Physiological and molecular ontogeny of branchial and extra-branchial urea excretion in posthatch rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

PubMed

Zimmer, Alex M; Wood, Chris M

2016-02-01

All teleost fish produce ammonia as a metabolic waste product. In embryos, ammonia excretion is limited by the chorion, and fish must detoxify ammonia by synthesizing urea via the ornithine urea cycle (OUC). Although urea is produced by embryos and larvae, urea excretion (J(urea)) is typically low until yolk sac absorption, increasing thereafter. The aim of this study was to determine the physiological and molecular characteristics of J(urea) by posthatch rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Following hatch, whole body urea concentration decreased over time, while J(urea) increased following yolk sac absorption. From 12 to 40 days posthatch (dph), extra-branchial routes of excretion accounted for the majority of J(urea), while the gills became the dominant site for J(urea) only after 55 dph. This represents the most delayed branchial ontogeny of any process studied to date. Urea transporter (UT) gene expression in the gills and skin increased over development, consistent with increases in branchial and extra-branchial J(urea). Following exposure to 25 mmol/l urea, the accumulation and subsequent elimination of exogenous urea was much greater at 55 dph than 12 dph, consistent with increased UT expression. Notably, UT gene expression in the gills of 55 dph larvae increased in response to high urea. In summary, there is a clear increase in urea transport capacity over posthatch development, despite a decrease in OUC activity. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Electro Spray Method for Flexible Display

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-12

conditions which expensive and complicated.8-9) Kim et al. reported the fabrication of IZO thin films via combustion processing and obtained mobility values...metal nitrates as metal sources in solutions. Through the high self-generated energies by the combustion of acetylacetone or urea in solution...barrier to increase the mobility of solution-process-derived TFTs. Therefore, we used H2O as the solvent in our precursor solution. The use of H2O

Urea metabolism in plants.

PubMed

Witte, Claus-Peter

2011-03-01

Urea is a plant metabolite derived either from root uptake or from catabolism of arginine by arginase. In agriculture, urea is intensively used as a nitrogen fertilizer. Urea nitrogen enters the plant either directly, or in the form of ammonium or nitrate after urea degradation by soil microbes. In recent years various molecular players of plant urea metabolism have been investigated: active and passive urea transporters, the nickel metalloenzyme urease catalyzing the hydrolysis of urea, and three urease accessory proteins involved in the complex activation of urease. The degradation of ureides derived from purine breakdown has long been discussed as a possible additional metabolic source for urea, but an enzymatic route for the complete hydrolysis of ureides without a urea intermediate has recently been described for Arabidopsis thaliana. This review focuses on the proteins involved in plant urea metabolism and the metabolic sources of urea but also addresses open questions regarding plant urea metabolism in a physiological and agricultural context. The contribution of plant urea uptake and metabolism to fertilizer urea usage in crop production is still not investigated although globally more than half of all nitrogen fertilizer is applied to crops in the form of urea. Nitrogen use efficiency in crop production is generally well below 50% resulting in economical losses and creating ecological problems like groundwater pollution and emission of nitric oxides that can damage the ozone layer and function as greenhouse gasses. Biotechnological approaches to improve fertilizer urea usage bear the potential to increase crop nitrogen use efficiency. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physiological and molecular ontogeny of branchial and extra-branchial urea excretion in posthatch rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

PubMed Central

Wood, Chris M.

2015-01-01

All teleost fish produce ammonia as a metabolic waste product. In embryos, ammonia excretion is limited by the chorion, and fish must detoxify ammonia by synthesizing urea via the ornithine urea cycle (OUC). Although urea is produced by embryos and larvae, urea excretion (Jurea) is typically low until yolk sac absorption, increasing thereafter. The aim of this study was to determine the physiological and molecular characteristics of Jurea by posthatch rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Following hatch, whole body urea concentration decreased over time, while Jurea increased following yolk sac absorption. From 12 to 40 days posthatch (dph), extra-branchial routes of excretion accounted for the majority of Jurea, while the gills became the dominant site for Jurea only after 55 dph. This represents the most delayed branchial ontogeny of any process studied to date. Urea transporter (UT) gene expression in the gills and skin increased over development, consistent with increases in branchial and extra-branchial Jurea. Following exposure to 25 mmol/l urea, the accumulation and subsequent elimination of exogenous urea was much greater at 55 dph than 12 dph, consistent with increased UT expression. Notably, UT gene expression in the gills of 55 dph larvae increased in response to high urea. In summary, there is a clear increase in urea transport capacity over posthatch development, despite a decrease in OUC activity. PMID:26608657

One-step solution combustion synthesis of pure Ni nanopowders with enhanced coercivity: The fuel effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khort, Alexander; Podbolotov, Kirill; Serrano-García, Raquel; Gun'ko, Yurii K.

2017-09-01

In this paper, we report a new modified one-step combustion synthesis technique for production of Ni metal nanoparticles. The main unique feature of our approach is the use of microwave assisted foam preparation. Also, the effect of different types of fuels (urea, citric acid, glycine and hexamethylenetetramine) on the combustion process and characteristics of resultant solid products were investigated. It is observed that the combination of microwave assisted foam preparation and using of hexamethylenetetramine as a fuel allows producing pure ferromagnetic Ni metal nanoparticles with enhanced coercivity (78 Oe) and high value of saturation magnetization (52 emu/g) by one-step solution combustion synthesis under normal air atmosphere without any post-reduction processing.

Ionic liquid self-combustion synthesis of BiOBr/Bi24O31Br10 heterojunctions with exceptional visible-light photocatalytic performances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fa-Tang; Wang, Qing; Ran, Jingrun; Hao, Ying-Juan; Wang, Xiao-Jing; Zhao, Dishun; Qiao, Shi Zhang

2014-12-01

Heterostructured BiOBr/Bi24O31Br10 nanocomposites with surface oxygen vacancies are constructed by a facile in situ route of one-step self-combustion of ionic liquids. The compositions can be easily controlled by simply adjusting the fuel ratio of urea and 2-bromoethylamine hydrobromide (BTH). BTH serves not only as a fuel, but also as a complexing agent for ionic liquids and a reactant to supply the Br element. The heterojunctions show remarkable adsorptive ability for both the cationic dye of rhodamine B (RhB) and the anionic dye of methylene orange (MO) at high concentrations, which is attributed to the abundant surface oxygen vacancies. The sample containing 75.2% BiOBr and 24.8% Bi24O31Br10 exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity. Its reaction rate constant is 4.0 and 9.0 times that of pure BiOBr in degrading 50 mg L-1 of RhB and 30 mg L-1 of MO under visible-light (λ > 400 nm) irradiation, respectively, which is attributed to the narrow band gap and highly efficient transfer efficiency of charge carriers. Different photocatalytic reaction processes and mechanisms over pure BiOBr and heterojunctions are proposed.Heterostructured BiOBr/Bi24O31Br10 nanocomposites with surface oxygen vacancies are constructed by a facile in situ route of one-step self-combustion of ionic liquids. The compositions can be easily controlled by simply adjusting the fuel ratio of urea and 2-bromoethylamine hydrobromide (BTH). BTH serves not only as a fuel, but also as a complexing agent for ionic liquids and a reactant to supply the Br element. The heterojunctions show remarkable adsorptive ability for both the cationic dye of rhodamine B (RhB) and the anionic dye of methylene orange (MO) at high concentrations, which is attributed to the abundant surface oxygen vacancies. The sample containing 75.2% BiOBr and 24.8% Bi24O31Br10 exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity. Its reaction rate constant is 4.0 and 9.0 times that of pure BiOBr in degrading 50 mg L-1 of RhB and 30 mg L-1 of MO under visible-light (λ > 400 nm) irradiation, respectively, which is attributed to the narrow band gap and highly efficient transfer efficiency of charge carriers. Different photocatalytic reaction processes and mechanisms over pure BiOBr and heterojunctions are proposed. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: XRD pattern for composition calculation (Fig. S1), SEM photographs (Fig. S2), N2 absorption-desorption isotherms (Fig. S3), STEM images (Fig. S4), time-course variation of ln(C0/C) of dyes (Fig. S5), Appearance photographs for adsorption of dyes (Fig. S6), UV-Vis absorption spectra of NBT (Fig. S7), pseudo-first order rate constants for RhB and MO degradation (Tables S1 and S2), electronegativity, calculated CB and VB edge positions (Table S3). See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr05451b

Method for producing flame retardant porous products and products produced thereby

DOEpatents

Salyer, Ival O.

1998-08-04

A method for fire retarding porous products used for thermal energy storage and products produced thereby is provided. The method includes treating the surface of the phase change material-containing porous products with a urea fire-retarding agent. Upon exposure to a flame, the urea forms an adduct with the phase change material which will not sustain combustion (is self-extinguishing) in air. No halogens or metal oxides are contained in the fire retardant, so no potentially noxious halide smoke or fumes are emitted if the product is continuously exposed to a flame.

Method for producing flame retardant porous products and products produced thereby

DOEpatents

Salyer, I.O.

1998-08-04

A method for fire retarding porous products used for thermal energy storage and products produced thereby is provided. The method includes treating the surface of the phase change material-containing porous products with a urea fire-retarding agent. Upon exposure to a flame, the urea forms an adduct with the phase change material which will not sustain combustion (is self-extinguishing) in air. No halogens or metal oxides are contained in the fire retardant, so no potentially noxious halide smoke or fumes are emitted if the product is continuously exposed to a flame. 1 fig.

Method for Producing Flame Retardant Porous Products and Products Produced Thereby

DOEpatents

Salyer, Ival O.

1998-08-04

A method for fire retarding porous products used for thermal energy storage and products produced thereby is provided. The method includes treating the surface of the phase change material-containing porous products with a urea fire-retarding agent. Upon exposure to a flame, the urea forms an adduct with the phase change material which will not sustain combustion (is self-extinguishing) in air. No halogens or metal oxides are contained in the fire retardant, so no potentially noxious halide smoke or fumes are emitted if the product is continuously exposed to a flame.

Study on the valorization routes of ashes from thermoelectric power plants working under mono-and co-combustion regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbosa, Rui Pedro Fernandes

The main objective of this thesis was to study new valorization routes of ashes produced in combustion and co-combustion processes. Three main valorization pathways were analyzed: (i)production of cement mortars, (ii) production of concretes, and (iii) use as chemical agents to remove contaminants from wastewaters. Firstly, the ashes produced during the mono-combustion of coal, co-combustion of coal and meat and bone meal (MBM), and mono-combustion of MBM were characterized. The aim of this study was to understand the ashes properties in extreme levels of substitution of coal by a residue with a high contamination of specific metals. The substitution of coal by MBM produced ashes with higher content of heavy metals. Secondly, the ashes coming from an industrial power plant working under mono-combustion(coal) and co-combustion conditions (coal+sewage sludge+MBM) were studied. The use of cofuels did not promote significant changes in the chemical and ecotoxicological properties of ashes. Fly ashes were successfully stabilized/solidified in cement mortar, and bottom and circulating ashes were successfully used as raw materials in concrete. The third step involved the characterization and valorization of biomass ashes resulting from the combustion of forestry residues. The highest concentrations of metals/metalloids were found in the lowest particle size fractions of ashes. Biomass ashes successfully substituted cement and natural aggregates in concretes, without compromising their mechanical, chemical, and ecotoxicological properties. Finally, the biomass ashes were tested as chemical agents to remove contaminants from wastewaters. The removal of P, mainly phosphates, and Pb from wastewaters was assayed. Biomass ashes presented a high capacity to remove phosphates. As fly ashes were more efficient in removing phosphates, they were further used to remove Pb from wastewaters. Again, they presented a high efficiency in Pb removal. New potential valorization routes for these ashes are now opened, contributing to improve their valorization rates.

Transcriptional Responses of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli to Increased Environmental Osmolality Caused by Salt or Urea

PubMed Central

Withman, Benjamin; Gunasekera, Thusitha S.; Beesetty, Pavani; Agans, Richard

2013-01-01

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the most common causative agent of urinary tract infections in humans. The majority of urinary infections develop via ascending route through the urethra, where bacterial cells come in contact with human urine prior to reaching the bladder or kidneys. Since urine contains significant amounts of inorganic ions and urea, it imposes osmotic and denaturing stresses on bacterial cells. In this study, we determined the transcriptional adaptive responses of UPEC strain CFT073 to the presence of 0.3 M NaCl or 0.6 M urea in the growth medium. The cell responses to these two osmolytes were drastically different. Although most of the genes of the osmotically inducible regulon were overexpressed in medium with salt, urea failed to stimulate osmotic stress response. At the same time, UPEC colonization genes encoding type 1 and F1C fimbriae and capsule biosynthesis were transcriptionally induced in the presence of urea but did not respond to increased salt concentration. We speculate that urea can potentially be sensed by uropathogenic bacteria to initiate infection program. In addition, several molecular chaperone genes were overexpressed in the presence of urea, whereas adding NaCl to the medium led to an upregulation of a number of anaerobic metabolism pathways. PMID:23090957

Transcriptional responses of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to increased environmental osmolality caused by salt or urea.

PubMed

Withman, Benjamin; Gunasekera, Thusitha S; Beesetty, Pavani; Agans, Richard; Paliy, Oleg

2013-01-01

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the most common causative agent of urinary tract infections in humans. The majority of urinary infections develop via ascending route through the urethra, where bacterial cells come in contact with human urine prior to reaching the bladder or kidneys. Since urine contains significant amounts of inorganic ions and urea, it imposes osmotic and denaturing stresses on bacterial cells. In this study, we determined the transcriptional adaptive responses of UPEC strain CFT073 to the presence of 0.3 M NaCl or 0.6 M urea in the growth medium. The cell responses to these two osmolytes were drastically different. Although most of the genes of the osmotically inducible regulon were overexpressed in medium with salt, urea failed to stimulate osmotic stress response. At the same time, UPEC colonization genes encoding type 1 and F1C fimbriae and capsule biosynthesis were transcriptionally induced in the presence of urea but did not respond to increased salt concentration. We speculate that urea can potentially be sensed by uropathogenic bacteria to initiate infection program. In addition, several molecular chaperone genes were overexpressed in the presence of urea, whereas adding NaCl to the medium led to an upregulation of a number of anaerobic metabolism pathways.

Synthesis of functional materials in combustion reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuravlev, V. D.; Bamburov, V. G.; Ermakova, L. V.; Lobachevskaya, N. I.

2015-12-01

The conditions for obtaining oxide compounds in combustion reactions of nitrates of metals with organic chelating-reducing agents such as amino acids, urea, and polyvinyl alcohol are reviewed. Changing the nature of internal fuels and the reducing agent-to-oxidizing agent ratio makes possible to modify the thermal regime of the process, fractal dimensionality, morphology, and dispersion of synthesized functional materials. This method can be used to synthesize simple and complex oxides, composites, and metal powders, as well as ceramics and coatings. The possibilities of synthesis in combustion reactions are illustrated by examples of αand γ-Al2O3, YSZ composites, uranium oxides, nickel powder, NiO and NiO: YSZ composite, TiO2, and manganites, cobaltites, and aluminates of rare earth elements.

Nitrogen metabolism and route of excretion in beef feedlot cattle fed barley-based backgrounding diets varying in protein concentration and rumen degradability.

PubMed

Koenig, K M; Beauchemin, K A

2013-05-01

The objectives of the study were to characterize the effects of CP concentration and ruminal degradability of barley-based backgrounding diets on route and chemical form of N excretion, ruminal fermentation, microbial protein synthesis, and nutrient digestion in beef cattle. Four Angus heifers (479 ± 14.6 kg average BW) with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in an experiment designed as a 4 × 4 Latin square. The basal diet consisted of 54% barley silage and 46% barley grain-based concentrate (DM basis). Dietary treatments included the basal diet with no added protein (12% CP) or diets formulated to contain 14% CP by supplementation with urea (UREA), urea and canola meal (UREA+CM), or urea, corn gluten meal, and xylose-treated soybean meal (UREA+CGM+xSBM). The amount of feed offered was restricted to 95% of ad libitum intake. There was no effect of the diets on DMI (P = 0.38), and therefore, N intake was less (P < 0.05) in heifers fed the 12% CP diets than the 14% CP diets. Fecal N output was not affected by the diet (P = 0.15), but urine N (P < 0.10) and urea N output were greater (P < 0.05) in heifers fed the 14% CP than the 12% CP diets. There was no effect of CP degradability (P > 0.10) on the amount of urine N output. Urine N output was 38.9 and 45.1 ± 5.50% of N intake in heifers fed the 12% CP and 14% CP diets (P < 0.05), respectively. Urea N, the form of N most susceptible to NH3-N volatilization and loss, was the major form of N in urine (75.5% in heifers fed the 12% CP diet and 81.4 ± 1.7% in heifers fed the 14% CP diets; P < 0.05). Supplemental RDP (UREA+CM) and RUP combined with urea (UREA+CGM+xSBM) to provide 14% CP increased (P < 0.05) ruminal NH3-N but had no effect on ruminal peptide N (P = 0.62) and free AA N (P = 0.18) concentration, the flow of microbial (P = 0.34) and feed (P = 0.55) N, and ruminal (starch, P = 0.11; NDF, P = 0.78) and total tract nutrient digestibility (OM, P = 0.21; starch, P = 0.16). Supplementation of barley-based backgrounding diets containing 12% CP with NPN alone or combined with ruminally degradable and undegradable true protein to attain 14% CP had no effect on fecal N output, but urine N and urea N increased irrespective of protein source. In addition, the ruminal degradability of the protein sources did not influence the composition of protein flowing to the intestine and site and extent of nutrient digestibility.

Band-gap modulation via gallium substitution in cerium doped gadolinium aluminum garnet using a mixed fuel combustion approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyagi, Mohit; Pitale, Shreyas S.; Ghosh, Manoranjan; Shinde, Seema

2014-04-01

Cerium doped Gadolinium garnets (Gd3AlxGa5-xO12 where 0≤x≤5) are synthesized via combustion synthesis using mixture of urea and glycine fuels. A 4h Post annealing at 1400 oC is found to be necessary for pure phase formation. Lattice spacing variation as a result of partial or total Ga substitution at Al site was mapped by X-ray diffraction. Photoluminescence emission of Ce shifts as a consequence of Ga substitution and therefore suggests a local re-adjustment of crystal field around activator site.

Improved accuracy and precision in δ15 NAIR measurements of explosives, urea, and inorganic nitrates by elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry using thermal decomposition.

PubMed

Lott, Michael J; Howa, John D; Chesson, Lesley A; Ehleringer, James R

2015-08-15

Elemental analyzer systems generate N(2) and CO(2) for elemental composition and isotope ratio measurements. As quantitative conversion of nitrogen in some materials (i.e., nitrate salts and nitro-organic compounds) is difficult, this study tests a recently published method - thermal decomposition without the addition of O(2) - for the analysis of these materials. Elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS) was used to compare the traditional combustion method (CM) and the thermal decomposition method (TDM), where additional O(2) is eliminated from the reaction. The comparisons used organic and inorganic materials with oxidized and/or reduced nitrogen and included ureas, nitrate salts, ammonium sulfate, nitro esters, and nitramines. Previous TDM applications were limited to nitrate salts and ammonium sulfate. The measurement precision and accuracy were compared to determine the effectiveness of converting materials containing different fractions of oxidized nitrogen into N(2). The δ(13) C(VPDB) values were not meaningfully different when measured via CM or TDM, allowing for the analysis of multiple elements in one sample. For materials containing oxidized nitrogen, (15) N measurements made using thermal decomposition were more precise than those made using combustion. The precision was similar between the methods for materials containing reduced nitrogen. The %N values were closer to theoretical when measured by TDM than by CM. The δ(15) N(AIR) values of purchased nitrate salts and ureas were nearer to the known values when analyzed using thermal decomposition than using combustion. The thermal decomposition method addresses insufficient recovery of nitrogen during elemental analysis in a variety of organic and inorganic materials. Its implementation requires relatively few changes to the elemental analyzer. Using TDM, it is possible to directly calibrate certain organic materials to international nitrate isotope reference materials without off-line preparation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Influence of process changes on PCDD/Fs produced in an iron ore sintering plant

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

Guerriero, E.; Bianchini, M.; Gigliucci, P.F.

2009-01-15

This study investigated the influence of different charge typologies and additives on the PCDD/Fs amount produced and on the congener profiles in an iron ore sintering plant. Many tests were carried out combining different typologies of charge (iron materials) and solid fuel ('coke breeze' or 'anthracite') with or without the use of urea. The PCDD/Fs produced ranged from 1.2 to 22.7 {mu} g I-TEQ/ton of agglomerate, whereas the PCDD/Fs released to the ambient air ranged from 0.10 to 1.92 ng I-TEQ/Nm{sup 3} because of cleaning in an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and a Wetfine scrubber (WS). A more homogeneous charge withmore » a higher amount of fine particles charge appeared to produce a lower PCDD/Fs concentration due to a better combustion but this hypothesis needs further investigations on charges having different dimension particles. Only a synergitic action of urea and anthracite was able to reduce the high PCDD/Fs content due to the bad combustion of the more inhomogeneous charge with a lower amount of fine particles. The congener profile was a typical combustion process fingerprint because the PCDFs predominated, the highly chlorinated congeners (HeptaCDD and OctaCDD) prevailed in PCDDs, whereas in PCDFs the profile was more varied; 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HeptaCDF was the main contributor to the total concentration while 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF was the main contributor to the I-TEQ concentration. Whereas all the parameters under scrutiny influenced strongly the amount of PCDD/Fs produced, they affected only slightly the fingerprint of PCDD/Fs. In all cases studied, the reduction obtained using urea, anthracite, or the more homogeneous charge with a higher amount of fine particles was slightly greater on the higher chlorinated congeners in respect to the lower ones.« less

Nitrogen metabolism and route of excretion in beef feedlot cattle fed barley-based finishing diets varying in protein concentration and rumen degradability.

PubMed

Koenig, K M; Beauchemin, K A

2013-05-01

The objectives were to characterize the effects of supplemental CP concentration and ruminal degradability in barley-based finishing diets on microbial protein synthesis, ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestion, and route and chemical form of N excretion in beef cattle. Four Angus heifers (564 ± 18 kg BW) with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in an experiment designed as a 4 × 4 Latin square with four 28-d periods (9 d for diet adaptation and 19 d for measurements). The basal diet consisted of 9% barley silage and 91% barley-based concentrate (DM basis). Dietary treatments included the basal diet with no added protein (13% CP) or diets containing 14.5% CP by supplementation with urea (UREA), urea and canola meal (UREA+CM), or urea, corn gluten meal, and xylose-treated soybean meal (UREA+CGM+xSBM). Nutrient digestion was determined using Yb as a digesta flow marker and purine N as a microbial marker with the collection of ruminal, duodenal, and fecal samples over 5 d. The next week, total collections of feces and urine were performed for 5 d to quantify route and chemical form of N excretion. Feed offered was restricted (95% of ad libitum) and there was no effect of the dietary treatments on DMI (P = 0.55); therefore, N intake was less (P < 0.05) in heifers fed the 13% CP diets than the 14.5% CP diets. Supplemental RDP and RUP had no effect on ruminal NH3-N (P = 0.17), peptide N (P = 0.46), and VFA (P = 0.62) concentrations, flow of microbial (P = 0.69) and feed (P = 0.22) N, and ruminal and total tract nutrient digestibility (P ≥ 0.18). Nutrient digestion in the rumen and total tract averaged 75.4 ± 3.8% and 84.6 ± 0.9% for OM, 80.8 ± 3.6% and 95.8 ± 0.8% for starch, and 41.2 ± 7.9% and 60.4 ± 3.3% of intake for NDF, respectively. Daily output of N in feces (P = 0.91) and urine (P = 0.14) were not affected by the dietary treatments. Fecal N output averaged 19.9 ± 1.9% (P = 0.30) and urine N output averaged 44.1 ± 2.8% (P = 0.63) of N intake. Urea N output, however, was greater (P < 0.05) in heifers fed the 14.5% CP than the 13% CP diets and was the major form of N in urine (68.3% in heifers fed the 13% CP diet and 78.7 ± 2.9% in heifers fed the 14.5% CP diets; P < 0.10). Beef cattle fed barley-based finishing diets containing 13% CP do not require additional RDP or RUP to meet microbial or host N requirements. Barley-based finishing diets with no supplemental CP minimized urea N excretion and the potential loss of N from the system.

Natural 18O and 13C-urea in gastric juice: a new route for non-invasive detection of ulcers.

PubMed

Maity, Abhijit; Pal, Mithun; Som, Suman; Maithani, Sanchi; Chaudhuri, Sujit; Pradhan, Manik

2017-01-01

The 13 C-urea breath test ( 13 C-UBT), developed a few decades ago, is widely used as a non-invasive diagnostic method to detect only the presence of the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori infection; however, the actual disease state, i.e. whether the person harbouring H. pylori has peptic ulcer disease (PUD) or non-ulcerous dyspepsia (NUD), is still poorly understood. Nevertheless, the present 13 C-UBT has numerous limitations, drawbacks and pitfalls owing to the ingestion of 13 C-labelled external urea. Here, we show that H. pylori is able to utilize the natural 13 C and 18 O-urea inherently present in the gastric juice in humans for its urease activity which has never been explored before. In vitro measurements of isotopic fractionations of gastric juice urea provide new insights into the actual state of the infection of PUD or NUD. We also provide evidence of the unusual 13 C and 18 O-isotopic fractionations of breath CO 2 that are distinctively altered in individuals with PUD encompassing both gastric and duodenal ulcers as well as with NUD by the enzymatic activity of H. pylori in the gastric niche without oral administration of any 13 C-enriched external urea. This deepens our understanding of the UBT exploiting the natural 13 C and 18 O-gastric juice urea in the pathogenesis of H. pylori infection, reveals the actual disease state of PUD or NUD and thus offers novel opportunities for a simple, robust, cost-effective and non-toxic global strategy devoid of any 13 C-enriched urea for treating these common diseases by a single breath test. Graphical Abstract Urea breath test without any external urea.

Ammonia toxicity and its prevention in inherited defects of the urea cycle.

PubMed

Walker, V

2009-09-01

The urea cycle is the final pathway for removal of surplus nitrogen from the body, and the major route in humans for detoxification of ammonia. The full complement of enzymes is expressed only in liver. Inherited deficiencies of urea cycle enzymes lead to hyperammonaemia, which causes brain damage. Severe defects present with hyperammonaemic crises in neonates. Equally devastating episodes may occur in previously asymptomatic adults with mild defects, most often X-linked ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency. Several mechanisms probably contribute to pathogenesis. Treatment aims to reduce plasma ammonia quickly, reduce production of waste nitrogen, dispose of waste nitrogen using alternative pathways to the urea cycle and replace arginine. These therapies have increased survival and probably improve the neurological outcome. Arginine, sodium benzoate, sodium phenylbutyrate and, less often, sodium phenylacetate are used. Long-term correction is achieved by liver transplantation. Gene therapy for OTC deficiency is effective in animals, and work is ongoing to improve persistence and safety.

Synthesis of functional materials in combustion reactions

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

Zhuravlev, V. D., E-mail: zhvd@ihim.uran.ru; Bamburov, V. G.; Ermakova, L. V.

2015-12-15

The conditions for obtaining oxide compounds in combustion reactions of nitrates of metals with organic chelating–reducing agents such as amino acids, urea, and polyvinyl alcohol are reviewed. Changing the nature of internal fuels and the reducing agent-to-oxidizing agent ratio makes possible to modify the thermal regime of the process, fractal dimensionality, morphology, and dispersion of synthesized functional materials. This method can be used to synthesize simple and complex oxides, composites, and metal powders, as well as ceramics and coatings. The possibilities of synthesis in combustion reactions are illustrated by examples of αand γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, YSZ composites, uranium oxides, nickelmore » powder, NiO and NiO: YSZ composite, TiO{sub 2}, and manganites, cobaltites, and aluminates of rare earth elements.« less

Generation of semicarbazide from natural azine development in foods, followed by reaction with urea compounds.

PubMed

Abernethy, Grant A

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a mechanism to explain the trace levels of natural semicarbazide occasionally observed in foods. The analytical derivative of semicarbazide, 2-nitrobenzaldehyde semicarbazone, is often measured as a metabolite marker to detect the widely banned antibiotic nitrofurazone. However, this marker is not specific as semicarbazide may be present in foods for several reasons other than exposure to nitrofurazone. In some cases, an entirely natural origin of semicarbazide is suspected, although up until now there was no explanation about how semicarbazide could occur naturally. In this work, semicarbazide is proposed as being generated from natural food compounds via an azine intermediate. Hydrazine, in the form of azines or hydrazones, may be generated in dilute aqueous solution from the natural food compounds ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and acetone, following known oxidation chemistry. When this mixture was prepared in the presence of ureas such as allantoin, urea, biuret or hydroxyurea, and then analysed by the standard method for the determination of semicarbazide, 2-nitrobenzaldehyde semicarbazone was detected. 2-Nitrobenzaldehyde aldazine was also found, and it may be a general marker for azines in foods. This proposal, that azine formation is central to semicarbazide development, provides a convergence of the published mechanisms for semicarbazide. The reaction starts with hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, atmospheric oxygen or hypochlorite; generates hydrazine either by an oxaziridine intermediate or via the chlorination of ammonia; and then either route may converge on azine formation, followed by reaction with a urea compound. Additionally, carbamate ion may speculatively generate semicarbazide by reaction with hydrazine, which might be a significant route in the case of the hypochlorite treatment of foods or food contact surfaces. Significantly, detection of 2-nitrobenzaldehyde semicarbazone may be somewhat artefactual because semicarbazide can form during the acid conditions of analysis, which can free hydrazine in the presence of urea compounds.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of N-pyrazole ureas and the p38alpha inhibitor BIRB 796 for study into accelerated cell ageing.

PubMed

Bagley, Mark C; Davis, Terence; Dix, Matthew C; Widdowson, Caroline S; Kipling, David

2006-11-21

Microwave irradiation of substituted hydrazines and beta-ketoesters gives 5-aminopyrazoles in excellent yield, which can be transformed to the corresponding N-carbonyl derivatives by treatment with an isocyanate or chloroformate. Derivatization of 4-nitronaphth-1-ol using predominantly microwave heating methods and reaction with an N-pyrazole carbamate provides a rapid route to the N-pyrazole urea BIRB 796 in high purity, as a potent and selective inhibitor of p38alpha mitogen-activated protein kinase for the study of accelerated ageing in Werner syndrome cells.

A comparative study of the properties of five-layered Aurivillius oxides A2Bi4Ti5O18 (A = Ba, Pb, and Sr) synthesized by different wet chemical routes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubey, Shivangi; Subohi, Oroosa; Kurchania, Rajnish

2018-07-01

This paper reports the detailed study of the effect of different wet chemical synthesis routes (solution combustion, co-precipitation, and sol-gel route) on the microstructure, phase formation, dielectric, electrical, and ferroelectric properties of five-layered Aurivillius oxides: A2Bi4Ti5O18 (A = Ba, Pb, and Sr). Different synthesis parameters like the precursors used, synthesis temperature, and reaction time affects the morphology of the ceramics. Microstructure in turn influences the dielectric and ferroelectric properties. It was observed that the sol-gel-synthesized ceramics possess higher dielectric constant and remanent polarization, low dielectric loss due to lower conductivity in these samples as a result of higher density in these compounds as compared to those synthesized by other wet chemical synthesis routes such as solution combustion route and co-precipitation technique. The XRD data are used for phase analysis and surface morphology is studied using SEM images. Dielectric and electrical properties are investigated as a function of frequency and temperature.

SNCR De-NOx within a moderate temperature range using urea-spiked hydrazine hydrate as reductant.

PubMed

Chen, H; Chen, D Z; Fan, S; Hong, L; Wang, D

2016-10-01

In this research, urea-spiked hydrazine hydrate solutions are used as reductants for the Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) De-NOx process below 650 °C. The urea concentration in the urea/hydrazine hydrate solutions is chosen through experimental and theoretical studies. To determine the mechanism of the De-NOx process, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the urea/hydrazine hydrate solutions and their thermal decomposition in air and nitrogen atmospheres were studied to understand their decomposition behaviours and redox characteristics. Then a plug flow reactor (PFR) model was adopted to simulate the De-NOx processes in a pilot scale tubular reactor, and the calculated De-NOx efficiency vs. temperature profiles were compared with experimental results to support the mechanism and choose the proper reductant and its reaction temperature. Both the experimental and calculated results show that when the urea is spiked into hydrazine hydrate solution to make the urea-N content approximately 16.7%-25% of the total N content in the solution, better De-NOx efficiencies can be obtained in the temperature range of 550-650 °C, under which NH3 is inactive in reducing NOx. And it is also proved that for these urea-spiked hydrazine hydrate solutions, the hydrazine decomposition through the pathway N2H4 + M = N2H3 + H + M is enhanced to provide radical H, which is active to reduce NO. Finally, the reaction routes for SNCR De-NOx process based on urea-spiked hydrazine hydrate at the proper temperature are proposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Efficacy of the subcutaneous route compared to intravenous hydration in the elderly hospitalised patient: a randomised controlled study].

PubMed

Duems Noriega, Oscar; Ariño Blasco, Sergio

2014-01-01

The subcutaneous (SC) route has recently emerged as a rehydration method with potential advantages in the geriatric population. Nevertheless, little is known about its application during hospitalization. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the subcutaneous non-inferiority efficacy in hydration against the intravenous (IV) route in elderly patients with dehydration. A prospective, randomized and controlled interventional trial of patients 65 years and older admitted to an Acute Geriatric Unit with mild to moderate dehydration and oral intolerance, evaluating the non-inferiority of subcutaneous fluid therapy versus the intravenous route. The intervention consisted of the administration of up to 1.5 l/day/route for 72 hours subcutaneous vs. intravenous, evaluating the variations in biochemical parameters (urea, creatinine, osmolarity), clinical outcome, and route related complications. Sixty seven patients completed the study (34 SC, age 86.4 ± 8.5 years, 41% women, vs. 33 IV, 84.3 ± 6.6, 54.5% women, with no significant differences). The amount of fluid administered per day by route was 1.320 ml ± 400 SC vs. 1.480 ml ± 340 IV, P = .092. During follow similar reductions were observed between groups without any statistical significance, with mean differences pre-postintervention of urea (49.6 ± 52.3 SC vs. 50.3 ± 52.3 IV, P=.96); creatinine (0.68 ± 0.66 SC vs. 0.60 ± 0.49 IV, P=.58), and osmolarity (15.6 ± 24.4 SC vs. 21.1 ± 31 IV, P=.43). Fewer catheter extraction episodes were observed in the SC group, which also was the group most prone to peri-clysis edema. The efficacy of subcutaneous rehydration in elderly hospitalized patients with mild-moderate dehydration is not inferior to that obtained intravenously, and may even have additional advantages. Copyright © 2013 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous removal of SO2 and NOx from flue gas by wet scrubbing using a urea solution.

PubMed

Li, Ge; Wang, Baodong; Xu, Wayne Qiang; Li, Yonglong; Han, Yifan; Sun, Qi

2018-03-27

Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) are major air pollutants, so simultaneously removing them from gases emitted during fossil fuel combustion in stationary systems is important. Wet denitrification using urea is used for a wide range of systems. Additives have strong effects on wet denitrification using urea, and different mechanisms are involved and different effects found using different additives. In this study, the effects of different additives, initial urea concentrations, reaction temperatures, initial pH values, gas flow rates, and reaction times on the simultaneous desulfurization and denitrification efficiencies achieved using wet denitrification using urea were studied in single factor experiment. The optimum reaction conditions for desulfurization and denitrification were found. Desulfurization and denitrification efficiencies of 97.5% and 96.3%, respectively, were achieved at a KMnO 4 concentration 5 mmol/L, a reaction temperature of 70°C, initial urea solution pH 8, a urea concentration of 9%, and a gas flow rate of 40 L/h. The concentrations of the desulfurization and denitrification reaction products in the solution were determined. NO x was mainly transformed into N 2 , and the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] concentrations in the solution became very low. The reactions involved in SO 2 and NO x removal using urea were analyzed from the thermodynamic viewpoint. Increasing the temperature was not conducive to the reactions but increased the rate constant, so an optimum temperature was determined. The simultaneous desulfurization and denitrification kinetics were calculated. The urea consumption and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] generation reactions were all zero order. The [Formula: see text] generation rate was greater than the [Formula: see text] generation rate. The simultaneous desulfurization and denitrification process and mechanism were studied. The results provide reference data for performing flue gas desulfurization and denitrification in factories.

Band-gap modulation via gallium substitution in cerium doped gadolinium aluminum garnet using a mixed fuel combustion approach

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

Tyagi, Mohit; Pitale, Shreyas S.; Ghosh, Manoranjan

2014-04-24

Cerium doped Gadolinium garnets (Gd{sub 3}Al{sub x}Ga{sub 5−x}O{sub 12} where 0≤x≤5) are synthesized via combustion synthesis using mixture of urea and glycine fuels. A 4h Post annealing at 1400 oC is found to be necessary for pure phase formation. Lattice spacing variation as a result of partial or total Ga substitution at Al site was mapped by X-ray diffraction. Photoluminescence emission of Ce shifts as a consequence of Ga substitution and therefore suggests a local re-adjustment of crystal field around activator site.

Characterization of SrCo1.5Ti1.5Fe9O19 hexagonal ferrite synthesized by sol-gel combustion and solid state route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinaykumar, R.; Mazumder, R.; Bera, J.

2017-05-01

Co-Ti co-substituted SrM hexagonal ferrite (SrCo1.5Ti1.5Fe9O19) was synthesized by sol-gel combustion and solid state route. The effects of sources of TiO2 raw materials; titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP) and titanyl nitrate (TN) on the phase formation behavior and properties of the ferrite were studied. The thermal decomposition behavior of the gel was studied using TG-DSC. The phase formation behavior of the ferrite was studied by using X-ray powder diffraction and FTIR analysis. Phase formation was comparatively easier in the TN-based sol-gel process. The morphology of powder and sintered ferrite was investigated using scanning electron microscope. Magnetic properties like magnetization, coercivity, permeability, tan δμ and dielectric properties were investigated. The ferrite synthesized by sol-gel based chemical route showed higher saturation magnetization, permeability and permittivity compared to the ferrite synthesized by solid state route.

Preparation of nanocrystalline forsterite by combustion of different fuels and their comparative in-vitro bioactivity, dissolution behaviour and antibacterial studies.

PubMed

Choudhary, Rajan; Manohar, Prasanth; Vecstaudza, Jana; Yáñez-Gascón, Maria Josefa; Sánchez, Horacio Pérez; Nachimuthu, Ramesh; Locs, Janis; Swamiappan, Sasikumar

2017-08-01

This study presents different fuels (Glycine and Urea) that can be used to synthesize nanocrystalline forsterite by the sol-gel combustion method. The weight change of precursor during thermal treatment was studied by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Pure forsterite was characterized by heating microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The HAP (hydroxyapatite) deposition ability, degradation and dissolution behaviour of forsterite was examined in simulated body fluid (SBF). The combusted forsterite precursor showed distinct thermal behaviour for each fuel when analyzed by heating microscopy. BET analysis showed that the particle size of forsterite synthesized using glycine was 28nm, specific surface area 65.11m 2 /g and average pore diameter 16.4nm while using urea 1.951μm, 0.939m 2 /g, and 30.5nm are the respective parameters. The dissolution of forsterite pointed to the consumption of Ca and P ions from SBF, the negligible release of Si ion into the SBF and these ionic interactions with SBF can be altered as per the material properties. The forsterite showed good antibacterial activity against S. aureus but lower activity against E. coli. The bactericidal activity of forsterite indicated that it can be used to inhibit biofilm formation in dental, bone implants and bacterial infection during surgical operations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxic emissions during co-combustion of biomass-waste wood-lignite blends in an industrial boiler.

PubMed

Samaras, P; Skodras, G; Sakellaropoulos, G P; Blumenstock, M; Schramm, K W; Kettrup, A

2001-01-01

The objectives of this work were to study the PCDD/F emissions during the co-combustion of waste wood/coal co-combustion in an industrial boiler and to determine the relation of the toxic emissions to the fuel properties. Co-combustion experiments were performed in a 13.8 MWthermal industrial moving grate combustor. The fuels which were examined in this study included Greek lignite, natural uncontaminated wood, power poles and medium density fibers (MDFs) which were by-products of the plant production process. Fuel blends were prepared by mixing single components in various concentrations. PCDD/F emissions were collected during experimental runs and were analyzed according to standard methods. Low PCDD/F emissions were obtained during the co-combustion tests, lower than the limit value of 0.1 ng TEQ/Nm3. The lowest values were observed during the combustion of fuel blends containing MDF, possibly due to the inhibitory action of some of the N-containing MDF ingredients, such as urea. No direct correlation was found between the PCDD/F and the copper emissions, while examination of the PCDD/F homologue patterns revealed the predominance of the lower chlorinated isomers over the higher ones.

Integrated process and apparatus for control of pollutants in coal-fired boilers

DOEpatents

Hunt, Terry G.; Offen, George R.

1992-01-01

A method and apparatus for reducing SO.sub.x and NO.sub.x levels in flue gases generated by the combustion of coal in a boiler in which low NO.sub.x burners and air staging ports are utilized to inhibit the amount of NO.sub.x initially produced in the combustion of the coal, a selected concentration of urea is introduced downstream of the combustion zone after the temperature has been reduced to the range of 1300.degree. F. to 2000.degree. F., and a sodium-based reagent is introduced into the flue gas stream after further reducing the temperature of the stream to the range of 200.degree. F. to 900.degree. F. Under certain conditions, calcium injection may be employed along with humidification of the flue gas stream for selective reduction of the pollutants.

Integrated process and apparatus for control of pollutants in coal-fired boilers

DOEpatents

Hunt, T.G.; Offen, G.R.

1992-11-24

A method and apparatus are described for reducing SO[sub x] and NO[sub x] levels in flue gases generated by the combustion of coal in a boiler in which low NO[sub x] burners and air staging ports are utilized to inhibit the amount of NO[sub x] initially produced in the combustion of the coal. A selected concentration of urea is introduced downstream of the combustion zone after the temperature has been reduced to the range of 1300 F to 2000 F, and a sodium-based reagent is introduced into the flue gas stream after further reducing the temperature of the stream to the range of 200 F to 900 F. Under certain conditions, calcium injection may be employed along with humidification of the flue gas stream for selective reduction of the pollutants. 7 figs.

Rapid synthesis of Fe-doped CuO-Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 catalysts for CO preferential oxidation in H2-rich streams: Effect of iron source and the ratio of Fe/Cu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Han, Caiyun; Gao, Xiaoya; Lu, Jichang; Wan, Gengpin; He, Dedong; Chen, Ran; Chen, Kezhen; He, Sufang; Luo, Yongming

2017-03-01

A facile route (urea grind combustion method) is described for the rapid synthesis of Fe-doped Cu-Ce-Zr catalysts within 30 min through simple grinding and combustion. The effects of iron source and Fe/Cu mass ratio on the performances of the catalysts for CO preferential oxidation (CO-PROX) are evaluated. The influences of H2O, CO2, and their mixture on the activity as well as stability of the catalysts are also investigated. The samples are characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, H2-TPR, TEM, Raman and XPS. Fe(NO3)3 is found to be superior to FeCl3 and Fe2(SO4)3 as the iron source for Fe-CuCZ catalyst. Among the different synthesized catalysts, 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ is found to be the most active catalyst, indicating that the optimal Fe/Cu mass ratio is 1/10. The influences of H2O, CO2, and H2O + CO2 on the catalytic performance of 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ are in the order of CO2 < CO2 + H2O < H2O. 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ exhibits excellent stability during a 228 h time-on-stream test. 1/10Fe(N)-CuCZ shows the highest catalytic activity and excellent stability even in the presence of H2O and CO2. The excellent catalytic performance can be attributed to the synergy between the highly dispersed copper species and ceria, as well as the formation of more oxygen vacancies and reduced copper species.

The Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, decreases nitrogenous excretion, reduces urea synthesis and suppresses ammonia production during emersion.

PubMed

Ip, Yuen K; Lee, Serene M L; Wong, Wai P; Chew, Shit F

2013-05-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of 6 days of emersion on nitrogen metabolism and excretion in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis. Despite having a soft shell with a cutaneous surface that is known to be water permeable, P. sinensis lost only ~2% of body mass and was able to maintain its hematocrit and plasma osmolality, [Na(+)] and [Cl(-)] during 6 days of emersion. During emersion, it ameliorated water loss by reducing urine output, which led to a reduction (by 29-76%) in ammonia excretion. In comparison, there was a more prominent reduction (by 82-99%) in urea excretion during emersion due to a lack of water to flush the buccopharyngeal epithelium, which is known to be the major route of urea excretion. Consequently, emersion resulted in an apparent shift from ureotely to ammonotely in P. sinensis. Although urea concentration increased in several tissues, the excess urea accumulated could only account for 13-22% of the deficit in urea excretion. Hence, it can be concluded that a decrease (~80%) in urea synthesis occurred in P. sinensis during the 6 days of emersion. Indeed, emersion led to significant decreases in the activity of some ornithine-urea cycle enzymes (argininosuccinate synthetase/argininosuccinate lyase and arginase) from the liver of P. sinensis. As a decrease in urea synthesis occurred without the accumulation of ammonia and total free amino acids, it can be deduced that ammonia production through amino acid catabolism was suppressed with a proportional reduction in proteolysis in P. sinensis during emersion. Indeed, calculated results revealed that there could be a prominent decrease (~88%) in ammonia production in turtles after 6 days of emersion. In summary, despite being ureogenic and ureotelic in water, P. sinensis adopted a reduction in ammonia production, instead of increased urea synthesis, as the major strategy to ameliorate ammonia toxicity and problems associated with dehydration during terrestrial exposure.

Resonant Pulse Combustors: A Reliable Route to Practical Pressure Gain Combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Dan

2017-01-01

A particular type of pressure gain combustion (PGC) device is described, which is under investigation at GRC. The Resonant Pulse Combustor (RPC) has been largely overlooked due to its theoretically low performance. However, its practical performance is quite competitive with other PGC systems, and its physical simplicity is unmatched.

Solvent-free iodination of organic molecules using the I(2)/urea-H(2)O(2) reagent system.

PubMed

Pavlinac, Jasminka; Zupan, Marko; Stavber, Stojan

2007-02-21

Introduction of iodine under solvent-free conditions into several aromatic compounds activated toward electrophilic functionalization was found to proceed efficiently using elemental iodine in the presence of a solid oxidizer, the urea-H(2)O(2) (UHP) adduct. Two types of iodo-functionalization through an electrophilic process were observed: iodination of an aromatic ring, and side-chain iodo-functionalization in the case of arylalkyl ketones. Two reaction routes were established based on the required substrate : iodine : oxidizer ratio for the most efficient iodo-transformation, and the role of UHP was elucidated in each route. The first, requiring a 1 : 0.5 : 0.6 stoichiometric ratio of substrate to iodine to UHP, followed the atom economy concept in regard to iodine and was valid in the case of aniline, 4-t-Bu-phenol, 1,2-dimethoxy benzene, 1,3-dimethoxy benzene, 1,2,3-trimethoxy benzene, 1,2,4-trimethoxy benzene, 1,3,5-trimethoxy benzene, 1-indanone and 1-tetralone. The second reaction route, where a 1 : 1 : 1 stoichiometric ratio of substrate : I(2) : UHP was needed for efficient iodination, was suitable for side-chain iodo-functionalization of acetophenone and methoxy-substituted acetophenones. Moreover, addition of iodine to 1-octene and some phenylacetylenic derivatives was found to proceed efficiently without the presence of any oxidizer and solvent at room temperature.

A solid phase honey-like channel method for synthesizing urea-ammonium chloride cocrystals on industrial scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Bingchun; Mao, Meiling; Liu, Yanhong; Guo, Jinyu; Li, Jing; Liu, Erbao

2016-05-01

Unanticipated a new and simple urea-ammonium chloride cocrystal synthesis method on industrial scale was found during attempts to produce a kind of granulated compound fertilizer. The aggregation of fertilizer powder can make the interaction among particles from loose to close, which generate mechanical pressure and in turn act as the driving force to benefit cocrystal growth. Additionally, the honeycomb-like channels constructed by other coexisting compound make the water evaporates more moderate, which can help the formation of supersaturated solution at suitable rate, further promote the growth of cocrystal. This approach possibly opens a new route toward the developing methodologies for cocrystal synthesis.

Bismuth-based oxide semiconductors: Mild synthesis and practical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timmaji, Hari Krishna

In this dissertation study, bismuth based oxide semiconductors were prepared using 'mild' synthesis techniques---electrodeposition and solution combustion synthesis. Potential environmental remediation and solar energy applications of the prepared oxides were evaluated. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) was prepared by electrodeposition and solution combustion synthesis. A two step electrosynthesis strategy was developed and demonstrated for the first time. In the first step, a Bi film was first electrodeposited on a Pt substrate from an acidic BiCl3 medium. Then, this film was anodically stripped in a medium containing hydrolyzed vanadium precursor, to generate Bi3+, and subsequent BiVO4 formation by in situ precipitation. The photoelectrochemical data were consistent with the in situ formation of n-type semiconductor films. In the solution combustion synthesis procedure, BiVO4 powders were prepared using bismuth nitrate pentahydrate as the bismuth precursor and either vanadium chloride or vanadium oxysulfate as the vanadium precursor. Urea, glycine, or citric acid was used as the fuel. The effect of the vanadium precursor on the photocatalytic activity of combustion synthesized BiVO 4 was evaluated in this study. Methyl orange was used as a probe to test the photocatalytic attributes of the combustion synthesized (CS) samples, and benchmarked against a commercial bismuth vanadate sample. The CS samples showed superior activity to the commercial benchmark sample, and samples derived from vanadium chloride were superior to vanadium oxysulfate counterparts. The photoelectrochemical properties of the various CS samples were also studied and these samples were shown to be useful both for environmental photocatalytic remediation and water photooxidation applications. Silver bismuth tungstate (AgBiW2O8) nanoparticles were prepared for the first time by solution combustion synthesis by using silver nitrate, bismuth nitrate, sodium tungstate as precursors for Ag, Bi, and W respectively and urea as the fuel. The photocatalytic activity of these nanoparticles was superior to a sample prepared by solid-state synthesis. The combustion-synthesized particles were subsequently modified with Pt catalyst islands using a photodeposition technique and then used for the photo-generation of syngas (CO + H2). Formic acid was used in these experiments for in situ generation of CO2 and its subsequent reduction to CO. In the absence of Pt modification, H2 was not obtained. These results were compared with those obtained with acetic acid in place of formic acid, and finally the mechanistic pathways for syngas and methane photogeneration are presented.

The effects of fuel type in synthesis of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles by microwave assisted combustion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karcıoğlu Karakaş, Zeynep; Boncukçuoğlu, Recep; Karakaş, İbrahim H.

2016-04-01

In this study, it was investigated the effects of the used fuels on structural, morphological and magnetic properties of nanoparticles in nanoparticle synthesis with microwave assisted combustion method with an important method in quick, simple and low cost at synthesis of the nanoparticles. In this aim, glycine, urea and citric acid were used as fuel, respectively. The synthesised nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface area (BET), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) techniques. We observed that fuel type is quite effective on magnetic properties and surface properties of the nanoparticles. X-ray difractograms of the obtained nanoparticles were compared with standard powder diffraction cards of NiFe2O4 (JCPDS Card Number 54-0964). The results demonstrated that difractograms are fully compatible with standard reflection peaks. According to the results of the XRD analysis, the highest crystallinity was observed at nanoparticles synthesized with glycine. The results demonstrated that the nanoparticles prepared with urea has the highest surface area. The micrographs of SEM showed that all of the nanoparticles have nano-crystalline behaviour and particles indication cubic shape. VSM analysis demonstrated that the type of fuel used for synthesis is highly effective a parameter on magnetic properties of nanoparticles.

Gas separation process using membranes with permeate sweep to remove CO.sub.2 from gaseous fuel combustion exhaust

DOEpatents

Wijmans, Johannes G [Menlo Park, CA; Merkel, Timothy C [Menlo Park, CA; Baker, Richard W [Palo Alto, CA

2012-05-15

A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from the combustion of gaseous fuels, and gaseous fuel combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the exhaust stream to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the exhaust gas stream across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas back to the combustor.

Lung Disease Associated With Marijuana Use.

PubMed

Chatkin, José Miguel; Zabert, Gustavo; Zabert, Ignacio; Chatkin, Gustavo; Jiménez-Ruiz, Carlos Andrés; de Granda-Orive, Jose Ignacio; Buljubasich, Daniel; Solano Reina, Segismundo; Figueiredo, Ana; Ravara, Sofia; Riesco Miranda, Juan Antonio; Gratziou, Christina

2017-09-01

Marijuana is the most widely usedillegal drug in the world, with a prevalence of 2.5%-5%, and the second most commonly smoked substance after tobacco. The components of smoke from combustion of marijuana are similar to those produced by the combustion of tobacco, but they differ in terms of psychoactive components and use. Inhalation of cannabis smoke affects the respiratory tract, so the available evidence must be updated in order to provide pulmonologists with the latest scientific information. In this article, we review the impact of cannabis consumption on the lungs, taking into account that the respiratory route is the most popular route of cannabis consumption. Copyright © 2017 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Solution combustion synthesis of the nanocrystalline NCM oxide for lithium-ion battery uses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habibi, Amirhosein; Jalaly, Maisam; Rahmanifard, Roohollah; Ghorbanzadeh, Milad

2018-02-01

In this study, the NCM cathode with a chemical composition of {{{LiNi}}}1/3}{{{Co}}}1/3}{{{Mn}}}1/3}{{{O}}}2 were synthesized through a solution combustion method. In this method, metal nitrates and urea were used as precursors and fuel, respectively. The powder obtained from combustion were transferred into a alumina crucible and insert to the muffle furnace and calcined at 750 °C for 15 h. The crystallite size of the sample was calculated with sherer equation to be about 41 nm. The prepared cathode were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and battery charge-discharge test. The initial charge and discharge capacities of {{{LiNi}}}1/3}{{{Co}}}1/3}{{{Mn}}}1/3}{{{O}}}2 electrode containing 94% active material at a rate of 0.05 C in voltage window of 2.5-4.3 V at room temperature was obtained 168.03 and 150.01 mAh g-1, respectively.

Removal of urea from dilute streams using RVC/nano-NiO x -modified electrode.

PubMed

Tammam, Reham H; Touny, Ahmed H; Saleh, Mahmoud M

2018-05-08

Reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC), a high surface area electrode (40 cm 2 /cm 3 ), has been modified with nickel oxide nanoparticles (nano-NiO x ) and used for electrochemical oxidation of urea from alkaline solution. For the cyclic voltammetry measurements, the used dimensions are 0.8 cm × 0.8 cm × 0.3 cm. The purpose was to offer high specific surface area using a porous open network structure to accelerate the electrochemical conversion. NiO x nanoparticles have been synthesized via an electrochemical route at some experimental conditions. The morphological, structural, and electrochemical properties of the RVC/nano-NiO x are characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and potentiostatic measurements. The fabricated electrode, RVC/nano-NiO x , demonstrates high electrocatalytic activity towards urea oxidation in an alkaline electrolyte. The onset potential of the RVC/nano-NiO x compared to that of the planar GC/NiO x is shifted to more negative value with higher specific activity. The different loadings of the NiO x have a substantial influence on the conversion of urea which has been evaluated from concentration-time curves. The urea concentration decreases with time to a limit dependent on the loading extent. Maximum conversion is obtained at 0.86 mg of NiO x per cm 3 of the RVC matrix.

Simultaneous LC-MS/MS determination of phenylbutyrate, phenylacetate benzoate and their corresponding metabolites phenylacetylglutamine and hippurate in blood and urine.

PubMed

Laryea, Maurice D; Herebian, Diran; Meissner, Thomas; Mayatepek, Ertan

2010-12-01

Inborn errors of urea metabolism result in hyperammonemia. Treatment of urea cycle disorders can effectively lower plasma ammonium levels and results in survival in the majority of patients. Available medications for treating urea cycle disorders include sodium benzoate (BA), sodium phenylacetate (PAA), and sodium phenylbutyrate (PBA) and are given to provide alternate routes for disposition of waste nitrogen excretion. In this study, we develop and validate a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, phenylbutyric acid, phenylacetylglutamine, and hippuric acid in plasma and urine from children with inborn errors of urea synthesis. Plasma extracts and diluted urine samples were injected on a reverse-phase column and identified and quantified by selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in negative ion mode. Deuterated analogues served as internal standards. Analysis time was 7 min. Assay precision, accuracy, and linearity and sample stability were determined using enriched samples. Quantification limits of the method were 100 ng/ml (0.3-0.8 μmol/L) for all analytes, and recoveries were >90%. Inter- and intraday relative standard deviations were <10%. Our newly developed LC-MS/MS represents a robust, sensitive, and rapid method that allows simultaneous determination of the five compounds in plasma and urine.

Hydrogen Fueling via Guanidine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Vechten, J. A.

2007-03-01

Three related materials, ammonia (NH3), urea (OCN2H4), and guanidine (CN3H5) are practicable hydrogen-based fuels^1 that could be produced in the giga-tonne quantities required from air, water and renewable energy. NH3 has long been established as a fuel for internal combustion engines and can be cracked to H2 for use in fuelcells, but is a gas at STP and extremely toxic, so general use is problematic. Urea and guanidine can easily be converted to NH3 and CO2 by addition of hot water from oxidation of NH3. Both are solids at STP, non-toxic, non-explosive and commonly shipped in plastic bags. The energy density in kWhr/L of guanidine is 4.7 compared with 3.0 for urea, 3.5 for liquid NH3, and 0.8 for H gas in 10,000 psi tanks. The specific energies in kWhr/kg for these materials are respectively 3.58, 2.35, 5.2, and (including the tank) 1.8. Guanidine melts at 50 C and is infinitely soluble in both ethanol and water. 1) http://www.energy.iastate.edu/renewable/biomass/AmmoniaMtg06.html

Biohydrogen Production: Strategies to Improve Process Efficiency through Microbial Routes

PubMed Central

Chandrasekhar, Kuppam; Lee, Yong-Jik; Lee, Dong-Woo

2015-01-01

The current fossil fuel-based generation of energy has led to large-scale industrial development. However, the reliance on fossil fuels leads to the significant depletion of natural resources of buried combustible geologic deposits and to negative effects on the global climate with emissions of greenhouse gases. Accordingly, enormous efforts are directed to transition from fossil fuels to nonpolluting and renewable energy sources. One potential alternative is biohydrogen (H2), a clean energy carrier with high-energy yields; upon the combustion of H2, H2O is the only major by-product. In recent decades, the attractive and renewable characteristics of H2 led us to develop a variety of biological routes for the production of H2. Based on the mode of H2 generation, the biological routes for H2 production are categorized into four groups: photobiological fermentation, anaerobic fermentation, enzymatic and microbial electrolysis, and a combination of these processes. Thus, this review primarily focuses on the evaluation of the biological routes for the production of H2. In particular, we assess the efficiency and feasibility of these bioprocesses with respect to the factors that affect operations, and we delineate the limitations. Additionally, alternative options such as bioaugmentation, multiple process integration, and microbial electrolysis to improve process efficiency are discussed to address industrial-level applications. PMID:25874756

Biohydrogen production: strategies to improve process efficiency through microbial routes.

PubMed

Chandrasekhar, Kuppam; Lee, Yong-Jik; Lee, Dong-Woo

2015-04-14

The current fossil fuel-based generation of energy has led to large-scale industrial development. However, the reliance on fossil fuels leads to the significant depletion of natural resources of buried combustible geologic deposits and to negative effects on the global climate with emissions of greenhouse gases. Accordingly, enormous efforts are directed to transition from fossil fuels to nonpolluting and renewable energy sources. One potential alternative is biohydrogen (H2), a clean energy carrier with high-energy yields; upon the combustion of H2, H2O is the only major by-product. In recent decades, the attractive and renewable characteristics of H2 led us to develop a variety of biological routes for the production of H2. Based on the mode of H2 generation, the biological routes for H2 production are categorized into four groups: photobiological fermentation, anaerobic fermentation, enzymatic and microbial electrolysis, and a combination of these processes. Thus, this review primarily focuses on the evaluation of the biological routes for the production of H2. In particular, we assess the efficiency and feasibility of these bioprocesses with respect to the factors that affect operations, and we delineate the limitations. Additionally, alternative options such as bioaugmentation, multiple process integration, and microbial electrolysis to improve process efficiency are discussed to address industrial-level applications.

Locomotion speed of the benthic foraminifer Ammonia tepida exposed to different nitrogen and carbon sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jauffrais, Thierry; Jesus, Bruno; Geslin, Emmanuelle; Briand, Floriane; Jézéquel, Véronique Martin

2016-12-01

Ammonia tepida is a dominant benthic foraminifer colonizing intertidal mudflat sediments. Horizontal locomotion speeds were monitored using time-lapse image analysis over 6 and 24 h. Experimental conditions were based on foraminifera exposed to dry sediment re-suspended in artificial sea water (ASW) without any nutrient addition (condition DS), to combusted sediment re-suspended in in ASW also without any nutrient addition (condition CS), or to combusted sediment re-suspended in ASW enriched with either: nitrate, urea, glucose, soil extract (SE), extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), benthic diatoms (Entomoneis paludosa) or natural microphytobenthic assemblages (MPB). Significant differences were already measured after 6 h between A. tepida mean locomotion speeds at the different experimental conditions. However, differences were clearer after 24 h where the slowest A. tepida mean locomotion speed was measured in specimens placed in CS (1.00 ± 0.30 mm h- 1) and the highest mean locomotion speed in DS (2.99 ± 0.22 mm h- 1). Three different groups were defined according to their locomotion speed, (1) foraminifera exposed to DS had a locomotion speed significantly higher than all other conditions, (2) foraminifera placed in conditions enriched in SE, Glucose, Urea and EPS had intermediary locomotion speeds (1.8-2.5 mm h- 1), and (3) conditions with foraminifera showing the lowest locomotion speeds (1-1.6 mm h- 1) were CS, nitrate, MPB and E. paludosa. Thus, foraminifera exposed to organic matter (DS, SE, Glucose and Urea) showed faster locomotion speeds than foraminifera exposed to inorganic matter (CS, nitrate) or live preys (E. paludosa, MPB). Dissolved organic matter enrichment enhanced foraminifera locomotion speed, which might be a behavioural response to satisfy their carbon and/or nitrogen requirements, and the lowest locomotion speed observed when feeding on live preys might be a consequence of longer time required for live prey phagocytosis.

Advanced Catalysis Technologies: Lanthanum Cerium Manganese Hexaaluminate Combustion Catalysts for Flat Plate Reactor for Compact Steam Reformers

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

to decompose the urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. This increased the pH and caused sol condensation. The mixture was calcined in air at 550°C...propane to carbon dioxide and water. Its high manganese content provides a higher intrinsic activity than the other catalysts and thus the lowest...lean natural gas turbines in order to reduce NOx emissions to reforming catalyst to convert diesel and kerosene to hydrogen rich gases. Unlike

Exceptionally Active and Stable Spinel Nickel Manganese Oxide Electrocatalysts for Urea Oxidation Reaction.

PubMed

Periyasamy, Sivakumar; Subramanian, Palaniappan; Levi, Elena; Aurbach, Doron; Gedanken, Aharon; Schechter, Alex

2016-05-18

Spinel nickel manganese oxides, widely used materials in the lithium ion battery high voltage cathode, were studied in urea oxidation catalysis. NiMn2O4, Ni1.5Mn1.5O4, and MnNi2O4 were synthesized by a simple template-free hydrothermal route followed by a thermal treatment in air at 800 °C. Rietveld analysis performed on nonstoichiometric nickel manganese oxide-Ni1.5Mn1.5O4 revealed the presence of three mixed phases: two spinel phases with different lattice parameters and NiO unlike the other two spinels NiMn2O4 and MnNi2O4. The electroactivity of nickel manganese oxide materials toward the oxidation of urea in alkaline solution is evaluated using cyclic voltammetric measurements. Ni1.5Mn1.5O4 exhibits excellent redox characteristics and lower charge transfer resistances in comparison with other compositions of nickel manganese oxides and nickel oxide prepared under similar conditions.The Ni1.5Mn1.5O4modified electrode oxidizes urea at 0.29 V versus Ag/AgCl with a corresponding current density of 6.9 mA cm(-2). At a low catalyst loading of 50 μg cm(-2), the urea oxidation current density of Ni1.5Mn1.5O4 in alkaline solution is 7 times higher than that of nickel oxide and 4 times higher than that of NiMn2O4 and MnNi2O4, respectively.

40 CFR Table 1 to Subpart Lllll of... - Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... achieving a total hydrocarbon (THC) destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent; d. Route the emissions to a... comply with the THC percent reduction or combustion efficiency standards. b The opacity limit can be...

40 CFR Table 1 to Subpart Lllll of... - Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... achieving a total hydrocarbon (THC) destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent; d. Route the emissions to a... comply with the THC percent reduction or combustion efficiency standards. b The opacity limit can be...

40 CFR Table 1 to Subpart Lllll of... - Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achieving a total hydrocarbon (THC) destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent; d. Route the emissions to a... comply with the THC percent reduction or combustion efficiency standards. b The opacity limit can be...

A Survey of Glutamine Synthetase Activities in Tissues from Three Classes of Fish.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

reveree side it necessay end identify by block enamaber) Glutamine synthetase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, osmoregulation , glutamate, glutamine...aspects of osmoregulation as well. The only known route of glutanmine synthesis n all species is activity of glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) which...for osmoregulation . There is a relatively small difference n species which retain urea for osmoregulation . This may help to explain the relationship of

Facile and rapid auto-combustion synthesis of nano-porous γ-Al2O3 by application of hexamethylenetetramine in fuel composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, Shiva; Salem, Amin; Parni, Mohammad Hosein; Jafarizad, Abbas

2018-06-01

In this article, urea, glycine and hexamethylenetetramine were blended in accordance with the mixture design algorithm to prepare γ-Al2O3 by auto-combustion technique. Aluminum nitrate was then mixed with the stoichiometric contents of prepared fuel solutions to obtain gel systems. The gels exhibited a typical self-propagating combustion behavior at low temperature, directly resulting amorphous materials. The precursors were calcined at various temperatures ranging from 700 to 900 °C. The treated powders were evaluated by determining the methylene blue (MB) adsorption efficiency. The production condition to obtain γ-Al2O3 with maximum surface area depends on fuel composition and calcination temperature. The alumina powder fabricated by this procedure was uniformly distributed and contains nano-sized secondary particles with diameter about 10-30 nm in which the average pore size is 3.2 nm induced large surface area, 240 m2g-1. The employment of hexamethylenetetramine provides a potential for synthesis of γ-Al2O3 at lower temperature, 700 °C, with maximum MB removal efficiency.

Escaping the Tyranny of Carbothermal Reduction: Fumed Silica from Sustainable, Green Sources without First Having to Make SiCl4.

PubMed

Yi, Eongyu; Hyde, Clare E; Sun, Kai; Laine, Richard M

2016-02-12

Fumed silica is produced in 1000 tons per year quantities by combusting SiCl4 in H2 /O2 flames. Given that both SiCl4 and combustion byproduct HCl are corrosive, toxic and polluting, this route to fumed silica requires extensive safeguards that may be obviated if an alternate route were found. Silica, including rice hull ash (RHA) can be directly depolymerized using hindered diols to generate distillable spirocyclic alkoxysilanes or Si(OEt)4 . We report here the use of liquid-feed flame spray pyrolysis (LF-FSP) to combust the aforementioned precursors to produce fumed silica very similar to SiCl4 -derived products. The resulting powders are amorphous, necked, <50 nm average particle sizes, with specific surface areas (SSAs) of 140-230 m(2)  g(-1) . The LF-FSP approach does not require the containment constraints of the SiCl4 process and given that the RHA silica source is produced in million ton per year quantities worldwide, the reported approach represents a sustainable, green and potentially lower-cost alternative. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Carboxyl functionalization of carbon fibers via aryl diazonium reaction in molten urea to enhance interfacial shear strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuwei; Meng, Linghui; Fan, Liquan; Wu, Guangshun; Ma, Lichun; Zhao, Min; Huang, Yudong

2016-01-01

Using molten urea as the solvent, carbon fibers were functionalized with carboxylic acid groups via aryl diazonium reaction in 15 min to improve their interfacial bonding with epoxy resin. The surface functionalization was quantified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which showed that the relative surface coverage of carboxylic acid groups increased from an initial percentage of 3.17-10.41%. Mechanical property test results indicated that the aryl diazonium reaction in this paper could improve the interfacial shear strength by 66%. Meanwhile, the technique did not adopt any pre-oxidation step to produce functional groups prior to grafting and was shown to maintain the tensile strength of the fibers. This methodology provided a rapid, facile and economically viable route to produce covalently functionalized carbon fibers in large quantities with an eco-friendly method.

Process for separating carbon dioxide from flue gas using sweep-based membrane separation and absorption steps

DOEpatents

Wijmans, Johannes G.; Baker, Richard W.; Merkel, Timothy C.

2012-08-21

A gas separation process for treating flue gases from combustion processes, and combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the flue gas stream to be treated to an absorption-based carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the flue gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas to the combustor.

Energy recovery and emissions of PBDD/Fs and PBDEs from cocombustion of woodchip and wastewater sludge in an industrial boiler.

PubMed

Chang, Shun-Shiang Chang; Lee, Wen-Jhy Lee; Wang, Lin-Chi Wang; Chang-Chien, Guo-Ping Chang-Chien; Wu, Chang-Yu

2013-01-01

The emissions of polybrominated dibenzo-pdioxins,dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from trial combustion of 10 wt % dried industrial wastewater-treatment sludge (IWTS) and 90 wt % woodchip in an industrial boiler were investigated and compared to that from woodchip combustion. The PBDD/F toxic equivalent (TEQ) andPBDE emissions increased from 0.121 pg TEQ Nm−3 and 2260 pgNm−3, respectively, of the woodchip combustion to 0.211 pg TEQNm−3 and 4200 pg Nm−3, respectively, of the trial combustion.PBDD/F and PBDE congener profiles of inputs and outputs of the same type of combustion were similar; they also show similarity between woodchip and trial combustions, revealing that the destruction pathway was little affected by the introduction of the IWTS. The fates of PBDD/Fs and PBDEs show that the indigenous pollutants in the feed were effectively depleted (>93.5%). The dominant releasing route of PBDD/F and PBDE shifted from the stack flue gas of woodchip combustion to the ashes of trial combustion. This study demonstrates that co-combustion not only handles the fast growing sludge stream but also yields a saving of 26.3% in the fuel cost and treatment fees of sludge and ashes.

Study of photoluminescence properties of CaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}: Eu{sup 2+} prepared by combustion synthesis method

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

Hingwe, V. S., E-mail: vishwas.hingwe@yahoo.in; Omanwar, S. K.; Bajaj, N. S.

2016-05-06

Eu{sup 2+} doped alkaline earth metals such as strontium aluminate, calcium aluminate and barium aluminate prepared by using modified combustion synthesis method at 600°C with Urea as fuel. Crystal structure is determined by using XRD and the sample confirmation by using the FTIR. The effect of the host material on the photoluminescence (PL) and phosphorescence properties were studied by using the Hitachi F-7000 spectrofluorimeter equipped with a 450W Xenon lamp, in the range 200-650 nm. The emission spectra of Eu{sup 2+} range from 450 to 500 nm in the Blue to aqua region and the transition 4f{sup 7}-4f{sup 6} 5d{sup 1}.more » The observed emission in CaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} is 440 nm.« less

Blending Gelators to Tune Gel Structure and Probe Anion-Induced Disassembly

PubMed Central

Foster, Jonathan A; Edkins, Robert M; Cameron, Gary J; Colgin, Neil; Fucke, Katharina; Ridgeway, Sam; Crawford, Andrew G; Marder, Todd B; Beeby, Andrew; Cobb, Steven L; Steed, Jonathan W

2014-01-01

Blending different low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) provides a convenient route to tune the properties of a gel and incorporate functionalities such as fluorescence. Blending a series of gelators having a common bis-urea motif, and functionalised with different amino acid-derived end-groups and differing length alkylene spacers is reported. Fluorescent gelators incorporating 1-and 2-pyrenyl moieties provide a probe of the mixed systems alongside structural and morphological data from powder diffraction and electron microscopy. Characterisation of the individual gelators reveals that although the expected α-urea tape motif is preserved, there is considerable variation in the gelation properties, molecular packing, fibre morphology and rheological behaviour. Mixing of the gelators revealed examples in which: 1) the gels formed separate, orthogonal networks maintaining their own packing and morphology, 2) the gels blended together into a single network, either adopting the packing and morphology of one gelator, or 3) a new structure not seen for either of the gelators individually was created. The strong binding of the urea functionalities to anions was exploited as a means of breaking down the gel structure, and the use of fluorescent gel blends provides new insights into anion-mediated gel dissolution. PMID:24302604

Protective Effect of Bauhinia purpurea on Gentamicin-induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats

PubMed Central

Lakshmi, B. V. S.; Neelima, N.; Kasthuri, N.; Umarani, V.; Sudhakar, M.

2009-01-01

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the ethanol extract of leaves of Bauhinia purpurea and unripe pods of Bauhinia purpurea for its protective effects on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Nephrotoxicity was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal administration of gentamicin 100 mg/kg/d for eight days. Effect of concurrent administration of ethanol extract of leaves of Bauhinia purpurea and unripe pods of Bauhinia purpurea at a dose of 300 mg/kg/d given by oral route was determined using serum creatinine, serum uric acid, blood urea nitrogen and serum urea as indicators of kidney damage. The study groups contained six rats in each group. It was observed that the ethanol extract of leaves of Bauhinia purpurea and unripe pods of Bauhinia purpurea significantly protect rat kidneys from gentamicin-induced histopathological changes. Gentamicin-induced glomerular congestion, blood vessel congestion, epithelial desquamation, accumulation of inflammatory cells and necrosis of the kidney cells were found to be reduced in the groups receiving the leaf and unripe pods extract of Bauhinia purpurea along with gentamicin. The extracts also normalized the gentamicin-induced increase in serum creatinine, serum uric acid and blood urea nitrogen levels. This is also evidenced by the histopathological studies. PMID:20502576

Synthesis and Electrochemical Performance of Urea Assisted Pristine LiMn2O4 Cathode for Li Ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iqbal, Azhar; Iqbal, Yousaf; Khan, Abdul Majeed; Ahmed, Safeer

2017-12-01

We report the synthesis of electrochemically active LiMn2O4 nanoparticles at varied temperature and pH values by sol-gel method using urea as a chelating and combusting agent. The effect of pH and annealing temperature on the structure, morphology and electrochemical performance was evaluated. The results obtained by XRD, SEM, TEM, and FTIR show that LiMn2O4 has uniform porous morphology and highly crystalline particles that can be obtained at pH 7.0 and 8.0 and at a relatively lower temperature of 600°C. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed reversible redox reactions with fast kinetics corresponding to Li ions intercalation/deintercalation at 600°C at neutral pH 7.0. Charge/discharge studies carried out at a current rate of 40 mA g-1 reveal that LiMn2O4 synthesized at 600°C and pH 7.0 has the best structural stability and excellent cycling performance.

Design and testing of an independently controlled urea SCR retrofit system for the reduction of NOx emissions from marine diesels.

PubMed

Johnson, Derek R; Bedick, Clinton R; Clark, Nigel N; McKain, David L

2009-05-15

Diesel engine emissions for on-road, stationary and marine applications are regulated in the United States via standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A major component of diesel exhaust that is difficult to reduce is nitrogen oxides (NOx). Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) has been in use for many years for stationary applications, including external combustion boilers, and is promising for NOx abatement as a retrofit for mobile applications where diesel compression ignition engines are used. The research presented in this paper is the first phase of a program focused on the reduction of NOx by use of a stand-alone urea injection system, applicable to marine diesel engines typical of work boats (e.g., tugs). Most current urea SCR systems communicate with engine controls to predict NOx emissions based on signals such as torque and engine speed, however many marine engines in use still employ mechanical injection technology and lack electronic communication abilities. The system developed and discussed in this paper controls NOx emissions independentof engine operating parameters and measures NOx and exhaust flow using the following exhaust sensor inputs: absolute pressure, differential pressure, temperature, and NOx concentration. These sensor inputs were integrated into an independent controller and open loop architecture to estimate the necessary amount of urea needed, and the controller uses pulse width modulation (PWM) to power an automotive fuel injector for airless urea delivery. The system was tested in a transient test cell on a 350 hp engine certified at 4 g/bhp-hr of NOx, with a goal of reducing the engine out NOx levels by 50%. NOx reduction capabilities of 41-67% were shown on the non road transient cycle (NRTC) and ICOMIA E5 steady state cycles with system optimization during testing to minimize the dilute ammonia slip to cycle averages of 5-7 ppm. The goal of 50% reduction of NOx can be achieved dependent upon cycle. Further research with control optimization, urea distribution and possible use of oxidation catalysts is recommended to improve the NOx reduction capabilities while minimizing ammonia slip.

One Step Combustion Synthesis Of YAG:Ce Phosphor For Solid State Lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Pooja; Gupta, K. Vijay Kumar; Muley, Aarti; Joshi, C. P.; Moharil, S. V.

2011-10-01

YAG:Ce is an important phosphor having applications in various fields ranging from solid state lighting to scintillation detectors. YAG phosphors doped with activators are mainly synthesized by solid state reaction techniques that require high sintering temperatures (above 1500°C) to eliminate YAM and YAP phases. Though several soft chemical routes have been explored for synthesis of YAG, most of these methods are complex and phase pure materials are not obtained in one step, but prolonged annealing at temperatures around 1000 C or above becomes necessary. One step combustion synthesis of YAG:Ce3+ and related phosphors carried out at 500 C furnace temperature is reported here. Activation with Ce3+ could be achieved during the synthesis without taking recourse to any post-combustion thermal treatment. LEDs prepared from the combustion synthesized YAG:Ce3+, exhibited properties comparable to those produced from the commercial phosphor.

SUNgas: Thermochemical Approaches to Solar Fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Jane

2013-04-01

Solar energy offers an intelligent solution to reduce anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and to meet an expanding global demand for energy. A transformative change from fossil to solar energy requires collection, storage, and transport of the earth's most abundant but diffuse and intermittent source of energy. One intriguing approach for harvest and storage of solar energy is production of clean fuels via high temperature thermochemical processes. Concentrated solar energy is the heat source and biomass or water and carbon dioxide are the feedstocks. Two routes to produce fuels using concentrated solar energy and a renewable feed stock will be discussed: gasification of biomass or other carbonaceous materials and metal oxide cycles to produce synthesis gas. The first and most near term route to solar fuels is to gasify biomass. With conventional gasification, air or oxygen is supplied at fuel-rich levels to combust some of the feedstock and in this manner generate the energy required for conversion to H2 and CO. The partial-combustion consumes up to 40% of the energetic value of the feedstock. With air combustion, the product gas is diluted by high levels of CO2 and N2. Using oxygen reduces the product dilution, but at the expense of adding an oxygen plant. Supplying the required heat with concentrated solar radiation eliminates the need for partial combustion of the biomass feedstock. As a result, the product gas has an energetic value greater than that of the feedstock and it is not contaminated by the byproducts of combustion. The second promising route to solar fuels splits water and carbon dioxide. Two-step metal-oxide redox cycles hold out great potential because they the temperature required to achieve a reasonable degree of dissociation is lower than direct thermal dissociation and O2 and the fuel are produced in separate steps. The 1^st step is the endothermic thermal dissociation of the metal oxide to the metal or lower-valence metal oxide. The 2^nd exothermic step is the hydrolysis of the reduced metal to form H2 and the corresponding metal oxide. Two promising options for 2-step cycles, the Zn/ZnO and non-stoichiometric ceria redox cycles, will be compared with a focus on efficiency and state of the art achievements.

Y3Fe5O12 nanoparticulate garnet ferrites: Comprehensive study on the synthesis and characterization fabricated by various routes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niaz Akhtar, Majid; Azhar Khan, Muhammad; Ahmad, Mukhtar; Murtaza, G.; Raza, Rizwan; Shaukat, S. F.; Asif, M. H.; Nasir, Nadeem; Abbas, Ghazanfar; Nazir, M. S.; Raza, M. R.

2014-11-01

The effects of synthesis methods such as sol-gel (SG), self combustion (SC) and modified conventional mixed oxide (MCMO) on the structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the (Y3Fe5O12) garnet ferrites have been studied in the present work. The samples of Y3Fe5O12 were sintered at 950 °C and 1150 °C (by SG and SC methods). For MCMO route the sintering was done at 1350 °C for 6 h. Synthesized samples prepared by various routes were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Impedance network analyzer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structural analysis reveals that the samples are of single phase structure and shows variations in the particle sizes and cells volumes, prepared by various routes. FESEM and TEM images depict that grain size increases with the increase of sintering temperature from 40 nm to 100 nm.Magnetic measurements reveal that garnet ferrite synthesized by sol gel method has high initial permeability (60.22) and low magnetic loss (0.0004) as compared to other garnet ferrite samples, which were synthesized by self combustion and MCMO methods. The M-H loops exhibit very low coercivity which enables the use of these materials in relays and switching devices fabrications. Thus, the garnet nanoferrites with low magnetic loss prepared by different methods may open new horizon for electronic industry for their use in high frequency applications.

Synthesis characterization and luminescence studies of gamma irradiated nanocrystalline yttrium oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shivaramu, N. J.; Lakshminarasappa, B. N.; Nagabhushana, K. R.; Singh, Fouran

2016-02-01

Nanocrystalline Y2O3 is synthesized by solution combustion technique using urea and glycine as fuels. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of as prepared sample shows amorphous nature while annealed samples show cubic nature. The average crystallite size is calculated using Scherrer's formula and is found to be in the range 14-30 nm for samples synthesized using urea and 15-20 nm for samples synthesized using glycine respectively. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) image of 1173 K annealed Y2O3 samples show well separated spherical shape particles and the average particle size is found to be in the range 28-35 nm. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy reveals a stretching of Y-O bond. Electron spin resonance (ESR) shows V- center, O2- and Y2 + defects. A broad photoluminescence (PL) emission with peak at 386 nm is observed when the sample is excited with 252 nm. Thermoluminescence (TL) properties of γ-irradiated Y2O3 nanopowder are studied at a heating rate of 5 K s- 1. The samples prepared by using urea show a prominent and well resolved peak at 383 K and a weak one at 570 K. It is also found that TL glow peak intensity (Im1) at 383 K increases with increase in γ-dose up to 6.0 kGy and then decreases with increase in dose. However, glycine used Y2O3 shows a prominent TL glow with peaks at 396 K and 590 K. Among the fuels, urea used Y2O3 shows simple and well resolved TL glows. This might be due to fuel and hence particle size effect. The kinetic parameters are calculated by Chen's glow curve peak shape method and results are discussed in detail.

Spectroscopic study and enhanced thermostability of combustion-derived BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ blue phosphors for solid-state lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradal, Nathalie; Potdevin, Audrey; Chadeyron, Geneviève; Bonville, Pierre; Caillier, Bruno; Mahiou, Rachid

2017-02-01

Blue-emitting BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ (BAM:Eu), suitable for applications in a next generation of Hg-free lamps based on UV LEDs, was prepared by a microwave induced solution combustion synthesis, using urea as combustion fuel and nitrates as oxidizers. Purity control of the as-synthesized blue phosphor was undertaken by a washing step followed by a reduction one. Structural and morphological properties of the outcoming phosphors have been considered. Synthesis process allows producing a well-crystallized and nanostructured BAM phase within only few minutes. The influence of reduction treatment on the relative amounts of Eu2+/Eu3+ in our samples has been investigated through an original study by magnetization and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Furthermore, a complete optical study has been carried out and allowed us to determine the europium localization in the three possible sites in BAM matrix. The percentage of Eu2+ increased twofold after the reduction treatment, entailing an increase in the luminescence efficiency upon UV excitation. Finally, temperature-dependent luminescence of combustion-derived powders has been studied till 170 °C and compared to that of commercial BAM:Eu. MISCS-derived phosphors present a higher thermal stability than commercial one: whereas the emission efficiency of this last was reduced by 64%, the one of combustion-derived BAM:Eu experienced an only 12% decline. Furthermore, while commercial BAM suffered from a severe blue-shift with increasing temperature, our phosphors keep its color quality with a good stability of the photometric parameters.

Solution combustion synthesis of metal oxide nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion.

PubMed

Li, Fa-tang; Ran, Jingrun; Jaroniec, Mietek; Qiao, Shi Zhang

2015-11-14

The design and synthesis of metal oxide nanomaterials is one of the key steps for achieving highly efficient energy conversion and storage on an industrial scale. Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) is a time- and energy-saving method as compared with other routes, especially for the preparation of complex oxides which can be easily adapted for scale-up applications. This review summarizes the synthesis of various metal oxide nanomaterials and their applications for energy conversion and storage, including lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen and methane production, fuel cells and solar cells. In particular, some novel concepts such as reverse support combustion, self-combustion of ionic liquids, and creation of oxygen vacancies are presented. SCS has some unique advantages such as its capability for in situ doping of oxides and construction of heterojunctions. The well-developed porosity and large specific surface area caused by gas evolution during the combustion process endow the resulting materials with exceptional properties. The relationship between the structural properties of the metal oxides studied and their performance is discussed. Finally, the conclusions and perspectives are briefly presented.

Solution combustion synthesis of metal oxide nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fa-Tang; Ran, Jingrun; Jaroniec, Mietek; Qiao, Shi Zhang

2015-10-01

The design and synthesis of metal oxide nanomaterials is one of the key steps for achieving highly efficient energy conversion and storage on an industrial scale. Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) is a time- and energy-saving method as compared with other routes, especially for the preparation of complex oxides which can be easily adapted for scale-up applications. This review summarizes the synthesis of various metal oxide nanomaterials and their applications for energy conversion and storage, including lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen and methane production, fuel cells and solar cells. In particular, some novel concepts such as reverse support combustion, self-combustion of ionic liquids, and creation of oxygen vacancies are presented. SCS has some unique advantages such as its capability for in situ doping of oxides and construction of heterojunctions. The well-developed porosity and large specific surface area caused by gas evolution during the combustion process endow the resulting materials with exceptional properties. The relationship between the structural properties of the metal oxides studied and their performance is discussed. Finally, the conclusions and perspectives are briefly presented.

The route of liquid precursor to ZnO nanoparticles in premixed combustion spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiyastuti, W.; Machmudah, Siti; Nurtono, Tantular; Winardi, Sugeng

2018-04-01

Zinc oxide nanoparticles had been successfully synthesized by premixed combustion spray pyrolysis. Zinc acetate was dissolved in distilled water was selected as a liquid precursor. Zinc nitrate was also used for comparison the effect of precursor type on the generated particles morphology and the crystallinity. The premixed combustion reaction used liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) mainly consisting of butane and propane as a fuel and compressed air used as an oxidizer. The liquid precursor was atomized using a custom two fluid nozzle to generate droplets. Then, the droplets were sprayed by the flow of air as a carrier gas into the premixed combustion reactor. The zinc precursor was decomposed to zinc oxide due to the high temperature as a result of combustion reaction inside the reactor resulting in nanoparticles formation. The particle size decreased with the increase of the fuel flow rate. In addition, it can be found that at the same flow rate of fuel, the particle size of zinc oxide synthesized using zinc nitrate is larger than that of the use of zinc acetate as a precursor.

Photocatalytic properties of hierarchical ZnO flowers synthesized by a sucrose-assisted hydrothermal method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Wei; Wei, Bo; Xu, Lingling; Zhao, Yan; Gao, Hong; Liu, Jia

2012-10-01

In this work, hierarchical ZnO flowers were synthesized via a sucrose-assisted urea hydrothermal method. The thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) showed that sucrose acted as a complexing agent in the synthesis process and assisted combustion during annealing. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated using the degradation of organic dye methyl orange. The sucrose added ZnO flowers showed improved activity, which was mainly attributed to the better crystallinity as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The effect of sucrose amount on photocatalytic activity was also studied.

Structural Characterization of Apomyoglobin Self-Associated Species in Aqueous Buffer and Urea Solution

PubMed Central

Chow, Charles; Kurt, Neşe; Murphy, Regina M.; Cavagnero, Silvia

2006-01-01

The biophysical characterization of nonfunctional protein aggregates at physiologically relevant temperatures is much needed to gain deeper insights into the kinetic and thermodynamic relationships between protein folding and misfolding. Dynamic and static laser light scattering have been employed for the detection and detailed characterization of apomyoglobin (apoMb) soluble aggregates populated at room temperature upon dissolving the purified protein in buffer at pH 6.0, both in the presence and absence of high concentrations of urea. Unlike the β-sheet self-associated aggregates previously reported for this protein at high temperatures, the soluble aggregates detected here have either α-helical or random coil secondary structure, depending on solvent and solution conditions. Hydrodynamic diameters range from 80 to 130 nm, with semiflexible chain-like morphology. The combined use of low pH and high urea concentration leads to structural unfolding and complete elimination of the large aggregates. Even upon starting from this virtually monomeric unfolded state, however, protein refolding leads to the formation of severely self-associated species with native-like secondary structure. Under these conditions, kinetic apoMb refolding proceeds via two parallel routes: one leading to native monomer, and the other leading to a misfolded and heavily self-associated state bearing native-like secondary structure. PMID:16214860

Gaseous emissions during concurrent combustion of biomass and non-recyclable municipal solid waste

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Biomass and municipal solid waste offer sustainable sources of energy; for example to meet heat and electricity demand in the form of combined cooling, heat and power. Combustion of biomass has a lesser impact than solid fossil fuels (e.g. coal) upon gas pollutant emissions, whilst energy recovery from municipal solid waste is a beneficial component of an integrated, sustainable waste management programme. Concurrent combustion of these fuels using a fluidised bed combustor may be a successful method of overcoming some of the disadvantages of biomass (high fuel supply and distribution costs, combustion characteristics) and characteristics of municipal solid waste (heterogeneous content, conflict with materials recycling). It should be considered that combustion of municipal solid waste may be a financially attractive disposal route if a 'gate fee' value exists for accepting waste for combustion, which will reduce the net cost of utilising relatively more expensive biomass fuels. Results Emissions of nitrogen monoxide and sulphur dioxide for combustion of biomass are suppressed after substitution of biomass for municipal solid waste materials as the input fuel mixture. Interactions between these and other pollutants such as hydrogen chloride, nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide indicate complex, competing reactions occur between intermediates of these compounds to determine final resultant emissions. Conclusions Fluidised bed concurrent combustion is an appropriate technique to exploit biomass and municipal solid waste resources, without the use of fossil fuels. The addition of municipal solid waste to biomass combustion has the effect of reducing emissions of some gaseous pollutants. PMID:21284885

Synthesis of TiO2 by solution combustion technique by mixed fuel approach for wLED applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesha Babu K., R.; Renuka C., G.

2018-05-01

Synthesis of Ce3+ (0.25-0.75 mol %) doped TiO2 nanophosphors was done by solution combustion route using combination of fuels. The structural characterization of the nanophosphor was performed by PXRD, SEM and TEM. The estimated crystallite sizes are in the nano meter scale range. The Eg of pure and doped TiO2 were 3.10 and 3.23 eV respectively were estimated from DRS data. The CIE and CCT data reveals that the nanophosphor emits pale green and is useful for wLED at a temperature 4474K.

40 CFR 63.987 - Flare requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Emission Standards for Closed Vent Systems, Control Devices, Recovery Devices and Routing to a Fuel Gas... the additional cycles. (ii) The net heating value of the gas being combusted in a flare shall be..., ultra-violet beam sensor, or infrared sensor) capable of continuously detecting that at least one pilot...

Tomographic data fusion with CFD simulations associated with a planar sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Liu, S.; Sun, S.; Zhou, W.; Schlaberg, I. H. I.; Wang, M.; Yan, Y.

2017-04-01

Tomographic techniques have great abilities to interrogate the combustion processes, especially when it is combined with the physical models of the combustion itself. In this study, a data fusion algorithm is developed to investigate the flame distribution of a swirl-induced environmental (EV) burner, a new type of burner for low NOx combustion. An electric capacitance tomography (ECT) system is used to acquire 3D flame images and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is applied to calculate an initial distribution of the temperature profile for the EV burner. Experiments were also carried out to visualize flames at a series of locations above the burner. While the ECT images essentially agree with the CFD temperature distribution, discrepancies exist at a certain height. When data fusion is applied, the discrepancy is visibly reduced and the ECT images are improved. The methods used in this study can lead to a new route where combustion visualization can be much improved and applied to clean energy conversion and new burner development.

Monoclinic β-Li2TiO3 nanocrystalline particles employing novel urea assisted solid state route: Synthesis, characterization and sintering behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, Biranchi M.; Mohanty, Trupti; Prakash, Deep; Tyagi, A. K.; Sinha, P. K.

2017-07-01

Pure phase monoclinic nano-crystalline Li2TiO3 powder was synthesized by a novel urea assisted solid state synthesis method using readily available and economical precursors. A single phase and well crystalline Li2TiO3 powder has been obtained at slightly lower temperature (600-700 °C) and shorter duration (2 h) as compared to the conventional solid state method. The proposed method has significant advantages in comparison to other viable methods mainly in terms of phase purity, powder properties and sinterability. Analysis of chemical composition using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) shows no loss of lithium from Li2TiO3 in the proposed method. The emergence of monoclinic Li2TiO3 phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of as-synthesized powder. The crystallite size of Li2TiO3 powder was calculated to be in the range of 15-80 nm, which varied as a function of urea composition and temperature. The morphology of as-prepared Li2TiO3 powders was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The effect of urea composition on phase and morphology was investigated so as to delineate the role of urea. Upon sintering at < 1000 °C temperature, the Li2TiO3 powder compact attained about 98% of the theoretical density with fine grained (grain size: 2-3 μm) microstructure. It indicates excellent sinter-ability of Li2TiO3 powder synthesized by the proposed method. The fine grained structure is desirable for better tritium breeding performance of Li2TiO3. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy at variable temperature showed good electrical properties of Li2TiO3. The proposed method is simple, anticipated to be cost effective and convenient to realise for large scale production of phase pure nanocrystalline and having significantly enhanced sinter-ability Li2TiO3 powder.

MgO-based adsorbents for CO2 adsorption: Influence of structural and textural properties on the CO2 adsorption performance.

PubMed

Elvira, Gutiérrez-Bonilla; Francisco, Granados-Correa; Víctor, Sánchez-Mendieta; Alberto, Morales-Luckie Raúl

2017-07-01

A series of MgO-based adsorbents were prepared through solution-combustion synthesis and ball-milling process. The prepared MgO-based powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, N 2 physisorption measurements, and employed as potential adsorbents for CO 2 adsorption. The influence of structural and textural properties of these adsorbents over the CO 2 adsorption behaviour was also investigated. The results showed that MgO-based products prepared by solution-combustion and ball-milling processes, were highly porous, fluffy, nanocrystalline structures in nature, which are unique physico-chemical properties that significantly contribute to enhance their CO 2 adsorption. It was found that the MgO synthesized by solution combustion process, using a molar ratio of urea to magnesium nitrate (2:1), and treated by ball-milling during 2.5hr (MgO-BM2.5h), exhibited the maximum CO 2 adsorption capacity of 1.611mmol/g at 25°C and 1atm, mainly via chemisorption. The CO 2 adsorption behaviour on the MgO-based adsorbents was correlated to their improved specific surface area, total pore volume, pore size distribution and crystallinity. The reusability of synthesized MgO-BM2.5h was confirmed by five consecutive CO 2 adsorption-desorption times, without any significant loss of performance, that supports the potential of MgO-based adsorbent. The results confirmed that the special features of MgO prepared by solution-combustion and treated by ball-milling during 2.5hr are favorable to be used as effective MgO-based adsorbent in post-combustion CO 2 capture technologies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Development Trends in Porous Adsorbents for Carbon Capture.

PubMed

Sreenivasulu, Bolisetty; Sreedhar, Inkollu; Suresh, Pathi; Raghavan, Kondapuram Vijaya

2015-11-03

Accumulation of greenhouse gases especially CO2 in the atmosphere leading to global warming with undesirable climate changes has been a serious global concern. Major power generation in the world is from coal based power plants. Carbon capture through pre- and post- combustion technologies with various technical options like adsorption, absorption, membrane separations, and chemical looping combustion with and without oxygen uncoupling have received considerable attention of researchers, environmentalists and the stake holders. Carbon capture from flue gases can be achieved with micro and meso porous adsorbents. This review covers carbonaceous (organic and metal organic frameworks) and noncarbonaceous (inorganic) porous adsorbents for CO2 adsorption at different process conditions and pore sizes. Focus is also given to noncarbonaceous micro and meso porous adsorbents in chemical looping combustion involving insitu CO2 capture at high temperature (>400 °C). Adsorption mechanisms, material characteristics, and synthesis methods are discussed. Attention is given to isosteric heats and characterization techniques. The options to enhance the techno-economic viability of carbon capture techniques by integrating with CO2 utilization to produce industrially important chemicals like ammonia and urea are analyzed. From the reader's perspective, for different classes of materials, each section has been summarized in the form of tables or figures to get a quick glance of the developments.

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Lllll of... - Initial Compliance With Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... auxiliary fuel achieving a THC destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent i. The THC destruction efficiency of..., and total hydrocarbon outlet concentrations over the performance test during which the THC destruction... table. c. Route the emissions to a combustion device that does not use auxiliary fuel achieving a THC...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Lllll of... - Initial Compliance With Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... auxiliary fuel achieving a THC destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent i. The THC destruction efficiency of..., and total hydrocarbon outlet concentrations over the performance test during which the THC destruction... table. c. Route the emissions to a combustion device that does not use auxiliary fuel achieving a THC...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Lllll of... - Initial Compliance With Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... auxiliary fuel achieving a THC destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent i. The THC destruction efficiency of..., and total hydrocarbon outlet concentrations over the performance test during which the THC destruction... table. c. Route the emissions to a combustion device that does not use auxiliary fuel achieving a THC...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Lllll of... - Initial Compliance With Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... auxiliary fuel achieving a THC destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent i. The THC destruction efficiency of..., and total hydrocarbon outlet concentrations over the performance test during which the THC destruction... table. c. Route the emissions to a combustion device that does not use auxiliary fuel achieving a THC...

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Lllll of... - Initial Compliance With Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... auxiliary fuel achieving a THC destruction efficiency of 95.8 percent i. The THC destruction efficiency of..., and total hydrocarbon outlet concentrations over the performance test during which the THC destruction... table. c. Route the emissions to a combustion device that does not use auxiliary fuel achieving a THC...

An emergency response mobile robot for operations in combustible atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Henry W. (Inventor); Ohm, Timothy R. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A mobile, self-powered, self-contained, and remote-controlled robot is presented. The robot is capable of safely operating in a combustible atmosphere and providing information about the atmosphere to the operator. The robot includes non-sparking and non-arcing electro-mechanical and electronic components designed to prevent the robot from igniting the combustible atmosphere. The robot also includes positively pressurized enclosures that house the electromechanical and electronic components of the robot and prevent intrusion of the combustible atmosphere into the enclosures. The enclosures are interconnected such that a pressurized gas injected into any one of the enclosures is routed to all the other enclosures through the interconnections. It is preferred that one or more sealed internal channels through structures intervening between the enclosures be employed. Pressure transducers for detecting if the pressure within the enclosures falls below a predetermined level are included. The robot also has a sensing device for determining the types of combustible substances in the surrounding atmosphere, as well as the concentrations of each type of substance relative to a pre-determined lower explosive limit (LEL). In addition, the sensing device can determine the percent level of oxygen present in the surrounding atmosphere.

Emergency response mobile robot for operations in combustible atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Henry W. (Inventor); Ohm, Timothy R. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A mobile, self-powered, self-contained, and remote-controlled robot is presented. The robot is capable of safely operating in a combustible atmosphere and providing information about the atmosphere to the operator. The robot includes non-sparking and non-arcing electro-mechanical and electronic components designed to prevent the robot from igniting the combustible atmosphere. The robot also includes positively pressurized enclosures that house the electromechanical and electronic components of the robot and prevent intrusion of the combustible atmosphere into the enclosures. The enclosures are interconnected such that a pressurized gas injected into any one of the enclosures is routed to all the other enclosures through the interconnections. It is preferred that one or more sealed internal channels through structures intervening between the enclosures be employed. Pressure transducers for detecting if the pressure within the enclosures falls below a predetermined level are included. The robot also has a sensing device for determining the types of combustible substances in the surrounding atmosphere, as well as the concentrations of each type of substance relative to a pre-determined lower explosive limit (LEL). In addition, the sensing device can determine the percent level of oxygen present in the surrounding atmosphere.

Co-combustion of E+E waste plastics in the TAMARA test plant

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

Vehlow, J.; Wanke, T.; Bergfeldt, B.

1997-12-01

The co-combustion of different amounts of various plastic fractions of electrical and electronic (E+E) waste together with municipal solid waste has been tested in the Karlsruhe test incinerator TAMARA. The tests revealed no negative influences upon the combustion process. In general the increased heating value of the fuel causes an improved burnout in all residue streams. The halogens Cl and Br added with the plastics are mainly transferred as HCl or HBr into the flue gas. An influence upon the formation of chlorinated dioxins and furans could not be observed. With increasing Br feed bromine containing homologues were detected inmore » the raw gas. The furans formed easier than the dioxins and those homologues carrying one Br atom were by far prevailing. Even at high Br input the total amount of mixed halogenated species was limited to approximately 30% of the total load of such compounds which did not leave the typical operation window for PCDD/PCDF in TAMARA. The co-combustion tests demonstrated that MSW combustion is an ecologically acceptable and economically sound disposal route for limited amounts of specific E+E waste.« less

An emergency response mobile robot for operations in combustible atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, Henry W.; Ohm, Timothy R.

1993-11-01

A mobile, self-powered, self-contained, and remote-controlled robot is presented. The robot is capable of safely operating in a combustible atmosphere and providing information about the atmosphere to the operator. The robot includes non-sparking and non-arcing electro-mechanical and electronic components designed to prevent the robot from igniting the combustible atmosphere. The robot also includes positively pressurized enclosures that house the electromechanical and electronic components of the robot and prevent intrusion of the combustible atmosphere into the enclosures. The enclosures are interconnected such that a pressurized gas injected into any one of the enclosures is routed to all the other enclosures through the interconnections. It is preferred that one or more sealed internal channels through structures intervening between the enclosures be employed. Pressure transducers for detecting if the pressure within the enclosures falls below a predetermined level are included. The robot also has a sensing device for determining the types of combustible substances in the surrounding atmosphere, as well as the concentrations of each type of substance relative to a pre-determined lower explosive limit (LEL). In addition, the sensing device can determine the percent level of oxygen present in the surrounding atmosphere.

Emergency response mobile robot for operations in combustible atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, Henry W.; Ohm, Timothy R.

1995-08-01

A mobile, self-powered, self-contained, and remote-controlled robot is presented. The robot is capable of safely operating in a combustible atmosphere and providing information about the atmosphere to the operator. The robot includes non-sparking and non-arcing electro-mechanical and electronic components designed to prevent the robot from igniting the combustible atmosphere. The robot also includes positively pressurized enclosures that house the electromechanical and electronic components of the robot and prevent intrusion of the combustible atmosphere into the enclosures. The enclosures are interconnected such that a pressurized gas injected into any one of the enclosures is routed to all the other enclosures through the interconnections. It is preferred that one or more sealed internal channels through structures intervening between the enclosures be employed. Pressure transducers for detecting if the pressure within the enclosures falls below a predetermined level are included. The robot also has a sensing device for determining the types of combustible substances in the surrounding atmosphere, as well as the concentrations of each type of substance relative to a pre-determined lower explosive limit (LEL). In addition, the sensing device can determine the percent level of oxygen present in the surrounding atmosphere.

Rare earth indates (RE: La-Yb): influence of the synthesis route and heat treatment on the crystal structure.

PubMed

Shukla, Rakesh; Grover, Vinita; Srinivasu, Kancharlapalli; Paul, Barnita; Roy, Anushree; Gupta, Ruma; Tyagi, Avesh Kumar

2018-05-15

Rare earth indates are an interesting class of compounds with rich crystallography. The present study explores the crystallographic phases observed in REInO3 (RE: La-Yb) systems and their dependence on synthesis routes and annealing temperature. All REInO3 compositions were synthesized by a solid state route as well as gel-combustion synthesis (GC) followed by annealing at different temperatures. The systems were well characterized by powder XRD studies and were analysed by Rietveld refinement for the structural parameters. The cell parameters were observed to decrease in accordance with the trend in ionic radii on proceeding from lighter to heavier rare earth ions. Interestingly, the synthesis route and the annealing temperature had a profound bearing on the phase relationships observed in the REInO3 series. The solid state synthesized samples depicted an orthorhombic phase (Pbnm) field for LaInO3 to SmInO3, followed by a hexagonal-type phase (P63cm) for GdInO3 to DyInO3. However, the phase field distribution was greatly influenced upon employing gel-combustion (GC) wherein both single-phasic hexagonal and orthorhombic phase fields were found to shrink. Annealing the GC-synthesized compositions to still higher temperatures (1250 °C) further evolved the phase boundaries. An important outcome of the study is observance of polymorphism in SmInO3 which crystallized in the hexagonal phase when synthesized by GC and orthorhombic phase by solid state synthesis. This reveals the all-important role played by synthesis conditions. The existence and energetics of the two polymorphs have been elucidated and discussed with the aid of theoretical studies.

Doping effects of Yb 3+ on the crystal structures, nanoparticle properties and electrical behaviors of ZrO 2 derived from a facile urea-based hydrothermal route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ya-Wen; Sun, Xiao; Xu, Gang; Yan, Chun-Hua

2004-06-01

Weakly-agglomerated nanocrystalline (ZrO 2) 1- x(Yb 2O 3) x ( x=0.02-0.2) powders with high surface area (109-151 m 2 g -1) were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal process in the presence of urea: a stock solution of metal nitrates and urea was heated at 80 °C for 24 h and then at 180 °C for 48 h. For x=0.04-0.2, the as-derived powders were an assembly of uniform nanoparticles with well-defined edges in the size between 6.1-8.4 nm. Before and after calcination at 800 °C, the lattice parameters, microstrain and surface area of the (ZrO 2) 1- x(Yb 2O 3) x samples tended to increase with Yb 3+ concentration; while, the average crystallite size decreased correspondingly. In the Arrhenius plots over the measurement temperature range of 400-800 °C, the bulk ionic conductivity of the compacts sintered at 1400 °C for 24 h showed a maximum value at the composition of x=0.08 in cubic structure, with an activation energy of 0.89 eV. At 800 °C, σb=0.049 S cm -1 for x=0.08.

A new route for the prebiotic synthesis of nucleobases and hydantoins in water/ice solutions involving the photochemistry of acetylene.

PubMed

Menor-Salván, César; Marín-Yaseli, Margarita R

2013-05-10

The origin of nucleobases and other heterocycles is a classic question in the chemistry of the origins of life. The construction of laboratory models for the abiotic synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles in plausible natural conditions also aids the understanding and prediction of chemical species in the Solar System. Here, we report a new explanation for the origin of hydantoins, purines, and pyrimidines in eutectic water/ice/urea solutions driven by ultraviolet irradiation (in the 185-254 nm range, UVC) of acetylene under anoxic conditions. An analysis of the products indicates the synthesis of hydantoin and 5-hydroxyhydantoin, the purines uric acid, xanthine, and guanine, and the pyrimidines uracil and cytosine. The synthesis occurred together with the photo-oxidation of bases in a complex process for which possible pathways are proposed. In conclusion, an acetylene-containing atmosphere could contribute to the origin of nucleobases in the presence of a urea/water system by an HCN-independent mechanism. The presence of ice has a dual role as a favorable medium for the synthesis of nucleobases and protection against degradation and as a source of free radicals for the synthesis of highly oxidized heterocycles. A mechanism for the origin of hydantoins and uracil from urea in plausible conditions for prebiotic chemistry is also proposed. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantum Chemical Molecular Dynamics Simulations of 1,3-Dichloropropene Combustion.

PubMed

Ahubelem, Nwakamma; Shah, Kalpit; Moghtaderi, Behdad; Page, Alister J

2015-09-03

Oxidative decomposition of 1,3-dichloropropene was investigated using quantum chemical molecular dynamics (QM/MD) at 1500 and 3000 K. Thermal oxidation of 1,3-dichloropropene was initiated by (1) abstraction of allylic H/Cl by O2 and (2) intra-annular C-Cl bond scission and elimination of allylic Cl. A kinetic analysis shows that (2) is the more dominant initiation pathway, in agreement with QM/MD results. These QM/MD simulations reveal new routes to the formation of major products (H2O, CO, HCl, CO2), which are propagated primarily by the chloroperoxy (ClO2), OH, and 1,3-dichloropropene derived radicals. In particular, intra-annular C-C/C-H bond dissociation reactions of intermediate aldehydes/ketones are shown to play a dominant role in the formation of CO and CO2. Our simulations demonstrate that both combustion temperature and radical concentration can influence the product yield, however not the combustion mechanism.

Advanced Biofuels and Beyond: Chemistry Solutions for Propulsion and Production.

PubMed

Leitner, Walter; Klankermayer, Jürgen; Pischinger, Stefan; Pitsch, Heinz; Kohse-Höinghaus, Katharina

2017-05-08

Sustainably produced biofuels, especially when they are derived from lignocellulosic biomass, are being discussed intensively for future ground transportation. Traditionally, research activities focus on the synthesis process, while leaving their combustion properties to be evaluated by a different community. This Review adopts an integrative view of engine combustion and fuel synthesis, focusing on chemical aspects as the common denominator. It will be demonstrated that a fundamental understanding of the combustion process can be instrumental to derive design criteria for the molecular structure of fuel candidates, which can then be targets for the analysis of synthetic pathways and the development of catalytic production routes. With such an integrative approach to fuel design, it will be possible to improve systematically the entire system, spanning biomass feedstock, conversion process, fuel, engine, and pollutants with a view to improve the carbon footprint, increase efficiency, and reduce emissions. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Aqueous Combustion Synthesis and Characterization of Nanosized Tetragonal Zirconia Single Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, B. S. B.; Mal, Indrajit; Tewari, Shanideep; Das, Karabi; Das, Siddhartha

2007-08-01

Nanocrystalline zirconia powder has been synthesized by an aqueous combustion synthesis route using glycine as fuel and nitrate as oxidizer. The powders have been prepared by using different glycine to zirconyl nitrate molar ratios (G/N). The powders produced with different G/N ratios have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine the parameters resulting from powder with attractive properties. The theoretical combustion temperature (T ad ) has been calculated for different G/N ratios, and it is correlated with powder characteristics. An attempt is also made to explain the stability of tetragonal zirconia on the basis of extrinsic factors such as the morphology of nanocrystallites. Nanocrystalline metastable tetragonal zirconia (˜25 nm) powder (TZ) with disc-shaped morphology has been produced with a weak agglomeration in fuel deficient mixtures.

Rapid starting methanol reactor system

DOEpatents

Chludzinski, Paul J.; Dantowitz, Philip; McElroy, James F.

1984-01-01

The invention relates to a methanol-to-hydrogen cracking reactor for use with a fuel cell vehicular power plant. The system is particularly designed for rapid start-up of the catalytic methanol cracking reactor after an extended shut-down period, i.e., after the vehicular fuel cell power plant has been inoperative overnight. Rapid system start-up is accomplished by a combination of direct and indirect heating of the cracking catalyst. Initially, liquid methanol is burned with a stoichiometric or slightly lean air mixture in the combustion chamber of the reactor assembly. The hot combustion gas travels down a flue gas chamber in heat exchange relationship with the catalytic cracking chamber transferring heat across the catalyst chamber wall to heat the catalyst indirectly. The combustion gas is then diverted back through the catalyst bed to heat the catalyst pellets directly. When the cracking reactor temperature reaches operating temperature, methanol combustion is stopped and a hot gas valve is switched to route the flue gas overboard, with methanol being fed directly to the catalytic cracking reactor. Thereafter, the burner operates on excess hydrogen from the fuel cells.

Synthesis characterization and luminescence studies of gamma irradiated nanocrystalline yttrium oxide.

PubMed

Shivaramu, N J; Lakshminarasappa, B N; Nagabhushana, K R; Singh, Fouran

2016-02-05

Nanocrystalline Y2O3 is synthesized by solution combustion technique using urea and glycine as fuels. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of as prepared sample shows amorphous nature while annealed samples show cubic nature. The average crystallite size is calculated using Scherrer's formula and is found to be in the range 14-30 nm for samples synthesized using urea and 15-20 nm for samples synthesized using glycine respectively. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) image of 1173 K annealed Y2O3 samples show well separated spherical shape particles and the average particle size is found to be in the range 28-35 nm. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy reveals a stretching of Y-O bond. Electron spin resonance (ESR) shows V(-) center, O2(-) and Y(2+) defects. A broad photoluminescence (PL) emission with peak at ~386nm is observed when the sample is excited with 252 nm. Thermoluminescence (TL) properties of γ-irradiated Y2O3 nanopowder are studied at a heating rate of 5 K s(-1). The samples prepared by using urea show a prominent and well resolved peak at ~383 K and a weak one at ~570 K. It is also found that TL glow peak intensity (I(m1)) at ~383 K increases with increase in γ-dose up to ~6.0 kGy and then decreases with increase in dose. However, glycine used Y2O3 shows a prominent TL glow with peaks at 396 K and 590 K. Among the fuels, urea used Y2O3 shows simple and well resolved TL glows. This might be due to fuel and hence particle size effect. The kinetic parameters are calculated by Chen's glow curve peak shape method and results are discussed in detail. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Greener Route for Synthesis of aryl and alkyl-14H-dibenzo [a.j] xanthenes using Graphene Oxide-Copper Ferrite Nanocomposite as a Recyclable Heterogeneous Catalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Aniket; Rout, Lipeeka; Achary, Lakkoji Satish Kumar; Dhaka, Rajendra. S.; Dash, Priyabrat

2017-02-01

A facile, efficient and environmentally-friendly protocol for the synthesis of xanthenes by graphene oxide based nanocomposite (GO-CuFe2O4) has been developed by one-pot condensation route. The nanocomposite was designed by decorating copper ferrite nanoparticles on graphene oxide (GO) surface via a solution combustion route without the use of template. The as-synthesized GO-CuFe2O4 composite was comprehensively characterized by XRD, FTIR, Raman, SEM, EDX, HRTEM with EDS mapping, XPS, N2 adsorption-desorption and ICP-OES techniques. This nanocomposite was then used in an operationally simple, cost effective, efficient and environmentally benign synthesis of 14H-dibenzo xanthene under solvent free condition. The present approach offers several advantages such as short reaction times, high yields, easy purification, a cleaner reaction, ease of recovery and reusability of the catalyst by a magnetic field. Based upon various controlled reaction results, a possible mechanism for xanthene synthesis over GO-CuFe2O4 catalyst was proposed. The superior catalytic activity of the GO-CuFe2O4 nanocomposite can be attributed to the synergistic interaction between GO and CuFe2O4 nanoparticles, high surface area and presence of small sized CuFe2O4 NPs. This versatile GO-CuFe2O4 nanocomposite synthesized via combustion method holds great promise for applications in wide range of industrially important catalytic reactions.

A Green Protocol for Synthesis of MAl2O4, [M=Cu and Co] Spinels Under Microwave Irradiation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuvasravana, R.; George, P. P.

Nanosized metal aluminates MAl2O4, [M=Cu and Co] are synthesized from their nitrates solution by using pomegranate peel extract as fuel in microwave combustion. MAl2O4 [M=Cu and Co] nanoparticles are grown in microwave assisted synthesis followed by annealing at 700∘C. The nanoparticles have been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-VIS spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The PXRD analysis has confirmed their spinel composition. The green protocol and microwave combustion route for spinel synthesis are rapid, simple, without any hazardous chemicals as reducing or stabilizing agents and economical.

Combustion Synthesis of Graphene from Waste Paper for High Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singu, Dayakar Chowdary; Joseph, B.; Velmurugan, V.; Ravuri, Syamsai; Grace, A. Nirmala

Incessant streak of unsuccessful attempts to synthesize low cost graphene with larger flake size and purity is frequently reported. Any reported methods that result in few layers of graphene with minimal contamination are definitive to exist. In this work, graphene was prepared economically from source of “paper” and detailed investigation was done on the effect of synthesizing parameters like paper source, temperature and amount of urea in the formation of graphene. This is a cost effective method, in which the paper that we use in our daily life was carbonized with the help of urea at a temperature of 850∘C under N2 atmosphere. The paper source was varied, shape of the paper was altered and the graphene paper with large surface area was synthesized without smudging and the prepared graphene paper was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for its structural, morphological investigation. To test the supercapacitance performance, electrochemical behavior was investigated in 6M KOH electrolyte. The specific capacitance of 1122F/g was obtained at 5mV/s scan rate. Chronopotentiometry curves showed an excellent cyclic stability with higher charge/discharge duration and hence could be used for electrochemical supercapacitor applications.

Effect of variable cerium concentration on photoluminescence behaviour in ZrO2 phosphor synthesized by combustion synthesis method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubey, Vikas; Kaur, Jagjeet

2016-05-01

Present paper reports synthesis and characterization of trivalent cerium (Ce3+) doped zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) phosphors. Effect of variable concentration of cerium on photoluminescence (PL) is studied. Samples were prepared by combustion synthesis technique which is suitable for less time taking techniques also for large scale production for phosphors. Starting material used for sample preparation are Zr(NO3)3 and Ce(NO3)3 and urea used as a fuel. All prepared phosphor with variable concentration of Ce3+ (0.1 to 2mol%) was studied by photoluminescence analysis it is found that the excitation spectra of prepared phosphor shows broad excitation centred at 390nm. The excitation spectra with variable concentration of Ce3+ show strong peaks at 447nm. Spectrophotometric determinations of peaks are evaluated by Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage technique. Using this phosphor, the desired CIE values including emissions throughout the violet (390 nm) and blue (427 nm) of the spectra were achieved. Efficient blue light emitting diodes were fabricated using Ce3+ doped phosphor based on near ultraviolet (NUV) excited LED lights.

Comparison Between Numerically Simulated and Experimentally Measured Flowfield Quantities Behind a Pulsejet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geng, Tao; Paxson, Daniel E.; Zheng, Fei; Kuznetsov, Andrey V.; Roberts, William L.

2008-01-01

Pulsed combustion is receiving renewed interest as a potential route to higher performance in air breathing propulsion systems. Pulsejets offer a simple experimental device with which to study unsteady combustion phenomena and validate simulations. Previous computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation work focused primarily on the pulsejet combustion and exhaust processes. This paper describes a new inlet sub-model which simulates the fluidic and mechanical operation of a valved pulsejet head. The governing equations for this sub-model are described. Sub-model validation is provided through comparisons of simulated and experimentally measured reed valve motion, and time averaged inlet mass flow rate. The updated pulsejet simulation, with the inlet sub-model implemented, is validated through comparison with experimentally measured combustion chamber pressure, inlet mass flow rate, operational frequency, and thrust. Additionally, the simulated pulsejet exhaust flowfield, which is dominated by a starting vortex ring, is compared with particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) measurements on the bases of velocity, vorticity, and vortex location. The results show good agreement between simulated and experimental data. The inlet sub-model is shown to be critical for the successful modeling of pulsejet operation. This sub-model correctly predicts both the inlet mass flow rate and its phase relationship with the combustion chamber pressure. As a result, the predicted pulsejet thrust agrees very well with experimental data.

Intelligent emissions controller for substance injection in the post-primary combustion zone of fossil-fired boilers

DOEpatents

Reifman, Jaques; Feldman, Earl E.; Wei, Thomas Y. C.; Glickert, Roger W.

2003-01-01

The control of emissions from fossil-fired boilers wherein an injection of substances above the primary combustion zone employs multi-layer feedforward artificial neural networks for modeling static nonlinear relationships between the distribution of injected substances into the upper region of the furnace and the emissions exiting the furnace. Multivariable nonlinear constrained optimization algorithms use the mathematical expressions from the artificial neural networks to provide the optimal substance distribution that minimizes emission levels for a given total substance injection rate. Based upon the optimal operating conditions from the optimization algorithms, the incremental substance cost per unit of emissions reduction, and the open-market price per unit of emissions reduction, the intelligent emissions controller allows for the determination of whether it is more cost-effective to achieve additional increments in emission reduction through the injection of additional substance or through the purchase of emission credits on the open market. This is of particular interest to fossil-fired electrical power plant operators. The intelligent emission controller is particularly adapted for determining the economical control of such pollutants as oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x) and carbon monoxide (CO) emitted by fossil-fired boilers by the selective introduction of multiple inputs of substances (such as natural gas, ammonia, oil, water-oil emulsion, coal-water slurry and/or urea, and combinations of these substances) above the primary combustion zone of fossil-fired boilers.

Lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI): a multi organ disease by far more complex than a classic urea cycle disorder.

PubMed

Ogier de Baulny, Hélène; Schiff, Manuel; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo

2012-05-01

Lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI) is an inherited defect of cationic amino acid (lysine, arginine and ornithine) transport at the basolateral membrane of intestinal and renal tubular cells caused by mutations in SLC7A7 encoding the y(+)LAT1 protein. LPI has long been considered a relatively benign urea cycle disease, when appropriately treated with low-protein diet and l-citrulline supplementation. However, the severe clinical course of this disorder suggests that LPI should be regarded as a severe multisystem disease with uncertain outcome. Specifically, immune dysfunction potentially attributable to nitric oxide (NO) overproduction secondary to arginine intracellular trapping (due to defective efflux from the cell) might be a crucial pathophysiological route explaining many of LPI complications. The latter comprise severe lung disease with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, renal disease, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with subsequent activation of macrophages, various auto-immune disorders and an incompletely characterized immune deficiency. These results have several therapeutic implications, among which lowering the l-citrulline dosage may be crucial, as excessive citrulline may worsen intracellular arginine accumulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PM10 source apportionment applying PMF and chemical tracer analysis to ship-borne measurements in the Western Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bove, M. C.; Brotto, P.; Calzolai, G.; Cassola, F.; Cavalli, F.; Fermo, P.; Hjorth, J.; Massabò, D.; Nava, S.; Piazzalunga, A.; Schembari, C.; Prati, P.

2016-01-01

A PM10 sampling campaign was carried out on board the cruise ship Costa Concordia during three weeks in summer 2011. The ship route was Civitavecchia-Savona-Barcelona-Palma de Mallorca-Malta (Valletta)-Palermo-Civitavecchia. The PM10 composition was measured and utilized to identify and characterize the main PM10 sources along the ship route through receptor modelling, making use of the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) algorithm. A particular attention was given to the emissions related to heavy fuel oil combustion by ships, which is known to be also an important source of secondary sulphate aerosol. Five aerosol sources were resolved by the PMF analysis. The primary contribution of ship emissions to PM10 turned out to be (12 ± 4)%, while secondary ammonium sulphate contributed by (35 ± 5)%. Approximately, 60% of the total sulphate was identified as secondary aerosol while about 20% was attributed to heavy oil combustion in ship engines. The measured concentrations of methanesulphonic acid (MSA) indicated a relevant contribution to the observed sulphate loading by biogenic sulphate, formed by the atmospheric oxidation of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) emitted by marine phytoplankton.

Hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon derived from the activation of agriculture waste by potassium hydroxide and urea for high-performance supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Kaixiang; Deng, Yuanfu; Chen, Juping; Qian, Yunqian; Yang, Yuewang; Li, Yingwei; Chen, Guohua

2018-02-01

Nitrogen-doped carbon with an ultra-high specific surface area and a hierarchically interconnected porous structure is synthesized in large scale from a green route, that is, the activation of bagasse via a one-step method using KOH and urea. KOH and urea play a synergistic effect for the enhancement of the specific surface area and the modification of pore size of the as-prepared material. Benefiting from the multiple synergistic roles originated from an ultra-high specific area (2905.4 m2 g-1), a high porous volume (2.05 mL g-1 with 75.6 vol% micropores, which is an ideal proportion of micropores for obtaining high specific capacitance), a suitable nitrogen content (2.63 wt%), and partial graphitization, the hierarchically interconnected porous N-doped carbon exhibits an excellent electrochemical performance with a high specific capacitance (350.8, 301.9, and 259.5 F g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 in acidic, alkaline, and neutral electrolytes, respectively), superior rate capability and excellent cycling stability (almost no capacitance loss up to 5000 cycles). Furthermore, the symmetric device assembled by this material achieves high energy densities of 39.1 and 23.5 Wh kg-1 at power densities of 1.0 and 20 kW kg-1, respectively, and exhibits an excellent long-term cycling stability (with capacitance retention above 95.0% after 10 000 cycles).

Nicotine, acetanilide and urea multi-level 2H-, 13C- and 15N-abundance reference materials for continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Schimmelmann, Arndt; Albertino, Andrea; Sauer, Peter E; Qi, Haiping; Molinie, Roland; Mesnard, François

2009-11-01

Accurate determinations of stable isotope ratios require a calibration using at least two reference materials with different isotopic compositions to anchor the isotopic scale and compensate for differences in machine slope. Ideally, the delta values of these reference materials should bracket the isotopic range of samples with unknown delta values. While the practice of analyzing two isotopically distinct reference materials is common for water (VSMOW-SLAP) and carbonates (NBS 19 and L-SVEC), the lack of widely available organic reference materials with distinct isotopic composition has hindered the practice when analyzing organic materials by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). At present only L-glutamic acids USGS40 and USGS41 satisfy these requirements for delta13C and delta15N, with the limitation that L-glutamic acid is not suitable for analysis by gas chromatography (GC). We describe the development and quality testing of (i) four nicotine laboratory reference materials for on-line (i.e. continuous flow) hydrogen reductive gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-IRMS), (ii) five nicotines for oxidative C, N gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS, or GC-IRMS), and (iii) also three acetanilide and three urea reference materials for on-line oxidative EA-IRMS for C and N. Isotopic off-line calibration against international stable isotope measurement standards at Indiana University adhered to the 'principle of identical treatment'. The new reference materials cover the following isotopic ranges: delta2H(nicotine) -162 to -45 per thousand, delta13C(nicotine) -30.05 to +7.72 per thousand, delta15N(nicotine) -6.03 to +33.62 per thousand; delta15N(acetanilide) +1.18 to +40.57 per thousand; delta13C(urea) -34.13 to +11.71 per thousand, delta15N(urea) +0.26 to +40.61 per thousand (recommended delta values refer to calibration with NBS 19, L-SVEC, IAEA-N-1, and IAEA-N-2). Nicotines fill a gap as the first organic nitrogen stable isotope reference materials for GC-IRMS that are available with different delta15N values. Comparative delta13C and delta15N on-line EA-IRMS data from 14 volunteering laboratories document the usefulness and reliability of acetanilides and ureas as EA-IRMS reference materials. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reduced toxicity of diuron to the freshwater green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata in the presence of black carbon.

PubMed

Knauer, Katja; Sobek, Anna; Bucheli, Thomas D

2007-06-15

Black carbon (BC) is known to act as supersorbent for many organic contaminants. Its presence in surface waters at a level of a few mg/L, which may occur, e.g., after storm events in urban areas, might result in a reduced bioavailability of many contaminants and thus greatly impact their potential toxicity. Photosynthesis-inhibiting phenyl urea derivatives, such as diuron, are widely used as herbicides and diuron is regularly measured in European freshwater systems. In this study, the toxicity of diuron to the freshwater green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was investigated in the presence of BC in its native and combusted form. As a toxicity endpoint, the in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence was determined and used to indicate the bioavailability of diuron. Fifty milligrams native BC/L reduced effects of 5mugdiuron/L on photosynthesis by 10+/-2%, whereas photosynthesis was completely restored in the presence of the same concentration of combusted BC, suggesting a significantly enhanced adsorption of diuron to the BC fraction compared to the organic carbon fraction. Assuming an environmentally realistic concentration of approximately 1.5mg of combusted BC/L, diuron toxicity would be reduced by approximately 20% in surface waters due to the presence of BC. Higher BC concentrations after storm events might reduce the toxicity even further. A calculation of the Freundlich sorption coefficient K(F,BC,tox) via the toxicity endpoint, resulted in a log K(F,BC,tox) of the combusted BC of 5.7, which is comparable to values obtained by classical sorption experiments. This study contributes to a refined risk assessment of micropollutants in surface waters taking into account the presence of potentially relevant sorbents and, consequently, reduced bioavailability.

Spray-combustion synthesis: Efficient solution route to high-performance oxide transistors

PubMed Central

Yu, Xinge; Smith, Jeremy; Zhou, Nanjia; Zeng, Li; Guo, Peijun; Xia, Yu; Alvarez, Ana; Aghion, Stefano; Lin, Hui; Yu, Junsheng; Chang, Robert P. H.; Bedzyk, Michael J.; Ferragut, Rafael; Marks, Tobin J.; Facchetti, Antonio

2015-01-01

Metal-oxide (MO) semiconductors have emerged as enabling materials for next generation thin-film electronics owing to their high carrier mobilities, even in the amorphous state, large-area uniformity, low cost, and optical transparency, which are applicable to flat-panel displays, flexible circuitry, and photovoltaic cells. Impressive progress in solution-processed MO electronics has been achieved using methodologies such as sol gel, deep-UV irradiation, preformed nanostructures, and combustion synthesis. Nevertheless, because of incomplete lattice condensation and film densification, high-quality solution-processed MO films having technologically relevant thicknesses achievable in a single step have yet to be shown. Here, we report a low-temperature, thickness-controlled coating process to create high-performance, solution-processed MO electronics: spray-combustion synthesis (SCS). We also report for the first time, to our knowledge, indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) transistors having densification, nanoporosity, electron mobility, trap densities, bias stability, and film transport approaching those of sputtered films and compatible with conventional fabrication (FAB) operations. PMID:25733848

Spray-combustion synthesis: efficient solution route to high-performance oxide transistors.

PubMed

Yu, Xinge; Smith, Jeremy; Zhou, Nanjia; Zeng, Li; Guo, Peijun; Xia, Yu; Alvarez, Ana; Aghion, Stefano; Lin, Hui; Yu, Junsheng; Chang, Robert P H; Bedzyk, Michael J; Ferragut, Rafael; Marks, Tobin J; Facchetti, Antonio

2015-03-17

Metal-oxide (MO) semiconductors have emerged as enabling materials for next generation thin-film electronics owing to their high carrier mobilities, even in the amorphous state, large-area uniformity, low cost, and optical transparency, which are applicable to flat-panel displays, flexible circuitry, and photovoltaic cells. Impressive progress in solution-processed MO electronics has been achieved using methodologies such as sol gel, deep-UV irradiation, preformed nanostructures, and combustion synthesis. Nevertheless, because of incomplete lattice condensation and film densification, high-quality solution-processed MO films having technologically relevant thicknesses achievable in a single step have yet to be shown. Here, we report a low-temperature, thickness-controlled coating process to create high-performance, solution-processed MO electronics: spray-combustion synthesis (SCS). We also report for the first time, to our knowledge, indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) transistors having densification, nanoporosity, electron mobility, trap densities, bias stability, and film transport approaching those of sputtered films and compatible with conventional fabrication (FAB) operations.

Layered zinc hydroxide nanocones: synthesis, facile morphological and structural modification, and properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Wei; Ma, Renzhi; Liang, Jianbo; Wang, Chengxiang; Liu, Xiaohe; Zhou, Kechao; Sasaki, Takayoshi

2014-10-01

Layered zinc hydroxide nanocones intercalated with DS- have been synthesized for the first time via a convenient synthetic approach, using homogeneous precipitation in the presence of urea and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). SDS plays a significant role in controlling the morphologies of as-synthesized samples. Conical samples intercalated with various anions were transformed through an anion-exchange route in ethanol solution, and the original conical structure was perfectly maintained. Additionally, these DS--inserted nanocones can be transformed into square-like nanoplates in aqueous solution at room temperature, fulfilling the need for different morphology-dependent properties. Corresponding ZnO nanocones and nanoplates have been further obtained through the thermal calcination of NO3--intercalating zinc hydroxide nanocones/nanoplates. These ZnO nanostructures with different morphologies exhibit promising photocatalytic properties.Layered zinc hydroxide nanocones intercalated with DS- have been synthesized for the first time via a convenient synthetic approach, using homogeneous precipitation in the presence of urea and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). SDS plays a significant role in controlling the morphologies of as-synthesized samples. Conical samples intercalated with various anions were transformed through an anion-exchange route in ethanol solution, and the original conical structure was perfectly maintained. Additionally, these DS--inserted nanocones can be transformed into square-like nanoplates in aqueous solution at room temperature, fulfilling the need for different morphology-dependent properties. Corresponding ZnO nanocones and nanoplates have been further obtained through the thermal calcination of NO3--intercalating zinc hydroxide nanocones/nanoplates. These ZnO nanostructures with different morphologies exhibit promising photocatalytic properties. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Typical SEM images, TGA curves and XRD patterns of as-prepared samples. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04166f

A novel low cost non-aqueous chemical route for giant dielectric constant CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Laxman; Kim, Ill Won; Woo, Won Seok; Sin, Byung Cheol; Lee, Hyung-il; Lee, Youngil

2015-05-01

This paper reports a simple, fast, low cost and environment-friendly route for preparing a highly crystalline giant dielectric material, CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO), through combustion of metal nitrates in non-aqueous precursor solution using inexpensive solid TiO2 powder. The route to producing pure phase CCTO ceramic using stable solid TiO2 is better than other several sol-gel routes reported earlier in which expensive alkoxides, oxynitrates, or chlorides of titanium are used as the titanium sources. X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of cubic perovskite CCTO. Scanning electron microscopy image showed the average grain sizes in the range of 1.5-5 μm. At 10 kHz and room temperature, the best CCTO ceramic exhibited a high dielectric constant, ε‧ ∼43325.24, with low dielectric loss, tan δ ∼0.088. The dielectric relaxation behavior was rationalized from impedance and modulus studies and the presence of a non-Debye type of relaxation was confirmed.

Investigation of nanocrystalline zinc chromite obtained by two soft chemical routes

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

Gingasu, Dana; Mindru, Ioana, E-mail: imandru@yahoo.com; Culita, Daniela C.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Two soft chemical routes to synthesize zinc chromites are described. • Glycine is used as chelating agent (precursor method) and fuel (solution combustion method). • The synthesized chromites have crystallite size in the range of 18–27 nm. • An antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition is observed at about T{sub N} ∼ 18 K. - Abstract: Zinc chromite (ZnCr{sub 2}O{sub 4}) nanocrystalline powders were obtained by two different chemical routes: the precursor method and the solution combustion method involving glycine-nitrates. The complex compound precursors, [ZnCr{sub 2}(NH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}COO){sub 8}]·9H{sub 2}O and [ZnCr{sub 2}(NH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}COOH){sub 4.5}]·(NO{sub 3}){sub 8}·6H{submore » 2}O, were characterized by chemical analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) and thermal analysis. The structure, morphology, surface chemistry and magnetic properties of ZnCr{sub 2}O{sub 4} powders were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared and Raman spectroscopy (RS), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) and magnetic measurements. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated the chromite spinel phase with good crystallinity and an average crystallite size of approximately 18–27 nm. The band gap values ranged between 3.31 and 3.33 eV. The magnetic measurements indicated an antiferromagnetic transition at T{sub N} ∼ 17.5/18 K.« less

Using human urine as food for cyanobacteria in LSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalacheva, Galina; Gribovskaya, Iliada; Kolmakova, Angela

In biological LSS: human, higher plants, algae, united by common cycle of matter, native human urine is the most problematic substance for using in inter-link exchange. It contains urea, ammonium compounds and up to 10 g/l of NaCl. Each of the mentioned components is toxic for growing higher plants. As for inferior plants, experiments showed that cyanobacteria of genus Spirulina platensis and similar genus Oscillatoria deflexa can grow at NaCl concentrations up to 20 g/l and NH4Cl concentrations up to 800 mg/l. These cyanobacteria can be used in LSS as a photosynthesizing link. Besides, S. platensis is edible for humans and fish. To use urine as food for algae, it is necessary to remove urea and organics. All previously used methods for urine treatment aimed at urea destruction: heating to 300oC, ultraviolet exposure, freezing, oxidation on reactor with hydrogen peroxide, had no effect. We used the following method of urine treatment: urine evaporation till dry residue, subsequent combustion in muffle furnace at 450-500oC and creation of ash water extract of the same volume as the initial urine. Comparison of standard Zarrouk's solution for S. platensis and O. deflexa with the water extract of urine ash showed that the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, P, S were similar. Successful experiments were made with O. deflexa that were grown on nutrient solution made of the water extract of urine ash with 10 g/l of NaHCO3 and 2 g/l of NaNO3. The sources of intersystem production of HCO3 and NO3 were shown, and the biochemical composition of the investigated algae species, including mineral composition, protein, carbohydrate, amino acid, lipid and vitamin content were studied.

Bubble template synthesis of Sn2Nb2O7 hollow spheres for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production.

PubMed

Zhou, Chao; Zhao, Yufei; Bian, Tong; Shang, Lu; Yu, Huijun; Wu, Li-Zhu; Tung, Chen-Ho; Zhang, Tierui

2013-10-28

Hierarchical Sn2Nb2O7 hollow spheres were prepared for the first time via a facile hydrothermal route using bubbles generated in situ from the decomposition of urea as soft templates. The as-obtained hollow spheres with a large specific surface area of 58.3 m(2) g(-1) show improved visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2 production activity in lactic acid aqueous solutions, about 4 times higher than that of the bulk Sn2Nb2O7 sample prepared by a conventional high temperature solid state reaction method.

Evaluation of materials proposed for use in space flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, W. C.

1981-01-01

The primary irritancy and allergenicity of flame resistant treated cotton knit shirts proposed for use in space flight were evaluated. The knitted shirts were supplied by NASA as follows: knitted shirts with collars were made of two-ply mercerized single-knit cotton jersey. The fabric was treated with tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium hydroxide and subsequently cured with gaseous ammonia (THPOH/NH3). The final treatment comprised adding on diammonium phosphate (DAP)/urea. The treated fabric was process scoured to remove extraneous materials, top softened and mechanically or chemically finished as required for specific needs. Diammonium phosphate is a more efficient flame inhabitant than the phosphonium; thus, the combination treatment served to impart higher resistance to ignition and sustained combustion as required by NASA test standard.

Novel Route for Agmatine Catabolism in Aspergillus niger Involves 4-Guanidinobutyrase

PubMed Central

Kumar, Sunil; Saragadam, Tejaswani

2015-01-01

Agmatine, a significant polyamine in bacteria and plants, mostly arises from the decarboxylation of arginine. The functional importance of agmatine in fungi is poorly understood. The metabolism of agmatine and related guanidinium group-containing compounds in Aspergillus niger was explored through growth, metabolite, and enzyme studies. The fungus was able to metabolize and grow on l-arginine, agmatine, or 4-guanidinobutyrate as the sole nitrogen source. Whereas arginase defined the only route for arginine catabolism, biochemical and bioinformatics approaches suggested the absence of arginine decarboxylase in A. niger. Efficient utilization by the parent strain and also by its arginase knockout implied an arginase-independent catabolic route for agmatine. Urea and 4-guanidinobutyrate were detected in the spent medium during growth on agmatine. The agmatine-grown A. niger mycelia contained significant levels of amine oxidase, 4-guanidinobutyraldehyde dehydrogenase, 4-guanidinobutyrase (GBase), and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, but no agmatinase activity was detected. Taken together, the results support a novel route for agmatine utilization in A. niger. The catabolism of agmatine by way of 4-guanidinobutyrate to 4-aminobutyrate into the Krebs cycle is the first report of such a pathway in any organism. A. niger GBase peptide fragments were identified by tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The corresponding open reading frame from the A. niger NCIM 565 genome was located and cloned. Subsequent expression of GBase in both Escherichia coli and A. niger along with its disruption in A. niger functionally defined the GBase locus (gbu) in the A. niger genome. PMID:26048930

In-vitro bioactivity, biocompatibility and dissolution studies of diopside prepared from biowaste by using sol-gel combustion method.

PubMed

Choudhary, Rajan; Vecstaudza, Jana; Krishnamurithy, G; Raghavendran, Hanumantha Rao Balaji; Murali, Malliga Raman; Kamarul, Tunku; Swamiappan, Sasikumar; Locs, Janis

2016-11-01

Diopside was synthesized from biowaste (Eggshell) by sol-gel combustion method at low calcination temperature and the influence of two different fuels (urea, l-alanine) on the phase formation temperature, physical and biological properties of the resultant diopside was studied. The synthesized materials were characterized by heating microscopy, FTIR, XRD, BET, SEM and EDAX techniques. BET analysis reveals particles were of submicron size with porosity in the nanometer range. Bone-like apatite deposition ability of diopside scaffolds was examined under static and circulation mode of SBF (Simulated Body Fluid). It was noticed that diopside has the capability to deposit HAP (hydroxyapatite) within the early stages of immersion. ICP-OES analysis indicates release of Ca, Mg, Si ions and removal of P ions from the SBF, but in different quantities from diopside scaffolds. Cytocompatability studies on human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) revealed good cellular attachment on the surface of diopside scaffolds and formation of extracellular matrix (ECM). This study suggests that the usage of eggshell biowaste as calcium source provides an effective substitute for synthetic starting materials to fabricate bioproducts for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Salt-assistant combustion synthesis of nanocrystalline Nd{sub 2}(Zr{sub 1-x}Sn{sub x}){sub 2}O{sub 7} (0 {<=} x {<=} 1) solid solutions

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

Tong Yuping, E-mail: huabeitong@yahoo.cn; Wang Yanping

2009-11-15

Nanocrystalline Nd{sub 2}(Zr{sub 1-x}Sn{sub x}){sub 2}O{sub 7} series solid solutions were prepared by a convenient salt-assisted combustion process using glycine as fuel. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results showed the Zr ion can be partially replaced by Sn ion. The partial substituted products were still single-phase solid solutions and the crystal form remained unchanged. TEM images reveal that the products are composed of well-dispersed square-shaped nanocrystals. The method provides a convenient and low-cost route for the synthesis of nanostructures of oxide materials.

Nutritional condition and serum biochemistry for free-living Swainson's Hawks wintering in central Argentina.

PubMed

Sarasola, José Hernán; Negro, Juan José; Travaini, Alejandro

2004-04-01

We assessed the nutritional condition and established reference values for serum chemistry parameters in a long distance migrant bird of prey, the Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni), wintering in central Argentina. We analyzed serum concentration of urea, uric acid, cholesterol, and triglycerides and assessed age and sex related differences in these parameters. A body condition index was obtained from the resultant residuals of the regression of body mass and a morphometric measure. No statistical differences were observed among sex and age groups for urea, uric acid and triglyceride serum concentration. However, cholesterol concentration differed among male and female hawks, which could be related to the gain of body mass in wintering grounds at differential rates. The mean values of the four parameters were in the range of those recorded in the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), indicating good nutritional condition of the population we studied. Forearm length was the morphometric variable that better correlated with body mass. The resultant body condition index was only correlated with triglyceride concentration, suggesting that this index could be valuable in future work dealing with the assessment of body fat storage in wintering and breeding hawks, as well as in stopover points on the migratory route.

Synthesis of mesoporous TiO(2-x)N(x) spheres by template free homogeneous co-precipitation method and their photo-catalytic activity under visible light illumination.

PubMed

Parida, K M; Naik, Brundabana

2009-05-01

The article presents preparation, characterization and catalytic activity evaluation of an efficient nitrogen doped mesoporous titania sphere photo-catalyst for degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) under visible light illumination. Nitrogen doped titania was prepared by soft chemical route i.e. template free, slow and controlled homogeneous co-precipitation from titanium oxysulfate sulfuric acid complex hydrate, urea, ethanol and water. The molar composition of TiOSO(4) to urea was varied to prepare different atomic % nitrogen doped titania. Mesoporous anatase TiO(2-x)N(x) spheres with average crystallite size of 10 nm and formation of titanium oxynitride center were confirmed from HRTEM, XRD and XPS study. UV-vis DRS showed a strong absorption in the range of 400-500 nm which supports its use in visible spectrum of light. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption study supports the porous nature of the doped material. All the TiO(2-x)N(x) samples showed higher photo-catalytic activity than Degussa P(25) and undoped mesoporous titania. Sample containing around one atomic % nitrogen showed highest activity among the TiO(2-x)N(x) samples.

Prevalence and Correlates of “Vaping” as a Route of Cannabis Administration in Medical Cannabis Patients

PubMed Central

Cranford, James A.; Bohnert, Kipling M.; Perron, Brian E.; Bourque, Carrie; Ilgen, Mark

2016-01-01

Purpose To examine the prevalence and correlates of vaporization (i.e., “vaping”) as a route of cannabis administration in a sample of medical cannabis patients. Procedures Adults ages 21 and older (N = 1,485 M age = 45.1) who were seeking medical cannabis certification (either for the first time or as a renewal) at medical cannabis clinics in southern Michigan completed a screening assessment. Participants completed measures of route of cannabis administration, cannabis use, alcohol and other substance use. Findings An estimated 39% (n=511) of the sample reported past-month cannabis vaping, but vaping as the sole route of cannabis administration was rare. Specifically, only 30 participants (2.3% of the full sample and 5.9% of those who reported any vaping) indicated vaping as the sole route of cannabis administration. The majority (87.3%) of those who reported vaping also reported smoking (combustion) as a route of cannabis administration. Being younger than age 44, having more than a high school education, engaging in nonmedical stimulant use, being a returning medical cannabis patient, and greater frequency of cannabis use were associated with higher odds of vaping at the bivariate level and with all variables considered simultaneously. Conclusions Vaping appears to be relatively common among medical cannabis patients, but is seldom used as the sole route of cannabis administration. Results highlight the importance of monitoring trends in vaping and other substance use behaviors in this population and underscore the need for longitudinal research into the motives, correlates, and consequences of cannabis vaping in medical cannabis patients. PMID:27770657

Prevalence and correlates of "Vaping" as a route of cannabis administration in medical cannabis patients.

PubMed

Cranford, James A; Bohnert, Kipling M; Perron, Brian E; Bourque, Carrie; Ilgen, Mark

2016-12-01

To examine the prevalence and correlates of vaporization (i.e., "vaping") as a route of cannabis administration in a sample of medical cannabis patients. Adults ages 21 and older (N=1485M age=45.1) who were seeking medical cannabis certification (either for the first time or as a renewal) at medical cannabis clinics in southern Michigan completed a screening assessment. Participants completed measures of route of cannabis administration, cannabis use, alcohol and other substance use. An estimated 39% (n=511) of the sample reported past-month cannabis vaping, but vaping as the sole route of cannabis administration was rare. Specifically, only 30 participants (2.3% of the full sample and 5.9% of those who reported any vaping) indicated vaping as the sole route of cannabis administration. The majority (87.3%) of those who reported vaping also reported smoking (combustion) as a route of cannabis administration. Being younger than age 44, having more than a high school education, engaging in nonmedical stimulant use, being a returning medical cannabis patient, and greater frequency of cannabis use were associated with higher odds of vaping at the bivariate level and with all variables considered simultaneously. Vaping appears to be relatively common among medical cannabis patients, but is seldom used as the sole route of cannabis administration. highlight the importance of monitoring trends in vaping and other substance use behaviors in this population and underscore the need for longitudinal research into the motives, correlates, and consequences of cannabis vaping in medical cannabis patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Staged fluidized-bed combustion and filter system

DOEpatents

Mei, Joseph S.; Halow, John S.

1994-01-01

A staged fluidized-bed combustion and filter system for substantially reducing the quantity of waste through the complete combustion into ash-type solids and gaseous products. The device has two fluidized-bed portions, the first primarily as a combustor/pyrolyzer bed, and the second as a combustor/filter bed. The two portions each have internal baffles to define stages so that material moving therein as fluidized beds travel in an extended route through those stages. Fluidization and movement is achieved by the introduction of gases into each stage through a directional nozzle. Gases produced in the combustor/pyrolyzer bed are permitted to travel into corresponding stages of the combustor/filter bed through screen filters that permit gas flow but inhibit solids flow. Any catalyst used in the combustor/filter bed is recycled. The two beds share a common wall to minimize total volume of the system. A slightly modified embodiment can be used for hot gas desulfurization and sorbent regeneration. Either side-by-side rectangular beds or concentric beds can be used. The system is particularly suited to the processing of radioactive and chemically hazardous waste.

Frequency dependent dielectric properties of combustion synthesized Dy2Ti2O7 pyrochlore oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeyasingh, T.; Saji, S. K.; Kavitha, V. T.; Wariar, P. R. S.

2018-05-01

Nanocrystalline pyrochlore material Dysprosium Titanate (Dy2Ti2O7) has been synthesized through a single step optimized combustion route. The phase purity and phase formation of the combustion product has been characterized using X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) reveal that Dy2Ti2O7 is highly crystalline in nature with cubic structure in the Fd3m space group. The microstructures and average particle size of the prepared nanopowder were examined by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). The optical band gap of the Dy2Ti2O7 nanoparticles is determined from the absorption spectrum, was attributed to direct allowed transitions through optical band gap of 3.98 eV. The frequency dependent dielectric measurements have been carried out on the sintered pellet in the frequency range 1 Hz-10 MHz. The measured value of dielectric constant (ℇ') was ˜ 43 and loss tangent (tan δ) was 4×10-3 at 1 MHz, at room temperature.

17. Internal view of boiler in steam space above return ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

17. Internal view of boiler in steam space above return flues. View looks forward in ship toward fireboxes; tubes (flues) below carry hot combustion gases from return chamber to smoke chamber. From thence gasses flow through vertical pipe at left into steam stack, and eventually to ship's smokestack. Inclined and radiating straps are stays used to reinforce boiler plates against distortion under pressure. - Steamboat TICONDEROGA, Shelburne Museum Route 7, Shelburne, Chittenden County, VT

Gaseous emissions from waste combustion.

PubMed

Werther, Joachim

2007-06-18

An overview is given on methods and technologies for limiting the gaseous emissions from waste combustion. With the guideline 2000/76/EC recent European legislation has set stringent limits not only for the mono-combustion of waste in specialized incineration plants but also for co-combustion in coal-fired power plants. With increased awareness of environmental issues and stepwise decrease of emission limits and inclusion of more and more substances into the network of regulations a multitude of emission abatement methods and technologies have been developed over the last decades. The result is the state-of-the-art waste incinerator with a number of specialized process steps for the individual components in the flue gas. The present work highlights some new developments which can be summarized under the common goal of reducing the costs of flue gas treatment by applying systems which combine the treatment of several noxious substances in one reactor or by taking new, simpler routes instead of the previously used complicated ones or - in the case of flue gas desulphurisation - by reducing the amount of limestone consumption. Cost reduction is also the driving force for new processes of conditioning of nonhomogenous waste before combustion. Pyrolysis or gasification is used for chemical conditioning whereas physical conditioning means comminution, classification and sorting processes. Conditioning yields a fuel which can be used in power plants either as a co-fuel or a mono-fuel and which will burn there under much better controlled conditions and therefore with less emissions than the nonhomogeneous waste in a conventional waste incinerator. Also for cost reasons, co-combustion of wastes in coal-fired power stations is strongly pressing into the market. Recent investigations reveal that the co-firing of waste can also have beneficial effects on the operating behavior of the boiler and on the gaseous emissions.

Orientation of N-(1-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl)-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide on silver nanoparticles: SERS studies.

PubMed

Anuratha, M; Jawahar, A; Umadevi, M; Sathe, V G; Vanelle, P; Terme, T; Meenakumari, V; Milton Franklin Benial, A

2014-10-15

In the present study, the silver nanoparticles were synthesized using a solution combustion method with urea as fuel. The prepared silver nanoparticles show an FCC crystalline structure with particle size of 59nm. FESEM image shows the prepared silver is a rod like structure. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum indicates that the N-(1-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl)-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide (CS) molecule adsorbed on the silver nanoparticles. The spectral analysis reveals that the sulfonamide is adsorbed by tilted orientation on the silver surface. The Hatree Fock calculations were also performed to predict the vibrational motions of CS. This present investigation has been a model system to deduce the interaction of drugs with DNA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Composition-dependent photoluminescence and electronic structure of 2-dimensional borocarbonitrides, BC X N (x = 1, 5)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moses, Kota; Shirodkar, Sharmila N.; Waghmare, U. V.; Rao, C. N. R.

2014-04-01

Layered borocarbonitrides BCN and BC5N with a wide difference in composition have been prepared by the urea route. These 2D materials show a significant difference in the photoluminescence spectra, with BCN and BC5N showing maxima at 340 and 410 nm (3.61 and 3.0 eV), besides exhibiting different electrical resistivities. First-principles calculations show that BCN and BC5N are associated with different band gaps, the gap of the carbon-rich composition being lower. The change in the electronic structure and properties is related to the composition of BC X N i.e. the ordering of the graphene and BN domains.

Novel Route for Agmatine Catabolism in Aspergillus niger Involves 4-Guanidinobutyrase.

PubMed

Kumar, Sunil; Saragadam, Tejaswani; Punekar, Narayan S

2015-08-15

Agmatine, a significant polyamine in bacteria and plants, mostly arises from the decarboxylation of arginine. The functional importance of agmatine in fungi is poorly understood. The metabolism of agmatine and related guanidinium group-containing compounds in Aspergillus niger was explored through growth, metabolite, and enzyme studies. The fungus was able to metabolize and grow on l-arginine, agmatine, or 4-guanidinobutyrate as the sole nitrogen source. Whereas arginase defined the only route for arginine catabolism, biochemical and bioinformatics approaches suggested the absence of arginine decarboxylase in A. niger. Efficient utilization by the parent strain and also by its arginase knockout implied an arginase-independent catabolic route for agmatine. Urea and 4-guanidinobutyrate were detected in the spent medium during growth on agmatine. The agmatine-grown A. niger mycelia contained significant levels of amine oxidase, 4-guanidinobutyraldehyde dehydrogenase, 4-guanidinobutyrase (GBase), and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, but no agmatinase activity was detected. Taken together, the results support a novel route for agmatine utilization in A. niger. The catabolism of agmatine by way of 4-guanidinobutyrate to 4-aminobutyrate into the Krebs cycle is the first report of such a pathway in any organism. A. niger GBase peptide fragments were identified by tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The corresponding open reading frame from the A. niger NCIM 565 genome was located and cloned. Subsequent expression of GBase in both Escherichia coli and A. niger along with its disruption in A. niger functionally defined the GBase locus (gbu) in the A. niger genome. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

In vitro studies on the effect of physical cross-linking on the biological performance of aliphatic poly(urethane urea) for blood contact applications.

PubMed

Thomas, V; Kumari, T V; Jayabalan, M

2001-01-01

The effect of physical cross-linking in candidate cycloaliphatic and hydrophobic poly(urethane urea) (4,4'-methylenebis(cyclohexylisocyanate), H(12)MDI/hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene, HTPBD/hexamethylenediamine, HDA) and poly(ether urethane urea)s (H(12)MDI/HTPBD-PTMG/HDA) on the in vitro calcification and blood-material interaction was studied. All the candidate poly(urethane urea)s and poly(ether urethane urea)s elicit acceptable hemolytic activity, cytocompatibility, calcification, and blood compatibility in vitro. The studies on blood-material interaction reveal that the present poly(urethane urea)s are superior to polystyrene microtiter plates which were used for the studies on blood-material interaction. The present investigation reveals the influence of physical cross-link density on biological interaction differently with poly(urethane urea) and poly(ether urethane urea)s. The higher the physical cross-link density in the poly(urethane urea)s, the higher the calcification and consumption of WBC in whole blood. On the other hand, the higher the physical cross-link density in the poly(ether urethane urea)s, the lesser the calcification and consumption of WBC in whole blood. However a reverse of the above trend has been observed with the platelet consumption in the poly(urethane urea)s and poly(ether urethane urea)s.

Silk flame retardant finish by ternary silica sol containing boron and nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiang-hua; Chen, Guo-qiang; Xing, Tie-ling

2017-11-01

A ternary flame retardant sol system containing Si, B and N was prepared via sol gel method using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as a precursor, boric acid (H3BO3) and urea (CO(NH2)2) as flame retardant additives and then applied to silk fabric flame retardant finish. The FT-IR and SEM results showed that the nitrogen-boron-silica ternary sol was successfully prepared and entrapped onto the surface of silk fibers. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) test indicated that the silk fabric treated with 24% boric acid and 6% urea (relative to the TEOS) doped ternary silica sol system performed excellent flame retardancy with the LOI value of 34.6%. Furthermore, in order to endow silk fabric with durable flame retardancy, the silk fabric was pretreated with 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) before the ternary sol system treatment. The BTCA pretreat ment applied to silk could effectively promote the washing durability of the ternary sol, and the LOI value of the treated sample after 10 times washing could still maintain at 30.8% compared with that of 31.0% before washing. Thermo gravimetric (TG), micro calorimeter combustion (MCC) and smoke density test results demonstrated that the thermal stability, heat release and smoke suppression of the nitrogen-boron-silica ternary system decreased somewhat compared with the boron-silica binary flame retardant system.

Technical assessment of discarded tires gasification as alternative technology for electricity generation.

PubMed

Machin, Einara Blanco; Pedroso, Daniel Travieso; de Carvalho, João Andrade

2017-10-01

Concern about contamination associated with the disposal of tires has led to the search for technologies to reuse discarded tires, which include the use of Tire Derived Fuel (TDF) as fuel in advanced thermal-conversion processes, this allows the energy use of these wastes at affordable costs and reduces the environmental impact on scrap tires disposal. A theoretical assessment of the technical viability of TDF gasification for electric and thermal power generation, from the producer gas combustion in an internal combustion engine and in a gas turbine, was performed. The combustion of producer gas derived from the gasification of TDF in an internal combustion engine driving a generator (ICE-G) appears as the more efficient route for electricity generation when compared with the efficiency obtained with the use of gas turbine (GT-G). A higher global efficiency, considering the electric and thermal generation efficiency can be expected with the use of TDF producer gas in GT-G, where is expected an overall efficiency of 77.49%. The assessment shows that is possible produces up to 7.67MJ and 10.62MJ of electric and thermal energy per kilogram of TDF gasified using an ICE-G and up to 6.06MJ and 13.03MJ of electric and thermal energy respectively per kilogram of gasified TDF using a GT-G. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of GaN:ZnO solid solution by solution combustion method and characterization for photocatalytic application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Sumithra Sivadas; Anitha, R.; Gupta, Bhavana; Baskar, K.; Singh, Shubra

2016-05-01

GaN-ZnO solid solution has emerged as a successful and reproducible photocatalyst for overall water splitting by one-step photoexcitation, with a bandgap in visible region. When the solid solution is formed, some of the Zn and O ions are replaced by Ga and N ions respectively and there is a narrowing of bandgap which is hypothesized as due to Zn3d-N2p repulsion. The traditional method of synthesis of GaN-ZnO solid solution is by nitridation of the starting oxides under constant ammonia flow. Here we report a solution combustion technique for the synthesis of the solid solution at a temperature about 500 ° C in a muffle furnace with metal nitrates as precursors and urea as the fuel. The as prepared samples showed change in color with the increased concentration of ZnO in the solution. The structural, microstructural, morphological and optical properties of the samples were realized by Powder X ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X ray analysis, Transmission electron microscopy and Photoluminescence. Finally the hydrogen production efficiency of the GaN-ZnO nanopowders by water splitting was found, using methanol as a scavenger. The apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 0.048% is obtained for GaN-ZnO solid solution.

Amelioration of Cadmium-Induced Nephropathy using Polyphenol-rich Extract of Vernonia amygdalina (Del.) Leaves in Rat Model.

PubMed

Imafidon, Christian E; Akomolafe, Rufus O; Abubakar, Sanusi A; Ogundipe, Oluwadare J; Olukiran, Olaoluwa S; Ayowole, Oladele A

2015-12-15

To determine the effects of polyphenol-rich extract of the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina (PEVA) in rats with Cd-induced nephropathy. Sixty five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups as follows; Group 1 received distilled water throughout the period of study. Group 2 received 5 mg/kg body weight of cadmium (Cd), in the form of CdSO4, for five consecutive days via intraperitoneal route. Groups 3, 4 and 5 were pretreated with Cd as group 2 and thereafter received oral treatment of PEVA for 4 weeks at 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Exposure to Cd toxicity significantly induced deleterious alterations in plasma and urine levels of creatinine, urea and glucose as well as creatinine and urea clearance (p < 0.05) in the rat model. There was a significant disturbance in the antioxidant system as revealed by the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.05) in the kidney tissue of the rats. With marked improvements in renal histoarchitecture, PEVA treatment showed a duration and non dose-dependent ameliorative potential. PEVA treatment reversed the compromise of renal function that was induced by Cd toxicity in rat model.

Amelioration of Cadmium-Induced Nephropathy using Polyphenol-rich Extract of Vernonia amygdalina (Del.) Leaves in Rat Model

PubMed Central

Imafidon, Christian E.; Akomolafe, Rufus O.; Abubakar, Sanusi A.; Ogundipe, Oluwadare J.; Olukiran, Olaoluwa S.; Ayowole, Oladele A.

2015-01-01

AIM: To determine the effects of polyphenol-rich extract of the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina (PEVA) in rats with Cd-induced nephropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups as follows; Group 1 received distilled water throughout the period of study. Group 2 received 5 mg/kg body weight of cadmium (Cd), in the form of CdSO4, for five consecutive days via intraperitoneal route. Groups 3, 4 and 5 were pretreated with Cd as group 2 and thereafter received oral treatment of PEVA for 4 weeks at 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. RESULTS: Exposure to Cd toxicity significantly induced deleterious alterations in plasma and urine levels of creatinine, urea and glucose as well as creatinine and urea clearance (p < 0.05) in the rat model. There was a significant disturbance in the antioxidant system as revealed by the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.05) in the kidney tissue of the rats. With marked improvements in renal histoarchitecture, PEVA treatment showed a duration and non dose-dependent ameliorative potential. CONCLUSION: PEVA treatment reversed the compromise of renal function that was induced by Cd toxicity in rat model. PMID:27275289

Synthesis and characterization of nitrogen-doped graphene hollow spheres as electrode material for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Kechan; Wang, Guoxu; Zhang, Hongliang; Yu, Yifeng; Liu, Lei; Chen, Aibing

2017-07-01

Recently, the rapid development of graphene industry in the world, especially in China, provides more opportunities for the further extension of the application field of graphene-based materials. Graphene has also been considered as a promising candidate for use in supercapacitors. Here, nitrogen-doped graphene hollow spheres (NGHS) have been successfully synthesized by using industrialized and pre-processed graphene oxide (GO) as raw material, SiO2 spheres as hard templates, and urea as reducing-doping agents. The results demonstrate that the content and pretreatment of GO sheets have important effect on the uniform spherical morphologies of the obtained samples. Industrialized GO and low-cost urea are used to prepare graphene hollow spheres, which can be a promising route to achieve mass production of NGHS. The obtained NGHS have a cavity of about 270 nm, specific surface area of 402.9 m2 g-1, ultrathin porous shells of 2.8 nm, and nitrogen content of 6.9 at.%. As electrode material for supercapacitors, the NGHS exhibit a specific capacitance of 159 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Moreover, the NGHS exhibit superior cycling stability with 99.24% capacitive retention after 5000 charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 5 A g-1.

Electrochemical Sensing, Photocatalytic and Biological Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles: Synthesis via Green Chemistry Route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, L. S. Reddy; Archana, B.; Lingaraju, K.; Kavitha, C.; Suresh, D.; Nagabhushana, H.; Nagaraju, G.

2016-05-01

In this paper, we have successfully synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (Nps) via solution combustion method using sugarcane juice as the novel fuel. The structure and morphology of the synthesized ZnO Nps have been analyzed using various analytical tools. The synthesized ZnO Nps exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye, indicating that the ZnO Nps are potential photocatalytic semiconductor materials. The synthesized ZnO Nps also show good electrochemical sensing of dopamine. ZnO Nps exhibit significant bactericidal activity against Klebsiella aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Eschesichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, the ZnO Nps show good antioxidant activity by potentially scavenging 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The above studies clearly demonstrate versatile applications of ZnO synthesized by simple eco-friendly route.

Preliminary Public Design Report for the Texas Clean Energy Project: Topical Report - Phase 1, June 2010-July 2011

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

Mattes, Karl

Summit Texas Clean Energy, LLC (Summit) is developing the Texas Clean Energy Project (TCEP or the project) to be located near Penwell, Texas. The TCEP will include an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant with a nameplate capacity of 400 megawatts electric (MWe), combined with the production of urea fertilizer and the capture, utilization and storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2) sold commercially for regional use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the Permian Basin of west Texas. The TCEP will utilize coal gasification technology to convert Powder River Basin sub-bituminous coal delivered by rail from Wyoming into a syntheticmore » gas (syngas) which will be cleaned and further treated so that at least 90 percent of the overall carbon entering the facility will be captured. The clean syngas will then be divided into two high-hydrogen (H 2) concentration streams, one of which will be combusted as a fuel in a combined cycle power block for power generation and the other converted into urea fertilizer for commercial sale. The captured CO 2 will be divided into two streams: one will be used in producing the urea fertilizer and the other will be compressed for transport by pipeline for offsite use in EOR. The TCEP was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) for cost-shared co-funded financial assistance under Round 3 of its Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI). A portion of this financial assistance was budgeted and provided for initial development, permitting and design activities. Front-end Engineering and Design (FEED) commenced in June 2010 and was completed in July 2011, setting the design basis for entering into the detailed engineering phase of the project. During Phase 1, TCEP conducted and completed the FEED, applied for and received its air construction permit, provided engineering and other technical information required for development of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, and completed contracts for the sale of all of the urea and most of the CO 2. Significant progress was made on the contracts for the purchase of coal feedstock from Cloud Peak Energy’s Cordero Rojo mine and the sale of electricity to CPS Energy, as well as a memorandum of understanding with the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) for delivery of the coal to the TCEP site.« less

Electrical relaxation, optical and magnetic studies of nanocrystalline lithium ferrite synthesized by different chemical routes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheruku, Rajesh; Govindaraj, G.; Vijayan, Lakshmi

2017-12-01

The nanocrystalline lithium ferrite was synthesized by wet chemical methods such as solution combustion technique, sol-gel, and hydrothermal for a comparative study. Different characterization techniques like x-ray powder diffraction and thermal analysis were employed to confirm the structure and phase. Temperature-dependent Raman analysis was employed to classify the phonon modes associated with precise atomic motions existing in the synthesized materials. Morphology of sample surface was explored by scanning electron microscopy, and elemental analysis was done by energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. The nanocrystalline nature of the materials was confirmed through transmission electron microscopy. Magnetic properties of these samples were explored through a vibrating sample magnetometer. Ac electrical impedance spectroscopy data were investigated using two Cole-Cole functions, and activation energies were calculated for all materials. Among them, solution combustion prepared lithium ferrite shows the highest conductivity and lowest activation energy.

System and method for conditioning intake air to an internal combustion engine

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

Sellnau, Mark C.

A system for conditioning the intake air to an internal combustion engine includes a means to boost the pressure of the intake air to the engine and a liquid cooled charge air cooler disposed between the output of the boost means and the charge air intake of the engine. Valves in the coolant system can be actuated so as to define a first configuration in which engine cooling is performed by coolant circulating in a first coolant loop at one temperature, and charge air cooling is performed by coolant flowing in a second coolant loop at a lower temperature. Themore » valves can be actuated so as to define a second configuration in which coolant that has flowed through the engine can be routed through the charge air cooler. The temperature of intake air to the engine can be controlled over a wide range of engine operation.« less

Thermo-luminescence and neutron absorption cross section evaluations of compounds of Lithium based oxide ceramic breeders in Li-Zr-O system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Sumanta; Naik, Yeshwant

2018-04-01

Lithium-zirconium based oxides were prepared by combustion route. Thermal analysis (TG and DTA) was used to study the combustion process. The nucleation and growth stages were identified and their activation energies were predicted. The suitability of these oxide breeders was evaluated based on their radiation stability, variation in thermal behavior upon γ irradiation, neutron absorption and tritium breeding characteristics. Nuclear properties of these oxide ceramics were evaluated with a view to use them as efficient neutron absorbers and simultaneously breed tritium. Total neutron absorption cross sections were evaluated as a function of neutron energy in the range of 0 to 20 MeV. Resonant absorption is predicted for the neutron of energy 2.3 keV manly due to contribution from neutron induced nuclear reactions of 7Li in this energy range.

Engine with exhaust gas recirculation system and variable geometry turbocharger

DOEpatents

Keating, Edward J.

2015-11-03

An engine assembly includes an intake assembly, an internal combustion engine defining a plurality of cylinders and configured to combust a fuel and produce exhaust gas, and an exhaust assembly in fluid communication with a first subset of the plurality of cylinders. Each of the plurality of cylinders are provided in fluid communication with the intake assembly. The exhaust assembly is provided in fluid communication with a first subset of the plurality of cylinders, and a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation system in fluid communication with both a second subset of the plurality of cylinders and with the intake assembly. The dedicated exhaust gas recirculation system is configured to route all of the exhaust gas from the second subset of the plurality of cylinders to the intake assembly. Finally, the engine assembly includes a turbocharger having a variable geometry turbine in fluid communication with the exhaust assembly.

Development of Ceramic Systems for High temperature Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eslamloo-Grami, Maryame

2003-01-01

Professor Eslamloo-Grami will synthesize ceramic powders of various compositions based on pyrochlore, perovskite, and magnetoplumbite structures by doping with various oxides. Sol-gel and combustion synthesis routes will be used for powder syntheses. The powders will be characterized for particle size, surface area, microstructure, sintering etc. Thermal conductivity of the hot pressed specimens will also be measured at various temperatures. At the end, a project report will be prepared describing in details the experimental methods, results, discussion, and future research.

Heterogeneous catalysis for sustainable biodiesel production via esterification and transesterification.

PubMed

Lee, Adam F; Bennett, James A; Manayil, Jinesh C; Wilson, Karen

2014-11-21

Concern over the economics of accessing fossil fuel reserves, and widespread acceptance of the anthropogenic origin of rising CO2 emissions and associated climate change from combusting such carbon sources, is driving academic and commercial research into new routes to sustainable fuels to meet the demands of a rapidly rising global population. Here we discuss catalytic esterification and transesterification solutions to the clean synthesis of biodiesel, the most readily implemented and low cost, alternative source of transportation fuels to meet future societal demands.

Ultrasonic-assisted solution combustion synthesis of porous Na3V2(PO4)3/C: formation mechanism and sodium storage performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qiuyun; Liu, Qing; Chu, Xiangcheng; Zhang, Yiling; Yan, Youwei; Xue, Lihong; Zhang, Wuxing

2017-04-01

Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) is an effective and rapid method for synthesizing nanocrystalline materials. However, the control over size, morphology, and microstructure are rather limited in SCS. Here, we develop a novel ultrasonic-assisted solution combustion route to synthesize the porous and nano-sized Na3V2(PO4)3/C composites, and reveal the effects of ultrasound on the structural evolution of NVP/C. Due to the cavitation effects generated from ultrasonic irradiation, the ultrasonic-assisted SCS can produce honeycomb precursor, which can be further transformed into porous Na3V2(PO4)3/C with reticular and hollow structures after thermal treatment. When used as cathode material for Na-ion batteries, the porous Na3V2(PO4)3/C delivers an initial discharge capacity of 118 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and an initial coulombic efficiency of 85%. It can retain 93.8% of the initial capacity after 120 cycles at 0.2 C. The results demonstrate that ultrasonic-assisted SCS can be a new strategy to design crystalline nanomaterials with tunable microstructures.

Effect of Microbial Interaction on Urea Metabolism in Chinese Liquor Fermentation.

PubMed

Wu, Qun; Lin, Jianchun; Cui, Kaixiang; Du, Rubin; Zhu, Yang; Xu, Yan

2017-12-20

Urea is the primary precursor of the carcinogen ethyl carbamate in fermented foods. Understanding urea metabolism is important for controlling ethyl carbamate production. Using Chinese liquor as a model system, we used metatranscriptome analysis to investigate urea metabolism in spontaneous food fermentation processes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was dominant in gene transcription for urea biosynthesis and degradation. Lysinibacillus sphaericus was dominant for urea degradation. S. cerevisiae degraded 18% and L. sphaericus degraded 13% of urea in their corresponding single cultures, whereas they degraded 56% of urea in coculture after 12 h. Compared to single cultures, transcription of CAR1, DAL2, and argA, which are related to urea biosynthesis, decreased by 51, 36, and 69% in coculture, respectively. Transcription of DUR1 and ureA, which are related to urea degradation, increased by 227 and 70%, respectively. Thus, coexistence of the two strains promoted degradation of urea via transcriptional regulation of genes related to urea metabolism.

Stability of urea in solution and pharmaceutical preparations.

PubMed

Panyachariwat, Nattakan; Steckel, Hartwig

2014-01-01

The stability of urea in solution and pharmaceutical preparations was analyzed as a function of temperature (25°-60°C), pH (3.11-9.67), and initial urea concentration (2.5%-20%). This study was undertaken to (i) obtain more extensive, quantitative information relative to the degradation of urea in both aqueous and non-aqueous solutions and in pharmaceutical preparations, and (ii) test the effects of initial urea concentration, pH, buffer, and temperature values on urea degradation. The stability analysis shows that urea is more stable at the pH range of 4-8 and the stability of urea decreases by increase in temperature for all pH values. Within the experimental range of temperature and initial urea concentration values, the lowest urea degradation was found with lactate buffer pH 6.0. The urea decomposition rate in solution and pharmaceutical preparations shows the dependence of the initial urea concentrations. At higher initial urea concentrations, the rate of degradation is a decreasing function with time. This suggests that the reverse reaction is a factor in the degradation of concentrated urea solution. For non-aqueous solvents, isopropanol showed the best effort in retarding the decomposition of urea. Since the losses in urea is directly influenced by its stability at a given temperature and pH, the stability analysis of urea by the proposed model can be used to prevent the loss and optimize the operating condition for urea-containing pharmaceutical preparations.

Synthesis of flower-like Boehmite (γ-AlOOH) via a one-step ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal route

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

Tang, Zhe, E-mail: tangzhe1983@163.com; Liang, Jilei, E-mail: liangjilei_httplan@126.com; Li, Xuehui, E-mail: lxhhmx@163.com

A simple and novel synthesis process, one-step ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal synthesis route, has been developed in the work to synthesize Bohemithe (γ-AlOOH) with flower-like structure. The samples were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Ionic liquid [Omim]{sup +}Cl{sup −}, as a template, plays an important role in the morphology and pore structure of the products due to its strong interactions with reaction particles. With the increase in the dosage of ionic liquid [Omim]{sup +}Cl{sup −}, the morphology of the γ-AlOOH was changed from initial bundles of nanosheets (without ionic liquid) intomore » final well-developed monodispersed 3D flower-like architectures ([Omim]{sup +}Cl{sup −}=72 mmol). The pore structure was also altered gradually from initial disordered slit-like pore into final relatively ordered ink-bottle pore. Furthermore, the proposed formation mechanism and other influencing factors such as reaction temperature and urea on formation and morphology of the γ-AlOOH have also been investigated. - Graphical abstract: The flower-like γ-AlOOH architectures composed by nanosheets with narrow size distribution (1.6–2.2 μm) and uniform pore size (6.92 nm) have been synthesized via a one-step ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal route. - Highlights: • The γ-AlOOH microflowers were synthesized via an ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal route. • Ionic liquid plays an important role on the morphology and porous structure of the products. • Ionic liquid can be easily removed from the products and reused in recycling experiments. • A “aggregation–recrystallization–Ostwald Ripening“formation mechanism may occur.« less

Urea transporter knockout mice and their renal phenotypes.

PubMed

Fenton, Robert A; Yang, Baoxue

2014-01-01

Urea transporter gene knockout mice have been created for the study of the urine-concentrating mechanism. The major findings in studies of the renal phenotype of these mice are as follows: (1) Urea accumulation in the inner medullary interstitium is dependent on intrarenal urea recycling mediated by urea transporters; (2) urea transporters are essential for preventing urea-induced osmotic diuresis and thus for water conservation; (3) NaCl concentration in the inner medullary interstitium is not significantly affected by the absence of IMCD, descending limb of Henle and descending vasa recta urea transporters. Studies in urea transporter knockout mouse models have highlighted the essential role of urea for producing maximally concentrated urine.

Improving ammonium and nitrate release from urea using clinoptilolite zeolite and compost produced from agricultural wastes.

PubMed

Omar, Latifah; Ahmed, Osumanu Haruna; Ab Majid, Nik Muhamad

2015-01-01

Improper use of urea may cause environmental pollution through NH3 volatilization and NO3 (-) leaching from urea. Clinoptilolite zeolite and compost could be used to control N loss from urea by controlling NH4 (+) and NO3 (-) release from urea. Soil incubation and leaching experiments were conducted to determine the effects of clinoptilolite zeolite and compost on controlling NH4 (+) and NO3 (-) losses from urea. Bekenu Series soil (Typic Paleudults) was incubated for 30, 60, and 90 days. A soil leaching experiment was conducted for 30 days. Urea amended with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost significantly reduced NH4 (+) and NO3 (-) release from urea (soil incubation study) compared with urea alone, thus reducing leaching of these ions. Ammonium and NO3 (-) leaching losses during the 30 days of the leaching experiment were highest in urea alone compared with urea with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost treatments. At 30 days of the leaching experiment, NH4 (+) retention in soil with urea amended with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost was better than that with urea alone. These observations were because of the high pH, CEC, and other chemical properties of clinoptilolite zeolite and compost. Urea can be amended with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost to improve NH4 (+) and NO3 (-) release from urea.

Solution-combustion synthesis of doped TiO2 compounds and its potential antileishmanial activity mediated by photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Lopera, A A; Velásquez, A M A; Clementino, L C; Robledo, S; Montoya, A; de Freitas, L M; Bezzon, V D N; Fontana, C R; Garcia, C; Graminha, M A S

2018-06-01

Photodynamic therapy has emerged as an alternative treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis, and compounds with photocatalytic behavior are promising candidates to develop new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of this parasitic disease. Titanium dioxide TiO 2 is a semiconductor ceramic material that shows excellent photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity under Ultraviolet irradiation. Due to the harmful effects of UV radiation, many efforts have been made in order to enhance both photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of TiO 2 in the visible region of the spectrum by doping or through modifications in the route of synthesis. Herein, Fe-, Zn-, or Pt- doped TiO 2 nanostructures were synthesized by solution-combustion route. The obtained compounds presented aggregates of 100 nm, formed by particles smaller than 20 nm. Doping compounds shift the absorption spectrum towards the visible region, allowing production of reactive oxygen species in the presence of oxygen and molecular water when the system is irradiated in the visible spectrum. The Pt (EC 50  = 18.2 ± 0.8 μg/mL) and Zn (EC 50  = 16.4 ± 0.3 μg/mL) -doped TiO 2 presented the higher antileishmanial activities under visible irradiation and their application as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy (PDT) strategies for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis should be considered. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isotopic studies of urea metabolism in rabbits

PubMed Central

Regoeczi, E.; Irons, L.; Koj, A.; McFarlane, A. S.

1965-01-01

1. The half-life of [15N]urea was found to be significantly longer than that of [14C]urea injected at the same time, the differences being due to endogenous catabolism of urea, which is accompanied by little or no reutilization of 14C but is approx. 20% for 15N. [15N]Urea therefore appears to be valueless as an indicator of nitrogen metabolism unless the extents of endogenous catabolism of urea and of fractional reutilization of 15N can be separately estimated. 2. Though measurements of the radioactivity of expired 14CO2 confirmed the existence of considerable urea catabolism these could not be used for quantitative assessments. 3. Alternative graphical methods based on [14C]urea specific activities in plasma and urine samples were used to calculate the fraction of urea production that is excreted. Values by the two methods were in good agreement and showed that some animals excrete less than half the urea that they produce. 4. Specific activity differences between simultaneous samples of urinary and plasma urea reflect the presence of a pool of urea in the kidney that is not in equilibrium with the body urea pool. Calculations indicate the presence of urea in the kidney that in some cases may represent as much as 15% of the body pool, and in two animals in which post-mortem renal analyses were performed the masses of urea found agreed closely with the calculated values. 5. A model for urea metabolism is proposed that includes this pool in the excretory pathway. The related theory is shown to be adequate to explain the shape of the specific activity curves of urinary urea from the time of injection and the constant delay of the specific activity of urinary urea, relative to that of plasma urea, that is observed after a short preliminary equilibration period. 6. The body urea pool was calculated from the activity retained at 1·5hr. by excluding renal activity and the corrected specific activity of plasma urea at the same time. The urea pool was calculated to be distributed at the plasma concentration in a substantially smaller water volume than that found by injecting tritiated water in five animals. Reasons for this are discussed. 7. Urea synthesis rates calculated from the pool values are in close agreement with rates calculated from the mass of urea recovered in the urine and the fraction of newly synthesized urea that is excreted. PMID:14340103

Deposits from Creams Containing 20% (w/w) Urea and Suppression of Crystallization (Part 2): Novel Analytical Methods of Urea Accumulated in the Stratum Corneum by Tape stripping and Colorimetry.

PubMed

Goto, Norio; Morita, Yutaka; Terada, Katsuhide

2016-01-01

The transfer of urea from a urea formulation to the stratum corneum varies with the formulation base and form, and impacts the formulation's therapeutic effect. Consequently, determining the amount of urea transferred is essential for developing efficient formulations. This study assessed a simple method for measuring the amount of urea accumulated in the stratum corneum. Conventional methods rely on labeling urea used in the formulation with radiocarbon ((14)C) or other radioactive isotopes (RIs), retrieving the transferred urea from the stratum corneum by tape stripping, then quantitating the urea. The handling and use of RIs, however, is subject to legal regulation and can only be performed in sanctioned facilities, so methods employing RIs are neither simple nor convenient. We therefore developed a non-radiolabel method "tape stripping-colorimetry (T-C)" that combines tape stripping with colorimetry (urease-glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH)) for the quantitative measurement of urea. Urea in the stratum corneum is collected by tape stripping and measured using urease-GLDH, which is commonly used to measure urea nitrogen in blood tests. The results indicate that accurate urea measurement by the T-C method requires the application of 1400 mg (on hairless rats) of a 20% urea solution on a 50 cm(2) (5×10 cm) area. Further, we determined the amount of urea accumulated in the stratum corneum using formulations with different urea concentrations, and the time course of urea accumulation from formulations differing in the rate of urea crystallization. We demonstrate that the T-C method is simple and convenient, with no need for (14)C or other RIs.

Short communication: Urea hydrolysis in dairy cattle manure under different temperature, urea, and pH conditions.

PubMed

Moraes, L E; Burgos, S A; DePeters, E J; Zhang, R; Fadel, J G

2017-03-01

The objective of the study was to quantify the rate of urea hydrolysis in dairy cattle manure under different initial urea concentration, temperature, and pH conditions. In particular, by varying all 3 factors simultaneously, the interactions between them could also be determined. Fresh feces and artificial urine solutions were combined into a slurry to characterize the rate of urea hydrolysis under 2 temperatures (15°C and 35°C), 3 urea concentrations in urine solutions (500, 1,000, and 1,500 mg of urea-N/dL), and 3 pH levels (6, 7, and 8). Urea N concentration in slurry was analyzed at 0.0167, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 h after initial mixing. A nonlinear mixed effects model was used to determine the effects of urea concentration, pH, and temperature treatments on the exponential rate of urea hydrolysis and to predict the hydrolysis rate for each treatment combination. We detected a significant interaction between pH and initial urea level. Increasing urea concentration from 1,000 to 1,500 mg of urea-N/dL decreased the rate of urea hydrolysis across all pH levels. Across all pH and initial urea levels, the rate of urea hydrolysis increased with temperature, but the effect of pH was only observed for pH 6 versus pH 8 at the intermediate initial urea concentration. The fast rates of urea hydrolysis indicate that urea was almost completely hydrolyzed within a few hours of urine mixing with feces. The estimated urea hydrolysis rates from this study are likely maximum rates because of the thorough mixing before each sampling. Although considerable mixing of feces and urine occurs on the barn floor of commercial dairy operations from cattle walking through the manure, such mixing may be not as quick and thorough as in this study. Consequently, the urea hydrolysis rates from this study indicate the maximum loss of urea and should be accounted for in management aimed at mitigating ammonia emissions from dairy cattle manure under similar urea concentration, pH, and temperature conditions reported in this experiment. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shock tube study of the fuel structure effects on the chemical kinetic mechanisms responsible for soot formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frenklach, M.

1983-01-01

Soot formation in toluene-, benzene-, and acetylene-oxygen-argon mixtures was investigated to study soot formation in a combustion environment. High concentrations of oxygen completely suppress soot formation. The addition of oxygen at relatively low concentrations uniformly suppresses soot formation at high pressures, while at relatively lower pressures it suppresses soot formation at higher temperatures while promoting soot production at lower temperatures. The observed behavior indicates that oxidation reactions compete with ring fragmentation. The main conclusion to be drawn from the results is that the soot formation mechanism is probably the same for the pyrolysis and oxidation of hydrocarbons. That is, the addition of oxygen does not alter the soot route but rather promotes or inhibits this route by means of competitive reactions. An approach to empirical modeling of soot formation during pyrolysis of aromatic hydrocarbons is also presented.

Urea-Aromatic Stacking and Concerted Urea Transport: Conserved Mechanisms in Urea Transporters Revealed by Molecular Dynamics.

PubMed

Padhi, Siladitya; Priyakumar, U Deva

2016-10-11

Urea transporters are membrane proteins that selectively allow urea molecules to pass through. It is not clear how these transporters allow rapid conduction of urea, a polar molecule, in spite of the presence of a hydrophobic constriction lined by aromatic rings. The current study elucidates the mechanism that is responsible for this rapid conduction by performing free energy calculations on the transporter dvUT with a cumulative sampling time of about 1.3 μs. A parallel arrangement of aromatic rings in the pore enables stacking of urea with these rings, which, in turn, lowers the energy barrier for urea transport. Such interaction of the rings with urea is proposed to be a conserved mechanism across all urea-conducting proteins. The free energy landscape for the permeation of multiple urea molecules reveals an interplay between interurea interaction and the solvation state of the urea molecules. This is for the first time that multiple molecule permeation through any small molecule transporter has been modeled.

Determination of urea kinetics by isotope dilution with [13C]urea and gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) analysis.

PubMed

Kloppenburg, W D; Wolthers, B G; Stellaard, F; Elzinga, H; Tepper, T; de Jong, P E; Huisman, R M

1997-07-01

1. Stable urea isotopes can be used to study urea kinetics in humans. The use of stable urea isotopes for studying urea kinetic parameters in humans on a large scale is hampered by the high costs of the labelled material. We devised a urea dilution for measurement of the distribution volume, production rate and clearance of urea in healthy subjects and renal failure patients using the inexpensive single labelled [13C]urea isotope with subsequent analysis by headspace chromatography-isotope ratio MS (GC-IRMS) of the [13C]urea enrichment. 2. The method involves measurement of the molar percentage excess of [13C]urea in plasma samples taken over a 4 h period after an intravenous bolus injection of [13C]urea. During the sample processing procedure, the plasma samples together with calibration samples containing a known molar percentage excess of [13C]urea are acidified with phosphoric acid to remove endogenous CO2, and are subsequently incubated with urease to convert the urea present in the plasma samples into CO2. The 13C enrichment of the generated CO2 is analysed by means of GC-IRMS. This method allows measurement of the molar percentage excess of [13C]urea to an accuracy of 0.02%. 3. Reproducibility studies showed that the sample processing procedure [within-run coefficient of variation (CV) < 2.8% and between-run CV < 8.8%] and the GC-IRMS analysis (within-day CV < 1.3% and between-day CV < 1.3%) could be repeated with good reproducibility. 4. In clinical urea kinetic studies in a healthy subject and in a renal failure patient without residual renal function, reproducible values of the distribution volume, production rate and clearance of urea were determined using minimal amounts of [13C]urea (25-50 mg). 5. Because only low [13C]urea enrichments are needed in this urea dilution method using GC-IRMS analysis, the costs of urea kinetic studies are reduced considerably, especially in patients with renal failure.

A perfusion study of the handling of urea and urea analogues by the gills of the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias).

PubMed

Wood, Chris M; Liew, Hon Jung; De Boeck, Gudrun; Walsh, Patrick J

2013-01-01

The branchial mechanism of urea retention in elasmobranchs was investigated using an in vitro isolated-perfused head preparation, as well as in vivo samples, in the spiny dogfish shark. Both in vivo and in control saline perfusions containing 350 mmol L(-1) urea, calculated intracellular urea concentrations in gill epithelial cells were close to extracellular concentrations. Urea efflux to the external water fell only non-significantly, and calculated gill intracellular urea concentration did not change when perfusate urea concentration was reduced from 350 to 175 mmol L(-1) with osmotic compensation by 175 mmol L(-1) mannitol. However, when the urea analogues thiourea or acetamide were present in the perfusate at concentrations equimolar (175 mmol L(-1)) to those of urea (175 mmol L(-1)), urea efflux rates were increased 4-fold and 6.5-fold respectively, and calculated gill intracellular urea concentrations were depressed by about 55%. Analogue efflux rates were similar to urea efflux rates. Previous studies have argued that either the basolateral or apical membranes provided the limiting permeability barrier, and/or that a back-transporter on the basolateral membranes of gill cells is responsible for urea retention. The present results provide new evidence that the apical membrane is the limiting factor in maintaining gill urea impermeability, and raise the prospect that a urea back-transporter, which can be competitively inhibited by thiourea and acetamide, operates at the apical membrane.

Preparation of hierarchical porous Zn-salt particles and their superhydrophobic performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Dahai; Jia, Mengqiu

2015-12-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces arranged by hierarchical porous particles were prepared using modified hydrothermal routes under the effect of sodium citrate. Two particle samples were generated in the medium of hexamethylenetetramine (P1) and urea (P2), respectively. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope were adopted for the investigation, and results revealed that the P1 and P2 particles are porous microspheres with crosslinked extremely thin (10-30 nm) sheet crystals composed of Zn5(OH)8Ac2·2H2O and Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6, respectively. The prepared particles were treated with a fluoroethylene vinyl ether derivative and studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Results showed that the hierarchical surfaces of these particles were combined with low-wettable fluorocarbon layers. Moreover, the fabricated surface composed of the prepared hierarchical particles displayed considerably high contact angles, indicating great superhydrophobicity for the products. The wetting behavior of the particles was analyzed with a theoretical wetting model in comparison with that of chestnut-like ZnO products obtained through a conventional hydrothermal route. Correspondingly, this study provided evidence that high roughness surface plays a great role in superhydrophobic behavior.

Influence of milk urea concentration on fractional urea disappearance rate from milk to blood plasma in dairy cows.

PubMed

Spek, J W; Dijkstra, J; Bannink, A

2016-05-01

The relationship between milk urea nitrogen (MUN; mg of N/dL) and urinary N excretion is affected, among others, by diurnal dynamics in MUN, which in turn is largely influenced by feed intake pattern and characteristics of urea transfer from blood plasma to milk and vice versa. This study aimed to obtain insight in urea transfer characteristics within the mammary gland and from the mammary gland to blood plasma in dairy cows at various concentrations of plasma urea nitrogen (PUN; mg of N/dL) and MUN. Urea transfer from milk to blood plasma and urea transfer within the mammary gland itself was evaluated in a 4×4 Latin square design using 4 lactating multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows (milk production of 39.8±4.70kg/d and 90±3.9 d in milk). Treatments consisted of 4 primed continuous intravenous urea infusions of 0, 5, 10, and 15g of urea/h. Boluses of [(15)N(15)N]urea were injected in cistern milk at 20, 60, and 100 min before the 1700h milking. Milk was collected in portions of approximately 2 L at the 1700h milking. Milk samples were analyzed for urea and enrichment of (15)N-urea. Results from one cow were discarded because of leakage of milk from the teats after injection of boluses of [(15)N(15)N]urea. Increasing urea infusion rate linearly increased PUN from 11.4 (0g of urea/h) to 25.9mg/dL (15g of urea/h) and MUN from 10.3 (0g of urea/h) to 23.5 (15g of urea/h) mg of N/dL. The percentage of injected [(15)N(15)N]urea recovered from milk at the time of injection was not affected by urea infusion rate and varied between 65.1 and 73.0%, indicating that a substantial portion of injected [(15)N(15)N]urea was not accounted for by collected milk. The estimated fractional disappearance rate of (15)N-urea from milk to blood (Kurea; per hour) linearly increased from 0.429 (0g of urea/h) to 0.641 per hour (15g of urea/h). Cistern injected [(15)N(15)N]urea diffused within 20 min after injection toward alveoli milk. Calculations with the average Kurea estimated in this study show that 89% of an initial difference between PUN and MUN will have disappeared after 4 h. In conclusion, urea disappearance from milk in the mammary gland is substantial, as well as the intramammary urea exchange between cistern, duct, and alveoli milk. However, results have to be interpreted with caution given the lack of full recovery of dosed (15)N urea at time of injection. Information on Kurea is useful to quantify the effects of diurnal variation in PUN on MUN, which enhances the utility of MUN as an indicator for N excretion in urine. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urea retranslocation from senescing Arabidopsis leaves is promoted by DUR3-mediated urea retrieval from leaf apoplast

PubMed Central

Bohner, Anne; Kojima, Soichi; Hajirezaei, Mohammad; Melzer, Michael; von Wirén, Nicolaus

2015-01-01

In plants, urea derives either from root uptake or protein degradation. Although large quantities of urea are released during senescence, urea is mainly seen as a short-lived nitrogen (N) catabolite serving urease-mediated hydrolysis to ammonium. Here, we investigated the roles of DUR3 and of urea in N remobilization. During natural leaf senescence urea concentrations and DUR3 transcript levels showed a parallel increase with senescence markers like ORE1 in a plant age- and leaf age-dependent manner. Deletion of DUR3 decreased urea accumulation in leaves, whereas the fraction of urea lost to the leaf apoplast was enhanced. Under natural and N deficiency-induced senescence DUR3 promoter activity was highest in the vasculature, but was also found in surrounding bundle sheath and mesophyll cells. An analysis of petiole exudates from wild-type leaves revealed that N from urea accounted for >13% of amino acid N. Urea export from senescent leaves further increased in ureG-2 deletion mutants lacking urease activity. In the dur3 ureG double insertion line the absence of DUR3 reduced urea export from leaf petioles. These results indicate that urea can serve as an early metabolic marker for leaf senescence, and that DUR3-mediated urea retrieval contributes to the retranslocation of N from urea during leaf senescence. PMID:25440717

Improving Ammonium and Nitrate Release from Urea Using Clinoptilolite Zeolite and Compost Produced from Agricultural Wastes

PubMed Central

Omar, Latifah; Ahmed, Osumanu Haruna; Majid, Nik Muhamad Ab.

2015-01-01

Improper use of urea may cause environmental pollution through NH3 volatilization and NO3 − leaching from urea. Clinoptilolite zeolite and compost could be used to control N loss from urea by controlling NH4 + and NO3 − release from urea. Soil incubation and leaching experiments were conducted to determine the effects of clinoptilolite zeolite and compost on controlling NH4 + and NO3 − losses from urea. Bekenu Series soil (Typic Paleudults) was incubated for 30, 60, and 90 days. A soil leaching experiment was conducted for 30 days. Urea amended with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost significantly reduced NH4 + and NO3 − release from urea (soil incubation study) compared with urea alone, thus reducing leaching of these ions. Ammonium and NO3 − leaching losses during the 30 days of the leaching experiment were highest in urea alone compared with urea with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost treatments. At 30 days of the leaching experiment, NH4 + retention in soil with urea amended with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost was better than that with urea alone. These observations were because of the high pH, CEC, and other chemical properties of clinoptilolite zeolite and compost. Urea can be amended with clinoptilolite zeolite and compost to improve NH4 + and NO3 − release from urea. PMID:25793220

Changes in milk urea around insemination are negatively associated with conception success in dairy cows.

PubMed

Albaaj, A; Foucras, G; Raboisson, D

2017-04-01

Dietary protein levels are a risk factor for poor reproductive performance. Conception is particularly impaired in cases of high blood or milk urea. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between conception and low milk urea or changes in milk urea around artificial insemination (AI). Data were obtained from the French Milk Control Program for a 4-yr period (2009-2012). Milk urea values between 250 and 450 mg/kg (4.3 and 7.7 mM) were considered intermediate (I), and values ≤150 mg/kg (2.6 mM) were considered low (L). Milk urea values before and after each AI were allocated into 4 classes representing the dynamics of milk urea (before-after; I-I, I-L, L-I, and L-L). Subclinical ketosis was defined using milk fat and protein contents before AI as proxies. A logistic regression with a Poisson correction and herd as a random variable was then performed on data from Holstein or all breeds of cows. The success of conception was decreased [relative risk (95% confidence interval) = 0.96 (0.94-0.99)] in low-urea cows compared with intermediate-urea cows after AI; no significant association was found for urea levels before AI. When combining data on urea before and after AI, I-L urea cows exhibited a 5 to 9% decrease in conception compared with I-I urea cows, and L-I urea cows showed no difference in conception success compared with I-I urea cows. A decreased conception success for L-L urea cows compared with I-I urea cows was observed for the analysis with cows of all breeds. This work revealed that a decrease in urea from intermediate (before AI) to low (after AI) is a risk factor for conception failure. Surveys of variation in milk urea in dairy cows close to breeding are highly recommended. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability of food industry waste oils as fuel for diesel engines.

PubMed

Winfried, Russ; Roland, Meyer-Pittroff; Alexander, Dobiasch; Jürgen, Lachenmaier-Kölch

2008-02-01

Two cogeneration units were each fitted with a prechamber (IDI) diesel engine in order to test the feasibility of using waste oils from the food industry as a fuel source, and additionally to test emissions generated by the combustion of these fuels. Esterified waste oils and animal fats as well as mustard oil were tested and compared to the more or less "common" fuels: diesel, rapeseed oil and rapeseed methyl ester. The results show that, in principle, each of these fuels is suitable for use in a prechamber diesel engine. Engine performance can be maintained at a constant level. Without catalytic conversion, the nitrogen oxides emissions were comparable. A significant reduction in NO(x) was achieved through the injection of urea. Combining a urea injection with the SCR catalytic converter reduced NO(x) emissions between 53% and 67%. The carbon monoxide emissions from waste oils are not significantly different from those of "common" fuels and can be reduced the same way as of hydrocarbon emissions, through utilization of a catalytic converter. The rate of carbon monoxide reduction by catalytic conversion was 84-86%. A lower hydrocarbon concentration was associated with fuels of agricultural origin. With the catalytic converter a reduction of 29-42% achieved. Each prechamber diesel engine exhibited its own characteristic exhaust, which was independent of fuel type. The selective catalytic reduction of the exhaust emissions can be realized without restriction using fuels of agricultural origin.

Utilization of dietary urea in rainbow trout.

PubMed

Kaushik, S J; Dabrowski, K R; Dabrowska, H; Olah, E; Luquet, P

1983-01-01

Experiments were conducted to examine the potential utilization of dietary urea by rainbow trout. A control diet and two diets supplemented with 1 and 3% of urea were fed to fish. Postprandial levels of urea and ammonia in blood plasma, and postprandial excretion of these metabolites were followed during 24 h. Apparent digestibility of urea in rainbow trout was very high (greater than 98%). Maximum values of urea levels in plasma were reached 6 h (32.3 +/- 10.2 micrograms/ml) after a meal in the control fish and respectively 6 h (83.4 +/- 18.4 micrograms/ml) and 8 h (250.3 +/- 96.1 micrograms/ml) after a meal in trout fed 1 and 3% urea diets. Peaks of urea excretion rates appeared 7-9 h after meal, coinciding with the highest circulating urea concentration. Total daily urea excretion amounted to 5.53, 10.43 and 33.80 mg urea N/100 mg N intake in trout fed the control, 1 and 3% urea diets, respectively. It is concluded that the dietary urea is readily absorbed in the digestive tract of trout but is totally excreted thus leading to no beneficial effect on nitrogen balance. This excretion of urea also takes place passively without any increase in energy demands.

Erythrocyte permeability to urea and water: comparative study in rodents, ruminants, carnivores, humans, and birds.

PubMed

Liu, Lifeng; Lei, Tianluo; Bankir, Lise; Zhao, Dan; Gai, Xiaodong; Zhao, Xuejian; Yang, Baoxue

2011-01-01

Mammalian erythrocytes exhibit high urea permeability (P (urea)) due to UT-B expression in their cytoplasmic membrane. This high P (urea) allows fast equilibration of urea in erythrocytes during their transit in the hyperosmotic renal medulla. It also allows more urea (in addition to that in plasma) to participate in counter-current exchange between ascending and descending vasa recta, thus improving the trapping of urea in the medulla and improving urine concentrating ability. To determine if P (urea) in erythrocytes is related to diet and urine concentrating ability, we measured P (urea) in erythrocytes from 11 different mammals and 5 birds using stopped-flow light scattering. Carnivores (dog, fox, cat) exhibited high P (urea) (in x10(-5) cm/s, 5.3 ± 0.6, 3.8 ± 0.5 and 2.8 ± 0.7, respectively). In contrast, herbivores (cow, donkey, sheep) showed much lower P (urea) (0.8 ± 0.2, 0.7 ± 0.2, 1.0 ± 0.1, respectively). Erythrocyte P (urea) in human (1.1 ± 0.2), and pig (1.5 ± 0.1), the two omnivores, was intermediate. Rodents and lagomorphs (mouse, rat, rabbit) had P (urea) intermediate between carnivores and omnivores (3.3 ± 0.4, 2.5 ± 0.3 and 2.4 ± 0.3, respectively). Birds that do not excrete urea and do not express UT-B in their erythrocytes had very low values (<0.1 × 10(-5) cm/s). In contrast to P (urea), water permeability, measured simultaneously, was relatively similar in all mammals. The species differences in erythrocytes P (urea) most probably reflect adaptation to the different types of diet and resulting different needs for concentrating urea in the urine.

Ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions from a subtropical wheat field under different nitrogen fertilization strategies.

PubMed

Liu, Shuai; Wang, Jim J; Tian, Zhou; Wang, Xudong; Harrison, Stephen

2017-07-01

Minimizing soil ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission factors (EFs) has significant implications in regional air quality and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions besides nitrogen (N) nutrient loss. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of different N fertilizer treatments of conventional urea, polymer-coated urea, ammonia sulfate, urease inhibitor (NBPT, N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide)-treated urea, and nitrification inhibitor (DCD, dicyandiamide)-treated urea on emissions of NH 3 and GHGs from subtropical wheat cultivation. A field study was established in a Cancienne silt loam soil. During growth season, NH 3 emission following N fertilization was characterized using active chamber method whereas GHG emissions of N 2 O, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and methane (CH 4 ) were by passive chamber method. The results showed that coated urea exhibited the largest reduction (49%) in the EF of NH 3 -N followed by NBPT-treated urea (39%) and DCD-treated urea (24%) over conventional urea, whereas DCD-treated urea had the greatest suppression on N 2 O-N (87%) followed by coated urea (76%) and NBPT-treated urea (69%). Split fertilization of ammonium sulfate-urea significantly lowered both NH 3 -N and N 2 O-N EF values but split urea treatment had no impact over one-time application of urea. Both NBPT and DCD-treated urea treatments lowered CO 2 -C flux but had no effect on CH 4 -C flux. Overall, application of coated urea or urea with NPBT or DCD could be used as a mitigation strategy for reducing NH 3 and N 2 O emissions in subtropical wheat production in Southern USA. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

ToF-SIMS applied to historical archaeology in the Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sodhi, R. N. S.; Mahaney, W. C.; Milner, M. W.

2006-07-01

The actual route Hannibal followed during the invasion of Italia in the Second Punic War is one of the major questions of antiquity, one that historians/archaeologists have long studied. There are six possible passes Hannibal could have used and one of the many bits of evidence in the ancient literature that might help answer this question is the location of fired rock, the result of a conflagration Hannibal is reputed to have employed to reduce the size of boulders in a two-tier blocking rockslide on the lee side (e.g. Italian) some distance down from the high col. The only route with fired rock along the roadway leading to the Po River Valley or the Dora Riparia is below the Col du Clapier, one of the possible northern routes. ToF-SIMS investigation of the 100-μm thick burned crust in hornblende schist interlaced with veins of quartz-feldspathic minerals yields various elements C, Mg, Na, Ca, Si, Ti, P, Al, Fe and their associated fragments. Hydrocarbon fragments are thought to be products of combustion whereas Ca and Na along with Mg-Fe silicates are derived from the country rock. Aeolian components along with clay minerals settled onto rock surfaces following firing. While the SIMS data clearly would not provide an age for the burnt rock, compositional evidence of the conflagration may relate to Hannibal's actual route.

Metal-Free Approaches to Sterically-Hindered Bonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunham, Veronica Vin-yi

Developing methods to perform cross coupling reactions by means of catalysis is highly desirable in chemistry. Many industries in today's society, such as the petroleum, agriculture, pharmaceutical, electronics, and polymer industry, use catalysis to some extent whether it is to make molecules that offer crop protection or toward the synthesis of the active ingredient of a medication. It is noteworthy that over 90% of chemicals are made through catalytic processes and that the catalyst market reached $17 billion in 2014, which demonstrates the demand for such methods. While transition metal catalysts have advantages such as low catalyst loading, broad reactivity, and that they have been well studied, some disadvantages are that they can be relatively expensive and sometimes air sensitive which can make them challenging to use. Organocatalysis, specifically noncovalent catalysis operating through hydrogen bond donating interactions, offers an environmentally-friendly alternative to transition metal catalysis. Our lab utilizes organocatalysis as a strategy to synthesize challenging, sterically-hindered bonds. Nitrimines have been identified as powerful coupling partners for the sustainable construction of new sterically congested carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. Using urea catalysis, a metal-free method to synthesize previously inaccessible enamines has been developed. Conventional routes to synthesize enamines as important building blocks toward target molecules generally require Lewis/Bronsted acids or expensive transition metals; however, these methods are often unsuccessful when stericallyhindered substrates are used. To address this synthetic challenge, it was hypothesized that hydrogen bonding interactions between a urea organocatalyst and nitrimine would generate a reactive species suited for the effective carbon-nitrogen coupling with amines to give the desired enamine products. This reaction provides high yields (up to 99%) of enamines using a variety of nitrimines and amines including piperidine, pyrrolidine, dibenzylamine, substituted indolines, and substituted N-methylanilines. Further investigations into the applicability of nitrimines for the synthesis of sterically-hindered bonds led to the discovery of formal carbon-carbon cross coupling reactions involving nitrimines and carbon nucleophiles such as indole, pyrrole, and hydroxycoumarin. Under optimized conditions, moderate to high yields of the desired dior tri-substituted alkene product were obtained with electron-rich and electron-poor nitrimines. Furthermore, by strategic modification of the reaction conditions, control over the E/Z selectivity of the tri-substituted alkene products gave up to 19:1 ratio of Z:E isomers. This nitrimine-based formal carbon-carbon cross coupling methodology was then applied to the synthesis of a small target molecule, phenprocoumon, which was obtained in an overall 67% yield. The undeniable utility of urea catalysis operating through hydrogen bond donor (HBD) interactions has prompted the examination into enhanced HBD catalysts. Through the incorporation of a strategically placed Lewis acid on a urea scaffold, a new family of highly tunable HBD catalysts benefitting from enhanced activity was established. After determining the pKa of various urea catalysts using Bordwell's method of overlapping indicators and comparing catalysts in two reaction systems, it was observed that the choice of Lewis acid and its associated ligands had an effect on urea reactivity, acidity, and polarization. In addition to Lewis acid assisted urea catalysts, silanediols have been discovered to participate as enhanced HBD catalysts. Taking advantage of the ability of our silanediol catalysts to participate in asymmetric anion-binding catalysis, a strategy toward an enantioselective synthesis of the sterically-encumbered molecule gonytolide A, an innate immune promoter, is underway.

A perfusion study of the handling of urea and urea analogues by the gills of the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias)

PubMed Central

Liew, Hon Jung; De Boeck, Gudrun; Walsh, Patrick J.

2013-01-01

The branchial mechanism of urea retention in elasmobranchs was investigated using an in vitro isolated-perfused head preparation, as well as in vivo samples, in the spiny dogfish shark. Both in vivo and in control saline perfusions containing 350 mmol L−1 urea, calculated intracellular urea concentrations in gill epithelial cells were close to extracellular concentrations. Urea efflux to the external water fell only non-significantly, and calculated gill intracellular urea concentration did not change when perfusate urea concentration was reduced from 350 to 175 mmol L−1 with osmotic compensation by 175 mmol L−1 mannitol. However, when the urea analogues thiourea or acetamide were present in the perfusate at concentrations equimolar (175 mmol L−1) to those of urea (175 mmol L−1), urea efflux rates were increased 4-fold and 6.5-fold respectively, and calculated gill intracellular urea concentrations were depressed by about 55%. Analogue efflux rates were similar to urea efflux rates. Previous studies have argued that either the basolateral or apical membranes provided the limiting permeability barrier, and/or that a back-transporter on the basolateral membranes of gill cells is responsible for urea retention. The present results provide new evidence that the apical membrane is the limiting factor in maintaining gill urea impermeability, and raise the prospect that a urea back-transporter, which can be competitively inhibited by thiourea and acetamide, operates at the apical membrane. PMID:23638369

Evaluation of carbon dioxide emission factor from urea during rice cropping season: A case study in Korean paddy soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Gil Won; Jeong, Seung Tak; Kim, Gun Yeob; Kim, Pil Joo; Kim, Sang Yoon

2016-08-01

Fertilization with urea can lead to a loss of carbon dioxide (CO2) that was fixed during the industrial production process. The extent of atmospheric CO2 removal from urea manufacturing was estimated by the Industrial Processes and Product Use sector (IPPU sector). On its basis, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has proposed a value of 0.2 Mg C per Mg urea (available in 2006 revised IPCC guidelines for greenhouse gas inventories), which is the mass fractions of C in urea, as the CO2 emission coefficient from urea for the agricultural sector. Notably, due to the possibility of bicarbonate leaching to waters, all C in urea might not get released as CO2 to the atmosphere. Hence, in order to provide an accurate value of the CO2 emission coefficient from applied urea in the rice ecosystem, the CO2 emission factors were characterized under different levels of 13C-urea applied paddy field in the current study. The total CO2 fluxes and rice grain yields increased significantly with increasing urea application (110-130 kg N ha-1) and thereafter, decreased. However, with increasing 13C-urea application, a significant and proportional increase of the 13CO2sbnd C emissions from 13C-urea was also observed. From the relationships between urea application levels and 13CO2sbnd C fluxes from 13C-urea, the CO2sbnd C emission factor from urea was estimated to range between 0.0143 and 0.0156 Mg C per Mg urea. Thus, the CO2sbnd C emission factor of this study is less than that of the value proposed by IPCC. Therefore, for the first time, we propose to revise the current IPCC guideline value of CO2sbnd C emission factor from urea as 0.0143-0.0156 Mg C per Mg urea for Korean paddy soils.

Effect of nitrogen supplementation on urea kinetics and microbial use of recycled urea in steers consuming corn-based diets.

PubMed

Brake, D W; Titgemeyer, E C; Jones, M L; Anderson, D E

2010-08-01

We studied the effects of supplementing N as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) or urea to steers consuming corn-based diets. Six ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers (244 kg) were used in 2 concurrent 3 x 3 Latin squares and fed 1 of 3 corn-based diets: control (10.2% CP), urea (13.3% CP), or DDGS (14.9% CP). Periods were 14 d, with 9 d for adaptation and 5 d for collection of urine and feces. Urinary (15)N(15)N-urea enrichments, resulting from venous infusions of (15)N(15)N-urea, were used to measure urea kinetics. Dry matter intake (6.0 kg/d) was not affected by treatment, but N intake differed (99, 151, and 123 g/d for the control, DDGS, and urea treatments, respectively). Urea-N synthesis tended to be greater (P = 0.09) for DDGS (118 g/d) than for the control treatment (52 g/d), with the urea treatment (86 g/d) being intermediate. Urea-N excreted in the urine was greater (P < 0.03) for the DDGS (35 g/d) and urea treatments (29 g/d) than for the control treatment (13 g/d). Gastrointestinal entry of urea-N was not statistically different among treatments (P = 0.25), but was numerically greatest for DDGS (83 g/d), intermediate for urea (57 g/d), and least for the control (39 g/d). The amount of urea-N returned to the ornithine cycle tended to be greater (P = 0.09) for the DDGS treatment (47 g/d) than for the urea (27 g/d) or control treatment (16 g/d). The fraction of recycled urea-N that was apparently used for anabolism tended (P = 0.14) to be greater for the control treatment (0.56) than for the DDGS treatment (0.31), with the urea treatment (0.45) being intermediate, but no differences were observed among treatments in the amount of urea-N used for anabolism (P = 0.66). Urea kinetics in cattle fed grain-based diets were largely related to the amount of N consumed. The percentage of urea production that was captured by ruminal bacteria was greater (P < 0.03) for the control treatment (42%) than for the DDGS (25%) or urea treatment (22%), but the percentage of duodenal microbial N flow that was derived from recycled urea-N tended (P = 0.10) to be greater for the DDGS treatment (35%) than for the urea (22%) or control treatment (17%). Thus, ruminal microbes were more dependent on N recycling when the protein supplement was largely resistant to ruminal degradation.

Effects of high ambient temperature on urea-nitrogen recycling in lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Obitsu, Taketo; Kamiya, Mitsuru; Kamiya, Yuko; Tanaka, Masahito; Sugino, Toshihisa; Taniguchi, Kohzo

2011-08-01

Effects of exposure to hot environment on urea metabolism were studied in lactating Holstein cows. Four cows were fed ad libitum a total mixed ration and housed in a temperature-controlled chamber at constant moderate (18°C) or high (28°C) ambient temperatures in a cross-over design. Urea nitrogen (N) kinetics was measured by determining urea isotopomer in urine after single injection of [(15) N(2) ]urea into the jugular vein. Both dry matter intake and milk yield were decreased under high ambient temperature. Intakes of total N and digestible N were decreased under high ambient temperature but urinary urea-N excretion was increased. The ratio of urea-N production to digestible N was increased, whereas the proportion of gut urea-N entry to urea-N production tended to be decreased under high ambient temperature. Neither return to the ornithine cycle, anabolic use nor fecal excretion of urea-N recycled to the gut was affected by ambient temperature. Under high ambient temperature, renal clearance of plasma urea was not affected but the gut clearance was decreased. Increase of urea-N production and reduction of gut urea-N entry, in relative terms, were associated with increased urinary urea-N excretion of lactating dairy cows in higher thermal environments. 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Effect of Co doping on the structural and dielectric properties of ZnO nanoparticles

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

Ram, Mast, E-mail: Mastram1999@yahoo.com; Bala, Kanchan; Sharma, Hakikat

This paper reports on the synthesis of Co doped Zn{sub 1-x}Co{sub x}O (x= 0.0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.05) nanoparticles by solution combustion method using urea as a fuel. The Structural and dielectric properties of the samples were studied. Crystallite sizes were obtained from X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns whose values decreased with increase in Co concentration. The XRD study reveals that Co{sup 2+} ions substitute the Zn{sup 2+} ion without changing the wurtzite structure of pristine ZnO up to Co concentrations of 5%. The dielectric constants, dielectric loss (tanδ) and ac conductivity (σ{sub ac}) were studied as the function ofmore » frequency and composition, which have been explained by Maxwell-Wagner type interfacial polarization and discussed Koops phenomenological theory.« less

Study of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles using Mössbauer spectroscopy with a high velocity resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oshtrakh, M. I.; Ushakov, M. V.; Senthilkumar, B.; Selvan, R. Kalai; Sanjeeviraja, C.; Felner, I.; Semionkin, V. A.

2013-04-01

The nanocrystalline NiFe2O4 particles prepared by solution combustion synthesis technique using different fuels such as ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (NA sample) and urea (NB sample) were studied using magnetic measurement and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy with a high velocity resolution. The temperature dependence of magnetization is different for the two samples. Mössbauer spectra demonstrate the necessity to use more than two magnetic sextets, usually used to fit the NiFe2O4 nanoparticles spectra. Evaluation of the different local microenvironments for Fe in both tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites, caused by different Ni2 + occupation of octahedral sites, demonstrates at least five different local microenvironments for both A and B sites. Therefore, the Mössbauer spectra were fitted by using ten magnetic sextets which are related to the spread 57Fe location in octahedral and tetrahedral sites.

Pressurized fluidized bed offers promising route to cogeneration

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

Not Available

1980-03-01

STAL-LAVAL has been monitoring the development of pressurized fluidized-bed combustion (PFBC) technology and has decided to apply it as a way to burn coal and satisfy the important criteria of efficiency, low cost, environmental acceptability, low investment cost, and the capacity to use a wide range of coal qualities. The present status of PFBC and co-generation technology is reviewed and examples of industrial as well as utiltiy applications are cited. A successful commercialization of PFBC could contribute to the success of coal-utilization policies. (DCK)

Effect of varying Ga content in ZnO:GaN solid solution synthesized by solution combustion technique for photocatalytic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Sumithra Sivadas; Janani, R.; Baskar, K.; Gupta, Bhavana; Singh, Shubra

2017-05-01

ZnO:GaN (oxy)nitride solid solution has been established as the most efficient non-oxide photocatalyst for water splitting under visible irradiation with one step photoexcitation and also boasts a band gap tunability from 2.8 eV to 2.5 eV[1]. The solid solution of GaN in ZnO is formed by the intersubstitution of few of Zn/O ions by Ga/N ions, and this results in the introduction of new defect levels above the valence band which narrows the effective band gap enabling activity under visible region of spectra. In this work, we report the synthesis of ZnO:GaN solid solution by a solution combustion technique where metal nitrates and urea are used as precursors. The Zn/Ga ratio was varied from 16 to 1 in the precursors. The as synthesized samples were characterized as phase pure by X-ray diffraction, where the wurtzite structure was retained up to Zn/Ga ratio of 5. The Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy studies revealed that as the Ga content in the solid solution increases there is a reduction in band gap, from 2.9 eV to 2.4 eV. The reduced band gap of the samples facilitates its photocatalytic activity under visible region of the spectra as evaluated by photoelectrochemical measurements.

Combustion synthesis and characterization of MV0.5P0.5O4: Sm3+, Tm3+ (M = Gd, La, Y)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motloung, Selepe J.; Lephoto, Mantwa A.; Tshabalala, Kamohelo G.; Ntwaeaborwa, Odireleng M.

2018-04-01

In this paper, GdV0.5P0.5O4: Sm3+, Tm3+, LaV0.5P0.5O4: Sm3+, Tm3+ and YV0.5P0.5O4: Sm3+, Tm3+ phosphor powders were prepared by solution combustion method using urea as a fuel. The phase purity, surface morphology, optical and photoluminescence properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The XRD results indicated that the prepared powders are of a single phase and crystallized in tetragonal structure for Gd and Y systems while monoclinic phase was observed for La system. SEM showed that the samples consisted of mixed structures. The estimated band gaps were 2.2, 2.4 and 2.3 eV for Y, Gd and La systems respectively. The photoluminescence results showed four emission peaks. One peak is assigned to 1G4 - 3H6 transition of Tm3+, and three other emission peaks are attributed to 6G5/2 - 6H5/2, 6G5/2 - 6H7/2 and 6G5/2 - 6H9/2 transitions of Sm3+. The photoluminescent intensity was the highest in the gadolinium system.

Synthesis of GaN:ZnO solid solution by solution combustion method and characterization for photocatalytic application

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

Menon, Sumithra Sivadas; Anitha, R.; Baskar, K.

2016-05-23

GaN-ZnO solid solution has emerged as a successful and reproducible photocatalyst for overall water splitting by one-step photoexcitation, with a bandgap in visible region. When the solid solution is formed, some of the Zn and O ions are replaced by Ga and N ions respectively and there is a narrowing of bandgap which is hypothesized as due to Zn3d-N2p repulsion. The traditional method of synthesis of GaN-ZnO solid solution is by nitridation of the starting oxides under constant ammonia flow. Here we report a solution combustion technique for the synthesis of the solid solution at a temperature about 500 °more » C in a muffle furnace with metal nitrates as precursors and urea as the fuel. The as prepared samples showed change in color with the increased concentration of ZnO in the solution. The structural, microstructural, morphological and optical properties of the samples were realized by Powder X ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X ray analysis, Transmission electron microscopy and Photoluminescence. Finally the hydrogen production efficiency of the GaN-ZnO nanopowders by water splitting was found, using methanol as a scavenger. The apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 0.048% is obtained for GaN-ZnO solid solution.« less

Combustion Synthesis of Magnesium Aluminate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kale, M. A.; Joshi, C. P.; Moharil, S. V.

2011-10-01

In the system MgO-Al2O3, three compounds MgAl2O4, MgAl6O10 (also expressed as- Mg0.4Al2.4O4) and MgAl26O40 are well known. Importance of the first two is well established. Magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) spinel is a technologically important material due to its interesting thermal properties. The MgAl2O4 ceramics also find application as humidity sensors. Apart from the luminescence studies, the interest in MgAl2O4 is due to various applications such as humidity-sensing and PEM fuel cells, TL/OSL dosimetry of the ionizing radiations, white light source. Interest in the MgAl6O10 has aroused due to possible use as a substrate for GaN growth. Attempt was made to synthesize these compounds by the combustion synthesis using metal nitrates as oxidizer and urea as a fuel. Compounds MgAl2O4 and MgAl6O10 were formed in a single step, while MgAl26O40 was not formed by this procedure. Activation of MgAl6O10 by rare earth ions like Ce3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+ and ns2 ion Pb2+ could be achieved. Excitation bands for MgAl6O10 are at slightly shorter wavelengths compared to those reported for MgAl2O4.

Remote sensing of methane and nitrous oxide fluxes from waste incineration.

PubMed

Gålfalk, Magnus; Bastviken, David

2018-05-01

Incomplete combustion processes lead to the formation of many gaseous byproducts that can be challenging to monitor in flue gas released via chimneys. This study presents ground-based remote sensing approaches to make greenhouse gas (GHG) flux measurements of methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) from a waste incineration chimney at distances of 150-200 m. The study found emission of N 2 O (corresponding to 30-40 t yr -1 ), which is a consequence of adding the reduction agent urea to decrease NO X emissions due to NO X regulation; a procedure that instead increases N 2 O emissions (which is approximately 300 times more potent as a GHG than CO 2 on a 100-year time scale). CH 4 emissions of 7-11 t yr -1 was also detected from the studied chimney despite the usage of a high incineration temperature. For this particular plant, local knowledge is high and emission estimates at corresponding levels have been reported previously. However, emissions of CH 4 are often not included in GHG emission inventories for waste incineration. This study highlights the importance of monitoring combustion processes, and shows the possibility of surveying CH 4 and N 2 O emissions from waste incineration at distances of several hundred meters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of urea transport in Bufo arenarum oocytes.

PubMed

Silberstein, Claudia; Zotta, Elsa; Ripoche, Pierre; Ibarra, Cristina

2003-07-01

Xenopus laevis oocytes have been extensively used for expression cloning, structure/function relationships, and regulation analysis of transporter proteins. Urea transporters have been expressed in Xenopus oocytes and their properties have been described. In order to establish an alternative system in which urea transporters could be efficiently expressed and studied, we determined the urea transport properties of ovarian oocytes from Bufo arenarum, a toad species common in Argentina. Bufo oocytes presented a high urea permeability of 22.3 x 10(-6) cm/s, which was significantly inhibited by the incubation with phloretin. The urea uptake in these oocytes was also inhibited by mercurial reagents, and high-affinity urea analogues. The urea uptake was not sodium dependent. The activation energy was 3.2 Kcal/mol, suggesting that urea movement across membrane oocytes may be through a facilitated urea transporter. In contrast, Bufo oocytes showed a low permeability for mannitol and glycerol. From these results, we propose that one or several specific urea transporters are present in ovarian oocytes from Bufo arenarum. Therefore, these oocytes cannot be used in expression studies of foreign urea transporters. The importance of Bufo urea transporter is not known but could be implicated in osmotic regulation during the laying of eggs in water. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Exploring the Counteracting Mechanism of Trehalose on Urea Conferred Protein Denaturation: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

PubMed

Paul, Subrata; Paul, Sandip

2015-07-30

To provide the underlying mechanism of the inhibiting effect of trehalose on the urea denatured protein, we perform classical molecular dynamics simulations of N-methylacetamide (NMA) in aqueous urea and/or trehalose solution. The site-site radial distribution functions and hydrogen bond properties indicate in binary urea solution the replacement of NMA-water hydrogen bonds by NMA-urea hydrogen bonds. On the other hand, in ternary urea and trehalose solution, trehalose does not replace the NMA-urea hydrogen bonds significantly; rather, it forms hydrogen bonds with the NMA molecule. The calculation of a preferential interaction parameter shows that, at the NMA surface, trehalose molecules are preferred and the preference for urea decreases slightly in ternary solution with respect to the binary solution. The exclusion of urea molecules in the ternary urea-NMA-trehalose system causes alleviation in van der Waals interaction energy between urea and NMA molecules. Our findings also reveal the following: (a) trehalose and urea induced second shell collapse of water structure, (b) a reduction in the mean trehalose cluster size in ternary solution, and (c) slowing down of translational motion of solution species in the presence of osmolytes. Implications of these results for the molecular explanations of the counteracting mechanism of trehalose on urea induced protein denaturation are discussed.

Role of urea in the postprandial urine concentration cycle of the insectivorous bat Antrozous pallidus.

PubMed

Bassett, John E

2004-02-01

Insectivorous bats, which feed once daily, produce maximally concentrated urine only after feeding. The role of urea as an osmolyte in this process was investigated in pallid bats (Antrozous pallidus) in the laboratory. Following a 24-h fast, plasma and urine were sampled before and 2 h after feeding in postprandial (PP) animals and before and 2 h after similar treatment without feeding in nonfed (NF) animals. Food consumption by PP animals and handling of NF animals had no effect on blood water content as measured by hematocrit and plasma oncotic pressure. Food consumption increased both plasma osmolality (P(osm)) and plasma urea (P(urea)) by as much as 15%. Food consumption also increased urine osmolality (U(osm)) and urine urea (U(urea)) by 50-100%. Feeding increased U(osm) regardless of changes in P(osm), and elevation of U(osm) resulted primarily from increased U(urea). In NF bats, P(osm) and P(urea) were unchanged, while U(osm) and U(urea) increased by as much as 25%. Again, increased U(osm) resulted primarily from increased U(urea). The PP urine concentration cycle of pallid bats resulted from increased urea excretion in response to apparent rapid urea synthesis. Bats rapidly metabolized protein and excreted urea following feeding when body water was most plentiful.

Structure and effect of sarcosine on water and urea by using molecular dynamics simulations: Implications in protein stabilization.

PubMed

Kumar, Narendra; Kishore, Nand

2013-01-01

Sarcosine is one of the most important protecting osmolytes which is also known to counteract the denaturing effect of urea. We used molecular dynamics simulation methods to investigate the mechanism of protein stabilization and counteraction of urea by sarcosine. We found that sarcosine enhanced the tetrahedral structure of water and strengthened its hydrogen bonding network. We also found that sarcosine did not form clusters unlike glycine. Our results show strong interaction between sarcosine and urea molecules. Addition of sarcosine enhanced the urea-water structure and urea-water lifetime indicated an increase in the solvation of urea. These findings suggest that sarcosine indirectly stabilizes protein by enhancing water-water structure thus decreasing the hydrophobic effect and counteracts the effect of urea by increasing the solvation of urea and directly interacting with it leaving urea less available to interact with protein. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Urea.

PubMed

Wang, Hongkai; Ran, Jianhua; Jiang, Tao

2014-01-01

Urea is generated by the urea cycle enzymes, which are mainly in the liver but are also ubiquitously expressed at low levels in other tissues. The metabolic process is altered in several conditions such as by diets, hormones, and diseases. Urea is then eliminated through fluids, especially urine. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) has been utilized to evaluate renal function for decades. New roles for urea in the urinary system, circulation system, respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system, etc., were reported lately, which suggests clinical significance of urea.

Utilization of urea and expression profiles of related genes in the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum donghaiense

PubMed Central

Jing, Xiaoli; Lin, Senjie; Zhang, Huan; Koerting, Claudia; Yu, Zhigang

2017-01-01

Urea has been shown to contribute more than half of total nitrogen (N) required by phytoplankton in some estuaries and coastal waters and to provide a substantial portion of the N demand for many harmful algal blooms (HABs) of dinoflagellates. In this study, we investigated the physiological and transcriptional responses in Prorocentrum donghaiense to changes in nitrate and urea availability. We found that this species could efficiently utilize urea as sole N source and achieve comparable growth rate and photosynthesis capability as it did under nitrate. These physiological parameters were markedly lower in cultures grown under nitrate- or urea-limited conditions. P. donghaiense N content was similarly low under nitrate- or urea-limited culture condition, but was markedly higher under urea-replete condition than under nitrate-replete condition. Carbon (C) content was consistently elevated under N-limited condition. Consequently, the C:N ratio was as high as 21:1 under nitrate- or urea-limitation, but 7:1 under urea-replete condition and 9:1 to 10:1 under nitrate-replete condition. Using quantitative reverse transcription PCR, we investigated the expression pattern for four genes involved in N transport and assimilation. The results indicated that genes encoding nitrate transport, urea hydrolysis, and nickel transporter gene were sensitive to changes in general N nutrient availability whereas the urea transporter gene responded much more strongly to changes in urea concentration. Taken together, our study shows the high bioavailability of urea, its impact on C:N stoichiometry, and the sensitivity of urea transporter gene expression to urea availability. PMID:29117255

Role of Urea-Aromatic Stacking Interactions in Stabilizing the Aromatic Residues of the Protein in Urea-Induced Denatured State.

PubMed

Goyal, Siddharth; Chattopadhyay, Aditya; Kasavajhala, Koushik; Priyakumar, U Deva

2017-10-25

A delicate balance of different types of intramolecular interactions makes the folded states of proteins marginally more stable than the unfolded states. Experiments use thermal, chemical, or mechanical stress to perturb the folding equilibrium for examining protein stability and the protein folding process. Elucidation of the mechanism by which chemical denaturants unfold proteins is crucial; this study explores the nature of urea-aromatic interactions relevant in urea-assisted protein denaturation. Free energy profiles corresponding to the unfolding of Trp-cage miniprotein in the presence and absence of urea at three different temperatures demonstrate the distortion of the hydrophobic core to be a crucial step. Exposure of the Trp6 residue to the solvent is found to be favored in the presence of urea. Previous experiments showed that urea has a high affinity for aromatic groups of proteins. We show here that this is due to the remarkable ability of urea to form stacking and NH-π interactions with aromatic groups of proteins. Urea-nucleobase stacking interactions have been shown to be crucial in urea-assisted RNA unfolding. Examination of these interactions using microsecond-long unrestrained simulations shows that urea-aromatic stacking interactions are stabilizing and long lasting. Further MD simulations, thermodynamic integration, and quantum mechanical calculations on aromatic model systems reveal that such interactions are possible for all the aromatic amino acid side-chains. Finally, we validate the ubiquitous nature of urea-aromatic stacking interactions by analyzing experimental structures of urea transporters and proteins crystallized in the presence of urea or urea derivatives.

Utilization of urea and expression profiles of related genes in the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum donghaiense.

PubMed

Jing, Xiaoli; Lin, Senjie; Zhang, Huan; Koerting, Claudia; Yu, Zhigang

2017-01-01

Urea has been shown to contribute more than half of total nitrogen (N) required by phytoplankton in some estuaries and coastal waters and to provide a substantial portion of the N demand for many harmful algal blooms (HABs) of dinoflagellates. In this study, we investigated the physiological and transcriptional responses in Prorocentrum donghaiense to changes in nitrate and urea availability. We found that this species could efficiently utilize urea as sole N source and achieve comparable growth rate and photosynthesis capability as it did under nitrate. These physiological parameters were markedly lower in cultures grown under nitrate- or urea-limited conditions. P. donghaiense N content was similarly low under nitrate- or urea-limited culture condition, but was markedly higher under urea-replete condition than under nitrate-replete condition. Carbon (C) content was consistently elevated under N-limited condition. Consequently, the C:N ratio was as high as 21:1 under nitrate- or urea-limitation, but 7:1 under urea-replete condition and 9:1 to 10:1 under nitrate-replete condition. Using quantitative reverse transcription PCR, we investigated the expression pattern for four genes involved in N transport and assimilation. The results indicated that genes encoding nitrate transport, urea hydrolysis, and nickel transporter gene were sensitive to changes in general N nutrient availability whereas the urea transporter gene responded much more strongly to changes in urea concentration. Taken together, our study shows the high bioavailability of urea, its impact on C:N stoichiometry, and the sensitivity of urea transporter gene expression to urea availability.

High-performance carbon-coated ZnMn2O4 nanocrystallite supercapacitors with tailored microstructures enabled by a novel solution combustion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdollahifar, Mozaffar; Huang, Sheng-Siang; Lin, Yu-Hsiang; Lin, Yan-Cheng; Shih, Bing-Yi; Sheu, Hwo-Shuenn; Liao, Yen-Fa; Wu, Nae-Lih

2018-02-01

Although ZnMn2O4 is widely studied as Li-ion battery anodes, it remains a challenge to tailor suitable microstructures of the oxide for supercapacitor applications. Carbon-coated ZnMn2O4 (C@ZMO) nanocrystallites showing high-performance pseudocapacitor behaviours in neutral aqueous electrolyte are for the first time successfully synthesised via a novel solution combustion process using polyethylene glycol as a multifunctional microstructure-directing agent. Controlling the molecular weight and amount of the polymer in the combustion solution enables the formation of highly-crystalline C@ZMO having substantially higher, by more than 5 folds, specific surface areas with mesoporous structures and conformal carbon coating via the one-pot synthesis process. The resulting C@ZMO supercapacitor electrodes in Na2SO4(aq) electrolyte exhibit ideal capacitive behaviours with specific capacitances up to 150 F g-1 and cycle stability showing no capacitance fade after 10,000 cycles at 60% of full capacity and >99% Coulombic efficiency. This study not only illustrates a new powerful synthesis route capable of producing conductive mesoporous crystalline oxide-based nanomaterials for energy storage applications but also reveals a new class of high-performance pseudocapacitive materials for neutral aqueous electrolytes.

Final report of the safety assessment of Urea.

PubMed

2005-01-01

Although Urea is officially described as a buffering agent, humectant, and skin-conditioning agent-humectant for use in cosmetic products, there is a report stating that Urea also is used in cosmetics for its desquamating and antimicrobial action. In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that Urea was used in 239 formulations. Concentrations of use for Urea ranged from 0.01% to 10%. Urea is generally recognized as safe by FDA for the following uses: side-seam cements for food contact; an inhibitor or stabilizer in pesticide formulations and formulations applied to animals; internal sizing for paper and paperboard and surface sizing and coating of paper and paper board that contact water-in-oil dairy emulsions, low-moisture fats and oils, moist bakery products, dry solids with surface containing no free fats or oil, and dry solids with the surface of fat or oil; and to facilitate fermentation of wine. Urea is the end product of mammalian protein metabolism and the chief nitrogenous compound of urine. Urea concentrations in muscle, liver, and fetuses of rats increased after a subcutaneous injection of Urea. Urea diffused readily through the placenta and into other maternal and fetal organs. The half-life of Urea injected into rabbits was on the order of several hours, and the reutilization rate was 32.2% to 88.8%. Urea given to rats by a bolus injection or continuous infusion resulted in distribution to the following brain regions: frontal lobe, caudate nucleus, hippocampus, thalamus plus hypothalamus, pons and white matter (corpus callosum). The permeability constant after treatment with Urea of whole skin and the dermis of rabbits was 2.37 +/- 0.13 (x 10(6)) and 1.20 +/- 0.09 (x10(3)) cm/min, respectively. The absorption of Urea across normal and abraded human skin was 9.5% +/- 2.3% and 67.9% +/- 5.6%, respectively. Urea increased the skin penetration of other compounds, including hydrocortisone. No toxicity was observed for Urea at levels as high as 2000 mg/kg in acute oral studies using female rats or mice. No signs of toxicity were observed in male piglets dosed orally with up to 4 g/kg Urea for 5 days. Dogs dosed orally with 5 to 30 g/L Urea for 4 to 10 days had signs of toxicity, including weakness, anorexia, vomiting and retching, diarrhea and a decreased body temperature, which led to a deep torpor or coma. No significant microscopic changes were observed in the skin of male nude mice dermally exposed to 100% Urea for 24 h. No observable effect on fetal development was seen in rats and mice dosed orally with an aqueous solution of Urea (2000 mg/kg) on days 10 and 12 of gestation. The mean number of implants, live fetuses, percent fetal resorptions, mean fetal weight, and percent fetuses malformed were comparable to control group. A detergent containing 15% Urea was injected into pregnant ICR-JCl mice and dams and fetuses had no significant differences when compared to control animals. Urea given orally did not enhance the developmental toxicity of N-nitrosomethylurea. Female Sprague-Dawley rats injected in the uterine horn with 0.05 ml Urea on day 3 (preimplantation) or on day 7 (post implantation) exhibited no maternal mortality or morbidity; a dose-dependent reduction in embryo survival was seen with preimplantation treatment. Urea injected intra-amniotically induces mid-trimester abortions in humans. Urea was not genotoxic in several bacterial and mammalian assays; although in assays where Urea was used at a high concentration, genotoxicity was found, many in in vitro assays. Urea is commonly used in studies of DNA because it causes uncoiling of DNA molecules. Urea was not carcinogenic in Fisher 344 rats or C57B1/6 mice fed diets containing up to 4.5% Urea. Exposure of normal human skin to 60% Urea produced no significant irritation in one study, but 5% Urea was slightly irritating and 20% Urea was irritating in other reports. Burning sensations are the most frequently reported effect of Urea used alone or with other agents in treatment of diseased skin. Overall, there are few reports of sensitization among the many clinical studies that report use of Urea in treatment of diseased skin. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel determined the data provided in this report to be sufficient to assess the safety of Urea. The Panel did note that Urea can cause uncoiling of DNA, a property used in many DNA studies, but concluded that this in vitro activity is not linked to any in vivo genotoxic activity. Although noting that formulators should be aware that Urea can increase the percutaneous absorption of other chemicals, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that Urea is safe as used in cosmetic products.

Urea immunoliposome inhibits human vascular endothelial cell proliferation for hemangioma treatment

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Urea injection has been used in hemangioma treatment as sclerotherapy. It shrinks vascular endothelial cells and induces degeneration, necrosis, and fibrosis. However, this treatment still has disadvantages, such as lacking targeting and difficulty in controlling the urea dosage. Thus, we designed a urea immunoliposome to improve the efficiency of treatment. Methods The urea liposome was prepared by reverse phase evaporation. Furthermore, the urea immunoliposome was generated by coupling the urea liposome with a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) monoclonal antibody using the glutaraldehyde cross-linking method. The influence of the urea immunoliposome on cultured human hemangioma vascular endothelial cells was observed preliminarily. Results Urea immunoliposomes showed typical liposome morphology under a transmission electron microscope, with an encapsulation percentage of 54.4% and a coupling rate of 36.84% for anti-VEGFR. Treatment with the urea immunoliposome significantly inhibited the proliferation of hemangioma vascular endothelial cells (HVECs) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Conclusions The urea immunoliposome that we developed distinctly and persistently inhibited the proliferation of HVECs and is expected to be used in clinical hemangioma treatment. PMID:24266957

Molecular insight into the counteraction of trehalose on urea-induced protein denaturation using molecular dynamics simulation.

PubMed

Zhang, Na; Liu, Fu-Feng; Dong, Xiao-Yan; Sun, Yan

2012-06-21

Considerable experimental evidence indicates that trehalose can counteract the denaturing effects of urea on proteins. However, its molecular mechanism remains unknown due to the limitations of current experimental techniques. Herein, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the counteracting effects of trehalose against urea-induced denaturation of chymotrypsin inhibitor 2. The simulations indicate that the protein unfolds in 8 mol/L urea, but at the same condition the protein retains its native structure in the ternary solution of 8 mol/L urea and 1 mol/L trehalose. It is confirmed that the preferential exclusion of trehalose from the protein surface is the origin of its counteracting effects. It is found that trehalose binds urea via hydrogen bonds, so urea molecules are also expelled from the protein surface along with the preferential exclusion of trehalose. The exclusion of urea from the protein surface leads to the alleviation of the Lennard-Jones interactions between urea and the hydrophobic side chains of the protein in the ternary solution. In contrast, the electrostatic interactions between urea and the protein change little in the presence of trehalose because the decrease in the electrostatic interactions between urea and the protein backbone is canceled by the increase in the electrostatic interactions between urea and the charged side chains of the protein. The results have provided molecular explanations for the counteraction of urea-induced protein denaturation by trehalose.

Expression of urea transporters and their regulation.

PubMed

Klein, Janet D

2014-01-01

UT-A and UT-B families of urea transporters consist of multiple isoforms that are subject to regulation of both acutely and by long-term measures. This chapter provides a brief overview of the expression of the urea transporter forms and their locations in the kidney. Rapid regulation of UT-A1 results from the combination of phosphorylation and membrane accumulation. Phosphorylation of UT-A1 has been linked to vasopressin and hyperosmolality, although through different kinases. Other acute influences on urea transporter activity are ubiquitination and glycosylation, both of which influence the membrane association of the urea transporter, again through different mechanisms. Long-term regulation of urea transport is most closely associated with the environment that the kidney experiences. Low-protein diets may influence the amount of urea transporter available. Conditions of osmotic diuresis, where urea concentrations are low, will prompt an increase in urea transporter abundance. Although adrenal steroids affect urea transporter abundance, conflicting reports make conclusions tenuous. Urea transporters are upregulated when P2Y2 purinergic receptors are decreased, suggesting a role for these receptors in UT regulation. Hypercalcemia and hypokalemia both cause urine concentration deficiencies. Urea transporter abundances are reduced in aging animals and animals with angiotensin-converting enzyme deficiencies. This chapter will provide information about both rapid and long-term regulation of urea transporters and provide an introduction into the literature.

The chemistry of sodium chloride involvement in processes related to hot corrosion. [in gas turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stearns, C. A.; Kohl, F. J.; Fryburg, G. C.

1979-01-01

Thermodynamic and mass transport calculations, and laboratory experiments elucidating the behavior of sodium chloride in combustion environments, in the deposition process, and in reactions with certain oxides on the surfaces of superalloys are summarized. It was found that some of the ingested salt is separated out of the air stream by the compressor. However, sodium chloride does pass from the compressor to the combustor where numerous chemical reactions take place. Here some of the salt is vaporized to yield gaseous sodium chloride molecules. Hydrogen and oxygen atoms present in the combustion products react with some sodium chloride to yield other gaseous species such as sodium, and a fraction of the salt remains as particulates. Both the gas phase and condensed sodium chloride can lead to sodium sulfate formation by various routes, all of which involve reaction with sulfur oxides and oxygen. In addition to contributing to the formation of sodium sulfate, the sodium chloride can contribute to corrosion directly.

Self-propagated combustion synthesis of few-layered graphene: an optical properties perspective.

PubMed

Mohandoss, Manonmani; Sen Gupta, Soujit; Kumar, Ramesh; Islam, Md Rabiul; Som, Anirban; Mohd, Azhardin Ganayee; Pradeep, T; Maliyekkal, Shihabudheen M

2018-04-26

This paper describes a labour efficient and cost-effective strategy to prepare few-layered of reduced graphene oxide like (RGOL) sheets from graphite. The self-propagated combustion route enables the bulk production of RGOL sheets. Microscopic and spectroscopic analyses confirmed the formation of few-layer graphene sheets of an average thickness of ∼3 nm and the presence of some oxygen functional groups with a C/O ratio of 8.74. A possible mechanistic pathway for the formation of RGOL sheets is proposed. The optical properties of the RGOL sample were studied in detail by means of Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE). The experimental abilities of SE in relating the optical properties with the number of oxygen functionalities present in the samples are explored. The data were analysed by a double-layered optical model along with the Drude-Lorentz oscillatory dispersion relation. The refractive index (n = 2.24), extinction coefficient (k = 2.03), and dielectric functions are obtained using point-by-point analysis and are also checked for Kramers-Kronig (KK) consistency.

Urea uptake enhances barrier function and antimicrobial defense in humans by regulating epidermal gene expression

PubMed Central

Grether-Beck, Susanne; Felsner, Ingo; Brenden, Heidi; Kohne, Zippora; Majora, Marc; Marini, Alessandra; Jaenicke, Thomas; Rodriguez-Martin, Marina; Trullas, Carles; Hupe, Melanie; Elias, Peter M.; Krutmann, Jean

2012-01-01

Urea is an endogenous metabolite, known to enhance stratum corneum hydration. Yet, topical urea anecdotally also improves permeability barrier function, and it appears to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Hence, we hypothesized that urea is not merely a passive metabolite, but a small-molecule regulator of epidermal structure and function. In 21 human volunteers, topical urea improved barrier function in parallel with enhanced antimicrobial peptide (LL-37 and β-defensin-2) expression. Urea both stimulates expression of, and is transported into keratinocytes by two urea transporters, UT-A1 and UT-A2, and by aquaporin 3, 7 and 9. Inhibitors of these urea transporters block the downstream biological effects of urea, which include increased mRNA and protein levels for: (i) transglutaminase-1, involucrin, loricrin and filaggrin; (ii) epidermal lipid synthetic enzymes, and (iii) cathelicidin/LL-37 and β-defensin-2. Finally, we explored the potential clinical utility of urea, showing that topical urea applications normalized both barrier function and antimicrobial peptide expression in a murine model of atopic dermatitis (AD). Together, these results show that urea is a small-molecule regulator of epidermal permeability barrier function and antimicrobial peptide expression after transporter uptake, followed by gene regulatory activity in normal epidermis, with potential therapeutic applications in diseased skin. PMID:22418868

Modeling of flux, binding and substitution of urea molecules in the urea transporter dvUT.

PubMed

Zhang, Hai-Tian; Wang, Zhe; Yu, Tao; Sang, Jian-Ping; Zou, Xian-Wu; Zou, Xiaoqin

2017-09-01

Urea transporters (UTs) are transmembrane proteins that transport urea molecules across cell membranes and play a crucial role in urea excretion and water balance. Modeling the functional characteristics of UTs helps us understand how their structures accomplish the functions at the atomic level, and facilitates future therapeutic design targeting the UTs. This study was based on the crystal structure of Desulfovibrio vulgaris urea transporter (dvUT). To model the binding behavior of urea molecules in dvUT, we constructed a cooperative binding model. To model the substitution of urea by the urea analogue N,N'-dimethylurea (DMU) in dvUT, we calculated the occupation probability of DMU along the urea pore and the ratio of the occupation probabilities of DMU at the external (S ext ) and internal (S int ) binding sites, and we established the mutual substitution rule for binding and substitution of urea and DMU. Based on these calculations and modelings, together with the use of the Monte Carlo (MC) method, we further modeled the urea flux in dvUT, equilibrium urea binding to dvUT, and the substitution of urea by DMU in the dvUT. Our modeling results are in good agreement with the existing experimental functional data. Furthermore, the modelings have discovered the microscopic process and mechanisms of those functional characteristics. The methods and the results would help our future understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the diseases associated with impaired UT functions and rational drug design for the treatment of these diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of protein kinase C-α in hypertonicity-stimulated urea permeability in mouse inner medullary collecting ducts.

PubMed

Wang, Yanhua; Klein, Janet D; Froehlich, Otto; Sands, Jeff M

2013-01-15

The kidney's ability to concentrate urine is vitally important to our quality of life. In the hypertonic environment of the kidney, urea transporters must be regulated to optimize function. We previously showed that hypertonicity increases urea permeability and that the protein kinase C (PKC) blockers chelerythrine and rottlerin decreased hypertonicity-stimulated urea permeability in rat inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCDs). Because PKCα knockout (PKCα(-/-)) mice have a urine-concentrating defect, we tested the effect of hypertonicity on urea permeability in isolated perfused mouse IMCDs. Increasing the osmolality of perfusate and bath from 290 to 690 mosmol/kgH(2)O did not change urea permeability in PKCα(-/-) mice but significantly increased urea permeability in wild-type mice. To determine whether the response to protein kinase A was also missing in IMCDs of PKCα(-/-) mice, tubules were treated with vasopressin and subsequently with the PKC stimulator phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu). Vasopressin stimulated urea permeability in PKCα(-/-) mice. Like vasopressin, forskolin stimulated urea permeability in PKCα(-/-) mice. We previously showed that, in rats, vasopressin and PDBu have additive stimulatory effects on urea permeability. In contrast, in PKCα(-/-) mice, PDBu did not further increase vasopressin-stimulated urea permeability. Western blot analysis showed that expression of the UT-A1 urea transporter in IMCDs was increased in response to vasopressin in wild-type mice as well as PKCα(-/-) mice. Hypertonicity increased UT-A1 phosphorylation in wild-type mice but not in PKCα(-/-) mice. We conclude that PKCα mediates hypertonicity-stimulated urea transport but is not necessary for vasopressin stimulation of urea permeability in mouse IMCDs.

Cells for bioartificial liver devices: the human hepatoma-derived cell line C3A produces urea but does not detoxify ammonia.

PubMed

Mavri-Damelin, Demetra; Damelin, Leonard H; Eaton, Simon; Rees, Myrddin; Selden, Clare; Hodgson, Humphrey J F

2008-02-15

Extrahepatic bioartificial liver devices should provide an intact urea cycle to detoxify ammonia. The C3A cell line, a subclone of the hepatoma-derived HepG2 cell line, is currently used in this context as it produces urea, and this has been assumed to be reflective of ammonia detoxification via a functional urea cycle. However, based on our previous findings of perturbed urea-cycle function in the non-urea producing HepG2 cell line, we hypothesized that the urea produced by C3A cells was via a urea cycle-independent mechanism, namely, due to arginase II activity, and therefore would not detoxify ammonia. Urea was quantified using (15)N-ammonium chloride metabolic labelling with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Gene expression was determined by real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR, protein expression by western blotting, and functional activities with radiolabelling enzyme assays. Arginase inhibition studies used N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine. Urea was detected in C3A conditioned medium; however, (15)N-ammonium chloride-labelling indicated that (15)N-ammonia was not incorporated into (15)N-labelled urea. Further, gene expression of two urea cycle genes, ornithine transcarbamylase and arginase I, were completely absent. In contrast, arginase II mRNA and protein was expressed at high levels in C3A cells and was inhibited by N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine, which prevented urea production, thereby indicating a urea cycle-independent pathway. The urea cycle is non-functional in C3A cells, and their urea production is solely due to the presence of arginase II, which therefore cannot provide ammonia detoxification in a bioartificial liver system. This emphasizes the continued requirement for developing a component capable of a full repertoire of liver function. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modulation of cadmium-induced phytotoxicity in Cabomba caroliniana by urea involves photosynthetic metabolism and antioxidant status.

PubMed

Huang, Wenmin; Shao, Hui; Zhou, Sining; Zhou, Qin; Li, Wei; Xing, Wei

2017-10-01

Urea is a widespread organic pollutant, which can be a nitrogen source, playing different roles in the growth of submerged macrophytes depending on concentrations, while high cadmium (Cd) concentrations are often toxic to macrophytes. In order to evaluate the combined effect of urea and Cd on a submerged macrophyte, Cabomba caroliniana, the morphological and physiological responses of C. caroliniana in the presence of urea and Cd were studied. The results showed that high concentrations of urea (400mgL -1 ) and Cd (500µmolL -1 ) had negative effects on C. caroliniana. There were strong visible symptoms of toxicity after 4 days of exposure under Cd-alone, 400mgL -1 urea, and Cd+400mgL -1 urea treatments. In addition, 400mgL -1 urea and Cd had adverse effects on C. caroliniana's pigment system. Significant losses in chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic rates, as well as Rubisco activity were also observed under Cd-alone, 400mgL -1 urea, and Cd+400mgL -1 urea treatments. 400mgL -1 urea markedly enhanced Cd toxicity in C. caroliniana, reflected by a sharp decrease in photosynthetic activity and more visible toxicity symptoms. The results of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) pointed to extreme oxidative stress in C. caroliniana induced under Cd or 400mgL -1 urea exposure. Exogenous ascorbate (AsA) protected C. caroliniana from adverse damage in 400mgL -1 urea, which further corroborated the oxidative stress claim under 400mgL -1 urea. However, results also demonstrated that lower urea concentration (10mgL -1 ) alleviated Cd-induced phytotoxicity by stimulating chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthetic activity, as well as activating the activity of catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), which may explain the alleviating effect of urea on C. caroliniana under Cd stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ammonia excretion and urea handling by fish gills: present understanding and future research challenges.

PubMed

Wilkie, Michael Patrick

2002-08-01

In fresh water fishes, ammonia is excreted across the branchial epithelium via passive NH(3) diffusion. This NH(3) is subsequently trapped as NH(4)(+) in an acidic unstirred boundary layer lying next to the gill, which maintains the blood-to-gill water NH(3) partial pressure gradient. Whole animal, in situ, ultrastructural and molecular approaches suggest that boundary layer acidification results from the hydration of CO(2) in the expired gill water, and to a lesser extent H(+) excretion mediated by apical H(+)-ATPases. Boundary layer acidification is insignificant in highly buffered sea water, where ammonia excretion proceeds via NH(3) diffusion, as well as passive NH(4)(+) diffusion due to the greater ionic permeability of marine fish gills. Although Na(+)/H(+) exchangers (NHE) have been isolated in marine fish gills, possible Na(+)/NH(4)(+) exchange via these proteins awaits evaluation using modern electrophysiological and molecular techniques. Although urea excretion (J(Urea)) was thought to be via passive diffusion, it is now clear that branchial urea handling requires specialized urea transporters. Four urea transporters have been cloned in fishes, including the shark kidney urea transporter (shUT), which is a facilitated urea transporter similar to the mammalian renal UT-A2 transporter. Another urea transporter, characterized but not yet cloned, is the basolateral, Na(+) dependent urea antiporter of the dogfish gill, which is essential for urea retention in ureosmotic elasmobranchs. In ureotelic teleosts such as the Lake Magadi tilapia and the gulf toadfish, the cloned mtUT and tUT are facilitated urea transporters involved in J(Urea). A basolateral urea transporter recently cloned from the gill of the Japanese eel (eUT) may actually be important for urea retention during salt water acclimation. A multi-faceted approach, incorporating whole animal, histological, biochemical, pharmacological, and molecular techniques is required to learn more about the location, mechanism of action, and functional significance of urea transporters in fishes. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Utilizing maleic acid as a novel fuel for synthesis of PbFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} nanoceramics via sol–gel auto-combustion route

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

Ansari, Fatemeh; Soofivand, Faezeh; Salavati-Niasari, Masoud, E-mail: salavati@kashanu.ac.ir

2015-05-15

PbFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} nanostructures were prepared in an aqueous solution by the sol–gel auto-combustion method using Pb(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} and Fe(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} as starting materials and various carboxylic acids, including oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid and maleic acid as fuel and reducing and capping agents. The as-synthesized products were characterized by X- ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. The effect of carboxylic acid type, Pb{sup +} {sup 2} to carboxylic acid molar ratio, and calcination temperature was investigated on the morphology of the products and several experiments were carried out to obtain the optimalmore » reaction conditions. It was found that the phase and the morphology of the products are influenced by the investigated parameters. Furthermore, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) was used to study the magnetic properties of PbFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} samples. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • PbFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} nanoceramics were synthesized from Fe(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} and Pb(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} via the sol–gel auto combustion method. • The maleic acid can be instead of common capping agent and fuel in auto-combustion sol–gel. • The synthesized PbFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} is a hard magnetic material. • The specific saturation magnetization and coercivity are 27 emu/g and 1900 Oe, respectively.« less

Catalytic Combustion for Ultra-Low NOx Hydrogen Turbines

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

Etemad, Shahrokh; Baird, Benjamin; Alavandi, Sandeep

2011-06-30

Precision Combustion, Inc., (PCI) in close collaboration with Solar Turbines, Incorporated, has developed and demonstrated a combustion system for hydrogen fueled turbines that reduces NOx to low single digit level while maintaining or improving current levels of efficiency and eliminating emissions of carbon dioxide. Full scale Rich Catalytic Hydrogen (RCH1) injector was developed and successfully tested at Solar Turbines, Incorporated high pressure test facility demonstrating low single digit NOx emissions for hydrogen fuel in the range of 2200F-2750F. This development work was based on initial subscale development for faster turnaround and reduced cost. Subscale testing provided promising results for 42%more » and 52% H2 with NOx emissions of less than 2 ppm with improved flame stability. In addition, catalytic reactor element testing for substrate oxidation, thermal cyclic injector testing to simulate start-stop operation in a gas turbine environment, and steady state 15 atm. operation testing were performed successfully. The testing demonstrated stable and robust catalytic element component life for gas turbine conditions. The benefit of the catalytic hydrogen combustor technology includes capability of delivering near-zero NOx without costly post-combustion controls and without requirement for added sulfur control. In addition, reduced acoustics increase gas turbine component life. These advantages advances Department of Energy (DOE’s) objectives for achievement of low single digit NOx emissions, improvement in efficiency vs. postcombustion controls, fuel flexibility, a significant net reduction in Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) system net capital and operating costs, and a route to commercialization across the power generation field from micro turbines to industrial and utility turbines.« less

Effect of synthesis conditions on the nanopowder properties of Ce{sub 0.9}Zr{sub 0.1}O{sub 2}

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

Zimicz, M.G.; Fabregas, I.O.; Lamas, D.G.

Graphical abstract: . The synthesis of nanocrystalline Ce{sub 0.9}Zr{sub 0.1}O{sub 2} powders via the gel-combustion method, using different fuels, and following either stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric pH-controlled routes is investigated. Research highlights: {yields} All samples exhibited the fluorite-type crystal structure, nanometric average crystallite size and negligible carbon content. {yields} Synthesis conditions strongly affect the average crystallite size, the degree of agglomeration, the specific surface area and the pore volume. {yields} Our results indicate that, by controlling the synthesis conditions it is possible to obtain solids with custom-made morphological properties. -- Abstract: In this work, the synthesis of nanocrystalline Ce{sub 0.9}Zr{sub 0.1}O{submore » 2} powders via the gel-combustion method, using different fuels, and following either stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric pH-controlled routes is investigated. The objective is to evaluate the effect of synthesis conditions on the textural and morphological properties, and the crystal structure of the synthesized materials. The solids were characterized by nitrogen physisorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XPD), and Carbon-Hydrogen-Nitrogen Elemental Analysis (CHN). All the powders exhibited nanometric crystallite size, fluorite-type structure and negligible carbon content. Synthesis conditions strongly affect the average crystallite size, the degree of agglomeration, the specific surface area and the pore volume. Our results indicate that, by controlling the synthesis conditions it is possible to obtain solids with custom-made morphological properties.« less

Assessment of Health Effects of Exogenous Urea: Summary and Key Findings.

PubMed

Dickerson, Aisha S; Lee, Janice S; Keshava, Channa; Hotchkiss, Andrew; Persad, Amanda S

2018-05-01

Urea has been utilized as a reductant in diesel fuels to lower emission of nitrogen oxides, igniting interest in probable human health hazards associated with exposure to exogenous urea. Here, we summarize and update key findings on potential health effects of exogenous urea, including carcinogenicity. No definitive target organs for oral exposure were identified; however, results in animal studies suggest that the liver and kidney could be potential target organs of urea toxicity. The available human-subject literature suggests that the impact on lung function is minimal. Based on the literature on exogenous urea, we concluded that there was inadequate information to assess the carcinogenic potential of urea, or perform a quantitative assessment to derive reference values. Given the limited information on exogenous urea, additional research to address gaps for exogenous urea should include long-term cancer bioassays, two-generation reproductive toxicity studies, and mode-of-action investigations.

Sulfonamide antibiotic removal and nitrogen recovery from synthetic urine by the combination of rotating advanced oxidation contactor and methylene urea synthesis process.

PubMed

Fukahori, S; Fujiwara, T; Ito, R; Funamizu, N

2015-01-01

The combination of nitrogen recovery and pharmaceutical removal processes for livestock urine treatment were investigated to suppress the discharge of pollutants and recover nitrogen as resources. We combined methylene urea synthesis from urea and adsorption and photocatalytic decomposition of sulfonamide antibiotic using rotating advanced oxidation contactor (RAOC) contained for obtaining both safe fertilizer and reclaimed water. The methylene urea synthesis could recover urea in synthetic urine, however, almost all sulfonamide antibiotic was also incorporated, which is unfavorable from a safety aspect if the methylene urea is to be used as fertilizer. Conversely, RAOC could remove sulfonamide antibiotic without consuming urea. It was also confirmed that the methylene urea could be synthesized from synthetic urine treated by RAOC. Thus, we concluded that RAOC should be inserted prior to the nitrogen recovery process for effective treatment of urine and safe use of methylene urea as fertilizer.

Synergistic behavior of glycine betaine-urea mixture: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Narendra; Kishore, Nand

2013-09-01

Glycine betaine (GB) is one of the most important osmolyte which is known to stabilize proteins as well as counteract the denaturing effect of urea. There have been many studies indicating protein stabilization and counteraction of the effect of urea by GB. However, the exact mechanism of counteraction is still debated and is of important research interest. In this study, distribution functions, hydrogen bonds, and energetics were analysed to understand different interactions between GB and urea, and their solvation properties in presence of each other. The results show that in the GB-urea mixture, GB acted as a stronger osmolyte and urea became a weaker denaturing agent than its individual counterparts. The increase in the solvation of urea and GB in GB-urea mixture and their mutual interactions through hydrogen bonding and coulombic energy resulted in more involvement of GB and urea with solvent as well as with themselves. This might result in the increase of the exclusion of GB from protein surface and decrease in the protein-urea interactions in the mixture. This synergistic behavior might be the prime reason for the counteraction of denaturing effect of urea by GB.

Mechanistic insights into osmolyte action in protein stabilization under harsh conditions: N-methylacetamide in glycine betaine-urea mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Narendra; Kishore, Nand

2014-10-01

Glycine betaine (GB), a small naturally occurring osmolyte, stabilizes proteins and counteracts harsh denaturing conditions such as extremes of temperature, cellular dehydration, and presence of high concentration of urea. In spite of several studies on understanding mechanism of protein stabilization and counteraction of these harsh conditions by osmolytes, studies centred on GB, one of the most important osmolyte, are scarce, hence, there is need for more investigations. To explore mechanism of protein stabilization and counteraction of denaturing property of urea by GB, molecular dynamics studies of N-methylacetamide (NMA), a model peptide representing denatured state of a protein, in the presence of GB, urea, and GB-urea mixture were carried out. The results show that GB and urea work such that the strength of GB as a protecting osmolyte is increased and the denaturing ability of urea is decreased in the GB-urea mixture. It can be inferred that GB counteracts urea by decreasing its hydrophobic interactions with proteins. The mutual interactions between GB and urea also play an important role in protein stabilization. This study provides insights on osmolyte induced counteraction of denaturing property of urea.

Evaluation of the Determination of Free Urea in Water-Soluble Liquid Fertilizers Containing Urea and Ureaforms by Urease and HPLC Methods.

PubMed

Hojjatie, Michael M; Abrams, Dean

2015-01-01

Currently there are three AOAC Official Methods for the determination of urea in fertilizers. AOAC Official Method 959.03, Urea in Fertilizers, Urease Method, First Action 1959, Final Action 1960, is based on the use of fresh commercial 1% urease solution, or preparation of such solution from urease powder in water, or from jack bean meal in water. AOAC Official Method 983.01, Urea and Methyleneureas (Water-Soluble) in Fertilizers, First Action 1983, Final Action 1984, is based on LC with a refractive index detector using water as the mobile phase and a C18 column. AOAC Official Method 2003.14, Determination of Urea in Water- Soluble Urea-Formaldehyde Fertilizer Products and in Aqueous Urea Solutions, First Action 2003, Final Action 2008, is based on LC with a UV detector using acetonitrile-water (85+15, v/v) mobile phase and a propylamine column. The urea method, AOAC Official Method 959.03, is very much dependent on the nature of the urease enzyme. The method was developed in 1960 and used for simple urea fertilizer solutions. With the advent of complex fertilizer compositions, especially with the class of liquid triazone fertilizers and water-soluble urea forms, the analyses of free urea in these fertilizers by the urease method is often inaccurate and inconsistent. AOAC Official Method 983.01 is not always reliable due to the interference of some of the components of these fertilizers, and due to the fact that the use of water as the mobile phase does not always separate the free urea from other components. AOAC Official Method 2003.14 was subjected to ring test studies that showed it could be used for the determination of "free urea" in these classes of fertilizers with good accuracy and precision.

CsNIP2;1 is a Plasma Membrane Transporter from Cucumis sativus that Facilitates Urea Uptake When Expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Zhang, Lu; Yan, Jiapei; Vatamaniuk, Olena K; Du, Xiangge

2016-03-01

Urea is an important source of nitrogen (N) for the growth and development of plants. It occurs naturally in soils, is the major N source in agricultural fertilizers and is an important N metabolite in plants. Therefore, the identification and characterization of urea transporters in higher plants is important for the fundamental understanding of urea-based N nutrition in plants and for designing novel strategies for improving the N-use efficiency of urea based-fertilizers. Progress in this area, however, is hampered due to scarce knowledge of plant urea transporters. From what is known, urea uptake from the soil into plant roots is mediated by two types of transporters: the major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) and the DUR3 orthologs, mediating low- and high-affinity urea transport, respectively. Here we characterized a MIP family member from Cucumis sativus, CsNIP2;1, with regard to its contribution to urea transport. We show that CsNIP2;1 is a plasma membrane transporter that mediates pH-dependent urea uptake when expressed in yeast. We also found that ectopic expression of CsNIP2;1 improves growth of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and rescues growth and development of the atdur3-3 mutant on medium with urea as the sole N source. In addition, CsNIP2;1 is transcriptionally up-regulated by N deficiency, urea and NO3 (-). These data and results from the analyses of the pattern of CsNIP2;1 expression in A. thaliana and cucumber suggest that CsNIP2;1 might be involved in multiple steps of urea-based N nutrition, including urea uptake and internal transport during N remobilization throughout seed germination and N delivery to developing tissues. © Crown copyright 2016.

Role of protein kinase C-α in hypertonicity-stimulated urea permeability in mouse inner medullary collecting ducts

PubMed Central

Klein, Janet D.; Froehlich, Otto; Sands, Jeff M.

2013-01-01

The kidney's ability to concentrate urine is vitally important to our quality of life. In the hypertonic environment of the kidney, urea transporters must be regulated to optimize function. We previously showed that hypertonicity increases urea permeability and that the protein kinase C (PKC) blockers chelerythrine and rottlerin decreased hypertonicity-stimulated urea permeability in rat inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCDs). Because PKCα knockout (PKCα−/−) mice have a urine-concentrating defect, we tested the effect of hypertonicity on urea permeability in isolated perfused mouse IMCDs. Increasing the osmolality of perfusate and bath from 290 to 690 mosmol/kgH2O did not change urea permeability in PKCα−/− mice but significantly increased urea permeability in wild-type mice. To determine whether the response to protein kinase A was also missing in IMCDs of PKCα−/− mice, tubules were treated with vasopressin and subsequently with the PKC stimulator phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu). Vasopressin stimulated urea permeability in PKCα−/− mice. Like vasopressin, forskolin stimulated urea permeability in PKCα−/− mice. We previously showed that, in rats, vasopressin and PDBu have additive stimulatory effects on urea permeability. In contrast, in PKCα−/− mice, PDBu did not further increase vasopressin-stimulated urea permeability. Western blot analysis showed that expression of the UT-A1 urea transporter in IMCDs was increased in response to vasopressin in wild-type mice as well as PKCα−/− mice. Hypertonicity increased UT-A1 phosphorylation in wild-type mice but not in PKCα−/− mice. We conclude that PKCα mediates hypertonicity-stimulated urea transport but is not necessary for vasopressin stimulation of urea permeability in mouse IMCDs. PMID:23097465

Hepatic urea biosynthesis in the euryhaline elasmobranch Carcharhinus leucas.

PubMed

Anderson, W Gary; Good, Jonathan P; Pillans, Richard D; Hazon, Neil; Franklin, Craig E

2005-10-01

Plasma urea levels and hepatic urea production in the euryhaline bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, acclimated to freshwater and seawater environments were measured. It was found that plasma urea concentration increased with salinity and that this increase was, in part, the result of a significant increase in hepatic production of urea. This study provides direct evidence that hepatic production of urea plays an important role in the osmoregulatory strategy of C. leucas. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Urea, a true uremic toxin: the empire strikes back.

PubMed

Lau, Wei Ling; Vaziri, Nosratola D

2017-01-01

Blood levels of urea rise with progressive decline in kidney function. Older studies examining acute urea infusion suggested that urea was well-tolerated at levels 8-10× above normal values. More recent in vitro and in vivo work argue the opposite and demonstrate both direct and indirect toxicities of urea, which probably promote the premature aging phenotype that is pervasive in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Elevated urea at concentrations typically encountered in uremic patients induces disintegration of the gut epithelial barrier, leading to translocation of bacterial toxins into the bloodstream and systemic inflammation. Urea induces apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells as well as endothelial dysfunction, thus directly promoting cardiovascular disease. Further, urea stimulates oxidative stress and dysfunction in adipocytes, leading to insulin resistance. Finally, there are widespread indirect effects of elevated urea as a result of the carbamylation reaction, where isocyanic acid (a product of urea catabolism) alters the structure and function of proteins in the body. Carbamylation has been linked with renal fibrosis, atherosclerosis and anaemia. In summary, urea is a re-emerging Dark Force in CKD pathophysiology. Trials examining low protein diet to minimize accumulation of urea and other toxins suggest a clinical benefit in terms of slowing progression of CKD. © 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

21 CFR 862.1770 - Urea nitrogen test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Urea nitrogen test system. 862.1770 Section 862....1770 Urea nitrogen test system. (a) Identification. A urea nitrogen test system is a device intended to measure urea nitrogen (an end-product of nitrogen metabolism) in whole blood, serum, plasma, and urine...

21 CFR 862.1770 - Urea nitrogen test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Urea nitrogen test system. 862.1770 Section 862....1770 Urea nitrogen test system. (a) Identification. A urea nitrogen test system is a device intended to measure urea nitrogen (an end-product of nitrogen metabolism) in whole blood, serum, plasma, and urine...

21 CFR 862.1770 - Urea nitrogen test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Urea nitrogen test system. 862.1770 Section 862....1770 Urea nitrogen test system. (a) Identification. A urea nitrogen test system is a device intended to measure urea nitrogen (an end-product of nitrogen metabolism) in whole blood, serum, plasma, and urine...

21 CFR 862.1770 - Urea nitrogen test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Urea nitrogen test system. 862.1770 Section 862....1770 Urea nitrogen test system. (a) Identification. A urea nitrogen test system is a device intended to measure urea nitrogen (an end-product of nitrogen metabolism) in whole blood, serum, plasma, and urine...

Phenol-Urea-Formaldehyde (PUF) co-condensed wood adhesives

Treesearch

Bunichiro Tomita; Chung-Yun Hse

1998-01-01

The reaction of urea with methylolphenol under acidic conditions was investigated. The alternating copolymer of urea and phenol could be synthesized by the reaction of urea and 2,4,6-trimethylolphenol. The reactions of urea with polymethylolphenol mixtures also were investigated by changing the reaction conditions, such as the molar ratio and acidity. The co-...

21 CFR 862.1770 - Urea nitrogen test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Urea nitrogen test system. 862.1770 Section 862....1770 Urea nitrogen test system. (a) Identification. A urea nitrogen test system is a device intended to measure urea nitrogen (an end-product of nitrogen metabolism) in whole blood, serum, plasma, and urine...

21 CFR 176.320 - Sodium nitrate-urea complex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Sodium nitrate-urea complex. 176.320 Section 176... Paperboard § 176.320 Sodium nitrate-urea complex. Sodium nitrate-urea complex may be safely used as a..., packaging, transporting, or holding food, subject to the provisions of this section. (a) Sodium nitrate-urea...

Dispersion Interactions between Urea and Nucleobases Contribute to the Destabilization of RNA by Urea in Aqueous Solution

PubMed Central

Kasavajhala, Koushik; Bikkina, Swetha; Patil, Indrajit; MacKerell, Alexander D.; Priyakumar, U. Deva

2015-01-01

Urea has long been used to investigate protein folding and, more recently, RNA folding. Studies have proposed that urea denatures RNA by participating in stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds with nucleic acid bases. In this study, the ability of urea to form unconventional stacking interactions with RNA bases is investigated using ab initio calculations (RI-MP2 and CCSD(T) methods with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set). A total of 29 stable nucleobase-urea stacked complexes are identified in which the intermolecular interaction energies (up to −14 kcal/mol) are dominated by dispersion effects. Natural bond orbital (NBO) and atoms in molecules (AIM) calculations further confirm strong interactions between urea and nucleobases. Calculations on model systems with multiple urea and water molecules interacting with a guanine base lead to a hypothesis that urea molecules along with water are able to form cage-like structures capable of trapping nucleic acid bases in extrahelical states by forming both hydrogen bonded and dispersion interactions, thereby contributing to the unfolding of RNA in the presence of urea in aqueous solution. PMID:25668757

The distribution and metabolism of urea in the eastern Canadian Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, W. G.; Head, E. J. H.; Conover, R. J.; Longhurst, A. R.; Sameoto, D. D.

1985-01-01

Urea concentrations, uptake, and excretion were measured at various locations in northern Baffin Bay and surrounding waters during the summer of 1980. Concentrations were variable (<0.03 to > 2.00 mg-at. N m -3) but followed patterns of decreasing concentration with depth in the euphotic zone and with distance from land. Urea accounted for > 50% of the total dissolved nitrogen in the upper mixed layer at most stations. Urea uptake rates showed generally the same distributional patterns as did concentrations and on the average accounted for 32% of the total nitrogen (NO 3- + NH 4+ + urea) productivity in the eupholic zone. Ammonium, and frequently NO 3-, were utilized in preference to urea. Dual isotope ( 14C and 15N-urea) labelling experiments suggested that most urea-C was respired as CO 2 while 50 to 80% of the urea-N was incorporated by the phytoplankton. Excretion measurements suggested that the four dominant macrozooplankton species ( Calanus hyperboreus, C. finmarchicus, C. glacialis, and Metridia sp.) supplied only -3% of the urea-N but -40% of the NH 4+-N requirements of the primary producers.

Nicotine, acetanilide and urea multi-level2H-,13C- and15N-abundance reference materials for continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schimmelmann, A.; Albertino, A.; Sauer, P.E.; Qi, H.; Molinie, R.; Mesnard, F.

2009-01-01

Accurate determinations of stable isotope ratios require a calibration using at least two reference materials with different isotopic compositions to anchor the isotopic scale and compensate for differences in machine slope. Ideally, the S values of these reference materials should bracket the isotopic range of samples with unknown S values. While the practice of analyzing two isotopically distinct reference materials is common for water (VSMOW-SLAP) and carbonates (NBS 19 and L-SVEC), the lack of widely available organic reference materials with distinct isotopic composition has hindered the practice when analyzing organic materials by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). At present only L-glutamic acids USGS40 and USGS41 satisfy these requirements for ??13C and ??13N, with the limitation that L-glutamic acid is not suitable for analysis by gas chromatography (GC). We describe the development and quality testing of (i) four nicotine laboratory reference materials for on-line (i.e. continuous flow) hydrogen reductive gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-IRMS), (ii) five nicotines for oxidative C, N gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS, or GC-IRMS), and (iii) also three acetanilide and three urea reference materials for on-line oxidative EA-IRMS for C and N. Isotopic off-line calibration against international stable isotope measurement standards at Indiana University adhered to the 'principle of identical treatment'. The new reference materials cover the following isotopic ranges: ??2Hnicotine -162 to -45%o, ??13Cnicotine -30.05 to +7.72%, ?? 15Nnicotine -6.03 to +33.62%; ??15N acetanilide +1-18 to +40.57%; ??13Curea -34.13 to +11.71%, ??15Nurea +0.26 to +40.61% (recommended ?? values refer to calibration with NBS 19, L-SVEC, IAEA-N-1, and IAEA-N-2). Nicotines fill a gap as the first organic nitrogen stable isotope reference materials for GC-IRMS that are available with different ??13N values. Comparative ??13C and ??15N on-line EA-IRMS data from 14 volunteering laboratories document the usefulness and reliability of acetanilides and ureas as EA-IRMS reference materials.

Mechanical Insight into Resistance of Betaine to Urea-Induced Protein Denaturation.

PubMed

Chen, Jiantao; Gong, Xiangjun; Zeng, Chaoxi; Wang, Yonghua; Zhang, Guangzhao

2016-12-08

It is known that urea can induce protein denaturation that can be inhibited by osmolytes. Yet, experimental explorations on this mechanism at the molecular level are still lacking. We have investigated the resistance of betaine to the urea-induced denaturation of lysozyme in aqueous solutions using low-field NMR. Our study demonstrates that urea molecules directly interact with lysozyme, leading to denaturation. However, betaine molecules interacting with urea more strongly than lysozyme can pull the bound urea molecules from lysozyme so that the protein is protected from denaturation. The number of urea molecules bound to a betaine molecule is given under different conditions. Proton NMR spectroscopy ( 1 H-NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveal that the interaction between betaine and urea is through hydrogen bonding.

Serosal-to-mucosal urea flux across the isolated ruminal epithelium is mediated via urea transporter-B and aquaporins when Holstein calves are abruptly changed to a moderately fermentable diet.

PubMed

Walpole, M E; Schurmann, B L; Górka, P; Penner, G B; Loewen, M E; Mutsvangwa, T

2015-02-01

Urea transport (UT-B) proteins are known to facilitate urea movement across the ruminal epithelium; however, other mechanisms may be involved as well because inhibiting UT-B does not completely abolish urea transport. Of the aquaporins (AQP), which are a family of membrane-spanning proteins that are predominantly involved in the movement of water, AQP-3, AQP-7, and AQP-10 are also permeable to urea, but it is not clear if they contribute to urea transport across the ruminal epithelium. The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the functional roles of AQP and UT-B in the serosal-to-mucosal urea flux (Jsm-urea) across rumen epithelium; and (2) whether functional adaptation occurs in response to increased diet fermentability. Twenty-five Holstein steer calves (n=5) were assigned to a control diet (CON; 91.5% hay and 8.5% vitamin and mineral supplement) or a medium grain diet (MGD; 41.5% barley grain, 50% hay, and 8.5% vitamin and mineral) that was fed for 3, 7, 14, or 21 d. Calves were killed and ruminal epithelium was collected for mounting in Ussing chambers under short-circuit conditions and for analysis of mRNA abundance of UT-B and AQP-3, AQP-7, and AQP-10. To mimic physiologic conditions, the mucosal buffer (pH 6.2) contained no urea, whereas the serosal buffer (pH 7.4) contained 1 mM urea. The fluxes of (14)C-urea (Jsm-urea; 26 kBq/10 mL) and (3)H-mannitol (Jsm-mannitol; 37 kBq/10 mL) were measured, with Jsm-mannitol being used as an indicator of paracellular or hydrophilic movement. Serosal addition of phloretin (1 mM) was used to inhibit UT-B-mediated urea transport, whereas NiCl2 (1 mM) was used to inhibit AQP-mediated urea transport. Across treatments, the addition of phloretin or NiCl2 reduced the Jsm-urea from 116.5 to 54.0 and 89.5 nmol/(cm(2) × h), respectively. When both inhibitors were added simultaneously, Jsm-urea was further reduced to 36.8 nmol/(cm(2) × h). Phloretin-sensitive and NiCl2-sensitive Jsm-urea were not affected by diet. The Jsm-urea tended to increase linearly as the duration of adaptation to MGD increased, with the lowest Jsm-urea being observed in animals fed CON [107.7 nmol/(cm(2) × h)] and the highest for those fed the MGD for 21 d [144.2 nmol/(cm(2) × h)]. Phloretin-insensitive Jsm-urea tended to increase linearly as the duration of adaptation to MGD increased, whereas NiCl2-insensitive Jsm-urea tended to be affected by diet. Gene transcript abundance for AQP-3 and UT-B in ruminal epithelium increased linearly as the duration of MGD adaptation increased. For AQP-7 and AQP-10, gene transcript abundance in animals that were fed the MGD was greater compared with that of CON animals. These results demonstrate that both AQP and UT-B play significant functional roles in urea transport, and they may play a role in urea transport during dietary adaptation to fermentable carbohydrates. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does low dose (13)C-urea breath test maintain a satisfactory accuracy in diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection?

PubMed

Coelho, Luiz Gonzaga Vaz; Silva, Arilto Eleutério da; Coelho, Maria Clara de Freitas; Penna, Francisco Guilherme Cancela e; Ferreira, Rafael Otto Antunes; Santa-Cecilia, Elisa Viana

2011-01-01

The standard doses of (13)C-urea in (13)C-urea breath test is 75 mg. To assess the diagnostic accuracy of (13)C-urea breath test containing 25 mg of (13)C-urea comparing with the standard doses of 75 mg in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Two hundred seventy adult patients (96 males, 174 females, median age 41 years) performed the standard (13)C-urea breath test (75 mg (13)C-urea) and repeated the (13)C-urea breath test using only 25 mg of (13)C-urea within a 2 week interval. The test was performed using an infrared isotope analyzer. Patients were considered positive if delta over baseline was >4.0‰ at the gold standard test. One hundred sixty-one (59.6%) patients were H. pylori negative and 109 (40.4%) were positive by the gold standard test. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis we established a cut-off value of 3.4% as the best value of 25 mg (13)C-urea breath test to discriminate positive and negative patients, considering the H. pylori prevalence (95% CI: 23.9-37.3) at our setting. Therefore, we obtained to 25 mg (13)C-urea breath test a diagnostic accuracy of 92.9% (95% CI: 88.1-97.9), sensitivity 83.5% (95% CI: 75.4-89.3), specificity 99.4% (95% CI: 96.6-99.9), positive predictive value 98.3% (95% CI: 92.4-99.4), and negative predictive value 93.0% (95% CI: 88.6-96.1). Low-dose (13)C-urea breath test (25 mg (13)C-urea) does not reach accuracy sufficient to be recommended in clinical setting where a 30% prevalence of H. pylori infection is observed. Further studies should be done to determine the diagnostic accuracy of low doses of (13)C-urea in the urea breath test.

Combining Urease and Nitrification Inhibitors with Incorporation Reduces Ammonia and Nitrous Oxide Emissions and Increases Corn Yields.

PubMed

Drury, Craig F; Yang, Xueming; Reynolds, W Dan; Calder, Wayne; Oloya, Tom O; Woodley, Alex L

2017-09-01

Less than 50% of applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer is typically recovered by corn ( L.) due to climatic constraints, soil degradation, overapplication, and losses to air and water. Two application methods, two N sources, and two inhibitors were evaluated to reduce N losses and enhance crop uptake. The treatments included broadcast urea (BrUrea), BrUrea with a urease inhibitor (BrUrea+UI), BrUrea with a urease and a nitrification inhibitor (BrUrea+UI+NI), injection of urea ammonium nitrate (InjUAN), and injected with one or both inhibitors (InjUAN+UI, InjUAN+UI+NI), and a control. The BrUrea treatment lost 50% (64.4 kg N ha) of the applied N due to ammonia volatilization, but losses were reduced by 64% with BrUrea+UI+NI (23.0 kg N ha) and by 60% with InjUAN (26.1 kg N ha). Ammonia losses were lower and crop yields were greater in 2014 than 2013 as a result of the more favorable weather when N was applied in 2014. When ammonia volatilization was reduced by adding a urease inhibitor, NO emissions were increased by 30 to 31% with BrUrea+UI and InjUAN+UI compared with BrUrea and InjUAN, respectively. Pollution swapping was avoided when both inhibitors were used (BrUrea+UI+NI, InjUAN+UI+NI) as both ammonia volatilization and NO emissions were reduced, and corn grain yields increased by 5% with BrUrea+UI+NI and by 7% with InjUAN+UI+NI compared with BrUrea and InjUAN, respectively. The combination of two N management strategies (InjUAN+UI+NI) increased yields by 19% (12.9 t ha) compared with BrUrea (10.8 t ha). Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Opposite effects on regulation of urea synthesis by early and late uraemia in rats.

PubMed

Nielsen, Susanne Schouw; Grøfte, Thorbjørn; Grønbaek, Henning; Tygstrup, Niels; Vilstrup, Hendrik

2007-04-01

Acute and chronic kidney failure lead to catabolism with loss of lean body mass. Up-regulation of hepatic urea synthesis may play a role for the loss of body nitrogen and for the level of uraemia. The aims were to investigate the effects of early and late experimental renal failure on the regulation of hepatic urea synthesis and the expression of urea cycle enzyme genes in the liver. We examined the in vivo capacity of urea nitrogen synthesis, mRNA levels of urea cycle enzyme genes, and N-balances 6 days and 21 days after 5/6th partial nephrectomy in rats, and compared these data with pair- and free-fed control animals. Compared with pair-fed animals, early uraemia halved the in vivo urea synthesis capacity and decreased urea gene expressions (P<0.05). In contrast, late uraemia up-regulated in vivo urea synthesis and expression of all urea genes (P<0.05), save that of the flux-generating enzyme carbamoyl phosphate synthetase. The N-balance in rats with early uraemia was markedly negative (P<0.05) and near zero in late uraemia. Early uraemia down-regulated urea synthesis, so hepatic ureagenesis was not in itself involved in the negative N-balance. In contrast, late uraemia up-regulated urea synthesis, which probably contributed towards the reduced N-balance of this condition. These time-dependent, opposite effects on the uraemia-induced regulation of urea synthesis in vivo were not related to food restriction and probably mostly reflected regulation on gene level.

Urea nitrate, an exceptionally easy-to-make improvised explosive: studies towards trace characterization.

PubMed

Tamiri, Tsippy; Rozin, Rinat; Lemberger, Nitay; Almog, Joseph

2009-09-01

Urea nitrate is a powerful improvised explosive, frequently used by terrorists in the Israeli arena. It was also used in the first World Trade Center bombing in New York in February 1993. It is difficult to identify urea nitrate in post-explosion debris, since only a very small fraction survives the blast. Also, in the presence of water, it readily decomposes to its original components, urea and nitric acid. It is suspected that post-blast debris of urea nitrate can be confused with ammonium nitrate, the main solid product of urea nitrate thermal decomposition. In a comprehensive study towards identification of urea nitrate in post-blast traces, a spectrophotometric technique for quantitative determination of urea nitrate was developed, and conditions were found for extraction and separation of un-exploded traces of urea nitrate with minimal decomposition. Nevertheless, out of 28 samples collected from a series of three controlled firings of urea nitrate charges, only one gave the typical adduct ion by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. We found that urea nitrate can be extracted from solid mixtures to organic solvents by using Crown ethers as "host compounds." The adducts thus formed are solid, crystalline compounds that can be characterized by microanalysis and spectroscopic techniques.

Model Dependency of TMAO's Counteracting Effect Against Action of Urea: Kast Model versus Osmotic Model of TMAO.

PubMed

Borgohain, Gargi; Paul, Sandip

2016-03-10

Classical molecular dynamics simulation of GB1 peptide (a 16-residue β-hairpin) in different osmotic environments is studied. Urea is used for denaturation of the peptide, and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is used to offset the effect of urea. Protein-urea electrostatic interactions are found to play a major role in protein-denaturation. To emphasize on protein protecting action of TMAO against urea, two different models of TMAO are used, viz., the Kast model and the Osmotic model. We observe that the Osmotic model of TMAO gives the best protection to counteract urea's action when used in ratio 1:2 of urea:TMAO (i.e., reverse ratio). This is because the presence of TMAO makes urea-protein electrostatic interactions more unfavorable. Preferential solvation of TMAO molecules by urea (and water) molecules is also observed, which causes depletion in the number of urea molecules in the vicinity of the protein. The calculations of intraprotein hydrogen bonds between different residues of protein further reveal the breaking of backbone hydrogen bonds of residues 2 and 15 in the presence of urea, and the same is preserved in the presence of TMAO. Free energy landscapes show that the narrowest distribution is obtained for the osmotic TMAO model when used in reverse ratio.

Urea metabolism in beef steers fed tall fescue, orchardgrass, or gamagrass hays.

PubMed

Huntington, G B; Magee, K; Matthews, A; Poore, M; Burns, J

2009-04-01

Two experiments were conducted to assess effects of endophyte treatments (Exp. 1), forage species (Exp. 2), and supplementation (Exp. 2) on urea production, excretion, and recycling in beef steers. Infusion of (15,15)N-urea and enrichment of urea in urine samples were used to calculate urea-N entry and recycling to the gut. Acceptably stable enrichment of (15)N-urea in urine was obtained after 50 h of intrajugular infusion of (15,15)N-urea, indicating that valid data on urea metabolism can be obtained from steers fed forages twice daily. After adjustment by covariance for differences in N intake among treatments in Exp. 1, steers fed endophyte-infected tall fescue had less (P<0.10) urea-N entry, recycling to the gut, and return of recycled urea-N to the ornithine cycle than those fed endophyte-free or novel endophyte-infected tall fescue. However, urea-N urinary excretion or return to the gut was similar among endophyte treatments when expressed as a proportion of urea-N entry. Urea-N entry and return to the gut in Exp. 2 was similar in steers fed gamagrass or orchardgrass hay after adjustment by covariance for differences in N intake. Less (P<0.01) urinary excretion, expressed as grams per day or as a proportion of urea-N entry, with gamagrass than with orchardgrass was associated with faster in vitro NDF-N digestion with gamagrass. Supplementation of gamagrass or orchardgrass with 1.76 kg/d of readily fermentable fiber and starch decreased urea entry (P<0.06) and urinary excretion of urea (P<0.01). Interactions between hay source and supplement reflected a greater response to supplementation for steers fed orchardgrass than for those fed gamagrass. After adjustment for differences among treatments in N supply, results of both experiments support the concept of improved N use in response to increased carbohydrate fermentability in the rumen, due either to inherent differences in forage fiber or to supplementation with readily fermentable carbohydrate (starch or fiber). Closer coordination of ruminal fermentation of carbohydrate and N sources provided greater and more efficient capture of dietary N as tissue protein in forage-fed steers.

Carbon footprint as an environmental sustainability indicator for the particleboard produced in Pakistan.

PubMed

Hussain, Majid; Naseem Malik, Riffat; Taylor, Adam

2017-05-01

This study quantified the carbon footprint of particleboard production in Pakistan using a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment approach. The system boundary comprised raw materials acquisition, transport, particleboard manufacture and finished product distribution. Primary data were collected through surveys and meetings with particleboard manufacturers. Secondary data were taken from the literature. Greenhouse gas emissions from off-site industrial operations of the particleboard industry represented 52% of the total emissions from the production of 1.0m 3 of particleboard in Pakistan. The on-site industrial operations cause direct greenhouse gas emissions and accounted for 48% of the total emissions. These operations included energy consumption in stationary sources, the company-owned vehicle fleet, and the distribution and marketing of the finished product. The use of natural gas combustion in the stationary and mobile sources, raw material transport and urea-formaldehyde resin production chain accounted for the highest emissions from the particleboard production chain in Pakistan. The identification of the major hotspots in the particleboard production chain can assist the wood panel industry to improve their environmental profile. More efforts are needed to investigate the urea-formaldehyde resin production chain and substitution of roundwood with wood and agri-residues to assess the potential improvements. In addition, renewable energy sources should be encouraged to avoid greenhouse gas emissions by substituting fossil energy. This study also provides a benchmark for future research work to formulate comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions reduction plans, because no previous research work is available on the carbon footprint of particleboard production in Pakistan. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of dietary nitrogen content and intravenous urea infusion on ruminal and portal-drained visceral extraction of arterial urea in lactating Holstein cows.

PubMed

Kristensen, N B; Storm, A C; Larsen, M

2010-06-01

Urea extraction across ruminal and portal-drained visceral (PDV) tissues were investigated using 9 rumen-cannulated and multi-catheterized lactating dairy cows adapted to low-N (12.9% crude protein) and high-N (17.1% crude protein) diets in a crossover design. The interaction between adaptation to dietary treatments and blood plasma concentrations of urea was studied by dividing samplings into a 2.5-h period without urea infusion followed by a 2.5-h period with primed continuous intravenous infusion of urea (0.493+/-0.012 mmol/kg of BW per h). Cows were sampled at 66+/-14 and 68+/-12 d in milk and produced 42+/-1 and 36+/-1 kg of milk/d with the high-N and low-N diets, respectively. The arterial blood urea concentration before urea infusion was 1.37 and 4.09+/-0.18 mmol/L with low-N and high-N, respectively. Dietary treatment did not affect the urea infusion-induced increase in arterial urea concentration (1.91+/-0.13 mmol/L). Arterial urea extraction across the PDV and rumen increased from 2.7 to 5.4+/-0.5% and from 7.1 to 23.8+/-2.1% when cows were changed from high-N to low-N, respectively. Urea infusion did not decrease urea extractions, implying that urea transport rates were proportional to arterial urea concentrations. Urea extraction increased more across the rumen wall than across the total PDV for low-N compared with high-N, which implies that a larger proportion of total PDV uptake of arterial urea is directed toward the rumen with decreasing N intake. The ruminal vein - arterial (RA) concentration difference for ammonia increased instantly (first sampling 15 min after initiation of infusion) to the primed intravenous infusion when cows were adapted to the low-N diet. The RA difference for ammonia correlated poorly to the ventral ruminal concentration of ammonia (r=0.55). Relating the RA difference for ammonia to a function of both ruminal ammonia concentration and the RA difference for urea markedly improved the fit (r=0.85), indicating that a large fraction of ammonia released to the ruminal vein is absorbed from an epithelial ammonia pool not in equilibrium with the ventral ruminal ammonia pool. Changing cows from high-N to low-N affected the relative blood urea clearance by kidneys and PDV. The clearance by the kidneys decreased from 41 to 27+/-2 L/h and the clearance by the PDV increased from 52 to 105+/-12 L/h when the diet was changed from high-N to low-N. In conclusion, urea transport across gut epithelia in cattle is adapting to N status and driven by mass action. Data are commensurable with a model for urea transport across gut epithelia based on regulated expression or activity of facilitative urea transporters. 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urea tolerance of myofibrillar proteins of two elasmobranchs: Squalus acanthias and Raja tengu.

PubMed

Hasnain, A; Yasui, T

1986-09-01

Some biochemical properties of actomyosin and myosin from elasmobranchs, Squalus acanthias and Raja tengu are compared with those of a freshwater (Cyprinus carpio) and a marine teleost (Seriola quinquiradiata). Whereas Ca2+-ATPase of teleost actomyosins are more stable in the absence of urea, the reverse is true for elasmobranchs up to 1.0 M urea. In contrast to that of teleosts, the Mg2+-ATPase of S. acanthias actomyosin shows an activation in the presence of urea, where as that of R. tengu persists. Below 1.0 M urea, there is low incorporation of DTNB into thiols of elasmobranch myosins, and losses in alpha-helicity are reversible up to 5.0 M urea. The results, thus, demonstrate that for a certain concentration of urea, elasmobranch myofibrillar proteins may exhibit a group specific tolerance to urea.

Quantifying why urea is a protein denaturant, whereas glycine betaine is a protein stabilizer

PubMed Central

Guinn, Emily J.; Pegram, Laurel M.; Capp, Michael W.; Pollock, Michelle N.; Record, M. Thomas

2011-01-01

To explain the large, opposite effects of urea and glycine betaine (GB) on stability of folded proteins and protein complexes, we quantify and interpret preferential interactions of urea with 45 model compounds displaying protein functional groups and compare with a previous analysis of GB. This information is needed to use urea as a probe of coupled folding in protein processes and to tune molecular dynamics force fields. Preferential interactions between urea and model compounds relative to their interactions with water are determined by osmometry or solubility and dissected using a unique coarse-grained analysis to obtain interaction potentials quantifying the interaction of urea with each significant type of protein surface (aliphatic, aromatic hydrocarbon (C); polar and charged N and O). Microscopic local-bulk partition coefficients Kp for the accumulation or exclusion of urea in the water of hydration of these surfaces relative to bulk water are obtained. Kp values reveal that urea accumulates moderately at amide O and weakly at aliphatic C, whereas GB is excluded from both. These results provide both thermodynamic and molecular explanations for the opposite effects of urea and glycine betaine on protein stability, as well as deductions about strengths of amide NH—amide O and amide NH—amide N hydrogen bonds relative to hydrogen bonds to water. Interestingly, urea, like GB, is moderately accumulated at aromatic C surface. Urea m-values for protein folding and other protein processes are quantitatively interpreted and predicted using these urea interaction potentials or Kp values. PMID:21930943

Quantifying why urea is a protein denaturant, whereas glycine betaine is a protein stabilizer.

PubMed

Guinn, Emily J; Pegram, Laurel M; Capp, Michael W; Pollock, Michelle N; Record, M Thomas

2011-10-11

To explain the large, opposite effects of urea and glycine betaine (GB) on stability of folded proteins and protein complexes, we quantify and interpret preferential interactions of urea with 45 model compounds displaying protein functional groups and compare with a previous analysis of GB. This information is needed to use urea as a probe of coupled folding in protein processes and to tune molecular dynamics force fields. Preferential interactions between urea and model compounds relative to their interactions with water are determined by osmometry or solubility and dissected using a unique coarse-grained analysis to obtain interaction potentials quantifying the interaction of urea with each significant type of protein surface (aliphatic, aromatic hydrocarbon (C); polar and charged N and O). Microscopic local-bulk partition coefficients K(p) for the accumulation or exclusion of urea in the water of hydration of these surfaces relative to bulk water are obtained. K(p) values reveal that urea accumulates moderately at amide O and weakly at aliphatic C, whereas GB is excluded from both. These results provide both thermodynamic and molecular explanations for the opposite effects of urea and glycine betaine on protein stability, as well as deductions about strengths of amide NH--amide O and amide NH--amide N hydrogen bonds relative to hydrogen bonds to water. Interestingly, urea, like GB, is moderately accumulated at aromatic C surface. Urea m-values for protein folding and other protein processes are quantitatively interpreted and predicted using these urea interaction potentials or K(p) values.

Large-size porous ZnO flakes with superior gas-sensing performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Wei; Wu, Jin-Ming; Wang, Yu-De

2012-06-01

A simple top-down route is developed to fabricate large size porous ZnO flakes via solution combustion synthesis followed by a subsequent calcination in air, which is template-free and can be easily enlarged to an industrial scale. The achieved porous ZnO flakes, which are tens to hundreds of micrometers in flat and tens of nanometers in thickness, exhibit high response for detecting acetone and ethanol, because the unique two-dimensional architecture shortens effectively the gas diffusion distance and provides highly accessible open channels and active surfaces for the target gas.

Insight into the effect mechanism of urea-induced protein denaturation by dielectric spectroscopy.

PubMed

Zhang, Cancan; Yang, Man; Zhao, Kongshuang

2017-12-06

Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy was applied to study how urea affects the phase transition of a thermosensitive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), which has been widely used as a protein model. It was found that there is a pronounced relaxation near 10 GHz for the ternary system of PNIPAM in urea aqueous solution. The temperature dependence of dielectric parameters indicates that urea can reduce the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM, i.e., stabilize the globule state of PNIPAM and collapse the PNIPAM chains. Based on our results, the interaction mechanism of urea on the conformational transition of PNIPAM was presented: urea replaces water molecules directly bonding with PNIPAM and acts as the bridging agent for the adjacent side chains of PNIPAM. Accordingly, the mechanism with which urea denatures protein was deduced. In addition, it is worth mentioning that, from the temperature dependence of the dielectric parameters obtained in the presence of urea, an interesting phenomenon was found in which the effect of urea on PNIPAM seems to take 2 M as a unit. This result may be the reason why urea and TMAO exit marine fishes at a specific ratio of 2 : 1.

Salting effects on protein components in aqueous NaCl and urea solutions: toward understanding of urea-induced protein denaturation.

PubMed

Li, Weifeng; Zhou, Ruhong; Mu, Yuguang

2012-02-02

The mechanism of urea-induced protein denaturation is explored through studying the salting effect of urea on 14 amino acid side chain analogues, and N-methylacetamide (NMA) which mimics the protein backbone. The solvation free energies of the 15 molecules were calculated in pure water, aqueous urea, and NaCl solutions. Our results show that NaCl displays strong capability to salt out all 15 molecules, while urea facilitates the solvation (salting-in) of all the 15 molecules on the other hand. The salting effect is found to be largely enthalpy-driven for both NaCl and urea. Our observations can explain the higher stability of protein's secondary and tertiary structures in typical salt solutions than that in pure water. Meanwhile, urea's capability to better solvate protein backbone and side-chain components can be extrapolated to explain protein's denaturation in aqueous urea solution. Urea salts in molecules through direct binding to solute surface, and the strength is linearly dependent on the number of heavy atoms of solute molecules. The van der Waals interactions are found to be the dominant force, which challenges a hydrogen-bonding-driven mechanism proposed previously.

[Separation of gamma linolenic acid from evening primrose oil with urea inclusion--orthogonal experiment of optimizing technological parameters and observation of urea inclusion compound I].

PubMed

Wang, Hua; Ling, Man; Xue, Gang; Liu, Fengxia; Guo, Shuxian

2010-05-01

The influence on the urea inclusion compound under different conditions (allocated proportion, time of inclusion, temperature of inclusion) were studied through the orthogonal test, and theoretical reference of urea inclusion process for further optimization wound be offered. The orthogonal experiment was adopted, and microscope was used to observe the shape, aperture size of the urea inclusion compound under different technological parameters, the GC was employed to inspect the purity of GLA. The results indicated that the ratio of fatty acids and urea, inclusion of temperature, time of inclusion had great effect on urea inclusion compound. The three factors and its interactions significantly affected the purity of GLA. The results also showed that the best process was that the ratio of fatty acids and urea was 1 : 3, temperature of inclusion was--15 degrees C, time of inclusion was 24 h. Under the best condition, the purity of GLA reach up to 95.575 9%; and it is feasible to observe the shape and the amount of the urea inclusion compound to reflect and guide the urea inclusion technology.

Testosterone prevents protein loss via the hepatic urea cycle in human.

PubMed

Lam, Teresa; Poljak, Anne; McLean, Mark; Bahl, Neha; Ho, Ken K Y; Birzniece, Vita

2017-04-01

The urea cycle is a rate-limiting step for amino acid nitrogen elimination. The rate of urea synthesis is a true indicator of whole-body protein catabolism. Testosterone reduces protein and nitrogen loss. The effect of testosterone on hepatic urea synthesis in humans has not been studied. To determine whether testosterone reduces hepatic urea production. An open-label study. Eight hypogonadal men were studied at baseline, and after two weeks of transdermal testosterone replacement (Testogel, 100 mg/day). The rate of hepatic urea synthesis was measured by the urea turnover technique using stable isotope methodology, with 15 N 2 -urea as tracer. Whole-body leucine turnover was measured, from which leucine rate of appearance (LRa), an index of protein breakdown and leucine oxidation (Lox), a measure of irreversible protein loss, were calculated. Testosterone administration significantly reduced the rate of hepatic urea production (from 544.4 ± 71.8 to 431.7 ± 68.3 µmol/min; P  < 0.01), which was paralleled by a significant reduction in serum urea concentration. Testosterone treatment significantly reduced net protein loss, as measured by percent Lox/LRa, by 19.3 ± 5.8% ( P  < 0.05). There was a positive association between Lox and hepatic urea production at baseline ( r 2  = 0.60, P  < 0.05) and after testosterone administration ( r 2  = 0.59, P  < 0.05). Testosterone replacement reduces protein loss and hepatic urea synthesis. We conclude that testosterone regulates whole-body protein metabolism by suppressing the urea cycle. © 2017 European Society of Endocrinology.

Understanding Strategy of Nitrate and Urea Assimilation in a Chinese Strain of Aureococcus anophagefferens through RNA-Seq Analysis

PubMed Central

Dong, Hong-Po; Huang, Kai-Xuan; Wang, Hua-Long; Lu, Song-Hui; Cen, Jing-Yi; Dong, Yue-Lei

2014-01-01

Aureococcus anophagefferens is a harmful alga that dominates plankton communities during brown tides in North America, Africa, and Asia. Here, RNA-seq technology was used to profile the transcriptome of a Chinese strain of A. anophagefferens that was grown on urea, nitrate, and a mixture of urea and nitrate, and that was under N-replete, limited and recovery conditions to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie nitrate and urea utilization. The number of differentially expressed genes between urea-grown and mixture N-grown cells were much less than those between urea-grown and nitrate-grown cells. Compared with nitrate-grown cells, mixture N-grown cells contained much lower levels of transcripts encoding proteins that are involved in nitrate transport and assimilation. Together with profiles of nutrient changes in media, these results suggest that A. anophagefferens primarily feeds on urea instead of nitrate when urea and nitrate co-exist. Furthermore, we noted that transcripts upregulated by nitrate and N-limitation included those encoding proteins involved in amino acid and nucleotide transport, degradation of amides and cyanates, and nitrate assimilation pathway. The data suggest that A. anophagefferens possesses an ability to utilize a variety of dissolved organic nitrogen. Moreover, transcripts for synthesis of proteins, glutamate-derived amino acids, spermines and sterols were upregulated by urea. Transcripts encoding key enzymes that are involved in the ornithine-urea and TCA cycles were differentially regulated by urea and nitrogen concentration, which suggests that the OUC may be linked to the TCA cycle and involved in reallocation of intracellular carbon and nitrogen. These genes regulated by urea may be crucial for the rapid proliferation of A. anophagefferens when urea is provided as the N source. PMID:25338000

Urea-mediated protein denaturation: a consensus view.

PubMed

Das, Atanu; Mukhopadhyay, Chaitali

2009-09-24

We have performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of three structurally similar small globular proteins in 8 M urea and compared the results with pure aqueous simulations. Protein denaturation is preceded by an initial loss of water from the first solvation shell and consequent in-flow of urea toward the protein. Urea reaches the first solvation shell of the protein mainly due to electrostatic interaction with a considerable contribution coming from the dispersion interaction. Urea shifts the equilibrium from the native to denatured ensemble by making the protein-protein contact less stable than protein-urea contact, which is just the reverse of the condition in pure water, where protein-protein contact is more stable than protein-water contact. We have also seen that water follows urea and reaches the protein interior at later stages of denaturation, while urea preferentially and efficiently solvates different parts of the protein. Solvation of the protein backbone via hydrogen bonding, favorable electrostatic interaction with hydrophilic residues, and dispersion interaction with hydrophobic residues are the key steps through which urea intrudes the core of the protein and denatures it. Why urea is preferred over water for binding to the protein backbone and how urea orients itself toward the protein backbone have been identified comprehensively. All the key components of intermolecular forces are found to play a significant part in urea-induced protein denaturation and also toward the stability of the denatured state ensemble. Changes in water network/structure and dynamical properties and higher degree of solvation of the hydrophobic residues validate the presence of "indirect mechanism" along with the "direct mechanism" and reinforce the effect of urea on protein.

A current perspective on the compensatory effects of urea and methylamine on protein stability and function.

PubMed

Rahman, Safikur; Warepam, Marina; Singh, Laishram R; Dar, Tanveer Ali

2015-11-01

Urea is a strong denaturant and inhibits many enzymes but is accumulated intracellularly at very high concentrations (up to 3-4 M) in mammalian kidney and in many marine fishes. It is known that the harmful effects of urea on the macromolecular structure and function is offset by the accumulation of an osmolytic agent called methylamine. Intracellular concentration of urea to methylamines falls in the ratio of 2:1 to 3:2 (molar ratio). At this ratio, the thermodynamic effects of urea and methylamines on protein stability and function are believed to be algebraically additive. The mechanism of urea-methylamine counteraction has been widely investigated on various approaches including, thermodynamic, structural and functional aspects. Recent advances have also revealed atomic level insights of counteraction and various molecular dynamic simulation studies have yielded significant molecular level informations on the interaction between urea and methylamines with proteins. It is worthwhile that urea-methylamine system not only plays pivotal role for the survival and functioning of the renal medullary cells but also is a key osmoregulatory component of the marine elasmobranchs, holocephalans and coelacanths. Therefore, it is important to combine all discoveries and discuss the developments in context to physiology of the mammalian kidney and adaptation of the marine organisms. In this article we have for the first time reviewed all major developments on urea-counteraction systems to date. We have also discussed about other additional urea-counteraction systems discovered so far including urea-NaCl, urea-myoinsoitol and urea-molecular chaperone systems. Insights for the possible future research have also been highlighted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urea and urine concentrating ability in mice lacking AQP1 and AQP3.

PubMed

Zhao, Dan; Bankir, Lise; Qian, Liman; Yang, Dayu; Yang, Baoxue

2006-08-01

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) and aquaporin-3 (AQP3) water channels expressed in the kidney play a critical role in the urine concentrating mechanism. Mice with AQP1 or AQP3 deletion have a urinary concentrating defect. To better characterize this defect, we studied the influence of an acute urea load (300 mumol ip) in conscious AQP1-null, AQP3-null, and wild-type mice. Urine was collected and assayed every 2 h, from 2 h before (baseline) to 8 h after the urea load. Mice of all genotypes excreted the urea load in approximately 4 h with the same time course. Interestingly, despite their low baseline, the AQP3-null mice raised their urine osmolality and urea concentration progressively after the urea load to values almost equal to those in wild-type mice at 8 h. In contrast, urine non-urea solute concentration did not change. Urine volume fell in the last 4 h to about one-fourth of basal values. AQP1-null mice increased their urine flow rate much more than AQP3-null mice and showed no change in urine osmolality and urea concentration. The urea load strongly upregulated urea transporter UT-A3 expression in all three genotypes. These observations show that the lack of AQP3 does not interfere with the ability of the kidney to concentrate urea but impairs its ability to concentrate other solutes. This solute-selective response could result from the capacity of AQP3 to transport not only water but also urea. The results suggest a novel role for AQP3 in non-urea solute concentration in the urine.

Chelate effects in sulfate binding by amide/urea-based ligands.

PubMed

Jia, Chuandong; Wang, Qi-Qiang; Begum, Rowshan Ara; Day, Victor W; Bowman-James, Kristin

2015-07-07

The influence of chelate and mini-chelate effects on sulfate binding was explored for six amide-, amide/amine-, urea-, and urea/amine-based ligands. Two of the urea-based hosts were selective for SO4(2-) in water-mixed DMSO-d6 systems. Results indicated that the mini-chelate effect provided by a single urea group with two NH binding sites appears to provide enhanced binding over two amide groups. Furthermore, additional urea binding sites incorporated into the host framework appeared to overcome to some extent competing hydration effects with increasing water content.

Salivary levels of phosphorus and urea as indices of their plasma levels in nephropathic patients.

PubMed

Bilancio, Giancarlo; Cavallo, Pierpaolo; Lombardi, Cinzia; Guarino, Ermanno; Cozza, Vincenzo; Giordano, Francesco; Palladino, Giuseppe; Cirillo, Massimo

2018-03-30

Phosphorus and urea are measurable in saliva. Measurements of saliva phosphorus (S-Pho) and saliva urea (S-Urea) could be useful because of low invasivity. Data are limited to saliva tests methodology and to correlations between plasma and saliva compositions. S-Pho and S-Urea were investigated focusing on blind duplicates, differences between collection sites, differences between collection times, freezing-thawing effects, and plasma-saliva correlations. Tests were performed using fresh saliva collected by synthetic swap early morning after overnight fast (standard). Methodology was investigated in fifteen healthy volunteers. Plasma-saliva correlations were investigated in thirty nephropathic outpatients. S-Pho and S-Urea in all measurements ranged above detection limits (0.3 mmol/L). In healthy volunteers, S-Pho and S-Urea were similar in duplicates (results for S-Pho and S-Urea: % difference between samples ≤ 4.85%; R between samples ≥ .976, P < .001), in samples from different mouth sites (≤4.24%; R ≥ .887, P < .001), and in samples of different days (≤5.61%; R ≥ .606, P < .01) but, compared to standard, were substantially lower in after-breakfast samples (-28.0% and -21.3%; R ≥ .786, P < .001) and slightly lower in frozen-thawed samples (-12.4% and -5.92%; R ≥ .742, P < .001). In nephropathic patients, S-Pho was higher than but correlated with plasma phosphorus (saliva/plasma ratio 4.80; R = .686, P < .001), whereas S-Urea and plasma urea were similar and correlated with each other (saliva/plasma ratio 0.96; R = .944, P < .001). Post-dialysis changes in S-Pho and S-Urea paralleled post-dialysis changes in plasma phosphorus and urea. S-Pho and S-Urea reflect plasma phosphorus and plasma urea. Early morning fasting fresh samples are advisable because collection time and freezing-thawing affect saliva tests. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reverse iontophoresis of urea in health and chronic kidney disease: a potential diagnostic and monitoring tool?

PubMed Central

Ebah, Leonard M; Read, Ian; Sayce, Andrew; Morgan, Jane; Chaloner, Christopher; Brenchley, Paul; Mitra, Sandip

2012-01-01

Background Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) need regular monitoring, usually by blood urea and creatinine measurements, needing venepuncture, frequent attendances and a healthcare professional, with significant inconvenience. Noninvasive monitoring will potentially simplify and improve monitoring. We tested the potential of transdermal reverse iontophoresis of urea in patients with CKD and healthy controls. Methods Using a MIC 2® Iontophoresis Controller, reverse iontophoresis was applied on the forearm of five healthy subjects (controls) and 18 patients with CKD for 3–5 h. Urea extracted at the cathode was measured and compared with plasma urea. Results Reverse iontophoresis at 250 μA was entirely safe for the duration. Cathodal buffer urea linearly correlated with plasma urea after 2 h (r = 0·82, P < 0·0001), to 3·5 h current application (r = 0·89, P = 0·007). The linear equations y = 0·24x + 1 and y = 0·21x + 4·63 predicted plasma urea (y) from cathodal urea after 2 and 3 h, respectively. Cathodal urea concentration in controls was significantly lower than in patients with CKD after a minimum current application of 2 h (P < 0·0001), with the separation between the two groups becoming more apparent with longer application (P = 0·003). A cathodal urea cut-off of 30 μM gave a sensitivity of 83·3% and positive predictive value of 87% CKD. During haemodialysis, the fall in cathodal urea was able to track that of blood urea. Conclusion Reverse iontophoresis is safe, can potentially discriminate patients with CKD and healthy subjects and is able to track blood urea changes on dialysis. Further development of the technology for routine use can lead to an exciting opportunity for its use in diagnostics and monitoring. PMID:22409780

On the influence of the mixture of denaturants on protein structure stability: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Qiang; Wang, Jinan; Zhu, Weiliang

2014-09-01

Mixtures of osmolytes and/or inorganic salts are present in the cell. Therefore, the understanding of the interplay of mixed osmolyte molecules and inorganic salts and their combined effects on protein structure is of fundamental importance. A novel test is presented to investigate the combined effects of urea and a chaotropic inorganic salt, potassium iodide (KI), on protein structure by using molecular dynamics simulation. It is found that the coexistence of KI and urea does not affect their respective distribution in solution. The solvation of KI salt in urea solution makes the electrostatic interactions of urea more favorable, promoting the hydrogen bonding between urea (and water) to protein backbone. The interactions from K+ and hydrogen bonding from urea and water to protein backbone work as the driving force for protein denaturation. The collaborative behavior of urea and KI salt thus enhances the denaturing ability of urea and KI mixed solution.

Molecular origin of urea driven hydrophobic polymer collapse and unfolding depending on side chain chemistry.

PubMed

Nayar, Divya; Folberth, Angelina; van der Vegt, Nico F A

2017-07-19

Osmolytes affect hydrophobic collapse and protein folding equilibria. The underlying mechanisms are, however, not well understood. We report large-scale conformational sampling of two hydrophobic polymers with secondary and tertiary amide side chains using extensive molecular dynamics simulations. The calculated free energy of unfolding increases with urea for the secondary amide, yet decreases for the tertiary amide, in agreement with experiment. The underlying mechanism is rooted in opposing entropic driving forces: while urea screens the hydrophobic macromolecular interface and drives unfolding of the tertiary amide, urea's concomitant loss in configurational entropy drives collapse of the secondary amide. Only at sufficiently high urea concentrations bivalent urea hydrogen bonding interactions with the secondary amide lead to further stabilisation of its collapsed state. The observations provide a new angle on the interplay between side chain chemistry, urea hydrogen bonding, and the role of urea in attenuating or strengthening the hydrophobic effect.

Urea and ammonia excretion into gastric juice in regularly dialyzed patients and patients after renal transplantation. I. Dialyzed patients.

PubMed

Skála, I; Marecková, O; Růzicková, J; Bláha, J; Straková, M; Reneltová, I; Jirka, J; Kocandrle, V; Zvolánková, K

1978-01-01

In regularly dialyzed patients in basal gastric juice and after stimulation with pentagastrin the volume of titrable acidity, urea and ammonia were assessed. It was revealed that in relation to the plasma urea concentration in basal juice the mean urea and ammonia concentration is roughly half and in stimulation juice roughly one third. The urea concentration in gastric juice is negatively correlated to the ammonia concentration. Urea excretion into the stomach depends on the plasma urea level and on the secretory gastric activity. The decisive factor of gastric secretion is probably parietal cell secretion. From the results ensues that gastric juice of dialyzed patients contains a quantitatively significant amount of urea and ammonia. Ammonia due to its neutralizing action distorts the examination of gastric acidity assessed by titration. The findings call for a revision of hitherto known data concerning gastric secretion of uraemic patients.

Salivary creatinine and urea analysis in patients with chronic kidney disease: a case control study.

PubMed

Lasisi, Taye Jemilat; Raji, Yemi Raheem; Salako, Babatunde Lawal

2016-01-16

Many metabolic changes develop in patients with chronic kidney disease which often necessitate frequent biochemical analysis of blood. Saliva analysis as an alternative to blood has many advantages. The aims of this study were to evaluate levels of salivary creatinine and urea in patients with chronic kidney disease in comparison to healthy individuals; to determine correlation between salivary creatinine/urea and blood creatinine/urea and to evaluate the diagnostic potential of saliva. A case control study, involving 50 patients with late stage chronic kidney disease and 49 healthy individuals as control. Blood and saliva samples were analyzed for urea and creatinine levels. Data are presented as median with interquartile range and compared using Independent Samples Mann Whitney U test. Correlation between plasma and salivary creatinine as well as urea was determined using Spearman's correlation test. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was done to determine the diagnostic ability of salivary creatinine and urea and cut-off values were established. Median salivary creatinine levels were 2.60 mg/dl and 0.20 mg/dl while median salivary urea levels were 92.00 mg/dl and 20.50 mg/dl in patients with chronic kidney disease and controls respectively. Salivary levels of creatinine and urea were significantly elevated in chronic kidney disease patients (p < 0.001). In addition, there was positive correlation between blood and salivary creatinine as well as urea levels. Total areas under the curve for salivary creatinine and urea were 0.97 and 0.89 respectively. Cut-off values for salivary creatinine and urea were 0.55 mg/dl and 27.50 mg/dl respectively which gave sensitivity and specificity of 94 % and 85 % for creatinine; as well as 86 % and 93 % for urea. Findings of this study suggest that analysis of salivary creatinine and urea in patients with chronic kidney disease reflects their levels in blood. Hence, salivary creatinine and urea could be used as diagnostic biomarkers of chronic kidney disease.

Limiting the testing of urea: Urea along with every plasma creatinine test?

PubMed

Zhang, Gao-Ming; Guo, Xu-Xiao; Zhang, Guo-Ming

2017-09-01

We found that it is not necessary to simultaneously detect both creatinine (CREA) and urea until the concentration of CREA is lower than the certain level. To reduce urea testing, we suggest measuring urea only when CREA or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) exceeds a predetermined limit. CREA and urea data were analyzed consisting of almost all of people age above 65 years old check-up (n=95441) in Shuyang countryside, and inpatients (n=101631), outpatients (n=18474) and Routine Health Check-up (n=20509) in Shuyang People's Hospital. The proportions of elevated urea were derived. The data used in this study was generated from people more than 13 years old in both outpatients and inpatients. When the limits for initiating urea testing were used at 85 μmol/L CREA and 120 mL/min/1.73 m 2 eGFR, the percentage of unnecessary urea test are 94.5% and 64.7% (elderly health check-up), 67.9% and 84.5% (outpatients), 88.5% and 73.2% (inpatients), 92.2% and 81.7% (routine health check-up). The missing rate of urea are 1%, 2.5%, 4.6% and 9.2%, 0.1%, 0.4%, 0.9% and 1.8%, 0.4%, 0.8%, 1.4%, and 2.5%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 1.1%, and 0.8% of ureas exceeding 9.28 mmol/L and 8.3 mmol/L in above each group, respectively. If the CREA≤85 μmol/L or eGFR≥90 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , there is 97.5% urea <10.1 mmol/L, the proportion of elevated urea missed is 2.5%. We suggest that the initiating urea testing should be based on the upper limit of Reference Intervals serum CREA of females or a 120 mL/min/1.73 m 2 eGFR limit. Conservatively, the urea testing would be reduced by 65% at least. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characterization of household waste in Greenland

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

Eisted, Rasmus, E-mail: raei@env.dtu.dk; Christensen, Thomas H.

2011-07-15

The composition of household waste in Greenland was investigated for the first time. About 2 tonnes of household waste was sampled as every 7th bag collected during 1 week along the scheduled collection routes in Sisimiut, the second largest town in Greenland with about 5400 inhabitants. The collection bags were sorted manually into 10 material fractions. The household waste composition consisted primarily of biowaste (43%) and the combustible fraction (30%), including anything combustible that did not belong to other clean fractions as paper, cardboard and plastic. Paper (8%) (dominated by magazine type paper) and glass (7%) were other important materialmore » fractions of the household waste. The remaining approximately 10% constituted of steel (1.5%), aluminum (0.5%), plastic (2.4%), wood (1.0%), non-combustible waste (1.8%) and household hazardous waste (1.2%). The high content of biowaste and the low content of paper make Greenlandic waste much different from Danish household waste. The moisture content, calorific value and chemical composition (55 elements, of which 22 were below detection limits) were determined for each material fraction. These characteristics were similar to what has been found for material fractions in Danish household waste. The chemical composition and the calorific value of the plastic fraction revealed that this fraction was not clean but contained a lot of biowaste. The established waste composition is useful in assessing alternative waste management schemes for household waste in Greenland.« less

The transport kinetics and selectivity of HpUreI, the urea channel from Helicobacter pylori†

PubMed Central

Gray, Lawrence R; Gu, Sean X; Quick, Matthias; Khademi, Shahram

2017-01-01

Helicobacter pylori’s unique ability to colonize and survive in the acidic environment of the stomach is critically dependent on uptake of urea through the urea channel, HpUreI. Hence, HpUreI may represent a promising target for the development of specific drugs against this human pathogen. To obtain insight into the structure/function relationship of this channel, we have developed conditions for the high-yield expression and purification of stable recombinant HpUreI that allowed its detailed kinetic characterization in solubilized form and reconstituted into liposomes. Detergent-solubilized HpUreI forms homo-trimer, as determined by chemical cross-linking. Urea dissociation kinetics of purified HpUreI were determined by means of the scintillation proximity assay (SPA), whereas urea efflux was measured in HpUreI-containing proteoliposomes using stopped-flow spectrometry to determine the kinetics and selectivity of the urea channel. The kinetic analyses revealed that urea conduction in HpUreI is pH sensitive and saturable with a half-saturation concentration (or K0.5) of ~163 mM. Binding of urea by HpUreI was increased at lower pH; however, the apparent affinity of urea binding (~150 mM) was not significantly pH dependent. The solute selectivity analysis indicated that HpUreI is highly selective for urea and hydroxyurea. Removing either amino group of urea molecules diminishes their permeability through HpUreI. Similar to urea conduction, water diffusion through HpUreI is pH-dependent with low water permeability at neutral pH. PMID:21877689

Examining urea flux across the intestine of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias.

PubMed

Gary Anderson, W; McCabe, Chris; Brandt, Catherine; Wood, Chris M

2015-03-01

Recent examination of urea flux in the intestine of the spiny dogfish shark, Squalus acanthias, has shown that feeding significantly enhances urea uptake across the intestine, and this was significantly inhibited following mucosal addition of phloretin. The present study examined potential mechanisms of urea uptake across the dogfish intestine in starved and fed dogfish. Unidirectional flux chambers were used to examine the kinetics of urea uptake, and to determine the influence of sodium, ouabain, competitive urea analogues, and phloretin on urea uptake across the gut of fed dogfish. Intestinal epithelial preparations from starved and fed dogfish were mounted in Ussing chambers to examine the effect of phloretin on bidirectional solute transport across the intestine. In the unidirectional studies, the maximum uptake rate of urea was found to be 35.3±6.9 μmol.cm(-2).h(-1) and Km was found to be 291.8±9.6 mM in fed fish, and there was a mild inhibition of urea uptake following mucosal addition of competitive agonists. Addition of phloretin, Na-free Ringers and ouabain to the mucosal side of intestinal epithelia also led to a significant reduction in urea uptake in fed fish. In the Ussing chamber studies there was a net influx of urea in fed fish and a small insignificant efflux in starved fish. Addition of phloretin blocked urea uptake in fed fish when added to the mucosal side. Furthermore, phloretin had no effect on ion transport across the intestinal epithelia with the exception of the divalent cations, magnesium and calcium. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coherent microscopic picture for urea-induced denaturation of proteins.

PubMed

Yang, Zaixing; Xiu, Peng; Shi, Biyun; Hua, Lan; Zhou, Ruhong

2012-08-02

In a previous study, we explored the mechanism of urea-induced denaturation of proteins by performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of hen lysozyme in 8 M urea and supported the "direct interaction mechanism" whereby urea denatures protein via dispersion interaction (Hua, L.; Zhou, R. H.; Thirumalai, D.; Berne, B. J. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2008, 105, 16928). Here we perform large scale MD simulations of five representative protein/peptide systems in aqueous urea to investigate if the above mechanism is common to other proteins. In all cases, accumulations of urea around proteins/peptide are observed, suggesting that urea denatures proteins by directly attacking protein backbones and side chains rather than indirectly disrupting water structure as a "water breaker". Consistent with our previous case study of lysozyme, the current energetic analyses with five protein/peptide systems reveal that urea's preferential binding to proteins mainly comes from urea's stronger dispersion interactions with proteins than with bulk solution, whereas the electrostatic (hydrogen-bonded) interactions only play a relatively minor (even negative) role during this denaturation process. Furthermore, the simulations of the peptide system at different urea concentrations (8 and 4.5 M), and with different force fields (CHARMM and OPLSAA) suggest that the above mechanism is robust, independent of the urea concentration and force field used. Last, we emphasize the importance of periodic boundary conditions in pairwise energetic analyses. This article provides a comprehensive study on the physical mechanism of urea-induced protein denaturation and suggests that the "dispersion-interaction-driven" mechanism should be general.

Banding of urea increased ammonia volatilization in a dry acidic soil.

PubMed

Rochette, Philippe; Macdonald, J Douglas; Angers, Denis A; Chantigny, Martin H; Gasser, Marc-Olivier; Bertrand, Normand

2009-01-01

Volatilization of ammonia following application of urea contributes to smog formation and degradation of natural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of (i) incorporation and banding of urea and (ii) surface broadcast of slow-release urea types on NH(3) volatilization in a dry acidic soil. Volatilization was measured using wind tunnels for 25 d after standard urea (140 kg N ha(-1)) was broadcast, broadcast and incorporated (0-5 cm), or incorporated in shallow bands (3-5 cm) to a conventionally tilled silty loam soil. Urea supplemented with a urease inhibitor or coated with a polymer was also broadcast at the soil surface. Little N diffused out of the polymer-coated granules and ammonia losses were low (4% of applied N). Use of a urease inhibitor also resulted in a low NH(3) loss (5% of applied N) while maintaining soil mineral N at levels similar to plots where untreated urea was broadcast. The rate of hydrolysis of urea broadcast at the soil surface was slowed by the lack of moisture and NH(3) loss (9% applied N) was the lowest of all treatments with standard urea. Incorporation of broadcast urea increased emissions (16% applied N) by increasing urea hydrolysis relative to surface application. Furthermore, incorporation in band also increased emissions (27% applied N) due to a localized increase in soil pH from 6.0 to 8.7. We conclude that incorporating urea in bands in a dry acidic soil can increase NH(3) volatilization compared to broadcast application followed by incorporation.

In situ Raman and synchrotron X-ray diffraction study on crystallization of Choline chloride/Urea deep eutectic solvent under high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Chaosheng; Chu, Kunkun; Li, Haining; Su, Lei; Yang, Kun; Wang, Yongqiang; Li, Xiaodong

2016-09-01

Pressure-induced crystallization of Choline chloride/Urea (ChCl/Urea) deep eutectic solvent (DES) has been investigated by in-situ Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that high pressure crystals appeared at around 2.6 GPa, and the crystalline structure was different from that formed at ambient pressure. Upon increasing the pressure, the Nsbnd H stretching modes of Urea underwent dramatic change after liquid-solid transition. It appears that high pressures may enhance the hydrogen bonds formed between ChCl and Urea. P versus T phase diagram of ChCl/Urea DES was constructed, and the crystallization mechanism of ChCl/Urea DES was discussed in view of hydrogen bonds.

Unmasked adult-onset urea cycle disorders in the critical care setting.

PubMed

Summar, Marshall L; Barr, Frederick; Dawling, Sheila; Smith, Wendy; Lee, Brendan; Singh, Rani H; Rhead, William J; Sniderman King, Lisa; Christman, Brian W

2005-10-01

Most often, urea cycle disorders have been described as acute onset hyperammonemia in the newborn period; however, there is a growing awareness that urea cycle disorders can present at almost any age, frequently in the critical care setting. This article presents three cases of adult-onset hyperammonemia caused by inherited defects in nitrogen processing in the urea cycle, and reviews the diagnosis, management, and pathophysiology of adult-onset urea cycle disorders. Individuals who have milder molecular urea cycle defects can lead a relatively normal life until a severe environmental stress triggers a hyperammonemic crisis. Comorbid conditions such as physical trauma often delay the diagnosis of the urea cycle defect. Prompt recognition and treatment are essential in determining the outcome of these patients.

Mathematical modeling of urea transport in the kidney.

PubMed

Layton, Anita T

2014-01-01

Mathematical modeling techniques have been useful in providing insights into biological systems, including the kidney. This article considers some of the mathematical models that concern urea transport in the kidney. Modeling simulations have been conducted to investigate, in the context of urea cycling and urine concentration, the effects of hypothetical active urea secretion into pars recta. Simulation results suggest that active urea secretion induces a "urea-selective" improvement in urine concentrating ability. Mathematical models have also been built to study the implications of the highly structured organization of tubules and vessels in the renal medulla on urea sequestration and cycling. The goal of this article is to show how physiological problems can be formulated and studied mathematically, and how such models may provide insights into renal functions.

Alpha-glucosidase folding during urea denaturation: enzyme kinetics and computational prediction.

PubMed

Wu, Xue-Qiang; Wang, Jun; Lü, Zhi-Rong; Tang, Hong-Min; Park, Daeui; Oh, Sang-Ho; Bhak, Jong; Shi, Long; Park, Yong-Doo; Zou, Fei

2010-03-01

In this study, we investigated structural changes in alpha-glucosidase during urea denaturation. Alpha-glucosidase was inactivated by urea in a dose-dependent manner. The inactivation was a first-order reaction with a monophase process. Urea inhibited alpha-glucosidase in a mixed-type reaction. We found that an increase in the hydrophobic surface of this enzyme induced by urea resulted in aggregation caused by unstable folding intermediates. We also simulated the docking between alpha-glucosidase and urea. The docking simulation suggested that several residues, namely THR9, TRP14, LYS15, THR287, ALA289, ASP338, SER339, and TRP340, interact with urea. Our study provides insights into the alpha-glucosidase unfolding pathway and 3D structure of alpha-glucosidase.

What Is a Urea Cycle Disorder?

MedlinePlus

... in which nitrogen, a waste product of protein metabolism, is removed from the blood and converted to a compound called urea in the blood. Normally, the urea is transferred into the urine and removed from the body. In urea cycle ...

Counteraction of urea-induced protein denaturation by trimethylamine N-oxide: a chemical chaperone at atomic resolution.

PubMed

Bennion, Brian J; Daggett, Valerie

2004-04-27

Proteins are very sensitive to their solvent environments. Urea is a common chemical denaturant of proteins, yet some animals contain high concentrations of urea. These animals have evolved an interesting mechanism to counteract the effects of urea by using trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). The molecular basis for the ability of TMAO to act as a chemical chaperone remains unknown. Here, we describe molecular dynamics simulations of a small globular protein, chymotrypsin inhibitor 2, in 8 M urea and 4 M TMAO/8 M urea solutions, in addition to other control simulations, to investigate this effect at the atomic level. In 8 M urea, the protein unfolds, and urea acts in both a direct and indirect manner to achieve this effect. In contrast, introduction of 4 M TMAO counteracts the effect of urea and the protein remains well structured. TMAO makes few direct interactions with the protein. Instead, it prevents unfolding of the protein by structuring the solvent. In particular, TMAO orders the solvent and discourages it from competing with intraprotein H bonds and breaking up the hydrophobic core of the protein.

40 CFR 721.9925 - Aminoethylethylene urea methacrylamide.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Aminoethylethylene urea methacrylamide... Substances § 721.9925 Aminoethylethylene urea methacrylamide. (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified generically as an aminoethylethylene urea...

Urea plus nitrate pretreatment of rice and wheat straws enhances degradation and reduces methane production in in vitro ruminal culture.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiumin; Wang, Min; Wang, Rong; Ma, Zhiyuan; Long, Donglei; Mao, Hongxiang; Wen, Jiangnan; Bernard, Lukuyu A; Beauchemin, Karen A; Tan, Zhiliang

2018-04-10

Urea pretreatment of straw damages fiber structure, while nitrate supplementation of ruminal diets inhibits enteric methane production. The study examined the combined effects of these treatments on ruminal substrate biodegradation and methane production using an in vitro incubation system. Rice and wheat straws were pretreated with urea (40 g kg -1 straw dry matter, DM) and urea + ammonium nitrate (34 + 6 g kg -1 dry matter (DM), respectively), and each straw (control, urea, urea+nitrate) was used in batch culture incubations in three replications (runs). Urea pretreatment increased (P < 0.05) neutral-detergent solubles (NDS) content (+17%) and in vitro DM degradation of rice straw, in comparison with control. Urea+nitrate pretreatment of rice and wheat straws had higher (P < 0.05) NDS content, in vitro DM degradation and propionate molar proportion, and lower (P < 0.05) acetate:propionate ratio and lower methane production with a decline of methanogens, in comparison to control. Urea+nitrate pretreatment combines positive effects of urea pretreatment and nitrate supplementation, and can be a potential strategy to improve ruminal biodegradation, facilitate propionate production and reduce methane production from lignified straws. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Structure and Dynamics of Urea/Water Mixtures Investigated by Vibrational Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamics Simulation

PubMed Central

Carr, J. K.; Buchanan, L. E.; Schmidt, J. R.; Zanni, M. T.; Skinner, J. L.

2013-01-01

Urea/water is an archetypical “biological” mixture, and is especially well known for its relevance to protein thermodynamics, as urea acts as a protein denaturant at high concentration. This behavior has given rise to an extended debate concerning urea’s influence on water structure. Based on a variety of methods and of definitions of water structure, urea has been variously described as a structure-breaker, a structure-maker, or as remarkably neutral towards water. Because of its sensitivity to microscopic structure and dynamics, vibrational spectroscopy can help resolve these debates. We report experimental and theoretical spectroscopic results for the OD stretch of HOD/H2O/urea mixtures (linear IR, 2DIR, and pump-probe anisotropy decay) and for the CO stretch of urea-D4/D2O mixtures (linear IR only). Theoretical results are obtained using existing approaches for water, and a modification of a frequency map developed for acetamide. All absorption spectra are remarkably insensitive to urea concentration, consistent with the idea that urea only very weakly perturbs water structure. Both this work and experiments by Rezus and Bakker, however, show that water’s rotational dynamics are slowed down by urea. Analysis of the simulations casts doubt on the suggestion that urea immobilizes particular doubly hydrogen bonded water molecules. PMID:23841646

The emerging physiological roles of the SLC14A family of urea transporters

PubMed Central

Stewart, Gavin

2011-01-01

In mammals, urea is the main nitrogenous breakdown product of protein catabolism and is produced in the liver. In certain tissues, the movement of urea across cell membranes is specifically mediated by a group of proteins known as the SLC14A family of facilitative urea transporters. These proteins are derived from two distinct genes, UT-A (SLC14A2) and UT-B (SLC14A1). Facilitative urea transporters play an important role in two major physiological processes – urinary concentration and urea nitrogen salvaging. Although UT-A and UT-B transporters both have a similar basic structure and mediate the transport of urea in a facilitative manner, there are a number of significant differences between them. UT-A transporters are mainly found in the kidney, are highly specific for urea, have relatively lower transport rates and are highly regulated at both gene expression and cellular localization levels. In contrast, UT-B transporters are more widespread in their tissue location, transport both urea and water, have a relatively high transport rate, are inhibited by mercurial compounds and currently appear to be less acutely regulated. This review details the fundamental research that has so far been performed to investigate the function and physiological significance of these two types of urea transporters. PMID:21449978

Scalable Synthesis of Triple-Core-Shell Nanostructures of TiO2 @MnO2 @C for High Performance Supercapacitors Using Structure-Guided Combustion Waves.

PubMed

Shin, Dongjoon; Shin, Jungho; Yeo, Taehan; Hwang, Hayoung; Park, Seonghyun; Choi, Wonjoon

2018-03-01

Core-shell nanostructures of metal oxides and carbon-based materials have emerged as outstanding electrode materials for supercapacitors and batteries. However, their synthesis requires complex procedures that incur high costs and long processing times. Herein, a new route is proposed for synthesizing triple-core-shell nanoparticles of TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C using structure-guided combustion waves (SGCWs), which originate from incomplete combustion inside chemical-fuel-wrapped nanostructures, and their application in supercapacitor electrodes. SGCWs transform TiO 2 to TiO 2 @C and TiO 2 @MnO 2 to TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C via the incompletely combusted carbonaceous fuels under an open-air atmosphere, in seconds. The synthesized carbon layers act as templates for MnO 2 shells in TiO 2 @C and organic shells of TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C. The TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C-based electrodes exhibit a greater specific capacitance (488 F g -1 at 5 mV s -1 ) and capacitance retention (97.4% after 10 000 cycles at 1.0 V s -1 ), while the absence of MnO 2 and carbon shells reveals a severe degradation in the specific capacitance and capacitance retention. Because the core-TiO 2 nanoparticles and carbon shell prevent the deformation of the inner and outer sides of the MnO 2 shell, the nanostructures of the TiO 2 @MnO 2 @C are preserved despite the long-term cycling, giving the superior performance. This SGCW-driven fabrication enables the scalable synthesis of multiple-core-shell structures applicable to diverse electrochemical applications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Highway proximity and black carbon from cookstoves as a risk factor for higher blood pressure in rural China.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Jill; Zhang, Yuanxun; Schauer, James J; Huang, Wei; Wang, Yuqin; Ezzati, Majid

2014-09-09

Air pollution in China and other parts of Asia poses large health risks and is an important contributor to global climate change. Almost half of Chinese homes use biomass and coal fuels for cooking and heating. China's economic growth and infrastructure development has led to increased emissions from coal-fired power plants and an expanding fleet of motor vehicles. Black carbon (BC) from incomplete biomass and fossil fuel combustion is the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) air pollution and the second most important climate-forcing human emission. PM composition and sources may also be related to its human health impact. We enrolled 280 women living in a rural area of northwestern Yunnan where biomass fuels are commonly used. We measured their blood pressure, distance from major traffic routes, and daily exposure to BC (pyrolytic biomass combustion), water-soluble organic aerosol (organic aerosol from biomass combustion), and, in a subset, hopane markers (motor vehicle emissions) in winter and summer. BC had the strongest association with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (4.3 mmHg; P < 0.001), followed by PM mass and water-soluble organic mass. The effect of BC on SBP was almost three times greater in women living near the highway [6.2 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.6 to 8.9 vs. 2.6 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.1 to 5.2]. Our findings suggest that BC from combustion emissions is more strongly associated with blood pressure than PM mass, and that BC's health effects may be larger among women living near a highway and with greater exposure to motor vehicle emissions.

Environmentally Compliant Disposal Method for Heavy Metal Containing Propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decker, M. W.; Erickson, E. D.; Byrd, E. R.; Crispin, K. W. R.; Ferguson, B. W.

2000-01-01

ABSTRACT An environmentally friendly, cost effective technology has been developed and demonstrated by a team of Naval Air Warfare Center and Lockheed Martin personnel to dispose of Shillelagh solid rocket motor propellants. The Shillelagh is a surface to surface anti-tank weapon approaching the end of its service life. The current demilitarization process employs open detonation, but the presence of lead stearate in the N5 propellant grain motivated the need for the development of an environmentally friendly disposal method. Contained burning of the propellant followed by propellant exhaust processing was chosen as the disposal methodology. The developmental test bed, completed in February 1998, is inexpensive and transportable. Contained burning of Shillelagh propellants posed two technical hurdles: 1) removal of the sub micron lead and cadmium particulate generated during combustion, and 2) secondary combustion of the significant quantifies of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A firing chamber with a stepped nozzle, air injection, and active ignition was developed to combust the carbon monoxide and hydrogen in real time. The hot gases and particulates from the combustion process are completely contained within a gas holder. The gases are subsequently cooled and routed through a treatment facility to remove the heavy metal particulate. Results indicate that the lead and cadmium particulates are removed below their respective detection limits (2 micro-g/cu m & 0.2 micro-g/cu m) of the analytical procedures employed and that the carbon monoxide and hydrogen levels have been reduced well below the lower flammability limits. Organic concentrations, principally benzene, are I ppm or less. A semi-automated machine has been developed which can rapidly prepare Shillelagh missiles for the contained burn facility. This machine allows the contained burn technology to be more competitive with current open bum open detonation disposal rates.

Highway proximity and black carbon from cookstoves as a risk factor for higher blood pressure in rural China

PubMed Central

Baumgartner, Jill; Zhang, Yuanxun; Schauer, James J.; Huang, Wei; Wang, Yuqin; Ezzati, Majid

2014-01-01

Air pollution in China and other parts of Asia poses large health risks and is an important contributor to global climate change. Almost half of Chinese homes use biomass and coal fuels for cooking and heating. China’s economic growth and infrastructure development has led to increased emissions from coal-fired power plants and an expanding fleet of motor vehicles. Black carbon (BC) from incomplete biomass and fossil fuel combustion is the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) air pollution and the second most important climate-forcing human emission. PM composition and sources may also be related to its human health impact. We enrolled 280 women living in a rural area of northwestern Yunnan where biomass fuels are commonly used. We measured their blood pressure, distance from major traffic routes, and daily exposure to BC (pyrolytic biomass combustion), water-soluble organic aerosol (organic aerosol from biomass combustion), and, in a subset, hopane markers (motor vehicle emissions) in winter and summer. BC had the strongest association with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (4.3 mmHg; P < 0.001), followed by PM mass and water-soluble organic mass. The effect of BC on SBP was almost three times greater in women living near the highway [6.2 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.6 to 8.9 vs. 2.6 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.1 to 5.2]. Our findings suggest that BC from combustion emissions is more strongly associated with blood pressure than PM mass, and that BC’s health effects may be larger among women living near a highway and with greater exposure to motor vehicle emissions. PMID:25157159

Transport characteristics of urea transporter-B.

PubMed

Yang, Baoxue

2014-01-01

UT-B represents the major urea transporter in erythrocytes, in addition to being expressed in kidney descending vasa recta, brain, spleen, ureter, bladder, and testis. Expression of urea transporter UT-B confers high urea permeability to mammalian erythrocytes. Erythrocyte membranes are also permeable to various urea analogues, suggesting common transport pathways for urea and structurally similar solutes. UT-B is highly permeable to urea and the chemical analogues formamide, acetamide, methylurea, methylformamide, ammonium carbamate, and acrylamide, each with a Ps > 5.0 × 10(-6) cm/s at 10 °C. The amides formamide, acetamide, acrylamide, and butyramide efficiently diffuse across lipid bilayers. The urea analogues dimethylurea, acryalmide, methylurea, thiourea, and methylformamide inhibit UT-B-mediated urea transport by >60 % by a pore-blocking mechanism. UT-B is also a water channel in erythrocytes and has a single-channel water permeability that is similar to aquaporin-1. Whether UT-B is an NH3 channel still needs further study. Urea permeability (Purea) in erythrocytes differs between different mammals. Carnivores (dog, fox, cat) exhibit high Purea. In contrast, herbivores (cow, donkey, sheep) show much lower Purea. Erythrocyte Purea in human and pig (omnivores) was intermediate. Rodents and lagomorphs (mouse, rat, rabbit) have Purea intermediate between carnivores and omnivores. Birds that do not excrete urea and do not express UT-B in their erythrocytes have very low values. In contrast to Purea, water permeability is relatively similar in all mammals studied. This chapter will provide information about the transporter characteristics of UT-B.

Volumetrically Derived Thermodynamic Profile of Interactions of Urea with a Native Protein.

PubMed

Son, Ikbae; Chalikian, Tigran V

2016-11-29

We report the first experimental characterization of the full thermodynamic profile for binding of urea to a native protein. We measured the volumetric parameters of lysozyme at pH 7.0 as a function of urea within a temperature range of 18-45 °C. At neutral pH, lysozyme retains its native conformation between 0 and 8 M urea over the entire range of temperatures studied. Consequently, our measured volumetric properties reflect solely the interactions of urea with the native protein and do not involve contributions from urea-induced conformational transitions. We analyzed our data within the framework of a statistical thermodynamic analytical model in which urea-protein interactions are viewed as solvent exchange in the vicinity of the protein. The analysis produced the equilibrium constant, k, for an elementary reaction of urea-protein binding with a change in standard state free energy (ΔG° = -RT ln k) at each experimental temperature. We used the van't Hoff equation to compute from the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant, k, changes in enthalpy, ΔH°, and entropy, ΔS°, accompanying binding. The thermodynamic profile of urea-protein interactions, in conjunction with published molecular dynamics simulation results, is consistent with the picture in which urea molecules, being underhydrated in the bulk, form strong, enthalpically favorable interactions with the surface protein groups while paying a high entropic price. We discuss ramifications of our results for providing insights into the combined effects of urea, temperature, and pressure on the conformational preferences of proteins.

Interactions of urea with native and unfolded proteins: a volumetric study.

PubMed

Son, Ikbae; Shek, Yuen Lai; Tikhomirova, Anna; Baltasar, Eduardo Hidalgo; Chalikian, Tigran V

2014-11-26

We describe a statistical thermodynamic approach to analyzing urea-dependent volumetric properties of proteins. We use this approach to analyze our urea-dependent data on the partial molar volume and adiabatic compressibility of lysozyme, apocytochrome c, ribonuclease A, and α-chymotrypsinogen A. The analysis produces the thermodynamic properties of elementary urea-protein association reactions while also yielding estimates of the effective solvent-accessible surface areas of the native and unfolded protein states. Lysozyme and apocytochrome c do not undergo urea-induced transitions. The former remains folded, while the latter is unfolded between 0 and 8 M urea. In contrast, ribonuclease A and α-chymotrypsinogen A exhibit urea-induced unfolding transitions. Thus, our data permit us to characterize urea-protein interactions in both the native and unfolded states. We interpreted the urea-dependent volumetric properties of the proteins in terms of the equilibrium constant, k, and changes in volume, ΔV0, and compressibility, ΔKT0, for a reaction in which urea binds to a protein with a concomitant release of two waters of hydration to the bulk. Comparison of the values of k, ΔV0, and ΔKT0 with the similar data obtained on small molecules mimicking protein groups reveals lack of cooperative effects involved in urea-protein interactions. In general, the volumetric approach, while providing a unique characterization of cosolvent-protein interactions, offers a practical way for evaluating the effective solvent accessible surface area of biologically significant fully or partially unfolded polypeptides.

Treatment of the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone by urea.

PubMed

Decaux, G; Brimioulle, S; Genette, F; Mockel, J

1980-07-01

Recent data have shown the role of urea in the urinary concentrating mechanism. We studied the effects of exogenous urea administration in hyponatremia associated with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). In 20 patients with SIADH, we observed a positive correlation between serum sodium and blood urea levels (r = 0.65; p less than 0.01). In one patient with an oat cell carcinoma and SIADH-induced hyponatremia, we observed the same positive correlation (r = 0.80; p less than 0.01) but also a negative one between the excreted fraction of filtered sodium and urinary urea (r = -0.67; p less than 0.001). The short-term administration of low doses of urea (4 to 10 g) resulted in correcting the "salt-losing" tendency of this patient. Longer term administration of high doses of urea (30 g/day) was attempted with the same patient as well as with a healthy volunteer subject with Pitressin-induced SIADH. in both patients, urea treatment lowered urinary sodium excretion as long as hyponatremia was significant (less than 130 meq/liter). Urea treatment also induced a persistent osmotic diuresis, allowing a normal daily intake of water despite SIADH. This was clearly shown during the long-term treatment of a third patient with SIADH who was taking 30 g urea/day during 11 weeks. It is concluded that urea is a good alternative in the treatment of patients with SIADH who presented with persistent hyponatremia despite the restriction of water intake.

A study on the indirect urea dosing method in the Selective Catalytic Reduction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brzeżański, M.; Sala, R.

2016-09-01

This article presents the results of studies on concept solution of dosing urea in a gas phase in a selective catalytic reduction system. The idea of the concept was to heat-up and evaporate the water urea solution before introducing it into the exhaust gas stream. The aim was to enhance the processes of urea converting into ammonia, what is the target reductant for nitrogen oxides treatment. The study was conducted on a medium-duty Euro 5 diesel engine with exhaust line consisting of DOC catalyst, DPF filter and an SCR system with a changeable setup allowing to dose the urea in liquid phase (regular solution) and to dose it in a gas phase (concept solution). The main criteria was to assess the effect of physical state of urea dosed on the NOx conversion ratio in the SCR catalyst. In order to compare both urea dosing methods a special test procedure was developed which consisted of six test steps covering a wide temperature range of exhaust gas generated at steady state engine operation condition. Tests were conducted for different urea dosing quantities defined by the a equivalence ratio. Based on the obtained results, a remarkable improvement in NOx reduction was found for gas urea application in comparison to the standard liquid urea dosing. Measured results indicate a high potential to increase an efficiency of the SCR catalyst by using a gas phase urea and provide the basis for further scientific research on this type of concept.

Analysis of the stability of urea in dried blood spots collected and stored on filter paper.

PubMed

Quraishi, Rizwana; Lakshmy, Ramakrishnan; Mukhopadhyay, Ashok Kumar; Jailkhani, Bansi Lal

2013-05-01

The ability to use dry blood spots (DBSs) on filter paper for the analysis of urea levels could be an important diagnostic tool for areas that have limited access to laboratory facilities. We developed a method for the extraction and quantification of urea from DBSs that were stored on 3M Whatman filter paper and investigated the effect of long-term storage on the level of urea in DBSs. DBSs of 4.5 mm in diameter were used for our assay, and we determined the urea levels in blood using a commercially available enzymatic kit (UV GLDH-method; Randox laboratories Ltd., UK). The DBSs on filter discs were stored at 4℃ or at 37℃ for 120 days. The mean intra- and inter-assay coefficient of variance for our method of urea extraction from dried blood was 4.2% and 6.3%, respectively. We collected 75 fresh blood samples and compared the urea content of each fresh sample with the urea content of DBSs taken from corresponding fresh blood samples. Regression analysis reported a regression coefficient (r) value of 0.97 and a recovery of urea from dried spots was 102.2%. Urea concentrations in DBSs were stable for up to 120 and 90 days when stored at 4℃ and 37℃, respectively. Our results show that urea can be stored and quantitatively recovered from small volumes of blood that was collected on filter paper.

Quantifying Functional Group Interactions that Determine Urea Effects on Nucleic Acid Helix Formation

PubMed Central

Guinn, Emily J.; Schwinefus, Jeffrey J.; Cha, Hyo Keun; McDevitt, Joseph L.; Merker, Wolf E.; Ritzer, Ryan; Muth, Gregory W.; Engelsgjerd, Samuel W.; Mangold, Kathryn E.; Thompson, Perry J.; Kerins, Michael J.; Record, Thomas

2013-01-01

Urea destabilizes helical and folded conformations of nucleic acids and proteins, as well as protein-nucleic acid complexes. To understand these effects, extend previous characterizations of interactions of urea with protein functional groups, and thereby develop urea as a probe of conformational changes in protein and nucleic acid processes, we obtain chemical potential derivatives (μ23 = dμ2/dm3) quantifying interactions of urea (component 3) with nucleic acid bases, base analogs, nucleosides and nucleotide monophosphates (component 2) using osmometry and hexanol-water distribution assays. Dissection of these μ23 yields interaction potentials quantifying interactions of urea with unit surface areas of nucleic acid functional groups (heterocyclic aromatic ring, ring methyl, carbonyl and phosphate O, amino N, sugar (C,O)); urea interacts favorably with all these groups, relative to interactions with water. Interactions of urea with heterocyclic aromatic rings and attached methyl groups (as on thymine) are particularly favorable, as previously observed for urea-homocyclic aromatic ring interactions. Urea m-values determined for double helix formation by DNA dodecamers near 25°C are in the range 0.72 to 0.85 kcal mol−1 m−1 and exhibit little systematic dependence on nucleobase composition (17–42% GC). Interpretation of these results using the urea interaction potentials indicates that extensive (60–90%) stacking of nucleobases in the separated strands in the transition region is required to explain the m-value. Results for RNA and DNA dodecamers obtained at higher temperatures, and literature data, are consistent with this conclusion. This demonstrates the utility of urea as a quantitative probe of changes in surface area (ΔASA) in nucleic acid processes. PMID:23510511

Mechanism of Protein Denaturation: Partial Unfolding of the P22 Coat Protein I-Domain by Urea Binding

PubMed Central

Newcomer, Rebecca L.; Fraser, LaTasha C.R.; Teschke, Carolyn M.; Alexandrescu, Andrei T.

2015-01-01

The I-domain is an insertion domain of the bacteriophage P22 coat protein that drives rapid folding and accounts for over half of the stability of the full-length protein. We sought to determine the role of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) in the unfolding of the I-domain by examining 3JNC’ couplings transmitted through H-bonds, the temperature and urea-concentration dependence of 1HN and 15N chemical shifts, and native-state hydrogen exchange at urea concentrations where the domain is predominantly folded. The native-state hydrogen-exchange data suggest that the six-stranded β-barrel core of the I-domain is more stable against unfolding than a smaller subdomain comprised of a short α-helix and three-stranded β-sheet. H-bonds, separately determined from solvent protection and 3JNC’ H-bond couplings, are identified with an accuracy of 90% by 1HN temperature coefficients. The accuracy is improved to 95% when 15N temperature coefficients are also included. In contrast, the urea dependence of 1HN and 15N chemical shifts is unrelated to H-bonding. The protein segments with the largest chemical-shift changes in the presence of urea show curved or sigmoidal titration curves suggestive of direct urea binding. Nuclear Overhauser effects to urea for these segments are also consistent with specific urea-binding sites in the I-domain. Taken together, the results support a mechanism of urea unfolding in which denaturant binds to distinct sites in the I-domain. Disordered segments bind urea more readily than regions in stable secondary structure. The locations of the putative urea-binding sites correlate with the lower stability of the structure against solvent exchange, suggesting that partial unfolding of the structure is related to urea accessibility. PMID:26682823

Validation of the salivary urea and creatinine tests as screening methods of chronic kidney disease in Vietnamese patients.

PubMed

Pham, Thuy Anh Vu

2017-11-01

The aims of this case control study were to correlate the serum and salivary urea as well as creatinine levels; and to evaluate salivary urea and creatinine as noninvasive alternatives to serum for creatinine estimation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Blood and saliva samples were collected from 112 CKD patients and 108 subjects without CKD for quantitative analysis of urea and creatinine. Spearman's correlation coefficients between salivary and serum urea as well as creatinine were obtained. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was done to assess the diagnostic tests of salivary urea and creatinine. Cut-off values were determined based on the best trade-off between the sensitivity and specificity for both salivary urea and creatinine. Salivary urea and creatinine concentrations were significantly higher in CKD patients than those in control subjects; and increased by the stages of the severity of the disease. The positive correlation was significantly found between salivary and serum creatinine (r  =  0.90) and between salivary and serum urea (r  =  0.73). Area under the curve for salivary urea was 0.76 and a cut-off value of 14.25 mmol/L gave a sensitivity of 82.9% and specificity of 57.8%. Area under the curve for salivary creatinine was 0.92 and a cut-off value of 0.24 mg/dL gave a sensitivity of 86.5% and specificity of 87.2%. Both salivary urea and creatinine have a high capacity for serum creatinine estimation. Salivary urea and creatinine tests can be used as low-cost, easily accessible and noninvasive tools for screening, diagnosing, monitoring treatment outcomes and ascertaining prognosis of chronic kidney disease.

Interactions of S-peptide analogue in aqueous urea and trimethylamine-N-oxide solutions: A molecular dynamics simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Rahul; Paul, Sandip

2013-07-01

The ability of the osmolyte, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), to protect proteins from deleterious effect of urea, another commonly available osmolyte, is well-established. However, the molecular mechanism of this counteraction is not understood yet. To provide a molecular level understanding of how TMAO protects proteins in highly concentrated urea solution, we report here molecular dynamics simulation results of a 15-residue model peptide in two different conformations: helix and extended. For both conformations, simulations are carried out in pure water as well as in binary and ternary aqueous solutions of urea and TMAO. Analysis of solvation characteristics reveals direct interactions of urea and TMAO with peptide residues. However, the number of TMAO molecules that enter in the first solvation shell of the peptide is significantly lower than that of urea, and, unlike water and urea, TMAO shows its inability to form hydrogen bond with backbone oxygen and negatively charged sidechains. Preferential accumulation of urea near the peptide surface and preferential exclusion of TMAO from the peptide surface are observed. Inclusion of osmolytes in the peptide solvation shell leads to dehydration of the peptide in binary and ternary solutions of urea and TMAO. Solvation of peptide residues are investigated more closely by calculating the number of hydrogen bonds between the peptide and solution species. It is found that number of hydrogen bonds formed by the peptide with solution species increases in binary urea solution (relative to pure water) and this relative enhancement in hydrogen bond number reduces upon addition of TMAO. Our simulation results also suggest that, in the ternary solution, the peptide solvation layer is better mixed in terms of water and urea as compared to binary urea solution. Implications of the results for counteraction mechanism of TMAO are discussed.

Denaturation of RNA secondary and tertiary structure by urea: simple unfolded state models and free energy parameters account for measured m-values

PubMed Central

Lambert, Dominic; Draper, David E.

2012-01-01

To investigate the mechanism by which urea destabilizes RNA structure, urea-induced unfolding of four different RNA secondary and tertiary structures was quantified in terms of an m-value, the rate at which the free energy of unfolding changes with urea molality. From literature data and our osmometric study of a backbone analog, we derived average interaction potentials (per Å2 of solvent accessible surface) between urea and three kinds of RNA surfaces: phosphate, ribose, and base. Estimates of the increases in solvent accessible surface areas upon RNA denaturation were based on a simple model of unfolded RNA as a combination of helical and single strand segments. These estimates, combined with the three interaction potentials and a term to account for urea interactions with released ions, yield calculated m-values in good agreement with experimental values (200 mm monovalent salt). Agreement was obtained only if single-stranded RNAs were modeled in a highly stacked, A form conformation. The primary driving force for urea induced denaturation is the strong interaction of urea with the large surface areas of bases that become exposed upon denaturation of either RNA secondary or tertiary structure, though urea interactions with backbone and released ions may account for up to a third of the m-value. Urea m-values for all four RNA are salt-dependent, which we attribute to an increased extension (or decreased charge density) of unfolded RNAs with increased urea concentration. The sensitivity of the urea m-value to base surface exposure makes it a potentially useful probe of the conformations of RNA unfolded states. PMID:23088364

Ornithine transcarbamylase and arginase I deficiency are responsible for diminished urea cycle function in the human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2.

PubMed

Mavri-Damelin, Demetra; Eaton, Simon; Damelin, Leonard H; Rees, Myrddin; Hodgson, Humphrey J F; Selden, Clare

2007-01-01

A possible cell source for a bio-artificial liver is the human hepatblastoma-derived cell line HepG2 as it confers many hepatocyte functions, however, the urea cycle is not maintained resulting in the lack of ammonia detoxification via this cycle. We investigated urea cycle activity in HepG2 cells at both a molecular and biochemical level to determine the causes for the lack of urea cycle expression, and subsequently addressed reinstatement of the cycle by gene transfer. Metabolic labelling studies showed that urea production from 15N-ammonium chloride was not detectable in HepG2 conditioned medium, nor could 14C-labelled urea cycle intermediates be detected. Gene expression data from HepG2 cells revealed that although expression of three urea cycle genes Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthase I, Arginosuccinate Synthetase and Arginosuccinate Lyase was evident, Ornithine Transcarbamylase and Arginase I expression were completely absent. These results were confirmed by Western blot for arginase I, where no protein was detected. Radiolabelled enzyme assays showed that Ornithine Transcarbamylase functional activity was missing but that Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthase I, Arginosuccinate Synthetase and Arginosuccinate Lyase were functionally expressed at levels comparable to cultured primary human hepatocytes. To restore the urea cycle, HepG2 cells were transfected with full length Ornithine Transcarbamylase and Arginase I cDNA constructs under a CMV promoter. Co-transfected HepG2 cells displayed complete urea cycle activity, producing both labelled urea and urea cycle intermediates. This strategy could provide a cell source capable of urea synthesis, and hence ammonia detoxificatory function, which would be useful in a bio-artificial liver.

Isotope-labelled urea to test colon drug delivery devices in vivo: principles, calculations and interpretations.

PubMed

Maurer, Marina J M; Schellekens, Reinout C A; Wutzke, Klaus D; Stellaard, Frans

2013-01-01

This paper describes various methodological aspects that were encountered during the development of a system to monitor the in vivo behaviour of a newly developed colon delivery device that enables oral drug treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. [(13)C]urea was chosen as the marker substance. Release of [(13)C]urea in the ileocolonic region is proven by the exhalation of (13)CO2 in breath due to bacterial fermentation of [(13)C]urea. The (13)CO2 exhalation kinetics allows the calculation of a lag time as marker for delay of release, a pulse time as marker for the speed of drug release and the fraction of the dose that is fermented. To determine the total bioavailability, also the fraction of the dose absorbed from the intestine must be quantified. Initially, this was done by calculating the time-dependent [(13)C]urea appearance in the body urea pool via measurement of (13)C abundance and concentration of plasma urea. Thereafter, a new methodology was successfully developed to obtain the bioavailability data by measurement of the urinary excretion rate of [(13)C]urea. These techniques required two experimental days, one to test the coated device, another to test the uncoated device to obtain reference values for the situation that 100 % of [(13)C]urea is absorbed. This is hampered by large day-to-day variations in urea metabolism. Finally, a completely non-invasive, one-day test was worked out based on a dual isotope approach applying a simultaneous administration of [(13)C]urea in a coated device and [(15)N2]urea in an uncoated device. All aspects of isotope-related analytical methodologies and required calculation and correction systems are described.

A single phase, red emissive Mg2SiO4:Sm3+ nanophosphor prepared via rapid propellant combustion route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, Ramachandra; Prashantha, S. C.; Nagabhushana, H.; Sharma, S. C.; Nagaswarupa, H. P.; Anantharaju, K. S.; Nagabhushana, B. M.; Premkumar, H. B.; Girish, K. M.

2015-04-01

Mg2SiO4:Sm3+ (1-11 mol%) nanoparticles were prepared by a rapid low temperature solution combustion route. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns exhibit orthorhombic structure with α-phase. The average crystallite size estimated using Scherer's method, W-H plot and strain-size plots were found to be in the range 25-50 nm and the same was confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures show porous structure and crystallites were agglomerated. The effect of Sm3+ cations on luminescence of Mg2SiO4 was well studied. Interestingly the samples could be effectively excited with 315 nm and emitted light in the red region, which was suitable for the demands of high efficiency WLEDs. The emission spectra consists of four main peaks which can be assigned to the intra 4-f orbital transitions of Sm3+ ions 4G5/2 → 6H5/2 (576 nm), 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 (611 nm), 4G5/2 → 6H9/2 (656 nm) and 4G5/2 → 6H11/2 (713 nm). The optimal luminescence intensity was obtained for 5 mol% Sm3+ ions. The CIE (Commission International de I'Eclairage) chromaticity co-ordinates were calculated from emission spectra, the values (0.588, 0.386) were close to the NTSC (National Television Standard Committee) standard value of red emission. Coordinated color temperature (CCT) was found to be 1756 K. Therefore optimized Mg2SiO4:Sm3+ (5 mol%) phosphor was quite useful for solid state lighting.

A conceptual comparison of bioenergy options for using mountain pine beetle infested wood in Western Canada.

PubMed

Kumar, Amit

2009-01-01

Biomass is nearly carbon neutral and can be used for the production of various liquid fuels and chemicals. Decisions on biomass utilization should be based on the most economical and mature route. This study analyzes mountain pine beetle (MPB) killed wood as the feedstock for production of bio-ethanol and bio-oil and compares it with the direct combustion route to produce electricity. The MPB infestation of British Columbia's (BC), a western province of Canada, forest has reached an epidemic proportion and is spread over an area of 10 millionha. According to the current estimates of BC's Ministry of Forests and Range, about 1 billion m(3) of trees would be killed by MPB by 2013. This infestation would result in large scale loss of jobs and the standing dead trees are a fire hazard and if left unharvested will decay and release carbon back to the atmosphere. The cost of bio-ethanol production from a 2100dry tonne/day plant using the infested wood for two locations (one remote and other near the industry) in BC is in the range of C$0.37-C$0.40/l (C$1.40-C$1.51/gallon). Similarly, cost of bio-oil production from a 220dry tonne/day plant using the infested wood for same two locations in BC is in the range of C$0.27-C$0.29/l (C$1.02-C$1.09/gallon). The cost of producing electricity using this bio-oil is above C$100/MWh which is higher than the current power price in BC. This cost is also higher than the cost of production of electricity by direct combustion of infested wood in a boiler (C$68-C$74/MWh).

Relative contribution of residual renal function and different measures of adequacy to survival in hemodialysis patients: an analysis of the Netherlands Cooperative Study on the Adequacy of Dialysis (NECOSAD)-2.

PubMed

Termorshuizen, Fabian; Dekker, Friedo W; van Manen, Jeannette G; Korevaar, Johanna C; Boeschoten, Elisabeth W; Krediet, Raymond T

2004-04-01

A high delivered Kt/V(urea) (dKt/V(urea)) is advocated in the U.S. National Kidney Foundation Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines on hemodialysis (HD) adequacy, irrespective of the presence of residual renal function. The contribution of treatment adequacy and residual renal function to patient survival was investigated. The Netherlands Cooperative Study on the Adequacy of Dialysis is a prospective multicenter study that includes incident ESRD patients older than 18 yr. The longitudinal data on residual renal function and dialysis adequacy of patients who were treated with HD 3 mo after the initiation of dialysis (n = 740) were analyzed. The mean renal Kt/V(urea) (rKt/V(urea)) at 3 mo was 0.7/wk (SD 0.6) and the dKt/V(urea) at 3 mo was 2.7/wk (SD 0.8). Both components of urea clearance were associated with a better survival (for each increase of 1/wk in rKt/V(urea), relative risk of death = 0.44 [P < 0.0001]; dKt/V(urea), relative risk of death = 0.76 [P < 0.01]). However, the effect of dKt/V(urea) on mortality was strongly dependent on the presence of rKt/V(urea), low values for dKt/V(urea) of <2.9/wk being associated with a significantly higher mortality in anuric patients only. Furthermore, an excess of ultrafiltration in relation to interdialytic weight gain was associated with an increase in mortality independent of dKt/V(urea). In conclusion, residual renal clearance seems to be an important predictor of survival in HD patients, and the dKt/V(urea) should be tuned appropriately to the presence of renal function. Further studies are required to substantiate the important role of fluid balance in HD adequacy.

Compositions comprising free-standing two-dimensional nanocrystals

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

Barsoum, Michel W.; Gogotsi, Yury; Abdelmalak, Michael Naguib

2017-12-05

The present invention is directed to methods of transferring urea from an aqueous solution comprising urea to a MXene composition, the method comprising contacting the aqueous solution comprising urea with the MXene composition for a time sufficient to form an intercalated MXene composition comprising urea.

MICROWAVE-ASSISTED PREPARATION OF CYCLIC UREAS FROM DIAMINES

EPA Science Inventory

Rajender S. Varma* and Yong-Jin Kim
Cyclic ureas are useful intermediates for a variety of pharmaceuticals and pesticides. One of the attractive approaches for the synthesis of cyclic ureas uses condensation of diamines with urea as a carbonyl source under dynamic evacuation. ...

Dissolution of lignin in green urea aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jingyu; Li, Ying; Qiu, Xueqing; Liu, Di; Yang, Dongjie; Liu, Weifeng; Qian, Yong

2017-12-01

The dissolution problem is the main obstacle for the value-added modification and depolymerization of industrial lignin. Here, a green urea aqueous solution for complete dissolution of various lignin is presented and the dissolution mechanism is analyzed by AFM, DLS and NMR. The results show that the molecular interaction of lignin decreases from 32.3 mN/m in pure water to 11.3 mN/m in urea aqueous solution. The immobility of 1H NMR spectra and the shift of 17O NMR spectra of urea in different lignin/urea solutions indicate that the oxygen of carbonyl in urea and the hydrogen of hydroxyl in lignin form new hydrogen bonds and break the original hydrogen bonds among lignin molecules. The shift of 1H NMR spectra of lignin and the decrease of interactions in model compound polystyrene indicate that urea also breaks the π-π interactions between aromatic rings of lignin. Lignin dissolved in urea aqueous has good antioxidant activity and it can scavenge at least 63% free radicals in 16 min.

[Degradation of urea and ethyl carbamate in Chinese Rice wine by recombinant acid urease].

PubMed

Zhou, Jianli; Kang, Zhen; Liu, Qingtao; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

2016-01-01

Ethyl carbamate (EC) as a potential carcinogen commonly exists in traditional fermented foods. It is important eliminate urea that is the precursors of EC in many fermented foods, including Chinese Rice wine. On the basis of achieving high-level overexpression of food-grade ethanol-resistant acid urease, we studied the hydrolysis of urea and EC with the recombinant acid urease. Recombinant acid urease showed degraded urea in both the simulated system with ethanol and Chinese Rice wine (60 mg/L of urea was completely degraded within 25 h), indicating that the recombinant enzyme is suitable for the elimination of urea in Chinese Rice wine. Although recombinant acid urease also has degradation catalytic activity on EC, no obvious degradation of EC was observed. Further investigation results showed that the Km value for urea and EC of the recombinant acid urease was 0.7147 mmol/L and 41.32 mmol/L, respectively. The results provided theoretical foundation for realizing simultaneous degradation of urea and EC.

A Urea Biosensor from Stacked Sol-Gel Films with Immobilized Nile Blue Chromoionophore and Urease Enzyme.

PubMed

Alqasaimeh, Muawia Salameh; Heng, Lee Yook; Ahmad, Musa

2007-10-11

An optical urea biosensor was fabricated by stacking several layers of sol-gelfilms. The stacking of the sol-gel films allowed the immobilization of a Nile Bluechromoionophore (ETH 5294) and urease enzyme separately without the need of anychemical attachment procedure. The absorbance response of the biosensor was monitoredat 550 nm, i.e. the deprotonation of the chromoionophore. This multi-layer sol-gel filmformat enabled higher enzyme loading in the biosensor to be achieved. The urea opticalbiosensor constructed from three layers of sol-gel films that contained urease demonstrateda much wider linear response range of up to 100 mM urea when compared with biosensorsthat constructed from 1-2 layers of films. Analysis of urea in urine samples with thisoptical urea biosensor yielded results similar to that determined by a spectrophotometricmethod using the reagent p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (R² = 0.982, n = 6). The averagerecovery of urea from urine samples using this urea biosensor is approximately 103%.

The dominant interaction between peptide and urea is electrostatic in nature: a molecular dynamics simulation study.

PubMed

Tobi, Dror; Elber, Ron; Thirumalai, Devarajan

2003-03-01

The conformational equilibrium of a blocked valine peptide in water and aqueous urea solution is studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Pair correlation functions indicate enhanced concentration of urea near the peptide. Stronger hydrogen bonding of urea-peptide compared to water-peptide is observed with preference for helical conformation. The potential of mean force, computed using umbrella sampling, shows only small differences between urea and water solvation that are difficult to quantify. The changes in solvent structure around the peptide are explained by favorable electrostatic interactions (hydrogen bonds) of urea with the peptide backbone. There is no evidence for significant changes in hydrophobic interactions in the two conformations of the peptide in urea solution. Our simulations suggest that urea denatures proteins by preferentially forming hydrogen bonds to the peptide backbone, reducing the barrier for exposing protein residues to the solvent, and reaching the unfolded state. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers: 359-369, 2003

A Urea Biosensor from Stacked Sol-Gel Films with Immobilized Nile Blue Chromoionophore and Urease Enzyme

PubMed Central

Alqasaimeh, Muawia Salameh; Heng, Lee Yook; Ahmad, Musa

2007-01-01

An optical urea biosensor was fabricated by stacking several layers of sol-gel films. The stacking of the sol-gel films allowed the immobilization of a Nile Blue chromoionophore (ETH 5294) and urease enzyme separately without the need of any chemical attachment procedure. The absorbance response of the biosensor was monitored at 550 nm, i.e. the deprotonation of the chromoionophore. This multi-layer sol-gel film format enabled higher enzyme loading in the biosensor to be achieved. The urea optical biosensor constructed from three layers of sol-gel films that contained urease demonstrated a much wider linear response range of up to 100 mM urea when compared with biosensors that constructed from 1-2 layers of films. Analysis of urea in urine samples with this optical urea biosensor yielded results similar to that determined by a spectrophotometric method using the reagent p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (R2 = 0.982, n = 6). The average recovery of urea from urine samples using this urea biosensor is approximately 103%.

Effects of varying ruminally undegradable protein supplementation on forage digestion, nitrogen metabolism, and urea kinetics in Nellore cattle fed low-quality tropical forage.

PubMed

Batista, E D; Detmann, E; Titgemeyer, E C; Valadares Filho, S C; Valadares, R F D; Prates, L L; Rennó, L N; Paulino, M F

2016-01-01

Effects of supplemental RDP and RUP on nutrient digestion, N metabolism, urea kinetics, and muscle protein degradation were evaluated in Nellore heifers () consuming low-quality signal grass hay (5% CP and 80% NDF, DM basis). Five ruminally and abomasally cannulated Nellore heifers (248 ± 9 kg) were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square. Treatments were the control (no supplement) and RDP supplementation to meet 100% of the RDP requirement plus RUP provision to supply 0, 50, 100, or 150% of the RUP requirement. Supplemental RDP (casein plus NPN) was ruminally dosed twice daily, and RUP supply (casein) was continuously infused abomasally. Jugular infusion of [NN]-urea with measurement of enrichment in urine was used to evaluate urea kinetics. The ratio of urinary 3-methylhistidine to creatinine was used to estimate skeletal muscle protein degradation. Forage NDF intake (2.48 kg/d) was not affected ( ≥ 0.37) by supplementation, but supplementation did increase ruminal NDF digestion ( < 0.01). Total N intake (by design) and N retention increased ( < 0.001) with supplementation and also linearly increased with RUP provision. Urea entry rate and gastrointestinal entry rate of urea were increased by supplementation ( < 0.001). Supplementation with RUP linearly increased ( = 0.02) urea entry rate and tended ( = 0.07) to linearly increase gastrointestinal entry rate of urea. Urea use for anabolic purposes tended ( = 0.07) to be increased by supplementation, and RUP provision also tended ( = 0.08) to linearly increase the amount of urea used for anabolism. The fraction of recycled urea N incorporated into microbial N was greater ( < 0.001) for control (22%) than for supplemented (9%) heifers. Urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine of control heifers was more than double that of supplemented heifers ( < 0.001). Control heifers reabsorbed a greater ( < 0.001) fraction of urea from the renal tubule than did supplemented heifers. Overall, unsupplemented heifers had greater mobilization of AA from myofibrillar protein, which provided N for urea synthesis and subsequent recycling. Supplemental RUP, when RDP was supplied, not only increased N retention but also supported increased urea N recycling and increased ruminal microbial protein synthesis.

Synthesis of Ureas from CO2.

PubMed

Wang, Hua; Xin, Zhuo; Li, Yuehui

2017-04-01

Ureas are an important class of bioactive organic compounds in organic chemistry and exist widely in natural products, agricultural pesticides, uron herbicides, pharmaceuticals. Even though urea itself has been synthesized from CO 2 and ammonia for a long time, the selective and efficient synthesis of substituted ureas is still challenging due to the difficulty of dehydration processes. Efficient and economic fixation of CO 2 is of great importance in solving the problems of resource shortages, environmental issues, global warming, etc. During recent decades, chemists have developed different catalytic systems to synthesize ureas from CO 2 and amines. Herein, we focus on catalytic synthesis of ureas using CO 2 and amines.

Testing the ability of non-methylamine osmolytes present in kidney cells to counteract the deleterious effects of urea on structure, stability and function of proteins.

PubMed

Khan, Sheeza; Bano, Zehra; Singh, Laishram R; Hassan, Md Imtaiyaz; Islam, Asimul; Ahmad, Faizan

2013-01-01

Human kidney cells are under constant urea stress due to its urine concentrating mechanism. It is believed that the deleterious effect of urea is counteracted by methylamine osmolytes (glycine betaine and glycerophosphocholine) present in kidney cells. A question arises: Do the stabilizing osmolytes, non-methylamines (myo-inositol, sorbitol and taurine) present in the kidney cells also counteract the deleterious effects of urea? To answer this question, we have measured structure, thermodynamic stability (ΔG D (o)) and functional activity parameters (K m and k cat) of different model proteins in the presence of various concentrations of urea and each non-methylamine osmolyte alone and in combination. We observed that (i) for each protein myo-inositol provides perfect counteraction at 1∶2 ([myo-inositol]:[urea]) ratio, (ii) any concentration of sorbitol fails to refold urea denatured proteins if it is six times less than that of urea, and (iii) taurine regulates perfect counteraction in a protein specific manner; 1.5∶2.0, 1.2∶2.0 and 1.0∶2.0 ([taurine]:[urea]) ratios for RNase-A, lysozyme and α-lactalbumin, respectively.

Testing the Ability of Non-Methylamine Osmolytes Present in Kidney Cells to Counteract the Deleterious Effects of Urea on Structure, Stability and Function of Proteins

PubMed Central

Khan, Sheeza; Bano, Zehra; Singh, Laishram R.; Hassan, Md. Imtaiyaz; Islam, Asimul; Ahmad, Faizan

2013-01-01

Human kidney cells are under constant urea stress due to its urine concentrating mechanism. It is believed that the deleterious effect of urea is counteracted by methylamine osmolytes (glycine betaine and glycerophosphocholine) present in kidney cells. A question arises: Do the stabilizing osmolytes, non-methylamines (myo-inositol, sorbitol and taurine) present in the kidney cells also counteract the deleterious effects of urea? To answer this question, we have measured structure, thermodynamic stability (ΔG D o) and functional activity parameters (K m and k cat) of different model proteins in the presence of various concentrations of urea and each non-methylamine osmolyte alone and in combination. We observed that (i) for each protein myo-inositol provides perfect counteraction at 1∶2 ([myo-inositol]:[urea]) ratio, (ii) any concentration of sorbitol fails to refold urea denatured proteins if it is six times less than that of urea, and (iii) taurine regulates perfect counteraction in a protein specific manner; 1.5∶2.0, 1.2∶2.0 and 1.0∶2.0 ([taurine]:[urea]) ratios for RNase-A, lysozyme and α-lactalbumin, respectively. PMID:24039776

Urea enhances the photodynamic efficiency of methylene blue.

PubMed

Nuñez, Silvia C; Yoshimura, Tania M; Ribeiro, Martha S; Junqueira, Helena C; Maciel, Cleiton; Coutinho-Neto, Maurício D; Baptista, Maurício S

2015-09-01

Methylene blue (MB) is a well-known photosensitizer used mostly for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT). MB tends to aggregate, interfering negatively with its singlet oxygen generation, because MB aggregates lean towards electron transfer reactions, instead of energy transfer with oxygen. In order to avoid MB aggregation we tested the effect of urea, which destabilizes solute-solute interactions. The antimicrobial efficiency of MB (30 μM) either in water or in 2M aqueous urea solution was tested against a fungus (Candida albicans). Samples were kept in the dark and irradiation was performed with a light emitting diode (λ = 645 nm). Without urea, 9 min of irradiation was needed to achieve complete microbial eradication. In urea solution, complete eradication was obtained with 6 min illumination (light energy of 14.4 J). The higher efficiency of MB/urea solution was correlated with a smaller concentration of dimers, even in the presence of the microorganisms. Monomer to dimer concentration ratios were extracted from the absorption spectra of MB solutions measured as a function of MB concentration at different temperatures and at different concentrations of sodium chloride and urea. Dimerization equilibrium decreased by 3 and 6 times in 1 and 2M urea, respectively, and increased by a factor of 6 in 1M sodium chloride. The destabilization of aggregates by urea seems to be applied to other photosensitizers, since urea also destabilized aggregation of Meso-tetra(4-n-methyl-pyridyl)porphyrin, which is a positively charged porphyrin. We showed that urea destabilizes MB aggregates mainly by causing a decrease in the enthalpic gain of dimerization, which was exactly the opposite of the effect of sodium chloride. In order to understand this phenomenon at the molecular level, we computed the free energy for the dimer association process (ΔG(dimer)) in aqueous solution as well as its enthalpic component in aqueous and in aqueous/urea solutions by molecular dynamics simulations. In 2M-urea solution the atomistic picture revealed a preferential solvation of MB by urea compared with MB dimers while changes in ΔH(dimer) values demonstrated a clear shift favoring MB monomers. Therefore, MB monomers are more stable in urea solutions, which have significantly better photophysics and higher antimicrobial activity. This information can be of use for dental and medical professionals that are using MB based APDT protocols. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application effects of coated urea and urease and nitrification inhibitors on ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions from a subtropical cotton field of the Mississippi delta region.

PubMed

Tian, Zhou; Wang, Jim J; Liu, Shuai; Zhang, Zengqiang; Dodla, Syam K; Myers, Gerald

2015-11-15

Nitrogen (N) fertilization affects both ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that have implications in air quality and global warming potential. Different cropping systems practice varying N fertilizations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of applications of polymer-coated urea and urea treated with N process inhibitors: NBPT [N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide], urease inhibitor, and DCD [Dicyandiamide], nitrification inhibitor, on NH3 and GHG emissions from a cotton production system in the Mississippi delta region. A two-year field experiment consisting of five treatments including the Check (unfertilized), urea, polymer-coated urea (ESN), urea+NBPT, and urea+DCD was conducted over 2013 and 2014 in a Cancienne loam (Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, nonacid, hyperthermic Fluvaquentic Epiaquepts). Ammonia and GHG samples were collected using active and passive chamber methods, respectively, and characterized. The results showed that the N loss to the atmosphere following urea-N application was dominated by a significantly higher emission of N2O-N than NH3-N and the most N2O-N and NH3-N emissions were during the first 30-50 days. Among different N treatments compared to regular urea, NBPT was the most effective in reducing NH3-N volatilization (by 58-63%), whereas DCD the most significant in mitigating N2O-N emissions (by 75%). Polymer-coated urea (ESN) and NBPT also significantly reduced N2O-N losses (both by 52%) over urea. The emission factors (EFs) for urea, ESN, urea-NBPT, urea+DCD were 1.9%, 1.0%, 0.2%, 0.8% for NH3-N, and 8.3%, 3.4%, 3.9%, 1.0% for N2O-N, respectively. There were no significant effects of different N treatments on CO2-C and CH4-C fluxes. Overall both of these N stabilizers and polymer-coated urea could be used as a mitigation strategy for reducing N2O emission while urease inhibitor NBPT for reducing NH3 emission in the subtropical cotton production system of the Mississippi delta region. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SERUM AND PAROTID FLUIS UREA-LEVELS IN UNREALOADED HEALTHY YOUNG ADULTS

DTIC Science & Technology

Forty-four healthy young adult male subjects were given oral doses of urea, and parotid fluid and serum urea levels were studied for 1 to 3 hours. A...highly significant correlation between urea in serum and in parotid fluid (r equals 0.982) was found. The indication was that, with flow rate...carefully controlled, parotid fluid could be used interchangeably with serum in urea determination, regardless of the magnitude of the blood concentration. (Author)

A Novel Anoxic Pathway for Urea and Cyanate in Marine Oxygen Deficient Zones Revealed by Combined Microbiological and Biogeochemical Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widner, B.; Fuchsman, C. A.; Babbin, A. R.; Ji, Q.; Mulholland, M. R.

2016-02-01

Urea and cyanate are reduced nitrogen compounds that can serve as nitrogen and carbon sources for marine microbes, and cyanate forms from decomposition of urea. Some marine bacteria, including cyanobacteria, possess genes encoding an ABC-type cyanate transporter and an intracellular cyanate hydratase, and genes for urea uptake and assimilation are widespread. To investigate cyanate distribution and availability in the ocean, we recently developed a nanomolar cyanate assay specific to seawater. In an oxygenated water column, urea and cyanate concentrations are generally low in surface waters and exhibit a concentration maximum near the base of the euphotic zone likely due to production from organic matter degradation. Below the euphotic zone, urea and cyanate concentrations decrease, likely due to oxidation reactions. It has been suggested that simple organic nitrogen compounds may support anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) in oxygen deficient zones (ODZs). We mapped urea and cyanate distributions and used stable isotope-labeled urea and cyanate to measure their potential support of anammox and their uptake within the Eastern Tropical North and South Pacific ODZs. We also employed metagenomic techniques to determine the abundance and distribution of genes for the uptake and assimilation of urea and cyanate. The combined data indicate that, in ODZs, urea is used primarily as a nitrogen source while cyanate is used as both a nitrogen source and to generate energy.

Urea inhibits NaK2Cl cotransport in human erythrocytes.

PubMed Central

Lim, J; Gasson, C; Kaji, D M

1995-01-01

We examined the effect of urea on NaK2Cl cotransport in human erythrocytes. In erythrocytes from nine normal subjects, the addition of 45 mM urea, a concentration commonly encountered in uremic subjects, inhibited NaK2Cl cotransport by 33 +/- 7%. Urea inhibited NaK2Cl cotransport reversibly, and in a concentration-dependent fashion with half-maximal inhibition at 63 +/- 10 mM. Acute cell shrinkage increased, and acute cell swelling decreased NaK2Cl cotransport in human erythrocytes. Okadaic acid (OA), a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A, increased NaK2Cl cotransport by nearly 80%, suggesting an important role for these phosphatases in the regulation of NaK2Cl cotransport. Urea inhibited bumetanide-sensitive K influx even when protein phosphatases were inhibited with OA, suggesting that urea acted by inhibiting a kinase. In cells subjected to shrinking and OA pretreatment, maneuvers expected to increase the net phosphorylation, urea inhibited cotransport only minimally, suggesting that urea acted by causing a net dephosphorylation of the cotransport protein, or some key regulatory protein. The finding that concentrations of urea found in uremic subjects inhibited NaK2Cl cotransport, a widespread transport pathway with important physiological functions, suggests that urea is not only a marker for accumulation of other uremic toxins, but may be a significant uremic toxin itself. PMID:7593597

Modelling and mutational analysis of Aspergillus nidulans UreA, a member of the subfamily of urea/H+ transporters in fungi and plants

PubMed Central

Sanguinetti, Manuel; Amillis, Sotiris; Pantano, Sergio; Scazzocchio, Claudio; Ramón, Ana

2014-01-01

We present the first account of the structure–function relationships of a protein of the subfamily of urea/H+ membrane transporters of fungi and plants, using Aspergillus nidulans UreA as a study model. Based on the crystal structures of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus sodium/galactose symporter (vSGLT) and of the Nucleobase-Cation-Symport-1 benzylhydantoin transporter from Microbacterium liquefaciens (Mhp1), we constructed a three-dimensional model of UreA which, combined with site-directed and classical random mutagenesis, led to the identification of amino acids important for UreA function. Our approach allowed us to suggest roles for these residues in the binding, recognition and translocation of urea, and in the sorting of UreA to the membrane. Residues W82, Y106, A110, T133, N275, D286, Y388, Y437 and S446, located in transmembrane helixes 2, 3, 7 and 11, were found to be involved in the binding, recognition and/or translocation of urea and the sorting of UreA to the membrane. Y106, A110, T133 and Y437 seem to play a role in substrate selectivity, while S446 is necessary for proper sorting of UreA to the membrane. Other amino acids identified by random classical mutagenesis (G99, R141, A163, G168 and P639) may be important for the basic transporter's structure, its proper folding or its correct traffic to the membrane. PMID:24966243

Use of isoelectric focusing and a chromophoric organomercurial to monitor urea-induced conformational changes of yeast phosphoglycerate kinase.

PubMed Central

Stinson, R A

1977-01-01

The effects of urea in concentrations from 0 to 6M on the following properties of yeast phosphoglycerate kinase were studied: the kinetics of inactivation of the enzyme, the spectrum of 2-chloromercuri-4-nitrophenol bound to the single thiol group of the enzyme, the rate of reaction between the mercurial and enzyme, and the isoelectric point. The enzyme was inactivated by as much as 30% in 1M-urea, and the other data were interpreted as a possible 'tightening' of enzyme structure. The catalytic behaviour of the enzyme in 2M-urea was time-dependent, the initial effects being similar to those in 1M-urea. Polyacrylamide-gel isoelectric focusing of the enzyme in the presence of 2M-urea showed a single species of enzyme with an isoelectric point intermediate between those in 1M- and 3M-urea; a species with an identical isoelectric point was obtained after an 11-day exposure at 4 degrees C to the denaturant at 2M. The enzyme was rapidly inactivated in 3M-urea, with the thiol group fully exposed and the isoelectric point 0.9pH unit higher than in the absence of urea. No further conformational changes could be demonstrated with urea concentrations of 4M or greater. It is suggested that the equilibrium species that exists in 2M-urea has one of two buried lysine residues exposed. The second lysine residue is exposed in 3M or greater concentrations of the denaturant. Images Fig. 2. PMID:337969

Development of a ratiometric fluorescent urea biosensor based on the urease immobilized onto the oxazine 170 perchlorate-ethyl cellulose membrane.

PubMed

Dinh Duong, Hong; Il Rhee, Jong

2015-03-01

In this work, the oxazine 170 perchlorate (O17)-ethyl cellulose (EC) membrane was successfully applied in the fabrication of a urea-sensing membrane. The urea-sensing membrane was a double layer consisting of the O17-EC membrane and a layer of the enzyme urease entrapped into EC matrix. The sensing principle of urea was based on the hydrolysis reaction of urea under the catalysis of the urease to produce ammonia in water and also on the binding of ammonia with the dye O17 to create the shift in the emission wavelength from λ(em)=630 nm to λ(em)=565 nm. The data collected from the ratio of the fluorescence intensities at λ(em)=630 nm and λ(em)=565 nm was proportional to urea concentration. The urea-sensing membrane with the ratiometric method was used to measure the concentrations of urea in the range of 0.01-0.1 M with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.027 mM and 0.1-1.0 M with LOD of 0.224 mM. It showed fast response time, high reversibility and long-term stability in this concentration range. The recovery percentage of urea concentrations of the urea-sensing membrane for two kinds of biological urine solutions (BU1, BU2) was around 85-118%. The measured results were in good agreement with standard urea concentrations in the range of 0.06 M to 1.0 M. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The diuretic effect of urea analog dimethylthiourea in female Wistar rats.

PubMed

Cil, O; Ertunc, M; Onur, R

2012-10-01

Urea plays an important role in the urinary concentrating mechanism in the kidney by contributing greatly in the generation of hyperosmolar medulla due to the presence of urea transporters, which mediate facilitated transport of urea. In this study, we investigated the possible diuretic effect of urea analog and urea transporter inhibitor, dimethylthiourea (DMTU), in rats. Female Wistar rats were divided into two groups, group 1 (control group, n = 7) rats were injected with saline intraperitoneally (i.p.), while group 2 (DMTU group, n = 7) rats were injected with 500 mg/kg DMTU (i.p.) and an additional dose of 125 mg/kg DMTU after 8 h. DMTU administration induced an approximately three times increase in daily urine volume (p < 0.001) and decreased urine osmolality to approximately 35% of controls (p < 0.0001). DMTU also increased free water clearance (p < 0.0001) without a significant change in osmolar clearance. DMTU treatment caused an increase in urea clearance (p < 0.05) and fractional excretion of urea (p < 0.05) with a decrease in serum urea concentration (p < 0.001). DMTU had no effect on creatinine clearance or serum electrolytes, creatinine levels and osmolality. With these findings, we report for the first time that DMTU has a prominent diuretic effect with increased urea excretion, which may be explained by the inhibitory effect of the drug on urea transporters. Our findings suggest that DMTU may be used as a diuretic agent and also could be used as a lead compound for the development of novel diuretics.

Simple solution-combustion synthesis of Ni-NiO@C nanocomposites with highly electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jie; Ni, Yonghong; Zhai, Muheng

2018-01-01

Transition metal and its oxide composite nanomaterials are attracting increasing research interest due to their superior properties and extensive applications in many fields. In this paper, Ni-NiO@C nanocomposites were successfully synthesized in one step via a simple solution-combustion route, employing NiCl2 as the Ni source, oxygen in the atmosphere as the oxygen source, and ethanol as the solvent. The final product was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), (high resolution) transmission electron microscopy (TEM/HRTEM), and Raman spectra. N2 gas sorption-desorption experiments uncovered that the BET surface area of Ni-NiO@C nanocomposites reached 161.9 m2 g-1, far higher than 34.2 m2 g-1 of Ni-NiO. The electrochemical measurement showed that the as-produced Ni-NiO@C nanocomposites presented better catalytic activity for the electro-oxidation of methanol than Ni-NiO and NiO, which provides a new catalyst selection for the electro-oxidation of methanol.

Refuse derived fuel (RDF) plasma torch gasification as a feasible route to produce low environmental impact syngas for the cement industry.

PubMed

López-Sabirón, Ana M; Fleiger, Kristina; Schäfer, Stefan; Antoñanzas, Javier; Irazustabarrena, Ane; Aranda-Usón, Alfonso; Ferreira, Germán A

2015-08-01

Plasma torch gasification (PTG) is currently researched as a technology for solid waste recovery. However, scientific studies based on evaluating its environmental implications considering the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology are lacking. Therefore, this work is focused on comparing the environmental effect of the emissions of syngas combustion produced by refuse derived fuel (RDF) and PTG as alternative fuels, with that related to fossil fuel combustion in the cement industry. To obtain real data, a semi-industrial scale pilot plant was used to perform experimental trials on RDF-PTG.The results highlight that PTG for waste to energy recovery in the cement industry is environmentally feasible considering its current state of development. A reduction in every impact category was found when a total or partial substitution of alternative fuel for conventional fuel in the calciner firing (60 % of total thermal energy input) was performed. Furthermore, the results revealed that electrical energy consumption in PTG is also an important parameter from the LCA approach. © The Author(s) 2015.

Pulsed co-electrodeposition and characterization of Ni-based nanocomposites reinforced with combustion-synthesized, undoped, tetragonal-ZrO(2) particulates.

PubMed

Reddy, B S B; Das, Karabi; Datta, Amal Kumar; Das, Siddhartha

2008-03-19

Nanostructured nickel matrix composites reinforced with nanosized, undoped, tetragonal zirconia has been synthesized by cathodic pulsed electrodeposition. The reinforcement is synthesized by the aqueous combustion synthesis route with glycine as the fuel and zirconyl nitrate as the oxidizer. The reinforcement and composite have been characterized by XRD, TEM and SEM coupled with EDS. The microhardness and thermal stability (Kissinger method) of the composite are evaluated. These values are compared with those of pure nickel deposited under the same conditions. The results show that the microhardness of the nickel matrix is enhanced by the presence of the reinforcement from 450 to 575 VHN. Also the strengthening due to grain size effects and dispersion strengthening effect are evaluated individually and the interparticle separation is estimated to be around 85 nm. The volume fraction of the reinforcement is estimated to be 12-15% and the particles are uniformly distributed and monodispersed in the nickel matrix. The thermal stability of the composite is better than that of pure nickel in contrast to some of the reported literature.

System and method for selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides in combustion exhaust gases

DOEpatents

Sobolevskiy, Anatoly; Rossin, Joseph A

2014-04-08

A multi-stage selective catalytic reduction (SCR) unit (32) provides efficient reduction of NOx and other pollutants from about 50-550.degree. C. in a power plant (19). Hydrogen (24) and ammonia (29) are variably supplied to the SCR unit depending on temperature. An upstream portion (34) of the SCR unit catalyzes NOx+NH.sub.3 reactions above about 200.degree. C. A downstream portion (36) catalyzes NOx+H.sub.2 reactions below about 260.degree. C., and catalyzes oxidation of NH.sub.3, CO, and VOCs with oxygen in the exhaust above about 200.degree. C., efficiently removing NOx and other pollutants over a range of conditions with low slippage of NH.sub.3. An ammonia synthesis unit (28) may be connected to the SCR unit to provide NH.sub.3 as needed, avoiding transport and storage of ammonia or urea at the site. A carbonaceous gasification plant (18) on site may supply hydrogen and nitrogen to the ammonia synthesis unit, and hydrogen to the SCR unit.

Epoxide-functionalization of polyethyleneimine for synthesis of stable carbon dioxide adsorbent in temperature swing adsorption

PubMed Central

Choi, Woosung; Min, Kyungmin; Kim, Chaehoon; Ko, Young Soo; Jeon, Jae Wan; Seo, Hwimin; Park, Yong-Ki; Choi, Minkee

2016-01-01

Amine-containing adsorbents have been extensively investigated for post-combustion carbon dioxide capture due to their ability to chemisorb low-concentration carbon dioxide from a wet flue gas. However, earlier studies have focused primarily on the carbon dioxide uptake of adsorbents, and have not demonstrated effective adsorbent regeneration and long-term stability under such conditions. Here, we report the versatile and scalable synthesis of a functionalized-polyethyleneimine (PEI)/silica adsorbent which simultaneously exhibits a large working capacity (2.2 mmol g−1) and long-term stability in a practical temperature swing adsorption process (regeneration under 100% carbon dioxide at 120 °C), enabling the separation of concentrated carbon dioxide. We demonstrate that the functionalization of PEI with 1,2-epoxybutane reduces the heat of adsorption and facilitates carbon dioxide desorption (>99%) during regeneration compared with unmodified PEI (76%). Moreover, the functionalization significantly improves long-term adsorbent stability over repeated temperature swing adsorption cycles due to the suppression of urea formation and oxidative amine degradation. PMID:27572662

Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and identification of putative metabolites of JI-101 - a novel triple kinase inhibitor in rats.

PubMed

Gurav, S D; Gilibili, R R; Jeniffer, S; Mohd, Z; Giri, S; Govindarajan, R; Srinivas, N R; Mullangi, R

2012-01-01

JI-101, chemically 1-[1-(2-amino-pyridin-4-ylmethyl)-1H-indol-4-yl]-3-(5-bromo-2-methoxy-phenyl)-urea hydrochloride, is a novel orally active kinase inhibitor, which has shown potent in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity against a variety of cancer cell lines and xenografts. It is currently entering Phase II clinical development for the treatment of solid tumors. The aim of the study is to assess the metabolic stability of JI-101 in various pre-clinical and human liver microsomes, to identify the major CYPs (cytochrome β450) involved in the metabolism of JI-101 and identification of putative metabolites. We have also studied the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion of JI-101 in Sprague Dawley rats. JI-101 was found to be stable in various liver microsomes tested. JI-101 is highly permeable and not a substrate for P-gp (permeability glycoprotein). JI-101 excreted through bile along with its mono- and di-hydroxy metabolites. Following oral administration, JI-101 was rapidly absorbed, reaching Cmax within 2 h. The t½ of JI-101 with intravenous and oral route was found to be 1.75 ± 0.79 and 2.66 ± 0.13 h, respectively. The Cl and Vd by intravenous route for JI-101 were found to be 13.0 ± 2.62 mL/min/kg and 2.11 ± 1.42 L/kg, respectively. The tissue distribution of JI-101 was extensive with rapid and preferred uptake into lung tissue. Overall, the oral bioavailability of JI-101 is 55% and the primary route of elimination for JI-101 is feces. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

76 FR 15339 - Solid Urea From Russia and Ukraine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-21

... Urea From Russia and Ukraine AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Notice of... urea from Russia and Ukraine. SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice that it will proceed with... determine whether revocation of the antidumping duty orders on solid urea from Russia and Ukraine would be...

40 CFR 721.9892 - Alkylated urea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alkylated urea. 721.9892 Section 721... Alkylated urea. (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified generically as an alkylated urea (PMN P-93-1649) is subject to reporting under this...

40 CFR 721.9920 - Urea, (hexahydro-6-methyl-2-oxopyrimidinyl)-.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Urea, (hexahydro-6-methyl-2... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9920 Urea, (hexahydro-6-methyl-2-oxopyrimidinyl)-. (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance urea, (hexahydro-6...

Performance of cellulose acetate butyrate membranes in hyperfiltration of sodium chloride and urea feed solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wydeven, T.; Leban, M.

1973-01-01

Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) membranes are shown to give high salt and urea rejection with water flux of about 3 gallons/sq ft per day at 600 psig. Membranes prepared from a formulation containing glyoxal show a significant increase in flux and decrease in salt and urea rejection with drying time. Zero drying time gives maximum urea and salt rejection and is therefore most suitable for hyperfiltration of sodium chloride and urea feed solution.

Effect of urea and urea-gamma treatments on cellulose degradation of Thai rice straw and corn stalk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banchorndhevakul, Siriwattana

2002-08-01

Cellulose degradation of 20% urea treated and 20% urea-10 kGy gamma treated Thai rice straw and corn stalk showed that combination effect of urea and gamma radiation gave a higher % decrease in neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin and cutin in comparison with urea effect only for both room temperature storage and room temperature +258 K storage. The results also indicated that cellulose degradation proceeded with time, even at 258 K. A drastic drop to less than half of the original contents in NDF, ADF, and ADL could not be obtained in this study.

An alternative explanation for the collapse of unfolded proteins in an aqueous mixture of urea and guanidinium chloride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graziano, Giuseppe

2014-09-01

Molecular dynamics simulations have shown that a totally unfolded protein in aqueous 8 M urea undergoes a collapse transition on replacing urea molecules by guanidinium chloride, GdmCl, assuming a compact conformation in 4 M urea + 4 M GdmCl [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134 (2012) 18266]. This is unexpected because GdmCl is a denaturant stronger than urea. It is shown that such collapse can originate from an increase in the magnitude of the solvent-excluded volume effect due the high density of urea + GdmCl mixtures, coupled to their low water number density that pushes denaturant molecules toward the protein surface.

Effects of concentration on the microwave dielectric spectra of aqueous urea solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyashchenko, A. K.; Dunyashev, V. S.; Zasetsky, A. Yu.

2017-05-01

Several models of relaxation for the dielectric spectra of aqueous urea solutions in the microwave region are compared. The spectra are shown to contain two main Debye components arising from the rotational motions of urea and water molecules. Two essentially different concentration regions in urea solutions are identified. The first is characterized by a small increase in the mobility of water molecules (τ1 = 7.8 ps) and the existence of hydrated urea molecules (τ2 = 19 ps). Due to the aggregation of urea molecules, the relaxation times for the latter process grow considerably in highly concentrated solutions. At the same time, faster molecular motions (τ3 = 6 ps) are observed for water molecules.

Role of C–N Configurations in the Photoluminescence of Graphene Quantum Dots Synthesized by a Hydrothermal Route

PubMed Central

Permatasari, Fitri Aulia; Aimon, Akfiny Hasdi; Iskandar, Ferry; Ogi, Takashi; Okuyama, Kikuo

2016-01-01

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) containing N atoms were successfully synthesized using a facile, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly hydrothermal reaction of urea and citric acid, and the effect of the GQDs’ C–N configurations on their photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images confirmed that the dots were spherical, with an average diameter of 2.17 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the C–N configurations of the GQDs substantially affected their PL intensity. Increased PL intensity was obtained in areas with greater percentages of pyridinic-N and lower percentages of pyrrolic-N. This enhanced PL was attributed to delocalized π electrons from pyridinic-N contributing to the C system of the GQDs. On the basis of energy electron loss spectroscopy (EELS) and UV-Vis spectroscopy analyses, we propose a PL mechanism for hydrothermally synthesized GQDs. PMID:26876153

Dynamic urea bond for the design of reversible and self-healing polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ying, Hanze; Zhang, Yanfeng; Cheng, Jianjun

2014-02-01

Polymers bearing dynamic covalent bonds may exhibit dynamic properties, such as self-healing, shape memory and environmental adaptation. However, most dynamic covalent chemistries developed so far require either catalyst or change of environmental conditions to facilitate bond reversion and dynamic property change in bulk materials. Here we report the rational design of hindered urea bonds (urea with bulky substituent attached to its nitrogen) and the use of them to make polyureas and poly(urethane-urea)s capable of catalyst-free dynamic property change and autonomous repairing at low temperature. Given the simplicity of the hindered urea bond chemistry (reaction of a bulky amine with an isocyanate), incorporation of the catalyst-free dynamic covalent urea bonds to conventional polyurea or urea-containing polymers that typically have stable bulk properties may further broaden the scope of applications of these widely used materials.

Dynamic urea bond for the design of reversible and self-healing polymers

PubMed Central

Ying, Hanze; Zhang, Yanfeng; Cheng, Jianjun

2014-01-01

Polymers bearing dynamic covalent bonds may exhibit dynamic properties, such as self-healing, shape memory and environmental adaptation. However, most dynamic covalent chemistries developed so far require either catalyst or change of environmental conditions to facilitate bond reversion and dynamic property change in bulk materials. Here we report the rational design of hindered urea bonds (urea with bulky substituent attached to its nitrogen) and the use of them to make polyureas and poly(urethane-ureas) capable of catalyst-free dynamic property change and autonomous repairing at low temperature. Given the simplicity of the hindered urea bond chemistry (reaction of a bulky amine with an isocyanate), incorporation of the catalyst-free dynamic covalent urea bonds to conventional polyurea or urea-containing polymers that typically have stable bulk properties may further broaden the scope of applications of these widely used materials. PMID:24492620

Diabetes induced renal urea transport alterations assessed with 3D hyperpolarized 13 C,15 N-Urea.

PubMed

Bertelsen, Lotte B; Nielsen, Per M; Qi, Haiyun; Nørlinger, Thomas S; Zhang, Xiaolu; Stødkilde-Jørgensen, Hans; Laustsen, Christoffer

2017-04-01

In the current study, we investigated hyperpolarized urea as a possible imaging biomarker of the renal function by means of the intrarenal osmolality gradient. Hyperpolarized three-dimensional balanced steady state 13 C MRI experiments alongside kidney function parameters and quantitative polymerase chain reaction measurements was performed on two groups of rats, a streptozotocin type 1 diabetic group and a healthy control group. A significant decline in intrarenal steepness of the urea gradient was found after 4 weeks of untreated insulinopenic diabetes in agreement with an increased urea transport transcription. MRI and hyperpolarized [ 13 C, 15 N]urea can monitor the changes in the corticomedullary urea concentration gradients in diabetic and healthy control rats. Magn Reson Med 77:1650-1655, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Felinine stability in the presence of selected urine compounds.

PubMed

Rutherfurd, S M; Kitson, T M; Woolhouse, A D; McGrath, M C; Hendriks, W H

2007-02-01

The stability of felinine, an amino acid present in feline urine, was investigated. Synthetic felinine was unstable in the urine of a selection of mammals. Felinine was found to stable in feline urine in which urea had been degraded. Synthetic felinine was found to react specifically with urea and did not react with urea analogues such as biuret or thiourea or other nucleophilic compounds such as ammonia which is more nucleophilic or acetamide and water which are less nucleophilic than urea. The reaction of urea and felinine was independent of pH over the range of 3-10. Urea did not react with N-acetyl-felinine suggesting a felinine N-terminal interaction with urea. Mass spectral analysis of the reaction products showed the presence of carbamylated felinine and fragmentation ions derived from carbamyl-felinine. The physiological relevance of felinine carbamylation is yet to be determined.

76 FR 77015 - Solid Urea From Russia and Ukraine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-09

... Urea From Russia and Ukraine Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject five... orders on solid urea from Russia and Ukraine would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of... 2011), entitled Solid Urea from Russia and Ukraine: Investigation Nos. 731-TA- 340-E and 340-H (Third...

Use of natural and biobased materials for controlled-release of urea in water: Environmental applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Urea pearls were encapsulated in cloisite-based matrices using different natural materials (lignin, beeswax and latex) to control the release of urea over time. It was found that all cloisite-based fertilizer tablets showed better release profiles than neat urea tablets. The best release profile was...

21 CFR 176.320 - Sodium nitrate-urea complex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Sodium nitrate-urea complex. 176.320 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.320 Sodium nitrate-urea complex. Sodium... the provisions of this section. (a) Sodium nitrate-urea complex is a clathrate of approximately two...

21 CFR 176.320 - Sodium nitrate-urea complex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Sodium nitrate-urea complex. 176.320 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.320 Sodium nitrate-urea complex. Sodium nitrate-urea complex may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing...

21 CFR 176.320 - Sodium nitrate-urea complex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Sodium nitrate-urea complex. 176.320 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.320 Sodium nitrate-urea complex. Sodium nitrate-urea complex may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing...

21 CFR 176.320 - Sodium nitrate-urea complex.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Sodium nitrate-urea complex. 176.320 Section 176... Substances for Use Only as Components of Paper and Paperboard § 176.320 Sodium nitrate-urea complex. Sodium nitrate-urea complex may be safely used as a component of articles intended for use in producing...

Solute solver 'what if' module for modeling urea kinetics.

PubMed

Daugirdas, John T

2016-11-01

The publicly available Solute Solver module allows calculation of a variety of two-pool urea kinetic measures of dialysis adequacy using pre- and postdialysis plasma urea and estimated dialyzer clearance or estimated urea distribution volumes as inputs. However, the existing program does not have a 'what if' module, which would estimate the plasma urea values as well as commonly used measures of hemodialysis adequacy for a patient with a given urea distribution volume and urea nitrogen generation rate dialyzed according to a particular dialysis schedule. Conventional variable extracellular volume 2-pool urea kinetic equations were used. A javascript-HTML Web form was created that can be used on any personal computer equipped with internet browsing software, to compute commonly used Kt/V-based measures of hemodialysis adequacy for patients with differing amounts of residual kidney function and following a variety of treatment schedules. The completed Web form calculator may be particularly useful in computing equivalent continuous clearances for incremental hemodialysis strategies. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

[Soil biological activities at maize seedling stage under application of slow/controlled release nitrogen fertilizers].

PubMed

Li, Dongpo; Wu, Zhijie; Chen, Lijun; Liang, Chenghua; Zhang, Lili; Wang, Weicheng; Yang, Defu

2006-06-01

With pot experiment and simulating field ecological environment, this paper studied the effects of different slow/ controlled release N fertilizers on the soil nitrate - reductase and urease activities and microbial biomass C and N at maize seedling stage. The results showed that granular urea amended with dicyandiamide (DCD) and N-(n-bultyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) induced the highest soil nitrate-reductase activity, granular urea brought about the highest soil urease activity and microbial biomass C and N, while starch acetate (SA)-coated granular urea, SA-coated granular urea amended with DCD, methyl methacrylate (MMA) -coated granular urea amended with DCD, and no N fertilization gave a higher soil urease activity. Soil microbial C and N had a similar variation trend after applying various kinds of test slow/controlled release N fertilizers, and were the lowest after applying SA-coated granular urea amended with DCD and NBPT. Coated granular urea amended with inhibitors had a stronger effect on soil biological activities than coated granular urea, and MMA-coating had a better effect than SA-coating.

Effects of low urea concentrations on protein-water interactions.

PubMed

Ferreira, Luisa A; Povarova, Olga I; Stepanenko, Olga V; Sulatskaya, Anna I; Madeira, Pedro P; Kuznetsova, Irina M; Turoverov, Konstantin K; Uversky, Vladimir N; Zaslavsky, Boris Y

2017-01-01

Solvent properties of aqueous media (dipolarity/polarizability, hydrogen bond donor acidity, and hydrogen bond acceptor basicity) were measured in the coexisting phases of Dextran-PEG aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) containing .5 and 2.0 M urea. The differences between the electrostatic and hydrophobic properties of the phases in the ATPSs were quantified by analysis of partitioning of the homologous series of sodium salts of dinitrophenylated amino acids with aliphatic alkyl side chains. Furthermore, partitioning of eleven different proteins in the ATPSs was studied. The analysis of protein partition behavior in a set of ATPSs with protective osmolytes (sorbitol, sucrose, trehalose, and TMAO) at the concentration of .5 M, in osmolyte-free ATPS, and in ATPSs with .5 or 2.0 M urea in terms of the solvent properties of the phases was performed. The results show unambiguously that even at the urea concentration of .5 M, this denaturant affects partitioning of all proteins (except concanavalin A) through direct urea-protein interactions and via its effect on the solvent properties of the media. The direct urea-protein interactions seem to prevail over the urea effects on the solvent properties of water at the concentration of .5 M urea and appear to be completely dominant at 2.0 M urea concentration.

Spectroscopic and MD simulation studies on unfolding processes of mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase VA induced by urea.

PubMed

Idrees, Danish; Prakash, Amresh; Haque, Md Anzarul; Islam, Asimul; Ahmad, Faizan; Hassan, Md Imtaiyaz

2016-09-01

Carbonic anhydrase VA (CAVA) is primarily expressed in the mitochondria and involved in numerous physiological processes including lipogenesis, insulin secretion from pancreatic cells, ureagenesis, gluconeogenesis and neuronal transmission. To understand the biophysical properties of CAVA, we carried out a reversible urea-induced isothermal denaturation at pH 7.0 and 25°C. Spectroscopic probes, [θ]222 (mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm), F344 (Trp-fluorescence emission intensity at 344 nm) and Δε280 (difference absorption at 280 nm) were used to monitor the effect of urea on the structure and stability of CAVA. The urea-induced reversible denaturation curves were used to estimate [Formula: see text], Gibbs free energy in the absence of urea; Cm, the mid-point of the denaturation curve, i.e. molar urea concentration ([urea]) at which ΔGD = 0; and m, the slope (=∂ΔGD/∂[urea]). Coincidence of normalized transition curves of all optical properties suggests that unfolding/refolding of CAVA is a two-state process. We further performed 40 ns molecular dynamics simulation of CAVA to see the dynamics at different urea concentrations. An excellent agreement was observed between in silico and in vitro studies.

Dissociation of hydrophobic and charged nano particles in aqueous guanidinium chloride and urea solutions: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weifeng; Mu, Yuguang

2012-02-01

It has been a long history that urea and guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) are used as agents for denaturing proteins. The underlying mechanism has been extensively studied in the past several decades. However, the question regarding why GdmCl is much stronger than urea has seldom been touched. Here, through molecular dynamics simulations, we show that a 4 M GdmCl solution is more able than 7 M urea solution to dissociate both hydrophobic and charged nano-particles (NP). Both urea and GdmCl affect the NPs' aggregation through direct binding to the NP surface. The advantages of GdmCl originate from the net charge of bound guanidinium ions which can generate a local positively charged environment around hydrophobic and negatively charged NPs. This effective coating can introduce Coulombic repulsion between all the NPs. Urea shows certain ability to dissociate hydrophobic NPs. However, in the case of charged NPs, urea molecules located between two opposite-charged NPs will form ordered hydrogen bonds, acting like ``glue'' which prevents separation of the NPs. Although urea can form hydrogen bonds with either hydrophilic amino acids or the protein backbone, which are believed to contribute to protein denaturation, our findings strongly suggest that this property does not always contribute positively to urea's denaturation power.

Ionic effect investigation of a potentiometric sensor for urea and surface morphology observation of entrapped urease/polypyrrole matrix.

PubMed

Syu, Mei-Jywan; Chang, Yu-Sung

2009-04-15

Potentio-dynamic polymerization of buffered urease and pyrrole monomer onto carbon papers was conducted to fabricate an immobilized urease electrode for measuring the urea concentration. To use carbon paper as the substrate for the electro-growth of polypyrrole matrix not only created sufficient adhesion of the conducting polymer layer but also provided superior entrapment of urease enzymes. The potentiometric response corresponding to ammonia, the product formed from the urease catalyzed urea reaction, was employed for the urea concentration measurement. Scanning electron microscopic photographs showed that the polypyrrole matrix deposited on the carbon papers appeared to be of a cylindrical nanotube shape. The charge density applied in the polymerization was found to affect the potentiometric response while the potential-scanning rate showed minor influence. The composite electrodes had high sensitivity in urea detection, showing a response linear to the logarithm of the urea concentration in the range of 10(-3) to 10 mM. The detection of urea solution prepared in water and buffer was also compared. Ionic effect on the sensing of urea solution was investigated. By comparing the data reported in literature, the urease/polypyrrole/carbon paper electrode developed in this work showed superior long-term stability and reusability. The detection of urea in serum was also well performed.

Urea and Ammonia Metabolism and the Control of Renal Nitrogen Excretion.

PubMed

Weiner, I David; Mitch, William E; Sands, Jeff M

2015-08-07

Renal nitrogen metabolism primarily involves urea and ammonia metabolism, and is essential to normal health. Urea is the largest circulating pool of nitrogen, excluding nitrogen in circulating proteins, and its production changes in parallel to the degradation of dietary and endogenous proteins. In addition to serving as a way to excrete nitrogen, urea transport, mediated through specific urea transport proteins, mediates a central role in the urine concentrating mechanism. Renal ammonia excretion, although often considered only in the context of acid-base homeostasis, accounts for approximately 10% of total renal nitrogen excretion under basal conditions, but can increase substantially in a variety of clinical conditions. Because renal ammonia metabolism requires intrarenal ammoniagenesis from glutamine, changes in factors regulating renal ammonia metabolism can have important effects on glutamine in addition to nitrogen balance. This review covers aspects of protein metabolism and the control of the two major molecules involved in renal nitrogen excretion: urea and ammonia. Both urea and ammonia transport can be altered by glucocorticoids and hypokalemia, two conditions that also affect protein metabolism. Clinical conditions associated with altered urine concentrating ability or water homeostasis can result in changes in urea excretion and urea transporters. Clinical conditions associated with altered ammonia excretion can have important effects on nitrogen balance. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Urea and Ammonia Metabolism and the Control of Renal Nitrogen Excretion

PubMed Central

Mitch, William E.; Sands, Jeff M.

2015-01-01

Renal nitrogen metabolism primarily involves urea and ammonia metabolism, and is essential to normal health. Urea is the largest circulating pool of nitrogen, excluding nitrogen in circulating proteins, and its production changes in parallel to the degradation of dietary and endogenous proteins. In addition to serving as a way to excrete nitrogen, urea transport, mediated through specific urea transport proteins, mediates a central role in the urine concentrating mechanism. Renal ammonia excretion, although often considered only in the context of acid-base homeostasis, accounts for approximately 10% of total renal nitrogen excretion under basal conditions, but can increase substantially in a variety of clinical conditions. Because renal ammonia metabolism requires intrarenal ammoniagenesis from glutamine, changes in factors regulating renal ammonia metabolism can have important effects on glutamine in addition to nitrogen balance. This review covers aspects of protein metabolism and the control of the two major molecules involved in renal nitrogen excretion: urea and ammonia. Both urea and ammonia transport can be altered by glucocorticoids and hypokalemia, two conditions that also affect protein metabolism. Clinical conditions associated with altered urine concentrating ability or water homeostasis can result in changes in urea excretion and urea transporters. Clinical conditions associated with altered ammonia excretion can have important effects on nitrogen balance. PMID:25078422

Daily rhythm of salivary and serum urea concentration in sheep

PubMed Central

Piccione, Giuseppe; Foà, Augusto; Bertolucci, Cristiano; Caola, Giovanni

2006-01-01

Background In domestic animals many biochemical and physiological processes exhibit daily rhythmicity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rhythmic pattern of salivary and serum urea concentrations in sheep. Methods Six 3-year-old female sheep kept in the same environmental conditions were used. Sheep were sampled at 4 hour intervals for 48 consecutive hours starting at 08:00 of the first day and finishing at 04:00 of the second day. Blood samples were collected via intravenous cannulae inserted into the jugular vein; saliva samples were collected through a specific tube, the "Salivette". Salivary and serum urea concentrations were assayed by means of UV spectrophotometer. ANOVA was used to determine significant differences. The single Cosinor procedure was applied to the results showing significant differences over time. Results ANOVA showed a significant effect of time on salivary and serum urea concentrations. Serum and salivary urea peaked during the light phase. In the dark phase serum and salivary urea concentrations decreased, and the diurnal trough occurred at midnight. Cosinor analysis showed diurnal acrophases for salivary and serum urea concentrations. Daily mean levels were significantly higher in the serum than in the saliva. Conclusion In sheep both salivary and serum urea concentrations showed daily fluctuations. Urea is synthesized in the liver and its production is strongly influenced by food intake. Future investigation should clarify whether daily urea rhythms in sheep are endogenous or are simply the result of the temporal administration of food. PMID:17123442

Online measurement of urea concentration in spent dialysate during hemodialysis.

PubMed

Olesberg, Jonathon T; Arnold, Mark A; Flanigan, Michael J

2004-01-01

We describe online optical measurements of urea in the effluent dialysate line during regular hemodialysis treatment of several patients. Monitoring urea removal can provide valuable information about dialysis efficiency. Spectral measurements were performed with a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer equipped with a flow-through cell. Spectra were recorded across the 5000-4000 cm(-1) (2.0-2.5 microm) wavelength range at 1-min intervals. Savitzky-Golay filtering was used to remove baseline variations attributable to the temperature dependence of the water absorption spectrum. Urea concentrations were extracted from the filtered spectra by use of partial least-squares regression and the net analyte signal of urea. Urea concentrations predicted by partial least-squares regression matched concentrations obtained from standard chemical assays with a root mean square error of 0.30 mmol/L (0.84 mg/dL urea nitrogen) over an observed concentration range of 0-11 mmol/L. The root mean square error obtained with the net analyte signal of urea was 0.43 mmol/L with a calibration based only on a set of pure-component spectra. The error decreased to 0.23 mmol/L when a slope and offset correction were used. Urea concentrations can be continuously monitored during hemodialysis by near-infrared spectroscopy. Calibrations based on the net analyte signal of urea are particularly appealing because they do not require a training step, as do statistical multivariate calibration procedures such as partial least-squares regression.

Hyperpolarized 13 C,15 N2 -Urea MRI for assessment of the urea gradient in the porcine kidney.

PubMed

Hansen, Esben S S; Stewart, Neil J; Wild, Jim M; Stødkilde-Jørgensen, Hans; Laustsen, Christoffer

2016-12-01

A decline in cortico-medullary osmolality gradient of the kidney may serve as an early indicator of pathological disruption of the tubular reabsorption process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea MRI as a biomarker of renal function in healthy porcine kidneys resembling the human physiology. Five healthy female Danish domestic pigs (weight 30 kg) were scanned at 3 Tesla (T) using a 13 C 3D balanced steady-state MR pulse sequence following injection of hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea via a femoral vein catheter. Images were acquired at different time points after urea injection, and following treatment with furosemide. A gradient in cortico-medullary urea was observed with an intramedullary accumulation 75 s after injection of hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea, whereas images acquired at earlier time points postinjection were dominated by cortical perfusion. Furosemide treatment resulted in an increased urea accumulation in the cortical space, leading to a reduction of the medullary-to-cortical signal ratio of 49%. This study demonstrates that hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea MRI is capable of identifying the intrarenal accumulation of urea and can differentiate acute renal functional states in multipapillary kidneys, highlighting the potential for human translation. Magn Reson Med 76:1895-1899, 2016. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

A novel small-molecule thienoquinolin urea transporter inhibitor acts as a potential diuretic.

PubMed

Li, Fei; Lei, Tianluo; Zhu, Juanjuan; Wang, Weiling; Sun, Yi; Chen, Jihui; Dong, Zixun; Zhou, Hong; Yang, Baoxue

2013-06-01

Urea transporters (UTs) are a family of membrane channel proteins that are specifically permeable to urea and play an important role in intrarenal urea recycling and in urine concentration. Using an erythrocyte osmotic lysis assay, we screened a small-molecule library for inhibitors of UT-facilitated urea transport. A novel class of thienoquinolin UT-B inhibitors were identified, of which PU-14 had potent inhibition activity on human, rabbit, rat, and mouse UT-B. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration of PU-14 on rat UT-B-mediated urea transport was ∼0.8 μmol/l, and it did not affect urea transport in mouse erythrocytes lacking UT-B but inhibited UT-A-type urea transporters, with 36% inhibition at 4 μmol/l. PU-14 showed no significant cellular toxicity at concentrations up to its solubility limit of 80 μmol/l. Subcutaneous delivery of PU-14 (at 12.5, 50, and 100 mg/kg) to rats caused an increase of urine output and a decrease of the urine urea concentration and subsequent osmolality without electrolyte disturbances and liver or renal damages. This suggests that PU-14 has a diuretic effect by urea-selective diuresis. Thus, PU-14 or its analogs might be developed as a new diuretic to increase renal fluid clearance in diseases associated with water retention without causing electrolyte imbalance. PU-14 may establish 'chemical knockout' animal models to study the physiological functions of UTs.

Urinary concentrating defect in mice with selective deletion of phloretin-sensitive urea transporters in the renal collecting duct

PubMed Central

Fenton, Robert A.; Chou, Chung-Lin; Stewart, Gavin S.; Smith, Craig P.; Knepper, Mark A.

2004-01-01

To investigate the role of inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) urea transporters in the renal concentrating mechanism, we deleted 3 kb of the UT-A urea transporter gene containing a single 140-bp exon (exon 10). Deletion of this segment selectively disrupted expression of the two known IMCD isoforms of UT-A, namely UT-A1 and UT-A3, producing UT-A1/3-/- mice. In isolated perfused IMCDs from UT-A1/3-/- mice, there was a complete absence of phloretin-sensitive or vasopressin-stimulated urea transport. On a normal protein intake (20% protein diet), UT-A1/3-/- mice had significantly greater fluid consumption and urine flow and a reduced maximal urinary osmolality relative to wild-type controls. These differences in urinary concentrating capacity were nearly eliminated when urea excretion was decreased by dietary protein restriction (4% by weight), consistent with the 1958 Berliner hypothesis stating that the chief role of IMCD urea transport in the concentrating mechanism is the prevention of urea-induced osmotic diuresis. Analysis of inner medullary tissue after water restriction revealed marked depletion of urea in UT-A1/3-/- mice, confirming the concept that phloretin-sensitive IMCD urea transporters play a central role in medullary urea accumulation. However, there were no significant differences in mean inner medullary Na+ or Cl- concentrations between UT-A1/3-/- mice and wild-type controls, indicating that the processes that concentrate NaCl were intact. Thus, these results do not corroborate the predictions of passive medullary concentrating models stating that NaCl accumulation in the inner medulla depends on rapid vasopressin-regulated urea transport across the IMCD epithelium. PMID:15123796

Distributional shift of urea production site from the extraembryonic yolk sac membrane to the embryonic liver during the development of cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame).

PubMed

Takagi, Wataru; Kajimura, Makiko; Tanaka, Hironori; Hasegawa, Kumi; Ogawa, Shuntaro; Hyodo, Susumu

2017-09-01

Urea is an essential osmolyte for marine cartilaginous fishes. Adult elasmobranchs and holocephalans are known to actively produce urea in the liver, muscle and other extrahepatic organs; however, osmoregulatory mechanisms in the developing cartilaginous fish embryo with an undeveloped urea-producing organ are poorly understood. We recently described the contribution of extraembryonic yolk sac membranes (YSM) to embryonic urea synthesis during the early developmental period of the oviparous holocephalan elephant fish (Callorhinchus milii). In the present study, to test whether urea production in the YSM is a general phenomenon among oviparous Chondrichthyes, we investigated gene expression and activities of ornithine urea cycle (OUC) enzymes together with urea concentrations in embryos of the elasmobranch cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame). The intracapsular fluid, in which the catshark embryo develops, had a similar osmolality to seawater, and embryos maintained a high concentration of urea at levels similar to that of adult plasma throughout development. Relative mRNA expressions and activities of catshark OUC enzymes were significantly higher in YSM than in embryos until stage 32. Concomitant with the development of the embryonic liver, the expression levels and activities of OUC enzymes were markedly increased in the embryo from stage 33, while those of the YSM decreased from stage 32. The present study provides further evidence that the YSM contributes to embryonic urea homeostasis until the liver and other extrahepatic organs become fully functional, and that urea-producing tissue shifts from the YSM to the embryonic liver in the late developmental period of oviparous marine cartilaginous fishes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vivo monitoring of urea cycle activity with (13)C-acetate as a tracer of ureagenesis.

PubMed

Opladen, Thomas; Lindner, Martin; Das, Anibh M; Marquardt, Thorsten; Khan, Aneal; Emre, Sukru H; Burton, Barbara K; Barshop, Bruce A; Böhm, Thea; Meyburg, Jochen; Zangerl, Kathrin; Mayorandan, Sebene; Burgard, Peter; Dürr, Ulrich H N; Rosenkranz, Bernd; Rennecke, Jörg; Derbinski, Jens; Yudkoff, Marc; Hoffmann, Georg F

2016-01-01

The hepatic urea cycle is the main metabolic pathway for detoxification of ammonia. Inborn errors of urea cycle function present with severe hyperammonemia and a high case fatality rate. Long-term prognosis depends on the residual activity of the defective enzyme. A reliable method to estimate urea cycle activity in-vivo does not exist yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate a practical method to quantify (13)C-urea production as a marker for urea cycle function in healthy subjects, patients with confirmed urea cycle defect (UCD) and asymptomatic carriers of UCD mutations. (13)C-labeled sodium acetate was applied orally in a single dose to 47 subjects (10 healthy subjects, 28 symptomatic patients, 9 asymptomatic carriers). The oral (13)C-ureagenesis assay is a safe method. While healthy subjects and asymptomatic carriers did not differ with regards to kinetic variables for urea cycle flux, symptomatic patients had lower (13)C-plasma urea levels. Although the (13)C-ureagenesis assay revealed no significant differences between individual urea cycle enzyme defects, it reflected the heterogeneity between different clinical subgroups, including male neonatal onset ornithine carbamoyltransferase deficiency. Applying the (13)C-urea area under the curve can differentiate between severe from more mildly affected neonates. Late onset patients differ significantly from neonates, carriers and healthy subjects. This study evaluated the oral (13)C-ureagenesis assay as a sensitive in-vivo measure for ureagenesis capacity. The assay has the potential to become a reliable tool to differentiate UCD patient subgroups, follow changes in ureagenesis capacity and could be helpful in monitoring novel therapies of UCD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of thin descending limb urea transport in renal urea handling and the urine concentrating mechanism

PubMed Central

Lei, Tianluo; Zhou, Lei; Layton, Anita T.; Zhou, Hong; Zhao, Xuejian; Bankir, Lise

2011-01-01

Urea transporters UT-A2 and UT-B are expressed in epithelia of thin descending limb of Henle's loop and in descending vasa recta, respectively. To study their role and possible interaction in the context of the urine concentration mechanism, a UT-A2 and UT-B double knockout (UT-A2/B knockout) mouse model was generated by targeted deletion of the UT-A2 promoter in embryonic stem cells with UT-B gene knockout. The UT-A2/B knockout mice lacked detectable UT-A2 and UT-B transcripts and proteins and showed normal survival and growth. Daily urine output was significantly higher in UT-A2/B knockout mice than that in wild-type mice and lower than that in UT-B knockout mice. Urine osmolality in UT-A2/B knockout mice was intermediate between that in UT-B knockout and wild-type mice. The changes in urine osmolality and flow rate, plasma and urine urea concentration, as well as non-urea solute concentration after an acute urea load or chronic changes in protein intake suggested that UT-A2 plays a role in the progressive accumulation of urea in the inner medulla. These results suggest that in wild-type mice UT-A2 facilitates urea absorption by urea efflux from the thin descending limb of short loops of Henle. Moreover, UT-A2 deletion in UT-B knockout mice partially remedies the urine concentrating defect caused by UT-B deletion, by reducing urea loss from the descending limbs to the peripheral circulation; instead, urea is returned to the inner medulla through the loops of Henle and the collecting ducts. PMID:21849488

Role of thin descending limb urea transport in renal urea handling and the urine concentrating mechanism.

PubMed

Lei, Tianluo; Zhou, Lei; Layton, Anita T; Zhou, Hong; Zhao, Xuejian; Bankir, Lise; Yang, Baoxue

2011-12-01

Urea transporters UT-A2 and UT-B are expressed in epithelia of thin descending limb of Henle's loop and in descending vasa recta, respectively. To study their role and possible interaction in the context of the urine concentration mechanism, a UT-A2 and UT-B double knockout (UT-A2/B knockout) mouse model was generated by targeted deletion of the UT-A2 promoter in embryonic stem cells with UT-B gene knockout. The UT-A2/B knockout mice lacked detectable UT-A2 and UT-B transcripts and proteins and showed normal survival and growth. Daily urine output was significantly higher in UT-A2/B knockout mice than that in wild-type mice and lower than that in UT-B knockout mice. Urine osmolality in UT-A2/B knockout mice was intermediate between that in UT-B knockout and wild-type mice. The changes in urine osmolality and flow rate, plasma and urine urea concentration, as well as non-urea solute concentration after an acute urea load or chronic changes in protein intake suggested that UT-A2 plays a role in the progressive accumulation of urea in the inner medulla. These results suggest that in wild-type mice UT-A2 facilitates urea absorption by urea efflux from the thin descending limb of short loops of Henle. Moreover, UT-A2 deletion in UT-B knockout mice partially remedies the urine concentrating defect caused by UT-B deletion, by reducing urea loss from the descending limbs to the peripheral circulation; instead, urea is returned to the inner medulla through the loops of Henle and the collecting ducts.

Impact of urease inhibitor on ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions from temperate pasture soil cores receiving urea fertilizer and cattle urine.

PubMed

Singh, Jagrati; Kunhikrishnan, A; Bolan, N S; Saggar, S

2013-11-01

New Zealand's intensively grazed pastures receive the majority of nitrogen (N) input in the form of urea, which is the major constituent of animal urine and the most common form of mineral N in inorganic N fertilizers. In soil, urea is rapidly hydrolyzed to ammonium (NH4(+)) ions, a part of which may be lost as ammonia (NH3) and subsequently as nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a greenhouse gas. Two glasshouse experiments were conducted to study the effect of a urease inhibitor (UI), N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), commercially named Agrotain, applied with urine and urea on urea hydrolysis and NH3 and N2O emissions. Treatments included the commercially available products Sustain Yellow (urea+Agrotain+4% sulfur coating), Sustain Green (urea+Agrotain) and urea, and cattle urine (476 kg N ha(-1)) with and without Agrotain applied to intact soil cores of a fine sandy loam soil. The addition of Agrotain to urine and urea (i.e. Sustain Green) reduced NH3 emission by 22% to 47%, respectively. Agrotain was also effective in reducing N2O emissions from urine and Sustain Green by 62% and 48%, respectively. The reduction in N2O emissions varied with the type and amount of N applied and plant N uptake. Plant N uptake was significantly higher in the soil cores receiving Agrotain with urea than urea alone, but the slight increase in dry matter yield was non-significant. Hence, urease inhibitor reduced N losses through NH3 and N2O emissions, thereby increasing plant uptake of N. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthetic biology for microbial production of lipid-based biofuels.

PubMed

d'Espaux, Leo; Mendez-Perez, Daniel; Li, Rachel; Keasling, Jay D

2015-12-01

The risks of maintaining current CO2 emission trends have led to interest in producing biofuels using engineered microbes. Microbial biofuels reduce emissions because CO2 produced by fuel combustion is offset by CO2 captured by growing biomass, which is later used as feedstock for biofuel fermentation. Hydrocarbons found in petroleum fuels share striking similarity with biological lipids. Here we review synthetic metabolic pathways based on fatty acid and isoprenoid metabolism to produce alkanes and other molecules suitable as biofuels. We further discuss engineering strategies to optimize engineered biosynthetic routes, as well as the potential of synthetic biology for sustainable manufacturing. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Resistance to acetohydroxamate acquired by slow adaptive increases in urease in cultured tobacco cells

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

Yamaya, T.; Filner, P.

1981-06-01

Urease activity of tobacco XD cells (1U cells) had undergone a 4-fold increase (4U cells) during a year of growth on urea. A clone of 4U cells gave rise to 12U cells during another year of growth on urea. The doubling time of 12U cells on urea is 2.2 days, compared to about 4 days for 1U cells, while 1U and 12U cells double in 2 days on nitrate. Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA), a specific inhibitor/reversible inactivator of jack bean urease, affects tobacco cells urease similarly. Fifty per cent inhibition of growth by AHA occurred at 20 micromolar in 1U cellsmore » growing on urea and at 165 micromolar in 12U cells growing on urea, but at 600 micromolar for either 1U or 12U cells growing on nitrate. When 12U cells were grown on urea with 100 micromolar AHA, extractable urease activity decreased 80% within 2.5 hours and remained at this level for 2 weeks; the doubling time increased to 3.7 days, and intracellular urea rose 2-fold, compared to 12U cells grown on urea without AHA. Urease of 12U cells inactivated by AHA in vivo could be reactivated to its pre-AHA level by incubation at 30 C after extraction and separation from free AHA. AHA inhibited incorporation of /sup 15/N from (/sup 15/N) urea into Kjeldahl nitrogen in the cells, in spite of the increased intracellular urea. These results indicate that AHA acts primarily by inhibiting urease action, rather than by inhibition of formation of urease protein or of uptake of urea. Because 12U cells are 8 times more tolerant of AHA than 1U cells, it is likely that growth on urea in the presence of AHA should select strongly for cells with high urease.« less

Investigating the Counteracting Effect of Trehalose on Urea-Induced Protein Denaturation Using Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

PubMed

Paul, Subrata; Paul, Sandip

2015-08-27

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the counteracting effect of trehalose against urea-induced denaturation of S-peptide analogue. The calculations of Cα root-mean-square deviation, radius of gyration, and solvent-accessible surface area reveal that the peptide loses its native structure in aqueous 8 M urea solution at 310 K and that this unfolding process is prevented in the presence of trehalose. Interestingly, the native structure of the peptide in ternary mixed urea/trehalose solution is similar to that in the pure water system. The estimation of helical percentage of peptide residues as well as peptide-peptide intramolecular hydrogen bond number for different systems also support the above findings. Decomposition of protein-urea total interaction energy into electrostatic and van der Waals contributions shows that the presence of trehalose molecules makes the latter contribution unfavorable without affecting the former. These observations are further supported by preferential interaction calculations. Furthermore, the hydrogen bond analyses show that with the addition of urea molecules to the peptide-water system, the formation of peptide-urea hydrogen bonds takes place at the expense of peptide-water hydrogen bonds. In ternary mixed osmolytes system, because of formation of a considerable amount of peptide-trehalose hydrogen bonds, some urea molecules are excluded from the peptide surface. This essentially reduces the interaction between peptide and urea molecules, and because of this, we notice a reduction in the number of peptide-urea hydrogen bonds. Interestingly, the total number of peptide-solution species hydrogen bonds in the pure water system is very similar to that for the mixed osmolytes system. From these observations we infer that in the ternary solution, peptide-solution species hydrogen bonds are shared by water, urea, and trehalose molecules. The presence of trehalose in the mixed osmolyte system causes a significant reduction in the translational dynamics of water molecules. We discuss these results to understand the molecular explanation of trehalose's counteracting ability on urea-induced protein denaturation.

Mechanism of Protein Denaturation: Partial Unfolding of the P22 Coat Protein I-Domain by Urea Binding.

PubMed

Newcomer, Rebecca L; Fraser, LaTasha C R; Teschke, Carolyn M; Alexandrescu, Andrei T

2015-12-15

The I-domain is an insertion domain of the bacteriophage P22 coat protein that drives rapid folding and accounts for over half of the stability of the full-length protein. We sought to determine the role of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) in the unfolding of the I-domain by examining (3)JNC' couplings transmitted through H-bonds, the temperature and urea-concentration dependence of (1)HN and (15)N chemical shifts, and native-state hydrogen exchange at urea concentrations where the domain is predominantly folded. The native-state hydrogen-exchange data suggest that the six-stranded β-barrel core of the I-domain is more stable against unfolding than a smaller subdomain comprised of a short α-helix and three-stranded β-sheet. H-bonds, separately determined from solvent protection and (3)JNC' H-bond couplings, are identified with an accuracy of 90% by (1)HN temperature coefficients. The accuracy is improved to 95% when (15)N temperature coefficients are also included. In contrast, the urea dependence of (1)HN and (15)N chemical shifts is unrelated to H-bonding. The protein segments with the largest chemical-shift changes in the presence of urea show curved or sigmoidal titration curves suggestive of direct urea binding. Nuclear Overhauser effects to urea for these segments are also consistent with specific urea-binding sites in the I-domain. Taken together, the results support a mechanism of urea unfolding in which denaturant binds to distinct sites in the I-domain. Disordered segments bind urea more readily than regions in stable secondary structure. The locations of the putative urea-binding sites correlate with the lower stability of the structure against solvent exchange, suggesting that partial unfolding of the structure is related to urea accessibility. Copyright © 2015 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of a pasture soil microbial community after deposition of cattle urine amended with [13C]urea.

PubMed

Petersen, Søren O; Roslev, Peter; Bol, Roland

2004-11-01

Within grazed pastures, urine patches are hot spots of nitrogen turnover, since dietary N surpluses are excreted mainly as urea in the urine. This short-term experiment investigated 13C uptake in microbial lipids after simulated deposition of cattle urine at 10.0 and 17.1 g of urea C m(-2). Confined field plots without or with cattle urine amendment were sampled after 4 and 14 days, and soil from 0- to 5-cm and 10- to 20-cm depths was analyzed for content and composition of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and for the distribution of urea-derived 13C among individual PLFAs. Carbon dioxide emissions were quantified, and the contributions derived from urea were assessed. Initial changes in PLFA composition were greater at the lower level of urea, as revealed by a principal-component analysis. At the higher urea level, osmotic stress was indicated by the dynamics of cyclopropane fatty acids and branched-chain fatty acids. Incorporation of 13C from [13C]urea was low but significant, and the largest amounts of urea-derived C were found in common fatty acids (i.e., 16:0, 16:1omega7c, and 18:1omega7) that would be consistent with growth of typical NH4(+)-oxidizing (Nitrosomonas) and NO2(-)-oxidizing (Nitrobacter) bacteria. Surprisingly, a 20 per thousand depletion of 13C in the cyclopropane fatty acid cy17:0 was observed after 4 days, which was replaced by a 10 to 20 per thousand depletion of that in cy19:0 after 14 days. Possible reasons for this pattern are discussed. Autotrophic nitrifiers could not be implicated in urea hydrolysis to any large extent, but PLFA dynamics and the incorporation of urea-derived 13C in PLFAs indicated a response of nitrifiers which differed between the two urea concentrations.

Dynamics of a Pasture Soil Microbial Community after Deposition of Cattle Urine Amended with [13C]Urea

PubMed Central

Petersen, Søren O.; Roslev, Peter; Bol, Roland

2004-01-01

Within grazed pastures, urine patches are hot spots of nitrogen turnover, since dietary N surpluses are excreted mainly as urea in the urine. This short-term experiment investigated 13C uptake in microbial lipids after simulated deposition of cattle urine at 10.0 and 17.1 g of urea C m−2. Confined field plots without or with cattle urine amendment were sampled after 4 and 14 days, and soil from 0- to 5-cm and 10- to 20-cm depths was analyzed for content and composition of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and for the distribution of urea-derived 13C among individual PLFAs. Carbon dioxide emissions were quantified, and the contributions derived from urea were assessed. Initial changes in PLFA composition were greater at the lower level of urea, as revealed by a principal-component analysis. At the higher urea level, osmotic stress was indicated by the dynamics of cyclopropane fatty acids and branched-chain fatty acids. Incorporation of 13C from [13C]urea was low but significant, and the largest amounts of urea-derived C were found in common fatty acids (i.e., 16:0, 16:1ω7c, and 18:1ω7) that would be consistent with growth of typical NH4+-oxidizing (Nitrosomonas) and NO2−-oxidizing (Nitrobacter) bacteria. Surprisingly, a 20‰ depletion of 13C in the cyclopropane fatty acid cy17:0 was observed after 4 days, which was replaced by a 10 to 20‰ depletion of that in cy19:0 after 14 days. Possible reasons for this pattern are discussed. Autotrophic nitrifiers could not be implicated in urea hydrolysis to any large extent, but PLFA dynamics and the incorporation of urea-derived 13C in PLFAs indicated a response of nitrifiers which differed between the two urea concentrations. PMID:15528493

The significance of serum urea and renal function in patients with heart failure.

PubMed

Gotsman, Israel; Zwas, Donna; Planer, David; Admon, Dan; Lotan, Chaim; Keren, Andre

2010-07-01

Renal function and urea are frequently abnormal in patients with heart failure (HF) and are predictive of increased mortality. The relative importance of each parameter is less clear. We prospectively compared the predictive value of renal function and serum urea on clinical outcome in patients with HF. Patients hospitalized with definite clinical diagnosis of HF (n = 355) were followed for short-term (1 yr) and long-term (mean, 6.5 yr) survival and HF rehospitalization. Increasing tertiles of discharge estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were an independent predictor of increased long-term survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-0.91; p = 0.01) but not short-term survival. Admission and discharge serum urea and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine ratio were predictors of reduced short- and long-term survival on multivariate Cox regression analysis. Increasing tertiles of discharge urea were a predictor of reduced 1-year survival (HR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.21-3.73; p = 0.009) and long-term survival (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.37-2.71; p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis including discharge eGFR and serum urea demonstrated that only serum urea remained a significant predictor of long-term survival; however, eGFR and BUN/creatinine ratio were both independently predictive of survival. Urea was more discriminative than eGFR in predicting long-term survival by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.803 vs. 0.787; p = 0.01). Increasing tertiles of discharge serum urea and BUN/creatinine were independent predictors of HF rehospitalization and combined death and HF rehospitalization. This study suggests that serum urea is a more powerful predictor of survival than eGFR in patients with HF. This may be due to urea's relation to key biological parameters including renal, hemodynamic, and neurohormonal parameters pertaining to the overall clinical status of the patient with chronic HF.

Novel urea and bis-urea primaquine derivatives with hydroxyphenyl or halogenphenyl substituents: Synthesis and biological evaluation.

PubMed

Perković, I; Antunović, M; Marijanović, I; Pavić, K; Ester, K; Kralj, M; Vlainić, J; Kosalec, I; Schols, D; Hadjipavlou-Litina, D; Pontiki, E; Zorc, B

2016-11-29

A series of novel compounds 3a-j and 6a-j with primaquine and hydroxyl or halogen substituted benzene moieties bridged by urea or bis-urea functionalities were designed, synthesized and evaluated for biological activity. The title compounds were prepared using benzotriazole as the synthon, through several synthetic steps. 3-[3,5-Bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-{4-[(6-methoxyquinolin-8-yl)amino]pentyl}urea (3j) was the most active urea and 1-[({4-[(6-methoxyquinolin-8-yl)amino]pentyl}carbamoyl)amino]-3-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]urea (6h) the most active bis-urea derivative in antiproliferative screening in vitro against eight tested cancer cell lines. Urea derivatives 3a-g with hydroxy group or one halogen atom showed moderate antiproliferative effects against all the tested cell lines, but stronger activity against breast carcinoma MCF-7 cell line, while trifluoromethyl derivatives 3h-j showed antiproliferative effects against all the tested cell lines in low micromolar range. Finally, bis-ureas with hydroxy and fluoro substituents 6a-d showed extreme selectivity and chloro or bromo derivatives 6e-g high selectivity against MCF-7 cells (IC 50 0.1-2.6 μM). p-Fluoro derivative 6d, namely 3-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-[({4-[(6-methoxyquinolin-8-yl)amino]pentyl}carbamoyl)amino]urea, is the most promising compound. Further biological experiments showed that 6d affected cell cycle and induced cell death of MCF-7 cell line. Due to its high activity against MCF-7 cell line (IC 50 0.31 μM), extreme selectivity and full agreement with the Lipinski's and Gelovani's rules for prospective small molecular drugs, 6d may be considered as a lead compound in development of breast carcinoma drugs. Urea 3b and almost all bis-ureas showed high antioxidant activity in DPPH assay, but urea derivatives were more active in lipid peroxidation test. Only few compounds exhibited weak inhibition of soybean lipoxygenase. Compound 3j exhibited the strongest antimicrobial activity in susceptibility assay in vitro (MIC = 1.6-12.5 μg ml -1 ). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The effect of CP concentration in the diet on urea kinetics and microbial usage of recycled urea in cattle: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Batista, E D; Detmann, E; Valadares Filho, S C; Titgemeyer, E C; Valadares, R F D

2017-08-01

In ruminants, urea recycling is considered an evolutionary advantage. The amount of urea recycled mainly depends of the nitrogen (N) intake and the amount of organic matter (OM) digested in the rumen. Because recycled N contributes to meeting microbial N requirements, accurate estimates of urea recycling can improve the understanding of efficiency of N utilization and N losses to the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate urea kinetics and microbial usage of recycled urea N in ruminants using a meta-analytical approach. Treatment mean values were compiled from 25 studies with ruminants (beef cattle, dairy cows and sheep) which were published from 2001 to 2016, totalling 107 treatment means. The data set was analyzed according to meta-analysis techniques using linear or non-linear mixed models, taking into account the random variations among experiments. Urea N synthesized in the liver (UER) and urea N recycled to the gut (GER) linearly increased (P<0.001) as N intake (g/BW0.75) increased, with increases corresponding to 71.5% and 35.2% of N intake, respectively. The UER was positively associated (P<0.05) with dietary CP concentration and the ratio of CP to digestible OM (CP:DOM). Maximum curvature analyses identified 17% dietary CP as the point where there was a prominent increase in hepatic synthesis of urea N, likely due to an excess of dietary N leading to greater ammonia absorption. The GER:UER decreased with increasing dietary CP concentration (P<0.05). At dietary CP⩾19%, GER:UER reached near minimal values. The fraction of UER eliminated as urinary urea N and the contribution of urea N to total urinary N were positively associated with dietary CP (P<0.05), both reaching values near the plateau when dietary CP was 17%. The fractions of GER excreted in the feces and utilized for anabolism decreased, whereas the fraction of GER returned to the ornithine cycle increased with dietary CP concentration (P<0.05). Recycled urea N assimilated by ruminal microbes (as a fraction of GER) decreased as dietary CP and CP:DOM increased (P<0.05). The efficiency of microbial assimilation of recycled urea N was near plateau values at 194 g CP/kg DOM. The models obtained in this study contribute to the knowledge on N utilization, and they could be used in feeding models to predict urea recycling and thus to improve formulation of diets to reduce N losses that contribute to air and water pollution.

Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Lambs Fed Finishing Diets with Different Starch to Acid Detergent Fiber Ratios

PubMed Central

Estrada-Angulo, A.; López-Soto, M. A.; Rivera-Méndez, C. R.; Castro, B. I.; Ríos, F. G.; Dávila-Ramos, H.; Barreras, A.; Urías-Estrada, J. D.; Zinn, R. A.; Plascencia, A.

2016-01-01

Recent findings have shown that microbial nitrogen flow and digestible energy of diets are increased when urea is combined with a slow-release urea (SRU) in diets with a starch to acid detergent fibre ratio (S:F) 4:1. This affect is attributable to enhanced synchrony between ruminal N availability for microbial growth and carbohydrate degradation. To verify the magnitude of this effects on lamb performance, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining urea and a SRU in diets containing S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. For that, 40 Pelibuey×Katahdin lambs (36.65±3 kg) were assigned to one of five weight groupings in 20 pens (5 repetition/treatments). The S:F ratio in the diet was manipulated by partially replacing the corn grain and dried distiller’s grain with solubles by forage (wheat straw) and soybean meal to reach S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. An additional treatment of 4:1 S:F ratio with 0.8% urea as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used as a reference for comparing the effect of urea combination vs. conventional urea at the same S:F ratio. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI). Compared the urea combination vs urea at the same S:F ratio, urea combination increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG, 18.3%), gain for feed (G:F, 9.5%), and apparent energy retention per unit DMI (8.2%). Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved the observed-to-expected dietary ratio and apparent retention per unit DMI was maximal (quadratic effect, p≤0.03) at an S:F ratio of 4:1, while the conventional urea treatment did not modify the observed-to-expected net energy ratio nor the apparent retention per unit DMI at 4:1 S:F ratio. Urea combination group tended (3.8%, p = 0.08) to have heavier carcasses with no effects on the rest of carcass characteristics. As S:F ratio increased, ADG, G:F, dietary net energy, carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus thoracis (LM) area increased linearly (p≤0.02). Combining urea and a slow-release urea product results in positive effects on growth performance and dietary energetics, but the best responses are apparently observed when there is a certain proportion (S:F ratio = 4:1) of starch to acid detergent fibre in the diet. PMID:27221248

Hydrophobic modification of low molecular weight polyethylenimine for improved gene transfection.

PubMed

Teo, Pei Yun; Yang, Chuan; Hedrick, James L; Engler, Amanda C; Coady, Daniel J; Ghaem-Maghami, Sadaf; George, Andrew J T; Yang, Yi Yan

2013-10-01

Hydrophobic modification of low molecular weight (LMW) polyethylenimine (PEI) is known to increase gene transfection efficiency of LMW PEI. However, few studies have explored how the conjugated hydrophobic groups influence the properties of the modified LMW PEI mainly due to difficulties in obtaining well defined final product compositions and limitations in current chemical synthesis routes. The aim of this study was to modify LMW PEI (Mn 1.8 kDa, PEI-1.8) judiciously with different hydrophobic functional groups and to investigate how hydrophobicity, molecular structure and inclusion of hydrogen bonding properties in the conjugated side groups as well as the conjugation degree (number of primary amine groups of PEI-1.8 modified with hydrophobic groups) influence PEI-1.8 gene transfection efficiency. The modified polymers were characterized for DNA binding ability, particle size, zeta potential, in vitro gene transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity in SKOV-3 human ovarian cancer and HepG2 human liver carcinoma cell lines. The study shows that modified PEI-1.8 polymers are able to condense plasmid DNA into cationic nanoparticles, of sizes ~100 nm, whereas unmodified polymer/DNA complexes display larger particle sizes of 2 μm. Hydrophobic modification also increases the zeta potential of polymer/DNA complexes. Importantly, modified PEI-1.8 shows enhanced transfection efficiency over the unmodified counterpart. Higher transfection efficiency is obtained when PEI-1.8 is modified with shorter hydrophobic groups (MTC-ethyl) as opposed to longer ones (MTC-octyl and MTC-deodecyl). An aromatic structured functional group (MTC-benzyl) also enhances transfection efficiency more than an alkyl functional group (MTC-octyl). An added hydrogen-bonding urea group in the conjugated functional group (MTC-urea) does not enhance transfection efficiency over one without urea (MTC-benzyl). The study also demonstrates that modification degree greatly influences gene transfection, and ~100% substitution of primary amine groups leads to significantly lower gene transfection efficiency. These findings provide insights to modification of PEI for development of effective and non-cytotoxic non-viral vectors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 40827 - Petitions Concerning Whether Ammonia or Urea Sold or Distributed and Used for Certain Purposes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-14

... Ammonia or Urea Sold or Distributed and Used for Certain Purposes Should Be Regulated as Pesticides... concerning whether ammonia or urea sold or distributed and used for certain purposes should be regulated as... availability of and sought public comment on petitions concerning whether ammonia or urea sold or distributed...

77 FR 64464 - Solid Urea From the Russian Federation: Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2010-2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-22

... from the Russian Federation (Russia). The period of review is July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. We... the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on solid urea from Russia. See Solid Urea From... publication of this notice for all shipments of solid urea from Russia entered, or withdrawn from warehouse...

76 FR 23835 - Solid Urea From Russia and Ukraine; Scheduling of Full Five-Year Reviews Concerning the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-28

... Urea From Russia and Ukraine; Scheduling of Full Five-Year Reviews Concerning the Antidumping Duty Orders on Solid Urea From Russia and Ukraine AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION... of the antidumping duty orders on solid urea from Russia and Ukraine would be likely to lead to...

Hardness evaluation of cured urea-formaldehyde resins with different formaldehyde/urea mole ratios using nanoindentation method

Treesearch

Byung-Dae Park; Charles R. Frihart; Yan Yu; Adya P. Singh

2013-01-01

To understand the influence of formaldehyde/urea (F/U) mole ratio on the properties of urea–formaldehyde (UF) resins, this study investigated hardness of cured UF resins with different F/U mole ratios using a nanoindentation method. The traditional Brinell hardness (HB) method was also used...

21 CFR 184.1923 - Urea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Urea. 184.1923 Section 184.1923 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1923 Urea. (a) Urea (CO(NH2)2, CAS Reg. No. 57-13-6) is the diamide of...

Controlled synthesis of α-MnO{sub 2} nanowires and their catalytic performance for toluene combustion

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

Cheng, Gao; Yu, Lin, E-mail: gych@gdut.edu.cn; Lan, Bang

Highlights: • One-dimensional α-MnO{sub 2} nanowires were prepared by a facile hydrothermal route. • Shape and crystal phase of the products were controlled by tuning reaction conditions. • A possible formation mechanism of the α-MnO{sub 2} nanowires was discussed. • The α-MnO{sub 2} nanowires showed great catalytic activity for toluene combustion. - Abstract: α-MnO{sub 2} nanowires with a length about 6–10 μm and an average diameter of 20 nm were synthesized through a facile hydrothermal process without any templates or surfactants. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, hydrogenmore » temperature-programmed reduction techniques, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface area analysis. The effects of the hydrothermal temperature and the concentration of CH{sub 3}COOH on the crystal phase and morphology of the final products were studied in detail. The hydrothermal temperature and the concentration of CH{sub 3}COOH play crucial roles in determining the crystal phase and morphology of the products. The possible formation mechanism of the α-MnO{sub 2} nanowires was investigated and discussed. Additionally, the as-prepared α-MnO{sub 2} nanowires showed higher catalytic activity for toluene combustion than the commercial MnO{sub 2}, suggesting their potential applications in the elimination of volatile organic compounds.« less

Catalytic Steam and Partial Oxidation Reforming of Liquid Fuels for Application in Improving the Efficiency of Internal Combustion Engines

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

Brookshear, Daniel William; Pihl, Josh A.; Szybist, James P.

Here, this study investigated the potential for catalytically reforming liquid fuels in a simulated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) mixture loop for the purpose of generating reformate that could be used to increase stoichiometric combustion engine efficiency. The experiments were performed on a simulated exhaust flow reactor using a Rh/Al 2O 3 reformer catalyst, and the fuels evaluated included iso-octane, ethanol, and gasoline. Both steam reforming and partial oxidation reforming were examined as routes for the production of reformate. Steam reforming was determined to be an ineffective option for reforming in an EGR loop, because of the high exhaust temperatures (inmore » excess of 700 °C) required to produce adequate concentrations of reformate, regardless of fuel. However, partial oxidation reforming is capable of producing hydrogen concentrations as high as 10%–16%, depending on fuel and operating conditions in the simulated EGR gas mixture. Meanwhile, measurements of total fuel enthalpy retention were shown to have favorable energetics under a range of conditions, although a tradeoff between fuel enthalpy retention and reformate production was observed. Of the three fuels evaluated, iso-octane exhibited the best overall performance, followed by ethanol and then gasoline. Overall, it was found that partial oxidation reforming of liquid fuels in a simulated EGR mixture over the Rh/Al 2O 3 catalyst demonstrated sufficiently high reformate yields and favorable energetics to warrant further evaluation in the EGR system of a stoichiometric combustion engine.« less

Catalytic Steam and Partial Oxidation Reforming of Liquid Fuels for Application in Improving the Efficiency of Internal Combustion Engines

DOE PAGES

Brookshear, Daniel William; Pihl, Josh A.; Szybist, James P.

2018-02-07

Here, this study investigated the potential for catalytically reforming liquid fuels in a simulated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) mixture loop for the purpose of generating reformate that could be used to increase stoichiometric combustion engine efficiency. The experiments were performed on a simulated exhaust flow reactor using a Rh/Al 2O 3 reformer catalyst, and the fuels evaluated included iso-octane, ethanol, and gasoline. Both steam reforming and partial oxidation reforming were examined as routes for the production of reformate. Steam reforming was determined to be an ineffective option for reforming in an EGR loop, because of the high exhaust temperatures (inmore » excess of 700 °C) required to produce adequate concentrations of reformate, regardless of fuel. However, partial oxidation reforming is capable of producing hydrogen concentrations as high as 10%–16%, depending on fuel and operating conditions in the simulated EGR gas mixture. Meanwhile, measurements of total fuel enthalpy retention were shown to have favorable energetics under a range of conditions, although a tradeoff between fuel enthalpy retention and reformate production was observed. Of the three fuels evaluated, iso-octane exhibited the best overall performance, followed by ethanol and then gasoline. Overall, it was found that partial oxidation reforming of liquid fuels in a simulated EGR mixture over the Rh/Al 2O 3 catalyst demonstrated sufficiently high reformate yields and favorable energetics to warrant further evaluation in the EGR system of a stoichiometric combustion engine.« less

Reducing nitrogen losses through ammonia volatilization and surface runoff to improve apparent nitrogen recovery of double cropping of late rice using controlled release urea.

PubMed

Li, Pengfei; Lu, Jianwei; Hou, Wenfeng; Pan, Yonghui; Wang, Yang; Khan, Muhammad Rizwan; Ren, Tao; Cong, Rihuan; Li, Xiaokun

2017-04-01

Controlled release fertilizer can reduce nitrogen losses to the environment while increasing grain yield and improving apparent nitrogen recovery (ANR) of rice. However, few studies have evaluated the comparative efficacy of different polymer-coated urea products on nitrogen (N) losses, ANR, and N uptake of rice. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to compare the effects of three different types of polymer-coated urea fertilizer on nitrogen losses through NH 3 volatilization and surface runoff to the environment, ANR, grain yield, and N uptake as compared to conventional urea of rice. Six treatments including (1) control with 0 kg N ha -1 (CK), (2) basal application of urea (U b ), (3) split application (U s ) of urea (50% at transplanting, 25% at tillering, and 25% at panicle stages), (4) CRU-1 (polyurethane-coated urea), (5) CRU-2 (degradable polymer-coated urea), and (6) CRU-3 (water-based polymer-coated urea) all applied at 165 kg N ha -1 . It was found that CRU-2 resulted in the highest grain yield and panicle numbers among the N fertilization treatments in 2013 and 2014. Applying CRU could help increase N uptake in rice, reduce N losses through NH 3 volatilization and surface runoff, and hence improve ANR. Its single dose can meet the nutrient demand of the rice plant. Controlled release urea could be adopted as an effective mitigation alternative to retard N losses through NH 3 volatilization and surface runoff while improving ANR of double cropping of late rice.

Counteraction of the deleterious effects of urea on structure and stability of mammalian kidney proteins by osmolytes.

PubMed

Dar, Mohammad Aasif; Wahiduzzaman; Islam, Asimul; Hassan, Md Imtaiyaz; Ahmad, Faizan

2018-02-01

Owing to the urine concentrating mechanism of kidney cells, urea concentration is very high (3.0-5.0M) in mammalian kidneys which may denature many kidney proteins. Methylamines are known to counteract the deleterious effects of urea on structure, stability and function of proteins at 2:1 molar ratio of urea to methylamines. It is known that mammalian kidney cells also contain stabilizing osmolytes, non-methylamines (myo-inositol and sorbitol). A question arises: Do these non-methylmine osmolytes have ability to counteract the deleterious effects of urea on kidney proteins? To answer this question, we took two kidney proteins, namely, sheep serum albumin and Human carbonic anhydrase II. We measured their thermodynamic stability (ΔG 0 N↔D , the Gibbs free energy change in absence of GdmCl (guanidinium chloride) associated with the equilibrium, native (N) state↔denatured (D) state) from the GdmCl-induced denaturation curves in the presence of different concentrations of urea and each kidney osmolyte individually and in combination. For both proteins, we observed that (i) glycine betaine and myo-inositol provide perfect counteraction at 2:1 molar ratio of urea to osmolyte, i.e., denaturing effect of 2M urea is 100% neutralized by 1M of glycine betaine (or myo-inositol), and (ii) sorbitol fails to refold urea denatured proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen digestion and urea recycling in Hokkaido native horses fed hay-based diets.

PubMed

Obitsu, Taketo; Hata, Hiroshi; Taniguchi, Kohzo

2015-02-01

Nitrogen (N) digestion and urea-N metabolism in Hokkaido native horses fed roughage-based diets containing different types and levels of protein sources were studied. Horses (173 ± 4.8 kg) fitted with an ileum cannula were fed four diets consisting of 100% timothy hay (TH), 88% TH and 12% soybean meal (SBM), 79% TH and 21% SBM, and 51% TH and 49% alfalfa hay at 2.2% of body weight. Dietary protein content varied from 5% to 15% of dry matter. Apparent N digestibilities in the pre-cecum and total tract for the TH diet were lower than those for other diets. However, the proportion of post-ileum N digestion to N intake was not affected by the diets. Urea-N production was linearly related to N intake, but gut urea-N entry was not affected by the diets. The proportion of gut urea-N entry to urea-N production tended to be higher for the TH diet (57%) than the two SBM diets (39%). Anabolic use of urea-N entering the gut was not affected by the diets (20-36% of gut urea-N entry). These results indicate that urea-N recycling provides additional N sources for microbial fermentation in the hindgut of Hokkaido native horses fed low-quality roughages. © 2014 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

High Resolution 13C MRI With Hyperpolarized Urea: In Vivo T2 Mapping and 15N Labeling Effects

PubMed Central

Reed, Galen D.; von Morze, Cornelius; Bok, Robert; Koelsch, Bertram L.; Van Criekinge, Mark; Smith, Kenneth J.; Shang, Hong; Larson, Peder E. Z.; Kurhanewicz, John; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2014-01-01

13C steady state free precession (SSFP) magnetic resonance imaging and effective spin-spin relaxation time (T2) mapping were performed using hyperpolarized [13C] urea and [13C, 15N2] urea injected intravenously in rats. 15N labeling gave large T2 increases both in solution and in vivo due to the elimination of a strong scalar relaxation pathway. The T2 increase was pronounced in the kidney, with [13C, 15N2] urea giving T2 values of 6.3±1.3 s in the cortex and medulla, and 11±2 s in the renal pelvis. The measured T2 in the aorta was 1.3±0.3 s. [13C] urea showed shortened T2 values in the kidney of 0.23±0.03 s compared to 0.28±0.03 s measured in the aorta. The enhanced T2 of [13C, 15N2] urea was utilized to generate large signal enhancement by SSFP acquisitions with flip angles approaching the fully refocused regime. Projection images at 0.94 mm in-plane resolution were acquired with both urea isotopes, with [13C, 15N2] urea giving a greater than four-fold increase in signal-to-noise ratio [13C] over urea. PMID:24235273

Synthesis of phenol-urea-formaldehyde cocondensed resins from UF-concentrate and phenol

Treesearch

Bunchiro Tomita; Mashiko Ohyama; Chung-Yun Hse

1994-01-01

A new synthetic method to obtain phenol-urea-formaldehyde cocondensed resins was developed by reacting phenol with "UF-concentrate", which is a kind of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin prepared with a high molar ratio of formaldehyde to urea (F/U) such as above 2.5. The products were analyzed with 13C-NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation...

76 FR 19747 - Solid Urea From the Russian Federation and Ukraine: Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Reviews...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-08

... reviews of the antidumping duty orders on solid urea from the Russian Federation (Russia) and Ukraine... initiation of the sunset reviews of the antidumping duty orders \\1\\ on solid urea from Russia and Ukraine... reviews of the antidumping duty orders on solid urea from Russia and Ukraine. Scope of the Orders The...

Analysis of curing process and thermal properties of phenol-urea-formaldehyde cocondensed resins

Treesearch

Bunchiro Tomita; Masahiko Ohyama; Atsushi Itoh; Kiyoto Doi; Chung-Yun Hse

1994-01-01

The curing processes of resols, urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins, their mechanical blends, and phenol-urea cocondensed resins, as well as the reaction of 2,4,6-trimethylolphenol with urea were investiiated with the torsional braid analysis method. The thermal stabilities of these resins after curing also were compared. The results were as follows: (1) In the curing...

40 CFR 721.9900 - Urea, condensate with poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)]-α- (2-aminomethylethyl)-μ-(2-amino...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Urea, condensate with poly[oxy(methyl... Substances § 721.9900 Urea, condensate with poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)]-α- (2-aminomethylethyl)-μ-(2.... (1) The chemical substance urea, condensate with poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)]-α-(2...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea (Final Report) | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has finalized the Toxicological Review of Urea: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Now final, this assessment may be used by EPA’s program and regional offices to inform decisions to protect human health. The draft Toxicological Review of Urea provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to Urea.

Infrared spectroscopic monitoring of urea addition to oriented strandboard resins

Treesearch

Chi-Leung So; Thomas L. Eberhardt; Ernest Hsu; Brian K. Via; Chung Y. Hse

2007-01-01

One of the variables in phenol formaldehyde adhesive resin formulation is the addition of urea, which allows the resin manufacturer to manipulate both product functionality and cost. Nitrogen content can be used as a measure of the level of urea addition because most of the nitrogen present is derived from urea added at the end of the preparation process. Nitrogen...

Effect of urea on heat-induced gelation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) studied by rheology and small angle neutron scattering (SANS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nnyigide, Osita Sunday; Oh, Yuna; Song, Hyeong Yong; Park, Eun-kyoung; Choi, Soo-Hyung; Hyun, Kyu

2017-05-01

This paper reports the effects of urea on the heat-induced gelation of bovine serum albumin (BSA), which was studied by the tube inversion method, rheological measurements, and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). An increase in the urea concentration accelerated the rate of gelation because the protein molecules have already been unfolded to some extent during sample preparation in the urea solution. In addition, the BSA solution in the presence of urea underwent a sol-gel-sol transition during the time sweep test at a constant temperature of 80oC. On the other hand, the BSA solution without urea turned into a hard and brittle gel that did not return to the solution state during isothermal heating at a constant temperature of 80oC. Aggregation and re-bonding of the denatured and unfolded protein chains led to gel formation. Urea added to the protein denatures its tertiary and secondary structures by simultaneously disrupting the hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and altering the solvent properties. Furthermore, urea induces thermoreversible chemical interactions in BSA solutions leading to the formation of a gel with dynamic properties under these experimental conditions.

The structural basis of urea-induced protein unfolding in β-catenin

PubMed Central

Wang, Chao; Chen, Zhongzhou; Hong, Xia; Ning, Fangkun; Liu, Haolin; Zang, Jianye; Yan, Xiaoxue; Kemp, Jennifer; Musselman, Catherine A.; Kutateladze, Tatinna G.; Zhao, Rui; Jiang, Chengyu; Zhang, Gongyi

2014-01-01

Although urea and guanidine hydrochloride are commonly used to denature proteins, the molecular underpinnings of this process have remained unclear for a century. To address this question, crystal structures of β-catenin were determined at various urea concentrations. These structures contained at least 105 unique positions that were occupied by urea molecules, each of which interacted with the protein primarily via hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen-bond competition experiments showed that the denaturing effects of urea were neutralized when polyethylene glycol was added to the solution. These data suggest that urea primarily causes proteins to unfold by competing and disrupting hydrogen bonds in proteins. Moreover, circular-dichroism spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis revealed that a similar mechanism caused protein denaturation in the absence of urea at pH levels greater than 12. Taken together, the results led to the conclusion that the disruption of hydrogen bonds is a general mechanism of unfolding induced by urea, high pH and potentially other denaturing agents such as guanidine hydrochloride. Traditionally, the disruption of hydrophobic inter­actions instead of hydrogen bonds has been thought to be the most important cause of protein denaturation. PMID:25372676

The structural basis of urea-induced protein unfolding in β-catenin.

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Chen, Zhongzhou; Hong, Xia; Ning, Fangkun; Liu, Haolin; Zang, Jianye; Yan, Xiaoxue; Kemp, Jennifer; Musselman, Catherine A; Kutateladze, Tatinna G; Zhao, Rui; Jiang, Chengyu; Zhang, Gongyi

2014-11-01

Although urea and guanidine hydrochloride are commonly used to denature proteins, the molecular underpinnings of this process have remained unclear for a century. To address this question, crystal structures of β-catenin were determined at various urea concentrations. These structures contained at least 105 unique positions that were occupied by urea molecules, each of which interacted with the protein primarily via hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen-bond competition experiments showed that the denaturing effects of urea were neutralized when polyethylene glycol was added to the solution. These data suggest that urea primarily causes proteins to unfold by competing and disrupting hydrogen bonds in proteins. Moreover, circular-dichroism spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis revealed that a similar mechanism caused protein denaturation in the absence of urea at pH levels greater than 12. Taken together, the results led to the conclusion that the disruption of hydrogen bonds is a general mechanism of unfolding induced by urea, high pH and potentially other denaturing agents such as guanidine hydrochloride. Traditionally, the disruption of hydrophobic interactions instead of hydrogen bonds has been thought to be the most important cause of protein denaturation.

Intrarenal urea recycling leads to a higher rate of renal excretion of potassium: an hypothesis with clinical implications.

PubMed

Kamel, Kamel S; Halperin, Mitchell L

2011-09-01

This review aims to illustrate why urea recycling may play an important role in potassium (K⁺) excretion and to emphasize its potential clinical implications. A quantitative analysis of the process of intrarenal urea recycling reveals that the amount of urea delivered to the distal convoluted tubule is about two-fold larger than the quantity of urea excreted in the urine. As the number of osmoles delivered to the late cortical distal nephron (CCD) determines its flow rate when aquaporin 2 water channels have been inserted in the luminal membrane of principal cells, urea recycling may play an important role in regulating the rate of excretion of K⁺ when the distal delivery of electrolytes is not very high. Urea recycling aids the excretion of K⁺; this is especially important in patients with disorders or those who are taking drugs that lead to a less lumen-negative voltage in the CCD. As a large quantity of urea is reabsorbed daily in the inner medullary collecting duct, the assumption made in the calculation of the transtubular K concentration gradient that there is no appreciable reabsorption of osmoles downstream CCD is not valid.

Betaine protects urea-induced denaturation of myosin subfragment-1.

PubMed

Ortiz-Costa, Susana; Sorenson, Martha M; Sola-Penna, Mauro

2008-07-01

We have demonstrated previously that urea inhibits the activity and alters the tertiary structure of skeletal muscle myosin in a biphasic manner. This was attributed to differential effects on its globular and filamentous portion. The inhibition of catalytic activity was counteracted by methylamines. With the aim of comprehending the effects of urea on the catalytic (globular) portion of myosin, this study examines the effects of urea and the countereffects of betaine on the catalytic activity and structure of myosin subfragment-1. It is shown that urea inactivates subfragment-1 in parallel with its ability to induce exposure of the enzyme hydrophobic domains, as assessed using intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence. Both effects are counteracted by betaine, which alone does not significantly affect subfragment-1. Urea also enhances the accessibility of thiol groups, promotes aggregation and decreases the alpha-helix content of S1, effects that are also counteracted by betaine. We conclude that urea-induced inactivation of the enzyme is caused by partial unfolding of the myosin catalytic domain.

Mechanisms of molecular transport through the urea channel of Helicobacter pylori

PubMed Central

McNulty, Reginald; Ulmschneider, Jakob P.; Luecke, Hartmut; Ulmschneider, Martin B.

2013-01-01

Helicobacter pylori survival in acidic environments relies on cytoplasmic hydrolysis of gastric urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide, which buffer the pathogen’s periplasm. Urea uptake is greatly enhanced and regulated by HpUreI, a proton-gated inner membrane channel protein essential for gastric survival of H. pylori. The crystal structure of HpUreI describes a static snapshot of the channel with two constriction sites near the center of the bilayer that are too narrow to allow passage of urea or even water. Here we describe the urea transport mechanism at atomic resolution, revealed by unrestrained microsecond equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of the hexameric channel assembly. Two consecutive constrictions open to allow conduction of urea, which is guided through the channel by interplay between conserved residues that determine proton rejection and solute selectivity. Remarkably, HpUreI conducts water at rates equivalent to aquaporins, which might be essential for efficient transport of urea at small concentration gradients. PMID:24305683

Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c551 denaturation by five systematic urea derivatives that differ in the alkyl chain length.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Shinya; Fujii, Sotaro; Koga, Aya; Wakai, Satoshi; Matubayasi, Nobuyuki; Sambongi, Yoshihiro

2017-07-01

Reversible denaturation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c 551 (PAc 551 ) could be followed using five systematic urea derivatives that differ in the alkyl chain length, i.e. urea, N-methylurea (MU), N-ethylurea (EU), N-propylurea (PU), and N-butylurea (BU). The BU concentration was the lowest required for the PAc 551 denaturation, those of PU, EU, MU, and urea being gradually higher. Furthermore, the accessible surface area difference upon PAc 551 denaturation caused by BU was found to be the highest, those by PU, EU, MU, and urea being gradually lower. These findings indicate that urea derivatives with longer alkyl chains are stronger denaturants. In this study, as many as five systematic urea derivatives could be applied for the reversible denaturation of a single protein, PAc 551 , for the first time, and the effects of the alkyl chain length on protein denaturation were systematically verified by means of thermodynamic parameters.

Mechanisms of molecular transport through the urea channel of Helicobacter pylori

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNulty, Reginald; Ulmschneider, Jakob P.; Luecke, Hartmut; Ulmschneider, Martin B.

2013-12-01

Helicobacter pylori survival in acidic environments relies on cytoplasmic hydrolysis of gastric urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide, which buffer the pathogen’s periplasm. Urea uptake is greatly enhanced and regulated by HpUreI, a proton-gated inner membrane channel protein essential for gastric survival of H. pylori. The crystal structure of HpUreI describes a static snapshot of the channel with two constriction sites near the center of the bilayer that are too narrow to allow passage of urea or even water. Here we describe the urea transport mechanism at atomic resolution, revealed by unrestrained microsecond equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of the hexameric channel assembly. Two consecutive constrictions open to allow conduction of urea, which is guided through the channel by interplay between conserved residues that determine proton rejection and solute selectivity. Remarkably, HpUreI conducts water at rates equivalent to aquaporins, which might be essential for efficient transport of urea at small concentration gradients.

Biodegradation of Ethyl Carbamate and Urea with Lysinibacillus sphaericus MT33 in Chinese Liquor Fermentation.

PubMed

Cui, Kaixiang; Wu, Qun; Xu, Yan

2018-02-14

It is important to reduce the concentration of ethyl carbamate (EC) in fermented foods. However, controlling the formation of EC and its precursor urea is difficult in spontaneous food fermentation because urea is a natural product of nitrogen metabolism. Biodegradation is a better solution to reduce the concentration of EC. This study aimed to reduce the concentration of EC in Chinese liquor via an indigenous strain Lysinibacillus sphaericus MT33. This strain produced urethanase (940 U/L) and urease (1580 U/L) and degraded 76.52% of EC and 56.48% of urea. After inoculation in liquor fermentation, the maximal relative abundance of Lysinibacillus increased from 0.02% to 8.46%, the final EC and urea contents decreased by 41.77% and 28.15%. Moreover, the concentration of EC decreased by 63.32% in liquor. The negative correlation between abundance of Lysinibacillus and contents of EC and urea indicated the effect of L. sphaericus on EC and urea degradation.

Can an ammonium-based room temperature ionic liquid counteract the urea-induced denaturation of a small peptide?

PubMed

Ghosh, Soumadwip; Dey, Souvik; Patel, Mahendra; Chakrabarti, Rajarshi

2017-03-15

The folding/unfolding equilibrium of proteins in aqueous medium can be altered by adding small organic molecules generally termed as co-solvents. Denaturants such as urea are instrumental in the unfolding of proteins while protecting osmolytes favour the folded ensemble. Recently, room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) have been shown to counteract the deleterious effect of urea on proteins. In this paper, using atomistic molecular dynamics we show that a ternary mixture containing a particular ammonium-based IL, triethylammonium acetate (TEAA), and urea (in 1 : 5 molar ratio) helps a small 15-residue S-peptide analogue regain most of its native structure, whereas a binary aqueous mixture containing a large amount of urea alone completely distorts it. Our simulations show that the denaturant urea directly interacts with the peptide backbone in the binary mixture while for the ternary mixture both urea as well as the IL are preferentially excluded from the peptide surface.

Ammonia Volatilization from Urea-Application Influenced Germination and Early Seedling Growth of Dry Direct-Seeded Rice

PubMed Central

Qi, Xiaoli; Wu, Wei; Shah, Farooq; Peng, Shaobing; Huang, Jianliang; Cui, Kehui; Liu, Hongyan; Nie, Lixiao

2012-01-01

Poor seed germination and early seedling growth associated with urea-induced soil ammonia volatilization are major constraints in the adoption of dry direct-seeded rice. To directly examine soil ammonia volatilization and its damage to seed germination and early seedling growth of dry direct-seeded rice when urea is applied at seeding, two Petri-dish incubation experiments and a field experiment were conducted. Ammonia volatilization due to urea application significantly reduced seed germination and early seedling growth of dry direct-seedling rice. NBPT significantly reduced ammonia volatilization following urea application. The application of ammonium sulfate, instead of urea at seeding, may mitigate poor crop establishment of dry direct-seeded rice. Root growth of dry direct-seeded rice was more seriously inhibited by soil ammonia volatilization than that of shoot. Results suggest that roots are more sensitive to soil ammonia toxicity than shoots in dry direct-seeded rice system when N is applied as urea at seeding. PMID:22454611

Kinetic barriers in the isomerization of substituted ureas: implications for computer-aided drug design.

PubMed

Loeffler, Johannes R; Ehmki, Emanuel S R; Fuchs, Julian E; Liedl, Klaus R

2016-05-01

Urea derivatives are ubiquitously found in many chemical disciplines. N,N'-substituted ureas may show different conformational preferences depending on their substitution pattern. The high energetic barrier for isomerization of the cis and trans state poses additional challenges on computational simulation techniques aiming at a reproduction of the biological properties of urea derivatives. Herein, we investigate energetics of urea conformations and their interconversion using a broad spectrum of methodologies ranging from data mining, via quantum chemistry to molecular dynamics simulation and free energy calculations. We find that the inversion of urea conformations is inherently slow and beyond the time scale of typical simulation protocols. Therefore, extra care needs to be taken by computational chemists to work with appropriate model systems. We find that both knowledge-driven approaches as well as physics-based methods may guide molecular modelers towards accurate starting structures for expensive calculations to ensure that conformations of urea derivatives are modeled as adequately as possible.

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of an optimized avulsion technique with onyster® (40% urea ointment with plastic dressing) ointment compared to bifonazole-urea ointment for removal of the clinically infected nail in toenail onychomycosis: a randomized evaluator-blinded controlled study.

PubMed

Lahfa, M; Bulai-Livideanu, C; Baran, R; Ortonne, J P; Richert, B; Tosti, A; Piraccini, B M; Szepietowski, J C; Sibaud, V; Coubetergues, H; Voisard, J J; Paul, C

2013-01-01

Toenail onychomycosis is highly prevalent, with 14-28% of people aged 60 or over suffering from the disease. Use of a topical antifungal alone in toenail onychomycosis is associated with low cure rates. This may be due to limited penetration of the topical antifungal through the diseased nail. The objective of the present study was to compare two treatment modalities to obtain diseased nail chemical avulsion in toenail onychomycosis. In this European, multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, open-label, active-controlled study, male or female adult patients with distal-lateral or lateral subungual dermatophyte onychomycosis on at least 12.5% of the great toenail were randomized either to a 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing group (n = 53) or to a bifonazole-urea ointment group (n = 52). The ointments were applied daily for a maximum of 3 weeks according to the summary of product characteristics. After assessment of infected nail debridement, topical antifungal treatment with bifonazole cream was applied daily in both groups for 8 weeks. 102 patients were evaluated, i.e. 51 in the 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing group and 51 in the bifonazole-urea group. The primary end point was complete removal of the nail plate at day 21 (D21). Secondary end points were: complete cure and mycological cure evaluated at D105. Ease of use and local tolerability were also assessed. Complete removal of the clinically infected target nail plate area, assessed by blinded evaluators, was significantly higher in the 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing group (61.2%) than in the control group (39.2%), showing the superiority of 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing (p = 0.028). The same results were observed in the per-protocol population (63.0 vs. 36.6%; p = 0.014). Complete removal of the infected area assessed by the investigator at D21 showed a significantly higher success rate in patients treated with 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing (86.3%) as compared to patients treated with bifonazole-urea (60.8%), confirming the superiority of 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing (p = 0.004). At D105, the complete cure of onychomycosis, a criterion combining clinical and mycological assessments, showed a success rate of 27.7% for 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing versus 20.8% for the control group. No statistical difference was observed between the two treatment groups. The number of patients with at least one adverse event was twice as high in the bifonazole-urea group in comparison to the 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing group. Overall assessment of local tolerability by the investigator was considered good/very good in 98.0% of the 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing patients versus 90.4% of the bifonazole-urea patients, at D21, with no significant difference between both groups. This study shows the superiority of 40% urea ointment with plastic dressing to bifonazole-urea ointment for complete removal of the infected target nail assessed by blinded evaluators and by the investigators. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of preliminary chemical nail avulsion on the efficacy of topical treatment of onychomycosis as assessed by complete cure at 1 year. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Increases in urea synthesis and the ornithine-urea cycle capacity in the giant African snail, Achatina fulica, during fasting or aestivation, or after the injection with ammonium chloride.

PubMed

Hiong, Kum Chew; Loong, Ai May; Chew, Shit Fun; Ip, Yuen Kwong

2005-12-01

The objectives of this study are to determine whether a full complement of ornithine-urea cycle (OUC) enzymes is present in the hepatopancreas of the giant African snail Achatina fulica, and to investigate whether the rate of urea synthesis and the OUC capacity can be up-regulated during 23 days of fasting or aestivation, or 24 hr post-injection with NH(4)Cl (10 micromol g(-1) snail) into the foot muscle. A. fulica is ureotelic and a full complement of OUC enzymes, including carbamoyl phosphate synthetase III (CPS III), was detected from its hepatopancreas. There were significant increases in the excretion of NH(4)(+), NH(3) and urea in fasting A. fulica. Fasting had no significant effect on the tissue ammonia contents, but led to a progressive accumulation of urea, which was associated with an 18-fold increase in the rate of urea synthesis. Because fasting took place in the presence of water and because there was no change in water contents in the foot muscle and hepatopancreas, it can be concluded that the function of urea accumulation in fasting A. fulica was unrelated to water retention. Aestivation in arid conditions led to a non-progressive accumulation of urea in A. fulica. During the first 4 days and the last 3 days of the 23-day aestivation period, experimental snails exhibited significantly greater rates of urea synthesis compared with fasted snails. These increases were associated with significant increases in activities of various OUC enzymes, except CPS III, in the hepatopancreas. However, the overall urea accumulation in snails aestivated and snails fasted for 23 days were comparable. Therefore, the classical hypothesis that urea accumulation occurred to prevent water loss through evaporation during aestivation in terrestrial pulmonates may not be valid. Surprisingly, there were no accumulations of ammonia in the foot muscle and hepatopancreas of A. fulica 12 or 24 hr after NH(4)Cl was injected into the foot muscle. In contrast, the urea content in the foot muscle of A. fulica increased 4.5- and 33-fold at hour 12 and hour 24, respectively, and the respective increases in the hepatopancreas were 4.9- and 32-fold. The exogenous ammonia injected into A. fulica was apparently detoxified completely to urea. The urea synthesis rate increased 148-fold within the 24-hr experimental period, which could be the greatest increase known among animals. Simultaneously, there were significant increases in activities of glutamine synthetase (2.5-fold), CPS III (3.1-fold), ornithine transcarbamoylase (2.3-fold), argininosuccinate synthetase+lyase (13.6-fold) and arginase (3.5-fold) in the hepatopancreas 12 hr after the injection of NH(4)Cl. Taken altogether, our results support the view that the primary function of urea synthesis through the OUC in A. fulica is to defend against ammonia toxicity, but suggest that urea may have more than an excretory role in terrestrial pulmonates capable of aestivation.

Porous Ni3(NO3)2(OH)4 nano-sheets for supercapacitors: Facile synthesis and excellent rate performance at high mass loadings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Mingjie; Cui, Mangwei; Kang, Litao; Li, Taotao; Yun, Shan; Du, Jing; Xu, Shoudong; Liu, Ying

2018-01-01

For supercapacitors, pores in electrode materials can accelerate chemical reaction kinetics by shortening ion diffusion distances and by enlarging electrolyte/electrode interfaces. This article describes a simple one-step route for the preparation of pure-phase porous Ni3(NO3)2(OH)4 nano-sheets by directly heating a mild Ni(NO3)2 and urea solution. During heating, urea decomposed into NH3·H2O, which provided a suitable alkaline environment for the formation of Ni3(NO3)2(OH)4 nano-sheets. Meanwhile, the side product, NH4NO3, created numerous pores as a pore-forming agent. After NH4NO3 removal, the specific surface areas and pore volumes of products were boosted by ∼180-times (from 0.61 to 113.12 m2/g) and ∼90-times (from 3.40 × 10-3 to 3.17 × 10-1 m2/g), respectively. As a cathode material of supercapacitor, the porous Ni3(NO3)2(OH)4 nano-sheets exhibited a high specific capacitance of 1094 F/g at an ultrahigh mass loading of 17.55 mg/cm2, leading to an impressive areal capacitance of 19.2 F/cm2. Furthermore, a Ni3(NO3)2(OH)4 nano-sheet//commercial active carbon asymmetric supercapacitor was constructed and delivered an energy density of 33.2 Wh/Kg at a power density of 190.5 W/Kg, based on the mass of active materials on both electrodes.

Thiol surface functionalization via continuous phase plasma polymerization of allyl mercaptan, with subsequent maleimide-linked conjugation of collagen.

PubMed

Stynes, Gil D; Gengenbach, Thomas R; Kiroff, George K; Morrison, Wayne A; Kirkland, Mark A

2017-07-01

Thiol groups can undergo a large variety of chemical reactions and are used in solution phase to conjugate many bioactive molecules. Previous research on solid substrates with continuous phase glow discharge polymerization of thiol-containing monomers may have been compromised by oxidation. Thiol surface functionalization via glow discharge polymerization has been reported as requiring pulsing. Herein, continuous phase glow discharge polymerization of allyl mercaptan (2-propene-1-thiol) was used to generate significant densities of thiol groups on a mixed macrodiol polyurethane and tantalum. Three general classes of chemistry are used to conjugate proteins to thiol groups, with maleimide linkers being used most commonly. Here the pH specificity of maleimide reactions was used effectively to conjugate surface-bound thiol groups to amine groups in collagen. XPS demonstrated surface-bound thiol groups without evidence of oxidation, along with the subsequent presence of maleimide and collagen. Glow discharge reactor parameters were optimized by testing the resistance of bound collagen to degradation by 8 M urea. The nature of the chemical bonding of collagen to surface thiol groups was effectively assessed by colorimetric assay (ELISA) of residual collagen after incubation in 8 M urea over 8 days and after incubation with keratinocytes over 15 days. The facile creation of useable solid-supported thiol groups via continuous phase glow discharge polymerization of allyl mercaptan opens a route for attaching a vast array of bioactive molecules. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1940-1948, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of rumen-degradable intake protein supplementation on urea kinetics and microbial use of recycled urea in steers consuming low-quality forage.

PubMed

Wickersham, T A; Titgemeyer, E C; Cochran, R C; Wickersham, E E; Gnad, D P

2008-11-01

We evaluated the effect of increasing amounts of rumen-degradable intake protein (DIP) on urea kinetics in steers consuming prairie hay. Ruminally and duodenally fistulated steers (278 kg of BW) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square and provided ad libitum access to low-quality prairie hay (4.9% CP). The DIP was provided as casein dosed ruminally once daily in amounts of 0, 59, 118, and 177 mg of N/kg of BW daily. Periods were 13 d long, with 7 d for adaptation and 6 d for collection. Steers were in metabolism crates for total collection of urine and feces. Jugular infusion of (15)N(15)N-urea, followed by determination of urinary enrichment of (15)N(15)N-urea and (14)N(15)N-urea was used to determine urea kinetics. Forage and N intake increased (linear, P < 0.001) with increasing DIP. Retention of N was negative (-2.7 g/d) for steers receiving no DIP and increased linearly (P < 0.001; 11.7, 23.0, and 35.2 g/d for 59, 118, and 177 mg of N/kg of BW daily) with DIP. Urea synthesis was 19.9, 24.8, 42.9, and 50.9 g of urea-N/d for 0, 59, 118, and 177 mg of N/kg of BW daily (linear, P = 0.004). Entry of urea into the gut was 98.9, 98.8, 98.6, and 95.9% of production for 0, 59, 118, and 177 mg of N/kg of BW daily, respectively (quadratic, P = 0.003). The amount of urea-N entering the gastrointestinal tract was greatest for 177 mg of N/kg of BW daily (48.6 g of urea-N/d) and decreased (linear, P = 0.005) to 42.4, 24.5, and 19.8 g of urea-N/d for 118, 59, and 0 mg of N/kg of BW daily. Microbial incorporation of recycled urea-N increased linearly (P = 0.02) from 12.3 g of N/d for 0 mg of N/kg of BW daily to 28.9 g of N/d for 177 mg of N/kg of BW daily. Provision of DIP produced the desired and previously observed increase in forage intake while also increasing N retention. The large percentage of urea synthesis that was recycled to the gut (95.9% even when steers received the greatest amount of DIP) points to the remarkable ability of cattle to conserve N when fed a low-protein diet.

Effects of supplemental energy and protein on forage digestion and urea kinetics in growing beef cattle.

PubMed

Bailey, E A; Titgemeyer, E C; Olson, K C; Brake, D W; Jones, M L; Anderson, D E

2012-10-01

Effects of supplemental energy sources on nutrient digestion and urea kinetics at 2 levels of degradable intake protein were evaluated in cattle (Bos taurus). Six ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers (208 ± 17 kg) were used in a 6 × 6 Latin square with treatments arranged as a 3 × 2 factorial. Energy treatments included a control, 600 g glucose dosed ruminally once daily, and 480 g VFA infused ruminally over 8 h daily. Casein (120 or 240 g) was dosed ruminally once daily. Steers had ad libitum access to prairie hay (5.8% CP). Jugular infusion of (15)N(15)N-urea with measurement of enrichment in urine was used to measure urea kinetics. Infusing VFA decreased (P < 0.01) forage intake by 27%. Supplementing glucose decreased (P < 0.01) total tract NDF digestibility and tended to decrease ruminal NDF digestibility; depressions in response to glucose tended to be greater at the lower level of casein. Increasing casein decreased (P < 0.02) ruminal pH. Infusing VFA decreased pH only during infusions, whereas glucose decreased pH 2 h after dosing. Ruminal concentrations of NH(3), acetate, and propionate decreased and butyrate concentration increased when glucose was supplemented. Increasing casein supplementation increased (P < 0.01) ruminal concentrations of NH(3), acetate, and propionate. Supplemental energy decreased (P = 0.03) plasma urea-N concentration, but casein level did not affect it (P = 0.16). Microbial N flow was greater (P < 0.04) for 240 than for 120 g/d casein but was not affected by supplemental energy (P = 0.23). Urea-N entry rate and gut entry of urea-N were not affected (P ≥ 0.12) by supplemental energy or casein, but the proportion of urea production that was recycled to the gut was less (P = 0.01) when 240 g/d rather than 120 g/d casein was provided. Compared with VFA, glucose tended (P = 0.07) to increase the proportion of urea-N entry rate that was recycled to the gut. Supplementation with glucose led to more (P = 0.01) microbial uptake of recycled urea than did supplementation with VFA. Urea recycling did not differ greatly among treatments despite impacts on ruminal pH and NH(3) and on plasma urea-N that were expected to alter urea transport across ruminal epithelium. Lack of treatment effects on urea production indicate that the complete diets did not provide excessive amounts of N and that increases of intestinally available AA were used efficiently by cattle for protein deposition.

40 CFR 418.30 - Applicability; description of the urea subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Urea Subcategory § 418.30... manufacture of urea. Discharges attributable to shipping losses and precipitation runoff from outside the...

40 CFR 418.30 - Applicability; description of the urea subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Urea Subcategory § 418.30... manufacture of urea. Discharges attributable to shipping losses and precipitation runoff from outside the...

40 CFR 418.30 - Applicability; description of the urea subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Urea Subcategory § 418.30... manufacture of urea. Discharges attributable to shipping losses and precipitation runoff from outside the...

40 CFR 418.30 - Applicability; description of the urea subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Urea Subcategory § 418.30... manufacture of urea. Discharges attributable to shipping losses and precipitation runoff from outside the...

40 CFR 418.30 - Applicability; description of the urea subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Urea Subcategory § 418.30... manufacture of urea. Discharges attributable to shipping losses and precipitation runoff from outside the...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea (External Review Draft) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA conducted a peer review and public comment of the scientific basis of a draft report supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of Urea that when finalized will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. The draft Toxicological Review of Urea provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to Urea.

Comparison of nitrogen utilization and urea kinetics between yaks (Bos grunniens) and indigenous cattle (Bos taurus).

PubMed

Zhou, J W; Zhong, C L; Liu, H; Degen, A A; Titgemeyer, E C; Ding, L M; Shang, Z H; Guo, X S; Qiu, Q; Li, Z P; Yang, G; Long, R J

2017-10-01

Under traditional management on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, yaks () graze only on natural pasture without supplements and are forced to cope with sparse forage of low N content, especially in winter. In contrast, indigenous Tibetan yellow cattle () require supplements during the cold season. We hypothesized that, in response to harsh conditions, yaks cope with low N intakes better than cattle. To test this hypothesis, a study of whole-body N retention and urea kinetics was conducted in 2 concurrent 4 × 4 Latin squares, with 1 square using yaks and 1 square using cattle. Four isocaloric forage-concentrate diets differing in N concentrations (10.3, 19.5, 28.5, and 37.6 g N/kg DM) were formulated, and by design, DMI were similar between species and across diets. Urea kinetics were determined with continuous intravenous infusion of NN urea for 104 h, and total urine and feces were concomitantly collected. Urea production, urea recycling to the gut, and ruminal microbial protein synthesis all linearly increased ( < 0.001) with increasing dietary N in both yaks and cattle. Urinary N excretion was less ( = 0.04) and N retention was greater ( = 0.01) in yaks than in cattle. Urea production was greater in yaks than in cattle at the 3 lowest N diets but greater in cattle than in yaks at the highest N diet (species × diet, < 0.02). Urea N recycled to the gut ( < 0.001), recycled urea N captured by ruminal bacteria ( < 0.001), and ruminal microbial protein production ( = 0.05) were greater in yaks than in cattle. No more than 12% of urea recycling was through saliva, with no difference between species ( = 0.61). Glomerular filtration rate was lower ( = 0.05) in yaks than in cattle. The higher urea recycling and greater capture of recycled urea by ruminal microbes in yaks than in cattle suggest that yaks use mechanisms to utilize dietary N more efficiently than cattle, which may partially explain the better survival of yaks than cattle when fed low-N diets.

Detection of Interstellar Urea with Carma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, H.-L.; Snyder, L. E.; Friedel, D. N.; Looney, L. W.; McCall, B. J.; Remijan, A. J.; Lovas, F. J.; Hollis, J. M.

2010-06-01

Urea, a molecule discovered in human urine by H. M. Rouelle in 1773, has a significant role in prebiotic chemistry. Previous BIMA observations have suggested that interstellar urea [(NH_2)_2CO] is a compact hot core molecule such as other large molecules, e.g. methyl formate and acetic acid (2009, 64th OSU Symposium On Molecular Spectroscopy, WI05). We have conducted an extensive search for urea toward the high mass hot molecular core Sgr B2(N-LMH) using CARMA and the IRAM 30 m. Because the spectral lines of heavy molecules like urea tend to be weak and hot cores display lines from a wide range of molecules, a major problem in identifying urea lines is confusion with lines of other molecules. Therefore, it is necessary to detect a number of urea lines and apply sophisticated statistical tests before having confidence in an identification. The 1 mm resolution of CARMA enables favorable coupling of the source size and synthesized beam size, which was found to be essential for the detection of weak signals. The 2.5^"×2^" synthesized beam of CARMA significantly resolves out the contamination by extended emission and reveals the eight weak urea lines that were previously blended with nearby transitions. Our analysis indicates that these lines are likely to be urea since the resulting observed line frequencies are coincident with a set of overlapping connecting urea lines, and the observed line intensities are consistent with the expected line strengths of urea. In addition, we have developed a new statistical approach to examine the spatial correlation between the observed lines by applying the Student T-test to the high resolution channel maps obtained from CARMA. The T-test shows similar spatial distributions from all eight candidate lines, suggesting a common molecular origin, urea. Our T-test method could have a broad impact on the next generation of arrays, such as ALMA, because the new arrays will require a method to systematically determine the credibility of detections of weaker signals from new and larger interstellar molecules.

Urea recycling contributes to nitrogen retention in calves fed milk replacer and low-protein solid feed.

PubMed

Berends, Harma; van den Borne, Joost J G C; Røjen, Betina A; van Baal, Jürgen; Gerrits, Walter J J

2014-07-01

Urea recycling, with urea originating from catabolism of amino acids and hepatic detoxification of ammonia, is particularly relevant for ruminant animals, in which microbial protein contributes substantially to the metabolizable protein supply. However, the quantitative contribution of urea recycling to protein anabolism in calves during the transition from preruminants (milk-fed calves) to ruminants [solid feed (SF)-fed calves] is unknown. The aim of this study was to quantify urea recycling in milk-fed calves when provided with low-protein SF. Forty-eight calves [164 ± 1.6 kg body weight (BW)] were assigned to 1 of 4 SF levels [0, 9, 18, and 27 g of dry matter (DM) SF · kg BW(-0.75) · d⁻¹] provided in addition to an identical amount of milk replacer. Urea recycling was quantified after a 24-h intravenous infusion of [¹⁵N₂]urea by analyzing urea isotopomers in 68-h fecal and urinary collections. Real-time qPCR was used to measure gene expression levels of bovine urea transporter B (bUTB) and aquaglyceroporin-3 and aquaglyceroporin-7 in rumen wall tissues. For every incremental gram of DM SF intake (g DM · kg(0.75)), nitrogen intake increased by 0.70 g, and nitrogen retention increased by 0.55 g (P < 0.01). Of this increase in nitrogen retention, 19% could be directly explained by urea recycling. Additionally, part of the observed increase in nitrogen retention could be explained by the extra protein provided by the SF and likely by a greater efficiency of postabsorptive use of nitrogen for gain. Ruminal bUTB abundance increased (P < 0.01) with SF provision. Aquaglyceroporin-3 expression increased (P < 0.01) with SF intake, but aquaglyceroporin-7 expression did not. We conclude that in addition to the increase in digested nitrogen, urea recycling contributes to the observed increase in nitrogen retention with increasing SF intake in milk-fed calves. Furthermore, ruminal bUTB and aquaglyceroporin-3 expression are upregulated with SF intake, which might be associated with urea recycling. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

[Characteristics of ammonia volatilization and nitrous oxide emission from a paddy soil under continuous application of different slow/controlled release urea.

PubMed

Sun, Xiang Xin; Li, Dong Po; Wu, Zhi Jie; Cui, Ya Lan; Han, Mei; Li, Yong Hua; Yang, De Fu; Cui, Yong Kun

2016-06-01

The characteristics of ammonia volatilization and nitrous oxide emission from a paddy soil were examined under 9-year application of different slow/controlled release urea with the common large granule urea (U) as the control. The results showed that compared with the control, all slow/controlled release urea treatments, except 25.8% increase of ammonia volatilization under 1% 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP)+U, could decrease the ammonia volatilization. Polymer coated urea (PCU) dominated the highest reduction of 73.4% compared to U, followed by sulfur coated urea (SCU) (72.2%), 0.5% N-(N-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT)+1% DMPP+U (71.9%), 1% hydroquinone (HQ)+3% dicyandiamide (DCD)+U (46.9%), 0.5% NBPT+U (43.2%), 1% HQ +U (40.2%), 3% DCD+U (25.5%), and the ammonia volatilization under different slow/controlled release urea treatments were statistically lower than that of U (P<0.05). 1% DMPP+U caused the lowest emission of N 2 O under different slow/controlled release urea treatments. The slow/controlled release urea also had a significant potential of N 2 O emission reduction: 1% DMPP+U showed the highest reduction of 74.9% compared to U, followed by PCU (62.1%), 1% HQ+3% DCD+U (54.7%), 0.5% NBPT+1% DMPP+U (42.2%), 3% DCD+U (35.9%), 1% HQ +U (28.9%), 0.5% NBPT+U (17.7%), SCU (14.5%), and N 2 O emissions under different slow/controlled release urea treatments were statistically lower than that of U (P<0.05). The comprehensive analysis showed that 0.5% NBPT+1% DMPP+U, SCU and PCU had similar effects on decreasing the ammonia volatilization and N 2 O emission and were remarkably better than the other treatments. The slow release urea with the combination of urease and nitrification inhibitors should be the first choice for reducing N loss and environmental pollution in paddy field, in view of the higher costs of coated urea fertilizers.

The elevated serum urea:creatinine ratio in canine babesiosis in South Africa is not of renal origin.

PubMed

de Scally, M P; Leisewitz, A L; Lobetti, R G; Thompson, P N

2006-12-01

Pigmented serum, usually due to free haemoglobin and/or bilirubin, is a common finding in dogs with babesiosis, resulting in interference with all biochemical tests that rely on photochemistry. This is particularly true of urea and creatinine determinations, complicating the diagnosis of acute renal failure, which is a serious complication of babesiosis. A disproportionately raised serum urea concentration of unknown origin occurs in severely anaemic canine babesiosis patients and gives rise to an increased serum urea:creatinine ratio. The assay for cystatin-C, an excellent measure of glomerular filtration rate, is unaffected by free serum haemoglobin, and due to its different intrinsic origins, is free of influence by the metabolic derangements and organ pathology, other than renal disease, encountered in canine babesiosis. Serum cystatin-C was used to compare the concentrations of serum urea and serum creatinine in dogs with the severely anaemic form of canine babesiosis as well as a canine babesiosis-free reference group. Mean serum urea and mean serum urea:creatinine ratio were significantly elevated in the babesia-infected group relative to the reference population in this study. Mean serum creatinine and mean serum cystatin-C were within the reference ranges. Therefore an elevated urea:creatinine ratio in canine babesiosis in the presence of a normal serum creatinine concentration is considered to be caused by an elevated serum urea concentration and is most likely of non-renal origin. Serum creatinine was therefore as specific a measure of renal function as serum cystatin-C in canine babesiosis in this study. The sensitivity of serum creatinine as a measure of renal function was not established by this study. Serum urea, however, proved to be of little use compared to serum cystatin-C and serum creatinine. Serum urea should therefore not be used to diagnose renal failure in canine babesiosis.

Changes in the renal handling of urea in sheep on a low protein diet exposed to saline drinking water.

PubMed

Meintjes, R A; Engelbrecht, H

2004-09-01

Previous trials have demonstrated that sheep on a low protein diet and free access to water, and sheep dosed with boluses of NaCl intraruminally also with free access to water, showed decreases in urea loss via the urine compared to control animals. We monitored urea excretion in sheep on a relatively poor protein diet when they were exposed to saline drinking water, i.e. they were unable to vary their intake of NaCl:water. Sheep on isotonic saline drinking water (phase 3) excreted significantly more urea via the urine (284 mM/day) compared to phase 1 when they were on non-saline drinking water (urea excretion = 230 mM/day) and phase 2 when they were on half isotonic saline drinking water (urea excretion = 244 mM/day). This finding was explained by the high glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 91.9 l/day, compared to 82.4 l/day (phase 1) and 77.9 l/day (phase 2), together with a significantly raised fractional excretion of urea (FEurea) (51.1 %) during this phase, and was in spite of the significantly lower plasma concentrations of urea in phase 3 compared to phase 1. The FEurea probably results from the osmotic diuresis caused by the salt. There were indications of a raised plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentration and this would have opposed urea loss, as ADH promotes urea reabsorption. However, this ADH effect was probably counteracted to some extent by a low plasma angiotensin II concentration, for which again there were indications, inhibiting urea reabsorption during the phases of salt loading. As atrial natriuretic peptide both increases GFR and decrease sodium reabsorption from the tubule, it was probably instrumental in causing the increase in GFR and the increase in the fractional excretion of sodium (FE(Na)).

The Effects of Acute Copper and Ammonia Challenges on Ammonia and Urea Excretion by the Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus.

PubMed

Zimmer, Alex M; Jorge, Marianna Basso; Wood, Chris M; Martins, Camila M G; Bianchini, Adalto

2017-04-01

Copper (Cu) is a persistent environmental contaminant that elicits several physiological disturbances in aquatic organisms, including a disruption in ammonia regulation. We hypothesized that exposure to Cu in a model crustacean (blue crab, Callinectes sapidus) acclimated to brackish water (2 ppt) would lead to hyperammonemia by stimulating an increase in ammonia production and/or by inhibiting ammonia excretion. We further hypothesized that urea production would represent an ammonia detoxification strategy in response to Cu. In a pilot experiment, exposure to 0, 100, and 200 µg/L Cu for 6 h caused significant concentration-dependent increases in ammonia excretion (J amm ). Based on these results, an acute 24-h 100 µg/L Cu exposure was conducted and this similarly caused an overall stimulation of J amm during the 24-h period, indicative of an increase in ammonia production. Terminal haemolymph total ammonia content (T amm ) was unchanged, suggesting that while ammonia production was increased, there was no inhibition of the excretion mechanism. In support of our second hypothesis, urea excretion (J urea ) increased in response to Cu exposure; haemolymph [urea] was unaffected. This suggested that urea production also was increased. To further test the hypothesis that J urea increased to prevent hyperammonemia during Cu exposure, crabs were exposed to high environmental ammonia (HEA; 2.5 mmol/L NH 4 HCO 3 ) for 12 h in a separate experiment. This led to a fourfold increase in haemolymph T amm , whereas J urea increased only transiently and haemolymph [urea] was unchanged, indicating that urea production likely does not contribute to the attenuation of hyperammonemia in blue crabs. Overall, Cu exposure in blue crabs led to increased ammonia and urea production, which were both eliminated by excretion. These results may have important implications in aquaculture systems where crabs may be exposed to elevated Cu and/or ammonia.

Phosphate, urea and creatinine clearances: haemodialysis adequacy assessed by weekly monitoring.

PubMed

Debowska, Malgorzata; Wojcik-Zaluska, Alicja; Ksiazek, Andrzej; Zaluska, Wojciech; Waniewski, Jacek

2015-01-01

The specific distribution of phosphate and the control mechanisms for its plasma level makes phosphate kinetics during haemodialysis (HD) considerably different from those of urea and creatinine and makes the quantitative evaluation of adequacy of phosphate removal difficult. We propose the application of equivalent continuous clearance (ECC) as a phosphate adequacy parameter and compare it with ECC for creatinine and urea. Three consecutive dialysis sessions were evaluated for 25 patients on maintenance HD. Concentrations of phosphate, urea and creatinine in plasma were measured every 1h during the treatment and 45 min after, and every 30 min in dialysate. ECC was calculated using the removed solute mass assessed in dialysate and weekly solute profile in plasma. Similar calculations were performed also for the midweek dialysis session only. Different versions of the reference concentration for ECC were applied. ECC with peak average reference concentration was 5.4 ± 1.0 for phosphate, 7.0 ± 1.0 for urea and 4.7 ± 1.0 mL/min for creatinine. ECC for urea and creatinine were well correlated in contrast to the correlations of ECC for phosphate versus urea and creatinine. Midweek ECC were higher than weekly ECC, but they were well correlated for urea and creatinine, but only weakly for phosphate. HD adequacy monitoring for phosphate may be performed using ECC, but it is less predictable than similar indices for urea and creatinine. The values of ECC for phosphate are within the range expected for its molecular size compared with those for urea and creatinine. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Greener on the Other Side: How Increased Urea Use may Promote Cyanobacterial Blooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erratt, K. J.; Creed, I. F.; Trick, C. G.

2017-12-01

The frequency of freshwater cyanobacterial blooms is on the rise in temperate regions around the world. The widespread use of chemical fertilizers linked to modern agricultural practices has enhanced the fertility of surface waters promoting the expansion of cyanobacteria dominated harmful algal blooms. While phosphorus (P) has been recognized as the principal agent regulating phytoplankton productivity in inland waters, elevated P is not the universal trigger for bloom initiation. P fertilizer applications across the globe have been outpaced by nitrogen (N) fertilizer use. Not only has the load of N entering surface waters increased, but its chemical composition has been altered. The use of inorganic-N fertilizers has been waned in favor of urea-based products, with urea now accounting for more than half of total N-fertilizer applications worldwide. This contemporary shift in fertilizer usage has coincided with the rise of cyanobacteria dominated harmful algal blooms in freshwaters. Here, we examined the relative success of urea as a N-source relative to inorganic N forms (NO3-, NH4+) for three common bloom-forming species of cyanobacteria: Microcystis aeruginosa, Dolichospermum flos-aque, and Synechococcus sp. We found that (1) urea was consistently drawdown more rapidly relative to inorganic N substrates, suggesting that cyanobacteria exhibit a preference for urea over inorganic N forms; (2) cyanobacteria consume urea in excess of cellular requirements; and (3) urea may offer cyanobacteria a competitive edge over eukaryotic algae by enhancing light absorption capabilities. As we push forward into the 21st century, our reliance on urea-based fertilizers is projected to escalate and it is critical that we understand the unintended consequences urea discharge could be having on receiving freshwaters.

Control of ammonia and urea emissions from urea manufacturing facilities of Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), Kuwait.

PubMed

Khan, A R; Al-Awadi, L; Al-Rashidi, M S

2016-06-01

Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) in Kuwait has mitigated the pollution problem of ammonia and urea dust by replacing the melting and prilling units of finished-product urea prills with an environmentally friendly granulation process. PIC has financed a research project conducted by the Coastal and Air Pollution Program's research staff at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research to assess the impact of pollution control strategies implemented to maintain a healthy productive environment in and around the manufacturing premises. The project was completed in three phases: the first phase included the pollution monitoring of the melting and prilling units in full operation, the second phase covered the complete shutdown period where production was halted completely and granulation units were installed, and the last phase encompassed the current modified status with granulation units in full operation. There was substantial decrease in ammonia emissions, about 72%, and a 52.7% decrease in urea emissions with the present upgrading of old melting and prilling units to a state-of-the-art technology "granulation process" for a final finished product. The other pollutants, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have not shown any significant change, as the present modification has not affected the sources of these pollutants. Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) in Kuwait has ammonia urea industries, and there were complaints about ammonia and urea dust pollution. PIC has resolved this problem by replacing "melting and prilling unit" of final product urea prills by more environmentally friendly "granulation unit." Environmental Pollution and Climate Program has been assigned the duty of assessing the outcome of this change and how that influenced ammonia and urea dust emissions from the urea manufacturing plant.

Urea encapsulation in modified starch matrix for nutrients retention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naz, Muhammad Yasin; Sulaiman, Shaharin Anwar; Ariff, Mohd. Hazwan Bin Mohd.; Ariwahjoedi, Bambang

2014-10-01

It has been estimated that 20-70% of the used urea goes to the environment via leaching, nitrification and volatilization which not only harms the environment but also reduces the urea efficiency. By coating the urea granules, the farmers can achieve high urea performance through controlling the excess release of nitrogen. Up until now, different materials have been tested for nutrients retention. However, most of them are either expensive or unfriendly to the environment. Being cheap and biodegradable materials, the starches may also be used to coat the urea fertilizer for controlling the nutrients release. However, the pure starches do not meet the standards set by many industrial processes due to their slow tacking and too low viscosities and should be modified for getting smooth, compact and mechanically stronger coatings. In these studies, the tapioca starch was modified by reacting it with urea and different masses of borax. The prepared solutions were used to coat the urea granules of 3.45 mm average diameter. Different volumes (1, 1.5 and 2 mL) of each solution were used to coat 30 g of urea fluidized above the minimum level of fluidization. It was noticed that the coating thickness, percent coating, dissolution rate and percent release follow an increasing trend with an increase of solution volume; however, some random results were obtained while investigating the solution volume effects on the percent release. It was seen that the nutrients percent release over time increases with an increase in solution volume from 1 to 1.5 mL and thereafter reaches to a steady state. It confirms that the 1.5 mL of solution for 30 g urea samples will give the optimized coating results.

Hydroponics versus field lysimeter studies of urea, ammonium and nitrate uptake by oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.).

PubMed

Arkoun, Mustapha; Sarda, Xavier; Jannin, Laëtitia; Laîné, Philippe; Etienne, Philippe; Garcia-Mina, José-Maria; Yvin, Jean-Claude; Ourry, Alain

2012-09-01

N-fertilizer use efficiencies are affected by their chemical composition and suffer from potential N-losses by volatilization. In a field lysimeter experiment, (15)N-labelled fertilizers were used to follow N uptake by Brassica napus L. and assess N-losses by volatilization. Use of urea with NBPT (urease inhibitor) showed the best efficiency with the lowest N losses (8% of N applied compared with 25% with urea alone). Plants receiving ammonium sulphate, had similar yield achieved through a better N mobilization from vegetative tissues to the seeds, despite a lower N uptake resulting from a higher volatilization (43% of applied N). Amounts of (15)N in the plant were also higher when plants were fertilized with ammonium nitrate but N-losses reached 23% of applied N. In parallel, hydroponic experiments showed a deleterious effect of ammonium and urea on the growth of oilseed rape. This was alleviated by the nitrate supply, which was preferentially taken up. B. napus was also characterized by a very low potential for urea uptake. BnDUR3 and BnAMT1, encoding urea and ammonium transporters, were up-regulated by urea, suggesting that urea-grown plants suffered from nitrogen deficiency. The results also suggested a role for nitrate as a signal for the expression of BnDUR3, in addition to its role as a major nutrient. Overall, the results of the hydroponic study showed that urea itself does not contribute significantly to the N nutrition of oilseed rape. Moreover, it may contribute indirectly since a better use efficiency for urea fertilizer, which was further increased by the application of a urease inhibitor, was observed in the lysimeter study.

Role of urea on recombinant Apo A-I stability and its utilization in anion exchange chromatography.

PubMed

Angarita, Monica; Arosio, Paolo; Müller-Späth, Thomas; Baur, Daniel; Falkenstein, Roberto; Kuhne, Wolfgang; Morbidelli, Massimo

2014-08-08

Apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I) is an important lipid-binding protein involved in the transport and metabolism of cholesterol. High protein purity, in particular with respect to endotoxins is required for therapeutic applications. The use of urea during the purification process of recombinant Apo A-I produced in Escherichia coli has been suggested so as to provide high endotoxin clearance. In this work, we show that urea can be used as a sole modifier during the ion exchange chromatographic purification of Apo A-I and we investigate the molecular mechanism of elution by correlating the effect of urea on self-association, conformation and adsorption equilibrium properties of a modified model Apo A-I. In the absence of urea the protein was found to be present as a population of oligomers represented mainly by trimers, hexamers and nonamers. The addition of urea induced oligomer dissociation and protein structure unfolding. We correlated the changes in protein association and conformation with variations of the adsorption equilibrium of the protein on a strong anion exchanger. It was confirmed that the adsorption isotherms, described by a Langmuir model, were dependent on both protein and urea concentrations. Monomers, observed at low urea concentration (0.5M), were characterized by larger binding affinity and adsorption capacity compared to both protein oligomers (0M) and unfolded monomers (2-8M). The reduction of both the binding strength and maximum adsorption capacity at urea concentrations larger than 0.5M explains the ability of urea of inducing elution of the protein from the ion exchange resin. The dissociation of the protein complexes occurring during the elution could likely be the origin of the effective clearance of endotoxins originally trapped inside the oligomers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alternative channels for urea in the inner medulla of the rat kidney.

PubMed

Nawata, C Michele; Dantzler, William H; Pannabecker, Thomas L

2015-12-01

The ascending thin limbs (ATLs) and lower descending thin limbs (DTLs) of Henle's loop in the inner medulla of the rat are highly permeable to urea, and yet no urea transporters have been identified in these sections. We hypothesized that novel, yet-unidentified transporters in these tubule segments could explain the high urea permeability. cDNAs encoding for Na(+)-glucose transporter 1a (SGLT1a), Na(+)-glucose transporter 1 (NaGLT1), urea transporter (UT)-A2c, and UT-A2d were isolated and cloned from the Munich-Wistar rat inner medulla. SGLT1a is a novel NH2-terminal truncated variant of SGLT1. NaGLT1 is a Na(+)-dependent glucose transporter primarily located in the proximal tubules and not previously described in the thin limbs. UT-A2c and UT-A2d are novel variants of UT-A2. UT-A2c is truncated at the COOH terminus, and UT-A2d has one exon skipped. When rats underwent water restriction for 72 h, mRNA levels of SGLT1a increased in ATLs, NaGLT1 levels increased in both ATLs and DTLs, and UT-A2c increased in ATLs. [(14)C]urea uptake assays performed on Xenopus oocytes heterologously expressing these proteins revealed that despite having structural differences from their full-length versions, SGLT1a, UT-A2c, and UT-A2d enhanced urea uptake. NaGLT1 also facilitated urea uptake. Uptakes were Na(+) independent and inhibitable by phloretin and/or phloridzin. Our data indicate that there are several alternative channels for urea in the rat inner medulla that could potentially contribute to the high urea permeabilities in thin limb segments. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Microscopic significance of hydrophobic residues in the protein-stabilizing effect of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO).

PubMed

Yang, Yanmei; Mu, Yuguang; Li, Weifeng

2016-08-10

Although it is widely known that trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) stabilizes the native structure of proteins, the underlying mechanism of its action is poorly documented. To obtain an in-depth understanding of this important osmolyte molecule, we conducted large-scale molecular dynamic simulations of model proteins, namely, wild-type villin headpiece protein HP35 and its doubly norleucine-substituent mutant (Lys24/29Nle) HP35NN in pure urea and urea + TMAO mixed solutions for direct comparison. From extensive sampling, the protective capability of TMAO was well captured in the simulations, where HP35NN demonstrated a significantly more stable native structure than HP35 in the presence of TMAO, whereas in pure urea solution, the former denatured in a shorter time. These findings highlight the importance of the two norleucine residues that regulates the interactions of proteins with urea and TMAO. By accessing the hydration and conformational dynamics of both proteins, we were able to directly probe how TMAO compensates the denaturing effect of urea at the atomic level. The accumulation of urea around hydrophobic residues is clearly suppressed, which indicates that the van der Waals interactions between urea and proteins are weakened by TMAO. As a consequence, the hydrophobic core of protein is preferentially protected by TMAO against urea attack. Although the hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between proteins and urea are suppressed by TMAO, this plays a very minor role than expected in the enhanced protein stability. In addition, TMAO was found to be always excluded from the protein surface and incapable of forming H-bonds with proteins. Thus, the present study provides solid evidence to support the indirect mechanism of TMAO counteracting the denaturing effects of urea.

Conversion and characterization of activated carbon fiber derived from palm empty fruit bunch waste and its kinetic study on urea adsorption.

PubMed

Ooi, Chee-Heong; Cheah, Wee-Keat; Sim, Yoke-Leng; Pung, Swee-Yong; Yeoh, Fei-Yee

2017-07-15

Urea removal is an important process in household wastewater purification and hemodialysis treatment. The efficiency of the urea removal can be improved by utilizing activated carbon fiber (ACF) for effective urea adsorption. In this study, ACF was prepared from oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) fiber via physicochemical activation using sulfuric acid as an activating reagent. Based on the FESEM result, ACF obtained after the carbonization and activation processes demonstrated uniform macropores with thick channel wall. ACF was found better prepared in 1.5:1 acid-to-EFB fiber ratio; where the pore size of ACF was analyzed as 1.2 nm in diameter with a predominant micropore volume of 0.39 cm 3  g -1 and a BET surface area of 869 m 2  g -1 . The reaction kinetics of urea adsorption by the ACF was found to follow a pseudo-second order kinetic model. The equilibrium amount of urea adsorbed on ACF decreased from 877.907 to 134.098 mg g -1 as the acid-to-fiber ratio increased from 0.75 to 4. During the adsorption process, the hydroxyl (OH) groups on ACF surface were ionized and became electronegatively charged due to the weak alkalinity of urea solution, causing ionic repulsion towards partially anionic urea. The ionic repulsion force between the electronegatively charged ACF surface and urea molecules became stronger when more OH functional groups appeared on ACF prepared at higher acid impregnation ratio. The results implied that EFB fiber based ACF can be used as an efficient adsorbent for the urea removal process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative channels for urea in the inner medulla of the rat kidney

PubMed Central

Dantzler, William H.; Pannabecker, Thomas L.

2015-01-01

The ascending thin limbs (ATLs) and lower descending thin limbs (DTLs) of Henle's loop in the inner medulla of the rat are highly permeable to urea, and yet no urea transporters have been identified in these sections. We hypothesized that novel, yet-unidentified transporters in these tubule segments could explain the high urea permeability. cDNAs encoding for Na+-glucose transporter 1a (SGLT1a), Na+-glucose transporter 1 (NaGLT1), urea transporter (UT)-A2c, and UT-A2d were isolated and cloned from the Munich-Wistar rat inner medulla. SGLT1a is a novel NH2-terminal truncated variant of SGLT1. NaGLT1 is a Na+-dependent glucose transporter primarily located in the proximal tubules and not previously described in the thin limbs. UT-A2c and UT-A2d are novel variants of UT-A2. UT-A2c is truncated at the COOH terminus, and UT-A2d has one exon skipped. When rats underwent water restriction for 72 h, mRNA levels of SGLT1a increased in ATLs, NaGLT1 levels increased in both ATLs and DTLs, and UT-A2c increased in ATLs. [14C]urea uptake assays performed on Xenopus oocytes heterologously expressing these proteins revealed that despite having structural differences from their full-length versions, SGLT1a, UT-A2c, and UT-A2d enhanced urea uptake. NaGLT1 also facilitated urea uptake. Uptakes were Na+ independent and inhibitable by phloretin and/or phloridzin. Our data indicate that there are several alternative channels for urea in the rat inner medulla that could potentially contribute to the high urea permeabilities in thin limb segments. PMID:26423860

Molecular Mechanisms of Urea Transport in Health and Disease

PubMed Central

Klein, Janet D.; Blount, Mitsi A.; Sands, Jeff M.

2012-01-01

In the late 1980s, urea permeability measurements produced values that could not be explained by paracellular transport or lipid phase diffusion. The existence of urea transport proteins were thus proposed and less than a decade later, the first urea transporter was cloned. The SLC14A family of urea transporters has two major subgroups, designated SLC14A1 (or UT-B) and Slc14A2 (or UT-A). UT-B and UT-A gene products are glycoproteins located in various extra-renal tissues however, a majority of the resulting isoforms are found in the kidney. The UT-B (Slc14A1) urea transporter was originally isolated from erythrocytes and two isoforms have been reported. In kidney, UT-B is located primarily in the descending vasa recta. The UT-A (Slc14A2) urea transporter yields 6 distinct isoforms, of which 3 are found chiefly in the kidney medulla. UT-A1 and UT-A3 are found in the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD), while UT-A2 is located in the thin descending limb. These transporters are crucial to the kidney’s ability to concentrate urine. The regulation of urea transporter activity in the IMCD involves acute modification through phosphorylation and subsequent movement to the plasma membrane. UT-A1 and UT-A3 accumulate in the plasma membrane in response to stimulation by vasopressin or hypertonicity. Long term regulation of the urea transporters in the IMCD involves altering protein abundance in response to changes in hydration status, low protein diets, or adrenal steroids. Urea transporters have been studied using animal models of disease including diabetes mellitus, lithium intoxication, hypertension, and nephrotoxic drug responses. Exciting new genetically engineered mouse models are being developed to study these transporters. PMID:23007461

Molecular mechanisms of urea transport in health and disease.

PubMed

Klein, Janet D; Blount, Mitsi A; Sands, Jeff M

2012-12-01

In the late 1980s, urea permeability measurements produced values that could not be explained by paracellular transport or lipid phase diffusion. The existence of urea transport proteins were thus proposed and less than a decade later, the first urea transporter was cloned. The family of urea transporters has two major subgroups, designated SLC14A1 (or UT-B) and Slc14A2 (or UT-A). UT-B and UT-A gene products are glycoproteins located in various extra-renal tissues however, a majority of the resulting isoforms are found in the kidney. The UT-B (Slc14A1) urea transporter was originally isolated from erythrocytes and two isoforms have been reported. In kidney, UT-B is located primarily in the descending vasa recta. The UT-A (Slc14A2) urea transporter yields six distinct isoforms, of which three are found chiefly in the kidney medulla. UT-A1 and UT-A3 are found in the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD), while UT-A2 is located in the thin descending limb. These transporters are crucial to the kidney's ability to concentrate urine. The regulation of urea transporter activity in the IMCD involves acute modification through phosphorylation and subsequent movement to the plasma membrane. UT-A1 and UT-A3 accumulate in the plasma membrane in response to stimulation by vasopressin or hypertonicity. Long-term regulation of the urea transporters in the IMCD involves altering protein abundance in response to changes in hydration status, low protein diets, or adrenal steroids. Urea transporters have been studied using animal models of disease including diabetes mellitus, lithium intoxication, hypertension, and nephrotoxic drug responses. Exciting new genetically engineered mouse models are being developed to study these transporters.

Unravelling the hydrophobicity of urea in water using thermodiffusion: implications for protein denaturation.

PubMed

Niether, Doreen; Di Lecce, Silvia; Bresme, Fernando; Wiegand, Simone

2018-01-03

Urea is widely used as a protein denaturant in aqueous solutions. Experimental and computer simulation studies have shown that it dissolves in water almost ideally at high concentrations, introducing little disruption in the water hydrogen bonded structure. However, at concentrations of the order of 5 M or higher, urea induces denaturation in a wide range of proteins. The origin of this behaviour is not completely understood, but it is believed to stem from a balance between urea-protein and urea-water interactions, with urea becoming possibly hydrophobic at a specific concentration range. The small changes observed in the water structure make it difficult to connect the denaturation effects to the solvation properties. Here we show that the exquisite sensitivity of thermodiffusion to solute-water interactions allows the identification of the onset of hydrophobicity of urea-water mixtures. The hydrophobic behaviour is reflected in a sign reversal of the temperature dependent slope of the Soret coefficient, which is observed, both in experiments and non-equilibrium computer simulations at ∼5 M concentration of urea in water. This concentration regime corresponds to the one where abrupt changes in the denaturation of proteins are commonly observed. We show that the onset of hydrophobicity is intrinsically connected to the urea-water interactions. Our results allow us to identify correlations between the Soret coefficient and the partition coefficient, log P, hence establishing the thermodiffusion technique as a powerful approach to study hydrophobicity.

Microwave-assisted cationic polymerization of palm olein and their urea inclusion products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soegijono, Bambang; Farid, Muhamad; Alim Mas'ud, Zainal

2018-01-01

Cationic polymerization is affected by the relative amount of unsaturated bond (C=C) in the compound. The enrichment of an unsaturated triglyceride fraction from oils may be performed using urea inclusion techniques. In this study, palm olein was enriched-unsaturated fraction using urea-methanol system. The palm olein and its urea-inclusion products were cationic polymerized with ethereal boron trifluoride catalyst and followed by irradiation using a commercial microwave (microwave-assisted). The microwave irradiated products were cured at 110 °C for 24 hours. Fatty acid composition of the palm olein and its urea-inclusion products were analyzed by gas chromatography. Iodine numbers, functional groups, and ultraviolet absorption spectra of all palm olein origin, urea inclusion products and polymerization products were analyzed using titrimetric, ultraviolet spectrophotometric, and Fourier Transform infrared spectrophotometric methods. Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) was used to observe the thermal characteristics of the polymer. Urea-inclusion process increased the unsaturated fatty acid components as indicated by the increased iodine number, intensity of alkene band absorptions in the infrared spectra, and the absorbance of the ultraviolet spectra. The polymer formation is converting the C=C group to C-C, which is indicated by the opposite of the urea inclusion process. The curing process results in reformation of new C=C bonds that were similar to that of the urea inclusion process. The DSC thermogram curve shows that the enrichment process improves the thermal stability of the polymer formed.

New insights into urea and glucose handling by the kidney, and the urine concentrating mechanism.

PubMed

Bankir, Lise; Yang, Baoxue

2012-06-01

The mechanism by which urine is concentrated in the mammalian kidney remains incompletely understood. Urea is the dominant urinary osmole in most mammals and may be concentrated a 100-fold above its plasma level in humans and even more in rodents. Several facilitated urea transporters have been cloned. The phenotypes of mice with deletion of the transporters expressed in the kidney have challenged two previously well-accepted paradigms regarding urea and sodium handling in the renal medulla but have provided no alternative explanation for the accumulation of solutes that occurs in the inner medulla. In this review, we present evidence supporting the existence of an active urea secretion in the pars recta of the proximal tubule and explain how it changes our views regarding intrarenal urea handling and UT-A2 function. The transporter responsible for this secretion could be SGLT1, a sodium-glucose cotransporter that also transports urea. Glucagon may have a role in the regulation of this secretion. Further, we describe a possible transfer of osmotic energy from the outer to the inner medulla via an intrarenal Cori cycle converting glucose to lactate and back. Finally, we propose that an active urea transporter, expressed in the urothelium, may continuously reclaim urea that diffuses out of the ureter and bladder. These hypotheses are all based on published findings. They may not all be confirmed later on, but we hope they will stimulate further research in new directions.

Morphological and functional characteristics of the kidney of cartilaginous fishes: with special reference to urea reabsorption.

PubMed

Hyodo, Susumu; Kakumura, Keigo; Takagi, Wataru; Hasegawa, Kumi; Yamaguchi, Yoko

2014-12-15

For adaptation to high-salinity marine environments, cartilaginous fishes (sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras) adopt a unique urea-based osmoregulation strategy. Their kidneys reabsorb nearly all filtered urea from the primary urine, and this is an essential component of urea retention in their body fluid. Anatomical investigations have revealed the extraordinarily elaborate nephron system in the kidney of cartilaginous fishes, e.g., the four-loop configuration of each nephron, the occurrence of distinct sinus and bundle zones, and the sac-like peritubular sheath in the bundle zone, in which the nephron segments are arranged in a countercurrent fashion. These anatomical and morphological characteristics have been considered to be important for urea reabsorption; however, a mechanism for urea reabsorption is still largely unknown. This review focuses on recent progress in the identification and mapping of various pumps, channels, and transporters on the nephron segments in the kidney of cartilaginous fishes. The molecules include urea transporters, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, Na(+)-K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporters, and aquaporins, which most probably all contribute to the urea reabsorption process. Although research is still in progress, a possible model for urea reabsorption in the kidney of cartilaginous fishes is discussed based on the anatomical features of nephron segments and vascular systems and on the results of molecular mapping. The molecular anatomical approach thus provides a powerful tool for understanding the physiological processes that take place in the highly elaborate kidney of cartilaginous fishes. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Exploring Early Stages of the Chemical Unfolding of Proteins at the Proteome Scale

PubMed Central

Candotti, Michela; Pérez, Alberto; Ferrer-Costa, Carles; Rueda, Manuel; Meyer, Tim; Gelpí, Josep Lluís; Orozco, Modesto

2013-01-01

After decades of using urea as denaturant, the kinetic role of this molecule in the unfolding process is still undefined: does urea actively induce protein unfolding or passively stabilize the unfolded state? By analyzing a set of 30 proteins (representative of all native folds) through extensive molecular dynamics simulations in denaturant (using a range of force-fields), we derived robust rules for urea unfolding that are valid at the proteome level. Irrespective of the protein fold, presence or absence of disulphide bridges, and secondary structure composition, urea concentrates in the first solvation shell of quasi-native proteins, but with a density lower than that of the fully unfolded state. The presence of urea does not alter the spontaneous vibration pattern of proteins. In fact, it reduces the magnitude of such vibrations, leading to a counterintuitive slow down of the atomic-motions that opposes unfolding. Urea stickiness and slow diffusion is, however, crucial for unfolding. Long residence urea molecules placed around the hydrophobic core are crucial to stabilize partially open structures generated by thermal fluctuations. Our simulations indicate that although urea does not favor the formation of partially open microstates, it is not a mere spectator of unfolding that simply displaces to the right of the folded←→unfolded equilibrium. On the contrary, urea actively favors unfolding: it selects and stabilizes partially unfolded microstates, slowly driving the protein conformational ensemble far from the native one and also from the conformations sampled during thermal unfolding. PMID:24348236

Intelligent emission-sensitive routing for plugin hybrid electric vehicles.

PubMed

Sun, Zhonghao; Zhou, Xingshe

2016-01-01

The existing transportation sector creates heavily environmental impacts and is a prime cause for the current climate change. The need to reduce emissions from this sector has stimulated efforts to speed up the application of electric vehicles (EVs). A subset of EVs, called plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), backup batteries with combustion engine, which makes PHEVs have a comparable driving range to conventional vehicles. However, this hybridization comes at a cost of higher emissions than all-electric vehicles. This paper studies the routing problem for PHEVs to minimize emissions. The existing shortest-path based algorithms cannot be applied to solving this problem, because of the several new challenges: (1) an optimal route may contain circles caused by detour for recharging; (2) emissions of PHEVs not only depend on the driving distance, but also depend on the terrain and the state of charge (SOC) of batteries; (3) batteries can harvest energy by regenerative braking, which makes some road segments have negative energy consumption. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a green navigation algorithm (GNA) which finds the optimal strategies: where to go and where to recharge. GNA discretizes the SOC, then makes the PHEV routing problem to satisfy the principle of optimality. Finally, GNA adopts dynamic programming to solve the problem. We evaluate GNA using synthetic maps generated by the delaunay triangulation. The results show that GNA can save more than 10 % energy and reduce 10 % emissions when compared to the shortest path algorithm. We also observe that PHEVs with the battery capacity of 10-15 KWh detour most and nearly no detour when larger than 30 KWh. This observation gives some insights when developing PHEVs.

Green engineered ZnO nanopowders by Banyan Tree and E. tirucalli plant latex: auto ignition route, photoluminescent and photocatalytic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anilkumar, M. R.; Nagaswarupa, H. P.; Anantharaju, K. S.; Gurushantha, K.; Pratapkumar, C.; Prashantha, S. C.; Shashi Shekhar, T. R.; Nagabhushana, H.; Sharma, S. C.; Vidya, Y. S.; Prasad, Daruka

2015-03-01

A simple and eco-friendly solution combustion route was used to prepare ZnO nanoparticles (ZNPs) using Banyan Tree (BT) and Euphorbia tirucalli (ET) plant latexes as fuels. The final products were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible, scanning electron microcopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The PXRD result reveals the formation of hexagonal phase with Wurtzite structure. The crystallite size obtained from TEM was found to be ˜20-25 nm. SEM results reveal rose-like morphology with BT latex and hexagonal shaped with ET latex. The energy band gap of ZNPs obtained by BT and ET latex were found to be 3.20 and 3.38 eV, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) emission peaks at ˜421, 458, 505, 522, 628 and 695 nm were observed in both the samples when excited at 383 nm. These emission peaks were mainly attributed to deep level oxygen (blue-green) defect and exciton (UV) defects, respectively. The international commission on illumination (CIE) chromaticity co-ordinates, as well as co-ordinated color temperature (CCT), were estimated from the emission spectra; the values (x, y) were very close to national television system committee (NTSC) standard values of pure white emission. Photocatalytic activity (PCA) of ZNPs prepared was studied in detail. The ZNPs prepared using BT latex showed highest PCA under sunlight. The results demonstrate that the synthesized product could be quite useful for display applications as well as photocatalyst. Further, the material prepared by this route was found to be non-toxic, environmentally friendly and could be a potential alternative to economical routes.

Study of spatiotemporal variation of atmospheric mercury and its human exposure around an integrated steel plant, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pervez, S.; Koshle, A.; Pervez, Y.

2010-01-01

Mercury release by coal combustion has been significantly increased in India. Mercury content in coal has been analyzed to 0.272 ppm by Central Pollution Control Board. Toxicological effects of elemental Hg (Hg0) exposure include respiratory and renal failures, cardiac arrest, and cerebral oedema, while subclinical exposure may induce kidney, behavioral, and cognitive dysfunctions. The present work is focused on dispersion pattern and inter-phase exchange phenomena of ambient mercury between air-particulate matter evaluations of alongwith dominance of various major routes of human exposure-dose response using regression analysis around an integrated steel plant in central India. Source-downwind type stratified random sampling plan using longitudinal study design has been adopted for ambient monitoring of total mercury, while representative sampling plant has been adopted for persona exposure-dose response study In space-time framework. Control sites and subjects have been chosen from uncontaminated area (100 km away from any industrial activities). 06 ambient air monitoring stations and 17 subjects from workers, non-workers but local residents' categories and from controlled sites have been chosen for the study. Samples of mercury biomarkers (blood, breast milk and urine) have also been collected from same subjects in each month during sampling period. The sampling period was March 2005 to February 2006 . Samples of 30% acidified KMnO4 for air-Hg absorption, PM10, RPM and biological samples were analyzed for total mercury by ICP-AES using standard methods. Local soils and ground water were also monitored for total mercury content during the sampling period. Results have shown that mercury concentration is very high compared to prescribed limits in all receptors. Results of exchange phenomenon have shown the higher transfer of mercury from air to particulate during combustion in steel plant environment due to presence of huge amount of iron particles, in contrast to results obtained in other industrial locations earlier. Plant workers have shown 1.5 to 2.5 times higher personal RPM-Hg levels compared to Category 2 and 20-30 times higher than Category 3. All biomarkers have shown higher Hg presence compared to prescribed standards. Regression analysis between exposure routes and bio-receptors has been investigated. Dominance status of selected routes of bio-accumulation has been varied from category to category.

Study of spatiotemporal variation of atmospheric mercury and its human exposure around an integrated steel plant, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pervez, S.; Koshle, A.; Pervez, Y.

2010-06-01

Mercury release by coal combustion has been significantly increased in India. Mercury content in coal has been analyzed to 0.272 ppm by Central Pollution Control Board. Toxicological effects of elemental Hg (Hg0) exposure include respiratory and renal failures, cardiac arrest, and cerebral oedema, while subclinical exposure may induce kidney, behavioral, and cognitive dysfunctions. The present work is focused on dispersion pattern and inter-phase exchange phenomena of ambient mercury between air-particulate matter evaluations of alongwith dominance of various major routes of human exposure-dose response using regression analysis around an integrated steel plant in central India. Source-downwind type stratified random sampling plan using longitudinal study design has been adopted for ambient monitoring of total mercury, while representative sampling plant has been adopted for persona exposure-dose response study In space-time framework. Control sites and subjects have been chosen from uncontaminated area (100 km away from any industrial activities). 06 ambient air monitoring stations and 17 subjects from workers, non-workers but local residents' categories and from controlled sites have been chosen for the study. Samples of mercury biomarkers (blood, breast milk and urine) have also been collected from same subjects in each month during sampling period. The sampling period was March 2005 to February 2006 . Samples of 30% acidified KMnO4 for air-Hg absorption, PM10, RPM and biological samples were analyzed for total mercury by ICP-AES using standard methods. Local soils and ground water were also monitored for total mercury content during the sampling period. Results have shown that mercury concentration is very high compared to prescribed limits in all receptors. Results of exchange phenomenon have shown the higher transfer of mercury from air to particulate during combustion in steel plant environment due to presence of huge amount of iron particles, in contrast to results obtained in other industrial locations earlier. Plant workers have shown 1.5 to 2.5 times higher personal RPM-Hg levels compared to Category 2 and 20-30 times higher than Category 3. All biomarkers have shown higher Hg presence compared to prescribed standards. Regression analysis between exposure routes and bio-receptors has been investigated. Dominance status of selected routes of bio-accumulation has been varied from category to category.

Finger-Jointed Wood Products.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

these melamines do not have the same Urea resins are generally marketed adhesives does not always develop resistance to weathering as do in liquid form...OF durable, colorless glueline is required. been developed for use in RF curing. FINGER JOINTS MelamineUrea Resins IN STRUCTURAL Melamine - urea resins ...finger duced either by dry blending urea and moplastic, softening if temperature is joints, strength is expressed as a melamine resins or by blending

Development of melamine modified urea formaldehyde resins based o nstrong acidic pH catalyzed urea formaldehyde polymer

Treesearch

Chung-Yun Hse

2009-01-01

To upgrade the performance of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin bonded particleboards, melamine modified urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resins based on strong acidic pH catalyzed UF polymers were investigated. The study was conducted in a series of two experiments: 1) formulation of MUF resins based on a UF polymer catalyzed with strong acidic pH and 2) determination of the...

Synthetic conditions and chemical structures of urea-formaldehyde resins. I. Properties of the resins synthesized by three different procedures

Treesearch

Gu Ji-you; Mitsuo Higuchi; Mitsuhiro Morita; Chung-Yun Hse

1995-01-01

The properties and chemical structures of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins synthesized by three different procedures were investigated. The procedures employed were: 1) methylolation under the conditions of pH 8 and a formaldehyde/urea (F/U) molar ratio of 2, followed by condensation at pH 5 and by additional incorporation of urea, 2) condensation under the conditions of...

Monitoring of urea and potassium by reverse iontophoresis in vitro.

PubMed

Wascotte, Valentine; Delgado-Charro, M Begoña; Rozet, Eric; Wallemacq, Pierre; Hubert, Philippe; Guy, Richard H; Préat, Véronique

2007-06-01

Reverse iontophoresis is an alternative to blood sampling for the monitoring of endogenous molecules. Here, the potential of the technique to measure urea and potassium levels non-invasively, and to track their concentrations during hemodialysis, has been examined. In vitro experiments were performed to test (a) a series of subdermal urea and potassium concentrations typical of the pathophysiologic range, and (b) a decreasing profile of urea and potassium subdermal concentrations to mimic those which are observed during hemodialysis. (a) After 60-120 min of iontophoresis, linear relationships (p < 0.05) were established between both urea and potassium fluxes and their respective subdermal concentrations. The determination coefficients were above 0.9 after 1 h of current passage using sodium as an internal standard. (b) Reverse iontophoretic fluxes of urea and K(+) closely paralleled the decay of the respective concentrations in the subdermal compartment, as would occur during a hemodialysis session. These in vitro experiments demonstrate that urea and potassium can be quantitatively and proportionately extracted by reverse iontophoresis, even when the subdermal concentrations of the analytes are varying with time. These results suggest the non-invasive monitoring of urea and potassium to diagnose renal failure and during hemodialysis is feasible, and that in vivo measurements are warranted.

Novel cardiac protective effects of urea: from shark to rat

PubMed Central

Wang, Xintao; Wu, Lingyun; Aouffen, M'hamed; Mateescu, Mircea-Alexandru; Nadeau, Réginald; Wang, Rui

1999-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate novel cardioprotective effects of urea and the underlying mechanisms. The cardiac functions under oxidative stress were evaluated using Langendorff perfused isolated heart.Isolated dogfish shark hearts tolerated the oxidative stress generated by electrolysis (10 mA, 1 min) of the perfusion solution (n=4), and also showed normal cardiac functions during post-ischaemia reperfusion (n=4). The high concentration of urea (350 mM) in the heart perfusate was indispensable for maintaining the normal cardiac functions of the shark heart.Urea at 3–300 mM (n=4 for each group) protected the isolated rat heart against both electrolysis-induced heart damage and post-ischaemia reperfusion-induced cardiac injury.A concentration-dependent scavenging effect of urea (3–300 mM, n=4 for each group) against electrolysis-induced reactive oxygen species was also demonstrated in vitro.Urea derivatives as hydroxyurea, dimethylurea, and thiourea had antioxidant cardioprotective effect against the electrolysis-induced cardiac dysfunction of rat heart, but were not as effective as urea in suppressing the post-ischaemia reperfusion injury.Our results suggest that urea and its derivatives are potential antioxidant cardioprotective agents against oxidative stress-induced myocardium damage including the post-ischaemia reperfusion-induced injury. PMID:10602326

Effect of urea on protein-ligand association.

PubMed

Stepanian, Lora; Son, Ikbae; Chalikian, Tigran V

2017-12-01

We combine experimental and theoretical approaches to investigate the influence of a cosolvent on a ligand-protein association event. We apply fluorescence measurements to determining the affinity of the inhibitor tri-N-acetylglucosamine [(GlcNAc) 3 ] for lysozyme at urea concentrations ranging from 0 to 8M. Notwithstanding that, at room temperature and neutral pH, lysozyme retains its native conformation up to the solubility limit of urea, the affinity of (GlcNAc) 3 for the protein steadily decreases as the concentration of urea increases. We analyze the urea dependence of the binding free energy within the framework of a simplified statistical thermodynamics-based model that accounts for the excluded volume effect and direct solute-solvent interactions. The analysis reveals that the detrimental action of urea on the inhibitor-lysozyme binding originates from competition between the free energy contributions of the excluded volume effect and direct solute-solvent interactions. The free energy contribution of direct urea-solute interactions narrowly overcomes the excluded volume contribution thereby resulting in urea weakening the protein-ligand association. More broadly, the successful application of the simple model employed in this work points to the possibility of its use in quantifying the stabilizing/destabilizing action of individual cosolvents on biochemical folding and binding reactions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trimethylamine-N-oxide counteracts urea effects on rabbit muscle lactate dehydrogenase function: a test of the counteraction hypothesis.

PubMed Central

Baskakov, I; Wang, A; Bolen, D W

1998-01-01

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) in the cells of sharks and rays is believed to counteract the deleterious effects of the high intracellular concentrations of urea in these animals. It has been hypothesized that TMAO has the generic ability to counteract the effects of urea on protein structure and function, regardless of whether that protein actually evolved in the presence of these two solutes. Rabbit muscle lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) did not evolve in the presence of either solute, and it is used here to test the validity of the counteraction hypothesis. With pyruvate as substrate, results show that its Km and the combined Km of pyruvate and NADH are increased by urea, decreased by TMAO, and in 1:1 and 2:1 mixtures of urea:TMAO the Km values are essentially equivalent to the Km values obtained in the absence of the two solutes. In contrast, values of k(cat) and the Km for NADH as a substrate are unperturbed by urea, TMAO, or urea:TMAO mixtures. All of these effects are consistent with TMAO counteraction of the effects of urea on LDH kinetic parameters, supporting the premise that counteraction is a property of the solvent system and is independent of the evolutionary history of the protein. PMID:9591690

Development of a multiphysics model to characterize the responsive behavior of urea-sensitive hydrogel as biosensor.

PubMed

Goh, K B; Li, Hua; Lam, K Y

2017-05-15

A remarkable feature of biomaterials is their ability to deform in response to certain external bio-stimuli. Here, a novel biochemo-electro-mechanical model is developed for the numerical characterization of the urea-sensitive hydrogel in response to the external stimulus of urea. The urea sensitivity of the hydrogel is usually characterized by the states of ionization and denaturation of the immobilized urease, as such the model includes the effect of the fixed charge groups and temperature coupled with pH on the activity of the urease. Therefore, a novel rate of reaction equation is proposed to characterize the hydrolysis of urea that accounts for both the ionization and denaturation states of the urease subject to the environmental conditions. After examination with the published experimental data, it is thus confirmed that the model can characterize well the responsive behavior of the urea-sensitive hydrogel subject to the urea stimulus, including the distribution patterns of the electrical potential and pH of the hydrogel. The results point to an innovative means for generating electrical power via the enzyme-induced pH and electrical potential gradients, when the hydrogel comes in contact with the urea-rich solution, such as human urine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mutation of charged residues to neutral ones accelerates urea denaturation of HP-35.

PubMed

Wei, Haiyan; Yang, Lijiang; Gao, Yi Qin

2010-09-16

Following the studies of urea denaturation of β-hairpins using molecular dynamics, in this paper, molecular dynamics simulations of two peptides, a 35 residue three helix bundle villin headpiece protein HP-35 and its doubly norleucine-substituent mutant (Lys24Nle/Lys29Nle) HP-35 NleNle, were undertaken in urea solutions to understand the molecular mechanism of urea denaturation of α-helices. The mutant HP-35 NleNle was found to denature more easily than the wild type. During the expansion of the small hydrophobic core, water penetration occurs first, followed by that of urea molecules. It was also found that the initial hydration of the peptide backbone is achieved through water hydrogen bonding with the backbone CO groups during the denaturation of both polypeptides. The mutation of the two charged lysine residues to apolar norleucine enhances the accumulation of urea near the hydrophobic core and facilitates the denaturation process. Urea also interacts directly with the peptide backbone as well as side chains, thereby stabilizing nonnative conformations. The mechanism revealed here is consistent with the previous study on secondary structure of β-hairpin polypeptide, GB1, PEPTIDE 1, and TRPZIP4, suggesting that there is a general mechanism in the denaturation of protein backbone hydrogen bonds by urea.

Waste-to-Chemicals for a Circular Economy: The Case of Urea Production (Waste-to-Urea).

PubMed

Antonetti, Elena; Iaquaniello, Gaetano; Salladini, Annarita; Spadaccini, Luca; Perathoner, Siglinda; Centi, Gabriele

2017-03-09

The economics and environmental impact of a new technology for the production of urea from municipal solid waste, particularly the residue-derived fuel (RdF) fraction, is analyzed. Estimates indicate a cost of production of approximately €135 per ton of urea (internal rate of return more than 10 %) and savings of approximately 0.113 tons of CH 4 and approximately 0.78 tons of CO 2 per ton of urea produced. Thus, the results show that this waste-to-urea (WtU) technology is both economically valuable and environmentally advantageous (in terms of saving resources and limiting carbon footprint) for the production of chemicals from municipal solid waste in comparison with both the production of urea with conventional technology (starting from natural gas) and the use of RdF to produce electrical energy (waste-to-energy). A further benefit is the lower environmental impact of the solid residue produced from RdF conversion. The further benefit of this technology is the possibility to realize distributed fertilizer production. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of ornithine and lactate on urea synthesis in isolated hepatocytes.

PubMed Central

Briggs, S; Freedland, R A

1976-01-01

1. In hepatocytes isolated from 24 h-starved rats, urea production from ammonia was stimulated by addition of lactate, in both the presence and the absence of ornithine. The relationship of lactate concentration to the rate of urea synthesis was hyperbolic. 2. Other glucose precursors also stimulated urea production to varying degrees, but none more than lactate. Added oleate and butyrate did not stimulate urea synthesis. 3. Citrulline accumulation was largely dependent on ornithine concentration. As ornithine was increased from 0 to 40 mM, the rate of citrulline accumulation increased hyperbolically, and was half-maximal when ornithine was 8-12 mM. 4. The rate of citrulline accumulation was independent of the presence of lactate, but with pyruvate the rate increased. 5. The rate of urea production continued to increase as ornithine was varied from 0 to 40 mM. 6. It was concluded that intermediates provided by both ornithine and lactate are limiting for urea production from ammonia in isolated liver cells. It was suggested that the stimulatory effect of lactate lies in increased availability of cytosolic aspartate for condensation with citrulline. PMID:1008850

Contrasting Features of Urea Cycle Disorders in Human Patients and Knockout Mouse Models

PubMed Central

Deignan, Joshua L.; Cederbaum, Stephen D.; Grody, Wayne W.

2009-01-01

The urea cycle exists for the removal of excess nitrogen from the body. Six separate enzymes comprise the urea cycle, and a deficiency in any one of them causes a urea cycle disorder (UCD) in humans. Arginase is the only urea cycle enzyme with an alternate isoform, though no known human disorder currently exists due to a deficiency in the second isoform. While all of the UCDs usually present with hyperammonemia in the first few days to months of life, most disorders are distinguished by a characteristic profile of plasma amino acid alterations that can be utilized for diagnosis. While enzyme assay is possible, an analysis of the underlying mutation is preferable for an accurate diagnosis. Mouse models for each of the urea cycle disorders exist (with the exception of NAGS deficiency), and for almost all of them, their clinical and biochemical phenotypes rather closely resemble the phenotypes seen in human patients. Consequently, all of the current mouse models are highly useful for future research into novel pharmacological and dietary treatments and gene therapy protocols for the management of urea cycle disorders. PMID:17933574

Contrasting features of urea cycle disorders in human patients and knockout mouse models.

PubMed

Deignan, Joshua L; Cederbaum, Stephen D; Grody, Wayne W

2008-01-01

The urea cycle exists for the removal of excess nitrogen from the body. Six separate enzymes comprise the urea cycle, and a deficiency in any one of them causes a urea cycle disorder (UCD) in humans. Arginase is the only urea cycle enzyme with an alternate isoform, though no known human disorder currently exists due to a deficiency in the second isoform. While all of the UCDs usually present with hyperammonemia in the first few days to months of life, most disorders are distinguished by a characteristic profile of plasma amino acid alterations that can be utilized for diagnosis. While enzyme assay is possible, an analysis of the underlying mutation is preferable for an accurate diagnosis. Mouse models for each of the urea cycle disorders exist (with the exception of NAGS deficiency), and for almost all of them, their clinical and biochemical phenotypes rather closely resemble the phenotypes seen in human patients. Consequently, all of the current mouse models are highly useful for future research into novel pharmacological and dietary treatments and gene therapy protocols for the management of urea cycle disorders.

a Search for Interstellar Urea with Carma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, H.-L.; Snyder, L. E.; Friedel, D. N.; Looney, L. W.; McCall, B. J.; Remijan, A. J.; Lovas, F. J.; Hollis, J. M.

2009-06-01

Urea, a molecule discovered in human urine by H. M Rouelle in 1773, also plays a significant role in prebiotic chemistry. Previous BIMA observations have suggested that interstellar urea [(NH_2)_2CO] is a compact hot core molecule such as the other large molecules methyl formate and acetic acid (2008, 63rd OSU Symposium On Molecular Spectroscopy, RF11). We have conducted an extensive search for urea toward the high mass hot molecular core Sgr B2(N-LMH) using the CARMA array. The resolution at 1 mm enables favorable coupling of source size and synthesized beam size, which was found to be essential for flux measurements and detection limits of weak signals. The 2.5^''×2^'' synthesized beam of CARMA significantly resolves out the extended emission and reveals the weak lines that were previously blended with nearby transitions. Our analysis indicates that these lines are likely to be urea since they are now less contaminated, the resulting observed line frequencies are coincident with a set of overlapping connecting urea lines, and the observed line intensities are consistent with expected line strengths of urea.

BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen): MedlinePlus Lab Test Information

MedlinePlus

... BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/bunbloodureanitrogen.html BUN (Blood Urea ... Jan 30]; 4(2):223–33. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3516645 Mayo ...

Hereditary urea cycle abnormality

MedlinePlus

Nagamani SCS, Lichter-Konecki U. Inborn errors of urea synthesis. In: Swaiman KF, Ashwal S, Ferriero DM, et al, ... Elsevier; 2017:chap 38. Rezvani I, Yudkoff M. Urea cycle and ... errors of metabolism. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, Walsh MC, eds. ...

Genetics Home Reference: ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency

MedlinePlus

... to a class of genetic diseases called urea cycle disorders. The urea cycle is a sequence of reactions that occurs in ... enzyme starts a specific reaction within the urea cycle. In ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency , as its name suggests, ...

Effects of reaction pH on properties and performance of urea-formaldehyde resins

Treesearch

Chung-Yun Hse; Zhi-Yuan Xia; Bunchiro Tomita

1994-01-01

Urea formaldehyde resins were formulated with combination variables of three reaction pH (1.0, 4.8, and 8.0) and four molar ratios of formaldehyde to urea (2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0). The resins were prepared by placing all formaldehyde and water in reaction kettle and pH was adjusted with sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, respectively. Urea was added in 15 equal parts...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea (Interagency Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is releasing the draft report, Toxicological Review of Urea,, that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the IRIS Assessment Development Process. Comments received from other Federal agencies and White House Offices are provided below with external peer review panel comments. The draft Toxicological Review of Urea provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to Urea.

Equilibrium denaturation and preferential interactions of an RNA tetraloop with urea

DOE PAGES

Miner, Jacob Carlson; García, Angel Enrique

2017-02-09

Urea is an important organic cosolute with implications in maintaining osmotic stress in cells and differentially stabilizing ensembles of folded biomolecules. We report an equilibrium study of urea-induced denaturation of a hyperstable RNA tetraloop through unbiased replica exchange molecular dynamics. We find that, in addition to destabilizing the folded state, urea smooths the RNA free energy landscape by destabilizing specific configurations, and forming favorable interactions with RNA nucleobases. A linear concentration-dependence of the free energy (m-value) is observed, in agreement with the results of other RNA hairpins and proteins. Additionally, analysis of the hydrogen-bonding and stacking interactions within RNA primarilymore » show temperature-dependence, while interactions between RNA and urea primarily show concentration-dependence. Lastly, our findings provide valuable insight into the effects of urea on RNA folding and describe the thermodynamics of a basic RNA hairpin as a function of solution chemistry.« less

Ethane-Bridged Bisporphyrin Conformational Changes As an Effective Analytical Tool for Nonenzymatic Detection of Urea in the Physiological Range.

PubMed

Buccolieri, Alessandro; Hasan, Mohammed; Bettini, Simona; Bonfrate, Valentina; Salvatore, Luca; Santino, Angelo; Borovkov, Victor; Giancane, Gabriele

2018-06-05

Conformational switching induced in ethane-bridged bisporphyrins was used as a sensitive transduction method for revealing the presence of urea dissolved in water via nonenzymatic approach. Bisporphyrins were deposited on solid quartz slides by means of the spin-coating method. Molecular conformations of Zn and Ni monometalated bis-porphyrins were influenced by water solvated urea molecules and their fluorescence emission was modulated by the urea concentration. Absorption, fluorescence and Raman spectroscopies allowed the identification of supramolecular processes, which are responsible for host-guest interaction between the active layers and urea molecules. A high selectivity of the sensing mechanism was highlighted upon testing the spectroscopic responses of bis-porphyrin films to citrulline and glutamine used as interfering agents. Additionally, potential applicability was demonstrated by quantifying the urea concentration in real physiological samples proposing this new approach as a valuable alternative analytical procedure to the traditionally used enzymatic methods.

Urea transport through composite polyallylamine membranes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballou, E. V.; Kubo, L. Y.; Spitze, L. A.; Wydeven, T.; Clark, J. A.

1977-01-01

Polyallylamine composite reverse osmosis membranes were prepared by plasma polymerization and deposition onto small-pored cellulose acetate/cellulose nitrate films. The polyallylamine coated the porous substrate with a thin uniform polymer film which exhibited water permeability and urea rejection, of interest because of the potential application of reverse osmosis to urine purification in closed environmental systems. The flux of C-14 labeled urea was studied under the influence of osmotic gradients provided by sodium chloride solutions. The urea flux was found to be enhanced by an osmotic pressure gradient in the same direction and diminished, but not prevented, by an opposing osmotic pressure gradient. Consideration is given to the mechanism of the urea transport, as well as to the influence of concentration polarization on the experimental results. The minimization of coupled flow in pores of a critical size range is apparently necessary to improve urea rejection.

Salt potentiates methylamine counteraction system to offset the deleterious effects of urea on protein stability and function.

PubMed

Rahman, Safikur; Rehman, Md Tabish; Singh, Laishram R; Warepam, Marina; Ahmad, Faizan; Dar, Tanveer Ali

2015-01-01

Cellular methylamines are osmolytes (low molecular weight organic compounds) believed to offset the urea's harmful effects on the stability and function of proteins in mammalian kidney and marine invertebrates. Although urea and methylamines are found at 2:1 molar ratio in tissues, their opposing effects on protein structure and function have been questioned on several grounds including failure to counteraction or partial counteraction. Here we investigated the possible involvement of cellular salt, NaCl, in urea-methylamine counteraction on protein stability and function. We found that NaCl mediates methylamine counteracting system from no or partial counteraction to complete counteraction of urea's effect on protein stability and function. These conclusions were drawn from the systematic thermodynamic stability and functional activity measurements of lysozyme and RNase-A. Our results revealed that salts might be involved in protein interaction with charged osmolytes and hence in the urea-methylamine counteraction.

Structure and permeation mechanism of a mammalian urea transporter

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

Levin, Elena J.; Cao, Yu; Enkavi, Giray

2012-09-17

As an adaptation to infrequent access to water, terrestrial mammals produce urine that is hyperosmotic to plasma. To prevent osmotic diuresis by the large quantity of urea generated by protein catabolism, the kidney epithelia contain facilitative urea transporters (UTs) that allow rapid equilibration between the urinary space and the hyperosmotic interstitium. Here we report the first X-ray crystal structure of a mammalian UT, UT-B, at a resolution of 2.36 {angstrom}. UT-B is a homotrimer and each protomer contains a urea conduction pore with a narrow selectivity filter. Structural analyses and molecular dynamics simulations showed that the selectivity filter has twomore » urea binding sites separated by an approximately 5.0 kcal/mol energy barrier. Functional studies showed that the rate of urea conduction in UT-B is increased by hypoosmotic stress, and that the site of osmoregulation coincides with the location of the energy barrier.« less

Equilibrium Denaturation and Preferential Interactions of an RNA Tetraloop with Urea.

PubMed

Miner, Jacob C; García, Angel E

2017-04-20

Urea is an important organic cosolute with implications in maintaining osmotic stress in cells and differentially stabilizing ensembles of folded biomolecules. We report an equilibrium study of urea-induced denaturation of a hyperstable RNA tetraloop through unbiased replica exchange molecular dynamics. We find that, in addition to destabilizing the folded state, urea smooths the RNA free energy landscape by destabilizing specific configurations, and forming favorable interactions with RNA nucleobases. A linear concentration-dependence of the free energy (m-value) is observed, in agreement with the results of other RNA hairpins and proteins. Additionally, analysis of the hydrogen-bonding and stacking interactions within RNA primarily show temperature-dependence, while interactions between RNA and urea primarily show concentration-dependence. Our findings provide valuable insight into the effects of urea on RNA folding and describe the thermodynamics of a basic RNA hairpin as a function of solution chemistry.

Structure and permeation mechanism of a mammalian urea transporter

PubMed Central

Levin, Elena J.; Cao, Yu; Enkavi, Giray; Quick, Matthias; Pan, Yaping; Tajkhorshid, Emad; Zhou, Ming

2012-01-01

As an adaptation to infrequent access to water, terrestrial mammals produce urine that is hyperosmotic to plasma. To prevent osmotic diuresis by the large quantity of urea generated by protein catabolism, the kidney epithelia contain facilitative urea transporters (UTs) that allow rapid equilibration between the urinary space and the hyperosmotic interstitium. Here we report the first X-ray crystal structure of a mammalian UT, UT-B, at a resolution of 2.36 Å. UT-B is a homotrimer and each protomer contains a urea conduction pore with a narrow selectivity filter. Structural analyses and molecular dynamics simulations showed that the selectivity filter has two urea binding sites separated by an approximately 5.0 kcal/mol energy barrier. Functional studies showed that the rate of urea conduction in UT-B is increased by hypoosmotic stress, and that the site of osmoregulation coincides with the location of the energy barrier. PMID:22733730

Chemodetection and Destruction of Host Urea Allows Helicobacter pylori to Locate the Epithelium

PubMed Central

Huang, Julie Y.; Sweeney, Emily Goers; Sigal, Michael; Zhang, Hai C.; Remington, S. James; Cantrell, Michael A.; Kuo, Calvin J.; Guillemin, Karen; Amieva, Manuel R.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY The gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori interacts intimately with the gastric mucosa to avoid the microbicidal acid in the stomach lumen. The cues H. pylori senses to locate and colonize the gastric epithelium have not been well defined. We show that metabolites emanating from human gastric organoids rapidly attract H. pylori. This response is largely controlled by the bacterial chemoreceptor TlpB, and the main attractant emanating from epithelia is urea. Our previous structural analyses show that TlpB binds urea with high affinity. Here we demonstrate that this tight binding controls highly sensitive responses, allowing detection of urea concentrations as low as 50 nanomolar. Attraction to urea requires that H. pylori urease simultaneously destroys the signal. We propose that H. pylori has evolved a sensitive urea chemodetection and destruction system that allows the bacterium to dynamically and locally modify the host environment to locate the epithelium. PMID:26269952

Neuropsychiatric manifestations in late-onset urea cycle disorder patients.

PubMed

Serrano, Mercedes; Martins, Cecilia; Pérez-Dueñas, Belén; Gómez-López, Lilian; Murgui, Empar; Fons, Carmen; García-Cazorla, Angels; Artuch, Rafael; Jara, Fernando; Arranz, José A; Häberle, Johannes; Briones, Paz; Campistol, Jaume; Pineda, Mercedes; Vilaseca, Maria A

2010-03-01

Inherited urea cycle disorders represent one of the most common groups of inborn errors of metabolism. Late-onset urea cycle disorders caused by partial enzyme deficiencies may present with unexpected clinical phenotypes. We report 9 patients followed up in our hospital presenting late-onset urea cycle disorders who initially manifested neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental symptoms (the most prevalent neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental diagnoses were mental retardation, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], language disorder, and delirium). Generally, these clinical pictures did not benefit from pharmacological treatment. Conversely, dietary treatment improved the symptoms. Regarding biochemical data, 2 patients showed normal ammonium but high glutamine levels. This study highlights the fact that neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental findings are common among the initial symptomatology of late-onset urea cycle disorders. The authors recommend that unexplained or nonresponsive neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental symptoms appearing during childhood or adolescence be followed by a study of ammonia and amino acid plasmatic levels to rule out a urea cycle disorder.

Equilibrium denaturation and preferential interactions of an RNA tetraloop with urea

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

Miner, Jacob Carlson; García, Angel Enrique

Urea is an important organic cosolute with implications in maintaining osmotic stress in cells and differentially stabilizing ensembles of folded biomolecules. We report an equilibrium study of urea-induced denaturation of a hyperstable RNA tetraloop through unbiased replica exchange molecular dynamics. We find that, in addition to destabilizing the folded state, urea smooths the RNA free energy landscape by destabilizing specific configurations, and forming favorable interactions with RNA nucleobases. A linear concentration-dependence of the free energy (m-value) is observed, in agreement with the results of other RNA hairpins and proteins. Additionally, analysis of the hydrogen-bonding and stacking interactions within RNA primarilymore » show temperature-dependence, while interactions between RNA and urea primarily show concentration-dependence. Lastly, our findings provide valuable insight into the effects of urea on RNA folding and describe the thermodynamics of a basic RNA hairpin as a function of solution chemistry.« less

Studies on the Growth Effects of the Canaline-Urea Cycle Amino Acids with Lemna minor L. 1

PubMed Central

Rosenthal, Gerald A.; Gulati, Dushyant K.; Sabharwal, P. S.

1975-01-01

The aquatic microphyte, Lemna minor L., was utilized to assess the relative toxicity and general growth effects of canavanine, canaline, ureidohomoserine (UHS), and canavaninosuccinate (CSA). These amino acids are constituents of the canaline-urea cycle and structural analogues of the ornithine-urea cycle amino acids. Comparative growth studies with L. minor revealed that the canaline-urea cycle amino acids are potent antimetabolites. With the exception of CSA, they are extremely toxic at a concentration of 5 μm. Over a concentration range of 1 to 4 μm, canavanine is the most growth-inhibiting of the canaline-urea cycle amino acids. At or above 5 μm, canavanine and canaline possess comparable toxicity. UHS is less growth-inhibiting than canavanine or canaline, and CSA is the least toxic of the canaline-urea cycle intermediates. PMID:16659316

Exposure to ammonia and acute respiratory effects in a urea fertilizer factory.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Hamidur; Bråtveit, Magne; Moen, Bente E

2007-01-01

Personal exposures to ammonia and acute respiratory effects were determined in workers at a urea fertilizer factory in Bangladesh. Full-shift personal exposure to ammonia was measured using a PAC III direct reading instrument and Drager diffusion tubes. Respiratory symptoms were elicited by a questionnaire study (n = 113), and preshift and postshift lung function (FVC, FEV1, and PEFR) were tested using spirometry (n = 88). Urea plant workers had higher mean exposure to ammonia and prevalence of acute respiratory symptoms than did workers in the ammonia plant. The symptoms with highest prevalence in the urea plant were chest tightness (33%) and cough (28%). FVC and FEV1 decreased significantly across the work shift among urea plant workers. The higher level of exposure to ammonia in the urea plant was associated with an increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms and an acute decline in lung function.

Effect of abomasal infusion of oligofructose on portal-drained visceral ammonia and urea-nitrogen fluxes in lactating Holstein cows.

PubMed

Røjen, B A; Larsen, M; Kristensen, N B

2012-12-01

The effects of abomasal infusion of oligofructose in lactating dairy cows on the relationship between hindgut fermentation and N metabolism, and its effects on NH(3) absorption and transfer of blood urea-N across the portal-drained viscera versus ruminal epithelia were investigated. Nine lactating Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulas and permanent indwelling catheters in major splanchnic blood vessels were used in an unbalanced crossover design with 14-d periods. Treatments were continuous abomasal infusion of water or 1,500 g/d of oligofructose. The same basal diet was fed with both treatments. Eight sample sets of arterial, portal, hepatic, and ruminal vein blood, ruminal fluid, and urine were obtained at 0.5h before the morning feeding and at 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, and 6.5 h after feeding. It was hypothesized that an increased supply of fermentable substrate to the hindgut would increase the uptake of urea-N from blood to the hindgut at the expense of urea-N uptake to the forestomach. The study showed that abomasal oligofructose infusion decreased the total amount of urea-N transferred from the blood to the gut, NH(3) absorption, and arterial blood urea-N concentration. Subsequently, hepatic NH(3) uptake and urea-N production also decreased with oligofructose infusion. Additionally, urea-N concentration in milk and urinary N excretion decreased with oligofructose treatment. The oligofructose infusion did not affect ruminal NH(3) concentrations or any other ruminal variables, nor did it affect ruminal venous - arterial concentration differences for urea-N and NH(3). The oligofructose treatment did not affect milk yield, but did decrease apparent digestibility of OM, N, and starch. Nitrogen excreted in the feces was greater with the oligofructose infusion. In conclusion, the present data suggest that increased hindgut fermentation did not upregulate urea-N transfer to the hindgut at the expense of urea-N uptake by the rumen, and the observed reduction in arterial blood urea-N concentration appeared not to be due to increased urea-N transport, but rather could be explained by reduced NH(3) input to hepatic urea-N synthesis caused by increased sequestration of NH(3) in the hindgut and excretion in feces. Increasing the hindgut fermentation in lactating dairy cows by abomasal infusion of 1,500 g/d of oligofructose shifted some N excretion from the urine to feces and possibly reduced manure NH(3) volatilization without impairing rumen fermentation. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of fat and/or methionine hydroxy analog added to a molasses-urea-based supplement on ruminal and postruminal digestion and duodenal flow of nutrients in beef steers consuming low-quality lovegrass hay.

PubMed

Lopez, R; Pulsipher, G D; Guerra-Liera, J E; Soto-Navarro, S A; Balstad, L A; Petersen, M K; Dhuyvetter, D V; Brown, M S; Krehbiel, C R

2016-06-01

Five crossbred beef steers (initial BW = 338.6 ± 7.8 kg) fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design experiment to evaluate the effects of methionine hydroxy analog (MHA) and/or yellow grease (fat) added to a molasses-urea-based supplement on intake and characteristics of digestion. Steers were fed low-quality hay (long-stem lovegrass : 3.3% CP, 76.8% NDF; DM basis) ad libitum and supplemented with 0.91 kg/d (as fed) of 1 of 4 supplements in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial arrangement of treatments. Supplemental treatments were 1) control (no supplement, NC); 2) molasses-urea liquid supplement (U); 3) U containing (as-fed basis) 1.65% MHA (UM); 4) U containing (as-fed basis) 12% fat (UF); and 5) U containing (as-fed basis) 1.65% MHA and 12% fat (UMF). Total and forage OM intake (kg/d and as % of BW) increased ( < 0.01) with molasses-urea, decreased ( ≤ 0.04) with MHA, and were not affected ( = 0.61) with fat supplementation. Total tract NDF digestibility increased ( = 0.01) with molasses-urea supplementation, and was less ( = 0.01) for fat than for nonfat supplementation. Total and microbial N flowing to the duodenum increased ( = 0.01) with molasses-urea supplementation. Although, total N flowing to duodenum was not affected ( = 0.27), microbial N decreased ( = 0.01), and nonammonia nonmicrobial N (NANMN) increased ( = 0.01) with fat supplementation. Extent of in situ OM and NDF digestibility at 96 h increased ( = 0.01) with molasses-urea supplementation, but were not affected ( ≥ 0.14) by either MHA or fat supplementation. Duodenal flow of total AA, essential AA, and nonessential AA increased ( ≤ 0.02) with molasses-urea supplementation. Total and nonessential serum AA concentration decreased ( < 0.01) with molasses-urea supplementation. Total ruminal VFA concentration increased ( = 0.01) with molasses-urea supplementation, and was not affected ( ≥ 0.14) by MHA or fat supplementation. Fat can be used in molasses-urea liquid supplements for cattle consuming low-quality forage to increase energy intake without negatively affecting forage intake or characteristics of digestion. However, adding MHA did not further improve the response to urea supplementation of cattle consuming low-quality forage. Conversely, the inclusion of MHA on urea supplement decreased forage intake.

Interactions between barley grain processing and source of supplemental dietary fat on nitrogen metabolism and urea-nitrogen recycling in dairy cows.

PubMed

Gozho, G N; Hobin, M R; Mutsvangwa, T

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of methods of barley grain processing and source of supplemental fat on urea-N transfer to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the utilization of this recycled urea-N in lactating dairy cows. Four ruminally cannulated Holstein cows (656.3 +/- 27.7 kg of BW; 79.8 +/- 12.3 d in milk) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design with 28-d periods and a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments. Experimental diets contained dry-rolled barley or pelleted barley in combination with whole canola or whole flaxseed as supplemental fat sources. Nitrogen balance was measured from d 15 to 19, with concurrent measurements of urea-N kinetics using continuous intrajugular infusions of [15N 15N]-urea. Dry matter intake and N intake were higher in cows fed dry-rolled barley compared with those fed pelleted barley. Nitrogen retention was not affected by diet, but fecal N excretion was higher in cows fed dry-rolled barley than in those fed pelleted barley. Actual and energy-corrected milk yield were not affected by diet. Milk fat content and milk fat yield were higher in cows fed dry-rolled barley compared with those fed pelleted barley. Source of supplemental fat did not affect urea-N kinetics. Urea-N production was higher (442.2 vs. 334.3 g of N/d), and urea-N entering the GIT tended to be higher (272.9 vs. 202.0 g of N/d), in cows fed dry-rolled barley compared with those fed pelleted barley. The amount of urea-N entry into the GIT that was returned to the ornithine cycle was higher (204.1 vs. 159.5 g of N/d) in cows fed dry-rolled barley than in pelleted barley-fed cows. The amount of urea-N recycled to the GIT and used for anabolic purposes, and the amounts lost in the urine or feces were not affected by dietary treatment. Microbial nonammonia N supply, estimated using total urinary excretion of purine derivatives, was not affected by diet. These results show that even though barley grain processing altered urea-N entry into the GIT, the utilization of this recycled urea-N for microbial production was unaffected as the additional urea-N, which entered the GIT was returned to ureagenesis.

Effects of ruminal casein and glucose on forage digestion and urea kinetics in beef cattle.

PubMed

Bailey, E A; Titgemeyer, E C; Olson, K C; Brake, D W; Jones, M L; Anderson, D E

2012-10-01

Effects of supplemental glucose and degradable intake protein on nutrient digestion and urea kinetics in steers (Bos taurus) given ad libitum access to prairie hay (4.7% CP) were quantified. Six ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers (initial BW 391 kg) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square with 2 extra steers. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial and included 0 or 1.2 kg of glucose and 240 or 480 g of casein dosed ruminally once daily. Each period included 9 d for adaptation, 4 d for total fecal and urine collections, and 1 d for ruminal and duodenal sampling. Jugular infusion of (15)N(15)N-urea with measurement of enrichment in urine was used to measure urea kinetics. Glucose reduced forage intake by 18% (P < 0.01), but casein did not affect forage intake (P = 0.69). Glucose depressed (P < 0.01) total tract NDF digestion. Glucose supplementation decreased ruminal pH 2 h after dosing, but the effect was negligible by 6 h (treatment × time; P = 0.01). Providing additional casein increased the ruminal concentration of NH(3), but the increase was less when glucose was supplemented (casein × glucose; P < 0.01). Plasma urea-N was increased (P < 0.01) by additional casein but was reduced (P < 0.01) by glucose. Microbial N flow to the duodenum and retained N increased (P ≤ 0.01) as casein increased, but neither was affected by glucose supplementation. Urea-N entry rate increased (P = 0.03) 50% with increasing casein. Urinary urea-N excretion increased (P < 0.01) as casein increased. The proportion of urea production that was recycled to the gut decreased (P < 0.01) as casein increased. Glucose supplementation decreased (P < 0.01) urinary urea excretion but did not change (P ≥ 0.70) urea production or recycling. The amount of urea-N transferred to the gut and captured by ruminal microbes was less for steers receiving 480 g/d casein with no glucose than for the other 3 treatments (casein × glucose interaction, P = 0.05), which can be attributed to an excess of ruminally available N provided directly to the microbes from the supplement. Overall, the provision of supplemental glucose decreased forage intake and digestibility. Increasing supplemental casein from 240 to 480 g/d increased urea production but decreased the proportion of urea-N recycled to the gut.

Synthetic biology for microbial production of lipid-based biofuels

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

d’Espaux, Leo; Mendez-Perez, Daniel; Li, Rachel

The risks of maintaining current CO 2 emission trends have led to interest in producing biofuels using engineered microbes. Microbial biofuels reduce emissions because CO 2 produced by fuel combustion is offset by CO2 captured by growing biomass, which is later used as feedstock for biofuel fermentation. Hydrocarbons found in petroleum fuels share striking similarity with biological lipids. Here in this paper we review synthetic metabolic pathways based on fatty acid and isoprenoid metabolism to produce alkanes and other molecules suitable as biofuels. Lastly, we further discuss engineering strategies to optimize engineered biosynthetic routes, as well as the potential ofmore » synthetic biology for sustainable manufacturing.« less

Landslide remediation on Ohio State Route 83 using clean coal combustion by-products

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

Payette, R.; Chen, Xi You; Wolfe, W.

1995-12-31

The disposal of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-products has become a major concern as issues of emission cleansing and landfill costs continue to rise. Laboratory tests conducted at the Ohio State University have shown that dry FGD by-products possess certain engineering properties that have proven desirable in a number of construction uses. As a follow on to the laboratory program, a field investigation into engineering uses of dry FGD wastes was initiated. In the present work, an FGD by-product was used to reconstruct the failed portion of a highway embankment. The construction process and the stability of the repaired embankmentmore » are examined.« less

Low temperature co-pyrolysis of hexabenzylditinsulfide and selenium. An alternate route to Sn(S{sub x}Se{sub 1{minus}x})

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

Boudjouk, P.; Remington, M.P. Jr.; Seidler, D.J.

1999-12-01

Benzyl-substituted tin chalcogenides (Bn{sub 3}Sn){sub 2}S (1) and (Bn{sub 3}Sn){sub 2}Se (2) yield polycrystalline-phase pure SnS and SnSe in good ceramic yields when pyrolyzed with S and Se, respectively, at 275 C. Heating mixtures of (1) and elemental selenium produce solid solutions of the formula Sn(S{sub x}Se{sub 1{minus}x}). Combustion analysis showed less than 1% residual carbon in all ceramic products. This methodology allows the complete conversion of tin-to-tin chalcogenides and eliminates the need to synthesize organosulfur and organoselenium intermediates.

A large response range reflectometric urea biosensor made from silica-gel nanoparticles.

PubMed

Alqasaimeh, Muawia; Heng, Lee Yook; Ahmad, Musa; Raj, A S Santhana; Ling, Tan Ling

2014-07-22

A new silica-gel nanospheres (SiO2NPs) composition was formulated, followed by biochemical surface functionalization to examine its potential in urea biosensor development. The SiO2NPs were basically synthesized based on sol-gel chemistry using a modified Stober method. The SiO2NPs surfaces were modified with amine (-NH2) functional groups for urease immobilization in the presence of glutaric acid (GA) cross-linker. The chromoionophore pH-sensitive dye ETH 5294 was physically adsorbed on the functionalized SiO2NPs as pH transducer. The immobilized urease determined urea concentration reflectometrically based on the colour change of the immobilized chromoionophore as a result of the enzymatic hydrolysis of urea. The pH changes on the biosensor due to the catalytic enzyme reaction of immobilized urease were found to correlate with the urea concentrations over a linear response range of 50-500 mM (R2 = 0.96) with a detection limit of 10 mM urea. The biosensor response time was 9 min with reproducibility of less than 10% relative standard deviation (RSD). This optical urea biosensor did not show interferences by Na+, K+, Mg2+ and NH4+ ions. The biosensor performance has been validated using urine samples in comparison with a non-enzymatic method based on the use of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (DMAB) reagent and demonstrated a good correlation between the two different methods (R2 = 0.996 and regression slope of 1.0307). The SiO2NPs-based reflectometric urea biosensor showed improved dynamic linear response range when compared to other nanoparticle-based optical urea biosensors.

Structural and optical characterization of Er-alkali-metals codoped MgO nanoparticles synthesized by solution combustion route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivasankari, J.; Selvakumar Sellaiyan, S.; Sankar, S.; Devi, L. Vimala; Sivaji, K.

2017-01-01

Pure MgO, rare-earth (Er) doped MgO (MgO:Er), and alkali metal ions (Li, Na and K) co-doped MgO:Er [i.e. MgO: Er+X (X=Li, Na, and K)] nanopowders were synthesized by solution combustion method and characterized. The XRD analysis reveals the cubic structure and the substitution of dopants and co-dopants in MgO. Annealing at 800 °C, increases the sizes of nano-crystallites of all samples appreciably, indicating the grain growth and the improvement in crystallinity of all the samples. Increase in lattice parameter, d spacing and band gap were observed after annealing. Structural and morphological analysis using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies has shown that the samples contain structures like agglomerated clusters. FT-IR spectra confirm the stretching mode of hydroxyl groups, carbonate and presence of MgO bonding. The characteristic wavelength ranging from 2600 cm-1 to 3000 cm-1 were assigned to transition of 4S3/2→4I13/2 and 4I11/2→4I15/2 of Er3+.

Investigation of structural, morphological, luminescent and thermal properties of combusted aluminium-based iron oxide

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

Shinde, S.S.; Rajpure, K.Y., E-mail: rajpure@yahoo.co

Nanocomposites of aluminium integrated hematite {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} are synthesized by combustion route using aqueous solutions of AR grade ferric trichloride and aluminium nitrate as precursors. The influence of aluminium incorporation on to the morphology, XPS, photoluminescence and thermal properties has been investigated. The FESEM and AFM micrographs depict that the samples are compact and have homogeneously distributed grains of varying sizes ({approx}20-60 nm). Chemical composition and valence states of constituent elements in hematite are analyzed by XPS. In room temperature photoluminescence (PL) study, we observed strong violet emission around 436 nm without any deep-level emission and a small PLmore » FWHM indicating that the concentrations of defects are responsible for deep-level emissions. The specific heat and thermal conductivity study shows the phonon conduction behavior is dominant. We studied interparticle interactions using complex impedance spectroscopy. We report a new potential candidate for its possible applications in optoelectronics and magnetic devices. -- Graphical abstract: Frequency and temperature dependent interparticle interactions like grains, grain boundary effects using complex impedance spectroscopy of pure and 10 at% Al:Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} have been studied. Display Omitted« less

Influence of nickel substitution on crystal structure and magnetic properties of strontium ferrite preparation via sol-gel auto-combustion route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roohani, Ebrahim; Arabi, Hadi; Sarhaddi, Reza

2018-01-01

In this research, SrFe12-xNixO19 (x = 0 - 1) hexagonal ferrites were prepared by sol-gel auto-combustion method. Effect of Ni substitution on structural, morphological and magnetic properties of nanoparticles was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. The XRD results confirmed that all samples with x ≤ 0.5 have single phase M-type strontium ferrite structure, whereas for the SrFe12-xNixO19 samples with x > 0.5, the spinel NiFe2O4 phase has also appeared. The lattice parameters and crystallite sizes of the powders were concluded from the XRD data and Williamson-Hall method. Magnetic analyses showed that the coercivity of powders decreased from 5672 Oe to 639 Oe while the saturation magnetization increased from 74 emu/g to 81 emu/g with nickel substitution. The results of this study suggest that the strontium hexaferrites doped with Ni are suitable for applications in high density magnetic recording media as well as microwave devices because of their promising magnetic properties.

Urea and deuterium mixtures at high pressures

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

Donnelly, M., E-mail: m.donnelly-2@sms.ed.ac.uk; Husband, R. J.; Frantzana, A. D.

2015-03-28

Urea, like many network forming compounds, has long been known to form inclusion (guest-host) compounds. Unlike other network formers like water, urea is not known to form such inclusion compounds with simple molecules like hydrogen. Such compounds if they existed would be of interest both for the fundamental insight they provide into molecular bonding and as potential gas storage systems. Urea has been proposed as a potential hydrogen storage material [T. A. Strobel et al., Chem. Phys. Lett. 478, 97 (2009)]. Here, we report the results of high-pressure neutron diffraction studies of urea and D{sub 2} mixtures that indicate nomore » inclusion compound forms up to 3.7 GPa.« less

Habit modification of epsomite in the presence of urea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramalingom, S.; Podder, J.; Narayana Kalkura, S.; Bocelli, G.

2003-01-01

The pure and urea doped epsomite (MgSO 4·7H 2O) crystals were grown at low temperature by the slow cooling technique. The effect of pH on the growth rate of pure MgSO 4·7H 2O was studied. It was found that the higher pH values increased the growth rate and the size of the crystals. The quantity of urea present in the doped magnesium sulphate crystals was estimated. The incorporation of urea into the mother solution was found to promote the growth rate. The habit of the crystals changed from orthorhombic to tetragonal. Further, there was an increase of microhardness of the crystals on doping of urea.