Friction,Wear, and Evaporation Rates of Various Materials in Vacuum to 10−7 mm Hg

Evaporation data on soft metals, lubricating inorganic compounds, and various reference materials are reported for temperatures from 75 to 1000 F in vacuum as low as 10^?7 mm Hg. Observations on modes of vacuum degradation (e.g., evaporation or dissociation) and methods of experimentation are related. Friction and wear data are presented for several unlubricated metals (e.g., type 440-C steel) and metals coated with inorganic (e.g., MoS₂, CaF₂) as well as with soft metal films in vacuum at ambient pressures between 10^?6 and 10^?7 mm Hg.     

Asborin inhibits Aldo/Keto reductase 1A1

Asborin is the carbaborane analogue of aspirin. Replacement of the phenyl ring in aspirin by ortho‐carbaborane was found to change the pharmacological profile of the compound remarkably. Unlike aspirin, asborin cannot selectively acetylate a single serine residue in the active site of cyclooxygenase, and as a result inhibitory potency is reduced. Activation of the acetyl group and the presence of the hydrophobic and bulky cluster therefore did not meet the requirements for cyclooxygenase inhibition. Both features, however, match perfectly for inhibition of the aldo/keto reductase family. Herein, we describe the identification of aldo/keto reductase (AKR) 1A1 as an enzymatic target of asborin, which is inhibited in the low micromolar range. The detailed mode of inhibition was studied and is discussed with respect to the cluster properties. The results shed light on how ortho‐carbaborane can be used as a drug synthon, as well as on the development of carbaborane‐based inhibitors of other aldo/keto reductases.     

A Temperature Calibration Procedure for the Sunset Laboratory Carbon Aerosol Analysis Lab Instrument

The Sunset Laboratory Carbon Aerosol Analysis Lab Instrument is widely used for thermal-optical analysis (TOA) of ambient particulate matter samples to measure total carbon (TC), organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC), and often thermal sub-fractions of OC and EC. TOA operating protocols include a series of plateau temperatures at which the thermal sub-fractions evolve. The temperatures have conventionally been measured by a sensor located in the sample oven but away from the filter sample. However, the TOA protocol used by the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network and recently adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Speciation Trends Network (STN) and Chemical Speciation Network (CSN) specify temperatures to be achieved at the filter. Our goal was to develop a simple calibration method to obtain the target filter temperatures in a Sunset Instrument. This method showed good agreement with the IMPROVE/STN/CSN method and has the advantages of not damaging oven components and of providing a direct comparison of sample oven sensor and filter temperatures at the TOA protocol-specified temperatures. Calibrations performed on four Sunset Instruments yielded different sensor/filter temperature relationships. Ambient PM _2.5 samples analyzed using IMPROVE_A temperatures at the oven sensor compared to IMPROVE_A temperatures at the filter yielded statistically insignificant differences for TC, OC, and EC but statistically significant differences for the carbon sub-fraction concentrations. Temperature calibrations should be performed on each Sunset Instrument to ensure comparability in the carbon sub-fractions being reported, and a simple method has been provided for performing these calibrations.     

Die Hirschjagd

Zusammenfassung Die Chace dou cerf ist Frankreichs ältester Beitrag zur nationalen Jagdliteratur in der Sprache des Landes, ein Lehrgedicht eines anonymen Verfassers aus dem letzten Viertel des 13. Jahrhunderts. Beschrieben wird die freie Hetzjagd auf den Rothirsch mit Hunden. Die als Dialog zwischen dem Jägermeister und seinem Eleven in Wechselrede gestaltete ursprüngliche Gedichtform wurde bei der Übersetzung in enger Anlehnung an die altfranzösische Fassung in freie Rede übertragen. Der Text ergänzt und bestätigt in vieler Hinsicht das Bild, das über die mittelalterliche Jagd auf Rotwild besteht.

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Summary The Chace dou cerf is France's oldest contribution to national hunting literature in native language, an anonymous didactic poem of the last quarter of the 13th century. The free, overland chase of red deer stags with hounds is described. The poem's original form was a dialogue between the master of hounds and his apprentice. In translation the form was structured in free speech with close reference to the old French original. The text enlarges and confirmes in many aspects the picture with exists of the middle-age hunting of red deer.

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Résumé La Chace dou Cerf est la contribution la plus ancienne à la littérature cynégétique française. Il s'agit d'un poème didactique d'un auteur anonyme de la fin du 13ème siècle où est décrit le libre courre du Cerf avec chiens. La forme poétique originale, qui correspond à un dialogue entre le maître de chasse et son disciple, a été transposée en prose libre lors de la traduction en allemand. Le texte confirme généralement les conceptions que l'on se fait sur la chasse au Cerf au Moyen-Age.

     

Impacts of riverine sand mining on freshwater ecosystems: A review of the scientific evidence and guidance for future research

Sand mining (used here as a generic term that includes mining of any riverine aggregates regardless of particle size) is a global activity that is receiving increasing media attention due to perceived negative environmental and social impacts. As calls grow for stronger regulation of mining, there is a need to understand the scientific evidence to support effective management. This paper summarizes the results of a structured literature review addressing the question, “What evidence is there of impacts of sand mining on ecosystem structure, process, and biodiversity in rivers, floodplains, and estuaries?” The review found that most investigations have focused on temperate rivers where sand mining occurred historically but has now ceased. Channel incision was the most common physical impact identified; other physical responses, including habitat disturbance, alteration of riparian zones, and changes to downstream sediment transport, were highly variable and dependant on river characteristics. Ecosystem attributes affected included macroinvertebrate drift, fish movements, species abundance and community structures, and food web dynamics. Studies often inferred impacts on populations, but supporting data were scarce. Limited evidence suggests that rivers can sustain extraction if volumes are within the natural sediment load variability. Significantly, the countries and rivers for which there is science‐based evidence related to sand mining are not those where extensive sand mining is currently reported. The lack of scientific and systematic studies of sand mining in these countries prevents accurate quantification of mined volumes or the type, extent, and magnitude of any impacts. Additional research into how sand mining is affecting ecosystem services, impacting biodiversity and particularly threatened species, and how mining impacts interact with other activities or threats is urgently required.     

HGF-Induced PD-L1 Expression in Head and Neck Cancer: Preclinical and Clinical Findings

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a widespread disease with a low survival rate and a high risk of recurrence. Nowadays, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment is approved for HNSCC as a first-line treatment in recurrent and metastatic disease. ICI treatment yields a clear survival benefit, but overall response rates are still unsatisfactory. As shown in different cancer models, hepatocyte growth factor/mesenchymal–epithelial transition (HGF/Met) signaling contributes to an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between HGF and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-L1) expression in HNSCC cell lines. The preclinical data show a robust PD-L1 induction upon HGF stimulation. Further analysis revealed that the HGF-mediated upregulation of PD-L1 is MAP kinase-dependent. We then hypothesized that serum levels of HGF and soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (sPD-L1) could be potential markers of ICI treatment failure. Thus, we determined serum levels of these proteins in 20 HNSCC patients before ICI treatment and correlated them with treatment outcomes. Importantly, the clinical data showed a positive correlation of both serum proteins (HGF and sPD-L1) in HNSCC patient’s sera. Moreover, the serum concentration of sPD-L1 was significantly higher in ICI non-responsive patients. Our findings indicate a potential role for sPD-L1 as a prognostic marker for ICI treatment in HNSCC.     

Convolutional Neural Network-based Leakage Detection of Crude Oil Transmission Pipes

Due to the rapid development in the petroleum industry,the leakage detection of crude oil transmission pipes has become an increasingly crucial issue.At present...