Inflammation in embryology: A review of neuroinflammation in spina bifida

The occurrence of neuroinflammation after the failure of neural tube closure, resulting in spina bifida aperta, is well established but whether or not neuroinflammation contributes to damage to the neuroepithelium prior to and during closure is not known. Neuroinflammation may occur at different time periods after perturbation to the developing spinal cord. Evidence suggests that early neuroinflammation is detrimental, whereas the later chronic phase of neuroinflammation may have useful roles. The role of neuroinflammation in neural tube defects is complex. It is important to make the distinction of whether neuroinflammation is important for neuroprotection or detrimental to the neural tissue. This may directly be influenced by the location, magnitude and duration of the insult, as well as the expression of neurotrophic or neurotoxic molecules. The current understanding remains that the chronic damage to the developing spinal cord is likely due to the chemical and mechanical damage of the exposed neural tissue owing to the aggressive intrauterine environment, described as the “two-hit mechanism”. Astrogliosis in the exposed spinal cord has been described in animal models of spina bifida after the failure of closure during embryonic life. Still, its association with neuroinflammatory processes is poorly understood. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of neuroinflammation in neural tube defects, specifically spina bifida, and highlight inflammation-targeted strategies that may potentially be used to treat this pathophysiological condition

Corrosion Behaviour Of Brass In The Vembanad Estuary, India

Corrosion characteristics of brass panels were investigated in the Vembanad estuarine water (Cochin Harbor), India over a period of one year. The corrosion rate of brass samples during exposure was determined by gravimetric method and fouling on panels was assessed, exposure-wise, in terms of biomass. Corrosion products were identified by X-Ray diffraction. The results of the study were discussed in the light of the seawater characteristicsCochin University of Science and TechnologyJournal of Marine Science and Technology, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 719-722 (2010

VertiMill® - development of circuit survey and performance evaluation protocols

Approximately 420 VertiMills® (VTM) have been installed in mineral processing plants throughout the world, mainly in tertiary and regrind applications plus several in secondary grinding duties. Metso Minerals (Metso) and the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) have commenced a collaborative research program in stirred milling technology focusing on mill performance evaluation, model development and scale-up methodology. Industrial VTMs are being assessed using a consistent circuit survey protocol to evaluate the performance of VTMs in comminution circuits. The survey protocol includes identification and modification of sampling points, appropriate sampling techniques, controlled circuit stability, and best sample analysis practice. To initiate this study four surveys were conducted in the tertiary grind circuit in the Ridgeway Concentrator at Cadia Valley Operations (CVO) that treats the full circuit throughput of over 800 tph. To deal with the high feed rate the site opted to lead the world in the application of stirred mills by installing the largest VTM, at 3000 hp (2240kW) in closed circuit with a hydrocyclone bank. On average the operating work index was 13.1 kWh/t, reducing the secondary grind product by 40 - 50 µm to the required 80 to 100 µm range. The applied specific energy is relatively low in these low-intensity stirred media mills at 2.7 kWh/t. The size specific energy was 24.2 kWh/t-75µm. Based on the survey and operating data the VTM circuit is performing well in this high-throughput tertiary grinding application, producing a sub-100µm product

New Insights into Segmental Packing, Chain Dynamics and Thermomechanical Performance of Aliphatic Polyurea Composites: Comparison between Silica Oxides and Titanium (III) Oxides

Polyurea (PU) is intrinsically reinforced by its microphase-separated morphology, giving its excellent mechanical properties. In this study, it is shown how a high-index PU formulation applies easy diffusion of hard segments into the soft phase of the PU matrix and tune its chain mobility. Moreover, the interaction of micro (>100 nm), nano (<100 nm) fillers with the microdomains and their thermomechanical properties are unraveled. Herein, nanosilica oxide (NS) and micro titanium (III) oxide (Ti2O3) are incorporated at low loadings into a solvent-free two-component aliphatic PU via insitu polymerization. While NS achieves an interfacial interaction with urea groups and forms a tight hard segmental packing, the large-sized Ti2O3 assembles the interconnected PU chain network, improving its crystallinity. Strong reinforcement by NS is noticed when tensile strength increased from 26 to 31 MPa and on the maximum thermal degradation temperature by 21 °C increment from the neat PU. In contrast, the soft segmental dynamics are triggered with the presence of Ti2O3 as indicated in the reduction in glass transition temperature and the 288% improvement in the storage modulus. This study provides an insightful perspective in designing robust PU composites, effective for myriad applications including strong and flexible films in circuit boards and photovoltaic (PV) cells

Sanitary Landfill Types and Design

In terms of solid waste management, landfills are the favored disposal strategy. Before an area is established as a landfill, certain crucial things must be focused on and acted upon. In its most basic form, a landfill is a location where trash is “thrown” or “dumped.” However, developing a landfill necessitates a great deal of engineering expertise. A sanitary landfill is an engineered technique for disposing of solid waste on land that is designed to cause the least amount of environmental harm and inconvenience. As a result, the sanitary landfill design includes a detailed description and plan that ensures the safe and effective disposal of solid waste. This chapter goes through the types of sanitary landfills and the critical design requirements. Site selection, landfill liners, landfilling technology, and landfill cover system up to closure stage are all part of the sanitary landfill design. Every part must be properly designed; otherwise, the ecosystem will suffer. Because a sanitary landfill is a site where solid waste is disposed of in an engineered manner, the environmental effect is reduced or eliminated