The effects of infusion of trieicosapentaenoyl-glycerol emulsion on extravascular lung water during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion in dogs

To test the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) infusion on pulmonary edema induced by coronary ligation and reperfusion, extravascular lung water (EVLW) was measured in situ by the thermal-dye double indicator dilution method in dogs. In the control group of five dogs, 30 mL of a 10% soybean oil emulsion was infused through a leg vein. One hour after infusion, the left anterior descending coronary artery below the first diagonal branch was ligated for 15 min and then reperfused for 30 min. In the EPA group, six dogs were similarly treated with an emulsion of a 10% trieicosapentaenoyl-glycerol (90% pure). EVLW, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure, mean blood pressure, and cardiac index were measured before and 15 min after coronary ligation, and 15 min and 30 min after coronary reperfusion. There were no significant differences in the hemodynamic indices between the two groups. EVLW significantly increased up to two times of baseline during coronary ligation in the control group (P< 0.05) and more during reperfusion (P<0.01), whereas EVLW did not increase in the EPA group. In conclusion, EPA inhibited EVLW accumulation and may be useful for ameliorating one of the ischemia-reperfusion-induced complications, pulmonary edema.     

The strength properties of iron aluminides

For the development of Fe−Al alloys as structural materials, a deep understanding of slip and deformation properties is necessary. In particular, since mechanical properties of the iron aluminides are affected by excess vacancy strengthening as well as the positive-temperature dependence of yield stress, controlling these strength features is essential. In this article, the strength properties of iron aluminides are reviewed. Author’s Note: All compositions are provided in mole percent. Kyosuke Yoshimi earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Tohoku University in 1997. He is currently a research associate at Tohoku University. Shuji Hanada earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Tohoku University. He is currently a professor at Tohoku University. Dr. Hanada is also a member of TMS.     

Formation and corrosion of InP/In contacts in hydrochloric acid

Flatband potentials, charge carrier concentrations and their frequency dispersions of p-type and n-type InP in 1.0 M HCl were determined. The cathodic decomposition of InP in this acidic solution is compared with the deposition process of indium from 1.0 M-HCl containing 0.1 M InCl₃. The share of the involved reactions, hydrogen evolution, InP decomposition and indium deposition are investigated. The reaction rates are generally smaller on p-type InP and the reaction speed is much slower but the principal reactions are the same. The kinetics of the indium deposition and dissolution are studied in detail. These reactions are discussed in terms of the preparation of watersplitting photoelectrodes with modified surfaces.     

Production of functional substances from black rice bran by its treatment in subcritical water

Black rice bran was treated by water and subcritical water at temperatures ranging from 20 to 260 °C for 5 min and at 200 and 260 °C for 5-120 min. The bran extracts were analyzed for their radical scavenging activity, protein and carbohydrate contents, molecular-mass distribution, antioxidation activity, emulsifying activity, and emulsion-stabilizing activity. The radical scavenging activity and the protein content of the extract were higher at higher treatment temperature. The carbohydrate content also increased with increasing temperature up to 200 °C, then steeply decreased at the temperatures higher than 200 °C. The bran extracts treated at 260 °C for 5 min exhibited a suppressive activity toward autoxidation of linoleic acid with the increasing the weight ratio of the bran extract to linoleic acid. The bran extracts prepared at 40-200 °C for 5 min showed the emulsifying- and emulsion-stabilizing activities, while the extracts prepared at 220-260 °C were low in the activities.     

Possibilities of the Formation of Enol-Ethers in Lignin by Soda Pulping

In the alkaline decomposition of a β-O-4 type lignin model compound (erythro-guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether, compound 1), an isomeric pair of C₆C₂ enol-ether (2-methoxy-4-[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-vinyl]-phenol, compound 2) was detected as the main decomposition product with no trace of C₆C₃ enol-ether (4-[3-hydroxy-1-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-propenyl]-2-methoxy-phenol, compound 3) or other dimers. In contrast, compound 2 was not detected in the alkaline decomposition products of compound 3. Under alkaline conditions, the γ-hydroxymethyl group of compound 3 was reduced to form 2-methoxy-4-[1-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-propenyl]-phenol (compound 4). In the HSQC analysis of soda lignin, the formation of substructures of C₆C₂ type enol-ether (related to compound 2) was confirmed. However, no substructures related to compound 4, which could be formed if a substructure of C₆C₃ type enol-ether was formed under alkaline conditions, were detected. Therefore, it could be concluded that C₆C₃ type enol-ethers could not be intermediates of alkaline decomposition products of lignin.     

Emission of Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) from Sewage Sludge Incinerators in Japan

Because fine particulate matter ≤2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) causes health problems, PM2.5 emissions are of concern. However, little research on stationary sources has been conducted. To determine the concentration and filtration behavior of PM2.5, dust was collected from five fluid-bed sewage sludge incinerators (SSIs) sorted by particle size using cascade impactors. The average PM2.5 concentration was 0.00014–4.8 mg/Nm³. The total estimated amount of PM2.5 emissions from the SSIs for all plants in Japan was 0.96–8.9 tons/year. Since the SSIs with dry Electrostatic Precipitators (EP) contributed 75–99% of the total emissions, replacing dry EPs with bag filters would significantly reduce the PM2.5 emissions from SSI.     

Hydrostatic Pressure Influences HIF-2 Alpha Expression in Chondrocytes

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2α is considered to play a major role in the progression of osteoarthritis. Recently, it was reported that pressure amplitude influences HIF-2α expression in murine endothelial cells. We examined whether hydrostatic pressure is involved in expression of HIF-2α in articular chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were cultured and stimulated by inflammation or hydrostatic pressure of 0, 5, 10, or 50 MPa. After stimulation, heat shock protein (HSP) 70, HIF-2α, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, MMP-3, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression were evaluated. The levels of all gene expression were increased by inflammatory stress. When chondrocytes were exposed to a hydrostatic pressure of 5 MPa, HIF-2α, MMP-13, and MMP-3 gene expression increased significantly although those of HSP70 and NF-κB were not significantly different from the control group. In contrast, HIF-2α gene expression did not increase under a hydrostatic pressure of 50 MPa although HSP70 and NF-κB expression increased significantly compared to control. We considered that hydrostatic pressure of 5 MPa could regulate HIF-2α independent of NF-κB, because the level of HIF-2α gene expression increased significantly without upregulation of NF-κB expression at 5 MPa. Hydrostatic pressure may influence cartilage degeneration, inducing MMP-13 and MMP-3 expression through HIF-2α.     

Active Polymer Gel Actuators

Many kinds of stimuli-responsive polymer and gels have been developed and applied to biomimetic actuators or artificial muscles. Electroactive polymers that change shape when stimulated electrically seem to be particularly promising. In all cases, however, the mechanical motion is driven by external stimuli, for example, reversing the direction of electric field. On the other hand, many living organisms can generate an autonomous motion without external driving stimuli like self-beating of heart muscles. Here we show a novel biomimetic gel actuator that can walk spontaneously with a worm-like motion without switching of external stimuli. The self-oscillating motion is produced by dissipating chemical energy of oscillating reaction. Although the gel is completely composed of synthetic polymer, it shows autonomous motion as if it were alive.     

无牙颌患者戴不同厚度的上腭托对连续发[n]音时下颌位置的影响

目的:研究不同厚度的上腭托对无牙颌患者连续发[n]音时下颌位置的影响.方法:10名无牙颌患者,平均年龄为76.4岁.每一个患者按照随机原则,在不戴上腭托(对照组)和分别戴用3 mm、5 mm的上腭托时,用K7下颌运动轨迹描记仪记录下颌的位置,包括连续发[n]音4 s时下颌的位置和下颌息止颌位.结果:不戴上腭托(对照组)连续发[n]音时,垂直向的颌间距离的平均值为(1.69±1.26)mm,前后向的平均值为(1.74±1.18)mm,戴入实验上腭托后,在垂直向和水平向的颌间距离都稍有增加,但差异无统计学意义.不戴实验上腭托(即对照组)的息止颌位时,在垂直方向和水平方向的颌间距离的平均值分别是(2.91±2.28)mm和(2.56±1.88)mm,戴入实验上腭托后,在垂直向和水平向的颌间距离都稍有减小,即戴3 mm上腭托分别为(2.52±1.88)mm和(2.46±1.64)mm;戴5 mm上腭托的颌间距离分别为(2.45±1.70)mm和(2.22±1.31)mm,但差异无统计学意义.结论:总义齿患者连续发[n]音时,戴不同厚度的上腭托对下颌的颌间距离没有显著影响;总义齿患者戴不同厚度的上腭托对下颌息止颌位没有明显影响.     

小型高速艇舱室减振降噪设计

小型高速艇的减振降噪是近几年经起重视的，本文通过对间接的，有限的噪声振动源资源的分析研究，预估了一类小型高速艇各舱室的噪声级，根据国外近期同类艇的噪声水平以及总体减振降噪和多方面约束条件综合测定了该艇的减振降噪方案，并在此基础上进行了声强激励和振动激励条件下舱室模型综合减振降噪效果试验，结果表明，所制定的减振降噪方案其效果良好，实艇实测结果达到设计指标要求。