The biofilters were operated during 2 years, operating in the empty bed residence time range between 22 and 90s and in the inlet load range between 20 and 200 gm(-3) h(-1). Good agreement between the gaseous concentration profiles and the predicted profiles was found in almost all cases. The model was adequately validated

by simulation of the removal of a 1:1 (w/w) ethyl acetate/toluene mixture in a peat biofilter operating under similar operating conditions than in the single pollutant biofiltration. The model proposed herein can be used for design purposes. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Abietic acid (AA), the main component of the rosin fraction of oleoresin synthesized PFTα nmr by conifer species, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. selleck chemicals AA is a weak contact allergen; however, compounds resulting from its oxidation by air elicit stronger allergic response. Hydrogenation of the conjugated double bonds of AA, as in tetrahydroabietic acid (THAA), decreases its susceptibility to air oxidation and would thus reduce the allergenicity of AA. The aim of this study was to investigate whether THAA could exert anti-inflammatory effects to the same extent as AA in RAW264.7 macrophages activated with the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). THAA and AA inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E-2 by suppressing

the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, respectively, in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages. They also inhibited the LPS-induced production of interleukin Lazertinib manufacturer (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Both THAA and AA prevented the LPS-induced nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor-kappa B/p65 subunit, suggesting that THAA may inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory mediators through the same mechanism as AA. In comparison, the anti-inflammatory effects of THAA and AA were almost identical, indicating that THAA retains the anti-inflammatory activity of AA at least in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages.”
“The potential of a

microparticulate vaccine delivery system in eliciting a specific mucosal antibody response in the respiratory tract of mice was evaluated. Two vaccine candidate peptides representing epitopes from the G attachment and F fusion antigens from bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) were encapsulated into poly(DL- lactide co-glycolide) biodegradable microparticles. The encapsulation process did not denature the entrapped peptides as verified by detection of peptide-specific antibodies in mucosal secretions by ELISA using peptide as antigen. Following intranasal immunisation, the encapsulated peptides induced stronger upper and lower respiratory tract specific-IgA responses, respectively, than the soluble peptide forms.