Hepatic Δ9 and Δ6 desaturase activities during the recovery period following carbon tetrachloride poisoningdesaturase activities during the recovery period following carbon tetrachloride poisoning

The liver microsomal Δ⁹ and Δ⁶ desaturase activities have been studied in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatitis. Immediately after poisoning, significant decreases were observed for both types of desaturase activity. However, recovery kinetics were slower for the Δ⁶ desaturase than for the Δ⁹ desaturase. The activities of NADH-ferricyanide and NADH-cytochrome C reductases, proteins involved in the electron transfers associated with microsomal desaturation, were also measured. There was a fall in both activities after poisoning, but this decrease was less than that of the desaturase activities.     

Drag of nonspherical particles in a flow behind a shock wave

The early stage of velocity relaxation of nonspherical particles in a flow behind an incident shock wave is considered by the method of multiframe shadowgraphy. A procedure of processing the data on the motion of a free body for determining its acceleration is proposed; in combination with the diagnostic method used, the procedure forms something like a noncontact aerodynamic balance. Novel data on the drag of bodies of irregular shape in a flow behind a shock wave with Mach numbers of 0.5–1.5 and Reynolds numbers of 10⁵ typical of dust explosions are obtained. It is found that the values of drag of a nonspherical bluff body and a sphere under these conditions are similar and exceed the drag of a sphere in a steady flow by a factor of 2 to 3.Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 81–88, January–February, 2005.     

Theoretical principles of experimental determination of fibre flexural rigidity

An exact differential equation for the equilibrium of an elastic fibre loaded on the free end with a concentrated force and over the entire length of the elastic line of the distributed power load caused by the weight of the fibre was obtained in conditions of large movements. A method was developed for determining the flexural rigidity of the fibre which consists of bending the fibres and numerically solving the equation from the geometric nonlinear theory of bending of elastic fibres. __________ Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 4, pp. 19–21, July–August, 2007.     

Phase Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Siloxane-Urethane Copolymer

Two series of siloxane-urethane copolymers were prepared from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a molecular weight of 1000 or 1800 which was used as a soft segment, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated that the position (T_gs) and breadth (ΔB) of soft-segment glass transition of copolymers remained constant as the hard-segment content increased. Heat capacities at soft-segment glass transition of the copolymer (ΔCp) were 0.195∼0.411 J/g^○C and heat capacities of pure PDMS (ΔCp₀) were 0.571∼0.647 J/g^○C, leading to the various ΔCp/ΔCp₀ ratios. The ΔCp/ΔCp₀ ratios decreased as the increasing of hard-segment content, showing poor phase separation. The FTIR spectrum confirmed the occurrence of hydrogen bonding in ether end-group of pure PDMS. The ether group of the soft segment led to interfacial mixing between soft and hard segments. The tan δ of the soft segment determined by dynamic mechanical testing (DMA) also identified the mixing of soft and hard segments. The mechanical properties of the copolymer were directly related to either the soft and hard segment contents or the chain lengths of soft and hard segments. The hard segment that reinforced the soft segment and interfacial thickness between soft and hard segment dominated the mechanical properties.     

Apparatus for measuring physical adsorption on intact supported porous membranes

We present a non-destructive, reusable apparatus with which to measure physical adsorption isotherms of intact porous membranes. We developed a two-piece sample container to make reliable sorption measurements of porous membranes, the properties of which may differ from those of powders due to crystal intergrowth. This novel system employs a resealable container that can be immersed in a cryogenic bath, into which tubular, planar, or other porous membranes and films may be placed. Detailed sorption isotherms, including high-resolution adsorption in the low pressure (micropore-filling) region, are shown for MFI-type zeolite membranes grown on two types and configurations of α-alumina support.     

Discrete-continual model of flame propagation in a gas suspension of metal particles. I. One-dimensional approximation

Experimental data on combustion of magnesium particles in oxygen-containing gas mixtures are analyzed and generalized, which allowed us to develop a semi-empirical mathematical model that takes into account the integral effect of the initial particle size, pressure, and velocity of the oxidizing flow on combustion. Flame propagation in an air suspension of fine magnesium particles is considered in a one-dimensional approximation. For this purpose, a discrete-continual model of flame propagation in a gas suspension of metal particles is developed. The flammability limits in a vessel, caused by heat losses into the ambient medium and by spatial nonuniformity of the distribution of disperse-phase particles, are numerically determined, and the influence of nonuniformity and bidispersion of a one-dimensional ensemble of particles on flame characteristics is studied.__________Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 81–93, March–April, 2005.     

The adsorption of dyes from aqueous solution using diatomite

Raw diatomite was calcined at 450 °C for dyes removal from aqueous solution. SEM and FTIR analysis show that the raw diatomite contains organic impurities, which are removed after the calcination. The impurities removal decreases the specific surface area and increases the average pore diameter of raw diatomite, while improves its adsorption capability of dyes. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics experiments of methylene blue onto calcined diatomite were then carried out to investigate the adsorption property. It shows that the adsorption capacity of methylene blue is about 50 mg/g. The adsorption isotherm was fitted by the Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson models, which reveals that the Redlich-Peterson isotherm is the best one. Two kinetic models, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order, were rearranged for expediently investigating the adsortpion mechanisms. Fitting results show that the pseudo-first-order model is better in describing the adsorption process.     

Gewinnung und Entbitterung von Speiseöl und Proteinkonzentrat aus Samen von Lupinus mutabilis

Production and Debittering of Edible Oil and a Protein Concentrate from Seeds of Lupinus mutabilis Lupine oil was produced from seeds of L. mutabilis using an extraction and refining process of soya oil. The refining included a step of debittering by washing with diluted acids. This decreased the alkaloid content from 0.14 % in the raw oil to 5 ppm in the endproduct, a content of rest alkaloids, which can be considered as unobjectionable. The oil alkaloids are not identical with those of the seeds. While in seeds Lupanin is the main alkaloid fraction, in the oil 13-Hydroxylupanin and N-Methyl angustofolin are dominant. The raw oil contained 800 ppm γ-Tocopherol 39 ppm α-Tocopherol. During the refining process the Tocopherol content decreased from about 840 ppm to 530 ppm total Tocopherol in the endproduct. The oil-cake contained about 4 % alkaloids. With aqueous alcohol (70 %?90 % ethanol) was debittered to a protein concentrate, which contained 73% protein and 0.06% rest alkaloids. By changing the pH value of the debittering medium both in the acid (pH 5) and alkaline (pH 9) range the alkaloid extraction could be improved and the loses of protein could be diminished. Qualitatively the alkaloid pattern of the protein concentrate was similar to that of seeds, although the hydroxylupanin fraction increased from 32.7% of total alkaloids before the debittering to 42.3% in the debittered concentrate. This is advantageous because the toxicity of hydroxylupanin is only about 1/10 of that of Lupanin.     

Product composition of the dynamic conversion of brown coal in supercritical water

The product composition of the dynamic conversion of brown coal, which was continuously supplied as a water-coal slurry to a flow reactor at 30 MPa, was studied. The temperature of water and coal particles was increased from room temperature to 400°C (top part of the reactor). The conversion of the organic matter of coal was ～48%, and the products collected at the reactor outlet consisted of solid tar components, substances dissolved and emulsified in water, and volatile substances, whose major constituent was CO₂. The composition of solid tar components and oils was determined.