A GC–MS-based metabonomic investigation of blood serum from irritable bowel syndrome patients undergoing intervention with acidified milk products

In the present study, the use of gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS)-based metabonomics to characterize blood serum in an intervention study of patients suffering from the common gastrointestinal disorder irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was investigated. The patients included in the study consumed an acidified milk product with (n = 30) or without probiotics (n = 31) (Lactobacillus paracasei F19, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12) for an 8-week period, and blood serum samples were collected before and after the intervention. Acidified milk is commonly used as a delivering vector for probiotics in commercial consumer settings. The serum samples were extracted and derivatized using N-Methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA), and GC–MS analysis was carried out. Multivariate data analysis including principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and S-plot was applied on the obtained GC–MS data, which revealed higher serum lactate, glutamine, proline creatinine/creatine, and aspartic acid levels and lower serum glucose levels after the intervention period for both treatment groups. Consequently, the present study indicated an effect of acidified milk consumption on the plasma metabolite profile, which was independent of a concomitant intake of probiotics. In addition, the present study demonstrates that GC–MS is a useful analytical technique for metabonomics studies of blood serum.     

Essential functional role of the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin of Staphylococcus epidermidis in hemagglutination

Hemagglutination of erythrocytes is a common property of Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, which is related to adherence and biofilm formation and may be essential for the pathogenesis of biomaterial-associated infections caused by S. epidermidis. In three independent biofilm-producing, hemagglutination-positive S. epidermidis isolates, interruption of the icaADBC operon essential for polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) synthesis by Tn917 insertions led to a hemagglutination-negative phenotype. An immunoglobulin G fraction of antiserum to PIA greatly reduced hemagglutination. Purified PIA led to a 64-fold decrease of hemagglutination titers of these strains; however, it did not mediate hemagglutination by itself. These observations define PIA as the hemagglutinin of S. epidermidis or at least as its major functional component.     

Load sharing between austenite and ferrite in a duplex stainless steel during cyclic loading

The load sharing between phases and the evolution of micro- and macrostresses during cyclic loading has been investigated in a 1.5-mm cold-rolled sheet of the duplex stainless steel SAF 2304. X-ray diffraction (XRD) stress analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) show that even if the hardness and yield strength are higher in the austenitic phase, more plastic deformation will occur in this phase due to the residual microstresses present in the material. The origin of the microstresses is the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion between the two phases, which leads to tensile microstresses in the austenite and compressive microstresses in the ferrite. The microstresses were also found to increase from 50 to 140 MPa in the austenite during the first 100 cycles when cycled in tension fatigue with a maximum load of 500 MPa. The cyclic loading response of the material was, thus, mainly controlled by the plastic properties of the austenitic phase. It was also found that initial compressive macrostresses on the surface increased from −40 to 50 MPa during the first 10³ cycles. After the initial increase of microstresses and macrostresses, no fading of residual stresses was found to occur for the following cycles. A good correlation was found between the internal stress state and the microstructure evolution. The change in texture during cyclic fatigue showed a sharpening of the deformation texture in the ferritic phase, while no significant changes were found in the austenitic phase.     

Thermal stability of metal-supported catalysts for reduction of cold-start emissions in a wood-fired domestic boiler

The aim of the present work is to develop a catalyst based on a mixture of manganese oxides and platinum supported on a metallic monolith for abatement of emissions from wood combustion, particularly during the cold-start phase. The activity and the thermal stability of the catalysts have been studied in the laboratory, before performing tests in a wood-stove. The effect of the hydrothermal treatment at 900°C on the adherence of the washcoat onto a metallic substrate was studied using scanning electronic microscope. It revealed well-adhering washcoat onto the metallic support due to the growth of the alumina whiskers during the treatment. The influence of the amount of washcoat, as well as the influence of the concentration of manganese oxides in it (Mn: 5 to 20 mol%/Al₂O₃) on the activity of fresh and hydrothermally-treated catalysts were studied. The activity tests were carried out using a mixture of carbon monoxide, naphthalene and methane in the presence of air, steam and carbon dioxide to resemble the flue gases from wood combustion. On the fresh catalysts, containing the same total amount of manganese, a high concentration of manganese oxides in the washcoat favoured the oxidation of carbon monoxide and naphthalene, whereas a lower concentration of manganese oxides in the washcoat gave higher activity for the oxidation of methane. An increased total amount of manganese oxides in the catalysts, which had the same amount of washcoat, resulted in an increase in activity for the oxidation of the three combustibles. After thermal treatment at 900°C for 270 h in steam, most of the manganese oxide catalysts were activated for the oxidation of carbon monoxide and naphthalene while only being slightly deactivated for the oxidation of methane. The addition of manganese oxides in the washcoat, however, lowers the temperature of the γ- to -alumina phase transformation. Platinum (0.5 mol%) was added to the manganese oxide (10 mol%) catalyst to improve its activity. A platinum catalyst was also tested for comparison. The platinum and the mixed catalysts showed similar activity for the oxidation of carbon monoxide and naphthalene, while the mixed catalysts were more active for the oxidation of methane. A similarly mixed MnO_x–Pt (10–0.5 mol%) catalyst supported on Al₂O₃ stabilised with 3% lanthanum, but at larger scale, was tested in a wood-stove. The possibility of pre-heating the catalyst during the start-up phase was studied. The tests revealed a strong decrease of the carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons emissions during the start-up phase when the catalyst was pre-heated with hot air compared with no pre-heating or no catalyst.     

Elastic strain evolution and ε-martensite formation in individual austenite grains during in situ loading of a metastable stainless steel

The (hcp) ε-martensite formation and the elastic strain evolution of individual (fcc) austenite grains in metastable austenitic stainless steel AISI 301 has been investigated during in situ tensile loading up to 5% applied strain. The experiment was conducted using high-energy X-rays and the 3DXRD technique, enabling studies of individual grains embedded in the bulk of the steel. Out of the 47 probed austenite grains, one could be coupled with the formation of ε-martensite, using the reported orientation relationship between the two phases. The formation of ε-martensite occurred in the austenite grain with the highest Schmid factor for the active {111}<12¯1> slip system.     

Interfacial chemistry of cobalt(II) during sol–gel synthesis of cobalt-containing mesoporous materials

Co-MCM-41 and Co-MCM-48 with cobalt amounts from about 3 wt.% to 9 wt.% have been synthesized under various conditions, and the samples were characterized by XRF, XRD and N₂-sorption. EXAFS least-squares curve fitting detected only oxygen and silicon backscattering shells, which verified the incorporation of cobalt into the silica framework both for as-synthesized and calcined samples. XANES profiles showed that the oxidation state of cobalt in the samples is unaltered during synthesis. It has been shown that the cobalt is precipitated as cobalt hydroxide during synthesis, and this hydroxide is in equilibrium with aqueous cobalt ions in the synthesis gel. The precipitated cobalt hydroxide precursors are incorporated into the mesoporous silica framework, while the aqueous cobalt ions remain dissolved in the aqueous phase. The cobalt amount in the final samples is therefore pH dependent. This equilibrium is also important in the formation of the mesoporous structure. Addition of increasing amounts of cobalt salt to a MCM-48 synthesis gel causes a change in the mesoporous structure from cubic Ia3d to hexagonal, which is suggested to be a consequence of the charge density matching process. The increased amounts of the divalent cobalt(II) ions in the gel screen the negatively charged silica precursors, which decreases the total surface charge density of the silica, and thus causes the surfactants to self-assemble into the hexagonal structure.     

No security: A meta-analysis and review of job insecurity and its consequences.

Meta-analytic techniques were used to estimate how job insecurity relates to its postulated outcomes. Consistent with the conceptual framework, the results indicate that job insecurity has detrimental consequences for employees' job attitudes, organizational attitudes, health, and, to some extent, their behavioral relationship with the organization. Moderator analyses suggest that these relationships may be underestimated in studies relying on single-item measures of job insecurity and that the behavioral consequences of insecurity are more detrimental among manual, as compared with nonmanual, workers. Recommendations made for future research include utilization of multidimensional measures, consideration of a broader spectrum of outcomes and moderators, and use of longitudinal designs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

摆脱缆线连接：802．15．4/ZigBee~(TM)的选择和注意事项

在IEEE标准802.15.4组织和ZigBee联盟的努力下,未来的家庭、工厂、办公室和零售商店都不需要很多缆线.连接传感器和开关到照明、保安、HVAC和工业控制设备的缆线大约占一般大楼缆线的三分之一.如果用802.15.4无线开关取代传统的缆线式开关,承建商就能够在新的建筑工程中把劳动和材料等两方面的成本削减大约三分之一;如果采用更现代化的设备对大楼进行翻新,所节省的成本甚至更多.     

Improved lean deNOx performance of Cu-ZSM-5 through alternative synthesis conditions for ZSM-5

A series of ZSM-5 samples with similar SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio was synthesised using different aluminum sources and by including varying amounts of calcium hydroxide during the synthesis. The samples were subsequently ion-exchanged with Cu-ions, and evaluated with respect to deNOx activity in the absence and presence of water. The choice of aluminum source and the presence of calcium hydroxide during the zeolite synthesis affected the lean deNOx activity of Cu-ZSM-5.     

The use of X-ray diffraction peak-broadening analysis to characterize ground Al2O3 powders

X-ray peak broadening has been used to study the milling behaviour of a number of commercial alumina powders. It is shown that the milling behaviour is dependent upon the original particle size, internal defects in particles and the milling liquid used. Peak-broadening studies allow the effects of milling upon reduction of crystallite size and increase in stored energy to be separated. The effect of these two parameters was separated using the Cauchy correction method. Measurement of the particle size of the unmilled alumina powders in the transmission electron microscope was used to determine that the Cauchy method gave the most correct estimation of crystallite size. Both alumina crystallite size and stored energy are expected to enhance sintering of the powder to a high density. Attempts are made to predict the sintering ability of the materials studied in terms of the above parameters.