Phamtruelsen3962

An innovative, miniature video-optical-electrochemical cell was developed and tested that allows for the conducting of electrochemical corrosion measurements and simultaneous microscopic observations over a small, well-defined surface area of corroding or degrading samples. The setup consisted of a miniature electrochemical cell that was clamped onto the metal sample and fixed under a video microscope before being filled with electrolyte. The miniature cell was comprised of afferent/efferent electrolyte ducts as well as a connection to the Mini Cell System (MCS) for electrochemical measurements. Consequently, all measured and induced currents and voltages referred to the same small area corroding completely within the field of view of the microscope, thus allowing for real-time observation and linking of surface phenomena such as hydrogen evolution and oxide deposition to electrochemical data. The experimental setup was tested on commercial purity (cp) and extra-high purity (XHP) magnesium (Mg) samples using open circuit potential and cyclic voltammetry methods under static and flowing conditions. The corrosion potential was shifted more anodically for cp Mg in comparison to XHP Mg under dynamic conditions. The corrosion current assessed from the cyclic voltametric curves were higher for the cp Mg in comparison to XHP Mg. However, there were no differences between static and flow conditions in the case of XHP Mg in contrast to cp Mg, where the current density was two times higher at dynamic conditions. The measurements and observations with this new method pave the way for a more detailed understanding of magnesium corrosion mechanisms, thus improving predictive power of electrochemical corrosion measurements on newly developed magnesium or other biodegradable alloys applied for medical devices. Different electrochemical tests can be run under various conditions, while being easy to set up and reproduce as well as being minimally destructive to the sample.Background Asthma physiology affects respiratory function and inflammation, factors that may contribute to elevated resting energy expenditure (REE) and altered body composition. Objective We hypothesized that asthma would present with elevated REE compared to weight-matched healthy controls. Methods Adults with asthma (n = 41) and healthy controls (n = 20) underwent indirect calorimetry to measure REE, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) to measure body composition, and 3-day diet records. Clinical assessments included spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO), and a complete blood count. Results Asthmatics had greater REE than controls amounting to an increase of ~100 kcals/day, even though body mass index (BMI) and body composition were similar between groups. Inclusion of asthma status and FENO in validated REE prediction equations led to improved estimates. Bisindolylmaleimide IX order Further, asthmatics had higher white blood cell (control vs. asthma (mean ± SD) 4.7 ± 1.1 vs. 5.9 ± 1.6, p less then 0.01) and neutrophil (2.8 ± 0.9 vs. 3.6 ± 1.4, p = 0.02) counts that correlated with REE (both p less then 0.01). Interestingly, despite higher REE, asthmatics reported consuming fewer calories (25.1 ± 7.5 vs. 20.3 ± 6.0 kcals/kg/day, p less then 0.01) and carbohydrates than controls. Conclusion REE is elevated in adults with mild asthma, suggesting there is an association between REE and the pathophysiology of asthma.Different strategies have been developed to increase the concentration of bioactive compounds in tomatoes during post-harvest, with ultraviolet light (UV) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) being interesting tools. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (UVA at 366 nm and UVC at 254 nm) pre-treatment (1 kJ/m2) and red-blue LED light (25.4 µmol/m2/s) on the concentration of carotenoids, (poly)phenols and hydrophilic/lipophilic antioxidant capacity during 7 days of refrigeration storage of green tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar "Raf". In addition, special attention was paid to quality parameters (weight loss, colour, acidity, soluble solids and ripening index). Tomatoes exposed to LED light at 6 °C for 7 days increased up to three times the total carotenoids content (mainly β-carotene and E-lycopene) compared to tomatoes refrigerated in the dark, while UV treatments alone did not significantly affect the carotenoid content. Besides, exposure to LEDs increased the hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity of tomatoes by 30%, without affecting phenolic contents. Thus, LED treatments alone during refrigerated storage fostered ripening and improved the nutritional value of tomatoes, without compromising quality parameters. Further studies must be carried out to evaluate the impact on sensory attributes and consumer acceptance.The aim of this study was to classify placental characteristics of Akkaraman, Morkaraman, Karayaka, Awassi, Malya, and Bafra sheep breeds using the hierarchical clustering method. In total, 240 individual data records were used as experimental material. Placental characteristics such as total cotyledon surface area, small and large cotyledon length, small cotyledon depth, etc. were used as explanatory variables to classify the breeds' characteristics. Hierarchical clustering was used with the nearest neighbour method with Euclidean distance in order to classify the sheep breeds' variations. As a result, six breeds were separated into three clusters the first cluster consisted of Bafra, Karayaka, and Awassi breeds; the second consisted of Akkaraman and Malya breeds; and the third cluster included only the Morkaraman breed. Bafra and Karayaka were pointed as the nearest breeds, with a similarity of 98.7% in terms of placental characteristics. The similarity rate of the Akkaraman and Malya breeds was at a level of 97.5%, whereas it was 96.8% for Bafra, Karayaka, and Awassi breeds. The similarity of Akkaraman, Karayaka, Awassi, Malya, and Bafra sheep breeds was estimated as 95.7%. The overall similarity was found to be at a level of 93.2% among sheep breeds. The outcomes of the study might be useful as a selection tool for reproductivity and can be used to select the breed to be reared.