Cardioinotropic Effects in Subchronic Intoxication of Rats with Lead and/or Cadmium Oxide Nanoparticles

Subchronic intoxication was induced in outbred male rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections with lead oxide (PbO) and/or cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles (NPs) 3 times a week during 6 weeks for the purpose of examining its effects on the contractile characteristics of isolated right ventricle trabeculae and papillary muscles in isometric and afterload contractions. Isolated and combined intoxication with these NPs was observed to reduce the mechanical work produced by both types of myocardial preparation. Using the in vitro motility assay, we showed that the sliding velocity of regulated thin filaments drops under both isolated and combined intoxication with CdO–NP and PbO–NP. These results correlate with a shift in the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms towards slowly cycling β–MHC. The type of CdO–NP + PbO–NP combined cardiotoxicity depends on the effect of the toxic impact, the extent of this effect, the ratio of toxicant doses, and the degree of stretching of cardiomyocytes and muscle type studied. Some indices of combined Pb–NP and CdO–NP cardiotoxicity and general toxicity (genotoxicity included) became fully or partly normalized if intoxication developed against background administration of a bioprotective complex.     

Proinflammatory Interleukin-33 Induces Dichotomic Effects on Cell Proliferation in Normal Gastric Epithelium and Gastric Cancer

Interleukin (IL)-33 is a member of the interleukin (IL)-1 family of cytokines linked to the development of inflammatory conditions and cancer in the gastrointestinal tract. This study is designed to investigate whether IL-33 has a direct effect on human gastric epithelial cells (GES-1), the human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (AGS), and the gastric carcinoma cell line (NCI-N87) by assessing its role in the regulation of cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Cell cycle regulation was also determined in ex vivo gastric cancer samples obtained during endoscopy and surgical procedures. Cell lines and tissue samples underwent stimulation with rhIL-33. Proliferation was assessed by XTT and CFSE assays, migration by wound healing assay, and apoptosis by caspase 3/7 activity assay and annexin V assay. Cell cycle was analyzed by means of propidium iodine assay, and gene expression regulation was assessed by RT-PCR profiling. We found that IL-33 has an antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect on cancer cell lines, and it can stimulate proliferation and reduce apoptosis in normal epithelial cell lines. These effects were also confirmed by the analysis of cell cycle gene expression, which showed a reduced expression of pro-proliferative genes in cancer cells, particularly in genes involved in G0/G1 and G2/M checkpoints. These results were confirmed by gene expression analysis on bioptic and surgical specimens. The aforementioned results indicate that IL-33 may be involved in cell proliferation in an environment- and cell-type-dependent manner.     

Simulated Microgravity Inhibits the Proliferation of Chang Liver Cells by Attenuation of the Major Cell Cycle Regulators and Cytoskeletal Proteins

Simulated microgravity (SMG) induced the changes in cell proliferation and cytoskeleton organization, which plays an important factor in various cellular processes. The inhibition in cell cycle progression has been considered to be one of the main causes of proliferation inhibition in cells under SMG, but their mechanisms are still not fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of SMG on the proliferative ability and cytoskeleton changes of Chang Liver Cells (CCL-13). CCL-13 cells were induced SMG by 3D clinostat for 72 h, while the control group were treated in normal gravity at the same time. The results showed that SMG reduced CCL-13 cell proliferation by an increase in the number of CCL-13 cells in G0/G1 phase. This cell cycle phase arrest of CCL-13 cells was due to a downregulation of cell cycle-related proteins, such as cyclin A1 and A2, cyclin D1, and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (Cdk6). SMG-exposed CCL-13 cells also exhibited a downregulation of α-tubulin 3 and β-actin which induced the cytoskeleton reorganization. These results suggested that the inhibited proliferation of SMG-exposed CCL-13 cells could be associate with the attenuation of major cell cycle regulators and main cytoskeletal proteins.     

Robust Superhydrophobic Fabric for Durability,Self-Cleaning,and Oil/Water Separation via Thiol–Acrylate Polymerization

In recent years, highly efficient oil/water separation materials have brought much attention. It requests superhydrophobic surfaces with a rapid and facile separation process, excellent durability, and large-scale fabrication. Herein, a facile vapor-liquid sol-gel, and free radical polymerization reaction method to prepare the durable and robust superhydrophobic cotton fabric is proposed. Moreover, the fabric can be used for highly efficient and various oil/water separation. It is prepared via a simple two-step process, including a vapor-liquid sol-gel process to deposit with thiols particles, and then followed a free radical polymerization reaction to graft 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry prove that the rough structures are generated from the hydrolysis condensation reaction between tetraethyl orthosilicate and 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane. As a result, the synthetic chemical composition provided by the natural fabric and silica nanoparticles synergistically construct a superhydrophobic surface with water contact angles and shedding angle of 158° and 9°, respectively. Additionally, the treated fabric exhibits excellent chemical resistance and self-cleaning ability. Remarkably, the fabric still retains superhydrophobic and excellent mechanical robustness after 30 cycles of various oil/water separation. In summary, the resultant fabrics with excellent chemical resistance, remarkable mechanical robustness, and versatile separation abilities have potential applications in various oil/water separations.     

无机盐对新疆油田三元复合驱界面性能影响研究

界面性能对复合驱提高采收率有重大的影响,界面张力越低,洗油效率越高;Zeta电位越高,油水乳状液越稳定。研究了各类无机盐对新疆油田复合驱界面性能的影响。结果显示,Zeta电位的绝对值随着无机盐浓度的增高而增大;无机碱中,碳酸根离子降低界面张力效果最好,氢氧根次之,碳酸氢根最差;阳离子中,钾离子降低界面张力效果最好,其次是钠离子,镁离子会略微提高界面张力,钙离子则会大幅度提高界面张力;阴离子中,与硫酸根相比,氯离子能更好地降低界面张力。通过以上研究,确定了Q站污水处理站外排水更适合三元复合驱配液。     

复吹转炉“留渣 双渣”脱磷工艺试验

摘要：在国内某转炉钢厂采用“留渣 双渣”工艺技术进行脱磷工艺试验。结果表明：随着转炉前期脱磷率不断升高,终点脱磷率不断提高。铁水硅含量对前期脱磷率的影响最大。根据铁水成分,在冶炼前期适当降低供氧强度、降低气固氧比、加入适量石灰及烧结矿,均有利于前期脱磷率的提高。在一倒时每吨钢液加入4~8kg石灰,不影响出钢温度,可提高一倒-终点阶段脱磷率,同时可提高终点脱磷率。从终点的控制效果可知,终点炉渣碱度应保持不小于3.0,炉渣中FeO质量分数在16%~20%,并适当降低终点出钢温度在1610~1630℃,有利于终点脱磷率的提高。通过加强熔池搅拌,促进钢渣反应趋于平衡,有利于终点磷分配比提高,从而可进一步提高终点脱磷率。     

快淬工艺对无钴AB5型贮氢合金循环稳定性的影响

研究了快淬工艺对无钴AB5型LaxMm1-x(NiMnSiAlFe)4.9(x=0,0.45,0.75,1.0)合金微观结构及电化学循环稳定性的影响.结果表明快淬处理显著改善合金的成分均匀性,使晶粒细化,并显著提高合金的循环稳定性.当淬速从0m/s增加到28 m/s时,经300次充放循环后,x=0.45合金的容量衰减率D从0.28 mAh/g·c-1(c代表一次循环)下降到0.13mAh/g·c-1;x=1.0合金的容量衰减率D从0.3mAh/g·c-1下降到0.14mAh/g·c-1.     

Fe替代Co对AB5型贮氢合金循环稳定性的影响

用铸造及快淬的方法制备了稀土基AB5型Mm（NiMnSiAl）4．3Co0.6-xFex（x=0，0．1，0．2，0．3，0．4，0．5，0．6）贮氢合金，用XRD。TEM及SEM观测了铸态及快淬态的微观结构，测试了合金在铸态及快淬态下的电化学循环稳定性。研究了Fe替代Co对铸态及快淬态贮氢合金微观结构及循环稳定性的影响。研究结果表明，Fe替代Co对铸态及快淬态合金的相结构没有明显影响，但对合金的循环稳定性产生显著影响。Fe替代Co能不同程度地改善铸态及快淬态合金的循环稳定性，但对快淬态合金循环寿命的改善更加显著，导致这一结果的主要原因是Fe替代Co使快淬态合金的微观组织显著细化。     

ANN valuation model of material LCIA profile

Weighting model is the only valuation model of life cycle impact assessment(LCIA) profile now. It simplifies evaluation function into linear function, and makes the determination of weighting factor complicated. Therefore the valuation of LCIA profile is the most critical and controversial step in life cycle assessment(LCA). Development on valuation models, which are understood easily and accepted widely, is urgently needed in the field of LCA.The modeling approaches for the linear evaluation function were summed up. The modeling approaches for the nonlinear evaluation function were set up by function approximation theory, which include choosing preference products, forming preference data, establishing artificial neural network(ANN) and training ANN by preference data.By selecting 7 material products as preference product, experience was done with modeling approaches of the nonlinear evaluation function. The results show that the modeling approaches and valuation model of the nonlinear evaluation function are more practical than the weighting model.     

High cycle fatigue behaviour of Ti–6Al–4V alloy at elevated temperatures

High cycle fatigue behaviour of Ti–6Al–4V alloy was studied at 623 K and 723 K. Fatigue strength decreased at elevated temperatures compared with at ambient temperature. In the short life regime, fatigue strength was lower at 723 K than at 623 K, but in the long life regime it was nearly the same at both temperatures. At elevated temperatures, cracks were generated earlier at applied stresses below the fatigue limit at ambient temperature, indicating lowered crack initiation resistance. Small cracks grew faster at elevated temperatures than at ambient temperature, which became more noticeable with increasing temperature. After allowing for the elastic modulus, small cracks still grew faster at elevated temperatures.