Microfluidic devices towards personalized health and wellbeing

To make personalised medicine a reality, there is a significant need for cost-effective methods that enable the rapid selection of optimal nutrient intake and/or disease treatment with a minimum of side effects. In this perspective, we briefly discuss the potential of merging the advances of microfluidic devices, organoid structures and advanced analytical methods to progress towards a personalised in vitro platform for health and wellbeing. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

A black and white approach to health and safety

In anticipation of the Single Market, the European Commission has agreed upon six wide-ranging directives as the framework for its health and safety policy. In the UK the Health and Safety Commission has responded by introducing detailed proposed regulations intended to bring British practice into harmony with European legislation. Matthew Castle discusses the implications.     

生物信息学应用于代谢物组学研究的进展

如何利用代谢物组的海量数据和信息,与其他领域整合并重构完整的生化网络,建立预测细胞表型、优化生化过程和评价药物安全性的崭新方法是生物信息学需要解决的重要问题.本文综述了代谢物组数据分析中应用的主要生物信息学方法及关键问题,列举了各种方法在植物、微生物及哺乳动物体系的重要应用.最后对代谢物组学的前景进行展望.     

Novel approach to promote the hydrophobic association: Introduction of short alkyl chains into hydrophobically associating polyelectrolytes

A novel approach to promote hydrophobic association by incorporating short alkyl chains onto polyelectrolytes (HAPEs) was presented. A series of HAPEs was synthesized by free radical copolymerization in aqueous media with acrylamide (AM), 11-acrylamidoundecanoic acid (C₁₁AM), and 6-acrylamidohexanoic acid (C₆AM). The structures and compositions of the polymers were confirmed by ¹H-NMR, and the molecular weights were determined by GPC. Results of rheological experiments revealed that viscosities increased greatly in samples containing C₁₁AM and C₆AM compared with the sample without C₆AM. The sample without C₆AM was also characterized by critical association concentrations and critical angular frequencies. Solubilization and bridging interaction were considered as the possible reasons. Pyrene fluorescence probe data and ¹H-NMR spin–spin relaxation times further illustrated the reinforcement of hydrophobic associations by short alkyl side chains. All the results showed that the optimum content of C₆AM was 1 mol % in the prepared HAPEs. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47581.     

Nanoparticles and cells: an interdisciplinary approach

In this article we present an overview of some of our research in the field of nanoscience. By combining two different scientific backgrounds (chemistry and biology), we investigate nanoparticle-cell interactions from different angles. This requires an interdisciplinary approach involving material synthesis and characterization, cell biology (biochemistry) and microscopy. In particular, we describe the synthesis and magnetic properties of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as well as their behavior in cell culture, evaluate different visualization and detection methods, and investigate the interaction of such magnetic particles with immune cells.     

Dyeing plants screening: an approach to combine past heritage and present development

The paper reports an investigation of the colouring properties of 43 dyeing plants chosen for their widespread use in previous centuries. Colorimetric analysis showed that the principal colours on different fabric supports were yellow and mostly unsaturated. The nature of the support fibres investigated, protein- or cellulose-based, was shown to play an important role in the perceived colours. Phytochemical analysis confirmed that yellow-orange shades could be attributed to flavonoids and that red colours were due to anthraquinones. Colours from plants that contain anthocyanins varied from blue-violet through reddish depending on the structure of the anthocyanins in the individual plants. Colour fastness was determined by applying standard test methods. Fastness to light appeared to be inadequate for industrial applications for most samples, but it seems that this could be improved by certain molecular associations. On the other hand, colour fastness to water was satisfactory.     

Development of a healthy biscuit: an alternative approach to biscuit manufacture

Objective

Foods with contrasting glycemic index when incorporated into a meal, are able to differentially modify glycemia and insulinemia. However, little is known about whether this is dependent on the size of the meal. The purposes of this study were: i) to determine if the differential impact on blood glucose and insulin responses induced by contrasting GI foods is similar when provided in meals of different sizes, and; ii) to determine the relationship between the total meal glycemic load and the observed serum glucose and insulin responses.

Methods

Twelve obese women (BMI 33.7 ± 2.4 kg/m²) were recruited. Subjects received 4 different meals in random order. Two meals had a low glycemic index (40–43%) and two had a high-glycemic index (86–91%). Both meal types were given as two meal sizes with energy supply corresponding to 23% and 49% of predicted basal metabolic rate. Thus, meals with three different glycemic loads (95, 45–48 and 22 g) were administered. Blood samples were taken before and after each meal to determine glucose, free-fatty acids, insulin and glucagon concentrations over a 5-h period.

Results

An almost 2-fold higher serum glucose and insulin incremental area under the curve (AUC) over 2 h for the high- versus low-glycemic index same sized meals was observed (p < 0.05), however, for the serum glucose response in small meals this was not significant (p = 0.38). Calculated meal glycemic load was associated with 2 and 5 h serum glucose (r = 0.58, p < 0.01) and insulin (r = 0.54, p < 0.01) incremental and total AUC. In fact, when comparing the two meals with similar glycemic load but differing carbohydrate amount and type, very similar serum glucose and insulin responses were found. No differences were observed for serum free-fatty acids and glucagon profile in response to meal glycemic index.

Conclusion

This study showed that foods of contrasting glycemic index induced a proportionally comparable difference in serum insulin response when provided in both small and large meals. The same was true for the serum glucose response but only in large meals. Glycemic load was useful in predicting the acute impact on blood glucose and insulin responses within the context of mixed meals.     

Development of a healthy biscuit: an alternative approach to biscuit manufacture

Objective  

Obesity (BMI >30) and related health problems, including coronary heart disease (CHD), is without question a public health concern. The purpose of this study was to modify a traditional biscuit by the addition of vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, Folic Acid, Vitamin C and Prebiotic fibre, while reducing salt and sugar.     

A multilayered approach of Si/SiO to promote carrier transport in electroluminescence of Si nanocrystals

The electroluminescence (EL) and photoluminescence of Si nanocrystals (Si-nc) from multilayered samples of Si/SiO are investigated. Si-nc are formed within Si and SiO layers after furnace annealing. It is found that the presence of Si interlayers creates extra carrier paths for EL emission. A comparative study is further performed on a multilayered Si/SiO sample and a single-layered one with Si and SiO homogeneously mixed. Both samples have the same ratio of Si to O and the same contents of Si and O. The multilayered sample is found to have higher EL intensity, less turn-on voltage, lower resistance, and higher current efficiency than the single-layered one. The results indicate that Si interlayers in Si/SiO may act as carrier channels, which promote carrier transport and enhance the EL emission of Si-nc.     

Electrophysiological and Behavioral Responses of an Ambrosia Beetle to Volatiles of its Nutritional Fungal Symbiont

Journal of Chemical Ecology - Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) cultivate their fungal symbiont within host substrates as the sole source of nutrition on which the larvae and adults must...     

Proposal for an empirical approach to color reproduction

This article is a review of conventional approaches to color transformations between originals and reproductions, and it explores new methods and transformations made possible by point-by-point scanning. “Color correction” has traditionally been based on colorimetric matching between an original and its reproduction. “Corrections” have been based either on additivity and proportionality laws or on Neugebauer's equations which assume additivity of tristimulus values. These approaches were appropriate because photographic masking and early color scanners had to rely on analog methods. Digital methods were too slow. Digital processing speeds may have increased enough to allow point-by-point processing of the 2 X 10⁷ points scanned in an 8 in X 10 in. original. Several workers have proposed transformations which are not colorimetric matches. Their experiments have been constrained by the need for analog processing and by conventional process characteristics. By using point-by-point table lookup, any transformation, including spatial as well as colorimetric, is possible. It will be interesting to study color reproduction using this new tool.     

A novel approach to an advanced tertiary wastewater treatment: Combination of a membrane bioreactor and an oyster-zeolite column

A combination of a microfiltration-membrane bioreactor (MBR) and oyster-zeolite (OZ) packed-bed adsorption column was studied for the first time to evaluate the advanced tertiary treatment of nitrogen and phosphorous. The membrane module was submerged in the bioreactor and aeration was operated intermittently for an optimal wastewater treatment performance. Artificial wastewater with COD_cr of 220 mg/L, total nitrogen (T-N) of 45 mg/L, and total phosphorous (T-P) of 6 mg/L was used in submerged MBR with MLSS of 4,000–5,000 mg/L. The experiments were performed during a 100-day period with periodic membrane washing. The results showed that COD_cr could be effectively removed in the MBR alone with over 96% removal efficiency. However, T-N and T-P removal efficiency was slightly lower than expected with only the MBR. The permeate from MBR was then passed through the OZ column for tertiary nutrient removal. The final effluent analysis confirmed that nutrients can be additionally removed resulting in over 90% and 53% removal efficiencies for T-N and T-P, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the waste oyster shell can be effectively reclaimed as an adsorbent in advanced tertiary wastewater treatment processes in combination with a MBR.     

加强汞污染防治促进电石法聚氯乙烯行业健康发展

概述了近几年国内电石法聚氯乙烯的发展及开展汞污染防治工作取得的成效;通过分析低汞触媒配套高效汞回收工艺的应用,阐述电石法聚氯乙烯行业实现清洁生产的途径。     

Congenital diarrheal disorders: an updated diagnostic approach

Congenital diarrheal disorders (CDDs) are a group of inherited enteropathies with a typical onset early in the life. Infants with these disorders have frequently chronic diarrhea of sufficient severity to require parenteral nutrition. For most CDDs the disease-gene is known and molecular analysis may contribute to an unequivocal diagnosis. We review CDDs on the basis of the genetic defect, focusing on the significant contribution of molecular analysis in the complex, multistep diagnostic work-up.     

Nanofluids for heat transfer: an engineering approach

An overview of systematic studies that address the complexity of nanofluid systems and advance the understanding of nanoscale contributions to viscosity, thermal conductivity, and cooling efficiency of nanofluids is presented. A nanoparticle suspension is considered as a three-phase system including the solid phase (nanoparticles), the liquid phase (fluid media), and the interfacial phase, which contributes significantly to the system properties because of its extremely high surface-to-volume ratio in nanofluids. The systems engineering approach was applied to nanofluid design resulting in a detailed assessment of various parameters in the multivariable nanofluid systems. The relative importance of nanofluid parameters for heat transfer evaluated in this article allows engineering nanofluids with desired set of properties.     

Analysis of uncertainty in health care cost-effectiveness studies: an introduction to statistical issues and methods

Cost-effectiveness analysis is now an integral part of health technology assessment and addresses the question of whether a new treatment or other health care program offers good value for money. In this paper we introduce the basic framework for decision making with cost-effectiveness data and then review recent developments in statistical methods for analysis of uncertainty when cost-effectiveness estimates are based on observed data from a clinical trial. Although much research has focused on methods for calculating confidence intervals for cost-effectiveness ratios using bootstrapping or Fieller's method, these calculations can be problematic with a ratio-based statistic where numerator and/or denominator can be zero. We advocate plotting the joint density of cost and effect differences, together with cumulative density plots known as cost-effectiveness acceptability curves (CEACs) to summarize the overall value-for-money of interventions. We also outline the net-benefit formulation of the cost-effectiveness problem and show that it has particular advantages over the standard incremental cost-effectiveness ratio formulation.     

Toward the development of an innovative descaling and corrosion inhibiting solutions to protect mild steel equipment: an experimental and theoretical approach

Abstract

This work proposes a mixture of sulfamic and perchloric acids as a descaling solution and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and imidazole for the improvement in the corrosion resistance of mild steel. The experiments were carried out at different temperatures using mass loss and electrochemical techniques. The samples were characterized by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, SEM-EDS, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The study showed that CTAB and imidazole can serve as the efficient corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in descaling solution and were found to follow the model of Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Potentiodynamic polarization was performed at temperature 295, 305, 315, and 325?K, and it can be concluded that the CTAB/imidazole acted as mixed type corrosion inhibitors. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revealed that increase in imidazole concentration, resulted into the increased polarization resistance with simultaneous lowering of double-layer capacitance values. Computational techniques were used to support experimental results.     

Adiabatic time to maximum rate evaluation using an analytical approach

This article presents an analytical method for the calculation of the adiabatic time to maximum rate. The procedure is developed considering a thermal decomposition process described by a simple n‐order kinetic and is based on the introduction of a special function that is possible by integrating analytically. The application of the method requires the knowledge of the thermokinetic parameters of the process under study and allows the calculation of the adiabatic time to maximum rate without the numerical integration of the heat and mass balance equations or the use of relationships based on particular simplifying hypotheses. Its validity has been demonstrated considering numerical and real experiments (thermal decomposition of trityl azide) providing in both cases times to maximum rate values which are very close to the real ones. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 172–179, 2018