Trimmatostroma commonii, a new lichenicolous hyphomycete inhabiting Graphidaceae hosts

The new lichenicolous hyphomycete Trimmatostroma commonii is described from Réunion, the USA (Florida) and Vietnam. It strongly resembles the generic type T. salicis, from which it is distinguished by much looser conidiomatal tufts, less septate conidia and the lichenicolous habitat, growing over species of Graphidaceae in the tropics

Cement-free binders for radioactive waste produced from blast-furnace slag using vortex layer activation technology

The paper addresses the issue of recycling granulated blast-furnace slag (gBFS) as a source for production of cement-free binder materials for further usage in rare-earth metals production for radioactive waste disposal. The use of the vortex layer activator was provided as main technique allowing to produce high-dispersed chemically activated binders. The paper examines the effect of processing conditions on the physical-chemical and mechanical properties of the resulting BFS-based cement-free materials and gBFS-based concretes

Nonradiating anapole modes in dielectric nanoparticles

Nonradiating current configurations attract attention of physicists for many years as possible models of stable atoms. One intriguing example of such a nonradiating source is known as 'anapole'. An anapole mode can be viewed as a composition of electric and toroidal dipole moments, resulting in destructive interference of the radiation fields due to similarity of their far-field scattering patterns. Here we demonstrate experimentally that dielectric nanoparticles can exhibit a radiationless anapole mode in visible. We achieve the spectral overlap of the toroidal and electric dipole modes through a geometry tuning, and observe a highly pronounced dip in the far-field scattering accompanied by the specific near-field distribution associated with the anapole mode. The anapole physics provides a unique playground for the study of electromagnetic properties of nontrivial excitations of complex fields, reciprocity violation and Aharonov-Bohm like phenomena at optical frequencies.The work of A.E.M. was supported by the Australian Research Council via Future Fellowship program (FT110100037). The authors at DSI were supported by DSI core funds. Fabrication, Scanning Electron Microscope Imaging and NSOM works were carried out in facilities provided by SnFPC@DSI (SERC Grant 092 160 0139). Zhen Ying Pan (DSI) is acknowledged for SEM imaging. Yi Zhou (DSI) is acknowledged for silicon film growth. Leonard Gonzaga (DSI), Yeow Teck Toh (DSI) and Doris Ng (DSI) are acknowledged for development of the silicon nanofabrication procedure. B.N.C. acknowledges support from the Government of Russian Federation, Megagrant No. 14.B25.31.0019

Trollius austrosibiricus (Ranunculaceae), a new species from South Siberia

Trolliusaustrosibiricus Erst & Luferov, sp. nov., a new species from Russian South Siberia is described and illustrated. This new species is endemic to Western and Central Siberia. Morphologically, it is close to the East Asian species T.chinensis and T.macropetalus. However, it differs from the aforementioned species due to the morphology of the rhizomes, aerial shoots, sepals and petals. This species is also distinguished from T.asiaticus, which is widespread in Russia (Western and Eastern Siberia), Mongolia, China, north-eastern Kazakhstan and in the northeast of the European part of Russia, in having a smaller number of sepals, longer persistent styles and petals longer than sepals. In addition, an identification key for all Russian species is given and all species have been discussed

An up-conversion luminophore with high quantum yield and brightness based on BaF2_{2}:Yb3+^{3+},Er3+^{3+} single crystals

Up-conversion (UC) of near-infrared radiation to visible light has received much attention because of its use in the conversion of solar radiation, luminescence thermometry, biosensing, and anti-counterfeiting applications. However, the main issue hindering the successful utilization of UC is the relatively low quantum efficiency of the process. In order to design new UC systems with high quantum yield (ϕ$_{UC}$) values, we synthesized two series of co-doped BaF$_{2}$ single crystals with nominal concentrations of Yb$^{3+}$ (2–15 mol%)/Er$^{3+}$ (2 mol%) as well as Yb$^{3+}$ (3 mol%)/Er$^{3+}$ (2–15 mol%). The highest ϕ$_{UC}$ value of 10.0% was demonstrated for the BaF$_{2}$:Er$^{3+}$ (2 mol%) and Yb$^{3+}$ (3 mol%) sample under 490 W cm$^{-2}$ of 976 nm excitation. To study the natural limit of UC efficiency, quantum yield values upon direct excitation (ϕ$_{DS}$) of the $^{4}$S$_{3/2}$ (ϕ$_{DS}$ ≤ 26%) levels were measured. Comparison of experimental values of quantum yields to the ones obtained using Judd–Ofelt theory reveals strong quenching of the $^{4}$S$_{3/2}$ state for all investigated compositions. In addition, we observed an unusually strong contribution of the Er$^{3+}$:4I$_{9/2}$ excited state to both UC and down-shifting luminescent processes. This contribution becomes possible due to the very low maximum phonon energy of BaF$_{2}$ crystals (240 cm$^{-1}$)

The use of Soluble Products of Wood Oxidative Catalytic Delignification as Binders for Obtaining Fuel Briquettes

Методом ИКС изучен функциональный состав растворимых продуктов каталитической делигнификации древесины осины и пихты Н2О2 в среде разбавленной уксусной кислоты. Растворимые продукты имеют высокую долю кислородсодержащих функциональных групп, и их термическая обработка при 160 °С в течение 2 ч дает возможность получать связующее с показателями вязкости, соответствующими промышленным смолам, применяемым для производства древесных плитных материалов. Определены оптимальные технологические параметры получения древесных топливных брикетов с высокой прочностью при использовании растворимых продуктов делигнификации: содержание связующего в пресс-массе 40–50 % мас.; температура прессования 90 °С; давление прессования 13 МПаThe functional composition of soluble products of aspen and fir woods catalytic delignification by H2O2 in a medium of dilute acetic acid was studied by FTIR method. Soluble products have a high content of oxygenated functional groups and their thermal treatment at 160 °C for 2 hours makes it possible to obtain a binding agent with viscosities relevant industrial resins used for the production of wood-panel materials. The optimum technological parameters for obtaining the wood fuel briquettes with high strength characteristics with the use of soluble delignification products were established: the binder content in the press-mass – 40-50 % wt .; pressing temperature – 90 °C; compaction pressure – 13 MP

Plasma immersion ion implantation for surface treatment of complex branched structures

The paper presents experimental results demonstrating the capabilities of plasma immersion ion implantation of silicon (Si) for surface treatment of complex branched structures such are self-expanding intravascular nickel-titanium (NiTi) stents. Using NiTi stents of diameter 4 and 8 mm, it is shown that plasma immersion ion implantation can provide rather homogeneous doping of their outer and inner surfaces with Si atoms. Also presented are research data on the processes that determine the thickness, composition, and structure of surface layers subjected to this type of treatment

Survival of percutaneous implants under various mechanical loading to the bone

Objective The purpose of the study was to explore bone formation processes and survival of percutaneous implants under various external compression of the bone. Material and methods 30 chinchilla male rabbits were used in the study. Tibia of the species was amputated at the upper third and an implant was surgically implanted with the distal part extending through the skin. A compression device was attached to the implant and loading provided to the bone next day after surgery. Five magnitudes of compression loading were used for animals subdivided into 5 groups comprising 6 species in each of the groups. Compression device with constantly maintained loading was attached to the limb during 6 weeks. Results Animals of groups I and II showed no case of the implant falling out throughout the whole period of observation. An implant fell out of the bone in one species of Group III after 56-day implantation, two and four species of Groups IV and V, correspondingly, 3 to 4 days after removal of compression device. Osseointegration was shown to improve in species of Groups I and II due to active angiogenesis in peri-implantation area. Conclusion Therefore loads of greater than 105260 Н/m2 applied to the bone result in decreased implant osseointegration whereas less intensive loading tends to improve osseointegratio