Development of anlytical techniques for hydrocarbons in mineral aggregates quarterly status report no. 4, jul. - sep. 1964

Chemical analysis of rock and meteorite samples for hydrocarbon conten

Directional thermal-radiative properties of conical cavities

Monte Carlo technique for finding directional thermal-radiative reflectance, absorptance, and emittance of right circular conical cavity with diffusely reflecting internal surfac

Reference values for spirometry and their use in test interpretation: A Position Statement from the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science

Traditionally, spirometry testing tended to be confined to the realm of hospital-based laboratories but is now performed in a variety of health care settings. Regardless of the setting in which the test is conducted, the fundamental basis of spirometry is that the test is both performed and interpreted according to the international standards. The purpose of this Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science (ANZSRS) statement is to provide the background and recommendations for the interpretation of spirometry results in clinical practice. This includes the benchmarking of an individual's results to population reference data, as well as providing the platform for a statistically and conceptually based approach to the interpretation of spirometry results. Given the many limitations of older reference equations, it is imperative that the most up-to-date and relevant reference equations are used for test interpretation. Given this, the ANZSRS recommends the adoption of the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) 2012 spirometry reference values throughout Australia and New Zealand. The ANZSRS also recommends that interpretation of spirometry results is based on the lower limit of normal from the reference values and the use of Z-scores where available

Cross-linking of rubber in the presence of multi-functional cross-linking aids via thermoreversible Diels-Alder chemistry

Furan-functionalized polyketone (PK-FU) was added to a furan-functionalized ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM-FU). The mixture was subsequently cross-linked with a bismaleimide through Diels-Alder chemistry in order to improve the mechanical properties of the rubber. Infrared spectroscopy showed the reversible interaction between both polymers and the bismaleimide cross-linker. Likewise, mechanical measurements indicated the re-workability of the mixtures with no evident differences in storage modulus and mechanical properties after several heating cycles. The cross-link density and mechanical properties, such as hardness, tensile properties and compression set, could be modulated by changing the degree of furan functionalization of PK-FU and the PK-FU loading in the blends. It is concluded that PK-FU has some characteristics of an inert filler, but mainly acts as a multi-functional cross-linking aid, enabling larger amounts of bismaleimide to cross-link EPM-FU

Promoter analysis of the rabbit POU5F1 gene and its expression in preimplantation stage embryos

Background: The POU5F1 gene encodes the octamer-binding transcription factor-4 (Oct4). It is crucial in the regulation of pluripotency during embryonic development and widely used as molecular marker of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The objective of this study was to identify and to analyse the promoter region of rabbit POU5F1 gene; furthermore to examine its expression pattern in preimplantation stage rabbit embryos. [br/] Results: The upstream region of rabbit POU5F1 was subcloned sequenced and four highly conserved promoter regions (CR1-4) were identified. The highest degree of similarity on sequence level was found among the conserved domains between rabbit and human. Among the enhancers the proximal enhancer region (PE-1A) exhibited the highest degree of homology (96.4%). Furthermore, the CR4 regulator domain containing the distal enhancer (DE-2A) was responsible for stem cell-specific expression. Also, BAC library screen revealed the existence of a processed pseudogene of rabbit POU5F1. The results of quantitative real-time PCR experiments showed that POU5F1 mRNA was abundantly present in oocytes and zygotes, but it was gradually reduced until the activation of the embryonic genome, thereafter a continuous increase in POU5F1 mRNA level was observed until blastocyst stage. By using the XYClone laser system the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophoblast portions of embryos were microdissected and examined separately and POU5F1 mRNA was detected in both cell types. [br/] Conclusion: In this study we provide a comparative sequence analysis of the regulatory region of rabbit POU5F1 gene. Our data suggest that the POU5F1 gene is strictly regulated during early mammalian development. We proposed that the well conserved CR4 region containing the DE-2A enhancer is responsible for the highly conserved ESC specific gene expression. Notably, we are the first to report that the rabbit POU5F1 is not restricted to ICM cells only, but it is expressed in trophoblast cells as well. This information may be well applicable to investigate further the possible phylogenetic role and the regulation of POU5F1 gene

The Influence of Living Near Roadways on Spirometry and Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Elementary Schoolchildren

BACKGROUND: Living near major roadways has been associated with an increase in respiratory symptoms, but little is known about how this relates to airway inflammation. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effects of living near local residential roadways based on objective indicators of ventilatory function and airway inflammation. METHODS: We estimated ambient air pollution, resolved to the level of the child's neighborhood, using a land-use regression model for children 9-11 years of age. We also summed the length of roadways found within a 200-m radius of each child's neighborhood. We had measurements of both air pollution exposure and spirometry for 2,328 children, and also had measurements of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) for 1,613 of these children. RESULTS: Each kilometer of local roadway within a 200-m radius of the home was associated with a 6.8% increase in eNO (p = 0.045). Each kilometer of any type of roadway (local, major, highway) was also associated with an increase in eNO of 10.1% (p = 0.002). Each microgram per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 3.9% increase in eNO (p = 0.058) and 0.70% decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) expressed as a percentage of predicted (p = 0.39). Associations between roadway density and both forced expired volume in 1 sec and FVC were negative but not statistically significant at p < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Traffic from local neighborhood roadways may cause airway inflammation as indicated by eNO. This may be a more sensitive indicator of adverse air pollution effects than traditional measures of ventilatory function

An easy synthetic way to exfoliate and stabilize MWCNTs in a thermoplastic pyrrole-containing matrix assisted by hydrogen bonds

This work focuses on the design of an engineered thermoplastic polymer containing pyrrole units in the main chain and hydroxyl pendant groups (A-PPy-OH), which help in achieving nanocomposites containing well-distributed, exfoliated and undamaged MWCNTs. The thermal annealing at 100 °C of the pristine nanocomposite promotes the redistribution of the nanotubes in terms of a percolative network, thus converting the insulating material in a conducting soft matrix (60 μΩ m). This network remains unaltered after cooling to r.t. and successive heating cycles up to 100 °C thanks to the effective stabilization of MWCNTs provided by the functional polymer matrix. Notably, the resistivity-temperature profile is very reproducible and with a negative temperature coefficient of -0.002 K-1, which suggests the potential application of the composite as a temperature sensor. Overall, the industrial scale by which A-PPy-OH can be produced offers a straightforward alternative for the scale-up production of suitable polymers to generate multifunctional nanocomposites

BU08073 a buprenorphine analog with partial agonist activity at μ-receptors <em> in vitro </em>but long-lasting opioid antagonist activity <i>in vivo</i> in mice

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Buprenorphine is a potent analgesic with high affinity at μ, δ and κ and moderate affinity at nociceptin opioid (NOP) receptors. Nevertheless, NOP receptor activation modulates the in vivo activity of buprenorphine. Structure activity studies were conducted to design buprenorphine analogues with high affinity at each of these receptors and to characterize them in in vitro and in vivo assays. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Compounds were tested for binding affinity and functional activity using [(35)S]GTPγS binding at each receptor and a whole-cell fluorescent assay at μ receptors. BU08073 was evaluated for antinociceptive agonist and antagonist activity and for its effects on anxiety in mice. KEY RESULTS: BU08073 bound with high affinity to all opioid receptors. It had virtually no efficacy at δ, κ and NOP receptors, whereas at μ receptors, BU08073 has similar efficacy as buprenorphine in both functional assays. Alone, BU08073 has anxiogenic activity and produces very little antinociception. However, BU08073 blocks morphine and U50,488-mediated antinociception. This blockade was not evident at 1 h post-treatment, but is present at 6 h and remains for up to 3–6 days. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These studies provide structural requirements for synthesis of ‘universal’ opioid ligands. BU08073 had high affinity for all the opioid receptors, with moderate efficacy at μ receptors and reduced efficacy at NOP receptors, a profile suggesting potential analgesic activity. However, in vivo, BU08073 had long-lasting antagonist activity, indicating that its pharmacokinetics determined both the time course of its effects and what receptor-mediated effects were observed. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Opioids: New Pathways to Functional Selectivity. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-