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Synthesis, characterization and antioxidant activities of Schiff bases are of cholesterol
No full textAbstractA series of new cholesterol based Schiff base derivatives, namely cholesteryl-n-(4-((E)-(4′-cyanobiphenyl-4-ylimino)methyl)phenoxy)alkanoate (3a–j) have been synthesized and characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectral studies. In vitro antioxidant activities of these compounds were evaluated against super oxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical, DPPH radical and hydrogen peroxide and were compared with standard natural antioxidant, ascorbic acid. Our results reveal that these compounds exhibit excellent radical scavenging activities
The efficacy of poly-d,l-lactic acid- and hyaluronic acid-coated bone substitutes on implant fixation in sheep
No full textSummaryBackground/ObjectiveThe present study investigated the efficacy of poly-d,l-lactic acid (PDLLA) and hyaluronic acid (HyA) on implant fixation when coated onto hydroxyapatite/beta-tri-calcium phosphate (HA/βTCP) granules.MethodsThe effect was assessed in a clinically relevant in vivo gap model in sheep. Thus, four titanium implants combined with either allograft (control), pure HA/βTCP, HyA infiltrated HA/βTCP, or PDLLA reinforced HA/βTCP granules were bilaterally inserted into the trabecular bone of the distal femurs in eight sheep. The insertion created a 2-mm peri-implant gap. After 12 weeks, histomorphometry and push-out test was used for quantification of newly formed bone in the gap, bone-implant contact, and implant fixation.ResultsThe histomorphometric analysis revealed the presence of newly formed bone in all groups, though substitute groups showed fragments of nonabsorbed substitute material. A significant larger bone volume was found in the allograft group versus the HA/βTCP-PDLLA group (Zone 1), and in Zone 2 a statistically significantly larger bone volume was found in the allograft compared with the HA/βTCP group. The mechanical properties and the bone-implant contact revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that HA/βTCP granules coated with PDLLA and HyA have similar bone ingrowth and implant fixation as those with allograft, and with mechanical properties resembling those of allograft in advance, they may be considered as alternative substitute materials for bone formation in sheep
Mimicking the Impact of Infant Tongue Peristalsis on Behavior of Solid Oral Dosage Forms Administered During Breastfeeding
No full textAbstractAn in vitro simulation system was developed to study the effect of an infant's peristaltic tongue motion during breastfeeding on oral rapidly disintegrating tablets in the mouth, for use in rapid product candidate screening. These tablets are being designed for use inside a modified nipple shield worn by a mother during breastfeeding, a proposed novel platform technology to administer drugs and nutrients to breastfeeding infants. In this study, the release of a model compound, sulforhodamine B, from tablet formulations was studied under physiologically relevant forces induced by compression and rotation of a tongue mimic. The release profiles of the sulforhodamine B in flowing deionized water were found to be statistically different using 2-way ANOVA with matching, when tongue mimic rotation was introduced for 2 compression levels representing 2 tongue strengths (p = 0.0013 and p < 0.0001 for the lower and higher compression settings, respectively). Compression level was found to be a significant factor for increasing model compound release at rotational rates representing nonnutritive breastfeeding (p = 0.0162). This novel apparatus is the first to simulate the motion and pressures applied by the tongue and could be used in future infant oral product development
Review of the algal biology program within the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts
No full textWhole-body strength training with Huber Motion Lab and traditional strength training in cardiac rehabilitation: A randomized controlled study
No full textAbstractBackgroundIsometric strengthening has been rarely studied in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), mainly because of possible potential side effects and lack of appropriate and reliable devices.ObjectiveWe aimed to compare 2 different modes of resistance training, an isometric mode with the Huber Motion Lab (HML) and traditional strength training (TST), in CHD patients undergoing a cardiac rehabilitation program.DesignWe randomly assigned 50 patients to HML or TST. Patients underwent complete blinded evaluation before and after the rehabilitation program, including testing for cardiopulmonary exercise, maximal isometric voluntary contraction, endothelial function and body composition.ResultsAfter 4 weeks of training (16 sessions), the groups did not differ in body composition, anthropometric characteristics, or endothelial function. With HML, peak power output (P=0.035), maximal heart rate (P<0.01) and gain of force measured in the chest press position (P<0.02) were greater after versus before training.ConclusionBoth protocols appeared to be well tolerated, safe and feasible for these CHD patients. A training protocol involving 6s phases of isometric contractions with 10s of passive recovery on an HML device could be safely implemented in rehabilitation programs for patients with CHD and improve functional outcomes
Flow of viscous fluid along a nonlinearly stretching curved surface
No full textAbstractThis paper focuses on the flow of viscous fluid over a curved surface stretching with nonlinear power-law velocity. The boundary layer equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations using suitable non-dimensional transformations. These equations are solved numerically using shooting and Runge-Kutta (RK) methods. The impact of non-dimensional radius of curvature and power-law indices on the velocity field, the pressure and the skin friction coefficient are investigated. The results deduced for linear stretching are compared with the published work to validate the numerical procedure. The important findings are: (a) Slight variation of the curvature of the stretching sheet increases the velocity and the skin friction coefficient significantly. (b) The nonlinearity of the stretching velocity increases the skin friction. (c) The results for linear stretching and the flat surface are the special cases of this problem
The global surface temperatures of the Moon as measured by the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment
No full textAbstractThe Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment onboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been acquiring solar reflectance and mid-infrared radiance measurements nearly continuously since July of 2009. Diviner is providing the most comprehensive view of how regoliths on airless bodies store and exchange thermal energy with the space environment. Approximately a quarter trillion calibrated radiance measurements of the Moon, acquired over 5.5 years by Diviner, have been compiled into a 0.5° resolution global dataset with a 0.25h local time resolution. Maps generated with this dataset provide a global perspective of the surface energy balance of the Moon and reveal the complex and extreme nature of the lunar surface thermal environment. Our achievable map resolution, both spatially and temporally, will continue to improve with further data acquisition.Daytime maximum temperatures are sensitive to the albedo of the surface and are ∼387–397K at the equator, dropping to ∼95K just before sunrise, though anomalously warm areas characterized by high rock abundances can be > 50K warmer than the zonal average nighttime temperatures. An asymmetry is observed between the morning and afternoon temperatures due to the thermal inertia of the lunar regolith with the dusk terminator ∼30K warmer than the dawn terminator at the equator. An increase in albedo with incidence angle is required to explain the observed decrease in temperatures with latitude. At incidence angles exceeding ∼40°, topography and surface roughness influence temperatures resulting in increasing scatter in temperatures and anisothermality between Diviner channels.Nighttime temperatures are sensitive to the thermophysical properties of the regolith. High thermal inertia (TI) materials such as large rocks, remain warmer during the long lunar night and result in anomalously warm nighttime temperatures and anisothermality in the Diviner channels. Anomalous maximum and minimum temperatures are highlighted by subtracting the zonal mean temperatures from maps. Terrains can be characterized as low or high reflectance and low or high TI. Low maximum temperatures result from high reflectance surfaces while low minimum temperatures from low-TI material. Conversely, high maximum temperatures result from dark surface, and high minimum temperatures from high-TI materials.Impact craters are found to modify regolith properties over large distances. The thermal signature of Tycho is asymmetric, consistent with an oblique impact coming from the west. Some prominent crater rays are visible in the thermal data and require material with a higher thermal inertial than nominal regolith. The influence of the formation of the Orientale basin on the regolith properties is observable over a substantial portion of the western hemisphere despite its age (∼3.8Gyr), and may have contributed to mixing of highland and mare material on the southwest margin of Oceanus Procellarum where the gradient in radiative properties at the mare-highland contact is broad (∼200km)
Complement Activation Induces Neutrophil Adhesion and Neutrophil-Platelet Aggregate Formation on Vascular Endothelial Cells
No full textIntroductionAtypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is a thrombotic microangiopathy, which is linked to hereditary or autoimmune defects in complement activators or regulators present in blood and on vascular endothelial cells. Acute thrombotic microangiopathy episodes are typically preceded by infections, which by themselves would not be expected to manifest HUS. Thus, it is possible that the host immune response contributes to the precipitation of aHUS. However, the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. We hypothesized that neutrophils trigger aHUS via initiating platelet aggregate formation on complement-activated endothelial cells.MethodsWe investigated neutrophil adhesion to complement-activated endothelial cells under static and flow conditions in vitro and ex vivo.ResultsOur results show that complement activation on endothelial cells promotes neutrophil adhesion, which is significantly reduced when the complement terminal pathway is blocked. When neutrophils and platelets are perfused simultaneously, neutrophils adhering to endothelial cells also induce the formation of platelet-neutrophil aggregates on these cells. Sera from patients with aHUS recapitulated these results.DiscussionTherefore, our findings of (i) neutrophils adhering to complement-activated endothelial cells, (ii) the formation of neutrophil-platelet aggregates on endothelial cells, and (iii) the ability of aHUS serum to induce similar effects identify a possible role for neutrophils in aHUS manifestation
Effect of building direction on the microstructure and tensile properties of Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy additively manufactured by electron beam melting
No full textAbstractThis paper clarified a novel strategy to improve the tensile properties of the Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloys fabricated by electron beam melting (EBM), via the finding of the development of unique layered microstructure composed of duplex-like fine grains layers and coarser γ grains layers. It was clarified that the mechanical properties of the alloy fabricated by EBM can be controlled by varying an angle θ between EBM-building directions and stress loading direction. At room temperature, the yield strength exhibits high values more than 550MPa at all the loading orientations investigated (θ=0, 45 and 90°). In addition, the elongation at θ=45° was surprisingly larger than 2%, owing to the development of this unique layered microstructure. The anisotropy of the yield strength decreased with increasing temperature. All the examined alloys exhibited a brittle-ductile transition temperature of approximately 750°C and the yield strength and tensile elongation at 800°C were over 350MPa and 40%, respectively.By the detailed observation of the microstructure, the formation mechanism of the unique layered microstructure was found to be closely related to the repeated local heat treatment effect during the EBM process, and thus its control is further possible by the tuning-up of the process parameters. The results demonstrate that the EBM process enables not only the fabrication of TiAl products with complex shape but also the control of the tensile properties associated with the peculiar microstructure formed during the process
Circulating adipokines data associated with insulin secretagogue use in breast cancer patients
No full textAbstractOral drugs stimulating endogenous insulin production (insulin secretagogues) may have detrimental effects on breast cancer outcomes. The data presented shows the relationship between pre-existing insulin secretagogues use, adipokine profiles at the time of breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and subsequent cancer outcomes in women diagnosed with BC and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The Pearson correlation analysis evaluating the relationship between adipokines stratified by T2DM pharmacotherapy and controls is also provided. This information is the extension of the data presented and discussed in “Insulin use, adipokine profiles and breast cancer prognosis” (Wintrob et al., in press) [1]