Search results for: molecular differentiation
641 Biophysical Characterization of Archaeal Cyclophilin Like Chaperone Protein
Authors: Vineeta Kaushik, Manisha Goel
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Chaperones are proteins that help other proteins fold correctly, and are found in all domains of life i.e., prokaryotes, eukaryotes and archaea. Various comparative genomic studies have suggested that the archaeal protein folding machinery appears to be highly similar to that found in eukaryotes. In case of protein folding; slow rotation of peptide prolyl-imide bond is often the rate limiting step. Formation of the prolyl-imide bond during the folding of a protein requires the assistance of other proteins, termed as peptide prolyl cis-trans isomerases (PPIases). Cyclophilins constitute the class of peptide prolyl isomerases with a wide range of biological function like protein folding, signaling and chaperoning. Most of the cyclophilins exhibit PPIase enzymatic activity and play active role in substrate protein folding which classifies them as a category of molecular chaperones. Till date, there is not very much data available in the literature on archaeal cyclophilins. We aim to compare the structural and biochemical features of the cyclophilin protein from within the three domains to elucidate the features affecting their stability and enzyme activity. In the present study, we carry out in-silico analysis of the cyclophilin proteins to predict their conserved residues, sites under positive selection and compare these proteins to their bacterial and eukaryotic counterparts to predict functional divergence. We also aim to clone and express these proteins in heterologous system and study their biophysical characteristics in detail using techniques like CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. Overall we aim to understand the features contributing to the folding, stability and dynamics of the archaeal cyclophilin proteins.Keywords: biophysical characterization, x-ray crystallography, chaperone-like activity, cyclophilin, PPIase activity
Procedia PDF Downloads 208640 Modulation of Tamoxifen-Induced Cytotoxicity in Breast Cancer Cell Lines by 3-Bromopyruvate
Authors: Yasmin M. Attia, Hanan S. El-Abhar, Mahmoud M. Al Marzabani, Samia A. Shouman
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Background: Tamoxifen (TAM) is the most commonly used hormone therapy for the treatment of early and metastatic breast cancer. Although it significantly decreases the tumor recurrence rate and provides an overall benefit, as much as 20–30% of women still relapse during or after long-term therapy. 3-Bromopyruvate (3-BP) is a promising agent with impressive antitumor effects in several models of animal tumors and cell lines. Aim: This study was designed to investigate the combined effect of (TAM) and (3-BP) in breast cancer cells and to explore their molecular interaction via assessment of apoptotic, angiogenic, and metastatic markers. Methods: In vitro cytotoxicity study was carried out for both compounds to determine the combination regimen producing a synergistic effect and mechanistic pathways were studied using RT-PCR and western techniques. Moreover, the anti-oncolytic and anti-angiogenic potentials were assessed in mice bearing solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC). Results: The combined treatment significantly increased the expressions and protein levels of caspase 7, 9, and 3 and decreased of angiogenic markers VEGF, HIF-1α, and HK2 compared to cells treated with either drug individually. However, there were no significant changes in MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein levels. Interestingly, the in vivo results supported the in vitro findings; there was a decrease in the tumor volume and VEFG using immunohistochemistry in the combination-treated groups compared to either TAM or 3-BP treated one. Conclusion: 3-BP synergizes the cytotoxic effect of TAM by increasing apoptosis and decreasing angiogenesis which makes this combination a promising regimen to be applied clinically.Keywords: tamoxifen, 3-bromopyruvate, breast cancer, cytotoxicity, angiogenesis
Procedia PDF Downloads 221639 Plasmonic Nanoshells Based Metabolite Detection for in-vitro Metabolic Diagnostics and Therapeutic Evaluation
Authors: Deepanjali Gurav, Kun Qian
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In-vitro metabolic diagnosis relies on designed materials-based analytical platforms for detection of selected metabolites in biological samples, which has a key role in disease detection and therapeutic evaluation in clinics. However, the basic challenge deals with developing a simple approach for metabolic analysis in bio-samples with high sample complexity and low molecular abundance. In this work, we report a designer plasmonic nanoshells based platform for direct detection of small metabolites in clinical samples for in-vitro metabolic diagnostics. We first synthesized a series of plasmonic core-shell particles with tunable nanoshell structures. The optimized plasmonic nanoshells as new matrices allowed fast, multiplex, sensitive, and selective LDI MS (Laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry) detection of small metabolites in 0.5 μL of bio-fluids without enrichment or purification. Furthermore, coupling with isotopic quantification of selected metabolites, we demonstrated the use of these plasmonic nanoshells for disease detection and therapeutic evaluation in clinics. For disease detection, we identified patients with postoperative brain infection through glucose quantitation and daily monitoring by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis. For therapeutic evaluation, we investigated drug distribution in blood and CSF systems and validated the function and permeability of blood-brain/CSF-barriers, during therapeutic treatment of patients with cerebral edema for pharmacokinetic study. Our work sheds light on the design of materials for high-performance metabolic analysis and precision diagnostics in real cases.Keywords: plasmonic nanoparticles, metabolites, fingerprinting, mass spectrometry, in-vitro diagnostics
Procedia PDF Downloads 131638 Improvement of Microscopic Detection of Acid-Fast Bacilli for Tuberculosis by Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Microscopic Platform and Medical Image Recognition System
Authors: Hsiao-Chuan Huang, King-Lung Kuo, Mei-Hsin Lo, Hsiao-Yun Chou, Yusen Lin
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The most robust and economical method for laboratory diagnosis of TB is to identify mycobacterial bacilli (AFB) under acid-fast staining despite its disadvantages of low sensitivity and labor-intensive. Though digital pathology becomes popular in medicine, an automated microscopic system for microbiology is still not available. A new AI-assisted automated microscopic system, consisting of a microscopic scanner and recognition program powered by big data and deep learning, may significantly increase the sensitivity of TB smear microscopy. Thus, the objective is to evaluate such an automatic system for the identification of AFB. A total of 5,930 smears was enrolled for this study. An intelligent microscope system (TB-Scan, Wellgen Medical, Taiwan) was used for microscopic image scanning and AFB detection. 272 AFB smears were used for transfer learning to increase the accuracy. Referee medical technicians were used as Gold Standard for result discrepancy. Results showed that, under a total of 1726 AFB smears, the automated system's accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 95.6% (1,650/1,726), 87.7% (57/65), and 95.9% (1,593/1,661), respectively. Compared to culture, the sensitivity for human technicians was only 33.8% (38/142); however, the automated system can achieve 74.6% (106/142), which is significantly higher than human technicians, and this is the first of such an automated microscope system for TB smear testing in a controlled trial. This automated system could achieve higher TB smear sensitivity and laboratory efficiency and may complement molecular methods (eg. GeneXpert) to reduce the total cost for TB control. Furthermore, such an automated system is capable of remote access by the internet and can be deployed in the area with limited medical resources.Keywords: TB smears, automated microscope, artificial intelligence, medical imaging
Procedia PDF Downloads 215637 Immune Complex Components Act as Agents in Relapsing Fever Borrelia Mediated Rosette Formation
Authors: Mukunda Upreti, Jill Storry, Rafael Björk, Emilie Louvet, Johan Normark, Sven Bergström
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Borrelia duttonii and most other relapsing fever species are Gram-negative bacteria which cause a blood borne infection characterized by the binding of bacterium to erythrocytes. The bacteria associate with two or more erythrocytes to form clusters of cells into rosettes. Rosetting is a major virulence factor and the mechanism is believed to facilitate persistence of bacteria in the circulatory system and the avoidance of host immune cells through masking or steric hindrance effects. However, the molecular mechanisms of rosette formation are still poorly understood. This study aims at determining the molecules involved in the rosette formation phenomenon. Fractionated serum, using different affinity purification methods, was investigated as a rosetting agent and IgG and at least one other serum components were needed for rosettes to form. An IgG titration curve demonstrated that IgG alone is not enough to restore rosette formation level to the level whole serum gives. IgG hydrolysis by IdeS ( Immunoglobulin G-degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes) and deglycosylation using N-Glycanase proved that the whole IgG molecule regardless of saccharide moieties is critical for Borrelia induced rosetting. Complement components C3 and C4 were also important serum molecules necessary to maintain optimum rosetting rates. The deactivation of complement network and serum depletion with C3 and C4 significantly reduced the rosette formation rate. The dependency of IgG and complement components also implied involvement of the complement receptor (CR1). Rosette formation test with Knops null RBC and sCR1 confirmed that CR1 is also part of Borrelia induced rosette formation.Keywords: complement components C3 and C4, complement receptor 1, Immunoglobulin G, Knops null, Rosetting
Procedia PDF Downloads 314636 Investigation of Possible Behavioural and Molecular Effects of Mobile Phone Exposure on Rats
Authors: Ç. Gökçek-Saraç, Ş. Özen, N. Derin
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The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-dependent pathway is the major intracellular signaling pathway implemented in both short- and long-term memory formation in the hippocampus which is the most studied brain structure because of its well documented role in learning and memory. However, little is known about the effects of RF-EMR exposure on NMDA receptor signaling pathway including activation of protein kinases, notably Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKIIα). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acute and chronic 900 MHz RF-EMR exposure on both passive avoidance behaviour and hippocampal levels of CaMKIIα and its phosphorylated form (pCaMKIIα). Rats were divided into the following groups: Sham rats, and rats exposed to 900 MHz RF-EMR for 2 h/day for 1 week (acute group) or 10 weeks (chronic group), respectively. Passive avoidance task was used as a behavioural method. The hippocampal levels of selected kinases were measured using Western Blotting technique. The results of passive avoidance task showed that both acute and chronic exposure to 900 MHz RF-EMR can impair passive avoidance behaviour with minor effects on chronic group of rats. The analysis of western blot data of selected protein kinases demonstrated that hippocampal levels of CaMKIIα and pCaMKIIα were significantly higher in chronic group of rats as compared to acute groups. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that different duration times (1 week vs 10 weeks) of 900 MHz RF-EMR exposure have different effects on both passive avoidance behaviour of rats and hippocampal levels of selected protein kinases.Keywords: hippocampus, protein kinase, rat, RF-EMR
Procedia PDF Downloads 252635 Genetic Characterization of Acanthamoeba Isolates from Amoebic Keratitis Patients
Authors: Sumeeta Khurana, Kirti Megha, Amit Gupta, Rakesh Sehgal
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Background: Amoebic keratitis is a painful vision threatening infection caused by a free living pathogenic amoeba Acanthamoeba. It can be misdiagnosed and very difficult to treat if not suspected early. The epidemiology of Acanthamoeba genotypes causing infection in our geographical area is not yet known to the best of our knowledge. Objective: To characterize Acanthamoeba isolates from amoebic keratitis patients. Methods: A total of 19 isolates obtained from patients with amoebic keratitis presenting to the Advanced Eye Centre at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, a tertiary care centre of North India over a period of last 10 years were included. Their corneal scrapings, lens solution and lens case (in case of lens wearer) were collected for microscopic examination, culture and molecular diagnosis. All the isolates were maintained in the Non Nutrient agar culture medium overlaid with E.coli and 13 strains were axenised and maintained in modified Peptone Yeast Dextrose Agar. Identification of Acanthamoeba genotypes was based on amplification of diagnostic fragment 3 (DF3) region of the 18srRNA gene followed by sequencing. Nucleotide similarity search was performed by BLAST search of sequenced amplicons in GenBank database (http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/blast). Multiple Sequence alignments were determined by using CLUSTAL X. Results: Nine out of 19 Acanthamoeba isolates were found to belong to Genotype T4 followed by 6 isolates of genotype T11, 3 T5 and 1 T3 genotype. Conclusion: T4 is the predominant Acanthamoeba genotype in our geographical area. Further studies should focus on differences in pathogenicity of these genotypes and their clinical significance.Keywords: Acanthamoeba, free living amoeba, keratitis, genotype, ocular
Procedia PDF Downloads 232634 The Impact of Liquid Glass-Infused Lignin Waste Particles on Performance of Polyurethane Foam for Building Industry
Authors: Agnė Kairyte, Saulius Vaitkus
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The gradual depletion of fossil feedstock and growing environmental concerns attracted extensive attention to natural resources due to their low cost, high abundance, renewability, sustainability, and biodegradability. Lignin is a significant by-product of the pulp and paper industry, having unique functional groups. Recently it became interesting for the manufacturing of high value-added products such as polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams. This study focuses on the development of high-performance polyurethane foams with various amounts of lignin as a filler. It is determined that the incorporation of lignin as a filler material results in brittle and hard products due to the low molecular mobility of isocyanates and the inherent stiffness of lignin. Therefore, the current study analyses new techniques and possibilities of liquid glass infusion onto the surface of lignin particles to reduce the negative aspects and improve the performance characteristics of the modified foams. The foams modified with sole lignin and liquid glass-infused lignin had an apparent density ranging from 35 kg/m3 to 45 kg/m3 and closed-cell content (80–90%). The incorporation of sole lignin reduced the compressive and tensile strengths and increased dimensional stability and water absorption, while the contrary results were observed for polyurethane foams with liquid glass-infused lignin particles. The effect on rheological parameters of lignin and liquid glass infused lignin modified polyurethane premixes and morphology of polyurethane foam products were monitored to optimize the conditions and reveal the significant influence of the interaction between particles and polymer matrix.Keywords: filler, lignin waste, liquid glass, polymer matrix, polyurethane foam, sustainability
Procedia PDF Downloads 202633 Saponins vs Anthraquinones: Different Chemicals, Similar Ecological Roles in Marine Symbioses
Authors: Guillaume Caulier, Lola Brasseur, Patrick Flammang, Pascal Gerbaux, Igor Eeckhaut
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Saponins and quinones are two major groups of secondary metabolites widely distributed in the biosphere. More specifically, triterpenoid saponins and anthraquinones are mainly found in a wide variety of plants, bacteria and fungi. In the animal kingdom, these natural organic compounds are rare and only found in small quantities in arthropods, marine sponges and echinoderms. In this last group, triterpenoid saponins are specific to holothuroids (sea cucumbers) while anthraquinones are the chemical signature of crinoids (feather stars). Depending on the species, they present different molecular cocktails. Despite presenting different chemical properties, these molecules share numerous similarities. This study compares the biological distribution, the pharmacological effects and the ecological roles of holothuroid saponins and crinoid anthraquinones. Both of them have been defined as allomones repelling predators and parasites (i.e. chemical defense) and have interesting pharmacological properties (e.g. anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancer). Our study investigates the chemical ecology of two symbiotic associations models; between the snapping shrimp Synalpheus stimpsonii associated with crinoids and the Harlequin crab Lissocarcinus orbicularis associated with holothuroids. Using behavioral experiments in olfactometers, chemical extractions and mass spectrometry analyses, we discovered that saponins and anthraquinones present a second ecological role: the attraction of obligatory symbionts towards their hosts. They can, therefore, be defined as kairomones. This highlights a new paradigm in marine chemical ecology: Chemical repellents are attractants to obligatory symbionts because they constitute host specific chemical signatures.Keywords: anthraquinones, kairomones, marine symbiosis, saponins, attractant
Procedia PDF Downloads 195632 Inhibitory Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria on the Growth and Biogenic Amines Production by Foodborne Pathogens and Food Spoilage Bacteria
Authors: Abderrezzak khatib
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Biogenic amines are low molecular weight nitrogenous compounds that have the potential to accumulate in food, posing a significant risk to food safety and human health. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory activity of three strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), against the growth and production of biogenic amines by both foodborne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria. The foodborne pathogens studied included Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella Paratyphi, while the food spoilage bacteria comprised Enterobacter cloacae and Proteus mirabilis. The methodology involved bacterial growth determination in petri dishes, bacterial culture extraction and derivatization, and biogenic amine analysis using HPLC. Our findings revealed that the inhibitory effects of LAB on these pathogens varied, with all three LAB strains demonstrating a remarkable reduction in the total bacterial count when combined with most pathogens, compared to the individual cultures of the pathogens. Furthermore, the presence of LAB in co-cultures with the pathogens resulted in a significant decrease in the production of tyramine and other biogenic amines by the pathogens themselves. These results suggest that LAB strains hold considerable promise in preventing the accumulation of biogenic amines in food products, thereby enhancing food safety. This study provides insights into the potential utilization of LAB in the context of preserving and ensuring the safety of food products. It highlights the significance of conducting additional research endeavors to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved and to identify the precise bioactive compounds that are responsible for the observed inhibitory effects.Keywords: food safety, lactic acid bacteria, foodborne pathogens, food spoilage bacteria, biogenic amines, tyrosine
Procedia PDF Downloads 48631 Efficiency of PCR-RFLP for the Identification of Adulteries in Meat Formulation
Authors: Hela Gargouri, Nizar Moalla, Hassen Hadj Kacem
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Meat adulteration affecting the safety and quality of food is becoming one of the main concerns of public interest across the world. The drastic consequences on the meat industry highlighted the urgent necessity to control the products' quality and to point out the complexity of both supply and processing circuits. Due to the expansion of this problem, the authentic testing of foods, particularly meat and its products, is deemed crucial to avoid unfair market competition and to protect consumers from fraudulent practices of meat adulteration. The adoption of authentication methods by the food quality-control laboratories is becoming a priority issue. However, in some developing countries, the number of food tests is still insignificant, although a variety of processed and traditional meat products are widely consumed. Little attention has been paid to provide an easy, fast, reproducible, and low-cost molecular test, which could be conducted in a basic laboratory. In the current study, the 359 bp fragment of the cytochrome-b gene was mapped by PCR-RFLP using firstly fresh biological supports (DNA and meat) and then turkey salami as an example of commercial processed meat. This technique has been established through several optimizations, namely: the selection of restriction enzymes. The digestion with BsmAI, SspI, and TaaI succeed to identify the seven included animal species when meat is formed by individual species and when the meat is a mixture of different origin. In this study, the PCR-RFLP technique using universal primer succeed to meet our needs by providing an indirect sequencing method identifying by restriction enzymes the specificities characterizing different species on the same amplicon reducing the number of potential tests.Keywords: adulteration, animal species, authentication, meat, mtDNA, PCR-RFLP
Procedia PDF Downloads 107630 Optical Imaging Based Detection of Solder Paste in Printed Circuit Board Jet-Printing Inspection
Authors: D. Heinemann, S. Schramm, S. Knabner, D. Baumgarten
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Purpose: Applying solder paste to printed circuit boards (PCB) with stencils has been the method of choice over the past years. A new method uses a jet printer to deposit tiny droplets of solder paste through an ejector mechanism onto the board. This allows for more flexible PCB layouts with smaller components. Due to the viscosity of the solder paste, air blisters can be trapped in the cartridge. This can lead to missing solder joints or deviations in the applied solder volume. Therefore, a built-in and real-time inspection of the printing process is needed to minimize uncertainties and increase the efficiency of the process by immediate correction. The objective of the current study is the design of an optimal imaging system and the development of an automatic algorithm for the detection of applied solder joints from optical from the captured images. Methods: In a first approach, a camera module connected to a microcomputer and LED strips are employed to capture images of the printed circuit board under four different illuminations (white, red, green and blue). Subsequently, an improved system including a ring light, an objective lens, and a monochromatic camera was set up to acquire higher quality images. The obtained images can be divided into three main components: the PCB itself (i.e., the background), the reflections induced by unsoldered positions or screw holes and the solder joints. Non-uniform illumination is corrected by estimating the background using a morphological opening and subtraction from the input image. Image sharpening is applied in order to prevent error pixels in the subsequent segmentation. The intensity thresholds which divide the main components are obtained from the multimodal histogram using three probability density functions. Determining the intersections delivers proper thresholds for the segmentation. Remaining edge gradients produces small error areas which are removed by another morphological opening. For quantitative analysis of the segmentation results, the dice coefficient is used. Results: The obtained PCB images show a significant gradient in all RGB channels, resulting from ambient light. Using different lightings and color channels 12 images of a single PCB are available. A visual inspection and the investigation of 27 specific points show the best differentiation between those points using a red lighting and a green color channel. Estimating two thresholds from analyzing the multimodal histogram of the corrected images and using them for segmentation precisely extracts the solder joints. The comparison of the results to manually segmented images yield high sensitivity and specificity values. Analyzing the overall result delivers a Dice coefficient of 0.89 which varies for single object segmentations between 0.96 for a good segmented solder joints and 0.25 for single negative outliers. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that the presented optical imaging system and the developed algorithm can robustly detect solder joints on printed circuit boards. Future work will comprise a modified lighting system which allows for more precise segmentation results using structure analysis.Keywords: printed circuit board jet-printing, inspection, segmentation, solder paste detection
Procedia PDF Downloads 330629 Pluripotent Stem Cells as Therapeutic Tools for Limbal Stem Cell Deficiencies and Drug Testing
Authors: Aberdam Edith, Sangari Linda, Petit Isabelle, Aberdam Daniel
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Background and Rationale: Transparent avascularised cornea is essential for normal vision and depends on limbal stem cells (LSC) that reside between the cornea and the conjunctiva. Ocular burns or injuries may destroy the limbus, causing limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). The cornea becomes vascularised by invaded conjunctival cells, the stroma is scarring, resulting in corneal opacity and loss of vision. Grafted autologous limbus or cultivated autologous LCS can restore the vision, unless the two eyes are affected. Alternative cellular sources have been tested in the last decades, including oral mucosa or hair follicle epithelial cells. However, only partial success has been achieved by the use of these cells since they were not able to uniformly commit into corneal epithelial cells. Human pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) display both unlimited growth capacity and ability to differentiate into any cell type. Our goal was to design a standardized and reproducible protocol to produce transplantable autologous LSC from patients through cell reprogramming technology. Methodology: First, keratinocyte primary culture was established from a small number of plucked hair follicles of healthy donors. The resulting epithelial cells were reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and further differentiate into corneal epithelial cells (CEC), according to a robust protocol that recapitulates the main step of corneal embryonic development. qRT-PCR analysis and immunofluorescent staining during the course of differentiation confirm the expression of stage specific markers of corneal embryonic lineage. First appear ectodermal progenitor-specific cytokeratins K8/K18, followed at day 7 by limbal-specific PAX6, TP63 and cytokeratins K5/K14. At day 15, K3/K12+-corneal cells are present. To amplify the iPSC-derived LSC (named COiPSC), intact small epithelial colonies were detached and cultivated in limbal cell-specific medium. In that culture conditions, the COiPSC can be frozen and thaw at any passage, while retaining their corneal characteristics for at least eight passages. To evaluate the potential of COiPSC as an alternative ocular toxicity model, COiPSC were treated at passage P0 to P4 with increasing amounts of SDS and Benzalkonium. Cell proliferation and apoptosis of treated cells was compared to LSC and the SV40-immortalized human corneal epithelial cell line (HCE) routinely used by cosmetological industrials. Of note, HCE are more resistant to toxicity than LSC. At P0, COiPSC were systematically more resistant to chemical toxicity than LSC and even to HCE. Remarkably, this behavior changed with passage since COiPSC at P2 became identical to LSC and thus closer to physiology than HCE. Comparative transcriptome analysis confirmed that COiPSC from P2 are similar to a mixture of LSC and CEC. Finally, by organotypic reconstitution assay, we demonstrated the ability of COiPSC to produce a 3D corneal epithelium on a stromal equivalent made of keratocytes. Conclusion: COiPSC could become valuable for two main applications: (1) an alternative robust tool to perform, in a reproducible and physiological manner, toxicity assays for cosmetic products and pharmacological tests of drugs. (2). COiPSC could become an alternative autologous source for cornea transplantation for LSCD.Keywords: Limbal stem cell deficiency, iPSC, cornea, limbal stem cells
Procedia PDF Downloads 404628 Biofuel Production via Thermal Cracking of Castor Methyl Ester
Authors: Roghaieh Parvizsedghy, Seyed Mojtaba Sadrameli
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Diminishing oil reserves, deteriorating health standards because of greenhouse gas emissions and associated environmental impacts have emerged biofuel production. Vegetable oils are proved to be valuable feedstock in these growing industries as they are renewable and potentially inexhaustible sources. Thermal Cracking of vegetable oils (triglycerides) leads to production of biofuels which are similar to fossil fuels in terms of composition but their combustion and physical properties have limits. Acrolein (very poisonous gas) and water production during cracking of triglycerides occurs because of presence of glycerin in their molecular structure. Transesterification of vegetable oil is a method to extract glycerol from triglycerides structure and produce methyl ester. In this study, castor methyl ester was used for thermal cracking in order to survey the efficiency of this method to produce bio-gasoline and bio-diesel. Thus, several experiments were designed by means of central composite method. Statistical studies showed that two reaction parameters, namely cracking temperature and feed flowrate, affect products yield significantly. At the optimized conditions (480 °C and 29 g/h) for maximum bio-gasoline production, 88.6% bio-oil was achieved which was distilled and separated as bio-gasoline (28%) and bio-diesel (48.2%). Bio-gasoline exposed a high octane number and combustion heat. Distillation curve and Reid vapor pressure of bio-gasoline fell in the criteria of standard gasoline (class AA) by ASTM D4814. Bio-diesel was compatible with standard diesel by ASTM D975. Water production was negligible and no evidence of acrolein production was distinguished. Therefore, thermal cracking of castor methyl ester could be used as a method to produce valuable biofuels.Keywords: bio-diesel, bio-gasoline, castor methyl ester, thermal cracking, transesterification
Procedia PDF Downloads 233627 Multiscale Hub: An Open-Source Framework for Practical Atomistic-To-Continuum Coupling
Authors: Masoud Safdari, Jacob Fish
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Despite vast amount of existing theoretical knowledge, the implementation of a universal multiscale modeling, analysis, and simulation software framework remains challenging. Existing multiscale software and solutions are often domain-specific, closed-source and mandate a high-level of experience and skills in both multiscale analysis and programming. Furthermore, tools currently existing for Atomistic-to-Continuum (AtC) multiscaling are developed with the assumptions such as accessibility of high-performance computing facilities to the users. These issues mentioned plus many other challenges have reduced the adoption of multiscale in academia and especially industry. In the current work, we introduce Multiscale Hub (MsHub), an effort towards making AtC more accessible through cloud services. As a joint effort between academia and industry, MsHub provides a universal web-enabled framework for practical multiscaling. Developed on top of universally acclaimed scientific programming language Python, the package currently provides an open-source, comprehensive, easy-to-use framework for AtC coupling. MsHub offers an easy to use interface to prominent molecular dynamics and multiphysics continuum mechanics packages such as LAMMPS and MFEM (a free, lightweight, scalable C++ library for finite element methods). In this work, we first report on the design philosophy of MsHub, challenges identified and issues faced regarding its implementation. MsHub takes the advantage of a comprehensive set of tools and algorithms developed for AtC that can be used for a variety of governing physics. We then briefly report key AtC algorithms implemented in MsHub. Finally, we conclude with a few examples illustrating the capabilities of the package and its future directions.Keywords: atomistic, continuum, coupling, multiscale
Procedia PDF Downloads 170626 Sorption of Cesium Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Magnetic Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized with Zinc Hexacyanoferrate
Authors: H. H. Lee, D. Y. Kim, S. W. Lee, J. H. Kim, J. H. Kim, W. Z. Oh, S. J. Choi
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In recent years, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely employed as a sorbent for the removal of various metal ions from water due to their unique properties such as large surface area, light mass density, high porous and hollow structure, and strong interaction between the pollutant molecules and CNTs. To apply CNTs to the sorption of Cs+ from aqueous solutions, they must first be functionalized to increase their hydrophilicity and therefore, enhance their applicability to the sorption of polar and relatively low-molecular-weight species. The objective of this study is to investigate the preparation of magnetically separable multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-m) as a sorbents for the removal of Cs+ from aqueous solutions. The MWCNTs-m was prepared using pristine MWCNTs and iron precursor Fe(acac)3. For the selective removal of Cs+ from aqueous solutions, the MWCNTs-m was functionalized with zinc hexacyanoferrate (MWCNTs-m-ZnFC). The physicochemical properties of the synthesized sorbents were characterized with various techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), specific surface area analysis, Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and vibrating-sample magnetometer. The MWCNTs-m-ZnFC was found to be easily separated from aqueous solutions by using magnetic field. The MWCNTs-m-ZnFC exhibited a high capacity for sorbing Cs+ from aqueous solutions because of their strong affinity for Cs+ and specific surface area. The sorption ability of the MWCNTs-m-ZnFC for Cs+ was maintained even in the presence of co-existing ions (Na+). Considering these results, the CNT-m-ZnFCs have great potential for use as an effective sorbent for the selective removal of radioactive Cs+ ions from aqueous solutions.Keywords: multi-walled carbon nanotubes, magnetic materials, cesium, zinc hexacyanoferrate, sorption
Procedia PDF Downloads 323625 Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan Nanoparticles for Delivery of Oligonucleotides
Authors: Gyati Shilakari Asthana, Abhay Asthana, Dharm Veer Kohli, Suresh Prasad Vyas
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Purpose: The therapeutic potential of oligonucleotide (ODN) is primarily dependent upon its safe and efficient delivery to specific cells overcoming degradation and maximizing cellular uptake in vivo. The present study is focused to design low molecular weight chitosan nanoconstructs to meet the requirements of safe and effectual delivery of ODNs. LMW-chitosan is a biodegradable, water soluble, biocompatible polymer and is useful as a non-viral vector for gene delivery due to its better stability in water. Methods: LMW chitosan ODN nanoparticles (CHODN NPs) were formulated by self-assembled method using various N/P ratios (moles ratio of amine groups of CH to phosphate moieties of ODNs; 0.5:1, 1:1, 3:1, 5:1, and 7:1) of CH to ODN. The developed CHODN NPs were evaluated with respect to gel retardation assay, particle size, zeta potential and cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency. Results: Complete complexation of CH/ODN was achieved at the charge ratio of 0.5:1 or above and CHODN NPs displayed resistance against DNase I. On increasing the N/P ratio of CH/ODN, the particle size of the NPs decreased whereas zeta potential (ZV) value increased. No significant toxicity was observed at all CH concentrations. The transfection efficiency was increased on increasing N/P ratio from 1:1 to 3:1, whereas it was decreased with further increment in N/P ratio upto 7:1. Maximum transfection of CHODN NPs with both the cell lines (Raw 267.4 cells and Hela cells) was achieved at N/P ratio of 3:1. The results suggest that transfection efficiency of CHODN NPs is dependent on N/P ratio. Conclusion: Thus the present study states that LMW chitosan nanoparticulate carriers would be acceptable choice to improve transfection efficiency in vitro as well as in vivo delivery of oligonucleotide.Keywords: LMW-chitosan, chitosan nanoparticles, biocompatibility, cytotoxicity study, transfection efficiency, oligonucleotide
Procedia PDF Downloads 846624 An Ultrasonic Approach to Investigate the Effect of Aeration on Rheological Properties of Soft Biological Materials with Bubbles Embedded
Authors: Hussein M. Elmehdi
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In this paper, we present the results of our recent experiments done to examine the effect of air bubbles, which were introduced to bio-samples during preparation, on the rheological properties of soft biological materials. To effectively achieve this, we three samples each prepared with differently. Our soft biological systems comprised of three types of flour dough systems made from different flour varieties with variable protein concentrations. The samples were investigated using ultrasonic waves operated at low frequency in transmission mode. The sample investigated included dough made from bread flour, wheat flour and all-purpose flour. During mixing, the main ingredient of the samples (the flour) was transformed into cohesive dough comprised of the continuous dough matrix and air pebbles. The rheological properties of such materials determine the quality of the end cereal product. Two ultrasonic parameters, the longitudinal velocity and attenuation coefficient were found to be very sensitive to properties such as the size of the occluded bubbles, and hence have great potential of providing quantitative evaluation of the properties of such materials. The results showed that the magnitudes of the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation coefficient peaked at optimum mixing times; the latter of which is taken as an indication of the end of the mixing process. There was an agreement between the results obtained by conventional rheology and ultrasound measurements, thus showing the potential of the use of ultrasound as an on-line quality control technique for dough-based products. The results of this work are explained with respect to the molecular changes occurring in the dough system as the mixing process proceeds; particular emphasis is placed on the presence of free water and bound water.Keywords: ultrasound, soft biological materials, velocity, attenuation
Procedia PDF Downloads 269623 Integrating Molecular Approaches to Understand Diatom Assemblages in Marine Environment
Authors: Shruti Malviya, Chris Bowler
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Environmental processes acting at multiple spatial scales control marine diatom community structure. However, the contribution of local factors (e.g., temperature, salinity, etc.) in these highly complex systems is poorly understood. We, therefore, investigated the diatom community organization as a function of environmental predictors and determined the relative contribution of various environmental factors on the structure of marine diatoms assemblages in the world’s ocean. The dataset for this study was derived from the Tara Oceans expedition, constituting 46 sampling stations from diverse oceanic provinces. The V9 hypervariable region of 18s rDNA was organized into assemblages based on their distributional co-occurrence. Using Ward’s hierarchical clustering, nine clusters were defined. The number of ribotypes and reads varied within each cluster-three clusters (II, VIII and IX) contained only a few reads whereas two of them (I and IV) were highly abundant. Of the nine clusters, seven can be divided into two categories defined by a positive correlation with phosphate and nitrate and a negative correlation with longitude and, the other by a negative correlation with salinity, temperature, latitude and positive correlation with Lyapunov exponent. All the clusters were found to be remarkably dominant in South Pacific Ocean and can be placed into three classes, namely Southern Ocean-South Pacific Ocean clusters (I, II, V, VIII, IX), South Pacific Ocean clusters (IV and VII), and cosmopolitan clusters (III and VI). Our findings showed that co-occurring ribotypes can be significantly associated into recognizable clusters which exhibit a distinct response to environmental variables. This study, thus, demonstrated distinct behavior of each recognized assemblage displaying a taxonomic and environmental signature.Keywords: assemblage, diatoms, hierarchical clustering, Tara Oceans
Procedia PDF Downloads 196622 Association of Antibiotics Resistance with Efflux Pumps Genes among Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumonia Recovered from Hospital Waste Water Effluents in Eastern Cape, South Africa
Authors: Okafor Joan, Nwodo Uchechukwu
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Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is a significant pathogen responsible for opportunistic and nosocomial infection. One of the most significant antibiotic resistance mechanisms in K. pneumoniae isolates is efflux pumps. Our current study identified efflux genes (AcrAB, OqxAB, MacAB, and TolC) and regulatory genes (RamR and RarA) in multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae isolated from hospital effluents and investigated their relationship with antibiotic resistance. The sum of 145 K. pneumoniae isolates was established by PCR and screened for antibiotic susceptibility. PCR detected efflux pump genes, and their link with antibiotic resistance was statistically examined. However, 120 (83%) of the confirmed isolated were multidrug-resistant, with the largest percentage of resistance to ampicillin (88.3%) and the weakest rate of resistance to imipenem (5.5%). Resistance to the other antibiotics ranged from 11% to 76.6%. Molecular distribution tests show that AcrA, AcrB, MacA, oqxB oqxA, TolC, MacB were detected in 96.7%, 85%, 76.7%, 70.8%, 55.8%, 39.1%, and 29.1% respectively. However, 14.3% of the isolates harboured all seven genes screened. Efflux pump system AcrAB (83.2%) was the most commonly detected in K. pneumonia isolated across all the antibiotics class-tested. In addition, the frequencies of RamR and RarA were 46.2% and 31.4%, respectively. AcrAB and OqxAB efflux pump genes were significantly associated with fluoroquinolone, beta-lactam, carbapenem, and tetracycline resistance (p<0.05). The high rate of efflux genes in this study demonstrated that this resistance mechanism is the dominant way in K. pneumoniae isolates. Appropriate treatment must be used to reduce and tackle the burden of resistant Klebsiella pneumonia in hospital wastewater effluents.Keywords: Klebsiella pneumonia, efflux pumps, regulatory genes, multidrug-resistant, hospital, PCR
Procedia PDF Downloads 75621 Detection and Quantification of Ochratoxin A in Food by Aptasensor
Authors: Moez Elsaadani, Noel Durand, Brice Sorli, Didier Montet
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Governments and international instances are trying to improve the food safety system to prevent, reduce or avoid the increase of food borne diseases. This food risk is one of the major concerns for the humanity. The contamination by mycotoxins is a threat to the health and life of humans and animals. One of the most common mycotoxin contaminating feed and foodstuffs is Ochratoxin A (OTA), which is a secondary metabolite, produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium strains. OTA has a chronic toxic effect and proved to be mutagenic, nephrotoxic, teratogenic, immunosuppressive, and carcinogenic. On the other side, because of their high stability, specificity, affinity, and their easy chemical synthesis, aptamer based methods are applied to OTA biosensing as alternative to traditional analytical technique. In this work, five aptamers have been tested to confirm qualitatively and quantitatively their binding with OTA. In the same time, three different analytical methods were tested and compared based on their ability to detect and quantify the OTA. The best protocol that was established to quantify free OTA from linked OTA involved an ultrafiltration method in green coffee solution with. OTA was quantified by HPLC-FLD to calculate the binding percentage of all five aptamers. One aptamer (The most effective with 87% binding with OTA) has been selected to be our biorecognition element to study its electrical response (variation of electrical properties) in the presence of OTA in order to be able to make a pairing with a radio frequency identification (RFID). This device, which is characterized by its low cost, speed, and a simple wireless information transmission, will implement the knowledge on the mycotoxins molecular sensors (aptamers), an electronic device that will link the information, the quantification and make it available to operators.Keywords: aptamer, aptasensor, detection, Ochratoxin A
Procedia PDF Downloads 173620 The Effects of Orientation on Energy and Plasticity of Metallic Crystalline-Amorphous Interface
Authors: Ehsan Alishahi, Chuang Deng
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Commercial applications of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) were restricted due to the sudden brittle failure mode which was the main drawback in these new class of materials. Therefore, crystalline-amorphous (C-A) composites were introduced as a toughening strategy in BMGs. In spite of numerous researches in the area of metallic C-A composites, the fundamental structure-property relation in these composites that are not exactly known yet. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the fundamental properties of crystalline-amorphous interface in a model system of Cu/CuZr by using molecular dynamics simulations. Several parameters including interface energy and mechanical properties were investigated by means of atomic models and employing Embedded Atom Method (EAM) potential function. It is found that the crystalline-amorphous interfacial energy weakly depends on the orientation of the crystalline layer, which is in stark contrast to that in a regular crystalline grain boundary. Additionally, the results showed that the interface controls the yielding of the crystalline-amorphous composites during uniaxial tension either by serving as sources for dislocation nucleation in the crystalline layer or triggering local shear transformation zones in amorphous layer. The critical resolved shear stress required to nucleate the first dislocation is also found to strongly depend on the crystalline orientation. Furthermore, it is found that the interaction between dislocations and shear localization at the crystalline-amorphous interface oriented in different directions can lead to a change in the deformation mode. For instance, while the dislocation and shear banding are aligned to each other in {0 0 1} interface plane, the misorientation angle between these failure mechanisms causing more homogeneous deformation in {1 1 0} and {1 1 1} crystalline-amorphous interfaces. These results should help clarify the failure mechanism of crystalline-amorphous composites under various loading conditions.Keywords: crystalline-amorphous, composites, orientation, plasticity
Procedia PDF Downloads 289619 Adhesion of Biofilm to Surfaces Employed in Pipelines for Transporting Crude Oil
Authors: Hadjer Didouh, Izzaddine Sameut Bouhaik, Mohammed Hadj Meliani
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This research delves into the intricate dynamics of biofilm adhesion on surfaces, particularly focusing on the widely employed X52 surface in oil and gas industry pipelines. Biofilms, characterized by microorganisms within a self-produced matrix, pose significant challenges due to their detrimental impact on surfaces. Our study integrates advanced molecular techniques and cutting-edge microscopy, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to identify microbial communities and visually assess biofilm adhesion. Simultaneously, we concentrate on the X52 surface, utilizing impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization to gather electrochemical responses under various conditions. In conjunction with the broader investigation, we propose a novel approach to mitigate biofilm-induced corrosion challenges. This involves environmentally friendly inhibitors derived from plants, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical treatments. Our inquiry screens and selects inhibitors based on their efficacy in hindering biofilm formation and reducing corrosion rates on the X52 surface. This study contributes valuable insights into the interplay between electrochemical processes and biofilm attachment on the X52 surface. Furthermore, the outcomes of this research have broader implications for the oil and gas industry, where biofilm-related corrosion is a persistent concern. The exploration of eco-friendly inhibitors not only holds promise for corrosion control but also aligns with environmental considerations and sustainability goals. The comprehensive nature of this research aims to enhance our understanding of biofilm dynamics, provide effective strategies for corrosion mitigation, and contribute to sustainable practices in pipeline management within the oil and gas sector.Keywords: bio-corrosion, biofilm, attachment, X52, metal/bacteria interface
Procedia PDF Downloads 40618 Prevalence and Pathomorphological Study of Natural Coccidiosis in Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in Iran
Authors: M. Khordadmehr, V. R. Ranjbar, R. Norouzi, M. Zeinoddin
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Coccidiosis is recognized as a serious parasitic disease problem limiting quail industry recently. But the data on incidence, clinical signs, species of coccidia and pathological changes in Japanese quail are rare, especially in Iran in spite of the significant improvement of commercial quail breeding in this country in recent decades. Therefore, in the present paper was studied natural infection of quail coccidiosis in three commercial rearing farms with 80% morbidity and 3% mortality rate. For this purpose, fecal sample, oocyst examination, and morphological study were performed beside necropsy, histopathology, and PCR to confirm the diagnosis. In the affected birds, clinical signs included brown diarrhea, weakness, and pale face. In the fecal examination, three species of the genus Eimeria were identified including E. uzura, E. bateri, and E. tsunodai. At necropsy, the main gross lesions were edema, congestion and small blood spots in the small intestine. In histopathologic examination, endogenous stages of the parasites associated with hyperplasia of the intestinal glands, mild congestion, infiltration of mononuclear cells, and edema were observed in the intestine. The molecular study using BSEF and BSER specific primers confirmed the presence of the genus Eimeria in the affected birds. Interestingly, phylogenetic analysis showed relatively high bootstrap values in Japanese quail Eimeria with E. acervuline and E. maxima strains in the chicken. The present study is the first phylogenetic findings on Eimeria of quail which could be valuable for further research on Japanese quail coccidiosis.Keywords: coccidiosis, Japanese Quail, pathomorphology, phylogenetic analysis
Procedia PDF Downloads 233617 Synthesis and Characterization of Chiral Dopant Based on Schiff's Base Structure
Authors: Hong-Min Kim, Da-Som Han, Myong-Hoon Lee
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CLCs (Cholesteric liquid crystals) draw tremendous interest due to their potential in various applications such as cholesteric color filters in LCD devices. CLC possesses helical molecular orientation which is induced by a chiral dopant molecules mixed with nematic liquid crystals. The efficiency of a chiral dopant is quantified by the HTP (helical twisting power). In this work, we designed and synthesized a series of new chiral dopants having a Schiff’s base imine structure with different alkyl chain lengths (butyl, hexyl and octyl) from chiral naphthyl amine by two-step reaction. The structures of new chiral dopants were confirmed by 1H-NMR and IR spectroscopy. The properties were investigated by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry calorimetry), POM (polarized optical microscopy) and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. These solid state chiral dopants showed excellent solubility in nematic LC (MLC-6845-000) higher than 17wt%. We prepared the CLC(Cholesteric Liquid Crystal) cell by mixing nematic LC (MLC-6845-000) with different concentrations of chiral dopants and injecting into the sandwich cell of 5μm cell gap with antiparallel alignment. The cholesteric liquid crystal phase was confirmed from POM, in which all the samples showed planar phase, a typical phase of the cholesteric liquid crystals. The HTP (helical twisting power) is one of the most important properties of CLC. We measured the HTP values from the UV-Vis transmittance spectra of CLC cells with varies chiral dopant concentration. The HTP values with different alkyl chains are as follows: butyl chiral dopant=29.8μm-1; hexyl chiral dopant= 31.8μm-1; octyl chiral dopant=27.7μm-1. We obtained the red, green and blue reflection color from CLC cells, which can be used as color filters in LCDs applications.Keywords: cholesteric liquid crystal, color filter, display, HTP
Procedia PDF Downloads 264616 Characterization of Common Maize Ear Rot Pathogens in Ilesa Nigeria and Their Potential Control Using Selected Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
Authors: Olumayowa M. Olowe, Michael D. Asemoloye Odunayo J. Olawuyi, Hilda Vasanthakaalam
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Poor management of maize ear rot caused by fungal infection in Nigeria affected the quantity and quality of maize. This study, therefore, aims at characterizing and controlling Fusarium strains using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Maize ear showing rot symptoms were obtained from some selected farms located at Ilesa East and West using random sampling technique. Isolation of Fusarium pathogen from infected maize grain was done using direct pour plate method on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and was characterized based on morphological and molecular ITS-amplification methods. The reaction of PVASYN8F2, T2LCOMP1STR SYN-W-1, and T2LCOMP4 maize varieties, to the Fusarium ear rot pathogens and biocontrol efficacy of the mycorrhizal fungi were assessed on growth, yield, agronomic parameters and symptoms observed. The strains; olowILH1 and olowILH2 identified as Fusarium napiforme were the most dominant and virulent pathogens associated with the maize. They showed genetic similarity with documented ear rot pathogens on NCBI with accession numbers Fusarium proliferatum KT224027, KT224023, and Fusarium sp AY237110. They both exhibited varying inhibitory effects on the three maize varieties compare to control (uninfected plant) which had better growth characteristics. It was also observed that strain olowILH1 was more virulent than olowILH2. T2LCOMP4 was generally more susceptible to both fungal strains compared to the other two maize (T2LCOMP1STR SYN-W-1 and T2LCOMP4 ). In all, strain olowILH1 was more virulent than olowILH2, and Glomus clarum had higher inhibitory pathogenic effect against Fusarium strains compared to G. deserticola.Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, disease management, Fusarium strains, identification
Procedia PDF Downloads 158615 Smart Coating for Enhanced Corneal Healing via Delivering Progranulin
Authors: Dan Yan, Yunuo Zhang, Yuhan Huang, Weijie Ouyang
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The cornea serves as a vital protective barrier for the eye; however, it is prone to injury and damage that can disrupt corneal epithelium and nerves, triggering inflammation. Therefore, understanding the biological effects and molecular mechanisms involved in corneal wound healing and identifying drugs targeting these pathways is crucial for researchers in this field. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of progranulin (PGRN) in treating corneal injuries. Our findings demonstrated that PGRN significantly enhanced corneal wound repair by accelerating corneal re-epithelialization and re-innervation. In vitro experiments with cultured epithelial cells and trigeminal ganglion cells further revealed that PGRN stimulated corneal epithelial cell proliferation and promoted axon growth in trigeminal ganglion cells. Through RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and other experimental techniques, we discovered that PGRN exerted its healing effects by modulating the Wnt signaling pathway, which played a critical role in repairing epithelial cells and promoting axon regeneration in trigeminal neurons. Importantly, our study highlighted the anti-inflammatory properties of PGRN by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, leading to decreased infiltration of macrophages. In conclusion, our findings underscored the potential of PGRN in facilitating corneal wound healing by promoting corneal epithelial cell proliferation, trigeminal ganglion cell axon regeneration, and suppressing ocular inflammation. These results suggest that PGRN could potentially expedite the healing process and improve visual outcomes in patients with corneal injuries.Keywords: cornea, wound healing, progranulin, corneal epithelial cells, trigeminal ganglion cells
Procedia PDF Downloads 48614 Characterisation of Pasteurella multocida from Asymptomatic Animals
Authors: Rajeev Manhas, M. A. Bhat, A. K. Taku, Dalip Singh, Deep Shikha, Gulzar Bader
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The study was aimed to understand the distribution of various serogroups of Pasteurella multocida in bovines, small ruminants, pig, rabbit, and poultry from Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir and to characterize the isolates with respect to LPS synthesizing genes, dermonecrotic toxin gene (toxA) gene and antibiotic resistance. For isolation, the nasopharyngeal swab procedure appeared to be better than nasal swab procedure, particularly in ovine and swine. Out of 200 samples from different animals, isolation of P. multocida could be achieved from pig and sheep (5 each) and from poultry and buffalo (2 each) samples only, which accounted for 14 isolates. Upon molecular serogrouping, 3 isolates from sheep and 2 isolates from poultry were found as serogroup A, 2 isolates from buffalo were confirmed as serogroup B and 5 isolates from pig were found to belong to serogroup D. However, 2 isolates from sheep could not be typed, hence, untypable. All the 14 isolates were subjected to mPCR genotyping. A total of 10 isolates, 5 each from pig and sheep, generated an amplicon specific to genotype L6 and L6 indicates Heddleston serovars 10, 11, 12 and 15. Similarly, 2 isolates from bovines generated an amplicon of genotype L2 which indicates Heddleston serovar 2/5. However, 2 isolates from poultry generated specific amplicon with L1 signifying Heddleston serovar 1, but these isolates also produced multiple bands with primer L5. Only, one isolate of capsular type A from sheep possessed the structural gene, toxA for dermonecrotoxin. There was variability in the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in sheep isolates, but overall the rate of tetracycline resistance was relatively high (64.28%) in our strains while all the isolates were sensitive to streptomycin. Except for the swine isolates and one toxigenic sheep isolate, the P. multocida isolates from this study were sensitive to quinolones. Although the level of resistance to commercial antibiotics was generally low, the use of tetracycline and erythromycin was not recommended.Keywords: antibiogram, genotyping, Pasteurella multocida, serogrouping, toxA
Procedia PDF Downloads 449613 Metabolic Changes during Reprogramming of Wheat and Triticale Microspores
Authors: Natalia Hordynska, Magdalena Szechynska-Hebda, Miroslaw Sobczak, Elzbieta Rozanska, Joanna Troczynska, Zofia Banaszak, Maria Wedzony
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Albinism is a common problem encountered in wheat and triticale breeding programs, which require in vitro culture steps e.g. generation of doubled haploids via androgenesis process. Genetic factor is a major determinant of albinism, however, environmental conditions such as temperature and media composition influence the frequency of albino plant formation. Cold incubation of wheat and triticale spikes induced a switch from gametophytic to sporophytic development. Further, androgenic structures formed from anthers of the genotypes susceptible to androgenesis or treated with cold stress, had a pool of structurally primitive plastids, with small starch granules or swollen thylakoids. High temperature was a factor inducing andro-genesis of wheat and triticale, but at the same time, it was a factor favoring the formation of albino plants. In genotypes susceptible to albinism or after heat stress conditions, cells formed from anthers were vacuolated, and plastids were eliminated. Partial or complete loss of chlorophyll pigments and incomplete differentiation of chloroplast membranes result in formation of tissues or whole plant unable to perform photosynthesis. Indeed, susceptibility to the andro-genesis process was associated with an increase of total concentration of photosynthetic pigments in anthers, spikes and regenerated plants. The proper balance of the synthesis of various pigments, was the starting point for their proper incorporation into photosynthetic membranes. In contrast, genotypes resistant to the androgenesis process and those treated with heat, contained 100 times lower content of photosynthetic pigments. In particular, the synthesis of violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein and chlorophyll b was limited. Furthermore, deregulation of starch and lipids synthesis, which led to the formation of very complex starch granules and an increased number of oleosomes, respectively, correlated with the reduction of the efficiency of androgenesis. The content of other sugars varied depending on the genotype and the type of stress. The highest content of various sugars was found for genotypes susceptible to andro-genesis, and highly reduced for genotypes resistant to androgenesis. The most important sugars seem to be glucose and fructose. They are involved in sugar sensing and signaling pathways, which affect the expression of various genes and regulate plant development. Sucrose, on the other hand, seems to have minor effect at each stage of the androgenesis. The sugar metabolism was related to metabolic activity of microspores. The genotypes susceptible to androgenesis process had much faster mitochondrium- and chloroplast-dependent energy conversion and higher heat production by tissues. Thus, the effectiveness of metabolic processes, their balance and the flexibility under the stress was a factor determining the direction of microspore development, and in the later stages of the androgenesis process, a factor supporting the induction of androgenic structures, chloroplast formation and the regeneration of green plants. The work was financed by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development within Program: ‘Biological Progress in Plant Production’, project no HOR.hn.802.15.2018.Keywords: androgenesis, chloroplast, metabolism, temperature stress
Procedia PDF Downloads 256612 Adsorption of NO and NH3 in MFI and H-ZSM5: Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Z. Jamalzadeh, A. Niaei, H. Erfannia
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Due to developing industries, the emission of pollutants such as NOx, SOx, and CO2 are rapidly increased. Generally, NOx is attributed to the mono nitrogen oxides of NO and NO2 that is one of the most important atmospheric contaminants. Hence, controlling the emission of nitrogen oxides is environmentally urgent. Selective catalytic reduction of NOx is one of the most common techniques for NOx removal in which zeolites have wide application due to their high performance. In zeolitic processes, the catalytic reaction occurs mostly in the pores. Therefore, investigation of the adsorption phenomena of the molecules in order to gain an insight and understand the catalytic cycle is of important. Hence, in current study, benefiting from molecular simulations, the adsorption phenomena in the nanocatalysts of SCR of NOx process was investigated in order to get a good insight of the catalysts’ behavior. The effect of cation addition to the support in the catalysts’ behavior through adsorption step was explored by Mont Carlo (MC) using Materials Studio Package. Simulation time of 1 Ns accompanying 1 fs time step, COMPASS27 Force Field and the cut off radios of 12.5 Ȧ was applied for performed runs. It was observed that the adsorption capacity increases in the presence of cations. The sorption isotherms demonstrated the behavior of type I isotherm categories and sorption capacity diminished with increase in temperature whereas an increase was observed at high pressures. Besides, NO sorption showed higher sorption capacity than NH3 in H–ZSM5. In this respect, the energy distributions signified that the molecules could adsorb in just one sorption site at the catalyst and the sorption energy of NO was stronger than the NH3 in H-ZSM5. Furthermore, the isosteric heat of sorption data showed nearly same values for the molecules; however, it indicated stronger interactions of NO molecules with H-ZSM5 zeolite compared to the isosteric heat of NH3 which was low in value.Keywords: Monte Carlo simulation, adsorption, NOx, ZSM5
Procedia PDF Downloads 352