Laser-induced rotation of iodine molecules in He-nanodroplets: revivals and breaking-free

Rotation of molecules embedded in He nanodroplets is explored by a combination of fs laser-induced alignment experiments and angulon quasiparticle theory. We demonstrate that at low fluence of the fs alignment pulse, the molecule and its solvation shell can be set into coherent collective rotation lasting long enough to form revivals. With increasing fluence, however, the revivals disappear -- instead, rotational dynamics as rapid as for an isolated molecule is observed during the first few picoseconds. Classical calculations trace this phenomenon to transient decoupling of the molecule from its He shell. Our results open novel opportunities for studying non-equilibrium solute-solvent dynamics and quantum thermalization.Comment: 6+7 pages; 4+1 figures; 1 tabl

Cryopreservation of threatened native Australian species—what have we learned and where to from here?

Cryogenic storage techniques have been developed and adopted for more than 100 (mainly agricultural) plant species worldwide, and within Australia, at least 30 critically endangered plants have been stored long term using cryogenic approaches. Nevertheless, there are many species that are very difficult to store using current procedures, and organizations involved in plant germplasm conservation (such as botanic gardens, agricultural institutions, etc.) that utilise cryogenic storage techniques are in some respects at a crossroads in their endeavours to cheaply and effectively store a wide selection of species and genotypes for conservation and agricultural/horticultural purposes. For taxa that are not amenable to current cryogenic approaches, new ways of developing cryogenic storage techniques need to be investigated, including research into the ways in which cell membranes interact and change when cooled to cryogenic temperatures (−196°C in liquid nitrogen) in the presence of various cryoprotective agents. This review highlights the current state of cryogenic research both within Australia and internationally, provides a case study on threatened plant species and also describes several new research initiatives that aim to provide answers to why some native species are quite amenable to widely utilised cryogenic approaches whilst others are currently non-responsive. New approaches aim to integrate laboratory and membrane modelling paradigms to provide guidelines for the development of new cryopreservation protocols and to assess the robustness of theoretical models in predicting optimum cryogenic conditions

A rapid assay for tyrosinase activity

A rapid assay for tyrosinase activit

Comparison between surface electrodes and ultrasound monitoring to measure TMS evoked muscle contraction

INTRODUCTION: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is widely employed to explore cortical physiology in health and disease. Surface electromyography (sEMG) is appropriate for superficial muscles, but cannot be applied easily to less accessible muscles. Muscle ultrasound (mUS) may provide an elegant solution to this problem, but fundamental questions remain. We explore the relationship between TMS evoked muscle potentials and TMS evoked muscle contractions measured with mUS. METHODS: In 10 participants we performed a TMS recruitment curve, simultaneously measuring motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and mUS in biceps (BI), first dorsal interosseous (FDI), tibialis anterior (TA) and the tongue (TO). RESULTS: Resting motor threshold (RMT) measurements and recruitment curves were found to be consistent across sEMG and mUS. DISCUSSION: This work supports the use of TMS-US to study less accessible muscles. The implications are broad but could include the study of a new range of muscles in disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Cold-induced changes affect survival after exposure to vitrification solution during cryopreservation in the south-west Australian Mediterranean climate species Lomandra sonderi (Asparagaceae)

There is limited knowledge of the effects of exposure to low temperatures in the unique Mediterranean climate plant species of Western Australia. We have thus investigated the effect of low temperature on cryogenic tolerance in Lomandra sonderi, an endemic perennial species of southwest Western Australia. Lomandra sonderi plants were preconditioned in tissue culture at constant 23 °C (12 h light/dark cycle) or alternating 20/-1 °C (16 h light and 8 h dark cycle). Shoot tips from both conditions were analysed for their phospholipid, sterol and soluble sugar compositions. Shoot tips were also cryoexposed via a droplet-vitrification protocol. Survival in both preconditioning regimes for cryoexposed and non-cryoexposed samples was the same, but plants from the 20/-1 °C regime displayed an improved tolerance to the overall cryopreservation process in both cryoexposed and non-cryoexposed samples, thereby eliminating exposure to liquid nitrogen as a primary cause of reduced post-cryogenic viability. Preconditioning of in vitro shoots of L. sonderi at 20/-1 °C induced significant increases in phosphatidylcholine (from 7.30 ± 3.46 to 22.2 ± 7.80 ng mg-1 FW) and increases in several soluble sugars (fructose, galactose, glucose, sucrose) compared to shoots incubated at 23 °C—changes consistent with known cold acclimation responses in plant species generally—but sterol content remained largely unchanged. Analysis of electrolyte leakage in shoot tips from both preconditioning regimes generated a significantly lower LT50 value in the 20/-1 °C samples (-5.45 ± 0.53 °C) over the 23 °C samples (-2.5 ± 0.08 °C). Increased tolerance to cryoexposure in L. sonderi appears to lie mainly with acclimation-induced changes in membrane composition and promotion of membrane stability and hence increased resistance to freeze damage

Influence of surgical resection no plasma Endoglin (CD105) level in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background and Aim: Endoglin is a proliferation-associated antigen on endothelial cells and essential for angiogenesis. Soluble endoglin (s‑endoglin), formed by proteolytic cleavage of ectodomain of membrane receptor could be an indicator of tumor‑activated endothelium. The aim of present study was to analyze changes of s‑endoglin level in plasma of lung cancer patients following surgical resection and to estimate the correlation of s‑endoglin with other soluble receptors, sTie2 and sVEGF R1. Patients and Methods: The study group consisted of 37 patients with stage I of non-small cell lung cancer. Plasma concentrations of s‑endoglin, sTie2 and sVEGF R1 were evaluated by ELISA, three times: before surgical resection and on postoperative day 7 and 30. Results: The median of s‑endoglin concentration decreased significantly on postoperative day 7 when compared with preoperative level and next increased on 30th day and it was comparable with that before surgery. s-Endoglin correlated with another soluble receptors, with sTie2 both before surgery (r=0.44) and on postoperative day 7 (r=0.52) and on 30th day (r=0.58), with sVEGF R1 — only on postoperative day 7 (r=0.75). Conclusion: The increased level of serum endoglin in lung cancer patients compared to controls and its changes after surgical treatment suggest potential application of soluble form of endoglin as potential tumor marker

Development of cryopreservation for Loxocarya cinerea - an endemic Australian plant species important for post-mining restoration

We report the development of a cryopreservation protocol for the endemic Western Australian plant species Loxocarya cinerea (Restionaceae). Shoot tips from two genotypes, SXH404 and SXH804, were cryopreserved using the droplet-vitrification technique. Control explants, which were cryoprotected, but not cooled, showed regeneration for both genotypes (SXH404, 22.1 ± 5.9%; SXH804, 67.7 ± 9.6%). Extension of incubation in PVS2 from 30 to 60 min did not lead to survival after cryopreservation. Thermal analysis using differential scanning calorimetry confirmed the beneficial effect of a loading phase but also revealed no or very little ice formation after cryoprotection of shoot tips in other treatments. Regeneration following cryopreservation was obtained for genotype SXH804 (4.3 ± 2.1%) but not for SXH404. Regenerated explants of L. cinerea SXH804 were morphologically identical to tissue-cultured plants. As an alternative to shoot tips, callus tissues of clone SXH404 were successfully cryopreserved (>66.7% post LN survival) using the same protocol

Classification of Construction Projects

The final publication is available at World Academy of Science via https://waset.org/Publication/classification-of-construction-projects/10001697 © 2015, This unmodified version is made available under the CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/In order to address construction project requirements and specifications, scholars and practitioners need to establish taxonomy according to a scheme that best fits their need. While existing characterization methods are continuously being improved, new ones are devised to cover project properties which have not been previously addressed. One such method, the Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI), has received limited consideration strictly as a classification scheme. Developed by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) in 1996, the PDRI has been refined over the last two decades as a method for evaluating a project's scope definition completeness during front-end planning (FEP). The main contribution of this study is a review of practical project classification methods, and a discussion of how PDRI can be used to classify projects based on their readiness in the FEP phase. The proposed model has been applied to 59 construction projects in Ontario, and the results are discussed

Simple models for rope substructure mechanics: Application to electro-mechanical lifts

Mechanical systems modelled as rigid mass elements connected by tensioned slender structural members such as ropes and cables represent quite common substructures used in lift engineering and hoisting applications. Special interest is devoted by engineers and researchers to the vibratory response of such systems for optimum performance and durability. This paper presents simplified models that can be employed to determine the natural frequencies of systems having substructures of two rigid masses constrained by tensioned rope/cable elements. The exact solution for free un-damped longitudinal displacement response is discussed in the context of simple two-degree-of-freedom models. The results are compared and the influence of characteristics parameters such as the ratio of the average mass of the two rigid masses with respect to the rope mass and the deviation ratio of the two rigid masses with respect to the average mass is analyzed. This analysis gives criteria for the application of such simplified models in complex elevator and hoisting system configurations

Lisht as a New Kingdom glass-making site with its own chemical signature

Lisht is one of a few New Kingdom sites with known glass-working debris. Here, we present evidence for the primary production of glass at Lisht, including crucible fragments and semi-finished glass. We also provide 12 new chemical analyses of glass from Lisht, including trace elements. We argue that the glass made at Lisht has a specific chemical signature within the broader range of Late Bronze Age glass compositions from Egypt, further underlining the former existence of primary glass production there and offering the possibility of identifying Lisht-made glass elsewhere in Egypt and beyond