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It is shown that, in spite of the wave radiation into the adjacent liquid, a large group of Lamb waves are able to propagate along piezoelectric plates (quartz, LiNbO3, LiTaO3) coated with a liquid layer (distilled water H2O). When the layer freezes, most of the group’s waves increase their losses, essentially forming an acoustic response towards water-to-ice transformation. Partial contributions to the responses originating from wave propagation, electro-mechanical transduction, and wave scattering were estimated and compared with the coupling constants, and the vertical displacements of the waves were calculated numerically at the water–plate and ice–plate interfaces. The maximum values of the responses (20–30 dB at 10–100 MHz) are attributed to the total water-to-ice transformation. Time variations in the responses at intermediate temperatures were interpreted in terms of a two-phase system containing both water and ice simultaneously. The results of the paper may turn out to be useful for some applications where the control of ice formation is an important problem (aircraft wings, ship bodies, car roads, etc.).

Using plates of weak piezoeletcric crystal (quartz) loaded with various liquids, it is shown that along with common modes, whose sensitivity towards different liquid parameters comparable with each other, there are some uncommon modes, whose amplitude responses towards viscosity η are much larger than towards temperature T and electric conductivity σ. The search of the modes with the selective properties is accomplished by varying plate thickness h, crystal orientation, wave length λ, and mode order n. It is found that all modes possessing the property are characterized by small surface-normal displacement, avoiding wave radiation into adjacent liquid, large in-plane displacements, enhancing viscous coupling the modes and liquids, and small electro-mechanical constant, reducing electro-acoustic interaction. Basing on the modes, the sensor prototypes with selective operation are developed and tested for η from 1 to 1500 cP, σ from 0 to 1.2 S/m, and t from 0 to 55 °C. Because of operation at ultrasonic frequency (tens MHz) the prototypes have different sensitivities in various η-ranges: 0.3 dB/cP for 1–20 cP, 0.12 dB/cP for 20–100 cP, and 0.015 dB/cP for 100–1500 cP. Viscosity responses of the prototypes become comparable with their electric outputs only for η < 2 cP. Temperature responses are almost zero in air, but when plate is coated with liquid they increase depending on liquid properties, allowing measurements of the temperature dependence of the liquid viscosity.

The acoustic waves of higher orders propagating in a layered structure consisting of a silicon plate coated with piezoelectric ZnO and/or AlN films were used for the development of a sensor with selective sensitivity to liquid viscosity η in the range of 1–1500 cP. In that range, this sensor possessed low sensitivity to liquid conductivity σ and temperature T in the ranges of 0–2 S/m and 0–55 °C, respectively. The amplitude responses insensitive to the temperature instead of the phase were used to provide the necessary selectivity. The sensor was based on a weak piezoactive acoustic wave of higher order. The volume of the probes sufficient for the measurements was about 100 μL. The characteristics of the sensors were optimized by varying the thicknesses of the structure layers, number of layers, wavelength, wave propagation direction, and the order of the acoustic waves. It was shown that in the case of the layered structure, it is possible to obtain practically the same selective sensitivity toward viscosity as for acoustic waves in pure ST, X quartz. The most appropriate waves for this purpose are quasi-longitudinal and Lamb waves of higher order with in-plane polarization. It was found that for various ranges of viscosity η = 1–20 cP, 20–100 cP, and 100–1500 cP, the maximum sensitivity of the appropriate wave is equal to 0.26 dB/cP, 0.087 dB/cP, and 0.013 dB/cP, respectively. The sensitivity of the waves under study toward the electric conductivity of the liquid is much less than the sensitivity to liquid viscosity. These two responses become comparable only for very small η < 2 cP. The waves investigated have shown no temperature responses in contact with air, but in the presence of liquid, they increase depending on liquid properties. The temperature dependence of liquid viscosity is measurable by the same sensors. The results obtained have shown the possibility of designing acoustic liquid viscosity sensors based on multilayered structures. The set of possible acoustic waves in layered structures possesses modified propagation characteristics (various polarization, phase velocities, electromechanical coupling coefficients, and attenuations). It allows choosing an optimal acoustic wave to detect liquid viscosity only.

Using acoustic wave modes propagation in piezoelectric plates loaded with conductive liquids, peculiarities of the mode-liquid acoustoelectric interaction are studied. It is found that (i) in contrast to bulk and surface acoustic waves propagating in piezoelectric semiconductors, the acoustoelectric attenuation of the modes is not symmetric in respect to its maximum, (ii) a large increase in attenuation may be accompanied by a small decrease in phase velocity and vice versa, (iii) the peculiarities are valid for “pure” (without beam steering) and “not pure” (with beam steering) modes, as well as for modes of different orders and polarizations, and (iv) conductivity of test liquid increases electromagnetic leakage between input and output transducers, affecting results of the measurements. To decrease the leakage, the liquid should be localized between transducers, outside the zone over them. If so, the mode sensitivity may be as large as 8.6 dB/(S/m) for amplitude and 107°/(S/m) for phase. However, because of comparable cross-sensitivity towards viscosity and dielectric permittivity, modes with selective detection of liquid conductivity are not found.

PrimPol is a human DNA primase-polymerase which restarts DNA synthesis beyond DNA lesions and non-B DNA structures blocking replication. Disfunction of PrimPol in cells leads to slowing of DNA replication rates in mitochondria and nucleus, accumulation of chromosome aberrations, cell cycle delay, elevated sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents. PrimPol has been suggested to be associated with the development of ophthalmic diseases, elevated mitochondrial toxicity of antiviral drugs and increased cell resistance to chemotherapy. Here, we describe a rare missense PrimPol variant V102A with altered biochemical properties identified in patients suffering from ovarian and cervical cancer. The Val102Ala substitution dramatically reduced both the primase and DNA polymerase activities of PrimPol as well as specifically decreased its ability to incorporate ribonucleotides. We suggest that substitutions in this region would likely distort the active site and affect the catalytic activity of PrimPol.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.