A carnivore embryo's perspective on essential amino acids and ammonium in culture medium: effects on the development of feline embryos.

PubMed

Herrick, Jason R; Lyons, Sarah M; Greene-Ermisch, Alison F; Broeckling, Corey D; Schoolcraft, William B; Krisher, Rebecca L

2018-05-18

Carnivores are an interesting model for studies of embryonic amino acid metabolism and ammonium (NH4+) toxicity given the high protein content of their diets. Our objectives were to examine concentration- and stage-specific effects of essential amino acids (EAA; 0x, 0.125x, 0.25x, 0.5x, or 1.0x the concentrations in Minimum Essential Medium) and NH4+ (0, 300, or 600 μM) on the development and metabolism of feline embryos. The presence of EAA, regardless of concentration, during days 3 to 7 of culture increased (P < 0.01) the proportion of embryos that initiated hatching (>14.3%) and the total number of cells per blastocyst (>148.3 cells) compared to embryos cultured without EAA (0.0% and 113.2 ± 3.7 cells, respectively). The presence of EAA during days 1 to 3 (0.25x) and 3 to 7 (1.0x) of culture increased (P < 0.01) the proportions of embryos that formed blastocysts (82.9 ± 4.2%) and initiated hatching (32.9 ± 5.2%), and the number of cells per blastocyst (247.9 ± 12.1 cells), compared to control embryos (60.0 ± 5.3%, 0.0%, 123.2 ± 8.1 cells, respectively). The presence of NH4+ in the medium did not affect (P > 0.05) development of feline embryos. The addition of EAA or NH4+ during culture did not affect (P > 0.05) the production of Gln by feline embryos, but decreased (P < 0.05) production of Ala and increased (P < 0.05) production of urea. Additional work is needed to determine if our observations are unique to feline embryos or reflect an adaptation to a high protein diet that is conserved in other carnivores.

Effect of particle size distribution on permeability in the randomly packed porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markicevic, Bojan

2017-11-01

An answer of how porous medium heterogeneity influences the medium permeability is still inconclusive, where both increase and decrease in the permeability value are reported. A numerical procedure is used to generate a randomly packed porous material consisting of spherical particles. Six different particle size distributions are used including mono-, bi- and three-disperse particles, as well as uniform, normal and log-normal particle size distribution with the maximum to minimum particle size ratio ranging from three to eight for different distributions. In all six cases, the average particle size is kept the same. For all media generated, the stochastic homogeneity is checked from distribution of three coordinates of particle centers, where uniform distribution of x-, y- and z- positions is found. The medium surface area remains essentially constant except for bi-modal distribution in which medium area decreases, while no changes in the porosity are observed (around 0.36). The fluid flow is solved in such domain, and after checking for the pressure axial linearity, the permeability is calculated from the Darcy law. The permeability comparison reveals that the permeability of the mono-disperse medium is smallest, and the permeability of all poly-disperse samples is less than ten percent higher. For bi-modal particles, the permeability is for a quarter higher compared to the other media which can be explained by volumetric contribution of larger particles and larger passages for fluid flow to take place.

Minimum essential coverage and other rules regarding the shared responsibility payment for individuals. Final regulations.

PubMed

2014-11-26

This document contains final regulations relating to the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, as amended by the TRICARE Affirmation Act and Public Law 111-173 (collectively, the Affordable Care Act). These final regulations provide individual taxpayers with guidance under section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code on the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage and rules governing certain types of exemptions from that requirement.

Increasing efficiency of human mesenchymal stromal cell culture by optimization of microcarrier concentration and design of medium feed.

PubMed

Chen, Allen Kuan-Liang; Chew, Yi Kong; Tan, Hong Yu; Reuveny, Shaul; Weng Oh, Steve Kah

2015-02-01

Large amounts of human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are needed for clinical cellular therapy. In a previous publication, we described a microcarrier-based process for expansion of MSCs. The present study optimized this process by selecting suitable basal media, microcarrier concentration and feeding regime to achieve higher cell yields and more efficient medium utilization. MSCs were expanded in stirred cultures on Cytodex 3 microcarriers with media containing 10% fetal bovine serum. Process optimization was carried out in spinner flasks. A 2-L bioreactor with an automated feeding system was used to validate the optimized parameters explored in spinner flask cultures. Minimum essential medium-α-based medium supported faster MSC growth on microcarriers than did Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (doubling time, 31.6 ± 1.4 vs 42 ± 1.7 h) and shortened the process time. At microcarrier concentration of 8 mg/mL, a high cell concentration of 1.08 × 10(6) cells/mL with confluent cell concentration of 4.7 × 10(4)cells/cm(2) was achieved. Instead of 50% medium exchange every 2 days, we have designed a full medium feed that is based on glucose consumption rate. The optimal medium feed that consisted of 1.5 g/L glucose supported MSC growth to full confluency while achieving the low medium usage efficiency of 3.29 mL/10(6)cells. Finally, a controlled bioreactor with the optimized parameters achieved maximal confluent cell concentration with 16-fold expansion and a further improved medium usage efficiency of 1.68 mL/10(6)cells. We have optimized the microcarrier-based platform for expansion of MSCs that generated high cell yields in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. This study highlighted the critical parameters in the optimization of MSC production process. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Essential components for ex vivo proliferation of mesenchymal stromal cells.

PubMed

Fekete, Natalie; Rojewski, Markus Thomas; Lotfi, Ramin; Schrezenmeier, Hubert

2014-02-01

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are highly interesting candidates for clinical applications in regenerative medicine. Due to their low occurrence in human tissues, extensive in vitro expansion is necessary to obtain sufficient cell numbers applicable as a clinical dose in the context of cellular therapy. Current cell culture media formulations for the isolation and expansion of MSCs include fetal calf serum (FCS), human AB serum (ABS), or human platelet lysate (PL) as a supplement. However, these established supplements are inherently ill-defined formulations that contain a variety of bioactive molecules in varying batch-to-batch compositions and the risk of transmitting pathogens that escape routine screening procedures. In this study, we have comparatively characterized the capacity of commonly used basal media, such as the Minimum Essential Medium alpha (αMEM), Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM), Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium (IMDM), and RPMI 1640 as well as human- and animal-derived supplements, that is, PL, ABS, and FCS to stimulate cell proliferation. MSC proliferation was observed to be optimal in the PL-supplemented αMEM. Using a combinatorial approach, we then assessed a library of soluble factors, including mitogens (TGF-β1, Activin A, bFGF, EGF, IGF-I, PDGF-BB, and VEGF), chemokines (CCL21, CCL25, CXCL12, and RANTES), proteins (human serum albumin), lipids (e.g., oleic acid, linoleic acid, and arachidonic acid), and hormones (dexamethasone, insulin, and TSH), to create a defined medium as well as coating of cell culture surfaces to promote robust MSC proliferation in vitro. A combination of recombinant human factors partially met the nutritional requirements of bone marrow-derived MSCs, and was able to promote cell proliferation comparable to about 5% PL if supplemented with auxiliary 0.6%-1.2% PL. Maximal MSC proliferation was achieved by combining 5% PL with a cocktail of recombinant factors and did not depend on coating of cell culture surfaces.

Establishment of a rat hepatoma-derived cell line proliferating in D-phenylalanine medium and expressing D-amino-acid oxidase.

PubMed

Yoda, N; Konno, R; Nagashima, S

2001-01-01

A cell line (R-Y121B.DF) has been established from a cell line (R-Y121B) derived from a rat hepatoma line (H4-II-E). The R-Y121B.DF cells have been continuously cultured in a serum-free modified Eagle's minimum essential medium in which L-phenylalanine was replaced by D-phenylalanine. They had D-amino-acid oxidase (DAO) activity which is essential for the growth in the medium containing D-amino acids. The enzyme activity of the R-Y121B.DF cells was approximately one-fourth of that of the rat liver. Northern hybridization using a DAO cDNA probe detected a hybridizing signal in the R-Y121B.DF cells and the rat liver but not in the parental R-Y121B and H4-II-E cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using DAO-specific primers amplified a DNA fragment of the expected size in the R-Y121B.DF cells but not in the R-Y121B and H4-II-E cells. This fragment was confirmed to be DAO cDNA by nucleotide sequencing. Western blotting showed that DAO protein was present in the R-Y121B.DF cells and the rat liver but not in the R-Y121B and H4-II-E cells. Southern hybridization showed that the DAO gene structure was not different among the R-Y121B.DF cells, R-Y121B cells, H4-II-E cells, and the rat liver. These results indicate that the R-Y121B.DF is a unique cell line which proliferates in the medium containing D-phenylalanine and explicitly expresses DAO. This line is useful for the study of DAO in vitro.

7 CFR 1437.307 - Mushrooms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... growing medium must consist of a substrate (a habitat and nutrient base) sterilized by heat treatment. (d... at a minimum: (1) Adequate hygiene; (2) Overall cleanliness; (3) Isolation or minimum contact...

7 CFR 1437.307 - Mushrooms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... growing medium must consist of a substrate (a habitat and nutrient base) sterilized by heat treatment. (d... at a minimum: (1) Adequate hygiene; (2) Overall cleanliness; (3) Isolation or minimum contact...

Optimal Trajectories For Orbital Transfers Using Low And Medium Thrust Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cobb, Shannon S.

1992-01-01

For many problems it is reasonable to expect that the minimum time solution is also the minimum fuel solution. However, if one allows the propulsion system to be turned off and back on, it is clear that these two solutions may differ. In general, high thrust transfers resemble the well-known impulsive transfers where the burn arcs are of very short duration. The low and medium thrust transfers differ in that their thrust acceleration levels yield longer burn arcs which will require more revolutions, thus making the low thrust transfer computational intensive. Here, we consider optimal low and medium thrust orbital transfers.

Shared responsibility payment for not maintaining minimum essential coverage. Final regulations.

PubMed

2013-08-30

This document contains final regulations on the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, as amended by the TRICARE Affirmation Act and Public Law 111-173. These final regulations provide guidance to individual taxpayers on the liability under section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code for the shared responsibility payment for not maintaining minimum essential coverage and largely finalize the rules in the notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register on February 1, 2013.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils obtained from plants grown in Colombia on yellow fever virus replication in vitro.

PubMed

Meneses, Rocío; Ocazionez, Raquel E; Martínez, Jairo R; Stashenko, Elena E

2009-03-06

An antiviral drug is needed for the treatment of patients suffering from yellow fever. Several compounds present in plants can inactive in vitro a wide spectrum of animal viruses. In the present study the inhibitory effect of essential oils of Lippia alba, Lippia origanoides, Oreganum vulgare and Artemisia vulgaris on yellow fever virus (YFV) replication was investigated. The cytotoxicity (CC(50)) on Vero cells was evaluated by the MTT reduction method. The minimum concentration of the essential oil that inhibited virus titer by more than 50% (MIC) was determined by virus yield reduction assay. YFV was incubated 24 h at 4 degrees C with essential oil before adsorption on Vero cell, and viral replication was carried out in the absence or presence of essential oil. Vero cells were exposed to essential oil 24 h at 37 degrees C before the adsorption of untreated-virus. The CC(50) values were less than 100 microg/mL and the MIC values were 3.7 and 11.1 microg/mL. The CC(50)/MIC ratio was of 22.9, 26.4, 26.5 and 8.8 for L. alba, L origanoides, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris, respectively. The presence of essential oil in the culture medium enhances the antiviral effect: L. origanoides oil at 11.1 microg/mL produced a 100% reduction of virus yield, and the same result was observed with L. alba, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris oils at 100 microg/mL. No reduction of virus yield was observed when Vero cells were treated with essential oil before the adsorption of untreated-virus. The essential oils evaluated in the study showed antiviral activities against YFV. The mode of action seems to be direct virus inactivation.

Cinemicrographic study of the cell movement in the primitive-streak-stage mouse embryo.

PubMed

Nakatsuji, N; Snow, M H; Wylie, C C

1986-07-01

Migration of the mesoderm cells in the primitive-streak-stage mouse embryo was directly studied by cinemicrography using whole embryo culture and Nomarski differential interference contrast optics. Relative transparency and small size of the early mouse embryos enabled direct observation of the individual cells and their cell processes. Seven-day-old mouse embryos were isolated and cultured in a small chamber in a medium consisting of 50% rat serum and 50% Dulbecco's modified minimum essential medium. The mesoderm cells move away from the primitive streak in both anterior and antimesometrial (distal) directions at a mean velocity of 46 micron h-1. They extend cell processes and constantly change cell shape. They do not translocate extensively as isolated single cells, but usually maintain attachment to other mesoderm cells. They show frequent cell division preceded by rounding up of the cell bodies, and accompanied by vigorous blebbing before and after cytokinesis. This study shows that it is possible to examine the motility of embryonic cells inside the mammalian embryo by direct observation if the embryo is small and transparent enough for the use of the Nomarski optics.

Development of ovine embryos in synthetic oviductal fluid containing amino acids at oviductal fluid concentrations.

PubMed

Walker, S K; Hill, J L; Kleemann, D O; Nancarrow, C D

1996-09-01

The effects of supplementing synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) with amino acids, at oviductal fluid concentrations, on the development of ovine in vitro-matured/in vitro-fertilized embryos was examined in three experiments. In the first, embryo development in SOF, SOF + 2% human serum (HS), SOF + 20% HS, and SOF + BSA, with and without amino acid supplementation, was examined. Development of zygotes to the blastocyst and hatching blastocyst stages was highest in medium containing 20% HS (64.8% and 54.4%, respectively) irrespective of amino acid supplementation. However, supplementation was significantly beneficial in all other media, with up to 42.1% of zygotes developing into hatching blastocysts. In these media, supplementation also significantly increased the mean number of nuclei per newly formed blastocyst (up to a mean of 70.8) and reduced the time during which blastocysts formed. Experiment 2 was an examination of the effect on embryo development of three amino acid preparations (oviduct amino acid concentrations vs. Eagle's Basal Medium (BME) essential + Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) nonessential vs. MEM essential + MEM nonessential concentrations) and the presence or absence of BSA. Both the amino acid and BSA treatments significantly influenced the percentage of zygotes that developed to the hatching blastocyst stage but not to the blastocyst stage. The preferred medium contained amino acids at oviductal fluid concentrations and BSA (54.5% hatching rate). The amino acid treatments did not significantly influence the mean number of nuclei per newly formed blastocyst, but the addition of BSA had a significant effect (70.7 +/- 1.14 vs. 75.7 +/- 1.13). In experiment 3, embryo development to Day 13 was examined after culture in SOF containing amino acids at oviductal fluid concentrations. Embryos were cultured in the presence of either BSA, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), or no additional supplement and were transferred to recipient ewes on either Day 0 (after in vitro fertilization), 3, or 5. The addition of BSA or PVA had no significant effect, but significantly more embryos developed to Day 13 following transfer on Day 0 (60.0%) than on either Day 3 or 5 (overall 45.4%). It is concluded that SOF containing oviductal fluid concentrations of amino acids 1) facilitates the development of a high percentage (57.5%) of blastocysts, 2) improves embryo morphology compared with that observed in medium containing HS, 3) significantly improves hatching rates compared with those obtained in SOF containing commercially available preparations of amino acids, and 4) produces embryos with relatively high levels of viability to Day 13 of pregnancy.

Excellence through Minimum Essentials and Individual Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, William M.

1986-01-01

The author states that throughout the past century or more, especially during the twentieth century, the continuing conflict between proponents of the minimum essentials approach to curriculum excellence and those of the individual development approach has been an obstacle to the achievement of excellence. (CT)

30 CFR 77.805 - Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum... connection boxes; minimum design requirements. (a)(1) Couplers that are used in medium- or high-voltage power... materials other than metal. (2) Cable couplers shall be adequate for the intended current and voltage. (3...

30 CFR 77.805 - Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum... connection boxes; minimum design requirements. (a)(1) Couplers that are used in medium- or high-voltage power... materials other than metal. (2) Cable couplers shall be adequate for the intended current and voltage. (3...

30 CFR 77.805 - Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum... WORK AREAS OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.805 Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements. (a)(1) Couplers that are used in medium- or high-voltage power...

30 CFR 77.805 - Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum... WORK AREAS OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.805 Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements. (a)(1) Couplers that are used in medium- or high-voltage power...

30 CFR 77.805 - Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum... WORK AREAS OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.805 Cable couplers and connection boxes; minimum design requirements. (a)(1) Couplers that are used in medium- or high-voltage power...

What could a strengthened right to health bring to the post-2015 health development agenda?: interrogating the role of the minimum core concept in advancing essential global health needs.

PubMed

Forman, Lisa; Ooms, Gorik; Chapman, Audrey; Friedman, Eric; Waris, Attiya; Lamprea, Everaldo; Mulumba, Moses

2013-12-01

Global health institutions increasingly recognize that the right to health should guide the formulation of replacement goals for the Millennium Development Goals, which expire in 2015. However, the right to health's contribution is undercut by the principle of progressive realization, which links provision of health services to available resources, permitting states to deny even basic levels of health coverage domestically and allowing international assistance for health to remain entirely discretionary. To prevent progressive realization from undermining both domestic and international responsibilities towards health, international human rights law institutions developed the idea of non-derogable "minimum core" obligations to provide essential health services. While minimum core obligations have enjoyed some uptake in human rights practice and scholarship, their definition in international law fails to specify which health services should fall within their scope, or to specify wealthy country obligations to assist poorer countries. These definitional gaps undercut the capacity of minimum core obligations to protect essential health needs against inaction, austerity and illegitimate trade-offs in both domestic and global action. If the right to health is to effectively advance essential global health needs in these contexts, weaknesses within the minimum core concept must be resolved through innovative research on social, political and legal conceptualizations of essential health needs. We believe that if the minimum core concept is strengthened in these ways, it will produce a more feasible and grounded conception of legally prioritized health needs that could assist in advancing health equity, including by providing a framework rooted in legal obligations to guide the formulation of new health development goals, providing a baseline of essential health services to be protected as a matter of right against governmental claims of scarcity and inadequate international assistance, and empowering civil society to claim fulfillment of their essential health needs from domestic and global decision-makers.

What could a strengthened right to health bring to the post-2015 health development agenda?: interrogating the role of the minimum core concept in advancing essential global health needs

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Global health institutions increasingly recognize that the right to health should guide the formulation of replacement goals for the Millennium Development Goals, which expire in 2015. However, the right to health’s contribution is undercut by the principle of progressive realization, which links provision of health services to available resources, permitting states to deny even basic levels of health coverage domestically and allowing international assistance for health to remain entirely discretionary. Discussion To prevent progressive realization from undermining both domestic and international responsibilities towards health, international human rights law institutions developed the idea of non-derogable “minimum core” obligations to provide essential health services. While minimum core obligations have enjoyed some uptake in human rights practice and scholarship, their definition in international law fails to specify which health services should fall within their scope, or to specify wealthy country obligations to assist poorer countries. These definitional gaps undercut the capacity of minimum core obligations to protect essential health needs against inaction, austerity and illegitimate trade-offs in both domestic and global action. If the right to health is to effectively advance essential global health needs in these contexts, weaknesses within the minimum core concept must be resolved through innovative research on social, political and legal conceptualizations of essential health needs. Summary We believe that if the minimum core concept is strengthened in these ways, it will produce a more feasible and grounded conception of legally prioritized health needs that could assist in advancing health equity, including by providing a framework rooted in legal obligations to guide the formulation of new health development goals, providing a baseline of essential health services to be protected as a matter of right against governmental claims of scarcity and inadequate international assistance, and empowering civil society to claim fulfillment of their essential health needs from domestic and global decision-makers. PMID:24289096

The biologic role of ganglioside in neuronal differentiation--effects of GM1 ganglioside on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

PubMed Central

Lee, M. C.; Lee, W. S.; Park, C. S.; Juhng, S. W.

1994-01-01

Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell is a cloned cell line which has many attractive features for the study of neuronal proliferation and neurite outgrowth, because it has receptors for insulin, IGF-I and PDGF. Gangliosides are sialic acid containing glycosphingolipids which form an integral part of the plasma membrane of many mammalian cells. They inhibit cell growth mediated by tyrosine kinase receptors and ligand-stimulated tyrosine kinase activity, and autophosphorylation of EGF(epidermal growth factor) and PDGF receptors. The experiment was designed to study the effects of GM1 ganglioside on growth of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells stimulated with trophic factor in vitro. The cells were plated in Eagle's minimum essential medium without serum. The number and morphologic change of SH-SY5Y cells were evaluated in the serum free medium added GM1 ganglioside with insulin or PDGF. SH-SY5Y cells were maintained for six days in serum-free medium, and then cultured for over two weeks in serum-free medium containing either insulin or PDGF. The effect of insulin on cell proliferation developed earlier and was more potent than that of PDGF. These proliferative effects were inhibited by GM1 ganglioside, and the cells showed prominent neurites outgrowth. These findings suggest that GM1 ganglioside inhibits the cell proliferation mediated by tyrosine kinase receptors and directly induces neuritogenesis as one of the neurotrophic factors. PMID:7986393

Minimum Essential Requirements and Standards in Medical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wojtczak, Andrzej; Schwarz, M. Roy

2000-01-01

Reviews the definition of standards in general, and proposes a definition of standards and global minimum essential requirements for use in medical education. Aims to serve as a tool for the improvement of quality and international comparisons of basic medical programs. Explains the IIME (Institute for International Medical Education) project…

Extent and quality of systematic review evidence related to minimum intervention in dentistry: essential oils, powered toothbrushes, triclosan, xylitol.

PubMed

Mickenautsch, Steffen; Yengopal, Veerasamy

2011-08-01

To investigate extent and quality of current systematic review evidence regarding: powered toothbrushes, triclosan toothpaste, essential oil mouthwashes, xylitol chewing gum. Five databases were searched for systematic reviews until 13 November 2010. relevant to topic, systematic review according to title and/or abstract, published in English. Article exclusion criteria were based on QUOROM recommendations for the reporting of systematic review methods. Systematic review quality was judged using the AMSTAR tool. All trials included by reviews were assessed for selection bias. 119 articles were found, of which 11 systematic reviews were included. Of these, six were excluded and five accepted: one for triclosan toothpaste; one for xylitol chewing gum; two for powered toothbrushes; one for essential oil mouthwashes. AMSTAR scores: triclosan toothpaste 7; powered toothbrushes 9 and 11; xylitol chewing gum 9; essential oil mouthwashes 8. In total, 75 (out of 76) reviewed trials were identified. In-depth assessment showed a high risk of selection bias for all trials. The extent of available systematic review evidence is low. Although the few identified systematic reviews could be rated as of medium and high quality, the validity of their conclusions needs to be treated with caution, owing to high risk of selection bias in the reviewed trials. High quality randomised control trials are needed in order to provide convincing evidence regarding true clinical efficacy. © 2011 FDI World Dental Federation.

Control of Clostridium perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis in broilers by target-released butyric acid, fatty acids and essential oils.

PubMed

Timbermont, L; Lanckriet, A; Dewulf, J; Nollet, N; Schwarzer, K; Haesebrouck, F; Ducatelle, R; Van Immerseel, F

2010-04-01

The efficacy of target-released butyric acid, medium-chain fatty acids (C(6) to C(12) but mainly lauric acid) and essential oils (thymol, cinnamaldehyde, essential oil of eucalyptus) micro-encapsulated in a poly-sugar matrix to control necrotic enteritis was investigated. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of the different additives were determined in vitro, showing that lauric acid, thymol, and cinnamaldehyde are very effective in inhibiting the growth of Clostridium perfringens. The in vivo effects were studied in two trials in an experimental necrotic enteritis model in broiler chickens. In the first trial, four groups of chickens were fed a diet supplemented with butyric acid, with essential oils, with butyric acid in combination with medium-chain fatty acids, or with butyric acid in combination with medium-chain fatty acids and essential oils. In all groups except for the group receiving only butyric acid, a significant decrease in the number of birds with necrotic lesions was found compared with the infected, untreated control group. In the second trial the same products were tested but at a higher concentration. An additional group was fed a diet supplemented with only medium-chain fatty acids. In all groups except for that receiving butyric acid in combination with medium-chain fatty acids and essential oils, a significant decrease in the number of birds with necrotic lesions was found compared with the infected, untreated control group. These results suggest that butyric acid, medium-chain fatty acids and/or essential oils may contribute to the prevention of necrotic enteritis in broilers.

Antimicrobial action and anti-corrosion effect against sulfate reducing bacteria by lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil and its major component, the citral

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The anti-corrosion effect and the antimicrobial activity of lemongrass essential oil (LEO) against the planktonic and sessile growth of a sulfate reducing bacterium (SRB) were evaluated. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of LEO and its major component, the citral, was 0.17 mg ml-1. In addition, both LEO and citral showed an immediate killing effect against SRB in liquid medium, suggesting that citral is responsible for the antimicrobial activity of LEO against SRB. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the MIC of LEO caused discernible cell membrane alterations and formed electron-dense inclusions. Neither biofilm formation nor corrosion was observed on carbon steel coupons after LEO treatment. LEO was effective for the control of the planktonic and sessile SRB growth and for the protection of carbon steel coupons against biocorrosion. The application of LEO as a potential biocide for SRB growth control in petroleum reservoirs and, consequently, for souring prevention, and/or as a coating protection against biocorrosion is of great interest for the petroleum industries. PMID:23938023

Antimicrobial action and anti-corrosion effect against sulfate reducing bacteria by lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil and its major component, the citral.

PubMed

Korenblum, Elisa; Regina de Vasconcelos Goulart, Fátima; de Almeida Rodrigues, Igor; Abreu, Fernanda; Lins, Ulysses; Alves, Péricles Barreto; Blank, Arie Fitzgerald; Valoni, Erika; Sebastián, Gina V; Alviano, Daniela Sales; Alviano, Celuta Sales; Seldin, Lucy

2013-08-10

The anti-corrosion effect and the antimicrobial activity of lemongrass essential oil (LEO) against the planktonic and sessile growth of a sulfate reducing bacterium (SRB) were evaluated. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of LEO and its major component, the citral, was 0.17 mg ml-1. In addition, both LEO and citral showed an immediate killing effect against SRB in liquid medium, suggesting that citral is responsible for the antimicrobial activity of LEO against SRB. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the MIC of LEO caused discernible cell membrane alterations and formed electron-dense inclusions. Neither biofilm formation nor corrosion was observed on carbon steel coupons after LEO treatment. LEO was effective for the control of the planktonic and sessile SRB growth and for the protection of carbon steel coupons against biocorrosion. The application of LEO as a potential biocide for SRB growth control in petroleum reservoirs and, consequently, for souring prevention, and/or as a coating protection against biocorrosion is of great interest for the petroleum industries.

78 FR 39493 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Exchange Functions: Eligibility for Exemptions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-01

...This final rule implements certain functions of the Affordable Insurance Exchanges (``Exchanges''). These specific statutory functions include determining eligibility for and granting certificates of exemption from the individual shared responsibility payment described in section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code. Additionally, this final rule implements the responsibilities of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, to designate other health benefits coverage as minimum essential coverage by providing that certain coverage be designated as minimum essential coverage. It also outlines substantive and procedural requirements that other types of individual coverage must fulfill in order to be certified as minimum essential coverage.

78 FR 19155 - Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service 26 CFR Part 1 [REG-148500-12] RIN 1545-BL36 Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage Correction In proposed rule document 2013-2141 appearing on pages 7314-7331 in the issue of Monday, February 1, 2013, make the...

Optimizing conceptual aircraft designs for minimum life cycle cost

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Vicki S.

1989-01-01

A life cycle cost (LCC) module has been added to the FLight Optimization System (FLOPS), allowing the additional optimization variables of life cycle cost, direct operating cost, and acquisition cost. Extensive use of the methodology on short-, medium-, and medium-to-long range aircraft has demonstrated that the system works well. Results from the study show that optimization parameter has a definite effect on the aircraft, and that optimizing an aircraft for minimum LCC results in a different airplane than when optimizing for minimum take-off gross weight (TOGW), fuel burned, direct operation cost (DOC), or acquisition cost. Additionally, the economic assumptions can have a strong impact on the configurations optimized for minimum LCC or DOC. Also, results show that advanced technology can be worthwhile, even if it results in higher manufacturing and operating costs. Examining the number of engines a configuration should have demonstrated a real payoff of including life cycle cost in the conceptual design process: the minimum TOGW of fuel aircraft did not always have the lowest life cycle cost when considering the number of engines.

LATIN FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS (A GUIDE TO MINIMUM ESSENTIALS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LEAMON, M. PHILLIP; AND OTHERS

A SET OF MINIMUM ESSENTIALS FOR EACH LEVEL OF A 4-YEAR SEQUENCE OF LATIN IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IS PRESENTED IN THIS CURRICULUM GUIDE. FOLLOWING STATEMENTS OF THE OBJECTIVES OF LATIN STUDY--READING THE LATIN OF THE GREAT ROMAN AUTHORS, ATTAINING A LINGUISTIC PROFICIENCY, AND ACQUIRING A WIDER HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL AWARENESS--THE GUIDE OUTLINES FOR…

Comparison of clinical grade human platelet lysates for cultivation of mesenchymal stromal cells from bone marrow and adipose tissue.

PubMed

Juhl, Morten; Tratwal, Josefine; Follin, Bjarke; Søndergaard, Rebekka H; Kirchhoff, Maria; Ekblond, Annette; Kastrup, Jens; Haack-Sørensen, Mandana

2016-01-01

The utility of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in therapeutic applications for regenerative medicine has gained much attention. Clinical translation of MSC-based approaches requires in vitro culture-expansion to achieve a sufficient number of cells. The ideal cell culture medium should be devoid of any animal derived components. We have evaluated whether human Platelet Lysate (hPL) could be an attractive alternative to animal supplements. MSCs from bone marrow (BMSCs) and adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASCs) obtained from three donors were culture expanded in three different commercially available hPL fulfilling good manufacturing practice criteria for clinical use. BMSCs and ASCs cultured in Minimum Essential Medium Eagle-alpha supplemented with 5% PLT-Max (Mill Creek), Stemulate™ PL-S and Stemulate™ PL-SP (COOK General Biotechnology) were compared to standard culture conditions with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Cell morphology, proliferation, phenotype, genomic stability, and differentiation potential were analyzed. Regardless of manufacturer, BMSCs and ASCs cultured in hPL media showed a significant increase in proliferation capacity compared to FBS medium. In general, the immunophenotype of both BMSCs and ASCs fulfilled International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) criteria after hPL media expansion. Comparative genomic hybridization measurements demonstrated no unbalanced chromosomal rearrangements for BMSCs or ASCs cultured in hPL media or FBS medium. The BMSCs and ASCs could differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic, or chondrogenic lineages in all four culture conditions. All three clinically approved commercial human platelet lysates accelerated proliferation of BMSCs and ASCs and the cells meet the ISCT mesenchymal phenotypic requirements without exhibiting chromosomal aberrations.

Simple method for culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes of Testudinidae.

PubMed

Silva, T L; Silva, M I A; Venancio, L P R; Zago, C E S; Moscheta, V A G; Lima, A V B; Vizotto, L D; Santos, J R; Bonini-Domingos, C R; Azeredo-Oliveira, M T V

2011-12-06

We developed and optimized a simple, efficient and inexpensive method for in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes from the Brazilian tortoise Chelonoidis carbonaria (Testudinidae), testing various parameters, including culture medium, mitogen concentration, mitotic index, culture volume, incubation time, and mitotic arrest. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the costal vein of four couples. The conditions that gave a good mitotic index were lymphocytes cultured at 37°C in minimum essential medium (7.5 mL), with phytohemagglutinin as a mitogen (0.375 mL), plus streptomycin/penicillin (0.1 mL), and an incubation period of 72 h. Mitotic arrest was induced by 2-h exposure to colchicine (0.1 mL), 70 h after establishing the culture. After mitotic arrest, the cells were hypotonized with 0.075 M KCl for 2 h and fixed with methanol/acetic acid (3:1). The non-banded mitotic chromosomes were visualized by Giemsa staining. The diploid chromosome number of C. carbonaria was found to be 52 in females and males, and sex chromosomes were not observed. We were able to culture peripheral blood lymphocytes of a Brazilian tortoise in vitro, for the preparation of mitotic chromosomes.

Composition and antimicrobial properties of essential oils of four Mediterranean Lamiaceae.

PubMed

Panizzi, L; Flamini, G; Cioni, P L; Morelli, I

1993-08-01

Essential oils from Satureja montana L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Thymus vulgaris L., and Calamintha nepeta (L.) Savi, were chemically analysed and their antimicrobial and fungicide activities evaluated on the basis of their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). All four oils have a biotoxic effect, the most active being those from Calamintha and Thymus.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils obtained from plants grown in Colombia on yellow fever virus replication in vitro

PubMed Central

Meneses, Rocío; Ocazionez, Raquel E; Martínez, Jairo R; Stashenko, Elena E

2009-01-01

Background An antiviral drug is needed for the treatment of patients suffering from yellow fever. Several compounds present in plants can inactive in vitro a wide spectrum of animal viruses. Aim In the present study the inhibitory effect of essential oils of Lippia alba, Lippia origanoides, Oreganum vulgare and Artemisia vulgaris on yellow fever virus (YFV) replication was investigated. Methods The cytotoxicity (CC50) on Vero cells was evaluated by the MTT reduction method. The minimum concentration of the essential oil that inhibited virus titer by more than 50% (MIC) was determined by virus yield reduction assay. YFV was incubated 24 h at 4°C with essential oil before adsorption on Vero cell, and viral replication was carried out in the absence or presence of essential oil. Vero cells were exposed to essential oil 24 h at 37°C before the adsorption of untreated-virus. Results The CC50 values were less than 100 μg/mL and the MIC values were 3.7 and 11.1 μg/mL. The CC50/MIC ratio was of 22.9, 26.4, 26.5 and 8.8 for L. alba, L origanoides, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris, respectively. The presence of essential oil in the culture medium enhances the antiviral effect: L. origanoides oil at 11.1 μg/mLproduced a 100% reduction of virus yield, and the same result was observed with L. alba, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris oils at100 μg/mL. No reduction of virus yield was observed when Vero cells were treated with essential oil before the adsorption of untreated-virus. Conclusion The essential oils evaluated in the study showed antiviral activities against YFV. The mode of action seems to be direct virus inactivation. PMID:19267922

A Novel In Vitro Method for Detecting Undifferentiated Human Pluripotent Stem Cells as Impurities in Cell Therapy Products Using a Highly Efficient Culture System

PubMed Central

Tano, Keiko; Yasuda, Satoshi; Kuroda, Takuya; Saito, Hirohisa; Umezawa, Akihiro; Sato, Yoji

2014-01-01

Innovative applications of cell therapy products (CTPs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in regenerative medicine are currently being developed. The presence of residual undifferentiated hPSCs in CTPs is a quality concern associated with tumorigencity. However, no simple in vitro method for direct detection of undifferentiated hPSCs that contaminate CTPs has been developed. Here, we show a novel approach for direct and sensitive detection of a trace amount of undifferentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) using a highly efficient amplification method in combination with laminin-521 and Essential 8 medium. Essential 8 medium better facilitated the growth of hiPSCs dissociated into single cells on laminin-521 than in mTeSR1 medium. hiPSCs cultured on laminin-521 in Essential 8 medium were maintained in an undifferentiated state and they maintained the ability to differentiate into various cell types. Essential 8 medium allowed robust hiPSC proliferation plated on laminin-521 at low cell density, whereas mTeSR1 did not enhance the cell growth. The highly efficient culture system using laminin-521 and Essential 8 medium detected hiPSCs spiked into primary human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) or human neurons at the ratio of 0.001%–0.01% as formed colonies. Moreover, this assay method was demonstrated to detect residual undifferentiated hiPSCs in cell preparations during the process of hMSC differentiation from hiPSCs. These results indicate that our highly efficient amplification system using a combination of laminin-521 and Essential 8 medium is able to detect a trace amount of undifferentiated hPSCs contained as impurities in CTPs and would contribute to quality assessment of hPSC-derived CTPs during the manufacturing process. PMID:25347300

78 FR 2868 - Draft Environmental Assessment for Rulemaking To Establish Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-14

... require hybrid and electric passenger cars, light trucks, medium and heavy duty trucks and buses, low... Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety... minimum sound requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles. DATES: Comments must be received on or before...

Growth Inhibition and Morphological Alteration of Fusarium sporotrichioides by Mentha piperita Essential Oil

PubMed Central

Rachitha, P.; Krupashree, K.; Jayashree, G. V.; Gopalan, Natarajan; Khanum, Farhath

2017-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the phytochemical composition, antifungal activity of Mentha piperita essential oil (MPE) against Fusarium sporotrichioides. Methods: The phytochemical composition was conducted by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC MS) analysis and mycelia growth inhibition was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), the morphological characterization was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the membrane permeability was determined by the release of extracellular constituents, pH, and total lipid content. Result: In GC MS analysis, 22 metabolites were identified such as menthol, l menthone, pulegone, piperitone, caryophyllene, menthol acetate, etc. The antifungal activity against targeted pathogen, with MIC and MFC 500 μg/mL and 1000 μg/mL, respectively. The MPE altered the morphology of F. sporotrichoides hyphae with the loss of cytoplasm content and contorted the mycelia. The increasing concentration of MPE showed increase in membrane permeability of F. sporotrichoides as evidenced by the release of extracellular constituents and pH with the disruption of cell membrane indicating decrease in lipid content of F. sporotrichoides. Conclusion: The observed results showed that MPE exhibited promising new antifungal agent against Fusarium sporotrichioides. SUMMARY F. sporotrichioides, filamentous fungi contaminate to corn and corn--based productsF. sporotrichioides mainly responsible for the production of T-2 toxinPhytochemical composition was conducted by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry analysisMentha piperita essential oil (MPE) is commonly known as peppermintThe F. sporotrichioides growth was inhibited by MPE (minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum fungicidal concentration)Morphological observation by scanning electron microscope. Abbreviations Used: Cfu: Colony forming unit; DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide, °C: Degree celsius; F. Sporotrichoides: Fusarium sporotrichioides; EOs: Essential oils; M: Molar, g: Gram/gravity, mg: Milligram; μg: Microgram, ml: Milliliter; mm: Millimeter, min: Minutes; M. piperita: Mentha piperita, MIC: Minimum inhibitory concentration; MFC: Minimum fungicidal concentration; MAE: Mentha arvensis essential oil; Na2SO4: Sodium sulfate; pH: Potential Hydrogen; PDB: Potato Dextrose Broth; SEM: Scanning electron microscope PMID:28250658

26 CFR 54.4980H-0 - Table of contents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) Applicable large employer member. (6) Applicable premium tax credit. (7) Bona fide volunteer. (8) Calendar... for certain employees. (27) Minimum essential coverage. (28) Minimum value. (29) Month. (30) New... measurement method applies, or vice versa. (2) Special rule for certain employees to whom minimum value...

Using the Medium to Teach the Medium: Radio Broadcasting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryland, Edwin H.

Effective broadcast education should get students to perform professionally in broadcast situations with a minimum of guidance. To do this, class assignments should include either activities similar to commercial work or on-the-job experiences at the campus or local commercial radio stations. The possibilities for such activities and experiences…

49 CFR 195.306 - Test medium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... this section, water must be used as the test medium. (b) Except for offshore pipelines, liquid... which produces a hoop stress of 50 percent of specified minimum yield strength; (3) The test section is... pressure is equal to or greater than a pressure that produces a hoop stress of 50 percent of specified...

Comparison of diluents for holding cock semen six hours at 41 C.

PubMed

Howarth, B

1983-06-01

Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender (BPSE) and Lake's Diluent A (LDA) were compared with minimum essential medium (MEM) for their ability to maintain the fertilizing capacity of cock semen held 6 hr at 41 C. Motility significantly declined from the beginning to the end of the holding period for semen in BPSE and LDA. Only in LDA, however, were the number of live spermatozoa significantly reduced. Although there were no differences in oxygen (O2) consumption measured at 1 and 6 hr for semen in BPSE and MEM, a significant reduction in O2 consumption was observed between these time periods for semen in LDA. Fertility of semen held in MEM (90.3%) was significantly higher than the unstored control semen (82.9%) and semen held in either BPSE (3.5%) or LDA (1.9%). No differences in hatchability of fertile eggs were observed between the semen groups.

Establishment and characterization of a new fish cell line from head kidney of half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis).

PubMed

Zheng, Yuan; Wang, Na; Xie, Ming-Shu; Sha, Zhen-Xia; Chen, Song-Lin

2012-12-01

A new cell line (TSHKC) derived from half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) head kidney was developed. The cell line was subcultured for 40 passages over a period of 360 days. The cell line was optimally maintained in minimum essential medium supplemented with HEPES, antibiotics, fetal bovine serum, 2-Mercaptoethanol (2-Me), sodium pyruvate and basic fibroblast growth factor. The suitable growth temperature for TSHKC cells was 24 °C, and microscopically, TSHKC cells were composed of fibroblast-like cells. Chromosome analysis revealed that the TSHKC cell line had a normal diploid karyotype with 2n = 42, contained the heterogametic W chromosome. The TSHKC cell line was found to be susceptible to lymphocystis disease virus. The fluorescent signals were observed in TSHKC when the cells were transfected with green fluorescent protein and red fluorescent protein reporter plasmids.

Number-phase minimum-uncertainty state with reduced number uncertainty in a Kerr nonlinear interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, M.; Yamamoto, Y.

1987-11-01

An alternative scheme for generating amplitude-squeezed states of photons based on unitary evolution which can properly be described by quantum mechanics is presented. This scheme is a nonlinear Mach-Zehnder interferometer containing an optical Kerr medium. The quasi-probability density (QPD) and photon-number distribution of the output field are calculated, and it is demonstrated that the reduced photon-number uncertainty and enhanced phase uncertainty maintain the minimum-uncertainty product. A self-phase-modulation of the single-mode quantized field in the Kerr medium is described based on localized operators. The spatial evolution of the state is demonstrated by QPD in the Schroedinger picture. It is shown that photon-number variance can be reduced to a level far below the limit for an ordinary squeezed state, and that the state prepared using this scheme remains a number-phase minimum-uncertainty state until the maximum reduction of number fluctuations is surpassed.

Zinc and dexamethasone induce metallothionein accumulation by endothelial cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Briske-Anderson, M.; Bobilya, D.J.; Reeves, P.G.

1991-03-11

Several tissues increase their metallothionein (MT) concentration when exposed to elevated amounts of plasma Zn. Endothelial cells form the blood vessels that supply all tissues and constitute a barrier between cells of tissues and the blood. This study examined the ability of endothelial cells to synthesize MT and accumulate Zn in response to high amounts of Zn and dexamethasone. Bovine pulmonary endothelial cells were grown to confluence in Minimum Essential Medium with Earle's salts and 10% fetal calf serum. The monolayer was maintained for 2 d prior to use in medium containing EDTA-dialyzed serum. This low Zn medium was replacedmore » with one containing 1, 6, 25, 50, 100, 150, or 200 {mu}M Zn and incubated for 24 hr before harvesting the cells. MT was quantified by the cadmium binding assay. Cellular Zn concentrations were analyzed by atomic absorption after a nitric acid digestion. The MT concentration was elevated in response to Zn concentrations of 100 {mu}M or more. Cellular Zn concentration was elevated when media Zn was 25 {mu}M or more. MT and cellular Zn concentrations were positively correlated. In another study, inclusion of 0.1 {mu}M dexamethasone in the media increased concentration at all Zn concentrations studied. However, the inclusion of 0.3 {mu}M cis-platinum had no effect. In conclusion, endothelial cells in culture respond to elevated amounts of Zn and dexamethasone in the media by accumulating Zn and MT.« less

Chloride ion-driven transformation from Ag3PO4 to AgCl on the hydroxyapatite support and its dual antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli under visible light irradiation.

PubMed

Hong, Xiaoting; Li, Min; Shan, Shengdao; Hui, K S; Mo, Mingyue; Yuan, Xiaoli

2016-07-01

Visible light-driven photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli was performed using hydroxyapatite-supported Ag3PO4 nanocomposites (Ag3PO4/HA). The antibacterial performance was evaluated by the methods of zone of inhibition plates and minimum inhibitory concentration test. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to investigate the instability and transformation of the nanocomposite by comparing the crystalline, phase, and the morphology before and after exposure to Luria-Bertani culture medium under visible light irradiation. Ag3PO4 nanoparticles on the support were found to be shortly transformed into AgCl due to high chloride concentration of Luria-Bertani culture medium. The AgCl/HA nanocomposite showed both excellent intrinsic antibacterial performance contributed by the released silver ions and visible light-induced photocatalytic disinfection toward E. coli cells. This dual antibacterial function mechanism was validated by trapping the hydroxyl free radical and detecting the silver ions during the photocatalytic antibacterial process. The morphological change of E. coli cells in different reaction intervals was obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to complementally verify photocatalytic inactivation of E. coli. This work suggests that an essential comparison study is required for the antibacterial materials before and after the photocatalytic inactivation of bacterial cells using Ag3PO4 nanoparticles or Ag3PO4-related nanocomposites in mediums containing high-concentration chloride ions.

49 CFR 195.306 - Test medium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... which produces a hoop stress of 50 percent of specified minimum yield strength; (3) The test section is... pressure is equal to or greater than a pressure that produces a hoop stress of 50 percent of specified minimum yield strength; (3) The maximum hoop stress during the test does not exceed 80 percent of...

49 CFR 195.306 - Test medium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... which produces a hoop stress of 50 percent of specified minimum yield strength; (3) The test section is... pressure is equal to or greater than a pressure that produces a hoop stress of 50 percent of specified minimum yield strength; (3) The maximum hoop stress during the test does not exceed 80 percent of...

Modulation of chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells in jellyfish collagen scaffolds by cell density and culture medium.

PubMed

Pustlauk, W; Paul, B; Brueggemeier, S; Gelinsky, M; Bernhardt, A

2017-06-01

Studies on tissue-engineering approaches for the regeneration of traumatized cartilage focus increasingly on multipotent human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) as an alternative to autologous chondrocytes. The present study applied porous scaffolds made of collagen from the jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum for the in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Culture conditions in those scaffolds differ from conditions in high-density pellet cultures, making a re-examination of these data necessary. We systematically investigated the influence of seeding density, basic culture media [Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM), α-minimum essential medium (α-MEM)] with varying glucose content and supplementation with fetal calf serum (FCS) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Gene expression analyses of selected markers for chondrogenic differentiation and hypertrophic development were conducted. Furthermore, the production of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) was analysed by quantification of sulphated glycosaminoglycan and collagen type II contents. The strongest upregulation of chondrogenic markers, along with the highest ECM deposition was observed in scaffolds seeded with 2.4 × 10 6 cells/cm 3 after cultivation in high-glucose DMEM and 0.125% BSA. Lower seeding densities compared to high-density pellet cultures were sufficient to induce in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs in collagen scaffolds, which reduces the amount of cells required for the seeding of scaffolds and thus the monolayer expansion period. Furthermore, examination of the impact of FCS and α-MEM on chondrogenic MSC differentiation is an important prerequisite for the development of an osteochondral medium for simultaneous osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation in biphasic scaffolds for osteochondral tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evidence for ultrafast outflows in radio-quiet AGNs - III. Location and energetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tombesi, F.; Cappi, M.; Reeves, J. N.; Braito, V.

2012-05-01

Using the results of a previous X-ray photoionization modelling of blueshifted Fe K absorption lines on a sample of 42 local radio-quiet AGNs observed with XMM-Newton, in this Letter we estimate the location and energetics of the associated ultrafast outflows (UFOs). Due to significant uncertainties, we are essentially able to place only lower/upper limits. On average, their location is in the interval ˜0.0003-0.03 pc (˜ 102-104rs) from the central black hole, consistent with what is expected for accretion disc winds/outflows. The mass outflow rates are constrained between ˜0.01 and 1 M⊙ yr-1, corresponding to >rsim5-10 per cent of the accretion rates. The average lower/upper limits on the mechanical power are log? 42.6-44.6 erg s-1. However, the minimum possible value of the ratio between the mechanical power and bolometric luminosity is constrained to be comparable or higher than the minimum required by simulations of feedback induced by winds/outflows. Therefore, this work demonstrates that UFOs are indeed capable to provide a significant contribution to the AGN cosmological feedback, in agreement with theoretical expectations and the recent observation of interactions between AGN outflows and the interstellar medium in several Seyfert galaxies.

ASE Program Certification Standards for Medium/Heavy Truck Technician Training Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, Herndon, VA.

This publication provides the evaluation policies, procedures, and standards to which a medium/heavy truck technician training program must adhere to be granted certification by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. The policies section has three parts: the automobile areas that may be certified and minimum requirements for…

Medium Effects on Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations of Nylon-3 Polymers against E. coli

PubMed Central

Choi, Heejun; Chakraborty, Saswata; Liu, Runhui; Gellman, Samuel H.; Weisshaar, James C.

2014-01-01

Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against E. coli were measured for three nylon-3 polymers using Luria-Bertani broth (LB), brain-heart infusion broth (BHI), and a chemically defined complete medium (EZRDM). The polymers differ in the ratio of hydrophobic to cationic subunits. The cationic homopolymer is inert against E. coli in BHI and LB, but becomes highly potent in EZRDM. A mixed hydrophobic/cationic polymer with a hydrophobic t-butylbenzoyl group at its N-terminus is effective in BHI, but becomes more effective in EZRDM. Supplementation of EZRDM with the tryptic digest of casein (often found in LB) recapitulates the LB and BHI behavior. Additional evidence suggests that polyanionic peptides present in LB and BHI may form electrostatic complexes with cationic polymers, decreasing activity by diminishing binding to the anionic lipopolysaccharide layer of E. coli. In contrast, two natural antimicrobial peptides show no medium effects. Thus, the use of a chemically defined medium helps to reveal factors that influence antimicrobial potency of cationic polymers and functional differences between these polymers and evolved antimicrobial peptides. PMID:25153714

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of methanolic extract and essential oil of Iranian Teucrium polium against some of phytobacteria.

PubMed

Purnavab, S; Ketabchi, S; Rowshan, V

2015-01-01

The antibacterial activity of essential oil and methanolic extract of Teucrium polium was determined against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pantoea agglomerans, Brenneria nigrifluens, Rhizobium radiobacter, Rhizobium vitis, Streptomyces scabies, Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas campestris and Pectobacterium cartovorum by disc diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined by using the serial dilution method. Chemical composition of essential oil and methanolic extract was determined by GC-MS and HPLC. α-Pinene (25.769%) and myrcene (12.507) were of the highest percentage in T. polium essential oil, and sinapic acid (15.553 mg/g) and eugenol (6.805 mg/g) were the major compounds in the methanolic extract. Our results indicate that both methanolic extract and essential oil did not show antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa. Also the essential oil did not show antibacterial activity against P. cartovorum. In general, both methanolic extract and essential oil showed the same antibacterial activity against R. solanacearum, P. agglomerans, B. nigrifluens and S. scabies.

Margins of safety provided by COSHH Essentials and the ILO Chemical Control Toolkit.

PubMed

Jones, Rachael M; Nicas, Mark

2006-03-01

COSHH Essentials, developed by the UK Health and Safety Executive, and the Chemical Control Toolkit (Toolkit) proposed by the International Labor Organization, are 'control banding' approaches to workplace risk management intended for use by proprietors of small and medium-sized businesses. Both systems group chemical substances into hazard bands based on toxicological endpoint and potency. COSSH Essentials uses the European Union's Risk-phrases (R-phrases), whereas the Toolkit uses R-phrases and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Each hazard band is associated with a range of airborne concentrations, termed exposure bands, which are to be attained by the implementation of recommended control technologies. Here we analyze the margin of safety afforded by the systems and, for each hazard band, define the minimal margin as the ratio of the minimum airborne concentration that produced the toxicological endpoint of interest in experimental animals to the maximum concentration in workplace air permitted by the exposure band. We found that the minimal margins were always <100, with some ranging to <1, and inversely related to molecular weight. The Toolkit-GHS system generally produced margins equal to or larger than COSHH Essentials, suggesting that the Toolkit-GHS system is more protective of worker health. Although, these systems predict exposures comparable with current occupational exposure limits, we argue that the minimal margins are better indicators of health protection. Further, given the small margins observed, we feel it is important that revisions of these systems provide the exposure bands to users, so as to permit evaluation of control technology capture efficiency.

25 CFR 547.10 - What are the minimum standards for Class II gaming system critical events?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... GAMES § 547.10 What are the minimum standards for Class II gaming system critical events? This section... component can no longer be considered reliable. Accordingly, any game play on the affected component shall... or the medium itself has some fault.Any game play on the affected component shall cease immediately...

25 CFR 547.10 - What are the minimum standards for Class II gaming system critical events?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... GAMES § 547.10 What are the minimum standards for Class II gaming system critical events? This section... component can no longer be considered reliable. Accordingly, any game play on the affected component shall... or the medium itself has some fault.Any game play on the affected component shall cease immediately...

Visualising phase change in a brushite-based calcium phosphate ceramic

PubMed Central

Bannerman, A.; Williams, R. L.; Cox, S. C.; Grover, L. M.

2016-01-01

The resorption of brushite-based bone cements has been shown to be highly unpredictable, with strong dependence on a number of conditions. One of the major factors is phase transformation, with change to more stable phases such as hydroxyapatite affecting the rate of resorption. Despite its importance, the analysis of phase transformation has been largely undertaken using methods that only detect crystalline composition and give no information on the spatial distribution of the phases. In this study confocal Raman microscopy was used to map cross-sections of brushite cylinders aged in Phosphate Buffered Saline, Foetal Bovine Serum, Dulbecco’s – Minimum Essential Medium (with and without serum). Image maps showed the importance of ageing medium on the phase composition throughout the ceramic structure. When aged without serum, there was dissolution of the brushite phase concomitant to the deposition of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) around the periphery of the sample. The deposition of OCP was detectable within five days and reduced the rate of brushite dissolution from the material. The use of serum, even at a concentration of 10vol% prevented phase transformation. This paper demonstrates the value of confocal Raman microscopy in monitoring phase change in biocements; it also demonstrates the problems with assessing material degradation in non-serum containing media. PMID:27604149

Visualising phase change in a brushite-based calcium phosphate ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bannerman, A.; Williams, R. L.; Cox, S. C.; Grover, L. M.

2016-09-01

The resorption of brushite-based bone cements has been shown to be highly unpredictable, with strong dependence on a number of conditions. One of the major factors is phase transformation, with change to more stable phases such as hydroxyapatite affecting the rate of resorption. Despite its importance, the analysis of phase transformation has been largely undertaken using methods that only detect crystalline composition and give no information on the spatial distribution of the phases. In this study confocal Raman microscopy was used to map cross-sections of brushite cylinders aged in Phosphate Buffered Saline, Foetal Bovine Serum, Dulbecco’s - Minimum Essential Medium (with and without serum). Image maps showed the importance of ageing medium on the phase composition throughout the ceramic structure. When aged without serum, there was dissolution of the brushite phase concomitant to the deposition of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) around the periphery of the sample. The deposition of OCP was detectable within five days and reduced the rate of brushite dissolution from the material. The use of serum, even at a concentration of 10vol% prevented phase transformation. This paper demonstrates the value of confocal Raman microscopy in monitoring phase change in biocements; it also demonstrates the problems with assessing material degradation in non-serum containing media.

Antifungal Activity of Essential Oil of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. against Selected Fusarium spp.

PubMed Central

Maina, Angeline W.; Wagacha, John M.

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oil (EO) of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. against five Fusarium spp. commonly associated with maize. The essential oil had been extracted by steam distillation in a modified Clevenger-type apparatus from leaves of E. camaldulensis and their chemical composition characterized by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Poisoned food technique was used to determine the percentage inhibition of mycelial growth, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration of the EO on the test pathogens. Antifungal activity of different concentrations of the EO was evaluated using disc diffusion method. The most abundant compounds identified in the EO were 1,8-cineole (16.2%), α-pinene (15.6%), α-phellandrene (10.0%), and p-cymene (8.1%). The EO produced complete mycelial growth inhibition in all the test pathogens at a concentration of 7-8 μL/mL after five days of incubation. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of the EO on the test fungi were in the range of 7-8 μL/mL and 8–10 μL/mL, respectively. These findings confirm the fungicidal properties of E. camaldulensis essential oils and their potential use in the management of economically important Fusarium spp. and as possible alternatives to synthetic fungicides. PMID:28127308

Distinguishing oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium using pulsed neutron logging data based on Hudson's crack theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xueang; Yang, Zhichao; Tang, Bin; Wang, Renbo; Wei, Xiong

2018-05-01

During geophysical surveys, water layers may interfere with the detection of oil layers. In order to distinguish between oil and water layers in porous cracked media, research on the properties of the cracks, the oil and water layers, and their relation to pulsed neutron logging characteristics is essential. Using Hudson's crack theory, we simulated oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium with different crack parameters corresponding to the well log responses. We found that, in a cracked medium with medium-angle (40°-50°) cracks, the thermal neutron count peak value is higher and more sensitive than those in low-angle and high-angle crack environments; in addition, the thermal neutron density distribution shows more minimum values than in other cases. Further, the thermal neutron count and the rate of change for the oil layer are greater than those of the water layer, and the time spectrum count peak value for the water layer in middle-high-angle (40°-70°) cracked environments is higher than that of the oil layer. The thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity is higher in the water layer with a range of small crack angles (0°-30°) than in the oil layer with the same range of angles. In comparing the thermal neutron density distribution, thermal neutron count peak, thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity, and time spectrum maximum in the oil and water layers, we find that neutrons in medium-angle (40°-50°) cracked reservoirs are more sensitive to deceleration and absorption than those in water layers; neutrons in approximately horizontal (0°-30°) cracked water layers are more sensitive to deceleration than those in reservoirs. These results can guide future work in the cracked media neutron logging field.

Antibacterial potential assessment of jasmine essential oil against e. Coli.

PubMed

Rath, C C; Devi, S; Dash, S K; Mishra, R K

2008-01-01

The antibacterial activity of Jasmine (Jasminum sambac L.) flower hydro steam distilled essential oil, synthetic blends and six major individual components was assessed against Escherichia coli (MTCC-443) strain. The activity was bactericidal. Minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by tube dilution technique, and the Minimum inhibitory concentration ranged between 1.9-31.25 mul/ml. Phenolcoefficient of the oil, synthetic blends and components varied between 0.6-1.7. The activity of the chemicals was possibly due to the inhibition of cell membrane synthesis.

Effect of photobiomodulation on viability and proliferation of stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth under different nutritional conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morato de Souza, Letícia; Guilherme Roque Rinco, Ugo; Aparecida Tavares Aguiar, Daniela; Aparecido de Almeida Junior, Luciano; Cosme-Silva, Leopoldo; Marchini Oliveira, Thais; Teixeira Marques, Nádia Carolina; Thiemy Sakai, Vivien

2018-02-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different doses of low-level laser irradiation on the viability and proliferation of stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) cultured under nutritional deficit (cellular stress) or regular nutritional conditions. SHED underwent irradiation by a red laser between 1.2 and 6.2 J cm-2. Prior to the irradiation, all groups received culture medium (MEMα, Eagle’s minimum essential medium alpha modification) supplemented with 1% of fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 1 h. After the irradiation, cells received MEMα supplemented with 10% of FBS (regular nutrition) or 1% of FBS (nutritional deficit). Cell viability and proliferation were respectively determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and crystal violet assays 6 and 24 h after irradiation (P  <  0.05). At 24 h, SHED under nutritional deficit showed lower viability and proliferation after 1.2 J cm-2 irradiation. All of the irradiated groups revealed significantly higher viability and proliferation in SHED maintained under nutritional deficit than in regular nutritional conditions, except in the 3.7 and 6.2 J cm-2 groups by MTT assay. In the crystal violet assay, SHED irradiated with 1.2 J cm-2 showed no difference between the different nutritional conditions. Decrease of FBS concentration in the culture medium seems to enhance the sensitivity of SHED to the effects of photobiomodulation therapy. Nutritional stress conditions improved cell viability and proliferation of SHED after laser irradiation, except for 1.2 J cm-2.

Influence of technical processing units on chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of carrot (Daucus carrot L.) juice essential oil.

PubMed

Ma, Tingting; Luo, Jiyang; Tian, Chengrui; Sun, Xiangyu; Quan, Meiping; Zheng, Cuiping; Kang, Lina; Zhan, Jicheng

2015-03-01

The effect of three processing units (blanching, enzyme liquefaction, pasteurisation) on chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of carrot juice essential oil was investigated in this paper. A total of 36 compounds were identified by GC-MS from fresh carrot juice essential oil. The main constituents were carotol (20.20%), sabinene (12.80%), β-caryophyllene (8.04%) and α-pinene (6.05%). Compared with the oil of fresh juice, blanching and pasteurisation could significantly decrease the components of the juice essential oil, whereas enzyme liquefaction had no considerable effect on the composition of juice essential oil. With regard to the antimicrobial activity, carrot juice essential oil could cause physical damage and morphological alteration on microorganisms, while the three different processing units showed noticeable differences on the species of microorganisms, the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration. Results revealed that the carrot juice essential oil has great potential for application as a natural antimicrobial applied in pharmaceutical and food industries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematode: Metastrongiloidea): in vitro cultivation of infective third-stage larvae to fourth-stage larvae.

PubMed

Lin, Rong-Jyh; He, Jie-Wen; Chung, Li-Yu; Lee, June-Der; Wang, Jiun-Jye; Yen, Chuan-Min

2013-01-01

The present study to attempt to cultivate Angiostrongylus cantonensis from third-stage larvae (AcL3) to fourth-stage larvae (AcL4) in vitro in defined complete culture medium that contained with Minimum Essential Medium Eagle (MEM), supplemented amino acid (AA), amine (AM), fatty acid (FA), carbohydrate (CA) and 20% fetal calf serum (FCS) was successful. When AcL3 were cultured in the defined complete culture medium at 37°C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere, the larvae began to develop to AcL4 after 30 days of cultivation, and were enclosed within the sheaths of the third molts of the life cycle. Under these conditions, the larvae developed uniformly and reached to the fourth-stage 36 days. The morphology of AcL3 develop to AcL4 were recording and analyzing. Then comparison of A. cantonensis larval morphology and development between in vitro cultivation in defined complete culture medium and in vivo cultivation in infective BALB/c mice. The larvae that had been cultivated in vitro were smaller than AcL4 of infective BALB/c mice. However the AcL3 that were cultured using defined incomplete culture medium (MEM plus 20% FCS with AA+AM, FA, CA, AA+AM+FA, FA+CA, CA+AA+AM or not) did not adequately survive and develop. Accordingly, the inference is made that only the defined complete medium enable AcL3 develop to AcL4 in vitro. Some nematodes have been successfully cultured into mature worms but only a few researches have been made to cultivate A. cantonensis in vitro. The present study is the first to have succeeded in developing AcL3 to AcL4 by in vitro cultivation. Finally, the results of in vitro cultivation studies herein contribute to improving media for the effective development and growth of A. cantonensis. The gap in the A. cantonensis life cycle when the larvae are cultivated in vitro from third-stage larvae to fourth-stage larvae can thus be solved.

In-vitro activity of essential oils, in particular Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil and tea tree oil products, against Candida spp.

PubMed

Hammer, K A; Carson, C F; Riley, T V

1998-11-01

The in-vitro activity of a range of essential oils, including tea tree oil, against the yeast candida was examined. Of the 24 essential oils tested by the agar dilution method against Candida albicans ATCC 10231, three did not inhibit C. albicans at the highest concentration tested, which was 2.0% (v/v) oil. Sandalwood oil had the lowest MIC, inhibiting C. albicans at 0.06%. Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil was investigated for activity against 81 C. albicans isolates and 33 non-albicans Candida isolates. By the broth microdilution method, the minimum concentration of oil inhibiting 90% of isolates for both C. albicans and non-albicans Candida species was 0.25% (v/v). The minimum concentration of oil killing 90% of isolates was 0.25% for C. albicans and 0.5% for non-albicans Candida species. Fifty-seven Candida isolates were tested for sensitivity to tea tree oil by the agar dilution method; the minimum concentration of oil inhibiting 90% of isolates was 0.5%. Tests on three intra-vaginal tea tree oil products showed these products to have MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations comparable to those of non-formulated tea tree oil, indicating that the tea tree oil contained in these products has retained its anticandidal activity. These data indicate that some essential oils are active against Candida spp., suggesting that they may be useful in the topical treatment of superficial candida infections.

L929 cell cytotoxicity associated with experimental and commercial dental flosses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tua-ngam, P.; Supanitayanon, L.; Dechkunakorn, S.; Anuwongnukroh, N.; Srikhirin, T.; Roongrujimek, P.

2017-11-01

This aim of the study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of two commercial and two experimental dental flosses. Two commercial, Oral B® Essential Floss (nylon-waxed) and Thai Silk Floss (silk-waxed), and two experimental, Floss X (nylon-waxed) and Floss Xu (nylon-unwaxed) dental flosses were used. The cytotoxic assay was performed by using cell cultures (L929) which were subjected to cell viability test with methyl-tetrazolium. Each floss specimen (0.4 g) was placed in 1 ml of Minimum Essential Medium at 37°C with 5% CO2 at 100% humidity in an incubator for 24 hours. After incubation, the cell mitochondrial activity was evaluated for detecting viable cells using optical density as per the guidelines of ISO 10993-5:2009(E). Cytotoxic effects were evaluated by measuring percentage of cell viability at 3 points of time- 5 mins, 30 mins, and 1 hr. The results showed that two commercial dental flosses and Floss X had cell viability about 90% at the three time points; however, the experimental Floss Xu presented 80% cell viability at 5 min and <70% cell viability at 30 min and 1 hr. The results concluded that the commercial dental flosses and the experimental dental floss with wax tested in this study were acceptable for clinical use.

Linear variability of gait according to socioeconomic status in elderly

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the linear variability of comfortable gait according to socioeconomic status in community-dwelling elderly. Method: For this cross-sectional observational study 63 self- functioning elderly were categorized according to the socioeconomic level on medium-low (n= 33, age 69.0 ± 5.0 years) and medium-high (n= 30, age 71.0 ± 6.0 years). Each participant was asked to perform comfortable gait speed for 3 min on an 40 meters elliptical circuit, recording in video five strides which were transformed into frames, determining the minimum foot clearance, maximum foot clearance and stride length. The intra-group linear variability was calculated by the coefficient of variation in percent. Results: The trajectory parameters variability is not different according to socioeconomic status with a 30% (range= 15-55%) for the minimum foot clearance and 6% (range= 3-8%) in maximum foot clearance. Meanwhile, the stride length consistently was more variable in the medium-low socioeconomic status for the overall sample (p= 0.004), female (p= 0.041) and male gender (p= 0.007), with values near 4% ​​(range = 2.5-5.0%) in the medium-low and 2% (range = 1.5-3.5%) in the medium-high. Conclusions: The intra-group linear variability is consistently higher and within reference parameters for stride length during comfortable gait for elderly belonging to medium-low socioeconomic status. This might be indicative of greater complexity and consequent motor adaptability. PMID:27546931

Evidence for Ultra-Fast Outflows in Radio-Quiet AGNs: III - Location and Energetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tombesi, F.; Cappi, M.; Reeves, J. N.; Braito, V.

2012-01-01

Using the results of a previous X-ray photo-ionization modelling of blue-shifted Fe K absorption lines on a sample of 42 local radio-quiet AGNs observed with XMM-Newton, in this letter we estimate the location and energetics of the associated ultrafast outflows (UFOs). Due to significant uncertainties, we are essentially able to place only lower/upper limits. On average, their location is in the interval approx.0.0003-0.03pc (approx.10(exp 2)-10(exp 4)tau(sub s) from the central black hole, consistent with what is expected for accretion disk winds/outflows. The mass outflow rates are constrained between approx.0.01- 1 Stellar Mass/y, corresponding to approx. or >5-10% of the accretion rates. The average lower-upper limits on the mechanical power are logE(sub K) approx. or = 42.6-44.6 erg/s. However, the minimum possible value of the ratio between the mechanical power and bolometric luminosity is constrained to be comparable or higher than the minimum required by simulations of feedback induced by winds/outflows. Therefore, this work demonstrates that UFOs are indeed capable to provide a significant contribution to the AGN r.osmological feedback, in agreement with theoretical expectations and the recent observation of interactions between AGN outflows and the interstellar medium in several Seyferts galaxies .

Further optimization of culture method for rat keratinocytes: titration of glucose and sodium chloride.

PubMed

Oku, H; Yamashita, M; Iwasaki, H; Chinen, I

1999-02-01

The present study further improved the serum-free method of culturing rat keratinocytes. To obtain the best growth of rat keratinocytes, we modified our previous serum-free medium (MCDB153 based medium), particularly the amounts of glucose and sodium chloride (NaCl). Titration experiments showed the optimal concentration to be 0.8 mM for glucose and 100 mM for NaCl. This modification eliminated the requirement for albumin, which had been essential for colony formation when our previous medium was used. Titration of glucose and NaCl, followed by adjustment of essential amino acids and growth factors, produced a new formulation. More satisfactory and better growth was achieved with the new medium than with the previous medium. Accumulation of monoalkyldiacylglycerol (MADAG) was consistently noted in this study, representing the unusual lipid profile. A tendency toward normalization was, however, noted with the neutral lipid profile of keratinocytes cultivated in the new medium: lower production of MADAG was obtained with the new formulation, rather than the previous one.

A defined medium for Leishmania culture allows definition of essential amino acids.

PubMed

Nayak, Archana; Akpunarlieva, Snezhana; Barrett, Michael; Burchmore, Richard

2018-02-01

Axenic culture of Leishmania is generally performed in rich, serum-supplemented media which sustain robust growth over multiple passages. The use of such undefined media, however, obscures proteomic analyses and confounds the study of metabolism. We have established a simple, defined culture medium that supports the sustained growth of promastigotes over multiple passages and which yields parasites that have similar infectivity to macrophages to parasites grown in a conventional semi-defined medium. We have exploited this medium to investigate the amino acid requirements of promastigotes in culture and have found that phenylalanine, tryptophan, arginine, leucine, lysine and valine are essential for viability in culture. Most of the 20 proteogenic amino acids promote growth of Leishmania promastigotes, with the exception of alanine, asparagine, and glycine. This defined medium will be useful for further studies of promastigote substrate requirements, and will facilitate future proteomic and metabolomic analyses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial Potential Assessment of Jasmine Essential Oil Against E. Coli

PubMed Central

Rath, C. C.; Devi, S.; Dash, S. K.; Mishra, R. K.

2008-01-01

The antibacterial activity of Jasmine (Jasminum sambac L.) flower hydro steam distilled essential oil, synthetic blends and six major individual components was assessed against Escherichia coli (MTCC-443) strain. The activity was bactericidal. Minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by tube dilution technique, and the Minimum inhibitory concentration ranged between 1.9-31.25 μl/ml. Phenolcoefficient of the oil, synthetic blends and components varied between 0.6-1.7. The activity of the chemicals was possibly due to the inhibition of cell membrane synthesis. PMID:20046722

45 CFR 156.602 - Other coverage that qualifies as minimum essential coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.... Coverage offered to students by an institution of higher education (as defined in the Higher Education Act... essential coverage for plan or policy years beginning on or before December 31, 2014. For coverage beginning... essential coverage for plan or policy years beginning on or before December 31, 2014. For coverage beginning...

45 CFR 156.602 - Other coverage that qualifies as minimum essential coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

.... Coverage offered to students by an institution of higher education (as defined in the Higher Education Act... essential coverage for plan or policy years beginning on or before December 31, 2014. For coverage beginning... essential coverage for plan or policy years beginning on or before December 31, 2014. For coverage beginning...

Effect of equal channel angular pressing on in vitro degradation of LAE442 magnesium alloy.

PubMed

Minárik, Peter; Jablonská, Eva; Král, Robert; Lipov, Jan; Ruml, Tomáš; Blawert, Carsten; Hadzima, Branislav; Chmelík, František

2017-04-01

Effect of processing by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) on the degradation behaviour of extruded LAE442 magnesium alloy was investigated in a 0.1M NaCl solution, Kirkland's biocorrosion medium (KBM) and Minimum Essential Medium (MEM), both with and without 10% of foetal bovine serum (FBS). Uniform degradation of as extruded and ECAP processed samples in NaCl solution was observed, nevertheless higher corrosion resistance was found in the latter material. The increase of corrosion resistance due to ECAP was observed also after 14-days immersion in all media used. Higher compactness of the corrosion layer formed on the samples after ECAP was responsible for the observed decrease of corrosion resistance, which was proven by scanning electron microscope investigation. Lower corrosion rate in media with FBS was observed and was explained by additional effect of protein incorporation on the corrosion layer stability. A cytotoxicity test using L929 cells was carried out to investigate possible effect of processing on the cell viability. Sufficient cytocompatibility of the extruded samples was observed with no adverse effects of the subsequent ECAP processing. In conclusion, this in vitro study proved that the degradation behaviour of the LAE442 alloy could be improved by subsequent ECAP processing and this material is a good candidate for future in vivo investigation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro synergistic antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Zingiber cassumunar Roxb against extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains.

PubMed

Boonyanugomol, Wongwarut; Kraisriwattana, Kairin; Rukseree, Kamolchanok; Boonsam, Kraisorn; Narachai, Panchaporn

In this study, we determined the antibacterial and synergistic activities of the essential oil from Zingiber cassumunar against the extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii strains. The antibacterial and synergistic properties of the essential oil from Z. cassumunar were examined by agar disc diffusion tests. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were evaluated by broth microdilution using the resazurin assay. The in vitro time-kill antibacterial kinetics was analyzed using the plate count technique. We found that the essential oil from Z. cassumunar had antibacterial activity against A. baumannii, with MIC and MBC ranging from 7.00 to 9.24mg/ml. The essential oil could completely inhibit A. baumannii at 1h, and coccoid-shaped bacteria were found after treatment. In addition, the essential oil had a synergistic effect when combined with antibiotics, e.g., aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and folate pathway inhibitors. Thus, the essential oil from Z. cassumunar has strong antibacterial and synergistic activities against XDR A. baumannii, which may provide the basis for the development of a new therapy against drug-resistant bacteria. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the dependence of the exposure dose on the attenuation correction in brain PET/CT scans using 18F-FDG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Eun-Jin; Jeong, Moon-Taeg; Jang, Seong-Joo; Choi, Nam-Gil; Han, Jae-Bok; Yang, Nam-Hee; Dong, Kyung-Rae; Chung, Woon-Kwan; Lee, Yun-Jong; Ryu, Young-Hwan; Choi, Sung-Hyun; Seong, Kyeong-Jeong

2014-01-01

This study examined whether scanning could be performed with minimum dose and minimum exposure to the patient after an attenuation correction. A Hoffman 3D Brain Phantom was used in BIO_40 and D_690 PET/CT scanners, and the CT dose for the equipment was classified as a low dose (minimum dose), medium dose (general dose for scanning) and high dose (dose with use of contrast medium) before obtaining the image at a fixed kilo-voltage-peak (kVp) and milliampere (mA) that were adjusted gradually in 17-20 stages. A PET image was then obtained to perform an attenuation correction based on an attenuation map before analyzing the dose difference. Depending on tube current in the range of 33-190 milliampere-second (mAs) when BIO_40 was used, a significant difference in the effective dose was observed between the minimum and the maximum mAs (p < 0.05). According to a Scheffe post-hoc test, the ratio of the minimum to the maximum of the effective dose was increased by approximately 5.26-fold. Depending on the change in the tube current in the range of 10-200 mA when D_690 was used, a significant difference in the effective dose was observed between the minimum and the maximum of mA (p < 0.05). The Scheffe posthoc test revealed a 20.5-fold difference. In conclusion, because effective exposure dose increases with increasing operating current, it is possible to reduce the exposure limit in a brain scan can be reduced if the CT dose can be minimized for a transmission scan.

Endometrial nitric oxide synthase activity in mares susceptible or resistant to persistent breeding-induced endometritis and the effect of a specific iNOS inhibitor in vitro.

PubMed

Khan, F A; Chenier, T S; Foster, R A; Hewson, J; Scholtz, E L

2018-06-01

Emerging research suggests that the nitric oxide system may play a role in persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE) in the mare. Differences in uterine nitric oxide (NO) levels between mares susceptible or resistant to PBIE and a dose-dependent inhibitory effect of NO on uterine contractility have been demonstrated. The objectives of this study were to investigate the difference in total nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity of the endometrium between susceptible and resistant mares and the effect of a specific inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor on the endometrial NOS activity in vitro. Six susceptible and six resistant mares were selected based on preset criteria and the results of an intrauterine challenge with killed spermatozoa during oestrus. Endometrial biopsy samples were collected 24 hr post-challenge and cultured at 37°C for 24 hr in L-arginine supplemented minimum essential medium with or without a specific iNOS inhibitor (1,400 W dihydrochloride, 1 mM). The medium and the cultured endometrial tissue were collected after 24 hr of culture and assayed for NO and total protein, respectively. Total NO content of the medium, normalized to endometrial tissue wet weight or total protein, was used as a measure of endometrial NOS activity. Non-parametric tests were applied for statistical analysis. Susceptible mares had significantly greater endometrial NOS activity than resistant mares. The iNOS inhibitor treatment significantly reduced NOS activity in endometrial samples derived from susceptible and resistant mares. These findings provide a basis for in vivo testing of specific iNOS inhibitors as preventative or therapeutic options for PBIE in mares. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Identifying genes involved in the interaction of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans with Maillard reaction products (MRP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaha, Raniah Abdulmohsen

Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus) actinomycelemcomitcrns is a gram-negative bacterium that is a facultative anaerobe which can grow in either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The bacteria cause localized aggressive periodontitis that can result in the loss of teeth and endocarditis, which is an infection of the heart valves. A rich medium is an essential requirement for its growth. There arc some difficulties associated with growing the bacteria as they easily switch from the rough to smooth phenotype under no specific conditions. The bacteria start to lose viability after about 19 hours of growth in broth or about three days on plates. Colonies in the dense part of the streak on plates die earlier. It was shown that acid secreted by the colonies is responsible for the loss of viability as the bacteria are extremely sensitive to low pH. Autoclaving the growth medium for A. actinomycetemcomitans causes the bacteria to grow slowly because of the formation of Maillard reaction products (MRPs). A method has been developed to make the A. actinomycetemcomitans growth medium using the microwave instead of the autoclave. This method produces much less of the inhibitory product since the heating time is only six minutes, compared to more than an hour when using the autoclave. Two approaches were sought in this research. The first approach was the identification of genes responsible for the interaction between the MRP and A. actinomycetemcomitans. The gene responsible for this interaction was found to be a Lys M protein which is found in many genes responsible for the cell wall integrity. The second approach was to develop a new drug made of glucose and lysine with a minimum inhibitory concentration as 75mM.

Effect of Storage Temperature on Structure and Function of Cultured Human Oral Keratinocytes

PubMed Central

Islam, Rakibul; Jackson, Catherine; Eidet, Jon R.; Messelt, Edward B.; Corraya, Rima Maria; Lyberg, Torstein; Griffith, May; Dartt, Darlene A.; Utheim, Tor P.

2015-01-01

Purpose/Aims To assess the effect of storage temperature on the viability, phenotype, metabolism, and morphology of cultured human oral keratinocytes (HOK). Materials and Methods Cultured HOK cells were stored in HEPES- and sodium bicarbonate-buffered Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) at nine temperatures in approximately 4°C increments from 4°C to 37°C for seven days. Cells were characterized for viability by calcein fluorescence, phenotype retention by immunocytochemistry, metabolic parameters (pH, glucose, lactate, and O2) within the storage medium by blood gas analysis, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Results Relative to the cultured, but non-stored control cells, a high percentage of viable cells were retained only in the 12°C and 16°C storage groups (85%±13% and 68%±10%, respectively). Expression of ABCG2, Bmi1, C/EBPδ, PCNA, cytokeratin 18, and caspase-3 were preserved after storage in the 5 groups between 4°C and 20°C, compared to the non-stored control. Glucose, pH and pO2 in the storage medium declined, whereas lactate increased with increasing storage temperature. Morphology was best preserved following storage of the three groups between 12°C, 16°C, and 20°C. Conclusion We conclude that storage temperatures of 12°C and 16°C were optimal for maintenance of cell viability, phenotype, and morphology of cultured HOK. The storage method described in the present study may be applicable for other cell types and tissues; thus its significance may extend beyond HOK and the field of ophthalmology. PMID:26052937

78 FR 7314 - Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... accounting firm in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles the report of which is made... affordable coverage if the individual's required contribution (determined on an annual basis) for minimum... portion of the required contribution made through a salary reduction arrangement and excluded from gross...

Analysis of Fractional Flow for Transient Two-Phase Flow in Fractal Porous Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Ting; Duan, Yonggang; Fang, Quantang; Dai, Xiaolu; Wu, Jinsui

2016-03-01

Prediction of fractional flow in fractal porous medium is important for reservoir engineering and chemical engineering as well as hydrology. A physical conceptual fractional flow model of transient two-phase flow is developed in fractal porous medium based on the fractal characteristics of pore-size distribution and on the approximation that porous medium consist of a bundle of tortuous capillaries. The analytical expression for fractional flow for wetting phase is presented, and the proposed expression is the function of structural parameters (such as tortuosity fractal dimension, pore fractal dimension, maximum and minimum diameters of capillaries) and fluid properties (such as contact angle, viscosity and interfacial tension) in fractal porous medium. The sensitive parameters that influence fractional flow and its derivative are formulated, and their impacts on fractional flow are discussed.

Combination of the Auxins NAA, IBA, and IAA with GA3 Improves the Commercial Seed-Tuber Production of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under In Vitro Conditions

PubMed Central

Kumlay, Ahmet Metin

2014-01-01

The study compared the effects of 1.0 × MS medium containing various concentrations of α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), alone or in combination with gibberellic acid (GA3) in micropropagation of three potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars Pasinler, Granola, and Caspar using binodal stem cuttings. The results testified improved regeneration on 1.0 × MS medium containing variants of NAA, IAA, and IBA plus GA3 on all cultivars. The minimum days to shoot induction on three cultivars ranged 4.25–5 d on 1.0 × MS medium containing 0.25 mg L−1  GA3 + 1 mg L−1 NAA. The longest shoots (11.8 cm), maximum number of nodes (13.50), and maximum number of leaves (11.00) were recorded on cv. Caspar on 1.0 × MS medium containing 1 mg L−1  NAA + 0.25 mg L−1 GA3. The minimum time to root induction (12.25 d) was noted on cv. Pasinler on the same medium. All of the regenerated shoots could be easily rooted. The results showed that the combined effect of various concentrations of NAA, IAA, and IBA plus GA3 was more pronounced compared to the auxins used alone. The results of this research are of significant importance for potato breeders. PMID:25028654

Combination of the auxins NAA, IBA, and IAA with GA3 improves the commercial seed-tuber production of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under in vitro conditions.

PubMed

Kumlay, Ahmet Metin

2014-01-01

The study compared the effects of 1.0 × MS medium containing various concentrations of α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), alone or in combination with gibberellic acid (GA3) in micropropagation of three potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars Pasinler, Granola, and Caspar using binodal stem cuttings. The results testified improved regeneration on 1.0 × MS medium containing variants of NAA, IAA, and IBA plus GA3 on all cultivars. The minimum days to shoot induction on three cultivars ranged 4.25-5 d on 1.0 × MS medium containing 0.25 mg L(-1) GA3 + 1 mg L(-1) NAA. The longest shoots (11.8 cm), maximum number of nodes (13.50), and maximum number of leaves (11.00) were recorded on cv. Caspar on 1.0 × MS medium containing 1 mg L(-1) NAA + 0.25 mg L(-1) GA3. The minimum time to root induction (12.25 d) was noted on cv. Pasinler on the same medium. All of the regenerated shoots could be easily rooted. The results showed that the combined effect of various concentrations of NAA, IAA, and IBA plus GA3 was more pronounced compared to the auxins used alone. The results of this research are of significant importance for potato breeders.

Carbon Source Requirements for Exopolysaccharide Production by Lactobacillus casei CG11 and Partial Structure Analysis of the Polymer

PubMed Central

Cerning, J.; Renard, C. M. G. C.; Thibault, J. F.; Bouillanne, C.; Landon, M.; Desmazeaud, M.; Topisirovic, L.

1994-01-01

Exopolysaccharide production by Lactobacillus casei CG11 was studied in basal minimum medium containing various carbon sources (galactose, glucose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, melibiose) at concentrations of 2, 5, 10, and 20 g/liter. L. casei CG11 produced exopolysaccharides in basal minimum medium containing each of the sugars tested; lactose and galactose were the poorest carbon sources, and glucose was by far the most efficient carbon source. Sugar concentrations had a marked effect on polymer yield. Plasmid-cured Muc- derivatives grew better in the presence of glucose and attained slightly higher populations than the wild-type strain. The values obtained with lactose were considerably lower for both growth and exopolysaccharide yield. The level of specific polymer production per cell obtained with glucose was distinctively lower for Muc- derivatives than for the Muc+ strain. The polymer produced by L. casei CG11 in the presence of glucose was different from that formed in the presence of lactose. The polysaccharide produced by L. casei CG11 in basal minimum medium containing 20 g of glucose per liter had an intrinsic viscosity of 1.13 dl/g. It was rich in glucose (76%), which was present mostly as 2- or 3-linked residues along with some 2,3 doubly substituted glucose units, and in rhamnose (21%), which was present as 2-linked or terminal rhamnose; traces of mannose and galactose were also present. PMID:16349427

29 CFR 525.1 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Provide for the employment under certificates of individuals with disabilities at special minimum wage... employed in the vicinity for essentially the same type, quality, and quantity of work; (b) Require... to be performed employed in the locality for essentially the same type of work; (c) Prohibit...

Inhibitory effects of cinnamon and clove essential oils on mold growth on baked foods.

PubMed

Ju, Jian; Xu, Xiaomiao; Xie, Yunfei; Guo, Yahui; Cheng, Yuliang; Qian, He; Yao, Weirong

2018-02-01

This study evaluated the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) of cinnamon and clove essential oils against mold growth on green bean cake and finger citron crisp cake, and also examined the effects of these two essential oils and their application methods on the shelf life of the baked products in normal and vacuum packages by accelerated storage test. The results showed that the MIC of cinnamon and clove essential oils against molds were 0.21-0.83 and 0.21-1.67μL/mL, respectively and the MLC were 0.42-0.83 and 0.83-1.67μL/mL, respectively. In normal package cinnamon and clove essential oils could prolong the shelf life of green bean cake 9-10 and 3-4days, respectively and could prolong the shelf life of finger citron crisp cake 5-6 and 2-3days, respectively. And in vacuum package they were 15-16, 8-9, 10-12 and 7-9days, respectively in turn. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Alouatta spp. Feces to Essential Oils

PubMed Central

Carregaro, Adriano Bonfim; Santurio, Deise Flores; de Sá, Mariangela Facco; Santurio, Janio Moraes; Alves, Sydney Hartz

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the in vitro antibacterial activity of essential oils from Lippia graveolens (Mexican oregano), Origanum vulgaris (oregano), Thymus vulgaris (thyme), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Cymbopogon nardus (citronella), Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), and Eucalyptus citriodora (eucalyptus) against Escherichia coli (n = 22) strains isolated from Alouatta spp. feces. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined for each isolate using the broth microdilution technique. Essential oils of Mexican oregano (MIC mean = 1818 μg mL−1; MBC mean = 2618 μg mL−1), thyme (MIC mean = 2618 μg mL−1; MBC mean = 2909 μg mL−1), and oregano (MIC mean = 3418 μg mL−1; MBC mean = 4800 μg mL−1) showed the best antibacterial activity, while essential oils of eucalyptus, rosemary, citronella, and lemongrass displayed no antibacterial activity at concentrations greater than or equal to 6400 μg mL−1. Our results confirm the antimicrobial potential of some essential oils, which deserve further research. PMID:27313638

In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaofeng; Guo, Yanjun; Guo, Liying; Jiang, Hui

2018-01-01

The in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from Melaleuca alternifolia (M. alternifolia) was evaluated in this report. The antioxidant potential of the essential oil from M. alternifolia was evaluated by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method, thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) assay, and the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity method. The essential oil from M. alternifolia was able to reduce DPPH with an EC50 (concentration for 50% of maximal effect) of 48.35 μg/ml, inhibit the lipid peroxidation with an IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) of 135.9 μg/ml, and eliminate hydroxyl radicals with an EC50 of 43.71 μg/ml. Antimicrobial screening, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration assays showed that the essential oil from M. alternifolia inhibited strongly the growth of different types of microorganisms, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Penicillium italicum Wehmer, and Penicillium digitatum Sacc. Thus, the essential oil of M. alternifolia possesses antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and could be suitable for use as a natural preservative ingredient in food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries. PMID:29854733

Chemical composition of the essential oils of Juniperus from ripe and unripe berries and leaves and their antimicrobial activity.

PubMed

Angioni, Alberto; Barra, Andrea; Russo, Maria T; Coroneo, Valentina; Dessi, Sandro; Cabras, Paolo

2003-05-07

The composition of the essential oil from ripe and unripe berries and leaves of Juniperus oxycedrus L. ssp. oxycedrus, Juniperus phoenicea ssp. turbinata and Juniperus communis ssp. communis was analyzed by GC-MS, and microbiological assays were carried out. Samples were collected in different localities (Sardinia, Italy) and hydro distilled. The yields ranged between 2.54% +/- 0.21 (v\\w dried weight) and 0.04% +/- 0.00. A total of 36 components were identified. The major compounds in the essential oils were alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, delta-3-carene, sabinene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, limonene, and D-germacrene. Both qualitative and quantitative differences between species and between different parts of the plant were observed. The essential oils and their major compounds were tested against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined. The results obtained led to a nonsignificant inhibitory effect, although all the essential oils from Juniperus phoenicea ssp. turbinata and the essential oil from leaves of Juniperus oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus exhibited rather good or weak activity against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus.

Chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of essential oil from pine needle (Cedrus deodara).

PubMed

Zeng, Wei-Cai; Zhang, Zeng; Gao, Hong; Jia, Li-Rong; He, Qiang

2012-07-01

The chemical composition of essential oil from pine needles (Cedrus deodara) was determined, and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. Twenty-three components, representing 95.79% of the oil, were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The main components include α-terpineol (30.2%), linalool (24.47%), limonene (17.01%), anethole (14.57%), caryophyllene (3.14%), and eugenol (2.14%). Pine needle essential oil showed remarkable antioxidant activity in scavenging free radicals, in lipid peroxidation, and in reducing power assays. Moreover, the essential oil revealed strong antimicrobial activity against typical food-borne microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of 0.2 to 1.56 and 0.39 to 6.25 μg/mL, respectively. Transmission electron microscope observation ascertained that the bactericidal mechanism of pine needle essential oil may be the induction of cytoplasmic outflow and plasmolysis. These results suggest that the essential oil from pine needles has potential to be used as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent in food processing. The present study provides a theoretical basis for the potential application of essential oil from pine needles (C. deodara) to be used as a natural resource of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in food industry. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils of Selected Aromatic Plants from Tajikistan.

PubMed

Sharopov, Farukh; Braun, Markus Santhosh; Gulmurodov, Isomiddin; Khalifaev, Davlat; Isupov, Salomiddin; Wink, Michael

2015-11-02

Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils of 18 plant species from Tajikistan (Central Asia) were investigated. The essential oil of Origanum tyttanthum showed a strong antibacterial activity with both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 312.5 µg/mL for E. coli , 625 µg/mL (MIC) and 1250 µg/mL (MBC) for MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), respectively. The essential oil of Galagania fragrantissima was highly active against MRSA at concentrations as low as 39.1 µg/mL and 78.2 µg/mL for MIC and MBC, respectively. Origanum tyttanthum essential oil showed the highest antioxidant activity with IC 50 values of 0.12 mg/mL for ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and 0.28 mg/mL for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) . Galagania fragrantissima and Origanum tyttanthum essential oils showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity; IC 50 values of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition were 7.34 and 14.78 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, essential oils of Origanum tyttanthum and Galagania fragrantissima exhibit substantial antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. They are interesting candidates in phytotherapy.

The Anti-Staphylococcus aureus Effect of Combined Echinophora platyloba Essential Oil and Liquid Smoke in Beef

PubMed Central

Pilevar, Zahra; Hajimehdipoor, Homa; Shahraz, Farzaneh; Alizadeh, Leyla; Mahmoudzadeh, Maryam

2017-01-01

Summary In the current study, the antibacterial effect of Echinophora platyloba essential oil and common liquid smoke (individually and in combination) against Staphylococcus aureus in beef meat samples is investigated. Using an automated microbiological growth analyser and the turbidimetric technique, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of the essential oil and liquid smoke were determined. Anti-S. aureus activity of essential oil and liquid smoke (individually and in combination) was defined by disk diffusion assay, generation time and cell constituent release. Apart from that, the interactions between these two compounds were measured by the checkerboard assay and by calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices. Related MIC values of essential oil and smoke were found to be 7200 and 5500 mg/L, and MBC values were 8500 and 8000 mg/L, respectively. The conducted organoleptic assay showed that the addition of 0.05 g of essential oil and 0.6 g of liquid smoke to 100 g of meat samples did not have adverse effect on the overall acceptance. Weaker antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus was observed when only Echinophora platyloba essential oil was used than when it was used in combination with liquid smoke. PMID:28559740

A protocol describing the use of a recombinant protein-based, animal product-free medium (APEL) for human embryonic stem cell differentiation as spin embryoid bodies.

PubMed

Ng, Elizabeth S; Davis, Richard; Stanley, Edouard G; Elefanty, Andrew G

2008-01-01

In order to promote the uniform and reproducible differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (HESCs) in response to exogenously added growth factors, we have developed a method (spin embryoid bodies (EBs)) that uses a recombinant protein-based, animal product-free medium in which HESCs are aggregated by centrifugation to form EBs. In this protocol we describe the formulation of this medium, denoted APEL (Albumin Polyvinylalcohol Essential Lipids), and its use in spin EB differentiation of HESCs. We also describe a more economical variant, BPEL (Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) Polyvinylalchohol Essential Lipids), in which BSA replaces the recombinant human albumin. The integration of a medium that includes only defined and recombinant components with a defined number of cells to initiate EB formation results in a generally applicable, robust platform for growth factor-directed HESC differentiation.

Numerical study of the medium thickness in the Z-scan technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severiano Carrillo, I.; Méndez Otero, M. M.; Arroyo Carrasco, M. L.; Iturbe Castillo, M. D.

2011-09-01

The optical characterization of nonlinear media through the Z-scan technique considers initially a thin medium (with a thickness much less than the beam depth of focus). It has been observed that increasing the thickness of the medium the transmittance increases, this means that n2 increases, for this reason we will present a numerical model to determinate the minimum thin and the maximum thick medium limit. A thin medium is considered as a thin lens with focal length F1 and a thick medium can be regarded as a set of such thin lenses set with focal lengths F2, these lenses are contained in a medium whit a refraction index different than air. This analysis is made through Matlab using the theory of Gaussian beams, ABCD matrices and the q parameter, elementary theory in the development of this work, where the main feature of this model is that the nonlinearity type of the medium is considered as an integer constant in its focal length3. We present the graphs obtained from Z-scan for thick medium with both thermal and Kerr nonlinearities.

Method for optical pumping of thin laser media at high average power

DOEpatents

Zapata, Luis E [Livermore, CA; Beach, Raymond J [Livermore, CA; Honea, Eric C [Sunol, CA; Payne, Stephen A [Castro Valley, CA

2004-07-13

A thin, planar laser material is bonded to a light guide of an index-matched material forming a composite disk. Diode array or other pump light is introduced into the composite disk through the edges of the disk. Pump light trapped within the composite disk depletes as it multi-passes the laser medium before reaching an opposing edge of the disk. The resulting compound optical structure efficiently delivers concentrated pump light and to a laser medium of minimum thickness. The external face of the laser medium is used for cooling. A high performance cooler attached to the external face of the laser medium rejects heat. Laser beam extraction is parallel to the heat flux to minimize optical distortions.

Reversible gelling culture media for in-vitro cell culture in three-dimensional matrices

DOEpatents

An, Yuehuei H.; Mironov, Vladimir A.; Gutowska, Anna

2000-01-01

A gelling cell culture medium useful for forming a three dimensional matrix for cell culture in vitro is prepared by copolymerizing an acrylamide derivative with a hydrophilic comonomer to form a reversible (preferably thermally reversible) gelling linear random copolymer in the form of a plurality of linear chains having a plurality of molecular weights greater than or equal to a minimum gelling molecular weight cutoff, mixing the copolymer with an aqueous solvent to form a reversible gelling solution and adding a cell culture medium to the gelling solution to form the gelling cell culture medium. Cells such as chondrocytes or hepatocytes are added to the culture medium to form a seeded culture medium, and temperature of the medium is raised to gel the seeded culture medium and form a three dimensional matrix containing the cells. After propagating the cells in the matrix, the cells may be recovered by lowering the temperature to dissolve the matrix and centrifuging.

Compositional Shift in Fatty Acid Profiles of Lipids Obtained from Oleaginous Yeasts upon the Addition of Essential Oil from Citrus sinensis L.

PubMed

Uprety, Bijaya K; Rakshit, Sudip K

2017-12-01

Tailoring lipids from oleaginous yeasts to contain specific types of fatty acid is of considerable interest to food, fuel, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, the essential oil obtained from Citrus sinesus L. has been used to alter the fatty acid composition of two common oleaginous yeasts, Rhodosporidium toruloides and Cryptococcus curvatus. With increasing levels of essential oil in the medium, the metabolic flux of the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway shifted towards saturated fatty acid production. Essential oil reduced the activities of elongase and ∆9 desaturase. This made the lipid obtained from both these yeasts rich in saturated fatty acids. At certain specific concentrations of the essential oil in the medium, the lipid obtained from R. toruloides and C. curvatus cultures was similar to mahuwa butter and palm oil, respectively. Limonene is the major constituents of orange essential oil. Its effect on one of the oleaginous yeasts, R. toruloides, was also studied separately. Effects similar to orange essential oil were obtained with limonene. Thus, we can conclude that limonene in orange essential oil brings about compositional change of microbial lipid produced in this organism.

Chemical characterization of Lippia alba essential oil: an alternative to control green molds

PubMed Central

Glamočlija, Jasmina; Soković, Marina; Tešević, Vele; Linde, Giani Andrea; Colauto, Nelson Barros

2011-01-01

The essential oil of Lippia alba is reported as an antifungal against human pathogenic microorganisms but few articles report its use as an alternative to synthetic fungicides on green mould control. The objective of this study was to determine chemical characteristics of L. alba essential oil and its antifungal activity against green molds as an alternative to synthetic fungicides. Essential oil was extracted by Clevenger hydrodistillation, characterized by GC-MS analysis, and the structure of the main compounds confirmed by 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Microdilution assays evaluated the essential oil minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Commercial fungicides Ketoconazole and Bifonazole were used as control. Essential oil yield is of 0.15% and the major components are neral (33.32%) and geranial (50.94%). The L. alba essential oil has MIC of 0.300–1.250 mg/mL and MFC of 0.600–1.250 mg/mL. Ketoconazole and Bifonazole show MIC ranging from 0.025–0.500 to 0.100–0.200 mg/mL, and MFC ranging from 0.250–0.100 to 0.200–0.250 mg/mL, respectively. L. alba essential oil is classified as citral type and the results indicate that it is a potential alternative to synthetic fungicides. PMID:24031788

Wavelength-resonant surface-emitting semiconductor laser

DOEpatents

Brueck, Steven R. J.; Schaus, Christian F.; Osinski, Marek A.; McInerney, John G.; Raja, M. Yasin A.; Brennan, Thomas M.; Hammons, Burrell E.

1989-01-01

A wavelength resonant semiconductor gain medium is disclosed. The essential feature of this medium is a multiplicity of quantum-well gain regions separated by semiconductor spacer regions of higher bandgap. Each period of this medium consisting of one quantum-well region and the adjacent spacer region is chosen such that the total width is equal to an integral multiple of 1/2 the wavelength in the medium of the radiation with which the medium is interacting. Optical, electron-beam and electrical injection pumping of the medium is disclosed. This medium may be used as a laser medium for single devices or arrays either with or without reflectors, which may be either semiconductor or external.

Design and performance of mobile terminal for North American MSAT network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuji, Tsuyoshi; Tsuchiya, Makio; Isota, Yoji; Aoki, Katsuhiko

1995-01-01

The mobile terminal (MT), which can be selected for various applications, i.e. land mobile, transportable, fixed site, and maritime use, has been developed. Medium gain and high gain antennas are available. The MT can support circuit switched voice and data service. Additionally, cellular roaming service, net radio, and Group 3 facsimile services are optionally provided. A Mitsubishi handheld portable phone can be used as a stand-alone portable cellular-only phone or it can provide MSAT voice service when connected to MT. The MT which operates in L-band (1.5 GHz/1.6 GHz) satisfies equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) of 12.5 dBW minimum and G/T of -16 dB/K minimum for medium gain system and -12 dB/K for high gain system. The excellent performance of transmit phase noise and bit error rate is achieved by using new technologies.

40 CFR Table 1a to Subpart Ce of... - Emissions Limits for Small, Medium, and Large HMIWI at Designated Facilities as Defined in § 60...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) (grains per dry standard cubic foot (gr/dscf)) 115 (0.05) 69 (0.03) 34 (0.015) 3-run average (1-hour minimum sample time per run) EPA Reference Method 5 of appendix A-3 of part 60, or EPA Reference Method...-run average (1-hour minimum sample time per run) EPA Reference Method 10 or 10B of appendix A-4 of...

40 CFR Table 1a to Subpart Ce of... - Emissions Limits for Small, Medium, and Large HMIWI at Designated Facilities as Defined in § 60...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) (grains per dry standard cubic foot (gr/dscf)) 115 (0.05) 69 (0.03) 34 (0.015) 3-run average (1-hour minimum sample time per run) EPA Reference Method 5 of appendix A-3 of part 60, or EPA Reference Method...-run average (1-hour minimum sample time per run) EPA Reference Method 10 or 10B of appendix A-4 of...

Antimicrobial activities of six essential oils commonly used as condiments in Brazil against Clostridium perfringens.

PubMed

Radaelli, Marcela; da Silva, Bárbara Parraga; Weidlich, Luciana; Hoehne, Lucélia; Flach, Adriana; da Costa, Luiz Antonio Mendonça Alves; Ethur, Eduardo Miranda

2016-01-01

Despite recent advances in food production technology, food-borne diseases (FBD) remain a challenging public health concern. In several countries, including Brazil, Clostridium perfringens is among the five main causative agents of food-borne diseases. The present study determines antimicrobial activities of essential oils of six condiments commonly used in Brazil, viz., Ocimum basilicum L. (basil), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary), Origanum majorana L. (marjoram), Mentha × piperita L. var. Piperita (peppermint), Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme) and Pimpinella anisum L. (anise) against C. perfringens strain A. Chemical compositions of the oils were determined by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). The identities of the isolated compounds were established from the respective Kováts indices, and a comparison of mass spectral data was made with those reported earlier. The antibacterial activity was assessed from minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the microdilution method. Minimum inhibitory concentration values were 1.25mgmL(-1) for thyme, 5.0mgmL(-1) for basil and marjoram, and 10mgmL(-1) for rosemary, peppermint and anise. All oils showed bactericidal activity at their minimum inhibitory concentration, except anise oil, which was only bacteriostatic. The use of essential oils from these common spices might serve as an alternative to the use of chemical preservatives in the control and inactivation of pathogens in commercially produced food systems. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Is the minimum enough? Affordability of a nutritious diet for minimum wage earners in Nova Scotia (2002-2012).

PubMed

Newell, Felicia D; Williams, Patricia L; Watt, Cynthia G

2014-05-09

This paper aims to assess the affordability of a nutritious diet for households earning minimum wage in Nova Scotia (NS) from 2002 to 2012 using an economic simulation that includes food costing and secondary data. The cost of the National Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB) was assessed with a stratified, random sample of grocery stores in NS during six time periods: 2002, 2004/2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012. The NNFB's cost was factored into affordability scenarios for three different household types relying on minimum wage earnings: a household of four; a lone mother with three children; and a lone man. Essential monthly living expenses were deducted from monthly net incomes using methods that were standardized from 2002 to 2012 to determine whether adequate funds remained to purchase a basic nutritious diet across the six time periods. A 79% increase to the minimum wage in NS has resulted in a decrease in the potential deficit faced by each household scenario in the period examined. However, the household of four and the lone mother with three children would still face monthly deficits ($44.89 and $496.77, respectively, in 2012) if they were to purchase a nutritiously sufficient diet. As a social determinant of health, risk of food insecurity is a critical public health issue for low wage earners. While it is essential to increase the minimum wage in the short term, adequately addressing income adequacy in NS and elsewhere requires a shift in thinking from a focus on minimum wage towards more comprehensive policies ensuring an adequate livable income for everyone.

Nursing Minimum Data Set for School Nursing Practice. Position Statement. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denehy, Janice

2012-01-01

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to support the collection of essential nursing data as listed in the Nursing Minimum Data Set (NMDS). The NMDS provides a basic structure to identify the data needed to delineate nursing care delivered to clients as well as relevant characteristics of those clients. Structure…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burger, Brian T.; Imam, Saheed; Scarborough, Matthew J.

Rhodobacter sphaeroides is one of the best-studied alphaproteobacteria from biochemical, genetic, and genomic perspectives. To gain a better systems-level understanding of this organism, we generated a large transposon mutant library and used transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) to identify genes that are essential under several growth conditions. Using newly developed Tn-seq analysis software (TSAS), we identified 493 genes as essential for aerobic growth on a rich medium. We then used the mutant library to identify conditionally essential genes under two laboratory growth conditions, identifying 85 additional genes required for aerobic growth in a minimal medium and 31 additional genes required for photosyntheticmore » growth. In all instances, our analyses confirmed essentiality for many known genes and identified genes not previously considered to be essential. We used the resulting Tn-seq data to refine and improve a genome-scale metabolic network model (GEM) for R. sphaeroides. Together, we demonstrate how genetic, genomic, and computational approaches can be combined to obtain a systems-level understanding of the genetic framework underlying metabolic diversity in bacterial species.« less

A Practical Approach to Early Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chijioke, M. O.

1973-01-01

A minimum of technological awareness is essential to Black Africa in its efforts to modernize itself. The young grow up deprived of an environment where they are made to feel at home with gadgets and machines. Elementary technical training and orderly exposure to mathematics are essential to child's education. (EB)

A complete collection of single-gene deletion mutants of Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1

PubMed Central

de Berardinis, Véronique; Vallenet, David; Castelli, Vanina; Besnard, Marielle; Pinet, Agnès; Cruaud, Corinne; Samair, Sumitta; Lechaplais, Christophe; Gyapay, Gabor; Richez, Céline; Durot, Maxime; Kreimeyer, Annett; Le Fèvre, François; Schächter, Vincent; Pezo, Valérie; Döring, Volker; Scarpelli, Claude; Médigue, Claudine; Cohen, Georges N; Marlière, Philippe; Salanoubat, Marcel; Weissenbach, Jean

2008-01-01

We have constructed a collection of single-gene deletion mutants for all dispensable genes of the soil bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1. A total of 2594 deletion mutants were obtained, whereas 499 (16%) were not, and are therefore candidate essential genes for life on minimal medium. This essentiality data set is 88% consistent with the Escherichia coli data set inferred from the Keio mutant collection profiled for growth on minimal medium, while 80% of the orthologous genes described as essential in Pseudomonas aeruginosa are also essential in ADP1. Several strategies were undertaken to investigate ADP1 metabolism by (1) searching for discrepancies between our essentiality data and current metabolic knowledge, (2) comparing this essentiality data set to those from other organisms, (3) systematic phenotyping of the mutant collection on a variety of carbon sources (quinate, 2-3 butanediol, glucose, etc.). This collection provides a new resource for the study of gene function by forward and reverse genetic approaches and constitutes a robust experimental data source for systems biology approaches. PMID:18319726

Combining Genome-Scale Experimental and Computational Methods To Identify Essential Genes in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

DOE PAGES

Burger, Brian T.; Imam, Saheed; Scarborough, Matthew J.; ...

2017-06-06

Rhodobacter sphaeroides is one of the best-studied alphaproteobacteria from biochemical, genetic, and genomic perspectives. To gain a better systems-level understanding of this organism, we generated a large transposon mutant library and used transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) to identify genes that are essential under several growth conditions. Using newly developed Tn-seq analysis software (TSAS), we identified 493 genes as essential for aerobic growth on a rich medium. We then used the mutant library to identify conditionally essential genes under two laboratory growth conditions, identifying 85 additional genes required for aerobic growth in a minimal medium and 31 additional genes required for photosyntheticmore » growth. In all instances, our analyses confirmed essentiality for many known genes and identified genes not previously considered to be essential. We used the resulting Tn-seq data to refine and improve a genome-scale metabolic network model (GEM) for R. sphaeroides. Together, we demonstrate how genetic, genomic, and computational approaches can be combined to obtain a systems-level understanding of the genetic framework underlying metabolic diversity in bacterial species.« less

[Effect of KH2PO4 on the odonto- and osteogenic differentiation potential of human stem cells from apical papillae].

PubMed

Wang, Yan-ping; Wu, Jin-tao; Wang, Zi-lu; Zheng, Yang-yu; Zhang, Guang-dong; Yu, Jin-hua

2013-01-01

To determine the effects of KH2PO4 on the odonto- and osteogenic differentiation potential of human stem cells from apical papillae (SCAP) in vitro. SCAP were isolated and cultured respectively in alpha minimum essential medium (α-MEM) or α-MEM containing 1.8 mmol/L KH2PO4. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, alizarin red staining, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to examine the odonto and osteogenic potential of SCAP in the two media. SCAP cultured in α-MEM containing 1.8 mmol/L KH2PO4 exhibited a higher ALP activity [(0.370 ± 0.013) Sigma unit×min(-1)×mg(-1)] at day 3 than control group [(0.285 ± 0.008) Sigma unit×min(-1)×mg(-1)] and KH2PO4-treated SCAP formed more calcified nodules at day 5 [(0.539 ± 0.007) µg/g] and day 7 [(1.617 ± 0.042) µg/g] than those in normal medium [(0.138 ± 0.037) µg/g, P < 0.01]. The expression of odonto- and osteogenic markers were significantly up-regulated after the stimulation of KH2PO4 at day 3 and 7 respectively, as compared with control group. 1.8 mmol/L KH2PO4 can promote the odonto and osteogenic differentiation potential of human SCAP.

Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils of Tagetes minuta (Asteraceae) against Selected Plant Pathogenic Bacteria

PubMed Central

Wagacha, John M.; Dossaji, Saifuddin F.

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils (EOs) of Tagetes minuta against three phytopathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli, and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis. The essential oils were extracted using steam distillation method in a modified Clevenger-type apparatus while antibacterial activity of the EOs was evaluated by disc diffusion method. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used for analysis of the chemical profile of the EOs. Twenty compounds corresponding to 96% of the total essential oils were identified with 70% and 30% of the identified components being monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, respectively. The essential oils of T. minuta revealed promising antibacterial activities against the test pathogens with Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola being the most susceptible with mean inhibition zone diameters of 41.83 and 44.83 mm after 24 and 48 hours, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations of the EOs on the test bacteria were in the ranges of 24–48 mg/mL and 95–190 mg/mL, respectively. These findings provide a scientific basis for the use of T. minuta essential oils as a botanical pesticide for management of phytopathogenic bacteria. PMID:27721831

Oliveria decumbens essential oil: Chemical compositions and antimicrobial activity against the growth of some clinical and standard strains causing infection.

PubMed

Alizadeh Behbahani, Behrooz; Tabatabaei Yazdi, Farideh; Vasiee, Alireza; Mortazavi, Seyed Ali

2018-01-01

Oliveria decumbens as a valuable medicinal plant is extensively used in traditional medicine. clinical and standard strains causing infection resistance to antimicrobial agents, is one of the important problems in medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activities and phytochemical analysis of Oliveria decumbens essential oil on the growth of some clinical and standard strains causing infection (Pseudomonas aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Oliveria decumbens essential oil composition was identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Phytochemical analysis (alkaloids, saponins, flavone and phenolic) essential oil of the Oliveria decumbens were appraised based on qualitative methods. Several methods (disk diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)) were used to appraise the antibacterial activity of the Oliveria decumbens essential oil. Thymol (28.45%) was the major compound of Oliveria decumbens essential oil. The total phenolics content (TPC) of the essential oil positively correlated with antioxidant activity (AA). The TPC and AA of Oliveria decumbens essential oil was equal to 92.45 ± 0.70 μg GAE/mg and 164.45 ± 1.20 μg/ml, respectively. The MIC of Oliveria decumbens essential oil ranged from 1 to 8 mg/ml depending on the type of bacteria (clinical and standard strains). The MBC of Oliveria decumbens essential oil varied from 1 mg/ml to 16 mg/ml. The smallest inhibition zone diameter (IZD) on different Oliveria decumbens essential oil concentrations on P. aeruginosa. Results indicate that Oliveria decumbens essential oil can prove to be an important source of AA and antibacterial and may be used for the treatment of infection diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The essential oil of Brazilian pepper, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi in larval control of Stegomyia aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762).

PubMed

Silva, Ary G; Almeida, Drielle L; Ronchi, Silas N; Bento, Amarildo C; Scherer, Rodrigo; Ramos, Alessandro C; Cruz, Zilma Ma

2010-08-27

The ability of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes and its allies, such as Stegomyia, to transmit diseases such as dengue and yellow fever, makes them important in public health. This study aims to evaluate the use of the essential oil of Brazilian pepper in biological control of by assessing and quantifying the larvicidal effect against S. aegypti, the only available access to dengue control, and test its risk of genotoxicity with Salmonella typhimurium as an indicator of safety for its environmental use. The density of the oil was 0.8622 g mL-1. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry revealed six major constituents: δ-3-carene (55.43%), α-pinene (16.25%), sylvestrene (10.67%), germacrene D (2.17), β-myrcene (1.99%), and isoterpinolene (1.4%). The minimum inhibitory dose to larvae development was 862.20 μg mL-1. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the essential oil for larvae was between the concentrations of 172.44-344.88 μg mL-1. There was no mutagenic risk for the essential oil, since there were no biochemical or morphological changes in S. typhimurium after exposure to the essential oil. The minimum inhibitory essential oil concentration and the median lethal dose pointed to the value of the use of water dispersions of Brazilian pepper essential oil as an environmental safe natural larvicidal for S. aegypti.

Manufacture of conical springs with elastic medium technology improvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurguzov, S. A.; Mikhailova, U. V.; Kalugina, O. B.

2018-01-01

This article considers the manufacturing technology improvement by using an elastic medium in the stamping tool forming space to improve the conical springs performance characteristics and reduce the costs of their production. Estimation technique of disk spring operational properties is developed by mathematical modeling of the compression process during the operation of a spring. A technique for optimizing the design parameters of a conical spring is developed, which ensures a minimum voltage value when operated in the edge of the spring opening.

In vitro corrosion study by EIS of a nickel-free stainless steel for orthopaedic applications.

PubMed

Rondelli, G; Torricelli, P; Fini, M; Giardino, R

2005-03-01

The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was used for the study of the electrochemical behaviour of Ni-free austenitic stainless steel for orthopaedic applications. Experiments were carried out using four different test solutions: (i) phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), (ii) minimum essential medium (MEM), (iii) MEM + 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), (iv) MEM + 10% fetal calf serum + L929 fibroblast cell line (Cell). Bode-phase spectra showed the presence of two maxima and were fitted with an equivalent circuit characterized by two parallel combinations (Resistance, Constant Phase Element). The (R(1), CPE(1)) branch was assigned to the inner compact passive film and the (R(2), CPE(2)) branch to the external porous film. The resistance of the inner film R(1), here directly related to the material's uniform corrosion resistance, raised with the immersion time and increased in the following order: PBS

Wettability of magnesium based alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ornelas, Victor Manuel

The premise of this project was to determine the wettability behavior of Mg-based alloys using three different liquids. Contact angle measurements were carried out along with utilizing the Zisman method for obtaining values for the critical surface tension. Adhesion energy values were also found through the use of the Young-Dupre equation. This project utilized the Mg-based alloy Mg-2Zn-2Gd with supplemented alpha-Minimum Essential Medium (MEM), Phosphate Buffer Saline solution (PBS), and distilled water. These three liquids are commonly used in cell cultivation and protein adsorption studies. Supplemented alpha-MEM consisted of alpha-MEM, fetal bovine serum, and penicillin-streptomycin. Mg-2Zn-2Gd was used because of observed superior mechanical properties and better corrosion resistance as compared to conventional Mg-alloys. These attractive properties have made it possible for this alloy to be used in biomedical devices within the human body. However, the successful use of this alloy system in the human body requires knowledge in the response of protein adsorption on the alloy surface. Protein adsorption depends on many parameters, but one of the most important factors is the wettability behavior at the surface.

Design for minimum energy in interstellar communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messerschmitt, David G.

2015-02-01

Microwave digital communication at interstellar distances is the foundation of extraterrestrial civilization (SETI and METI) communication of information-bearing signals. Large distances demand large transmitted power and/or large antennas, while the propagation is transparent over a wide bandwidth. Recognizing a fundamental tradeoff, reduced energy delivered to the receiver at the expense of wide bandwidth (the opposite of terrestrial objectives) is advantageous. Wide bandwidth also results in simpler design and implementation, allowing circumvention of dispersion and scattering arising in the interstellar medium and motion effects and obviating any related processing. The minimum energy delivered to the receiver per bit of information is determined by cosmic microwave background alone. By mapping a single bit onto a carrier burst, the Morse code invented for the telegraph in 1836 comes closer to this minimum energy than approaches used in modern terrestrial radio. Rather than the terrestrial approach of adding phases and amplitudes increases information capacity while minimizing bandwidth, adding multiple time-frequency locations for carrier bursts increases capacity while minimizing energy per information bit. The resulting location code is simple and yet can approach the minimum energy as bandwidth is expanded. It is consistent with easy discovery, since carrier bursts are energetic and straightforward modifications to post-detection pattern recognition can identify burst patterns. Time and frequency coherence constraints leading to simple signal discovery are addressed, and observations of the interstellar medium by transmitter and receiver constrain the burst parameters and limit the search scope.

Design and fabrication of a boron reinforced intertank skirt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henshaw, J.; Roy, P. A.; Pylypetz, P.

1974-01-01

Analytical and experimental studies were performed to evaluate the structural efficiency of a boron reinforced shell, where the medium of reinforcement consists of hollow aluminum extrusions infiltrated with boron epoxy. Studies were completed for the design of a one-half scale minimum weight shell using boron reinforced stringers and boron reinforced rings. Parametric and iterative studies were completed for the design of minimum weight stringers, rings, shells without rings and shells with rings. Computer studies were completed for the final evaluation of a minimum weight shell using highly buckled minimum gage skin. The detail design is described of a practical minimum weight test shell which demonstrates a weight savings of 30% as compared to an all aluminum longitudinal stiffened shell. Sub-element tests were conducted on representative segments of the compression surface at maximum stress and also on segments of the load transfer joint. A 10 foot long, 77 inch diameter shell was fabricated from the design and delivered for further testing.

Using straw hydrolysate to cultivate Chlorella pyrenoidosa for high-value biomass production and the nitrogen regulation for biomass composition.

PubMed

Zhang, Tian-Yuan; Wang, Xiao-Xiong; Wu, Yin-Hu; Wang, Jing-Han; Deantes-Espinosa, Victor M; Zhuang, Lin-Lan; Hu, Hong-Ying; Wu, Guang-Xue

2017-11-01

Heterotrophic cultivation of Chlorella pyrenoidosa based on straw substrate was proposed as a promising approach in this research. The straw pre-treated by ammonium sulfite method was enzymatically hydrolyzed for medium preparation. The highest intrinsic growth rate of C. pyrenoidosa reached to 0.097h -1 in hydrolysate medium, which was quicker than that in glucose medium. Rising nitrogen concentration could significantly increase protein content and decrease lipid content in biomass, meanwhile fatty acids composition kept stable. The highest protein and lipid content in microalgal biomass reached to 62% and 32% under nitrogen excessive and deficient conditions, respectively. Over 40% of amino acids and fatty acids in biomass belonged to essential amino acids (EAA) and essential fatty acids (EFA), which were qualified for high-value uses. This research revealed the rapid biomass accumulation property of C. pyrenoidosa in straw hydrolysate medium and the effectiveness of nitrogen regulation to biomass composition at heterotrophic condition. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Culture conditions and salt effects on essential oil composition of sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) from Tunisia.

PubMed

Baâtour, Olfa; Tarchoune, Imen; Mahmoudi, Hela; Nassri, Nawel; Abidi, Wissal; Kaddour, Rym; Hamdaoui, Ghaith; Nasri-Ayachi, Mouhiba Ben; Lachaâl, Mohtar; Marzouk, Brahim

2012-06-01

O. majorana shoots were investigated for their essential oil (EO) composition. Two experiments were carried out; the first on hydroponic medium in a culture chamber and the second on inert sand in a greenhouse for 20 days. Plants were cultivated for 17 days in hydroponic medium supplemented with NaCl 100 mmol L⁻¹. The results showed that the O. majorana hydroponic medium offered higher essential oil yield than that from the greenhouse. The latter increased significantly in yield (by 50 %) under saline constraint while it did not change in the culture chamber. Under greenhouse conditions and in the absence of salt treatment, the major constituents were terpinen-4-ol and trans-sabinene hydrate. However, in the culture chamber, the major volatile components were cis-sabinene hydrate and terpinen-4-ol. In the presence of NaCl, new compounds appeared, such as eicosane, spathulenol, eugenol, and phenol. In addition, in the greenhouse, with or without salt, a very important change of trans-sabinene hydrate concentration in EO occurred, whereas in the culture chamber change appeared in cis-sabinene hydrate content.

40 CFR Table 1b to Subpart Ce of... - Emissions Limits for Small, Medium, and Large HMIWI at Designated Facilities as Defined in § 60...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....011) 3-run average (1-hour minimum sample time per run) EPA Reference Method 5 of appendix A-3 of part... by volume (ppmv) 20 5.5 11 3-run average (1-hour minimum sample time per run) EPA Reference Method 10... dscf) 16 (7.0) or 0.013 (0.0057) 0.85 (0.37) or 0.020 (0.0087) 9.3 (4.1) or 0.054 (0.024) 3-run average...

A Potential Approach for Low Flow Selection in Water Resource Supply and Management

Treesearch

Ying Ouyang

2012-01-01

Low flow selections are essential to water resource management, water supply planning, and watershed ecosystem restoration. In this study, a new approach, namely the frequent-low (FL) approach (or frequent-low index), was developed based on the minimum frequent-low flow or level used in minimum flows and/or levels program in northeast Florida, USA. This FL approach was...

The essential oil of Brazilian pepper, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi in larval control of Stegomyia aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The ability of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes and its allies, such as Stegomyia, to transmit diseases such as dengue and yellow fever, makes them important in public health. This study aims to evaluate the use of the essential oil of Brazilian pepper in biological control of by assessing and quantifying the larvicidal effect against S. aegypti, the only available access to dengue control, and test its risk of genotoxicity with Salmonella typhimurium as an indicator of safety for its environmental use. Results The density of the oil was 0.8622 g mL-1. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry revealed six major constituents: δ-3-carene (55.43%), α-pinene (16.25%), sylvestrene (10.67%), germacrene D (2.17), β-myrcene (1.99%), and isoterpinolene (1.4%). The minimum inhibitory dose to larvae development was 862.20 μg mL-1. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the essential oil for larvae was between the concentrations of 172.44-344.88 μg mL-1. There was no mutagenic risk for the essential oil, since there were no biochemical or morphological changes in S. typhimurium after exposure to the essential oil. Conclusions The minimum inhibitory essential oil concentration and the median lethal dose pointed to the value of the use of water dispersions of Brazilian pepper essential oil as an environmental safe natural larvicidal for S. aegypti. PMID:20799936

Systematic Self-Regulation of the Neural System Essential for Peak Performance and Wellbeing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassel, Russell N.

1985-01-01

Balance and harmony within one's neural system is dynamic and changing, and restoring that balance is essential for peak performance. With a minimum amount of training individuals are able to restore this delicate balance and thereby enhance their own wellbeing. Autogenic feedback training has been demonstrated to be an effective means for…

Electrosynthesis and characterization of polypyrrole/cashew gum composite grown on gold surface in aqueous medium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Electronic systems consisting of renewable, biodegradable materials and minimum amounts of toxic materials are desirable. This study was carried out to investigate the electrosynthesis and evaluation of the electrochemical, morphological, and topographical characteristics of a novel conducting polyp...

A new computational strategy for predicting essential genes.

PubMed

Cheng, Jian; Wu, Wenwu; Zhang, Yinwen; Li, Xiangchen; Jiang, Xiaoqian; Wei, Gehong; Tao, Shiheng

2013-12-21

Determination of the minimum gene set for cellular life is one of the central goals in biology. Genome-wide essential gene identification has progressed rapidly in certain bacterial species; however, it remains difficult to achieve in most eukaryotic species. Several computational models have recently been developed to integrate gene features and used as alternatives to transfer gene essentiality annotations between organisms. We first collected features that were widely used by previous predictive models and assessed the relationships between gene features and gene essentiality using a stepwise regression model. We found two issues that could significantly reduce model accuracy: (i) the effect of multicollinearity among gene features and (ii) the diverse and even contrasting correlations between gene features and gene essentiality existing within and among different species. To address these issues, we developed a novel model called feature-based weighted Naïve Bayes model (FWM), which is based on Naïve Bayes classifiers, logistic regression, and genetic algorithm. The proposed model assesses features and filters out the effects of multicollinearity and diversity. The performance of FWM was compared with other popular models, such as support vector machine, Naïve Bayes model, and logistic regression model, by applying FWM to reciprocally predict essential genes among and within 21 species. Our results showed that FWM significantly improves the accuracy and robustness of essential gene prediction. FWM can remarkably improve the accuracy of essential gene prediction and may be used as an alternative method for other classification work. This method can contribute substantially to the knowledge of the minimum gene sets required for living organisms and the discovery of new drug targets.

An experimental strategy validated to design cost-effective culture media based on response surface methodology.

PubMed

Navarrete-Bolaños, J L; Téllez-Martínez, M G; Miranda-López, R; Jiménez-Islas, H

2017-07-03

For any fermentation process, the production cost depends on several factors, such as the genetics of the microorganism, the process condition, and the culture medium composition. In this work, a guideline for the design of cost-efficient culture media using a sequential approach based on response surface methodology is described. The procedure was applied to analyze and optimize a culture medium of registered trademark and a base culture medium obtained as a result of the screening analysis from different culture media used to grow the same strain according to the literature. During the experiments, the procedure quantitatively identified an appropriate array of micronutrients to obtain a significant yield and find a minimum number of culture medium ingredients without limiting the process efficiency. The resultant culture medium showed an efficiency that compares favorably with the registered trademark medium at a 95% lower cost as well as reduced the number of ingredients in the base culture medium by 60% without limiting the process efficiency. These results demonstrated that, aside from satisfying the qualitative requirements, an optimum quantity of each constituent is needed to obtain a cost-effective culture medium. Study process variables for optimized culture medium and scaling-up production for the optimal values are desirable.

Essential oil of the leaves of Ricinus communis L.: in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties.

PubMed

Zarai, Zied; Ben Chobba, Ines; Ben Mansour, Riadh; Békir, Ahmed; Gharsallah, Néji; Kadri, Adel

2012-08-13

The aim of the present study was to appraise the antimicrobial activity of Ricinus communis L. essential oil against different pathogenic microorganisms and the cytotoxic activity against HeLa cell lines. The agar disk diffusion method was used to study the antibacterial activity of Ricinus communis L. essential oil against 12 bacterial and 4 fungi strains. The disc diameters of zone of inhibition (DD), the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the concentration inhibiting 50% (IC50) were investigated to characterize the antimicrobial activities of this essential oil. The in vitro cytotoxicity of Ricinus communis L. essential oil was examined using a modified MTT assay; the viability and the IC50 were used to evaluate this test. The essential oil from the leaves of Ricinus communis L. was analyzed by GC-MS and bioassays were carried out. Five constituents of the oil were identified by GC-MS. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was investigated in order to evaluate its efficacy against twelve bacteria and four fungi species, using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration methods. The essential oil showed strong antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested with higher sensitivity for Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter cloacae. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the essential oil on HeLa cell lines were examined by MTT assay. The cytotoxicity of the oil was quite strong with IC50 values less than 2.63 mg/ml for both cell lines. The present study showed the potential antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic properties of the essential oil of Ricinus communis L., indicating the possibilities of its potential use in the formula of natural remedies for the topical treatment of infections.

In vitro study of the effect of an essential oil and a delmopinol mouth rinse on dental plaque bacteria.

PubMed

LuIs, Henrique Soares; Luis, Luis Soares; Bernardo, Mário

2016-01-01

Mouthrinses are used, by many of our patients, as a complement to daily dental hygiene routine. The use of a toothbrush and an interproximal cleaning method may not be enough to control dental plaque. Essential oils and delmopinol mouth rinses are effective for the prevention of dental caries and gingivitis. To study the effect of an essential oil and a delmopinol mouth rinse on dental plaque bacteria, an in vitro study was developed. The objective of this study was to determine the antibacterial activity of an essential oil and a delmopinol mouth rinse on Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacilli, and aerobic and anaerobic dental plaque nonspecific bacteria. Samples of human dental plaque were collected from consenting participants and bacteria isolated. Disk-diffusion tests were performed to obtain the minimum concentration of the mouth rinses necessary to inhibit bacterial growth. The ability of the commercial mouth rinses to inhibit bacterial growth was studied in comparison to a positive control (0.2% chlorhexidine) and a negative laboratorial control (sterilized water). The minimum inhibitory concentration was found to be inferior to the commercial essential oils and delmopinol mouth rinses concentrations. Delmopinol and essential oils have significant antibacterial properties shown in vitro only for aerobic bacteria, and for S. mutans, Lactobacillus, and anaerobic bacteria, the results were not statistically significant. Essential oils and chlorhexidine are statistically similar and better than delmopinol for aerobic bacteria growth inhibition. For the other bacteria, essential oils and delmopinol are not statistically promising. Results show that essential oils only may help patients to maintain good oral health as a complement to daily brushing and interproximal cleaning.

Establishment and characterization of two cell lines from bluefin trevally Caranx melampygus.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhengshan; Lu, Yuanan

2006-01-30

Bluefin trevally Caranx melampygus Cuvier is a popular game fish and highly valued sea food with potential importance for aquaculture. To help establish this marine animal as an important aquacultural species in Hawaii and the Pacific and develop in vitro cell culture systems for long-term management and control of potential viral diseases 2 cell lines were established from body muscle (bluefin trevally muscles, BTMS) and fins (bluefin trevally fins, BTF). Primary culture of these cells was conducted at 25 degrees C using L-15 medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum and various antibiotics. These cells have been serially subcultured 37 to 41 times since their initiation in June 2002. Growth of the bluefin trevally cells was serum-dependent at the time of the experiments and their plating efficiencies ranged from 11 to 28.2%. Comparative analysis showed that these bluefin trevally cells grew equally well in the media L-15 (Leibovitz medium), RPMI 1640, M199 and MEM (minimum essential medium), which are commonly used for cell cultures derived from aquatic animals and mammalian species. Examination of the early passage cells stored at -196 degrees C revealed a large percent (nearly 98%) of cell viability following a 6 mo storage in liquid nitrogen. Karyotyping analysis indicated that these bluefin trevally derived cell lines remained diploid with a chromosome count of 48 at passage 7 and 12. These 2 cell lines shared a same pattern of viral susceptibility and they were sensitive to infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN), spring viremia carp virus (SVCV), viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), and snakehead rhabdovirus (SHRV) but refractory to channel catfish virus (CCV) infection. These newly established cell lines are currently being used to facilitate the diagnosis of viral disease affecting marine fish aquaculture in Hawaii, and will be available for future isolation and study of bluefin trevally fish viruses.

Effects of culture media and energy sources on the inhibition of nuclear maturation in bovine oocytes.

PubMed

Bilodeau-Goeseels, Sylvie

2006-07-15

The influence of the culture medium and energy sources on spontaneous nuclear maturation and inhibition of maturation in bovine cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEO) was examined. CEO were cultured in Medium 199, minimum essential medium, M16, or synthetic oviduct fluid (SOF), all containing 3 mg/mL bovine serum albumin (BSA), and SOF without BSA, alone or supplemented with hypoxanthine (HYPO, 4 mM) or forskolin (FSK, 100 microM) for 21 h. More CEO remained at the GV stage in M16 compared to other media (P < 0.05). Supplementation with HYPO increased and FSK reduced the percentage of CEO remaining at the GV stage (P < 0.05) only in M16. The effects of energy sources, in the absence or presence of HYPO or FSK, were examined in CEO cultured in M16 salts+PVA. Glucose (0.5 and 5.5 mM), pyruvate (0.32 and 3.2 mM), lactate (3.3 mM) and glutamine (1.3 mM) significantly reduced the percentage of CEO remaining at the GV stage compared to M16 salts alone; only glutamine significantly increased the percentage of CEO at the MII stage compared to M16 salts. In M16 salts+HYPO, glucose (0.5 mM), pyruvate (0.32 mM), lactate (3.3 mM) and glutamine (1.3 mM) significantly reduced the percentage of GV and degenerate oocytes and increased the percentage of CEO at the MI stage. In M16 salts+FSK, the energy sources significantly decreased the percentage of oocytes with condensed chromosomes and increased the percentage of CEO reaching metaphase I. In conclusion, meiotic inhibitors had different effects in different culture media and glucose, pyruvate, lactate and glutamine were stimulatory to nuclear maturation. It was noteworthy that some of the results obtained were contrary to previous findings in mouse oocytes.

Ex vivo generation of glucose sensitive insulin secreting mesenchymal stem cells derived from human adipose tissue.

PubMed

Dave, Shruti D; Vanikar, Aruna V; Trivedi, Hargovind L

2012-03-01

Diabetics are incapable of producing insulin/have autoimmune mechanisms making it ineffective to control glucose secretion. We present a prospective study of glucose-sensitive insulin-secreting mesenchymal stem cells (IS-MSC) generated from human adipose tissue (h-AD) sans xenogenic material. Ten grams h-AD from donor anterior abdominal wall was collected in proliferation medium composed of α-Minimum Essential Media (α-MEM), albumin, fibroblast-growth factor and antibiotics, minced, incubated in collagenase-I at 37°C with shaker and centrifuged. Supernatant and pellets were separately cultured in proliferation medium on cell+ plates at 37°C with 5% CO(2) for 10 days. Cells were harvested by trypsinization, checked for viability, sterility, counts, flow-cytometry (CD45(-)/90(+)/73(+)), and differentiated into insulin-expressing cells using medium composed of DMEM, gene expressing up-regulators and antibiotics for 3 days. They were studied for transcriptional factors Pax-6, Isl-1, pdx-1 (immunofluorescence). C-peptide and insulin were measured by chemiluminescence. In vitro glucose sensitivity assay was carried out by measuring levels of insulin and C-peptide secretion in absence of glucose followed by 2 hours incubation after glucose addition. Mean IS-AD-MSC quantum was 3.21 ml, cell count, 1.5 ×10(3) cells/μl), CD45(-)/90(+)/73(+) cells were 44.37% /25.52%. All of them showed presence of pax-6, pdx-1, and Isl-1. Mean C-Peptide and insulin levels were 0.36 ng/ml and 234 μU/ml, respectively, pre-glucose and 0.87 ng/ml and 618.3 μU/ml post-glucose additions. The mean rise in secretion levels was 2.42 and 2.65 fold, respectively. Insulin-secreting h-AD-MSC can be generated safely and effectively showing in vitro glucose responsive alteration in insulin and C-peptide secretion levels.

Solid state laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rines, Glen A. (Inventor); Moulton, Peter F. (Inventor); Harrison, James (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A wavelength-tunable, injection-seeded, dispersion-compensated, dispersively-pumped solid state laser includes a lasing medium; a highly reflective mirror; an output coupler; at least one isosceles Brewster prism oriented to the minimum deviation angle between the medium and the mirror for directing light of different wavelengths along different paths; means for varying the angle of the highly reflective mirror relative to the light from at least one Brewster angle for selecting a predetermined laser operating wavelength; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the lasing medium; a laser injection seeding port disposed between the dispersion compensation apparatus and one of the mirror and coupler and including a reflective surface at an acute non-Brewster angle to the laser beam for introducing a seed input; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the laser medium including opposite chirality optical elements; the lasing medium including a pump surface disposed at an acute angle to the laser beam to define a discrete path for the pumping laser beam separate from the pumped laser beam.

Characterizing Extreme Environments for Army Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

necessary to evaluate the plain, upland), well-developed and variable soil capability to conduct a specific test at a given location. profiles ( oxisols ...m) to medium (up to 20m) width streams, with nominal nominal velocities (ងm/s). Soils: Oxisols , ultisols, inceptisols, minimum depth in the range

Elemental GCR Observations during the 2009-2010 Solar Minimum Period

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lave, K. A.; Israel, M. H.; Binns, W. R.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, A. C.; Davis, A. J.; deNolfo, G. A.; Leske, R. A.; Mewaldt, R. A.; Stone, E. C.;

Production of Exopolysaccharide by Lactobacillus rhamnosus R and Analysis of Its Enzymatic Degradation during Prolonged Fermentation

PubMed Central

Pham, P. L.; Dupont, I.; Roy, D.; Lapointe, G.; Cerning, J.

2000-01-01

The potential of Lactobacillus rhamnosus R for producing exopolysaccharide (EPS) when grown on basal minimum medium supplemented with glucose or lactose was investigated. EPS production by L. rhamnosus R is partially growth associated and about 500 mg of EPS per liter was synthesized with both sugars. The product yield coefficient (YEPS/S) was 3.15 (0.0315 g of EPS [g of lactose]−1) and 2.88 (0.0288 g of EPS [g of glucose]−1). It was clearly shown that the amount of EPS produced declined upon prolonged fermentation. Degradation of EPS in fermentation processes was also assessed by measuring its molecular weights and viscosities. As these reductions might have a negative effect on the yield and viscosifying properties of EPS, it was essential to examine possible causes related to this breakdown. The decrease in viscosities and molecular weights of EPS withdrawn at different cultivation times permitted us to suspect the presence of a depolymerizing enzyme in the fermentation medium. Our study on enzymatic production profiles showed a large spectrum of glycohydrolases (α-d-glucosidase, β-d-glucosidase, α-d-galactosidase, β-d-galactosidase, β-d-glucuronidase, and some traces of α-l-rhamnosidase). These enzymes were localized, two of them (α-d-glucosidase and β-d-glucuronidase) were partially purified and characterized. When incubated with EPS, these enzymes were capable of lowering the viscosity of the polymer as well as liberating some reducing sugars. Upon prolonged incubation (27 h), the loss of viscosity was increased up to 33%. PMID:10831403

A modified efficient method for dental pulp stem cell isolation.

PubMed

Raoof, Maryam; Yaghoobi, Mohammad Mehdi; Derakhshani, Ali; Kamal-Abadi, Ali Mohammadi; Ebrahimi, Behnam; Abbasnejad, Mehdi; Shokouhinejad, Noushin

2014-03-01

Dental pulp stem cells can be used in regenerative endodontic therapy. The aim of this study was to introduce an efficient method for dental pulp stem cells isolation. In this in-vitro study, 60 extracted human third molars were split and pulp tissue was extracted. Dental pulp stem cells were isolated by the following three different methods: (1) digestion of pulp by collagenase/dispase enzyme and culture of the released cells; (2) outgrowth of the cells by culture of undigested pulp pieces; (3) digestion of pulp tissue pieces and fixing them. The cells were cultured in minimum essential medium alpha modification (αMEM) medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum(FBS) in humid 37°C incubator with 5% CO 2. The markers of stem cells were studied by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The student t-test was used for comparing the means of independent groups. P <0.05 was considered as significant. The results indicated that by the first method a few cell colonies with homogenous morphology were detectable after 4 days, while in the outgrowth method more time was needed (10-12 days) to allow sufficient numbers of heterogeneous phenotype stem cells to migrate out of tissue. Interestingly, with the improved third method, we obtained stem cells successfully with about 60% efficiency after 2 days. The results of RT-PCR suggested the expression of Nanog, Oct-4, and Nucleostemin markers in the isolated cells from dental pulps. This study proposes a new method with high efficacy to obtain dental pulp stem cells in a short time.

Pantothenic acid biosynthesis in zymomonas

DOEpatents

Tao, Luan; Tomb, Jean-Francois; Viitanen, Paul V.

2014-07-01

Zymomonas is unable to synthesize pantothenic acid and requires this essential vitamin in growth medium. Zymomonas strains transformed with an operon for expression of 2-dehydropantoate reductase and aspartate 1-decarboxylase were able to grow in medium lacking pantothenic acid. These strains may be used for ethanol production without pantothenic acid supplementation in seed culture and fermentation media.

Bioassay-guided investigation of two monarda essential oils as repellents of yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As part of an ongoing research program to identify active mosquito repellents, Monarda bradburiana Beck and M. fistulosa L. essential oils showed potent repellents with minimum effective dosages (MED) of 0.055 ± 0.036 and 0.078 ± 0.027 mg/cm2, respectively, compared to reference standard N,N-diethyl...

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils of Physalis angulata. L.

PubMed

Osho, A; Adetunji, T; Fayemi, S O; Moronkola, D O

2010-01-01

The need for a reduction in drug resistance led to the investigation of Argemone Mexicana L. as an agent against Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Candida stellatoidea and Candida torulopsis, using well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentrations methods. The sensitivity of Bacillus Subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus to the essential oils of both the aerial and root parts were determined. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to the essential oil from both the aerial and root part of the plant. C. torulopsis, C. stellatoidea and C. albicans were susceptible to the essential oils from the aerial and root part of the plant. The minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging between 3.75 mg/ml and 4.0 mg/ml were recorded for Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae by the aerial and the root extracts, but P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were not susceptible to the aerial and root extracts. The observed inhibition of selected bacteria and fungi by oils of Physalis angulata makes it a promising antimicrobial agent. This study justifies its uses for treatment of sores, cuts, intestinal and digestive problems and some skin-diseases often reported in folkloric medicine.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of apricot seed.

PubMed

Lee, Hyun-Hee; Ahn, Jeong-Hyun; Kwon, Ae-Ran; Lee, Eun Sook; Kwak, Jin-Hwan; Min, Yu-Hong

2014-12-01

In traditional oriental medicine, apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) seed has been used to treat skin diseases such as furuncle, acne vulgaris and dandruff, as well as coughing, asthma and constipation. This study describes the phytochemical profile and antimicrobial potential of the essential oil obtained from apricot seeds (Armeniacae Semen). The essential oil isolated by hydrodistillation was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Benzaldehyde (90.6%), mandelonitrile (5.2%) and benzoic acid (4.1%) were identified. Disc diffusion, agar dilution and gaseous contact methods were performed to determine the antimicrobial activity against 16 bacteria and two yeast species. The minimum inhibitory concentrations ranged from 250 to 4000, 500 to 2000 and 250 to 1000 µg/mL for Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and yeast strains, respectively. The minimum inhibitory doses by gaseous contact ranged from 12.5 to 50, 12.5 to 50 and 3.13 to 12.5 mg/L air for Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and yeast strains, respectively. The essential oil exhibited a variable degree of antimicrobial activity against a range of bacteria and yeasts tested. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessing the antibiotic potential of essential oils against Haemophilus ducreyi.

PubMed

Lindeman, Zachary; Waggoner, Molly; Batdorff, Audra; Humphreys, Tricia L

2014-05-27

Haemophilus ducreyi is the bacterium responsible for the genital ulcer disease chancroid, a cofactor for the transmission of HIV, and it is resistant to many antibiotics. With the goal of exploring possible alternative treatments, we tested essential oils (EOs) for their efficacy as antimicrobial agents against H. ducreyi. We determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon), Eugenia caryophyllus (clove) and Thymus satureioides (thyme) oil against 9 strains of H. ducreyi using the agar dilution method. We also determined the minimum lethal concentration for each oil by subculturing from the MIC plates onto fresh agar without essential oil. For both tests, we used a 2-way ANOVA to evaluate whether antibiotic-resistant strains had a different sensitivity to the oils relative to non-resistant strains. All 3 oils demonstrated excellent activity against H. ducreyi, with MICs of 0.05 to 0.52 mg/mL and MLCs of 0.1-0.5 mg/mL. Antibiotic-resistant strains of H. ducreyi were equally susceptible to these 3 essential oils relative to non-resistant strains (p=0.409). E. caryophyllus, C. verum and T. satureioides oils are promising alternatives to antibiotic treatment for chancroid.

Antimicrobial flavonoids from Tridax procumbens.

PubMed

Jindal, Alka; Kumar, Padma

2012-01-01

Callus culture of Tridax procumbens has been established on Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with NAA and BAP from nodal segments. Free and bound flavonoids were extracted from 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks old calli by a well-established method. These free flavonoids were then screened against Staphylococcus aureus (bacteria) and Candida albicans (yeast) for their antimicrobial potential. Minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations and total activity were also evaluated. Apigenin, quercetin and kaempferol were identified from free flavonoids of 4 weeks old callus (most active) through, thin layer chromatography, (TLC) preparative TLC, MP and IR spectral studies.

An evaluation of microbial growth and corrosion of 316L SS in glycol/seawater mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jason S.; Ray, Richard I.; Lowe, Kristine L.; Jones-Meehan, Joanne; Little, Brenda J.

2003-01-01

Glycol/seawater mixtures containing > 50% glycol inhibit corrosion of 316L stainless steel and do not support bacterial growth. The results indicate bacteria are able to use low concentrations of glycol (10%) as a growth medium, but bacterial growth decreased with increasing glycol concentration. Pitting potential, determined by anodic polarization, was used to evaluate susceptibility of 316L SS to corrosion in seawater-contaminated glycol. Mixture containing a minimum concentration of 50% propylene glycol-based coolant inhibited pitting corrosion. A slightly higher minimum concentration (55%) was needed for corrosion protection in ethylene glycol mixtures.

Chemical constituents of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don essential oil and their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, filamentous fungi and Candida albicans.

PubMed

Djihane, Bouzid; Wafa, Nouioua; Elkhamssa, Soltani; Pedro, De Haro Juan; Maria, Angeles Esteban; Mohamed Mihoub, Zerroug

2017-07-01

The aerial parts of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don were subjected to hydrodistillation to obtain essential oils which had been analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and tested for antimicrobial activity against 12 bacteria, two yeasts and four fungi by agar diffusion method. The essential oil yielded 0.44% (v/w) and 67 compounds accounting for 99.24% of the oil were identified with a high content of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (61.42%). The most oxygenated sesquiterpene compounds were α-Cedrene (13.61%), α-Curcumene (11.41%), Geranyl acetate (10.05%), Limonene (6.07%), Nerol (5.04%), Neryl acetate (4.91%) and α-Pinene (3.78%). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was assayed by using the disk diffusion method on Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 4698, Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 4352, Enterococcus cereus ATCC 2035, Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 9372, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 49452, Proteus mirabilis ATCC 35659, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313 and yeasts Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 9763 and fungi, Fusarium solani var. coeruleum , Aspergillus niger , Alternaria alternata , Ascochyta rabiei . H. italicum inhibited the growth of all the tested microorganisms except three bacteria, E. coli ATCC 25922, K. pneumonia ATCC 4352 and L. monocytogenes ATCC 15313. The most sensitive bacterium was E. cereus ATCC 2035 with minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of 0.79 μg ml -1 . A minimum fungistatic and fungicide concentration of 6.325 μg ml -1 and 12.65 μg ml -1 respectively was obtained with C. albicans ATCC 10231 and S. cerevisiae ATCC 9763. However the four fungi were more resistant with fungistatic minimum concentration ranging from 6.325 μg ml -1 to 50.6 μg ml -1 and a fungicide minimum concentration of 50.6 μg ml -1 . This antimicrobial activity could be attributed to the essential oil chemical composition. Thus this study represents a first step in the study of the chemical composition of H. italicum (Roth) G. Don collected from north Algeria and its antimicrobial properties.

Essentials and guidelines of an accredited educational program for the radiographer.

PubMed

1980-01-01

The Essentials were initially adopted in 1944, and revised in 1955, 1969, and 1978. They were adopted by the American College of Radiology, the American Medical Association, The American Society of Radiologic Technologists, and the Program Review Committee of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. The Essentials, which represent the minimum accreditation standards for an educational program, are printed here in regular type face. The extent to which a program complies with these standards determines its accreditation status; the Essentials, therefore, include all requirements for which an accredited program is held accountable. The Guidelines, explanatory documents that clarify the Essentials, are printed in italic. Guidelines provide examples, etc., to assist in interpreting the Essentials.

Corpus-Based Optimization of Language Models Derived from Unification Grammars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rayner, Manny; Hockey, Beth Ann; James, Frankie; Bratt, Harry; Bratt, Elizabeth O.; Gawron, Mark; Goldwater, Sharon; Dowding, John; Bhagat, Amrita

2000-01-01

We describe a technique which makes it feasible to improve the performance of a language model derived from a manually constructed unification grammar, using low-quality untranscribed speech data and a minimum of human annotation. The method is on a medium-vocabulary spoken language command and control task.

Relative dynamics and motion control of nanosatellite formation flying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimnoo, Ammarin; Hiraki, Koju

2016-04-01

Orbit selection is a necessary factor in nanosatellite formation mission design/meanwhile, to keep the formation, it is necessary to consume fuel. Therefore, the best orbit design for nanosatellite formation flying should be one that requires the minimum fuel consumption. The purpose of this paper is to analyse orbit selection with respect to the minimum fuel consumption, to provide a convenient way to estimate the fuel consumption for keeping nanosatellite formation flying and to present a simplified method of formation control. The formation structure is disturbed by J2 gravitational perturbation and other perturbing accelerations such as atmospheric drag. First, Gauss' Variation Equations (GVE) are used to estimate the essential ΔV due to the J2 perturbation and atmospheric drag. The essential ΔV presents information on which orbit is good with respect to the minimum fuel consumption. Then, the linear equations which account for J2 gravitational perturbation of Schweighart-Sedwick are presented and used to estimate the fuel consumption to maintain the formation structure. Finally, the relative dynamics motion is presented as well as a simplified motion control of formation structure by using GVE.

Availability of essential drugs for managing HIV-related pain and symptoms within 120 PEPFAR-funded health facilities in East Africa: a cross-sectional survey with onsite verification.

PubMed

Harding, Richard; Simms, Victoria; Penfold, Suzanne; Downing, Julia; Powell, Richard A; Mwangi-Powell, Faith; Namisango, Eve; Moreland, Scott; Gikaara, Nancy; Atieno, Mackuline; Kataike, Jennifer; Nsubuga, Clare; Munene, Grace; Banga, Geoffrey; Higginson, Irene J

2014-04-01

World Health Organization's essential drugs list can control the highly prevalent HIV-related pain and symptoms. Availability of essential medicines directly influences clinicians' ability to effectively manage distressing manifestations of HIV. To determine the availability of pain and symptom controlling drugs in East Africa within President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-funded HIV health care facilities. Directly observed quantitative health facilities' pharmacy stock review. We measured availability, expiration and stock-outs of specified drugs required for routine HIV management, including the World Health Organization pain ladder. A stratified random sample in 120 President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-funded HIV care facilities (referral and district hospitals, health posts/centres and home-based care providers) in Kenya and Uganda. Non-opioid analgesics (73%) and co-trimoxazole (64%) were the most commonly available drugs and morphine (7%) the least. Drug availability was higher in hospitals and lower in health centres, health posts and home-based care facilities. Facilities generally did not use minimum stock levels, and stock-outs were frequently reported. The most common drugs had each been out of stock in the past 6 months in 47% of facilities stocking them. When a minimum stock level was defined, probability of a stock-out in the previous 6 months was 32.6%, compared to 45.5% when there was no defined minimum stock level (χ (2) = 5.07, p = 0.024). The data demonstrate poor essential drug availability, particularly analgesia, limited by facility type. The lack of strong opioids, isoniazid and paediatric formulations is concerning. Inadequate drug availability prevents implementation of simple clinical pain and symptom control protocols, causing unnecessary distress. Research is needed to identify supply chain mechanisms that lead to these problems.

Minimizing the area required for time constants in integrated circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, J. C.

1972-01-01

When a medium- or large-scale integrated circuit is designed, efforts are usually made to avoid the use of resistor-capacitor time constant generators. The capacitor needed for this circuit usually takes up more surface area on the chip than several resistors and transistors. When the use of this network is unavoidable, the designer usually makes an effort to see that the choice of resistor and capacitor combinations is such that a minimum amount of surface area is consumed. The optimum ratio of resistance to capacitance that will result in this minimum area is equal to the ratio of resistance to capacitance which may be obtained from a unit of surface area for the particular process being used. The minimum area required is a function of the square root of the reciprocal of the products of the resistance and capacitance per unit area. This minimum occurs when the area required by the resistor is equal to the area required by the capacitor.

Passive blast pressure sensor

DOEpatents

King, Michael J.; Sanchez, Roberto J.; Moss, William C.

2013-03-19

A passive blast pressure sensor for detecting blast overpressures of at least a predetermined minimum threshold pressure. The blast pressure sensor includes a piston-cylinder arrangement with one end of the piston having a detection surface exposed to a blast event monitored medium through one end of the cylinder and the other end of the piston having a striker surface positioned to impact a contact stress sensitive film that is positioned against a strike surface of a rigid body, such as a backing plate. The contact stress sensitive film is of a type which changes color in response to at least a predetermined minimum contact stress which is defined as a product of the predetermined minimum threshold pressure and an amplification factor of the piston. In this manner, a color change in the film arising from impact of the piston accelerated by a blast event provides visual indication that a blast overpressure encountered from the blast event was not less than the predetermined minimum threshold pressure.

Teaching with an Ever-Spinning Web: Instructional Uses of Web 2.0

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teahan, John

2006-01-01

In little more than a decade, the Web has become an essential medium for information, entertainment, and commerce, making its adoption among consumers quicker than any other medium before it. The majority of American classrooms have become connected to the Internet in the same short time span. Previously, science or mathematics students might have…

Eucalyptus essential oil as a natural food preservative: in vivo and in vitro antiyeast potential.

PubMed

Tyagi, Amit Kumar; Bukvicki, Danka; Gottardi, Davide; Tabanelli, Giulia; Montanari, Chiara; Malik, Anushree; Guerzoni, Maria Elisabetta

2014-01-01

In this study, the application of eucalyptus essential oil/vapour as beverages preservative is reported. The chemical composition of eucalyptus oil was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and solid phase microextraction GC-MS (SPME/GC-MS) analyses. GC-MS revealed that the major constituents were 1,8-cineole (80.5%), limonene (6.5%), α-pinene (5%), and γ-terpinene (2.9%) while SPME/GC-MS showed a relative reduction of 1,8-cineole (63.9%) and an increase of limonene (13.8%), α-pinene (8.87%), and γ-terpinene (3.98%). Antimicrobial potential of essential oil was initially determined in vitro against 8 different food spoilage yeasts by disc diffusion, disc volatilization, and microdilution method. The activity of eucalyptus vapours was significantly higher than the eucalyptus oil. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) varied from 0.56 to 4.50 mg/mL and from 1.13 to 9 mg/mL, respectively. Subsequently, the combined efficacy of essential oil and thermal treatment were used to evaluate the preservation of a mixed fruit juice in a time-dependent manner. These results suggest eucalyptus oil as a potent inhibitor of food spoilage yeasts not only in vitro but also in a real food system. Currently, this is the first report that uses eucalyptus essential oil for fruit juice preservation against food spoiling yeast.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil as a Natural Food Preservative: In Vivo and In Vitro Antiyeast Potential

PubMed Central

Bukvicki, Danka; Gottardi, Davide; Malik, Anushree; Guerzoni, Maria Elisabetta

2014-01-01

In this study, the application of eucalyptus essential oil/vapour as beverages preservative is reported. The chemical composition of eucalyptus oil was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and solid phase microextraction GC-MS (SPME/GC-MS) analyses. GC-MS revealed that the major constituents were 1,8-cineole (80.5%), limonene (6.5%), α-pinene (5%), and γ-terpinene (2.9%) while SPME/GC-MS showed a relative reduction of 1,8-cineole (63.9%) and an increase of limonene (13.8%), α-pinene (8.87%), and γ-terpinene (3.98%). Antimicrobial potential of essential oil was initially determined in vitro against 8 different food spoilage yeasts by disc diffusion, disc volatilization, and microdilution method. The activity of eucalyptus vapours was significantly higher than the eucalyptus oil. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) varied from 0.56 to 4.50 mg/mL and from 1.13 to 9 mg/mL, respectively. Subsequently, the combined efficacy of essential oil and thermal treatment were used to evaluate the preservation of a mixed fruit juice in a time-dependent manner. These results suggest eucalyptus oil as a potent inhibitor of food spoilage yeasts not only in vitro but also in a real food system. Currently, this is the first report that uses eucalyptus essential oil for fruit juice preservation against food spoiling yeast. PMID:25177704

Viability of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts in milk, Hank's balanced salt solution and coconut water as storage media.

PubMed

Souza, B D M; Lückemeyer, D D; Reyes-Carmona, J F; Felippe, W T; Simões, C M O; Felippe, M C S

2011-02-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of various storage media at 5 °C for maintaining the viability of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLF). Plates with PDLF were soaked in recently prepared Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS), skimmed milk, whole milk, Save-A-Tooth(®) system's HBSS (Save), natural coconut water, industrialized coconut water or tap water (negative control) at 5 °C for 3, 6, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h. Minimum essential medium (MEM) at 37 °C served as the positive control. PDL cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Data were statistically analysed by Kruskal-Wallis test complemented by the Scheffé test (α=5%). The greatest number of viable cells was observed for MEM. Skimmed and whole milk, followed by natural coconut water and HBSS, were the most effective media in maintaining cell viability (P<0.05). From 24 to 120 h, Save, industrialized coconut water and tap water were the worst storage media. Skimmed and whole milk had the greatest capacity to maintain PDLF viability when compared with natural coconut water, HBSS, Save, industrialized coconut water and tap water. © 2010 International Endodontic Journal.

Development and characterization of a new marine fish cell line from turbot (Scophthalmus maximus).

PubMed

Wang, N; Wang, X L; Sha, Z X; Tian, Y S; Chen, S L

2010-12-01

A new marine fish cell line, TK, derived from turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) kidney, was established by the method of trypsin digestion and subcultured for more than 50 passages over a period of 300 days. The TK cells were maintained in Minimum Essential Medium Eagle (MEM) supplemented with HEPES, antibiotics, fetal bovine serum (FBS), 2-Mercaptoethanol (2-Me), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The suitable growth temperature for TK cells was 24°C, and microscopically, TK cells were composed of fibroblast-like cells. Chromosome analysis revealed that the TK cell line has a normal diploid karyotype with 2n=44. Two fish viruses LCDV-C (lymphocystis disease virus from China) and TRBIV (turbot reddish body iridovirus) were used to determine the virus susceptibility of TK cell line. The TK cell line was found to be susceptible to TRBIV, and the infection was confirmed by cytopathic effect (CPE) and transmission electron microscopy, which detected the viral particles in the cytoplasm of virus-infected cells. Finally, significant green fluorescent signals were observed when the TK cells were transfected with pEGFP-N3 vector, indicating its potential utility for fish virus study and genetic manipulation.

[Comparison of essential oil enriched with ultrafiltration method and extraction method respectively from essential oil-in-water emulsion of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride by GC-MS].

PubMed

Yin, Ailing; Han, Zhifeng; Shen, Jie; Guo, Liwei; Cao, Guiping

2011-10-01

To study on the separation from essential oil-in-water emulsion of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride by ultrafiltration and acetoacetate extraction methods respectively, and the comparison of the oil yields and chemical compositions. Essential oil-in-water emulsion of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride was separated by ultrafiltration and acetoacetate extraction methods respectively, and the chemical compositions were analyzed and compared by GC-MS. Ultrafiltration method could enrich essential oil more and its chemical compositions were more similar to the essential oil prepared by steam distillation method. Ultrafiltration method is a good medium to separate essential oil from essential oil-in-water emulsion of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride.

Effect of Punica granatum L. Flower Water Extract on Five Common Oral Bacteria and Bacterial Biofilm Formation on Orthodontic Wire

PubMed Central

VAHID DASTJERDI, Elahe; ABDOLAZIMI, Zahra; GHAZANFARIAN, Marzieh; AMDJADI, Parisa; KAMALINEJAD, Mohammad; MAHBOUBI, Arash

2014-01-01

Background: Use of herbal extracts and essences as natural antibacterial compounds has become increasingly popular for the control of oral infectious diseases. Therefore, finding natural antimicrobial products with the lowest side effects seems necessary. The present study sought to assess the effect of Punica granatum L. water extract on five oral bacteria and bacterial biofilm formation on orthodontic wire. Methods: Antibacterial property of P. granatum L. water extract was primarily evaluated in brain heart infusion agar medium using well-plate method. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined by macro-dilution method. The inhibitory effect on orthodontic wire bacterial biofilm formation was evaluated using viable cell count in biofilm medium. At the final phase, samples were fixed and analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Results: The growth inhibition zone diameter was proportional to the extract concentration. The water extract demonstrated the maximum antibacterial effect on Streptococcus sanguinis ATCC 10556 with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 6.25 mg/ml and maximum bactericidal effect on S. sanguinis ATCC 10556 and S. sobrinus ATCC 27607 with minimum bactericidal concentration of 25 mg/ml. The water extract decreased bacterial biofilm formation by S. sanguinis, S. sobrinus, S. salivarius, S. mutans ATCC 35608 and E. faecalis CIP 55142 by 93.7–100%, 40.6–99.9%, 85.2–86.5%, 66.4–84.4% and 35.5–56.3% respectively. Conclusion: Punica granatum L. water extract had significant antibacterial properties against 5 oral bacteria and prevented orthodontic wire bacterial biofilm formation. However, further investigations are required to generalize these results to the clinical setting. PMID:26171362

Detection of gain enhancement in laser-induced fluorescence of rhodamine B lasing dye by silicon dioxide nanostructures-coated cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Tameemi, Mohammed N. A.

2018-03-01

In this work, nanostructured silicon dioxide films are deposited by closed-field unbalanced direct-current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering technique on two sides of quartz cells containing rhodamine B dye dissolved in ethanol with 10‒5 M concentration as a random gain medium. The preparation conditions are optimized to prepare highly pure SiO2 nanostructures with a minimum particle size of about 20 nm. The effect of SiO2 films as external cavity for the random gain medium is determined by the laser-induced fluorescence of this medium, and an increase of about 200% in intensity is observed after the deposition of nanostructured SiO2 thin films on two sides of the dye cell.

Aromatic plants essential oils activity on Fusarium verticillioides Fumonisin B(1) production in corn grain.

PubMed

López, A G; Theumer, M G; Zygadlo, J A; Rubinstein, H R

2004-10-01

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Origanum vulgare, Aloysia triphylla, Aloysia polystachya and Mentha piperita essential oils (EOs) against Fusarium verticillioides M 7075 (F. moniliforme, Sheldon) were assessed, using the semisolid agar antifungal susceptibility (SAAS) technique. O. vulgare, A. triphylla, A. polystachya and M. piperita EOs were evaluated at final concentrations of 10, 20, 40, 50, 100, 200, 250, 500, 1000 and 1500 epsilonl per litre (epsilonl/l) of culture medium. A. triphylla and O. vulgare EOs showed the highest inhibitory effects on F. verticillioides mycelial development. This inhibition was observed at 250 and 500 epsilonl/l for EOs coming from Aloysia triphylla and O. vulgare, respectively. Thus, the effects of EOs on FB(1) production were evaluated using corn grain (Zea mays) as substrate. The EOs were inserted on the 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th day of maize postinoculation with a conidia suspension of F. verticillioides. O. vulgare and A. triphylla were applied to give final concentrations of 30 ppm and 45 ppm, respectively. Different effects were observed in the toxicogenicity at the 20th day treatment. The O. vulgare EO decreased the production level of FB(1) (P < 0.01) while A. triphyla EO increased it (P < 0.001) with respect to those obtained in the inoculated maize, not EOs treated. Results obtained in the present work indicate that fumonisin production could be inhibited or stimulated by some constituents of EOs coming from aromatic plants. Further studies should be performed to identify the components of EOs with modulatory activity on the growth and fumonisins production of Fusarium verticillioides.

Leveraging the Affordances of Mobile Learning for Vocabulary Gains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowles, Michael

2017-01-01

According to research findings, learners who are about to commence an undergraduate degree course with English as the medium of instruction (EMI), require a minimum English vocabulary size in order to decode and comprehend the academic texts that they have to read (Hazenberg and Hulstijn, 1996; Staehr, 2008; Laufer and Ravenhorst-Kalovski, 2010;…

7 CFR 29.3647 - Heavy Leaf (B Group).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Heavy Leaf (B Group). 29.3647 Section 29.3647... REGULATIONS TOBACCO INSPECTION Standards Grades § 29.3647 Heavy Leaf (B Group). This group consists of leaves which are medium to heavy in body and show little or no ground injury. Grades Grade names, minimum...

Modelling the breeding of Aedes Albopictus species in an urban area in Pulau Pinang using polynomial regression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salleh, Nur Hanim Mohd; Ali, Zalila; Noor, Norlida Mohd.; Baharum, Adam; Saad, Ahmad Ramli; Sulaiman, Husna Mahirah; Ahmad, Wan Muhamad Amir W.

2014-07-01

Polynomial regression is used to model a curvilinear relationship between a response variable and one or more predictor variables. It is a form of a least squares linear regression model that predicts a single response variable by decomposing the predictor variables into an nth order polynomial. In a curvilinear relationship, each curve has a number of extreme points equal to the highest order term in the polynomial. A quadratic model will have either a single maximum or minimum, whereas a cubic model has both a relative maximum and a minimum. This study used quadratic modeling techniques to analyze the effects of environmental factors: temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall distribution on the breeding of Aedes albopictus, a type of Aedes mosquito. Data were collected at an urban area in south-west Penang from September 2010 until January 2011. The results indicated that the breeding of Aedes albopictus in the urban area is influenced by all three environmental characteristics. The number of mosquito eggs is estimated to reach a maximum value at a medium temperature, a medium relative humidity and a high rainfall distribution.

Phytochemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oils from different parts of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.).

PubMed

Yue, Xuan-Feng; Shang, Xiao; Zhang, Zhi-Juan; Zhang, Yan-Ni

2017-04-01

Essential oils from the seed, pulp, and leaf of sea buckthorn were obtained with hydrodistillation, and their phytochemical composition was analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of the oils was tested on five food-borne bacteria by spectrometry and evaluated in terms of minimum inhibitory concentration. The results indicate that the composition of all essential oils is dominated by free fatty acids, esters, and alkanes. Minimum inhibitory concentration values on each bacterium were obtained for oils from different parts. The oils from different parts exhibited nearly equal inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus. The pulp oil was found to be the most effective for the rest of bacteria tested except Escherichia coli, on which seed oil shows twice the inhibitory effect to that of leaf or pulp oil. Three natural inhibitory examples were found comparable with or even better than the positive control: pulp oil on Bacillus subtilis, and pulp oil and leaf oil on Bacillus coagulans. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Antibacterial activity, chemical composition, and cytotoxicity of leaf's essential oil from brazilian pepper tree (schinus terebinthifolius, raddi).

PubMed

Silva, A B; Silva, T; Franco, E S; Rabelo, S A; Lima, E R; Mota, R A; da Câmara, C A G; Pontes-Filho, N T; Lima-Filho, J V

2010-01-01

The antibacterial potential of leaf's essential oil (EO) from Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) against staphylococcal isolates from dogs with otitis externa was evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentration of EO ranged from 78.1 to 1,250 μg/mL. The oil was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and cytotoxicity tests were carried out with laboratory animals.

Combination of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil and lactic acid to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus in meat broth and meat model

PubMed Central

de Barros, Jefferson C.; da Conceição, Maria Lúcia; Neto, Nelson Justino Gomes; da Costa, Ana Caroliny Vieira; de Souza, Evandro Leite

2012-01-01

This study assessed the occurrence of an enhancing inhibitory effect of the combined application of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil and lactic acid against Staphylococcus aureus by the determination of Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) index and cell viability in meat broth and meat model. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the oil was 0.6 and 1.25 µL.mL-1, respectively. Lactic acid showed MIC and MBC of 2.5 and 5µL.mL-1, respectively. FIC indices of the combined application of the oil and lactic acid were 0.5 showing a synergic interaction. The essential oil and lactic acid showed similar (p>0.05) anti-S. aureus effect in meat broth over 96 h of exposure. Treatment with essential oil or lactic acid presented a smaller anti-staphylococcal effect in meat in comparison to meat broth. No significant difference (p>0.05) was found for the microbial counts in meat treated with each antimicrobial alone or in mixture. These results could arise as an interesting approach for the improvement of food preservation using more natural procedures, considering the current demand of consumer and sensory quality of foods. PMID:24031936

In vitro antimicrobial activity of five essential oils on multidrug resistant Gram-negative clinical isolates.

PubMed

Sakkas, Hercules; Gousia, Panagiota; Economou, Vangelis; Sakkas, Vassilios; Petsios, Stefanos; Papadopoulou, Chrissanthy

2016-01-01

The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens has drawn attention on medicinal plants for potential antimicrobial properties. The objective of the present study was the investigation of the antimicrobial activity of five plant essential oils on multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Basil, chamomile blue, origanum, thyme, and tea tree oil were tested against clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 6), Escherichia coli (n = 4), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 7), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5) using the broth macrodilution method. The tested essential oils produced variable antibacterial effect, while Chamomile blue oil demonstrated no antibacterial activity. Origanum, Thyme, and Basil oils were ineffective on P. aeruginosa isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration values ranged from 0.12% to 1.50% (v/v) for tea tree oil, 0.25-4% (v/v) for origanum and thyme oil, 0.50% to >4% for basil oil and >4% for chamomile blue oil. Compared to literature data on reference strains, the reported MIC values were different by 2SD, denoting less successful antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant isolates. The antimicrobial activities of the essential oils are influenced by the strain origin (wild, reference, drug sensitive, or resistant) and it should be taken into consideration whenever investigating the plants' potential for developing new antimicrobials.

Chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of essential oils from Ferulago angulata.

PubMed

Ghasemi Pirbalouti, Abdollah; Izadi, Arezo; Malek Poor, Fatemeh; Hamedi, Behzad

2016-11-01

Ferulago angulata Boiss. (Apiaceae), a perennial aromatic herb, grows wild in Iran. The aerial parts of F. angulata are used as a flavouring in foods, especially dairy foods by indigenous people in western and southwestern Iran. This study investigates variation in chemical compositions, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the essential oils from F. angulata collected from natural habitats in the alpine regions of southwestern Iran. The antimicrobial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal (MBC) of the essential oils were evaluated against four bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium). Antioxidant activity of the oils was determined by DPPH assay. The essential oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS, which 49 volatile components were identified. There were significant differences between the various populations for oil yield and some main compounds. The major constituents of the essential oils from F. angulata were α-pinene, and cis-β-ocimene. The MICs of the essential oils were within concentration ranges from 62 to 250 μg/mL and the respective MBCs were 125 to > 500 μg/mL. Generally, the oils from F. angulata indicated weak to moderate inhibitory activities against bacteria, especially against Listeria monocytogenes. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained from the oil of the Kallar population (IC 50 value   =   488 μg/mL) and BHT as positive control (IC 50  value =   321 μg/mL). The essential oil of F. angulata could be serving as a potential source of α-pinene and cis-β-ocimene for use in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Optimization of the Liquid Culture Medium Composition to Obtain the Mycelium of Agaricus bisporus Rich in Essential Minerals.

PubMed

Krakowska, Agata; Reczyński, Witold; Muszyńska, Bożena

2016-09-01

Agaricus bisporus species (J.E. Lange) Imbach one of the most popular Basidiomycota species was chosen for the research because of its dietary and medicinal value. The presented herein studies included determination of essential mineral accumulation level in the mycelium of A. bisporus, cultivated on liquid cultures in the medium supplemented with addition of the chosen metals' salts. Quantitative analyses of Zn, Cu, Mg, and Fe in liquid cultures made it possible to determine the relationship between accumulation of the selected mineral in A. bisporus mycelium and the culture conditions. Monitoring of the liquid cultures and determination of the elements' concentrations in mycelium of A. bisporus were performed using the flame technique of AAS method. Concentration of Zn in the mycelium, maintained in the medium with the addition of its salt, was in a very wide range from 95.9 to 4462.0 mg/g DW. In the analyzed A. bisporus mycelium, cultured in the medium enriched with copper salt, this metal concentration changed from 89.79 to 7491.50 mg/g DW; considering Mg in liquid cultured mycelium (medium with Mg addition), its concentration has changed from 0.32 to 10.55 mg/g DW. The medium enriched with iron salts has led to bioaccumulation of Fe in mycelia of A. bisporus. Determined Fe concentration was in the range from 0.62 to 161.28 mg/g DW. The proposed method of liquid A. bisporus culturing on medium enriched with the selected macro- and microelements in proper concentrations ratio have led to obtaining maximal growth of biomass, characterized by high efficiency of the mineral accumulation. As a result, a dietary component of increased nutritive value was obtained.

A comparison of the in vitro cytotoxicity of conventional and resin modified glass ionomer cements

PubMed Central

Selimović-Dragaš, Mediha; Huseinbegović, Amina; Kobašlija, Sedin; Hatibović-Kofman, Šahza

2012-01-01

To evaluate cytotoxicity of experimental conventional and resin modified glass-ionomer cements on UMR-106 osteoblast cell cultures and cell cultures of NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts specimens were prepared for every experimental material and divided into: group 1. Conventional glass-ionomer cements: GC Fuji IX GP Fast, GC Fuji Triage and Ketac Silver; group 2. Resin modified glass-ionomer cements: GC Fuji II LC, GC Fuji Plus and Vitrebond; group 3. Positive control was presented by specimens of composite Vit-l-ecence® and negative control-group 4. was presented by α-minimum essential medium for UMR-106 – osteoblast-like cells and Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium for NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. Both cell cultures were exposed to 10% of eluate of each single specimen of each experimental material. Experimental dishes were incubated for 24 h. Cell metabolism was evaluated using methyltetrazolium assay. Kruskal-Wallis test and Tukey-Kramer post hoc test for the materials evaluated on NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, as well as UMR-106 osteoblast-like cells showed significantly more cytotoxicity of RMGICs, predominantly Vitrebond to both GICs and composite-Vit-l-ecence®. The lowest influence on cell’s metabolism on UMR-106 osteoblas-like cells was shown by Ketac Silver and the lowest influence on cell’s metabolism on NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells was shown by Fuji IX GP Fast. Statistical evaluation of sensitivity of cell lines UMR-106 osteoblast-like cells and NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, using Mann-Whitney test, showed that NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells were more sensitive for the evaluation of cytotoxicity of dental materials. PMID:23198945

Relationship between fluid bed aerosol generator operation and the aerosol produced

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carpenter, R.L.; Yerkes, K.

1980-12-01

The relationships between bed operation in a fluid bed aerosol generator and aerosol output were studied. A two-inch diameter fluid bed aerosol generator (FBG) was constructed using stainless steel powder as a fluidizing medium. Fly ash from coal combustion was aerosolized and the influence of FBG operating parameters on aerosol mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD), geometric standard deviation (sigma/sub g/) and concentration was examined. In an effort to extend observations on large fluid beds to small beds using fine bed particles, minimum fluidizing velocities and elutriation constant were computed. Although FBG minimum fluidizing velocity agreed well with calculations, FBG elutriationmore » constant did not. The results of this study show that the properties of aerosols produced by a FBG depend on fluid bed height and air flow through the bed after the minimum fluidizing velocity is exceeded.« less

In vitro interactions of Peucedanum officinale essential oil with antibiotics.

PubMed

Miladinović, Dragoljub L; Ilić, Budimir S; Kocić, Branislava D; Miladinović, Ljiljana C; Marković, Marija S

2015-01-01

The chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Peucedanum officinale L. (Apiaceae) essential oil were examined, as well as the association between it and antibiotics: tetracycline, streptomycin and chloramphenicol. The interactions of the essential oil with antibiotics were evaluated using the microdilution checkerboard assay. Monoterpene hydrocarbons, with α-phellandrene as the dominant constituent, were the most abundant compound class of the essential oil of P. officinale. The researched essential oil exhibited slight antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains in vitro. On the contrary, essential oil of P. officinale possesses a great synergistic potential with chloramphenicol and tetracycline. Their combinations reduced the minimum effective dose of the antibiotic and, consequently, minimised its adverse side effects. In addition, investigated interactions are especially successful against Gram-negative bacteria, the pharmacological treatment of which is very difficult nowadays.

Application of Low cost Spirulina growth medium using Deep sea water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Dae-hack; Kim, Bong-ju; Lee, Sung-jae; Choi, Nag-chul; Park, Cheon-young

2017-04-01

Deep-sea water has a relatively constant temperature, abundant nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, nitrates, and phosphates, etc., and stable water quality, even though there might be some variations of their compositions according to collection places. Thus, deep-sea water would be a good substrate for algal growth and biomass production since it contains various nutrients, including a fluorescent red pigment, and β-carotene, etc. The aim of this study was to investigate the economics of a culture condition through comparative analysis to Spirulina platensis growth characteristic under various medium conditions for cost-effective production of Spirulina sp.. Growth experiments were performed with S. platensis under various culture medium conditions (deep sea water + SP medium). Growth tests for culture medium demonstrated that the deep sea water to SP medium ratio of 50:50(W/W) was effective in S. platensis with the maximum biomass (1.35g/L) and minimum medium making cost per production mass (133.28 KRW/g). Parameter estimation of bio-kinetics (maximum growth rate and yield) for low cost medium results showed that the maximum growth rate and yield of N, P, K were obtained under deep sea water to SP medium ratio of 50:50(W/W) of 0.057 1/day and 0.151, 0.076, 0.123, respectively. Acknowledgment : "This research was a part of the project titled 'Development of microalgae culture technique for cosmetic materials based on ocean deep sea water(20160297)', funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea."

Chemical composition and antifungal activity of the essential oils of Schinus weinmannifolius collected in the spring and winter.

PubMed

Hernandes, Camila; Taleb-Contini, Silvia H; Bartolomeu, Ana Carolina D; Bertoni, Bianca W; França, Suzelei C; Pereira, Ana Maria S

2014-09-01

Reports on the chemical and pharmacological profile of the essential oil of Schinus weinmannifolius do not exist, although other Schinus species have been widely investigated for their biological activities. This work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of S. weinmannifolius collected in the spring and winter. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation, analyzed by GC/MS and submitted to microdilution tests, to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration. The oils displayed different chemical composition and antimicrobial action. Bicyclogermacrene and limonene predominated in the oils extracted in the winter and spring, respectively, whereas only the latter oil exhibited antifungal activity.

Antibacterial activity, chemical composition, and cytotoxicity of leaf’s essential oil from brazilian pepper tree (schinus terebinthifolius, raddi)

PubMed Central

Silva, A.B.; Silva, T.; Franco, E.S.; Rabelo, S.A.; Lima, E.R.; Mota, R.A.; da Câmara, C.A.G.; Pontes-Filho, N.T.; Lima-Filho, J.V.

2010-01-01

The antibacterial potential of leaf’s essential oil (EO) from Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) against staphylococcal isolates from dogs with otitis externa was evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentration of EO ranged from 78.1 to 1,250 μg/mL. The oil was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and cytotoxicity tests were carried out with laboratory animals. PMID:24031476

Growth of Desulfovibrio on the surface of agar media.

PubMed

Iverson, W P

1966-07-01

Growth of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (API strain) was found to take place in an atmosphere of hydrogen on the agar surface of complex media, including yeast extract (Difco), and Trypticase Soy Agar (BBL) without any added reducing agents. For growth on a 2% yeast extract-agar surface in the absence of hydrogen (nitrogen atmosphere), sodium lactate was required in the medium. Growth on the surface of Trypticase Soy Agar (TSA) under nitrogen took place readily in the absence of an added hydrogen donor. A medium (TSA plus salts) is described based upon the addition of sodium lactate (4 ml per liter), magnesium sulfate (2 g per liter), and ferrous ammonium sulfate (0.05%) to TSA, which appears suitable for the isolation and growth of Desulfovibrio on the surface of agar plates in an atmosphere of hydrogen. Sodium lactate does not appear to be essential in this medium for good growth and sulfate reduction in a hydrogen atmosphere, but is essential in a nitrogen atmosphere. Growth of Desulfovibrio (hydrogen atmosphere) on the agar surface of media commonly used for its cultivation as well as on an inorganic medium containing bicarbonate as a source of carbon is poor and erratic unless inoculated (Desulfovibrio) plates of TSA plus salts are incubated in the same container with plates of these media. This stimulatory effect of incubation with inoculated plates of TSA plus salts medium appears to be due to as yet unidentified volatile material produced by D. desulfuricans when growing on this medium. Another volatile material, or possibly the identical material, appears to act similarly to a hydrogen donor.

Requirement of a Relatively High Threshold Level of Mg2+ for Cell Growth of a Rhizoplane Bacterium, Sphingomonas yanoikuyae EC-S001

PubMed Central

Hoo, Henny; Hashidoko, Yasuyuki; Islam, Md. Tofazzal; Tahara, Satoshi

2004-01-01

Mg2+ is one of the essential elements for bacterial cell growth. The presence of the magnesium cation (Mg2+) in various concentrations often affects cell growth restoration in plant-associating bacteria. This study attempted to determine whether Mg2+ levels in Sphingomonas yanoikuyae EC-S001 affected cell growth restoration in the host plant and what the threshold level is. S. yanoikuyae EC-S001, isolated from the rhizoplane of spinach seedlings grown from surface-sterilized seeds under aseptic conditions, displayed uniform dispersion and attachment throughout the rhizoplane and phylloplane of the host seedlings. S. yanoikuyae EC-S001 did not grow in potato-dextrose broth medium but grew well in an aqueous extract of spinach leaves. Chemical investigation of the growth factor in the spinach leaf extract led to identification of the active principle as the magnesium cation. A concentration of ca. 0.10 mM Mg2+ or more allowed S. yanoikuyae EC-S001 to grow in potato-dextrose broth medium. Some saprophytic and/or diazotrophic bacteria used in our experiment were found to have diverse threshold levels for their Mg2+ requirements. For example, Burkholderia cepacia EC-K014, originally isolated from the rhizoplane of a Melastoma sp., could grow even in Mg2+-free Hoagland's no. 2 medium with saccharose and glutamine (HSG medium) and requires a trace level of Mg2+ for its growth. In contrast, S. yanoikuyae EC-S001, together with Bacillus subtilis IFO12113, showed the most drastic restoring responses to subsequent addition of 0.98 mM Mg2+ to Mg2+-free HSG medium. Our studies concluded that Mg2+ is more than just the essential trace element needed for cell growth restoration in S. yanoikuyae EC-S001 and that certain nonculturable bacteria may require a higher concentration of Mg2+ or another specific essential element for their growth. PMID:15345402

Chemically defined medium for cultivation of several epiphytic and phytopathogenic spiroplasmas.

PubMed

Lee, I M; Davis, R E

1983-12-01

A chemically defined medium, LD82, was formulated for in vitro cultivation of spiroplasmas. Medium LD82 supported good growth for four epiphytic and insect-pathogenic spiroplasmas, Spiroplasma floricola 23-6, Spiroplasma sp. strain SR3, Spiroplasma sp. strain brevi, and Spiroplasma sp. strain AS576, and of the phytopathogenic spiroplasmas Spiroplasma citri Maroc R8A2 and PC1. Titers of all six strains grown in defined medium LD82 reached 2.0 x 10 to 6.0 x 10 CFU/ml of culture. All spiroplasma strains tested formed colonies readily on agar medium LD82. None of the spiroplasmas formed typical fried-egg colonies. All formed diffuse colonies, but the forms of colonies differed somewhat among the spiroplasma strains. In preliminary studies of nutritional requirements, phospholipids slightly enhanced the growth of the epiphytic and insect-pathogenic strains in medium LD82 and were found essential for good growth of S. citri.

Aroma types of flue-cured tobacco in China: spatial distribution and association with climatic factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chao; Wu, Wei; Wu, Shu-Cheng; Liu, Hong-Bin; Peng, Qing

2014-02-01

Aroma types of flue-cured tobacco (FCT) are classified into light, medium, and heavy in China. However, the spatial distribution of FCT aroma types and the relationships among aroma types, chemical parameters, and climatic variables were still unknown at national scale. In the current study, multi-year averaged chemical parameters (total sugars, reducing sugars, nicotine, total nitrogen, chloride, and K2O) of FCT samples with grade of C3F and climatic variables (mean, minimum and maximum temperatures, rainfall, relative humidity, and sunshine hours) during the growth periods were collected from main planting areas across China. Significant relationships were found between chemical parameters and climatic variables ( p < 0.05). A spatial distribution map of FCT aroma types were produced using support vector machine algorithms and chemical parameters. Significant differences in chemical parameters and climatic variables were observed among the three aroma types based on one-way analysis of variance ( p < 0.05). Areas with light aroma type had significantly lower values of mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures than regions with medium and heavy aroma types ( p < 0.05). Areas with heavy aroma type had significantly lower values of rainfall and relative humidity and higher values of sunshine hours than regions with light and medium aroma types ( p < 0.05). The output produced by classification and regression trees showed that sunshine hours, rainfall, and maximum temperature were the most important factors affecting FCT aroma types at national scale.

Development of Gis Tool for the Solution of Minimum Spanning Tree Problem using Prim's Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, S.; Patra, D.; Shankar, H.; Alok Verma, P.

2014-11-01

minimum spanning tree (MST) of a connected, undirected and weighted network is a tree of that network consisting of all its nodes and the sum of weights of all its edges is minimum among all such possible spanning trees of the same network. In this study, we have developed a new GIS tool using most commonly known rudimentary algorithm called Prim's algorithm to construct the minimum spanning tree of a connected, undirected and weighted road network. This algorithm is based on the weight (adjacency) matrix of a weighted network and helps to solve complex network MST problem easily, efficiently and effectively. The selection of the appropriate algorithm is very essential otherwise it will be very hard to get an optimal result. In case of Road Transportation Network, it is very essential to find the optimal results by considering all the necessary points based on cost factor (time or distance). This paper is based on solving the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) problem of a road network by finding it's minimum span by considering all the important network junction point. GIS technology is usually used to solve the network related problems like the optimal path problem, travelling salesman problem, vehicle routing problems, location-allocation problems etc. Therefore, in this study we have developed a customized GIS tool using Python script in ArcGIS software for the solution of MST problem for a Road Transportation Network of Dehradun city by considering distance and time as the impedance (cost) factors. It has a number of advantages like the users do not need a greater knowledge of the subject as the tool is user-friendly and that allows to access information varied and adapted the needs of the users. This GIS tool for MST can be applied for a nationwide plan called Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana in India to provide optimal all weather road connectivity to unconnected villages (points). This tool is also useful for constructing highways or railways spanning several cities optimally or connecting all cities with minimum total road length.

Antimicrobial activity and mechanisms of Salvia sclarea essential oil.

PubMed

Cui, Haiying; Zhang, Xuejing; Zhou, Hui; Zhao, Chengting; Lin, Lin

2015-12-01

Nowadays, essential oils are recognized as safe substances and can be used as antibacterial additives. Salvia sclarea is one of the most important aromatic plants cultivated world-wide as a source of essential oils. In addition to being flavoring foods, Salvia sclarea essential oil can also act as antimicrobials and preservatives against food spoilage. Understanding more about the antibacterial performance and possible mechanism of Salvia sclarea essential oil will be helpful for its application in the future. But so far few related researches have been reported. In our study, Salvia sclarea oil showed obvious antibacterial activity against all tested bacterial strains. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericide concentration (MBC) of seven pathogens were 0.05 and 0.1 % respectively. In addition, Salvia sclarea oil also exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and meats. After treated with Salvia sclarea oil, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images can clearly see the damage of cell membrane; the intracellular ATP concentrations of E. coli and S. aureus reduced 98.27 and 69.61 % respectively, compared to the control groups; the nuclear DNA content of E. coli and S. aureus was significantly reduced to 48.32 and 50.77 % respectively. In addition, there was massive leakage of cellular material when E. coli and S. aureus were exposed to Salvia sclarea oil. Salvia sclarea essential oil damaged the cell membrane and changed the cell membrane permeability, leading to the release of some cytoplasm such as macromolecular substances, ATP and DNA. In general, the antimicrobial action of Salvia sclarea essential oil is not only attributable to a unique pathway, but also involves a series of events both on the cell surface and within the cytoplasm. Therefore, more experiments need to be done to fully understand the antimicrobial mechanism of Salvia sclarea essential oil.

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of selected Iranian essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in nutrient broth medium.

PubMed

Mohsenzadeh, Mohammad

2007-10-15

The antibacterial effect of different concentrations (0.01 to 15%) of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) caraway seed (Carum carvi), fennel (Foeniculum vulgar), tarragon (Artmesia dracunculus) and pennyroyal (Mentha pullegium) essential oils on the Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was studied in nutrient broth medium. The MIC values of peppermint, fennel, thyme, pennyroyal and caraway essential oils against Escherichia coli were 0.5 +/- 0.03, 1 +/- 0.03, 0.3 +/- 0.01, 0.7 +/- 0.03 and 0.6 +/- 0.02% and in contrast, for Staphylococcus aureus were 0.4 +/- 0.01, 2 +/- 0.13, 0.1 +/- 0.01, 0.5 +/- 0.02 and 0.5 +/- 0.02%, respectively. The MBC values of peppermint, fennel, thyme, pennyroyal and caraway essential oils for Escherichia coli were 0.7 +/- 0.02, 2 +/- 0.05, 0.5 +/- 0.02, 1 +/- 0.02 and 0.8 +/- 0.02 and for Staphylococcus aureus were 0.5 +/- 0.02, 4 +/- 0.26, 0.3 +/- 0.02, 0.7 +/- 0.02 and 0.6 +/- 0.01, respectively. Statistical evaluation of the results indicated that the essential oils of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) showed the broadest spectrum of action (p < 0.05). Essential oils of peppermint (Mentha piperita), caraway seed (Carum carvi), pennyroyal (Menthae pullegium) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgar) had moderate effect against tested microorganisms and in contrast, tarragon essential oil were less effective against tested microorganisms. In conclusion, essential oils of edible plants could be a potential source for inhibitory substances for some foodborne pathogens. Natural substances that extracted from plants have applications in controlling pathogens in foods.

Low thrust optimal orbital transfers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cobb, Shannon S.

1994-01-01

For many optimal transfer problems it is reasonable to expect that the minimum time solution is also the minimum fuel solution. However, if one allows the propulsion system to be turned off and back on, it is clear that these two solutions may differ. In general, high thrust transfers resemble the well known impulsive transfers where the burn arcs are of very short duration. The low and medium thrust transfers differ in that their thrust acceleration levels yield longer burn arcs and thus will require more revolutions. In this research, we considered two approaches for solving this problem: a powered flight guidance algorithm previously developed for higher thrust transfers was modified and an 'averaging technique' was investigated.

The in vitro Antimicrobial Activity and Chemometric Modelling of 59 Commercial Essential Oils against Pathogens of Dermatological Relevance.

PubMed

Orchard, Ané; Sandasi, Maxleene; Kamatou, Guy; Viljoen, Alvaro; van Vuuren, Sandy

2017-01-01

This study reports on the inhibitory concentration of 59 commercial essential oils recommended for dermatological conditions, and identifies putative compounds responsible for antimicrobial activity. Essential oils were investigated for antimicrobial activity using minimum inhibitory concentration assays. Ten essential oils were identified as having superior antimicrobial activity. The essential oil compositions were determined using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and the data analysed with the antimicrobial activity using multivariate tools. Orthogonal projections to latent structures models were created for seven of the pathogens. Eugenol was identified as the main biomarker responsible for antimicrobial activity in the majority of the essential oils. The essential oils mostly displayed noteworthy antimicrobial activity, with five oils displaying broad-spectrum activity against the 13 tested micro-organisms. The antimicrobial efficacies of the essential oils highlight their potential in treating dermatological infections and through chemometric modelling, bioactive volatiles have been identified. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Impact of electromagnetic microwaves on the germination of spores of Streptomyces xanthochromogenes in a peat soil and in a liquid nutrient medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komarova, A. S.; Likhacheva, A. A.; Lapygina, E. V.; Maksimova, I. A.; Pozdnyakov, A. I.

2010-01-01

The impact of microwaves on the germination of spores of Streptomyces xanthochromogenes in a liquid nutrient medium and in a peat soil was studied. The treatment of inoculums with microwave radiation affected the development of the microorganisms from the stage of spore germination to the stage of the formation of microcolonies of actinomycetes upon the spore cultivation in the liquid medium. Typical hypnum-herbaceous peat was used to study the rate of germination of the actinomycetal spores in soil. The study of the dynamics of the Streptomyces xanthochromogenes population in the control soil (without treatment with microwaves) showed that the most active development of the culture took place in the soil moistened to 60% of the maximum water capacity. When the soil was moistened to the minimum adsorption capacity, the streptomyces did not complete their full cycle of development. The stimulation of the spore germination and mycelium growth with microwaves in the soil medium required a longer period in comparison with that for the liquid medium. The stimulation of the spore germination was observed in the liquid nutrient medium in the case of 30-s treatment and in the soil in the case of 60-s treatment.

Use of rosemary, oregano, and a commercial blend of essential oils in broiler chickens: in vitro antimicrobial activities and effects on growth performance.

PubMed

Mathlouthi, N; Bouzaienne, T; Oueslati, I; Recoquillay, F; Hamdi, M; Urdaci, M; Bergaoui, R

2012-03-01

The present study was conducted to characterize the in vitro antimicrobial activities of 3 essential oils [oregano, rosemary, and a commercial blend of essential oils (BEO)] against pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria and to evaluate their effects on broiler chicken performances. The chemical composition of the essential oils was determined using the gas chromatography interfaced with a mass spectroscopy. The disc diffusion method, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were applied for the determination of antimicrobial activities of essential oils. In vivo study, a total of seven hundred fifty 1-d-old male broiler chickens were assigned to 6 dietary treatment groups: basal diet (control; CON), CON + 44 mg of avilamycin/kg (A), CON + 100 mg of rosemary essential oil/kg (ROS), CON + 100 mg of oregano essential oil/kg (OR), CON + 50 mg of rosemary and 50 mg of oregano essential oils/kg (RO), and CON + 1,000 mg of BEO/kg (essential oil mixture, EOM). The essential oils isolated from rosemary and oregano were characterized by their greater content of 1,8-cineole (49.99%) and carvacrol (69.55%), respectively. The BEO was mainly represented by the aldehyde (cinnamaldehyde) and the monoterpene (1,8-cineole) chemical groups. The results of the disc diffusion method indicated that the rosemary essential oil had antibacterial activity (P ≤ 0.05) against only 3 pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli (8 mm), Salmonella indiana (11 mm), and Listeria innocua (9 mm). The essential oil of oregano had antimicrobial activities (P ≤ 0.05) on the same bacteria as rosemary but also on Staphylococcus aureus (22 mm) and Bacillus subtilis (12 mm). Oregano essential oil had greater (P ≤ 0.05) antimicrobial activities against pathogenic bacteria than rosemary essential oil but they had no synergism between them. The BEO showed an increased antimicrobial activity (P ≤ 0.05) against all studied bacteria (pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria) except for Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The supplementation of the basal diet with avilamycin or essential oils improved (P ≤ 0.05) broiler chicken BW, BW gain, and G:F compared with the CON diet. There were no differences in growth performances among birds fed A, ROS, OR, RO, or EOM diets. In general, essential oils contained in rosemary, oregano, and BEO can substitute for growth promoter antibiotics. Although the 3 essential oils had different antimicrobial activities, they exhibited the same efficiency in broiler chickens.

Assessing the adequacy of essential nutrient intake in obese dogs undergoing energy restriction for weight loss: a cohort study.

PubMed

German, Alexander J; Holden, Shelley L; Serisier, Samuel; Queau, Yann; Biourge, Vincent

2015-10-07

Canine obesity is usually treated with dietary energy restriction, but data are limited regarding nutritional adequacy. The aim of the current study was to compare intake of essential nutrients with National Research Council recommendations in obese dogs during weight management with a purpose-formulated diet. Twenty-seven dogs were included in this non-randomised retrospective observational cohort study. All were determined to be systemically well, and without significant abnormalities based upon physical examination and clinicopathological assessments. The dogs underwent a controlled weight loss protocol of at least 182 days' duration using a high protein high fibre weight loss diet. Median, maximum, and minimum daily intakes of all essential nutrients were compared against NRC 2006 recommended allowances (RA) for adult dogs. Median weight loss was 28 % (16-40 %), mean daily energy intake was 61 kcal/kg(0.75) (44-74 kcal/kg(0.75)), and no clinical signs of nutrient deficiency were observed in any dog. Based upon the average nutrient content of the diet, daily intake of the majority of essential nutrients was greater than their NRC 2006 recommended allowance (RA per kg body weight(0.75)), except for selenium, choline, methionine/cysteine, tryptophan, magnesium, and potassium. However, apart from choline (2/27 dogs) and methionine/cysteine (2/27 dogs), all essential nutrients remained above NRC minimum requirements (MR) throughout the trial. When fed the diet used in the current study, daily intakes of most essential nutrients meet both their NRC 2006 RA and MR in obese dogs during weight loss. In light of absence of clinical signs of nutrient deficiency, it is unclear what significance intakes less that NRC cut-offs for some nutrients have (especially selenium and choline), and further studies are recommended.

The Missing Link--Manpower Staffing Standards and the Budget Process

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-01

used to- develop the combat and ,-ombat support forces dc’cumented in Tables of Organizaticn and Equipment (TOE). A MS-3 standard is essentially an...candidates for standards develo pment. Where this e., ists and where it i not ecnomically reasonable to justi fy the development effort, standards are not...sector have the special trust of the taxpayers, and, as such, must ensure that staffing cf these functions is minimum essential . The functio n of

In vitro antimicrobial activity of five essential oils on multidrug resistant Gram-negative clinical isolates

PubMed Central

Sakkas, Hercules; Gousia, Panagiota; Economou, Vangelis; Sakkas, Vassilios; Petsios, Stefanos; Papadopoulou, Chrissanthy

2016-01-01

Aim/Background: The emergence of drug-resistant pathogens has drawn attention on medicinal plants for potential antimicrobial properties. The objective of the present study was the investigation of the antimicrobial activity of five plant essential oils on multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Materials and Methods: Basil, chamomile blue, origanum, thyme, and tea tree oil were tested against clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 6), Escherichia coli (n = 4), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 7), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5) using the broth macrodilution method. Results: The tested essential oils produced variable antibacterial effect, while Chamomile blue oil demonstrated no antibacterial activity. Origanum, Thyme, and Basil oils were ineffective on P. aeruginosa isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration values ranged from 0.12% to 1.50% (v/v) for tea tree oil, 0.25-4% (v/v) for origanum and thyme oil, 0.50% to >4% for basil oil and >4% for chamomile blue oil. Compared to literature data on reference strains, the reported MIC values were different by 2SD, denoting less successful antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant isolates. Conclusions: The antimicrobial activities of the essential oils are influenced by the strain origin (wild, reference, drug sensitive, or resistant) and it should be taken into consideration whenever investigating the plants’ potential for developing new antimicrobials. PMID:27366345

Antibacterial activity of essential oils extracted from Satureja hortensis against selected clinical pathogens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Görmez, Arzu; Yanmiş, Derya; Bozari, Sedat; Gürkök, Sumeyra

2017-04-01

The antibiotic resistance of pathogenic microorganisms has become a worldwide concern to public health. To overcome the current resistance problem, new antimicrobial agents are extremely needed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Satureja hortensis essential oils against seven clinical pathogens. Chemical compositions of hydro distillated essential oils from S. hortensis were analyzed by GS-MS. The antibacterial activity was investigated against Corynebacterium diphtheria, Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia plymuthica Yersinia enterocolitica, Y. frederiksenii, Y. pseudotuberculosis and Vibrio cholerae by the use of disc diffusion method and broth micro dilution method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of essential oils were found as low as 7.81 µg/mL. Notably, essential oils of S. hortensis exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activities against the tested clinical pathogens. The results indicate that these essential oils can be used in treatment of different infectious diseases.

The ability of selected plant essential oils to enhance the action of recommended antibiotics against pathogenic wound bacteria.

PubMed

Sienkiewicz, Monika; Łysakowska, Monika; Kowalczyk, Edward; Szymańska, Grażyna; Kochan, Ewa; Krukowska, Jolanta; Olszewski, Jurek; Zielińska-Bliźniewska, Hanna

2017-03-01

The aim of this work was to characterize the ability of essential oils to support antibiotics against pathogenic bacteria in wounds. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria obtained from wound infections were identified according to standard microbiological methods. Essential oils were analysed by GC-FID-MS. The susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics, essential oils and their combination was assessed using the disc-diffusion method. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration of the essential oils were established by the micro-dilution broth method. Although cinnamon, clove, thyme and lavender essential oils were found to have the greatest antibacterial activity when used alone, the greatest additive and synergistic effects against pathogenic wound bacteria in combination with recommended antibiotics were demonstrated by basil, clary sage and rosemary oils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Antifungal efficacy of plant essential oils against stored grain fungi of Fusarium spp.

PubMed

Kumar, Peeyush; Mishra, Sapna; Kumar, Atul; Sharma, Amit Kumar

2016-10-01

The control potential of seven plant essential oils was evaluated against Fusarium proliferatum (Matsushima) Nirenberg and Fusarium verticillioides Sheldon. The fungicidal activity was assessed through microtiter plate assay to determine the minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentration of essential oils. The essential oil of Mentha arvensis was adjudged as best for inhibiting the fungal growth, while oil of Thymus vulgaris and Anethum graveolens showed high efficacy in terms of fungicidal activity. The oil of M. arvensis and T. vulgaris also showed good inhibition activity in agar disc diffusion assay. M. arvensis essential oil was analysed for its composition using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealing menthol (63.18 %), menthone (15.08 %), isomenthyl acetate (5.50 %) and limonene (4.31 %) as major components. Significant activity of M. arvensis essential oil against F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides isolates obtained, pave the way for its use as antifungal control agents.

Potential of the essential oil from Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus as an antimicrobial agent.

PubMed

Suzuki, Érika Yoko; Baptista, Edilene Bolutari; Resende Do Carmo, Antônio Márcio; Miranda Chaves, Maria Das Graças Afonso; Chicourel, Elizabeth Lemos; Barbosa Raposo, Nádia Rezende

2014-09-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the essential oil of Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus in inhibiting the growth of the main bacteria responsible for bad perspiration odor (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Proteus hauseri, Micrococcus yunnanensis and Corynebacterium xerosis). The chemical profile of the essential oil was evaluated by high-resolution gas chromatography (HR-GC) and four constituents were identified, eugenol being the major component (88.6%). The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by means of the turbidimetric method, using the microdilution assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the essential oil ranged from 500 to 1,000 μg mL⁻¹. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations confirmed the physical damage and morphological alteration of the test bacteria treated with the essential oil, reference drugs and eugenol. The findings of the study demonstrated that this essential oil can be used in the formulation of personal care products.

Evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of Minthostachys verticillata essential oil and limonene against Streptococcus uberis strains isolated from bovine mastitis.

PubMed

Montironi, Ivana D; Cariddi, Laura N; Reinoso, Elina B

Bovine mastitis is a disease that causes great economic losses per year, being Streptococcus uberis the main environmental pathogen involved. The aim of the present study was to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of Minthostachys verticillata essential oil and limonene for S. uberis strains isolated from bovine mastitis. In addition, the effect of MIC on biofilm formation was analyzed. MIC values for the essential oil ranged from 14.3 to 114.5mg/ml (1.56-12.5%v/v) and MBC between 114.5 and 229mg/ml (12.5-25%v/v). MICs for limonene ranged from 3.3 to 52.5mg/ml (0.39-6.25%v/v) and MBC was 210mg/ml (25%v/v). Both compounds showed antibacterial activity and affected the biofilm formation of most of the strains tested. In conclusion, these compounds could be used as an alternative and/or complementary therapy for bovine mastitis caused by S. uberis. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Comparison of different methods for erythroid differentiation in the K562 cell line.

PubMed

Shariati, Laleh; Modaress, Mehran; Khanahmad, Hossein; Hejazi, Zahra; Tabatabaiefar, Mohammad Amin; Salehi, Mansoor; Modarressi, Mohammad Hossein

2016-08-01

To compare methods for erythroid differentiation of K562 cells that will be promising in the treatment of beta-thalassemia by inducing γ-globin synthesis. Cells were treated separately with: RPMI 1640 medium without glutamine, RPMI 1640 medium without glutamine supplemented with 1 mM sodium butyrate, RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 1 mM sodium butyrate, 25 µg cisplatin/ml, 0.1 µg cytosine arabinoside/ml. The highest differentiation (84 %) with minimum toxicity was obtained with cisplatin at 15 µg /ml. Real-time RT-PCR showed that expression of the γ-globin gene was significantly higher in the cells differentiated with cisplatin compared to undifferentiated cells (P < 0.001). Cisplatin is useful in the experimental therapy of ß-globin gene defects and can be considered for examining the basic mechanism of γ-reactivation.

Application of thermal model for pan evaporation to the hydrology of a defined medium, the sponge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trenchard, M. H.; Artley, J. A. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

A technique is presented which estimates pan evaporation from the commonly observed values of daily maximum and minimum air temperatures. These two variables are transformed to saturation vapor pressure equivalents which are used in a simple linear regression model. The model provides reasonably accurate estimates of pan evaporation rates over a large geographic area. The derived evaporation algorithm is combined with precipitation to obtain a simple moisture variable. A hypothetical medium with a capacity of 8 inches of water is initialized at 4 inches. The medium behaves like a sponge: it absorbs all incident precipitation, with runoff or drainage occurring only after it is saturated. Water is lost from this simple system through evaporation just as from a Class A pan, but at a rate proportional to its degree of saturation. The contents of the sponge is a moisture index calculated from only the maximum and minium temperatures and precipitation.

A simple and effective protocol for fast isolation of human Tenon's fibroblasts from a single trabeculectomy biopsy - a comparison of cell behaviour in different culture media.

PubMed

Przekora, Agata; Zarnowski, Tomasz; Ginalska, Grazyna

2017-01-01

Human Tenon's fibroblasts (HTFs) play a crucial role in wound healing. They cause postoperative scarring of the filtering bleb and are thus responsible for trabeculectomy failure. This study aimed to find an effective and fast protocol for HTF isolation from trabeculectomy biopsies. The protocol was compared with the commonly recommended HTF isolation procedure, which uses Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM). We used Eagle's minimum essential medium (EMEM) enriched with fibroblast growth factor (FGF), which selectively promoted the proliferation of HTF cells. A secondary goal was to compare HTF morphology, metabolism and growth during parallel cultivation of the isolated cells in FGF-enriched EMEM and DMEM. Standard procedures for HTF isolation from tissue biopsies require a 20- to 30-day culture of the explants to obtain the first monolayer. Our protocol yielded the first monolayer after approx. 15 days. More importantly, the majority of the cells were fibroblasts with only individual epithelium-derived cells present. Using FGF-enriched EMEM allowed 1.3 × 10 6 vimentin-positive fibroblasts to be obtained from a single biopsy within approx. 25 days. Using DMEM resulted in isolation failure and required exchange to FGF-enriched medium to recover the fibroblast culture. HTFs maintained in FGF-enriched EMEM also showed faster proliferation and a different type I collagen production ability compared to HTFs cultured in DMEM. Thus, FGF-enriched EMEM is recommended for fast propagation of HTFs unless the aim of the study is to assess the effect of a tested agent on proliferation ability or type I collagen production. Our fast protocol for HTF isolation allows easy setup of cell banks by researchers under laboratory conditions and could be very useful during testing of novel ophthalmologic anti-fibrotic agents in vitro. Molecular analysis of HTFs isolated from patients with known treatment histories may provide valuable information on the effects of some medications taken before glaucoma surgery on the subsequent wound-healing process and potential for trabeculectomy failure.

How Much Is Enough? Involving Occupational Experts in Setting Standards on a Specific-Purpose Language Test for Health Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pill, John; McNamara, Tim

2016-01-01

This paper considers how to establish the minimum required level of professionally relevant oral communication ability in the medium of English for health practitioners with English as an additional language (EAL) to gain admission to practice in jurisdictions where English is the dominant language. A theoretical concern is the construct of…

The Latent Structure of Psychopathy: A Taxometric Investigation of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised in a Heterogeneous Sample of Male Prison Inmates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Glenn D.; Duncan, Scott A.; Mitchell-Perez, Kari

2007-01-01

A taxometric analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is conducted on a group of 409 male maximum-, medium-, and minimum-security federal prison inmates using the four PCL-R facet scores (interpersonal, affective, impulsive lifestyle, and antisocial behavior) as indicators. Results obtained from three quasi-independent taxometric…

Internet Access and Usage in Improving Students' Self-Directed Learning in Indonesia Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahardjo, Djoko; Sumardjo; Lubis, Djuara P.; Harijati, Sri Ir.

2016-01-01

Internet is well known nowadays, however higher distance education students who live in remote rural areas still have not been able to take advantages of this medium optimally for their learning process. For accessing the internet the students have to be available with the minimum prerequisites: the existence of adequate devices and the sufficient…

Systematic investigation of NLTE phenomena in the limit of small departures from LTE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libby, S. B.; Graziani, F. R.; More, R. M.; Kato, T.

1997-04-01

In this paper, we begin a systematic study of Non-Local Thermal Equilibrium (NLTE) phenomena in near equilibrium (LTE) high energy density, highly radiative plasmas. It is shown that the principle of minimum entropy production rate characterizes NLTE steady states for average atom rate equations in the case of small departures form LTE. With the aid of a novel hohlraum-reaction box thought experiment, we use the principles of minimum entropy production and detailed balance to derive Onsager reciprocity relations for the NLTE responses of a near equilibrium sample to non-Planckian perturbations in different frequency groups. This result is a significant symmetry constraint on the linear corrections to Kirchoff's law. We envisage applying our strategy to a number of test problems which include: the NLTE corrections to the ionization state of an ion located near the edge of an otherwise LTE medium; the effect of a monochromatic radiation field perturbation on an LTE medium; the deviation of Rydberg state populations from LTE in recombining or ionizing plasmas; multi-electron temperature models such as that of Busquet; and finally, the effect of NLTE population shifts on opacity models.

Analysis of antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant activities of Juniperus excelsa M. B subsp. Polycarpos (K. Koch) Takhtajan essential oil

PubMed Central

Moein, M. R.; Ghasemi, Y.; Moein, S.; Nejati, M.

2010-01-01

Juniperus excelsa M.B subsp. Polycarpos (K.Koch), collected from south of Iran, was subjected to hydrodistillation using clevenger apparatus to obtain essential oil. The essential was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and studied for antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant activities. The results indicated α-pinene (67.71%) as the major compound and α-cedral (11.5%), δ3-carene (5.19%) and limonene (4.41%) in moderate amounts. Antimicrobial tests were carried out using disk diffusion method, followed by the measurement of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). All the Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria were susceptible to essential oil. The oil showed radical scavenging and antioxidant effects. PMID:21808554

Recommendations on Model Fidelity for Wind Turbine Gearbox Simulations; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keller, J.; Lacava, W.; Austin, J.

2015-02-01

This work investigates the minimum level of fidelity required to accurately simulate wind turbine gearboxes using state-of-the-art design tools. Excessive model fidelity including drivetrain complexity, gearbox complexity, excitation sources, and imperfections, significantly increases computational time, but may not provide a commensurate increase in the value of the results. Essential designparameters are evaluated, including the planetary load-sharing factor, gear tooth load distribution, and sun orbit motion. Based on the sensitivity study results, recommendations for the minimum model fidelities are provided.

Access to diagnostic tests and essential medicines for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes care: cost, availability and affordability in the West Region of Cameroon.

PubMed

Jingi, Ahmadou M; Noubiap, Jean Jacques N; Ewane Onana, Arnold; Nansseu, Jobert Richie N; Wang, Binhuan; Kingue, Samuel; Kengne, André Pascal

2014-01-01

To assess the availability and affordability of medicines and routine tests for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes in the West region of Cameroon, a low-income setting. A survey was conducted on the availability and cost of twelve routine tests and twenty medicines for CVD and diabetes in eight health districts (four urban and four rural) covering over 60% of the population of the region (1.8 million). We analyzed the percentage of tests and medicines available, the median price against the international reference price (median price ratio) for the medicines, and affordability in terms of the number of days' wages it would cost the lowest-paid unskilled government worker for initial investigation tests and procurement for one month of treatment. The availability of tests varied between 10% for the ECG to 100% for the fasting blood sugar. The average cost for the initial investigation using the minimum tests cost 29.76 days' wages. The availability of medicines varied from 36.4% to 59.1% in urban and from 9.1% to 50% in rural settings. Only metformin and benzathine-benzylpenicilline had a median price ratio of ≤ 1.5, with statins being largely unaffordable (at least 30.51 days' wages). One month of combination treatment for coronary heart disease costs at least 40.87 days' wages. The investigation and management of patients with medium-to-high cardiovascular risk remains largely unavailable and unaffordable in this setting. An effective non-communicable disease program should lay emphasis on primary prevention, and improve affordable access to essential medicines in public outlets.

Membrane-bound amylopullulanase is essential for starch metabolism of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius DSM639.

PubMed

Choi, Kyoung-Hwa; Cha, Jaeho

2015-09-01

Sulfolobus acidocaldarius DSM639 produced an acid-resistant membrane-bound amylopullulanase (Apu) during growth on starch as a sole carbon and energy source. The physiological role of Apu in starch metabolism was investigated by the growth and starch degradation pattern of apu disruption mutant as well as biochemical properties of recombinant Apu. The Δapu mutant lost the ability to grow in minimal medium in the presence of starch, and the amylolytic activity observed in the membrane fraction of the wild-type strain was not detected in the Δapu mutant when the cells were grown in YT medium. The purified membrane-bound Apu initially hydrolyzed starch, amylopectin, and pullulan into various sizes of maltooligosaccharides, and then produced glucose, maltose, and maltotriose in the end, indicating Apu is a typical endo-acting glycoside hydrolase family 57 (GH57) amylopullulanase. The maltose and maltotriose observed in the culture medium during the exponential and stationary phase growth indicates that Apu is the essential enzyme to initially hydrolyze the starch into small maltooligosaccharides to be transported into the cell.

7 CFR 1962.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... or income for minimum essential family living needs, and items such as equipment, tools, and motor... products. Farmer Program loans. These loans and Farm Ownership (FO), Operating (OL), Soil and Water (SW..., including crops, livestock, poultry products, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service payments...

7 CFR 1962.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... or income for minimum essential family living needs, and items such as equipment, tools, and motor... products. Farmer Program loans. These loans and Farm Ownership (FO), Operating (OL), Soil and Water (SW..., including crops, livestock, poultry products, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service payments...

7 CFR 1962.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... or income for minimum essential family living needs, and items such as equipment, tools, and motor... products. Farmer Program loans. These loans and Farm Ownership (FO), Operating (OL), Soil and Water (SW..., including crops, livestock, poultry products, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service payments...

7 CFR 1962.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... or income for minimum essential family living needs, and items such as equipment, tools, and motor... products. Farmer Program loans. These loans and Farm Ownership (FO), Operating (OL), Soil and Water (SW..., including crops, livestock, poultry products, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service payments...

NASA progress in aircraft noise prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raney, J. P.; Padula, S. L.; Zorumski, W. E.

1981-01-01

Some of the essential features of aircraft noise prediction are described and the basis for evaluating its capability and future potential is discussed. A takeoff noise optimizing procedure is described which calculates a minimum noise takeoff procedure subject to multiple site noise constraints.

Growth of Desulfovibrio on the Surface of Agar Media

PubMed Central

Iverson, Warren P.

1966-01-01

Growth of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (API strain) was found to take place in an atmosphere of hydrogen on the agar surface of complex media, including yeast extract (Difco), and Trypticase Soy Agar (BBL) without any added reducing agents. For growth on a 2% yeast extract-agar surface in the absence of hydrogen (nitrogen atmosphere), sodium lactate was required in the medium. Growth on the surface of Trypticase Soy Agar (TSA) under nitrogen took place readily in the absence of an added hydrogen donor. A medium (TSA plus salts) is described based upon the addition of sodium lactate (4 ml per liter), magnesium sulfate (2 g per liter), and ferrous ammonium sulfate (0.05%) to TSA, which appears suitable for the isolation and growth of Desulfovibrio on the surface of agar plates in an atmosphere of hydrogen. Sodium lactate does not appear to be essential in this medium for good growth and sulfate reduction in a hydrogen atmosphere, but is essential in a nitrogen atmosphere. Growth of Desulfovibrio (hydrogen atmosphere) on the agar surface of media commonly used for its cultivation as well as on an inorganic medium containing bicarbonate as a source of carbon is poor and erratic unless inoculated (Desulfovibrio) plates of TSA plus salts are incubated in the same container with plates of these media. This stimulatory effect of incubation with inoculated plates of TSA plus salts medium appears to be due to as yet unidentified volatile material produced by D. desulfuricans when growing on this medium. Another volatile material, or possibly the identical material, appears to act similarly to a hydrogen donor. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 PMID:5955798

Insensitivity of compaction properties of brittle granules to size enlargement by roller compaction.

PubMed

Wu, Sy-Juen; Sun, Changquan 'Calvin'

2007-05-01

Pharmaceutical granules prepared by roller compaction often exhibit significant loss of tabletability, that is, reduction in tensile strength, when compared to virgin powder. This may be attributed to granule size enlargement for highly plastic materials, for example, microcrystalline cellulose. The sensitivity of powder compaction properties on granule size variations impacts the robustness of the dry granulation process. We hypothesize that such sensitivity of compaction properties on granule size is minimum for brittle materials because extensive fracture of brittle granules during compaction minimizes differences in initial granule size. We tested the hypothesis using three common brittle excipients. Results show that the fine (44-106 microm), medium (106-250 microm), and coarse (250-500 microm) granules exhibit essentially identical tabletability below a certain critical compaction pressure, 100, 140, and 100 MPa for spray-dried lactose monohydrate, anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate, and mannitol, respectively. Above respective critical pressure, tabletability lines diverge with smaller granules exhibiting slightly higher tablet tensile strength at identical compaction conditions. Overall, tabletability of brittle granules is insensitive to granule size enlargement. The results provide a scientific basis to the common practice of incorporating brittle filler to a typical tablet formulation processed by roller compaction granulation. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Chlamydia trahomatis in cell culture. I. Comparison of efficiencies of infection in several chemically defined media, at various pH and temperature values, and after exposure to diethylaminoethyl-dextran

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rota, T.R.; Nichols, R.L.

1973-10-01

Three chemically defined cell culture media, Eagle minimum essential medium (MEM) with Earle basal salt solution, Eagle MEM with Hanks basal salt solution, and a modified Eagle MEM, were tested and found capable of supporting the development of Chlamydia trachomatis in /sup 60/Co-treated McCoy cells. The enhancement of trachoma infection by diethylaminoethyl-dextran (DEAE-D) was greater at pH values closer to neutrality than at and other pH values measured at the start of the experiments. Centrifugation of the trachoma inoculum onto cell monolayers at 33 C increased the number of inclusions when compared to centrifugation at 20 C. When the inoculummore » was centrifuged onto cell monolayers and subsequent incubation was at temperatures ranging from 34 to 39 C, the greatest number of inclusions was observed after incubation from 35 through 37 C. Enhancement of the trachoma infection by DEAE-D was tested at temperatures ranging from 35 to 37 C. These cultures had three- to fivefold increases in inclusions when compared to previously reported experiments in which DEAE-D- treated cultures were incubated at 34 C. (auth)« less

Retrieval of a periodontally compromised tooth by allogeneic grafting of mesenchymal stem cells from dental pulp: A case report.

PubMed

Hernández-Monjaraz, Beatriz; Santiago-Osorio, Edelmiro; Ledesma-Martínez, Edgar; Alcauter-Zavala, Andrés; Mendoza-Núñez, Víctor Manuel

2018-01-01

Objective To report a case of successful allogeneic grafting of mesenchymal dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) as preliminary findings in a patient with periodontal disease enrolled into clinical trial ISRCTN12831118. Methods Mesenchymal stem cells from the dental pulp of a deciduous tooth from a 7-year-old donor were separated from the pulp chamber and processed via enzymatic digestion and centrifugation. DPSCs were passaged and cultured on a 35 × 13 mm culture dish in minimum essential medium-alpha, without supplementation. After reaching 80% confluency, 5 x 10 6 allogeneic DPSCs in 250 µl phosphate buffered saline were seeded onto a dry scaffold of lyophilized collagen-polyvinylpyrrolidone sponge placed in the left lower premolar area of a 61-year-old patient with periodontal disease. Surgical access to the lower premolar area was achieved using the flap technique. Results At 3 and 6 months following allogeneic graft, the patient showed no sign of rejection and exhibited decreases in tooth mobility, periodontal pocket depth and bone defect area. Bone mineral density had increased at the graft site. Conclusions Regenerative periodontal therapy using DPSCs of allogeneic origin may be a promising treatment for periodontal disease-induced bone defects.

Growth characteristics of a new methylomonad.

PubMed Central

Chen, B J; Hirt, W; Lim, H C; Tsao, G T

1977-01-01

A methylomonad culture was isolated from pond water and examined as a potential source of single-cell protein. A medium containing magnesium sulfate, ammonium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, tap water, and methanol supported the growth of the isolate. Optimal growth conditions in batch cultures for the organism were: temperature, 30 to 33 degrees C; pH 7.1; and phosphate concentration, 0.015 M. The minimum doubling time obtained was 1.6 h. The specific growth rate in batch culture was dependent on the methanol concentration, reaching a maximum around 0.2% (wt/vol). Growth inhibition was apparent above 0.3% (wt/vol), and growth was completely inhibited above 4.6% (wt/vol) methanol. Although the inhibitory effect of formaldehyde on the specific growth rate was much greater than that of formate, the organism utilized formaldehyde, but not formate, as a sole carbon and energy source in batch cultures. The isolate was identified primarily by its inability to utilize any carbon source other than methanol and formaldehyde for growth. Although it is capable of rapid growth on methanol, the organism showed a very weak catalase activity. The amino acid content of the cells compared favorably with the reference levels for the essential amino acids specific by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. PMID:15510

Challenges in Development of Sperm Repositories for Biomedical Fishes: Quality Control in Small-Bodied Species.

PubMed

Torres, Leticia; Liu, Yue; Guitreau, Amy; Yang, Huiping; Tiersch, Terrence R

2017-12-01

Quality control (QC) is essential for reproducible and efficient functioning of germplasm repositories. However, many biomedical fish models present significant QC challenges due to small body sizes (<5 cm) and miniscule sperm volumes (<5 μL). Using minimal volumes of sperm, we used Zebrafish to evaluate common QC endpoints as surrogates for fertilization success along sequential steps of cryopreservation. First, concentrations of calibration bead suspensions were evaluated with a Makler ® counting chamber by using different sample volumes and mixing methods. For sperm analysis, samples were initially diluted at a 1:30 ratio with Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS). Motility was evaluated by using different ratios of sperm and activation medium, and membrane integrity was analyzed with flow cytometry at different concentrations. Concentration and sperm motility could be confidently estimated by using volumes as small as 1 μL, whereas membrane integrity required a minimum of 2 μL (at 1 × 10 6 cells/mL). Thus, <5 μL of sperm suspension (after dilution to 30-150 μL with HBSS) was required to evaluate sperm quality by using three endpoints. Sperm quality assessment using a combination of complementary endpoints enhances QC efforts during cryopreservation, increasing reliability and reproducibility, and reducing waste of time and resources.

Nanoemulsion of orange oil with non ionic surfactant produced emulsion using ultrasonication technique: evaluating against food spoilage yeast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugumar, Saranya; Singh, Sanjay; Mukherjee, Amitava; Chandrasekaran, N.

2016-01-01

In recent years, food industries have shown great interest in developing nanoemulsion (NE) using essential oils (EOs) to prevent food spoilage caused by microorganisms. The hydrophobic properties of EOs have lead to reduced solubilization effect of food, which in turn, created a negative impact on the quality of food and its antimicrobial efficacy. Focusing this issue, we attempted a unique NE preparation using orange oil, Tween 80 (organic phase) and water (aqueous phase) by sonication technique. Based on thermodynamic stability studies, the effective diameter was reported to be in the size range from 20 to 30 nm. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used in testing the anti-yeast effect. Their activity was studied in both growth medium and apple juice. The minimum inhibitory concentration of this NE was determined using broth dilution method. At 2 μl/ml, orange oil NE demonstrated inhibition of tested microorganisms. The kinetics of killing curve, have shown that the NE treated cells had lost its viability within 30 min of interaction. Also, SEM image revealed that the treated cells became distorted in comparison to their control cells. NE treated apple juice showed complete loss of viability even on dilution as compared to their controls.

Immunologic and tissue biocompatibility of flexible/stretchable electronics and optoelectronics.

PubMed

Park, Gayoung; Chung, Hyun-Joong; Kim, Kwanghee; Lim, Seon Ah; Kim, Jiyoung; Kim, Yun-Soung; Liu, Yuhao; Yeo, Woon-Hong; Kim, Rak-Hwan; Kim, Stanley S; Kim, Jong-Seon; Jung, Yei Hwan; Kim, Tae-Il; Yee, Cassian; Rogers, John A; Lee, Kyung-Mi

2014-04-01

Recent development of flexible/stretchable integrated electronic sensors and stimulation systems has the potential to establish an important paradigm for implantable electronic devices, where shapes and mechanical properties are matched to those of biological tissues and organs. Demonstrations of tissue and immune biocompatibility are fundamental requirements for application of such kinds of electronics for long-term use in the body. Here, a comprehensive set of experiments studies biocompatibility on four representative flexible/stretchable device platforms, selected on the basis of their versatility and relevance in clinical usage. The devices include flexible silicon field effect transistors (FETs) on polyimide and stretchable silicon FETs, InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and AlInGaPAs LEDs, each on low modulus silicone substrates. Direct cytotoxicity measured by exposure of a surrogate fibroblast line and leachable toxicity by minimum essential medium extraction testing reveal that all of these devices are non-cytotoxic. In vivo immunologic and tissue biocompatibility testing in mice indicate no local inflammation or systemic immunologic responses after four weeks of subcutaneous implantation. The results show that these new classes of flexible implantable devices are suitable for introduction into clinical studies as long-term implantable electronics. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of putative receptors specific for quercetin on bovine aortic smooth-muscle cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, S.C.; Becker, C.G.

The authors have reported that tobacco glycoprotein (TGP), rutin-bovine serum albumin conjugates (R-BSA), quercetin, and chlorogenic acid are mitogenic for bovine aortic smooth-muscle cells (SMC). To investigate whether there are binding sites or receptors for these polyphenol-containing molecules on SMC, the authors have synthesized /sup 125/I-labeled rutin-bovine serum albumin ((/sup 125/I)R-BSA) of high specific activity (20 Ci/mmol). SMC were isolated from a bovine thoracic aorta and maintained in Eagle's minimum essential medium with 10% calf serum in culture. These SMC at early subpassages were suspended (3-5 x 10/sup 7/ cells/ml) in phosphate-buffered saline and incubated with (/sup 125/I)R-BSA (10 pmol)more » in the presence or absence of 200-fold unlabeled R-BSA, TGP, BSA, rutin, quercetin or related polyphenols, and catecholamines. Binding of (/sup 125/I)R-BSA to SMC was found to be reproducible and the radioligand was displaced by R-BSA, and also by TGP, rutin, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid, but not by BSA, ellagic acid, naringin, hesperetin, dopamine, epinephrine, or isoproterenol. The binding was saturable, reversible, and pH-dependent. These results demonstrate the presence of specific binding sites for quercetinon arterial SMC.« less

In vitro study of manganese-doped bioactive glasses for bone regeneration.

PubMed

Miola, Marta; Brovarone, Chiara Vitale; Maina, Giovanni; Rossi, Federica; Bergandi, Loredana; Ghigo, Dario; Saracino, Silvia; Maggiora, Marina; Canuto, Rosa Angela; Muzio, Giuliana; Vernè, Enrica

2014-05-01

A glass belonging to the system SiO2-P2O5-CaO-MgO-Na2O-K2O was modified by introducing two different amounts of manganese oxide (MnO). Mn-doped glasses were prepared by melt and quenching technique and characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation and energy dispersion spectrometry (EDS) analysis. In vitro bioactivity test in simulated body fluid (SBF) showed a slight decrease in the reactivity kinetics of Mn-doped glasses compared to the glass used as control; however the glasses maintained a good degree of bioactivity. Mn-leaching test in SBF and minimum essential medium (MEM) revealed fluctuating trends probably due to a re-precipitation of Mn compounds during the bioactivity process. Cellular tests showed that all the Mn-doped glasses, up to a concentration of 50 μg/cm(2) (μg of glass powders/cm(2) of cell monolayer), did not produce cytotoxic effects on human MG-63 osteoblasts cultured for up to 5 days. Finally, biocompatibility tests demonstrated a good osteoblast proliferation and spreading on Mn-doped glasses and most of all that the Mn-doping can promote the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and some bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Controlling initial biodegradation of magnesium by a biocompatible strontium phosphate conversion coating.

PubMed

Chen, X B; Nisbet, D R; Li, R W; Smith, P N; Abbott, T B; Easton, M A; Zhang, D-H; Birbilis, N

2014-03-01

A simple strontium phosphate (SrP) conversion coating process was developed to protect magnesium (Mg) from the initial degradation post-implantation. The coating morphology, deposition rate and resultant phases are all dependent on the processing temperature, which determines the protective ability for Mg in minimum essential medium (MEM). Coatings produced at 80 °C are primarily made up of strontium apatite (SrAp) with a granular surface, a high degree of crystallinity and the highest protective ability, which arises from retarding anodic dissolution of Mg in MEM. Following 14 days' immersion in MEM, the SrAp coating maintained its integrity with only a small fraction of the surface corroded. The post-degradation effect of uncoated Mg and Mg coated at 40 and 80 °C on the proliferation and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells was also studied, revealing that the SrP coatings are biocompatible and permit proliferation to a level similar to that of pure Mg. The present study suggests that the SrP conversion coating is a promising option for controlling the early rapid degradation rate, and hence hydrogen gas evolution, of Mg implants without adverse effects on surrounding cells and tissues. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

VLMD - VORTEX-LATTICE CODE FOR DETERMINATION OF MEAN CAMBER SURFACE FOR TRIMMED NONCOPLANER PLANFORMS WITH MINIMUM VORTEX DRAG

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamar, J. E.

1994-01-01

This program represents a subsonic aerodynamic method for determining the mean camber surface of trimmed noncoplaner planforms with minimum vortex drag. With this program, multiple surfaces can be designed together to yield a trimmed configuration with minimum induced drag at some specified lift coefficient. The method uses a vortex-lattice and overcomes previous difficulties with chord loading specification. A Trefftz plane analysis is used to determine the optimum span loading for minimum drag. The program then solves for the mean camber surface of the wing associated with this loading. Pitching-moment or root-bending-moment constraints can be employed at the design lift coefficient. Sensitivity studies of vortex-lattice arrangements have been made with this program and comparisons with other theories show generally good agreement. The program is very versatile and has been applied to isolated wings, wing-canard configurations, a tandem wing, and a wing-winglet configuration. The design problem solved with this code is essentially an optimization one. A subsonic vortex-lattice is used to determine the span load distribution(s) on bent lifting line(s) in the Trefftz plane. A Lagrange multiplier technique determines the required loading which is used to calculate the mean camber slopes, which are then integrated to yield the local elevation surface. The problem of determining the necessary circulation matrix is simplified by having the chordwise shape of the bound circulation remain unchanged across each span, though the chordwise shape may vary from one planform to another. The circulation matrix is obtained by calculating the spanwise scaling of the chordwise shapes. A chordwise summation of the lift and pitching-moment is utilized in the Trefftz plane solution on the assumption that the trailing wake does not roll up and that the general configuration has specifiable chord loading shapes. VLMD is written in FORTRAN for IBM PC series and compatible computers running MS-DOS. This program requires 360K of RAM for execution. The Ryan McFarland FORTRAN compiler and PLINK86 are required to recompile the source code; however, a sample executable is provided on the diskette. The standard distribution medium for VLMD is a 5.25 inch 360K MS-DOS format diskette. VLMD was originally developed for use on CDC 6000 series computers in 1976. It was originally ported to the IBM PC in 1986, and, after minor modifications, the IBM PC port was released in 1993.

Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of essential oils isolated from Thymbra capitata L. (Cav.) andOriganum vulgare L.

PubMed

Faleiro, Leonor; Miguel, Graça; Gomes, Sónia; Costa, Ludmila; Venâncio, Florencia; Teixeira, Adriano; Figueiredo, A Cristina; Barroso, José G; Pedro, Luis G

2005-10-19

Antilisterial activities of Thymbra capitata and Origanum vulgare essential oils were tested against 41 strains of Listeria monocytogenes. The oil of T. capitata was mainly constituted by one component, carvacrol (79%), whereas for O. vulgare three components constituted 70% of the oil, namely, thymol (33%), gamma-terpinene (26%), and p-cymene (11%). T. capitata essential oil had a significantly higher antilisterial activity in comparison to O. vulgare oil and chloramphenicol. No significant differences in L. monocytogenes susceptibilities to the essential oils tested were registered. The minimum inhibitory concentration values of T. capitata essential oil and of carvacrol were quite similar, ranging between 0.05 and 0.2 microL/mL. Antioxidant activity was also tested, the essential oil of T. capitata showing significantly higher antioxidant activity than that of O. vulgare. Use of T. capitata and O. vulgare essential oils can constitute a powerful tool in the control of L. monocytogenes in food and other industries.

Antimicrobial effect against different bacterial strains and bacterial adaptation to essential oils used as feed additives.

PubMed

Melo, Antonio Diego Brandão; Amaral, Amanda Figueiredo; Schaefer, Gustavo; Luciano, Fernando Bittencourt; de Andrade, Carla; Costa, Leandro Batista; Rostagno, Marcos Horácio

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and determine the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the essential oils derived from Origanum vulgare (oregano), Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), Cinnamomum cassia (cassia), and Thymus vulgaris (white thyme) against Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The study also investigated the ability of these different bacterial strains to develop adaptation after repetitive exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of these essential oils. The MBC of the essential oils studied was determined by disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. All essential oils showed antimicrobial effect against all bacterial strains. In general, the development of adaptation varied according to the bacterial strain and the essential oil (tea tree > white thyme > oregano). Therefore, it is important to use essential oils at efficient bactericidal doses in animal feed, food, and sanitizers, since bacteria can rapidly develop adaptation when exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of these oils.

Antimicrobial effect against different bacterial strains and bacterial adaptation to essential oils used as feed additives

PubMed Central

Melo, Antonio Diego Brandão; Amaral, Amanda Figueiredo; Schaefer, Gustavo; Luciano, Fernando Bittencourt; de Andrade, Carla; Costa, Leandro Batista; Rostagno, Marcos Horácio

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and determine the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the essential oils derived from Origanum vulgare (oregano), Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), Cinnamomum cassia (cassia), and Thymus vulgaris (white thyme) against Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The study also investigated the ability of these different bacterial strains to develop adaptation after repetitive exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of these essential oils. The MBC of the essential oils studied was determined by disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. All essential oils showed antimicrobial effect against all bacterial strains. In general, the development of adaptation varied according to the bacterial strain and the essential oil (tea tree > white thyme > oregano). Therefore, it is important to use essential oils at efficient bactericidal doses in animal feed, food, and sanitizers, since bacteria can rapidly develop adaptation when exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of these oils. PMID:26424908

United States Cybersecurity Strategy, Policy, and Organization: Poorly Postured to Cope with a Post-9/11 Security Environment?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-14

maintain order and to deliver minimum essential public services; 3) The private sector to ensure the orderly functioning of the economy and the...the private sector’s capability to ensure the orderly functioning of the economy and delivery of essential services 5 Have a negative effect on the... economy through the cascading disruption of other critical infrastructure and key resources 6 Undermine the public’s morale and confidence in our

Medium engineering for enhanced production of undecylprodigiosin antibiotic in Streptomyces coelicolor using oil palm biomass hydrolysate as a carbon source.

PubMed

Bhatia, Shashi Kant; Lee, Bo-Rahm; Sathiyanarayanan, Ganesan; Song, Hun-Seok; Kim, Junyoung; Jeon, Jong-Min; Kim, Jung-Ho; Park, Sung-Hee; Yu, Ju-Hyun; Park, Kyungmoon; Yang, Yung-Hun

2016-10-01

In this study, a biosugar obtained from empty fruit bunch (EFB) of oil palm by hot water treatment and subsequent enzymatic saccharification was used for undecylprodigiosin production, using Streptomyces coelicolor. Furfural is a major inhibitor present in EFB hydrolysate (EFBH), having a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.9mM, and it reduces utilization of glucose (27%), xylose (59%), inhibits mycelium formation, and affects antibiotic production. Interestingly, furfural was found to be a good activator of undecylprodigiosin production in S. coelicolor, which enhanced undecylprodigiosin production by up to 52%. Optimization by mixture analysis resulted in a synthetic medium containing glucose:furfural:ACN:DMSO (1%, 2mM, 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively). Finally, S. coelicolor was cultured in a fermenter in minimal medium with EFBH as a carbon source and addition of the components described above. This yielded 4.2μg/mgdcw undecylprodigiosin, which was 3.2-fold higher compared to that in un-optimized medium. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cultivation of Arthrospira (spirulina) platensis in desalinator wastewater and salinated synthetic medium: protein content and amino-acid profile

PubMed Central

Volkmann, Harriet; Imianovsky, Ulisses; Oliveira, Jorge L.B.; Sant’Anna, Ernani S.

2008-01-01

Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis was cultivated in laboratory under controlled conditions (30°C, photoperiod of 12 hours light/dark provided by fluorescent lamps at a light intensity of 140 μmol photons.m-2.s-1 and constant bubbling air) in three different culture media: (1) Paoletti medium (control), (2) Paoletti supplemented with 1 g.L-1 NaCl (salinated water) and (3) Paoletti medium prepared with desalinator wastewater. The effects of these treatments on growth, protein content and amino acid profile were measured. Maximum cell concentrations observed in Paoletti medium, Paoletti supplemented with salinated water or with desalinator wastewater were 2.587, 3.545 and 4.954 g.L-1, respectively. Biomass in medium 3 presented the highest protein content (56.17%), while biomass in medium 2 presented 48.59% protein. All essential amino acids, except lysine and tryptophan, were found in concentrations higher than those requiried by FAO. PMID:24031187

50 CFR 648.127 - Framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., FMP Monitoring Committee composition and process, description and identification of essential fish... additions to management measures must come from one or more of the following categories: Minimum fish size, maximum fish size, gear restrictions, gear restricted areas, gear requirements or prohibitions, permitting...

45 CFR 155.420 - Special enrollment periods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Functions in the Individual Market: Enrollment in Qualified Health Plans § 155.420 Special enrollment... loses minimum essential coverage; (2) A qualified individual gains a dependent or becomes a dependent... citizen, national, or lawfully present individual gains such status; (4) A qualified individual's...

7 CFR 1822.263 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Definitions. 1822.263 Section 1822.263 Agriculture..., Procedures, and Authorizations § 1822.263 Definitions. As used in this subpart: (a) A private nonprofit... including engineering and legal fees, streets, roads, utilities, minimum essential administrative costs...

Student Involvement Can Be Stressful: Implications and Interventions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floerchinger, Debra S.

1988-01-01

Involvement on campus varies from involvement in student organization leadership positions to paid paraprofessional positions that also reflect strong leadership expectations. A minimum amount of student development knowledge is essential for advisers for a successful functioning and ethical interaction with students. (MLW)

[Effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption of ferulic acid in Chuanxiong].

PubMed

Guan, Yong-Mei; Tao, Ling; Zhu, Xiao-Fang; Zang, Zhen-Zhong; Jin, Chen; Chen, Li-Hua

2017-09-01

The aim of this paper was to explore the effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption, and investigate the mechanism of permeation on the microstructure and molecular structure of stratum corneum. Through the determination of stratum corneum/medium partition coefficient of ferulicacid in Chuanxiong influenced by Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil, the effects of volatile oil of frankincense and Myrrh on the the microscopic and molecular structure of stratum corneum were explored by observation of skin stratum corneum structure under scanning electron microscopy, and investigation of frankincense and myrrh essential oil effects on the molecular structure of keratin and lipids in stratum corneum under Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the oil could enhance the distribution of ferulic acid in the stratum corneum and medium, and to a certain extent damaged the imbricate structure of stratum corneum which was originally regularly, neatly, and closely arranged; some epidermal scales turned upward, with local peeling phenomenon. In addition, frankincense and myrrh essential oil caused the relative displacement of CH2 stretching vibration peak of stratum corneum lipids and amide stretching vibration peak of stratum corneum keratin, indicating that frankincense and myrrh essential oil may change the conformation of lipid and keratin in the stratum corneum, increase the bilayer liquidity of the stratum corneum lipid, and change the orderly and compact structure to increase the skin permeability and reduce the effect of barrier function. It can be concluded that Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil can promote the permeation effect by increasing the distribution of drugs in the stratum corneum and changing the structure of the stratum corneum. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Dynamics of genome changes in Rauwolfia serpentina callus tissue upon the switch to conditions of submerged cultivation].

PubMed

Spiridonova, E V; Adnof, D M; Andreev, I O; Kunakh, V A

2008-01-01

Genome of Rauwolfia serpentina callus cells was found to fail undergo the noticeable changes for several early passages upon the switch from surface to submerged cultivation in the liquid medium of special composition. After subsequent 4-6 passages in submerged culture RAPD spectra polymorphism was revealed which may reflect the changes in DNA sequence as well as in the structure of cell population that forms the strain. Introduction of the intermediary passage on the agar-solidified medium of more simple composition prior to transfer into liquid medium appeared not to affect essentially the level and the pattern of genome changes.

Quenching influence of cell culture medium on photoluminescence and morphological structure of porous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unal, Bayram

2011-10-01

In this work, the degradation of visible photoluminescence of porous silicon (PSi) under the influential actions of cell culture medium has been mainly studied in order to comprehend the quenching mechanisms necessitating the cell growth on spongy-like-silicon structures, which could form either micro- and/or nano-dimensional morphologies after stain-etching of the poly- or single-crystalline Si surfaces. Quenching effect of the neuron culture medium on visibly luminescent and non-luminescent porous silicon is found to be quite obvious so that this step of the culture process, especially, over nanostructured silicon is extremely essential for a variety of bionanotechnological applications.

[The role of essential metal ions in the human organism and their oral supplementation to the human body in deficiency states].

PubMed

Lakatos, Béla; Szentmihályi, Klára; Vinkler, Péter; Balla, József; Balla, György

2004-06-20

The role of essential nutrient metal ions (Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Co) often deficient in our foodstuffs, although vitally essential in the function of the human organism as well as the different reasons for these deficiencies both in foods and in the human body have been studied. The most frequent nutritional disease is iron deficient anaemia. Inorganic salts, artificial synthetic monomer organic metal complexes of high stability or organic polymer complexes of high molecular mass are unsatisfactory for supplementation to the human body, owing to poor absorption, low availability and/or harmful side effects. In contrast, we have recently found that mixed metal complexes of oligo/polygalacturonic acids with medium molecular weight prepared from natural pectin of plant origin are efficient for oral supplementation. Sufficient absorption of essential metal ions from metal oligo/polygalacturonate mixed complexes with polynuclear innersphere structure is due to the high ionselectivity and medium stability values. Metal oligo/polygalacturonate mixed complexes contain all deficient essential metal ions in adequate amounts and ratios for higher bioavailability of metal ions and optimal vital function. Therefore, by oral administration of these complexes, metal ion homeostasis and optimal interactions with vitamins and hormones can be ensured. Prelatent or latent macroelement Mg deficiency can often be observed among clinical or ambulance patients. Latent or manifest mesoelement iron deficiency is the most common, however, the occurrence of microelement copper, zinc, manganese and cobalt latent deficiencies is not seldom either. Supplementation studies utilizing essential metal oligo/polygalacturonate complexes led to satisfactory outcome without harmful side effects.

Learning to Change: Does Life Skills Training Lead to Reduced Incident Reports among Inmates in a Medium/Minimum Correctional Facility?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunte, Rose S.

2010-01-01

There have been numerous research on the effect of education on behavior as it relates to recidivism. However, the base of knowledge is lacking in research discussing the effect of education on the behavior of inmates in an Omaha correctional institution. This study hypothesized that inmates engaging in life skills training would demonstrate a…

High intensity multi beam design of SANS instrument for Dhruva reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbas, Sohrab, E-mail: abbas@barc.gov.in; Aswal, V. K.; Désert, S.

A new and versatile design of Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) instrument based on utilization of multi-beam is presented. The multi-pinholes and multi-slits as SANS collimator for medium flux Dhruva rearctor have been proposed and their designs have been validated using McStas simulations. Various instrument configurations to achieve different minimum wave vector transfers in scattering experiments are envisioned. These options enable smooth access to minimum wave vector transfers as low as ~ 6×10{sup −4} Å{sup −1} with a significant improvement in neutron intensity, allowing faster measurements. Such angularly well defined and intense neutron beam will allow faster SANS studies ofmore » agglomerates larger than few tens of nm.« less

Hydrodynamic model for conductivity in graphene.

PubMed

Mendoza, M; Herrmann, H J; Succi, S

2013-01-01

Based on the recently developed picture of an electronic ideal relativistic fluid at the Dirac point, we present an analytical model for the conductivity in graphene that is able to describe the linear dependence on the carrier density and the existence of a minimum conductivity. The model treats impurities as submerged rigid obstacles, forming a disordered medium through which graphene electrons flow, in close analogy with classical fluid dynamics. To describe the minimum conductivity, we take into account the additional carrier density induced by the impurities in the sample. The model, which predicts the conductivity as a function of the impurity fraction of the sample, is supported by extensive simulations for different values of ε, the dimensionless strength of the electric field, and provides excellent agreement with experimental data.

Pilot application study of corridor performance indicators

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-09-16

The need for effective multimodal performance indicators (or measures) is becoming increasingly important for adequate planning in all sizes of transportation environments, including small and medium-size communities. These measures are essential for...

Improving crop tolerance to heavy metal stress by polyamine application.

PubMed

Soudek, Petr; Ursu, Marina; Petrová, Šárka; Vaněk, Tomáš

2016-12-15

Many areas have been heavily contaminated by heavy metals from industry and are not suitable for food production. The consumption of contaminated foods represents a health risk in humans, although some heavy metals are essential at low concentrations. Increasing the concentrations of essential elements in foods is one goal to improve nutrition. The aim of this study was to increase the accumulation of heavy metals in plant foods by the external application of putrescine. The levels of cadmium, zinc and iron were measured in different vegetables grown in hydroponic medium supplemented with heavy metals and compared with those grown in a reference medium. The estimated daily intake, based on the average daily consumption for various vegetable types, and the influence of polyamines on metal uptake were calculated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

33 CFR 273.14 - Planning procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., D.C. 20314 will be followed by further investigations. Normally, a detailed State design memorandum... information. Field surveys and office studies should be limited to minimum essentials for further detailed... include, but not be limited to, the information contained in Appendix B. (b) State design memorandum. When...

33 CFR 273.14 - Planning procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., D.C. 20314 will be followed by further investigations. Normally, a detailed State design memorandum... information. Field surveys and office studies should be limited to minimum essentials for further detailed... include, but not be limited to, the information contained in Appendix B. (b) State design memorandum. When...

33 CFR 273.14 - Planning procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., D.C. 20314 will be followed by further investigations. Normally, a detailed State design memorandum... information. Field surveys and office studies should be limited to minimum essentials for further detailed... include, but not be limited to, the information contained in Appendix B. (b) State design memorandum. When...

33 CFR 273.14 - Planning procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., D.C. 20314 will be followed by further investigations. Normally, a detailed State design memorandum... information. Field surveys and office studies should be limited to minimum essentials for further detailed... include, but not be limited to, the information contained in Appendix B. (b) State design memorandum. When...

Investment Policies for College and University Endowments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spitz, William T.

1999-01-01

College trustees have a responsibility to institute investment policies that preserve real endowment value. The chief financial officer's responsibility varies, but at a minimum should provide the board with essential information and ensure that trustees understand the importance of policy decisions. Critical tasks include establishing and…

45 CFR 155.420 - Special enrollment periods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Functions in the Individual Market: Enrollment in Qualified Health Plans § 155.420 Special enrollment... minimum essential coverage; (2) The qualified individual gains a dependent or becomes a dependent through... individual gains such status; (4) The qualified individual's or his or her dependent's, enrollment or non...

33 CFR 273.14 - Planning procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., D.C. 20314 will be followed by further investigations. Normally, a detailed State design memorandum... information. Field surveys and office studies should be limited to minimum essentials for further detailed... include, but not be limited to, the information contained in appendix B. (b) State design memorandum. When...

46 CFR 8.230 - Minimum standards for a recognized classification society.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and maintain class rules in the English language for the design, construction and certification of ships and their associated essential engineering systems; (8) Maintain written survey procedures in the English language; (9) Have adequate resources, including research, technical, and managerial staff, to...

46 CFR 8.230 - Minimum standards for a recognized classification society.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... and maintain class rules in the English language for the design, construction and certification of ships and their associated essential engineering systems; (8) Maintain written survey procedures in the English language; (9) Have adequate resources, including research, technical, and managerial staff, to...

46 CFR 8.230 - Minimum standards for a recognized classification society.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... and maintain class rules in the English language for the design, construction and certification of ships and their associated essential engineering systems; (8) Maintain written survey procedures in the English language; (9) Have adequate resources, including research, technical, and managerial staff, to...

Application of Origanum majorana L. essential oil as an antimicrobial agent in sausage.

PubMed

Busatta, C; Vidal, R S; Popiolski, A S; Mossi, A J; Dariva, C; Rodrigues, M R A; Corazza, F C; Corazza, M L; Vladimir Oliveira, J; Cansian, R L

2008-02-01

This work reports on the antimicrobial activity in fresh sausage of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) essential oil against several species of bacteria. The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for 10 selected aerobic heterotrophic bacterial species. The antimicrobial activity of distinct concentrations of the essential oil based on the highest MIC value was tested in a food system comprising fresh sausage. Batch food samples were also inoculated with a fixed concentration of Escherichia coli and the time course of the product was evaluated with respect to the action of the different concentrations of essential oil. Results showed that addition of marjoram essential oil to fresh sausage exerted a bacteriostatic effect at oil concentrations lower than the MIC, while a bactericidal effect was observed at higher oil concentrations which also caused alterations in the taste of the product.

The Effect of Harvesting on the Composition of Essential Oils from Five Varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. Cultivated in the Island of Kefalonia, Greece

PubMed Central

Tsasi, Gerasimia; Mailis, Theofilos; Daskalaki, Artemis; Sakadani, Eleni; Razis, Panagis; Samaras, Yiannis; Skaltsa, Helen

2017-01-01

Five varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. namely lettuce, cinnamon, minimum, latifolia, and violetto were separately cultivated in field and greenhouse in the island Kefalonia (Greece). The effect of successive harvesting to the essential oil content was evaluated. In total 23 samples of essential oils (EOs) were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Ninety-six constituents, which accounted for almost 99% of the oils, were identified. Cluster analysis was performed for all of the varieties in greenhouse and field conditions, in order to investigate the possible differentiation on the chemical composition of the essential oils, obtained between harvests during growing period. Each basil variety showed a unique chemical profile, but also the essential oil composition within each variety seems to be differentiated, affected by the harvests and the cultivation site. PMID:28927018

Growth of calcium phosphates on magnesium substrates for corrosion control in biomedical applications via immersion techniques.

PubMed

Shadanbaz, Shaylin; Walker, Jemimah; Staiger, Mark P; Dias, George J; Pietak, Alexis

2013-01-01

Magnesium (Mg) has been suggested as a revolutionary biodegradable replacement for current permanent metals used in orthopedic applications. Current investigations concentrate on the control of the corrosion rate to match bone healing. Calcium phosphate coatings have been a recent focus of these investigations through various coating protocols. Within this investigation, an in situ crystallization technique was utilized as an inexpensive and relatively simple method to produce a brushite and monetite coating on pure Mg. Coatings were characterized using energy dispersive spectroscopy, glancing angle X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Corrosion protection properties of the coatings were assessed in physiological buffers, Earles balanced salt solution, minimum essential media, and minimum essential media containing serum albumin, over a 4-week period. Using this novel coating protocol, our findings indicate brushite and monetite coated Mg to have significant corrosive protective effects when compared with its uncoated counterpart whilst maintaining high coating substrate adhesion, homogeneity, and reproducibility. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from the leaves of Macleaya cordata (Willd) R. Br.

PubMed

Li, Chun-Mei; Yang, Xiao-Yong; Zhong, Yi-Rong; Yu, Jian-Ping

2016-01-01

The essential oil from the leaves of Macleaya cordata R.Br. obtained by hydrodistillation was analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Sixty-eight compounds consisting of up to 92.53% of the essential oil were identified. Antioxidant activities of the essential oil were evaluated by using DPPH radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays. The essential oil showed moderate antioxidant activity. In addition, the essential oil exhibited potential antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms, with diameters of inhibition zones ranging from 8.7 ± 0.5 to 17.2 ± 1.2 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration values from 125 to 500 μg/mL. We selected the most sensitive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus as model to observe of the action of essential oils of M. cordata on the membrane structure by scanning electron microscopy. The treated cell membranes were damaged severely. The results presented here indicate that the essential oil of M. cordata may be potential sources of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in the future.

Evaluation of a Multi-Parameter Sensor for Automated, Continuous Cell Culture Monitoring in Bioreactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pappas, D.; Jeevarajan, A.; Anderson, M. M.

2004-01-01

Compact and automated sensors are desired for assessing the health of cell cultures in biotechnology experiments in microgravity. Measurement of cell culture medium allows for the optirn.jzation of culture conditions on orbit to maximize cell growth and minimize unnecessary exchange of medium. While several discrete sensors exist to measure culture health, a multi-parameter sensor would simplify the experimental apparatus. One such sensor, the Paratrend 7, consists of three optical fibers for measuring pH, dissolved oxygen (p02), dissolved carbon dioxide (pC02) , and a thermocouple to measure temperature. The sensor bundle was designed for intra-arterial placement in clinical patients, and potentially can be used in NASA's Space Shuttle and International Space Station biotechnology program bioreactors. Methods: A Paratrend 7 sensor was placed at the outlet of a rotating-wall perfused vessel bioreactor system inoculated with BHK-21 (baby hamster kidney) cells. Cell culture medium (GTSF-2, composed of 40% minimum essential medium, 60% L-15 Leibovitz medium) was manually measured using a bench top blood gas analyzer (BGA, Ciba-Corning). Results: A Paratrend 7 sensor was used over a long-term (>120 day) cell culture experiment. The sensor was able to track changes in cell medium pH, p02, and pC02 due to the consumption of nutrients by the BHK-21. When compared to manually obtained BGA measurements, the sensor had good agreement for pH, p02, and pC02 with bias [and precision] of 0.02 [0.15], 1 mm Hg [18 mm Hg], and -4.0 mm Hg [8.0 mm Hg] respectively. The Paratrend oxygen sensor was recalibrated (offset) periodically due to drift. The bias for the raw (no offset or recalibration) oxygen measurements was 42 mm Hg [38 mm Hg]. The measured response (rise) time of the sensor was 20 +/- 4s for pH, 81 +/- 53s for pC02, 51 +/- 20s for p02. For long-term cell culture measurements, these response times are more than adequate. Based on these findings , the Paratrend sensor could offer automated, continuous monitoring of cell cultures with a temporal resolution of 1 minute, which is not attainable by sampling via handheld blood analyzer (i-STAT). Conclusion: The resulting bias and precision found in these cell culture-based studies is comparable to Paratrend sensor clinical results. Although the large error in p02 measurements (+/-18 mm Hg) may be acceptable for clinical applications, where Paratrend values are periodically adjusted to a BGA measurement, the O2 sensor in this bundle may not be reliable enough for the single-calibration requirement of sensors used in NASA's bioreactors. The pH and pC02 sensors in the bundle are reliable and stable over the measurement period, and can be used without recalibration to measure cell cultures in rn.jcrogravity biotechnology experiments. Future work will test additional Paratrend sensors to provide statistical assessment of sensor performance.

Working group on the “adequate minimum” V=volcanic observatory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tilling, R.I.

1982-01-01

A working group consisting of R. I. Tilling (United States, Chairman), M. Espendola (Mexico), E. Malavassi (Costa Rica), L. Villari (Italy), and J.P Viode (France) met on the island of Guadeloupe on February 20, 1981, to discuss informally the requirements for a "Minimum" volcano observatory, one which would have the essential monitoring equipment and staff to provide reliable information on the state of an active volcno. Given the premise that any monitoring of a volcano is better than none at all, the owrking group then proceeded to consider the concept of an "adequate minimum" observatory. 

Essential Oil from the Resin of Protium heptaphyllum: Chemical Composition, Cytotoxicity, Antimicrobial Activity, and Antimutagenicity.

PubMed

de Lima, Ewelyne Miranda; Cazelli, Didley Sâmia Paiva; Pinto, Fernanda Endringer; Mazuco, Renata Alves; Kalil, Ieda Carneiro; Lenz, Dominik; Scherer, Rodrigo; de Andrade, Tadeu Uggere; Endringer, Denise Coutinho

2016-01-01

Protium heptaphyllum (Aubl.) March is popularly used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of P. heptaphyllum essential oil, its cytotoxicity in a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), antimicrobial activity, and its antimutagenicity in vivo. The chemical composition of the essential oil collected in three 3 years was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Annexin V conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate, caspase-3, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) assays were performed to evaluate apoptosis and inflammatory events. The antimutagenic activity at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg was determined using a micronucleus test in murine bone marrow. The essential oil showed a predominance of monoterpene compounds, being the terpinolene, p-cymene-8-ol, and p-cymene, present in the essential oil extracted in the 3 years. The essential oil showed a protection against cyclophosphamide-induced genotoxicity, and the cytotoxicity index polychromatic erythrocytes/normochromatic erythrocytes ratio in animals treated with oil at all doses (1.34 ± 0.33; 1.15 ± 0.1; 1.11 ± 0.13) did not differ from the negative control animal (1.31 ± 0.33), but from the cyclophosphamide group (0.61 ± 0.12). Cytotoxicity, at a concentration of 40.0 μg/mL, and antimicrobial activity were not observed for the essential oil (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥0.5 mg/mL). The essential oil did not change the levels of caspase-3 in the TNF-α level. The essential oil showed antimutagenic activity due to its chemical composition. Terpinolene, p-cymene-8-ol, and p-cymene are the main constituents of the essential oil of P. heptaphyllum collected within 3-yearsThe essential oil of P. heptaphyllum did not show antimicrobial activity (MIC >0.5 mg/mL) against E. coli, S. aureus, E. faecalis, and C. albicansThe essential oil of P. heptaphyllum has activity against S. mutans (MIC = 0.5 mg/mL)The essential oil showed a protection against cyclophosphamide-induced genotoxicity in the micronuclei assay. Abbreviations used: GC-MS: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, MTT: 3-(4,5dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, Annexin V-FITC: Annexin V conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate, TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor alpha, MIC: Minimum Inhibitory Concentration.

Annual minimum temperature variations in early 21st century in Punjab, Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahangir, Misbah; Maria Ali, Syeda; Khalid, Bushra

2016-01-01

Climate change is a key emerging threat to the global environment. It imposes long lasting impacts both at regional and national level. In the recent era, global warming and extreme temperatures have drawn great interest to the scientific community. As in a past century considerable increase in global surface temperatures have been observed and predictions revealed that it will continue in the future. In this regard, current study mainly focused on analysis of regional climatic change (annual minimum temperature trends and its correlation with land surface temperatures in the early 21st century in Punjab) for a period of 1979-2013. The projected model data European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) has been used for eight Tehsils of Punjab i.e., annual minimum temperatures and annual seasonal temperatures. Trend analysis of annual minimum and annual seasonal temperature in (Khushab, Noorpur, Sargodha, Bhalwal, Sahiwal, Shahpur, Sillanwali and Chinoit) tehsils of Punjab was carried out by Regression analysis and Mann-Kendall test. Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data was used in comparison with Model data for the month of May from the years 2000, 2009 and 2010. Results showed that no significant trends were observed in annual minimum temperature. A significant change was observed in Noorpur, Bhalwal, Shahpur, Sillanwali, Sahiwal, Chinoit and Sargodha tehsils during spring season, which indicated that this particular season was a transient period of time.

Metal-tolerant PAH-degrading bacteria: development of suitable test medium and effect of cadmium and its availability on PAH biodegradation.

PubMed

Thavamani, Palanisami; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

2015-06-01

The use of metal-tolerant polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria is viable for mitigating metal inhibition of organic compound biodegradation in the remediation of mixed contaminated sites. Many microbial growth media used for toxicity testing contain high concentrations of metal-binding components such as phosphates that can reduce solution-phase metal concentrations thereby underestimate the real toxicity. In this study, we isolated two PAHs-degrading bacterial consortia from long-term mixed contaminated soils. We have developed a new mineral medium by optimising the concentrations of medium components to allow the bacterial growth and at the same time maintain high bioavailable metal (Cd(2+) as a model metal) in the medium. This medium has more than 60 % Cd as Cd(2+) at pH 6.5 as measured by an ion selective electrode and visual MINTEQ model. The Cd-tolerant patterns of the consortia were tested and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) derived. The consortium-5 had the highest MIC of 5 mg l(-1) Cd followed by consortium-9. Both cultures were able to completely metabolise 200 mg l(-1) phenanthrene in less than 4 days in the presence of 5 mg l(-1) Cd. The isolated metal-tolerant PAH-degrading bacterial cultures have great potential for bioremediation of mixed contaminated soils.

Differential specificity of selective culture media for enumeration of pathogenic vibrios: advantages and limitations of multi-plating methods.

PubMed

Nigro, Olivia D; Steward, Grieg F

2015-04-01

Plating environmental samples on vibrio-selective chromogenic media is a commonly used technique that allows one to quickly estimate concentrations of putative vibrio pathogens or to isolate them for further study. Although this approach is convenient, its usefulness depends directly on how well the procedure selects against false positives. We tested whether a chromogenic medium, CHROMagar Vibrio (CaV), used alone (single-plating) or in combination (double-plating) with a traditional medium thiosulfate-citrate-bile-salts (TCBS), could improve the discrimination among three pathogenic vibrio species (Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus) and thereby decrease the number of false-positive colonies that must be screened by molecular methods. Assays were conducted on water samples from two estuarine environments (one subtropical, one tropical) in a variety of seasonal conditions. The results of the double-plating method were confirmed by PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing. Our data indicate that there is no significant difference in the false-positive rate between CaV and TCBS when using a single-plating technique, but determining color changes on the two media sequentially (double-plating) reduced the rate of false positive identification in most cases. The improvement achieved was about two-fold on average, but varied greatly (from 0- to 5-fold) and depended on the sampling time and location. The double-plating method was most effective for V. vulnificus in warm months, when overall V. vulnificus abundance is high (false positive rates as low as 2%, n=178). Similar results were obtained for V. cholerae (minimum false positive rate of 16%, n=146). In contrast, the false positive rate for V. parahaemolyticus was always high (minimum of 59%, n=109). Sequence analysis of false-positive isolates indicated that the majority of confounding isolates are from the Vibrionaceae family, however, members of distantly related bacterial groups were also able to grow on vibrio-selective media, even when using the double-plating method. In conclusion, the double-plating assay is a simple means to increase the efficiency of identifying pathogenic vibrios in aquatic environments and to reduce the number of molecular assays required for identity confirmation. However, the high spatial and temporal variability in the performance of the media mean that molecular approaches are still essential to obtain the most accurate vibrio abundance estimates from environmental samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pediatric emergency and essential surgical care in Zambian hospitals: a nationwide study.

PubMed

Bowman, Kendra G; Jovic, Goran; Rangel, Shawn; Berry, William R; Gawande, Atul A

2013-06-01

Pediatric surgical care in developing countries is not well studied. We sought to identify the range of pediatric surgery available, the barriers to provision, and level of safety of surgery performed for the entire pediatric population in Zambia. In cooperation with the Ministry of Health, we validated and adapted a World Health Organization instrument. During onsite visits, the availability of 32 emergency and essential surgical procedures relevant to children was surveyed. The availability of basic World Health Organization surgical safety criteria was determined. A single interviewer visited 103 (95%) of 108 surgical hospitals in Zambia and carried out 495 interviews. An average of 68% of the 32 emergency and essential surgical procedures was available (range 32%-100%). Lack of surgical skill was the primary reason for referral in 72% of procedure types, compared with 24%, 2% and 3% due to lack of equipment, supplies and anesthesia skills, respectively (p<0.001). Minimum pediatric surgical safety criteria were met by 14% of hospitals. The primary limitation to providing pediatric surgical care in Zambia is lack of surgical skills. Minimum safety standards were met by 14% of hospitals. Efforts to improve pediatric surgery should prioritize teaching surgical skills to expand access and providing safety training, equipment and supplies to increase safety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan Film Forming Solution Enriched with Essential Oils; an in Vitro Assay

PubMed Central

Raphaël, Kana Jean; Meimandipour, Amir

2017-01-01

Background: The resistance of the bacteria and fungi to the innumerous antimicrobial agents is a major challenge in the treatment of the infections demands to the necessity for searching and finding new sources of substances with antimicrobial properties. The incorporation of the essential oils (EOs) in chitosan film forming solution may enhance antimicrobial properties. However, its use as the feeding additive in the poultry nutrition needs to clarify the product’s activity against both pathogen and the useful microbes in the gastrointestinal tract. Objectives: In the present study, we carried out an in vitro investigation and evaluated the antimicrobial activity of chitosan film forming solution incorporated with essential oils (CFs+EOs) against microbial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus rahmnosus, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternate. Material and Methods: In three replicates, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of different treatments including: 1- essential oils (EOs), 2- chitosan film solution (CFs), and 3-chitosan film solution enriched with EOs (CFs+EOs) were determined against above mentioned microbes. Results: The results indicated that the chitosan solution enriched with essential oils (CFs+EOs) is capable of inhibiting the bacterial and fungal growth even at the lowest concentrations. The MIC and MBC for all the antimicrobial agents against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were very low compared to the concentrations needed to inhibit the growth of useful bacteria, Lactobacillus rahmnosu and Enterococcus faecium. The antifungal activity of chitosan was enhanced as the concentration of EOs increased in the film solution. Conclusion: Chitosan-EOs complexes are the promising candidate for novel contact antimicrobial agents that can be used in animal feeds. PMID:29845058

Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan Film Forming Solution Enriched with Essential Oils; an in Vitro Assay.

PubMed

Raphaël, Kana Jean; Meimandipour, Amir

2017-01-01

Background: The resistance of the bacteria and fungi to the innumerous antimicrobial agents is a major challenge in the treatment of the infections demands to the necessity for searching and finding new sources of substances with antimicrobial properties. The incorporation of the essential oils (EOs) in chitosan film forming solution may enhance antimicrobial properties. However, its use as the feeding additive in the poultry nutrition needs to clarify the product's activity against both pathogen and the useful microbes in the gastrointestinal tract. Objectives: In the present study, we carried out an in vitro investigation and evaluated the antimicrobial activity of chitosan film forming solution incorporated with essential oils (CFs+EOs) against microbial strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus rahmnosus, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternate . Material and Methods: In three replicates, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of different treatments including: 1- essential oils (EOs), 2- chitosan film solution (CFs), and 3-chitosan film solution enriched with EOs (CFs+EOs) were determined against above mentioned microbes. Results: The results indicated that the chitosan solution enriched with essential oils (CFs+EOs) is capable of inhibiting the bacterial and fungal growth even at the lowest concentrations. The MIC and MBC for all the antimicrobial agents against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were very low compared to the concentrations needed to inhibit the growth of useful bacteria, Lactobacillus rahmnosu and Enterococcus faecium . The antifungal activity of chitosan was enhanced as the concentration of EOs increased in the film solution. Conclusion: Chitosan-EOs complexes are the promising candidate for novel contact antimicrobial agents that can be used in animal feeds.

Comparative Study of Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils of Selected Aromatic Plants from Balkan Peninsula.

PubMed

Stanković, Nemanja; Mihajilov-Krstev, Tatjana; Zlatković, Bojan; Matejić, Jelena; Stankov Jovanović, Vesna; Kocić, Branislava; Čomić, Ljiljana

2016-05-01

The objective of the present study to perform a comparative analysis of the chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of the essential oils of plant species Hyssopus officinalis, Achillea grandifolia, Achillea crithmifolia, Tanacetum parthenium, Laserpitium latifolium, and Artemisia absinthium from Balkan Peninsula. The chemical analysis of essential oils was performed by using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Monoterpenes were dominant among the recorded components, with camphor in T. parthenium, A. grandifolia, and A. crithmifolia (51.4, 45.4, and 25.4 %, respectively), 1,8-cineole in H. officinalis, A. grandifolia, and A. crithmifolia (49.1, 16.4, and 14.8 %, respectively), and sabinene in L. latifolium and A. absinthium (47.8 and 21.5 %). The antiradical and antioxidant activities were determined by using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging methods. The essential oil of A. grandifolia has shown the highest antioxidant activity [IC50 of 33.575 ± 0.069 mg/mL for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2.510 ± 0.036 mg vitamin C/g for the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay]. The antimicrobial activity against 16 multiresistant pathogenic bacteria isolated from human source material was tested by the broth microdilution assay. The resulting minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration values ranged from 4.72 to 93.2 mg/mL. Therefore, the essential oils of the plant species included in this study may be considered to be prospective natural sources of antimicrobial substances, and may contribute as effective agents in the battle against bacterial multiresistance. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Chemical composition and pharmacological properties of the essential oils obtained seasonally from Lippia thymoides.

PubMed

Silva, Fabrício Souza; Menezes, Pedro Modesto Nascimento; de Sá, Pedro Guilherme Souza; Oliveira, André Luís de Santana; Souza, Eric Alencar Araújo; Almeida, Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva; de Lima, Julianeli Tolentino; Uetanabaro, Ana Paula Trovatti; Silva, Tânia Regina dos Santos; Peralta, Edna Dória; Lucchese, Angélica Maria

2016-01-01

Lippia thymoides Mart. & Schauer (Verbenaceae) is used in folk medicine to treat wounds, fever, bronchitis, rheumatism, headaches, and weakness. This study determinates the chemical composition of essential oils from L. thymoides, obtained at during each of the four seasons and correlates with pharmacological properties. Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH free radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching methods. The antimicrobial assays were performed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) methods. Isolated rat aorta and uterus, and guinea-pig trachea were utilized to evaluate relaxant potential in pre-contracted smooth muscle. Essential oils from leaves of L. thymoides had the sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene (17.22-26.27%) as the major constituent followed by borneol (4.45-7.36%), camphor (3.22-8.61%), camphene (2.64-5.66%), and germacrene D (4.72-6.18%). In vitro assays showed that these essential oils do not have antioxidant activity, have antimicrobial selectivity to Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 0.004 mg/mL and MMC = 0.26-10.19 mg/mL) and Micrococcus luteus (MIC = 0.03 mg/mL and MMC = 8.43 mg/mL), relax isolated rat aorta (EC50 = 305-544 μg/mL, with endothelium; and EC50 = 150-283 μg/mL, without endothelium), and uterus (EC50 = 74-257 μg/mL), and minor potency, isolated guinea-pig trachea. Lippia thymoides is a source of natural products of pharmaceutical interest, being necessary additional studies to determine the substances involved in the biological activities.

The In Vitro Antimicrobial Effects of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oil in Combination with Conventional Antimicrobial Agents

PubMed Central

de Rapper, Stephanie; Viljoen, Alvaro

2016-01-01

The paper focuses on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender) essential oil in combination with four commercial antimicrobial agents. Stock solutions of chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nystatin, and fusidic acid were tested in combination with L. angustifolia essential oil. The antimicrobial activities of the combinations were investigated against the Gram-positive bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27858) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) was selected to represent the yeasts. The antimicrobial effect was performed using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) microdilution assay. Isobolograms were constructed for varying ratios. The most prominent interaction was noted when L. angustifolia essential oil was combined with chloramphenicol and tested against the pathogen P. aeruginosa (ΣFIC of 0.29). Lavendula angustifolia essential oil was shown in most cases to interact synergistically with conventional antimicrobials when combined in ratios where higher volumes of L. angustifolia essential oil were incorporated into the combination. PMID:27891157

In Vitro Impact of Conditioned Medium From Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone on Human Umbilical Endothelial Cells.

PubMed

Harnik, Branko; Miron, Richard J; Buser, Daniel; Gruber, Reinhard

2017-03-01

Angiogenesis is essential for the consolidation of bone allografts. The underlying molecular mechanism, however, remains unclear. Soluble factors released from demineralized freeze-dried bone target mesenchymal cells; however, their effect on endothelial cells has not been investigated so far. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine the effect of conditioned medium from demineralized freeze-dried bone on human umbilical endothelial cells in vitro. Conditioned medium was first prepared from demineralized freeze-dried bone following 24 hours incubation at room temperature to produce demineralized bone conditioned media. Thereafter, conditioned medium was used to stimulate human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro by determining the cell response based on viability, proliferation, expression of apoptotic genes, a Boyden chamber to determine cell migration, and the formation of branches. The authors report here that conditioned medium decreased viability and proliferation of endothelial cells. Neither of the apoptotic marker genes was significantly altered when endothelial cells were exposed to conditioned medium. The Boyden chamber revealed that endothelial cells migrate toward conditioned medium. Moreover, conditioned medium moderately stimulated the formation of branches. These findings support the concept that conditioned medium from demineralized freeze-dried bone targets endothelial cells by decreasing their proliferation and enhancing their motility under these in vitro conditions.

A Pair Production Telescope for Medium-Energy Gamma-Ray Polarimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Stanley D.; Bloser, Peter F.; Depaola, Gerardo; Dion, Michael P.; DeNolfo, Georgia A.; Hanu, Andrei; Iparraguirre, Marcos; Legere, Jason; Longo, Francesco; McConnell, Mark L.;

The selective effect of plasma activated medium in an in vitro co-culture of liver cancer and normal cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, J.; Lu, X.; He, G.

2017-01-01

In this work, a co-culture system with liver cancer cell line HepG2 and normal cell line L02 is used to investigate the selective effect on cancer and normal cells by plasma activated medium (PAM), which is closer to the real environment where cancer cells develop. Besides, the co-culture system is a better model to study the selective effect than the widely used separate culture systems, where the cancer cell line and normal cell line are cultured independently. By using the co-culture system, it is found that there is an optimum dose of PAM to induce significant cancer cell apoptosis while keeping minimum damage to normal cells.

46 CFR 8.230 - Minimum standards for a recognized classification society.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... and maintain class rules in the English language for the design, construction and certification of ships and their associated essential engineering systems; (8) Maintain written survey procedures in the... and geographical coverage to carry out all plan review and vessel survey activities associated with...

46 CFR 8.230 - Minimum standards for a recognized classification society.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... and maintain class rules in the English language for the design, construction and certification of ships and their associated essential engineering systems; (8) Maintain written survey procedures in the... and geographical coverage to carry out all plan review and vessel survey activities associated with...

44 CFR 9.5 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... essential to save lives and protect property and public health and safety performed pursuant to sections 305..., purchase of mobile homes and provision of structures as minimum protective measures; (ii) Personal property... property acquisition under section 1362 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, and the...

Spacecraft Instrumentation to Measure and Stimulate Space Particles and Plasma Waves in the Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) Regime

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-12

fluxgate magnetometer for the AFRL-DSX mission. The instrument is designed to measure the medium-Earth orbit geomagnetic field with precision of 0.1 nT and...which is essential to fulfill the two primary goals of the DSX science program. 1.1. Scientific Rationale: Ring Current and The fluxgate magnetometer ...UCLA’s ments and the Radiation Belt Remediation primary motivation in providing fluxgate requirements. The magnetic field is necessary magnetometers for

A flow paradigm in heavy-ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Li

2018-04-01

The success of hydrodynamics in high energy heavy-ion collisions leads to a flow paradigm, to understand the observed features of harmonic flow in terms of the medium collective expansion with respect to initial state geometrical properties. In this review, we present some essential ingredients in the flow paradigm, including the hydrodynamic modeling, the characterization of initial state geometry and the medium response relations. The extension of the flow paradigm to small colliding systems is also discussed. Supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Engineering Provision of Assault Crossing of Rivers,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-21

in the first place, in the missile and nuclear weapons warfare sharply they increased frontage and the depth of troop dispositions in the defense...modern missile and nuclear weapons warfare the medium * and wide rivers, reinforced by mine fields and decomposition of water-engineering and other...PMP and transport motor pool PVD -20. The existing pontoon trains make it possible to mechanize labor-consuming fitters work, to the minimum to bring

Dilution of Precision (DOP) Calculation for Mission Planning Purposes

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

satellites. The GPS constellation has a minimum of 24 satellites traveling on six medium Earth orbits (altitude about 20,200 km) of approximately 55... Earth that maintain the satellites in their proper orbits through occasional maneuvers, and adjust the satellite clocks. It tracks the satellites...almanac orbital "eccentricity" as defined in ICD-GPS-200 Inclination Offset, ki semicircles The satellite almanac orbital " inclination angle

Optical Method for Detecting Displacements and Strains at Ultra-High Temperatures During Thermo-Mechanical Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Mark C. (Inventor); Smith, Russell W. (Inventor); Sikora, Joseph G. (Inventor); Rivers, H. Kevin (Inventor); Johnston, William M. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

An ultra-high temperature optical method incorporates speckle optics for sensing displacement and strain measurements well above conventional measurement techniques. High temperature pattern materials are used which can endure experimental high temperature environments while simultaneously having a minimum optical aberration. A purge medium is used to reduce or eliminate optical distortions and to reduce, and/or eliminate oxidation of the target specimen.

Impact of longitudinal flying qualities upon the design of a transport with active controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sliwa, S. M.

1980-01-01

Direct constrained parameter optimization was used to optimally size a medium range transport for minimum direct operating cost. Several stability and control constraints were varied to study the sensitivity of the configuration to specifying the unaugmented flying qualities of transports designed with relaxed static stability. Additionally, a number of handling quality related design constants were studied with respect to their impact to the design.

Ab initio treatment of fully open-shell medium-mass nuclei with the IM-SRG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroberg, Ragnar; Calci, Angelo; Holt, Jason; Navratil, Petr; Bogner, Scott; Hergert, Heiko; Roth, Robert; Schwenk, Achim

2016-09-01

The in-medium similarity renormalization group (IM-SRG) is a recently-developed theoretical many-body framework which - like the coupled cluster and the self-consistent Green's function approaches - allows for the treatment of medium-mass nuclei using interactions fit at the few-body level. I will give a brief overview of how the IM-SRG may be used to decouple a shell-model type valence space. I will then describe a recent development for the approximate treatment of residual 3N forces in the valence space which extends the reach of IM-SRG to essentially all medium-mass nuclei, and I will present some selected results spanning isotopic chains from beryllium (Z=4) to nickel (Z=28). Finally, I will discuss the consistent treatment of transition operators, highlighting the potential for future applications in electroweak physics.

[Problems of implementing integration management at company level in small and medium-sized enterprises].

PubMed

Hetzel, C; Flach, T; Weber, A; Schian, H-M

2006-05-01

At company level responsibility increases for the employment of workers with health-related problems or disabilities, but realisation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) is lacking. Therefore a model is developed based on theory and a survey. Minimum requirements for "betriebliches Eingliederungsmanagement" (integration management at company level) according to section 84 (2) SGB IX Book 9 of the German Social Code, the main products of the international movement "disability management", a description of roles for realisation and the main sources of employers' support are described. Although external supporting of SMEs is unquestioned, it is expensive and retards own initiative and own activity counting solely on this. Only by developing a minimum of SME's awareness, acceptance and competence, this will open up to (currently suboptimal) external support. Goal is identifying SME managers' attitudes, activities, proposals and expectations referring integration management at company level to derive concepts of SME's support. 13 interviews are analysed by qualitative content analysis identifying the following barriers: information deficit, absence of priority, limited possibilities for transitional work, cost, partially limited workers' self-responsibility, illness as a "tabes" subject. Possibilities overcoming these barriers are delineated. On that basis a model is presented: pragmatically for realisation, a company contact person with minimum competence, uniform external support, institutional partners' integration and quality assurance according to disability management. Interlocking SME world and social insurance world means first to support SME's awareness, acceptance and competence, second to create for SME a central contact in the "rehabilitation jungle" and third to develop SME-suitable premiums according to section 84 (3) SGB IX, Book 9 of the German social code.

Medium of exchange matters: what's fair for goods is unfair for money.

PubMed

DeVoe, Sanford E; Iyengar, Sheena S

2010-02-01

Organized groups face a fundamental problem of how to distribute resources fairly. We found people view it as less fair to distribute resources equally when the allocated resource invokes the market by being a medium of exchange than when the allocated resource is a good that holds value in use. These differences in fairness can be attributed to being a medium of exchange, and not to other essential properties of money (i.e., being a unit of account or a store of value). These findings suggest that egalitarian outcomes have a greater likelihood of being accepted as fair when the resources being distributed take the form of in-kind goods rather than of cash transfers.

Introductory lectures on jet quenching in heavy ion collisions

DOE PAGES

Casalderrey-Solana, J.; Salgado, C. A.

2007-12-01

Jet quenching has become an essential signal for the characterization of the medium formed in experiments of heavy-ion collisions. After a brief introduction to the field, we present the full derivation of the medium-induced gluon radiation spectrum, starting from the diagrammatical origin of the Wilson lines and the medium averages and including all intermediate steps. The application of this spectrum to actual phenomenological calculations is then presented, making comparisons with experimental data and indicating some improvements of the formalism to the future LHC program. The last part of the lectures reviews calculations based on the AdS/CFT correspondence on the mediummore » parameters controlling the jet quenching phenomenon.« less

Essentials of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship: Part 6: Program Administration.

PubMed

Kim, In K; Zuckerbraun, Noel; Kou, Maybelle; Vu, Tien; Levasseur, Kelly; Yen, Kenneth; Chapman, Jennifer; Doughty, Cara; McAneney, Constance; Zaveri, Pavan; Hsu, Deborah

2016-10-01

This article is the sixth in a 7-part series that aims to comprehensively describe the current state and future directions of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship training from the essential requirements to considerations for successfully administering and managing a program to the careers that may be anticipated upon program completion. This article provides a broad overview of administering and supervising a PEM fellowship program. It explores 3 topics: the principles of program administration, committee management, and recommendations for minimum time allocated for PEM fellowship program directors to administer their programs.

Essential science for understanding risks from radiation for airline passengers and crews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knipp, Delores J.

2017-04-01

This commentary addresses the essential science and return-on-investment related to radiation risks for airline passengers and crews. The focus is on two recent NASA efforts to obtain data on radiation at and above commercial flight altitudes. Given that cosmic ray fluxes will likely be the highest since the dawn of the aviation age during the upcoming solar minimum, measuring high-altitude radiation dose and turning those data into useful information for aviation operators, schedulers, and frequent flyers will provide support for key decisions.

[Role of the blood bicarbonate buffer system in the mechanism of fish adaptation to different levels of carbonic acid in an aqueous medium].

PubMed

Romanenko, V D; Kotsar', N I

1976-01-01

The role of a bicarbonate buffer system of fish (Cyprinidae family) blood was studied in their organism addaptive reactions to different levels of CO2 in the aqueous medium. The fish is established to prossess rather effective for maintaining blood acid-base balance. It permits the fish to endure for a long time essential fluctuations of carbonic acid concentration in water. In prevention of possible development of carbonic acid acidosis an essential role belongs to formation of bicarbonates as a blood buffer system stablizing pH is shown to be significant for preventing possible development of acidosis. The adaptation potentialities of Cyprinidae family permit them to endure an increase of CO2 in water and are determined by the ability of their organism to formations of bicarbonate and their retaining in blood.

Comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture using liquid culture medium and Lowenstein Jensen medium in abdominal tuberculosis.

PubMed

Shah, Sudeep R; Shenai, Shubhada; Desai, Devendra C; Joshi, Anand; Abraham, Philip; Rodrigues, Camilla

2010-11-01

Traditionally, the Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) medium has been used for culturing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In abdominal tuberculosis (TB), the reported yield from tissue culture is between 20% and 60%. Liquid cultures are reported to give a higher yield but there is little data available in abdominal TB. To compare the yield of TB culture with BACTEC 460TB liquid medium and LJ medium for patients with suspected abdominal TB and determine cost effectiveness. This prospective study was done in consecutive cases with clinical, radiological, endoscopic/surgical, and histological suspicion of abdominal TB. Tissue biopsies obtained at colonoscopy or surgery were processed and plated on LJ medium as well as the BACTEC 460TB system. NAP (ρ-nitro-α-acetylamino-β-hydroxy-propiophenone) differentiation was carried out to determine species. The cost of each method and cost per yield were calculated. Of the 29 cases, 22 cases (76%) were positive on BACTEC 460TB culture while 14 (48%) were positive on LJ medium giving a 64% increment in yield. However, the culture of one patient grew on LJ medium, where the BACTEC 460TB was negative. The additional cost of BACTEC 460TB is Rs. 460 and LJ is Rs. 40. Samples from patients with abdominal TB should be processed on both liquid and LJ medium. For high yield, the use of a liquid culture medium system is essential.

Activity of essential oil-based microemulsions against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms developed on stainless steel surface in different culture media and growth conditions.

PubMed

Campana, Raffaella; Casettari, Luca; Fagioli, Laura; Cespi, Marco; Bonacucina, Giulia; Baffone, Wally

2017-01-16

Food safety is a fundamental concern for both consumers and the food industry, especially as the numbers of reported cases of food-associated infections continue to increase. Industrial surfaces can provide a suitable substrate for the development and persistence of bacterial organized in biofilms that represent a potential source of food contamination. The negative consumer perception of chemical disinfectants has shifted the attention to natural substances, such as plant extracts. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using the essential oils (EOs) in the fight against S. aureus biofilms. First, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), Minimum Biofilm Inhibitory Concentration (MBIC), Minimum Biofilm Eradication Concentration (MBEC) of eleven EOs against S. aureus were determined. Cinnamomum cassia and Salvia officinalis EOs showed the greatest antibacterial properties with 1.25% MIC and MBC, 1.25% MBIC and 2.5% MBEC respectively. Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry analysis revealed cinnamaldehyde (82.66%) and methoxy cinnamaldehyde (10.12%) as the most abundant substances of C. cassia, while cis-thujone (23.90%), camphor (19.22%) and 1.8-cineole (10.62%) of S. officinalis. Three different microemulsions, formulated with C. cassia, S. officinalis or both, were finally tested against S. aureus biofilms in different culture media and growth conditions, causing a >3 logarithmic reductions in S. aureus 24h-old biofilms and desiccated biofilms, and up to 68% of biofilm removal after 90min of exposure. The obtained data suggest the potential use of EOs, alone or in combination, for the formulation of sanitizers as alternative or in support in the disinfection of contaminated surfaces. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Wait Calculation: The Broader Consequences of the Minimum Time from Now to Interstellar Destinations and its Significance to the Space Economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, A.

This paper summarises the wait calculation [1] of interstellar voyagers which finds the minimum time to destination given exponential growth in the rate of travel available to a civilisation. The minimum time obliges stellar system colonisers to consider departure times a significant risk factor in their voyages since a departure then to a destination will beat a departure made at any other time before or after. Generalised conclusions will be drawn about the significant impact that departures to interstellar destinations before, at, or after the minimum time will have on the economic potential of missions and on the inevitability of competition between them. There will be no international law operating in interstellar space and an ability to escape predatory actions en route, or at the destination, can only be done by precise calculations of departure times. Social and economic forces affecting the factors in the growth equation are discussed with reference to the probability of accelerating growth reaching the technological Singularity and strengthening the growth incentive trap. Islamic banking practices are discussed as a credible alternative to compounding interest bearing paper for funding the space economy in the long term and for supporting stakeholder investment in such long term mission development. The paper considers the essential free productivity of the Earth's biosphere and the capital accumulations made possible by land productivity are essential components to a viable long term space economy and that research into re-creating the costless productivity of the biosphere at a destination will determine both the mission's ultimate success and provide means of returns for stakeholders during the long build up. Conclusions of these arguments suggest that the Icarus project should ignore a robotic interstellar mission concept and develop a manned colonising mission from now.

Biobased Fat Mimicking Molecular Structuring Agents for Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) and Other Edible Oils.

PubMed

Silverman, Julian R; John, George

2015-12-09

To develop sustainable value-added materials from biomass, novel small-molecule sugar ester gelators were synthesized using biocatalysis. The facile one-step regiospecific coupling of the pro-antioxidant raspberry ketone glucoside and unsaturated or saturated long- and medium-chain fatty acids provides a simple approach to tailor the structure and self-assembly of the amphiphilic product. These low molecular weight molecules demonstrated the ability to self-assemble in a variety of solvents and exhibited supergelation, with a minimum gelation concentration of 0.25 wt %, in numerous organic solvents, as well as in a range of natural edible oils, specifically a relatively unstudied group of liquids: natural medium-chain triglyceride oils, notably coconut oil. Spectroscopic analysis details the gelator structure as well as the intermolecular noncovalent interactions, which allow for gelation. X-ray diffraction studies indicate fatty acid chain packing of gelators is similar to that of natural fats, signifying the crystalline nature may lead to desirable textural properties and mouthfeel.

Production of polygalacturonases by Aspergillus oryzae in stirred tank and internal- and external-loop airlift reactors.

PubMed

Fontana, Roselei Claudete; da Silveira, Maurício Moura

2012-11-01

The production of endo- and exo-polygalacturonase (PG) by Aspergillus oryzae was assessed in stirred tank reactors (STRs), internal-loop airlift reactors (ILARs) and external-loop airlift reactors (ELARs). For STR production, we compared culture media formulated with either pectin (WBE) or partially hydrolyzed pectin. The highest enzyme activities were obtained in medium that contained 50% pectin in hydrolyzed form (WBE5). PG production in the three reactor types was compared for WBE5 and low salt WBE medium, with additional salts added at 48, 60 and 72h (WBES). The ELARs performed better than the ILARs in WBES medium where the exo-PG was the same concentration as for STRs and the endo-PG was 20% lower. These results indicate that PG production is higher under experimental conditions that result in higher cell growth with minimum pH values less than 3.0. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial activity of clove and rosemary essential oils alone and in combination.

PubMed

Fu, Yujie; Zu, Yuangang; Chen, Liyan; Shi, Xiaoguang; Wang, Zhe; Sun, Su; Efferth, Thomas

2007-10-01

In the present study, the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from clove (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. et Perry) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) was tested alone and in combination. The compositions of the oils were analysed by GC/MS. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against three Gram-positive bacteria, three Gram-negative bacteria and two fungi were determined for the essential oils and their mixtures. Furthermore, time-kill dynamic processes of clove and rosemary essential oils against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were tested. Both essential oils possessed significant antimicrobial effects against all microorganisms tested. The MICs of clove oil ranged from 0.062% to 0.500% (v/v), while the MICs of rosemary oil ranged from 0.125% to 1.000% (v/v). The antimicrobial activity of combinations of the two essential oils indicated their additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects against individual microorganism tests. The time-kill curves of clove and rosemary essential oils towards three strains showed clearly bactericidal and fungicidal processes of (1)/(2) x MIC, MIC, MBC and 2 x MIC.

Bacterial radiosensitization by using radiation processing in combination with essential oil: Mechanism of action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacroix, Monique; Caillet, Stéphane; Shareck, Francois

2009-07-01

Spice extracts under the form of essential oils were tested for their efficiency to increase the relative radiosensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157H7 in culture media. The two pathogens were treated by gamma-irradiation alone or in combination with oregano essential oil to evaluate their mechanism of action. The membrane murein composition, and the intracellular and extracellular concentration of ATP was determined. The bacterial strains were treated with two irradiation doses: 1.2 kGy to induce cell damage and 3.5 kGy to cause cell death for L. monocytogenes. A dose of 0.4 kGy to induce cell damages, 1.1 kGy to obtain viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and 1.3 kGy to obtain a lethal dose was also applied on E. coli O157H7. Oregano essential oil was used at 0.020% and 0.025% (w/v), which is the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for L. monocytogenes. For E. coli O157H7, a concentration of 0.006% and 0.025% (w/v) which is the minimum inhibitory concentration was applied. The use of essential oils in combination with irradiation has permitted an increase of the bacterial radiosensitization by more than 3.1 times. All treatments had also a significant effect ( p⩽0.05) on the murein composition, although some muropeptides did not seem to be affected by the treatment. Each treatment influenced differently the relative percentage and number of muropeptides. There was a significant ( p⩽0.05) correlation between the reduction of intracellular ATP and increase in extracellular ATP following treatment of the cells with oregano oil. The reduction of intracellular ATP was even more important when essential oil was combined with irradiation, but irradiation of L. monocytogenes alone induced a significant decrease ( p⩽0.05) of the internal ATP without affecting the external ATP.

Effects of Linking Methods on Detection of DIF.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Seock-Ho; Cohen, Allan S.

1992-01-01

Effects of the following methods for linking metrics on detection of differential item functioning (DIF) were compared: (1) test characteristic curve method (TCC); (2) weighted mean and sigma method; and (3) minimum chi-square method. With large samples, results were essentially the same. With small samples, TCC was most accurate. (SLD)

78 FR 70102 - Advisory Committee to the Internal Revenue Service; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-22

...)--additional addresses; Missing TINS for Employer and Insurer Reporting; Minimum Essential Coverage, Premium... (TIN) Matching Program to Improve the Accuracy of Information Reporting; IRC Sec. 6050W and Form 1099-K Reporting; Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Truncation; Stripped Tax Credits; Form 1098-T; Form 8300...

78 FR 54986 - Information Reporting of Minimum Essential Coverage

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-09

... to report (1) the name, address, and taxpayer identification number (TIN) of the primary insured, (2) the name, dates of coverage, and TIN of each individual covered under a policy, (3) whether health... effect, the names and TINs of each individual covered, the amount of advance credit payments relating to...

Criteria for Reviewing District Competency Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Joan L.

A formative evaluation minimum competency test model is examined. The model systematically uses assessment information to support and facilitate program improvement. In terms of the model, four inter-related qualities are essential for a sound testing program. The content validity perspective looks at how well the district has defined competency…

Essentials of an Acceptable School for Certified Laboratory Assistants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Medical Association, Chicago, IL. Council on Medical Education.

These guidelines outline administration, organization, faculty, admission prerequisites, curriculum, clinical material, ethics, student health and procedure for attaining approval. The course must be at least 12 months in duration and include a minimum of 100 hours of didactic instruction. An initial period should include orientation in (1)…

Positive Classroom Environments = Positive Academic Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson-Fleming, LaTerra; Wilson-Younger, Dylinda

2012-01-01

This article discusses the effects of a positive classroom environment and its impact on student behavior and achievement. It also provides strategies for developing expectations for student achievement and the importance of parental involvement. A positive classroom environment is essential in keeping behavior problems to a minimum. There are a…

9 CFR 313.5 - Chemical; carbon dioxide.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... accordance with this section so as to produce surgical anesthesia in the animals before they are shackled... accomplish the anesthesia quickly and calmly, with a minimum of excitement and discomfort to the animals. In... the anesthesia chamber is essential since the induction, or early phase, of anesthesia is less violent...

9 CFR 313.5 - Chemical; carbon dioxide.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... accordance with this section so as to produce surgical anesthesia in the animals before they are shackled... accomplish the anesthesia quickly and calmly, with a minimum of excitement and discomfort to the animals. In... the anesthesia chamber is essential since the induction, or early phase, of anesthesia is less violent...

Indonesias New Maritime Ambitions: Implications for U.S.Indonesian Engagement

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-26

and national security strategy. The pillars of his doctrine are:  Recognize Indonesia’s maritime culture.  Develop maritime industry, focusing on... archipelagic nation’s focus has always been internal and ashore. In 2005, the Indonesian government adopted the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) concept—a 20

Hydrodynamic Model for Conductivity in Graphene

PubMed Central

Mendoza, M.; Herrmann, H. J.; Succi, S.

2013-01-01

Based on the recently developed picture of an electronic ideal relativistic fluid at the Dirac point, we present an analytical model for the conductivity in graphene that is able to describe the linear dependence on the carrier density and the existence of a minimum conductivity. The model treats impurities as submerged rigid obstacles, forming a disordered medium through which graphene electrons flow, in close analogy with classical fluid dynamics. To describe the minimum conductivity, we take into account the additional carrier density induced by the impurities in the sample. The model, which predicts the conductivity as a function of the impurity fraction of the sample, is supported by extensive simulations for different values of ε, the dimensionless strength of the electric field, and provides excellent agreement with experimental data. PMID:23316277

Minimum important differences for the patient-specific functional scale, 4 region-specific outcome measures, and the numeric pain rating scale.

PubMed

Abbott, J Haxby; Schmitt, John

2014-08-01

Multicenter, prospective, longitudinal cohort study. To investigate the minimum important difference (MID) of the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), 4 region-specific outcome measures, and the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) across 3 levels of patient-perceived global rating of change in a clinical setting. The MID varies depending on the external anchor defining patient-perceived "importance." The MID for the PSFS has not been established across all body regions. One thousand seven hundred eight consecutive patients with musculoskeletal disorders were recruited from 5 physical therapy clinics. The PSFS, NPRS, and 4 region-specific outcome measures-the Oswestry Disability Index, Neck Disability Index, Upper Extremity Functional Index, and Lower Extremity Functional Scale-were assessed at the initial and final physical therapy visits. Global rating of change was assessed at the final visit. MID was calculated for the PSFS and NPRS (overall and for each body region), and for each region-specific outcome measure, across 3 levels of change defined by the global rating of change (small, medium, large change) using receiver operating characteristic curve methodology. The MID for the PSFS (on a scale from 0 to 10) ranged from 1.3 (small change) to 2.3 (medium change) to 2.7 (large change), and was relatively stable across body regions. MIDs for the NPRS (-1.5 to -3.5), Oswestry Disability Index (-12), Neck Disability Index (-14), Upper Extremity Functional Index (6 to 11), and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (9 to 16) are also reported. We reported the MID for small, medium, and large patient-perceived change on the PSFS, NPRS, Oswestry Disability Index, Neck Disability Index, Upper Extremity Functional Index, and Lower Extremity Functional Scale for use in clinical practice and research.

Plant essential oils potency as natural antibiotic in Indonesian medicinal herb of “jamu”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soetjipto, H.; Martono, Y.

2017-02-01

The main purposes of this study are to compile antibacterial activity data of essential oils from Indonesian’s plants in order which can be used as a natural antibiotic in “jamu” to increase potential Indonesian medicinal herb. By using Agar Diffusing method, Bioautography and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrum, respectively, antibacterial activity and chemical compounds of 12 plants essential oils were studied in the Natural Product Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga since 2007 until 2015. The results of this studies showed that all of the essential oils have a medium to a strong antibacterial activity which are in the range of 30 - 2,500 μg and 80-5,000 μg. Further on, the essential oils analyzed by GCMS showed that each essential oils have different dominant compounds. These data can be used as basic doses in the usage of essential oils as natural antibiotics.

Antimicrobial Activity of Seven Essential Oils From Iranian Aromatic Plants Against Common Causes of Oral Infections

PubMed Central

Zomorodian, Kamiar; Ghadiri, Pooria; Saharkhiz, Mohammad Jamal; Moein, Mohammad Reza; Mehriar, Peiman; Bahrani, Farideh; Golzar, Tahereh; Pakshir, Keyvan; Fani, Mohammad Mehdi

2015-01-01

Background: Over the past two decades, there has been a growing trend in using oral hygienic products originating from natural resources such as essential oils (EOs) and plant extracts. Seven aromatic plants used in this study are among popular traditional Iranian medicinal plants with potential application in modern medicine as anti-oral infectious diseases. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oils from seven medicinal plants against pathogens causing oral infections. Materials and Methods: The chemical compositions of EOs distilled from seven plants were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). These plants included Satureja khuzestanica, S. bachtiarica, Ocimum sanctum, Artemisia sieberi, Zataria multiflora, Carum copticum and Oliveria decumbens. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was evaluated by broth micro-dilution in 96 well plates as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methods. Results: The tested EOs inhibited the growth of examined oral pathogens at concentrations of 0.015-16 µL/mL. Among the examined oral pathogens, Enterococcus faecalis had the highest Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Microbicidal Concentrations (MMCs). Of the examined EOs, S. khuzestanica, Z. multiflora and S. bachtiarica, showed the highest antimicrobial activities, respectively, while Artemisia sieberi exhibited the lowest antimicrobial activity. Conclusions: The excellent antimicrobial activities of the tested EOs might be due to their major phenolic or alcoholic monoterpenes with known antimicrobial activities. Hence, these EOs can be possibly used as an antimicrobial agent in treatment and control of oral pathogens. PMID:25793100

Anti-biofilm properties of Satureja hortensis L. essential oil against periodontal pathogens.

PubMed

Gursoy, Ulvi Kahraman; Gursoy, Mervi; Gursoy, Orhan Vedat; Cakmakci, Lutfu; Könönen, Eija; Uitto, Veli-Jukka

2009-08-01

Essential oils of several plants are widely used in ethnomedicine for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, very limited data exist on their use in connection to periodontal diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the bacterial growth inhibiting and anti-biofilm effects of Satureja hortensis L. (summer savory), Salvia fruticosa M. (sage), Lavandula stoechas L. (lavender), Myrtus communis L., and Juniperus communis L. (juniper) essential oils. Chemical compositions of the essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, minimum inhibitor concentrations (MICs) with the agar dilution method, and anti-biofilm effects by the microplate biofilm assay. The toxicity of each essential oil was tested on cultured keratinocytes. Of the 5 essential oils, S. hortensis L. essential oil had the strongest growth inhibition effect. Subinhibitory dose of S. hortensis L. essential oil had anti-biofilm effects only against Prevotella nigrescens. Essential oils did not inhibit keratinocyte viability at the concentrations of 1 and 5 microl/ml, however at the concentration of 5 microl/ml epithelial cells detached from the culture well bottom. The present findings suggest that S. hortensis L. essential oil inhibits the growth of periodontal bacteria in the concentration that is safe on keratinocytes, however, in the subinhibitory concentration its anti-biofilm effect is limited.

Interspecific geographic range size-body size relationship and the diversification dynamics of Neotropical furnariid birds.

PubMed

Inostroza-Michael, Oscar; Hernández, Cristián E; Rodríguez-Serrano, Enrique; Avaria-Llautureo, Jorge; Rivadeneira, Marcelo M

2018-05-01

Among the earliest macroecological patterns documented, is the range and body size relationship, characterized by a minimum geographic range size imposed by the species' body size. This boundary for the geographic range size increases linearly with body size and has been proposed to have implications in lineages evolution and conservation. Nevertheless, the macroevolutionary processes involved in the origin of this boundary and its consequences on lineage diversification have been poorly explored. We evaluate the macroevolutionary consequences of the difference (hereafter the distance) between the observed and the minimum range sizes required by the species' body size, to untangle its role on the diversification of a Neotropical species-rich bird clade using trait-dependent diversification models. We show that speciation rate is a positive hump-shaped function of the distance to the lower boundary. The species with highest and lowest distances to minimum range size had lower speciation rates, while species close to medium distances values had the highest speciation rates. Further, our results suggest that the distance to the minimum range size is a macroevolutionary constraint that affects the diversification process responsible for the origin of this macroecological pattern in a more complex way than previously envisioned. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Antifungal activity of essential oils of Croton species from the Brazilian Caatinga biome.

PubMed

Fontenelle, R O S; Morais, S M; Brito, E H S; Brilhante, R S N; Cordeiro, R A; Nascimento, N R F; Kerntopf, M R; Sidrim, J J C; Rocha, M F G

2008-05-01

To find new antifungal agents among essential oils from Brazilian Croton species. Plant leaves were steam distilled and the obtained essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. The main constituents were estragole and anethole for Croton zehntneri, methyl-eugenol and bicyclogermacrene for Croton nepetaefolius and spathulenol and bicyclogermacrene for Croton argyrophylloides. The antifungal activity of essential oils was evaluated against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Microsporum canis by the agar-well diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by the broth microdilution method. Essential oils of Croton species demonstrated better activity against M. canis. Among the three plants C. argyrophylloides showed the best results, with MIC ranging from 9 to 19 microg ml(-1). The acute administration of the essential oil up to 3 g kg(-1) by the oral route to mice was devoid of overt toxicity. The studied essential oils are active in vitro against the dermatophyte M. canis and present relative lack of acute toxicity in vivo. Because of its antifungal activity and low toxicity, the essential oils of studied Croton species are promising sources for new phytotherapeutic agents to treat dermatophytosis.

Antimicrobial activity of individual and mixed fractions of dill, cilantro, coriander and eucalyptus essential oils.

PubMed

Delaquis, Pascal J; Stanich, Kareen; Girard, Benoit; Mazza, G

2002-03-25

Essential oils from dill (Anethum graveolens L.), coriander (seeds of Coriandrum sativum L.), cilantro (leaves of immature C. sativum L.) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus dives) were separated into heterogeneous mixtures of components by fractional distillation and were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Minimum inhibitory concentrations against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were determined for the crude oils and their fractions. Essential oil of cilantro was particularly effective against Listeria monocytogenes, likely due to the presence of long chain (C6-C10) alcohols and aldehydes. The strength and spectrum of inhibition for the fractions often exceeded those determined in the crude oils. Mixing of fractions resulted in additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects against individual test microorganisms.

Minimum competency: a comparison of reactions of southern black high school students, their parents and black teachers.

PubMed

Schab, F

1984-01-01

A questionnaire was administered to 300 black high school students, 77 parents and 79 black teachers to determine their reactions to minimum competency requirements being suggested for high school graduation. Black parents were strongest in their approval of such requirements, followed by black teachers and to a lesser degree by the students. In some areas all were essentially in agreement. Being able to communicate, handle money matters, stay healthy, recognize dishonest merchandising and make simple home repairs were agreed upon as necessary for survival as adults in our society. Minimal and necessary competencies were thus equated.

In vitro degradation of ZM21 magnesium alloy in simulated body fluids.

PubMed

Witecka, Agnieszka; Bogucka, Aleksandra; Yamamoto, Akiko; Máthis, Kristián; Krajňák, Tomáš; Jaroszewicz, Jakub; Święszkowski, Wojciech

2016-08-01

In vitro degradation behavior of squeeze cast (CAST) and equal channel angular pressed (ECAP) ZM21 magnesium alloy (2.0wt% Zn-0.98wt% Mn) was studied using immersion tests up to 4w in three different biological environments. Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (Hanks), Earle's Balanced Salt Solution (Earle) and Eagle minimum essential medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum (E-MEM+10% FBS) were used to investigate the effect of carbonate buffer system, organic compounds and material processing on the degradation behavior of the ZM21 alloy samples. Corrosion rate of the samples was evaluated by their Mg(2+) ion release, weight loss and volume loss. In the first 24h, the corrosion rate sequence of the CAST samples was as following: Hanks>E-MEM+10% FBS>Earle. However, in longer immersion periods, the corrosion rate sequence was Earle>E-MEM+10% FBS≥Hanks. Strong buffering effect provided by carbonate buffer system helped to maintain the pH avoiding drastic increase of the corrosion rate of ZM21 in the initial stage of immersion. Organic compounds also contributed to maintain the pH of the fluid. Moreover, they adsorbed on the sample surface and formed an additional barrier on the insoluble salt layer, which was effective to retard the corrosion of CAST samples. In case of ECAP, however, this effect was overcome by the occurrence of strong localized corrosion due to the lower pH of the medium. Corrosion of ECAP samples was much greater than that of CAST, especially in Hanks, due to higher sensitivity of ECAP to localized corrosion and the presence of Cl(-). The present work demonstrates the importance of using an appropriate solution for a reliable estimation of the degradation rate of Mg-base degradable implants in biological environments, and concludes that the most appropriate solution for this purpose is E-MEM+10% FBS, which has the closest chemical composition to human blood plasma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimisation of the differing conditions required for bone formation in vitro by primary osteoblasts from mice and rats

PubMed Central

ORRISS, ISABEL R.; HAJJAWI, MARK O.R.; HUESA, CARMEN; MACRAE, VICKY E.; ARNETT, TIMOTHY R.

2014-01-01

The in vitro culture of calvarial osteoblasts from neonatal rodents remains an important method for studying the regulation of bone formation. The widespread use of transgenic mice has created a particular need for a reliable, simple method that allows the differentiation and bone-forming activity of murine osteoblasts to be studied. In the present study, we established such a method and identified key differences in optimal culture conditions between mouse and rat osteoblasts. Cells isolated from neonatal rodent calvariae by collagenase digestion were cultured for 14–28 days before staining for tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and bone mineralisation (alizarin red). The reliable differentiation of mouse osteoblasts, resulting in abundant TNAP expression and the formation of mineralised ‘trabecular-shaped’ bone nodules, occurred only following culture in α minimum essential medium (αMEM) and took 21–28 days. Dexamethasone (10 nM) inhibited bone mineralisation in the mouse osteoblasts. By contrast, TNAP expression and bone formation by rat osteoblasts were observed following culture in both αMEM and Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) after approximately 14 days (although ~3-fold more effectively in αMEM) and was strongly dependent on dexamethasone. Both the mouse and rat osteoblasts required ascorbate (50 μg/ml) for osteogenic differentiation and β-glycerophosphate (2 mM) for mineralisation. The rat and mouse osteoblasts showed similar sensitivity to the well-established inhibitors of mineralisation, inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP; 1–100 μM). The high efficiency of osteogenic differentiation observed following culture in αMEM, compared with culture in DMEM possibly reflects the richer formulation of the former. These findings offer a reliable technique for inducing mouse osteoblasts to form bone in vitro and a more effective method for culturing bone-forming rat osteoblasts. PMID:25200658

Note: Automated optical focusing on encapsulated devices for scanning light stimulation systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bitzer, L. A.; Benson, N., E-mail: niels.benson@uni-due.de; Schmechel, R.

Recently, a scanning light stimulation system with an automated, adaptive focus correction during the measurement was introduced. Here, its application on encapsulated devices is discussed. This includes the changes an encapsulating optical medium introduces to the focusing process as well as to the subsequent light stimulation measurement. Further, the focusing method is modified to compensate for the influence of refraction and to maintain a minimum beam diameter on the sample surface.

Effect of culture medium on toxic effect of ZnO nanoparticles to freshwater microalgae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aravantinou, Andriana F.; Tsarpali, Vasiliki; Dailianis, Stefanos; Manariotis, Ioannis D.

2014-05-01

The widely use of nanoparticles (NPs) in many products, is increasing over time. The release of NPs into the environment may affect ecosystems, and therefore it is essential to study their impact on aquatic organisms. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs on microalgae, cultured in different mediums. Chlorococcum sp. and Scenedesmus rubescens were used as freshwater microalgae model species in order to investigate the toxic effects of ZnO NPs. Microalgae species exposed to ZnO NPs concentrations varying from 0.081 to 810 mg/L for different periods of time (24 to 96 h) and two different culture mediums. The aggregation level and particle size distribution of NPs were also determined during the experiments. The experimental results revealed significant differences on algae growth rates depending on the selected culture medium. Specifically, the toxic effect of ZnO NPs in Chlorococcum sp. was higher in cultures with 1/3N BG-11 medium than in BBM medium, despite the fact that the dissolved zinc concentration was higher in BBM medium. On the other hand, Scenedesmus rubescens exhibited the exact opposite behavior, with the highest toxic effect in cultures with BBM medium. Both species growth was significantly affected by the exposure time, the NPs concentrations, and mainly the culture medium.

Optimization growth of Spirulina platensis in bean sprouts extract medium with urea fertilizer for phycocyanin production as antioxidant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dianursanti, Taurina, Zarahmaida; Indraputri, Claudia Maya

2018-02-01

Spirulina platensis has the potential to be developed because of essential chemical compounds in the form of phycocyanin that can be used as an antioxidant. The growth of microalgae and phycocyanin depends on the availability of nutrition contained in culture medium. The cultivation will be carried out at 1 L reactor with continuous aeration, light intensity is 3000-4000 lux, and temperature is 27-30°C. Phycocyanin is obtained by liquid-liquid extraction method using phosphate buffer pH 7. Phycocyanin test performed by using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The result show that the highest dry biomass is obtained on bean sprouts extract medium 8% (v/v) with the addition of urea fertilizer 120 ppm. The highest content of phycocyanin is obtained on bean sprouts extract medium 8% (v/v) with the addition of urea fertilizer 100 ppm with phycocyanin concentration of 257.12 mg/L.

Disinfection efficiencies of sage and spearmint essential oils against planktonic and biofilm Staphylococcus aureus cells in comparison with sodium hypochlorite.

PubMed

Vetas, Dimitrios; Dimitropoulou, Eleni; Mitropoulou, Gregoria; Kourkoutas, Yiannis; Giaouris, Efstathios

2017-09-18

Staphylococcus aureus causes human infections and foodborne intoxications. This study explored the potential antibacterial actions of sage and spearmint essential oils (EOs) against both its planktonic and biofilm cells, in comparison with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), a commonly applied chemical sanitizer. Initially, the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MICs, MBCs) of each plant mixture were determined against planktonic cultures, following growth at 30°C for 24h. Stationary phase planktonic bacteria were then individually exposed for 6min to either each EO (applied at 1-2×MBC; 2.5-5%), or NaOCl (250-450ppm). These were also left to form biofilms on 96-well polystyrene microplates, at 30°C for 96h, with medium renewal at 48h, in the presence of 10 different concentrations of each EO, expanding from sub- to super-inhibitory for planktonic growth, and the minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations (MBICs; >90% inhibition) of each plant mixture were calculated. Formed biofilms were finally exposed for 6min to either each EO (applied at 2-6×MBC; 5-15%), or NaOCl (7500-25,000ppm; applied either alone or in combination with each EO at 5%). Results showed that both EOs presented MIC and MBC equal to 1.25 and 2.5%, respectively. As expected, their application at their MIC and above significantly inhibited biofilm formation, while spearmint EO was still able to cause this at ½ of its MIC, with MBICs equal to 1.25 and 0.63% for sage and spearmint EOs, respectively. Alarmingly, the application of both EOs at 1/8 to 1/16 of their MIC further increased biofilm formation. Regarding biofilm disinfection experiments, the individual application of each EO against the pre-established sessile communities resulted in log decrease ranges of 0.8-3logCFU/cm 2 , while in the case of NaOCl application (either alone or combined with each EO), the observed reductions never exceeded 1.7logCFU/cm 2 . These last results highlight the great antimicrobial recalcitrance of biofilm communities, found here to be ca. 100 times more resistant to NaOCl compared to planktonic ones, and stress the urgent need for further research on alternative, adequate and safe disinfection strategies to control them in food processing and other environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Economic aspects of oncological esophageal surgery : Centralization is essential].

PubMed

von Dercks, N; Gockel, I; Mehdorn, M; Lorenz, D

2017-01-01

The incidence of esophageal carcinoma has increased in recent years in Germany. The aim of this article is a discussion of the economic aspects of oncological esophageal surgery within the German diagnosis-related groups (DRG) system focusing on the association between minimum caseload requirements and outcome quality as well as costs. The margins for the DRG classification G03A are low and quickly exhausted if complications determine the postoperative course. A current study using nationwide German hospital discharge data proved a significant difference in hospital mortality between clinics with and without achieving the minimum caseload requirements for esophagectomy. Data from the USA clearly showed that besides patient-relevant parameters, the caseload of a surgeon is relevant for the cost of treatment. Such cost-related analyses do not exist in Germany at present. Scientific validation of reliable minimum caseload numbers for oncological esophagectomy is desirable in the future.

Cytocompatibility of Siloxane-Containing Vaterite/Poly(l-lactic acid) Composite Coatings on Metallic Magnesium.

PubMed

Yamada, Shinya; Maeda, Hirotaka; Obata, Akiko; Lohbauer, Ulrich; Yamamoto, Akiko; Kasuga, Toshihiro

2013-12-12

Poly(l-lactic acid)-based films which include 60 wt % of vaterite (V) or siloxane-containing vaterite (SiV) were coated on a pure magnesium substrate, denoted by PLLA/V or PLLA/SiV, respectively, to suppress early corrosion and improve its cytocompatibility. Both coating films adhered to the Mg substrate with 2.3-2.8 MPa of tensile bonding strength. Soaking test for 7 days in α-modified minimum essential medium revealed that the morphological instability of the PLLA/V film caused a higher amount of Mg 2+ ion to be released from the coating sample. On the other hand, in the case of the coating with the PLLA/SiV film, no morphological change even after the soaking test was observed, owing to the suppression of the degradation rate. In cell culture tests, the proliferation of mouse osteoblast-like cell (MC3T3-E1) was significantly enhanced by both coatings, in comparison with the uncoated magnesium substrate. The cell morphology revealed that a few less-spread cells were observed on the PLLA/V film, while more elongated cells were done on the PLLA/SiV film. The cells on the PLLA/SiV film exhibited an extremely higher alkaline phosphatase activity after 21 days of incubation than that on the PLLA/V one. The PLLA/SiV film suppressed the early corrosion and enhanced cytocompatibility on metallic magnesium.

Effects of pex1 disruption on wood lignin biodegradation, fruiting development and the utilization of carbon sources in the white-rot Agaricomycete Pleurotus ostreatus and non-wood decaying Coprinopsis cinerea.

PubMed

Nakazawa, Takehito; Izuno, Ayako; Horii, Masato; Kodera, Rina; Nishimura, Hiroshi; Hirayama, Yuichiro; Tsunematsu, Yuta; Miyazaki, Yasumasa; Awano, Tatsuya; Muraguchi, Hajime; Watanabe, Kenji; Sakamoto, Masahiro; Takabe, Keiji; Watanabe, Takashi; Isagi, Yuji; Honda, Yoichi

2017-12-01

Peroxisomes are well-known organelles that are present in most eukaryotic organisms. Mutant phenotypes caused by the malfunction of peroxisomes have been shown in many fungi. However, these have never been investigated in Agaricomycetes, which include white-rot fungi that degrade wood lignin in nature almost exclusively and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Based on the results of a forward genetics study to identify mutations causing defects in the ligninolytic activity of the white-rot Agaricomycete Pleurotus ostreatus, we report phenotypes of pex1 disruptants in P. ostreatus, which are defective in two major features of white-rot Agaricomycetes: lignin biodegradation and mushroom formation. Pex1 disruption was also shown to cause defects in the hyphal growth of P. ostreatus on certain sawdust and minimum media. We also demonstrated that pex1 is essential for fruiting initiation in the non-wood decaying Agaricomycete Coprinopsis cinerea. However, unlike P. ostreatus, significant defects in hyphal growth on the aforementioned agar medium were not observed in C. cinerea. This result, together with previous C. cinerea genetic studies, suggests that the regulation mechanisms for the utilization of carbon sources are altered during the evolution of Agaricomycetes or Agaricales. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross Section Sensitivity and Propagated Errors in HZE Exposures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinbockel, John H.; Wilson, John W.; Blatnig, Steve R.; Qualls, Garry D.; Badavi, Francis F.; Cucinotta, Francis A.

2005-01-01

It has long been recognized that galactic cosmic rays are of such high energy that they tend to pass through available shielding materials resulting in exposure of astronauts and equipment within space vehicles and habitats. Any protection provided by shielding materials result not so much from stopping such particles but by changing their physical character in interaction with shielding material nuclei forming, hopefully, less dangerous species. Clearly, the fidelity of the nuclear cross-sections is essential to correct specification of shield design and sensitivity to cross-section error is important in guiding experimental validation of cross-section models and database. We examine the Boltzmann transport equation which is used to calculate dose equivalent during solar minimum, with units (cSv/yr), associated with various depths of shielding materials. The dose equivalent is a weighted sum of contributions from neutrons, protons, light ions, medium ions and heavy ions. We investigate the sensitivity of dose equivalent calculations due to errors in nuclear fragmentation cross-sections. We do this error analysis for all possible projectile-fragment combinations (14,365 such combinations) to estimate the sensitivity of the shielding calculations to errors in the nuclear fragmentation cross-sections. Numerical differentiation with respect to the cross-sections will be evaluated in a broad class of materials including polyethylene, aluminum and copper. We will identify the most important cross-sections for further experimental study and evaluate their impact on propagated errors in shielding estimates.

Stabilization of glucocorticoid receptors in isolated rat hepatocytes by radioprotectants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karle, J.M.; Ridder, W.E.; Wright, N.

1986-05-01

Previous work has shown that glucocorticoid receptors in rat liver homogenate can be stabilized by the addition of MoO/sub 4/ plus the sulfhydryl-containing compounds dithiothreitol and WR 1065. The latter is the dephosphorylated, principal metabolite of the radioprotectant WR 2721 (or S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethanesphosphorothioic acid). The current work results from applying this knowledge to intact rat hepatocytes. Cells were isolated by collagenase perfusion and incubated in supplemented minimum essential medium at 37/sup 0/C with various concentrations of WR 2721, WR 1065, or vehicle. Samples of these cell suspensions were analyzed at various times for steroid binding capacity by incubating homogenates (27,000 xmore » g supernates) with 50 nM /sup 3/H-triamcinolone acetonide in the presence or absence of excess unlabelled dexamethasone. Concentrations of 10 mM WR 2721 provided marked preservation of the binding capacity (>85% of the initial value at 5 hours) compared to control at <20% by 2 hours. WR 2721 at 1 mM preserved >60% of the binding capacity. WR 1065 at 10 mM provided no such protection. This is consistent with the observation that WR 1065 does not pass cell membranes. The authors propose that supplying reducing equivalents to intracellular components such as the glucocorticoid receptor may be one mechanism of the radioprotection afforded by WR 2721.« less

Effect of environmental and cultural conditions on medium pH and explant growth performance of Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii) shoot cultures

PubMed Central

Chen, Chien-Chih; Bates, Rick; Carlson, John

2015-01-01

The medium pH level of plant tissue cultures has been shown to be essential to many aspects of explant development and growth. Sensitivity or tolerance of medium pH change in vitro varies according to specific requirements of individual species. The objectives of this study are to 1) determine medium pH change over time in storage conditions and with presence of explants, 2) evaluate the effects of medium pH change on explant growth performance and 3) assess the effects of adding a pH stabilizer, 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) that is commonly used in Douglas-fir micropropagation medium. Vegetative buds were collected in the spring before breaking dormancy from juvenile and mature donor trees for conducting these evaluations. Medium, with or without MES, was pre-adjusted to five pH levels before adding MES, agar and autoclaving. Medium pH changes and explant growth parameters were measured at eight different incubation times. Overall, MES provided a more stable medium pH, relative to starting pH values, under both light and dark storage conditions as well as with presence of explants. A general trend of decreasing medium pH over time was found comparing explants from juvenile and mature donor genotypes. Explant height and weight growth increased over time, but differ among explants from juvenile and mature donor genotypes. Our findings suggest that a 21-day subculture practice may best sustain medium freshness, medium pH level and desirable explant growth. PMID:26535110

Antibacterial activities of plant-derived compounds and essential oils toward Cronobacter sakazakii and Cronobacter malonaticus.

PubMed

Fraňková, Adéla; Marounek, Milan; Mozrová, Věra; Weber, Jaroslav; Klouček, Pavel; Lukešová, Daniela

2014-10-01

Cronobacter sakazakii and C. malonaticus are opportunistic pathogens that cause infections in children and immunocompromised adults. In the present study, the antibacterial activity of 19 plant-derived compounds, 5 essential oils, and an extract of propolis were assessed against C. sakazakii and C. malonaticus. The effects of most of these antimicrobials have not been reported previously. Both strains were susceptible to thymol, carvacrol, thymoquinone, p-cymene, linalool, camphor, citral, eugenol, and trans-cinnamaldehyde as well as cinnamon, lemongrass, oregano, clove, and laurel essential oils; their minimum inhibitory concentrations varied between 0.1 and 2.0 mg/mL. As an alternative treatment method, vapors of the volatiles were tested as an indirect treatment. Vapors of trans-cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, oregano, and cinnamon essential oils inhibited both tested strains, while vapors of linalool were only active against C. sakazakii. To our knowledge, this study is the first time that the inhibitory activity of the vapors of these compounds and essential oils has been reported against Cronobacter spp.

Importance of medium chain fatty acids in animal nutrition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baltić, B.; Starčević, M.; Đorđević, J.; Mrdović, B.; Marković, R.

2017-09-01

Fats in animal and human nutrition are a common subject of research. These studies most often pay attention to particular fat groups (saturated, unsaturated, polyunsaturated fats or fats grouped by the length of their fatty acid chains into short, medium or long chain fatty acids). Medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) have two main sources: milk and coconut oil. To date, research has shown these acids have positive effects on health, production, feed digestibility and lower body and muscle fats in broilers and swine. MCFAs possess antibacterial, anticoccidial and antiviral effects. Also, it has been proven that these acids act synergistically if they are used together with organic acids, essential oils, or probiotics. Nowadays, commercial MCFA products are available for use in animal nutrition as feed additives.

On optimal current patterns for electrical impedance tomography.

PubMed

Demidenko, Eugene; Hartov, Alex; Soni, Nirmal; Paulsen, Keith D

2005-02-01

We develop a statistical criterion for optimal patterns in planar circular electrical impedance tomography. These patterns minimize the total variance of the estimation for the resistance or conductance matrix. It is shown that trigonometric patterns (Isaacson, 1986), originally derived from the concept of distinguishability, are a special case of our optimal statistical patterns. New optimal random patterns are introduced. Recovering the electrical properties of the measured body is greatly simplified when optimal patterns are used. The Neumann-to-Dirichlet map and the optimal patterns are derived for a homogeneous medium with an arbitrary distribution of the electrodes on the periphery. As a special case, optimal patterns are developed for a practical EIT system with a finite number of electrodes. For a general nonhomogeneous medium, with no a priori restriction, the optimal patterns for the resistance and conductance matrix are the same. However, for a homogeneous medium, the best current pattern is the worst voltage pattern and vice versa. We study the effect of the number and the width of the electrodes on the estimate of resistivity and conductivity in a homogeneous medium. We confirm experimentally that the optimal patterns produce minimum conductivity variance in a homogeneous medium. Our statistical model is able to discriminate between a homogenous agar phantom and one with a 2 mm air hole with error probability (p-value) 1/1000.

Iron in Neisseria meningitidis: minimum requirements, effects of limitation, and characteristics of uptake.

PubMed Central

Archibald, F S; DeVoe, I W

1978-01-01

A simple defined medium (neisseria defined medium) was devised that does not require iron extraction to produce iron-limited growth of Neisseria meningitidis (SDIC). Comparison of this medium to Mueller-Hinton broth and agar showed nearly identical growth rates and yields. The defined medium was used in batch cultures to determine the disappearance of iron from the medium and its uptake by cells. To avoid a number of problems inherent in batch culture, continuous culture, in which iron and dissolved oxygen were varied independently, was used. Most of the cellular iron was found to be nonheme and associated with the particulate fraction in sonically disrupted cells. Nonheme and catalase-heme iron were reduced by iron starvation far more than cytochromes b and c and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylphenylenediamine-oxidase. The respiration rate and efficiency also decreased under iron limitation, whereas generation times increased. The iron-starved meningococcus took up iron by an energy-independent system operating in the first minute after an iron pulse and a slower energy-dependent system inhibited by respiratory poisons and an uncoupler. The energy-dependent system showed saturation kinetics and was stimulated nearly fourfold by iron privation. In addition, to determine the availability to the meningococcus of the iron in selected compounds, a sensitive assay was devised in which an iron-limited continuous culture was pulsed with the iron-containing compound. PMID:101516

Implementing the Affordable Care Act: Revisiting the ACA's Essential Health Benefits Requirements.

PubMed

Giovannelli, Justin; Lucia, Kevin W; Corlette, Sabrina

2014-10-01

The Affordable Care Act broadens and strengthens the health insurance benefits available to consumers by requiring insurers to provide coverage of a minimum set of medical services known as "essential health benefits." Federal officials implemented this reform using transitional policies that left many important decisions to the states, while pledging to reassess that approach in time for the 2016 coverage year. This issue brief examines how states have exercised their options under the initial federal essential health benefits framework. We find significant variation in how states have developed their essential health benefits packages, including their approaches to benefit substitution and coverage of habilitative services. Federal regulators should use insurance company data describing enrollees' experiences with their coverage--information called for under the law's delayed transparency requirements--to determine whether states' differing strategies are producing the coverage improvements promised by reform.

75 FR 76573 - Swap Data Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

..., counterparties verify the primary or essential economic terms of their swap with each other in some fashion... Omissions in Previously Reported Data Appendix 1 to Part 45--Tables of Minimum Primary Economic Terms Data..., as a response to the global economic crisis, the G-20 met in Washington. In September 2009, G-20...

Organization for Direction and Coordination of Occupational Education. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheldon, M. Stephen; And Others

A study was conducted to identify the minimum mangagement essentials necessary for the effective administration of occupational education (OE) programs in community colleges and to make recommendations to implement the findings. A four-round Delphi process with 179 experts participating was used. Forty-nine items were identified as being essential…

A Shack Interferometer Setup for Optical Testing in Undergraduate Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vannoni, Maurizio; Righini, Alberto; Salas, Matias; Sordini, Andrea; Vanzi, Leonardo

2012-01-01

The Shack interferometer is a simple and effective device to test optical surfaces in reflection and optical systems in transmission. An essential setup on a reduced scale with a minimum number of components is presented, suited to gain familiarity and practice with optical testing in a laboratory course for undergraduate students. The basic…

Indian Manpower Resources in the Southwest: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Benjamin J.; O'Connor, Dennis J.

The Indian Manpower Resource Study (IMRS) was undertaken to provide basic information essential to the planning and development of effective programs to make use of the manpower resource of reservation Indians in Arizona and New Mexico. In the past, decision making has largely been undertaken with a minimum of valid information. The reservations…

Radiosensitization of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum using basil essential oil and ionizing radiation for food decontamination.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of basil oil, was determined for two pathogenic fungi of rice, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum. The antifungal activity of the basil oil in combination with ionising radiation was then investigated to determine if basil oil caused radiosensit...

48 CFR 811.105 - Items peculiar to one manufacturer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... meet the minimum requirements of VA (see FAR 11.105) or that a “brand name or equal” purchase... particular characteristic is essential to the Government's requirements. (ii) Explain why the “brand name or... whether restrictive specifications or “brand name or equal” purchase descriptions will be included in the...

78 FR 78255 - Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... amendments: PART 1--INCOME TAXES 0 Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended by correcting... final regulations provide guidance to individual taxpayers on the liability under section 5000A of the... clarification. List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1 Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements...

78 FR 17900 - Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-25

... program under title XIX of the Social Security Act, (3) the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP... program under title XIX of the Social Security Act; (3) the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP... qualified health plans in which the taxpayers or a member of the taxpayers family (coverage family) is...

78 FR 7348 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Exchange Functions: Eligibility for Exemptions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... se and those that may apply for recognition are neither group health insurance coverage nor.... 156.602) c. Requirements for Recognition as Minimum Essential Coverage for Coverage Not Otherwise... recognition that they meet the standards under section 5000A(d)(2)(B) of the Code. We also received...

K-3 Essential/Exit Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arizona State Dept. of Education, Phoenix.

Described in this document are the minimum competency requirements that Arizona students must master before they can leave third grade. These requirements were mandated by the K-3 Improvement Plan first implemented in the 1986-87 school year. The first section of the document, which discusses revision of the K-3 skills list, covers background…

78 FR 53646 - Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... disabled child who requires an institutional level of care (such as that provided in a nursing facility... because their income is too high. Children eligible for Medicaid under this option are entitled to the... eligibility to individuals with high medical expenses who would otherwise be eligible for Medicaid but for...

Safety and Tolerability of Essential Oil from Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume Leaves with Action on Oral Candidosis and Its Effect on the Physical Properties of the Acrylic Resin

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Julyana de Araújo; da Silva, Ingrid Carla Guedes; Trindade, Leonardo Antunes; Lima, Edeltrudes Oliveira; Carlo, Hugo Lemes; Cavalcanti, Alessandro Leite; de Castro, Ricardo Dias

2014-01-01

The anti-Candida activity of essential oil from Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume, as well as its effect on the roughness and hardness of the acrylic resin used in dental prostheses, was assessed. The safety and tolerability of the test product were assessed through a phase I clinical trial involving users of removable dentures. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC) were determined against twelve Candida strains. Acrylic resin specimens were exposed to artificial saliva (GI), C. zeylanicum (GII), and nystatin (GIII) for 15 days. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey posttest (α = 5%). For the phase I clinical trial, 15 healthy patients used solution of C. zeylanicum at MIC (15 days, 3 times a day) and were submitted to clinical and mycological examinations. C. zeylanicum showed anti-Candida activity, with MIC = 625.0 µg/mL being equivalent to MFC. Nystatin caused greater increase in roughness and decreased the hardness of the material (P < 0.0001), with no significant differences between GI and GII. As regards the clinical trial, no adverse clinical signs were observed after intervention. The substance tested had a satisfactory level of safety and tolerability, supporting new advances involving the clinical use of essential oil from C. zeylanicum. PMID:25574178

Effect of essential oils prepared from Thai culinary herbs on sessile Candida albicans cultures.

PubMed

Hovijitra, Ray S; Choonharuangdej, Suwan; Srithavaj, Theerathavaj

2016-01-01

Although medicinal herbs with fungicidal effects have been ubiquitously employed in traditional medicine, such effects of culinary herbs and spices still have to be elucidated. Therefore, it is noteworthy to determine the antifungal efficacy of some edible herbs used in Thai cuisine against sessile Candida albicans cultures, and to inquire if they can be further utilized as naturally-derived antifungals. Fourteen essential oils extracted from Thai culinary herbs and spices were tested for their antifungal activity against C. albicans using the agar disk diffusion method followed by broth micro-dilution method for the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration. The oils with potent antifungal effects against planktonic fungi were then assessed for their effect against sessile fungus (adherent organisms and established biofilm culture). MIC of the oils against sessile C. albicans was evaluated by 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide reduction assay. All selected culinary herbs and spices, except galangal, garlic, and turmeric, exhibited inhibitory effects on planktonic yeast cells. Cinnamon bark and sweet basil leaf essential oils exhibited potent fungicidal effect on planktonic and sessile fungus. Sessile MICs were 8-16 times higher than planktonic MICs. Consequently, both cinnamon bark and sweet basil leaf herbal oils seem to be highly effective anti-Candida choices. (J Oral Sci 58, 365-371, 2016).

Short communication: Cheese supplemented with Thymus algeriensis oil, a potential natural food preservative.

PubMed

Bukvicki, Danka; Giweli, Abdulhmid; Stojkovic, Dejan; Vujisic, Ljubodrag; Tesevic, Vele; Nikolic, Milos; Sokovic, Marina; Marin, Petar D

2018-05-01

The essential oil of Thymus algeriensis was analyzed as a potential preservative in soft cheese. We developed a novel method to test the preserving properties of essential oil in soft cheese. Contamination incidence of Penicillium aurantiogriseum was absent after 30 d of storage at 4°C with 25 µL of essential oil added. The antimicrobial activity was tested against 8 bacteria and 8 fungi. Thymus algeriensis oil showed inhibitory activity against tested bacteria at 0.03 to 0.09 mg/mL, and bactericidal activity was achieved at 0.05 to 0.15 mg/mL. For antifungal activity, minimum inhibitory concentrations ranged between 0.01 and 0.04 mg/mL and minimum fungicidal concentrations between 0.01 and 0.04 mg/mL. Furthermore, the oil was also screened for antiradical activity using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay. The results showed that the oil was active and achieved half-maximal inhibitory activity at 0.132 mg/mL. We used gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry to investigate the volatile compounds from the oil. Carvacrol was identified as the main compound in the oil, represented by 80.9% of the total constituents, followed by p-cymene (7.7%). Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tolerance response of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica strains to habituation to Origanum vulgare L. essential oil

PubMed Central

Monte, Daniel F. M.; Tavares, Adassa G.; Albuquerque, Allan R.; Sampaio, Fábio C.; Oliveira, Tereza C. R. M.; Franco, Octavio L.; Souza, Evandro L.; Magnani, Marciane

2014-01-01

Multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica isolates from human outbreaks or from poultry origin were investigated for their ability to develop direct-tolerance or cross-tolerance to sodium chloride, potassium chloride, lactic acid, acetic acid, and ciprofloxacin after habituation in subinhibitory amounts ( of the minimum inhibitory concentration – (MIC) and of the minimum inhibitory concentration – MIC) of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil (OVEO) at different time intervals. The habituation of S. enterica to OVEO did not induce direct-tolerance or cross-tolerance in the tested strains, as assessed by the modulation of MIC values. However, cells habituated to OVEO maintained or increased susceptibility to the tested antimicrobials agents, with up to fourfold double dilution decrease from previously determined MIC values. This study reports for the first time the non-inductive effect of OVEO on the acquisition of direct-tolerance or cross-tolerance in multidrug-resistant S. enterica strains to antimicrobial agents that are largely used in food preservation, as well as to CIP, the therapeutic drug of salmonellosis. PMID:25566231

Fine structure of transient waves in a random medium: The correlation and spectral density functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wenzel, Alan R.

1994-01-01

This is essentially a progress report on a theoretical investigation of the propagation of transient waves in a random medium. The emphasis in this study is on applications to sonic-boom propagation, particularly as regards the effect of atmospheric turbulence on the sonic-boom waveform. The analysis is general, however, and is applicable to other types of waves besides sonic-boom waves. The phenomenon of primary concern in this investigation is the fine structure of the wave. A figure is used to illustrate what is meant by finestructure.

Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Artemisia herba-alba Asso., Pelargonium capitatum × radens and Laurus nobilis L.

PubMed Central

Rafiq, Ragina; Hayek, Saeed A.; Anyanwu, Ugochukwu; Hardy, Bonita I.; Giddings, Valerie L.; Ibrahim, Salam A.; Tahergorabi, Reza; Kang, Hye Won

2016-01-01

Essential oils are natural antimicrobials that have the potential to provide a safer alternative to synthetic antimicrobials currently used in the food industry. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oils from white wormwood, rose-scented geranium and bay laurel against Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh produce and to examine consumer acceptability of fresh produce treated with these essential oils. Our results showed that essential oil derived from rose-scented geranium exhibited the most effective antimicrobial activity at the same and similar minimum inhibition concentration levels (0.4%, v/v and 0.4% and 0.5%, v/v) respectively against Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7. All three essential oils showed antioxidant properties, with the highest activity occurring in bay laurel essential oil. In a sensory test, tomatoes, cantaloupe and spinach sprayed with 0.4% rose-scented geranium essential oil received higher scores by panelists. In conclusion, rose-scented geranium essential oil could be developed into a natural antimicrobial to prevent contamination of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in fresh produce, plus this oil would provide additional health benefits due to the antioxidant properties of its residue. PMID:28231123

Influence of essential oil of Hyssopus officinalis on the chemical composition of the walls of Aspergillus fumigatus (Fresenius).

PubMed

Ghfir, B; Fonvieille, J L; Dargent, R

1997-07-01

The cell walls of the growing hyphae of Aspergillus fumigatus (Fresenius) cultured in the presence or absence of the essential oil of Hyssopus officinalis were isolated and their chemical composition analysed. The presence of the essential oil led to a reduction in levels of neutral sugars, uronic acid and proteins, whereas amino sugars, lipids and phosphorus levels were increased. HPLC analysis of the neutral sugars showed that they consisted mainly of glucose, mannose and galactose, while the amino sugars consisted of glucosamine and galactosamine. The presence of the essential oil in the culture medium induced marked changes in the content of galactose and galactosamine. Cell walls were fractionated by treatment with alkali and acid. The essential oil induced similar alterations in the various fractions with a more marked effect on the major constituents. The alterations were related to changes in the structure of the cells.

Genome-wide essential gene identification in Streptococcus sanguinis

PubMed Central

Xu, Ping; Ge, Xiuchun; Chen, Lei; Wang, Xiaojing; Dou, Yuetan; Xu, Jerry Z.; Patel, Jenishkumar R.; Stone, Victoria; Trinh, My; Evans, Karra; Kitten, Todd; Bonchev, Danail; Buck, Gregory A.

2011-01-01

A clear perception of gene essentiality in bacterial pathogens is pivotal for identifying drug targets to combat emergence of new pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, for synthetic biology, and for understanding the origins of life. We have constructed a comprehensive set of deletion mutants and systematically identified a clearly defined set of essential genes for Streptococcus sanguinis. Our results were confirmed by growing S. sanguinis in minimal medium and by double-knockout of paralogous or isozyme genes. Careful examination revealed that these essential genes were associated with only three basic categories of biological functions: maintenance of the cell envelope, energy production, and processing of genetic information. Our finding was subsequently validated in two other pathogenic streptococcal species, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mutans and in two other gram-positive pathogens, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Our analysis has thus led to a simplified model that permits reliable prediction of gene essentiality. PMID:22355642

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS notice of benefit and payment parameters for 2016. Final rule.

PubMed

2015-02-27

This final rule sets forth payment parameters and provisions related to the risk adjustment, reinsurance, and risk corridors programs; cost sharing parameters and cost-sharing reductions; and user fees for Federally-facilitated Exchanges. It also finalizes additional standards for the individual market annual open enrollment period for the 2016 benefit year, essential health benefits, qualified health plans, network adequacy, quality improvement strategies, the Small Business Health Options Program, guaranteed availability, guaranteed renewability, minimum essential coverage, the rate review program, the medical loss ratio program, and other related topics.

Antifungal and Antiochratoxigenic Activities of Essential Oils and Total Phenolic Extracts: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

EL Khoury, Rachelle; Atoui, Ali; Mathieu, Florence; Kawtharani, Hiba; EL Khoury, Anthony; Maroun, Richard G.; EL Khoury, Andre

2017-01-01

This study is intended to prevent ochratoxin A (OTA) production by Aspergillus carbonarius S402 using essential oils (EOs) and total phenolic compounds extracted from plants and herbs. The EOs used in this study are the following: bay leaves, cumin, fenugreek, melissa, mint, and sage. As for the phenolic compounds, they were extracted from bay leaves, cumin, fenugreek, melissa, mint, sage, anise, chamomile, fennel, rosemary, and thyme. The experiments were conducted on Synthetic Grape Medium (SGM) medium at 28 °C for 4 days. OTA was extracted from the medium with methanol and quantified using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). Results showed that EOs had a greater impact than the total phenolic extracts on the OTA production. Reduction levels ranged between 25% (sage) and 80% (melissa) for the EOs at 5 µL mL−1, and 13% (thyme) and 69% (mint) for the phenolic extracts. Although they did not affect the growth of A. carbonarius, total phenolic extracts and EOs were capable of partially reducing OTA production. Reduction levels depended on the nature of the plants and the concentration of the EOs. Reducing OTA with natural extracts could be a solution to prevent OTA production without altering the fungal growth, thus preserving the natural microbial balance. PMID:28698493

In vitro investigation of antimicrobial activities of ethnomedicinal plants against dental caries pathogens.

PubMed

Besra, Mamta; Kumar, Vipin

2018-05-01

The study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plant extracts against the bacterial pathogens prominent in dental caries. A total of 20 plant species (herbs, shrubs and trees) belonging to 18 genera and 15 families were documented for dental caries. Antimicrobial activity of solvent extracts and essential oil from plants were determined by zone of inhibition on the growth of Streptococcus mutans (MTCC 497) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (MTCC 10307) using the agar well diffusion method. The results of in vitro antimicrobial assay prove that methanol is more successful in the extraction of phytochemicals from plant samples than aqueous solvent, as methanol extracts show higher antimicrobial activity than aqueous extracts against both the test pathogens. Methanol extracts of Nigella sativa, Psidium guajava and Syzygium aromaticum were the most effective among all 20 plant samples and have potent inhibitory activity against both dental caries pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.2 mg mL - 1 . N. sativa seed methanol extract was more effective with 22.3 mm zone of inhibition at 0.2 mg mL - 1 against S. mutans (MTCC 497), while L. acidophilus (MTCC 10307) was more sensitive to S. aromaticum bud methanol extract at 11.3 mm zone of inhibition at concentration 0.1 mg mL - 1 . Essential oil extracted from plants also possesses strong antimicrobial activity for both test pathogens, with a minimum inhibitory concentration range of 0.05-0.16 mg mL - 1 . Syzygium aromaticum bud essential oil at 0.05 mg mL - 1 was most active against S. mutans (MTCC 497). Plant extracts viewing antimicrobial activity with minimum inhibitory concentration show the efficacy of the plant products that could be considered as a good indicator of prospective plants for discovering new antimicrobial agents against dental caries pathogens. The findings of this study provide a lead to further polyherbal formulations for the treatment of dental caries malaise.

Spectral factorization of wavefields and wave operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rickett, James Edward

Spectral factorization is the problem of finding a minimum-phase function with a given power spectrum. Minimum phase functions have the property that they are causal with a causal (stable) inverse. In this thesis, I factor multidimensional systems into their minimum-phase components. Helical boundary conditions resolve any ambiguities over causality, allowing me to factor multi-dimensional systems with conventional one-dimensional spectral factorization algorithms. In the first part, I factor passive seismic wavefields recorded in two-dimensional spatial arrays. The result provides an estimate of the acoustic impulse response of the medium that has higher bandwidth than autocorrelation-derived estimates. Also, the function's minimum-phase nature mimics the physics of the system better than the zero-phase autocorrelation model. I demonstrate this on helioseismic data recorded by the satellite-based Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) instrument, and shallow seismic data recorded at Long Beach, California. In the second part of this thesis, I take advantage of the stable-inverse property of minimum-phase functions to solve wave-equation partial differential equations. By factoring multi-dimensional finite-difference stencils into minimum-phase components, I can invert them efficiently, facilitating rapid implicit extrapolation without the azimuthal anisotropy that is observed with splitting approximations. The final part of this thesis describes how to calculate diagonal weighting functions that approximate the combined operation of seismic modeling and migration. These weighting functions capture the effects of irregular subsurface illumination, which can be the result of either the surface-recording geometry, or focusing and defocusing of the seismic wavefield as it propagates through the earth. Since they are diagonal, they can be easily both factored and inverted to compensate for uneven subsurface illumination in migrated images. Experimental results show that applying these weighting functions after migration leads to significantly improved estimates of seismic reflectivity.

Lyman-alpha observations in the vicinity of Saturn with Copernicus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, E.; Cazes, S.; Emerich, C.; Vidal-Madjar, A.; Owen, T.

1980-01-01

For the first time, high-resolution Ly-alpha observations of the Saturn vicinity were completed with the Princeton spectrometer on board the Copernicus satellite. They showed that near a minimum solar activity the emissions related to several sources are 250 + or - 50 rayleighs for the interplanetary medium in a near-downwind direction, less than 100 rayleighs for the rings, 200 + or - 100 rayleighs for a torus linked to the Titan orbit, and 1400 + or - 450 rayleighs for the disk of Saturn. These results induce some constraints through the corresponding theoretical evaluations: the B ring as the primary source of the atoms for the ring emissions; an efficient production mechanism for hydrogen atoms in the Titan torus; and a slightly larger eddy diffusion coefficient in the Saturn atmosphere than in the Jupiter atmosphere near solar minimum.

Colloid transport in saturated porous media: Elimination of attachment efficiency in a new colloid transport model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landkamer, Lee L.; Harvey, Ronald W.; Scheibe, Timothy D.; Ryan, Joseph N.

2013-01-01

A colloid transport model is introduced that is conceptually simple yet captures the essential features of colloid transport and retention in saturated porous media when colloid retention is dominated by the secondary minimum because an electrostatic barrier inhibits substantial deposition in the primary minimum. This model is based on conventional colloid filtration theory (CFT) but eliminates the empirical concept of attachment efficiency. The colloid deposition rate is computed directly from CFT by assuming all predicted interceptions of colloids by collectors result in at least temporary deposition in the secondary minimum. Also, a new paradigm for colloid re-entrainment based on colloid population heterogeneity is introduced. To accomplish this, the initial colloid population is divided into two fractions. One fraction, by virtue of physiochemical characteristics (e.g., size and charge), will always be re-entrained after capture in a secondary minimum. The remaining fraction of colloids, again as a result of physiochemical characteristics, will be retained “irreversibly” when captured by a secondary minimum. Assuming the dispersion coefficient can be estimated from tracer behavior, this model has only two fitting parameters: (1) the fraction of the initial colloid population that will be retained “irreversibly” upon interception by a secondary minimum, and (2) the rate at which reversibly retained colloids leave the secondary minimum. These two parameters were correlated to the depth of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) secondary energy minimum and pore-water velocity, two physical forces that influence colloid transport. Given this correlation, the model serves as a heuristic tool for exploring the influence of physical parameters such as surface potential and fluid velocity on colloid transport.

Can households earning minimum wage in Nova Scotia afford a nutritious diet?

PubMed

Williams, Patricia L; Johnson, Christine P; Kratzmann, Meredith L V; Johnson, C Shanthi Jacob; Anderson, Barbara J; Chenhall, Cathy

2006-01-01

To assess the affordability of a nutritious diet for households earning minimum wage in Nova Scotia. Food costing data were collected in 43 randomly selected grocery stores throughout NS in 2002 using the National Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB). To estimate the affordability of a nutritious diet for households earning minimum wage, average monthly costs for essential expenses were subtracted from overall income to see if enough money remained for the cost of the NNFB. This was calculated for three types of household: 1) two parents and two children; 2) lone parent and two children; and 3) single male. Calculations were also made for the proposed 2006 minimum wage increase with expenses adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The monthly cost of the NNFB priced in 2002 for the three types of household was 572.90 dollars, 351.68 dollars, and 198.73 dollars, respectively. Put into the context of basic living, these data showed that Nova Scotians relying on minimum wage could not afford to purchase a nutritious diet and meet their basic needs, placing their health at risk. These basic expenses do not include other routine costs, such as personal hygiene products, household and laundry cleaners, and prescriptions and costs associated with physical activity, education or savings for unexpected expenses. People working at minimum wage in Nova Scotia have not had adequate income to meet basic needs, including a nutritious diet. The 2006 increase in minimum wage to 7.15 dollars/hr is inadequate to ensure that Nova Scotians working at minimum wage are able to meet these basic needs. Wage increases and supplements, along with supports for expenses such as childcare and transportation, are indicated to address this public health problem.

In vitro antimicrobial activity and antagonistic effect of essential oils from plant species.

PubMed

Toroglu, Sevil

2007-07-01

Kahramanmaras, is a developing city located in the southern part of Turkey Thymus eigii (M. Zohary and RH. Davis) Jalas, Pinus nigraAm. sub sp pallasiana and Cupressus sempervirens L. are the useful plants of the Kahramanmaras province and have been understudy since 2004 for the traditional uses of plants empiric drug, spice, herbal tea industry herbal gum and fuel. The study was designed to examine the antimicrobial activities of essential oils of these plants by the disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods. In addition, antimicrobial activity of Thymus eigii was researched by effects when it was used together with antibiotics and even when it was combined with other essential oils. When the results of this study were compared with vancomycin (30 mcg) and erytromycin (15 mcg) standards, it was found that Thymus eigii essential oil was particularly found to possess strongerantimicrobial activity whereas other essential oils showed susceptible or moderate activity However, antimicrobial activity changed also by in vitro interactions between antibiotics and Thymus eigii essential oil, also between essential oils of these plants and that of Thymus eigii causing synergic, additive, antagonist effect.

Commercial Essential Oils as Potential Antimicrobials to Treat Skin Diseases

PubMed Central

Orchard, Ané

2017-01-01

Essential oils are one of the most notorious natural products used for medical purposes. Combined with their popular use in dermatology, their availability, and the development of antimicrobial resistance, commercial essential oils are often an option for therapy. At least 90 essential oils can be identified as being recommended for dermatological use, with at least 1500 combinations. This review explores the fundamental knowledge available on the antimicrobial properties against pathogens responsible for dermatological infections and compares the scientific evidence to what is recommended for use in common layman's literature. Also included is a review of combinations with other essential oils and antimicrobials. The minimum inhibitory concentration dilution method is the preferred means of determining antimicrobial activity. While dermatological skin pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus have been well studied, other pathogens such as Streptococcus pyogenes, Propionibacterium acnes, Haemophilus influenzae, and Brevibacterium species have been sorely neglected. Combination studies incorporating oil blends, as well as interactions with conventional antimicrobials, have shown that mostly synergy is reported. Very few viral studies of relevance to the skin have been made. Encouragement is made for further research into essential oil combinations with other essential oils, antimicrobials, and carrier oils. PMID:28546822

Interference and Mechanism of Dill Seed Essential Oil and Contribution of Carvone and Limonene in Preventing Sclerotinia Rot of Rapeseed.

PubMed

Ma, Bingxin; Ban, Xiaoquan; Huang, Bo; He, Jingsheng; Tian, Jun; Zeng, Hong; Chen, Yuxin; Wang, Youwei

2015-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of dill (Anethum graveolens L.) seed essential oil against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and its mechanism of action. The antifungal activities of the two main constituents, namely carvone and limonene, were also measured. Mycelial growth and sclerotial germination were thoroughly inhibited by dill seed essential oil at the 1.00 μL/mL under contact condition and 0.125μL/mL air under vapor condition. Carvone also contributed more than limonene in inhibiting the growth of S. sclerotiorum. Carvone and limonene synergistically inhibited the growth of the fungus. In vivo experiments, the essential oil remarkably suppressed S. sclerotiorum, and considerable morphological alterations were observed in the hyphae and sclerotia. Inhibition of ergosterol synthesis, malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase activities, and external medium acidification were investigated to elucidate the antifungal mechanism of the essential oil. The seed essential oil of A. graveolens can be extensively used in agriculture for preventing the oilseed crops fungal disease.

Economic evaluation of flying-qualities design criteria for a transport configured with relaxed static stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sliwa, S. M.

1980-01-01

Direct constrained parameter optimization was used to optimally size a medium range transport for minimum direct operating cost. Several stability and control constraints were varied to study the sensitivity of the configuration to specifying the unaugmented flying qualities of transports designed to take maximum advantage of relaxed static stability augmentation systems. Additionally, a number of handling qualities related design constants were studied with respect to their impact on the design.

Scheduling a Medium-Sized Manufacturing Shop: A Simulation Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

distinction, elements of work order data include: the minimum machine type required for a work order, as well as the prgramming , set-up, and machining... prevent this from happening. Such a mechanism could take the form of a reprioritization function that is executed after a specified period of time...system for a very long time unless some mechanism is used to prevent this from happening. The jobs left in the system will be the ones that have very

Sensitivity Enhancement of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides/Silicon Nanostructure-based Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor

PubMed Central

Ouyang, Qingling; Zeng, Shuwen; Jiang, Li; Hong, Liying; Xu, Gaixia; Dinh, Xuan-Quyen; Qian, Jun; He, Sailing; Qu, Junle; Coquet, Philippe; Yong, Ken-Tye

2016-01-01

In this work, we designed a sensitivity-enhanced surface plasmon resonance biosensor structure based on silicon nanosheet and two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. This configuration contains six components: SF10 triangular prism, gold thin film, silicon nanosheet, two-dimensional MoS2/MoSe2/WS2/WSe2 (defined as MX2) layers, biomolecular analyte layer and sensing medium. The minimum reflectivity, sensitivity as well as the Full Width at Half Maximum of SPR curve are systematically examined by using Fresnel equations and the transfer matrix method in the visible and near infrared wavelength range (600 nm to 1024 nm). The variation of the minimum reflectivity and the change in resonance angle as the function of the number of MX2 layers are presented respectively. The results show that silicon nanosheet and MX2 layers can be served as effective light absorption medium. Under resonance conditions, the electrons in these additional dielectric layers can be transferred to the surface of gold thin film. All silicon-MX2 enhanced sensing models show much better performance than that of the conventional sensing scheme where pure Au thin film is used, the highest sensitivity can be achieved by employing 600 nm excitation light wavelength with 35 nm gold thin film and 7 nm thickness silicon nanosheet coated with monolayer WS2. PMID:27305974

Isolation by different processes and in vitro bioactivities of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thanh, Tran Truc; Lan, Lao Xuan; Thu, Huynh; Tam, Nguyen Kim Minh

2017-09-01

Essential oil of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L) was solvent-free microwave extracted and analysed by GC/MS. 36 compounds were identified, and the main constituents of the oil included 1,8-cineole (16.87%), camphor (24.12%), α-pinene (11.04%), β-pinene (5,51%) etc,… The results demonstrate that rosemary essential oil exhibited free radical scavenging activity against DPPH with IC50 = 472.46 µg/ml. Rosemary oil has also been proven effective against all of examined pathogens except P. aeruginosa. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was 8 µl/ml for Salmonella typhimurium and 4 µl/ml for the other four studied strains (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Escherichia coli). These results will open new venues for rosemary oil medical use.

Headspace single drop microextraction coupled with microwave extraction of essential oil from plant materials.

PubMed

Zhai, Yujuan; Sun, Shuo; Wang, Ziming; Zhang, Yupu; Liu, He; Sun, Ye; Zhang, Hanqi; Yu, Aimin

2011-05-01

Headspace single drop microextraction (HS-SDME) coupled with microwave extraction (ME) was developed and applied to the extraction of the essential oil from dried Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. et Perry and Cuminum cyminum L. The operational parameters, such as microdrop volume, microwave absorption medium (MAM), extraction time, and microwave power were optimized. Ten microliters of decane was used as the microextraction solvent. Ionic liquid and carbonyl iron powder were used as MAM. The extraction time was less than 7 min at the microwave power of 440 W. The proposed method was compared with hydrodistillation (HD). There were no obvious differences in the constituents of essential oils obtained by the two methods.

High-resolution imaging of living mammalian cells bound by nanobeads-connected antibodies in a medium using scanning electron-assisted dielectric microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okada, Tomoko; Ogura, Toshihiko

2017-02-01

Nanometre-scale-resolution imaging technologies for liquid-phase specimens are indispensable tools in various scientific fields. In biology, observing untreated living cells in a medium is essential for analysing cellular functions. However, nanoparticles that bind living cells in a medium are hard to detect directly using traditional optical or electron microscopy. Therefore, we previously developed a novel scanning electron-assisted dielectric microscope (SE-ADM) capable of nanoscale observations. This method enables observation of intact cells in aqueous conditions. Here, we use this SE-ADM system to clearly observe antibody-binding nanobeads in liquid-phase. We also report the successful direct detection of streptavidin-conjugated nanobeads binding to untreated cells in a medium via a biotin-conjugated anti-CD44 antibody. Our system is capable of obtaining clear images of cellular organelles and beads on the cells at the same time. The direct observation of living cells with nanoparticles in a medium allowed by our system may contribute the development of carriers for drug delivery systems (DDS).

Systematic development and optimization of chemically defined medium supporting high cell density growth of Bacillus coagulans.

PubMed

Chen, Yu; Dong, Fengqing; Wang, Yonghong

2016-09-01

With determined components and experimental reducibility, the chemically defined medium (CDM) and the minimal chemically defined medium (MCDM) are used in many metabolism and regulation studies. This research aimed to develop the chemically defined medium supporting high cell density growth of Bacillus coagulans, which is a promising producer of lactic acid and other bio-chemicals. In this study, a systematic methodology combining the experimental technique with flux balance analysis (FBA) was proposed to design and simplify a CDM. The single omission technique and single addition technique were employed to determine the essential and stimulatory compounds, before the optimization of their concentrations by the statistical method. In addition, to improve the growth rationally, in silico omission and addition were performed by FBA based on the construction of a medium-size metabolic model of B. coagulans 36D1. Thus, CDMs were developed to obtain considerable biomass production of at least five B. coagulans strains, in which two model strains B. coagulans 36D1 and ATCC 7050 were involved.

Simultaneous elastic parameter inversion in 2-D/3-D TTI medium combined later arrival times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Chao-ying; Wang, Tao; Yang, Shang-bei; Li, Xing-wang; Huang, Guo-jiao

2016-04-01

Traditional traveltime inversion for anisotropic medium is, in general, based on a "weak" assumption in the anisotropic property, which simplifies both the forward part (ray tracing is performed once only) and the inversion part (a linear inversion solver is possible). But for some real applications, a general (both "weak" and "strong") anisotropic medium should be considered. In such cases, one has to develop a ray tracing algorithm to handle with the general (including "strong") anisotropic medium and also to design a non-linear inversion solver for later tomography. Meanwhile, it is constructive to investigate how much the tomographic resolution can be improved by introducing the later arrivals. For this motivation, we incorporated our newly developed ray tracing algorithm (multistage irregular shortest-path method) for general anisotropic media with a non-linear inversion solver (a damped minimum norm, constrained least squares problem with a conjugate gradient approach) to formulate a non-linear inversion solver for anisotropic medium. This anisotropic traveltime inversion procedure is able to combine the later (reflected) arrival times. Both 2-D/3-D synthetic inversion experiments and comparison tests show that (1) the proposed anisotropic traveltime inversion scheme is able to recover the high contrast anomalies and (2) it is possible to improve the tomographic resolution by introducing the later (reflected) arrivals, but not as expected in the isotropic medium, because the different velocity (qP, qSV and qSH) sensitivities (or derivatives) respective to the different elastic parameters are not the same but are also dependent on the inclination angle.

Chemical Composition of Juniperus communis L. Cone Essential Oil and Its Variability among Wild Populations in Kosovo.

PubMed

Hajdari, Avni; Mustafa, Behxhet; Nebija, Dashnor; Miftari, Elheme; Quave, Cassandra L; Novak, Johannes

2015-11-01

Ripe cones of Juniperus communis L. (Cupressaceae) were collected from five wild populations in Kosovo, with the aim of investigating the chemical composition and natural variation of essential oils between and within wild populations. Ripe cones were collected, air dried, crushed, and the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation. The essential-oil constituents were identified by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The yield of essential oil differed depending on the population origins and ranged from 0.4 to 3.8% (v/w, based on the dry weight). In total, 42 compounds were identified in the essential oils of all populations. The principal components of the cone-essential oils were α-pinene, followed by β-myrcene, sabinene, and D-limonene. Taking into consideration the yield and chemical composition, the essential oil originating from various collection sites in Kosovo fulfilled the minimum requirements for J. communis essential oils of the European Pharmacopoeia. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to determine the influence of the geographical variations on the essential-oil composition. These statistical analyses suggested that the clustering of populations was not related to their geographic location, but rather appeared to be linked to local selective forces acting on the chemotype diversity. Copyright © 2015 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

5,5'-Dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) as a probe for a non-essential cysteine residue at the medium chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase binding site of the human 'electron transferring flavoprotein' (ETF).

PubMed

Parker, A; Engel, P C

1999-01-01

Human 'electron transferring flavoprotein' (ETF) was inactivated by the thiol-specific reagent 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB). The kinetic profile showed the reaction followed pseudo-first-order kinetics during the initial phase of inactivation. Monitoring the release of 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoate (TNB) showed that modification of 1 cysteine residue was responsible for the loss of activity. The inactivation of ETF by DTNB could be reversed upon incubation with thiol-containing reagents. The loss of activity was prevented by the inclusion of medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) and octanoyl-CoA. Cyanolysis of the DTNB modified-ETF with KCN led to the release of TNB accompanied presumably by the formation of the thio-cyano enzyme and with almost full recovery of activity. Conservation studies and the lack of 100% inactivation, however, suggested that this cysteine residue is not essential for the interaction with MCAD.

Chemical composition, antimicrobial properties and toxicity evaluation of the essential oil of Cupressus lusitanica Mill. leaves from Cameroon.

PubMed

Teke, Gerald Ngo; Elisée, Kemadjou Nana; Roger, Kuiate Jules

2013-06-13

The leaves of Cupressus lusitanica Mill. are used in the western highlands of Cameroon for their medicinal property. The leaves of this species were collected in the West Region of Cameroon in August 2010 and subjected to hydrodistillation to obtain the essential oil. The oil was fractionated using adsorption column chromatography. The chemical composition of this oil and its fractions was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oil and fractions were tested for antimicrobial activity against eight bacterial species and six species of Candida by the agar diffusion method. Macrodilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal and/or fungicidal concentrations (MBCs and MFCs). The toxicity profile of the oil was studied using Swiss mice and Wistar albino rats. Forty-nine compounds were identified in the essential oil. The main components were germacrene D (18.5%), epi-zonarene (8.2%), cis-calamenene (8.2%), terpinen-4-ol (6.3%), linalool (6.0%) and umbellulone (6.0%). Enterococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis and Candida albicans were most susceptible to the oil (MICs of 1.25 and 0.16% for bacteria and fungi respectively). The estimated oral LD50 was 6.33 g/kg. There was an increase in sera ALT and AST activities while the blood cells and protein levels decreased in treated animals. The results obtained from this study support the ethnomedicinal use of C. lusitanica leaf oil in the treatment of whooping cough and skin infections though it should be used with care. This plant oil could be useful in the standardisation of phytomedicine.

Investigations of kanuka and manuka essential oils for in vitro treatment of disease and cellular inflammation caused by infectious microorganisms.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Chia; Yan, Sui-Hing; Yen, Muh-Yong; Wu, Pei-Fang; Liao, Wei-Ting; Huang, Tsi-Shu; Wen, Zhi-Hong; David Wang, Hui-Min

2016-02-01

Diseases caused by infectious and inflammatory microorganisms are among the most common and most severe nosocomial diseases worldwide. Therefore, developing effective agents for treating these illnesses is critical. In this study, essential oils from two tea tree species, kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) and manuka (Leptospermum scoparium), were evaluated for use in treating diseases and inflammation caused by microorganism infection. Isolates of clinically common bacteria and fungi were obtained from American Type Culture Collection and from Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital. Minimum inhibitory concentrations for Trichosporon mucoides, Malassezia furfur, Candida albicans, and Candida tropicalis were determined by the broth microdilution method with Sabouraud dextrose broth. The antibacterial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sobrinus, Streptococcus mutans, and Escherichia coli were determined by the broth microdilution method. A human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1) was cultured to test the effects of the essential oils on the release of the two inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-4. Multiple analyses of microorganism growth confirmed that both essential oils significantly inhibited four fungi and the four bacteria. The potent fungicidal properties of the oils were confirmed by minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.78% to 3.13%. The oils also showed excellent bactericidal qualities with 100% inhibition of the examined bacteria. In THP-1 cells, both oils lowered tumor necrosis factor-α released after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Finally, the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects of the oils were obtained without adversely affecting the immune system. These results indicate that the potent antimicroorganism and anti-inflammation properties of kanuka and manuka essential oils make them strong candidates for use in treating infections and immune-related disease. The data confirm the potential use of kanuka and manuka extracts as pharmaceutical antibiotics, medical cosmetology agents, and food supplements. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

45 CFR 155.320 - Verification of eligibility for minimum essential coverage other than through an eligible...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... subchapter, the disclosure to HHS of information regarding eligibility for and enrollment in a health plan, which may be considered protected health information, as that term is defined in § 160.103 of this... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS EXCHANGE ESTABLISHMENT...

26 CFR 1.6055-1 - Information reporting for minimum essential coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... section. (2) Affordable Care Act. The term Affordable Care Act refers to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148 (124 Stat. 119 (2010)), and the Health Care and Education...(a) of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18021(a)). (10) Reporting entity. A reporting entity is any...

49 CFR 178.965 - Drop test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... Water/anti-freeze solutions with a minimum specific gravity of 0.95 for testing at −18 °C (0 °F) or... of 0.45 cubic meters (15.9 cubic feet) or less must be subject to an additional drop test. (e) Drop... having essentially the same physical characteristics. (3) The specific gravity and viscosity of a...

49 CFR 178.965 - Drop test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.... Water/anti-freeze solutions with a minimum specific gravity of 0.95 for testing at −18 °C (0 °F) or... of 0.45 cubic meters (15.9 cubic feet) or less must be subject to an additional drop test. (e) Drop... having essentially the same physical characteristics. (3) The specific gravity and viscosity of a...

49 CFR 178.810 - Drop test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... solutions with a minimum specific gravity of 0.95 for testing at −18 °C (0 °F) or lower are considered... with a capacity of 0.45 cubic meters (15.9 cubic feet) or less must be subject to an additional drop... material having essentially the same physical characteristics. (3) The specific gravity and viscosity of a...

49 CFR 178.810 - Drop test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... solutions with a minimum specific gravity of 0.95 for testing at −18 °C (0 °F) or lower are considered... with a capacity of 0.45 cubic meters (15.9 cubic feet) or less must be subject to an additional drop... material having essentially the same physical characteristics. (3) The specific gravity and viscosity of a...

49 CFR 178.965 - Drop test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

.... Water/anti-freeze solutions with a minimum specific gravity of 0.95 for testing at −18 °C (0 °F) or... of 0.45 cubic meters (15.9 cubic feet) or less must be subject to an additional drop test. (e) Drop... having essentially the same physical characteristics. (3) The specific gravity and viscosity of a...

49 CFR 178.810 - Drop test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... solutions with a minimum specific gravity of 0.95 for testing at −18 °C (0 °F) or lower are considered... with a capacity of 0.45 cubic meters (15.9 cubic feet) or less must be subject to an additional drop... material having essentially the same physical characteristics. (3) The specific gravity and viscosity of a...

Uptake of CeO2 nanoparticles and its effect on growth of Medicago arborea In vitro plantlets.

PubMed

Gomez-Garay, Aranzazu; Pintos, Beatriz; Manzanera, Jose Antonio; Lobo, Carmen; Villalobos, Nieves; Martín, Luisa

2014-10-01

The present study analyzes some effects of nano-CeO2 particles on the growth of in vitro plantlets of Medicago arborea when the nanoceria was added to the culture medium. Various concentrations of nano-CeO2 and bulk ceric oxide particles in suspension form were introduced to the agar culture medium to compare the effects of nanoceria versus ceric oxide bulk material. Germination rate and shoot dry weight were not affected by the addition of ceric oxide to the culture media. Furthermore, no effects were observed on chlorophyll content (single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) measurements) due to the presence of either nano- or micro-CeO2 in the culture medium. When low concentrations of nanoceria were added to the medium, the number of trifoliate leaves and the root length increased but the root dry weight decreased. Also the values of maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (F(v)/F m) showed a significant decrease. Dark-adapted minimum fluorescence (F 0) significantly increased in the presence of 200 mg L(-1) nanoceria and 400 mg L(-1) bulk material. Root tissues were more sensitive to nanoceria than were the shoots at lower concentrations of nanoceria. A stress effect was observed on M. arborea plantlets due to cerium uptake.

Scattering and extinction by spherical particles immersed in an absorbing host medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishchenko, Michael I.; Dlugach, Janna M.

2018-05-01

Many applications of electromagnetic scattering involve particles immersed in an absorbing rather than lossless medium, thereby making the conventional scattering theory potentially inapplicable. To analyze this issue quantitatively, we employ the FORTRAN program developed recently on the basis of the first-principles electromagnetic theory to study far-field scattering by spherical particles embedded in an absorbing infinite host medium. We further examine the phenomenon of negative extinction identified recently for monodisperse spheres and uncover additional evidence in favor of its interference origin. We identify the main effects of increasing the width of the size distribution on the ensemble-averaged extinction efficiency factor and show that negative extinction can be eradicated by averaging over a very narrow size distribution. We also analyze, for the first time, the effects of absorption inside the host medium and ensemble averaging on the phase function and other elements of the Stokes scattering matrix. It is shown in particular that increasing absorption significantly suppresses the interference structure and can result in a dramatic expansion of the areas of positive polarization. Furthermore, the phase functions computed for larger effective size parameters can develop a very deep minimum at side-scattering angles bracketed by a strong diffraction peak in the forward direction and a pronounced backscattering maximum.

Statistical Comparison of Anomalous Cosmic Rays and Galactic Cosmic Rays during the Recently Consecutive Unusual Solar Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, L.; Zhang, H.

2014-12-01

Anomalous cosmic rays (ACRs) carry crucial information on the coupling between solar wind and interstellar medium, as well as cosmic ray modulation within the heliosphere. Due to the distinct origins and modulation processes, the spectra and abundance of ACRs are significantly different from that of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). Since the launch of NASA's ACE spacecraft in 1997, its CRIS and SIS instruments have continuously recorded GCR and ACR intensities of several elemental heavy-ions, spanning the whole cycle 23 and the cycle 24 maximum. Here we present a statistical comparison of ACR and GCR observed by ACE spacecraft and their possible relation to solar activity. While the differential flux of ACR also exhibits apparent anti-correlation with solar activity level, the flux of the latest prolonged solar minimum (year 2009) is approximately 5% lower than its previous solar minimum (year 1997). And the minimal level of ACR flux appears in year 2004, instead of year 2001 with the strongest solar activities. The negative indexes of the power law spectra within the energy range from 5 to 30 MeV/nuc also vary with time. The spectra get harder during the solar minimum but softer during the solar maximum. The approaching solar minimum of cycle 24 is believed to resemble the Dalton or Gleissberg Minimum with extremely low solar activity (Zolotova and Ponyavin, 2014). Therefore, the different characteristics of ACRs between the coming solar minimum and the previous minimum are also of great interest. Finally, we will also discuss the possible solar-modulation processes which is responsible for different modulation of ACR and GCR, especially the roles played by diffusion and drifts. The comparative analysis will provide valuable insights into the physical modulation process within the heliosphere under opposite solar polarity and variable solar activity levels.

Chemical Composition, Antibacterial Properties and Mechanism of Action of Essential Oil from Clove Buds against Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Xu, Jian-Guo; Liu, Ting; Hu, Qing-Ping; Cao, Xin-Ming

2016-09-08

The essential oil of clove has a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities and is widely used in the medicine, fragrance and flavoring industries. In this work, 22 components of the essential oil obtained from clove buds were identified. Eugenol was the major component (76.23%). The essential oil exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.625 mg/mL, and the antibacterial effects depended on its concentration and action time. Kill-time assays also confirmed the essential oil had a significant effect on the growth rate of surviving S. aureus. We hypothesized that the essential oil may interact with the cell wall and membrane first. On the one hand it destroys cell wall and membranes, next causing the losses of vital intracellular materials, which finally result in the bacterial death. Besides, essential oil penetrates to the cytoplasmic membrane or enters inside the cell after destruction of cell structure, and then inhibits the normal synthesis of DNA and proteins that are required for bacterial growth. These results suggested that the effects of the clove essential oil on the growth inhibition of S. aureus may be at the molecular level rather than only physical damage.

Study of Local Herb Potency as Rumen Modifier: The Effect of Red Ginger (Zingiber officinale Var.Rubrum) on Parameters of Ruminal Fermentation In Vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniawati, A.; Widodo; Artama, W. T.; Yusiati, L. M.

2018-02-01

Essential oil is one of rumen modifier alternatives due to its antimicrobial property. Red ginger is one of local herbs with high essential oil content. The effect of red ginger on rumen fermentation parameters was studied in this research using in vitro gas production method. Five level of red ginger meal was added to the diet to meet final essential oil concentration in fermentation medium of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/L. Substrate of fermentation as microbial feed composed of Penisetum hybride, rice bran, and wheat pollard in ratio 60:20:20 DM basis. Fermentation was carried out for 24 h at 39°C. Total gas production was measured at the end of incubation and sample for methane analysis was taken. Medium sample was taken for analysis of pH, ammonium and VFA concentration, microbial protein and protozoa number. Data showed that addition of red ginger in the diet did not affect the pH, ammonia and VFA concentration, microbial protein and also protozoa number. However, red ginger addition significantly decrease ammonia concentration in all treatment. It could be concluded that addition of red ginger in the diet reduced degradation protein in the rumen as illustrated in lower ammonia concentration.

Comparative efficacy of microwave, visible light and ultrasound irradiation for green synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones in fruit juice medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramanik, Tanay; Padan, Simarjit Kaur; Gupta, Richa; Bedi, Pooja; Singh, Gurinderpal

2017-07-01

Dihydropyrimidinones (DHPM) were synthesized via multi component condensation reaction employing urea, ethyl acetoacetate and aromatic aldehydes as reactants. Apple, pomegranate, grape juice were used individually as biodegradable, eco friendly, and green reaction medium whereas microwave, visible light and ultrasound irradiation were applied individually as green source of energy for carrying out the aforesaid reactions. It was observed that the reactions under microwave irradiation were taking minimum time to go for completion whereas the reactions under ultrasound and visible light irradiation were taking approximately same time duration to form products. This is the first of its kind study where the three different reaction methodologies based on three different sources of green energies were compared with each other for their effectiveness and efficiency towards multi component condensation reactions.

Induced resistance to the antimicrobial peptide lactoferricin B in Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Samuelsen, Orjan; Haukland, Hanne H; Jenssen, Håvard; Krämer, Manuela; Sandvik, Kjersti; Ulvatne, Hilde; Vorland, Lars H

2005-06-20

This study was designed to investigate inducible intrinsic resistance against lactoferricin B in Staphylococcus aureus. Serial passage of seven S. aureus strains in medium with increasing concentrations of peptide resulted in an induced resistance at various levels in all strains. The induced resistance was unstable and decreased relatively rapidly during passages in peptide free medium but the minimum inhibitory concentration remained elevated after thirty passages. Cross-resistance to penicillin G and low-level cross-resistance to the antimicrobial peptides indolicidin and Ala(8,13,18)-magainin-II amide [corrected] was observed. No cross-resistance was observed to the human cathelicidin LL-37. In conclusion, this study shows that S. aureus has intrinsic resistance mechanisms against antimicrobial peptides that can be induced upon exposure, and that this may confer low-level cross-resistance to other antimicrobial peptides.

[Home health resource utilization measures using a case-mix adjustor model].

PubMed

You, Sun-Ju; Chang, Hyun-Sook

2005-08-01

The purpose of this study was to measure home health resource utilization using a Case-Mix Adjustor Model developed in the U.S. The subjects of this study were 484 patients who had received home health care more than 4 visits during a 60-day episode at 31 home health care institutions. Data on the 484 patients had to be merged onto a 60-day payment segment. Based on the results, the researcher classified home health resource groups (HHRG). The subjects were classified into 34 HHRGs in Korea. Home health resource utilization according to clinical severity was in order of Minimum (C0) < 'Low (C1) < 'Moderate (C2) < 'High (C3), according to dependency in daily activities was in order of Minimum (F0) < 'High (F3) < 'Medium (F2) < 'Low (F1) < 'Maximum (F4). Resource utilization by HHRGs was the highest 564,735 won in group C0F0S2 (clinical severity minimum, dependency in daily activity minimum, service utilization moderate), and the lowest 97,000 won in group C2F3S1, so the former was 5.82 times higher than the latter. Resource utilization in home health care has become an issue of concern due to rising costs for home health care. The results suggest the need for more analytical attention on the utilization and expenditures for home care using a Case-Mix Adjustor Model.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Curtis, Jason Lee, E-mail: jasoncurtis.astro@gmail.com

The solar analogs of M67 let us glimpse the probable behavior of the Sun on timescales surpassing the duration of human civilization. M67 can serve as a solar proxy because its stars share a similar age and composition with the Sun. Previous surveys of M67 observed that 15% of its Sun-like stars exhibited chromospheric activity levels below solar minimum, which suggest that these stars might be in activity-minimum states analogous to the Maunder Minimum. The activity diagnostic used, the HK index (relative intensities of the Ca ii H and K lines integrated over 1 Å bandpasses), was measured from low-resolution spectramore » ( R ≈ 5000), as is traditional and suitable for nearby, bright stars. However, for stars beyond the Local Bubble, the interstellar medium (ISM) imprints absorption lines in spectra at Ca ii H and K, which negatively bias activity measurements when these lines fall within the HK index bandpass. I model the ISM clouds in the M67 foreground with high-resolution spectra of blue stragglers and solar analogs. I demonstrate that ISM absorption varies across the cluster and must be accounted for on a star-by-star basis. I then apply the ISM model to a solar spectrum and broaden it to the lower spectral resolution employed by prior surveys. Comparing HK indices measured from ISM-free and ISM-contaminated spectra, I find that all stars observed below solar minimum can be explained by this ISM bias. I conclude that there is no compelling evidence for Maunder Minimum candidates in M67 at this time.« less

The in vitro effect of selected essential oils on the growth and mycotoxin production of Aspergillus species.

PubMed

Císarová, Miroslava; Tančinová, Dana; Medo, Juraj; Kačániová, Miroslava

2016-10-02

The aim of the present study was to assess the antifungal and anti-toxinogenic activity of 15 essential oils (EOs) against three fungi of the genus Aspergillus (A. parasiticus KMi-227-LR, A. parasiticus KMi-220-LR and A. flavus KMi-202-LR). The minimum inhibitory doses (MIDs) of the tested essential oils and their antifungal activity were determined using the micro-atmosphere method. The original commercial essential oil samples of Jasminum officinale L., Thymus vulgaris L., Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merrill & Perry, Rosmarinus officinalis L., Ocimum basilicum L., Eucalyptus globulus Labill., Salvia officinalis L., Citrus limon (L.) Burm, Origanum vulgare L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Carum carvi L., Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck., Zingiber officinalis Rosc., Mentha piperita L. and Cinnamomum zeylanicum Nees. (C. verum J.S.Presl.) were produced in Slovakia (Calendula a.s., Nová Ľubovňa, Slovakia). All essential oils exhibited activity against all tested strains of fungi. After 14 days of incubation, A. flavus (KMi-202-LR) showed the highest susceptibility with a growth inhibition percentage (GIP) of 18.70% to C. limon and 5.92% to C. sinensis, while A. parasiticus (KMi-220-LR) exhibited a GIP of 20.56% to J. officinale. The minimum inhibitory doses (MIDs) of EOs with the most significant activity were recorded. The best antifungal activity, using the micro-atmosphere method was found in S. aromaticum with an MID of 62.5 μL L -1 air, T. vulgaris (MID of 62.5 μL L -1 air) and O. vulgare (MID of 31.5 μL L -1 air) against all tested strains. Mycotoxin production of the tested strains was evaluated by the thin layer chromatography (TLC) method. Mycotoxin production of AFB 1 and AFG 1 was inhibited following all treatments with C. carvi, R. officinale and S. officinale, Eucalyptus globulus L. and O. basilicum L. Essential oils exhibited a potential inhibition activity against toxic fungi, although, these affected only the production of AFB 1 .

An essential hospital package for South Africa--selection criteria, costs and affordability.

PubMed

Söderlund, N

1999-07-01

In 1995 the Committee of Enquiry into National Health Insurance (NHI) recommended that formally employed individuals and their employers be required to fund at least a minimum package of hospital cover for workers and their dependents. This has recently been echoed in a Department of Health policy paper on social health insurance. This research aims to define and cost a minimum package of essential hospital care for competing (public and private) health insurers in South Africa. CRITERIA FOR PACKAGE DEFINITION: Based on the objectives implict in the NHI Committee report, the following criteria were used to define the essential package: (i) the extent to which there was another appropriate responsible party who should pay for treatment; (ii) the degree of discretion in deciding whether or not to provide treatment (roughly equivalent to 'urgency'); and (iii) the cost and effectiveness of treatment. On the basis of the above criteria, 396 out of 598 possible interventions were included in the package. Using local mine hospital and private sector utilisation rates and mine hospital cost data, it was estimated that the essential inpatient package would cost around R502 per enrollee per year, using 1998 prices, for a working age population and their dependents. Age-sex standardised outpatient care costs in the mine hospital population studied were estimated at R183 per person per year. It was therefore estimated that the total inpatient and outpatient hospital package would cost around R685 per person per year. The results presented in this paper are intended to inform the process of defining a national essential hospital benefit package. Assuming that contributions were proportionally related to income, and that costs should not exceed 6% of wages, the package should be affordable to all of those earning above R20,000 per year. Significant additional work is required, firstly at a technical level to assess the appropriateness of the prioritization approach used here, and secondly to take the debate around essential hospital benefits to broader political and public forums.

Chapter 3. Hydrology

Treesearch

Robert R. Ziemer; Thomas E. Lisle

1998-01-01

Streamflow is an essential variable in understanding the functioning of watersheds and associated ecosystems because it supplies the primary medium and source of energy for the movement of water, sediment, organic material, nutrients, and thermal energy. Changes in streamflow are almost invariably linked to changes in other watershed processes such as erosion,...

Inhibitory Effects of Pterodon emarginatus Bean Oil and Extract on Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Mendes, V. S.; Sant'Anna, J. B.; Oliveira, S. C. C.; Maldonade, Iriani Rodrigues; Machado, Eleuza Rodrigues

2017-01-01

Background: Pterodon emarginatus is a tree of the Brazilian Savannah. The beans of this tree are used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory preparations, especially for infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria can cause simple infections or serious illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome, septicemia, and others. Objective: This study had the goal of verifying the effect of the essential oil (OE) from P. emarginatus on the inhibition of S. aureus in culture medium, i.e., “ in vitro” tests. Materials and Methods: The vegetable material was cut and crushed with a press. The OE was obtained by extraction using hexane, alcohol, and water. The P. emarginatus extracts obtained were used to evaluate the antimicrobial effect on S. aureus (ATCC 25923) by tests of well diffusion, disc diffusion, and microdilution. The strain used in the assays was maintained in brain heart infusion broth and nutrient agar until testing. Afterward, the bacteria were spread on agar plates with Mueller-Hinton agar medium. In the wells and on the paper discs, the OE suspensions were placed in the following volumes: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 80 μL and subsequently they were incubated at 35°C ± 2°C. After 24 h, the number of colony-forming unit was determined. Results: Pure OE and hydroalcoholic extract inhibited the growth of S. aureus, while aqueous extract had no effect on bacterial growth in all microbial methods used. Conclusion: Thus, the present study showed the potential of sucupira-based extracts against S. aureus growth, opening new perspectives for the evaluation of these bioactive compounds as phytopharmaceutical products. SUMMARY Plant extract act as antimicrobials to prevent and reduce bacterial contaminationBeans of Pterodon emarginatus has antibacterial propertiesExtraction with different solvents might implicate on the rate of bacterial deathThe effect of different microbiological methods (well diffusion, disc diffusion and microdilution) was evaluated on reducing CFUThe results showed by MBC that concentrations superior to 10% (v/v) using AC and 7.5% (v/v) using OE were necessary to eliminate colonies formedAccording to data of MIC, at 2.5% of AC and OE was enough to kill S. aureusThe well diffusion technique demonstrated better performance than disc diffusion test for OE and AC extractsHydroalcoholic and oil extracts of sucupira beans had highest effect against Staphylococcus aureusAqueous extract had no effect on bacterial growth in all microbial methods testedThe sucupira-based extracts is a promising source as herbal drug due to therapeutic value Abbreviations Used: OE: Essencial oil; AC: Hydroalcoholic oil extract; AQ: Aqueous extracts; MIC: Minimum inhibitory concentration; MBC: Minimum bactericidal concentration; CFU: Colony formed unit. PMID:29263627

Inhibitory Effects of Pterodon emarginatus Bean Oil and Extract on Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Mendes, V S; Sant'Anna, J B; Oliveira, S C C; Maldonade, Iriani Rodrigues; Machado, Eleuza Rodrigues

2017-01-01

Pterodon emarginatus is a tree of the Brazilian Savannah. The beans of this tree are used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory preparations, especially for infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus . These bacteria can cause simple infections or serious illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome, septicemia, and others. This study had the goal of verifying the effect of the essential oil (OE) from P. emarginatus on the inhibition of S. aureus in culture medium, i.e., " in vitro " tests. The vegetable material was cut and crushed with a press. The OE was obtained by extraction using hexane, alcohol, and water. The P. emarginatus extracts obtained were used to evaluate the antimicrobial effect on S. aureus (ATCC 25923) by tests of well diffusion, disc diffusion, and microdilution. The strain used in the assays was maintained in brain heart infusion broth and nutrient agar until testing. Afterward, the bacteria were spread on agar plates with Mueller-Hinton agar medium. In the wells and on the paper discs, the OE suspensions were placed in the following volumes: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 80 μL and subsequently they were incubated at 35°C ± 2°C. After 24 h, the number of colony-forming unit was determined. Pure OE and hydroalcoholic extract inhibited the growth of S. aureus , while aqueous extract had no effect on bacterial growth in all microbial methods used. Thus, the present study showed the potential of sucupira-based extracts against S. aureus growth, opening new perspectives for the evaluation of these bioactive compounds as phytopharmaceutical products. Plant extract act as antimicrobials to prevent and reduce bacterial contaminationBeans of Pterodon emarginatus has antibacterial propertiesExtraction with different solvents might implicate on the rate of bacterial deathThe effect of different microbiological methods (well diffusion, disc diffusion and microdilution) was evaluated on reducing CFUThe results showed by MBC that concentrations superior to 10% (v/v) using AC and 7.5% (v/v) using OE were necessary to eliminate colonies formedAccording to data of MIC, at 2.5% of AC and OE was enough to kill S. aureus The well diffusion technique demonstrated better performance than disc diffusion test for OE and AC extractsHydroalcoholic and oil extracts of sucupira beans had highest effect against Staphylococcus aureus Aqueous extract had no effect on bacterial growth in all microbial methods testedThe sucupira-based extracts is a promising source as herbal drug due to therapeutic value Abbreviations Used: OE: Essencial oil; AC: Hydroalcoholic oil extract; AQ: Aqueous extracts; MIC: Minimum inhibitory concentration; MBC: Minimum bactericidal concentration; CFU: Colony formed unit.

Modular Simulation of HEI Fragments and Blast Pressure.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

TEU04D MODULAR SIMULATION OF Accesion For HEI FRAGMENTS AND BLAST PRESSURE NTIS CRAMI DTIC TAB 1] THESIS U.a:’ ouIced Jusification Gordon Galloway C... sustained by a component due to disturbances cre- ated in the medium surrounding the component when no fragment im- pacts are possible. In general, a...component will sustain a maximum kill if located within a minimum range from the burst point [RB(MAX)], and will sustain no damage if it is located beyond a

Conference on Aerospace Transparent Materials and Enclosures Held at Scottsdale, Arizona on 11-14 July 1983

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

UTILIZING MTAL & COMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR AFT ARCH REINYORCEMENT This paper provides a review of the T-38 arch reinforcement as it relates to the T-38... review of high speed motion pictures showed that the PVB inboard of the parting medium was now pulling chips out of the core during the impact event...tensile loads less than the yield L stress, and has been thoroughly reviewed by Kambour [8], and by Rabinowitz and Beardmore [9]. The minimum load

12 mJ Yb:YAG/Cr:YAG microchip laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Xiaoyang; Tokita, Shigeki; Kawanaka, Junji

2018-02-01

By cryogenically cooling the Yb:YAG/Cr:YAG medium, one can break through the damage limit of Yb:YAG/Cr:YAG passively Q-switched microchip lasers at room temperature and thus achieve a shorter minimum pulse duration. In the proof of principle experiment we carried out, a 160.6 ps pulse duration was obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first realization of sub-200 ps pulse operation for an Yb:YAG/Cr:YAG microchip laser

Concentration of extracellular superoxide radical as a function of time during lignin degradation by the fungus Coriolus versicolor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amer, G.I.; Drew, S.W.

1981-01-01

During a 9 day fermentation of lignin by C. versicolor, the concentration of superoxide radical in the extracellular medium of the submerged culture rose and fell, reaching a maximum after 2 and 6 days of incubation, and a minimum at 3 and 8 days. The results indicate that the extracellular superoxide radical is involved in lignin degradation, but there was no evidence that it is an initial attacking agent. (Refs. 9).

Transport properties of initially neutral gas disturbed by intense electron beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angus, Justin; Swanekamp, Steve; Schumer, Joseph; Mosher, Dave; Ottinger, Paul

2013-10-01

The behavior of intense electron beams (those with current densities on the order of hundreds of kA/cm2 and beam rise times on the order of 100 ns) traveling through gaseous mediums depends strongly on the transport properties of the medium. For example, the conductivity of the medium, which is very sensitive to the ionization state and temperature of the gas, has a strong influence on the beam behavior through the plasma return current. Since the beam is responsible for ionizing and heating the gas, self-consistently solving for the gas transport properties and the beam propagation is essential for an accurate description of the system. An advanced gas chemistry model to describe the transport properties of a strongly disturbed gaseous system is presented in this work. A focal point of this work is an accurate description of the medium's conductivity as the gas progresses from its weakly ionized state, where swarm models are valid, to a strongly ionized state where the Spitzer-Harm model applies. NRL Karle Fellowship

Chemical Composition and Biological Investigations of Eryngium triquetrum Essential Oil from Algeria.

PubMed

Medbouhi, Ali; Merad, Nadjiya; Khadir, Abdelmounaim; Bendahou, Mourad; Djabou, Nassim; Costa, Jean; Muselli, Alain

2018-01-01

The chemical composition, antibacterial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil obtained from Eryngium triquetrum from Algeria were studied. The chemical composition of sample oils from 25 locations was investigated using GC-FID and GC/MS. Twenty-four components representing always more than 87% were identified in essential oils from total aerial parts of plants, stems, flowers and roots. Falcarinol is highly dominant in the essential oil from the roots (95.5%). The relative abundance of falcarinol in the aerial parts correlates with the phenological stages of the plant. Aerial parts of E. triquetrum produce an essential oil dominated by falcarinol during the early flowering stage, and then there is a decrease in falcarinol and rebalancing of octanal during the flowering stage. To our knowledge, the present study is the first report of the chemical composition of E. triquetrum essential oil. Evaluation of the antibacterial activity by means of the paper disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration assays, showed a moderate efficiency of E. triquetrum essential oil. Using the DPPH method, the interesting antioxidant activity of E. triquetrum essential oil was established. These activities could be attributed to the dominance of falcarinol. The outcome of our literature search on the occurrence of falcarinol in essential oils suggests that E. triquetrum from Algeria could be considered as a possible source of natural falcarinol. © 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

The symmetries of the system matrix and propagator matrix for anisotropic media and of the system matrix forperiodically layered media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guo-Ming; Ni, Si-Dao

1998-11-01

The `auxiliary' symmetry properties of the system matrix (symmetry with respect to the trailing diagonal) for a general anisotropic dissipative medium and the special form for a monoclinic medium are revealed by rearranging the motion-stress vector. The propagator matrix of a single-layer general anisotropic dissipative medium is also shown to have auxiliary symmetry. For the multilayered case, a relatively simple matrix method is utilized to obtain the inverse of the propagator matrix. Further, Woodhouse's inverse of the propagator matrix for a transversely isotropic medium is extended in a clearer form to handle the monoclinic symmetric medium. The properties of a periodic layer system are studied through its system matrix Aly , which is computed from the propagator matrix P. The matrix Aly is then compared with Aeq , the system matrix for the long-wavelength equivalent medium of the periodic isotropic layers. Then we can find how the periodic layered medium departs from its long-wavelength equivalent medium when the wavelength decreases. In our numerical example, the results show that, when λ/D decreases to 6-8, the components of the two matrices will depart from each other. The component ratio of these two matrices increases to its maximum (more than 15 in our numerical test) when λ/D is reduced to 2.3, and then oscillates with λ/D when it is further reduced. The eigenvalues of the system matrix Aly show that the velocities of P and S waves decrease when λ/D is reduced from 6-8 and reach their minimum values when λ/D is reduced to 2.3 and then oscillate afterwards. We compute the time shifts between the peaks of the transmitted waves and the incident waves. The resulting velocity curves show a similar variation to those computed from the eigenvalues of the system matrix Aly , but on a smaller scale. This can be explained by the spectrum width of the incident waves.

Efficacy of Essential Oils of Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare on Echinococcus granulosus

PubMed Central

Pensel, P. E.; Maggiore, M. A.; Gende, L. B.; Eguaras, M. J.; Denegri, M. G.; Elissondo, M. C.

2014-01-01

The aim of the present work was to determine the in vitro effect of T. vulgaris and O. vulgare essential oils against E. granulosus protoscoleces and cysts. Essential oils were added to the medium resulting in thymol final concentrations of 10 μg/mL. The essential oils had a time-dependent effect provoking the complete loss of protoscolex viability after 72 days of postincubation. The results were confirmed at the ultrastructure level. Loss of infectivity in protoscoleces incubated with O. vulgare after 60 days was observed. On the other hand, the weight of cysts recorded in mice inoculated with T. vulgaris treated protoscoleces was significantly lower than that obtained in control group. Gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase activity was readily detected in the culture supernatant of protoscoleces treated either with the essential oils or thymol. T. vulgaris and O. vulgare essential oils and thymol can induce cell apoptosis of protoscoleces after short incubation times. The efficacy of T. vulgaris and O. vulgare essential oils was also demonstrated in vitro on E. granulosus murine cysts. Our data suggest that essential oils of T. vulgaris and O. vulgare have anthelmintic effect against protoscoleces and cysts of E. granulosus. PMID:25180033

Identification of an ancient endogenous retrovirus, predating the divergence of the placental mammals.

PubMed

Lee, Adam; Nolan, Alison; Watson, Jason; Tristem, Michael

2013-09-19

The evolutionary arms race between mammals and retroviruses has long been recognized as one of the oldest host-parasite interactions. Rapid evolution rates in exogenous retroviruses have often made accurate viral age estimations highly problematic. Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), however, integrate into the germline of their hosts, and are subjected to their evolutionary rates. This study describes, for the first time, a retroviral orthologue predating the divergence of placental mammals, giving it a minimum age of 104-110 Myr. Simultaneously, other orthologous selfish genetic elements (SGEs), inserted into the ERV sequence, provide evidence for the oldest individual mammalian-wide interspersed repeat and medium-reiteration frequency interspersed repeat mammalian repeats, with the same minimum age. The combined use of shared SGEs and reconstruction of viral orthologies defines new limits and increases maximum 'lookback' times, with subsequent implications for the field of paleovirology.

The Addition of Medium-Chain Triglycerides to a Purified Fish Oil Based Diet Alters Inflammatory Profiles in Mice

PubMed Central

Carlson, SJ; Nandivada, P; Chang, MI; Mitchell, PD; O’Loughlin, A; Cowan, E; Gura, KM; Nose, V; Bistrian, B; Puder, M

2014-01-01

Objective Parenteral nutrition associated liver disease (PNALD) is a deadly complication of long term parenteral nutrition (PN) use in infants. Fish oil-based lipid emulsion has been shown in recent years to effectively treat PNALD. Alternative fat sources free of essential fatty acids have recently been investigated for health benefits related to decreased inflammatory response. We hypothesized that the addition of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) to a purified fish oil-based diet would decrease the response to inflammatory challenge in mice, while allowing for sufficient growth and development. Materials/Methods Six groups of ten adult male C57/Bl6 mice were pair-fed different dietary treatments for a period of twelve weeks, varying only in fat source (percent calories by weight): 10.84% soybean oil (SOY), 10% coconut oil (HCO), 10% medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), 3% purified fish oil (PFO), 3% purified fish oil with 3% medium-chain triglycerides (50:50 MCT:PFO) and 3% purified fish oil with 7.59% medium-chain triglycerides (70:30 MCT:PFO). An endotoxin challenge was administered to half of the animals in each group at the completion of dietary treatment. Results All groups demonstrated normal growth throughout the study period. Groups fed MCT and HCO diets demonstrated biochemical essential fatty acid deficiency and decreased IL-6 and TNF-α response to endotoxin challenge. Groups containing PFO had increased inflammatory response to endotoxin challenge, and the addition of MCT to PFO mitigated this inflammatory response. Conclusion These results suggest that the addition of MCT to PFO formulations may decrease the host response to inflammatory challenge, which may pose potential for optimized PN formulations. Inclusion of MCT in lipid emulsions given with PN formulations may be of use in therapeutic interventions for disease states resulting from chronic inflammation. PMID:25458829

The addition of medium-chain triglycerides to a purified fish oil-based diet alters inflammatory profiles in mice.

PubMed

Carlson, Sarah J; Nandivada, Prathima; Chang, Melissa I; Mitchell, Paul D; O'Loughlin, Alison; Cowan, Eileen; Gura, Kathleen M; Nose, Vania; Bistrian, Bruce R; Puder, Mark

2015-02-01

Parenteral nutrition associated liver disease (PNALD) is a deadly complication of long term parenteral nutrition (PN) use in infants. Fish oil-based lipid emulsion has been shown in recent years to effectively treat PNALD. Alternative fat sources free of essential fatty acids have recently been investigated for health benefits related to decreased inflammatory response. We hypothesized that the addition of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) to a purified fish oil-based diet would decrease the response to inflammatory challenge in mice, while allowing for sufficient growth and development. Six groups of ten adult male C57/Bl6 mice were pair-fed different dietary treatments for a period of twelve weeks, varying only in fat source (percent calories by weight): 10.84% soybean oil (SOY), 10% coconut oil (HCO), 10% medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), 3% purified fish oil (PFO), 3% purified fish oil with 3% medium-chain triglycerides (50:50 MCT:PFO) and 3% purified fish oil with 7.59% medium-chain triglycerides (70:30 MCT:PFO). An endotoxin challenge was administered to half of the animals in each group at the completion of dietary treatment. All groups demonstrated normal growth throughout the study period. Groups fed MCT and HCO diets demonstrated biochemical essential fatty acid deficiency and decreased IL-6 and TNF-α response to endotoxin challenge. Groups containing PFO had increased inflammatory response to endotoxin challenge, and the addition of MCT to PFO mitigated this inflammatory response. These results suggest that the addition of MCT to PFO formulations may decrease the host response to inflammatory challenge, which may pose potential for optimized PN formulations. Inclusion of MCT in lipid emulsions given with PN formulations may be of use in therapeutic interventions for disease states resulting from chronic inflammation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Lippia alba Essential Oil, Citral, and Carvone against Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Porfírio, Emanuela Mesquita; Melo, Hider Machado; Pereira, Antônio Matheus Gomes; Cavalcante, Theodora Thays Arruda; Gomes, Geovany Amorim; de Carvalho, Mário Geraldo; Júnior, Francisco Eduardo Aragão Catunda

2017-01-01

In vitro antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of the Lippia alba essential oil and its major components (citral and carvone) against Staphylococcus aureus were investigated. Essential oils (LA1EO, LA2EO, and LA3EO) were extracted from the aerial parts of three L. alba specimens by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimum Bacterial Concentration (MBC) were determined by the microdilution method. For the antibiofilm assays, the biomass formation in the biofilm was evaluated by the microtiter-plate technique with the crystal violet (CV) assay and the viability of the bacterial cells was analyzed. All oils and their major components presented antibacterial activity, and the lowest MIC and MBC values were 0.5 mg mL−1 when LA1EO and citral were used. Potential inhibition (100%) of S. aureus biofilm formation at the concentration of 0.5 mg mL−1 of all EOs was observed. However, the elimination of biofilm cells was confirmed at concentrations of 1 mg mL−1, 2 mg mL−1, 2 mg mL−1, and 0.5 mg mL−1 for LA1EO, LA2EO, LA3EO, and citral, respectively. The results obtained in the present research point to the promising antibacterial and antibiofilm potential of L. alba EOs against S. aureus, a species of recognized clinical interest. PMID:28845443

Down-regulatory effect of Thymus vulgaris L. on growth and Tri4 gene expression in Fusarium oxysporum strains.

PubMed

Divband, Kolsum; Shokri, Hojjatollah; Khosravi, Ali Reza

2017-03-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of Thymus vulgaris (T. vulgaris) essential oil on the fungal growth and Tri4 gene expression in Fusarium oxysporum (F. oxysporum) strains. The oil was obtained by water-distillation using a Clevenger-type system. The chemical composition of the essential oil was obtained by gas chromatography- mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and by retention indices. The antifungal activity was evaluated by broth microdilution assay. A quantitative real time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay was also developed specific for F. oxysporum on the basis of trichothecene biosynthetic gene, Tri4, which allowed discrimination from F. oxysporum. Results showed thymol (32.67%) and p-cymene (16.68%) as the main components of T. vulgaris. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values varied from 5 to 20 μg/ml with T. vulgaris (mean: 10.50 μg/ml), while minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values ranged from 8 to 30 μg/ml with mean value of 16.20 μg/ml qRT-PCR results revealed a downregulation from 4.04 to 6.27 fold of Tri4 gene expression of the fungi exposed to T. vulgaris essential oil. The results suggest that T. vulgaris oil can be considered potential alternative natural fungicide to the synthetic chemicals that are currently used to prevent and control seed-borne diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consensus statement on essential patient characteristics in systemic treatment trials for metastatic colorectal cancer: Supported by the ARCAD Group.

PubMed

Goey, Kaitlyn K H; Sørbye, Halfdan; Glimelius, Bengt; Adams, Richard A; André, Thierry; Arnold, Dirk; Berlin, Jordan D; Bodoky, György; de Gramont, Aimery; Díaz-Rubio, Eduardo; Eng, Cathy; Falcone, Alfredo; Grothey, Axel; Heinemann, Volker; Hochster, Howard S; Kaplan, Richard S; Kopetz, Scott; Labianca, Roberto; Lieu, Christopher H; Meropol, Neal J; Price, Timothy J; Schilsky, Richard L; Schmoll, Hans-Joachim; Shacham-Shmueli, Einat; Shi, Qian; Sobrero, Alberto F; Souglakos, John; Van Cutsem, Eric; Zalcberg, John; van Oijen, Martijn G H; Punt, Cornelis J A; Koopman, Miriam

2018-06-21

Patient characteristics and stratification factors are key features influencing trial outcomes. However, there is substantial heterogeneity in reporting of patient characteristics and use of stratification factors in phase 3 trials investigating systemic treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We aimed to develop a minimum set of essential baseline characteristics and stratification factors to include in such trials. We performed a modified, two-round Delphi survey among international experts with wide experience in the conduct and methodology of phase 3 trials of systemic treatment of mCRC. Thirty mCRC experts from 15 different countries completed both consensus rounds. A total of 14 patient characteristics were included in the recommended set: age, performance status, primary tumour location, primary tumour resection, prior chemotherapy, number of metastatic sites, liver-only disease, liver involvement, surgical resection of metastases, synchronous versus metachronous metastases, (K)RAS and BRAF mutation status, microsatellite instability/mismatch repair status and number of prior treatment lines. A total of five patient characteristics were considered the most relevant stratification factors: RAS/BRAF mutation status, performance status, primary tumour sidedness and liver-only disease. This survey provides a minimum set of essential baseline patient characteristics and stratification factors to include in phase 3 trials of systemic treatment of mCRC. Inclusion of these patient characteristics and strata in study protocols and final study reports will improve interpretation of trial results and facilitate cross-study comparisons. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spectrum and orbit conservation as a factor in future mobile satellite system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowen, Robert R.

1990-01-01

Access to the radio spectrum and geostationary orbit is essential to current and future mobile satellite systems. This access is difficult to obtain for current systems, and may be even more so for larger future systems. In this environment, satellite systems that minimize the amount of spectrum orbit resource required to meet a specific traffic requirement are essential. Several spectrum conservation techniques are discussed, some of which are complementary to designing the system at minimum cost. All may need to be implemented to the limits of technological feasibility if network growth is not to be constrained because of the lack of available spectrum-orbit resource.

THE “NURSING CRISIS”

PubMed Central

McVeagh, Thos. C.

1949-01-01

Three concrete proposals are made for the improvement of the present nursing situation: 1. Make nursing education more easily available by holding the prerequisites to a minimum and concentrating upon the real essentials of nursing, granting the student the R.N. degree when she has completed this basic and essential training. 2. Utilize more fully the principles of group nursing as applied to “specialing” whether in the home or in the hospital. 3. Completely avoid the use of sub-standard nurses, while furnishing to the nurse such non-technical service (through the use of maid assistants or others) as shall make practicable the complete utilization of her skill and training. PMID:18144757

Antimicrobial activity of some essential oils against oral multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in both planktonic and biofilm state

PubMed Central

Benbelaïd, Fethi; Khadir, Abdelmounaïm; Abdoune, Mohamed Amine; Bendahou, Mourad; Muselli, Alain; Costa, Jean

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate some essential oils in treatment of intractable oral infections, principally caused by biofilm of multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), such as persistent endodontic infections in which their treatment exhibits a real challenge for dentists. Methods Ten chemically analyzed essential oils by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against sensitive and resistant clinical strains of E. faecalis in both planktonic and biofilm state using two methods, disk diffusion and broth micro-dilution. Results Studied essential oils showed a good antimicrobial activity and high ability in E. faecalis biofilm eradication, whether for sensitive or multidrug-resistant strains, especially those of Origanum glandulosum and Thymbra capitata with interesting minimum inhibitory concentration, biofilm inhibitory concentration, and biofilm eradication concentration values which doesn't exceed 0.063%, 0.75%, and 1.5%, respectively. Conclusions Findings of this study indicate that essential oils extracted from aromatic plants can be used in treatment of intractable oral infections, especially caused by biofilm of multidrug-resistant E. faecalis. PMID:25182948

Identification of antibacterial and antioxidant constituents of the essential oils of Cynanchum chinense and Ligustrum compactum.

PubMed

Yu, Lan; Ren, Ji-Xiang; Nan, Hong-Mei; Liu, Bao-Feng

2015-01-01

The aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the essential oils from Cynanchum chinense and Ligustrum compactum and isolation of antioxidant and antibacterial constituents from the essential oils. Thirty-eight components were identified in essential oils. Based on bioactivity-guided fractionation, guaiacol, linalool and 2-phenylethanol were isolated and identified as active constituents. Both L. compactum flower oil and 2-phenylethanol showed high antibacterial performance, with inhibition zone from 22.8 ± 0.8 to 11.9 ± 2.0 mm at highest concentration, and minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 0.25% to 1%. In both DPPH and ABTS assay, the active constituent guaiacol (IC50 = 4.15 ± 0.72 and 9.12 ± 0.98 μg mL(-1), respectively) exhibited high antioxidant activity, and the oils showed moderate antioxidant activity. These results indicate potential efficacy of active constituents and essential oils of L. compactum and C. chinense to control food-borne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria.

Prediction and analysis of essential genes using the enrichments of gene ontology and KEGG pathways.

PubMed

Chen, Lei; Zhang, Yu-Hang; Wang, ShaoPeng; Zhang, YunHua; Huang, Tao; Cai, Yu-Dong

2017-01-01

Identifying essential genes in a given organism is important for research on their fundamental roles in organism survival. Furthermore, if possible, uncovering the links between core functions or pathways with these essential genes will further help us obtain deep insight into the key roles of these genes. In this study, we investigated the essential and non-essential genes reported in a previous study and extracted gene ontology (GO) terms and biological pathways that are important for the determination of essential genes. Through the enrichment theory of GO and KEGG pathways, we encoded each essential/non-essential gene into a vector in which each component represented the relationship between the gene and one GO term or KEGG pathway. To analyze these relationships, the maximum relevance minimum redundancy (mRMR) was adopted. Then, the incremental feature selection (IFS) and support vector machine (SVM) were employed to extract important GO terms and KEGG pathways. A prediction model was built simultaneously using the extracted GO terms and KEGG pathways, which yielded nearly perfect performance, with a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.951, for distinguishing essential and non-essential genes. To fully investigate the key factors influencing the fundamental roles of essential genes, the 21 most important GO terms and three KEGG pathways were analyzed in detail. In addition, several genes was provided in this study, which were predicted to be essential genes by our prediction model. We suggest that this study provides more functional and pathway information on the essential genes and provides a new way to investigate related problems.

An extreme Arctic cyclone in August 2016 and its predictability on medium-range timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamagami, Akio; Matsueda, Mio; Tanaka, Hiroshi

2017-04-01

An extremely strong Arctic cyclone (AC) developed in August 2016. The AC exhibited a minimum sea level pressure (SLP) of 967.2 hPa and covered the entire Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean at 0000UTC on 16 August. At this time the AC was comparable to the strong AC observed in August 2012, in terms of horizontal extent, position, and intensity as measured by SLP. Two processes contributed to the explosive development of the AC: growth due to baroclinic instability, similar to extratropical cyclones, during the early part of the development stage, and later nonlinear development via the merging of upper warm cores. The AC was maintained for more than one month through multiple mergings with cyclones both generated in the Arctic and migrating northward from lower latitudes, as a result of the high cyclone activity in summer 2016. This study also investigated the predictability of the AC using operational medium-range ensemble forecasts: CMC (Canada), ECMWF (EU), JMA (Japan), NCEP (USA), and UKMO (UK), available at the The Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) database. The minimum SLP of the AC at 0000UTC on 16 August was well predicted by ECMWF 6-day, NCEP and UKMO 5-day, CMC 4-day, and JMA 3-day in advance. The predictability of the minimum SLP of the AC in August 2016 was much higher than that of the AC in 2012 August. Whereas most of the members well predicted the cyclogenesis of the AC, the growth due to baroclinic instability was weaker in some members. Even if the baroclinic growth was predicted well, predicted AC did not develop when the nonlinear development via the merging was not predict accurately. The accurate prediction of the processes in both early and later parts of the development stage was important for the accurate prediction of the development of the AC.

On the minimum quantum requirement of photosynthesis.

PubMed

Zeinalov, Yuzeir

2009-01-01

An analysis of the shape of photosynthetic light curves is presented and the existence of the initial non-linear part is shown as a consequence of the operation of the non-cooperative (Kok's) mechanism of oxygen evolution or the effect of dark respiration. The effect of nonlinearity on the quantum efficiency (yield) and quantum requirement is reconsidered. The essential conclusions are: 1) The non-linearity of the light curves cannot be compensated using suspensions of algae or chloroplasts with high (>1.0) optical density or absorbance. 2) The values of the maxima of the quantum efficiency curves or the values of the minima of the quantum requirement curves cannot be used for estimation of the exact value of the maximum quantum efficiency and the minimum quantum requirement. The estimation of the maximum quantum efficiency or the minimum quantum requirement should be performed only after extrapolation of the linear part at higher light intensities of the quantum requirement curves to "0" light intensity.

Language Tools: Communicating in Today's World of Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribeiro, Sandra; Cunha, Suzana; da Silva, Manuel Moreira

2015-01-01

In a society increasingly mediated by technology, the medium has created unparalleled opportunities. As a result, it has refocused educators' attention on how technological literacy is both an essential learning outcome in all higher education programs, and the intermediary, the means to achieve the digital competences expected from employees. In…

Chemically characterized Mentha cardiaca L. essential oil as plant based preservative in view of efficacy against biodeteriorating fungi of dry fruits, aflatoxin secretion, lipid peroxidation and safety profile assessment.

PubMed

Dwivedy, Abhishek Kumar; Prakash, Bhanu; Chanotiya, Chandan Singh; Bisht, Deepa; Dubey, Nawal Kishore

2017-08-01

The study reports Mentha cardiaca essential oil (EO) as plant based preservative against fungal and aflatoxin contamination of stored dry fruits. Mycoflora analysis of the dry fruits revealed Aspergillus favus LHP-PV-1 as the most aflatoxigenic isolate with highest Aflatoxin B 1 content. M. cardiaca EO showed broad fungitoxic spectrum inhibiting the tested moulds contaminating dry fruits. It's minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum aflatoxin inhibitory concentration (MAIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) against A. favus LHP-PV-1 were recorded to be 1.25, 1.0 and 2.25 µL/mL respectively. The EO caused decrease in ergosterol content and enhanced leakage of Ca 2+ , K + and Mg 2+ ions from treated fungal cells, depicting fungal plasma membrane as the site of antifungal action. The EO showed promising DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC 50 value:15.89 µL/mL) and favourable safety profile with LD 50 value (7133.70 mg/kg body wt.) when estimated through acute oral toxicity on mice. Carvone (61.62%) was recorded as the major component of the oil during chemical characterisation through GC-MS. Based on strong antifungal, antiaflatoxigenic and antioxidant potential, the chemically characterised M. cardiaca EO may be recommended as safe plant based preservative and shelf life enhancer of food items. This is the first report on antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activity of M. cardiaca EO. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agroforestry Economics and Policy

Treesearch

L.D. Godsey; D. Evan Mercer; Robert K. Grala; Stephen C. Grado; Janaki R.R. Alavalapati

2009-01-01

Essentially every living thing on Earth has applied the basic concepts of economics. That is, every living thing has had to use a limited set of resources to meet a minimum set of needs or wants. Although the study of economics is often confused with the study of markets or finance, economics is simply a social science that studies the choices people make. As a social...

Monthly leaf area index estimates from point-in-time measurements and needle phenology for Pinus taeda

Treesearch

D.A. Sampson; T.J. Albaugh; Kurt H. Johnsen; H.L. Allen; Stanley J. Zarnoch

2003-01-01

Abstract: Leaf area index (LAI) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees of the southern United States varies almost twofold interannually; loblolly pine, essentially, carries two foliage cohorts at peak LAI (September) and one at minimum (March–April). Herein, we present an approach that may be site invariant to estimate monthly...

Method for milling and drilling glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, S. H. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

A process for machining glass by placing a rotating carbide working surface under minimum pressure against an area of glass to be worked is described. Concurrently the region between the working surface and the area of glass is wet with a lubricant consisting essentially of a petroleum carrier, a complex mixture of esters and a complex mixture of naturally occurring aromatic oils.

Incidence of whooping cough in Spain (1997-2010): an underreported disease.

PubMed

Fernández-Cano, María Isabel; Armadans Gil, Lluís; Martínez Gómez, Xavi; Campins Martí, Magda

2014-06-01

Whooping cough is currently the worst controlled vaccine-preventable disease in the majority of countries. In order to reduce its morbidity and mortality, it is essential to adapt vaccination programmes to data provided by epidemiological surveillance. A population-based retrospective epidemiological study to estimate the minimum annual undernotification rate of pertussis in Spain from 1997 to 2010 was performed. The incidence of pertussis cases reported to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System was compared with the incidence of hospital discharges for pertussis from the National Surveillance System for hospital data, Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos. The overall reported incidence and that of hospitalisation for whooping cough were 1.3 cases × 100,000 inhabitants in both cases. Minimum underreporting oscillated between 3.8 and 22.8 %, according to the year of the study. The greatest underreporting (50 %) was observed in children under the age of 1 year. Spanish epidemiological surveillance system of pertussis should be improved with complementary active systems to ascertain the real incidence. Paediatricians and general practitioners should be sensibilized to the importance of notification because this would be essential for adapting the prevention and control measures of this disease.

Combination of garlic essential oil, allyl isothiocyanate, and nisin Z as bio-preservatives in fresh sausage.

PubMed

Araújo, Monyque Kais; Gumiela, Aline Marzaleck; Bordin, Keliani; Luciano, Fernando Bittencourt; Macedo, Renata Ernlund Freitas de

2018-09-01

The effects of natural antimicrobial compounds (garlic essential oil [GO], allyl isothiocyanate [AITC], and nisin Z [NI]) on microbiological, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of fresh sausage were assessed. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) towards Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Lactobacillus plantarum were determined in vitro. Sausages inoculated with E. coli O157:H7, were treated with different combinations of antimicrobials and assessed for microbiological and physicochemical parameters during storage (6C for 20 d). Treatments that presented the greatest antimicrobial effects were subjected to sensory evaluation. Combinations of 20 mg/kg NI + 125 μL/kg GO + 62.5 μL/kg AITC or 20 mg/kg NI + 62.5 μL/kg GO + 125 μL/kg AITC were effective in reducing E. coli O157H7 and spoilage lactic acid bacteria, and maintained the physicochemical characteristics of fresh sausage. Combinations of NI, GO and AITC were effective to improve the safety and the shelf life of fresh sausage, with no impact on its sensory acceptance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of electrospun polylactic acid nanofilm incorporating cinnamon essential oil/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex for antimicrobial packaging.

PubMed

Wen, Peng; Zhu, Ding-He; Feng, Kun; Liu, Fang-Jun; Lou, Wen-Yong; Li, Ning; Zong, Min-Hua; Wu, Hong

2016-04-01

A novel antimicrobial packaging material was obtained by incorporating cinnamon essential oil/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (CEO/β-CD-IC) into polylacticacid (PLA) nanofibers via electrospinning technique. The CEO/β-CD-IC was prepared by the co-precipitation method and SEM and FT-IR spectroscopy analysis indicated the successful formation of CEO/β-CD-IC, which improved the thermal stability of CEO. The CEO/β-CD-IC was then incorporated into PLA nanofibers by electrospinning and the resulting PLA/CEO/β-CD nanofilm showed better antimicrobial activity compared to PLA/CEO nanofilm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PLA/CEO/β-CD nanofilm against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was approximately 1 mg/ml (corresponding CEO concentration 11.35 μg/ml) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was approximately 7 mg/ml (corresponding CEO concentration 79.45 μg/ml). Furthermore, compared with the casting method, the mild electrospinning process was more favorable for maintaining greater CEO in the obtained film. The PLA/CEO/β-CD nanofilm can effectively prolong the shelf life of pork, suggesting it has potential application in active food packaging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Essential Oil from Origanum vulgare L. and Its Individual Constituents Carvacrol and Thymol Enhance the Effect of Tetracycline against Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Cirino, Isis Caroline S; Menezes-Silva, Suellen Maria P; Silva, Helena Tainá D; de Souza, Evandro Leite; Siqueira-Júnior, José P

2014-01-01

In an ongoing project to evaluate essential oils as modulators of antibiotic resistance, the essential oil from Origanum vulgare L. (OVEO), as well as its individual constituents carvacrol (CAR) and thymol (THY), were investigated using Staphylococcus aureus strains possessing efflux mechanisms of resistance to norfloxacin, erythromycin and tetracycline. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the antibiotics were determined by agar dilution method, in the absence and in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of OVEO, CAR or THY. Along with relevant antistaphylococcal activity, OVEO, CAR and THY modulated the activity of tetracycline, i.e. in combination with antibiotics a reduction in the MIC was observed (up to fourfold). The results presented here represent, as far as we know, the first report of OVEO, CAR and THY as putative efflux pump inhibitors. Broadly, these findings indicate that essential oils could serve as potential sources of compounds capable of modulating drug resistance. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from the branches of Jacaranda cuspidifolia Mart. growing in Sichuan, China.

PubMed

Yuan, Juanjuan; Gan, Tian; Liu, Yingtian; Gao, Hui; Xu, Weifeng; Zhang, Tao; Tan, Rui; Cai, Zhenghong; Jiang, Hezhong

2018-06-01

This study represents the first report on the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from the branches of Jacaranda cuspidifolia Mart. Thirty-three compounds were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and the major constituents of the essential oil were Palmitic acid (31.36%), (Z) - 9,17-Octadecadienal (12.06%), Ethyl palmitate (3.81%), Perhydrofarnesyl acetone (2.07%), γ-Maaliene (1.88%), and Cedro (1.42%) and 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid ethyl ester (1.42%). The in vitro antimicrobial activities of the essential oil were evaluated by the disc diffusion method, and the inhibition zones against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were 7.10, 8.20 and 7.25 mm, respectively. The oil showed moderate activities against E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans with minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values of 17.3 mg/mL, 12.9 mg/mL and 16.0 mg/mL, respectively.

Essential Oils Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Six Conifers Harvested in Lebanon.

PubMed

Fahed, Layal; Khoury, Madona; Stien, Didier; Ouaini, Naïm; Eparvier, Véronique; El Beyrouthy, Marc

2017-02-01

The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils (EOs) of six conifers harvested in Lebanon, Abies cilicica, Cupressus sempervirens, Juniperus excelsa, Juniperus oxycedrus, Cedrus libani and Cupressus macrocarpa gold crest, were investigated. The EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus and characterized by GC and GC/MS analyses. A principal components analysis based on Pearson correlation between essential oils chemical analyses was also conducted. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these essentials oils were determined against a range of bacteria and fungi responsible for cutaneous infections in human, using the broth microdilution technique. The EOs showed the most interesting bioactivity on the dermatophytes species (MIC values 32 - 64 μg/ml). Each of the major compounds of C. macrocarpa as well as an artificial reconstructed EO were tested on Trichophyton rubrum showing a contribution of the minor components to the overall activity. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Improvement of Storage Medium for Cultured Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Using Factorial Design.

PubMed

Pasovic, L; Utheim, T P; Reppe, S; Khan, A Z; Jackson, C J; Thiede, B; Berg, J P; Messelt, E B; Eidet, J R

2018-04-09

Storage of human retinal pigment epithelium (hRPE) can contribute to the advancement of cell-based RPE replacement therapies. The present study aimed to improve the quality of stored hRPE cultures by identifying storage medium additives that, alone or in combination, contribute to enhancing cell viability while preserving morphology and phenotype. hRPE cells were cultured in the presence of the silk protein sericin until pigmentation. Cells were then stored for 10 days in storage medium plus sericin and either one of 46 different additives. Individual effects of each additive on cell viability were assessed using epifluorescence microscopy. Factorial design identified promising additive combinations by extrapolating their individual effects. Supplementing the storage medium with sericin combined with adenosine, L-ascorbic acid and allopurinol resulted in the highest cell viability (98.6 ± 0.5%) after storage for three days, as measured by epifluorescence microscopy. Flow cytometry validated the findings. Proteomics identified 61 upregulated and 65 downregulated proteins in this storage group compared to the unstored control. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of melanosomes after storage in the optimized medium. We conclude that the combination of adenosine, L-ascorbic acid, allopurinol and sericin in minimal essential medium preserves RPE pigmentation while maintaining cell viability during storage.

Somatic proembryo production from excised, wounded zygotic carrot embryos on hormone-free medium: evaluation of the effects of pH, ethylene and activated charcoal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, D. L.; Krikorian, A. D.

1990-01-01

Wounded zygotic embryos of cultivated carrot produce somatic proembryos on hormone-free nutrient medium containing 1 mM NH4+ as the sole nitrogen source. Continued maintenance of proembryos on this medium leads to a "pure" culture of preglobular stage proembryos (PGSPs). Ethylene had no effect on this process. Also, somatic embryo production was not affected by growing cultures on activated charcoal-impregnated filter papers. However, somatic proembyros initiated on activated charcoal papers were not maintainable as PGSPs and developed into later embryo stages. Normally, medium pH dropped from 5.7 to 4 during each subculture period, but when using activated charcoal papers the pH endpoint was around 6 - 7 due to a leachable substance(s) within the filter papers. When powdered, activated charcoal was used in the medium as an adsorbent of products potentially released after wounding, pH dropped at the normal rate and to the expected levels; proembryos did not mature into later embryo stages and were maintainable exclusively as PGSPs. Low pH (approximately 4) is detrimental to proembyro production, but is essential to maintaining PGSPs on hormone-free nutrient medium, whereas a sustained pH > or = 5.7 allows continued development of PGSPs into later embryo stages.

The In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oil in Combination with Other Aroma-Therapeutic Oils

PubMed Central

de Rapper, Stephanie; Kamatou, Guy; Viljoen, Alvaro

2013-01-01

The antimicrobial activity of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil was assessed in combination with 45 other oils to establish possible interactive properties. The composition of the selected essential oils was confirmed using GC-MS with a flame ionization detector. The microdilution minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay was undertaken, whereby the fractional inhibitory concentration (ΣFIC) was calculated for the oil combinations. When lavender oil was assayed in 1 : 1 ratios with other oils, synergistic (26.7%), additive (48.9%), non-interactive (23.7%), and antagonistic (0.7%) interactions were observed. When investigating different ratios of the two oils in combination, the most favourable interactions were when L. angustifolia was combined with Cinnamomum zeylanicum or with Citrus sinensis, against C. albicans and S. aureus, respectively. In 1 : 1 ratios, 75.6% of the essential oils investigated showed either synergistic or additive results, lending in vitro credibility to the use of essential oil blends in aroma-therapeutic practices. Within the field of aromatherapy, essential oils are commonly employed in mixtures for the treatment of infectious diseases; however, very little evidence exists to support the use in combination. This study lends some credence to the concomitant use of essential oils blended with lavender. PMID:23737850

Cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) is required for osmotic regulation in Staphylococcus aureus but dispensable for viability in anaerobic conditions.

PubMed

Zeden, Merve S; Schuster, Christopher F; Bowman, Lisa; Zhong, Qiyun; Williams, Huw D; Gründling, Angelika

2018-03-02

Cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) is a recently discovered signaling molecule important for the survival of Firmicutes, a large bacterial group that includes notable pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus However, the exact role of this molecule has not been identified. dacA , the S. aureus gene encoding the diadenylate cyclase enzyme required for c-di-AMP production, cannot be deleted when bacterial cells are grown in rich medium, indicating that c-di-AMP is required for growth in this condition. Here, we report that an S. aureus dacA mutant can be generated in chemically defined medium. Consistent with previous findings, this mutant had a severe growth defect when cultured in rich medium. Using this growth defect in rich medium, we selected for suppressor strains with improved growth to identify c-di-AMP-requiring pathways. Mutations bypassing the essentiality of dacA were identified in alsT and opuD, encoding a predicted amino acid and osmolyte transporter, the latter of which we show here to be the main glycine betaine-uptake system in S. aureus. Inactivation of these transporters likely prevents the excessive osmolyte and amino acid accumulation in the cell, providing further evidence for a key role of c-di-AMP in osmotic regulation. Suppressor mutations were also obtained in hepS, hemB, ctaA, and qoxB, coding proteins required for respiration. Furthermore, we show that dacA is dispensable for growth in anaerobic conditions. Together, these findings reveal an essential role for the c-di-AMP signaling network in aerobic, but not anaerobic, respiration in S. aureus . © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Internalization and degradation of human chorionic gonadotropin in ovine luteal cells: Kinetic studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahmed, C.E.; Sawyer, H.R.; Niswender, G.D.

1981-11-01

Ovine luteal cells grown in suspensions and/or monolayer culture were used to study the rates of internalization and degradation of (/sup 125/I)hCG. At specified times after a 5- to 7-min exposure to (/sup 125/I)hCG, cells were treated with acidic buffer (pH 3.9) to elute membrane-bound hormone, which left the internalized radioactivity associated with the cell pellet. Radioactivity released into the medium during the incubation periods was subjected to 20% trichloroacetic acid and/or thin layer chromatography to monitor the extent of degradation of the radioactive hormone. Secretion of progesterone into the medium and exclusion of trypan blue were used to monitormore » the viability of the cells in each experiment. Radioactivity was lost from the plasma membrane with a tsub1/2 of 9.6 h, with approximately 85% of the radioactivity being lost within 24 h. Cell-associated radioactivity increased linearly with time to a plateau at 4 h, remained stable until 12 h, and then decreased between 12-24 h. The plateau between 4-12 h reflected an equilibrium between the (/sup 125/I)hCG which was internalized and degraded and the (/sup 125/I)hCG which was released into the medium. The degraded (/sup 125/I)hCG increased essentially linearly up to 24 h. These data suggest that the majority of (/sup 125/I)hCG bound to receptors in luteal cells is internalized and degraded. Less than 20% of the radioactivity bound initially to cells dissociated into the incubation medium and was trichloroacetic acid precipitable within 24 h. The internalization and degradation of (/sup 125/I)hCG was temperature dependent, with essentially no hCG internalized and/or degraded at 4C.« less

The inhibitory effects of essential oil constituents against germination, outgrowth and vegetative growth of spores of Clostridium perfringens type A in laboratory medium and chicken meat.

PubMed

Alanazi, Saud; Alnoman, Maryam; Banawas, Saeed; Saito, Ryoichi; Sarker, Mahfuzur R

2018-08-01

C. perfringens type A is the causative agent of C. perfringens type A food poisoning (FP) and non-food-borne (NFB) human gastrointestinal diseases. Due to its ability to form highly heat-resistant spores, it is of great interest to develop strategies alternative to thermal processing to inactivate C. perfrinegens. Thus, in this study we evaluated the inhibitory effects of essential oil constituents (EOCs) (cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), and carvacrol) against germination, outgrowth and vegetative growth of spores of C. perfringens FP and NFB disease isolates in laboratory medium and chicken meat. The cinnamaldehyde, eugenol and carvacrol, but not AITC, all at 0.05-0.1%, inhibited the germination of spores of all tested C. perfringens isolates in Tripticase-glucose-yeast extract (TGY) medium. Furthermore, all tested EOCs at 0.05-0.1% arrested the outgrowth and vegetative growth of C. perfringens spores in TGY, with AITC and carvacrol being the most effective. However, among four tested EOCs, only AITC (at 0.5%-2.0%) was able to inhibit the growth of C. perfringens spores in chicken meat and no such inhibitory effect was observed even with a 10-fold higher concentration (5%) of carvacrol. In conclusion, our current work identified AITC as an effective EOC to control spores and vegetative cells of C. perfringens isolates in laboratory medium and chicken meat. Further studies on evaluating the effectiveness of different combination of EOCs against C. perfringens spore growth in different meat products should establish an effective use of EOCs to control the risk of C. perfringens-mediated illnesses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composition, diffusion, and antifungal activity of black mustard (Brassica nigra) essential oil when applied by direct addition or vapor phase contact.

PubMed

Mejía-Garibay, Beatriz; Palou, Enrique; López-Malo, Aurelio

2015-04-01

In this study, we characterized the essential oil (EO) of black mustard (Brassica nigra) and quantified its antimicrobial activity, when applied by direct contact into the liquid medium or by exposure in the vapor phase (in laboratory media or in a bread-type product), against the growth of Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus, or Penicillium citrinum. Allyl-isothiocyanate (AITC) was identified as the major component of B. nigra EO with a concentration of 378.35 mg/ml. When B. nigra EO was applied by direct contact into the liquid medium, it inhibited the growth of A. ochraceus and P. citrinum when the concentration was 2 μl/ml of liquid medium (MIC), while for A. niger, a MIC of B. nigra EO was 4 μl/ml of liquid medium. Exposure of molds to B. nigra EO in vapor phase showed that 41.1 μl of B. nigra EO per liter of air delayed the growth of P. citrinum and A. niger by 10 days, while A. ochraceus growth was delayed for 20 days. Exposure to concentrations ≥ 47 μl of B. nigra EO per liter of air (MIC) inhibited the growth of tested molds by 30 days, and they were not able to recover after further incubation into an environment free of EO (fungicidal effect). Adsorbed AITC was quantified by exposing potato dextrose agar to B. nigra EO in a vapor phase, exhibiting that AITC was retained at least 5 days when testing EO at its MIC or with higher concentrations. Mustard EO MIC was also effective against the evaluated molds inhibiting their growth for 30 days in a bread-type product when exposed to EO by vapor contact, demonstrating its antifungal activity.

Application of a transient heat transfer model for bundled, multiphase pipelines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, T.S.; Clapham, J.; Danielson, T.J.

1996-12-31

A computer model has been developed which accurately describes transient heat transfer in pipeline bundles. An arbitrary number of internal pipelines containing different fluids, flowing in either direction along with the input of heat to one or more of the fluids can be accommodated. The model is coupled to the transient, multiphase flow simulator OLGA. The lines containing the multiphase production fluids are modeled by OLGA, and the heat transfer between the internal lines, carrier pipe, and surroundings is handled by the bundle model. The model has been applied extensively to the design of a subsea, heated bundle system formore » the Britannia gas condensate field in the North Sea. The 15-km bundle system contains a 14{double_prime} production line, an 8{double_prime} test line, a 3{double_prime} methanol line, and a 12{double_prime} internal heating medium line within a 37.25{double_prime} carrier. The heating medium (water) flows in the internal heating medium line and in the annulus at 82,500 BPD. The primary purpose of the bundle system is to avoid the formation of hydrates. A secondary purpose is to avoid the deposition of paraffin. The bundle model was used to (1) compare the merits of two coaxial lines vs. a single bundle; (2) optimize the insulation levels on the carrier and internal lines; (3) determine the minimum time required to heat up the bundle; (4) determine heat input requirements to avoid hydrates throughout the field life, (5) determine temperature profiles along the lines for a range of production rates; (6) study ruptures of the production line into the bundle annulus; (7) determine minimum temperatures during depressurization; and (8) determine cool-down times. The results of these studies were used to size lines, select insulation levels, assess erosion potential, design for thermal expansion-induced stresses, and to select materials of construction.« less

Interference and Mechanism of Dill Seed Essential Oil and Contribution of Carvone and Limonene in Preventing Sclerotinia Rot of Rapeseed

PubMed Central

Huang, Bo; He, Jingsheng; Tian, Jun; Zeng, Hong; Chen, Yuxin; Wang, Youwei

2015-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of dill (Anethum graveolens L.) seed essential oil against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and its mechanism of action. The antifungal activities of the two main constituents, namely carvone and limonene, were also measured. Mycelial growth and sclerotial germination were thoroughly inhibited by dill seed essential oil at the 1.00 μL/mL under contact condition and 0.125μL/mL air under vapor condition. Carvone also contributed more than limonene in inhibiting the growth of S. sclerotiorum. Carvone and limonene synergistically inhibited the growth of the fungus. In vivo experiments, the essential oil remarkably suppressed S. sclerotiorum, and considerable morphological alterations were observed in the hyphae and sclerotia. Inhibition of ergosterol synthesis, malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase activities, and external medium acidification were investigated to elucidate the antifungal mechanism of the essential oil. The seed essential oil of A. graveolens can be extensively used in agriculture for preventing the oilseed crops fungal disease. PMID:26133771

Comparison of spike and aerosol challenge tests for the recovery of viable influenza virus from non-woven fabrics.

PubMed

Zuo, Zhili; de Abin, Martha; Chander, Yogesh; Kuehn, Thomas H; Goyal, Sagar M; Pui, David Y H

2013-09-01

To experimentally determine the survival kinetics of influenza virus on personal protective equipment (PPE) and to evaluate the risk of virus transfer from PPE, it is important to compare the effects on virus recovery of the method used to contaminate the PPE with virus and the type of eluent used to recover it. Avian influenza virus (AIV) was applied as a liquid suspension (spike test) and as an aerosol to three types of non-woven fabrics [polypropylene (PP), polyester (PET), and polyamide (Nylon)] that are commonly used in the manufacture of PPE. This was followed by virus recovery using eight different eluents (phosphate-buffered saline, minimum essential medium, and 1.5% or 3.0% beef extract at pH 7, 8, or 9). For spike tests, no statistically significant difference was found in virus recovery using any of the eluents tested. Hydrophobic surfaces (PP and PET) yielded higher spiked virus recovery than hydrophilic Nylon. From all materials, the virus recovery was much lower in aerosol challenge tests than in spike tests. Significant differences were found in the recovery of viable AIV from non-woven fabrics between spike and aerosol challenge tests. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for realistic aerosol challenge tests rather than liquid spike tests in studies of virus survival on surfaces where airborne transmission of influenza virus may get involved. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The implications of condensed tannins on the nutritive value of temperate forages fed to ruminants.

PubMed

Barry, T N; McNabb, W C

1999-04-01

New methodology for measuring forage condensed tannin (CT) content is described and the effects of CT upon forage feeding and nutritive value for ruminant animals are reviewed. CT react with forage proteins in a pH-reversible manner, with reactivity determined by the concentration, structure and molecular mass of the CT. Increasing concentrations of CT in Lotus corniculatus and Lotus pedunculatus reduce the rates of solubilization and degradation of fraction 1 leaf protein in the rumen and increase duodenal non-NH3 N flow. Action of medium concentrations of total CT in Lotus corniculatus (30-40 g/kg DM) increased the absorption of essential amino acids from the small intestine and increased wool growth, milk secretion and reproductive rate in grazing sheep without affecting voluntary feed intake, thus improving the efficiency of food conversion. High concentrations of CT in Lotus pedunculatus (75-100 g/kg DM) depressed voluntary feed intake and rumen carbohydrate digestion and depressed rates of body and wool growth in grazing sheep. The minimum concentration of CT to prevent rumen frothy bloat in cattle is defined as 5 g/kg DM and sheep grazing CT-containing legumes were shown to better tolerate internal parasite infections than sheep grazing non CT-containing forages. It was concluded that defined concentrations of forage CT can be used to increase the efficiencies of protein digestion and animal productivity in forage-fed ruminants and to develop more ecologically sustainable systems of controlling some diseases under grazing.

A systematic study of mechanical properties, corrosion behavior and biocompatibility of AZ31B Mg alloy after ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification.

PubMed

Hou, Xiaoning; Qin, Haifeng; Gao, Hongyu; Mankoci, Steven; Zhang, Ruixia; Zhou, Xianfeng; Ren, Zhencheng; Doll, Gary L; Martini, Ashlie; Sahai, Nita; Dong, Yalin; Ye, Chang

2017-09-01

Magnesium alloys have tremendous potential for biomedical applications due to their good biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, and degradability, but can be limited by their poor mechanical properties and fast corrosion in the physiological environment. In this study, ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM), a recently developed surface processing technique that utilizes ultrasonic impacts to induce plastic strain on metal surfaces, was applied to an AZ31B magnesium (Mg) alloy. The mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility of the alloy after UNSM treatment were studied systematically. Significant improvement in hardness, yield stress and wear resistance was achieved after the UNSM treatment. In addition, the corrosion behavior of UNSM-treated AZ31B was not compromised compared with the untreated samples, as demonstrated by the weight loss and released element concentrations of Mg and Al after immersion in alpha-minimum essential medium (α-MEM) for 24h. The in vitro biocompatibility of the AZ31B Mg alloys toward adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) before and after UNSM processing was also evaluated using a cell culture study. Comparable cell attachments were achieved between the two groups. These studies showed that UNSM could significantly improve the mechanical properties of Mg alloys without compromising their corrosion rate and biocompatibility in vitro. These findings suggest that UNSM is a promising method to treat biodegradable Mg alloys for orthopaedic applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cytocompatibility of Siloxane-Containing Vaterite/Poly(l-lactic acid) Composite Coatings on Metallic Magnesium

PubMed Central

Yamada, Shinya; Maeda, Hirotaka; Obata, Akiko; Lohbauer, Ulrich; Yamamoto, Akiko; Kasuga, Toshihiro

2013-01-01

Poly(l-lactic acid)-based films which include 60 wt % of vaterite (V) or siloxane-containing vaterite (SiV) were coated on a pure magnesium substrate, denoted by PLLA/V or PLLA/SiV, respectively, to suppress early corrosion and improve its cytocompatibility. Both coating films adhered to the Mg substrate with 2.3–2.8 MPa of tensile bonding strength. Soaking test for 7 days in α-modified minimum essential medium revealed that the morphological instability of the PLLA/V film caused a higher amount of Mg2+ ion to be released from the coating sample. On the other hand, in the case of the coating with the PLLA/SiV film, no morphological change even after the soaking test was observed, owing to the suppression of the degradation rate. In cell culture tests, the proliferation of mouse osteoblast-like cell (MC3T3-E1) was significantly enhanced by both coatings, in comparison with the uncoated magnesium substrate. The cell morphology revealed that a few less-spread cells were observed on the PLLA/V film, while more elongated cells were done on the PLLA/SiV film. The cells on the PLLA/SiV film exhibited an extremely higher alkaline phosphatase activity after 21 days of incubation than that on the PLLA/V one. The PLLA/SiV film suppressed the early corrosion and enhanced cytocompatibility on metallic magnesium. PMID:28788425

Potential of chitosan from Mucor rouxxi UCP064 as alternative natural compound to inhibit Listeria monocytogenes.

PubMed

Bento, Roberta A; Stamford, Tânia L M; de Campos-Takaki, Galba M; Stamford, Thayza C M; de Souza, Evandro L

2009-07-01

Listeria monocytogenes is widely distributed in nature and the infection listeriosis is recognized as a potential threat for human health because of its mortality rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth profile and chitosan production by Mucor rouxxi UCP 064 grown in yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban) medium. It was also to assess the anti-L. monocytogenes efficacy of the obtained chitosan. Higher values of biomass of M. rouxxi (16.9 g.L(-1)) and best yield of chitosan (62 mg.g(-1)) were found after 48 h of cultivation. Residual glucose and nitrogen in the growth media were 4.1 and 0.02 g.L(-1) after 96 h, respectively. Obtained chitosan presented 85 % of degree of deacetylation and 2.60 x 10(4) g.mol(-1) of viscosimetric molecular weight. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) values of chitosan against L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 were, respectively, 2.5 and 5.0 mg.mL(-1). At 2.5 and 5.0 mg.mL(-1) chitosan caused cidal effect in a maximum time of 4 h. Bacterial count below 2 log cfu.mL(-1) were found from 2 h onwards and no recovery in bacterial growth was noted in the remainder period. These results show the biotechnological potential of yam bean medium for chitosan production by Mucor rouxxi and support the possible rational use of chitosan from fungi as natural antimicrobial to control L. monocytogenes.

Potential of chitosan from Mucor rouxxi UCP064 as alternative natural compound to inhibit Listeria monocytogenes

PubMed Central

Bento, Roberta A.; Stamford, Tânia L.M.; de Campos-Takaki, Galba M.; Stamford, Thayza C.M.; de Souza, Evandro L.

2009-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes is widely distributed in nature and the infection listeriosis is recognized as a potential threat for human health because of its mortality rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth profile and chitosan production by Mucor rouxxi UCP 064 grown in yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban) medium. It was also to assess the anti-L. monocytogenes efficacy of the obtained chitosan. Higher values of biomass of M. rouxxi (16.9 g.L-1) and best yield of chitosan (62 mg.g-1) were found after 48 h of cultivation. Residual glucose and nitrogen in the growth media were 4.1 and 0.02 g.L-1 after 96 h, respectively. Obtained chitosan presented 85 % of degree of deacetylation and 2.60 x 104 g.mol-1 of viscosimetric molecular weight. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) values of chitosan against L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 were, respectively, 2.5 and 5.0 mg.mL-1. At 2.5 and 5.0 mg.mL-1 chitosan caused cidal effect in a maximum time of 4 h. Bacterial count below 2 log cfu.mL-1 were found from 2 h onwards and no recovery in bacterial growth was noted in the remainder period. These results show the biotechnological potential of yam bean medium for chitosan production by Mucor rouxxi and support the possible rational use of chitosan from fungi as natural antimicrobial to control L. monocytogenes. PMID:24031403

Combined high-power ultrasound and high-pressure homogenization nanoemulsification: The effect of energy density, oil content and emulsifier type and content.

PubMed

Calligaris, Sonia; Plazzotta, Stella; Valoppi, Fabio; Anese, Monica

2018-05-01

Combinations of ultrasound (US) and high-pressure homogenization (HPH) at low-medium energy densities were studied as alternative processes to individual US and HPH to produce Tween 80 and whey protein stabilized nanoemulsions, while reducing the energy input. To this aim, preliminary trials were performed to compare emulsification efficacy of single and combined HPH and US treatments delivering low-medium energy densities. Results highlighted the efficacy of US-HPH combined process in reducing the energy required to produce nanoemulsions stabilized with both Tween 80 and whey protein isolate. Subsequently, the effect of emulsifier content (1-3% w/w), oil amount (10-20% w/w) and energy density (47-175 MJ/m 3 ) on emulsion mean particle diameter was evaluated by means of a central composite design. Particles of 140-190 nm were obtained by delivering 175 MJ/m 3 energy density at emulsions containing 3% (w/w) Tween 80 and 10% (w/w) oil. In the case of whey protein isolate stabilized emulsions, a reduced emulsifier amount (1% w/w) and intermediate energy density (120 MJ/m 3 ) allowed a minimum droplet size around 220-250 nm to be achieved. Results showed that, in both cases, at least 50% of the energy density should be delivered by HPH to obtain the minimum particle diameter. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Selective Growth-Inhibitory Effect of 8-Hydroxyquinoline on Clostridium perfringens versus Bifidobacteria in a Medium Containing Chicken Ileal Digesta.

PubMed

Skrivanova, Eva; Van Immerseel, Filip; Hovorkova, Petra; Kokoska, Ladislav

2016-01-01

Clostridium perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis is generally controlled by antibiotics. However, because of increasing antibiotic resistance, other antibacterial agents are required, preferably ones that do not affect the beneficial intestinal microbiota of the host. This study evaluated the in vitro selective growth-inhibitory effect of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQ) on C. perfringens vs. bifidobacteria in a medium containing chicken ileal digesta. Prior to the experiments, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 8HQ and penicillin G were determined by broth microdilution assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration values of 8HQ for C. perfringens were 16-32 times lower than the values for bifidobacteria. Treatment of autoclaved and non-autoclaved chicken ileal digesta with 8HQ showed a selective anticlostridial effect. After incubation of C. perfringens with autoclaved ileal digesta for 3 h, all 8HQ concentrations tested (32-2048 μg/mL) significantly reduced C. perfringens bacterial count. In contrast, the same treatment had no or only a slight effect on bifidobacteria counts. Unlike 8HQ, penicillin G did not exhibit any selectivity. Similar results were obtained after incubation for 24 h. In non-autoclaved ileal digesta, all 8HQ concentrations tested significantly reduced C. perfringens bacterial counts after incubation for 30 min and 3 h, while no effect was observed on bifidobacteria. These results suggest that 8HQ may serve as a prospective veterinary compound for use against necrotic enteritis in poultry.

[Does the sampling locality influence on the antifungal activity of the flavonoids of Marrubium vulgare against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans?].

PubMed

Bouterfas, K; Mehdadi, Z; Aouad, L; Elaoufi, M M; Khaled, M B; Latreche, A; Benchiha, W

2016-09-01

The study was undertaken to determine the effect of the sampling locality on the antifungal activity of the flavonoids extracted from the leaves of Marrubium vulgare L. against two fungal strains; Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. The leaves were collected from three different sampling localities belonging northwest Algeria: Tessala mount, M'sila forest and Ain Skhouna. The flavonoid extraction was carried out by using organic solvents with increasing polarity. A phytochemical screening was performed by staining test tubes. The inhibition diameters were measured by solid medium diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by dilution method on solid medium. The antifungal activity varied significantly (P<0.001) according to the sampling locality of the leaves, the flavonoid extract and its concentration, and the strain fungal type. The inhibition diameters varied between 8.16 and recorded 37.5mm even recording a total inhibition of fungal growth and often exceed those induced marketed antifungals (Amphotericin, Fluconazole, Terbinafine and econazole nitrate). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) obtained range between 6.25 and 100μg/mL; experiencing strong antifungal inhibition. The phytochemical screening revealed the existence of certain flavonoids classes such as flavans and flavanols which may be responsible of this remarkable antifungal power. The sampling locality of Marrubium vulgare leaves influenced on the antifungal activity of flavonoids. These have proven very good fungistatic and worth valuing in pharmacology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Calibration of medium-resolution monochrome cathode ray tube displays for the purpose of board examinations.

PubMed

Evanoff, M G; Roehrig, H; Giffords, R S; Capp, M P; Rovinelli, R J; Hartmann, W H; Merritt, C

2001-06-01

This report discusses calibration and set-up procedures for medium-resolution monochrome cathode ray tubes (CRTs) taken in preparation of the oral portion of the board examination of the American Board of Radiology (ABR). The board examinations took place in more than 100 rooms of a hotel. There was one display-station (a computer and the associated CRT display) in each of the hotel rooms used for the examinations. The examinations covered the radiologic specialties cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, vascular, pediatric, and genitourinary. The software used for set-up and calibration was the VeriLUM 4.0 package from Image Smiths in Germantown, MD. The set-up included setting minimum luminance and maximum luminance, as well as positioning of the CRT in each examination room with respect to reflections of roomlights. The calibration for the grey scale rendition was done meeting the Digital Imaging and communication in Medicine (DICOM) 14 Standard Display Function. We describe these procedures, and present the calibration data in. tables and graphs, listing initial values of minimum luminance, maximum luminance, and grey scale rendition (DICOM 14 standard display function). Changes of these parameters over the duration of the examination were observed and recorded on 11 monitors in a particular room. These changes strongly suggest that all calibrated CRTs be monitored over the duration of the examination. In addition, other CRT performance data affecting image quality such as spatial resolution should be included in set-up and image quality-control procedures.

Nematicidal activity of essential oils and volatiles derived from Portuguese aromatic flora against the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

PubMed Central

Barbosa, P.; Lima, A. S.; Vieira, P.; Dias, L. S.; Tinoco, M. T.; Barroso, J. G.; Pedro, L. G.; Figueiredo, A. C.

2010-01-01

Twenty seven essential oils, isolated from plants representing 11 families of Portuguese flora, were screened for their nematicidal activity against the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and the volatiles by distillation-extraction, and both were analysed by GC and GC-MS. High nematicidal activity was achieved with essential oils from Chamaespartium tridentatum, Origanum vulgare, Satureja montana, Thymbra capitata, and Thymus caespititius. All of these essential oils had an estimated minimum inhibitory concentration ranging between 0.097 and 0.374 mg/ml and a lethal concentration necessary to kill 100% of the population (LC100) between 0.858 and 1.984 mg/ml. Good nematicidal activity was also obtained with the essential oil from Cymbopogon citratus. The dominant components of the effective oils were 1–octen-3-ol (9%), n–nonanal, and linalool (both 7%) in C. tridentatum, geranial (43%), neral (29%), and β-myrcene (25%) in C. citratus, carvacrol (36% and 39%), γ-terpinene (24% and 40%), and p-cymene (14% and 7%) in O. vulgare and S. montana, respectively, and carvacrol (75% and 65%, respectively) in T. capitata and T. caespititius. The other essential oils obtained from Portuguese flora yielded weak or no activity. Five essential oils with nematicidal activity against PWN are reported for the first time. PMID:22736831

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon nardus citronella essential oil against systemic bacteria of aquatic animals.

PubMed

Wei, Lee Seong; Wee, Wendy

2013-06-01

This paper describes chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon nardus citronella essential oil against Edwardsiella spp. (n = 21), Vibrio spp. (n = 6), Aeromonas spp. (n = 2), Escherichia coli (n = 2), Salmonella spp. (n = 2), Flavobacterium spp. (n = 1), Pseudomonas spp. (n = 1) and Streptococcus spp. (n = 1) isolated from internal organs of aquatic animals. Due to the ban of antibiotics for aquaculture use, this study was carried out to evaluate the potential of citronella essential oil as alternative to commercial antibiotic use against systemic bacteria in cultured aquatic animals. The essential oil of C. nardus was prepared by using the steam distillation method and the chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oil tested against bacterial isolates from various aquatic animals and ATCC type strains were determined using two-fold broth micro dilution method with kanamycin and eugenol as positive controls. A total of 22 chemical compounds were detected in C. nardus essential oil with 6-octenal, 3, 7-dimethyl- or citronellal representing the major compounds (29.6%). The MIC values of the citronella oil ranged from 0.244 µg/ml to 0.977 µg/ml when tested against the bacterial isolates. The results of the present study revealed the potential of C. nardus essential oil as alternative to commercial antibiotics for aquaculture use.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of clove essential oil and eugenyl acetate produced by enzymatic esterification.

PubMed

Vanin, Adriana B; Orlando, Tainara; Piazza, Suelen P; Puton, Bruna M S; Cansian, Rogério L; Oliveira, Debora; Paroul, Natalia

2014-10-01

This work reports the maximization of eugenyl acetate production by esterification of essential oil of clove in a solvent-free system using Novozym 435 as catalyst. The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of clove essential oil and eugenyl acetate produced were determined. The conditions that maximized eugenyl acetate production were 60 °C, essential oil of clove to acetic anhydride ratio of 1:5, 150 rpm, and 10 wt% of enzyme, with a conversion of 99.87 %. A kinetic study was performed to assess the influence of substrates' molar ratio, enzyme concentration, and temperature on product yield. Results show that an excess of anhydride, enzyme concentration of 5.5 wt%, 50 °C, and essential oil of clove to acetic anhydride ratio of 1:5 afforded nearly a complete conversion after 2 h of reaction. Comparing the antibacterial activity of the essential oil of clove before and after esterification, we observed a decrease in the antimicrobial activity of eugenyl acetate, particularly with regard to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Both eugenyl acetate and clove essential oil were most effective to the gram-negative than gram-positive bacteria group. The results showed a high antioxidant potential for essential oil before and particularly after the esterification reaction thus becoming an option for the formulation of new antioxidant products.

Antifungal activity of volatile compounds generated by essential oils against fungi commonly causing deterioration of bakery products.

PubMed

Guynot, M E; Ramos, A J; Setó, L; Purroy, P; Sanchis, V; Marín, S

2003-01-01

To investigate the volatile fractions of 16 essential oils for activity against the more common fungi causing spoilage of bakery products, Eurotium amstelodami, E. herbariorum, E. repens, E. rubrum, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and Penicillium corylophilum. The study applied 50 microl of pure essential oils in a sterilized filter paper, were carried out at pH 6 and at different water activity levels (0.80-0.90). First, a wheat flour based agar medium was used, where cinnamon leaf, clove, bay, lemongrass and thyme essential oils where found to totally inhibit all microorganisms tested. These five essential oils were then tested in sponge cake analogues, but the antifungal activity detected was much more limited. Five essential oils showed potential antifungal capacity against all species tested, over a wide range of water availability. Their activity, however, seems to be substrate-dependent. More research is needed to make them work in real bakery products, as in the preliminary study limited effectiveness was found. The potential of the cinnamon leaf, clove, bay, lemongrass and thyme essential oils against species belonging to Eurotium, Aspergillus and Penicillium genus has been demonstrated.

Microwave-Assisted Simplified Simultaneous Distillation Coupled with Ionic Liquid Pretreatment for the Analysis of Essential Oil in Schisandra sphenanthera.

PubMed

Yu, Guo-Wei; Nie, Jing; Song, Zhi-Yu; Li, Zu-Guang; Lee, Maw-Rong; Wang, Shen-Peng

2017-11-01

Simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) is quite useful for the separation of volatile compounds from an analyte when their contents are quite low. In this study, a simplified SDE approach is applied for the extraction of essential oil from Schisandra sphenanthera, with microwave as heating source, [Bmim][Cl] as the medium for pretreatment, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as the analytical approach. Consequently, the improvement resulted from [Bmim][Cl] pretreatment is demonstrated by taking comparison with blank experiments. Totally 61 compounds have been detected in the essential oil obtained by using [Bmim][Cl] pretreatment, while without [Bmim][Cl] pretreatment, only 53 compounds can be detected. Moreover, [Bmim][Cl] pretreatment can also resulted in a higher yield of essential oil. The experimental results demonstrate that the simplified SDE coupled with ionic liquid pretreatment is a feasible approach for the extraction of essential oil from S. sphenanthera with high efficiency as 0.85% of essential oil yield has been obtained, and can be potentially extended to the extraction of essential oil or other target volatile compounds with low content. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Suppression pattern of neutral pions at high transverse momentum in Au + Au collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200 GeV and constraints on medium transport coefficients.

PubMed

Adare, A; Afanasiev, S; Aidala, C; Ajitanand, N N; Akiba, Y; Al-Bataineh, H; Alexander, J; Al-Jamel, A; Aoki, K; Aphecetche, L; Armendariz, R; Aronson, S H; Asai, J; Atomssa, E T; Averbeck, R; Awes, T C; Azmoun, B; Babintsev, V; Baksay, G; Baksay, L; Baldisseri, A; Barish, K N; Barnes, P D; Bassalleck, B; Bathe, S; Batsouli, S; Baublis, V; Bauer, F; Bazilevsky, A; Belikov, S; Bennett, R; Berdnikov, Y; Bickley, A A; Bjorndal, M T; Boissevain, J G; Borel, H; Boyle, K; Brooks, M L; Brown, D S; Bucher, D; Buesching, H; Bumazhnov, V; Bunce, G; Burward-Hoy, J M; Butsyk, S; Campbell, S; Chai, J-S; Chang, B S; Charvet, J-L; Chernichenko, S; Chiba, J; Chi, C Y; Chiu, M; Choi, I J; Chujo, T; Chung, P; Churyn, A; Cianciolo, V; Cleven, C R; Cobigo, Y; Cole, B A; Comets, M P; Constantin, P; Csanád, M; Csörgo, T; Dahms, T; Das, K; David, G; Deaton, M B; Dehmelt, K; Delagrange, H; Denisov, A; d'Enterria, D; Deshpande, A; Desmond, E J; Dietzsch, O; Dion, A; Donadelli, M; Drachenberg, J L; Drapier, O; Drees, A; Dubey, A K; Durum, A; Dzhordzhadze, V; Efremenko, Y V; Egdemir, J; Ellinghaus, F; Emam, W S; Enokizono, A; En'yo, H; Espagnon, B; Esumi, S; Eyser, K O; Fields, D E; Finger, M; Finger, M; Fleuret, F; Fokin, S L; Forestier, B; Fraenkel, Z; Frantz, J E; Franz, A; Frawley, A D; Fujiwara, K; Fukao, Y; Fung, S-Y; Fusayasu, T; Gadrat, S; Garishvili, I; Gastineau, F; Germain, M; Glenn, A; Gong, H; Gonin, M; Gosset, J; Goto, Y; de Cassagnac, R Granier; Grau, N; Greene, S V; Perdekamp, M Grosse; Gunji, T; Gustafsson, H-A; Hachiya, T; Henni, A Hadj; Haegemann, C; Haggerty, J S; Hagiwara, M N; Hamagaki, H; Han, R; Harada, H; Hartouni, E P; Haruna, K; Harvey, M; Haslum, E; Hasuko, K; Hayano, R; Heffner, M; Hemmick, T K; Hester, T; Heuser, J M; He, X; Hiejima, H; Hill, J C; Hobbs, R; Hohlmann, M; Holmes, M; Holzmann, W; Homma, K; Hong, B; Horaguchi, T; Hornback, D; Hur, M G; Ichihara, T; Imai, K; Imrek, J; Inaba, M; Inoue, Y; Isenhower, D; Isenhower, L; Ishihara, M; Isobe, T; Issah, M; Isupov, A; Jacak, B V; Jia, J; Jin, J; Jinnouchi, O; Johnson, B M; Joo, K S; Jouan, D; Kajihara, F; Kametani, S; Kamihara, N; Kamin, J; Kaneta, M; Kang, J H; Kanou, H; Kawagishi, T; Kawall, D; Kazantsev, A V; Kelly, S; Khanzadeev, A; Kikuchi, J; Kim, D H; Kim, D J; Kim, E; Kim, Y-S; Kinney, E; Kiss, A; Kistenev, E; Kiyomichi, A; Klay, J; Klein-Boesing, C; Kochenda, L; Kochetkov, V; Komkov, B; Konno, M; Kotchetkov, D; Kozlov, A; Král, A; Kravitz, A; Kroon, P J; Kubart, J; Kunde, G J; Kurihara, N; Kurita, K; Kweon, M J; Kwon, Y; Kyle, G S; Lacey, R; Lai, Y-S; Lajoie, J G; Lebedev, A; Le Bornec, Y; Leckey, S; Lee, D M; Lee, M K; Lee, T; Leitch, M J; Leite, M A L; Lenzi, B; Lim, H; Liska, T; Litvinenko, A; Liu, M X; Li, X; Li, X H; Love, B; Lynch, D; Maguire, C F; Makdisi, Y I; Malakhov, A; Malik, M D; Manko, V I; Mao, Y; Masek, L; Masui, H; Matathias, F; McCain, M C; McCumber, M; McGaughey, P L; Miake, Y; Mikes, P; Miki, K; Miller, T E; Milov, A; Mioduszewski, S; Mishra, G C; Mishra, M; Mitchell, J T; Mitrovski, M; Morreale, A; Morrison, D P; Moss, J M; Moukhanova, T V; Mukhopadhyay, D; Murata, J; Nagamiya, S; Nagata, Y; Nagle, J L; Naglis, M; Nakagawa, I; Nakamiya, Y; Nakamura, T; Nakano, K; Newby, J; Nguyen, M; Norman, B E; Nyanin, A S; Nystrand, J; O'Brien, E; Oda, S X; Ogilvie, C A; Ohnishi, H; Ojha, I D; Okada, H; Okada, K; Oka, M; Omiwade, O O; Oskarsson, A; Otterlund, I; Ouchida, M; Ozawa, K; Pak, R; Pal, D; Palounek, A P T; Pantuev, V; Papavassiliou, V; Park, J; Park, W J; Pate, S F; Pei, H; Peng, J-C; Pereira, H; Peresedov, V; Peressounko, D Yu; Pinkenburg, C; Pisani, R P; Purschke, M L; Purwar, A K; Qu, H; Rak, J; Rakotozafindrabe, A; Ravinovich, I; Read, K F; Rembeczki, S; Reuter, M; Reygers, K; Riabov, V; Riabov, Y; Roche, G; Romana, A; Rosati, M; Rosendahl, S S E; Rosnet, P; Rukoyatkin, P; Rykov, V L; Ryu, S S; Sahlmueller, B; Saito, N; Sakaguchi, T; Sakai, S; Sakata, H; Samsonov, V; Sato, H D; Sato, S; Sawada, S; Seele, J; Seidl, R; Semenov, V; Seto, R; Sharma, D; Shea, T K; Shein, I; Shevel, A; Shibata, T-A; Shigaki, K; Shimomura, M; Shohjoh, T; Shoji, K; Sickles, A; Silva, C L; Silvermyr, D; Silvestre, C; Sim, K S; Singh, C P; Singh, V; Skutnik, S; Slunecka, M; Smith, W C; Soldatov, A; Soltz, R A; Sondheim, W E; Sorensen, S P; Sourikova, I V; Staley, F; Stankus, P W; Stenlund, E; Stepanov, M; Ster, A; Stoll, S P; Sugitate, T; Suire, C; Sullivan, J P; Sziklai, J; Tabaru, T; Takagi, S; Takagui, E M; Taketani, A; Tanaka, K H; Tanaka, Y; Tanida, K; Tannenbaum, M J; Taranenko, A; Tarján, P; Thomas, T L; Togawa, M; Toia, A; Tojo, J; Tomásek, L; Torii, H; Towell, R S; Tram, V-N; Tserruya, I; Tsuchimoto, Y; Tuli, S K; Tydesjö, H; Tyurin, N; Vale, C; Valle, H; van Hecke, H W; Velkovska, J; Vertesi, R; Vinogradov, A A; Virius, M; Vrba, V; Vznuzdaev, E; Wagner, M; Walker, D; Wang, X R; Watanabe, Y; Wessels, J; White, S N; Willis, N; Winter, D; Woody, C L; Wysocki, M; Xie, W; Yamaguchi, Y L; Yanovich, A; Yasin, Z; Ying, J; Yokkaichi, S; Young, G R; Younus, I; Yushmanov, I E; Zajc, W A; Zaudtke, O; Zhang, C; Zhou, S; Zimányi, J; Zolin, L

2008-12-05

For Au + Au collisions at 200 GeV, we measure neutral pion production with good statistics for transverse momentum, pT, up to 20 GeV/c. A fivefold suppression is found, which is essentially constant for 5 < pT < 20 GeV/c. Experimental uncertainties are small enough to constrain any model-dependent parametrization for the transport coefficient of the medium, e.g., q in the parton quenching model. The spectral shape is similar for all collision classes, and the suppression does not saturate in Au + Au collisions.

Resistance heater for use in a glass melter

DOEpatents

Routt, K.R.; Porter, M.A.

1984-01-01

A resistance heating element that includes: a resistance heating medium of a mixture of electrically conductive and insulative particles in powdered form mixed together in predetermined proportions to achieve a given resistivity; a hollow outer electrode surrounding the resistance heating medium; and an inner electrode coaxially disposed within said outer electrode. In its preferred embodiments, the electrically conductive powder is selected from the group consisting essentially of graphite, Inconel alloy, molybdenum, nichrome alloy and stainless steel, while the insulator powder is silicon dioxide or alumina. The resistance heating element, being resistant to damage from mechanical shock and corrosion at elevated temperatures, is used in a glass melter.

Identification of essential genes and synthetic lethal gene combinations in Escherichia coli K-12.

PubMed

Mori, Hirotada; Baba, Tomoya; Yokoyama, Katsushi; Takeuchi, Rikiya; Nomura, Wataru; Makishi, Kazuichi; Otsuka, Yuta; Dose, Hitomi; Wanner, Barry L

2015-01-01

Here we describe the systematic identification of single genes and gene pairs, whose knockout causes lethality in Escherichia coli K-12. During construction of precise single-gene knockout library of E. coli K-12, we identified 328 essential gene candidates for growth in complex (LB) medium. Upon establishment of the Keio single-gene deletion library, we undertook the development of the ASKA single-gene deletion library carrying a different antibiotic resistance. In addition, we developed tools for identification of synthetic lethal gene combinations by systematic construction of double-gene knockout mutants. We introduce these methods herein.

Galactic Cosmic-Ray Energy Spectra and Composition during the 2009-2010 Solar Minimum Period

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lave, K. A.; Wiedenbeck, Mark E.; Binns, W. R.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, A. C.; Davis, A. J.; deNolfo, G. A.; Israel, M. H..; Leske, R. A.; Mewaldt, R. A.;

Performance of bulk oil circuit breaker (BOCB) influenced by its parameters (Case study at the substation of Bogor Baru)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goeritno, Arief; Rasiman, Syofyan

2017-06-01

Performance examination of the bulk oil circuit breaker that is influenced by its parameters at the Substation of Bogor Baru (the State Electricity Company = PLN) has been done. It is found that (1) dielectric strength of oil still qualifies as an insulating and cooling medium, because the average value of the measurement result is still above the minimum value allowed, where the minimum limit of 80 kV/2.5 cm or 32 kV/cm; (2) the simultaneity of the CB's contacts is still eligible, so that the BOCB can still be operated, because the difference of time between the highest and lowest values when the BOCB's contacts are opened/closed are less than (Δt<) 10 milliseconds (if meeting the PLN standards as recommended by Alsthom); and (3) the parameter of resistance according to the standards, where (i) the resistance of insulation has a value far above the allowed threshold, while the minimum standards are above 2,000 Mn (if meeting the ANSI standards) or on the value of 2,000 MΩ (if meeting PLN standards), (ii) the resistance of contacts has a value far above the allowed threshold, while the minimum standards are below 350 µΩ (if meeting ANSI standards) or on the value of 200 µΩ (if meeting PLN standards). The resistance of grounding is equal to the maximum limit specified, while the maximum standard is on the value of 0.5 Ω (if meeting PLN standard).

Screening of Natural Antimicrobials for Inhibition of E. coli O157:H7 in a Solidified Apple Juice Medium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Naturally occurring antimicrobials such as plant extracts and essential oils have been used in the food industry for years. Due to increased consumer demand for minimally processed juices there has been increased interest in the use of novel antimicrobial compounds isolated from natur...

Amylose-dicarboxylic acid inclusion complexes: Characterization and comparison to monocarboxylic acid complexes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One of the main components in starch, amylose is an essentially linear polymer composed of glucose connected through alpha-1,4-bonds. Amylose is well known to form helical inclusion complexes with various types of ligands such as iodine, medium and long chain fatty acids, alcohols, lactones, and fl...

Estimates of downed woody debris decay class transitions for forests across the eastern United States

Treesearch

Matthew B. Russell; Christopher W. Woodall; Shawn Fraver; Anthony W. D' Amato

2013-01-01

Large-scale inventories of downed woody debris (DWD; downed dead wood of a minimum size) often record decay status by assigning pieces to classes of decay according to their visual/structural attributes (e.g., presence of branches, log shape, and texture and color of wood). DWD decay classes are not only essential for estimating current DWD biomass and carbon stocks,...

National Sexuality Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K-12. A Special Publication of the Journal of School Health. Special Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American School Health Association (NJ1), 2012

2012-01-01

The goal of this paper, "National Sexuality Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K-12," is to provide clear, consistent and straightforward guidance on the "essential minimum, core content" for sexuality education that is developmentally and age-appropriate for students in grades K-12. The development of these standards is a result of an…

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oil from Wedelia urticifolia growing wild in Hunan Province, China.

PubMed

Hu, Junpeng; Jia, Mengmeng; Zhu, Liang

2018-04-18

The essential oil obtained from Wedelia urticifolia growing in Hunan Province, China, was analyzed for the first time by capillary GC and GC-MS. A total of 67 constituents, representing 98.68% in essential oil were identified. The major constituents of the oil were: α-pinene (8.85%), limonene (6.38%), carvacrol (6.15%), caryophyllene (6.08%), spathulenol (5.49%), sabinene (5.36%), camphor (4.34%). Antimicrobial potential of oil against bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus), yeast strains (Hansenula anomala and Saccharomy cescerevisiae) and molds (Aspergillus niger, Chaetomium globosum, Mucor racemosus, and Monascus anka) was determined by disc diffusion method and broth micro dilution method, respectively. The oil exhibited promising antimicrobial effect as a diameter of zones of inhibition (16.8-24.9 mm). Minimum inhibitory concentration values of oil were ranged 62.5-1000 μg/mL.

Quantitative tissue polarimetry using polar decomposition of 3 x 3 Mueller matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swami, M. K.; Manhas, S.; Buddhiwant, P.; Ghosh, N.; Uppal, A.; Gupta, P. K.

2007-05-01

Polarization properties of any optical system are completely described by a sixteen-element (4 x 4) matrix called Mueller matrix, which transform the Stokes vector describing the polarization properties of incident light to the stokes vector of scattered light. Measurement of all the elements of the matrix requires a minimum of sixteen measurements involving both linear and circularly polarized light. However, for many diagnostic applications, it would be useful if all the polarization parameters of the medium (depolarization (Δ), differential attenuation of two orthogonal polarizations, that is, diattenuation (d), and differential phase retardance of two orthogonal polarizations, i.e., retardance (δ )) can be quantified with linear polarization measurements alone. In this paper we show that for a turbid medium, like biological tissue, where the depolarization of linearly polarized light arises primarily due to the randomization of the field vector's direction by multiple scattering, the polarization parameters of the medium can be obtained from the nine Mueller matrix elements involving linear polarization measurements only. Use of the approach for measurement of polarization parameters (Δ, d and δ) of normal and malignant (squamous cell carcinoma) tissues resected from human oral cavity are presented.

Development and Validation of a Liquid Medium (M7H9C) for Routine Culture of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis To Replace Modified Bactec 12B Medium

PubMed Central

Whittington, Ann-Michele; Waldron, Anna; Begg, Douglas J.; de Silva, Kumi; Purdie, Auriol C.; Plain, Karren M.

2013-01-01

Liquid culture of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis from clinical samples, such as feces, is the most sensitive antemortem test for the diagnosis of Johne's disease in ruminants. In Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and some other countries, the Bactec 460 system with modified Bactec 12B medium (Becton, Dickinson) has been the most commonly used liquid culture system, but it was discontinued in 2012. In this study, a new liquid culture medium, M7H9C, was developed. It consists of a Middlebrook 7H9 medium base with added Casitone, albumin, dextrose, catalase, egg yolk, mycobactin J, and a cocktail of antibiotics. We found that polyoxyethylene stearate (POES) was not essential for the cultivation of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in either the Bactec 12B or the M7H9C medium. The limit of detection determined using pure cultures of the C and S strains of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was 7 bacilli per 50 μl inoculum in the two media. The new medium was validated using 784 fecal and tissue samples from sheep and cattle, >25% of which contained viable M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Discrepant results for the clinical samples between the two media were mostly associated with samples that contained <10 viable bacilli per gram, but these results were relatively uncommon, and the performances of the two media were not significantly different. M7H9C medium was less than half the cost of the Bactec 12B medium and did not require regular examination during incubation, but a confirmatory IS900 PCR test had to be performed on every culture after the predetermined incubation period. PMID:24048541

Phenomenology of non-Alfvenic turbulence in a uniformly expanding medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matthaeus, W. H.; Zank, G. P.

1995-01-01

Transport and decay of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in a weakly inhomogeneous uniformly expanding medium involves a fairly complex formalism, even for the case where no spectral information is required. Here we argue that the phenomenology for decay simplifies greatly if: (1) the cross helicity (Alfvenicity) is small, (2) the dynamical influence of the large scale magnetic field is negligible either because of spectral anisotropy or because the expansion speed is much greater than the corresponding Alfven speed, and (3) the ratio of kinetic energy to magnetic energy for the fluctuations is either unity or some other constant. These conditions are acceptable as an approximation to solar wind turbulence in the outer heliosphere. In these circumstances a reasonable MHD energy-containing phenomenology is essentially that of locally homogeneous Kolmogoroff turbulence in a uniformly expanding medium. Analytical solutions for this model are presented for both undriven and driven cases.

Extending medium-range predictability of extreme hydrological events in Europe

PubMed Central

Lavers, David A.; Pappenberger, Florian; Zsoter, Ervin

2014-01-01

Widespread flooding occurred across northwest Europe during the winter of 2013/14, resulting in large socioeconomic damages. In the historical record, extreme hydrological events have been connected with intense water vapour transport. Here we show that water vapour transport has higher medium-range predictability compared with precipitation in the winter 2013/14 forecasts from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Applying the concept of potential predictability, the transport is found to extend the forecast horizon by 3 days in some European regions. Our results suggest that the breakdown in precipitation predictability is due to uncertainty in the horizontal mass convergence location, an essential mechanism for precipitation generation. Furthermore, the predictability increases with larger spatial averages. Given the strong association between precipitation and water vapour transport, especially for extreme events, we conclude that the higher transport predictability could be used as a model diagnostic to increase preparedness for extreme hydrological events. PMID:25387309

Effects of an exopolysaccharide (kefiran) on lipids, blood pressure, blood glucose, and constipation.

PubMed

Maeda, Hiroaki; Zhu, Xia; Omura, Kazunobu; Suzuki, Shiho; Kitamura, Shinichi

2004-01-01

Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens was reported to produce an exopolysaccharide named kefiran. In the present study, we developed a new medium, rice hydrolyzate (RH) medium, for the culture of L. kefiranofaciens. Structural analyses revealed that the exopolysaccharide produced by L. kefiranofaciens from RH medium was composed of a hexasaccharide repeating unit, and essentially identical to the kefiran reported in previous studies. A study on the effects of kefiran in animals demonstrated that kefiran significantly suppressed increase of blood pressure and reduced the serum cholesterol levels in SHRSP/Hos rats when subjects consumed excessive dietary cholesterol. Kefiran supplementation demonstrated the ability to significantly lower blood glucose in KKAy mice. In addition, the administration of kefiran in constipated SD rats caused an obvious improvement in the levels of fecal moisture and wet weights of feces. These results suggest that kefiran could be used as a functional food to prevent some commonly occurring diseases.

Antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity and chemical analysis of lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus) and pure citral.

PubMed

Adukwu, Emmanuel C; Bowles, Melissa; Edwards-Jones, Valerie; Bone, Heather

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial effects of lemongrass essential oil (C. flexuosus) and to determine cytotoxic effects of both test compounds on human dermal fibroblasts. Antimicrobial susceptibility screening was carried out using the disk diffusion method. Antimicrobial resistance was observed in four of five Acinetobacter baumannii strains with two strains confirmed as multi-drug-resistant (MDR). All the strains tested were susceptible to both lemongrass and citral with zones of inhibition varying between 17 to 80 mm. The mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of citral (mic-0.14 % and mbc-0.3 % v/v) was lower than that of Lemongrass (mic-0.65 % and mbc-1.1 % v/v) determined using the microtitre plate method. Cell viability using human dermal fibroblasts (HDF; 106-05a) was determined following exposure to both compounds and a control (Grapeseed oil) using the XTT assay and the IC 50 determined at 0.095 % (v/v) for citral and 0.126 % (v/v) for lemongrass. Grapeseed oil had no effect on cell viability. Live cell imaging was performed using the LumaScope 500 imaging equipment and changes in HDF cell morphology such as necrotic features and shrinkage were observed. The ability of lemongrass essential oil (EO) and citral to inhibit and kill MDR A. baumannii highlights its potential for use in the management of drug-resistant infections; however, in vitro cytotoxicity does suggest further tests are needed before in vivo or ex vivo human exposure.

Antagonistic activity of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil on growth and zearalenone production by Fusarium graminearum in maize grains.

PubMed

Kalagatur, Naveen K; Mudili, Venkataramana; Siddaiah, Chandranayaka; Gupta, Vijai K; Natarajan, Gopalan; Sreepathi, Murali H; Vardhan, Batra H; Putcha, Venkata L R

2015-01-01

The present study was aimed to establish the antagonistic effects of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil (OSEO) on growth and zearalenone (ZEA) production of Fusarium graminearum. GC-MS chemical profiling of OSEO revealed the existence of 43 compounds and the major compound was found to be eugenol (34.7%). DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50) of OSEO was determined to be 8.5 μg/mL. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of OSEO on F. graminearum were recorded as 1250 and 1800 μg/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscope observations showed significant micro morphological damage in OSEO exposed mycelia and spores compared to untreated control culture. Quantitative UHPLC studies revealed that OSEO negatively effected the production of ZEA; the concentration of toxin production was observed to be insignificant at 1500 μg/mL concentration of OSEO. On other hand ZEA concentration was quantified as 3.23 μg/mL in OSEO untreated control culture. Reverse transcriptase qPCR analysis of ZEA metabolic pathway genes (PKS4 and PKS13) revealed that increase in OSEO concentration (250-1500 μg/mL) significantly downregulated the expression of PKS4 and PKS13. These results were in agreement with the artificially contaminated maize grains as well. In conlusion, the antifungal and antimycotoxic effects of OSEO on F. graminearum in the present study reiterated that, the essential oil of O. sanctum could be a promising herbal fungicide in food processing industries as well as grain storage centers.

Antagonistic activity of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil on growth and zearalenone production by Fusarium graminearum in maize grains

PubMed Central

Kalagatur, Naveen K.; Mudili, Venkataramana; Siddaiah, Chandranayaka; Gupta, Vijai K.; Natarajan, Gopalan; Sreepathi, Murali H.; Vardhan, Batra H.; Putcha, Venkata L. R.

2015-01-01

The present study was aimed to establish the antagonistic effects of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil (OSEO) on growth and zearalenone (ZEA) production of Fusarium graminearum. GC–MS chemical profiling of OSEO revealed the existence of 43 compounds and the major compound was found to be eugenol (34.7%). DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50) of OSEO was determined to be 8.5 μg/mL. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of OSEO on F. graminearum were recorded as 1250 and 1800 μg/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscope observations showed significant micro morphological damage in OSEO exposed mycelia and spores compared to untreated control culture. Quantitative UHPLC studies revealed that OSEO negatively effected the production of ZEA; the concentration of toxin production was observed to be insignificant at 1500 μg/mL concentration of OSEO. On other hand ZEA concentration was quantified as 3.23 μg/mL in OSEO untreated control culture. Reverse transcriptase qPCR analysis of ZEA metabolic pathway genes (PKS4 and PKS13) revealed that increase in OSEO concentration (250–1500 μg/mL) significantly downregulated the expression of PKS4 and PKS13. These results were in agreement with the artificially contaminated maize grains as well. In conlusion, the antifungal and antimycotoxic effects of OSEO on F. graminearum in the present study reiterated that, the essential oil of O. sanctum could be a promising herbal fungicide in food processing industries as well as grain storage centers. PMID:26388846

Turbofan engine demonstration of sensor failure detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrill, Walter C.; Delaat, John C.; Abdelwahab, Mahmood

1991-01-01

In the paper, the results of a full-scale engine demonstration of a sensor failure detection algorithm are presented. The algorithm detects, isolates, and accommodates sensor failures using analytical redundancy. The experimental hardware, including the F100 engine, is described. Demonstration results were obtained over a large portion of a typical flight envelope for the F100 engine. They include both subsonic and supersonic conditions at both medium and full, nonafter burning, power. Estimated accuracy, minimum detectable levels of sensor failures, and failure accommodation performance for an F100 turbofan engine control system are discussed.

Electromagnetic fluctuation spectra of collective oscillations in magnetized Maxwellian plasmas for parallel wave vectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vafin, S.; Schlickeiser, R.; Yoon, P. H.

2016-05-01

The general electromagnetic fluctuation theory for magnetized plasmas is used to calculate the steady-state wave number spectra and total electromagnetic field strength of low-frequency collective weakly damped eigenmodes with parallel wavevectors in a Maxwellian electron-proton plasma. These result from the equilibrium of spontaneous emission and collisionless damping, and they represent the minimum electromagnetic fluctuations guaranteed in quiet thermal space plasmas, including the interstellar and interplanetary medium. Depending on the plasma beta, the ratio of |δB |/B0 can be as high as 10-12 .

Continuous Cultivation for Apparent Optimization of Defined Media for Cellulomonas sp. and Bacillus cereus

PubMed Central

Summers, R. J.; Boudreaux, D. P.; Srinivasan, V. R.

1979-01-01

Steady-state continuous culture was used to optimize lean chemically defined media for a Cellulomonas sp. and Bacillus cereus strain T. Both organisms were extremely sensitive to variations in trace-metal concentrations. However, medium optimization by this technique proved rapid, and multifactor screening was easily conducted by using a minimum of instrumentation. The optimized media supported critical dilution rates of 0.571 and 0.467 h−1 for Cellulomonas and Bacillus, respectively. These values approximated maximum growth rate values observed in batch culture. PMID:16345417

Simulated laser fluorosensor signals from subsurface chlorophyll distributions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venable, D. D.; Khatun, S.; Punjabi, A.; Poole, L.

1986-01-01

A semianalytic Monte Carlo model has been used to simulate laser fluorosensor signals returned from subsurface distributions of chlorophyll. This study assumes the only constituent of the ocean medium is the common coastal zone dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum. The concentration is represented by Gaussian distributions in which the location of the distribution maximum and the standard deviation are variable. Most of the qualitative features observed in the fluorescence signal for total chlorophyll concentrations up to 1.0 microg/liter can be accounted for with a simple analytic solution assuming a rectangular chlorophyll distribution function.

Antimicrobial activities of commercial essential oils and their components against food-borne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria

PubMed Central

Mith, Hasika; Duré, Rémi; Delcenserie, Véronique; Zhiri, Abdesselam; Daube, Georges; Clinquart, Antoine

2014-01-01

This study was undertaken to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activities of 15 commercial essential oils and their main components in order to pre-select candidates for potential application in highly perishable food preservation. The antibacterial effects against food-borne pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7) and food spoilage bacteria (Brochothrix thermosphacta and Pseudomonas fluorescens) were tested using paper disk diffusion method, followed by determination of minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations. Most of the tested essential oils exhibited antimicrobial activity against all tested bacteria, except galangal oil. The essential oils of cinnamon, oregano, and thyme showed strong antimicrobial activities with MIC ≥ 0.125 μL/mL and MBC ≥ 0.25 μL/mL. Among tested bacteria, P. fluorescens was the most resistant to selected essential oils with MICs and MBCs of 1 μL/mL. The results suggest that the activity of the essential oils of cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and clove can be attributed to the existence mostly of cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol, which appear to possess similar activities against all the tested bacteria. These materials could be served as an important natural alternative to prevent bacterial growth in food products. PMID:25473498

Inhibitory Effect of Black and Red Pepper and Thyme Extracts and Essential Oils on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and DNase Activity of Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Zarringhalam, Maryam; Zaringhalam, Jalal; Shadnoush, Mehdi; Safaeyan, Firouzeh; Tekieh, Elaheh

2013-01-01

In this study, extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme were tested for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. Black and Red pepper and Thyme were provided from Iranian agricultural researches center. 2 g of each plant powder was added to 10 cc ethanol 96°. After 24 h, the crude extract was separated as an alcoholic extract and concentrated by distillation method. Plants were examined for determining their major component and essential oils were separated. Phytochemical analyses were done for detection of some effective substances in extracts. The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus was tested and the results showed that all extracts and essential oils were effective and essential oils were more active. The extracts and oils that showed antimicrobial activity were later tested to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Dilution (MID) for those bacteria. They were also effective on the inhibition of DNase activity. This study was indicated that extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme can play a significant role in inhibition of Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus.

Inhibitory Effect of Black and Red Pepper and Thyme Extracts and Essential Oils on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli and DNase Activity of Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Zarringhalam, Maryam; Zaringhalam, Jalal; Shadnoush, Mehdi; Safaeyan, Firouzeh; Tekieh, Elaheh

2013-01-01

In this study, extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme were tested for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. Black and Red pepper and Thyme were provided from Iranian agricultural researches center. 2 g of each plant powder was added to 10 cc ethanol 96°. After 24 h, the crude extract was separated as an alcoholic extract and concentrated by distillation method. Plants were examined for determining their major component and essential oils were separated. Phytochemical analyses were done for detection of some effective substances in extracts. The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus was tested and the results showed that all extracts and essential oils were effective and essential oils were more active. The extracts and oils that showed antimicrobial activity were later tested to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Dilution (MID) for those bacteria. They were also effective on the inhibition of DNase activity. This study was indicated that extracts and essential oils of Black and Red pepper and Thyme can play a significant role in inhibition of Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. PMID:24250643

Induction of endothelial cell proliferation by angiogenic factors released by activated monocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pakala, Rajbabu; Watanabe, Takuya; Benedict, Claude R

2002-06-01

Introduction: Cell-cell interaction is an essential component of atherosclerotic plaque development. Activated monocytes appear to play a central role in the development of atherosclerosis, not only through foam cell formation but also via the production of various growth factors that induce proliferation of different cell types that are involved in the plaque development. Using serum free co-culture method, we determined the effect of monocytes on endothelial cell proliferation. Methods: Endothelial cell proliferation is determined by the amount of [{sup 3}H]thymidine incorporated in to the DNA. Basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels inmore » the conditioned medium were determined by ELISA. Results: Conditioned medium from unactivated monocytes partially inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, whereas conditioned medium from activated monocytes promoted endothelial cell proliferation. The mitogenic effect of conditioned medium derived from activated monocytes is due to the presence of b-FGF, VEGF and IL-8. Neutralizing antibodies against b-FGF, VEGF and IL-8 partially reversed the mitogenic effect of conditioned medium derived from activated monocytes. When b-FGF, VEGF and IL-8 were immunoprecipitated from conditioned medium derived from activated monocytes, it is less mitogenic to endothelial cells. Conclusion: Activated monocytes may play an important role in the development of atherosclerotic plaque by producing endothelial cell growth factors.« less

A patch-based convolutional neural network for remote sensing image classification.

PubMed

Sharma, Atharva; Liu, Xiuwen; Yang, Xiaojun; Shi, Di

2017-11-01

Availability of accurate land cover information over large areas is essential to the global environment sustainability; digital classification using medium-resolution remote sensing data would provide an effective method to generate the required land cover information. However, low accuracy of existing per-pixel based classification methods for medium-resolution data is a fundamental limiting factor. While convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with deep layers have achieved unprecedented improvements in object recognition applications that rely on fine image structures, they cannot be applied directly to medium-resolution data due to lack of such fine structures. In this paper, considering the spatial relation of a pixel to its neighborhood, we propose a new deep patch-based CNN system tailored for medium-resolution remote sensing data. The system is designed by incorporating distinctive characteristics of medium-resolution data; in particular, the system computes patch-based samples from multidimensional top of atmosphere reflectance data. With a test site from the Florida Everglades area (with a size of 771 square kilometers), the proposed new system has outperformed pixel-based neural network, pixel-based CNN and patch-based neural network by 24.36%, 24.23% and 11.52%, respectively, in overall classification accuracy. By combining the proposed deep CNN and the huge collection of medium-resolution remote sensing data, we believe that much more accurate land cover datasets can be produced over large areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne Essential Oil

PubMed Central

Novy, Pavel; Davidova, Hana; Serrano-Rojero, Cecilia Suqued; Rondevaldova, Johana; Pulkrabek, Josef

2015-01-01

Eyebright, Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne (Scrophulariaceae), is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Europe for the treatment of various health disorders, especially as eyewash to treat eye ailments such as conjunctivitis and blepharitis that can be associated with bacterial infections. Some Euphrasia species have been previously reported to contain essential oil. However, the composition and bioactivity of E. rostkoviana oil are unknown. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the eyebright essential oil against some organisms associated with eye infections: Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. GC-MS analysis revealed more than 70 constituents, with n-hexadecanoic acid (18.47%) as the main constituent followed by thymol (7.97%), myristic acid (4.71%), linalool (4.65%), and anethole (4.09%). The essential oil showed antimicrobial effect against all organisms tested with the exception of P. aeruginosa. The best activity was observed against all Gram-positive bacteria tested with the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 512 µg/mL. This is the first report on the chemical composition of E. rostkoviana essential oil and its antimicrobial activity. PMID:26000025

Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne Essential Oil.

PubMed

Novy, Pavel; Davidova, Hana; Serrano-Rojero, Cecilia Suqued; Rondevaldova, Johana; Pulkrabek, Josef; Kokoska, Ladislav

2015-01-01

Eyebright, Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne (Scrophulariaceae), is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Europe for the treatment of various health disorders, especially as eyewash to treat eye ailments such as conjunctivitis and blepharitis that can be associated with bacterial infections. Some Euphrasia species have been previously reported to contain essential oil. However, the composition and bioactivity of E. rostkoviana oil are unknown. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the eyebright essential oil against some organisms associated with eye infections: Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. GC-MS analysis revealed more than 70 constituents, with n-hexadecanoic acid (18.47%) as the main constituent followed by thymol (7.97%), myristic acid (4.71%), linalool (4.65%), and anethole (4.09%). The essential oil showed antimicrobial effect against all organisms tested with the exception of P. aeruginosa. The best activity was observed against all Gram-positive bacteria tested with the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 512 µg/mL. This is the first report on the chemical composition of E. rostkoviana essential oil and its antimicrobial activity.

Antibacterial activity of leaf essential oils and their constituents from Cinnamomum osmophloeum.

PubMed

Chang, S T; Chen, P F; Chang, S C

2001-09-01

The antibacterial activities of the essential oils from leaves of two Cinnamomum osmophloeum clones (A and B) and their chemical constituents were investigated in this study. The nine strains of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella sp., and Vibrio parahemolyticus, were used in the antibacterial tests. Results from the antibacterial tests demonstrated that the indigenous cinnamon B leaf essential oils had an excellent inhibitory effect. The MICs (minimum inhibitory concentrations) of the B leaf oil were 500 microg/ml against both K. pneumoniae and Salmonella sp. and 250 microg/ml against the other seven strains of bacteria. Cinnamaldehyde possessed the strongest antibacterial activity compared to the other constituents of the essential oils. The MICs of cinnamaldehyde against the E. coli, P. aeruginosa, E. faecalis, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, MRSA, K. pneumoniae, Salmonella sp., and V. parahemolyticus were 500, 1000, 250, 250, 250, 250, 1000, 500, and 250 microg/ml, respectively. These results suggest that C. osmophloeum leaf essential oil and cinnamaldehyde are beneficial to human health, having the potential to be used for medical purposes and to be utilized as anti-bacterial additives in making paper products.

Development of a Minimum Data Set (MDS) for C-Section Anesthesia Information Management System (AIMS)

PubMed Central

Sheykhotayefeh, Mostafa; Safdari, Reza; Ghazisaeedi, Marjan; Khademi, Seyed Hossein; Seyed Farajolah, Seyedeh Sedigheh; Maserat, Elham; Jebraeily, Mohamad; Torabi, Vahid

2017-01-01

Background Caesarean section, also known as C-section, is a very common procedure in the world. Minimum data set (MDS) is defined as a set of data elements holding information regarding a series of target entities to provide a basis for planning, management, and performance evaluation. MDS has found a great use in health care information systems. Also, it can be considered as a basis for medical information management and has shown a great potential for contributing to the provision of high quality care and disease control measures. Objectives The principal aim of this research was to determine MDS and required capabilities for Anesthesia information management system (AIMS) in C-section in Iran. Methods Data items collected from several selected AIMS were studied to establish an initial set of data. The population of this study composed of 115 anesthesiologists was asked to review the proposed data elements and score them in order of importance by using a five-point Likert scale. The items scored as important or highly important by at least 75% of the experts were included in the final list of minimum data set. Results Overall 8 classes of data (consisted of 81 key data elements) were determined as final set. Also, the most important required capabilities were related to airway management and hypertension and hypotension management. Conclusions In the development of information system (IS) based on MDS and identification, because of the broad involvement of users, IS capabilities must focus on the users’ needs to form a successful system. Therefore, it is essential to assess MDS watchfully by considering the planned uses of data. Also, IS should have essential capabilities to meet the needs of its users. PMID:28824861

Development of a Minimum Data Set (MDS) for C-Section Anesthesia Information Management System (AIMS).

PubMed

Sheykhotayefeh, Mostafa; Safdari, Reza; Ghazisaeedi, Marjan; Khademi, Seyed Hossein; Seyed Farajolah, Seyedeh Sedigheh; Maserat, Elham; Jebraeily, Mohamad; Torabi, Vahid

2017-04-01

Caesarean section, also known as C-section, is a very common procedure in the world. Minimum data set (MDS) is defined as a set of data elements holding information regarding a series of target entities to provide a basis for planning, management, and performance evaluation. MDS has found a great use in health care information systems. Also, it can be considered as a basis for medical information management and has shown a great potential for contributing to the provision of high quality care and disease control measures. The principal aim of this research was to determine MDS and required capabilities for Anesthesia information management system (AIMS) in C-section in Iran. Data items collected from several selected AIMS were studied to establish an initial set of data. The population of this study composed of 115 anesthesiologists was asked to review the proposed data elements and score them in order of importance by using a five-point Likert scale. The items scored as important or highly important by at least 75% of the experts were included in the final list of minimum data set. Overall 8 classes of data (consisted of 81 key data elements) were determined as final set. Also, the most important required capabilities were related to airway management and hypertension and hypotension management. In the development of information system (IS) based on MDS and identification, because of the broad involvement of users, IS capabilities must focus on the users' needs to form a successful system. Therefore, it is essential to assess MDS watchfully by considering the planned uses of data. Also, IS should have essential capabilities to meet the needs of its users.

Intuitive model for the scintillations of a partially coherent beam

DOE PAGES

Efimov, Anatoly

2014-12-23

We developed an intuitive model for the scintillation index of a partially coherent beam in which essentially the only critical parameter is the properly defined Fresnel number equal to the ratio of the “working” aperture area to the area of the Fresnel zone. The model transpired from and is supported by numerical simulations using Rytov method for weak fluctuations regime and Tatarskii turbulence spectrum with inner scale. The ratio of the scintillation index of a partially coherent beam to that of a plane wave displays a characteristic minimum, the magnitude of which and its distance from the transmitter are easilymore » explained using the intuitive model. Furthermore, a theoretical asymptotic is found for the scintillation index of a source with decreasing coherence at this minimum.« less