Periodic solutions induced by an upright position of small oscillations of a sleeping symmetrical gyrostat

The aim of this paper is to provide sufficient conditions for the existence of periodic solutions emerging from an upright position of small oscillations of a sleeping symmetrical gyrostat with equations of motion being α and β parameters satisfying Δ=α ²?4β>0 and $\beta-\frac{\alpha^{2}}{2}\pm \frac{\alpha \sqrt{\varDelta }}{2}<0$ , ε a small parameter and, F ₁ and F ₂ smooth periodic maps in the variable t in resonance p:q with some of the periodic solutions of the system for ε=0, where p and q are positive integers relatively prime. The main tool used is the averaging theory.     

On the dynamics of the rigid body with a fixed point: periodic orbits and integrability

The aim of the present paper is to study the periodic orbits of a rigid body with a fixed point and quasi-spherical shape under the effect of a Newtonian force field given by different small potentials. For studying these periodic orbits, we shall use averaging theory. Moreover, we provide information on the $\mathcal{C}^{1}$ -integrability of these motions.     

Structure correlation of silylated dicarboxylic acid monomer and its respective oligomeric polyamide-imide using experimental and theoretical vibrational spectra

Correlation between theoretical and experimental (infrared and Raman spectroscopies) vibrational spectra of two compounds, both with a silyl group present in their main chain and with an optically active structure (L-valine) as side group, was performed. These compounds are based in a chiral dicarboxylic acid monomer and its respective polyamide-imide, oligomer that was previously synthesized by a direct polycondensation. Spectra were recorded in the region comprised between 500 and 4000?cm^?1 for infrared and Raman analysis. The Raman spectra were obtained through a 1064?nm laser as excitation source.

Theoretical models were carried out in order to find the optimal molecular geometry of the analyzed systems, with a complete assignment of their vibrational spectra. The Raman experimental data obtained with a Nd:YAG laser for this kind of silylated organic compounds, and the comparison between these results with the theoretical data is a useful advance in the polymer synthesis field, which can be used as reference for subsequent studies.     

Avoiding Carbothermal Reduction: Distillation of Alkoxysilanes from Biogenic,Green, and Sustainable Sources

The direct depolymerization of SiO₂ to distillable alkoxysilanes has been explored repeatedly without success for 85 years as an alternative to carbothermal reduction (1900 °C) to Si_met, followed by treatment with ROH. We report herein the base‐catalyzed depolymerization of SiO₂ with diols to form distillable spirocyclic alkoxysilanes and Si(OEt)₄. Thus, 2‐methyl‐2,4‐pentanediol, 2,2,4‐trimethyl‐1,3‐pentanediol, or ethylene glycol (EGH₂) react with silica sources, such as rice hull ash, in the presence of NaOH (10 %) to form H₂O and distillable spirocyclic alkoxysilanes [bis(2‐methyl‐2,4‐pentanediolato) silicate, bis(2,2,4‐trimethyl‐1,3‐pentanediolato) silicate or Si(eg)₂ polymer with 5–98 % conversion, as governed by surface area/crystallinity. Si(eg)₂ or bis(2‐methyl‐2,4‐pentanediolato) silicate reacted with EtOH and catalytic acid to give Si(OEt)₄ in 60 % yield, thus providing inexpensive routes to high‐purity precipitated or fumed silica and compounds with single Si?C bonds.     

Theoretical modeling and analysis of thermal fracture of semi-infinite functionally graded materials with edge cracks

The present investigation is devoted to a problem of the interaction of two edge cracks inclined arbitrary to the boundary of a non-homogeneous half-plane, which is a functionally graded layer on a homogeneous substrate. The functionally graded properties vary exponentially in thickness direction. One cycle of cooling from sintering temperature is considered. An approach based on integral equations is used and a solution is obtained, then the stress intensity factors are calculated and direction of the initial crack propagation is evaluated by using the maximum circumferential stress criterion. Influence of geometrical and material (inhomogeneity) parameters on the fracture characteristics is investigated. This study can serve as a part of the modeling of the fracture process in FGM coatings under cyclic heating–cooling thermal loading.     

Implanted biofuel cell operating in a living snail

Implantable biofuel cells have been suggested as sustainable micropower sources operating in living organisms, but such bioelectronic systems are still exotic and very challenging to design. Very few examples of abiotic and enzyme-based biofuel cells operating in animals in vivo have been reported. Implantation of biocatalytic electrodes and extraction of electrical power from small living creatures is even more difficult and has not been achieved to date. Here we report on the first implanted biofuel cell continuously operating in a snail and producing electrical power over a long period of time using physiologically produced glucose as a fuel. The "electrified" snail, being a biotechnological living "device", was able to regenerate glucose consumed by biocatalytic electrodes, upon appropriate feeding and relaxing, and then produce a new "portion" of electrical energy. The snail with the implanted biofuel cell will be able to operate in a natural environment, producing sustainable electrical micropower for activating various bioelectronic devices.     

Analysis of biomarkers characteristic of porcine liver injury--from biomolecular logic gates to an animal model

A biocatalytic cascade for the analysis of the simultaneous increase in the concentration of two biomarkers characteristic of liver injury (alanine transaminase, ALT, and lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) was tested on real samples acquired from an animal model (domestic pigs, Sus scrofa domesticus) suffering from traumatic liver injury. A two-step reaction biocatalyzed in the presence of both enzyme-biomarkers resulted in the oxidation of NADH followed by optical absorbance measurements. A simple qualitative, YES/NO, test allowed for distinction between animals with and without the presence of liver injury with the probability of 92%. These data represent the first demonstration of applying binary logic systems for the analysis of real biomedical samples.     

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.