bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meat yield characteristics of broiler fed different levels of palm oil
Authors: Das GB , Hossain ME , Islam MM , Akbar MA
Published: November 2014

Seven hundred fifty day old unsexed broiler chicks were used in a 35-d trial to examine the effect of supplementing different levels of palm oil on lean meat yield of broilers. The chicks were randomly distributed following a completely randomized design in five treatment groups having three replications per treatment. Each treatment had 150 birds with 50 birds per replicate. Five diets were formulated using locally available ingredients as diet without oil, diet containing 2.0%, 3.0%, 4.0% and 5% palm oil. Results indicated that weight gain of broilers differed significantly (p<0.05) among the treatment groups at 2nd wk. The weight gain of 4% palm oil group was higher (p<0.05) than 5% dietary oil group at 2nd wk. At 5th wk, weight gain of without oil and 5% oil groups were similar (p>0.05). Feed intake significantly (p<0.05) differed at 2nd wk. Broiler that received 5% dietary palm oil group consumed the least amount of feed compared to others. No significant differences were found among the treatments in whole experimental period for feed conversion ratio. The meat yield characteristics did not differ (p>0.05) among the broilers receiving different levels of palm oil in diets except gizzard, wing meat and dark meat. Supplementation of oil resulted in significantly (p<0.05) increased dark meat weight at 3% level. Dressed yield of broilers had an increasing trend at increased level of palm oil supplementation up to 4%. However, at 5% supplementation dressed yield was lowest. Similar results were also observed in breast meat. Thigh meat was progressively increased for supplementation of oil up to 3% level, at higher level it tended to decrease.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v43i2.20705 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2014. 43 (2): 112-117
Effects of supplemental choline on deposition of cardiac, hepatic and abdominal fat in broiler
Authors: Hossain ME , Das GB
Published: November 2014

Two hundred forty Hubbard Classic broiler chicks were used in a 35-day trial to study the effects of supplemental choline on deposition of cardiac, hepatic and abdominal fat in broiler. Birds were fed four types of diet: control diet without choline chloride (T0), diet containing 0.1% choline chloride (T1), 0.2% choline chloride (T2) and 0.3% choline chloride. All birds had access to feed and water ad libitum. Results indicated that, trends for deposition of cardiac, hepatic and abdominal fat was decreasing (P<0.01) in a linear fashion both at 4th and 5th weeks as the level of supplemental choline increased linearly. Maximum deposition of cardiac, hepatic and abdominal fat was observed in birds fed the control diet (T0) and the mean values were 24.4, 34.9 and 4.1 at 4th week and 41.6, 47.8 and 6.2 at the 5th week. In contrast, minimum deposition of cardiac, hepatic and abdominal fat was observed in birds fed diet supplemented with 0.3% choline chloride (T3) and the mean values were 14.5, 19.8 and 1.74 at 4th week and 27.2, 27.8 and 2.2 at 5th week. It was concluded that increasing levels of supplemental choline substantially reduced deposition of cardiac, hepatic and abdominal fat in commercial broiler.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v43i2.20707 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2014. 43 (2): 118-122
Effects of flooring and rearing system on hoof health of dairy cows in some selected areas of Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman MA , Imtiaz MA , Ahaduzzaman M , Ghosh KK , Masud AA , Chowdhury S , Sikder S
Published: November 2014

A survey was conducted to explore prevalence and risk factors of diverse hoof disorders on dairy cows at Chittagong and Patuakhali, Bangladesh from June 2012 to February 2013. About 2103 cows were examined from where 497 cases identified having fissure (37%), crack (19%), partially broken (19%), swollen hoof (16%) and multiple disorders (9%) in backyard dairy cows whereas 37%, 17%, 20%, 20% and 6% in commercial cows, respectively. Significantly higher prevalence (p<0.05) was recorded in cows reared under concrete floor (68.4%) compared to brick (13.27%) and concrete with rubber bedding (18.3%). Other major conventional risk factors were season, age, milk yield and washing practiced on floor though the results were not significant (p>0.05). The study has remarked frequency of hoof diseases in the survey areas along with factors causing risk to dairy cows.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v43i2.20714 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2014. 43 (2): 132-137
Feeding practices and compositional verification of the constituents of growth promoters for cattle fattening in Bangladesh
Authors: Khan MS , Bashar MK , Akbar MA , Huque KS
Published: November 2014

A survey was carried out among 50 cattle fattening farmers covering 11 Upazillas' under 7 districts of Bangladesh and a total of 14 growth promoters (GP) from 9  pharmaceutical companies engaged with marketing  GP were collected for the compositional verification of the constituents from their specification. For cattle fattening,  about 78% respondents used their own labors, 16% dependent on hired labor and  only 6% used both the sources. Majority of the farmers (48%) used  a diet of straw, green grass and concentrate, 40% of them used straw and concentrate and the rest 4.0% used green grass and concentrate. Most of the  (60%)  farmers used only straw for fattening cattle and rest of them (40%) used urea-molasses-straw (UMS) and urea treated straw (UTS), of them 28% used UMS and 12% used UTS. In all the locations, 90% farmers used GP for fattening their cattle,  of them 78% used vitamin-mineral premixes, 8% used vitamin-mineral and enzyme premixes and the rest 4% used antibiotic, vitamin-mineral and enzyme premixes. Only 10% farmers dont have any experience to use GP for cattle fattening. The presence of Ca and P in GP were found all most similar in all the companies but in some cases the values were found higher or lower than the specification. Availability of amino acids, Methionene and lysine were found very close to their product specification but one company failed to maintain their product quality according to their specification. Farmers are still using traditional feeding system but they are concerned to use GP for fattening cattle. Although, companies have maintained product quality but quality control of GP marketed and used by the farmers should be strictly followed on routine basis.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v43i2.20716 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2014. 43 (2): 142-146
Effect of different levels of dietary energy on growth and carcass traits of Black Bengal goat
Authors: Kabir ME , Sarker MB , Saha BK , Khandoker MAMY , Moniruzzaman M
Published: November 2014

The present study was aimed to know the effect of dietary energy levels on growth and carcass characteristics in Black Bengal goats. Nine female Black Bengal goats were divided into three groups having three goats in each group. Three iso-nitrogenous diets containing three levels of metabolizable energy (9.17, 10.40 and 11.63 MJ/kg DM) were randomly assigned to three groups. Goats were stall fed and slaughtered after 150 days of trial. Results showed that live weight gain was higher (28.3 ± 1.7 g/day) in high energy fed goats than others. There were no significant differences on total and daily average dry matter intake in different groups of goats. Body length was significantly higher in high energy fed group than others. Carcass weight and dressing percentage were also higher (p<0.05) in high energy fed goats. Caul fat and gut fill weight differed significantly (p<0.05) among the treatment groups, and higher caul fat and lower gut fill were obtained in high energy fed goats than others. In conclusion, high energy diet enhanced the growth, dressing percentage and carcass gain of female goats.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v43i2.20719 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2014. 43 (2): 159-165
Organisms in Operative site in an urban hospital of Dhaka city: An urgent need to develop an infection control program in Bangladesh
Authors: Murshed Mohammad , Kamar Saima
Published: November 2014

The study was carried out from July 2008 to June 2009 to evaluate the presence of organisms in operative and post operative room in an urban hospital of Dhaka city. Environmental samples were collected from different sources of surrounding of patient in operative and post operative room. A total of 120 samples were collected from the floor, bed sheets, OT instruments, dressing materials, nasogastric and endotracheal tube, catheters, etc. The most predominant isolated organism was E. coli (40%) followed by S. aureus (24%). Microbial isolates were obtained from the hands of hospital staffs and attendance in the same hospital and the percentage of prevalence of E. coli was more in the hands of attendances (60%) than hospital staffs (40%) ; but the presence of S. aureus and Pseudomonas sp. were less in attendances hands than hospital staffs hands. The other organisms that were present in hands of hospital staffs and attendances were Proteus sp, S.epidermidis, and Klebsiella sp. An effective infection control practices like hand washing and the use of hypochlorite solution, gluteraldehyde and sanitation with 70% ethyl alcohol was found to be very effective in reduction of microbial contaminates in operative and post operative room.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjmm.v7i1.19317 Bangladesh J Med Microbiol 2013; 07(01): 20-24
Bacteriophage Therapy: Issues and Controversies
Authors: Roy Sushmita , Yusuf Mohammad Abdullah
Published: November 2014

Phage therapy is the application of bacteria-specific viruses to combat uncontrolled and undesired bacteria. The emergence of bacterial resistant to most of the currently available antimicrobial drugs has become a critical problem in modern medicine. Bacteriophages are viruses that invade bacterial cells and, in the case of lytic phages, disrupt bacterial metabolism and cause the bacteria to lyse. Owing to their host specificity which can range from an ability to infect only a few strains of a bacterial species to, more rarely, a capacity to infect more than one relatively closely related bacterial genus phages only minimally impact health-protecting normal bacterial flora. By contrast, many antibiotics, which tend to have broader spectrums of activity, are prone to inducing super infections. Phages against many pathogenic bacteria are easily discovered. In this review bacteriophages has been highlighted regarding different issues as well as controversies.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjmm.v7i1.19319 Bangladesh J Med Microbiol 2013; 07(01): 25-28
Vertical Distribution of Structural Components in Corn Stover
Authors: Johnson Jane , Karlen Douglas , Gresham Garold , Cantrell Keri , Archer David , Wienhold Brian , Varvel Gary , Laird David , Baker John , Ochsner Tyson , Novak Jeff , Halvorson Ardell , Arriaga Francisco , Lightle David , Hoover Amber , Emerson Rachel , Barbour Nancy
Published: November 2014

In the United States, corn (Zea mays L.) stover has been targeted for second generation fuel production and other bio-products. Our objective was to characterize sugar and structural composition as a function of vertical distribution of corn stover (leaves and stalk) that was sampled at physiological maturity and about three weeks later from multiple USA locations. A small subset of samples was assessed for thermochemical composition. Concentrations of lignin, glucan, and xylan were about 10% greater at grain harvest than at physiological maturity, but harvestable biomass was about 25% less due to stalk breakage. Gross heating density above the ear averaged 16.3 ± 0.40 MJ kg−1, but with an alkalinity measure of 0.83 g MJ−1, slagging is likely to occur during gasification. Assuming a stover harvest height of 10 cm, the estimated ethanol yield would be >2500 L ha−1, but it would be only 1000 L ha−1 if stover harvest was restricted to the material from above the primary ear. Vertical composition of corn stover is relatively uniform; thus, decision on cutting height may be driven by agronomic, economic and environmental considerations.
Host Antimicrobial Peptides in Bacterial Homeostasis and Pathogenesis of Disease
Authors: Heimlich Derek , Harrison Alistair , Mason Kevin
Published: November 2014

Innate immune responses function as a first line of host defense against the development of bacterial infection, and in some cases to preserve the sterility of privileged sites in the human host. Bacteria that enter these sites must counter host responses for colonization. From the host’s perspective, the innate immune system works expeditiously to minimize the bacterial threat before colonization and subsequent dysbiosis. The multifactorial nature of disease further challenges predictions of how each independent variable influences bacterial pathogenesis. From bacterial colonization to infection and through disease, the microenvironments of the host are in constant flux as bacterial and host factors contribute to changes at the host-pathogen interface, with the host attempting to eradicate bacteria and the bacteria fighting to maintain residency. A key component of this innate host response towards bacterial infection is the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). As an early component of the host response, AMPs modulate bacterial load and prevent establishment of infection. Under quiescent conditions, some AMPs are constitutively expressed by the epithelium. Bacterial infection can subsequently induce production of other AMPs in an effort to maintain sterility, or to restrict colonization. As demonstrated in various studies, the absence of a single AMP can influence pathogenesis, highlighting the importance of AMP concentration in maintaining homeostasis. Yet, AMPs can increase bacterial virulence through the co-opting of the peptides or alteration of bacterial virulence gene expression. Further, bacterial factors used to subvert AMPs can modify host microenvironments and alter colonization of the residential flora that principally maintain homeostasis. Thus, the dynamic interplay between host defense peptides and bacterial factors produced to quell peptide activity play a critical role in the progression and outcome of disease.
Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Outcomes of Histiocytic and Dendritic Cell Neoplasms: The Moffitt Cancer Center Experience Over the Last Twenty Five Years
Authors: Dalia Samir , Jaglal Michael , Chervenick Paul , Cualing Hernani , Sokol Lubomir
Published: November 2014

Neoplasms of histiocytic and dendritic cells are rare disorders of the lymph node and soft tissues. Because of this rarity, the corresponding biology, prognosis and terminologies are still being better defined and hence historically, these disorders pose clinical and diagnostic challenges. These disorders include Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), histiocytic sarcoma (HS), follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS), interdigtating cell sarcoma (IDCS), indeterminate cell sarcoma (INDCS), and fibroblastic reticular cell tumors (FRCT). In order to gain a better understanding of the biology, diagnosis, and treatment in these rare disorders we reviewed our cases of these neoplasms over the last twenty five years and the pertinent literature in each of these rare neoplasms. Cases of histiocytic and dendritic cell neoplasms diagnosed between 1989–2014 were identified using our institutional database. Thirty two cases were included in this analysis and were comprised of the following: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (20/32), histiocytic sarcoma (6/32), follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (2/32), interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (2/32), indeterminate dendritic cell sarcoma (1/32), and fibroblastic reticular cell tumor (1/32). Median overall survival was not reached in cases with LCH and showed 52 months in cases with HS, 12 months in cases with FDCS, 58 months in cases with IDCS, 13 months in the case of INDCS, and 51 months in the case of FRCT. The majority of patients had surgical resection as initial treatment (n = 18). Five patients had recurrent disease. We conclude that histiocytic and dendritic cell neoplasms are very rare and perplexing disorders that should be diagnosed with a combination of judicious morphology review and a battery of immunohistochemistry to rule out mimics such as carcinoma, lymphoma, neuroendocrine tumors and to better sub-classify these difficult to diagnose lesions. The mainstay of treatment for localized disease remains surgical resection and the role of adjuvant therapy is unclear. In patients with multiple areas of involvement, treatment at tertiary care centers with multimodality treatment is likely needed. Accurate subset diagnosis will contribute to better data as well as treatment outcomes analysis of these rare disorders of adult patients in the future.
ChEMBL Beaker: A Lightweight Web Framework Providing Robust and Extensible Cheminformatics Services
Authors: Nowotka Michał , Davies Mark , Papadatos George , Overington John
Published: November 2014

ChEMBL Beaker is an open source web framework, exposing a versatile chemistry-focused API (Application Programming Interface) to support the development of new cheminformatics applications. This paper describes the current functionality offered by Beaker and outlines the future technology roadmap.
Voltammetric Electronic Tongue for Discrimination of Milk Adulterated with Urea, Formaldehyde and Melamine
Authors: Bueno Lígia , De Araujo William , Salles Maiara , Kussuda Marcos , Paixão Thiago
Published: November 2014

We report the fabrication of a voltammetric electronic tongue for the detection and discrimination of harmful substances intentionally added to milk to increase its shelf life or imitate protein content. The electronic tongue consisted of three working electrodes composed of platinum, gold, and copper. The measurement principles involved the extraction of information from cyclic voltammograms recorded in unadulterated and adulterated milk. The extracted data were analysed using principal component analysis and the contaminants were successfully differentiated from one another in a score plot. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance analysis was used to investigate the electrode response in order to understand the mechanism by which the tongue could discriminate between the samples. It was found that the electrochemical formation and dissolution of platinum and gold oxides, and the reduction of a copper-melamine ionic pair formed at the surface of the copper electrode were the main factors responsible for discrimination. In addition, the electronic tongue was capable of identifying adulterations in different types of milk (whole, skimmed, and semi-skimmed) and milk from different brands. The lowest concentration of adulterant that resulted in a good discrimination was 10.0, 4.16, and 0.95 mmol·L−1 for formaldehyde, urea, and melamine, respectively.
Entropy Generation through a Deterministic Boundary-Layer Structure in Warm Dense Plasma
Authors: Isaacson LaVar
Published: November 2014

The computational prediction of nonlinear interactive instabilities in three-dimensional boundary layers is obtained for a warm dense plasma boundary layer environment. The method is applied to the Richtmyer–Meshkov flow over the rippled surface of a laser-driven warm dense plasma experiment. Coupled, nonlinear spectral velocity equations of Lorenz form are solved with the mean boundary-layer velocity gradients as input control parameters. The nonlinear time series solutions indicate that after an induction period, a sharp instability occurs in the solutions. The power spectral density yields the available kinetic energy dissipation rates within the instability. The application of the singular value decomposition technique to the nonlinear time series solution yields empirical entropies. Empirical entropic indices are then obtained from these entropies. The intermittency exponents obtained from the entropic indices thus allow the computation of the entropy generation through the deterministic structure to the final dissipation of the initial fluctuating kinetic energy into background thermal energy, representing the resulting entropy increase.
Towards Realizing High-Throughput, Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Flexible Electronic Systems
Authors: Lin Xiaohui , Subbaraman Harish , Pan Zeyu , Hosseini Amir , Longe Chris , Kubena Klay , Schleicher Paul , Foster Phillip , Brickey Sean , Chen Ray
Published: November 2014

High-rate roll-to-roll (R2R) tracker systems are utilized for large volume flexible electronic device manufacturing, and the current alignment mechanism between layers is mainly achieved by relying on passive techniques. In this paper, we present a machine vision based alignment strategy that is used to achieve precise registration for stacking multilayers. Based on this strategy, we demonstrate two-layer printing with alignment accuracy better than 100 μm in web moving direction and 200 μm in lateral direction at a web rate of 5 m/min.
Thermodynamic Analysis of a Ship Power Plant Operating with Waste Heat Recovery through Combined Heat and Power Production
Authors: Grljušić Mirko , Medica Vladimir , Račić Nikola
Published: November 2014

The goal of this research is to study a cogeneration plant for combined heat & power (CHP) production that utilises the low-temperature waste energy in the power plant of a Suezmax-size oil tanker for all heating and electricity requirements during navigation. After considering various configurations, a standard propulsion engine operating at maximum efficiency and a CHP Plant with R245fa fluid using a supercritical organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is selected. All the ship heat requirements can be covered by energy of organic fluid after expansion in the turbine, except feeder-booster heating. Hence, an additional quantity of working fluid may be heated using an after Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) directed to the feeder-booster module. An analysis of the obtained results shows that the steam turbine plant does not yield significant fuel savings. However, a CHP plant with R245fa fluid using supercritical ORC meets all of the demands for electrical energy and heat while burning only a small amount of additional fuel in HRSG at the main engine off-design operation.
Near-Term Effects of Repeated-Thinning with Riparian Buffers on Headwater Stream Vertebrates and Habitats in Oregon, USA
Authors: Olson Deanna , Burton Julia
Published: November 2014

We examined the effects of a second-thinning harvest with alternative riparian buffer management approaches on headwater stream habitats and associated vertebrates in western Oregon, USA. Our analyses showed that stream reaches were generally distinguished primarily by average width and depth, along with the percentage of the dry reach length, and secondarily, by the volume of down wood. In the first year post-harvest, we observed no effects of buffer treatment on stream habitat attributes after moderate levels of thinning. One of two “thin-through” riparian treatments showed stronger trends for enlarged stream channels, likely due to harvest disturbances. The effects of buffer treatments on salamanders varied among species and with habitat structure. Densities of Plethodon dunni and Rhyacotriton species increased post-harvest in the moderate-density thinning with no-entry buffers in wider streams with more pools and narrower streams with more down wood, respectively. However, Rhyacotriton densities decreased along streams with the narrowest buffer, 6 m, and P. dunni and Dicamptodon tenebrosus densities decreased in thin-through buffers. Our study supports the use of a 15-m or wider buffer to retain sensitive headwater stream amphibians.
Seasonal and Spatial Variations of Heavy Metals in Two Typical Chinese Rivers: Concentrations, Environmental Risks, and Possible Sources
Authors: Yao Hong , Qian Xin , Gao Hailong , Wang Yulei , Xia Bisheng
Published: November 2014

Ten metals were analyzed in samples collected in three seasons (the dry season, the early rainy season, and the late rainy season) from two rivers in China. No observed toxic effect concentrations were used to estimate the risks. The possible sources of the metals in each season, and the dominant source(s) at each site, were assessed using principal components analysis. The metal concentrations in the area studied were found, using t-tests, to vary both seasonally and spatially (P = 0.05). The potential risks in different seasons decreased in the order: early rainy season > dry season > late rainy season, and Cd was the dominant contributor to the total risks associated with heavy metal pollution in the two rivers. The high population and industrial site densities in the Taihu basin have had negative influences on the two rivers. The river that is used as a source of drinking water (the Taipu River) had a low average level of risks caused by the metals. Metals accumulated in environmental media were the main possible sources in the dry season, and emissions from mechanical manufacturing enterprises were the main possible sources in the rainy season. The river in the industrial area (the Wusong River) had a moderate level of risk caused by the metals, and the main sources were industrial emissions. The seasonal and spatial distributions of the heavy metals mean that risk prevention and mitigation measures should be targeted taking these variations into account.
Improving Inland Water Quality Monitoring through Remote Sensing Techniques
Authors: Ogashawara Igor , Moreno-Madriñán Max
Published: November 2014

Chlorophyll-a (chl-a) levels in lake water could indicate the presence of cyanobacteria, which can be a concern for public health due to their potential to produce toxins. Monitoring of chl-a has been an important practice in aquatic systems, especially in those used for human services, as they imply an increased risk of exposure. Remote sensing technology is being increasingly used to monitor water quality, although its application in cases of small urban lakes is limited by the spatial resolution of the sensors. Lake Thonotosassa, FL, USA, a 3.45-km2 suburban lake with several uses for the local population, is being monitored monthly by traditional methods. We developed an empirical bio-optical algorithm for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) daily surface reflectance product to monitor daily chl-a. We applied the same algorithm to four different periods of the year using 11 years of water quality data. Normalized root mean squared errors were lower during the first (0.27) and second (0.34) trimester and increased during the third (0.54) and fourth (1.85) trimesters of the year. Overall results showed that Earth-observing technologies and, particularly, MODIS products can also be applied to improve environmental health management through water quality monitoring of small lakes.
WISP1 Polymorphisms Contribute to Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Toxicity in Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Chen Juan , Yin Jiye , Li Xiangping , Wang Ying , Zheng Yi , Qian Chenyue , Xiao Ling , Zou Ting , Wang Zhan , Liu Junyan , Zhang Wei , Zhou Honghao , Liu Zhaoqian
Published: November 2014

Platinum-based chemotherapy toxicity is always one of the serious problems from which lung cancer patients suffer. The genetic polymorphism of WISP1 was revealed to be associated with susceptibility and platinum-based chemotherapy response in our previous studies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship of WISP1 genetic polymorphisms with platinum-based chemotherapy toxicity in lung cancer patients. A total of 412 lung cancer patients were enrolled in this study, and 28 polymorphisms of the WISP1 gene were genotyped by SequenomMassARRAY. We found that WISP1 polymorphisms (rs2929965, rs2929969, rs2929970, rs2929973 and rs754958) were related to the overall chemotherapy toxicity of lung cancer in subgroup analyses. Rs16904853, rs2929970, rs2977549 and rs2977551 (p = 0.021, 0.028, 0.024, 0.048, respectively) polymorphisms were significantly associated with hematologic toxicity. Rs2929946, rs2929970, rs2977519, rs2977536, rs3739262 and rs754958 (p = 0.031, 0.046, 0.029, 0.016, 0.042, 0.035, respectively) polymorphisms were significantly associated with the gastrointestinal toxicity of lung cancer. Genotypes of WISP1 may be novel and useful biomarkers for predicting platinum-based chemotherapy toxicity in lung cancer patients.
Inhibition of Histone Deacetylase by Butyrate Protects Rat Liver from Ischemic Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Sun Jie , Wu Qiujv , Sun Huiling , Qiao Yingli
Published: November 2014

We showed previously that pretreatment of butyrate, which is an endogenous histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor normally fermented from undigested fiber by intestinal microflora, seriously alleviated ischemia reperfusion (I/R)-induced liver injury by inhibiting the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of butyrate administrated at the onset of ischemia for HDAC inhibition in hepatic I/R injury. Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to warm ischemia for 60 min followed by 6 and 24 h of reperfusion. Butyrate was administrated at the onset of ischemia. Liver injury was evaluated by serum levels of aminotransferase, inflammatory factors, and histopathology. The levels of acetylated histone H3 and expression of heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 were measured by Western blot. After reperfusion, the levels of acetylated histone H3 significantly decreased. Butyrate treatment markedly prevented the reduction of acetylated histone H3 and upregulated the expression of Hsp70, thereby reducing liver injury. Our study demonstrated that I/R resulted in marked reduction of histone acetylation; butyrate exerted a great hepatoprotective effect through HDAC inhibition and Hsp70 induction.
Nickel Nanoparticles Exposure and Reproductive Toxicity in Healthy Adult Rats
Authors: Kong Lu , Tang Meng , Zhang Ting , Wang Dayong , Hu Ke , Lu Weiqi , Wei Chao , Liang Geyu , Pu Yuepu
Published: November 2014

Nickel is associated with reproductive toxicity. However, the reproductive toxicity of nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) is unclear. Our goal was to determine the association between nickel nanoparticle exposure and reproductive toxicity. According to the one-generation reproductive toxicity standard, rats were exposed to nickel nanoparticles by gavage and we selected indicators including sex hormone levels, sperm motility, histopathology, and reproductive outcome etc. Experimental results showed nickel nanoparticles increased follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), and lowered etradiol (E2) serum levels at a dose of 15 and 45 mg/kg in female rats. Ovarian lymphocytosis, vascular dilatation and congestion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and increase in apoptotic cells were found in ovary tissues in exposure groups. For male rats, the weights decreased gradually, the ratio of epididymis weight over body weight increased, the motility of rat sperm changed, and the levels of FSH and testosterone (T) diminished. Pathological results showed the shedding of epithelial cells of raw seminiferous tubule, disordered arrangement of cells in the tube, and the appearance of cell apoptosis and death in the exposure group. At the same time, Ni NPs resulted in a change of the reproductive index and the offspring development of rats. Further research is needed to elucidate exposure to human populations and mechanism of actions.
Photo-Electrochemical Treatment of Reactive Dyes in Wastewater and Reuse of the Effluent: Method Optimization
Authors: Sala Mireia , López-Grimau Víctor , Gutiérrez-Bouzán Carmen
Published: November 2014

In this work, the efficiency of a photo-electrochemical method to remove color in textile dyeing effluents is discussed. The decolorization of a synthetic effluent containing a bi-functional reactive dye was carried out by applying an electrochemical treatment at different intensities (2 A, 5 A and 10 A), followed by ultraviolet irradiation. The combination of both treatments was optimized. The final percentage of effluent decolorization, the reduction of halogenated organic volatile compound and the total organic carbon removal were the determinant factors in the selection of the best treatment conditions. The optimized method was applied to the treatment of nine simulated dyeing effluents prepared with different reactive dyes in order to compare the behavior of mono, bi, and tri-reactive dyes. Finally, the nine treated effluents were reused in new dyeing processes and the color differences (DECMC (2:1)) with respect to a reference were evaluated. The influence of the effluent organic matter removal on the color differences was also studied. The reuse of the treated effluents provides satisfactory dyeing results, and an important reduction in water consumption and salt discharge is achieved.
Femtosecond Laser 3D Fabrication in Porous Glass for Micro- and Nanofluidic Applications
Authors: Liao Yang , Cheng Ya
Published: November 2014

The creation of complex three-dimensional (3D) fluidic systems composed of hollow micro- and nanostructures embedded in transparent substrates has attracted significant attention from both scientific and applied research communities. However, it is by now still a formidable challenge to build 3D micro- and nanofluidic structures with arbitrary configurations using conventional planar lithographic fabrication methods. As a direct and maskless fabrication technique, femtosecond laser micromachining provides a straightforward approach for high-precision, spatially-selective, modification inside transparent materials through nonlinear optical absorption. In this paper, we demonstrate rapid fabrication of high-aspect-ratio micro- and/or nanofluidic structures with various 3D configurations by femtosecond laser direct writing in porous glass substrates. Based on this approach, we demonstrate several functional micro- and nanofluidic devices including a 3D passive microfluidic mixer, a capillary electrophoresis (CE) analysis chip, and an integrated micro-nanofluidic system for single DNA analysis. The possible mechanisms behind the formation of high-aspect-ratio micro- and nanochannels are also discussed. This technology offers new opportunities to develop novel 3D micro-nanofluidic systems for a variety of lab-on-a-chip applications.
Design and Synthesis of Isosteviol Triazole Conjugates for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Khaybullin Ravil , Zhang Mei , Fu Junjie , Liang Xiao , Li Tammy , Katritzky Alan , Okunieff Paul , Qi Xin
Published: November 2014

One of the keys for successfully developing drugs against the broad spectrum of cancer cell types is structural diversity. In the current study, we focused on a family of isosteviol derivatives as potential novel antitumor agents. Isosteviol is a tetracyclic diterpenoid obtained by acid hydrolysis of steviol glycoside extracts isolated from abundant Stevia rebaudiana plants. In this work, we have designed and synthesized a panel of isosteviol triazole conjugates using “click” chemistry methodology. Evaluation of these compounds against a series of cancer cell lines derived from primary and metastatic tumors demonstrated that these conjugates exhibit cytotoxic activities with IC50 in the low μM range. In addition, their anti-proliferative activities are cancer cell type specific. Taken together, our studies underscore the importance of structural diversity in achieving cancer cell type specific drug development.
Methanolic Extracts of Solieria robusta Inhibits Proliferation of Oral Cancer Ca9-22 Cells via Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Yen Yii-Huei , Farooqi Ammad , Li Kun-Tzu , Butt Ghazala , Tang Jen-Yang , Wu Chang-Yi , Cheng Yuan-Bin , Hou Ming-Feng , Chang Hsueh-Wei
Published: November 2014

Many red algae-derived natural products are known to have anticancer effects. The biological functions of the red alga Solieria robusta from the Karachi coast (Pakistan) remain unclear. Here, we prepared a methanolic extracts of S. robusta (MESR) to examine its possible anti-oral cancer effects and the corresponding mechanism of action. Cell viability of MESR-incubated oral cancer Ca9-22 cells was dose-responsively decreased (p < 0.001). According to a propidium iodide (PI)-based assay the cell cycle distribution was dramatically changed, especially for subG1 accumulation. Annexin V/PI assay of apoptosis using flow cytometry also showed that MESR-incubated Ca9-22 cells were dose-responsively increased (p < 0.001). For evaluation of oxidative stress in MESR-incubated Ca9-22 cells, we found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were overexpressed dose- and time-responsively and mitochondrial depolarization was also increased (p < 0.001). Taken together, MESR showed inhibitory effects on oral cancer proliferation coupled with apoptosis and oxidative stress.
Identification of Natural Compound Carnosol as a Novel TRPA1 Receptor Agonist
Authors: Zhai Chenxi , Liu Qing , Zhang Yuxin , Wang Shifeng , Zhang Yanling , Li Shiyou , Qiao Yanjiang
Published: November 2014

The transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) cation channel is one of the well-known targets for pain therapy. Herbal medicine is a rich source for new drugs and potentially useful therapeutic agents. To discover novel natural TRPA1 agonists, compounds isolated from Chinese herbs were screened using a cell-based calcium mobilization assay. Out of the 158 natural compounds derived from traditional Chinese herbal medicines, carnosol was identified as a novel agonist of TRPA1 with an EC50 value of 12.46 µM. And the agonistic effect of carnosol on TRPA1 could be blocked by A-967079, a selective TRPA1 antagonist. Furthermore, the specificity of carnosol was verified as it showed no significant effects on two other typical targets of TRP family member: TRPM8 and TRPV3. Carnosol exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties; the activation of TRPA1 might be responsible for the modulation of inflammatory nociceptive transmission. Collectively, our findings indicate that carnosol is a new anti-nociceptive agent targeting TRPA1 that can be used to explore further biological role in pain therapy.
The Role of Acyl-Glucose in Anthocyanin Modifications
Authors: Sasaki Nobuhiro , Nishizaki Yuzo , Ozeki Yoshihiro , Miyahara Taira
Published: November 2014

Higher plants can produce a wide variety of anthocyanin molecules through modification of the six common anthocyanin aglycons that they present. Thus, hydrophilic anthocyanin molecules can be formed and stabilized by glycosylation and acylation. Two types of glycosyltransferase (GT) and acyltransferase (AT) have been identified, namely cytoplasmic GT and AT and vacuolar GT and AT. Cytoplasmic GT and AT utilize UDP-sugar and acyl-CoA as donor molecules, respectively, whereas both vacuolar GT and AT use acyl-glucoses as donor molecules. In carnation plants, vacuolar GT uses aromatic acyl-glucoses as the glucose donor in vivo; independently, vacuolar AT uses malylglucose, an aliphatic acyl-glucose, as the acyl-donor. In delphinium and Arabidopsis, p-hydroxybenzoylglucose and sinapoylglucose are used in vivo as bi-functional donor molecules by vacuolar GT and AT, respectively. The evolution of these enzymes has allowed delphinium and Arabidopsis to utilize unique donor molecules for production of highly modified anthocyanins.
Curcumin Protects against CCl4-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Rats by Inhibiting HIF-1α Through an ERK-Dependent Pathway
Authors: Zhao Yanling , Ma Xiao , Wang Jiabo , He Xuan , Hu Yan , Zhang Ping , Wang Ruilin , Li Ruisheng , Gong Man , Luo Shengqiang , Xiao Xiaohe
Published: November 2014

The ERK/HIF-1α signaling pathway is believed to play an important role in the genesis of progressive fibrosis. An increasing expression of HIF-1α and ERK accompanies CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Curcumin is verified to have antifibrotic effects in several kinds of liver fibrosis models. There is no specific evidence illustrating a connection between curcumin and the HIF-1α/ERK pathway in rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl4. In this study, liver fibrosis was induced by CCl4 in treated rats. The data demonstrated that curcumin was able to attenuate liver fibrosis and inhibit the proliferation of HSC. Moreover, curcumin could remarkably elevate the hepatic function by decreasing serum levels of ALT, AST and ALP, and increasing levels of ALB, TP and α-SMA, Col III mRNA expression. Meanwhile, ECM status could also be reflected by curcumin treatment. The alleviation with curcumin treatment was associated with inhibition of HIF-1α and phosphor-ERK. This study indicates that curcumin alleviates fibrosis by reducing the expression of HIF-1α partly through the ERK pathway.
Cannabinoids: New Promising Agents in the Treatment of Neurological Diseases
Authors: Giacoppo Sabrina , Mandolino Giuseppe , Galuppo Maria , Bramanti Placido , Mazzon Emanuela
Published: November 2014

Nowadays, Cannabis sativa is considered the most extensively used narcotic. Nevertheless, this fame obscures its traditional employ in native medicine of South Africa, South America, Turkey, Egypt and in many regions of Asia as a therapeutic drug. In fact, the use of compounds containing Cannabis and their introduction in clinical practice is still controversial and strongly limited by unavoidable psychotropic effects. So, overcoming these adverse effects represents the main open question on the utilization of cannabinoids as new drugs for treatment of several pathologies. To date, therapeutic use of cannabinoid extracts is prescribed in patients with glaucoma, in the control of chemotherapy-related vomiting and nausea, for appetite stimulation in patients with anorexia-cachexia syndrome by HIV, and for the treatment of multiple sclerosis symptoms. Recently, researcher efforts are aimed to employ the therapeutic potentials of Cannabis sativa in the modulation of cannabinoid receptor activity within the central nervous system, particularly for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as psychiatric and non-psychiatric disorders. This review evaluates the most recent available data on cannabinoids utilization in experimental and clinical studies, and highlights their beneficial effects in the prevention of the main neurological diseases and for the clinical treatment of symptoms with them correlated.
Banana Lectin: A Brief Review
Authors: Singh Senjam , Devi Sanjenbam , Ng Tzi
Published: November 2014

Lectins are a group of proteins of non-immune origin that recognize and bind to carbohydrates without modifying them. Banana is the common name for both herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. They are indeed a promising source for many medicinal applications. Banana lectins have the potential for inhibiting HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, suppressing cancer cell proliferation and stimulating macrophage activities. Nevertheless, compared to other plant lectins, there is relatively little information in the literature on banana lectins, particularly with respect to their structure and biological functions. Herein we focus our review on the structure, functions and exploitable properties of banana lectins.
Kinetics of Glycoxidation of Bovine Serum Albumin by Glucose, Fructose and Ribose and Its Prevention by Food Components
Authors: Sadowska-Bartosz Izabela , Galiniak Sabina , Bartosz Grzegorz
Published: November 2014

The aim of this study was to compare the kinetics of the glycoxidation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein by three sugars: glucose, fructose and ribose, using fluorometric measurements of the content of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), protein-bound fructosamine, dityrosine, N'-formylkynurenine, kynurenine, tryptophan, the content of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), protein carbonyl groups, as well as thiol groups. Moreover, the levels of glycoalbumin and AGEs were determined by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Based on the kinetic results, the optimal incubation time for studies of the modification of the glycoxidation rate by additives was chosen, and the effects of 25 compounds of natural origin on the glycoxidation of BSA induced by various sugars were examined. The same compounds were found to have different effects on glycoxidation induced by various sugars, which suggests caution in extrapolation from experiments based on one sugar to other sugars. From among the compounds tested, the most effective inhibitors of glycoxidation were: polyphenols, pyridoxine and 1-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid.
Object-Based Land-Cover Mapping with High Resolution Aerial Photography at a County Scale in Midwestern USA
Authors: Li Xiaoxiao , Shao Guofan
Published: November 2014

There are growing demands for detailed and accurate land cover maps in land system research and planning. Macro-scale land cover maps normally cannot satisfy the studies that require detailed land cover maps at micro scales. In the meantime, applying conventional pixel-based classification methods in classifying high-resolution aerial imagery is ineffective to develop high accuracy land-cover maps, especially in spectrally heterogeneous and complicated urban areas. Here we present an object-based approach that identifies land-cover types from 1-meter resolution aerial orthophotography and a 5-foot DEM. Our study area is Tippecanoe County in the State of Indiana, USA, which covers about a 1300 km2 land area. We used a countywide aerial photo mosaic and normalized digital elevation model as input datasets in this study. We utilized simple algorithms to minimize computation time while maintaining relatively high accuracy in land cover mapping at a county scale. The aerial photograph was pre-processed using principal component transformation to reduce its spectral dimensionality. Vegetation and non-vegetation were separated via masks determined by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. A combination of segmentation algorithms with lower calculation intensity was used to generate image objects that fulfill the characteristics selection requirements. A hierarchical image object network was formed based on the segmentation results and used to assist the image object delineation at different spatial scales. Finally, expert knowledge regarding spectral, contextual, and geometrical aspects was employed in image object identification. The resultant land cover map developed with this object-based image analysis has more information classes and higher accuracy than that derived with pixel-based classification methods.
Magnetic Bead-Based Colorimetric Immunoassay for Aflatoxin B1 Using Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Xu , Niessner Reinhard , Knopp Dietmar
Published: November 2014

A competitive colorimetric immunoassay for the detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB) has been established using biofunctionalized magnetic beads (MBs) and gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Aflatoxin B1-bovine serum albumin conjugates (AFB-BSA) modified MBs were employed as capture probe, which could specifically bind with GNP-labeled anti-AFB antibodies through immunoreaction, while such specific binding was competitively inhibited by the addition of AFB. After magnetic separation, the supernatant solution containing unbound GNPs was directly tested by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The absorption intensity was directly proportional to the AFB concentration. The influence of GNP size, incubation time and pH was investigated in detail. After optimization, the developed method could detect AFB in a linear range from 20 to 800 ng/L, with the limit of detection at 12 ng/L. The recoveries for spiked maize samples ranged from 92.8% to 122.0%. The proposed immunoassay provides a promising approach for simple, rapid, specific and cost-effective detection of toxins in the field of food safety.