71 research outputs found
Evaluation of fungal laccase immobilized on natural nanostructured bacterial cellulose
No full textThe aim of this work was to assess the possibility of using native bacterial nanocellulose (BC) as a carrier for laccase immobilization. BC was synthesized by Gluconacetobacter xylinus, which was statically cultivated in a mannitol-based medium and was freeze-dried to form BC sponge after purification. For the first time, fungal laccase from Trametes versicolor was immobilized on the native nanofibril network-structured BC sponge through physical adsorption and cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The properties including morphologic and structural features of the BC as well as the immobilized enzyme were thoroughly investigated. It was found that enzyme immobilized by cross-linking exhibited broader pH operation range of high catalytic activity as well as higher running stability compared to free and adsorbed enzyme. Using ABTS as substrate, the optimum pH value was 3.5 for the adsorption-immobilized laccase and 4.0 for the crosslinking-immobilized laccase. The immobilized enzyme retained 69% of the original activity after being recycled 7 times. Novel applications of the BC-immobilized enzyme tentatively include active packaging, construction of biosensors, and establishment of bioreactors
Role of memory T cells and perspectives for intervention in organ transplantation
No full textMemory T cells are necessary for protective immunity against invading pathogens, especially under conditions of immunosuppression. However, their presence also threatens transplant survival, making transplantation a great challenge. Significant progress has been achieved in recent years in advancing our understanding of the role that memory T cells play in transplantation. This review focuses on the latest advances in our understanding of the involvement of memory T cells in graft rejection and transplant tolerance and discusses potential strategies for targeting memory T cells in order to minimize allograft rejection and optimize clinical outcomes
How many neural oscillators we need on sub- and supra-second intervals processing in the primate brain: comments on Gupta (2014)-Frontiers in psychology: Perception Science
No full textPsychology, MultidisciplinaryPubMedSSCI0EDITORIAL [email protected]
Using in situ dynamic cultures to rapidly biofabricate fabric-reinforced composites of chitosan/bacterial nanocellulose for antibacterial wound dressings
No full textBacterial nano-cellulose (BNC) is considered to possess incredible potential in biomedical applications due to its innate unrivalled nano-fibrillar structure and versatile properties. However its use is largely restricted by inefficient production and by insufficient strength when it is in a highly swollen state. In this study, a fabric skeleton reinforced chitosan (CS)/BNC hydrogel with high mechanical reliability and antibacterial activity was fabricated by using an efficient dynamic culture that could reserve the nano-fibrillar structure. By adding CS in culture media to 0.25-0.75% (w/v) during bacterial cultivation, the CS/BNC composite hydrogel was biosynthesized in situ on a rotating drum composed of fabrics. With the proposed method, BNC biosynthesis became less sensitive to the adverse antibacterial effects of CS and the production time of the composite hydrogel with desirable thickness could be halved from 10 days to 5 days as compared to the conventional static cultures. Although its concentration was low in the medium, CS accounted for more than 38% of the CS/BNC dry weight. FE-SEM observation confirmed conservation of the nano-fibrillar networks and covering of CS on BNC. ATR-FTIR showed a decrease in the degree of intra-molecular hydrogen bonding and water absorption capacity was improved after compositing with CS. The fabric-reinforced CS/BNC composite exhibited bacteriostatic properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and significantly improved mechanical properties as compared to the BNC sheets from static culture. In summary, the fabric-reinforced CS/BNC composite constitutes a desired candidate for advanced wound dressings. From another perspective, coating of BNC or CS/BNC could upgrade the conventional wound dressings made of cotton gauze to reduce pain during wound healing, especially for burn patients
Blockage of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 inhibits brain edema in middle cerebral artery occlusion mice
No full textBrain edema is an important pathological process during stroke. Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) causes an up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in lung tissue. MMP can digest the endothelial basal lamina to destroy blood brain barrier, leading to vasogenic brain edema. Herein, we tested whether TRPV4-blockage could inhibit brain edema through inhibiting MMPs in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice. We found that the brain water content and Evans blue extravasation at 48 h post-MCAO were reduced by a TRPV4 antagonist HC-067047. The increased MMP-2/9 protein in hippocampus of MCAO mice was attenuated by HC-067046, but only the increased MMP-9 activity was blocked by HC-067047. The loss of zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) and occludin protein in MCAO mice was also attenuated by HC-067047. Moreover, MMP-2/9 protein increased in mice treated with a TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A, but only MMP-9 activity was increased by GSK1016790A. Finally, ZO-1 and occludin protein was decreased by GSK1016790A, which was reversed by an MMP-9 inhibitor. We conclude that blockage of TRPV4 may inhibit brain edema in cerebral ischemia through inhibiting MMP-9 activation and the loss of tight junction protein
Corrigendum: Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 increases NMDA-activated current in hippocampal pyramidal neurons
No full textActivation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 increases NMDA-activated current in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons
No full textThe glutamate excitotoxicity, mediated through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), plays an important role in cerebral ischemia injury. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) can be activated by multiple stimuli that may happen during stroke. The present study evaluated the effect of TRPV4 activation on NMDA-activated current (INMDA) and that of blocking TRPV4 on brain injury after focal cerebral ischemia in mice. We herein report that activation of TRPV4 by 4α-PDD and hypotonic stimulation increased INMDA in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, which was sensitive to TRPV4 antagonist HC-067047 and NMDAR antagonist AP-5, indicating that TRPV4 activation potentiates NMDAR response. In addition, the increase in INMDA by hypotonicity was sensitive to the antagonist of NMDAR NR2B subunit, but not of NR2A subunit. Furthermore, antagonists of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) significantly attenuated hypotonicity-induced increase in INMDA, while antagonists of protein kinase C or casein kinase II had no such effect, indicating that phosphorylation of NR2B subunit by CaMKII is responsible for TRPV4-potentiated NMDAR response. Finally, we found that intracerebroventricular injection of HC-067047 after 60-min middle cerebral artery occlusion reduced the cerebral infarction with at least a 12-h efficacious time-window. These findings indicate that activation of TRPV4 increases NMDAR function, which may facilitate glutamate excitotoxicity. Closing TRPV4 may exert potent neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia injury through many mechanisms at least including the prevention of NMDAR-mediated glutamate excitotoxity
Sugarcane bagasse pyrolysis in a carbon dioxide atmosphere with conventional and microwave-assisted heating
No full textPyrolysis is an important thermochemical method to convert biomass into bio-oil. In this study, the pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse in a CO2 atmosphere under conventional and microwave-assisted heating is investigated to achieve CO2 utilization. In the microwave pyrolysis, charcoal is used as the microwave absorber to aid in pyrolysis reactions. The results indicate that the yields of pyrolysis products are greatly influenced by the heating modes. In the conventional heating, the prime product is bio-oil and its yield is in the range of 51-54 wt%, whereas biochar is the major product in microwave-assisted heating and its yield ranges from 61 to 84 wt%. Two different absorber blending ratios of 0.1 and 0.3 are considered in the microwave pyrolysis. The solid yield decreases when the absorber blending ratio decreases from 0.3 to 0.1, while the gas and liquid yields increase. This is attributed to more energy consumed for bagasse pyrolysis at the lower blending ratio. Hydrogen is produced under the microwave pyrolysis and its concentration is between 2 and 12 vol%. This arises from the fact that the secondary cracking of vapors and the secondary decomposition of biochar in an environment with microwave irradiation is easier than those with conventional heating
Effects of Landfall Location and Approach Angle of an Idealized Tropical Cyclone over a Long Mountain Range
No full textEffects of landfall location and approach angle on track deflection associated with a tropical cyclone (TC) passing over an idealized and Central Appalachian Mountain is investigated by a series of idealized numerical experiments. When the TC landfalls on the central portion of the mountain range, it is deflected to the south upstream, passes over the mountain anticyclonically, and then moves westward downstream. The TC motion is steered by the positive vorticity tendency (VT) which is dominated by horizontal vorticity advection upstream and downstream, but with additional influence from the stretching and residual terms, which are mainly associated with diabatic heating and frictional effects. The track deflection mechanism upstream and downstream is similar to the dry flow in previous study, but is very different in the vicinity of the mountain. When the TC landfalls near the northern (southern) tip, it experiences less (more) southward deflection due to stronger (weaker) vorticity advection around the tip. When the TC approaches the mountain range from the southeast and landfalls on the northern tip, center, or southern tip, the track deflections are similar to those embedded in an easterly flow but with weaker orographic blocking. These results are similar to the cases simulated in the dry flow in previous study, except that there is no track discontinuity due to the weaker orographic blocking associated with strong TC convection. When a TC moves along the north-south mountain range from the south, it tends to deflect toward the mountain and then crosses over to the other side at later time. In these cases, the positive VT is influenced by all horizontal vorticity advection, vorticity stretching (diabatic heating) and residual (friction) terms due to longer and stronger interaction with the mountain range. The vorticity stretching is mainly caused by diabatic heating in the moist flow, instead of by lee slope vorticity stretching in the previous study for dry flow
Aeromonas dhakensis, an increasingly recognized human pathogen
No full textAeromonas dhakensis was first isolated from children with diarrhea in Dhaka, Bangladesh and described in 2002. In the past decade, increasing evidence indicate this species is widely distributed in the environment and can cause a variety of infections both in human and animals, especially in coastal areas. A. dhakensis is often misidentified as A. hydrophila, A. veronii or A. caviae by commercial phenotypic tests in the clinical laboratory. Correct identification relies on molecular methods. Increasingly used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) may be able to identify Aeromonas specie rapidly and accurately. A. dhakensis has shown its potent virulence in different animal models and clinical infections. Although several virulence factors had been reported, no single mechanism is conclusive. Characteristically A. dhakensis is the principal species causing soft tissue infection and bacteremia, especially among patients with liver cirrhosis or malignancy. Of note, A. dhakensis bacteremia is more lethal than bacteremia due to other Aeromonas species. The role of this species in gastroenteritis remains controversial. Third generation cephalosporins and carbapenems should be used cautiously in the treatment of severe A. dhakensis infection due to the presence of AmpC β-lactamase and metallo-β-lactamase genes, and optimal regimens may be cefepime or fluoroquinolones. Studies of bacterial virulence factors and associated host responses may provide the chance to understand the heterogeneous virulence between species. The hypothesis A. dhakensis with varied geographic prevalence and enhanced virulence that compared to other Aeromonas species warrants more investigations
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