SMALL ENGINE-GENERATOR SET OPERATING ON DUAL-FUEL MODE WITH ETHANOL – CASTOR OIL BLENDS

The increase in greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels have motivated researchers to seek the use of renewable fuels in internal combustion engines, which can be produced locally and have clean combustion. The blending method in diesel engines has been recognized as an effective alternative to partially or totally replace the use of diesel fuel. In this regard, this paper studied the operation of a small engine-generator set in mono-fuel mode (diesel fuel - DO) and in dual-fuel mode using hydrous ethanol (HET) and castor oil (OM) blends, indicating a total replacement of diesel fuel. Efficiency, power, specific fuel consumption and gaseous emissions were assessed in a single cylinder diesel cycle engine. The percentages in volume of the HET-OM samples were: 75% - 25%, 70% - 30%, 60% - 40%, and 50% - 50%. The exhaust gas temperature decreased with the mixtures. Carbon monoxide emission decreased 57%, carbon dioxide decreased 9.8%, and nitrogen oxides reduced 19%. It was also observed that the percentage of smoke opacity tends to decrease close to zero with addition of ethanol. Hydrocarbon emissions increased with rising of the OM concentration and the same for the specific fuel consumptions, which was 25.4% higher than diesel fuel. The best fuel conversion efficiency was achieved with the blend HET75-OM25, being 9% higher compared to diesel fuel operation. Power on diesel fuel operation showed a better result keeping stable, with the increase of the compression ratio and the delay of the start of injection. In general, the results confirmed that the performance is comparable to that of diesel fuel, indicating that renewable fuels appear as an alternative for the reduction of the environmental impacts and the reduction of fossil fuels consumption

Isolation, genotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogenic Escherichia coli serotypes in ready to eat foods

NO ABSTRACT AVAILABLEIn this study, pathogenic Escherichia coli serotypes (E. coli O157:H7, O26, O111) and their molecular proximity and antimicrobial susceptibility were investigated in RTE foods. A total of 240 samples; consist of 105 stuffed mussel, 56 meatless cig kofte, 54 Russian salad, 25 cheese halva, were analyzed. The conventional culture and serotyping methods for determination of the organisms were performed and further confirmation by PCR was carried out. Confirmed E. coli O157 isolates were genotyped by the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus(ERIC)-PCR. Antibacterial susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed by disc diffusion method. E. coli was detected in 7 (2.9 %) of 240 samples, including 3 (5.5%) Russian salad, 3 (2.8%) stuffed mussel, 1 (4 %) cheese halva. Two isolates from Russian salad, 1 from stuffed mussel and 1 from cheese halva were identified as E. coli O157 . In addition, stuffed mussel isolate was found to carry stx1 ve hlyA genes whereas one Russian salad isolate carried the stx1 gene. E. coli isolates were found to be resistant to amoxycillin/clavulonic acid, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, at the rate of 29%, 14% and 29 %, respectively. Only one (14 %) isolate from stuffed mussel was classified as multidrug resistant to three antimicrobials. Furthermore, the isolates, related to O157 and O157:H7, presented different ribotypes in this study. The results provide useful data for the development of public health policy concerning the potential presence of pathogenic antimicrobial resistant E. coli serotypes in RTE foods. Strict surveillance of RTE foods at retail points for emerging pathogens, their antimicrobial resistance patterns and the potential likelihood of cross-contamination is required

Isolation, genotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogenic Escherichia coli serotypes in ready to eat foods

NO ABSTRACT AVAILABLEIn this study, pathogenic Escherichia coli serotypes (E. coli O157:H7, O26, O111) and their molecular proximity and antimicrobial susceptibility were investigated in RTE foods. A total of 240 samples; consist of 105 stuffed mussel, 56 meatless cig kofte, 54 Russian salad, 25 cheese halva, were analyzed. The conventional culture and serotyping methods for determination of the organisms were performed and further confirmation by PCR was carried out. Confirmed E. coli O157 isolates were genotyped by the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus(ERIC)-PCR. Antibacterial susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed by disc diffusion method. E. coli was detected in 7 (2.9 %) of 240 samples, including 3 (5.5%) Russian salad, 3 (2.8%) stuffed mussel, 1 (4 %) cheese halva. Two isolates from Russian salad, 1 from stuffed mussel and 1 from cheese halva were identified as E. coli O157 . In addition, stuffed mussel isolate was found to carry stx1 ve hlyA genes whereas one Russian salad isolate carried the stx1 gene. E. coli isolates were found to be resistant to amoxycillin/clavulonic acid, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, at the rate of 29%, 14% and 29 %, respectively. Only one (14 %) isolate from stuffed mussel was classified as multidrug resistant to three antimicrobials. Furthermore, the isolates, related to O157 and O157:H7, presented different ribotypes in this study. The results provide useful data for the development of public health policy concerning the potential presence of pathogenic antimicrobial resistant E. coli serotypes in RTE foods. Strict surveillance of RTE foods at retail points for emerging pathogens, their antimicrobial resistance patterns and the potential likelihood of cross-contamination is required

PRELIMINARY STUDY OF WATER INJECTION ON THE COMBUSTION AND EMISSIONS CHARACTERISTICS IN A HCCI ETHANOL ENGINE

Our dependence on fossil fuels coupled with concerns about harmful emissions have motivated researchers to look for renewable fuels that have clean combustion and for advanced combustion modes. In this context, homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is an emerging technology which offers an alternative to conventional spark ignition and compression ignition engines and can operate on renewable fuels. Low temperature combustion, which can result in low NOx emissions with high indicated efficiency, is the more important characteristic of this combustion mode. It’s main problem is the combustion timing control due to lack of direct ignition control, once HCCI flame initiation is based on charge thermal state. Thus, controlled auto-ignition (CAI) combustion mode has been proposed. Several methods were proposed for combustion phasing control, between them, the injection of water in the intake manifold. This work investigated the influence of water injection in the intake runner of an ethanol HCCI cylinder from a converted three-cylinder diesel generator set, in which two cylinders operated on conventional diesel combustion and one diesel cylinder provided recycled exhaust gas for the one cylinder running on ethanol HCCI combustion. The water injection was used to control the CA50 combustion parameter. The results show that water injection is an efficient strategy to control the combustion timing, since the reactivity of the mixture can be controlled. The results at 400 and 600 kPa of IMEP and 1800 rpm indicated a good combustion stability, high efficiency and low emissions characteristics. The highest indicated fuel conversion efficiency found was 36.9% for 600 kPa of IMEP and 8 CAD of CA50. However, for 200 kPa of IMEP the combustion was unstable, the indicated efficiency was deteriorated and indicted CO emissions was high

Assessment of the left atrial volume index and plasma NT-proANP level in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVES: Acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction is associated with ventricular dysfunction due to ischemia-induced progressive myocardial damage. The decrease in ventricular compliance causes left atrial dilatation and stretching of the atrial myocardium, which are the main stimuli for the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide. The aim of this study was to evaluate left atrial dimensions and atrial natriuretic peptide levels in patients early after their first acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and assess the probable interaction between coronary lesions and these measurements. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 50 controls were studied. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide was measured at admission. Left ventricular function, diameter, and volume index were evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography. Gensini and vessel scores of the patients who underwent coronary angiography were calculated. RESULTS: Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in the patients with myocardial infarction was increased compared with that in controls (3.90±3.75 vs. 1.35±0.72 nmol/L,

Homologous recombination deficiency and host anti-tumor immunity in triple-negative breast cancer

Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with worse outcomes relative to other breast cancer subtypes. Chemotherapy remains the standard-of-care systemic therapy for patients with localized or metastatic disease, with few biomarkers to guide benefit. Methods: We will discuss recent advances in our understanding of two key biological processes in TNBC, homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair deficiency and host anti-tumor immunity, and their intersection. Results: Recent advances in our understanding of homologous recombination (HR) deficiency, including FDA approval of PARP inhibitor olaparib for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers, and host anti-tumor immunity in TNBC offer potential for new and biomarker-driven approaches to treat TNBC. Assays interrogating HR DNA repair capacity may guide treatment with agents inducing or targeting DNA damage repair. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are associated with improved prognosis in TNBC and recent efforts to characterize infiltrating immune cell subsets and activate host anti-tumor immunity offer promise, yet challenges remain particularly in tumors lacking pre-existing immune infiltrates. Advances in these fields provide potential biomarkers to stratify patients with TNBC and guide therapy: induction of DNA damage in HR-deficient tumors and activation of existing or recruitment of host anti-tumor immune cells. Importantly, these advances provide an opportunity to guide use of existing therapies and development of novel therapies for TNBC. Efforts to combine therapies that exploit HR deficiency to enhance the activity of immune-directed therapies offer promise. Conclusions: HR deficiency remains an important biomarker target and potentially effective adjunct to enhance immunogenicity of ‘immune cold’ TNBCs

Higher Absolute Lymphocyte Counts Predict Lower Mortality from Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Purpose: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in pretreatment biopsies are associated with improved survival in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We investigated whether higher peripheral lymphocyte counts are associated with lower breast cancer–specific mortality (BCM) and overall mortality (OM) in TNBC. Experimental Design: Data on treatments and diagnostic tests from electronic medical records of two health care systems were linked with demographic, clinical, pathologic, and mortality data from the California Cancer Registry. Multivariable regression models adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, cancer stage, grade, neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy use, radiotherapy use, and germline BRCA1/2 mutations were used to evaluate associations between absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), BCM, and OM. For a subgroup with TIL data available, we explored the relationship between TILs and peripheral lymphocyte counts. Results: A total of 1,463 stage I–III TNBC patients were diagnosed from 2000 to 2014; 1,113 (76%) received neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy within 1 year of diagnosis. Of 759 patients with available ALC data, 481 (63.4%) were ever lymphopenic (minimum ALC <1.0 K/μL). On multivariable analysis, higher minimum ALC, but not absolute neutrophil count, predicted lower OM [HR = 0.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.16–0.35] and BCM (HR = 0.19; CI, 0.11–0.34). Five-year probability of BCM was 15% for patients who were ever lymphopenic versus 4% for those who were not. An exploratory analysis (n = 70) showed a significant association between TILs and higher peripheral lymphocyte counts during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusions: Higher peripheral lymphocyte counts predicted lower mortality from early-stage, potentially curable TNBC, suggesting that immune function may enhance the effectiveness of early TNBC treatment

Ongoing under-reporting of clinically relevant safety data in phase II studies of tyrosine kinase inhibitors

status: publishe

Ethanol production from xylose by pichia stipitis NRRL Y-7124 in a stirred tank bioreactor

The ethanol production by Pichia stipitis was evaluated in a stirred tank bioreactor using semidefined medium containing xylose (90.0 g/l) as the main carbon source. Experimental assays were performed according to a 22 full factorial design to evaluate the influence of aeration (0.25 to 0.75 vvm) and agitation (150 to 250 rpm) conditions on ethanol production. In the studied range of values, the agitation increase and aeration decrease favored ethanol production, which was maximum (26.7 g/l) using 250 rpm and 0.25 vvm, conditions that gave a volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (kLa value) of 4.9 h-1. Under these conditions, the ethanol yield factor, ethanol productivity, and the process efficiency were 0.32 g/g, 0.32 g/l.h, and 63%, respectively. These results are promising and contribute to the development of a suitable process for ethanol production from xylose by Pichia stipitis.The authors gratefully acknowledge Santander, Fapesp, Capes, and CNPq (Brazil)