Effects of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation on expression of growth-associated genes by corticospinal neurons

Background  

Inflammation around cell bodies of primary sensory neurons and retinal ganglion cells enhances expression of neuronal growth-associated genes and stimulates axonal regeneration. We have asked if inflammation would have similar effects on corticospinal neurons, which normally show little response to spinal cord injury. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was applied onto the pial surface of the motor cortex of adult rats with or without concomitant injury of the corticospinal tract at C4. Inflammation around corticospinal tract cell bodies in the motor cortex was assessed by immunohistochemistry for OX42 (a microglia and macrophage marker). Expression of growth-associated genes c-jun, ATF3, SCG10 and GAP-43 was investigated by immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridisation.     

Experimental analysis of the pressure drop and heat transfer through metal foams used as volumetric receivers under concentrated solar radiation

The main objective of this work was to evaluate the behavior of porous materials, when treated as volumetric receivers under concentrated solar radiation. For this reason various porous metallic and ceramic materials have been tested as potential receivers for concentrated solar radiation. The experimental investigation showed that their efficiency was depending on both materials parameters and flow conditions. In this work, a variety of foam materials such as Ni and Ni alloy, inconel, copper, aluminum and SiC with different open cell porosity were tested as potential media to be used as volumetric receivers and heat exchangers. However, since the results were similar, for space economy, only the results of two of them, nickel and inconel were presented in detail and compared with each other.     

Susceptibilite magnetique des composes ternaires TCu2Ge2(T = Gd,Tb,Dy,Ho,Er,Tm)

Susceptibility measurements are performed on the tetragonal TCu₂Ge₂ ternary compounds in the temperature range 4.2–200 K under a constant magnetic field of 5 KOe. The compounds with T = Gd,Tb,Dy and Ho are antiferromagnetic with Néel temperatures 12,15,8 and 6.4 K respectively. The compounds with T=Er and Tm do not show any ordering temperature down to 4.2 K. The temperature dependence of the reciprocal susceptibility of all compounds follows a Curie-Weiss law. The paramagnetic Curie temperatures for all compounds are negative.     

Magnetic properties of some RPd2Si2 compounds (R=Gd,Tb, Dy,Ho and Er)

The magnetic susceptibility of the ternary compounds, RPd₂Si₂ (where R=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er) has been measured. GdPd₂Si₂ order antiferromagnetically at 13 and 20 K respectively; the rest of the compounds do not show clear ordering down to 4.2 K. Palladium carries no moment in these compounds. The De Gennes formula is not obeyed indicating that the exchange interaction between the 4f moments via conduction electrons is not isotropic     

Optimization of the design of recuperative heat exchangers in the exhaust nozzle of an aero engine

Today the needs for safer, cleaner and more affordable civil aero engines are found to be of great importance. Five years ago, the EU initiated an action for the design and the construction of efficient and environmentally friendly aero engines (EEFAE). One of the major European gas turbine industries, MTU, has presented a new technology for an advanced aero engine design, which uses an alternative thermodynamic cycle. The basis of this cycle is the adoption of a recuperation part with the use of a system of heat exchangers, installed in the exhaust nozzle of the aircraft engine. Thermal energy in the turbine exhaust is used in the recuperator to pre-heat the compressor outlet air before combustion. The benefits of this technique are focused on reduced pollutants and decreased fuel consumption. In this work, the procedure of the optimization of this installation, by means of the imposed pressure drop downstream the aircraft engine and the balanced mass inflow to the heat exchangers is presented. The optimization is based on experimental measurements in laboratory conditions and preliminary 2D CFD modeling for the flow inside the exhaust duct and through the heat exchangers. It is shown that with a careful approach, a better arrangement of the heat exchangers can be achieved in order to have a minimum pressure drop in the exhaust nozzle which can positively affect the engine’s performance.     

Crystal field effect on the magnetic moment's direction of rare earth ions with low point symmetry in r4co3 (r = Tb, Ho, Dy, Er, Tm) compounds

Neutron diffraction measurements, made on powder samples, show that Ho₄Co₃ and Er₄Co₃ intermetallic compounds are ferrimagnetic at 4.2 K. The magnetic moments of the 2 holmium sites are 8.7 and 2.1 μ_B and those of the erbium sites are equal to 8.7 and 8.1μ_B. The cobal⁺ magnetic moment is 0.2μ_B for both compounds. The easy magnetization direction lies on the hexagonal plane for Ho₄Co₃ while for Er₄Co₃ there are 2 anisotropy directions. Exchange interactions between rare-earth ions of both sites are very weak compared with the total crystal field splitting of the ground state multiplet J. The crystal field parameters are calculated and the magnitude and direction of the rare-earth magnetic moments in each site is determined.