Marine Phospholipids from Fishery By-Products Attenuate Atherosclerosis

In this study, the anti-atherosclerotic properties of three marine phospholipids (MPLs) extracts from fishery by-products including codfish roe, squid gonad, and shrimp head are verified. Their effects on key factors involved in atherosclerosis are examined and compared to explore whether the differences in their constitutions lead to the differences in the function. All three MPLs dampen oxidation of low- density lipoproteins (LDL) in vitro. Treating RAW264.7 macrophages and HUVECs endothelial cells with each MPLs ranging 10–100 µg mL⁻¹ does not decrease cell viability, yet ox-LDL caused cytotoxicity of both cells are alleviated by 50 or 100 µg mL⁻¹ MPLs treatment. In addition, the three MPLs reduce ox-LDL induced macrophage foam-like transition, mainly through inhibition of lipid uptake. Of the three MPLs, the one from squid gonad exhibits the best effect. On the other hand, all three MPLs modulate inflammatory responses, equally, by inhibiting the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells, and decreasing secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and MCP-1. Using a high-cholesterol diet induced zebrafish model, it is found that all three MPLs, especially the one from squid gonad, alleviates cholesterol accumulation in early plaques, and decreases total cholesterol as well as lipid peroxide in vivo. Practical Applications: As a way of making the best of the increasingly scarce marine resources, valuable lipid components can be recovered from by-products and wastes from the fishery industry. Here, we tested the anti-atherosclerotic effects and the mechanisms of three MPLs extracted from codfish roe, squid gonad, and shrimp head. Our study provides further evidence that marine phospholipids extracted from fishery by-products could protect against atherosclerosis, and helps to elucidate the structure-function relationship of MPLs.     

A novel temperature-tolerant foamed resin for enhanced oil recovery

The synthesis and performance of a novel temperature-tolerant foamed resin for enhanced oil recovery were investigated using various methods, including infrared, NMR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and displacement experiments. Polycondensation of furfuryl alcohol prepolymers was confirmed by the infrared and NMR results. The poor temperature tolerance of furfuryl alcohol prepolymers after gelation at high temperatures is mainly due to the fracture of furan rings. The addition of ester additives is an effective method of increasing the temperature tolerance of the prepared foamed resins and can effectively reduce the weight-loss rate of the polycondensation products. The SEM results show that the skeleton structure of the foamed resin remains intact after high-temperature treatment. Thus, the novel plugging agent system has excellent thermal stability and still has a high strength (>0.8 MPa) after high-temperature aging treatment for 40 days, giving the prepared foamed resin a good plugging performance (plugging rate > 91%) at 250 °C. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47161.     

无线监测示功仪的研制与应用

针对常规示功仪资料储存的容量有限和对油井不能长时间连续监测的不足,研制了无线监测示功仪。该示功仪将载荷和位移传感器、无线传输以及太阳能供电等多种技术集于一体(1)采用加速度传感器,实现了光杆无线位移检测,解决了常规位移传感器寿命短、可靠性差的问题;(2)应用CC1000无线模块,实现了油井示功图短距离数据无线交换,屏弃了常规仪器电缆通讯的方式;(3)通过增加仪器储存容量和移植USB接口,解决了常规示功仪储存数据量少的问题,极大地方便了数据交换;(4)将太阳能电池与充电电池有机结合,圆满解决了仪器供电问题。     

Kinetic analysis of papaya proteinase omega

Papaya proteinase omega (pp omega) has been purified from dried latex both by immunoaffinity and traditional methods. Kinetic analysis revealed that (1), the pp omega-catalysed hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide (BApNA) has a lower specificity (kcat/Km) than the same reaction catalysed by papain; (2), the pp omega-catalysed hydrolysis of a tripeptide substrate having phenylalanine at the second position (S2-site) showed a more similar specificity to that catalysed by papain; (3), the significant difference between the two enzymes is that steady state kinetics with both L-BApNA and a tripeptide enables the identification in pp omega of other ionizations affecting binding. The active sites of papain and pp omega can therefore be distinguished by pH-dependence of kcat/Km.     

Role of Ponded Turbidity Currents in Reservoir Trap Efficiency

The capacity to store water in a reservoir declines as it traps sediment. A river entering a reservoir forms a prograding delta. Coarse sediment (e.g., sand) deposits in the fluvial topset and avalanching foreset of the delta, and is typically trapped with an efficiency near 100%. The trap efficiency of fine sediment (e.g., mud), on the other hand, may be below 100%, because some of this sediment may pass out of the reservoir without settling out. Here, a model of trap efficiency of mud is developed in terms of the mechanics of a turbidity current that plunges on the foreset. The dam causes a sustained turbidity current to reflect and form a muddy pond bounded upstream by a hydraulic jump. If the interface of this muddy pond rises above any vent or overflow point at the dam, the trap efficiency of mud drops below 100%. A model of the coevolution of topset, foreset, and bottomset in a reservoir that captures the dynamics of the internal muddy pond is presented. Numerical implementation, comparison against an experiment, and application to a field-scale case provide the basis for a physical understanding of the processes that determine reservoir trap efficiency.     

Early intervention for spelling problems: Teaching functional spelling units of varying size with a multiple-connections framework.

Poor spellers in 2nd grade (n?=?128) participated in 24 20-min sessions that included (a) direct instruction in the alphabet principle (most frequent phoneme-spelling connections); (b) modeling of different approaches, singly and in combination, for developing connections between spoken and written words for 48 words ordered by sound-spelling predictability; and (c) practice in composing. Results of this multilayered intervention showed that (a) more than 1 way of developing sound-spelling connections is effective in teaching spelling but that after training in the alphabet principle, combining whole word and onset-rime training is most effective in achieving transfer of the alphabet principle across word contexts; (b) functional spelling units of not only a single letter but also 2 or more letters are important in beginning spelling; and (c) training in spelling transfers to composition and word recognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using mechatronics to teach mechanical design and technical communication

It is commonly accepted that hands-on experiences increase both learning and enjoyment during coursework. Mechatronics projects provide both interesting and relevant hands-on experiences for a wide range of topics including design processes, basic mechatronics concepts, technical communication, and working in a group environment. ME2110: Creative Decisions and Design at Georgia Tech integrates mechatronics and technical communication into a sophomore level mechanical design class. This paper describes the course in detail, highlighting the course goals and layout, tools provided to the students, industry involvement, and the main challenges of administering such a course.     

Why are Websites co-linked? The case of Canadian universities

This study examined why Websites were co-linked using Canadian university Websites as the test set. Pages that co-linked to these university Websites were located using Yahool. A random sample of 859 co-linking pages (the page that initiated the co-link) was retrieved and the contents of the page, as well as the context of the link, were manually examined to record the following variables: language, country, type of Website, and the reasons for co-linking. The study found that in over 94% of cases, the two co-linked universities were related academically; many of these cases (38%) showed a relationship specifically in teaching or research. This confirms results, from previous quantitative studies, that Web co-links can be a measure of the similarity or relatedness of sites being co-linked and that Web co-link analysis can thus be used to study relationships among linked Websites.     

Alcoholism: independent predictor of survival in patients with head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND: Despite recognition of the high prevalence of alcoholism among patients with head and neck cancer, the prognostic importance of alcoholism has not been evaluated adequately. Previous investigators have speculated that alcoholic patients may have a poorer prognosis than nonalcoholic patients because of more advanced stage of cancer, the immunosuppressive effects of alcohol, and an increased rate of death due to other alcohol-related diseases. PURPOSE: The goal of this population-based study was to identify the features of alcoholism that are associated with survival for patients with head and neck cancer and to develop an alcoholic severity staging system from a composite of the independent features of alcoholism. METHODS: This prospective study included 649 patients who were diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx during the period from September 1, 1983, through February 28, 1987, in a three-county area of western Washington state that participates in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Details on lifetime alcohol consumption, treatment for alcoholism, abstinence from alcohol prior to the diagnosis of cancer, and alcohol-related health problems were ascertained through in-person interviews near the time of diagnosis. Patients were classified as either nonalcoholics or alcoholics according to their responses to questions from the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. The measures of alcohol consumption and abuse that were found to be independently associated with 5-year survival by logistic regression analysis were combined using conjunctive consolidation to create a final composite variable, called an alcoholic severity stage. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was done to estimate the relative risk (R) of death within 5 years due to specific causes of death for each of the alcoholic severity stages. RESULTS: Alcoholism (RR = 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.43-2.98) and a history of alcohol-related systemic health problems (i.e., liver disease, pancreatitis, delirium tremens, or seizures) (RR = 2.76; 95% CI = 1.69-4.49) were associated with an increased risk of death, whereas abstinence (i.e., the consumption of fewer than one drink per week at 1 year prior to the diagnosis of cancer) (RR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.39-0.97) was associated with a decreased risk of death. These associations were independent of age, site of cancer, anatomical stage, histopathologic grade, smoking, and type of antineoplastic treatment. Patients in the two worst alcoholic severity stages had an increased risk of dying not only of head and neck cancer but also of cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and other alcohol-related causes. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol abuse, measured by alcohol consumption, functional impairment, a history of alcohol-related health problems, or abstinence, can provide important prognostic information for patients with head and neck cancer. Our results suggest that sobriety among alcoholic patients can lead to prolonged survival.