High performance of symmetric micro supercapacitors based on silicon nanowires using N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide as electrolyte

This work describes the development and performance of a symmetric microsupercapacitor made of nanostructured electrodes based on silicon nanowires (SiNWs) deposited using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on silicon substrates. The performance of the SiNWs micro-supercapacitor employing an aprotic ionic liquid (N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) (PYR13TFSI) as an electrolyte was able to deliver a maximal power density of 182 mW cm-2 and a specific energy of 190 µJ cm-2 operating at a wide cell voltage of 4V with a quasi-ideal capacitive behaviour. The lifetime of the device exhibited a remarkable electrochemical stability retaining 75 % of the initial capacitance after several million galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles at a high current density of 1 mA cm-2. Furthermore, a coulombic efficiency of approximately 99 % was obtained after galvanostatic cycling test without structural degradation on the morphology of SiNWs

Effect of Mill Type on Morphology of AA6013 Aluminium Powder

ABSTRACTIn conventional recycling method, metal chips are cast after pressing and melting in electric arc furnace. Material loss occurs during the recycling from liquid metal due to the several reasons. Direct recycling method which produces the aluminium powder from aluminium chips using mechanical mill can be an alternative to conventional recycling method. Thus material and energy losses, and labour cost will be reduced by direct recycling method without melting.In this study, the particle morphology of powder direct recycled from AA6013 aluminium alloy chips with cryogenic, disc and ball type grinders is investigated. Mechanical milling resulted flaky and irregular shaped AA6013 particles. It was ascertained that the chips did not break sufficiently in despite of the long duration milling mechanisms by ball mill. Cryogenic mill provides the energy required for milling mechanisms to act. Disc mill has the highest impact energy was determined. Consequently, efficiency of ball mill is lower than the efficiency of cryogenic and disc type mills. Shape factors of powders produced with ball and cryogenic mills were found greater than that of the powder produced by disc mill. Disc mill has the most efficient and effective impact energy which produces the smaller particles per minute, was determined.Keywords: Direct recycling method, powder production, scrap chips, aluminium alloy.

EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

The expression of spatial relationships in Turkish/Dutch bilinguals

We investigated how two groups of Turkish–Dutch bilinguals and two groups of monolingual speakers of the two languages described static topological relations. The bilingual groups differed with respect to their first (L1) and second (L2) language proficiencies and a number of sociolinguistic factors. Using an elicitation tool that covers a wide range of topological relations, we first assessed the extensions of different spatial expressions (topological relation markers, TRMs) in the Turkish and Dutch spoken by monolingual speakers. We then assessed differences in the use of TRMs between the two bilingual groups and monolingual speakers.In both bilingual groups, differences compared to monolingual speakers were mainly observed for Turkish. Dutch-dominant bilinguals showed enhanced congruence between translation-equivalent Turkish and Dutch TRMs. Turkish-dominant bilinguals extended the use of a topologically neutral locative marker.The results can be interpreted as showing different “bilingual optimization strategies” (Muysken, 2013) in bilingual speakers who live in the same environment but differ with respect to L2 onset, L2 proficiency, and perceived importance of the L1

Use of olive oil based emulsions as an alternative to soybean oil based emulsions in total parenteral nutrition and their effects on liver regeneration following hepatic resection in rats

Background/Aim: The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of olive oil to those of soybean oil on liver tissue regeneration following hepatic resection in rats. Methods: Seventy albino Wistar rats were randomly assigned to seven groups which contained 10 rats each. Group 1 was the sham-treated group; groups 2 and 3 received total parenteral nutrition (TPN) containing soybean oil lipid emulsions (20% Lipofundin MCT/LCT) for 48 or 72 h; groups 4 and 5 received TPN containing olive oil (80%)/soybean oil (20%) lipid emulsions (Clin-Oleic 20%) for 48 or 72 h; group 6 was the control group for 48 h, and group 7 was the control group for 72 h. TPN was given via internal jugular vein, and 70% hepatic resection was performed in the study groups. In addition, hepatic resections with no TPN were performed in the control groups, except the sham group. Relative liver weight, mitotic index, proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index, and carnitine levels in liver tissue samples were used to assess hepatic regeneration. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were measured as an index of lipid peroxidation and oxidative tissue damage. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were parameters for the liver function. Results: The relative liver weight increased significantly with minimal hepatosteatosis in the olive oil treated groups. Lipid peroxidation significantly decreased with near-normal serum levels of the liver function parameters in the olive oil/soybean oil treated groups, and mitotic index and proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index reached their maximum level in rats receiving TPN containing any kind of lipid emulsions for 48 h following resection. Conclusions: The use of olive oil/soybean oil lipid emulsions in TPN has important beneficial effects on the liver regeneration, and the antioxidant properties of olive oil originating from its natural components indirectly contribute to the liver regeneration in rats. Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

The effectiveness of pulsed ultrasound treatment on pain, function, synovial sac thickness and femoral cartilage thickness in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind clinical, controlled study.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of therapeutic pulsed ultrasound on pain, function, synovial sac and femoral cartilage in knee osteoarthritis. Design: Randomized, double-blind, controlled study Setting: Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Subjects: A total of 96 patients with knee osteoarthritis Interventions: Participants were randomized into two groups; Group I (n= 48, pulsed ultrasound) and Group II (n= 48, sham ultrasound). The sessions were held three times a week for 8 weeks. The study continued for 12 weeks (with 4 weeks follow-up). All participants performed exercises at home for 12 weeks. Main measures: Knee pain (at rest and ADLs) was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). Functionality was assessed using the Timed Up and Go test and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) questionnaire. Femoral cartilage and synovial sac thickness was measured using ultrasonography. All evaluations were performed at the baseline, at the 8 and 12 weeks after baseline. Results: The study was completed with a total of 75 patients (n= 39 in group I andn= 36 in group II). The mean (SD) pain at ADLs score at baseline and week 12 was 7.2 (2.1), with 3.6 (2.9) in the group I, and 6.7 (2.0) and 4.3 (2.2) in the group II, respectively. Both groups presented significant improvements in terms of pain and function (P< 0.001). There was no difference between groups for any parameters. Conclusion: Treatment of pulsed ultrasound has no positive effect on knee pain, function, femoral cartilage and synovial sac thickness in knee osteoarthritis

Antioxidant response of a novel Streptomyces sp M3004 isolated from legume rhizosphere to H2O2 and paraquat

This paper aims to investigate the effect of H2O2 and paraquat on the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). and membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in newly isolated Streptomyces sp. M3004. SOD activities of Streptomyces sp. M3004, grown in 10 mM and 30 mM H2O2, were significantly lower than the control cultures. On the other hand, as an antioxidant enzyme, CAT activity in both H2O2 treatment conditions increased significantly compared with the control. These activity values in 10 mM and 30 mM H2O2 treatment on the 48th hour of incubation were 3.8- and 6.6-fold higher than the control, respectively. SOD activity decreased significantly with respect to paraquat concentration, which was added at the start of the incubation. CAT activities increased significantly in 1.0 mM and 3.0 mM paraquat treatments compared to control. As an indicative marker of membrane damage, LPO levels of the novel isolate Streptomyces sp. M3004 treated with H2O2 and paraquat stress conditions were significantly higher than the control. Nevertheless, compared with the 30 mM H2O2 in both treatment conditions, LPO levels in 10 mM H2O2 were significantly higher. The decreases in SOD activities in paraquat and H2O2 treatment conditions resulted in the increases in the LPO levels although it increases in CAT activities. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Promotion of fracture healing by vitamin E in rats

We investigated the effects of the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol on early- and late-phase fracture healing in a rat model. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into two groups. The right tibia of each rat was fractured manually under anaesthesia, and fracture sites fixed with intramedullary Kirschner wires. The alpha-tocopherol group received 20 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol intraperitoneally; the control group received intraperitoneal saline injections. Ten rats from each group were sacrificed on day 15, day 45 and day 60. In the alpha-tocopherol group, malondialdehyde concentrations, a measure of lipid peroxidation associated with oxygen free radicals, were significantly decreased on day 15 and day 45 compared with the control group, but had regained the 15-day value on day 60. On histopathological and radiological assessment, fracture healing on day 60 was significantly more advanced in the alpha-tocopherol group. We conclude that alpha-tocopherol has a positive effect on both early and late-phase fracture healing, and may be beneficial in clinical fracture cases