Blood feeding tightly regulates the reproductive cycles in ticks. Vitellogenesis and nutritional signaling are a key event in the tick reproductive cycle. Here we report the identification of a Haemaphysalis longicornis GATA factor, (HlGATA), which is synthesized after a blood meal and acts as a transcriptional activator of vitellogenin (Vg). HlGATA shares structural similarity with other GATA factors of invertebrates and vertebrates. Tick GATA mRNA accumulated in the fat body and midgut prior to blood feeding. However, translation of GATA was activated by blood feeding because the GATA protein increased dramatically in engorged females. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knock down of GATA transcript resulted in a significant inhibition of Vg expression and effectively disrupts egg development after blood meal in engorged tick. In addition, HlGATA translation was inhibited by RNAi-mediated knock down of S6 kinase. These experiments have revealed that the GATA factor, which is the specific transcriptional activator of Vg gene, represents important molecule for tick reproduction.

The life cycle of ticks is characterized by alternate off-host and on-host conditions. The life span is estimated at several years and most ixodid ticks spend more than 95% of their life off the host. They seem to have a unique strategy to endure the off-host state for a long period. By electron microscopy, isolation membrane-, autophagosome- and autolysosome-like structures were found in the midgut epithelial cells of unfed ticks. Therefore, we focused on autophagy which is well-conserved from yeast to higher eukaryotes and induced by starvation. We have identified homologues of autophagy-related (ATG) genes (ATG3, ATG4 and ATG8) from cDNA libraries of the 3-host tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Each expression profile of H. longicornis ATG (HlATG) genes and HlAtg proteins at the stages of nymph and adult were examined by real-time PCR and immunoblotting. Moreover, autophagy is known to be induced by inactivation of target of rapamycin (TOR), a phosphatidylinositol kinase. To examine the effect of TOR function on the expression of HlAtg protein(s), rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of the signal transduction mediated by TOR, was injected to unfed adults. It was revealed that the expression of HlAtg protein(s) was enhanced in response to the rapamycin. This result indicates that tick have the nutrient-sensitive TOR signaling pathway which regulate autophagy.

This contribution to the IV Korea-Mexico meeting deals with the hydrodynamics of the matter reinserted within super star clusters (SSCs) by both stellar winds and supernova explosions, results recently printed in The Astrophysical Journal (Silich et al. 2007). The motivation of such a project arose from the persistent presence of the small mass and compact HII regions that sit right on top of many massive and compact SSCs, from which one expects a large mechanical energy power. The data used for our calculations appear only recently (see Smith et al. 2006) for the massive and compact SSC M82-A1. We presented in our paper the calculated flow, derived through analytical and semi-analytical methods, which led to almost identical results. We have found out that the only way of accommodating a compact HII region (4.5 pc in radius, in the case of M82-A1) on top of a 6.3 Myr old and massive (>106M⊙) SSC with a half light radius of 3 pc, requires of two assumptions: a very low heating efficiency (< 10%) within the cluster, what leads to a bimodal solution (see Tenorio-Tagle et al. 2007) and a high pressure in the surrounding medium.

Aluminum-based composites reinforced with various amounts of were produced by powder metallurgy (P/M). The machinability properties of were determined by means of cutting forces and surface roughness. Machining tests were carried out by using PCD and K10 tools. Increasing of volume fraction in the matrix resulted in a decrease of the surface roughness and turning forces. PCD cutting tools showed better cutting performance than K10 tools.

We developed a new tooth profile designed for P/M internal gear pump rotors. The theoretical discharge volume of the new tooth profile internal gear rotors is more than 10% higher than that of the same size conventional rotors. Our new profile rotors can achieve a decrease in torque, and fuel-efficiency will also be improved.

TiC-TiB2-SiC system was a ternary eutectic, whose eutectic composition was 34TiC-22TiB2-44SiC (mol%). TiC-TiB2-SiC ternary eutectic composite were synthesized by a floating zone method using TiC, TiB2 and SiC powders as starting materials. The TiC-TiB2-SiC eutectic composite showed a lamellar texture. TiC(022), TiB2(010) and SiC(111) of the eutectic composite were perpendicular to the growth direction. TiC-TiB2-SiC ternary eutectic composite had specific relationship among the crystal planes: TiC[011]//TiB2[010]//SiC[112], TiC(200)//TiB2(001)//SiC( 402 ) and TiC( 111 )//TiB2(101 )//SiC( 220 ).

In order to clarify the wear resistance as cutting tools, the effect of oxygen addition on oxidation behavior of the β-Si3N4 ceramics with 5 mass% Y2O3 and 2 or 4 mass% Al2O3 was investigated by performing oxidation tests in air at 1300° to 1400°C and cutting performance tests. From test results, we could conclude that the mechanical properties of β-Si3N4 ceramics depending on oxygen introduction are much effective on cutting performance improvements of β-Si3N4 ceramics.

Warm compaction powder metallurgy was used to produce a Ti3SiC2 particulate reinforced Cu matrix composite. Fabrication parameters and warm compaction behaviors of Cu powder were studied. Based on the optimized fabrication parameters a Cu-based electrical contact material was prepared. Results showed that in expend of some electrical conductivity, addition of Ti3SiC2 particulate increased the hardness, wear resistivity and anti-friction ability of the sintered Cu-base material.

The introduction of ceramic particulate into metallic powder will unavoidably lower the compressibility and formability of the mixed powder. In this study, warm compaction, which is a simple and low cost technique to produce high density PM parts, was introduced in preparing composite. The aim of this paper is to prepare the warm compacted NbC particulate reinforced Fe-based composite, then study its tribological behavior and application in the valve-guide cup. A 15 wt.% NbC reinforced iron-based composite was prepared. It possesses a relative density of 98%, a tensile strength of 515 MPa, a hardness of HRC 58 and a remarkable tribological behavior.

The powder forging (PF) process is used to produce fully dense powder metallurgy (PM) parts for high performance automotive applications. PF connecting rods have been widely accepted in the US, Japan, and other countries due to higher performance and lower manufacturing costs when compared to conventionally forged steel connecting rods [1]. In order to meet and exceed requirements for higher fatigue strength and better machinability of PF connecting rods, a newly developed machinability enhancer, named KSX, was introduced [2]. A comparison study between powder forged materials prepared with 0.3% MnS and with 0.1% KSX additions showed excellent properties in the case of the mix with KSX.

Granulated powders, prepared from PF-5F(D50=4μm), PF-10F(D50=6μm) and PF-20F(D50=10μm) water atomized powder, were compacted, debound and sintered to evaluate the properties of sintered parts. As a result, the relative sintered density of about 97% at sintering temperature of 1423K was obtained. It can be considered that by using granulated finer particle size powder, mechanical properties of sintered parts were also improved.

Two different commercial aluminium powder grades have been densified by direct hot extrusion. The extrusion temperature was 425 °C, with an extrusion ratio of 1:16. Prior to extrusion, some green compacts were pre-sintered (500 °C). The evolution of the extrusion load during the process and the hardness of the final products have been investigated. Additionally, microstructural characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) was carried out. The obtained results evidence grain refinement. Additionally, inter-metallic precipitation, dynamic recovery and geometric dynamic recrystallization take place depending on some process variables, powder composition, heat treatment, strain ...

The structural response and performance of a flexible pavement can be improved through the use of geogrids as base course reinforcement. Current ongoing research at the University of illinois has focused on the development of a geogrid base reinforcement mechanistic model for the analysis of reinforced pavements. This model is based on the finite element methodology and considers not only the nonlinear stress-dependent pavement foundation but also the isotropic and anisotropic behavior of base<SUB>base aggregates for predicting pavement critical responses. An axisymmetric finite element model was developed to employ a three-noded axisymmetric membrane element for modeling geogrid reinforcement. The soil</SUB>aggregate-geogrid interface was modeled by the three-noded membrane element and the neighboring six-noded no thickness interface elements. To validate the developed mechanistic model, the commercial finite element program ABAQUSTM was used to generate pavement responses as analysis results for simple cases with similar linear elastic material input properties. More sophisticated cases were then analyzed using the mechanistic model considering the nonlinear and anisotropic modulus property inputs in the base<SUB>base granular layers. This paper will describe the details of the developed mechanistic model and the effectiveness of geogrid reinforcement when used in different quality unbound aggregate base</SUB>subbase layers.

Cr-C-Ni composites were synthesized in situ from elemental powders of Cr, Ni and C by high energy milling followed by reactive sintering. The milled powders with the grain size in nano-scale were pressed to compacts and sintered. During the following thermal treatment at first the chromium carbide was formed and then the cermets were sintered in one cycle. The interface between the binder phase and the carbide grains of the in situ composite has a good bonding strength as it is not contaminated with oxidation films or other detrimental surface reactions.

Based on the comparison of structures and properties of the HS6-5-2 high speed steels made with the powder injection moulding method, pressureless forming, compacting and sintering, and commercial steels made with the ASEA-STORA method, fine carbides spread evenly in the steel matrix were found in the structure of all tested high-speed steels in the sintered state. The steels made with the pressureless forming method are characteristic of the lowest sintering temperature and the highest density, resulting from the high carbon concentration coming from the binding agent degradation.

Correlations between in-flight particle, splat and coating microstructure of thermally sprayed Ni20Cr were investigated. Flame spray and arc spray systems were employed for spraying Ni20Cr powder and Ni20Cr wire, respectively. The results showed that the arc spray process produced a broader size distribution for both in-flight particles and splats compared to flame process. Flower-like splat morphology was obtained from the arc spray whereas a pancake-like splat was obtained by flame spray. Ni20Cr coating sprayed by arc process had a denser microstructure, lower porosity and better adhesion at the interface.