Thomsenalbrechtsen0965

Mechanically-assisted crevice corrosion (MACC) is a phenomenon known to cause complications in modular orthopedic implants, particularly at metal-metal taper junctions. Previous studies of the properties and corrosion performance of an interfacial polymeric self-reinforced composite (SRC) gaskets have shown its capability as a high-strength, insulating barrier against oxide abrasion and metal degradation of metal-metal (or metal-hard) contacts in MACC conditions. Olitigaltin This study characterizes the short-term tribocorrosion performance of poly (ether ether ketone) SRCs (SRC-PEEK) and polyethylene SRC (SRC-PE) films under in vitro test conditions for head-neck modular junction designs in hip replacement devices. SRC films composed of SRC-PEEK and SRC-PE were seated between 9/10 femoral head bores and stem tapers as thin interfacial gaskets and tested against metal-metal controls under short-term cyclic loading conditions in a custom in vitro test setup. Head-neck seating mechanics were measured, followed by increments, unlike SRC-PE gaskets, can maintain adequate frictional locking at the taper junction and prevent the onset of MACC. SRC-PEEK gaskets improve the performance of modular taper junctions and could be considered as a potential solution to mitigate fretting corrosion.The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is involved in the function and growth of the placenta during pregnancy. The mTOR pathway responds to nutrient availability and growth factors that regulate protein expression and cell growth. Disrupted mTOR signaling is associated with the development of several obstetric complications. The purpose of this study was to identify the differential placental expression of various mTOR-associated proteins in the placenta during normal gestation (Control), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia (PE). Immunohistochemistry localized activated proteins (phospho; p) mTOR, pp70, p4EBP1, pAKT and pERK. Real-time PCR array was performed to show differing placental expression of additional mTOR-associated genes. Western blot was performed for pAMPK protein. We observed 1) increased pmTOR during GDM and decreased pmTOR during IUGR and PE, 2) increased pp70 during IUGR and decreased pp70 during GDM and PE, 3) increased p4EBP1 during GDM, IUGR, and PE, 4) increased pAKT during GDM, 5) increased pERK during IUGR, 6) differential placental expression of mTOR pathway associated genes and increased pAMPK during GDM and PE. We conclude that regulation of the mTOR pathway is uniquely involved in the development of these obstetric complications. Insights into this pathway may provide avenues that if modify may help alleviate these diseases.Wastewater is a pooled sampling instrument that may provide rapid and even early disease signals in the surveillance of COVID-19 disease at the community level, yet the fine-scale temporal dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater remains poorly understood. This study tracked the daily dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the wastewater from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Honolulu during a rapidly expanding COVID-19 outbreak and a responding four-week lockdown that resulted in a rapid decrease of daily clinical COVID-19 new cases. The wastewater SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration from both WWTPs, as measured by three quantification assays (N1, N2, and E), exhibited both significant inter-day fluctuations (101.2-105.1 gene copies or GC/L in wastewater liquid fractions, or 101.4-106.2 GC/g in solid fractions) and an overall downward trend over the lockdown period. Strong and significant correlation was observed in measured SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations between the solid and liquid wastewater fractions, with the solid fraction containing majority (82.5%-92.5%) of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA mass and the solid-liquid SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration ratios ranging from 103.6 to 104.3 mL/g. The measured wastewater SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration was normalized by three endogenous fecal RNA viruses (F+ RNA coliphages Group II and III, and pepper mild mottle virus) to account for variations that may occur during the multi-step wastewater processing and molecular quantification, and the normalized abundance also exhibited similar daily fluctuations and overall downward trend over the sampling period.Microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and 5- lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) are key for biosynthesis of proinflammatory lipid mediators and pharmacologically relevant drug targets. In the present study, we made an attempt to explore the role of small heteroaromatic fragments on the 4,5-diarylisoxazol-3-carboxylic acid scaffold, which are selected to interact with focused regions in the active sites of mPGES-1, 5-LO and FLAP. We report that the simple structural variations on the benzyloxyaryl side-arm of the scaffold significantly influence the selectivity against mPGES-1, 5-LO and FLAP, enabling to produce multi-target inhibitors of these protein targets, exemplified by compound 18 (IC50 mPGES-1 = 0.16 µM; IC50 5-LO = 0.39 µM) with in vivo efficacy in animal model of inflammation. The computationally modeled binding structures of these new inhibitors for three targets provide clues for rational design of modified structures as multi-target inhibitors. In conclusion, the simple synthetic procedure, and the possibility of enhancing the potency of this class of inhibitors through structural modifications pave the way for further development of new multi-target inhibitors against mPGES-1, 5-LO and FLAP, with potential application as anti-inflammatory agents.Electron donors have been widely used to improve denitrification performance. However, it is controversial which electron donor could be chosen. In this study, three electron donors were used to improve nitrogen removal from ecological floating beds (EFBs). The results showed that TN removal efficiency was 49-80%, 46-81%, and 45-79% in EFB-C (sodium acetate), EFB-S (sodium thiosulfate), EFB-Fe (iron scraps), respectively. Nitrification was limited in EFB-C and EFB-S while denitrification in EFB-Fe. The TN removal in the three EFBs were almost equivalent when HRT was 3 days. Lowest CH4 and N2O emissions were measured in EFB-Fe. Nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria were mainly concentrated in the root rhizospheres while iron cycle related and anammox bacteria were mainly concentrated on iron scraps surface. Heterotrophic denitrification and autotrophic denitrification were mainly attributed to TN removal in EFB-C and EFB-S, respectively. Autotrophic, heterotrophic denitrification and anammox contributed to TN removal in EFB-Fe.