Effects of long-term treatment with candesartan on organ damages in sinoaortic denervated rats

The study was designed to observe the effects of long term treatment with candesartan cilexetil (candesartan) on blood pressure (BP), blood pressure variability (BPV), baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and end organ damage (EOD) in sinoaortic denervated (SAD) rats. Candesartan was mixed in rat chow at an estimated dose of 3 mg/(kg·day). After 12 weeks of drug administration, rats were instrumented to determine BP, BPV and BRS in conscious state. Organ damage was estimated by observation of morphologic changes. When compared with sham operated rats, SAD rats exhibited increased BPV, decreased BRS, and normal BP and plasma angiotensin Ⅱ level. Left ventricular and aortic hypertrophies and renal lesion were found in SAD rats. Candesartan significantly decreased BP and BPV, ameliorated impaired BRS, increased plasma angiotensin Ⅱ level and obviously diminished the EOD in SAD rats. Multiple regression analysis shows that decrease in left ventricular hypertrophy was mainly related to decrease in systolic BPV. Decrease in aortic hypertrophy was mainly determined by increase in BRS and decrease in systolic BP. Amelioration in renal lesion was predicted by increase in BRS and decrease in systolic BPV. BRS was the most important determinant for renal lesion and aortic hypertrophy in SAD rats. In addition, plasma angiotensin Ⅱ level was higher in candesartan treated rats. In conclusion, long term treatment with candesartan prevented SAD induced organ damage. Restoration of arterial baroreflex function, decrease in BPV, and blockade of activated renin angiotensin system may contribute to the organ protective action of candesartan in SAD rats.

Changes in Structure and Properties of Soybean Protein/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Blended Fibers Subjected to Wet Heat Treatment

The properties of soybean protein/poly（vinyl alcohol） （SP/ PVA） blended fibers subjected to wet heat treatment in hot water were measured. The structure of fibers was investigated by scanning electron microscope （SEM）, Fourier transform infrared （FTIR） spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction （WXD） and differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）. The results show that the wet heat treatment above 100℃ has a great influence on the properties and structure of SP/PVA blended fibers. After the wet heat treatment at high temperature, the fibers exhibit the severe shrinking and yellowing, the great decrease in breaking strength and adhesive aggregation. The fibers show a broader main X-ray diffraction peak with the disappearance of minor diffraction peaks, a double DSC melting behavior with the peak temperatures of 215 and 233℃, and a weaker intensity of crystallization-sensitive absorbance peak of PVA component at 1 142 cm^-1. Therefore it is concluded that the wet heat treatment above 100℃ leads to a change in the crystalline structure of fibers and the scission and degradation of PVA macromolecular chains.

Influence of Thermal Treatment on the Structure and Thermal Properties of Kaolin Modified Polyester Fibers

Modified polyester fibers were obtained using 2% and 6% of kaolin blends through melt spinning.The influences of two thermal treatments maintaining the original tension(180 ℃×2 min and 200 ℃×1 min)on the structure and properties of fiber were compared.The changes of grain size and crystallinity of fiber were investigated by X-ray diffraction(XRD).The changes of thermal properties of fibers were analyzed using dynamic mechanical analyzer(DMA).The results show that the crystalline structure of kaolin modified polyester fiber doesn't change with the thermal treatment.With the kaolin content increasing,the grain size of fiber changed.The higher the thermal treatment temperature is,the higher the crystallinity of fiber is.There are two glass-transition temperatures for kaolin modified:the lower one is the glass-transition temperature of polyester fiber matrix,and the higher one is derived from the heterogeneous blend of polyester matrix and nano kaolin.The higher the kaolin content is,the higher the glass-transition temperature is.Thermal treatment could increase the compatibility of polyester matrix and nano kaolin.There was only one glass-transition temperature for the thermal treatment fiber,and the heat resistance of fiber was improved.Thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry(TGA-DSC)results of kaolin modified polyethylene terephthalate(PET)matrix indicate that the decomposition temperature of PET fibers,kaolin modified PET fibers,and thermal treated fibers were little different within 40%-60% of weight loss rate range.

Impact of Particle Size, Thermal Processing, Fat Inclusion and Moisture Addition on Pellet Quality and Protein Solubility of Broiler Feeds

The present study evaluated the effect of feed particle size, thermal processing, several levels of fat inclusion and moisture addition on pellet quality and protein solubility in potassium hydroxide （KOH） in a corn, soybean meal and animal by products based broiler diets. The different processing factors were combined in a 2 x 4 x 4 x 2 factorial arrangement in an eight randomized block consisting of eight production series： two particle sizes （coarse： 1,041 microns and medium： 743 microns）, four fat inclusion levels at the mixer （15, 25, 35 and 45 g/kg of feed）, four moisture addition levels in the conditioner （0, 7, 14 and 21 g/kg of feed） and two thermal processing treatments （conditioner-pellet press treatment or conditioner-expander-pellet treatment） which resulted in 64 different processed feeds. For the determination of the pellet durability index （PDI）, the amount of intact pellets and protein solubility determinations, eight feed samples （replicates） were collected for each treatment. The data were transformed using a variation of Box-Cox transformation in order to fit a normal distribution （p 〉 0.05）. Adding moisture up to 21 g/kg of feed in the conditioner improved pellet quality of the diets （p 〈 0.05）. Expansion of diets before pelleting improved （P 〈 0.05） PDI and amount of intact pellets by 26% and 31%, respectively, as compared to a simple conditioning-pelleting feed processing. Expander treatment （at 110 ℃） decreased （p 〈 0.05） protein solubility in KOH from 686 g/kg to 643 g/kg total protein as compared to pelleting process （at 80-82 ℃）. The amount of intact pellets reduced from 773 g/kg to 746 g/kg of feed （/7 〈 0.05） as particle size increased from medium to coarse grinding. Pellet quality was significantly reduced with fat inclusion levels higher than 35 g/kg of diet.

Effect of Heat Treatment on Luminescent Properties of White Organic Light Emitting Device

The white organic light emitting device (OLED) with single-structure using a polymer blend as the light emitting layer is fabricated.Heat treatment is used to control the ratio between the intensities of main electroluminescent spectral peaks.The electroluminescent spectrum of our device is quite similar to that of white inorganic LED produced by Nichia Corporation after being annealed,and its turn-on voltage can be decreased by 1 V.

Effect of Thermal Processing, Press Throughput and Roller-Die Gap on Physicochemical Properties of Broiler Feed Pellets

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of thermal processing, press throughput and roller-die gap on pellet physical quality, protein solubility and starch gelatinization in a corn-soybean based broiler diet. The different processing factors were combined in a 2 × 5 × 3 factorial arrangement with eight randomized block consisting of eight production series： two thermal processing treatments （conditioning-pelleting or conditioning-expanding-pelleting）, five press throughput levels （18, 21, 24, 27 and 30 ton/h） and three roller-die gap （0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 mm）, which resulted in 30 different processed feeds. For determination of pellet durability index （PDI）, amount of intact pellets, degree of starch gelatinization and protein solubility, one composed feed sample was collected per treatment in each of eight production series, totaling eight replicates per treatment. Data concerning the amount of intact pellet and protein solubility in KOH were transformed using a variation of Box-Cox transformation in order to fit a normal distribution （P 〉 0.05）. Pellet physical quality was enhanced by conditioning-expanding treatment （P 〈 0.01）, narrower roller-die-gap （P 〈 0.01） and reduced press throughput （P 〈 0.01）. Protein solubility in KOH was impaired （P 〈 0.01） in the expander treatment and larger roller-die distance （0.75 mm and 1.00 mm） （P 〈 0.01）. Finally, greater starch gelatinization degree was achieved in expanded treatment （P 〈 0.01） and in 1.00 mm roller-die gap （P 〈 0.05）. The factors evaluated in this study resulted in interactions and significant effects on physicochemical properties of broiler feed pellets.