Label-free detection of anticancer drug paclitaxel in living cells by confocal Raman microscopy

Confocal Raman microscopy, a non-invasive, label-free, and high spatial resolution imaging technique is employed to trace the anticancer drug paclitaxel in living Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells. The Raman images were treated by K-mean cluster analysis to detect the drug in cells. Distribution of paclitaxel in cells is verified by calculating the correlation coefficient between the reference spectrum of the drug and the whole Raman image spectra. A time dependent gradual diffusion of paclitaxel all over the cell is observed suggesting a complementary picture of the pharmaceutical action of this drug based on rapid binding of free tubulin to crystallized paclitaxel. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4794871

Mechanical Properties of Calcareous Fly Ash Stabilised Soil

Construction of any type of structure on clayey ground could be problematic due to the high swelling potential and/or low strength characteristics of the soil. This can lead to low stability or differential settlement of the ground. Many soil stabilization techniques have been proposed to prevent the uneven settlement and failure of the soil. Stabilization of soil with class C fly ash offers many advantages such as improving engineering caracteristics, being cost-effective and being environmentally friendly. Class C fly ash chemically reacts with clay which results in a more durable and stronger soil. It has been shown by various researchers that fly ash-stabilized soil is typically stiff and strong even though there is no available standard or guidelines for the use of fly ash in construction industry. This paper presents the results from a program of experimental research on stabilization of a fine-grained soil with fly ash. Laboratory experiments, including Atterberg limits, compaction, uniaxial, and consolidation tests, were conducted on samples of a clay soil with different percentages of fly ash. The results show that adding fly ash decreased the plasticity index, increased compressive strength, and decreased the swelling and compressibility index. The maximum dry density increased and optimum moisture content decreased with addition of over 5 % fly ash by dry weight of the soil.Turkish governmentEuropean Union Horizon 202

Impact of soil treatment on internal erosion resistance and hydro-mechanical characteristics of a silty soil

The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of soil treatment on the internal erosion and the hydro-mechanical characteristics of a silty soil. The study is focused on the treatment by kaolinite, bentonite, lime and cement, with different amounts and curing periods. A new enhanced Hole Erosion Test was developed especially to study the internal erosion of treated soils using high hydraulic shear stresses. The use of clayey products decreases both the hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of soil erosion without changing the mechanical behavior. Lime and cement treatment induce a significant improvement of both internal erosion resistance and strength, and also keep the same level of hydraulic conductivity, and may even decrease it in some cases. The magnitude of these modifications is related to the nature and amount of the treatment product, and the curing period. The cross relationships between the hydraulic conductivity, the unconfined compression strength and the internal erosion were also assessed

Thermo-mechanical behaviour of a compacted swelling clay

Compacted unsaturated swelling clay is often considered as a possible buffer material for deep nuclear waste disposal. An isotropic cell permitting simultaneous control of suction, temperature and pressure was used to study the thermo-mechanical behaviour of this clay. Tests were performed at total suctions ranging from 9 to 110 MPa, temperature from 25 to 80 degrees C, isotropic pressure from 0.1 to 60 MPa. It was observed that heating at constant suction and pressure induces either swelling or contraction. The results from compression tests at constant suction and temperature evidenced that at lower suction, the yield pressure was lower, the elastic compressibility parameter and the plastic compressibility parameter were higher. On the other hand, at a similar suction, the yield pressure was slightly influenced by the temperature; and the compressibility parameters were insensitive to temperature changes. The thermal hardening phenomenon was equally evidenced by following a thermo-mechanical path of loading-heating-cooling-reloading

Suction induced effects on the fabric of a structured soil

International audienceThis paper presents the mathematical modelling of the modification of the pore space geometry of a structured soil subjected to suction increase. Structured soil concepts are first introduced considering different fabric units, such as aggregates and fissures. The numerical modelling of the structural evolution is based on experimental test results in which the evolution of the structure of the samples subjected to different suctions is determined using the mercury intrusion porosimetry technique. From this information, the macro and micropore volume evolutions are determined. The results show that drying produces a reduction in the soil total porosity which mainly corresponds to a reduction of the macropore volume. Associated with this phenomenon, an increase in micropore volume is also observed. The proposed model divides pore size distribution into three pore classes (micropores, macropores and non-affected areas). Using the concept of a suction-influenced domain, the proposed model is able to reproduce the main observed fabric evolution between the saturated and dry states

Chemical compositions and plasma parameters of planetary nebulae with Wolf-Rayet and wels type central stars

Aims: Chemical compositions and other properties of planetary nebulae around central stars of spectral types [WC], [WO], and wels are compared with those of `normal' central stars, in order to clarify the evolutionary status of each type and their interrelation. Methods: We use plasma diagnostics to derive from optical spectra the plasma parameters and chemical compositions of 48 planetary nebulae. We also reanalyze the published spectra of a sample of 167 non-WR PN. The results as well as the observational data are compared in detail with those from other studies of the objects in common. Results: The central star's spectral type is clearly correlated with electron density, temperature and excitation class of the nebula, [WC] nebulae tend to be smaller than the other types. All this corroborates the view of an evolutionary sequence from cool [WC 11] central stars inside dense, low excitation nebulae towards hot [WO 1] stars with low density, high excitation nebulae. The wels PN, however, appear to be a separate class of objects, not linked to WRPN by evolution, --abridged--Comment: 17 pages, 28 figures, Accepted in A&A. Accepted in A&