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The hydroxyapatite (HA) formationon the DNA molecules in SBF wasexamined. After immersion for four weeks in SBF at 36.5 °C, theHA crystallites of ∼1–14 μm in diameter grew onthe surface of DNA molecules. Various morphologies were successfullyobserved through scanning electron microscopy analysis. The Ca/P molratio (1.1–1.5) in HA was estimated by energy dispersive X-rayanalysis. Original peaks of both of DNA and HA were characterizedby Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The molecular orbitalcomputer simulation has been used to probe the interaction of DNAwith two charge-balancing ions, i.e., CaOH+and CaH2PO4+. The adsorption enthalpy of thetwo ions on ds-DNA and/or ss-DNA having large negative value (∼−60 kcal/mol per charge-balancing ion) was the evidence forthe interface in mineralization of HA in SBF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper quantitatively assesses the co-benefits of atmospheric CO2 stabilization at 400ppmv by 2100 on air pollutants emissions from road vehicles using a global energy system model treating the road transport sector in detail. It is estimated that the reduction rate of global cumulative emissions of SO2, NO x , and PM from road vehicles during the period 2020–2100 in the 400ppmv CO2 stabilization scenario compared to the no CO2 constraint scenario is 22.1%, 10.8%, and 14.4%, respectively. Such co-benefits are the largest for SO2 because biomass-derived Fischer–Tropsch products are chosen as a major alternative fuel for road transport in the former scenario and because their SO2 emission factor is zero, whereas their NO x and PM emission factors are lower than those for petroleum products only by 27% and 21%, respectively. This implies that introducing liquid biofuels would not lead to a noticeable reduction in NO x and PM emissions. Such co-benefits are the smallest for NO x . The first reason is that, except for 2100 in the no CO2 constraint scenario, heavy-duty trucks account for the largest share of global road vehicles’ NO x emissions in the two scenarios throughout the time horizon. The second reason is that in each time period, heavy-duty trucks emit almost the same amount of SO2, NO x , and PM between the scenarios because of almost the same technology and fuel choices in this sector. This implies the necessity of promoting R&D for developing cost-effective low-carbon alternatives to diesel heavy-duty trucks to achieve a further reduction in global air pollutants emissions from road vehicles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents the study on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) retinal abnormalities characterization of isolated optic neuritis (ON) among seropositive antiaquaporin- 4 (anti-AQP4) and antimyelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (anti-MOG) patients. Topics include the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) method, the comparison of MRI findings, and the results on the clinical recovery and anti-MOG serological status of the patients after the treatment.

In this paper, a regionally disaggregated global energy model treating energy and CO2 transportation in detail is used to examine a cost-effective pattern for their interregional transportation over the 21st century under the CO2 stabilization target of 550 ppm. Also, we assess future perspectives for the hydrogen economy in such a scenario. The results show that as major petroleum and gas supplies shift to unconventional resources along the second half of this century due to resource depletion, the Middle East loses its importance as a petroleum and gas exporter and the global patterns of their transportation change significantly. We then show that while hydrogen's competitiveness decreases due to the detailed treatment of energy and CO2 transportation, biomass- derived Fischer­Tropsch (FT) fuels become attractive because their production facilitates a wide diffusion of CO2-neutral energy carriers by considerably reducing the transportation cost. FT fuels are produced in regions rich in forest resources and then transported on a large scale by tanker. By contrast, hydrogen is produced mainly at the center of its consumption regions using domestic feedstock, and its interregional delivery, which is done only by pipeline, plays a marginal role due to its high transportation cost. It is confirmed that such a hydrogen supply structure offers energy security benefits. Finally, we show that the regional distribution of CO2 storage capacity is a major determinant of the pattern of hydrogen transportation around 2100, because all the CO2 generated from hydrogen production is required to be captured for sequestration in that period and because interregional CO2 transportation is hardly chosen for economic reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]