An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of 2 types of housing systems and early age feed restriction on heat shock protein (hsp) 70 expression and blood parameters in broiler chickens subjected to road transportation. On d 1, female chicks were housed either in windowless environmentally controlled chambers (temperature was set at 32 degrees C on d 1 and gradually reduced to 23 degrees C by d 21; CH) or in conventional open-sided houses (OH) with cyclic temperatures (minimum, 24 degrees C; maximum, 34 degrees C). Equal number of chicks from each housing system were subjected to either ad libitum feeding or 60% feed restriction on d 4, 5, and 6 (FR). On d 42, all of the birds were crated and transported for 6 h. Birds raised in OH had smaller increases in heterophil:lymphocyte ratios and plasma corticosterone concentrations than those of CH. Subjecting birds to FR dampened heterophil:lymphocyte ratios and corticosterone reactions to transportation. After 4 h of transportation, the OH birds had greater hsp 70 expression than their CH counterparts. Within the CH, the FR chicks showed higher hsp 70 density than those of the ad libitum-fed group. Except for glucose, housing system had a negligible effect on serum levels of cholesterol, potassium, and chloride. Collectively, the results suggest that the improved tolerance to transport stress in OH and FR chicks could be associated with better hsp 70 expression.
Graphene is an attention-grabbing material in electronics, physics, chemistry, and even biology because of its unique properties such as high surface-area-to-volume ratio. Also, the ability of graphene-based materials to continuously tune charge carriers from holes to electrons makes them promising for biological applications, especially in lipid bilayer-based sensors. Furthermore, changes in charged lipid membrane properties can be electrically detected by a graphene-based electrolyte-gated graphene field effect transistor (GFET). In this paper, a monolayer graphene-based GFET with a focus on the conductance variation caused by membrane electric charges and thickness is studied. Monolayer graphene conductance as an electrical detection platform is suggested for neutral, negative, and positive electric-charged membrane. The electric charge and thickness of the lipid bilayer (Q LP and L LP) as a function of carrier density are proposed, and the control parameters are defined. Finally, the proposed analytical model is compared with experimental data which indicates good overall agreement.
Introduction: The aim of treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum is to stop vomiting, correction of dehydration, starvation and electrolytes imbalance. The common types of fluid used for fluid replacement are isotonic solutions like normal saline and hartman's solutions. The absence of potassium in normal saline makes hartman's solution superior but there is a possibility that the lactate component in hartman's solution could worsen the starvation state of the patients. This study is to evaluate which of these two solutions is more effective for fluid replacement in hyperemesis gravidarum. The objectives are to compare which solution corrects dehydration, hypokalaemia and acetonuria faster and to evaluate whether the ketosis state is aggravated by lactate component in hartman's solution. Materials and Methods: Patients with hyperemesis gravidarum were randomised to receive either Hartman's solution or normal saline at the rate of 125mls/hour. Blood urea and serum electrolytes, haematocrit, lactate and urine acetone were taken during admission and repeated every 12 hours. The volume of fluid required to correct dehydration, hypokalaemia and acetonuria were compared. Comparison of the pre and post treatment level of serum lactate were also done. Results: Both hartman's solution and normal saline are both effective in correcting dehydration (11.52±3.28 pints versus 11.94 ± 2.30pints respectively) and acetonuria (11.64 ± 2.75 pints versus 11.64 ± 2.54 pints respectively).
A lower volume of hartman's solution was needed to correct hypokalaemia (8.34 ± 2.44 pints versus 8.88 ± 2.63 pints) but was not statistically significant. Ketonaemia was not made worse after treatment with hartman's solution. Conclusion: Normal saline and hartman's solution are equally effective in treating complications of hyperemesis gravidarum.
In this work, 10 mol% yttrium-doped ceria powders, Ce0.9Y0.1O1.95, were synthesised using a new mechanical technique, mechanochemical reaction, in which both impact action and shearing forces were applied for efficient fine grinding, subsequently leading to higher homogeneity of the resultant powders. Ce0.9Y0.1O1.95 prepared using this new technique was systematically compared with a sample of the same prepared using conventional solid-state methodology. X-ray diffraction analysis showed all prepared samples were single phase with a cubic fluorite structure. Generally, Y2O3-doped CeO2 electrolytes prepared by mechanochemical reactions were stable at a lower temperature (1100 °C) compared with a sample of the same synthesised using the conventional solid-state method. Characterisations using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed no thermal changes and phase transitions, indicating all materials were thermally stable. The electrical properties of the samples investigated by AC impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 200–800 ˚C are presented and discussed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the morphology of the materials. Fine-grained powders with uniform grain-size distribution were obtained from the mechanochemical reaction.
Although solid-state Li-metal batteries (LMBs) featuring polymer-based solid electrolytes might one day replace conventional Li-ion batteries, the poor Li-ion conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes at low temperatures has hindered their practical applications. Herein, we describe the first example of using a co-precipitation method in a Taylor flow reactor to produce the metal hydroxides of both the Ga/F dual-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 (Ga/F-LLZO) ceramic electrolyte precursors and the Li2MoO4-modified Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (LMO@T-LNCM 811) cathode materials for LMBs. The Li/Nafion (LiNf)-coated Ga/F-LLZO (LiNf@Ga/F-LLZO) ceramic filler was finely dispersed in the poly(vinylidene fluoride)/polyacrylonitrile/lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonimide)/succinonitrile matrix to give a trilayer composite polymer electrolyte (denoted "Tri-CPE") through a simple solution-casting. The bulk ionic conductivity of the Tri-CPE at room temperature was approximately 4.50 × 10-4 S cm-1 and exhibited a high Li+ ion transference number (0.84). It also exhibits a broader electrochemical window of 1-5.04 V versus Li/Li+. A full cell based on a CR2032 coin cell containing the LMO@T-LNCM811-based composite cathode, when cycled under 1 C/1 C at room temperature for 300 cycles, achieved an average Columbic efficiency of 99.4% and a capacity retention of 89.8%. This novel fabrication strategy for Tri-CPE structures has potential applications in the preparation of highly safe high-voltage cathodes for solid-state LMBs.
This paper presents on ionic conductivity of MG30-PEMA blend solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) prepared by solution cast technique. The analysis has shown that conductivity increases with the increasing salt composition. It is observed via x-ray diffraction analysis that the crystallinity of the sample decreased with the amount of salt composition as expected. It is also observed that the dielectric value increases with increasing amount of LiCF3SO3 in the sample. Surface morphology revealed that ion aggregation occurred after optimum conductivity which has lowered the conductivity.
The relative efficacy and incidence of hypernatremia of a rice starch based low sodium (sodium of 60 mmol/L) oral electrolyte solution was compared to the standard WHO oral rehydration solution (ORS; sodium 90 mmol/L) in 60 infants with non choleragenic acute diarrhoea. Both solutions were found to be equally effective in correcting dehydration as determined by the respective post hydration weight gain which was 150 +/- 175 gms in the rice starch low sodium ORS group and 164 +/- 125 gms in the standard WHO ORS group. However, the mean frequency of stools was greater and the duration of stay longer in the WHO ORS group compared to the rice starch low sodium group. There were 5 cases of hypernatremia in the WHO ORS group as opposed to only one in the rice starch low sodium ORS group. The present study shows that a rice starch low sodium ORS was as effective as the standard WHO ORS and had a lower incidence of hypernatremia in the fluid and electrolyte management of infants with non choleragenic diarrhoea.
Matched MeSH terms: Electrolytes/administration & dosage; Electrolytes/therapeutic use
In this work, plasticized magnesium ion-conducting polymer blend electrolytes based on chitosan:methylcellulose (CS:MC) were prepared using a solution cast technique. Magnesium acetate [Mg(CH3COO)2] was used as a source of the ions. Nickel metal-complex [Ni(II)-complex)] was employed to expand the amorphous phase. For the ions dissociation enhancement, glycerol plasticizer was also engaged. Incorporating 42 wt% of the glycerol into the electrolyte system has been shown to improve the conductivity to 1.02 × 10-4 S cm-1. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the electrolyte with the highest conductivity has a minimum crystallinity degree. The ionic transference number was estimated to be more than the electronic transference number. It is concluded that in CS:MC:Mg(CH3COO)2:Ni(II)-complex:glycerol, ions are the primary charge carriers. Results from linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) showed electrochemical stability to be 2.48 V. An electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) based on activated carbon electrode and a prepared solid polymer electrolyte was constructed. The EDLC cell was then analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge methods. The CV test disclosed rectangular shapes with slight distortion, and there was no appearance of any redox currents on both anodic and cathodic parts, signifying a typical behavior of EDLC. The EDLC cell indicated a good cyclability of about (95%) for throughout of 200 cycles with a specific capacitance of 47.4 F/g.
Polymer electrolyte membranes based on the natural polymer κ-carrageenan were modified and characterized for application in electrochemical devices. In general, pure κ-carrageenan membranes show a low ionic conductivity. New membranes were developed by chemically modifying κ-carrageenan via phosphorylation to produce O-methylene phosphonic κ-carrageenan (OMPC), which showed enhanced membrane conductivity. The membranes were prepared by a solution casting method. The chemical structure of OMPC samples were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) spectroscopy. The conductivity properties of the membranes were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The characterization demonstrated that the membranes had been successfully produced. The ionic conductivity of κ-carrageenan and OMPC were 2.79 × 10-6 S cm-1 and 1.54 × 10-5 S cm-1, respectively. The hydrated membranes showed a two orders of magnitude higher ionic conductivity than the dried membranes.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the mainstay of therapy for all gastric acid related diseases and are commonly used in current clinical practice. Although widely regarded as safe, PPIs have been associated with a variety of adverse effects, including hypomagnesaemia. The postulated mechanism of PPI-related hypomagnesaemia involves inhibition of intestinal magnesium absorption via transient receptor potential melastin (TRPM) 6 and 7 cation channels. PPIinduced hypomagnesaemia (PPIH) has become a well recognized phenomenon since it was first reported in 2006. Clinical concerns arise from growing number of case reports presenting PPIH as a consequence of long-term PPI use, with more than 30 cases published to date. In this article, we report 2 cases of PPIH associated with the use of pantoprazole. Both patients presented with severe hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia. One of them had associated hypokalemia and cardiac arrhythmia. A casual relation with PPIs postulated and supported by resolution of electrolyte abnormalities after discontinuation of PPIs.
Aldosterone acts through the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) to modulate gene expression in target tissues. In the kidney, the principal action of aldosterone is to promote sodium conservation in the distal nephron and so indirectly enhance water conservation under conditions of hypotension. Over the last twenty years the rapid activation of protein kinase signalling cascades by aldosterone has been described in various tissues. This review describes the integration of rapid protein kinase D signalling responses with the non-genomic actions of aldosterone and transcriptional effects of MR activation.
The fabrication of TiO2 nanotubes (TNT) was carried out by electrochemical anodization of Ti in aqueous electrolyte containing NH4F. The effect of electrolyte pH, applied voltage, fluoride concentration and anodization duration on the formation of TNT was investigated. It was observed that self-organized TNT can be formed by adjusting the electrolyte to pH 2-4 whereby applied voltage of 10-20 V can be performed to produce highly ordered, well-organized TNT. At 20 V, TNT can be fabricated in the concentration range of 0.07 M to 0.20 M NH4F. Higher fluoride concentration leads to etching of Ti surface and reveals the Ti grain boundaries. The prepared TNT films also show an increase in depth and in size with time and the growth of TNT films reach a steady state after 120 minutes. The morphology and geometrical aspect of the TNT would be an important factor influencing the photoelectrochemical response, with higher photocurrent response is generally associated with thicker layer of TNT. Consequently, one can tailor the resulting TNT to desired surface morphologies by simply manipulating the electrochemical parameters for wide applications such as solar energy conversion and photoelectrocatalysis.
Phaleria macrocarpa seeds are rapidly killed with desiccation to moisture content (MC) below 20%. Desiccation tolerance of their embryonic axes was studied for storage and germplasm conservation purposes. Embryonic axes were extracted aseptically from fresh seeds obtained from fully ripe fruits in a horizontal laminar air flow cabinet. They were then desiccated under aseptic condition for periods ranging from 0-8 h. For each desiccation treatment, embryonic axes were drawn randomly for the determination of MC according to ISTA, electrolyte leakage and proliferation on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with 1 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 1 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The results obtained from this study indicated that the embryonic axes could tolerate dehydration down to 13.6% with desiccation for 8 h while retaining relatively high viability of 76.7%. This was supported by only gradual increment of electrolyte leakage with the desiccated embryonic axes. All non-desiccated embryonic axes with MC of 52.5% were capable to grow into normal plantlets in vitro but dehydration to MC of 36.0% and further down to 13.6% generally resulted in callus formation with up to 16.7% of the embryonic axes while at least 60.0% of the other embryonic axes were still capable to proliferate as normal plantlets in vitro.
A simple micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method for the simultaneous determination of 2-furfural (2-F), 3-furfural (3-F), 5-methylfurfural (5-MF), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), 2-furoic acid (2-FA) and 3-furoic acid (3-FA) in honey and vegetable oils is described. Parameters affecting the separation such as pH, buffer and surfactant concentrations, applied voltage, capillary temperature, injection time and capillary length were studied and optimized. The separation was carried out in normal polarity mode at 20 °C, 22 kV and using hydrodynamic injection (17 s). The separation was achieved in a bare fused-silica capillary (46 cm × 50 μm i.d.) with a background electrolyte of 75 mM phosphoric acid (pH 7.3), containing 200 mM of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The detection wavelengths were at 200 nm (2-FA and 3-FA) and 280 nm (2-F, 3-F, 5-MF, 5-HMF). The furfurals were well separated in less than 20 min. The method was validated in terms of linearity, limit of detection and quantitation, precision and recoveries. Calibration curves of the six furfurals were well correlated (r(2)>0.991) within the range 1-25 μg mL(-1). Relative standard deviations of intra- and inter-day migration times and corrected peak areas ≤9.96% were achieved. The limit of detection (signal:noise, 3) was 0.33-0.70 μg mL(-1) whereas the limit of quantitation (signal:noise, 10) was 1.00-2.12 μg mL(-1). The method was applied to the determination of furanic compounds in honeys and vegetable oils (palm, walnut, grape seed and rapeseed). The effects of thermal treatment and gamma irradiation on the formation of the furanic compounds in honey were also investigated.
To overcome the critical limitations of liquid-electrolyte-based dye-sensitized solar cells, quasi-solid-state electrolytes have been explored as a means of addressing long-term device stability, albeit with comparatively low ionic conductivities and device performances. Although metal oxide additives have been shown to augment ionic conductivity, their propensity to aggregate into large crystalline particles upon high-heat annealing hinders their full potential in quasi-solid-state electrolytes. In this work, sonochemical processing has been successfully applied to generate fine Co3O4 nanoparticles that are highly dispersible in a PAN:P(VP-co-VAc) polymer-blended gel electrolyte, even after calcination. An optimized nanocomposite gel polymer electrolyte containing 3 wt % sonicated Co3O4 nanoparticles (PVVA-3) delivers the highest ionic conductivity (4.62 × 10-3 S cm-1) of the series. This property is accompanied by a 51% enhancement in the apparent diffusion coefficient of triiodide versus both unmodified and unsonicated electrolyte samples. The dye-sensitized solar cell based on PVVA-3 displays a power conversion efficiency of 6.46% under AM1.5 G, 100 mW cm-2. By identifying the optimal loading of sonochemically processed nanoparticles, we are able to generate a homogenous extended particle network that effectively mobilizes redox-active species through a highly amorphous host matrix. This effect is manifested in a selective 51% enhancement in photocurrent density (JSC = 16.2 mA cm-2) and a lowered barrier to N719 dye regeneration (RCT = 193 Ω) versus an unmodified solar cell. To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the highest known efficiency to date for dye-sensitized solar cells based on a sonicated Co3O4-modified gel polymer electrolyte. Sonochemical processing, when applied in this manner, has the potential to make meaningful contributions toward the ongoing mission to achieve the widespread exploitation of stable and low-cost dye-sensitized solar cells.
Nephrolepis cordifolia rhizome (sword fern) juice was investigated for diuretic activity in wistar rats. Different parameters viz. total urine volume (corrected for water intake during the test period), urine concentration of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride have been evaluated. Rhizome juice of Nephrolepis cordifolia (100 mg/kg), the reference drug, furosemide (20 mg/kg) was administrated orally to male Wistar rats and their urine output was quantitated at several intervals of time after the dose. After single dose of the rhizome juice of Nephrolepis cordifolia, urine output was significantly increased. Increase in urinary levels of Na+, K+ and Cl- was also observed after the administration of rhizome juice.
Magnesium-based polymer gel electrolytes consist of magnesium triflate (MgTf) salt, a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) solvents as well as cellulose acetate as a polymeric agent were prepared via direct dissolution method. The highest ionic conductivity obtained for MgTf-EC:DEC(1:1) liquid electrolytes was 2.66 x 10-3 S cm-1 and enhanced to 2.73 x 10-3 S cm-1 with the addition of cellulose acetate. These results were in agreement with the activation energy obtained with the lowest value of 0.11. The best explanation on the enhancement in ionic conductivity of PGE is due to the “breathing polymeric chain model”. The plots of conductivity-temperature shown to obey an Arrhenius rule. The electrical properties of the sample with the highest conductivity were analyzed using electrical permittivity-based frequency and temperature dependence in the range of 100 Hz - 1 MHz and 303-373K, respectively. The variation in dielectric permittivity (εr and εi) as a function of frequency at different temperatures exhibited decays at higher frequencies and a dispersive behavior at low frequencies. Based on the observed electrical properties, it can be inferred that this polymer gel electrolyte could be a promising candidate as an electrolyte in electrochemical devices.
An ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl, 2-methyl imidazolium thiocyanate incorporated biopolymer system is reported in this communication for applications in dual energy devices, i.e., electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The solution caste method has been used to synthesize ionic-liquid-incorporated biopolymer electrolyte films. The IL mixed biopolymer electrolytes achieve high ionic conductivity up to the order of 10-3 S/cm with good thermal stability above 250 °C. Electrical, structural, and optical studies of these IL-doped biopolymer electrolyte films are presented in detail. The performance of EDLCs was evaluated using low-frequency electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and constant current charge-discharge, while that of DSSCs was assessed using J-V characteristics. The EDLC cells exhibited a high specific capacitance of 200 F/gram, while DSSCs delivered 1.53% efficiency under sun conditions.
Fuel cells (FCs) are a chemical fuel device which can directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy, also known as electrochemical generator. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the most appealing FC systems that have been broadly developed in recent years. Due to the poor conductivity of electrolyte membrane used in traditional PEMFC, its operation at higher temperature is greatly limited. The incorporation of ionic liquids (ILs) which is widely regarded as a greener alternative compared to traditional solvents in the proton exchange membrane electrolyte shows great potential in high temperature PEMFCs (HT-PEMFCs). This review provides insights in the latest progress of utilizing ILs as an electrochemical electrolyte in PEMFCs. Besides, electrolyte membranes that are constructed by ILs combined with polybenzimidazole (PBI) have many benefits such as better thermal stability, improved mechanical properties, and higher proton conductivity. The current review aims to investigate the newest development and existing issues of ILs research in electrolyte and material selection, system fabrication method, synthesis of ILs, and experimental techniques. The evaluation of life cycle analysis, commercialization, and greenness of ILs are also discussed. Hence, this review provides insights to material scientists and develops interest of wider community, promoting the use of ILs to meet energy challenges.
Polymer electrolytes based on poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium triflate (PEO-LiCF3SO3) and poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium sulphate (PEO-Li2S4) were prepared by using solution casting method. Measurements of conductivity and dielectric were carried out on these films as a function of frequency at various temperatures. It was observed that PEO-LiCF3SO3 polymer electrolytes have higher conductivity. The interaction between PEO and Li salts were studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR).