Diffraction by a dielectric half-plane

The problem of diffraction of a plane electromagnetic wave by a dielectric half-plane is reconsidered for solution by utilizing a set of recently developed approximate boundary conditions and the Wiener-Hopf technique. It is observed from the present solution of the problem that reflected waves cease to exist if the angle of incidence takes up the valuetan^{-1}(1/n)wherenrepresents the refractive index of the material of the half-plane under consideration. Expression for the diffracted far field is obtained by using a modification of the saddle point method, and numerical values of the diffraction coefficients are presented in the form of a table for a special value of the refractive indexnand for different values of the parameterkh, hrepresenting the (small) thickness of the half-plane andkthe wavenumber.     

Development of controlled strength-loss resorbable beta-tricalcium phosphate bioceramic structures

Controlling the strength-loss rate during biodegradation is a bottleneck in developing viable resorbable ceramic implants. Resorbable beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) bioceramic is known for its excellent biocompatibility. However, it exhibits poor sinterability and poor flexural strength. Here, we improved sintering behavior and biaxial flexural strength of β-TCP bioceramic without altering its biocompatibility by introducing multi-oxide sintering additives, in small quantities. These additives could also tailor the rate of resorption and hardness deterioration of β-TCP. A range of additives were prepared and introduced into β-TCP powder. Resultant powders were uniaxially pressed and sintered at 1250 °C, in air. Considerable improvement in densification (up to 33%) and biaxial flexural strength (up to 43%) were achieved. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the additives didn't alter the phase purity. In vitro cytotoxicity and biocompatibility analyses were performed using a prostate cancer cell-line. Results showed that the doped and pure β-TCP structures were non-toxic and biocompatible.     

Corporate strategic objectives for establishing relationships withuniversity research centers

Organizations face increased pressures to continually advance knowledge and new technologies long-term success and prosperity. University research centers offer important interorganizational linkages for industry-university collaboration, conducive for advancing knowledge and new technologies. This study examined industry's strategic objectives for establishing relationships with university research centers. As a result of this multimethod exploratory field study, the authors have identified three clusters of industrial firms with different strategic objectives: collegial players, aggressive players, and targeted players. Collegial players are predominately large firms working with university research centers on topics of interest to the firm which are perceived to have long-term value rather than the promise of immediate commercial opportunities. Aggressive players are a mix of both large and small firms employing relationships with university research center primarily to develop and commercialize a wide range of marketable products and services. Targeted players are often smaller firms largely interested in using their relationships with university research centers to address specific needs central to their business. They conclude this paper by discussing the implications of these findings for both industrial firms and universities     

The suitability of muscle of Cirrhinus mrigala in the formation of gel: a comparative electrophoretic study of six tropical carp meats

The annual inland fish production in India is 3.2 million tonnes and above. Aquaculture is around 80% of total inland fish production. The enhanced aquaculture production demands alternate processing methods for better utilisation of the farmed fish. Cirrhinus mrigala is one of the dominated species among cultured Indian major carps, but rated with lowest price. Fish meat with good gel‐forming capacity is a prerequisite in the production of fast‐moving fabricated analogue product. Cirrhinus mrigala had the highest gel strength, i.e. 435 gcm of its fresh meat in comparison with other carps. Apart from the highest protein and salt‐soluble protein nitrogen content in fresh C. mrigala meat, this article also reports that the presence of the darkest thick band of myosin heavy chain and actin in the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis pattern of salt‐soluble extract of C. mrigala might be another possible reason for the highest gel strength in comparison with other carps. Cirrhinus mrigala contained white meat around 90%. This carp could be suitably used in the preparation of high‐valued fabricated analogue product.     

Analysis of mass transfer effects in ethyl cellulose manufacture

A theoretical analysis of mass transfer effects in ethyl cellulose manufacture has been reported. This is the first model to describe a complex fluid–solid reaction in the presence of two immiscible liquids. The model derived here can be used to evaluate the dependency of the overall rate on different parameters incorporating the multiphase mass transfer effects.     

Synthesis of SiC ceramics from processed cellulosic bio-precursor

Synthesis of SiC ceramic from processed cellulosic bio-precursor was investigated. Bamboo (Bambusa tulda Roxb.) plants abundantly available in the Jorhat district of Assam, India, were selected for extraction of fibers following Kraft pulping method and bleached bamboo pulp fibers were suitably cast in the form of rectangular boards. Coir fibers available in the Alleppy district of Kerala, India, were initially digested with dilute alkali, mixed with cellulose acetate solution, air dried and then hot-pressed at 140 ± 5 °C under 2.0–2.5 MPa pressure to make rectangular boards. Well-characterized processed bio-precursors were pyrolysed at ～800 °C under flowing N₂ atmosphere to prepare the bio-carbonaceous preforms (carbon templates) which showed nearly uniform shrinkages in all directions. Coir fiber composite board carbon showed lower pyrolytic weight loss (～66%), higher density (0.49 g cm^?3), lower porosity (～58%) and narrower pore diameter (10 μm) compared to the cast bamboo pulp fiber board carbon. The carbon samples showed perfect retention of fibrous morphological features of hierarchically grown bio-structures. Ceramization of carbon templates could be done by reactive melt silicon infiltration into porous channels at ～1600 °C under vacuum. The final ceramics were adequately dense (%theoretical density > 99%), showed negligible linear dimensional changes (indicating net-dimension formation capability), presence of crystalline Si and SiC phases and duplex microstructure with complete preservation of fibrous architecture of plant bio-structure. The Si/SiC ceramic composite synthesized from coir fiber board gave room temperature 3-point flexural strength and Young's modulus values of 121 MPa and 276 GPa, respectively. Both the ceramic composites showed adequate oxidation resistance during heating at 1300 °C for 7 h in air.     

TEM investigations of biogenic magnetite extracted from the human hippocampus

Modification of chemical and magnetic extraction techniques has yielded biogenic magnetite/maghemite from human hippocampal tissue. Particles were identified using high resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and elemental analysis. Though its presence has been inferred from magnetic analyses, this is the first direct observation of magnetic biominerals from the hippocampus.     

Percutaneous large-core biopsy of papillary breast lesions

Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae possess the ability to cleave human IgA1 antibodies, and all successfully colonize and occasionally invade the human upper respiratory tract. N. meningitidis invades the bloodstream after a period of nasopharyngeal colonization. We directly compared levels of IgA1 protease activity in strains (n=52) derived from the cerebrospinal fluid or blood of patients with meningococcal disease with strains of N. meningitidis obtained from asymptomatic carriers (n=25). IgA1 protease activity was determined by a sensitive semiquantitative ELISA assay. Levels of IgA1 protease activity were significantly higher (P<0.0001) in strains associated with invasive meningococcal disease (98% with detectable activity, mean = 580 mU) than with those obtained from asymptomatic carriers (76% with detectable activity, mean = 280 mU). Despite marked variation in enzyme activity, almost all strains (96%) possessed the gene for IgA1 protease. Given the panmictic population structure of the bacterial isolates investigated, these data, obtained from two groups infected with N. meningitidis, but with markedly different clinical outcomes, provide the first quantitative evidence that IgA1 protease activity is a virulence determinant that contributes to the pathogenic phenotype, and suggest IgA1 protease as a potential target for prophylaxis.