Dust Explosion Characteristics of Cellulose Acetates with Different Degrees of Acetylation

PresentationIn this work, the relation between various degrees of acetylation (CAs) of Cellulose acetate (CA) to dust explosion characteristics as minimum explosible concentration (MEC) and minimum ignition energy (MIE) have been studied. Also, we attempt to clarify the relative of moisture content and water adsorption to cellulose, cellulose ester as CA and cellulose ether as Methyl cellulose (MC), Ethyl cellulose (EC), Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to MEC and MIE have been studied. We found that the chemical derivatives have significant on thermal behavior of cellulose which Td of CA shifted to higher temperature because of acetate derivative effect. Meanwhile, Td of cellulose ethers as MC, EC, HEC, HEC and CMC were shifted to lower temperature. Moreover, CAs was not evident effect to Td of CA. Moisture content of cellulose powder had not significant on MEC of both air dry and absolute dry powder were 55 g/m3. But, we found MEC was relative to its moisture content of CA which absolute dry was more sensitive on explosion than dry CA powder. However, MEC was consistent with the hydrophilicity index at 75%RH of dry and absolute dry of cellulose, cellulose acetate and cellulose ethers in present work. MIE was not corresponding to moisture content of cellulose ether and cellulose ester but it was relative to cellulose. The results from our experiments, comparing with CAs, chemical derivatives have more significant on moisture adsorption, thermal stability and dust explosion characteristics of cellulose

Administration of isoferulic acid improved the survival rate of lethal influenza virus pneumonia in mice.

BACKGROUND: Isoferulic acid (IFA) is a main active ingredient of the rhizoma of Cimicifuga beracleifolia, which is used frequently in Japanese traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory drug. It has been revealed that IFA inhibits the production of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), which is a murine counterpart of the chemokine family that may contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases through the chemotactic activity for inflammatory and immune effector cells. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of IFA on the progression of lethal influenza virus pneumonia in mice by comparison with that of dexamethasone (DX), a potent inhibitor for various inflammatory cytokines including MIP-2. METHODS: Mice were infected by intranasal inoculation of influenza virus under ether anesthesia. The IFA or DX was given by oral administration once daily for 4 days after infection. After infection, the survival rate and the change in body weight were daily monitored. RESULTS: IFA administration markedly improved the survival rate and body weight loss of influenza virus-infected mice in a suitable dose range (0.5 mg/day). However, DX administration did not show a beneficial effect at any dose. CONCLUSION: These data suggested that IFA is a novel tool not only for the intervention therapy, but also for the studies on the pathogenesis of influenza virus-induced pneumonia