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Grain Boundary Engineering of Medium Mn TWIP Steels: A Novel Method to Enhance the Mechanical Properties
No full textThe grain boundary engineering (GBE) approach was employed on a medium manganese (Mn) based twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) steel to improve its mechanical properties. Two specially designed thermo-mechanical processing (TMP) routes, one involving unidirectional rolling (UDR) and the other one employing multi-step cross rolling (MSCR), with intermediate short term annealing treatment have been used. The annealing temperatures are chosen considering recrystallization and grain growth. Of the two routes, the one involving MSCR, has shown a higher fraction of special or coincident lattice site (CSL) grain boundaries. A detailed grain boundary microstructural analysis has been carried out by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) for differently processed samples. A significant improvement in ductility is observed in MSCR processed samples due to increase of CSL boundary fraction
Unique texture transition during sub beta-transus annealing of warm-rolled Ti-6Al-4V alloy: Role of orientation dependent spheroidization
No full textWe report here, interrelation between orientation dependent spheroidization 1] and bulk texture evolution during static annealing of warm-rolled Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Weakening of basal fibre (ND parallel to < 0001 >) and complementary strengthening of prism fibre (RD parallel to < 10 (1) over bar0 >) occur on annealing, which is unique and contrary to previous reports. Texture transition is conjugated with two counteracting processes, both being alpha-colony orientation dependent: spheroidization of alpha(P)-phase increasing spread of the fibres, and variant selection during alpha(P) -> beta -> alpha(s) transformation strengthening only the prism fibre. Basal fibre weakens from orientation dependent spheroidization on annealing, while prism fibre intensity is maintained or increased from alpha(s) selection depending on annealing durations. (C) 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Chemopreventive and anti-breast cancer activity of compounds isolated from leaves of Abrus precatorius L.
No full textThe present study focuses on isolation and evaluation of the anti-cancer activity of compounds from the leaves of Abrus precatorius. The bioassay-directed strategy was adopted using chromatographic, gas chromatographic-mass spectrum analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography techniques for purification and characterization of active cytotoxic compounds. Further, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines and 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA) induced virgin female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were used for in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity evaluation. Stigmasterol hemihydrate and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl) ethyl ester or (beta-monolinolein) were the two main cytotoxic constituents of leaf extract of A. precatorius, with an IC50 value of 74.2 and 13.2 mu g/ml, respectively, in MDA-MB-231 cells. Additionally, the treatment with the stigmasterol and beta-monolinolein as a combinatorial drug therapy in DMBA-induced female SD rats led to recovery of body weight, decreased tumor weight and volume, without any toxic side effects. Immunohistochemical examination showed extensive cell death and low proliferation in the treated tumor tissues that was confirmed by results from H and E staining, TUNEL assay and Ki-67 index as compared to control animal group. The reversion of glycoprotein, lysosomal and tumor marker enzyme levels back to near-normal levels after treatment with the plant compounds clearly demonstrated the reduction of tumor burden in these animals. This is the first report on isolation and characterization of the two active cytotoxic components from leaves of A. precatorius. Additionally, the profound cytotoxic and tumor-suppressive effect of these two compounds as a combinatorial therapy provide an alternative option for breast cancer treatment
Degeneracy in the robust expression of spectral selectivity, subthreshold oscillations, and intrinsic excitability of entorhinal stellate cells
No full textBiological het- erogeneities are ubiquitous and play critical roles in the emergence of physiology at multiple scales. Although neurons in layer II (LII) of the medial entorhinai cortex (MEC) express heterogeneities in channel properties, the impact of such heterogeneities on the robustness of their cellular-scale physiology has not been assessed. Here, we performed a 55-parameter stochastic search spanning nine voltage- or calcium-activated channels to assess the impact of channel heterogeneities on the concomitant emergence of 10 in vitro electrophysiological characteristics of LII stellate cells (SCs). We generated 150,000 models and found a heterogeneous subpopulation of 449 valid models to robustly match all electrophysio logical signatures. We employed this heterogeneous population to demonstrate the emergence of cellular-scale degeneracy in SCs, whereby disparate parametric combinations expressing weak pairwise correlations resulted in similar models. We then assessed the impact of virtually knocking out each channel from all valid models and demonstrate that the mapping between channels and measurements was many-to-many. a critical requirement for the expression of degeneracy. Finally, we quantitatively predict that the spike-triggered average of SCs should be endowed with theta-frequency spectral selectivity and coincidence detection capabilities in the fast gamma-band. We postulate this fast gamma-band coincidence detection as an instance of cellular-scalcefficient coding, whereby SC response characteristics match the dominant oscillatory signals in LII MEC. The heterogeneous population of valid SC models built here unveils the robust emergence of cellularscale physiology despite significant channel heterogeneities, and forms an efficacious substrate for evaluating the impact of biological heterogeneities on entorhinai network function. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We assessed the impact of heterogeneities in channel properties on the robustness of cellular-scale physiology of medial entorhinai cortical stellate neurons. We demonstrate that neuronal models with disparate channel combinations were endowed with similar physiological characteristics, as a consequence of the many-to-many mapping between channel properties and the physiological characteristics that they modulate. We predict that the spike-triggered average of stellate cells should be endowed with theta-frequency spectral selectivity and fast gamma-band coincidence detection capabilities
Experimental Measurement of Parameters Governing Flow Rates and Partial Saturation in Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices
No full textPaper-based microfluidic devices are rapidly becoming popular as a platform for developing point-of-care medical diagnostic tests. However, the design of these devices largely relies on trial and error, owing to a lack of proper understanding of fluid flow through porous membranes. Any porous material having pores of multiple sizes contains partially saturated regions, i.e., regions where less than 100% of the pores are filled with fluid. The capillary pressure and permeability of the material change as a function of the extent of saturation. Although methods to measure these relationships have been developed in other fields of study, these methods have not yet been adapted for paper for use by the larger community of analytical chemists. In the current work, we present a set of experimental methods that can be used to measure the relationships between capillary pressure, permeability, and saturation for any commercially available paper membrane. These experiments can be performed using commonly available lab instruments. We further demonstrate the use of the Richards equation in modeling imbibition into two-dimensional paper networks, thus adding new capability to the field. Predictions of spatiotemporal saturation from the model were in strong agreement with experimental measurements. To make these methods readily accessible to a wide community of chemists, biologists, and clinicians, we present the first report of a simple protocol to measure the flow rates considering the effect of partial saturation. Use of this protocol could drastically reduce the trial and error involved in designing paper-based microfluidic devices
Antimicrobial activity of fusidic acid in Escherichia coli is dependent on the relative levels of ribosome recycling factor and elongation factor G
No full textDuring protein synthesis, elongation factor G (EFG) participates at the steps of translocation and ribosome recycling. Fusidic acid (FA) is a bacteriostatic antibiotic, which traps EFG on ribosomes, stalling them on mRNAs. How the bacterial susceptibility to FA is determined, and which of the two functions of EFG (translocation or ribosome recycling) is more vulnerable, has remained debatable. The in vivo studies addressing these aspects of FA mediated inhibition of protein synthesis are lacking. Here, we used a system of Escherichia coli strains and their complementation/supplementation with the plasmid borne copies of the inducible versions of EFG and ribosome recycling factor (RRF) genes. Additionally, we investigated FA sensitivity in a strain with increased proportion of stalled ribosomes. We show that the cells with high EFG/RRF (or low RRF/EFG) ratios are more susceptible to FA than those with low EFG/RRF (or high RRF/EFG) ratios. Our in vivo observations are consistent with the recent in vitro reports of dependence of FA susceptibility on EFG/RRF ratios, and the notion that an overriding target of FA is the translocation function of EFG. An applied outcome of our in vivo study is that FA mediated growth inhibition could be facilitated by depletion or inactivation of cellular RRF
EXAFS Study of Ti0.98Pd O-0.02(2-delta) Catalyst
No full textTo understand the higher catalytic properties, the structure of 2 at. % palladium supported on TiO2 has been investigated by Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. This nanocatalytic material of composition Ti0.98Pd O-0.02(2-delta) has been synthesized by solution combustion method The analysis of EXAFS shows the oxide ion sublattice aroundPd ions is destabilized in the solid solution. Instead of ideal six coordination, Pd ion has 4+2, coordinations creating long and short bonds. The long Pd-O bonds are at 2.52 angstrom which are much higher than average TiO bonds of 1.947 angstrom
Smart optical probe for `equipment-free' detection of oxalate in biological fluids and plant-derived food items
No full textA reversible `turn-on' sensor has been designed for `naked-eye' detection of oxalate at nanomolar concentration (similar to 12.5 nM) at pH 7.4. The sensory system shows a highly specific response towards oxalate among a wide range of antinutrients and biologically relevant anionic species. Mechanistic investigations indicate that oxalate can turn the pink-colored solution colorless by dissociating the preformed metal complex. Additionally, high specificity and good accuracy with recovery values ranging from 93.3 to 105.0% were obtained during oxalate estimation in spiked water and human urine samples, confirming the suitability of the present method in estimating trace-level of oxalate in complex matrices. With these results, quantitative estimations of endogenous oxalate were achieved in more than twenty-five different agricultural crops. Finally, low-cost, portable paper strips were developed for on-site detection of oxalate. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd
Two-pass friction stir welding of aluminum alloy to titanium alloy: A simultaneous improvement in mechanical properties
No full textDuring Friction Stir Welding (FSW) of aluminum (Al 2024) to titanium (Ti-6Al-4V), it is observed that titanium fragments at the interface get distributed in the weld nugget. These particles are both coarse and fine in size. Such a particle distribution, particularly due to presence of coarse particles, is expected to negatively impact the mechanical properties of the welds. In an effort to further fragment the coarse Ti particles, FSW was performed with an additional pass in the weld nugget region. Characterization was done using X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography (XCT), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with an Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), X-ray Diffraction and Electron Back-scattered Diffraction (EBSD) method. Tensile tests were performed to determine the mechanical properties of the weld. The Ti particles of various shapes and sizes were seen to be inhomogeneously distributed in the weld nugget even after the second pass. A detailed observation revealed that the larger particles (as flakes) were inhomogeneously distributed but the finer particles (more spherical) were homogeneously distributed in the weld nugget. It is observed that the weld after second pass contains a higher number of finer Ti particles. The variation in particles size and number fraction is due to the continuous fragmentation that occurs during the processing. Phase analysis reveals the formation of intermetallic compounds such as Al3Ti and AlTi in the welds. A detailed analysis discloses that the fraction of intermetallics in the weld nugget increases in the second pass when compared to the first pass. Aluminum in the weld nugget was substantially refined and recrystallized with grains consisting of mixed types of grain boundaries, which points to the mechanism of Continuous Dynamic Recrystallization (CDRX) through Dynamic Recovery (DRV). The EBSD analysis also reveals that the weld after second pass promotes the development of a high fraction of recrystallized grains (87%) when compared to that of first pass (78%). The second pass resulted in a significant improvement in the ultimate tensile strength (from 231 +/- 8 MPa to 271 +/- 6 MPa) and ductility (from 7.4 +/- 0.3% to 9 +/- 1.0%) of the weld. Such improvement in joint properties is analyzed considering the relative mechanical properties of the different zones across the weld nugget. A spring model has been employed to characterize the fracture behavior of the welds. This method and mechanism may be used to produce composite and dissimilar welds with unique mechanical properties by employing multi-pass processing and welding methodology
Diffusion processes in a poly-crystalline zeolitic material: A molecular dynamics study
No full textExtensive molecular dynamics simulations of xenon in two classes of zeolite crystal systems, one consisting of purely intra-crystalline space and the other with both intra-and inter-crystalline space are reported. The latter mimics a typical poly-crystalline sample of zeolite. Comparison of results from these two systems provides insights into the structure and dynamics in the presence of inter-crystalline space. The temperature, as well as the distance between the crystallites, has been varied. The density distribution and diffusivities calculated inside the poly-crystalline system show that the interfacial region between the crystal and the inter-crystalline region acts as a bottleneck for diffusion through the system. At lower temperatures, the particles are trapped at the interface due to the pronounced energy minima present in that region. With the increase in temperature, the particles are able to overcome this barrier frequently, and the transport across the inter-crystalline region is increased. A ballistic or superdiffusive motion is seen in the inter-crystalline region along all the axes except along the axis which has the inter-crystalline space. The transition time for ballistic to diffusive motion increases with the increase in the length of the inter-crystalline space. Velocity auto-and cross correlation functions exhibit strong oscillations and exchange of kinetic energy along directions perpendicular to the direction of the inter-crystalline space. These results explain why uptake and PFG-NMR measurements exhibit lower values for diffusivity for the same system when compared to Quasi-Elastic Neutron Scattering. Thus, using molecular dynamics simulations, we were able to correlate the difference of diffusivity values measured using various experimental methods where these intercrystalline regions are common. Published by AIP Publishing