The Effects of Cocaine on Different Redox Forms of Cysteine and Homocysteine, and on Labile, Reduced Sulfur in the Rat Plasma Following Active versus Passive Drug Injections

Received: 28 November 2012 / Revised: 19 April 2013 / Accepted: 6 May 2013 / Published online: 16 May 2013 The Author(s) 2013. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.comThe aim of the present studies was to evaluate cocaine-induced changes in the concentrations of different redox forms of cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy), and products of anaerobic Cys metabolism, i.e., labile, reduced sulfur (LS) in the rat plasma. The above-mentioned parameters were determined after i.p. acute and subchronic cocaine treatment as well as following i.v. cocaine self-administration using the yoked procedure. Additionally, Cys, Hcy, and LS levels were measured during the 10-day extinction training in rats that underwent i.v. cocaine administration. Acute i.p. cocaine treatment increased the total and protein-bound Hcy contents, decreased LS, and did not change the concentrations of Cys fractions in the rat plasma. In turn, subchronic i.p. cocaine administration significantly increased free Hcy and lowered the total and protein-bound Cys concentrations while LS level was unchanged. Cocaine self-administration enhanced the total and protein-bound Hcy levels, decreased LS content, and did not affect the Cys fractions. On the other hand, yoked cocaine infusions did not alter the concentration of Hcy fractions while decreased the total and protein-bound Cys and LS content. This extinction training resulted in the lack of changes in the examined parameters in rats with a history of cocaine self-administration while in the yoked cocaine group an increase in the plasma free Cys fraction and LS was seen. Our results demonstrate for the first time that cocaine does evoke significant changes in homeostasis of thiol amino acids Cys and Hcy, and in some products of anaerobic Cys metabolism, which are dependent on the way of cocaine administration

Compressed air energy storage as backup generation capacity combined with wind energy sector in Poland - implementation possibilities

Wind energy sector has been developing at a fast pace in many countries around the world in recent years. However, there is an issue with the unpredictability of electricity production provided by wind turbines that is caused by variability of weather. Therefore, there is need to compensate the intermittency of wind energy by means of backup power generation facilities. One of the solutions is compressed air energy storage technology (CAES). The paper discusses the CAES technology characteristics as well as economic aspects of CAES plant construction and operation. The latest achievements and developments in the field of CAES technology is presented. The paper inspects the existing CAES facilities and discusses the possibilities of implementing this technology in Poland

An application of a Raman scattering analyzer for the determination of natural gas composition at a processing plant

The development of conventional and unconventional natural gas reservoir management includes continuous monitoring of hydrocarbon exploitation processes and its impact on the reservoir and environment. Raman spectroscopy, which allows for the identification of reservoir fluids (including natural gas) components can be a very promising method for the application of providing a quick, non-invasive, nondestructive analysis. The proposed in this paper measurement methods are focused on the use of:– a laboratory cell (autoclave) with sapphire window mounted on a specially prepared bypass pipeline;– a dedicated Raman probe mounted to the available installed stub pipe;– the construction of a special measurement cell. The article presents the basic technical assumptions for measurements of the composition of natural gas with the use Raman spectroscopy

Thermodynamic analysis of hydrogen pipeline transportation – selected aspects

Nowadays we can observe an increasing seek for a new alternatives for the sources and devices of energy storage. One of those sources is hydrogen which can be used in process of energy storage (analogous for compressed air). Hydrogen energy storage facility (in most cases – salt caverns) is often located at long distance from hydrogen source. Due to high amount of hydrogen to be transported transport by tank trucks must be rejected because of its low efficiency. The optimal way of hydrogen transport is pipeline transportation. Hydrogen can be transported by pipeline as a pure fluid or as a component in natural gas mixture. The main target of this paper is the thermodynamic analysis of hydrogen pipeline transportation as a pure fluid or as component of natural gas. Provided analysis includes pressure drop and temperature changes for different assumed cases of hydrogen pipeline transport

Characterization of natural gas by Raman spectroscopy and its application for in-situ measurements

Gaseous hydrocarbons and nitrogen mixtures are characterized with an own designed portable Raman system equipped with a high pressure autoclave and fiber-optic probe. Backscattered radiation is collected through a sapphire window with a probe and transferred to the spectrometer. Samples are measured for a set of pressures in the range of 1–150 bar in ambient temperature. Measurement conditions are set to maintain an one-phase system. Spectra are collected in a wide range of wavenumber 350–3500 cm–1. Initial composition of measured samples is measured be means of gas chromatography. Design computer algorithms automatically detects and characterizes Raman bands for given species and their peak areas. The influence of both pressure and concentration of a given element on given band position and area are demonstrated

Changes in species composition of plants used for energy purposes in the fallow irrigated with sewage

W latach 2010-12 przeprowadzono doświadczenie z nawadnianiem pola wyłączonego z produkcji rolnej. Nie użytkowane rolniczo grunty zostały zasiedlone samoistnie przez zbiorowisko roślin w którym przeważającą część stanowiła nawłoć (Solidago) - gatunek, który może być z powodzeniem wykorzystywany w agroenergetyce. Celem przeprowadzonego doświadczenia było zbadanie czy systematyczne wprowadzanie ścieków na odłóg w istotny sposób różnicuje skład florystyczny oraz biomasę gatunku dominującego – nawłoci. Na glebie płowej wytworzonej z piasku gliniastego, stosowano dwie dawki polewowe: 10mm oraz 20mm na poletkach o powierzchni 1m2. Efekty nawadniania wstępnie oczyszczonymi ściekami bytowo-gospodarczymi porównywano z obiektem bez nawodnień (kontrola). W okresie wegetacyjnym, od maja do września zastosowano w sumie 21 dawek polewowych w odstępach 7 dniowych. Nawadnianie przyczyniło się do wzrostu liczby pędów nawłoci (obsady) na jednostce powierzchni. Obsada pozostałych gatunków porastających odłóg ulegała zmianom. Najliczniejsza grupa, do której należały następujące gatunki: Agropyron repens, Rumex crispus, Taraxacum officinale, Artemisia vulgaris, Trifolium repens, wyraźnie zwiększyła swoją obsadę pod wpływem stosowania nawadniania. Druga grupa, do której należały takie gatunki jak: Poa pratensis, Calamagrostis epigejos, Tanacetum vulgare, Achillea millefolium, zmniejszyła swoją obsadę. Dla dawek polewowych wynoszących 10mm, zwiększenie liczby roślin gatunków reagujących pozytywnie na nawodnienia było mniejsze od spadku obsady roślin zmniejszających swoją obsadę. Inaczej sytuacja kształtowała się w przypadku dawek polewowych wynoszących 20mm. Stąd ogólna liczba roślin nawadnianych dawkami 10mm zmniejszyła się w porównaniu do obiektu kontrolnego, natomiast wzrosła na poletkach nawadnianych dawkami w wysokości 20mm. Nawadnianie spowodowało istotny wzrost biomasy nawłoci jako gatunku dominującego w stosunku do biomasy pozostałych taksonów.In 2010-12 research related to irrigation of fallows was carried out. Fallows were spontaneously settled by plants which mainly consisted of goldenrods (Solidago sp.) - a species which can be successfully used in agro-energy. The objective of the conducted research was to verify if sewage systematically delivered to a fallow fundamentally differentiates the floristic composition and biomass of the dominant species - goldenrod. Two irrigation rates: 10mm and 20mm on the patches of 1m2 each were applied on the fawn soil formed by clay sand. The effects of irrigation with initially purified sewage were compared to the object without irrigation (control). In the vegetative season, from May to September, 21 irrigation rates of sewage in total were applied with 7 days intervals. The irrigation contributed to the increase of the goldenrod shoots number (plants) on the area unit. The rest of species covering the fallow changed. The biggest group with the following species: Agropyron repens, Rumex crispus, Taraxacum officinale, Artemisia vulgaris, Trifolium repens, significantly increased its plants number due to irrigation. However, the second group with such species as: Poa pratensis, Calamagrostis epigejos, Tanacetum vulgare, Achillea millefolium, decreased its plants number. For the irrigation doses of 10mm, the increase of the number of plants of species reacting positively to irrigation was lower than the decrease of plants which decreased its number of plants. The situation connected with doses of 20mm irrigation was different. Hence, the total number of plants irrigated with doses of 10mm diminished comparing to the control object, however, it increased on the patches irrigated with 20mm doses. The irrigation caused significant increase of the goldenrod biomass as a dominant species in relation to the biomass of other taxons

Air temperature variability on the silesian lowlands in the years 1957-2014

Results of air temperature measurements in the 1957-2014 multi-annual period were analysed in the paper. The data originated from Jelcz-Laskowice locality situated in the south-western part of Poland, at the flat part of the Lower Silesia, on Silesian Lowlands. Average annual and monthly air temperatures and the number of days of thermal seasons duration were analysed. Trends of changes were set and extreme values of average monthly air temperatures were analysed. Mean annual air temperatures in the studied multi-annual period revealed a tendency to increase. Average monthly extreme values of the analysed factor revealed a similar direction of changes; however, more apparent changes occurred for the maximum values. Over the analysed period, average monthly air temperatures revealed a tendency to increase. The most serious changes occurred in July, slightly lesser in August, May and April. The number of days in the years 1957-2014 in the interval limited by the air temperature threshold values: 0°C, 5°C and 15°C was greatly diversified. Analysed results had a clear growing tendency for the summer, slightly lower for the spring, but evidently declining for the autumn

Application of Raman spectroscopy analysis in unconventional natural gas reservoirs – density and pressure dependence on Raman signal intensity

This paper contains information about Raman spectroscopy, describing its possible application in the oil and gas industry. This method allows the performance of a series of repetitive measurements to determine the composition of samples and its changes with high accuracy. In the article, the data presented in the literature connected with Raman spectroscopy and the oil and gas industry is analyzed. This paper considered measurements of a natural gas composition in simulated in-situ conditions performed using Raman spectroscopy. The current research project is trying to develop a mobile apparatus which would use Raman spectroscopy for defining reservoir fluid compounds in high pressure and high temperature conditions. The preliminary measurements were carried out in the simulated in-situ in variant pressure conditions