Wall effects observed in tissue-equivalent proportional counters from 1.05 GeV/nucleon iron-56 particles

A strong overlap between P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) substrates and modulators has been reported. To test the hypothesis that CYP3A and Pgp are coordinately regulated, we examined the effects of known inducers of CYP3A (triacetyloleandomycin, rifampicin, dexamethasone, pregnenolone 16alpha-carbonitrile) on Pgp expression in rat liver. We also investigated the gender-specific expression of Pgp and compared its response to dexamethasone between male and female rats. In male rats, western blot analyses showed that rifampicin and dexamethasone caused 50% and 5-fold increases in Pgp levels, respectively. RNase protection assays using gene-specific probes for the three Pgp isoforms revealed a 3-fold increase in mdr2 mRNA levels after dexamethasone administration and a 2-fold increase following rifampicin treatment. Triacetyloleandomycin and pregnenolone 16alpha-carbonitrile had no effect on Pgp expression and mRNA levels. We also observed that the basal level of Pgp was 40% lower in male rats than in females and that mdr2 mRNA levels in male rats were one-half those in females. As opposed to the results in male rats, dexamethasone reduced Pgp expression by approximately 60% and caused a 30% decrease in mdr2 mRNA levels in female rats. Mdr1a was not affected and mdr1b was not detected in female or male rats. We conclude that, at the dosage regimen used, CYP3A and Pgp responses to CYP3A inducers are regulated independently in rat liver. In addition, this study shows that Pgp expression and regulation are gender specific.     

Psychopathological characteristics of the consequences of obstructive sleep apnea prior to and 3 months after therapy

The aim of the research was to discover the level of change observed in cognitive functions and personality variables in patients ill with obstructive sleep apnea prior to and after CPAP treatment. Data was collected from 20 male patients ill with a severe form of obstructive sleep apnea whose physiological symptoms were correlated with the results of cognitive functions and personality variables. It was concluded that obstructive sleep apnea patients have lowered; attention, concentration, speed of learning verbal and visual stimuli and speed of learning visual-motor tasks. An increased level of depression was noted together with increased anxiety and psychological tension. In half of the group irregular EEG recordings and a pathological result on the Benton Test suggests organic damage to the CNS. These changes were negatively correlated with amounts of REM and 3 + 4 NREM sleep, but were positively correlated with the level of sleep hypoxemia. The results suggest that after 3 months of CPAP treatment affect improved significantly. The observed tendency for cognitive functions to improved was not statistically significant.     

Engine oil contribution to diesel exhaust emissions

The reduction of harmful pollutant emissions as well as CO₂ emissions emanating from motor vehicles will be of considerable interest in the coming decades. Emissions legislation will be the guiding principle in the development of new technologies and vehicles. More attention will have to be paid to off‐road vehicles, especially tractors, if the production of healthy food and the maintenance of a cleaner environment are not to be compromised. Therefore, one the biggest challenges facing the automotive industry is to improve fuel economy, both to conserve natural resources and to limit pollutants and CO₂ emissions. Better fuel efficiency and consequently lower emissions will require new materials, new lubricants and low‐emission fuel. Engine lubricants help to improve vehicle efficiency but contribute engine exhaust emissions. This paper deals with the influence of engine lubricants on diesel exhaust emissions. Investigations have shown a clear effect of lubricant oil on emissions, which depends on lube oil characteristics, especially sulfur content, metal content, volatility and density. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heat transfer coefficients in coiled stirred-tank systems

Steady-state and transient heat transfer coefficients were determined in coiled, stirred-tank systems with single-tank and two-tanks-in-series arrangements, using flat-blade turbine impellers and water. Flowrates, hot water temperature and agitator speed were varied for Re between 19,000 and 77,000 for the agitated side, covering the Re = 20,000–40,000 range for which published data are not available.     

A computerized and integrated approach for heat exchanger network design in multipurpose batch plants

Significant savings in the utility cost of batch plants can be obtained by heat integration. In this study, an integrated mathematical programming approach is developed for the determination of the cost optimal heat exchanger network for multipurpose batch chemical plants. A single step, interactive computer program (BatcHEN) which is developed for the determination of the campaigns (i.e. the set of products which can be produced simultaneously), the heat exchange areas of all possible heat exchangers in the campaigns and finally the heat exchanger network are all discussed. A matrix search algorithm is used for the determination of the campaigns. Heat exchange areas for the possible heat exchangers are found by solving a nonlinear optimization model with a grid search algorithm. Finally the heat exchanger network optimization is modeled as a mixed integer linear programming problem and then solved by the modeling and optimization software GAMS/XA.     

The use of temporal metrics for land cover change detection at coarse spatial scales

Successful land cover change analysis requires selection of an appropriate set of variables for measuring and characterizing change. Coarse spatial resolution satellite sensors offer the advantage of frequent coverage of large areas and this facilitates the monitoring of surface processes. Fine spatial resolution satellite sensors provide reliable land cover information on a local basis. This work examines the ability of several temporal change metrics to detect land cover change in sub-Saharan Africa using remote sensing data collected at a coarse spatial resolution over 16 test sites for which fine spatial resolution data are available. We model change in the fine-resolution data as a function of the coarse spatial resolution metrics without regard to the type of change. Results indicate that coarse spatial resolution temporal metrics (i) relate in a statistically significant way to aggregate changes in land cover, (ii) relate more strongly to fine spatial resolution change metrics when including a measure of surface temperature instead of a vegetation index alone, and (iii) are most effective as land cover change indicators when various metrics are combined in multivariate models.     

A Study on Hydrodynamics and Heat Transfer in a Bubble Column Reactor with Yeast and Bacterial Cell Suspensions

Hydrodynamics and heat transfer experiments were carried out in a slurry bubble column with air‐water‐yeast cells and air‐water‐bacteria cells systems to investigate gas hold‐up, bubble characteristics and heat transfer coefficients with cell concentrations of 0.1% w/w and 0.4% w/w and superficial gas velocity up to 0.20 m/s. The gas hold‐ups and heat transfer coefficients were found to increase with increasing gas velocity and cell concentration. The heat transfer coefficients were higher at the centre of the column as compared to the near wall region. The development of empirical correlations to predict the heat transfer coefficient in two‐ and three‐phase systems was carried out with ±15% confidence interval at most.     

Applying the sol–gel method to the deposition of nanocoats on textiles to improve their abrasion resistance

The thin-coat finishing of textiles carried out by the sol–gel methods gain greater and greater importance owing to their suitability for the versatile functionalization of textiles to impart to them properties being difficult and even impossible to obtain with the use of conventional finishing methods. This article presents the test results of the thin-coat protective finishing of cotton fabrics against abrasion. This treatment consists in depositing hybrid SiO₂*/Al₂O₃ sols synthesized from two precursors: (3-glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxy-silane and aluminum isopropoxide on fiber/fabric surface. The abrasion resistance of the fabric treated by the sol–gel method has been increased by about five times according to Martindale test and this effect is resistant to prolonged laundering. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012