Mathematical model of security of the information circulating in the open optical data link channel

The analysis of probability of erroneous reception of one binary code are lead for transfer of the information to the open optical data links, including IR-keyboards. Theoretical estimations for maximum permissible values of the attitude a signal/noise are received.     

Formation of bed agglomeration in a fluidized multi-waste incinerator

A case study was carried out to investigate the bed agglomeration observed in a fluidized bed incinerator when burning blends of three wastes (carbon soot, biosludge and fuel oil). Several instrumental approaches were employed (i.e. XRF, SEM, XRD, and ICP-AES) to identify the bed materials (fresh sand and degrader sand) and clinkers formed in the full-scale incinerator tests. Several elements (V, Al, S, Na, Fe, Ni, P, and Cl), which normally are associated with the formation of low melting point compounds, were found in the waste blends at high content levels. The clinker bridges were identified to be associated with Al, Fe, V, K, Na, S, Ni, and Si elements.The effects of temperature and blending ratio were investigated in a muffle furnace. Carbon soot is believed to be more susceptible to the clinker formation than the other two fuels. Thermodynamic multi-phase multi-component equilibrium calculations predict that the main low melting point species could be Al₂(SO₄)₃, Fe₂(SO₄)₃, Na₂SO₄, NaCl, Na₂SiO₃ and V₂O₅. This information is useful to understand the chemistry of clinker formation. Also, it helps to develop methods for the control and possible elimination of the agglomeration problem for the design fuels.     

Interlaboratory study on lipid oxidation during accelerated storage trials with rapeseed and sunflower oil analyzed by conjugated dienes as primary oxidation products

Accelerated storage tests are frequently used to assess the oxidative stability of foods and related systems due to its reproducibility. Various methods and experimental conditions are used to measure lipid oxidation. Differences between laboratories make it necessary to determine the repeatability and reproducibility of oxidation tests performed under the same conditions. The objective of the present interlaboratory study was to evaluate the outcome of a storage test for two different bulk oils, sunflower oil (SFO) and rapeseed oil (RSO), during a period of 9 weeks at 20°C, 30°C, 40°C, and 60°C. Sixteen laboratories were provided with bottled oils and conducted the storage tests according to a detailed protocol. Lipid oxidation was monitored by the formation of conjugated dienes (CD) and the activation energy (E_a) was determined for comparative purposes and statistically evaluated. An increase in CD formation was observed for both oils when the storage temperature was increased in all laboratories. The E_a,1 ranged from 47.9 to 73.3 kJ mol⁻¹ in RSO and from 27.8 to 62.6 kJ mol⁻¹ in SFO, with average values of 58.2 and 46.8 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The reproducibility coefficients were 10.9% and 18.2% for RSO and SFO, respectively. Practical applications: In order to compare results on oxidative stability of foods derived from different studies, the reproducibility of storage tests and methods employed to evaluate the oxidation level should be considered. This study provides fundamental data on the reproducibility of lipid oxidation under accelerated storage conditions and defines important parameters to be considered for the conduction of experiments.     

A Technique for Controllable Vapor-Phase Deposition of l-Nitro[14C]pyrene and Other Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons onto Environmental Particulate Matter

To produce environmental particles fortified with a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) for toxicology studies, an experimental apparatus was devised for deposition of the desired chemical species onto particles in a controlled and reproducible manner. The technique utilized consists of dispersion of the particles on a gaseous stream at a controlled rate, thermal vaporization of a solution of PAH, delivery of the vaporized PAH into the aerosol of particles at a controlled rate, subsequent condensation of the PAH onto the particles, and final recovery of the coated particles. The effectiveness of this approach was demonstrated by vapor-coating a ¹⁴C-labeled PAH (l-nitro[¹⁴C]-pyrene) onto diesel engine exhaust particles that had previously been collected by tunnel dilution sampling techniques. Using the ¹⁴C label as a tracer, the coated particles were characterized with respect to degree of coating, integrity of particle structure and absence of chemical decomposition of the coating substrate. This study demonstrates that the described method provides a controllable means for depositing a substance uniformly and with a high coating efficiency onto aerosolized particles. The technique was also used to vapor-coat benzo(a)pyrene onto diesel engine exhaust and urban ambient air particulate matter, and 2-nitrofluoranthene onto urban ambient air particulate matter. Coating efficiencies of about 400 μg/g particulate matter were routinely obtained on a single coating run, and up to 1200 μg/g (1200 ppm) were achieved after a second pass through the process. The coated particles were subsequently utilized in biological fate, distribution and metabolism studies     

Analysis of Low Molecular Weight Lignin-Derived Sulphonates by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

A fast and simple analytical procedure, based on capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), for separation of underivatized low molecular weight lignin-derived sulphonates has been developed. Optimal CZE-operatipn conditions for the separation and detection of several lignin-derived sulphonic acids was found when using a low pH (pH 1.7) phosphate buffer system, an applied voltage of 20 kV and UV-detection at the anode-side. At these conditions the electroosmotic flow is negligible and the analytes are transported through the capillary column by electromigration. The sulphonation and subsequent degradation of the lignin-model compound 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-O-(2-methoxyphenyl)-glycerol has been studied by CZE-analysis of aliquots taken from a sulphite reaction mixture No sample pretreatment was needed before analyzing the sulphite reaction mixture with CZE. The method has also been found to be useful for detection of sulphonic acids in samples from sulphite cooking. Crude extracts of a sulphite cooking liquor could be directly analysed by using the technique developed. Based on migration time data and comparison with an authentic sample, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-meth6xyphenyl)-prop-2-ene-1-sulphonate was identified as one of the sulphonic acids present in the sulphite cooking liquor.     

ANALYSIS OF BATCH DRYING DATA USING SAS

An analysis technique is described which uses the nonlinear curve fitting capabilities of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) to analyze batch drying data. The technique does not require any apriori assumptions about whether a constant rate period exists. Rather, the only assumptions necessary are the possible forms of the equations which can be used to describe the drying phenomenon. The program will then determine, based upon statistical techniques, where each equation should be used during the drying process in order to best describe the overall drying process. Two examples are given; the first analyzes the drying of. sand, a material having a constant rate period; the second analyzes the data describing the drying of French fried potato pieces.     

Hedgehog Signaling in Prostate Cancer and Its Therapeutic Implication

Activation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is implicated in the development and progression of several tumor types, including prostate cancer, which is still the most common non-skin malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men in industrialized countries worldwide. Several studies have indicated that the Hh pathway plays a crucial role in the development as well as in the progression of this disease to more aggressive and even therapy-resistant disease states. Moreover, preclinical data have shown that inhibition of Hh signaling has the potential to reduce prostate cancer invasiveness and metastatic potential. Clinical trials investigating the benefit of Hh inhibitors in patients with prostate cancer have recently been initiated. However, acquired drug resistance has already been observed in other tumor types after long-term Hh inhibition. Therefore, combining Hh inhibitors with ionizing radiation, chemotherapy or other molecular targeted agents could represent an alternative therapeutic strategy. In this review, we will highlight the role of Hh signaling in the development and progression of prostate cancer and summarize the different therapeutic applications of Hedgehog inhibition.     

Effect of grass vs. concentrate feeding on the fatty acid profile of different fat depots in lambs

The aim of this study was to produce high‐quality meat from lambs under different feeding conditions, as measured by the accumulation of n‐3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) in muscle and subcutaneous fat. In total, 13 male crossbred lambs (Black Head×Gotland), each at 24 kg live weight, were divided into two feeding groups. Lambs were kept either on pasture (pasture grazing, n = 6) or in the stable (concentrate feeding, n = 7). The linolenic acid (C18:3n‐3) contained in the grass was absorbed and deposited into the different lipid classes of muscle and subcutaneous fat. The proportion of total n‐3 fatty acids in the different lipids of grazing lambs was significantly (p = 0.05) higher compared to that in concentrate‐fed lambs. The n‐6/n‐3 ratio (mean ± SEM) in muscle of grazing lambs was 1.2 ± 0.09 in contrast to 2.3 ± 0.09 (p = 0.05) of the animals kept in the stable. In subcutaneous fat, this ratio was 0.9 ± 0.2 in lambs kept on pasture versus 3.5 ± 0.2 (p = 0.05) after indoor keeping. The relative concentration of C18:1trans‐11 in total muscle lipids, phospholipids, triacylglycerols and subcutaneous fat was significantly increased by grass feeding compared to concentrate feeding. Significant influences of feeding were shown for saturated fatty acids. In concentrate‐fed lambs, a lower content of saturated fatty acids was detected. The proportion of CLAcis‐9,trans‐11 (1.9 ± 0.2% vs. 1.1 ± 0.1% in muscle, 2.5 ± 0.2% vs. 1.4 ± 0.2% in subcutaneous fat, 0.7 ± 0.04% vs. 0.4 ± 0.04% in phospholipids) in lambs was significantly (p = 0.05) higher after grazing than after concentrate feeding, respectively.     

Effect of pasture vs. concentrate diet on CLA isomer distribution in different tissue lipids of beef cattle

This study examined the effects of feeding pasture vs. concentrate on the distribution of CLA isomers in the lipids of longissimus and semitendinosus muscle, liver and heart muscle, and subcutaneous fat in beef bulls. Sixty-four German Holstein and German Simmental bulls were randomly allocated to either an indoor concentrate system or periods of pasture feeding followed by a finishing period on a concentrate containing linseed to enhance their beef content of n−3 PUFA and CLA. The concentrations of CLA isomers in the different tissues were determined by GC and silver ion HPLC. The diet affected the distribution of individual CLA isomers in the lipids of the different tissues. The concentration (mg/100 g fresh tissue) of the most prominent isomer, cis-9,trans-11 18∶2, was increased up to 1.5 times in liver and heart tissue of bulls fed on pasture as compared with concentrate. However, no diet effect was observed for cis-9,trans-11 18∶2 in the lipids of longissimus muscle and subcutaneous fat. In all tissues, the second-most abundant CLA isomer in concentratefed bulls was trans-7,cis-9 18∶2. In contrast, trans-11,cis-13 18∶2 was the second-most abundant CLA isomer in all investigated tissue lipids of pasture-fed bulls. The concentration of the trans-11,cis-13 18∶2 isomer was up to 15 times higher in tissues of pasture-fed bulls as compared with concentrate-fed animals. Furthermone, diet affected the concentrations of the CLA trans,trans 18∶2 isomers. Pasture feeding significantly increased the concentrations of some trans,trans 18∶2 isomers as compared with concentrate, predominantly trans-12,trans-14 18∶2 and trans-11,trans-13 18∶2. Overall, pasture feeding resulted in significantly increased concentrations of the sum of CLA isomers in the lipids of longissimus, muscle, subcutaneous fat, heart and liver muscle of German Holstein and German Simmental bulls, but not in semitendinosus muscle.