Virus purification, detection and removal

The biopharmaceutical industry has a growing demand and an increasing need to improve the current virus purification technologies, especially as more and more vaccines are produced from cell-culture derived virus particles. Downstream purification strategies can be expensive and account for 70% of the overall manufacturing costs. The economic pressure and purification processes can be particularly challenging when the virus to be purified is small, as in our model virus, porcine parvovirus (PPV). Our efforts are focused on designing an easy, economical, scalable and efficient system for virus purification, and we focused on aqueous two-phase systems. Industry acceptable standards for virus vaccine recovery can be as low as 30% due to demand of high final titer, virus transduction inhibitors and presence of empty or defective virus capsids as impurities. We have overcome these shortcomings by recovering a high 64% of infectious virus using an aqueous two-phase system. We used high molecular weight polymer and citrate salt to achieve a good yield and eliminated the major contaminant bovine serum albumin. Viruses are also studied for ensuring pure and safe drinking water. Low pressure microfiltrations are continuously being investigated for water filters as they allow high permeate flux and low fouling. Viruses such as PPV are small enough to pass through the microporous membranes. Control of viruses in water is crucial for public health and we have designed an affinity based membrane filter to capture virus. Nanofibers have a high surface to volume ratio providing a highly accessible surface area for virus adsorption. Chitosan an insoluble, biocompatible and biodegradable polymer was used for adsorbing trimer peptide WRW. About 0.2 μmoles of cysteine terminal WRW peptide was conjugated to amine terminal chitosan using maleimide conjugation chemistry. We achieved 90-99% virus removal from water adjusted to a neutral pH. The virus removal from affinity based chitosan was attributed to electrostatic and hydrophobic driven binding effect.

DESIGN AND SYNTHESIS OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL POLYMERIC MICELLES FOR GENE-DIRECTED ENZYME PRODRUG THERAPY

Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy is a form of cancer therapy in which delivery of a gene that encodes an enzyme is able to convert a prodrug, a pharmacologically inactive molecule, into a potent cytotoxin. Currently delivery of gene and prodrug is a two-step process. Here, we propose a one-step method using polymer nanocarriers to deliver prodrug, gene and cytotoxic drug simultaneously to malignant cells. Prodrugs acyclovir, ganciclovir and 5-doxifluridine were used to directly to initiate ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone, forming a hydrophobic prodrug-tagged poly(epsilon-caprolactone) which was further grafted with hydrophilic polymers (methoxy poly(ethylene glycol), chitosan or polyethylenemine) to form amphiphilic copolymers for micelle formation. Successful synthesis of copolymers and micelle formation was confirmed by standard analytical means. Conversion of prodrugs to their cytotoxic forms was analyzed by both two-step and one-step means i.e. by first delivering gene plasmid into cell line HT29 and then challenging the cells with the prodrug-tagged micelle carriers and secondly by complexing gene plasmid onto micelle nanocarriers and delivery gene and prodrug simultaneously to parental HT29 cells. Anticancer effectiveness of prodrug-tagged micelles was further enhanced by encapsulating chemotherapy drugs doxorubicin or SN-38. Viability of colon cancer cell line HT29 was significantly reduced. Furthermore, in an effort to develop a stealth and targeted carrier, CD47-streptavidin fusion protein was attached onto the micelle surface utilizing biotin-streptavidin affinity. CD47, a marker of self on the red blood cell surface, was used for its antiphagocytic efficacy, results showed that micelles bound with CD47 showed antiphagocytic efficacy when exposed to J774A.1 macrophages. Since CD47 is not only an antiphagocytic ligand but also an integrin associated protein, it was used to target integrin alpha(v)beta(3), which is overexpressed on tumor-activated neovascular endothelial cells. Results showed that CD47-tagged micelles had enhanced uptake when treated to PC3 cells which have high expression of alpha(v)beta(3). The synthesized multifunctional polymeric micelle carriers developed could offer a new platform for an innovative cancer therapy regime.

Comparative in vivo study on the healing qualities of four different presealed vascular prostheses

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to assess the healing qualities of presealed knitted polyester prostheses. METHODS: Thoracic aortic replacement was performed with grafts with four different coating materials-collagen (CP), albumin (AP), and two with gelatin (GP1/GP2)-in four groups of 15 pigs each. Two weeks, 6 weeks, and 6 months after operation, five pigs of each group were killed. Healing quality was assessed by morphometric analysis of the remaining coating, the extent of tissue ingrowth, and the thickness of the inner layer. RESULTS: The sealant was rapidly absorbed in all prostheses except for the AP (remaining coating at 2 weeks: GP1 22.1%, GP2 34.7%, and CP 68.0% vs AP 97.1% [p < 0.05]), remaining coating at 6 weeks: GP1/GP2 0% and CP 2.5% vs AP 76.7% (p < .01). At 6 months, remaining coating was only detectable in AP (21.5%). At 2 weeks the extent of tissue ingrowth ranged from 65.7% in GP1 and 75.3% in CP to 80% in GP2 versus 8.9% in AP (p < 0.05). There was a slow increase of tissue ingrowth until the sixth postoperative week (GP1 74.4%, GP2 85.0%, and CP 91.3% versus AP 19.6% [p < 0.01]). Thickness of the internal layer varied from 0.11 to 0.21 mm at 2 weeks in all grafts studied and from 1.02 mm (AP) and 1.28 mm (GP2) to 1.39 mm (GP1), versus 0.41 mm in the CP (p < 0.01) after 6 months of implantation. CONCLUSIONS: The type of coating significantly influences the healing properties of knitted polyester prostheses. When used for thoracic aortic replacement in pigs, AP coating clearly results in inferior healing compared with GP1/GP2 or CP impregnation, with digestion of the coating material and tissue ingrowth used as parameters. The thinnest internal layer was found in the CP prostheses, reflecting superior healing properties of this coating in the model studied.

Microcirculatory parameters after isotonic and hypertonic colloidal fluid resuscitation in acute hemorrhagic shock

BACKGROUND: Volume resuscitation is one of the primary therapeutic goals in hemorrhagic shock, but data on microcirculatory effects of different colloidal fluid resuscitation regimen are sparse. We investigated sublingual mucosal microcirculatory parameters during hemorrhage and after fluid resuscitation with gelatin, hydroxyethyl starch, or hypertonic saline and hydroxyethyl starch in pigs. METHODS: To induce hemorrhagic shock, 60% of calculated blood volume was withdrawn. Microvascular blood flow was assessed by laser Doppler velocimetry. Microcirculatory hemoglobin oxygen saturation was measured with a tissue reflectance spectrophotometry, and side darkfield imaging was used to visualize the microcirculation and to quantify the flow quality. Systemic hemodynamic variables, systemic acid base and blood gas variables, and lactate measurements were recorded. Measurements were performed at baseline, after hemorrhage, and after fluid resuscitation with a fixed volume regimen. RESULTS: Systemic hemodynamic parameters returned or even exceeded to baseline values in all three groups after fluid resuscitation, but showed significantly higher filling pressures and cardiac output values in animals treated with isotonic colloids. Microcirculatory parameters determined in gelatin and hydroxyethyl starch resuscitated animals, and almost all parameters except microvascular hemoglobin oxygen saturation in animals treated with hypertonic saline and hydroxyethyl starch, were restored after treatment. DISCUSSION: Hemorrhaged pigs can be hemodynamically stabilized with either isotonic or hypertonic colloidal fluids. The main finding is an adequate restoration of sublingual microcirculatory blood flow and flow quality in all three study groups, but only gelatin and hydroxyethyl starch improved microvascular hemoglobin oxygen saturation, indicating some inadequate oxygen supply/demand ratio maybe due to a better restoration of systemic hemodynamics in isotonic colloidal resuscitated animals.

CIP4 and Src in Promoting the Migration and Invasion of Breast Cancers

Cellular invasion represents a critical early step in the metastatic cascade, and many proteins have been identified as part of an “invasive signature.” The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Src is commonly upregulated in breast cancers, often in conjunction with overexpression of EGFR. Signaling from this pathway stimulates cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and frequently involves proteins that regulate the cytoskeleton. My data demonstrates that inhibition of Src, using the small-molecule inhibitor dasatinib, impairs cellular migration and invasion. Furthermore, Src inhibition sensitizes the cells to the effects of the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin resulting in dramatic, synergistic inhibition of proliferation with combination treatments. The Src-targeted protein CIP4 (Cdc42-interacting protein 4) associates with curved plasma membranes to scaffold complexes of Cdc42 and N-WASp. In these experiments, I show that CIP4 overexpression correlates with triple-negative biomarker status, cellular migration, and invasion of (breast cancer cells. Inhibition of CIP4 expression significantly decreases migration and invasion. Furthermore, I demonstrate the novel finding that CIP4 localizes to invadopodia, which are finger-like projections of the actin cytoskeleton that are associated with matrix degradation and cellular invasion. Depletion of CIP4 in invasive cells impairs the formation of invadopodia and the degradation of gelatin. Therefore, CIP4 is a critical component of the invasive phenotype acquired by human breast cancer cells. In this body of work, I propose a model in which CIP4 promotes actin polymerization by stabilizing the active conformation of N-WASp. CIP4 and N-WASp are both phosphorylated by Src, implicating this pathway in Src-dependent cytoskeletal rearragement. This represents a novel role for F-BAR proteins in migration and invasion.

EVALUATION OF THE QUANTITATIVE ACCURACY OF A COMMERCIALLY-AVAILABLE POSITRON EMISSION MAMMOGRAPHY SCANNER

Objective: The PEM Flex Solo II (Naviscan, Inc., San Diego, CA) is currently the only commercially-available positron emission mammography (PEM) scanner. This scanner does not apply corrections for count rate effects, attenuation or scatter during image reconstruction, potentially affecting the quantitative accuracy of images. This work measures the overall quantitative accuracy of the PEM Flex system, and determines the contributions of error due to count rate effects, attenuation and scatter. Materials and Methods: Gelatin phantoms were designed to simulate breasts of different sizes (4 – 12 cm thick) with varying uniform background activity concentration (0.007 – 0.5 μCi/cc), cysts and lesions (2:1, 5:1, 10:1 lesion-to-background ratios). The overall error was calculated from ROI measurements in the phantoms with a clinically relevant background activity concentration (0.065 μCi/cc). The error due to count rate effects was determined by comparing the overall error at multiple background activity concentrations to the error at 0.007 μCi/cc. A point source and cold gelatin phantoms were used to assess the errors due to attenuation and scatter. The maximum pixel values in gelatin and in air were compared to determine the effect of attenuation. Scatter was evaluated by comparing the sum of all pixel values in gelatin and in air. Results: The overall error in the background was found to be negative in phantoms of all thicknesses, with the exception of the 4-cm thick phantoms (0%±7%), and it increased with thickness (-34%±6% for the 12-cm phantoms). All lesions exhibited large negative error (-22% for the 2:1 lesions in the 4-cm phantom) which increased with thickness and with lesion-to-background ratio (-85% for the 10:1 lesions in the 12-cm phantoms). The error due to count rate in phantoms with 0.065 μCi/cc background was negative (-23%±6% for 4-cm thickness) and decreased with thickness (-7%±7% for 12 cm). Attenuation was a substantial source of negative error and increased with thickness (-51%±10% to -77% ±4% in 4 to 12 cm phantoms, respectively). Scatter contributed a relatively constant amount of positive error (+23%±11%) for all thicknesses. Conclusion: Applying corrections for count rate, attenuation and scatter will be essential for the PEM Flex Solo II to be able to produce quantitatively accurate images.

The Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Receptor: A Novel Target for Neuroendocrine Tumor Imaging-First Preclinical Studies

A new family of peptide receptors, the incretin receptor family, overexpressed on many neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is of great importance because it may enable the in vivo peptide-based receptor targeting of a category of NETs that does not express the somatostatin receptor. Impressive in vivo diagnostic data were published for glucagonlike peptide 1 receptor-targeting radiopeptides. Recently, promising in vitro data have appeared for the second member of the incretin family, the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor. This prompted us to develop and evaluate a new class of radioligands with the potential to be used for the in vivo targeting of GIP receptor-positive tumors. METHODS GIP(1-42) was modified C-terminally, and the truncated peptides [Lys(30)(aminohexanoic acid [Ahx]-DOTA)]GIP(1-30)NH2 (EG1), [Lys(16)(Ahx-DOTA)]GIP(1-30)NH2 (EG2), and [Nle(14), Lys(30)(Ahx-DOTA)]GIP(1-30)NH2 (EG4) were conjugated with Ahx-DOTA via the Lys(16) and Lys(30) side chains. Their inhibitory concentration of 50% (IC50) was determined using [(125)I-Tyr(10)]GIP(1-30) as radioligand and GIP(1-30) as control peptide. The DOTA conjugates were labeled with (111)In and (68)Ga. In vitro evaluation included saturation and internalization studies using the pancreatic endocrine cell line INR1G9 transfected with the human GIP receptor (INR1G9-hGIPr). The in vivo evaluation consisted of biodistribution and PET imaging studies on nude mice bearing INR1G9-hGIPr tumors. RESULTS Binding studies (IC50 and saturation studies) showed high affinity toward GIP receptor for the GIP conjugates. Specific in vitro internalization was found, and almost the entire cell-associated activity was internalized (>90% of the cell-bound activity), supporting the agonist potency of the (111)In-vectors. (111)In-EG4 and (68)Ga-EG4 were shown to specifically target INR1G9-hGIPr xenografts, with tumor uptake of 10.4% ± 2.2% and 17.0% ± 4.4% injected activity/g, 1 h after injection, respectively. Kidneys showed the highest uptake, which could be reduced by approximately 40%-50% with a modified-fluid-gelatin plasma substitute or an inhibitor of the serine protease dipeptidyl peptidase 4. The PET images clearly visualized the tumor. CONCLUSION The evaluation of EG4 as a proof-of-principle radioligand indicated the feasibility of imaging GIP receptor-positive tumors. These results prompt us to continue the development of this family of radioligands for imaging of a broad spectrum of NETs.

KLIKK proteases of Tannerella forsythia: putative virulence factors with a unique domain structure.

Comparative genomics of virulent Tannerella forsythia ATCC 43037 and a close health-associated relative, Tannerella BU063, revealed, in the latter, the absence of an entire array of genes encoding putative secretory proteases that possess a nearly identical C-terminal domain (CTD) that ends with a -Lys-Leu-Ile-Lys-Lys motif. This observation suggests that these proteins, referred to as KLIKK proteases, may function as virulence factors. Re-sequencing of the loci of the KLIKK proteases found only six genes grouped in two clusters. All six genes were expressed by T. forsythia in routine culture conditions, although at different levels. More importantly, a transcript of each gene was detected in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from periodontitis sites infected with T. forsythia indicating that the proteases are expressed in vivo. In each protein, a protease domain was flanked by a unique N-terminal profragment and a C-terminal extension ending with the CTD. Partially purified recombinant proteases showed variable levels of proteolytic activity in zymography gels and toward protein substrates, including collagen, gelatin, elastin, and casein. Taken together, these results indicate that the pathogenic strain of T. forsythia secretes active proteases capable of degrading an array of host proteins, which likely represents an important pathogenic feature of this bacterium.

Benzoxazinoid Metabolites Regulate Innate Immunity against Aphids and Fungi in Maize

Benzoxazinoids (BXs), such as 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA), are secondary metabolites in grasses. The first step in BX biosynthesis converts indole-3-glycerol phosphate into indole. In maize (Zea mays), this reaction is catalyzed by either BENZOXAZINELESS1 (BX1) or INDOLE GLYCEROL PHOSPHATE LYASE (IGL). The Bx1 gene is under developmental control and is mainly responsible for BX production, whereas the Igl gene is inducible by stress signals, such as wounding, herbivory, or jasmonates. To determine the role of BXs in defense against aphids and fungi, we compared basal resistance between Bx1 wild-type and bx1 mutant lines in the igl mutant background, thereby preventing BX production from IGL. Compared to Bx1 wild-type plants, BX-deficient bx1 mutant plants allowed better development of the cereal aphid Rhopalosiphum padi, and were affected in penetration resistance against the fungus Setosphaeria turtica. At stages preceding major tissue disruption, R. padi and S. turtica elicited increased accumulation of DIMBOA-glucoside, DIMBOA, and 2-hydroxy-4,7-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one-glucoside (HDMBOA-glc), which was most pronounced in apoplastic leaf extracts. Treatment with the defense elicitor chitosan similarly enhanced apoplastic accumulation of DIMBOA and HDMBOA-glc, but repressed transcription of genes controlling BX biosynthesis downstream of BX1. This repression was also obtained after treatment with the BX precursor indole and DIMBOA, but not with HDMBOA-glc. Furthermore, BX-deficient bx1 mutant lines deposited less chitosan-induced callose than Bx1 wild-type lines, whereas apoplast infiltration with DIMBOA, but not HDMBOA-glc, mimicked chitosan-induced callose. Hence, DIMBOA functions as a defense regulatory signal in maize innate immunity, which acts in addition to its well-characterized activity as a biocidal defense metabolite.

Burrowing in Marine Muds by Crack Propagation: Kinematics and Forces

The polychaete Nereis virens burrows through muddy sediments by exerting dorsoventral forces against the walls of its tongue-depressor- shaped burrow to extend an oblate hemispheroidal crack. Stress is concentrated at the crack tip, which extends when the stress intensity factor (K-I) exceeds the critical stress intensity factor (K-Ic). Relevant forces were measured in gelatin, an analog for elastic muds, by photoelastic stress analysis, and were 0.015 +/- 0.001 N (mean +/- s.d.;N= 5). Measured elastic moduli (E) for gelatin and sediment were used in finite element models to convert the forces in gelatin to those required in muds to maintain the same body shapes observed in gelatin. The force increases directly with increasing sediment stiffness, and is 0.16 N for measured sediment stiffness of E=2.7x10(4) Pa. This measurement of forces exerted by burrowers is the first that explicitly considers the mechanical behavior of the sediment. Calculated stress intensity factors fall within the range of critical values for gelatin and exceed those for sediment, showing that crack propagation is a mechanically feasible mechanism of burrowing. The pharynx extends anteriorly as it everts, extending the crack tip only as far as the anterior of the worm, consistent with wedge-driven fracture and drawing obvious parallels between soft-bodied burrowers and more rigid, wedge-shaped burrowers(i.e. clams). Our results raise questions about the reputed high energetic cost of burrowing and emphasize the need for better understanding of sediment mechanics to quantify external energy expenditure during burrowing.

The Effects of Physical and Chemical Modulating Agents on the Induction of Vaccine-Induced Immune Responses

After the development of the viral-based prostate cancer vaccine, Ad5-PSA, much research has been orientated to help enhance the induced immune response by combining the vaccine with physical and chemical modulating agents, more specifically the polymers polyethylenimine (PEI), chitosan, and chitosan coated with CD3 complex antibodies; all previously shown to stimulate an immune response as isolated gene carriers. To compare the vaccine-induced immune responses between the naked vaccine and the polymer-vaccine combinations, a mouse model using the ovalbumin- specific Ad-OVA vaccine was tested using intracellular cytokine staining (ICS), tetramer staining, and cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte assays to measure the activation of CD8+ T-cells, interferon gamma proteins (INFƒ×), and the induced cytotoxicity to ovalbumin. The Ad-OVA vaccine combined with both chitosan and chitosan with CD3 complex antibodies, both natural polymers, were found to induce similar immune responses to the naked vaccine while the vaccine combined with the synthetic polymer, PEI, diminished the immune response.

Characterization of the interactions between fibronectin and the Borrelia burgdorferi lipoprotein, BBK32

The findings presented in this dissertation detail the complex interaction between BBK32 and fibronectin and describe novel consequences of the interaction. BBK32 is a fibronectin-binding protein on Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. We found that BBK32 contains multiple fibronectin-binding motifs, recognizing the fibronectin N-terminal domain (NTD) and the gelatin binding domain (GBD) in an anti-parallel order, where corresponding sites in BBK32 and fibronectin are aligned so that there is a one-to-one interaction between the proteins. While characterizing this interaction, we discovered that binding of BBK32 to the GBD inhibits the migration stimulating factor's (MSF) motogenic activity. In the presence of BBK32, endothelial cells do not migrate in response to increasing concentrations of MSF or the GBD. MSF is found under wound healing conditions, and inhibition of its activity may allow the tick-transmitted spirochetes to delay wound healing and to establish an infection. ^ Biophysical structural studies, designed to identify a mechanism of interaction, revealed that BBK32 binding to the NTD leads to the unfolding of plasma fibronectin, which exposes α5β1 integrin recognition motifs. Binding assays demonstrate that the BBK32-NTD interaction enhances the plasma fibronectin-α5β1 integrin interaction, which may allow B. burgdorferi to invade host cells, and thereby evade the host immune system. ^ We also determined that BBK32 binds fibronectin F3 modules, which leads to plasma fibronectin aggregation and induction of superfibronectin. The resulting superfibronectin is conformationally distinct from plasma and cellular fibronectin, and can inhibit endothelial cell proliferation. BBK32's active superfibronectin-forming motif has been located to a region between residues 160 and 175, which contains two sequence motifs that are also found in anastellin, the only other known superfibronectin-inducing protein. ^ A potential consequence of BBK32-induced superfibronectin formation was identified. BBK32-induced superfibronectin formation results in the exposure of α4β1 integrin recognition sequences in fibronectin. The α4β1 integrin is required for leukocyte transendothelial cell migration. BBK32-induced superfibronectin inhibits this activity. The inhibition of leukocyte recruitment to the infection site may slow the activity of the host immune system, and permit the spirochetes to establish an infection. ^

Influencia del tiempo de maceración sobre el color, la composición tánica y la astringencia de vinos Cabernet Sauvignon y Malbec de Argentina

El objetivo fue determinar qué tiempo de maceración permite una mayor expresión del color y del cuerpo y una menor astringencia en vinos Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) y Malbec (M), de Mendoza, Argentina. A partir de dos vinificaciones industriales de 20 000 L se llevó a cabo un experimento (n = 3) probando tres tiempos de maceración: 5, 10 y 20 días, mediante sucesivos descubes de 60 L. En los vinos resultantes se determinaron fenoles totales, taninos condensados totales, índice de gelatina, intensidad colorante, matiz, color copigmentado y color polimérico, mediante técnicas de espectrofotometría VIS y UV. Los vinos fueron evaluados por un panel de degustadores expertos. Los CS obtenidos con maceración de 10 y 20 días fueron similares y resultaron superiores a los de 5 días en contenidos de antocianos, color polimérico y taninos. También provocaron sensaciones de concentración y untuosidad mayores. Además resultaron más ásperos, astringentes y secantes que los de 5 días, pero estas sensaciones no alcanzaron notas elevadas. Los vinos CS de 20 días alcanzaron contenidos de polifenoles totales y de taninos no precipitables con gelatina mayores que los CS de 10 días. Los vinos M de 10 lograron mayores intensidades colorantes, polifenoles tales, antocianos, color polimérico y taninos que los de 5 y 20 días. Esto se asoció con sensaciones de concentración y untuosidad intensas y similares a las de los CS de 10 y 20 días pero con menos aspereza, astringencia y secante. Los M de 5 días resultaron muy pobres en atributos y los de 20 días con características intermedias entre los M de 5 y los M de 10 días. Tomando en cuenta las dos variedades y los tres tiempos de maceración, cuanto mayor fue el tiempo de maceración menor fue la proporción de antocianos copigmentados y mayor la de antocianos polimerizados. Los polifenoles totales y los taninos se correlacionaron positivamente con la aspereza, la astringencia, lo secante, la untuosidad y la concentración. Lo secante se asoció negativamente con la proporción de taninos no precipitables con gelatina.

Estudio de la capacidad de arranque de una dinamita gelatinosa frente a una dinamita de seguridad

The objective of this project is to show that the permissible explosive called 20 SR is able to pull out the coal in the normal conditions of blasting in a satisfactory way and to set up the equivalence between the 20 SR and gelatin dynamite (Goma 2 ECO). To achieve this goal some blasting were done, changing the conditions of the blasting and the powder factor for the 20 SR. To analyze the fragmentation base on the analysis of the images of the rock blasted, a commercial software was used. The results from this analysis were compared with the results from the theoretical model for fragmentation created by Kuz – Ram. After all, it was showed that the 20 SR explosive is able to pull out the coal for different coal rock compositions. As the result of this project we can conclude that the 20 SR seems to be able to pull out the coal in normal blasting conditions, using the powder factor as a proportion of the “ballistic mortar” between the two explosives.

Estudio de la capacidad de arranque de una dinamita gelatinosa frente a una dinamita de seguridad

El presente proyecto pretende demostrar que el explosivo de seguridad 20 SR es capaz de arrancar el carbón de forma satisfactoria en las condiciones de disparo habituales y establecer la equivalencia práctica de dicho explosivo con una dinamita gelatinosa (Goma 2ECO). Para conseguir este objetivo se realizaron una serie de voladuras, variando las condiciones de disparo y los consumos específicos de la dinamita de seguridad. Se utilizó un software de análisis fotográfico para el estudio de la fragmentación en la pila y también se compararon los resultados obtenidos con el modelo teórico de fragmentación de Kuz – Ram. Los resultados demostraron la capacidad de arranque de la dinamita de seguridad, para diferentes composiciones de carbón. Del estudio parece deducirse que la dinamita de seguridad 20 SR es capaz de arrancar el carbón en condiciones de disparo habituales utilizando un consumo específico proporcional a la relación de la potencia del péndulo balístico de ambos explosivos. ABSTRACT The objective of this project is to show that the permissible explosive called 20 SR is able to pull out the coal in the normal conditions of blasting in a satisfactory way and to set up the equivalence between the 20 SR and gelatin dynamite (Goma 2 ECO). To achieve this goal some blasting were done, changing the conditions of the blasting and the powder factor for the 20 SR. To analyze the fragmentation base on the analysis of the images of the rock blasted, a commercial software was used. The results from this analysis were compared with the results from the theoretical model for fragmentation created by Kuz – Ram. After all, it was showed that the 20 SR explosive is able to pull out the coal for different coal rock compositions. As the result of this project we can conclude that the 20 SR seems to be able to pull out the coal in normal blasting conditions, using the powder factor as a proportion of the “ballistic mortar” between the two explosives.