Engineering of EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acid production by Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG1363.

Science.gov (United States)

Amiri-Jami, Mitra; Lapointe, Gisele; Griffiths, Mansel W

2014-04-01

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been shown to be of major importance in human health. Therefore, these essential polyunsaturated fatty acids have received considerable attention in both human and farm animal nutrition. Currently, fish and fish oils are the main dietary sources of EPA/DHA. To generate sustainable novel sources for EPA and DHA, the 35-kb EPA/DHA synthesis gene cluster was isolated from a marine bacterium, Shewanella baltica MAC1. To streamline the introduction of the genes into food-grade microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria, unnecessary genes located upstream and downstream of the EPA/DHA gene cluster were deleted. Recombinant Escherichia coli harboring the 20-kb gene cluster produced 3.5- to 6.1-fold more EPA than those carrying the 35-kb DNA fragment coding for EPA/DHA synthesis. The 20-kb EPA/DHA gene cluster was cloned into a modified broad-host-range low copy number vector, pIL252m (4.7 kb, Ery) and expressed in Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG1363. Recombinant L. lactis produced DHA (1.35 ± 0.5 mg g(-1) cell dry weight) and EPA (0.12 ± 0.04 mg g(-1) cell dry weight). This is believed to be the first successful cloning and expression of EPA/DHA synthesis gene cluster in lactic acid bacteria. Our findings advance the future use of EPA/DHA-producing lactic acid bacteria in such applications as dairy starters, silage adjuncts, and animal feed supplements.

Artificial cartilage bio-matrix formed of hyaluronic acid and Mg2+-polyphosphate

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X Wang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Here we show that inorganic polyphosphate (polyP, a polyanionic metabolic regulator consisting of multiple phosphate residues linked by energy-rich phosphoanhydride bonds, is present in the synovial fluid. In a biomimetic approach, to enhance cartilage synthesis and regeneration, we prepared amorphous polyP microparticles with Mg2+ as counterions. The particles were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic (FTIR analyses. Similar particles were obtained after addition of Mg2+ ions to a solution containing hyaluronic acid, as a major component of the synovial fluid, and soluble Na-polyP. The viscous paste-like material formed, composed of globular microparticles with diameter of 400 nm, strongly promoted the adhesion of chondrocytes and caused a significant upregulation of the expression of the genes encoding collagen type 3A1, as a marker for chondrocyte differentiation, and SOX9, a transcription factor that regulates chondrocyte differentiation and proliferation. The expression level of the collagen type 3A1 gene was also enhanced by exposure of chondrocytes to synovial fluid that was found to contain polyP with a size of about 80 phosphate residues. This stimulatory effect was abolished after pre-incubation of the synovial fluid with the polyP degrading alkaline phosphatase. We propose a strategy for treatment of joint dysfunctions caused by osteoarthritis based on the application of amorphous Mg2+-polyP microparticles thatprevent calcium crystal formation in the synovial fluid using scavenging Ca2+ ions (Mg2+/Ca2+ exchange and enhance chondrocyte function after binding of the Ca2+-polyP to hyaluronic acid at the cartilage surface.

Hydrodechlorination of Tetrachloromethane over Palladium Catalysts Supported on Mixed MgF2-MgO Carriers

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Magdalena Bonarowska

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Pd/MgO, Pd/MgF2 and Pd/MgO-MgF2 catalysts were investigated in the reaction of CCl4 hydrodechlorination. All the catalysts deactivated in time on stream, but the degree of deactivation varied from catalyst to catalyst. The MgF2-supported palladium with relatively large metal particles appeared the best catalyst, characterized by good activity and selectivity to C2-C5 hydrocarbons. Investigation of post-reaction catalyst samples allowed to find several details associated with the working state of hydrodechlorination catalysts. The role of support acidity was quite complex. On the one hand, a definite, although not very high Lewis acidity of MgF2 is beneficial for shaping high activity of palladium catalysts. The MgO-MgF2 support characterized by stronger Lewis acidity than MgF2 contributes to very good catalytic activity for a relatively long reaction period (~5 h but subsequent neutralization of stronger acid centers (by coking eliminates them from the catalyst. On the other hand, the role of acidity evolution, which takes place when basic supports (like MgO are chlorided during HdCl reactions, is difficult to assess because different events associated with distribution of chlorided support species, leading to partial or even full blocking of the surface of palladium, which plays the role of active component in HdCl reactions.

Effect of crude oil petroleum hydrocarbons on protein expression of the prawn Macrobrachium borellii.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasquevich, M Y; Dreon, M S; Gutierrez Rivera, J N; Vázquez Boucard, C; Heras, H

2013-05-01

Hydrocarbon pollution is a major environmental threat to ecosystems in marine and freshwater environments, but its toxicological effect on aquatic organisms remains little studied. A proteomic approach was used to analyze the effect of a freshwater oil spill on the prawn Macrobrachium borellii. To this aim, proteins were extracted from midgut gland (hepatopancreas) of male and female prawns exposed 7 days to a sublethal concentration (0.6 ppm) of water-soluble fraction of crude oil (WSF). Exposure to WSF induced responses at the protein expression level. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) revealed 10 protein spots that were differentially expressed by WSF exposure. Seven proteins were identified using MS/MS and de novo sequencing. Nm23 oncoprotein, arginine methyltransferase, fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase and glutathione S-transferase were down-regulated, whereas two glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase isoforms and a lipocalin-like crustacyanin (CTC) were up-regulated after WSF exposure. CTC mRNA levels were further analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR showing an increased expression after WSF exposure. The proteins identified are involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, detoxification, transport of hydrophobic molecules and cellular homeostasis among others. These results provide evidence for better understanding the toxic mechanisms of hydrocarbons. Moreover, some of these differentially expressed proteins would be employed as potential novel biomarkers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Dietary supplementation of obese children with 1000 mg alpha-linolenic acid per day: a placebo-controlled double blind study].

Science.gov (United States)

Lohner, Szimonetta; Marosvölgyi, Tamás; Burus, István; Schmidt, János; Molnár, Dénes; Decsi, Tamás

2007-08-12

Enhanced dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids may benefit persons with increased cardiovascular risk, among them obese subjects. Incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids into the plasma lipids is a prerequisite to achieve the favorable effects; however, only very few data are available on the dose of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in children. The aim of our study was to examine the effects of the consumption of a diet supplemented with 1000 mg alpha-linolenic acid daily on plasma lipids in obese children. In this two times six-week-long, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 9 obese children (age: 13.1 [2.5] years, body mass index: 31.2 [6.2] kg/m 2 ), median [IQR]) incorporated into their diet one egg and one meatball (50 g) per day from hens fed diets containing flaxseed oil, i.e. supplementary dietary intake of 1000 mg alpha-linolenic acid per day was provided. The fatty acid composition of plasma lipids was determined by high-resolution gas-liquid chromatography. Tendencies of increase were observed in the alpha-linolenic acid content of plasma lipids in the phospholipid, triacyl-glycerine and sterol-ester fractions after the supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid. In the non-esterified fatty acid fraction, the values of alpha-linolenic acid were significantly higher after the supplementation (0.11 [0.08] versus 0.14 [0.20], % weight/weight, p < 0.05), indicating the beginning of the accumulation of alpha-linolenic acid in plasma lipids. In obese children a six-week-long supplementation of the diet with 1000 mg alpha-linolenic acid per day increased significantly the contribution of omega-3 fatty acids only to the non-esterified fatty acids of plasma lipids, but had no significant effect on the esterified fractions. Increase of the dose of supplementation may be needed to influence omega-3 fatty acid status in obese children.

Spectroscopic and structural studies on some divalent metal salt of p-aminobenzoic acid (ABA(MG)) tetracyanonickelate complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atalay, Y.

2004-01-01

Infrared spectra of MLNi (CN) 4 [ M=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn or Cd and LDivalent metal salt of p- Aminobenzoic Acid or ABA (Mg) ] are reported. Their structure consists of polymeric layers of [M-Ni(CN) 4 ] α with the divalent metal salt of p-aminobenzoic acid [ABA(Mg)] molecules bound directly to the metal (M). These spectra were comparewith powder the Xray diffraction pattern of complexes. It is show that proposed structures for these complexes derived from Mattson 1000 FTIR spectra are consistent with the X-ray powder diffraction measurements and elemental analysis result

A novel biodegradable nicotinic acid/calcium phosphate composite coating on Mg-3Zn alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Yingwei, E-mail: ywsong@imr.ac.cn; Shan, Dayong; Han, En-Hou

2013-01-01

A novel biodegradable composite coating is prepared to reduce the biodegradation rate of Mg-3Zn alloy. The Mg-3Zn substrate is first immersed into 0.02 mol L{sup -1} nicotinic acid (NA) solution, named as vitamin B{sub 3}, to obtain a pretreatment film, and then the electrodeposition of calcium phosphate coating with ultrasonic agitation is carried out on the NA pretreatment film to obtain a NA/calcium phosphate composite coating. Surface morphology is observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Chemical composition is determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and EDX. Protection property of the coatings is evaluated by electrochemical tests. The biodegradable behavior is investigated by immersion tests. The results indicate that a thin but compact bottom layer can be obtained by NA pretreatment. The electrodeposition calcium phosphate coating consists of many flake particles and ultrasonic agitation can greatly improve the compactness of the coating. The composite coating is biodegradable and can reduce the biodegradation rate of Mg alloys in stimulated body fluid (SBF) for twenty times. The biodegradation process of the composite coating can be attributed to the gradual dissolution of the flake particles into chippings. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NA/calcium phosphate composite coating is prepared to protect Mg-3Zn alloy implant. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nicotinic acid (vitamin B{sub 3}) is available to obtain a protective bottom film. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ultrasonic agitation greatly improves the compactness of calcium phosphate coating. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The composite coating can reduce the biodegradation rate of Mg-3Zn twenty times. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The composite coating is biodegraded by the dissolution of flakes into chippings.

Influence of Ca/Mg ratio on phytoextraction properties of Salix viminalis. II. Secretion of low molecular weight organic acids to the rhizosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Magdziak, Z; Kozlowska, M; Kaczmarek, Z; Mleczek, M; Chadzinikolau, T; Drzewiecka, K; Golinski, P

2011-01-01

A hydroponic experiment in a phytotron was performed to investigate the effect of two different Ca/Mg ratios (4:1 and 1:10) and trace element ions (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in solution on the efficiency of low molecular weight organic acid (LMWOA) formation in Salix viminalis rhizosphere. Depending on the Ca/Mg ratio and presence of selected trace elements at 0.5mM concentration, the amount and kind of LMWOAs in the rhizosphere were significantly affected. In physiological 4:1 Ca/Mg ratio the following complex of acids was observed: malonic (Pb, Zn), citric, lactic, maleic and succinic (Zn) acids. Under 1:10 Ca/Mg ratio, citric (Cd, Zn), maleic and succinic (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) acids were seen. Additionally, high accumulation of zinc and copper in all systems was observed, with the exception of those where one of the metals was at higher concentration. Summing up, the results indicate a significant role of LMWOAs in Salix phytoremediation abilities. Both effects can be modulated depending on the mutual Ca/Mg ratio. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alteration of Basaltic Glass to Mg/Fe-Smectite under Acidic Conditions: A Potential Smectite Formation Mechanism on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Peretyazhko, Tanya; Sutter, Brad; Ming, Douglas W.

2014-01-01

Phyllosilicates of the smectite group including Mg- and Fe-saponite and Fe(III)-rich nontronite have been identified on Mars. Smectites are believed to be formed under neutral to alkaline conditions that prevailed on early Mars. This hypothesis is supported by the observation of smectite and carbonate deposits in Noachian terrain on Mars. However, smectite may have formed under mildly acidic conditions. Abundant smectite formations have been detected as layered deposits hundreds of meters thick in intracrater depositional fans and plains sediments, while no large deposits of carbonates are found. Development of mildly acidic conditions at early Mars might allow formation of smectite but inhibit widespread carbonate precipitation. Little is known regarding the mechanisms of smectite formation from basaltic glass under acidic conditions. The objective of this study was to test a hypothesis that Mars-analogue basaltic glass alters to smectite minerals under acidic conditions (pH 4). The effects of Mg and Fe concentrations and temperature on smectite formation from basaltic glass were evaluated. Phyllosilicate synthesis was performed in batch reactors (Parr acid digestion vessel) under reducing hydrothermal conditions at 200 C and 100 C. Synthetic basaltic glass with a composition similar to that of the Gusev crater rock Adirondack (Ground surface APXS measurement) was used in these experiments. Basaltic glass was prepared by melting and quenching procedures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the synthesized glass was composed of olivine, magnetite and X-ray amorphous phase. Samples were prepared by mixing 250 mg Adirondack with 0.1 M acetic acid (final pH 4). In order to study influence of Mg concentration on smectite formation, experiments were performed with addition of 0, 1 and 10 mM MgCl2. After 1, 7 and 14 day incubations the solution composition was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and the altered glass and formed

Preparation of Mg/Al-LDHs intercalated with dodecanoic acid and investigation of its antiwear ability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Dong; Bai, Zhimin; Zhao, Fuyan

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Comparable studies of nano Mg/Al-LDHs powder on the anti-wear properties of lubricating oil were carried out on four-ball and gear testing machine. Mg/Al-NO 3 − -LDHs and Mg/Al-DA-LDHs powder in base oil possess an excellent friction-reducing property, with a friction coefficient at 23.9% and 22.2% which are lower than that of the base oil Highlights: ► We synthesized nano Mg/Al-NO 3 − (DA)-LDHs via coprecipitation and anion exchange. ► The optimal exchanging condition is as follows: water dispersion and pH value of 5. ► The tribological properties of LDHs were studied on four-ball and gear machine. ► We reported nano LHDs as anti-wear materials in lubricates for the first time. ► The greatest decline in friction coefficient of lubricates with LDHs is up to 23.9%. -- Abstract: Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) intercalated with dodecanoic acid have been prepared by anion exchange with Mg/Al-NO 3 − -LDHs as the precursor under acid condition with water and ethanol as the dispersion medium. The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyser (TG–DTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and BET. Patterns of XRD and FTIR show that interlayer nitrate ions have substituted with dodecanoic acid and the gallery height has increased from 0.88 nm to 1.99 nm. The interlayer distance of the intercalated materials increases with the increase of pH value due to the different arrangement of interlayer anions. The tribological performance of LDHs precursor and intercalated LDHs in base oil were studied for the first time by using four-ball wear machine and gear testing machine. Experimental results show that the LDHs precursor and intercalated LDHs powder are excellent in friction-reducing, with decreases in friction coefficient by 23.9% and 22.2% respectively comparing with base oil.

Environmentally safe corrosion inhibition of Mg-Al-Zn alloy in chloride free neutral solutions by amino acids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helal, N.H. [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum (Egypt); Badawy, W.A., E-mail: wbadawy@cu.edu.eg [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 12 613 Giza (Egypt)

2011-07-30

Highlights: > Phenyl alanine at a concentration of 2 x 10{sup -3} mol dm{sup -3} gives 93% corrosion inhibition efficiency for the corrosion of the Mg-Al-Zn alloy. > The corrosion inhibition process is based on the adsorption of the amino acid molecules on the active sites of the alloy surface by physical adsorption mechanism. > The adsorption free energy was 15.72 kJ mol{sup -1}. - Abstract: The corrosion inhibition of Mg-Al-Zn alloy was investigated in stagnant naturally aerated chloride free neutral solutions using amino acids as environmentally safe corrosion inhibitors. The corrosion rate was calculated in the absence and presence of the corrosion inhibitor using the polarization technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The experimental impedance data were fitted to theoretical data according to a proposed electronic circuit model to explain the behavior of the alloy/electrolyte interface under different conditions. The corrosion inhibition process was found to depend on the adsorption of the amino acid molecules on the metal surface. Phenyl alanine has shown remarkably high corrosion inhibition efficiency up to 93% at a concentration of 2 x 10{sup -3} mol dm{sup -3}. The corrosion inhibition efficiency was found to depend on the concentration of the amino acid and its structure. The mechanism of the corrosion inhibition process was discussed and different adsorption isotherms were investigated. The free energy of the adsorption process was calculated for the adsorption of different amino acids on the Mg-Al-Zn alloy and the obtained values reveal a physical adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on the alloy surface.

Microwave Acid Extraction to Analyze K and Mg Reserves in the Clay Fraction of Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Araína Hulmann Batista

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Extraction of K and Mg with boiling 1 mol L-1 HNO3 in an open system for predicting K and Mg uptake by plants is a method of low reproducibility. The aim of this study was to compare the extraction capacity of different acid methods relative to hydrofluoric acid extraction for K and Mg. A further objective was to develop a chemical extraction method using a closed system (microwave for nonexchangeable and structural forms of these nutrients in order to replace the traditional method of extraction with boiling HNO3 on a hot plate (open system. The EPA 3051A method can be used to estimate the total content of K in the clay fraction of soils developed from carbonate and phyllite/mica schist rocks. In the clay fraction of soils developed from basalt, recoveries of K by the EPA 3051A (pseudo-total method were higher than for the EPA 3052 (total hydrofluoric extraction method. The relative abundance of K and Mg for soils in carbonate rocks, phyllite/mica schist, granite/gneiss, and basalt determined by aqua regia digestion is unreliable. The method using 1 mol L-1 HNO3 in an closed system (microwave showed potential for replacing the classical method of extraction of nonexchangeable forms of K (boiling 1 mol L-1 HNO3 in an open system - hot plate and reduced the loss of Si by volatilization.

Effect of Nitric and Oxalic Acid Addition on Hard Anodizing of AlCu4Mg1 in Sulphuric Acid

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Maximilian Sieber

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The anodic oxidation process is an established means for the improvement of the wear and corrosion resistance of high-strength aluminum alloys. For high-strength aluminum-copper alloys of the 2000 series, both the current efficiency of the anodic oxidation process and the hardness of the oxide coatings are significantly reduced in comparison to unalloyed substrates. With regard to this challenge, recent investigations have indicated a beneficial effect of nitric acid addition to the commonly used sulphuric acid electrolytes both in terms of coating properties and process efficiency. The present work investigates the anodic oxidation of the AlCu4Mg1 alloy in a sulphuric acid electrolyte with additions of nitric acid as well as oxalic acid as a reference in a full-factorial design of experiments (DOE. The effect of the electrolyte composition on process efficiency, coating thickness and hardness is established by using response functions. A mechanism for the participation of the nitric acid additive during the oxide formation is proposed. The statistical significance of the results is assessed by an analysis of variance (ANOVA. Eventually, scratch testing is applied in order to evaluate the failure mechanisms and the abrasion resistance of the obtained conversion coatings.

Proposed formation mechanism and active species of hydrogen molecules generated from a novel magnesium-citric acid-hydroxypropyl cellulose coating (MgCC) material

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Shigeki; Chikuma, Toshiyuki; Chiba, Kazuyoshi; Tsuchiya, Daisuke; Hirai, Tomomitsu

2016-02-01

The presence of acids is known to accelerate the reaction (Mg + 2H2O = Mg(OH)2 + H2). We developed a novel Mg-citric acid coating (MgCC) material produced by milling Mg powder coated with hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC); because of its H2 generation, this material could be used in antioxidant therapy and antiaging applications. After milling in the presence of citric acid, this material produced H2-rich water upon addition to cooled water. Although the reaction was considered to involve a two-electron transfer from Mg to 2H2O, the role of the acid in H2 generation remains incompletely understood. To clarify the reaction mechanism, we performed studies on the deuterium kinetic isotope effects (KIE) and electron spin resonance (ESR). We observed differences in the concentration ratios, such as H2/D2 > 1 and H2/(H2 + D2 + HD) > 1, involved in H2, D2, and (H2 + D2 + HD) production, and found that adducts with hydrogen atoms (Hrad) were not obtained from the spin-trapping reaction between 5-(2, 2-Dimethyl-1,3-propoxy cyclophosphoryl)-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (CYPMPO) and the MgCC material. The H2, D2, and HD produced from MgCC were identified by using a gas chromatograph connected to a mass spectrometer. The spin-trapping techniques showed that the Hrad adducts formed by the reaction of NaBH4 with CYPMPO could not be observed from reaction of MGCC with CYPMPO in H2O. The data suggest that the rate-controlling step and proposed transition state (TS) exist in the reaction pathway of the O-H bond cleavage and H-H bond formation. A TS of a structure such as [Mg(OH2)2]∗ could be expected in the reaction pathway between Mg and 2H2O by density functional theory calculations. Also, these results show that H2 generation is accelerated in the presence of acids because the activation energy of the TS is significantly smaller than that of H2O.

Comparison of feeding strategies in acute toxicity tests of crude oil and commercial bioremediation agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavender, R.C.; Cherry, D.S.; Yeager, M.M.; Bidwell, J.R.

1995-01-01

Proposed modifications to the National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan have prompted examinations of the methodology used in toxicity testing of the water soluble fraction (WSF) of oil, commercial bioremediation agents (CBA), and a combination of the two. The organisms currently used in acute (96 hr) testing of these agents are the inland silverside, Menidia beryllina, and an estuarine mysid, Mysidopsis bahia. The mysid is a carnivorous species that must be fed during a test in order to prevent predation within the test chambers. Currently proposed methodology for silverside testing also includes feeding. The high oxygen demand of CBAs and the WSF of oil causes dissolved oxygen to be a factor in toxicity. This effect can be intensified by the addition of brine shrimp (Artemia sp.) to the test chambers. The purpose of this study was to compare the toxicity of CBAs in combination with the WSF of oil to silversides with and without the addition of food. Tests were conducted using both 24-hour and 14-day spinning times for the CBA/WSF mixture. With the 24-hour spinning time, LC50 values from each day of the 4-day test were consistently lower in the Artemia fed test (47.8--22.6%) as compared to the unfed test (72.1--43.0%). A similar trend was seen in the 24 and 48 hour LC50's in the 14-day spinning time. Overall, low dissolved oxygen was found to be most relevant at the highest CBA/WSF concentrations where D.O. dropped below 2 mg/l in Artemia fed tests

Effect of malic acid doping on the structural and superconducting properties of MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ojha, N.; Sudesh; Stuti Rani; Varma, G.D.

2010-01-01

The samples have been prepared via standard solid state reaction route with nominal compositions MgB 2 + x wt% malic acid (x = 0, 5 and 10) by sintering at two different temperatures: 800 and 850 deg C in argon atmosphere. Improvement in upper critical fields (H c2 ) and irreversibility field (H irr ) of doped samples as compared to undoped samples have been observed. At 10 K, critical current densities (J c ) of the 5 and 10 wt% malic acid doped MgB 2 samples sintered at 850 deg C have higher values as compared to undoped sample sintered at the same temperature in the fields greater than 3 T. However, J c values of 5 wt% malic acid doped sample are higher than 10 wt% doped sample in the entire applied field region (0 - 7 T). In case of the samples sintered at 800 deg C improvement in J c values of 5 wt% doped sample have been found in entire field region as compared to undoped sample. On the other hand we see deterioration in J c values of 10 wt% doped samples sintered at 800 deg C as compared to undoped samples sintered at same temperature. The correlations between structural and superconducting properties will be described and discussed in this paper. (author)

Inhibitory effects of intravenous lansoprazole 30 mg and pantoprazole 40 mg twice daily on intragastric acidity in healthy Chinese volunteers: a randomized, open-labeled, two-way crossover study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Xian-Bao; Guo, Xiao-Rong; Li, Zhao-Shen; Gong, Yan-Fang; Gao, Jun; Liao, Zhuan; Li, Zhen; Gao, Shen; Liu, Pei

2012-02-01

Until now there has been no study that directly compares the effect of lansoprazole and pantoprazole administered intravenously on intragastric acidity. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of lansoprazole (30 mg) and pantoprazole (40 mg) administered intravenously on gastric acidity. Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy volunteers were recruited in this open-label, randomized, two-way crossover, single centre study. Lansoprazole at 30 mg or pantoprazole at 40 mg was intravenously administered twice daily for 5 consecutive days with at least a 14-day washout interval. Twenty-four-hour intragastric pH was continuously monitored on days 1 and 5 of each dosing period. Twenty-five volunteers completed the 2 dosing periods. The mean intragastric pH values were higher in subjects treated with lansoprazole than those with pantoprazole on both day 1 (6.41 ± 0.14 vs. 5.49 ± 0.13, P=0.0003) and day 5 (7.09 ± 0.07 vs. 6.64 ± 0.07, P=0.0002). Significantly higher percentages of time with intragastric pH >4 and pH >6 were found in the subjects treated with lansoprazole than those with pantoprazole on day 1 (pH >4, 87.12 ± 4.55% vs. 62.28 ± 4.15%, P=0.0012; pH >6, 62.12 ± 4.12% vs. 47.25 ± 3.76%, P=0.0216) and pH >6 on day 5 (76.79 ± 3.77% vs. 58.20 ± 3.77%, P=0.0025). Intravenous lansoprazole produces a longer and more potent inhibitory effect on intragastric acidity than does intravenous pantoprazole.

Complete genome sequence of the actinobacterium Amycolatopsis japonica MG417-CF17T (=DSM 44213T) producing (S,S)-N,N′-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stegmann, Evi; Albersmeier, Andreas; Spohn, Marius

2014-01-01

We report the complete genome sequence of Amycolatopsis japonica MG417-CF17T (=DSM 44213T) which was identified as the producer of (S,S)-N,N′-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid during a screening for phospholipase C inhibitors. The genome of A. japonica MG417-CF17T consists of two replicons: the chro......We report the complete genome sequence of Amycolatopsis japonica MG417-CF17T (=DSM 44213T) which was identified as the producer of (S,S)-N,N′-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid during a screening for phospholipase C inhibitors. The genome of A. japonica MG417-CF17T consists of two replicons...

Mechanical and degradation properties of biodegradable Mg strengthened poly-lactic acid composite through plastic injection molding.

Science.gov (United States)

Butt, Muhammad Shoaib; Bai, Jing; Wan, Xiaofeng; Chu, Chenglin; Xue, Feng; Ding, Hongyan; Zhou, Guanghong

2017-01-01

Full biodegradable magnesium alloy (AZ31) strengthened poly-lactic acid (PLA) composite rods for potential application for bone fracture fixation were prepared by plastic injection process in this work. Their surface/interfacial morphologies, mechanical properties and vitro degradation were studied. In comparison with untreated Mg rod, porous MgO ceramic coating on Mg surface formed by Anodizing (AO) and micro-arc-oxidation (MAO)treatment can significantly improve the interfacial binding between outer PLA cladding and inner Mg rod due to the micro-anchoring action, leading to better mechanical properties and degradation performance of the composite rods.With prolonging immersion time in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution until 8weeks, the MgO porous coating were corroded gradually, along with the disappearance of original pores and the formation of a relatively smooth surface. This resulted in a rapidly reduction in mechanical properties for corresponding composite rods owing to the weakening of interfacial binding capacity. The present results indicated that this new PLA-clad Mg composite rods show good potential biomedical applications for implants and instruments of orthopedic inner fixation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of gallic acid on cytotoxicity, Ca(2+) homeostasis and ROS production in DBTRG-05MG human glioblastoma cells and CTX TNA2 rat astrocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Shu-Shong; Chou, Chiang-Ting; Liao, Wei-Chuan; Shieh, Pochuen; Kuo, Daih-Huang; Kuo, Chun-Chi; Jan, Chung-Ren; Liang, Wei-Zhe

2016-05-25

Gallic acid, a polyhydroxylphenolic compound, is widely distributed in various plants, fruits and foods. It has been shown that gallic acid passes into blood brain barrier and reaches the brain tissue of middle cerebral artery occlusion rats. However, the effect of gallic acid on Ca(2+) signaling in glia cells is unknown. This study explored whether gallic acid affected Ca(2+) homeostasis and induced Ca(2+)-associated cytotoxicity in DBTRG-05MG human glioblastoma cells and CTX TNA2 rat astrocytes. Gallic acid (20-40 μM) concentration-dependently induced cytotoxicity and intracellular Ca(2+) level ([Ca(2+)]i) increases in DBTRG-05MG cells but not in CTX TNA2 cells. In DBTRG-05MG cells, the Ca(2+) response was decreased by half by removal of extracellular Ca(2+). In Ca(2+)-containing medium, gallic acid-induced Ca(2+) entry was inhibited by store-operated Ca(2+) channel inhibitors (2-APB, econazole and SKF96365). In Ca(2+)-free medium, pretreatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump inhibitor thapsigargin abolished gallic acid-induced [Ca(2+)]i increases. Conversely, incubation with gallic acid also abolished thapsigargin-induced [Ca(2+)]i increases. Inhibition of phospholipase C with U73122 abolished gallic acid-induced [Ca(2+)]i increases. Gallic acid significantly caused cytotoxicity in DBTRG-05MG cells, which was partially prevented by prechelating cytosolic Ca(2+) with BAPTA-AM. Moreover, gallic acid activated mitochondrial apoptotic pathways that involved ROS production. Together, in DBTRG-05MG cells but not in CTX TNA2 cells, gallic acid induced [Ca(2+)]i increases by causing Ca(2+) entry via 2-APB, econazole and SKF96365-sensitive store-operated Ca(2+) entry, and phospholipase C-dependent release from the endoplasmic reticulum. This Ca(2+) signal subsequently evoked mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis that involved ROS production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment with acetaminophen/paracetamol or ibuprofen alleviates post-dose symptoms related to intravenous infusion with zoledronic acid 5 mg.

Science.gov (United States)

Wark, J D; Bensen, W; Recknor, C; Ryabitseva, O; Chiodo, J; Mesenbrink, P; de Villiers, T J

2012-02-01

Patients treated with intravenous zoledronic acid 5 mg for osteoporosis may experience post-dose influenza-like symptoms. Oral acetaminophen/paracetamol or ibuprofen administered 4 h post-infusion reduced the proportion of patients with increased oral temperature and worsening post-infusion symptom scores vs. placebo, thus providing an effective strategy for the treatment of such symptoms. Once-yearly intravenous zoledronic acid 5 mg is a safe and effective treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. This study assessed whether transient influenza-like post-dose symptoms associated with intravenous infusion of zoledronic acid can be reduced by post-dose administration of acetaminophen/paracetamol or ibuprofen. In an international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy parallel-group study, bisphosphonate-naïve postmenopausal women with osteopenia (n = 481) were randomized to receive zoledronic acid 5 mg + acetaminophen/paracetamol (n = 135), ibuprofen (n = 137) or placebo (n = 137), or placebo + placebo (n = 72). Acetaminophen/paracetamol and ibuprofen were administered every 6 h for 3 days beginning 4 h post-infusion. The proportion of patients with increased oral temperature (≥1°C above 37.5°C) and with worsening post-infusion symptom scores over 3 days was significantly lower in patients receiving ibuprofen (36.8% and 48.5%) or acetaminophen/paracetamol (37.3% and 46.3%) vs. those receiving placebo (63.5% and 75.9%, respectively; all p paracetamol or ibuprofen. Oral acetaminophen/paracetamol or ibuprofen effectively managed the transient influenza-like symptoms associated with zoledronic acid 5 mg.

Anodic behavior of Mg in acidic AlCl3–1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride ionic liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Bajin; Qu, Rui; Ling, Guoping

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A viscous layer formed at Mg/ionic liquid interface after the dissolution of Mg. • As direct evidence, photo of viscous layer at the interface was presented. • Viscous layer was resulted from accumulation of dissolved Mg(II) at interface. • Formation of viscous layer resulted in a homogenous etched Mg surface. • Dissolution model of Mg and formation mechanism of viscous layer was discussed. - Abstract: In this paper, anodic behavior of Mg in acidic AlCl 3 –1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride (AlCl 3 –EMIC) ionic liquid was investigated by conducting linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry and chonopotentiometry. The viscosity of Mg dissolved ionic liquid and the surface morphologies of Mg were characterized using an Ostwald viscometer and a scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The results showed that the oxide film on the surface of Mg had great effects on the anodic behavior. The dissolution of Mg under anodic polarization occurred after the breakdown of oxide film. A viscous layer was observed forming at the interface of Mg/ionic liquid during the dissolution process. The formation of viscous layer was attributed to the accumulation of Mg dissolved AlCl 3 –EMIC ionic liquid at the interface, which was of high viscosity. With a viscous layer formed in the anodic process, the etched surface of Mg anode was homogeneous and flat without any etching pits. Otherwise, the Mg showed a morphology of pitting on the surface

Acute toxicity of water soluble fraction of petroleum, diesel and gasoline for newly hatched larvae of marine pejerrey Odontesthes Argentinensis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, Ricardo V.; Miranda-Filho, Kleber C.; Gusmao, Emeline P.; Moreira, Caue B.; Santos, Renato A.; Oliveira, Marcelo G.; Sampaio, Luis Andre [Fundacao Universidade do Rio Grande (FURG), RS (Brazil)

2008-07-01

The hydrocarbons of petroleum are the main aquatic pollutants and can cause toxicity to aquatic organisms, however, only a few toxicological studies were already conducted with early life stages of fish. The aim of this work was to determine the toxicity (LC50-96h) of water soluble fraction (WSF) of petroleum, diesel and gasoline for newly hatched larvae of marine pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis. During the experiments the concentrations tested were: to petroleum (5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of), to diesel (1%, 2%, 4%, 8%, 16%, 32%, e 64% of WSF) and to gasoline (1%, 2.5%, 5%, 10%, and 20% of WSF) plus a control to each pollutant. All treatments were done with 3 repetitions and 30 larvae. During the experiments the water quality were maintained at temperature 22,5 deg C, salinity 30, pH 7.95 and dissolved oxygen approximately around 4mg/L. The petroleum presented an CL50-96h equal to 70.68% (65.73 - 76.01), while the diesel and gasoline presented the toxicity values of 13.46% (10.19-17.79) and 5.48% (4.85-6.20), respectively. The results demonstrated a higher toxicity of light fuels (diesel and gasoline) compared to heavy petroleum. (author)

Industrial production of MgH2 and its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uesugi, H.; Sugiyama, T.; Nii, H.; Ito, T.; Nakatsugawa, I.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Tablet and powder Mg were hydrogenated in a 50 kg batch furnace based on thermal equilibrium method. → Compression of Mg tablet improved the hydrogenation yield. → Hydrolysis of MgH 2 using citric acid generated hydrogen under 373 K. → A MgH 2 -hydrogen reactor utilizing hydraulic head pressure was developed. → - Abstract: A process for the industrial production of magnesium hydride (MgH 2 ) based on a thermal equilibrium method and its application to portable hydrogen sources is proposed. Mg powders and tablets compressed with mechanically ground Mg ribbons were successfully hydrogenated in a 50-kg-batch furnace. The resultant MgH 2 showed a hydrogen yield of around 96% with good reproducibility. The compression ratio of Mg tablets was found to be an important factor in the hydrogenation yield. A hydrolysis technique using citric acid as an additive was employed to generate hydrogen under 373 K. Increasing the concentration of citric acid and the temperature accelerated the hydrolysis reactivity. A hydrogen reactor utilizing hydraulic head pressure was developed. It generated hydrogen continuously for 1 h at a flow rate of 100 ml min -1 with hydrolysis of 5 g of tablet-form MgH 2 . The conversion yield was around 70%, regardless of the flow rate.

Depressing effect of phenoxyl acetic acids on flotation of minerals containing Ca2+/Mg2+ gangues

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

Phenoxyl acetic acids were applied to determine their depressing effect on minerals containing Ca2+/Mg2+ gangues. Calcite,mixture of calcite and fluorite, and nickel ore were used in the flotation. And the depression mechanism was studied by the determination of contact angle, zeta potential, adsorptive capacity of collector, and IR analysis as well. It is found that 0.1 mmol/L of phenoxyl acetic acid derived from pyrogallol or gallic acid exhibits strong depressing ability on calcite in almost zero yields at pH value of 9.8, and calcite can be depressed in the flotation of calcite/fluorite mixture for approximate 87% yield of fluorite. The flotation result of practical nickel ore containing serpentine indicates that these two depressants may also show better depression performance to serpentine than traditional depressants such as sodium fluosilicate and carboxylmethyl cellulose. Analysis for the depression mechanism reveals that there exists strong chemical interaction between the depressants and minerals.

The Challenges of Advancing Fiscal Equity in a Resource-Strained Context

Science.gov (United States)

Malen, Betty; Dayhoff, Justin; Egan, Laura; Croninger, Robert G.

2017-01-01

Weighted student funding (WSF) is a multifaceted school finance, management, and governance reform that is gaining attention. While WSF has a number of goals, its primary objective is to redress intra-district funding inequities. This article draws on a mixed-methods study of WSF in Prince George's County Public Schools to examine the initiative's…

A pro-angiogenic degradable Mg-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) implant combined with rhbFGF in a rat limb ischemia model.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Hanmei; Lv, Feng; Liu, Tianjun

2017-12-01

Site-specific controlled release of exogenous angiogenic growth factors, such as recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (rhbFGF), has become a promising approach to improve peripheral vascular disease. Here, we have developed an implant composed of spiral magnesium (Mg) and a coating made using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with encapsulated rhbFGF (Mg-PLGA-rhbFGF). The encapsulated protein could release continually for 4weeks with well preserved bioactivity. We compared the angiogenic effect produced by Mg-PLGA-rhbFGF with that of a PLGA implant loaded with rhbFGF (PLGA-rhbFGF). The incorporation of Mg in the implant raised the microclimate pH in the polymer, which preserved the stability of rhbFGF. Mg-PLGA-rhbFGF exhibited advantages over PLGA-rhbFGF implant in terms of a cytocompatibility evaluation. An in vivo angiogenesis test further confirmed the efficacy of released rhbFGF. HE, CD31 and α-SMA staining revealed that the controlled release of rhbFGF from the Mg-PLGA-rhbFGF implant was superior in promoting angiogenesis compared with that of the PLGA-rhbFGF implant. Four weeks post-implantation, the capillary density of the Mg-PLGA-rhbFGF group was significantly higher than that of the PLGA-rhbFGF, control and the normal group (pspiral magnesium and a coating made using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with encapsulated rhbFGF (Mg-PLGA-rhbFGF). The preparation method does not involve any complex processes and results in a high encapsulation efficiency (approximately 100%). The degradation of metal Mg raise the microclimate pH in the PLGA polymer, which could well preserve the bioactivity of rhbFGF incorporated in the implant. Mg-PLGA-based, sustained local delivery of rhbFGF promotes post-ischemic angiogenesis and blood flow recovery in rat limb ischemic model. This work marks the first report for controlled release of rhbFGF in combination with metal Mg, and suggests potential therapeutic usefulness of Mg-PLGA-rhbFGF for tissue ischemia

The effect of theobromine 200 mg/l topical gel exposure duration against surface enamel hardness resistance from 1% citric acid

Science.gov (United States)

Herisa, H. M.; Noerdin, A.; Eriwati, Y. K.

2017-08-01

Theobromine can be used to prevent the demineralization of enamel and can stimulate the growth of new enamels. This study analyzes the effect of theobromine’s gel duration exposure on enamel hardness resistance from 1% citric acid. Twenty-eight specimens were divided into three experimental groups; were exposed to theobromine gel 200 mg/l for 16, 48, and 96 minutes; and were then immersed in 1% citric acid. The control group was only immersed in 1% citric acid. Results: A Wilcoxon test showed a significant increase and decrease in enamel microhardness after exposure to theobromine gel and citric acid (p enamel microhardness between different durations of exposure to theobromine gel and immersion in citric acid (p enamel microhardness but did not contribute to the enamel’s hardness resistance after immersion in 1% citric acid. The duration of theobromine gel application affected enamel microhardness and acid resistance.

Porous rod-like MgO complex membrane with good anti-bacterial activity directed by conjugated linolenic acid polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hua-Jie, E-mail: wanghuajie972001@163.com; Chen, Meng [Henan Normal University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China); Mi, Li-Wei, E-mail: mlwzzu@163.com [Zhongyuan University of Technology, Center for Advanced Materials Research (China); Shi, Li-Hua [Anyang 101 Education Center (China); Cao, Ying, E-mail: caoying1130@sina.com [Zhongyuan University of Technology, Center for Advanced Materials Research (China)

2016-02-15

The problem of infection in the tissue engineering substitutes is driving us to seek new coating materials. We previously found that conjugated linolenic acid (CLnA) has well biocompatibility and excellent membrane-forming property. The objective of this study is to endow the anti-bacterial activity to CLnA membra ne by linking with MgO. The results showed that the CLnA polymer membrane can be loaded with porous rod-like MgO and such complex membrane showed anti-bacterial sensitivity against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) even at the low concentration (0.15 μg/mm{sup 2}). In the present study, the best zone of inhibition got to 18.2 ± 0.8 mm when the amount of MgO reach 2.42 ± 0.58 μg/mm{sup 2}. It was deduced that the porous rod-like structure of MgO was directed by CLnA in its polymerization process. Such CLnA/MgO complex membrane can be helpful in the tissue engineering, medicine, food engineering, food preservation, etc. on the basis of its good anti-bacterial activity.

Real-world experiences of folic acid supplementation (5 versus 30 mg/week with methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a comparison study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.T. Koh

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to compare the tolerability of methotrexate in two different regimes of folic acid (FA supplementation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA. We performed a multicenter, cross-sectional observational cohort study on 240 RA patients with 120 patients each in 5 mg of FA weekly and 30 mg of FA weekly supplementation. There were no significant differences for side effects (14.2 versus 22.5%, P=0.523 and discontinuation of methotrexate (3.6 versus 13.3%, P=0.085. RA patients given 5 mg of FA weekly supplementation had a lower disease activity score 28 compared to 30 mg of FA weekly supplementation [3.44 (1.10 versus 3.85 (1.40, P=0.014]. FA supplementation of 5 mg per week and 30 mg per week was associated with similar tolerability of methotrexate in RA patients.

Flavor Compounds in Pixian Broad-Bean Paste: Non-Volatile Organic Acids and Amino Acids

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Hongbin Lin

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Non-volatile organic acids and amino acids are important flavor compounds in Pixian broad-bean paste, which is a traditional Chinese seasoning product. In this study, non-volatile organic acids, formed in the broad-bean paste due to the metabolism of large molecular compounds, are qualitatively and quantitatively determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC. Amino acids, mainly produced by hydrolysis of soybean proteins, were determined by the amino acid automatic analyzer. Results indicated that seven common organic acids and eighteen common amino acids were found in six Pixian broad-bean paste samples. The content of citric acid was found to be the highest in each sample, between 4.1 mg/g to 6.3 mg/g, and malic acid were between 2.1 mg/g to 3.6 mg/g ranked as the second. Moreover, fumaric acid was first detected in fermented bean pastes albeit with a low content. For amino acids, savory with lower sour taste including glutamine (Gln, glutamic acid (Glu, aspartic acid (Asp and asparagines (Asn were the most abundant, noted to be 6.5 mg/g, 4.0 mg/g, 6.4 mg/g, 4.9 mg/g, 6.2 mg/g and 10.2 mg/g, and bitter taste amino acids followed. More importantly, as important flavor materials in Pixian broad-bean paste, these two groups of substances are expected to be used to evaluate and represent the flavor quality of Pixian broad-bean paste. Moreover, the results revealed that citric acid, glutamic acid, methionine and proline were the most important flavor compounds. These findings are agreat contribution for evaluating the quality and further assessment of Pixian broad-bean paste.

Flavor Compounds in Pixian Broad-Bean Paste: Non-Volatile Organic Acids and Amino Acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hongbin; Yu, Xiaoyu; Fang, Jiaxing; Lu, Yunhao; Liu, Ping; Xing, Yage; Wang, Qin; Che, Zhenming; He, Qiang

2018-05-29

Non-volatile organic acids and amino acids are important flavor compounds in Pixian broad-bean paste, which is a traditional Chinese seasoning product. In this study, non-volatile organic acids, formed in the broad-bean paste due to the metabolism of large molecular compounds, are qualitatively and quantitatively determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Amino acids, mainly produced by hydrolysis of soybean proteins, were determined by the amino acid automatic analyzer. Results indicated that seven common organic acids and eighteen common amino acids were found in six Pixian broad-bean paste samples. The content of citric acid was found to be the highest in each sample, between 4.1 mg/g to 6.3 mg/g, and malic acid were between 2.1 mg/g to 3.6 mg/g ranked as the second. Moreover, fumaric acid was first detected in fermented bean pastes albeit with a low content. For amino acids, savory with lower sour taste including glutamine (Gln), glutamic acid (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp) and asparagines (Asn) were the most abundant, noted to be 6.5 mg/g, 4.0 mg/g, 6.4 mg/g, 4.9 mg/g, 6.2 mg/g and 10.2 mg/g, and bitter taste amino acids followed. More importantly, as important flavor materials in Pixian broad-bean paste, these two groups of substances are expected to be used to evaluate and represent the flavor quality of Pixian broad-bean paste. Moreover, the results revealed that citric acid, glutamic acid, methionine and proline were the most important flavor compounds. These findings are agreat contribution for evaluating the quality and further assessment of Pixian broad-bean paste.

HAEMATOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF WATER SOLUBLE FRACTION (WSF OF BONNY LIGHT CRUDE OIL (BLCO TO THE AFRICAN FRESHWATER CATFISH CLARIAS GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL, 1822

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Three hundred and sixty (360 juveniles of Clarias gariepinus were collected from Luis Fish Farm Warri, Delta State and transported to the Departmental Laboratory of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki (latitude 60, 20\\' 49\\'\\'N, longitude 80 06\\' 11\\'\\'E, Nigeria. The experimental fish were exposed to 6 treatment concentrations (20, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25 and 0.00 ml/l of WSF of BLCO in triplicate replications of 60 fish per treatment for 10 weeks. Mean cell count of red blood cell (RBC reduced significantly (P and lt;0.05 from 2.09 and plusmn;0.06 x 106 /mm3 in the control group to 1.4971 and plusmn;0.06x106 /mm3 in the highest concentration exposed group (20ml/L. Similarly, significant reduction in packed cell volume (PCV and haemoglobin content of RBC resulted to anaemic conditions in exposed fish. PCV decreased from 24.33 and plusmn;0.26% to 16.50 and plusmn;0.89% while haemoglobin decreased to 7.73 and plusmn;0.29g/dl from 12.05 and plusmn;0.11g/dl. Total white blood cell (WBC count suffered significant reduction than control and in the amount of its lymphocytes but increased significantly than control in the number of neutrophils. WBC reduced from 51.44 and plusmn;0.47x103 /mm3 to 43.48 and plusmn;1.09x103 /mm3 , and lymphocytes from 91.55 and plusmn;2.24% to 78.0 and plusmn;0.5% while neutrophil increased to 11.52 and plusmn;1.3% from 3.58 and plusmn;0.27%. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV, MCH and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC did not differ significantly (P and gt;0.05 with control group.

Validation of a multi-analyte HPLC-DAD method for determination of uric acid, creatinine, homovanillic acid, niacinamide, hippuric acid, indole-3-acetic acid and 2-methylhippuric acid in human urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Remane, Daniela; Grunwald, Soeren; Hoeke, Henrike; Mueller, Andrea; Roeder, Stefan; von Bergen, Martin; Wissenbach, Dirk K

2015-08-15

During the last decades exposure sciences and epidemiological studies attracts more attention to unravel the mechanisms for the development of chronic diseases. According to this an existing HPLC-DAD method for determination of creatinine in urine samples was expended for seven analytes and validated. Creatinine, uric acid, homovanillic acid, niacinamide, hippuric acid, indole-3-acetic acid, and 2-methylhippuric acid were separated by gradient elution (formate buffer/methanol) using an Eclipse Plus C18 Rapid Resolution column (4.6mm×100mm). No interfering signals were detected in mobile phase. After injection of blank urine samples signals for the endogenous compounds but no interferences were detected. All analytes were linear in the selected calibration range and a non weighted calibration model was chosen. Bias, intra-day and inter-day precision for all analytes were below 20% for quality control (QC) low and below 10% for QC medium and high. The limits of quantification in mobile phase were in line with reported reference values but had to be adjusted in urine for homovanillic acid (45mg/L), niacinamide 58.5(mg/L), and indole-3-acetic acid (63mg/L). Comparison of creatinine data obtained by the existing method with those of the developed method showing differences from -120mg/L to +110mg/L with a mean of differences of 29.0mg/L for 50 authentic urine samples. Analyzing 50 authentic urine samples, uric acid, creatinine, hippuric acid, and 2-methylhippuric acid were detected in (nearly) all samples. However, homovanillic acid was detected in 40%, niacinamide in 4% and indole-3-acetic acid was never detected within the selected samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of supplementation of arachidonic acid (AA) or a combination of AA plus docosahexaenoic acid on breastmilk fatty acid composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, EN; Koopmann, M; Boersma, ER; Muskiet, FAJ

We investigated whether supplementation with arachidonic acid (20:4 omega 6; AA), ora combination of AA and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 omega 3; DHA) would affect human milk polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition. Ten women were daily supplemented with 300 mg AA, eight with 300 mg AA, 110 mg

Progress in the development of short term chronic toxicity testing methods for crude oil and commercial bioremediation agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavender, R.C.; Cherry, D.S.; Dobbs, M.G.; Bidwell, J.R.; Yeager, M.M.

1995-01-01

Proposed modifications to the National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) have prompted examinations of the methodology used in toxicity testing of the water soluble fraction of oil, commercial bioremediation agents (CBA), and a combination of the two. The specific concerns addressed by this research are the use of unweathered Alaska North Slope (ANS) crude oil instead of the more expensive, less environmentally realistic distillate ANS-521, and the appropriate laboratory preparation methodology for the water soluble fraction (WSF) used in testing. Seven-day chronic tests exposing the inland silverside (Menidia beryllina) and estuarine mysid (Mysidopsis bahia) to the water soluble fraction of unweathered ANS and ANS-521 showed that mysids responded similarly to the two types of oils while silversides were more sensitive to unweathered ANS. In the presence of a CBA and WSF, the mortality of the organisms and the mysid growth were similar in both types of oil. The NOEC for silverside growth, however, was lower in the combined exposure of a CBA with ANS-521 WSF than it was in the CBA-WSF unweathered ANS. Testing is underway to determine if the stirring time length effects the toxicity of the WSF, or the WSF and CBA combination. In chronic tests using both the silverside and mysid there were no differences in growth and mortality of the organisms tested in WSF prepared from 10 and 20 hours of stirring, however, the 5 hour stirring exposure is less toxic to both organisms

Acid Inhibitory Effect of a Combination of Omeprazole and Sodium Bicarbonate (CDFR0209) Compared With Delayed-Release Omeprazole 40 mg Alone in Healthy Adult Male Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyu-Nam; Yang, Sung-Won; Kim, Hyunil; Kwak, Seong Shin; Kim, Young-Sang; Cho, Doo-Yeoun

2018-01-01

CDFR0209, a combination of an immediate-release formulation of omeprazole 40 mg and sodium bicarbonate 1100 mg, has been developed to treat acid-related disorders. We compared the acid inhibitory effects of CDFR0209 and delayed-release omeprazole (omeprazole-DR, Losec 40 mg) after repeated dosing in Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy adult male subjects. In this 2-period crossover study, 30 subjects were randomized to CDFR0209 or omeprazole-DR daily for 7 days. An ambulatory continuous 24-hour intragastric pH recording was performed at baseline and on days 1 and 7 of each administration period. Integrated gastric acidity was calculated from time-weighted average hydrogen ion concentrations at each hour of the 24-hour record. An analysis of variance model was used to test the pharmacodynamic equivalence of CDFR0209 and omeprazole-DR, using the natural logarithmic transformation of the percent decrease from baseline in integrated gastric acidity for the 24-hour interval after the seventh dose of each omeprazole formulation. The geometric least-squares mean ratios (CDFR0209/omeprazole-DR) of the percent decrease from baseline in integrated gastric acidity was 0.98 (90%CI, 0.93-1.07). Both CDFR0209 and omeprazole-DR are equally effective in decreasing integrated gastric acidity at steady state. © 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Periodic DFT study of acidic trace atmospheric gas molecule adsorption on Ca- and Fe-doped MgO(001) surface basic sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Baltrusaitis, Jonas; Hatch, Courtney; Orlando, Roberto

2012-08-02

The electronic properties of undoped and Ca- or Fe-doped MgO(001) surfaces, as well as their propensity toward atmospheric acidic gas (CO2, SO2, and NO2) uptake was investigated with an emphasis on gas adsorption on the basic MgO oxygen surface sites, O(surf), using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Adsorption energy calculations show that MgO doping will provide stronger interactions of the adsorbate with the O(surf) sites than the undoped MgO for a given adsorbate molecule. Charge transfer from the iron atom in Fe-doped MgO(001) to NO2 was shown to increase the binding interaction between adsorbate by an order of magnitude, when compared to that of undoped and Ca-doped MgO(001) surfaces. Secondary binding interactions of adsorbate oxygen atoms were observed with surface magnesium sites at distances close to those of the Mg-O bond within the crystal. These interactions may serve as a preliminary step for adsorption and facilitate further adsorbate transformations into other binding configurations. Impacts on global atmospheric chemistry are discussed as these adsorption phenomena can affect atmospheric gas budgets via altered partitioning and retention on mineral aerosol surfaces.

Mg substituted apatite coating from alkali conversion of acidic calcium phosphate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navarro da Rocha, Daniel, E-mail: dnr.navarro@gmail.com [Military Institute of Engineering-IME, Pça. Gen. Tiburcio, 80, P. Vermelha, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, R.J. (Brazil); Cruz, Leila Rosa de Oliveira [Military Institute of Engineering-IME, Pça. Gen. Tiburcio, 80, P. Vermelha, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, R.J. (Brazil); Campos, José Brant de [Rio de Janeiro State University - UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, R.J. (Brazil); Marçal, Rubens L. Santana Blazutti [Military Institute of Engineering-IME, Pça. Gen. Tiburcio, 80, P. Vermelha, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, R.J. (Brazil); Mijares, Dindo Q.; Coelho, Paulo G. [Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics, New York University College of Dentistry (NYU), New York, NY (United States); Prado da Silva, Marcelo H. [Military Institute of Engineering-IME, Pça. Gen. Tiburcio, 80, P. Vermelha, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, R.J. (Brazil)

2017-01-01

In this work, two solutions were developed: the first, rich in Ca{sup 2+}, PO{sub 4}{sup 3−} ions and the second, rich in Ca{sup 2+}, PO{sub 4}{sup 3−} and Mg{sup 2+}, defined as Mg-modified precursor solution. For each Mg-modified precursor solution, the concentrations of Mg{sup 2+} ions were progressively increased by 5%, 10% and 15%wt. The aims of this research were to investigate the influence of magnesium ions substitution in calcium phosphate coatings on titanium surface and to evaluate these coatings by bioactivity assay in McCoy culture medium. The obtained coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, and the presence of Mg ions was confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP) analysis. In vitro bioactivity assay in McCoy culture medium showed bioactivity after 14 days in incubation for the HA and 10% Mg-monetite coatings. The high chemical stability of Mg-HA coatings was verified by the bioactivity assays, and no bone-like apatite deposition, characteristic of bioactivity, was observed for Mg-HA coatings, for the time period used in this study. - Highlights: • The presence of Mg ions influenced the final apatite phase present in the produced coatings. • A lower efficiency in heterogeneous deposition and an exposure of Ti substrate in 5% Mg-monetite coatings was soon verified. • McCoy culture medium was effective in predicting the coatings bioactivity.

Influence of acid-base properties on the Lebedev ethanol-to-butadiene process catalyzed by SiO2-MgO materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Angelici, Carlo; Velthoen, Marjolein E. Z.; Weckhuysen, Bert M.; Bruijnincx, Pieter C. A.

2015-01-01

The Lebedev ethanol-to-butadiene process entails a complex chain of reactions that require catalysts to possess a subtle balance in the number and strength of acidic and basic sites. SiO2-MgO materials can be excellent Lebedev catalysts if properly prepared, as catalyst performance has been found to

In vitro degradation and electrochemical corrosion evaluations of microarc oxidized pure Mg, Mg-Ca and Mg-Ca-Zn alloys for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yaokun; He, Siyu; Wang, Diangang; Huang, Danlan; Zheng, Tingting; Wang, Siqi; Dong, Pan; Chen, Chuanzhong

2015-02-01

Calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramic coatings were fabricated on pure magnesium (Mg) and self-designed Mg-0.6Ca, Mg-0.55Ca-1.74Zn alloys by microarc oxidation (MAO). The coating formation, growth and biomineralization mechanisms were discussed. The coating degradability and bioactivity were evaluated by immersion tests in trishydroxymethyl-aminomethane hydrochloric acid (Tris-HCl) buffer and simulated body fluid (SBF) solutions, respectively. The coatings and corrosion products were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) and fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR). The electrochemical workstation was used to investigate the electrochemical corrosion behaviors of substrates and coatings. Results showed that Mg-0.55Ca-1.74Zn alloy exhibits the highest mechanical strength and electrochemical corrosion resistance among the three alloys. The MAO-coated Mg-0.55Ca-1.74Zn alloy has the potential to be served as a biodegradable implant. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of limestone, N, K and Mg fertilizers on Mg absorption by oats and barley

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alston, A M

1966-01-01

Oats grown in a pot experiment on two sandy loams were sampled at four stages of growth. Neither KCl nor MgSO/sub 4/. 7H/sub 2/O had any effect on yield but % Mg and total Mg uptake were consistently decreased by applying K and increased by applying Mg. Ca(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ increased % Mg more than did (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, but yield and total Mg uptake were higher where (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ was applied. The effects of fertilizers were similar on both soils. The effects of applying (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ and NaNO/sub 2/ to the soil on % Mg in barley were compared in a field experiment on an acid loam to which several rates of limestone had been applied. Treatments had no effect on the % Mg in grain or straw at maturity. At four earlier stages of growth (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO)/sub 4/ increased % Mg in the plants more than did NaNO/sub 2/. Limestone slightly increased % Mg. Nitrification of NH/sub 4/ in the soil was rapid.

Incorporation of Mg and Ca into nanostructured Fe2O3 improves Fe solubility in dilute acid and sensory characteristics in foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilty, Florentine M; Knijnenburg, Jesper T N; Teleki, Alexandra; Krumeich, Frank; Hurrell, Richard F; Pratsinis, Sotiris E; Zimmermann, Michael B

2011-01-01

Iron deficiency is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies worldwide. Food fortification can be an effective and sustainable strategy to reduce Fe deficiency but selection of iron fortificants remains a challenge. Water-soluble compounds, for example, FeSO(4), usually demonstrate high bioavailability but they often cause unacceptable sensory changes in foods. On the other hand, poorly acid-soluble Fe compounds, for example FePO(4), may cause fewer adverse sensory changes in foods but are usually not well bioavailable since they need to be dissolved in the stomach prior to absorption. The solubility and the bioavailability of poorly acid-soluble Fe compounds can be improved by decreasing their primary particle size and thereby increasing their specific surface area. Here, Fe oxide-based nanostructured compounds with added Mg or Ca were produced by scalable flame aerosol technology. The compounds were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Fe solubility in dilute acid. Sensory properties of the Fe-based compounds were tested in 2 highly reactive, polyphenol-rich food matrices: chocolate milk and fruit yoghurt. The Fe solubility of nanostructured Fe(2)O(3) doped with Mg or Ca was higher than that of pure Fe(2)O(3). Since good solubility in dilute acid was obtained despite the inhomogeneity of the powders, inexpensive precursors, for example Fe- and Ca-nitrates, can be used for their manufacture. Adding Mg or Ca lightened powder color, while sensory changes when added to foods were less pronounced than for FeSO(4). The combination of high Fe solubility and low reactivity in foods makes these flame-made nanostructured compounds promising for food fortification. Practical Application: The nanostructured iron-containing compounds presented here may prove useful for iron fortification of certain foods; they are highly soluble in dilute acid and likely to be well absorbed in the gut but cause less severe

Neuromodulation by Mg2+ and polyamines of excitatory amino acid currents in rodent neurones in culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumamoto, E

1996-12-01

Excitatory amino-acid currents in rodent central neurones are mediated by the activation of glutamate receptors. Ionotropic types of the receptors are divided into alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and the former two are collectively called non-NMDA receptors. The NMDA receptor is modulated by a number of endogenous neuromodulators including Mg2+, polyamines, glycine and protons in extracellular solutions. Although it has been generally thought that each of the neuromodulators acts on a distinct site in the NMDA receptor, recent studies have revealed that these actions may be not necessarily independent of each other. The NMDA receptor response is not only inhibited but also potentiated by Mg2+, and the latter action is due to an interaction of a Mg2+ site with either glycine- or proton-binding site. In the presence of polyamines, a tonic inhibition by protons of the NMDA receptor response is relieved, resulting in a potentiation of the response. Alternatively, it has been recently revealed that there are some subtypes of non-NMDA receptors which are negatively modulated by polyamines in either extra- or intra cellular solutions. The difference in polyamine sensitivity among non-NMDA receptors is attributed to a distinction in their constituted subunits. The inhibition of non-NMDA receptor by intracellular polyamines results in inward rectification of the current-voltage relation which is not seen for polyamine-insensitive ones. This polyamine action is not mimicked by intracellular Mg2+.

Comparative toxicity of water soluble fractions of four oils on the growth of a Microalga

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Phatarpekar, P.V.; Ansari, Z.A.

Toxic effects of water soluble fractions (WSF) of four different fuel oils on a microalga. Tetraselmis gracilis, were examined and compared. On applying different concentrations of WSF, a decrease in cell population was observed. Depending...

Studies on the riboflavin, pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid and choline requirements of young Embden geese

Science.gov (United States)

Serafin, J.A.

1981-01-01

Four experiments were conducted to examine the riboflavin, pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid, and choline requirements of young Embden geese fed purified diets. Goslings fed diets deficient in either riboflavin, pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid, or choline grew poorly. Feeding a pantothenic acid-deficient diet resulted in 100% mortality. Goslings fed diets containing 530 mg/kg of choline or less developed perosis. Under the conditions of these experiments it was found that: 1) goslings require no more than 3.84 mg/kg of riboflavin and 31.2 mg/kg of nicotinic acid in the diet for rapid growth and normal development, 2) the pantothenic acid requirement of goslings is no more than 12.6 mg/kg of diet, and 3) a dietary choline level of 1530 mg/kg is adequate for both the prevention of perosis and rapid growth of goslings. The levels of vitamins found to support normal growth and development of goslings appear to be similar to requirements of other species that have been examined.

Deleterious effects of water-soluble fraction of petroleum, diesel and gasoline on marine pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis larvae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, Ricardo Vieira; Miranda-Filho, Kleber Campos; Gusmao, Emeline Pereira; Moreira, Caue Bonucci; Romano, Luis Alberto; Sampaio, Luis Andre

2010-01-01

Accidental discharges and oil spills are frequent around the world. Petroleum-derived hydrocarbons are considered one of the main pollutants of aquatic ecosystem. The importance of petroleum and refined fuels is notorious because today's society depends on them. Researches related to the toxic water-soluble fraction (WSF) of petroleum and derivatives to aquatic biota are scarce. For this reason, deleterious effects of WSF of Brazilian petroleum, automotive diesel and unleaded gasoline to marine pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis larvae were studied employing toxicity tests and histopathological examination. Each WSF was generated in a laboratory by mixing four parts of seawater with one part of pollutant by approximately 22 h. Larvae were exposed during 96 h to different concentrations of WSF of petroleum, diesel, and gasoline, plus a control. After 96 h of exposure to the different WSFs, three larvae were sampled for histopathological studies. The median lethal concentration after 96 h (LC50) of exposure for WSF of petroleum was equal to 70.68%, it was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the values for WSF of diesel and gasoline, which were 13.46% and 5.48%, respectively. The histological examination of pejerrey larvae exposed to WSF of petroleum, diesel and gasoline after 96 h revealed a variety of lesions in the larvae. The gills, pseudobranchs and esophagus presented epithelial hyperplasia, and the liver presented dilatation of hepatic sinusoids, hepatocitomegaly, bi-nucleated and nuclear degeneration of hepatocytes, such as pyknotic nuclei. The acute toxicity of diesel and gasoline is at least fivefold higher than Brazilian petroleum. However, all toxicants induced histopathological abnormalities in pejerrey larvae. The results are of importance since much attention has been paid to large visible surfaces of petroleum spills instead of potential toxic effects of dissolved aromatic hydrocarbons, which are more available to marine biota.

Deleterious effects of water-soluble fraction of petroleum, diesel and gasoline on marine pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis larvae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, Ricardo Vieira [Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Aquicultura, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratorio de Piscicultura Estuarina e Marinha, CEP 96201-900, Rio Grande, RS (Brazil); Miranda-Filho, Kleber Campos, E-mail: kleber08@gmail.com [Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratorio de Piscicultura Estuarina e Marinha, CEP 96210-030, Rio Grande, RS (Brazil); Gusmao, Emeline Pereira; Moreira, Caue Bonucci [Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Aquicultura, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratorio de Piscicultura Estuarina e Marinha, CEP 96201-900, Rio Grande, RS (Brazil); Romano, Luis Alberto; Sampaio, Luis Andre [Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Laboratorio de Piscicultura Estuarina e Marinha, CEP 96210-030, Rio Grande, RS (Brazil)

2010-04-01

Accidental discharges and oil spills are frequent around the world. Petroleum-derived hydrocarbons are considered one of the main pollutants of aquatic ecosystem. The importance of petroleum and refined fuels is notorious because today's society depends on them. Researches related to the toxic water-soluble fraction (WSF) of petroleum and derivatives to aquatic biota are scarce. For this reason, deleterious effects of WSF of Brazilian petroleum, automotive diesel and unleaded gasoline to marine pejerrey Odontesthes argentinensis larvae were studied employing toxicity tests and histopathological examination. Each WSF was generated in a laboratory by mixing four parts of seawater with one part of pollutant by approximately 22 h. Larvae were exposed during 96 h to different concentrations of WSF of petroleum, diesel, and gasoline, plus a control. After 96 h of exposure to the different WSFs, three larvae were sampled for histopathological studies. The median lethal concentration after 96 h (LC50) of exposure for WSF of petroleum was equal to 70.68%, it was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the values for WSF of diesel and gasoline, which were 13.46% and 5.48%, respectively. The histological examination of pejerrey larvae exposed to WSF of petroleum, diesel and gasoline after 96 h revealed a variety of lesions in the larvae. The gills, pseudobranchs and esophagus presented epithelial hyperplasia, and the liver presented dilatation of hepatic sinusoids, hepatocitomegaly, bi-nucleated and nuclear degeneration of hepatocytes, such as pyknotic nuclei. The acute toxicity of diesel and gasoline is at least fivefold higher than Brazilian petroleum. However, all toxicants induced histopathological abnormalities in pejerrey larvae. The results are of importance since much attention has been paid to large visible surfaces of petroleum spills instead of potential toxic effects of dissolved aromatic hydrocarbons, which are more available to marine biota.

Chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5-cells under the influence of Mg and Mg alloy degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez Sanchez, Adela H; Feyerabend, Frank; Laipple, Daniel; Willumeit-Römer, Regine; Weinberg, Annelie; Luthringer, Bérengère J C

2017-03-01

Biodegradable magnesium (Mg)-based materials are a potential alternative to permanent implants for application in children. Nevertheless effects of those materials on growth plate cartilage and chondrogenesis have not been previously evaluated. In vitro differentiation of ATDC5 cells was evaluated under the influence of pure Mg (PMg), Mg with 10wt% of gadolinium (Mg-10Gd) and Mg with 2wt% of silver (Mg-2Ag) degradation products (extracts) and direct cell culture on the materials. Gene expression showed an inhibitory effect on ATDC5 mineralization with the three extracts and a chondrogenic potential of Mg-10Gd. Cells cultured in Mg-10Gd and Mg-2Ag extracts showed the same proliferation and morphology than cells cultured in growth conditions. Mg-10Gd induced an increase in production of ECM and a bigger cell size, similar to the effects found with differentiation conditions. An increased metabolic activity was observed in cells cultured under the influence of Mg-10Gd extracts, indicated by an acidic pH during most of the culture period. After 7days of culture on the materials, ATDC5 growth, distribution and ECM synthesis were higher on Mg-10Gd samples, followed by Mg-2Ag and PMg, which was influenced by the homogeneity and composition of the degradation layer. This study confirmed the tolerance of ATDC5 cells to Mg-based materials and a chondrogenic effect of Mg-10Gd. Further studies in vitro and in vivo are necessary to evaluate cell reactions to those materials, as well as the effects on bone growth and the biocompatibility of the alloying system in the body. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CARBOXYLIC ACIDS OF HERB OF THYMUS CRETACEUS KLOK. ET SCHOST

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V. N. Bubenchikova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We have studied carboxylic acids of the herb of Thymus cretaceus Klok. et Schost which is widespread on a territory of some regions (Belgorod, Voronezh. The study was carried out using gas-liquid chromatography at Agilent Technologies 6890 chromatographer with massspectrometric detector 5973 N. Acids concentration was calculated by means of inner standard.We have established that carboxylic acids of Thymus cretaceus are represented by 34 compounds. Palmitic (1779.02 mg/kg, behenic (1084.15 mg/kg, levulinic (986.24 mg/kg and linoleic acids (678.82 mg/kg predominate among fatty acids; citric (9835.14 mg/kg, malonic (447.91 mg/kg and oxalic acids (388.32 mg/kg predominate among organic acids; andferulic acid predominate amongphenolcarbonic acids.

Pre-sowing application of ascorbic acid and salicylic acid to seed of pumpkin and seedling response to salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafique, N.; Raza, S.H.; Qasim, M.; Iqbal, N.

2011-01-01

The effects of seed soaking with salicylic acid or ascorbic acid on pumpkin seedlings growth under saline (10 dS m/sup -1/) conditions were investigated. Seedlings fresh weight, protein contents, protease and nitrate reductase activities were significantly affected by 15 and 30 mg L/sup -1/ salicylic acid and 30 mg L/sup -1/ ascorbic acid priming treatments, under both normal and saline conditions. Priming reduced the severity of the salt stress, the amelioration was better due to 30 mg L/sup -1/ ascorbic acid or 30 mg L/sup -1/ salicylic acid treatments as these treatments showed best results on seedling growth, fresh and dry matter production under non-saline and saline environments. Application of seed priming with ascorbic acid and salicylic acid in pumpkin ameliorate the adverse effects of salt stress. (author)

Chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5-cells under the influence of Mg and Mg alloy degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez Sanchez, Adela H., E-mail: adela.martinez@hzg.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute of Material Research, Department for Structural Research on Macromolecules, Geesthacht (Germany); Feyerabend, Frank; Laipple, Daniel; Willumeit-Römer, Regine [Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute of Material Research, Department for Structural Research on Macromolecules, Geesthacht (Germany); Weinberg, Annelie [Department of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery, Medical University of Graz (Austria); Luthringer, Bérengère J.C. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute of Material Research, Department for Structural Research on Macromolecules, Geesthacht (Germany)

2017-03-01

Biodegradable magnesium (Mg)-based materials are a potential alternative to permanent implants for application in children. Nevertheless effects of those materials on growth plate cartilage and chondrogenesis have not been previously evaluated. In vitro differentiation of ATDC5 cells was evaluated under the influence of pure Mg (PMg), Mg with 10 wt% of gadolinium (Mg-10Gd) and Mg with 2 wt% of silver (Mg-2Ag) degradation products (extracts) and direct cell culture on the materials. Gene expression showed an inhibitory effect on ATDC5 mineralization with the three extracts and a chondrogenic potential of Mg-10Gd. Cells cultured in Mg-10Gd and Mg-2Ag extracts showed the same proliferation and morphology than cells cultured in growth conditions. Mg-10Gd induced an increase in production of ECM and a bigger cell size, similar to the effects found with differentiation conditions. An increased metabolic activity was observed in cells cultured under the influence of Mg-10Gd extracts, indicated by an acidic pH during most of the culture period. After 7 days of culture on the materials, ATDC5 growth, distribution and ECM synthesis were higher on Mg-10Gd samples, followed by Mg-2Ag and PMg, which was influenced by the homogeneity and composition of the degradation layer. This study confirmed the tolerance of ATDC5 cells to Mg-based materials and a chondrogenic effect of Mg-10Gd. Further studies in vitro and in vivo are necessary to evaluate cell reactions to those materials, as well as the effects on bone growth and the biocompatibility of the alloying system in the body. - Highlights: • Degradation of PMg, and Mg-2Ag do not influence ATDC5 cells growth and chondrogenic redifferentiation. • Mg-10Gd enhances fast chondrogenic redifferentiation and expression of hyperthrophic markers on ATDC5 cells. • Further evaluation of the effects of PMg, Mg-10Gd and Mg-2Ag in vivo are necessary to confirm its potential for application in growing bones.

Chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5-cells under the influence of Mg and Mg alloy degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez Sanchez, Adela H.; Feyerabend, Frank; Laipple, Daniel; Willumeit-Römer, Regine; Weinberg, Annelie; Luthringer, Bérengère J.C.

2017-01-01

Biodegradable magnesium (Mg)-based materials are a potential alternative to permanent implants for application in children. Nevertheless effects of those materials on growth plate cartilage and chondrogenesis have not been previously evaluated. In vitro differentiation of ATDC5 cells was evaluated under the influence of pure Mg (PMg), Mg with 10 wt% of gadolinium (Mg-10Gd) and Mg with 2 wt% of silver (Mg-2Ag) degradation products (extracts) and direct cell culture on the materials. Gene expression showed an inhibitory effect on ATDC5 mineralization with the three extracts and a chondrogenic potential of Mg-10Gd. Cells cultured in Mg-10Gd and Mg-2Ag extracts showed the same proliferation and morphology than cells cultured in growth conditions. Mg-10Gd induced an increase in production of ECM and a bigger cell size, similar to the effects found with differentiation conditions. An increased metabolic activity was observed in cells cultured under the influence of Mg-10Gd extracts, indicated by an acidic pH during most of the culture period. After 7 days of culture on the materials, ATDC5 growth, distribution and ECM synthesis were higher on Mg-10Gd samples, followed by Mg-2Ag and PMg, which was influenced by the homogeneity and composition of the degradation layer. This study confirmed the tolerance of ATDC5 cells to Mg-based materials and a chondrogenic effect of Mg-10Gd. Further studies in vitro and in vivo are necessary to evaluate cell reactions to those materials, as well as the effects on bone growth and the biocompatibility of the alloying system in the body. - Highlights: • Degradation of PMg, and Mg-2Ag do not influence ATDC5 cells growth and chondrogenic redifferentiation. • Mg-10Gd enhances fast chondrogenic redifferentiation and expression of hyperthrophic markers on ATDC5 cells. • Further evaluation of the effects of PMg, Mg-10Gd and Mg-2Ag in vivo are necessary to confirm its potential for application in growing bones.

Mg-MOF-74/MgF₂ Composite Coating for Improving the Properties of Magnesium Alloy Implants: Hydrophilicity and Corrosion Resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Yan, Zhijie; Ma, Xiaolu; Geng, Tie; Wu, Haihong; Li, Zhongyue

2018-03-07

Surface modification on Mg alloys is highly promising for their application in the field of bone repair. In this study, a new metal-organic framework/MgF₂ (Mg-MOF-74/MgF₂) composite coating was prepared on the surface of AZ31B Mg alloy via pre-treatment of hydrofluoric acid and in situ hydrothermal synthesis methods. The surface topography of the composite coating is compact and homogeneous, and Mg-MOF-74 has good crystallinity. The corrosion resistance of this composite coating was investigated through Tafel polarization test and immersion test in simulated body fluid at 37 °C. It was found that Mg-MOF-74/MgF₂ composite coating significantly slowed down the corrosion rate of Mg alloy. Additionally, Mg-MOF-74/MgF₂ composite coating expresses super-hydrophilicity with the water contact angle of nearly 0°. In conclusion, on the basis of MgF₂ anticorrosive coating, the introduction of Mg-MOF-74 further improves the biological property of Mg alloys. At last, we propose that the hydrophilicity of the composite coating is mainly owing to the large number of hydroxyl groups, the high specific surface area of Mg-MOF-74, and the rough coating produced by Mg-MOF-74 particles. Hence, Mg-MOF-74 has a great advantage in enhancing the hydrophilicity of Mg alloy surface.

Study of MgO transformation into MgF2 in the presence of CF2Cl2•

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vedyagin Aleksey A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Alkaline-earth metal oxide aerogels prepared by sol–gel method followed by autoclave drying are nanocrystalline mesoporous materials with high reactivity. Bulk solid-state reaction of MgO aerogels with CF2Cl2 takes place after a long induction period, during which the active sites are accumulated on the surface of the nanoparticles. It was found that vanadium addition has a promoting effect on this reaction accelerating the process of the active sites formation. A method for characterization of electron-acceptor sites by electron spin resonance spectroscopy using perylene as the spin probe was developed. A good correlation was observed between the rate of the CF2Cl2 destructive sorption and the concentration of weak electron-acceptor sites. Simplified models of such sites were suggested. The acid sites on the modified MgO surface were supposed to be originated from separation of the charged fragments resulting in the surface polarization. Uncompensated oxygen substitution for chlorine and/or fluorine ions leads to appearance of Lewis acid sites while HCl/HF chemisorption results in Bronsted acid sites formation.

Sequential injection redox or acid-base titration for determination of ascorbic acid or acetic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenghor, Narong; Jakmunee, Jaroon; Vilen, Michael; Sara, Rolf; Christian, Gary D; Grudpan, Kate

2002-12-06

Two sequential injection titration systems with spectrophotometric detection have been developed. The first system for determination of ascorbic acid was based on redox reaction between ascorbic acid and permanganate in an acidic medium and lead to a decrease in color intensity of permanganate, monitored at 525 nm. A linear dependence of peak area obtained with ascorbic acid concentration up to 1200 mg l(-1) was achieved. The relative standard deviation for 11 replicate determinations of 400 mg l(-1) ascorbic acid was 2.9%. The second system, for acetic acid determination, was based on acid-base titration of acetic acid with sodium hydroxide using phenolphthalein as an indicator. The decrease in color intensity of the indicator was proportional to the acid content. A linear calibration graph in the range of 2-8% w v(-1) of acetic acid with a relative standard deviation of 4.8% (5.0% w v(-1) acetic acid, n=11) was obtained. Sample throughputs of 60 h(-1) were achieved for both systems. The systems were successfully applied for the assays of ascorbic acid in vitamin C tablets and acetic acid content in vinegars, respectively.

Synthesis, characterization and optical band gap of Pirochromite (MgCr2O4 Nanoparticles by Stearic Acid Sol-Gel Method

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Ehsan Jafarnejad

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Pirochromite (MgCr2O4 nanoparticles were successfully prepared in this study. During synthesis of the pirochromite nanoparticles, a sol-gel was prepared by using magnesium acetate and potassium dichromate as magnesium and chromium sources and by using stearic acid as the network. Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD, transmission electron microscope (TEM, scanning electron microscope (SEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX were used for the elemental analysis, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM were used in order to identify, provide a fuzzy diagnosis, and determine the size and morphology of the particles, as well as to analyze the optical and magnetic properties of the particles. The particle size of MgCr2O4 nanoparticles was observed to fall within a range of 39 nm–71 nm.

Nanometric MgFe2O4: Synthesis, characterization and its application towards supercapacitor and electrochemical uric acid sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Majumder, S.; Kumar, S.; Banerjee, S.

2017-05-01

In this paper, we have synthesized nanocrystalline MgFe2O4 (S1) by auto-combustion assisted sol-gel method. The structure and morphology and elemental study of S1 are examined by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic (EDS) techniques. The FESEM images reveal that the morphology of the sample is rough and average particle size is 50 nm. The PXRD study indicates that the samples are well crystalline and single phase in nature. Moreover, we have performed supercapacitor study by electrochemical galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurement, which shows pseudo capacitive behavior. S1 contains a high specific capacitance of 428.9 Fg-1 at the current density 0.0625 Ag-1 and can deliver high energy and power density of 18.01 Wh kg-1 and 21468 Wkg-1 respectively. Moreover, uric acid (UA) sensing study has also been performed by cyclic voltmetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement (EIS) of S1. We can use nanocrystalline MgFe2O4 as supercapacitor and UA sensor applications purpose.

Magnesium diboride(MgB2) wires for applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, Dipak; Kim, Jung Ho

2016-01-01

Field and temperature dependence of the critical current density, Jc, were measured for both un-doped and carbon doped MgB 2 /Nb/Monel wires manufactured by Hyper Tech Research, Inc. In particular, carbon incorporation into the MgB 2 structure using malic acid additive and a chemical solution method can be advantageous because of the highly uniform mixing between the carbon and boron powders. At 4.2 K and 10 T, Jc was estimated to be 25,000 - 25,300 Acm -2 for the wire sintered at 600 degrees C for 4 hours. The irreversibility field, Birr, of the malic acid doped wire was approximately 21.0 - 21.8 T, as obtained from a linear extrapolation of the J-B characteristic. Interestingly enough, the Jc of the malic acid doped sample exceeds 10 5 Acm -2 at 6 T and 4.2 K, which is comparable to that of commercial Nb-Ti wires

Effect of postharvest methyl jasmonate treatment on fatty acid composition and phenolic acid content in olive fruits during storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Gema; Blanch, Gracia Patricia; Del Castillo, María Luisa Ruiz

2017-07-01

The nutritional effects of both table olives and olive oil are attributed not only to their fatty acids but also to antioxidant phenolics such as phenolic acids. Delays in oil processing usually result in undesirable oxidation and hydrolysis processes leading to formation of free fatty acids. These alterations create the need to process oil immediately after olive harvest. However, phenolic content decreases drastically during olive storage resulting in lower quality oil. In the present study we propose postharvest methyl jasmonate treatment as a mean to avoid changes in fatty acid composition and losses of phenolic acids during olive storage. Contents of fatty acids and phenolic acids were estimated in methyl jasmonate treated olives throughout 30-day storage, as compared with those of untreated olives. Significant decreases of saturated fatty acids were observed in treated samples whereas increases of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids were respectively measured (i.e. from 50.8% to 64.5%, from 7.2% to 9.1% and from 1.5% to 9.3%). Also, phenolic acid contents increased significantly in treated olives. Particularly, increases of gallic acid from 1.35 to 6.29 mg kg -1 , chlorogenic acid from 9.18 to 16.21 mg kg -1 , vanillic acid from 9.61 to 16.99 mg kg -1 , caffeic acid from 5.12 to 12.55 mg kg -1 , p-coumaric acid from 0.96 to 5.31 mg kg -1 and ferulic acid from 4.05 to 10.43 mg kg -1 were obtained. Methyl jasmonate treatment is proposed as an alternative postharvest technique to traditional methods to guarantee olive oil quality when oil processing is delayed and olive fruits have to necessarily to be stored. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Esterification and Deacidification of a Waste Cooking Oil (TAN 68.81 mg KOH/g for Biodiesel Production

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Zheng Xia

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Oils with high content of free fatty acid (FFA can be treated by acid esterification where an alcohol reacts with the given oil in the presence of acid catalyst. The investigated parameters include methanol to oil ratio, temperature and amount of catalyst. The optimum conditions for acid esterification which could reduce FFA content in the feedstock to less than 1.88% (acid value 3.76 mg KOH/g waste cooking oil were 50 °C, 20% methanol to oil ratio (by volume and 0.4 vol.% H₂SO₄ after 5 h. However, oil with an acid value of more than 1 mg KOH/g oil cannot meet the alkaline catalyzed transesterification conditions. Under the conditions of NaOH concentration 0.5 N, excess alkali 15%, 60 °C, 40 min, the FFA removal rate for deacidification reached 77.11% (acid value 0.86 mg KOH/g esterified oil. The acid value of deacidification product was reduced below 0.86 mg KOH/g esterified oil, thus meeting the base-catalyzed trans-esterification conditions.

Assessment of acute toxicity of water soluble fraction of diesel on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Acute toxicity of water soluble fraction (WSF) of diesel fuel was assessed by evaluating its effects on growth of two marine microalgae, Isochrysis and Chaetoceros. Pure cultures of each of the two microalgae were exposed to concentrations of 0% (controls), 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of diesel WSF (in triplicates) and allowed ...

Astronaut Ronald Sega in crew cabin

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

Astronaut Ronald M. Sega suspends himself in the weightlessness aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery's crew cabin, as the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm holds the Wake Shield Facility (WSF) aloft. The mission specialist is co-principle investigator on the the WSF project. Note the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs banner above his head.

Ionic liquid based on α-amino acid anion and N7,N9-dimethylguaninium cation ([dMG][AA]): theoretical study on the structure and electronic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakourian-Fard, Mehdi; Fattahi, Alireza; Bayat, Ahmad

2012-06-07

The interactions between five amino acid based anions ([AA](-) (AA = Gly, Phe, His, Try, and Tyr)) and N7,N9-dimethylguaninium cation ([dMG](+)) have been investigated by the hybrid density functional theory method B3LYP together with the basis set 6-311++G(d,p). The calculated interaction energy was found to decrease in magnitude with increasing side-chain length in the amino acid anion. The interaction between the [dMG](+) cation and [AA](-) anion in the most stable configurations of ion pairs is a hydrogen bonding interaction. These hydrogen bonds (H bonds) were analyzed by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Finally, several correlations between electron densities in bond critical points of hydrogen bonds and interaction energy as well as vibrational frequencies in the most stable configurations of ion pairs have been checked.

An accurate potentiometric titration of 5-25 mg uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slanina, J.; Bakker, F.; Lingerak, W.A.

1976-01-01

A potentiometric titration of 5 to 25 mg uranium is described. Sulphamic and phosphoric acid are added to the sample (volume 1 ml), U VI is reduced to U IV by Fe 2+ and the excess of Fe 2+ is oxidized by a mixture of nitric acid, sulphamic acid and ammonium molybdate; vanadyl sulphate is added to ensure a sharp end-point of the titration. The resultant U IV is titrated automatically with 0.02500N potassiumdichromate using a platinum indicator electrode. The automatic titration is performed both with a commercial titrator (Mettler) and with an R.C.N. titrator which waits after each addition until the equilibrium is reached. Using the Mettler titrator an accuracy of 0.05% relative was reached. The R.C.N. setpoint titrator gave results with an accuracy of 0.04% relative at the 20-mg U level. Each titration takes 5 to 7 min. (author)

Fusidic acid in dermatology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schöfer, Helmut; Simonsen, Lene

1995-01-01

Studies on the clinical efficacy of fusidic acid in skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs), notably those due to Staphylococcus aureus, are reviewed. Oral fusidic acid (tablets dosed at 250 mg twice daily, or a suspension for paediatric use at 20 mg/kg/day given as two daily doses) has shown goo...

Anaerobic degradation of linoleic oleic acids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lalman, J.A.; Bagley, D.M.

1999-07-01

The anaerobic degradation of linoleic (C18:2) and oleic (C18:1) acids was examined in batch experiments. By-product distribution depended on both the type of long chain fatty acid added and initial substrate concentration. Major by-products were palmitic (C16), myristic (C14) and acetic acids. Trace quantities of palmitoleic (C16:1) and lauric (C12) acids were observed together with larger amounts of palmitic (C16), myristic (C14) and hexanoic (C6) acids in cultures incubated with 100 mg/L linoleic (C18:2) acid. Bio-hydrogenation of C18 fatty acids was not necessary for the {beta}-oxidation mechanism to proceed. Aceticlastic methanogenic inhibition was observed in cultures inoculated with greater than 50 mg/L linoleic (C18:2) acid. In cultures incubated with greater than 50 mg/L oleic (C18:1) acid, aceticlastic methanogenic inhibition was observed for a short time period.

Media discourses on the World Social Forums: Towards comparative analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Ekecrantz

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The reflections to be presented in this and a parallel article by Maia and Castro are based on ongoing studies of Brazilian, Swedish and Russian and Chinese media materials dealing with the World Social Forums (WSF in 2001-2004. The overriding question in this paper concerns the ways mainstream media of very different societieshave re-constructed the global and local issues addressed by the Forums. Of the four market-oriented economies, Communist China and Post-Socialist Russia stand out as being almost silent about the WSF, favouring economic globalization - seemingly at odds with cultural globalization. In Brazil and Sweden the dominant media harbourcontradictory discourses reflecting different political positions visavi the WSF.

Synergistic effects of arsenic trioxide combined with ascorbic acid in human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells: a systems biology analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, X C; Maimaiti, X Y M; Huang, C W; Zhang, L; Li, Z B; Chen, Z G; Gao, X; Chen, T Y

2014-01-01

To further understand the synergistic mechanism of As2O3 and asscorbic acid (AA) in human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells by systems biology analysis. Human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells were treated by As2O3 (1 µmol/L), AA (62.5 µmol/L) and combined drugs (1 µmol/L As2O3 plus 62.5 µmol/L AA). Dynamic morphological characteristics were recorded by Cell-IQ system, and growth rate was calculated. Illumina beadchip assay was used to analyze the differential expression genes in different groups. Synergic effects on differential expression genes (DEGs) were analyzed by mixture linear model and singular value decomposition model. KEGG pathway annotations and GO enrichment analysis were performed to figure out the pathways involved in the synergic effects. We captured 1987 differential expression genes in combined therapy MG-63 cells. FAT1 gene was significantly upregulated in all three groups, which is a promising drug target as an important tumor suppressor analogue; meanwhile, HIST1H2BD gene was markedly downregulated in the As2O3 monotherapy group and the combined therapy group, which was found to be upregulated in prostatic cancer. These two genes might play critical roles in synergetic effects of AA and As2O3, although the exact mechanism needs further investigation. KEGG pathway analysis showed many DEGs were related with tight junction, and GO analysis also indicated that DEGs in the combined therapy cells gathered in occluding junction, apical junction complex, cell junction, and tight junction. AA potentiates the efficacy of As2O3 in MG-63 cells. Systems biology analysis showed the synergic effect on the DEGs.

Lead sulfate nano- and microparticles in the acid plant blow-down generated at the sulfuric acid plant of the El Teniente mine, Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Barassi, Giancarlo M; Klimsa, Martin; Borrmann, Thomas; Cairns, Mathew J; Kinkel, Joachim; Valenzuela, Fernando

2014-12-01

The acid plant 'blow-down' (also called weak acid) produced at El Teniente mine in Chile was characterized. This liquid waste (tailing) is generated during the cooling and cleaning of the smelter gas prior to the production of sulfuric acid. The weak acid was composed of a liquid and a solid phase (suspended solids). The liquid phase of the sample analyzed in this study mainly contained Cu (562 mg L(-1)), SO4(2-) (32 800 mg L(-1)), Ca (1449 mg L(-1)), Fe (185 mg L(-1)), As (6 mg L(-1)), K (467 mg L(-1)) and Al (113 mg L(-1)). Additionally, the sample had a pH-value and total acidity of 0.45 and 2970 mg L(-1) as CaCO3, respectively. Hence, this waste was classified as extremely acidic and with a high metal content following the Ficklin diagram classification. Elemental analysis using atomic absorption, inductively coupled plasma, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy showed that the suspended solids were anglesite (PbSO4) nano- and microparticles ranging from 50 nm to 500 nm in diameter.

The effects of abscisic acid, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid on lipid accumulation in two freshwater Chlorella strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Guanxun; Gao, Zhengquan; Du, Huanmin; Lin, Bin; Yan, Yuchen; Li, Guoqiang; Guo, Yanyun; Fu, Shenggui; Wei, Gongxiang; Wang, Miaomiao; Cui, Meng; Meng, Chunxiao

2018-03-27

Sustainable renewable energy is being hotly debated globally because the continued use of finite fossil fuels is now widely recognized as being unsustainable. Microalgae potentially offer great opportunities for resolving this challenge. Abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) are involved in regulating many physiological properties and have been widely used in higher plants. To test if phytohormones have an impact on accumulating lipid for microalgae, ABA, JA and SA were used to induce two Chlorella strains in the present study. The results showed 1.0 mg/L ABA, 10 mg/L SA, and 0.5 mg/L JA, led strain C. vulgaris ZF strain to produce a 45%, 42% and 49% lipid content that was 1.8-, 1.7- and 2.0-fold that of controls, respectively. For FACHB 31 (number 31 of the Freshwater Algae Culture Collection at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences), the addition of 1.0 mg/L ABA, 10 mg/L SA, and 0.5 mg/L, JA produced 33%, 30% and 38% lipid content, which was 1.8-, 1.6- and 2.1-fold that of controls, respectively. As for lipid productivity, 1.0 mg/L ABA increased the lipid productivity of C. vulgaris ZF strain and FACHB-31 by 123% and 44%; 10 mg/L SA enhanced lipid productivity by 100% and 33%; the best elicitor, 0.5 mg/L JA, augmented lipid productivity by 127% and 75% compared to that of controls, respectively. The results above suggest that the three phytohormones at physiological concentrations play crucial roles in inducing lipid accumulation in Chlorella.

Magnesium diboride(MgB{sub 2}) wires for applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patel, Dipak; Kim, Jung Ho [Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, North Wollongong (Australia)

2016-03-15

Field and temperature dependence of the critical current density, Jc, were measured for both un-doped and carbon doped MgB{sub 2}/Nb/Monel wires manufactured by Hyper Tech Research, Inc. In particular, carbon incorporation into the MgB{sub 2} structure using malic acid additive and a chemical solution method can be advantageous because of the highly uniform mixing between the carbon and boron powders. At 4.2 K and 10 T, Jc was estimated to be 25,000 - 25,300 Acm{sup -2} for the wire sintered at 600 degrees C for 4 hours. The irreversibility field, Birr, of the malic acid doped wire was approximately 21.0 - 21.8 T, as obtained from a linear extrapolation of the J-B characteristic. Interestingly enough, the Jc of the malic acid doped sample exceeds 10{sup 5} Acm{sup -2} at 6 T and 4.2 K, which is comparable to that of commercial Nb-Ti wires.

Eicosapentaenoic Acid Supplementation Changes Fatty Acid Composition and Corrects Endothelial Dysfunction in Hyperlipidemic Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ken Yamakawa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA on vascular endothelial function and free fatty acid composition in Japanese hyperlipidemic subjects. In subjects with hyperlipidemia (total cholesterol ≥220 mg/dL and/or triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL, lipid profile and forearm blood flow (FBF during reactive hyperemia were determined before and 3 months after supplementation with 1800 mg/day EPA. Peak FBF during reactive hyperemia was lower in the hyperlipidemic group than the normolipidemic group. EPA supplementation did not change serum levels of total, HDL, or LDL cholesterol, apolipoproteins, remnant-like particle (RLP cholesterol, RLP triglycerides, or malondialdehyde-modified LDL cholesterol. EPA supplementation did not change total free fatty acid levels in serum, but changed the fatty acid composition, with increased EPA and decreased linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid. EPA supplementation recovered peak FBF after 3 months. Peak FBF recovery was correlated positively with EPA and EPA/arachidonic acid levels and correlated inversely with dihomo-γ-linolenic acid. EPA supplementation restores endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in hyperlipidemic patients despite having no effect on serum cholesterol and triglyceride patterns. These results suggest that EPA supplementation may improve vascular function at least partly via changes in fatty acid composition.

Effects of Salicylic acid and Humic acid on Vegetative Indices of Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseusL.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Chamani

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Vinca flower (Catharanthus roseus L. is one of the most important medicinal plants of Apocynaceae (31, 27. Tropical plant native to a height of 30 to 35 centimeters (9 and a perennial shrub which is grown in cold areas for one year (27.One of the plants in the world today as a medicinal plant used the periwinkle plant. Among the 130 indole – terpenoids alkaloids which have been identified in the plant periwinkle vinca alkaloids vincristine and vinblastin are the most important component is used to treat a variety of cancers. Including therapies that are used for a variety of cancer, chemotherapy to help Vinca alkaloids collection (including vincristine and…. Vinblastin as effective member of this category, due to the low percentage of venom and effects at very low doses, is widely used today. These materials are generally formed as inhibitors of mitotic spindle in dividing cells have been identified. Vinblastin with these structural changes in connection kinotokor - microtubules and centrosomes in a dividing cell, the mitotic spindle stop (45.Salicylic acid belongs to a group of phenolic compounds found in plants, and today is widely regarded as a hormone-like substance. These classes of compounds act as growth regulators. Humic substances are natural organic compounds that contain 50 to 90% of organic matter, peat, charcoal, rotten food and non-living organic materials are aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (2. Materials and Methods: In this experiment, vinca F2 seeds in the mixed 4: 1 perlite and peat moss to the planting trays were sown. The seedlings at the 6-leaf stage were transfered to the main pot (pot height 30 and 25 cm diameter The pots bed soil mix consisting of 2 parts soil to one part sand and one part peat moss (v / v were used and after the establishment of seedlings in pots every two weeks with. Salicylic acid and humic acid concentrations 0 (control, 10, 100, 500 and 1000 mg were treated as a foliar spray

Structurally characterized 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine solvated magnesium aryloxide complexes: [Mg(mu-OEt)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(mu-OBc)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(mu-TMBA)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(mu-DPP)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(BMP)2(H-TMG)2], [Mg(O-2,6-Ph2C6H3)2 (H-TMG)2].

Science.gov (United States)

Monegan, Jessie D; Bunge, Scott D

2009-04-06

The synthesis and structural characterization of several 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine (H-TMG) solvated magnesium aryloxide complexes are reported. Bu(2)Mg was successfully reacted with H-TMG, HOC(6)H(3)(CMe(3))(2)-2,6 (H-DBP), and either ethanol, a carboxylic acid, or diphenyl phosphate in a 1:1 ratio to yield the corresponding [Mg(mu-L)(DBP)(H-TMG)](2) where L = OCH(2)CH(3) (OEt, 1), O(2)CC(CH(3))(3) (OBc, 2), O(2)C(C(6)H(2)-2,4,6-(CH(3))(3)) (TMBA, 3), or O(2)P(OC(6)H(5))(2) (DPP, 4). Bu(2)Mg was also reacted with two equivalents of H-TMG and HOC(6)H(3)(CMe(3))-2-(CH(3))-6 (BMP) or HO-2,6-Ph(2)C(6)H(3) to yield [Mg(BMP)(2)(H-TMG)(2)] (5) and [Mg(O-2,6-Ph(2)C(6)H(3))(2)(H-TMG)(2)] (6). Compounds 1-6 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Polymerization of l- and rac-lactide with 1 was found to generate polylactide (PLA). A discussion concerning the relevance of compounds 2 - 4 to the structure of Mg-activated phosphatase enzymes is also provided. The bulk powders for all complexes were found to be in agreement with the crystal structures based on elemental analyses, FT-IR spectroscopy, and (1)H, (13)C and (31)P NMR studies.

Reductive Degradation of Perfluorinated Compounds in Water using Mg-aminoclay coated Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron

OpenAIRE

Arvaniti, Olga S.; Hwang, Yuhoon; Andersen, Henrik Rasmus; Stasinakis, Athanasios S.; Thomaidis , Nikolaos S.; Aloupi, Maria

2015-01-01

Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) are extremely persistent micropollutants that are detected worldwide. We studied the removal of PFCs (perfluorooctanoic acid; PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid; PFNA, perfluorodecanoic acid; PFDA and perfluorooctane sulfonate; PFOS) from water by different types of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI). Batch experiments showed that an iron dose of 1 g•L-1 in the form of Mg-aminoclay (MgAC) coated nZVI, at an initial pH of 3.0 effectively removed 38 % to 96 % of individ...

Uric acid and allopurinol aggravate absence epileptic activity in Wistar Albino Glaxo Rijswijk rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Lakatos, Renáta Krisztina; Dobolyi, Árpád; Kovács, Zsolt

2018-05-01

Uric acid has a role in several physiological and pathophysiological processes. For example, uric acid may facilitate seizure generalization while reducing uric acid level may evoke anticonvulsant/antiepileptic effects. Allopurinol blocks the activity of xanthine oxidase, by which allopurinol inhibits catabolism of hypoxanthine to xanthine and uric acid and, as a consequence, decreases the level of uric acid. Although the modulation of serum uric acid level is a widely used strategy in the treatment of certain diseases, our knowledge regarding the effects of uric acid on epileptic activity is far from complete. Thus, the main aim of this study was the investigation of the effect of uric acid on absence epileptic seizures (spike-wave discharges: SWDs) in a model of human absence epilepsy, the Wistar Albino Glaxo/Rijswijk (WAG/Rij) rat. We investigated the influence of intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected uric acid (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg), allopurinol (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg), a cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (COX-1 and COX-2) inhibitor indomethacin (10 mg/kg) and inosine (500 mg/kg) alone and the combined application of allopurinol (50 mg/kg) with uric acid (100 mg/kg) or inosine (500 mg/kg) as well as indomethacin (10 mg/kg) with uric acid (100 mg/kg) and inosine (500 mg/kg) with uric acid (100 mg/kg) on absence epileptic activity. We demonstrated that both uric acid and allopurinol alone significantly increased the number of SWDs whereas indomethacin abolished the uric acid-evoked increase in SWD number. Our results suggest that uric acid and allopurinol have proepileptic effects in WAG/Rij rats. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the combined effect of MgO and PEG on the release profile of mefenamic acid prepared via hot-melt extrusion techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Alshehri, Sultan M; Tiwari, Roshan V; Alsulays, Bader B; Ashour, Eman A; Alshetaili, Abdullah S; Almutairy, Bjad; Park, Jun-Bom; Morott, Joseph; Sandhu, Bhupinder; Majumdar, Soumyajit; Repka, Michael A

2017-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of magnesium oxide (MgO) as an alkalizer and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a plasticizer and wetting agent in the presence of Kollidon® 12 PF and 17 PF polymer carriers on the release profile of mefenamic acid (MA), which was prepared via hot-melt extrusion technique. Various drug loads of MA and various ratios of the polymers, PEG 3350 and MgO were blended using a V-shell blender and extruded using a twin-screw extruder (16-mm Prism EuroLab, ThermoFisher Scientific, Carlsbad, CA) at different screw speeds and temperatures to prepare a solid dispersion system. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction data of the extruded material confirmed that the drug existed in the amorphous form, as evidenced by the absence of corresponding peaks. MgO and PEG altered the micro-environmental pH to be more alkaline (pH 9) and increased the hydrophilicity and dispersibility of the extrudates to enhance MA solubility and release, respectively. The in vitro release study demonstrated an immediate release for 2 h with more than 80% drug release within 45 min in matrices containing MgO and PEG in combination with polyvinylpyrrolidone when compared to the binary mixture, physical mixture and pure drug.

The possible mechanisms of protocatechuic acid-induced central analgesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rana Arslan

2018-05-01

Full Text Available It is aimed to investigate the central antinociceptive effect of protocatechuic acid and the involvement of stimulation of opioidergic, serotonin 5-HT2A/2C, α2-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors in protocatechuic acid-induced central analgesia in mice. Time-dependent antinociceptive effects of protocatechuic acid at the oral doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg were tested in hot-plate (integrated supraspinal response and tail-immersion (spinal reflex tests in mice. To investigate the mechanisms of action; the mice administered 300 mg/kg protocatechuic acid (p.o. were pre-treated with non-specific opioid antagonist naloxone (5 mg/kg, i.p., serotonin 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist ketanserin (1 mg/kg, i.p., α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p. and non-specific muscarinic antagonist atropine (5 mg/kg, i.p., respectively. The antinociceptive effect of protocatechuic acid was observed at the doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg in tail-immersion test, at the doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg in hot-plate test at different time interval. The enhancement in the latency of protocatechuic acid-induced response to thermal stimuli was antagonized by yohimbine, naloxone and atropine in tail-immersion test, while it was antagonized only by yohimbine and naloxone pretreatments in hot-plate test. These results indicated that protocatechuic acid has the central antinociceptive action that is probably organized by spinal mediated cholinergic and opiodiergic, also spinal and supraspinal mediated noradrenergic modulation. However, further studies are required to understand how protocatechuic acid organizes the interactions of these modulatory systems. As a whole, these findings reinforce that protocatechuic acid is a potential agent that might be used for pain relief. Additionally, the clarification of the effect and mechanisms of action of protocatechuic acid will contribute to new therapeutic approaches and provide guidance for new drug

Highly efficient transition metal-free coupling of acid chlorides with terminal alkynes in [bmim]Br: A rapid route to access ynones using MgCl2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Navid Soltani Rad

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A simple, mild, highly efficient and transition metal-free protocol for synthesis of ynones in an ionic liquid is described. In this approach, the coupling reaction of different acid chlorides with terminal alkynes was efficiently carried out using 0.05 mol% MgCl2 in the presence of triethylamine in [bmim]Br at room temperature to afford the corresponding ynones in good to excellent yields. This method is highly efficient for various acid chlorides and alkynes including aliphatic, aromatic, and heteroaromatic substrates bearing different functional groups. The influence of some parameters in this reaction including type of ionic liquid, base and catalyst has been discussed.

Supplemental folic acid in pregnancy and childhood cancer risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Jan Helge Seglem; Øyen, Nina; Fomina, Tatiana

2016-01-01

Background:We investigated the association between supplemental folic acid in pregnancy and childhood cancer in a nation-wide study of 687 406 live births in Norway, 1999-2010, and 799 children diagnosed later with cancer.Methods:Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) compared cancer risk in children...... by approximated periconceptional folic acid levels (folic acid tablets and multivitamins (0.6 mg), only folic acid (0.4 mg), only multivitamins (0.2 mg)) and cancer risk in unexposed.Results:Any folic acid levels were not associated with leukemia (e.g., high-level folic acid HR 1.25; 95% CI 0.89-1.76, P Trend 0.......90).Conclusions:Folic acid supplementation was not associated with risk of major childhood cancers....

Lactic acid levels in pleural fluid from patients with bacterial pleuritis.

OpenAIRE

Riley, T V

1985-01-01

Pleural fluid lactic acid estimations were carried out on 60 samples by gas-liquid chromatography. Lactic acid levels in 12 patients with bacterial pleural infection were statistically significantly higher (mean, 287 mg/dl; range, 135 to 482 mg/dl) than in 18 patients with malignancy (mean, 71 mg/dl; range, 24 to 157 mg/dl) and 30 other patients with pleural effusions (mean, 19 mg/dl; range, 10 to 57 mg/dl). The determination of pleural fluid lactic acid may help in differentiating between em...

Comparison of the effects of esomeprazole 40 mg, rabeprazole 20 mg, lansoprazole 30 mg, and pantoprazole 40 mg on intragastrıc pH in extensive metabolizer patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Çelebi, Altay; Aydın, Dinçer; Kocaman, Orhan; Konduk, Buğra Tolga; Şentürk, Ömer; Hülagü, Sadetin

2016-09-01

Studies on the therapeutic efficacy of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been recently published. In most of these studies, comparison of only two PPIs have been made. There are few studies on the comparison of four or more PPIs. We aimed to compare the acid inhibitory effects of esomeprazole 40 mg, rabeprazole 20 mg, lansoprazole 30 mg, and pantoprazole 40 mg on days 1 and 5 of treatment in patients with GERD, who were extensive metabolizers in regard to the CYP2C19 genotype. Helicobacter pylori-negative with typical symptoms of GERD patients were randomly divided into four treatment groups. Efficacy analysis on days 1 and 5 were performed on the four groups which comprised 10 (esomeprazole), 11 (rabeprazole), 10 (lansoprazole), and 10 (pantoprazole) patients. On day 1 of PPI treatment, the mean percentage of time with intragastric Ph>4 were 54%, 58%, 60%, and 35% for the groups, respectively, and on day 5, these values were 67%, 60%, 68%, and 59%, respectively. Esomeprazole, rabeprazole, and lansoprazole were found to be superior to pantoprazole on the first day of treatment. Pantoprazole is a less potent proton pump inhibitor than the other PPIs tested on the first day of treatment. When the time needed to raise the intragatric pH to over 4 was evaluated, esomeprazole was found to have the most rapid action, followed by lansoprazole and rabeprazole.

Synthesis of fatty acid methyl ester from crude jatropha (Jatropha curcas Linnaeus) oil using aluminium oxide modified Mg-Zn heterogeneous catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Olutoye, M A; Hameed, B H

2011-06-01

The synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) as a substitute to petroleum diesel was investigated in this study from crude jatropha oil (CJO), a non-edible, low-cost alternative feedstock, using aluminium modified heterogeneous basic oxide (Mg-Zn) catalyst. The transesterification reaction with methanol to methyl esters yielded 94% in 6h with methanol-oil ratio of 11:1, catalyst loading of 8.68 wt.% at 182°C and the properties of CJO fuel produced were determine and found to be comparable to the standards according to ASTM. In the range of experimental parameters investigated, it showed that the catalyst is selective to production of methyl esters from oil with high free fatty acid (FFA) and water content of 7.23% and 3.28%, respectively in a single stage process. Thus, jatropha oil is a promising feedstock for methyl ester production and large scale cultivation will help to reduce the product cost. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Adsorption of Dextranase onto Mg/Fe-Layered Double Hydroxide: Insight into the Immobilization

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Yi Ding

2018-03-01

Full Text Available We report the adsorption of dextranase on a Mg/Fe-layered double hydroxide (Mg/Fe-LDH. We focused the effects of different buffers, pH, and amino acids. The Mg/Fe-LDH was synthesized, and adsorption experiments were performed to investigate the effects. The maximum adsorption occurred in pH 7.0 4-(2-hydroxyethyl-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES buffer, and the maximum dextranase adsorption uptake was 1.38 mg/g (416.67 U/mg; histidine and phenylalanine could affect the adsorption. A histidine tag could be added to the protein to increase the adsorption significantly. The performance features and mechanism were investigated with X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR. The protein could affect the crystal structure of LDH, and the enzyme was adsorbed on the LDH surface. The main interactions between the protein and LDH were electrostatic and hydrophobic. Histidine and phenylalanine could significantly affect the adsorption. The hexagonal morphology of LDH was not affected after adsorption.

Synthetic water soluble di-/tritopic molecular receptors exhibiting Ca2+/Mg2+ exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavie-Cambot, Aurélie; Tron, Arnaud; Ducrot, Aurélien; Castet, Frédéric; Kauffmann, Brice; Beauté, Louis; Allouchi, Hassan; Pozzo, Jean-Luc; Bonnet, Célia S; McClenaghan, Nathan D

2017-05-23

Structural integration of two synthetic water soluble receptors for Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , namely 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) and o-aminophenol-N,N,O-triacetic acid (APTRA), respectively, gave novel di- and tritopic ionophores (1 and 2). As Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ cannot be simultaneously complexed by the receptors, allosteric control of complexation results. Potentiometric measurements established stepwise protonation constants and showed high affinity for Ca 2+ (log K = 6.08 and 8.70 for 1 and 2, respectively) and an excellent selectivity over Mg 2+ (log K = 3.70 and 5.60 for 1 and 2, respectively), which is compatible with magnesium-calcium ion exchange. While ion-exchange of a single Mg 2+ for a single Ca 2+ is possible in both 1 and 2, the simultaneous binding of two Mg 2+ by 2 appears prohibitive for replacement of these two ions by a single Ca 2+ . Ion-binding and exchange was further rationalized by DFT calculations.

Effect of sorbic acid doping on flux pinning in bulk MgB2 with the percolation model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Y.; Cheng, C.H.; Wang, L.; Sun, H.H.; Zhao, Y.

2010-01-01

In this paper, we study the doping effect of sorbic acid (C 6 H 8 O 2 ), from 0 to 20 wt.% of the total MgB 2 , on critical temperature (T c ), critical current density (J c ), irreversibility field (H irr ) and crystalline structure. The XRD patterns of samples show a slightly decrease in a-axis lattice parameter for doped samples, due to the partial substitution of carbon at boron site. On the other hand, we investigate the influence of doping on the behavior of flux pinning and J c (B) in the framework of percolation theory and it is found that the J c (B) behavior could be well fitted in high field region. The two key parameters, anisotropy and percolation threshold, play very important roles. It is believed that the enhancement of J c is due to the reduction of anisotropy in high field region.

Understanding Active Metal Reaction Kinetics with Cu–Mg ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

magnesium metal (Mg(s)) in the cathode and chlorine (Cl2(g)) in the anode ... der acidic (pH ≤ 4) and basic (pH≥ 9) conditions, the oxide layer is broken and its .... and high ionic strength of the environment (such as sea water. ([Cl−] = from ...

Catalytic mechanism of the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene over Fe–Co/Mg(Al)O derived from hydrotalcites

KAUST Repository

Tope, Balkrishna B.; Balasamy, Rabindran J.; Khurshid, Alam; Atanda, Luqman A.; Yahiro, Hidenori; Shishido, Tetsuya; Takehira, Katsuomi; Al-Khattaf, Sulaiman S.

2011-01-01

-H+ abstraction from ethyl group on Mg2+-O2- basic sites, followed by C-O-Mg bond formation. The α-H+ abstraction by O2-(-Mg 2+) was likely followed by β-H abstraction, leading to the formations of styrene and H2. Such catalytic mechanism by the Fe 3+ acid-O2-(-Mg

Monoglycerides and fatty acids from Ibervillea sonorae root: isolation and hypoglycemic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Galicia, Erica; Calzada, Fernando; Roman-Ramos, Rubén; Alarcón-Aguilar, Francisco J

2007-03-01

Eleven monoglycerides (MG), 1-monopalmitin (1), glyceryl 1-monomargarate (2), 1-monostearin (3), glyceryl 1-monononadecylate ( 4), glyceryl 1-monoarachidate (5), glyceryl 1-monobehenate (6), glyceryl 1-monotricosanoate (7), glyceryl 1-monotetracosanoate (8), glyceryl 1-monopentacosanoate (9), glyceryl 1-monohexacosanoate (10) and glyceryl 1-monooctacosanoate (11), together with five fatty acids (FA), lauric acid (12), myristic acid (13), pentadecanoic acid (14), palmitic acid (15) and stearic acid (16) were isolated of the root of IBERVILLEA SONORAE Greene (Cucurbitaceae). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods as well as GC-MS analysis. The hypoglycemic activity of the dichloromethane (DCM) extract, of fractions (F1-F10 and SF1-SF5), of monoglycerides (MG) and of fatty acids (FA) mixtures obtained of the root from I. SONORAE was evaluated in normoglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The results showed that by intraperitoneal administration the DCM extract (300 mg/kg), F9 (300 mg/kg) and SF1 (150 mg/kg) significantly reduced glucose levels in both models. For fraction SF1, the hypoglycemic activity was more pronounced than that of tolbutamide (150 mg/kg) used as control. However, neither MG (75 mg/kg) nor FA (75 mg/kg) mixtures isolated from SF1 exhibited a significant hypoglycemic effect. However, when MG and FA were combined in equal proportions (75 mg: 75 mg/kg), their effect was comparable to that of SF1. The observed activity for the DCM extract, F9, SF1 and the MG-FA mixture provides additional support for the popular use of this plant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Mexican traditional medicine.

Composition and content analysis of sugars and organic acids for 45 grape cultivars from northeast region of china

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaozhu, G.N.; Jia, Z.; Zhihu, R.; Zuhui, Z.; Quan, G.; Hongyan, G.; Xiuwu, G.

2017-01-01

The qualitative and quantitative analysis of sugars and acids of grape cultivars from northeast region of China was carried out for quality evaluation and variety improvement of grape. Analysis of major sugars and organic acids for 45 grape berries was carried out using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The result showed that glucose and fructose were the major sugars, beside that, some grape cultivars also contained sucrose. The quantity of glucose and fructose was almost equal in most of grape berries. A significant positive correlation existed between them, glucose content ranged from 53.24 mg/ml to 124.18mg/ml and fructose content ranged from 48.39 mg/ml to118.84 mg/ml. Tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid and oxalic acid were organic acids and tartaric acid was the main constituent in most grape berries and its concentration was higher than the other organic acids. However, in some grape cultivars, malic acid and citric acid were two highest organic acids while oxalic acid content was the lowest and even in some cultivars it could not be detected. Tartaric acid ranged from 1.28mg/ml to 6.82 mg/ml, malic acid ranged from 0.09mg/ml to 3.95 mg/ml, citric acid ranged from 0.08mg/ml to 4.43 mg/ml, oxalic acid ranged from mg/ml to 0.370 mg/ml. Thirty-four grape cultivars out of 45 cultivars accounted more than 50% tartic acid of the total organic acid contents. However, in cultivars Bixiang Wuhe and Shennong Jinhuanghou citric acid was the main organic acid. Malic acid and citric acid were significantly positively related with total acid. In 43 grape cultivars, the soluble sugars were glucose and fructose. Besides glucose and fructose, sucrose was also observed in cultivars of LN33 and Cayuga white. (author)

Surface excess on MgO-doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles; Segregacao superficial de MgO em nanoparticulas de TiO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gouvea, D.; Viana, B.H.; Miagava, J., E-mail: dgouvea@usp.br, E-mail: bhernardov@gmail.com, E-mail: joice.mgv@gmail.com [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Metalurgica e de Materiais. Lab. de Processos Ceramicos

2016-10-15

Anatase has been the subject of several recent investigations partly as consequence of its interesting catalytic properties. Additives such as MgO have been introduced to improve the performance of the photocatalytic TiO{sub 2}. However, the physical-chemistry of these oxides systems and their relationship with properties are poorly understood. In this work, nanoparticles of xMgO-(1-x)TiO{sub 2} (0≤ x≤ 0.05) were synthesized by the polymeric precursor method at 500 °C for 15 h. XRD results showed that only anatase phase was obtained and the crystallite size decreases with increased MgO concentration. Magnesia surface excess was calculated by washing powders with HNO{sub 3} and the soluble Mg ions concentration determined by chemical analysis. FTIR analysis confirms that the acid washing modified the particle surface. Therefore, it is proposed that the reduction of the crystallite size occurs due to segregation of MgO on TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles surfaces. (author)

Uric Acid in Pregnancy: New Concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno Santillan, Armando Alberto; Briones Garduño, Jesus Carlos; Diaz de Leon Ponce, Manuel Antonio

2018-01-01

The relationship between hyperuricemia and hypertensive disorders is well established; however, until today, the role of uric acid in the clinical course of severe preeclampsia has not been elucidated. Some recent studies suggest that at the time of presentation, subjects with severe preeclampsia frequently have significantly elevated serum uric acid levels, and that the degree of elevation correlates with the severity of the maternal syndrome and fetal morbimortality. In this chapter, we present our workgroup experience. In 2016, we designed a prospective, cross-sectional comparative study. A sample of 200 patients - 100 with severe preeclampsia and 100 with normotensive pregnancy - was obtained. Plasmatic uric acid levels were recorded in units of mg/dL as clinical variables and as laboratory and fetal growth data. We considered uric acid equal to or more than 6.0 mg/dL as the elevated level. To relate the significance of elevated uric acid levels with variables, chi-square tests and Mann-Whitney U test were applied. Any p value equal or uric acid levels among both groups. In comparison with the healthy patients, patients with severe preeclampsia and uric acid greater than 6 mg/dl presented significant differences in relation to fetal complications and maternal laboratory and clinical variables. Our conclusion is that values equal to or greater than 6 mg/dL of serum uric acid in patients with severe preeclampsia may be a valuable biomarker for preeclampsia and an association with the presence of adverse fetal and maternal effects. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Volumizing effects of a smooth, highly cohesive, viscous 20-mg/mL hyaluronic acid volumizing filler: prospective European study

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Hoffmann Klaus

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Facial volume loss contributes significantly to facial aging. The 20-mg/mL hyaluronic acid (HA formulation used in this study is a smooth, highly cohesive, viscous, fully reversible, volumizing filler indicated to restore facial volume. This first prospective study evaluated use in current aesthetic clinical practice. Methods A pan-European evaluation conducted under guidelines of the World Association of Opinion and Marketing Research, the trial comprised a baseline visit (visit 1 and a follow-up (visit 2 at 14 ± 7 days posttreatment. Physicians photographed patients at each visit. Each patient was treated with the 20-mg/mL HA volumizing filler as supplied in standard packaging. Procedural details, aesthetic outcomes, safety, and physician and patient ratings of their experience were recorded. Results Fifteen physicians and 70 patients (91% female; mean age: 50 years participated. Mean volume loss at baseline was 3.7 (moderate on the Facial Volume Loss Scale. Local anesthesia was used in 64.3% of cases. Most injections (85% were administered with needles rather than cannulas. Of the 208 injections, 59% were in the malar region, primarily above the periosteum. Subcutaneous injections were most common for other sites. The mean total injection volume per patient was 4.6 mL. The mean volume loss score declined significantly (P Conclusion The 20-mg/mL smooth, highly cohesive, viscous, volumizing HA filler was effective, well tolerated, and easy to use in current clinical practice. Participants were very likely to recommend this product to colleagues and friends, and patients would be very or quite likely to request this product for future treatments.

Ferrous Iron Oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans: Inhibition with Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

OpenAIRE

Onysko, Steven J.; Kleinmann, Robert L. P.; Erickson, Patricia M.

1984-01-01

Benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and sodium lauryl sulfate at low concentrations (5 to 10 mg/liter) each effectively inhibited bacterial oxidation of ferrous iron in batch cultures of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The rate of chemical oxidation of ferrous iron in low-pH, sterile batch reactors was not substantially affected at the tested concentrations (5 to 50 mg/liter) of any of the compounds.

Antinociceptive Properties of Ascorbic Acid: Evidence for the Mechanism of Action

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Zeraati

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background Ascorbic acid is amongst important water-soluble vitamins and when used orally in high-doses it has been observed to relieve pain and reduce opioid use in patients. However no controlled trial has compared the antinociceptive effects of ascorbic acid with other analgesic groups on animal models, and investigated the involved mechanisms. Objectives In the present study, the antinociceptive effect of vitamin C on male mice was investigated and compared with morphine and diclofenac. Also, possible mechanisms were assayed. Materials and Methods Male albino mice were used in this study. Antinociception was measured using the writhing test, tail flick and formalin tests. Ascorbic acid was used in three doses (30, 150 and 300 mg/kg, IP and compared with the antinociceptive effects of 10 mg/kg of morphine as an opioid analgesic agent and 5-10 mg/kg of diclofenac as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID analgesic agent.The antinociceptive effect of ascorbic acid (300 mg/kg was compared before and after treatment with naloxone (4 mg/kg, ondansetron (0.5 mg/kg, atropine (5 mg/kg and metoclopramide (1 mg/kg in the writhing test. Results Vitamin C caused dose-dependent antinociceptive effects in acetic acid writhing test (P < 0.05. It had no significant effect in the tail flick test. Meanwhile, vitamin C in high doses reduced pain in the second phase of the formalin test (P < 0.05. Morphine had higher nociceptive effects in comparison to ascorbic acid in the writhing test (P < 0.05. In the second phase of the formalin test the antinociceptive effects of vitamin C (300 mg/kg was not significantly different with morphine at dose of 10 mg/kg. There was not significant difference between vitamin C (300 mg/kg and diclofenac (10 mg/kg in the second phase of the formalin test. Metoclopramide and ondansetrone reduced the antinociceptive effects of vitamin C. Conclusions The results obtained from the acetic acid induced writhing test and second

Mechanism of Enhancing Extraction of Vanadium from Stone Coal by Roasting with MgO

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Fang Chen

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the extraction of vanadium from stone coal by roasting with MgO and leaching with sulfuric acid has been investigated, and the mechanism analysis of stone coal roasting with MgO was studied. The results indicated that under the conditions that the mass fraction of the particles with grain size of 0–0.074 mm in raw ore was 75%, the roasting temperature was 500 °C, the roasting time was 1 h, MgO addition was 3 wt %, the sulfuric acid concentration was 20 vol %, the liquid-to-solid ratio was 1.5 mL/g, the leaching temperature was 95 °C, and leaching time was 2 h, resulting in a vanadium leaching efficiency of 86.63%, which increased by 7.73% compared with that of blank roasting. The mechanism analysis showed that the degree of calcite decomposition was low and, thus, magnesium vanadate was more easily formed than calcium vanadate below 500 °C. Moreover, magnesium vanadate was easier to dissolve than calcium vanadate during the sulfuric acid leaching process. Thus, the vanadium leaching efficiency was enhanced by using MgO as a roasting additive below 500 °C. Additionally, at high temperature the formation of tremolite would consume calcium oxide produced from the decomposition of calcite, thus, the formation of calcium vanadate was hindered, and V2O5 would react with MgO to form magnesium vanadate. Therefore, the vanadium leaching efficiency of roasting with MgO was higher than that of blank roasting at high temperature.

Localization and Speciation of Arsenic in Soil and Desert Plant Parkinsonia florida using μXRF and μXANES

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo-Michel, Hiram; Hernandez-Viezcas, Jose; Dokken, Kenneth M.; Marcus, Matthew A.; Peralta-Videa, Jose R.; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L.

2011-01-01

Parkinsonia florida is a plant species native to the semi-desert regions of North America. The cultivation characteristics of this shrub/tree suggest that it could be used for phytoremediation purposes in semiarid regions. This work describes, through the use of synchrotron μXRF and μXANES techniques and ICP-OES, the arsenic (As) accumulation and distribution in P. florida plants grown in two soils spiked with As at 20 mg kg-1. Plants grown in a sandy soil accumulated at least twice more As in the roots compared to plants grown in a loamy soil. The lower As accumulation in plants grown in the loamy soil corresponded to a lower concentration of As in the water soluble fraction (WSF) of this soil. LC-ICP-MS speciation analysis showed only As(V) in the WSF from all treatments. In contrast, linear combination XANES speciation analysis from the root tissues showed As mainly present in the reduced As(III) form. Moreover, a fraction of the reduced As was found coordinating to S in a form consistent with As-Cys3. The percentage of As coordinated to sulfur was smaller for plants grown in the loamy soil when compared to the sandy soil. PMID:21842861

Localization and speciation of arsenic in soil and desert plant Parkinsonia florida using μXRF and μXANES.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo-Michel, Hiram; Hernandez-Viezcas, Jose; Dokken, Kenneth M; Marcus, Matthew A; Peralta-Videa, Jose R; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

2011-09-15

Parkinsonia florida is a plant species native to the semidesert regions of North America. The cultivation characteristics of this shrub/tree suggest that it could be used for phytoremediation purposes in semiarid regions. This work describes, through the use of synchrotron μXRF and μXANES techniques and ICP-OES, the arsenic (As) accumulation and distribution in P. florida plants grown in two soils spiked with As at 20 mg kg(-1). Plants grown in a sandy soil accumulated at least twice more As in the roots compared to plants grown in a loamy soil. The lower As accumulation in plants grown in the loamy soil corresponded to a lower concentration of As in the water-soluble fraction (WSF) of this soil. LC-ICP-MS speciation analysis showed only As(V) in the WSF from all treatments. In contrast, linear combination XANES speciation analysis from the root tissues showed As mainly present in the reduced As(III) form. Moreover, a fraction of the reduced As was found coordinating to S in a form consistent with As-Cys(3). The percentage of As coordinated to sulfur was smaller for plants grown in the loamy soil when compared to the sandy soil.

Recovery of SO2 and MgO from By-Products of MgO Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Liyun; Lu, Xiaofeng; Wang, Quanhai; Guo, Qiang

2014-11-01

An industrial demonstration unit using natural gas as a heat source was built to calcine the by-products of MgO wet flue gas desulfurization from power plants; influencing factors on the SO 2 content in calciner gas were comprehensively analyzed; and an advantageous recycling condition of MgO and SO 2 from by-products was summarized. Results showed that the SO 2 content in the calciner gas was increased by more than 10 times under a lower excess air coefficient, a higher feed rate, a lower crystal water in by-products, and a higher feed port position. For the tests conducted under the excess air coefficient above and below one, the effect of the furnace temperature on the SO 2 content in the calciner gas was reversed. Results of activity analysis indicate that particles of MgO generated under the calcination temperature of 900-1,000°C had a high activity. In contrast, due to the slight sintering, MgO generated under the calcination temperature of 1,100°C had a low activity. To recycle SO 2 as well as MgO, a temperature range of 900-927°C for TE103 is proposed. These studies will prompt the desulfurization market diversification, reduce the sulfur's dependence on imports for making sulfuric acid, be meaningful to balance the usage of the natural resource in China, and be regarded as a reference for the development of this technology for other similar developing countries.

LOCAL APPLICATION OF TRANEXAMIC ACID IN KNEE REPLACEMENT

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E. V. Pshenitsyna

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study – assessment of the efficacy of local application of tranexamic acid in TKA and the choice of the optimal dosage. Materials and methods. 48 patients were included in open-prospective study and were randomized to one of four groups. In the first group tranexamic acid was used as intravenous bolus at the beginning of the operation at a dose of 15 mg/kg. Additionally, after the installation of the prosthetic components, the surgeon performed periarticular infiltration of soft tissue by tranexamic acid solution at a dose of 15 mg/kg. In the second group of patients tranexamic acid was used as 500 mg intravenous bolus before surgery, and 500 mg locally after installation of the prosthesis components. In the third group of patients received tranexamic acid once at the beginning of the operation at a dose of 15 mg/kg iv bolus. In the fourth group tranexam was used after surgery once at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Results. In the first group of patients were achieved statistically significant, 5-6 times, reduction of blood loss on drainage in comparison with other groups, where the volume of postoperative blood loss was not significantly different between groups. Also in the first group recorded the smallest decrease in hemoglobin at the 5th postoperative day compared to the third and fourth groups. Complications associated with the use of tranexamic acid were not revealed. Conclusion. The method of periarticular infiltration by tranexamic acid in combination with its intravenous use in knee joint replacement is an effective and safe method for reduction of post-operative blood loss.

Ferrous Iron Oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans: Inhibition with Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Science.gov (United States)

Onysko, Steven J.; Kleinmann, Robert L. P.; Erickson, Patricia M.

1984-01-01

Benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and sodium lauryl sulfate at low concentrations (5 to 10 mg/liter) each effectively inhibited bacterial oxidation of ferrous iron in batch cultures of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The rate of chemical oxidation of ferrous iron in low-pH, sterile batch reactors was not substantially affected at the tested concentrations (5 to 50 mg/liter) of any of the compounds. PMID:16346592

n3- polyunsaturated Fat Acid Content of Some Edible Fish from Bahrain Waters

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Arrayedu, F. H.; Al Maskati, H. A.; Abdullah, F. J.

1999-08-01

This study was performed to determine the content of n3- polyunsaturated fatty acids in 10 fish species that are commonly consumed in Bahrain in addition to the main commercial shrimp species. White sardinella, which is a plankton feeder, had the highest content of n3- polyunsaturated fatty acids. It had the highest value of eicosapentaenoic acid (146.5 ± 20 mg 100 g-1) and linolenic acid (98.9±f 100 g-1) and the second highest value of docosahexaenoic acid at (133.7 ± 22 mg 100 g-1). Spanish mackerel which feeds mainly on sardinella was second with eicosapentaenoc acid at 55 ± 5.4 mg 100 g-1, docosahexaenoic acid at 161 ± 19.8 mg 100 g-1, linolenic acid at 16.4 mg 100 g-1 and docosapentaenoic acid at 25 ± 1.9 mg 100 g-1. Rabbitfish, the most popular edible fish in Bahrain which feeds mainly on benthic algae had the third highest content of n3- polyunsaturated fatty acids with eicosapentaenoic acid at 37.5 ± 3.9 mg 100 g-1, docosahexaenoic acid at 76 ± 6.7 mg 100 g-1, and docosapentaenoic acid at 85.8 ± 10 mg 100 g-1. The other fish and crustacean species studied were Arabian carpet shark, doublebar bream, grouper, gray grunt, golden travally, keeled mullet, spangled emperor and shrimp. The study explores the transfer of n3- polyunsaturated fatty acids through the food webs of the examined fish. It is apparent, generally, that plankton feeders displayed the highest content of n3- polyunsaturated fatty acids followed by seaweed and algae grazers, with benthic carnivores feeding on invertebrates displaying the poorest content. The values reported here, however, are much lower than those reported for fish available in American markets and in Mediterranean fish. Warm water temperature and high salinity which lead to lowering of the density of phytoplankton and phytoplankton content of n3- polyunsaturated fatty acids are suggested as the reason for the observed low values of n3- polyunsaturated fatty acids in Bahrain fish.

Catalytic mechanism of the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene over Fe–Co/Mg(Al)O derived from hydrotalcites

KAUST Repository

Tope, Balkrishna B.

2011-11-01

Catalytic mechanism of ethylbenzene dehydrogenation over Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O derived from hydrotalcites has been studied based on the XAFS and XPS catalyst characterization and the FTIR measurements of adsorbed species. Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O showed synergy, whereas Fe-Ni/Mg(Al)O showed no synergy, in the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. Ni species were stably incorporated as Ni2+ in the regular sites in periclase and spinel structure in the Fe-Ni/Mg(Al)O. Contrarily, Co species exists as a mixture of Co3+/Co2+ in the Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O and was partially isolated from the regular sites in the structures with increasing the Co content. Co addition enhanced Lewis acidity of Fe3+ active sites by forming Fe3+-O-Co 3+/2+(1/1) bond, resulting in an increase in the activity. FTIR of ethylbenzene adsorbed on the Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O clearly showed formations of C-O bond and π-adsorbed aromatic ring. This suggests that ethylbenzene was strongly adsorbed on the Fe3+ acid sites via π-bonding and the dehydrogenation was initiated by α-H+ abstraction from ethyl group on Mg2+-O2- basic sites, followed by C-O-Mg bond formation. The α-H+ abstraction by O2-(-Mg 2+) was likely followed by β-H abstraction, leading to the formations of styrene and H2. Such catalytic mechanism by the Fe 3+ acid-O2-(-Mg2+) base couple and the Fe 3+/Fe2+ reduction-oxidation cycle was further assisted by Co3+/Co2+, leading to a good catalytic activity for the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Innovative micro-textured hydroxyapatite and poly(l-lactic)-acid polymer composite film as a flexible, corrosion resistant, biocompatible, and bioactive coating for Mg implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sae-Mi; Kang, Min-Ho; Kim, Hyoun-Ee; Lim, Ho-Kyung; Byun, Soo-Hwan; Lee, Jong-Ho; Lee, Sung-Mi

2017-12-01

The utility of a novel ceramic/polymer-composite coating with a micro-textured microstructure that would significantly enhance the functions of biodegradable Mg implants is demonstrated here. To accomplish this, bioactive hydroxyapatite (HA) micro-dots can be created by immersing a Mg implant with a micro-patterned photoresist surface in an aqueous solution containing calcium and phosphate ions. The HA micro-dots can then be surrounded by a flexible poly(l-lactic)-acid (PLLA) polymer using spin coating to form a HA/PLLA micro-textured coating layer. The HA/PLLA micro-textured coating layer showed an excellent corrosion resistance when it was immersed in a simulated body fluid (SBF) solution and good biocompatibility, which was assessed by in vitro cell tests. In addition, the HA/PLLA micro-textured coating layer had high deformation ability, where no apparent changes in the coating layer were observed even after a 5% elongation, which would be unobtainable using HA and PLLA coating layers; furthermore, this allowed the mechanically-strained Mg implant with the HA/PLLA micro-textured coating layer to preserve its excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatibility in vitro. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical properties and analysis of Malaysian palm fatty acid distilled

Science.gov (United States)

Jumaah, Majd Ahmed; Yusoff, Mohamad Firdaus Mohamad; Salimon, Jumat

2018-04-01

Palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) is cheap and valuable byproduct of edible oil processing industries. This study was carried out to determine the physicochemical properties of Malaysian palm fatty acid distilled (PFAD). The physicochemical properties showed that the free fatty acid (FFA %), acid value, iodine value, saponification value, unsaponifiable matter, hydroxyl value, specific gravity at 28°C, moisture content, viscosity at 40°C and colour at 28°C values were 87.04± 0.1 %, 190.6± 1 mg/g, 53.3±0.2 mg/g, 210.37±0.8 mg/g, 1.5±0.1%, 47±0.2 mg/g, 0.87 g/ml, 0.63 %, 30 cSt and yellowish respectively. Gas chromatography (GC) was used to determine the fatty acid (FA) composition in PFAD. The fatty acids were found to be comprised mostly with 48.9 % palmitic acid (C16:0), 37.4 % oleic acid (C18:1), 9.7 % linoleic acid (C18:2), 2.7 % stearic acid (C18:0) and 1.1 % myristic acid (C14:0). The analysis of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has resulted with 99.2 % of FFA, while diacylglycerol and monoacylglycerol were 0.69 and 0.062 % respectively.

Efficacy of obeticholic acid in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and inadequate response to ursodeoxycholic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirschfield, Gideon M; Mason, Andrew; Luketic, Velimir; Lindor, Keith; Gordon, Stuart C; Mayo, Marlyn; Kowdley, Kris V; Vincent, Catherine; Bodhenheimer, Henry C; Parés, Albert; Trauner, Michael; Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich; Adorini, Luciano; Sciacca, Cathi; Beecher-Jones, Tessa; Castelloe, Erin; Böhm, Olaf; Shapiro, David

2015-04-01

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of obeticholic acid (OCA, α-ethylchenodeoxycholic acid) in a randomized controlled trial of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis who had an inadequate response to ursodeoxycholic acid therapy. We performed a double-blind study of 165 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (95% women) and levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 1.5- to 10-fold the upper limit of normal. Patients were randomly assigned to groups given 10 mg, 25 mg, or 50 mg doses of OCA or placebo, once daily for 3 months. Patients maintained their existing dose of ursodeoxycholic acid throughout the study. The primary outcome was change in level of ALP from baseline (day 0) until the end of the study (day 85 or early termination). We also performed an open-label extension of the trial in which 78 patients were enrolled and 61 completed the first year. OCA was superior to placebo in achieving the primary end point. Subjects given OCA had statistically significant relative reductions in mean ALP from baseline to the end of the study (P ursodeoxycholic acid. The incidence and severity of pruritus were lowest among patients who received 10 mg/d OCA. Biochemical responses to OCA were maintained in a 12-month open-label extension trial. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00550862. Copyright © 2015 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ficus deltoidea Standardization: Analytical Methods for Bioactive Markers in Deltozide Tablet 200 MG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazlina Ahmad Hassali; Zainah Adam; Rosniza Razali

2016-01-01

Standardization of herbal materials based on their chemical and biological profile is an important prerequisite for development of herbal product. The phyto pharmaceutical product that has been developed by Medical Technology Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency is DELTOZIDE TABLET 200 MG containing 200 mg of spray-dried aqueous extract of Ficus deltoidea var kunstleri leaf as the active ingredient. Ficus deltoidea Jack or locally known as Mas Cotek is a South East Asian native plant traditionally used to treat several diseases. Pharmacological data showed that this plant exhibited good antioxidant, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is important to establish the chemical profiles and determine the phytochemicals content of this plant as it is popularly used in traditional medicines. Thus, the present study reports on the comprehensive phytochemicals evaluation of bioactive markers from this extract for the development of DELTOZIDE TABLET 200 MG . Characterization of extract using LCMS/ MS Triple TOF System showed the presence of major constituents representing vitexin, isovitexin, gallic acid, catechinic, api genin, epicatechin and caffeoylquinic acid along with other minor constituents. The extract was standardized by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) using two pharmacologically active markers, vitexin and isovitexin. Furthermore, qualitative determination of phytochemicals showed the presence of important phyto-constituents namely anthraquinones, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, phlobatannins, alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, steroids and phenols in the aqueous extract of Ficus deltoidea. Quantitative determination of phytochemicals revealed that the amount of total phenolic content (TPC; Gallic acid as standard) and total flavonoid content (TFC; Quercetin as standard) were 126.67±3.98 mg GAE/ g extract and 9.08±0.36 mg QE/ g extract respectively. The generated data provides some explanation for its wide usage in

Pharmacokinetics of Caffeic Acid from Methanol Seed Extract of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods: A dose of the extract (500 mg, equivalent to 37.135 mg caffeic acid) was administered orally to 6 male .... emission. Validation studies. Linearity. The rat plasma samples were spiked by caffeic acid solutions ..... Atomic structure of.

Corrosion Resistance of the Superhydrophobic Mg(OH2/Mg-Al Layered Double Hydroxide Coatings on Magnesium Alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fen Zhang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Coatings of the Mg(OH2/Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH composite were formed by a combined co-precipitation method and hydrothermal process on the AZ31 alloy substrate in alkaline condition. Subsequently, a superhydrophobic surface was successfully constructed to modify the composite coatings on the AZ31 alloy substrate using stearic acid. The characteristics of the composite coatings were investigated by means of X-ray diffractometer (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, scanning electronic microscope (SEM and contact angle (CA. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was assessed by potentiodynamic polarization, the electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS, the test of hydrogen evolution and the immersion test. The results showed that the superhydrophobic coatings considerably improved the corrosion resistant performance of the LDH coatings on the AZ31 alloy substrate.

Urine alkalization facilitates uric acid excretion

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Increase in the incidence of hyperuricemia associated with gout as well as hypertension, renal diseases and cardiovascular diseases has been a public health concern. We examined the possibility of facilitated excretion of uric acid by change in urine pH by managing food materials. Methods Within the framework of the Japanese government's health promotion program, we made recipes which consist of protein-rich and less vegetable-fruit food materials for H+-load (acid diet) and others composed of less protein but vegetable-fruit rich food materials (alkali diet). Healthy female students were enrolled in this consecutive 5-day study for each test. From whole-day collected urine, total volume, pH, organic acid, creatinine, uric acid and all cations (Na+,K+,Ca2+,Mg2+,NH4+) and anions (Cl-,SO42-,PO4-) necessary for the estimation of acid-base balance were measured. Results Urine pH reached a steady state 3 days after switching from ordinary daily diets to specified regimens. The amount of acid generated ([SO42-] +organic acid-gut alkai) were linearly related with those of the excretion of acid (titratable acidity+ [NH4+] - [HCO3-]), indicating that H+ in urine is generated by the metabolic degradation of food materials. Uric acid and excreted urine pH retained a linear relationship, where uric acid excretion increased from 302 mg/day at pH 5.9 to 413 mg/day at pH 6.5, despite the fact that the alkali diet contained a smaller purine load than the acid diet. Conclusion We conclude that alkalization of urine by eating nutritionally well-designed food is effective for removing uric acid from the body. PMID:20955624

Ecotoxicology of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, Ana R.; Richardson, Tammi L.; Pinckney, James L.

2015-01-01

Bromoacetic acid is formed when effluent containing chlorine residuals react with humics in natural waters containing bromide. The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton as a proxy for ecosystem productivity. Bioassays were used to measure the EC 50 for growth in cultured species and natural marine communities. Growth inhibition was estimated by changes in chlorophyll a concentrations measured by fluorometry and HPLC. The EC 50 s for cultured Thalassiosira pseudonana were 194 mg L −1 , 240 mg L −1 for Dunaliella tertiolecta and 209 mg L −1 for Rhodomonas salina. Natural phytoplankton communities were more sensitive to contamination with an EC 50 of 80 mg L −1 . Discriminant analysis suggested that bromoacetic acid additions cause an alteration of phytoplankton community structure with implications for higher trophic levels. A two-fold EC 50 decrease in mixed natural phytoplankton populations affirms the importance of field confirmation for establishing water quality criteria. - Highlights: • Bromoacetic acid exposure resulted in lethal impacts to estuarine phytoplankton. • Cultured phytoplankton were less sensitive to bromoacetic acid than natural communities. • Lab results should be confirmed with field experiments whenever possible. - The toxicology of haloacetic acids has been studied in freshwater ecosystems, and urbanization of the coastal zone is making effects in marine ecosystems equally relevant.

Transesterification of palm oil on K{sub y}Mg{sub 1} {sub -} {sub x}Zn{sub 1} {sub +} {sub x}O{sub 3} catalyst: Effect of Mg-Zn interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olutoye, M.A.; Hameed, B.H. [School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang (Malaysia)

2010-06-15

The Mg-Zn interaction effect of K{sub y}Mg{sub 1} {sub -} {sub x}Zn{sub 1} {sub +} {sub x}O{sub 3} heterogeneous type catalyst and its performance on transesterification of palm oil have been studied using the response surface methodology and the factorial design of experiments. The catalyst was synthesized using the co-precipitation method and the activity was assessed by transesterification of palm oil into fatty acid methyl esters. The ratio of the Mg/Zn metal interaction, temperature and time of calcination were found to have positive influence on the conversion of palm oil to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) with the effect of metal to metal ratio and temperature of calcination being more significant. The catalytic activity was found to decrease at higher calcination temperature and the catalyst type K{sub 2}Mg{sub 0.34}Zn{sub 1.66}O{sub 3} with Mg/Zn ratio of 4.81 gave FAME content of 73% at a catalyst loading of 1.404 wt.% of oil with molar ratio of methanol to oil being 6:1 at temperature of 150 C in 6 h. A regression model was obtained to predict conversions to methyl esters as a function of metal interaction ratio, temperature of calcination and time. The observed activity of the synthesized catalyst was due to its synergetic structure and composition. (author)

Combined effect of selenium and ascorbic acid on alcohol induced hyperlipidemia in male guinea pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Asha, G S; Indira, M

2004-02-01

Alcoholics usually suffer from malnutrition and are especially deficient in micronutrients like vitamin C, selenium and Zn. In the present study, combined effects of selenium and ascorbic acid on alcohol-induced hyperlipidemia were studied in guinea pigs. Four groups of male guinea pigs were maintained for 45 days as follows: control (1 mg ascorbate (AA)/100 g body mass/day), ethanol (900 mg ethanol/100 g body mass + 1 mg AA/100 g body mass/day), selenium+ascorbic acid [(25 mg AA + 0.05 mg Se)/100 g body mass/day], ethanol+selenium+ascorbic acid [(25 mg AA + 0.05 mg Se + 900 mg ethanol)/100 g body mass/day]. Co-administration of selenium and ascorbic acid along with alcohol reduced the concentration of all lipids, as also evidenced from the decreased activities of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase and enhanced activities of plasma lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase and lipoprotein lipase. Concentrations of bile acids were increased. We conclude that the supplementation of Se and ascorbic acid reduced alcohol induced hyperlipidemia, by decreased synthesis and increased catabolism.

Effect of hydrofluoric acid on acid decomposition mixtures for determining iron and other metallic elements in green vegetables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dogbe, S.A.; Afful, S.; Debrah, C.

2007-01-01

The efficiency of acid mixtures, HNO 3 - HCI0 4 -HF, HNO 3 - HCI - HF, HNO 3 - HCIO 4 and HNO 3 - HCI in the decomposition of four edible green vegetables, Gboma (Solanum macrocarpon), Aleefu (Amaranttius hibiridus), Shoeley (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and Ademe (Corchorus olitorius), for flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer analysis of Fe, Mn, Mg, Cu, Zn and Ca was studied. The concentrations of Fe were higher (120.61 -710.10 mg/kg), while the values of Cu were lower (2.31 - 4.84 mg/kg) in all the samples. The values of concentration for Fe were more reproducible when HF was included in the decomposition mixtures. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of the other elements when HF was included in the acid mixture as compared to the acid mixtures without HF. Therefore, the inclusion of HF in the acid decomposition mixtures would ensure total and precise estimation of Fe in plant materials, but not critical for analysis of Mn, Mg, Cu, Zn and Ca. Performance of the decomposition procedures was verified by applying the methods to analyse Standard Reference Material IAEA-V-10 Hay Powder. (au)

Molecular cloning, purification, and characterization of a novel polyMG-specific alginate lyase responsible for alginate MG block degradation in Stenotrophomas maltophilia KJ-2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Su In; Kim, Hee Sook [Kyungsung Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of Food Science and Biotechnology; Choi, Sung Hee; Lee, Eun Yeol [Kyung Hee Univ., Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

2012-09-15

A gene for a polyMG-specific alginate lyase possessing a novel structure was identified and cloned from Stenotrophomas maltophilia KJ-2 by using PCR with homologous nucleotide sequences-based primers. The recombinant alginate lyase consisting of 475 amino acids was purified on Ni-Sepharose column and exhibited the highest activity at pH 8 and 40 C. Interestingly, the recombinant alginate lyase was expected to have a similar catalytic active site of chondroitin B lyase but did not show chondroitin lyase activity. In the test of substrate specificity, the recombinant alginate lyase preferentially degraded the glycosidic bond of polyMG-block than polyM-block and polyG-block. The chemical structures of the degraded alginate oligosaccharides were elucidated to have mannuronate (M) at the reducing end on the basis of NMR analysis, supporting that KJ-2 polyMG-specific alginate lyase preferably degraded the glycosidic bond in M-G linkage than that in G-M linkage. The KJ-2 polyMG-specific alginate lyase can be used in combination with other alginate lyases for a synergistic saccharification of alginate. (orig.)

Aminocarminic acid in E120-labelled food additives and beverages.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabatino, Leonardo; Scordino, Monica; Gargano, Maria; Lazzaro, Francesco; Borzì, Marco A; Traulo, Pasqualino; Gagliano, Giacomo

2012-01-01

An analytical method was developed for investigating aminocarminic acid occurrence in E120-labelled red-coloured-beverages and in E120 additives, with the aim of controlling the purity of the carmine additive in countries where the use of aminocarminic acid is forbidden. The carminic acid and the aminocarminic acid were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-tandem mass spectrography (HPLC-PDA-MS/MS). The method was statistically validated. The regression lines, ranging from 10 to 100 mg/L, showed r(2 )> 0.9996. Recoveries from 97% to 101% were obtained for the fortification level of 50 mg/L; the relative standard deviations did not exceed 3%. The LODs were below 2 mg/L, whereas the LOQs did not exceed 4 mg/L. The method was successfully applied to 27 samples of commercial E120-labelled red-coloured beverages and E120 additives, collected in Italy during quality control investigations conducted by the Ministry. The results demonstrated that more than 50% of the samples contained aminocarminic acid, evidencing the alarming illicit use of this semi-synthetic carmine acid derivative.

Effect of sorbic acid doping on flux pinning in bulk MgB{sub 2} with the percolation model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Y. [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education of China), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Key Laboratory of Magnetic Levitation and Maglev Train (Ministry of Education of China), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Superconductivity R and D Center (SRDC), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Cheng, C.H. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052 NSW (Australia); Wang, L.; Sun, H.H. [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education of China), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Key Laboratory of Magnetic Levitation and Maglev Train (Ministry of Education of China), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Superconductivity R and D Center (SRDC), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Zhao, Y., E-mail: yzhao@swjtu.edu.c [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education of China), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Key Laboratory of Magnetic Levitation and Maglev Train (Ministry of Education of China), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Superconductivity R and D Center (SRDC), Mail Stop 165, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052 NSW (Australia)

2010-11-01

In this paper, we study the doping effect of sorbic acid (C{sub 6}H{sub 8}O{sub 2}), from 0 to 20 wt.% of the total MgB{sub 2}, on critical temperature (T{sub c}), critical current density (J{sub c}), irreversibility field (H{sub irr}) and crystalline structure. The XRD patterns of samples show a slightly decrease in a-axis lattice parameter for doped samples, due to the partial substitution of carbon at boron site. On the other hand, we investigate the influence of doping on the behavior of flux pinning and J{sub c}(B) in the framework of percolation theory and it is found that the J{sub c}(B) behavior could be well fitted in high field region. The two key parameters, anisotropy and percolation threshold, play very important roles. It is believed that the enhancement of J{sub c} is due to the reduction of anisotropy in high field region.

Resources for Creating Another World: Financial Strategies of the World Social Forum

OpenAIRE

Liliana Diaz

2006-01-01

Liliana Diaz analyzes the financial structure and strategy of the World Social Forum (WSF). Considering the importance of the ‘participative budget’ as an initiative promoted by the Forum, she looks at this as a strategy to finance the WSF, and as a model by other social movements. Diaz examines six different funding arrangements in each of the Forums looking at the consequences of the financing arrangements for the sustainability of the Forum process. Development (2006) 49, 93–101. doi:10.10...

Urine alkalization facilitates uric acid excretion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyama Issei

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Increase in the incidence of hyperuricemia associated with gout as well as hypertension, renal diseases and cardiovascular diseases has been a public health concern. We examined the possibility of facilitated excretion of uric acid by change in urine pH by managing food materials. Methods Within the framework of the Japanese government's health promotion program, we made recipes which consist of protein-rich and less vegetable-fruit food materials for H+-load (acid diet and others composed of less protein but vegetable-fruit rich food materials (alkali diet. Healthy female students were enrolled in this consecutive 5-day study for each test. From whole-day collected urine, total volume, pH, organic acid, creatinine, uric acid and all cations (Na+,K+,Ca2+,Mg2+,NH4+ and anions (Cl-,SO42-,PO4- necessary for the estimation of acid-base balance were measured. Results Urine pH reached a steady state 3 days after switching from ordinary daily diets to specified regimens. The amount of acid generated ([SO42-] +organic acid-gut alkai were linearly related with those of the excretion of acid (titratable acidity+ [NH4+] - [HCO3-], indicating that H+ in urine is generated by the metabolic degradation of food materials. Uric acid and excreted urine pH retained a linear relationship, where uric acid excretion increased from 302 mg/day at pH 5.9 to 413 mg/day at pH 6.5, despite the fact that the alkali diet contained a smaller purine load than the acid diet. Conclusion We conclude that alkalization of urine by eating nutritionally well-designed food is effective for removing uric acid from the body.

Ethosuximide: liver enzyme induction and D-glucaric acid excretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, J C; Scott, A K; Galloway, D B; Petrie, J C

1974-06-01

1 A study has been carried out to determine if ethosuximide induces liver enzymes. 2 Ethosuximide did not affect the urinary excretion of D-glucaric acid by healthy adult subjects nor was the mean daily D-glucaric acid excretion of three epileptic children on long term ethosuximide therapy different from that of three matched controls. 3 Ethosuximide (10 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg daily) did not influence D-glucaric acid excretion or liver microsomal protein and cytochrome P450 contents of guinea pigs but at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily in rats it increased liver microsomal protein and cytochrome P450 without altering D-glucaric acid excretion. 4 These results suggest that at anticonvulsant doses ethosuximide is unlikely to induce liver enzymes. The precise relationship between D-glucaric acid excretion and liver enzyme induction remains in doubt.

[Fatty acid composition of edible marine fish in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yi-xiong; Yue, Bing; Yu, Xin-wei; He, Jia-lu; Shang, Xiao-hong; Li, Xiao-wei; Wu, Yong-ning

2013-06-01

To analyze the main fatty acids in edible marine fish from Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. From September to October 2011, a total of 186 edible marine fish (31 species,6 individual fishes/species) were collected in local markets. Total lipids of edible part were extracted by Folch's method and fatty acids were separated and quantified by gas chromatographic after the homogenization of edible part. The differences of composition of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-6 PUFA), n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA),saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) among fishes were analyzed. Among the 31 fishes, total lipids were highest in Auxis thazard ((13.2 ± 1.2)g/100 g edible part) and lowest in Thamnaconus modestus ((0.6 ± 0.1)g/100 g edible part). Total n-6 PUFA were highest in Mugil cephalus ((875.7 ± 506.4)mg/100 g edible part) and lowest in Seriola quinqueradiata((2.1 ± 1.9)mg/100 g edible part). Total n-3 PUFA were highest in Auxis thazard ((2623.8 ± 426.1)mg/100 g edible part) and lowest in Scoliodon sorrakowah ((82.0 ± 13.9)mg/100 g edible part). SFA were highest in Trachinotus ovatus((3014.9 ± 379.0)mg/100 g edible part) and lowest in Seriola quinqueradiata ((89.7 ± 5.8)mg/100 g edible part). MUFA were highest in Coilia nasus ((3335.7 ± 383.5)mg/100 g edible part) and lowest in Thamnaconus modestus ((32.1 ± 16.9)mg/100 g edible part). There were significant differences of composition of total lipids and of fatty acids among 31 edible marine fish species from Zhoushan.

Dielectric behavior of irradiated and nonirradiadiated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-crotonic acid interaction in 5% dextrose solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erginun, M.

1980-01-01

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ex. thymus, dissolved in 5% dextrose, was exposed to gamma radiation at doses between 0-5000 Rads. Crotonic acid dissolved in 5% dextrose was added to this irradiated DNA at t=0 and t=24 hrs after irradiation, in concentrations between 0-1.000 mg/ml. The dielectric behavior of the DNA-irradiation-crotonic acid interaction was investigated at T=20 0 C by pH, permittivity (dielectric constant) and conductivity measurements. The pH, permittivity and conductivity measurements exhibit that the effective and critical conditions for the DNA-irradiation-crotonic acid interaction are; low doses of irradiation (350 Rad.), low concentrations of crotonic acid (0.05-0.100 mg/ml) and the addition of crotonic acid 24 hours after the irradiation. These results support and are in good agreement with those results observed with mammalian cells and laboratory animals when the chemical carcinogens are given in conjunction with radiation

EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tetens, Inge

This Opinion of the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA) deals with the setting of Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for fats. A lower bound of the reference intake range for total fat of 20 energy % (E%) and an upper bound of 35 E% are proposed. Fat intake in infants can......-linolenic acid (ALA) of 0.5 E%; not to set an UL for ALA; to set an AI of 250 mg for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for adults; to set an AI of 100 mg DHA for infants (>6 months) and young children...... gradually be reduced from 40 E% in the 6-12 month period to 35-40 E% in the 2nd and 3rd year of life. For specific fatty acids the following is proposed: saturated fatty acid (SFA) and trans fatty acid intake should be as low as possible; not to set any DRV for cis-monounsaturated fatty acids......; not to formulate a DRV for the intake of total cis-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA); not to set specific values for the n-3/n-6 ratio; to set an Adequate Intake (AI) of 4 E% for linoleic acid (LA); not to set any DRV for arachidonic acid; not to set an UL for total or any of the n-6 PUFA; to set an AI for alpha...

Treatment of menorrhagia during menstruation: randomised controlled trial of ethamsylate, mefenamic acid, and tranexamic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnar, J; Sheppard, B L

1996-09-07

To compare the efficacy and acceptability of ethamsylate, mefenamic acid, and tranexamic acid for treating menorrhagia. Randomised controlled trial. A university department of obstetrics and gynaecology. 76 women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Treatment for five days from day 1 of menses during three consecutive menstrual periods. 27 patients were randomised to take ethamsylate 500 mg six hourly, 23 patients to take mefenamic acid 500 mg eight hourly, and 26 patients to take tranexamic acid 1 g six hourly. Menstrual loss measured by the alkaline haematin method in three control menstrual periods and three menstrual periods during treatment; duration of bleeding; patient's estimation of blood loss; sanitary towel usage; the occurrence of dysmenorrhoea; and unwanted events. Ethamsylate did not reduce mean menstrual blood loss whereas mefenamic acid reduced blood loss by 20% (mean blood loss 186 ml before treatment, 148 ml during treatment) and tranexamic acid reduced blood loss by 54% (mean blood loss 164 ml before treatment, 75 ml during treatment). Sanitary towel usage was significantly reduced in patients treated with mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid. Tranexamic acid given during menstruation is a safe and highly effective treatment for excessive bleeding. Patients with dysfunctional uterine bleeding should be offered medical treatment with tranexamic acid before a decision is made about surgery.

Fuel management at Washington State Ferries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brodeur, P.; Olds, J.

2008-01-01

This presentation discussed Washington State Ferry (WSF) operations and provided details of a biodiesel research and demonstration project. Washington has the largest ferry system in the United States, with a total of 28 vessels that operate on 10 routes through 20 terminals. Routes vary by transit times, navigational challenges, and the proximity to population centres. WSF fuel and emissions management initiatives include exhaust emission studies, clean fuel initiatives, machinery upgrades, fuel conservation initiatives, and biodiesel testing. The organization is also using waste heat recovery and a positive restraint system. The WSF biodiesel pilot program was conducted using soy-derived fuels with a purifier disk stack. The program is in agreement with recent legislation requiring that 2 per cent of annual diesel fuel sales are from biodiesel fuels, and state legislation requiring that state agencies use a minimum of 20 per cent biodiesel blends in diesel-powered vessels and vehicles. Details of project partnerships were included. tabs., figs

Effect of Thiamine, Ascorbic acid and Gibberellic acid (GA3 on Growth Characteristics, Pigment Content and Reduced Sugars of Petunia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

moslem salehi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Bedding plants, especially petunia is important element for urban landscaping and attracted the attention of landscapers. This is due to some properties such as growth habit and color. The petunia (Petunia hybrida L. belongs to Solanaceae family that has annual and perennial varieties. This plant is originally from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Some plant growth regulators such as gibberellic acid (GA3 and vitamins including thiamine and ascorbic acid affect plant growth and development and may extend flowering period. Vitamin C affects cell division and cell growth in plants and is effective on the feeding cycle activity in higher plants and it has an important role in electron transport system. The concentrations of 50 and 100 ppm of vitamin C and thiamine can increase the plant height, leaf number, leaf area, fresh and dry weight, and chemical compounds of the Syngonium plant. The application of 100 mg/l of GA3 significantly increased plant height and the number of leaves of gladiolus. Material and methods: The experiment was arranged in a factorial based on a completely randomized design with five replications. In this research, growth characteristics (lateral branch number, flower number, flower diameter, stem diameter, root length, and lateral branch length and biochemical characteristics (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and reducing sugar were measured. After seeding and transplanting the seedling at 6 leaf stage, plants sprayed at 4 various growth stages with following treatments: 1-\tControl 2-\tVitamin C(100 mg/l 3-\tThiamin (100 mg/l 4-\tGibberellic acid (100 mg/l 5-\tVitamin C and Thiamin (The concentration of both 100 mg/l 6-\tVitamin C and Gibberellic acid (The concentration of both 100 mg/l 7-\tThiamin and Gibberellic acid (The concentration of both 100 mg/l 8-\tVitamin C, Thiamin and Gibberellic acid (The concentration of three 100 mg/l Data obtained from the measured parameters

The Effect of Lesinurad in Combination With Allopurinol on Serum Uric Acid Levels in Patients With Gout.

Science.gov (United States)

Baumgartner, Scott; Yeh, Li-Tain; Shen, Zancong; Kerr, Bradley; Manhard, Kimberly; Quart, Barry

2018-05-07

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of lesinurad, a selective uric acid uptake inhibitor, alone and in combination with the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol, on serum uric acid and urinary urate excretion in patients with gout and hyperuricemia. A phase 1b, multicenter, open-label, multiple-dose study was carried out in patients with gout with serum uric acid ≥8 mg/dL following washout of urate-lowering therapy. Patients were treated with allopurinol 300 mg/day alone in week 1; lesinurad 400 or 600 mg/day was added in week 2, followed by lesinurad 400 or 600 mg/day alone in week 3. Serum uric acid and urine uric acid were evaluated each week. Safety was assessed throughout the study. Lesinurad 400 or 600 mg/day added to allopurinol 300 mg/day reduced serum uric acid by 60% and 72%, respectively, versus allopurinol alone (37%) or lesinurad 400 mg/day (44%) or 600 mg/day (47%) alone. A 100% response rate of serum uric acid uric acid uric acid reduction than did allopurinol or lesinurad monotherapy. © 2018, The Authors. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Preparation and characterization of Ti-doped MgO nanopowders by a modified coprecipitation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Wei; Qiao Xueliang; Chen Jianguo; Tan Fatang

2008-01-01

Ti-doped MgO nanopowders were prepared via a chemical coprecipitation method using acetic acid as a modifier in the presence of the surfactant polyethylene glycol (PEG 400). The as-obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that titanium atoms have been successfully incorporated into the crystal lattice of MgO with periclase structure. The modifier, acetic acid, can significantly reduce the particle size, and improve size distribution and dispersion of nanoparticles. In addition, the effect of doped titanium on the structure and morphology of magnesium oxide was also investigated

Sample preparation methods for scanning electron microscopy of homogenized Al-Mg-Si billets: A comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Österreicher, Johannes Albert; Kumar, Manoj; Schiffl, Andreas; Schwarz, Sabine; Hillebrand, Daniel; Bourret, Gilles Remi

2016-01-01

Characterization of Mg-Si precipitates is crucial for optimizing the homogenization heat treatment of Al-Mg-Si alloys. Although sample preparation is key for high quality scanning electron microscopy imaging, most common methods lead to dealloying of Mg-Si precipitates. In this article we systematically evaluate different sample preparation methods: mechanical polishing, etching with various reagents, and electropolishing using different electrolytes. We demonstrate that the use of a nitric acid and methanol electrolyte for electropolishing a homogenized Al-Mg-Si alloy prevents the dissolution of Mg-Si precipitates, resulting in micrographs of higher quality. This preparation method is investigated in depth and the obtained scanning electron microscopy images are compared with transmission electron micrographs: the shape and size of Mg-Si precipitates appear very similar in either method. The scanning electron micrographs allow proper identification and measurement of the Mg-Si phases including needles with lengths of roughly 200 nm. These needles are β″ precipitates as confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. - Highlights: •Secondary precipitation in homogenized 6xxx Al alloys is crucial for extrudability. •Existing sample preparation methods for SEM are improvable. •Electropolishing with nitric acid/methanol yields superior quality in SEM. •The obtained micrographs are compared to TEM micrographs.

Sample preparation methods for scanning electron microscopy of homogenized Al-Mg-Si billets: A comparative study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Österreicher, Johannes Albert; Kumar, Manoj [LKR Light Metals Technologies Ranshofen, Austrian Institute of Technology, Postfach 26, 5282 Ranshofen (Austria); Schiffl, Andreas [Hammerer Aluminium Industries Extrusion GmbH, Lamprechtshausener Straße 69, 5282 Ranshofen (Austria); Schwarz, Sabine [University Service Centre for Transmission Electron Microscopy, Vienna University of Technology, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, 1040 Wien (Austria); Hillebrand, Daniel [Hammerer Aluminium Industries Extrusion GmbH, Lamprechtshausener Straße 69, 5282 Ranshofen (Austria); Bourret, Gilles Remi, E-mail: gilles.bourret@sbg.ac.at [Department of Materials Science and Physics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020 Salzburg (Austria)

2016-12-15

Characterization of Mg-Si precipitates is crucial for optimizing the homogenization heat treatment of Al-Mg-Si alloys. Although sample preparation is key for high quality scanning electron microscopy imaging, most common methods lead to dealloying of Mg-Si precipitates. In this article we systematically evaluate different sample preparation methods: mechanical polishing, etching with various reagents, and electropolishing using different electrolytes. We demonstrate that the use of a nitric acid and methanol electrolyte for electropolishing a homogenized Al-Mg-Si alloy prevents the dissolution of Mg-Si precipitates, resulting in micrographs of higher quality. This preparation method is investigated in depth and the obtained scanning electron microscopy images are compared with transmission electron micrographs: the shape and size of Mg-Si precipitates appear very similar in either method. The scanning electron micrographs allow proper identification and measurement of the Mg-Si phases including needles with lengths of roughly 200 nm. These needles are β″ precipitates as confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. - Highlights: •Secondary precipitation in homogenized 6xxx Al alloys is crucial for extrudability. •Existing sample preparation methods for SEM are improvable. •Electropolishing with nitric acid/methanol yields superior quality in SEM. •The obtained micrographs are compared to TEM micrographs.

Comparison of Efficiencies and Mechanisms of Catalytic Ozonation of Recalcitrant Petroleum Refinery Wastewater by Ce, Mg, and Ce-Mg Oxides Loaded Al2O3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunmao Chen

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The use of catalytic ozonation processes (COPs for the advanced treatment of recalcitrant petroleum refinery wastewater (RPRW is rapidly expanding. In this study, magnesium (Mg, cerium (Ce, and Mg-Ce oxide-loaded alumina (Al2O3 were developed as cost efficient catalysts for ozonation treatment of RPRW, having performance metrics that meet new discharge standards. Interactions between the metal oxides and the Al2O3 support influence the catalytic properties, as well as the efficiency and mechanism. Mg-Ce/Al2O3 (Mg-Ce/Al2O3-COP reduced the chemical oxygen demand by 4.7%, 4.1%, 6.0%, and 17.5% relative to Mg/Al2O3-COP, Ce/Al2O3-COP, Al2O3-COP, and single ozonation, respectively. The loaded composite metal oxides significantly increased the hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidation. Surface hydroxyl groups (–OHs are the dominant catalytic active sites on Al2O3. These active surface –OHs along with the deposited metal oxides (Mg2+ and/or Ce4+ increased the catalytic activity. The Mg-Ce/Al2O3 catalyst can be economically produced, has high efficiency, and is stable under acidic and alkaline conditions.

Glutamic Acid - Amino Acid, Neurotransmitter, and Drug - Is Responsible for Protein Synthesis Rhythm in Hepatocyte Populations in vitro and in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodsky, V Y; Malchenko, L A; Konchenko, D S; Zvezdina, N D; Dubovaya, T K

2016-08-01

Primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were studied in serum-free media. Ultradian protein synthesis rhythm was used as a marker of cell synchronization in the population. Addition of glutamic acid (0.2 mg/ml) to the medium of nonsynchronous sparse cultures resulted in detection of a common protein synthesis rhythm, hence in synchronization of the cells. The antagonist of glutamic acid metabotropic receptors MCPG (0.01 mg/ml) added together with glutamic acid abolished the synchronization effect; in sparse cultures, no rhythm was detected. Feeding rats with glutamic acid (30 mg with food) resulted in protein synthesis rhythm in sparse cultures obtained from the rats. After feeding without glutamic acid, linear kinetics of protein synthesis was revealed. Thus, glutamic acid, a component of blood as a non-neural transmitter, can synchronize the activity of hepatocytes and can form common rhythm of protein synthesis in vitro and in vivo. This effect is realized via receptors. Mechanisms of cell-cell communication are discussed on analyzing effects of non-neural functions of neurotransmitters. Glutamic acid is used clinically in humans. Hence, a previously unknown function of this drug is revealed.

Quantification of fatty acids in salmon fillets conserved by different methods

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Renata Menoci Gonçalves

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Lipid contents and the composition of fatty acids of fillets from Chilean salmon (Salmo salar were determined under different conservation methods: fresh salmon, frozen salmon, water-conserved canned salmon and frozen salmon in long-term storage. Fatty acid contents were determined by gas chromatography. The fillets had high lipid levels, ranging between 9.71 and 12.86%. All samples presented high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, between 363.69 and 425.30 mg g-1 of total lipids, followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (294.46 - 342.45 mg g-1 of total lipids and saturated fatty acids (203.32 - 223.17 mg g-1 of total lipids. Although samples revealed different lipid contents, all proved to be great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, regardless of the manner of conservation.

Determination of total triterpenoid acids in different part and extract of Ganoderma lucidum

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FENG Huiqin

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Aim To develop a method for determination of total triterpenoid acids in different part and extracts of Ganoderma lucidum. Method The samples of Ganoderma lucidum were extracted with ethanol and successively extracted with CHCl3 and 5% NaHCO3,the NaHCO3 layer was acidified to pH 3 with 2 mol/L HCl,the resulting precipitates were dissolved in CHCl3 and evaporated in vacuo then weighed. The total triterpenoid acids were obtained. Result The total triterpenoid acids of Ganoderma lucidum fruitbody,spore and mycelium were (8.58±0.25 mg/g,(3.48±0.03 mg/g and (1.75 ±0.09 mg/g respectively. The total triterpenoid acids of pileus and stipe were (12.62±0.22 mg/g and (7.66±0.08 mg/g. The range of total triterpenoid acid content among 10 batches of Ganoderma lucidum fruitbody purchased from the market was between 4.34 to 16.39 mg/g. The highest content fro/8/8/88/ m Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body with alcohol - water extracting was (208.70±5.54 mg/g and the lowest content with alkaline solution extracting was (123.07±4.99 mg/g. The composition of total triterpenoid acid from fruitbody,spores and extract of fruitbody analyzed by HPLC were almost the same. This method is reliable for determination of total triterpenoid acid in the fruiting body and its extracts,spore and mycelium from Ganoderma lucidum,which provides an indicator for the quality of Ganoderma lucidum product.

Consequences of the Combined α-tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid and α-lipoic Acid on the Glutathione, Cholesterol and Fatty Acid Composition in Muscle and Liver of Diabetic Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Okkes; Ersan, Yasemin; Dilek Ozsahin, Ayse; Ihsan Ozturk, Ali; Ozkan, Yusuf

2013-02-01

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of a triple antioxidant combination [α-tocopherol (AT), ascorbic acid (AA) and α-lipoic acid (LA); AT+AA+LA] on the cholesterol and glutathione levels, and the fatty acid composition of liver and muscle tissues in diabetic rats. Forty-three Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. The first group was used as a control. The second, third and fourth groups received STZ (45 mg/kg) in citrate buffer. The fourth and fifth groups were injected with intraperitoneal (IP) 50 mg/kg DL-AT and 50 mg /kg DL-LA four times per week and received water-soluble vitamin C (50 mg/kg) in their drinking water for a period of six weeks. Liver cholesterol levels in the AT+AA+LA group were lower than the control (Pcholesterol levels in the D-1 and D+AT+AA+LA groups were higher than the control group (P≤ 0.05). The levels of oleic acid were higher in the D-1 group and lower in the D-2 group (Pacid level in the D-1 and D-2 groups were lower (P<0.05), and higher in the D+AT+AA+LA group. Our results revealed that glutathione levels and the Stearoyl CoA Desaturase enzyme products in liver tissues of diabetic and non-diabetic rats were increased by triple antioxidant mixture.

Chemical and amino acid composition of cooked walnut (juglans regia) flour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niyi, H.; Ogungbenle, N.

2009-01-01

The proximate analysis of cooked walnut (Juglans regia) flour revealed the composition as protein (14.18%), moisture (11.01%), ash (3.14%), crude fibre (3.03%), crude fat (10.22%), carbohydrate (58.42%), phytate (20.18 mg/g), oxalate (1.13 mg/g) and tannin (2.33%). Glutamic and aspartic acids were the most predominant amino acids in the sample with values of 151.6 mg/g and 89.5 mg/g, respectively. (author)

Antidepressant-like effect of oleanolic acid in mice exposed to the repeated forced swimming test.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Li-Tao; Li, Jing; Liu, Qing; Geng, Di; Zhou, Ya-Fei; Ke, Xiao-Qing; Chen, Huan; Weng, Lian-Jin

2013-05-01

The study aimed to explore the antidepressant-like effect of oleanolic acid and its possible mechanism related to the monoaminergic system and neurotrophin in mice exposed to the repeated forced swimming test (FST). Both the duration and the latency of immobility affected by oleanolic acid (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) were evaluated in the FST repeated at intervals on days 1, 7 and 14, followed by neurochemical and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) analyses in the mouse brain regions of frontal cortex and whole hippocampus. A repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that over retesting the immobility time increased, whereas latency to immobility tended to decrease. Minute-by-minute analysis showed that immobility time also increased during the 4-min course of the test. In addition, post-hoc Dunnett's test demonstrated that sub-chronic and chronic, but not acute, oleanolic acid treatment reduced the immobility time (sub-chronic: 20 mg/kg, 43.5%; chronic: 10 mg/kg, 19.3%; 20 mg/kg, 31.8%) and increased the latency to immobility (sub-chronic: 10 mg/kg, 60.6%; 20 mg/kg, 80.1%; chronic: 10 mg/kg, 121.8%; 20 mg/kg, 140.8%; 40 mg/kg, 80.0%). Furthermore, chronic administration of oleanolic acid significantly increased serotonin (5-HT) levels (frontal cortex: 44.5%, 41.9%, 27.5% for 10, 20, 40 mg/kg; hippocampus: 57.2%, 80.9% for 10, 20 mg/kg), decreased 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA)/5-HT ratio (frontal cortex: 31.6%, 30.1%, 23.5%; hippocampus: 40.6%, 47.7%, 29.2% for 10, 20, 40 mg/kg) and elevated norepinephrine (NE) levels (hippocampus: 20 mg/kg, 45.4%) but did not alter dopamine (DA) levels. Moreover, BDNF levels in the two brain regions were also elevated by chronic oleanolic acid treatment (frontal cortex: 20 mg/kg, 67.2%; hippocampus: 10 mg/kg, 36.4%; 20 mg/kg, 55.1%). Taken together, these findings imply that functions of 5-HT, NE and BDNF may be involved in the antidepressant-like effect of oleanolic acid.

[The fatty acid composition of large pumpkin seed oil (Curucbitae maxima Dich) cultivated in Georgia].

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

The aim of the study was to identify qualitatively and quantitatively fatty acid composition of large pumpkin seed oil cultivated in Georgia (Cucurbitae maxima Duch) and evaluate its biological activities. Evaluation was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography method. Fatty acids ranging from C12:0 to C22:0 were identified in the probe. The oil contained 0,2В±0,01mg% lauric, 0,3В±0,01 mg% miristic, 9,0В±0,7mg% palmitic, 5,5В±0,4 mg% stearic, 28,1В±1,0 mg% oleic, 40,2В±1,9 mg% linolic, 12,1В±1,0 mg% linolenic, 2,0В±0,2mg% arachinic and 1,2В±0,1 mg% begenic acids. The investigation showed that large pumpkin seed oil contains a range of biologically significant fatty acids, unique proportion of which attaches great value to the vegetative material.

Synthesis of labelled compound of ferulic acid and caffeic acid with tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi Mingguang; Wang Caiyun

1986-01-01

Effective components of Chinese traditional herbs consist of many compounds, but some of the compounds usually contain unsaturated carbon-carbon double bonds. The unsaturated organic compounds 3 H-Ferulic acid and 3 H-Caffeic acid are prepared with their tritiated intermediates made by electric-dischange exposure method, which ensures the compounds contaning double bonds not hydrogenated. The 3 H-Ferulic acid is composed of 3 H-vanillin and Malonic acid. The 3 H-Caffeic acid is composed of 3 H-protocatechuyl aldehyde and Malonic acid and the specific activity of the products is 0.2 mCi/mg. The radiochemicaly purity is greater than 90%

Acid-base status determines the renal expression of Ca2+ and Mg2+ transport proteins.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijenhuis, T.; Renkema, K.Y.; Hoenderop, J.G.J.; Bindels, R.J.M.

2006-01-01

Chronic metabolic acidosis results in renal Ca2+ and Mg2+ wasting, whereas chronic metabolic alkalosis is known to exert the reverse effects. It was hypothesized that these adaptations are mediated at least in part by the renal Ca2+ and Mg2+ transport proteins. The aim of this study, therefore, was

Bioequivalence evaluation of two brands of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 250/125 mg combination tablets in healthy human volunteers: use of replicate design approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Idkaidek, Nasir M; Al-Ghazawi, Ahmad; Najib, Naji M

2004-12-01

The purpose of this study was to apply a replicate design approach to a bioequivalence study of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combination following a 250/125 mg oral dose to 23 subjects, and to compare the analysis of individual bioequivalence with average bioequivalence. This was conducted as a 2-treatment 2-sequence 4-period crossover study. Average bioequivalence was shown, while the results from the individual bioequivalence approach had no success in showing bioequivalence. In conclusion, the individual bioequivalence approach is a strong statistical tool to test for intra-subject variances and also subject-by-formulation interaction variance compared with the average bioequivalence approach. copyright (c) 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Discharge behaviour of Mg-Al-Pb and Mg-Al-Pb-In alloys as anodes for Mg-air battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Naiguang; Wang, Richu; Peng, Chaoqun; Peng, Bing; Feng, Yan; Hu, Chengwang

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We investigate the effect of indium on the discharge behaviour of Mg-Al-Pb alloy. • We evaluate the performance of Mg-air batteries with Mg-Al-Pb and Mg-Al-Pb-In anodes. • We analyze the activation mechanism of Mg-Al-Pb-In alloy in the discharge process. - Abstract: The discharge behaviour of Mg-Al-Pb and Mg-Al-Pb-In alloys in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution is investigated by electrochemical techniques, and compared with that of pure magnesium. The results show that Mg-Al-Pb-In alloy provides a more negative potential and exhibits a higher utilization efficiency in contrast with Mg-Al-Pb alloy and pure magnesium during the half-cell test at a large current density, and gives desirable discharge performance when used as anode for Mg- air battery. The peak power density of the Mg-air battery with Mg-Al-Pb-In anode is 94.5 mW cm −2 , which is comparable with those of Mg-H 2 O 2 semi-fuel batteries. Moreover, the activation mechanism of Mg-Al-Pb-In alloy during the discharge process is also analyzed

Effect of combination tablets containing amlodipine 10 mg and irbesartan 100 mg on blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with hypertension

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Yagi S

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Shusuke Yagi,1 Akira Takashima,1 Minoru Mitsugi,2 Toshihiro Wada,2 Junko Hotchi,1 Ken-ichi Aihara,3 Tomoya Hara,1 Masayoshi Ishida,1 Daiju Fukuda,4 Takayuki Ise,1 Koji Yamaguchi,1 Takeshi Tobiume,1 Takashi Iwase,1 Hirotsugu Yamada,1 Takeshi Soeki,1 Tetsuzo Wakatsuki,1 Michio Shimabukuro,4 Masashi Akaike,5 Masataka Sata11Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Shikoku Central Hospital, Shikokuchuo, 3Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Sciences, 4Department of Cardio-Diabetes Medicine, 5Department of Medical Education, Graduate School of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, JapanBackground: Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and mortality. Patients who receive insufficient doses of antihypertensive agents or who are poorly adherent to multidrug treatment regimens often fail to achieve adequate blood pressure (BP control. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB and calcium channel blocker (CCB combination tablet containing a regular dose of irbesartan (100 mg and a high dose of amlodipine (10 mg with regard to lowering BP and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated data from 68 patients with essential hypertension whose treatment regimen was changed either from combination treatment with an independent ARB and a low-dose or regular-dose CCB or from a combination tablet of ARB and a low-dose or regular-dose CCB to a combination tablet containing amlodipine 10 mg and irbesartan 100 mg, because of incomplete BP control. Previous treatments did not include irbesartan as the ARB.Results: The combination tablet decreased systolic and diastolic BP. In addition, it significantly decreased serum uric acid, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and increased high

Effect of sorghum flour addition on in vitro starch digestibility, cooking quality, and consumer acceptability of durum wheat pasta.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Imran; Yousif, Adel M; Johnson, Stuart K; Gamlath, Shirani

2014-08-01

Whole grain sorghum is a valuable source of resistant starch and polyphenolic antioxidants and its addition into staple food like pasta may reduce the starch digestibility. However, incorporating nondurum wheat materials into pasta provides a challenge in terms of maintaining cooking quality and consumer acceptability. Pasta was prepared from 100% durum wheat semolina (DWS) as control or by replacing DWS with either wholegrain red sorghum flour (RSF) or white sorghum flour (WSF) each at 20%, 30%, and 40% incorporation levels, following a laboratory-scale procedure. Pasta samples were evaluated for proximate composition, in vitro starch digestibility, cooking quality, and consumer acceptability. The addition of both RSF and WSF lowered the extent of in vitro starch digestion at all substitution levels compared to the control pasta. The rapidly digestible starch was lowered in all the sorghum-containing pastas compared to the control pasta. Neither RSF or WSF addition affected the pasta quality attributes (water absorption, swelling index, dry matter, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and springiness), except color and hardness which were negatively affected. Consumer sensory results indicated that pasta samples containing 20% and 30% RSF or WSF had acceptable palatability based on meeting one or both of the preset acceptability criteria. It is concluded that the addition of wholegrain sorghum flour to pasta at 30% incorporation level is possible to reduce starch digestibility, while maintaining adequate cooking quality and consumer acceptability. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Carbon-based strong solid acid for cornstarch hydrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Nata, Iryanti Fatyasari; Irawan, Chairul; Mardina, Primata; Lee, Cheng-Kang

2015-10-01

Highly sulfonated carbonaceous spheres with diameter of 100-500 nm can be generated by hydrothermal carbonization of glucose in the presence of hydroxyethylsulfonic acid and acrylic acid at 180 °C for 4 h. The acidity of the prepared carbonaceous sphere C4-SO3H can reach 2.10 mmol/g. It was used as a solid acid catalyst for the hydrolysis of cornstarch. Total reducing sugar (TRS) concentration of 19.91 mg/mL could be obtained by hydrolyzing 20 mg/mL cornstarch at 150 °C for 6 h using C4-SO3H as solid acid catalyst. The solid acid catalyst demonstrated good stability that only 9% decrease in TRS concentration was observed after five repeat uses. The as-prepared carbon-based solid acid catalyst can be an environmentally benign replacement for homogeneous catalyst.

The effect of the MgO buffer layer thickness on magnetic anisotropy in MgO/Fe/Cr/MgO buffer/MgO(001)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kozioł-Rachwał, Anna, E-mail: a.koziolrachwal@aist.go.jp [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Spintronics Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków (Poland); Nozaki, Takayuki; Zayets, Vadym; Kubota, Hitoshi; Fukushima, Akio; Yuasa, Shinji [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Spintronics Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Suzuki, Yoshishige [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Spintronics Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan)

2016-08-28

The relationship between the magnetic properties and MgO buffer layer thickness d was studied in epitaxial MgO/Fe(t)/Cr/MgO(d) layers grown on MgO(001) substrate in which the Fe thickness t ranged from 0.4 nm to 1.1 nm. For 0.4 nm ≤ t ≤ 0.7 nm, a non-monotonic coercivity dependence on the MgO buffer thickness was shown by perpendicular magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry. For thicker Fe films, an increase in the buffer layer thickness resulted in a spin reorientation transition from perpendicular to the in-plane magnetization direction. Possible origins of these unusual behaviors were discussed in terms of the suppression of carbon contamination at the Fe surface and changes in the magnetoelastic anisotropy in the system. These results illustrate a method to control magnetic anisotropy in MgO/Fe/Cr/MgO(d) via an appropriate choice of MgO buffer layer thickness d.

Ecotoxicology of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Ana R; Richardson, Tammi L; Pinckney, James L

2015-11-01

Bromoacetic acid is formed when effluent containing chlorine residuals react with humics in natural waters containing bromide. The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton as a proxy for ecosystem productivity. Bioassays were used to measure the EC50 for growth in cultured species and natural marine communities. Growth inhibition was estimated by changes in chlorophyll a concentrations measured by fluorometry and HPLC. The EC50s for cultured Thalassiosira pseudonana were 194 mg L(-1), 240 mg L(-1) for Dunaliella tertiolecta and 209 mg L(-1) for Rhodomonas salina. Natural phytoplankton communities were more sensitive to contamination with an EC50 of 80 mg L(-1). Discriminant analysis suggested that bromoacetic acid additions cause an alteration of phytoplankton community structure with implications for higher trophic levels. A two-fold EC50 decrease in mixed natural phytoplankton populations affirms the importance of field confirmation for establishing water quality criteria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microstructural evolution in Mg-rich Mg-Zn-Y alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biswas, T.; Ranganathan, S.; Nair, S.; Bajargan, G.

2005-01-01

Mg-rich Mg-Zn-Y alloys with nominal compositions Mg 97 Zn 1 Y 2 , Mg 97 Zn 2 Y 1 , Mg 92 Zn 6.5 Y 1.5 and Mg 97-x Zn 1 Y 2 Zr x have been chosen for the present study. These alloys are prepared by using sand casting mold. The sand cast alloys are remelted and subjected to copper mold casting and melt spinning techniques. The effect of cooling rate on microstructures was studied. It is observed that the size of the precipitates decreases with an increase of cooling rate. The formation of nano precipitates results in higher strength of the alloy as compared to the conventional alloys. The microstructures of melt spun ribbons are compared with RS/PM (rapidly solidified power metallurgy) Mg 97 Zn 1 Y 2 alloy, obtained from a different source. (author)

Composition of antioxidants and amino acids in Stevia leaf infusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Periche, Angela; Koutsidis, Georgios; Escriche, Isabel

2014-03-01

Stevia, a non-caloric natural sweetener with beneficial properties and considerable antioxidants and amino acids, is increasingly consumed as an infusion. This work evaluates the influence of the conditions (temperature: 50, 70 or 90 °C and time: 1, 5, 20 or 40 min) applied to obtain Stevia infusions, on antioxidants (total phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity) and amino acids. The total concentration of the eleven amino acids found was 11.70 mg/g in dried leaves and from 6.84 to 9.11 mg/g per gram of Stevia in infusions. However, infusions showed higher levels of certain amino acids (alanine, asparagine, leucine and proline), and greater values of the three antioxidant parameters in comparison with dry leaves. Temperature had more influence (minimum values at 50 °C and maximum at 90 °C) than time in the case of antioxidants. At 90 °C there were no important increases in the extraction of antioxidant compounds after 5 min; each gram of Stevia had 117 mg trolox (total antioxidant activity), 90 mg gallic acid (total phenols) and 56 mg catechin equivalents (flavonoids). Varying the temperature and time conditions no notable differences were observed in the concentrations of the majority of amino acids. However, the infusion treatment at 90 °C for 5 min was the best, as it gave the highest yield of 8 of the 11 amino acids. Therefore, with respect to the compounds analyzed in this study, the best way to obtain Stevia leaf infusions is the same as the domestic process, almost boiling water for a short time.

In vitro degradation of pure Mg in response to glucose

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Rong-Chang; Li, Xiao-Ting; Li, Shuo-Qi; Zhang, Fen; Han, En-Hou

2015-08-01

Magnesium and its alloys are promising biodegradable biomaterials but are still challenging to be used in person with high levels of blood glucose or diabetes. To date, the influence of glucose on magnesium degradation has not yet been elucidated, this issue requires more attention. Herein, we present pure Mg exhibiting different corrosion responses to saline and Hank’s solutions with different glucose contents, and the degradation mechanism of pure Mg in the saline solution with glucose in comparison with mannitol as a control. On one hand, the corrosion rate of pure Mg increases with the glucose concentration in saline solutions. Glucose rapidly transforms into gluconic acid, which attacks the oxides of the metal and decreases the pH of the solution; it also promotes the absorption of chloride ions on the Mg surface and consequently accelerates corrosion. On the other hand, better corrosion resistance is obtained with increasing glucose content in Hank’s solution due to the fact that glucose coordinates Ca2+ ions in Hank’s solution and thus improves the formation of Ca-P compounds on the pure Mg surface. This finding will open up new avenues for research on the biodegradation of bio-Mg materials in general, which could yield many new and interesting results.

Synthesis and characterization of MgO nanocrystals for biosensing applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hongji [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Li, Mingji, E-mail: limingji@163.com [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communication Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Qiu, Guojun [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Li, Cuiping; Qu, Changqing; Yang, Baohe [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communication Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China)

2015-05-25

Highlights: • MgO nanocrystals were prepared using DC arc plasma jet CVD method. • The growth time does not exceed 10 min in process of the synthesis. • The samples were found to consist of cubic MgO nanobelts and nanosheets. • Nanocrystals contain contacts, rough edges, vacancies, and doping defects. • The samples exhibited excellent electrochemical biosensing properties. - Abstract: MgO nanocrystals were prepared using a simple direct current arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition method. Magnesium nitrate was used as source material and Mo film was used as a substrate and catalyst. The high-temperature plasma produced ensured rapid synthesis of the MgO nanocrystals. The as-prepared nanocrystals were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, and photoluminescence measurements. The as-synthesized samples were found to consist of cubic MgO nanobelts and nanosheets with large surface areas and low coordination oxide ions, and contained numerous contacts, rough edges, vacancies, and doping defects. The nanostructures exhibited excellent electrochemical sensing properties with high-sensing sensitivity toward ascorbic acid. Their high electrocatalytic activity was attributed to the effect of defects and the surface electron transfer ability of the one-dimensional MgO nanobelts.

Mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon microfibers derived from Mg-biquinoline-dicarboxy compound for efficient oxygen electroreduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Aiguo, E-mail: agkong@chem.ecnu.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China); Fan, Xiaohong; Chen, Aoling [School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China); Zhang, Hengiang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hebei Normal University for Nationalities, Chengde 067000 (China); Shan, Yongkui, E-mail: agkong@chem.ecnu.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241 (China)

2017-02-15

An in-situ MgO-templating synthesis route was introduced to obtain the mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon microfibers by thermal conversion of new Mg-2,2′-biquinoline 4,4-dicarboxy acid coordination compound (Mg-DCA) microfibers. The investigated crystal structure of Mg-DCA testified that the assembling of Mg{sup 2+} and DCA through Mg-O coordination bond and hydrogen bond contributed to the formation of one-dimensional (1D) crystalline Mg-DCA microfibers. The nitrogen-doped carbons derived from the pyrolysis of Mg-DCA showed the well-defined microfiber morphology with high mesopore-surface area. Such mesoporous microfibers exhibited the efficient catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solutions with better stability and methanol-tolerance performance. - Graphical abstract: Mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon microfibers with efficient oxygen electroreduction activity were prepared by thermal conversion of new Mg-biquinoline-based coordination compound microfibers.

Synergistic Effect of Quercetin and α-Lipoic Acid on Aluminium Chloride Induced Neurotoxicity in Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sooad Saud Al-Otaibi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The present study was carried out to study the protective effects of quercetin and α-lipoic acid alone and in combination against aluminum chloride induced neurotoxicity in rats. Materials and Methods. The study consisted of eight groups, namely, Group 1: control rats, Group 2: rats receiving aluminium chloride 7 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneal route (i.p for two weeks, Group 3: rats receiving quercetin 50 mg/kg body weight i.p. for two weeks, Group 4: rats receiving quercetin 50 mg/kg body weight followed by aluminium chloride 7 mg/kg body weight i.p. for two weeks, Group 5: rats receiving α-lipoic acid 20 mg/kg body weight i.p. for two weeks, Group 6: rats receiving lipoic acid 20 mg/kg body weight followed by aluminium chloride 7 mg/kg body weight i.p. for two weeks, Group 7: rats receiving α-lipoic acid 20 mg/kg body weight and quercetin 50 mg/kg body weight i.p. for two weeks, and Group 8: rats receiving α-lipoic acid 20 mg/kg body weight and quercetin 50 mg/kg body weight followed by aluminium chloride 7 mg/kg body weight i.p. for two weeks. The animals were killed after 24 hours of the last dose by cervical dislocation. Results. Aluminium chloride treatment of rats resulted in significant increases in lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl levels, and acetylcholine esterase activity in the brain. This was accompanied with significant decreases in reduced glutathione, activities of the glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase. Pretreatment of AlCl3 exposed rats to either quercetin or α-lipoic acid also restored altered lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase to near normal levels. Quercetin or α-lipoic acid pretreatment of AlCl3 exposed rats improved the protein carbonyl and reduced glutathione, glutathione reductase, and acetylcholine esterase activities in rat brains towards normal levels. Combined pretreatment of AlCl3 exposed rats with quercetin and α-lipoic acid resulted in a

Effect of Precursor Concentration of MgO nanostructure by using Sol-Gel Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.T. Srisuvetha

2017-04-01

Full Text Available MgO thin flims have been prepared on substrates by a novel and simple sol-gel method using magnesium nitrate and collusion as starting material.The MgO nano catalyst with good sensor crystallization were obtained after annealing at 100°C Magnesium oxide was prepared by sol-gel method. The method involves the hydrolysis of magnesium alkoxide in the presence of acid or basic catalysts followed by a Oxalic acid reaction. The synthesized solids were characterized by IR spectroscopy X-ray diffraction electron microscopy. Ultraviolet visible absorbance measurement photoluminescence and Raman scattering spectra. X-ray diffraction (XRD characterization showed the formation of smaller particles after sol gel irradiation the structure and morphology of the MgO particles were analyzed byXRD. These articles were used for FTIR spectroscopic measurement and spectra were collected. In EDS we calculated the peak intensity the SEM the images of metal oxide.UV (Ultra Violet refers to adsorption spectroscopy optical properties of assorption, band gap energy.This means if use light in the visible and adjacent ranges.

Circulating Unmetabolized Folic Acid: Relationship to Folate Status and Effect of Supplementation

OpenAIRE

Tam, Carolyn; O'Connor, Deborah; Koren, Gideon

2012-01-01

There are increasing concerns that exposure to unmetabolized folic acid, which results from folic acid intakes that overwhelm the liver's metabolic capacity, may be associated with adverse effects. In this paper, we examined the folic acid status of women of reproductive age in relation to dietary intake and the effect of folic acid supplementation (1.1 mg or 5 mg). Plasma unmetabolized folic acid was not significantly correlated with folate intake estimated by food frequency questionnaire or...

Homogentisic acid: a phenolic acid as a marker of strawberry-tree (Arbutus unedo) honey.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabras, P; Angioni, A; Tuberoso, C; Floris, I; Reniero, F; Guillou, C; Ghelli, S

1999-10-01

Analysis of organic acids in strawberry-tree (Arbutus unedo) honey showed the presence of an unknown acid as the main constituent. This compound was isolated and identified as homogentisic acid (2, 5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) by MS and NMR techniques. Its average content in honey was 378 +/- 92 mg/kg. Analysis of nectar confirmed the floral origin of the compound found in honey. Since this acid was not detected in any of the different monofloral honeys, it could be used as a marker of strawberry-tree (A. unedo) honey.

Development of Mg B4 O7:Dy thermoluminescent solid dosemeter for using on the thermal neutron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potiens Junior, A.J.; Campos, L.L.; Todo, A.S.

1992-01-01

The magnesium tetraborate doped with dysprosium (Mg B 4 O 7 :O y ) thermoluminescent phosphor is developed, containing boron, which boron 10 isotope has high cross section for thermal neutrons by 10 B (n,α) 7 Li reaction. The nitric acid concentration, the number of washing for removing the excess of boric acid, the powder granulation of Mg B 4 O 7 :O y , the percentage of teflon used as binder and the reproducibility of thermoluminescent answer are also presented. (C.G.C.)

Consequences of the Combined α-tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid and α-lipoic Acid on the Glutathione, Cholesterol and Fatty Acid Composition in Muscle and Liver of Diabetic Rats

Science.gov (United States)

YILMAZ, Okkes; ERSAN, Yasemin; Dilek OZSAHIN, Ayse; Ihsan OZTURK, Ali; OZKAN, Yusuf

2013-01-01

Objective(s): Our objective was to evaluate the effects of a triple antioxidant combination [α-tocopherol (AT), ascorbic acid (AA) and α-lipoic acid (LA); AT+AA+LA] on the cholesterol and glutathione levels, and the fatty acid composition of liver and muscle tissues in diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Forty-three Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. The first group was used as a control. The second, third and fourth groups received STZ (45 mg/kg) in citrate buffer. The fourth and fifth groups were injected with intraperitoneal (IP) 50 mg/kg DL-AT and 50 mg /kg DL-LA four times per week and received water-soluble vitamin C (50 mg/kg) in their drinking water for a period of six weeks. Results: Liver cholesterol levels in the AT+AA+LA group were lower than the control (P<0.05). Glutathione level was lower in D-2 (P<0.05) and were higher in D+AT+AA+LA and AT+AA+LA groups than the control groups (P≤ 0.05). The muscle cholesterol levels in the D-1 and D+AT+AA+LA groups were higher than the control group (P≤ 0.05). The levels of oleic acid were higher in the D-1 group and lower in the D-2 group (P<0.001). The arachidonic acid level in the D-1 and D-2 groups were lower (P<0.05), and higher in the D+AT+AA+LA group. Conclusion: Our results revealed that glutathione levels and the Stearoyl CoA Desaturase enzyme products in liver tissues of diabetic and non-diabetic rats were increased by triple antioxidant mixture. PMID:24298385

Fatty Acid and Phytosterol Content of Commercial Saw Palmetto Supplements

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Brian L. Lindshield

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Saw palmetto supplements are one of the most commonly consumed supplements by men with prostate cancer and/or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH. Some studies have found significant improvements in BPH and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS with saw palmetto supplementation, whereas others found no benefits. The variation in the efficacy in these trials may be a result of differences in the putative active components, fatty acids and phytosterols, of the saw palmetto supplements. To this end, we quantified the major fatty acids (laurate, myristate, palmitate, stearate, oleate, linoleate and phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol in 20 commercially available saw palmetto supplements using GC-FID and GC-MS, respectively. Samples were classified into liquids, powders, dried berries, and tinctures. Liquid saw palmetto supplements contained significantly higher (p < 0.05 concentrations of total fatty acids (908.5 mg/g, individual fatty acids, total phytosterols (2.04 mg/g, and individual phytosterols, than the other supplement categories. Powders contained significantly higher (p < 0.05 concentrations of total fatty acids than tinctures, which contain negligible amounts of fatty acids (46.3 mg/g and phytosterols (0.10 mg/g. Our findings suggest that liquid saw palmetto supplements may be the best choice for individuals who want to take a saw palmetto supplement with the highest concentrations of both fatty acids and phytosterols.

A rapid colorimetric screening method for vanillic acid and vanillin-producing bacterial strains.

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Zamzuri, N A; Abd-Aziz, S; Rahim, R A; Phang, L Y; Alitheen, N B; Maeda, T

2014-04-01

To isolate a bacterial strain capable of biotransforming ferulic acid, a major component of lignin, into vanillin and vanillic acid by a rapid colorimetric screening method. For the production of vanillin, a natural aroma compound, we attempted to isolate a potential strain using a simple screening method based on pH change resulting from the degradation of ferulic acid. The strain Pseudomonas sp. AZ10 UPM exhibited a significant result because of colour changes observed on the assay plate on day 1 with a high intensity of yellow colour. The biotransformation of ferulic acid into vanillic acid by the AZ10 strain provided the yield (Yp/s ) and productivity (Pr ) of 1·08 mg mg(-1) and 53·1 mg L(-1) h(-1) , respectively. In fact, new investigations regarding lignin degradation revealed that the strain was not able to produce vanillin and vanillic acid directly from lignin; however, partially digested lignin by mixed enzymatic treatment allowed the strain to produce 30·7 mg l(-1) and 1·94 mg l(-1) of vanillic acid and biovanillin, respectively. (i) The rapid colorimetric screening method allowed the isolation of a biovanillin producer using ferulic acid as the sole carbon source. (ii) Enzymatic treatment partially digested lignin, which could then be utilized by the strain to produce biovanillin and vanillic acid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the use of a rapid colorimetric screening method for bacterial strains producing vanillin and vanillic acid from ferulic acid. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Biotransformation of 5-hydroxy-methylfurfural into 2,5-furan-dicarboxylic acid by bacterial isolate using thermal acid algal hydrolysate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chu-Fang; Huang, Ci-Ruei

2016-08-01

Thermal acid hydrolysis is often used to deal with lignocellulosic biomasses, but 5-hydroxy-methylfurfural (5-HMF) formed during hydrolysis deeply influences downstream fermentation. 2,5-Furan-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which is in the list of future important biomass platform molecules can be obtained using 5-HMF biotransformation. Based on the connection between 5-HMF removal in acid hydrolysate and FDCA production, the optimum thermal acid hydrolysis condition for macroalgae Chaetomorpha linum was established. Potential microbes capable of transforming 5-HMF into FDCA were isolated and characterized under various parameters and inoculated into algal hydrolysate to perform 5-HMF biotransformation. The optimum hydrolysis condition was to apply 0.5M HCl to treat 3% algal biomass under 121°C for 15min. Isolated Burkholderia cepacia H-2 could transform 2000mg/L 5-HMF at the initial pH of 7 at 28°C and 1276mg/L FDCA was received. Strain B. cepacia H-2 was suitable for treating the algal hydrolysate without dilution, receiving 989.5mg/L FDCA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Free amino acid profile of Bubalus bubalis L. meat from the Campania region

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Nicola Landi

Full Text Available ABSTRACT In this study, we determined the amount of carnosine and anserine in water buffalo meat without hanging treatment and the free amino acid profile by using amino acid analyser with post-column ninhydrin derivatization procedure. The main free amino acids present in samples were glutamic acid (>60 mg/100 g, followed by alanine, glycine, and arginine. Other protein amino acids were detected in minor amounts (less than 2 mg/100 g. Among the non-protein amine-containing compounds, taurine and urea were the most abundant. The analysis showed that 50% of the total free amino acids was represented by dipeptides carnosine (average ~130.3 mg/100 g and anserine (average ~17.9 mg/100 g. Thus, this study for the first time reports the free amino acids profile of water buffalo meat and the content of carnosine and anserine, potentially involved in the darkening meat process and their ratio, that could be used to estimate the water buffalo meat portion in mixed meat products.

The Role of Serum Uric Acid in Preeclampsia

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Amir Taefi

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: The goal of this study was to assess the utility of serum uric acid in preeclampsia diagnosis and its correlation with some maternal and fetal outcomes.Materials and methods: A case-control study was performed on 26 term pregnant women with preeclampsia and 52 normal pregnant women. Serum uric acid, platelet count, hematocrit, gestational age, and birth weight of all patients were measured. Data distribution was assessed with the one sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess differences between groups. Correlations between plasma uric acid and other parameters were evaluated with the Spearman’s Rho or Pearson correlation test, where appropriated. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC curves were used to assess the ability of plasma uric acid to distinguish the preeclampsia from normal subjects. Significance was set at P< 0.05.Results: The mean level of plasma uric acid was 5.8 (+2 mg/dl in cases and 4.9 mg/dl in controls (P=0.04. ROC curve analysis demonstrates the absence of obvious cut off point for plasma uric acid to distinguish preeclampsia. Sensitivity and specificity for uric acid level of 5.5 mg/dl were 61.5% and 78.8%, respectively. There was no significant linear correlation between the plasma uric acid level and other measured parameters in each group.Conclusion: On the basis of our data, the clinical utility of measuring serum uric acid levels in diagnosing preeclampsia is limited.

Effects of Humic Acid on the Germination Traits of Pumpkin Seeds under Cadmium Stress

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Maasoumeh ASADI

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The study tackled the effect of humic acid and cadmium concentrations on the pumpkin seed germination characteristics throughout were studied. Treatments were cadmium concentrations on three levels: 0, 100 and 200 ppm and humic acid concentration of 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg lit-1. Results showed that interaction of humic acid and cadmium was not significant on germination traits, but there was a significant effect on seedling growth indexes. Radicle and plumule length increased by 86 and 192% in comparison with control, of the mixture of 200 ppm cadmium and 300 mg lit-1 of humic acid. Cadmium had stimulatory effect on radicle and cotyledon dry weight and the highest values obtained with 200 ppm in mixture with 200 mg lit-1 of humic acid. Also, maximum plumule dry weight was recorded in 200 ppm cadmium and 300 mg lit-1 of humic acid. The highest of indexes were observed of 200 ppm cadmium and 400 mg lit-1 humic acid. In conclusion, the humic acid had detoxifying effect on cadmium stress in the culture and responded antagonistically against cadmium, but it seems that these concentrations of cadmium are low for the pumpkin seed and can be increased in order to reach the toxicity level.

Effects of caffeic and chlorogenic acids on the rat skeletal system.

Science.gov (United States)

Folwarczna, J; Pytlik, M; Zych, M; Cegieła, U; Nowinska, B; Kaczmarczyk-Sedlak, I; Sliwinski, L; Trzeciak, H; Trzeciak, H I

2015-02-01

Caffeic acid, predominantly as esters linked to quinic acid (chlorogenic acids), is a phenolic acid present at high levels in coffee. The aim of the study was to investigate effects of caffeic and chlorogenic acids on the skeletal system of female rats with normal estrogen levels and estrogen-deficient. Caffeic acid (5 and 50 mg/kg p.o. daily) and chlorogenic acid (100 mg/kg p.o. daily) were administered for 4 weeks to non-ovariectomized and bilaterally ovariectomized mature Wistar rats, and their effects were compared with appropriate controls. Moreover, estradiol (0.2 mg/kg p.o. daily) was administered to ovariectomized rats. Bone turnover markers, mass, mineralization and mechanical properties were examined. Although caffeic acid at a low dose exerted some unfavorable effects on the skeletal system, at high doses, caffeic and chlorogenic acids slightly increased mineralization in the tibia and improved mechanical properties of the femoral diaphysis (compact bone). Unlike estradiol, they did not counteract the worsening of the tibial metaphysis bone strength (cancellous bone) and increases in osteocalcin concentration induced by estrogen deficiency. High doses of the phenolic acids slightly favorably affected the rat skeletal system independently of the estrogen status.

Fatty acid, tocopherol and squalene contents of Rosaceae seed oils.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthaus, Bertrand; Özcan, Mehmet Musa

2014-12-01

The aim of current study is to establish the composition of these seeds belong to Rosaceae family with respect to fatty acid, tocopherol and squalene content. The oil contents of seeds varied between 3.49 (Cotoneaster bullatus) to 46.15 g/100 g (Prunus tenella). The main fatty acids of seed oils were oleic (6.50 - 67.11 %), linoleic (22.08 - 68.62 %) and 20:1n-7 (0.10 - 61.59 %). As observed, the oils of seed were rich in linoleic and oleic acids. Total tocopherol contents ranged between 7.06 mg/100 g (Prunus tenella) to 165.74 mg/100 g (Potentilla glandulosa ssp. pseudorupestris). The major tocopherols were γ-tocopherol, ranging from 2.08 mg/100 g to 106.01 mg/100 g; α-tocopherol ranging from 2.86 mg100 g to 74.26 mg/100 g and δ-tocopherol ranging used in this experiment were found between 0.02 mg/100 g (Alchemilla caucasica) to o.29 mg/100 g (Cotoneaster simonsii). These results show that Rosaceae seed oils can be a potential saurce of valuable oil which might be useful for the evaluation of dietary information in important food crops and other industrial applications.

Radioprotective effects of chlorogenic acid against mortality induced by gamma irradiation in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyed Jalal Hosseinimehr; Amirhossein Ahmadi; Shahram Akhlaghpoor; Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The radioprotective effects of the naturally occurring compound chlorogenic acid has been investigated against mortality induced by gamma irradiation in mice. Chlorogenic acid administrated at single doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg 1 and 24 h prior to lethal dose of gamma irradiation (8.5 Gy). At 30 days after treatment, the percentage of animal survival in each group was: control, 20%; 100 mg/kg, 20% and 15%; 200 mg/kg, 45% and 15%; 400 mg/kg, 25% and 35% for 1 h and 24 h treatment prior gamma irradiation, respectively. Percentage of survival increased in animal treated with this agent at 200 mg/kg at 1 h statistically compared with irradiated alone group. Other doses of chlorogenic acid have not showed any enhanced survival at 1 and 24 h before irradiation. Chlorogenic acid exhibited concentration-dependent activity on 1, 1-diphenyl 2-picrylhydrazyl free radical to show strong antioxidant activity. It appeared that chlorogenic acid with antioxidant activity reduced mortality induced by gamma irradiation.

Optimization of dilute acid hydrolysis of Enteromorpha

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Dawei; Liu, Haiyan; Li, Fuchao; Jiang, Peng; Qin, Song

2011-11-01

Acid hydrolysis is a simple and direct way to hydrolyze polysaccharides in biomass into fermentable sugars. To produce fermentable sugars effectively and economically for fuel ethanol, we have investigated the hydrolysis of Enteromorpha using acids that are typically used to hydrolyze biomass: H2SO4, HCl, H3PO4 and C4H4O4 (maleic acid). 5%(w/w) Enteromorpha biomass was treated for different times (30, 60, and 90 min) and with different acid concentrations (0.6, 1.0, 1.4, 1.8, and 2.2%, w/w) at 121°C. H2SO4 was the most effective acid in this experiment. We then analyzed the hydrolysis process in H2SO4 in detail using high performance liquid chromatography. At a sulfuric acid concentration of 1.8% and treatment time of 60 min, the yield of ethanol fermentable sugars (glucose and xylose) was high, (230.5 mg/g dry biomass, comprising 175.2 mg/g glucose and 55.3 mg/g xylose), with 48.6% of total reducing sugars being ethanol fermentable. Therefore, Enteromorpha could be a good candidate for production of fuel ethanol. In future work, the effects of temperature and biomass concentration on hydrolysis, and also the fermentation of the hydrolysates to ethanol fuel should be focused on.

Production of Valuables Organic Acids from Organic Wastes with Hydrothermal Treatment Process

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Muhammad Faisal

2009-06-01

Full Text Available This article reports production of valuables organic acids from the hydrothermal treatment of representative organic wastes and compounds (i. e. domestic sludge, proteinaceous, cellulosic and plastic wastes with or without oxidant (H2O2. Organic acids such as acetic, formic, propionic, succinic and lactic acids were obtained in significant amounts. At 623 K (16.5 MPa, acetic acid of about 26 mg/g-dry waste fish entrails was obtained. This increased to 42 mg/g dry waste fish entrails in the presence of H2O2. Experiments on glucose to represent cellulosic wastes were also carried out, getting acetic acid of about 29 mg/g-glucose. The study was extended to terephthalic acid and glyceraldehyde, reaction intermediates of hydrothermal treatment of PET plastic wastes and glucose, respectively. Studies on temperature dependence of formation of organic acids showed thermal stability of acetic acid, whereas, formic acid decomposed readily under hydrothermal conditions. In general, results demonstrated that the presence of oxidants favored formation of organic acids with acetic acid being the major product. Keywords: hydrothermal treatment, organic acids, organic wastes, oxidant, supercritical water oxidation

A combination of ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol or a combination of Mg and Zn are both able to reduce the adverse effects of lindane-poisoning on rat brain and liver.

Science.gov (United States)

Hfaiedh, Najla; Murat, Jean-Claude; Elfeki, Abdelfettah

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study, carried out on male Wistar rats, was to evaluate the beneficial effects of supplementation with ascorbic acid (Vit C) and α-tocopherol (Vit E) or with Mg and Zn upon lindane-induced damages in liver and brain. Under our experimental conditions, lindane poisoning (5mg/kg body weight per day for 3 days) resulted in (1) an increased level of plasma glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides, (2) an increased activity of LDH, ALP, AST, ALT, (3) an oxidative stress in liver and brain as revealed by an increased level of lipids peroxidation (TBARS) and a decrease of glutathione-peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in liver and brain. In conclusion, both Vit C+E or Mg+Zn treatments display beneficial effects upon oxidative stress induced by lindane treatment in liver and brain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Pharmacokinetics of Caffeic Acid from Methanol Seed Extract of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To describe caffeic acid-based pharmacokinetics of methanol extract of seed of Syzygium cumini L. in rats. Methods: A dose of the extract (500 mg, equivalent to 37.135 mg caffeic acid) was administered orally to 6 male Wister rats, weighing 200 ± 10 g. Blood samples (0.5 mL), collected from the tail vein at 0, 15, ...

Examination of Vitamin and Amino Acid Profiles of Gmelina ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study examined the vitamin and amino acid profiles of Unripe Gmelina Whole Fruit (UGWF), Ripe Gmelina Whole Fruit (RGWF) and Ripe Gmelina Fruit Pulp (RGFP). The combined riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, ascorbic acid, vitamins A and E of all the samples ranged from 0.09-0.30 mg/100g, 0.22-0.88 mg/100g, 0.12-0.64 ...

Local indigenous fruit-derived juices as alternate source of acidity regulators.

Science.gov (United States)

D'souza, Cassandra; Fernandes, Rosaline; Kudale, Subhash; Naik, Azza Silotry

2018-03-01

Acidity regulators are additives that alter and control food acidity. The objective of this study was to explore local indigenous fruits as sources of natural acidity regulators. Juices extracted from Garcinia indica (kokum), Embilica officinalis (amla) and Tamarindus indica (tamarind) were used as acidulants for media such as coconut milk and bottle gourd juice. The buffering capacity β, acid composition, antioxidant activity and shelf-life study of the acidified media were estimated. Potentiometric titration showed G. indica to possess the highest buffering capacity in both ranges. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed T. indica contained a high level of tartaric acid (4.84 ± 0.01 mg g -1 ), while G. indica had citric acid (22.37 ± 0.84 mg g -1 ) and E. officinalis had citric acid (2.75 ± 0.02 mg g -1 ) along with ascorbic acid (2.68 ± 0.01 mg g -1 ). 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity was high for E. officinalis (91.24 ± 0.66%) and T. indica (90.93 ± 0.817%) and relatively lower for G. indica (34.61 ± 3.66%). The shelf-life study showed total plate count to be within the prescribed limits up to a week, in accordance with safety regulations. This investigation confirmed the suitability of indigenous fruit juices as alternatives to existing acidity regulators. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Role of dopants in LiF:Mg,Cu, LiF:Mg,P and LiF:Mg,Cu,P detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammadi, Kh.; Moussavi Zarandi, A.; Afarideh, H.; Shahmaleki, S.

2013-01-01

In this study, electronic structure of LiF crystal doped with Mg,Cu,P impurities was studied with WIEN2k code on the basis of FPLAPW+lo method. Results show that in Mg-doped LiF composition, an electronic trap was created with impurity concentration of 1.56% and 3.125%. In this condition, the electronic trap with increasing the percentage of the impurities up to 4.687% is annihilated. It was found, that by doping of Mg and Cu or P simultaneously, a hole-trap is created in valence band. It was realized that in LiF:Mg,Cu, LiF:Mg,P and LiF:Mg,Cu,P, Cu impurity and Li atom, have a key role in creation of levels which lead to create electronic and hole traps. Mg impurity and F atom, only have a role in creation of electronic traps. In addition, P impurity has a main role in creation of the electronic and hole traps in LiF:Mg,Cu,P. The activation energy of electronic and hole trap in LiF:Mg,Cu, LiF:Mg,P and LiF:Mg,Cu,P crystalline lattice were obtained as 0.3 and 5.5 eV, 0.92 and 3.4 eV and 0.75 and 3.1 eV, respectively. - Graphical abstract: Figure (a) and (b) shows changes in electronic structure and band gap energy of LiF crystal due to presence of Mg and Cu, Mg and P ions respectively. - Highlights: • Electronic structure of LiF, LiF:Mg,Cu, LiF:Mg,P and LiF:Mg,Cu,P materials were studied with WIEN2K code. • In LiF:Mg,Cu and LiF:Mg,Cu,P, Li atom and Cu impurity have a key role in creation of levels. • F atom and Mg impurity only have a role in creation of electronic traps. • In LiF:Mg,Cu,P, P impurity has a main role in creation of electronic and hole traps

The effects of different oil spill cleanup technologies on body burden and biomarkers in Arctic marine organisms - a laboratory study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faksness, Liv-Guri; Hansen, Bjorn Henrik; Nordtug, Trond [SINTEF Materials and Chemistry (Norway)], email: livgurif@sintef.no; Borseth, Jan Fredrik; Baussant, Thierry; Tandberg, Anne Helene S.; Ingvarsdottir, Anna; Aarab, Nadia [IRIS Biomiljo (Norway); Altin, Dag [Altins BioTrix (Norway)

2011-07-01

This paper studies the effects and toxicity of a water soluble fraction (WSF) of oil versus chemically dispersed oil and also of WSF versus the underlying water after in situ burning (ISB). The applications of exposure concentrations were based on monitoring of WSF in the water column during an offshore field experiment. A continuous flow-through system for the dispersant experiments was set up and an Arctic amphipod was used as the test species. Seawater and gammarids were also used as samples for chemical and biological analyses. Good correlation with the data was presented by chemical analysis of the water samples. However, more PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) were measured in the gammarids exposed to oil mixed with dispersant than in those exposed to oil alone. On the other hand, a system was developed to allow water sampling after ISB and samples of seawater and of oil prior to, and immediately after, ISB were collected and a chemical analysis was conducted. The result of the analysis was that there was no increase in toxicity in the underlying water after ISB.

The effects of different oil spill cleanup technologies on body burden and biomarkers in Arctic marine organisms - a laboratory study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faksness, Liv-Guri; Hansen, Bjorn Henrik; Nordtug, Trond; Borseth, Jan Fredrik; Baussant, Thierry; Tandberg, Anne Helene S.; Ingvarsdottir, Anna; Aarab, Nadia; Altin, Dag

2011-01-01

This paper studies the effects and toxicity of a water soluble fraction (WSF) of oil versus chemically dispersed oil and also of WSF versus the underlying water after in situ burning (ISB). The applications of exposure concentrations were based on monitoring of WSF in the water column during an offshore field experiment. A continuous flow-through system for the dispersant experiments was set up and an Arctic amphipod was used as the test species. Seawater and gammarids were also used as samples for chemical and biological analyses. Good correlation with the data was presented by chemical analysis of the water samples. However, more PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) were measured in the gammarids exposed to oil mixed with dispersant than in those exposed to oil alone. On the other hand, a system was developed to allow water sampling after ISB and samples of seawater and of oil prior to, and immediately after, ISB were collected and a chemical analysis was conducted. The result of the analysis was that there was no increase in toxicity in the underlying water after ISB.

Hydrocarbon pollutants alter short-term recruitment in the barnacle Balanus eburneus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCoy, D.L.; Brown, K.M.

1998-01-01

We examined barnacle recruitment to oil-treated clay tiles at two coastal and two protected sites along the Louisiana coast. Tiles exposed to crude oil and its water-soluble fraction (WSF) had diminished barnacle recruitment after 3 weeks, in comparison with non-treated tiles. Effects were most obvious at the exposed coastal sites. After a 6-week immersion, however, treatment effects were no longer consistent. In later experiments, Balanus eburneus recruitment was higher on weathered WSF tiles (exposed, and leached in seawater before immersion in the field) than on WSF tiles, but not different from control tiles. Hydrocarbons depress recruitment initially, but may be removed later by leaching or by hydrocarbon-degrading microbes, and the remaining biofilm may facilitate recruitment. While barnacle recruitment was generally higher at exposed sites, as expected from the literature, local factors caused significant variation in recruitment within exposure categories as well. Barnacles also grow to larger sizes at open-coast sites, probably because of increased water flow and planktonic food delivery. Naupliar abundances varied tremendously among sites and dates and were poor predictors of eventual recruitment. (author)

Ascorbic acid deficiency in patients with lichen planus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolae, Ilinca; Mitran, Cristina Iulia; Mitran, Madalina Irina; Ene, Corina Daniela; Tampa, Mircea; Georgescu, Simona Roxana

2017-01-01

Recent studies have highlighted the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of lichen planus (LP). In the present study, the interest of the authors is focused on the investigation of ascorbic acid status in patients with LP and identification of parameters that might influence the level of this vitamin. We analyzed the level of urinary ascorbic acid (reflectometric method) in 77 patients with LP (cutaneous LP (CLP)-49 cases; oral LP (OLP)-28 cases) and 50 control subjects. The evaluation of all participants included clinical examination and laboratory and imaging tests. Compared to the control group (19.82 mg/dl) the level of ascorbic acid was significantly lower both in patients with CLP (8.47 mg/dl, p = 0.001) and in those with OLP (8.04 mg/dl, p = 0.001). In patients with LP it was found that the deficiency of ascorbic acid increases with age (r = -0.318, p = 0.032). The urinary concentrations of ascorbic acid were significantly lower in patients with LP associated with infections compared to patients with LP without infections. The urinary ascorbic acid level may be a useful parameter in identifying patients with LP who are at risk of developing viral or bacterial infections.

Fatty acids, phenols content, and antioxidant activity in Ibervillea sonorae callus cultures

OpenAIRE

Estrada-Zúñiga, M.E.; Arano-Varela, H.; Buendía-González, L.; Orozco-Villafuerte, J.

2012-01-01

Ibervillea sonorae callus cultures were established in order to produce fatty acids (lauric, myristic, pentadecanoic, palmitic and stearic acids) and phenolic compounds. Highest callus induction (100%) was obtained in treatments containing 2.32 or 4.65 μM Kinetin (KIN) with 2.26 or 6.80 μM 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Highest fatty acids (FA) production (48.57 mg g-1), highest total phenol content (TPC; 57.1 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE] g-1) and highest antioxidant activity (EC...

Simultaneous HPTLC analysis of ursolic acid, betulinic acid, stigmasterol and lupeol for the identification of four medicinal plants commonly available in the Indian market as Shankhpushpi.

Science.gov (United States)

Sethiya, Neeraj Kumar; Mishra, Shrihari

2015-01-01

In this study, we investigated a new, simple, sensitive, selective and precise high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprint and quantitative estimation method for the analysis of ursolic acid, betulinic acid, stigmasterol and lupeol in Shankhpushpi botanicals. Linear ascending development was carried out in a twin trough glass chamber saturated with petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-toluene (7:2:1, v/v/v). The plate was dried, sprayed with anisaldehyde reagent and analyzed by CAMAG TLC scanner III at 580 nm. The system was found to give compact spots for ursolic acid (0.21), betulinic acid (0.29), stigmasterol (0.33) and lupeol (0.50). The relationship between the concentration of standard solutions and the peak response is linear within the concentration range of 100-600 ng/spot for ursolic acid, betulinic acid, stigmasterol and lupeol. The concentration of 134.2 and 146.1 mg of ursolic acid per gram of Clitorea ternatea (CT) and Canscora decussata (CD); 110.6 mg of betulinic acid per gram of EA; 92.75, 154.95, 31.947 and 39.21 mg of stigmasterol per gram of Evolvulus alsinoides (EA), Convolvulus pluricaulis (CP), CT and CD; 30.12 mg of lupeol per gram of CT were found. The proposed HPTLC method may use for routine quality testing and identification of Shankhpushpi botanicals. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Preparation and Hydrogen Storage Properties of Mg-Rich Mg-Ni Ultrafine Particles

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Jianxin Zou

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In the present work, Mg-rich Mg-Ni ultrafine powders were prepared through an arc plasma method. The phase components, microstructure, and hydrogen storage properties of the powders were carefully investigated. It is found that Mg2Ni and MgNi2 could be obtained directly from the vapor state reactions between Mg and Ni, depending on the local vapor content in the reaction chamber. A nanostructured MgH2 + Mg2NiH4 hydrogen storage composite could be generated after hydrogenation of the Mg-Ni ultrafine powders. After dehydrogenation, MgH2 and Mg2NiH4 decomposed into nanograined Mg and Mg2Ni, respectively. Thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC analyses showed that Mg2NiH4 phase may play a catalytic role in the dehydriding process of the hydrogenated Mg ultrafine particles.

Determination of water-soluble forms of oxalic and formic acids in soils by ion chromatography

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Karicheva, E.; Guseva, N.; Kambalina, M.

2016-03-01

Carboxylic acids (CA) play an important role in the chemical composition origin of soils and migration of elements. The content of these acids and their salts is one of the important characteristics for agrochemical, ecological, ameliorative and hygienic assessment of soils. The aim of the article is to determine water-soluble forms of same carboxylic acids — (oxalic and formic acids) in soils by ion chromatography with gradient elution. For the separation and determination of water-soluble carboxylic acids we used reagent-free gradient elution ion-exchange chromatography ICS-2000 (Dionex, USA), the model solutions of oxalate and formate ions, and leachates from soils of the Kola Peninsula. The optimal gradient program was established for separation and detection of oxalate and formate ions in water solutions by ion chromatography. A stability indicating method was developed for the simultaneous determination of water-soluble organic acids in soils. The method has shown high detection limits such as 0.03 mg/L for oxalate ion and 0.02 mg/L for formate ion. High signal reproducibility was achieved in wide range of intensities which correspond to the following ion concentrations: from 0.04 mg/g to 10 mg/L (formate), from 0.1 mg/g to 25 mg/L (oxalate). The concentration of formate and oxalate ions in soil samples is from 0.04 to 0.9 mg/L and 0.45 to 17 mg/L respectively.

Gallic acid and p-coumaric acid attenuate type 2 diabetes-induced neurodegeneration in rats.

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Abdel-Moneim, Adel; Yousef, Ahmed I; Abd El-Twab, Sanaa M; Abdel Reheim, Eman S; Ashour, Mohamed B

2017-08-01

The brain of diabetics revealed deterioration in many regions, especially the hippocampus. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of gallic acid and p-coumaric acid against the hippocampal neurodegeneration in type 2 diabetic rats. Adult male albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups: Group 1 served as control ones and others were induced with diabetes. Group 2 considered as diabetic, and groups 3 and 4 were further orally treated with gallic acid (20 mg/kg b.wt./day) and p-coumaric acid (40 mg/kg b.wt./day) for six weeks. Diabetic rats revealed significant elevation in the levels of serum glucose, blood glycosylated hemoglobin and serum tumor necrosis factor-α, while the level of serum insulin was significantly declined. Furthermore, the brain of diabetic rats showed a marked increase in oxidative stress and a decrease of antioxidant parameters as well as upregulation the protein expression of Bax and downregulation the protein expression of Bcl-2 in the hippocampus. Treatment of diabetic rats with gallic acid and p-coumaric acid significantly ameliorated glucose tolerance, diminished the brain oxidative stress and improved antioxidant status, declined inflammation and inhibited apoptosis in the hippocampus. The overall results suggested that gallic acid and p-coumaric acid may inhibit hippocampal neurodegeneration via their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. Therefore, both compounds can be recommended as hopeful adjuvant agents against brain neurodegeneration in diabetics.

DEVELOPPEMENT DES COMPRIMES AVEC ACIDE ACETYLSALICILIQUE TAMPONNEES (AAST

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Radu G. Cazacincu

2010-10-01

Full Text Available On the Romanian market there are several buffered acetylsalycilic acid tablets (BASAT, made by different producers that use the same acetylsalycilic acid quantity (500 mg/tablet but use different agents like calcium gluconate (150 mg/tablet or calcium carbonate (250 mg/tablet. The objective of this work is to obtain an optimal formulation for BASAT. Four different BASAT formulations have been obtained by wet granulation followed by compression. These formulations have been submitted to control tests as indicated by Pharmacopoeias. All the four formulations correspond regarding organoleptic examination, mass uniformity, mechanical strength (mean values between 67.6 – 199.4 N, friability (0.1832 – 0.4612% compared to max. 1%, disintegration (33.6 – 76.66 s. The mechanical strength and disintegration for F3 are greater than for F1, F2, and F4. The neutralizing capacity (0.91 – 2.71 mEq HCl that can neutralize 325 mg acetylsalycilic acid is according to Pharmacopoeia only for F3 and F4 formulations.

omega-Amino acid:pyruvate transaminase from Alcaligenes denitrificans Y2k-2: a new catalyst for kinetic resolution of beta-amino acids and amines.

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Yun, Hyungdon; Lim, Seongyop; Cho, Byung-Kwan; Kim, Byung-Gee

2004-04-01

Alcaligenes denitrificans Y2k-2 was obtained by selective enrichment followed by screening from soil samples, which showed omega-amino acid:pyruvate transaminase activity, to kinetically resolve aliphatic beta-amino acid, and the corresponding structural gene (aptA) was cloned. The gene was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 by using an isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible pET expression system (9.6 U/mg), and the recombinant AptA was purified to show a specific activity of 77.2 U/mg for L-beta-amino-n-butyric acid (L-beta-ABA). The enzyme converts various beta-amino acids and amines to the corresponding beta-keto acids and ketones by using pyruvate as an amine acceptor. The apparent K(m) and V(max) for L-beta-ABA were 56 mM and 500 U/mg, respectively, in the presence of 10 mM pyruvate. In the presence of 10 mM L-beta-ABA, the apparent K(m) and V(max) for pyruvate were 11 mM and 370 U/mg, respectively. The enzyme exhibits high stereoselectivity (E > 80) in the kinetic resolution of 50 mM D,L-beta-ABA, producing optically pure D-beta-ABA (99% enantiomeric excess) with 53% conversion.

ω-Amino Acid:Pyruvate Transaminase from Alcaligenes denitrificans Y2k-2: a New Catalyst for Kinetic Resolution of β-Amino Acids and Amines

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Hyungdon; Lim, Seongyop; Cho, Byung-Kwan; Kim, Byung-Gee

2004-01-01

Alcaligenes denitrificans Y2k-2 was obtained by selective enrichment followed by screening from soil samples, which showed ω-amino acid:pyruvate transaminase activity, to kinetically resolve aliphatic β-amino acid, and the corresponding structural gene (aptA) was cloned. The gene was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 by using an isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible pET expression system (9.6 U/mg), and the recombinant AptA was purified to show a specific activity of 77.2 U/mg for l-β-amino-n-butyric acid (l-β-ABA). The enzyme converts various β-amino acids and amines to the corresponding β-keto acids and ketones by using pyruvate as an amine acceptor. The apparent Km and Vmax for l-β-ABA were 56 mM and 500 U/mg, respectively, in the presence of 10 mM pyruvate. In the presence of 10 mM l-β-ABA, the apparent Km and Vmax for pyruvate were 11 mM and 370 U/mg, respectively. The enzyme exhibits high stereoselectivity (E > 80) in the kinetic resolution of 50 mM d,l-β-ABA, producing optically pure d-β-ABA (99% enantiomeric excess) with 53% conversion. PMID:15066855

Attenuation of abnormalities in the lipid metabolism during experimental myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol in rats: beneficial effect of ferulic acid and ascorbic acid.

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Yogeeta, Surinder Kumar; Hanumantra, Rao Balaji Raghavendran; Gnanapragasam, Arunachalam; Senthilkumar, Subramanian; Subhashini, Rajakannu; Devaki, Thiruvengadam

2006-05-01

The present study aims at evaluating the effect of the combination of ferulic acid and ascorbic acid on isoproterenol-induced abnormalities in lipid metabolism. The rats were divided into eight groups: Control, isoproterenol, ferulic acid alone, ascorbic acid alone, ferulic acid+ascorbic acid, ferulic acid+isoproterenol, ascorbic acid+isoproterenol and ferulic acid+ascorbic acid+isoproterenol. Ferulic acid (20 mg/kg b.w.t.) and ascorbic acid (80 mg/kg b.w.t.) both alone and in combination was administered orally for 6 days and on the fifth and the sixth day, isoproterenol (150 mg/kg b.w.t.) was injected intraperitoneally to induce myocardial injury to rats. Induction of rats with isoproterenol resulted in a significant increase in the levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, free fatty acids, free and ester cholesterol in both serum and cardiac tissue. A rise in the levels of phospholipids, lipid peroxides, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol was also observed in the serum of isoproterenol-intoxicated rats. Further, a decrease in the level of high density lipoprotein in serum and in the phospholipid levels, in the heart of isoproterenol-intoxicated rats was observed, which was paralleled by abnormal activities of lipid metabolizing enzymes: total lipase, cholesterol ester synthase, lipoprotein lipase and lecithin: cholesterol acyl transferase. Pre-cotreatment with the combination of ferulic acid and ascorbic acid significantly attenuated these alterations and restored the levels to near normal when compared to individual treatment groups. Histopathological observations were also in correlation with the biochemical parameters. These findings indicate the synergistic protective effect of ferulic acid and ascorbic acid on isoproterenol-induced abnormalities in lipid metabolism.

Afferent signalling from the acid-challenged rat stomach is inhibited and gastric acid elimination is enhanced by lafutidine

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Holzer Peter

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lafutidine is a histamine H2 receptor antagonist, the gastroprotective effect of which is related to its antisecretory activity and its ability to activate a sensory neuron-dependent mechanism of defence. The present study investigated whether intragastric administration of lafutidine (10 and 30 mg/kg modifies vagal afferent signalling, mucosal injury, intragastric acidity and gastric emptying after gastric acid challenge. Methods Adult rats were treated with vehicle, lafutidine (10 – 30 mg/kg or cimetidine (10 mg/kg, and 30 min later their stomachs were exposed to exogenous HCl (0.25 M. During the period of 2 h post-HCl, intragastric pH, gastric volume, gastric acidity and extent of macroscopic gastric mucosal injury were determined and the activation of neurons in the brainstem was visualized by c-Fos immunocytochemistry. Results Gastric acid challenge enhanced the expression of c-Fos in the nucleus tractus solitarii but caused only minimal damage to the gastric mucosa. Lafutidine reduced the HCl-evoked expression of c-Fos in the NTS and elevated the intragastric pH following intragastric administration of excess HCl. Further analysis showed that the gastroprotective effect of lafutidine against excess acid was delayed and went in parallel with facilitation of gastric emptying, measured indirectly via gastric volume changes, and a reduction of gastric acidity. The H2 receptor antagonist cimetidine had similar but weaker effects. Conclusion These observations indicate that lafutidine inhibits the vagal afferent signalling of a gastric acid insult, which may reflect an inhibitory action on acid-induced gastric pain. The ability of lafutidine to decrease intragastric acidity following exposure to excess HCl cannot be explained by its antisecretory activity but appears to reflect dilution and/or emptying of the acid load into the duodenum. This profile of actions emphasizes the notion that H2 receptor antagonists can protect

Carbon-based strong solid acid for cornstarch hydrolysis

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Nata, Iryanti Fatyasari, E-mail: yanti_tkunlam@yahoo.com [Chemical Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Lambung Mangkurat University, Jl. A. Yani Km. 36 Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan 70714 (Indonesia); Irawan, Chairul; Mardina, Primata [Chemical Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Lambung Mangkurat University, Jl. A. Yani Km. 36 Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan 70714 (Indonesia); Lee, Cheng-Kang, E-mail: cklee@mail.ntust.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, 43 Keelung Rd. Sec.4, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)

2015-10-15

Highly sulfonated carbonaceous spheres with diameter of 100–500 nm can be generated by hydrothermal carbonization of glucose in the presence of hydroxyethylsulfonic acid and acrylic acid at 180 °C for 4 h. The acidity of the prepared carbonaceous sphere C4-SO{sub 3}H can reach 2.10 mmol/g. It was used as a solid acid catalyst for the hydrolysis of cornstarch. Total reducing sugar (TRS) concentration of 19.91 mg/mL could be obtained by hydrolyzing 20 mg/mL cornstarch at 150 °C for 6 h using C4-SO{sub 3}H as solid acid catalyst. The solid acid catalyst demonstrated good stability that only 9% decrease in TRS concentration was observed after five repeat uses. The as-prepared carbon-based solid acid catalyst can be an environmentally benign replacement for homogeneous catalyst. - Highlights: • Carbon solid acid was successfully prepared by one-step hydrothermal carbonization. • The acrylic acid as monomer was effectively reduce the diameter size of particle. • The solid acid catalyst show good catalytic performance of starch hydrolysis. • The solid acid catalyst is not significantly deteriorated after repeated use.

Carbon-based strong solid acid for cornstarch hydrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nata, Iryanti Fatyasari; Irawan, Chairul; Mardina, Primata; Lee, Cheng-Kang

2015-01-01

Highly sulfonated carbonaceous spheres with diameter of 100–500 nm can be generated by hydrothermal carbonization of glucose in the presence of hydroxyethylsulfonic acid and acrylic acid at 180 °C for 4 h. The acidity of the prepared carbonaceous sphere C4-SO 3 H can reach 2.10 mmol/g. It was used as a solid acid catalyst for the hydrolysis of cornstarch. Total reducing sugar (TRS) concentration of 19.91 mg/mL could be obtained by hydrolyzing 20 mg/mL cornstarch at 150 °C for 6 h using C4-SO 3 H as solid acid catalyst. The solid acid catalyst demonstrated good stability that only 9% decrease in TRS concentration was observed after five repeat uses. The as-prepared carbon-based solid acid catalyst can be an environmentally benign replacement for homogeneous catalyst. - Highlights: • Carbon solid acid was successfully prepared by one-step hydrothermal carbonization. • The acrylic acid as monomer was effectively reduce the diameter size of particle. • The solid acid catalyst show good catalytic performance of starch hydrolysis. • The solid acid catalyst is not significantly deteriorated after repeated use

Identification and quantitation of new glutamic acid derivatives in soy sauce by UPLC/MS/MS.

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Frerot, Eric; Chen, Ting

2013-10-01

Glutamic acid is an abundant amino acid that lends a characteristic umami taste to foods. In fermented foods, glutamic acid can be found as a free amino acid formed by proteolysis or as a non-proteolytic derivative formed by microorganisms. The aim of the present study was to identify different structures of glutamic acid derivatives in a typical fermented protein-based food product, soy sauce. An acidic fraction was prepared with anion-exchange solid-phase extraction (SPE) and analyzed by UPLC/MS/MS and UPLC/TOF-MS. α-Glutamyl, γ-glutamyl, and pyroglutamyl dipeptides, as well as lactoyl amino acids, were identified in the acidic fraction of soy sauce. They were chemically synthesized for confirmation of their occurrence and quantified in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. Pyroglutamyl dipeptides accounted for 770 mg/kg of soy sauce, followed by lactoyl amino acids (135 mg/kg) and γ-glutamyl dipeptides (70 mg/kg). In addition, N-succinoylglutamic acid was identified for the first time in food as a minor compound in soy sauce (5 mg/kg). Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Effect of volatile and acid accumulation in dung digestion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajagopal, G; Pathak, B N

1966-01-01

In continuation of laboratory experiments on the anaerobic digestion of cow dung experiments were carried out to determine the limiting concentrations of volatile acids and to investigate methods of regenerating digestion after failure. Volatile acids were increased by adding acetic acid to digesting dung slurry; digestion failed completely when volatile-acid concentration was 6194 mg per litre, at pH 4.4. Attempts were made to regenerate digestion by adding lime, after dilution with water, but although over a period the volatile-acid content was reduced from 5650 to 3730 mg per litre, and the pH value rose on average from 4.5 to 6.3, gas production remained at a low value until additional digested slurry was introduced, leading to resumption of normal digestion.

Novel Halomonas sp. B15 isolated from Larnaca Salt Lake in Cyprus that generates vanillin and vanillic acid from ferulic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyrides, Ioannis; Agathangelou, Maria; Dimitriou, Rodothea; Souroullas, Konstantinos; Salamex, Anastasia; Ioannou, Aristostodimos; Koutinas, Michalis

2015-08-01

Vanillin is a high value added product with many applications in the food, fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. A natural and low-cost method to produce vanillin is by microbial bioconversions through ferulic acid. Until now, limited microorganisms have been found capable of bioconverting ferulic acid to vanillin at high yield. This study aimed to screen halotolerant strains of bacteria from Larnaca Salt Lake which generate vanillin and vanillic acid from ferulic acid. From a total of 50 halotolenant/halophilic strains 8 grew in 1 g/L ferulic acid and only 1 Halomonas sp. B15 and 3 Halomonas elognata strains were capable of bioconverting ferulic acid to vanillic acid at 100 g NaCl/L. The highest vanillic acid (365 mg/L) at these conditions generated by Halomonas sp. B15 which corresponds to ferulic acid bioconversion yield of 36.5%. Using the resting cell technique with an initial ferulic acid concentration of 0.5 g/L at low salinity, the highest production of vanillin (245 mg/L) took place after 48 h, corresponding to a bioconversion yield of 49%. This is the first reported Halomonas sp. with high yield of vanillin production from ferulic acid at low salinity.

Fatty acid biosynthesis in pea root plastids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stahl, R.J.; Sparace, S.A.

1989-01-01

Fatty acid biosynthesis from [1- 14 C]acetate was optimized in plastids isolated from primary root tips of 7-day-old germinating pea seeds. Fatty acid synthesis was maximum at approximately 80 nmoles/hr/mg protein in the presence of 200 μM acetate, 0.5 mM each of NADH, NADPH and CoA, 6 mM each of ATP and MgCl 2 , 1 mM each of the MnCl 2 and glycerol-3-phosphate, 15 mM KHCO 3 , and 0.1M Bis-tris-propane, pH 8.0 incubated at 35C. At the standard incubation temperature of 25C, fatty acid synthesis was linear from up to 6 hours with 80 to 100 μg/mL plastid protein. ATP and CoA were absolute requirements, whereas KHCO 3 , divalent cations and reduced nucleotides all improved activity by 80 to 85%. Mg 2+ and NADH were the preferred cation and nucleotide, respectively. Dithiothreitol and detergents were generally inhibitory. The radioactive products of fatty acid biosynthesis were approximately 33% 16:0, 10% 18:0 and 56% 18:1 and generally did not vary with increasing concentrations of each cofactor

Effects of benzylaminopurine and naphthalene acetic acid on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was conducted to evaluate the pineapple regeneration and shoot growth as affected by 6- benzylaminopurine (BAP) at 2.0 mg/l and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) at 0.2 mg/l in vitro. BAP and NAA at the concentration of 2.0 and 0.2 mg/l were used in this study. BAP at 2.0 mg/l significantly affected the production ...

Citric acid application for denitrification process support in biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mielcarek, Artur; Rodziewicz, Joanna; Janczukowicz, Wojciech; Dabrowska, Dorota; Ciesielski, Slawomir; Thornton, Arthur; Struk-Sokołowska, Joanna

2017-03-01

The study demonstrated that citric acid, as an organic carbon source, can improve denitrification in Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (AnSBBR). The consumption rate of the organic substrate and the denitrification rate were lower during the period of the reactor's acclimatization (cycles 1-60; 71.5 mgCOD L -1  h -1 and 17.81 mgN L -1  h -1 , respectively) than under the steady state conditions (cycles 61-180; 143.8 mgCOD L -1  h -1 and 24.38 mgN L -1  h -1 ). The biomass yield coefficient reached 0.04 ± 0.02 mgTSS· mgCOD re -1 (0.22 ± 0.09 mgTSS mgN re -1 ). Observations revealed the diversified microbiological ecology of the denitrifying bacteria. Citric acid was used mainly by bacteria representing the Trichoccocus genus, which represented above 40% of the sample during the first phase of the process (cycles 1-60). In the second phase (cycles 61-180) the microorganisms the genera that consumed the acetate and formate, as the result of citric acid decomposition were Propionibacterium (5.74%), Agrobacterium (5.23%), Flavobacterium (1.32%), Sphaerotilus (1.35%), Erysipelothrix (1.08%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of topical tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid to prevent bleeding after major surgical procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ipema, Heather J; Tanzi, Maria G

2012-01-01

To evaluate the literature describing topical use of tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid for prevention of postoperative bleeding after major surgical procedures. Literature was retrieved through MEDLINE (1946-September 2011) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-September 2011) using the terms tranexamic acid, aminocaproic acid, antifibrinolytic, topical, and surgical. In addition, reference citations from publications identified were reviewed. All identified articles in English were evaluated. Clinical trials, case reports, and meta-analyses describing topical use of tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid to prevent postoperative bleeding were included. A total of 16 publications in the setting of major surgical procedures were included; the majority of data were for tranexamic acid. For cardiac surgery, 4 trials used solutions containing tranexamic acid (1-2.5 g in 100-250 mL of 0.9% NaCl), and 1 trial assessed a solution containing aminocaproic acid (24 g in 250 mL of 0.9% NaCl). These solutions were poured into the chest cavity before sternotomy closure. For orthopedic procedures, all of the data were for topical irrigation solutions containing tranexamic acid (500 mg-3 g in 50-100 mL of 0.9% NaCl) or for intraarticular injections of tranexamic acid (250 mg to 2 g in 20-50 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride, with or without carbazochrome sodium sulfate). Overall, use of topical tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid reduced postoperative blood loss; however, few studies reported a significant reduction in the number of packed red blood cell transfusions or units given, intensive care unit stay, or length of hospitalization. Topical application of tranexamic acid and aminocaproic acid to decrease postsurgical bleeding after major surgical procedures is a promising strategy. Further data are needed regarding the safety of this hemostatic approach.

Gamma rays induced mutation for low phytic acid and trypsin inhibitor content in soybean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, S.K.; Manjaya, J.G.

2017-01-01

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is an important source of vegetable protein and is used as a food, feed and health supplement. However, consumption of soybean as food is limited because of the presence of many anti-nutritional factors. Trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid are two major anti-nutritional factors present in soybean that need to be removed for increasing the soybean consumption as food. Trypsin inhibitor is known to inhibit the trypsin/chymotrpsin activity and phytic acid reduces the bioavailability of essential micronutrients in digestive tract, resulting in adverse effect on health. Therefore, developing soybean cultivars having low trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid content is highly desirable. Soybean cultivar JS 93-05 was irradiated with 250 Gy gamma rays to induce mutation for various morphological and biochemical characters. A large number of mutants with altered morphological characters were identified. Ninety true breeding mutant lines in M6 generation were screened for trypsin inhibitor and phytic acid content. The phytic acid content was estimated using modified colorimetric method and trypsin inhibitor concentration was estimated using BAPNA as substrate in colorimetric method. The phytic acid content in the mutants varied from 7.59 to 24.14 mg g -1 . Two mutants lines TSG - 62 (7.59 mg g -1 ) and TSG - 66 (9.62 mg g -1 ) showed significant low phytic acid content as compared to the parent JS 93-05 (20.19 mg g -1 ). The trypsin inhibitor concentration in the mutants varied from 19.92 to 53.64 TIU mg -1 and one mutant line (TSG -14) was found with the lowest trypsin inhibitor concentration of 19.92 TIU mg -1 compared to parent JS 93-05 (50.90 TIU mg -1 ). The mutant lines identified in this study will serve as important genetic resources for developing low phytic acid and low trypsin inhibitor cultivars in soybean. (author)

Re-examining the 26Mg(α ,α')26Mg reaction: Probing astrophysically important states in 26Mg

Science.gov (United States)

Adsley, P.; Brümmer, J. W.; Li, K. C. W.; Marín-Lámbarri, D. J.; Kheswa, N. Y.; Donaldson, L. M.; Neveling, R.; Papka, P.; Pellegri, L.; Pesudo, V.; Pool, L. C.; Smit, F. D.; van Zyl, J. J.

2017-11-01

Background: The 22Ne(α ,n )25Mg reaction is one of the neutron sources for the s process in massive stars. The properties of levels in 26Mg above the α -particle threshold control the strengths of the 22Ne(α ,n )25Mg and 22Ne(α ,γ )26Mg reactions. The strengths of these reactions as functions of temperature are one of the major uncertainties in the s process. Purpose: Information on the existence, spin, and parity of levels in 26Mg can assist in constraining the strengths of the 22Ne(α ,γ )26Mg and 22Ne(α ,n )25Mg reactions, and therefore in constraining s -process abundances. Methods: Inelastically scattered α particles from a 26Mg target were momentum-analyzed in the K600 magnetic spectrometer at iThemba LABS, South Africa. The differential cross sections of states were deduced from the focal-plane trajectory of the scattered α particles. Based on the differential cross sections, spin and parity assignments to states are made. Results: A newly assigned 0+ state was observed in addition to a number of other states, some of which can be associated with states observed in other experiments. Some of the deduced Jπ values of the states observed in the present study show discrepancies with those assigned in a similar experiment performed at RCNP Osaka. The reassignments and additions of the various states can strongly affect the reaction rate at low temperatures. Conclusion: The number, location, and assignment of levels in 26Mg that may contribute to the 22Ne+α reactions are not clear. Future experimental investigations of 26Mg must have an extremely good energy resolution to separate the contributions from different levels. Coincidence experiments of 26Mg provide a possible route for future investigations.

Low antioxidant status of serum bilirubin, uric acid, albumin and creatinine in patients with myasthenia gravis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Dehao; Su, Zhongqian; Wu, Shengjie; Bi, Yong; Li, Xiang; Li, Jia; Lou, Kangliang; Zhang, Hongyu; Zhang, Xu

2016-12-01

Oxidative stress and low antioxidant status play a major role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune condition targeting the neuromuscular junction, and its antioxidant status is still controversial. Our study aimed to investigate the correlation between the clinical characteristics of MG and the serum antioxidant status of bilirubin (Tbil, Dbil and Ibil), uric acid, albumin and creatinine. We measured serum antioxidant molecule levels of bilirubin (Tbil, Dbil and Ibil), uric acid, albumin and creatinine in 380 individuals, including 166 MG and 214 healthy controls. We found that MG patients had significantly lower serum levels of bilirubin (Tbil, Dbil and Ibil), uric acid, albumin and creatinine than healthy controls, whether male or female. Moreover, it was also shown in our study that uric acid, albumin and creatinine levels in patients with MG were correlated with disease activity and classifications performed by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America. Our findings demonstrated that serum levels of bilirubin (Tbil, Dbil and Ibil), uric acid, albumin and creatinine were reduced in patients with MG. This suggested an active oxidative process in MG patients who had low antioxidant status.

Production of thermoluminescent dosemeters based on MgB4O7: Dy and MgB4O7: Tm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Luiza Freire de; Souza, Divanizia N.

2013-01-01

The thermoluminescent dosimetry (TL) is a well-established technique for the detection of ionizing radiation in hospitals, clinics, and industrial establishments where there is the need to quantify the radiation. For this practice is require the use phosphors which are sensitive to radiation. Some phosphors are already commonly used in this practice, for example, TLD-100 (LiF: Mg, Ti), CaSO 4 :Tm and CaSO 4 :Dy. A compound that was most recently introduced in dosimetry and has many advantageous features to detect neutrons, electrons and gamma is the magnesium tetraborate (MgB 4 O 7 ), but the undoped material is not good for dosimetry, since signal does not show satisfactory thermoluminescence. The present work presents the analysis of the compound MgB 4 O 7 when doped with rare earth elements, thulium (Tm) and dysprosium (Dy). The production of MgB 4 O 7 : Dy and MgB 4 O 7 : Tm occurred under acidic conditions. Following the process of crystal growth, several tests were made on phosphors produced to verify the quality of materials as TL dosimeter. Initially, was made the identification of the crystalline phases found in the material, using the technique of X-ray diffractometry, and then were evaluated and compared the TL emission curves of the crystals with two different types of dopants, to this, the samples were irradiated with different radiation sources: 137 Cs (0,66 MeV), 60 Co (1.25 MeV) and X-rays (0.41 MeV) and based on the results was evaluated the energy dependence of phosphors. Another characteristic analyzed, was the decay of TL signal for the material (fading). The results show that the material can be an excellent TL dosimeter when doped with rare earth elements Dy and Tm. (author)

Pharmacokinetic and tolerability of i.m. disodium clodronate 200 mg/lidocaine 1%, given twice monthly, in comparison with i.m. disodium clodronate 100 mg/lidocaine 1%, given weekly, in healthy postmenopausal female patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Radicioni, Milko; Cremonesi, Giovanni; Baraldi, Enrica; Leuratti, Chiara; Mariotti, Fabrizia

2013-04-01

Clodronate is a bisphosphonate effective in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Non-adherence to bisphosphonates, however, is a major issue in clinical practice. Simplifying dose regimens may increase compliance. To assess bioequivalence between an intramuscular (i.m.) clodronate 200 mg/lidocaine 1% twice-a-month formulation and a clodronate 100 mg/lidocaine 1% weekly formulation in 32 postmenopausal women. In this double-blind, randomized, two-way crossover study, test and reference formulations were administered in single dose, with a 2-week wash-out between administrations. The primary endpoint was clodronic acid cumulative excretion in the first 24 hours after injection (Xu0-24h). Cumulative excretion in the 72 hours post-dose (Xu0-72h) and maximum excretion rate (Ratemax) were also evaluated. Bioequivalence was assumed if the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the geometric means ratios of the dose-normalized parameters were within the 80.00 - 125.00% range. Local tolerability was evaluated. Mean Xu0-24h values were 114.03 ±23.13 mg and 55.22 ±9.73 mg for clodronate 200 mg and 100 mg. The 90% CIs for dose-normalized Xu0-24h, Xu0-72h and Ratemax ere 95 -110%, 94 -107% and 95 - 113%. Local tolerability of both treatments was good. The differences in pain intensity between formulations were not sigificantly different at most assessment times. Headache was the only treatment-related adverse event. Bioequivalence of the two formulations was confirmed in terms of dose-normalized rate and amount of clodronic acid excretion. This result, together with the favorable tolerability of the novel 200 mg formulation, suggests the possibility of reducing the number of i.m. administrations from once-a-week to twice-a-month.

Branched-chain amino acid interactions with reference to amino acid requirements in adult men: Valine metabolism at different leucine intakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelletier, V.; Marks, L.; Wagner, D.A.; Hoerr, R.A.; Young, V.R.

1991-01-01

The authors explored whether the oxidation of valine and by implication the physiological requirement for this amino acid are affected by changes in leucine intake over a physiological range. Six young adult men received, in random order, four L-amino acid-based diets for 5 d supplying either 20 or 10 mg valine.kg body wt-1.d-1, each in combination with 80 or 40 mg leucine.kg-1.d-1. On day 6 subjects were studied with an 8-h continuous intravenous infusion of [1-13C]valine (and [2H3]leucine) to determine valine oxidation in the fasted state (first 3 h) and fed state (last 5 h). Valine oxidation in the fasted state was similar among all diets but was lower (P less than 0.05) in the fed state for the 10 vs 20 mg valine.kg-1.d-1 intake. Leucine intake did not affect valine oxidation. Mean daily valine balance approximated +1.3 mg.kg-1.d-1 for the 20-mg intake and -1.6 mg.kg-1.d-1 for the 10-mg intake. These findings support our previously suggested mean valine requirement estimate of approximately 20 mg.kg-1.d-1

The use of Zeolite into the controlling of Lithium concentration in the PWR primary water coolant (I) : the influences of Ca, Mg and Boric Acid concentration into the exchanges capacity of Ammonium Zeolite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumijanto; Siti-Amini

1996-01-01

In this first part of research, the influences of calsium, magnesium and boric acid concentrations to the zeolite uptake of lithium in the PWR primary water coolant have been studied. The ammonium form of zeolite was found by modification of the natural zeolite which was originated from Bayah. The results showed that the boric acid concentration in the normal condition of PWR operation absolutely did not affects the lithium uptake. The Li uptake efficiency was influenced by the presence of Ca and Mg ions in order to the presence of cations competition which was dominated by Ca ion

Aortic wall damage in mice unable to synthesize ascorbic acid

OpenAIRE

Maeda, Nobuyo; Hagihara, Hiroyuki; Nakata, Yukiko; Hiller, Sylvia; Wilder, Jennifer; Reddick, Robert

2000-01-01

By inactivating the gene for l-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase, a key enzyme in ascorbic acid synthesis, we have generated mice that, like humans, depend on dietary vitamin C. Regular chow, containing about 110 mg/kg of vitamin C, is unable to support the growth of the mutant mice, which require l-ascorbic acid supplemented in their drinking water (330 mg/liter). Upon withdrawal of supplementation, plasma and tissue ascorbic acid levels decreased to 10–15% of normal within 2 weeks, and after 5 weeks...

Acetylsalicylic Acid Daily vs Acetylsalicylic Acid Every 3 Days in Healthy Volunteers: Effect on Platelet Aggregation, Gastric Mucosa, and Prostaglandin E2 Synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Plinio Minghin Freitas; Gagliano-Jucá, Thiago; Zaminelli, Tiago; Sampaio, Marinalva Ferreira; Blackler, Rory Willian; Trevisan, Miriam da Silva; Novaes Magalhães, Antônio Frederico; De Nucci, Gilberto

2016-07-01

Substantial platelet inhibition was observed 3 days after a single administration of acetylsalicylic acid 81 mg to healthy volunteers. Here we investigate prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) antrum concentrations and gastrointestinal symptoms in two treatment groups: one receiving losartan and acetylsalicylic acid every day and the other receiving losartan every day and acetylsalicylic acid every 3 days. Twenty-eight healthy volunteers from both sexes received either 50 mg losartan and acetylsalicylic acid 81 mg daily or 50 mg losartan and acetylsalicylic acid 81 every 3 days with placebo on the other days. Therapy was delivered for 30 days for both groups. Gastric endoscopy was performed before and after treatment period. Biopsies were collected for PGE2 quantification. Platelet function tests were carried out before and during treatment and TXB2 release on platelet rich plasma was measured. The every 3 day low-dose acetylsalicylic acid regimen produced complete inhibition of platelet aggregation compared to the daily treatment. Thromboxane B2 release was substantially abolished for both groups during treatment. There was no significant difference on the endoscopic score of both treatment groups after the 30-day treatment (P = .215). There was over 50% suppression of antrum PGE2 content on volunteers receiving acetylsalicylic acid daily (P = .0016), while for the every 3 day dose regimen there was no significant difference between pre and post-treatment antrum PGE2 dosages (P = .4193). Since PGE2 is involved in gastric healing, we understand that this new approach could be safer and as efficient as the standard daily therapy on a long-term basis. © 2015, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Study of solid state interactions in the systems ZnFe2O4 - CaO, ZnFe2O4 - MgO and zinc cake with CaO and MgO

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Peltekov A.B.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The solid state interactions of CaO and MgO with synthetic and industrial ZnFe2O4 (in zinc cake have been studied using chemical, XRD analysis and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The exchange reactions in the systems ZnFe2O4 - CaO and ZnFe2O4 - MgO have been investigated in the range of 850-1200ºC and duration up to 180 min. It has been established that Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions exchange Zn2+ in ferrite partially and the solubility of zinc in a 7% sulfuric acid solution increases. The possibilities for utilization of the obtained results in zinc hydrometallurgy have been discussed.

Control of acid and duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER) in patients with Barrett's esophagus.

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Yachimski, Patrick; Maqbool, Sabba; Bhat, Yasser M; Richter, Joel E; Falk, Gary W; Vaezi, Michael F

2015-08-01

Symptom eradication in patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) does not guarantee control of acid or duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER). Continued reflux of acid and/or DGER may increase risk of neoplastic progression and may decrease the likelihood of columnar mucosa eradication after ablative therapy. To date, no study has addressed whether both complete acid and DGER control is possible in patients with BE. This prospective study was designed to assess the effect of escalating-dose proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy on esophageal acid and DGER. Patients with BE (≥3 cm in length) underwent simultaneous ambulatory prolonged pH and DGER monitoring after at least 1 week off PPI therapy followed by testing on therapy after 1 month of twice-daily rabeprazole (20 mg). In those with continued acid and/or DGER, the tests were repeated after 1 month of double-dose (40 mg twice daily) rabeprazole. The primary study outcome was normalization of both acid and DGER. Symptom severity was assessed on and off PPI therapy employing a four-point ordinal scale. A total of 29 patients with BE consented for pH monitoring, of whom 23 also consented for both pH and DGER monitoring off and on therapy (83% male; mean age 58 years; mean body mass index 29; mean Barrett's length 6.0 cm). Median (interquartile range) total % time pH 0.14 off PPI therapy were 18.4 (11.7-20.0) and 9.7 (5.0-22.2), respectively. In addition, 26/29 (90%) had normalized acid and 18/23 (78%) had normalized DGER on rabeprazole 20 mg. Among those not achieving normalization on 20 mg twice daily, 3/3 (100%) had normalized acid and 4/5 (80%) had normalized DGER on rabeprazole 40 mg twice daily. All subjects had symptoms controlled on rabeprazole 20 mg twice daily. Univariate analysis found no predictor for normalization of physiologic parameters based on demographics. Symptom control does not guarantee normalization of acid and DGER at standard dose of twice-daily PPI therapy. Normalization of

Methylated Fatty Acids from Heartwood and Bark of Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba, Picea abies, and Larix decidua: Effect of Strong Acid Treatment

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Mohamed Zidan Mohamed Salem

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Methylated fatty acid (FA compounds in the heartwood and bark of some softwood species, specifically Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba, Picea abies, and Larix decidua, grown in the Czech Republic were evaluated. Strong H2SO4 was used for methylation of the lipids. The highest content of lipid was found in P. abies bark (40.132 mg/g o.d. sample, and the lowest content was in A. alba wood (11.027 mg/g o.d. sample. The highest concentration of FAs was observed in L. decidua bark. The highest percentages of FAs in wood of P. sylvestris were arachidic acid and oleic acid. In bark, the highest percentages of FAs were stearic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid. The FAs with the highest concentrations in A. alba wood were arachidic acid, palmitic acid, pentadecanoic acid, and margarinic, and those in bark were behenic acid, lignoceric acid, and arachidic acid. P. abies wood FAs showed arachidic acid, palmitic acid, and margarinic acid, and the bark contained lignoceric acid and arachidic acid. The FAs of L. decidua wood were arachidic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid, and in bark they were pentacosylic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, lignoceric acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid. The lack of typically dominant unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. 18:1, 18:2, compared to literature values were attributed to the application of strong acid for the hydrolysis.

Influence of herbicide structure, clay acidity, and humic acid coating on acetanilide herbicide adsorption on homoionic clays.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Weiping; Gan, Jianying; Yates, Scott R

2002-07-03

Adsorption of chloroacetanilide herbicides on homoionic montmorillonite was studied by coupling batch equilibration and FT-IR analysis. Adsorption decreased in the order metolachlor > acetochlor > alachlor > propachlor on Ca(2+)- or Mg(2+)-saturated clays and in the order metolachlor > alachlor > acetachlor > propachlor on Al(3+)- or Fe(3+)-saturated clays. FT-IR spectra showed that the carbonyl group of the herbicide molecule was involved in bonding. For the same herbicide, adsorption of alachlor, acetachlor, and metolachlor on clay followed the order Ca(2+) approximately Mg(2+) < Al(3+) < or = Fe(3+), which coincided with the increasing acidity of homoionic clays. Adsorption of propachlor, however, showed an opposite dependence, suggesting a different governing interaction. In clay and humic acid mixtures, herbicide adsorption was less than that expected from independent additive adsorption by the individual constituents, and the deviation was dependent on the clay-to-humic acid ratio, with the greatest deviation consistently occurring at a 60:40 clay-to-humic acid ratio.

Optical absorption and thermoluminescence in Mg O, Mg O:Ni and Mg O:Li irradiated at room temperature; Absorcion optica y termoluminiscencia en MgO, MgO:Ni y MgO:Li irradiados a temperatura ambiente

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delgado, L

1984-07-01

Optical absorption and thermoluminescence (TL) studies in Mg O, Mg O:Ni and Mg O:Li irradiated at room temperature are presented. In pure Mg O the thermal annihilation of Fe3+ by recombination with thermally released electrons at {approx} 90 and 175 degree centigree and the V center annealing by hole release up to 100 degree centigree cause the observed glow peaks at these temperatures. The TL excitation spectrum shows two maxima at 245 nm (electron center) and 288 nm (Fe3+). In Mg O:Ni X irradiation induces Fe{sup 2}+ {yields}- Fe{sup 3}+ and Ni{sup 2}+ {yields} Ni{sup 3}+ oxidations. Two TL emission bands centered at 110 degree centigree (red) and 80 o{sup C} (green) are assigned to electron release and their recombination at Fe{sup 3}+ and Ni{sup 3}+ respectively. In Mg O:Li two TL emission bands, one blue (430 nm) and the other red (730 nm) with excitation maxima at 245 nm (electron center) and 200 nm (hole center) respectively are observed. No V-center formation was detected in both Ni and Li doped samples. (Author) 42 refs.

Antibacterial and antifungal efficacy of fatty acid methyl esters from the leaves of Sesuvium portulacastrum L.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekaran, M; Senthilkumar, A; Venkatesalu, V

2011-07-01

The fatty acid methyl esters (FAME extract) from Sesuvium (S.) portulacastrum was studied for its fatty acid composition and antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic microorganisms. The gas chromatographic analysis of FAME extract revealed the presence of palmitic acid with the highest relative percentage (31.18%), followed by oleic acid (21.15%), linolenic acid (14.18%) linoleic acid (10.63%), myristic acid (6.91%) and behenic acid (2.42%). The saturated fatty acids were higher than the unsaturated fatty acids. FAME extract showed the highest antibacterial and anticandidal activities and moderate antifungal activity against the tested microorganisms. The highest mean zone of inhibition (16.3 mm) and the lowest MIC (0.25 mg/ml) and MBC (0.5 mg/ml) values were recorded against Bacillus subtilis. The lowest mean zone of inhibition (8.8 mm) and the highest MIC (8 mg/ml) and MFC (16 mg/ml) values were recorded against Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger. The results of the present study justify the use of S. portulacastrum in traditional medicine and the FAME extract can be used as a potential antimicrobial agent against the tested human pathogenic microorganisms.

Effect of ascorbic acid on prevention of hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, S; Ray, R; Snehlata; Das, N; Srivastava, L M

2006-04-01

The notion that oxidation of lipids and propagation of free radicals may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is supported by a large body of evidence. To circumvent the damage caused by oxygen free radicals, antioxidants are needed which provide the much needed neutralization of free radical by allowing the pairing of electrons. In this study we have investigated the effect of ascorbic acid, a water soluble antioxidant on the development of hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerosis in rabbits. Rabbits were made hypercholesterolemic and atherosclerotic by feeding 100 mg cholesterol/day. Different doses of ascorbic acid were administered to these rabbits. Low dose of ascorbic acid (0.5 mg/100 g body weight/day) did not have any significant effect on the percent of total area covered by atherosclerotic plaque. However, ascorbic acid when fed at a higher dose (15 mg/100 g body weight/day) was highly effective in reducing the atherogenecity. With this dose the percent of total surface area covered by atherosclerotic plaque was significantly less (p ascorbic acid may have great promise in the prevention of hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerosis.

Effects of bile acid administration on bile acid synthesis and its circadian rhythm in man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pooler, P.A.; Duane, W.C.

1988-01-01

In man bile acid synthesis has a distinct circadian rhythm but the relationship of this rhythm to feedback inhibition by bile acid is unknown. We measured bile acid synthesis as release of 14CO2 from [26-14C]cholesterol every 2 hr in three normal volunteers during five separate 24-hr periods. Data were fitted by computer to a cosine curve to estimate amplitude and acrophase of the circadian rhythm. In an additional six volunteers, we measured synthesis every 2 hr from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. only. During the control period, amplitude (expressed as percentage of mean synthesis) averaged 52% and acrophase averaged 6:49 a.m. During administration of ursodeoxycholic acid (15 mg per kg per day), synthesis averaged 126% of baseline (p less than 0.1), amplitude averaged 43% and acrophase averaged 6:20 a.m. During administration of chenodeoxycholic acid (15 mg per kg per day), synthesis averaged 43% of baseline (p less than 0.001), amplitude averaged 53% and acrophase averaged 9:04 a.m. Addition of prednisone to this regimen of chenodeoxycholic acid to eliminate release of 14CO2 from corticosteroid hormone synthesis resulted in a mean amplitude of 62% and a mean acrophase of 6:50 a.m., values very similar to those in the baseline period. Administration of prednisone alone also did not significantly alter the baseline amplitude (40%) or acrophase (6:28 a.m.). We conclude that neither chenodeoxycholic acid nor ursodeoxycholic acid significantly alters the circadian rhythm of bile acid synthesis in man

Ion exchange separation of low boric acid concentrations from water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kysela, J.; Brabec, J.; Peterka, F.

1975-01-01

Boric acid poisoning of the moderator of the TR-O experimental heavy water reactor was studied. The possibility is discussed of removing boric acid from heavy water by means of a strong basic anion exchanger, below the residual concentration of 0.01 mg B/l. Measurements of the usable capacities of the strong basic anion exchanger Zerollit FF showed that the penetration of boric acid during the sorption period does not exceed the value of 0.015 mg B/l. The dependence was found of capacity on the boric acid concentration in the solution. Analytical methods used to determine B in water are also described. (author)

Citric acid production using immobilized conidia of Aspergillus niger TMB 2022

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsay, S.S.; To, K.Y.

1987-02-20

Conidia of Aspergillus niger TMB 2022 were immobilized in calcium alginate for the production of citric acid. A 1-ml condidia suspension containing ca. 2.32 x 10/sup 8/ conidia were entrapped into sodium alginate solution in order to prepare 3% Ca-alginate (w/v) gel bead. Immobilized conidia were inoculated into productive medium containing 14% sucrose, 0.25% (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/CO/sub 3/, 0.25% KH/sub 2/PO/sub 4/, and 0.025% MgSO/sub 4/.7H/sub 2/O with addition of 0.06 mg/l CuSO/sub 4/.5H/sub 2/O, 0.25 mg/l ZnCl/sub 2/, 1.3 mg/l FeCl/sub 3/.6H/sub 2/O, pH 3.8, and incubated at 35 degrees C for 13 days by surface culture to produce 61.53 g/l anhydrous citric acid. Under the same conditions with a batchwise culture, it was found that immobilized conidia could maintain a longer period for citric acid production (31 days): over 70 g/l anhydrous citric acid from runs No. 2-4, with the maximum yield for anhydrous citric acid reaching 77.02 g/l for run No. 2. In contrast, free conidia maintained a shorter acid-producing phase, circa 17 days; the maximum yield for anhydrous citric acid was 71.07 g/l for run No. 2 but dropped quickly as the run number increased. 14 references.

Chemical characteristics and fatty acid profile of butterfly tree seed oil (Bauhinia purpurea L)

Science.gov (United States)

Soetjipto, H.; Riyanto, C. A.; Victoria, T.

2018-04-01

Butterfly tree (Kachnar) in Indonesia is only used as ornamental plants in garden, park, and roadsides. The seed of Butterfly tree was extracted with n-hexane and physicochemical properties were determined based on Standard Nasional Indonesia (SNI) 01-3555-1998 while the oil chemical composition was determined using GC-MS. The result showed that yield of the oil as 57.33±1.14 % (w/w) and the chemical characteristic of seed oil include acid value (13.7.8±0.23 mg KOH/g) saponification value (153.32±1.85 mg KOH/g), peroxide value (43.51±0.57. mg KOH/g). The butterfly tree seed oil showed that linoleic acid (28.11 %), palmitic acid (29.2%), oleic acid (19.82%) and stearic acid (10.7.4 %) were the main fatty acids in the crude seed oils. Minor amounts of neophytadiena and arachidic acid were also identified.

Modeling and stabilities of Mg/MgH2 interfaces: A first-principles investigation

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Jia-Jun Tang

2014-07-01

Full Text Available We have theoretically investigated the modeling and the structural stabilities of various Mg/MgH2 interfaces, i.e. Mg(101¯0/MgH2(210, Mg(0001/MgH2(101 and Mg(101¯0/MgH2(101, and provided illuminating insights into Mg/MgH2 interface. Specifically, the main factors, which impact the interfacial energies, are fully considered, including surface energies of two phases, mutual lattice constants of interface model, and relative position of two phases. The surface energies of Mg and MgH2, on the one hand, are found to be greatly impacting the interfacial energies, reflected by the lowest interfacial energy of Mg(0001/MgH2(101 which is comprised of two lowest energy surfaces. On the other hand, it is demonstrated that the mutual lattice constants and the relative position of two phases lead to variations of interfacial energies, thus influencing the interface stabilities dramatically. Moreover, the Mg-H bonding at interface is found to be the determinant of Mg/MgH2 interface stability. Lastly, interfacial and strain effects on defect formations are also studied, both of which are highly facilitating the defect formations. Our results provide a detailed insight into Mg/MgH2 interface structures and the corresponding stabilities.

Adsorption of Copper Ion using Acrylic Acid-g-Polyaniline in Aqueous Solution

Science.gov (United States)

Kamarudin, Sabariah; Mohammad, Masita

2018-04-01

A conductive polymer, polyaniline (PANI) has unique electrical behaviour, stable in the environment, easy synthesis and have wide application in various fields. Modification of PANI in order to improve its adsorption capacity has been done. In this study, the polyaniline-grafted acrylic acid has been prepared and followed by adsorption of copper ion in aqueous solution. Acrylic acid, PANI and acrylic acid-g-polyaniline (Aag-PANI) were characterized by FTIR and SEM to determine its characteristic. The adsorption capacity was investigated to study the removal capacity of Cu ion from aqueous solution. Two parameters were selected which are pH (2, 4 and 6) and initial metal ion concentration (50 mg/L, 100 mg/L and 200 mg/L). The maximum adsorption capacity for PANI and Aag-PANI are 1.7 mg/g and 64.6 mg/g, respectively, at an initial concentration of 100 mg/L. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model have been used and showed that it is heterolayer adsorption by follows the Freundlich isotherm model.

The association between concentration of Uric Acid and metabolic syndrome among adolescents

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Homeira Rashidi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Metabolic syndromes are known as a set of risk factors for the development of cardio-vascular disease and diabetes in the individual. The association between concentration of uric acid and metabolic syndrome in adolescents has yet to be established thoroughly. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between uric acid and metabolic syndrome in a sample of adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 23, 2009 to September 22, 2010 in Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. In this study, 240 individuals aged 10-19 years were randomly selected among participants of the Ahvaz MetS study (120 subjects normal and 120 subjects MetS. The serum levels of UA were measured by a colorimetric method. In the normal group, anyone with abdominal obesity, high systolic or diastolic blood pressure, High-density lipoprotein (HDL≤40 mg/dl, TG≤110 mg/dl, fasting blood sugar (FBS≤100 mg/dl or diabetes was excluded from the study. History of Anticonvulsive drugs or steroids use was the criteria for exclusion for both groups. Results: Of the 240 subjects aged a mean of 14.95±2.64 years, mean of uric acid in metabolic syndrome group was 4.8±1.4 mg/dl and in the control group was 4.18±1.01 mg/d (P=0.001. Participants were divided into three groups based on uric acid levels: ≤4.9 mg/dl, 4.9-5.7 mg/dl and >5.7 mg/dl. The risk of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in third group of uric acid than the second and first group (odds ratio [OR], 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70 - 8.04 and (OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 2.42-14.35, P<0.001. In addition, uric acid level was inversely associated with hyperglycemia. The ORs of hypertriglyceridemia for the second and third group of uric acid were 4.36 (95% CI, 2.01- 9.47 5.75 (95% CI, 2.43-13.61 respectively, compared with lowest group of UA. Conclusion: The results showed that hyperuricemia was significantly linked with increased risk for

Antimony leaching release from brake pads: Effect of pH, temperature and organic acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xingyun; He, Mengchang; Li, Sisi

2015-03-01

Metals from automotive brake pads pollute water, soils and the ambient air. The environmental effect on water of antimony (Sb) contained in brake pads has been largely untested. The content of Sb in one abandoned brake pad reached up to 1.62×10(4) mg/kg. Effects of initial pH, temperature and four organic acids (acetic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid and humic acid) on Sb release from brake pads were studied using batch reactors. Approximately 30% (97 mg/L) of the total Sb contained in the brake pads was released in alkaline aqueous solution and at higher temperature after 30 days of leaching. The organic acids tested restrained Sb release, especially acetic acid and oxalic acid. The pH-dependent concentration change of Sb in aqueous solution was best fitted by a logarithmic function. In addition, Sb contained in topsoil from land where brake pads were discarded (average 9×10(3) mg/kg) was 3000 times that in uncontaminated soils (2.7±1 mg/kg) in the same areas. Because potentially high amounts of Sb may be released from brake pads, it is important that producers and environmental authorities take precautions. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Transformation of Mg-bearing amorphous calcium carbonate to Mg-calcite - In situ monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Purgstaller, Bettina; Mavromatis, Vasileios; Immenhauser, Adrian; Dietzel, Martin

2016-02-01

The formation of Mg-bearing calcite via an amorphous precursor is a poorly understood process that is of relevance for biogenic and abiogenic carbonate precipitation. In order to gain an improved insight on the controls of Mg incorporation in calcite formed via an Mg-rich amorphous calcium carbonate (Mg-ACC) precursor, the precipitation of Mg-ACC and its transformation to Mg-calcite was monitored by in situ Raman spectroscopy. The experiments were performed at 25.0 ± 0.03 °C and pH 8.3 ± 0.1 and revealed two distinct pathways of Mg-calcite formation: (i) At initial aqueous Mg/Ca molar ratios ⩽ 1:6, Mg-calcite formation occurs via direct precipitation from solution. (ii) Conversely, at higher initial Mg/Ca molar ratios, Mg-calcite forms via an intermediate Mg-rich ACC phase. In the latter case, the final product is a calcite with up to 20 mol% Mg. This Mg content is significant higher than that of the Mg-rich ACC precursor phase. Thus, a strong net uptake of Mg ions from the solution into the crystalline precipitate throughout and also subsequent to ACC transformation is postulated. Moreover, the temporal evolution of the geochemical composition of the reactive solution and the Mg-ACC has no significant effect on the obtained ;solubility product; of Mg-ACC. The enrichment of Mg in calcite throughout and subsequent to Mg-ACC transformation is likely affected by the high aqueous Mg/Ca ratio and carbonate alkalinity concentrations in the reactive solution. The experimental results have a bearing on the formation mechanism of Mg-rich calcites in marine early diagenetic environments, where high carbonate alkalinity concentrations are the rule rather than the exception, and on the insufficiently investigated inorganic component of biomineralisation pathways in many calcite secreting organisms.

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on canine atopic dermatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, R S; Fieseler, K V; Fettman, M J; Zabel, S; Rosychuk, R A W; Ogilvie, G K; Greenwalt, T L

2004-06-01

Twenty-nine dogs were included in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomised trial and were orally supplemented for 10 weeks with either flax oil (200 mg/kg/day), eicosapentaenoic acid (50 mg/kg/day) and docosahexaenoic acid (35 mg/kg/day) in a commercial preparation, or mineral oil as a placebo. For each dog, clinical scores were determined based on a scoring system developed prior to the trial. Total omega-6 and omega-3 intake and the ratio of omega-6:omega-3 (omega-6:3) were calculated before and after the trial. The dogs' clinical scores improved in those supplemented with flax oil and the commercial preparation, but not in the placebo group. No correlation was identified between total fatty acid intake or omega-6:3 ratio and clinical scores. Based on the results of this study, the total intake of fatty acids or the omega-6:3 ratio do not seem to be the main factors in determining the clinical response.

Free amino acids of leaves and berries of Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines

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Alberto Miele

2000-03-01

Full Text Available The composition of free amino acids was studied from leaves, pericarps, skins, musts and seeds of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon. Vineyards were in the Bordeaux region and the grapevines were conducted in espalier and lyre systems. Grapes were collected at maturity and lyophilized after sampling. Extraction of free amino acids was done with a hydroalcoholic solution and their analysis was performed with an autoanalyzer. A standard of 34 amino acids was utilized for the qualitative analysis. The results showed that, for both espalier and lyre training systems, respectively, the free amino acids were predominant in the pericarps (12.85 and 11.21 mg/g dw - 16.88 and 15.12 mg/g dw in skins and 3.29 and 2.88 g/l in musts -, followed by the seeds (2.37 and 2.32 mg/g dw and leaves (1.87 and 1.98 mg/g dw. The most abundant free amino acids in leaves were glutamic acid (23.8 and 28.8 p. cent, aspartic acid (8.8 and 11.1 p. cent, and glutamine (10.1 and 9.4 p. cent. Proline (41.8 and 41.5 p. cent and arginine (22.8 and 22.4 p. cent predominated in the pericarps. In seeds, the main amino acids were proline (14.5 and 15.8 p. cent, arginine (11.0 and 11.8 p. cent, histidine (11.2 and 8.7 p. cent, and glutamic acid (11.3 and 8.2 p. cent. Grapevine training system showed some differences in the total amount and in the percentages of each free amino acid, but the pattern of these compounds for each tissue was similar for both training systems.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography Determination of Urinary Hippuric Acid and Benzoic Acid as Indices for Glue Sniffer Urine

OpenAIRE

Abdul Rahim Yacob; Mohamad Raizul Zinalibdin

2010-01-01

A simple method for the simultaneous determination of hippuric acid and benzoic acid in urine using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography was described. Chromatography was performed on a Nova-Pak C18 (3.9 x 150 mm) column with a mobile phase of mixed solution methanol: water: acetic acid (20:80:0.2) and UV detection at 254 nm. The calibration curve was linear within concentration range at 0.125 to 6.0 mg/ml of hippuric acid and benzoic acid. The recovery, ...

Gallic acid improves the memory and pain in diabetic rats

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maryam Rafieirad

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Complications of diabetes can be caused by the production of free radicals, which lead to memory problems and increase the risk of dementia. Diabetics are at risk of nervous pains. Gallic acid has antioxidant properties and activity against free radicals. In this study the effect of oral administration of Gallic acid, were examined on passive‌ avoidance ‌memory and pain in diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into control, diabetes with STZ (60mg/kg, 3-groups of control and 3‌groups of diabetic rats and received Gallic ‌‌acid (10, 50&100 mg/kg oral, for two weeks. Blood glucose levels were measured from tail. Results: Results showed a significant reduction in memory (delayed coming down from the podium in the diabetic group all days except day of learning (P≤0.01. Dose of 50 mg/kg Gallic‌ acid caused a significant increase in non-diabetic rats on the first day of memory (P≤0.01, third and seventh (P≤0.05 and dose of 10 mg/kg on the first day (P≤0.05. Compared with diabetic group a significant increase was observed in the first day (P≤0.01, third and seventh (P≤0.05 in diabetics receiving doses of 50 and 10mg/kg Gallic‌ acid. The reflex for tail pulling away from the center of pain was significantly lower (P≤0.01 in the diabetic group. And only the dose of 50 caused a significant increase in the diabetic group (P≤0.01. Conclusion: Probably Gallic‌ acid with strong antioxidant effect led to scavenge free radicals and reduced the complications of diabetes, including pain and may have effects on neural pathways in specific brain regions and has led to improved memory in normal rats and diabetic.

CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID (CLA CONTENT AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF SOME COMMERCIAL YOGURTS FROM COLOMBIA CONTENIDO DE ÁCIDO LINOLEICO CONJUGADO (CLA Y COMPOSICIÓN DE ÁCIDOS GRASOS EN ALGUNOS YOGURES COMERCIALES DE COLOMBIA

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Luis Felipe Gutiérrez Álvarez

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The concentration of the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA of the fifteen commercial yogurts corresponding to the main consumption and distribution in the Colombian market was studied, as well as their fatty acid composition. The concentration of CLA, expressed as mg of cis-9,trans-11 octadecadienoic acid/g fat and as mg of cis-9,trans-11 octadecadienoic acid/100 g sample varied between 4.5 and 8.2, and between 7.8 and 25.5, respectively. The higher values of CLA (>6.0 mg/g fat corresponded to those samples containing yogurt starter (Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus and species of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. The main fatty acids found in the studied samples were the acids palmitic (10.7-21.2 mg/g fat, oleic (11.9-21.0 mg/g fat, stearic (16.1-37.4 mg/g fat, myristic (3.5-7.8 mg/g fat and butyric (1.6-5.5 mg/g fat. Low PUFA/SFA and MUFA/SFA ratios were found, as typical of milk fat samples.Se estudió la concentración de ácido linoleico conjugado (CLA de quince yogures de las marcas comerciales de mayor consumo y distribución en el mercado colombiano, así como su composición en ácidos grasos. La concentración de CLA, expresada como mg de ácido cis-9,trans-11 octadecadienoico/g de grasa y como mg de ácido cis-9,trans-11 octadecadienoico/100 g de yogur osciló entre 4,5 y 8,2 y entre 7,8 y 25,5, respectivamente. Los valores de CLA más elevados (>6,0 mg/g de grasa en los yogures evaluados, correspondieron a aquellos que contenían cultivo de yogur (Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus y Streptococcus salivarius ssp. thermophilus y especies de Bifidobacterium y Lactobacillus. Los principales ácidos grasos encontrados en las muestras estudiadas, fueron los ácidos palmítico (10,7-21,2 mg/g de grasa, oleico (11,9-21,0 mg/g de grasa, esteárico (16,1-37,4 mg/g de grasa, mirístico (3,5-7,8 mg/g de grasa y butírico (1,6-5,5 mg/g de grasa. Bajas relaciones de PUFA/SFA y de MUFA

Effects of exchangeable Ca:Mg ratio on the dispersion of soils some ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The soils studied were acidic, low in nutrient level, showed high dispersion rate, high water- dispersible clay content and the textural class were loamy sand and sandy loam. The exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ contents of the soils dominated the exchange complex. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) ranges between 4 ...

Influência e contribuição: a igreja católica progressista brasileira e o fórum social mundial

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Charmain Levy

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Desde o começo dos anos 1980, a Igreja Católica Progressista organizou e influenciou as práticas, as ideias e os objetivos da sociedade civil brasileira. A proposta do presente artigo consiste em analisar as diferentes maneiras pelas quais a Igreja Católica Progressista influenciou o Fórum Social Mundial (FSM. Os dois principais eixos de análise são, primeiro, a influência dos princípios, da visão de mundo e da metodologia da Igreja Católica Progressista sobre indivíduos e organizações da sociedade civil que estiveram envolvidos na concepção e na realização do FSM e, segundo, a participação da Igreja Católica Progressista no FSM através de organizações ligadas à Igreja Católica, forçando a inclusão da agenda da Igreja Progressista naquela do FSM. O artigo analisa como e por que a Teologia da Libertação e a Igreja Popular brasileiras influenciaram as ideias que levaram à criação e organização do FSM, além de discutir em detalhe a participação da Igreja Católica Progressista nas edições subsequentes do Fórum.Since the early 1980s, the Progressive Church in Brazil has organised and influenced Brazilian civil society practices, ideas and goals. This paper proposes to study the different ways which the Brazilian Progressive Church has influenced the World Social Forum (WSF. The two principle axes of influence include: its principles, world vision and methodology on individuals and civil society organisations who have been involved in the conception and realization of the WSF; and its participation through Church related organisations in the WSF that push to include the Progressive Church's agenda within that of the WSF. This paper analyses why and how the Brazilian Liberation Theology and Popular Church have influenced the ideas that lead to the conception and organisation of the WSF and details the participation of the Brazilian Progressive Church in the WSFs.

Bioconversion of l-glutamic acid to α-ketoglutaric acid by an immobilized whole-cell biocatalyst expressing l-amino acid deaminase from Proteus mirabilis.

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Hossain, Gazi Sakir; Li, Jianghua; Shin, Hyun-dong; Chen, Rachel R; Du, Guocheng; Liu, Long; Chen, Jian

2014-01-01

The goal of this work was to develop an immobilized whole-cell biocatalytic process for the environment-friendly synthesis of α-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) from l-glutamic acid. We compared the suitability of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis strains overexpressing Proteus mirabilisl-amino acid deaminase (l-AAD) as potential biocatalysts. Although both recombinant strains were biocatalytically active, the performance of B. subtilis was superior to that of E. coli. With l-glutamic acid as the substrate, α-KG production levels by membranes isolated from B. subtilis and E. coli were 55.3±1.73 and 21.7±0.39μg/mg protein/min, respectively. The maximal conversion ratio of l-glutamic acid to α-KG was 31% (w/w) under the following optimal conditions: 15g/L l-glutamic acid, 20g/L whole-cell biocatalyst, 5mM MgCl2, 40°C, pH 8.0, and 24-h incubation. Immobilization of whole cells with alginate increased the recyclability by an average of 23.33% per cycle. This work established an efficient one-step biotransformation process for the production of α-KG using immobilized whole B. subtilis overexpressing P. mirabilisl-AAD. Compared with traditional multistep chemical synthesis, the biocatalytic process described here has the advantage of reducing environmental pollution and thus has great potential for the large-scale production of α-KG. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluoxetine potentiation of omega-3 fatty acid antidepressant effect: evaluating pharmacokinetic and brain fatty acid-related aspects in rodents.

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Laino, Carlos Horacio; Garcia, Pilar; Podestá, María Fernanda; Höcht, Christian; Slobodianik, Nora; Reinés, Analía

2014-10-01

We previously reported that combined fluoxetine administration at antidepressant doses renders additive antidepressant effects, whereas non-antidepressant doses potentiate the omega-3 fatty acid antidepressant effect. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate putative pharmacokinetic and brain omega-3 fatty acid-related aspects for fluoxetine potentiation of omega-3 fatty acid antidepressant effect in rats. Coadministration of omega-3 fatty acids with a non-antidepressant dose of fluoxetine (1 mg/kg day) failed to affect both brain fluoxetine concentration and norfluoxetine plasma concentration profile. Fluoxetine plasma concentrations remained below the sensitivity limit of the detection method. Either antidepressant (10 mg/kg day) or non-antidepressant (1 mg/kg day) doses of fluoxetine in combination with omega-3 fatty acids increased hippocampal docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5 omega-3) levels. Although individual treatments had no effects on DPA concentration, DPA increase was higher when omega-3 were combined with the non-antidepressant dose of fluoxetine. Chronic DPA administration exerted antidepressant-like effects in the forced swimming test while increasing hippocampal docosahexaenoic (22:6 omega-3) and DPA levels. Our results suggest no pharmacokinetic interaction and reveal specific hippocampal DPA changes after fluoxetine and omega-3 combined treatments in our experimental conditions. The DPA role in the synergistic effect of fluoxetine and omega-3 combined treatments will be for sure the focus of future studies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 103:3316-3325, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Mg Incorporation Efficiency in Pulsed MOCVD of N-Polar GaN:Mg

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Marini, Jonathan; Mahaboob, Isra; Hogan, Kasey; Novak, Steve; Bell, L. D.; Shahedipour-Sandvik, F.

2017-10-01

We report on the effect of growth polarity and pulsed or δ -doped growth mode on impurity incorporation in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition-grown GaN. In Ga-polar orientation, up to 12× enhancement in Mg concentration for given Mg flow rate is observed, resulting in enhanced p-type conductivity for these samples. In contrast, this enhancement effect is greatly diminished for N-polar samples, falling off with increasing Mg flow and showing maximum enhancement of 2.7× at 30 nmol/min Mg flow. At higher Mg flow rates, Mg incorporation at normal levels did not correspond to p-type conductivity, which may be due to Mg incorporation at nonacceptor sites. Concentrations of C, O, and Si were also investigated, revealing dependence on Mg flow in N-polar pulsed samples. Carbon incorporation was found to decrease with increasing Mg flow, and oxygen incorporation was found to remain high across varied Mg flow. These effects combine to result in N-polar samples that are not p-type when using the pulsed growth mode.

Effect of fermentation and subsequent pasteurization processes on amino acids composition of orange juice.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerrillo, I; Fernández-Pachón, M S; Collado-González, J; Escudero-López, B; Berná, G; Herrero-Martín, G; Martín, F; Ferreres, F; Gil-Izquierdo, A

2015-06-01

The fermentation of fruit produces significant changes in their nutritional composition. An orange beverage has been obtained from the controlled alcoholic fermentation and thermal pasteurization of orange juice. A study was performed to determine the influence of both processes on its amino acid profile. UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS was used for the first time for analysis of orange juice samples. Out of 29 amino acids and derivatives identified, eight (ethanolamine, ornithine, phosphoethanolamine, α-amino-n-butyric acid, hydroxyproline, methylhistidine, citrulline, and cystathionine) have not previously been detected in orange juice. The amino acid profile of the orange juice was not modified by its processing, but total amino acid content of the juice (8194 mg/L) was significantly increased at 9 days of fermentation (13,324 mg/L). Although the pasteurization process produced partial amino acid degradation, the total amino acid content was higher in the final product (9265 mg/L) than in the original juice, enhancing its nutritional value.

Anxiolytic-like effects of ursolic acid in mice.

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Colla, André R S; Rosa, Julia M; Cunha, Mauricio P; Rodrigues, Ana Lúcia S

2015-07-05

Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid that possesses several biological and neuropharmacological effects including antidepressant-like activity. Anxiety disorders represent common and disability psychiatric conditions that are often associated with depressive symptoms. This work investigated the anxiolytic-like effects of ursolic acid administration in different behavioral paradigms that evaluate anxiety in mice: open field test, elevated plus maze test, light/dark box test and marble burying test. To this end, mice were administered with ursolic acid (0.1, 1 and 10mg/kg, p.o.) or diazepam (2mg/kg, p.o.), positive control, and submitted to the behavioral tests. The results show that ursolic acid (10mg/kg) elicited an anxiolytic-like effect observed by the increased total time in the center and decreased number of rearings responses in the open field test and an increased percentage of entries and total time spent in the open arms of elevated plus maze, similarly to diazepam. No significant effects of ursolic acid were shown in the light/dark box and marble burying test. These data indicate that ursolic acid exhibits anxiolytic-like effects in the open field and elevated plus maze test, but not in the light/dark box and marble burying test, showing the relevance of testing several behavioral paradigms in the evaluation of anxiolytic-like actions. Of note, the results extend the understanding on the effects of ursolic acid in the central nervous system and suggest that it may be a novel approach for the management of anxiety-related disorders. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Acute toxicity and sublethal effects of gallic and pelargonic acids on the zebrafish Danio rerio.

Science.gov (United States)

Techer, Didier; Milla, Sylvain; Fontaine, Pascal; Viot, Sandrine; Thomas, Marielle

2015-04-01

Gallic and pelargonic acids are naturally found in a variety of plants and food products. Despite their extensive use in man-made applications, little is known regarding their potential risks to aquatic vertebrates. The aim of this work was to assess the acute toxicity of these polyphenolic and fatty acid compounds to the zebrafish. In order to get insights into sublethal effects, the enzyme activity of usual biomarkers related to oxidative stress and biotransformation were also assessed in fish. These latter included total superoxide dismutase, catalase as well as total glutathione peroxidase for antioxidant defence mechanisms and glutathione S-transferase for biotransformation related enzyme. Gallic acid was practically non-toxic (96-h lethal concentration (LC50) > 100 mg/L) whereas pelargonic acid was slightly toxic (96-h LC50 of 81.2 mg/L). Moreover, biomarker analyses indicated enhanced superoxide dismutase activity in fish exposed to 20, 40 and 100 mg/L of gallic acid compared to control. A dose-dependent induction of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase was reported following gallic acid exposure at the tested concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 mg/L, with the exception of 100 mg/L of substance where basal activity levels were reported. In the case of pelargonic acid, there was no change in antioxidant enzyme activity while an inhibition of glutathione S-transferase was observed from organisms exposed to 45, 58 and 76 mg/L of test solution. The results concerning sublethal effects on biological parameters of zebrafish highlighted thereby the need for further investigations following chronic exposure to both organic acids.

Potential Impacts of Food Production on Freshwater Availability Considering Water Sources

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Shinjiro Yano

2016-04-01

Full Text Available We quantify the potential impacts of global food production on freshwater availability (water scarcity footprint; WSF by applying the water unavailability factor (fwua as a characterization factor and a global water resource model based on life cycle impact assessment (LCIA. Each water source, including rainfall, surface water, and groundwater, has a distinct fwua that is estimated based on the renewability rate of each geographical water cycle. The aggregated consumptive water use level for food production (water footprint inventory; WI was found to be 4344 km3/year, and the calculated global total WSF was 18,031 km3 H2Oeq/year, when considering the difference in water sources. According to the fwua concept, which is based on the land area required to obtain a unit volume of water from each source, the calculated annual impact can also be represented as 98.5 × 106 km2. This value implies that current agricultural activities requires a land area that is over six times larger than global total cropland. We also present the net import of the WI and WSF, highlighting the importance of quantitative assessments for utilizing global water resources to achieve sustainable water use globally.

Haloacetic acids in the aquatic environment. Part I: macrophyte toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, Mark L.; Solomon, Keith R.

2004-01-01

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are contaminants of aquatic ecosystems with numerous sources, both anthropogenic and natural. The toxicity of HAAs to aquatic plants is generally uncharacterized. Laboratory tests were conducted with three macrophytes (Lemna gibba, Myriophyllum sibiricum and Myriophyllum spicatum) to assess the toxicity of five HAAs. Myriophyllum spp. has been proposed as required test species for pesticide registration in North America, but few studies have been conducted under standard test conditions. The HAAs in the present experiments were monochloroacetic acid (MCA), dichloroacetic acid (DCA), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and chlorodifluoroacetic acid (CDFA). MCA was the most toxic to Myriophyllum spp. with EC 50 values ranging from 8 to 12.4 mg/l depending on the endpoint, followed by DCA (EC 50 range 62-722.5 mg/l), TCA (EC 50 range 49.5-1702.6 mg/l), CDFA (EC 50 range 105.3 to >10,000 mg/l) and with TFA (EC 50 range 222.1 to 10,000 mg/l) the least toxic. Generally, L. gibba was less sensitive to HAA toxicity than Myriophyllum spp., with the difference in toxicity between them approximately threefold. The range of toxicity within Myriophyllum spp. was normally less than twofold. Statistically, plant length and node number were the most sensitive endpoints as they had the lowest observed coefficients of variation, but they were not the most sensitive to HAA toxicity. Toxicological sensitivity of endpoints varied depending on the measure of effect chosen and the HAA, with morphological endpoints usually an order of magnitude more sensitive than pigments for all plant species. Overall, mass and root measures tended to be the most sensitive indicators of HAA toxicity. The data from this paper were subsequently used in an ecological risk assessment for HAAs and aquatic plants. The assessment found HAAs to be of low risk to aquatic macrophytes and the results are described in the second manuscript of this series

Modification of Death rate and Disturbances induced in the Levels of serum total Lipids and free fatty acids of irradiated rats by ascorbic acid and serotonin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahdy, A.M.; Saada, H.N.; Osama, Z.S.

1999-01-01

Intraperitoneal injection of normal rats with ascorbic acid (10 mg/100 g body weight ) or serotonin (2 mg/100 g body weight) had no harmful effect on the life span. Moreover, the levels of serum total lipids and free fatty acids did not show any significant changes at 3, 7, 10 and 14 days after injection. Administration of ascorbic acid or serotonin to rats at the pre mentioned doses, 15 minutes, before gamma irradiation at 7.5 Gy (single dose ) improved the survival time of rats and the hyperlipemic state recorded after radiation exposure

What dose of tranexamic acid is most effective and safe for adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery?

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgson, Sam; Larvin, Joseph T; Dearman, Charles

2015-09-01

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: what dose of tranexamic acid is most effective and safe for adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery? Altogether 586 papers were found using the reported search, of which 12 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. Current evidence shows clinical benefit of using high-dose tranexamic acid (>80 mg/kg total dose) as opposed to low-dose tranexamic acid (tranexamic acid lose less blood postoperatively than patients receiving low-dose tranexamic acid (590 vs 820 ml, P = 0.01). Patients receiving high-dose tranexamic acid also require fewer units of blood product transfusion (2.5 units vs 4.1 units; P = 0.02) and are less likely to undergo repeat surgery to achieve haemostasis. This effect is larger in those who are at high risk of bleeding. Several prospective studies comparing doses found no difference in clinical outcomes between high- and low-dose regimens, but excluded patients at high risk of bleeding. However, data from numerous observational studies demonstrate that tranexamic acid use is associated with an increased risk of postoperative seizure; one analysis showed tranexamic acid use to be a very strong independent predictor (odds ratio = 14.3, P tranexamic acid. We conclude that, in general, patients with a high risk of bleeding should receive high-dose tranexamic acid, while those at low risk of bleeding should receive low-dose tranexamic acid with consideration given to potential dose-related seizure risk. We recommend the regimens of high-dose (30 mg kg(-1) bolus + 16 mg kg(-1) h(-1) + 2 mg kg(-1) priming) and low-dose (10 mg kg(-1) bolus + 1 mg kg(-1) h(-1) + 1 mg kg(-1) priming) tranexamic acid, as these are well established in terms of safety profile and have the

Interaction of the D-isomer of 4-methylene glutamate (4-MG) with an active site thiol group of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simondsen, R.P.; Meister, A.

1986-01-01

γ-GCS has an SH-group at or close to the glutamate binding site. During efforts to find a covalently bound inhibitor, the authors examined interaction of the enzyme with 4-MG with the thought that a glutamate analog with an α,β-unsaturated moiety might bind to the glutamate site and react with the active site thiol. 4-MG is not a significant substrate, but inhibits in the usual assay. Preincubation of the enzyme with DL-4-MG inactivated markedly and to about the same extent as found after preincubation with half the concentration of D-4-MG (prepared by action of glutamate decarboxylase on DL-4-MG); L-4-MG did not inactivate. Inactivation by 4-MG was decreased in the presence of L-glutamate. Inactivation by 4-MG was prevented by prior treatment of the enzyme with cystamine, which forms a disulfide with the active site thiol. After inactivation of the enzyme with 4-[2- 14 C]MG followed by separation of the enzyme by gel filtration, 0.9 mole of label was found per mole of enzyme, amino acid analysis after acid hydrolysis of the labeled enzyme gave labeled products that include the expected adduct formed by reaction of cysteine with 4-MG

Production of thermoluminescent dosemeters based on MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7}: Dy and MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7}: Tm; Producao de dosimetros termoluminescentes a base de MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7}: Dy e MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7}: Tm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Luiza Freire de; Souza, Divanizia N., E-mail: luizaf25@hotmail.com, E-mail: divanizi@ufs.br [Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Sao Cristovao, SE (Brazil). Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Fisica

2013-07-01

The thermoluminescent dosimetry (TL) is a well-established technique for the detection of ionizing radiation in hospitals, clinics, and industrial establishments where there is the need to quantify the radiation. For this practice is require the use phosphors which are sensitive to radiation. Some phosphors are already commonly used in this practice, for example, TLD-100 (LiF: Mg, Ti), CaSO{sub 4}:Tm and CaSO{sub 4}:Dy. A compound that was most recently introduced in dosimetry and has many advantageous features to detect neutrons, electrons and gamma is the magnesium tetraborate (MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7}), but the undoped material is not good for dosimetry, since signal does not show satisfactory thermoluminescence. The present work presents the analysis of the compound MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7} when doped with rare earth elements, thulium (Tm) and dysprosium (Dy). The production of MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7}: Dy and MgB{sub 4}O{sub 7}: Tm occurred under acidic conditions. Following the process of crystal growth, several tests were made on phosphors produced to verify the quality of materials as TL dosimeter. Initially, was made the identification of the crystalline phases found in the material, using the technique of X-ray diffractometry, and then were evaluated and compared the TL emission curves of the crystals with two different types of dopants, to this, the samples were irradiated with different radiation sources: {sup 137}Cs (0,66 MeV), {sup 60}Co (1.25 MeV) and X-rays (0.41 MeV) and based on the results was evaluated the energy dependence of phosphors. Another characteristic analyzed, was the decay of TL signal for the material (fading). The results show that the material can be an excellent TL dosimeter when doped with rare earth elements Dy and Tm. (author)

Semi-Preparative Separation of 10 Caffeoylquinic Acid Derivatives Using High Speed Counter-Current Chromatogaphy Combined with Semi-Preparative HPLC from the Roots of Burdock (Arctium lappa L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zhenjia; Wang, Xiao; Liu, Pengli; Li, Meng; Dong, Hongjing; Qiao, Xuguang

2018-02-15

Burdock roots are healthy dietary supplements and a kind of famous traditional Chinese medicine, which contains large amounts of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives. However, little research has been reported on the preparative separation of these compounds from burdock roots. In the present study, a combinative method of HSCCC and semi-preparative HPLC was developed for the semi-preparative separation of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives from the burdock roots. The ethyl acetate extract of burdock roots was first fractionated by MCI macroporous resin chromatography and give three fractions (Fr. 1-3) from the elution of 40% methanol. Then, these three fractions (120 mg) were separately subjected to HSCCC for purification with the solvent system composed of petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-methanol-water at different volume ratios, and the mixtures were further purified by semi-preparative HPLC. As a result, a total of eight known caffeoylquinic acid derivatives including 3- O -caffeoylquinic acid (32.7 mg, 95.7%), 1,5- O - dicaffeoylquinic acid (4.3 mg, 97.2%), 3- O -caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (12.1 mg, 93.2%), 1,3- O -dicaffeoylquinic acid (42.9 mg, 91.1%), 1,5- O -dicaffeoyl-3- O -(4-maloyl)-quinic acid (4.3 mg, 84.5%), 4,5- O -dicaffeoylquinic acid (5.3 mg, 95.5%), 1,5- O -dicaffeoyl-3- O -succinylquinic acid (8.7 mg, 93.4%), and 1,5- O -dicaffeoyl-4- O -succinylquinic acid (1.7 mg, 91.8%), and two new compounds were obtained. The new compounds were 1,4- O -dicaffeoyl-3-succinyl methyl ester quinic acid (14.6 mg, 96.1%) and 1,5- O -dicaffeoyl-3- O -succinyl methyl ester quinic acid (3.1 mg, 92.6%), respectively. The research indicated that the combination of HSCCC and semi-preparative HPLC is a highly efficient approach for preparative separation of the instability and bioactive caffeoylquinic acid derivatives from natural products.

[Inhibition of Low Molecular Organic Acids on the Activity of Acidithiobacillus Species and Its Effect on the Removal of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Soil].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yong-wei; Wang, He-rul; Cao, Yan-xiao; Li, Fei; Cui, Chun-hong; Zhou, Li

2016-05-15

Application of organic fertilizer can reduce the solubility and bioavailability of heavy metals in contaminated soil, but in the flooded anaerobic environment, organic fertilizer will be decomposed to produce a large number of low molecular organic acids, which can inhibit the biological activity of Acidithiobacillus species. Batch cultures studies showed that the monocarboxylic organic acids including formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid exhibited a marked toxicity to Acidithiobacillus species, as indicated by that 90% of inhibitory rate for Fe2 and So oxidation in 72 h were achieved at extremely low concentrations of 41.2 mg · L⁻¹, 78.3 mg · L⁻¹, 43.2 mg · L⁻¹, 123.4 mg · L⁻¹ and 81.9 mg 230. 4 mg · L⁻¹, 170.1 mg · L⁻¹, 123.4 mg · L⁻¹ respectively. Of these organic acids, formic acid was the most toxic one as indicated by that Fe2 and So oxidation was almost entirely inhibited at a low concentration. In addition, it was found that Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was more sensitive to low molecular organic acids than Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. What's more, there was little effect on biological acidification process of heavy metal contaminated soil when organic acids were added at initial stage (Oh), but it was completely inhibited when these acids were added after 12 h of conventional biological acidification, thus decreasing the efficiency of heavy metals dissolution from soil.

Distribution of impurities during crystallization of tellurous acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debska-Horecka, A.

1980-01-01

Crystallization has been used for purification of telluric acid and coprecipitation of Zn(2), Bi(3), Ni(2), Cr(3), Mg(2), Ca(2), Tl(1), Mn(2), Cu(2), Co(2), Cd(2) with telluric acid sediment has been investigated. The optimum conditions for obtaining the telluric acid of high purity have been established. (author)

Implicações biogeográficas de novos registros ornitológicos em um enclave de vegetação de campina no sudoeste da Amazônia brasileira Biogeographic implications of new avian records from a patch of white-sand forest in southwestern Brazilian Amazonia

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Fabíola Poletto

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Campinas constituem um tipo florestal de porte arbóreo reduzido e aspecto geral aberto, que cresce em solos arenosos e lixiviados de toda a Amazônia; apesar de sua ampla distribuição, campinas ocorrem predominantemente nas regiões do alto e médio rio Negro, no noroeste do Amazonas e sul de Roraima, incluindo também o sul da Venezuela e o sudeste da Colômbia. Existem pequenas manchas isoladas de campinas no sudoeste da Amazônia brasileira que ainda não foram estudadas sistematicamente por ornitólogos; portanto, são reportados aqui alguns resultados importantes obtidos durante uma expedição ornitológica a uma mancha de campina no extremo sudoeste do estado do Amazonas (7º22'33,2"S e 73º00'42,5"W. Foram documentados para região os primeiros registros das seguintes espécies: Hemitriccus striaticollis (Lafresnaye, 1853 (Aves, Tyrannidae e Xenopipo atronitens Cabanis, 1847 (Aves, Pipridae; adicionalmente, foram obtidos registros com as seguintes espécies raras ou de distribuição pouco conhecida no sudoeste da Amazônia: Formicivora grisea (Boddaert, 1783 (Aves, Thamnophilidae, Conopias parvus (Pelzeln, 1868 (Aves, Tyrannidae e Heterocercus linteatus (Strickland, 1850 (Aves, Pipridae. Como verificado em manchas de campina distribuídas por todo o norte do Peru, a avifauna de campina que ocorre no sudoeste da Amazônia brasileira é também altamente influenciada por espécies associadas à região do alto rio Negro. Entretanto, uma segunda influência biogeográfica também pôde ser notada: aquela de espécies cujo centro de distribuição está localizado nas campinas do centro e leste da Amazônia, ao sul do rio Amazonas. A avifauna das campinas do sudoeste da Amazônia ainda é pouco conhecida; futuros levantamentos de enclaves de campina nesta região podem levar a novas extensões de distribuição e também à descoberta de novos táxons.White-sand forests (WSF hereafter include several types of stunted and open forest

Purslane weed (Portulaca oleracea): a prospective plant source of nutrition, omega-3 fatty acid, and antioxidant attributes.

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Uddin, Md Kamal; Juraimi, Abdul Shukor; Hossain, Md Sabir; Nahar, Most Altaf Un; Ali, Md Eaqub; Rahman, M M

2014-01-01

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is an important plant naturally found as a weed in field crops and lawns. Purslane is widely distributed around the globe and is popular as a potherb in many areas of Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean region. This plant possesses mucilaginous substances which are of medicinal importance. It is a rich source of potassium (494 mg/100 g) followed by magnesium (68 mg/100 g) and calcium (65 mg/100 g) and possesses the potential to be used as vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acid. It is very good source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and gamma-linolenic acid (LNA, 18 : 3 w3) (4 mg/g fresh weight) of any green leafy vegetable. It contained the highest amount (22.2 mg and 130 mg per 100 g of fresh and dry weight, resp.) of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid (26.6 mg and 506 mg per 100 g of fresh and dry weight, resp.). The oxalate content of purslane leaves was reported as 671-869 mg/100 g fresh weight. The antioxidant content and nutritional value of purslane are important for human consumption. It revealed tremendous nutritional potential and has indicated the potential use of this herb for the future.

Enriched eggs as a source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for humans

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Gordana Kralik

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to enrich eggs with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by using plant oils and fish oil as dietary supplements in laying hens’ feed. The focus was put on the effect of the daily consumption of 100 g of egg yolk, i.e. 100 g of egg mass, on the human health. The 1st group of laying hens was fed a diet containing soybean and fish oil, and the 2nd group was given feed containing a combination of linseed, rapeseed, soybean, and fish oils. Eggs laid by the 2nd group contained 4.73% α-linolenic acid, 0.20% eicosapentaenoic acid and 2.37% docosahexaenoic acid (% of total fatty acids in yolk lipids, P < 0.001, which marks an increase of × 4.04 for α-linolenic acid, × 3.33 for eicosapentaenoic acid, and × 1.75 for docosahexaenoic acid compared to eggs laid by the 1st group. Total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in eggs of the 2nd group were × 2.8 higher than in the 1st first group. Calculated per 100 g of eggs of the 2nd group, the intake for the human body corresponds to 435 mg α-linolenic acid, 18.43 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, and 218.2 mg docosahexaenoic acid.

Intra-individual comparison of different contrast media concentrations (300 mg, 370 mg and 400 mg iodine) in MDCT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behrendt, Florian F.; Keil, Sebastian; Plumhans, Cedric; Guenther, Rolf W. [RWTH Aachen University, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, Aachen (Germany); Pietsch, Hubertus; Jost, Gregor; Sieber, Martin A.; Seidensticker, Peter [Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Berlin (Germany); Mahnken, Andreas H. [RWTH Aachen University, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, Aachen (Germany); RWTH Aachen University, Applied Medical Engineering, Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Aachen (Germany)

2010-07-15

To compare intra-individual contrast enhancement in multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) using contrast media (CM) containing 300, 370 and 400 mg iodine per ml (mgI/ml). Six pigs underwent repeated chest MDCT using three different CM (iopromide 300, iopromide 370, iomeprol 400). An identical iodine delivery (IDR) rate of 1.5 gI/s and a constant total iodine dose of 300 mg/kg body weight were used. Dynamic CT were acquired at the level of the pulmonary artery, and the ascending and descending aorta. After the time enhancement curves were computed, the pulmonary and aortic peak enhancement, time to peak and plateau time above 300 HU were calculated. Intra-individual peak contrast enhancement was significantly higher for the 300 mgI/ml contrast medium compared with the 370 and 400 mgI/ml media: pulmonary trunk 595 HU vs 516 HU (p = 0.0093) vs 472HU (p = 0.0005), and aorta 505 HU vs 454 HU (p = 0.0008) vs 439 HU (p = 0.0001), respectively. Comparison of time to peaks showed no significant difference. Plateau times were significantly longer for the 300 mgI/ml than for the 370 and 400 mgI/ml CM at all anatomical sites. Given normalised IDR and total iodine burden, the use of CM with a standard concentration with 300 mg iodine/ml provides improved contrast enhancement compared with highly concentrated CM in the chest. (orig.)

Effect of Mg2+ and Fe2+ Concentrations in Culture Medium on CGF Formation from Microalgae Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Ink and Analysis of Amino Acids by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

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Kusmiati Kusmiati

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa contains Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF, which consists of proteins and polysaccharides. CGF is located inside the nucleus of cells and is beneficial to humans as a food supplement, an immunity booster, and an antioxidant. CGF formation of C. pyrenoidosa is influenced by medium composition. C. pyrenoidosa INK was cultured in a modified basal medium (MBM with various concentrations of Mg2+ (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/L and Fe2+ (3.5×10-4 and 5.0×10-4 g/L. The experiments were performed and analyzed under a completely randomized design using a 2-L bottle with three replications. The results showed that MBM with 1.0 g/L of Mg2+ and 3.5×10-4 g/L of Fe2+ yielded the optimal growth curve for C. pyrenoidosa. Analysis of protein content was carried out using the Lowry method with a spectrophotometer at λ=750 nm, and the obtained results were 0.0974 mg/mL (extract and 6.4097 mg/ml (supernatant. Furthermore, analysis of glucose content was carried out using the phenol sulfate method (λ = 490 nm, and the obtained results were 49.331 ppm (extract and 1566.911 ppm (supernatant. Analysis of amino acids in CGF using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS indicated the presence of tyrosine, proline, glutamate, alanine, valine, tryptopan, phenylalanine, methionine, and leucine-isoleucine.

Competitive/co-operative interactions in acid base sandwich: role of cation vs. substituents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalpana, Ayyavoo; Akilandeswari, Lakshminarayanan

2017-11-15

The cation-π interaction can be envisaged as a lewis acid base interaction, and it is in line with Pearson's acid base concept. The critical examination of interactions between the π-acids (alkali metal cations - Li + , Na + and alkaline earth metal cations Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ ) on one face and tripodal Cr(CO) 3 moiety on the other π face of substituted arenes demonstrates the role of cation and substitutents in manipulating the interactions between them. The interaction of the two π acids on both faces of arene is not expectedly additive, rather it shows either depreciation of interaction energy revealing the competition of acids toward the base or enhancement of interaction energy denoting a cooperative effect. Among the metal cations under study, Mg 2+ shows a cooperative gesture. Although the substituents play a meek role, they unfailingly exert their electronic effects and are amply documented by excellent correlation of various parameters with the Hammett constant σ m . The elusive switching of λ max from the UV to IR region on binding Mg 2+ with substituted arene-Cr(CO) 3 complex is a characteristic clue that TDDFT can help design the ionic sensors for Mg 2+ cations.

Clinical Study of Uric Acid Urolithiasis

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Yii-Her Chou

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Uric acid urolithiasis develops from various causes. To investigate the clinical and biochemical presentation of patients with uric acid urolithiasis, a retrospective study was designed. A total of 46 cases were enrolled between January 2004 and December 2005. The compositions of the stones were analyzed by infrared spectrophotometry. There were 39 males (84.8% and seven females (15.2%, with a mean age of 61.5 ± 10.6 years and mean body mass index (BMI of 26.7 ± 3.1 kg/m2. The stone location was kidney in 10 (21.7%, ureter in 22 (41.8%, and bladder in 14 (30.5%. Multiple stones were diagnosed in 36 patients (78.3%. Pre-existing comorbidities included diabetes mellitus in 11 patients (23.9%, hypertension in 23 (50%, gout in 13 (28.2%, and benign prostatic hyperplasia in 14 (30.4%. Mean serum creatinine and uric acid was 1.6 ± 0.6 mg/dL and 7.6 ± 1.8 mg/dL, respectively. There were 27 patients (58% with creatinine > 1.4 mg/dL. The mean urinary pH was 5.42 ± 0.46. Patients with uric acid urolithiasis were predominantly male, older, with higher BMI, multiple stone presentation, with lower urinary pH, and hyperuricemia. Exacerbation of the renal function should also be of concern because of the high proportion of patients with renal insufficiency diagnosed in this study.

Adding of ascorbic acid to the culture medium influences the antioxidant status and some biochemical parameters in the hen granulosa cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Capcarova, M; Kolesarova, A; Kalafova, A; Bulla, J; Sirotkin, A V

2015-07-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant status (TAS) of the hen granulosa cells, and selected biochemical parameters, including calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, glucose, cholesterol, proteins, in the culture medium of granulosa cells after exposing them to ascorbic acid in vitro conditions. Ovarian granulosa cells of hens were incubated with various doses of ascorbic acid (E1 0.09 mg/ml, E2 0.13 mg/ml, E3 0.17 mg/ml, E4 0.33 mg/ml, E5 0.5 mg/ml). Ascorbic acid did not manifest antioxidant potential and higher doses of ascorbic acid (0.17; 0.33 and 0.5 mg/ml) decreased the activity of SOD in granulosa cells. Vitamin application resulted in a significantly (pascorbic acid might be involved in the regulation of selected biochemical and physiological processes in ovarian granulosa cells.

Quasicrystal-reinforced Mg alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyun Kim, Young; Tae Kim, Won; Hyang Kim, Do

2014-04-01

The formation of the icosahedral phase (I-phase) as a secondary solidification phase in Mg-Zn-Y and Mg-Zn-Al base systems provides useful advantages in designing high performance wrought magnesium alloys. The strengthening in two-phase composites (I-phase + α -Mg) can be explained by dispersion hardening due to the presence of I-phase particles and by the strong bonding property at the I-phase/matrix interface. The presence of an additional secondary solidification phase can further enhance formability and mechanical properties. In Mg-Zn-Y alloys, the co-presence of I and Ca 2 Mg 6 Zn 3 phases by addition of Ca can significantly enhance formability, while in Mg-Zn-Al alloys, the co-presence of the I-phase and Mg 2 Sn phase leads to the enhancement of mechanical properties. Dynamic and static recrystallization are significantly accelerated by addition of Ca in Mg-Zn-Y alloy, resulting in much smaller grain size and more random texture. The high strength of Mg-Zn-Al-Sn alloys is attributed to the presence of finely distributed Mg 2 Sn and I-phase particles embedded in the α -Mg matrix.

Extraction of Glycyrrhizic Acid and Glabridin from Licorice

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Kyung Ho Row

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The extraction and separation conditions of glycyrrhizic acid and glabridin from licorice were investigated. By changing the different extraction solvents, procedures, times and temperature, the optimum extraction condition was established: the used of ethanol/water (30:70, v/v as an extraction solvent, and 60 min dipping time under 50°C. The extracts of licorice were separated and determined by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with a methanol/water (70:30, v/v, containing 1% acetic acid as the mobile phase. Under the optimum extraction condition, 2.39 mg/g of glycyrrhizic acid and 0.92 mg/g of glabridin were extracted from Chinese licorice and the recoveries were 89.7% and 72.5% respectively.

Protective Effects of Lycopene and Ellagic Acid on Gonadal Tissue, Maternal Newborn Rats Induced by Cadmiumchloride

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K Hoshmand Motlagh

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background & aim: Cadmium is a toxin which reduces the ability of the reproduction in humans .Different antioxidants damaging effects of toxins are eliminated .The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of lycopene and Ellagic acid induced by cadmium chloride on the gonadal tissue of newborn rats during pregnancy. Methods: In the present experimental study, 30 adult female Wistar rats (180-200 gr were prepared and maintained in standard conditions. The female rats were used for mating with the male. After observation of vaginal plaque, pregnant rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6 rats. Group I (normal: They were given normal saline in 13 days during pregnancy. Group II (Control: Cadmium chloride (1.5 mg / kg/ IP was injected and normal saline was given to them in 13 days of during pregnancy. Group III: Cadmium chloride (1.5 mg / kg/ IP was injected and ellagic acid (10 mg/kg/orally in 13 days were injected during pregnancy. Group IV: Cadmium chloride (1.5 mg / kg/ IP was injected and copene acid (20 mg/kg/orally was injected in 13 days of during pregnancy. Group V: Cadmium chloride (1.5 mg / kg/ IP was injected and ellagic acid (10 mg/kg/orally and lycopene acid (20 mg/kg/orally were injected in 13 days during pregnancy. After postpartum, Neonatal rats were anesthetized with ether. Animals were dissected, then the testes and Ovaries were removed and transferred to 10% formalin solution. After tissue processing, tissue sections were prepared and H&E stained. Data were analyzed by SPSS software and ANOVA test. Results: Average number of Sertoli cells ,spermatogonia ,Leydig, and the number of seminiferous tube in control group were compared to other groups that were treated with lycopene - ellagic acid and ellagic acid had been reduced-proves to be significant(P <0.05. Average diameter of seminiferous tube in control group compared to other groups that are treated with lycopene - ellagic acid and ellagic acid had

An engineered fatty acid synthase combined with a carboxylic acid reductase enables de novo production of 1-octanol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Henritzi, Sandra; Fischer, Manuel; Grininger, Martin; Oreb, Mislav; Boles, Eckhard

2018-01-01

The ideal biofuel should not only be a regenerative fuel from renewable feedstocks, but should also be compatible with the existing fuel distribution infrastructure and with normal car engines. As the so-called drop-in biofuel, the fatty alcohol 1-octanol has been described as a valuable substitute for diesel and jet fuels and has already been produced fermentatively from sugars in small amounts with engineered bacteria via reduction of thioesterase-mediated premature release of octanoic acid from fatty acid synthase or via a reversal of the β-oxidation pathway. The previously engineered short-chain acyl-CoA producing yeast Fas1 R1834K /Fas2 fatty acid synthase variant was expressed together with carboxylic acid reductase from Mycobacterium marinum and phosphopantetheinyl transferase Sfp from Bacillus subtilis in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Δfas1 Δfas2 Δfaa2 mutant strain. With the involvement of endogenous thioesterases, alcohol dehydrogenases, and aldehyde reductases, the synthesized octanoyl-CoA was converted to 1-octanol up to a titer of 26.0 mg L -1 in a 72-h fermentation. The additional accumulation of 90 mg L -1 octanoic acid in the medium indicated a bottleneck in 1-octanol production. When octanoic acid was supplied externally to the yeast cells, it could be efficiently converted to 1-octanol indicating that re-uptake of octanoic acid across the plasma membrane is not limiting. Additional overexpression of aldehyde reductase Ahr from Escherichia coli nearly completely prevented accumulation of octanoic acid and increased 1-octanol titers up to 49.5 mg L -1 . However, in growth tests concentrations even lower than 50.0 mg L -1 turned out to be inhibitory to yeast growth. In situ extraction in a two-phase fermentation with dodecane as second phase did not improve growth, indicating that 1-octanol acts inhibitive before secretion. Furthermore, 1-octanol production was even reduced, which results from extraction of the intermediate octanoic acid to

Hydriding and dehydriding rates of Mg, Mg-10TaF5, and Mg-10NbF5 prepared via reactive mechanical grinding

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Myoung Youp; Kwak, Young Jun; Lee, Seong Ho; Park, Hye Ryoung

2015-01-01

In this work, TaF5 and NbF5 were chosen as additives to enhance the hydriding and dehydriding rates of Mg. Mg, Mg-10TaF5, and Mg-10NbF5 samples were prepared by reactive mechanical grinding. The hydriding and dehydriding properties of the samples were then examined. Mg-10TaF5 had the largest amount of hydrogen absorbed for 30 min and the highest initial dehydriding rate after incubation period, followed in order by Mg-10NbF5, and Mg. At 593 K under 12 bar H2 at the first cycle, Mg-10TaF5 absorbed 3.63 wt% H for 5 min and 4.53 wt% H for 30 min. At 593 K under 1.0 bar H2 at the first cycle, Mg-10TaF5 desorbed 0 wt% H for 2.5 min, 0.59 wt% H for 5 min, 3.42 wt% H for 30 min, and 4.24 wt% H for 60 min. The reactive mechanical grinding of Mg with TaF5 or NbF5 is believed to have facilitated the nucleation and to have decreased the diffusion distances of hydrogen atoms. These two effects are believed to have increased the hydriding and dehydriding rates of Mg. The MgF2 and Ta2H formed in Mg-10TaF5, and the MgF2, NbH2, and NbF3 formed in Mg-10NbF5 are considered to have enhanced both of these effects.

Observation of pH Value in Electrokinetic Remediation using various electrolyte (MgSO4, KH2PO4 and Na(NO3)) for Barren Acidic Soil at Ayer Hitam, Johor, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Norashira, J.; Zaidi, E.; Aziman, M.; Saiful Azhar, A. T.

2016-07-01

Barren acidic soil collected at Ayer Hitam, Johor Malaysia was recorded at pH value of 2.36 with relative humidity of 86%. This pH value is not suitable for the growth of any plants especially for the soil stabilization purposes. Gradation weathering within the range of 4 to 6 indicates an incomplete/partial weathering process. The soil grade in this range is known as a black shale mudstone. Beside, this also influences to a factor of the high surface water runoff at this particular soil species. As the acidic pH become a major problem for soil fertilizing hence an appropriate technique was implemented known as using ‘Electrokinetic Remediation’, EKR. This technique has a great potential in changing the soil pH value from acidic to less acidic and also kept maintain the pH at the saturated rate of electrochemical process. This research study presents the monitoring data of pH value due to the effect of various electrolyte consist of 0.5M of MgSO4, KH2PO4, and Na(NO3). Here, the distilled water (DW) was used as reference solution. The electric field was provided by dipping two pieces of identical rectangular aluminum foil as anode and cathode. The EKR was conducted under a constant voltage gradient of 50 V/m across the sample bulk at 0.14 m length measured between both electrodes. The data collection was conducted during the total period of 7 days surveillance. The variation of pH values at the remediation area between anode and cathode for various type of electrolyte indicates that there are a significant saturated value as it reaches 7 days of treatment. During the analysis, it is found that the highest pH value at the remediation area after 7 days treatment using Na(NO3), KH2PO4 and MgSO4 was 3.93, 3.33 and 3.39 respectively. Hence from the last stage of pH value observation, it can be conclude that the best electrolyte for barren soil treatment is Na(NO3) whereby it contribute to highest pH value and turn the soil to be less acidic.

Superconducting properties of MgB2 particle impregnated with Mg-based alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Yusuke; Matsuda, Kenji; Mizutani, Manabu; Nishimura, Katsuhiko; Kawabata, Tokimasa; Ikeno, Susumu; Hishinuma, Yoshimitsu; Aoyama, Shigeki

2011-01-01

The three-dimensional penetration method combined with semi-solid casting (SS-3DPC) was utilized to prepare magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) powder composite materials with various host materials of Mg, Mg-3%Al, Mg-3%Al-1%Zn, Mg-9%Al, and Mg-9%Al-1%Zn. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated predominant peak patterns of MgB 2 and a host alloy, implying that the host material tightly bonded MgB 2 grains without melting the MgB 2 powder. This was confirmed by SEM images. Measured electrical resistivity and magnetization versus temperature showed clear signals of superconducting transition temperature of 27-38 K for all the samples cut out from the billets. Magnetic hysteresis loop observed at 5 K enabled us to estimate a critical current density (J c ) based on the extended Bean model. Additions of aluminum and zinc elements to magnesium host-matrix were found to enhance J c and increase residual resistivity (ρ 0 ) suggesting that aluminum and zinc have an effect on pinning magnetic flux flow for J c enhancement, and scattering conduction electrons for increase of ρ 0 . (author)

Molecular Mechanisms of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Toxicity & Side Effects: Ursodeoxycholic Acid Freezes Regeneration & Induces Hibernation Mode

Science.gov (United States)

Kotb, Magd A.

2012-01-01

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a steroid bile acid approved for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). UDCA is reported to have “hepato-protective properties”. Yet, UDCA has “unanticipated” toxicity, pronounced by more than double number of deaths, and eligibility for liver transplantation compared to the control group in 28 mg/kg/day in primary sclerosing cholangitis, necessitating trial halt in North America. UDCA is associated with increase in hepatocellular carcinoma in PBC especially when it fails to achieve biochemical response (10 and 15 years incidence of 9% and 20% respectively). “Unanticipated” UDCA toxicity includes hepatitis, pruritus, cholangitis, ascites, vanishing bile duct syndrome, liver cell failure, death, severe watery diarrhea, pneumonia, dysuria, immune-suppression, mutagenic effects and withdrawal syndrome upon sudden halt. UDCA inhibits DNA repair, co-enzyme A, cyclic AMP, p53, phagocytosis, and inhibits induction of nitric oxide synthatase. It is genotoxic, exerts aneugenic activity, and arrests apoptosis even after cellular phosphatidylserine externalization. UDCA toxicity is related to its interference with drug detoxification, being hydrophilic and anti-apoptotic, has a long half-life, has transcriptional mutational abilities, down-regulates cellular functions, has a very narrow difference between the recommended (13 mg/kg/day) and toxic dose (28 mg/kg/day), and it typically transforms into lithocholic acid that induces DNA strand breakage, it is uniquely co-mutagenic, and promotes cell transformation. UDCA beyond PBC is unjustified. PMID:22942741

Molecular Mechanisms of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Toxicity & Side Effects: Ursodeoxycholic Acid Freezes Regeneration & Induces Hibernation Mode

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Magd A. Kotb

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA is a steroid bile acid approved for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC. UDCA is reported to have “hepato-protective properties”. Yet, UDCA has “unanticipated” toxicity, pronounced by more than double number of deaths, and eligibility for liver transplantation compared to the control group in 28 mg/kg/day in primary sclerosing cholangitis, necessitating trial halt in North America. UDCA is associated with increase in hepatocellular carcinoma in PBC especially when it fails to achieve biochemical response (10 and 15 years incidence of 9% and 20% respectively. “Unanticipated” UDCA toxicity includes hepatitis, pruritus, cholangitis, ascites, vanishing bile duct syndrome, liver cell failure, death, severe watery diarrhea, pneumonia, dysuria, immune-suppression, mutagenic effects and withdrawal syndrome upon sudden halt. UDCA inhibits DNA repair, co-enzyme A, cyclic AMP, p53, phagocytosis, and inhibits induction of nitric oxide synthatase. It is genotoxic, exerts aneugenic activity, and arrests apoptosis even after cellular phosphatidylserine externalization. UDCA toxicity is related to its interference with drug detoxification, being hydrophilic and anti-apoptotic, has a long half-life, has transcriptional mutational abilities, down-regulates cellular functions, has a very narrow difference between the recommended (13 mg/kg/day and toxic dose (28 mg/kg/day, and it typically transforms into lithocholic acid that induces DNA strand breakage, it is uniquely co-mutagenic, and promotes cell transformation. UDCA beyond PBC is unjustified.

Toxicity of binary chemical munition destruction products: methylphosphonic acid, methylphosphinic acid, 2-diisopropylaminoethanol, DF neutralent, and QL neutralent.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Rebecca E; Hafez, Ahmed M; Kremsky, Jonathan N; Bizzigotti, George O

2007-01-01

This paper reports the toxicity and environmental impact of neutralents produced from the hydrolysis of binary chemical agent precursor chemicals DF (methylphosphonic difluoride) and QL (2-[bis(1-methylethyl)amino]ethyl ethyl methylphosphonite). Following a literature review of the neutralent mixtures and constituents, basic toxicity tests were conducted to fill data gaps, including acute oral and dermal median lethal dose assays, the Ames mutagenicity test, and ecotoxicity tests. For methylphosphonic acid (MPA), a major constituent of DF neutralent, the acute oral LD(50) in the Sprague-Dawley rat was measured at 1888 mg/kg, and the Ames test using typical tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli was negative. The 48-h LC(50) values for pH-adjusted DF neutralent with Daphnia magna and Cyprinodon variegatus were > 2500 mg/L and 1593 mg/L, respectively. The acute oral LD(50) values in the rat for QL neutralent constituents methylphosphinic acid (MP) and 2-diisopropylaminoethanol (KB) were both determined to be 940 mg/kg, and the Ames test was negative for both. Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)-compliant ecotoxicity tests for MP and KB gave 48-h D. magna EC(50) values of 6.8 mg/L and 83 mg/L, respectively. GLP-compliant 96-h C. variegatus assays on MP and KB gave LC(50) values of 73 and 252 mg/L, respectively, and NOEC values of 22 and 108 mg/L. QL neutralent LD(50) values for acute oral and dermal toxicity tests were both > 5000 mg/kg, and the 48-h LD(50) values for D. magna and C. variegatus were 249 and 2500 mg/L, respectively. Using these data, the overall toxicity of the neutralents was assessed.

Effect of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid and Ammonium Oxalate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

acid and ammonium oxalate on the prevalence of microorganisms and removal of aluminum in soil by bitter leaf plant (Vernonia ... highest accumulation of aluminium in the root (16.92mg/kg); however concentrations of aluminium in the roots were .... whereas the sulphate was 13.75mg/kg. Table 2: The total colony count of ...

Effect of temperature variations during cooking and storage on ascorbic acid contents of vegetables: a comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaman, W.U.; Akram, M.; Rehman, R.

2013-01-01

Summary: Vegetables are generally boiled for cooking or stored in refrigerators. This results in loss of their nutritional values. Ascorbic acid is one of the important nutrients for human health. In this study, Ascorbic acid (vitamin-C) content of various vegetables of Pakistan was determined, and effect of boiling and freezing were compared with natural Ascorbic acid contents by HPLC. The maximum concentration of Ascorbic acid was found in green chilli: i.e. 105 mg /100 g in fresh state; while in boiled and frozen state its concentration is comparatively less: i.e. 85 and 92 mg/100 g respectively. The other vegetables like: cabbage, to mato, turnip, potato, spinach, onion, garlic, green pea, green beans and cauliflower contained greater amount of Ascorbic acid in their fresh state i.e. 30, 20, 25.3, 20, 30, 24.3, 31, 28.5, 30, 42 mg/100 g as compared to frozen (23.4, 13, 23.6, 15, 23.4, 14.1,25, 26.5, 27.0, and 39 mg/100g respectively) and boiled state (11.6, 9.3, 22.5, 10.0, 20.3, 13.1, 23, 25.2 and 35 mg /100g respectively). The minimum amount of Ascorbic acid was found in boiled state of carrot and lettuce: i.e. 4.0 mg/100 g. These results showed that freezing or boiling of vegetables causes significant lo ss of available Ascorbic acid contents, especially boiling. (author)

Optical absorption and thermoluminescence in Mg O, Mg O:Ni and Mg O:Li irradiated at room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delgado, L.

1984-01-01

Optical absorption and thermoluminescence (TL) studies in Mg O, Mg O:Ni and Mg O:Li irradiated at room temperature are presented. In pure Mg O the thermal annihilation of Fe3+ by recombination with thermally released electrons at ∼ 90 and 175 degree centigree and the V center annealing by hole release up to 100 degree centigree cause the observed glow peaks at these temperatures. The TL excitation spectrum shows two maxima at 245 nm (electron center) and 288 nm (Fe3+). In Mg O:Ni X irradiation induces Fe 2 + →- Fe 3 + and Ni 2 + → Ni 3 + oxidations. Two TL emission bands centered at 110 degree centigree (red) and 80 o C (green) are assigned to electron release and their recombination at Fe 3 + and Ni 3 + respectively. In Mg O:Li two TL emission bands, one blue (430 nm) and the other red (730 nm) with excitation maxima at 245 nm (electron center) and 200 nm (hole center) respectively are observed. No V-center formation was detected in both Ni and Li doped samples. (Author) 42 refs

[Determination of aspirin and free salicylic acid in lysinipirine injection by high performance liquid chromatography].

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yu; Zhao, Yuan-zheng; Zhang, Yi-na

2002-05-01

The contents of aspirin and free salicylic acid in lysinipirine injection were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A Hypersil BDS C18 column was used with the mobile phase of methanol-water-acetic acid (35:65:3, volume ratio) and the detection wavelength of 280 nm. The average recoveries of aspirin and salicylic acid added were 99.27% (RSD = 0.8%) and 99.61%(RSD = 1.3%), respectively. The calibration curves had good linearity in the range of 0.028 g/L -0.141 mg/L and 0.77 mg/L -3.85 mg/L, and the correlation coefficients were 0.9999 and 0.9998 for aspirin and salicylic acid respectively.

Effect of K and Mg salts of aspartic acid on haemopoiesis and recovery from radiation damage in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pospisil, M.; Netikova, J.; Pipalova, I.; Mikeska, J.

1980-01-01

Male mice of non-inbred strain ''H'' were used to test the effect of a 10-day peroral administration of K and Mg aspartates on haemopoietic functions. The salts were proved to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation processes in the thymus, bone marrow and spleen tissues. Mice exposed to a single whole-body X-irradiation after pretreatment with K, Mg aspartate exhibited a more conspicuous postirradiation regeneration of haemopoietic organs and an increased postirradiation survival. The results suggest the possibility of using K, Mg aspartate for radioprotective purposes. (author)

Effects of cadmium and copper on sialic acid levels in blood and brain tissues of Cyprinus carpio L.

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Utku Güner

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the effects of cadmium (Cd and copper (Cu on sialic acid levels of brain and blood tissues of Cyprinus carpio. Methods: Adult carps were exposed to 0.1, 0.5 mg/L Cu, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L Cd and 0.1 mg/ L Cu+0.1 mg/L Cd under static experiment conditions for 1 week. At the end of exposure period, heavy metal accumulations and sialic acid levels in blood and brain tissues of the test animals were analyzed. Results: Cu and Cd accumulated in tissues in a dramatically increasing dose-dependent manner. Sialic acids level of the fish exposed to 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L Cu and Cd and control grups for 1 week were 0.834, 1.427, 0.672, 0.934, 2.968, 4.714 mg/mL respectively. The results also showed that Cu has an antagonistic effect on tissue sialic acid level. Conclusions: We propose that Cd and Cu make a complex with sialic acids of membranes in the tissues researched. This complex between metal ions and sialic acid migth account for the cellular toxicity based on Cu and Cd.

Nematicidal Activity of Kojic Acid Produced by Aspergillus oryzae against Meloidogyne incognita.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Yoon; Jang, Ja Yeong; Jeon, Sun Jeong; Lee, Hye Won; Bae, Chang-Hwan; Yeo, Joo Hong; Lee, Hyang Burm; Kim, In Seon; Park, Hae Woong; Kim, Jin-Cheol

2016-08-28

The fungal strain EML-DML3PNa1 isolated from leaf of white dogwood (Cornus alba L.) showed strong nematicidal activity with juvenile mortality of 87.6% at a concentration of 20% fermentation broth filtrate at 3 days after treatment. The active fungal strain was identified as Aspergillus oryzae, which belongs to section Flavi, based on the morphological characteristics and sequence analysis of the ITS rDNA, calmodulin (CaM), and β-tubulin (BenA) genes. The strain reduced the pH value to 5.62 after 7 days of incubation. Organic acid analysis revealed the presence of citric acid (515.0 mg/kg), malic acid (506.6 mg/kg), and fumaric acid (21.7 mg/kg). The three organic acids showed moderate nematicidal activities, but the mixture of citric acid, malic acid, and fumaric acid did not exhibit the full nematicidal activity of the culture filtrate of EML- DML3PNa1. Bioassay-guided fractionation coupled with (1)H- and (13)C-NMR and EI-MS analyses led to identification of kojic acid as the major nematicidal metabolite. Kojic acid exhibited dose-dependent mortality and inhibited the hatchability of M. incognita, showing EC50 values of 195.2 µg/ml and 238.3 µg/ml, respectively, at 72 h postexposure. These results suggest that A. oryzae EML-DML3PNa1 and kojic acid have potential as a biological control agent against M. incognita.

Cold-pressed pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepo L. oils from the central Anatolia region of Turkey: Characterization of phytosterols, squalene, tocols, phenolic acids, carotenoids and fatty acid bioactive compounds

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G. Akin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available There is a growing interest in cold-pressed oils because they present high contents of bioactive compounds. These oils have the characteristic properties of seeds and are specific products of their regions. The aim of this study was to determine the compositions and contents of fatty acids, phytosterols, squalene, tocols, phenolic acids, carotenoids and phenolic bioactives, and the free radical scavenging as well as antioxidant activities of cold-pressed pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. seed oils. Oil samples from raw pumpkin seeds cultivated in four different central Anatolia regions of Turkey were prepared using a laboratory screw-pressing machine. The results indicate that cold-pressed pumpkin seed oils (PSO have excellent quality with high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (%ΣPUFAs (53.60 ±0.06-53.73 ±0.05, total phytosterols (782.1±9.7–805.2 ±11.3 mg/100 g oil, squalene (591.3±10.6–632.5±11.4 mg/100 g oil, tocols (97.79 ±0.76?94.29 ±0.34 mg/100 g oil, phenolic acids (22.73 ±0.41–23.98 ±0.46 mg/100 g oil, carotenoids (6.95 ±0.03–7.60 ±0.03 mg/100 g oil, total phenolics (3.96 ±0.13 –5.82±0.15 mg GAE/100 g, free radical-scavenging activity (5.70 ±0.13?7.35 ±0.15 mg GAE/100 g and total antioxidant activity (26.67±0.97-38.89±1.41 mg GAE/100 g values. Thus, this study demonstrates that the cold- pressed PSOs from the central Anatolia regions of Turkey are an excellent source of natural bioactive compounds, free of chemical contaminants and nutritious.

Effects of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid on the pharmacokinetics of valproic acid

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Lee SY

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Soo-Yun Lee,1 Wooseong Huh,2 Jin Ah Jung,3 Hye Min Yoo,2 Jae-Wook Ko,1,2 Jung-Ryul Kim2,4 1Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, 2Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, 3Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Inje University, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, 4Department of Clinical Research and Evaluation, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Abstract: Valproic acid (VPA is mainly metabolized via glucuronide, which is hydrolyzed by β-glucuronidase and undergoes enterohepatic circulation. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC administration leads to decreased levels of β-glucuronidase-producing bacteria, suggesting that these antibiotics could interrupt enterohepatic circulation and thereby alter the pharmacokinetics of VPA. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of AMC on the pharmacokinetics of VPA. This was an open-label, two-treatment, one-sequence study in 16 healthy volunteers. Two treatments were evaluated; treatment VPA, in which a single dose of VPA 500 mg was administered, and treatment AMC + VPA, in which multiple doses of AMC 500/125 mg were administered three times daily for 7 days and then a single dose of VPA was administered. Blood samples were collected up to 48 hours. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental methods. Fifteen subjects completed the study. Systemic exposures and peak concentrations of VPA were slightly lower with treatment AMC + VPA than with treatment VPA (AUClast, 851.0 h·mg/L vs 889.6 h·mg/L; Cmax, 52.1 mg/L vs 53.0 mg/L. There were no significant between-treatment effects on pharmacokinetics (95% confidence interval [CI] of AUClast and Cmax (95.7 [85.9–106.5] and 98.3 [91.6–105.6], respectively. Multiple doses of AMC had no significant effects on the pharmacokinetics of VPA; thus, no dose adjustment is necessary. Keywords: drug–drug interaction, pharmacokinetics

The influence of supplemental docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids during pregnancy and lactation on neurodevelopment at eighteen months

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Goor, Saskia A.; Dijck-Brouwer, D. A. Janneke; Erwich, Jan Jaap H. M.; Schaafsma, Anne; Hadders-Algra, Mijna

2011-01-01

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) are important for neurodevelopment. The effects of DHA (220 mg/day, n=41), DHA+AA (220 mg/day, n=39) or placebo (n=34) during pregnancy and lactation on neurodevelopment at 18 months, and the relations between umbilical cord DHA, AA and Mead acid

Phenolic acid composition and antioxidant properties of Malaysian honeys.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, M I; Alam, N; Moniruzzaman, M; Sulaiman, S A; Gan, S H

2011-08-01

The phenolic acid and flavonoid contents of Malaysian Tualang, Gelam, and Borneo tropical honeys were compared to those of Manuka honey. Ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities were also quantified. All honey extracts exhibited high phenolic contents (15.21 ± 0.51- 42.23 ± 0.64 mg/kg), flavonoid contents (11.52 ± 0.27- 25.31 ± 0.37 mg/kg), FRAP values (892.15 ± 4.97- 363.38 ± 10.57 μM Fe[II]/kg), and high IC₅₀ of DPPH radical-scavenging activities (5.24 ± 0.40- 17.51 ± 0.51 mg/mL). Total of 6 phenolic acids (gallic, syringic, benzoic, trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids) and 5 flavonoids (catechin, kaempferol, naringenin, luteolin, and apigenin) were identified. Among the Malaysian honey samples, Tualang honey had the highest contents of phenolics, and flavonoids, and DPPH radical-scavenging activities. We conclude that among Malaysian honey samples, Tualang honey is the richest in phenolic acids, and flavonoid compounds, which have strong free radical-scavenging activities. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Prevention of volatile fatty acids production and limitation of odours from winery wastewaters by denitrification.

Science.gov (United States)

Bories, André; Guillot, Jean-Michel; Sire, Yannick; Couderc, Marie; Lemaire, Sophie-Andréa; Kreim, Virginie; Roux, Jean-Claude

2007-07-01

The effect of the addition of nitrate to winery wastewaters to control the formation of VFA in order to prevent odours during storage and treatment was studied in batch bioreactors at different NO(3)/chemical oxygen demand (COD) ratios and at full scale in natural evaporation ponds (2 x 7000 m(2)) by measuring olfactory intensity. In the absence of nitrate, butyric acid (2304 mgL(-1)), acetic acid (1633 mgL(-1)), propionic acid (1558 mgL(-1)), caproic acid (499 mgL(-1)) and valeric acid (298 mgL(-1)) were produced from reconstituted winery wastewater. For a ratio of NO(3)/COD=0.4 gg(-1), caproic and valeric acids were not formed. The production of butyric and propionic acids was reduced by 93.3% and 72.5%, respectively, at a ratio of NO(3)/COD=0.8, and by 97.4% and 100% at a ratio of NO(3)/COD=1.2 gg(-1). Nitrate delayed and decreased butyric acid formation in relation to the oxidoreduction potential. Studies in ponds showed that the addition of concentrated calcium nitrate (NITCAL) to winery wastewaters (3526 m(3)) in a ratio of NO(3)/COD=0.8 inhibited VFA production, with COD elimination (94%) and total nitrate degradation, and no final nitrite accumulation. On the contrary, in ponds not treated with nitrate, malodorous VFA (from propionic to heptanoïc acids) represented up to 60% of the COD. Olfactory intensity measurements in relation to the butanol scale of VFA solutions and the ponds revealed the pervasive role of VFA in the odour of the untreated pond as well as the clear decrease in the intensity and not unpleasant odour of the winery wastewater pond enriched in nitrates. The results obtained at full scale underscored the feasibility and safety of the calcium nitrate treatment as opposed to concentrated nitric acid.

Maternal high-dose folic acid during pregnancy and asthma medication in the offspring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zetstra-van der Woude, Priscilla A.; De Walle, Hermien E. K.; Hoek, Annemieke; Bos, H. Jens; Boezen, H. Marike; Koppelman, Gerhard H.; de Jong-van den Berg, Lolkje T. W.; Scholtens, Salome

2014-01-01

Purpose Low-dose folic acid supplementation (0.5 mg) taken during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk for childhood asthma. The effect of high-dose folic acid (5 mg) advised to women at risk for having a child with neural tube defect has not been assessed so far. Our aim was to

Consequences of the Combined α-tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid and α-lipoic Acid on the Glutathione, Cholesterol and Fatty Acid Composition in Muscle and Liver of Diabetic Rats

OpenAIRE

Okkes YILMAZ; Yasemin ERSAN; Ayse Dilek OZSAHIN; Ali Ihsan OZTURK; Yusuf OZKAN

2013-01-01

Objective(s): Our objective was to evaluate the effects of a triple antioxidant combination [?-tocopherol (AT), ascorbic acid (AA) and ?-lipoic acid (LA); AT+AA+LA] on the cholesterol and glutathione levels, and the fatty acid composition of liver and muscle tissues in diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Forty-three Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. The first group was used as a control. The second, third and fourth groups received STZ (45 mg/kg) in citrate buffer. The fou...

Immunotoxic effects of oil sands-derived naphthenic acids to rainbow trout

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MacDonald, Gillian Z.; Hogan, Natacha S. [Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI (Canada); Koellner, Bernd [Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Federal Research Institute of Animal Health, Institute of Immunology, Greifswald (Germany); Thorpe, Karen L.; Phalen, Laura J. [Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI (Canada); Wagner, Brian D. [Department of Chemistry, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown (Canada); Heuvel, Michael R. van den, E-mail: mheuvel@upei.ca [Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI (Canada)

2013-01-15

Naphthenic acids are the major organic constituents in waters impacted by oil sands. To investigate their immunotoxicity, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were injected with naphthenic acids extracted from aged oil sands tailings water. In two experiments, rainbow trout were injected intraperitoneally with 0, 10, or 100 mg/kg of naphthenic acids, and sampled after 5 or 21 d. Half of the fish from the 21 d exposure were co-exposed to inactivated Aeromonas salmonicida (A.s.) to induce an immune response. A positive control experiment was conducted using an intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg of benzo[a]pyrene, a known immune suppressing compound. T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, thrombocytes, and myeloid cells were counted in blood and lymphatic tissue using flow cytometry. In the 5 d exposure, there was a reduction in blood leucocytes and spleen thrombocytes at the 100 mg/kg dose. However, at 21 d, leucocyte populations showed no effects of exposure with the exception that spleen thrombocyte populations increase at the 100 mg/kg dose. In the 21 d exposure, B- and T-lymphocytes in blood showed a significant Dose Multiplication-Sign A.s. interaction, indicating stimulated blood cell proliferation due to naphthenic acids alone as well as due to A.s. Naphthenic acid injections did not result in elevated bile fluorescent metabolites or elevated hepatic EROD activity. In contrast to naphthenic acids exposures, as similar dose of benzo[a]pyrene caused a significant decrease in B- and T-lymphocyte absolute counts in blood and relative B-lymphocyte counts in spleen. Results suggest that the naphthenic acids may act via a generally toxic mechanism rather than by specific toxic effects on immune cells.

Immunotoxic effects of oil sands-derived naphthenic acids to rainbow trout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonald, Gillian Z.; Hogan, Natacha S.; Köllner, Bernd; Thorpe, Karen L.; Phalen, Laura J.; Wagner, Brian D.; Heuvel, Michael R. van den

2013-01-01

Naphthenic acids are the major organic constituents in waters impacted by oil sands. To investigate their immunotoxicity, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were injected with naphthenic acids extracted from aged oil sands tailings water. In two experiments, rainbow trout were injected intraperitoneally with 0, 10, or 100 mg/kg of naphthenic acids, and sampled after 5 or 21 d. Half of the fish from the 21 d exposure were co-exposed to inactivated Aeromonas salmonicida (A.s.) to induce an immune response. A positive control experiment was conducted using an intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg of benzo[a]pyrene, a known immune suppressing compound. T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, thrombocytes, and myeloid cells were counted in blood and lymphatic tissue using flow cytometry. In the 5 d exposure, there was a reduction in blood leucocytes and spleen thrombocytes at the 100 mg/kg dose. However, at 21 d, leucocyte populations showed no effects of exposure with the exception that spleen thrombocyte populations increase at the 100 mg/kg dose. In the 21 d exposure, B- and T-lymphocytes in blood showed a significant Dose × A.s. interaction, indicating stimulated blood cell proliferation due to naphthenic acids alone as well as due to A.s. Naphthenic acid injections did not result in elevated bile fluorescent metabolites or elevated hepatic EROD activity. In contrast to naphthenic acids exposures, as similar dose of benzo[a]pyrene caused a significant decrease in B- and T-lymphocyte absolute counts in blood and relative B-lymphocyte counts in spleen. Results suggest that the naphthenic acids may act via a generally toxic mechanism rather than by specific toxic effects on immune cells.

Radiotherapy improves serum fatty acids and lipid profile in breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaikh, Sana; Channa, Naseem Aslam; Talpur, Farha Naz; Younis, Muhammad; Tabassum, Naila

2017-05-18

Breast cancer is a disease with diverse clinical symptoms, molecular profiles, and its nature to response its therapeutic treatments. Radiotherapy (RT), along with surgery and chemotherapy is a part of treatment in breast cancer. The aim of present study was to investigate pre and post treatment effects of radiotherapy in serum fatty acids and its lipids profile in patients with breast cancer. In this comparative as well as follow up study, Serum fatty acids were performed by gas chromatography to investigate fatty acids and Microlab for analysis of lipid profile. Among serum free and total fatty acids the major saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in serum lipids of breast cancer patients (pre and post treated) were stearic acid (18:0) and palmitic acid (16:0). These fatty acids contributed about 35-50% of total fatty acids. The decreased concentrations of linoleic acid (C18:2) and arachidonic acid (C20:4) with a lower ratio of C18:2/C18:1 was found in pretreated breast cancer patients as compared to controls. The n-3/n-6 ratio of breast cancer patients was decreased before treatment but it was 35% increased after treatment. In addition, plasma activity of D6 desaturase was increased in the breast cancer patients, while the activity of D5 desaturase was decreased. Increased levels of SFAs, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) levels in breast cancer patients (pre and post treated) as compared to controls. Serum total cholesterol (TC) (224.4 mg/dL) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (142.9 mg/dL) were significantly increased in pretreated breast cancer patients but after the radiotherapy treatment, the TC (150.2 mg/dL) and LDL-C (89.8 mg/dL) were decreased. It seems that RT would have played a potential role in the treatment of BC. After RT the serum levels of PUFAs, TC, and LDL-C are improved. Our study reinforces the important role of RT in the management of BC. The level of PUFAs, TC, and LDL-C can be

The Influence of MgH2 on the Assessment of Electrochemical Data to Predict the Degradation Rate of Mg and Mg Alloys

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Wolf-Dieter Mueller

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Mg and Mg alloys are becoming more and more of interest for several applications. In the case of biomaterial applications, a special interest exists due to the fact that a predictable degradation should be given. Various investigations were made to characterize and predict the corrosion behavior in vitro and in vivo. Mostly, the simple oxidation of Mg to Mg2+ ions connected with adequate hydrogen development is assumed, and the negative difference effect (NDE is attributed to various mechanisms and electrochemical results. The aim of this paper is to compare the different views on the corrosion pathway of Mg or Mg alloys and to present a neglected pathway based on thermodynamic data as a guideline for possible reactions combined with experimental observations of a delay of visible hydrogen evolution during cyclic voltammetry. Various reaction pathways are considered and discussed to explain these results, like the stability of the Mg+ intermediate state, the stability of MgH2 and the role of hydrogen overpotential. Finally, the impact of MgH2 formation is shown as an appropriate base for the prediction of the degradation behavior and calculation of the corrosion rate of Mg and Mg alloys.

Antidepressant-like effect of gallic acid in mice: Dual involvement of serotonergic and catecholaminergic systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Can, Özgür Devrim; Turan, Nazlı; Demir Özkay, Ümide; Öztürk, Yusuf

2017-12-01

This study was planned to examine the antidepressant potency of gallic acid (30 and 60mg/kg), a phenolic acid widely distributed in nature, together with its possible underlying monoaminergic mechanisms. Antidepressant-like activity was assessed using the tail suspension (TST) and the modified forced swimming tests (MFST). Locomotor activity was evaluated in an activity cage. Administration of gallic acid at 60mg/kg reduced the immobility duration of mice in both the TST and MFST without any changes in the locomotor activity. The anti-immobility effect observed in the TST was abolished with pre-treatment of p-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester (an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis; 100mg/kg i.p. administered for 4-consecutive days), ketanserin (a 5-HT2A/2C antagonist; 1mg/kg i.p.), ondansetron (a 5-HT3 antagonist; 0.3mg/kg i.p.), α-methyl-para-tyrosine methyl ester (an inhibitor of catecholamine synthesis; 100mg/kg i.p.), phentolamine (non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist; 5mg/kg i.p.), SCH 23390 (a dopamine D1 antagonist; 0.05mg/kg s.c.), and sulpiride (a dopamine D2/D3 antagonist; 50mg/kg i.p.). However, NAN 190 (a 5-HT1A antagonist; 0.5mg/kg i.p.) and propranolol (a non-selective β-adrenoceptor antagonist; 5mg/kg i.p.) pre-treatments were ineffective at reversing the antidepressant-like effects of gallic acid. The results of the present study indicate that gallic acid seems to have a dual mechanism of action by increasing not only serotonin but also catecholamine levels in synaptic clefts of the central nervous system. Further alpha adrenergic, 5-HT2A/2C and 5-HT3 serotonergic, and D1, D2, and D3 dopaminergic receptors also seem to be involved in this antidepressant-like activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The soil acidity as restrictive factor of the use of nitrogen fertilizer by spring barley

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hejnak, V.; Lippold, H.

1999-01-01

In two - year micro - plot trials was studied the effect of soil pH value (pH > 6,5 and pH 15 N in first year and no enriched in second year, rates of 0, 85, 170 and 255 mg N per pot, i.e. 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N.ha -1 ) on the spring barley productivity and on the use of nitrogen fertilizer by plants in the application year of 15 N and in the following year. The productivity of spring barley is significantly higher in neutral soil than in acid soil. The gradated rates of nitrogen fertilization increased this difference. The total nitrogen uptake by plants was higher in neutral soil. The share of the nitrogen from 'the old soil's supply' in the total uptake by the harvest ranges from 95 to 82 % and is practically identical in studied soils. 'Priming effect' was higher in soil with better fertility (153 - 186 mg N per pot) than in acid soil (to 49 mg N per pot only). The gradated rates of ammonium sulphate increased the uptake nitrogen from fertilizer by harvest of spring barley in the application year of 15 N from 39 mg N to 107 mg N per pot in neutral soil and from 26 mg N to 83 mg N per pot in acid soil and in the following year from 3,05 mg N to 8,15 mg N per pot in neutral soil and from 1,76 mg N to 3,37 mg N per pot in acid soil. The total balance of fertilizer nitrogen ( 15 N) in soil - crop system in two years from application showed that in neutral soil 46 % used by spring barley (42 % in the application year and 4 % in the following year), 16 % rested in soil and loss was 38 % and in acid soil 35 % used by harvest (33 % in first year and 2 % second year), 12 % rested in soil and loss was 53 %. Refs. 5 (author)

Structural characteristics and corrosion behavior of biodegradable Mg-Zn, Mg-Zn-Gd alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubásek, J; Vojtěch, D

2013-07-01

In this research, binary Mg-Zn (up to 3 wt% Zn) and ternary Mg-Zn-Gd (up to 3 wt% Gd, 3 wt% Zn) alloys were prepared by induction melting in an argon atmosphere. The structures of these alloys were characterized using light and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence. In addition, Brinell hardness measurements were taken to supplement these studies. Corrosion behavior was evaluated by immersion tests and potentiodynamic measurements in a physiological solution (9 g/l NaCl). Depending on the composition, structures of the as-cast alloys contained α-Mg dendrites, MgZn, Mg5Gd and Mg3Gd2Zn3 phases. Compared to pure Mg, zinc improved the corrosion resistance of binary Mg-Zn. Gadolinium also improved the corrosion resistance in the case of Mg-1Zn-3Gd alloy. The highest corrosion rate was observed for Mg-3Zn-3Gd alloy. Our results improve the understanding of the relationships between the structure and corrosion behavior of our studied alloy systems.

Coherent interface structures and intergrain Josephson coupling in dense MgO/Mg{sub 2}Si/MgB{sub 2} nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueno, Katsuya; Takahashi, Kazuyuki; Uchino, Takashi, E-mail: uchino@kobe-u.ac.jp [Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Nagashima, Yukihito [Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd., Konoike, Itami 664-8520 (Japan); Seto, Yusuke [Department of Planetology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Matsumoto, Megumi; Sakurai, Takahiro [Center for Support to Research and Education Activities, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Ohta, Hitoshi [Molecular Photoscience Research Center, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan)

2016-07-07

Many efforts are under way to control the structure of heterointerfaces in nanostructured composite materials for designing functionality and engineering application. However, the fabrication of high-quality heterointerfaces is challenging because the crystal/crystal interface is usually the most defective part of the nanocomposite materials. In this work, we show that fully dense insulator (MgO)/semiconductor(Mg{sub 2}Si)/superconductor(MgB{sub 2}) nanocomposites with atomically smooth and continuous interfaces, including epitaxial-like MgO/Mg{sub 2}Si interfaces, are obtained by solid phase reaction between metallic magnesium and a borosilicate glass. The resulting nanocomposites exhibit a semiconductor-superconducting transition at 36 K owing to the MgB{sub 2} nanograins surrounded by the MgO/Mg{sub 2}Si matrix. This transition is followed by the intergrain phase-lock transition at ∼24 K due to the construction of Josephson-coupled network, eventually leading to a near-zero resistance state at 17 K. The method not only provides a simple process to fabricate dense nanocomposites with high-quality interfaces, but also enables to investigate the electric and magnetic properties of embedded superconducting nanograins with good intergrain coupling.

[Metabolic syndrome reversion by polyunsaturated fatty acids ingestion].

Science.gov (United States)

Campos Mondragón, Martha Gabriela; Oliart Ros, Rosa María; Martínez Martinez, Angélica; Méndez Machado, Gustavo Francisco; Angulo Guerrero, Jesús Ofelia

2013-12-21

Metabolic syndrome (MS) frequency is growing and diet has an important influence on its evolution. Our objective was to study the effect of 3 sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids on MS parameters in humans. The MS was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation. Three groups of individuals (n=15/group) were quasi-randomly assigned to one of the following treatments during 6 weeks: a) 1.8 g/d n-3 (1.08g eicosapentoaenoic acid+0.72 g docosahexaenoic acid); b) 2.0 g/d conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, 50:50, cis9:trans11, trans10:cis12), and c) 40 g/d walnut. The clinical and biochemical parameters were evaluated at the beginning and the end of the essay. In the group with n-3 the triglycerides level decreased from 183.9 ± 35.2mg/dl to 149.6 ± 29.0mg/dl (P=.007). In the group with walnut the HDL level rose from 41.7 ± 5.2mg/dl to 47.8 ± 5.4 mg/dl (P=.004) and the Castelli index (total cholesterol/HDL) decreased from 4.86 ± 0.97 to 3.82 ± 0.81 (P=.004). There were not significant changes in the CLA group. At the end of the essay, 46.7% of walnut group patients, 46.7% of n-3 group and 20% of CLA group, had no MS. The groups that consumed polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3 and those in walnut in moderate daily doses during 6 weeks had an improvement of the dyslipidemia component of MS, hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL level. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Targeted metabolomics analysis reveals the association between maternal folic acid supplementation and fatty acids and amino acids profiles in rat pups.

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Liu, Zhipeng; Liu, Rui; Chou, Jing; Yu, Jiaying; Liu, Xiaowei; Sun, Changhao; Li, Ying; Liu, Liyan

2018-07-15

Maternal diet during pregnancy can influence offspring's health by affecting development and metabolism. This study aimed to analyze the influence of maternal folic acid (FA) supplementation on the metabolism of rat pups using targeted metabolomics. Twenty female rats were randomly assigned to a FA supplementation (FAS group, n = 10) or control group (n = 10), which were fed AIN93G diet with 2 or 10 mg/kg FA, respectively. We then measured amino acids and their derivatives, biogenic amines, and fatty acids in the female rats and their pups by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS-MS). In maternal rats, the significant changes of three metabolites (proline, γ-aminobutyric acid and esterified octadecatetraenoic acid, P acids (leucine, isoleucine, serine, proline) were obtained in FAS pups. Furthermore, there were the decreased esterified fatty acids (arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosatetraenoic acid) and free fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, octadecatetraenoic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and selacholeic acid) in FAS pups. Metabolic changes in the FAS pups were characterized by changes in fatty acids and amino acids. These results suggested that FA supplementation during pregnancy influenced amino acids and fatty acids metabolism in rat pups. This study provides new insights into the regulation of amino acids and fatty acids metabolism during early life. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple dissolved metals mixing method to produce high-purity MgTiO3 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pratapa, Suminar; Baqiya, Malik A.; Istianah,; Lestari, Rina; Angela, Riyan

2014-01-01

A simple dissolved metals mixing method has been effectively used to produce high-purity MgTiO 3 (MT) nanocrystals. The method involves the mixing of independently dissolved magnesium and titanium metal powders in hydrochloric acid followed by calcination. The phase purity and nanocrystallinity were determined by making use of laboratory x-ray diffraction data, to which Rietveld-based analyses were performed. Results showed that the method yielded only one type magnesium titanate powders, i.e. MgTiO 3 , with no Mg 2 TiO 4 or MgTi 2 O 5 phases. The presence of residual rutile or periclase was controlled by adding excessive Mg up to 5% (mol) in the stoichiometric mixing. The method also resulted in MT nanocrystals with estimated average crystallite size of 76±2 nm after calcination at 600°C and 150±4 nm (at 800°C). A transmission electron micrograph confirmed the formation of the nanocrystallites

Determination of Monochloroacetic Acid in Swimming Pool Water by Ion Chromatography-Conductivity Detection

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Maria Pythias B. Espino

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, an analytical method involving ion chromatography with conductivity detection was developed and optimized for the determination of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water. The ion chromatographic method has a detection limit of 0.02 mg L-1 and linear range of 0.05 to 1.0 mg L-1 with correlation coeff icient of 0.9992. The method is reproducible with percent RSD of 0.052% (n=10. The recovery of monochloroacetic acid spiked in different water types (bottled, tap and swimming pool water ranged from 28 to 122%. In dilute solutions, chloride and bromide were simultaneously analyzed along with monochloroacetic acid using the optimized method. Chloride and bromide have detection limits of 0.01 to 0.05 mg L-1, respectively. The usefulness of the ion chromatographic method was demonstrated in the analysis of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water samples. In such highly-chlorinated samples, an Ag/H cartridge was used prior to the ion chromatographic determination so as to minimize the signal due to chloride ion. Monochloroacetic acid was detected in concentrations between 0.020 and 0.093 mg L-1 in three of the six swimming pool water samples studied. The presence of monochloroacetic acid in the swimming pool water samples suggests the possible occurrence of other disinfection by-products in these waters.

Determination of Monochloroacetic Acid in Swimming Pool Water by Ion Chromatography-Conductivity Detection

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Maria Pythias B. Espino

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, an analytical method involving ion chromatography with conductivity detection was developed and optimized for the determination of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water. The ion chromatographic method has a detection limit of 0.02 mg L-1 and linear range of 0.05 to 1.0 mg L-1 with correlation coeff icient of 0.9992. The method is reproducible with percent RSD of 0.052% (n=10. The recovery of monochloroacetic acid spiked in different water types (bottled, tap and swimming pool water ranged from 28 to 122%. In dilute solutions, chloride and bromide were simultaneously analyzed along with monochloroacetic acid using the optimized method. Chloride and bromide have detection limits of 0.01 to 0.05 mg L-1, respectively. The usefulness of the ion chromatographic method was demonstrated in the analysis of monochloroacetic acid in swimming pool water samples. In such highly-chlorinated samples, an Ag/H cartridge was used prior to the ion chromatographic determination so as to minimize the signal due to chloride ion. Monochloroacetic acid was detected in concentrations between 0.020 and 0.093 mg L-1 in three of the six swimming pool water samples studied. The presence of monochloroacetic acid in the swimming pool water samples suggests the possible occurrence of other disinfection by-products in these waters.

Phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grains at four stages of development after flowering.

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Shao, Yafang; Xu, Feifei; Sun, Xiao; Bao, Jinsong; Beta, Trust

2014-01-15

This study investigated differences in total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, and phenolic acids in free, conjugated and bound fractions of white (unpolished), red and black rice at 1-, 2-, and 3-weeks of grain development after flowering and at maturity. Unlike the TPC (mg/100g) of white rice (14.6-33.4) and red rice (66.8-422.2) which was significantly higher at 1-week than at later stages, the TPC of black rice (56.5-82.0) was highest at maturity. The antioxidant capacity measured by DPPH radical scavenging and ORAC methods generally followed a similar trend as TPC. Only black rice had detectable anthocyanins (26.5-174.7mg/100g). Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and peonidin-3-glucoside (P3G) were the main anthocyanins in black rice showing significantly higher levels at 2- and 3-weeks than at 1-week development and at maturity. At all stages, the phenolic acids existed mainly in the bound form as detected by HPLC and confirmed by LC-MS/MS. Black rice (20.1-31.7mg/100g) had higher total bound phenolic acids than white rice and red rice (7.0-11.8mg/100g). Protocatechuic acid was detected in red rice and black rice with relatively high levels at 1-week development (1.41mg/100g) and at maturity (4.48mg/100g), respectively. Vanillic acid (2.4-5.4mg/100g) was detected only in black rice where it peaked at maturity. p-Coumaric acid (black rice. Ferulic acid (4.0-17.9mg/100g), the most abundant bound phenolic acid, had an inconsistent trend with higher levels being observed in black rice where it peaked at maturity. Isoferulic acid levels (0.8-1.6mg/100g) were generally low with slightly elevated values being observed at maturity. Overall black rice had higher total bound phenolic acids than white and red rice while white rice at all stages of development after flowering. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semi-Preparative Separation of 10 Caffeoylquinic Acid Derivatives Using High Speed Counter-Current Chromatogaphy Combined with Semi-Preparative HPLC from the Roots of Burdock (Arctium lappa L.

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Zhenjia Zheng

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Burdock roots are healthy dietary supplements and a kind of famous traditional Chinese medicine, which contains large amounts of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives. However, little research has been reported on the preparative separation of these compounds from burdock roots. In the present study, a combinative method of HSCCC and semi-preparative HPLC was developed for the semi-preparative separation of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives from the burdock roots. The ethyl acetate extract of burdock roots was first fractionated by MCI macroporous resin chromatography and give three fractions (Fr. 1–3 from the elution of 40% methanol. Then, these three fractions (120 mg were separately subjected to HSCCC for purification with the solvent system composed of petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-methanol-water at different volume ratios, and the mixtures were further purified by semi-preparative HPLC. As a result, a total of eight known caffeoylquinic acid derivatives including 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (32.7 mg, 95.7%, 1,5-O- dicaffeoylquinic acid (4.3 mg, 97.2%, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (12.1 mg, 93.2%, 1,3-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid (42.9 mg, 91.1%, 1,5-O-dicaffeoyl-3-O-(4-maloyl-quinic acid (4.3 mg, 84.5%, 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid (5.3 mg, 95.5%, 1,5-O-dicaffeoyl-3-O-succinylquinic acid (8.7 mg, 93.4%, and 1,5-O-dicaffeoyl-4-O-succinylquinic acid (1.7 mg, 91.8%, and two new compounds were obtained. The new compounds were 1,4-O-dicaffeoyl-3-succinyl methyl ester quinic acid (14.6 mg, 96.1% and 1,5-O-dicaffeoyl-3-O-succinyl methyl ester quinic acid (3.1 mg, 92.6%, respectively. The research indicated that the combination of HSCCC and semi-preparative HPLC is a highly efficient approach for preparative separation of the instability and bioactive caffeoylquinic acid derivatives from natural products.

Thermodynamics of HEDPA protonation in different media and complex formation with Mg2+ and Ca2+

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foti, Claudia; Giuffrè, Ottavia; Sammartano, Silvio

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Acid–base properties of etidronic acid in different ionic media and at different ionic strengths. • Complex formation of etidronate with Na + , K + , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ . • Dependence on ionic strength analysed by a Debye–Hückel type equation and the SIT approach. • Suggested protonation constants calculated at I = 0.1 mol · L −1 and t = 25 °C, in different ionic media. -- Abstract: Acid–base properties of etidronic acid [(1-Hydroxyethane-1,1-diyil)bis(phosphonic acid), HEDPA] in different ionic media and at different ionic strengths (NaCl, KCl: I ⩽ 2 mol · L −1 ; (C 2 H 5 ) 4 NI: I ⩽ 1 mol · L −1 ) were studied at t = 25 °C, determining, by potentiometric and calorimetric techniques, protonation constants and enthalpy changes. The differences in the protonation constants in the different supporting electrolytes were also interpreted in terms of weak complex formation with M i L (with i = 1, 2), MLH j (with j = 1, 2, 3) and M 2 LH species (with L = HEDPA; M = Na + , K + ). The formation constants for the species of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , were determined by potentiometric titrations at different ionic strengths (0.1 ⩽ I/mol · L −1 ⩽ 1) in NaCl at t = 25 °C. The stability of these species is fairly high, as an example, at I = 0.1 mol · L −1 and t = 25 °C, for ML species, log β = 6.52 and 6.86, for Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , respectively, obtained by considering simultaneously HEDPA–Na + interactions. The dependence on ionic strength was analysed by a Debye–Hückel type equation and the SIT (Specific ion Interaction Theory) approach for protonation thermodynamic parameters and by a Debye–Hückel type equation for Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ complex formation. The sequestering ability of HEDPA toward Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ was also analysed. A comparison with literature data is given

13-Methyltetradecanoic acid mitigates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

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Juan Yu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available 13-Methyltetradecanoic acid can stabilize cell membrane and have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects. Previous studies mainly focused on peripheral nerve injury, but seldom on the central nervous system. We investigated whether these properties of 13-methyltetradecanoic acid have a neuroprotective effect on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, and detected the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. This study established rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion injury by ischemia for 2 hours and reperfusion for 24 hours. At the beginning of reperfusion, 13-methyltetradecanoic acid 10, 40 or 80 mg/kg was injected into the tail vein. Results found that various doses of 13-methyltetradecanoic acid effectively reduced infarct volume, mitigate cerebral edema, and increased the mRNA and protein expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor at 24 hours of reperfusion. The effect was most significant in the 13-methyltetradecanoic acid 40 and 80 mg/kg groups. The findings suggest that 13-methyltetradecanoic acid can relieve focal ischemia/reperfusion injury immediately after reperfusion, stimulate the upregulation of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor to exert neuroprotective effects.

Porous reactive wall for prevention of acid mine drainage: Results of a full-scale field demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benner, S.G.; Blowes, D.W.; Ptacek, C.J.

1997-01-01

A porous reactive wall was installed in August, 1995, to treat mine drainage flowing within an aquifer at the Nickel Rim mine site, near Sudbury, Ontario. The reactive mixture was designed to maximize removal of metals and acid generating capacity from the groundwater by enhancing sulfate reduction and metal sulfide precipitation. The installed structure, composed of a mixed organic substrate, is 15 meters long, 3.6 meters deep and the flow path length (wall width) is 4 meters. Results of sampling nine months after installation, indicate that sulfate reduction and metal sulfide precipitation is occurring. Comparing the chemistry of water entering the wall to treated water exiting the wall nine months after installation: SO 4 concentrations decrease by >50% (from 2400-4800 mg/L to 60-3600 mg/L), Fe concentrations decrease by >95% (from 260-1300 mg/L to 1.0-40 mg/L), pH increased from 5.8 to 7.0 and alkalinity increased from 0-60 mg/L to 700-3200 mg/L as CaCO 3 . After passing through the reactive wall, the net acid generating potential of the aquifer water was converted from acid producing to acid consuming

Fungal endophytes from Acer ginnala Maxim: isolation, identification and their yield of gallic acid.

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Qi, F-H; Jing, T-Z; Wang, Z-X; Zhan, Y-G

2009-07-01

The aim of the study was to isolate the endophytic fungi from Acer ginnala and screen isolates rich in gallic acid. After epiphytic sterilization, 145 fungal endophytes were isolated from the stem, annual twig and seed of Acer ginnala. The endophytes were grouped into ten different taxa, Phomopsis sp., Neurospora sp., Phoma sp., Epicoccum sp., Penicillium sp., Alternaria sp., Fusarium sp., Trichoderma sp., Cladosporium sp. and a species of Pleosporales Incertae Sedis, by their morphological traits and ITS-rDNA sequence analysis. The content and yield of gallic acid of 141 isolates were determined by HPLC. On average, the species of Pleosporales Incertae Sedis had the highest content and yield of gallic acid (13.28 mg g(-1) DW; 119.62 mg l(-1)), while Alternaria sp. had the lowest. Of 141 fungal endophytes from A. ginnala, Phomopsis sp. isolate SX10 showed both the highest content and the highest yield of gallic acid (29.25 mg g(-1) DW; 200.47 mg l(-1)). Endophytic fungi isolated from A. ginnala may be used as potential producers of gallic acid and other compounds with biological activities, or functioned as elicitors to produce natural compounds.

Uric Acid Level Has a U-shaped Association with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Vasospastic Angina.

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Gwag, Hye Bin; Yang, Jeong Hoon; Park, Taek Kyu; Song, Young Bin; Hahn, Joo Yong; Choi, Jin Ho; Lee, Sang Hoon; Gwon, Hyeon Cheol; Choi, Seung Hyuk

2017-08-01

No data are available on the association of serum uric acid and vasospastic angina (VSA) which has endothelial dysfunction as a possible pathophysiologic mechanism. Low uric acid level might cause adverse outcomes in VSA in connection with endothelial dysfunction. We enrolled 818 VSA patients whose uric acid level was measured at admission. Patients were categorized according to tertiles of uric acid level: group I, ≤ 4.8 mg/dL; group II, 4.9-5.9 mg/dL; and group III, ≥ 6.0 mg/dL. Primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), defined as a composite of cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke, coronary revascularization, and rehospitalization for angina. Median follow-up duration was 49.2 months. Median uric acid values were 4.1 mg/dL for group I, 5.4 mg/dL for group II, and 6.7 mg/dL for group III. In the overall population, group II had a significantly lower incidence of MACE compared to group I (47 [17.1%] vs. 66 [24.6%]; hazard ratio [HR], 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.26; P = 0.040) and a tendency of lower incidence of MACEs compared to Group III (47 [17.1%] vs. 62 [22.5%]; HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.98-2.13; P = 0.067). Among group I patients, those who received nitrates had a higher incidence of MACEs than those without nitrate therapy (P uric acid level was associated with adverse clinical outcomes, while high uric acid level had a trend toward an increase in it. Use of nitrate in patients with low uric acid level might have adverse effects on clinical outcomes of VSA. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Studies on the riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and choline requirements of young bobwhite quail

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Serafin, J.A.

1974-01-01

Four experiments were conducted to examine the riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and choline requirements of young Bobwhite quail. Quail fed purified diets deficient in either riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid or choline grew poorly and high mortality occurred by 5 weeks of age. Under the conditions of these experiments, it was found that: (1) young quail require approximately 3.8 mg. riboflavin/kg. diet for satisfactory growth and survival; (2) no more than 31 mg. niacin/kg. diet are required for normal growth and survival of young quail; (3) the requirement for pantothenic acid is higher than has previously been reported, quail in these studies requiring 12.6 mg. pantothenic acid/kg. feed for growth and survival; and (4) the requirement for choline for reducing mortality is approximately 1000 mg./kg., while the amount necessary for normal growth of young quail is no greater than 1500 mg./kg. when the diet contains ample amounts of methionine. Quail fed a niacin-deficient diet developed stiff, shortened feathers and an erythema about the head; those receiving a riboflavin-deficient ration developed enlarged hocks and bowed legs, as did quail fed diets low or devoid of choline. Aside from slow growth, poor feathering was the only other indication that a deficient diet was being fed when quail were placed on a basal ration without pantothenic acid for five weeks.

Live microbial cells adsorb Mg2+ more effectively than lifeless organic matter

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Qiu, Xuan; Yao, Yanchen; Wang, Hongmei; Duan, Yong

2018-03-01

The Mg2+ content is essential in determining different Mg-CaCO3 minerals. It has been demonstrated that both microbes and the organic matter secreted by microbes are capable of allocating Mg2+ and Ca2+ during the formation of Mg-CaCO3, yet detailed scenarios remain unclear. To investigate the mechanism that microbes and microbial organic matter potentially use to mediate the allocation of Mg2+ and Ca2+ in inoculating systems, microbial mats and four marine bacterial strains ( Synechococcus elongatus, Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp., and Desulfovibrio vulgaris) were incubated in artificial seawater media with Mg/Ca ratios ranging from 0.5 to 10.0. At the end of the incubation, the morphology of the microbial mats and the elements adsorbed on them were analyzed using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and energy diffraction spectra (EDS), respectively. The content of Mg2+ and Ca2+ adsorbed by the extracellular polysaccharide substances (EPS) and cells of the bacterial strains were analyzed with atomic adsorption spectroscopy (AAS). The functional groups on the surface of the cells and EPS of S. elongatus were estimated using automatic potentiometric titration combined with a chemical equilibrium model. The results show that live microbial mats generally adsorb larger amounts of Mg2+ than Ca2+, while this rarely is the case for autoclaved microbial mats. A similar phenomenon was also observed for the bacterial strains. The living cells adsorb more Mg2+ than Ca2+, yet a reversed trend was observed for EPS. The functional group analysis indicates that the cell surface of S. elongatus contains more basic functional groups (87.24%), while the EPS has more acidic and neutral functional groups (83.08%). These features may be responsible for the different adsorption behavior of Mg2+ and Ca2+ by microbial cells and EPS. Our work confirms the differential Mg2+ and Ca2+ mediation by microbial cells and EPS, which may provide insight into the processes that microbes use to

Simultaneous Intercalation of 1-Naphthylacetic Acid and Indole-3-butyric Acid into Layered Double Hydroxides and Controlled Release Properties

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Shifeng Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Controlled release formulations have been shown to have potential in overcoming the drawbacks of conventional plant growth regulators formulations. A controlled-release formulation of 1-naphthylacetic acid (NAA and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA simultaneous intercalated MgAl-layered double hydroxides (LDHs was prepared. The synthetic nanohybrid material was characterized by various techniques, and release kinetics was studied. NAA and IBA anions located in the gallery of MgAl-LDHs with bilayer arrangement, and the nanohybrids particles were of typical plate-like shape with the lateral size of 50–100 nm. The results revealed that NAA and IBA have been intercalated into the interlayer spaces of MgAl-LDHs. The release of NAA and IBA fits pseudo-second-order model and is dependent on temperature, pH value, and release medium. The nanohybrids of NAA and IBA simultaneously intercalated in LDHs possessed good controlled release properties.

Effects on grape amino acid concentration through foliar application of three different elicitors.

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Gutiérrez-Gamboa, G; Portu, J; Santamaría, P; López, R; Garde-Cerdán, T

2017-09-01

Elicitors play an important role in the defense against pathogens as an alternative to chemical pesticides by increasing secondary metabolites. Their effect on grape amino acid has been little investigated. Thus, the aim of this research was to study the influence of methyl jasmonate (MeJ), chitosan (CHT), and a yeast extract (YE) on grape amino acid composition, through foliar applications to grapevines. The must amino acid concentration was analyzed by HPLC. The results showed that CHT and YE treatments decreased the must concentration of several amino acids, affecting total amino acid content (from 2364 to 1961, and 1818mg/L, respectively). However, MeJ treatment had a slight effect on grape amino acid content, increasing the concentration of Met (from 8.95 to 12.13mg/L) and Phe (from 7.96 to 9.29mg/L). It seems to be that, the resistance induction through CHT and YE treatments results in physiological costs to grapevines associated with a decrease on grape amino acid concentration. Consequently, MeJ applications, as a viticultural practice, could be a better tool than CHT and YE treatments, because did not affect grape amino acid concentration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical disinfection of combined sewer overflow waters using performic acid or peracetic acids

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Chhetri, Ravi Kumar; Thornberg, Dines; Berner, Jesper; Gramstad, Robin; Öjstedt, Ulrik; Sharma, Anitha Kumari; Andersen, Henrik Rasmus

2014-01-01

We investigated the possibility of applying performic acid (PFA) and peracetic acid (PAA) for disinfection of combined sewer overflow (CSO) in existing CSO management infrastructures. The disinfection power of PFA and PAA towards Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococcus was studied in batch-scale and pre-field experiments. In the batch-scale experiment, 2.5 mg L− 1 PAA removed approximately 4 log unit of E. coli and Enterococcus from CSO with a 360 min contact time. The removal of E. coli ...

Characterization of a soluble phosphatidic acid phosphatase in bitter melon (Momordica charantia).

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Heping; Sethumadhavan, Kandan; Grimm, Casey C; Ullah, Abul H J

2014-01-01

Momordica charantia is often called bitter melon, bitter gourd or bitter squash because its fruit has a bitter taste. The fruit has been widely used as vegetable and herbal medicine. Alpha-eleostearic acid is the major fatty acid in the seeds, but little is known about its biosynthesis. As an initial step towards understanding the biochemical mechanism of fatty acid accumulation in bitter melon seeds, this study focused on a soluble phosphatidic acid phosphatase (PAP, 3-sn-phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.4) that hydrolyzes the phosphomonoester bond in phosphatidate yielding diacylglycerol and P(i). PAPs are typically categorized into two subfamilies: Mg(2+)-dependent soluble PAP and Mg(2+)-independent membrane-associated PAP. We report here the partial purification and characterization of an Mg(2+)-independent PAP activity from developing cotyledons of bitter melon. PAP protein was partially purified by successive centrifugation and UNOsphere Q and S columns from the soluble extract. PAP activity was optimized at pH 6.5 and 53-60 °C and unaffected by up to 0.3 mM MgCl2. The K(m) and Vmax values for dioleoyl-phosphatidic acid were 595.4 µM and 104.9 ηkat/mg of protein, respectively. PAP activity was inhibited by NaF, Na(3)VO(4), Triton X-100, FeSO4 and CuSO4, but stimulated by MnSO4, ZnSO4 and Co(NO3)2. In-gel activity assay and mass spectrometry showed that PAP activity was copurified with a number of other proteins. This study suggests that PAP protein is probably associated with other proteins in bitter melon seeds and that a new class of PAP exists as a soluble and Mg(2+)-independent enzyme in plants.

Decontamination effectiveness of mixtures of citric acid, oxalic acid and EDTA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Speranzini, R.A.

1990-01-01

An experimental study of the decontamination effectiveness of citric acid, oxalic acid and EDTA mixtures was conducted to assess whether oxalic acid could be removed from decontamination solutions to minimize corrosion. In loop experiments, radioactive specimens from two boiling water reactors and one pressurized water reactor were suspended in solutions of single acids or in mixtures of reagents at total reagent concentrations of less than 0.1 wt% under conditions similar to those used to decontaminate reactor systems. Rate constants for dissolution of oxides and decontamination factors were measured. Based on the results, it was concluded that under certain conditions, oxalic acid was the most effective reagent for the dissolution of oxides. It was also found, however, that conditions under which effective dissolution occurred in solutions of oxalic acid and/or citric acid were difficult to define and control. EDTA was found to be an effective reagent for dissolution of oxides such that rates of dissolution in EDTA containing solutions at 117 degrees Celsius were comparable to rates in oxalic acid containing solutions. At 90 degrees Celsius, EDTA acted synergistically with oxalic acid such that the rate of dissolution of oxides in citric-acid/oxalic-acid/EDTA solutions was higher than in citric-acid/EDTA solutions. The rates of dissolution of oxides were significantly reduced when 60 mg/kg of ferric ion was added to the citric-acid/oxalic-acid, citric-acid/EDTA and citric-acid/oxalic-acid/EDTA solutions. It was concluded that effective decontaminations of BWR and PWR systems could be achieved with mixtures of citric acid and EDTA

Pharmacokinetics of Maleic Acid as a Food Adulterant Determined by Microdialysis in Rat Blood and Kidney Cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mei-Ling Hou

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Maleic acid has been shown to be used as a food adulterant in the production of modified starch by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration. Due to the potential toxicity of maleic acid to the kidneys, this study aimed to develop an analytical method to investigate the pharmacokinetics of maleic acid in rat blood and kidney cortex. Multiple microdialysis probes were simultaneously inserted into the jugular vein and the kidney cortex for sampling after maleic acid administration (10 or 30 mg/kg, i.v., respectively. The pharmacokinetic results demonstrated that maleic acid produced a linear pharmacokinetic phenomenon within the doses of 10 and 30 mg/kg. The area under concentration versus time curve (AUC of the maleic acid in kidney cortex was 5-fold higher than that in the blood after maleic acid administration (10 and 30 mg/kg, i.v., respectively, indicating that greater accumulation of maleic acid occurred in the rat kidney.

The influence of metal Mg on micro-morphology and crystallinity of spherical hexagonal boron nitride

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Ning, E-mail: zhangning5832@163.com; Liu, Huan; Kan, Hongmin; Wang, Xiaoyang; Long, Haibo; Zhou, Yonghui

2015-08-15

Highlights: • The action mechanism of Mg to the synthesis of spherical BN was explored. • The influence of Mg content on the crystallinity of h-BN powders was studied. • Even if not added any template, the spherical h-BN could be prepared. - Abstract: This search used the boric acid and borax as a source of boron, urea as a nitrogen source, Mg as metal catalyst, and thus prepared different micro-morphology and crystallinity hexagonal boron nitride powders under a flowing ammonia atmosphere at a nitriding temperature of 750 °C. The effect of Mg content on the crystallinity and micro-morphology of hexagonal boron nitride powders was studied, and the Mg action mechanism was explored. Without the added surfactant, the graphitization index (GI) was 6.87, and the diameter of the spherical h-BN was bigger. When the added Mg were 0.1 g, 0.3 g, 0.5 g and 0.7 g, the (GI) decreased to 6.04, 5.67, 4.62 and 4.84, respectively. When the Mg content was higher (0.9 g), GI value increased rapidly, and the crystallinity became bad. When the Mg content was 0.5 g, the dispersion of h-BN powders was at its optimum and refinement apparently, and the crystallinity at its highest.

Sulfur amino acids metabolism in magnesium deficient rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tojo, H.; Kosokawa, Y.; Yamaguchi, K.

1984-01-01

Effect of magnesium (Mg) deficiency on sulfur amino acid metabolism was investigated in rats. Young male rats were fed on the diet containing either 2.26 (deficient rats) or 63.18 mg Mg/100g diet (control and low protein rats) for 2 weeks. A remarkable decrease of body weight gain, serum Mg contents and a slight decreases in the hematological parameters such as Hb, Ht and RBC was observed, while the hepatic Mg and Ca was not significantly changed. Erythema and cramps were observed 5 days after feeding on the Mg-depleted diet. The hepatic glutathione and cysteine contents increased in Mg-deficient rats. However, no significant change of cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) activity and taurine content in Mg-deficient rat liver was observed. These results suggest that Mg deficiency affects the utilization and biosynthesis of hepatic glutathione but not the cysteine catabolism.

Long-Term Ursodeoxycholic Acid Therapy Does Not Alter Lithocholic Acid Levels in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis with Associated Liver Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Colombo, Carla; Crosignani, Andrea; Alicandro, Gianfranco; Zhang, Wujuan; Biffi, Arianna; Motta, Valentina; Corti, Fabiola; Setchell, Kenneth D R

2016-10-01

To evaluate the fasting and postprandial serum bile acid composition in patients with cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease (CFLD) after chronic administration of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) (20 mg/kg/day). The aim was to specifically focus on the extent of biotransformation of UDCA to its hepatotoxic metabolite, lithocholic acid, because of recent concerns regarding the safety of long-term, high-dose UDCA treatment for CFLD. Twenty patients with CFLD (median age 16 years, range: 2.4-35.0) prescribed UDCA therapy for at least 2 years were studied. Total and individual serum bile acids were measured by stable-isotope dilution mass spectrometry, in fasting and 2-hour postprandial samples taken during chronic UDCA (20 mg/kg/day) administration. During chronic UDCA administration (median duration 8 years, IQR: 6-16), UDCA became the predominant serum bile acid in all patients (median, IQR: 3.17, 1.25-5.56 μmol/L) and chenodeoxycholic acid concentrations were greater than cholic acid (1.86, 1.00-4.70 μmol/L vs 0.40, 0.24-2.71 μmol/L). The secondary bile acids, deoxycholate and lithocholate, were present in very low concentrations in fasted serum (acid significantly increased (P acid concentrations were observed. These data do not support recent suggestions that enhanced biotransformation of UDCA to the hepatotoxic secondary bile acid lithocholic occurs when patients with CFLD are treated with relatively high doses of UDCA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Deoxycholic Acid and the Marginal Mandibular Nerve: A Cadaver Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Blandford, Alexander D; Ansari, Waseem; Young, Jason M; Maley, Bruce; Plesec, Thomas P; Hwang, Catherine J; Perry, Julian D

2018-06-04

One of the rare but serious complications observed with deoxycholic acid administration is damage to the marginal mandibular nerve. In this study, we evaluated if deoxycholic acid directly induces histologic damage to fresh cadaveric marginal mandibular nerve. A segment of marginal mandibular nerve was harvested from 12 hemifaces of 6 fresh cadavers. The nerve specimen was exposed to either 0.9% sterile saline for 24 h, deoxycholic acid (10 mg/ml) for 20 min, or deoxycholic acid (10 mg/ml) for 24 h. The nerve specimens were then fixed in glutaraldehyde for a minimum of 24 h. Toluidine blue stained sections were evaluated for stain intensity using light microscopy and color deconvolution image analysis. Supraplatysmal fat was harvested as a positive control and exposed to the same treatments as the marginal mandibular nerve specimens, then evaluated using transmission electron microscopy. Toluidine blue staining was less in the marginal mandibular nerve exposed to deoxycholic acid when compared to saline. The specimen exposed to deoxycholic acid for 24 h showed less toluidine blue staining than that of the nerve exposed to deoxycholic acid for 20 min. Transmission electron microscopy of submental fat exposed to deoxycholic acid revealed disruption of adipocyte cell membrane integrity and loss of cellular organelles when compared to specimens only exposed to saline. Deoxycholic acid (10 mg/ml) damages the marginal mandibular nerve myelin sheath in fresh human cadaver specimens. Direct deoxycholic acid neurotoxicity may cause marginal mandibular nerve injury clinically. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Effects of acetic acid and lactic acid on physicochemical characteristics of native and cross-linked wheat starches.

Science.gov (United States)

Majzoobi, Mahsa; Beparva, Paniz

2014-03-15

The effects of two common organic acids; lactic and acetic acids (150 mg/kg) on physicochemical properties of native and cross-linked wheat starches were investigated prior and after gelatinization. These acids caused formation of some cracks and spots on the granules. The intrinsic viscosity of both starches decreased in the presence of the acids particularly after gelatinization. Water solubility increased while water absorption reduced after addition of the acids. The acids caused reduction in gelatinization temperature and enthalpy of gelatinization of both starches. The starch gels became softer, less cohesive, elastic and gummy when acids were added. These changes may indicate the degradation of the starch molecules by the acids. Cross-linked wheat starch was more resistant to the acids. However, both starches became more susceptible to the acids after gelatinization. The effect of lactic acid on physicochemical properties of both starches before and after gelatinization was greater than acetic acid. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of heavy metals from contaminated soil by electrodialytic remediation enhanced with organic acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Merdoud, Ouarda; Cameselle, Claudio; Boulakradeche, Mohamed Oualid; Akretche, Djamal Eddine

2016-11-09

The soil from an industrial area in Algeria was contaminated with Cr (8370 mg kg -1 ), Ni (1135 mg kg -1 ) and zinc (1200 mg kg -1 ). The electrodialytic remediation of this soil was studied using citric acid and EDTA as facilitating agents. 0.1 M citric acid or EDTA was added directly to the soil before it was introduced in an electrodialytic cell in an attempt to enhance the heavy metal solubility in the interstitial fluid. The more acidic pH in the soil when citric acid was used as the facilitating agent was not enough to mobilize and remove the metals from the soil. Only 7.2% of Ni and 6.7% of Zn were removed from the soil in the test with citric acid. The best results were found with EDTA, which was able to solubilize and complex Zn and Ni forming negatively charged complexes that were transported and accumulated in the anolyte. Complete removal was observed for Ni and Zn in the electrodialytic treatment with EDTA. Minor amounts of Cr were removed with both EDTA and citric acid.

Ursodeoxycholic acid pretreatment reduces oral bioavailability of the multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2 substrate baicalin in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tao; Li, Xi-Ping; Xu, Yan-Jiao; Du, Guang; Liu, Dong

2013-11-01

Baicalin is a major bioactive component of Scutellaria baicalensis and a substrate of multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2. Expression of multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2 is regulated by NF-E2-related factor 2. The aim of this study was to explore whether ursodeoxycholic acid, an NF-E2-related factor 2 activator, could influence the oral bioavailability of baicalin. A single dose of baicalin (200 mg/kg) was given orally to rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid (75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, per day, intragastrically) or normal saline (per day, intragastrically) for six consecutive days. The plasma concentration of baicalin was measured with the HPLC method. The result indicated that the oral bioavailability of baicalin was significantly and dose-dependently reduced in rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid. Compared with control rats, the mean area under concentration-time curve of baicalin was reduced from 13.25 ± 0.24 mg/L h to 7.62 ± 0.15 mg/L h and 4.97 ± 0.21 mg/L h, and the C(max) value was decreased from 1.31 ± 0.03 mg/L to 0.62 ± 0.05 mg/L and 0.36 ± 0.04 mg/L in rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid at doses of 75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, respectively, for six consecutive days. Hence, ursodeoxycholic acid treatment reduced the oral bioavailability of baicalin in rats, probably due to the enhanced efflux of baicalin from the intestine and liver by multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic property of nanosized MgO flakes with different shapes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yongfen [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Hebei Vocational and Technical College of Building Materials, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Ma, Mingzhen, E-mail: mz550509@ysu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Zhang, Xinyu; Wang, Baoan; Liu, Riping [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China)

2014-03-25

Highlights: • MgO nanoflakes with different morphologies were synthesized by a simple low-temperature hydrothermal process. • EDTA and KCl additives have a great effect on the morphology of the products. • Quasi-circular MgO nanoflakes exhibited higher catalytic activity on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate. -- Abstract: The nanostructures of quasi-circular and hexagonal magnesium oxide (MgO) flakes were successfully prepared by a simple low-temperature hydrothermal reaction. The morphologies were confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the nanostructures consisted of cubic-phase MgO. When ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and potassium chloride were added to the reaction system, the shapes of the synthesized products were found to transform from hexagonal to quasi-circular nanoflakes for different time scales. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated numerous hydroxyl radicals on the surface. Quasi-circular magnesia nanoflakes exhibited relatively high catalyst activity for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate. The mechanism of enhanced catalyst activity was also discussed.

Fatty acid profile of the fat in selected smoked marine fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Regulska-Ilow, Bozena; Ilow, Rafał; Konikowska, Klaudia; Kawicka, Anna; Rózańska, Dorota; Bochińska, Agnieszka

2013-01-01

Fish and marine animals fat is a source of unique long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA): eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic (DHA) and dipicolinic (DPA). These compounds have a beneficial influence on blood lipid profile and they reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis and disorders of central nervous system. The proper ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids in diet is necessary to maintain a balance between the effects of eicosanoids synthesized from these acids in the body. The aim of this study was the evaluation of total fat and cholesterol content and percentage of fatty acids in selected commercial smoked marine fish. The studied samples were smoked marine fish such as: halibut, mackerel, bloater and sprat. The percentage total fat content in edible muscles was evaluated via the Folch modified method. The fat was extracted via the Bligh-Dyer modified method. The enzymatic hydrolysis was used to assesses cholesterol content in samples. The content of fatty acids, expressed as methyl esters, was evaluated with gas chromatography. The average content of total fat in 100 g of fillet of halibut, mackerel, bloater and sprat amounted respectively to: 14.5 g, 25.7 g, 13.9 g and 13.9 g. The average content of cholesterol in 100 g of halibut, mackerel, bloater and sprat was respectively: 54.5 mg, 51.5 mg, 57.5 mg and 130.9 mg. The amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA) was about 1/4 of total fatty acids in the analyzed samples. The oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) was the major compound among monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and amounted to 44% of these fatty acids. The percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in halibut, mackerel, bloater and sprat was respectively: 31.9%, 45.4%, 40.8% and 37.0%. The percentage of n-3 PUFA in mackerel and bloater was 30.1% and 30.2%, while in halibut and sprat was lower and amounted to 22.5% and 25.6%, respectively. In terms of nutritional magnitude the meat of mackerel and herring, compared to the meat of

Adsorption of clofibric acid and ketoprofen onto powdered activated carbon: effect of natural organic matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yaohuan; Deshusses, Marc A

2011-12-01

The adsorption of two acidic pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), clofibric acid and ketoprofen, onto powdered activated carbon (PAC) was investigated with a particular focus on the influence of natural organic matter (NOM) on the adsorption of the PhACs. Suwannee River humic acids (SRHAs) were used as a substitute for NOM. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to obtain adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms with and without SRHAs in the system. The adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption ofclofibric acid was not significantly affected by the presence of SRHAs at a concentration of 5 mg (as carbon) L(-1). An adsorption capacity of 70 to 140 mg g(-1) was observed and equilibrium was reached within 48 h. In contrast, the adsorption of ketoprofen was markedly decreased (from about 120 mg g(-1) to 70-100 mg g(-1)) in the presence of SRHAs. Higher initial concentrations of clofibric acid than ketoprofen during testing may explain the different behaviours that were observed. Also, the more hydrophobic ketoprofen molecules may have less affinity for PAC when humic acids (which are hydrophilic) are present. The possible intermolecular forces that could account for the different behaviour of clofibric acid and ketoprofen adsorption onto PAC are discussed. In particular, the relevance of electrostatic forces, electron donor-acceptor interaction, hydrogen bonding and London dispersion forces are discussed

Vitamin B2 content determination in liver paste by using acid and acid-enzyme hydrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basić Zorica

2007-01-01

the samples (r = 0.9994, and r = 0.99987. Hydrolysis procedures make a sample suitable for vitamin B2 determination. In the liver paste samples a high content of vitamin B2 was determined: 0.83 mg/100 g after acid hydrolysis, and 0.909 mg/100 g after acid-enzyme hydrolysis. There were statistically significantly higher values determined after the acid-enzyme hydrolysis (p < 0.05. Conclusion. Using acid-enzyme hydrolysis and separation instrument technique (liquid chromatography with a fluorescent detector as detection system, statistically significantly greater vitamin B2 quantities were determined than after using acid hydrolysis procedure. Vitamin B2 content determined in ten liver paste samples was high (0.881 − 0.936 mg/100g indicating that this meat product is a good vitamin B2 source.

Chemical disinfection of combined sewer overflow waters using performic acid or peracetic acids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chhetri, Ravi Kumar; Thornberg, Dines; Berner, Jesper

2014-01-01

We investigated the possibility of applying performic acid (PFA) and peracetic acid (PAA) for disinfection of combined sewer overflow (CSO) in existing CSO management infrastructures. The disinfection power of PFA and PAA towards Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococcus was studied in batch......-scale and pre-field experiments. In the batch-scale experiment, 2.5 mg L− 1 PAA removed approximately 4 log unit of E. coli and Enterococcus from CSO with a 360 min contact time. The removal of E. coli and Enterococcus from CSO was always around or above 3 log units using 2–4 mg L− 1 PFA; with a 20 min contact...... time in both batch-scale and pre-field experiments. There was no toxicological effect measured by Vibrio fischeri when CSO was disinfected with PFA; a slight toxic effect was observed on CSO disinfected with PAA. When the design for PFA based disinfection was applied to CSO collected from an authentic...

The influence of different matrices on the nature and content of haloacetic acids precursors in ozonized water

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Molnar Jelena J.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the influence of different matrices (groundwater a realistic natural matrix and commercial humic acid solution a synthetic matrix on the nature and content of haloacetic acid (HAA precursors in ozonized water (0.4 to 3.0 mg O3/mg DOC; pH 6. Natural organic matter (NOM characterization of the natural matrix showed it was largely of hydrophobic character (65% fulvic and 14% humic acids, with the hydrophilic fractions HPIA and HPI-NA at 12% and 9%, respectively. At approximately the same dissolved organic carbon (DOC content of the investigated matrices (~10 mg /L, a greater degree of hydrophobicity was seen in the humic acid solution than in the natural matrix, resulting in a higher content of HAA precursors (559 ± 21 μg/L in the synthetic matrix compared to 309 ± 15 μg/L in the natural matrix. By applying different ozone doses (0.4 to 3.0 mg O3/mg DOC, the DOC content of the studied matrices was reduced by 6-22%, with a maximum process efficacy being achieved with 3.0 mg O3/mg DOC. Ozonation also lead to changes in the NOM structure, i.e. complete oxidation of the humic acid fractions in both investigated matrices. After oxidation, hydrophilic structures dominate the natural water matrix (65%, whereas the synthetic matrix has an equal distribution of hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions (~50%. Changes in the content and structure of NOM during ozonation resulted in the reduction of the total HAA precursors content (63-85%, using 3.0 mg O3/mg DOC. Detailed analysis of the reactivity of the residual HAA precursor materials shows that ozonation using 3.0 mg O3/mg DOC reduced the reactivity of the NOM fractions in comparison to the raw water. By contrast, HAA precursor material present in the commercial HA solution was transformed after ozonation into other reactive compounds, i.e. precursors which originated from the fulvic acid and hydrophilic fractions. The results of the laboratory testing indicate that the

The Physical Characterization of Liposome Salicylic Acid Using Transmission Electron Microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elman Panjaitan

2008-01-01

The physical characterization of liposome, formulated from salicylic acid using thin film hydration methods with cholesterol and soybean lecithin, has been done. The formula was characterized by optical microscopes and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The observation result shows that the salicylic acid can be formulated to liposomes. Soybean lecithin combined with cholesterol (600 mg : 20 mg) was the best formula and the liposome was spherical vesicle like with dimension about 70 nm unit 800 nm. (author)

Calcite growth-rate inhibition by fulvic acids isolated from Big Soda Lake, Nevada, USA, The Suwannee River, Georgia, USA and by polycarboxylic acids

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Michael M.; Leenheer, Jerry

2011-01-01

Calcite crystallization rates are characterized using a constant solution composition at 25°C, pH=8.5, and calcite supersaturation (Ω) of 4.5 in the absence and presence of fulvic acids isolated from Big Soda Lake, Nevada (BSLFA), and a fulvic acid from the Suwannee River, Georgia (SRFA). Rates are also measured in the presence and absence of low-molar mass, aliphatic-alicyclic polycarboxylic acids (PCA). BSLFA inhibits calcite crystal-growth rates with increasing BSLFA concentration, suggesting that BSLFA adsorbs at growth sites on the calcite crystal surface. Calcite growth morphology in the presence of BSLFA differed from growth in its absence, supporting an adsorption mechanism of calcite-growth inhibition by BSLFA. Calcite growth-rate inhibition by BSLFA is consistent with a model indicating that polycarboxylic acid molecules present in BSLFA adsorb at growth sites on the calcite crystal surface. In contrast to published results for an unfractionated SRFA, there is dramatic calcite growth inhibition (at a concentration of 1 mg/L) by a SRFA fraction eluted by pH 5 solution from XAD-8 resin, indicating that calcite growth-rate inhibition is related to specific SRFA component fractions. A cyclic PCA, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-cyclohexane hexacarboxylic acid (CHXHCA) is a strong calcite growth-rate inhibitor at concentrations less than 0.1 mg/L. Two other cyclic PCAs, 1, 1 cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (CPDCA) and 1, 1 cyclobutanedicarboxylic acid (CBDCA) with the carboxylic acid groups attached to the same ring carbon atom, have no effect on calcite growth rates up to concentrations of 10 mg/L. Organic matter ad-sorbed from the air onto the seed crystals has no effect on the measured calcite crystal-growth rates.

Determination of Flavonoids, Phenolic Acids, and Xanthines in Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis St.-Hil.

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Mirza Bojić

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Raw material, different formulations of foods, and dietary supplements of mate demands control of the content of bioactive substances for which high performance thin layer chromatography (TLC, described here, presents simple and rapid approach for detections as well as quantification. Using TLC densitometry, the following bioactive compounds were identified and quantified: chlorogenic acid (2.1 mg/g, caffeic acid (1.5 mg/g, rutin (5.2 mg/g, quercetin (2.2 mg/g, and kaempferol (4.5 mg/g. The results obtained with TLC densitometry for caffeine (5.4 mg/g and theobromine (2.7 mg/g show no statistical difference to the content of total xanthines (7.6 mg/g obtained by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Thus, TLC remains a technique of choice for simple and rapid analysis of great number of samples as well as a primary screening technique in plant analysis.

Ascorbic acid supplementation partially prevents the delayed reproductive development in juvenile male rats exposed to rosuvastatin since prepuberty.

Science.gov (United States)

Leite, Gabriel Adan Araújo; Figueiredo, Thamiris Moreira; Sanabria, Marciana; Dias, Ana Flávia Mota Gonçalves; Silva, Patrícia Villela E; Martins Junior, Airton da Cunha; Barbosa Junior, Fernando; Kempinas, Wilma De Grava

2017-10-01

Dyslipidemias are occurring earlier in the population due to the increase of obesity and bad eating habits. Rosuvastatin inhibits the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, decreasing total cholesterol. Ascorbic acid is an important antioxidant compound for male reproductive system. This study aimed to evaluate whether ascorbic acid supplementation may prevent the reproductive damage provoked by rosuvastatin administration at prepuberty. Male pups were distributed into six experimental groups that received saline solution 0.9%, 3 or 10mg/kg/day of rosuvastatin, 150mg/day of ascorbic acid, or 150mg/day of ascorbic acid associated with 3 or 10mg/kg/day of rosuvastatin from post-natal day (PND) 23 until PND53. Rosuvastatin-treated groups showed delayed puberty installation, androgen depletion and impairment on testicular and epididymal morphology. Ascorbic acid partially prevented these reproductive damages. In conclusion, rosuvastatin exposure is a probable risk to reproductive development and ascorbic acid supplementation may be useful to prevent the reproductive impairment of rosuvastatin exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Granisetron ameliorates acetic acid-induced colitis in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Fakhfouri, Gohar; Rahimian, Reza; Daneshmand, Ali; Bahremand, Arash; Rasouli, Mohammad Reza; Dehpour, Ahmad Reza; Mehr, Shahram Ejtemaei; Mousavizadeh, Kazem

2010-04-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronically relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, of which the definite etiology remains ambiguous. Considering the adverse effects and incomplete efficacy of currently administered drugs, it is indispensable to explore new candidates with more desirable therapeutic profiles. 5-HT( 3) receptor antagonists have shown analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and in vivo. This study aims to investigate granisetron, a 5-HT( 3) receptor antagonist, in acetic acid-induced rat colitis and probable involvement of 5-HT(3) receptors. Colitis was rendered by instillation of 1 mL of 4% acetic acid (vol/vol) and after 1 hour, granisetron (2 mg/kg), dexamethasone (1 mg/kg), meta-chlorophenylbiguanide (mCPBG, 5 mg/kg), a 5-HT( 3) receptor agonist, or granisetron + mCPBG was given intraperitoneally. Twenty-four hours following colitis induction, animals were sacrificed and distal colons were assessed macroscopically, histologically and biochemically (malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6). Granisetron or dexamethasone significantly (p granisetron were reversed by concurrent administration of mCPBG. Our data suggests that the salutary effects of granisetron in acetic acid colitis could be mediated by 5-HT(3) receptors.

Biosorption of Acid Blue 290 (AB 290) and Acid Blue 324 (AB 324) dyes on Spirogyra rhizopus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozer, Ayla; Akkaya, Goenuel; Turabik, Meral

2006-01-01

In this study, the biosorption of Acid Blue 290 and Acid Blue 324 on Spirogyra rhizopus, a green algae growing on fresh water, was studied with respect to initial pH, temperature, initial dye concentration and biosorbent concentration. The optimum initial pH and temperature values for AB 290 and AB 324 biosorption were found to be 2.0, 30 deg. C and 3.0, 25 deg. C, respectively. It was observed that the adsorbed AB 290 and AB 324 amounts increased with increasing the initial dye concentration up to 1500 and 750 mg/L, respectively. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson and Koble-Corrigan isotherm models were applied to the experimental equilibrium data and the isotherm constants were determined by using Polymath 4.1 software. The monolayer coverage capacities of S. rhizopus for AB 290 and AB 324 dyes were found as 1356.6 mg/g and 367.0 mg/g, respectively. The intraparticle diffusion model and the pseudo-second order kinetic model were applied to the experimental data in order to describe the removal mechanism of these acidic dyes by S. rhizopus. The pseudo-second order kinetic model described very well the biosorption kinetics of AB 290 and AB 324 dyes. Thermodynamic studies showed that the biosorption of AB 290 and AB 324 on S. rhizopus was exothermic in nature

Effect of nano-silver and boric acid on extending the vase life of cut rose (Rosa hybrida L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemabadi, Davood; Liavali, Mahbanoo Hoseinzadeh; Kaviani, Behzad; Mousavi, Meysam; Keyghobadi, Saghi; Zahiri, Samaneh

2014-09-01

Silver nano-particles (2-5 nm diam.), as antimicrobial agent and boric acid, as ethylene production inhibitor are used for enhancing the quality and vase life of cut flowers. In the present study the effects of a preservative solution containing nano-silver and boric acid on some traits of cut rose (Rosa hybrida L. cv. Yellow Island) including vase life, ethylene production, dry weight percentage, chlorophyll content, flower opening index, beta-carotene of petals and the number of basal stem end bacteria were investigated. The results showed that the effect of nano-silver and boric acid as either solitary or in combination with each other were significant (p rose treated with 100 mg l(-1) boric acid along with 5 mg l(-1) nano-silver. The lowest number of bacteria in the end of stem was calculated in cut flowers treated with the highest concentrations of boric acid (300 mg l(-1)) and nano-silver (20 mg l(-1)).

Method of improving the decontaminating efficiency of ruthenium in evaporating treatment of nitric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubota, Kanya; Yamana, Hajime; Takeda, Seiichiro.

1984-01-01

Purpose: To significantly improve the ruthenium removing efficiency in a nitric acid solution in an acid recovery system for the recovery of nitric acid from nitric acid liquid wastes through evaporating condensation. Method: Upon evaporating treatment of nitric acid solution containing ruthenium by supplying and heating the solution to a nitric acid evaporating device, hydrazine is previously added to the nitric acid solution. Hydrazine and intermediate reaction product of hydrazine such as azide causes a reduction reaction with intermediate reaction product of ruthenium tetraoxide to suppress the oxidation of ruthenium and thereby improve the decontaminating efficiency of ruthenium. The amount of hydrazine to be added is preferably between 20 - 500 mg/l and most suitably between 200 - 2000 mg/l per one liter of the liquid in the evaporating device. (Seki, T.)

Levels of uric acid in erectile dysfunction of different aetiology.

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Barassi, Alessandra; Corsi Romanelli, Massimiliano Marco; Pezzilli, Raffaele; Dozio, Elena; Damele, Clara Anna Linda; Vaccalluzzo, Liborio; Di Dario, Marco; Goi, Giancarlo; Papini, Nadia; Massaccesi, Luca; Colpi, Giovanni Maria; Melzi d'Eril, Gian Vico

2018-01-12

Erectile dysfunction is a common disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction. The aetiology of ED is often multifactorial but evidence is being accumulated in favor of the proper function of the vascular endothelium that is essential to achieving and maintaining penile erection. Uric acid itself causes endothelial dysfunction via decreased nitric oxide production. This study aims to evaluate the serum uric acid (SUA) levels in 180 ED patients, diagnosed with the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and 30 non-ED control. Serum uric acid was analyzed with a commercially available kit using ModularEVO (Roche, Monza, Italy). Within-assay and between-assay variations were 3.0% and 6.0%, respectively. Out of the ED patients, 85 were classified as arteriogenic (A-ED) and 95 as non-arteriogenic (NA-ED) with penile-echo-color-Doppler. Uric acid levels (median and range in mg/dL) in A-ED patients (5.8, 4.3-7.5) were significantly higher (p uric acid levels in patients with mild A-ED (IIEF-5 16-20) and severe/complete A-ED (IIEF-5 ≤ 10) that were 5.4 (range 4.3-6.5) mg/dL and 6.8 (range 6.4-7.2) mg/dL, respectively. There was no difference between the levels of uric acid in patients with different degree of NA-ED. Our findings reveal that SUA is a marker of ED but only of ED of arteriogenic aetiology.

Effect of Uric Acid-Lowering Agents on Endothelial Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

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Borgi, Lea; McMullan, Ciaran; Wohlhueter, Ann; Curhan, Gary C; Fisher, Naomi D; Forman, John P

2017-02-01

Higher levels of serum uric acid are independently associated with endothelial dysfunction, a mechanism for incident hypertension. Overweight/obese individuals are more prone to endothelial dysfunction than their lean counterparts. However, the effect of lowering serum uric acid on endothelial dysfunction in these individuals has not been examined thoroughly. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of nonhypertensive, overweight, or obese individuals with higher serum uric acid (body mass index ≥25 kg/m 2 and serum uric acid ≥5.0 mg/dL), we assigned subjects to probenecid (500-1000 mg/d), allopurinol (300-600 mg/d), or matching placebo. The primary outcome was endothelium-dependent vasodilation measured by brachial artery ultrasound at baseline and 8 weeks. By the end of the trial, 47, 49, and 53 participants had been allocated to receive probenecid, allopurinol, and placebo, respectively. Mean serum uric acid levels significantly decreased in the probenecid (from 6.1 to 3.5 mg/dL) and allopurinol groups (from 6.1 to 2.9 mg/dL) but not in the placebo group (6.1 to 5.6 mg/dL). None of the interventions produced any significant change in endothelium-dependent vasodilation (probenecid, 7.4±5.1% at baseline and 8.3±5.1% at 8 weeks; allopurinol, 7.6±6.0% at baseline and 6.2±4.8% at 8 weeks; and placebo, 6.5±3.8% at baseline and 7.1±4.9% at 8 weeks). In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, uric acid lowering did not affect endothelial function in overweight or obese nonhypertensive individuals. These data do not support the hypothesis that uric acid is causally related to endothelial dysfunction, a potential mechanism for development of hypertension. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Relativistic quasiparticle band structures of Mg2Si, Mg2Ge, and Mg2Sn: Consistent parameterization and prediction of Seebeck coefficients

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Shi, Guangsha; Kioupakis, Emmanouil

2018-02-01

We apply density functional and many-body perturbation theory calculations to consistently determine and parameterize the relativistic quasiparticle band structures of Mg2Si, Mg2Ge, and Mg2Sn, and predict the Seebeck coefficient as a function of doping and temperature. The quasiparticle band gaps, including spin-orbit coupling effects, are determined to be 0.728 eV, 0.555 eV, and 0.142 eV for Mg2Si, Mg2Ge, and Mg2Sn, respectively. The inclusion of the semicore electrons of Mg, Ge, and Sn in the valence is found to be important for the accurate determination of the band gaps of Mg2Ge and Mg2Sn. We also developed a Luttinger-Kohn Hamiltonian and determined a set of band parameters to model the near-edge relativistic quasiparticle band structure consistently for all three compounds that can be applied for thermoelectric device simulations. Our calculated values for the Seebeck coefficient of all three compounds are in good agreement with the available experimental data for a broad range of temperatures and carrier concentrations. Our results indicate that quasiparticle corrections are necessary for the accurate determination of Seebeck coefficients at high temperatures at which bipolar transport becomes important.

Mefenamic Acid Induced Nephrotoxicity: An Animal Model

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Muhammad Nazrul Somchit

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs are used for the treatment of many joint disorders, inflammation and to control pain. Numerous reports have indicated that NSAIDs are capable of producing nephrotoxicity in human. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate mefenamic acid, a NSAID nephrotoxicity in an animal model. Methods: Mice were dosed intraperitoneally with mefenamic acid either as a single dose (100 or 200 mg/kg in 10% Dimethyl sulfoxide/Palm oil or as single daily doses for 14 days (50 or 100 mg/kg in 10% Dimethyl sulfoxide/Palm oil per day. Venous blood samples from mice during the dosing period were taken prior to and 14 days post-dosing from cardiac puncture into heparinized vials. Plasma blood urea nitrogen (BUN and creatinine activities were measured. Results: Single dose of mefenamic acid induced mild alteration of kidney histology mainly mild glomerular necrosis and tubular atrophy. Interestingly, chronic doses induced a dose dependent glomerular necrosis, massive degeneration, inflammation and tubular atrophy. Plasma blood urea nitrogen was statistically elevated in mice treated with mefenamic acid for 14 days similar to plasma creatinine. Conclusion: Results from this study suggest that mefenamic acid as with other NSAIDs capable of producing nephrotoxicity. Therefore, the study of the exact mechanism of mefenamic acid induced severe nephrotoxicity can be done in this animal model.

Coagulant properties of Moringa oleifera protein preparations: application to humic acid removal.

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Santos, Andréa F S; Paiva, Patrícia M G; Teixeira, José A C; Brito, António G; Coelho, Luana C B B; Nogueira, Regina

2012-01-01

This work aimed to characterize the coagulant properties of protein preparations from Moringa oleifera seeds in the removal of humic acids from water. Three distinct preparations were assayed, namely extract (seeds homogenized with 0.15 M NaCl), fraction (extract precipitated with 60% w/v ammonium sulphate) and cMoL (protein purified with guar gel column chromatography). The extract showed the highest coagulant activity in a protein concentration between 1 mg/L and 180 mg/L at pH 7.0. The zeta potential of the extract (-10 mV to -15 mV) was less negative than that of the humic acid (-41 mV to -42 mV) in a pH range between 5.0 and 8.0; thus, the mechanism that might be involved in this coagulation activity is adsorption and neutralization of charges. Reduction of total organic carbon (TOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was observed in water samples containing 9 mg/L carbon as humic acid when treated with 1 mg/L of the extract. A decrease in colour and in the aromatic content of the treated water was also observed. These results suggested that the extract from M. oleifera seeds in a low concentration (1 mg/L) can be an interesting natural alternative for removing humic acid from water in developing countries. The extract dose determined in the present study does not impart odour or colour to the treated water.

The determination of vitamin C, organic acids, phenolic compounds concentration of Red and Golden delicious apple grown in Lorestan province

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ebrahim Falahi

2013-08-01

Results: Ascorbic acid concentrations in Red and Golden delicious apples were 9.49 and 9.09 mg and 9.29 mg in total per 100 grams. Malic acid concentrations in Red and Golden delicious apples were 0.26 and 0.27 and citric acid concentrations in Red and Golden delicious apples were 0.28 mg per 100 grams in both cultivars. Acidity of Red delicious was 4 and Golden delicious was about 3.7. The acidity of Red delicious was higher than the Golden one. α-farensene was the most phenolic compound in both cultivars. Conclusion: Finally, apple cultivars grown in Lorestan have 3 times more ascorbic acid than the amount which mentioned in Iranian Food Consumption Table. There were no significant relation about malic and citric acid in both cultivars.

Ferulic acid with ascorbic acid synergistically extenuates the mitochondrial dysfunction during beta-adrenergic catecholamine induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

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Yogeeta, Surinder Kumar; Raghavendran, Hanumantha Rao Balaji; Gnanapragasam, Arunachalam; Subhashini, Rajakannu; Devaki, Thiruvengadam

2006-10-27

Disruption of mitochondria and free radical mediated tissue injury have been reported during cardiotoxicity induced by isoproterenol (ISO), a beta-adrenergic catecholamine. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of the combination of ferulic acid (FA) and ascorbic acid (AA) on the mitochondrial damage in ISO induced cardiotoxicity. Induction of rats with ISO (150 mg/kg b.wt., i.p.) for 2 days resulted in a significant decrease in the activities of respiratory chain enzymes (NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome c-oxidase), tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes (isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase), mitochondrial antioxidants (GPx, GST, SOD, CAT, GSH), cytochromes (b, c, c1, aa3) and in the level of mitochondrial phospholipids. A marked elevation in mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were also observed in ISO intoxicated rats. Pre-co-treatment with the combination of FA (20 mg/kg b.wt.) and AA (80 mg/kg b.wt.) orally for 6 days significantly enhanced the attenuation of these functional abnormalities and restored normal mitochondrial function when compared to individual drug treated groups. Mitigation of ISO induced biochemical and morphological changes in mitochondria were more pronounced with a combination of FA and AA rather than the individual drug treated groups. Transmission electron microscopic observations also correlated with these biochemical parameters. Hence, these findings demonstrate the synergistic ameliorative potential of FA and AA on mitochondrial function during beta-adrenergic catecholamine induced cardiotoxicity and associated oxidative stress in rats.

Fatty Acid Profile and Physicochemical Properties of Landolphia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methyl esters of the inherent fatty acids were generated by transmethylation while the physicochemical properties of the NL was determined by official methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Results: The acid, iodine, saponification and peroxide values were 2.81 ± 0.01 mg KOH/g, 67.26 ± 1.05.

Synthesis and research of benzylamides of some isocyclic and heterocyclic acids as potential anticonvulsants.

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Strupińska, Marzanna; Rostafińska-Suchar, Grazyna; Pirianowicz-Chaber, Elzbieta; Stables, James P; Jiang, Jeff; Paruszewski, Ryszard

2013-01-01

A series of benzylamides of isocyclic and heterocyclic acids was synthesized and tested in Anticonvulsant Screening Project (ASP) of Antiepileptic Drug Development Program (ADDP) of NIH. Near all synthesized derivatives of heterocyclic acids showed activity. All obtained derivatives of mono- and bicyclic isocyclic acids were inactive. The power of action of heterocyclic acids derivatives seems does not depend upon kind of heteroatom (N, O or S). One of the compounds (2-furoic acid benzylamide (4)) appeared most promising. It showed in minimal clonic seizure (6Hz) test (ASP) in rats after i. p. administration: MES ED50 = 36.5 mg/kg, TOX TD50 = 269.75 mg/kg, and PI = 7.39.

Optimizing the specificity of nucleic acid hybridization.

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Zhang, David Yu; Chen, Sherry Xi; Yin, Peng

2012-01-22

The specific hybridization of complementary sequences is an essential property of nucleic acids, enabling diverse biological and biotechnological reactions and functions. However, the specificity of nucleic acid hybridization is compromised for long strands, except near the melting temperature. Here, we analytically derived the thermodynamic properties of a hybridization probe that would enable near-optimal single-base discrimination and perform robustly across diverse temperature, salt and concentration conditions. We rationally designed 'toehold exchange' probes that approximate these properties, and comprehensively tested them against five different DNA targets and 55 spurious analogues with energetically representative single-base changes (replacements, deletions and insertions). These probes produced discrimination factors between 3 and 100+ (median, 26). Without retuning, our probes function robustly from 10 °C to 37 °C, from 1 mM Mg(2+) to 47 mM Mg(2+), and with nucleic acid concentrations from 1 nM to 5 µM. Experiments with RNA also showed effective single-base change discrimination.

Study of Acid Rain in Tikrit City

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Khaled H. Latef

2013-04-01

Full Text Available A study of the degree of acidity  for the precipitation in four different sites in Tikrit city was done  for the period from 1-February to 1-April/2007 which is the period of rains in this year.      Chemical tests included (pH as the direct indicator of the degree of acidity ,and the concentration of sulphates (SO4-2 and nitrates ( NO3- as indirect indicator.      The (pH range was (5.56-6.4 which indicates the presence of acid rain in the area under study . (SO4-2 concentrations range was (88-223mg/l while  ( NO3- concentrations range was (80-170mg/l.      The wind velocity ,temperature, and humidity during the sample collection period ranged (2.25-4m/s, (1-260C, (22%-90% respectively

Biostimulants and Its Potential Utilization in Functional Water-soluble Fertilizers

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ZHANG Qiang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Biostimulants are becoming widely applied and extended in the fertilizer industry, because of their effects on soil improvement, anti-stress ability enhancement and root growth promotion, which can increase efficient uptake and utilization of soil nutrients, crop yield and quality.This review introduced the concepts of biostimulants, and summarized the functions and related mechanisms of commonly-applied biostimulants in the market, i.e.humic acid, amino acid, seaweed extracts and plant-growth-promoting bacteria(PGPR. The properties and applied characteristics of different organic wastes containing some biostimulating compounds as the main material of functional water soluble fertilizers (WSFin the industry were presented. The technical keys to compound these organic wastes with some bio-active substances to produce the functional WSF were explored, with the aims to support the value -added utilization of organic wastes, reduce the use of fertilizers, and promote crops忆 quality and quantity.

Photosynthetic capacity, nutrient status and growth of maize (Zea mays L. upon MgSO4 leaf-application

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Mareike eJezek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The major plant nutrient magnesium is involved in numerous physiological processes and its deficiency can severely reduce the yield and quality of crops. Since Mg availability in soil and uptake into the plant is often limited by unfavorable soil or climatic conditions, application of Mg onto leaves, the site with highest physiological Mg demand, might be a reasonable alternative fertilization strategy. This study aimed to investigate, if MgSO4 leaf-application in practically relevant amounts can efficiently alleviate the effects of Mg starvation in maize, namely reduced photosynthesis capacity, disturbed ion homeostasis and growth depression. Results clearly demonstrated that Mg deficiency could be mitigated by MgSO4 leaf-application as efficiently as by resupply of MgSO4 via the roots in vegetative maize plants. Significant increases in SPAD values and net rate of CO2-assimilation as well as enhanced shoot biomass have been achieved. Ion analysis furthermore revealed an improvement of the nutrient status of Mg-deficient plants with regard to [Mg], [K] and [Mn] in distinct organs, thereby reducing the risk of Mn-toxicity at the rootside, which often occurs together with Mg deficiency on acid soils. In conclusion, foliar fertilization with Mg proved to be an efficient strategy to adequately supply maize plants with magnesium and might hence be of practical relevance to correct nutrient deficiencies during the growing season.

Glutamic acid and folic acid production in aerobic and anaerobic probiotics

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Zohre Taghi Abadi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction:From an industrial application or commercial point of view, glutamic acid is one of the most important amino acids and its microbial production has been reported from some bacteria. Regarding the role of probiotics to modulate human health and the ever-increasing demand of prebiotics in the food industry, in the current study, production of glutamic acid and folic acid from three probiotic bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Sporolactobacillus was evaluated for the first time. Materials and methods: MRS broth and exclusive media was used for probiotic culture. The glutamic acid was identified using thin-layer chromatography and folic acid production was measured by folate kit. Each bacterium in terms of quality and quantity were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. Results: Production of glutamic acid confirmed is based on the thin layer chromatography analysis and high pressure liquid chromatography results. In addition, it was observed that all three probiotics produce folic acid. The prevalence of folate in Bifidobacterium was measured as 315 mg/ml that was more than two other bacteria. Discussion and conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of microbial production of glutamic acid and folate from the probiotic bacteria. These beneficial bacteria can be used as a good source for mass production of these valuable compounds.

Enzymatic Extraction of Hydroxycinnamic Acids from Coffee Pulp

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Ernesto Favela-Torres

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Ferulic, caffeic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids are classified as hydroxycinnamic acids, presenting anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this work, enzymatic extraction has been studied in order to extract high value-added products like hydroxycinnamic acids from coffee pulp. A commercial pectinase and enzyme extract produced by Rhizomucor pusillus strain 23aIV in solid-state fermentation using olive oil or coffee pulp (CP as an inducer of the feruloyl esterase activity were evaluated separately and mixed. The total content (covalently linked and free of ferulic, caffeic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids was 5276 mg per kg of coffee pulp. Distribution was as follows (in %: chlorogenic acid 58.7, caffeic acid 37.6, ferulic acid 2.1 and p-coumaric acid 1.5. Most of the hydroxycinnamic acids were covalently bound to the cell wall (in %: p-coumaric acid 97.2, caffeic acid 94.4, chlorogenic acid 76.9 and ferulic acid 73.4. The content of covalently linked hydroxycinnamic acid was used to calculate the enzyme extraction yield. The maximum carbon dioxide rate for the solid-state fermentation using olive oil as an inducer was higher and it was reached in a short cultivation time. Nevertheless, the feruloyl esterase (FAE activity (units per mg of protein obtained in the fermentation using CP as an inducer was 31.8 % higher in comparison with that obtained in the fermentation using olive oil as the inducer. To our knowledge, this is the first report indicating the composition of both esterified and free ferulic, caffeic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids in coffee pulp. The highest yield of extraction of hydroxycinnamic acids was obtained by mixing the produced enzyme extract using coffee pulp as an inducer and a commercial pectinase. Extraction yields were as follows (in %: chlorogenic acid 54.4, ferulic acid 19.8, p-coumaric acid 7.2 and caffeic acid 2.3. An important increase in the added value of coffee pulp was mainly

Plasma folic acid cutoff value, derived from its relationship with homocyst(e)ine.

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Brouwer, D A; Welten, H T; Reijngoud, D J; van Doormaal, J J; Muskiet, F A

1998-07-01

We established the cutoff value for plasma folic acid, using plasma homocyst(e)ine as the functional marker. To do this, we investigated the relationship of the plasma folic acid of 103 apparently healthy adults with their fasting plasma homocyst(e)ine and with their plasma homocyst(e)ine 6 h after oral methionine challenge (100 mg/kg). We also studied the relationship of their plasma folic acid with the decline of fasting plasma homocyst(e)ine after 7 days of folic acid supplementation (5 mg/day). The three approaches suggested a cutoff value of 10 nmol/L. The chances of individuals to significantly (P ine after folic acid supplementation proved significantly higher at plasma folic acid concentrations < or = 10 nmol/L, as compared with folic acid concentrations above this value (odds ratio, 5.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.87-13.73). We suggest adopting a 10 nmo/L plasma folic acid cutoff value on functional grounds.

Folic Acid supplementation stimulates notch signaling and cell proliferation in embryonic neural stem cells.

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Liu, Huan; Huang, Guo-Wei; Zhang, Xu-Mei; Ren, Da-Lin; X Wilson, John

2010-09-01

The present study investigated the effect of folic acid supplementation on the Notch signaling pathway and cell proliferation in rat embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs). The NSCs were isolated from E14-16 rat brain and grown as neurospheres in serum-free suspension culture. Individual cultures were assigned to one of 3 treatment groups that differed according to the concentration of folic acid in the medium: Control (baseline folic acid concentration of 4 mg/l), low folic acid supplementation (4 mg/l above baseline, Folate-L) and high folic acid supplementation (40 mg/l above baseline, Folate-H). NSCs were identified by their expression of immunoreactive nestin and proliferating cells by incorporation of 5'bromo-2'deoxyuridine. Cell proliferation was also assessed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Notch signaling was analyzed by real-time PCR and western blot analyses of the expression of Notch1 and hairy and enhancer of split 5 (Hes5). Supplementation of NSCs with folic acid increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of Notch1 and Hes5. Folic acid supplementation also stimulated NSC proliferation dose-dependently. Embryonic NSCs respond to folic acid supplementation with increased Notch signaling and cell proliferation. This mechanism may mediate the effects of folic acid supplementation on neurogenesis in the embryonic nervous system.