Thermostatic Water Bath Research Articles

A novel system with robust compatibility and stability for detecting Sugarcane yellow leaf virus based on CRISPR-Cas12a.

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) can reduce sugarcane productivity. A novel detection system based on reverse transcription-multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (RT-MIRA) combined with CRISPR-Cas12a, named RT-MIRA-CRISPR-Cas12a, was developed. This innovative approach employs crude leaf extract directly as the reaction template, streamlining the extraction process for simplicity and speed. Combining RT-MIRA and CRISPR-Cas12a in one reaction tube increases the ease of operation while reducing the risk of aerosol contamination. In addition, it exhibits sensitivity equivalent to qPCR, boasting a lower detection limit of 25 copies. Remarkably, the entire process, from sample extraction to reaction completion, requires only 52-57 minutes, just a thermostat water bath. The result can be observed and judged by the naked eye.IMPORTANCESugarcane yellow leaf disease (SCYLD) is an important viral disease that affects sugarcane yield. There is an urgent need for rapid, sensitive, and stable detection methods. The reverse transcription-multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification combined with CRISPR-Cas12a (RT-MIRA-CRISPR-Cas12a) method established in this study has good specificity and high sensitivity. In addition, the system showed good compatibility and stability with the crude leaf extract, as shown by the fact that the crude extract of the positive sample could still be stably detected after 1 week when placed at 4°C. RT-MIRA-CRISPR-Cas12a, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to detect SCYLV on 33 sugarcane leaf samples collected from the field, and it was found that the three methods reached consistent conclusions. This Cas12a-based detection method proves highly suitable for the rapid on-site detection of the SCYLV.

The Relationship Between Acute-Phase Circuit Occlusion and Blood Calcium Concentration in an Ex Vivo Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Model.

Background and objective Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a blood purification therapy modalityfor the treatment of renal failure in critically ill hospitalized patients with multiorgan dysfunction, effectively preventing uremia and multiple organ failure while improving renal function. However, the perfusion of patient blood through extracorporeal circulation often results in unexpected early occlusion of the CRRT circuit or hemofilter,leading to frequent interruptions in CRRT and wastage of medical resources. Moreover, clinical research on such circuit occlusions is limited. In Japan, CRRT circuits require long-term perfusion, often lasting 24 hours or more, indicating the need for a model capable of inducing occlusion at any arbitrary time; this model can evaluate various aspects, including causes and underlying mechanisms, and contribute to the development of an occlusion prediction method. Hence, we hypothesized the need for a model for inducing occlusion at arbitrary time points. Consequently, we strove to develop an ex vivo circuit occlusion model involving the injection of calcium into circulating citrated animal blood to evaluate the relationship between the amount of calcium chloride injected, circuit occlusion time, and changes in circuit pressure over time. Methods We developed a circuit occlusion model using a commercially available CRRT circuit, polysulfone membrane hemofilter, heating extension tube, and thermostatic water bath, along withcommercially available citrated bovine whole blood. The circuit was filled with blood over a 10-min duration using a roller pump and was occluded after a specific period by varying the flow rate of calcium injected into bovine whole blood. Additionally, continuous injection of 1 mEq/mL calcium chloride into the circuit was maintained while bovine whole blood circulated. Measurements were performed at each calcium injection flow rate (2, 3, and 4 mL/h), with each measurement performed five times. The group that did not receive calcium injection was used as the control (0 mL/h: Con), and the experiment was performed three times. Groups were defined as "0, 2, 3, and 4" for each calcium injection flow rate. The relationship among the amount of calcium chloride injected, circuit occlusion time, and changes in circuit pressure over time was evaluated. Furthermore, blood tests and blood viscoelastic tests were performed at arbitrary times. Results The circuit occlusion time varied with each calcium injection flow rate, and a significant difference was observed between each group (p<0.05). Circuit pressure gradually changed at four minbefore occlusion when calcium was injected at 2, 3, and 4 mL/h, with a more rapid change at one minbefore occlusion. We measured circuit pressure at four and one minbefore occlusion (-4 min, and -1 min, respectively), and at the time of circuit occlusion (0 min) in the Con and 4 mL/h groups. Significant differences were observed in AP between -4 min and 0 min and -1 min and 0 min at a calcium flow rate of 4 mL/h. Additionally, significant differences were seen in prefilter and return pressures between -4 min and 0 min, -4 min and -1 min, and -1 min and 0 min at a calcium flow rate of 4 mL/h (p<0.05). Conclusions Our proposed model accurately estimated the occlusion time based on changes in circuit pressure. This model can be used to create various experimental systems depending on the desired occlusion time.

Solid Foam Insertion to Increase PCM-Based Thermal Energy Storage System Efficiency: Experimental Test and Numerical Simulation of Spherical Macrocapsules

Phase change materials (PCMs) are an interesting solution to increase the efficiency of thermal energy storage (TES) systems. The present work explores, with an experimental and computational study, the behavior of a paraffin wax encapsulated in a spherical containment system during the melting and solidification phases. The experimental tests were conducted by immersing the spherical capsule in a thermostatic water bath at different temperatures and measuring the temperatures at four different points inside the capsule. A two-dimensional CFD model of the sphere was then applied to investigate the effect of the insertion of a solid foam into the sphere to increase the system’s responsiveness under demanding conditions. In addition, an analysis of the solidification process considering two different wall materials (HDPE and aluminum) with different thermal conductivity was performed. The results suggest that embedded foams can represent a useful tool to increase the efficiency of a PCM-based TES, but, at the same time, they also highlight that a considerable increase in thermal conductivity is required to achieve significant advantages with respect to pure PCM systems.

Development of a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification based clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats Cas12a assay for duck Tembusu virus

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is an emerging pathogen that poses a serious threat to the duck industry in China. Currently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR) and reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) are commonly used for DTMUV detection. However, these methods require complex steps and special equipment and easily cause false-positive results. Therefore, we urgently need to establish a simple, sensitive and specific method for the clinical field detection of DTMUV. In this study, we developed an RT-LAMP-based CRISPR-Cas12a assay targeting the C gene to detect DTMUV with a limited detection of 3 copies/μL. This assay was specific for DTMUV without cross-reaction with other common avian viruses and only required some simple pieces of equipment, such as a thermostat water bath and blue/UV light transilluminator. Furthermore, this assay showed 100% positive predictive agreement (PPA) and negative predictive agreement (NPA) relative to SYBR Green qPCR for DTMUV detection in 32 cloacal swabs and 22 tissue samples, supporting its application for clinical field detection.

Cellulose hydrogels for water removal from diesel and biodiesel: Production, characterization, and efficacy testing

Using hydrogels for water removal from fuels is a novel process that has shown promising results. So far, only synthetic hydrogels have been used for this purpose. This article presents the results of innovative research that applies cellulose hydrogels to remove water from diesel and biodiesel. Different methods for hydrogel preparation (addressing proportions of cellulose from 4 to 6 wt% and of epichlorohydrin from 5 to 10 vol%), crosslinking induction (in a conventional oven, microwave, and thermostatic water bath), and hydrogel drying (oven- or freeze-drying) were analyzed. The materials obtained were characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD, and also regarding compressive strength. The swelling degree and the percentage of water removal from diesel and biodiesel were investigated with a 23 factorial design. The best performance was achieved with the hydrogel synthesized with 4 wt% cellulose and 10 vol% epichlorohydrin, with crosslinking induction at 60 °C in a conventional oven for 4 h. The freeze-drying process generated a porous structure with a higher swelling degree (up to 22 g.g−1). However, no significant differences were observed in water removal using freeze- or oven-dried hydrogels. The exposure of the fuels to the hydrogels allowed the removal of 34–62% of the water from biodiesel and 70–82% from diesel. The pseudo-second-order model satisfactorily fitted the data of water removal kinetics, and equilibrium conditions were reached after 12 h. Thus, this research opens the possibility of using an innovative process and a sustainable biomaterial for fuel treatment.

Laboratory Investigation of the Composite Influence of Rock Asphalt and Montmorillonite on the Performance of Bio-Asphalt

To improve the rutting resistance and anti-aging performance of bio-asphalt, the composite modifier of rock asphalt and montmorillonite is used to modify the bio-asphalt. The optimum content of each component was determined by orthogonal tests based on the results from penetration, softening point, ductility and viscosity tests. The rheological properties and anti-aging performance of rock asphalt and montmorillonite composite-modified bio-asphalt (RAMB) with the optimum content were evaluated as compared to those of matrix asphalt (MA), untreated/treated bio-asphalt (UBA/TBA) and rock asphalt-/montmorillonite-modified bio-asphalt (RMB/MMB). The test results illustrated that the optimum content of each component in the rock asphalt/montmorillonite composite-modified bio-asphalt—as determined by orthogonal experimental design and penetration, softening point, ductility and viscosity tests—was 7% bio-oil treated by thermostatic water bath, 5% rock asphalt and 30% montmorillonite. The high-temperature performance, low-temperature performance and anti-aging performance of RAMB were studied by comparison to those of matrix asphalt, UBA, TBA, RMB and MMB. Additionally, the composite modification mechanism was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results suggested that the high-temperature of TBA was obviously improved compared with UBA. The reason, as seen from infrared spectrum tests, was that the amount of ester compounds decreased after water bath treatment. The light components and soluble substances in bio-oil decreased. Compared to UBA, the unrecoverable creep compliance (Jnr) of RAMB decreased by 66.6% and the recovery rate (R) increased by 75.9% at 0.1 KPa. The stiffness modulus (S) of RAMB was 0.87 times that of matrix asphalt and the creep rate (m) was 1.03 times that of base asphalt. Compared to single-modified asphalt, the high- and low-temperature performance of RAMB was good. Meanwhile, the complex modulus aging index (CMAI) and stiffness modulus aging index (SAI) of RAMB were lower than all other asphalt studied, while the phase angle aging index (PAAI) and creep rate aging index (mAI) of RAMB were the largest. The results of infrared spectroscopy also suggest that the mixing of rock asphalt, montmorillonite, bio-oil and matrix asphalt is a physical blending process. During the process, no functional groups are formed. Pretreatment and addition of rock asphalt and montmorillonite can improve high-temperature performance, low-temperature performance and anti-aging performance of the bio-asphalt.

Abstract 2826: Electromagnetic fields and hyperthermia induce lysosomal permeabilization and death in different cancer cell models: in vitro and in vivo studies

Abstract Introduction: Non-ionizing radiations (NIR), e.g. tumor-treating fields, high intensity focused ultrasounds (HIFU) or high frequency microwaves, have potential applications in Oncotherapy. Nevertheless, as today, their efficacy is limited. We investigated whether externally applied magnetic fields and non-ablative hyperthermia affect cancer cell viability and growth. Methods: Under in vitro conditions, human A2058 melanoma, AsPC1 pancreas carcinoma, and MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells were treated with electromagnetic fields (EMFs, using solenoids) and/or hyperthermia (HT, using a thermostated water bath). The effect of both energies was also studied in combination with standard chemotherapy and targeted therapy. An experimental system combining EMFs and HIFU-induced HT was developed and tested in vivo. Results: EMFs (25 μT, 4h) or HT (52ºC, 40 min) quite moderately affect cancer cell viability. However, their combination decreased viability to approx. 16%, 50%, and 21% of controls values in A2058, AsPC1, and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively). Increased lysosomal permeability, release of cathepsins into the cytosol and activation of the mitochondria-dependent cell death are the underlying mechanisms. Cancer cells were completely eliminated combining EMFs, HT and standard chemotherapy or EMFs, HT and anti-Hsp70-targeted therapy. In vivo experiments, using pancreatic cancer xenografts growing in nude mice, show that combination of EMFs, HIFU-induced HT and gemcitabine induces a drastic cancer regression (to approx. 3-4% of control values). Conclusion: Non-invasive NIR (EMFs and HIFU-induced HT) can complement current Oncotherapies. This strategy, associated to current chemotherapy or anti-Hsp70-targeted therapy, may facilitate the elimination of tumors that can be previously located using standard imaging techniques (CT scan and NMR). These results may help to overcome the limitations in the use of different NIR in Oncotherapy. Citation Format: Elena Obrador, Ali Jihad-Jebbar, Rosario Salvador-Palmer, Rafael López-Blanch, María Oriol-Caballo, María Paz Moreno-Murciano, Enrique Navarro, Rosa Cibrián, Jose M. Estrela. Electromagnetic fields and hyperthermia induce lysosomal permeabilization and death in different cancer cell models: in vitro and in vivo studies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 2826.

Fast In Situ Inactivation of Pathogens in Tubes by Plasma

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevailing method for inactivating samples used in nucleic acid detection is a time-consuming process that involves heating the samples in a thermostatic water bath at 56 <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{\circ}$</tex-math> </inline-formula> C for a duration of 30 min. In this study, a fast in situ inactivation method for pathogen samples in test tubes was proposed, which can markedly reduce the treatment time of pathogens to 2 min without affecting subsequent detection. By attaching a designed needle-electrode structure to the samples, an inactivation device of corona discharge was implemented. Using the device, <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Escherichia coli</i> could be inactivated by more than 3 Log in 1 min and <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Mouse Hepatitis Virus</i> (MHV) within 2 min. In addition, the ribonucleic acid (RNA) damage of MHV, obviously ahead of its inactivation, is suggested not to be the main reason that causes its inactivation. So locating an appropriate treatment duration can preserve the RNA of samples for nucleic acid detection. In the future study, proposing a new discharge structure with electrodes outside the sealed test tube will be our focus.

Rapid quantitative detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae in infants with severe infection disease by point-of-care immunochromatographic technique based on nanofluorescent microspheres.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP, K. pneumoniae) is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens that cause severe respiratory infections. As evolutionary high-toxic strains with drug resistance genes increase year by year, the infections caused by it are often accompanied by high mortality, which may be fatal to infants and can cause invasive infections in healthy adults. At present, the traditional clinical methods for detecting K. pneumoniae are cumbersome and time-consuming, and the accuracy and sensitivity are not high. In this study, nanofluorescent microsphere (nFM)-based immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) quantitative testing platform were developed for point-of-care testing (POCT) method of K. pneumoniae. Methods: 19 clinical samples of infants were collected, the genus-specific gene of mdh was screened from K. pneumoniae. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with nFM-ICTS based on magnetic purification assay (PCR-ICTS) and strand exchange amplification (SEA) combined with nFM-ICTS based on magnetic purification assay (SEA-ICTS) were developed for the quantitative detection of K. pneumoniae. The sensitivity and specificity of SEA-ICTS and PCR-ICTS were demonstrated by the existing used classical microbiological methods, the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RTFQ-PCR) and PCR assay based on agarose gel electrophoresis (PCR-GE). Results: Under optimum working conditions, the detection limits of PCR-GE, RTFQ-PCR, PCR-ICTS and SEA-ICTS are 7.7 × 10-3, 2.5 × 10-6, 7.7 × 10-6, 2.82 × 10-7ng/μL, respectively. The SEA-ICTS and PCR-ICTS assays can quickly identify K. pneumoniae, and could specifically distinguish K. pneumoniae samples from non-K. pneumoniae samples. Experiments have shown a diagnostic agreement of 100% between immunochromatographic test strip methods and the traditional clinical methods on the detection of clinical samples. During the purification process, the Silicon coated magnetic nanoparticles (Si-MNPs) were used to removed false positive results effectively from the products, which showed of great screening ability. The SEA-ICTS method was developed based on PCR-ICTS, which is a more rapid (20min), low-costed method compared with PCR-ICTS assay for the detection of K. pneumoniae in infants. Only need a cheap thermostatic water bath and takes a short detection time, this new method can potentially serve as an efficient point-of-care testing method for on-site detection of pathogens and disease outbreaks without fluorescent polymerase chain reaction instruments and professional technicians operation.

Color Stability of Resin Cements after Water Aging.

The color stability of resin cements plays a key role in the achievement of esthetically-pleasant restorations. Resin luting materials can be mainly divided into two main classes: adhesive (relying on previous application of adhesive systems) or self-adhesive (also known as one-step cements). The different chemical compositions determine their physio-mechanical characteristics which, in turns, influence their color stability. To evaluate the color variations of different dual-cured resin cements after water aging, 80 disc-shaped specimens (15 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick) were obtained from the following resin cements (n = 10): (1) Maxcem Elite Universal, MCU (Kerr); (2) RelyX Universal, RXU (3M); (3) Calibra Ceram, CAL (Dentsply); (4) Multilink, MUL (Ivoclar-Vivadent); (5) Panavia V5, PAN (Kuraray); (6) Calibra Universal, CUN (Dentsply); (7) SpeedCEM Plus, SCP (Ivoclar); and (8) Panavia SA, PSA (Kuraray). After light-polymerization, the specimens were measured with a spectrophotometer and CIELab* values were recorded. The specimens were then placed in a digitally controlled thermostatic water bath at 60° for 30 days and afterwards the color measurements were repeated. Color differences were calculated for each specimen before and after water-aging procedures with ΔEab formula and the data were statistically analyzed (p < 0.05). The type of cement statistically influenced the ΔEab (p < 0.05), with MCU showing the lowest color variations (4.3 ± 0.7) whereas RXU and PSA the highest (16.9 ± 1.6 and 16.8 ± 1.2, respectively). No differences were observed between CAL, CUN and SCP (p = 0.05). Color stability is related to the chemical composition of the resinous luting materials, thus material dependent.

Determining the performance of a temperature sensor embedded into a mouthguard

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the steady-state errors of oral-based temperature sensors, that are embedded in mouthguards, using a robust assessment process.Materials and methodsFour electronic boards with temperature sensors were encapsulated in mouthguards made from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). The error and time to reach steady-state temperature were determined using a thermostatic water bath during three different conditions (34, 38.5 and 43 °C). Subsequently, a case study of one volunteer wearing the instrumented mouthguard is presented.ResultsThe water bath tests showed that a mean absolute error of 0.2 °C was reached after a maximum of 690 s across all test conditions. The case study yielded an absolute error was 0.2 °C after 1110 s.ConclusionThese results show that an instrumented mouthguard with temperature sensing capabilities can yield a consistent steady-state error that is close to the clinical requirements across a range of temperatures. However, the time it takes to reach steady-state temperature needs to be considered for these systems to correctly interpret the outcomes.

Fiber Bragg Grating-Based Smart Garment for Monitoring Human Body Temperature.

Body temperature provides an insight into the physiological state of a person, and body temperature changes reflect much information about human health. In this study, a garment for monitoring human body temperature based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors is reported. The FBG sensor was encapsulated with a PMMA tube and calibrated in the thermostatic water bath. The results showed that FBG sensors had good vibration resistance, and the wavelength changed about 0–1 pm at a 0.5–80 Hz vibration frequency. The bending path of the optical fiber after integration with clothing is discussed. When the bending radius is equal to or greater than 20 mm, a lower bending loss can be achieved even under the bending and stretching of the human body. The FBG sensor, the optical fiber, and the garment were integrated together using hot melt glue by the electric iron and the hot press machine. Through experiments of monitoring human body temperature, the sensor can reach the human armpit temperature in about 10–15 min with the upper arm close to the torso. Because it is immune to electromagnetic interferences, the smart garment can be used in some special environments such as ultrasonography, magnetic resonance (MR), and aerospace.

Effects of Temperature and Variety on Rehydration Parameters and Solute Loss during Soaking of Omakwa and Abrohemaa Maize Varieties

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of soaking temperature and variety on the rehydration parameters and solute loss (essential minerals and vitamin C) of two maize varieties.&#x0D; Sun-dried kernels of the maize varieties (Omakwa and Abrohemaa) were soaked at four different water temperatures of 30oC, 40oC, 50oC and 60oC in a thermostatic water bath and the rehydration parameters determined. Temperature and variety were the two principal factors found to influence water uptake by the kernels. The highest rehydration ratio of 13.28 and 14.65 for Omakwa and Abrohemaa respectively occurred at the highest soaking temperature of 60oC. The quantitative analysis of solute loss (phosphorus, sodium, potassium and vitamin C) carried out reveals that large amounts of Potassium and vitamin C leached into the soaking water at higher water temperatures while residual amount of sodium saw an initial increase before decreasing to a low value as the temperature increases. For phosphorus, larger residual amounts were obtained at low to moderate soaking temperatures while a further increase in soaking temperature beyond 50oC resulted in a decrease. Soaking at temperatures of 40oC and 50oC were found to retain more nutrients hence moderate temperature of 40oC ≤X≤ 50oC may be considered for soaking of Omakwa and Abrohemaa maize varieties.

Comparative Study of Gelatinization Kinetics of Some Edible Tubers

The kinetics of water gelatinization reaction in some edible tubers (Manihot esculenta, Colocasia esculenta, Dioscorea alata, Ipomoea batatas, Solanum tuberosum, Dioscorea dumetorum and Dioscorea rotundata) was investigated using a thermostated water bath at various temperatures.

Synthetic leptin c-fragment peptide minimises heat-induced impairment of spermatogenesis in mice via Stat3 signalling

Mammalian spermatogenesis is a temperature-sensitive process, and an increase in testicular temperature impairs spermatogenesis. Leptin modulates testicular activity, but the effect of leptin or its synthetic analogue on heat-induced testicular impairment is unclear. We investigated the effects of synthetic leptin peptide (116–130 amides) on testicular activity in heat-stressed mice model. 15 adult mice (25.54 ± 1.43 g) were selected for the study. Ten mice were subjected to a single heat stress treatment (HS) at 43 °C for 15 min by submerging the lower half of the body in a thermostatic water bath. After heat treatment, mice were divided into two groups, the heat-stressed HS group (n = 5) and the second group as HSL, treated with leptin peptide (116–130 amide) for 14 days. The HS group showed a significant (p < 0.05) decline in the GSI (0.25 ± 0.018), Johnsenscore (4.5 ±.19), seminiferous tubule diameter (160.75 ± 10.18 μm), germinal epithelium height, (GEH) (37.5 ± 1.59 μm) compared to the CN (GSI-0.37 ± 0.015; Johnsen score-7.9 ± 0.20; GEH- 73.25 ± 1.29 μm; tubule diameter-230.25 ± 1.39 μm) and the HSL groups (GSI-0.38 ± 0.014; Johnsen’ score-8.0 ± 0.32; GEH- 37.5 ± 1.59 μm; tubule diameter-160.75 ± 10.18 μm) groups. Heat treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased the intra-testicular levels of leptin (HS-20.11 ± 2.1 pg/mg protein; CN-10.50 ± 0.17 pg/mg protein; HSL-12.99 ± 0.52 pg/mg protein) with a reduced level of pStat3, suggesting leptin resistance during testicular hyperthermia. Furthermore, heat treatment was associated with significantly (p < 0.05) decreased germ cell proliferation and reduced circulating testosterone levels (HS-2.69 ± 2.01 ng/mL; CN-7.69 ± 0.32 ng/mL; HSL-5.36 ± 0.73 ng/mL). However, the circulating androstenedione levels showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the HS group (0.75 ± 0.03 ng/mL) compared to the CN (0.51 ± 0.02 ng/mL) and HSL (0.57 ± 0.07 ng/mL) groups. Immunolocalisation of 3β−HSD showed moderate to faint staining in the Leydig cells in the HS group compared to the CN and HSL groups. Treatment with leptin peptide resulted in decrease in the intra-testicular leptin levels with increased phosphorylation of Stat3, suggesting improved leptin resistance, which was positively associated with increased germ cell proliferation, elevated testosterone levels, and improved testicular histoarchitecture. Testicular hyperthermia may cause leptin resistance and impaired leptin signalling, decreased testosterone biosynthesis and suppressed spermatogenesis, which could be a manifestation of leptin resistance. Treatment with leptin peptide improves leptin signalling and testicular activity in heat-stressed mice, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear.

UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION USING THERMOCOUPLE AND ARDUINO® COMPATIBLE HARDWARE

Temperature is a critical aspect in the control of processes in engineering. The measurement, however, must take into account not only the accuracy of the sensor but also the implementation costs and uncertainty. Thermocouples are one of the most widely used temperature measurement methods combining low costs, high measurement ranges, and relatively good accuracy. The acquisition system, however, is usually expensive. This paper evaluated the uncertainty in the temperature measurements of a K-type thermocouple using low cost Arduino® compatible hardware as a data acquisition system. This set was calibrated using a thermostatic distilled water bath at both freezing and boiling phase change points. The equations for uncertainty calculation were fully developed, and the procedures described serve as a reference for uncertainty assessment for thermocouples with other data acquisition systems. Although the calibration was the most significant contributor, the low variability of measurements shows the system has good stability and is a fine choice for industrial applications. The calculations are easy to implement as a routine for several measurements and guarantee results up to the international reference standard.

Contribution of Microwave to the Formation of Octacalcium Phosphate Intercalating Succinate Ions

We applied microwave light with frequencies 10, 212, and 419 GHz to form octacalcium phosphate (OCP) intercalated with succinate ions (SCI). The composition of starting reagents (i.e., α-type tricalcium phosphate (TCP), calcium hydrogenphosphate dihydrate (DCPD), and SCI in pure water) did not enable us to form OCP intercalated with SCI in a thermostatic water bath. Although microwave irradiation typically acts as a heat source in water, it has brought a valuable contribution to OPC formation. This paper reports the following interesting result; microwave irradiation of power less than 0.1 W enabled us to synthesize OCP intercalated with SCI which was not possible to form with power values exceeding 0.1 W.

Sample Preparation Using TMAH and Nitric Acid for Multielement Determination in Crustacean Samples by MIP OES

This study proposes a simple sample preparation procedure using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and nitric acid (HNO3) to determine Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Zn concentrations in shrimp (Macrobrachium amazonicum) and crab (Ucides cordatus) samples from the Amazon region by microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES). The sample solubilization was carried out employing TMAH and HNO3 using an ultrasound bath and a thermostatic water bath. The accuracy of the proposed procedure was performed using microwave-assisted digestion as comparative method. Certified fish protein reference material (DORM-4) and also addition recovery experiments were used to assess the accuracy of the proposed procedure and recoveries obtained were adequate, ranging from 91 to 106%. In this study, the use of TMAH and HNO3 simplified sample preparation, maintaining the identity of analytes and ensuring efficiency in determinations.

Design and Preparation of a 3D Photonic Glass with a Broad Infrared Gap

AbstractPhotonic glasses with infrared gaps can be used as surface coating materials to effectively change the infrared radiation characteristics of substrate. In this research, a photonic glass with an infrared broad gap could be prepared easily in thermostatic water bath by a simple and fast baking protocol. The photonic glass prepared had a broad gap from 4.25 to 4.57 μm, centering at 4.45 μm, which was slightly different from the result of numerical simulation due to the existence of the internal disordered structure. The infrared transmission diagram showed that the infrared transmittance of a substrate covered by the photonic glass can be reduced from 80 % to 25 % at infrared atmosphere window of 3∼5 μm, which proved the ability of the material to regulate and control the infrared electromagnetic wave. In addition, the material can significantly restrain the infrared radiation of the substrate at 60 °C, which was expected to achieve stealth under the infrared detection.

Estimating glucose diffusion coefficient of membranes for tissue engineering applications using Fick’s First Law

The idea of growing artificial tissues in bioreactors such as hollow fibre membrane bioreactors (HFMBs) has started years ago and preparation of biocompatible porous membranes and scaffolds has been attempted extensively. There also have been several studies on modelling glucose transport processes in HFMBs. However, there is little information available that discusses specifically the glucose diffusivity across tissue engineering membranes or scaffolds and, importantly, its dependence on the properties of the materials (i.e., membrane and scaffold). Therefore, the objective of this study is to deduce the glucose diffusivity across different membranes. Using Fick’s law and a diffusion cell in this study, we have determined glucose diffusion coefficients for two different membranes namely cellulose nitrate (CN) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). These membranes possessed similar pore size with varying thickness and were saturated with water and cell culture medium (CCM). The diffusion experiments were conducted in a thermostated water bath at either 27 or 37 ± 1°C. It was observed that PVDF membrane with greater thickness has a lower diffusivity than CN membrane when both were saturated in CCM and water at 37°C. From the results, we derive the significance of the decrease of diffusion coefficient with increasing thickness of the membranes.