Effects of ibuprofen on airway vascular response to cotton smoke injury

We studied the effects of ibuprofen on bronchial blood flow and myocardial function after inhalation injury. Sheep (n = 12) were chronically instrumented with cardiovascular and pulmonary catheters. After 5 days of recovery period, baseline data were collected and the sheep were divided into two groups. Group S (n = 6) were insufflated with 48 breaths of cotton smoke; while group I (n = 6) were pretreated with ibuprofen (12mg/kg bolus followed by 3 mg/kg/h continuous infusion for 24 h) and challenged with the same dose of smoke. All the animals were studied for 24h. Bronchial blood flow increased significantly in both groups throughout the experimental period; while stroke volume as well as right and left ventricular stroke work indices of both groups were significantly decreased (group I worse than group S) in the second half of the experimental period. These data suggest that vasodilatory prostaglandins do not play a major role in the bronchial vascular response to smoke inhalation injury and myocardial depression seen post injury is worse in animals treated with ibuprofen.     

Demonstration of protein-protein interaction specificity by NMR chemical shift mapping

Chemical shift mapping is becoming a popular method for studying protein-protein interactions in solution. The technique is used to identify putative sites of interaction on a protein surface by detecting chemical shift perturbations in simple (1H, 15N)-HSQC NMR spectra of a uniformly labeled protein as a function of added (unlabeled) target protein. The high concentrations required for these experiments raise questions concerning the possibility for non-specific interactions being detected, thereby compromising the information obtained. We demonstrate here that the simple chemical shift mapping approach faithfully reproduces the known functional specificities among pairs of closely related proteins from the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase systems of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.     

Conversion of Extracted Oil Cake Fibers into Bioethanol Including DDGS,Canola, Sunflower,Sesame, Soy,and Peanut for Integrated Biodiesel Processing

We have come up with a novel, integrated approach for making biodiesel by in-house producion of ethanol after fermentation of hexane extracted edible oil cake fiber. In addition, we have demonstrated how ethanol could be manufactured from commonly available oil cakes (such as canola, sunflower, sesame, soy, peanut) and dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS). The edible oil cakes and DDGS were hexane extracted, ammonia fiber expansion pretreated, enzymatically hydrolysed and fermented to produce ethanol. From all the oil cakes tested in this work, DDGS and peanut oil cake showed the most promising results giving more than 180 g of glucose/kg of oil cake. These two feedstock’s were hydrolyzed at 15% solids loading and fermented by a native strain of Pichia stipitis. Most sugars were consumed during the first 24 h, with no pronounced inhibition of P. stipitis by the degradation products in the hydrolysate. Xylose consumption was more effective for peanut cake hydrolyzate compared to DDGS.     

Characteristics of Milk Powders Produced by Spray Freeze Drying

Skim and whole milk powders were manufactured at lab scale by spray freeze drying (SFD), using liquid nitrogen as the cryogen. The polydispersity of droplet/particle sizes was limited using an encapsulator nozzle to atomize the feed. Particle morphology was examined using a scanning electron microscope. Samples were compared with equivalent spray-dried powders in tests of wettability and dissolution in water. The spray freeze-dried powders were found to be highly porous, with a uniform structure of pores throughout the entire particles. When tested in water, SFD skim milk powders wetted roughly three times as fast as industrially spray-dried agglomerated skim milk powders and were observed to dissolve rapidly by breaking down into smaller particles.     

Restoration of depressed prostanoid-induced ileal contraction in spontaneously hypertensive rats by dietary fish oil

We have reported that dietary fish oil (FO) rich in n-3 PUFA modulates gut contractility. It was further demonstrated that the gut of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) has a depressed contractility response to prostaglandins (PG) compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. We investigated whether feeding diets supplemented with n-3 PUFA increased gut contractility and restored the depressed prostanoid response in SHR gut. Thirteen-week-old SHR were fed diets containing fat at 5 g/100 g as coconut oil (CO), lard, canola oil containing 10% (w/w) n-3 FA as alpha-linolenic acid (1 8:3n-3), or FO (as HiDHA, 22:6n-3) for 12 wk. A control WKY group was fed 5 g/100 g CO in the diet. As confirmed, the SHR CO group had a significantly lower gut response to PGE2 and PGF2alpha compared with the WKY CO group. Feeding FO increased the maximal contraction response to acetylcholine in the ileum compared with all diets and in the colon compared with lard, and restored the depressed response to PGE2 and PGF2alpha in the ileum but not the colon of SHR. FO feeding also led to a significant increase in gut total phospholipid n-3 PUFA as DHA (22:6n-3) with lower n-6 PUFA as arachidonic acid (20:4n-6). Canola feeding led to a small increase in ileal EPA (20:5n-3) and DHA and in colonic DHA without affecting contractility. However, there was no change in ileal membrane muscarinic binding properties due to FO feeding. This report confirms that dietary FO increases muscarinic- and eicosanoid receptor-induced contractility in ileum and that the depressed prostanoid response in SHR ileum, but not colon, is restored by tissue incorporation of DHA as the active nutrient.     

Synthesis of SiBNC-Al ceramics with different aluminum contents via polymer-derived method

This study reports the synthesis of three types of aluminium (Al)-modified polyborosilazane ceramic precursors (PBSAZ) from C₈H₁₉Al/HSiCl₃/HMDZ/BCl₃ and their thermal conversion to SiBNC-Al ceramics at 1000°C. FT-IR, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) are used to characterize the structures and properties of the PBSAZ. PBSAZ is found to be built up of the Si─N─B framework, with Al successfully introduced into the ceramic network structures. The ceramic yield is 63.5 wt.% for the Al-poor polymers (PBSAZ-5) and 65.1 wt.% for the Al-rich polymers (PBSAZ-1). The high-temperature cracking behavior and the crystal phase structures of the ceramics were characterized by XRD and Raman, which revealed that SiBNC-Al ceramics contained Si₄N₃, SiC, and AlN (+SiC) crystals after heat treatment at 1600°C. The oxidation behavior of SiBNC and SiBNC-Al ceramics at 1500°C shows that the introduction of Al improves the quality of the oxide layer, effectively suppresses the oxide layer cracking phenomenon, and reduces gas bubble generation.     

Differential scanning calorimetry analysis of an enhanced LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathode with single wall carbon nanotube conductive additives

The replacement of traditional conductive carbon additives with single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in lithium metal oxide cathode composites has been shown to enhance thermal stability as well as power capability and electrode energy density. The dispersion of 1 wt% high purity laser-produced SWCNTs in a LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂ electrode created an improved percolation network over an equivalent composite electrode using 4 wt% Super C65 carbon black; evidenced by additive connectivity in SEM images and an order of magnitude increase in electrode electrical conductivity. The cathode with 1 wt% SWCNT additives showed comparable active material capacity (185–188 mAh g⁻¹), at a low rate, and Coulombic efficiency to the cathode composite with 4 wt% Super C65. At increased cycling rates, the cathode with SWCNT additives had higher capacity retention with more than three times the capacity at 10C (16.4 mA cm⁻²). The thermal stability of the electrodes was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry after charging to 4.3 V and float charging for 12 h. A 40% reduction of the cathode exothermic energy released was measured when using 1 wt% SWCNTs as the additive. Thus, the results demonstrate that replacing traditional conductive carbon additives with a lower weight loading of SWCNTs is a simple way to improve the thermal transport, safety, power, and energy characteristics of cathode composites for lithium ion batteries.     

Impact of microwave synthesis conditions on the rechargeable capacity of LiCoPO4 for lithium ion batteries

Lithium transition metal phosphates have the capability of improving cathode energy densities up to 800 Wh kg^?1, a 27 % increase over conventional cathode active material energy densities. In this study, the effect of base-to-acid (NH₄OH:H₃PO₄) stoichiometric conditions on the intrinsic reversible capacity of lithium cobalt phosphate (LiCoPO₄) active material are investigated through microwave synthesis and electrochemical testing. Variation in solution pH results in an increase of 69 mAh g^?1 in achievable capacity. X-ray diffraction results show highly crystalline LiCoPO₄, with particle sizes ranging from 200 nm to greater than 1 μm based upon scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical analysis with 1 M LiPF₆ EC:EMC (1:2 v/v) provides the highest capacity over multiple cycles. A discharge capacity of 128 mAh g^?1 (78 % of theoretical capacity) is achievable for intrinsic LiCoPO₄ without further treatment (e.g., carbon coating) at an effective 0.1 C rate with a proper constant current–constant voltage step. Analysis of reported synthesis techniques shows that microwave synthesis yields the highest capacity for the intrinsic LiCoPO₄ material to date.     

Simulation of dike-break processes in the Yellow River

Although dike-break and dam-break processes have similar unsteady and discontinuous hydrodynamic characteristics, there are significant differences. In general, dam-break simulations focus on the flood discharge, whereas dike-break simulations are required to provide detailed information on the hydraulic and breach evolution processes, such as pit-scour and breach-expansion. In order to overcome the difficulties inherent in applying existing dam-break models to dike-breaks, this paper presents an integrated model that combines the shallow water, sediment transport, riverbed deformation and breach-expansion equations. A Godunov-type finite volume method is used for the flow simulation, based on a fixed quadtree grid system. The hydro-dynamic aspects of the model are validated for an idealized rectangular dam break. A representative reach in the Yellow River is selected at a location where there is a significant risk of a dike-break, and full-scale topographic and hydrologic data are available. Typical di     

Durability of YSZ coated Ti2AlC in 1300°C high velocity burner rig tests

A thermal barrier coating (TBC) system survived 500 hours in aggressive, 1300°C burner rig testing. The yttria-stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) TBC was plasma sprayed on an oxidation-resistant Ti₂AlC-type MAX phase and tested in a jet fuel burner at 100 m/s, using 5 hours cycles. No coating spallation or surface recession was observed; Al₂O₃-scale growth produced a slight 2.4 mg/cm² mass gain. The coating surface exhibited craze-cracked colonies of [111]_flourite textured columns, with no visible moisture attack. The 20 μm alumina scale remained intact under the YSZ face, about twice that producing failure for TBC/superalloy systems. TiO₂ nodules, initially formed on the uncoated backside, were removed, and Al₂O₃ was etched through volatile hydroxides formed in water vapor (~10%). Overall, the test indicated exceptional stability of the YSZ/Al₂O₃/Ti₂AlC system under turbine conditions due in large part to close thermal expansion matching.