Synthesis of ultrafine LiCoO2 powders by the sol-gel method

Ultrafine high-temperature (HT) LiCoO₂ powders were synthesized by the sol-gel method using polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a chelating agent. The decomposition process of the gel precursor was examined to determine the crystallization temperature and the dependence of the physicochemical properties of HT-LiCoO₂ powders on the PAA quantity was extensively investigated. Polycrystalline HT-LiCoO₂ powders, composed of very uniformly sized ultrafine particulates with an average particle size of 30–50 nm and a specific surface area of 2.3–17 m²g^–1, could be obtained at the lower calcination temperature of 550 °C and the shorter calcination time of 1 h compared to the solid-state reaction.     

Analysis of a 2(9) full factorial chemical library

Robotic synthesis is making possible the synthesis of large, systematically designed sets of compounds. We analyze a 512-compound set that is a 2(9) full factorial experimental design using a recursive partitioning algorithm, FIRM, and a high-dimension visualization tool, TempleMVV. These techniques are used to quickly and easily identify the main trends in the data set and also identify unusual observations. We show that analytical and visualization methods can be used synergistically to analyze a large, complex, high-dimensional data set. We also show that a fractional factorial design of 128 compounds would give essentially the same information.     

In vitro and in vivo studies on the cardioprotective action of oligomeric procyanidins in a Crataegus extract of leaves and blooms

Cardioprotective effects of a standardized extract from leaves with flowers of Crataegus (WS-1442; content of oligomeric procyandins [OPC]: 18.75%) have recently been demonstrated in an ischemia-reperfusion model in rats. Further studies were now conducted to clarify the mechanism of action and to identify active constituents involved in these effects of WS-1442. Exhausting partitioning between ethyl acetate/water and successive ultrafiltration of the aqueous layer led to the quantitative recovery of three fractions, which were tested for their in vitro radical scavenging (RS) and human neutrophil elastase (HNE) inhibitory activity. The lipophilic ethylacetate-soluble fraction A, enriched in flavone derivatives and constituting 14.9% of WS-1442, was as active as WS-1442 in inhibiting HNE. However, its RS activity was only about half that of the primary extract. Although 67.9% of WS-1442 was recovered in a water-soluble low molecular weight fraction B, this fraction displayed only weak RS and HNE inhibiting activity. In contrast, the RS and HNE inhibiting potencies of an essentially flavone-free and OPC-rich fraction C (21.3% of WS-1442) were significantly higher (inhibition of lipid peroxidation: IC50 0.3 microgram/ml; inhibition of HNE: IC50 0.84 microgram/ml) as those of WS-1442. The RS and HNE inhibitory activities of the extract and those of its fractions correlated well with their OPC-content but not with their concentration of flavonols. These results demonstrate that OPCs of Crataegus extracts possess stronger radical scavenging activities than flavone derivatives or other constituents. In addition, the oligomeric components are potent inhibitors of HNE. Oral administration of 20 mg/kg/d of the OPC-rich fraction C to rats afforded similar protection against ischemia-reperfusion induced pathologies as treatment with WS-1442 at a dose of 100 mg/kg/d. These observations indicate that radical scavenging and elastase inhibitory activities could indeed be involved in the observed cardioprotective effects of WS-1442, and demonstrate that OPCs are major orally active constituents of WS-1442. Thus, Crataegus extracts used therapeutically for cardiovascular diseases should be analyzed and standardized for their OPC-content.     

A new Thermo-viscoplastic Material Model for Finite-Element-Analysis of the Chip Formation Process

A new material model for describing the thermo-viscoplastic flow behavior of workpiece material in metal cutting is presented. In order to express the complex flow behavior which depends on the local strain, strain rate and temperature, a new methodology for sequential formulation is proposed. The material parameters which are achieved by using the flow stress data available at low strain rates are enhanced by matching the results of the experimental investigations and finite element simulations of the orthogonal cutting process. As a result, a material model which has a wide validity range of strain, strain rate and temperature is established.     

Myoblast-mediated gene transfer to the joint

Several genetic and acquired pathologic conditions of the musculoskeletal system, such as arthritis and damage to ligament, cartilage, and meniscus, may be amenable to gene therapy. Even though ex vivo gene transfer with synovial cells has been shown to deliver genes encoding for anti-arthritic proteins into the rabbit knee joint, its success has been limited by a transient transgene expression. In this study, data were investigated regarding the use of muscle cells as an alternative gene-delivery vehicle to the joint in newborn rabbit and adult severe combined immunodeficiency mice. We demonstrated that myoblasts were transduced more efficiently than synovial cells with use of the same adenoviral preparation in vitro. After intra-articular injection, the engineered muscle cells adhered to several structures in the joint, including the ligament, capsule, and synovium. In addition, myoblasts fused to form many post-mitotic myotubes and myofibers at different locations of the joint of the newborn rabbit 5 days after the injection. In the knee of the adult mouse, myoblasts fused and expressed the reporter gene for at least 35 days after the injection. The presence of post-mitotic myofibers in the knee joint raises the possibility of long-term expression of the secreted protein. Currently, numerous tissues in the joint (ligament, meniscus, and cartilage) have poor intrinsic healing capacity and frequently need surgical corrections. A stable gene-delivery vehicle to the joint producing proteins that ameliorate these different musculoskeletal conditions may change the clinical implications of these pathologies.     

Hyperdynamic circulation of cirrhotic rats: role of substance P and its relationship to nitric oxide

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that excessive formation of nitric oxide (NO) is responsible for the hyperdynamic circulation observed in portal hypertension. Substance P is a neuropeptide partly cleared by the liver and causes vasodilatation through the activation of the endothelial NO pathway. However, there are no previously published data concerning the plasma level of substance P in cirrhotic rats and its relationship to NO. METHODS: Plasma concentrations of substance P and nitrate/nitrite (an index of NO production) were determined in control rats and cirrhotic rats with or without ascites using an enzyme-linked immununosorbent assay and a colorimetric assay, respectively. In addition, systemic and portal hemodynamics were evaluated by a thermodilution technique and catheterization. RESULTS: Cirrhotic rats with and without ascites had a lower systemic vascular resistance (2.6 +/- 0.2 and 3.9 +/- 0.4 mmHg ml(-1) x min x 100 g body weight, respectively) and higher portal pressure (14.6 +/- 0.6 and 11.3 +/- 1.8 mmHg) than control rats (6.5 +/- 0.3 mmHg x ml(-1) x min x 100 g BW and 6.8 +/- 0.2 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.05), and cirrhotic rats with ascites had the lowest systemic vascular resistance. Plasma levels of nitrate/nitrite progressively increased in relation to the severity of liver dysfunction (control rats, 2.7 +/- 0.5 nmol/ml; cirrhotic rats without ascites, 5.6 +/- 1.3 nmol/ml; cirrhotic rats with ascites, 8.3 +/- 2.2 nmol/ml; P < 0.05). Cirrhotic rats with ascites displayed higher plasma values of substance P (57.7 +/- 5.9 pg/ml) than cirrhotic rats without ascites (37.9 +/- 3.1 pg/ml, P < 0.05) and control rats (30.1 +/- 1.0 pg/ml, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma substance P values between control rats and cirrhotic rats without ascites (P > 0.05). No correlation was found between plasma levels of substance P and nitrate/nitrite (r = 0.318, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Excessive formation of NO may be responsible, at least partly, for the hemodynamic derangements in cirrhosis. Although substance P may not participate in the initiation of a hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhosis, it may contribute to the maintenance of the hyperdynamic circulation observed in cirrhotic rats with ascites.     

Nutrient intakes of adolescents with phenylketonuria and infants and children with maple syrup urine disease on semisynthetic diets

Adequacy of nutrient intakes of adolescents with and without phenylketonuria (PKU) and infants and children with and without maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) were assessed using 3-day diet records sorted by disease and by age of the subject. Mean intakes of all nutrients were greater than two-thirds of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) or Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes (ESADDI) for all adolescents studied, with the exception of selenium (Se) in PKU adolescents, which averaged 27.8 micrograms. For adolescents with PKU, > 50% of the RDA or ESADDI for all nutrients was provided by elemental or modified protein hydrolysate medical foods, except for vitamin A in children aged 11-15 years and Se in children 11-18 years. Mean nutrient intakes of all infants and children were greater than two-thirds of the RDA or ESADDI for all nutrients except Se in MSUD children aged 1-11 years, where intakes ranged from 6.4 to 13.2 micrograms (21-66% of the RDA). The medical foods provided for most of the RDA and ESADDI recommendations, with the exception of Se in MSUD children.