D-limonene Inhibits Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Seizure via Adenosine A2A Receptor Modulation on GABAergic Neuronal Activity

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by the recurrence of seizures. One-third of patients with epilepsy may not respond to antiseizure drugs. Purpose: We aimed to examine whether D-limonene, a cyclic monoterpene, exhibited any antiseizure activity in the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced kindling mouse model and in vitro. Methods: PTZ kindling mouse model was established by administering PTZ (30 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to mice once every 48 h. We performed immunoblot blots, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis after the behavioral study. Results: An acute injection of PTZ (60 mg/kg) induced seizure in mice, while pretreatment with D-limonene inhibited PTZ-induced seizure. Repeated administration of PTZ (30 mg/kg) increased the seizure score gradually in mice, which was reduced in D-limonene (10 mg/kg)-pretreated group. In addition, D-limonene treatment increased glutamate decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67) expression in the hippocampus. Axonal sprouting of hippocampal neurons after kindling was inhibited by D-limonene pretreatment. Moreover, D-limonene reduced the expression levels of Neuronal PAS Domain Protein 4 (Npas4)-induced by PTZ. Furthermore, the adenosine A2A antagonist {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"SCH58261","term_id":"1052882304","term_text":"SCH58261"}}SCH58261 and ZM241385 inhibited anticonvulsant activity and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurotransmission-induced by D-limonene. Conclusion: These results suggest that D-limonene exhibits anticonvulsant activity through modulation of adenosine A2A receptors on GABAergic neuronal function.     

Effects of sintering in a high magnetic field on properties of vitrified bond and vitrified CBN composites

Vitrified bond CBN grinding wheels are being widely used due to their superior performance. Also, advantages of vitrified grinding wheels are high elastic modulus, stable chemical property, and low thermal expansion coefficient. Brittleness and low strength are key factors restricting the development of vitrified bond CBN grinding wheels. In this paper, the sintering in a high magnetic field was innovatively introduced into the manufacturing of vitrified bond CBN grinding wheels, and the effects of sintering in a high magnetic field on properties on vitrified bond and vitrified CBN composites were systematically investigated. Vitrified bond was characterized using three-point bending, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction. It was observed that microstructure of vitrified bond could be changed, grain orientation could be controlled and average grain size could be decreased in a high magnetic field, while vitrified bond strength could be simultaneously improved. High quality vitrified bond could be obtained by appropriately adjusting the strength and direction of high magnetic field. Results demonstrated that vitrified bond properties were improved when the magnetic field strength was 6?T. In order to highlight the high magnetic field effect on the vitrified CBN composites, the ordinary CBN abrasives and nickel plated CBN abrasives were used respectively. Microstructures, bending strengths of vitrified CBN composites were compared in different high magnetic fields. When the magnetic field strength was appropriate (less than 6?T), the binding characteristic of vitrified bond CBN composites with nickel plated CBN abrasives was greatly improved. The highest bending strength value of vitrified CBN composites was 79.5?MPa in 6?T high magnetic field.     

Effects of ethylene-octene copolymer (POE) on the brittle to ductile transition of high-density polyethylene/POE blends

Three kinds of ethylene-octene copolymers (POE) were melt-blended with high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) in different proportions. Detailed characterizations were conducted to analyze their structural differences of POE and its effects in toughening PE-HD. The higher molecular weight POE can improve the toughness of PE-HD. 60:40 PE-HD/POE is elongated to break up to 700% while impact strength is 84.7 kJ/m² at −30°C, which is 21-fold of PE-HD. In the brittle to ductile transition (BDT) during impact, the fracture mechanism changes from the crazing mode to the shear yield-plastic deformation mode. The BDT temperature decreases as the POE molecular weight and its content increase. The interface strength in tension is estimated to access their effects. The Boltzmann-type models were successfully extended to describe the typical S-shaped curves in BDT of notched impact strength vs POE content or temperature. The supplementary decay model is suggested for the attenuation in toughening. Transition map in impact is proposed to select the use range of composition (c ) and temperature (T ) for high toughness. The curves are converted into 3D graph of T -c -impact strength for illustrating their coupling-separate effects, and further into the contour map of impact strength in T -c space for finding their partial equivalence.     

Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on a Top-Blown Smelting Process with Lance Failure in an Isa Furnace

JOM - The Isa/Ausmelt smelting technology with a top submerged lance (TSL) has been extensively used in copper smelting processes. However, the TSL is extremely vulnerable to damage and failure...     

Structural,magnetic and magnetostrictive properties of Co1-xLixFe2O4 synthesized by cathode materials of spent Li-ion batteries

In this study, we investigated the effects of substituting Li⁺ for Co²⁺ at the B sites of the spinel lattice on the structural, magnetic and magnetostrictive properties of cobalt ferrites. The Li⁺ substituted cobalt ferrites, Co_1-xLi_xFe₂O₄, with x varying from 0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments, were synthesized with a sol-gel auto-combustion method using the cathode materials of spent Li-ion batteries. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that all the Co_1-xLi_xFe₂O₄ nanopowders had a single-phase spinel structure and the lattice parameters decreased with increasing Li⁺ content, which can be proved by slight shifts towards higher diffraction angle values of the (311) peak. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the fractured inner surface of the sintered cylindrical rods and the increased porosity resulted in a decreased magnetostriction. The oxidation states of Co and Fe in the cobalt ferrite samples were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High resolution transmission electron microscopy micrographs showed that most particles were roughly spherical and with sizes of 25–35?nm. Li⁺ substitution had a strong effect on the saturation magnetization and coercivity, which were characterized with a vibrating sample magnetometer. The Curie temperature was reduced due to the decrease in magnetic cations and the weakening of the exchange interactions. The magnetostrictive properties were influenced by the incorporation of Li⁺ at the B sites of the spinel structure and correlated with the changes in porosity, magnetocrystalline anisotropy and the cation distribution.     

Performance of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 prepared from spent lithium-ion batteries by a carbonate co-precipitation method

Spherical LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ cathode particles were resynthesized by a carbonate co-precipitation method using spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as a raw material. The physical characteristics of the Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3CO₃ precursor, the (Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3)₃O₄ intermediate, and the regenerated LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ cathode material were investigated by laser particle-size analysis, scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical performance of the regenerated LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ was studied by continuous charge–discharge cycling and cyclic voltammetry. The results indicate that the regenerated Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3CO₃ precursor comprises uniform spherical particles with a narrow particle-size distribution. The regenerated LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ comprises spherical particles similar to those of the Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3CO₃ precursor, but with a narrower particle-size distribution. Moreover, it has a well-ordered layered structure and a low degree of cation mixing. The regenerated LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ shows an initial discharge capacity of 163.5 mA h g^?1 at 0.1 C, between 2.7 and 4.3 V; the discharge capacity at 1 C is 135.1 mA h g^?1, and the capacity retention ratio is 94.1% after 50 cycles. Even at the high rate of 5 C, LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ delivers the high capacity of 112.6 mA h g^?1. These results demonstrate that the electrochemical performance of the regenerated LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ is comparable to that of a cathode synthesized from fresh materials by carbonate co-precipitation.