SELF-ORGANIZATION OF LIVING SYSTEMS: A FORMAL MODEL OF AUTOPOIESIS

ABSTRACT

A formalization, computerization and extension of the original Varela-Maturana-Uribe model of autopoiesis is presented. Autopoietic systems are driven by sets of simple “rules” which guide the behavior of components in a given milieu. These rules are capable of producing systemic structures that are far more complex than we could ever achieve by a direct arrangement of components, i.e., by a method of systems analysis and design. The study of autopoietic systems indicates that the traditional emphasis on internal qualities of system's components has been misplaced. It is the organization of components, rather than the components themselves (or their structural manifestations), that provides the necessary and sufficient conditions of autopoiesis and thus of life itself. The dynamic autonomy of autopoietic systems contrasts significantly with the non-autonomous, allopoietic mechanistic systems.     

Development and evaluation of orally disintegrating tablets of cilostazol-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

Context: The clinical applications of cilostazol (CLZ) are limited by its low aqueous solubility (<5?µg/ml) and high biovariability.

Objective: The aim of this study was to enhance the solubility of CLZ by forming inclusion complexes (ICs) with beta cyclodextrin (β-CD) and formulating them into oral disintegrating tablets.

Methods: Phase solubility study of CLZ with β-CD was performed in water. Job’s plot was constructed to determine the stoichiometry of ICs. ICs, prepared by spray-drying technique, were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, hot stage microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance. Molecular modeling studies were performed to understand the mode of interaction of CLZ with β-CD. The formulation process was undertaken using a reproducible design of experiment generated model, attained by variation of diluents and disintegrants at three levels. Tablets were evaluated for drug content, hardness, friability, disintegration time (DT), wetting time (WT) and dissolution profiles.

Results and discussion: Phase solubility studies suggested an A_L type curve with stability constant (K_s) of 922.52?M^?1. Job’s plot revealed 1:2 stoichiometry. All analytical techniques confirmed inclusion complexation. Molecular modeling revealed dispersive van der Waals interaction energy as a major contributor for stabilization of complex. The spray-dried complexes showed higher solubility and faster dissolution compared to plain CLZ. The optimized formulation showed DT of 11.1?±?0.8?s, WT of 8.7?±?0.9?s and almost complete dissolution of CLZ in 15?min.

Conclusion: The prepared tablets with low DT and fast dissolution will prove to be a promising drug delivery system with improved bioavailability and better patient compliance.     

Effects and modelling of ultrasonic waste‐activated sludge disintegration

Sonication is a well‐known sludge pretreatment technique with the advantages of simple operation and high efficiency. However, it is an energy‐intensive process. Hence, it is very important to predetermine its sludge disintegration efficiency at varying pretreatment conditions in order to minimize the ultrasonic energy consumption. In this study, it was found that the ultrasonic sludge disintegration occurred in two stages: rapid and subsequent slow disintegration stages. For this reason, it was aimed to develop a simple and accurate mathematical model to describe the two‐stage sludge disintegration as a function of pretreatment conditions. Sludge concentration and ultrasonic density along with sonication period were involved in this model as independent variables. It was determined that the mathematical model can predict accurately the degree of sludge disintegration. Thus, the proposed model was seen to be very useful for evaluating the disintegration efficiency and/or for process design using the operating parameters under different conditions.     

Electrical blasting disintegration of copper-nickel ores conjointly with separation of particles by size

Absract The effect of electrical blast parameters is studied for grinding mineral materials by example of copper-nickel ore. It is shown that the average energy consumed by the electrical blasting is within 5–50 J/g. The particle disintegration mechanism has been considered at high and low electric conductivity of ore. It is established that grinding and separation of particles by size are possible to be performed conjointly in the same apparatus. __________ Translated from Fiziko-Tekhnicheskie Problemy Razrabotki Poleznykh Iskopaemykh, No. 1, pp. 100–107, January–February, 2007.     

Post mortemRelease of Fish White Muscle α-Actinin as a Marker of Disorganisation

α-Actinin release and its degradation from myofibrils Z-line were studied in post mortem white dorsal muscle from bass and sea trout stored at 4°C and 10°C. Using α-actinin specific antibodies, we show that this protein is rapidly released within the first 24 h for the two species, and reaches a plateau within 4 days. Proteolysis take place very rapidly in bass muscle yielding 80 and 40 kDa fragments from α-actinin as major bands of proteolysis. Sea trout muscle is more resistant, and muscle stored at 4°C is not significantly α-actinin degraded even 10 days after death. In the case of sea trout muscle stored at 10°C, an increasing quantity of 80 and 40 kDa fragment can be observed after the third day. These results show that release and proteolysis of α-actinin are time- and temperature-dependent processes that take place at the early stages of fish storage. Furthermore, we observed that proteolysis of α-actinin seems to be dependent on fish species. In both species studied, the early release of α-actinin comes before the degradation of released molecules, and appears as a biphasic process throughout the disorganisation of post mortem muscle in fish cold-stored above 0°C.     

超声机械法制备纳米二氧化硅及影响因素分析

引言 20世纪,人们发现了纳米粒子具有传统常规颗粒材料所不具备的优良的理化性质和特殊的光、电、磁等特性,从而开始了对纳米粒子的研究,其中包括对纳米粉体粒子基本制备方法的探索[1].纳米粉体粒子的制备方法可以归结为两大类:一类是粉碎法,即将宏观物体逐步细化得到纳米颗粒;另一类是构筑法,即从原子、离子或分子出发,通过成核和长大两个阶段来构筑纳米粒子[2].构筑法制备纳米粉体粒子所用的能量主要为热能和化学能,需要较高的温度,消耗较高能量,后续的除杂工艺较为繁杂,生产过程中还有可能造成环境污染等.而粉碎法制备纳米粉体粒子,设备投资少、能耗低、效率高、生产能力大、生产过程和产品性能易于控制.     

The residual zonal flow in tokamak plasmas with a poloidal electric field

In a tokamak plasma with auxiliary heating by cyclotron waves, a poloidal electric field will be produced, and as a consequence influence the residual zonal flow(RZF) level. The poloidal electric field can also be induced through biasing electrodes at the edge region of tokamaks.Numerical evaluation for a large aspect ratio circular cross section tokamak for the electron cyclotron wave heating indicates that the RZF level decreases significantly when the poloidal electric field increases. Qualitatively, the ion cyclotron wave heating is able to increase the RZF level. It is difficult to apply the calculation to the real cyclotron wave heating experiments since we need to know factors such as the plasma profiles, the exact power deposition and the cross section geometry, etc. It is possible to use the cyclotron wave heating to control the zonal flow and then to control the turbulence level in tokamak experiments.     

Mechanical sludge disintegration for the production of carbon source for biological nutrient removal

The primary driver for a successful biological nutrient removal is the availability of suitable carbon source, mainly in the form of volatile fatty acids (VFA). Several methods have been examined to increase the amount of VFAs in wastewater. This study investigates the mechanism of mechanical disintegration of thickened surplus activated sludge by a deflaker technology for the production of organic matter. This equipment was able to increase the soluble carbon in terms of VFA and soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) with the maximum concentration to be around 850 and 6530 mgl(-1), for VFA and SCOD, respectively. The particle size was reduced from 65.5 to 9.3 microm after 15 min of disintegration with the simultaneous release of proteins (1550 mgl(-1)) and carbohydrates (307 mgl(-1)) indicating floc disruption and breakage. High performance size exclusion chromatography investigated the disintegrated sludge and confirmed that the deflaker was able to destroy the flocs releasing polymeric substances that are typically found outside of cells. When long disintegration times were applied (>or=10 min or >or=9000 kJkg(-1)TS of specific energy) smaller molecular size materials were released to the liquid phase, which are considered to be found inside the cells indicating cell lysis.     

泥岩孔裂隙分布特征及其对吸水性的影响

基于泥岩样品的扫描电镜测试和液氮等温吸附试验,系统研究煤系泥岩的显微孔裂隙形态特征和分布规律,进而探讨孔裂隙分布特征对其吸水软化崩解性的影响规律。主要研究成果为：① 泥岩孔裂隙类型有粒间孔、层间孔、粒缘收缩孔、气胀孔、溶蚀孔、矿物铸模孔及裂隙等;② 孔裂隙的发育程度及相互间的连通性差,自然状态下,多以隐裂隙的形式存在,肉眼很难辨别;③ 孔裂隙以所含黏土矿物微集聚体间孔隙和构成泥岩骨架的大颗粒间孔隙为主,其中构成泥岩骨架的大颗粒间孔隙体积占泥岩总体积的20%以上;④ 泥岩吸水软化崩解是在宏观结构破坏或扰动的基础上,由微孔裂隙吸附效应引起的,受其物质组成不同的影响,自然吸水率和软化崩解机理存在明显差异。     

卧式搅拌罐的制造

根据卧式搅拌罐结构设计特点 ,确定了控制大小螺带的成型、搅拌器的焊接质量和变形、两个封头凸缘法兰的同心度、搅拌装置的安装以及第二个封头与壳体的焊接质量等施工工艺方案 ,实现了设备的高质量制造