Effect of particle size, coupling agent and DDGS additions on Paulownia wood polypropylene composites

Studies aimed at improving the tensile, flexural, impact, thermal, and physical characteristics of wood–plastic composites composed of Paulownia wood flour derived from 36-month-old trees blended with polypropylene were conducted. Composites of 25% and 40% w/w of Paulownia wood were produced by twin-screw compounding and injection molding. Composites containing 0–10% by weight of maleated polypropylene were evaluated and an optimum maleated polypropylene concentration determined, i.e., 5%. The particle size distribution of Paulownia wood filler is shown to have an effect on the tensile and flexural properties of the composites. Novel combination composites of dried distiller’s grain with solubles mixed with Paulownia wood (up to 40% w/w) were produced and their properties evaluated. Depending on the composite tested, soaking composites for 872 h alters mechanical properties and causes weight gain

Conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopic study of ion-beam mixing at Fe-Mo interface

Ion beam induced atomic mixing at Fe-MO interface has been studied by using the technique of conversion electron mossbauer spectroscopy (CEMS). Use has been made of a thin (~50 Å) layer of Fe57 isotope (enriched to 95.4%) at the interface to obtain the mossbauer information selectively from this region. A noninterface sensitive measurement has also been performed to reveal the magnetic hyperfine interactions in the entire region of the iron overlayer. It is shown that a deposition induced reaction between the molybdenum substrate (having a thin coating of native oxide) and the Fe57 layer renders a graded nature to the interface, which is transformed upon ion bombardment (100 keV Kr+, dose ~1016 ions/cm2) into a disordered alloy. The dominant nonmagnetic component corresponding to the interface of the ion beam mixed sample happens to be a quadrupole doublet, which represents the presence of Fe57 atoms in Fe2+ charge state. The appearance of this contribution is attributed to formation of an oxygen coordinated ternary compound in the interface layer during ion bombardment. On the basis of the comparison of the results of the interface-sensitive and non-interface-sensitive studies it is established that the inclusion of oxygen in the ion mixed sample is mainly confined to near interface region and that the region of the overlayer contains a metastable alloy of the binary Fe-Mo system. The influence of thermal annealing at various temperatures between 200°C and 500°C on the ion beam mixed state has also been studied by monitoring the changes in the hyperfine interaction parameters. It is shown that the oxygen-incorporated regions of the disordered alloy retain the nonmagnetic Fe2+ charge state subsequent to annealing at 500°C, while other regions lead to precipitation of α Fe and Fe2Mo phases

Endothelial cell-derived GABA signaling modulates neuronal migration and postnatal behavior

The cerebral cortex is essential for integration and processing of information that is required for most behaviors. The exquisitely precise laminar organization of the cerebral cortex arises during embryonic development when neurons migrate successively from ventricular zones to coalesce into specific cortical layers. While radial glia act as guide rails for projection neuron migration, pre-formed vascular networks provide support and guidance cues for GABAergic interneuron migration. This study provides novel conceptual and mechanistic insights into this paradigm of vascular-neuronal interactions, revealing new mechanisms of GABA and its receptor-mediated signaling via embryonic forebrain endothelial cells. With the use of two new endothelial cell specific conditional mouse models of the GABA pathway (Gabrb3ΔTie2-Cre and VgatΔTie2-Cre), we show that partial or complete loss of GABA release from endothelial cells during embryogenesis results in vascular defects and impairs long-distance migration and positioning of cortical interneurons. The downstream effects of perturbed endothelial cell-derived GABA signaling are critical, leading to lasting changes to cortical circuits and persistent behavioral deficits. Furthermore, we illustrate new mechanisms of activation of GABA signaling in forebrain endothelial cells that promotes their migration, angiogenesis and acquisition of blood-brain barrier properties. Our findings uncover and elucidate a novel endothelial GABA signaling pathway in the CNS that is distinct from the classical neuronal GABA signaling pathway and shed new light on the etiology and pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases, such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, anxiety, depression and schizophrenia