Colostrum source and passive immunity transfer in dairy bull calves

Colostrum is essential for good neonate health; however, it is not known whether different calves absorb the nutrients from colostrum equally well. In this study, the absorption of protein, IgG, and γ-glutamyl transferase was compared in newborn dairy bull calves for 1 wk after feeding colostrum from different sources. Thirty-five Holstein-Friesian bull calves were randomly allocated into 3 groups and fed colostrum within 4 h after birth. Group A calves (n = 12) were bottle fed colostrum from their own dam for 3 d. Colostrum from these group A cows was also used as foster cow colostrum for the group B calves (n = 12), such that each group A and B calf pair received identical colostrum from each milking of the respective group A dam (10% of birth weight per day). The group C calves (n = 11) were fed 1 bottle (2 L) of pooled colostrum and transition milk (referred to as pooled colostrum), as was the standard practice on the dairy farm. The pooled colostrum was collected from the other dairy cows on the farm 0 to 4 d postpartum and stored at 4°C for less than 12 h. Blood was sampled from calves before the first feeding and at 1, 2, 3, and 7 d after birth. Levels of total solids, total protein, and IgG were higher in the dam colostrum than in the pooled colostrum. At birth, there were no differences between the calf groups for any measurements, and all calves had very low IgG levels. After receiving colostrum, the glucose, plasma γ-glutamyl transferase, serum total protein, and IgG concentrations increased significantly in all calves. There were no differences in any blood measurements at any time point between the pairs of group A and group B calves that received colostrum from the same cow except for the IgG concentration 2 d after birth. However, the group A calves had a higher total serum protein level and IgG concentration than the group C calves for all the time points after the first feeding. The group B calves had a higher IgG concentration than the group C calves on d 1, 2, and 7 after birth. Compared with groups A and B, there was no difference in the proportion of calves in group C that failed to have passive immunity transferred adequately based on the IgG threshold (<10 g/L). Thus, the calves receiving identical colostrum from the same cow had the same levels of IgG, and even the pooled colostrum provided sufficient transfer of IgG as the calves were fed within 4 h after birth.     

Anti-corrosive properties of waterborne polyurethane/poly(o-toluidine)-ZnO coatings in NaCl solution

The aim of this research was to prepare waterborne polyurethane (WPU) coating blended with a series of poly(o-toluidine)-nano ZnO composites and study its anti-corrosion performance after its application over carbon steel. The synthesized composites were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The corrosion resistance of coatings with and without nano ZnO were studied in 3.5% NaCl solution at a temperature of 25?°C, by electro-chemical techniques such as potentiodynamic polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It was observed that the composite coating containing 7% poly(o-toluidine)-nano ZnO composite had higher corrosion resistance than poly(o-toluidine) and 14% poly(o-toluidine)-nano ZnO composite. The presence of appropriate amount of ZnO significantly improved the corrosion resistance, due to the formation of passive layer on steel surface and the synergistic effects of poly(o-toluidine) along with a suitable amount of nano-ZnO reduced the porosity of the coating surface.     

A high-throughput chaotic advection microreactor for preparation of uniform and aggregated barium sulfate nanoparticles

A high-throughput (105.5 g/h) passive four-stage asymmetric oscillating feedback microreactor using chaotic mixing mechanism was developed to prepare aggregated Barium sulfate (BaSO₄) particles of high primary nanoparticle size uniformity. Three-dimensional unsteady simulations showed that chaotic mixing could be induced by three unique secondary flows (i.e., vortex, recirculation, and oscillation), and the fluid oscillation mechanism was examined in detail. Simulations and Villermaux–Dushman experiments indicate that almost complete mixing down to molecular level can be achieved and the prepared BaSO₄ nanoparticles were with narrow primary particle size distribution (PSD) having geometric standard deviation, σ_g, less than 1.43 when the total volumetric flow rate Q_total was larger than 10 ml/min. By selecting Q_total and reactant concentrations, average primary particle size can be controlled from 23 to 109 nm as determined by microscopy. An average size of 26 nm with narrow primary PSD (σ_g = 1.22) could be achieved at Q_total of 160 ml/min.     

二次侧非能动余热排出系统流动不稳定性研究

二次侧非能动余热排出（ASP）系统是压水堆核电厂应对全厂断电事故的重要措施之一。为研究ASP系统的运行特性，设计建造了ASP系统试验装置（ASPTF）。在ASPTF上开展了ASP系统运行稳定性影响试验，并对试验结果进行了理论分析。试验研究与理论分析结果表明：低压低功率下ASP系统中出现流动不稳定性；增加蒸汽管线或回水管线阻力系数可抑制ASP系统出现流动不稳定性；降低加热功率时ASP系统更易出现流动不稳定性；主泵运行状态影响ASP系统的输入功率进而影响系统的流动不稳定性。     

The Critical Role of Passive Permeability in Designing Successful Drugs

Passive permeability is a key property in drug disposition and delivery. It is critical for gastrointestinal absorption, brain penetration, renal reabsorption, defining clearance mechanisms and drug-drug interactions. Passive diffusion rate is translatable across tissues and animal species, while the extent of absorption is dependent on drug properties, as well as in vivo physiology/pathophysiology. Design principles have been developed to guide medicinal chemistry to enhance absorption, which combine the balance of aqueous solubility, permeability and the sometimes unfavorable compound characteristic demanded by the target. Permeability assays have been implemented that enable rapid development of structure-permeability relationships for absorption improvement. Future advances in assay development to reduce nonspecific binding and improve mass balance will enable more accurately measurement of passive permeability. Design principles that integrate potency, selectivity, passive permeability and other ADMET properties facilitate rapid advancement of successful drug candidates to patients.     

Electrochemical corrosion behavior of LDX 2101® duplex stainless steel in a fluoride-containing environment

The effect of fluoride on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of an LDX 2101® duplex stainless steel (DSS) was studied. Open-circuit potential (E_OC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were carried out in artificial saliva and with the addition of fluoride (1 wt% NaF). The electrochemical corrosion behavior of the AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel (SS) was also evaluated for comparison. Both open-circuit potential and EIS results indicate that DSS and austenitic SS undergo spontaneous passivation due to spontaneously formed oxide film passivating the metallic surface, in the simulated aggressive environments. However, LDX 2101® exhibits superior corrosion resistance as compared with AISI 316L, and this improvement is ascribed to the formation of a passive film which shows a higher protective effect than the one formed on AISI 316L.     

Feasibility of utilizing 2304 duplex stainless steel rebar in seawater concrete: Passivation and corrosion behavior of steel rebar in simulated concrete environments

The feasibility of using 2304 duplex stainless steel rebar in seawater concrete was determined by studying the passivation and corrosion behavior of steel in solutions simulated curing and service stage of concrete, respectively. The results demonstrate that 2304 duplex stainless steel rebar could be used with seawater concrete because of a stable passive film formed on the steel surface during the curing stage of concrete even in the presence of 2 M chloride ions. However, due to the synergistic effect of concrete carbonation, the rebar suffered a corrosive attack by chloride due to the lack of OH^? inhibition.     

经直肠超声探头位姿调整远心机构设计及实验研究

在临床手术中,最常用于诊断前列腺癌的方法是经直肠超声的前列腺活检手术。医生在手术期间需要全程手持超声探头进行反复调整,难以保证手术的效率、精度以及安全性。通过对经直肠超声引导下前列腺活检手术流程的分析,设计了一种7自由度被动式经直肠超声探头位姿调整远心机构。基于双平行四边形机构设计的姿态调整模块实现超声探头的定心功能,并对其进行运动学分析,基于SimMechanics对超声探头不同进给距离时的工作姿态和定心效果进行了仿真。研制了被动式经直肠超声探头位姿调整机构的物理样机,并进行了测量实验,实验结果可知超声探头不同进给距离时方位角远心点运动最大误差和俯仰角远心点运动最大误差分别为4和3.4 mm,均小于肛门处可承受的变形量6 mm。在不同方向下的随机误差相关性较弱,方位角和俯仰角的远心点运动误差置信区间均小于2.5 mm,最大相对定点误差和最大相对标准误差分别为14.73%和14.98%。仿真和实验结果以及测量误差的分析均验证了超声探头位姿调整机构定心性能的有效性和稳定性。