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Male Wistar albino rats were maintained on alcohol-containing liquid diets for 4 weeks. Hepatic post-mitochondrial preparations derived from these animals were more efficient than control in activating 4-aminobiphenyl and 2-aminofluorene to mutagens in the Ames test. The alcohol-induced enhancement in mutagenicity was not inhibited by dimethylsulphoxide indicating that the generation of hydroxyl radicals is not involved. The activation of 2-naphthylamine was not affected by the treatment with alcohol but the mutagenicities of 2-aminoanthracene, benzo[a]pyrene and 3-methylcholanthrene were inhibited. The same treatment markedly increased hepatic microsomal aniline p-hydroxylase and ethoxyresorufin O-de-ethylase activities and to a lesser extent benzphetamine N-demethylase and microsomal levels of total cytochromes P-450. It is concluded that chronic alcohol administration to rats modulates the metabolic activation of pre-carcinogens to their reactive intermediates presumably by causing the redistribution of cytochrome P-450 isozymes.

We present the results of the spectral transmittance and reflectance of a SiO2/TiO2 1D photonic crystal deposited by Radio Frequency sputtering on a flexible polymeric substrate, which shows a blue-shift in its transmittance stopband proportional to the incidence angle when bent. An adjustable sample holder was designed to regulate the bending and keep the sample in a bent condition. Different angles of incidence were also achieved through variable angle reflectance, where an increase in incidence angle led to the blue-shift and narrowing of the transmittance stopband. We addressed the sample's resistance against bending wear and tear by comparing the transmittance spectra acquired for the flat sample before and after the measurements made in bent configurations. An important stability has been observed.

To show that alcohol intoxication may be underdiagnosed in childhood, we describe four patients in whom it was not suspected until blood alcohol concentrations were measured as part of a toxicology screen.

Unless humanity achieves United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and restores the relatively stable climate of pre-industrial CO2 levels (as early as 2140), species extinctions, starvation, drought/floods, and violence will exacerbate mass migrations. This paper presents conceptual designs and techno-economic analyses to calculate sustainable limits for growing high-protein seafood and macroalgae-for-biofuel. We review the availability of wet solid waste and outline the mass balance of carbon and plant nutrients passing through a hydrothermal liquefaction process. The paper reviews the availability of dry solid waste and dry biomass for bioenergy with CO2 capture and storage (BECCS) while generating Allam Cycle electricity. Sufficient wet-waste biomass supports quickly building hydrothermal liquefaction facilities. Macroalgae-for-biofuel technology can be developed and straightforwardly implemented on SDG-achieving high protein seafood infrastructure. The analyses indicate a potential for (1) 0.5 billion tonnes/yr of seafood; (2) 20 million barrels/day of biofuel from solid waste; (3) more biocrude oil from macroalgae than current fossil oil; and (4) sequestration of 28 to 38 billion tonnes/yr of bio-CO2. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) costs are between 25–33% of those for BECCS with pre-2019 technology or the projected cost of air-capture CDR.

Two patients with ureteric fistulae who were unfit for reconstructive surgery were treated by renal ablation using intra-arterial ethanol, gelfoam fragments and in one case coils. In both cases the fistulae dried-up on the same day and both patients are well and normotensive a year later. Our conclusion is that renal ablation by arterial embolization with ethanol can be a valuable alternative to surgery to treat ureteric fistulae in patients who are poor surgical risks.

The article presents the results of research on the vibroacoustic response of internal combustion engines mounted in a vehicle. The vehicles studied belong to popular models, which became available in successive versions. Each group included vehicles of the same model of an older generation (equipped with a naturally aspirated engine) and of a newer generation, including downsized (and turbocharged) engines. Tests in each group were carried out under repeatable conditions on a chassis-load dynamometer. The vibrations were measured using single-axis accelerometers mounted on the steering wheel, engine, and driver’s head restraint mounting. The primary purpose of the study was to verify whether the new generations of vehicles equipped with additional high-speed elements (compressors) generate additional harmonics (especially those within the range potentially affecting travel comfort and human health) and whether there are significant changes in the distribution of spectral power density in the new generations. As the study showed, new generations of vehicles are characterized by a different vibroacoustic response, and the trend of change is the same in each of the families studied.

AbstractAccurate estimation of tree biomass is necessary to provide realistic values of the carbon stored in the terrestrial biosphere. A recognized source of errors in tree aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation is introduced when individual tree height values (H) are not directly measured but estimated from diameter at breast height (DBH) using allometric equations. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of 12 alternative DBH : H equations and compare their effects on AGB estimation for three tropical forests that occur in contrasting climatic and altitudinal zones. We found that fitting a three‐parameter Weibull function using data collected locally generated the lowest errors and bias in H estimation, and that equations fitted to these data were more accurate than equations with parameters derived from the literature. For computing AGB, the introduced error values differed notably among DBH : H allometric equations, and in most cases showed a clear bias that resulted in either over‐ or under‐estimation of AGB. Fitting the three‐parameter Weibull function minimized errors in AGB estimates in our study and we recommend its widespread adoption for carbon stock estimation. We conclude that many previous studies are likely to present biased estimates of AGB due to the method of H estimation.