In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of a Folate-Targeted Copolymeric Submicrohydrogel Based on N-Isopropylacrylamide as 5-Fluorouracil Delivery System

Folate-targeted poly[(p-nitrophenyl acrylate)-co-(N-isopropylacrylamide)] nanohydrogel (F-SubMG) was loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to obtain low (16.3 +/- 1.9 mu g 5-FU/mg F-SubMG) and high (46.8 +/- 3.8 mu g 5-FU/mg F-SubMG) load 5-FU-loaded F-SubMGs. The complete in vitro drug release took place in 8 h. The cytotoxicity of unloaded F-SubMGs in MCF7 and HeLa cells was low; although it increased for high F-SubMG concentration. The administration of 10 mu M 5-FU by 5-FU-loaded F-SubMGs was effective on both cellular types. Cell uptake of F-SubMGs took place in both cell types, but it was higher in HeLa cells because they are folate receptor positive. After subcutaneous administration (28 mg 5-FU/kg b.w.) in Wistar rats, F-SubMGs were detected at the site of injection under the skin. Histological studies indicated that the F-SubMGs were surrounded by connective tissue, without any signs of rejections, even 60 days after injection. Pharmacokinetic study showed an increase in MRT (mean residence time) of 5-FU when the drug was administered by drug-loaded F-SubMGs.

Towed vehicles: undulating platforms as tools for maping coastal processes and water quality assessment, Seaside, California, February 5-7,2007. Workshop proceedings

The Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) Workshop on Towed Vehicles: Undulating Platforms As Tools for Mapping Coastal Processes and Water Quality Assessment was convened February 5-7,2007 at The Embassy Suites Hotel, Seaside, California and sponsored by the ACT-Pacific Coast partnership at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML). The TUV workshop was co-chaired by Richard Burt (Chelsea Technology Group) and Stewart Lamerdin (MLML Marine Operations). Invited participants were selected to provide a uniform representation of the academic researchers, private sector product developers, and existing and potential data product users from the resource management community to enable development of broad consensus opinions on the application of TUV platforms in coastal resource assessment and management. The workshop was organized to address recognized limitations of point-based monitoring programs, which, while providing valuable data, are incapable of describing the spatial heterogeneity and the extent of features distributed in the bulk solution. This is particularly true as surveys approach the coastal zone where tidal and estuarine influences result in spatially and temporally heterogeneous water masses and entrained biological components. Aerial or satellite based remote sensing can provide an assessment of the aerial extent of plumes and blooms, yet provide no information regarding the third dimension of these features. Towed vehicles offer a cost-effective solution to this problem by providing platforms, which can sample in the horizontal, vertical, and time-based domains. Towed undulating vehicles (henceforth TUVs) represent useful platforms for event-response characterization. This workshop reviewed the current status of towed vehicle technology focusing on limitations of depth, data telemetry, instrument power demands, and ship requirements in an attempt to identify means to incorporate such technology more routinely in monitoring and event-response programs. Specifically, the participants were charged to address the following: (1) Summarize the state of the art in TUV technologies; (2) Identify how TUV platforms are used and how they can assist coastal managers in fulfilling their regulatory and management responsibilities; (3) Identify barriers and challenges to the application of TUV technologies in management and research activities, and (4) Recommend a series of community actions to overcome identified barriers and challenges. A series of plenary presentation were provided to enhance subsequent breakout discussions by the participants. Dave Nelson (University of Rhode Island) provided extensive summaries and real-world assessment of the operational features of a variety of TUV platforms available in the UNOLs scientific fleet. Dr. Burke Hales (Oregon State University) described the modification of TUV to provide a novel sampling platform for high resolution mapping of chemical distributions in near real time. Dr. Sonia Batten (Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Sciences) provided an overview on the deployment of specialized towed vehicles equipped with rugged continuous plankton recorders on ships of opportunity to obtain long-term, basin wide surveys of zooplankton community structure, enhancing our understanding of trends in secondary production in the upper ocean. [PDF contains 32 pages]

State of Technology for In Situ Measures of Salinity Using Conductive Temperature Sensors, Savannah, Georgia, December 3-5, 2007: workshop proceedings

This Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) workshop was convened to assess the availability and state of development of conductivity-temperature sensors that can meet the needs of coastal monitoring and management communities. Rased on the discussion, there are presently a number of commercial sensor options available, with a wide range of package configurations suitable for deployment in a range of coastal environments. However, some of the central questions posed in the workshop planning documents were left somewhat unresolved. The workshop description emphasized coastal management requirements and, in particular, whether less expensive, easily deployed, lower-resolution instruments might serve many management needs. While several participants expressed interest in this class of conductivity-temperature sensors, based on input from the manufacturers, it is not clear that simply relaxing the present level of resolution of existing instruments will result in instruments of significantly lower unit cost. Conductivity-temperature sensors are available near or under the $1,000 unit cost that was operationally defined at the workshop as a breakpoint for what might be considered to be a "low cost" sensor. For the manufacturers, a key consideration before undertaking the effort to develop lower cost sensors is whether there will be a significant market. In terms of defining "low cost," it was also emphasized that the "life cycle costs" for a given instrument must be considered (e.g., including personnel costs for deployment and maintenance). An adequate market survey to demonstrate likely applications and a viable market for lower cost sensors is needed. Another topic for the workshop was the introduction to the proposed ACT verification for conductivity-temperature sensors. Following a summary of the process as envisioned by ACT, initial feedback was solicited. Protocol development will be pursued further in a workshop involving ACT personnel and conductivity-temperature sensor manufacturers.[PDF contains 28 pages]

Application of Drifting Buoy Technologies for Coastal Watershed and Ecosystem, Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 5-7,2005: workshop proceedings

The Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) Partner University of Michigan convened a workshop on the Applications of Drifting Buoy Technologies for Coastal Watershed and Ecosystem Modeling in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 5 to 7,2005. The objectives of the workshop were to: (1) educate potential users (managers and scientists) about the current capabilities and uses of drifting buoy technologies; (2) provide an opportunity for users (managers and scientists) to experience first hand the deployment and retrieval of various drifting buoys, as well as experience the capabilities of the buoys' technologies; (3) engage manufacturers with scientists and managers in discussions on drifting buoys' capabilities and their requirements to promote further applications of these systems; (4) promote a dialogue about realistic advantages and limitations of current drifting buoy technologies; and (5) develop a set of key recommendations for advancing both the capabilities and uses of drifting buoy technologies for coastal watershed and ecosystem modeling. To achieve these goals, representatives from research, academia, industry, and resource management were invited to participate in this workshop. Attendees obtained "hands on" experience as they participated in the deployment and retrieval of various drifting buoy systems on Big Portage Lake, a 644 acre lake northwest of Ann Arbor. Working groups then convened for discussions on current commercial usages and environmental monitoring approaches including; user requirements for drifting buoys, current status of drifting buoy systems and enabling technologies, and the challenges and strategies for bringing new drifting buoys "on-line". The following general recommendations were made to: 1). organize a testing program of drifting buoys for marketing their capabilities to resource managers and users. 2). develop a fact sheet to highlight the utility of drifting buoys. 3). facilitate technology transfer for advancements in drifter buoys that may be occurring through military funding and development in order to enhance their technical capability for environmental applications. (pdf contains 18 pages)

Prevalence Of Shear Banding In Compression Of Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 Pillars As Small As 150 Nm In Diameter

Recently, the size dependence of mechanical behaviors, particularly the yield strength and plastic deformation mode, of bulk metallic glasses (BMG) has created a great deal of interest. Contradicting conclusions have been drawn by different research groups, based on various experiments on different BMG systems. Based on in situ compression transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiments on Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 (Vit 1) nanopillars, this paper provides strong evidence that shear banding still prevails at specimen length scales as small as 150 nm in diameter. This is supported by in situ and ex situ images of shear bands, and by the carefully recorded displacement bursts under load control its well as load drops under displacement control. Finite element modeling of the stress state within the pillar shows that the unavoidable geometry constraints accompanying such experiments impart a strong effect on the experimental results, including non-uniform stress distributions and high level hydrostatic pressures. The seemingly improved compressive ductility is believed to be due to such geometry constraints. Observations underscore the notion that the mechanical behavior of metallic glasses, including strength and plastic deformation mode, is size independent at least in Vit 1. (C) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Workshop on Customary Institutions in Indonesia: Do They Have a Role in Fisheries Coastal Area Management? Report 2-5 August 2009, Lombok, Indonesia

Sixty delegates from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and India met at Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB, West Nusa Tenggara) province, Indonesia, during 2-5 August 2009, for the workshop on “Customary Institutions in Indonesia: Do They Have a Role in Fisheries and Coastal Area Management?”. The workshop was organized by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), in co-operation with Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and the Provincial Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DKP) of the Government of NTB. (PDF contains 68 pages)

采用新的结构—尾流反作用力耦合模型分析圆柱结构涡激共振

该文建立了一个新的结构—与尾流振子流固耦合模型。采用具有非线性阻尼的振子来模化、vanderpol方程来描述流场近尾迹动力学。以结构与流体的受力互为反作用力的关系,建立了新的流固耦合模型。使用该文的模型对二维结构涡激振动问题进行研究,能很好地预计结构涡激共振的特性。计算结果表明,结构共振的最大振幅Am

水合物沉积物力学性质的实验装置和研究进展

天然气水合物是一种高效、洁净和储量巨大的新型能源,一般蕴含于砂岩、粘土以及其它土质的沉积物中.对水合物沉积物力学性质的实验研究,是水合物地层中基础稳定性分析和水合物开发评价重要的热点课题之一.本文首先介绍了水合物沉积物合成与分解实验、物性参数测量技术以及力学性质实验装置的主要组成部分和特点,然后介绍了目前国内外在水合物沉积物合成和分解及力学性质实验一体化装置和实验研究两个方面所取得的成果,最后指出在实验装置、测试技术和实验研究方面存在的问题以及今后研究的重点和方向.

利用爆炸技术改善低渗透储层的实验研究

为了更好地开发低渗透油气藏,首先介绍"层内爆炸"增产技术的基本思路,然后用水中炸药界面爆炸对水泥试样损伤破坏的实验来模拟水力裂缝"层内爆炸"增产中激波使岩石损伤开裂的现象。通过实验观察到3个损伤区域:压剪损伤区,拉伸损伤区和边界损伤区,并且微裂纹的启裂扩展与水泥试样的初始损伤有关。分析发现:压剪损伤区和拉伸损伤区内裂纹的密度与装药量相关;压剪损伤区和拉伸损伤区半径分别为装药当量半径的2 5和20 30倍;量纲分析表明,损伤区半径与装药当量半径成线性关系。通过简易渗透率实验,发现压实区有一定的渗透率,这对"层内爆炸"采油技术的研究具有重要意义。最后,定性分析激波在试样中的传播过程以及试样微裂纹的启裂扩展机制。

弯管分离器的数值模拟与设计优化

为了优化设计转炉烟道中弯管分离器结构,利用计算流体力学软件Fluent,对弯管分离器中的气-固两相流进行了数值模拟。采用正交实验工况设计方法、级差分析法和方差分析法,研究了弯管转折角、分离器进出口当量直径比、斯托克斯数等5个因素对于分离效率和压力损失系数的影响。研究表明:5个因素中,斯托克斯数对分离效率有特别显著影响,斯托克斯数越大,分离效率越高。进出口当量直径比对压力损失系数有显著影响,弯管转折角对压力损失系数有一定影响。进出口当量直径比越小,弯管转折角越小,压力损失系数就越小。在模拟结果的基础上,得到了关于分离效率和压力损失系数计算公式。

水蒸气对氧化钙脱氯效率影响的实验研究

本文采用实验方法,在一个流化床反应器中研究160～750℃下水蒸气的存在对HCl脱除效率(RE)的影响.实验结果表明:在低温区,水蒸气对RE的影响不明显;380℃时水蒸气的存在抑制反应进行;580℃和750℃时,脱除效率先下降,当水蒸气含量达到15%时,又呈现上升趋势.对于水蒸气含量为5%、10%和15%情况下,580℃的脱氯效率最高.最后通过对暴露的反应物表面积和HCl气体穿越产物层扩散过程的分析解释实验得到的规律.

Laser action from 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,6-diethyl-8-n-propyl pyrromethene-BF2

We measured spectroscopic and laser action properties of a novel 8-position substituted pyrromethene-BF2, namely 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,6-diethyl-8-n-propyl pyrromethene-BF2 complex. The laser action was performed with the corresponding dye solution in ethanol, which was placed in a Littman-type laser cavity pumped by the second harmonic of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The spectroscopic measurements clearly indicated that the corresponding dye solution in ethanol exhibited intense absorption in the visible spectral region with large fluorescence quantum yield. It possesses rather low triplet-triplet absorption in the spectral region 460-550 nm and almost negligible triplet-triplet absorption in the lasing spectral region. As a consequence, it lases nearly as efficiently as commercially available benchmark laser dyes such as Rhodamine-6G and outperformed them in wavelength tunability in our laser cavity and pump geometry. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.