Attenuation of iNOS and COX2 by blueberry polyphenols is mediated through the suppression of NF-κB activation

Treatment of BV2 microglial cells with blueberry extracts has been shown to be effective in reducing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2). The current study explored the possibility that the down-regulation of iNOS and COX2 by blueberry extracts was mediated through NF-κB signaling pathway. A column-purified fraction of polyphenol-enriched blueberry extract (PC18) was used to treat LPS-activated BV2 cells. The results thus far showed that blueberry polyphenols significantly suppressed iNOS and COX2 promoter activities. In addition, blueberry polyphenols inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation in LPS-activated BV2 cells. These findings suggested that the beneficial effects of blueberries may involve direct modulation of oxidative stress and/or inflammatory signaling cascades.     

The influence of isoflavone glycosides on the taste of subterranean clover leaves

Four variants of subterranean clover cultivar Geraldton were fed to sheep. One variant, whose flavonoid glycosides were stable due to absence of glucosidase activity in the leaves, was more distasteful to the sheep than were the other clovers. These results suggest that flavonoid glycosides may be unpalatable to the sheep whilst the products of hydrolysis (glucose and aglycone) are not. Taste testing by human subjects of seven purified isoflavone glycosides indicated a slight but distinctive astringent–bitter taste in contrast to the lack of taste of the aglycones.     

Multiple interactions between Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii strongly affect their growth kinetics during the making of hard cooked cheeses

In hard cooked cheeses, any interactions between the thermophilic starters as they grow during the cheese-making are critical, since they modify bacterial growth kinetics and acidification kinetics, so affecting the ripening process and the final characteristics of the cheese. Twenty-four experimental hard cooked cheeses were made under controlled conditions, the milk being inoculated with various combinations of thermophilic strains of Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. Over the first day of manufacturing we recorded a wide range of different growth kinetics for each starter species used, and a wide range of pH kinetics, depending on the starter combination. Most of the bacterial variability could be statistically explained by the nature, quantity, and/or presence or absence of the different strains inoculated. Four main interactions between the three species were evidenced during cheese-making. There was antagonism between L. helveticus and L. delbrueckii. The lactobacilli had a positive effect on S. thermophilus, which was reciprocal for L. helveticus. L. helveticus had a negative effect on S. thermophilus cultivability. And the combination of S. thermophilus inoculated in large quantities and L. helveticus strain H2 had a negative effect on the growth of the L. delbrueckii strain D2. While the positive effect of L. delbrueckii on S. thermophilus probably corresponds to interactions in milk that have already been described and published, the other interactions were hitherto unknown. These interactions are of major importance for the growth kinetics of streptococci and thermophilic lactobacilli during cheese-making.     

Hydration Kinetics and Phase Stability of Dicalcium Silicate Synthesized by the Pechini Process

Reactive dicalcium silicate (Ca₂SiO₄) has been synthesized by the Pechini process, and hydration kinetics studied. With increasing calcination temperature, the amorphous product first crystallizes to α'_L-phase and subsequently to the ß- and γ-phases. The specific surface area, ranging from 40 to 1 m²/g, strongly depends on the calcination temperature of 700°-1200°C for 1 h. Samples with a high surface area have a high water demand; a water/cement ratio >2.0 is required to produce formable pastes in some instances. Hydration kinetics are determined by XRD, ²⁹Si magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR), and differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSG/TG). The hydration rate depends only on the surface area, not on the polymorph. Complete hydration occurs in as early as 7 d. Very little calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) is formed in the most reactive specimens (calcined at 700° and 800°C), which indicates the Ca/Si ratio in C-S-H gels is ∼2.0, but more Ca(OH)₂ forms from samples calcined at higher temperature. The silicate structure of the hydrated Ca₂SiO₄ pastes is investigated using ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectroscopy and trimethylsilylation analysis.     

Analysis of subcellular phosphatidyl choline in developing rabbit lung

Phosphatidyl choline is a major lung surfactant. Insufficient development of the surfactant in neonates is often associated with the Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The concentration and fatty acid composition of phosphatidyl choline have not been studied in the subcellular organelles of the developing lung. This study has investigated the development of the concentration and fatty acid composition of phosphatidyl choline in subcellular fractions of 28-day and 30-day fetal and maternal New Zealand rabbit lungs. The concentration of total phospholipids in lamellar bodies increased four to five fold from 28-day fetus to 30-day fetus which, in turn, was similar to the maternal level. Total phospholipid content increased only about 50% in mitochondria and microsomes. The percentage of phosphatidyl choline among total phospholipids in lamellar bodies increased successively from 60% at 28 days gestation to 84% at 30 days gestation and leveled at 84% in maternal lamellar bodies. Microsomal PC increased steadily from 52% in the 28-day fetus to 65% in the adult. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of phosphatidyl choline in lamellar bodies confirmed 16∶0 as the major fatty acid, and its content remained constant from 28 days gestation to adult. In contrast, the content of 16∶0 of the microsomal phosphatidyl choline decreased with increasing gestation. Changes of several unsaturated fatty acid components were observed in both lamellar bodies and microsomes in the developing lungs. Maturational development of phosphatidyl choline is reflected in an increase in the concentration of this surfactant, particularly in lamellar bodies, and possibly in remodeling of fatty acid composition in both lamellar bodies and microsomes.     

Acoustics impact on steam dryer induced by main steam line break in a boiling water reactor

In boiling water reactor (BWR) design, significant acoustic pressure loads impact the steam dryer hood as a result of the main steam line break outside containment (MSLB) event. When a main steam line breaks, it is assumed that the pipe instantaneously breaks completely open to the ambient environment (double-ended guillotine break). Due to the huge pressure difference between the inside of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and surrounding ambient environment, a shock wave will form at the break point and burst into the surrounding environment. At the same time, an expansion wave will travel upstream through the main steam line to the RPV, which results in a pressure reduction on the outside of the steam dryer hood. This expansion wave will create a substantial pressure difference between the two sides of the steam dryer hood with a resultant high stress on the hood. This differential pressure load is the acoustic load used in the structure design evaluations for this event. A key design basis requirement for the steam dryer is to maintain structural integrity during transient, and accident conditions. Demonstration that the steam dryers meet this design basis requires a calculation of the magnitude of the acoustic load on the steam dryer during a MSLB. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used as an alternate calculation method to investigate the phenomenon of MSLB. Transient simulations with fine time steps were carried out. The results show that CFD is a useful tool to provide additional information on the acoustic load as compared to the traditional methods. From the CFD results, the minimum pressure value and its distribution area at different flow times was identified. Through the modeling, an understanding of the detailed transient flow field, particularly the acoustic pressure field near the dryer hood during the MSLB was achieved.     

Eruptive history of Dubbi volcano,northeast Afar (Eritrea), revealed by optical and SAR image interpretation

A study of the remote Dubbi volcano, located in the northeastern part of the Afar triangle, Eritrea, was carried out using JERS-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery. It investigated the last known eruption of Dubbi volcano in 1861, the only volcano in Afar for which historical reports indicate a major explosive eruption. Various image processing techniques were tested and compared in order to map different volcanic units, including effusive and explosive products. Principal component analysis and optical-SAR fusion were found to be useful to determine the extent of the 1861 pumice deposits surrounding the volcano. SAR imagery revealed old lava flows buried below tephra deposits, emphasizing the ground penetrating property of the L-band (HH polarization). The interpretation obtained from satellite imagery was cross-checked with sparse historical testimonies and available ground-truth data. Two scenarios are proposed for the 1861 eruptive sequences in order to estimate the volumes of lava flows erupted and the timing of explosive and effusive activity. Identified as a bimodal basaltic-trachytic eruption, with a minimum volume of 1.2 km³ of hawaiite lava and a minimum area of 70 km² of trachytic pumice, it represents the largest known historic eruption in the Afar triangle. This paper raises the issue of the potential volcanic hazards posed by Dubbi, which concern both the local population and the maritime traffic using the strategic route of the Red Sea.     

An analytical method to evaluate facility management services for residential buildings

Besides constructed quality and environmental quality, the quality of facilities in residential buildings is influential to the living quality of numerous residents there. The functional quality of the facilities, in turn, is dependent on the quality of their operation and management. A review of the relevant literature and a focus group discussion with Facility Management (FM) practitioners, which were parts of the study reported here, unveiled that prior performance evaluation studies focussed on assessing the outcome of FM services whereas an analytical method suitable for holistic evaluation of the services is lacking. An interview survey with 297 users of a typical residential estate in Hong Kong was carried out to solicit their perceived levels of importance and performance of FM services. The responses were tested using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to isolate those with inconsistent judgments, followed by computing the weightings for various aspects of FM services based on the consistent responses. The calculation of a weighted performance score for benchmarking purposes and a critical evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of FM services, which are crucial for achieving a quality and sustainable built environment, are illustrated.     

Influence of the Cooling Temperature on the Mechanical Behavior of an Oxidized Self-Healing Ceramic Matrix Composite

Composites made of ceramic for both fibers and matrix are aimed at being used in aerospace applications, which means being submitted to mechanical stresses at high temperatures in oxidizing and corrosive environments for long durations. The oxidation/corrosion resistance of these materials is linked to their ability to self-heal by creating an oxide phase which can restrict the access of the oxygen into the bulk of the material. During thermomechanical cycles, the distribution of O₂ inside the material as well as the distribution and the state of the liquid oxides will undergo some modifications. A specific test has been conceived and performed in order to evidence the influence of the viscosity of this oxide on the mechanical properties of the material. Results have shown that the stiffening which is observed seems to be proportional to the increase in the viscosity of the sealing oxide, in conjunction with the decrease in the temperature.