Rheological Properties of Magnetorheological Polishing Fluid for Micro Mould Polishing

Complex surface features such as micro-grooves on micro mould which was produced by the micro-milling process have a significant problem of raised edge or top burr formation. This problem can be solved by using magnetorheological polishing (MRP) technique. MRP capable to produce ultra-fine three-dimensional profile structures. However, a tailored magnetorheological polishing fluid (MRPF) need to be used. This paper presents the effects of MRPF mixture components on their rheological properties. D-optimal mixture design of experiment was used to formulate the MRPF with various composition. The MRPF samples than analyzed using MCR Rheometer for rheological properties. It is found that each MRPF component composition has a significant effect on rheological properties. The result indicates that an optimum composition of MRPF to meet the MRP requirement is by having a volume percentage of carbonyl iron particle (CIP) and abrasive particles at 35% and 10% respectively. The finding of this study produced a significant statistical model of MRPF composition that beneficial for micro mould polishing technology

The combination of red palm oil and rooibos show anti-inflammatory effects in rats

CITATION: Katengua-Thamahane, E. et al. 2014. The combination of red palm oil and rooibos show anti-inflammatory effects in rats. Journal of Inflammation, 11(1):41, doi:10.1186/s12950-014-0041-4.The original publication is available at http://www.journal-inflammation.com/content/11/1/41Background Red palm oil (RPO) and rooibos have been shown to exhibit cardioprotective properties. RPO is rich in essential fatty acids and fat soluble antioxidants while rooibos contains polyphenolic compounds with a unique composition of flavonoids. They exert their biological effects in different cellular compartments. Therefore the combination of these two natural food compounds has the potential to enhance the spectrum of available dietary antioxidants in different cellular compartments, which could result in an enhanced protection against certain pathological conditions such as inflammation. Methods Male Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g were supplemented with RPO, rooibos or their combination for 28 days. The Langendorff system and the lipoposaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory model were used to establish if RPO and rooibos, when supplemented alone or in combination, will reverse the negative effects of LPS on cardiac function at baseline. The effect of dietary intervention was also investigated on modulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma and myocardial tissue. Results and discussion The LPS resulted in induction of systemic inflammation as evidenced by increased levels of IL-1β in plasma of LPS-treated rats compared to their non-treated control counterparts. Dietary supplementation and LPS treatment did not have an effect on baseline cardiac functional parameters. However, the elevation of IL-1β levels in plasma of LPS-induced rats consuming either RPO or rooibos alone were paralleled with increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10. The combination of rooibos and RPO was associated with enhanced endogenous production of myocardial IL-10 in LPS-induced rats. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that RPO and rooibos when supplemented individually showed anti-inflammatory effect at systemic level while their combination exhibited an enhanced anti-inflammatory effect in the myocardial tissue. Therefore, the findings in the current study argue that the combination of these two natural food substances could be beneficial in clinically relevant conditions where inflammation plays a role.Publishers’ versio

Multifaceted role of tocotrienols in cardioprotection supports their structure: function relation

Tocotrienols are a class of vitamin E which modulates several mechanisms associated with cardioprotection, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and neuroprotection. Unlike other Vitamin E-like compounds, tocotrienols possess inimitable properties. Quite a lot of studies have determined the cardioprotective abilities of tocotrienols and have been shown to possess novel hypocholesterolemic effects together with an ability to reduce the atherogenic apolipoprotein and lipoprotein plasma levels. In addition, tocotrienol has been suggested to have an antioxidant, anti-thrombotic, and anti-tumor effect indicating that tocotrienol may serve as an effective agent in the prevention and/or treatment of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The bioactivity exhibited is due to the structural characteristics of tocotrienols. Rich sources of tocotrienols which include rice bran, palm oil, and other edible oils exhibit protective effect against cardiovascular disorders. The conclusions drawn from the early literature that vitamin E group of compounds provides an inevitable role in cardioprotection is sustained in many more recent studies