Effect of municipal liquid waste on corrosion susceptibility of galvanized steel pipe

This investigation studied the effect of municipal liquid waste discharged into the environment within Kano municipal area on the corrosion susceptibility of galvanized steel pipe burial underground. Six stagnant and six moving municipal liquid waste samples were used for the investigation. The corrosion rate of the galvanized steel pipe was measured using the gravimetric technique. The results obtained from weight loss measurement shows a serious corrosion effect of municipal liquid waste on the galvanized steel pipe. The overall corrosion rates are much higher in the stagnant and moving liquid waste samples collected within the core city than the liquid waste samples collected outside the city, but become low with the formation of passive films on galvanized steel surface after 2500 hours. Therefore, this investigation revealed that the galvanized steel pipes used to supply the city with pipe borne water are at high risk of supplying contaminated water due to some leaking pipes. Key words: Liquid waste, galvanized steel, weight loss, ravimetric, corrosion, leakin

Studies on the Effects of Ammonium Phosphates on the Flammability Properties of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Films

Poly(vinyl alcohol) was solvent-cast from aqueous solution of n-hexane into 125 μm films. Three ammonium phosphates, (NH4)3PO4, NH4H2PO4 and (NH4)2HPO4, were then added to produce eight sample films. Burning time, flame spread, limiting oxygen index, ignition time, and afterglow time of the samples were evaluated to determine the flame retardant efficiency of the three fillers. From the results, burning time, flame spread, after-glow time, and ignition response indices of the filled samples were found to be lower than the control sample. However, limiting oxygen index of the filled samples was found to be higher than that of the control sample. The efficiency of the fillers in fireproofing the poly(vinyl alcohol) film was found to follow the order (NH4)3PO4 > NH4H2PO4 > (NH4)2HPO4. Additive effect was observed when the fillers are added in pairs with the fireproofing efficiency following the order (NH4)3PO4 + NH4H2PO4 > (NH4)3PO4 + (NH4)2HPO4 > (NH4)2HPO4 + NH4H2PO4. Antagonism in fireproofing efficiency was observed when all the three fillers were present in the poly(vinyl alcohol) film. The fireproofing efficiency of the ammonium salts is attributed to the quantity and the ease with which ammonia (NH3) gas is released when the filled poly(vinyl alcohol) films were heated

Deep RNA Sequencing Reveals Novel Cardiac Transcriptomic Signatures for Physiological and Pathological Hypertrophy

Although both physiological hypertrophy (PHH) and pathological hypertrophy (PAH) of the heart have similar morphological appearances, only PAH leads to fatal heart failure. In the present study, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to determine the transcriptomic signatures for both PHH and PAH. Approximately 13–20 million reads were obtained for both models, among which PAH showed more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (2,041) than PHH (245). The expression of 417 genes was barely detectable in the normal heart but was suddenly activated in PAH. Among them, Foxm1 and Plk1 are of particular interest, since Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) using DEGs and upstream motif analysis showed that they are essential hub proteins that regulate the expression of downstream proteins associated with PAH. Meanwhile, 52 genes related to collagen, chemokines, and actin showed opposite expression patterns between PHH and PAH. MAZ-binding motifs were enriched in the upstream region of the participating genes. Alternative splicing (AS) of exon variants was also examined using RNA-Seq data for PAH and PHH. We found 317 and 196 exon inclusions and exon exclusions, respectively, for PAH, and 242 and 172 exon inclusions and exclusions, respectively for PHH. The AS pattern was mostly related to gains or losses of domains, changes in activity, and localization of the encoded proteins. The splicing variants of 8 genes (i.e., Fhl1, Rcan1, Ndrg2, Synpo, Ttll1, Cxxc5, Egfl7, and Tmpo) were experimentally confirmed. Multilateral pathway analysis showed that the patterns of quantitative (DEG) and qualitative (AS) changes differ depending on the type of pathway in PAH and PHH. One of the most significant changes in PHH is the severe downregulation of autoimmune pathways accompanied by significant AS. These findings revealed the unique transcriptomic signatures of PAH and PHH and also provided a more comprehensive understanding at both the quantitative and qualitative levels

Discs large regulates somatic cyst cell survival and expansion in drosophila testis

Gonad development requires a coordinated soma-germline interaction that ensures renewal and differentiation of germline and somatic stem cells to ultimately produce mature gametes. The Drosophila tumour suppressor gene discs large (dlg) encodes a septate junction protein functioning during epithelial polarization, asymmetric neuroblast division, and formation of neuromuscular junctions. Here, we report the role of dlg in testis development and its critical function in somatic cyst cells (SCCs). In these cells dlg is primarily required for their survival and expansion, and contributes to spermatocyte cyst differentiation. Cell death primarily occurred in SCCs at the end of spermatogonial amplification at a time when Dlg becomes restricted in wild-type (wt) testes to the distal somatic cells capping the growing spermatocyte cysts. RNAi depletion of dlg transcripts in early SCCs fully prevented testis development, whereas depletion in late SCCs resulted in a breakdown of spermatocyte cyst structure and germ cell individualization. Specific dlg expression in SCCs resulted in developmental rescue of dlg mutant testes, whereas its expression in germ cells exerted no such effect. dlg overexpression in wt testes led to spermatocyte cyst expansion at the expense of spermatogonial cysts. Our data demonstrate that dlg is essentially required in SCCs for their survival, expansion, and differentiation, and for the encapsulation of the germline cells