Tensile testing device for measurements on polymeric materials between −100 and +150°C. Mechanical behavior of cellulose in liquid media

A tensile testing device for measurements on polymer samples while immersed in a liquid is described. The temperature range is approximately ?100 to +150°C. The sample older containing the immersion liquid is an all-glass container attached to a modified tensile testing device. The thermostatting and recording equipment is also described. Stress–strain curves obtained with monofilaments of regenerated cellulose immersed in n-pentane and liquid ammonia are shown. For filaments in n-pentane the variation of the modulus of elasticity with temperature down to ?40°C is also reported as a further example of the applicability of the new device.     

Evaluation of a NO x reduction system on an engine rig under stationary operation

Topics in Catalysis - The NO x storage and reduction approach was applied on a full-scale engine rig under stationary operation. NO x reduction experiments were performed and a catalyst model...     

A 3D-QSAR Study of Analogs of (Z)-5-Decenyl Acetate, A Pheromone Component of the Turnip Moth, Agrotis segetum

The methodology of three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (3D-QSAR) has been employed to develop a quantitative model for the relationship between single-cell activities for a large set of analogs of (Z)-5-decenyl acetate, a pheromone component of the turnip moth, Agrotis segetum, and the structural characteristics of the analogs. The method of partial least squares (PLS) projections to latent structures has been used to delineate the relationships between measured activities and chemical structures. The training set includes 42 compounds, and a test set of seven molecules has been employed to assess the predictivity of the model. The model derived is able to calculate the activities of the seven test compounds with an average unsigned error of 0.3, close to the experimental error. Contour maps of regression-like coefficients from transformed PLS components display electronic and nonbonded features of high importance for the observed variation in the activities of compounds in the training set. The contours for the nonbonded (van der Waals) field support previous conclusions that the interaction between the pheromone component and its receptor is characterized by a high steric complementarity.     

The torque ratio concept for combustion monitoring of internal combustion engines

This work presents a method to analyze combustion events in an internal combustion engine, called the torque ratio concept. The method is based on crankshaft torque measurements, but an extension to angular speed measurements is possible. The torque ratio concept provides a parametrized model for the combustion progress from which, e.g. combustion phasing can be extracted. The torque ratio concept is derived mathematically and related theoretically to other combustion analysis methods, such as pressure ratio and net heat release. Finally, analysis on recorded data from a five cylinder spark ignited engine verifies the relationships between the three methods. For combustion phasing, the 50% torque ratio is an equivalent measure to 50% pressure ratio and can be transformed into the 50% net heat release position by using a derived volume ratio function.     

Silicone-adjustable gastric banding: disappointing results

Young and elderly subjects performed aiming movements to a visual target with a manipulandum to determine whether the elderly reduce their reliance on visual feedback after extended practice. Reliance on visual feedback was assessed by performance on trials in which the cursor displaying arm movement was unpredictably extinguished. Movements were divided into two subcomponents: a primary, ballistic submovement and a secondary, corrective submovement. For both age groups, removal of visual feedback prior to practice resulted in a decrease in the distance covered in the primary submovement, an increase in the distance of the secondary submovement, and a decrease in endpoint accuracy. After extensive practice with the cursor present, the proportion of distance traveled with the primary submovement was again assessed under trial conditions in which the cursor randomly disappeared. Following practice, the young demonstrated that they were capable of extending the primary submovement distance closer to the target. In addition, primary submovement distance was unaffected by the removal of vision following practice. After practice the elderly did not show evidence of lengthening the primary submovement, and submovement distance and endpoint accuracy continued to be altered by the removal of vision. This suggests that, unlike the young, the elderly do not benefit from practice so that they can place a greater proportion of the movement under program control. Thus, on a relative basis, a greater proportion of their overall movement requires corrective adjustments.     

Amino acid incorporation into liver and tumor proteins in patients with hepatic neoplasms-effects of liver dearterialization

The effects of liver dearterialization on the rate of amino acid incorporation into liver and tumor proteins were studied with an in vitro method in seven patients with liver metastases. Before liver dearterialization the incorporation rate was 0.074 +/- 0.020 nmol leucine x mg prot-1 x h-1 in liver tissue and 0.234 +/- 0.049 nmol leucine x mg prot-1 x h-1 in tumor tissue. After dearterialization for 1 h the incorporation rate was reduced to about half of the initial values in both liver and tumor tissue. The vascularity of the tumors was evaluated from preoperative hepatic angiograms. The reduction of the incorporation rate was more pronounced in highly vascularized tumors than in poorly vascularized tumors and liver tissue. The clinical implications of a more pronounced metabolic effect of the dearterialization in high vascularized tumors are discussed.     

Screening for CGG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene in schizophrenic patients

Patients diagnosed using DSM-III-R criteria as having schizophrenia and other related disorders (n = 128) were assessed for CGG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR-1) gene. One subject, a woman with schizophreniform disorder, was found to have a premutation of the gene. Her case report is given. The present investigation supports the view that mutation or premutation of the FMR-1 gene is not of importance for the aetiology of the vast majority of schizophrenic patients.     

A KINETIC STUDY OF THE DRY SO2-LIMESTONE REACTION AT LOW TEMPERATURE

The dry reaction between SO₂ and limestone has been investigated at low temperatures. The study was focused on the wet-dry scrubbing application. Parameters investigated included: temperature: 313-353 K, SO₂ concentration: 50-4000 ppm, oxygen concentration: 0-9 percent, carbon dioxide concentration: 0-10 percent, relative humidity 0-92 percent, limestone panicle diameter: 4-100 microns, and limestone conversion: 0-95 percent. The study has revealed that the relative humidity, the particle diameter and the limestone conversion have the most dramatic impacts on the reaction rate. A suggested reaction mechanism is outlined in great detail.     

The occurrence of noncoagulating milk and the association of bovine milk coagulation properties with genetic variants of the caseins in 3 Scandinavian dairy breeds

Substantial variation in milk coagulation properties has been observed among dairy cows. Consequently, raw milk from individual cows and breeds exhibits distinct coagulation capacities that potentially affect the technological properties and milk processing into cheese. This variation is largely influenced by protein composition, which is in turn affected by underlying genetic polymorphisms in the major milk proteins. In this study, we conducted a large screening on 3 major Scandinavian breeds to resolve the variation in milk coagulation traits and the frequency of milk with impaired coagulation properties (noncoagulation). In total, individual coagulation properties were measured on morning milk collected from 1,299 Danish Holstein (DH), Danish Jersey (DJ), and Swedish Red (SR) cows. The 3 breeds demonstrated notable interbreed differences in coagulation properties, with DJ cows exhibiting superior coagulation compared with the other 2 breeds. In addition, milk samples from 2% of DH and 16% of SR cows were classified as noncoagulating. Furthermore, the cows were genotyped for major genetic variants in the α_S1- (CSN1S1), β- (CSN2), and κ-casein (CSN3) genes, revealing distinct differences in variant frequencies among breeds. Allele I of CSN2, which had not formerly been screened in such a high number of cows in these Scandinavian breeds, showed a frequency around 7% in DH and DJ, but was not detected in SR. Genetic polymorphisms were significantly associated with curd firming rate and rennet coagulation time. Thus, CSN1S1 C, CSN2 B, and CSN3 B positively affected milk coagulation, whereas CSN2 A², in particular, had a negative effect. In addition to the influence of individual casein genes, the effects of CSN1S1-CSN2-CSN3 composite genotypes were also examined, and revealed strong associations in all breeds, which more or less reflected the single gene results. Overall, milk coagulation is under the influence of additive genetic variation. Optimal milk for future cheese production can be ensured by monitoring the frequency of unfavorable variants and thus preventing an increase in the number of cows producing milk with impaired coagulation. Selective breeding for variants associated with superior milk coagulation can potentially increase raw milk quality and cheese yield in all 3 Scandinavian breeds.