Premixed Turbulent Flame Propagation in Microgravity

Papers included address the following topics: (1) Turbulent premixed flame propagation in microgravity; (2) The effect of gravity on turbulent premixed flame propagation - a preliminary cold flow study; and (3) Characteristics of a subgrid model for turbulent premixed combustion

Monitoring the correction of glycogen storage disease type 1a in a mouse model using [18F]FDG and a dedicated animal scanner

Monitoring gene therapy of glycogen storage disease type 1a in a mouse model was achieved using [18F]FDG and a dedicated animal scanner. The G6Pase knockout (KO) mice were compared to the same mice after infusion with a recombinant adenovirus containing the murine G6Pase gene (Ad-mG6Pase). Serial images of the same mouse before and after therapy were obtained and compared with wild-type (WT) mice of the same strain to determine the uptake and retention of [18F]FDG in the liver. Image data were acquired from heart, blood pool and liver for twenty minutes after injection of [18F]FDG. The retention of [18F]FDG was lower for the WT mice compared to the KO mice. The mice treated with adenovirus-mediated gene therapy had retention similar to that found in age-matched WT mice. These studies show that FDG can be used to monitor the G6Pase concentration in liver of WT mice as compared to G6Pase KO mice. In these mice, gene therapy returned the liver function to that found in age matched WT controls as measured by the FDG kinetics in the liver compared to that found in age matched wild type controlsPublicad

Polyimides and their derivatives for gas separation applications

High performance polymers are of interest for high temperature gas separations, especially for the sequestration of carbon dioxide. A new family of high performance imide polymers (VTEC, RBI Inc.) has been identified as a material class containing the potential building blocks needed for a successful membrane capture material. The VTEC polyimides possess the desired thermal properties (up to 500 °C) and are robust and flexible even after multiple thermal cycles (up to 400 °C). A critical variable when working with the glassy polymers is their moisture content. It has been found that water entrapped within the polymer matrix (either as hydration molecules attached to salts in the polymer, left over solvent, or physisorbed) can also cause the polymer to change dramatically. Additionally presence of molecular water in the polymer’s void volume has been validated through Positron Annihilation Lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy. In this presentation, polymer characterization and gas-separation testing results will be discussed

Synthesis of Fluorine-18 Functionalized Nanoparticles for use as in vivo Molecular Imaging Agents

Nanoparticles containing fluorine-18 were prepared from block copolymers made by ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Using the fast initiating ruthenium metathesis catalyst (H_2IMes)(pyr)_2(Cl)_2Ru=CHPh, low polydispersity amphiphilic block copolymers were prepared from a cinnamoyl-containing hydrophobic norbornene monomer and a mesyl-terminated PEG-containing hydrophilic norbornene monomer. Self-assembly into micelles and subsequent cross-linking of the micelle cores by light-activated dimerization of the cinnamoyl groups yielded stable nanoparticles. Incorporation of fluorine-18 was achieved by nucleophilic displacement of the mesylates by the radioactive fluoride ion with 31% incorporation of radioactivity. The resulting positron-emitting nanoparticles are to be used as in vivo molecular imaging agents for use in tumor imaging

Respiratorni simptomi u radnica na preradi riba na obali Jadrana u Hrvatskoj

This article describes respiratory symptoms and lung function in 98 fish processing female workers employed in a fish processing plant located on the Croatian Adriatic coast and 95 matching controls. The study included chronic and acute respiratory symptoms which developed during the shifts. Lung function measurements included forced vital capacity (FVC), one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and maximal expiratory rates at 50 % and the last 25 % (FEF50, FEF25). Chronic respiratory symptoms were significantly dominant in fish processing workers compared to controls. The most common chronic symptoms were hoarseness (57.1 %), nasal catarrh (51.0 %), chronic cough (42.9 %), chronic phlegm (34.7 %), and frequent chest cold (35.7 %). Exposed smokers and nonsmokers had a similar prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms. Acute symptoms over the work shift were high, with headache in lead (smokers: 62.5 %; nonsmokers: 56.1 %). Most of the ventilatory capacity parameters were significantly lower than predicted, FEF25 in particular, indicating obstructive changes predominantly in the smaller airways. These findings suggest that fish processing workers are prone to developing acute and chronic respiratory symptoms as well as to lung function changes. This calls for medical and technical preventive measures to be introduced in the work environment of the fi sh processing plant.Cilj je ovoga istraživanja bio ispitati respiratorne simptome i plućnu funkciju radnica zaposlenih na preradi riba u industriji na obali Jadranskog mora u Hrvatskoj. U istraživanje je uključeno 98 radnica zaposlenih na preradi riba i 95 žena neizložene kontrolne skupine. Ispitivani su kronični i akutni respiratorni simptomi koji se razvijaju tijekom radne smjene. Mjerena je plućna funkcija registriranjem forsiranoga vitalnog kapaciteta (FVC), forsiranoga ekspiracijskog volumena u prvoj sekundi (FEV1) te maksimalnoga ekspiracijskog protoka pri 50 % i zadnjih 25 % forsiranoga vitalnog kapaciteta (FEF50, FEF25) na krivulji maksimalni ekspiracijski protok-volumen (MEPV). Učestalost većine kroničnih respiracijskih simptoma bila je značajno viša u eksponiranih u usporedbi s kontrolnom skupinom. U eksponiranih radnica utvrđena je i visoka prevalencija akutnih simptoma koji se razvijaju tijekom radne smjene, posebno za promuklost (57,1 %) i katar nosa (51 %), potom slijedi kronični kašalj (42,9 %), kronični iskašljaj (34,7 %), upale sinusa (32 %) i česte prehlade (35,7 %). S obzirom na naviku pušenja pušači i nepušači imali su sličnu prevalenciju kroničnih respiratornih simptoma. Izložene radnice imale su visoku prevalenciju akutnih simptoma tijekom radne smjene i to naročito za glavobolju (pušači 62,5 %; nepušači 56,1 %). Ventilacijska funkcija pluća bila je značajno smanjena u usporedbi s predviđenim normalnim vrijednostima posebice za FEF25 % upućujući na opstruktivne promjene pretežno u manjim dišnim putovima. Naši podaci upućuju na opasnost razvoja kroničnih i akutnih respiracijskih simptoma i promjena plućne funkcije u radnika koji rade u industriji na preradi riba. Medicinske i tehničke preventivne mjere u radnom okolišu treba preporučiti u industriji prerade riba