Effects of artificial environmental conditions on anatomical and physiological ripening of Pinus sylvestris L. seeds

To determine suitable conditions for artificial ripening of Scots pine seeds, cones collected on seven occasions between August 6 and November 26, 1990, in northern Sweden, were subjected to artificial ripening at different temperatures (+5°–+15°C) and cone moisture contents for 3–9 weeks. Complete physiological ripening and improved seed vigour were attained after artificial ripening if collection occurred no earlier than the beginning of September. The highest germination percentage after artificial ripening, ca 90%, was achieved for seeds collected after the anatomical ripening in nature had ceased and was at least as high as for seeds ripened in nature. Temperature did not influence ripening, whereas a low cone moisture content impaired ripening of those seeds collected earliest. The germination percentage was not influenced by 2–6 months of cone storage subsequent to artificial ripening, but seed vigour was impaired. Anatomical ripening during artificial ripening was very limited.     

Mechanical interaction between cellulose microfibril and matrix substance in wood cell wall determined by X-ray diffraction

We investigated mechanical interactions between the cellulose microfibril and the matrix substance in wood cell walls. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the peak positions of (200) and (004) from cellulose crystals in wood cell walls tended to shift lower and higher toward 2θ, respectively, during water desorption in wood. From our simulations, it is shown that the peak shift of (200) during water desorption is not due to changes in the scattering pattern of the amorphous substance or to lateral expansion of the cellulose crystals due to the Poisson effect in the cellulose microfibril, which is compressed in the molecular chain direction as the amorphous substance shrinks. This suggests that the cellulose microfibril expands transversely during water desorption in the wood cell wall, and that there is a mechanical interaction between the cellulose microfibril and the matrix substance.     

Data Processing Techniques of Small-angle X-ray Scattering

The small-angle X-ray scattering(SAXS) technique is one of chief tools to study structures of macromolecules and meso-structures.As users of synchrotron radiation small angle X-ray scattering experimental station are increasing rapidly,it is necessary that data processing techniques are provided with them.Some data processing techniques are discussed.It includes the method to become greater data amount of lower angle region and the data must be extrapolated to hole special for the data from experiment,a sample is analyzed.     

竹重组材的X射线光电子能谱分析

应用X射线光电子能谱分析(XPS)的技术手段,以冷压热固化与热压法两种生产模式的竹重组材为研究对象,分析其竹材表面元素组成及相对含量的变化。试验结果表明,冷、热压法竹重组材表面的C、O及相对含量有明显差异。从C原子结合形式来看,冷压法与热压法相比,冷压法竹重组材CA(-C-C或-C-H)含量增加明显,CB(C-O或C-OH)含量减少明显,CC(C=O)含量减少,CD(O-C=O)变化不大。说明竹材纤维素、半纤维素、木素,以及抽提物含量等化学组分出现不同程度的变化,进而影响二类竹重组材产品的物理力学性能。     

Heartwood diameter measurements in Pinus sylvestris sawlogs combining X-ray and three-dimensional scanning

Abstract

Quality sorting of sawlogs based on three-dimensional (3D) or X-ray scanning or a multivariate combination of variables from both methods may be used to decrease the production of off-grade products carrying unwanted combinations of dimension and grade. There is, however, potential for further improving the sorting accuracy if 3D and X-ray raw data are combined at an early stage using path length compensation. From the measured 3D shape, a good estimate of the length of each X-ray path through the log can be made, enabling the calculation of a log density profile from the measured X-ray attenuation. The effect of this technique on heartwood diameter measurements of 423 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) logs was evaluated. By the addition of 3D data to the X-ray data it was possible to raise the predictability of the heartwood diameter from R ²=0.84 to 0.95 and to improve the root mean square error from 17 mm to 9.3 mm, primarily because of the enhanced contrast between heartwood and sapwood.     

Studies on Measurement of Moisture Content by X-ray Scanning Method

In order to explore the feasibility of using X-ray to measure moisture content in the drying process and have a further study on the effect of precision of moisture content when scanning through different grain directions,X-ray scanning method and weighting method were used to measure average moisture content of Cunninghamia lanceolata during hot air drying.The results show that the moisture content values of two methods were very close to one another,the determination coefficients of both were highly correlated with a value over 0.99,and the absolute deviation was below 2%;when scanning along radial direction and longitudinal direction,the precisions of average moisture content were higher than that of the tangential direction,but the deviation can be negligible in the actual measurement;in the practical application,the effect of grain direction on precision of moisture content measurement could not be taken into account when using X-ray to measure the moisture distribution of wood.     

Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Adjuvant Pamidronate with Palliative Radiotherapy and Intravenous Doxorubicin for Canine Appendicular Osteosarcoma Bone Pain

Background: Canine osteosarcoma (OSA) causes focal malignant osteolysis leading to severe pain. Despite the documented efficacy of radiotherapy or IV aminobisphosphonates for managing cancer bone pain, their potential combined therapeutic value has not been reported in OSA-bearing dogs.
Hypothesis: Pamidronate combined with standardized palliative therapy will improve pain control and bone biologic effects in OSA-bearing dogs.
Animals: Fifty dogs with appendicular OSA treated with standardized palliative therapy and either pamidronate or sterile saline.
Methods: Randomized, prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Treatment responses for dogs receiving standardized palliative therapy with (n = 26) or without (n = 24) adjuvant pamidronate were serially evaluated for changes in subjective pain scores, urine N-telopeptide (NTx) excretion, primary tumor relative bone mineral density ( r BMD), and computerized pressure platform gait analysis.
Results: Median duration of subjective pain relief for dogs treated with adjuvant pamidronate or placebo was 76 and 75 days, respectively ( P = .39). Forty percent (20/50; pamidronate [11/26] and placebo [9/24]) of dogs experienced durable analgesia, defined by pain alleviation ≥112 days. For patients achieving durable pain control, dogs treated with pamidronate achieved greater reductions in NTx excretion and larger increases in r BMD compared with placebo controls. Changes in peak vertical force assessed by computerized pressure platform gait analysis correlated with pain alleviation in OSA-bearing dogs.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Combining pamidronate with standardized palliative therapy is safe, but does not clearly improve pain alleviation. However, in dogs achieving durable pain control, adjuvant pamidronate appears to decrease focal bone resorption in the local tumor microenvironment.     

紫外光下木荷的ESR和XPS分析

分析紫外光照射下木荷产生自由基的规律和表面化学组成及结构的变化。利用电子自旋共振波谱(ESR)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)技术分别测量紫外光辐照后木荷颗粒的自由基波谱和X射线光电子能谱。结果表明,木荷自由基的光谱分裂因子g=2.003 3,自由基的强度随着辐照时间按Y=1-e-biPt规律增加,紫外光辐照60 min后,木荷表面氧、碳原子比稍有增加,C—C、C—H和C—O含量增加,C=O含量减少,—O—C=O含量增加为原来的2倍左右,说明木荷表面生成了一些含氧官能团或碳的氧化态增高。     

Full bridge LLC series resonant converter for X-Ray high voltage DC power supply

To prevent the duty cycle loss of full-bridge converter controlled by the phase-shifting method, a high frequency high voltage X-ray power supply is proposed. It combines full bridge LLC(FB-LLC) series resonant converter with bipolar single-phase symmetrical voltage multiplier. FB-LLC series resonant, high voltage transformer and bipolar single-phase symmetrical voltage multiplier are used in the main circuit. The LLC series resonant circuit and working conditions of soft switch are analyzed. The fundamental harmonic approximation model is established. The parameters of the main circuit are designed. The simulation results show that the output voltage adjusted continuously within 40~120 kV and without duty cycle loss. The X-ray power supply is proposed to achieve a quick rise and low ripple of output voltage. According to the simulation results, the proposed topology is correct and reliable.