Effects of operating parameters on oxidative coupling of methane over Na-W-Mn/SiO_2 catalyst at elevated pressures

The effects of operating parameters on oxidative coupling of methane （OCM） over Na-W-Mn/SiO2 catalyst have been studied at elevated pressures of 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 MPa under low gaseous hourly space velocity （GHSV） and low temperature conditions. Experimental results show that when the operating pressure is increased, C2＋ yield slightly decreases, while the maximum ratio of ethylene to ethane remains unchanged. Moreover, it has been found empirically that increase of pressure does not affect the catalyst behavior permanently, the catalyst recovers its original low pressure performance without hysteresis behavior by reducing the pressure. Under the investigated conditions, when oxygen is completely consumed, the increase of GHSV leads to improvement in C2 selectivity, while C3＋ and COx selectivities decrease slightly. The C2＋ selectivity increases by increase of nitrogen diluent in the feed, but the C3＋ hydrocarbons selectivities decrease with increase of nitrogen since it is possible that further dilution at high pressure may reduce the probability of collision between CH3 and C2＋ hydrocarbons. During the stability test at high pressure, the catalyst performance remains unchanged throughout the 20 h running. The fresh and used catalysts were characterized using XRD, SEM and N2 adsorption-desorption methods. It was found that the phase transformation of the support from α-cristobalite to tridymite and quartz does not have obvious effect on catalyst performance at high pressure.

Gas Holdups of Small and Large Bubbles in a Large-scale Bubble Column with Elevated Pressure

Gas holdups of large bubbles and small bubbles were measured by means of dynamic gas disengagement approach in the pressured bubble column with a diameter of 0.3 m and a height of 6.6 m. The effects of superficial gas velocity, liquid surface tension, liquid viscosity and system pressure on gas holdups of small bubbles and large bubbles were investigated. The holdup of large bubbles increases and the holdup of small bubbles decreases with an increase of liquid viscosity. Meanwhile, the holdup of large bubbles decreases with increasing the system pressure. A correlation for the holdup of small bubbles was obtained from the experimental data.

Casein kinase-2 inhibition promotes retinal ganglion cell survival after acute intraocular pressure elevation

Intraocular pressure elevation can induce retinal ganglion cell death and is a clinically reversible risk factor for glaucoma,the leading cause of irreversible blindness.We previously demonstrated that casein kinase-2 inhibition can promote retinal ganglion cell survival and axonal regeneration in rats after optic nerve injury.To investigate the underlying mechanism,in the current study we increased the intraocular pressure of adult rats to 75 mmHg for 2 hours and then administered a casein kinase-2 inhibitor(4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-2-azabenzimidazole or 2-dimethylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-1H-benzimidazole)by intravitreal injection.We found that intravitreal injection of 4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-2-azabenzimidazole or 2-dimethylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-1H-benzimidazole promoted retinal ganglion cell survival and reduced the number of infiltrating macrophages.Transcriptomic analysis showed that the mitogen activated protein kinase signaling pathway was involved in the response to intraocular pressure elevation but was not modulated by the casein kinase-2 inhibitors.Furthermore,casein kinase-2 inhibition downregulated the expression of genes(Cck,Htrsa,Nef1,Htrlb,Prph,Chat,Slc18a3,Slc5a7,Scn1b,Crybb2,Tsga10ip,and Vstm21)involved in intraocular pressure elevation.Our data indicate that inhibition of casein kinase-2 can enhance retinal ganglion cell survival in rats after acute intraocular pressure elevation via macrophage inactivation.

Prevalence and Correlates of Elevated Blood Pressure in Chinese Children Aged 6-13 Years: a Nationwide School-Based Survey

Objective To estimate the prevalence of elevated blood pressure（EBP） in Chinese children and identify individual and family factors associated with EBP. Methods A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010 using stratified cluster sampling. Participants＇ blood pressure was measured, and their parents completed a questionnaire on personal and family characteristics. Prevalence and correlates of EBP were assessed. Results Among a total of 24,333 participants, 20.2% of boys and 16.3% of girls had EBP. The prevalence of EBP increased with the ascending trend of waist circumference, Waist-to-height ratio, and body mass index. The adjusted prevalence ratios（aP Rs） for obese boys and girls were 2.50 and 2.97, respectively. Fewer urban boys（16.2%） had EBP than rural boys（21.7%）. Boys with a family history of hypertension were 12% more likely to have EBP. Children whose mothers received a college education tended to have lower likelihood of EBP; with an aP R was 0.85 among boys and 0.78 among girls. Conclusion EBP is common among obese students and those who have a family history of hypertension. A negative association between mothers＇ education levels and EBP risk in children was found.

Spatiotemporal alterations of presynaptic elements in the retina after high intraocular pressure

A rat model of acute high intraocular pressure was established by injecting saline into the anterior chamber of the left eye. Synaptophysin expression was increased in the inner plexiform layer at 2 hours following injury, and was widely distributed in the outer plexiform layer at 3-7 days, and then decreased to the normal level at 14 days. This suggests that expression of this presynaptic functional protein experienced spatiotemporal alterations after elevation of intraocular pressure. There was no significant change in the fluorescence intensity and distribution pattern for synapse-associated protein 102 following elevated intraocular pressure. Synapse-associated protein 102 immunoreactivity was confined to the outer plexiform layer, while synaptophysin immunoreactivity spread into the outer plexiform layer and the outer nuclear layer at 3 and 7 days following injury. These alterations in presynaptic elements were not accompanied by changes in postsynaptic components.

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography crosssectional image of optic nerve head during intraocular pressure elevation

AIM: To analyze changes of the optic nerve head(ONH) and peripapillary region during intraocular pressure(IOP) elevation in patients using spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT).METHODS: Both an optic disc 200×200 cube scan and a high-definition 5-line raster scan were obtained from open angle glaucoma patients presented with monocular elevation of IOP(≥30 mm Hg) using SD-OCT. Additional baseline characteristics included age, gender, diagnosis,best-corrected visual acuity, refractive error, findings of slit lamp biomicroscopy, findings of dilated stereoscopic examination of the ONH and fundus, IOP, pachymetry findings, and the results of visual field.RESULTS: The 24 patients were selected and divided into two groups: group 1 patients had no history of IOP elevation or glaucoma(n =14), and group 2 patients did have history of IOP elevation or glaucoma(n =10). In each patient, the study eye with elevated IOP was classified into group H(high), and the fellow eye was classified into group L(low). The mean deviation(MD)differed significantly between groups H and L when all eyes were considered(P =0.047) and in group 2(P =0.042), not in group 1(P =0.893). Retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) average thickness(P =0.050), rim area(P =0.015),vertical cup/disc ratio(P =0.011), cup volume(P =0.028),inferior quadrant RNFL thickness(P =0.017), and clockhour(1, 5, and 6) RNFL thicknesses(P =0.050, 0.012, and0.018, respectively), cup depth(P =0.008), central prelaminar layer thickness(P =0.023), mid-inferior prelaminar layer thickness(P =0.023), and nasal retinal slope(P =0.034)were significantly different between the eyes with groups H and L.CONCLUSION:RNFLaveragethickness,rim area,vertical cup/disc ratio, cup volume, inferior quadrant RNFL thickness, and clock-hour(1, 5, and 6) RNFL thicknesses significantly changed during acute IOP elevation.

Enzymatic Histochemistry of Retina with Experimental Intraocular Pressure Elevation in Rabbits

To investigate the pathogenesis of retina lesions caused by intraocular pressure elevation, activities and distribution of enzymes in retina including lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase), acid phosphatase (ACP), cholinesterase (ChE), cytochrome oxidase(CCO),nucleotidase (5'-Nase) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) were determined histochemically in 30 rabbits. It was found that 1) in the early stage of intraocular pressure elevation, the activities of LDH, SDH, ATPase, ACP, and ChE in retina were increased, while the activities of CCO,5'-Nase decreased;2)in thelate stage of intraocular pressure elevation, the activities of all these enzymes but ACP, which showed a reduced activity, were close to the normal level; 3) in superoxide dismutase.(SOD-CCE) treated group, except the slight increase of LDH and G6Pase activities,the activities of the remaining enzymes were near to normal. Our results suggest that the various histochemical changes in retina induced by intraocular pressure elevation were cornpensatory in the early stage and were beneficial to the supply of energy needed in retinal tissue andcellular metabolism;while in the late stage, the lesion of retina cells developed due to decompensation.SOD-CCE could alleviate the retinal lesions caused by intraocular pressure elevation, and can be used as auxiliary drug for the treatment of intraocular pressure elevation.

Reaction Chemistry of W-Mn/SiO2 Catalyst for the Oxidative Coupling of Methane

Reaction chemistry of the OCM reaction on W-Mn/SiO_2 catalyst has beenreviewed in this account. Initial activity and selectivity, stability in a long-term reaction,reaction at elevated pressures and a modelling test in a stainless-steel fluidized-bed reactor showthat W-Mn/SiO_2 has promising performance for the development of an OCM process that directlyproduces ethylene from natural gas. A study on surface catalytic reaction kinetics and used catalyststructure characterization revealed a possible reason why C_2 and CO_x selectivity changed duringthe long-term reaction. Further improvement of the catalyst composition and preparation methodshould be a future direction of study on OCM reaction over W-Mn/SiO_2 catalyst.

Effect of ATF3-deletion on apoptosis of cultured retinal ganglion cells

AIM：To investigate the effect of activating transcription factor-3（ATF3）-deletion on apoptosis of cultured retinal ganglion cells（RGCs）.METHODS：Three ATF3 siR NA（ATF3-rat-651, ATF3-rat-319, ATF3-rat-520） were constructed, and were transiently transfected into RGC-5 cells. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction（PCR） was used to examine ATF3 expression and the most effective ATF3 siR NA was selected for further studies. Flow cytometry was applied to investigate the effects of ATF3 deletion on RGC-5 apoptosis under elevated hydrostatic pressure. Quantitative realtime PCR and Western blot were performed to validate differentially expressed genes and proteins in ATF3-knockdown RGC-5 cells.RESULTS：ATF3 specific siR NA effectively down-regulated ATF3 expression and significantly inhibited cell apoptosis in RGC-5 cells. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot confirmed that ATF3 knockdown remarkably decreased Jun-B and increased c-Jun at both m RNA and protein levels in RGC-5 cells.CONCLUSION：ATF/cA MP-response element-binding family of transcription factors may be involved in the development of glaucoma and could be novel treatment targets for glaucoma.

An apparatus for accurately measuring solubilities of gases in liquids at elevated temperatures and pressures

An apparatus for measuring solubilities of gases in liquids at elevated temperatures and pressures has been constructed. Using this apparatus, the slubilities of N_2 and CO_2 in some solvents have been determined in the temperature range between 20 and 230℃, and at pressures up to 130 atm. The experimental results obtained generally agree well with literature values. It is shown that this apparatus is reliable; attainment of equilibria needs only about 5 hours; precision of the measure- ments is ±0.2%.

Fault reactivation potential and associated permeability evolution under changing injection conditions

Understanding the hydraulic and frictional sensitivity of fault to different injection conditions is one of the efficient ways to provide useful implications for fault reactivation potential.Numerical simulations of fractured reservoir have provided information on how fault behaviour varies under changing hydromechanical properties and injection conditions.A coupled hydro-mechanical model which can represent the elastoplastic behaviour of a fault was employed to predict and quantify the effects of varying injection positions and injection rates on permeability response and potential of fault reactivation under isothermal injection.We examine the sensitivity of seismic event magnitude and timing to variations in both pressure perturbation and stress as injection location changes.We generate results for two scenarios:one with changing injection position but with uniform injection rate,and another scenario with increasing injection rate at the same injection position.We observed that the potential of fault reactivation is affected by the hydraulic diffusivity potential of the fluid pressure,and this mechanism is mediated by a function of the injector position and injection rate.As the velocity of fluid transmission increases,increasing fluid pressure impact pore pressure elevation and reduced effective stress.However,an injector position where there is low diffusivity causes low pore pressure build-up rate,incapable of inducing shear failure,and thus,permeability enhancement is retarded in this case.Accordingly,the injection rate variation influences the rate of pore pressure build-up,the timing and magnitude of induced seismic events.This is also reflected in the permeability evolution as a response to the variations in the magnitude of fault openings and cracks.This changing injection conditions however influences the timing required to reach the critical peak friction point as pore pressure build-up rate and sensitivity to loading response change.Hence,with changing position and rate of injection,the evolution of fault permeability appears to be intrinsically controlled by a condition which favours elastoplastic deformation and fracture failure,with slip distance increasing with high injection rates.