Epoxy coating destruction as a result of sulphuric acid aqueous solution action

Destruction of epoxy coatings was examined under the influence of ageing with sulphuric acid aqueous solutions (3, 10 and 20%). The ageing caused oxidation, blistering and porosity increase of examined coatings as well as their surface roughness increase.     

Fully Automated Anti-Varicella Zoster Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays Supporting Manufacture of a Novel Intravenous Therapeutic for Treatment of Ailments Caused by the Varicella Zoster Virus

Two non-competitive, antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, a commercial Kit VZIG ELISA and an in-house developed, amplified VZIG ELISA were automated by using the liquid handling and plate processing abilities of the Microlab AT plus 2 and Microlab F.A.M.E. instruments, respectively. The evaluation of the experimental data has also been automated by using the F.A.M.E.-specific data import converter and PLA software program for data capture / uploading and analysis. The automation increased the economy of analytical operations and traceability of the experimental data thus better supporting the production and clinical studies on a therapeutic Varicella Zoster Immune Globulin manufactured at Cangene.     

Potential Biomarkers in Diagnosis of Renal Acanthamoebiasis

Recent studies indicate that Acanthamoeba spp. may play a significant role in kidney dysfunction. The aim of the study was to examine the levels of kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), as well as an activity of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9, respectively) in the kidneys of immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice infected with Acanthamoeba spp. The levels of KIM-1, NGAL, and MCP-1 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the activity of MMPs was determined by gelatin zymography. The elevated KIM-1 level was found in the kidneys of immunocompetent mice at the beginning of Acanthamoeba spp. infection. In the immunosuppressed mice, the KIM-1 level was statistically different. The statistically decreased NGAL level was found in the kidneys of immunocompetent mice compared to the uninfected mice. In the immunocompromised mice, we found statistically significant differences in MCP-1 levels between the uninfected and infected groups. There was an increase in the expression of both MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the kidneys of immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice infected with Acanthamoeba spp. compared to the uninfected mice. The results indicate that KIM-1, NGAL, MCP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-9/NGAL might be promising biomarkers of renal acanthamoebiasis.     

Stresses in granular materials

When circularly polarised light is passed through a granular material under boundary stresses patterns—‘light stripes’—are seen in the resulting images which have been traditionally associated with the directions of major principal stresses in the equivalent continuum. In this paper the passage of polarised light through a single spherical particle under stress is studied experimentally and analytically. The effect of placing the particle within a layer of particles, a layer of thickness 2–3 particles, and within a mass of particles is investigated experimentally. The appearance of light stripes is a visual reinforcement of effects seen at the particle level provided the level of stresses in individual particles is low. The implications for quantitative photoelastic interpretation of granular media are discussed.     

Using nano-QSAR to predict the cytotoxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles

It is expected that the number and variety of engineered nanoparticles will increase rapidly over the next few years, and there is a need for new methods to quickly test the potential toxicity of these materials. Because experimental evaluation of the safety of chemicals is expensive and time-consuming, computational methods have been found to be efficient alternatives for predicting the potential toxicity and environmental impact of new nanomaterials before mass production. Here, we show that the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) method commonly used to predict the physicochemical properties of chemical compounds can be applied to predict the toxicity of various metal oxides. Based on experimental testing, we have developed a model to describe the cytotoxicity of 17 different types of metal oxide nanoparticles to bacteria Escherichia coli. The model reliably predicts the toxicity of all considered compounds, and the methodology is expected to provide guidance for the future design of safe nanomaterials.     

Chickpeas—Composition,Nutritional Value,Health Benefits,Application to Bread and Snacks: A Review

Chickpea is grain legumes grown mainly in areas with temperate and semiarid climate. It is characterized by a high content of protein, fat, vitamins, fiber, and a lower content of carbohydrates than flour of wheat. Chickpeas may contain antinutritional compounds that can impair utilization of the nutrients by people. Heat treatment is an effective method to increase the amount of protein available for intestinal digestibility. Adding chickpeas to a foodstuff can increase their nutritional value and reduce the acrylamide content. Acrylamide is an antinutritional substance present in foods, such as bread, snacks, and chips. Chickpea flour and protein may be new way to a reduce the content of acrylamide in products of this type. The addition of chickpea flour affects the sensory and textural properties.     

Stability,sensory quality,texture properties and nutritional value of fish oil‐enriched spreadable fat

A Correction has been published for this article in Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 84(15):2142 (2004). The intake of omega‐3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the typical Western diet is usually below the recommended level. Without radical changes of eating patterns the diet may be enhanced by enrichment of foods with unhydrogenated fish oil, which is the richest source of the long‐chain omega‐3s, eicosapentaenoicacid (EPA) and docosahexaenoicacid (DHA). The aims of the study were to establish the sensorily acceptable fish oil enrichment level of a reduced‐fat spread, to enhance the omega‐3 long‐chain PUFA content and to evaluate the enriched spread's stability during 3 months of storage (6°C, limited exposure to light and air). Samples were prepared in an industrial pilot plant. Overall sensory quality, intensity of fishy flavour, texture properties (sensory and instrumental), peroxide value, acid number and fatty acids composition were measured. A spread enriched by addition of 30.0 g kg^?1 of unhydrogenated fish oil could be stored for up to 3 months without significant decrease of the measured stability indicators. A daily portion of this enriched spread (30 g) would provide 0.25 g of EPA and DHA, significantly increasing long‐chain omega‐3 levels in the average diet. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthetic Cis-Jasmone Exposure Induces Wheat and Barley Volatiles that Repel the Pest Cereal Leaf Beetle, Oulema melanopus L.

The plant semiochemical cis-jasmone primes/induces plant resistance that deters herbivores and attracts natural enemies. We studied the induction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in winter wheat and spring barley after exposure of plants to three synthetic cis-jasmone doses (50 μl of 1, 100, and 1?×?10⁴ ng μl^?1) and durations of exposure (1, 3, and 6 h). Cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus, adult behavioral responses were examined in a Y-tube olfactometer to cis-jasmone induced plant VOC bouquets and to two synthetic blends of VOCs (3 green leaf volatiles (GLVs); 4 terpenes?+?indole). In both cereals, eight VOCs [(Z)-3-hexanal, (Z)-3-hexanol, (Z)-3-hexanyl acetate, (Z)-β-ocimene, linalool, β-caryophyllene, (E)-ß–farnesene, and indole] were induced 100- to 1000-fold after cis-jasmone exposure. The degree of induction in both cereals was usually positively and linearly associated with increasing exposure dose and duration. However, VOC emission rate was only ~2-fold greater from plants exposed to the highest vs. lowest cis-jasmone exposure doses (1?×?10⁴ difference) or durations (6-fold difference). Male and female O. melanopus were deterred by both cereal VOC bouquets after plant exposure to the high cis-jasmone dose (1?×?10⁴ ng μl^?1), while females were also deterred after plant exposure to the low dose (1 ng μl^?1) but attracted to unexposed plant VOC bouquets. Both O. melanopus sexes were repelled by terpene/indole and GLV blends at two concentrations (25 ng?·?min^?1; 125 ng?·?min^?1), but attracted to the lowest dose (1 ng?·?min^?1) of a GLV blend. It is possible that the biologically relevant low cis-jasmone dose has ecological activity and potential for inducing field crop VOCs to deter O. melanopus.