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- Biollaz, S., et al.
(author)
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Gas analysis in gasification of biomass and waste : Guideline report: Document 1
- 2018
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Reports (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gasification is generally acknowledged as one of the technologies that will enable the large-scale production of biofuels and chemicals from biomass and waste. One of the main technical challenges associated to the deployment of biomass gasification as a commercial technology is the cleaning and upgrading of the product gas. The contaminants of product gas from biomass/waste gasification include dust, tars, alkali metals, BTX, sulphur-, nitrogen- and chlorine compounds, and heavy metals. Proper measurement of the components and contaminants of the product gas is essential for the monitoring of gasification-based plants (efficiency, product quality, by-products), as well as for the proper design of the downstream gas cleaning train (for example, scrubbers, sorbents, etc.). In practice, a trade-off between reliability, accuracy and cost has to be reached when selecting the proper analysis technique for a specific application. The deployment and implementation of inexpensive yet accurate gas analysis techniques to monitor the fate of gas contaminants might play an important role in the commercialization of biomass and waste gasification processes.This special report commissioned by the IEA Bioenergy Task 33 group compiles a representative part of the extensive work developed in the last years by relevant actors in the field of gas analysis applied to(biomass and waste) gasification. The approach of this report has been based on the creation of a team of contributing partners who have supplied material to the report. This networking approach has been complemented with a literature review. The report is composed of a set of 2 documents. Document 1(the present report) describes the available analysis techniques (both commercial and underdevelopment) for the measurement of different compounds of interest present in gasification gas. The objective is to help the reader to properly select the analysis technique most suitable to the target compounds and the intended application. Document 1 also describes some examples of application of gas analysis at commercial-, pilot- and research gasification plants, as well as examples of recent and current joint research activities in the field. The information contained in Document 1 is complemented with a book of factsheets on gas analysis techniques in Document 2, and a collection of video blogs which illustrate some of the analysis techniques described in Documents 1 and 2.This guideline report would like to become a platform for the reinforcement of the network of partners working on the development and application of gas analysis, thus fostering collaboration and exchange of knowledge. As such, this report should become a living document which incorporates in future coming progress and developments in the field.
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| 3. |
- Biollaz, S., et al.
(author)
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Gas analysis in gasification of biomass and waste : Guideline report: Document 2 - Factsheets on gas analysis techniques
- 2018
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Reports (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gasification is generally acknowledged as one of the technologies that will enable the large-scale production of biofuels and chemicals from biomass and waste. One of the main technical challenges associated to the deployment of biomass gasification as a commercial technology is the cleaning and upgrading of the product gas. The contaminants of product gas from biomass/waste gasification include dust, tars, alkali metals, BTX, sulphur-, nitrogen- and chlorine compounds, and heavy metals. Proper measurement of the components and contaminants of the product gas is essential for the monitoring of gasification-based plants (efficiency, product quality, by-products), as well as for the proper design of the downstream gas cleaning train (for example, scrubbers, sorbents, etc.). The deployment and implementation of inexpensive yet accurate gas analysis techniques to monitor the fate of gas contaminants might play an important role in the commercialization of biomass and waste gasification processes.This special report commissioned by the IEA Bioenergy Task 33 group compiles a representative part of the extensive work developed in the last years by relevant actors in the field of gas analysis applied to (biomass and waste) gasification. The approach of this report has been based on the creation of a team of contributing partners who have supplied material to the report. This networking approach has been complemented with a literature review. This guideline report would like to become a platform for the reinforcement of the network of partners working on the development and application of gas analysis, thus fostering collaboration and exchange of knowledge. As such, this report should become a living document which incorporates in future coming progress and developments in the field.
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- Asker, Mohammed, et al.
(author)
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Peripherally restricted oxytocin is sufficient to reduce food intake and motivation, while CNS entry is required for locomotor and taste avoidance effects
- 2023
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In: Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism. - : Wiley. - 1462-8902 .- 1463-1326. ; 25:3, s. 856-877
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- ObjectivesOxytocin (OT) has a well-established role in reproductive behaviours; however, it recently emerged as an important regulator of energy homeostasis. In addition to central nervous system (CNS), OT is found in the plasma and OT receptors (OT-R) are found in peripheral tissues relevant to energy balance regulation. Here, we aim to determine whether peripheral OT-R activation is sufficient to alter energy intake and expenditure.Methods and ResultsWe first show that systemic OT potently reduced food intake and food-motivated behaviour for a high-fat reward in male and female rats. As it is plausible that peripherally, intraperitoneally (IP) injected OT crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to produce some of the metabolic effects within the CNS, we screened, with a novel fluorescently labelled-OT (fAF546-OT, Roxy), for the presence of IP-injected Roxy in CNS tissue relevant to feeding control and compared such with BBB-impermeable fluorescent OT-B-12 (fCy5-OT-B-12; BRoxy). While Roxy did penetrate the CNS, BRoxy did not. To evaluate the behavioural and thermoregulatory impact of exclusive activation of peripheral OT-R, we generated a novel BBB-impermeable OT (OT-B-12), with equipotent binding at OT-R in vitro. In vivo, IP-injected OT and OT-B-12 were equipotent at food intake suppression in rats of both sexes, suggesting that peripheral OT acts on peripheral OT-R to reduce feeding behaviour. Importantly, OT induced a potent conditioned taste avoidance, indistinguishable from that induced by LiCl, when applied peripherally. Remarkably, and in contrast to OT, OT-B-12 did not induce any conditioned taste avoidance. Limiting the CNS entry of OT also resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of emesis in male shrews. While both OT and OT-B-12 proved to have similar effects on body temperature, only OT resulted in home-cage locomotor depression.ConclusionsTogether our data indicate that limiting systemic OT CNS penetrance preserves the anorexic effects of the peptide and reduces the clinically undesired side effects of OT: emesis, taste avoidance and locomotor depression. Thus, therapeutic targeting of peripheral OT-R may be a viable strategy to achieve appetite suppression with better patient outcomes.
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- Dragasevic, N T, et al.
(author)
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Cortical excitability revealed by motor evoked potential, cortical silent period and conduction time in spinocerebellar ataxias type 1, type 2 and idiopathic sporadic cerebellar ataxia : a transcranial magnetic stimulation study
- 2006
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In: The Movement Disorder Society’s 10th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement.
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Conference paper (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- Autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias are characterized by their underlying genetic defect and are referred to as spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs 1-23). The clinical classification of the SCA has been difficult owing to variations and overlapping of the clinical signs. The aim of this study was to compare cortical motor evoked potential (MEP), central motor conduction time (CMCT) and cortical silent period (CSP) duration in SCA patients in Serbia, namely in genetically homogenous groups of ataxia patients with type 1, type 2 and IDCA (idiopathic sporadic cerebellar ataxia). We examined 29 patients, 16 with the diagnosis of SCA 1, 6 SCA 2 and 7 IDCA patients. Eight healthy control subjects were gender and age matched. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to investigate parameters of cortical excitability such as: motor threshold (MT) and MEP, CSP and CMCT. MT was established at rest, MEP was calculated as the area in the rectified EMG recording. CSP was evoked by 30% suprathreshold stimulation while subjects activated FDI muscle with contraction of 30% of their MVC. CMCT was calculated as a difference between the shortest MEP latency after cortical and after cervical stimulation (in the region of C5-C6). Results show that MT was increased in all ataxia patient groups, compared to control subjects. CMCT has significant increase in SCA 1 patients. CSP in IDCA patients is significantly longer then in SCA 1, SCA 2 and control subjects, while no difference was found between SCA 1, SCA 2 and control. MEP duration was significantly increased in all ataxia groups compared to control in relaxed muscle. Due to the cerebellar influence on the cortico-spinal system through control of inhibitory cortical interneurons, could be assumed that different categories of ataxia patients have disturbed cerebellar inhibitory influence to the various degrees. It might be possible that SCA 1 prominent abnormalities in cortical excitability originate from expansion of damage from cerebellum to some other cerebellar and brain structures.
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- Josts, Inokentijs, et al.
(author)
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Conformational States of ABC Transporter MsbA in a Lipid Environment Investigated by Small-Angle Scattering Using Stealth Carrier Nanodiscs
- 2018
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In: Structure. - : Elsevier. - 0969-2126 .- 1878-4186. ; 26:8, s. 1072-1079.e4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Structural studies of integral membrane proteins (IMPs) are challenging, as many of them are inactive or insoluble in the absence of a lipid environment. Here, we describe an approach making use of fractionally deuterium labeled "stealth carrier'' nanodiscs that are effectively invisible to low-resolution neutron diffraction and enable structural studies of IMPs in a lipidic native-like solution environment. We illustrate the potential of the method in a joint small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and X-ray scattering (SAXS) study of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter protein MsbA solubilized in the stealth nanodiscs. The data allow for a direct observation of the signal from the solubilized protein without contribution from the surrounding lipid nanodisc. Not only the overall shape but also differences between conformational states of MsbA can be reliably detected from the scattering data, demonstrating the sensitivity of the approach and its general applicability to structural studies of IMPs.
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| 10. |
- Kazandjian, D, et al.
(author)
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Molecular underpinnings of clinical disparity patterns in African American vs. Caucasian American multiple myeloma patients
- 2019
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In: Blood cancer journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2044-5385. ; 9:2, s. 15-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Caucasian Americans (CA) compared with African Americans (AA) have a twofold increased incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) and have an earlier age of diagnosis. However, there is sparse information regarding underlying biological differences across racial/ethnic groups. We characterized genetic alterations using a targeted next-generation sequencing assay called myTYPE, developed at MSKCC, allowing capture of somatic mutations, IgH translocations, gains/losses, and hyperdiploidy. Samples were obtained from the NIH Plasma Cell Dyscrasia Racial Disparity Cohort. In total, 68 patient samples were successfully sequenced and manually curated based on well-established databases. Of the 68 patient samples (47 CA, 21 AA), 84% had at least one type of genomic alteration. Importantly, the IgH translocation, t(11;14), was observed more frequently in the AA group (0 vs. 29%, p = 0.001). Known oncogenic somatic non-synonymous mutations were found in 18 genes and indels in 2 genes. KRAS mutations were the most common mutation found in 16% of patients followed by NRAS and BRAF mutations. TP53 somatic mutations appeared to be more common in CA but lacked significance. This proof-of-principle study indicates the presence of varying underlying tumor biology between racial groups and supports the need of future prospective trials to capture these molecular characteristics.
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