Compositionally Disordered Crystalline Compounds for Next Generation of Radiation Detectors.

The review is devoted to the analysis of the compositional disordering potential of the crystal matrix of a scintillator to improve its scintillation parameters. Technological capabilities to complicate crystal matrices both in anionic and cationic sublattices of a variety of compounds are examined. The effects of the disorder at nano-level on the landscape at the bottom of the conduction band, which is adjacent to the band gap, have been discussed.

Lanthanoid-doped quaternary garnets as phosphors for high brightness cathodoluminescence-based light sources.

Gadolinium-yttrium- aluminum-gallium garnets (GYAGG) doped and codoped with Eu, Tb, and Ce were manufactured as ceramics to develop long-wavelength phosphors for high-brightness white light sources based on cathodoluminescence (CL). The CL light yield (LY) of Tb-doped ceramics at high-intensity electron beam excitation is shown to be more than twice as high as that of the conventional phosphor YAG:Ce, whereas codoping with Eu to redshift the chromaticity results in reducing the LY approximately to the level of YAG:Ce. The LY might be substantially improved by using a mix of Tb- and Eu-doped GYGAG powders instead of a single codoped GYGAG to produce ceramic phosphor.

A Critical Review on the Design, Manufacturing and Assessment of the Bone Scaffold for Large Bone Defects.

In recent years, bone tissue engineering has emerged as a promising solution for large bone defects. Additionally, the emergence and development of the smart metamaterial, the advanced optimization algorithm, the advanced manufacturing technique, etc. have largely changed the way how the bone scaffold is designed, manufactured and assessed.

Comparison of traditional and synchrotron beam methodologies in Mössbauer experiments in a rotating system.

Recent Mössbauer experiments in a rotating system reported by others in the literature have involved the application of synchrotron radiation onto a spinning semi-circular resonant absorber. Here, the physical interpretation of these methodologies, and their alleged performance improvement, is analyzed in the light of our own team's past experience based instead on the traditional laboratory setup. It is shown that a number of fundamental shortcomings in the approach reported in the literature deprives it of any practical significance with respect to the improvement of the technique of Mössbauer rotor experiments with a synchrotron source.

Study of Changes in Optical and Heat-Conducting Properties of AlN Ceramics under Irradiation with Kr and Xe Heavy Ions.

AlN-based ceramics have great prospects for use in the field of structural materials for reactors of the new generation of GenIV, as well as dosimetric and optical devices. Interest in them is due to their unique physical and chemical properties, high resistance to degradation and excellent insulating properties. This work is devoted to the study of changes in the optical and heat-conducting properties of AlN ceramics as a result of irradiation with Kr and Xe heavy ions with energies close to those of fission fragments of uranium nuclei, and fluences 10-10 ion/cm.

Complete Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas putida BS3701, a Promising Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Degrading Strain for Bioremediation Technologies.

The strain BS3701 was isolated from soil contaminated with coke by-product waste (Moscow Region, Russian Federation). It is capable of degrading crude oil and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The BS3701 genome consists of a 6,337,358-bp circular chromosome and two circular plasmids (pBS1141 with 107,388 bp and pBS1142 with 54,501 bp).

Essential Nanostructure Parameters to Govern Reinforcement and Functionality of Poly(lactic) Acid Nanocomposites with Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes for 3D Printing Application.

Poly(lactic) acid nanocomposites filled with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are studied, varying the filler size, shape, and content within 1.5-12 wt.%.

Elaborations on Mössbauer rotor experiments with synchrotron radiation and with usual resonant sources.

A comparative analysis of Mössbauer experiments in a rotating system between a recent application using synchrotron radiation [Friedman et al. (2016). Eur.

Quantum phases for moving charges and dipoles in an electromagnetic field and fundamental equations of quantum mechanics.

We analyze the quantum phase effects for point-like charges and electric (magnetic) dipoles under a natural assumption that the observed phase for a dipole represents the sum of corresponding phases for charges composing this dipole. This way we disclose two novel quantum phases for charged particles, which we named as complementary electric Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) phase and complementary magnetic A-B phase, respectively. We reveal that these phases are derived from the Schrödinger equation only in the case, where the operator of momentum is re-defined via the replacement of the canonical momentum of particle by the sum of its mechanical momentum and interactional field momentum for a system of charged particles.

Modeling the electrical properties of three-dimensional printed meshes with the theory of resistor lattices.

The electrical properties of conducting meshes are investigated numerically by solving the related Kirchhoff equations with the Lanczos algorithm. The method is directly inspired by the recursion technique widely used to study the electronic and vibrational spectra of solids. The method is demonstrated to be very efficient and fast when applied to resistor networks.

Characterization of blood flow rate in dental pulp by speckle patterns of backscattered light from an in vivo tooth.

Experimental data on the hemodynamics of dental pulp at different stages of caries treatment are given. Observations of speckle patterns in backscattered laser light are used as a measurement method to qualitatively characterize changes in blood flow rate through the dental pulp. The measurements were made by the author-designed experimental setup.

Genome Sequence of Pectobacterium atrosepticum Strain 21A.

We report the annotated genome sequence of the enterobacterial plant pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum strain 21A, isolated in Belarus from potato stem with blackleg symptoms.

Modulation of human keratinocyte responses to solar UV by plant polyphenols as a basis for chemoprevention of non-melanoma skin cancers.

Excessive exposure to solar UVA and UVB radiation is widely considered to cause skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and basalioma. Direct UVB damage to skin cell DNA as well as UV-induced chronic skin inflammation, accelerated keratinocyte proliferation, inhibited apoptosis, and immunosuppression seem to underlie the UV-induced carcinogenesis. Also, UVB induces cytochrome P450 subfamilies (CYP1A1 and CYP1B1) involved in metabolic activation of organic pro-carcinogens and their conversion to ultimate carcinogens.

Soft cutting of single-wall carbon nanotubes by low temperature ultrasonication in a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids.

To decrease single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) lengths to a value of 100-200 nm, aggressive cutting methods, accompanied by a high loss of starting material, are frequently used. We propose a cutting approach based on low temperature intensive ultrasonication in a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids. The method is nondestructive with a yield close to 100%.

Specific maceration and induction of PR-3 gene in potato tuber tissue by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. atrosepticum type III secretion system mutants.

The exact function of type III secretion system in some phytopathogenes including Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. atrosepticum (Pca) is not understood and is a matter of debate. The aim of this study were to determine specific effect of type III secretion system on potato tubers and to reveal the connection of this system with potato resistant genes such as PR-3.

Mechanisms of the suppression of free radical overproduction by antioxidants.

In accordance with the mechanism of suppression of free radical overproduction in biological systems all antioxidants can be divided into two main groups: chain-breaking antioxidants and preventive antioxidants. Chain-breaking antioxidants, often referred to as free radical scavengers, protect against oxidative stress as a result of scavenging initial, peroxyl and rarely alkyl radicals. Preventive antioxidants act as chelators of transition metals, inhibitors of enzymatic systems responsible for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reduce hydrogen peroxides and organic hydroperoxides and can prevent an appearance of initiating radical and frustrate a free radical chain reaction from ever setting in motion.

Modeling of nonlinear viscous stress in encapsulating shells of lipid-coated contrast agent microbubbles.

A general theoretical approach to the development of zero-thickness encapsulation models for contrast microbubbles is proposed. The approach describes a procedure that allows one to recast available rheological laws from the bulk form to a surface form which is used in a modified Rayleigh-Plesset equation governing the radial dynamics of a contrast microbubble. By the use of the proposed procedure, the testing of different rheological laws for encapsulation can be carried out.

Resonance frequencies of lipid-shelled microbubbles in the regime of nonlinear oscillations.

Knowledge of resonant frequencies of contrast microbubbles is important for the optimization of ultrasound contrast imaging and therapeutic techniques. To date, however, there are estimates of resonance frequencies of contrast microbubbles only for the regime of linear oscillation. The present paper proposes an approach for evaluating resonance frequencies of contrast agent microbubbles in the regime of nonlinear oscillation.

Diversity of IncP-9 plasmids of Pseudomonas.

IncP-9 plasmids are important vehicles for degradation and resistance genes that contribute to the adaptability of Pseudomonas species in a variety of natural habitats. The three completely sequenced IncP-9 plasmids, pWW0, pDTG1 and NAH7, show extensive homology in replication, partitioning and transfer loci (an approximately 25 kb region) and to a lesser extent in the remaining backbone segments. We used PCR, DNA sequencing, hybridization and phylogenetic analyses to investigate the genetic diversity of 30 IncP-9 plasmids as well as the possibility of recombination between plasmids belonging to this family.

Modeling of the acoustic response from contrast agent microbubbles near a rigid wall.

In ultrasonic targeted imaging, specially designed encapsulated microbubbles are used, which are capable of selectively adhering to the target site in the body. A challenging problem is to distinguish the echoes from such adherent agents from echoes produced by freely circulating agents. In the present paper, an equation of radial oscillation for an encapsulated bubble near a plane rigid wall is derived.

Metabolism of melatonin by cytochrome P450s in rat liver mitochondria and microsomes.

In the present study we provide direct evidence for the involvement of rat microsomal cytochrome P450s in melatonin O-demethylation and hydroxylation at two different positions: 2 and 6, as well as generation of N(1)-acetyl-N(2)-formyl-5-methoxy-kynuramine (AFMK) and two unknown products. Moreover, we found that mitochondrial cytochrome P450s also converts melatonin into AFMK, N-acetylserotonin, 2-hydroxymelatonin, 6-hydroxymelatonin and the same two unknown products. Eadie-Hofstee plots for 6-hydroxylation and O-demethylation reactions were curvilinear for all tested fractions, suggestive of involvement of at least two components, one with a high affinity and low capacity, and another with a low affinity and high capacity.

Autoantibodies against complement C1q in acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.

Autoantibodies against complement C1q (anti-C1q) strongly correlate with the occurrence of severe lupus nephritis. Recent data suggest that anti-C1q might also correlate with more severe forms of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN). Therefore, we prospectively investigated the role of anti-C1q in 50 children with newly diagnosed APSGN.

Thermal radiation from carbon nanotubes in the terahertz range.

The thermal radiation from an isolated finite-length carbon nanotube (CNT) is theoretically investigated both in near- and far-field zones. The formation of the discrete spectrum in metallic CNTs in the terahertz range is demonstrated due to the reflection of strongly slowed-down surface-plasmon modes from CNT ends. The effect does not appear in semiconductor CNTs.

Maxwell rheological model for lipid-shelled ultrasound microbubble contrast agents.

The present paper proposes a model that describes the encapsulation of microbubble contrast agents by the linear Maxwell constitutive equation. The model also incorporates the translational motion of contrast agent microbubbles and takes into account radiation losses due to the compressibility of the surrounding liquid. To establish physical features of the proposed model, comparative analysis is performed between this model and two existing models, one of which treats the encapsulation as a viscoelastic solid following the Kelvin-Voigt constitutive equation and the other assumes that the encapsulating layer behaves as a viscous Newtonian fluid.