Preparation of black lyophilic ink using the carbon soot emitted by vehicles

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The carbon soot is formed as a consequence of incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons and organic matter. It causes respiratory diseases like lung...     

Age dependency of high-affinity ouabain receptors and their magnetosensitivity

Age dependency of [³H]-ouabain binding, ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ eflux and its magnetosensitivity in rats’ brain cortex and heart muscle tissues were studied. Curves of dose-dependent [³H]-ouabain binding consisted of three components with different affinities (10⁻⁷–10⁻⁴ M (α₁); 10⁻⁹–10⁻⁷ M (α₂); and 10⁻¹¹–10⁻⁹ M (α₃)). These curves were also characterized by different dose-dependent kinetics. [³H]-ouabain binding with α₃ receptors in brain cortex and heart muscle tissues of young and adult animals had a dose-dependent character, while that in old ones had a dose-independent character. A 0.2 T static magnetic field (SMF) exposure had modulation effect on ouabain binding with α₁, α₂ and α₃ receptors in young rats, while in adult ones, only α₃ receptors were magnetosensitive. In old animals, SMF exposure had no significant effect on ouabain binding with α₃ receptors in brain cortex, while in heart muscle, it had inhibitory effect on it. Age-dependent effect of ouabain impact on ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux showed that all concentrations of ouabain lead to inhibitory effect in young animals’ brain cortex and heart muscle (with the exception of 10⁻¹⁰ and 10⁻⁶ M), while in old ones, it had activation effect as compared with data received without ouabain. SMF exposure in young animals had activation effect on ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux from brain cortex and heart muscle in data without ouabain, and in old rats, ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux from brain cortex was magnetic insensitive. In old animals, SMF increased ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux even after extra low concentration of ouabain. It is suggested that α₃ receptors having a crucial role in the regulation of Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchange serve as age-dependent magnetosensors of excitable cells.     

Design for occupational safety and health of workers in construction in developing countries: a study of architects in Nigeria

Purpose. Design for safety (DfS) of workers is amongst the prominent ways of tackling poor occupational safety and health performance in construction. However, in developing countries there is extremely limited research on DfS. This study thus makes an important contribution to the subject of DfS in developing countries by specifically examining the awareness and practice of DfS amongst architects within the construction sector of Nigeria. Materials and methods. A survey of architects, yielding 161 valid responses, was conducted. Results. While there is high awareness of the concept of DfS, the actual practice is low. Additionally, although there is high interest in DfS training, the engagement in DfS training is low. Significantly, awareness of DfS, training and education related to DfS, and membership of a design professional body have very limited bearing on the practice of DfS by architects. Conclusions. The findings are thus symptomatic of the prevalence of influential DfS implementation barriers within the construction sector. Industry stakeholders should seek to raise the profile of DfS practice within the sector. Furthermore, similar empirical studies in the construction sector of other developing countries would be useful in shedding light on the status of DfS in these countries.     

Double-frequency impedance measurement method of determination of body hydration

The aim of the present study is to estimate the changes in cell hydration in different conditions using impedance measurements. Experiments were performed on adult and young male albino rats. Tissue hydration level was estimated as a difference between tissue wet and dry weight. Ouabain concentrations from 10⁻¹¹ to 10⁻⁴ M, physiological solution (PS), mannit and distillated water (DW) were used. The impedance measurements were taken with “Biophys-Expert-1”. The increase in water content in the brain cortex (through the injection) raises the active conductivity after intraperitoneally injections of PS, mannit and DW. The more pronounced increase was observed in case of DW injection. The values of reactive conductivity were higher when mannit injection was made. In case of different ouabain concentrations, the active and reactive components were higher in young animals than in adult ones. Considering obtained results, the impedance measurement can be provided as a method for the estimation of tissue hydration level.