Deep oxidation of VOC mixtures with platinum supported on Al2O3/Al monoliths

Pt impregnated metallic monoliths prepared from anodised aluminium foils were tested to study their catalytic activity in complete oxidation of volatile organic compound (VOC) mixtures. The VOCs oxidised were 2-propanol, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), acetone and their mixtures. Complete oxidation was obtained in all cases except for the case of 2-propanol, where acetone was found as an oxidation intermediate. Even if the adsorption of the VOC on the Al₂O₃ is governed by its polarity, the reactivity is mainly affected by the competition of the oxygen atoms chemisorbed on the Pt particles.     

Effects of Human and Porcine Adipose Extracellular Matrices Decellularized by Enzymatic or Chemical Methods on Macrophage Polarization and Immunocompetence

The decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) obtained from human and porcine adipose tissue (AT) is currently used to prepare regenerative medicine bio-scaffolds. However, the influence of these natural biomaterials on host immune response is not yet deeply understood. Since macrophages play a key role in the inflammation/healing processes due to their high functional plasticity between M1 and M2 phenotypes, the evaluation of their response to decellularized ECM is mandatory. It is also necessary to analyze the immunocompetence of macrophages after contact with decellularized ECM materials to assess their functional role in a possible infection scenario. In this work, we studied the effect of four decellularized adipose matrices (DAMs) obtained from human and porcine AT by enzymatic or chemical methods on macrophage phenotypes and fungal phagocytosis. First, a thorough biochemical characterization of these biomaterials by quantification of remnant DNA, lipids, and proteins was performed, thus indicating the efficiency and reliability of both methods. The proteomic analysis evidenced that some proteins are differentially preserved depending on both the AT origin and the decellularization method employed. After exposure to the four DAMs, specific markers of M1 proinflammatory and M2 anti-inflammatory macrophages were analyzed. Porcine DAMs favor the M2 phenotype, independently of the decellularization method employed. Finally, a sensitive fungal phagocytosis assay allowed us to relate the macrophage phagocytosis capability with specific proteins differentially preserved in certain DAMs. The results obtained in this study highlight the close relationship between the ECM biochemical composition and the macrophage’s functional role.     

Characterization of CVD Bonded Tyranno® Fibers Oxidized at High Temperatures

The oxidation of highly porous ceramic matrix composites (PCMCs) based on different Tyranno^® fibers has been analyzed by means of thermogravimetry and electron microscopy. Both uncoated fibers and PCMC materials exhibit parabolic kinetics between 900°C and 1250°C, these being faster for Ti‐doped than for Zr‐doped Tyranno fibers. Oxide layers in Ti‐doped fibers are porous and partially crystalline, whereas in Zr‐doped materials a significant fraction of relatively coarse β‐SiC grains is still found embedded in the amorphous silica matrix. On the other hand, the CVD‐SiC coatings exhibit higher oxidation rates from the outer surface than from the inner one, a phenomenon that has been associated not only with the more difficult access of oxygen to the inner face but also with the highly <111>  textured structure of these coatings, for which very different oxidation rates have been published for the inward and outward directions. Cracking phenomena observed above 1100°C for long dwelling times do not lead to an acceleration of the oxidation process, which could be due to the simultaneous crystallization of the amorphous silica layers.     

Characterisation of the Essential Oils of some Cultivated Aromatic Plants of Industrial Interest

The compositions of the essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis L, Salvia lavandulifolia V and Lavandula latifolia M, obtained by steam distillation from plants cultivated in the northeast of Spain, have been studied by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The essential oil of rosemary appears to be more complex and richer in flavour notes than other previously studied Spanish rosemary oils, and has an intermediate ratio of α-pinene and of 1,8-cineole in relation to essential oils of rosemary of different geographical origins, but higher proportions of camphor, verbenone and linalool. The essential oil of sage has proportions of 1,8-cineole, camphor, endo-borneol, trans-caryophyllene and α-humulene closer to commercial Salvia officinalis L than to other Spanish sages of different geographical locations, and the difference from commercial Salvia officinalis L is due principally to the higher ratio of terpene hydrocarbons and the lower proportion of thujone in the Spanish sage studied here. The essential oil of the spike lavender has the same main components and similar proportions as other Spanish wild and commercial spike lavender essen-tial oils, but shows differences in the nature of the minor components (rhodinol fraction).     

Automatic evaluation of the image quality of a mammographic phantom

In this work a method has been developed to analyse the digital image quality of a mammographic phantom by means of automatic process techniques. The techniques used for the digital image treatment are standard techniques as the image thresholding to detect objects, the regional growing for pixels pooling and the morphological operator application to determine the objects shape and size, etc. This study allows the obtention of information about the phantom characteristics, that due to its small size and lowly contrast can be obtained very difficultly by direct observation. The final aim of this work is to obtain one or more parameters to characterize the reference phantom quality image in an objective way. These parameters will serve to compare images obtained at different mammographic centers and also, to study the temporal evolution of the image quality produced by determined mammographic equipment.     

Characterization of sacha inchi (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Plukenetia volubilis</Emphasis> L.) oil by FTIR spectroscopy and <Superscript>1</Superscript>H NMR. Comparison with linseed oil

Three oil samples obtained from sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) seeds were studied by means of FTIR and ¹H NMR. Frequency data of the most significant bands of the IR spectrum of this oil are given. These data show that sacha inchi oil has a high degree of unsaturation. The same fact is deduced from the ratio between the absorbance of the bands due to the stretching vibrations of the cis olefinic CH double bonds at 3010.5 cm⁻¹ and to the methylene symmetrical stretching vibrations at 2855.1 cm⁻¹. The proportions of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated acyl groups were predicted from the frequency of some IR bands, and these were in satisfactory agreement with the values obtained through FAME generation and their quantification by GC. Likewise, simple observation of the ¹H NMR spectra provided a great deal of information about sacha inchi oil, with regard not only to the relative proportions of the different acyl groups but also to their nature. Thus, the presence of γ-linolenic acyl groups was discounted. Furthermore, the area of some ¹H NMR signals was used to determine the proportion of saturated and mono-, di-, and triunsaturated acyl groups, which also were in satisfactory agreement with the values obtained by classical methods. IR and ¹H NMR determinations take very little time in comparison with classical methods and do not require chemical manipulation or transformation of the sample. A comparison was also made between the compositions of sacha inchi and linseed oil. Both oils are important sources of the healthful n−3 linolenic acyl groups, and sacha inchi also contains high proportions of the n−6 linoleic acyl groups.     

Study of the oxidative degradation of farmed salmon lipids by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Influence of salting

Farmed salmon fillets were dry‐salted for 24 h. Both salted and unsalted samples were submitted to oxidative conditions at 50 °C in an oven with circulating air. Lipids of both samples were extracted daily from aliquots and studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The infrared spectra of salmon lipids are similar to those of vegetable edible oils, with differences in the frequency and absorbance of some bands due to their different acyl group compositions. The infrared spectra of salted and unsalted fish lipid samples remain unchanged during a period of time, which is shorter for the salted salmon. After this period, changes in the frequency and absorbance of some bands of the spectrum are observed owing to the presence of oxidation products. Therefore the reduction in the oxidative stability of farmed salmon lipids caused by the dry‐salting process is proved and the usefulness of this technique for studying the oxidative stability of fish lipid samples as well as their oxidation degree is shown. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Aromatic DNA adducts in relation to dietary and other lifestyle factors in Spanish adults

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between bulky DNA adducts in white blood cells (WBC) and lifestyle factors in a sample from the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). 296 subjects aged between 35 and 64 years, from five regions, were included. Food intake was estimated with a computerized version of dietary history questionnaire. Daily intake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was estimated using a database with information on food content of potential carcinogens. Data on lifestyle and health factors were collected and DNA adducts measured using the nuclease P1 ³²P-postlabelling technique. Geometric means of adducts were similar for men and women (4.11/10⁹ and 3.94/10⁹ nucleotides, respectively). Highest levels of adduct were observed in non-smokers and non-occupationally exposed. Meat intake, oils and fats were associated with higher levels of adducts, but all non-statistically significant. Higher intakes of calcium, sodium and phosphorus were associated with lower adducts levels. Summarising, our study shows that bulky adducts measured by ³²P-postlabelling in DNA from WBC do not correlate with the usual diet of healthy Spanish adults. Although it has been proposed that diet be the main source of PAH in nonsmokers without occupational exposure, DNA adducts do not seem to be suitable biomarkers of dietary PAH in general population.