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In this study the effect of in vivo ethanol consumption on cyclic AMP (cAMP) and [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalin (DADLE) inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP production was examined in mouse striatum. Effects of ethanol on striatal delta-opioid receptor (DOR) density and mRNA were also examined. Mice had unlimited access to 7% (v/v) ethanol alone or water for 1 or 7 days and were then sacrificed and striatum removed for analysis. There was no difference in basal cAMP formation between water and ethanol-treated mouse striatum following 7 day treatment, and a small, but statistically significant increase in basal cAMP in the ethanol group following 1 day treatment. Both 1 day and 7 day ethanol treatment did not significantly alter the percentage increase in cAMP following treatment with 10 microM forskolin. There was a significant effect of ethanol treatment on the maximum inhibitory effect of DADLE on forskolin-stimulated cAMP formation following both 1 and 7 day ethanol treatment. The DADLE IC50 was unaffected by ethanol treatment. Saturation binding studies ([3H]Deltorphin II) indicated no effect of ethanol on Bmax or Kd in striatum. Similarly, no difference between water and ethanol-treated was observed for DOR mRNA in striatum. These data indicate that ethanol consumption can alter opioid regulation of cAMP formation. However, this effect is not related to changes in any delta-opioid receptor parameters that were examined.

SummaryTwo photoselective and three photoluminescent greenhouse plastic films were studied for their effects on the spectral distribution of solar radiation and their influence on the growth of cherry and peach trees in the field and in laboratory tests.The two photoselective films modified the ratio of the photon fluence rate in the red to that in the far-red (R/FR), while the three photoluminescent films increased both the blue and red solar radiation by moving energy from the ultra-violet range to the blue and red wavelength range.The photoselective film that reduced the R/FR ratio, from 1.14 (open-field) to 0.93, enhanced shoot growth in peach (46.1 cm) and cherry trees (68.7 cm) compared to trees grown in the open-field (13.5 cm and 39.3 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively). Trees grown under the red-emitting photoluminescent film showed increases in shoot length of 27.2 cm and 55.8 cm for peach and cherry trees, respectively; while plants grown under the blue-emitting photoluminescent film s...

Rats of the selectively bred alcohol-preferring P and alcohol-nonpreferring NP lines were evaluated using three different behavioral measures of anxiety. Compared with NP rats, P rats (1) showed greater footshock-induced suppression of operant responding in an approach-avoidance conflict test; (2) spent less time in the open arms of an elevated plus maze; and (3) took longer in a passive avoidance test to step down from a platform to a grid floor where footshock was received 24 hours earlier. These findings indicate a greater degree of anxiety in the P than in the NP line of rats in these situations. Pretreatment with intraperitoneal (IP) ethanol (0.5-1.0 g/kg) injections produced anticonflict or anxiolytic effects in P but not in NP rats. However, the anticonflict effects of ethanol were small relative to those produced by chlordiazepoxide (CDP, 7.5 mg/kg) in both lines. The results demonstrate that selective breeding for divergent oral ethanol preference has produced associated differences between the P and NP lines of rats in behavioral tests of anxiety and in the anxiolytic effects of ethanol.

Recycling of anaerobically-digested thin stillage within a corn-ethanol plant may result in the accumulation of nutrients of environmental concern in animal feed coproducts and inhibitory organic materials in the fermentation tank. Our focus is on anaerobic digestion of treated (centrifugation and lime addition) thin stillage. Suitability of digestate from anaerobic treatment for reuse as process water was also investigated. Experiments conducted at various inoculum-to-substrate ratios (ISRs) revealed that alkalinity is a critical parameter limiting digestibility of thin stillage. An ISR level of 2 appeared optimal based on high biogas production level (763 mL biogas/g volatile solids added) and organic matter removal (80.6% COD removal). The digester supernatant at this ISR level was found to contain both organic and inorganic constituents at levels that would cause no inhibition to ethanol fermentation. Anaerobic digestion of treated-thin stillage can be expected to improve the water and energy efficiencies of dry grind corn-ethanol plants.

Sex differences in rates of ethanol elimination were investigated in natural siblings to reduce genetic variability as compared to subjects chosen at random. Ethanol was infused intravenously in a dose of 0.6 g/kg of body weight over 45 to 60 min and serial blood samples obtained for 5 hr. The mean rate of ethanol elimination was higher in seven women, not different in one, and lower in one compared with their male siblings. The mean rate of ethanol elimination for all nine women was higher at 1.93 ± 0.12 as compared with the value of 1.69 ± 0.17 mmoles/kg body weight/hr in the men (p < 0.05). Higher rates of ethanol metabolism in women as compared to men may be important in the increased susceptibility of women to liver injury caused by alcohol consumption.

Environment preservation, energy, and the growing economy are becoming strongly interconnected themes requiring new solutions to be exploited. An example of this interconnection is the demand for the development of almost zero-energy buildings, i.e. buildings capable to be almost autonomous from external energy supply or at least not dependent on the energy supply from utilities. The actual conception of a zero energy building is a very complex system formed by several subsystems, with the consequence that costs are very high and reliability relatively low. The aim of this research program is to deepen the possibility to employ the Stirling engine and cooler technology to lower the number of components required in a near zero-energy building, increase the efficiency, and contemporary raise the reliability of the overall system. Stirling cooler could be used to convert mechanical work into heating and cooling effects and produce the temperature difference by the expanding and compressing the working fluid. A similar concept of the Stirling cooler could also be adopted to develop a heat pump. Compared to the traditional vaporcompression refrigeration systems, the Stirling coolers are of higher efficiency and with no components like compressor, expansion valve, evaporator, or condensers. Therefore, they are considered to be clean cooling devices. On the other hand, the Stirling engine is an external combustion engine, which is compatible with a variety of thermal sources, such as solar radiation, waste heat, geothermal energy, combustion, and so on. With the heat input to the hot end of the engine, the Stirling engine could be operated to produce mechanical work/electricity at high thermal efficiency. In principle, the Stirling machines are capable to provide all the forms of energy (heat, cool, and electricity) that form the almost total energy load of a building.

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.

Abstract Natural gas has been promoted as a ‘‘bridge’’ fuel toward a low-carbon future by offering near-term emissions reductions at lower cost. Existing literature is inconclusive on the short-term emissions benefits of more abundant natural gas. The long-lived nature of natural gas infrastructure also threatens to lock in emissions levels well above longer-term targets. If natural gas can offer short-to-medium term benefits, how much of a bridge should we build? Using ARTIMAS, a foresighted computable general equilibrium model of the US economy, we interact scenarios developed by the EMF-34 study group related to abundant natural gas, low-cost renewables, and a carbon tax to examine the role of natural gas in a carbon-constrained future. We find that abundant natural gas alone does not have a significant impact on CO2 emissions. We also find that, under a higher carbon tax, natural gas investment of approximately $10 billion per year declines to zero at a tax of about $40/ton and existing natural gas assets face significant risk of impairment. Last, the presence of abundant natural gas lowers the marginal welfare cost of abating small amounts of CO2 but is likely to raise the cost of abatement levels consistent with common climate objectives. The integrated welfare costs of climate policy depend on how much abatement we must undertake.

The study evaluates the potential of different vegetable wastes namely, composite vegetable waste (CVW), potato waste (PW), sweet potato waste (SPW) and yam waste (YW) as an alternative feedstock for the production of renewable sugars. Thermal assisted chemical pretreatment followed by enzymatic saccharification yielded maximum sugars (0.515 g/g CVW, 0.56 g/g PW, 0.57 g/g SPW and 0.56 g/g YW) with total carbohydrate depolymerization of 95.01%, 88.30%, 90.32% and 88.59% respectively. Obtained sugars were valorized into bioethanol through fermentation using S. cerevisiae by optimizing the pH and temperature. The highest ethanol yield of 251.85 mg/g was obtained from SPW at 35°C followed by YW (240.98 mg/g), PW (235.4 mg/g) and CVW (125.6 mg/g) at pH 5.0. Utilizing the abundantly available vegetable wastes as a renewable feedstock for reducing sugars and subsequent bioethanol production will influence the economics and sustainability of the process positively in circular biorefinery format.