Up-to-date tribology equipment for standard qualification of greases

Tribotesting of greases as a range of standardised procedures, which are complementary to laboratory analyses of physicochemical grease properties, is in some cases conducted, using classical tribometers, but generally requires more specific techniques complying with the standard qualification procedures recognised for years by major manufacturers of greases and bearings. The authors concentrate on the popular range of upto- date equipment for grease testing, including some disadvantages in the older constructions, and the novelties of the new designs, eliminating any inconsistency between the requirements of the standards (DIN, ISO, ASTM, etc.) and the tribological conditions with the goal of providing a reliable adequateness between the real conditions in the machinery and those in the test rigs

Up-to-date tribology equipment for standard qualification of greases

Tribotesting of greases as a range of standardised procedures, which are complementary to laboratory analyses of physicochemical grease properties, is in some cases conducted, using classical tribometers, but generally requires more specific techniques complying with the standard qualification procedures recognised for years by major manufacturers of greases and bearings. The authors concentrate on the popular range of upto- date equipment for grease testing, including some disadvantages in the older constructions, and the novelties of the new designs, eliminating any inconsistency between the requirements of the standards (DIN, ISO, ASTM, etc.) and the tribological conditions with the goal of providing a reliable adequateness between the real conditions in the machinery and those in the test rigs

A test to detect association between autosomal and sex-linked loci in random mating populations: an example with Drosophila melanogaster

International audienc

An exploratory study of heavy domain wall fermions on the lattice

We report on an exploratory study of domain wall fermions (DWF) as a lattice regularisation for heavy quarks. Within the framework of quenched QCD with the tree-level improved Symanzik gauge action we identify the DWF parameters which minimise discretisation effects. We find the corresponding effective 4$d$ overlap operator to be exponentially local, independent of the quark mass. We determine a maximum bare heavy quark mass of $am_h\approx 0.4$, below which the approximate chiral symmetry and O(a)-improvement of DWF are sustained. This threshold appears to be largely independent of the lattice spacing. Based on these findings, we carried out a detailed scaling study for the heavy-strange meson dispersion relation and decay constant on four ensembles with lattice spacings in the range $2.0-5.7\,\mathrm{GeV}$. We observe very mild $a^2$ scaling towards the continuum limit. Our findings establish a sound basis for heavy DWF in dynamical simulations of lattice QCD with relevance to Standard Model phenomenology.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

Optically active nanomaterials for environmental remediation

In recent years optically active nanomaterials have opened up a number of frontiers, especially in life science and environmental protection. Novel hybrid nanomaterials based on wide band gap oxides (TiO2) and Ln3+ doped rare earth compounds (down- and up-conversion luminescence materials) obtained through innovative processing will be presented from the viewpoint of their potential application for light harvesting and photocatalysis

ECO-FRIENDLY ELDERBERRY BASED SORBENT FOR REMOVING Pb2+IONS FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Abstract Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) pith was modified with polyethyleneimine (PEI) in order to improve the adsorption properties. Characterization of both dried Sambucus nigra pith (DSNP) and amino modification of elderberry pith with branched PEI (PEI/DSNP) was performed by: Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), optical microscopy, and porosity determination. The amine and ester number, as well as acid value, were determined on DSNP and PEI/DSNP samples using standard volumetric methods. The samples were used as adsorbents for Pb2+ions from an aqueous solution in a batch system. The obtained results were fitted using suitable equilibrium isotherm and kinetic models. The maximum adsorption capacity for Pb2+ions on DSNP andaminаted sample, obtained using Langmuir adsorption isotherm at 298 K, are 18.9 and 47.8 mg g-1, respectively. Based on the kinetic studies, the adsorption process follows the pseudo second-order model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption process is endothermic and spontaneous. In general, the overall adsorption process was improved by modifying starting material withbranched PEI modifier by introducing large numbers of amino functionalities having high affinity to cations

The possibility of obtaining beta-anhydrite from waste nitrogypsum

The possibility of obtaining β - anhydrite from nitrogypsum, which is waste from a nitrocellulose plant, was investigated. It was shown by means of qualitative IR analysis that the product obtained by heating nitrogypsum for 5 hours at 700 o C was â - anhydrite. When the β- anhydrite was mixed with water at a W/S (water/solid) ratio of 0.54 in presence of different accelerators (CaO, mixture CaO - ash, ash, Na2SO4 and K2SO4), pastes were formed which hardened on standing. The compressive strength of the hardened samples was measured after 7 and 28 days and their composition determined by qualitative IR analysis. On the basis of these results, it was observed that a relationship exists between the composition (depending on the used accelerator) and the compression strength of the samples. Namely, the formation of large cores of double salts: syngenite (K2SO4 ⋅CaSO4 ⋅H2O) and glauberite (Na2SO4 ⋅CaSO4), in the presence of the accelerators K2SO4 and Na2SO4, respectively, was due to the rapid and complete crystallization of the dihydrate (CaSO4 ⋅2H2O). This fast crystal growth of the dihydrate resulted in high compressive strengths of these samples. In the other samples (prepared in presence of the accelerators: CaO, mixture CaO - ash and ash), dihydrate did not form and, consequently, their compressive strength was low

B cell hyperresponsiveness and expansion of mature follicular B cells but not of marginal zone B cells in NFATc2/c3 double-deficient mice

Marginal zone (MZ) B cells and peritoneal B-I cells provide a first defense system of thymus-independent Ab responses against foreign pathogens and therefore share a number of functional properties. Recently, development of B-1a cells was shown to be controlled by the transcription factor NFATc1. We show here that mice deficient for NFATc2 and c3 display a distinct lower representation of MZ B cells, which is correlated with a reduced capturing of trinitrophenyl-Ficoll. In contrast, mature follicular B cells from NFATc2/c3(-/-) mice are strongly increased in number. NFATc2/c3-/- B cells exhibit a marked increase in BCR-induced intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization and proliferation. However, trinitrophenyl-Ficoll-specific IgM and IgG3 responses of NFATc2/c3-deficient mice are intact, and chimeric mice reconstituted with NFATc2/3-deficient B cells show a normal number of MZ B cells and normal BCR responses. These observations suggest that the strongly elevated Th2 cytokine milieu in NFATc2/c3-deficient mice leads to a hyperactivation of mature, follicular B cells, whereas MZ B cells are less responsive to these signals

Postural stability – a comparison between rowers and field sport athletes

Postural stability (PS) is an important function for maintaining equilibrium during periods of standing still, locomotion, and any motor activities that require high degree of balance. High PS is essential in different sports for the regulation of voluntary movement and for improving athletic physical condition and performance. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the static PS of elite rowing athletes and field sport athletes. Methods: A total of 90 elite athletes (age: 23.9 ± 1.97 years; body height: 174.9 ± 8.9 cm; body weight: 67.7 ± 12.03 kg) were divided into Rowing (N = 47) and Field sport (N = 43) athlete groups. Static PS parameters were assessed with a static double-leg and single-leg standing stability test on a force plate platform. Results: The multivariate analysis of variance showed a general stability difference between the groups (F = 13.255; P ≤ 0.0001), in double leg stability (F = 16.735; P ≤ 0.0001), and left leg (F = 15.097; P ≤ 0.0001) stability parameters. When analyzing variables separately, significant statistical differences were observed in favor of the Rowing group in double leg sway area (p = 0.017; ES = −0.07), double leg center of force (COF) traveled way (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = −27.42), length function of surface (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = −26.86), right leg ML displacement (p = 0.030; ES = −0.46), left leg sway area (p = 0.030; ES = −0.44), left leg COF traveled way (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = −60.63), left leg AP displacement (p = 0.043; ES = −0.44). Conclusion: These results underline the differences in rowing and field sport athletes in terms of static PS. The characteristics of sport and competition may affect PS, and it is important to adjust training modalities for the required level of PS in every sport, especially in rowing

Vascularisation of the geniculate ganglion

Background: Lack of the relevant data in the literature and possible clinical significance of the geniculate ganglion vasculature inspired us to examine the vessels of this ganglion. Materials and methods: Twelve temporal bones were taken during autopsy and microdissected. Four geniculate ganglions were taken as well, serially sectioned and used for haematoxylin-eosin and trichrome staining, and for CD34 immunostaining. Results: The geniculate ganglion was supplied by the petrosal artery, which averaged 1.1 in number, 0.44 mm in the outer diameter, 0.24 mm in the luminal diameter, and 17.1 mm in length. The artery approached the greater petrosal nerve, giving off 1–3 twigs to it with a mean diameter of 24 μm, and entered the nerve hiatus or a small bone opening close to the ganglion. Before the artery continued to the tympanic segment of the facial nerve, it gave rise to 1 (8.33%), 2 (75.00%) or 3 (16.67%) branches to the geniculate ganglion, which ranged in diameter between 18 μm and 56 μm (mean 29 μm). From the formed superficial network, several twigs penetrated the ganglion and built an intraganglionic plexus. The counting, performed in microscopic fields, each measuring 341.7 μm × 250.0 μm in size, contained between 20 and 38 (mean 28.1) ganglion cells, as well as from 87 to 143 microvessels (mean 99.8), so that the neuron/vessel ratio was 1:3.6. Conclusions: This is the first detailed examination of the geniculate ganglion vasculature. The obtained data could be of clinical importance, especially in relation to the Bell’s palsy, ganglionitis, geniculate neuralgia, petrous bone imaging, and operations in the same region.