Evidence suggests that substance P (SP) is involved in chronic joint inflammation, such as the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The goal of the research was to evaluate the ...correlation between chronic pain and changes in the SP level in patients with chronic inflammation of the connective tissue.
Patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis were enrolled in this study. The relationship between chronic pain intensity and the serum SP concentration was evaluated in these groups of patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The results showed a positive correlation between the serum SP concentrations and chronic pain intensity.
1. The SP serum concentration was significantly different between the groups of patients with OA and RA. 2. There was a positive correlation between the serum SP concentration and chronic pain intensity in OA and RA patients.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study aimed to optimise the production conditions of wheat straw (WS) pellets and pellets with the additives of cassava starch (CS) or calcium carbonate (CC) based on the criteria of pellet ...strength and water absorption by crushed pellets. The pellets produced using a 2-10%-wt/wt additive ratio, material moisture of 10-30% w.b., die height of 66-86 mm, and material temperature of 78-108 °C were tested. The influence these factors on the strength parameters of pellets was different than on the water absorption by the crushed pellets. The pellets made of WS blended with CC additive were characterised by better strength parameters and the compressed pellets were characterised by better water absorption than those with CS. High and positive correlation among specific pellet compression work, elasticity modulus for pellet compression, and tensile strength values were observed. As the strength parameters of pellets showed high correlation with single pellet density, for the consistency of conclusions, the optimal conditions for pellet production were assumed based on the density. For optimal conditions at 4% wt/wt additive ratio, 23% w.b. material moisture, 78 mm die height, and 80 °C material temperature, the specific pellet compression work was 3.22 mJ·mm
, elasticity modulus was 5.78 MPa, and maximum tensile strength of the pellets was 2.68 MPa; moreover, the water absorption by crushed pellets amounted to 2.60 g H
O·g
of dry matter.
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There is a limited information about the role of Substance P (SP) in acute pain nociception following surgical stimulation in patients with a chronic inflammatory state not to mention the link ...between this neuropeptide level changes and intensity of pain. The goal of the research was to find the correlation between SP level changes and acute pain intensity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing elective orthopedic surgery.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were enrolled in the study. The correlation between acute pain intensity and concentration of SP in serum as well as in drainage fluid from postoperative wound was assessed in patients with RA who underwent Total Knee Replacement (TKA) under spinal anesthesia.
In patients with RA a correlation between intensity of acute pain and serum SP was found postoperatively, whereas there was no correlation between intensity of acute pain and concentration of SP in drainage fluid.
1. The correlation between acute pain intensity and SP serum concentration was found postoperatively in patients with RA. 2. The correlation between acute pain intensity and SP concentration in drainage fluid was not found postoperatively in patients with RA.
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In this work, for modelling the anaerobic digestion of microcrystalline cellulose, two surface-related models based on cylindrical and spherical particles were developed and compared with the ...first-order kinetics model. A unique dataset consisting of particles with different sizes, the same crystallinity and polymerisation degree was used to validate the models. Both newly developed models outperformed the first-order kinetics model. Analysis of the kinetic constant data revealed that particle size is a key factor determining the anaerobic digestion kinetics of crystalline cellulose. Hence, crystalline cellulose particle size should be considered in the development and optimization of lignocellulose pre-treatment methods. Further research is necessary for the assessment of impact of the crystalline cellulose particle size and surface properties on the microbial cellulose hydrolysis rate.
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An experiment using spent coffee grounds (SCGs) was performed with moisture (6.2, 22.5, 23.2, and 33.4% w.b.) and die height (42, 52, 62, 72, 82, and 92 mm) as influencing parameters at a stable ...temperature of 93 °C and speed of 100 mm min−1, and the monitoring curves of pressure-displacements were studied. Both pelletization factors were significant parameters for the maximum pressure and corresponding piston displacements, pellet movement, specific work, pellet density, and breaking strength. An interaction was found between these factors, but the moisture had a greater and nonlinear effect on the agglomeration parameters than the die height, which influenced linearly the change of these parameters. The agglomeration parameters values increased with decreasing moisture and increasing the die height. The results suggest that high-strength fuel pellets (>1.0 MPa) could be produced from SCG at a suitable moisture (<20% w.b.) and die height (60–70 mm). A regressive model linking compressive stress with the fuel pellets' density and the maximum pressure was developed, which revealed that pressure had a greater influence on the pellet's compressive strength than the pellet density did. A novelty of this work was the application of an adjustable orifice length of the die in which the SCGs were compacted.
•A heated piston-cylinder with an adjustable open orifice length was used.•SCG moisture and die height had significant effect on agglomeration parameters.•Moisture effect was greater than die height, which were nonlinear and linear, respectively.•Good fuel pellet strength was obtained at <20% w.b. moisture and 60–70 mm die height.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The aim of the study was to assess the effect of silage additive containing heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain of Lactobacillus buchneri species on ensiling quality, as well as ...methane yield and the kinetics of biogas production from ensiled perennial energy grasses: Miscanthus × giganteus (miscanthus), Spartina pectinata (cordgrass), Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) and Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem). The listed plants are not commonly used for biogas production, their susceptibility to ensiling is also little known, hence the need to investigate their suitability for these processes. Effective methods for increasing the biogas yield from biomass are still demand, hence the research on the use of LAB for this purpose. After harvesting the grasses were cut and ensiled in barrels with and without (controls) the usage of commercial silage inoculant containing Lactobacillus buchneri LN40177. After 90 days of ensiling obtained silages were analysed in order to compare their chemical composition: organic acids content, the loss of dry matter, the differences in particular fibres composition. The silages were then subjected to methane fermentation using OxiTop® sensors and exposed to air in order to check their aerobic stability. The silages prepared with LAB additive had higher concentration of acetic acid than the control silages prepared without LAB addition, which contributed to increased aerobic stability but had no effect on the methane yield of miscanthus, switchgrass and big bluestem. Using the microbial inoculant during ensiling had beneficial effect in terms of reducing the duration of biogas production process from obtained silages: lag phase was shortened, daily biogas production rate was increased and 90% of biogas was produced in a shorter period of time compared to the control silages from investigated grasses. The modified Gompertz model well reflected the kinetics of biogas production process.
A commercial three-layer particleboard served as model furniture for testing pretreatment with the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm.) over 9-, 12-, 16-, and 20-week periods based ...on the effects of reducing the enzymatic resistance of component cellulose. The effects of pretreatment were assessed based on Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of the treated particleboards, wherein indexes (peaks and peak ratios) connected with parameters influencing enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis were analysed. The data were analysed in two ways: the measurement of peak heights in both primary spectra and deconvoluted spectra. The peak heights for the determination of the total crystallinity index (TCI) were measured according to narrow and broad baselines. Time and how indexes are calculated were found to be the main factors significantly influencing the values of indexes of pretreatment in most cases. Until week 9, P. ostreatus pretreatment seems to be advantageous for biofuel production, which was illustrated by decreases in the intensity of the 1735 and 1505 cm−1 peaks and A1505/A1735, A1505/A1375, A1505/A1158, and A1505/A896 ratios in addition to a reduction in crystallinity.
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The aims of the study were (a) the determination of the physicochemical characteristics of properties of pellets made of shredded residue from hay, wheat straw, and their blend at a ratio of 50:50, ...and (b) the determination of a mathematical model of pellet durability, using a response surface method. Tests were conducted according to applicable standards. As a result of thermal changes during the pressure agglomeration process, the material moisture content of pellets had slightly decreased versus raw three biomasses by 0.50% w.b. (wet basis) to a final value within the range of 5.56–5.87% w.b. The pellet properties of the blend were not adequately represented by the arithmetic mean of their components. Pellets made of hay, straw, and their blend, had DM (DM—dry matter) specific densities of 1034, 974, and 1102 kg m
−3
, respectively. The densities showed correlation with calorific values (r = 0.637), which were in the range of 16.07–17.00 MJ kg
−1
. The pellet durability coefficient correlated negatively with particle size and biomass moisture content. On the basis of previous conclusions, a non-linear mathematical model was formulated to account for the pellet durability coefficient relative to pellet moisture, and the relation of particle sizes and specific density to pellet bulk density.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The kinetics and dynamics of the stiff and flexible tines with the duckfoot and the coulter after impact with stones embedded in compacted soil were examined. The beak of the duckfoot was positioned ...in the axis of the row of stones embedded in the soil at the depth of stones thickness. The coulter covered the stone or impact the edge of the stone halfway along its length. The tools worked at a speed of 0.83-2.22 m·s
and a working depth of 0.05-0.10 m. The results of specific parameters were compared to the response of the tools to loads in soil without stones. For both soil conditions, the kinetics of the flexible tine was 24 times more reactive, and the dynamic loads were two times lower than for the stiff tine. The responses of both tines were suppressed along with the working depth because of the more favorable place of impact of the duckfoot beak with the stone. Along with the working speed, for a stiff tine, the specific accelerations decreased significantly, by ten times, and the specific forces increased slightly, by 1.6 times. Among the two systems of setting the coulter, the impact of the cutting edge of the coulter with the stone in the middle of its length was more unfavorable than the work of the coulter covering the stone.
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The objective of the reported project was to produce wood agglomerates from popular East European species to determine their strength and combustion properties. Closed-die pellets were produced from ...sawdust of six types of wood common on the East European market: pine, willow, oak, poplar, birch, and beech. The properties of pellets, determined by the type of wood, were influenced by the compaction pressure and the moisture content of the sawdust. The highest average pellet density was obtained for oak sawdust, while the lowest density was obtained for poplar pellets. Expansion of pellets after removing from the die was found to be dependent on the wood species, and as expected, on compaction pressure. The pellet expansion increased after 2 h of conditioning in the laboratory and with an increase in moisture content. The highest and the smallest strength were obtained for oak pellets and for birch sawdust, respectively. The strength of the pellets increased by more than 100% with an increase in the compaction pressure from 60 MPa to 120 MPa. The average strength decreased by 65% with increasing moisture content. For all tested materials, drop resistance remained at a high level, acceptable in industrial practice. The highest calorific value of 18.97 MJ/kg was obtained for pine pellets. The highest ash value of 1.52% was obtained for willow pellets and the lowest value of 0.32% for pine pellets.
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