Mouse Grueneberg ganglion neurons share molecular and functional features with C. elegans amphid neurons.

The mouse Grueneberg ganglion (GG) is an olfactory subsystem located at the tip of the nose close to the entry of the naris. It comprises neurons that are both sensitive to cold temperature and play an important role in the detection of alarm pheromones (APs). This chemical modality may be essential for species survival. Interestingly, GG neurons display an atypical mammalian olfactory morphology with neurons bearing deeply invaginated cilia mostly covered by ensheathing glial cells. We had previously noticed their morphological resemblance with the chemosensory amphid neurons found in the anterior region of the head of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We demonstrate here further molecular and functional similarities. Thus, we found an orthologous expression of molecular signaling elements that was furthermore restricted to similar specific subcellular localizations. Calcium imaging also revealed a ligand selectivity for the methylated thiazole odorants that amphid neurons are known to detect. Cellular responses from GG neurons evoked by chemical or temperature stimuli were also partially cGMP-dependent. In addition, we found that, although behaviors depending on temperature sensing in the mouse, such as huddling and thermotaxis did not implicate the GG, the thermosensitivity modulated the chemosensitivity at the level of single GG neurons. Thus, the striking similarities with the chemosensory amphid neurons of C. elegans conferred to the mouse GG neurons unique multimodal sensory properties.

Estimation of surface area and pore volume of activated carbons by methylene blue and iodine numbers

Data of methylene blue number and iodine number of activated carbons samples were calibrated against the respective surface area, micropore volume and total pore volume using multiple regression. The models obtained from the calibrations were used in predicting these physical properties of a test group of activated carbon samples produced from several raw materials. In all cases, the predicted values were in good agreement with the expected values. The method allows extracting more information from the methylene blue and iodine adsorption studies than normally obtained with this type of material.

Lanthanum based high surface area perovskite-type oxide and application in CO and propane combustion

The perovskite-type oxides using transition metals present a promising potential as catalysts in total oxidation reaction. The present work investigates the effect of synthesis by oxidant co-precipitation on the catalytic activity of perovskite-type oxides LaBO3 (B= Co, Ni, Mn) in total oxidation of propane and CO. The perovskite-type oxides were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption (BET method), thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (ATG-DTA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Through a method involving the oxidant co-precipitation it's possible to obtain catalysts with different BET surface areas, of 33-44 m²/g, according the salts of metal used. The characterization results proved that catalysts have a perovskite phase as well as lanthanum oxide, except LaMnO3, that presents a cationic vacancies and generation for known oxygen excess. The results of catalytic test showed that all oxides have a specific catalytic activity for total oxidation of CO and propane even though the temperatures for total conversion change for each transition metal and substance to be oxidized.

Digital surface area assessment of broiler chickens

Surface area (SA) of poultry is an important parameter for heat and mass transfer calculations. Optical approaches, such as the moiré technique (MT), are non-destructive, result in accuracy and speed gains, and preserve the object integrity. The objective of this research was to develop and validate a new protocol for estimating the surface area (SA) of broiler chickens based on the MT. Sixty-six Ross breed broiler chickens (twenty-seven male, thirty-nine female, ages spanning all growth phases) were used in this study. The dimensions (length, width and height) and body mass of randomly selected broiler chickens were evaluated in the laboratory. Chickens were illuminated by a light source, and grids were projected onto the chickens to allow their shape to be determined and recorded. Next, the skin and feathers of the chickens were removed to allow SA to be determined by conventional means. These measurements were then used for calibration and validation. The MT for image analysis was a reliable means of evaluating the three-dimensional shape and SA of broiler chickens. This technique, which is neither invasive nor destructive, is a good alternative to the conventional destructive methods.

Preparation of high surface area TiO (anatase) by thermal hydrolysis 2 of titanyl sulphate solution

Highly crystalline, ultra fine TiO (anatase) having high surface area has been prepared by thermal hydrolysis of titanyl sulphate 2 solution and characterized using B.E.T surface area measurements, XRD and chemical analysis. The dependence of surface area on concentration of staffing solution, temperature of hydrolysis, duration of boiling and calcination temperature were also studied. As the boiling temperature, duration of boiling and calcination temperature increased, the surface area of TiO formed decreased significantly. 2 On increasing calcination temperature, the crystallite size of TiO also increased and gradually the phase transformation to rutile took 2 place. The onset and completion temperatures of rutilation were 700 and 10008C, respectively

Estimation of Effective Impervious Surface Area of Cochin using Satellite Images

Urbanization refers to the process in which an increasing proportion of a population lives in cities and suburbs. Urbanization fuels the alteration of the Land use/Land cover pattern of the region including increase in built-up area, leading to imperviousness of the ground surface. With increasing urbanization and population pressures; the impervious areas in the cities are increasing fast. An impervious surface refers to an anthropogenic ally modified surface that prevents water from infiltrating into the soil. Surface imperviousness mapping is important for the studies related to water cycling, water quality, soil erosion, flood water drainage, non-point source pollution, urban heat island effect and urban hydrology. The present study estimates the Total Impervious Area (TIA) of the city of Kochi using high resolution satellite image (LISS IV, 5m. resolution). Additionally the study maps the Effective Impervious Area (EIA) by coupling the capabilities of GIS and Remote Sensing. Land use/Land cover map of the study area was prepared from the LISS IV image acquired for the year 2012. The classes were merged to prepare a map showing pervious and impervious area. Supervised Maximum Likelihood Classification (Supervised MLC),which is a simple but accurate method for image classification, is used in calculating TIA and an overall classification accuracy of 86.33% was obtained. Water bodies are 100% pervious, whereas urban built up area are 100% impervious. Further based on percentage of imperviousness, the Total Impervious Area is categorized into various classes

Searching for the perfect surface area normalizing term - a comparison of BET surface area-, geometric surface area- and mass-normalized dissolution rates of anorthite and biotite

Dissolution rates were calculated for a range of grain sizes of anorthite and biotite dissolved under far from equilibrium conditions at pH 3, T = 20 degrees C. Dissolution rates were normalized to initial and final BET surface area, geometric surface area, mass and (for biotite only) geometric edge surface area. Constant (within error) dissolution rates were only obtained by normalizing to initial BET surface area for biotite. The normalizing term that gave the smallest variation about the mean for anorthite was initial BET surface area. In field studies, only current (final) surface area is measurable. In this study, final geometric surface area gave the smallest variation for anorthite dissolution rates and final geometric edge surface area for biotite dissolution rates. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Specific surface area and structures of aluminas from fibrillar pseudoboehmite

By heating powders of the aluminum monohydroxide fibrillar pseudoboehmite from 200 degrees C to 1400 degrees C several high surface area aluminas are prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron optical methods. Aqueous sols with pseudoboehmite fibrils of different lengths were dried by two methods: at room temperature and spray-dried. The following aluminas were obtained after treatment of the powders at increasing temperatures and having a range of specific surface areas: gamma-Al(2)O(3) (470 degrees C - 770 degrees C; 179 m(2)/g 497 m(2)/g); delta-Al(2)O(3) (770 degrees C - 930 degrees C; 156 m(2)/g - 230 m(2)/g); theta-Al(2)O(3) (930 degrees C - 1050 degrees C; 11 m(2)/g - 200 m(2)/g); alpha-Al(2)O(3) (1050 degrees C - 1400 degrees C; 2 m(2)/g - 17 m(2)/g). Spray-dried powders, fired at the same temperature than the ground powders, showed higher specific surface areas. The higher surface area alumina have values of the same order of magnitude of the commercial ""ad-cat"" aluminas.

High specific surface area LaFeCo perovskites-Synthesis by nanocasting and catalytic behavior in the reduction of NO with CO

LaFe(1-x)CO(x)O(3) perovskites were conventionally or nanocasting synthesized. The nanocasting involved the preparation of a micro-mesoporous carbon mould using a Silica Aerosil 200 and a carbon source. Then, perovskites were carbon cast at 800 degrees C. The solids were characterized by XRD, N(2) sorption, FTIR, TGA/DTG, SEM and TEM. N(2) sorption evidenced that the nanocast perovskites did not show significant intraparticle porosity in despite of their enhanced (30-50 m(2)/g) specific surface area (SSA). Nevertheless, TEM images, XRD and Rietveld refinement data showed that the solids are constituted at least by 97 wt% of perovskite phase and by agglomerates smaller than 100 nm constituted by crystallites of about 6 nm. TGA/DTG results demonstrated carbon oxidation during the perovskite formation, thus eliminating the template effect and facilitating the occurrence of sintering, which limited the SSA increase. The nanocast perovskites were more active in the reduction of NO than the uncast ones, behavior that was attributed to the increase in their SSA that allows the exposure of a higher number of accessible active sites. However, the perovskite composition and the presence of impurities can reduce the effect of the improvement of the textural properties. The nanocast perovskites also showed high thermal and catalytic stability, corroborating their potential as catalysts for the studied reaction. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrocatalysis on noble metal and noble metal alloys dispersed on high surface area carbon

In this work, a simple route to prepare carbon supported Pt/C, Pt:Ru/C, Pt:Mo/C and Pt:Ru:Mo/C catalysts is reported. The electrochemical properties of the several carbon materials used as substrates in the absence and in the presence of supported platinum and platinum alloys catalysts were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and employing the thin porous coating electrode technique. The activity of the dispersed catalysts composed of Pt/C with respect to the oxygen reduction and of alloy/C with respect to methanol oxidation was investigated using steady state polarization measurements. The performance with respect to the oxygen reduction reaction of the Pt/C catalyst prepared on heat-treated Vulcan carbon substrate is equivalent to that reported in the literature for the state-of-the-art electrocatysts. Pt:Ru:Mo/C samples prepared in this work presented the higher catalytic effect for methanol electro-oxidation.

Activity and characterization by XPS, HR-TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and BET surface area of CuO/CeO2-TiO2 catalysts

Structural and textural studies of a CuO/TiO2 System modified by cerium oxide were conducted using Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N-2 absorption (BET specific surface area). The introduction of a minor amount of CeO2 (Ce0.09Ti0.82O1.91CU0.09 sample) resulted in a material with the maximum surface area value. The results of Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of only two crystalline phases, TiO2 anatase and CeO2 cerianite, with well-dispersed copper species. TEM micrographs showed a trend toward smaller TiO2 crystallites when the cerium oxide content was increased. The XPS analysis indicated the rise of a second peak in Ti 2p spectra with the increasing amount of CeO2 located at higher binding energies than that due to the Till in a tetragonal symmetry. The CuO/TiO2 system modified by CeO2 displayed a superior performance for methanol dehydrogenation than the copper catalyst supported only on TiO2 or CeO2.

Uroflow studies in children: Correlation with age, weight and body surface area.

Peak flow rate data (Q(max)) are important for diagnosis of lower urinary tract obstruction. However, the lack of uroflowmetry studies in children, makes their interpretation difficult. With this aim, we studied 167 boys classified in four groups according to their age (G1 : n = 48, 6-7 years; G2 : n = 43, 8-9 years; G3 : n = 37, 10-11 years; G4: n = 39, 12-14 years). We studied in all children, weight, height, body surface area, peak flow rate (Q(max) and the correspondant urinary volume (Vol). Means and standard deviations of Q(max) (ml/sec) were : 15 +/- 5 (G1), 15 +/- 5 (G2), 17 +/- 5 (G3) and 22 +/- 7 (G4) respectively. Corresponding urinary volumes (Vol) (mean standard deviation - in ml) were : G1 = 123 +/- 75; G2 = 122 +/- 79; G3 = 158 +/- 96 and G4 = 162 +/- 101. We found a significant correlation (p < 0,01) between Q(max) and Vol in groups G2, G3 and G4; and between Q(max) and height in groups G1 and G4.The authors demonstrated a positive correlation between maximum flow and voided volume, and an increase of Q(max) with age.