Comparison of niti orthodontic archwires and a determination of the characteristic properties

The aim of this paper was to analyse the characteristic properties of six different, commercially available nickel-titanium orthodontic wires with a diameter of 0.305 mm (0.014"). The characteristic properties were determined by using semi-quantitative EDX analyses, DSC analyses for a determination of the phase temperatures, and a tensile test to obtain the mechanical properties of the wires. The investigation of the chemical composition showed an equiatomic NiTi alloy. Analyses of phase temperatures showed that the nickel-titanium orthodontic wires were, in an austenitic microstructure, exhibiting a superelastic effect in the oral environment. The uniaxial tensile stress strain curves showed different values for the beginning and the end of the transformation range during the loading

A gold nanoparticles and hydroxylated fullerene water complex as a new product for cosmetics

Three types of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesised with a custom-made Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis (USP) device, from aqueous solutions of gold (III) chloride (AuCl3) and gold (III) acetate (AuC6H12O6), with an initial concentration of Au 0.5 g/L. AuNPs were collected in suspensions of deionised (D.I.) water with the stabilisers polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or polyethylene glycol (PEG), followed by the process of freeze drying the AuNPs to be useful as a new additive for the cream. The standard cream base was used as a matrix for preparation of three types of cream with AuNPs in the same concentration ratios. The third AuNPs cream was prepared with a patented hydroxylated fullerene water complex (3HFWC-W) matrix. To examine the effect of AuNPs as additive in creams, a six-week study of test creams was conducted on 33 volunteers with no dermatological diseases. During the study three main parameters of the skin where measured: Collagen quality, skin moisturisation and the epidermis-dermis function. The results of the study found improvements of collagen quality between 18-24 %, achieved due to the use of AuNPs in standard creams, while the cream with the combination of 3HFWC-W and AuNPs gave significantly higher improvements with a value of 45.7 %. It was also discovered that hydration of the skin (stratum cornum) increased by 6.4-9.6 % in standard creams with AuNPs, and 73.7 % in the 3HFWC/AuNPs' cream. Similar results were measured by the epidermisdermis function, where 24-28 % improvement for standard creams with AuNPs was identified, and 38.4 % for the cream 3HFWC-W/AuNPs

European beech stem diameter grows better in mixed than in mono-specific stands at the edge of its distribution in mountain forests

Recent studies show that several tree species are spreading to higher latitudes and elevations due to climate change. European beech, presently dominating from the colline to the subalpine vegetation belt, is already present in upper montane subalpine forests and has a high potential to further advance to higher elevations in European mountain forests, where the temperature is predicted to further increase in the near future. Although essential for adaptive silviculture, it remains unknown whether the upward shift of beech could be assisted when it is mixed with Norway spruce or silver fir compared with mono-specific stands, as the species interactions under such conditions are hardly known. In this study, we posed the general hypotheses that the growth depending on age of European beech in mountain forests was similar in mono-specific and mixed-species stands and remained stable over time and space in the last two centuries. The scrutiny of these hypotheses was based on increment coring of 1240 dominant beech trees in 45 plots in mono-specific stands of beech and in 46 mixed mountain forests. We found that (i) on average, mean tree diameter increased linearly with age. The age trend was linear in both forest types, but the slope of the age–growth relationship was higher in mono-specific than in mixed mountain forests. (ii) Beech growth in mono-specific stands was stronger reduced with increasing elevation than that in mixed-species stands. (iii) Beech growth in mono-specific stands was on average higher than beech growth in mixed stands. However, at elevations > 1200 m, growth of beech in mixed stands was higher than that in mono-specific stands. Differences in the growth patterns among elevation zones are less pronounced now than in the past, in both mono-specific and mixed stands. As the higher and longer persisting growth rates extend the flexibility of suitable ages or size for tree harvest and removal, the longer-lasting growth may be of special relevance for multi-aged silviculture concepts. On top of their function for structure and habitat improvement, the remaining old trees may grow more in mass and value than assumed so far.The authors would like to acknowledge networking support by the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action CLIMO (Climate-Smart Forestry in Mountain Regions—CA15226) financially supported by the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation HORIZON 2020. This publication is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 778322. Thanks are also due to the European Union for funding the project ‘Mixed species forest management. Lowering risk, increasing resilience (REFORM)’ (# 2816ERA02S under the framework of Sumforest ERA-Net). Further, we would like to thank the Bayerische Staatsforsten (BaySF) for providing the observational plots and to the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Forestry for permanent support of the Project W 07 ‘Long-term experimental plots for forest growth and yield research’ (#7831-26625-2017). We also thank the Forest Research Institute, ERTI Sárvár, Hungary, for assistance and for providing observational plots. Furthermore, our work was partially supported by the SRDA via Project No. APVV-16-0325 and APVV-15-0265, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland, the Project “EVA4.0” No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000803 funded by OP RDE and the Project J4-1765 funded by the Slovenian Research Agency and also by the Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF) and the Project No. DCOST 01/3/19.10.2018

The productivity of mixed mountain forests comprised of Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies, and Abies alba across Europe

11 Pág.Mixed mountain forests of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst), and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) cover a total area of more than 10 million hectares in Europe. Due to altitudinal zoning, these forests are particularly vulnerable to climate change. However, as little is known about the long-term development of the productivity and the adaptation and mitigation potential of these forest systems in Europe, reliable information on productivity is required for sustainable forest management. Using generalized additive mixed models this study investigated 60 long-term experimental plots and provides information about the productivity of mixed mountain forests across a variety of European mountain areas in a standardized way for the first time. The average periodic annual volume increment (PAI) of these forests amounts to 9.3 m3ha-1y-1. Despite a significant increase in annual mean temperature the PAI has not changed significantly over the last 30 years. However, at the species level, we found significant changes in the growth dynamics. While beech had a PAI of 8.2 m3ha-1y-1 over the entire period (1980-2010), the PAI of spruce dropped significantly from 14.2 to 10.8 m3ha-1y-1, and the PAI of fir rose significantly from 7.2 to 11.3 m3ha-1y-1. Consequently, we observed stable stand volume increments in relation to climate change.T.H. received scholarship from the Rudolf and Helene Glaser Foundation organized in the ‘Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft’. This study was supported by the grant ‘EVA4.0’, No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000803 financed by OP RDE and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of The Republic of Poland.Peer reviewe

Primerjava ortodontskih lokastih žic NiTi in določitev značilnih lastnosti

The aim of this paper was to analyse the characteristic properties of six different, commercially available nickel-titaniumorthodontic wires with a diameter of 0.305 mm (0.014"). The characteristic properties were determined by usingsemi-quantitative EDX analyses, DSC analyses for a determination of the phase temperatures, and a tensile test to obtain themechanical properties of the wires. The investigation of the chemical composition showed an equiatomic NiTi alloy. Analysesof phase temperatures showed that the nickel-titanium orthodontic wires were, in an austenitic microstructure, exhibiting asuperelastic effect in the oral environment. The uniaxial tensile stressstrain curves showed different values for the beginningand the end of the transformation range during the loading.Prispevek obravnava analizo karakterističnih lastnosti 6 komercialno dostopnih nikelj titanovih ortodontskih žic, ki imajo premer 0,305 mm (0,014") v fazi pred njihovo uporabo v ustih. V teh okvirih so bile analizirane mehanske lastnosti z enoosnim nateznim preizkusom, za določitev faznih temperatur pa je bila izvedena DSC-analiza ter semikvantitativna EDX-analiza. Dobljene enoosne krivulje napetost raztezek so pokazale različne vrednosti začetka in konca transformacijskega območja pri obremenjevanju NiTi-žic. Analiza faznih temperatur je potrdila, da imajo ortodontske žice avstenitno mikrostrukturo, s čimer kažejo superelastični efekt, potem ko so v uporabi v ustnem okolju. Krivulja napetost-raztezek pri enoosnem nategu je pokazala različne vrednosti za začetek in konec transformacijskega območja med obremenjevanjem

Concomitant ectopic Enterobius vermicularis infection in uterine cervical cancer

Abstract Background Enterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis), also referred to as pinworm, is a widespread human intestinal parasite which predominantly occurs in young children, making their caretakers a population at risk for the transmission of this helminth. It can occasionally affect extraintestinal organs and tissues, including the female genital tract. Infestation can be asymptomatic or manifest as different kinds of gynaecological disorders, such as pelvic inflammation mimicking tumours, abnormal uterine bleeding, or vaginitis. Diagnosis is made by identifying ova in the sample collected from the perineal skin using a transparent adhesive tape or microscopic examination of resected tissue. Mebendazole is the first-line medication and should also be administered to all household members. Case presentation We present a case of a patient who had undergone surgery for invasive cervical cancer with an accidental finding of E. vermicularis eggs in the cervix. Conclusions Although not very common, infestation with E. vermicularis should be considered in differential diagnoses of various gynaecological disorders accompanied by histological findings of granulomatous inflammation

Iztiskanje disperzijsko utrjenega bakra po postopku ECAP

A combination of internal oxidation (IO) and equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) was used to explore the possibility of uniting the mechanisms of dispersion and deformation strengthening to improve the properties of a Cu-Al alloy with 0.4 % Al. The IO of Cu-Al billets served in the first step of the experiment as a means for dispersion, strengthening the mantle of the billets with a fine dispersion of nanosized oxide particles. The experimental procedure continued with deformation strengthening performed by ECAP, which allowed an intense plastic strain through simple shear. Material flow in a partly internally oxidized Cu-0.4 % Al billet and in a homogenous reference sample made of modelling mass was also studied to analyse, on the macroscale, the influence of the internal oxidation zone (IOZ) on the material flow behaviour during the ECAP process. The analysis was performed with the aim of revealing the uniformity of the strain distribution and to obtain information about the deformation strengthening across the volume of the billet. We found that the oxide particles have a minor influence on the material flow on the macroscopic scale during the ECAP process. However, the degree of deformation strengthening in the IOZ was much lower than in the unoxidized core region. The combination of IO and ECAP allows us to produce a Cu composite composed of a hardened oxidized mantle region with good electrical and thermal conductivity and a high- hardened core region. This combination represents a new technological route for the production of high-hardness Cu composites, which could also be used at higher temperatures.Kombinacija notranje oksidacije (NO) in postopka ECAP je bila uporabljena za združitev disperzijskega in deformacijskega utrjanja za izboljšanje lastnosti zlitine Cu-Al z 0,4 % Al. Notranja oksidacija je v prvem koraku eksperimenta zagotovila disper- zijsko utrjanje plašča preizkušanca s fino disperzijo nano velikih oksidnih delcev. Eksperiment se je nadaljeval z deformacijskim utrjanjem, izvedenim z ECAP-postopkom, ki je omogočil ekstremno plastično deformacijo s čistim strigom. Preučeno je bilo tudi tečenje materiala na makronivoju v delno notranje oksidiranem Cu-0,4 % Al preizkušancu in homogenem referenčnem vzorcu iz modelirne mase z namenom analize vpliva cone notranje oksidacije na vedenje tečenja materiala med ECAP-postopkom. Analiza je bila izvedena z namenom odkriti enakomernost porazdelitve deformacije in pridobitve informacij o deformacijskem utrjanju po volumnu preizkušanca. Ugotovili smo, da imajo oksidni delci na makronivoju zelo majhen vpliv na tečenje materiala med ECAP-postopkom, vendar je bila stopnja deformacijskega utrjanja v coni notranje oksidacije veliko nižja kot pa v neoksidiranem jedru. Kombinacija notranje oksidacije in ECAP-postopka nam omogoča izdelavo Cu-kompozita, sestavljenega iz utrjenega oksidiranega plašča z dobro električno in toplotno prevodnostjo ter visoko utrjenega jedra. Ta kombinacija je nova tehnološka pot za izdelavo visoko- trdnostnega Cu-kompozita, ki bi se lahko uporabljal tudi pri višjih temperaturah

The structural stability of soft magnetic Fe-Co-Zr-W-B metallic glasses investigated by the in-situ XRD

The atomic structure of as-prepared $Fe_{61}Co_{(14-x)}Zr_{5}W_{x}B_{20}$ (x=1, 2 and 4) ribbon samples and their thermal stability were investigated by in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction experiments. It was observed that higher W concentration causes the tiny shift of the main peak of the reduced atomic pair distribution function to higher values of interatomic distances and increases the coefficient of volume thermal expansion. The crystallization process occurs in two steps and is qualitatively the same for all studied specimens. Firstly the $Fe_{23}B_{6}$ phase is created and later is transformed to other types of borides together with the creation of a Fe-based phase

Determination of microstructural changes by severely plastically deformed copper-aluminum alloy

Our work deals with the problem of producing a complex metal-ceramic composite using the processes of internal oxidation (IO) and severe plastic deformation. For this purpose, Cu-Al alloy with 0.4wt.% of Al was used. IO of sample serves in the first step of the processing as a means for attaining a fine dispersion of nanosized oxide particles in the metal matrix. Production technology continues with repeated application of severe plastic deformation (SPD) of the resulting metal matrix composite to produce the bulk nanoscaled structural material. SPD was carried out with equal channel angular pressing (ECAP), which allowed that the material could be subjected to an intense plastic strain through simple shear. Microstructural characteristics of one phase and multiphase material was studied on internally oxidized Cu with 0.4wt.% of Al sample composed of one phase copper-aluminum solid solution in the core and fine dispersed oxide particles in the same matrix in the mantle region. In this manner AFM, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used. Local structures in plastically deformed samples reflect presence of $Cu$, $CuO$, $Cu_2O$, $Cu_4O_3$ or $Al_2O_3$ structural characteristics, depending on type of sample