Secretory Products in Petals of Centaurea cyanus L. Flowers: A Histochemistry,Ultrastructure, and Phytochemical Study of Volatile Compounds

(1) Background: Centaurea cyanus L. is a medicinal plant whose flowers are widely used in herbal medicine. The aim of the study was to localise flower tissues that are responsible for the production of secretory products in petals and to analyse the volatile compounds. The volatile compounds of the flowers of this species have not been investigated to date. (2) Methods: Light, fluorescence, scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques were used in the study. Lipophilic compounds were localised in the tissues using histochemical assays. Volatile compounds were determined with the use of solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). (3) Results: The study showed production of secretion in the petal parenchyma, whose ultrastructure has features of a secretory tissue. The lipophilic secretion was localised in the cells and intercellular spaces of the parenchyma and in the walls and surface of epidermal cells, where it accumulated after release through cuticle microchannels. Sesquiterpenes were found to constitute the main group of volatile compounds, with the highest content of β-caryophyllene (26.17%) and α-humulene (9.77%). (4) Conclusions: Given the presence of some volatile components that are often found in resins (caryophyllene, delta-cadinene) and the abundant secretion residues on the epidermal surface, we suppose that the C. cyanus secretion released by the flowers is a resinaceous mixture (oleoresin), which is frequently found in plants, as shown by literature data. This secretion may play an important role in the therapeutic effects of C. cyanus flowers.     

Silver Nanowires and Silanes in Hybrid Functionalization of Aramid Fabrics

New functionalization methods of meta- and para-aramid fabrics with silver nanowires (AgNWs) and two silanes (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)) and diethoxydimethylsilane (DEDMS) were developed: a one-step method (mixture) with AgNWs dispersed in the silane mixture and a two-step method (layer-by-layer) in which the silanes mixture was applied to the previously deposited AgNWs layer. The fabrics were pre-treated in a low-pressure air radio frequency (RF) plasma and subsequently coated with polydopamine. The modified fabrics acquired hydrophobic properties (contact angle Θ_W of 112–125°). The surface free energy for both modified fabrics was approximately 29 mJ/m², while for reference, meta- and para-aramid fabrics have a free energy of 53 mJ/m² and 40 mJ/m², respectively. The electrical surface resistance (R_s) was on the order of 10² Ω and 10⁴ Ω for the two-step and one-step method, respectively. The electrical volume resistance (R_v) for both modified fabrics was on the order of 10² Ω. After UV irradiation, the Rs did not change for the two-step method, and for the one-step method, it increased to the order of 10¹⁰ Ω. The specific strength values were higher by 71% and 63% for the meta-aramid fabric and by 102% and 110% for the para-aramid fabric for the two-step and one-step method, respectively, compared to the unmodified fabrics after UV radiation.     

电环形谐振腔表面几何参数对太赫兹超材料吸收体性能的影响

本文分析了电环形谐振腔的几何参数对超材料吸收体吸收率的影响。文中详细分析了电环形谐振腔参数、介电层（间隔物）厚度和电环形谐振腔厚度对超材料吸收体的影响,在此基础上,设置正交实验分析了几种参数的综合影响,最终获得超材料的理论吸收率。根据上述结果,制备了2个超材料吸收体的原理样机,经实验测得,原理样机的窄带吸收率高于98%。本文的研究成果为高性能吸收器的设计提供了指导。     

Addendum to: Comparison between different types of abstract integrals in riesz spaces

In [3] we did not give explicitly the definition of measurability for realvalued functions, with respect to finitely additive measures with values in a Dedekind complete Riesz space. We note that, in [3], all involved functions are intended to be measurable. We now report the definition of measurability, which we gave in [2] (Definition 3.2).     

Unitarization of Körner-Kuroda model of electromagnetic structure of octet 1/2+ baryons

The Körner-Kuroda model of the electromagnetic structure of octet 1/2⁺ baryons is restored on a more topical physical basis. Electromagnetic radii of baryons under consideration are calculated and compared with other model predictions. By an incorporation of a two-cut approximation of correct form factor analytic properties and nonzero vector-meson widths, the Körner-Kuroda model is unitarized, providing in this manner imaginary parts of the octet 1/2⁺ baryon form factors to be nonzero just starting from a branch point corresponding to the lowest threshold.     

Fracture and Fragmentation of Silicon Dies

Different failure modes of silicon are observed. Experimental results are not able to explain these variations clearly and therefore numerical simulations have been performed. In order to reduce high computational costs a simplified method to introduce weakened areas on silicon chips is presented. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Delayed minocycline inhibits ischemia-activated matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 after experimental stroke

Background  

Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) are increased in the brain after experimental ischemic stroke in rats. These two proteases are involved with the degradation of the basal lamina and loss of stability of the blood brain barrier that occurs after ischemia and that is associated with thrombolytic therapy in ischemic stroke. Minocycline is a lipophilic tetracycline and is neuroprotective in several models of brain injury. Minocycline inhibits inflammation, apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation. In this study we investigated whether delayed minocycline inhibits brain MMPs activated by ischemia in a model of temporary occlusion in Wistar rats.     

Investigating Electronic Communications in meso–meso Ethene-Bridged Unsymmetrical Diporphyrins

At the focal point of this work is the photophysical characterization of three meso–meso ethene-bridged diporphyrins featuring a diverse metallation pattern. Detailed investigations by means of cyclic voltammetry, absorption, fluorescence, and femto-/nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy revealed the impact of open-shell nickel(II) on the electronic communication in ethene-bridged heterobimetallic diporphyrins.