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“Influences of oxygen partial pressure, P(O2), of ambient atmosphere and temperature on surface tension of molten silver were

experimentally investigated by an oscillating droplet method using an electromagnetic levitation furnace. We successfully measured surface tension of molten silver within a very wide temperature range of over 550 K under a well-controlled P(O2) atmosphere. Surface tension of pure melt surface, sigma(p), was determined without any contamination mTOR inhibitor such as oxygen adsorption and the reaction between the melt and a measurement device at a P(O2) of less than 10(-12) Pa. When the P(O2) was controlled at 10(2) Pa, the “”boomerang shape”" temperature dependence of surface tension was experimentally observed; surface tension was increased and then decreased with increasing temperature. From these experimental data, the temperature dependence of equilibrium constant for oxygen adsorption was determined using the Szyszkowski

equation. We successfully expressed the surface tension of molten silver as functions of both P(O2) and temperature. Furthermore, the changes in enthalpy and entropy for oxygen adsorption on molten silver were also find protocol estimated.”
“Microbial fouling, or biofouling, is the accumulation of microorganisms onto material surfaces. The goal of this project was to develop low-biofouling polypropylene (PP) films through the functionalization of PP by a spacer arm with metal chelating ligands charged with copper ions. Virgin and modified PP films were put in contact with 3.0 x 10(5) Escherichia coli cells/mL solutions for periods of time varying from 24 to 168 h. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to verify the functionalization

reactions and monitor copper leaching. Direct counts of cells stained with dsDNA showed, invariably, that the microbial attachment to the modified PP films was an order of magnitune lower than on the virgin PP. Further, over a period of time of 2 weeks, no significant amounts of copper leached from the low-biofouling PP films. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, selleck products Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 114:3068-3073,2009″
“Hematopoietic stem cell lineage choices are decided by genetic networks that are turned ON/OFF in a switch-like manner. However, prior to lineage commitment, genes are primed at low expression levels. Understanding the underlying molecular circuitry in terms of how it governs both a primed state and, at the other extreme, a committed state is of relevance not only to hematopoiesis but also to developmental systems in general. We develop a computational model for the hematopoietic erythroid-myeloid lineage decision, which is determined by a genetic switch involving the genes PU.1 and GATA-1.