TA2钛板掺杂钒离子渗碳层的耐腐蚀性能

为提高钛基双极板的耐腐蚀性能和导电性,在TA2纯钛的表面进行双辉离子渗碳,另外为降低渗碳温度,在渗碳过程中掺杂钒。使用扫描电镜和能谱分析、X射线衍射对改性层的组织结构、化学成分、物相组成进行研究,并测得改性层的界面接触电阻率、耐腐蚀性能。结果表明,在优化的制备工艺参数下,在TA2表面生成结构致密的TiC改性层、钒掺杂渗碳改性层。当压实力为140 N/cm²时,730℃下制备的钒掺杂渗碳改性层、850℃下制备的TiC改性层、TA2基体的界面接触电阻率分别是1.17、3.66、14.71 mΩ/cm²。在模拟双极板的工作环境中,测得730℃下制备的钒掺杂渗碳改性层、850℃下制备的TiC改性层的自腐蚀电流密度分别是5.238、7.563μA/cm²,均比TA2基体的腐蚀电流密度低1个数量级。在离子渗碳的过程中掺杂钒可以有效降低渗碳的工艺温度,并且提高TA2基体的导电性和耐腐蚀性能。     

公路工程地质勘察中彩色地质图数字化方法

利用AutoCAD2004精确制图功能和Photoshop强大的图像处理能力,解决AutoCAD图形和图像混编时其功能的不足,绘制一套具有透明性质的彩色地质图,并给出详细的操作步骤,具有较强的实用性。     

基于SR7265硬件的虚拟锁相放大器、频谱仪、阻抗计和半导体参数分析仪

锁相放大器是用来测量微弱信号的专用仪器.即使噪音上千倍于被测信号,通过锁相放大器,也能得到精确结果.随着数字信号处理技术在仪器中的应用,可编程仪器变得越来越灵活.结合虚拟仪器的技术,论文通过对SR7265的硬件重新编程,在同一个硬件上实现了虚拟锁相放大器、虚拟频谱仪、虚拟阻抗计和虚拟半导体参数分析仪等等功能.本虚拟仪器采用了4层的逻辑结构.同样的功能也在一个FPGA板上成功地部署.     

Experimental Design Applied for Cost and Efficiency of Antioxidants in Biodiesel

Oxidation stability is a parameter of great importance for biodiesel quality control to both producers and subsequent consumers. To maintain the quality of biodiesel, currently the most effective and economical method is the addition of antioxidants that prevent or retard the biofuel oxidation reaction. In this study, efficiency and cost of synthetic antioxidants added to B100 biodiesel from soybean oil and pork fat were evaluated, using butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), in pure form or in mixtures, according to a simplex-centroid mixture experimental design. Results demonstrate an increased induction period (IP) in all trials when compared to the control sample, and TBHQ was the only antioxidant alone that met all the specification standards, while BHT and BHA alone met only the American standard specifications. The antioxidant mixture that presented the highest synergistic effect was that of TBHQ and BHA. Multi-response optimization indicated an optimum formulation containing 75 % TBHQ and 25 % BHA with an IP of 7.27 h at 110 °C and the antioxidant mixture cost of 31.31 USD, to be added for a ton of biodiesel. This simplex-centroid mixture experimental design shows an ability to be applied in the biodiesel, oils and fats industry to evaluate the oxidation stability and the occurrence of synergism between different mixtures of synthetic or natural antioxidants and their costs.     

Obesity and Male Reproduction: Do Sirtuins Play a Role?

Obesity is a major current public health problem of global significance. A progressive sperm quality decline, and a decline in male fertility, have been reported in recent decades. Several studies have reported a strict relationship between obesity and male reproductive dysfunction. Among the many mechanisms by which obesity impairs male gonadal function, sirtuins (SIRTs) have an emerging role. SIRTs are highly conserved nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylases that play a role in gene regulation, metabolism, aging, and cancer. SIRTs regulate the energy balance, the lipid balance, glucose metabolism, and adipogenesis, but current evidence also indicates a role for SIRTs in male reproduction. However, the majority of the studies have been conducted in animal models and very few have been conducted with humans. This review shows that SIRTs play an important role among the molecular mechanisms by which obesity interferes with male fertility. This highlights the need to deepen this relationship. It will be of particular interest to evaluate whether synthetic and/or natural compounds capable of modifying the activity of SIRTs may also be useful for the treatment of obesity and its effects on gonadal function. Although few studies have explored the role of SIRT activators in obesity-induced male infertility, some molecules, such as resveratrol, appear to be effective in modulating SIRT activity, as well as counteracting the negative effects of obesity on male fertility. The search for strategies to improve male reproductive function in overweight/obese patients is a challenge and understanding the role of SIRTs and their activators may open new interesting scenarios in the coming years.     

Cellular and Molecular Signatures of Oxidative Stress in Bronchial Epithelial Cell Models Injured by Cigarette Smoke Extract

Exposure of the airways epithelium to environmental insults, including cigarette smoke, results in increased oxidative stress due to unbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in favor of oxidants. Oxidative stress is a feature of inflammation and promotes the progression of chronic lung diseases, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Increased oxidative stress leads to exhaustion of antioxidant defenses, alterations in autophagy/mitophagy and cell survival regulatory mechanisms, thus promoting cell senescence. All these events are amplified by the increase of inflammation driven by oxidative stress. Several models of bronchial epithelial cells are used to study the molecular mechanisms and the cellular functions altered by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure, and to test the efficacy of molecules with antioxidant properties. This review offers a comprehensive synthesis of human in-vitro and ex-vivo studies published from 2011 to 2021 describing the molecular and cellular mechanisms evoked by CSE exposure in bronchial epithelial cells, the most used experimental models and the mechanisms of action of cellular antioxidants systems as well as natural and synthetic antioxidant compounds.     

Self-Assembly and Neurotoxicity of β-Amyloid (21–40) Peptide Fragment: The Regulatory Role of GxxxG Motifs

The three GxxxG repeating motifs from the C-terminal region of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide play a significant role in regulating the aggregation kinetics of the peptide. Mutation of these glycine residues to leucine greatly accelerates the fibrillation process but generates a varied toxicity profile. Using an array of biophysical techniques, we demonstrated the uniqueness of the composite glycine residues in these structural repeats. We used solvent relaxation NMR spectroscopy to investigate the role played by the surrounding water molecules in determining the corresponding aggregation pathway. Notably, the conformational changes induced by Gly³³ and Gly³⁷ mutations result in significantly decreased toxicity in a neuronal cell line. Our results indicate that G³³xxxG³⁷ is the primary motif responsible for Aβ neurotoxicity, hence providing a direct structure–function correlation. Targeting this motif, therefore, can be a promising strategy to prevent neuronal cell death associated with Alzheimer's and other related diseases, such as type II diabetes and Parkinson's.     

Estimation of the effects of an intensive solar intervention in the historical centre of jaén (Spain)

This paper is directed at evaluating the theoretical potential of an intensive solar intervention in the historical centre of the city of Jaén (Spain). Using the outputs of a solar intervention proposal comprising biomass, photovoltaics and solar thermal domestic hot water (DHW) over a 50-building sample (in which those suitable for solar measures have been selected by evaluating each one over a collection of parameters), energy savings, environmental benefits and economic aspects of the envisaged actions are extrapolated over the entire historical centre. A saving of about 70% of conventional source energy annual consumption and a decrease of some 70% and 73% of CO₂ and SO_x annual releases, respectively, could be reached with respect to the present situation. Besides, an amount of conventionally generated electricity equivalent to the yearly photovoltaic-generated electricity would require 131500 m³ of water a year, which is a rather significant feature for a dry climate like that of the city. the unitary cost of energy in the new scenario would be 60.7 pta kWh-¹ for photovoltaics, 329.9 pta m-³ for DHW using solar thermal installations and 4.6 Pta kWh-¹ for biomass heating (1 US$ = 132.7 pta; 1 ECU = 160.9 pta).     

Coordination Environment of Cu(II) Ions Bound to N-Terminal Peptide Fragments of Angiogenin Protein

Angiogenin (Ang) is a potent angiogenic factor, strongly overexpressed in patients affected by different types of cancers. The specific Ang cellular receptors have not been identified, but it is known that Ang–actin interaction induces changes both in the cell cytoskeleton and in the extracellular matrix. Most in vitro studies use the recombinant form (r-Ang) instead of the form that is normally present in vivo (“wild-type”, wt-Ang). The first residue of r-Ang is a methionine, with a free amino group, whereas wt-Ang has a glutamic acid, whose amino group spontaneously cyclizes in the pyro-glutamate form. The Ang biological activity is influenced by copper ions. To elucidate the role of such a free amino group on the protein–copper binding, we scrutinized the copper(II) complexes with the peptide fragments Ang(1–17) and AcAng(1–17), which encompass the sequence 1–17 of angiogenin (QDNSRYTHFLTQHYDAK-NH₂), with free amino and acetylated N-terminus, respectively. Potentiometric, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) studies demonstrate that the two peptides show a different metal coordination environment. Confocal microscopy imaging of neuroblastoma cells with the actin staining supports the spectroscopic results, with the finding of different responses in the cytoskeleton organization upon the interaction, in the presence or not of copper ions, with the free amino and the acetylated N-terminus peptides.     

Determining the domestic specific loads of two wastewater plants of the Paris conurbation (France) with contrasted treatments: a step for exploring the effects of the application of the European Directive

The effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WTTP) discharged into the rivers considerably affect the biogeochemical functioning of the system. In this paper, we characterize both raw and treated domestic wastewater from two WTTPs of Parisian agglomeration using different process treatments (Achères WWTP with a secondary treatment and Colombes WWTP with a tertiary one). In addition to the classical variables, we analyse the input of bacteria, both the heterotrophs and the nitrifyers. Tertiary treatment leads to significantly decrease ammonium-specific load (< 2 g KjN inhab equ.(-1) instead of 9 g KjN inhab equ.(-1) for secondary treatment) and notably reduces the one of organic matter (approximately 2.5 g biological oxygen demand (BOD) inhab equ.(-1) instead of approximately 7.5 g BOD inhab equ.(-1) for secondary treatment); it is therefore promising to improve oxygen status of both the Seine river and its estuary. In terms of total bacterial biomass abatement (the heterotrophs mostly), bioreactors (at Colombes WWTP) eliminate 12% more bacterial biomass than the activated sludge treatment (at Achères WWTP). Regarding the nitrifying bacteria, a tertiary treatment in bioreactors eliminates reverse similar 90% of both nitrifying bacteria and nitrogen pollution of wastewater. Bacterial populations are characterized by large size bacteria (> 1 microm) with a higher growth rate, that represent in the treatment plant effluents 70% of the biomass. These large size bacteria have therefore a strong impact in the organic matter degradation and oxygen consumption. Relationships between classical physical-chemical variables routinely analysed in WWTPs laboratory and bacterial biomass (heterotrophic and nitrifying) are established, in order to quantify the ecological role of the allochthonous bacteria brought into the river system. In addition, domestic specific loads are calculated for both raw and treated effluents of the two types of WWTPs. As the application of the European Water Directive requires to upgrade the wastewater treatment at Achères WWTP as soon as 2007 for 90% nitrification and 30% denitrification and in 2015 for further denitrification (up to 70%), the results of this study can be taken as point-source constraints into the modelling approach already developed for the Seine basin, and chosen to test the implementation of the Water Frame Directive.