Part II Improving emergency egress

How can more people be evacuated from an aircraft in less time than is currently possible? The author discusses a concept that is under study at this time—the concept of blasting additional openings in fuselage walls.     

AN IMPROVED VOLUMENOMETER*

A volumcnometer of improved design has been developed for measuring the solid volumes of specimens varying in size up to that of standard refractory bricks. The chief feature of the new design is the use of a closed-cistern, altitude-type mercurial barometer to replace the simple manometer previously used. The barometer is de signed for use in a constant temperature room (21.1°C.) where the acceleration of gravity is 980.1 cm. per sec.². Under these conditions, pressure readings are auto matically corrected to standard conditions. A vernier permits rapid readings to 0.1 mm. of mercury.     

Preparation of hydroxy acids by sulfation of oleic and linoleic acids

Summary Monohydroxystearic acids were prepared by sulfation and subsequent hydrolysis of oleic acid, and the effect of reaction conditions on yield was studied. Monohydroxystearic acids were obtained from commercial oleic acid in 72% yield and from pure oleic acid in 86% yield. Conditions for the best yields apparently gave increased amounts of isomeric hydroxy acids. Hydroxy acids prepared by the sulfation and subsequent hydrolysis of linoleic acid were converted to methyl esters, and purified by fractional distillation and low temperature crystallization. Experimental evidence indicates that sulfuric acid reacts with one double bond of linoleic acid to form isomeric monohydroxyoleic acids and with both double bonds to form dihydroxystearic acids. The by-products formed by the sulfation of linoleic acid include both ester-type polymers and additional polymeric material which cannot be converted to monomers by alkaline saponification. When commercial oleic acid is sulfated and subsequently hydrolyzed, the monohydroxystearic acid thus obtained presumably contains monohydroxyoleic acids and dihydroxystearic acids resulting from the linoleic acid present in the starting material. The formation of an unsaponifiable polymer during the sulfation of linoleic acid accounts in part for the lower yield of hydroxy acids obtained from commercial oleic acid, as compared with that of purified oleic acid. One of the laboratories of the Bureau of Agricultural and Industrial Ohemistry, Agricultural Research Administration, U. S. Department of Agriculture.     

Genetic Variants Associated with Long-Terminal Repeats Can Diagnostically Classify Cannabis Varieties

Cannabis sativa (Cannabis) has recently been legalized in multiple countries globally for either its recreational or medicinal use. This, in turn, has led to a marked increase in the number of Cannabis varieties available for use in either market. However, little information currently exists on the genetic distinction between adopted varieties. Such fundamental knowledge is of considerable value and underpins the accelerated development of both a nascent pharmaceutical industry and the commercial recreational market. Therefore, in this study, we sought to assess genetic diversity across 10 Cannabis varieties by undertaking a reduced representation shotgun sequencing approach on 83 individual plants to identify variations which could be used to resolve the genetic structure of the assessed population. Such an approach also allowed for the identification of the genetic features putatively associated with the production of secondary metabolites in Cannabis. Initial analysis identified 3608 variants across the assessed population with phylogenetic analysis of this data subsequently enabling the confident grouping of each variety into distinct subpopulations. Within our dataset, the most diagnostically informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined to be associated with the long-terminal repeat (LTRs) class of retroelements, with 172 such SNPs used to fully resolve the genetic structure of the assessed population. These 172 SNPs could be used to design a targeted resequencing panel, which we propose could be used to rapidly screen different Cannabis plants to determine genetic relationships, as well as to provide a more robust, scientific classification of Cannabis varieties as the field moves into the pharmaceutical sphere.     

The VEGF Inhibitor Soluble Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase 1 Does Not Promote AKI-to-CKD Transition

(1) Background: Soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFLT1) is an endogenous VEGF inhibitor. sFLT1 has been described as an anti-inflammatory treatment for diabetic nephropathy and heart fibrosis. However, sFLT1 has also been related to peritubular capillary (PTC) loss, which promotes fibrogenesis. Here, we studied whether transfection with sFlt1 aggravates experimental AKI-to-CKD transition and whether sFLT1 is increased in human kidney fibrosis. (2) Methods: Mice were transfected via electroporation with sFlt1. After confirming transfection efficacy, mice underwent unilateral ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) and were sacrificed 28 days later. Kidney histology and RNA were analyzed to study renal fibrosis, PTC damage and inflammation. Renal sFLT1 mRNA expression was measured in CKD biopsies and control kidney tissue. (3) Results: sFlt1 transfection did not aggravate renal fibrosis, PTC loss or macrophage recruitment in IRI mice. In contrast, higher transfection efficiency was correlated with reduced expression of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory markers. In the human samples, sFLT1 mRNA levels were similar in CKD and control kidneys and were not correlated with interstitial fibrosis or PTC loss. (4) Conclusion: As we previously found that sFLT1 has therapeutic potential in diabetic nephropathy, our findings indicate that sFLT1 can be administered at a dose that is therapeutically effective in reducing inflammation, without promoting maladaptive kidney damage.     

Synthetic Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside (LGM2605) Prevents Asbestos-Induced Inflammation and Genotoxic Cell Damage in Human Mesothelial Cells

Although alveolar macrophages play a critical role in malignant transformation of mesothelial cells following asbestos exposure, inflammatory and oxidative processes continue to occur in the mesothelial cells lining the pleura that may contribute to the carcinogenic process. Malignant transformation of mesothelial cells following asbestos exposure occurs over several decades; however, amelioration of DNA damage, inflammation, and cell injury may impede the carcinogenic process. We have shown in an in vitro model of asbestos-induced macrophage activation that synthetic secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (LGM2605), given preventively, reduced inflammatory cascades and oxidative/nitrosative cell damage. Therefore, it was hypothesized that LGM2605 could also be effective in reducing asbestos-induced activation and the damage of pleural mesothelial cells. LGM2605 treatment (50 µM) of huma n pleural mesothelial cells was initiated 4 h prior to exposure to asbestos (crocidolite, 20 µg/cm²). Supernatant and cells were evaluated at 0, 2, 4, and 8 h post asbestos exposure for reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, DNA damage (oxidized guanine), inflammasome activation (caspase-1 activity) and associated pro-inflammatory cytokine release (IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, TNFα, and HMGB1), and markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2a (8-iso-PGF2α). Asbestos induced a time-dependent ROS increase that was significantly (p < 0.0001) reduced (29.4%) by LGM2605 treatment. LGM2605 pretreatment also reduced levels of asbestos-induced DNA damage by 73.6% ± 1.0%. Although levels of inflammasome-activated cytokines, IL-1β and IL-18, reached 29.2 pg/mL ± 0.7 pg/mL and 43.9 pg/mL ± 0.8 pg/mL, respectively, LGM2605 treatment significantly (p < 0.0001) reduced cytokine levels comparable to baseline (non-asbestos exposed) values (3.8 pg/mL ± 0.2 pg/mL and 5.4 pg/mL ± 0.2 pg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, levels of IL-6 and TNFα in asbestos-exposed mesothelial cells were high (289.1 pg/mL ± 2.9 pg/mL and 511.3 pg/mL ± 10.2 pg/mL, respectively), while remaining undetectable with LGM2605 pretreatment. HMGB1 (a key inflammatory mediator and initiator of malignant transformation) release was reduced 75.3% ± 0.4% by LGM2605. Levels of MDA and 8-iso-PGF2α, markers of oxidative cell injury, were significantly (p < 0.001) reduced by 80.5% ± 0.1% and 76.6% ± 0.3%, respectively. LGM2605, given preventively, reduced ROS generation, DNA damage, and inflammasome-activated cytokine release and key inflammatory mediators implicated in asbestos-induced malignant transformation of normal mesothelial cells.     

Tolerance,Adaptation, and Cell Response Elicited by Micromonospora sp. Facing Tellurite Toxicity: A Biological and Physical-Chemical Characterization

The intense use of tellurium (Te) in industrial applications, along with the improper disposal of Te-derivatives, is causing their accumulation in the environment, where oxyanion tellurite (TeO₃²⁻) is the most soluble, bioavailable, and toxic Te-species. On the other hand, tellurium is a rare metalloid element whose natural supply will end shortly with possible economic and technological effects. Thus, Te-containing waste represents the source from which Te should be recycled and recovered. Among the explored strategies, the microbial TeO₃²⁻ biotransformation into less toxic Te-species is the most appropriate concerning the circular economy. Actinomycetes are ideal candidates in environmental biotechnology. However, their exploration in TeO₃²⁻ biotransformation is scarce due to limited knowledge regarding oxyanion microbial processing. Here, this gap was filled by investigating the cell tolerance, adaptation, and response to TeO₃²⁻ of a Micromonospora strain isolated from a metal(loid)-rich environment. To this aim, an integrated biological, physical-chemical, and statistical approach combining physiological and biochemical assays with confocal or scanning electron (SEM) microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance mode (ATR-FTIR) was designed. Micromonospora cells exposed to TeO₃²⁻ under different physiological states revealed a series of striking cell responses, such as cell morphology changes, extracellular polymeric substance production, cell membrane damages and modifications, oxidative stress burst, protein aggregation and phosphorylation, and superoxide dismutase induction. These results highlight this Micromonospora strain as an asset for biotechnological purposes.     

关于复迭代的Julia集的注记

提出了把复迭代的Julia集及充满Julia集的概念作一定程度的拓广(原先在文献中所认为的Julia集仍是拓广后的Julia集),后指出当指定任何一个三角形区域之后,它必可是某个复迭代的Julia集。并讨论了一些相关的问题,为建立分形集合分析理论的基础进行了初步探索。