Pharmacokinetics of mefloquine combined with artesunate in children with acute falciparum malaria

To study the biologic role of migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a pleiotropic cytokine, we generated a mouse strain lacking MIF by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Analysis of the role of MIF during sepsis showed that MIF-/- mice were resistant to the lethal effects of high dose bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB) with D-galactosamine and had lower plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) than did wild-type mice, but normal levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10. When stimulated with LPS and interferon gamma, macrophages from MIF-/- mice showed diminished production of TNF-alpha, normal IL-6 and IL-12, and increased production of nitric oxide. MIF-/- animals cleared gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa instilled into the trachea better than did wild-type mice and had diminished neutrophil accumulation in their bronchoalveolar fluid compared to the wild-type mice. Thioglycollate elicited peritoneal exudates in uninfected MIF-/- mice, but showed normal neutrophil accumulation. Finally, the findings of enhanced resistance to P. aeruginosa and resistance to endotoxin-induced lethal shock suggest that the counteraction or neutralization of MIF may serve as an adjunct therapy in sepsis.     

Somatic mutations in the kinase domain of the Met/hepatocyte growth factor receptor gene in childhood hepatocellular carcinomas

The MET protooncogene encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase identified as the receptor of a polypeptide known as hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor. We performed PCR-based single-strand conformational polymorphism and sequencing analysis of the tyrosine kinase domain of the MET gene (exon 15-19) in 75 primary liver cancers. Three missense mutations were detected exclusively in 10 childhood hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), while no mutations were detected in 16 adult HCCs, 21 cholangiocarcinomas, or 28 hepatoblastomas. The extremely short incubation period from hepatitis B virus infection to the genesis of childhood HCC as compared with the adult HCC suggests that there may be an additional mechanism that accelerates the carcinogenesis of childhood HCC. Our results indicate that mutations of the tyrosine kinase domain of the MET gene may be involved in the acceleration of the carcinogenesis in childhood HCC.     

ADAPTIVE AND STOCHASTIC FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS IN DRYING

ABSTRACT

The focus of this paper is on the use of new advances in the finite element method to model and analyze drying problems, with emphasis on biological, food and grain materials. It presents the current status of the use of numerical analysis for such process, and emphasizes the need and advantages of incorporating adaptive and stochastic strategies into the finite element analysts. The existing literature on the application of the adaptive and stochastic finite elements is reviewed in conjunction with the relevant advances in this area. A new perturbation-based stochastic methodology far nonlinear and transient drying problems is formulated and presented in detail. The specific application of this new methodology to drying is under development. In conclusion, tracks for future research in this field are proposed.     

II. APPLICATION TO GRAIN KERNELS

ABSTRACT

An incremental finite element formulation was devdoped to simulate the viscoelastic behavior of soybean and corn Kernets during drying. Failure was predicted in a soybean kernel dried at 75°C and a corn kernel dried at 85°C, using von Mises failure criteria and experimentally determined strenglh propenies. Calculated tangential stresses     

Synthesis and physicochemical characterization of nanostructured Pd/ceria‐clinoptilolite catalyst used for p‐xylene abatement from waste gas streams at low temperature

BACKGROUND: The effect of Pd loading, xylene concentration and GHSV on xylene oxidation was tested over Pd/CeO₂(30%)‐clinoptilolite nanocatalysts at low temperatures. The catalysts were prepared by acid treatment of clinoptilolite, followed by the incipient wetness method of synthesized ceria and modified clinoptilolite in PdCl₂ solution. The synthesized nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDAX, TEM, BET, FTIR and TG‐DTG analysis. RESULTS: The XRD patterns confirmed the formation of crystalline ceria with an average crystallite size of 11.8 nm. FESEM images showed nanostructures in cavities of natural zeolite, brought about by ceria incorporation and acid activation. TEM analysis showed high dispersion of Pd with a size distribution between 6.6 and 36.7 nm. The quantitative analysis showed that the specific surface area of Pd(1%)/CeO₂(30%)‐clinoptilolite was 77 m² g^?1. The results showed that Pd(1%)/CeO₂(30%)‐clinoptilolite is the most appropriate catalyst, with the conversion more than 90% at 275 °C. CONCLUSIONS: Experimental results established effective performance and durability for the catalysts. As a result, clinoptilolite modification and ceria incorporation significantly altered the samples' morphology at nanoscale, improving the structure of composites and distribution of noble metals. A reaction path was suggested based on the adsorption‐migration of species to reveal the mechanism of p‐xylene oxidation over nanocatalysts. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis and Optimization of Ethylene Trimerization Using [Bis-(2-dodecylsulfanyl-ethyl)-amine]CrCl<Subscript>3</Subscript> Catalyst

Abstract  

The bis-(2-dodecylsulfanyl-ethyl)-amine (SNS) ligand was prepared in good yield and high purity using inexpensive reagents and reacted with CrCl₃(THF)₃ at room temperature to give the corresponding SNS/CrCl₃ catalyst in high yield. An ethylene trimerization reaction at 90 °C and 23 bar ethylene, using the SNS/CrCl₃ complex activated by 700 equivalents of MAO, afforded 99.97% 1-C6. Only 0.10% PE was produced and the catalyst activity was 159283 g/g Cr/h.     

Drop size distribution and mean drop size in a pulsed packed extraction column

Drop size distribution and mean drop size are used for calculation of interfacial area available for mass transfer. In this study, the drop size distribution and Sauter mean drop diameter (d₃₂) have been investigated using three different liquid systems in the absence of mass transfer in a pilot plant pulsed packed column. The drop size was measured at four different points along the active column height. Three operating variables have been studied including the pulse intensity (af) and flow rates of both liquid phases. The effect of liquid properties and height of the active column were also investigated. A combination of the pulse intensity and interfacial tension had the largest effect on the drop size distribution while none of the flow rates were of significance. The height of the column played an important role at the bottom of the active column, but the associated effect was reduced with increase of the height. Finally, a normal probability function of number density was proposed for prediction of the drop size distribution with an Average Absolute Relative Error (AARE) of 8.8% for their optimized constant. Furthermore, two correlations were presented involving height or flow rates of the two phases along with operating variables and physical properties of the liquids. These correlations had AARE values of about 8.5 and 7.8%, respectively.     

Energy optimization for liquefaction process of natural gas in peak shaving plant

One of the most important sections in the gas peak shaving plant regarding the energy consumption is the liquefaction process of natural gas (NG). Thus, selection and development of this process with the lowest energy consumption, offer huge potential energy and cost benefits. Here, a single-stage mixed refrigerant (SMR) cryogenic cycle with two compression stages has been selected for producing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Energy consumption of the process as an objective function is optimized by describing key variables of the design. The proposed process’s calculations of thermodynamic concepts and properties are applied in MATLAB software to generate the objective function; furthermore Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used as an optimization method. Concerning works done in this area, more key parameters – related directly to the objective function – are introduced in this paper. A low irreversibility is due to enhanced values of key parameters in the LNG heat exchanger observed under a low temperature difference between hot and cold composite curves. Finally, the exergy lost of equipments in the proposed process are evaluated and analyzed in details.     

ADAPTIVE AND STOCHASTIC FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS IN DRYING

The focus of this paper is on the use of new advances in the finite element method to model and analyze drying problems, with emphasis on biological, food and grain materials. It presents the current status of the use of numerical analysis for such process, and emphasizes the need and advantages of incorporating adaptive and stochastic strategies into the finite element analysts. The existing literature on the application of the adaptive and stochastic finite elements is reviewed in conjunction with the relevant advances in this area. A new perturbation-based stochastic methodology far nonlinear and transient drying problems is formulated and presented in detail. The specific application of this new methodology to drying is under development. In conclusion, tracks for future research in this field are proposed.