A reference high-pressure CH₄ adsorption isotherm for zeolite Y: results of an interlaboratory study

This paper reports the results of an international interlaboratory study led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on the measurement of high-pressure surface excess methane adsorption isotherms on NIST Reference Material RM 8850 (Zeolite Y), at 25 °C up to 7.5 MPa. Twenty laboratories participated in the study and contributed over one-hundred adsorption isotherms of methane on Zeolite Y. From these data, an empirical reference equation was determined, along with a 95% uncertainty interval (Uk=2). By requiring participants to replicate a high-pressure reference isotherm for carbon dioxide adsorption on NIST Reference Material RM 8852 (ZSM-5), this interlaboratory study also demonstrated the usefulness of reference isotherms in evaluating the performance of high-pressure adsorption experiments

Differences in Nevirapine Biotransformation as a Factor for its Sex-Dependent Dimorphic Profile of Adverse Drug Reactions

OBJECTIVES: Nevirapine is widely used for the treatment of HIV-1 infection; however, its chronic use has been associated with severe liver and skin toxicity. Women are at increased risk for these toxic events, but the reasons for the sex-related differences are unclear. Disparities in the biotransformation of nevirapine and the generation of toxic metabolites between men and women might be the underlying cause. The present work aimed to explore sex differences in nevirapine biotransformation as a potential factor in nevirapine-induced toxicity. METHODS: All included subjects were adults who had been receiving 400 mg of nevirapine once daily for at least 1 month. Blood samples were collected and the levels of nevirapine and its phase I metabolites were quantified by HPLC. Anthropometric and clinical data, and nevirapine metabolite profiles, were assessed for sex-related differences. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were included (63% were men). Body weight was lower in women (P = 0.028) and female sex was associated with higher alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.036) and lactate dehydrogenase (P = 0.037) levels. The plasma concentrations of nevirapine (P = 0.030) and the metabolite 3-hydroxy-nevirapine (P = 0.035), as well as the proportions of the metabolites 12-hydroxy-nevirapine (P = 0.037) and 3-hydroxy-nevirapine (P = 0.001), were higher in women, when adjusted for body weight. CONCLUSIONS: There was a sex-dependent variation in nevirapine biotransformation, particularly in the generation of the 12-hydroxy-nevirapine and 3-hydroxy-nevirapine metabolites. These data are consistent with the sex-dependent formation of toxic reactive metabolites, which may contribute to the sex-dependent dimorphic profile of nevirapine toxicity

Purification and characterization of native human insulin-like growth factor binding protein-6

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) are key regulators of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) mediated signal transduction and thereby can profoundly influence cellular phenotypes and cell fate. Whereas IGFBPs are extracellular proteins, intracellular activities were described for several IGFBP family members, such as IGFBP-3, which can be reinternalized by endocytosis and reaches the nucleus through routes that remain to be fully established. Within the family of IGFBPs, IGFBP-6 is unique for its specific binding to IGF-II. IGFBP-6 was described to possess additional IGF-independent activities, which have in part been attributed to its translocation to the nucleus; however, cellular uptake of IGFBP-6 was not described. To further explore IGFBP-6 functions, we developed a new method for the purification of native human IGFBP-6 from cell culture supernatants, involving a four-step affinity purification procedure, which yields highly enriched IGFBP-6. Whereas protein purified in this way retained the capacity to interact with IGF-II and modulate IGF-dependent signal transduction, our data suggest that, unlike IGFBP-3, human IGFBP-6 is not readily internalized by human tumor cells. To summarize, this work describes a novel and efficient method for the purification of native human insulin-like growth factor binding protein 6 (IGFBP-6) from human cell culture supernatants, applying a four-step chromatography procedure. Intactness of purified IGFBP-6 was confirmed by IGF ligand Western blot and ability to modulate IGF-dependent signal transduction. Cellular uptake studies were performed to further characterize the purified protein, showing no short-term uptake of IGFBP-6, in contrast to IGFBP-3

Resolution of the ethanolamine salt of () mandelic acid by using the AS3PC method : principle, application and results

International audienc

Catalytic steam reforming of methane over La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 based Ru catalysts

La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 based Ru catalysts were studied as potential new anodic materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells directly fed with methane and operating at intermediate temperature under water deficient conditions. Two kinds of materials very close in composition were obtained following two different preparation procedures. Catalyst samples were characterized by physicochemical methods (XRD, SEM, BET and Chemical Analysis) and studied in methane steam reforming under water deficient conditions. Carbon formation during catalytic testing was studied by temperature programmed oxidation (TPO). Both types of catalysts were found very active and resistant to carbon formation. The unusual oscillatory behavior of the catalytic activity observed for one type of catalyst was discussed. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Vaporeformage du méthane sur La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 promu au ruthénium

nationa

Methane steam reforming under water deficient conditions over Ru-promoted La0.8Sr0.2CrO3: influence of preparation method

internationa

Pysäköintilaitosten käytettävyys asiakkaan näkökulmasta

Tämän opinnäytetyön tavoitteena on kartoittaa pysäköintilaitosten käytettävyyttä asiakkaiden näkökulmasta. Tavoitteena ei ole esitellä ratkaisumalleja eri käytettävyysongelmiin, vaan pikemminkin tavoitteena on selvittää, mitkä asiat ovat käytettävyyden kannalta keskeisiä ja mitä ongelmia käytettävyydessä eniten esiintyy. Työn tilaajana on Vantaan kaupunki, joka pysäköintitilojen rakennuttajana haluaa suunnitella pysäköintitilat sellaisiksi, että niitä on mahdollisimman mukava käyttää. Työlle on tarvetta, sillä Kehäradan varteen rakennetaan pysäköintipaikkoja niin liityntäpysäköinnille kuin asukkaille, liiketiloille sekä kauppakeskukselle. Tiedonkeruumenetelminä työssä käytettiin käyttäjähaastatteluja, osallistuvaa havainnointia ja kirjallisuuskatsausta. Käyttäjänäkökulmaa syventämään tehtiin myös asiantuntijahaastatteluja. Pysäköintilaitoksissa ajaminen koettiin haasteelliseksi, ja eniten huolta sekä ongelmia aiheuttivat liian ahtaat pysäköintiruudut. Käytettävyysongelmat loivat käyttäjilleen erilaisia selviytymistapoja pysäköimiseen. Tapoihin tottuminen ja tilan tutuksi tuleminen lisäsivät pysäköinnin sujuvuutta nostivat käytettävyyden tasoa. Tottuminen nousi keskeiseksi tekijäksi pysäköintitilojen käytettävyyden parantajana. Myös jalankulun sujuvuutta ja turvallisuutta pidettiin tärkeänä. Käyttäjien tarpeet väljemmistä tiloista ja pysäköintiruuduista eivät kohtaa rakennuttajien intressejä kustannusten minimoimisesta pysäköintipaikkaa kohden. Sen sijaan käyttäjien tarpeet pysäköinnin sujuvuudesta ovat linjassa tiloja hallinnoivien yritysten ansaintalogiikan kanssa. Sujuvuus lisää pysäköintiyrityksen tuloja ja samalla parantaa käytettävyyttä. Pysäköintitiloja suunnitellaan nykyään ihmisiä eikä vain autoja varten. Ajatuksena muutos autojen säilyttämispaikasta tilaksi, jossa ihminen toimii sekä auton kuljettajana että jalankulkijana konkretisoituu erilaisina tilaan sijoitettavina lisäpalveluina, jalankulun parempaan huomioimisena sekä yleisenä viihtyvyytenä.This thesis aims to explore the usability of parking facilities from the customers’ point of view. The purpose is not to present solutions to various usability problems, but rather to find out what is essential for the usability and what are the greatest problems that occur. This study is commissioned by the City of Vantaa. As a builder of parking facilities the city wants to design parking areas so that they are easy and comfortable to use. The project is related to the airport railway project that increases the need for different types of parking. Data collection methods for this qualitative research were user interviews, participant observation and literature review. The customers’ perspective was deepened with expert interviews. Driving inside the parking garage is seen as a challenge. The biggest problems as well as greatest concern were caused by parking screens that are often too tight. Usability problems created a variety of coping strategies for parking. Keeping one’s strategy and getting familiar with the garage increased fluency of parking and therefore also usability. To become an accustomed user emerged as a key factor in improving usability in parking facilities. Also pedestrian flow and safety was considered important. Users’ needs for less stringent parking screens do not meet the interests of developers and builders to minimize the cost of a single parking screen. Instead, the users' needs are in line with the revenue logic of the companies managing parking facilities. Fluency increases the company's revenues while improving usability. Today’s parking facilities are designed for people, not just for cars. The idea of a facility where people act both as a drivers and pedestrians rather than a facility that is just a car deposit means in practice additional services inside the garage, clearly visible pedestrian areas and general convenience of the area