Diffusion of aromatic hydrocarbons in hierarchical mesoporous H-ZSM-5 zeolite

DOE PAGES

Bu, Lintao; Nimlos, Mark R.; Robichaud, David J.; ...

2018-02-08

Hierarchical mesoporous zeolites exhibit higher catalytic activities and longer lifetime compared to the traditional microporous zeolites due to improved diffusivity of substrate molecules and their enhanced access to the zeolite active sites. Understanding diffusion of biomass pyrolysis vapors and their upgraded products in such materials is fundamentally important during catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of lignocellulosic biomass, since diffusion makes major contribution to determine shape selectivity and product distribution. However, diffusivities of biomass relevant species in hierarchical mesoporous zeolites are poorly characterized, primarily due to the limitations of the available experimental technology. In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are utilizedmore » to investigate the diffusivities of several selected coke precursor molecules, benzene, naphthalene, and anthracene, in hierarchical mesoporous H-ZSM-5 zeolite. The effects of temperature and size of mesopores on the diffusivity of the chosen model compounds are examined. The simulation results demonstrate that diffusion within the microspores as well as on the external surface of mesoporous H-ZSM-5 dominates only at low temperature. At pyrolysis relevant temperatures, mass transfer is essentially conducted via diffusion along the mesopores. Additionally, the results illustrate the heuristic diffusion model, such as the extensively used Knudsen diffusion, overestimates the diffusion of bulky molecules in the mesopores, thus making MD simulation a powerful and compulsory approach to explore diffusion in zeolites.« less

Catalytic co-pyrolysis of switchgrass and polyethylene over HZSM-5: catalyst deactivation and coke formation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

When conducted in the presence of a zeolite catalyst such as HZSM-5, fast pyrolysis of biomass can promote the rejection of oxygen and the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons in the organic liquid products. Unfortunately, this pathway removes hydrogen from the already hydrogen deficient biomass start...

Adsorption Device Based on a Langatate Crystal Microbalance for High Temperature High Pressure Gas Adsorption in Zeolite H-ZSM-5.

PubMed

Ding, Wenjin; Baracchini, Giulia; Klumpp, Michael; Schwieger, Wilhelm; Dittmeyer, Roland

2016-08-25

We present a high-temperature and high-pressure gas adsorption measurement device based on a high-frequency oscillating microbalance (5 MHz langatate crystal microbalance, LCM) and its use for gas adsorption measurements in zeolite H-ZSM-5. Prior to the adsorption measurements, zeolite H-ZSM-5 crystals were synthesized on the gold electrode in the center of the LCM, without covering the connection points of the gold electrodes to the oscillator, by the steam-assisted crystallization (SAC) method, so that the zeolite crystals remain attached to the oscillating microbalance while keeping good electroconductivity of the LCM during the adsorption measurements. Compared to a conventional quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) which is limited to temperatures below 80 °C, the LCM can realize the adsorption measurements in principle at temperatures as high as 200-300 °C (i.e., at or close to the reaction temperature of the target application of one-stage DME synthesis from the synthesis gas), owing to the absence of crystalline-phase transitions up to its melting point (1,470 °C). The system was applied to investigate the adsorption of CO2, H2O, methanol and dimethyl ether (DME), each in the gas phase, on zeolite H-ZSM-5 in the temperature and pressure range of 50-150 °C and 0-18 bar, respectively. The results showed that the adsorption isotherms of these gases in H-ZSM-5 can be well fitted by Langmuir-type adsorption isotherms. Furthermore, the determined adsorption parameters, i.e., adsorption capacities, adsorption enthalpies, and adsorption entropies, compare well to literature data. In this work, the results for CO2 are shown as an example.

Adsorption Device Based on a Langatate Crystal Microbalance for High Temperature High Pressure Gas Adsorption in Zeolite H-ZSM-5

PubMed Central

Ding, Wenjin; Baracchini, Giulia; Klumpp, Michael; Schwieger, Wilhelm; Dittmeyer, Roland

2016-01-01

We present a high-temperature and high-pressure gas adsorption measurement device based on a high-frequency oscillating microbalance (5 MHz langatate crystal microbalance, LCM) and its use for gas adsorption measurements in zeolite H-ZSM-5. Prior to the adsorption measurements, zeolite H-ZSM-5 crystals were synthesized on the gold electrode in the center of the LCM, without covering the connection points of the gold electrodes to the oscillator, by the steam-assisted crystallization (SAC) method, so that the zeolite crystals remain attached to the oscillating microbalance while keeping good electroconductivity of the LCM during the adsorption measurements. Compared to a conventional quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) which is limited to temperatures below 80 °C, the LCM can realize the adsorption measurements in principle at temperatures as high as 200-300 °C (i.e., at or close to the reaction temperature of the target application of one-stage DME synthesis from the synthesis gas), owing to the absence of crystalline-phase transitions up to its melting point (1,470 °C). The system was applied to investigate the adsorption of CO2, H2O, methanol and dimethyl ether (DME), each in the gas phase, on zeolite H-ZSM-5 in the temperature and pressure range of 50-150 °C and 0-18 bar, respectively. The results showed that the adsorption isotherms of these gases in H-ZSM-5 can be well fitted by Langmuir-type adsorption isotherms. Furthermore, the determined adsorption parameters, i.e., adsorption capacities, adsorption enthalpies, and adsorption entropies, compare well to literature data. In this work, the results for CO2 are shown as an example. PMID:27585356

Comparative study of the methane and methanol mass transfer in the mesoporous H-ZSM-5/alumina extruded pellet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhokh, Alexey A.; Strizhak, Peter E.

2018-07-01

H-ZSM-5/alumina catalyst pellet was prepared using extrusion method. The as-prepared mesoporous material was characterized using nitrogen adsorption, IR, XRD, and TEM methods. Transport of methane and methanol in the obtained H-ZSM-5/alumina extruded grain was studied. We demonstrate that the methanol transport may be described by the time-fractional diffusion equation in a fairly good manner. The measured value of the fractional order of the time-fractional derivative reveals the fast super-diffusive regime of the methanol transport in the mesoporous solid. Contrary, the methane transport has been found to follow a standard diffusion and described by the second Fick's law. These findings show that mass transfer kinetics is characterized by the order of the temporal derivative. The latter is a unique property of the individual porous media and the diffusing agent.

Comparative study of the methane and methanol mass transfer in the mesoporous H-ZSM-5/alumina extruded pellet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhokh, Alexey A.; Strizhak, Peter E.

2018-01-01

H-ZSM-5/alumina catalyst pellet was prepared using extrusion method. The as-prepared mesoporous material was characterized using nitrogen adsorption, IR, XRD, and TEM methods. Transport of methane and methanol in the obtained H-ZSM-5/alumina extruded grain was studied. We demonstrate that the methanol transport may be described by the time-fractional diffusion equation in a fairly good manner. The measured value of the fractional order of the time-fractional derivative reveals the fast super-diffusive regime of the methanol transport in the mesoporous solid. Contrary, the methane transport has been found to follow a standard diffusion and described by the second Fick's law. These findings show that mass transfer kinetics is characterized by the order of the temporal derivative. The latter is a unique property of the individual porous media and the diffusing agent.

Methanol and ethanol conversion into hydrocarbons over H-ZSM-5 catalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamieh, S.; Canaff, C.; Tayeb, K. Ben; Tarighi, M.; Maury, S.; Vezin, H.; Pouilloux, Y.; Pinard, L.

2015-07-01

Ethanol and methanol are converted using H-ZSM-5 zeolite at 623 K and 3.0 MPa into identical hydrocarbons (paraffins, olefins and aromatics) and moreover with identical selectivities. The distribution of olefins as paraffins follows the Flory distribution with a growth probability of 0.53. Regardless of the alcohol, the catalyst lifetime and selectivity into hydrocarbons C3+ are high in spite of an important coke content. The coke that poisons the Brønsted acid sites without blocking their access is composed in part of radical polyalkylaromatics. The addition of hydroquinone, an inhibitor of radicals, to the feed, provokes an immediate catalyst deactivation.

Mechanistic insights into aqueous phase propanol dehydration in H-ZSM-5 zeolite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mei, Donghai; Lercher, Johannes A.

Aqueous phase dehydration of 1-propanol over H-ZSM-5 zeolite was investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The water molecules in the zeolite pores prefer to aggregate via the hydrogen bonding network and be protonated at the Brønsted acidic sites (BAS). Two typical configurations, i.e., dispersed and clustered, of water molecules were identified by ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of the mimicking aqueous phase H-ZSM-5 zeolite unit cell with 20 water molecules per unit cell. DFT calculated Gibbs free energies suggest that the dimeric propanol-propanol, the propanol-water complex, and the trimeric propanol-propanol-water are formed at high propanol concentrations, which provide amore » kinetically feasible dehydration reaction channel of 1-propanol to propene. However, calculation results also indicate that the propanol dehydration via the unimolecular mechanism becomes kinetically discouraged due to the enhanced stability of the protonated dimeric propanol and the protonated water cluster acting as the BAS site for alcohol dehydration reaction. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a multiprogram national laboratory operated for DOE by Battelle. Computing time was granted by the grand challenge of computational catalysis of the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL). EMSL is a national scientific user facility located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and sponsored by DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research.« less

Fast microwave-assisted catalytic co-pyrolysis of lignin and low-density polyethylene with HZSM-5 and MgO for improved bio-oil yield and quality.

PubMed

Fan, Liangliang; Chen, Paul; Zhang, Yaning; Liu, Shiyu; Liu, Yuhuan; Wang, Yunpu; Dai, Leilei; Ruan, Roger

2017-02-01

Fast microwave-assisted catalytic co-pyrolysis of lignin and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with HZSM-5 and MgO was investigated. Effects of pyrolysis temperature, lignin to LDPE ratio, MgO to HZSM-5 ratio, and feedstock to catalyst ratio on the products yields and chemical profiles were examined. 500°C was the optimal co-pyrolysis temperature in terms of the maximum bio-oil yield. The proportion of aromatics increased with increasing LDPE content. In addition, with the addition of LDPE (lignin/LDPE=1/2), methoxyl group in the phenols was completely removed. A synergistic effect was found between lignin and LDPE. The proportion of aromatics increased and alkylated phenols decreased with increasing HZSM-5 to MgO ratio. The bio-oil yield increased with the addition of appropriate amount of catalyst and the proportion of alkylated phenols increased with increasing catalyst to feedstock ratio. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adsorption and diffusion of fructose in zeolite HZSM-5: selection of models and methods for computational studies.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, L.; Curtiss, L. A.; Assary, R. S.

The adsorption and protonation of fructose in HZSM-5 have been studied for the assessment of models for accurate reaction energy calculations and the evaluation of molecular diffusivity. The adsorption and protonation were calculated using 2T, 5T, and 46T clusters as well as a periodic model. The results indicate that the reaction thermodynamics cannot be predicted correctly using small cluster models, such as 2T or 5T, because these small cluster models fail to represent the electrostatic effect of a zeolite cage, which provides additional stabilization to the ion pair formed upon the protonation of fructose. Structural parameters optimized using the 46Tmore » cluster model agree well with those of the full periodic model; however, the calculated reaction energies are in significant error due to the poor account of dispersion effects by density functional theory. The dispersion effects contribute -30.5 kcal/mol to the binding energy of fructose in the zeolite pore based on periodic model calculations that include dispersion interactions. The protonation of the fructose ternary carbon hydroxyl group was calculated to be exothermic by 5.5 kcal/mol with a reaction barrier of 2.9 kcal/mol using the periodic model with dispersion effects. Our results suggest that the internal diffusion of fructose in HZSM-5 is very likely to be energetically limited and only occurs at high temperature due to the large size of the molecule.« less

Adsorption and Diffusion of Fructose in Zeolite HZSM-5: Selection of Models and Methods for Computational Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Lei; Curtiss, Larry A.; Assary, Rajeev S.

The adsorption and protonation of fructose inHZSM-5 have been studied for the assessment of models for accurate reaction energy calculations and the evaluation of molecular diffusivity. The adsorption and protonation were calculated using 2T, 5T, and 46T clusters as well as a periodic model. The results indicate that the reaction thermodynamics cannot be predicted correctly using small cluster models, such as 2T or 5T, because these small cluster models fail to represent the electrostatic effect of a zeolite cage, which provides additional stabilization to the ion pair formed upon the protonation of fructose. Structural parameters optimized using the 46T clustermore » model agree well with those of the full periodic model; however, the calculated reaction energies are in significant error due to the poor account of dispersion effects by density functional theory. The dispersion effects contribute -30.5 kcal/mol to the binding energy of fructose in the zeolite pore based on periodic model calculations that include dispersion interactions. The protonation of the fructose ternary carbon hydroxyl group was calculated to be exothermic by 5.5 kcal/mol with a reaction barrier of 2.9 kcal/mol using the periodic model with dispersion effects. Our results suggest that the internal diffusion of fructose in HZSM-5 is very likely to be energetically limited and only occurs at high temperature due to the large size of the molecule.« less

Two-step fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of biomass for bio-oil production using microwave absorbent and HZSM-5 catalyst.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Zhong, Zhaoping; Xie, Qinglong; Liu, Shiyu; Ruan, Roger

2016-07-01

A novel technology of two-step fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis (fMAP) of corn stover for bio-oil production was investigated in the presence of microwave absorbent (SiC) and HZSM-5 catalyst. Effects of fMAP temperature and catalyst-to-biomass ratio on bio-oil yield and chemical components were examined. The results showed that this technology, employing microwave, microwave absorbent and HZSM-5 catalyst, was effective and promising for biomass fast pyrolysis. The fMAP temperature of 500°C was considered the optimum condition for maximum yield and best quality of bio-oil. Besides, the bio-oil yield decreased linearly and the chemical components in bio-oil were improved sequentially with the increase of catalyst-to-biomass ratio from 1:100 to 1:20. The elemental compositions of bio-char were also determined. Additionally, compared to one-step fMAP process, two-step fMAP could promote the bio-oil quality with a smaller catalyst-to-biomass ratio. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of Coke Deposits on the Catalytic Performance of Large Zeolite H-ZSM-5 Crystals during Alcohol-to-Hydrocarbon Reactions as Investigated by a Combination of Optical Spectroscopy and Microscopy

PubMed Central

Nordvang, Emily C; Borodina, Elena; Ruiz-Martínez, Javier; Fehrmann, Rasmus; Weckhuysen, Bert M

2015-01-01

The catalytic activity of large zeolite H-ZSM-5 crystals in methanol (MTO) and ethanol-to-olefins (ETO) conversions was investigated and, using operando UV/Vis measurements, the catalytic activity and deactivation was correlated with the formation of coke. These findings were related to in situ single crystal UV/Vis and confocal fluorescence micro-spectroscopy, allowing the observation of the spatiotemporal formation of intermediates and coke species during the MTO and ETO conversions. It was observed that rapid deactivation at elevated temperatures was due to the fast formation of aromatics at the periphery of the H-ZSM-5 crystals, which are transformed into more poly-aromatic coke species at the external surface, preventing the diffusion of reactants and products into and out of the H-ZSM-5 crystal. Furthermore, we were able to correlate the operando UV/Vis spectroscopy results observed during catalytic testing with the single crystal in situ results. PMID:26463581

Identification of tert-Butyl Cations in Zeolite H-ZSM-5: Evidence from NMR Spectroscopy and DFT Calculations.

PubMed

Dai, Weili; Wang, Chuanming; Yi, Xianfeng; Zheng, Anmin; Li, Landong; Wu, Guangjun; Guan, Naijia; Xie, Zaiku; Dyballa, Michael; Hunger, Michael

2015-07-20

Experimental evidence for the presence of tert-butyl cations, which are important intermediates in acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions, on solid acids has still not been provided to date. By combining density functional theory (DFT) calculations with (1)H/(13)C magic-angle-spinning NMR spectroscopy, the tert-butyl cation was successfully identified on zeolite H-ZSM-5 upon conversion of isobutene by capturing this intermediate with ammonia. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Origin of carbon in aromatic and olefin products derived from HZSM-5 catalyzed co-pyrolysis of cellulose and plastics via isotopic labeling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Catalytic pyrolysis over HZSM-5 is an effective method for the conversion of biomass to aromatic hydrocarbons, albeit with low yield and short catalyst lifetimes. Addition of co-reactants rich in carbon and hydrogen can enhance yield and possibly increase catalyst lifetimes by reducing coke formati...

Combustion of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using bimetallic chromium-copper supported on modified H-ZSM-5 catalyst.

PubMed

Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi; Bakar, Mohamad Zailani Abu; Bhatia, Subhash

2006-02-28

The paper reports on the performance of chromium or/and copper supported on H-ZSM-5(Si/Al = 240) modified with silicon tetrachloride (Cr1.5/SiCl4-Z, Cu1.5/SiCl4-Z and Cr1.0Cu0.5/SiCl4-Z) as catalysts in the combustion of chlorinated VOCs (Cl-VOCs). A reactor operated at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 32,000 h(-1), a temperature between 100 and 500 degrees C with 2500 ppm of dichloromethane (DCM), trichloromethane (TCM) and trichloroethylene (TCE) is used for activity studies. The deactivation study is conducted at a GHSV of 3800 h(-1), at 400 degrees C for up to 12 h with a feed concentration of 35,000 ppm. Treatment with silicon tetrachloride improves the chemical resistance of H-ZSM-5 against hydrogen chloride. TCM is more reactive compared to DCM but it produces more by-products due to its high chlorine content. The stabilization of TCE is attributed to resonance effects. Water vapor increases the carbon dioxide yield through its role as hydrolysis agent forming reactive carbocations and acting as hydrogen-supplying agent to suppress chlorine-transfer reactions. The deactivation of Cr1.0Cu0.5/SiCl4-Z is mainly due to the chlorination of its metal species, especially with higher Cl/H feed. Coking is limited, particularly with DCM and TCM. In accordance with the Mars-van Krevelen model, the weakening of overall metal reducibility due to chlorination leads to a loss of catalytic activity.

[Optimization of ethylene production from ethanol dehydration using Zn-Mn-Co/HZSM-5 by response surface methodology].

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Cheng, Keke; Xue, Jianwei; Zhang, Jian'an

2011-03-01

The effects of reaction temperature, ethanol concentration and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) on the ethylene production from ethanol dehydration using zinc, manganese and cobalt modified HZSM-5 catalyst were investigated by response surface methodology (RSM). The results showed that the most significant effect among factors was reaction temperature and the factors had interaction. The optimum conditions were found as 34.4% ethanol concentration, 261.3 0 degrees C of reaction temperature and 1.18 h(-1) of WHSV, under these conditions the yield of ethylene achieved 98.69%.

Catalytic Upgrading of Biomass-Derived Compounds via C-C Coupling Reactions. Computational and Experimental Studies of Acetaldehyde and Furan Reactions in HZSM-5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Cong; Evans, Tabitha J.; Cheng, Lei

2015-10-02

These catalytic C–C coupling and deoxygenation reactions are essential for upgrading of biomass-derived oxygenates to fuel-range hydrocarbons. Detailed understanding of mechanistic and energetic aspects of these reactions is crucial to enabling and improving the catalytic upgrading of small oxygenates to useful chemicals and fuels. Using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have investigated the reactions of furan and acetaldehyde in an HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst, a representative system associated with the catalytic upgrading of pyrolysis vapors. Comprehensive energy profiles were computed for self-reactions (i.e., acetaldehyde coupling and furan coupling) and cross-reactions (i.e., acetaldehyde + furan) of this representative mixture. Majormore » products proposed from the computations are further confirmed using temperature controlled mass spectra measurements. Moreover, the computational results show that furan interacts with acetaldehyde in HZSM-5 via an alkylation mechanism, which is more favorable than the self-reactions, indicating that mixing furans with aldehydes could be a promising approach to maximize effective C–C coupling and dehydration while reducing the catalyst deactivation (e.g., coke formation) from aldehyde condensation.« less

Improving hydrocarbon yield from catalytic fast co-pyrolysis of hemicellulose and plastic in the dual-catalyst bed of CaO and HZSM-5.

PubMed

Ding, Kuan; Zhong, Zhaoping; Wang, Jia; Zhang, Bo; Fan, Liangliang; Liu, Shiyu; Wang, Yunpu; Liu, Yuhuan; Zhong, Daoxu; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2018-08-01

The high concentration of oxygenated compounds in pyrolytic products prohibits the conversion of hemicellulose to important biofuels and chemicals via fast pyrolysis. Herein a dual-catalyst bed of CaO and HZSM-5 was developed to convert acids in the pyrolytic products of xylan to valuable hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, LLDPE was co-pyrolyzed with xylan to supplement hydrogen during the catalysis of HZSM-5. The results showed that CaO could effectively transform acids into ketones. A minimum yield of acids (2.74%) and a maximum yield of ketones (42.93%) were obtained at a catalyst to feedstock ratio of 2:1. The dual-catalyst bed dramatically increased the yield of aromatics. Moreover, hydrogen-rich fragments derived from LLDPE promoted the Diels-Alder reactions of furans and participated in the hydrocarbon pool reactions of non-furanic compounds. As a result, a higher yield of hydrocarbons was achieved. This study provides a fundamental for recovering energy and chemicals from pyrolysis of hemicellulose. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular-beam, mass-spectrometric studies of wood vapor and model compounds over HZSM-5 catalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Robert J.; Milne, Thomas A.

1987-11-01

The use of molecular beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) for the real time screening of wood pyrolysis product conversion over Mobil's HZSM-5 catalyst allows the evaluation of the performance of different catalysts, reaction conditions and feedstocks. This information can help guide more extensive testing at the bench scale level and provide insight into the chemistry of conversion. The following conclusions can be drawn from the work to date: (1) there can be no breakthrough of primary wood vapor organics until the weight of wood/weight of the catalyst is 1; (2) there are few intermediates from wood on the way to alkenes, light aromatics, and naphthalenes; (3) the light aromatics/alkenes ration is 1 for the nonoptimized conditions studied to date; (4) much of the oxygen is favorably rejected as CO and CO sub 2; (5) the coke yield is about 10 percent in these experiments; and (6) methanol is a poor model for wood because the mechanism of hydrocarbon formation is apparently different.

Ultrasound assisted co-precipitation of nanostructured CuO-ZnO-Al2O3 over HZSM-5: effect of precursor and irradiation power on nanocatalyst properties and catalytic performance for direct syngas to DME.

PubMed

Allahyari, Somaiyeh; Haghighi, Mohammad; Ebadi, Amanollah; Hosseinzadeh, Shahin

2014-03-01

Nanostructured CuO-ZnO-Al2O3/HZSM-5 was synthesized from nitrate and acetate precursors using ultrasound assisted co-precipitation method under different irradiation powers. The CuO-ZnO-Al2O3/HZSM-5 nanocatalysts were characterized using XRD, FESEM, BET, FTIR and EDX Dot-mapping analyses. The results indicated precursor type and irradiation power have significant influences on phase structure, morphology, surface area and functional groups. It was observed that the acetate formulated CuO-ZnO-Al2O3/HZSM-5 nanocatalyst have smaller CuO crystals with better dispersion and stronger interaction between components in comparison to nitrate based nanocatalysts. Ultrasound assisted co-precipitation synthesis method resulted in nanocatalyst with more uniform morphology compared to conventional method and increasing irradiation power yields smaller particles with better dispersion and higher surface area. Additionally the crystallinity of CuO is lower at high irradiation powers leading to stronger interaction between metal oxides. The nanocatalysts performance were tested at 200-300 °C, 10-40 bar and space velocity of 18,000-36,000 cm(3)/g h with the inlet gas composition of H2/CO = 2/1 in a stainless steel autoclave reactor. The acetate based nanocatalysts irradiated with higher levels of power exhibited better reactivity in terms of CO conversion and DME yield. While there is an optimal temperature for CO conversion and DME yield in direct synthesis of DME, CO conversion and DME yield both increase with the pressure increase. Furthermore ultrasound assisted co-precipitation method yields more stable CuO-ZnO-Al2O3/HZSM-5 nanocatalyst while conventional precipitated nanocatalyst lost their activity ca. 18% and 58% in terms of CO conversion and DME yield respectively in 24 h time on stream test.

Anharmonicity and confinement in zeolites: Structure, spectroscopy, and adsorption free energy of ethanol in H-ZSM-5

DOE PAGES

Alexopoulos, Konstantinos; Lee, Mal -Soon; Liu, Yue; ...

2016-03-21

Here, to account for thermal and entropic effects caused by the dynamics of the motion of the reaction intermediates, ethanol adsorption on the Brønsted acid site of the H-ZSM-5 catalyst has been studied at different temperatures and ethanol loadings using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and calorimetric measurements. At low temperatures (T ≤ 400 K) and ethanol loading, a single ethanol molecule adsorbed in H-ZSM-5 forms a Zundel-like structure where the proton is equally shared between the oxygen of the zeolite and the oxygen of the alcohol. At higher ethanol loading, a second ethanol molecule helpsmore » to stabilize the protonated ethanol at all temperatures by acting as a solvating agent. The vibrational density of states (VDOS), as calculated from the AIMD simulations, are in excellent agreement with measured IR spectra for C 2H 5OH, C 2H 5OD and C 2D 5OH isotopomers and support the existence of both monomers and dimers. A quasi-harmonic approximation (QHA), applied to the VDOS obtained from the AIMD simulations, provides estimates of adsorption free energy within ~10 kJ/mol of the experimentally determined quantities, whereas the traditional approach, employing harmonic frequencies from a single ground state minimum, strongly overestimates the adsorption free energy by at least ~30 kJ/mol. This discrepancy is traced back to the inability of the harmonic approximation to represent the contributions to the vibrational motions of the ethanol molecule upon confinement in the zeolite. KA, MFR, GBM were supported by the Long Term Structural Methusalem Funding by the Flemish Government – grant number BOF09/01M00409. MSL, VAG, RR and JAL were supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences. PNNL is a multiprogram national laboratory operated for DOE by Battelle. Computational resources were provided at W. R. Wiley

Oligomerization of Biomass-Derived Light Olefins to Liquid Fuel: Effect of Alkali Treatment of HZSM-5 Catalyst

DOE PAGES

Wang, Xiaoxing; Hu, Xiaoyan; Song, Chunshan; ...

2017-09-27

As a part of a new approach to convert biomass to liquid fuels, we investigated the effects of alkali treatment on the property and performance of HZSM-5 for oligomerization of biomass-derived ethylene under atmospheric pressure. The characterization results showed that alkali treatment led to the increase in the total and mesopore volumes, but decrease in the surface area and micropore volume. Furthermore, when NaOH concentration was low (< 0.5 M), the ZSM-5 structure was largely preserved with the increase in the mesopores and acidity, while higher NaOH concentration can severely destroy the zeolite structure, resulting in a significant reduction inmore » the micropores and acidity. The ethylene oligomerization results showed that not only the ethylene conversion and the liquid yield increased, but also the catalyst stability was improved after proper NaOH treatment. Finally, we discussed the relationship between the structure and performance« less

Oligomerization of Biomass-Derived Light Olefins to Liquid Fuel: Effect of Alkali Treatment of HZSM-5 Catalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Xiaoxing; Hu, Xiaoyan; Song, Chunshan

As a part of a new approach to convert biomass to liquid fuels, we investigated the effects of alkali treatment on the property and performance of HZSM-5 for oligomerization of biomass-derived ethylene under atmospheric pressure. The characterization results showed that alkali treatment led to the increase in the total and mesopore volumes, but decrease in the surface area and micropore volume. Furthermore, when NaOH concentration was low (< 0.5 M), the ZSM-5 structure was largely preserved with the increase in the mesopores and acidity, while higher NaOH concentration can severely destroy the zeolite structure, resulting in a significant reduction inmore » the micropores and acidity. The ethylene oligomerization results showed that not only the ethylene conversion and the liquid yield increased, but also the catalyst stability was improved after proper NaOH treatment. Finally, we discussed the relationship between the structure and performance« less

Catalytic cracking of model compounds of bio-oil over HZSM-5 and the catalyst deactivation.

PubMed

Chen, Guanyi; Zhang, Ruixue; Ma, Wenchao; Liu, Bin; Li, Xiangping; Yan, Beibei; Cheng, Zhanjun; Wang, Tiejun

2018-08-01

The catalytic cracking upgrading reactions over HZSM-5 of different model compounds of bio-oil have been studied with a self-designed fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) equipment. Typical bio-oil model compounds, such as acetic acid, guaiacol, n-heptane, acetol and ethyl acetate, were chosen to study the products distribution, reaction pathway and deactivation of catalysts. The results showed: C 6 -C 8 aromatic hydrocarbons, C 2 -C 4 olefins, C 1 -C 5 alkanes, CO and CO 2 were the main products, and the selectivity of olefins was: ethylene>propylene>butylene. Catalyst characterization methods, such as FI-IR, TG-TPO and Raman, were used to study the deactivation mechanism of catalysts. According to the catalyst characterization results, a catalyst deactivation mechanism was proposed as follows: Firstly, the precursor which consisted of a large number of long chain saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons and a small amount CC of aromatics formed on the catalyst surface. Then the active sites of catalysts had been covered, the coke type changed from thermal coke to catalytic coke and gradually blocked the channels of the molecular sieve, which accelerated the deactivation of catalyst. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanism studies of the conversion of 13C-labeled n-butane on zeolite H-ZSM-5 by using 13C magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy and GC-MS analysis.

PubMed

Luzgin, Mikhail V; Stepanov, Alexander G; Arzumanov, Sergei S; Rogov, Vladimir A; Parmon, Valentin N; Wang, Wei; Hunger, Michael; Freude, Dieter

2005-12-23

By using 13C MAS NMR spectroscopy (MAS = magic angle spinning), the conversion of selectively 13C-labeled n-butane on zeolite H-ZSM-5 at 430-470 K has been demonstrated to proceed through two pathways: 1) scrambling of the selective 13C-label in the n-butane molecule, and 2) oligomerization-cracking and conjunct polymerization. The latter processes (2) produce isobutane and propane simultaneously with alkyl-substituted cyclopentenyl cations and condensed aromatic compounds. In situ 13C MAS NMR and complementary ex situ GC-MS data provided evidence for a monomolecular mechanism of the 13C-label scrambling, whereas both isobutane and propane are formed through intermolecular pathways. According to 13C MAS NMR kinetic measurements, both pathways proceed with nearly the same activation energies (E(a) = 75 kJ mol(-1) for the scrambling and 71 kJ mol(-1) for isobutane and propane formation). This can be rationalized by considering the intermolecular hydride transfer between a primarily initiated carbenium ion and n-butane as being the rate-determining stage of the n-butane conversion on zeolite H-ZSM-5.

Theoretical study on the nitration of methane by acyl nitrate catalyzed by H-ZSM5 zeolite.

PubMed

Silva, Alexander Martins; Nascimento, Marco Antonio Chaer

2008-09-25

A theoretical study on the nitration of methane by acyl nitrate catalyzed by HZSM-5 zeolite is reported. The zeolite was represented by a "double ring" 20T cluster. The calculations were performed at the DFT/X3LYP/6-31G** and MP2/6-31G** levels. The first step of the mechanism involves the protonation of the acyl nitrate by the zeolite and the formation of a nitronium-like ion. The reaction proceeds through a concerted step with the attack of the methane molecule by the nitronium-like ion and the simultaneous transfer of a proton from the methane molecule to the zeolite, thus reconstructing the acidic site. The activation energies for the first and second steps of this reaction are, respectively, 14.09 and 10.14 kcal/mol at X3LYP/6-31G** level and 16.68 and 13.85 kcal/mol at the MP2/6-31G**.

Deactivation of Zeolite Catalyst H-ZSM-5 during Conversion of Methanol to Gasoline: Operando Time- and Space-Resolved X-ray Diffraction.

PubMed

Rojo-Gama, Daniel; Mentel, Lukasz; Kalantzopoulos, Georgios N; Pappas, Dimitrios K; Dovgaliuk, Iurii; Olsbye, Unni; Lillerud, Karl Petter; Beato, Pablo; Lundegaard, Lars F; Wragg, David S; Svelle, Stian

2018-03-15

The deactivation of zeolite catalyst H-ZSM-5 by coking during the conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons was monitored by high-energy space- and time-resolved operando X-ray diffraction (XRD) . Space resolution was achieved by continuous scanning along the axial length of a capillary fixed bed reactor with a time resolution of 10 s per scan. Using real structural parameters obtained from XRD, we can track the development of coke at different points in the reactor and link this to a kinetic model to correlate catalyst deactivation with structural changes occurring in the material. The "burning cigar" model of catalyst bed deactivation is directly observed in real time.

Ethanol dehydration in HZSM-5 studied by density functional theory: evidence for a concerted process.

PubMed

Kim, Seonah; Robichaud, David J; Beckham, Gregg T; Paton, Robert S; Nimlos, Mark R

2015-04-16

Dehydration over acidic zeolites is an important reaction class for the upgrading of biomass pyrolysis vapors to hydrocarbon fuels or to precursors for myriad chemical products. Here, we examine the dehydration of ethanol at a Brønsted acid site, T12, found in HZSM-5 using density functional theory (DFT). The geometries of both cluster and mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM:MM) models are prepared from the ZSM-5 crystal structure. Comparisons between these models and different DFT methods are conducted to show similar results among the models and methods used. Inclusion of the full catalyst cavity through a QM:MM approach is found to be important, since activation barriers are computed on average as 7 kcal mol(-1) lower than those obtained with a smaller cluster model. Two different pathways, concerted and stepwise, have been considered when examining dehydration and deprotonation steps. The current study shows that a concerted dehydration process is possible with a lower (4-5 kcal mol(-1)) activation barrier while previous literature studies have focused on a stepwise mechanism. Overall, this work demonstrates that fairly high activation energies (∼50 kcal mol(-1)) are required for ethanol dehydration. A concerted mechanism is favored over a stepwise mechanism because charge separation in the transition state is minimized. QM:MM approaches appear to provide superior results to cluster calculations due to a more accurate representation of charges on framework oxygen atoms.

Formation of hydrocarbon compounds during the hydrocracking of non-edible vegetable oils with cobalt-nickel supported on hierarchical HZSM-5 catalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marlinda, L.; Al-Muttaqii, M.; Roesyadi, A.; Prajitno, D. H.

2017-05-01

The hierarchical Co-Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst with hierarchical pore structure was prepared by desilication and incipient wetness impregnation. Hydrocracking of non-edible vegetable oils at temperature of 400 °C, 20±5 bar for 2 h was performed in the presence of this type of catalyst under hydrogen initial pressure in pressured batch reactor. Non-edible vegetable oils, such as Reutealis trisperma (Blanco) airy shaw (sunan candlenut) and Hevea brasiliensis (rubber seed) were chosen to study the effect of the degree of saturation and lateral chain length on hydrocarbon compounds obtained through hydrocracking. Cerbera manghas oil was also tested for comparison because the composition of fatty acid was different with the other oils The hydrocracking test indicated that liquid product produced has a similar hydrocarbon compounds with petroleum diesel. The most abundant hydrocarbon is pentadecane (n-C15) and heptadecane (n-C17). The high aromatic compounds were found in liquid product produced in hydrocracking of Sunan candlenut oil.

Ethanol Conversion to Hydrocarbons on HZSM-5: Effect of Reaction Conditions and Si/Al Ratio on the Product Distributions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K.; Wang, Yong

2014-11-17

The Conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbon over HZSM-5 zeolite with different Si/Al ratios was investigated under various reaction conditions. The catalyst with a higher Si/Al ratio (low acid density) deactivated faster and generated more unsaturated compounds at a similar time-on-stream. Temperature affects the catalytic activity with respect to liquid hydrocarbon generation and the hydrocarbon product composition. At lower temperatures (~300°C), the catalyst deactivated faster with respect to the liquid hydrocarbon formation. Higher temperatures (~400°C) reduced the formation of liquid range hydrocarbons and formed more gaseous fractions. Weight hourly space velocity was also found to affect product selectivity with higher weightmore » hourly space velocity leading to a higher extent of ethylene formation. The experimental results were analyzed in terms of the product composition and the coke content with respect to catalyst time-on-stream and compared with the catalyst lifetime with respect to the variables tested on the conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbon.« less

Preparation and characterization of TiO2/HZSM-11 zeolite for photodegradation of dichlorvos in aqueous solution.

PubMed

Gomez, Silvina; Marchena, Candelaria Leal; Pizzio, Luis; Pierella, Liliana

2013-08-15

The TiO2/HZSM-11 materials were synthesized using titanium isopropoxide as a TiO2 precursor and HZSM-11 a medium pore size zeolite with high thermal and chemical resistance as support. The amount of titanium isopropoxide was varied in order to obtain TiO2 concentrations of 3, 10, 20, 30 and 50 wt% in the final material. They were characterized by a series of complementary techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), transmittance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface area of the TiO2/HZSM-11 samples decreased with the increment of TiO2 loading. As result of the increment of the calcination temperature from 450 to 800°C an increase in the size of the anatase crystals was observed. However, the X-ray diffraction patterns of the solids only presented the characteristic peaks of the anatase phase. The catalytic activity of the materials in the photodegradation of Dichlorvos (DDVP) depended on the TiO2 amount the thermal treatment temperature. The sample containing 30% TiO2 calcined at 450°C showed the best catalytic performance and it can be reused without noticeable activity loss during at least four cycles. The catalytic performance was similar to that of the P25 Degussa used as a reference but its separation, recovery and reuse was easier. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

One-step hydroprocessing of fatty acids into renewable aromatic hydrocarbons over Ni/HZSM-5: insights into the major reaction pathways.

PubMed

Xing, Shiyou; Lv, Pengmei; Wang, Jiayan; Fu, Junying; Fan, Pei; Yang, Lingmei; Yang, Gaixiu; Yuan, Zhenhong; Chen, Yong

2017-01-25

For high caloricity and stability in bio-aviation fuels, a certain content of aromatic hydrocarbons (AHCs, 8-25 wt%) is crucial. Fatty acids, obtained from waste or inedible oils, are a renewable and economic feedstock for AHC production. Considerable amounts of AHCs, up to 64.61 wt%, were produced through the one-step hydroprocessing of fatty acids over Ni/HZSM-5 catalysts. Hydrogenation, hydrocracking, and aromatization constituted the principal AHC formation processes. At a lower temperature, fatty acids were first hydrosaturated and then hydrodeoxygenated at metal sites to form long-chain hydrocarbons. Alternatively, the unsaturated fatty acids could be directly deoxygenated at acid sites without first being saturated. The long-chain hydrocarbons were cracked into gases such as ethane, propane, and C 6 -C 8 olefins over the catalysts' Brønsted acid sites; these underwent Diels-Alder reactions on the catalysts' Lewis acid sites to form AHCs. C 6 -C 8 olefins were determined as critical intermediates for AHC formation. As the Ni content in the catalyst increased, the Brønsted-acid site density was reduced due to coverage by the metal nanoparticles. Good performance was achieved with a loading of 10 wt% Ni, where the Ni nanoparticles exhibited a polyhedral morphology which exposed more active sites for aromatization.

Surface modification of ZSM-5 zeolite: effect of cation on selective conversion of biomass-derived oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widayatno, W. B.

2017-04-01

This paper reports the surface modification of high silica ZSM-5 zeolite, particularly emphasizing the effect of cation type on selective conversion of biomass-derived oil. XRD spectra of the NaOH-treated HZSM-5 showed notable crystallinity decrease at specific crystal plane orientation. The N2-physisorption tests confirmed mesoporosity evolution as NaOH concentration was increased. NH3-desorption tests revealed a significant change on surface acidity which involved realumination and cation replacement processes. The utilization of untreated HZSM-5 as well as hierarchical NaZSM-5 for catalytic conversion of bio-oil showed the effect of cation type and mesoporosity on chemicals distribution. The untreated HZSM-5 showed high selectivity to aromatics, which degraded gradually due to deactivation and poisoning of the acid sites. Meanwhile, hierarchical NaZSM-5 showed high selectivity to phenolic compound, which became more stable for 0.4M NaOH-treated zeolite (Na04). The current findings provide an additional insight on the potentials of NaZSM-5 for bio-oil valorization.

A green route to methyl acrylate and acrylic acid by an aldol condensation reaction over H-ZSM-35 zeolite catalysts.

PubMed

Ma, Zhanling; Ma, Xiangang; Liu, Hongchao; He, Yanli; Zhu, Wenliang; Guo, Xinwen; Liu, Zhongmin

2017-08-10

A one-step aldol condensation reaction to produce MA and AA is a green and promising strategy. Here, the aldol condensation reaction was first conducted with DMM and MAc over different types of zeolite catalysts. The H-ZSM-35 zeolite demonstrates excellent catalytic performance with a DMM conversion of 100% and a MA + AA selectivity of up to 86.2% and superior regeneration ability, with great potential for industrial operation.

Aromatization of n-hexane over ZnO/H-ZSM-5 catalysts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kanai, J.; Kawata, N.

The mechanism of transformation of n-hexane into aromatics over ZnO/H-ZSM-5 catalyst has been investigated. The yields of aromatics in the transformation of n-hexane over H-ZSM-5 are enhanced by mechanical mixing of ZnO as well as by ion exchange or impregnation of zinc cation. It is concluded that aromatization of n-hexane over ZnO/H-ZSM-5 is a bifunctional reaction, and that ZnO as well as H-ZSM-5 takes part both in the activation of n-hexane and in the aromatization of lower olefins. By contrasting the conversion of n-hexane with that of 1-hexane, it is found that aromatization of n-hexane over ZnO/H-ZSM-5 involves both themore » dehydrogenation of n-hexane into hexene and that of the oligomerized products into aromatics. It is proposed that ZnO catalyzes the dehydrogenation of n-hexane into hexene and of the oligomerized products into aromatics.« less

Acidic Mesoporous Zeolite ZSM-5 Supported Cu Catalyst with Good Catalytic Performance in the Hydroxysulfurization of Styrenes with Disulfides.

PubMed

Hu, Jun; Zhu, Chaojie; Xia, Feifei; Fang, Zhongxue; Yang, Fengli; Weng, Jushi; Yao, Pengfei; Zheng, Chunzhi; Dong, Hai; Fu, Wenqian

2017-12-19

Development of highly active heterogeneous catalysts is an effective strategy for modern organic synthesis chemistry. In this work, acidic mesoporous zeolite ZSM-5 (HZSM-5-M), acidic-free mesoporous zeolite TS-1 (TS-1-M), and basic ETS-10 zeolite supported metal Cu catalysts were prepared to investigate their catalytic performances in the hydroxysulfurization of styrenes with diaryl disulfides. The effect of pore size and acidities of the supports, as well as the Cu species electronic properties of the catalysts on reaction activity were investigated. The results show that Cu⁺ and Cu 2+ binded on HZSM-5-M show the highest activity and product selectivity for the desired β -hydroxysulfides compounds.

Acidic Mesoporous Zeolite ZSM-5 Supported Cu Catalyst with Good Catalytic Performance in the Hydroxysulfurization of Styrenes with Disulfides

PubMed Central

Hu, Jun; Zhu, Chaojie; Xia, Feifei; Fang, Zhongxue; Yang, Fengli; Weng, Jushi; Yao, Pengfei; Zheng, Chunzhi; Dong, Hai; Fu, Wenqian

2017-01-01

Development of highly active heterogeneous catalysts is an effective strategy for modern organic synthesis chemistry. In this work, acidic mesoporous zeolite ZSM-5 (HZSM-5-M), acidic-free mesoporous zeolite TS-1 (TS-1-M), and basic ETS-10 zeolite supported metal Cu catalysts were prepared to investigate their catalytic performances in the hydroxysulfurization of styrenes with diaryl disulfides. The effect of pore size and acidities of the supports, as well as the Cu species electronic properties of the catalysts on reaction activity were investigated. The results show that Cu+ and Cu2+ binded on HZSM-5-M show the highest activity and product selectivity for the desired β-hydroxysulfides compounds. PMID:29257075

Myelin management by the 18.5–kDa and 21.5–kDa classic myelin basic protein isoforms

PubMed Central

Harauz, George; Boggs, Joan M.

2013-01-01

The classic myelin basic protein (MBP) splice isoforms range in nominal molecular mass from 14 to 21.5 kDa, and arise from the gene in the oligodendrocyte lineage (Golli) in maturing oligodendrocytes. The 18.5-kDa isoform that predominates in adult myelin adheres the cytosolic surfaces of oligodendrocyte membranes together, and forms a two-dimensional molecular sieve restricting protein diffusion into compact myelin. However, this protein has additional roles including cytoskeletal assembly and membrane extension, binding to SH3-domains, participation in Fyn-mediated signaling pathways, sequestration of phosphoinositides, and maintenance of calcium homeostasis. Of the diverse post-translational modifications of this isoform, phosphorylation is the most dynamic, and modulates 18.5-kDa MBP’s protein-membrane and protein-protein interactions, indicative of a rich repertoire of functions. In developing and mature myelin, phosphorylation can result in microdomain or even nuclear targeting of the protein, supporting the conclusion that 18.5-kDa MBP has significant roles beyond membrane adhesion. The full-length, early-developmental 21.5-kDa splice isoform is predominantly karyophilic due to a non-traditional P-Y nuclear localization signal, with effects such as promotion of oligodendrocyte proliferation. We discuss in vitro and recent in vivo evidence for multifunctionality of these classic basic proteins of myelin, and argue for a systematic evaluation of the temporal and spatial distributions of these protein isoforms, and their modified variants, during oligodendrocyte differentiation. PMID:23398367

Synthesis and application of different phthalocyanine molecular sieve catalyst for oxidative desulfurization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Na; Li, Siwen; Wang, Jinyi; Zhang, Ronglan; Gao, Ruimin; Zhao, Jianshe; Wang, Junlong

2015-05-01

M2(PcAN)2 (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mn) anchored onto W-HZSM-5 (M2(PcAN)2-W-HZSM-5) or the M2(PcTN)2 doping W-HZSM-5 (M2(PcTN)2/W-HZSM-5) were prepared and their catalytic performances were tested for oxidative desulfurization in the presence of oxygen. Thiophene (T), benzothiophene (BT), and dibenzothiophene (DBT) were considered as sulfur compounds. Among zeolite-based catalysts, the Cu2(PcAN)2-W-HZSM-5 and Cu2(PcTN)2/W-HZSM-5 showed superior desulfurization performance and the activity of selectivity followed the order: T>BT>DBT. The effects of phthalocyanine concentration were studied by UV-Vis and calcination temperature was obtained by TG-DSC for Cu2(PcTN)2/W-HZSM-5. Catalysts were characterized by EA, IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, ICP, and N2 adsorption. Reaction time, temperature and the amount of catalyst were investigated as the important parameters for optimization of the reaction. Furthermore, a possible process of oxidative desulfurization and the reaction products were proposed. The reaction process of ultra-deep desulfurization.

Role of Brønsted acid in selective production of furfural in biomass pyrolysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Haiyan; Liu, Xuejun; Lu, Meizhen; Hu, Xinyue; Lu, Leigang; Tian, Xiaoning; Ji, Jianbing

2014-10-01

In this work, the role of Brønsted acid for furfural production in biomass pyrolysis on supported sulfates catalysts was investigated. The introduction of Brønsted acid was shown to improve the degradation of polysaccharides to intermediates for furfural, which did not work well when only Lewis acids were used in the process. Experimental results showed that CuSO4/HZSM-5 catalyst exhibited the best performance for furfural (28% yield), which was much higher than individual HZSM-5 (5%) and CuSO4 (6%). The optimum reaction conditions called for the mass ratio of CuSO4/HZSM-5 to be 0.4 and the catalyst/biomass mass ratio to be 0.5. The recycled catalyst exhibited low productivity (9%). Analysis of the catalysts by Py-IR revealed that the CuSO4/HZSM-5 owned a stronger Brønsted acid intensity than HZSM-5 or the recycled CuSO4/HZSM-5. Therefore, the existence of Brønsted acid is necessary to achieve a more productive degradation of biomass for furfural. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and application of different phthalocyanine molecular sieve catalyst for oxidative desulfurization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Na; Li, Siwen; Wang, Jinyi

2015-05-15

M{sub 2}(PcAN){sub 2} (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mn) anchored onto W-HZSM-5 (M{sub 2}(PcAN){sub 2}–W-HZSM-5) or the M{sub 2}(PcTN){sub 2} doping W-HZSM-5 (M{sub 2}(PcTN){sub 2}/W-HZSM-5) were prepared and their catalytic performances were tested for oxidative desulfurization in the presence of oxygen. Thiophene (T), benzothiophene (BT), and dibenzothiophene (DBT) were considered as sulfur compounds. Among zeolite-based catalysts, the Cu{sub 2}(PcAN){sub 2}–W-HZSM-5 and Cu{sub 2}(PcTN){sub 2}/W-HZSM-5 showed superior desulfurization performance and the activity of selectivity followed the order: T>BT>DBT. The effects of phthalocyanine concentration were studied by UV–Vis and calcination temperature was obtained by TG-DSC for Cu{sub 2}(PcTN){sub 2}/W-HZSM-5. Catalysts weremore » characterized by EA, IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, ICP, and N{sub 2} adsorption. Reaction time, temperature and the amount of catalyst were investigated as the important parameters for optimization of the reaction. Furthermore, a possible process of oxidative desulfurization and the reaction products were proposed. - Graphical abstract: The ODS reaction schematic shows the reaction mechanism of ultra-deep desulfurization. The sulfur compounds are oxidized to their corresponding sulfoxides or sulfones through the use of oxygen and catalysts. The reaction process of ultra-deep desulfurization. - Highlights: • A kind of novel catalyst for deep desulfurization was synthesized. • Cu{sub 2}(PcAN){sub 2}–W-HZSM-5 exhibits excellent catalytic performance for desulfurization. • The reaction conditions that affect desulfurization efficiency are investigated. • The reaction process of model sulfur compounds is proposed.« less

Optimizing anti-coking abilities of zeolites by ethylene diamine tetraacetie acid modification on catalytic fast pyrolysis of corn stalk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bo; Zhong, Zhaoping; Song, Zuwei; Ding, Kuan; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2015-12-01

In order to minimize coke yield during biomass catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) process, ethylene diamine tetraacetie acid (EDTA) chemical modification method is carried out to selectively remove the external framework aluminum of HZSM-5 catalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen (N2)-adsorption and ammonia-temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) techniques are employed to investigate the porosity and acidity characteristics of original and modified HZSM-5 samples. Py-GC/MS and thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) experiments are further conducted to explore the catalytic effect of modified HZSM-5 samples on biomass CFP and to verify the positive effect on coke reduction. Results show that EDTA treatment does not damage the crystal structure of HZSM-5 zeolites, but leads to a slight increase of pore volume and pore size. Meanwhile, the elimination of the strong acid peak indicates the dealumination of outer surface of HZSM-5 zeolites. Treatment time of 2 h (labeled EDTA-2H) is optimal for acid removal and hydrocarbon formation. Among all modified catalysts, EDTA-2H performs the best for deacidification and can obviously increase the yields of positive chemical compositions in pyrolysis products. Besides, EDTA modification can improve the anti-coking properties of HZSM-5 zeolites, and EDTA-2H gives rise to the lowest coke yield.

Aromatic hydrocarbon production via eucalyptus urophylla pyrolysis over several metal modified ZSM-5 catalysts – an analysis by py-GC/MS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Metal modified HZSM-5 catalysts were prepared by ion exchange of NH4ZSM-5 (SIO2/Al2O3 = 23) using gallium, molybdenum, nickel and zinc, and their combinations thereof. The prepared catalysts were used to evaluate catalytic pyrolysis for the conversion of Eucalyptus urophylla to fuels and chemicals, ...

Hydrodeoxygenation of phenolic compounds to cycloalkanes over supported nickel phosphides

DOE PAGES

Yu, Zhiquan; Wang, Anjie; Liu, Shan; ...

2018-05-07

SiO 2, HZSM-5 and Al 2O 3 were used to support nickel phosphides to prepare hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) catalysts. The nickel loading was kept at 20 wt% while the Ni/P molar ratio was varied among 3, 2, and 1 in the preparation by incipient wetness impregnation. XRD characterization revealed that Ni 3P, Ni 12P 5, and Ni 2P as the major crystal phases were obtained at Ni/P ratio of 3, 2, and 1, respectively, on SiO 2 and HZSM-5. When Al 2O 3 was used as the support, nickel metal rather than nickel phosphides was generated. Among SiO 2-supported nickel phosphides,more » Ni 3P exhibited highest hydrogenation activity and catalytic performance in phenol HDO. Ni 3P/HZSM-5 showed the high catalytic performance in HDO of phenol as well as catechol and o-cresol, with Ni 3P as the hydrogenation site and the acid sites in HZSM-5 zeolite as the dehydration site. In conclusion, the strong acidity in HZSM-5 also facilitated the isomerization of cycloalkanes at elevated temperatures.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Zhiquan; Wang, Anjie; Liu, Shan

SiO 2, HZSM-5 and Al 2O 3 were used to support nickel phosphides to prepare hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) catalysts. The nickel loading was kept at 20 wt% while the Ni/P molar ratio was varied among 3, 2, and 1 in the preparation by incipient wetness impregnation. XRD characterization revealed that Ni 3P, Ni 12P 5, and Ni 2P as the major crystal phases were obtained at Ni/P ratio of 3, 2, and 1, respectively, on SiO 2 and HZSM-5. When Al 2O 3 was used as the support, nickel metal rather than nickel phosphides was generated. Among SiO 2-supported nickel phosphides,more » Ni 3P exhibited highest hydrogenation activity and catalytic performance in phenol HDO. Ni 3P/HZSM-5 showed the high catalytic performance in HDO of phenol as well as catechol and o-cresol, with Ni 3P as the hydrogenation site and the acid sites in HZSM-5 zeolite as the dehydration site. In conclusion, the strong acidity in HZSM-5 also facilitated the isomerization of cycloalkanes at elevated temperatures.« less

On two alternative mechanisms of ethane activation over ZSM-5 zeolite modified by Zn2+ and Ga1+ cations.

PubMed

Kazansky, V B; Subbotina, I R; Rane, N; van Santen, R A; Hensen, E J M

2005-08-21

The activation of ethane over zinc- and gallium-modified HZSM-5 dehydrogenation catalysts was studied by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy. Hydrocarbon activation on HZSM-5 modified by bivalent Zn and univalent Ga cations proceeds via two distinctly different mechanisms. The stronger molecular adsorption of ethane by the acid-base pairs formed by distantly separated cationic Zn2+ and basic oxygen sites results already at room temperature in strong polarizability of adsorbed ethane and subsequent heterolytic dissociative adsorption at moderate temperatures. In contrast, molecular adsorption of ethane on Ga+ cations is weak. At high temperatures dissociative hydrocarbon adsorption takes place, resulting in the formation of ethyl and hydride fragments coordinating to the cationic gallium species. Whereas in the zinc case a Brønsted acid proton is formed upon ethane dissociation, decomposition of the ethyl fragment on gallium results in gallium dihydride species and does not lead to Brønsted acid protons. This difference in alkane activation has direct consequences for hydrocarbon conversions involving dehydrogenation.

Cresol Izomerization in the Presence of Acid Catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasov, A. L.; Dunaev, S. F.; Kustov, L. M.

2018-02-01

It is shown for toluene oxidation with nitrous oxide that modifying HZSM-5 zeolite with zinc oxide nanoparticles considerably improves the selectivity and yield of cresols. It is found that a 2% ZnO/HZSM-5 composite catalyst also exhibits enhanced and stable activity at high temperatures. For the o-cresol isomerization reaction, this modification of HZSM-5 zeolite greatly reduces the contribution from disproportionation and cracking reactions proceeding with formation of phenol, C6-C9 aromatic hydrocarbons, and xylenols. The regularities of their formation in the presence of the studied catalysts are determined using the results from thermodynamic calculations for the equilibrium concentrations of cresol isomers.

Catalytic copyrolysis of cork oak and bio-oil distillation residue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yejin; Oh, Daejun; Kim, Young-Min; Jae, Jungho; Jung, Sang-Chul; Jeon, Jong-Ki; Kim, Sang Chai; Park, Young-Kwon

2018-01-01

The atmospheric distillation residue (ADR) of cork oak (CO) pyrolysis oil was used as the co-feeding material for the catalytic pyrolysis of CO over HZSM-5 catalysts to improve the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons. Although the non-catalytic copyrolysis of CO and ADR did not improve the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons, the catalytic copyrolysis of CO and ADR promoted the synergistic formation of aromatic hydrocarbons. HZSM-5(30), having a lower SiO2/Al2O3(30), showed better performance for the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons than HZSM-5(80) because of its higher acidity. The catalytic copyrolysis of CO and ADR also decreased the formation of coke. The largest quantity of aromatic hydrocarbons was obtained from the catalytic copyrolysis of CO and ADR over HZSM-5 (30) at 600 °C, whereas the lowest coke yield was achieved at 700 °C. When the catalyst to sample ratio was increased from 2:1 to 5:1, the synergistic formation of aromatic hydrocarbons was limited, resulting in a lower experimental yield of aromatic hydrocarbons than the theoretical yield. A lower coke yield was also achieved at a high catalyst to sample ratio (5:1).

Methane Conversion to Ethylene and Aromatics on PtSn Catalysts

DOE PAGES

Gerceker, Duygu; Motagamwala, Ali Hussain; Rivera-Dones, Keishla R.; ...

2017-02-03

Pt and PtSn catalysts supported on SiO 2 and H-ZSM-5 were studied for methane conversion under nonoxidative conditions. Addition of Sn to Pt/SiO 2 increased the turnover frequency for production of ethylene by a factor of 3, and pretreatment of the catalyst at 1123 K reduced the extent of coke formation. Pt and PtSn catalysts supported on H-ZSM-5 zeolite were prepared to improve the activity and selectivity to non-coke products. Ethylene formation rates were 20 times faster over a PtSn(1:3)/H-ZSM-5 catalyst with SiO 2:Al 2O 3 = 280 in comparison to those over PtSn(3:1)/SiO 2. H-ZSM-5-supported catalysts were also activemore » for the formation of aromatics, and the rates of benzene and naphthalene formation were increased by using more acidic H-ZSM-5 supports. These catalysts operate through a bifunctional mechanism, in which ethylene is first produced on highly dispersed PtSn nanoparticles and then is subsequently converted to benzene and naphthalene on Brønsted acid sites within the zeolite support. The most active and stable PtSn catalyst forms carbon products at a rate, 2.5 mmol of C/((mol of Pt) s), which is comparable to that of state-of-the-art Mo/H-ZSM-5 catalysts with same metal loading operated under similar conditions (1.8 mmol of C/((mol of Mo) s)). Scanning transmission electron microscopy measurements suggest the presence of smaller Pt nanoparticles on H-ZSM-5-supported catalysts, in comparison to SiO 2-supported catalysts, as a possible source of their high activity. As a result, a microkinetic model of methane conversion on Pt and PtSn surfaces, built using results from density functional theory calculations, predicts higher coupling rates on bimetallic and stepped surfaces, supporting the experimental observations that relate the high catalytic activity to small PtSn particles.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerceker, Duygu; Motagamwala, Ali Hussain; Rivera-Dones, Keishla R.

Pt and PtSn catalysts supported on SiO 2 and H-ZSM-5 were studied for methane conversion under nonoxidative conditions. Addition of Sn to Pt/SiO 2 increased the turnover frequency for production of ethylene by a factor of 3, and pretreatment of the catalyst at 1123 K reduced the extent of coke formation. Pt and PtSn catalysts supported on H-ZSM-5 zeolite were prepared to improve the activity and selectivity to non-coke products. Ethylene formation rates were 20 times faster over a PtSn(1:3)/H-ZSM-5 catalyst with SiO 2:Al 2O 3 = 280 in comparison to those over PtSn(3:1)/SiO 2. H-ZSM-5-supported catalysts were also activemore » for the formation of aromatics, and the rates of benzene and naphthalene formation were increased by using more acidic H-ZSM-5 supports. These catalysts operate through a bifunctional mechanism, in which ethylene is first produced on highly dispersed PtSn nanoparticles and then is subsequently converted to benzene and naphthalene on Brønsted acid sites within the zeolite support. The most active and stable PtSn catalyst forms carbon products at a rate, 2.5 mmol of C/((mol of Pt) s), which is comparable to that of state-of-the-art Mo/H-ZSM-5 catalysts with same metal loading operated under similar conditions (1.8 mmol of C/((mol of Mo) s)). Scanning transmission electron microscopy measurements suggest the presence of smaller Pt nanoparticles on H-ZSM-5-supported catalysts, in comparison to SiO 2-supported catalysts, as a possible source of their high activity. As a result, a microkinetic model of methane conversion on Pt and PtSn surfaces, built using results from density functional theory calculations, predicts higher coupling rates on bimetallic and stepped surfaces, supporting the experimental observations that relate the high catalytic activity to small PtSn particles.« less

Construction of Bifunctional Co/H-ZSM-5 Catalysts for the Hydrodeoxygenation of Stearic Acid to Diesel-range Alkanes.

PubMed

Wu, Guangjun; Zhang, Nan; Dai, Weili; Guan, Naijia; Li, Landong

2018-04-27

Bifunctional Co/H-ZSM-5 zeolites were prepared by surface organometallic chemistry grafting route, namely by the stoichiometric reaction between cobaltocene and the Brønsted acid sites in zeolites, and applied to the model reaction of stearic acid catalytic hydrodeoxygenation. Cobalt species existed in the form of isolated Co2+ ions at exchange positions after grafting, transformed to CoO species on the surface of zeolite and stabilized inside zeolite channels upon calcination in air, and finally reduced to metallic cobalt species of homogeneous clusters of ca. 1.5 nm by hydrogen. During this process, the Brønsted acid sites of H-ZSM-5 zeolites could be preserved with acid strength slightly reduced. The as-prepared bifunctional catalyst exhibited a ~16 times higher activity in stearic acid hydrodeoxygenation (2.11 gSAgcat-1h-1) than the reference catalyst (0.13 gSAgcat-1h-1) prepared by solid-state ion exchange, and a high C18/C17 ratio of ~24 was achieved as well. The remarkable hydrodeoxygenation performance of bifunctional Co/H-ZSM-5 could be explained from the effective synergy between the uniformed metallic cobalt clusters and the Brønsted acid sites in H-ZSM-5 zeolite. The simplified reaction network and kinetics of stearic acid hydrodeoxygenation catalyzed by the as-prepared bifunctional Co/H-ZSM-5 zeolites were also investigated. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Highly selective oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde over a tailor-made cobalt oxide encapsulated zeolite catalyst.

PubMed

Liu, Jiangyong; Wang, Zihao; Jian, Panming; Jian, Ruiqi

2018-05-01

A tailor-made catalyst with cobalt oxide particles encapsulated into ZSM-5 zeolites (Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5) was prepared via a hydrothermal method with the conventional impregnated Co 3 O 4 /SiO 2 catalyst as the precursor and Si source. Various characterization results show that the Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5 catalyst has well-organized structure with Co 3 O 4 particles compatibly encapsulated in the zeolite crystals. The Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5 catalyst was employed as an efficient catalyst for the selective oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde with hydrogen peroxide as a green and economic oxidant. The effect of various reaction conditions including reaction time, reaction temperature, different kinds of solvents, styrene/H 2 O 2 molar ratio and catalyst dosage on the catalytic performance were systematically investigated. Under the optimized reaction condition, the yield of benzaldehyde can achieve 78.9% with 96.8% styrene conversion and 81.5% benzaldehyde selectivity. Such an excellent catalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the confined reaction environment and the proper acidic property. In addition, the reaction mechanism with Co 3 O 4 @HZSM-5 as the catalyst for the selective oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde was reasonably proposed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discerning the Location and Nature of Coke Deposition from Surface to Bulk of Spent Zeolite Catalysts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Devaraj, Arun; Vijayakumar, Murugesan; Bao, Jie

The nanoscale compositional mapping of fresh HZSM-5 catalyst synthesized using hydrothermal process as well as after just steaming and after ethanol conversion reaction for 72 hours at realistic catalytic conditions was investigated using atom probe tomography. Atom probe tomography permitted direct atomic scale imaging of non-uniform distribution of Al within the HZSM-5 as well as for the first time image the hydrocarbon coking after ethanol reaction. Clear evidences for existence of multiple C-H molecular species which appear to aggregate as clusters within the pores of spent HZSM-5 catalyst materials is provided. These results provide evidence for the ability of atommore » probe tomography, a powerful 3D characterization tool in interrogating the atomic scale chemistry of zeolite catalyst materials at industrially relevant catalytic conditions.« less

Pharmacological profile of DA-6886, a novel 5-HT4 receptor agonist to accelerate colonic motor activity in mice.

PubMed

Lee, Min Jung; Cho, Kang Hun; Park, Hyun Min; Sung, Hyun Jung; Choi, Sunghak; Im, Weonbin

2014-07-15

DA-6886, the gastrointestinal prokinetic benzamide derivative is a novel 5-HT4 receptor agonist being developed for the treatment of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). The purpose of this study was to characterize in vitro and in vivo pharmacological profile of DA-6886. We used various receptor binding assay, cAMP accumulation assay, organ bath experiment and colonic transit assay in normal and chemically constipated mice. DA-6886 exhibited high affinity and selectivity to human 5-HT4 receptor splice variants, with mean pKi of 7.1, 7.5, 7.9 for the human 5-HT4a, 5-HT4b and 5-HT4d, respectively. By contrast, DA-6886 did not show significant affinity for several receptors including dopamine D2 receptor, other 5-HT receptors except for 5-HT2B receptor (pKi value of 6.2). The affinity for 5-HT4 receptor was translated into functional agonist activity in Cos-7 cells expressing 5-HT4 receptor splice variants. Furthermore, DA-6886 induced relaxation of the rat oesophagus preparation (pEC50 value of 7.4) in a 5-HT4 receptor antagonist-sensitive manner. The evaluation of DA-6886 in CHO cells expressing hERG channels revealed that it inhibited hERG channel current with an pIC50 value of 4.3, indicating that the compound was 1000-fold more selective for the 5-HT4 receptor over hERG channels. In the normal ICR mice, oral administration of DA-6886 (0.4 and 2mg/kg) resulted in marked stimulation of colonic transit. Furthermore, in the loperamide-induced constipation mouse model, 2mg/kg of DA-6886 significantly improved the delay of colonic transit, similar to 10mg/kg of tegaserod. Taken together, DA-6886 is a highly potent and selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist to accelerate colonic transit in mice, which might be therapeutic agent having a favorable safety profile in the treatment of gastrointestinal motor disorders such as IBS-C and chronic constipation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selective production of chemicals from biomass pyrolysis over metal chlorides supported on zeolite.

PubMed

Leng, Shuai; Wang, Xinde; Cai, Qiuxia; Ma, Fengyun; Liu, Yue'e; Wang, Jianguo

2013-12-01

Direct biomass conversion into chemicals remains a great challenge because of the complexity of the compounds; hence, this process has attracted less attention than conversion into fuel. In this study, we propose a simple one-step method for converting bagasse into furfural (FF) and acetic acid (AC). In this method, bagasse pyrolysis over ZnCl2/HZSM-5 achieved a high FF and AC yield (58.10%) and a 1.01 FF/AC ratio, but a very low yield of medium-boiling point components. However, bagasse pyrolysis using HZSM-5 alone or ZnCl2 alone still remained large amounts of medium-boiling point components or high-boiling point components. The synergistic effect of HZSM-5 and ZnCl2, which combines pyrolysis, zeolite cracking, and Lewis acid-selective catalysis results in highly efficient bagasse conversion into FF and AC. Therefore, our study provides a novel, simple method for directly converting biomass into high-yield useful chemical. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytic upgrading of oil fractions separated from food waste leachate.

PubMed

Heo, Hyeon Su; Kim, Sang Guk; Jeong, Kwang-Eun; Jeon, Jong-Ki; Park, Sung Hoon; Kim, Ji Man; Kim, Seung-Soo; Park, Young-Kwon

2011-02-01

In this work, catalytic cracking of biomass waste oil fractions separated from food waste leachate was performed using microporous catalysts, such as HY, HZSM-5 and mesoporous Al-MCM-48. The experiments were carried out using pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) to allow the direct analysis of the pyrolytic products. Most acidic components, especially oleic acid, contained in the food waste oil fractions were converted to valuable products, such as oxygenates, hydrocarbons and aromatics. High yields of hydrocarbons within the gasoline-range were obtained when microporous catalysts were used; whereas, the use of Al-MCM-48, which exhibits relatively weak acidity, resulted in high yields of oxygenated and diesel-range hydrocarbons. The HZSM-5 catalyst produced a higher amount of valuable mono aromatics due to its strong acidity and shape selectivity. Especially, the addition of gallium (Ga) to HZSM-5 significantly increased the aromatics content. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agarose and Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis Methods for Molecular Mass Analysis of 5–500 kDa Hyaluronan

PubMed Central

Bhilocha, Shardul; Amin, Ripal; Pandya, Monika; Yuan, Han; Tank, Mihir; LoBello, Jaclyn; Shytuhina, Anastasia; Wang, Wenlan; Wisniewski, Hans-Georg; de la Motte, Carol; Cowman, Mary K.

2011-01-01

Agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis systems for the molecular mass-dependent separation of hyaluronan (HA) in the size range of approximately 5–500 kDa have been investigated. For agarose-based systems, the suitability of different agarose types, agarose concentrations, and buffers systems were determined. Using chemoenzymatically synthesized HA standards of low polydispersity, the molecular mass range was determined for each gel composition, over which the relationship between HA mobility and logarithm of the molecular mass was linear. Excellent linear calibration was obtained for HA molecular mass as low as approximately 9 kDa in agarose gels. For higher resolution separation, and for extension to molecular masses as low as approximately 5 kDa, gradient polyacrylamide gels were superior. Densitometric scanning of stained gels allowed analysis of the range of molecular masses present in a sample, and calculation of weight-average and number-average values. The methods were validated for polydisperse HA samples with viscosity-average molecular masses of 112, 59, 37, and 22 kDa, at sample loads of 0.5 µg (for polyacrylamide) to 2.5 µg (for agarose). Use of the methods for electrophoretic mobility shift assays was demonstrated for binding of the HA-binding region of aggrecan (recombinant human aggrecan G1-IGD-G2 domains) to a 150 kDa HA standard. PMID:21684248

Structures of (5′S)-8,5′-Cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine Mismatched with dA or dT

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Diastereomeric 8,5′-cyclopurine 2′-deoxynucleosides, containing a covalent bond between the deoxyribose and the purine base, are induced in DNA by ionizing radiation. They are suspected to play a role in the etiology of neurodegeneration in xeroderma pigmentosum patients. If not repaired, the S-8,5′-cyclo-2′-deoxyguanosine lesion (S-cdG) induces Pol V-dependent mutations at a frequency of 34% in Escherichia coli. Most are S-cdG → A transitions, suggesting mis-incorporation of dTTP opposite the lesion during replication bypass, although low levels of S-cdG → T transversions, arising from mis-incorporation of dATP, are also observed. We report the structures of 5′-d(GTGCXTGTTTGT)-3′·5′-d(ACAAACAYGCAC)-3′, where X denotes S-cdG and Y denotes either dA or dT, corresponding to the situation following mis-insertion of either dTTP or dATP opposite the S-cdG lesion. The S-cdG·dT mismatch pair adopts a wobble base pairing. This provides a plausible rationale for the S-cdG → A transitions. The S-cdG·dA mismatch pair differs in conformation from the dG·dA mismatch pair. For the S-cdG·dA mismatch pair, both S-cdG and dA intercalate, but no hydrogen bonding is observed between S-cdG and dA. This is consistent with the lower levels of S-cdG → T transitions in E. coli. PMID:22309170

Evaluating the potential of marine Bacteriovorax sp. DA5 as a biocontrol agent against vibriosis in Litopenaeus vannamei larvae.

PubMed

Wen, Chongqing; Xue, Ming; Liang, Huafang; Zhou, Shining

2014-09-17

The potential application of Bdellovibrio-and-like organisms (BALOs) for the biocontrol of bacterial diseases has been widely recognized. However, no marine BALOs have been reported for Vibrio-related infections in penaeid shrimp. In the present study, the bacteriolytic ability of the marine Bacteriovorax strain DA5 against Vibrio alginolyticus zouA was examined by cocultivation and electron microscopy, and optimal lysis was observed at 30-35°C and 20-30‰ salinity along with a high multiplicity of infection. Then, we showed that experimentally infected Litopenaeus vannamei larvae exhibited significantly higher survival with incremental DA5 levels. Finally, variation in the bacterial counts and the bacterial community in larval rearing water was investigated after prophylactic application of DA5. The elimination effect of DA5 on vibrios was visible at early time points, whereas only a few non-dominant bacteria, rather than the predominant populations, were affected through analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of the 16S rDNA V3 region. Accordingly, the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacies of DA5 on vibriosis associated with L. vannamei could markedly enhance larval survivability, and these results will facilitate the application of marine Bacteriovorax to control vibriosis in shrimp larviculture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving the hydrocarbon production via co-pyrolysis of bagasse with bio-plastic and dual-catalysts layout.

PubMed

Zhang, Huiyan; Likun, Peter Keliona Wani; Xiao, Rui

2018-03-15

Catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of bagasse and bio-plastic (chicken feather keratin) and their mixtures were conducted to produce aromatic hydrocarbons over a HZSM-5, USY, and dual-catalysts layout. The effects of temperature, co-feeding ratios, feed-to-catalyst ratios and dual catalysts on hydrocarbon yields and selectivities were investigated. The results show a general improvement in the aromatic hydrocarbons yields in all cases compared to non-catalytic and pure biomass pyrolysis. The aromatic hydrocarbons increased by 10 fold with the increase of temperature from 400°C to 700°C. The aromatic yields increased 1.5 times at co-feeding, 2.0 greater at feed/HZSM-5 ratio of 1:6, 1.2 times at feed/USY ratio of 1:16, and 2.66 times at USY/HZSM-5 scenario. The selectivities towards benzene increased, at higher co-feeding ratios, while that of toluene shows an opposite trend. Xylenes selectivities were less sensitive to the changes of co-feeding ratios. In contrast, the USY catalyst only produced little amount of toluene and xylenes. The dual catalyst design (USY/HZSM-5) resulted in the highest aromatic yields, than other catalyst design scenarios. The pyrolysis temperature is a significant parameter for hydrocarbon production. Co-feeding bagasse and bio-plastic enhanced biomass conversion to aromatic compounds. For any type of zeolite catalyst, there was an optimum feed-to-catalyst ratio that generated maximum hydrocarbons. Dual catalyst layout shows a new opportunity for efficient conversion of biomass materials into hydrocarbons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reactivity of propene, n-butene, and isobutene in the hydrogen transfer steps of n-hexane cracking over zeolites of different structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lukyanov, D.B.

The reaction of n-hexane cracking over HZSM-5, HY zeolite and mordenite (HM) was studied in accordance with the procedure of the [beta]-test recently proposed for quantitative characterization of zeolite hydrogen transfer activity. It is shown that this procedure allows one to obtain quantitative data on propene, n-butene, and isobutene reactivities in the hydrogen transfer steps of the reaction. The results demonstrate that in the absence of steric constraints (large pore HY and HM zeolites) isobutene is approximately 5 times more reactive in hydrogen transfer than n-butene. The latter, in turn, is about 1.3 times more reactive than propene. With mediummore » pore HZSM-5, steric inhibition of the hydrogen transfer between n-hexane and isobutene is observed. This results in a sharp decrease in the isobutene reactivity: over HZSM-5 zeolites isobutene is only 1.2 times more reactive in hydrogen transfer than n-butene. On the basis of these data it is concluded that the [beta]-test measures the [open quotes]real[close quotes] hydrogen transfer activity of zeolites, i.e., the activity that summarizes the effects of the acidic and structural properties of zeolites. An attempt is made to estimate the [open quotes]ideal[close quotes] zeolite hydrogen transfer activity, i.e., the activity determined by the zeolite acidic properties only. The estimations obtained show that this activity is approximately 1.8 and 1.6 times higher for HM zeolite in comparison with HZSM-5 and HY zeolites, respectively. 16 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.« less

The 21.5-kDa isoform of myelin basic protein has a non-traditional PY-nuclear-localization signal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Graham S.T.; Seymour, Lauren V.; Boggs, Joan M.

2012-06-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Full-length 21.5-kDa MBP isoform is translocated to the nucleus. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We hypothesized that the exon-II-encoded sequence contained the NLS. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We mutated this sequence in RFP-tagged constructs and transfected N19-cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Abolition of two key positively-charged residues resulted in loss of nuclear-trafficking. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The 21.5-kDa isoform of classic MBP contains a non-traditional PY-NLS. -- Abstract: The predominant 18.5-kDa classic myelin basic protein (MBP) is mainly responsible for compaction of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system, but is multifunctional, having numerous interactions with Ca{sup 2+}-calmodulin, actin, tubulin, and SH3-domains, and can tether these proteins to a lipidmore » membrane in vitro. The full-length 21.5-kDa MBP isoform has an additional 26 residues encoded by exon-II of the classic gene, which causes it to be trafficked to the nucleus of oligodendrocytes (OLGs). We have performed site-directed mutagenesis of selected residues within this segment in red fluorescent protein (RFP)-tagged constructs, which were then transfected into the immortalized N19-OLG cell line to view protein localization using epifluorescence microscopy. We found that 21.5-kDa MBP contains two non-traditional PY-nuclear-localization signals, and that arginine and lysine residues within these motifs were involved in subcellular trafficking of this protein to the nucleus, where it may have functional roles during myelinogenesis.« less

Co-Aromatization of Methane with Olefins: The Role of Inner Pore and External Surface Catalytic Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yung, Matthew M; He, Peng; Jarvis, Jack

The co-aromatization of methane with olefins is investigated using Ag-Ga/HZSM-5 as the catalyst at 400 degrees C. The presence of methane has a pronounced effect on the product distribution in terms of increased average carbon number and substitution index and decreased aromatic carbon fraction compared with its N2 environment counterpart. The participation of methane during the co-aromatization over the Ag-Ga/HZSM-5 catalyst diminishes as the co-fed olefin feedstock molecule becomes larger, from 1-hexene to 1-octene and 1-decene, in diameter. The effect of suppressed methane participation with larger olefinic molecules is not as significant when Ag-Ga/HY is employed as the catalyst, whichmore » might be attributed to the larger pore size of HY that gives more room to hold olefin and methane molecules within the inner pores and reduces the diffusion limitation of olefin molecules. The effect of olefin feedstock on the methane participation during the co-aromatization over Ag-Ga/HZSM-5 is experimentally evidenced by 13C and 2D NMR. The incorporation of the methane carbon atoms into the phenyl ring of product molecules is reduced significantly with larger co-fed olefins, whereas its incorporation into the substitution groups of the formed aromatic molecules is not notably affected, suggesting that the methane participation in the phenyl ring formation might preferably occur within inner pores, while its incorporation into substitution groups may mainly take place on external catalytic sites. This hypothesis is well supported by the product selectivity obtained over Ag-Ga/HZSM-5 catalysts prepared using conventional ZSM-5, ZSM-5 with the external catalytic sites deactivated, nanosize ZSM-5, ZSM-5 with a micro/meso pore structure and ZSM-5 with the inner pores blocked, and further confirmed by the isotopic labeling studies.« less

[Selection of acetate-tolerant mutants from Escherichia coli DH5alpha and the metabolic properties of mutant DA19].

PubMed

Zhu, Caiqing; Ye, Qin

2003-08-01

Esherichia coli DH5alpha is one of the widely used host strains in genetic engineering. However, foreign gene expression level in this strain is seriously inhibited due to its great sensitivity to the accumulated metabolite, acetate. This study aimed at improving the tolerance of this strain against acetate. Cells of E. coli DH5alpha were irradiated with 60Co, and subsequently continuous culture of the irradiated cells was conducted with gradual increase in the dilution rate and the selective pressure, acetate concentration in the medium. The mutants were picked up on MA plates which contained 5g/L sodium acetate. 5 strains with great improvement in acetate tolerance were obtained, among which DA19 was the best. In cultivation of DA19 in complex media YPS and YPS2G, the cell density, maximum specific growth rate and acetate produced were respectively 1.17 and 1.05, 1.08 and 1.27, and 0.06 and 0.59 times of those of DH5alpha. In a chemically defined medium, the cell density of DA19 was 3.4-fold of that of DH5alpha. The cell density of DA19 in a medium containing 10g/L sodium acetate was comparable to that of DH5alpha in the same medium without the addition of acetate.

Tonic 5nM DA Stabilizes Neuronal Output by Enabling Bidirectional Activity-Dependent Regulation of the Hyperpolarization Activated Current via PKA and Calcineurin

PubMed Central

Krenz, Wulf-Dieter C.; Rodgers, Edmund W.; Baro, Deborah J.

2015-01-01

Volume transmission results in phasic and tonic modulatory signals. The actions of tonic dopamine (DA) at type 1 DA receptors (D1Rs) are largely undefined. Here we show that tonic 5nM DA acts at D1Rs to stabilize neuronal output over minutes by enabling activity-dependent regulation of the hyperpolarization activated current (I h). In the presence but not absence of 5nM DA, I h maximal conductance (G max) was adjusted according to changes in slow wave activity in order to maintain spike timing. Our study on the lateral pyloric neuron (LP), which undergoes rhythmic oscillations in membrane potential with depolarized plateaus, demonstrated that incremental, bi-directional changes in plateau duration produced corresponding alterations in LP I hG max when preparations were superfused with saline containing 5nM DA. However, when preparations were superfused with saline alone there was no linear correlation between LP I hGmax and duty cycle. Thus, tonic nM DA modulated the capacity for activity to modulate LP I h G max; this exemplifies metamodulation (modulation of modulation). Pretreatment with the Ca2+-chelator, BAPTA, or the specific PKA inhibitor, PKI, prevented all changes in LP I h in 5nM DA. Calcineurin inhibitors blocked activity-dependent changes enabled by DA and revealed a PKA-mediated, activity-independent enhancement of LP I hG max. These data suggested that tonic 5nM DA produced two simultaneous, PKA-dependent effects: a direct increase in LP I h G max and a priming event that permitted calcineurin regulation of LP I h. The latter produced graded reductions in LP I hG max with increasing duty cycles. We also demonstrated that this metamodulation preserved the timing of LP’s first spike when network output was perturbed with bath-applied 4AP. In sum, 5nM DA permits slow wave activity to provide feedback that maintains spike timing, suggesting that one function of low-level, tonic modulation is to stabilize specific features of a dynamic output. PMID

Tonic 5nM DA stabilizes neuronal output by enabling bidirectional activity-dependent regulation of the hyperpolarization activated current via PKA and calcineurin.

PubMed

Krenz, Wulf-Dieter C; Rodgers, Edmund W; Baro, Deborah J

2015-01-01

Volume transmission results in phasic and tonic modulatory signals. The actions of tonic dopamine (DA) at type 1 DA receptors (D1Rs) are largely undefined. Here we show that tonic 5nM DA acts at D1Rs to stabilize neuronal output over minutes by enabling activity-dependent regulation of the hyperpolarization activated current (I h). In the presence but not absence of 5nM DA, I h maximal conductance (G max) was adjusted according to changes in slow wave activity in order to maintain spike timing. Our study on the lateral pyloric neuron (LP), which undergoes rhythmic oscillations in membrane potential with depolarized plateaus, demonstrated that incremental, bi-directional changes in plateau duration produced corresponding alterations in LP I hG max when preparations were superfused with saline containing 5nM DA. However, when preparations were superfused with saline alone there was no linear correlation between LP I hGmax and duty cycle. Thus, tonic nM DA modulated the capacity for activity to modulate LP I h G max; this exemplifies metamodulation (modulation of modulation). Pretreatment with the Ca2+-chelator, BAPTA, or the specific PKA inhibitor, PKI, prevented all changes in LP I h in 5nM DA. Calcineurin inhibitors blocked activity-dependent changes enabled by DA and revealed a PKA-mediated, activity-independent enhancement of LP I hG max. These data suggested that tonic 5nM DA produced two simultaneous, PKA-dependent effects: a direct increase in LP I h G max and a priming event that permitted calcineurin regulation of LP I h. The latter produced graded reductions in LP I hG max with increasing duty cycles. We also demonstrated that this metamodulation preserved the timing of LP's first spike when network output was perturbed with bath-applied 4AP. In sum, 5nM DA permits slow wave activity to provide feedback that maintains spike timing, suggesting that one function of low-level, tonic modulation is to stabilize specific features of a dynamic output.

Conventional and catalytic pyrolysis of pinyon juniper biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yathavan, Bhuvanesh Kumar

Pinyon and juniper are invasive woody species in Western United States that occupy over 47 million acres of land. The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has embarked on harvesting these woody species to make room for range grasses for grazing. The major application of harvested pinyon-juniper (PJ) is low value firewood. Thus, there is a need to develop new high value products from this woody biomass to reduce the cost of harvesting. In this research PJ biomass was processed through pyrolysis technology to produce value added products. The first part of the thesis demonstrates the effect of PJ wood, bark and mixture biomass and temperature on the product yield and on the quality of the bio-oil produced. The second part focuses on the optimization of process parameters for maximum yield and the third part focuses on upgrading the bio-oil with an industrial catalyst (HZSM5) and an industrial waste product (red mud). The results obtained from the first part showed that PJ wood produced maximum bio-oil yield, followed by PJ mixture and bark. The bio-oil yield from PJ wood had low viscosity when compared to PJ mixture and PJ bark. The second part focused on studying the effect of process parameters (temperature, feed rate and the gas flow rate) on the total liquid, organic, water, char and gas yield. The results show that each response is affected by different factor level combinations, and maximum yield for each response was obtained at different factors level. The third part focused on catalytic pyrolysis of PJ biomass using both HZSM-5 catalyst and red mud. The mechanisms of catalysis by the two catalysts were quite different. Whereas the HZSM-5 rejected oxygen mostly as carbon monoxide and water and produced lower amounts of carbon dioxide, on the contrary the red mud produced more carbon dioxide and water and less carbon monoxide. The higher heating value of the red mud catalyzed oil (29.46 MJ/kg) was slightly higher than that catalyzed by HZSM-5 (28.55 MJ/kg). Thus

Deactivation of Multilayered MFI Nanosheet Zeolite during Upgrading of Biomass Pyrolysis Vapors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Mengze; Mukarakate, Calvin; Iisa, Kristiina

Here, the catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of biomass is a promising technology for producing renewable transportation fuels and chemicals. MFI-type catalysts have shown promise for CFP because they produce gasoline range hydrocarbons from oxygenated pyrolysis compounds; however, rapid catalyst deactivation due to coking is one of the major technical barriers inhibiting the commercialization of this technology. Coke deposited on the surface of the catalysts blocks access to active sites in the micropores leading to rapid catalyst deactivation. Our strategy is to minimize rapid catalyst deactivation by adding mesoporosity through forming MFI nanosheet materials. The synthesized MFI nanosheet catalysts were fullymore » characterized and evaluated for cellulose pyrolysis vapor upgrading to produce olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons. The data obtained from pyrolysis-GCMS (py-GCMS), showed that fresh MFI nanosheets produced similar aromatic hydrocarbon and olefin yields compared to conventional HZSM-5. However, MFI nanosheets demonstrated a longer lifetime than HZSM-5 even though coke contents were also higher than for HZSM-5 because the mesopores enabled better accessibility to active acid sites. This conclusion was supported by results from post-reaction analysis of various spent catalysts collected at different points during the deactivation experiments.« less

Deactivation of Multilayered MFI Nanosheet Zeolite during Upgrading of Biomass Pyrolysis Vapors

DOE PAGES

Xu, Mengze; Mukarakate, Calvin; Iisa, Kristiina; ...

2017-05-02

Here, the catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of biomass is a promising technology for producing renewable transportation fuels and chemicals. MFI-type catalysts have shown promise for CFP because they produce gasoline range hydrocarbons from oxygenated pyrolysis compounds; however, rapid catalyst deactivation due to coking is one of the major technical barriers inhibiting the commercialization of this technology. Coke deposited on the surface of the catalysts blocks access to active sites in the micropores leading to rapid catalyst deactivation. Our strategy is to minimize rapid catalyst deactivation by adding mesoporosity through forming MFI nanosheet materials. The synthesized MFI nanosheet catalysts were fullymore » characterized and evaluated for cellulose pyrolysis vapor upgrading to produce olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons. The data obtained from pyrolysis-GCMS (py-GCMS), showed that fresh MFI nanosheets produced similar aromatic hydrocarbon and olefin yields compared to conventional HZSM-5. However, MFI nanosheets demonstrated a longer lifetime than HZSM-5 even though coke contents were also higher than for HZSM-5 because the mesopores enabled better accessibility to active acid sites. This conclusion was supported by results from post-reaction analysis of various spent catalysts collected at different points during the deactivation experiments.« less

Discerning the Location and Nature of Coke Deposition from Surface to Bulk of Spent Zeolite Catalysts

PubMed Central

Devaraj, Arun; Vijayakumar, Murugesan; Bao, Jie; Guo, Mond F.; Derewinski, Miroslaw A.; Xu, Zhijie; Gray, Michel J.; Prodinger, Sebastian; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K.

2016-01-01

The formation of carbonaceous deposits (coke) in zeolite pores during catalysis leads to temporary deactivation of catalyst, necessitating regeneration steps, affecting throughput, and resulting in partial permanent loss of catalytic efficiency. Yet, even to date, the coke molecule distribution is quite challenging to study with high spatial resolution from surface to bulk of the catalyst particles at a single particle level. To address this challenge we investigated the coke molecules in HZSM-5 catalyst after ethanol conversion treatment by a combination of C K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), 13C Cross polarization-magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP-MAS NMR) spectroscopy, and atom probe tomography (APT). XAS and NMR highlighted the aromatic character of coke molecules. APT permitted the imaging of the spatial distribution of hydrocarbon molecules located within the pores of spent HZSM-5 catalyst from surface to bulk at a single particle level. 27Al NMR results and APT results indicated association of coke molecules with Al enriched regions within the spent HZSM-5 catalyst particles. The experimental results were additionally validated by a level-set–based APT field evaporation model. These results provide a new approach to investigate catalytic deactivation due to hydrocarbon coking or poisoning of zeolites at an unprecedented spatial resolution. PMID:27876869

Discerning the Location and Nature of Coke Deposition from Surface to Bulk of Spent Zeolite Catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devaraj, Arun; Vijayakumar, Murugesan; Bao, Jie; Guo, Mond F.; Derewinski, Miroslaw A.; Xu, Zhijie; Gray, Michel J.; Prodinger, Sebastian; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K.

2016-11-01

The formation of carbonaceous deposits (coke) in zeolite pores during catalysis leads to temporary deactivation of catalyst, necessitating regeneration steps, affecting throughput, and resulting in partial permanent loss of catalytic efficiency. Yet, even to date, the coke molecule distribution is quite challenging to study with high spatial resolution from surface to bulk of the catalyst particles at a single particle level. To address this challenge we investigated the coke molecules in HZSM-5 catalyst after ethanol conversion treatment by a combination of C K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), 13C Cross polarization-magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP-MAS NMR) spectroscopy, and atom probe tomography (APT). XAS and NMR highlighted the aromatic character of coke molecules. APT permitted the imaging of the spatial distribution of hydrocarbon molecules located within the pores of spent HZSM-5 catalyst from surface to bulk at a single particle level. 27Al NMR results and APT results indicated association of coke molecules with Al enriched regions within the spent HZSM-5 catalyst particles. The experimental results were additionally validated by a level-set-based APT field evaporation model. These results provide a new approach to investigate catalytic deactivation due to hydrocarbon coking or poisoning of zeolites at an unprecedented spatial resolution.

The Influence of Zeolites on Radical Formation During Lignin Pyrolysis.

PubMed

Bährle, Christian; Custodis, Victoria; Jeschke, Gunnar; van Bokhoven, Jeroen A; Vogel, Frédéric

2016-09-08

Lignin from lignocellulosic biomass is a promising source of energy, fuels, and chemicals. The conversion of the polymeric lignin to fuels and chemicals can be achieved by catalytic and noncatalytic pyrolysis. The influence of nonporous silica and zeolite catalysts, such as silicalite, HZSM5, and HUSY, on the radical and volatile product formation during lignin pyrolysis was studied by in situ high-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (HTEPR) as well as GC-MS. Higher radical concentrations were observed in the samples containing zeolite compared to the sample containing only lignin, which suggests that there is a stabilizing effect by the inorganic surfaces on the formed radical fragments. This effect was observed for nonporous silica as well as for HUSY, HZSM5, and silicalite zeolite catalysts. However, the effect is far larger for the zeolites owing to their higher specific surface area. The zeolites also showed an effect on the volatile product yield and the product distribution within the volatile phase. Although silicalite showed no effect on the product selectivity, the acidic zeolites such as HZSM5 or HUSY increased the formation of deoxygenated products such as benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX), and naphthalene. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The role of adenosine A1 and A2A receptors in the caffeine effect on MDMA-induced DA and 5-HT release in the mouse striatum.

PubMed

Górska, A M; Gołembiowska, K

2015-04-01

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") popular as a designer drug is often used with caffeine to gain a stronger stimulant effect. MDMA induces 5-HT and DA release by interaction with monoamine transporters. Co-administration of caffeine and MDMA may aggravate MDMA-induced toxic effects on DA and 5-HT terminals. In the present study, we determined whether caffeine influences DA and 5-HT release induced by MDMA. We also tried to find out if adenosine A1 and A2A receptors play a role in the effect of caffeine by investigating the effect of the selective adenosine A1 and A2A receptor antagonists, DPCPX and KW 6002 on DA and 5-HT release induced by MDMA. Mice were treated with caffeine (10 mg/kg) and MDMA (20 or 40 mg/kg) alone or in combination. DA and 5-HT release in the mouse striatum was measured using in vivo microdialysis. Caffeine exacerbated the effect of MDMA on DA and 5-HT release. DPCPX or KW 6002 co-administered with MDMA had similar influence as caffeine, but KW 6002 was more potent than caffeine or DPCPX. To exclude the contribution of MAO inhibition by caffeine in the caffeine effect on MDMA-induced increase in DA and 5-HT, we also tested the effect of the nonxanthine adenosine receptor antagonist CGS 15943A lacking properties of MAO activity modification. Our findings indicate that adenosine A1 and A2A receptor blockade may account for the caffeine-induced exacerbation of the MDMA effect on DA and 5-HT release and may aggravate MDMA toxicity.

Heterobimetallic Zeolite, InV-ZSM-5, Enables Efficient Conversion of Biomass Derived Ethanol to Renewable Hydrocarbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narula, Chaitanya K.; Li, Zhenglong; Casbeer, Erik M.; Geiger, Robert A.; Moses-Debusk, Melanie; Keller, Martin; Buchanan, Michelle V.; Davison, Brian H.

2015-11-01

Direct catalytic conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbon blend-stock can increase biofuels use in current vehicles beyond the ethanol blend-wall of 10-15%. Literature reports describe quantitative conversion of ethanol over zeolite catalysts but high C2 hydrocarbon formation renders this approach unsuitable for commercialization. Furthermore, the prior mechanistic studies suggested that ethanol conversion involves endothermic dehydration step. Here, we report the complete conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbons over InV-ZSM-5 without added hydrogen and which produces lower C2 (<13%) as compared to that over H-ZSM-5. Experiments with C2H5OD and in situ DRIFT suggest that most of the products come from the hydrocarbon pool type mechanism and dehydration step is not necessary. Thus, our method of direct conversion of ethanol offers a pathway to produce suitable hydrocarbon blend-stock that may be blended at a refinery to produce fuels such as gasoline, diesel, JP-8, and jet fuel, or produce commodity chemicals such as BTX.

Heterobimetallic Zeolite, InV-ZSM-5, Enables Efficient Conversion of Biomass Derived Ethanol to Renewable Hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Narula, Chaitanya K; Li, Zhenglong; Casbeer, Erik M; Geiger, Robert A; Moses-Debusk, Melanie; Keller, Martin; Buchanan, Michelle V; Davison, Brian H

2015-11-03

Direct catalytic conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbon blend-stock can increase biofuels use in current vehicles beyond the ethanol blend-wall of 10-15%. Literature reports describe quantitative conversion of ethanol over zeolite catalysts but high C2 hydrocarbon formation renders this approach unsuitable for commercialization. Furthermore, the prior mechanistic studies suggested that ethanol conversion involves endothermic dehydration step. Here, we report the complete conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbons over InV-ZSM-5 without added hydrogen and which produces lower C2 (<13%) as compared to that over H-ZSM-5. Experiments with C2H5OD and in situ DRIFT suggest that most of the products come from the hydrocarbon pool type mechanism and dehydration step is not necessary. Thus, our method of direct conversion of ethanol offers a pathway to produce suitable hydrocarbon blend-stock that may be blended at a refinery to produce fuels such as gasoline, diesel, JP-8, and jet fuel, or produce commodity chemicals such as BTX.

The major histocompatibility complex genes impact pain response in DA and DA.1U rats.

PubMed

Guo, Yuan; Yao, Fan-Rong; Cao, Dong-Yuan; Li, Li; Wang, Hui-Sheng; Xie, Wen; Zhao, Yan

2015-08-01

Our recent studies have shown that the difference in basal pain sensitivity to mechanical and thermal stimulation between Dark-Agouti (DA) rats and a novel congenic DA.1U rats is major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes dependent. In the present study, we further used DA and DA.1U rats to investigate the role of MHC genes in formalin-induced pain model by behavioral, electrophysiological and immunohistochemical methods. Behavioral results showed biphasic nociceptive behaviors increased significantly following the intraplantar injection of formalin in the hindpaw of DA and DA.1U rats. The main nociceptive behaviors were lifting and licking, especially in DA rats (P<0.001 and P<0.01). The composite pain scores (CPS) in DA rats were significantly higher than those in DA.1U rats in both phases of the formalin test (P<0.01). Electrophysiological results also showed the biphasic increase in discharge rates of C and Aδ fibers of L5 dorsal root in the two strains, and the net change of the discharge rate of DA rats was significantly higher than that of DA.1U rats (P<0.05). The mechanical thresholds decreased after formalin injection in both strains (P<0.01), and the net change in the mechanical threshold in DA was greater than that in DA.1U rats (P<0.05). The expression of RT1-B, representation of MHC class II molecule, in laminae I-II of L4/5 spinal cord in DA rats was significantly higher than that in DA.1U rats in the respective experimental group (P<0.05). These results suggested that both DA and DA.1U rats exhibited nociceptive responses in formalin-induced pain model and DA rats were more sensitive to noxious chemical stimulus than DA.1U rats, indicating that MHC genes might contribute to the difference in pain sensitivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pharmacological Modulation of 5-HT2C Receptor Activity Produces Bidirectional Changes in Locomotor Activity, Responding for a Conditioned Reinforcer, and Mesolimbic DA Release in C57BL/6 Mice.

PubMed

Browne, Caleb J; Ji, Xiaodong; Higgins, Guy A; Fletcher, Paul J; Harvey-Lewis, Colin

2017-10-01

Converging lines of behavioral, electrophysiological, and biochemical evidence suggest that 5-HT 2C receptor signaling may bidirectionally influence reward-related behavior through an interaction with the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system. Here we directly test this hypothesis by examining how modulating 5-HT 2C receptor activity affects DA-dependent behaviors and relate these effects to changes in nucleus accumbens (NAc) DA release. In C57BL/6 mice, locomotor activity and responding for a conditioned reinforcer (CRf), a measure of incentive motivation, were examined following treatment with three 5-HT 2C receptor ligands: the agonist CP809101 (0.25-3 mg/kg), the antagonist SB242084 (0.25-1 mg/kg), or the antagonist/inverse agonist SB206553 (1-5 mg/kg). We further tested whether doses of these compounds that changed locomotor activity and responding for a CRf (1 mg/kg CP809101, 0.5 mg/kg SB242084, or 2.5 mg/kg SB206553) also altered NAc DA release using in vivo microdialysis in anesthetized mice. CP809101 reduced locomotor activity, responding for a CRf, and NAc DA release. In contrast, both SB242084 and SB206553 enhanced locomotor activity, responding for a CRf, and NAc DA release, although higher doses of SB206553 produced opposite behavioral effects. Pretreatment with the non-selective DA receptor antagonist α-flupenthixol prevented SB242084 from enhancing responding for a CRf. Thus blocking tonic 5-HT 2C receptor signaling can release serotonergic inhibition of mesolimbic DA activity and enhance reward-related behavior. The observed bidirectional effects of 5-HT 2C receptor ligands may have important implications when considering the 5-HT 2C receptor as a therapeutic target for psychiatric disorders, particularly those presenting with motivational dysfunctions.

Characterization, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution of 5kDa mPEG modified tetrameric canine uricase variant.

PubMed

Zhang, Chun; Fan, Kai; Luo, Hua; Ma, Xuefeng; Liu, Riyong; Yang, Li; Hu, Chunlan; Chen, Zhenmin; Min, Zhiqiang; Wei, Dongzhi

2012-07-01

PEGylated uricase is a promising anti-gout drug, but the only commercially marketed 10kDa mPEG modified porcine-like uricase (Pegloticase) can only be used for intravenous infusion. In this study, tetrameric canine uricase variant was modified by covalent conjugation of all accessible ɛ amino sites of lysine residues with a smaller 5kDa mPEG (mPEG-UHC). The average modification degree and PEGylation homogeneity were evaluated. Approximately 9.4 5 kDa mPEG chains were coupled to each monomeric uricase and the main conjugates contained 7-11 mPEG chains per subunit. mPEG-UHC showed significantly therapeutic or preventive effect on uric acid nephropathy and acute urate arthritis based on three different animal models. The clearance rate from an intravenous injection of mPEG-UHC varied significantly between species, at 2.61 mL/h/kg for rats and 0.21 mL/h/kg for monkeys. The long elimination half-life of mPEG-UHC in non-human primate (191.48 h, intravenous injection) indicated the long-term effects in humans. Moreover, the acceptable bioavailability of mPEG-UHC after subcutaneous administration in monkeys (94.21%) suggested that subcutaneous injection may be regarded as a candidate administration route in clinical trails. Non-specific tissue distribution was observed after administration of (125)I-labeled mPEG-UHC in rats, and elimination by the kidneys into the urine is the primary excretion route. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Stimulation of cell cultures recovery after cryopreservation by the cattle cord blood FRACTION (below 5 kDa) or Actovegin].

PubMed

Gulevskiĭ, A K; Trifonova, A V; Lavrik, A A

2013-01-01

The capacities of the cattle cord blood low-molecular fraction (below 5 kDa) and Actovegin (the vealer blood fraction (below 5 kDa)) for recovering functions of cell cultures after cryopreservation compared. Their influence proliferation of the flozen-thawed cell cultures, certain stages of their growth, cell attachment, rate of cell spreading, and mitotic regiment has been studied. Both the cord blood low-molecular fraction and Actovegin were shown to stimulate growth of the cell cultures after cryopreservation more efficiently at the concentration of 224 μg/ml. However, despite the stimulating effect discovered, their application did not bring proliferative indices on the 1st passage after cryopreservation to the values of the native culture. The effects of the cord blood low-molecular fraction and Actovegin on the human fibroblast culture were identical by the following parameters: cell attachment, rates of cell spreading and proliferation. In culture BHK-21 clone 13/04 the efficiency of Actovegin was low, while the cord blood low-molecular fraction has a conspicuous stimulating effect on its adhesion and proliferation. The investigations carried out can serve as a basis for the development of regenerative media containing the cattle cord blood low-molecular fraction (below 5 kDa) or Actovegin as active components at the concentration of 224 μg/ml with the purpose of fast recovery of culture prolifetative properties after cryopreservation.

Effect of catalyst additives on the production of biofuels from palm oil cracking in a transport riser reactor.

PubMed

Chew, Thiam Leng; Bhatia, Subhash

2009-05-01

Catalytic cracking of crude palm oil (CPO) and used palm oil (UPO) were studied in a transport riser reactor for the production of biofuels at a reaction temperature of 450 degrees C, with residence time of 20s and catalyst-to-oil ratio (CTO) of 5 gg(-1). The effect of HZSM-5 (different Si/Al ratios), beta zeolite, SBA-15 and AlSBA-15 were studied as physically mixed additives with cracking catalyst Rare earth-Y (REY). REY catalyst alone gave 75.8 wt% conversion with 34.5 wt% of gasoline fraction yield using CPO, whereas with UPO, the conversion was 70.9 wt% with gasoline fraction yield of 33.0 wt%. HZSM-5, beta zeolite, SBA-15 and AlSBA-15 as additives with REY increased the conversion and the yield of organic liquid product. The transport riser reactor can be used for the continuous production of biofuels from cracking of CPO and UPO over REY catalyst.

QENS study of methane diffusion in Mo/H-ZSM-5 used for the methane dehydroaromatisation reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silverwood, Ian P.; Arán, Miren Agote; González, Ines Lezcano; Kroner, Anna; Beale, Andrew M.

2018-05-01

There is commercial interest in understanding the deactivation of Mo loaded H-ZSM-5 catalyst by coke fouling during the methane dehydroaromatization reaction (MDA). The effect of coke on methane diffusion inside the zeolite pores was studied by quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) measurements on Mo/H-ZSM-5 samples reacted with methane for 0, 7, 25 and 60 min. Catalytic activity of the samples followed by mass spectrometry indicate that the induction period in which Mo species are carburized lasts for ˜9 min; after this period the material shows selectivity to aromatics. Characterization by TGA and N2 physisorption suggest that practically no carbon is deposited during the induction period. The ˜2 wt % of coke formed after one hour of reaction has a negligible effect in the zeolite crystal structurebut a small effect on the micropore volume. The QENS studies show that the methane transport by jump diffusion is however not measurably affected by the accumulated coke in the samples.

Deoxygenation of methyl laurate over Ni based catalysts: Influence of supports

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Xiaoqiang; Chen, Hui; Bi, Yadong; Hu, Jianli

2017-10-01

The use of a series of nickel based catalysts supported over HZSM-5, Al2O3, C and ZrO2 in the deoxygenation of methyl laurate shows that the deoxygenation activity and deoxygenation pathway of nickel based catalysts can be affected by properties of catalysts. In the absence of H2, β-elimination of methyl laurate is the dominant reaction and a small amount of laurate acid is converted into undecane by direct decarboxylation. At the same time, the highly acidic support HZSM-5 gave higher conversion and C11 alkane selectivity. In the presence of H2, Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst showed a significantly high deoxygenation activity, producing 71% alkanes by methyl laurate conversion at 280 °C and 4MPa H2. While as on mildly acidic (Al2O3) and neutral (C) supports, a restricted hydrodeoxygenation activity was achieved but more oxygenate products were yielded. According to the analysis of intermediate product, the deoxygenation reaction of methyl laurate follows three distinct pathways: in the absence of H2, decarboxylation: C11H23COOCH3→C11H23COOH→C11H24; in the presence of H2, decarbonylation: C11H23COOCH3→C11H23COOH→C11H23CHO→C11H24; and hydrodeoxygenation: C11H23COOCH3 →C11H23COOH→C11H23CHO→C12H25OH→C12H26

Mechanisms of catalytic cleavage of benzyl phenyl ether in aqueous and apolar phases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Jiayue; Lu, Lu; Zhao, Chen

2014-03-01

Catalytic pathways for the cleavage of ether bonds in benzyl phenyl ether (BPE) in liquid phase using Ni- and zeolite-based catalysts are explored. In the absence of catalysts, the C-O bond is selectively cleaved in water by hydrolysis, forming phenol and benzyl alcohol as intermediates, followed by alkylation. The hydronium ions catalyzing the reactions are provided by the dissociation of water at 523 K. Upon addition of HZSM-5, rates of hydrolysis and alkylation are markedly increased in relation to proton concentrations. In the presence of Ni/SiO 2, the selective hydrogenolysis dominates for cleaving the C aliphatic-O bond. Catalyzed by themore » dual-functional Ni/HZSM-5, hydrogenolysis occurs as the major route rather than hydrolysis (minor route). In apolar undecane, the non-catalytic thermal pyrolysis route dominates. Hydrogenolysis of BPE appears to be the major reaction pathway in undecane in the presence of Ni/SiO 2 or Ni/HZSM-5, almost completely suppressing radical reactions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations strongly support the proposed C-O bond cleavage mechanisms on BPE in aqueous and apolar phases. These calculations show that BPE is initially protonated and subsequently hydrolyzed in the aqueous phase. Finally, DFT calculations suggest that the radical reactions in non-polar solvents lead to primary benzyl and phenoxy radicals in undecane, which leads to heavier condensation products as long as metals are absent for providing dissociated hydrogen.« less

Autocorrelation descriptor improvements for QSAR: 2DA_Sign and 3DA_Sign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sliwoski, Gregory; Mendenhall, Jeffrey; Meiler, Jens

2016-03-01

Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is a branch of computer aided drug discovery that relates chemical structures to biological activity. Two well established and related QSAR descriptors are two- and three-dimensional autocorrelation (2DA and 3DA). These descriptors encode the relative position of atoms or atom properties by calculating the separation between atom pairs in terms of number of bonds (2DA) or Euclidean distance (3DA). The sums of all values computed for a given small molecule are collected in a histogram. Atom properties can be added with a coefficient that is the product of atom properties for each pair. This procedure can lead to information loss when signed atom properties are considered such as partial charge. For example, the product of two positive charges is indistinguishable from the product of two equivalent negative charges. In this paper, we present variations of 2DA and 3DA called 2DA_Sign and 3DA_Sign that avoid information loss by splitting unique sign pairs into individual histograms. We evaluate these variations with models trained on nine datasets spanning a range of drug target classes. Both 2DA_Sign and 3DA_Sign significantly increase model performance across all datasets when compared with traditional 2DA and 3DA. Lastly, we find that limiting 3DA_Sign to maximum atom pair distances of 6 Å instead of 12 Å further increases model performance, suggesting that conformational flexibility may hinder performance with longer 3DA descriptors. Consistent with this finding, limiting the number of bonds in 2DA_Sign from 11 to 5 fails to improve performance.

Heterobimetallic Zeolite, InV-ZSM-5, Enables Efficient Conversion of Biomass Derived Ethanol to Renewable Hydrocarbons

PubMed Central

Narula, Chaitanya K.; Li, Zhenglong; Casbeer, Erik M.; Geiger, Robert A.; Moses-Debusk, Melanie; Keller, Martin; Buchanan, Michelle V.; Davison, Brian H.

2015-01-01

Direct catalytic conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbon blend-stock can increase biofuels use in current vehicles beyond the ethanol blend-wall of 10–15%. Literature reports describe quantitative conversion of ethanol over zeolite catalysts but high C2 hydrocarbon formation renders this approach unsuitable for commercialization. Furthermore, the prior mechanistic studies suggested that ethanol conversion involves endothermic dehydration step. Here, we report the complete conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbons over InV-ZSM-5 without added hydrogen and which produces lower C2 (<13%) as compared to that over H-ZSM-5. Experiments with C2H5OD and in situ DRIFT suggest that most of the products come from the hydrocarbon pool type mechanism and dehydration step is not necessary. Thus, our method of direct conversion of ethanol offers a pathway to produce suitable hydrocarbon blend-stock that may be blended at a refinery to produce fuels such as gasoline, diesel, JP-8, and jet fuel, or produce commodity chemicals such as BTX. PMID:26526963

Heterobimetallic zeolite, InV-ZSM-5, enables efficient conversion of biomass derived ethanol to renewable hydrocarbons

DOE PAGES

Narula, Chaitanya K.; Li, Zhenglong; Casbeer, Erik M.; ...

2015-11-03

Here, direct catalytic conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbon blend-stock can increase biofuels use in current vehicles beyond the ethanol blend-wall of 10–15%. Literature reports describe quantitative conversion of ethanol over zeolite catalysts but high C 2 hydrocarbon formation renders this approach unsuitable for commercialization. Furthermore, the prior mechanistic studies suggested that ethanol conversion involves endothermic dehydration step. Here, we report the complete conversion of ethanol to hydrocarbons over InV-ZSM-5 without added hydrogen and which produces lower C 2 (<13%) as compared to that over H-ZSM-5. Experiments with C 2H 5OD and in situ DRIFT suggest that most of the productsmore » come from the hydrocarbon pool type mechanism and dehydration step is not necessary. Thus, our method of direct conversion of ethanol offers a pathway to produce suitable hydrocarbon blend-stock that may be blended at a refinery to produce fuels such as gasoline, diesel, JP-8, and jet fuel, or produce commodity chemicals such as BTX.« less

H-ZSM5 Catalyzed co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study aims at addressing two important problems vital to agriculture, disposal of agricultural plastics and production of drop-in fuels from biomass via co-pyrolysis of both feedstocks. Mixtures of biomass (switchgrass, cellulose, xylan and lignin) and plastic (polyethylene terephthalate (PET),...

Cloning, expression and characterization of a novel GH5 exo/endoglucanase of Thermobifida halotolerans YIM 90462(T) by genome mining.

PubMed

Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Xiao-Mei; Yin, Yi-Rui; Li, Wen-Jun

2015-12-01

The 1389-bp thcel5A gene, which encodes a family 5 of glycoside hydrolases (GH5), was screened from the draft genome of Thermobifida halotolerans YIM 90462(T). ThCel5A was most similar (77% identity) to a GH5 endoglucanase from Thermobifida fusca YX, followed by cellulases from Nocardiopsis dassonvillei subsp. dassonvillei DSM 43111, Nocardiopsis alba ATCC BAA-2165, and Kribbella flavida DSM 17836. The deduced amino acid sequence of ThCel5A, which consisted of 462 amino acid residues, encompassed a family 2 cellulose-binding module and a GH5 catalytic domain. Notably, ThCel5A hydrolysed soluble as well as insoluble cellulose substrates. The enzymatic hydrolysis assay showed that the activity of recombinant ThCel5A was optimized at pH 8.0 and 50°C. Moreover, it retained hydrolytic activity in the presence of various metal ions and >90% activity within the range of pH 8.0-9.0 after 30 min at 50°C. These results suggested that this enzyme has considerable potential in industrial applications. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative effect of lurasidone and blonanserin on cortical glutamate, dopamine, and acetylcholine efflux: role of relative serotonin (5-HT)2A and DA D2 antagonism and 5-HT1A partial agonism.

PubMed

Huang, Mei; Panos, John J; Kwon, Sunoh; Oyamada, Yoshihiro; Rajagopal, Lakshmi; Meltzer, Herbert Y

2014-03-01

Atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs) have been suggested to be more effective in improving cognitive impairment in schizophrenia than typical APDs, a conclusion supported by differences in receptor affinities and neurotransmitter efflux in the cortex and the hippocampus. More potent serotonin (5-HT)2A than dopamine (DA) D2 receptors antagonism, and direct or indirect 5-HT1A agonism, characterize almost all AAPDs. Blonanserin, an AAPD, has slightly greater affinity for D2 than 5-HT2A receptors. Using microdialysis and ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry, we compared the abilities of the typical APD, haloperidol, three AAPDs, blonanserin, lurasidone, and olanzapine, and a selective 5-HT1A partial agonist, tandospirone, and all, except haloperidol, were found to ameliorate the cognitive deficits produced by the N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist, phencyclidine, altering the efflux of neurotransmitters and metabolites in the rat cortex and nucleus accumbens. Blonanserin, lurasidone, olanzapine, and tandospirone, but not haloperidol, increased the efflux of cortical DA and its metabolites, homovanillic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. Olanzapine and lurasidone increased the efflux of acetylcholine; lurasidone increased glutamate as well. None of the compounds significantly altered the efflux of 5-HT or its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, or GABA, serine, and glycine. The ability to increase cortical DA efflux was the only shared effect of the compounds which ameliorates the deficit in cognition in rodents following phencyclidine. © 2013 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol Over Pt/Al-SBA-15 Catalysts.

PubMed

Yu, Mi Jin; Park, Sung Hoon; Jeon, Jong-Ki; Ryu, Changkook; Sohn, Jung Min; Kim, Sang Chai; Park, Young-Kwon

2015-01-01

Upgrading of bio-oil through catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction was investigated for guaiacol as a model compound. A batch reactor was used for the reaction condition of 40 bar and 250 degrees C. The target product was cyclohexane. Pt/Al-SBA-15 with the Si/Al ratios of 20, 40, and 80 and Pt/HZSM-5 were used as the catalyst. The SBA-15 catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction analysis, and temperature programmed desorption of ammonia. The order of cyclohexane yield was Pt/Al-SBA-15 (Si/Al = 20) > Pt/Al-SBA-15(40) > Pt/Al-SBA-15 (80), indicating that the quantity of acid sites plays an important role in the HDO reaction. On the other hand, Pt/HZSM-5 led to a very low cyclohexane yield, in spite of its abundant strong acid sites, due to its small pore size.

Catalytic and non-catalytic pyrolysis of biomass in non-inert environments for production of deoxygenated bio-oil and chemicals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fast pyrolysis processes are among the most effective methods for liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass. Catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) over HZSM-5 or other zeolites and/or utilization of reactive atmospheres such as in the non-catalytic Tail Gas Reactive Pyrolysis (TRGP) process, a recent patent...

State of Supported Nickel Nanoparticles during Catalysis in Aqueous Media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chase, Zizwe; Kasakov, Stanislav; Shi, Hui

2015-11-09

The state of Ni supported on HZSM-5 zeolite, silica, and sulfonated carbon was determined during aqueous phase catalysis of phenol hydrodeoxygenation using in situ extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS). On sulfonated carbon and HZSM-5 supports, the NiO and Ni(OH)2 were readily reduced to Ni(0) under reaction conditions (~35 bar H2 in aqueous phenol solutions containing up to 0.5 wt. % phosphoric acid at 473 K). On the silica support, less than 70% of the Ni was converted to Ni(0) under reaction conditions, which is attributed to the formation of Ni phyllosilicates. Over a broad range of reaction conditionsmore » there was no leaching of Ni from the supports. In contrast, rapid leaching of the Ni(II) from HZSM-5 was observed, when 15 wt. % aqueous acetic acid was substituted for the aqueous phenol solution. Once the metallic state of Ni was established there was no leaching in 15 wt. % acetic acid at 473 K and 35 bar H2. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences. The STEM was supported under the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program: Chemical Imaging Initiative at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a multi-program national laboratory operated for DOE by Battelle under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830. STEM was performed at EMSL, a DOE Office of Science user facility sponsored by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at PNNL.« less

Catalytic dehydration of biomass derived 1-propanol to propene over M-ZSM-5 (M = H, V, Cu, or Zn)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lepore, Andrew W.; Li, Zhenglong; Davison, Brian H.

Here, the impetus to explore biomass derived chemicals arises from a desire to enable renewable and sustainable commodity chemicals. To this end, we report catalytic production of propene, a building-block molecule, from 1-propanol. We found that zeolite catalysts are quite versatile and can produce propene at or below 230 C with high selectivity. Increasing the reaction temperature above 230 C shifted product selectivity towards C4+ hydrocarbons. Cu-ZSM-5 was found to exhibit a broader temperature window for high propene selectivity and could function at higher 1-propanol space velocities than H-ZSM-5. A series of experiments with 1-propan(ol-D) showed deuterium incorporation in themore » hydrocarbon product stream including propene suggesting that hydrocarbon pool type pathway might be operational concurrent with dehydration to produce C4+ hydrocarbons. Diffuse reflectance infra-red spectroscopy of 1-propanol and 1-propan(ol-D) over Cu-ZSM-5 in combination with deuterium labeling experiments suggest that deuterium incorporation occurs in two steps. Incorporation of deuterium occurs post dehydration via exchange with the partially deuterated catalyst surface.« less

Catalytic dehydration of biomass derived 1-propanol to propene over M-ZSM-5 (M = H, V, Cu, or Zn)

DOE PAGES

Lepore, Andrew W.; Li, Zhenglong; Davison, Brian H.; ...

2017-04-03

Here, the impetus to explore biomass derived chemicals arises from a desire to enable renewable and sustainable commodity chemicals. To this end, we report catalytic production of propene, a building-block molecule, from 1-propanol. We found that zeolite catalysts are quite versatile and can produce propene at or below 230 C with high selectivity. Increasing the reaction temperature above 230 C shifted product selectivity towards C4+ hydrocarbons. Cu-ZSM-5 was found to exhibit a broader temperature window for high propene selectivity and could function at higher 1-propanol space velocities than H-ZSM-5. A series of experiments with 1-propan(ol-D) showed deuterium incorporation in themore » hydrocarbon product stream including propene suggesting that hydrocarbon pool type pathway might be operational concurrent with dehydration to produce C4+ hydrocarbons. Diffuse reflectance infra-red spectroscopy of 1-propanol and 1-propan(ol-D) over Cu-ZSM-5 in combination with deuterium labeling experiments suggest that deuterium incorporation occurs in two steps. Incorporation of deuterium occurs post dehydration via exchange with the partially deuterated catalyst surface.« less

Directional synthesis of ethylbenzene through catalytic transformation of lignin.

PubMed

Fan, Minghui; Jiang, Peiwen; Bi, Peiyan; Deng, Shumei; Yan, Lifeng; Zhai, Qi; Wang, Tiejun; Li, Quanxin

2013-09-01

Transformation of lignin to ethylbenzene can provide an important bulk raw material for the petrochemical industry. This work explored the production of ethylbenzene from lignin through the directional catalytic depolymerization of lignin into the aromatic monomers followed by the selective alkylation of the aromatic monomers. For the first step, the aromatics selectivity of benzene derived from the catalytic depolymerization of lignin reached about 90.2 C-mol% over the composite catalyst of Re-Y/HZSM-5 (25). For the alkylation of the aromatic monomers in the second step, the highest selectivity of ethylbenzene was about 72.3 C-mol% over the HZSM-5 (25) catalyst. The reaction pathway for the transformation of lignin to ethylbenzene was also addressed. Present transformation potentially provides a useful approach for the production of the basic petrochemical material and development of high-end chemicals utilizing lignin as the abundant natural aromatic resource. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Purification of a 6.5 kDa protease inhibitor from Amazon Inga umbratica seeds effective against serine proteases of the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis.

PubMed

Calderon, L A; Teles, R C L; Leite, J R S A; Franco, O L; Grossi-de-Sá, M F; Medrano, F J; Bloch, C; Freitas, S M

2005-08-01

A 6.5 kDa serine protease inhibitor was purified by anion-exchange chromatography from the crude extract of the Inga umbratica seeds, containing inhibitor isoforms ranging from 6.3 to 6.7 kDa and protease inhibitors of approximately 19 kDa. The purified protein was characterized as a potent inhibitor against trypsin and chymotrypsin and it was named I. umbratica trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor (IUTCI). MALDI-TOF spectra of the IUTCI, in the presence of DTT, showed six disulfide bonds content, suggesting that this inhibitor belongs to Bowman-Birk family. The circular dichroism spectroscopy indicates that IUTCI is predominantly formed by unordered and beta-sheet secondary structure. It was also characterized, by fluorescence spectroscopy, as a stable protein at range of pH from 5.0 to 7.0. Moreover, this inhibitor at concentration of 75 microM presented a remarkable inhibitory activity (60%) against digestive serine proteases from boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, an important economical cotton pest.

Catalytic pyrolysis-GC/MS of lignin from several sources

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lignin from four different sources extracted by various methods were pyrolyzed at 650 degree C using analytical pyrolysis methods, py-GC/MS. Pyrolysis was carried out in the absence and presence of two heterogeneous catalysts , an acidic zeolite (HZSM-5) catalyst and a mixed metal oxide catalyst (Co...

Thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a mixture of plastics from small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

PubMed

Santella, Chiara; Cafiero, Lorenzo; De Angelis, Doina; La Marca, Floriana; Tuffi, Riccardo; Vecchio Ciprioti, Stefano

2016-08-01

Pyrolysis seems a promising route for recycling of heterogeneous, contaminated and additives containing plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This study deals with the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a synthetic mixture containing real waste plastics, representative of polymers contained in small WEEE. Two zeolite-based catalysts were used at 400°C: HUSY and HZSM-5 with a high silica content, while three different temperatures were adopted for the thermal cracking: 400, 600 and 800°C. The mass balance showed that the oil produced by pyrolysis is always the main product regardless the process conditions selected, with yields ranging from 83% to 93%. A higher yield was obtained when pyrolysis was carried out with HZSM-5 at 400°C and without catalysts, but at 600 and 800°C. Formation of a significant amount of solid residue (about 13%) is observed using HUSY. The oily liquid product of pyrolysis, analysed by GC-MS and GC-FID, as well as by elemental analysis and for energy content, appeared lighter, less viscous and with a higher concentration of monoaromatics under catalytic condition, if compared to the liquid product derived from thermal degradation at the same temperature. HZSM-5 led to the production of a high yield of styrene (17.5%), while HUSY favoured the formation of ethylbenzene (15%). Energy released by combustion of the oil was around 39MJ/kg, thus suggesting the possibility to exploit it as a fuel, if the recovery of chemical compounds could not be realised. Elemental and proximate analysis of char and GC-TCD analysis of the gas were also performed. Finally, it was estimated to what extent these two products, showing a relevant ability to release energy, could fulfil the energy demand requested in pyrolysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed Alcohol Dehydration over Bronsted and Lewis Acidic Catalysts

DOE PAGES

Nash, Connor P.; Ramanathan, Anand; Ruddy, Daniel A.; ...

2015-12-01

Mixed alcohols are attractive oxygenated products of biomass-derived syngas because they may be catalytically converted to a range of hydrocarbon products, including liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Catalytic dehydration to form olefins is a potential first step in the conversion of C 2–C 4 alcohols into longer-chain hydrocarbons. Here, we describe the physical and chemical characterization along with catalytic activity and selectivity of 4 Brønsted and Lewis acidic catalysts for the dehydration of two mixed alcohol feed streams that are representative of products from syngas conversion over K-CoMoS type catalysts (i.e., ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-propanol). Specifically, a Lewis acidic Zr-incorporated mesoporousmore » silicate (Zr-KIT-6), a commercial Al-containing mesoporous silicate (Al-MCM-41), a commercial microporous aluminosilicate (HZSM-5), and a commercial microporous silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO-34) were tested for mixed alcohol dehydration at 250, 300 and 350 °C. The zeolite materials exhibited high activity (>98% ethanol conversion) at all temperatures while the mesoporous materials only displayed significant activity (>10% ethanol conversion) at or above 300 °C. The turnover frequencies for ethanol dehydration at 300 °C decreased in the following order: HZSM-5 > SAPO-34 > Al-MCM-41 > Zr-KIT-6, suggesting that Brønsted acidic sites are more active than Lewis acidic sites for alcohol dehydration. At 300 °C, SAPO-34 produced the highest yield of olefin products from both a water-free ethanol rich feed stream and a C 3+-alcohol rich feed stream containing water. Post-reaction characterization indicated changes in the Brønsted-to-Lewis acidic site ratios for Zr-KIT-6, Al-MCM-41 and HZSM-5. Ammonia temperature programmed desorption indicated that the acid sites of post-reaction samples could be regenerated following treatment in air. The post-reaction SAPO-34 catalyst contained more aromatic, methylated aromatic and polyaromatic

Mixed Alcohol Dehydration over Bronsted and Lewis Acidic Catalysts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nash, Connor P.; Ramanathan, Anand; Ruddy, Daniel A.

Mixed alcohols are attractive oxygenated products of biomass-derived syngas because they may be catalytically converted to a range of hydrocarbon products, including liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Catalytic dehydration to form olefins is a potential first step in the conversion of C 2–C 4 alcohols into longer-chain hydrocarbons. Here, we describe the physical and chemical characterization along with catalytic activity and selectivity of 4 Brønsted and Lewis acidic catalysts for the dehydration of two mixed alcohol feed streams that are representative of products from syngas conversion over K-CoMoS type catalysts (i.e., ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-propanol). Specifically, a Lewis acidic Zr-incorporated mesoporousmore » silicate (Zr-KIT-6), a commercial Al-containing mesoporous silicate (Al-MCM-41), a commercial microporous aluminosilicate (HZSM-5), and a commercial microporous silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO-34) were tested for mixed alcohol dehydration at 250, 300 and 350 °C. The zeolite materials exhibited high activity (>98% ethanol conversion) at all temperatures while the mesoporous materials only displayed significant activity (>10% ethanol conversion) at or above 300 °C. The turnover frequencies for ethanol dehydration at 300 °C decreased in the following order: HZSM-5 > SAPO-34 > Al-MCM-41 > Zr-KIT-6, suggesting that Brønsted acidic sites are more active than Lewis acidic sites for alcohol dehydration. At 300 °C, SAPO-34 produced the highest yield of olefin products from both a water-free ethanol rich feed stream and a C 3+-alcohol rich feed stream containing water. Post-reaction characterization indicated changes in the Brønsted-to-Lewis acidic site ratios for Zr-KIT-6, Al-MCM-41 and HZSM-5. Ammonia temperature programmed desorption indicated that the acid sites of post-reaction samples could be regenerated following treatment in air. The post-reaction SAPO-34 catalyst contained more aromatic, methylated aromatic and polyaromatic

Diagnostic potential of Fasciola gigantica-derived 14.5 kDa fatty acid binding protein in the immunodiagnosis of bubaline fascioliasis.

PubMed

Allam, G; Bauomy, I R; Hemyeda, Z M; Diab, T M; Sakran, T F

2013-06-01

The 14.5 kDa fatty acid binding protein (FABP) was isolated from the crude extract of adult Fasciola gigantica worms. Polyclonal anti-FABP IgG was generated in rabbits immunized with prepared FABP antigen. Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to detect coproantigen in stools and circulating Fasciola antigen (CA) in sera of 126 water buffaloes by using purified and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated anti-FABP IgG. Sandwich ELISA sensitivity was 96.97% and 94.95%; while specificity was 94.12% and 82.35% for coproantigen and CA detection, respectively. However, sensitivity and specificity of the Kato-Katz technique was 73.74% and 100%, respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of sandwich ELISA was 96.55% and 93.1% for coproantigen and CA detection, respectively. In contrast, the diagnostic efficacy of the Kato-Katz technique was 77.59%. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the purified 14.5 kDa FABP provides a more suitable antigen for immunodiagnosis of early and current bubaline fascioliasis by using sandwich ELISA.

Optimizing catalysis conditions to decrease aromatic hydrocarbons and increase alkanes for improving jet biofuel quality.

PubMed

Cheng, Jun; Li, Tao; Huang, Rui; Zhou, Junhu; Cen, Kefa

2014-04-01

To produce quality jet biofuel with high amount of alkanes and low amount of aromatic hydrocarbons, two zeolites of HY and HZSM-5 supporting Ni and Mo were used as catalysts to convert soybean oil into jet fuel. Zeolite HY exhibited higher jet range alkane selectivity (40.3%) and lower jet range aromatic hydrocarbon selectivity (23.8%) than zeolite HZSM-5 (13.8% and 58.9%). When reaction temperature increased from 330 to 390°C, yield of jet fuel over Ni-Mo/HY catalyst at 4 MPa hydrogen pressure increased from 0% to 49.1% due to the shift of reaction pathway from oligomerization to cracking reaction. Further increase of reaction temperature from 390 to 410°C resulted in increased yield of jet range aromatic hydrocarbons from 18.7% to 30%, which decreased jet fuel quality. A high yield of jet fuel (48.2%) was obtained at 1 MPa low hydrogen pressure over Ni (8 wt.%)-Mo (12 wt.%)/HY catalyst. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of torrefaction pretreatment and catalytic pyrolysis on the pyrolysis poly-generation of pine wood.

PubMed

Chen, Dengyu; Li, Yanjun; Deng, Minsi; Wang, Jiayang; Chen, Miao; Yan, Bei; Yuan, Qiqiang

2016-08-01

Torrefaction of pine wood was performed in a tube furnace at three temperatures (220, 250, and 280°C) for 30min. Then catalytic pyrolysis of raw and torrefied pine wood was performed using HZSM-5 catalyst in a fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor at 550°C for 15min. Torrefaction pretreatment and catalytic pyrolysis have an very important effect on the yield, property, and energy distribution of pyrolysis products. The results showed that the yield of biochar rapidly increased, while that of bio-oil decreased with increasing torrefaction temperature. The oxy-compound content of bio-oil, such as acids and aldehydes, sharply decreased. However, the aromatic hydrocarbon content not only increased but also further promoted by HZSM-5 catalyst. With highest mass yields and energy yields, biochar was also the very important product of pyrolysis. The oxygen content in biomass was mainly removed in the form of CO2 and H2O, leading to increasing CO2 content in non-condensable gas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Liquid phase in situ hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-derived phenolic compounds to hydrocarbons over bifunctional catalysts

Treesearch

Junfeng Feng; Chung-yun Hse; Zhongzhi Yang; Kui Wang; Jianchun Jiang; Junming Xu

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to find an effective method for converting renewable biomass-derived phenolic compounds into hydrocarbons bio-fuel via in situ catalytic hydrodeoxygenation. The in situ hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-derived phenolic compounds was carried out in methanol-water solvent over bifunctional catalysts of Raney Ni and HZSM-5 or H-Beta. In the in...

Dehydration pathways of 1-propanol on HZSM-5 in the presence and absence of water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhi, Yuchun; Shi, Hui; Mu, Linyu

The Brønsted acid-catalyzed gas-phase dehydration of 1-propanol (0.075-4 kPa) was studied on zeolite H-MFI (Si/Al = 26, containing minimal amounts of extraframework Al moieties) in the absence and presence of co-fed water (0-2.5 kPa) at 413-443 K. It is shown that propene can be formed from monomeric and dimeric adsorbed 1-propanol. The stronger adsorption of 1-propanol relative to water indicates that the reduced dehydration rates in the presence of water are not a consequence of the competitive adsorption between 1-propanol and water. Instead, the deleterious effect is related to the different extents of stabilization of adsorbed intermediates and the relevantmore » elimination/substitution transition states by water. Water stabilizes the adsorbed 1-propanol monomer significantly more than the elimination transition state, leading to a higher activation barrier and a greater entropy gain for the rate-limiting step, which eventually leads to propene. In a similar manner, an excess of 1-propanol stabilizes the adsorbed state of 1-propanol more than the elimination transition state. In comparison with the monomer-mediated pathway, adsorbed dimer and the relevant transition states for propene and ether formation are similarly, while less effectively, stabilized by intrazeolite water molecules. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences, and was performed in part using the Molecular Sciences Computing Facility (MSCF) in the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE national scientific user facility sponsored by the DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). PNNL is operated by Battelle for DOE.« less

Performances on simulator and da Vinci robot on subjects with and without surgical background.

PubMed

Moglia, Andrea; Ferrari, Vincenzo; Melfi, Franca; Ferrari, Mauro; Mosca, Franco; Cuschieri, Alfred; Morelli, Luca

2017-08-17

To assess whether previous training in surgery influences performance on da Vinci Skills Simulator and da Vinci robot. In this prospective study, thirty-seven participants (11 medical students, 17 residents, and 9 attending surgeons) without previous experience in laparoscopy and robotic surgery performed 26 exercises at da Vinci Skills Simulator. Thirty-five then executed a suture using a da Vinci robot. The overall scores on the exercises at the da Vinci Skills Simulator show a similar performance among the groups with no statistically significant pair-wise differences (p < .05). The quality of the suturing based on the unedited videos of the test run was similar for the intermediate (7 (4, 10)) and expert group (6.5 (4.5, 10)), and poor for the untrained groups (5 (3.5, 9)), without statistically significant difference (p < .05). This study showed, for subjects new to laparoscopy and robotic surgery, insignificant differences in the scores at the da Vinci Skills Simulator and at the da Vinci robot on inanimate models.

Effect of torrefaction temperature on lignin macromolecule and product distribution from HZSM-5 catalytic pyrolysis

DOE PAGES

Mahadevan, Ravishankar; Adhikari, Sushil; Shakya, Rajdeep; ...

2016-10-27

Torrefaction is a low-temperature process considered as an effective pretreatment technique to improve the grindability of biomass as well as enhance the production of aromatic hydrocarbons from Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis (CFP). For this paper, this study was performed to understand the effect of torrefaction temperature on structural changes in the lignin macromolecule and its subsequent influence on in-situ CFP process. Lignin extracted from southern pine and switchgrass (via organosolv treatment) was torrefied at four different temperatures (150, 175, 200 and 225 °C) in a tubular reactor. Between the two biomass types studied, lignin from pine appeared to have greater thermalmore » stability during torrefaction when compared with switchgrass lignin. The structural changes in lignin as a result of torrefaction were followed by using FTIR spectroscopy, solid state CP/MAS 13C NMR, 31P NMR spectroscopy and it was found that higher torrefaction temperature (200 and 225 °C) caused polycondensation and de-methoxylation of the aromatic units of lignin. Gel permeation chromatography analysis revealed that polycondensation during torrefaction resulted in an increase in the molecular weight and polydispersity of lignin. The torrefied lignin was subsequently used in CFP experiments using H +ZSM-5 catalyst in a micro-reactor (Py-GC/MS) to understand the effect of torrefaction on the product distribution from pyrolysis. It was observed that although the selectivity of benzene-toluene-xylene compounds from CFP of pine improved from 58.3% (torrefaction temp at 150 °C) to 69.0% (torrefaction temp at 225 °C), the severity of torrefaction resulted in a loss of overall aromatic hydrocarbon yield from 11.6% to 4.9% under same conditions. Torrefaction at higher temperatures also increased the yield of carbonaceous residues from 63.9% to 72.8%. Finally, overall, torrefying lignin caused structural transformations in both type of lignins (switchgrass and pine), which is ultimately

Effect of torrefaction temperature on lignin macromolecule and product distribution from HZSM-5 catalytic pyrolysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahadevan, Ravishankar; Adhikari, Sushil; Shakya, Rajdeep

Torrefaction is a low-temperature process considered as an effective pretreatment technique to improve the grindability of biomass as well as enhance the production of aromatic hydrocarbons from Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis (CFP). For this paper, this study was performed to understand the effect of torrefaction temperature on structural changes in the lignin macromolecule and its subsequent influence on in-situ CFP process. Lignin extracted from southern pine and switchgrass (via organosolv treatment) was torrefied at four different temperatures (150, 175, 200 and 225 °C) in a tubular reactor. Between the two biomass types studied, lignin from pine appeared to have greater thermalmore » stability during torrefaction when compared with switchgrass lignin. The structural changes in lignin as a result of torrefaction were followed by using FTIR spectroscopy, solid state CP/MAS 13C NMR, 31P NMR spectroscopy and it was found that higher torrefaction temperature (200 and 225 °C) caused polycondensation and de-methoxylation of the aromatic units of lignin. Gel permeation chromatography analysis revealed that polycondensation during torrefaction resulted in an increase in the molecular weight and polydispersity of lignin. The torrefied lignin was subsequently used in CFP experiments using H +ZSM-5 catalyst in a micro-reactor (Py-GC/MS) to understand the effect of torrefaction on the product distribution from pyrolysis. It was observed that although the selectivity of benzene-toluene-xylene compounds from CFP of pine improved from 58.3% (torrefaction temp at 150 °C) to 69.0% (torrefaction temp at 225 °C), the severity of torrefaction resulted in a loss of overall aromatic hydrocarbon yield from 11.6% to 4.9% under same conditions. Torrefaction at higher temperatures also increased the yield of carbonaceous residues from 63.9% to 72.8%. Finally, overall, torrefying lignin caused structural transformations in both type of lignins (switchgrass and pine), which is ultimately

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of DA-9601 versus Its New Formulation, DA-5204, in Patients with Gastritis: Phase III, Randomized, Double-Blind, Non-Inferiority Study.

PubMed

Choi, Yoon Jin; Lee, Dong Ho; Choi, Myung Gyu; Lee, Sung Joon; Kim, Sung Kook; Song, Geun Am; Rhee, Poong Lyul; Jung, Hwoon Yong; Kang, Dae Hwan; Lee, Yong Chan; Lee, Si Hyung; Choi, Suck Chei; Shim, Ki Nam; Seol, Sang Yong; Moon, Jeong Seop; Shin, Yong Woon; Kim, Hyun Soo; Lee, Soo Teik; Cho, Jin Woong; Choi, Eun Kwang; Lee, Oh Young; Jang, Jin Seok

2017-11-01

This study compared the efficacy of DA-9601 (Dong-A ST Co., Seoul, Korea) and its new formulation, DA-5204 (Dong-A ST Co.), for treating erosive gastritis. This phase III, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, non-inferiority trial randomly assigned 434 patients with endoscopically proven gastric mucosal erosions into two groups: DA-9601 3 times daily or DA-5,204 twice daily for 2 weeks. The final analysis included 421 patients (DA-5204, 209; DA-9601, 212). The primary endpoint (rate of effective gastric erosion healing) and secondary endpoints (cure rate of endoscopic erosion and gastrointestinal [GI] symptom relief) were assessed using endoscopy after the treatment. Drug-related adverse events (AEs), including GI symptoms, were also compared. At week 2, gastric healing rates with DA-5204 and DA-9601 were 42.1% (88/209) and 42.5% (90/212), respectively. The difference between the groups was -0.4% (95% confidence interval, -9.8% to 9.1%), which was above the non-inferiority margin of -14%. The cure rate of gastric erosion in both groups was 37.3%. The improvement rates of GI symptoms with DA-5204 and DA-9601 were 40.4% and 40.8%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in both secondary endpoints. AEs were reported in 18 (8.4%) patients in the DA-5204 group and 19 (8.8%) in the DA-9601 group. Rates of AE were not different between the two groups. No serious AE or adverse drug reaction (ADR) occurred. These results demonstrate the non-inferiority of DA-5204 compared to DA-9601. DA-5204 is as effective as DA-9601 in the treatment of erosive gastritis. Registered randomized clinical trial at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02282670). © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Effect of shorter dark adaptation on ISCEV standard DA 0.01 and DA 3 skin ERGs in healthy adults.

PubMed

Hamilton, R; Graham, K

2016-08-01

To quantify dark-adapted (DA) skin ERG changes during 20 min of dark adaptation. Sixteen healthy adult subjects were dark-adapted for 20 min during which ISCEV standard dim (0.01 phot cd s m(-2)) white flash ERGs were recorded at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15 and 20 min, and bright (3 phot cd s m(-2)) white ERGs were recorded at 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 min without mydriasis and using skin electrodes. Amplitudes and peak times were normalised to 20 min values. Halving dark adaptation from 20 to 10 min had no measureable effect on the DA 3 ERG and caused a 10 % amplitude loss (range 0-23 %) only for the DA 0.01 ERG b-wave amplitude. No significant peak time changes resulted, nor increased parameter variability. Reducing dark adaptation from 20 to 10 min or even less has an effect on only DA 0.01 ERGs. Shorter dark adaptation than 20 min may not compromise the clinical utility of the ERG providing clinics adhere to the usual standards of adequate reference data.

Pharmacological action of DA-9701 on the motility of feline stomach circular smooth muscle.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thanh Thao; Song, Hyun Ju; Ko, Sung Kwon; Sohn, Uy Dong

2015-03-01

DA-9701, a new prokinetic agent for the treatment of functional dyspepsia, is formulated with Pharbitis semen and Corydalis tuber. This study wasconducted to determine the pharmacological action of DA-9701 and to identify the receptors involved in DA-9701 -induced contractile responsesin the feline gastric corporal, fundic and antral circular smooth muscle. Concentration-response curve to DA-9701 was established. The tissue trips were exposed to methylsergide, ketanserin, ondansetron, GR 113808, atropine and dopamine before administration of DA-9701. The contractile force was determined before and after administration of drugs by a polygraph.DA-9701 enhanced the spontaneous contractile amplitude of antrum, corpus and fundus. However, it did not change the spontaneous contractile frequency of antrum and corpus, but concentration-dependently reduced that of fundus. In the fundus, DA-9701 -induced tonic contractions were inhibited by dopamine, methylsergide, ketanserine, ondansetron or GR 113808 respectively, but not by atropine, indicating that the contractile responses are mediated by multiple receptors: 5-HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, and dopamine receptors. In the corpus, DA-9701-induced contractions were blocked by atropine, dopamine or GR 113808, but not by methysergide, ketanserin or ondansetron, indicating that they are involved in receptors on both, smooth muscles and neurons: 5-HT4 and dopamine receptors. However, contractile responses to DA-9701 are mainly mediated by dopamine receptors in the antrum. These results suggest that DA-9701 has important roles in gastric accommodation by enhancing tonic activity of fundus, and in gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit by phasic contractions of corpus and antrum mediated by multiple receptors.

Comparison of non-catalytic and catalytic fast pyrolysis of corncob in a fluidized bed reactor.

PubMed

Zhang, Huiyan; Xiao, Rui; Huang, He; Xiao, Gang

2009-02-01

Fast pyrolysis of corncob with and without catalyst was investigated in a fluidized bed to determine the effects of pyrolysis parameters (temperature, gas flow rate, static bed height and particle size) and a HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst on the product yields and the qualities of the liquid products. The result showed that the optimal conditions for liquid yield (56.8%) were a pyrolysis temperature of 550 degrees C, gas flow rate of 3.4 L/min, static bed height of 10 cm and particle size of 1.0-2.0mm. The presence of the catalyst increased the yields of non-condensable gas, water and coke, while decreased the liquid and char yields. The elemental analysis showed that more than 25% decrease in oxygen content of the collected liquid in the second condenser with HZSM-5 was observed compared with that without catalyst. The H/C, O/C molar ratios and the higher heating value of the oil fraction in the collected liquid with the catalyst were 1.511, 0.149 and 34.6 MJ/kg, respectively. It was indicated that the collected liquid in the second condenser had high qualities and might be used as transport oil.

DA1 receptors modulation in rat isolated trachea.

PubMed

Cabezas, Gloria A; Velasco, Manuel

2010-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that low dose of inhaled dopamine (0.5-2 microg kg(-1) min(-1)) induces broncodilatacion in patients with acute asthma attack, suggesting that this dopamine effect is mediated by dopaminergic rather than by adrenergic receptors. To understand better these dopamine effect, rat tracheal smooth muscle was used as a model to evaluate the responses of beta2-, alpha1-, alpha2-adrenergic and DA1 and DA2 dopaminergic antagonists. Tracheal rings from male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 90) were excised and placed in an organ bath containing modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer at 37 degrees C, and gassed with O2 (95%) and CO2 (5%). Contractile responses were recorded with an isometric transducer in a polygraph (Letica, Spain). Contraction was induced by accumulative doses of acetylcholine (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10 mM) or by electric field stimulation (10 Hz at 2 milliseconds), and accumulative doses of dopamine were added to the bath. Low concentration (0.1-0.3 mM) elicited a small initial contraction, followed by a marked relaxation. Cholinergic contraction was completely reversed at 6 mM of dopamine. This biphasic dopaminergic response was not blocked by incubation with beta2-adrenergic antagonist propranolol (0.1 microM), alpha1-antagonist, terazosin (0.1 mM), alpha2-antagonist, yohimbine (0.1 mM), or by DA2 antagonist metoclopramide (1-8 mM); DA1 antagonist SCH23390 (0.1 microM) produced a sustained increase of basal tone but did not block initial dopaminergic contraction and partially inhibited bronchodilator effect of dopamine. Dopaminergic relaxation in rat trachea is mediated by DA1 rather than by DA2 receptors; and adrenergic receptors are not involved in such dopamine-induced response. Finally, DA1 antagonist SCH23390 exerts intrinsic contractile activity on airway smooth muscle that deserves further research.

Fluidized bed catalytic pyrolysis of eucalyptus over hzsm-5: effect of acid density and gallium modification on catalyst deactivation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Catalytic fast pyrolysis of eucalyptus wood was performed on a continuous laboratory scale fluidized bed fast pyrolysis system. Catalytic activity was monitored from use of fresh catalyst up to a cumulative biomass to catalyst ratio (B/C) of 4/1 over extruded pellets of three different ZSM-5 catalys...

76 FR 12627 - Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 42, DA 42 NG, and DA 42 M-NG...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

... Industries GmbH Models DA 42, DA 42 NG, and DA 42 M-NG Airplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... on Diamond aeroplanes, the majority of which were DA 40. In additional, at least 18 doors have been... conditions) while the aeroplane was parked. All DA 40 and DA 42 aeroplanes have a system installed that...

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy of 18.5 kDa myelin basic protein reconstituted with lipid vesicles: spectroscopic characterisation and spectral assignments of solvent-exposed protein fragments.

PubMed

Zhong, Ligang; Bamm, Vladimir V; Ahmed, Mumdooh A M; Harauz, George; Ladizhansky, Vladimir

2007-12-01

Myelin basic protein (MBP, 18.5 kDa isoform) is a peripheral membrane protein that is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the multilamellar myelin sheath of the central nervous system. Reconstitution of the most abundant 18.5 kDa MBP isoform with lipid vesicles yields an aggregated assembly mimicking the protein's natural environment, but which is not amenable to standard solution NMR spectroscopy. On the other hand, the mobility of MBP in such a system is variable, depends on the local strength of the protein-lipid interaction, and in general is of such a time scale that the dipolar interactions are averaged out. Here, we used a combination of solution and solid-state NMR (ssNMR) approaches: J-coupling-driven polarization transfers were combined with magic angle spinning and high-power decoupling to yield high-resolution spectra of the mobile fragments of 18.5 kDa murine MBP in membrane-associated form. To partially circumvent the problem of short transverse relaxation, we implemented three-dimensional constant-time correlation experiments (NCOCX, NCACX, CONCACX, and CAN(CO)CX) that were able to provide interresidue and intraresidue backbone correlations. These experiments resulted in partial spectral assignments for mobile fragments of the protein. Additional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY)-based experiments revealed that the mobile fragments were exposed to solvent and were likely located outside the lipid bilayer, or in its hydrophilic portion. Chemical shift index analysis showed that the fragments were largely disordered under these conditions. These combined approaches are applicable to ssNMR investigations of other peripheral membrane proteins reconstituted with lipids.

Modified properties of a glycated and cross-linked soy protein isolate by transglutaminase and an oligochitosan of 5 kDa.

PubMed

Fu, Miao; Zhao, Xin-Huai

2017-01-01

Soy protein is an important protein ingredient for the food industry; however, its properties can be improved by enzymatic and chemical modifications. This study applied a new enzymatic glycation and cross-linking to modify soy protein isolate (SPI), using an oligochitosan of 5 kDa and transglutaminase. Properties of the obtained glycated and cross-linked SPI (GC-SPI) were unknown and thus assessed. GC-SPI contained glucosamine of 13.6 g kg -1 protein, but less reactable &bond;NH 2 than SPI (0.42 vs. 0.50 mol kg -1 protein). Infrared spectra and circular dichroism results showed that GC-SPI other than SPI and cross-linked SPI had more &bond;OH in molecules, and was more disordered in secondary structure. In comparison with SPI, GC-SPI showed enhanced water-binding capacity, could form aggregates with enlarged hydrodynamic radius (180.2 vs. 82.9 nm) and negative zeta-potential (-31.2 vs. -27.7 mV) in dispersion, but exhibited lower thermal stability (e.g. greater mass loss) upon heating at a temperature above 288 °C. GC-SPI also had lower in vitro proteolytic digestibility than SPI due to the protein cross-linking. Oligochitosan of 5 kDa and transglutaminase can be used to glycate and cross-link SPI. This approach is applicable to generate potential protein ingredient with good hydration and dispersive stabilisation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Far-ultraviolet spectroscopy of the hot DA white dwarf WD 2218+706 (DeHt5) with STIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barstow, M. A.; Bannister, N. P.; Holberg, J. B.; Hubeny, I.; Bruhweiler, F. C.; Napiwotzki, R.

2001-08-01

We report a study of the photospheric composition of the hot DAQ3 white dwarf WD 2218+706, which is also the central star of the old planetary nebula DeHt5. Helium is detected in the far-UV spectrumQ4. In addition, the star clearly contains significant quantities of elements heavier than He at abundances generally a factor of 2 to 10 higher than those found in the archetypal heavy element-rich DA G191-B2B. This is the first detection of trace He using the Heii λ1640 line in an isolated DA white dwarf, but the low surface gravity is more indicative of a binary evolution route from the red giant branch rather than a path along the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) as a single star. However, the absence of any evidence for a companion star and the uncertainty in the measured mass for WD 2218+706 still allow the possibility of an origin along an AGB evolutionary track. We reanalyse the existing optical spectra of WD 2218+706 using our latest pure H and heavy element-rich model atmospheres, obtaining a good match between the observed and synthetic spectra with either set of models. We find little evidence of any inconsistency in the temperature required to fit individual Balmer lines, as reported elsewhere for this star. Any discrepancies we see are confined to the Hα line and the core of Hβ but they do not compromise our analysis.

Photophysical properties and fluorescence quenching of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene in zeolites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pischel, Uwe; Galletero, Maria S.; García, Hermenegildo; Miranda, Miguel A.; Nau, Werner M.

2002-06-01

2,3-Diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) was used as a long-lived fluorescent probe in zeolites (NaY, Na-mordenite, Na-ZSM-5, H-ZSM-5) and related oxide materials (all silica MCM-41, silica, silica-alumina, γ-alumina). The photophysical properties are dominated by a hydroxylic environment, caused by the inorganic framework and co-adsorbed water. The quenching of DBO by oxygen was strongly dependent on the type of zeolite. In ZSM-5 zeolites, the fluorescence decays were not monoexponential in the presence of oxygen (air).

Investigation on the light alkanes aromatization over Zn and Ga modified HZSM-5 catalysts in the presence of methane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Qingyin; Zhang, Fengqi; Jarvis, Jack

The catalytic co-aromatization of methane and paraffin-rich raffinate oil was investigated along with hexane, heptane and octane as its model compounds over zinc and gallium modified ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts. The benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) components derived from light alkane aromatization were highly promoted with the assistance of methane. The co-existence of Zn and Ga metal species has a positive effect on the formation of BTX components, whereas the individual metal loaded catalyst resulted in the production of heavy aromatics, suggesting that zinc and gallium have a synergistic effect on the formation of BTX under the methane environment. When concernedmore » with gaseous analysis, the introduced methane might interact with smaller intermediates and then transform into larger hydrocarbons. From the DRIFT observation, it was witnessed that the interaction between light alkane and methane occurred on the surface of the charged Zn-Ga/ZSM-5 catalyst. According to the comprehensive catalyst characterizations, the excellent catalytic performance may be closely associated with greatly dispersed metal species on the zeolite support, improved microporous characteristic, moderate Bronsted and increased Lewis acidic sites during the paraffin-rich liquid feedstock aromatization under methane environment. This research provides a promising pathway for the highly effective and profitable utilization of petrochemical resources and natural gas.« less

Investigation on the light alkanes aromatization over Zn and Ga modified HZSM-5 catalysts in the presence of methane

DOE PAGES

Li, Qingyin; Zhang, Fengqi; Jarvis, Jack; ...

2018-03-16

The catalytic co-aromatization of methane and paraffin-rich raffinate oil was investigated along with hexane, heptane and octane as its model compounds over zinc and gallium modified ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts. The benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) components derived from light alkane aromatization were highly promoted with the assistance of methane. The co-existence of Zn and Ga metal species has a positive effect on the formation of BTX components, whereas the individual metal loaded catalyst resulted in the production of heavy aromatics, suggesting that zinc and gallium have a synergistic effect on the formation of BTX under the methane environment. When concernedmore » with gaseous analysis, the introduced methane might interact with smaller intermediates and then transform into larger hydrocarbons. From the DRIFT observation, it was witnessed that the interaction between light alkane and methane occurred on the surface of the charged Zn-Ga/ZSM-5 catalyst. According to the comprehensive catalyst characterizations, the excellent catalytic performance may be closely associated with greatly dispersed metal species on the zeolite support, improved microporous characteristic, moderate Bronsted and increased Lewis acidic sites during the paraffin-rich liquid feedstock aromatization under methane environment. This research provides a promising pathway for the highly effective and profitable utilization of petrochemical resources and natural gas.« less

Selective affinity labeling of a 27-kDa integral membrane protein in rat liver and kidney with N-bromoacetyl derivatives of L-thyroxine and 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine.

PubMed

Köhrle, J; Rasmussen, U B; Rokos, H; Leonard, J L; Hesch, R D

1990-04-15

125I-Labeled N-bromoacetyl derivatives of L-thyroxine and L-triiodothyronine were used as alkylating affinity labels to identify rat liver and kidney microsomal membrane proteins which specifically bind thyroid hormones. Affinity label incorporation was analyzed by ethanol precipitation and individual affinity labeled proteins were identified by autoradiography after separation by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions. Six to eight membrane proteins ranging in size from 17 to 84 kDa were affinity labeled by both bromoacetyl-L-thyroxine (BrAcT4) and bromoacetyl-L-triiodothyronine (BrAcT3). Affinity labeling was time- and temperature-dependent, and both reduced dithiols and detergents increased affinity labeling, predominantly in a 27-kDa protein(s). Up to 80% of the affinity label was associated with a 27-kDa protein (p27) under optimal conditions. Affinity labeling of p27 by 0.4 nM BrAc[125I]L-T4 was blocked by 0.1 microM of the alkylating ligands BrAcT4, BrAcT3, or 100 microM iodoacetate, by 10 microM concentrations of the non-alkylating, reversible ligands N-acetyl-L-thyroxine, 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine, 3,5-diiodosalicylate, and EMD 21388, a T4-antagonistic flavonoid. Neither 10 microM L-T4, nor 10 microM N-acetyltriiodothyronine or 10 microM L-triiodothyronine blocked affinity labeling of p27 or other affinity labeled bands. Affinity labeling of a 17-kDa band was partially inhibited by excess of the alkylating ligands BrAcT4, BrAcT3, and iodoacetate, but labeling of other minor bands was not blocked by excess of the competitors. BrAc[125I]T4 yielded higher affinity label incorporation than BrAc[125I]T3, although similar banding patterns were observed, except that BrAcT3 affinity labeled more intensely a 58,000-Da band in liver and a 53,000-55,000-Da band in kidney. The pattern of other affinity labeled proteins with p27 as the predominant band was similar in liver and kidney. Peptide mapping of affinity labeled p27

Origin of the DA and non-DA white dwarf stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shipman, Harry L.

1989-01-01

Various proposals for the bifurcation of the white dwarf cooling sequence are reviewed. 'Primordial' theories, in which the basic bifurcation of the white dwarf sequence is rooted in events predating the white dwarf stage of stellar evolution, are discussed, along with the competing 'mixing' theories in which processes occurring during the white dwarf stage are responsible for the existence of DA or non-DA stars. A new proposal is suggested, representing a two-channel scenario. In the DA channel, some process reduces the hydrogen layer mass to the value of less than 10 to the -7th. The non-DA channel is similar to that in the primordial scenario. These considerations suggest that some mechanism operates in both channels to reduce the thickness of the outermost layer of the white dwarf. It is also noted that accretion from the interstellar medium has little to do with whether a particular white dwarf becomes a DA or a non-DA star.

Zeolite catalysis in the synthesis of isobutylene from hydrous ethanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Cory Bernard

1999-11-01

This work deals with the synthesis of isobutylene from a hydrous ethanol feedstock over zeolites. The synthesis is accomplished in three steps: (1) low-temperature direct ethanol conversion to ethylene on H-ZSM-5 zeolite, (2) ethylene conversion to butene products over metal-exchanged zeolites, and (3) butene skeletal rearrangement to isobutylene over FER zeolites. The key to understanding and optimizing each synthesis step lies in the ability to control and regulate the zeolite acidity (Bronsted and Lewis)---both strength and number. Therefore, the continuous temperature programmed amine desorption (CTPAD) technique was further developed to simultaneously count the Bronsted acid sites and quantitatively characterize their strength. The adsorption of ethanol, reaction products, amines, coke and ethanol-derived residue (EDR) were monitored gravimetrically using the highly sensitive, novel Tapered Element Oscillating Microreactor (TEOM) apparatus. The TEOM was also used also in conjunction with CTPAD to characterize Bronsted acidity which is a new application for the instrument. For the first synthesis step, a parallel reaction exists which simultaneously produces diethyl ether and ethylene directly over H-ZSM-5. The reaction rates for each pathway were measured directly using a differential reactor operating at low temperatures (<473 K). Water in the ethanol feed enhances the rate of ethylene formation. A mechanism and kinetic expression are proposed for this reaction over H-ZSM-5, with diethyl-ether desorption and ethylene formation as the rate limiting steps. Heat of adsorption values measured from the independent microcalorimetry work reported in the literature are incorporated into the kinetic analysis which reduces the number of regressed parameters. For the remaining synthesis steps, several zeolite structures (ZSM-5, Y, FER) partially exchanged with Pd, Ti, Ni and Au were prepared and tested. It was determined from this screening study that the zeolites

Direct liquefaction of plastics and coprocessing of coal with plastics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huffman, G.P.; Feng, Z.; Mahajan, V.

1995-12-31

The objectives of this work were to optimize reaction conditions for the direct liquefaction of waste plastics and the coprocessing of coal with waste plastics. In previous work, the direct liquefaction of medium and high density polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PPE), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and a mixed plastic waste, and the coliquefaction of these plastics with coals of three different ranks was studied. The results established that a solid acid catalyst (HZSM-5 zeolite) was highly active for the liquefaction of the plastics alone, typically giving oil yields of 80-95% and total conversions of 90-100% at temperatures of 430-450 {degrees}C. In themore » coliquefaction experiments, 50:50 mixtures of plastic and coal were used with a tetralin solvent (tetralin:solid = 3:2). Using approximately 1% of the HZSM-5 catalyst and a nanoscale iron catalyst, oil yields of 50-70% and total conversion of 80-90% were typical. In the current year, further investigations were conducted of the liquefaction of PE, PPE, and a commingled waste plastic obtained from the American Plastics Council (APC), and the coprocessing of PE, PPE and the APC plastic with Black Thunder subbituminous coal. Several different catalysts were used in these studies.« less

Novel botanical drug DA-9803 prevents deficits in Alzheimer's mouse models.

PubMed

Pagnier, Guillaume J; Kastanenka, Ksenia V; Sohn, Miwon; Choi, Sangzin; Choi, Song-Hyen; Soh, HyeYeon; Bacskai, Brian J

2018-01-29

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by deposition of amyloid plaques and disruption of neural circuitry, leading to cognitive decline. Animal models of AD deposit senile plaques and exhibit structural and functional deficits in neurons and neural networks. An effective treatment would prevent or restore these deficits, including calcium dyshomeostasis observed with in-vivo imaging. We examined the effects of DA-9803, a multimodal botanical drug, in 5XFAD and APP/PS1 transgenic mice which underwent daily oral treatment with 30 or 100 mg/kg DA-9803 or vehicle alone. Behavioral testing and longitudinal imaging of amyloid deposits and intracellular calcium in neurons with multiphoton microscopy was performed. Chronic administration of DA-9803 restored behavioral deficits in 5XFAD mice and reduced amyloid-β levels. DA-9803 also prevented progressive amyloid plaque deposition in APP/PS1 mice. Elevated calcium, detected in a subset of neurons before the treatment, was restored and served as a functional indicator of treatment efficacy in addition to the behavioral readout. In contrast, mice treated with vehicle alone continued to progressively accumulate amyloid plaques and calcium overload. In summary, treatment with DA-9803 prevented structural and functional outcome measures in mouse models of AD. Thus, DA-9803 shows promise as a novel therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease.

[Anesthesia experiences on laparoscopic nephrectomy with da Vinci S robotics].

PubMed

Mou, Ling; Lan, Zhixun

2015-09-01

To summarize the clinical anesthesia experiences in 20 patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy with da Vinci S robotics.
 Anesthesia data of 20 patients from Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy with da Vinci S robotics from August 2014 to November 2014, were analyzed and summarized. The anesthesia time, operation time, CO(2) pneumoperitoneum time, PaCO(2) and PETCO(2) were recorded.
 All patients were anesthetized and underwent surgery with da Vinci S robotics. The anesthesia time was (220±14) min, the operation time was (187±11) min, and the CO(2) pneumoperitoneum time was (180±13) min. The PaCO(2) and PETCO(2) were significantly elevated at 1.5 h after operation compared with those at the baseline (before pneumoperitoneum) (P<0.05). The pH value was significantly decreased at 2.5 h after operation compared to that at the baseline (P<0.05). The peak airway pressure of inspiration was significantly elevated at 0.5 h after the beginning of pneumoperitoneum compared to that at the baseline (P<0.05).
 The hemodynamics is stable during the laparoscopic nephrectomy with da vinci S robotics. However, the duration of CO(2) pneumoperitoneum is significantly increased compared to that of other surgical procedures, resulting in high airway resistance and acid-base disturbance.

Fourier-transform i.r. gas chromatography—mass spectrometry study of varying light olefin reactivity on dealuminated ZSM-5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayed, Moein B.

Olefin oligomerization and alkylation (by methanol) of ethene, propene, and isobutene on HZSM-5 have been studied in typical conditions of the catalytic Mobil methanol to gasoline (MTG) process. This has been to identify the most likely light olefin involved as a key intermediate and the most likely mechanism by which such a light olefin propagates to gasoline in the MTG process. Reactions involving bulky intermediates are restricted within the narrow channels of ZSM-5. The oligomerization of ethene and isobutene appears to be an example of such restricted reactions. Zeolite dealumination seems to assist in overcoming the steric barrier by increasing both the zeolite pore volume and the population of the site (silanol) hosting the adsorbate. Spectral i.r. evidence reveals a role of zeolite Lewis acidity as a precursor in initiating olefin protonation by the zeolite Brønsted acidity. Both i.r. and GC—MS data consistently reveal a product distribution similar to that obtained in the MTG process, which suggests a dominant oligomerization and/or alkylation to be the mechanism leading to gasoline in the MTG process. However, the higher reactivity detected for olefin alkylation indicates alkylation to be the favoured mechanism. Propene is more likely to be a key intermediate, whereas isobutene contributes with a role being increasingly dominant over the more dealuminated ZSM-5 surfaces. Ethene, in contrast, shows poor reactivity, which can be enhanced by the zeolite dealumination.

Up-regulation of autophagy-related gene 5 (ATG5) protects dopaminergic neurons in a zebrafish model of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Hu, Zhan-Ying; Chen, Bo; Zhang, Jing-Pu; Ma, Yuan-Yuan

2017-11-03

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most epidemic neurodegenerative diseases and is characterized by movement disorders arising from loss of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Recently, the relationship between PD and autophagy has received considerable attention, but information about the mechanisms involved is lacking. Here, we report that autophagy-related gene 5 ( ATG5 ) is potentially important in protecting dopaminergic neurons in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD model in zebrafish. Using analyses of zebrafish swimming behavior, in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, and expressions of genes and proteins related to PD and autophagy, we found that the ATG5 expression level was decreased and autophagy flux was blocked in this model. The ATG5 down-regulation led to the upgrade of PD-associated proteins, such as β-synuclein, Parkin, and PINK1, aggravation of MPTP-induced PD-mimicking pathological locomotor behavior, DA neuron loss labeled by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or dopamine transporter (DAT), and blocked autophagy flux in the zebrafish model. ATG5 overexpression alleviated or reversed these PD pathological features, rescued DA neuron cells as indicated by elevated TH/DAT levels, and restored autophagy flux. The role of ATG5 in protecting DA neurons was confirmed by expression of the human atg5 gene in the zebrafish model. Our findings reveal that ATG5 has a role in neuroprotection, and up-regulation of ATG5 may serve as a goal in the development of drugs for PD prevention and management. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Virtual reality training improves da Vinci performance: a prospective trial.

PubMed

Cho, Jae Sung; Hahn, Koo Yong; Kwak, Jung Myun; Kim, Jin; Baek, Se Jin; Shin, Jae Won; Kim, Seon Hahn

2013-12-01

The DV-Trainer™ (a virtual reality [VR] simulator) (Mimic Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA) is one of several different robotic surgical training methods. We designed a prospective study to determine whether VR training could improve da Vinci(®) Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) performance. Surgeons (n=12) were enrolled using a randomized protocol. Groups 1 (VR training) and 2 (control) participated in VR and da Vinci exercises. Participants' time and moving distance were combined to determine a composite score: VR index=1000/(time×moving distance). The da Vinci exercises included needle control and suturing. Procedure time and error were measured. A composite index (DV index) was computed and used to measure da Vinci competency. After the initial trial with both the VR and da Vinci exercises, only Group 1 was trained with the VR simulator following our institutional curriculum for 3 weeks. All members of both groups then participated in the second trial of the VR and da Vinci exercises and were scored in the same way as in the initial trial. In the initial trial, there was no difference in the VR index (Group 1 versus Group 2, 8.9 ± 3.3 versus 9.4 ± 3.7; P=.832) and the DV index (Group 1 versus Group 2, 3.85 ± 0.73 versus 3.66 ± 0.65; P=.584) scores between the two groups. At the second time point, Group 1 showed increased VR index scores in comparison with Group 2 (19.3 ± 4.5 versus 9.7 ± 4.1, respectively; P=.001) and improved da Vinci performance skills as measured by the DV index (5.80 ± 1.13 versus 4.05 ± 1.03, respectively; P=.028) and by suturing time (7.1 ± 1.54 minutes versus 10.55 ± 1.93 minutes, respectively; P=.018). We found that VR simulator training can improve da Vinci performance. VR practice can result in an early plateau in the learning curve for robotic practice under controlled circumstances.

Desenvolvimento de modelo clínico para predição da possibilidade de identificação da artéria de Adamkiewicz por angiotomografia

PubMed Central

Amato, Alexandre Campos Moraes; Parga, José Rodrigues; Stolf, Noedir Antônio Groppo

2018-01-01

Resumo Contexto Diferenças morfológicas da artéria de Adamkiewicz (AKA) entre a população portadora e não portadora de doença aórtica têm importância clínica, influenciando as complicações neuroisquêmicas da medula espinhal em procedimentos operatórios. Ainda não é conhecida a correlação entre parâmetros clínicos e a previsibilidade da identificação dessa artéria pela angiotomografia. Objetivo Desenvolver um modelo matemático que, através de parâmetros clínicos correlacionados com aterosclerose, possa prever a probabilidade de identificação da AKA em pacientes submetidos a angiotomografias. Método Estudo observacional transversal utilizando banco de imagens e dados de pacientes. Foi feita análise estatística multivariada e criado modelo matemático logit de predição para identificação da AKA. Variáveis significativas foram utilizadas na montagem da fórmula para cálculo da probabilidade de identificação. O modelo foi calibrado, e a discriminação foi avaliada pela curva receiver operating characteristic (ROC). A seleção das variáveis explanatórias foi guiada pela maior área na curva ROC (p = 0,041) e pela significância combinada das variáveis. Resultados Foram avaliados 110 casos (54,5% do sexo masculino, com idade média de 60,97 anos e etnia com coeficiente B -2,471, M -1,297, N -0,971), com AKA identificada em 60,9%. Índice de massa corporal: 27,06 ± 0,98 (coef. -0,101); fumantes: 55,5% (coef. -1,614/-1,439); diabéticos: 13,6%; hipertensos: 65,5% (coef. -1,469); dislipidêmicos: 58,2%; aneurisma aórtico: 38,2%; dissecção aórtica: 12,7%; e trombo mural: 24,5%. Constante de 6,262. Fórmula para cálculo da probabilidade de detecção: (e−(Coef. Etnia+(Coef. IMC×IMC)+Coef.fumante+Coef.HAS+Coef.dislip+Constante)+1)−1 . O modelo de predição foi criado e disponibilizado no link https://vascular.pro/aka-model . Conclusão Com as covariáveis etnia, índice de massa corporal, tabagismo, hipertens

Recombinant expression, isolation, and proteolysis of extracellular matrix-secreted phosphoprotein-24 kDa.

PubMed

Murray, Elsa J Brochmann; Murray, Samuel S; Simon, Robert; Behnam, Keyvan

2007-01-01

Secreted phosphoprotein-24 kDa (spp24) is an extracellular matrix protein first cloned from bone. Bovine spp24 is transcribed as a 203 amino acid residue protein that undergoes cleavage of a secretory peptide to form the mature protein (spp24, residues 24 to 203). While not osteogenic itself, spp24 is degraded to a pro-osteogenic protein, spp18.5, in bone. Both spp18.5 and spp24 contain a cyclic TRH1 (TGF-beta receptor II homology-1) domain similar to that found in the receptor itself and in fetuin. A synthetic peptide corresponding to the TRH1 domain of spp18.5 and spp24 specifically binds BMP-2 and enhances the rate and magnitude of BMP-2-induced ectopic bone formation in vivo. The parental protein, spp24, exhibits a high affinity for bone and mineral complexes, but its abundance there is low, suggesting that it is rapidly degraded. The availability of recombinant spp24 and its degradation products would facilitate the elucidation of their structure:function relationships. We describe here the expression of His(6)-tagged bovine spp24 (residues 24 to 203) in E. coli, its purification by high-resolution IMAC (immobilized metal affinity chromatography), and the characterization of the full-length recombinant 21.5 kDa protein and its two major 16 kDa and 14.5 kDa degradation products (spp24, residues 24 to 157, and spp24, residues 24 to 143) by mass spectroscopy. The recombinant spp24 protein was resistant to proteolysis by MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell extracts in the absence of calcium; however, in the presence of 4 mM Ca, it can undergo essentially complete proteolysis to small peptides, bypassing the 16 kDa and 14.5 kDa intermediates. This confirms the proteolytic susceptibility of spp24. It also suggests that the levels of spp24 in bone may be regulated, in part, by calcium-dependent proteolysis mediated by osteoblastic cells.

DA-6034 Induces [Ca(2+)]i Increase in Epithelial Cells.

PubMed

Yang, Yu-Mi; Park, Soonhong; Ji, Hyewon; Kim, Tae-Im; Kim, Eung Kweon; Kang, Kyung Koo; Shin, Dong Min

2014-04-01

DA-6034, a eupatilin derivative of flavonoid, has shown potent effects on the protection of gastric mucosa and induced the increases in fluid and glycoprotein secretion in human and rat corneal and conjunctival cells, suggesting that it might be considered as a drug for the treatment of dry eye. However, whether DA-6034 induces Ca(2+) signaling and its underlying mechanism in epithelial cells are not known. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism for actions of DA-6034 in Ca(2+) signaling pathways of the epithelial cells (conjunctival and corneal cells) from human donor eyes and mouse salivary gland epithelial cells. DA-6034 activated Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels (CaCCs) and increased intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca(2+)]i) in primary cultured human conjunctival cells. DA-6034 also increased [Ca(2+)]i in mouse salivary gland cells and human corneal epithelial cells. [Ca(2+)]i increase of DA-6034 was dependent on the Ca(2+) entry from extracellular and Ca(2+) release from internal Ca(2+) stores. Interestingly, these effects of DA-6034 were related to ryanodine receptors (RyRs) but not phospholipase C/inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) pathway and lysosomal Ca(2+) stores. These results suggest that DA-6034 induces Ca(2+) signaling via extracellular Ca(2+) entry and RyRs-sensitive Ca(2+) release from internal Ca(2+) stores in epithelial cells.

Identification of the uridine 5'-diphosphoglucose (UDP-Glc) binding subunit of cellulose synthase in Acetobacter xylinum using the photoaffinity probe 5-azido-UDP-Glc

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, F.C.; Brown, R.M. Jr.; Drake, R.R. Jr.

1990-03-25

Photoaffinity labeling of purified cellulose synthase with (beta-32P)5-azidouridine 5'-diphosphoglucose (UDP-Glc) has been used to identify the UDP-Glc binding subunit of the cellulose synthase from Acetobacter xylinum strain ATCC 53582. The results showed exclusive labeling of an 83-kDa polypeptide. Photoinsertion of (beta-32P)5-azido-UDP-Glc is stimulated by the cellulose synthase activator, bis-(3'----5') cyclic diguanylic acid. Addition of increasing amounts of UDP-Glc prevents photolabeling of the 83-kDa polypeptide. The reversible and photocatalyzed binding of this photoprobe also showed saturation kinetics. These studies demonstrate that the 83-kDa polypeptide is the catalytic subunit of the cellulose synthase in A. xylinum strain ATCC 53582.

Hierarchical Composites to Reduce N-Nitrosamines in Cigarette Smoke

PubMed Central

Li, Yan Yan; Cao, Yi; Yue, Ming Bo; Yang, Jing; Zhu, Jian Hua

2015-01-01

In order to reduce the harmful constituents in cigarette smoke, two hierarchical composites were synthesized. Based on, zeolites HZSM-5 or NaY fragments were introduced into the synthetic system of mesoporous silica SBA-15 or MCM-41 and assembled with the mesoporous materials. These porous composites combine the advantages of micro- and mesoporous materials, and exhibit higher effects than activated carbon on reducing tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) and some vapor phase compounds in smoke. PMID:28788003

The ATLAS PanDA Pilot in Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsson, P.; Caballero, J.; De, K.; Maeno, T.; Stradling, A.; Wenaus, T.; ATLAS Collaboration

2011-12-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) [1-2] was designed to meet ATLAS [3] requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at LHC data processing scale. Submitted jobs are executed on worker nodes by pilot jobs sent to the grid sites by pilot factories. This paper provides an overview of the PanDA pilot [4] system and presents major features added in light of recent operational experience, including multi-job processing, advanced job recovery for jobs with output storage failures, gLExec [5-6] based identity switching from the generic pilot to the actual user, and other security measures. The PanDA system serves all ATLAS distributed processing and is the primary system for distributed analysis; it is currently used at over 100 sites worldwide. We analyze the performance of the pilot system in processing real LHC data on the OSG [7], EGI [8] and Nordugrid [9-10] infrastructures used by ATLAS, and describe plans for its evolution.

Effects of DA-6034, a flavonoid derivative, on mucin-like glycoprotein and ocular surface integrity in a rabbit model.

PubMed

Choi, Seul Min; Seo, Mi Jeong; Lee, Yeong Geon; Lee, Min Jung; Jeon, Hyung Jun; Kang, Kyung Koo; Ahn, Byoung Ok; Yoo, Moohi

2009-01-01

This study was designed to assess whether DA-6034 (7-carboxymethyloxy-3',4',5-trimethoxy flavone monohydrate), a new synthetic derivative of eupatilin, increases secretion of mucin-like glycoprotein and some mucins species in conjunctiva and cornea, and contributes to the preservation of ocular surface integrity. Human conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells were incubated with DA-6034 (1-250 microM). To investigate mucin secreting activity more directly, isolated rat conjunctival goblet cells were also used. Corneal protection was investigated using a desiccation-induced rabbit model of dry eye syndrome. It was found that DA-6034 increased mucin-like glycoprotein levels of both conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells at concentrations above 100 microM. Using human conjunctival epithelial cells, it was demonstrated that treatment with DA-6034 (200 microM) significantly increased production of some mucins species including MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, and MUC16. DA-6034 also significantly increased MUC5AC production from conjunctival goblet cells isolated from rats. In the rabbit desiccation model, an ophthalmic suspension containing 3% DA-6034 significantly reduced corneal damage induced by desiccation. These results suggest that DA-6034 is a good candidate for treatment of dry eye through maintaining ocular surface integrity, which might be related to mucin secretion.

Leonardo Da Vinci and stroke - vegetarian diet as a possible cause.

PubMed

Oztürk, Serefnur; Altieri, Marta; Troisi, Pina

2010-01-01

Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452 to May 2, 1519) was an Italian Renaissance architect, musician, anatomist, inventor, engineer, sculptor, geometer, and painter. It has been gleaned from the many available historical documents that da Vinci was a vegetarian who respected and loved animals, and that he suffered from right hemiparesis in the last 5 years of his life. A vegetarian diet has both positive and negative influences on the cerebrovascular system. In this report, a possible relation between a vegetarian diet and stroke is discussed from various perspectives as related to Leonardo da Vinci's stroke. Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bu, Lintao; Nimlos, Mark R.; Robichaud, David J.

Hierarchical mesoporous zeolites exhibit higher catalytic activities and longer lifetime compared to the traditional microporous zeolites due to improved diffusivity of substrate molecules and their enhanced access to the zeolite active sites. Understanding diffusion of biomass pyrolysis vapors and their upgraded products in such materials is fundamentally important during catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of lignocellulosic biomass, since diffusion makes major contribution to determine shape selectivity and product distribution. However, diffusivities of biomass relevant species in hierarchical mesoporous zeolites are poorly characterized, primarily due to the limitations of the available experimental technology. In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are utilizedmore » to investigate the diffusivities of several selected coke precursor molecules, benzene, naphthalene, and anthracene, in hierarchical mesoporous H-ZSM-5 zeolite. The effects of temperature and size of mesopores on the diffusivity of the chosen model compounds are examined. The simulation results demonstrate that diffusion within the microspores as well as on the external surface of mesoporous H-ZSM-5 dominates only at low temperature. At pyrolysis relevant temperatures, mass transfer is essentially conducted via diffusion along the mesopores. Additionally, the results illustrate the heuristic diffusion model, such as the extensively used Knudsen diffusion, overestimates the diffusion of bulky molecules in the mesopores, thus making MD simulation a powerful and compulsory approach to explore diffusion in zeolites.« less

Catalytic cracking of fast and tail gas reactive pyrolysis bio-oils over HZSM-5

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of pyrolysis oil is well understood as an upgrading method, the high processing pressures associated with it alone justify the exploration of alternative upgrading solutions, especially those that could adapt pyrolysis oils into the existing refinery infrastructure. Ca...

Early clinical experience with the da Vinci Xi Surgical System in general surgery.

PubMed

Hagen, Monika E; Jung, Minoa K; Ris, Frederic; Fakhro, Jassim; Buchs, Nicolas C; Buehler, Leo; Morel, Philippe

2017-09-01

The da Vinci Xi Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) has been released in 2014 to facilitate minimally invasive surgery. Novel features are targeted towards facilitating complex multi-quadrant procedures, but data is scarce so far. Perioperative data of patients who underwent robotic general surgery with the da Vinci Xi system within the first 6 month after installation were collected and analyzed. The gastric bypass procedures performed with the da Vinci Xi Surgical System were compared to an equal amount of the last procedures with the da Vinci Si Surgical System. Thirty-one foregut (28 Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses), 6 colorectal procedures and 1 revisional biliary procedure were performed. The mean operating room (OR) time was 221.8 (±69.0) minutes for gastric bypasses and 306.5 (±48.8) for colorectal procedures with mean docking time of 9.4 (±3.8) minutes. The gastric bypass procedure was transitioned from a hybrid to a fully robotic approach. In comparison to the last 28 gastric bypass procedures performed with the da Vinci Si Surgical System, the OR time was comparable (226.9 versus 230.6 min, p = 0.8094), but the docking time significantly longer with the da Vinci Xi Surgical System (8.5 versus 6.1 min, p = 0.0415). All colorectal procedures were performed with a single robotic docking. No intraoperative and two postoperative complications occurred. The da Vinci Xi might facilitate single-setups of totally robotic gastric bypass and colorectal surgeries. However, further comparable research is needed to clearly determine the significance of this latest version of the da Vinci Surgical System.

Identification of Peroxiredoxin-5 in Bovine Cauda Epididymal Sperm

PubMed Central

Nagdas, Subir K; Buchanan, Teresa; Raychoudhury, Samir

2013-01-01

Developing spermatozoa require a series of post-testicular modifications within the luminal environment of the epididymis to achieve maturation; this involves several surface modifications including changes in plasma membrane lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and alterations in the outer acrosomal membrane. Epididymal maturation can therefore allow sperm to gain forward motility and fertilization capabilities. The objective of this study was to identify maturation dependent protein(s) and to investigate their role with the production of functionally competent spermatozoa. Lectin blot analyses of caput and cauda sperm plasma membrane fractions identified a 17.5kDa Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) binding polypeptide present in the cauda sperm plasma membrane not in the caput sperm plasma membrane. Among the several WGA stained bands, the presence of a 17.5kDa WGA binding polypeptide band was detected only in cauda epididymal fluid not in caput epididymal fluid suggesting that the 17.5kDa WGA-binding polypeptide is secreted from the cauda epididymis and binds to the cauda sperm plasma membrane during epididymal transit. Proteomic identification of the 17.5kDa polypeptide yielded 13 peptides that matched the sequence of peroxiredoxin-5 (PRDX5) protein (Bos Taurus). We propose that bovine cauda sperm PRDX5 acts as an antioxidant enzyme in the epididymal environment, which is crucial in protecting the viable sperm population against the damage caused by endogeneous or exogeneous peroxide. PMID:24186847

Pharmacokinetics and tolerability of DA-8031, a novel selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for premature ejaculation in healthy male subjects.

PubMed

Shin, Dongseong; Lee, SeungHwan; Yi, Sojeong; Yoon, Seo Hyun; Cho, Joo-Youn; Bahng, Mi Young; Jang, In-Jin; Yu, Kyung-Sang

2017-01-01

DA-8031 is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor under development for the treatment of premature ejaculation. This is the first-in-human study aimed at evaluating the pharmacokinetics and tolerability of DA-8031 and its metabolites (M1, M2, M4, and M5) in the plasma and urine after administration of a single oral dose in healthy male subjects. A dose block-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose study was conducted. Subjects received either placebo or a single dose of DA-8031 at 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, or 120 mg. DA-8031 and its four metabolites were analyzed in the plasma and urine for pharmacokinetic evaluation. The effect of genetic polymorphisms of cytochrome-P450 (CYP) enzymes on the pharmacokinetics of DA-8031 was evaluated. After a single dose, plasma DA-8031 reached the maximum concentration at a median of 2-3 h and was eliminated with terminal elimination half-life of 17.9-28.7 h. The mean renal clearance was 3.7-5.6 L/h. Dose-proportional pharmacokinetics was observed over the dose range of 20-80 mg. Among the metabolites, M4 had the greatest plasma concentration, followed by M5 and M1. Subjects with CYP2D6 intermediate metabolizer had significantly greater dose-normalized C max and AUC 0- t of DA-8031 as well as smaller metabolic ratios than those subjects with CYP2D6 extensive metabolizer. The most common adverse events were nausea, dizziness, and headache, and no serious adverse events were reported. In conclusion, the systemic exposure of DA-8031 was increased proportionally to the dose within 20-80 mg. Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2D6 had an effect on the systemic exposure of DA-8031. DA-8031 was well tolerated after single doses of 80 mg or less.

Efficacy of DA-9701 (Motilitone) in Functional Dyspepsia Compared to Pantoprazole: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Non-inferiority Study.

PubMed

Jung, Hye-Kyung; Lee, Kwang Jae; Choi, Myung-Gyu; Park, Hyojin; Lee, Joon Seong; Rhee, Poong-Lyul; Kim, Nayoung; Park, KyungSik; Choi, Suck Chei; Lee, Oh Young; Huh, Kyu Chan; Song, Geun Am; Hong, Su Jin; Sohn, Chong Il; Jung, Hwoon-Yong; Lee, Yong Chan; Rew, Jong Sun; Jee, Sam Ryong; Kwon, Joong Goo

2016-04-30

The effect of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) in Asian functional dyspepsia (FD) patients has not been well established as in Westerncountries. DA-9701, a novel prokinetic agent, stimulates gastric emptying and modulates visceral hypersensitivity in vivo and in human studies. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of DA-9701 with a conventional PPI in mono or combination therapy in patients with FD. In this double-blind, randomized, non-inferiority trial, 389 patients diagnosed with FD using Rome III criteria were allocated among3 groups: 30-mg DA-9701 t.i.d (means 3 times a day), 40-mg pantoprazole, and 30-mg DA-9701 t.i.d + 40-mg pantoprazole. Theprimary efficacy end-point was a global assessment of the patient binary response or response on a 5-Likert scale after 4 weeks. The global symptomatic improvement was 60.5% in the DA-9701 group, 65.6% in the pantoprazole group, and 63.5% in the DA-9701 + pantoprazole group using a 5-Likert scale at week 4 with no significant difference among 3 groups (P = 0.685). Symptomimprovement measured by binary outcome was significantly achieved in each of the 3 groups, but not different among groups.Patients in all treatment groups reported significant improvement in the response rate and symptoms according to FD subtypes anddyspepsia-related quality of life (P < 0.001), but there were no significant differences among the 3 groups. DA-9701 improves global and individual symptoms and increases dyspepsia-specific quality of life in patients with FD. The efficacyof DA-9701 monotherapy is comparable with pantoprazole and there is no additive effect with combination of DA-9701 andpantoprazole in patients with FD.

Endogenous dopamine (DA) modulates (3H)spiperone binding in vivo in rat brain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bischoff, S.; Krauss, J.; Grunenwald, C.

1991-01-01

(3H)spiperone (SPI) binding in vivo, biochemical parameters and behavior were measured after modulating DA levels by various drug treatments. DA releasers and uptake inhibitors increased SPI binding in rat striatum. In other brain areas, the effects were variable, but only the pituitary remained unaffected. Surprisingly, nomifensine decreased SPI binding in frontal cortex. The effects of these drugs were monitored by measuring DA, serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites in the same rats. The increased SPI binding in striatum was parallel to the locomotor stimulation with the following rank order: amfonelic acid greater than nomifensine greater than D-amphetamine greater than or equalmore » to methylphenidate greater than amineptine greater than bupropion. Decreasing DA levels with reserpine or alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine reduced SPI binding by 45% in striatum only when both drugs were combined. In contrast, reserpine enhanced SPI binding in pituitary. Thus, the amount of releasable DA seems to modulate SPI binding characteristics. It is suggested that in vivo, DA receptors are submitted to dynamic regulation in response to changes in intrasynaptic concentrations of DA.« less

Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA workload management system for exascale computational science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeno, T.; De, K.; Klimentov, A.; Nilsson, P.; Oleynik, D.; Panitkin, S.; Petrosyan, A.; Schovancova, J.; Vaniachine, A.; Wenaus, T.; Yu, D.; Atlas Collaboration

2014-06-01

An important foundation underlying the impressive success of data processing and analysis in the ATLAS experiment [1] at the LHC [2] is the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) workload management system [3]. PanDA was designed specifically for ATLAS and proved to be highly successful in meeting all the distributed computing needs of the experiment. However, the core design of PanDA is not experiment specific. The PanDA workload management system is capable of meeting the needs of other data intensive scientific applications. Alpha-Magnetic Spectrometer [4], an astro-particle experiment on the International Space Station, and the Compact Muon Solenoid [5], an LHC experiment, have successfully evaluated PanDA and are pursuing its adoption. In this paper, a description of the new program of work to develop a generic version of PanDA will be given, as well as the progress in extending PanDA's capabilities to support supercomputers and clouds and to leverage intelligent networking. PanDA has demonstrated at a very large scale the value of automated dynamic brokering of diverse workloads across distributed computing resources. The next generation of PanDA will allow other data-intensive sciences and a wider exascale community employing a variety of computing platforms to benefit from ATLAS' experience and proven tools.

Nitrergic Pathway Is the Major Mechanism for the Effect of DA-9701 on the Rat Gastric Fundus Relaxation.

PubMed

Min, Yang Won; Ko, Eun-Ju; Lee, Ji Yeon; Min, Byung-Hoon; Lee, Jun Haeng; Kim, Jae J; Rhee, Poong-Lyul

2014-07-31

DA-9701 significantly improved gastric accommodation by increasing the postprandial gastric volume. In this study, we investigated how DA-9701 affects the rat gastric fundus relaxation. Gastric fundus muscle strips (9 longitudinal and 7 circular muscles) were obtained from rats. Electrical field stimulation (EFS) was performed at various frequencies (1, 5, 10 and 20 Hz) and train durations (1, 5, 10 and 20 seconds) to select optimal condition for experiments. Isometric force measurements were performed in response to EFS. Peak and nadir were observed during the first 1 minute after initiation of EFS in control state and after sequential addition of atropine (1 μM), DA-9701 (0.5, 5, 25 and 50 μg), N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 100 μM), MRS2500 (1 μM) and tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 μM) to the organ bath. The optimal frequency and duration of EFS to evoke nerve-mediated relaxation was determined as 5 Hz for 10 seconds. Addition of L-NNA in the presence of atropine and DA-9701 (50 μg) decreased nadir by inhibiting relaxation from -0.054 ± 0.021 g to -0.022 ± 0.015 g (P = 0.026) in longitudinal muscles. However, subsequent application of MRS2500 in the presence of atropine, DA-9701 (50 μg) and L-NNA did not affect nadir. In circular muscles, subsequent addition of L-NNA and MRS2500 in the presence of atropine and DA-9701 (50 μg) did not show significant change of nadir. Our data suggest that the effect of DA-9701 on the rat gastric fundus relaxation is mainly mediated by nitrergic rather than purinergic pathway.

Neurotoxic Effects of 5-MeO-DIPT: A Psychoactive Tryptamine Derivative in Rats.

PubMed

Noworyta-Sokołowska, Karolina; Kamińska, Katarzyna; Kreiner, Grzegorz; Rogóż, Zofia; Gołembiowska, Krystyna

2016-11-01

5-Methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT, 'foxy') is one of the most popular tryptamine hallucinogens in the illicit drug market. It produces serious adverse effects, but its pharmacological profile is not well recognized. In vitro data have shown that 5-MeO-DIPT acts as a potent serotonin transporter (SERT) inhibitor and displays high affinity at serotonin 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT2C receptors. In this study, using microdialysis in freely moving rats, we examined the effect of 5-MeO-DIPT on dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and glutamate release in the rat striatum, nucleus accumbens, and frontal cortex. In search of a possible neurotoxic effect of 5-MeO-DIPT, we measured DA and 5-HT tissue content in the above rat brain regions and also determined the oxidative DNA damage with the comet assay. Moreover, we tested drug-elicited head-twitch response and a forepaw treading induced by 8-OH-DPAT. 5-MeO-DIPT at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg increased extracellular DA, 5-HT, and glutamate level but the differences in the potency were found between brain regions. 5-MeO-DIPT increased 5-HT and decreased 5-HIAA tissue content which seems to result from SERT inhibition. On the other hand, a decrease in DA, DOPAC, and HVA tissue contents suggests possible adaptive changes in DA turnover or damage of DA terminals by 5-MeO-DIPT. DNA single and double-strand breaks persisted up to 60 days after the treatment, indicating marked neurotoxicity of 5-MeO-DIPT. The induction of head-twitch response and potentiation of forepaw treading induced by 8-OH-DPAT indicate that hallucinogenic activity seems to be mediated through the stimulation of 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors by 5-MeO-DIPT.

75 FR 52292 - Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 40 and DA 40F Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-25

... Industries GmbH Models DA 40 and DA 40F Airplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department... new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 40 and DA 40F... received information from Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH that the Models DA 40 and DA 40F airplanes have...

Sarizotan, a serotonin 5-HT1A receptor agonist and dopamine receptor ligand. 1. Neurochemical profile.

PubMed

Bartoszyk, G D; Van Amsterdam, C; Greiner, H E; Rautenberg, W; Russ, H; Seyfried, C A

2004-02-01

Sarizotan exhibited high affinities only to serotonin 5-HT1A receptors and dopamine DA D4>D3>D2 receptors with the profile of a 5-HT1A agonist and DA antagonist demonstrated by the inhibition of cAMP-stimulation and guinea pig ileum contraction, decreased accumulation of the 5-HT precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan and increased levels of 5-HT metabolites, increased accumulation of DA precursor dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and the reduced levels of DA metabolites in intact rats. However, sarizotan at higher doses decreased DA precursor accumulation in reserpinized rats and induced contralateral rotational behavior in unilaterally substantia nigra lesioned rats, indicating some intrinsic dopaminergic activity; at D2 receptors sarizotan may act as a partial agonist, depending on the dopaminergic impulse flow. Sarizotan represents a new approach for the treatment of extrapyramidal motor complications such as l-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease.

Is da Vinci Xi Better than da Vinci Si in Robotic Rectal Cancer Surgery? Comparison of the 2 Generations of da Vinci Systems.

PubMed

Ozben, Volkan; Cengiz, Turgut B; Atasoy, Deniz; Bayraktar, Onur; Aghayeva, Afag; Erguner, Ilknur; Baca, Bilgi; Hamzaoglu, Ismail; Karahasanoglu, Tayfun

2016-10-01

We aimed to compare perioperative outcomes for procedures using the latest generation of da Vinci robot versus its previous version in rectal cancer surgery. Fifty-three patients undergoing robotic rectal cancer surgery between January 2010 and March 2015 were included. Patients were classified into 2 groups (Xi, n=28 vs. Si, n=25) and perioperative outcomes were analyzed. The groups had significant differences including operative procedure, hybrid technique and redocking (P>0.05). In univariate analysis, the Xi group had shorter console times (265.7 vs. 317.1 min, P=0.006) and total operative times (321.6 vs. 360.4 min, P=0.04) and higher number of lymph nodes harvested (27.5 vs. 17.0, P=0.008). In multivariate analysis, Xi robot was associated with a shorter console time (odds ratio: 0.09, P=0.004) with no significant differences regarding other outcomes. Both generations of da Vinci robot led to similar short-term outcomes in rectal cancer surgery, but the Xi robot allowed shorter console times.

Da Vinci-assisted abdominal cerclage.

PubMed

Barmat, Larry; Glaser, Gretchen; Davis, George; Craparo, Frank

2007-11-01

To report the first placement of an abdominal cervicoisthmic cerclage using the da Vinci robot. Case report. Tertiary-care hospital. A 39-year-old female with a history of cervical insufficiency who required a cerclage and was not a candidate for transvaginal cerclage placement. Abdominal cervicoisthmic cerclage placement using the da Vinci robot. Ability to safely and successfully place an abdominal cerclage using the da Vinci robot. Abdominal cerclage was successfully placed using the da Vinci robot. The patient had minimal blood loss and was discharged to home on the same day as surgery. Da Vinci robot-assisted abdominal cerclage placement is an innovative application of robotic surgery and may alter the standard of care for women who require this surgery.

Production and characterization of pyrolytic oils by pyrolysis of waste machinery oil.

PubMed

Sinağ, Ali; Gülbay, Selen; Uskan, Burçin; Uçar, Suat; Ozgürler, Sara Bilge

2010-01-15

The main objective of this work is to propose an alternative method for evaluation of the waste machinery oil which is an environmental problem in Turkey. For this purpose, pyrolysis of waste machinery oil was conducted in a tubular reactor. Effect of the experimental conditions (various temperatures, catalyst type) on the formation of pyrolytic oil, gas, and char was investigated. Nickel supported on silica and zeolite (HZSM-5) were used as catalysts. Properties of the pyrolytic oils were characterized by gas chromatograph equipped with a mass selective detector (GC-MS), gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID for boiling point range distribution), nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) spectroscopy, higher heating value measurement, and elemental analysis. The behavior of the metals in the waste machinery oil and the pyrolytic oil samples was also quantitatively detected by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis. As, Cd and Cr contents of the all pyrolytic oils were found as <0.05 ppm, while Cu content of the pyrolytic oils varied between 0.3 ppm and 0.61 ppm. Only Vanadium contents of the pyrolytic oils obtained at 800 degrees C (0.342 ppm) and in the presence of HZSM5 (0.57 ppm) increased compared to that obtained by waste machinery oil (0.1 ppm). Lower metal contents of the pyrolytic oils reveal that pyrolysis of the waste machinery oils leads to the formation of environmental friendly pyrolytic oils with higher heating values.

A Influência da Escola e da Mídia na Obtenção dos Conhecimentos Astronômicos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Cunha, W. S.; Voelzke, M. R.; Amaral, L. H.

2006-08-01

O universo em que vivemos possui segredos jamais imaginados pelo homem, fruto da pequena proporção que ocupamos diante de um cosmos infinito. A astronomia funciona como um instrumento que sacia a sede humana em desvendar esses segredos, estudando as galáxias, quasares, pulsares além da existência de todos os elementos que preenchem o espaço cósmico, o vácuo, não mais vazio como se pensou em outros tempos. A mídia explora esse campo de forma mística e também científica. A difusão adequada e dentro dos padrões educacionais vigentes, de conceitos astronômicos, se faz necessária, devido sua presença nos conteúdos escolares, centros de ciência e na mídia, de modo geral. A reforma do Currículo Básico da Escola Pública da maioria dos Estados brasileiros introduziu conceitos astronômicos desde a pré-escola até o Ensino Médio. Num estudo realizado com 1.032 alunos do Ensino Médio de seis escolas estaduais, revelou-se através da aplicação de um questionário que abordava conheciment os básicos em astronomia, como estes foram adquiridos e qual era a infra-estrutura oferecida pela escola: para 66,2% dos entrevistados o professor já fez alguma apresentação a respeito de astronomia. O presente estudo revelou também que 44,5% dos alunos entrevistados adquiriram seus conhecimentos astronômicos na escola, 28,1% através da televisão e 27,4% afirmaram que seus conhecimentos foram obtidos através de outros tipos de mídia (internet, filmes e revistas). Embora o estudo revele claramente que há certo equilíbrio na forma em que os alunos obtiveram seus conhecimentos astronômicos, a mídia ainda explora e muitas vezes desperta o interesse pela astronomia com assuntos que não fazem parte de nosso cotidiano como, por exemplo, o homem na Lua, os projetos espaciais e a primeira viagem de um astronauta brasileiro no espaço. Porém, em certos casos, a mídia pode promover conhecimentos incompletos ou mesmo equivocados sobre os conceitos que envolvam

Output control of da Vinci surgical system's surgical graspers.

PubMed

Johnson, Paul J; Schmidt, David E; Duvvuri, Umamaheswar

2014-01-01

The number of robot-assisted surgeries performed with the da Vinci surgical system has increased significantly over the past decade. The articulating movements of the robotic surgical grasper are controlled by grip controls at the master console. The user interface has been implicated as one contributing factor in surgical grasping errors. The goal of our study was to characterize and evaluate the user interface of the da Vinci surgical system in controlling surgical graspers. An angular manipulator with force sensors was used to increment the grip control angle as grasper output angles were measured. Input force at the grip control was simultaneously measured throughout the range of motion. Pressure film was used to assess the maximum grasping force achievable with the endoscopic grasping tool. The da Vinci robot's grip control angular input has a nonproportional relationship with the grasper instrument output. The grip control mechanism presents an intrinsic resistant force to the surgeon's fingertips and provides no haptic feedback. The da Vinci Maryland graspers are capable of applying up to 5.1 MPa of local pressure. The angular and force input at the grip control of the da Vinci robot's surgical graspers is nonproportional to the grasper instrument's output. Understanding the true relationship of the grip control input to grasper instrument output may help surgeons understand how to better control the surgical graspers and promote fewer grasping errors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiquadrant robotic colorectal surgery: the da Vinci Xi vs Si comparison.

PubMed

Protyniak, Bogdan; Jorden, Jeffrey; Farmer, Russell

2018-03-01

The newly introduced da Vinci Xi Surgical System hopes to address the shortcomings of its predecessor, specifically robotic arm restrictions and difficulty working in multiple quadrants. We compare the two robot platforms in multiquadrant surgery at a major colorectal referral center. Forty-four patients in the da Vinci Si group and 26 patients in the Xi group underwent sigmoidectomy or low anterior resection between 2014 and 2016. Patient demographics, operative variables, and postoperative outcomes were compared using descriptive statistics. Both groups were similar in age, sex, BMI, pelvic surgeries, and ASA class. Splenic flexure was mobilized in more (p = 0.045) da Vinci Xi cases compared to da Vinci Si both for sigmoidectomy (50 vs 15.4%) and low anterior resection (60 vs 29%). There was no significant difference in operative time (219.9 vs 224.7 min; p = 0.640), blood loss (170.0 vs 188.1 mL; p = 0.289), length of stay (5.7 vs 6 days; p = 0.851), or overall complications (26.9 vs 22.7%; p = 0.692) between the da Vinci Xi and Si groups, respectively. Single-dock multiquadrant robotic surgery, measured by splenic flexure mobilization with concomitant pelvic dissection, was more frequently performed using the da Vinci Xi platform with no increase in operative time, bleeding, or postoperative complications. The new platform provides surgeons an easier alternative to the da Vinci Si dual docking or combined robotic/laparoscopic multiquadrant surgery.

Effects of catalyst pore structure and acid properties on the dehydration of glycerol.

PubMed

Choi, Youngbo; Park, Hongseok; Yun, Yang Sik; Yi, Jongheop

2015-03-01

Hierarchical porous catalysts have recently attracted increasing interest because of the enhanced accessibility to active sites on such materials. In this context, previously reported hierarchically mesoporous ASN and ASPN materials are evaluated by applying them to the dehydration of glycerol, and demonstrate excellent catalytic performance. In addition, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of pore structures and the acid properties on the reaction through comparative studies with microporous HZSM-5 and mesoporous AlMCM-41 is provided. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A phase IIa study of rhLTα-Da in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil for patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or gastric adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Wang, Feng-Hua; Wang, Yun; Chen, Zhen-Dong; Chen, Jian-Hua; Qin, Feng-Zhan; Jiang, Wen-Qi; Li, Yu-Hong

2016-11-01

Recombinant human lymphotoxin-α derivative (rhLTα-Da) is a lymphotoxin-α derivative missing 27 N-terminal amino acid residues. This multicenter phase IIa trial was conducted to evaluate the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of rhLTα-Da with cisplatin (DDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) for metastatic esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) and gastric adenocarcinoma (GC). Two different rhLTα-Da doses (10 µg/m 2 /d and 20 µg/m 2 /d) in combination with DDP and 5-Fu were evaluated in this study. The first 6 ESCC and 6 GC patients were given 10 µg/m 2 /d rhLTα-Da followed by DDP (15 mg/m 2 /d) and 5-Fu (750 mg/m 2 /d) on days 1-5. The next 6 ESCC and 6 GC patients were given 20 µg/m 2 /d rhLTα-Da after fewer than 2 of the 6 patients who received the 10 µg/m 2 /d dose exhibited dose-limiting rhLTα-Da-related toxicities. The treatment was 21 days a cycle until a maximum of 6. The rhLTα-Da pharmacokinetic analyses were performed. Twelve ESCC and 12 GC patients were enrolled. The toxicities were controllable and reversible. The most common adverse events related to rhLTα-Da were chills (37.5 %, 9/24) and fever (16.7 %, 4/24) (all grades 1-2). The overall response rates in the 10- and 20-µg/m 2 /d groups were 50 % (6/12) and 33.3 % (4/12), respectively, and the overall response rates of the ESCC and GC patients were 66.7 % (8/12) and 16.7 % (2/12), respectively. rhLTα-Da in combination with DDP and 5-Fu exhibited a tolerable toxicity profile. The addition of rhLTα-Da may enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in metastatic ESCC.

The local effect of octreotide on mechanical pain sensitivity is more sensitive in DA rats than DA.1U rats.

PubMed

Yao, Fan-Rong; Wang, Hui-Sheng; Guo, Yuan; Zhao, Yan

2016-02-01

A recent study by the authors indicated that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are associated with the differences in basal pain sensitivity and in formalin model between Dark-Agouti (DA) and novel congenic DA.1U rats, which have the same genetic background as DA rats except for the u alleles of MHC. The objective of the present study is to investigate whether there is a difference in the pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) model and local analgesic effect of octreotide (OCT) between DA and DA.1U rats. The hindpaw mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and heat withdrawal latency (HWL) were observed. The C unit firings of the tibial nerve evoked by non-noxious and noxious toe movements were recorded by electrophysiological methods in normal and PIA models in DA and DA.1U rats before and after local OCT administration. The expression of somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A) was observed by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrate that DA rats have a higher mechanical sensitivity than DA.1U rats after PIA. Local OCT administration significantly elevated MWT in DA rats under normal and PIA sate, but not in DA.1U rats. The electrophysiological experiments showed OCT significantly attenuated the firings of C units evoked by non-noxious and noxious stimulation in DA rats more than those in DA.1U rats both in normal and PIA states. In addition, the expression of SSTR2A in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord was significantly higher in DA than in DA.1U rats. All of the findings suggest a higher local analgesic effect of OCT in DA rats than DA.1U rats, which might be associated with the MHC genes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Usefulness of 8 kDa protein of Fasciola hepatica in diagnosis of fascioliasis

PubMed Central

Kim, Kwangsig; Yang, Hyun Jong

2003-01-01

This study was designed to detect and evaluate an antigenicity of low molecular weight proteins of Fasciola hepatica in fascioliasis. Low molecular weight protein of F. hepatica was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sephacryl S-100 HR gel filtration. The protein obtained was estimated to be 8 kDa on 7.5-15% gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Immunoblotting studies showed that the 8 kDa protein reacted with human fascioliasis sera, but not other trematodiasis sera. This result suggests that the 8 kDa protein of F. hepatica is one of diagnostic antigens in human fascioliasis without cross-reaction with other human trematodiasis. PMID:12815325

Revisiting shape selectivity in liquid chromatography for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) - six-ring and seven-ring Cata-condensed PAH isomers of molecular mass 328 Da and 378 Da.

PubMed

Oña-Ruales, Jorge O; Sander, Lane C; Wilson, Walter B; Wise, Stephen A

2018-01-01

The relationship of reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) retention on a polymeric C 18 stationary phase and the shape of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated for three-ring to seven-ring cata-condensed isomers. We report the first RPLC separation for six-ring and seven-ring cata-condensed PAH isomers. Correlations of LC retention and shape parameters (length-to-breath ratio, L/B and thickness, T) were investigated for 2 three-ring isomers (molecular mass 178 Da), 5 four-ring isomers (molecular mass 228 Da), 11 five-ring isomers (molecular mass 278 Da), 17 six-ring isomers (molecular mass 328 Da), and 20 seven-ring isomers (molecular mass 378 Da). Significant linear correlations were found for all isomer groups (r = 0.71 to 0.94). Nonplanarity of the PAH isomers was found to influence retention (i.e., nonplanar isomers eluting earlier than expected based on L/B) and linear correlations of retention vs. T for isomer groups containing nonplanar isomers were significant (r = 0.71 to 0.86). Graphical abstract.

Da Vinci Xi Robot–Assisted Penetrating Keratoplasty

PubMed Central

Chammas, Jimmy; Sauer, Arnaud; Pizzuto, Joëlle; Pouthier, Fabienne; Gaucher, David; Marescaux, Jacques; Mutter, Didier; Bourcier, Tristan

2017-01-01

Purpose This study aims (1) to investigate the feasibility of robot-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (PK) using the new Da Vinci Xi Surgical System and (2) to report what we believe to be the first use of this system in experimental eye surgery. Methods Robot-assisted PK procedures were performed on human corneal transplants using the Da Vinci Xi Surgical System. After an 8-mm corneal trephination, four interrupted sutures and one 10.0 monofilament running suture were made. For each procedure, duration and successful completion of the surgery as well as any unexpected events were assessed. The depth of the corneal sutures was checked postoperatively using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Results Robot-assisted PK was successfully performed on 12 corneas. The Da Vinci Xi Surgical System provided the necessary dexterity to perform the different steps of surgery. The mean duration of the procedures was 43.4 ± 8.9 minutes (range: 28.5–61.1 minutes). There were no unexpected intraoperative events. SD-OCT confirmed that the sutures were placed at the appropriate depth. Conclusions We confirm the feasibility of robot-assisted PK with the new Da Vinci Surgical System and report the first use of the Xi model in experimental eye surgery. Operative time of robot-assisted PK surgery is now close to that of conventional manual surgery due to both improvement of the optical system and the presence of microsurgical instruments. Translational Relevance Experimentations will allow the advantages of robot-assisted microsurgery to be identified while underlining the improvements and innovations necessary for clinical use. PMID:28660096

Da Vinci Xi Robot-Assisted Penetrating Keratoplasty.

PubMed

Chammas, Jimmy; Sauer, Arnaud; Pizzuto, Joëlle; Pouthier, Fabienne; Gaucher, David; Marescaux, Jacques; Mutter, Didier; Bourcier, Tristan

2017-06-01

This study aims (1) to investigate the feasibility of robot-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (PK) using the new Da Vinci Xi Surgical System and (2) to report what we believe to be the first use of this system in experimental eye surgery. Robot-assisted PK procedures were performed on human corneal transplants using the Da Vinci Xi Surgical System. After an 8-mm corneal trephination, four interrupted sutures and one 10.0 monofilament running suture were made. For each procedure, duration and successful completion of the surgery as well as any unexpected events were assessed. The depth of the corneal sutures was checked postoperatively using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Robot-assisted PK was successfully performed on 12 corneas. The Da Vinci Xi Surgical System provided the necessary dexterity to perform the different steps of surgery. The mean duration of the procedures was 43.4 ± 8.9 minutes (range: 28.5-61.1 minutes). There were no unexpected intraoperative events. SD-OCT confirmed that the sutures were placed at the appropriate depth. We confirm the feasibility of robot-assisted PK with the new Da Vinci Surgical System and report the first use of the Xi model in experimental eye surgery. Operative time of robot-assisted PK surgery is now close to that of conventional manual surgery due to both improvement of the optical system and the presence of microsurgical instruments. Experimentations will allow the advantages of robot-assisted microsurgery to be identified while underlining the improvements and innovations necessary for clinical use.

Common commercial cosmetic products induce arthritis in the DA rat.

PubMed Central

Sverdrup, B; Klareskog, L; Kleinau, S

1998-01-01

Many different agents, including mineral oil and silicone, have the capacity to act as immunological adjuvants, i.e., they can contribute to the activation of the immune system. Some adjuvants, including mineral oil, are known to induce arthritis in certain strains of rats after intradermal injection or percutaneous application. The aim of this study was to determine if common commercial cosmetic products containing mineral oil could induce arthritis in the highly susceptible DA (Dark Agouti) rat. Intradermal injection of five out of eight assayed cosmetic products without further additives resulted in arthritis with synovitis. One of the products induced a very aggressive arthritis, which had declined after 5-9 weeks. When this product was also assayed for arthritogenicity upon percutaneous administration, it induced a mild and transient arthritis in 5 out of 10 DA rats, whereas control animals showed no clinical signs of joint involvement. No arthritic reaction was seen in rats after peroral feeding with the most arthritogenic product or by intravaginal application of Freund's adjuvants. Silicone gel implants in DA rats did not cause arthritis. We conclude that mineral oils included in common commercially available products retain their adjuvant properties and are arthritogenic in the presently investigated arthritis-prone rat strain. There is yet no evidence that mineral oils present in cosmetics may contribute to arthritis in humans, but we suggest that this question should be subject to further investigation. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 PMID:9417771

Effects of omeprazole or cola beverage on the pharmacokinetics of oral DA-8159, a new erectogenic, in rats.

PubMed

Lee, Joo H; Bae, Soo K; Kwon, Jong W; Kim, Won B; Lee, Myung G

2005-12-01

The changes in pharmacokinetics of DA-8159 by omeprazole with respect to inhibition of CYP3A1/2 in rats were evaluated. After oral administration of DA-8159 at dose of 30 mg/kg to rats pretreated with oral omeprazole at 30 mg/kg for 1 week, the total area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time infinity (AUC) of DA-8159 was significantly greater (37.5% increase) than that in control rats. This could be due to inhibition of metabolism of DA-8159 by inhibition of CYP3A1/2 by omeprazole. The AUC(DA-8164 (a metabolite of DA-8159))/AUC(DA-8159) ratio was also smaller (32.4% decrease) with omeprazole. After oral administration of DA-8159 at a dose of 30 mg/kg to rats without or with cola beverage, the pharmacokinetic parameters of DA-8159 and DA-8164 were not significantly different between two groups of rats. This suggested that cola beverage did not have any considerable effects on CYP3A1/2 in rats.

The hallucinogen d-lysergic diethylamide (LSD) decreases dopamine firing activity through 5-HT1A, D2 and TAAR1 receptors.

PubMed

De Gregorio, Danilo; Posa, Luca; Ochoa-Sanchez, Rafael; McLaughlin, Ryan; Maione, Sabatino; Comai, Stefano; Gobbi, Gabriella

2016-11-01

d-lysergic diethylamide (LSD) is a hallucinogenic drug that interacts with the serotonin (5-HT) system binding to 5-HT 1 and 5-HT 2 receptors. Little is known about its potential interactions with the dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Using in-vivo electrophysiology in male adult rats, we evaluated the effects of cumulative doses of LSD on VTA DA neuronal activity, compared these effects to those produced on 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), and attempted to identify the mechanism of action mediating the effects of LSD on VTA DA neurons. LSD, at low doses (5-20μg/kg, i.v.) induced a significant decrease of DRN 5-HT firing activity through 5-HT 2A and D 2 receptors. At these low doses, LSD did not alter VTA DA neuronal activity. On the contrary, at higher doses (30-120μg/kg, i.v.), LSD dose-dependently decreased VTA DA firing activity. The depletion of 5-HT with p-chlorophenylalanine did not modulate the effects of LSD on DA firing activity. The inhibitory effects of LSD on VTA DA firing activity were prevented by the D 2 receptor antagonist haloperidol (50μg/kg, i.v.) and by the 5-HT 1A receptor antagonist WAY-100,635 (500μg/kg, i.v.). Notably, pretreatment with the trace amine-associate receptor 1 (TAAR 1 ) antagonist EPPTB (5mg/kg, i.v.) blocked the inhibitory effect of LSD on VTA DA neurons. These results suggest that LSD at high doses strongly affects DA mesolimbic neuronal activity in a 5-HT independent manner and with a pleiotropic mechanism of action involving 5-HT 1A, D 2 and TAAR 1 receptors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The activation of metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors in the rat ventral tegmental area increases dopamine extracellular levels.

PubMed

Ferrada, Carla; Sotomayor-Zárate, Ramón; Abarca, Jorge; Gysling, Katia

2017-01-01

The mesocorticolimbic circuit projects to the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens, among others, and it originates in the dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The VTA receives glutamatergic inputs from the prefrontal cortex and several subcortical regions. The glutamate released activates dopaminergic neurons and its action depends on the activation of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. VTA dopaminergic neurons release dopamine (DA) from axon terminals in the innervated regions and somatodendritically in the VTA itself. DA release in the VTA is directly correlated with the activity of dopaminergic neurons. We hypothesized that metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors (mGlu5) directly regulate the activity of VTA dopaminergic neurons. To test this hypothesis, the extracellular levels of VTA DA and glutamate were studied by in-vivo microdialysis after an intra-VTA perfusion of (R,S)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG), selective mGlu5 agonist. We observed that CHPG induced a significant increase in VTA DA and glutamate extracellular levels. To determine whether the effect of CHPG on DA levels is because of the increase in glutamate release, we perfused kynurenic acid, an ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonist, through the probe. Our results showed that kynurenic acid did not block the ability of CHPG to cause DA release. Thus, our results suggest that CHPG acts directly on mGlu5 in dopaminergic neurons to induce the release of DA.

75 FR 75868 - Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 40 and DA 40F Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 40 and DA 40F Airplanes AGENCY: Federal... of the Thielert Engine Owners Group commented that the Model DA 42 has the same door design and the same unsafe condition. He recommended that the AD also apply to the Model DA 42. The FAA has discussed...

Perfil dos Professores de Ciências Naturais do Recôncavo da Bahia - Alunos da Disciplina Terra e Universo no Curso de Ciências Naturais do Parfor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, S. R.; Cerqueira Júnior, W.; Dutra, G.

2011-12-01

Este trabalho foi desenvolvido pelo projeto Astronomia no Recôncavo da Bahia, no Centro de Formação de Professores da Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia. Traçamos o perfil de um grupo de professores que lecionam conteúdos de Ciências Naturais no recôncavo, alunos do curso de Licenciatura em Ciências Naturais, oferecido dentro do Plano Nacional de Formação de Professores da Educação Básica. Nosso objetivo era avaliar se eles estão preparados para trabalhar conteúdos de Astronomia e identificar suas dificuldades. Os resultados serviram para orientar o professor da disciplina “Terra e Universo”, oferecida no segundo semestre de 2010. Durante a primeira aula da disciplina Terra e Universo, os alunos responderam a um questionário contendo questões abertas e fechadas, divididas em duas partes. A primeira procurando caracterizar profissionalmente os alunos enquanto professores da rede pública da região do Recôncavo Sul da Bahia e uma segunda parte procurando identificar conhecimentos básicos em Astronomia. Os resultados indicam uma predominância de professores do sexo feminino, com idade superior aos 40 anos, pardos e sem formação específica para o ensino de ciências. A maioria leciona há mais de 15 anos para turmas do 1º ao 5º ano, alguns lecionam para turmas de 6º ao 9º ano. Quase todos nunca participaram de um curso de formação continuada em Astronomia. Além disso, não estão habituados a ler revistas especializadas e nem livros com esta temática. Os que procuram ensinar temas voltados para a Astronomia têm, no livro didático, a maior fonte de informação sobre o assunto. As respostas também indicam uma deficiência em conteúdos básicos como a compreensão da esfericidade da Terra, noções de verticalidade e gravidade, incapacidade de identificar a Terra como um planeta, no Sistema Solar, em uma galáxia, no Universo. Estes resultados ressaltam a importância de disciplinas de Astronomia básica na formação dos

Dopamine suppresses neuronal activity of Helisoma B5 neurons via a D2-like receptor, activating PLC and K channels.

PubMed

Zhong, L R; Artinian, L; Rehder, V

2013-01-03

Dopamine (DA) plays fundamental roles as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in the central nervous system. How DA modulates the electrical excitability of individual neurons to elicit various behaviors is of great interest in many systems. The buccal ganglion of the freshwater pond snail Helisoma trivolvis contains the neuronal circuitry for feeding and DA is known to modulate the feeding motor program in Helisoma. The buccal neuron B5 participates in the control of gut contractile activity and is surrounded by dopaminergic processes, which are expected to release DA. In order to study whether DA modulates the electrical activity of individual B5 neurons, we performed experiments on physically isolated B5 neurons in culture and on B5 neurons within the buccal ganglion in situ. We report that DA application elicited a strong hyperpolarization in both conditions and turned the electrical activity from a spontaneously firing state to an electrically silent state. Using the cell culture system, we demonstrated that the strong hyperpolarization was inhibited by the D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride and the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122, indicating that DA affected the membrane potential of B5 neurons through the activation of a D2-like receptor and PLC. Further studies revealed that the DA-induced hyperpolarization was inhibited by the K channel blockers 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium, suggesting that K channels might serve as the ultimate target of DA signaling. Through its modulatory effect on the electrical activity of B5 neurons, the release of DA in vivo may contribute to a neuronal output that results in a variable feeding motor program. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PC5-A-mediated processing of pro-neurotensin in early compartments of the regulated secretory pathway of PC5-transfected PC12 cells.

PubMed

Barbero, P; Rovère, C; De Bie, I; Seidah, N; Beaudet, A; Kitabgi, P

1998-09-25

Among the members of the proprotein convertase (PC) family, PC1 and PC2 have well established roles as prohormone convertases. Another good candidate for this role is PC5-A that has been shown to be present in the regulated secretory pathway of certain neuroendocrine tissues, but evidence that it can process prohormones is lacking. To determine whether PC5-A could function as a prohormone convertase and to compare its cleavage specificity with that of PC1 and PC2, we stably transfected the rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line with PC5-A and analyzed the biosynthesis and subcellular localization of the enzyme, as well as its ability to process pro-neurotensin/neuromedin N (pro-NT/NN) into active peptides. Our data showed that in transfected PC12 cells, PC5-A was converted from its 126-kDa precursor form into a 117-kDa mature form and, to a lesser extent, into a C-terminally truncated 65-kDa form of the 117-kDa product. Metabolic and immunochemical studies showed that PC5-A was sorted to early compartments of the regulated secretory pathway where it colocalized with immunoreactive NT. Furthermore, pro-NT/NN was processed in these compartments according to a pattern that differed from that previously described in PC1- and PC2-transfected PC12 cells. This pattern resembled that previously reported for pro-NT/NN processing in the adrenal medulla, a tissue known to express high levels of PC5-A. Altogether, these data demonstrate for the first time the ability of PC5-A to function as a prohormone convertase in the regulated secretory pathway and suggest a role for this enzyme in the physiological processing of pro-NT/NN.

Effects of acute amphetamine (AMPH) treatment on rat striatal dopamine (DA) receptor activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roseboom, P.H.; Iwaniec, L.M.; Ackerman, J.M.

1986-03-05

Upon administration of AMPH rats display a complex series of dose and time dependent behaviors and changes in dopaminergic activity. They found a decrease in D1 DA receptor-stimulated adenylate cyclase (DA-AC) activity in rat striatal membranes after acute in vivo AMPH at a dose and time of intense stereotyped behavior. The Ka for D1-AC activity increased and the Vmax decreased in striatal membranes from rats given 7.5 mg/kg AMPH i.p. and killed 1 hr later as compared to saline (SAL) controls. They examined whether the decrease of DA-AC was due to a change in receptor number or activation of GTP-bindingmore » protein, Ns. Female Holtzman rats were injected with SAL or 7.5 mg/kg AMPH and killed 1 hr later. A 27,000 x g striatal particulate fraction was prepared for AC assay or (/sup 3/H)DA binding with 10 nM spiroperidol. They found no difference in stimulation of AC by NaF, GTP or GppNHp at any dose tested in membranes from SAL- and AMPH-treated rats. Calmodulin-stimulated AC was also unchanged after AMPH. Specific binding at a saturating concentration of (/sup 3/H)DA was 191 +/- 31 and 117 +/- 14 fmol/mg prot in membranes from SAL- and AMPH-treated rats, respectively. This suggests an alteration is occurring at the level of the D1 receptor rather than at coupling of Ns with the AC catalytic subunit.« less

The smallest natural high-active luciferase: cloning and characterization of novel 16.5-kDa luciferase from copepod Metridia longa.

PubMed

Markova, Svetlana V; Larionova, Marina D; Burakova, Ludmila P; Vysotski, Eugene S

2015-01-30

Coelenterazine-dependent copepod luciferases containing natural signal peptide for secretion are a very convenient analytical tool as they enable monitoring of intracellular events with high sensitivity, without destroying cells or tissues. This property is well suited for application in biomedical research and development of cell-based assays for high throughput screening. We report the cloning of cDNA gene encoding a novel secreted non-allelic 16.5-kDa isoform (MLuc7) of Metridia longa luciferase, which, in fact, is the smallest natural luciferase of known for today. Despite the small size, isoform contains 10 conservative Cys residues suggesting the presence of up to 5 SS bonds. This hampers the efficient production of functionally active recombinant luciferase in bacterial expression systems. With the use of the baculovirus expression system, we produced substantial amounts of the proper folded MLuc7 luciferase with a yield of ∼3 mg/L of a high purity protein. We demonstrate that MLuc7 produced in insect cells is highly active and extremely thermostable, and is well suited as a secreted reporter when expressed in mammalian cells ensuring higher sensitivity of detection as compared to another Metridia luciferase isoform (MLuc164) which is widely employed in real-time imaging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Short-term efficacy of da Vinci robotic surgical system on rectal cancer in 101 patients].

PubMed

Zeng, Dong-Zhu; Shi, Yan; Lei, Xiao; Tang, Bo; Hao, Ying-Xue; Luo, Hua-Xing; Lan, Yuan-Zhi; Yu, Pei-Wu

2013-05-01

To investigate the feasibility and safety of da Vinci robotic surgical system in rectal cancer radical operation, and to summarize its short-term efficacy and clinical experience. Data of 101 cases undergoing da Vinci robotic surgical system for rectal cancer radical operation from March 2010 to September 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Evaluation was focused on operative procedure, complication, recovery and pathology. All the 101 cases underwent operation successfully and safely without conversion to open procedure. Rectal cancer radical operation with da Vinci robotic surgical system included 73 low anterior resections and 28 abdominoperineal resections. The average operative time was (210.3±47.2) min. The average blood lose was (60.5±28.7) ml without transfusion. Lymphadenectomy harvest was 17.3±5.4. Passage of first flatus was (2.7±0.7) d. Distal margin was (5.3±2.3) cm without residual cancer cells. The complication rate was 6.9%, including anastomotic leakage(n=2), perineum incision infection(n=2), pulmonary infection (n=2), urinary retention (n=1). There was no postoperative death. The mean follow-up time was(12.9±8.0) months. No local recurrence was found except 2 cases with distant metastasis. Application of da Vinci robotic surgical system in rectal cancer radical operation is safe and patients recover quickly The short-term efficacy is satisfactory.

Pharmacokinetics of chlorogenic acid and corydaline in DA-9701, a new botanical gastroprokinetic agent, in rats.

PubMed

Jung, Ji Won; Kim, Ju Myung; Jeong, Jin Seok; Son, Miwon; Lee, Hye Suk; Lee, Myung Gull; Kang, Hee Eun

2014-07-01

1.Few studies describing the pharmacokinetic properties of chlorogenic acid (CA) and corydaline (CRD) which are marker compounds of a new prokinetic botanical agent, DA-9701, have been reported. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties CA and CRD following intravenous and oral administration of pure CA (1-8 mg/kg) or CRD (1.1-4.5 mg/kg) and their equivalent dose of DA-9701 to rats. 2.  Dose-proportional AUC and dose-independent clearance (10.3-12.1 ml/min/kg) of CA were observed following its administration. Oral administration of CA as DA-9701 did not influence the oral pharmacokinetic parameters of CA. Incomplete absorption of CA, its decomposition in the gastrointestinal tract, and/or pre-systemic metabolism resulted in extremely low oral bioavailability (F) of CA (0.478-0.899%). 3.  CRD showed greater dose-normalized AUC in the higher dose group than that in lower dose group(s) after its administration due to saturation of its metabolism via decreased non-renal clearance (by 51.3%) and first-pass extraction. As a result, the F of CRD following 4.5 mg/kg oral CRD (21.1%) was considerably greater than those of the lower dose groups (9.10 and 13.8%). However, oral administration of CRD as DA-9701 showed linear pharmacokinetics as a result of increased AUC and F in lower-dose groups (by 182% and 78.5%, respectively) compared to those of pure CRD. The greater oral AUC of CRD for DA-9701 than for pure CRD could be due to decreased hepatic and/or GI first-pass extraction of CRD by other components in DA-9701.

da Vinci decoded: does da Vinci stereopsis rely on disparity?

PubMed

Tsirlin, Inna; Wilcox, Laurie M; Allison, Robert S

2012-11-01

In conventional stereopsis, the depth between two objects is computed based on the retinal disparity in the position of matching points in the two eyes. When an object is occluded by another object in the scene, so that it is visible only in one eye, its retinal disparity cannot be computed. Nakayama and Shimojo (1990) found that a precept of quantitative depth between the two objects could still be established for such stimuli and proposed that this precept is based on the constraints imposed by occlusion geometry. They named this and other occlusion-based depth phenomena "da Vinci stereopsis." Subsequent research found quantitative depth based on occlusion geometry in several other classes of stimuli grouped under the term da Vinci stereopsis. However, Nakayama and Shimojo's findings were later brought into question by Gillam, Cook, and Blackburn (2003), who suggested that quantitative depth in their stimuli was perceived based on conventional disparity. In order to understand whether da Vinci stereopsis relies on one type of mechanism or whether its function is stimulus dependent we examine the nature and source of depth in the class of stimuli used by Nakayama and Shimojo (1990). We use three different psychophysical and computational methods to show that the most likely source for depth in these stimuli is occlusion geometry. Based on these experiments and previous data we discuss the potential mechanisms responsible for processing depth from monocular features in da Vinci stereopsis.

Effect of 14-kDa and 47-kDa protein molecules of age garlic extract on peritoneal macrophages.

PubMed

Daneshmandi, Saeed; Hajimoradi, Monire; Ahmadabad, Hasan Namdar; Hassan, Zuhair Mohammad; Roudbary, Maryam; Ghazanfari, Tooba

2011-03-01

Garlic (Allium sativum), traditionally being used as a spice worldwide, has different applications and is claimed to possess beneficial effects in several health ailments such as tumor and atherosclerosis. Garlic is also an immunomodulator and its different components are responsible for different properties. The present work aimed to assess the effect of protein fractions of garlic on peritoneal macrophages. 14-kDa and 47-kDa protein fractions of garlic were purified. Mice peritoneal macrophages were lavaged and cultured in a microtiter plate and exposed to different concentrations of garlic proteins. MTT assay was performed to evaluate the viability of macrophage. The amount of nitric oxide (NO) was detected in culture supernatants of macrophages by Griess reagent and furthermore, the cytotoxicity study of culture supernatants was carried out on WEHI-164 fibrosarcoma cell line as tumor necrosis factor-α bioassay. MTT assay results for both 14-kDa and 47-kDa protein fractions of stimulated macrophages were not significant (P > 0.05). Both 14-kDa and 47-kDa fractions significantly suppressed production of NO from macrophages (P = 0.007 and P = 0.003, respectively). Cytotoxicity of macrophages' supernatant on WEHI-164 fibrosarcoma cells was not affected by garlic protein fractions (P = 0.066 for 14-kDa and P = 0.085 for 47-kDa fractions). according to our finding, 14-kDa and 47-kDa fractions of aged garlic extract are able to suppress NO production from macrophages, which can be used as a biological advantage. These molecules had no cytotoxic effect on macrophages and do not increase tumoricidal property of macrophages.

RISING FROM THE ASHES: MID-INFRARED RE-BRIGHTENING OF THE IMPOSTOR SN 2010da IN NGC 300

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lau, Ryan M.; Ressler, Michael E.; Kasliwal, Mansi M.

2016-10-20

We present multi-epoch mid-infrared (IR) photometry and the optical discovery observations of the “impostor” supernova (SN) 2010da in NGC 300 using new and archival Spitzer Space Telescope images and ground-based observatories. The mid-infrared counterpart of SN 2010da was detected as Spitzer Infrared Intensive Transient Survey (SPIRITS) 14bme in the SPIRITS, an ongoing systematic search for IR transients. Before erupting on 2010 May 24, the SN 2010da progenitor exhibited a constant mid-IR flux at 3.6 and only a slight ∼10% decrease at 4.5 μ m between 2003 November and 2007 December. A sharp increase in the 3.6 μ m flux followedmore » by a rapid decrease measured ∼150 days before and ∼80 days after the initial outburst, respectively, reveal a mid-IR counterpart to the coincident optical and high luminosity X-ray outbursts. At late times, after the outburst (∼2000 days), the 3.6 and 4.5 μ m emission increased to over a factor of two times the progenitor flux and is currently observed (as of 2016 Feb) to be fading, but still above the progenitor flux. We attribute the re-brightening mid-IR emission to continued dust production and increasing luminosity of the surviving system associated with SN 2010da. We analyze the evolution of the dust temperature ( T {sub d} ∼ 700–1000 K), mass ( M {sub d} ∼ 0.5–3.8 × 10{sup −7} M {sub ⊙}), luminosity ( L {sub IR} ∼ 1.3–3.5 × 10{sup 4} L {sub ⊙}), and the equilibrium temperature radius ( R {sub eq} ∼ 6.4–12.2 au) in order to resolve the nature of SN 2010da. We address the leading interpretation of SN 2010da as an eruption from a luminous blue variable high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) system. We propose that SN 2010da is instead a supergiant (sg)B[e]-HMXB based on similar luminosities and dust masses exhibited by two other known sgB[e]-HMXB systems. Additionally, the SN 2010da progenitor occupies a similar region on a mid-IR color–magnitude diagram (CMD) with known sgB[e] stars in the Large

Low strain, long life creep fatigue of AF2-1DA and INCO 718

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thakker, A. B.; Cowles, B. A.

1983-01-01

Two aircraft turbine disk alloys, GATORIZED AF2-DA and INCO 718 were evaluated for their low strain long life creep-fatigue behavior. Static (tensile and creep rupture) and cyclic properties of both alloys were characterized. The cntrolled strain LCF tests were conducted at 760 C (1400 F) and 649 C (1200 F) for AF2-1DA and INCO 718, respectively. Hold times were varied for tensile, compressive and tensile/compressive strain dwell (relaxation) tests. Stress (creep) hold behavior of AF2-1DA was also evaluated. Generally, INCO 718 exhibited more pronounced reduction in cyclic life due to hold than AF2-1DA. The percent reduction in life for both alloys for strain dwell tests was greater at low strain ranges (longer life regime). Changing hold time from 0 to 0.5, 2.0 and 15.0 min. resulted in corresponding reductions in life. The continuous cycle and cyclic/dwell initiation failure mechanism was predominantly transgranular for AF2-1DA and intergranular for INCO 718.

[Diagnostic Accuracy of the LiSe-DaZ for Children with Specific Language Impairment].

PubMed

Stephan, T; Keilmann, A

2015-12-01

Currently, only few tests for the development of speech and language exist for bi- or multilingual children in Germany. One of those, the LiSe-DaZ (Linguistic performance measurement - German as a second language), was examined in a prospective study regarding its practicability and the sensitivity to detect children with specific language impairment in a group of children aged 5 to 7 who suffered from a severe language impairment according to clinical tests. 74 children (mean age: 60 months; 46% monolingual German-speaking; 54% bi- or multilingual) with severe specific language impairment were examined with the LiSe-DaZ in addition to the clinical established diagnostic during their in-patient stay in the hospital. The children, on average, showed in the receptive language abilities (LiSe-DaZ vs. TROG-D), the expressive vocabulary (LiSe-DaZ vs. AWST-R or WWT) and in the use of prepositions (LiSe-DaZ vs. Ravensburger Dysgrammatical clinical trial) significantly (p<0,0005) better results in the LiSe-DaZ. Thus, the majority of children were diagnosed as language impaired by clinically established tests whereas the LiSe-DaZ considered the children's language development to be normal. This difference was consistently more prominent for children with German as a second language. Compared with the clinically established tests, the informative value of the LiSe-DaZ turned out to be insufficient. The LiSe-DaZ does not detect children with the need of language therapy. Nevertheless, a norming of the established speech tests for bi- or multilingual children would be desirable to avoid unfounded judgements. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A fused-ring acceptor unit in d-a copolymers benefits photovoltaic performance.

PubMed

Zuo, Chuantian; Cao, Jiamin; Ding, Liming

2014-08-01

Pentacyclic lactam acceptor unit TPTI invented by our group is proved to be a good building block for efficient D-A copolymers used in organic solar cells. Here, two D-A copolymers PBTTPTI and PTTTPTI are developed by copolymerizing TPTI with 2,2'-bithiophene (BT) or thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (TT). PBTTPTI and PTTTPTI exhibit good solubility and strong interchain π-π interaction even in dilute solution. They possess deep HOMO levels (ca. -5.3 eV), partial crystallinity, and good hole mobilities. Blending with PC71 BM, PBTTPTI and PTTTPTI give decent power conversion efficiencies (PCE) up to 6.83% and 5.86%, with outstanding fill factors (FF) of 74.3% and 71.3%, respectively. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dopamine enhances duodenal epithelial permeability via the dopamine D5 receptor in rodent.

PubMed

Feng, X-Y; Zhang, D-N; Wang, Y-A; Fan, R-F; Hong, F; Zhang, Y; Li, Y; Zhu, J-X

2017-05-01

The intestinal barrier is made up of epithelial cells and intercellular junctional complexes to regulate epithelial ion transport and permeability. Dopamine (DA) is able to promote duodenal epithelial ion transport through D1-like receptors, which includes subtypes of D 1 (D 1 R) and D 5 (D 5 R), but whether D1-like receptors influence the duodenal permeability is unclear. FITC-dextran permeability, short-circuit current (I SC ), Western blot, immunohistochemistry and ELISA were used in human D 5 R transgenic mice and hyperendogenous enteric DA (HEnD) rats in this study. Dopamine induced a downward deflection in I SC and an increase in FITC-dextran permeability of control rat duodenum, which were inhibited by the D1-like receptor antagonist, SCH-23390. However, DA decreased duodenal transepithelial resistance (TER), an effect also reversed by SCH-23390. A strong immunofluorescence signal for D 5 R, but not D 1 R, was observed in the duodenum of control rat. In human D 5 R knock-in transgenic mice, duodenal mucosa displayed an increased basal I SC with high FITC-dextran permeability and decreased TER with a lowered expression of tight junction proteins, suggesting attenuated duodenal barrier function in these transgenic mice. D 5 R knock-down transgenic mice manifested a decreased basal I SC with lowered FITC-dextran permeability. Moreover, an increased FITC-dextran permeability combined with decreased TER and tight junction protein expression in duodenal mucosa were also observed in HEnD rats. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that DA enhances duodenal permeability of control rat via D 5 R, which provides new experimental and theoretical evidence for the influence of DA on duodenal epithelial barrier function. © 2016 Scandinavian Physiological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PanDaTox: A tool for accelerated metabolic engineering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amitai, Gil; Sorek, Rotem

2012-07-18

Metabolic engineering is often facilitated by cloning of genes encoding enzymes from various heterologous organisms into E. coli. Such engineering efforts are frequently hampered by foreign genes that are toxic to the E. coli host. We have developed PanDaTox (www.weizmann.ac.il/pandatox), a web-based resource that provides experimental toxicity information for more than 1.5 million genes from hundreds of different microbial genomes. The toxicity predictions, which were extensively experimentally verified, are based on serial cloning of genes into E. coli as part of the Sanger whole genome shotgun sequencing process. PanDaTox can accelerate metabolic engineering projects by allowing researchers to exclude toxicmore » genes from the engineering plan and verify the clonability of selected genes before the actual metabolic engineering experiments are conducted.« less

Automated Support for da Vinci Surgical System

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

MScore, which provides objective assessment measuring robotic surgery skills across all computed metrics (Figure 7). In addition to viewing single ...holding an object. Data Collection & Analysis (Task 5)  Preliminary Experiments  During the first phase of data collection, a single performance of...a single task (anastomosis) trial was recorded from six different users – three each for the da Vinci and the dV-Trainer platforms. On each platform

DA-9701 on gastric motility in patients with Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Shin, Cheol Min; Lee, Yoon Jin; Kim, Jong-Min; Lee, Jee Young; Kim, Kyung-Joon; Choi, Yoon Jin; Kim, Nayoung; Lee, Dong Ho

2018-04-21

To evaluate the effect of DA-9701, a novel prokinetic drug, on gastric motility evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Forty PD patients were randomly allocated to receive either domperidone or DA-9701. Their gastric functions were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging before and after 4-week treatment period. Information on levodopa daily dose, disease duration, and Unified PD Rating Scale scores was collected. In 18 patients (domperidone: 9, DA-9701: 9), plasma levodopa concentrations were determined. Primary outcome was assessed by a one-sided 95% confidence interval to show non-inferiority of DA-9701 vs. domperidone with a pre-determined non-inferiority margin of -10%. Thirty-eight participants (19 men and 19 women; mean age, 67.1 years) completed the study protocol (domperidone: DA-9701 = 19:19). Gastric emptying rate at 120 min (2-hr GER) was comparable between the 2 groups; it was not correlated with levodopa daily dose or disease duration or Unified PD Rating Scale scores (all p > 0.05). DA-9701 was not inferior to domperidone in changes of 2-hr GERs before and after the treatment (absolute difference, 4.0 %; one-sided 95% confidence interval, - 3.7 to infinity). However, a significant increase in 2-hr GER was observed only in DA-9701 group (54.5% and 61.8%, before and after treatment, respectively, p < 0.05). Plasma levodopa concentration showed an insignificant but increasing trend in DA-9701 group. There were neither adverse reactions nor deteriorations of parkinsonian symptoms observed in the study participants. DA-9701 can be used for the patients with PD to enhance gastric motility without aggravating PD symptoms (ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03022201). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The da Vinci robotic surgical assisted anterior lumbar interbody fusion: technical development and case report.

PubMed

Beutler, William J; Peppelman, Walter C; DiMarco, Luciano A

2013-02-15

Technique development to use the da Vince Robotic Surgical System for anterior lumbar interbody fusion at L5-S1 is detailed. A case report is also presented. To evaluate and develop the da Vinci robotic assisted laparoscopic anterior lumbar stand-alone interbody fusion procedure. Anterior lumbar interbody fusion is a common procedure associated with potential morbidity related to the surgical approach. The da Vinci robot provides intra-abdominal dissection and visualization advantages compared with the traditional open and laparoscopic approach. The surgical techniques for approach to the anterior lumbar spine using the da Vinci robot were developed and modified progressively beginning with operative models followed by placement of an interbody fusion cage in the living porcine model. Development continued to progress with placement of fusion cage in a human cadaver, completed first in the laboratory setting and then in the operating room. Finally, the first patient with fusion completed using the da Vinci robot-assisted approach is presented. The anterior transperitoneal approach to the lumbar spine is accomplished with enhanced visualization and dissection capability, with maintenance of pneumoperitoneum using the da Vinci robot. Blood loss is minimal. The visualization inside the disc space and surrounding structures was considered better than current open and laparoscopic techniques. The da Vinci robot Surgical System technique continues to develop and is now described for the transperitoneal approach to the anterior lumbar spine. 4.

The da Vinci robot.

PubMed

Moran, Michael E

2006-12-01

One might assume from the title of this paper that the nuances of a complex mechanical robot will be discussed, and this would be correct. On the other hand, the date of the design and possible construction of this robot was 1495, a little more than five centuries ago. The key point in the title is the lack of a trademarked name, as Leonardo was the designer of this sophisticated system. His notes from the Codex Altanticus represent the foundation of this report. English translations of da Vinci's notebooks are currently available. Beginning in the 1950s, investigators at the University of California began to ponder the significance of some of da Vinci's markings on what appeared to be technical drawings. Such markings also occur in his Codex Atlanticus (the largest single collection of da Vinci's sheets, consisting of 1119 separate pages and 481 folios) along with a large number of other mechanical devices. Continuing research at the Instituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence has yielded a great deal of information about Leonardo's intentions with regard to his mechanical knight. It is now known that da Vinci's robot would have had the outer appearance of a Germanic knight. It had a complex core of mechanical devices that probably was human powered. The robot had two independent operating systems. The first had three degree-of-freedom legs, ankles, knees, and hips. The second had four degrees of freedom in the arms with articulated shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hands. A mechanical analog-programmable controller within the chest provided the power and control for the arms. The legs were powered by an external crank arrangement driving the cable, which connected to key locations near each lower extremity's joints. Da Vinci also is known to have devised a programmable front-wheel-drive automobile with rack-and-pinion suspension mechanisms at age 26. He would recall this device again, when, at age 40, he is thought to have built a programmable automated

Thermodynamic analysis of the disorder-to-α-helical transition of 18.5-kDa myelin basic protein reveals an equilibrium intermediate representing the most compact conformation.

PubMed

Vassall, Kenrick A; Jenkins, Andrew D; Bamm, Vladimir V; Harauz, George

2015-05-22

The intrinsically disordered, 18.5-kDa isoform of myelin basic protein (MBP) is a peripheral membrane protein that is essential to proper myelin formation in the central nervous system. MBP acts in oligodendrocytes both to adjoin membrane leaflets to each other in forming myelin and as a hub in numerous protein-protein and protein-membrane interaction networks. Like many intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), MBP multifunctionality arises from its high conformational plasticity and its ability to undergo reversible disorder-to-order transitions. One such transition is the disorder-to-α-helical conformational change that is induced upon MBP-membrane binding. Here, we have investigated the disorder-to-α-helical transition of MBP-derived α-peptides and the full-length 18.5-kDa protein. This transition was induced through titration of the membrane-mimetic solvent trifluoroethanol into both protein and peptide solutions, and conformational change was monitored using circular dichroism spectroscopy, 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid binding, tryptophan fluorescence quenching, and Förster (fluorescence) resonance energy transfer measurements. The data suggest that the disorder-to-α-helical transition of MBP follows a 3-state model: disordered↔intermediate↔α-helical, with each of the identified equilibrium states likely representing a conformational ensemble. The disordered state is characterized by slight compaction with little regular secondary structure, whereas the intermediate is also disordered but globally more compact. Surprisingly, the α-helical conformation is less compact than the intermediate. This study suggests that multifunctionality in MBP could arise from differences in the population of energetically distinct ensembles under different conditions and also provides an example of an IDP that undergoes cooperative global conformation change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between genetic polymorphisms in the DRD5 gene and paranoid schizophrenia in northern Han Chinese.

PubMed

Zhao, Y; Ding, M; Pang, H; Xu, X M; Wang, B J

2014-03-12

Dopamine (DA) has been implicated in the pathophysiol-ogy of several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Thus, genes related to the dopaminergic (DAergic) system are good candidate genes for schizophrenia. One of receptors of the DA receptor system is dopa-mine receptor 5 (DRD5). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the regulatory regions of DRD5 gene may affect gene expression, influence biosynthesis of DA and underlie various neuropsychiatric disorders re-lated to DA dysfunction. The present study explored the association of SNPs within the DRD5 gene with paranoid schizophrenia in Han Chinese. A total of 176 patients with schizophrenia and 206 healthy controls were genotyped for four DRD5 SNPs (rs77434921, rs2076907, rs6283, and rs1800762). Significant group differences were observed in the allele and genotype frequencies of rs77434921 and rs1800762 and in the frequen-cies of GC haplotypes corresponding to rs77434921-rs1800762. Our find-ings suggest that common genetic variations of DRD5 are likely to con-tribute to genetic susceptibility to paranoid schizophrenia in Han Chinese. Further studies in larger samples are needed to replicate this association.

Effect of 3 Different Doses of Intrathecal Dexmedetomidine (2.5µg, 5µg, and 10 µg) on Subarachnoid Block Characteristics: A Prospective Randomized Double Blind Dose-Response Trial.

PubMed

Gupta, Mayank; Gupta, Priyanka; Singh, Dhananjay Kumar

2016-03-01

The extended analgesic efficacy of intrathecal dexmedetomidine (ITD) has been investigated in a few clinical trials; however, there is a lack of conclusive evidence upon its ideal dosage. To elucidate the dose-response relationship between ITD and subarachnoid block characteristics, particularly the duration of analgesia and differential analgesia (DA: defined as time difference from the offset of motor blockade to the first analgesic requirement on numerical rating scale = 4.0). Prospective, randomized double blind active control trial. Medical college teaching hospital. Ninety adult (18 - 60 years) patients undergoing elective lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries were randomized into 3 groups to receive intrathecal 0.5% bupivacaine 3 mL with 2.5 µg (group BD2.5), 5µg (group BD5), or 10 µg (group BD10) dexmedetomidine in 0.5 mL normal saline. The 2 segment sensory regression times (TSSRT), duration of motor blockade analgesia, DA, and perioperative adverse effects were assessed. The primary outcome was duration of analgesia and DA. ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis test, Chi-square (x2), and Fisher's exact test, significance: P < 0.05. The onset of sensory block was significantly earlier in group BD10 compared with group BD5 (P = 0.035) and BD2.5 (P = 0.010) while the onset of motor block was significantly earlier in group BD10 compared with BD2.5 (P = 0.020). There was a significant and dose-dependent prolongation of the duration of sensory block (127.50, 149.17, and 187.50 minutes; P < 0.001), motor block (258.50, 331, and 365 minutes; P < 0.001), analgesia (306.17, 396.50, and 512 minutes; P < 0.001), and DA (47.67, 65.50, and147 minutes; P < 0.001) with escalating doses of ITD, respectively. Group BD10 required significantly fewer rescue analgesics compared with other 2 groups (P = 0.001). Except for mild sedation which was significantly higher in group BD10; all the groups were comparable with respect to hemodynamic and other adverse effects. Lack of placebo group

PKC phosphorylates residues in the N-terminal of the DA transporter to regulate amphetamine-induced DA efflux.

PubMed

Wang, Qiang; Bubula, Nancy; Brown, Jason; Wang, Yunliang; Kondev, Veronika; Vezina, Paul

2016-05-27

The DA transporter (DAT), a phosphoprotein, controls extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the central nervous system through transport or reverse transport (efflux). Multiple lines of evidence support the claim that PKC significantly contributes to amphetamine-induced DA efflux. Other signaling pathways, involving CaMKII and ERK, have also been shown to regulate DAT mediated efflux. Here we assessed the contribution of putative PKC residues (S4, S7, S13) in the N-terminal of the DAT to amphetamine-induced DA efflux by transfecting DATs containing different serine to alanine (S-A) point mutations into DA pre-loaded HEK-293 cells and incubating these cells in amphetamine (2μM). The effects of a S-A mutation at the non-PKC residue S12 and a threonine to alanine (T-A) mutation at the ERK T53 residue were also assessed for comparison. WT-DATs were used as controls. In an initial experiment, we confirmed that inhibiting PKC with Go6976 (130nM) significantly reduced amphetamine-induced DA efflux. In subsequent experiments, cells transfected with the S4A, S12A, S13A, T53A and S4,7,13A mutants showed a reduction in amphetamine-induced DA efflux similar to that observed with Go6976. Interestingly, cells transfected with the S7A mutant, identified by some as a PKC-PKA residue, showed unperturbed WT-DAT levels of amphetamine-induced DA efflux. These results indicate that phosphorylation by PKC of select residues in the DAT N-terminal can regulate amphetamine-induced efflux. PKC can act either independently or in concert with other kinases such as ERK to produce this effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Purification and characterization of multiple bacteriocins and an inducing peptide produced by Enterococcus faecium NKR-5-3 from Thai fermented fish.

PubMed

Ishibashi, Naoki; Himeno, Kohei; Fujita, Koji; Masuda, Yoshimitsu; Perez, Rodney Honrada; Zendo, Takeshi; Wilaipun, Pongtep; Leelawatcharamas, Vichien; Nakayama, Jiro; Sonomoto, Kenji

2012-01-01

Enterocins NKR-5-3A, B, C, and D were purified from the culture supernatant of Enterococcus faecium NKR-5-3 and characterized. Among the four purified peptides, enterocin NKR-5-3A (5242.3 Da) was identical to brochocin A, produced by Brochothrix campestris ATCC 43754, in mature peptides, and its putative synergistic peptide, enterocin NKR-5-3Z, was found to be encoded in ent53Z downstream of ent53A, encoding enterocin NKR-5-3A. Enterocin NKR-5-3B (6316.4 Da) showed a broad antimicrobial spectrum, and enterocin NKR-5-3C (4512.8 Da) showed high activity against Listeria. Enterocin NKR-5-3D (2843.5 Da), showing high homology to an inducing peptide produced by Lactobacillus sakei 5, induced the production of the enterocins. The enterocins showed different antimicrobial spectra and intensities. E. faecium NKR-5-3 concomitantly produced enterocins NKR-5-3A, B, C, and D which probably belong to different classes of bacteriocins. Furthermore, NKR-5-3 production was induced by enterocin NKR-5-3D.

32 CFR 518.5 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... records); (18) AR 600-8-104 (military personnel information management records); (19) AR 600-85 (alcohol... FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROGRAM General Provisions § 518.5 Authority. (a) This part governs written... information under the FOIA. (c) Requests for DA records processed under the FOIA may be denied only in...

32 CFR 518.5 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... records); (18) AR 600-8-104 (military personnel information management records); (19) AR 600-85 (alcohol... FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROGRAM General Provisions § 518.5 Authority. (a) This part governs written... information under the FOIA. (c) Requests for DA records processed under the FOIA may be denied only in...

32 CFR 518.5 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... records); (18) AR 600-8-104 (military personnel information management records); (19) AR 600-85 (alcohol... FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PROGRAM General Provisions § 518.5 Authority. (a) This part governs written... information under the FOIA. (c) Requests for DA records processed under the FOIA may be denied only in...

Purification of nitrate reductase from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia by affinity chromatography using 5'AMP-sepharose and monoclonal antibodies.

PubMed

Moureaux, T; Leydecker, M T; Meyer, C

1989-02-15

Nitrate reductase was purified from leaves of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia using either 5'AMP-Sepharose chromatography or two steps of immunoaffinity chromatography involving monoclonal antibodies directed against nitrate reductase from maize and against ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from N. plumbaginifolia. Nitrate reductase obtained by the first method was purified 1000-fold to a specific activity of 9 units/mg protein. The second method produced an homogenous enzyme, purified 21,000-fold to a specific activity of 80 units/mg protein. SDS/PAGE of nitrate reductase always resulted in two bands of 107 and 99.5 kDa. The 107-kDa band was the nitrate reductase subunit of N. plumbaginifolia; the smaller one of 99.5 kDa is thought, as commonly reported, to result from proteolysis of the larger protein. The molecular mass of 107 kDa is close to the values calculated from the coding sequences of the two nitrate reductase genes recently cloned from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi).

32 CFR 516.25 - DA Form 4.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true DA Form 4. 516.25 Section 516.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AID OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS LITIGATION Reporting Legal Proceedings to HQDA § 516.25 DA Form 4. (a) General. The DA Form 4 (See figure C-2...

Catalytic co-aromatization of ethanol and methane

DOE PAGES

Wang, Aiguo; He, Peng; Yung, Matthew; ...

2016-06-06

This study demonstrates the technical feasibility of simultaneously converting ethanol and methane into liquid hydrocarbons at mild reaction conditions (400 °C and 1 atm) over silver and/or zinc modified zeolite catalysts. After GC-MS analysis, it is worth noting that aromatics are the major compounds contained in the liquid product collected from the run when 1%Ag/ZSM-5, particularly after H 2 pretreatment, is charged. Compared to the performance exhibited from the run with pure HZSM-5 support engaged, Ag addition into the HZSM-5 framework favors aromatics formation, which might be closely associated with better Ag dispersion and more abundance of strong surface acidicmore » sites where aromatization might take place while Zn loading exerts a detrimental effect on the production of aromatics but promotes the ether generation possibly through dehydration reaction. Referred to that from its N 2 counterpart, the increased aromatics formation of the collected liquid product when methane is present indicates that methane existence might facilitate ethanol aromatization. Moreover, combined with the increased carbon number in the formed aromatics from CH 4 run when H 2 run is referred and zero liquid formation from CH 4-alone test as well as more prominent endothermic feature of methane run and more importantly the notably increased 13C signals in 13C NMR spectra of the liquid product collected during ethanol conversion under 13CH 4 environment, all the observations suggest that methane might be activated nonoxidatively and converted into higher hydrocarbons, preferentially into aromatics if suitable catalyst is charged under the assistance of co-existing oxygenated hydrocarbon. Lastly, the reported synergetic effect could potentially lead to the more economic utilization of abundant natural gas and cellulosic ethanol.« less

Beyond Donor-Acceptor (D-A) Approach: Structure-Optoelectronic Properties-Organic Photovoltaic Performance Correlation in New D-A1 -D-A2 Low-Bandgap Conjugated Polymers.

PubMed

Chochos, Christos L; Drakopoulou, Sofia; Katsouras, Athanasios; Squeo, Benedetta M; Sprau, Christian; Colsmann, Alexander; Gregoriou, Vasilis G; Cando, Alex-Palma; Allard, Sybille; Scherf, Ullrich; Gasparini, Nicola; Kazerouni, Negar; Ameri, Tayebeh; Brabec, Christoph J; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos

2017-04-01

Low-bandgap near-infrared polymers are usually synthesized using the common donor-acceptor (D-A) approach. However, recently polymer chemists are introducing more complex chemical concepts for better fine tuning of their optoelectronic properties. Usually these studies are limited to one or two polymer examples in each case study so far, though. In this study, the dependence of optoelectronic and macroscopic (device performance) properties in a series of six new D-A 1 -D-A 2 low bandgap semiconducting polymers is reported for the first time. Correlation between the chemical structure of single-component polymer films and their optoelectronic properties has been achieved in terms of absorption maxima, optical bandgap, ionization potential, and electron affinity. Preliminary organic photovoltaic results based on blends of the D-A 1 -D-A 2 polymers as the electron donor mixed with the fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl-C 71 -butyric acid methyl ester demonstrate power conversion efficiencies close to 4% with short-circuit current densities (J sc ) of around 11 mA cm -2 , high fill factors up to 0.70, and high open-circuit voltages (V oc s) of 0.70 V. All the devices are fabricated in an inverted architecture with the photoactive layer processed in air with doctor blade technique, showing the compatibility with roll-to-roll large-scale manufacturing processes. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Direct voltammetric specific recognition of dopamine using AlIII-DA complexes at the hanging mercury drop electrode.

PubMed

Zhang, Fuping; Zhang, Min; Cheng, Jiongjia; Yang, Li; Ji, Ming; Bi, Shuping

2007-11-01

In this paper, we firstly report the direct voltammetric recognition and determination of dopamine (DA) by using Al(III)-DA complexes at the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). A new sensitive cathodic peak of Al(III)-DA can be detected at -900 mV (vs. SCE) in 0.1 M NH(4)Cl-NH(3).H(2)O-0.1 M KCl buffer solution at pH 8.5. This unique -900 mV cathodic peak arises from the specific interaction between Al(III) and DA on the HMDE, whereas other substances with similar structures, such as L-dopa, epinephrine (EP), norepinephrine (NE), catechols, caffeic acid (CA), trihydric phenols and tiron, do not yield any new peak on the voltammograms in the potential range from -100 to -1200 mV when Al(III) is added. The distinct voltammetric characteristic of the recognition of DA can effectively inhibit the interferences of both ascorbic acid and uric acid in the DA determination by the direct electrochemistry, which is a major difficulty when a solid electrode is used. The proposed method can be anticipated as an effective means for the recognition of DA in the elucidation of the mechanisms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the presence of Al(III).

The Ubiquitin Receptor DA1 Interacts with the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase DA2 to Regulate Seed and Organ Size in Arabidopsis[C][W

PubMed Central

Xia, Tian; Li, Na; Dumenil, Jack; Li, Jie; Kamenski, Andrei; Bevan, Michael W.; Gao, Fan; Li, Yunhai

2013-01-01

Seed size in higher plants is determined by the coordinated growth of the embryo, endosperm, and maternal tissue. Several factors that act maternally to regulate seed size have been identified, such as AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR2, APETALA2, KLUH, and DA1, but the genetic and molecular mechanisms of these factors in seed size control are almost totally unknown. We previously demonstrated that the ubiquitin receptor DA1 acts synergistically with the E3 ubiquitin ligase ENHANCER1 OF DA1 (EOD1)/BIG BROTHER to regulate the final size of seeds in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we describe another RING-type protein with E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, encoded by DA2, which regulates seed size by restricting cell proliferation in the maternal integuments of developing seeds. The da2-1 mutant forms large seeds, while overexpression of DA2 decreases seed size of wild-type plants. Overexpression of rice (Oryza sativa) GRAIN WIDTH AND WEIGHT2, a homolog of DA2, restricts seed growth in Arabidopsis. Genetic analyses show that DA2 functions synergistically with DA1 to regulate seed size, but does so independently of EOD1. Further results reveal that DA2 interacts physically with DA1 in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, our findings define the genetic and molecular mechanisms of three ubiquitin-related proteins DA1, DA2, and EOD1 in seed size control and indicate that they are promising targets for crop improvement. PMID:24045020

Randomized, Controlled, Multi-center Trial: Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of DA-9701 and Itopride Hydrochloride in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia.

PubMed

Choi, Myung-Gyu; Rhee, Poong-Lyul; Park, Hyojin; Lee, Oh Young; Lee, Kwang Jae; Choi, Suck Chei; Seol, Sang Young; Chun, Hoon Jai; Rew, Jong-Sun; Lee, Dong Ho; Song, Geun Am; Jung, Hwoon Yong; Jeong, Hyung Yong; Sung, In Kyung; Lee, Joon Seong; Lee, Soo Teik; Kim, Sung Kook; Shin, Yong Woon

2015-07-30

Therapies of functional dyspepsia (FD) are limited. DA-9701 is a novel prokinetic agent formulated with Pharbitis semen and Corydalis Tuber. We aimed to assess the efficacy of DA-9701 compared with itopride in FD patients. Patients with FD randomly received either itopride 50 mg or DA-9701 30 mg t.i.d after a 2-week baseline period. After 4 weeks of treatment, 2 primary efficacy endpoints were analyzed: the change from baseline in composite score of the 8 dyspep-tic symptoms and the overall treatment effect. Impact on patients' quality of life was assessed using the Nepean Dyspepsia Index (NDI) questionnaire. We randomly assigned 464 patients with 455 having outcome data. The difference of the composite score change of the 8 symptoms between the 2 groups was 0.62, indicating that DA-9701 was not inferior to itopride. The overall treatment effect response rate was not different between the groups. When responder was defined as ≥ 5 of the 7 Likert scale, responder rates were 37% of DA-9701 and 36% of itopride group. Patients receiving DA-9701 experienced similar mean percentage of days with adequate relief during the 4-week treatment period compared with those receiving itopride (56.8% vs 59.1%). Both drugs increased the NDI score of 5 domains without any difference in change of the NDI score between the groups. The safety profile of both drugs was comparable. DA-9701 significantly improves symptoms in patients with FD. DA-9701 showed non-inferior efficacy to itopride with com-parable safety.

Randomized, Controlled, Multi-center Trial: Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of DA-9701 and Itopride Hydrochloride in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia

PubMed Central

Choi, Myung-Gyu; Rhee, Poong-Lyul; Park, Hyojin; Lee, Oh Young; Lee, Kwang Jae; Choi, Suck Chei; Seol, Sang Young; Chun, Hoon Jai; Rew, Jong-Sun; Lee, Dong Ho; Song, Geun Am; Jung, Hwoon Yong; Jeong, Hyung Yong; Sung, In Kyung; Lee, Joon Seong; Lee, Soo Teik; Kim, Sung Kook; Shin, Yong Woon

2015-01-01

Background/Aims Therapies of functional dyspepsia (FD) are limited. DA-9701 is a novel prokinetic agent formulated with Pharbitis semen and Corydalis Tuber. We aimed to assess the efficacy of DA-9701 compared with itopride in FD patients. Methods Patients with FD randomly received either itopride 50 mg or DA-9701 30 mg t.i.d after a 2-week baseline period. After 4 weeks of treatment, 2 primary efficacy endpoints were analyzed: the change from baseline in composite score of the 8 dyspeptic symptoms and the overall treatment effect. Impact on patients’ quality of life was assessed using the Nepean Dyspepsia Index (NDI) questionnaire. Results We randomly assigned 464 patients with 455 having outcome data. The difference of the composite score change of the 8 symptoms between the 2 groups was 0.62, indicating that DA-9701 was not inferior to itopride. The overall treatment effect response rate was not different between the groups. When responder was defined as ≥ 5 of the 7 Likert scale, responder rates were 37% of DA-9701 and 36% of itopride group. Patients receiving DA-9701 experienced similar mean percentage of days with adequate relief during the 4-week treatment period compared with those receiving itopride (56.8% vs 59.1%). Both drugs increased the NDI score of 5 domains without any difference in change of the NDI score between the groups. The safety profile of both drugs was comparable. Conclusions DA-9701 significantly improves symptoms in patients with FD. DA-9701 showed non-inferior efficacy to itopride with comparable safety. PMID:26130637

Complete daVinci versus laparoscopic pyeloplasty: cost analysis.

PubMed

Bhayani, Sam B; Link, Richard E; Varkarakis, John M; Kavoussi, Louis R

2005-04-01

Computer-assisted pyeloplasty with the daVinci system is an emerging technique to treat ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction. A relative cost analysis was performed assessing this technology in comparison with purely laparoscopic pyeloplasty. Eight patients underwent computer-assisted (daVinci) dismembered pyeloplasty (CP) via a transperitoneal four-port approach. They were compared with 13 patients who underwent purely laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP). All patients had a primary UPJ obstruction and were matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The cost of equipment and capital depreciation for both procedures, as well as assessment of room set-up time, takedown time, and personnel were analyzed. Surgeons and nursing staff for both groups were experienced in both laparoscopy and daVinci procedures. One- and two-way financial analysis was performed to assess relative costs. The mean set-up and takedown time was 71 minutes for CP and 49 minutes for LP. The mean length of stay was 2.3 days for CP and 2.5 days for LP. The mean operating room (OR) times for CP and LP were 176 and 210 minutes, respectively. There were no complications in either group. One-way cost analysis with an economic model showed that LP is more cost effective than CP at our hospital if LP OR time is <338 minutes. With adjustment to a volume of 500 daVinci cases/year, CP is still not as cost effective as LP. Two-way sensitivity analysis shows that in-room time must still be <130 minutes and yearly cases must be >500 to obtain cost equivalence for CP. Perioperative parameters for CP are encouraging. However, the costs are a clear disadvantage. In our hospital, it is more cost effective to teach and perform LP than to perform CP.

Serotonin hyperinnervation and upregulated 5-HT2A receptor expression and motor-stimulating function in nigrostriatal dopamine-deficient Pitx3 mutant mice.

PubMed

Li, Li; Qiu, Guozhen; Ding, Shengyuan; Zhou, Fu-Ming

2013-01-23

The striatum receives serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) innervation and expresses 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2ARs) and other 5-HT receptors, raising the possibility that the striatal 5-HT system may undergo adaptive changes after chronic severe dopamine (DA) loss and contribute to the function and dysfunction of the striatum. Here we show that in transcription factor Pitx3 gene mutant mice with a selective, severe DA loss in the dorsal striatum mimicking the DA denervation in late Parkinson's disease (PD), both the 5-HT innervation and the 5-HT2AR mRNA expression were increased in the dorsal striatum. Functionally, while having no detectable motor effect in wild type mice, the 5-HT2R agonist 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine increased both the baseline and l-dopa-induced normal ambulatory and dyskinetic movements in Pitx3 mutant mice, whereas the selective 5-HT2AR blocker volinanserin had the opposite effects. These results demonstrate that Pitx3 mutant mice are a convenient and valid mouse model to study the compensatory 5-HT upregulation following the loss of the nigrostriatal DA projection and that the upregulated 5-HT2AR function in the DA deficient dorsal striatum may enhance both normal and dyskinetic movements. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protection but maintained dysfunction of nigral dopaminergic nerve cell bodies and striatal dopaminergic terminals in MPTP-lesioned mice after acute treatment with the mGluR5 antagonist MPEP.

PubMed

Aguirre, Jose A; Kehr, Jan; Yoshitake, Takashi; Liu, Fang-Ling; Rivera, Alicia; Fernandez-Espinola, Sergio; Andbjer, Beth; Leo, Giuseppina; Medhurst, Andrew D; Agnati, Luigi F; Fuxe, Kjell

2005-02-08

The mGluR5 antagonist MPEP was used to study the role of mGluR5 in MPTP-induced injury of the nigrostriatal DA neurons. The findings indicate that acute blockade of mGluR5 may result in neuroprotective actions against MPTP neurotoxicity on nigral DA cell bodies and striatal DA terminals using stereological analysis of TH immunoreactivity and microdensitometry. Biochemical analysis showed no restoration of DA levels and metabolism indicating a maintained reduction of DA transmission.

Rrp6p, the yeast homologue of the human PM-Scl 100-kDa autoantigen, is essential for efficient 5.8 S rRNA 3' end formation.

PubMed

Briggs, M W; Burkard, K T; Butler, J S

1998-05-22

The eukaryotic 25 S, 18 S, and 5.8 S rRNAs are synthesized as a single transcript with two internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2), which are removed by endo- and exoribonucleolytic steps to produce mature rRNA. Genetic selection for suppressors of a polyadenylation defect yielded two cold-sensitive alleles of a gene that we named RRP6 (ribosomal RNA processing). Molecular cloning of RRP6 revealed its homology to a 100-kDa human, nucleolar PM-Scl autoantigen and to Escherichia coli RNase D, a 3'-5' exoribonuclease. Recessive mutations in rrp6 result in the accumulation of a novel 5. 8 S rRNA processing intermediate, called 5.8 S*, which has normal 5' ends, but retains approximately 30 nucleotides of ITS2. Pulse-chase analysis of 5.8 S rRNA processing in an rrp6- strain revealed a precursor-product relationship between 5.8 S* and 5.8 S rRNAs, suggesting that Rrp6p plays a role in the removal of the last 30 nucleotides of ITS2 from 5.8 S precursors. A portion of 5.8 S* rRNA assembles into 60 S ribosomes which form polyribosomes, suggesting that they function in protein synthesis. These findings indicate that Rrp6p plays a role in 5.8 S rRNA 3' end formation, and they identify a functional intermediate in the rRNA processing pathway.

Leonardo da Vinci and the Downburst.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gedzelman, Stanley David

1990-05-01

Evidence from the drawings, experiments, and writings of Leonardo da Vinci are presented to demonstrate that da Vinci recognized and, possibly, discovered the downburst and understood its associated airflow. Other early references to vortex flows resembling downbursts are mentioned.

Reforming Biomass Derived Pyrolysis Bio-oil Aqueous Phase to Fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mukarakate, Calvin; Evans, Robert J.; Deutch, Steve

Fast pyrolysis and catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of biomass produce a liquid product stream comprised of various classes of organic compounds having different molecule size and polarity. This liquid, either spontaneously in the case of catalytic fast pyrolysis or by water addition for the non-catalytic process separates into a non-polar organic-rich fraction and a highly polar water-rich fraction. The organic fraction can be used as a blendstock or feedstock for further processing in a refinery while, in the CFP process design, the aqueous phase is currently sent to wastewater treatment, which results in a loss of residual biogenic carbon presentmore » in this stream. Our work focuses on the catalytic conversion of the biogenic carbon in pyrolysis aqueous phase streams to produce hydrocarbons using a vertical micro-reactor coupled to a molecular beam mass spectrometer (MBMS). Furthermore, the MBMS provides real-time analysis of products while also tracking catalyst deactivation. The catalyst used in this work was HZSM-5, which upgraded the oxygenated organics in the aqueous fraction to fuels comprising small olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons. During processing the aqueous bio-oil fraction the HZSM-5 catalyst exhibited higher activity and coke resistance than those observed in similar experiments using biomass or whole bio-oils. Reduced coking is likely due to ejection of coke precursors from the catalyst pores that was enhanced by excess process water available for steam stripping. The water reacted with coke precursors to form phenol, methylated phenols, naphthol, and methylated naphthols. Conversion data shows that up to 40 wt% of the carbon in the feed stream is recovered as hydrocarbons.« less

Reforming Biomass Derived Pyrolysis Bio-oil Aqueous Phase to Fuels

DOE PAGES

Mukarakate, Calvin; Evans, Robert J.; Deutch, Steve; ...

2017-01-07

Fast pyrolysis and catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of biomass produce a liquid product stream comprised of various classes of organic compounds having different molecule size and polarity. This liquid, either spontaneously in the case of catalytic fast pyrolysis or by water addition for the non-catalytic process separates into a non-polar organic-rich fraction and a highly polar water-rich fraction. The organic fraction can be used as a blendstock or feedstock for further processing in a refinery while, in the CFP process design, the aqueous phase is currently sent to wastewater treatment, which results in a loss of residual biogenic carbon presentmore » in this stream. Our work focuses on the catalytic conversion of the biogenic carbon in pyrolysis aqueous phase streams to produce hydrocarbons using a vertical micro-reactor coupled to a molecular beam mass spectrometer (MBMS). Furthermore, the MBMS provides real-time analysis of products while also tracking catalyst deactivation. The catalyst used in this work was HZSM-5, which upgraded the oxygenated organics in the aqueous fraction to fuels comprising small olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons. During processing the aqueous bio-oil fraction the HZSM-5 catalyst exhibited higher activity and coke resistance than those observed in similar experiments using biomass or whole bio-oils. Reduced coking is likely due to ejection of coke precursors from the catalyst pores that was enhanced by excess process water available for steam stripping. The water reacted with coke precursors to form phenol, methylated phenols, naphthol, and methylated naphthols. Conversion data shows that up to 40 wt% of the carbon in the feed stream is recovered as hydrocarbons.« less

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Flexible Nanocomposite Films with Dopamine-Coated Giant Dielectric Ceramic Nanopowders, Ba(Fe0.5Ta0.5)O3, for High Energy-Storage Density at Low Electric Field.

PubMed

Wang, Zhuo; Wang, Tian; Wang, Chun; Xiao, Yujia; Jing, Panpan; Cui, Yongfei; Pu, Yongping

2017-08-30

Ba(Fe 0.5 Ta 0.5 )O 3 /poly(vinylidene fluoride) (BFT/PVDF) flexible nanocomposite films are fabricated by tape casting using dopamine (DA)-modified BFT nanopowders and PVDF as a matrix polymer. After a surface modification of installing a DA layer with a thickness of 5 nm, the interfacial couple interaction between BFT and PVDF is enhanced, resulting in less hole defects at the interface. Then the dielectric constant (ε'), loss tangent (tan δ), and AC conductivity of nanocomposite films are reduced. Meanwhile, the value of the reduced dielectric constant (Δε') and the strength of interfacial polarization (k) are introduced to illustrate the effect of DA on the dielectric behavior of nanocomposite films. Δε' can be used to calculate the magnitude of interfacial polarization, and the strength of the dielectric constant contributed by the interface can be expressed as k. Most importantly, the energy-storage density and energy-storage efficiency of nanocomposite films with a small BFT@DA filler content of 1 vol % at a low electric field of 150 MV/m are enhanced by about 15% and 120%, respectively, after DA modification. The high energy-storage density of 1.81 J/cm 3 is obtained in the sample. This value is much larger than the reported polymer-based nanocomposite films. In addition, the outstanding cycle and bending stability of the nanocomposite films make it a promising candidate for future flexible portable energy devices.

Test Review: TestDaF

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, John; Drackert, Anastasia

2018-01-01

The Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) plays a critical role as a standardized test of German language proficiency. Developed and administered by the Society for Academic Study Preparation and Test Development (g.a.s.t.), TestDaF was launched in 2001 and has experienced persistent annual growth, with more than 44,000 test takers in…

Preclinical and Clinical Studies Demonstrate That the Proprietary Herbal Extract DA-5512 Effectively Stimulates Hair Growth and Promotes Hair Health.

PubMed

Yu, Jae Young; Gupta, Biki; Park, Hyoung Geun; Son, Miwon; Jun, Joon-Ho; Yong, Chul Soon; Kim, Jeong Ah; Kim, Jong Oh

2017-01-01

The proprietary DA-5512 formulation comprises six herbal extracts from traditional oriental plants historically associated with therapeutic and other applications related to hair. Here, we investigated the effects of DA-5512 on the proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) in vitro and on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice and conducted a clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DA-5512. DA-5512 significantly enhanced the viability of hDPCs in a dose-dependent manner ( p < 0.05), and 100 ppm of DA-5512 and 1  μ M minoxidil (MXD) significantly increased the number of Ki-67-positive cells, compared with the control group ( p < 0.05). MXD (3%) and DA-5512 (1%, 5%) significantly stimulated hair growth and increased the number and length of hair follicles (HFs) versus the controls (each p < 0.05). The groups treated with DA-5512 exhibited hair growth comparable to that induced by MXD. In clinical study, we detected a statistically significant increase in the efficacy of DA-5512 after 16 weeks compared with the groups treated with placebo or 3% MXD ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, DA-5512 might promote hair growth and enhance hair health and can therefore be considered an effective option for treating hair loss.

Overview of ATLAS PanDA Workload Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeno, T.; De, K.; Wenaus, T.; Nilsson, P.; Stewart, G. A.; Walker, R.; Stradling, A.; Caballero, J.; Potekhin, M.; Smith, D.; ATLAS Collaboration

2011-12-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis System (PanDA) plays a key role in the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. All ATLAS Monte-Carlo simulation and data reprocessing jobs pass through the PanDA system. We will describe how PanDA manages job execution on the grid using dynamic resource estimation and data replication together with intelligent brokerage in order to meet the scaling and automation requirements of ATLAS distributed computing. PanDA is also the primary ATLAS system for processing user and group analysis jobs, bringing further requirements for quick, flexible adaptation to the rapidly evolving analysis use cases of the early datataking phase, in addition to the high reliability, robustness and usability needed to provide efficient and transparent utilization of the grid for analysis users. We will describe how PanDA meets ATLAS requirements, the evolution of the system in light of operational experience, how the system has performed during the first LHC data-taking phase and plans for the future.

Overview of ATLAS PanDA Workload Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maeno T.; De K.; Wenaus T.

2011-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis System (PanDA) plays a key role in the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. All ATLAS Monte-Carlo simulation and data reprocessing jobs pass through the PanDA system. We will describe how PanDA manages job execution on the grid using dynamic resource estimation and data replication together with intelligent brokerage in order to meet the scaling and automation requirements of ATLAS distributed computing. PanDA is also the primary ATLAS system for processing user and group analysis jobs, bringing further requirements for quick, flexible adaptation to the rapidly evolving analysis use cases of the early datataking phase, in additionmore » to the high reliability, robustness and usability needed to provide efficient and transparent utilization of the grid for analysis users. We will describe how PanDA meets ATLAS requirements, the evolution of the system in light of operational experience, how the system has performed during the first LHC data-taking phase and plans for the future.« less

Oleosins (24 and 18 kDa) are hydrolyzed not only in extracted soybean oil bodies but also in soybean germination.

PubMed

Chen, Yeming; Zhao, Luping; Cao, Yanyun; Kong, Xiangzhen; Hua, Yufei

2014-01-29

After oil bodies (OBs) were extracted from ungerminated soybean by pH 6.8 extraction, it was found that 24 and 18 kDa oleosins were hydrolyzed in the extracted OBs, which contained many OB extrinsic proteins (i.e., lipoxygenase, β-conglycinin, γ-conglycinin, β-amylase, glycinin, Gly m Bd 30K (Bd 30K), and P34 probable thiol protease (P34)) as well as OB intrinsic proteins. In this study, some properties (specificity, optimal pH and temperature) of the proteases of 24 and 18 kDa oleosins and the oleosin hydrolysis in soybean germination were examined, and the high relationship between Bd 30K/P34 and the proteases was also discussed. The results showed (1) the proteases were OB extrinsic proteins, which had high specificity to hydrolyze 24 and 18 kDa oleosins, and cleaved the specific peptide bonds to form limited hydrolyzed products; (2) 24 and 18 kDa oleosins were not hydrolyzed in the absence of Bd 30K and P34 (or some Tricine-SDS-PAGE undetectable proteins); (3) the protease of 24 kDa oleosin had strong resistance to alkaline pH while that of 18 kDa oleosin had weak resistance to alkaline pH, and Bd 30K and P34, resolved into two spots on two-dimensional electrophoresis gel, also showed the same trend; (4) 16 kDa oleosin as well as 24 and 18 kDa oleosins were hydrolyzed in soybean germination, and Bd 30K and P34 were always contained in the extracted OBs from germinated soybean even when all oleosins were hydrolyzed; (5) the optimal temperature and pH of the proteases were respectively determined as in the ranges of 35-50 °C and pH 6.0-6.5, while 60 °C or pH 11.0 could denature them.

Neurotoxicity of "ecstasy" and its metabolites in human dopaminergic differentiated SH-SY5Y cells.

PubMed

Ferreira, Patrícia Silva; Nogueira, Tiago Bernandes; Costa, Vera Marisa; Branco, Paula Sério; Ferreira, Luísa Maria; Fernandes, Eduarda; Bastos, Maria Lourdes; Meisel, Andreas; Carvalho, Félix; Capela, João Paulo

2013-02-04

"Ecstasy" (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA) is a widely abused recreational drug, reported to produce neurotoxic effects, both in laboratory animals and in humans. MDMA metabolites can be major contributors for MDMA neurotoxicity. This work studied the neurotoxicity of MDMA and its catechol metabolites, α-methyldopamine (α-MeDA) and N-methyl-α-methyldopamine (N-Me-α-MeDA) in human dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells differentiated with retinoic acid and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. Differentiation led to SH-SY5Y neurons with higher ability to accumulate dopamine and higher resistance towards dopamine neurotoxicity. MDMA catechol metabolites were neurotoxic to SH-SY5Y neurons, leading to caspase 3-independent cell death in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. MDMA did not show a concentration- and time-dependent death. Pre-treatment with the antioxidant and glutathione precursor, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), resulted in strong protection against the MDMA metabolites' neurotoxicity. Neither the superoxide radical scavenger, tiron, nor the inhibitor of the dopamine (DA) transporter, GBR 12909, prevented the metabolites' toxicity. Cells exposed to α-MeDA showed an increase in intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels, which, at the 48 h time-point, was not dependent in the activity increase of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS), revealing a possible transient effect. Importantly, pre-treatment with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of γ-GCS, prevented α-MeDA induced increase in GSH levels, but did not augment this metabolite cytotoxicity. Even so, BSO pre-treatment abolished NAC protective effects against α-MeDA neurotoxicity, which were, at least partially, due to GSH de novo synthesis. Inversely, pre-treatment of cells with BSO augmented N-Me-α-MeDA-induced neurotoxicity, but only slightly affected NAC neuroprotection. In conclusion, MDMA catechol metabolites promote differential toxic effects to differentiated dopaminergic human SH

Vi-da: vitiligo diagnostic assistance mobile application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugraha, G. A.; Nurhudatiana, A.; Bahana, R.

2018-03-01

Vitiligo is a skin disorder in which white patches of depigmentation appear on different parts of the body. Usually, patients come to hospitals or clinics to have their vitiligo conditions assessed. This can be very tiring to the patients, as vitiligo treatments usually take a relatively long period of time, which can range from months to years. To address this challenge, we present in this paper a prototype of an Android-based mobile application called Vi-DA, which stands for Vitiligo Diagnostic Assistance. Vi-DA consists of three subsystems, which are user sign-up subsystem, camera and image analysis subsystem, and progress report subsystem. The mobile application was developed in Java programming language and uses MySQL as the database system. Vi-DA adopts a vitiligo segmentation algorithm to segment input image into normal skin area, vitiligo skin area, and non-skin area. Results showed that Vi-DA gave comparable results to the previous system implemented in Matlab. User acceptance testing results also showed that all respondents agreed on the usefulness of the system and agreed to use Vi-DA again in the future. Vi-DA benefits both dermatologists and patients as not only a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) tool but also as a smart application that can be used for self-assessment at home.

Metaproteomics of Microbiota in Naturally Fermented Soybean Paste, Da-jiang.

PubMed

Zhang, Ping; Zhang, Pengfei; Xie, Mengxi; An, Feiyu; Qiu, Boshu; Wu, Rina

2018-05-01

Da-jiang is a typical traditional fermented soybean product in China. At present, the proteins in da-jiang are needed to be explored. The composition and species of microbial proteins in traditional fermented da-jiang were analyzed by metaproteomics based on sodium dodecyl sulfonate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results showed that the number and variety of microbial proteins in the traditional fermented da-jiang from different regions were different. The production site influences the fermentation in da-jiang. Then we analyzed the functions of the microbial proteins identified in da-jiang, and found that they were mainly involved in the process of protein synthesis, glycometabolism and nucleic acid synthesis. In addtion, we compared the proteins composition in different da-jiang. There are 51 common proteins of naturally fermented da-jiang, and 25 common microbial sources. The main commonly microbial sources of fungal proteins are Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces; the main commonly microbial sources of bacterial proteins are Enterococcus faecalis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Bacillus subtilis. These common microbes play the predominant role in da-jiang fermentation. The present results help us to understand the fermentation of da-jiang and improve the quality and safety of final products in the future. The study illustrated metaproteome of microbiota in traditional fermented soybean paste, da-jiang, by sodium dodecyl sulfonate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A method of extracting metaproteome from microbiota in da-jiang was attempted. The findings help to understand the fermentation of da-jiang and improve the quality and safety of da-jiang in fermented industry. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Trends in asthma mortality in the 0- to 4-year and 5- to 34-year age groups in Brazil.

PubMed

Graudenz, Gustavo Silveira; Carneiro, Dominique Piacenti; Vieira, Rodolfo de Paula

2017-01-01

To provide an update on trends in asthma mortality in Brazil for two age groups: 0-4 years and 5-34 years. Data on mortality from asthma, as defined in the International Classification of Diseases, were obtained for the 1980-2014 period from the Mortality Database maintained by the Information Technology Department of the Brazilian Unified Health Care System. To analyze time trends in standardized asthma mortality rates, we conducted an ecological time-series study, using regression models for the 0- to 4-year and 5- to 34-year age groups. There was a linear trend toward a decrease in asthma mortality in both age groups, whereas there was a third-order polynomial fit in the general population. Although asthma mortality showed a consistent, linear decrease in individuals ≤ 34 years of age, the rate of decline was greater in the 0- to 4-year age group. The 5- to 34-year group also showed a linear decline in mortality, and the rate of that decline increased after the year 2004, when treatment with inhaled corticosteroids became more widely available. The linear decrease in asthma mortality found in both age groups contrasts with the nonlinear trend observed in the general population of Brazil. The introduction of inhaled corticosteroid use through public policies to control asthma coincided with a significant decrease in asthma mortality rates in both subsets of individuals over 5 years of age. The causes of this decline in asthma-related mortality in younger age groups continue to constitute a matter of debate. Apresentar uma atualização das tendências da mortalidade da asma no Brasil em duas faixas etárias: 0-4 anos e 5-34 anos. Dados relativos ao período de 1980 a 2014 referentes à mortalidade da asma, conforme se definiu na Classificação Internacional de Doenças, foram extraídos Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade do Departamento de Tecnologia da Informação do Sistema Único de Saúde. Para analisar as tendências temporais das taxas

The sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) of the Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Andressa Alencastre Fuzari; Barbosa, Vanessa de Araújo; Andrade Filho, José Dilermando; Brazil, Reginaldo Peçanha

2013-11-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the state of Rio de Janeiro is sporadic and can be characterised as a peridomestic transmission that occurs in modified natural environments. The aim of this work was to study the fauna and ecological characteristics of sandflies in an environmentally protected area (the State Park of Serra da Tiririca) within the remnants of the Atlantic Forest in the municipalities of Niterói and Maricá and their possible relationship with leishmaniasis. Captures were performed using light traps during the night once a month for one year in both sylvatic environments and areas surrounding homes near the park. A total of 1,037 sandflies were captured, belonging to nine genera and 12 species: Evandromyia tupynambai (34.1%), Migonemyia migonei (20.6%), Brumptomyia cunhai (13.8%), Micropygomyia schreiberi (9.7%), Psathyromyia lanei (6.5%), Brumptomyia nitzulescui (5.7%), Evandromyia edwardsi (5.4%), Nyssomyia intermedia (2.8%), Evandromyia cortelezzii (0.6%), Pintomyia bianchigalatiae (0.5%), Lutzomyia longipalpis (0.2%) and Sciopemyia microps (0.1%). Both Mg. migonei and Ny. intermedia may be acting as vectors of CL in this area.

Comparison of Abbott and Da-an real-time PCR for quantitating serum HBV DNA.

PubMed

Qiu, Ning; Li, Rui; Yu, Jian-Guo; Yang, Wen; Zhang, Wei; An, Yong; Li, Tong; Liu, Xue-En; Zhuang, Hui

2014-09-07

To compare the performance of the Da-an real-time hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA assay and Abbott RealTime HBV assay. HBV DNA standards as well as a total of 180 clinical serum samples from patients with chronic hepatitis B were measured using the Abbott and Da-an real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Correlation and Bland-Altman plot analysis was used to compare the performance of the Abbott and Da-an assays. The HBV DNA levels were logarithmically transformed for analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS for Windows version 18.0. The correlation between the two assays was analyzed by Pearson's correlation and linear regression. The Bland-Altman plots were used for the analysis of agreement between the two assays. A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The HBV DNA values measured by the Abbott or Da-an assay were significantly correlated with the expected values of HBV DNA standards (r = 0.999, for Abbott; r = 0.987, for Da-an, P < 0.001). A Bland-Altman plot showed good agreement between these two assays in detecting HBV DNA standards. Among the 180 clinical serum samples, 126 were quantifiable by both assays. Fifty-two samples were detectable by the Abbott assay but below the detection limit of the Da-an assay. Moreover, HBV DNA levels measured by the Abbott assay were significantly higher than those of the Da-an assay (6.23 ± 1.76 log IU/mL vs 5.46 ± 1.55 log IU/mL, P < 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between HBV DNA concentrations determined by the two assays in 126 paired samples (r = 0.648, P < 0.001). One hundred and fifteen of 126 (91.3%) specimens tested with both assays were within mean difference ± 1.96 SD of HBV DNA levels. The Da-an assay presented lower sensitivity and a narrower linear range as compared to the Abbott assay, suggesting the need to be improved.

Long-term evolution of 1991 DA: A dynamically evolved extinct Halley-type comet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hahn, Gerhard; Bailey, M. E.

1992-01-01

The long-term dynamical evolution of 21 variational orbits for the intermediate-period asteroid 1991 DA was followed for up to +/-10(exp 5) years from the present. 1991 DA is close to the 2:7 resonance with Jupiter; it has avoided close encounters, within 1 AU, with this planet for at least the past 30,000 years, even at the node crossing. The future evolution typically shows no close encounters with Jupiter within at least 50,000 years. This corresponds to the mean time between node crossings with either Jupiter or Saturn. Close encounters with Saturn and Jupiter lead to a chaotic evolution for the whole ensemble, while secular perturbations cause large-amplitude swings in eccentricity and inclination (the latter covering the range 15 deg approximately less than i approximately less than 85 deg) which correlate with deep excursions of the perihelion distance to values much less than 1 AU. These variations are similar to those found in P/Machholz and a variety of other high-inclination orbits, e.g., P/Hartley-IRAS. We emphasize the connection between the orbital evolution of 1991 DA and that of Halley-type comets. If 1991 DA was once a comet, it is not surprising that it is now extinct.

[Trattamento del disturbo da uso di alcol da un punto di vista psicologico].

PubMed

Coriale, Giovanna; Fiorentino, Daniela; De Rosa, Francesca; Solombrino, Simona; Scalese, Bruna; Ciccarelli, Rosaria; Attilia, Fabio; Vitali, Mario; Musetti, Alessia; Fiore, Marco; Ceccanti, Mauro

2018-01-01

RIASSUNTO. L'elaborazione del piano di trattamento rappresenta un momento molto delicato e complesso del processo terapeutico del disturbo da abuso di alcol (DUA). È la fase in cui le informazioni raccolte da un'équipe di professionisti (medici, psicologi e assistenti sociali) (modello bio-psico-sociale del DUA) vengono messe insieme per decidere il percorso terapeutico più adatto. Per quanto riguarda la parte psicologica, è di notevole importanza scegliere un trattamento clinico in grado di ridurre al minimo la mancata adesione al trattamento e, per i soggetti che rimangono in trattamento, di garantirne l'efficacia. Se da una parte, le tecniche psicoanalitiche e comportamentali hanno fornito le basi della terapia psicologica dell'alcolismo, dall'altra, gli approcci basati sull'evidenza scientifica sono stati elaborati a partire dai principi del colloquio motivazionale e della terapia cognitivo-comportamentale. In questo articolo viene fornita una panoramica dei trattamenti che sono risultati più efficaci nel trattare il DUA e delle modalità temporali più adeguate per monitorare l'efficacia del trattamento.

The Effects of Threonine Phosphorylation on the Stability and Dynamics of the Central Molecular Switch Region of 18.5-kDa Myelin Basic Protein

PubMed Central

De Avila, Miguel; Polverini, Eugenia; Harauz, George

2013-01-01

The classic isoforms of myelin basic protein (MBP) are essential for the formation and maintenance of myelin in the central nervous system of higher vertebrates. The protein is involved in all facets of the development, compaction, and stabilization of the multilamellar myelin sheath, and also interacts with cytoskeletal and signaling proteins. The predominant 18.5-kDa isoform of MBP is an intrinsically-disordered protein that is a candidate auto-antigen in the human demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. A highly-conserved central segment within classic MBP consists of a proline-rich region (murine 18.5-kDa sequence –T92-P93-R94-T95-P96-P97-P98-S99–) containing a putative SH3-ligand, adjacent to a region that forms an amphipathic α-helix (P82-I90) upon interaction with membranes, or under membrane-mimetic conditions. The T92 and T95 residues within the proline-rich region can be post-translationally modified through phosphorylation by mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. Here, we have investigated the structure of the α-helical and proline-rich regions in dilute aqueous buffer, and have evaluated the effects of phosphorylation at T92 and T95 on the stability and dynamics of the α-helical region, by utilizing four 36-residue peptides (S72–S107) with differing phosphorylation status. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that both the α-helical as well as the proline-rich regions are disordered in aqueous buffer, whereas they are both structured in a lipid environment (cf., Ahmed et al., Biochemistry 51, 7475-9487, 2012). Thermodynamic analysis of trifluoroethanol-titration curves monitored by circular dichroism spectroscopy reveals that phosphorylation, especially at residue T92, impedes formation of the amphipathic α-helix. This conclusion is supported by molecular dynamics simulations, which further illustrate that phosphorylation reduces the folding reversibility of the α-helix upon temperature perturbation and affect the global

The effects of threonine phosphorylation on the stability and dynamics of the central molecular switch region of 18.5-kDa myelin basic protein.

PubMed

Vassall, Kenrick A; Bessonov, Kyrylo; De Avila, Miguel; Polverini, Eugenia; Harauz, George

2013-01-01

The classic isoforms of myelin basic protein (MBP) are essential for the formation and maintenance of myelin in the central nervous system of higher vertebrates. The protein is involved in all facets of the development, compaction, and stabilization of the multilamellar myelin sheath, and also interacts with cytoskeletal and signaling proteins. The predominant 18.5-kDa isoform of MBP is an intrinsically-disordered protein that is a candidate auto-antigen in the human demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. A highly-conserved central segment within classic MBP consists of a proline-rich region (murine 18.5-kDa sequence -T92-P93-R94-T95-P96-P97-P98-S99-) containing a putative SH3-ligand, adjacent to a region that forms an amphipathic α-helix (P82-I90) upon interaction with membranes, or under membrane-mimetic conditions. The T92 and T95 residues within the proline-rich region can be post-translationally modified through phosphorylation by mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. Here, we have investigated the structure of the α-helical and proline-rich regions in dilute aqueous buffer, and have evaluated the effects of phosphorylation at T92 and T95 on the stability and dynamics of the α-helical region, by utilizing four 36-residue peptides (S72-S107) with differing phosphorylation status. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that both the α-helical as well as the proline-rich regions are disordered in aqueous buffer, whereas they are both structured in a lipid environment (cf., Ahmed et al., Biochemistry 51, 7475-9487, 2012). Thermodynamic analysis of trifluoroethanol-titration curves monitored by circular dichroism spectroscopy reveals that phosphorylation, especially at residue T92, impedes formation of the amphipathic α-helix. This conclusion is supported by molecular dynamics simulations, which further illustrate that phosphorylation reduces the folding reversibility of the α-helix upon temperature perturbation and affect the global structure

Isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for carrot extensin and a proline-rich 33-kDa protein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, J.; Varner, J.E.

1985-07-01

Extensins are hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins associated with most dicotyledonous plant cell walls. To isolate cDNA clones encoding extensin, the authors started by isolating poly(A) RNA from carrot root tissue, and then translating the RNA in vitro, in the presence of tritiated leucine or proline. A 33-kDa peptide was identified in the translation products as a putative extensin precursor. From a cDNA library constructed with poly(A) RNA from wounded carrots, one cDNA clone (pDC5) was identified that specifically hybridized to poly(A) RNA encoding this 33-kDa peptide. They isolated three cDNA clones (pDC11, pDC12, and pDC16) from another cDNA library using pCD5 asmore » a probe. DNA sequence data, RNA hybridization analysis, and hybrid released in vitro translation indicate that the cDNA clones pDC11 encodes extensin and that cDNA clones pDC12 and pDC16 encode the 33-kDa peptide, which as yet has an unknown identity and function. The assumption that the 33-kDa peptide was an extensin precursor was invalid. RNA hybridization analysis showed that RNA encoded by both clone types is accumulated upon wounding.« less

VerSeDa: vertebrate secretome database

PubMed Central

Cortazar, Ana R.; Oguiza, José A.

2017-01-01

Based on the current tools, de novo secretome (full set of proteins secreted by an organism) prediction is a time consuming bioinformatic task that requires a multifactorial analysis in order to obtain reliable in silico predictions. Hence, to accelerate this process and offer researchers a reliable repository where secretome information can be obtained for vertebrates and model organisms, we have developed VerSeDa (Vertebrate Secretome Database). This freely available database stores information about proteins that are predicted to be secreted through the classical and non-classical mechanisms, for the wide range of vertebrate species deposited at the NCBI, UCSC and ENSEMBL sites. To our knowledge, VerSeDa is the only state-of-the-art database designed to store secretome data from multiple vertebrate genomes, thus, saving an important amount of time spent in the prediction of protein features that can be retrieved from this repository directly. Database URL: VerSeDa is freely available at http://genomics.cicbiogune.es/VerSeDa/index.php PMID:28365718

VerSeDa: vertebrate secretome database.

PubMed

Cortazar, Ana R; Oguiza, José A; Aransay, Ana M; Lavín, José L

2017-01-01

Based on the current tools, de novo secretome (full set of proteins secreted by an organism) prediction is a time consuming bioinformatic task that requires a multifactorial analysis in order to obtain reliable in silico predictions. Hence, to accelerate this process and offer researchers a reliable repository where secretome information can be obtained for vertebrates and model organisms, we have developed VerSeDa (Vertebrate Secretome Database). This freely available database stores information about proteins that are predicted to be secreted through the classical and non-classical mechanisms, for the wide range of vertebrate species deposited at the NCBI, UCSC and ENSEMBL sites. To our knowledge, VerSeDa is the only state-of-the-art database designed to store secretome data from multiple vertebrate genomes, thus, saving an important amount of time spent in the prediction of protein features that can be retrieved from this repository directly. VerSeDa is freely available at http://genomics.cicbiogune.es/VerSeDa/index.php. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Detecção da fase impulsiva de uma explosão solar gigante até 405 GHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raulin, J.-P.; Makhmutov, V.; Kaufmann, P.; Pacini, A. A.; Luethi, T.; Hudson, H. S.; Gary, D. E.; Yoshimori, M.

2003-08-01

A explosão ocorrida no dia 25/08/2001 foi uma das mais intensas do presente ciclo solar em ondas de rádio de altas frequências. Foram medidas em ondas milimétricas e submilimétricas, aproximadamente, 105 e vários milhares de unidades de fluxo solar, respectivamente. Apresentamos um estudo deste evento em múltiplas frequências, desde microondas (1GHz), até ondas submilimétricas (405 GHz) detectadas pelo Telescópio Solar para ondas Submilimétricas (SST). Esta base de dados foi complementada utilizando-se o experimento Yohkoh, incluindo a emissão em raios-X duros e raios-g (até 100 MeV), e imagens em raios-X moles da região ativa envolvida. Enfocamos e discutimos principalmente os seguintes aspectos da fase impulsiva do evento: (i) as implicações deduzidas do espectro eletromagnético, obtido pela primeira vez até 405 GHz; (ii) a dinâmica da região ativa. Os resultados mostram que para explicar o espectro rádio observado, são necessários entre 3.5×1037 e 1.5×1039 elétrons acelerados acima de 20 keV em uma região de campo magnético entre 300 e 800 Gauss. A estimativa do fluxo de fótons que seria produzido por estes elétrons, mostra que grande parte deles não precipitou na baixa atmosfera. A evolução temporal da emissão em raios-X moles revela que a configuração magnética da região ativa foi muito dinâmica durante a fase impulsiva da explosão. Em particular, mostramos que a produção dos elétrons altamente energéticos foi iniciada junto com a aparição, na baixa coroa solar, de um novo sistema compacto de estruturas magnéticas. Este fato sugere que os locais de aceleração estão localizados na baixa atmosfera do Sol, como resultado da interação entre o novo sistema compacto e o campo magnético ambiente da região ativa.

Alginate antacid (Gaviscon DA) chewable tablets reduce esophageal acid exposure in Chinese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and heartburn symptoms.

PubMed

Yuan, Yao Zong; Fang, Jing Yuan; Zou, Duo Wu; Levinson, Nigel; Jenner, Bartosz; Wilkinson, Joanne

2016-11-01

To assess the efficacy of Gaviscon Double Action (DA) alginate antacid chewable tablets for reducing esophageal acid exposure in Chinese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Altogether 44 patients reporting moderate to severe heartburn symptoms underwent two pH monitoring visits. The treatment sequence was randomized to patients received DA alginate antacid or placebo at one visit and the alternate treatment 7 days later. After a standardized reflux-provoking meal, patients took four tablets of DA alginate antacid or placebo. Esophageal pH was measured for 4 h post-dosing using an electrode positioned 5 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter. The primary end-point was the percentage of 4-h post-dosing period with pH <4. Secondary end-points were number of acid reflux episodes (pH <4), longest reflux time and DeMeester scores. All 44 patients completed the study and provided data for analysis. With DA alginate antacid, the mean percentage time with pH <4 was 5.1%, significantly less (P = 0.0003) than with placebo (14.8%). DA alginate antacid was statistically significantly superior (P = 0.0290) to placebo (from at least twofold to threefold better) for all other end-points. Two patients reported two mild adverse events (AEs) that resolved within a month of completing the study. No patients had serious and/or severe AEs and none withdrew due to AEs. DA alginate antacid was statistically significantly superior to placebo in reducing post-prandial acid exposure without serious clinically relevant health risks. These findings suggest DA alginate antacid tablets are appropriate for treating acid reflux in Chinese GERD patients with heartburn symptoms. © 2016 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Chronic treatment of DA-8159, a new phosphodiesterase type V inhibitor, attenuates endothelial dysfunction in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat.

PubMed

Choi, Seul Min; Kim, Jee Eun; Kang, Kyung Koo

2006-02-09

This study examined the effects of chronic treatment of a new phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, DA-8159, on endothelial dysfunction in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP). Six-week-old male SHR-SP were divided into 4 groups; vehicle control, DA-8159 1, 3, and 10 mg/kg/day. During a 32-week experimental period, the animals were administered DA-8159 orally and fed a 4% NaCl-loaded diet. The systolic blood pressure was measured every two weeks throughout the experimental period using the tail-cuff method. At the end of experiments, the vascular function (acetylcholine-induced vasodilation) in the endothelium-intact aortic rings was investigated. In addition, the mortality, the left ventricular hypertrophy index, the plasma parameters and the incidence of a cerebral infarction were assessed. In the DA-8159 treated-rats, the vascular reactivity improved significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Although DA-8159 did not alter the elevation of the systolic blood pressure directly, the 3 and 10 mg/kg/day DA-8159 treatment delayed the early death caused by stroke. DA-8159 significantly reduced the left ventricular heart weight/body weight ratio compared with the vehicle control group. Furthermore, the DA-8159 treatment significantly increased the plasma nitric oxide, cGMP, and the total antioxidative status. The DA-8159 treatment also reduced the occurrence of stroke-associated cerebral damage. These results indicate that DA-8159 can ameliorate an endothelial dysfunction-related vascular injury. Therefore, pharmacological intervention aimed at attenuating an endothelial dysfunction is important and might be useful in both preventing and treating endothelial dysfunction-related complications.

Raven surgical robot training in preparation for da vinci.

PubMed

Glassman, Deanna; White, Lee; Lewis, Andrew; King, Hawkeye; Clarke, Alicia; Glassman, Thomas; Comstock, Bryan; Hannaford, Blake; Lendvay, Thomas S

2014-01-01

The rapid adoption of robotic assisted surgery challenges the pace at which adequate robotic training can occur due to access limitations to the da Vinci robot. Thirty medical students completed a randomized controlled trial evaluating whether the Raven robot could be used as an alternative training tool for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) block transfer task on the da Vinci robot. Two groups, one trained on the da Vinci and one trained on the Raven, were tested on a criterion FLS block transfer task on the da Vinci. After robotic FLS block transfer proficiency training there was no statistically significant difference between path length (p=0.39) and economy of motion scores (p=0.06) between the two groups, but those trained on the da Vinci did have faster task times (p=0.01). These results provide evidence for the value of using the Raven robot for training prior to using the da Vinci surgical system for similar tasks.

Construção de um catálogo de aglomerados abertos para estudo da dinâmica da estrutura espiral da Galáxia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlos, I. M.; Lépine, J. R. D.

2003-08-01

Os aglomerados abertos são objetos de grande valor para o estudo da dinâmica da Galáxia devido esses objetos terem uma faixa de idade relativamente ampla. O trabalho visa estudar a dinâmica da estrutura espiral da Galáxia principalmente através do uso desses aglomerados, uma vez que o estudo da cinemática desses objetos é fundamental para esse objetivo. Nosso grupo trabalha no sentido de construir uma base de dados de aglomerados abertos contendo coordenadas, distância, idade, movimentos próprios e velocidades radiais e já disponibiliza uma nova versão do catálogo de aglomerados abertos o qual é uma compilação de edições anteriores, principalmente Lynga (1987), Mermilliod (1995) e ESO-B (Lauberts 1982). Nossa amostra possui cerca de 1630 aglomerados, mas nem todos os parâmetros acima citados foram determinados em sua totalidade. Para determinarmos esses parâmetros, derivamos as cores intrínsecas das estrelas membro de cada aglomerado a partir de seus tipos espectrais (busca feita no SIMBAD) obtendo assim o excesso de cor individual. A distribuição dos excessos de cor foi então utilizada para derivarmos o avermelhamento médio para cada aglomerado. De maneira similar, os tipos espectrais foram usados para estimar as magnitudes absolutas, e com as magnitudes absolutas e aparentes determinamos a respectiva distribuição do módulo de distância e finalmente a distância. Para determinar as idades foram confeccionados os diagramas cor-magnitude das estrelas de cada aglomerado onde foram superpostas a Seqüência Principal de Idade Zero (ZAMS). Superpomos a ZAMS de Schmidt-Kaler e isócronas de composição solar. Essas isócronas foram usadas para determinação das idades dos aglomerados. Uma vez que não temos ainda resultados finais, apresentamos então alguns diagramas cor-magnitude os quais foram usados para determinação, principalmente, da distância e idade dos aglomerados.

Initial experience with the new da Vinci single-port robot-assisted platform.

PubMed

Ballestero Diego, R; Zubillaga Guerrero, S; Truan Cacho, D; Carrion Ballardo, C; Velilla Diez, G; Calleja Hermosa, P; Gutiérrez Baños, J L

2017-06-01

To describe our experience in the first cases of urological surgeries performed with the da Vinci single-port robot-assisted platform. We performed 5 single-port robot-assisted surgeries (R-LESS) between May and October 2014. We performed 3 ureteral reimplant surgeries, one ureteropyeloplasty in an inverted kidney and 1 partial nephrectomy. The perioperative and postoperative results were collected, as well as a report of the complications according to the Clavien classification system. Of the 5 procedures, 4 were performed completely by LESS, while 1 procedure was reconverted to multiport robot-assisted surgery. There were no intraoperative complications. We observed perioperative complications in 4 patients, all of which were grade 1 or 2. The mean surgical time was 262minutes (range, 230-300). In our initial experience with the da Vinci device, R-LESS surgery was feasible and safe. There are still a number of limitations in its use, which require new and improved R-LESS platforms. Copyright © 2016 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP) auxiliary factor of 65 kDa, U2AF65, can promote U1 snRNP recruitment to 5' splice sites.

PubMed Central

Förch, Patrik; Merendino, Livia; Martínez, Concepción; Valcárcel, Juan

2003-01-01

The splicing factor U2AF(65), U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP) auxillary factor of 65 kDa, binds to pyrimidine-rich sequences at 3' splice sites to recruit U2 snRNP to pre-mRNAs. We report that U2AF(65) can also promote the recruitment of U1 snRNP to weak 5' splice sites that are followed by uridine-rich sequences. The arginine- and serine-rich domain of U2AF(65) is critical for U1 recruitment, and we discuss the role of its RNA-RNA annealing activity in this novel function of U2AF(65). PMID:12558503

Tristan da Cunha Island

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-25

Tristan da Cunha is both a remote group of volcanic islands in the south Atlantic, and the main island. It is the most remote inhabited island group in the world, 2400 km from the nearest inhabited land. Tristan has a population of about 250 inhabitants, and is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. In 1961 the eruption of Queen Mary's Peak forced the evacuation of the entire population for two years. The image was acquired October 7, 2017, and is located at 37.1 degrees south, 12.3 degrees west. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22506

WRS2 UPA DA Removal

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-23

ISS021-E-032275 (23 Nov. 2009) --- NASA astronaut Leland Melvin, STS-129 mission specialist, holds the failed Urine Processor Assembly / Distillation Assembly (UPA DA) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station while space shuttle Atlantis remains docked with the station. Melvin and European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne (out of frame), Expedition 21 commander, removed and packed the UPA DA, then transferred it from the Water Recovery System 2 (WRS-2) rack to Atlantis for stowage on the middeck.

Possibility of the transformation of eEF-2 (100 kDa) to eEF-2 (65 kDa) in the peptide elongation process in vitro.

PubMed

Gajko, A; Sredzińska, K; Galasiński, W; Gindzieński, A

1999-02-16

Two active eEF-2 polypeptides of approximately 100 and 65 kDa were copurified from rat liver cells and separated. The fate of eEF-2 (100 kDa) during its binding to ribosomes and in the translocation step of the peptide elongation process was investigated. It was shown that eEF-2 (100 kDa) did not change its form during the process of binding to the ribosomes. In the postribosomal supernatant, obtained from the postincubation mixture of the elongation process, only eEF-2 (65 kDa) was found. These results suggest that the form of eEF-2 (100 kDa), when bound to the ribosome during the elongation process, is transformed to eEF-2 (65 kDa). Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

[Clinical application of Da Vinci surgical system in China].

PubMed

Jin, Zhenyu

2014-01-01

Da Vinci robotic surgical system leads the development of minimally invasive surgical techniques. By using Da Vinci surgical robot for minimally invasive surgery, it brings a lot of advantages to the surgeons. Since 2008, Da Vinci surgeries have been performed in 14 hospitals in domestic cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Until the end of 2012, 3 551 cases of Da Vinci robotic surgery have been performed, covering various procedures of various surgical departments including the department of general surgery, urology, cardiovascular surgery, thoracic surgery, gynecology, and etc. Robotic surgical technique has made remarkable achievements.

WRS2 UPA DA Removal

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-23

ISS021-E-032273 (23 Nov. 2009) --- European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne, Expedition 21 commander, holds the failed Urine Processor Assembly / Distillation Assembly (UPA DA) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station while space shuttle Atlantis remains docked with the station. De Winne and NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (out of frame), STS-129 mission specialist, removed and packed the UPA DA, then transferred it from the Water Recovery System 2 (WRS-2) rack to Atlantis for stowage on the middeck.

Photo-switchable Donor-Acceptor (D-A) Dyad Interfacial Self-Assembled Monolayers for Organic Photovoltaic Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-05

AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2015-0396 (HBCU) Photo-switchable Donor-Acceptor for Organic Photovoltaic Cells Luis Echegoyen UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO Final...Acceptor (D-A) Dyad Interfacial Self-Assembled Monolayers for Organic Photovoltaic Cells 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA9550-12-1-0053 5c...demonstrated using impedance spectroscopy for several triphenylamine-fullerene dyads, but their performance in photovoltaic devices was not remarkable, likely

A novel transcript of cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) has an alternative C-terminus and is the predominant transcript in brain.

PubMed

Williamson, Sarah L; Giudici, Laura; Kilstrup-Nielsen, Charlotte; Gold, Wendy; Pelka, Gregory J; Tam, Patrick P L; Grimm, Andrew; Prodi, Dionigio; Landsberger, Nicoletta; Christodoulou, John

2012-02-01

The X-linked cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) gene is an important molecular determinant of early-onset intractable seizures with infantile spasms and Rett syndrome-like phenotype. The gene encodes a kinase that may influence components of molecular pathways associated with MeCP2. In humans there are two previously reported splice variants that differ in the 5' untranslated exons and produce the same 115 kDa protein. Furthermore, very recently, a novel transcript including a novel exon (16b) has been described. By aligning both the human and mouse CDKL5 proteins to the orthologs of other species, we identified a theoretical 107 kDa isoform with an alternative C-terminus that terminates in intron 18. In human brain and all other tissues investigated except the testis, this novel isoform is the major CDKL5 transcript. The detailed characterisation of this novel isoform of CDKL5 reveals functional and subcellular localisation attributes that overlap greatly, but not completely, with that of the previously studied human CDKL5 protein. Considering its predominant expression in the human and mouse brain, we believe that this novel isoform is likely to be of primary pathogenic importance in human diseases associated with CDKL5 deficiency, and suggest that screening of the related intronic sequence should be included in the molecular genetic analyses of patients with a suggestive clinical phenotype.

[da Vinci surgical system].

PubMed

Watanabe, Gou; Ishikawa, Norihiro

2014-07-01

The da Vinci surgical system was developed by Intuitive Surgical Inc. in the United States as an endoscopic surgical device to assist remote control surgeries. In 1998, the Da Vinci system was first used for cardiothoracic procedures. Currently a combination of robot-assisted internal thoracic artery harvest together with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) through a mini-incision (ThoraCAB) or totally endoscopic procedures including anastomoses under robotic assistance (TECAB) are being conducted for the treatment of coronary artery diseases. With the recent advances in catheter interventions, hybrid procedures combining catheter intervention with ThoraCAB or TECAB are anticipated in the future.On the other hand, with the decrease in number of coronary artery bypass surgeries, the share of valvular surgeries is expected to increase in the future. Among them, mitral valvuloplasty for mitral regurgitation is anticipated to be conducted mainly by low-invasive procedures, represented by minimally invasive cardiac surgery( MICS) and robot-assisted surgery. Apart from the intrinsic good surgical view, robotic-assisted systems offer additional advantages of the availability of an amplified view and the easy to observe the mitral valve in the physiological position. Thus, robotic surgical surgeries that make complicated procedures easier are expected to accomplish further developments in the future. Furthermore, while the number of surgeries for atrial septal defects has decreased dramatically following the widespread use of Amplatzer septal occluder, robotic surgery may become a good indication for cases in which the Amplatzer device is not indicated. In Japan, clinical trial of the da Vinci robotic system for heart surgeries has been completed. Statutory approval of the da Vinci system for mitral regurgitation and atrial septal defects is anticipated in the next few years.

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase from bovine heart mitochondria. cDNA sequences of the import precursors of the nuclear-encoded 39 kDa and 42 kDa subunits.

PubMed Central

Fearnley, I M; Finel, M; Skehel, J M; Walker, J E

1991-01-01

The 39 kDa and 42 kDa subunits of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase from bovine heart mitochondria are nuclear-coded components of the hydrophobic protein fraction of the enzyme. Their amino acid sequences have been deduced from the sequences of overlapping cDNA clones. These clones were amplified from total bovine heart cDNA by means of the polymerase chain reaction, with the use of complex mixtures of oligonucleotide primers based upon fragments of protein sequence determined at the N-terminals of the proteins and at internal sites. The protein sequences of the 39 kDa and 42 kDa subunits are 345 and 320 amino acid residues long respectively, and their calculated molecular masses are 39,115 Da and 36,693 Da. Both proteins are predominantly hydrophilic, but each contains one or two hydrophobic segments that could possibly be folded into transmembrane alpha-helices. The bovine 39 kDa protein sequence is related to that of a 40 kDa subunit from complex I from Neurospora crassa mitochondria; otherwise, it is not related significantly to any known sequence, including redox proteins and two polypeptides involved in import of proteins into mitochondria, known as the mitochondrial processing peptidase and the processing-enhancing protein. Therefore the functions of the 39 kDa and 42 kDa subunits of complex I are unknown. The mitochondrial gene product, ND4, a hydrophobic component of complex I with an apparent molecular mass of about 39 kDa, has been identified in preparations of the enzyme. This subunit stains faintly with Coomassie Blue dye, and in many gel systems it is not resolved from the nuclearcoded 36 kDa subunit. Images Fig. 1. PMID:1832859

3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) analogues exhibit differential effects on synaptosomal release of 3H-dopamine and 3H-5-hydroxytryptamine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McKenna, D.J.; Guan, X.M.; Shulgin, A.T.

1991-03-01

The effect of various analogues of the neurotoxic amphetamine derivative, MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine) on carrier-mediated, calcium-independent release of 3H-5-HT and 3H-DA from rat brain synaptosomes was investigated. Both enantiomers of the neurotoxic analogues MDA and MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) induce synaptosomal release of 3H-5-HT and 3H-DA in vitro. The release of 3H-5-HT induced by MDMA is partially blocked by 10(-6) M fluoxetine. The (+) enantiomers of both MDA and MDMA are more potent than the (-) enantiomers as releasers of both 3H-5-HT and 3H-DA. Eleven analogues, differing from MDA with respect to the nature and number of ring and/or side chain substituents, alsomore » show some activity in the release experiments, and are more potent as releasers of 3H-5-HT than of 3H-DA. The amphetamine derivatives {plus minus}fenfluramine, {plus minus}norfenfluramine, {plus minus}MDE, {plus minus}PCA, and d-methamphetamine are all potent releasers of 3H-5-HT and show varying degrees of activity as 3H-DA releasers. The hallucinogen DOM does not cause significant release of either 3H-monoamine. Possible long-term serotonergic neurotoxicity was assessed by quantifying the density of 5-HT uptake sites in rats treated with multiple doses of selected analogues using 3H-paroxetine to label 5-HT uptake sites. In the neurotoxicity study of the compounds investigated, only (+)MDA caused a significant loss of 5-HT uptake sites in comparison to saline-treated controls. These results are discussed in terms of the apparent structure-activity properties affecting 3H-monoamine release and their possible relevance to neurotoxicity in this series of MDA congeners.« less

Modeling methanol transfer in the mesoporous catalyst for the methanol-to-olefins reaction by the time-fractional diffusion equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhokh, Alexey A.; Strizhak, Peter E.

2018-04-01

The solutions of the time-fractional diffusion equation for the short and long times are obtained via an application of the asymptotic Green's functions. The derived solutions are applied to analysis of the methanol mass transfer through H-ZSM-5/alumina catalyst grain. It is demonstrated that the methanol transport in the catalysts pores may be described by the obtained solutions in a fairly good manner. The measured fractional exponent is equal to 1.20 ± 0.02 and reveals the super-diffusive regime of the methanol mass transfer. The presence of the anomalous transport may be caused by geometrical restrictions and the adsorption process on the internal surface of the catalyst grain's pores.

The 29-kDa proteins phosphorylated ion thrombin-activated human platelets are forms of the estrogen receptor-related 27-kDa heat shock protein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mendelsohn, M.E.; Yan Zhu; O'Neill, S.

Thrombin plays a critical role in platelet activation, hemostasis, and thrombosis. Cellular activation by thrombin leads to the phosphorylation of multiple proteins, most of which are unidentified. The authors have characterized several 29-kDa proteins that are rapidly phosphorylated following exposure of intact human platelets to thrombin. A murine monoclonal antibody raised to an unidentified estrogen receptor-related 29-kDa protein selectively recognized these proteins as well as a more basic, unphosphorylated 27-kDa protein. Cellular activation by thrombin led to a marked shift in the proportion of protein from the 27-kDa unphosphorylated form to the 29-kDa phosphoprotein species. Using this antibody, they isolatedmore » and sequenced a human cDNA clone encoding a protein that was identical to the mammalian 27-kDa heat shock protein (HSP27), a protein of uncertain function that is known to be phosphorylated to several forms and to be transcriptionally induced by estrogen. The 29-kDa proteins were confirmed to be phosphorylated forms of HSP27 by immunoprecipitation studies. Thus, the estrogen receptor-related protein is HSP27, and the three major 20-kDa proteins phosphorylated in thrombin-activated platelets are forms of HSP27. These data suggest a role for HSP27 in the signal transduction events of platelet activation.« less

Anti-inflammatory effect of garlic 14-kDa protein on LPS-stimulated-J774A.1 macrophages.

PubMed

Rabe, Shahrzad Zamani Taghizadeh; Ghazanfari, Tooba; Siadat, Zahra; Rastin, Maryam; Rabe, Shahin Zamani Taghizadeh; Mahmoudi, Mahmoud

2015-04-01

Garlic 14-kDa protein is purified from garlic (Allium sativum L.) which is used in traditional medicine and exerts various immunomodulatory activities. The present study investigated the suppressive effect of garlic 14-kDa protein on LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and underlying mechanism in inflammatory macrophages. J774A.1 macrophages were treated with 14-kDa protein (5-30 μg/ml) with/without LPS (1 μg/ml) and the production of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), TNF-α, and IL-1β released were measured using ELISA. Nitric oxide (NO) production was determined using the Griess method. The anti-inflammatory activity of 14-kDa protein was examined by measuring inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 proteins using western blot. The expression of nuclear NF-κB p65 subunit was assessed by western blot. Garlic 14-kDa protein significantly inhibited the excessive production of NO, PGE, TNF-α, and IL-1β in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated J774A.1 macrophages in a concentration-related manner without cytotoxic effect. Western blot analysis demonstrated that garlic 14-kDa protein suppressed corresponding inducible NO synthase expression and activated cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression. The inhibitory effect was mediated partly by a reduction in the activity and expression of transcription factor NF-κB protein. Our results suggested, for the first time, garlic 14-kDa protein exhibits anti-inflammatory properties in macrophages possibly by suppressing the inflammatory mediators via the inhibition of transcription factor NF-κB signaling pathway. The traditional use of garlic as anti-inflammatory remedy could be ascribed partly to 14-kDa protein content. This protein might be a useful candidate for controlling inflammatory diseases and further investigations in vivo.

Da0324, an inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB activation, demonstrates selective antitumor activity on human gastric cancer cells

PubMed Central

Jin, Rong; Xia, Yiqun; Chen, Qiuxiang; Li, Wulan; Chen, Dahui; Ye, Hui; Zhao, Chengguang; Du, Xiaojing; Shi, Dengjian; Wu, Jianzhang; Liang, Guang

2016-01-01

Background The transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is constitutively activated in a variety of human cancers, including gastric cancer. NF-κB inhibitors that selectively kill cancer cells are urgently needed for cancer treatment. Curcumin is a potent inhibitor of NF-κB activation. Unfortunately, the therapeutic potential of curcumin is limited by its relatively low potency and poor cellular bioavailability. In this study, we presented a novel NF-κB inhibitor named Da0324, a synthetic asymmetric mono-carbonyl analog of curcumin. The purpose of this study is to research the expression of NF-κB in gastric cancer and the antitumor activity and mechanism of Da0324 on human gastric cancer cells. Methods The expressions between gastric cancer tissues/cells and normal gastric tissues/cells of NF-κB were evaluated by Western blot. The inhibition viability of compounds on human gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901, BGC-823, MGC-803, and normal gastric mucosa epithelial cell line GES-1 was assessed with the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Absorption spectrum method and high-performance liquid chromatography method detected the stability of the compound in vitro. The compound-induced changes of inducible NF-κB activation in the SGC-7901 and BGC-823 cells were examined by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence methods. The antitumor activity of compound was performed by clonogenic assay, matrigel invasion assay, flow cytometric analysis, Western blot analysis, and Hoechst 33258 staining assay. Results High levels of p65 were found in gastric cancer tissues and cells. Da0324 displayed higher growth inhibition against several types of gastric cancer cell lines and showed relatively low toxicity to GES-1. Moreover, Da0324 was more stable than curcumin in vitro. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence methods showed that Da0324 blocked NF-κB activation. In addition, Da0324 significantly inhibited tumor proliferation

DaCHS: Data Center Helper Suite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demleitner, Markus

2018-04-01

DaCHS, the Data Center Helper Suite, is an integrated package for publishing astronomical data sets to the Virtual Observatory. Network-facing, it speaks the major VO protocols (SCS, SIAP, SSAP, TAP, Datalink, etc). Operator-facing, many input formats, including FITS/WCS, ASCII files, and VOTable, can be processed to publication-ready data. DaCHS puts particular emphasis on integrated metadata handling, which facilitates a tight integration with the VO's Registry

Respostas religiosas à aids no Brasil: impressões de pesquisa acerca da Pastoral de DST/Aids da Igreja Católica1

PubMed Central

Seffner, Fernando; Silva, Cristiane Gonçalves Meireles da; Maksud, Ívia; Garcia, Jonathan; Rios, Luís Felipe; Natividade, Marcelo; Borges, Priscila Rodrigues; Parker, Richard; Terto, Veriano

2009-01-01

O texto encontra-se estruturado em quatro partes. Na primeira delas, apresentamos um conjunto de considerações e informações acerca da situação da aids no Brasil, das relações entre religião, sexualidade, aids e estado laico, bem como uma descrição mais clara do Projeto Respostas Religiosas ao HIV/Aids no Brasil, do qual este texto apresenta algumas impressões de pesquisa preliminares. A seguir, dedicamos um item a apresentação da Pastoral de DST/Aids, sua história, estrutura e objetivos. No item seguinte problematizamos diversas questões em particular no âmbito das relações Estado e Igreja, relações entre agentes de pastoral e hierarquia da Igreja, e questões ligadas mais diretamente à sexualidade e aids, todas referenciadas ao trabalho da Pastoral de DST/Aids. Ao final, apresentamos a bibliografia e fontes consultadas. PMID:20442806

Characterization of SLCO5A1/OATP5A1, a Solute Carrier Transport Protein with Non-Classical Function

PubMed Central

Sebastian, Katrin; Detro-Dassen, Silvia; Rinis, Natalie; Fahrenkamp, Dirk; Müller-Newen, Gerhard; Merk, Hans F.; Schmalzing, Günther

2013-01-01

Organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP/SLCO) have been identified to mediate the uptake of a broad range of mainly amphipathic molecules. Human OATP5A1 was found to be expressed in the epithelium of many cancerous and non-cancerous tissues throughout the body but protein characterization and functional analysis have not yet been performed. This study focused on the biochemical characterization of OATP5A1 using Xenopus laevis oocytes and Flp-In T-REx-HeLa cells providing evidence regarding a possible OATP5A1 function. SLCO5A1 is highly expressed in mature dendritic cells compared to immature dendritic cells (∼6.5-fold) and SLCO5A1 expression correlates with the differentiation status of primary blood cells. A core- and complex- N-glycosylated polypeptide monomer of ∼105 kDa and ∼130 kDa could be localized in intracellular membranes and on the plasma membrane, respectively. Inducible expression of SLCO5A1 in HeLa cells led to an inhibitory effect of ∼20% after 96 h on cell proliferation. Gene expression profiling with these cells identified immunologically relevant genes (e.g. CCL20) and genes implicated in developmental processes (e.g. TGM2). A single nucleotide polymorphism leading to the exchange of amino acid 33 (L→F) revealed no differences regarding protein expression and function. In conclusion, we provide evidence that OATP5A1 might be a non-classical OATP family member which is involved in biological processes that require the reorganization of the cell shape, such as differentiation and migration. PMID:24376674

PCA as a practical indicator of OPLS-DA model reliability.

PubMed

Worley, Bradley; Powers, Robert

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) are powerful statistical modeling tools that provide insights into separations between experimental groups based on high-dimensional spectral measurements from NMR, MS or other analytical instrumentation. However, when used without validation, these tools may lead investigators to statistically unreliable conclusions. This danger is especially real for Partial Least Squares (PLS) and OPLS, which aggressively force separations between experimental groups. As a result, OPLS-DA is often used as an alternative method when PCA fails to expose group separation, but this practice is highly dangerous. Without rigorous validation, OPLS-DA can easily yield statistically unreliable group separation. A Monte Carlo analysis of PCA group separations and OPLS-DA cross-validation metrics was performed on NMR datasets with statistically significant separations in scores-space. A linearly increasing amount of Gaussian noise was added to each data matrix followed by the construction and validation of PCA and OPLS-DA models. With increasing added noise, the PCA scores-space distance between groups rapidly decreased and the OPLS-DA cross-validation statistics simultaneously deteriorated. A decrease in correlation between the estimated loadings (added noise) and the true (original) loadings was also observed. While the validity of the OPLS-DA model diminished with increasing added noise, the group separation in scores-space remained basically unaffected. Supported by the results of Monte Carlo analyses of PCA group separations and OPLS-DA cross-validation metrics, we provide practical guidelines and cross-validatory recommendations for reliable inference from PCA and OPLS-DA models.

Identification of bovine sperm acrosomal proteins that interact with a 32-kDa acrosomal matrix protein.

PubMed

Nagdas, Subir K; Smith, Linda; Medina-Ortiz, Ilza; Hernandez-Encarnacion, Luisa; Raychoudhury, Samir

2016-03-01

Mammalian fertilization is accomplished by the interaction between sperm and egg. Previous studies from this laboratory have identified a stable acrosomal matrix assembly from the bovine sperm acrosome termed the outer acrosomal membrane-matrix complex (OMC). This stable matrix assembly exhibits precise binding activity for acrosin and N-acetylglucosaminidase. A highly purified OMC fraction comprises three major (54, 50, and 45 kDa) and several minor (38-19 kDa) polypeptides. The set of minor polypeptides (38-19 kDa) termed "OMCrpf polypeptides" is selectively solubilized by high-pH extraction (pH 10.5), while the three major polypeptides (55, 50, and 45 kDa) remain insoluble. Proteomic identification of the OMC32 polypeptide (32 kDa polypeptide isolated from high-pH soluble fraction of OMC) yielded two peptides that matched the NCBI database sequence of acrosin-binding protein. Anti-OMC32 recognized an antigenically related family of polypeptides (OMCrpf polypeptides) in the 38-19-kDa range with isoelectric points ranging between 4.0 and 5.1. Other than glycohydrolases, OMC32 may also be complexed to other acrosomal proteins. The present study was undertaken to identify and localize the OMC32 binding polypeptides and to elucidate the potential role of the acrosomal protein complex in sperm function. OMC32 affinity chromatography of a detergent-soluble fraction of bovine cauda sperm acrosome followed by mass spectrometry-based identification of bound proteins identified acrosin, lactadherin, SPACA3, and IZUMO1. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis also demonstrated the interaction of OMC32 with acrosin, lactadherin, SPACA3, and IZUMO1. Our immunofluorescence studies revealed the presence of SPACA3 and lactadherin over the apical segment, whereas IZUMO1 is localized over the equatorial segment of Triton X-100 permeabilized cauda sperm. Immunoblot analysis showed that a significant portion of SPACA3 was released after the lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-induced acrosome

Dietary uridine-5'-monophosphate supplementation increases potassium-evoked dopamine release and promotes neurite outgrowth in aged rats.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Pooler, Amy M; Albrecht, Meredith A; Wurtman, Richard J

2005-01-01

Membrane phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine (PC) are required for cellular growth and repair, and specifically for synaptic function. PC synthesis is controlled by cellular levels of its precursor, cytidine-5'-diphosphate choline (CDP-choline), which is produced from cytidine triphosphate (CTP) and phosphocholine. In rat PC12 cells exogenous uridine was shown to elevate intracellular CDP-choline levels, by promoting the synthesis of uridine triphosphate (UTP), which was partly converted to CTP. In such cells uridine also enhanced the neurite outgrowth produced by nerve growth factor (NGF). The present study assessed the effect of dietary supplementation with uridine-5'-monophosphate disodium (UMP-2Na+, an additive in infant milk formulas) on striatal dopamine (DA) release in aged rats. Male Fischer 344 rats consumed either a control diet or one fortified with 2.5% UMP for 6 wk, ad libitum. In vivo microdialysis was then used to measure spontaneous and potassium (K+)-evoked DA release in the right striatum. Potassium (K+)-evoked DA release was significantly greater among UMP-treated rats, i.e., 341+/-21% of basal levels vs. 283+/-9% of basal levels in control rats (p<0.05); basal DA release was unchanged. In general, each animal's K+-evoked DA release correlated with its striatal DA content, measured postmortem. The levels of neurofilament-70 and neurofilament-M proteins, biomarkers of neurite outgrowth, increased to 182+/-25% (p<0.05) and 221+/-34% (p<0.01) of control values, respectively, with UMP consumption. Hence, UMP treatment not only enhances membrane phosphatide production but also can modulate two membrane-dependent processes, neurotransmitter release and neurite outgrowth, in vivo.

Analyzing the relation between the microbial diversity of DaQu and the turbidity spoilage of traditional Chinese vinegar.

PubMed

Li, Pan; Li, Sha; Cheng, Lili; Luo, Lixin

2014-07-01

Vinegar is a traditional fermented condiment, and the microbial diversity of DaQu makes the quality of vinegar products. Recently, turbidity spoilage of vinegar sharply tampered with the quality of vinegar. In this study, the relation between the microbial diversity of DaQu and turbidity spoilage of vinegar was analyzed by plating technique, PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The 16S rRNA sequencing and DGGE analysis indicated that Bacillus (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Bacillus thuringiensis) and Lactobacillus (including Lactobacillus acidipiscis and Lactobacillus pobuzihii) species were the dominant contaminants in vinegar products. Meanwhile, DGGE analysis showed that the dominant bacteria in DaQu belonged to genera Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas, Weissella, Saccharopolyspora, Enterobacter, and Pantoea. However, only two yeast species (Pichia kudriavzevii and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera) and seven mold species including Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus candidus, Rhizopus microspores, Eurotium herbariorum, Absidia corymbifera, and Eupenicillium javanicum were detected in the DaQu. The population level of fungi was below 5 log CFU/g in DaQu. The chemical and physical properties of vinegar and sediments were also determined. On the basis of a combined microbial diversity-chemical analysis, we demonstrated that turbidity spoilage of vinegar was a result of cooperation among the low population level and abundance of fungal species in DaQu, the suitable climate conditions, and the contaminants in vinegar. This is the first report to analyze the relation between the microbial diversity of DaQu and turbidity spoilage of vinegar.

Dlx1 and Rgs5 in the Ductus Arteriosus: Vessel-Specific Genes Identified by Transcriptional Profiling of Laser-Capture Microdissected Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells

PubMed Central

Bökenkamp, Regina; van Brempt, Ronald; van Munsteren, Jacoba Cornelia; van den Wijngaert, Ilse; de Hoogt, Ronald; Finos, Livio; Goeman, Jelle; Groot, Adriana Cornelia Gittenberger-de; Poelmann, Robert Eugen; Blom, Nicolaas Andreas; DeRuiter, Marcus Cornelis

2014-01-01

Closure of the ductus arteriosus (DA) is a crucial step in the transition from fetal to postnatal life. Patent DA is one of the most common cardiovascular anomalies in children with significant clinical consequences especially in premature infants. We aimed to identify genes that specify the DA in the fetus and differentiate it from the aorta. Comparative microarray analysis of laser-captured microdissected endothelial (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from the DA and aorta of fetal rats (embryonic day 18 and 21) identified vessel-specific transcriptional profiles. We found a strong age-dependency of gene expression. Among the genes that were upregulated in the DA the regulator of the G-protein coupled receptor 5 (Rgs5) and the transcription factor distal-less homeobox 1 (Dlx1) exhibited the highest and most significant level of differential expression. The aorta showed a significant preferential expression of the Purkinje cell protein 4 (Pcp4) gene. The results of the microarray analysis were validated by real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Our study confirms vessel-specific transcriptional profiles in ECs and SMCs of rat DA and aorta. Rgs5 and Dlx1 represent novel molecular targets for the regulation of DA maturation and closure. PMID:24489801

32 CFR 516.25 - DA Form 4.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false DA Form 4. 516.25 Section 516.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AID OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC... attached to a properly prepared and sealed DA Form 4 are self-authenticating. (See Fed. R. Evid. 902). (b...

32 CFR 516.25 - DA Form 4.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false DA Form 4. 516.25 Section 516.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AID OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC... attached to a properly prepared and sealed DA Form 4 are self-authenticating. (See Fed. R. Evid. 902). (b...

32 CFR 516.25 - DA Form 4.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true DA Form 4. 516.25 Section 516.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AID OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS... properly prepared and sealed DA Form 4 are self-authenticating. (See Fed. R. Evid. 902). (b) Preparation at...

32 CFR 516.25 - DA Form 4.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2012-07-01 2009-07-01 true DA Form 4. 516.25 Section 516.25 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AID OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS... properly prepared and sealed DA Form 4 are self-authenticating. (See Fed. R. Evid. 902). (b) Preparation at...

A 115 kDa calmodulin-binding protein is located in rat liver endosome fractions.

PubMed Central

Enrich, C; Bachs, O; Evans, W H

1988-01-01

The distribution of calmodulin-binding polypeptides in various rat liver subcellular fractions was investigated. Plasma-membrane, endosome, Golgi and lysosome fractions were prepared by established procedures. The calmodulin-binding polypeptides present in the subcellular fractions were identified by using an overlay technique after transfer from gels to nitrocellulose sheets. Distinctive populations of calmodulin-binding polypeptides were present in all the fractions examined except lysosomes. A major 115 kDa calmodulin-binding polypeptide of pI 4.3 was located to the endosome subfractions, and it emerges as a candidate endosome-specific protein. Partitioning of endosome fractions between aqueous and Triton X-114 phases indicated that the calmodulin-binding polypeptide was hydrophobic. Major calmodulin-binding polypeptides of 140 and 240 kDa and minor polypeptides of 40-60 kDa were present in plasma membranes. The distribution of calmodulin in the various endosome and plasma-membrane fractions was also analysed, and the results indicated that the amounts were high compared with those in the cytosol. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. PMID:3214436

Subchronic nandrolone administration reduces cocaine-induced dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine outflow in the rat nucleus accumbens.

PubMed

Kurling-Kailanto, Sanna; Kankaanpää, Aino; Seppälä, Timo

2010-04-01

The abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AASs) is not only a problem in the world of sports but is associated with the polydrug use of nonathletes. Investigations of the neurochemical effects of AAS have focused in part on the monoaminergic systems, involving, among other things, the development of dependence. We have previously shown that pretreatment with nandrolone decanoate attenuates dose-dependently the increase in extracellular dopamine (DA) concentration evoked by amphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioyxymethamphetamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the nandrolone pre-exposure modulates the acute neurochemical and behavioral effects of cocaine in rats and whether the effects are long lasting. DA, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and their metabolites were measured from samples collected from the NAc by microdialysis. The behavior of the animals was recorded. The present study demonstrates that five injections of nandrolone (5 and 20 mg/kg) inhibited cocaine-evoked DA and 5-HT outflow in the NAc, locomotor activity (LMA), and stereotyped behavior in experimental animals, and that these effects are seen even after elimination of nandrolone from bloodstream. Given that accumbal outflow of DA and 5-HT, as well as LMA and stereotyped behavior, is related to gratification of stimulant drugs, this study suggests that nandrolone, at the doses tested, has a significant effect on the pleasurable properties of cocaine. Furthermore, because neurochemical and behavioral responses were still attenuated after a fairly long recovery period, it seems that nandrolone may induce long-lasting changes in the brains of rat.

[Trattamento della dipendenza da alcol. Alcol e persone senza fissa dimora: punto di vista sociale].

PubMed

Alessandrini, Giovanni; Ciccarelli, Rosaria; Battagliese, Gemma; Cereatti, Federica; Gencarelli, Simona; Messina, Marisa Patrizia; Vitali, Mario; De Rosa, Francesca; Ledda, Roberta; Mancini, Serena; Attilia, Maria Luisa

2018-01-01

RIASSUNTO. Il fenomeno delle persone senza fissa dimora sta assumendo in questi anni una rilevanza sociale devastante, con una prevalenza stimata in USA e in Europa compresa tra il 5,6% e il 13,9%. Queste persone hanno una scarsa qualità di vita, una limitata o assente vita sociale, sono spesso disoccupate o lavorano solo saltuariamente. Sono a rischio di problemi con la legge, sono spesso affette da dipendenza da droghe, da patologie psichiatriche e internistiche. L'alcol spesso non rappresenta la causa della loro condizione sociale, ma solo la conseguenza, contribuendo in questo modo al loro degrado bio-psico-sociale. Nel 2009 lo US Department of Housing and Urban Development's Homelessness Assistance Programs e nel 2010 la European Consensus Conference on Homelessness hanno segnato un grande passo avanti nella riabilitazione sociale di queste persone, utilizzando il concetto del "case management". In particolare lo Standard Case Management si è dimostrato in grado di migliorare la stabilità abitativa, di ridurre l'uso di droghe e di rimuovere le barriere lavorative. L'Assertive Community Treatment si è dimostrato, invece, in grado di migliorare la stabilità abitativa e ha un rapporto costo/beneficio migliore per i pazienti affetti da doppia diagnosi.

Assimilating AOD retrievals from GOCI and VIIRS to forecast surface PM2.5 episodes over Eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Jiongming; Liu, Zhiquan; Wang, Xuemei; Bresch, Jamie; Ban, Junmei; Chen, Dan; Kim, Jhoon

2018-04-01

In this study, Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) AOD and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) AOD data were assimilated to forecast surface PM2.5 concentrations over Eastern China, by using the three-dimensional variational (3DAVR) data assimilation (DA) system, to compare DA impacts by assimilating AOD retrievals from these two types of satellites. Three experiments were conducted, including a CONTROL without the AOD assimilation, and GOCIDA and VIIRSDA with the assimilation of AOD retrievals from GOCI and VIIRS, respectively. By utilizing the Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF/Chem) model, 48-h forecasts were initialized at each 06 UTC from 19 November to 06 December 2013. These forecasts were evaluated with 248 ground-based measurements from the air quality monitoring network across 67 China cities. The results show that overall the CONTROL underestimated surface PM2.5 concentrations, especially over Jing-Jin-Ji (JJJ) region and Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. Both the GOCIDA and VIIRSDA produced higher surface PM2.5 concentrations mainly over Eastern China, which fits well with the PM2.5 measurements at these eastern sites, with more than 8% error reductions (ER). Moreover, compared to CONTROL, GOCIDA reduced 14.0% and 6.4% error on JJJ region and YRD region, respectively, while VIIRSDA reduced respectively 2.0% and 13.4% error over the corresponding areas. During the heavy polluted period, VIIRSDA improved all sites within YRD region, and GOCIDA enhanced 84% sites. Meanwhile, GOCIDA improved 84% sites on JJJ region, while VIIRSDA did not affect that region. These geographic distinctions might result from spatial dissimilarity between GOCI AOD and VIIRS AOD at time intervals. Moreover, the larger increment produced by AOD DA under stable meteorological conditions could lead to a longer duration (e.g., 1-2 days, > 2 days) of AOD DA impacts. Even though with AOD DA, surface PM2.5 concentrations were still underestimated

Tree Branching: Leonardo da Vinci's Rule versus Biomechanical Models

PubMed Central

Minamino, Ryoko; Tateno, Masaki

2014-01-01

This study examined Leonardo da Vinci's rule (i.e., the sum of the cross-sectional area of all tree branches above a branching point at any height is equal to the cross-sectional area of the trunk or the branch immediately below the branching point) using simulations based on two biomechanical models: the uniform stress and elastic similarity models. Model calculations of the daughter/mother ratio (i.e., the ratio of the total cross-sectional area of the daughter branches to the cross-sectional area of the mother branch at the branching point) showed that both biomechanical models agreed with da Vinci's rule when the branching angles of daughter branches and the weights of lateral daughter branches were small; however, the models deviated from da Vinci's rule as the weights and/or the branching angles of lateral daughter branches increased. The calculated values of the two models were largely similar but differed in some ways. Field measurements of Fagus crenata and Abies homolepis also fit this trend, wherein models deviated from da Vinci's rule with increasing relative weights of lateral daughter branches. However, this deviation was small for a branching pattern in nature, where empirical measurements were taken under realistic measurement conditions; thus, da Vinci's rule did not critically contradict the biomechanical models in the case of real branching patterns, though the model calculations described the contradiction between da Vinci's rule and the biomechanical models. The field data for Fagus crenata fit the uniform stress model best, indicating that stress uniformity is the key constraint of branch morphology in Fagus crenata rather than elastic similarity or da Vinci's rule. On the other hand, mechanical constraints are not necessarily significant in the morphology of Abies homolepis branches, depending on the number of daughter branches. Rather, these branches were often in agreement with da Vinci's rule. PMID:24714065

Tree branching: Leonardo da Vinci's rule versus biomechanical models.

PubMed

Minamino, Ryoko; Tateno, Masaki

2014-01-01

This study examined Leonardo da Vinci's rule (i.e., the sum of the cross-sectional area of all tree branches above a branching point at any height is equal to the cross-sectional area of the trunk or the branch immediately below the branching point) using simulations based on two biomechanical models: the uniform stress and elastic similarity models. Model calculations of the daughter/mother ratio (i.e., the ratio of the total cross-sectional area of the daughter branches to the cross-sectional area of the mother branch at the branching point) showed that both biomechanical models agreed with da Vinci's rule when the branching angles of daughter branches and the weights of lateral daughter branches were small; however, the models deviated from da Vinci's rule as the weights and/or the branching angles of lateral daughter branches increased. The calculated values of the two models were largely similar but differed in some ways. Field measurements of Fagus crenata and Abies homolepis also fit this trend, wherein models deviated from da Vinci's rule with increasing relative weights of lateral daughter branches. However, this deviation was small for a branching pattern in nature, where empirical measurements were taken under realistic measurement conditions; thus, da Vinci's rule did not critically contradict the biomechanical models in the case of real branching patterns, though the model calculations described the contradiction between da Vinci's rule and the biomechanical models. The field data for Fagus crenata fit the uniform stress model best, indicating that stress uniformity is the key constraint of branch morphology in Fagus crenata rather than elastic similarity or da Vinci's rule. On the other hand, mechanical constraints are not necessarily significant in the morphology of Abies homolepis branches, depending on the number of daughter branches. Rather, these branches were often in agreement with da Vinci's rule.

40 CFR 60.42Da - Standard for particulate matter (PM).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standard for particulate matter (PM). 60.42Da Section 60.42Da Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR....42Da Standard for particulate matter (PM). (a) On and after the date on which the initial performance...

40 CFR 60.42Da - Standard for particulate matter (PM).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Standard for particulate matter (PM). 60.42Da Section 60.42Da Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR....42Da Standard for particulate matter (PM). (a) On and after the date on which the initial performance...

Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA Production and Distributed Analysis System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maeno, T.; De, K.; Wenaus, T.

2012-12-13

Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA Production and Distributed Analysis System T Maeno1,5, K De2, T Wenaus1, P Nilsson2, R Walker3, A Stradling2, V Fine1, M Potekhin1, S Panitkin1 and G Compostella4 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Volume 396, Part 3 Article PDF References Citations Metrics 101 Total downloads Cited by 8 articles Turn on MathJax Share this article Article information Abstract The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) system has been developed to meet ATLAS production and analysis requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at LHC data processing scale. PanDAmore » has performed well with high reliability and robustness during the two years of LHC data-taking, while being actively evolved to meet the rapidly changing requirements for analysis use cases. We will present an overview of system evolution including automatic rebrokerage and reattempt for analysis jobs, adaptation for the CernVM File System, support for the multi-cloud model through which Tier-2 sites act as members of multiple clouds, pledged resource management and preferential brokerage, and monitoring improvements. We will also describe results from the analysis of two years of PanDA usage statistics, current issues, and plans for the future.« less

The role of transparency in da Vinci stereopsis.

PubMed

Zannoli, Marina; Mamassian, Pascal

2011-10-15

The majority of natural scenes contains zones that are visible to one eye only. Past studies have shown that these monocular regions can be seen at a precise depth even though there are no binocular disparities that uniquely constrain their locations in depth. In the so-called da Vinci stereopsis configuration, the monocular region is a vertical line placed next to a binocular rectangular occluder. The opacity of the occluder has been mentioned to be a necessary condition to obtain da Vinci stereopsis. However, this opacity constraint has never been empirically tested. In the present study, we tested whether da Vinci stereopsis and perceptual transparency can interact using a classical da Vinci configuration in which the opacity of the occluder varied. We used two different monocular objects: a line and a disk. We found no effect of the opacity of the occluder on the perceived depth of the monocular object. A careful analysis of the distribution of perceived depth revealed that the monocular object was perceived at a depth that increased with the distance between the object and the occluder. The analysis of the skewness of the distributions was not consistent with a double fusion explanation, favoring an implication of occlusion geometry in da Vinci stereopsis. A simple model that includes the geometry of the scene could account for the results. In summary, the mechanism responsible to locate monocular regions in depth is not sensitive to the material properties of objects, suggesting that da Vinci stereopsis is solved at relatively early stages of disparity processing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression, purification, and characterization of a bifunctional 99-kDa peptidoglycan hydrolase from Pediococcus acidilactici ATCC 8042.

PubMed

García-Cano, Israel; Campos-Gómez, Manuel; Contreras-Cruz, Mariana; Serrano-Maldonado, Carlos Eduardo; González-Canto, Augusto; Peña-Montes, Carolina; Rodríguez-Sanoja, Romina; Sánchez, Sergio; Farrés, Amelia

2015-10-01

Pediococcus acidilactici ATCC 8042 is a lactic acid bacteria that inhibits pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus through the production of two proteins with lytic activity, one of 110 kDa and the other of 99 kDa. The 99-kDa one has high homology to a putative peptidoglycan hydrolase (PGH) enzyme reported in the genome of P. acidilactici 7_4, where two different lytic domains have been identified but not characterized. The aim of this work was the biochemical characterization of the recombinant enzyme of 99 kDa. The enzyme was cloned and expressed successfully and retains its activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus. It has a higher N-acetylglucosaminidase activity, but the N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase can also be detected spectrophotometrically. The protein was then purified using gel filtration chromatography. Antibacterial activity showed an optimal pH of 6.0 and was stable between 5.0 and 7.0. The optimal temperature for activity was 60 °C, and all activity was lost after 1 h of incubation at 70 °C. The number of strains susceptible to the recombinant 99-kDa enzyme was lower than that susceptible to the mixture of the 110- and 99-kDa PGHs of P. acidilactici, a result that suggests synergy between these two enzymes. This is the first PGH from LAB that has been shown to possess two lytic sites. The results of this study will aid in the design of new antibacterial agents from natural origin that can combat foodborne disease and improve hygienic practices in the industrial sector.

Effect of DA-9701 on Gastric Motor Function Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Min, Yang Won; Min, Byung-Hoon; Kim, Seonwoo; Choi, Dongil; Rhee, Poong-Lyul

2015-01-01

Improving gastric accommodation and gastric emptying is an attractive physiological treatment target in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). We evaluated the effect of DA-9701, a new drug for FD, on gastric motor function after a meal in healthy volunteers using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Forty healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to receive either DA-9701 or placebo. After 5 days of treatment, subjects underwent gastric MRI (60 min before and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after a liquid test meal). Gastric volume was measured through 3-dimensional reconstruction from MRI data. We analyzed 4 outcome variables including changes in total gastric volume (TGV), proximal TGV, and proximal to distal TGV ratio after a meal and gastric emptying rates after adjusting values at the pre-test meal. Changes in TGV and proximal TGV after a meal did not differ between the DA-9701 and placebo groups (difference between groups -25.9 mL, 95% confidence interval [CI] -54.0 to 2.3 mL, P = 0.070 and -2.9 mL, 95% CI -30.3 to 24.5 mL, P = 0.832, respectively). However, pre-treatment with DA-9701 increased postprandial proximal to distal TGV ratio more than placebo (difference between groups 0.93, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.79, P = 0.034). In addition, pre-treatment with DA-9701 significantly increased gastric emptying as compared with placebo (mean difference between groups 3.41%, 95% CI 0.54% to 6.29%, P = 0.021, by mixed model for repeated measures). Our results suggested that DA-9701 enhances gastric emptying and does not significantly affect gastric accommodation in healthy volunteers. Further studies to confirm whether DA-9701 enhances these gastric motor functions in patients with FD are warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02091635.

An improvement of LLNA:DA to assess the skin sensitization potential of chemicals.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongwei; Shi, Ying; Wang, Chao; Zhao, Kangfeng; Zhang, Shaoping; Wei, Lan; Dong, Li; Gu, Wen; Xu, Yongjun; Ruan, Hongjie; Zhi, Hong; Yang, Xiaoyan

2017-01-01

We developed a modified local lymph node assay based on ATP (LLNA:DA), termed the Two-Stage LLNA:DA, to further reduce the animal numbers in the identification of sensitizers. In the Two-Stage LLNA:DA procedure, 13 chemicals ranging from non-sensitizers to extreme sensitizers were selected. The first stage used reduced LLNA:DA (rLLNA:DA) to screen out sensitive chemicals. The second stage used LLNA:DA based on OECD 442 (A) to classify those potential sensitizers screened out in the first stage. In the first stage, the SIs of the methyl methacrylate, salicylic acid, methyl salicylate, ethyl salicylate, isopropanol and propanediol were below 1.8 and need not to be tested in the second step. Others continued to be tested by LLNA:DA. In the second stage, sodium lauryl sulphate and xylene were classified as weak sensitizers. a-hexyl cinnamic aldehyde and eugenol were moderate sensitizers. Benzalkonium chloride and glyoxal were strong sensitizers, and phthalic anhydride was an extreme sensitizer. The 9/9, 11/12, 10/11, and 8/13 (positive or negative only) categories of the Two-Stage LLNA:DA were consistent with those from the other methods (LLNA, LLNA:DA, GPMT/BT and HMT/HPTA), suggesting that Two-Stage LLNA:DA have a high coincidence rate with reported data. In conclusion, The Two-Stage LLNA:DA is in line with the "3R" rules, and can be a modification of LLNA:DA but needs more study.

Role of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the regulation of brain neuropeptides in normal and diabetic rat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolta, Malak G.; Williams, Byron B.; Soliman, Karam F. A.

1986-01-01

The effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) alteration on brain dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), beta-endorphin (beta-E), and immunoreactive insulin was studied in Sprague-Dawley diabetic and control rats. Diabetes was induced using alloxan (45 mg/kg), 15 days prior to sacrificing. Both control and diabetic animals were treated with either p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 300 mg/kg) three days prior to sacrificing or fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) twice daily for three days. PCPA treatment significantly decreased brain content of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindolel acetic acid, while it caused significant increase and decrease in brain beta-E and insulin levels, respectively, in both normal and diabetic rat. Meanwhile, the administration of fluoxetine resulted in significant increase in brain content of 5-HT, DA, NE and insulin but significant decline of beta-E in diabetic and saline control rats. The results of this experiment indicate that 5-HT may be regulating both beta-E and insulin regardless of the availability of pancreatic insulin.

Effect of DA-9701 on gastric emptying in a mouse model: assessment by ¹³C-octanoic acid breath test.

PubMed

Lim, Chul-Hyun; Choi, Myung-Gyu; Park, Hyeyeon; Baeg, Myong Ki; Park, Jae Myung

2013-07-21

To evaluate the effects of DA-9701 on the gastric emptying of a solid meal using the ¹³C-octanoic acid breath test in a mouse model. Male C57BL/6 mice aged > 8 wk and with body weights of 20-25 g were used in this study. The solid test meal consisted of 200 mg of egg yolk labeled with 1.5 L/g ¹³C-octanoic acid. The mice were placed in a 130 mL chamber flushed with air at a flow speed of 200 mL/min. Breath samples were collected for 6 h. The half-emptying time and lag phase were calculated using a modified power exponential model. To assess the reproducibility of the ¹³C-octanoic acid breath test, the breath test was performed two times at intervals of one week in ten mice without drug treatment. To assess the gastrokinetic effects of DA-9701, the breath test was performed three times in another twelve mice, with a randomized crossover sequence of three drug treatments: DA-9701 3 mg/kg, erythromycin 6 mg/kg, or saline. Each breath test was performed at an interval of one week. Repeatedly measured half gastric emptying time of ten mice without drug treatment showed 0.856 of the intraclass correlation coefficient for the half gastric emptying time (P = 0.004). The mean cumulative excretion curve for the ¹³C-octanoic acid breath test showed accelerated gastric emptying after DA-9701 treatment compared with the saline control (P = 0.028). The median half gastric emptying time after the DA-9701 treatment was significantly shorter than after the saline treatment [122.4 min (109.0-137.9 min) vs 134.5 min (128.4-167.0 min), respectively; P = 0.028] and similar to that after the erythromycin treatment [123.3 min (112.9-138.2 min)]. The lag phase, which was defined as the period taken to empty 15% of a meal, was significantly shorter after the DA-9701 treatment than after the saline treatment [48.1 min (44.6-57.1 min) vs 52.6 min (49.45-57.4 min), respectively; P = 0.049]. The novel prokinetic agent DA-9701 accelerated gastric emptying, assessed with repeated

Ultratight crystal packing of a 10 kDa protein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trillo-Muyo, Sergio; Jasilionis, Andrius; Domagalski, Marcin J.

2013-03-01

The crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of a putative U32 peptidase from G. thermoleovorans is reported; it is one of the most tightly packed protein structures reported to date. While small organic molecules generally crystallize forming tightly packed lattices with little solvent content, proteins form air-sensitive high-solvent-content crystals. Here, the crystallization and full structure analysis of a novel recombinant 10 kDa protein corresponding to the C-terminal domain of a putative U32 peptidase are reported. The orthorhombic crystal contained only 24.5% solvent and is therefore among the most tightly packed protein lattices ever reported.

Experience with ATLAS MySQL PanDA database service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, Y.; Wlodek, T.; De, K.; Hover, J.; Ozturk, N.; Smith, J.; Wenaus, T.; Yu, D.

2010-04-01

The PanDA distributed production and analysis system has been in production use for ATLAS data processing and analysis since late 2005 in the US, and globally throughout ATLAS since early 2008. Its core architecture is based on a set of stateless web services served by Apache and backed by a suite of MySQL databases that are the repository for all PanDA information: active and archival job queues, dataset and file catalogs, site configuration information, monitoring information, system control parameters, and so on. This database system is one of the most critical components of PanDA, and has successfully delivered the functional and scaling performance required by PanDA, currently operating at a scale of half a million jobs per week, with much growth still to come. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of the PanDA database system, its architecture of MySQL servers deployed at BNL and CERN, backup strategy and monitoring tools. The system has been developed, thoroughly tested, and brought to production to provide highly reliable, scalable, flexible and available database services for ATLAS Monte Carlo production, reconstruction and physics analysis.

Analysis of PM10, PM2.5, and PM2 5-10 concentrations in Santiago, Chile, from 1989 to 2001.

PubMed

Koutrakis, Petros; Sax, Sonja N; Sarnat, Jeremy A; Coull, Brent; Demokritou, Phil; Oyola, Pedro; Garcia, Javier; Gramsch, Ernesto

2005-03-01

Daily particle samples were collected in Santiago, Chile, at four urban locations from January 1, 1989, through December 31, 2001. Both fine PM with da < 2.5 microm (PM2.5) and coarse PM with 2.5 < da < 10 microm (PM2.5-10) were collected using dichotomous samplers. The inhalable particle fraction, PM10, was determined as the sum of fine and coarse concentrations. Wind speed, temperature and relative humidity (RH) were also measured continuously. Average concentrations of PM2.5 for the 1989-2001 period ranged from 38.5 microg/m3 to 53 microg/m3. For PM2.5-10 levels ranged from 35.8-48.2 microg/m3 and for PM10 results were 74.4-101.2 microg/m3 across the four sites. Both annual and daily PM2.5 and PM10 concentration levels exceeded the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the European Union concentration limits. Mean PM2.5 levels during the cold season (April through September) were more than twice as high as those observed in the warm season (October through March); whereas coarse particle levels were similar in both seasons. PM concentration trends were investigated using regression models, controlling for site, weekday, month, wind speed, temperature, and RH. Results showed that PM2.5 concentrations decreased substantially, 52% over the 12-year period (1989-2000), whereas PM2.5-10 concentrations increased by approximately 50% in the first 5 years and then decreased by a similar percentage over the following 7 years. These decreases were evident even after controlling for significant climatic effects. These results suggest that the pollution reduction programs developed and implemented by the Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente (CONAMA) have been effective in reducing particle levels in the Santiago Metropolitan region. However, particle levels remain high and it is thus imperative that efforts to improve air quality continue.

Technical review of the da Vinci surgical telemanipulator.

PubMed

Freschi, C; Ferrari, V; Melfi, F; Ferrari, M; Mosca, F; Cuschieri, A

2013-12-01

The da Vinci robotic surgical telemanipulator has been utilized in several surgical specialties for varied procedures, and the users' experiences have been widely published. To date, no detailed system technical analyses have been performed. A detailed review was performed of all publications and patents about the technical aspects of the da Vinci robotic system. Published technical literature on the da Vinci system highlight strengths and weaknesses of the robot design. While the system facilitates complex surgical operations and has a low malfunction rate, the lack of haptic (especially tactile) feedback and collisions between the robotic arms remain the major limitations of the system. Accurate, preplanned positioning of access ports is essential. Knowledge of the technical aspects of the da Vinci robot is important for optimal use. We confirmed the excellent system functionality and ease of use for surgeons without an engineering background. Research and development of the surgical robot has been predominant in the literature. Future trends address robot miniaturization and intelligent control design. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of oral DA-1229 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who have inadequate glycaemic control with diet and exercise.

PubMed

Jung, Chang Hee; Park, Cheol-Young; Ahn, Kyu-Joeng; Kim, Nan-Hee; Jang, Hak-Chul; Lee, Moon-Kyu; Park, Joong-Yeol; Chung, Choon-Hee; Min, Kyung-Wan; Sung, Yeon-Ah; Park, Jeong-Hyun; Kim, Sung Jin; Lee, Hyo Jung; Park, Sung-Woo

2015-03-01

DA-1229 is a novel, potent and selective dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-IV) inhibitor that is orally bioavailable. We aimed to evaluate the optimal dose, efficacy and safety of DA-1229, in Korean subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus suboptimally controlled with diet and exercise. We enrolled 158 patients (mean age, 53 years and a mean BMI, 25.6 kg/m(2) ). The mean baseline fasting plasma glucose level, HbA1c and duration of diabetes were 8.28 mmol/L, 7.6% (60 mmol/mol) and 3.9 years, respectively. After 2 or 6 weeks of an exercise and diet program followed by 2 weeks of a placebo period, the subjects were randomized into one of four groups for a 12-week active treatment period: placebo, 2.5, 5 or 10 mg of DA-1229. All three doses of DA-1229 significantly reduced HbA1c from baseline compared to the placebo group (-0.09 in the placebo group vs. -0.56, -0.66 and -0.61% in 2.5, 5 and 10-mg groups, respectively) but without any significant differences between the doses. Insulin secretory function, as assessed by homeostasis model assessment β-cell, the insulinogenic index, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) C-peptide and post-OGTT C-peptide area under the curve (AUC)0-2h, significantly improved with DA-1229 treatment. The incidence of adverse events was similar between the treatment groups and DA-1229 did not affect body weight or induce hypoglycaemic events. DA-1229 monotherapy (5 mg for 12 weeks) improved HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose level, OGTT results and β-cell function. This drug was well tolerated in Korean subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. © 2014 The Authors. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Case: Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, Nicole; Winters, Lynn; Alkin, Marvin C.

2005-01-01

The Bunche-Da Vinci case described in this article presents a situation at Bunche Elementary School that four theorists were asked to address in their evaluation designs (see EJ791771, EJ719772, EJ791773, and EJ792694). The Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy, an elementary school located between an urban port city and a historically…

The effect of diet and litter size on the elimination of 2,4,5,2 prime ,4 prime ,5 prime -( sup 14 C)hexachlorobiphenyl from lactating mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ring, B.J.; Seitz, K.R.; Gallenberg, L.A.

It was shown that 2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (6-CB) administered to adult female mice accumulated in their nursing offspring more rapidly than a dose administered to weanling mice when treated animals were bred at equivalent ages. This suggested that the PCB was eliminated from the maternal animal relative to its time of sequestration into storage depots. Using a model which more closely approximates conditions during human lactation, the influence of a high-fat diet and decreased litter size on this phenomenon was examined. Female ICR mice were treated with 4 mg/kg (14C)-6-CB as 13-g weanlings (dW) at 3 weeks of age or as adultsmore » (dA) at 11 weeks of age. All animals were mated at 11 weeks of age. On Day 1 of pregnancy, mice were placed on a low-fat (11.5% of the total calories) or high-fat (43.8% of total calories) diet. At parturition, litters were adjusted to either two or eight within each diet group. Elimination of maternal 6-CB was determined by assessing radioactivity in offspring carcasses on Day 15 of gestation or Day 1, 3, 5, 10, or 15 postpartum. Consumption of a high-fat diet significantly extended the t1/2 of elimination of 6-CB from mothers nursing a litter of two in the dW group (low fat = 7.3 days; high fat = 12.4 days) and in both the dW and dA groups nursing litters of eight (dW: low fat = 4.6 days; high fat = 6.8 days; and dA: low fat = 1.8 days; high fat = 3.0 days). Within diet and group, reducing litter size to two also significantly decreased the rate of elimination of 6-CB from maternal animals. 6-CB was eliminated to offspring more rapidly from the dA group when compared to the dW group regardless of diet in animals nursing litters of eight. This relationship was not observed in maternal animals nursing litters of two. In general, exposure to a high-fat diet increased the t1/2 of elimination of 6-CB from maternal animals.« less

The future of PanDA in ATLAS distributed computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De, K.; Klimentov, A.; Maeno, T.; Nilsson, P.; Oleynik, D.; Panitkin, S.; Petrosyan, A.; Schovancova, J.; Vaniachine, A.; Wenaus, T.

2015-12-01

Experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) face unprecedented computing challenges. Heterogeneous resources are distributed worldwide at hundreds of sites, thousands of physicists analyse the data remotely, the volume of processed data is beyond the exabyte scale, while data processing requires more than a few billion hours of computing usage per year. The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) system was developed to meet the scale and complexity of LHC distributed computing for the ATLAS experiment. In the process, the old batch job paradigm of locally managed computing in HEP was discarded in favour of a far more automated, flexible and scalable model. The success of PanDA in ATLAS is leading to widespread adoption and testing by other experiments. PanDA is the first exascale workload management system in HEP, already operating at more than a million computing jobs per day, and processing over an exabyte of data in 2013. There are many new challenges that PanDA will face in the near future, in addition to new challenges of scale, heterogeneity and increasing user base. PanDA will need to handle rapidly changing computing infrastructure, will require factorization of code for easier deployment, will need to incorporate additional information sources including network metrics in decision making, be able to control network circuits, handle dynamically sized workload processing, provide improved visualization, and face many other challenges. In this talk we will focus on the new features, planned or recently implemented, that are relevant to the next decade of distributed computing workload management using PanDA.

Generation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for 18 kDa antigen from Taenia solium cysticerci.

PubMed

Zhang, Shaohua; Luo, Xuenong; Guo, Aijiang; Zhu, Xueliang; Cai, Xuepeng

2016-07-01

The gene encoding a mature 18 kDa glycoprotein of Taenia solium cysticerci (Ts18) was cloned and bacterially expressed with a His-tagged fusion protein. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the recombinant Ts18 antigen were generated in vitro by routine murine hybridoma technique of fusing splenocytes, from BALB/c mice immunized with the vesicular fluid of T. solium cysticerci (TsVF), with mouse myeloma cells (SP2/0). The reactivity and specificity of these MAbs were evaluated by indirect ELISA and immunoblotting techniques. Three stable hybridoma clones, namely 3B11, 6C5, and 6G4, were screened using His-Ts18-based ELISA, and these showed two IgG1 isotypes and one IgM isotype. All MAbs reacted with His-Ts18 at molecular weight (MW) 12.8 kDa and the native antigen at MW 18 kDa in TsVF and whole larval extracts (WLE). In a dot blotting test, MAbs 6C5 and 6G4 showed no obvious cross-reactivity with heterologous vesicular fluids from other taeniid species, including Taenia saginata (TsaVF), Taenia pisiformis (TpVF), Taenia hydatigena (ThVF), Taenia multiceps (TmVF), and Echinococcus granulosus (EgVF). Immunofluorescent assays showed that MAb 6C5 specifically reacted with the Ts18 expressed from pEGFP-N1-Ts18-transfected HeLa cells. Immunolocalization analysis, using MAb 6C5 as a probe, indicated that Ts18 was present at high concentrations in the region of the larval sucker and spiral canal. The results indicate that the Ts18 protein is an abundantly secreted parasite protein and MAbs against it might provide a step forward for improving the diagnosis of porcine cysticercosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ECTA/DaSy Framework Self-Assessment Comparison Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy), 2016

2016-01-01

The Self-Assessment Comparison (SAC) Tool is for state Part C and Section 619/Preschool programs to use to assess changes in the implementation of one or more components of the ECTA System Framework and/or subcomponenets of the DaSy Data System Framework. It is a companion to the ECTA/DaSy Framework Self-Assessment. Key features of the SAC are…

The ATLAS PanDA Monitoring System and its Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimentov, A.; Nevski, P.; Potekhin, M.; Wenaus, T.

2011-12-01

The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) Workload Management System is used for ATLAS distributed production and analysis worldwide. The needs of ATLAS global computing imposed challenging requirements on the design of PanDA in areas such as scalability, robustness, automation, diagnostics, and usability for both production shifters and analysis users. Through a system-wide job database, the PanDA monitor provides a comprehensive and coherent view of the system and job execution, from high level summaries to detailed drill-down job diagnostics. It is (like the rest of PanDA) an Apache-based Python application backed by Oracle. The presentation layer is HTML code generated on the fly in the Python application which is also responsible for managing database queries. However, this approach is lacking in user interface flexibility, simplicity of communication with external systems, and ease of maintenance. A decision was therefore made to migrate the PanDA monitor server to Django Web Application Framework and apply JSON/AJAX technology in the browser front end. This allows us to greatly reduce the amount of application code, separate data preparation from presentation, leverage open source for tools such as authentication and authorization mechanisms, and provide a richer and more dynamic user experience. We describe our approach, design and initial experience with the migration process.

32 CFR 643.121 - Private organizations on DA installations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Private organizations on DA installations. 643.121 Section 643.121 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY... DA installations. (a) AR 210-1 defines and classifies private organizations, such as thrift shops and...

Synergetic effects of DA-6/GA₃ with EDTA on plant growth, extraction and detoxification of Cd by Lolium perenne.

PubMed

He, Shanying; Wu, Qiuling; He, Zhenli

2014-12-01

Research is needed to improve efficiency of phytoextraction of heavy metals from contaminated soils. A pot experiment was carried out to study the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs) (diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (C18H33NO8, DA-6) and gibberellic acid 3 (C19H22O6, GA3)) and/or EDTA on Cd extraction, subcellular distribution and chemical forms in Lolium perenne. The addition of EDTA or PGRs significantly enhanced Cd extraction efficiency (P<0.05), with the decreasing order of: 1 μM DA-6>10 μM DA-6>10 μM GA3>2.5 mmol kg(-1) EDTA>other treatments of PGR alone. PGRs+EDTA resulted in a further increase in Cd extraction efficiency, with EDTA+1 μM DA-6 being the most efficient. At the subcellular level, about 44-57% of Cd was soluble fraction, 18-44% in cell walls, and 12-25% in cellular organelles fraction. Chemical speciation analysis showed that 40-54% of Cd was NaCl extractable, 7-23% HAc extractable, followed by other fractions. EDTA increased the proportions of Cd in soluble and cellular organelles fraction, as well as the metal migration in shoot; therefore, the toxicity to plant increased and plant growth was inhibited. Conversely, PGRs fixed more Cd in cell walls and reduced Cd migration in shoot; thus, metal toxicity was reduced. In addition, PGRs promoted plant biomass growth significantly (P<0.05), with 1 μM DA-6 being the most effective. A combination of DA-6/GA3 with EDTA can alleviate the adverse effect of EDTA on plant growth, and the treatment of EDTA+1 μM DA-6 appears to be optimal for improving the remediation efficiency of L. perenne for Cd contaminated soil. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precision in robotic rectal surgery using the da Vinci Xi system and integrated table motion, a technical note.

PubMed

Panteleimonitis, Sofoklis; Harper, Mick; Hall, Stuart; Figueiredo, Nuno; Qureshi, Tahseen; Parvaiz, Amjad

2017-09-15

Robotic rectal surgery is becoming increasingly more popular among colorectal surgeons. However, time spent on robotic platform docking, arm clashing and undocking of the platform during the procedure are factors that surgeons often find cumbersome and time consuming. The newest surgical platform, the da Vinci Xi, coupled with integrated table motion can help to overcome these problems. This technical note aims to describe a standardised operative technique of single docking robotic rectal surgery using the da Vinci Xi system and integrated table motion. A stepwise approach of the da Vinci docking process and surgical technique is described accompanied by an intra-operative video that demonstrates this technique. We also present data collected from a prospectively maintained database. 33 consecutive rectal cancer patients (24 male, 9 female) received robotic rectal surgery with the da Vinci Xi during the preparation of this technical note. 29 (88%) patients had anterior resections, and four (12%) had abdominoperineal excisions. There were no conversions, no anastomotic leaks and no mortality. Median operation time was 331 (249-372) min, blood loss 20 (20-45) mls and length of stay 6.5 (4-8) days. 30-day readmission rate and re-operation rates were 3% (n = 1). This standardised technique of single docking robotic rectal surgery with the da Vinci Xi is safe, feasible and reproducible. The technological advances of the new robotic system facilitate the totally robotic single docking approach.

Use of the new da Vinci Xi® during robotic rectal resection for cancer: a pilot matched-case comparison with the da Vinci Si®.

PubMed

Morelli, Luca; Guadagni, Simone; Di Franco, Gregorio; Palmeri, Matteo; Caprili, Giovanni; D'Isidoro, Cristiano; Cobuccio, Luigi; Marciano, Emanuele; Di Candio, Giulio; Mosca, Franco

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to compare the short-term outcomes of robotic rectal resection with total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer, with the use of the new da Vinci Xi® (Xi-RobTME group) and the da Vinci Si® (Si-RobTME group). Ten patients with histologically confirmed rectal cancer underwent robot-assisted TME with the use of the new da Vinci Xi. The outcomes of Xi-RobTME group were compared with a Si-RobTME group selected using a case-matched methodology. Overall operative times and mean hospital stays were shorter in the Xi-RobTME group. Surgeries were fully robotic with a complete take-down of the splenic flexure in all Xi-RobTME cases, while only four cases of the Si-RobTME group were fully robotic, with two cases of complete take-down of the splenic flexure. The new da Vinci Xi could offer some advantages with respect to the da Vinci Si in rectal resection for cancer. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 32 kDa viral attachment protein of lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) specifically interacts with a 27.8 kDa cellular receptor from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus).

PubMed

Zhong, Ying; Fei, Chenjie; Tang, Xiaoqian; Zhan, Wenbin; Sheng, Xiuzhen

2017-06-01

The 27.8 kDa protein in flounder gill (FG) cells was previously proved to be a receptor specific for lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) entry and infection. In this paper, a 32 kDa viral attachment protein (VAP) of LCDV specifically binding to the 27.8 kDa receptor (27.8R) was found by far-Western blotting coupled with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against 27.8R. The 32 kDa protein was confirmed to be encoded by the open reading frame (ORF) 038 gene in LCDV-C, and predicted to contain a putative transmembrane region, multiple N-myristoylation and glycosylation sites and phosphorylation motifs. The expression plasmid of pET-32a-ORF038 was constructed and the recombinant VAP (rVAP) was obtained. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against the rVAP were prepared and could recognize the rVAP and 32 kDa protein in LCDV. Immunogold electron microscopy showed that the 32 kDa protein was located on the surface of LCDV particles. Immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that the rVAP could bind to the 27.8R on the cell membrane of the FG monolayer and the anti-27.8R MAbs could block the rVAP binding. Pre-incubation of the rVAP with FG cells before LCDV infection, or pre-incubation of LCDV with the antibodies against the rVAP, could significantly decrease the LCDV copy numbers (P<0.05) and delay the emergence of cytopathic effects in FG cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicated for the first time that the 32 kDa protein functioned as an attachment protein for the initial attachment and entry of LCDV, and the interaction of the 32 kDa VAP with the 27.8R-initiated LCDV infection.

Yarkovsky-driven Impact Predictions: Apophis and 1950 DA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesley, Steven R.; Farnocchia, D.; Chodas, P. W.; Milani, A.

2013-10-01

Orbit determination for Near-Earth Asteroids presents unique technical challenges due to the imperative of early detection and careful assessment of the risk posed by specific Earth close approaches. The occurrence of an Earth impact can be decisively driven by the Yarkovsky effect, which is the most important nongravitational perturbation as it causes asteroids to undergo a secular variation in semimajor axis resulting in a quadratic effect in anomaly. We discuss the cases of (99942) Apophis and (29075) 1950 DA. The relevance of the Yarkovsky effect for Apophis is due to a scattering close approach in 2029 with minimum geocentric distance ~38000 km. For 1950 DA the influence of the Yarkovsky effect in 2880 is due to the long time interval preceding the impact. We use the available information from the astrometry and the asteroids' physical models and dynamical evolution as a starting point for a Monte Carlo method that allows us to measure how the Yarkovsky effect affects orbital predictions. We also find that 1950 DA has a 98% likelihood of being a retrograde rotator. For Apophis we map onto the 2029 close approach b-plane and analyze the keyholes corresponding to resonant close approaches. For 1950 DA we use the b-plane corresponding to the possible impact in 2880. We finally compute the impact probability from the mapped probability density function on the considered b-plane. For Apophis we have 4 in a million chances of an impact in 2068, while the probability of Earth impact in 2880 for 1950 DA is 0.04%.

Da Vinci robot-assisted system for thymectomy: experience of 55 patients in China.

PubMed

Jun, Yi; Hao, Li; Demin, Li; Guohua, Dong; Hua, Jing; Yi, Shen

2014-09-01

Da Vinci robot-assisted thymectomy has been used in the past several years in China, however, practical experience in performing this approach in China remains limited. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the experience of da Vinci robot-assisted thymectomy in China. From June 2010 to December 2012, 55 patients with diseases of the thymus underwent thymectomy using the da Vinci surgical HD robotic system. The clinical data of the da Vinci robot-assisted thymectomies were compared with the data of video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomies in the same period. All da Vinci robot operations were successful. This is a retrospective analysis which demonstrated that compared with video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy in the same period, the clinical outcomes of da Vinci robot-assisted thymectomy were not significantly different. The da Vinci robot-assisted thymectomy is a safe, minimally invasive, and convenient operation, and shows promise for general thoracic surgery in China. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

JCoDA: a tool for detecting evolutionary selection.

PubMed

Steinway, Steven N; Dannenfelser, Ruth; Laucius, Christopher D; Hayes, James E; Nayak, Sudhir

2010-05-27

The incorporation of annotated sequence information from multiple related species in commonly used databases (Ensembl, Flybase, Saccharomyces Genome Database, Wormbase, etc.) has increased dramatically over the last few years. This influx of information has provided a considerable amount of raw material for evaluation of evolutionary relationships. To aid in the process, we have developed JCoDA (Java Codon Delimited Alignment) as a simple-to-use visualization tool for the detection of site specific and regional positive/negative evolutionary selection amongst homologous coding sequences. JCoDA accepts user-inputted unaligned or pre-aligned coding sequences, performs a codon-delimited alignment using ClustalW, and determines the dN/dS calculations using PAML (Phylogenetic Analysis Using Maximum Likelihood, yn00 and codeml) in order to identify regions and sites under evolutionary selection. The JCoDA package includes a graphical interface for Phylip (Phylogeny Inference Package) to generate phylogenetic trees, manages formatting of all required file types, and streamlines passage of information between underlying programs. The raw data are output to user configurable graphs with sliding window options for straightforward visualization of pairwise or gene family comparisons. Additionally, codon-delimited alignments are output in a variety of common formats and all dN/dS calculations can be output in comma-separated value (CSV) format for downstream analysis. To illustrate the types of analyses that are facilitated by JCoDA, we have taken advantage of the well studied sex determination pathway in nematodes as well as the extensive sequence information available to identify genes under positive selection, examples of regional positive selection, and differences in selection based on the role of genes in the sex determination pathway. JCoDA is a configurable, open source, user-friendly visualization tool for performing evolutionary analysis on homologous coding

JCoDA: a tool for detecting evolutionary selection

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The incorporation of annotated sequence information from multiple related species in commonly used databases (Ensembl, Flybase, Saccharomyces Genome Database, Wormbase, etc.) has increased dramatically over the last few years. This influx of information has provided a considerable amount of raw material for evaluation of evolutionary relationships. To aid in the process, we have developed JCoDA (Java Codon Delimited Alignment) as a simple-to-use visualization tool for the detection of site specific and regional positive/negative evolutionary selection amongst homologous coding sequences. Results JCoDA accepts user-inputted unaligned or pre-aligned coding sequences, performs a codon-delimited alignment using ClustalW, and determines the dN/dS calculations using PAML (Phylogenetic Analysis Using Maximum Likelihood, yn00 and codeml) in order to identify regions and sites under evolutionary selection. The JCoDA package includes a graphical interface for Phylip (Phylogeny Inference Package) to generate phylogenetic trees, manages formatting of all required file types, and streamlines passage of information between underlying programs. The raw data are output to user configurable graphs with sliding window options for straightforward visualization of pairwise or gene family comparisons. Additionally, codon-delimited alignments are output in a variety of common formats and all dN/dS calculations can be output in comma-separated value (CSV) format for downstream analysis. To illustrate the types of analyses that are facilitated by JCoDA, we have taken advantage of the well studied sex determination pathway in nematodes as well as the extensive sequence information available to identify genes under positive selection, examples of regional positive selection, and differences in selection based on the role of genes in the sex determination pathway. Conclusions JCoDA is a configurable, open source, user-friendly visualization tool for performing evolutionary

The proline-rich region of 18.5 kDa myelin basic protein binds to the SH3-domain of Fyn tyrosine kinase with the aid of an upstream segment to form a dynamic complex in vitro.

PubMed

De Avila, Miguel; Vassall, Kenrick A; Smith, Graham S T; Bamm, Vladimir V; Harauz, George

2014-12-08

The intrinsically disordered 18.5 kDa classic isoform of MBP (myelin basic protein) interacts with Fyn kinase during oligodendrocyte development and myelination. It does so primarily via a central proline-rich SH3 (Src homology 3) ligand (T92-R104, murine 18.5 kDa MBP sequence numbering) that is part of a molecular switch due to its high degree of conservation and modification by MAP (mitogen-activated protein) and other kinases, especially at residues T92 and T95. Here, we show using co-transfection experiments of an early developmental oligodendroglial cell line (N19) that an MBP segment upstream of the primary ligand is involved in MBP-Fyn-SH3 association in cellula. Using solution NMR spectroscopy in vitro, we define this segment to comprise MBP residues (T62-L68), and demonstrate further that residues (V83-P93) are the predominant SH3-target, assessed by the degree of chemical shift change upon titration. We show by chemical shift index analysis that there is no formation of local poly-proline type II structure in the proline-rich segment upon binding, and by NOE (nuclear Overhauser effect) and relaxation measurements that MBP remains dynamic even while complexed with Fyn-SH3. The association is a new example first of a non-canonical SH3-domain interaction and second of a fuzzy MBP complex.

The proline-rich region of 18.5 kDa myelin basic protein binds to the SH3-domain of Fyn tyrosine kinase with the aid of an upstream segment to form a dynamic complex in vitro

PubMed Central

De Avila, Miguel; Vassall, Kenrick A.; Smith, Graham S. T.; Bamm, Vladimir V.; Harauz, George

2014-01-01

The intrinsically disordered 18.5 kDa classic isoform of MBP (myelin basic protein) interacts with Fyn kinase during oligodendrocyte development and myelination. It does so primarily via a central proline-rich SH3 (Src homology 3) ligand (T92–R104, murine 18.5 kDa MBP sequence numbering) that is part of a molecular switch due to its high degree of conservation and modification by MAP (mitogen-activated protein) and other kinases, especially at residues T92 and T95. Here, we show using co-transfection experiments of an early developmental oligodendroglial cell line (N19) that an MBP segment upstream of the primary ligand is involved in MBP–Fyn–SH3 association in cellula. Using solution NMR spectroscopy in vitro, we define this segment to comprise MBP residues (T62–L68), and demonstrate further that residues (V83–P93) are the predominant SH3-target, assessed by the degree of chemical shift change upon titration. We show by chemical shift index analysis that there is no formation of local poly-proline type II structure in the proline-rich segment upon binding, and by NOE (nuclear Overhauser effect) and relaxation measurements that MBP remains dynamic even while complexed with Fyn–SH3. The association is a new example first of a non-canonical SH3-domain interaction and second of a fuzzy MBP complex. PMID:25343306

High resolution structure of cleaved Serpin 42 Da from Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Ellisdon, Andrew M; Zhang, Qingwei; Henstridge, Michelle A; Johnson, Travis K; Warr, Coral G; Law, Ruby Hp; Whisstock, James C

2014-04-24

The Drosophila melanogaster Serpin 42 Da gene (previously Serpin 4) encodes a serine protease inhibitor that is capable of remarkable functional diversity through the alternative splicing of four different reactive centre loop exons. Eight protein isoforms of Serpin 42 Da have been identified to date, targeting the protease inhibitor to both different proteases and cellular locations. Biochemical and genetic studies suggest that Serpin 42 Da inhibits target proteases through the classical serpin 'suicide' inhibition mechanism, however the crystal structure of a representative Serpin 42 Da isoform remains to be determined. We report two high-resolution crystal structures of Serpin 42 Da representing the A/B isoforms in the cleaved conformation, belonging to two different space-groups and diffracting to 1.7 Å and 1.8 Å. Structural analysis reveals the archetypal serpin fold, with the major elements of secondary structure displaying significant homology to the vertebrate serpin, neuroserpin. Key residues known to have central roles in the serpin inhibitory mechanism are conserved in both the hinge and shutter regions of Serpin 42 Da. Furthermore, these structures identify important conserved interactions that appear to be of crucial importance in allowing the Serpin 42 Da fold to act as a versatile template for multiple reactive centre loops that have different sequences and protease specificities. In combination with previous biochemical and genetic studies, these structures confirm for the first time that the Serpin 42 Da isoforms are typical inhibitory serpin family members with the conserved serpin fold and inhibitory mechanism. Additionally, these data reveal the remarkable structural plasticity of serpins, whereby the basic fold is harnessed as a template for inhibition of a large spectrum of proteases by reactive centre loop exon 'switching'. This is the first structure of a Drosophila serpin reported to date, and will provide a platform for future mutational

Characterization and Catalytic Upgrading of Aqueous Stream Carbon from Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass

DOE PAGES

Starace, Anne K.; Black, Brenna A.; Lee, David D.; ...

2017-10-23

Catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of biomass produces a liquid product consisting of organic and aqueous streams. The organic stream is typically slated for hydrotreating to produce hydrocarbon biofuels, while the aqueous stream is considered a waste stream, resulting in the loss of residual biogenic carbon. Here, we report the detailed characterization and catalytic conversion of a CFP wastewater stream with the ultimate aim to improve overall biomass utilization within a thermochemical biorefinery. An aqueous stream derived from CFP of beech wood was comprehensively characterized, quantifying 53 organic compounds to a total of 17% organics. The most abundant classes of compoundsmore » are acids, aldehydes, and alcohols. The most abundant components identified in the aqueous stream were C1-C2 organics, comprising 6.40% acetic acid, 2.16% methanol, and 1.84% formaldehyde on wet basis. The CFP aqueous stream was catalytically upgraded to olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons using a Ga/HZSM-5 catalyst at 500 degrees C. When the conversion yield of the upgraded products was measured with fresh, active catalyst, 33% of the carbon in the aqueous stream was recovered as aromatic hydrocarbons and 29% as olefins. The majority of the experiments were conducted using a molecular beam mass spectrometer and separate GC-MS/FID experiments were used to confirm the assignments and quantification of products with fresh excess catalyst. The recovered 62% carbon in the form of olefins and aromatics can be used to make coproducts and/or fuels potentially improving biorefinery economics and sustainability. Spent catalysts were collected after exposure to varying amounts of the feed, and were characterized using multipoint-Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) adsorption, ammonia temperature programmed desorption (TPD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to monitor deactivation of Ga/HZSM-5. These characterization data revealed that deactivation was caused by coke deposits, which blocked access

Characterization and Catalytic Upgrading of Aqueous Stream Carbon from Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Starace, Anne K.; Black, Brenna A.; Lee, David D.

Catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of biomass produces a liquid product consisting of organic and aqueous streams. The organic stream is typically slated for hydrotreating to produce hydrocarbon biofuels, while the aqueous stream is considered a waste stream, resulting in the loss of residual biogenic carbon. Here, we report the detailed characterization and catalytic conversion of a CFP wastewater stream with the ultimate aim to improve overall biomass utilization within a thermochemical biorefinery. An aqueous stream derived from CFP of beech wood was comprehensively characterized, quantifying 53 organic compounds to a total of 17% organics. The most abundant classes of compoundsmore » are acids, aldehydes, and alcohols. The most abundant components identified in the aqueous stream were C1-C2 organics, comprising 6.40% acetic acid, 2.16% methanol, and 1.84% formaldehyde on wet basis. The CFP aqueous stream was catalytically upgraded to olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons using a Ga/HZSM-5 catalyst at 500 degrees C. When the conversion yield of the upgraded products was measured with fresh, active catalyst, 33% of the carbon in the aqueous stream was recovered as aromatic hydrocarbons and 29% as olefins. The majority of the experiments were conducted using a molecular beam mass spectrometer and separate GC-MS/FID experiments were used to confirm the assignments and quantification of products with fresh excess catalyst. The recovered 62% carbon in the form of olefins and aromatics can be used to make coproducts and/or fuels potentially improving biorefinery economics and sustainability. Spent catalysts were collected after exposure to varying amounts of the feed, and were characterized using multipoint-Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) adsorption, ammonia temperature programmed desorption (TPD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to monitor deactivation of Ga/HZSM-5. These characterization data revealed that deactivation was caused by coke deposits, which blocked access

Proof of mechanism study of a novel serotonin transporter blocker, DA-8031, using [11C]DASB positron emission tomography and in vivo microdialysis.

PubMed

Park, Hyun Soo; Jung, In Soon; Lim, Nam Hee; Sung, Ji Hyun; Lee, Sukhyang; Moon, Byung Seok; Lee, Byung Chul; Kang, Kyung Koo; Kim, Sang Eun

2014-07-01

To investigate the efficacy of DA-8031, a novel compound for the treatment of premature ejaculation, we measured serotonin transporter (SERT) occupancy by DA-8031, as well as DA-8031-induced changes in extracellular serotonin levels, in the rat brain using positron emission tomography (PET) and 11C-N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-cyanophenylthio) benzylamine ([11C]DASB) and in vivo microdialysis, respectively. [11C]DASB PET scans were performed in rats with graded doses of DA-8031 (vehicle: 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg). SERT occupancy in the midbrain was determined using binding potentials for [11C]DASB calculated by the multilinear reference tissue model. Extracellular serotonin levels were monitored in the dorsal raphe nucleus of rats after the administration of DA-8031 (10-100 mg/kg) using in vivo microdialysis. PET data indicated a reduction of [11C]DASB binding to SERTs in the midbrain as a function of DA-8031 dose. SERT occupancy for each DA-8031 dose (10-100 mg/kg) ranged between 31% and 84%. The drug dose required for 50% occupancy of SERT was 13.5 mg/kg in the midbrain, comparable with previous preclinical behavioral data (∼10-30 mg/kg). In vivo microdialysis showed that DA-8031 produced a dose-dependent increase in extracellular serotonin levels in the dorsal raphe nucleus (33%-81% increase for doses of 10-100 mg/kg). These preclinical data provide a proof of mechanism for DA-8031 as a novel compound of targeting the SERT for the treatment of premature ejaculation, warranting further clinical trials. They also offer insight into the optimal drug dose needed to exert therapeutic effects while minimizing adverse effects in humans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The discovery of Ni V in the photospheres of the hot DA white dwarfs RE 2214-492 and G191-B2B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holberg, J. B.; Hubeny, I.; Barstow, M. A.; Lanz, T.; Sion, E. M.; Tweedy, R. W.

1994-01-01

We have co-added six recently obtained International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) echelle spectra of the hot DA white dwarf RE 2214-492 and 10 existing archive spectra of the well-known hot DA, G191-B2B. We find that both stars contain numerous weak features due to Ni V. Nickel is thus the second iron-group element to be found in the spectra of the very hottest DA white dwarfs. In addition to Ni V, we also observe Al III in both stars and present evidence for the possible presence of Ni IV and Fe IV in RE 2214-492. The presence of Ni and Al, together with previously reported elements, will contribute significantly to both the EUV opacity and to the apparent complexity of the UV spectra of these stars. Using Non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (NLTE) model atmospheres we estimate the Ni abundances in RE 2214-492 the G191-B2B to be log(Ni/H) = -5.5 +/- 0.3 and -6.0 +/- 0.3, respectively.

Qual o Papel da Escola e da Mídia na Obtenção dos Conhecimentos Astronômicos?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Cunha, W. S.; Voelzke, M. R.; Amaral, L. H.

2007-08-01

É amplamente reconhecido que as pessoas em geral têm grande fascínio e interesse pela Astronomia. Por outro lado, o conteúdo dessa área incluído no ensino formal está longe de ser abrangente e suficiente para suprir a demanda. Esse interesse permite aperfeiçoar a divulgação e o ensino não formal de Astronomia através da mídia aliando a adequação do conteúdo à expectativa das pessoas. A reforma do Currículo Básico da Escola Pública da maioria dos Estados brasileiros tem introduzido Astronomia desde a pré-escola até o Ensino Médio. Num estudo realizado com 1180 alunos do Ensino Médio de seis escolas estaduais, revelou-se através da aplicação de um formulário contendo questões que abordavam conhecimentos básicos em Astronomia, como foram adquiridos tais conhecimentos e à infra-estrutura da escola. Para 66,1% dos entrevistados o professor já fez alguma apresentação a respeito de Astronomia. O presente estudo revelou também que 54,4% dos alunos entrevistados adquiriram seus conhecimentos astronômicos na escola, 18,4% através da televisão e 27,1% afirmaram que seus conhecimentos foram obtidos através de outros tipos de mídia (internet, livros didáticos, filmes e revistas). Embora o estudo revele claramente que há certo equilíbrio no meio em que os alunos obtiveram seus conhecimentos astronômicos, a mídia busca não somente sua difusão, mas a disponibilização desse conhecimento de maneira correta, que às vezes, não é atingido, apresentando conceitos sem fundamentação e incorretos. Por outro lado, no dia-a-dia escolar, é comum encontrar professores que vêm para as aulas com concepções prévias, que podem diferir substancialmente das idéias a serem ensinadas, dificultando o aprendizado de futuros conceitos científicos. Uma avaliação criteriosa, avaliando as dificuldades dos professores em determinar o sentido correto dos conceitos e observando a metodologia que utilizam no ensino, poderá proporcionar uma melhor

Ethanol and Mesolimbic Serotonin/Dopamine Interactions via 5-HT-1B Receptors

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

finished with After completion of the dialysis, the animals were given infusion of 50 [tM of baclofen , a GABAB receptor agonist, an intracardiac...in the quickly, and 40-[tm-thick coronal sections were cut on a ipsilateral NACC after perfusion with baclofen was consid- freezing microtome, stained...triethylamine, 11.5% and appropriate accumbal DA responses to perfusion of the acetonitrile and 11.5% methanol (pH 5.6 with H3 PO4 ), VTA with baclofen were

The Effect of DA-9701 in Opioid-induced Bowel Dysfunction of Guinea Pig.

PubMed

Hussain, Zahid; Rhee, Kwang Won; Lee, Young Ju; Park, Hyojin

2016-07-30

Opioid induced bowel dysfunction (OIBD) is associated with decreased gastrointestinal (GI) propulsive activity due to intake of opioid analgesics. DA-9701, a novel prokinetic agent formulated with Pharbitis Semen and Corydalis Tuber has promising effects on GI motor function. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the prokinetic effects of DA-9701 in an OIBD model of guinea pig. The ileal and distal colon muscle contraction in presence of different doses of DA-9701, morphine, and combination (morphine + DA-9701) was measured by tissue bath study. The prokinetic effect of DA-9701 was assessed by charcoal transit and fecal pellet output assay in an OIBD model of guinea pig. DA-9701 significantly increased the amplitude and area under the curve of ileal muscle contraction, while there was insignificant effect on the distal colon compared to the control. The maximal amplitude of ileal muscle contraction was acquired at a concentration of 10 μg/mL of DA-9701. In contrast, morphine significantly decreased the amplitude of ileal and distal colon muscle contraction compared to the control. Morphine delayed both upper (P < 0.01) and lower (P < 0.05) GI transit, and delayed GI transit was restored by the administration of DA-9701. Morphine induced reduction of contractility was significantly ameliorated by addition of DA-9701 in both ileal and distal colon muscles. DA-9701 significantly increased the amplitude of contraction of the ileal muscle, however the distal colon muscle contraction was insignificant. Additionally, it restored delayed upper and lower GI transit in an OIBD model of guinea pig, and it might prove to be a useful candidate drug in a clinical trial for OIBD.

The effects of nicotine exposure and PFC transection on the time-frequency distribution of VTA DA neurons' firing activities.

PubMed

Chen, Ting Y; Zhang, Die; Dragomir, Andrei; Akay, Yasemin; Akay, Metin

2011-05-01

We investigated the influence of nicotine exposure and prefrontal cortex (PFC) transections on ventral tegmental areas (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons' firing activities using a time-frequency method based on the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). Extracellular single-unit neural activity was recorded from DA neurons in the VTA area of rats. One group had their PFC inputs to the VTA intact, while the other group had the inputs to VTA bilaterally transected immediate caudal to the PFC. We hypothesized that the systemic nicotine exposure will significantly change the energy distribution in the recorded neural activity. Additionally, we investigated whether the loss of inputs to the VTA caused by the PFC transection resulted in the cancellation of the nicotine' effect on the neurons' firing patterns. The time-frequency representations of VTA DA neurons firing activity were estimated from the reconstructed firing rate histogram. The energy contents were estimated from three frequency bands, which are known to encompass the significant modes of operation of DA neurons. Our results show that systemic nicotine exposure disrupts the energy distribution in PFC-intact rats. Particularly, there is a significant increase in energy contents of the 1-1.5 Hz frequency band. This corresponds to an observed increase in the firing rate of VTA DA neurons following nicotine exposure. Additionally, our results from PFC-transected rats show that there is no change in the energy distribution of the recordings after systemic nicotine exposure. These results indicate that the PFC plays an important role in affecting the activities of VTA DA neurons and that the CWT is a useful method for monitoring the changes in neural activity patterns in both time and frequency domains.

Performance of da Vinci Stapler during robotic-assisted right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis.

PubMed

Johnson, Craig S; Kassir, Andrew; Marx, Daryl S; Soliman, Mark K

2018-05-30

Applications for surgical staplers continue to grow, due to the increase in minimally invasive surgical approaches, and range from vessel ligation to tissue transection and anastomoses. Complications associated with stapled tissue, such as bleeding or leaks, continue to be a concern for surgeons, as both can be associated with prolonged operative times and can contribute to postoperative morbidity and mortality. The goal of this retrospective study was to evaluate the performance of the da Vinci ® Xi EndoWrist ® Stapler 45 with SmartClamp™ technology during robotic-assisted right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis. We reviewed 113 consecutive cases from four medical centers. Preclinical diagnoses were inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (n = 5), benign bowel disease (n = 77), and malignant bowel disease (n = 31). No anastomotic leaks occurred; one event of anastomotic bleeding (0.88%) resolved without surgical intervention. Overall, there were 643 clamp attempts (5.7 attempts per case), and 570 fires (5.0 fires per case). SmartClamp™ occurrences happened in approximately one out of three cases, with the highest proportion of occurrences in the IBD group (2.0 occurrences per case). The most commonly fired reload was blue (1.5 mm closed height) with 4.1 blue reloads fired per case overall. No incomplete fires occurred during the procedures. The study data demonstrate the performance of the da Vinci Xi EndoWrist ® Stapler 45 as used in right colon resection with intracorporeal anastomosis. The collection and analysis of these data provide surgeons with information related to stapler firings, which were not previously available; as such, this analysis may lead to deductions that are useful for intraoperative decision-making and clinical outcomes.

Contribution of DA Signaling to Appetitive Odor Perception in a Drosophila Model.

PubMed

Pu, Yuhan; Palombo, Melissa Megan Masserant; Shen, Ping

2018-04-13

Understanding cognitive processes that translate chemically diverse olfactory stimuli to specific appetitive drives remains challenging. We have shown that food-related odors arouse impulsive-like feeding of food media that are palatable and readily accessible in well-nourished Drosophila larvae. Here we provide evidence that two assemblies of four dopamine (DA) neurons, one per brain hemisphere, contribute to perceptual processing of the qualitative and quantitative attributes of food scents. These DA neurons receive neural representations of chemically diverse food-related odors, and their combined neuronal activities become increasingly important as the chemical complexity of an appetizing odor stimulus increases. Furthermore, in each assembly of DA neurons, integrated odor signals are transformed to one-dimensional DA outputs that have no intrinsic reward values. Finally, a genetic analysis has revealed a D1-type DA receptor (Dop1R1)-gated mechanism in neuropeptide Y-like neurons that assigns appetitive significance to selected DA outputs. Our findings suggest that fly larvae provide a useful platform for elucidation of molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying cognitive processing of olfactory and possibly other sensory cues.

PanDA for COMPASS at JINR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrosyan, A. Sh.

2016-09-01

PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis System) is a workload management system, widely used for data processing at experiments on Large Hadron Collider and others. COMPASS is a high-energy physics experiment at the Super Proton Synchrotron. Data processing for COMPASS runs locally at CERN, on lxbatch, the data itself stored in CASTOR. In 2014 an idea to start running COMPASS production through PanDA arose. Such transformation in experiment's data processing will allow COMPASS community to use not only CERN resources, but also Grid resources worldwide. During the spring and summer of 2015 installation, validation and migration work is being performed at JINR. Details and results of this process are presented in this paper.

DA-9801 promotes neurite outgrowth via ERK1/2-CREB pathway in PC12 cells.

PubMed

Won, Jong Hoon; Ahn, Kyong Hoon; Back, Moon Jung; Ha, Hae Chan; Jang, Ji Min; Kim, Ha Hyung; Choi, Sang-Zin; Son, Miwon; Kim, Dae Kyong

2015-01-01

In the present study, we examined the mechanisms underlying the effect of DA-9801 on neurite outgrowth. We found that DA-9801 elicits its effects via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2-cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) pathway. DA-9801, an extract from a mixture of Dioscorea japonica and Dioscorea nipponica, was reported to promote neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. The effects of DA-9801 on cell viability and expression of neuronal markers were evaluated in PC12 cells. To investigate DA-9801 action, specific inhibitors targeting the ERK signaling cascade were used. No cytotoxicity was observed in PC12 cells at DA-9801 concentrations of less than 30 µg/mL. In the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF, 2 ng/mL), DA-9801 promoted neurite outgrowth and increased the relative mRNA levels of neurofilament-L (NF-L), a marker of neuronal differentiation. The Raf-1 inhibitor GW5074 and MEK inhibitor PD98059 significantly attenuated DA-9801-induced neurite outgrowth. Additionally, the MEK1 and MEK2 inhibitor SL327 significantly attenuated the increase in the percentage of neurite-bearing PC12 cells induced by DA-9801 treatment. Conversely, the selective p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor SB203580 did not attenuate the DA-9801 treatment-induced increase in the percentage of neurite-bearing PC12 cells. DA-9801 enhanced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and CREB in PC12 cells incubated with and without NGF. Pretreatment with PD98059 blocked the DA-9801-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and CREB. In conclusion, DA-9801 induces neurite outgrowth by affecting the ERK1/2-CREB signaling pathway. Insights into the mechanism underlying this effect of DA-9801 may suggest novel potential strategies for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy.

Increased susceptibility of ethanol-treated gastric mucosa to naproxen and its inhibition by DA-9601, an Artemisia asiatica extract

PubMed Central

Oh, Tae Young; Ahn, Gook Jun; Choi, Seul Min; Ahn, Byoung Ok; Kim, Won Bae

2005-01-01

AIM: To examine the effect of DA-9601, a new gastroprotective agent, on the vulnerability of ethanol-treated rat’s stomach to naproxen (NAP). METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with 1 mL of 50% ethanol twice a day for 5 d and then NAP (50 mg/kg) was administered. DA-9601 was administered 1 h before NAP. Four hours after NAP, the rats were killed to examine gross injury index (mm2), histologic change and to determine mucosal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), glutathione (GSH) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). RESULTS: Pretreatment of ethanol significantly increased NAP-induced gastric lesions, as well as an increase in MDA and MPO. On the contrary, mucosal PGE2 and GSH contents were decreased dramatically by ethanol pretreatment, which were aggravated by NAP. DA-9601 significantly reduced NAP-induced gastric injury grossly and microscopically, regardless of pretreatment with ethanol. DA-9601 preserved, or rather, increased mucosal PGE2 and GSH in NAP-treated rats (P<0.05), with reduction in mucosal MDA and MPO levels. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that repeated alcohol consumption renders gastric mucosa more susceptible to NSAIDs though, at least in part, reduction of endogenous cytoprotectants including PGE2 and GSH, and increase in MPO activation, and that DA-9601, a new gastroprotectant, can reduce the increased vulnerability of ethanol consumers to NSAIDs-induced gastric damage via the mechanism in which PGE2 and GSH are involved. PMID:16437715

Increased susceptibility of ethanol-treated gastric mucosa to naproxen and its inhibition by DA-9601, an Artemisia asiatica extract.

PubMed

Oh, Tae Young; Ahn, Gook Jun; Choi, Seul Min; Ahn, Byoung Ok; Kim, Won Bae

2005-12-21

To examine the effect of DA-9601, a new gastroprotective agent, on the vulnerability of ethanol-treated rat's stomach to naproxen (NAP). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with 1 mL of 50% ethanol twice a day for 5 d and then NAP (50 mg/kg) was administered. DA-9601 was administered 1 h before NAP. Four hours after NAP, the rats were killed to examine gross injury index (mm2), histologic change and to determine mucosal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), glutathione (GSH) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Pretreatment of ethanol significantly increased NAP-induced gastric lesions, as well as an increase in MDA and MPO. On the contrary, mucosal PGE2 and GSH contents were decreased dramatically by ethanol pretreatment, which were aggravated by NAP. DA-9601 significantly reduced NAP-induced gastric injury grossly and microscopically, regardless of pretreatment with ethanol. DA-9601 preserved, or rather, increased mucosal PGE2 and GSH in NAP-treated rats (P<0.05), with reduction in mucosal MDA and MPO levels. These results suggest that repeated alcohol consumption renders gastric mucosa more susceptible to NSAIDs though, at least in part, reduction of endogenous cytoprotectants including PGE2 and GSH, and increase in MPO activation, and that DA-9601, a new gastroprotectant, can reduce the increased vulnerability of ethanol consumers to NSAIDs-induced gastric damage via the mechanism in which PGE2 and GSH are involved.

Apoptosis inhibitor 5 (API-5; AAC-11; FIF) is upregulated in human carcinomas in vivo.

PubMed

Koci, Lenka; Chlebova, Katarina; Hyzdalova, Martina; Hofmanova, Jirina; Jira, Miroslav; Kysela, Petr; Kozubik, Alois; Kala, Zdenek; Krejci, Pavel

2012-04-01

Apoptosis inhibitor 5 (API-5) is a 55 kDa nuclear protein with potent anti-apoptotic signaling in tumor cells in vitro. In this study, we analyzed the expression of the API-5 protein in vivo in a broad spectrum of human carcinomas, including those of the colon, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, stomach and esophagus using tumor tissues obtained during tumor resection. The results showed significant upregulation of API-5 expression in biopsies of lung (23%, n=13) and colorectal tumors (33%, n=27) in comparison with biopsies from the adjacent normal tissue. Colon cancer biopsies were used to study the cell populations with an upregulated level of expression of API-5 more closely. Using a magnetic bead-based selection for the epithelial cell marker EpCAM, we purified epithelial cells from the tumor and control tissues and analyzed these cells for API-5 expression by western immunoblotting. We observed that EpCAM-positive tumor cells expressed API-5 in all three colorectal cancer cases tested, in contrast to the control EpCAM-positive and EpCAM-negative cells isolated from the control or tumor tissues. These data suggest that the expression of the API-5 protein is upregulated in tumor epithelial cells and may serve as a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer.

Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Cellulose Using Nano Zeolite and Zeolite/Matrix Catalysts in a GC/Micro-Pyrolyzer.

PubMed

Lee, Kyong-Hwan

2016-05-01

Cellulose, as a model compound of biomass, was catalyzed over zeolite (HY,.HZSM-5) and zeolite/matrix (HY/Clay, HM/Clay) in a GC/micro-pyrolyzer at 500 degrees C, to produce the valuable products. The catalysts used were pure zeolite and zeolite/matrix including 20 wt% matrix content, which were prepared into different particle sizes (average size; 0.1 mm, 1.6 mm) to study the effect of the particle size of the catalyst for the distribution of product yields. Catalytic pyrolysis had much more volatile products as light components and less content of sugars than pyrolysis only. This phenomenon was strongly influenced by the particle size of the catalyst in catalytic fast pyrolysis. Also, in zeolite and zeolite/matrix catalysts the zeolite type gave the dominant impact on the distribution of product yields.

Catalytic upgrading of bio-products derived from pyrolysis of red macroalgae Gracilaria gracilis with a promising novel micro/mesoporous catalyst.

PubMed

Norouzi, Omid; Tavasoli, Ahmad; Jafarian, Sajedeh; Esmailpour, Sasan

2017-11-01

Conversion of Gracilaria gracilis (G. gracilis) into bio-products was carried out via pyrolysis at different temperatures to determine its potential for phenol-rich bio-oil. Co-Mo supported on zeolites (HZSM-5), mesoporous (HMS) catalysts and their composites (ZH) were investigated and compared to each other on catalytic pyrolysis processes. In non-catalytic tests, the maximum weight percentage of bio-oil was 42wt% at 500°C and had the maximum amount of phenol (6.28wt%). in the catalytic tests by ZH composites; the addition of zeolite content in the structure of composites significantly decreased total concentrations of acetic acid and formic acid from 9.56 to 8.12wt% and slightly decreased phenol and furfural concentrations from 6.65 and 6.98 to 5.88 and 5.49wt%, respectively. Furthermore, the best selectivity for hydrogen yield (6.08mmol/g macroalgae) and lowest amount of acetic acid (5.4wt%) was observed for CoMo/ZH-20 catalyst, that is synthesized by 20wt% of zeolite. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mevalocidin: a novel, phloem mobile phytotoxin from Fusarium DA056446 and Rosellinia DA092917.

PubMed

Gerwick, B Clifford; Brewster, William K; Deboer, Gerrit J; Fields, Steve C; Graupner, Paul R; Hahn, Donald R; Pearce, Cedric J; Schmitzer, Paul R; Webster, Jeffery D

2013-02-01

A multiyear effort to identify new natural products was built on a hypothesis that both phytotoxins from plant pathogens and antimicrobial compounds might demonstrate herbicidal activity. The discovery of one such compound, mevalocidin, is described in the current report. Mevalocidin was discovered from static cultures of two unrelated fungal isolates designated Rosellinia DA092917 and Fusarium DA056446. The chemical structure was confirmed by independent synthesis. Mevalocidin demonstrated broad spectrum post-emergence activity on grasses and broadleaves and produced a unique set of visual symptoms on treated plants suggesting a novel mode of action. Mevalocidin was rapidly absorbed in a representative grass and broadleaf plant. Translocation occurred from the treated leaf to other plant parts including roots confirming phloem as well as xylem mobility. By 24 hr after application, over 20 % had been redistributed through-out the plant. Mevalocidin is a unique phytotoxin based on its chemistry, with the uncommon attribute of demonstrating both xylem and phloem mobility in grass and broadleaf plants.

Positron emission tomography–computed tomography predictors of progression after DA-R-EPOCH for PMBCL

PubMed Central

Ng, Andrea K.; Dabaja, Bouthaina S.; Milgrom, Sarah A.; Gunther, Jillian R.; Fuller, C. David; Smith, Grace L.; Abou Yehia, Zeinab; Qiao, Wei; Wogan, Christine F.; Akhtari, Mani; Mawlawi, Osama; Medeiros, L. Jeffrey; Chuang, Hubert H.; Martin-Doyle, William; Armand, Philippe; LaCasce, Ann S.; Oki, Yasuhiro; Fanale, Michelle; Westin, Jason; Neelapu, Sattva; Nastoupil, Loretta

2018-01-01

Dose-adjusted rituximab plus etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (DA-R-EPOCH) has produced good outcomes in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), but predictors of resistance to this treatment are unclear. We investigated whether [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) findings could identify patients with PMBCL who would not respond completely to DA-R-EPOCH. We performed a retrospective analysis of 65 patients with newly diagnosed stage I to IV PMBCL treated at 2 tertiary cancer centers who had PET-CT scans available before and after frontline therapy with DA-R-EPOCH. Pretreatment variables assessed included metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Optimal cutoff points for progression-free survival (PFS) were determined by a machine learning approach. Univariate and multivariable models were constructed to assess associations between radiographic variables and PFS. At a median follow-up of 36.6 months (95% confidence interval, 28.1-45.1), 2-year PFS and overall survival rates for the 65 patients were 81.4% and 98.4%, respectively. Machine learning–derived thresholds for baseline MTV and TLG were associated with inferior PFS (elevated MTV: hazard ratio [HR], 11.5; P = .019; elevated TLG: HR, 8.99; P = .005); other pretreatment clinical factors, including International Prognostic Index and bulky (>10 cm) disease, were not. On multivariable analysis, only TLG retained statistical significance (P = .049). Univariate analysis of posttreatment variables revealed that residual CT tumor volume, maximum standardized uptake value, and Deauville score were associated with PFS; a Deauville score of 5 remained significant on multivariable analysis (P = .006). A model combining baseline TLG and end-of-therapy Deauville score identified patients at increased risk of progression. PMID:29895624

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography predictors of progression after DA-R-EPOCH for PMBCL.

PubMed

Pinnix, Chelsea C; Ng, Andrea K; Dabaja, Bouthaina S; Milgrom, Sarah A; Gunther, Jillian R; Fuller, C David; Smith, Grace L; Abou Yehia, Zeinab; Qiao, Wei; Wogan, Christine F; Akhtari, Mani; Mawlawi, Osama; Medeiros, L Jeffrey; Chuang, Hubert H; Martin-Doyle, William; Armand, Philippe; LaCasce, Ann S; Oki, Yasuhiro; Fanale, Michelle; Westin, Jason; Neelapu, Sattva; Nastoupil, Loretta

2018-06-12

Dose-adjusted rituximab plus etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (DA-R-EPOCH) has produced good outcomes in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), but predictors of resistance to this treatment are unclear. We investigated whether [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) findings could identify patients with PMBCL who would not respond completely to DA-R-EPOCH. We performed a retrospective analysis of 65 patients with newly diagnosed stage I to IV PMBCL treated at 2 tertiary cancer centers who had PET-CT scans available before and after frontline therapy with DA-R-EPOCH. Pretreatment variables assessed included metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Optimal cutoff points for progression-free survival (PFS) were determined by a machine learning approach. Univariate and multivariable models were constructed to assess associations between radiographic variables and PFS. At a median follow-up of 36.6 months (95% confidence interval, 28.1-45.1), 2-year PFS and overall survival rates for the 65 patients were 81.4% and 98.4%, respectively. Machine learning-derived thresholds for baseline MTV and TLG were associated with inferior PFS (elevated MTV: hazard ratio [HR], 11.5; P = .019; elevated TLG: HR, 8.99; P = .005); other pretreatment clinical factors, including International Prognostic Index and bulky (>10 cm) disease, were not. On multivariable analysis, only TLG retained statistical significance ( P = .049). Univariate analysis of posttreatment variables revealed that residual CT tumor volume, maximum standardized uptake value, and Deauville score were associated with PFS; a Deauville score of 5 remained significant on multivariable analysis ( P = .006). A model combining baseline TLG and end-of-therapy Deauville score identified patients at increased risk of progression. © 2018 by The American Society of Hematology.

The Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transient SN 2010da: The Progenitor, Eruption, and Aftermath of a Peculiar Supergiant High-mass X-Ray Binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villar, V. A.; Berger, E.; Chornock, R.; Margutti, R.; Laskar, T.; Brown, P. J.; Blanchard, P. K.; Czekala, I.; Lunnan, R.; Reynolds, M. T.

2016-10-01

We present optical spectroscopy, ultraviolet-to-infrared imaging, and X-ray observations of the intermediate luminosity optical transient (ILOT) SN 2010da in NGC 300 (d = 1.86 Mpc) spanning from -6 to +6 years relative to the time of outburst in 2010. Based on the light-curve and multi-epoch spectral energy distributions of SN 2010da, we conclude that the progenitor of SN 2010da is a ≈10-12 M ⊙ yellow supergiant possibly transitioning into a blue-loop phase. During outburst, SN 2010da had a peak absolute magnitude of M bol ≲ -10.4 mag, dimmer than other ILOTs and supernova impostors. We detect multi-component hydrogen Balmer, Paschen, and Ca II emission lines in our high-resolution spectra, which indicate a dusty and complex circumstellar environment. Since the 2010 eruption, the star has brightened by a factor of ≈5 and remains highly variable in the optical. Furthermore, we detect SN 2010da in archival Swift and Chandra observations as an ultraluminous X-ray source (L X ≈ 6 × 1039 erg s-1). We additionally attribute He II 4686 Å and coronal Fe emission lines in addition to a steady X-ray luminosity of ≈1037 erg s-1 to the presence of a compact companion.

Iron abundance in the hot DA white dwarfs Feige 24 and G191 B2B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vennes, Stephane; Chayer, Pierre; Thorstensen, John R.; Bowyer, Stuart; Shipman, Harry L.

1992-01-01

Attention is given to model calculations of the far- and extreme-UV line spectra of highly ionized Fe species (Fe IV, Fe V, and Fe VI) for hot high-gravity H-rich stars. A spectral analysis of 31 hr of exposure of the DA white dwarf Feige 24 with IUE in the echelle mode reveals the presence of Fe with an abundance relative to H by number of (5-10) x 10 exp -6 with an uncertainty dominated by the determination of stellar parameters. An analysis of IUE data from the white dwarf G191 B2B results in a similar Fe abundance if this star shares similar atmospheric parameters (Teff, g) with Feige 24. Fe is thus the second most abundant photospheric element in hot DA white dwarfs.

Chandra Confirmation of a Pulsar Wind Nebula in DA 495

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arzoumanian, Z.; Safi-Harb, S.; Landecker, T.L.; Kothes, R.; Camilo, F.

2008-01-01

As part of a multiwavelength study of the unusual radio supernova remnant DA 495, we present observations made with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Imaging and spectroscopic analysis confirms the previously detected X-ray source at the heart of the annular radio nebula, establishing the radiative properties of two key emission components: a soft unresolved source with a blackbody temperature of 1 MK consistent with a neutron star, surrounded by a nontherma1 nebula 40" in diameter exhibiting a power-law spectrum with photon index Gamma = 1.63, typical of a pulsar wind nebula. Morphologically, the nebula appears to be slightly extended along a direction, in projection on the sky, previously demonstrated to be of significance in radio and ASCA observations; we argue that this represents the orientation of the pulsar spin axis. At smaller scales, a narrow X-ray feature is seen extending out 5" from the point source, but energetic arguments suggest that it is not the resolved termination shock of the pulsar wind against the ambient medium. Finally, we argue based on synchrotron lifetimes in the nebular magnetic field that DA 495 represents the first example of a pulsar wind nebula in which electromagnetic flux makes up a significant part, together with particle flux, of the neutron star's wind.

Purification of the active C5a receptor from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes as a receptor - G sub i complex

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rollins, T.E.; Siciliano, S.; Kobayashi, S.

1991-02-01

The authors have isolated, in an active state, the C5a receptor from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The purification was achieved in a single step using a C5a affinity column in which the C5a molecule was coupled to the resin through its N terminus. The purified receptor, like the crude solubilized molecule, exhibited a single class of high-affinity binding sites with a K{sub d} of 30 pM. Further, the binding of C5a retained its sensitivity to guanine nucleotides, implying that the purified receptor contained a guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein). SDS/PAGE revealed the presence of three polypeptides with molecular masses of 42,more » 40, and 36 kDa, which were determined to be the C5a-binding subunit and the {alpha} and {beta} subunits of G{sub i}, respectively. The 36- and 40-kDa polypeptides were identified by immunoblotting and by the ability of pertussis toxin to ADP-ribosylate the 40-kDa molecule. These results confirm their earlier hypothesis that the receptor exists as a complex with a G protein in the presence or absence of C5a. The tight coupling between the receptor and G protein should make possible the identification of the G protein(s) involved in the transduction pathways used by C5a to produce its many biological effects.« less

33 CFR 325.5 - Forms of permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) DA permits under this regulation will be in the form of individual permits or general permits. The basic format shall be ENG Form 1721, DA Permit (Appendix A). (2) The general conditions included in ENG... be required. (2) Nationwide permits. Nationwide permits are a type of general permit and represent DA...

[Applicability of the da Vinci robotic system in the skull base surgical approach. Preclinical investigation].

PubMed

Fernandez-Nogueras Jimenez, Francisco J; Segura Fernandez-Nogueras, Miguel; Jouma Katati, Majed; Arraez Sanchez, Miguel Ángel; Roda Murillo, Olga; Sánchez Montesinos, Indalecio

2015-01-01

The role of robotic surgery is well established in various specialties such as urology and general surgery, but not in others such as neurosurgery and otolaryngology. In the case of surgery of the skull base, it has just emerged from an experimental phase. To investigate possible applications of the da Vinci surgical robot in transoral skull base surgery, comparing it with the authors' experience using conventional endoscopic transnasal surgery in the same region. A transoral transpalatal approach to the nasopharynx and medial skull base was performed on 4 cryopreserved cadaver heads. We used the da Vinci robot, a 30° standard endoscope 12mm thick, dual camera and dual illumination, Maryland forceps on the left terminal and curved scissors on the right, both 8mm thick. Bone drilling was performed manually. For the anatomical study of this region, we used 0.5cm axial slices from a plastinated cadaver head. Various skull base structures at different depths were reached with relative ease with the robot terminals Transoral robotic surgery with the da Vinci system provides potential advantages over conventional endoscopic transnasal surgery in the surgical approach to this region. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Load evaluation of the da Vinci surgical system for transoral robotic surgery.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Kazunori; Fukuhara, Takahiro; Niimi, Koji; Sato, Takahiro; Kitano, Hiroya

2015-12-01

Transoral robotic surgery, performed with the da Vinci surgical system (da Vinci), is a surgical approach for benign and malignant lesions of the oral cavity and laryngopharynx. It provides several unique advantages, which include a 3-dimensional magnified view and ability to see and work around curves or angles. However, the current da Vinci surgical system does not provide haptic feedback. This is problematic because the potential risks specific to the transoral use of the da Vinci include tooth injury, mucosal laceration, ocular injury and mandibular fracture. To assess the potential for intraoperative injuries, we measured the load of the endoscope and the instrument of the da Vinci Si surgical system. We pressed the endoscope and instrument of the da Vinci Si against Load cell six times each and measured the dynamic load and the time-to-maximum load. We also struck the da Vinci Si endoscope and instrument against the Load cell six times each and measured the impact load. The maximum dynamic load was 7.27 ± 1.31 kg for the endoscope and 1.90 ± 0.72 for the instrument. The corresponding time-to-maximum loads were 1.72 ± 0.22 and 1.29 ± 0.34 s, but the impact loads were significantly lower than the dynamic load. It remains possible that a major load is exerted on adjacent structures by continuous contact with the endoscope and instrument of da Vinci Si. However, there is a minor delay in reaching the maximum load. Careful monitoring by an on-site assistant may, therefore, help prevent contiguous injury.

Effects of DA-Phen, a dopamine-aminoacidic conjugate, on alcohol intake and forced abstinence.

PubMed

Sutera, Flavia Maria; De Caro, Viviana; Cannizzaro, Carla; Giannola, Libero Italo; Lavanco, Gianluca; Plescia, Fulvio

2016-09-01

The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system plays a key role in drug reinforcement and is involved in the development of alcohol addiction. Manipulation of the DAergic system represents a promising strategy to control drug-seeking behavior. Previous studies on 2-amino-N-[2-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-ethyl]-3-phenyl-propionamide (DA-Phen) showed in vivo effects as a DA-ergic modulator. This study was aimed at investigate DA-Phen effects on operant behavior for alcohol seeking behavior, during reinstatement following subsequent periods of alcohol deprivation. For this purpose, male Wistar rats were tested in an operant paradigm of self-administration; behavioral reactivity and anxiety like-behavior during acute abstinence were evaluated. A characterization of DA-Phen CNS targeting by its quantification in the brain was also carried out. Our findings showed that DA-Phen administration was able to reduce relapse in alcohol drinking by 50% and reversed the alterations in behavioral reactivity and emotionality observed during acute abstinence. In conclusion, DA-Phen can reduce reinstatement of alcohol drinking in an operant-drinking paradigm following deprivation periods and reverse abstinence-induced behavioral phenotype. DA-Phen activity seems to be mediated by the modulation of the DAergic transmission. However further studies are needed to characterize DA-Phen pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and its potential therapeutic profile in alcohol addiction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The glyoxysomal and plastid molecular chaperones (70-kDa heat shock protein) of watermelon cotyledons are encoded by a single gene

PubMed Central

Wimmer, Bernhard; Lottspeich, Friedrich; van der Klei, Ida; Veenhuis, Marten; Gietl, Christine

1997-01-01

The monoclonal a-70-kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) antibody recognizes in crude extracts from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) cotyledons two hsps with molecular masses of 70 and 72 kDa. Immunocytochemistry on watermelon cotyledon tissue and on isolated glyoxysomes identified hsp70s in the matrix of glyoxysomes and plastids. Affinity purification and partial amino acid determination revealed the 70-kDa protein to share high sequence identity with cytosolic hsp70s from a number of plant species, while the 72 kDa protein was very similar to plastid hsp70s from pea and cucumber. A full-length cDNA clone encoding the 72-kDa hsp70 was isolated and identified two start methionines in frame within the N-terminal presequence leading either to an N-terminal extension of 67 amino acids or to a shorter one of 47 amino acids. The longer presequence was necessary and sufficient to target a reporter protein into watermelon proplastids in vitro. The shorter extension starting from the second methionine within the long version harbored a consensus peroxisomal targeting signal (RT-X5-KL) that directed in vivo a reporter protein into peroxisomes of the yeast Hansenula polymorpha. Peroxisomal targeting was however prevented, when the 67-residue presequence was fused to the reporter protein, indicating that the peroxisomal targeting signal 2 information is hidden in this context. We propose that the 72-kDa hsp70 is encoded by a single gene, but targeted alternatively into two organelles by the modulated use of its presequence. PMID:9391076

Sobre a largura da última superfície de espalhamento

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nobre, M. A. S.; Pires, N.; Lima, J. A. S.

2003-08-01

De acordo com o modelo do "Big-Bang", no universo primordial a matéria estava em equilíbrio térmico com a radiação. Com a expansão a temperatura da radiação cai. Quando a temperatura chega em torno dos 4.000K, os espalhamentos diminuem, começando a recombinação dos prótons e elétrons em Hidrogênio neutro (era conhecida como da recombinação). Ao final da recombinação, os fótons se propagam livremente sofrendo, em princípio, somente os efeitos do "redshift" cosmológico. Esses fótons nos alcançam hoje como a radiação cósmica de fundo (RCF), e parecem vir de uma superfície esférica ao nosso redor, tal que o raio dela é a distância que ele viajou desde seu último espalhamento na época da recombinação. Naturalmente, esse processo não ocorreu abruptamente, implicando na existência de uma largura no espaço dos "redshifts" que deve depender do modelo cosmológico específico e dos processos físicos considerados. Neste trabalho analisamos os efeitos de diferentes modelos - a saber, aqueles com decaimento do vácuo L(t), criação de matéria, quintessência e gás de Chaplygin - sobre a última superfície de espalhamento da RCF, em particular sua largura e a função visibilidade, que determina a probabilidade de um fóton ter tido seu último espalhamento num "redshift" z. No caso particular dos modelos com decaimento do vácuo, existe uma forte dependência da função visibilidade com L(t). Tais efeitos poderão ser testados através da análise dos resultados de experimentos mais precisos que estão atualmente em andamento, como por exemplo, o WMAP.

Opportunity cost in the economic evaluation of da Vinci robotic assisted surgery.

PubMed

Fuertes-Guiró, Fernando; Girabent-Farrés, Montserrat; Viteri-Velasco, Eduardo

2016-04-01

This study aims to demonstrate the importance of the opportunity cost in using da Vinci robotic surgery, assisted by a comprehensive review of the literature to determine the differences in the total cost of surgery and operative time in traditional laparoscopic surgery and da Vinci robotic surgery. We identified the studies comparing the use of traditional laparoscopic surgery with robotics during the period 2002-2012 in the electronic economic evaluation databases, and another electronic search was performed for publications by Spanish hospitals in the same period to calculate the opportunity cost. A meta-analysis of response variables considering the total cost of the intervention and surgical time was completed using the items selected in the first revision, and their differences were analyzed. We then calculated the opportunity cost represented by these time differences using the data obtained from the studies in the second review of the literature. Nine items were selected in the first review and three in the second. Traditional laparoscopic surgery has a lower cost than the da Vinci (p < 0.00001). Robotic surgery takes longer (8.0-65.5 min) than traditional surgery (p < 0.00001), and this difference represents an average opportunity cost for robot use of € 489.98, with a unit cost factor/time which varies according to the pathology dealt with, from € 8.2 to 18.7/min. The opportunity cost is a quantity that must be included in the total cost of using a surgical technology within an economic cost analysis in the context of an economic evaluation.

Photoacoustic-based approach to surgical guidance performed with and without a da Vinci robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandhi, Neeraj; Allard, Margaret; Kim, Sungmin; Kazanzides, Peter; Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.

2017-12-01

Death and paralysis are significant risks of modern surgeries, caused by injury to blood vessels and nerves hidden by bone and other tissue. We propose an approach to surgical guidance that relies on photoacoustic (PA) imaging to determine the separation between these critical anatomical features and to assess the extent of safety zones during surgical procedures. Images were acquired as an optical fiber was swept across vessel-mimicking targets, in the absence and presence of teleoperation with a research da Vinci Surgical System. Vessel separation distances were measured directly from PA images. Vessel positions were additionally recorded based on the fiber position (calculated from the da Vinci robot kinematics) that corresponded to an observed PA signal, and these recordings were used to indirectly measure vessel separation distances. Amplitude- and coherence-based beamforming were used to estimate vessel separations, resulting in 0.52- to 0.56-mm mean absolute errors, 0.66- to 0.71-mm root-mean-square errors, and 65% to 68% more accuracy compared to fiber position measurements obtained through the da Vinci robot kinematics. Similar accuracy was achieved in the presence of up to 4.5-mm-thick ex vivo tissue. Results indicate that PA image-based measurements of the separation among anatomical landmarks could be a viable method for real-time path planning in multiple interventional PA applications.

[Analysis of the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis for acute myeloid leukemia M2a patients treated by IA and DA regimens].

PubMed

Wang, Fan; Yuan, Hai-Long; Duan, Xian-Lin; Wang, Lei; Cao, Hai-Zhou; Xu, Jian-Li; Qu, Jian-Hua

2014-08-01

This study was purposed to compare the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia M2a (AML-M2a) patients treated by idarubicin (IDA) combined with cytarabine (Ara-C) (IA) and daunorubicin (DNR) combined cytarabine (Ara-C) (DA) regimens. The clinical data of 65 patients with AML-M2a in our hospital were collected from May 2009 to May 2013 and analyzed. The results indicated the complete remission in IA group was slightly higher than that in DA group, there was no statistically significant difference(P > 0.05); leukocyte minimum value in IA group [(0.58 ± 0.40)×10(9)/L] was obviously lower than that in DA group [(0.99 ± 0.67)×10(9)/L] (P < 0.05); neutrophil minimum value in IA group [(0.19 ± 0.09)×10(9)/L] was significantly lower than that in DA group [(0.21 ± 0.16)×10(9)/L] (P < 0.05); the neutropenia duration in IA group (12.59 ± 5.31)d was much longer than that in DA group (9.17 ± 7.04)d (P < 0.05). The median survival time of patients in IA group was 36.67 months, which was obviously longer than that of patients in DA group (21.45 months) (P < 0.05). The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) value and chemotherapy regimens were the independently risk factor affecting the prognosis of AML-M2a patients. It is concluded that as compared with DA regimen, the IA regimen can prolong the median survival time and has better long-term therapeutic efficacy, thus it can be used as the first chemotherapy regimen for treatment of AML-M2a.

D-amphetamine (A)-induced dopamine (DA) release is not strictly dependent on newly-synthesized transmitter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, E.; Cubeddu, L.

1986-03-05

A is thought to exert its stimulant effects by releasing DA from a newly synthesized transmitter pool. This hypothesis was evaluated directly by measuring the basal efflux and electrically-evoked release of endogenous DA and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC). In striatal slices from reserpine-treated rabbits A increased DA efflux, reduced DOPAC efflux, and inhibited electrically-evoked /sup 3/H-ACh release in a concentration-dependent manner. These effects could not be mimicked by inhibition of neuronal uptake or MAO, but were blocked by inhibition of DA synthesis or neuronal uptake, and were potentiated by inhibition of MAO. In slices with intact vesicular transmitter stores A inducedmore » DA efflux was 2-fold greater than that seen in slices having no vesicular stores. Inhibition of DA synthesis reduced A-induced DA efflux by 60%, but had little effect on the ability of A to inhibit /sup 3/H-ACh release. A also increased the electrical stimulation-evoked overflow of DA (an effect which was attenuated slightly by synthesis inhibition), and potently inhibited DOPAC overflow. These results suggest that: 1) A facilitates efflux of axoplasmic DA by an accelerated exchange diffusion mechanism. The releasable axoplasmic pool is derived from newly synthesized and vesicular transmitter pools; 2) postsynaptic indices of transmitter release may be misleading; and 3) A increases electrically-evoked DA release possibly by inhibiting neuronal uptake.« less

Low pressure catalytic co-conversion of biogenic waste (rapeseed cake) and vegetable oil.

PubMed

Giannakopoulou, Kanellina; Lukas, Michael; Vasiliev, Aleksey; Brunner, Christoph; Schnitzer, Hans

2010-05-01

Zeolite catalysts of three types (H-ZSM-5, Fe-ZSM-5 and H-Beta) were tested in the catalytic co-conversion of rapeseed cake and safflower oil into bio-fuel. This low pressure process was carried out at the temperatures of 350 and 400 degrees Celsius. The yields and compositions of the product mixtures depended on the catalyst nature and the process temperatures. The produced organic phases consisted mainly of hydrocarbons, fatty acids and nitriles. This mixture possessed improved characteristics (e.g. heating value, water content, density, viscosity, pH) compared with the bio-oils, making possible its application as a bio-fuel. The most effective catalyst, providing the highest yield of organic liquid phase, was the highly acidic/wide-pore H-Beta zeolite. The products obtained on this catalyst demonstrated the highest degree of deoxygenation and the higher HHV (Higher Heating Value). The aqueous liquid phase contained water-soluble carboxylic acids, phenols and heterocyclic compounds. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Size and Composition Optimized Nanocatalysts for Propulsion Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

accepted for publication in Science. A promising route for endothermic reforming applications involves the use of acidic zeolites . In our first...and 633 K. The rates showed the effects of saturated adsorption for n-hexane in the zeolite , with the reaction being first- order at low pressures and...remarkably stable with time. Preliminary measurements on other zeolite structures, H-Y, H-MOR, and H-BETA, suggest that the conclusions from H-ZSM

PD2P: PanDA Dynamic Data Placement for ATLAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maeno, T.; De, K.; Panitkin, S.

2012-12-13

The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) system plays a key role in the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. PanDA is the ATLAS workload management system for processing all Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation and data reprocessing jobs in addition to user and group analysis jobs. The PanDA Dynamic Data Placement (PD2P) system has been developed to cope with difficulties of data placement for ATLAS. We will describe the design of the new system, its performance during the past year of data taking, dramatic improvements it has brought about in the efficient use of storage and processing resources, and plans for the future.

The Da Vinci European BioBank: A Metabolomics-Driven Infrastructure

PubMed Central

Carotenuto, Dario; Luchinat, Claudio; Marcon, Giordana; Rosato, Antonio; Turano, Paola

2015-01-01

We present here the organization of the recently-constituted da Vinci European BioBank (daVEB, https://www.davincieuropeanbiobank.org/it). The biobank was created as an infrastructure to support the activities of the Fiorgen Foundation (http://www.fiorgen.net/), a nonprofit organization that promotes research in the field of pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine. The way operating procedures concerning samples and data have been developed at daVEB largely stems from the strong metabolomics connotation of Fiorgen and from the involvement of the scientific collaborators of the foundation in international/European projects aimed to tackle the standardization of pre-analytical procedures and the promotion of data standards in metabolomics. PMID:25913579

Anti-apoptotic effect of esculin on dopamine-induced cytotoxicity in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line.

PubMed

Zhao, Da-Long; Zou, Li-Bo; Lin, Sheng; Shi, Jian-Gong; Zhu, Hai-Bo

2007-11-01

Dopamine (DA), as a neurotoxin, can elicit severe Parkinson's disease-like syndrome by elevating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and apoptotic activity. In this study, we examined the effect of esculin, which was extracted from Fraxinus sielboldiana blume, on DA-induced cytotoxicity and the underlying mechanism in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Our results suggest that the protective effects of esculin (10(-7), 10(-6) and 10(-5) M) on DA-induced cytotoxicity may be ascribed to its anti-oxidative properties by reducing ROS level, and its anti-apoptotic effect via protecting mitochondrion membrane potential (DeltaPsim), enhancing superoxide dismutaese (SOD) activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and regulating P53, Bax and Bcl-2 expression. In addition, esculin inhibited the release of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), and the protein expression of activated caspase 3. These data indicate that esculin may provide a useful therapeutic strategy for the treatment of progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD).

Heat increases MDMA-enhanced NAcc 5-HT and body temperature, but not MDMA self-administration.

PubMed

Feduccia, Allison A; Kongovi, Nundhun; Duvauchelle, Christine L

2010-12-01

There is a concern that hot environments enhance adverse effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy"). In this study, long-term (4-weeks) daily MDMA self-administration sessions and an MDMA Challenge test were conducted with rats under normal and high thermal conditions (23° or 32°C). During MDMA self-administration sessions, activity and body temperature were increased by heat or MDMA experience, while MDMA self-administration rates increased with experience, but were comparable between thermal conditions. At the MDMA Challenge test (3.0 mg/kg, i.v.), in vivo microdialysis showed that nucleus accumbens serotonin (NAcc 5-HT) and dopamine (DA) responses were significantly increased in both thermal conditions. In the heated environment, MDMA-stimulated 5-HT responses and core temperature (but not DA) were significantly greater than at room temperature. Though the heated environment did not acutely boost MDMA intake, exaggerated NAcc 5-HT responses to MDMA may result in 5-HT depletion; a condition associated with Ecstasy use escalation and neural dysfunctions altering mood and cognition. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heat increases MDMA-enhanced NAcc 5-HT and body temperature, but not MDMA self-administration

PubMed Central

Feduccia, Allison A.; Kongovi, Nundhun

2011-01-01

There is concern that hot environments enhance adverse effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or “Ecstasy”). In this study, long-term (4-wks) daily MDMA self-administration sessions and an MDMA challenge test were conducted with rats under normal and high thermal conditions (23° or 32° C). During MDMA self-administration sessions, activity and body temperature were increased by heat or MDMA experience, while MDMA self-administration rates increased with experience, but were comparable between thermal conditions. At the MDMA challenge test (3.0 mg/kg, i.v.), in vivo microdialysis showed nucleus accumbens serotonin (NAcc 5-HT) and dopamine (DA) responses were significantly increased in both thermal conditions. In the heated environment, MDMA-stimulated 5-HT responses and core temperature (but not DA) were significantly greater than at room temperature. Though the heated environment did not acutely boost MDMA intake, exaggerated NAcc 5-HT responses to MDMA may result in 5-HT depletion; a condition associated with Ecstasy use escalation and neural dysfunctions altering mood and cognition. PMID:20888192

Ecological Carrying Capacity of Land Use Changes in Da'an City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Zhang, J.; Li, B.

2018-04-01

Based on GIS and RS technology, this paper analyzed the land use change in Da'an city from 1995 to 2010. land-use ecological evaluation index was constructed to evaluate the land-use ecological risk of Da 'an city dynamically, and the land-use ecological risk level map was made, and then the distribution and change of the land-use ecological carrying capacity pattern of Da'an city were analyzed qualitatively. According to the evaluation results of ecological carrying capacity, the ecological environment of Da'an city has deteriorated in fifteen years. in 1995, the poor ecological environment area is mainly distributed in the northeast area of Da'an city, and the area is small, while the area of the central and southern areas is large; In 2010, the western region also appeared environmental degradation, the northeast environment deterioration is serious, the dominant area is reduced, and a small amount of deterioration in the central and southern regions. According to the study of this paper, in the future, we should strengthen the comprehensive management of this part of the area, strengthen vegetation coverage, reduce soil erosion, ensure the effective improvement of ecological environment.

The real code of leonardo da vinci.

PubMed

Ose, Leiv

2008-02-01

Leonardo da Vinci was born in Italy. Among the researchers and scientists, he is favourably known for his remarkable efforts in scientific work. His investigations of atherosclerosis judiciously combine three separate fields of research. In 1506, he finished his masterpiece, painting of Mona Lisa. A careful clinical examination of the famous painting reveals a yellow irregular leather-like spot at the inner end of the left upper eyelid and a soft bumpy well-defined swelling of the dorsum of the right hand beneath the index finger about 3 cm long. This is probably the first case of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). The FH code of Leonardo da Vinci was given immense consideration by scientists like Carl Muller, who described the xanthomas tuberosum and angina pectoris. On the contrary, Akira Endo searched for microbial metabolites that would inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of cholesterol and finally, Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein published a remarkable series of elegant and insightful papers in the 70s and 80s. They established that the cellular uptake of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) essentially requires the LDL receptor. this was the real Code of Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo da Vinci's studies of the heart.

PubMed

Shoja, Mohammadali M; Agutter, Paul S; Loukas, Marios; Benninger, Brion; Shokouhi, Ghaffar; Namdar, Husain; Ghabili, Kamyar; Khalili, Majid; Tubbs, R Shane

2013-08-20

Leonardo da Vinci's detailed drawings are justly celebrated; however, less well known are his accounts of the structures and functions of the organs. In this paper, we focus on his illustrations of the heart, his conjectures about heart and blood vessel function, his experiments on model systems to test those conjectures, and his unprecedented conclusions about the way in which the cardiovascular system operates. In particular, da Vinci seems to have been the first to recognize that the heart is a muscle and that systole is the active phase of the pump. He also seems to have understood the functions of the auricles and pulmonary veins, identified the relationship between the cardiac cycle and the pulse, and explained the hemodynamic mechanism of valve opening and closure. He also described anatomical variations and changes in structure and function that occurred with age. We outline da Vinci's varied career and suggest ways in which his personality, experience, skills and intellectual heritage contributed to these advances in understanding. We also consider his influence on later studies in anatomy and physiology. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[RESEARCH PROGRESS OF PERIPHERAL NERVE SURGERY ASSISTED BY Da Vinci ROBOTIC SYSTEM].

PubMed

Shen, Jie; Song, Diyu; Wang, Xiaoyu; Wang, Changjiang; Zhang, Shuming

2016-02-01

To summarize the research progress of peripheral nerve surgery assisted by Da Vinci robotic system. The recent domestic and international articles about peripheral nerve surgery assisted by Da Vinci robotic system were reviewed and summarized. Compared with conventional microsurgery, peripheral nerve surgery assisted by Da Vinci robotic system has distinctive advantages, such as elimination of physiological tremors and three-dimensional high-resolution vision. It is possible to perform robot assisted limb nerve surgery using either the traditional brachial plexus approach or the mini-invasive approach. The development of Da Vinci robotic system has revealed new perspectives in peripheral nerve surgery. But it has still been at the initial stage, more basic and clinical researches are still needed.

Da Vinci Xi and Si platforms have equivalent perioperative outcomes during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: preliminary experience.

PubMed

Abdel Raheem, Ali; Sheikh, Abulhasan; Kim, Dae Keun; Alatawi, Atalla; Alabdulaali, Ibrahim; Han, Woong Kyu; Choi, Young Deuk; Rha, Koon Ho

2017-03-01

The aims of this study were to compare the perioperative outcomes of da Vinci Xi to Si during robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and to discuss the feasibility of our novel port placement scheme for the da Vinci Xi platform, to overcome the existing kinetic and technical difficulties we faced with the linear port placement in patients with a small body habitus. A retrospective data analysis of patients who underwent RPN using da Vinci Xi (n = 18) was carried out. The outcomes of the Xi group were compared with the Si group (n = 18) selected using a case-matched methodology. For da Vinci Xi, we applied the universal linear port placement in 12 patients and our modified port placement in the remaining 6 patients. The Xi group had a shorter mean docking time of 17.8 ± 2.6 min compared to the Si group of 20.5 ± 2.1 min (p = 0.002); otherwise, no significant difference was present with regard to the remaining perioperative variables (p > 0.05). The modified Xi port placement had a shorter mean console time of 70.8 ± 9.7 min compared to the universal linear port placement of 89.3 ± 17.2 min (p = 0.03). Moreover, it provided a broader field of vision with excellent robotic arms movement, minimizing collisions and allowing an easier and comfortable surgical assist. Da Vinci Xi appears to be feasible and safe during RPN with similar outcomes to Si. The novel Xi port placement makes surgery easier in patients with low BMI.

Device-Associated Healthcare-Associated Infections (DA-HAI) and the caveat of multiresistance in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit.

PubMed

Khan, Inam Danish; Basu, Atoshi; Kiran, Sheshadri; Trivedi, Shaleen; Pandit, Priyanka; Chattoraj, Anupam

2017-07-01

Device-Associated Healthcare-Associated Infections (DA-HAI), including Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP), Central-Line-Associated Blood Stream Infection (CLABSI), and Catheter-Related Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), are considered as principal contributors to healthcare hazard and threat to patient safety as they can cause prolonged hospital stay, sepsis, and mortality in the ICU. The study intends to characterize DA-HAI in a tertiary care multidisciplinary ICU of a teaching hospital in eastern India. This prospective outcome-surveillance study was conducted among 2157 ICU patients of a 760-bedded teaching hospital in Eastern India. Clinical, laboratory and environmental surveillance, and screening of HCPs were conducted using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions and methods. With 8824 patient/bed/ICU days and 14,676 device days, pooled average device utilization ratio was 1.66, total episodes of DA-HAI were 114, and mean monthly rates of DA-HAI, VAP, CLABSI, and CAUTI were 4.75, 2, 1.4, and 1.25/1000 device days. Most common pathogens isolated from DA-HAI patients were Klebsiella pneumoniae (24.6%), Escherichia coli (21.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.2%). All Acinetobacter baumanii , >80% K. pneumoniae and E. coli , and >70% P. aeruginosa were susceptible only to colistin and tigecycline. One P. aeruginosa isolate was panresistant. Mean rates of VAP, CLABSI, and CAUTI were 14.4, 8.1, and 4.5 per 1000 device days, which are comparable with Indian and global ICUs. Patients and HCPs form important reservoirs of infection. Resolute conviction and sustained momentum in Infection Control Initiatives are an essential step toward patient safety.

OpenDA-WFLOW framework for improving hydrologic predictions using distributed hydrologic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weerts, Albrecht; Schellekens, Jaap; Kockx, Arno; Hummel, Stef

2017-04-01

Data assimilation (DA) holds considerable potential for improving hydrologic predictions (Liu et al., 2012) and increase the potential for early warning and/or smart water management. However, advances in hydrologic DA research have not yet been adequately or timely implemented in operational forecast systems to improve the skill of forecasts for better informed real-world decision making. The objective of this work is to highlight the development of a generic linkage of the open source OpenDA package and the open source community hydrologic modeling framework Openstreams/WFLOW and its application in operational hydrological forecasting on various spatial scales. The coupling between OpenDA and Openstreams/wflow framework is based on the emerging standard Basic Model Interface (BMI) as advocated by CSDMS using cross-platform webservices (i.e. Apache Thrift) developed by Hut et al. (2016). The potential application of the OpenDA-WFLOW for operational hydrologic forecasting including its integration with Delft-FEWS (used by more than 40 operational forecast centers around the world (Werner et al., 2013)) is demonstrated by the presented case studies. We will also highlight the possibility to give real-time insight into the working of the DA methods applied for supporting the forecaster as mentioned as one of the burning issues by Liu et al., (2012).

Cytokines affecting CD4+T regulatory cells in transplant tolerance. III. Interleukin-5 (IL-5) promotes survival of alloantigen-specific CD4+ T regulatory cells.

PubMed

Hall, Bruce M; Plain, Karren M; Tran, Giang T; Verma, Nirupama D; Robinson, Catherine M; Nomura, Masaru; Boyd, Rochelle; Hodgkinson, Suzanne J

2017-08-01

CD4 + T cells mediate antigen-specific allograft tolerance, but die in culture without activated lymphocyte derived cytokines. Supplementation of the media with cytokine rich supernatant, from ConA activated spleen cells, preserves the capacity of tolerant cells to transfer tolerance and suppress rejection. rIL-2 or rIL-4 alone are insufficient to maintain these cells, however. We observed that activation of naïve CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + Treg with alloantigen and the Th2 cytokine rIL-4 induces them to express interleukin-5 specific receptor alpha (IL-5Rα) suggesting that IL-5, a Th2 cytokine that is produced later in the immune response may promote tolerance mediating Treg. This study examined if recombinant IL-5(rIL-5) promoted survival of tolerant CD4 + , especially CD4 + CD25 + T cells. CD4 + T cells, from DA rats tolerant to fully allogeneic PVG heart allografts surviving over 100days without on-going immunosuppression, were cultured with PVG alloantigen and rIL-5. The ability of these cells to adoptively transfer tolerance to specific-donor allograft and suppress normal CD4 + T cell mediated rejection in adoptive DA hosts was examined. Tolerant CD4 + CD25 + T cells' response to rIL-5 and expression of IL-5Rα was also assessed. rIL-5 was sufficient to promote transplant tolerance mediating CD4 + T cells' survival in culture with specific-donor alloantigen. Tolerant CD4 + T cells cultured with rIL-5 retained the capacity to transfer alloantigen-specific tolerance and inhibited naïve CD4 + T cells' capacity to effect specific-donor graft rejection. rIL-5 promoted tolerant CD4 + CD25 + T cells' proliferation in vitro when stimulated with specific-donor but not third-party stimulator cells. Tolerant CD4 + CD25 + T cells expressed IL-5Rα. This study demonstrated that IL-5 promoted the survival of alloantigen-specific CD4 + CD25 + T cells that mediate transplant tolerance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Negative and Translation Termination-Dependent Positive Control of FLI-1 Protein Synthesis by Conserved Overlapping 5′ Upstream Open Reading Frames in Fli-1 mRNA

PubMed Central

Sarrazin, Sandrine; Starck, Joëlle; Gonnet, Colette; Doubeikovski, Alexandre; Melet, Fabrice; Morle, François

2000-01-01

The proto-oncogene Fli-1 encodes a transcription factor of the ets family whose overexpression is associated with multiple virally induced leukemias in mouse, inhibits murine and avian erythroid cell differentiation, and induces drastic perturbations of early development in Xenopus. This study demonstrates the surprisingly sophisticated regulation of Fli-1 mRNA translation. We establish that two FLI-1 protein isoforms (of 51 and 48 kDa) detected by Western blotting in vivo are synthesized by alternative translation initiation through the use of two highly conserved in-frame initiation codons, AUG +1 and AUG +100. Furthermore, we show that the synthesis of these two FLI-1 isoforms is regulated by two short overlapping 5′ upstream open reading frames (uORF) beginning at two highly conserved upstream initiation codons, AUG −41 and GUG −37, and terminating at two highly conserved stop codons, UGA +35 and UAA +15. The mutational analysis of these two 5′ uORF revealed that each of them negatively regulates FLI-1 protein synthesis by precluding cap-dependent scanning to the 48- and 51-kDa AUG codons. Simultaneously, the translation termination of the two 5′ uORF appears to enhance 48-kDa protein synthesis, by allowing downstream reinitiation at the 48-kDa AUG codon, and 51-kDa protein synthesis, by allowing scanning ribosomes to pile up and consequently allowing upstream initiation at the 51-kDa AUG codon. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a cellular mRNA displaying overlapping 5′ uORF whose translation termination appears to be involved in the positive control of translation initiation at both downstream and upstream initiation codons. PMID:10757781

A estabilidade dos PAHS em função da energia da radiação interestelar nas faixas UV e raios-X

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinotti, R.; Costa, R. K.; Boechat-Roberty, H. M.; Lago, A.; Souza, G. B.

2003-08-01

A nebulosa CRL 618, uma proto-nebulosa planetária cuja nuvem molecular espessa envolve uma estrela B0, contém uma grande quantidade de C2H2 e CH4. Estas moléculas são consideradas os tijolos da criação de grandes moléculas carbonadas como os Hidrocarbonetos Policíclicos Aromáticos (PAHs). Esta nebulosa, por estar exposta a intensos campos de UV e Raios-X, é uma região de fotodissociação molecular que propicia a formação de novas moléculas, confirmada pela presença de C4H2 e C6H6 (Benzeno), que é a unidade básica dos PAHs. Atribui-se a esta família de moléculas orgânicas duas propriedades fundamentais, a resistência para sobreviver ao campo de radiação UV interestelar e a geração das bandas de emissão não identificadas (UIR) observadas no infravermelho. No entanto, alguns autores questionam a resistência dos PAHs ao campo de radiação UV interestelar. Empregando a técnica de Espectrometria de Massas por Tempo de Vôo, no modo de coincidência fotoelétron-fotoíon, estudamos a ionização e fragmentação das seguintes moléculas: Benzeno, Benzeno deuterado, Naftaleno, Antraceno e Fenantreno. Utilizamos uma fonte de Hélio monocromática em 21,21 eV (584,5 Å) e a radiação Síncroton do Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncroton (LNLS) em diferentes energias nas proximidades da borda do C 1s ( 290 eV). Comprovamos a estabilidade dos PAHs sob ação de UV (21,21 eV), onde eles apresentam um baixo nível de fotodissociação, produzindo fragmentos ionizados com rendimento total na ordem de 5 por cento em relação ao íon molecular pai. Entretanto, em altas energias, na faixa de Raios-X, a quebra destas moléculas torna-se mais intensa, com a produção de muitos fragmentos. Como uma das rotas de fragmentação do Naftaleno é [(C10H8) = > (C6H6+) + (C4H2) + (e-)], e como temos as evidências observacionais da existência do C4H2 e C6H6 na nebulosa CRL 618, sugerimos que este ambiente também possui o Naftaleno.

The 1.17 Day Orbit of the Double-degenerate (DA+DQ) NLTT 16249

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vennes, S.; Kawka, A.; O'Toole, S. J.; Thorstensen, J. R.

2012-09-01

New spectroscopic observations show that the double-degenerate system NLTT 16249 is in a close orbit (a = 5.6 ± 0.3 R ⊙) with a period of 1.17 days. The total mass of the system is estimated between 1.47 and 2.04 M ⊙ but it is not expected to merge within a Hubble timescale (t merge ≈ 1011 yr). Vennes & Kawka originally identified the system because of the peculiar composite hydrogen (DA class) and molecular (C2-DQ class and CN) spectra and the new observations establish this system as the first DA plus DQ close double degenerate. Also, the DQ component was the first of its class to show nitrogen dredged up from the core in its atmosphere. The star may be viewed as the first known DQ descendant of the born-again PG1159 stars. Alternatively, the presence of nitrogen may be the result of past interactions and truncated evolution in a close binary system. Based on observations made with ESO telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under program ID 86.D-0562.

32 CFR 644.512 - DA-SBA joint set-aside determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true DA-SBA joint set-aside determination. 644.512 Section 644.512 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) REAL... Stone § 644.512 DA-SBA joint set-aside determination. Section 15 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C...

Leonardo da Vinci's foot: historical evidence of concept.

PubMed

Jastifer, James R; Toledo-Pereyra, Luis H

2012-10-01

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), world-renowned Italian renaissance master, is known for his contributions to, and broad interests in science and art. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the extent of his science by applying the use of his concepts to current models of foot and ankle mechanics. The art and science of Leonardo Da Vinci were extensively analyzed by reviewing his original drawings and hand written notebooks as well as their English translation. Current medical journals including the topics of foot, ankle, and biomechanics were reviewed for modern evidence and application of his concepts. The library of Michigan State University and the electronic library of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle were extensively utilized. From the depths of Santa Maria Nuova Hospital in Florence and Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome, through his commentary and anatomical drawings of around 30 cadaver dissections he performed, Leonardo da Vinci expressed his concept of foot and ankle anatomy and mechanics. He laid forth concepts, which vary little from current theories including those of proportion, statics and joint stability, sesamoid biomechanics, and structural support of the foot. Leonardo da Vinci, by combining an interest in anatomy and a gift of genius and artistic ability laid a foundation of foot and ankle anatomy and mechanics that have been applied in modern clinical sciences. Leonardo in this way made important contributions to the practice of foot and ankle orthopedics.

Beyond the Classic VTA: Extended Amygdala Projections to DA-Striatal Paths in the Primate

PubMed Central

Fudge, Julie L; Kelly, Emily A; Pal, Ria; Bedont, Joseph L; Park, Lydia; Ho, Brian

2017-01-01

The central extended amygdala (CEA) has been conceptualized as a ‘macrosystem’ that regulates various stress-induced behaviors. Consistent with this, the CEA highly expresses corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), an important modulator of stress responses. Stress alters goal-directed responses associated with striatal paths, including maladaptive responses such as drug seeking, social withdrawal, and compulsive behavior. CEA inputs to the midbrain dopamine (DA) system are positioned to influence striatal functions through mesolimbic DA-striatal pathways. However, the structure of this amygdala-CEA-DA neuron path to the striatum has been poorly characterized in primates. In primates, we combined neuronal tracer injections into various arms of the circuit through specific DA subpopulations to assess: (1) whether the circuit connecting amygdala, CEA, and DA cells follows CEA intrinsic organization, or a more direct topography involving bed nucleus vs central nucleus divisions; (2) CRF content of the CEA-DA path; and (3) striatal subregions specifically involved in CEA-DA-striatal loops. We found that the amygdala-CEA-DA path follows macrostructural subdivisions, with the majority of input/outputs converging in the medial central nucleus, the sublenticular extended amygdala, and the posterior lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The proportion of CRF+ outputs is >50%, and mainly targets the A10 parabrachial pigmented nucleus (PBP) and A8 (retrorubal field, RRF) neuronal subpopulations, with additional inputs to the dorsal A9 neurons. CRF-enriched CEA-DA projections are positioned to influence outputs to the ‘limbic-associative’ striatum, which is distinct from striatal regions targeted by DA cells lacking CEA input. We conclude that the concept of the CEA is supported on connectional grounds, and that CEA termination over the PBP and RRF neuronal populations can influence striatal circuits involved in associative learning. PMID:28220796

Beyond the Classic VTA: Extended Amygdala Projections to DA-Striatal Paths in the Primate.

PubMed

Fudge, Julie L; Kelly, Emily A; Pal, Ria; Bedont, Joseph L; Park, Lydia; Ho, Brian

2017-07-01

The central extended amygdala (CEA) has been conceptualized as a 'macrosystem' that regulates various stress-induced behaviors. Consistent with this, the CEA highly expresses corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), an important modulator of stress responses. Stress alters goal-directed responses associated with striatal paths, including maladaptive responses such as drug seeking, social withdrawal, and compulsive behavior. CEA inputs to the midbrain dopamine (DA) system are positioned to influence striatal functions through mesolimbic DA-striatal pathways. However, the structure of this amygdala-CEA-DA neuron path to the striatum has been poorly characterized in primates. In primates, we combined neuronal tracer injections into various arms of the circuit through specific DA subpopulations to assess: (1) whether the circuit connecting amygdala, CEA, and DA cells follows CEA intrinsic organization, or a more direct topography involving bed nucleus vs central nucleus divisions; (2) CRF content of the CEA-DA path; and (3) striatal subregions specifically involved in CEA-DA-striatal loops. We found that the amygdala-CEA-DA path follows macrostructural subdivisions, with the majority of input/outputs converging in the medial central nucleus, the sublenticular extended amygdala, and the posterior lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The proportion of CRF+ outputs is >50%, and mainly targets the A10 parabrachial pigmented nucleus (PBP) and A8 (retrorubal field, RRF) neuronal subpopulations, with additional inputs to the dorsal A9 neurons. CRF-enriched CEA-DA projections are positioned to influence outputs to the 'limbic-associative' striatum, which is distinct from striatal regions targeted by DA cells lacking CEA input. We conclude that the concept of the CEA is supported on connectional grounds, and that CEA termination over the PBP and RRF neuronal populations can influence striatal circuits involved in associative learning.

Nano-LC FTICR tandem mass spectrometry for top-down proteomics: routine baseline unit mass resolution of whole cell lysate proteins up to 72 kDa.

PubMed

Tipton, Jeremiah D; Tran, John C; Catherman, Adam D; Ahlf, Dorothy R; Durbin, Kenneth R; Lee, Ji Eun; Kellie, John F; Kelleher, Neil L; Hendrickson, Christopher L; Marshall, Alan G

2012-03-06

Current high-throughput top-down proteomic platforms provide routine identification of proteins less than 25 kDa with 4-D separations. This short communication reports the application of technological developments over the past few years that improve protein identification and characterization for masses greater than 25 kDa. Advances in separation science have allowed increased numbers of proteins to be identified, especially by nanoliquid chromatography (nLC) prior to mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Further, a goal of high-throughput top-down proteomics is to extend the mass range for routine nLC MS analysis up to 80 kDa because gene sequence analysis predicts that ~70% of the human proteome is transcribed to be less than 80 kDa. Normally, large proteins greater than 50 kDa are identified and characterized by top-down proteomics through fraction collection and direct infusion at relatively low throughput. Further, other MS-based techniques provide top-down protein characterization, however at low resolution for intact mass measurement. Here, we present analysis of standard (up to 78 kDa) and whole cell lysate proteins by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (nLC electrospray ionization (ESI) FTICR MS). The separation platform reduced the complexity of the protein matrix so that, at 14.5 T, proteins from whole cell lysate up to 72 kDa are baseline mass resolved on a nano-LC chromatographic time scale. Further, the results document routine identification of proteins at improved throughput based on accurate mass measurement (less than 10 ppm mass error) of precursor and fragment ions for proteins up to 50 kDa.

Effect of DA-9701 on Colorectal Distension-Induced Visceral Hypersensitivity in a Rat Model

PubMed Central

Kim, Eun Ran; Min, Byung-Hoon; Lee, Tae Ho; Son, Miwon; Rhee, Poong-Lyul

2014-01-01

Background/Aims DA-9701 is a newly developed drug made from the vegetal extracts of Pharbitidis semen and Co-rydalis tuber. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of DA-9701 on colorectal distension (CRD)-induced visceral hypersensitivity in a rat model. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neonatal colon irritation (CI) using CRD at 1 week after birth (CI group). At 6 weeks after birth, CRD was applied to these rats with a pressure of 20 to 90 mm Hg, and changes in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured at baseline (i.e., without any drug administration) and after the administration of different doses of DA-9701. Results In the absence of DA-9701, the MAP changes after CRD were significantly higher in the CI group than in the control group at all applied pressures. In the control group, MAP changes after CRD were not significantly affected by the administration of DA-9701. In the CI group, however, the administration of DA-9701 resulted in a significant decrease in MAP changes after CRD. The administration of DA-9701 at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg produced a more significant decrease in MAP changes than the 0.3 mg/kg dose. Conclusions The administration of DA-9701 resulted in a significant increase in pain threshold in rats with CRD-induced visceral hypersensitivity. PMID:25071903

Effect of DA-9701 on colorectal distension-induced visceral hypersensitivity in a rat model.

PubMed

Kim, Eun Ran; Min, Byung-Hoon; Lee, Tae Ho; Son, Miwon; Rhee, Poong-Lyul

2014-07-01

DA-9701 is a newly developed drug made from the vegetal extracts of Pharbitidis semen and Co-rydalis tuber. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of DA-9701 on colorectal distension (CRD)-induced visceral hypersensitivity in a rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to neonatal colon irritation (CI) using CRD at 1 week after birth (CI group). At 6 weeks after birth, CRD was applied to these rats with a pressure of 20 to 90 mm Hg, and changes in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured at baseline (i.e., without any drug administration) and after the administration of different doses of DA-9701. In the absence of DA-9701, the MAP changes after CRD were significantly higher in the CI group than in the control group at all applied pressures. In the control group, MAP changes after CRD were not significantly affected by the administration of DA-9701. In the CI group, however, the administration of DA-9701 resulted in a significant decrease in MAP changes after CRD. The administration of DA-9701 at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg produced a more significant decrease in MAP changes than the 0.3 mg/kg dose. The administration of DA-9701 resulted in a significant increase in pain threshold in rats with CRD-induced visceral hypersensitivity.

Fluorescence growth of self-polymerized fluorescence polydopamine for ratiometric visual detection of DA.

PubMed

Yu, Miao; Lu, Yang; Tan, Zhenjiang

2017-06-01

In this work, a novel and facile ratiometric fluorescence probe was prepared for the visual detection of dopamine (DA). In this detection system, red-emission CdTe@SiO 2 (r-QDs@SiO 2 ) was used as steady core of the probe and inverse microemulsion method was applied to synthesize uniform r-QDs@SiO 2 , this step could protect CdTe from contacting with human skin directly. Polydopamine (PDA) acted as response signal to detect DA, a very handy method which just combined polyethyleneimine (PEI) with DA together to synthesize PDA, this way for synthesis of PDA was much time-saving and non-toxic than any other methods. Differently from traditional analysis processes, the products of this experiment were also the analysis substances in final. Under optimum measurement conditions, the dual-emission ratiometric fluorescence probe was used for detections of DA in a concentration ranged from 10μM to 80μM with a detection limit of 0.12μM, with addition of DA the color of the probe changed from red to green watched by naked eyes. In addition, the developed probe was also used for detections of DA in human serum samples successfully. This study provides a simple, time-saving and non-toxic approach for detections of DA without the requirement of complex equipment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thinking like Leonardo da Vinci and its implications for the modern doctor.

PubMed

Baum, Neil

2013-01-01

Most people when asked to name the most creative, innovative, and multidimensional people in history would agree that Leonardo da Vinci is either at the top or very close to the number one position on that list. Wouldn't it be nice to think like da Vinci? This article shares the seven unique principles of thinking that da Vinci used that enabled him to be the greatest painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer of his (if not of all) time. This article will take you deep into the notebooks and codices of da Vinci, and suggest ways his ideas can be used by anyone in the healthcare profession to make them a better healthcare provider.

Native CB1 receptor affinity, intrinsic activity and accumbens shell dopamine stimulant properties of third generation SPICE/K2 cannabinoids: BB-22, 5F-PB-22, 5F-AKB-48 and STS-135.

PubMed

De Luca, Maria Antonietta; Castelli, M Paola; Loi, Barbara; Porcu, Alessandra; Martorelli, Mariella; Miliano, Cristina; Kellett, Kathryn; Davidson, Colin; Stair, Jacqueline L; Schifano, Fabrizio; Di Chiara, Gaetano

2016-06-01

In order to investigate the in vivo dopamine (DA) stimulant properties of selected 3rd generation Spice/K2 cannabinoids, BB-22, 5F-PB-22, 5F-AKB-48 and STS-135, their in vitro affinity and agonist potency at native rat and mice CB1 receptors was studied. The compounds bind with high affinity to CB1 receptors in rat cerebral cortex homogenates and stimulate CB1-induced [(35)S]GTPγS binding with high potency and efficacy. BB-22 and 5F-PB-22 showed the lowest Ki of binding to CB1 receptors (0.11 and 0.13 nM), i.e., 30 and 26 times lower respectively than that of JWH-018 (3.38 nM), and a potency (EC50, 2.9 and 3.7 nM, respectively) and efficacy (Emax, 217% and 203%, respectively) as CB1 agonists higher than JWH-018 (EC50, 20.2 nM; Emax, 163%). 5F-AKB-48 and STS-135 had higher Ki for CB1 binding, higher EC50 and lower Emax as CB1 agonists than BB-22 and 5F-PB-22 but still comparatively more favourable than JWH-018. The agonist properties of all the compounds were abolished or drastically reduced by the CB1 antagonist/inverse agonist AM251 (0.1 μM). No activation of G-protein was observed in CB1-KO mice. BB-22 (0.003-0.01 mg/kg i.v.) increased dialysate DA in the accumbens shell but not in the core or in the medial prefrontal cortex, with a bell shaped dose-response curve and an effect at 0.01 mg/kg and a biphasic time-course. Systemic AM251 (1.0 mg/kg i.p.) completely prevented the stimulant effect of BB-22 on dialysate DA in the NAc shell. All the other compounds increased dialysate DA in the NAc shell at doses consistent with their in vitro affinity for CB1 receptors (5F-PB-22, 0.01 mg/kg; 5F-AKB-48, 0.1 mg/kg; STS-135, 0.15 mg/kg i.v.). 3rd generation cannabinoids can be even more potent and super-high CB1 receptor agonists compared to JWH-018. Future research will try to establish if these properties can explain the high toxicity and lethality associated with these compounds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 31457 - Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Model DA 42 Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-01

... Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Model DA 42 Airplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation... reportedly found on DA 42 Main Landing Gear (MLG) Damper-to-Trailing Arm joints during standard maintenance... DA 42 Main Landing Gear (MLG) Damper-to-Trailing Arm joints during standard maintenance. Depending on...

Centrality categorization for Rp (d)+A in high-energy collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adare, A.; Aidala, C.; Ajitanand, N. N.; Akiba, Y.; Al-Bataineh, H.; Alexander, J.; Angerami, A.; Aoki, K.; Apadula, N.; Aramaki, Y.; Atomssa, E. T.; Averbeck, R.; Awes, T. C.; Azmoun, B.; Babintsev, V.; Bai, M.; Baksay, G.; Baksay, L.; Barish, K. N.; Bassalleck, B.; Basye, A. T.; Bathe, S.; Baublis, V.; Baumann, C.; Bazilevsky, A.; Belikov, S.; Belmont, R.; Bennett, R.; Bhom, J. H.; Blau, D. S.; Bok, J. S.; Boyle, K.; Brooks, M. L.; Buesching, H.; Bumazhnov, V.; Bunce, G.; Butsyk, S.; Campbell, S.; Caringi, A.; Chen, C.-H.; Chi, C. Y.; Chiu, M.; Choi, I. J.; Choi, J. B.; Choudhury, R. K.; Christiansen, P.; Chujo, T.; Chung, P.; Chvala, O.; Cianciolo, V.; Citron, Z.; Cole, B. A.; Conesa Del Valle, Z.; Connors, M.; Csanád, M.; Csörgő, T.; Dahms, T.; Dairaku, S.; Danchev, I.; Das, K.; Datta, A.; David, G.; Dayananda, M. K.; Denisov, A.; Deshpande, A.; Desmond, E. J.; Dharmawardane, K. V.; Dietzsch, O.; Dion, A.; Donadelli, M.; Drapier, O.; Drees, A.; Drees, K. A.; Durham, J. M.; Durum, A.; Dutta, D.; D'Orazio, L.; Edwards, S.; Efremenko, Y. V.; Ellinghaus, F.; Engelmore, T.; Enokizono, A.; En'yo, H.; Esumi, S.; Fadem, B.; Fields, D. E.; Finger, M.; Finger, M.; Fleuret, F.; Fokin, S. L.; Fraenkel, Z.; Frantz, J. E.; Franz, A.; Frawley, A. D.; Fujiwara, K.; Fukao, Y.; Fusayasu, T.; Garishvili, I.; Glenn, A.; Gong, H.; Gonin, M.; Goto, Y.; Granier de Cassagnac, R.; Grau, N.; Greene, S. V.; Grim, G.; Grosse Perdekamp, M.; Gunji, T.; Gustafsson, H.-Å.; Haggerty, J. S.; Hahn, K. I.; Hamagaki, H.; Hamblen, J.; Han, R.; Hanks, J.; Haslum, E.; Hayano, R.; He, X.; Heffner, M.; Hemmick, T. K.; Hester, T.; Hill, J. C.; Hohlmann, M.; Holzmann, W.; Homma, K.; Hong, B.; Horaguchi, T.; Hornback, D.; Huang, S.; Ichihara, T.; Ichimiya, R.; Ikeda, Y.; Imai, K.; Inaba, M.; Isenhower, D.; Ishihara, M.; Issah, M.; Ivanischev, D.; Iwanaga, Y.; Jacak, B. V.; Jia, J.; Jiang, X.; Jin, J.; Johnson, B. M.; Jones, T.; Joo, K. S.; Jouan, D.; Jumper, D. S.; Kajihara, F.; Kamin, J.; Kang, J. H.; Kapustinsky, J.; Karatsu, K.; Kasai, M.; Kawall, D.; Kawashima, M.; Kazantsev, A. V.; Kempel, T.; Khanzadeev, A.; Kijima, K. M.; Kikuchi, J.; Kim, A.; Kim, B. I.; Kim, D. J.; Kim, E.-J.; Kim, Y.-J.; Kinney, E.; Kiss, Á.; Kistenev, E.; Kleinjan, D.; Kochenda, L.; Komkov, B.; Konno, M.; Koster, J.; Král, A.; Kravitz, A.; Kunde, G. J.; Kurita, K.; Kurosawa, M.; Kwon, Y.; Kyle, G. S.; Lacey, R.; Lai, Y. S.; Lajoie, J. G.; Lebedev, A.; Lee, D. M.; Lee, J.; Lee, K. B.; Lee, K. S.; Leitch, M. J.; Leite, M. A. L.; Li, X.; Lichtenwalner, P.; Liebing, P.; Linden Levy, L. A.; Liška, T.; Liu, H.; Liu, M. X.; Love, B.; Lynch, D.; Maguire, C. F.; Makdisi, Y. I.; Malik, M. D.; Manko, V. I.; Mannel, E.; Mao, Y.; Masui, H.; Matathias, F.; McCumber, M.; McGaughey, P. L.; McGlinchey, D.; Means, N.; Meredith, B.; Miake, Y.; Mibe, T.; Mignerey, A. C.; Miki, K.; Milov, A.; Mitchell, J. T.; Mohanty, A. K.; Moon, H. J.; Morino, Y.; Morreale, A.; Morrison, D. P.; Moukhanova, T. V.; Murakami, T.; Murata, J.; Nagamiya, S.; Nagle, J. L.; Naglis, M.; Nagy, M. I.; Nakagawa, I.; Nakamiya, Y.; Nakamura, K. R.; Nakamura, T.; Nakano, K.; Nam, S.; Newby, J.; Nguyen, M.; Nihashi, M.; Nouicer, R.; Nyanin, A. S.; Oakley, C.; O'Brien, E.; Oda, S. X.; Ogilvie, C. A.; Oka, M.; Okada, K.; Onuki, Y.; Orjuela Koop, J. D.; Oskarsson, A.; Ouchida, M.; Ozawa, K.; Pak, R.; Pantuev, V.; Papavassiliou, V.; Park, I. H.; Park, S. K.; Park, W. J.; Pate, S. F.; Pei, H.; Peng, J.-C.; Pereira, H.; Perepelitsa, D.; Peressounko, D. Yu.; Petti, R.; Pinkenburg, C.; Pisani, R. P.; Proissl, M.; Purschke, M. L.; Qu, H.; Rak, J.; Ravinovich, I.; Read, K. F.; Rembeczki, S.; Reygers, K.; Riabov, V.; Riabov, Y.; Richardson, E.; Roach, D.; Roche, G.; Rolnick, S. D.; Rosati, M.; Rosen, C. A.; Rosendahl, S. S. E.; Ružička, P.; Sahlmueller, B.; Saito, N.; Sakaguchi, T.; Sakashita, K.; Samsonov, V.; Sano, S.; Sato, T.; Sawada, S.; Sedgwick, K.; Seele, J.; Seidl, R.; Seto, R.; Sharma, D.; Shein, I.; Shibata, T.-A.; Shigaki, K.; Shimomura, M.; Shoji, K.; Shukla, P.; Sickles, A.; Silva, C. L.; Silvermyr, D.; Silvestre, C.; Sim, K. S.; Singh, B. K.; Singh, C. P.; Singh, V.; Slunečka, M.; Soltz, R. A.; Sondheim, W. E.; Sorensen, S. P.; Sourikova, I. V.; Stankus, P. W.; Stenlund, E.; Stoll, S. P.; Sugitate, T.; Sukhanov, A.; Sziklai, J.; Takagui, E. M.; Taketani, A.; Tanabe, R.; Tanaka, Y.; Taneja, S.; Tanida, K.; Tannenbaum, M. J.; Tarafdar, S.; Taranenko, A.; Themann, H.; Thomas, D.; Thomas, T. L.; Togawa, M.; Toia, A.; Tomášek, L.; Torii, H.; Towell, R. S.; Tserruya, I.; Tsuchimoto, Y.; Vale, C.; Valle, H.; van Hecke, H. W.; Vazquez-Zambrano, E.; Veicht, A.; Velkovska, J.; Vértesi, R.; Virius, M.; Vrba, V.; Vznuzdaev, E.; Wang, X. R.; Watanabe, D.; Watanabe, K.; Watanabe, Y.; Wei, F.; Wei, R.; Wessels, J.; White, S. N.; Winter, D.; Woody, C. L.; Wright, R. M.; Wysocki, M.; Yamaguchi, Y. L.; Yamaura, K.; Yang, R.; Yanovich, A.; Ying, J.; Yokkaichi, S.; You, Z.; Young, G. R.; Younus, I.; Yushmanov, I. E.; Zajc, W. A.; Zhou, S.; Phenix Collaboration

2014-09-01

High-energy proton- and deuteron-nucleus collisions provide an excellent tool for studying a wide array of physics effects, including modifications of parton distribution functions in nuclei, gluon saturation, and color neutralization and hadronization in a nuclear environment, among others. All of these effects are expected to have a significant dependence on the size of the nuclear target and the impact parameter of the collision, also known as the collision centrality. In this article, we detail a method for determining centrality classes in p (d)+A collisions via cuts on the multiplicity at backward rapidity (i.e., the nucleus-going direction) and for determining systematic uncertainties in this procedure. For d +Au collisions at √sNN =200 GeV we find that the connection to geometry is confirmed by measuring the fraction of events in which a neutron from the deuteron does not interact with the nucleus. As an application, we consider the nuclear modification factors Rp (d)+A, for which there is a bias in the measured centrality-dependent yields owing to auto correlations between the process of interest and the backward-rapidity multiplicity. We determine the bias-correction factors within this framework. This method is further tested using the hijing Monte Carlo generator. We find that for d +Au collisions at √sNN =200 GeV, these bias corrections are small and vary by less than 5% (10%) up to pT=10 (20) GeV/c. In contrast, for p +Pb collisions at √sNN =5.02 TeV we find that these bias factors are an order of magnitude larger and strongly pT dependent, likely attributable to the larger effect of multiparton interactions.

Directly converting CO2 into a gasoline fuel

PubMed Central

Wei, Jian; Ge, Qingjie; Yao, Ruwei; Wen, Zhiyong; Fang, Chuanyan; Guo, Lisheng; Xu, Hengyong; Sun, Jian

2017-01-01

The direct production of liquid fuels from CO2 hydrogenation has attracted enormous interest for its significant roles in mitigating CO2 emissions and reducing dependence on petrochemicals. Here we report a highly efficient, stable and multifunctional Na–Fe3O4/HZSM-5 catalyst, which can directly convert CO2 to gasoline-range (C5–C11) hydrocarbons with selectivity up to 78% of all hydrocarbons while only 4% methane at a CO2 conversion of 22% under industrial relevant conditions. It is achieved by a multifunctional catalyst providing three types of active sites (Fe3O4, Fe5C2 and acid sites), which cooperatively catalyse a tandem reaction. More significantly, the appropriate proximity of three types of active sites plays a crucial role in the successive and synergetic catalytic conversion of CO2 to gasoline. The multifunctional catalyst, exhibiting a remarkable stability for 1,000 h on stream, definitely has the potential to be a promising industrial catalyst for CO2 utilization to liquid fuels. PMID:28462925

Directly converting CO2 into a gasoline fuel.

PubMed

Wei, Jian; Ge, Qingjie; Yao, Ruwei; Wen, Zhiyong; Fang, Chuanyan; Guo, Lisheng; Xu, Hengyong; Sun, Jian

2017-05-02

The direct production of liquid fuels from CO 2 hydrogenation has attracted enormous interest for its significant roles in mitigating CO 2 emissions and reducing dependence on petrochemicals. Here we report a highly efficient, stable and multifunctional Na-Fe 3 O 4 /HZSM-5 catalyst, which can directly convert CO 2 to gasoline-range (C 5 -C 11 ) hydrocarbons with selectivity up to 78% of all hydrocarbons while only 4% methane at a CO 2 conversion of 22% under industrial relevant conditions. It is achieved by a multifunctional catalyst providing three types of active sites (Fe 3 O 4 , Fe 5 C 2 and acid sites), which cooperatively catalyse a tandem reaction. More significantly, the appropriate proximity of three types of active sites plays a crucial role in the successive and synergetic catalytic conversion of CO 2 to gasoline. The multifunctional catalyst, exhibiting a remarkable stability for 1,000 h on stream, definitely has the potential to be a promising industrial catalyst for CO 2 utilization to liquid fuels.

The Curie–Da Vinci Connection: 5-Years' Experience With Laparoscopic (Robot-Assisted) Implantation for High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy of Solitary T2 Bladder Tumors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steen-Banasik, Elzbieta M. van der, E-mail: E.vanderSteen-Banasik@radiotherapiegroep.nl; Smits, Geert A.H.J.; Oosterveld, Bernard J.

Purpose: To report experience and early results of laparoscopic implantation for interstitial brachytherapy (BT) of solitary bladder tumors and the feasibility of a high-dose-rate (HDR) schedule. Methods and Materials: From December 2009 to April 2015, 57 patients with a T2 solitary bladder tumor were treated in Arnhem with transurethral bladder resection followed by external beam irradiation, applied to the bladder and regional iliac lymph nodes, 40 Gy in 20 fractions, 5 fractions per week, and within 1 week interstitial HDR BT, in selected cases combined with partial cystectomy and lymph node dissection. The BT catheters were placed via a transabdominal approach withmore » robotic assistance from a Da Vinci robot after a successful initial experience with a nonrobotic laparoscopic approach. The fraction schedule for HDR was 10 fractions of 2.5 Gy, 3 fractions per day. This was calculated to be equivalent to a reference low-dose-rate schedule of 30 Gy in 60 hours. Data for oncologic outcomes and toxicity (Common Toxicity Criteria version 4) were prospectively collected. Results: These modifications resulted in an average postoperative hospitalization of 6 days, minimal blood loss, and no wound healing problems. Two patients had severe acute toxicity: 1 pulmonary embolism grade 4 and 1 cardiac death. Late toxicity was mild (n=2 urogenital grade 3 toxicity). The median follow-up was 2 years. Using cumulative incidence competing risk analysis, the 2-year overall, disease-free, and disease-specific survival and local control rates were 59%, 71%, 87%, and 82%, respectively. Conclusions: The benefits of minimally invasive surgery for implantation of BT catheters and the feasibility of HDR BT in bladder cancer are documented. The patient outcome and adverse events are comparable to the best results published for a bladder-sparing approach.« less

76 FR 14346 - Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Model DA 42 Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-16

... Industries GmbH Model DA 42 Airplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of... been reportedly found on DA 42 Main Landing Gear (MLG) Damper-to-Trailing Arm joints during standard... condition for the specified products. The MCAI states: Cracks have been reportedly found on DA 42 Main...

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and his depictions of the human spine.

PubMed

Bowen, Garvin; Gonzales, Jocelyn; Iwanaga, Joe; Fisahn, Christian; Loukas, Marios; Oskouian, Rod J; Tubbs, R Shane

2017-12-01

Few individuals in history have exerted so great an influence and made such extensive contributions to so many disciplines as Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci's inquisitive, experimental mentality led him to many discoveries, such as spinal cord function and the proper anatomy of several organ systems. Respected not only as an artist but also as an anatomist, he made many significant contributions to the field. This article explores da Vinci's drawings, in relation to the anatomy of the human spine.

Inhibition of 5a-reductase in the nucleus accumbens counters sensorimotor gating deficits induced by dopaminergic activation

PubMed Central

Devoto, Paola; Frau, Roberto; Bini, Valentina; Pillolla, Giuliano; Saba, Pierluigi; Flore, Giovanna; Corona, Marta; Marrosu, Francesco; Bortolato, Marco

2012-01-01

Summary Cogent evidence highlights a key role of neurosteroids and androgens in schizophrenia. We recently reported that inhibition of steroid 5α-reductase (5αR), the rate-limiting enzyme in neurosteroid synthesis and androgen metabolism, elicits antipsychotic-like effects in humans and animal models, without inducing extrapyramidal side effects. To elucidate the anatomical substrates mediating these effects, we investigated the contribution of peripheral and neural structures to the behavioral effects of the 5αR inhibitor finasteride (FIN) on the prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex (ASR), a rat paradigm that dependably simulates the sensorimotor gating impairments observed in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. The potential effect of drug-induced ASR modifications on PPI was excluded by measuring this index both as percent (%PPI) and absolute values (ΔPPI). In both orchidectomized and sham-operated rats, FIN prevented the %PPI deficits induced by the dopamine (DA) receptor agonists apomorphine (APO, 0.25 mg/kg, SC) and d-amphetamine (AMPH, 2.5 mg/kg, SC), although the latter effect was not corroborated by ΔPPI analysis. Conversely, APO-induced PPI deficits were countered by FIN infusions in the brain ventricles (10 μg/1 μl) and in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell and core (0.5 μg/0.5 μl/side). No significant PPI-ameliorating effect was observed following FIN injections in other brain regions, including dorsal caudate, basolateral amygdala, ventral hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, although a statistical trend was observed for the latter region. The efflux of DA in NAc was increased by systemic, but not intracerebral FIN administration. Taken together, these findings suggest that the role of 5αR in gating regulation is based on post-synaptic mechanisms in the NAc, and is not directly related to alterations in DA efflux in this region. PMID:22029952

The Real Code of Leonardo da Vinci

PubMed Central

Ose, Leiv

2008-01-01

Leonardo da Vinci was born in Italy. Among the researchers and scientists, he is favourably known for his remarkable efforts in scientific work. His investigations of atherosclerosis judiciously combine three separate fields of research. In 1506, he finished his masterpiece, painting of Mona Lisa. A careful clinical examination of the famous painting reveals a yellow irregular leather-like spot at the inner end of the left upper eyelid and a soft bumpy well-defined swelling of the dorsum of the right hand beneath the index finger about 3 cm long. This is probably the first case of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). The FH code of Leonardo da Vinci was given immense consideration by scientists like Carl Muller, who described the xanthomas tuberosum and angina pectoris. On the contrary, Akira Endo searched for microbial metabolites that would inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of cholesterol and finally, Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein published a remarkable series of elegant and insightful papers in the 70s and 80s. They established that the cellular uptake of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) essentially requires the LDL receptor. In conclusion: this was the real Code of Leonardo da Vinci. PMID:19924278

[The rational application of Da Vinci surgical system in thyroidectomy].

PubMed

He, Q Q

2017-08-01

Da Vinci surgical system is the most advanced minimally invasive surgical platform in the world, and this system has been widely used in cardiac surgery, urology surgery, gynecologic surgery and general surgery. Although the application of this system was relatively late in thyroid surgery, the number of thyroidectomy with Da Vinci surgical system is increasing quickly. Having reviewed recent studies and summarized clinical experience, compared with traditional open operation, the robotic thyroidectomy has the same surgical safety and effectiveness in selective patients with thyroid cancer. In this paper, several aspects on this novel operation were demonstrated, including surgical indications and contraindications, the approaches, surgical procedures and postoperative complications, in order to promote the rational application of Da Vinci surgical system in thyroidectomy.

32 CFR 635.23 - DA Form 4833 (Commander's Report of Disciplinary or Administrative Action).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the PMO. The Battalion Commander or the first Lieutenant Colonel in the chain of command is... DA Form 4833 within 45 days of receipt. (1) Appropriate blocks will be checked and blanks annotated... the disposition on DA Form 4833 as appropriate. That portion of the signature block of DA Form 4833...

32 CFR 635.23 - DA Form 4833 (Commander's Report of Disciplinary or Administrative Action).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the PMO. The Battalion Commander or the first Lieutenant Colonel in the chain of command is... DA Form 4833 within 45 days of receipt. (1) Appropriate blocks will be checked and blanks annotated... the disposition on DA Form 4833 as appropriate. That portion of the signature block of DA Form 4833...

32 CFR 635.23 - DA Form 4833 (Commander's Report of Disciplinary or Administrative Action).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the PMO. The Battalion Commander or the first Lieutenant Colonel in the chain of command is... DA Form 4833 within 45 days of receipt. (1) Appropriate blocks will be checked and blanks annotated... the disposition on DA Form 4833 as appropriate. That portion of the signature block of DA Form 4833...

32 CFR 635.23 - DA Form 4833 (Commander's Report of Disciplinary or Administrative Action).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the PMO. The Battalion Commander or the first Lieutenant Colonel in the chain of command is... DA Form 4833 within 45 days of receipt. (1) Appropriate blocks will be checked and blanks annotated... the disposition on DA Form 4833 as appropriate. That portion of the signature block of DA Form 4833...

32 CFR 635.23 - DA Form 4833 (Commander's Report of Disciplinary or Administrative Action).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the PMO. The Battalion Commander or the first Lieutenant Colonel in the chain of command is... DA Form 4833 within 45 days of receipt. (1) Appropriate blocks will be checked and blanks annotated... the disposition on DA Form 4833 as appropriate. That portion of the signature block of DA Form 4833...

Identification of Rice Genes Associated With Enhanced Cold Tolerance by Comparative Transcriptome Analysis With Two Transgenic Rice Plants Overexpressing DaCBF4 or DaCBF7, Isolated From Antarctic Flowering Plant Deschampsia antarctica

PubMed Central

Byun, Mi Young; Cui, Li Hua; Lee, Jungeun; Park, Hyun; Lee, Andosung; Kim, Woo Taek; Lee, Hyoungseok

2018-01-01

Few plant species can survive in Antarctica, the harshest environment for living organisms. Deschampsia antarctica is the only natural grass species to have adapted to and colonized the maritime Antarctic. To investigate the molecular mechanism of the Antarctic adaptation of this plant, we identified and characterized D. antarctica C-repeat binding factor 4 (DaCBF4), which belongs to monocot CBF group IV. The transcript level of DaCBF4 in D. antarctica was markedly increased by cold and dehydration stress. To assess the roles of DaCBF4 in plants, we generated a DaCBF4-overexpressing transgenic rice plant (Ubi:DaCBF4) and analyzed its abiotic stress response phenotype. Ubi:DaCBF4 displayed enhanced tolerance to cold stress without growth retardation under any condition compared to wild-type plants. Because the cold-specific phenotype of Ubi:DaCBF4 was similar to that of Ubi:DaCBF7 (Byun et al., 2015), we screened for the genes responsible for the improved cold tolerance in rice by selecting differentially regulated genes in both transgenic rice lines. By comparative transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq, we identified 9 and 15 genes under normal and cold-stress conditions, respectively, as putative downstream targets of the two D. antarctica CBFs. Overall, our results suggest that Antarctic hairgrass DaCBF4 mediates the cold-stress response of transgenic rice plants by adjusting the expression levels of a set of stress-responsive genes in transgenic rice plants. Moreover, selected downstream target genes will be useful for genetic engineering to enhance the cold tolerance of cereal plants, including rice. PMID:29774046

Identification of Rice Genes Associated With Enhanced Cold Tolerance by Comparative Transcriptome Analysis With Two Transgenic Rice Plants Overexpressing DaCBF4 or DaCBF7, Isolated From Antarctic Flowering Plant Deschampsia antarctica.

PubMed

Byun, Mi Young; Cui, Li Hua; Lee, Jungeun; Park, Hyun; Lee, Andosung; Kim, Woo Taek; Lee, Hyoungseok

2018-01-01

Few plant species can survive in Antarctica, the harshest environment for living organisms. Deschampsia antarctica is the only natural grass species to have adapted to and colonized the maritime Antarctic. To investigate the molecular mechanism of the Antarctic adaptation of this plant, we identified and characterized D. antarctica C-repeat binding factor 4 ( DaCBF4 ), which belongs to monocot CBF group IV. The transcript level of DaCBF4 in D. antarctica was markedly increased by cold and dehydration stress. To assess the roles of DaCBF4 in plants, we generated a DaCBF4 -overexpressing transgenic rice plant ( Ubi:DaCBF4 ) and analyzed its abiotic stress response phenotype. Ubi:DaCBF4 displayed enhanced tolerance to cold stress without growth retardation under any condition compared to wild-type plants. Because the cold-specific phenotype of Ubi:DaCBF4 was similar to that of Ubi:DaCBF7 (Byun et al., 2015), we screened for the genes responsible for the improved cold tolerance in rice by selecting differentially regulated genes in both transgenic rice lines. By comparative transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq, we identified 9 and 15 genes under normal and cold-stress conditions, respectively, as putative downstream targets of the two D. antarctica CBFs. Overall, our results suggest that Antarctic hairgrass DaCBF4 mediates the cold-stress response of transgenic rice plants by adjusting the expression levels of a set of stress-responsive genes in transgenic rice plants. Moreover, selected downstream target genes will be useful for genetic engineering to enhance the cold tolerance of cereal plants, including rice.

Comparison of real waste (MSW and MPW) pyrolysis in batch reactor over different catalysts. Part II: contaminants, char and pyrolysis oil properties.

PubMed

Miskolczi, Norbert; Ateş, Funda; Borsodi, Nikolett

2013-09-01

Pyrolysis of real wastes (MPW and MSW) has been investigated at 500°C, 550°C and 600°C using Y-zeolite, β-zeolite, equilibrium FCC, MoO3, Ni-Mo-catalyst, HZSM-5 and Al(OH)3 as catalysts. The viscosity of pyrolysis oils could be decreased by the using of catalysts, especially by β-zeolite and MoO3. Both carbon frame and double bound isomerization was found in case of thermo-catalytic pyrolysis. Char morphology and texture analysis showed more coke deposits on the catalyst surface using MSW raw material. Pyrolysis oils had K, S, P Cl, Ca, Zn, Fe, Cr, Br and Sb as contaminants; and the concentrations of K, S, P, Cl and Br could be decreased by the using of catalysts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochemical characterization of a halophilic, alkalithermophilic protease from Alkalibacillus sp. NM-Da2.

PubMed

Abdel-Hamed, Asmaa R; Abo-Elmatty, Dina M; Wiegel, Juergen; Mesbah, Noha M

2016-11-01

An extracellular, halophilic, alkalithermophilic serine protease from the halo-alkaliphilic Alkalibacillus sp. NM-Da2 was purified to homogeneity by ethanol precipitation and anion-exchange chromatography. The purified protease was a monomeric enzyme with an approximate molecular mass of 35 kDa and exhibited maximal activity at 2.7 M NaCl, pH 55 °C 9 and 56 °C. The protease showed great temperature stability, retaining greater than 80 % of initial activity after 2 h incubation at 55 °C. The protease was also extremely pH tolerant, retaining 80 % of initial activity at pH 55 °C 10.5 after 30 min incubation. Protease hydrolyzed complex substrates, displaying activity on yeast extract, tryptone, casein, gelatin and peptone. Protease activity was inhibited at casein concentrations greater than 1.2 mg/mL. The enzyme was stable and active in 40 % (v/v) solutions of isopropanol, ethanol and benzene and was stable in the presence of the polysorbate surfactant Tween 80. Activity was stimulated with the oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide. Inhibition with phenyl methylsulfonylfluoride indicates it is a serine protease. Synthetic saline wastewater treated with the protease showed 50 % protein removal after 5 h. Being halophilic, alkaliphilic and thermophilic, in addition to being resistant to organic solvents, this protease has potential for various applications in biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries.

Biofortification of soybean meal: immunological properties of the 27 kDa γ-zein.

PubMed

Krishnan, Hari B; Jang, Sungchan; Kim, Won-Seok; Kerley, Monty S; Oliver, Melvin J; Trick, Harold N

2011-02-23

Legumes, including soybeans ( Glycine max ), are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids, which are required for the optimal growth of monogastric animals. This deficiency can be overcome by expressing heterologous proteins rich in sulfur-containing amino acids in soybean seeds. A maize 27 kDa γ-zein, a cysteine-rich protein, has been successfully expressed in several crops including soybean, barley, and alfalfa with the intent to biofortify these crops for animal feed. Previous work has shown that the maize 27 kDa zein can withstand digestion by pepsin and elicit an immunogenic response in young pigs. By use of sera from patients who tested positive by ImmunoCAP assay for elevated IgE to maize proteins, specific IgE binding to the 27 kDa γ-zein is demonstrated. Bioinformatic analysis using the full-length and 80 amino acid sliding window FASTA searches identified significant sequence homology of the 27 kDa γ-zein with several known allergens. Immunoblot analysis using human serum that cross-reacts with maize seed proteins also revealed specific IgE-binding to the 27 kDa γ-zein in soybean seed protein extracts containing the 27 kDa zein. This study demonstrates for the first time the allergenicity potential of the 27 kDa γ-zein and the potential that this protein has to limit livestock performance when used in soybeans that serve as a biofortified feed supplement.

Early experience using the da Vinci Surgical System for the treatment of mediastinal tumors.

PubMed

Kajiwara, Naohiro; Taira, Masahiro; Yoshida, Koichi; Hagiwara, Masaru; Kakihana, Masatoshi; Usuda, Jitsuo; Uchida, Osamu; Ohira, Tatsuo; Kawate, Norihiko; Ikeda, Norihiko

2011-10-01

The da Vinci Surgical System has been used in only a few cases for treating mediastinal tumors in Japan. Recently, we used the da Vinci Surgical System for various types of anterior and middle mediastinal tumors in clinical practice. We report our early experience using the da Vinci Surgical System. Seven patients gave written informed consent to undergo robotic surgery for mediastinal tumor dissection using the da Vinci Surgical System. We evaluated the safety and feasibility of this system for the surgical treatment of mediastinal tumors. Two specialists in thoracic surgery who are certified to use the da Vinci S Surgical System and another specialist acted as an assistant performed the tumor dissection. We were able to access difficult-to-reach areas, such as the mediastinum, safely. All the resected tumors were classified as benign tumors histologically. The average da Vinci setting time was 14.0 min, the average working time was 55.7 min, and the average overall operating time was 125.9 min. The learning curve for the da Vinci setup and manipulation time was short. Robotic surgery enables mediastinal tumor dissection in certain cases more safely and easily than conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and less invasively than open thoracotomy.

European VLBI network observations of fourteen GHz-peaked-spectrum radio sources at 5 GHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, L.; Reynolds, C.; Strom, R. G.; Dallacasa, D.

2006-08-01

We present the results of EVN polarization observations of fourteen GHz-Peaked-Spectrum (GPS) radio sources at 5 GHz. These sources were selected from bright GPS source samples and we aimed at finding Compact Symmetric Objects (CSOs). We have obtained full polarization 5 GHz VLBI observations of 14 sources providing information on their source structure and spectral indices. The results show that two core-jet sources 1433-040 and DA193, out of 14 GPS sources, exhibit integrated fractional polarizations of 3.6% and 1.0% respectively. The other 12 sources have no clear detection of pc-scale polarization. The results confirm that the GPS sources generally have very low polarization at 5 GHz. The sources 1133+432, 1824+271 and 2121-014 are confirmed as CSOs. Three new CSOs 0914+114, 1518+046 and 2322-040 (tentative) have been classified on the basis of 5 GHz images and spectral indices. The sources 1333+589, 1751+278 and 2323+790 can be classified either as compact doubles, and then they are likely CSO candidates or core-jet sources; further observations are needed for an appropriate classification; 0554-026, 1433-040 and 1509+054 are core-jet sources. In addition, we estimate that a component in the jet of quasar DA193 has superluminal motion of 3.3±0.6 h-1 c in 5.5 years.

Cloning and functional characterization of the DA2 receptor gene in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

PubMed Central

Xu, Min-jie; Zhang, Cong; Yang, Zhigang

2018-01-01

Dopamine (DA) plays a modulatory role in numerous physiological processes such as light adaptation and food intake, and exerts these functions through DA receptors (DARs). This study presents, for the first time, isolation and characterization of the dopamine receptor 2(DA2 receptor) cDNA from the intestinal tissue of Eriocheir sinensis, an economically important freshwater aquaculture species in China. The DA2 receptor cDNA sequence, which was obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends, is 2369bp long, encode peptide of 589 amino acid, and is highly homologous to related sequences in crustaceans. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence and the structure of the DA2 indicated that this receptor is a member of the family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), as it contains seven transmembrane domains and other common signatures of GPCRs. RT-PCR showed that the expression of the DA2 receptor gene was distributed in various tissues, and high expression levels were observed in the cranial ganglia and the thoracic ganglia. Further study of the effect of photoperiod on DA2 expression showed that constant darkness induced a significant increase in DA2 expression in the cranial ganglia. Finally, analysis of DA2 receptor expression under different feeding statuses showed that there was significantly greater expression in the hepatopancreas and intestines after feeding than before feeding, but there were no differences in expression between the before feeding and during feeding periods in either tissue. Our results indicate that the DA2 receptor structurally belongs to the family of G protein-coupled receptors, and that the cranial ganglia are the main tissues in which the DA2 receptor participates in light adaptation during dark hours. In addition, the DA2 receptor in E. sinensis may be involved in the physiological regulation of the hepatopancreas and digestive tract after the ingestion of food. This study provides a foundation for further exploration of the light

DaMab-2: Anti-Human DGKα Monoclonal Antibody for Immunocytochemistry.

PubMed

Nakano, Tomoyuki; Ogasawara, Satoshi; Tanaka, Toshiaki; Hozumi, Yasukazu; Mizuno, Satoru; Satoh, Eri; Sakane, Fumio; Okada, Naoki; Taketomi, Akinobu; Honma, Ryusuke; Nakamura, Takuro; Saidoh, Noriko; Yanaka, Miyuki; Itai, Shunsuke; Handa, Saori; Chang, Yao-Wen; Yamada, Shinji; Kaneko, Mika K; Kato, Yukinari; Goto, Kaoru

2017-08-01

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) is responsible for the enzymatic conversion of diacylglycerol to phosphatidic acid. Since both diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid serve as signaling molecules, DGK is regarded as a hub between diacylglycerol-mediated and phosphatidic acid-mediated signaling. One of the 10 DGK isozymes, DGKα, is shown to be involved in T cell function. Transfection studies using tagged expression vectors revealed that DGKα localizes to the cytoplasm and nucleus and translocates to the plasma membrane in response to T cell receptor stimulation. However, a limited number of studies reported the localization of native protein of DGKα in tissues and cells. In this study, we immunized mice with recombinant DGKα and developed several anti-DGKα monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). One of the established anti-DGKα mAbs is a clone DaMab-2 (mouse IgG 1 , kappa). In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, DaMab-2 recognized only DGKα, and did not react with the other isozymes, such as DGKγ, DGKζ, DGKη, and DGKδ. Importantly, DaMab-2 is very useful in immunocytochemical analysis of human cultured cells, indicating that DaMab-2 is advantageous to analyze the localization and function of DGKα.

DA-9701: A New Multi-Acting Drug for the Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia

PubMed Central

Kwon, Yong Sam; Son, Miwon

2013-01-01

Motilitone® (DA-9701) is a new herbal drug that was launched for the treatment of functional dyspepsia in December 2011 in Korea. The heterogeneous symptom pattern and multiple causes of functional dyspepsia have resulted in multiple drug target strategies for its treatment. DA-9701, a compound consisting of a combination of Corydalis Tuber and Pharbitidis Semen, has being developed for treatment of functional dyspepsia. It has multiple mechanisms of action such as fundus relaxation, visceral analgesia, and prokinetic effects. Furthermore, it was found to significantly enhance meal-induced gastric accommodation and increase gastric compliance in dogs. DA-9701 also showed an analgesic effect in rats with colorectal distension induced visceral hypersensitivity and an antinociceptive effect in beagle dogs with gastric distension-induced nociception. The pharmacological effects of DA-9701 also include conventional effects, such as enhanced gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit. The safety profi le of DA-9701 is also preferable to that of other treatments. PMID:24265862

PanDA Pilot Submission using Condor-G: Experience and Improvements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao X.; Hover John; Wlodek Tomasz

2011-01-01

PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) is the workload management system of the ATLAS experiment, used to run managed production and user analysis jobs on the grid. As a late-binding, pilot-based system, the maintenance of a smooth and steady stream of pilot jobs to all grid sites is critical for PanDA operation. The ATLAS Computing Facility (ACF) at BNL, as the ATLAS Tier1 center in the US, operates the pilot submission systems for the US. This is done using the PanDA 'AutoPilot' scheduler component which submits pilot jobs via Condor-G, a grid job scheduling system developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.more » In this paper, we discuss the operation and performance of the Condor-G pilot submission at BNL, with emphasis on the challenges and issues encountered in the real grid production environment. With the close collaboration of Condor and PanDA teams, the scalability and stability of the overall system has been greatly improved over the last year. We review improvements made to Condor-G resulting from this collaboration, including isolation of site-based issues by running a separate Gridmanager for each remote site, introduction of the 'Nonessential' job attribute to allow Condor to optimize its behavior for the specific character of pilot jobs, better understanding and handling of the Gridmonitor process, as well as better scheduling in the PanDA pilot scheduler component. We will also cover the monitoring of the health of the system.« less

Effect of DA-8031, a novel oral compound for premature ejaculation, on male rat sexual behavior.

PubMed

Kang, Kyung Koo; Sung, Ji Hyun; Kim, Soon Hoe; Lee, Sukhyang

2014-03-01

DA-8031 is a potent and selective serotonin transporter inhibitor developed for the treatment of premature ejaculation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of DA-8031 on male sexual behavior in a rat model. Sexual behavior was examined after an acute oral administration of 10, 30 or 100 mg/kg of DA-8031 in copulation studies with female rats. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated after oral administration of DA-8031 at a dose level of 30 mg/kg. DA-8031 treatment produced a dose-dependent increase in ejaculation latency time and showed statistical significance at 30 and 100 mg/kg dosage levels compared with the vehicle (P < 0.05). In addition, DA-8031 treatment reduced the mean number of ejaculations in a dose-dependent manner. No changes in post-ejaculatory interval, numbers of mounts, intromissions or ejaculations were observed at any dose. In pharmacokinetic study, the blood concentration of DA-8031 peaked at 0.38 ± 0.14 h after oral administration, and then rapidly declined with a half-life of 1.79 ± 0.32 h. Treatment with DA-8031 delays the ejaculation latency time without affecting the initiation of mounting behavior or post-ejaculatory interval in rats. Furthermore, DA-8031 is rapidly absorbed and eliminated after oral administration in rats. These preclinical findings provide a clue for the clinical testing of DA-8031 as an "on-demand" agent for premature ejaculation. © 2013 The Japanese Urological Association.

Cloning, expression and activation of a truncated 92-kDa gelatinase minienzyme.

PubMed

Kröger, M; Tschesche, H

1997-09-01

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of highly homologous zinc-endopeptidases that degrade extracellular matrix components. Human 92-kDa gelatinase (MMP-9) represents one of the MMPs that cleaves native collagen type IV. As a basis for structural investigations, the short form (catalytic domain, amino acid residues 113-450) of the 92-kDa gelatinase cDNA was cloned and expressed in E. coli as a minienzyme. By combination of reverse transcription (RT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the truncated 92-kDa gelatinase-cDNA was amplified from the corresponding mRNA derived from ovarian carcinoma cells. The cDNA fragment obtained was cloned in E. coli and sequenced. With the exception of one nucleotide inversion at position 745 (gt-->tg) the cDNA sequence was identical to the nucleotide sequence of the 92-kDa gelatinase as has been previously reported. The protein was expressed in E. coli using the vector pET-12b. The recombinant protein was stored in inclusion bodies and extracted as a 38 kDa species from the inclusion bodies by solubilization in 8 M urea. The product was purified by affinity chromatography and gel filtration. Amino-terminal sequence analysis confirmed the identity with the catalytic domain of 92-kDa gelatinase. The recombinant protein was refolded in the presence of Ca2+ and Zn2+ and yielded an active minienzyme with gelatinolytic activity. It degrades the native substrate collagen type IV and the synthetic substrate Mca-Pro-Leu-Gly-Leu-Dpa-Ala-Arg-NH2 x AcOH like the full-length 92-kDa gelatinase. The catalytic activity could be inhibited by the specific MMP inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2.

Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Interactions with Dopamine Function: Implications for Therapeutics in Cocaine Use Disorder

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Kathryn A.

2015-01-01

Cocaine exhibits prominent abuse liability, and chronic abuse can result in cocaine use disorder with significant morbidity. Major advances have been made in delineating neurobiological mechanisms of cocaine abuse; however, effective medications to treat cocaine use disorder remain to be discovered. The present review will focus on the role of serotonin (5-HT; 5-hydroxytryptamine) neurotransmission in the neuropharmacology of cocaine and related abused stimulants. Extensive research suggests that the primary contribution of 5-HT to cocaine addiction is a consequence of interactions with dopamine (DA) neurotransmission. The literature on the neurobiological and behavioral effects of cocaine is well developed, so the focus of the review will be on cocaine with inferences made about other monoamine uptake inhibitors and releasers based on mechanistic considerations. 5-HT receptors are widely expressed throughout the brain, and several different 5-HT receptor subtypes have been implicated in mediating the effects of endogenous 5-HT on DA. However, the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors in particular have been implicated as likely candidates for mediating the influence of 5-HT in cocaine abuse as well as to traits (e.g., impulsivity) that contribute to the development of cocaine use disorder and relapse in humans. Lastly, new approaches are proposed to guide targeted development of serotonergic ligands for the treatment of cocaine use disorder. PMID:25505168

Morphogenetic Studies of the Drosophila DA1 Ventral Olfactory Projection Neuron

PubMed Central

Yu, Hung-Hsiang

2016-01-01

In the Drosophila olfactory system, odorant information is sensed by olfactory sensory neurons and relayed from the primary olfactory center, the antennal lobe (AL), to higher olfactory centers via olfactory projection neurons (PNs). A major portion of the AL is constituted with dendrites of four groups of PNs, anterodorsal PNs (adPNs), lateral PNs (lPNs), lateroventral PNs (lvPNs) and ventral PNs (vPNs). Previous studies have been focused on the development and function of adPNs and lPNs, while the investigation on those of lvPNs and vPNs received less attention. Here, we study the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the morphogenesis of a putative male-pheromone responding vPN, the DA1 vPN. Using an intersection strategy to remove background neurons labeled within a DA1 vPN-containing GAL4 line, we depicted morphological changes of the DA1 vPN that occurs at the pupal stage. We then conducted a pilot screen using RNA interference knock-down approach to identify cell surface molecules, including Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule 1 and Semaphorin-1a, that might play essential roles for the DA1 vPN morphogenesis. Taken together, by revealing molecular and cellular basis of the DA1 vPN morphogenesis, we should provide insights into future comprehension of how vPNs are assembled into the olfactory neural circuitry. PMID:27163287

Morphogenetic Studies of the Drosophila DA1 Ventral Olfactory Projection Neuron.

PubMed

Shen, Hung-Chang; Wei, Jia-Yi; Chu, Sao-Yu; Chung, Pei-Chi; Hsu, Tsai-Chi; Yu, Hung-Hsiang

2016-01-01

In the Drosophila olfactory system, odorant information is sensed by olfactory sensory neurons and relayed from the primary olfactory center, the antennal lobe (AL), to higher olfactory centers via olfactory projection neurons (PNs). A major portion of the AL is constituted with dendrites of four groups of PNs, anterodorsal PNs (adPNs), lateral PNs (lPNs), lateroventral PNs (lvPNs) and ventral PNs (vPNs). Previous studies have been focused on the development and function of adPNs and lPNs, while the investigation on those of lvPNs and vPNs received less attention. Here, we study the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the morphogenesis of a putative male-pheromone responding vPN, the DA1 vPN. Using an intersection strategy to remove background neurons labeled within a DA1 vPN-containing GAL4 line, we depicted morphological changes of the DA1 vPN that occurs at the pupal stage. We then conducted a pilot screen using RNA interference knock-down approach to identify cell surface molecules, including Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule 1 and Semaphorin-1a, that might play essential roles for the DA1 vPN morphogenesis. Taken together, by revealing molecular and cellular basis of the DA1 vPN morphogenesis, we should provide insights into future comprehension of how vPNs are assembled into the olfactory neural circuitry.

THE INTERMEDIATE LUMINOSITY OPTICAL TRANSIENT SN 2010DA: THE PROGENITOR, ERUPTION, AND AFTERMATH OF A PECULIAR SUPERGIANT HIGH-MASS X-RAY BINARY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Villar, V. A.; Berger, E.; Blanchard, P. K.

We present optical spectroscopy, ultraviolet-to-infrared imaging, and X-ray observations of the intermediate luminosity optical transient (ILOT) SN 2010da in NGC 300 ( d = 1.86 Mpc) spanning from −6 to +6 years relative to the time of outburst in 2010. Based on the light-curve and multi-epoch spectral energy distributions of SN 2010da, we conclude that the progenitor of SN 2010da is a ≈10–12 M {sub ⊙} yellow supergiant possibly transitioning into a blue-loop phase. During outburst, SN 2010da had a peak absolute magnitude of M {sub bol} ≲ −10.4 mag, dimmer than other ILOTs and supernova impostors. We detect multi-componentmore » hydrogen Balmer, Paschen, and Ca ii emission lines in our high-resolution spectra, which indicate a dusty and complex circumstellar environment. Since the 2010 eruption, the star has brightened by a factor of ≈5 and remains highly variable in the optical. Furthermore, we detect SN 2010da in archival Swift and Chandra observations as an ultraluminous X-ray source ( L {sub X} ≈ 6 × 10{sup 39} erg s{sup −1}). We additionally attribute He ii 4686 Å and coronal Fe emission lines in addition to a steady X-ray luminosity of ≈10{sup 37} erg s{sup −1} to the presence of a compact companion.« less

Reduced striatal dopamine DA D2 receptor function in dominant-negative GSK-3 transgenic mice.

PubMed

Gomez-Sintes, Raquel; Bortolozzi, Analia; Artigas, Francesc; Lucas, José J

2014-09-01

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine kinase with constitutive activity involved in cellular architecture, gene expression, cell proliferation, fate decision and apoptosis, among others. GSK-3 expression is particularly high in brain where it may be involved in neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer׳s disease, bipolar disorder and major depression. A link with schizophrenia is suggested by the antipsychotic drug-induced GSK-3 regulation and by the involvement of the Akt/GSK-3 pathway in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Taking advantage of the previous development of dominant negative GSK-3 transgenic mice (Tg) showing a selective reduction of GSK-3 activity in forebrain neurons but not in dopaminergic neurons, we explored the relationship between GSK-3 and dopaminergic neurotransmission in vivo. In microdialysis experiments, local quinpirole (DA D2-R agonist) in dorsal striatum reduced dopamine (DA) release significantly less in Tg mice than in wild-type (WT) mice. However, local SKF-81297 (selective DA D1-R agonist) in dorsal striatum reduced DA release equally in both control and Tg mice indicating a comparable function of DA D1-R in the direct striato-nigral pathway. Likewise, systemic quinpirole administration - acting preferentially on presynaptic DA D2- autoreceptors to modulate DA release-reduced striatal DA release similarly in both control and Tg mice. Quinpirole reduced locomotor activity and induced c-fos expression in globus pallidus (both striatal DA D2-R-mediated effects) significantly more in WT than in Tg mice. Taking together, the present results show that dominant negative GSK-3 transgenic mice show reduced DA D2-R-mediated function in striatum and further support a link between dopaminergic neurotransmission and GSK-3 activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

A relevant IgE-reactive 28kDa protein identified from Salsola kali pollen extract by proteomics is a natural degradation product of an integral 47kDa polygalaturonase.

PubMed

Mas, Salvador; Oeo-Santos, Carmen; Cuesta-Herranz, Javier; Díaz-Perales, Araceli; Colás, Carlos; Fernández, Javier; Barber, Domingo; Rodríguez, Rosalía; de Los Ríos, Vivian; Barderas, Rodrigo; Villalba, Mayte

2017-08-01

A highly prevalent IgE-binding protein band of 28kDa is observed when Salsola kali pollen extract is incubated with individual sera from Amaranthaceae pollen sensitized patients. By an immunoproteomic analysis of S. kali pollen extract, we identified this protein band as an allergenic polygalacturonase enzyme. The allergen, named Sal k 6, exhibits a pI of 7.14 and a molecular mass of 39,554.2Da. It presents similarities to Platanaceae, Poaceae, and Cupressaceae allergenic polygalacturonases. cDNA-encoding sequence was subcloned into the pET41b vector and produced in bacteria as a His-tag fusion recombinant protein. The far-UV CD spectrum determined that rSal k 6 was folded. Immunostaining of the S. kali pollen protein extract with a rSal k 6-specific pAb and LC-MS/MS proteomic analyses confirmed the co-existence of the 28kDa band together with an allergenic band of about 47kDa in the pollen extract. Therefore, the 28kDa was assigned as a natural degradation product of the 47kDa integral polygalacturonase. The IgE-binding inhibition to S. kali pollen extract using rSal k 6 as inhibitor showed that signals directed to both protein bands of 28 and 47kDa were completely abrogated. The average prevalence of rSal k 6 among the three populations analyzed was 30%, with values correlating well with the levels of grains/m 3 of Amaranthaceae pollen. Sal k 6 shares IgE epitopes with Oleaceae members (Fraxinus excelsior, Olea europaea and Syringa vulgaris), with IgE-inhibition values ranging from 20% to 60%, respectively. No IgE-inhibition was observed with plant-derived food extracts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geomagnetic observations on tristan da cunha, south atlantic ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matzka, J.; Olsen, N.; Maule, C.F.; Pedersen, L.W.; Berarducci, A.M.; Macmillan, S.

2009-01-01

Few geomagnetic ground observations exist of the Earth's strongest core field anomaly, the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). The geomagnetic repeat station on the island Tristan da Cunha, located half-way between South Africa and South America at 37?? 05' S, 12?? 18' W, is therefore of crucial importance. We have conducted several sets of repeat station measurements during magnetically quiet conditions (Kp 2o or less) in 2004. The procedures are described and the results are compared to those from earlier campaigns and to the predictions of various global field models. Features of the local crustal bias field and the solar quiet daily variation are discussed. We also evaluate the benefit of continuous magnetic field recordings from Tristan da Cunha, and argue that such a data set is a very valuable addition to geomagnetic satellite data. Recently, funds were set up to establish and operate a magnetometer station on Tristan da Cunha during the Swarm magnetic satellite mission (2011-2014).

Identification of a candidate CD5 homologue in the amphibian Xenopus laevis.

PubMed

Jürgens, J B; Gartland, L A; Du Pasquier, L; Horton, J D; Göbel, T W; Cooper, M D

1995-11-01

We identified a novel T cell Ag in the South African clawed toad (Xenopus laevis) by a mAb designated 2B1. This Ag is present in relatively high levels on most thymocytes, approximately 65% of splenocytes, 55% of PBL, and 65% of intestinal lymphocytes, but is rarely seen on IgM+ B cells in any of these tissues. Lymphocytes bearing the 2B1 Ag proliferate in response to stimulation with Con A or PHA, whereas the 2B1- lymphocytes are reactive to LPS. Biochemical analysis indicates that this Ag is a differentially phosphorylated glycoprotein of 71 to 82 kDa. The protein core of 64 kDa bears both N- and O-linked carbohydrate side chains. The amino-terminal protein sequence of the 2B1 Ag shares significant homology with both the macrophage scavenger receptor type 1 motif and the mammalian CD5/CD6 family. The biochemical characteristics and cellular distribution of the 2B1 Ag suggest that it represents the CD5 homologue in X. laevis. While T cells constitutively express this highly conserved molecule, Xenopus B cells acquire the CD5 homologue only when they are stimulated in the presence of T cells.

da Vinci skills simulator for assessing learning curve and criterion-based training of robotic basic skills.

PubMed

Brinkman, Willem M; Luursema, Jan-Maarten; Kengen, Bas; Schout, Barbara M A; Witjes, J Alfred; Bekkers, Ruud L

2013-03-01

To answer 2 research questions: what are the learning curve patterns of novices on the da Vinci skills simulator parameters and what parameters are appropriate for criterion-based robotic training. A total of 17 novices completed 2 simulator sessions within 3 days. Each training session consisted of a warming-up exercise, followed by 5 repetitions of the "ring and rail II" task. Expert participants (n = 3) performed a warming-up exercise and 3 repetitions of the "ring and rail II" task on 1 day. We analyzed all 9 parameters of the simulator. Significant learning occurred on 5 parameters: overall score, time to complete, instrument collision, instruments out of view, and critical errors within 1-10 repetitions (P <.05). Economy of motion and excessive instrument force only showed improvement within the first 5 repetitions. No significant learning on the parameter drops and master workspace range was found. Using the expert overall performance score (n = 3) as a criterion (overall score 90%), 9 of 17 novice participants met the criterion within 10 repetitions. Most parameters showed that basic robotic skills are learned relatively quickly using the da Vinci skills simulator, but that 10 repetitions were not sufficient for most novices to reach an expert level. Some parameters seemed inappropriate for expert-based criterion training because either no learning occurred or the novice performance was equal to expert performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using iPSC-derived human DA neurons from opioid-dependent subjects to study dopamine dynamics.

PubMed

Sheng, Yang; Filichia, Emily; Shick, Elizabeth; Preston, Kenzie L; Phillips, Karran A; Cooperman, Leslie; Lin, Zhicheng; Tesar, Paul; Hoffer, Barry; Luo, Yu

2016-08-01

The dopaminergic (DA) system plays important roles in addiction. However, human DA neurons from drug-dependent subjects were not available for study until recent development in inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) technology. In this study, we produced DA neurons differentiated using iPSCs derived from opioid-dependent and control subjects carrying different 3' VNTR (variable number tandem repeat) polymorphism in the human dopamine transporter (DAT or SLC6A3). In addition, the effects of valproic acid (VPA) exposures on iPSC-derived human DA neurons are also examined. We present the first evidence suggesting that the 3' VNTR polymorphism in the hDAT gene affects DAT expression level in iPSC-derived human DA neurons. In human DA neurons, which provide an appropriate cellular milieu, VPA treatment alters the expression of several genes important for dopaminergic neuron function including DAT, Nurr1, and TH; this might partly explain its action in regulating addictive behaviors. VPA treatment also significantly increased DA D2 receptor (Drd2) expression, especially in the opioid-dependent iPSC cell lines. Our data suggest that human iPSC-derived DA neurons may be useful in in vitro experimental model to examine the effects of genetic variation in gene regulation, to examine the underlying mechanisms in neurological disorders including drug addiction, and to serve as a platform for therapeutic development.

Seeking 'energy' vs. pain relief in spas in Brazil (Caldas da Imperatriz) and Portugal (Termas da Sulfurea).

PubMed

Quintela, Maria Manuel

2011-04-01

This paper is a comparative ethnography of the therapeutic practices at two different spa locations: Caldas da Imperatriz, SC, Brazil, and Termas da Sulfurea in Cabeco de Vide, Portugal. The comparison reveals the existence of contrasting 'explanatory models' held by the spa-goers as well as by the official medical systems. In the Portuguese context this model is highly medicalized; in the Brazilian case, spa treatments are viewed as 'alternative' or 'complementary' therapy and are also related to religious philosophies. Each model corresponds to a different idiom expressing certain experiences and world views, one focusing on 'pains' (dores) and the other on 'energy' (energia), the former leading to the rationale of 'curing', the latter to the notion of 'energizing'. In this paper the author intends to analyze and contrast the categories found in these models, which originate from different conceptions of health, illness and healing for Brazilian and Portuguese spa-goers.

DA-6034-induced mucin secretion via Ca2+-dependent pathways through P2Y receptor stimulation.

PubMed

Lee, Hun; Kim, Eung Kweon; Kim, Ji Yeon; Yang, Yu-Mi; Shin, Dong Min; Kang, Kyung Koo; Kim, Tae-im

2014-09-11

We evaluated whether DA-6034 is involved in mucin secretion via P2Y receptor activation and/or intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) change. Also, we investigated the effect of P2Y receptor inhibitors or Ca2+ chelators on the DA-6034-induced mucin secretion and [Ca2+]i increases. Effects of DA-6034 on mucin expression in primary, cultured, conjunctival epithelial cells was studied using RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining. To evaluate thin film layer thickness generated by mucin and fluid secretion, cells were incubated in DA-6034 with/without P2Y antagonists or extracellular/intracellular Ca2+ chelators, and were imaged with confocal microscope using Texas Red-dextran dye. In addition, DA-6034-induced Ca2+-dependent Cl- channels opening was evaluated using perforated patch clamp. Fluo-4/AM was used to measure changes in [Ca2+]i induced by DA-6034 in Ca2+-free or Ca2+-containing buffered condition, as well as P2Y antagonists. DA-6034 induced the expression of mucin genes, production of mucin protein, and increase of number of mucin-secreting cells. P2Y antagonists inhibited DA-6034-induced mucin and fluid secretion, which was also affected by extracellular/intracellular Ca2+ chelators. DA-6034 stimulated Cl- channel opening and [Ca2+]i elevation. Further, [Ca2+]i increases induced by DA-6034 were lacking in either P2Y antagonists or Ca2+-free buffered condition, and diminished when endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ was depleted by cyclopiazonic acid in Ca2+-free buffered condition. This study demonstrated that DA-6034 has a potential to induce mucin secretion via Ca2+-dependent pathways through P2Y receptors in multilayer, cultured, human conjunctival epithelial cells. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Purification and Characterization of Plantaricin ZJ5, a New Bacteriocin Produced by Lactobacillus plantarum ZJ5

PubMed Central