Monitoring Alfvén cascades with interferometry on the JET Tokamak

A microwave interferometry technique is applied for the first time for detecting a discrete spectrum of Alfvén cascade (AC) eigenmodes excited with fast ions in reversed magnetic shear plasmas of the Joint European Torus. The interferometry measurements of plasma density perturbations associated with ACs show an unprecedented frequency and time resolution superior to that obtained with external magnetic coils. The measurements of ACs are used for monitoring the evolution of the safety factor and density of rational magnetic surfaces in the region of maximum plasma current.     

Potential Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis in Preclinical In Vivo Models of Inflammation

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory effect of Rosmarinus officinalis in preclinical in vivo models of inflammation. A search was conducted in the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, with related keywords. The inclusion criteria were inflammation, plant, and studies on rats or mice; while, the exclusion criteria were reviews, studies with in vitro models, and associated plants. The predominant animal models were paw edema, acute liver injury, and asthma. Rosemary was more commonly used in its entirety than in compounds, and the prevalent methods of extraction were maceration and hydrodistillation. The most common routes of administration reported were gavage, intraperitoneal, and oral, on a route-dependent dosage. Treatment took place daily, or was single-dose, on average for 21 days, and it more often started before the induction. The most evaluated biomarkers were tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, myeloperoxidase (MPO), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The best results emerged at a dose of 60 mg/kg, via IP of carnosic acid, a dose of 400 mg/kg via gavage of Rosmarinus officinalis, and a dose of 10 mg/kg via IP of rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinus officinalis L. showed anti-inflammatory activity before and after induction of treatments.     

Daily variations in human plasma fluoride concentrations

This study investigated the variations in human plasma fluoride concentrations ([F]) and sought to determine the causes. Five subjects (27-33 years old) received a low-F diet during the 5 days of the study. Plasma samples and urine were collected every 3 h from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. F, PTH, Ca and P were analyzed with the electrode, by chemiluminescence, AAS and colorimetry, respectively. A trend for the plasma [F] was found. The peak [F], 0.55 ± 0.11 μmol L⁻¹, occurred at 11 a.m. and the lowest [F], 0.50 ± 0.06 μmol L⁻¹ occurred between 5 and 8 p.m. Plasma [F] were positively correlated with urinary F excretion rates and with serum PTH levels, but not with the Ca or P levels. Serum PTH levels were positively correlated with urinary F excretion rates and negatively correlated with plasma Ca. The results suggest that the renal system seems to control the daily fluctuations in plasma [F].     

Prediction of vapor–liquid and liquid–liquid equilibria for polymer systems: Comparison of activity coefficient models

A large number of equations of state and activity coefficient models capable of describing phase equilibria in polymer solutions are available today, but only a few of these models have been applied to different systems. It is therefore useful to investigate the performance of existing thermodynamic models for complex polymer solutions which have not yet been widely studied. The present work studies the application of several activity coefficient models [P.J. Flory, Principles of Polymer Chemistry, Cornell University Press, New York, NY, 1953; T. Oishi, J.M. Prausnitz, Estimation of solvent activities in polymer solutions using a group-contribution method, Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Design Dev. 17 (1978) 333; H.S. Elbro, A. Fredenslund, P. Rasmussen, A new simple equation for the prediction of solvent activities in polymer solutions, Macromolecules 23 (1990) 4707; G.M. Kontogeorgis, A. Fredenslund, D. Tassios, Simple activity coefficient model for the prediction of solvent activities in polymer solutions, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 32 (1993) 362; C. Chen, A segment-based local composition model for the Gibbs energy of polymer solutions, Fluid Phase Equilib. 83 (1993) 301; A. Vetere, Rules for predicting vapor–liquid equilibria of amorphous polymer solutions using a modified Flory–Huggins equation, Fluid Phase Equilib. 97 (1994) 43; C. Qian, S.J. Mumby, B.E. Eichinger, Phase diagrams of binary polymer solutions and blends, Macromolecules 24 (1991) 1655; Y.C. Bae, J.J. Shim, D.S. Soane, J.M. Prausnitz, Representation of vapor–liquid and liquid–liquid equilibria for binary systems containing polymers: applicability of an extended Flory–Huggins equation, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 47 (1993) 1193; G. Bogdanic, J. Vidal, A segmental interaction model for liquid–liquid equilibrium calculations for polymer solutions, Fluid Phase Equilibria 173 (2000) 241] and activity coefficient from equations of state [F. Chen, A. Fredenslund, P. Rasmussen, Group-contribution Flory equation of state for vapor–liquid equilibria en mixtures with polymers, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 29 (1990) 875; M.S. High, R.P. Danner, Application of the group contribution lattice—fluids EOS to polymer solutions, AIChE J. 36 (1990) 1625]. The evaluation of these models was carried out both at infinite dilution and at finite concentrations and the results compared to experimental data. Furthermore, liquid–liquid equilibrium predictions for binary polymer solutions using six activity coefficient models are compared in this work. The parameters were estimated for all the models to achieve the best possible representation of the reported experimental equilibrium behavior.     

Thermal characterization of usnic acid/collagen-based films

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical–chemical properties of collagen (CL) and usnic acid/collagen-based (UAC) films, using differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG/DTG), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both films were prepared by casting process using polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG 1500) as plasticizer. In the spectrum of UAC, similar bands of the usnic acid are observed, indicating that the polymerization (film formation) did not affect the stability of the drug. Distinctly, DTA curve of UAC did not show an endothermic peak at 201 °C, indicative that the drug was incorporated into the polymeric system. These results were corroborated by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The TG/DTG curves of UAC presented a different thermal decomposition profile compared to the individual compounds and CL. These findings suggest the occurrence of molecular dispersion or solubilization of the drug in the collagen film.     

Fabric dependence of quasi-waves in anisotropic porous media

Assessment of bone loss and osteoporosis by ultrasound systems is based on the speed of sound and broadband ultrasound attenuation of a single wave. However, the existence of a second wave in cancellous bone has been reported and its existence is an unequivocal signature of poroelastic media. To account for the fact that ultrasound is sensitive to microarchitecture as well as bone mineral density (BMD), a fabric-dependent anisotropic poroelastic wave propagation theory was recently developed for pure wave modes propagating along a plane of symmetry in an anisotropic medium. Key to this development was the inclusion of the fabric tensor--a quantitative stereological measure of the degree of structural anisotropy of bone--into the linear poroelasticity theory. In the present study, this framework is extended to the propagation of mixed wave modes along an arbitrary direction in anisotropic porous media called quasi-waves. It was found that differences between phase and group velocities are due to the anisotropy of the bone microarchitecture, and that the experimental wave velocities are more accurately predicted by the poroelastic model when the fabric tensor variable is taken into account. This poroelastic wave propagation theory represents an alternative for bone quality assessment beyond BMD.