It was found earlier that moisture content (MC) of intact kernels of grain and nuts could be determined by Near Infra Red (NIR) reflectance spectrometry. However, if the MC values can be determined while the nuts are ...It was found earlier that moisture content (MC) of intact kernels of grain and nuts could be determined by Near Infra Red (NIR) reflectance spectrometry. However, if the MC values can be determined while the nuts are in their shells, it would save lot of labor and money spent in shelling and cleaning the nuts. Grain and nuts absorb low levels of NIR, and when NIR radiation is incident on them, a substantial portion of the radiation is reflected back. Thus, studying the NIR reflectance spectra emanating from in-shell peanuts, an attempt is made for the first time to determine the MC of in-shell peanuts. In-shell peanuts of two different market types, Virginia and Valencia, were conditioned to different moisture levels between 6% and 26% (wet basis), and separated into calibration and validation groups. NIR absorption spectral data from 1000 nm to 2500 nm in 1 nm intervals were collected from both groups. Measurements were obtained on 30 replicates within each moisture level. Reference MC values for each moisture level in these groups were obtained using standard air-oven method. Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis was performed on the calibration data, and prediction models were developed. The Standard Error of Calibration (SEC), and R2 of the calibration models were computed to select the best calibration model. The selected models were used to predict the moisture content of peanuts in the validation sets. Predicted MC values of the validation samples were compared with their standard air-oven moisture values. Goodness of fit was determined based on the lowest Standard Error of Prediction (SEP) and highest R2 value obtained for the prediction models. The model, with reflectance plus normalization spectral data with an SEP of 0.74 for Valencia and 1.57 for Virginia type in-shell peanuts was selected as the best model. The corresponding R2 values were 0.98 for both peanut types. This work establishes the possibility of sensing MC of intact in-shell peanuts by NIR reflectance method, and would be useful for the pea展开更多
Background & Aims: Although diabetes occurs frequently in pancreatic cancer, the value of new-onset diabetes as a marker of underlying pancreatic cancer is unknown. Methods: We assembled a population-based cohort ...Background & Aims: Although diabetes occurs frequently in pancreatic cancer, the value of new-onset diabetes as a marker of underlying pancreatic cancer is unknown. Methods: We assembled a population-based cohort of 2122 Rochester, Minnesota, residents age ≥ 50 years who first met standardized criteria for diabetes between January 1, 1950, and December 31, 1994, and identified those who developed pancreatic cancer within 3 years of meeting criteria for diabetes. We compared observed rates of pancreatic cancer with expected rates based on the Iowa Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry. In a nested case control study, we compared body mass index (BMI) and smoking status in diabetes subjects with and without pancreatic cancer. Results: Of 2122 diabetic subjects, 18 (0.85% ) were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 3 years of meeting criteria for diabetes; 10 of 18 (56% ) were diagnosed < 6 months after first meeting criteria for diabetes, and 3 were resected. The observed-to-expected ratio of pancreatic cancer in the cohort was 7.94 (95% CI, 4.70- 12.55). Compared with subjects without pancreatic cancer, diabetic subjects with pancreatic cancer were more likely to have met diabetes criteria after age 69 (OR = 4.52, 95% CI, 1.61- 12.74) years but did not differ significantly with respect to BMI values (29.2 ± 6.8 vs 26.5 ± 5.0, respectively). A larger proportion of those who developed pancreatic cancer were ever smokers (92% vs 69% , respectively), but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Approximately 1% of diabetes subjects aged < 50 yearswill be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 3 years of first meeting criteria for diabetes. The usefulness of new-onset diabetes as marker of early pancreatic cancer needs further evaluation.展开更多
Traumatic brain injuries are serious clinical incidents associated with some of the poorest outcomes in neurological practice.Coupled with the limited regenerative capacity of the brain,this has significant implicatio...Traumatic brain injuries are serious clinical incidents associated with some of the poorest outcomes in neurological practice.Coupled with the limited regenerative capacity of the brain,this has significant implications for patients,carers,and healthcare systems,and the requirement for life-long care in some cases.Clinical treatment currently focuses on limiting the initial neural damage with longterm care/support from multidisciplinary teams.Therapies targeting neuroprotection and neural regeneration are not currently available but are the focus of intensive research.Biomaterial-based interventions are gaining popularity for a range of applications including biomolecule and drug delive ry,and to function as cellular scaffolds.Experimental investigations into the development of such novel therapeutics for traumatic brain injury will be critically underpinned by the availability of appropriate high thro ughput,facile,ethically viable,and pathomimetic biological model systems.This represents a significant challenge for researchers given the pathological complexity of traumatic brain injury.Specifically,there is a concerted post-injury response mounted by multiple neural cell types which includes microglial activation and astroglial scarring with the expression of a range of growth inhibito ry molecules and cytokines in the lesion environment.Here,we review common models used for the study of traumatic brain injury(ranging from live animal models to in vitro systems),focusing on penetrating traumatic brain injury models.We discuss their relative advantages and drawbacks for the developmental testing of biomaterial-based therapies.展开更多
Nanoparticles with non-spherical shapes are now being widely used for various photonic applications.We observe experimentally that the magnitude as well as the time dependence of the transient absorption of a colloid ...Nanoparticles with non-spherical shapes are now being widely used for various photonic applications.We observe experimentally that the magnitude as well as the time dependence of the transient absorption of a colloid of silver nanoplatelets depends on the relative polarization of the pump and probe pulses.There have been a few reports about the dependence of the transient signal magnitude on polarization,but little information is available on its temporal dependence.Using a theoretical model,we show that this observed behavior arises from the fact that the energy absorption by a non-spherical nanoparticle depends on,among other factors,the nanoparticle orientation with respect to the pump and probe polarization directions.It is essential to consider this when estimating nanoparticle characteristics such as carrier thermalization time,carrier–phonon scattering time,and complex polarizability from transient absorption measurements.展开更多
The use of live animal models for testing new therapies for brain and spinal cord repair is a controversial area. Live animal models have associated ethical issues and scientific concerns regarding the predictability ...The use of live animal models for testing new therapies for brain and spinal cord repair is a controversial area. Live animal models have associated ethical issues and scientific concerns regarding the predictability of human responses. Alternative models that replicate the 3 D architecture of the central nervous system have prompted the development of organotypic neural injury models. However, the lack of reliable means to access normal human neural tissue has driven reliance on pathological or post-mortem tissue which limits their biological utility. We have established a protocol to use donor cerebellar tonsillar tissue surgically resected from patients with Chiari malformation(cerebellar herniation towards the foramen magnum, with ectopic rather than diseased tissue) to develop an in vitro organotypic model of traumatic brain injury. Viable tissue was maintained for approximately 2 weeks with all the major neural cell types detected. Traumatic injuries could be introduced into the slices with some cardinal features of post-injury pathology evident. Biomaterial placement was also feasible within the in vitro lesions. Accordingly, this ‘proof-of-concept’ study demonstrates that the model offers potential as an alternative to the use of animal tissue for preclinical testing in neural tissue engineering. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that donor tissue from patients with Chiari malformation can be used to develop a benchtop model of traumatic brain injury. However, significant challenges in relation to the clinical availability of tissue were encountered, and we discuss logistical issues that must be considered for model scale-up.展开更多
Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and curative resection is feasible in only a small minority of patients at the time of diagnosis. Diagnosis at an early stage is unequivocally associated wit...Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and curative resection is feasible in only a small minority of patients at the time of diagnosis. Diagnosis at an early stage is unequivocally associated with better long-term survival. Several candidate molecular markers for early detection are currently under investigation in different phases of discovery and validation. Recent advances in the technology for whole genome,methylome,ribonucleome,and proteome interrogation has enabled rapid advancements in the field of biomarker discovery. In this review we discuss the current status of molecular markers for detection of pancreatic cancer in blood,pancreatic cyst fluid,pancreatic juice and stool and briefly highlight some promising preliminary results of new approaches that have the potential of advancing this field in the near future.展开更多
Development of nanoparticle （NP） based therapies to promote regeneration in sites of central nervous system （CNS; i.e, brain and spinal cord） pathology relies critically on the availability of experimental models ...Development of nanoparticle （NP） based therapies to promote regeneration in sites of central nervous system （CNS; i.e, brain and spinal cord） pathology relies critically on the availability of experimental models that offer biologically valid predictions of NP fate in vivo. However, there is a major lack of biological models that mimic the pathological complexity of target neural sites in vivo, particularly the responses of resident neural immune cells to NPs. Here, we have utilised a previously developed in vitro model of traumatic spinal cord injury （based on 3-D organotypic slice arrays） with dynamic time lapse imaging to reveal in real-time the acute cellular fate of NPs within injury foci. We demonstrate the utility of our model in revealing the well documented phenomenon of avid NP sequestration by the intrinsic immune cells of the CNS （the microglia）. Such immune sequestration is a known translational barrier to the use of NP-based therapeutics for neurological injury. Accordingly, we suggest that the utility of our model in mimicking microglial sequestration behaviours offers a valuable investigative tool to evaluate strategies to overcome this cellular response within a simple and biologically relevant experimental system, whilst reducing the use of live animal neurological injury models for such studies.展开更多
In this work, attempts were made to estimate the total oil content (TOC) in single peanut kernels, using the CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter, described below). Mature peanut kernels of selected varieties with a ran...In this work, attempts were made to estimate the total oil content (TOC) in single peanut kernels, using the CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter, described below). Mature peanut kernels of selected varieties with a range of oil contents from 47% to 61% were placed one at a time, between the parallel-plate electrodes of the CI meter, and the impedance (Z) and phase angle (q) of the system were measured, and capacitance, C was computed at 1, 5 and 9 MHz. After the measurements, the TOC of each kernel was determined by Soxhlet method. Using the known TOC values, and the corresponding C, Z and q values, initially on a calibration group of kernels, calibration equations were developed. Using the model coefficients from the calibration, the TOCs of kernel samples of 31 diverse peanut genotypes grown in different environments in Australia were determined. The method predicted the TOC values of peanut kernels of 31 peanut genotypes, within 2% of the Soxhlet values, with an R2 of 0.87 (P 0.001).展开更多
NIR spectroscopy was used to measure the moisture concentration of wood pellets. Pellets were conditioned to various moisture levels between 0.63% and 14.16% (wet basis) and the moisture concentration was verified usi...NIR spectroscopy was used to measure the moisture concentration of wood pellets. Pellets were conditioned to various moisture levels between 0.63% and 14.16% (wet basis) and the moisture concentration was verified using a standard oven method. Samples from various moisture levels were separated into two groups, as calibration and validation sets. NIR absorption spectral data from 400 nm to 2500 nm with 0.5 nm intervals were collected using pellets within the calibration and validation sample sets. Spectral wavelength ranges were taken as independent variables and the MC of the pellets as the dependent variable for the analysis. Measurements were obtained on 30 replicates within each moisture level. Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis was performed on both raw and preprocessed spectral data of calibration set to determine the best calibration model based on Standard Error of Calibration (SEC) and coefficient of multiple determinations (R2). The PLS model that yielded the best fit was used to predict the moisture concentration of validation group pellets. Relative Percent Deviation (RPD) and Standard Error of Prediction (SEP) were calculated to validate goodness of fit of the prediction model. Baseline and Multiple Scatter Corrected (MSC) reflectance spectra with 1st derivative model gave the highest RPD value of 4.46 and R2 of 0.95. Also it’s SEP (0.670) and RMSEP (0.782) were less than the other models those had RPD value more than 3.0 with less number of factors. Therefore, this model was selected as the best model for moisture content prediction of wood pellets.展开更多
Lizardite rich peridotite has never been used to prepare ceramic specimens,especially in Morocco.For this raison,potential use of naturally abundant lizarditic material from the Rif domain,as a supply for ceramic indu...Lizardite rich peridotite has never been used to prepare ceramic specimens,especially in Morocco.For this raison,potential use of naturally abundant lizarditic material from the Rif domain,as a supply for ceramic industry,has been evaluated.The effects of lizardite addition to magnesite and dolomite mixtures on the thermomechanical properties of the calcined ceramics were also detailed.To achieve this target,natural lizardite,magnesite and dolomite samples were collected in ultrabasic Beni Bousra massif.Those raw samples were used for the synthesis of a forsterite-monticellite rich ceramics.Both raw and sintered samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscope and fourier transform infrared.The obtained results showed that both magnesite and dolomite were mainly composed of MgCO_(3) and CaCO_(3).In contrast,lizardite sample showed high amounts of SiO_(2),MgO and Fe2O_(3).An increased amount of lizardite in the initial mixtures enhanced mechanical and dimensional properties of the prepared ceramic specimens,and subsequently,the production of ceramics with the required technological properties.Thus,the preparation of Moroccan lizardite-based ceramics is technically feasible,economically justifiable and socially desirable due to the contribution to the economic growth of the raw materials sector,especially ceramic industry.展开更多
Impedance (Z), and phase angle (θ) of a parallel-plate capacitor with a single cherry fruit between the plates were measured using a CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter), at 1 and 9 MHz. Capacitance C was derived from...Impedance (Z), and phase angle (θ) of a parallel-plate capacitor with a single cherry fruit between the plates were measured using a CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter), at 1 and 9 MHz. Capacitance C was derived from Z and θ, and by using the C, θ, and Z values of a set of cherries whose moisture content (MC) values were later determined by the hot air-oven method, a calibration equation was developed. Using this equation, and their measured C, θ, and Z values, the MC of a group of cherries, not used in the calibration, was predicted. The predicted values were compared with their vacuum-oven values. The method worked well with an R2 value of 0.98 and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 1.24, in the measured moisture range between 5% and 20%.展开更多
Context: Obesity, diabetes mellitus, and glucose intolerance have been associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk; however, prediagnostic serum insulin concentration has not been evaluated as a predictor of this...Context: Obesity, diabetes mellitus, and glucose intolerance have been associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk; however, prediagnostic serum insulin concentration has not been evaluated as a predictor of this malignancy. Objective: To investigate whether prediagnostic fasting glucose and insulin concentrations and insulin resistance are associated with subsequent incidence of exocrine pancreatic cancer in a cohort of male smokers. Design, Setting, and Participants: A case-cohort prospective study within the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (1985-1988) cohort of 29 133 male Finnish smokers ages 50 to 69 years. The study included 400 randomly sampled subcohort control participants and 169 incident pancreatic cancer cases that occurred after the fifth year of follow-up. All participants were followed up through December 2001 (up to 16.7 years of follow-up). Main Outcome Measures: Incident exocrine pancreatic cancer identified from the Finnish Cancer Registry. Results: After adjusting for age, smoking, and body mass index, higher baseline fasting serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance were positively associated with pancreatic cancer. The presence of biochemically defined diabetes mellitus (glucose, ≥ 126 mg/dL ≥ 6.99 mmol/L ) and insulin concentration in the highest vs lowest quartile both showed a significant 2-fold increased risk (hazard ratio HR , 2.13; 95% confidence interval CI , 1.04-4.35; and HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.03-3.93; respectively). There were significant interactions for all the biomarker exposures by follow-up time, such that the positive associations were stronger among the cases that occurred more than 10 years after baseline (highest vs lowest quartile: glucose, HR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.05-4.42; P for trend=.02; insulin, HR, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.22-6.92; P for trend=.005; and insulin resistance, HR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.19-6.18; P for trend=.006). Conclusions: These results support the hypothesis that exposure to higher insulin concentrations and insulin 展开更多
The development of safe technologies to genetically modify neurons is of great interest in regenerative neurology, for both translational and basic science applications. Such approaches have conventionally been heavil...The development of safe technologies to genetically modify neurons is of great interest in regenerative neurology, for both translational and basic science applications. Such approaches have conventionally been heavily reliant on viral transduction methods, which have safety and production limitations. Magnetofection （magnet-assisted gene transfer using iron oxide nanoparticles as vectors） has emerged as a highly promising non-viral alternative for safe and reproducible genetic modification of neurons. Despite the high potential of this technology, there is an important gap in our knowledge of the safety of this approach, namely, whether it alters neuronal function in adverse ways, such as by altering neuronal excitability and signaling. We have investigated the effects of magnetofection in primary cortical neurons by examining neuronal excitability using the whole cell patch clamp technique. We found no evidence that magnetofection alters the voltage-dependent sodium and potassium ionic currents that underpin excitability. Our study provides important new data supporting magnetofection as a safe technology for bioengineering of neuronal cell populations.展开更多
Studies on Soil Test Crop Response Based Integrated Plant Nutrition System(STCR-IPNS)were conducted for three years adopting the Inductive cum Targeted Yield Model,on alfisols of Unified Andhra Pradesh,Southern India ...Studies on Soil Test Crop Response Based Integrated Plant Nutrition System(STCR-IPNS)were conducted for three years adopting the Inductive cum Targeted Yield Model,on alfisols of Unified Andhra Pradesh,Southern India during summer 2016-2018 in order to develop fertilizer prescriptions through IPNS for the desired yield targets of Sesamum under field conditions.The bases for making the fertilizer prescriptions viz.nutrient requirement(NR),contribution of nutrients from soil(Cs),fertilizer(Cf)and vermicompost(CVC)were computed using the field experimental data.Making use of these basic parameters,the fertilizer prescription equations were developed under NPK alone and under IPNS for the desired yield targets of Sesamum for a range of soil test values.The quantity of fertilizers contributed by the application of vermicompost was assessed.Nutrient requirement to produce 100 kg of sesame seed was worked out to be 10.20 kg N,3.90 kg P2O5 and 5.22 kg K2O.In the present investigation,the requirement of N was higher which is followed by K2O and P2O5.The requirement of N was 2.62 times higher than P and 1.95 times higher than K.The percent contribution of N,P and K was 12.25,15.75 and 6.00 from soils,41.68,22.85 and 59.97 from fertilizer and 9.87,6.74 and 18.65 from organic manures,respectively.Thus the Inductive cum Targeted Yield Model used to develop fertilizer prescription equations provides a strong basis for soil fertility maintenance consistent with high productivity and efficient nutrient management in farming for sustainable and enduring agriculture.展开更多
An electronic method to estimate the moisture content (MC) of dry fruits by measuring the impedance (Z) and phase angle (θ) of a cylindrical parallel-plate capacitor with dry fruit sample between the plates, using a ...An electronic method to estimate the moisture content (MC) of dry fruits by measuring the impedance (Z) and phase angle (θ) of a cylindrical parallel-plate capacitor with dry fruit sample between the plates, using a CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter) at 1 and 9 MHz is described. Capacitance C was derived from Z and θ, and using the C, θ, and Z values of a set of dried cherries, whose MC values were later determined by the vacuum hot air-oven method, a calibration equation was developed. Using this equation, and their measured C, θ, and Z values, the MC of a group of cherries, not used in the calibration, was predicted. The predicted values were compared with their air-oven values. Similar predictions were done using the same method on dried blueberries. The method worked well with a good R2 value, and showed a low standard error of prediction (SEP) in the measured MC range between 5% and 30% for cherries, and 9% and 22% for blueberries.展开更多
Synthesis and antibacterial activity of some novel urea and thiourea derivatives (7a-7k, 8a-8f) of anacardic acid prepared from commercially available anacardic acid which is obtained from natural product Cashew Nut S...Synthesis and antibacterial activity of some novel urea and thiourea derivatives (7a-7k, 8a-8f) of anacardic acid prepared from commercially available anacardic acid which is obtained from natural product Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL). Compounds (7a-7k, 8a-8f) were tested for Gram positive and Gram negative bac- terial cultures. Most of the compounds were showed active compared with standard drug ampicilline.展开更多
文摘It was found earlier that moisture content (MC) of intact kernels of grain and nuts could be determined by Near Infra Red (NIR) reflectance spectrometry. However, if the MC values can be determined while the nuts are in their shells, it would save lot of labor and money spent in shelling and cleaning the nuts. Grain and nuts absorb low levels of NIR, and when NIR radiation is incident on them, a substantial portion of the radiation is reflected back. Thus, studying the NIR reflectance spectra emanating from in-shell peanuts, an attempt is made for the first time to determine the MC of in-shell peanuts. In-shell peanuts of two different market types, Virginia and Valencia, were conditioned to different moisture levels between 6% and 26% (wet basis), and separated into calibration and validation groups. NIR absorption spectral data from 1000 nm to 2500 nm in 1 nm intervals were collected from both groups. Measurements were obtained on 30 replicates within each moisture level. Reference MC values for each moisture level in these groups were obtained using standard air-oven method. Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis was performed on the calibration data, and prediction models were developed. The Standard Error of Calibration (SEC), and R2 of the calibration models were computed to select the best calibration model. The selected models were used to predict the moisture content of peanuts in the validation sets. Predicted MC values of the validation samples were compared with their standard air-oven moisture values. Goodness of fit was determined based on the lowest Standard Error of Prediction (SEP) and highest R2 value obtained for the prediction models. The model, with reflectance plus normalization spectral data with an SEP of 0.74 for Valencia and 1.57 for Virginia type in-shell peanuts was selected as the best model. The corresponding R2 values were 0.98 for both peanut types. This work establishes the possibility of sensing MC of intact in-shell peanuts by NIR reflectance method, and would be useful for the pea
文摘Background & Aims: Although diabetes occurs frequently in pancreatic cancer, the value of new-onset diabetes as a marker of underlying pancreatic cancer is unknown. Methods: We assembled a population-based cohort of 2122 Rochester, Minnesota, residents age ≥ 50 years who first met standardized criteria for diabetes between January 1, 1950, and December 31, 1994, and identified those who developed pancreatic cancer within 3 years of meeting criteria for diabetes. We compared observed rates of pancreatic cancer with expected rates based on the Iowa Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry. In a nested case control study, we compared body mass index (BMI) and smoking status in diabetes subjects with and without pancreatic cancer. Results: Of 2122 diabetic subjects, 18 (0.85% ) were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 3 years of meeting criteria for diabetes; 10 of 18 (56% ) were diagnosed < 6 months after first meeting criteria for diabetes, and 3 were resected. The observed-to-expected ratio of pancreatic cancer in the cohort was 7.94 (95% CI, 4.70- 12.55). Compared with subjects without pancreatic cancer, diabetic subjects with pancreatic cancer were more likely to have met diabetes criteria after age 69 (OR = 4.52, 95% CI, 1.61- 12.74) years but did not differ significantly with respect to BMI values (29.2 ± 6.8 vs 26.5 ± 5.0, respectively). A larger proportion of those who developed pancreatic cancer were ever smokers (92% vs 69% , respectively), but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Approximately 1% of diabetes subjects aged < 50 yearswill be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 3 years of first meeting criteria for diabetes. The usefulness of new-onset diabetes as marker of early pancreatic cancer needs further evaluation.
基金funded by awards from the EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre in Regenerative Medicine and an NHS bursary。
文摘Traumatic brain injuries are serious clinical incidents associated with some of the poorest outcomes in neurological practice.Coupled with the limited regenerative capacity of the brain,this has significant implications for patients,carers,and healthcare systems,and the requirement for life-long care in some cases.Clinical treatment currently focuses on limiting the initial neural damage with longterm care/support from multidisciplinary teams.Therapies targeting neuroprotection and neural regeneration are not currently available but are the focus of intensive research.Biomaterial-based interventions are gaining popularity for a range of applications including biomolecule and drug delive ry,and to function as cellular scaffolds.Experimental investigations into the development of such novel therapeutics for traumatic brain injury will be critically underpinned by the availability of appropriate high thro ughput,facile,ethically viable,and pathomimetic biological model systems.This represents a significant challenge for researchers given the pathological complexity of traumatic brain injury.Specifically,there is a concerted post-injury response mounted by multiple neural cell types which includes microglial activation and astroglial scarring with the expression of a range of growth inhibito ry molecules and cytokines in the lesion environment.Here,we review common models used for the study of traumatic brain injury(ranging from live animal models to in vitro systems),focusing on penetrating traumatic brain injury models.We discuss their relative advantages and drawbacks for the developmental testing of biomaterial-based therapies.
文摘Nanoparticles with non-spherical shapes are now being widely used for various photonic applications.We observe experimentally that the magnitude as well as the time dependence of the transient absorption of a colloid of silver nanoplatelets depends on the relative polarization of the pump and probe pulses.There have been a few reports about the dependence of the transient signal magnitude on polarization,but little information is available on its temporal dependence.Using a theoretical model,we show that this observed behavior arises from the fact that the energy absorption by a non-spherical nanoparticle depends on,among other factors,the nanoparticle orientation with respect to the pump and probe polarization directions.It is essential to consider this when estimating nanoparticle characteristics such as carrier thermalization time,carrier–phonon scattering time,and complex polarizability from transient absorption measurements.
基金funded by a grant from the North Staffordshire Medical Institute,UK (to DMC and NT)。
文摘The use of live animal models for testing new therapies for brain and spinal cord repair is a controversial area. Live animal models have associated ethical issues and scientific concerns regarding the predictability of human responses. Alternative models that replicate the 3 D architecture of the central nervous system have prompted the development of organotypic neural injury models. However, the lack of reliable means to access normal human neural tissue has driven reliance on pathological or post-mortem tissue which limits their biological utility. We have established a protocol to use donor cerebellar tonsillar tissue surgically resected from patients with Chiari malformation(cerebellar herniation towards the foramen magnum, with ectopic rather than diseased tissue) to develop an in vitro organotypic model of traumatic brain injury. Viable tissue was maintained for approximately 2 weeks with all the major neural cell types detected. Traumatic injuries could be introduced into the slices with some cardinal features of post-injury pathology evident. Biomaterial placement was also feasible within the in vitro lesions. Accordingly, this ‘proof-of-concept’ study demonstrates that the model offers potential as an alternative to the use of animal tissue for preclinical testing in neural tissue engineering. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that donor tissue from patients with Chiari malformation can be used to develop a benchtop model of traumatic brain injury. However, significant challenges in relation to the clinical availability of tissue were encountered, and we discuss logistical issues that must be considered for model scale-up.
文摘Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and curative resection is feasible in only a small minority of patients at the time of diagnosis. Diagnosis at an early stage is unequivocally associated with better long-term survival. Several candidate molecular markers for early detection are currently under investigation in different phases of discovery and validation. Recent advances in the technology for whole genome,methylome,ribonucleome,and proteome interrogation has enabled rapid advancements in the field of biomarker discovery. In this review we discuss the current status of molecular markers for detection of pancreatic cancer in blood,pancreatic cyst fluid,pancreatic juice and stool and briefly highlight some promising preliminary results of new approaches that have the potential of advancing this field in the near future.
文摘Development of nanoparticle （NP） based therapies to promote regeneration in sites of central nervous system （CNS; i.e, brain and spinal cord） pathology relies critically on the availability of experimental models that offer biologically valid predictions of NP fate in vivo. However, there is a major lack of biological models that mimic the pathological complexity of target neural sites in vivo, particularly the responses of resident neural immune cells to NPs. Here, we have utilised a previously developed in vitro model of traumatic spinal cord injury （based on 3-D organotypic slice arrays） with dynamic time lapse imaging to reveal in real-time the acute cellular fate of NPs within injury foci. We demonstrate the utility of our model in revealing the well documented phenomenon of avid NP sequestration by the intrinsic immune cells of the CNS （the microglia）. Such immune sequestration is a known translational barrier to the use of NP-based therapeutics for neurological injury. Accordingly, we suggest that the utility of our model in mimicking microglial sequestration behaviours offers a valuable investigative tool to evaluate strategies to overcome this cellular response within a simple and biologically relevant experimental system, whilst reducing the use of live animal neurological injury models for such studies.
文摘In this work, attempts were made to estimate the total oil content (TOC) in single peanut kernels, using the CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter, described below). Mature peanut kernels of selected varieties with a range of oil contents from 47% to 61% were placed one at a time, between the parallel-plate electrodes of the CI meter, and the impedance (Z) and phase angle (q) of the system were measured, and capacitance, C was computed at 1, 5 and 9 MHz. After the measurements, the TOC of each kernel was determined by Soxhlet method. Using the known TOC values, and the corresponding C, Z and q values, initially on a calibration group of kernels, calibration equations were developed. Using the model coefficients from the calibration, the TOCs of kernel samples of 31 diverse peanut genotypes grown in different environments in Australia were determined. The method predicted the TOC values of peanut kernels of 31 peanut genotypes, within 2% of the Soxhlet values, with an R2 of 0.87 (P 0.001).
文摘NIR spectroscopy was used to measure the moisture concentration of wood pellets. Pellets were conditioned to various moisture levels between 0.63% and 14.16% (wet basis) and the moisture concentration was verified using a standard oven method. Samples from various moisture levels were separated into two groups, as calibration and validation sets. NIR absorption spectral data from 400 nm to 2500 nm with 0.5 nm intervals were collected using pellets within the calibration and validation sample sets. Spectral wavelength ranges were taken as independent variables and the MC of the pellets as the dependent variable for the analysis. Measurements were obtained on 30 replicates within each moisture level. Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis was performed on both raw and preprocessed spectral data of calibration set to determine the best calibration model based on Standard Error of Calibration (SEC) and coefficient of multiple determinations (R2). The PLS model that yielded the best fit was used to predict the moisture concentration of validation group pellets. Relative Percent Deviation (RPD) and Standard Error of Prediction (SEP) were calculated to validate goodness of fit of the prediction model. Baseline and Multiple Scatter Corrected (MSC) reflectance spectra with 1st derivative model gave the highest RPD value of 4.46 and R2 of 0.95. Also it’s SEP (0.670) and RMSEP (0.782) were less than the other models those had RPD value more than 3.0 with less number of factors. Therefore, this model was selected as the best model for moisture content prediction of wood pellets.
文摘Lizardite rich peridotite has never been used to prepare ceramic specimens,especially in Morocco.For this raison,potential use of naturally abundant lizarditic material from the Rif domain,as a supply for ceramic industry,has been evaluated.The effects of lizardite addition to magnesite and dolomite mixtures on the thermomechanical properties of the calcined ceramics were also detailed.To achieve this target,natural lizardite,magnesite and dolomite samples were collected in ultrabasic Beni Bousra massif.Those raw samples were used for the synthesis of a forsterite-monticellite rich ceramics.Both raw and sintered samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscope and fourier transform infrared.The obtained results showed that both magnesite and dolomite were mainly composed of MgCO_(3) and CaCO_(3).In contrast,lizardite sample showed high amounts of SiO_(2),MgO and Fe2O_(3).An increased amount of lizardite in the initial mixtures enhanced mechanical and dimensional properties of the prepared ceramic specimens,and subsequently,the production of ceramics with the required technological properties.Thus,the preparation of Moroccan lizardite-based ceramics is technically feasible,economically justifiable and socially desirable due to the contribution to the economic growth of the raw materials sector,especially ceramic industry.
文摘Impedance (Z), and phase angle (θ) of a parallel-plate capacitor with a single cherry fruit between the plates were measured using a CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter), at 1 and 9 MHz. Capacitance C was derived from Z and θ, and by using the C, θ, and Z values of a set of cherries whose moisture content (MC) values were later determined by the hot air-oven method, a calibration equation was developed. Using this equation, and their measured C, θ, and Z values, the MC of a group of cherries, not used in the calibration, was predicted. The predicted values were compared with their vacuum-oven values. The method worked well with an R2 value of 0.98 and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 1.24, in the measured moisture range between 5% and 20%.
文摘Context: Obesity, diabetes mellitus, and glucose intolerance have been associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk; however, prediagnostic serum insulin concentration has not been evaluated as a predictor of this malignancy. Objective: To investigate whether prediagnostic fasting glucose and insulin concentrations and insulin resistance are associated with subsequent incidence of exocrine pancreatic cancer in a cohort of male smokers. Design, Setting, and Participants: A case-cohort prospective study within the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (1985-1988) cohort of 29 133 male Finnish smokers ages 50 to 69 years. The study included 400 randomly sampled subcohort control participants and 169 incident pancreatic cancer cases that occurred after the fifth year of follow-up. All participants were followed up through December 2001 (up to 16.7 years of follow-up). Main Outcome Measures: Incident exocrine pancreatic cancer identified from the Finnish Cancer Registry. Results: After adjusting for age, smoking, and body mass index, higher baseline fasting serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance were positively associated with pancreatic cancer. The presence of biochemically defined diabetes mellitus (glucose, ≥ 126 mg/dL ≥ 6.99 mmol/L ) and insulin concentration in the highest vs lowest quartile both showed a significant 2-fold increased risk (hazard ratio HR , 2.13; 95% confidence interval CI , 1.04-4.35; and HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.03-3.93; respectively). There were significant interactions for all the biomarker exposures by follow-up time, such that the positive associations were stronger among the cases that occurred more than 10 years after baseline (highest vs lowest quartile: glucose, HR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.05-4.42; P for trend=.02; insulin, HR, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.22-6.92; P for trend=.005; and insulin resistance, HR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.19-6.18; P for trend=.006). Conclusions: These results support the hypothesis that exposure to higher insulin concentrations and insulin
文摘The development of safe technologies to genetically modify neurons is of great interest in regenerative neurology, for both translational and basic science applications. Such approaches have conventionally been heavily reliant on viral transduction methods, which have safety and production limitations. Magnetofection （magnet-assisted gene transfer using iron oxide nanoparticles as vectors） has emerged as a highly promising non-viral alternative for safe and reproducible genetic modification of neurons. Despite the high potential of this technology, there is an important gap in our knowledge of the safety of this approach, namely, whether it alters neuronal function in adverse ways, such as by altering neuronal excitability and signaling. We have investigated the effects of magnetofection in primary cortical neurons by examining neuronal excitability using the whole cell patch clamp technique. We found no evidence that magnetofection alters the voltage-dependent sodium and potassium ionic currents that underpin excitability. Our study provides important new data supporting magnetofection as a safe technology for bioengineering of neuronal cell populations.
基金This work was carried out under part of AICRP on Soil Test Crop Response,ICAR at PJTSAU,Hyderabad-500030,India.
文摘Studies on Soil Test Crop Response Based Integrated Plant Nutrition System(STCR-IPNS)were conducted for three years adopting the Inductive cum Targeted Yield Model,on alfisols of Unified Andhra Pradesh,Southern India during summer 2016-2018 in order to develop fertilizer prescriptions through IPNS for the desired yield targets of Sesamum under field conditions.The bases for making the fertilizer prescriptions viz.nutrient requirement(NR),contribution of nutrients from soil(Cs),fertilizer(Cf)and vermicompost(CVC)were computed using the field experimental data.Making use of these basic parameters,the fertilizer prescription equations were developed under NPK alone and under IPNS for the desired yield targets of Sesamum for a range of soil test values.The quantity of fertilizers contributed by the application of vermicompost was assessed.Nutrient requirement to produce 100 kg of sesame seed was worked out to be 10.20 kg N,3.90 kg P2O5 and 5.22 kg K2O.In the present investigation,the requirement of N was higher which is followed by K2O and P2O5.The requirement of N was 2.62 times higher than P and 1.95 times higher than K.The percent contribution of N,P and K was 12.25,15.75 and 6.00 from soils,41.68,22.85 and 59.97 from fertilizer and 9.87,6.74 and 18.65 from organic manures,respectively.Thus the Inductive cum Targeted Yield Model used to develop fertilizer prescription equations provides a strong basis for soil fertility maintenance consistent with high productivity and efficient nutrient management in farming for sustainable and enduring agriculture.
文摘An electronic method to estimate the moisture content (MC) of dry fruits by measuring the impedance (Z) and phase angle (θ) of a cylindrical parallel-plate capacitor with dry fruit sample between the plates, using a CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter) at 1 and 9 MHz is described. Capacitance C was derived from Z and θ, and using the C, θ, and Z values of a set of dried cherries, whose MC values were later determined by the vacuum hot air-oven method, a calibration equation was developed. Using this equation, and their measured C, θ, and Z values, the MC of a group of cherries, not used in the calibration, was predicted. The predicted values were compared with their air-oven values. Similar predictions were done using the same method on dried blueberries. The method worked well with a good R2 value, and showed a low standard error of prediction (SEP) in the measured MC range between 5% and 30% for cherries, and 9% and 22% for blueberries.
文摘Synthesis and antibacterial activity of some novel urea and thiourea derivatives (7a-7k, 8a-8f) of anacardic acid prepared from commercially available anacardic acid which is obtained from natural product Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL). Compounds (7a-7k, 8a-8f) were tested for Gram positive and Gram negative bac- terial cultures. Most of the compounds were showed active compared with standard drug ampicilline.
