Direct in situ observation of the electron-driven synthesis of Ag filaments on α-Ag2 WO4 crystals

In this letter, we report, for the first time, the real-time in situ nucleation and growth of Ag filaments on α-Ag2 WO4 crystals driven by an accelerated electron beam from an electronic microscope under high vacuum. We employed several techniques to characterise the material in depth. By using these techniques combined with first-principles modelling based on density functional theory, a mechanism for the Ag filament formation followed by a subsequent growth process from the nano-to micro-scale was proposed. In general, we have shown that an accelerated electron beam from an electronic microscope under high vacuum enables in situ visualisation of Ag filaments with subnanometer resolution and offers great potential for addressing many fundamental issues in materials science, chemistry, physics and other fields of science.

Light microscopic evaluation and scanning electron microscopic analysis of horse eyes following deep anterior lamellar keratectomy

Objective To describe the technique of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) with Descemet's membrane (DM) exposure in horse eyes. Also, to compare the efficacy and safety of viscodissection and big-bubble techniques for DALK. Animals studied Thirty-four ex vivo horse eyes. Procedure Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty was performed in 34 ex vivo horse eyes. Two groups (Group V - viscodissection - 2% sodium hyaluronate; Group A - air - big-bubble) of 17 eyes were studied. Other than the substance used, the surgical technique was similar for both groups. Nonperforated eyes were submitted for light microscopic histologic evaluation and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis. Results Group V - Perforations occurred in 18% of the eyes during surgery. Light microscopy revealed exposure of DM in 28% of the eyes with mean thickness of the remaining stroma being 70.4μm. Group A - Perforations occurred in 42% of the eyes. Light microscopy revealed exposure of DM in 60% of the eyes with mean thickness of the remaining stroma being 23.3μm. No significant differences in safety, efficacy and thickness of the remaining stroma (including all eyes or excluding those with DM exposure) were observed. SEM of the surgical site revealed a more even surface in those eyes with DM exposure compared to eyes with thicker remaining stroma in both groups. Conclusions We describe two DALK techniques (viscodissection and big-bubble) for use in horses. No significant differences in safety, efficacy and thickness of the remaining stroma were observed. However, a nonsignificant trend toward the big-bubble technique being more efficacious but less safe was observed. © 2012 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Dinâmica de modelos minimalistas de solvente em reações de transferência de elétrons: aplicação à experimentos de única molécula

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Integral transform method for laminar heat transfer convection of herschel-bulkley fluids within concentric annular ducts

ABSTRACT: Related momentum and energy equations describing the heat and fluid flow of Herschel-Bulkley fluids within concentric annular ducts are analytically solved using the classical integral transform technique, which permits accurate determination of parameters of practical interest in engineering such as friction factors and Nusselt numbers for the duct length. In analyzing the problem, thermally developing flow is assumed and the duct walls are subjected to boundary conditions of first kind. Results are computed for the velocity and temperature fields as well as for the parameters cited above with different power-law indices, yield numbers and aspect ratios. Comparisons are also made with previous work available in the literature, providing direct validation of the results and showing that they are consistent.

Raman Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy Characterizations of Fission Track Method Datable Zircon Grains

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Hybridization effects on the out-of-plane electron tunneling properties of monolayers: is h-BN more conductive than graphene?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Dinitrosyl iron complexes with cysteine. kinetics studies of the formation and reactions of dnics in aqueous solution

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A heat transfer model of the human upper limbs

A steady state multi-segmented heat transfer model of the human upper limbs was developed. The main purpose was to evaluate the impact of blood flow through superficial veins and subcutaneous vascular structures in the palm of the hands over the heat transfer between the limbs and the environment. The distinguishing feature of the model is the inclusion of a detailed circulatory network composed of vessels with diameter larger than 1 mm. The model was validated by comparing its results from exposures to a hot, a neutral, and a cold environment to experimental data presented in the literature. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of some surfactants on the chemiluminescent reactions of bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate and bis(2-nitrophenyl)oxalate with hydrogen peroxide

The chemiluminescent reactions of bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate (TCPO) and bis(2-nitrophenyl)oxalate (2-NPO) with hydrogen peroxide in acetonitrile/water micellar systems (anionic, cationic, and non-ionic) and gamma-cyclodextrin were studied in the presence of fluoranthene or 9,10-diphenylanthracene, imidazole, and two buffer solutions, HTRIS+/TRIS and H2PO4-/HPO42-. The relative chemiluminenscence (CL) intensity is higher in the presence of the cationic (DDAB, CTAC, DODAC, and OTAC), anionic (SDS), and non-ionic (Tween 80) surfactants. In the presence of some non-ionic surfactants (Brij 35, Brij 76, and Tween 20), the CL intensity was partially quenched compared with the reaction with no surfactant. The sensitivity for hydrogen peroxide determination in the range 0.01 x 10(-4) to 1.0 x 10(-4) mol L-1, considering the slope of the calibration curves (maximum peak height of CL vs. concentration), improved with the introduction of DDAH, CTAB, and SDS in HTRIS+/TRIS buffer.

Experimental investigations of heat transfer coefficients of cutting fluids in metal cutting processes: analysis of workpiece phenomena in a given case study

This paper reports an experimental method to estimate the convective heat transfer of cutting fluids in a laminar flow regime applied on a thin steel plate. The heat source provided by the metal cutting was simulated by electrical heating of the plate. Three different cooling conditions were evaluated: a dry cooling system, a flooded cooling system and a minimum quantity of lubrication cooling system, as well as two different cutting fluids for the last two systems. The results showed considerable enhancement of convective heat transfer using the flooded system. For the dry and minimum quantity of lubrication systems, the heat conduction inside the body was much faster than the heat convection away from its surface. In addition, using the Biot number, the possible models were analyzed for conduction heat problems for each experimental condition tested.

Radiative transfer analyses of Titan's tropical atmosphere

Titan's optical and near-IR spectra result primarily from the scattering of sunlight by haze and its absorption by methane. With a column abundance of 92 km amagat (11 times that of Earth), Titan's atmosphere is optically thick and only similar to 10% of the incident solar radiation reaches the surface, compared to 57% on Earth. Such a formidable atmosphere obstructs investigations of the moon's lower troposphere and surface, which are highly sensitive to the radiative transfer treatment of methane absorption and haze scattering. The absorption and scattering characteristics of Titan's atmosphere have been constrained by the Huygens Probe Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) experiment for conditions at the probe landing site (Tomasko, M.G., Bezard, B., Doose, L., Engel, S., Karkoschka, E. 120084 Planet. Space Sci. 56, 624-247: Tomasko, M.G. et al. [2008b] Planet. Space Sci. 56, 669-707). Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) data indicate that the rest of the atmosphere (except for the polar regions) can be understood with small perturbations in the high haze structure determined at the landing site (Penteado, P.F., Griffith, CA., Tomasko, M.G., Engel, S., See, C., Doose, L, Baines, K.H., Brown, R.H., Buratti, B.J., Clark, R., Nicholson, P., Sotin, C. [2010]. Icarus 206, 352-365). However the in situ measurements were analyzed with a doubling and adding radiative transfer calculation that differs considerably from the discrete ordinates codes used to interpret remote data from Cassini and ground-based measurements. In addition, the calibration of the VIMS data with respect to the DISR data has not yet been tested. Here, VIMS data of the probe landing site are analyzed with the DISR radiative transfer method and the faster discrete ordinates radiative transfer calculation; both models are consistent (to within 0.3%) and reproduce the scattering and absorption characteristics derived from in situ measurements. Constraints on the atmospheric opacity at wavelengths outside those measured by DISR, that is from 1.6 to 5.0 mu m, are derived using clouds as diffuse reflectors in order to derive Titan's surface albedo to within a few percent error and cloud altitudes to within 5 km error. VIMS spectra of Titan at 2.6-3.2 mu m indicate not only spectral features due to CH4 and CH3D (Rannou, P., Cours, T., Le Mouelic, S., Rodriguez, S., Sotin, C., Drossart, P., Brown, R. [2010]. Icarus 208, 850-867), but also a fairly uniform absorption of unknown source, equivalent to the effects of a darkening of the haze to a single scattering albedo of 0.63 +/- 0.05. Titan's 4.8 mu m spectrum point to a haze optical depth of 0.2 at that wavelength. Cloud spectra at 2 mu m indicate that the far wings of the Voigt profile extend 460 cm(-1) from methane line centers. This paper releases the doubling and adding radiative transfer code developed by the DISR team, so that future studies of Titan's atmosphere and surface are consistent with the findings by the Huygens Probe. We derive the surface albedo at eight spectral regions of the 8 x 12 km(2) area surrounding the Huygens landing site. Within the 0.4-1.6 mu m spectral region our surface albedos match DISR measurements, indicating that DISR and VIMS measurements are consistently calibrated. These values together with albedos at longer 1.9-5.0 mu m wavelengths, not sampled by DISR, resemble a dark version of the spectrum of Ganymede's icy leading hemisphere. The eight surface albedos of the landing site are consistent with, but not deterministic of, exposed water ice with dark impurities. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cataract surgery: emotional reactions of patients with monocular versus binocular vision

Purpose: To analyze emotional reactions related to cataract surgery in two groups of patients (monocular vision - Group 1; binocular vision - Group 2). Methods: A transversal comparative study was performed using a structured questionnaire from a previous exploratory study before cataract surgery. Results: 206 patients were enrolled in the study, 96 individuals in Group 1 (69.3 +/- 10.4 years) and 110 in Group 2 (68.2 +/- 10.2 years). Most patients in group 1 (40.6%) and 22.7% of group 2, reported fear of surgery (p<0.001). The most important causes of fear were: possibility of blindness, ocular complications and death during surgery. The most prevalent feelings among the groups were doubts about good results and nervousness. Conclusion: Patients with monocular vision reported more fear and doubts related to surgical outcomes. Thus, it is necessary that phisycians considers such emotional reactions and invest more time than usual explaining the risks and the benefits of cataract surgery. Ouvir

Sequential Methyl-Fluorine Exchange Reactions of Siloxide Ions in the Gas Phase

Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

Untersuchungen zum Mechanismus der zellulären und zellfreien DNA-Schädigung durch photosensibilisierende Arzneistoffe

Einige Arzneistoffe verursachen unter dem Einfluss von Sonnenlichtstrahlung folgenschwere Hautveränderungen. In der Arbeit wurden für sechs Photosensibilisatoren erstmals „Fingerabdrücke“ des zellfreien und zellulären photoinduzierten DNA Schadens in Form von Schadensprofilen erstellt. Untersucht wurden das Phenothiazin Chlorpromazin, sowie dessen Derivate 2-Hydroxypromazin, Chlorpromazinsulfoxid und Promazin; die Fluorchinolone Ciprofloxacin und Lomefloxacin; sowie Doxycyclin und Methylenblau unter Bestrahlung mit künstlich erzeugtem Sonnenlicht. Neben Strangbrüchen in der DNA konnten durch den Einsatz von spezifischen DNA-Reparaturendonukleasen als Sonden die Mengen an oxidativen Purinmodifikationen, oxidative Pyrimidinmodifikationen und abasische Stellen bestimmt werden. Durch Verwendung von modulierenden Zusätzen wurde die Beteiligung von reaktiven Sauerstoffspezies überprüft. Besonders bei den Phenothiazinen zeigten sich Besonderheiten hinsichtlich der DNA-Schädigung. Promazin induziert unter Photoaktivierung, vermutlich über einen reduktiven Angriff an der DNA, eine hohe Anzahl sonst selten beobachteter Läsionen, nämlich abasischen Stellen und Dihydropyrimidine. Photoaktiviertes Chlorpromazin konnte in Zellen unerwarteterweise wahrscheinlich über die Reaktion von Photolyseprodukten mit einem endogenen Chromophor sonnenlichtinduzierte oxidative DNA-Modifikationen verhindern. Eine Schädigung zellfreier DNA fand nur statt, wenn der Photosensibilisator im Überschuss gegenüber den DNA-Basenpaaren vorlag, vermutlich weil ansonsten die Photolyse des Chlorpromazins durch Interkalation in die DNA verhindert wurde. Fluorchinolone zeigten eine starke Generierung von DNA-Strangbrüchen in Zellen, welche möglicherweise auf photoinduzierte Reaktionen der Arzneistoffe mit der eukaryotischen Topoisomerase zurückzuführen ist. Die Korrelation der gemessenen DNA-Schäden mit der Mikrokerninduktion führte zu der Annahme, dass besonders abasische Stellen bei der Entstehung von Mikrokernen eine Rolle spielen könnten.