Experimental and numerical studies on chemically reacting gas flow in the porous structure of a solid oxide fuel cells internal fuel reformer

This paper presents experimental and numerical studies on the fuel reforming process on an Ni/YSZ catalyst. Nickel is widely known as a catalyst material for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Because of its prices and catalytic properties, Ni is used in both electrodes and internal reforming reactors. To optimize the reforming reactors, detailed data about the entire reforming process is required. In the present paper kinetics of methane/steam reforming on the Ni/YSZ catalyst was experimentally investigated. Measurements including different thermal boundary conditions, the fuel flow rate and the steam-to-methane ratios were performed. The reforming rate equation derived from experimental data was used in the numerical model to predict synthetic gas composition at the outlet of the reformer.     

Fatty acid composition of egg yolk phospholipid fractions following feed supplementation of Lohmann Brown hens with humic-fat preparations

The effect of feed supplementation with humic-fat preparations on the fatty acid composition of egg yolk phospholipid fractions was studied. The Lohmann Brown was the experimental hen strain and two feeding mixtures were applied – the standard feed and the mixture supplemented with humic-fat preparations. The fatty acid profile of yolk lipids was significantly affected (P = .05) by the supplementation of feed and total increase of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was established. A different distribution of n-3 PUFA in egg yolk lipid fractions was observed: α-linolenic acid (18:3) was found in the triacylglycerol fraction, whereas docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) was detected in the phospholipid fractions. Supplementation of the hen’s diet with humic-fat preparations resulted in the production of n-3 enriched eggs with decreased n-6/n-3 ratio in all phospholipid fractions in comparison to the eggs from the control group.     

Integrating Ecological,Social and Cultural Dimensions in the Implementation of the Landscape Convention

Implementation of the European Landscape Convention requires new tools that link ecological, social and cultural dimensions in practical planning. Here, we propose connectivity as a conceptual tool to include different dimensions into landscape and spatial planning. We present a short review of the connectivity concept in relation to ecological, social and cultural dimensions and illustrate it by examples from a real landscape planning case.     

Origin of Violet‐Blue Emission in Ti‐Doped Gahnite

ZnAl₂O₄ doped with Ti⁴⁺ (2%) was synthesized by the hydrothermal method at 220°C at pressure of 25 bars. An average grain size of the as‐prepared sample was 3 nm, the samples with biggest grain size were obtained after annealing at 300°C, 500°C, 600°C, 700°C, and 900°C, diameter of the latter was about 33 nm. IR spectroscopy indicated that ZnAl₂O₄ was partially inverted. The degree of the inversion decreases with increase in the annealing temperature but increases with increasing Ti⁴⁺ content. Absorption and emission spectra as well as emission decay profiles were recorded at 300 and 77 K. The observed spectra are due to charge‐transfer O^2??Ti⁴⁺ transitions. Color of the emission depends on the nanocrystal size and with increase in its diameter changes from violet to blue, accordingly the absorption bands exhibit redshift. The calculations based on Density Functional Theory confirmed the experimental results. 3d electrons of titanium ions form the bottom of the ZnAl₂O₄:Ti⁴⁺ conduction band, oxygen, aluminum or zinc vacancies create additional levels in the gahnite energy band gap. It was also found that in ZnAl₂O₄ aluminum or zinc vacancy induces magnetism with relatively high magnetic moment close to 1 μ_B per vacancy.     

Hexokinase 2 Inhibition and Biological Effects of BNBZ and Its Derivatives: The Influence of the Number and Arrangement of Hydroxyl Groups

Hexokinase 2 (HK2), an enzyme of the sugar kinase family, plays a dual role in glucose metabolism and mediating cancer cell apoptosis, making it an attractive target for cancer therapy. While positive HK2 expression usually promotes cancer cells survival, silencing or inhibiting this enzyme has been found to improve the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs and even result in cancer cell death. Previously, benitrobenrazide (BNBZ) was characterized as a potent HK2 inhibitor with good anti-cancer activity in mice, but the effect of its trihydroxy moiety (pyrogallol-like) on inhibitory activity and some cellular functions has not been fully understood. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to obtain the parent BNBZ (2a) and its three dihydroxy derivatives 2b–2d and to conduct additional physicochemical and biological investigations. The research hypothesis assumed that the HK2 inhibitory activity of the tested compounds depends on the number and location of hydroxyl groups in their chemical structure. Among many studies, the binding affinity to HK2 was determined and two human liver cancer cell lines, HepG2 and HUH7, were used and exposed to chemicals at various times: 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. The study showed that the modifications to the structures of the new BNBZ derivatives led to significant changes in their activities. It was also found that these compounds tend to aggregate and exhibit toxic effects. They were found to contribute to: (a) DNA damage, (b) increased ROS production, and (c) disruption of cell cycle progression. It was observed that, HepG2, occurred much more sensitive to the tested chemicals than the HUH7 cells; However, regardless of the used cell line it seems that the increase in the expression of HK2 in cancer cells compared to normal cells which have HK2 at a very low level, is a serious obstacle in anti-cancer therapy and efforts to find the effective inhibitors of this enzyme should be intensified.     

Dose Maps In/Around Target and Test Cell for DONES During the Operation

DONES (DEMO-Oriented Neutron Source) is to be constructed in order to investigate materials that are intended to be used for DEMO (DEMOnstration Power Plant) since they will be irradiated with very high fluxes of neutrons. A deuteron beam will bombard a lithium target situated in the so called Test Cell (TC) shielded with concrete. Monte Carlo simulations by means of the MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle) code were carried out to calculate both horizontal and vertical radiation dose maps in and around of the TC facility. Three geometrical configurations of the shielding and two kinds of concrete (ordinary and magnetite ones) were examined. For each case a spatial dose distribution and an accompanying errors map were provided. Advanced techniques of variance reduction were applied to compute doses in and outside of thick concrete walls. On the grounds of the obtained results a final configuration of the shielding was selected.     

Lycopene in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of human mortality worldwide. Oxidative stress and inflammation are pathophysiological processes involved in the development of CVD. That is why bioactive food ingredients, including lycopene, are so important in their prevention, which seems to be a compound increasingly promoted in the diet of people with cardiovascular problems. Lycopene present in tomatoes and tomato products is responsible not only for their red color but also for health-promoting properties. It is characterized by a high antioxidant potential, the highest among carotenoid pigments. Mainly for this reason, epidemiological studies show a number of favorable properties between the consumption of lycopene in the diet and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. While there is also some controversy in research into its protective effects on the cardiovascular system, growing evidence supports its beneficial role for the heart, endothelium, blood vessels, and health. The mechanisms of action of lycopene are now being discovered and may explain some of the contradictions observed in the literature. This review aims to present the current knowledge in recent years on the preventive role of lycopene cardiovascular disorders.     

The Effect of Fullerenol C60(OH)36 on the Antioxidant Defense System in Erythrocytes

Background: Fullerenols (water-soluble derivatives of fullerenes), such as C₆₀(OH)₃₆, are biocompatible molecules with a high ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), but the mechanism of their antioxidant action and cooperation with endogenous redox machinery remains unrecognized. Fullerenols rapidly distribute through blood cells; therefore, we investigated the effect of C₆₀(OH)₃₆ on the antioxidant defense system in erythrocytes during their prolonged incubation. Methods: Human erythrocytes were treated with fullerenol at concentrations of 50–150 µg/mL, incubated for 3 and 48 h at 37 °C, and then hemolyzed. The level of oxidative stress was determined by examining the level of thiol groups, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione transferase), and by measuring erythrocyte microviscosity. Results: The level of thiol groups in stored erythrocytes decreased; however, in the presence of higher concentrations of C₆₀(OH)₃₆ (100 and 150 µg/mL), the level of -SH groups increased compared to the control. Extending the incubation to 48 h caused a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activity, but the addition of fullerenol, especially at higher concentrations (100–150 µg/mL), increased its activity. We observed that C₆₀(OH)₃₆ had no effect on the microviscosity of the interior of the erythrocytes. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results indicated that water-soluble C₆₀(OH)₃₆ has antioxidant potential and efficiently supports the enzymatic antioxidant system within the cell. These effects are probably related to the direct interaction of C₆₀(OH)₃₆ with the enzyme that causes its structural changes.     

Three Microbial Musketeers of the Seas: Shewanella baltica,Aliivibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi,and Their Adaptation to Different Salinity Probed by a Proteomic Approach

Osmotic changes are common challenges for marine microorganisms. Bacteria have developed numerous ways of dealing with this stress, including reprogramming of global cellular processes. However, specific molecular adaptation mechanisms to osmotic stress have mainly been investigated in terrestrial model bacteria. In this work, we aimed to elucidate the basis of adjustment to prolonged salinity challenges at the proteome level in marine bacteria. The objects of our studies were three representatives of bacteria inhabiting various marine environments, Shewanella baltica, Vibrio harveyi and Aliivibrio fischeri. The proteomic studies were performed with bacteria cultivated in increased and decreased salinity, followed by proteolytic digestion of samples which were then subjected to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. We show that bacteria adjust at all levels of their biological processes, from DNA topology through gene expression regulation and proteasome assembly, to transport and cellular metabolism. The finding that many similar adaptation strategies were observed for both low- and high-salinity conditions is particularly striking. The results show that adaptation to salinity challenge involves the accumulation of DNA-binding proteins and increased polyamine uptake. We hypothesize that their function is to coat and protect the nucleoid to counteract adverse changes in DNA topology due to ionic shifts.     

Phytic acid concentration in selected raw materials and analysis of its hydrolysis rate with the use of microbial phytases during the mashing process

Phytic acid present in the raw materials can complex with many compounds and therefore limit their availability to the yeast during the alcoholic fermentation process. An effective utilization of biogenic compounds bound in phytates requires a detailed analysis of the raw materials for their phytic acid content. The aim of this study was to characterize the major technological parameters for selected raw materials used in the distilling industry (maize, rye, wheat and triticale grain) and to determine the phytic acid content and the IP6/total phosphorus ratio. The phytic acid hydrolysis rate during the mashing process, with the use of microbial phytases, was analysed. The highest phytic acid concentrations (2.30 ± 0.20 mg/g dry matter) and the highest IP6/total P (80.42 ± 6.99%) were observed in the maize grain samples. Therefore, further studies on the phytic acid hydrolysis rate with the use of various phytases were conducted for the maize grain. The highest hydrolytic activity was observed for the Phytase 10000L preparation. This was the preparation that hydrolysed the phytic acid completely in up to 90 min. The application of a highly effective phytase, in ethanol production from maize grain, could lead to a more effective utilization of the biogenic compounds during the fermentation process. Copyright © 2015 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling