A Novel Sprague-Dawley Rat Model Presents Improved NASH/NAFLD Symptoms with PEG Coated Vitexin Liposomes

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a global threat to the human population, with manifestations resulting from alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD, if not treated, may progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Furthermore, inflammation leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Vitexin, a natural flavonoid, has been recently reported for inhibiting NAFLD. It is a lipogenesis inhibitor and activates lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. In addition, owing to its antioxidant properties, it appeared as a hepatoprotective candidate. However, it exhibits low bioavailability and low efficacy due to its hydrophobic nature. A novel rat model for liver cirrhosis was developed by CCL4/Urethane co-administration. Vitexin encapsulated liposomes were synthesized by the ‘thin-film hydration’ method. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was coated on liposomes to enhance stability and stealth effect. The diseased rats were then treated with vitexin and PEGylated vitexin liposomes, administered intravenously and orally. Results ascertained the liposomal encapsulation of vitexin and subsequent PEG coating to be a substantial strategy for treating liver cirrhosis through oral drug delivery.     

A new predictor parameter for production rate of ornamental stones

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - In this study, a new predictor parameter (NPP), which is based on the product of uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and Mohs hardness (MH),...     

Porous phosphatic materials of agronomical interest:Synthesis and study of their dissolution

Phosphatic materials of agronomic interest were synthesised. These materials of good mechanical quality and of significant porosity show high P₂O₅ contents (up to 28%). They have been prepared by treatment of volcanic pumices with a solution of phosphoric acid (1N, 5N or 10N) at 200°C in a closed system for 72h using a mass solid/liquid ratio of 1:3.After reaction, the precipitation of amorphous phosphates and crystalline aluminium phosphates has been detected by XRD both outside and inside of the material. The morphological study by SEM reveals several crystalline forms of aluminium phosphates: crystals of small size migrate into the internal porosity of the pumices and crystals of berlinite appear (AlPO₄) well developed in a matrix of amorphous phosphate overlapping the initial material.Normal tests of reactivity in water and in 2% citric acid show that the percentages of released P₂O₅ in solution are greater after treatment with weak concentrations of phosphoric acid. Lixiviation of treated materials with citric acid reagent shows that, after three days of reaction, losses in weight are considerable and the kinetic curves of phosphorus liberation present a linear evolution.The fertilizing value of these materials did not decrease during the leaching; so phosphorus will be solubilized with time thus allowing these materials to gain a good agronomical availability and to propose their use as delayed fertilizer types for tropical agricultural soils.     

A convenient solvent-free and one-pot synthesis of 4-hydroxythiazolidine-2-thiones

A highly efficient solvent-free and simple one-pot approach for the synthesis of 4-hydroxythiazolidine-2-thione is described. The reaction of primary amines and carbon disulfide in the presence of 2-chloroacetaldehyde afforded the title compounds in high yields.     

Utilization of aluminum sludge and aluminum slag (dross) for the manufacture of calcium aluminate cement

Four calcium aluminate cement mixes were manufactured from aluminum sludge as a source of calcium oxide and Al₂O₃ and aluminum slag (dross) as a source of aluminum oxide with some additions of pure alumina. The mixes were composed of 35–50% aluminum sludge, 37.50–48.75% aluminum slag (dross) and 12.50–16.25% aluminum oxide. The mixed were processed then sintered at different firing temperatures up to 1500 °C or 1550 °C. The mineralogical compositions of the fired mixes investigated using X-ray diffraction indicated that the fired mixes composed of variable contents of calcium aluminate (CA), calciumdialuminate (CA₂), calciumhexaaluminate (CA₆) in addition to some content of magnesium aluminate spinel (MA). Sintering parameters (bulk density, apparent porosity and linear change) and mechanical properties (cold crushing strength) of the fired briquettes were tested at different firing temperature. Refractoriness of the cement samples manufactured at the optimum firing temperature was detected. Cementing properties (water of consistency, setting time and compressive strength as a function of curing time up to 28 days of hydration) of pasted prepared from the manufactured cement mixes at the selected optimum firing temperatures (1400 °C or 1500 °C) were also tested. Cement mixes manufactured from 45 to 50% aluminum sludge, 37.50–41.25% aluminum slag (dross) with 12.50–13.75% alumina were selected as the optimum mixes for manufacturing calcium aluminate cement since they satisfy the requirements of the international standard specifications regarding cementing and refractory properties as a result of their content of CA (the main hydraulic phase in calcium aluminate cement) and CA₂(the less hydraulic but more refractory phase). Although the recognized high refractoriness of CA₆, its formation affect badly the cementing properties of the other non-optimum mixes.     

Conjugate heat transfer of laminar mixed convection of a nanofluid through an inclined tube with circumferentially non-uniform heating

Laminar mixed convection of a nanofluid consisting of water and Al₂O₃ in an inclined tube with heating at the top half surface of a copper tube has been studied numerically. The bottom half of the tube wall is assumed to be adiabatic (presenting a tube of a solar collector). Heat conduction mechanism through the tube wall is considered. Three-dimensional governing equations with using two-phase mixture model have been solved to investigate hydrodynamic and thermal behaviours of the nanofluid over wide range of nanoparticle volume fractions. For a given nanoparticle mean diameter the effects of nanoparticle volume fractions on the hydrodynamics and thermal parameters are presented and discussed at different Richardson numbers and different tube inclinations. Significant augmentation on the heat transfer coefficient as well as on the wall shear stress is seen.     

Statistical assessment of starch removal from starchy wastewater using membrane technology

The present work deals with application of 2^5-2 fractional factorial design (FFD) to evaluate the operating parameters on starch separation from synthetic starchy wastewater using a hydrophilic polyethersulfone membrane with 0.65 μm pore size in a plate and frame handmade membrane module. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) combined with F-test was also used to recognize non-significant terms. The performance of the filtration process was evaluated by calculating the COD removal percentage (rejection factor) and permeate flux. In this experiment, five input parameters were surveyed, including trans membrane pressure (TMP), flow and temperature of feed, pH and concentration of wastewater. In this experiment, real wastewater was not used but synthetic starchy wastewater was prepared using starch. Two models were obtained from experimental data, capable of predicting COD removal percentage and permeate flux in different conditions. The predicted values obtained from the regression models were close to the actual ones. For the reduction of fouling, cleaning in place (CIP) method was used.     

Direct Growth and Photoluminescence of SiO<Subscript>x</Subscript> Nanowires and Aligned Nanocakes by Simple Carbothermal Evaporation

The growth of SiO_x nanowires and nanocakes on an Au-coated n-type-Silicon (100) substrate was achieved via carbothermal evaporation. The effects of the Au layer thickness and the rapid heating rate on the morphology of obtained SiO_x nanowires were investigated. A broad emission band from 290 to 600 nm was observed in the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of these nanowires. There are four PL peaks: one blue emission peak 485 nm (2.56 eV) two green bands centered at 502 nm (2.47 eV) and 524 nm (2.37 eV) for nanocakes and one ultraviolet emission peak at 350 nm (3.54 eV) and a hemisphere curve over the bluish green area taken for SiO_x nanowires. These emissions may be related to the various oxygen defects and twofold coordinated silicon lone pair centers.