High-Temperature Interactions Between Titanium Alloys And Strontium Zirconate Refractories

We investigated interactions between Ti6Al4V alloys and strontium zirconate (SrZrO3) ceramic to assess its potential as a refractory mold material in investment casting. We developed a robust yet simple procedure to examine both the liquid–solid and solid–solid interactions using pellets in drop casting and diffusion couple methods. Reaction layers were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The results were compared to alumina (Al2O3) which is still a common refractory ceramic for molds in investment casting. Our findings indicate that Ti6Al4V surfaces in contact with SrZrO3 had no apparent changes in surface chemistry nor microstructure. On the other hand, Ti6Al4V surfaces in contact with Al2O3 developed γ-TiAl and α 2-Ti3Al intermetallics with thicknesses of ~ 100 μm in diffusion couples and ~ 10 μm in drop-casting experiments. Nanoindentation results showed that the surface of Ti6Al4V in contact with Al2O3 was significantly harder compared to SrZrO3, confirming our conclusion. Given the time and costs associated with mechanical and chemical removal of reaction layers on Ti6Al4V castings, SrZrO3 can be a better choice for a mold material in the investment casting of titanium alloys

Differential Glucose-Regulation of MicroRNAs in Pancreatic Islets of Non-Obese Type 2 Diabetes Model Goto-Kakizaki Rat

The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat is a well-studied non-obese spontaneous type 2 diabetes (T2D) animal model characterized by impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in the pancreatic beta cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short regulatory RNAs involved in many fundamental biological processes. We aim to identify miRNAs that are differentially-expressed in the pancreatic islets of the GK rats and investigate both their short- and long term glucose-dependence during glucose-stimulatory conditions

Radiating on Oceanic Islands: Patterns and Processes of Speciation in the Land Snail Genus Theba (Risso 1826)

Island radiations have played a major role in shaping our current understanding of allopatric, sympatric and parapatric speciation. However, the fact that species divergence correlates with island size emphasizes the importance of geographic isolation (allopatry) in speciation. Based on molecular and morphological data, we investigated the diversification of the land snail genus Theba on the two Canary Islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Due to the geological history of both islands, this study system provides ideal conditions to investigate the interplay of biogeography, dispersal ability and differentiation in generating species diversity. Our analyses demonstrated extensive cryptic diversification of Theba on these islands, probably driven mainly by non-adaptive allopatric differentiation and secondary gene flow. In a few cases, we observed a complete absence of gene flow among sympatrically distributed forms suggesting an advanced stage of speciation. On the Jandía peninsula genome scans suggested genotype-environment associations and potentially adaptive diversification of two closely related Theba species to different ecological environments. We found support for the idea that genetic differentiation was enhanced by divergent selection in different environments. The diversification of Theba on both islands is therefore best explained by a mixture of non-adaptive and adaptive speciation, promoted by ecological and geomorphological factors

Deformation-driven catalysis of nanocrystallization in amorphous Al alloys

Nanocrystals develop in amorphous alloys usually during annealing treatments with growth- or nucleation-controlled mechanisms. An alternative processing route is intense deformation and nanocrystals have been shown to develop in shear bands during the deformation process. Some controversy surrounded the idea of adiabatic heating in shear bands during their genesis, but specific experiments have revealed that the formation of nanocrystals in shear bands has to be related to localized deformation rather than thermal effects. A much less debated issue has been the spatial distribution of deformation in the amorphous alloys during intense deformation. The current work examines the hypothesis that intense deformation affects the regions outside shear bands and even promotes nanocrystal formation in those regions upon annealing. Melt-spun amorphous Al88Y7Fe5 alloy was intensely cold rolled. Microcalorimeter measurements at 60 °C indicated a slight but observable growth of nanocrystals in shear bands over the annealing time of 10 days. When the cold-rolled samples were annealed at 210 °C for one hour, transmission electron images did not show any nanocrystals for as-spun ribbons, but nanocrystals developed outside shear bands for the cold rolled samples. X-ray analysis indicated an increase in intensity of the Al peaks following the 210 °C annealing while the as-spun sample remained “X-ray amorphous”. These experimental observations strongly suggest that cold rolling affects regions (i.e., spatial heterogeneities) outside shear bands and stimulates the formation of nanocrystals during annealing treatments at temperatures well below the crystallization temperature of undeformed ribbons

Calcium-sensing receptor abrogates secretagogue- induced increases in intestinal net fluid secretion by enhancing cyclic nucleotide destruction

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) provides a fundamental mechanism for diverse cells to detect and respond to modulations in the ionic and nutrient compositions of their extracellular milieu. The roles for this receptor are largely unknown in the intestinal tract, where epithelial cells are normally exposed to large variations in extracellular solutes. Here, we show that colonic CaSR signaling stimulates the degradation of cyclic nucleotides by phosphodiesterases and describe the ability of receptor activation to reverse the fluid and electrolyte secretory actions of cAMP- and cGMP-generating secretagogues, including cholera toxin and heat stable Escherichia coli enterotoxin STa. Our results suggest a paradigm for regulation of intestinal fluid transport where fine tuning is accomplished by the counterbalancing effects of solute activation of the CaSR on neuronal and hormonal secretagogue actions. The reversal of cholera toxin- and STa endotoxin-induced fluid secretion by a small-molecule CaSR agonist suggests that these compounds may provide a unique therapy for secretory diarrheas