Textured Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+y tiles manufactured from sintered and plasma-sprayed precursors for magnetic shieldingtiles manufactured from sintered and plasma-sprayed precursors for magnetic shielding

Superconducting magnetic shields have potential weight advantages over conventional materials as efficient, light, shielding materials. Shielding properties in high fields depend on many material features, including alignment, critical current densities, and flux pinning. Diffusion texturing can produce grain alignment with the c-axis parallel to the sheet plane. In this article, the superconducting tile is made by bonding the ceramic precursor, SrCaCu₂, to a metal substrate before texture growth with Pb-Bi-O. The bonding can be produced by sintering or by plasma spraying. After diffusion texture growth, a tile with a superconducting transition temperature of 110 K and a critical current density greater than 2500 A/cm² has been manufactured and characterized.     

Beneficial effects of Tadenan therapy after two weeks of partial obstruction in the rabbit

Tadenan (Debat Laboratories, France) is a plant extract used in Europe for the treatment of micturition disorders associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Prior studies demonstrated that pretreatment of rabbits with Tadenan significantly reduced the contractile dysfunction observed after 2 weeks of partial outlet obstruction. The specific aim of the present study was to determine the effect of Tadenan therapy following the creation of partial outlet obstruction. Two sets of experiments were performed: one with mild and the other with severe outlet obstruction. For both sets of experiments, male New Zealand rabbits (3-5 kg) were separated into 3 groups of 5 rabbits each. Each rabbit in groups 1 and 2 was obstructed using standard methodology. Rabbits in group 3 served as controls and did not receive any surgery. After 2 weeks, each rabbit in group 1 received Tadenan orally at 100 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks; each rabbit in group 2 received vehicle (peanut oil). After 3 weeks of treatment (5 weeks after partial outlet obstruction), rabbits were anesthetized and cystometries were performed. Immediately after cystometry, the rabbits were euthanized, the bladder rapidly removed, and 4 longitudinal strips prepared and mounted in individual baths for contractile studies. The contractile responses to field stimulation, carbachol, adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP), and potassium chloride (KCl) were determined, as follows: (1) Bladder mass approximately doubled in the mildly obstructed groups. Bladder mass increased significantly (3-5-fold) in the severely obstructed groups. (2) Cystometrograms from the mildly obstructed rabbits treated with peanut oil showed low compliance, whereas those of the mildly obstructed rabbits treated with Tadenan showed normal compliance. The cystometrograms of all severely obstructed rabbits showed low compliance. (3) Mild obstruction caused small but significant decreases in the contractile response to field stimulation that were reversed by Tadenan treatment. No changes were noted in response to bethanechol, ATP, and KCl stimulation. (4) Severe obstruction caused significant decreases in the response of bladder strips to field stimulation and bethanechol. Following Tadenan therapy, there was a significant improvement in the response to high-frequency field stimulation and a substantial improvement in the response to bethanechol (response equal to control). No changes were noted in response to ATP and KCl stimulation. In conclusion, Tadenan treatment reversed the bladder dysfunctions induced by mild partial outlet obstruction, and resulted in improved bladder function in the severe model of outlet obstruction. These studies are consistent with previous studies showing that Tadenan pretreatment protects the bladder against the development of contractile dysfunctions.     

Soy protein products and their production

The soybean industry in the U.S. started in the first years of this century and was only 5,000,000 bushels just 50 years ago. This year it is expected to be over 1.5 billion bushels, reflecting a remarkable growth. Beans are processed primarily for soybean oil and for meal to be used in poultry and livestock feeds. Only ca. 3% soy protein is used in human food today. Special processing is required to prepare proteins to meet the various specifications of products for the food industry. Methods used to produce flour and grits, spun fibers, textured proteins, concentrates, and isolates are described.     

A novel macrolactam-disaccharide antifungal antibiotic. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical properties, structure elucidation and biological activity

A novel natural product (1), with antifungal activity was isolated from the culture broth of an actinomadurae. The active compound was separated from broth by n-butanol extraction and purified by silica gel and multicoil counter current chromatography. Physico-chemical data suggested the structure of this compound to be a novel macrolactam disaccharide related to Sch 38518 (3). The structure was determined by spectroscopic studies on the acetate derivative. It was active against Candida spp. (MIC's, 4 approximately 64 micrograms/ml) but less than the monosaccharide, Sch 38518 (MIC's, 1 approximately 16 micrograms/ml).     

Purification and characterization of extracellular polysaccharide from activated sludges

A three stage purification process has been developed for soluble, activated-sludge exocellular polymers which results in a polysaccharide fraction substantially free of nucleic acids and protein, with the residual protein probably bound as a glycoprotein. Characterization and comparison of purified exopolysaccharide fractions from five different effluent treatment works revealed many similarities both in terms of monomer composition and molecular weight distribution. Only five monomers were detected, namely: glucose, galactose, mannose, glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid, and all the polysaccharide fractions were of high molecular weight, ranging from 3 × 10⁵ to 2 × 10⁶.     

Does anhedonia in schizophrenia reflect faulty memory for subjectively experienced emotions?

The authors evaluated whether self-reported trait anhedonia in schizophrenia reflects faulty memory, such that patients are capable of experiencing pleasure while engaged in enjoyable activities but underestimate their pleasure in recalling these experiences. Thirty schizophrenia patients and 31 nonpatient control participants rated their emotional responses to pleasant and neutral foods and film clips and completed a surprise recall task for their emotions after a 4-hr delay. Despite reporting elevated trait anhedonia, patients did not significantly differ from control participants in immediate pleasant emotional responses to the stimuli or in delayed recall for these experiences. In-the-moment pleasure and short-term retention for emotional experiences thus appear to be relatively intact in schizophrenia. Alternative explanations for the hedonic deficit in this disorder are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)