Hypothyroidism Exacerbates Thrombophilia in Female Rats Fed with a High Fat Diet

Clotting abnormalities are discussed both in the context with thyroid dysfunctions and obesity caused by a high fat diet. This study aimed to investigate the impact of hypo-, or hyperthyroidism on the endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), a master indicator of clotting activation, on Sprague Dawley rats fed a normal or high fat diet. Female Sprague Dawley rats (n = 66) were grouped into normal diet (ND; n = 30) and high-fat diet (HFD; n = 36) groups and subdivided into controls, hypothyroid and hyperthyroid groups, induced through propylthiouracil or triiodothyronine (T3) treatment, respectively. After 12 weeks of treatment ETP, body weight and food intake were analyzed. Successfully induced thyroid dysfunction was shown by T3 levels, both under normal and high fat diet. Thyroid dysfunction was accompanied by changes in calorie intake and body weight. In detail, compared to euthyroid controls, hypothyroid rats showed significantly increased—and hyperthyroid animals significantly decreased—ETP levels. High fat diet potentiated these effects in both directions. In summary, we are the first to show that hypothyroidism and high fat diet potentiate the thrombotic capacity of the clotting system in Sprague Dawley rats. This effect may be relevant for cardiovascular disease where thyroid function is poorly understood as a pathological contributor in the context of clotting activity and obesogenic nutrition.     

Wireless Microfluidic Systems for Programmed,Functional Transformation of Transient Electronic Devices

Electronic systems that enable programmable transformation of functional behaviors by remote control or by autonomous responses to user‐defined circumstances create unusual engineering opportunities, where physical changes in the hardware induce desired changes in operation. This paper presents materials and device architectures for technologies of this type, in which localized microfluidic chemical etching of targeted constituent components in the electronics occurs in a sequential, selective manner. Custom circuits that include reconfigurable radio‐powered thermal actuators with analog amplifiers and square waveform generators illustrate the concepts.     

Impact of the fungal protease produced by Fusarium culmorum on the protein quality and breadmaking properties of winter wheat

Samples artificially infected by Fusarium culmorum were analyzed to assess the effects of Fusarium infection on the protein quality of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The Fusarium infection did not noticeably influence either the crude protein content or the water absorption ability of the wheat flour. The protease activity found in the wheat flour was inversely correlated to the sedimentation value. In contrast, it was positively correlated to both the free amino acid content and the degree of infection as expressed in Fusarium protein equivalents (FPE) quantified by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A distinct reduction in the content of both total glutenin and high molecular weight glutenin subunits was detected in the seriously infected samples (FPE>20 µg g^–1). The infection with Fusarium impaired the dough quality and led to a deformed loaf shape. The fungal protease was active over both a wide range of temperatures (from 10 to 100 °C) and a wide range of pH values (from 4.5 to 8.5). The maximum protease activity was displayed at 50 °C in the pH range 6.0–8.0. This property indicates that the protease produced by F. culmorum may impair storage proteins throughout all the processing procedures associated with wheat flour, thereby causing weak dough properties and, consequently, unsatisfactory bread quality.     

Liquid water flow in Pinus radiata during drying

End-sealed 60×60×250?mm³ Pinus radiata pieces were dried at 65/37 °C (dry bulb/wet bulb temperature) and 4 ms^-1 air speed to study various drying phenomena above fibre saturation point. While drying, an X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner captured a cross-cut density image every ten minutes. The density data was used to determine moisture content, rate of moisture loss from the core, wetline (boundary line of the free water region) depth and cross-cut area of the wood pieces. Repeating patterns were observed, which indicated that the cavity-size distribution of the wood pieces dictated fluctuations in the rate of moisture loss from the core and cross-cut area shrinkage during drying in the free water phase. It is hypothesised that, while drying an interconnected capillary network in the free water phase, the largest meniscus penetrates a wood piece through the largest cavities, thus also allowing air into the capillary network. The largest meniscus would always get smaller as it penetrates the wood piece until it is not the largest meniscus in the network anymore. Then the new largest meniscus would start penetrating the capillary network, etc. The largest meniscus would also determine the liquid tension in the capillary network. When the largest meniscus gets small enough, and the liquid tension strong enough, deformation and collapse of the remaining liquid-filled cavities can occur. A large liquid-filled interconnected capillary network would eventually fragment into a number of smaller liquid-filled interconnected networks, at which point a receding wetline could be observed.     

Pyroglutamins?ure in Bohnenkaffee

Zusammenfassung Die Identifizierung von Pyroglutaminsäure in Kaffee durch GC/MS des Di-trimethylsilylderivats wird beschrieben. Pyroglutaminsäure findet sich im Röstkaffee zu 0,5 bis 1,5 g/kg und im Kaffee-Extrakt zu ca. 5 g/kg.

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Pyroglutamic acid in coffee

Summary The identification of pyroglutamic acid in coffee by means of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is described. The contents of this acid are 0.5 to 1,5 g/kg in roast coffee and about 5 g/kg in coffee extracts.

     

Phase Relations in the ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Nd<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> System: Experimental Study and Advanced Thermodynamic Modeling

Phase equilibria in the ZrO₂-Nd₂O₃-Y₂O₃ system at 1523-1873 K have been investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX). Temperatures of phase transformations were determined by differential thermal analysis. Temperatures of invariant reactions in the ZrO₂-Nd₂O₃ system F = A + Pyr and H = F + A were determined as 1763 and 2118 K respectively and thermodynamic parameters of phases were re-assessed. Phase transformations in ternary systems were determined at 1732 K for composition ZrO₂-48.46Nd₂O₃-5.38Y₂O₃ (mol%) and at 1744 and 1881 K for composition ZrO₂-79.09Nd₂O₃-2.75Y₂O₃ (mol%). They were interpreted using XRD investigation before and after DTA as Pyr + B → F, Pyr → F and A → B, respectively. The solubility of the Y₂O₃ in pyrochlore phase was found to exceed 10 mol%. The thermodynamic parameters of the ZrO₂-Nd₂O₃-Y₂O₃ system were reassessed taking into account solubility of Y₂O₃ in the Nd₂Zr₂O₇ pyrochlore phase (Pyr). It is assumed that Y³⁺ substitutes Nd³⁺ and Zr⁴⁺ in their preferentially occupied sublattices. Ternary parameter was introduced into fluorite phase (F) for better reproducing of phase equilibria. Mixing parameters were reassessed for phase A (Nd₂O₃ based solution), monoclinic phase B and cubic phase C (Y₂O₃ based solution). The isothermal sections calculated for the ZrO₂-Nd₂O₃-Y₂O₃ system are in the reasonable agreement with experimental results.