Liquid Ethanol Research Articles

Chemical bond based machine learning model for dipole moment: Application to dielectric properties of liquid methanol and ethanol

We introduce a versatile machine-learning scheme for predicting dipole moments of molecular liquids to study dielectric properties, implemented in . We attribute the center of mass of Wannier functions, called Wannier centers, to each chemical bond and create neural network models that predict the Wannier centers for each chemical bond. Application to liquid methanol and ethanol shows that our neural network models successfully predict the dipole moment of various liquid configurations in close agreement with DFT calculations. We show that the dipole moment and dielectric constant in the liquids are greatly enhanced by the polarization of Wannier centers due to local intermolecular interactions. The calculated dielectric spectra quantitatively agree with experiments over terahertz (THz) to infrared regions. Furthermore, we investigate the physical origin of THz absorption spectra of methanol, confirming the importance of translational and librational motions. Our method is applicable to other molecular liquids and can be widely used to study their dielectric properties. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Lipid droplet-associated proteins in alcohol-associated fatty liver disease: A proteomic approach.

The earliest manifestation of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is steatosis characterized by deposition of fat in specialized organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). While alcohol administration causes a rise in LD numbers in the hepatocytes, little is known regarding their characteristics that allow their accumulation and size to increase. The aim of the present study is to gain insights into underlying pathophysiological mechanisms by investigating the ethanol-induced changes in hepatic LD proteome as a function of LD size. Adult male Wistar rats (180-200 g BW) were fed with ethanol liquid diet for 6 weeks. At sacrifice, large-, medium-, and small-sized hepatic LD subpopulations (LD1, LD2, and LD3, respectively) were isolated and subjected to morphological and proteomic analyses. Morphological analysis of LD1-LD3 fractions of ethanol-fed rats clearly demonstrated that LD1 contained larger LDs compared with LD2 and LD3 fractions. Our preliminary results from principal component analysis showed that the proteome of different-sized hepatic LD fractions was distinctly different. Proteomic data analysis identified over 2000 proteins in each LD fraction with significant alterations in protein abundance among the three LD fractions. Among the altered proteins, several were related to fat metabolism, including synthesis, incorporation of fatty acid, and lipolysis. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed increased fatty acid synthesis, fatty acid incorporation, LD fusion, and reduced lipolysis in LD1 compared to LD3. Overall, the proteomic findings indicate that the increased level of protein that facilitates fusion of LDs combined with an increased association of negative regulators of lipolysis dictates the generation of large-sized LDs during the development of alcohol-associated hepatic steatosis. Several significantly altered proteins were identified in different-sized LDs isolated from livers of ethanol-fed rats. Ethanol-induced increases in specific proteins that hinder LD lipid metabolism led to the accumulation and persistence of large-sized LDs in the liver.

Effects of Ionic Liquids on the Nucleofugality of Dimethyl Sulfide.

The nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide was measured in solvent mixtures containing ionic liquids. The first-order rate constants of the solvolysis of sulfonium salts were determined in mixtures containing different proportions of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide in ethanol, representing the first report on the solvolysis of a charged species in an ionic liquid. Temperature-dependent kinetic studies allowed determination of activation parameters and rationalization of observed solvent effects in different ionic liquid mixtures. From the solvolysis data, the nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide in different proportions of this ionic liquid in ethanol was determined. Further, the nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide was determined in mixtures containing high proportions of each of seven other ionic liquids in ethanol. These data allowed quantification of the effects of varying both the amount of ionic liquid present and on changing the components of the ionic liquid on the nucleofugality of dimethyl sulfide. The ionic liquid mixtures were shown to affect the nucleofugality of this nucleofuge in a different manner to the previously studied monatomic charged nucleofuges, owing to different microscopic interactions in solution. This work highlighted the necessity of considering electrofuges with an appropriate range of electrofugality values along with the importance of the nucleofuge-specific sensitivity parameter.

Protective effects of phenylethanol glycosides from Cistanche tubulosa against ALD through modulating gut microbiota homeostasis

Ethnopharmacological relevanceCistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight, a Chinese herbal medicine (Rou Cong Rong) with Xinjiang characteristics, was recorded in many medical books in ancient China and often used as a tonic medicine. Supported by the traditional Chinese medicine theory of “homology of liver and kidney,” C. tubulosa (Schenk) Wight has many clinical applications in tonifying the kidney and protecting the liver. Modern pharmacological studies have also found that the protective effects of phenylethanol glycosides from C. tubulosa (Schenk) Wight (CPhGs) play an important role in ameliorating alcoholic liver injury. Aim of the studyWe aimed to investigate whether CPhGs can enhance the therapeutic outcome of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) by targeting the “gut–liver axis,” thus contributing to the knowledge of how Chinese herbs alleviate disease by influencing the gut microbiota. Materials and methodsAn ALD mouse model was established using the Lieber–DeCarli alcohol liquid diet, and the effects of CPhGs on the intestinal barrier and gut microbiota of ALD mice were investigated in a pseudo-sterile mouse model and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) mouse model. We fed female C57BL/6N mice with Lieber-DeCarli ethanol liquid diet, according to the NIAAA model. Animal experiment of long-term, ethanol diet intervention for 6W, and short-term for 11d. The FMT experiments were also performed. ResultsCPhGs significantly improved ALD manifestations. ALD mice demonstrated significant gut microbiota dysbiosis and significantly abnormal proliferation of Allobaculum compared with the control diet group in long-term NIAAA mouse model (L-Pair). In mice that received the long-term intervention, the improvement in gut barrier function in the CPhGs-treated group was accompanied by a significant decrease in the abundance of Allobaculum and a significant increase in the abundance of Akkermansia. Furthermore, compared with the mouse were gavaged fecal microbiota from the long-term NIAAA mouse donors (FMT-EtOH), the number of goblet cells, abundance of Akkermansia, and the intestinal short-chain fatty acid concentrations were significantly increased in the mouse were gavaged fecal microbiota from high (700 mg/kg) doses of CPhGs orally in long-term NIAAA model donors (FMT-EtOH-H). Network analysis and species distribution results demonstrated that Akkermansia and Allobaculum were the genera with the highest abundances in the gut microbiota and that their interaction was related to propionic acid metabolism. ConclusionsThe results suggest that CPhGs exert a protective effect against ALD by modulating the abundance and composition of Akkermansia and Allobaculum in the intestine, maintaining the intestinal mucus balance, and safeguarding intestinal barrier integrity.

Fatty acid synthesis is indispensable for Kupffer cells to eliminate bacteria in ALD progression.

Dysregulated fatty acid metabolism is closely linked to the development of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). KCs, which are resident macrophages in the liver, play a critical role in ALD pathogenesis. However, the effect of alcohol on fatty acid metabolism in KCs remains poorly understood. The current study aims to investigate fatty acid metabolism in KCs and its potential effect on ALD development. Wild-type C57BL/6 mice were fed a Lieber-DeCarli ethanol liquid diet for 3 days. Then, the liver injury and levels of intrahepatic bacteria were assessed. Next, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of ethanol exposure on fatty acid metabolism and the phagocytosis of KCs, both in vivo and in vitro. Finally, we generated KCs-specific Fasn knockout and overexpression mice to evaluate the impact of FASN on the phagocytosis of KCs and ethanol-induced liver injury. Using Bodipy493/503 to stain intracellular neutral lipids, we found significantly reduced lipid levels in KCs from mice fed an alcohol-containing diet for 3 days and in RAW264.7 macrophages exposed to ethanol. Mechanistically, alcohol exposure suppressed sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 transcriptional activity, thereby inhibiting fatty acid synthase (FASN)-mediated de novo lipogenesis in macrophages both in vitro and in vivo. We show that genetic ablation and pharmacologic inhibition of FASN significantly impaired KC's ability to take up and eliminate bacteria. Conversely, KCs-specific Fasn overexpression reverses the impairment of macrophage phagocytosis caused by alcohol exposure. We also revealed that KCs-specific Fasn knockout augmented KCs apoptosis and exacerbated liver injury in mice fed an alcohol-containing diet for 3 days. Our findings indicate the crucial role of de novo lipogenesis in maintaining effective KCs phagocytosis and suggest a therapeutic target for ALD based on fatty acid synthesis in KCs.

A Highly Sensitive Ethanol Liquid Sensor Based on No-Core Fiber Coated With Metal-Organic Framework

A Highly Sensitive Ethanol Liquid Sensor Based on No-Core Fiber Coated With Metal-Organic Framework

The effect of simulated food liquids on the surface structure and solubility of various esthetic restorations

Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the surface roughness and solubility of restorative materials when exposed to foodstuffs in the oral environment using simulated food liquids as defined by the Food and Drug Administration. Methods: In this study, a total of four esthetic restorative materials were used: one universal compomer (Dyract XP, Dentsply), one conventional microhybrid composite (FiltekTM Z250, 3M ESPE), one nanofilled, and one high-viscosity glass ionomer cement (ChemFil Rock, Dentsply). A total of 160 samples, each 8 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness, were prepared using molds. The initial weights of the samples were recorded in micrograms using a precision balance to determine solubility values. Initial surface roughness values were measured using an atomic force microscope device. The samples were immersed in four different simulated food liquids (ethanol, heptane, citric acid, and distilled water) for a period of 7 days. After removal from the solutions, the samples were desiccated to a constant weight, and the second set of weights was recorded. Subsequently, the second surface roughness values were measured Results: Among the materials immersed in the simulated food solutions, ChemFil Rock exhibited the highest solubility and increase in surface roughness. Citric acid was found to be the solution that caused the highest increase in surface roughness values and solubility for this material (p

Technoeconomic feasibility of producing clean fuels from waste plastics: A novel process model

Plastic waste is a problematic issue impacting the environment and human health. A proper recycling of plastics to valuable products is highly needed to meet the increase in energy demand. Plastics have high heating value; therefore, the thermochemical recycling of plastic waste is a valid and feasible approach. Recently, ethanol has attracted wide applications such as the conversion of ethanol to olefins, and hydrocarbons. It burns completely and cleanly, where it reduces the emissions of greenhouses compared to the usual fuels. Hydrogen and other higher hydrocarbons are also crucial in meeting the energy demand. In this study, the plastic waste, mainly polyethylene and polypropylene (due to their availability) were gasified using steam gasification process to produce syngas which then was further processed to hydrogen, ethanol, and other valuable liquid hydrocarbons. An alternative design is constructed integrating steam methane reforming (SMR) with plastic gasification to utilize the heat at the outlet of the gasifier and to enhance the syngas heating value. The two models were compared in terms of syngas heating value, energy analysis and economic analysis. The main parameters that have been evaluated are the production rate of fuel per total feedstock, total required heat, overall process efficiency, and fuel levelized production cost. The results indicated that Case 2 generates syngas with a higher heating value of 55 %, produces four times more H2, and comparable amount of ethanol and other fuels than Case 1. The analysis also revealed that Case 2 has a process efficiency that is 3 % better and a 37.5 % lower fuel production cost than Case 1. Overall, the design of Case 2 was found to be more efficient and cost-effective than the Case 1 design.

Effects of fish oil on insulin resistance in the brains of rats with alcoholic liver damage

This study was to examine the effects of fish oil on alcoholic brain damage in rats, focusing on the insulin signaling pathway. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into control (Lieber-DeCarli control liquid diet), CF25 (control diet + 25 % fish oil substitution), CF57 (control diet + 57 % fish oil substitution), E (Lieber-DeCarli ethanol liquid diet), EF25 (ethanol diet + 25 % fish oil substitution), and EF57 (ethanol diet + 57 % fish oil substitution) groups. The behavioral test was also conducted. After 8 weeks, the E group exhibited brain damage, including nuclear-condensed pyramidal cells and positivity for ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) antibody. The E group revealed the higher hippocampal insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and hypothalamic glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), while presented the lower hepatic IRS-1, hippocampal insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4). After fish oil substitution, the brain nuclear condensation was attenuated and the hippocampal IRS-1 and hypothalamic GSK3β were significantly decreased.

Liquid concentration sensing via weakly coupled point defects in a phononic crystal

A pair of weakly coupled point defects in a liquid–solid phononic crystal are employed for liquid concentration sensing. An exemplary case of methanol in ethanol is investigated. As the physical and chemical properties of the two constituents are very similar, sensing is a rather difficult task by other analytical means. The defects are formed by thin-walled polyethylene tubing filled with either the reference liquid (ethanol) or the mixture in a square phononic crystal composed of cylindrical steel rods in water. Finite-element method simulations for the dual defect system, which has a small form factor comparable to the acoustic wavelength in water, revealed that two sharp transmission peaks corresponding to the even and odd modes arising from symmetry lifting due to weak defect interaction behave in different manners as the methanol concentration is varied. Specifically, the even mode frequency exhibits a linear dependence on the concentration, whereas the odd mode is associated with a quadratic shift. Besides, a simple coupled mass-spring model is employed to analyze the observed peak behavior as a function of methanol concentration in ethanol. Accordingly, when the acoustic properties of the two liquids in a binary mixture vary in a parallel manner with temperature, the ratio of the resonance frequencies depends only on the concentration, thus offering a sensing scheme immune to temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, it is shown for a number of water-miscible liquids that the even and odd mode frequencies are representative of the dominant contents of the reference and the sample cells.

Reducing Oxidative Stress-Mediated Alcoholic Liver Injury by Multiplexed RNAi of Cyp2e1, Cyp4a10, and Cyp4a14.

The prevalence of excessive drinking-related alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is rising, yet therapeutic options remain limited. High alcohol consumption and consequent oxidative metabolism by cytochrome P450 (CYP) can lead to extremely high levels of reactive oxygen species, which overwhelm cellular defenses and harm hepatocytes. Our previous investigations showed that inhibiting Cyp2e1 using RNA interference reduced the incidence of ALD. However, compensatory mechanisms other than CYP2E1 contribute to oxidative stress in the liver. Therefore, we coupled triple siRNA lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) targeting Cyp2e1 with two isoenzymes Cyp4a10 and Cyp4a14 to treat ALD mouse models fed with Lieber-Decarli ethanol liquid diet for 12 weeks at the early (1st week), middle (5th week), and late (9th week) stages. The administration of triple siRNA LNPs significantly ameliorated chronic alcoholic liver injury in mice, and early treatment achieved the most profound effects. These effects can be attributed to a reduction in oxidative stress and increased expression of antioxidant genes, including Gsh-Px, Gsh-Rd, and Sod1. Moreover, we observed the alleviation of inflammation, evidenced by the downregulation of Il-1β, Il-6, Tnf-α, and Tgf-β, and the prevention of excessive lipid synthesis, evidenced by the restoration of the expression of Srebp1c, Acc, and Fas. Finally, triple siRNA treatment maintained normal metabolism in lipid oxidation. In brief, our research examined the possible targets for clinical intervention in ALD by examining the therapeutic effects of triple siRNA LNPs targeting Cyp2e1, Cyp4a10, and Cyp4a14. The in vivo knockdown of the three genes in this study is suggested as a promising siRNA therapeutic approach for ALD.

Unveiling the pathways of ethanol decomposition to carbon radicals by nanosecond pulse bubble discharge in liquid: a two-step hybrid model

In recent years, bubble discharge in liquid has become a novel approach for the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials; however, the fundamental discharge process and synthesis mechanism are still not well understood. In this work, we build a two-step simulation model (combining 2D fluid dynamics and zero-dimensional plasma kinetics) to investigate nanosecond pulse discharge in an Ar bubble immersed in liquid ethanol and chemical reaction processes inside. The 2D simulation results show that discharge develops along the gas‒liquid interface where ethanol decomposes, resulting in much higher densities of active species (CH3, C2H5 and OH). The electric field of the selected reference point near the interface obtained by the 2D model is transmitted into the 0D model. The numerical results show that the decomposition of ethanol mainly occurs at the discharge stage, in which electron impact dissociation (e.g. C2H5OH + e → CH2OH + CH3 + e) and Penning dissociation (e.g. C2H5OH + Ar* → CH2OH + CH3 + Ar) dominate. The density of all carbonaceous species rapidly increases during discharge, while that of some carbon radicals (CH and C) continues to increase due to neutral species reactions when discharge ceases. By quantitative analysis of the reaction contributions, the dominant pathways of C2, CH and C are revealed, i.e. C2H5OH → C2H5 → [C2H, C2H2, C2H3] → C2 and C2H5OH → CH3 → CH2 → CH → C. In addition, the formation pathways of H and OH radicals, which are indispensable for the transformation of carbonaceous intermediates, are also analysed.

Structural and electrochemical evaluation of symmetrical and fuel flexible perovskite electrode for low temperature solid oxide fuel cell

Various disadvantages such as indolent oxidation/reduction and carbon-hydrogen (C–H) activation has hindered the commercialization of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operated with multi fuels at low temperatures (i.e. 400-700)°C. Extensive efforts have been made for the efficient performance of SOFCs by utilizing safe and cheap hydrocarbon fuels at low temperatures. In the current investigation, electrochemical performance of novel anode and cathode material SrMo0.5Fe0.5O3-δ (SMFO) is evaluated in the presence of multi-fuels such as hydrogen (gaseous), ethanol (liquid) and sub-bituminous coal (solid) at low temperature ∼ 700 °C. SMFO (synthesized through solid state reaction route) is thoroughly investigated via X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The average particle size measured is in the range from (60–90) nm. The electrical conductivity and power density is obtained between (190–389) S/cm and (994–1796) × 10−3 W/cm2 respectively among the various fuels. SMFO nanomaterial exhibits greater electrical conduction ∼390Scm−1 and power density ∼1687 × 10−3W/cm2 with ethanol to be utilized as fuel. The activation energies for SMFO are found to be (1.06, 0.65, 0.56) eV in the presence of hydrogen, ethanol and coal respectively. The active conduction and improved power densities make the fabricated nanomaterial well suited for SOFCs (at low temperature) both as cathode and anode with multi-fuel consumption.

PENGARUH ANTIBAKTERI SEDIAAN SABUN WAJAH CAIR EKSTRAK ETANOL DAUN BELIMBING WULUH (Averrhoa bilimbi L) TERHADAP Staphylococcus aureus METODE DIFUSI

Facial soap used to clean the face from exposure to dust, pollution, dirt, reduce sebum on the face and eradicate bacteria that can cause acne. Star fruit leaves are efficacious in healing several diseases, such as purulent skin inflammation, boils and medicine for gout. Phytochemical of star fruit leaves contain alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, tannin and steroid compounds that can inhibit bacterial growth. This study aims to determine the effect of liquid facial soap containing of star fruit leaf extract (Averrhoa bilimbi L) on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria by diffusion method.This study used a Quasi Experiment research design. The population in this study were wuluh star fruit leaves. The sample used is star fruit leaf extract which is made into liquid facial soap preparations with concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. This antibacterial testing method uses the Kirby-Bauer diffusion method. The results of antibacterial research obtained the average diameter of the inhibition zone at 5% concentration of 10.60 mm, 10% concentration of 11.20 mm, 15% concentration of 12.10 mm, and 20% concentration of 13.23 mm. Based on the diameter of the inhibition zone formed at concentration of 5% is categorized as a moderate response and at concentration of 10%, 15% and 20% is categorized as a strong response.The results of simple linear regression statistical analysis obtained p value = 0.000 < α 0.05 which means Ha is accepted, which means that there is a significant effect on the preparation liquid facial soap ethanol extract of star fruit leaves (Averrhoa bilimbi L) against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus diffusion method.

Influence of Anode Diffusion Layer on the Performance of a Passive Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell

One of the main challenges with passive direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) is ethanol transport management since the liquid ethanol is supplied to the anode compartment by natural processes including convection and diffusion with a low cell operating condition. The significant layer in the cell is the diffusion layer (DL), which facilitates reactants to reach the anode catalyst layer (CL). In this study, the impact of various DLs fabricated of readily accessible commercial materials on cell performance in passive DEFCs with different ethanol feed concentrations was examined with various in-situ characterization methods. The results demonstrate that the cell with a DL coated by the hydrophobic microporous layer (MPL) yielded the best performance of 0.887 mW·cm-2 at the optimal ethanol feed concentration of 5 M. In conclusion, the benefits of enhancing ethanol mass transfer to the anode CL would outweigh the drawbacks of preventing ethanol crossover to the cathode. HIGHLIGHTS The effect of the anode diffusion layer (DL) on passive direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) performance was determined Five different anode DLs fabricated of readily accessible commercial materials were employed Various characterizations enabled the assessment of each loss affecting the passive DEFC performance The cell with an anode DL modified with a hydrophobic microporous layer (MPL) exhibited the best cell performance The optimal ethanol feed concentration of the best cell was found to be 5 M GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Wuliangye strong aroma baijiu promotes intestinal homeostasis by improving gut microbiota and regulating intestinal stem cell proliferation and differentiation.

Wuliangye strong aroma baijiu (hereafter, Wuliangye baijiu) is a traditional Chinese grain liquor containing short-chain fatty acids, ethyl caproate, ethyl lactate, other trace components, and a large proportion of ethanol. The effects of Wuliangye baijiu on intestinal stem cells and intestinal epithelial development have not been elucidated. Here, the role of Wuliangye baijiu in intestinal epithelial regeneration and gut microbiota modulation was investigated by administering a Lieber-DeCarli chronic ethanol liquid diet in a mouse model to mimic long-term (8 weeks') light/moderate alcohol consumption (1.6 g kg-1 day-1) in healthy human adults. Wuliangye baijiu promoted colonic crypt proliferation in mice. According to immunofluorescence and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses, compared with the ethanol-only treatment, Wuliangye baijiu increased the number of intestinal stem cells and goblet cells and the expression of enteroendocrine cell differentiation markers in the mouse colon. Furthermore, gut microbiota analysis showed an increase in the relative abundance of microbiota related to intestinal homeostasis following Wuliangye baijiu administration. Notably, increased abundance of Bacteroidota, Faecalibaculum, Lachnospiraceae, and Blautia may play an essential role in promoting stem-cell-mediated intestinal epithelial development and maintaining intestinal homeostasis. In summary, these findings suggest that Wuliangye baijiu can be used to regulate intestinal stem cell proliferation and differentiation in mice and to alter gut microbiota distributions, thereby promoting intestinal homeostasis. This research elucidates the mechanism by which Wuliangye baijiu promotes intestinal health. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sex Differences in Alcohol-related Cardiomyopathy

Alcohol-related Cardiomyopathy (ACM) manifests in humans with a significant history of alcohol use and is characterized by ventricular dilation and cardiac function impairment. Although the most common age group for ACM is males between the ages of 30-55, women require a lesser lifetime alcohol exposure to develop ACM than men. The objective of this study is to assess sexual differences in a mouse model of chronic plus binge alcohol consumption. We hypothesize that female mice exposed to chronic plus binge alcohol will not develop as severe cardiac dysfunction as their male counterparts. In this study, male (n=19) and female (n=14) C57BL/6J mice were provided chronic plus binge alcohol feeding. After 5 days of acclimation to the liquid diet, mice are fed ad libitum 5% ethanol (EtOH) liquid or isocaloric control liquid diet for 30 days. At 10 and 30 days, mice received an oral binge dose of EtOH (5 g/kg body weight), or isocaloric maltose dextrin solution (9 g/kg body weight). Noninvasive cardiac structural and functional data were obtained via echocardiography at baseline and following binges. After 30 days, cardiac hemodynamics was measured by open chest left ventricle catheterization. Two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc analysis was performed for each cardiac parameter, and significance was defined as p<0.05. Male EtOH mice exhibited a significant decrease in stroke work (1119 ± 297 mmHg/mL when compared to male controls, 1622 ± 365 mmHg/mL; p= 0.03). Female EtOH mice had a nonsignificant decrease in stroke work (1242 ± 374 mmHg/mL when compared to female controls, 1423 ± 469 mmHg/mL; p= 0.80). Maximum left ventricular pressure was decreased 20% in male EtOH mice (p=0.003) but increased 10% in female EtOH mice (p=0.46). The maximum rate of pressure change within the ventricle was 24% lower in the male EtOH mice (p=0.02) and 9% higher in female EtOH mice (p=0.87). The minimum rate of pressure change within the ventricle was 24% higher in male EtOH mice (p=0.02) and 17% lower in female ETOH mice (p=0.44). After 30 days of EtOH exposure, male mice showed significant systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Female mice on the other hand, did not show substantial cardiac dysfunction after chronic plus binge ethanol exposure. Further experiments involving qPCR of proinflammatory and profibrotic markers will elucidate the molecular mechanism of sex differences in ACM development. R21AA029747 (JG & CB) & T32AA007577. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

PCSK9 inhibition attenuates alcohol-associated neuronal oxidative stress and cellular injury

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a persistent condition linked to neuroinflammation, neuronal oxidative stress, and neurodegenerative processes. While the inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing liver inflammation associated with alcohol, its impact on the brain remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to assess the effects of alirocumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9 to lower systemic low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), on central nervous system (CNS) pathology in a rat model of chronic alcohol exposure. Alirocumab (50 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered weekly for six weeks in 32 male rats subjected to a 35 % ethanol liquid diet or a control liquid diet (n = 8 per group). The study evaluated PCSK9 expression, LDL receptor (LDLR) expression, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammatory markers in brain tissues. Chronic ethanol exposure increased PCSK9 expression in the brain, while alirocumab treatment significantly upregulated neuronal LDLR and reduced oxidative stress in neurons and brain vasculature (3-NT, p22phox). Alirocumab also mitigated ethanol-induced microglia recruitment in the cortex and hippocampus (Iba1). Additionally, alirocumab decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (TNF, CCL2, CXCL3) in whole brain tissue and attenuated the upregulation of adhesion molecules in brain vasculature (ICAM1, VCAM1, eSelectin). This study presents novel evidence that alirocumab diminishes oxidative stress and modifies neuroimmune interactions in the brain elicited by chronic ethanol exposure. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which PCSK9 signaling influences the brain in the context of chronic ethanol exposure.

Determining the Relationship between Delivery Parameters and Ablation Distribution for Novel Gel Ethanol Percutaneous Therapy in Ex Vivo Swine Liver.

Ethyl cellulose-ethanol (ECE) is emerging as a promising formulation for ablative injections, with more controllable injection distributions than those from traditional liquid ethanol. This study evaluates the influence of salient injection parameters on forces needed for infusion, depot volume, retention, and shape in a large animal model relevant to human applications. Experiments were conducted to investigate how infusion volume (0.5 mL to 2.5 mL), ECE concentration (6% or 12%), needle gauge (22 G or 27 G), and infusion rate (10 mL/h) impacted the force of infusion into air using a load cell. These parameters, with the addition of manual infusion, were investigated to elucidate their influence on depot volume, retention, and shape (aspect ratio), measured using CT imaging, in an ex vivo swine liver model. Force during injection increased significantly for 12% compared to 6% ECE and for 27 G needles compared to 22 G. Force variability increased with higher ECE concentration and smaller needle diameter. As infusion volume increased, 12% ECE achieved superior depot volume compared to 6% ECE. For all infusion volumes, 12% ECE achieved superior retention compared to 6% ECE. Needle gauge and infusion rate had little influence on the observed depot volume or retention; however, the smaller needles resulted in higher variability in depot shape for 12% ECE. These results help us understand the multivariate nature of injection performance, informing injection protocol designs for ablations using gel ethanol and infusion, with volumes relevant to human applications.

Particulate filtration by cryogenic condensation using a high efficiency Stairmand cyclone separator

This paper describes the synergy of a high-efficiency Stairmand cyclonic separator and the phenomenon of condensation generated by the low temperatures of the mixture of liquid nitrogen and ethanol, to increase the separation efficiency on particles with diameters of 1 μm, 45 μm, 75 μm, 150 μm and 250 μm. The cyclone separator adds the phenomenon of condensation, generating a film of liquid water on its internal walls. The film of liquid water causes a loss of kinetic energy in the particles, reducing their speed and becoming stuck. Al2O3 particles and pozzolana rock particles are used to perform the particle separation experimental tests. A computational fluid dynamics analysis using the second order RSM model is incorporated to describe the fluid dynamic behavior of the particles within the separator cyclone. The results in computational fluid dynamics show the agglomeration of larger diameter particles near the internal walls. Using condensation as a phase change generated by cryogenic mixing results in an overall particle separation efficiency of 76.00 %, standing for an increment of 70.14 % in comparison to a conventional high-efficiency Stairmand separator cyclone.Technological innovation: Particles, filtration, separation, condensation, cryogenic.