant pressure simulation. We also investigate the stability of wurtzite (WZ) and zinc-blende (ZB) phases from energy–volume calculations and Gibbs free energies at zero temperature and find that both structures show nearly similar equations of state and transform into a rocksalt structure around 14 GPa, in agreement with experiments. Additionally, we examine the influence of pressure on the electronic structure of the wurtzite and zinc-blende ZnS crystals and find that their band gap energies exhibit similar tendency and increase with increasing pressure. The calculated pressure coefficients and deformation potential are found to be comparable with experiments.     

Derivation of Korteweg–de Vries flow equations from the short‐wave model equation

We perform a multiple‐time scales analysis and compatibility condition to the short‐wave model equation. We derive Korteweg–de Vries flow equation in the bi‐Hamiltonian form as an amplitude equation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Model of diffusion-drift charge carrier transport in layers with a fractal structure

A new theoretical (semiempirical) model of diffusion-drift charge carrier transport in layers with a fractal structure based on a partial differential equation with a fractional time derivative has been proposed. It has been shown by numerical calculations that a decrease in the order of the fractional derivative in the presence of the external electric field leads to broadening and asymmetry of the spatial distributions of charge carriers, which physically corresponds to intensification of scattering processes.     

Transient thermal response of phase change material embedded with graphene nanoplatelets in an energy storage unit

This research was focused on the preparation of mixed metal oxide pigments doped with terbium ions with the general formula of Sn_0.752Co_0.08P_0.16Tb_0.008O₂. These pigments were synthesised by solid-state reactions at high calcination temperatures. The temperature range was chosen from 1350 to 1500 °C. The goal was to develop conditions for the synthesis of this type of pigments and to determine the influence of terbium ions on the colour properties of these compounds. All prepared pigments were applied into the organic matrix and into the ceramic glaze. Thermal behaviours of the reaction mixtures were investigated using differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis. Synthesised Sn_0.752Co_0.08P_0.16Tb_0.008O₂ pigments were compared with concurrently prepared pigment Sn_0.760Co_0.08P_0.16O₂ depending on the calcination temperature with respect to the colour properties in CIE L*a*b* colour space, furthermore from the point of particle size distribution and phase composition. All compounds provided blue–violet hues that are stable in ceramic glazes.     

Palladium(II)-N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed direct C2- or C5-arylation of thiazoles with aryl bromides

Herein we report, a series of new benzimidazolium chlorides as N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand and their corresponding palladium(II)-NHC complexes with the general formula [PdCl₂(NHC)₂] were synthesized. All new compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis techniques. The catalytic activity of palladium(II)-NHC complexes was investigated in the direct C2- or C5-arylation of thiazoles with aryl bromides in presence of palladium(II)-NHC at 150?°C for 1?h. These complexes exhibited the good catalytic performance for the direct arylation of thiazoles. The arylation of thiazoles regioselectively produced C2- or C5-arylated thiazoles in moderate to high yields.