Search results for " membranes"
showing 10 items of 276 documents
Optimization of net power density in Reverse Electrodialysis
2019
Abstract Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) extracts electrical energy from the salinity difference between two solutions using selective ion exchange membranes. In RED, conditions yielding a large net power density (NPD) are generally desired, due to the still large cost of the membranes. NPD depends on a large number of physical and geometric parameters. Some of these, for example the inlet concentrations of concentrate and diluate, can be regarded as “scenario” variables, imposed by external constraints (e.g., availability) or chosen by different criteria than NPD maximization. Others, namely the thicknesses HCONC, HDIL and the velocities UCONC, UDIL in the concentrate and diluate channels, c…
Severe pre-eclampsia is associated with alterations in cytotrophoblasts of the smooth chorion.
2016
Pre-eclampsia (PE), which affects ∼8% of first pregnancies, is associated with faulty placentation. Extravillous cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) fail to differentiate properly, contributing to shallow uterine invasion and deficient spiral artery remodeling. We studied the effects of severe PE (sPE) on the smooth chorion portion of the fetal membranes. The results showed a significant expansion of the CTB layer. The cells displayed enhanced expression of stage-specific antigens that extravillous CTBs normally upregulate as they exit the placenta. Transcriptomics revealed the dysregulated expression of many genes (e.g. placental proteins, markers of oxidative stress). We confirmed an sPE-related incr…
Performance of a membrane-coupled high-rate algal pond for urban wastewater treatment at demonstration scale
2020
[EN] The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of an outdoor membrane-coupled high-rate algal pond equipped with industrial-scale membranes for treating urban wastewater. Decoupling biomass retention time (BRT) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) by membrane filtration resulted in improved process efficiencies, with higher biomass productivities and nutrient removal rates when operating at low HRTs. At 6 days of BRT, biomass productivity increased from 30 to 66 and to 95 g.m(-3).d(-1) when operating at HRTs of 6, 4 and 2.5 days, respectively. The corresponding nitrogen removal rates were 4, 8 and 11 g N.m(-3).d(-1) and the phosphorous removal rates were 0.5, 1.3 and 1.6 g P…
P20Early membrane funnelling may occur from 16 weeks onwards and carries a worse prognosis
2000
Background Sonographic screening for cervical incompetence during pregnancy is currently a routine procedure. However, no consensus exists on the optimal gestational age to perform such screening. Method Serial transvaginal ultrasound examinations of the uterine cervix were routinely performed from 12 weeks onwards. The screening was considered positive when membrane funnelling was present or the cervical length was < 2 cm. Therapeutic measures included bed rest, antibiotics, tocolytic treatment and a modified McDonald's cervical suture (up to 25 weeks). Results Membrane funnelling was detected between 16 and 22 weeks (group A) in 9 women (31%); between 23 and 28 weeks (group B) in 11 women…
Molecular Mobility in Oriented and Unoriented Membranes Based on Poly[2-(Aziridin-1-yl)ethanol]
2021
Unoriented and oriented membranes based on dendronized polymers and copolymers obtained by chemical modification of poly[2-(aziridin-1-yl) ethanol] (PAZE) with the dendron 3,4,5-tris[4-(n-dodecan-1-yloxy)benzyloxy]benzoate were considered. DSC, XRD, CP-MAS NMR and DETA, contribute to characterize the tendency to crystallize, the molecular mobility of the benzyloxy substituent, the dendritic liquid crystalline group and the clearing transition. The orientation of the mesogenic chain somewhat hindered this molecular motion, especially in the full substituted PAZE. The fragility, free volume and thermal expansion coefficients of these membranes near the glass transition are related to the orie…
Different conformations of nascent polypeptides during translocation across the ER membrane
2000
Abstract Background In eukaryotic cells, proteins are translocated across the ER membrane through a continuous ribosome-translocon channel. It is unclear to what extent proteins can fold already within the ribosome-translocon channel, and previous studies suggest that only a limited degree of folding (such as the formation of isolated α-helices) may be possible within the ribosome. Results We have previously shown that the conformation of nascent polypeptide chains in transit through the ribosome-translocon complex can be probed by measuring the number of residues required to span the distance between the ribosomal P-site and the lumenally disposed active site of the oligosaccharyl transfer…
Optical Gating of Photosensitive Synthetic Ion Channels
2011
4-oxo-4-(pyren-4-ylmethoxy) butanoic acid is used as a photolabile protecting group to show the optical gating of nanofluidic devices based on synthetic ion channels. The inner surface of the channels is decorated with monolayers of photolabile hydrophobic molecules that can be removed by irradiation, which leads to the generation of hydrophilic groups. This process can be exploited in the UV-light-triggered permselective transport of ionic species in aqueous solution through the channels. The optical gating of a single conical nanochannel and multichannel polymeric membranes is characterised experimentally and theoretically by means of current-voltage and selective permeation measurements,…
Fatty Acids Composition of Blood Cell Membranes and Peripheral Inflammation in the PREDIMED Study: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
2019
There is limited evidence from epidemiological studies for the inflammatory or anti-inflammatory properties of fatty acids in blood cell membranes. Therefore, this study examined associations between baseline (n = 282) and 1-year (n = 143) changes in the levels of fatty acids in blood cell membranes with circulating inflammatory markers in older adults at high cardiovascular risk. The data for this cross-sectional analysis was obtained from a case-control study within the PREDIMED study. Linear regression with elastic net penalty was applied to test associations between measured fatty acids and inflammatory markers. Several fatty acids were associated with interferon-&gamma
Immunoaffinity purification and characterization of mitochondrial membrane-bound D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase from Jaculus orientalis.
2008
Abstract Background The interconversion of two important energy metabolites, 3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate (the major ketone bodies), is catalyzed by D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH1: EC 1.1.1.30), a NAD+-dependent enzyme. The eukaryotic enzyme is bound to the mitochondrial inner membrane and harbors a unique lecithin-dependent activity. Here, we report an advanced purification method of the mammalian BDH applied to the liver enzyme from jerboa (Jaculus orientalis), a hibernating rodent adapted to extreme diet and environmental conditions. Results Purifying BDH from jerboa liver overcomes its low specific activity in mitochondria for further biochemical characterization of the e…
Kinetics of the lipoperoxyl radical-scavenging activity of indicaxanthin in solution and unilamellar liposomes
2007
Abstract The reaction of the phytochemical indicaxanthin with lipoperoxyl radicals generated in methyl linoleate methanol solution by 2,20-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), and in aqueous soybean phosphatidylcholine unilamellar liposomes by 2,20-azobis(2- amidinopropane)hydrochloride, was studied. The molecule acts as a chain-terminating lipoperoxyl radical scavenger in solution, with a calculated inhibition constant of 3.63 £ 105M21 s21, and a stoichiometric factor approaching 2. Indicaxanthin incorporated in liposomes prevented lipid oxidation, inducing clear-cut lag periods and decrease of the propagation rate. Both effects were concentration-dependent, but not linearly related to the p…