Electrochemical examination of the ascorbic acid radical anion in non-aqueous electrolytes

A quasi-reversible redox reaction involving ascorbic acid was observed in non-aqueous electrolytes at conductive diamond electrode. The chemical reversibility of these reactions is consistent with ascorbic acid being reduced to the ascorbic acid radical anion in a one-electron process, with subsequent reoxidation to ascorbic acid. This is the first report on the electrochemical production of the ascorbic acid radical anion in non-aqueous electrolytes. Ascorbyl 6-stearate and 4-hydroxy 2(5H)-furanone, which have somewhat similar structures as ascorbic acid, also showed one-electron transfer reduction reaction producing radicals with a single negative charge, suggesting that these compounds follow the same electrochemical behavior as ascorbic acid. The double bond and hydroxyl substituent on the five-membered ring are shown to be necessary for the stabilization of the radical anions. It was confirmed by the calculation of the total energy using molecular orbital methods that resonance structures involving the double-bond and hydroxyl group provide significant stabilization of the radical anions. Electrochemical preparation may be a useful method for the detailed study of radicals, their molecular structure and reactivity.     

Predicting nitrogen leaching with the modified LEACHM model: validation in soils receiving long-term application of animal manure composts

A variety of process-based models have been developed for predicting nitrogen (N) dynamics in agro-ecosystem; however, no reliable models have been validated for N leaching from soils receiving a long-term application of different types of animal manure composts. The Leaching Estimation and Chemistry Model (LEACHM) was recently modified by incorporating the basic structure of Rothamsted Carbon Model for extending its ability to describe soil organic matter decomposition and subsequent N leaching in soils rich in organic matter. We evaluate the applicability of the modified LEACHM in cropped Yellow soils receiving 10-year application of cattle or swine manure compost in addition to chemical fertilizers, where high-frequency field monitoring data of soil water contents, soil N contents and leachate N concentrations were available for the last 3 years. Particular attention was paid to determine all input parameters from independent measurements, parameterization from known soil properties or databases without optimisation to fit the measured field data. The model reasonably predicted temporal changes in the soil NH₄-N and NO₃-N contents, and inorganic N concentrations in the leachate as well as their differences due to different manure compost/chemical fertilizer applications. The simulations of leached N concentration yielded a Willmott index of agreement (IA) of 0.62–0.68, with those for soil moisture, soil nitrate content and crop N uptake all within an acceptable IA range. In view of the good performance without site-specific calibrations, the modified LEACHM appears to be a valuable tool for predicting N leaching from cropped soils receiving long-term manure compost applications.     

Effect of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid on postprandial lipemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid to those of a low-fat diet enriched with linoleic acid on fasting lipids, postprandial lipemia, and oxidative susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). In a 3-wk randomized crossover study, eight patients with type 2 DM were given an experimental low-fat diet enriched with either oleic acid or linoleic acid. The oleic-acid-enriched diet contained 5, 15, and 5% energy from saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the linoleic-acid-enriched diet contained 5, 5, and 15% energy from saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. In addition to evaluating the fasting lipids and oxidative susceptibility of LDL, we evaluated postprandial lipemia using an oral fat load at the end of each 3-wk dietary phase. There were no significant differences in fasting lipid profile or lag time of LDL oxidation between the two experimental dietary phases. The average and maximal increments of remnant-like particle (RLP) cholesterol levels during oral fat load were significantly higher after the oleic-acid-enriched dietary phase than after the linoleic-acid-enriched dietary phase. The area under the curve of RLP cholesterol was also significantly larger after the oleicacid-enriched dietary phase than after the linoleic-acid-enriched dietary phase. These results suggest that the oleic-acidenriched diet was associated with increased formation of postprandial chylomicron remnants compared with the linoleicacid-enriched diet.     

ISO/IEC、美日中氢能技术标准化体系比较与建议

技术标准在技术进步、国际贸易中具有重要作用。全景式梳理、比较氢能技术标准化体系发展与现状,对于促进技术进步、规范国际贸易至关重要。本文综述了ISO/IEC、美国、日本和中国等5个主体氢能技术标准化体系：介绍了上述5个主体的氢能标准化机构,详细梳理了ISO/IEC氢能国际标准与美日中氢能国家标准/行业标准的层级结构比例,并按标准具体内容将其归类到8个技术类别中,分析了各主体在8个技术类别中的分布与特征。文中指出相比于美国和日本,中国氢能技术标准化体系存在行业标准数量较少、氢能产业联盟在行业标准制定中主导性弱和部分技术类别覆盖度低的不足。针对上述不足,文章对中国氢能技术标准体系提出两条发展建议：增加行业标准数量,以发挥其对标准体系补充、完善的作用,为此需赋予中国氢能产业联盟制定行业标准的权限;优化中国氢能技术标准分布,提高氢储运与加注以及氢能应用等技术类别的覆盖度,保障氢能产业从定点示范运营到城市群大规模推广的顺利升级。     

Superplastic behaviour of Ti-48at.%Al two-phase titanium aluminide compacts made from mechanically alloyed powder

An HIP compact of MA-processed powder having a nominal composition of Ti-48at.% Al was produced. The compact consisted of a large amount of TiAl(λ) and a small amount of Ti₃Al (₂), in a completely ultra-fine equiaxed grain structure. This two-phase compact showed typical superplastic deformation behaviour. A maximum elongation of 550% was obtained. A strain exponent, n = 2, and grain size exponent, p = 2, were determined from the results of a strain-rate-change test and a creep test at constant initial stress using samples having various grain sizes, respectively. The activation energy for creep, Q_c at constant stress was calculated to be 350 kJ/mole. It is concluded that the superplastic deformation mechanism of the material under study is grain boundary sliding controlled by lattice diffusion in the TiAl phase.     

Photocatalytic decomposition of 2-propanol in air by mechanical mixtures of TiO2 crystalline particles and silicalite adsorbent: The complete conversion of organic molecules strongly adsorbed within zeolitic channels

Fundamental photocatalytic behaviors were investigated for mechanical mixtures of TiO₂ crystalline particles (P25) and MFI type zeolite (silicalite) in the decomposition reaction of 2-propanol vapor in air for the first time. Mechanical mixing enables reliable comparisons to be made between photocatalysts because the contents of TiO₂ and the adsorbent can be widely varied (51 times in this study) while keeping the particle size and crystallinity of TiO₂ unchanged. That is, the use of mechanical mixture highlights the behavior of molecules adsorbed in the microporous crystals, keeping the TiO₂ unchanged. In the case of the mixed photocatalysts, the initial 2-propanol concentration in the gas phase was significantly reduced because of adsorption into the zeolite. After photo-irradiation started, 2-propanol was decomposed to CO₂ with no (or trace amount of) acetone detected in the gas phase. The analysis of final amount of CO₂ formed by the decomposition demonstrated that just by the mechanical mixing of TiO₂ and zeolite, the TiO₂ photocatalyst decomposed completely the reactant and intermediate molecules strongly adsorbed into the zeolite. On the other hand, in reference experiments in which TiO₂ and zeolite were not mixed and were separately placed in a photoreactor, the organic compounds strongly adsorbed in the zeolite could not be decomposed to CO₂ by the photocatalyst. It is notable that the CO₂ formation rates for the mixed photocatalysts were mostly constant for those comprising 40 wt% or larger amounts of zeolite, while being slower than for pure TiO₂. The rate-determining step was discussed based on these data. The present study showed that the mixed photocatalyst could remove organic vapors by adsorption in the dark and decompose completely to CO₂ at moderate reaction rates under photo-irradiation with minimized evolution of intermediate molecules into the gas phase.     

Study of an annular laser beam based axially-fed powder cladding process

An annular laser beam based powder cladding head, which enables an axial powder feeding and variation of the laser beam intensity distribution (LBID) on the workpiece surface is presented. The influence of typical LBIDs, including Ring, Tophat(?), Tophat(+), and Gaussian-like, on a cladding process has been characterized based on the process and melt pool visualization, powder catchment efficiency, clad layer geometry, and porosity. The results showed that the most stable process without plasma formation but with low dilution and porosity of the clad layer can be achieved within the range from a Ring to a Tophat(?) LBID. Additionally, axial powder feeding results in a high powder catchment efficiency above 80%.     

Enhancement of Anti-Tumoral Immunity by β-Casomorphin-7 Inhibits Cancer Development and Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer

β-Casomorphin-7 (BCM) is a degradation product of β-casein, a milk component, and has been suggested to affect the immune system. However, its effect on mucosal immunity, especially anti-tumor immunity, in cancer-bearing individuals is not clear. We investigated the effects of BCM on lymphocytes using an in vitro system comprising mouse splenocytes, a mouse colorectal carcinogenesis model, and a mouse orthotopic colorectal cancer model. Treatment of mouse splenocytes with BCM in vitro reduced numbers of cluster of differentiation (CD) 20⁺ B cells, CD4⁺ T cells, and regulatory T cells (Tregs), and increased CD8⁺ T cells. Administration of BCM and the CD10 inhibitor thiorphan (TOP) to mice resulted in similar alterations in the lymphocyte subsets in the spleen and intestinal mucosa. BCM was degraded in a concentration- and time-dependent manner by the neutral endopeptidase CD10, and the formed BCM degradation product did not affect the lymphocyte counts. Furthermore, degradation was completely suppressed by TOP. In the azoxymethane mouse colorectal carcinogenesis model, the incidence of aberrant crypt foci, adenoma, and adenocarcinoma was reduced by co-treatment with BCM and TOP. Furthermore, when CT26 mouse colon cancer cells were inoculated into the cecum of syngeneic BALB/c mice and concurrently treated with BCM and TOP, infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells was promoted, and tumor growth and liver metastasis were suppressed. These results suggest that by suppressing the BCM degradation system, the anti-tumor effect of BCM is enhanced and it can suppress the development and progression of colorectal cancer.