Effect of extraction temperature and refining on the Halphen-test response of cottonseed oil

Cottonseed oil of higher Halpen-acid-moiety concentration can be obtained by hot hexane extraction of cotton-seed meats from which the oil has already been partially extracted at room temperature. The intensity of the Halphen-test color solution is affected by many nitrogen-containing substances including soybean phosphatides.     

Contribution of luminal concentration of nutrients and osmolality to postprandial intestinal hyperemia in dogs

Intestinal blood flow is increased during digestion. This study assesses if the concentration of nutrients and/or osmolality of chyme in the intestinal lumen are factors determining the hyperemia. Six digested food mixtures containing different concentrations of nutrients and/or having different osmolalities were placed into the jejunal lumen, and their effects on local venous outflow compared. The 100% (999 mOsm/kg), 33% (291 mOsm/kg), and 20% (183 mOsm/kg) food mixtures all increased flow, but the 10% food mixture (94 mOsm/kg) did not. The hyperemic effect of 33 and 20% food was similar, but 100% food produced a greater increase in flow than did 33 or 20% food. Luminal placement of a 30% solution of a nonabsorbable substance polyethylene glycol (1000 mOsm/kg) did not alter flow. Also, the vascular effects of 20 or 10% food mixtures were not altered when these mixtures were made isotonic by the addition of NaCl. These studies indicate that lumen osmolality, within a range of 180 to 1000 mOsm/kg, is not a significant factor contributing to the local hyperemia occurring when nutrients are in the gut lumen. However, the concentration of nutrients in the lumen is a factor determining the local hyperemia.     

Dechlorination of polychlorobiphenyls using NaBH(4) and NaBH(4)/LiCl at 120-310 degrees C in glyme solvents

High temperature PCB dechlorination (Aroclor 1016) occurred using NaBH(4) alone in tetraglyme at 290-310 degrees C within 2h in a sealed tube. Aroclor 1016 dechlorination was also quantitatively achieved using NaBH(4)/LiCl/glyme solvents (di-, tri-, or tetraglyme) at 125-135 degrees C. The best results were obtained by prestirring NaBH(4), LiCl and the glyme solvent at room temperature before heating at 125-135 degrees C. At equivalent conditions, PCB dechlorination rates were found to depend on solvent in the order: tetraglyme>triglyme>diglyme. At 130 degrees C, Aroclor 1016 can be dechlorinated in NaBH(4)/LiCl/tetraglyme in 4h. 2-Chlorobiphenyl and 2,2'-dichlorobiphenyl were the least reactive congeners in dechlorinations with NaBH(4)/LiCl in diglyme. Competitive dechlorinations with NaBH(4)/LiCl in diglyme showed 3-chloro- and 4-chlorobiphenyl reacted faster than 2-chlorobiphenyl at 130 degrees C. The reactions were clean with no solvent decomposition in the range of 120-162 degrees C.     

Restructuring the Russian electricity sector: Re-creating California?

The Russian Federation has begun restructuring its electricity sector, following the standard restructuring model of complete vertical separation of generation from transmission, with the aim of creating competition in regional generation markets. This paper examines the structure of the six principal regional generation markets that are in their early stages of development and argues that they are likely to be characterized by high levels of market power on the part of individual privatized generation companies, especially during the peak winter demand season. These levels—considerably higher than those that caused competitive problems in California—seem to create a serious risk of price spikes in deregulated wholesale electricity markets, and thus of significant price increases to consumers of electricity.     

Organisation and reforms of the electricity sector in Slovenia

As a new member state of the EU, Slovenia has been required to adopt EU legislation in full. The Slovenian electricity market has been partially opened since 2001. From 1 July 2007, when households became eligible customers, the electricity market opened fully. The electricity reforms carried out so far comprise of market liberalization, unbundling of activities, allowing regulated TPA, formation of an organized power market, adoption of incentive-based price cap regulation and the establishment of an independent regulatory body. The challenge that remains to be addressed is how to enhance competition in an electricity market that has a net importer position with limited cross-border capacity. Envisaged investments in generating and cross-border capacities will partially close the gap between domestic generation and consumption. Furthermore, since Slovenia has one of the largest levels of state ownership in the electricity sector among EU member states, privatization of electricity companies is envisaged in the near future.     

Analysis of potential risk factors associated with the development of pancreatitis in phase I patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex receiving didanosine

Phase I dose-escalating trials of didanosine revealed dose-limiting toxicities, including pancreatitis, and established a total daily dose of 12.5 mg/kg/day as the maximum tolerated dose. Clinical and pharmacokinetic data of 61 patients from two trials were analyzed to further evaluate the risk of pancreatitis: 1 (6.3%) of 16 patients who received < 500 mg/day didanosine, 2 (13.3%) of 15 who received 500-750 mg/day, and 15 (50%) of 30 who received > 750 mg/day developed pancreatitis (P < .001). A relationship between risk of pancreatitis and steady-state plasma concentrations of didanosine and age was also observed, suggesting that knowledge of didanosine pharmacokinetics provided additional information regarding risk of toxicity. Further confirmation of these findings will be necessary to determine if the risk factors for pancreatitis remain the same at lower doses currently used.     

NCIH services, architecture, and implementation

The telecommunications planners for the North Carolina State Government recognising the potential of asynchronous transfer mode and synchronous optical network, asked BellSouth, Carolina Telephone, and GTE to develop a proposal for a network based on ATM and SONET to enable a multitude of high-speed data and video applications throughout the state. This B-ISDN, now known as the North Carolina Information Highway (NCIH), has become widely recognized as a model for the National Information Infrastructure (NII). The services provided by the NCIH are designed to be able to support numerous emerging applications that are expected to provide significant benefits in the areas of education, health care, crime control, economic development, and government     

Polymeric composite materials incorporating an elastomeric interphase: A mathematical assessment

A mathematical model based upon the method of cells is extended in order to describe three-phase composite materials containing an interphase. A parametric study is performed wherein the effective properties of the composites are determined as a function of interphase material properties, interphase thickness and fiber volume fraction. The simulation is designed in particular towards describing the behavior of model composites which incorporate elastomeric polymers as an interphase to bond carbon fibers chemically to a polymeric matrix. Two hypothetical interphases are considered: one whose properties are representative of elastomers (Young's modulus less than fiber and matrix) and one whose properties are intermediate with respect to the fiber and matrix. The two cases provide a broad assessment of how the interphase properties influence the effective composite properties.