Boundary film for structural ceramic materials

Structural ceramic materials, like metals, will require lubrication if they are to be used extensively for tribological applications. The use of thin soft metallic coatings (specifically Ag) as a boundary film during mineral oil lubrication of silicon nitride (Si[sub 3]N[sub 4]) and zirconia (ZrO[sub 2]) ceramic materials was investigated in this study. With a pin-on-flat contact configuration in reciprocating sliding, the steady friction coefficient was reduced by a factor of 2 (0.14 [minus]0.16 vs. 0.06--0.07) when the flats were coated with Ag. Also, with Ag coatings the wear of pins was reduced to an unmeasurable level, whereas, in the absence of Ag coatings specific wear rates of [approx]2 [times] 10[sup [minus]9] -- 4 [times] 10[sup [minus]8] mm[sup 3]/Nm and [approx]7 [times] 10[sup [minus]8] -- 2 [times] 10[sup [minus]7] mm[sup 3]/Nm were measured for Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] and ZrO[sub 2] pins respectively. In addition to preventing direct contact between pins and flats, thereby reducing wear, the Ag coatings also act as a solid lubricant, help dissipate flash heating, and accelerate modification of the [lambda] ratio

The GTPase Rab26 links synaptic vesicles to the autophagy pathway.

Small GTPases of the Rab family not only regulate target recognition in membrane traffic but also control other cellular functions such as cytoskeletal transport and autophagy. Here we show that Rab26 is specifically associated with clusters of synaptic vesicles in neurites. Overexpression of active but not of GDP-preferring Rab26 enhances vesicle clustering, which is particularly conspicuous for the EGFP-tagged variant, resulting in a massive accumulation of synaptic vesicles in neuronal somata without altering the distribution of other organelles. Both endogenous and induced clusters co-localize with autophagy-related proteins such as Atg16L1, LC3B and Rab33B but not with other organelles. Furthermore, Atg16L1 appears to be a direct effector of Rab26 and binds Rab26 in its GTP-bound form, albeit only with low affinity. We propose that Rab26 selectively directs synaptic and secretory vesicles into preautophagosomal structures, suggesting the presence of a novel pathway for degradation of synaptic vesicles

Synergistic Effects of Silver Films and Synthetic Lubricants on Boundary-Lubrication Behavior of Ceramics

In a study seeking to achieve low friction and low wear on ceramic materials, we investigated a new lubrication concept that explores the synergistic effect of a silver film and a recently developed synthetic oil on the boundary lubrication behavior of silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) ceramics. Friction and wear tests were performed on a wear test machine at temperatures up to 380{degree}C. Under the test conditions explored, we found that the friction coefficients of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} test pairs during oil-lubricated sliding tests ranged from 0.1 to 0.35, and the average wear rates of ceramic pins were between 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}7} and 10{sup {minus}6} mm{sup 3} N{sup {minus}1} m{sup {minus}1}, depending on test temperature. Concurrent use of lubricant oil with a silver film had a synergistic effect on both friction and wear. When silver films are used at oil-lubricated sliding interfaces, wear rates of both pins and flats were reduced to unmeasurable levels and the friction coefficients were reduced by factors of two to ten below those of the test pairs without silver films. Beneficial synergistic effects of silver films and synthetic oil on the boundary-lubrication behavior of ceramics were more pronounced at elevated test temperatures than at room temperature

An Antibody-Aptamer-Hybrid Lateral Flow Assay for Detection of CXCL9 in Antibody-Mediated Rejection after Kidney Transplantation

Chronic antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a key limiting factor for the clinical outcome of a kidney transplantation (Ktx), where early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention is needed. This study describes the identification of the biomarker CXC-motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 9 as an indicator for AMR and presents a new aptamer-antibody-hybrid lateral flow assay (hybrid-LFA) for detection in urine. Biomarker evaluation included two independent cohorts of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) from a protocol biopsy program and used subgroup comparisons according to BANFF-classifications. Plasma, urine and biopsy lysate samples were analyzed with a Luminex-based multiplex assay. The CXCL9-specific hybrid-LFA was developed based upon a specific rat antibody immobilized on a nitrocellulose-membrane and the coupling of a CXCL9-binding aptamer to gold nanoparticles. LFA performance was assessed according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Among 15 high-scored biomarkers according to a neural network analysis, significantly higher levels of CXCL9 were found in plasma and urine and biopsy lysates of KTRs with biopsy-proven AMR. The newly developed hybrid-LFA reached a sensitivity and specificity of 71% and an AUC of 0.79 for CXCL9. This point-of-care-test (POCT) improves early diagnosis-making in AMR after Ktx, especially in KTRs with undetermined status of donor-specific HLA-antibodies

Cap-Gly Proteins at Microtubule Plus Ends: Is EB1 Detyrosination Involved?

Localization of CAP-Gly proteins such as CLIP170 at microtubule+ends results from their dual interaction with α-tubulin and EB1 through their C-terminal amino acids −EEY. Detyrosination (cleavage of the terminal tyrosine) of α-tubulin by tubulin-carboxypeptidase abolishes CLIP170 binding. Can detyrosination affect EB1 and thus regulate the presence of CLIP170 at microtubule+ends as well? We developed specific antibodies to discriminate tyrosinated vs detyrosinated forms of EB1 and detected only tyrosinated EB1 in fibroblasts, astrocytes, and total brain tissue. Over-expressed EB1 was not detyrosinated in cells and chimeric EB1 with the eight C-terminal amino acids of α-tubulin was only barely detyrosinated. Our results indicate that detyrosination regulates CLIPs interaction with α-tubulin, but not with EB1. They highlight the specificity of carboxypeptidase toward tubulin

Environmentally assisted cracking in light water reactors. Semiannual report, October 1993--March 1994. Volume 18

This report summarizes work performed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) on fatigue and environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) in light water reactors (LWRs) during the six months from October 1993 to March 1994. EAC and fatigue of piping, pressure vessels, and core components in LWRs are important concerns in operating plants and as extended reactor lifetimes are envisaged. Topics that have been investigated include (a) fatigue of low-alloy steel used in piping, steam generators, and reactor pressure vessels, (b) EAC of wrought and cast austenitic stainless steels (SSs), and (c) radiation-induced segregation and irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of Type 304 SS after accumulation of relatively high fluence. Fatigue tests have been conducted on A302-Gr B low-alloy steel to verify whether the current predictions of modest decreases of fatigue life in simulated pressurized water reactor water are valid for high-sulfur heats that show environmentally enhanced fatigue crack growth rates. Additional crack growth data were obtained on fracture-mechanics specimens of austenitic SSs to investigate threshold stress intensity factors for EAC in high-purity oxygenated water at 289{degrees}C. The data were compared with predictions based on crack growth correlations for wrought austenitic SS in oxygenated water developed at ANL and rates in air from Section XI of the ASME Code. Microchemical and microstructural changes in high- and commercial-purity Type 304 SS specimens from control-blade absorber tubes and a control-blade sheath from operating boiling water reactors were studied by Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy to determine whether trace impurity elements, which are not specified in the ASTM specifications, may contribute to IASCC of solution-annealed materials

INF2 promotes the formation of detyrosinated microtubules necessary for centrosome reorientation in T cells

T cell antigen receptor-proximal signaling components, Rho-family GTPases, and formin proteins DIA1 and FMNL1 have been implicated in centrosome reorientation to the immunological synapse of T lymphocytes. However, the role of these molecules in the reorientation process is not yet defined. Here we find that a subset of microtubules became rapidly stabilized and that their α-tubulin subunit posttranslationally detyrosinated after engagement of the T cell receptor. Formation of stabilized, detyrosinated microtubules required the formin INF2, which was also found to be essential for centrosome reorientation, but it occurred independently of T cell receptor-induced massive tyrosine phosphorylation. The FH2 domain, which was mapped as the INF2 region involved in centrosome repositioning, was able to mediate the formation of stable, detyrosinated microtubules and to restore centrosome translocation in DIA1-, FMNL1-, Rac1-, and Cdc42-deficient cells. Further experiments indicated that microtubule stabilization was required for centrosome polarization. Our work identifies INF2 and stable, detyrosinated microtubules as central players in centrosome reorientation in T cellsThis work was supported by grants BFU2009-07886 and CONSOLIDER COAT CSD2009-00016 to M.A. Alonso, and BFU2011-22859 to I. Correas (all of them from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain), and grant S2010/BMD-2305 from the Comunidad de Madrid to I. Correa