Morin Flavonoid Adsorbed on Mesoporous Silica, a Novel Antioxidant Nanomaterial

PubMed Central

Arriagada, Francisco; Correa, Olosmira; Günther, Germán; Nonell, Santi; Mura, Francisco; Olea-Azar, Claudio

2016-01-01

Morin (2´,3, 4´,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid with several beneficial health effects. However, its poor water solubility and it sensitivity to several environmental factors avoid its use in applications like pharmaceutical and cosmetic. In this work, we synthetized morin-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (AMSNPs-MOR) as useful material to be used as potential nanoantioxidant. To achieve this, we characterized its adsorption kinetics, isotherm and the antioxidant capacity as hydroxyl radical (HO•) scavenger and singlet oxygen (1O2) quencher. The experimental data could be well fitted with Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models, besides the pseudo-second order kinetics model. The total quenching rate constant obtained for singlet oxygen deactivation by AMSNPs-MOR was one order of magnitude lower than the morin rate constant reported previously in neat solvents and lipid membranes. The AMSNPs-MOR have good antioxidant properties by itself and exhibit a synergic effect with morin on the antioxidant property against hydroxyl radical. This effect, in the range of concentrations studied, was increased when the amount of morin adsorbed increased. PMID:27812111

Isolation of antimicrobial compounds from guava (Psidium guajava L.) and their structural elucidation.

PubMed

Arima, Hidetoshi; Danno, Gen-ichi

2002-08-01

Four antibacterial compounds were isolated from leaves of guava (Psidium guajava L.), and the structures of these compounds were established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Two new flavonoid glycosides, morin-3-O-alpha-L-lyxopyranoside and morin-3-O-alpha-L-arabopyranoside, and two known flavonoids, guaijavarin and quercetin, were identified. The minimum inhibition concentration of morin-3-O-alpha-L-lyxopyranoside and morin-3-O-alpha-L-arabopyranoside was 200 microg/ml for each against Salmonella enteritidis, and 250 microg/ml and 300 microg/ml against Bacillus cereus, respectively.

Morin hydrate promotes inner ear neural stem cell survival and differentiation and protects cochlea against neuronal hearing loss.

PubMed

He, Qiang; Jia, Zhanwei; Zhang, Ying; Ren, Xiumin

2017-03-01

We aimed to investigate the effect of morin hydrate on neural stem cells (NSCs) isolated from mouse inner ear and its potential in protecting neuronal hearing loss. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assays were employed to assess the effect of morin hydrate on the viability and proliferation of in vitro NSC culture. The NSCs were then differentiated into neurons, in which neurosphere formation and differentiation were evaluated, followed by neurite outgrowth and neural excitability measurements in the subsequent in vitro neuronal network. Mechanotransduction of cochlea ex vivo culture and auditory brainstem responses threshold and distortion product optoacoustic emissions amplitude in mouse ototoxicity model were also measured following gentamicin treatment to investigate the protective role of morin hydrate against neuronal hearing loss. Morin hydrate improved viability and proliferation, neurosphere formation and neuronal differentiation of inner ear NSCs, and promoted in vitro neuronal network functions. In both ex vivo and in vivo ototoxicity models, morin hydrate prevented gentamicin-induced neuronal hearing loss. Morin hydrate exhibited potent properties in promoting growth and differentiation of inner ear NSCs into functional neurons and protecting from gentamicin ototoxicity. Our study supports its clinical potential in treating neuronal hearing loss. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Morin protects gastric mucosa from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, indomethacin induced inflammatory damage and apoptosis by modulating NF-κB pathway.

PubMed

Sinha, Krishnendu; Sadhukhan, Pritam; Saha, Sukanya; Pal, Pabitra Bikash; Sil, Parames C

2015-04-01

Deregulation in prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis, severe oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis contribute to the pathogenesis of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced gastropathy. Unfortunately, most of the prescribed anti-ulcer drugs generate various side effects. In this scenario, we could consider morin as a safe herbal potential agent against IND-gastropathy and rationalize its action systematically. Rats were pretreated with morin for 30 min followed by IND (48 mgkg(-1)) administration for 4 h. The anti-ulcerogenic nature of morin was assessed by morphological and histological analysis. Its effects on the inflammatory (MPO, cytokines, adhesion molecules), ulcer-healing (COXs, PGE(2)), and signaling parameters (NF-κB and apoptotic signaling) were assessed by biochemical, RP-HPLC, immunoblots, IHC, RT-PCR, and ELISA at the time points of their maximal changes due to IND administration. IND induced NF-κB and apoptotic signaling in rat's gastric mucosa. These increased proinflammatory responses, but reduced the antioxidant enzymes and other protective factors. Morin reversed all the adverse effects to prevent IND-induced gastric ulceration in a PGE2 independent manner. Also, it did not affect the absorption and/or primary pharmacological activity of IND. The gastroprotective action of morin is primarily attributed to its potent antioxidant nature that also helps in controlling several IND-induced inflammatory responses. For the first time, the study reveals a mechanistic basis of morin mediated protective action against IND-induced gastropathy. As morin is a naturally abundant safe antioxidant, future detailed pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies are expected to establish it as a gastroprotective agent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new dual-channel optical signal probe for Cu2+ detection based on morin and boric acid.

PubMed

Wang, Peng; Yuan, Bin Fang; Li, Nian Bing; Luo, Hong Qun

2014-01-01

In this work we utilized the common analytical reagent morin to develop a new a dual-channel, cost-effective, and sensitive method for determination of Cu(2+). It is found that morin is only weakly fluorescent by itself, but forms highly fluorescent complexes with boric acid. Moreover, the fluorescence of complexes of morin with boric acid is quenched linearly by Cu(2+) in a certain concentration range. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence quenching efficiency was linearly proportional to the concentration of cupric ions in the range of 0.5-25 μM with high sensitivity, and the detection limit for Cu(2+) was 0.38 μM. The linear range was 1-25 μM determined by spectrophotometry, and the detection limit for cupric ions was 0.8 μM. Furthermore, the mechanism of sensitive fluorescence quenching response of morin to Cu(2+) is discussed.

Complexity in Promoting a Teaching to Develop Creativity of Gifted Students: Contributions from Morin and Jung

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piske, Fernanda Hellen Ribeiro; Stoltz, Tania; Guérios, Ettiène; de Camargo, Denise; de Freitas, Samarah Perszel; Dias, Carmen Lúcia

2017-01-01

This research aims to contribute to the reflection of the teaching staff about the complexity in attending gifted students. For Jung and Morin complex things are characterized by uncertainty and not as clarity and response. Although not specifically mention gifted students in their works, Jung and Morin highlight the complexity in various…

A Right to Speak Out: The Morin Case and Its Implications for Teachers' Free Expression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waddington, David I.

2011-01-01

In 1988, Richard Morin, a Grade 9 teacher in Prince Edward Island, Canada was removed from the classroom for showing his students a film that was critical of Christian fundamentalism. The ensuing court battle, which eventually resulted in Morin's vindication in 2002, has received surprisingly little attention. I begin the analysis with a careful…

A fluorimetric study of the thorium-morin system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milkey, R.G.; Fletcher, M.H.

1957-01-01

Thorium reacts with morin to yield a yellow complex that fluoresces when irradiated with ultraviolet light. The effect on the fluorescence of such variables as concentration of acid, alcohol, thorium, morin, and complex; time, temperature and wave length of exciting light are studied to determine experimental conditions yielding maximum fluorescence. The effects of Zr+4, Al+3, Fe+3, Ca+2 and La+3 are discussed. The fundamental relationships between light absorption and fluorescence are expressed in a general equation that applies to a three-component system when the fluorescence is measured in a transmission-type fluorimeter. This general equation is used to obtain an expression for the fluorescence of the thoriummorin system. Equations, derived from experimental data, relate both the fraction of thorium reacted to form complex and the fraction of unquenched fluorescence to the concentration of uncombined morin. These functions, when combined with the general equation, give an expression whichrelates the total net fluorescence to the amount of uncombined morin in the solution. This last equation can be used to determine the one region for the concentration of uncombined morin that gives maximum sensitivity for the system. Calculated standard curves are in good agreement with experimental curves.

Synthesis, characterization, spectroscopic and antioxidation studies of Cu(II)-morin complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panhwar, Qadeer Khan; Memon, Shahabuddin; Bhanger, M. I.

2010-04-01

Complex formation between copper (II) sulfate and morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone) have been studied in methanol. Structure of the complex was determined through various analytical techniques including UV-vis, IR, 1H NMR, thermal, gravimetric and elemental analyses. The stoichiometric ratio for the reaction between the flavonoid and the metal ion in methanol has been determined by Job's method and elemental analysis for metal content of complex by titration with EDTA, which confirm that morin forms a 1:1 metal:ligand complex. 1H NMR study reveals that, 3OH and 4CO groups of morin take part in complexation with a copper ion. Individual stress was given to the site of central ion and composition of the complex. Antioxidant activity of the complex was evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method, which showed that the antioxidant activity of complexed morin has higher value as compared to the free morin. Moreover, it was observed that the metal complex is sufficiently stable as well as the data indicates the spontaneous formation of complex (-Δ G) that is exothermic in nature (-Δ H) and entropically unfavourable (-Δ S).

Morin hydrate attenuates Staphylococcus aureus virulence by inhibiting the self-assembly of α-hemolysin.

PubMed

Wang, J; Zhou, X; Liu, S; Li, G; Shi, L; Dong, J; Li, W; Deng, X; Niu, X

2015-03-01

To investigate the mechanism by which morin hydrate inhibits the haemolytic activity of α-hemolysin (Hla), a channel-forming toxin that is important for the pathogenesis of disease in experimental animals, and its therapeutic effect against Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in a mouse model. The results from the in vitro (haemolysis, western blot and cytotoxicity assays) and in vivo (mouse model of intranasal lung infection) experiments indicated that morin hydrate, a natural compound with little anti-Staph. aureus activity, could effectively antagonize the cytolytic activity of Hla, alleviate human lung cell injury, and protect against mortality of Staph. aureus pneumonia in a mouse model of infection. Molecular dynamics simulations, free energy calculations and mutagenesis assays were further employed to determine the catalytic mechanism of inhibition, which indicated that a direct binding of morin to the 'Stem' domain of Hla (residues I107 and T109) and the concomitant change in conformation led to the inhibition of the self-assembly of the heptameric transmembrane pore, thus inhibiting the biological activity of Hla for cell lysis. Morin inhibited Staph. aureus virulence via inhibiting the haemolytic activity of α-hemolysin. These findings suggested that morin is a promising candidate for the development of anti-virulence therapeutic agents for the treatment of Staph. aureus infections. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Amelioration of streptozotocin‑induced pancreatic β cell damage by morin: Involvement of the AMPK‑FOXO3‑catalase signaling pathway.

PubMed

Wang, Ning; Zhang, Jiahui; Qin, Mengting; Yi, Wenjing; Yu, Shuang; Chen, Yi; Guan, Jing; Zhang, Rui

2018-03-01

Pancreatic β cells are sensitive to oxidative stress, which is one of the predominant causes of cell damage and the emergence of diabetes. The identification of effective therapeutic strategies to protect pancreatic cells from oxidative stress has increased interest in the screening of antioxidants from natural products. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of morin against streptozotocin (STZ)‑induced cell damage in a rat insulinoma cell line (RINm5F pancreatic β cells) and to identify the underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that morin inhibited the increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species, attenuated the activity of poly (ADP‑ribose) polymerase, restored intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels and reduced the apoptotic cell death of STZ‑treated pancreatic β cells. Treatment with morin significantly upregulated catalase in pancreatic β cells, and ameliorated the STZ‑induced loss of catalase at the genetic, protein and enzymatic level. In further experiments, morin induced the phosphorylation of 5' adenosine monophosphate‑activated protein kinase (AMPK), which subsequently promoted the translocation of forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) to the nucleus. Specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against AMPK and FOXO3 suppressed morin‑induced catalase expression. Furthermore, catalase‑specific siRNA abolished the protective effects of morin against STZ‑stimulated cell death. Taken together, these results indicated that morin protected RINm5F cells from STZ‑induced cell damage by triggering the phosphorylation of AMPK, thus resulting in subsequent activation of FOXO3 and induction of catalase.

STS-110 Crew Interviews: Lee Morin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

STS-110 Mission Specialist Lee Morin is seen during this preflight interview, where he gives a quick overview of the mission before answering questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut and his career path. Morin outlines his role in the mission in general, and specifically during the docking and extravehicular activities (EVAs). He describes the payload (S0 Truss and Mobile Transporter) and the dry run installation of the S0 truss that will take place the day before the EVA for the actual installation. Morin discusses the planned EVAs in detail and outlines what supplies will be left for the resident crew of the International Space Station (ISS). He ends with his thoughts on the most valuable aspect of the ISS.

Naturally occurring polyphenol, morin hydrate, inhibits enzymatic activity of N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase, a DNA repair enzyme with various roles in human disease

PubMed Central

Dixon, Monica; Woodrick, Jordan; Gupta, Suhani; Karmahapatra, Soumendra Krishna; Devito, Stephen; Vasudevan, Sona; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Adhikari, Sanjay; Yenugonda, Venkata M.; Roy, Rabindra

2015-01-01

Interest in the mechanisms of DNA repair pathways, including the base excision repair (BER) pathway specifically, has heightened since these pathways have been shown to modulate important aspects of human disease. Modulation of the expression or activity of a particular BER enzyme, N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG), has been demonstrated to play a role in carcinogenesis and resistance to chemotherapy as well as neurodegenerative diseases, which has intensified the focus on studying MPG-related mechanisms of repair. A specific small molecule inhibitor for MPG activity would be a valuable biochemical tool for understanding these repair mechanisms. By screening several small molecule chemical libraries, we identified a natural polyphenolic compound, morin hydrate, which inhibits MPG activity specifically (IC50 = 2.6 µM). Detailed mechanism analysis showed that morin hydrate inhibited substrate DNA binding of MPG, and eventually the enzymatic activity of MPG. Computational docking studies with an x-ray derived MPG structure as well as comparison studies with other structurally-related flavanoids offer a rationale for the inhibitory activity of morin hydrate observed. The results of this study suggest that the morin hydrate could be an effective tool for studying MPG function and it is possible that morin hydrate and its derivatives could be utilized in future studies focused on the role of MPG in human disease. PMID:25650313

Complexation of morin with three kinds of cyclodextrin. A thermodynamic and reactivity study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jullian, Carolina; Orosteguis, Teresita; Pérez-Cruz, Fernanda; Sánchez, Paulina; Mendizabal, Fernando; Olea-Azar, Claudio

2008-11-01

Properties of inclusion complexes between morin (M) and β-cyclodextrin (βCD), 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) and Heptakis (2,6- O-di methyl) β-cyclodextrin (DMβCD) such as aqueous solubility and the association constants of this complex have been determined. The water solubility of morin was increased by inclusion with cyclodextrins. The phase-solubility diagrams drawn from UV spectral measurements are of the A L-type. Also ORAC FL studies were done. An increase in the antioxidant reactivity is observed when morin form inclusion complex with the three cyclodextrin studied. Finally, thermodynamics studies of cyclodextrin complexes indicated that for DMβCD the inclusion is primarily enthalpy-driven process meanwhile βCD and HPβCD are entropy-driven processes. This is corroborated by the different inclusion geometries obtained by 2D-NMR.

Mechanism of enhanced oral absorption of morin by phospholipid complex based self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinjie; Li, Jianbo; Ju, Yuan; Fu, Yao; Gong, Tao; Zhang, Zhirong

2015-02-02

Phospholipid complex (PLC) based self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (PLC-SNEDDS) has been developed for efficient delivery of drugs with poor solubility and low permeability. In the present study, a BCS class IV drug and a P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate, morin, was selected as the model drug to elucidate the oral absorption mechanism of PLC-SNEDDS. PLC-SNEDDS was superior to PLC in protecting morin from degradation by intestinal enzymes in vitro. In situ perfusion study showed increased intestinal permeability by PLC was duodenum-specific. In contrast, PLC-SNEDDS increased morin permeability in all intestinal segments and induced a change in the main absorption site of morin from colon to ileum. Moreover, ileum conducted the lymphatic transport of PLC-SNEDDS, which was proven by microscopic intestinal visualization of Nile red labeled PLC-SNEDDS and lymph fluids in vivo. Low cytotoxicity and increased Caco-2 cell uptake suggested a safe and efficient delivery of PLC-SNEDDS. The increased membrane fluidity and disrupted actin filaments were closely associated with the increased cell uptake of PLC-SNEDDS. PLC-SNEDDS could be internalized into enterocytes as an intact form in a cholesterol-dependent manner via clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. The enhanced oral absorption of morin was attributed to the P-gp inhibition by Cremophor RH and the intact internalization of M-PLC-SNEDDS into Caco-2 cells bypassing P-gp recognition. Our findings thus provide new insights into the development of novel nanoemulsions for poorly absorbed drugs.

Formulation and Evaluation of Morin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Ikeuchi-Takahashi, Yuri; Ishihara, Chizuko; Onishi, Hiraku

2016-09-01

In this study, solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) suspensions were prepared using a base of hard fat with or without ethylcellulose (EC) and polyvinyl alcohols (PVA) and polysorbate (Tween) 60 surfactants. Commercially available PVAs vary in their degree of saponification and polymerization, and the appropriate PVAs to form SLNs from hard fat with or without EC were investigated. A relatively low-saponification-degree PVA was required to reproducibly form SLN suspensions without EC and relatively high-saponification-degree PVAs were suitable for SLNs with EC. The release of morin from SLNs with EC was more sustained than that from SLNs without EC. The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of SLNs with and without EC were almost the same, and both were higher than that of a morin suspension. The area under the curve for 0 to 360 min (AUC0-360) of SLNs with EC was increased compared with those of a morin suspension and SLNs without EC. The median diameter of SLNs with EC and a very low-saponification-degree PVA was decreased compared to other formulation, and morin release was more sustained for this formulation. SLNs with EC and a very low-saponification-degree PVA showed higher Cmax and AUC0-360 than SLNs with EC lacking a very low-saponification-degree PVA. The optimized SLNs with EC and a very low-saponification-degree PVA improved bioavailability via increased accessibility to the enterocyte surface by decreased particle size and increased permeation of SLN encapsulated morin through the intestinal membrane by sustained release properties.

13C CP MAS NMR and GIAO-CHF/DFT calculations of flavonoids: Morin, kaempferol, tricin, genistein, formononetin and 3,7-dihydroxyflavone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielińska, Agnieszka; Paradowska, Katarzyna; Jakowski, Jacek; Wawer, Iwona

2008-02-01

13C CP MAS NMR spectra of the flavonoids: morin, kaempferol, 3,7-dihydroxyflavone, tricin and isoflavones: genistein and formononetin were recorded to characterize solid-state conformations. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds forming five-, six- and seven-membered rings are present in the two morin molecules in the crystals - their 13C resonances have been assigned with the aid of the calculated shielding constants. Linear relationships between the calculated shielding constants σDFT (ppm) and chemical shifts ( δCPMAS, ppm) were obtained for all studied compounds. Higher correlation coefficients suggest that the conformation with "clockwise" orientation of both OH groups is more probable in the solid 3,7-dihydroxyflavone, whereas in the solid formononetin the OH and OCH 3 substituents are directed "anticlockwise". The barrier to the rotation of phenyl ring B decreases in the order: morin (2'-OH, 3-OH) > kaempferol (3-OH) > tricin.

Spectroscopic properties of morin in various CH3OH-H2O and CH3CN-H2O mixed solvents.

PubMed

Park, Hyoung-Ryun; Im, Seo-Eun; Seo, Jung-Ja; Kim, Bong-Gon; Yoon, Jin Ah; Bark, Ki-Min

2015-01-01

The specific fluorescence properties of morin (3,2',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) were studied in various CH3OH-H2O and CH3CN-H2O mixed solvents. Although the dihedral angle is large in the S0 state, morin has an almost planar molecular structure in the S1 state owing to the very low rotational energy barrier around the interring bond between B and the A, C ring. The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) at the S1 state cannot occur immediately after excitation, S1 → S0 fluorescence can be observed. Two conformers, Morin A and B have been known. At the CH3OH-H2O, Morin B will be the principal species but at the CH3CN-H2O, Morin A is the principal species. At the CH3OH-H2O, owing to the large Franck-Condon (FC) factor for S2 → S1 internal convernal (IC) and flexible molecular structure, only S1 → S0 fluorescence was exhibited. At the CH3CN-H2O, as the FC factor for S2 → S1 IC is small and molecular structure is rigid, S2 → S0 and S1 → S0 dual fluorescence was observed. This abnormal fluorescence property was further supported by the small pK1 value, effective delocalization of the lone pair electrons of C(2')-OH to the A, C ring, and a theoretical calculation. © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology.

Fructose downregulates miR-330 to induce renal inflammatory response and insulin signaling impairment: Attenuation by morin.

PubMed

Gu, Ting-Ting; Song, Lin; Chen, Tian-Yu; Wang, Xing; Zhao, Xiao-Juan; Ding, Xiao-Qin; Yang, Yan-Zi; Pan, Ying; Zhang, Dong-Mei; Kong, Ling-Dong

2017-08-01

Fructose induces insulin resistance with kidney inflammation and injury. MicroRNAs are emerged as key regulators of insulin signaling. Morin has insulin-mimetic effect with the improvement of insulin resistance and kidney injury. This study investigated the protective mechanisms of morin against fructose-induced kidney injury, with particular focus on miR-330 expression change, inflammatory response, and insulin signaling impairment. miR-330, sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1)/sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)/S1P receptor (S1PR)1/3 signaling, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and insulin signaling were detected in kidney cortex of fructose-fed rats and fructose-exposed HK-2 cells, respectively. Whether miR-330 mediated inflammatory response to affect insulin signaling was examined using SphK1 inhibitor, S1PR1/3 short interfering RNA, or miR-330 mimic/inhibitor, respectively. Fructose was found to downregulate miR-330 expression to increase SphK1/S1P/S1PR1/3 signaling, and then activate NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome to produce IL-1β, causing insulin signaling impairment. Moreover, morin upregulated miR-330 and partly attenuated inflammatory response and insulin signaling impairment to alleviate kidney injury. These findings suggest that morin protects against fructose-induced kidney insulin signaling impairment by upregulating miR-330 to reduce inflammatory response. Morin may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of kidney injury associated with fructose-induced inflammation and insulin signaling impairment. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Morin hydrate mitigates rapid eye movement sleep deprivation-induced neurobehavioural impairments and loss of viable neurons in the hippocampus of mice.

PubMed

Olonode, Elizabeth T; Aderibigbe, Adegbuyi O; Adeoluwa, Olusegun A; Eduviere, Anthony T; Ben-Azu, Benneth

2017-12-25

Rapid eye movement sleep deprivation distorts the body's homeostasis and results in oxidative breakdown which may be responsible for a variety of neurological disorders. Some naturally occurring compounds of plant origin with antioxidant and neuroprotective properties are known to attenuate the detrimental effects of REM sleep deprivation. Morin hydrate, a flavonoid from Mulberry has demonstrated antioxidant and neuroprotective activities but its effect in sleep disturbed mice is unknown. The study was designed to explore the neuroprotective effect of Morin hydrate on 48 h. REM sleep deprivation-induced behavioural impairments and neuronal damage in mice. Mice were allotted into six treatment groups (n = 6): groups 1 and 2 received vehicle (10 ml/kg normal saline), groups 3-5 received Morin hydrate (5, 10, 20 mg/kg i.p) while group 6 received ginseng (25 mg/kg) which served as the reference drug. Treatment was performed daily for 5 days and animals were sleep-deprived on the last 48 h. Various behavioural tests (Elevated plus maze, Y-maze, locomotor activity) followed by oxidative parameters (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, reduced glutathione) and histolopathological changes in the Cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) region of the hippocampus were assessed. Data were analysed using ANOVA at α 0.05 . Morin hydrate (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) significantly enhanced memory performance, improves anxiolytic-like behaviour, reverses hyperlocomotion, restored depleted reduced glutathione, attenuated raised malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels as compared to control animals and protects against loss of hippocampal neurons. Results of this present study suggest that Morin hydrate possess neuroprotective effects against sleep deprivation-induced behavioural impairments, oxidative stress and neuronal damage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kinetic and catalytic analysis of mesoporous Co3O4 on the oxidation of morin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xaba, Morena. S.; Meijboom, Reinout

2017-11-01

Herein we report on the synthesis, characterization and catalytic evaluation of mesoporous cobalt oxides on the oxidation of morin. These mesoporous cobalt oxides were synthesized using an inverse surfactant micelle method, they are connected, well-defined with intra-particle voids. These materials were calcined to different final heating temperatures of 150, 250, 350, 450 and 550 °C, and each mesoporous cobalt oxide catalyst showed unique physical properties and catalytic behavior. Morin oxidation was used as a model reaction in the presence of hydrogen peroxide to evaluate the kinetic and catalytic activity of calcined mesoporous cobalt oxides. The adsorption-desorption equilibrium rate constants of morin and hydrogen peroxide were found to be inversely proportional to the crystallite size of the mesoporous cobalt oxide, and the characteristic path length in which the mass transfer takes place was found to be directly proportional to the crystallite size. The materials were characterized using powder X-Ray Diffraction (p-XRD), N2-sorption isotherms (BET), hydrogen temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR) and High Resolution-Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). UV-vis spectrophotometry was used to monitor the time-resolved absorbance of morin at λmax = 410 nm. The surface reaction in this system is described in terms of the well-established Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The thermodynamic parameters, EA, ΔH#, ΔS# and ΔG# were calculated and catalyst recycling and reusability is demonstrated.

Morin Stain Detects Aluminum-Containing Macrophages in Macrophagic Myofasciitis and Vaccination Granuloma With High Sensitivity and Specificity.

PubMed

Chkheidze, Rati; Burns, Dennis K; White, Charles L; Castro, Diana; Fuller, Julie; Cai, Chunyu

2017-04-01

Macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF) is an inflammatory condition associated with the intramuscular (i.m.) injection of aluminum adjuvant-containing vaccines. It is clinically characterized by myalgia, weakness, and chronic fatigue and histologically by aggregates of cohesive macrophages with abundant basophilic, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive, diastase-resistant granules that percolate through the peri- and endomysium without eliciting substantial myofiber damage. The definitive diagnosis of MMF requires demonstration of aluminum within these macrophages. We evaluated the Morin stain, a simple, 2-step histochemical stain for aluminum, as a confirmatory diagnostic tool for MMF. Among 2270 muscle biopsies processed at UTSW between 2010 and 2015, a total of 12 MMF cases and 1 subcutaneous vaccination granuloma case were identified (11 pediatric, 2 adults). With the Morin stain, all 13 cases showed strong granular reactivity within the cytoplasm of macrophages but not in myofibers or connective tissue. Three cases of inflammatory myopathy with abundant macrophages (IMAM), 8 cases of granulomatous inflammation and 23 other deltoid muscle biopsies used as controls were all negative. Morin stain could be used in both formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and cryostat sections. Thus, Morin stain detects aluminum with high sensitivity and specificity in human muscle and soft tissue and may improve the diagnostic yield of MMF and vaccination granuloma. © 2017 American Association of Neuropathologists, Inc.

Conformational analysis of flavonoids: crystal and molecular structures of morin hydrate and myricetin (1:2) triphenylphosphine oxide complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cody, Vivian; Luft, Joseph R.

1994-01-01

The crystal and molecular structures of morin (2',3,4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) hydrate ( I), and myricetin (3',4',5',3,5,7-hexahydroxyflavone) triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) (1:2) co-crystal complex ( II) have been studied by X-ray analysis and AM1 molecular orbital methods. The molecular conformation of the two flavones described by the torsion angle θ[C(3)-C(2)-C(1t')-C(2')] between the benzopyrone and phenyl ring is -43.3° and 51.0° for molecules A and B of morin, respectively, and -37.0° for myricetin. Minimum energy conformations from AM1 molecular orbital calculations have θ values of -38.2° for morin and -27.0° for myricetin. The energy profile for rotation about θ for morin has a 28 kcal mol -1 barrier at 0° due to steric interactions between the 2'-hydroxy and the 3-hydroxy group. There are two local minima near 30 and 140°, in good agreement with structural results. The profile for myricetin has two equivalent minima near 30 and 150° with a barrier of less than 2 kcal mol -1. In the crystal both flavones form extensive networks of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. In ( I), each morin conformer packs in alternating layers linked by water molecules, while in ( II), TPPO stabilizes the crystal by formation of short hydrogen bonds (2.58-2.65 Å) of the phosphoryl oxygen to the flavone. Myricetin also forms a two dimensional sheet-like packing in which myricetin molecules hydrogen bond to each other, as well as to TPPO. These conformational and hydrogen bonding patterns provide insight into specific types of ligand-receptor interactions and support structure activity data which suggest the importance of electronic and hydrogen bonding properties in the bioactivity of flavones.

Challenging the Limits of Critique in Education through Morin's Paradigm of Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhadeff-Jones, Michel

2010-01-01

The position adopted in this paper is inspired by Edgar Morin's paradigm of complexity and his critique of scientific and philosophical forms of reductionism. This paper is based on research focusing on the diversity of conceptions of critique developed in academic discourses. It aims to challenge the fragmentation and the reduction framing the…

Polyphenols in red wine inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of LNCaP cells.

PubMed

Romero, I; Páez, A; Ferruelo, A; Luján, M; Berenguer, A

2002-06-01

To assess the effect of five polyphenol constituents of red wine (quercetin, morin, rutin, gallic acid and tannic acid) on the proliferation of LNCaP cells, and to quantify the extent of apoptosis with each polyphenol. LNCaP cells (500) were cultured in microtitre plates and treated with gallic acid, tannic acid, quercetin (1, 5 and 10 micromol/L), rutin and morin (25, 50 and 75 micromol/L). A colorimetric immunoassay was then used to determine the extent of proliferation at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, and a cell-death detection assay to assess apoptosis at 24, 48 and 72 h. Gallic and tannic acid (5 and 10 micromol/L), morin (50 and 75 micromol/L), quercetin (5 and 10 micromol/L) and rutin (50 and 75 micromol/L) all significantly inhibited (P<0.05) cell proliferation compared with the control. Apoptotic indexes were significantly greater (P<0.01) in the presence of gallic (5 and 10 micromol/L) and tannic acid (5 and 10 micromol/L), and rutin (75 micromol/L, P<0.05) than in the control. The apoptotic effect of morin (75 micromol/L), although significant (P<0.01), only appeared at 72 h. Conversely, while significant (P<0.05) quercetin (5 and 10 micromol/L) had a transient (first 48 h) apoptotic effect compared with the control. Quercetin, rutin, morin, gallic acid and tannic acid inhibited the growth of LNCaP cells at different concentrations, and induced apoptosis. The results provide a strong rationale for studying the in vivo effects of these compounds.

The dual actions of morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone) as a hypouricemic agent: uricosuric effect and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.

PubMed

Yu, Zhifeng; Fong, Wing Ping; Cheng, Christopher H K

2006-01-01

Hyperuricemia is associated with a number of pathological conditions such as gout. Lowering of elevated uric acid level in the blood could be achieved by xanthine oxidase inhibitors and inhibitors of renal urate reabsorption. Some natural compounds isolated from herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine have been previously demonstrated to possess xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. In the present investigation, morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone), which occurs in the twigs of Morus alba L. documented in traditional Chinese medicinal literature to treat conditions akin to gout, was demonstrated to exert potent inhibitory action on urate uptake in rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles, indicating that this compound acts on the kidney to inhibit urate reabsorption. Lineweaver-Burk transformation of the inhibition kinetics data demonstrated that the inhibition of urate uptake was of a competitive type, with a K(i) value of 17.4 microM. In addition, morin was also demonstrated to be an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the enzyme kinetics indicated that the mode of inhibition was of a mixed type, with K(i) and K(ies) values being 7.9 and 35.1 microM, respectively. Using an oxonate-induced hyperuricemic rat model, morin was indeed shown to exhibit an in vivo uricosuric action, which could explain, in part at least, the observed hypouricemic effect of morin in these rats. The potential application of this compound in the treatment of conditions associated with hyperuricemia was discussed.

Using High Throughput Screens to Identify Lead Compounds for Alzheimer’s Disease Therapeutics

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

showed that six red wine polyphenols, myricetin, morin, quercetin , kaemphferol, catechin and epicatechin were able to dose dependently inhibit formation...O OH OHHO morin OHO OH O OH OH OH quercetin OHO OH O OH OH kaempf erol OHO OH O OH OH (+)-catechin OHO OH O OH OH (-)-epicatechin OHO OH OH OH OH O O

Detoxification of Hg(II) from aqueous and enzyme media: Pristine vs. tailored calcium alginate hydrogels.

PubMed

Sarkar, Kangkana; Ansari, Zarina; Sen, Kamalika

2016-10-01

Calcium alginate (CA) hydrogels were tailored using phenolic compounds (PC) like, thymol, morin, catechin, hesperidin, during their preparation. The PC incorporated gels show modified surface features as indicated by scanning electron microscopic images (SEM). The rheological studies show that excepting the hesperidin incorporated gels all the other kinds including calcium alginate pristine have similar mechanical strength. The hesperidine incorporated CA gels had the maximum capacity to adsorb Hg. The Freundlich adsorption isotherms show higher values of adsorption capacity for all PC incorporated CA beads than the pristine CA (PCA). The hesperidin incorporated CA gels were found to show the best adsorption condition at neutral pH and an optimum contact time of 2.5h at 25°C. Considering the possibility of ingested Hg detoxification from human alimentary tract, the hesperidin and morin incorporated CA beads were further modified through incorporation of cod liver oil as the digestion time of fat in stomach is higher. In vitro uptake capacities of Hg in pepsin and pancreatin containing enzyme media were studied with hesperidin and morin incorporated beads and their corresponding fat incorporated beads also. In the pepsin medium, there was no uptake by hesperidin and fat-hesperidin incorporated beads, which is possibly due to the higher acidity of the medium. But in pancreatin medium Hg was taken up by both kinds of beads. Morin and morin-fat incorporated beads were efficient to uptake Hg from both the pepsin and pancreatin medium. The tailored CA beads may therefore serve as efficient scaffolds to rescue Hg ingested individuals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Polysorbate 60 on Formulation Properties and Bioavailability of Morin-Loaded Nanoemulsions with and without Low-Saponification-Degree Polyvinyl Alcohol.

PubMed

Ikeuchi-Takahashi, Yuri; Kobayashi, Ayaka; Ishihara, Chizuko; Matsubara, Takumi; Matsubara, Hiroaki; Onishi, Hiraku

2018-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of polysorbate 60 (Tween 60) on the development of morin-loaded nanoemulsions to improve the oral bioavailability of morin. Nanoemulsions were prepared using Tween 60 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as emulsifiers, and medium chain triglycerides (MCT) as the lipid base. Low-saponification-degree PVA (LL-810) was also added to stabilize dispersed droplets. MCT-LL810 nanoemulsion containing LL-810 was prepared with a reduced amount of Tween 60. However, the area under the blood concentration-time curve (AUC) of MCT-LL810 (0.18) nanoemulsion containing a small amount of Tween 60 did not increase because the absorption of morin was limited by P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated efflux. MCT-LL810 (0.24) nanoemulsion containing a large amount of Tween 60 showed the highest AUC, dispersed droplets containing Tween 60 may have been transported into epithelial cells in the small intestine, and P-gp transport activity appeared to be suppressed by permeated Tween 60. Based on the plasma concentration profile, dispersed droplets in MCT-LL810 (0.24) nanoemulsion permeated more rapidly through the mucus layer and the intestinal membrane than MCT (0.24) nanoemulsion without LL-810. In conclusion, a novel feature of Tween 60 incorporated into the dispersed droplets of a nanoemulsion interacting with P-gp was demonstrated herein. Dispersed droplets in MCT-LL810 (0.24) nanoemulsion containing LL-810 permeated rapidly through the mucus layer and intestinal membrane, and Tween 60 incorporated in dispersed droplets interacted with P-gp-mediated efflux, increasing the bioavailability of morin.

On the magnon interaction in Haematite. 2: Magnon energy of the acoustical mode and magnetic critical fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonavito, N. L.; Nagai, O.; Tanaka, T.

1975-01-01

Previous spin wave theories of the antiferromagnet hematite were extended. The behavior of thermodynamic quantities around the Morin transition temperature was studied, and the latent heat of the Morin transition was calculated. The temperature dependence of the antiferromagnetic resonance frequency and the parallel and perpendicular critical spin-flop magnetic fields were calculated. It was found that the theory agrees well with experiment.

Discovery of Sound in the Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

Kathleen J. Vigness -Raposa, Ph.D. Marine Acoustics, Inc. 809 Aquidneck Ave. Middletown, RI 02842 phone: (401) 847-7508 fax: (401) 847-7864...CD-ROM Scowcroft, G., Vigness Raposa, K., Knowlton, C., and Morin, H. 2011. Discovery of Sound in the Sea. University of Rhode Island. (16-page...information booklet) Scowcroft, G., Vigness Raposa, K., Knowlton, C., and Morin, H. 2010. Discovery of Sound in the Sea. University of Rhode Island

DFT predictions, synthesis, stoichiometric structures and anti-diabetic activity of Cu (II) and Fe (III) complexes of quercetin, morin, and primuletin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabeen, Erum; Janjua, Naveed Kausar; Ahmed, Safeer; Murtaza, Iram; Ali, Tahir; Masood, Nosheen; Rizvi, Aysha Sarfraz; Murtaza, Gulam

2017-12-01

The current study is aimed at the synthesis of Cu (II) and Fe (III) complexes of three flavonoids {morin (mor), quercetin (quer) and primuletin (prim)} and characterization through UV-Vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, FTIR, and thermal analysis. Structure prediction through DFT calculation was supported by experimental data. Benesi-Hildebrand equation was modified to function for 1:2 Cu-flavonoid and 1:3 Fe-flavonoid complexes. DFT predictions revealed that out of poly chelation sites present in morin and quercetin, 3-OH site was utilized as preferable chelation site while primuletin chelated through 5-OH position. In-vivo trials revealed the complexes to have better anti-diabetic potential than respective flavonoid. Fls/M-Fls proved as antagonistic to Alloxan induced diabetes and also retained anti-diabetic activity even in the presence of (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD).

Design of Sounding Rocket Payloads.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

AD-AlB 271 NORTHEASTERN UNIV BOSTON MASS ELECTRONICS RESEARCH LAB F/6 19/7 DESIGN OF SOUNDING ROCKET PAYLOADS. (U) JUL Al R L MORIN, L .J O’CONNOR...Morin Lawrence J. O’Connor NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Electronics Research Laboratory D T I Boston, Massachusetts 02115 ELECTE S DEC 9 19813 FINAL REPORT... Research Range on 21 February 1978. The payload was re-assembled, checked and mated to the launch vehicle on 27 February. Launch -8- criteria were

Anticancer effects of morin-7-sulphate sodium, a flavonoid derivative, in mouse melanoma cells.

PubMed

Li, Hua-Wen; Zou, Tang-Bin; Jia, Qing; Xia, En-Qin; Cao, Wen-Jun; Liu, Wen; He, Tai-Ping; Wang, Qin

2016-12-01

Increasing evidence supports the anticancer effects of morin in vitro and in vivo. However, the role of morin-7-sulphate sodium (NaMoS), a water-soluble flavonoid derivative synthesized from morin remains unclear. The present study investigated the tumor suppression by NaMoS in mouse melanoma cells. We synthesized the flavonoid derivative morin-7-sulphate sodium according to the method described for quercetin-sulphate derivative, and further isolated, purified and identified the compound. Cell proliferation in vitro was assessed using a CCK-8 assay. The wound healing assay was performed to evaluate cell motility, and flow cytometry was used to detect cellular apoptosis. Protein levels of vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), phosphorylation of Akt1/2/3 (p-Akt1/2/3), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) and Caspase3 in B16F10 cells were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The results suggest that cell proliferation was markedly decreased in NaMoS-treated groups (1, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000μM) in a dose-dependent manner compared with the Control group and the IC 50 was 221.67μM at 48h. NaMoS at 200μM concentration significantly inhibited the invasion and promoted apoptosis of B16F10 cells. Moreover, protein level of Caspase3 increased significantly in B16F10 cells treated by NaMoS. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot further confirmed that NaMoS decreased the expression of vimentin, MMP9, p-Akt1/2/3 and p-ERK1/2 in B16F10 cells. This study provides robust evidence that NaMoS, a water-soluble flavonoid, manifests anticancer properties and may act as a signal transduction inhibitor in melanoma cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Expansion of Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) Content and Outreach FY11-FY12

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

Content and Outreach FY11-FY12 Kathleen J. Vigness -Raposa, Ph.D. Marine Acoustics, Inc. 809 Aquidneck Ave. Middletown, RI 02842 phone: (401) 847...CD-ROM Scowcroft, G., Vigness Raposa, K., Knowlton, C., and Morin, H. 2010. Discovery of Sound in the Sea. University of Rhode Island. (12-page...information booklet) Scowcroft, G., Vigness Raposa, K., Knowlton, C., and Morin, H. 2010. Discovery of Sound in the Sea. University of Rhode Island

Protection of ascorbic acid from copper(II)-catalyzed oxidative degradation in the presence of flavonoids: quercetin, catechin and morin.

PubMed

Beker, Bilge Yildoğan; Sönmezoğlu, Inci; Imer, Filiz; Apak, Reşat

2011-08-01

Protection of ascorbic acid (AA) (vitamin C) from Cu(II)-catalyzed autoxidation is an important aspect of antioxidant chemistry. The autoxidation of AA in the absence and presence of Cu(II) ions was investigated in aerated solution at room temperature and I = 0.1 ionic strength (KNO(3)); the effects of three different flavonoids of similar structure (quercetin, morin and catechin) and their mixtures on the AA system were studied. The concentration of unoxidized AA remaining in solution was measured with the modified cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity spectrophotometric method. The Cu(II)-catalyzed oxidation at pH 4.5 followed first-order kinetics with respect to AA concentration. Catalytic autoxidation of AA was inhibited to a greater extent by stable quercetin and morin complexes of Cu(II) than by catechin complex. The inhibitive effectiveness order of mixtures gives information about possible synergistic or antagonistic combinations of flavonoid antioxidants, which should be further confirmed with other antioxidant tests.

Combinatorial approaches with selected phytochemicals to increase antibiotic efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

PubMed

Abreu, Ana Cristina; Saavedra, Maria José; Simões, Lúcia C; Simões, Manuel

2016-10-01

Combinations of selected phytochemicals (reserpine, pyrrolidine, quinine, morin and quercetin) with antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and erythromycin) were tested on the prevention and control of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. The phytochemicals were also studied for their ability to avoid antibiotic adaptation and to inhibit antibiotic efflux pumps. Morin, pyrrolidine and quercetin at subinhibitory concentrations had significant effects in biofilm prevention and/or control when applied alone and combined with antibiotics. Synergism between antibiotics and phytochemicals was found especially against biofilms of NorA overexpressing strain S. aureus SA1199B. This strain when growing with subinhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin developed increased tolerance to this antibiotic. However, this was successfully reversed by quinine and morin. In addition, reserpine and quercetin showed significant efflux pump inhibition. The overall results demonstrate the role of phytochemicals in co-therapies to promote more efficient treatments and decrease antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics, with substantial effects against S. aureus in both planktonic and biofilm states.

KSC-02pd0386

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-04-02

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Mission Specialist Lee Morin undergoes final check of his launch and entry suit. Morin will be taking his first Shuttle flight. The STS-110 payload includes the S0 Integrated Truss Structure (ITS), the Canadian Mobile Transporter, power distribution system modules, a heat pipe radiator for cooling, computers and a pair of rate gyroscopes. The 11-day mission is the 13th assembly flight to the ISS and includes four spacewalks to attach the S0 truss to the U.S. Lab Destiny. Launch is scheduled for April 4

Flavonoids in Microheterogeneous Media, Relationship between Their Relative Location and Their Reactivity towards Singlet Oxygen

PubMed Central

Günther, Germán; Berríos, Eduardo; Pizarro, Nancy; Valdés, Karina; Montero, Guillermo; Arriagada, Francisco; Morales, Javier

2015-01-01

In this work, the relationship between the molecular structure of three flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin and morin), their relative location in microheterogeneous media (liposomes and erythrocyte membranes) and their reactivity against singlet oxygen was studied. The changes observed in membrane fluidity induced by the presence of these flavonoids and the influence of their lipophilicity/hydrophilicity on the antioxidant activity in lipid membranes were evaluated by means of fluorescent probes such as Laurdan and diphenylhexatriene (DPH). The small differences observed for the value of generalized polarization of Laurdan (GP) curves in function of the concentration of flavonoids, indicate that these three compounds promote similar alterations in liposomes and erythrocyte membranes. In addition, these compounds do not produce changes in fluorescence anisotropy of DPH, discarding their location in deeper regions of the lipid bilayer. The determined chemical reactivity sequence is similar in all the studied media (kaempferol < quercetin < morin). Morin is approximately 10 times more reactive than quercetin and 20 to 30 times greater than kaempferol, depending on the medium. PMID:26098745

Morin transition temperature in (0001)-oriented α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin film and effect of Ir doping

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

Shimomura, Naoki, E-mail: shimomura@ecei.tohoku.ac.jp; Pati, Satya Prakash; Sato, Yuji

2015-05-07

The structural properties and Morin transition in c-plane-oriented α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Ir-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films have been investigated. The enhancement of the Morin transition temperature (T{sub M}) in α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} film by Ir doping has been demonstrated. The T{sub M} in the c-plane-oriented α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin film was determined from the temperature-dependent in-plane magnetization and change of coercivity (H{sub c}); this T{sub M} value was found close to that of bulk α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The spin directions of non-doped and Ir-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} at room temperature were also estimated from conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopymore » measurements. We confirmed that Ir doping dramatically enhances the T{sub M} of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin film.« less

STS-110 M.S. Morin in M-113 personnel carrier during TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Waiting his turn at driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier is STS-110 Mission Specialist Lee Morin. The driving is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. Scheduled for launch April 4, the 11-day mission will feature Shuttle Atlantis docking with the International Space Station (ISS) and delivering the S0 truss, the centerpiece-segment of the primary truss structure that will eventually extend over 300 feet.

Effects of resveratrol and other wine polyphenols on the proliferation, apoptosis and androgen receptor expression in LNCaP cells.

PubMed

Ferruelo, A; Romero, I; Cabrera, P M; Arance, I; Andrés, G; Angulo, J C

2014-01-01

To address the effect of resveratrol and other red wine polyphenols on cell proliferation, apoptosis and androgen receptor (AR) expression in human prostate cancer LNCaP cells. LNCaP cells (5 × 102) were cultured in microtiter plate modules and treated with gallic acid, tannic acid and quercetin (1, 5 and 10 μM), rutin and morin (25, 50 and 75 μM) and resveratrol (5, 10 and 25 μM). To address the extent of proliferation at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours, a colorimetric immunoassay method was used. An activity caspase 3/7 detection assay was used to disclose apoptosis at 24, 48 and 72 hours. AR mARN levels were determined by real time RT-PCR. All polyphenols studied significantly inhibited (P<.05) cell proliferation compared to control. However, there were moderate differences between them. Resveratrol was the strongest inhibitor at different times and doses. Also, caspase-3 and caspase-7 activity was significantly higher (P<.05) than control in the presence of all the compounds, but the earlier response was achieved by resveratrol. Resveratrol, quercetin and morin were the only nutrients that significantly inhibited AR mRNA expression. Again resveratrol produced the highest inhibition (90-250 times less than control), followed by morin (67-100 times) and quercetin (55-91 times). All polyphenols studied showed important antiproliferative effects and induced apoptosis when added to LNCaP cells culture. We confirm that resveratrol, morin and quercetin may achieve such effect through reduced expression of AR. The synergistic effects of these compounds and their potential to prevent progression of hormone-dependent prostate cancer merit further study. Copyright © 2014 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Texture and elastic anisotropy of a mylonitic anorthosite from the Morin Shear Zone (Quebec, Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez Barreiro, Juan; Wenk, Hans-Rudolf; Vogel, Sven

2015-02-01

A sample of anorthosite from the granulite facies Morin Shear Zone (Quebec, Canada) was investigated for crystal preferred orientation and elastic anisotropy. Time-of-flight neutron diffraction data obtained with the HIPPO diffractometer at LANSCE were analyzed with the Rietveld method to obtain orientation distribution functions of the principal phases (plagioclase, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene). Texture and microstructures are compatible with the plastic deformation of the aggregate under high-T conditions. All mineral phases depict a significant preferred orientation that could be related to the general top-to-the north shearing history of the Morin Shear Zone. Texture patterns suggest that (010)[001] in plagioclase and (110)[001] in clinopyroxene are likely dominant slip systems. Using preferred orientation data P- and S-waves velocities and elastic anisotropy were calculated and compared with previous studies to explore elastic properties of rocks with different pyroxene-plagioclase mixtures. P-wave velocity, S-wave splitting and anisotropy increase with clinopyroxene content. Seismic anisotropy is linked to the texture symmetry which can lead to large deviations between actual anisotropy and that measured along Cartesian XYZ sample directions (lineation/foliation reference frame). This is significant for the prediction and interpretation of seismic data, particularly for monoclinic or triclinic texture symmetries.

[n-Butyl Alcohol-soluble Chemical Constituents of Psidium guajava Leaves].

PubMed

Chen, Gang; Wan, Kai-hua; Fu, Hui-zheng; Yan, Qing-wei

2015-03-01

To study the chemical constituents of the leaves of Psidium guajava. The chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MPLC. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of special analysis. Seven compounds were isolated from n-butyl alcohol fraction, whose structures were elucidated as morin-3-O-α-L-arabopyranoside (1), morin-3-O-α-L-iyxopyranoside (2), 2,6-dihydroxy-4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-benzophenone (3), casuarictin (4),2,6-dihydroxy-3,5-dimethyl-4-O-(6"-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-benzophenone(5), globulusin A(6), and kaempferol-3-O-β-D-(6"-galloyl) galactopyranoside (7). Compounds 3 and 5 ~ 7 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Reflections in the light of the complexity theory and nursing education.

PubMed

Cruz, Ronny Anderson de Oliveira; Araujo, Elidianne Layanne Medeiros de; Nascimento, Neyce de Matos; Lima, Raquel Janyne de; França, Jael Rúbia Figueiredo de Sá; Oliveira, Jacira Dos Santos

2017-01-01

to reflect on nursing education, taking into account the principles of complex thinking proposed by Morin. reflection based on the principles of the complexity theory by Edgar Morin. the application of complexity in teaching proposes an emancipatory education based on questioning and social transformation. It comprises the education of nurses who interact with others as a characteristic of their work. It is necessary to prepare students to develop critical and reflective attitudes and actions to overcome the fragmentation and linearity of knowledge. nursing care has been based on a reductionist assistance, reflecting the Cartesian model. Thus, nursing education seeks to comprise shared knowledge and experiences so that no subject or professional overpowers another, accepting the uniqueness of professionals and patients.

Morin-like spin canting in the magnetic CaFe5O7 ferrite: A combined neutron and Mössbauer study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delacotte, C.; Bréard, Y.; Caignaert, V.; Hardy, V.; Greneche, J. M.; Hébert, S.; Suard, E.; Pelloquin, D.

2017-03-01

Magnetic structure of CaFe5O7 ferrite has been studied jointly from neutron powder diffraction data and spectroscopic Mössbauer measurements in the thermal range from 5 to 500 K. This coupled work highlights three distinct magnetic domains around two specific temperatures: TM=125 K and TN=360 K. The latter corroborates the structural monoclinic-orthorhombic transition previously reported by transmission electron microscopy techniques and X-ray thermodiffractometry. Complementary heat capacity measurements have confirmed this first order transition with a sharp peak at 360 K. Interestingly, this large study has revealed a second magnetic transition associated to a spin rotation at 125 K similar to this one reported by Morin in α-Fe2O3 hematite at TM=260 K.

Relaxation Techniques for Health

MedlinePlus

... and biofeedback in the management of temporomandibular disorder . Physical Therapy . 2006;86(7):955–973. Morin CM, Bootzin ... treatments for late-life anxiety . American Journal of Geriatric ... therapy for rehabilitation and prevention in ischaemic heart disease: ...

Morin-like spin canting in the magnetic CaFe{sub 5}O{sub 7} ferrite: A combined neutron and Mössbauer study

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

Delacotte, C.; Bréard, Y.; Caignaert, V.

2017-03-15

Magnetic structure of CaFe{sub 5}O{sub 7} ferrite has been studied jointly from neutron powder diffraction data and spectroscopic Mössbauer measurements in the thermal range from 5 to 500 K. This coupled work highlights three distinct magnetic domains around two specific temperatures: T{sub M}=125 K and T{sub N}=360 K. The latter corroborates the structural monoclinic-orthorhombic transition previously reported by transmission electron microscopy techniques and X-ray thermodiffractometry. Complementary heat capacity measurements have confirmed this first order transition with a sharp peak at 360 K. Interestingly, this large study has revealed a second magnetic transition associated to a spin rotation at 125 Kmore » similar to this one reported by Morin in α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hematite at T{sub M}=260 K. - Graphical abstract: Magnetic structure of CaFe{sub 5}O{sub 7} ferrite has been studied jointly from neutron powder diffraction data and spectroscopic Mössbauer measurements in the thermal range from 5 to 500 K. This coupled work highlights three distinct magnetic domains around two specific temperatures: T{sub M}=125 K and T{sub N}=360 K. Interestingly, this large study has revealed a magnetic transition associated to a spin rotation at 125 K similar to this one reported by Morin in α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hematite at T{sub M}=260 K.« less

Targeted studies on the interaction of nicotine and morin molecules with amyloid β-protein.

PubMed

Boopathi, Subramaniam; Kolandaivel, Ponmalai

2014-03-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that occurs due to progressive deposition of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in the brain. Stable conformations of solvated Aβ₁₋₄₂ protein were predicted by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation using the OPLSAA force field. The seven residue peptide (Lys-Leu-Val-Phe-Phe-Ala-Glu) Aβ₁₆₋₂₂ associated with AD was studied and reported in this paper. Since effective therapeutic agents have not yet been studied in detail, attention has focused on the use of natural products as effective anti-aggregation compounds, targeting the Aβ₁₋₄₂ protein directly. Experimental and theoretical investigation suggests that some compounds extracted from natural products might be useful, but detailed insights into the mechanism by which they might act remains elusive. The molecules nicotine and morin are found in cigarettes and beverages. Here, we report the results of interaction studies of these compounds at each hydrophobic residue of Aβ₁₆₋₂₂ peptide using the hybrid ONIOM (B3LYP/6-31G**:UFF) method. It was found that interaction with nicotine produced higher deformation in the Aβ₁₆₋₂₂ peptide than interaction with morin. MD simulation studies revealed that interaction of the nicotine molecule with the β-sheet of Aβ₁₆₋₂₂ peptide transforms the β-sheet to an α-helical structure, which helps prohibit the aggregation of Aβ-protein.

A flow injection chemiluminescence method for determination of nalidixic acid based on KMnO4-morin sensitized with CdS quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khataee, Alireza; Lotfi, Roya; Hasanzadeh, Aliyeh; Iranifam, Mortaza; Joo, Sang Woo

2016-02-01

A simple and sensitive flow injection chemiluminescence (CL) method was developed for determination of nalidixic acid by application of CdS quantum dots (QDs) in KMnO4-morin CL system in acidic medium. Optical and structural features of L-cysteine capped CdS quantum dots which were synthesized via hydrothermal approach were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Moreover, the potential mechanism of the proposed CL method was described using the results of the kinetic curves of CL systems, the spectra of CL, PL and UV-Vis analyses. The CL intensity of the KMnO4-morin-CdS QDs system was considerably increased in the presence of nalidixic acid. Under the optimum condition, the enhanced CL intensity was linearly proportional to the concentration of nalidixic acid in the range of 0.0013 to 21.0 mg L- 1, with a detection limit of (3σ) 0.003 mg L- 1. Also, the proposed CL method was utilized for determination of nalidixic acid in environmental water samples, and commercial pharmaceutical formulation to approve its applicability. Furthermore, corona discharge ionization ion mobility spectrometry (CD-IMS) method was utilized for determination of nalidixic acid and the results of real sample analysis by two proposed methods were compared. Comparison the analytical features of these methods represented that the proposed CL method is preferable to CD-IMS method for determination of nalidixic acid due to its high sensitivity and precision.

A flow injection chemiluminescence method for determination of nalidixic acid based on KMnO₄-morin sensitized with CdS quantum dots.

PubMed

Khataee, Alireza; Lotfi, Roya; Hasanzadeh, Aliyeh; Iranifam, Mortaza; Joo, Sang Woo

2016-02-05

A simple and sensitive flow injection chemiluminescence (CL) method was developed for determination of nalidixic acid by application of CdS quantum dots (QDs) in KMnO4-morin CL system in acidic medium. Optical and structural features of L-cysteine capped CdS quantum dots which were synthesized via hydrothermal approach were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Moreover, the potential mechanism of the proposed CL method was described using the results of the kinetic curves of CL systems, the spectra of CL, PL and UV-Vis analyses. The CL intensity of the KMnO4-morin-CdS QDs system was considerably increased in the presence of nalidixic acid. Under the optimum condition, the enhanced CL intensity was linearly proportional to the concentration of nalidixic acid in the range of 0.0013 to 21.0 mg L(-1), with a detection limit of (3σ) 0.003 mg L(-1). Also, the proposed CL method was utilized for determination of nalidixic acid in environmental water samples, and commercial pharmaceutical formulation to approve its applicability. Furthermore, corona discharge ionization ion mobility spectrometry (CD-IMS) method was utilized for determination of nalidixic acid and the results of real sample analysis by two proposed methods were compared. Comparison the analytical features of these methods represented that the proposed CL method is preferable to CD-IMS method for determination of nalidixic acid due to its high sensitivity and precision. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quercetin, Morin, Luteolin, and Phloretin Are Dietary Flavonoid Inhibitors of Monocarboxylate Transporter 6.

PubMed

Jones, Robert S; Parker, Mark D; Morris, Marilyn E

2017-09-05

Monocarboxylate transporter 6 (MCT6; SLC16A5) has been recognized for its role as a xenobiotic transporter, with characterized substrates probenecid, bumetanide, and nateglinide. To date, the impact of commonly ingested dietary compounds on MCT6 function has not been investigated, and therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate a variety of flavonoids for their potential MCT6-specific interactions. Flavonoids are a large group of polyphenolic phytochemicals found in commonly consumed plant-based products that have been recognized for their dietary health benefits. The uptake of bumetanide in human MCT6 gene-transfected Xenopus laevis oocytes was significantly decreased in the presence of a variety of flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, luteolin, phloretin, and morin), but was not significantly affected by flavonoid glycosides (e.g., naringin, rutin, phlorizin). The IC 50 values of quercetin, phloretin, and morin were determined to be 25.3 ± 3.36, 17.3 ± 2.37, and 33.1 ± 3.29 μM, respectively. The mechanism of inhibition of phloretin was reversible and competitive, with a K i value of 22.8 μM. Furthermore, typical MCT substrates were also investigated for their potential interactions with MCT6. Substrates of MCTs 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 did not cause any significant decrease in MCT6-mediated bumetanide uptake, suggesting that MCT6 has distinct compound selectivity. In summary, these results suggest that dietary aglycon flavonoids may significantly alter the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of bumetanide and other MCT6-specific substrates, and may represent potential substrates for MCT6.

On Prison Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morin, Lucien, Ed.

This book, consisting of 19 essays, deals with the meaning and objectives of prison education. Included in the volume are the following works: "Inmate Right to Education," by Lucien Morin; "Penitentiary Education in Canada," by J. W. Cosman; "Rehabilitation through Education: A Canadian Model," by Stephen Duguid;…

Antioxidant protective effect of flavonoids on linoleic acid peroxidation induced by copper(II)/ascorbic acid system.

PubMed

Beker, Bilge Yıldoğan; Bakır, Temelkan; Sönmezoğlu, Inci; Imer, Filiz; Apak, Reşat

2011-11-01

Antioxidants are compounds that can delay or inhibit lipid oxidation. The peroxidation of linoleic acid (LA) in the absence and presence of Cu(II) ion-ascorbate combinations was investigated in aerated and incubated emulsions at 37°C and pH 7. LA peroxidation induced by copper(II)-ascorbic acid system followed first order kinetics with respect to hydroperoxides concentration. The extent of copper-initiated peroxide production in a LA system assayed by ferric thiocyanate method was used to determine possible antioxidant and prooxidant activities of the added flavonoids. The effects of three different flavonoids of similar structure, i.e. quercetin (QR), morin (MR) and catechin (CT), as potential antioxidant protectors were studied in the selected peroxidation system. The inhibitive order of flavonoids in the protection of LA peroxidation was: morin>catechin≥quercetin, i.e. agreeing with that of formal reduction potentials versus NHE at pH 7, i.e. 0.60, 0.57 and 0.33V for MR, CT, and QR, respectively. Morin showed antioxidant effect at all concentrations whereas catechin and quercetin showed both antioxidant and prooxidant effects depending on their concentrations. The structural requirements for antioxidant activity in flavonoids interestingly coincide with those for Cu(II)-induced prooxidant activity, because as the reducing power of a flavonoid increases, Cu(II)-Cu(I) reduction is facilitated that may end up with the production of reactive species. The findings of this study were evaluated in the light of structure-activity relationships of flavonoids, and the results are believed to be useful to better understand the actual conditions where flavonoids may act as prooxidants in the preservation of heterogeneous food samples containing traces of transition metal ions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flavonoids Are Inhibitors of Human Organic Anion Transporter 1 (OAT1)–Mediated Transport

PubMed Central

An, Guohua; Wang, Xiaodong

2014-01-01

Organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) has been reported to be involved in the nephrotoxicity of many anionic xenobiotics. As current clinically used OAT1 inhibitors are often associated with safety issues, identifying potent OAT1 inhibitors with little toxicity is of great value in reducing OAT1-mediated drug nephrotoxicity. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenolic compounds with exceptional safety records. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of 18 naturally occurring flavonoids, and some of their glycosides, on the uptake of para-aminohippuric acid (PAH) in both OAT1-expressing and OAT1-negative LLC-PK1 cells. Most flavonoid aglycones produced substantial decreases in PAH uptake in OAT1-expressing cells. Among the flavonoids screened, fisetin, luteolin, morin, and quercetin exhibited the strongest effect and produced complete inhibition of OAT1-mediated PAH uptake at a concentration of 50 μM. Further concentration-dependent studies revealed that both morin and luteolin are potent OAT1 inhibitors, with IC50 values of <0.3 and 0.47 μM, respectively. In contrast to the tested flavonoid aglycones, all flavonoid glycosides had negligible or small effects on OAT1. In addition, the role of OAT1 in the uptake of fisetin, luteolin, morin, and quercetin was investigated and fisetin was found to be a substrate of OAT1. Taken together, our results indicate that flavonoids are a novel class of OAT1 modulators. Considering the high consumption of flavonoids in the diet and in herbal products, OAT1-mediated flavonoid-drug interactions may be clinically relevant. Further investigation is warranted to evaluate the nephroprotective role of flavonoids in relation to drug-induced nephrotoxicity mediated by the OAT1 pathway. PMID:25002746

Attention and Vigilance in Speech Perception

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-23

followed by a /s ta/-/ fta / block. The orthogonal condition was presented in a single block consisting of all four monosyllables. The order of the three...Perception and Performance, 8, 473-488. Moray, N. (1969). Listening and attention. Baltimore: Penguin . Morin, T. M., & Nusbaum, H. C. (1988

Determination of trace tin by solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry using sodium dodecyl sulfate as sensitizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiaming, Liu; Guohui, Zhu; Tianlong, Yang; Aihong, Wu; Yan, Fu; Longdi, Li

2003-07-01

The effects of different surfactants on solid substrate-room temperature phosphorescence (SS-RTP) properties of Sn4+-morin systems were investigated. It was found that the SS-RTP intensity of luminescence system was increased greatly in presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). A new highly sensitive method for the determination of trace tin has been proposed based on sensitization of SDS on SS-RTP intensity of morin-tin system on the filter paper substrate. The linear dynamic range of this method is 8.0-112 ag per spot (with the volume of 0.4 μl per spot) with a detection limit of 4.0 ag per spot, and the regression equation is ΔIp=199.7+3.456mSn(IV) (ag per spot), with the correlation coefficient r=0.9998 (n=7). This simple, rapid and reproducible method has been applied to determine the amount of tin in real samples with satisfactory results.

Continual model of magnetic dynamics for antiferromagnetic particles in analyzing size effects on Morin transition in hematite nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishchenko, I.; Chuev, M.; Kubrin, S.; Lastovina, T.; Polyakov, V.; Soldatov, A.

2018-05-01

Alternative explanation to the effect of disappearance of the Morin transition on hematite nanoparticles with their size decreasing is proposed basing on an idea of the predominant role of the shape anisotropy for nanosize particles. Three types of the magnetic structure of hematite nanoparticles with various sizes are found by Mössbauer spectroscopy: coexistence of the well-pronounced antiferromagnetic and weakly ferromagnetic phases for particles with average diameters of about 55 nm, non-uniform distribution of the magnetization axes which concentrate on the vicinity of the basal plane (111) for prolonged particles with cross sections of about 20 nm, and uniform distribution of the easy axes in regard to the crystalline directions for 3-nm particles. Description of the temperature evolution of experimental data within novel model of the magnetic dynamics for antiferromagnetic particles which accounts the exchange, relativistic, and anisotropy interactions is provided, and the structural as well as energy characteristics of the studied systems are reconstructed.

Assessment of nitrate pollution in the Grand Morin aquifers (France): combined use of geostatistics and physically based modeling.

PubMed

Flipo, Nicolas; Jeannée, Nicolas; Poulin, Michel; Even, Stéphanie; Ledoux, Emmanuel

2007-03-01

The objective of this work is to combine several approaches to better understand nitrate fate in the Grand Morin aquifers (2700 km(2)), part of the Seine basin. cawaqs results from the coupling of the hydrogeological model newsam with the hydrodynamic and biogeochemical model of river ProSe. cawaqs is coupled with the agronomic model Stics in order to simulate nitrate migration in basins. First, kriging provides a satisfactory representation of aquifer nitrate contamination from local observations, to set initial conditions for the physically based model. Then associated confidence intervals, derived from data using geostatistics, are used to validate cawaqs results. Results and evaluation obtained from the combination of these approaches are given (period 1977-1988). Then cawaqs is used to simulate nitrate fate for a 20-year period (1977-1996). The mean nitrate concentrations increase in aquifers is 0.09 mgN L(-1)yr(-1), resulting from an average infiltration flux of 3500 kgN.km(-2)yr(-1).

77 FR 24734 - Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Renewable Energy Program Leasing for Marine Hydrokinetic Technology...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-25

... Continental Shelf (OCS) Renewable Energy Program Leasing for Marine Hydrokinetic Technology Testing Offshore... found online at: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/Florida.aspx . [[Page.... FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Morin, BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 381 Elden...

Development and Design of Sludge Freezing Beds

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

Wastewater Treatment/Disposal/Reuse. New York: McGraw Hill, 2nd ed. Morin, W., R. Lewandowski and R. Zaloum (1986) Le traitement des boues a l’aide du gel...degel naturel et epandage des boues en foret. Draft report for Environment Canada, Mon- treal. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1984

Lillie Burney Elementary School

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Mississippi Rep. Percy Watson (left) talks with first-graders Savannah Jones and Levi Meyers, and Astronaut Lee Morin on Sept. 8 during the NASA Explorer School kickoff event at the Lillie Burney Elementary School in Hattiesburg, Miss. NASA Explorer Schools help promote student achievement in mathematics and science through activities using the excitement of NASA research, discoveries and missions.

Complexity, Methodology and Method: Crafting a Critical Process of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhadeff-Jones, Michel

2013-01-01

This paper defines a theoretical framework aiming to support the actions and reflections of researchers looking for a "method" in order to critically conceive the complexity of a scientific process of research. First, it starts with a brief overview of the core assumptions framing Morin's "paradigm of complexity" and Le…

Lillie Burney Elementary School

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

Mississippi Rep. Percy Watson (left) talks with first-graders Savannah Jones and Levi Meyers, and Astronaut Lee Morin on Sept. 8 during the NASA Explorer School kickoff event at the Lillie Burney Elementary School in Hattiesburg, Miss. NASA Explorer Schools help promote student achievement in mathematics and science through activities using the excitement of NASA research, discoveries and missions.

Creativity and Complex Thoughts of Gifted Students from Contributions of Edgar Morin and Rudolf Steiner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piske, Fernanda Hellen Ribeiro; Stoltz, Tania; Guérios, Ettiène; de Freitas, Samarah Perszel

2016-01-01

This study aims to highlight the importance of creativity in education of gifted children. Gifted students are generally individuals that talk with uncertainty because they are always looking for solutions and discoveries for their varied researches in their area of interest. These students need educational practices that develop creativity and…

2013 Inaugural Parade

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-01-21

The Orion space capsule along with NASA Astronauts Lee Morin, Alvin Drew, Kjell Lindgren, Serena Aunon, Kate Rubins, and Mike Massimino pass the Presidential viewing stand and President Barack Obama during the inaugural parade honoring Obama, Monday Jan. 21, 2013, in Washington. Obama was sworn-in as the nation's 44th President earlier in the day. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Can Taking an IB Course Change Students' Attitudes towards International Affairs and Welfare of Other Countries?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vemala, Prasad; Chen, Jim; Cox, Susie S.

2014-01-01

Americans in general tend to pay less attention to international affairs than their counterparts around the world. Therefore, Americans know much less about international affairs and lack international knowledge than people in other countries (Ivengar & Morin, 2006). As we move to high levels of globalization on all fronts, we must confront…

Adaptive Computer-Assisted Mammography Training for Improved Breast Cancer Screening

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

diagnostic decision, and image content." Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Voisin, S., F. Pinto, G. Morin-Ducote, K. B. Hudson and G...fatigue at the end of a long work day may skip a step in his or her search pattern and forget to look at a portion of the breast. While attempts are made

The effect of hydrostatic pressure up to 1.61 GPa on the Morin transition of hematite-bearing rocks: Implications for planetary crustal magnetization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezaeva, Natalia S.; Demory, François; Rochette, Pierre; Sadykov, Ravil A.; Gattacceca, Jérôme; Gabriel, Thomas; Quesnel, Yoann

2015-12-01

We present new experimental data on the dependence of the Morin transition temperature (TM) on hydrostatic pressure up to 1.61 GPa, obtained on a well-characterized multidomain hematite-bearing sample from a banded iron formation. We used a nonmagnetic high-pressure cell for pressure application and a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device magnetometer to measure the isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) under pressure on warming from 243 K to room temperature (T0). IRM imparted at T0 under pressure in 270 mT magnetic field (IRM270mT) is not recovered after a cooling-warming cycle. Memory effect under pressure was quantified as IRM recovery decrease of 10%/GPa. TM, determined on warming, reaches T0 under hydrostatic pressure 1.38-1.61 GPa. The pressure dependence of TM up to 1.61 GPa is positive and essentially linear with a slope dTM/dP = (25 ± 2) K/GPa. This estimate is more precise than previous ones and allows quantifying the effect of a pressure wave on the upper crust magnetization, with special emphasis on Mars.

Antioxidant Activity in Extracts of 27 Indigenous Taiwanese Vegetables

PubMed Central

Chao, Pi-Yu; Lin, Su-Yi; Lin, Kuan-Hung; Liu, Yu-Fen; Hsu, Ju-Ing; Yang, Chi-Ming; Lai, Jun-You

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to identify the antioxidants and antioxidant axtivity in 27 of Taiwan’s indigenous vegetables. Lycium chinense (Lc), Lactuca indica (Li), and Perilla ocymoides (Po) contained abundant quercetin (Que), while Artemisia lactiflora (Al) and Gynura bicolor (Gb) were rich in morin and kaempferol, respectively. Additionally, Nymphoides cristata (Nc) and Sechium edule (Se)-yellow had significantly higher levels of myricetin (Myr) than other tested samples. Cyanidin (Cyan) and malvidin (Mal) were abundant in Gb, Abelmoschus esculentus Moench (Abe), Po, Anisogonium esculentum (Retz.) Presl (Ane), Ipomoea batatas (Ib)-purple, and Hemerocallis fulva (Hf)-bright orange. Relatively high levels of Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenger were generated from extracts of Toona sinensis (Ts) and Po. Significant and positive correlations between antioxidant activity and polyphenols, anthocyanidins, Que, Myr, and morin were observed, indicating that these phytochemicals were some of the main components responsible for the antioxidant activity of tested plants. The much higher antioxidant activity of Po, Ts, and Ib (purple leaf) may be related to their higher Cyan, Que, and polyphenol content. PMID:24858497

Foundations of Military Pilot Selection Systems: World War I

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

American forces in Europe ended preliminary training and only conducted advanced and mission-specific training ( Toulmin , 1927). Advanced Flight...trained pilot arrived in Europe (Morin, 1997). Pursuit, day bombardment, and night bombardment training began on November 1, 1917 in Europe ( Toulmin ...dogfighting. Toulmin (1927) indicates that after flying training, pursuit pilots were sent to a special base to be trained in gunnery. This training

STS-110 crewmembers pose for photos in the Zvezda SM during Expedition Four

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-04-16

ISS004-E-10098 (16 April 2002) --- Astronaut Stephen N. Frick, STS-110 pilot, photographs crewmates in the Zvezda Service Module on the International Space Station (ISS). From the left are astronauts Michael J. Bloomfield, STS-110 mission commander, Jerry L. Ross and Lee M. E. Morin, both mission specialists. Astronaut Steven L. Smith, STS-110 mission specialist, floats above.

Singlet Oxygen Reactions with Flavonoids. A Theoretical – Experimental Study

PubMed Central

Morales, Javier; Günther, Germán; Zanocco, Antonio L.; Lemp, Else

2012-01-01

Detection of singlet oxygen emission, λmax = 1270 nm, following laser excitation and steady-state methods were employed to measure the total reaction rate constant, kT, and the reactive reaction rate constant, kr, for the reaction between singlet oxygen and several flavonoids. Values of kT determined in deuterated water, ranging from 2.4×107 M−1s−1 to 13.4×107 M−1s−1, for rutin and morin, respectively, and the values measured for kr, ranging from 2.8×105 M−1s−1 to 65.7×105 M−1s−1 for kaempferol and morin, respectively, being epicatechin and catechin chemically unreactive. These results indicate that all the studied flavonoids are good quenchers of singlet oxygen and could be valuable antioxidants in systems under oxidative stress, in particular if a flavonoid-rich diet was previously consumed. Analysis of the dependence of rate constant values with molecular structure in terms of global descriptors and condensed Fukui functions, resulting from electronic structure calculations, supports the formation of a charge transfer exciplex in all studied reactions. The fraction of exciplex giving reaction products evolves through a hydroperoxide and/or an endoperoxide intermediate produced by singlet oxygen attack on the double bond of the ring C of the flavonoid. PMID:22802966

Interaction of Aluminum with PHFτ in Alzheimer’s Disease Neurofibrillary Degeneration Evidenced by Desferrioxamine-Assisted Chelating Autoclave Method

PubMed Central

Murayama, Harunobu; Shin, Ryong-Woon; Higuchi, Jun; Shibuya, Satoshi; Muramoto, Tamaki; Kitamoto, Tetsuyuki

1999-01-01

To demonstrate that aluminum III (Al) interacts with PHFτ in neurofibrillary degeneration (NFD) of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain, we developed a “chelating autoclave method” that allows Al chelation by using trivalent-cationic chelator desferrioxamine. Its application to AD brain sections before Morin histochemistry for Al attenuated the positive fluorescence of neurofibrillary tangles, indicating Al removal from them. This method, applied for immunostaining with phosphorylation-dependent anti-τ antibodies, significantly enhanced the PHFτ immunoreactivity of the NFD. These results suggest that each of the phosphorylated epitopes in PHFτ are partially masked by Al binding. Incubation of AD sections with AlCl3 before Morin staining revealed Al accumulation with association to neurofibrillary tangles. Such incubation before immunostaining with the phosphorylation-dependent anti-τ antibodies abolished the immunolabeling of the NFD and this abolition was reversed by the Al chelation. These findings indicate cumulative Al binding to and thereby antigenic masking of the phosphorylated epitopes of PHFτ. Al binding was further documented for electrophoretically-resolved PHFτ on immunoblots, indicating direct Al binding to PHFτ. In vitro aggregation by AlCl3 was observed for PHFτ but was lost on dephosphorylation of PHFτ. Taken together, phosphorylation-dependent and direct PHFτ-Al interaction occurs in the NFD of the AD brain. PMID:10487845

Singlet oxygen reactions with flavonoids. A theoretical-experimental study.

PubMed

Morales, Javier; Günther, Germán; Zanocco, Antonio L; Lemp, Else

2012-01-01

Detection of singlet oxygen emission, λ(max) = 1270 nm, following laser excitation and steady-state methods were employed to measure the total reaction rate constant, k(T), and the reactive reaction rate constant, k(r), for the reaction between singlet oxygen and several flavonoids. Values of k(T) determined in deuterated water, ranging from 2.4×10(7) M(-1) s(-1) to 13.4×10(7) M(-1) s(-1), for rutin and morin, respectively, and the values measured for k(r), ranging from 2.8×10(5) M(-1) s(-1) to 65.7×10(5) M(-1) s(-1) for kaempferol and morin, respectively, being epicatechin and catechin chemically unreactive. These results indicate that all the studied flavonoids are good quenchers of singlet oxygen and could be valuable antioxidants in systems under oxidative stress, in particular if a flavonoid-rich diet was previously consumed. Analysis of the dependence of rate constant values with molecular structure in terms of global descriptors and condensed Fukui functions, resulting from electronic structure calculations, supports the formation of a charge transfer exciplex in all studied reactions. The fraction of exciplex giving reaction products evolves through a hydroperoxide and/or an endoperoxide intermediate produced by singlet oxygen attack on the double bond of the ring C of the flavonoid.

Bibliography on Cold Regions Science and Technology. Volume 40, Part 1, 1986

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-12-01

witer migration in an unaaturated frozen soil, morin clay, waa determined in horizontally cloaed »oil columns under linear temperature gradients...Peninsula At both ice fronts there is signiPcant tidal height energy in the first seven tidal species, indicating strong non- linear interaction, not all...dry soil weight, and increases with the increase in the molality linearly because of the linear freezing point depression. The curves of the

Bacterial Formation of As(V) and As(III) Ferric Oxyhydroxides in Acid Mine Drainage.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morin, G.; Juillot, F.; Lebrun, S.; Casiot, C.; Elbaz-Poulichet, F.; Bruneel, O.; Personne, J.; Leblanc, M.; Ildefonse, P.; Calas, G.

2002-12-01

The oxidation of dissolved Fe(II) which is often promoted by acidophilic bacteria in acid mine drainage (AMD) and some hot springs, leads to the precipitation of Fe(III) oxy-hydroxides which incorporate toxic elements within their structure or adsorb them at their surface, thus limiting their mobility. In such complex natural systems, synchrotron-based techniques as X-ray absorption spectroscopy offer the opportunity to monitor surface/solution interactions as well as redox changes affecting the mobility and toxicity of trace elements as arsenic. Spatial and seasonal variations of the (bio-) oxidation of Fe(II) and As(III), and the subsequent precipitation of As-Fe gels, were followed by XANES, XRD, and SEM along the CarnoulŠs AMD (Gard, France). Chemical and mineralogical data collected on sediments, stromatolite, and bioassay samples showed that some indigenous bacteria living in the As-rich CarnoulŠs water ([As] = up to 350 mg.l-1) play an important role in the nature and composition of the solid phases that sequester arsenic at the site. The formation of nano-crystalline and amorphous As(III) ferric oxy-hydroxides has been related to the presence of bacteria able to oxidize Fe(II) but not As(III), which are only present in winter in the upstream area. A rare ferric arsenite sulfate oxy-hydroxide mineral was discovered in this context. Other types of bacteria, occurring in the downstream area whatever the season, are able to catalyze As(III) to As(V) oxidation and, provided that enough Fe(II) oxidizes, promote the formation of amorphous As(V) rich ferric oxy-hydroxides. These bacterially mediated reactions significantly reduce the concentration of dissolved As(III), which is more toxic and mobile than As(V), and might thus be helpful for designing As-removal processes. This work was supported by the French PEVS and ACI Ecologie Quantitative Programs and the PIRAMID EC program. ?Deceased, 26 October 1999 Juillot F., Ildefonse Ph., Morin G., Calas G., De Kersabiec A.M. and Benedetti M. Applied Geochemistry 8, 1031-1048 (1999). Morin G., Lecocq D., Juillot F., Ildefonse Ph., Calas Bull. Soc. Géol. Fr. 173, 281-291 (2002). Morin G., Juillot F., Casiot C., Bruneel O., Personné J-C., Elbaz-Poulichet F., Leblanc M., Ildefonse P. and Calas G. Environ. Sci. Technol (in review.)

CGCI Investigators Reveal Comprehensive Landscape of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) Genomes | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Researchers from British Columbia Cancer Agency used whole genome sequencing to analyze 40 DLBCL cases and 13 cell lines in order to fill in the gaps of the complex landscape of DLBCL genomes. Their analysis, “Mutational and structural analysis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma using whole genome sequencing,” was published online in Blood on May 22. The authors are Ryan Morin, Marco Marra, and colleagues.  

Papers from the Fifth Regional Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, April 18-19, 1969.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Binnick, Robert I., Ed.; And Others

The topics covered in this volume range over the entire field of linguistics. The authors are: A.L. Becker and D.G. Arms, W.R. Cantrall, G. Cohen, D.J. Darden, A. Davison, D. Elliott and others, J.E. Emonds, B. Fraser, G.M. Green, J.T. Heringer, L.R. Horn, L. Kartunnen, G. Lakoff, R. Lakoff, J.M. Lindholm, V.B. Makkai, J.L. Morgan, Y.C. Morin and…

KSC-02pp0020

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-12-01

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TEXAS. -- STS-110 CREW PORTRAIT -- (JSC STS110-5-002) -- These seven astronauts are in training for the STS-110 mission, scheduled to visit the International Space Station early next year. In front, from the left, are astronauts Stephen N. Frick, pilot; Ellen Ochoa, flight engineer; and Michael J. Bloomfield, mission commander; in the back, from left, are astronauts Steven L. Smith, Rex J. Walheim, Jerry L. Ross and Lee M.E. Morin, all mission specialists

Formulation, characterization and pharmacokinetics of Morin hydrate niosomes prepared from various non-ionic surfactants.

PubMed

Waddad, Ayman Y; Abbad, Sarra; Yu, Fan; Munyendo, Were L L; Wang, Jing; Lv, Huixia; Zhou, Jianping

2013-11-18

Morin hydrate (MH), a bioflavonoid with antioxidant and anticancer activity as well as the ability to improve the bioavailability of other drugs on their concurrent use. Three differently optimized niosomal formulations using three different non-ionic surfactants (Span 60, Span 80 and Tween 60) were achieved by (L9 (3(4))) Taguchi orthogonal array (TOA). The analysis of TOA revealed that Tween 60 Niosomes had the highest entrapment efficiency (93.4%) compared to other optimized Niosomal formulations (71-79%). In terms of MH remaining %, Tween 60 Niosomes were found to be the most stable (89%) at 4 °C over one month compared to Span 60 (56%) and Span 80 (57%) Niosomes. The release pattern in all Niosomal formulations was found to follow the Weibull model and Tween 60 Niosomes had the highest release rate. The molecular modeling simulation explained the binding of MH to the human serum albumin (HSA) by hydrogen bonds during the in vitro release process. As for the bioavailability, the AUC0-8 showed 1.3-2.7 fold increase compared to the MH solution. Ex vivo images of the excised organs showed that MH could accumulate in brain which indicates that MH-Tween 60 Niosomes might be a possible candidate to deliver hydrophobic drugs and overcome the blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Surface Roughness on the Second Order Transport of Turbulence in Non-Equilibrium Boundary Layers

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-08

FINAL REPORT to Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Project Title Influence of Surface Roughness on the Second Order Transport of...large amount of research has been performed to quantify the effects of Mach number, roughness, and wall curvature on turbulent boundary layers. However...18 a) b) c) Figure 3: a) A. D. Smith high pressure storage tank. b) Morin B series actuator controlling Virgo Engineers Trunion Mounted Ball Valve. c

Synthetic Beta-Lactam Antibiotics as a Selective Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis Inducer: Significance in Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

Learned from Diet-Gene-Environment Interaction. Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program and Department of Chemistry , University of California at...College of Chemistry , Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China, June 29, 2007 Dou QP. Invited Speaker. Molecular Prevention of Human Cancer: Role of...Discovery Today 2002; 7: 471-8. 3. Morin RB and Gorman M. Chemistry and Biology of beta-Lactam Antibiotics, Vol. 1-3. New York: Academic Press, 1982. 4

Monograph on prospective developments in oceanology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monin, A. S.

1986-01-01

Excerpts from a chapter of a monograph, Oceanology in the Year 2000, which has been prepared for publication at the USSR Academy of Sciences' Institute of Oceanology, is presented. The author of this chapter is A. S. Morin, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences and director of the oceanology institute. The monograph is said to be the collective work of a group of specialists. Monin views prospective developments of oceanology and oceanology related research and development, technology and expedition research.

KSC-02pd0303

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Mission Specialist Jerry Ross waits his turn at driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. In the background, right, is Mission Specialist Lee Morin. TCDT includes emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown, and is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. Scheduled for launch April 4, the 11-day mission will feature Shuttle Atlantis docking with the International Space Station (ISS) and delivering the S0 truss, the centerpiece-segment of the primary truss structure that will eventually extend over 300 feet

Synthetic Beta-Lactam Antibiotic as a Selective Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis Inducer: Significance in Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

discovery, Drug Discovery Today 2002; 7: 471-8. 3. Morin RB and Gorman M. Chemistry and Biology of beta-Lactam Antibiotics, Vol. 1-3. New York: Academic Press...J. of Applied Polymer Science 1979, 24, 1551-1564. 13. J. of Polymer Science: Polymer Chemistry Edition 1975, 13, 2019-2030. 14. Langmuir 2003, 19...8542-8549. 15. Tetrahedron Letters 1985, 26, 3891-3894 16. J. of Organic Chemistry 1998, 63, 8898-8917. 13 PI: Q Ping Dou 17. Tetrahedron 1997, 42

Examination of Potential Anti-Tumor Activity of N-Thiolated b-Lactam Antibiotics in Nude Mice Bearing Human Breast Tumors

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

synthesized by our chemistry collaborators. There are 10 compounds in HY group (HY2 to HY21), 24 compounds in JG group (JG1 to JG 24) and several SC...April 2, 2005 Di Chen, Marina Chen, Kenyon G. Daniel, Deborah J. Kuhn, Kristin Landis, and Q. Ping Dou. Dietary Flavonoids as Proteasome Inhibitors and...J and Wikstron M. Structure-based screening and design in drug discovery, Drug Discovery Today 2002; 7: 471-8. 3. Morin RB and Gorman M. Chemistry

Shuttle Atlantis on approach for docking to the ISS during STS-110 and Expedition Four

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-04-10

ISS004-E-9944 (10 April 2002) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis prepares to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) during the STS-110 mission. Aboard Atlantis are astronauts Michael J. Bloomfield, mission commander; Stephen N. Frick, pilot; Rex J. Walheim, Ellen Ochoa, Lee M. E. Morin, Jerry L. Ross, and Steven L. Smith, all mission specialists. The STS-110 crewmembers are delivering the S0 (S-zero) truss, which is visible in Atlantis’ payload bay. This image was taken by an Expedition Four crewmember.

Cannibalism and predation by western toad (Bufo boreas boreas) larvae in Oregon, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jordan, D.J.; Rombough, C.J.; Pearl, Christopher A.; McCreary, B.

2004-01-01

Larval amphibians have been widely used as model organisms in studies of community ecology of freshwater systems (Morin 1983, Alford 1999). Much of this work has assumed that trophic effects of larval anurans are focused on periphyton and planktonic algae (Dickman 1968, Seale 1980, Duellman and Trueb 1986), a view that has recently been questioned. Recent experiments suggest that anuran larvae can occupy broader trophic roles than previously believed and may function as important predators in some pond communities  (Petranka et al. 1994, Petranka and Kennedy 1999)

HD-SAO-DM cross index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagy, T. A.; Mead, J.

1978-01-01

A table of correspondence SAO-HD-DM-GC was prepared by Morin (1973). The machine-readable version of this cross identification was obtained from the Centre de Donnees Stellaires (Strasbourg, France). The table was sorted at the Goddard Space Flight Center by HD number and all blank HD number records were removed to produce the HD-SAO-DM table presented. There were 258997 entries in the original table; there are 180411 entries after removing the blank HD records. The Boss General Catalogue (GC) numbers were retained on the machine-readable version after the sort.

STS-110 Extravehicular Activity (EVA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

STS-110 Mission Specialists Jerry L. Ross and Lee M.E. Morin work in tandem on the fourth scheduled EVA session for the STS-110 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis. Ross is anchored on the mobile foot restraint on the International Space Station's (ISS) Canadarm2, while Morin works inside the S0 (S-zero) truss. The STS-110 mission prepared the Station for future spacewalks by installing and outfitting a 43-foot-long S0 truss and preparing the Mobile Transporter. The 27,000 pound S0 Truss was the first of 9 segments that will make up the Station's external framework that will eventually stretch 356 feet (109 meters), or approximately the length of a football field. This central truss segment also includes a flatcar called the Mobile Transporter and rails that will become the first 'space railroad,' which will allow the Station's robotic arm to travel up and down the finished truss for future assembly and maintenance. The completed truss structure will hold solar arrays and radiators to provide power and cooling for additional international research laboratories from Japan and Europe that will be attached to the Station. Milestones of the S-110 mission included the first time the ISS robotic arm was used to maneuver spacewalkers around the Station and marked the first time all spacewalks were based out of the Station's Quest Airlock. It was also the first Shuttle to use three Block II Main Engines. The Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis, STS-110 mission, was launched April 8, 2002 and returned to Earth April 19, 2002.

Fluorescent analysis of interaction of flavonols with hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sentchouk, V. V.; Bondaryuk, E. V.

2007-09-01

We have studied the fluorescent properties of flavonols (quercetin, fisetin, morin, rutin) with the aim of studying possible interaction with hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin (BSA). We observed an increase in the intensity of intrinsic fluorescence for all the flavonols except rutin in the presence of BSA. From the changes in the fluorescence spectra, we concluded that tautomeric forms are formed on interaction with hemoglobin. We determined the interconnection between the structure of related flavonols and their fluorescent properties on interaction with proteins, and we determined the binding constants for binding with BSA and hemoglobin.

STS-110 M.S. Ross in M-113 personnel carrier during TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Mission Specialist Jerry Ross waits his turn at driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. In the background, right, is Mission Specialist Lee Morin. TCDT includes emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown, and is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. Scheduled for launch April 4, the 11-day mission will feature Shuttle Atlantis docking with the International Space Station (ISS) and delivering the S0 truss, the centerpiece-segment of the primary truss structure that will eventually extend over 300 feet.

Frequent mutation of histone-modifying genes in non-Hodgkin lymphoma | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

In a recent Nature article, Morin et al. uncovered a novel role for chromatin modification in driving the progression of two non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs), follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Through DNA and RNA sequencing of 117 tumor samples and 10 assorted cell lines, the authors identified and validated 109 genes with multiple mutations in these B-cell NHLs. Of the 109 genes, several genes not previously linked to lymphoma demonstrated positive selection for mutation including two genes involved in histone modification, MLL2 and MEF2B.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-12-01

This is the official STS-110 crew portrait. In front, from the left, are astronauts Stephen N. Frick, pilot; Ellen Ochoa, flight engineer; and Michael J. Bloomfield, mission commander; In the back, from left, are astronauts Steven L. Smith, Rex J. Walheim, Jerry L. Ross and Lee M.E. Morin, all mission specialists. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis on April 8, 2002, the STS-110 mission crew prepared the International Space Station (ISS) for future space walks by installing and outfitting a 43-foot-long Starboard side S0 truss and preparing the Mobile Transporter. The mission served as the 8th ISS assembly flight.

STS-110 Astronaut Morin Totes S0 Keel Pins During EVA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Hovering in space some 240 miles above the blue and white Earth, STS-110 astronaut M.E. Morin participates in his first ever and second of four scheduled space walks for the STS-110 mission. He is seen toting one of the S0 (S-Zero) keel pins which were removed from their functional position on the truss and attached on the truss' exterior for long term stowage. The 43-foot-long, 27,000 pound S0 truss was the first of 9 segments that will make up the International Space Station's external framework that will eventually stretch 356 feet (109 meters), or approximately the length of a football field. This central truss segment also includes a flatcar called the Mobile Transporter and rails that will become the first 'space railroad,' which will allow the Station's robotic arm to travel up and down the finished truss for future assembly and maintenance. The completed truss structure will hold solar arrays and radiators to provide power and cooling for additional international research laboratories from Japan and Europe that will be attached to the Station. The mission completed the installations and preparations of the S0 truss and the Mobile Transporter within four space walks. STS-110 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) marked the first use of the Station's robotic arm to maneuver space walkers around the Station and was the first time all of a shuttle crew's space walks were based out of the Station's Quest Airlock. It was also the first Shuttle to use three Block II Main Engines. The Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis STS-110 mission was launched April 8, 2002 and returned to Earth April 19, 2002.

Temperature controlled ionic liquid-based dispersive micro-extraction using two ligands, for determination of aluminium in scalp hair samples of Alzheimer's patients: A multivariate study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arain, Mariam S.; Arain, Salma A.; Kazi, Tasneem G.; Afridi, Hassan I.; Ali, Jamshaid; Naeemulllah; Arain, Sadaf S.; Brahman, Kapil Dev; Mughal, Moina Akhtar

2015-02-01

A green and sensitive temperature controlled dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (TIL-DLLME) methodology based on the application of ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, [C4mim][PF6], as an extractant solvent was proposed for the preconcentration of trace levels of aluminium (Al3+) in scalp hair samples of Alzheimer's (AD) patients, prior to analyzing by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The Al3+ was complexed with 8-hydrooxyquinoline (oxine) (L1) and 3,5,7,2‧-4‧ pentahydroxy flavone (morin) (L2) separately and then extracted by IL at temperature (50 ± 2.0 °C). Some effective factors that influence the TIL-DLLME efficiency such as pH, ligands concentrations, volume of IL, ionic strength, and incubation time were investigated and optimized by multivariate analysis. In the optimum experimental conditions, the limit of detection (3 s) and enhancement factor were 0.56 μg L-1, 0.64 μg L-1 and 85, 73 for both ligands, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for six replicate determinations of 100 μg L-1 Al3+ complexed with oxine and morin were found to be 3.88% and 4.74%, respectively. The developed method was validated by the analysis of certified reference material of human hair (NCSZC81002).and applied satisfactorily to the determination of Al3+ in acid digested scalp hair samples of AD patients and healthy controls. The resulted data shows significant higher level in scalp hair samples of AD male patients with related to referents of same age and socioeconomic status.

[Ethical and philosophical dimensions of decision-making in public health].

PubMed

Grémy, F

2008-01-01

Decisions in public health, or in individual health care, are taken by people (individuals or collective) for other people (individuals or collective). Human values, that is to say what is connected to Ethics, should be to the fore, de jure. Too often, under the pretext that they refer to subjectivity, they appear only after very many technical considerations. The latter, in a scientist society, are supposed to deserve a claim to objectivity, this being of course illusory. The author, placing himself in the line of Levinas, Ricoeur, and also of Kant, for whom the "What must I do?" is the most fundamental question any human being has to face, develops four reasons which plead for the pre-eminence of ethics as the foundation of decisions in a policy for public health. 1) He reminds us the intangible values, which are on one side uniqueness and universality of mankind, and on the other side the singularity of the human person. 2) He insists on the ethical wreck which threatens the whole health- and healthcare systems. 3) He sets out some results of modern neurophysiological research (AR Damasio's work), joining an intuition of Aristoteles: the decision making process implies two phases: deliberation the aim of which is to list the different possible actions to undertake, then the choice between those actions. Damasio shows that the lack of emotions inhibits the choice, especially when decision implies human values. 4) Finally, he insists, after E. Morin, on the practical and theoretical difficulties in taking a "good" decision, and on what Morin calls "ecology of action". The results of a decision may completely escape from the decision-makers aims, very often for unexpected social and psychological reasons.

Somatic mutation of EZH2 (Y641) in follicular and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas of germinal center origin | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Morin et al. describe recurrent somatic mutations in EZH2, a polycomb group oncogene. The mutation, found in the SET domain of this gene encoding a histone methyltransferase, is found only in a subset of lymphoma samples. Specifically, EZH2 mutations are found in about 12% of follicular lymphomas (FL) and almost 23% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) of germinal center origin. This paper goes on to demonstrate that altered EZH2 proteins, corresponding to the most frequent mutations found in human lymphomas, have reduced activity using in vitro histone methylation assays.

[Studies on chemical constituents of leaves of Psidium guajava].

PubMed

Fu, Huizheng; Luo, Yongming; Zhang, Dongming

2009-03-01

To study the chemical constituents of the leaves of Psidium guajava. The chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MPLC. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis. Nine compounds were isolated from this plant, and the structure of them were identified as ursolic acid (1), 2alpha-hydroxyursolic acid (2), 2alpha-hydroxyoleanolic acid (3), morin-3-O-alpha-L-arabopyranoside (4), quercetin (5), hyperin (6), myricetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (7), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside (8), 1-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (9). Compounds 3, 7-9 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Digital Isostatic Gravity Map of the Nevada Test Site and Vicinity, Nye, Lincoln, and Clark Counties, Nevada, and Inyo County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ponce, David A.; Mankinen, E.A.; Davidson, J.G.; Morin, R.L.; Blakely, R.J.

2000-01-01

An isostatic gravity map of the Nevada Test Site area was prepared from publicly available gravity data (Ponce, 1997) and from gravity data recently collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (Mankinen and others, 1999; Morin and Blakely, 1999). Gravity data were processed using standard gravity data reduction techniques. Southwest Nevada is characterized by gravity anomalies that reflect the distribution of pre-Cenozoic carbonate rocks, thick sequences of volcanic rocks, and thick alluvial basins. In addition, regional gravity data reveal the presence of linear features that reflect large-scale faults whereas detailed gravity data can indicate the presence of smaller-scale faults.

Recruitment and Retention of Indians in Science and Engineering (RISE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karnawat, Sunil

1997-01-01

Fifteen students from Turtle Mountain Community College were selected to participate in activities of the RISE project last summer. Eight students successfully completed project activities and received stipends for their participation. These eight students are (1) Jamie Gable, (2) John Morin, (3) Patrick Belgarde, (4) Jason Laducer, (5) Alex Johnson, (6) Eric Houle, (7) Gary Renault, and (8) Kenny DeCoteau. In the fall of 1998, Jamie Gable and Gary Renault went to North Dakota State University to pursue their undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering, and John Morin and Alex Johnson joined the University of North Dakota's electrical engineering and industrial technology programs, respectively. Remaining four students will continue to participate in the RISE activities this year and transfer to the universities next year. Seven students who failed to complete the RISE project activities during the current award period are encouraged to participate again this fall. The RISE students were enrolled in a special course called "Introduction to Engineering Materials." The project director, Dr. Kamawat, taught the course on Saturdays and Sundays. Theoretical and mathematical background on engineering materials and careers in various engineering professions were discussed in this course. The students attended guest lectures given by engineers and professors and visited local industries. In addition, the students went to North Dakota State University (NDSU) at Fargo, ND, and the University of Minnesota (UMN) at Minneapolis, MN, to tour their engineering departments. At NDSU, they conducted laboratory tests on various engineering materials, such as concrete, steel, wood, plastics, and carbon composites. The students investigated the mechanical behavior of these materials under various loading conditions, collected data, interpreted data, identified possible errors, determined the mechanical properties, and wrote reports on their findings. The students created posters describing their results on the behavior of engineering material. The posters were displayed in the TMCC's student lounge.

Coordination between Apoplastic and Symplastic Detoxification Confers Plant Aluminum Resistance1[C][W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiao Fang; Lei, Gui Jie; Wang, Zhi Wei; Shi, Yuan Zhi; Braam, Janet; Li, Gui Xin; Zheng, Shao Jian

2013-01-01

Whether aluminum toxicity is an apoplastic or symplastic phenomenon is still a matter of debate. Here, we found that three auxin overproducing mutants, yucca, the recessive mutant superroot2, and superroot1 had increased aluminum sensitivity, while a transfer DNA insertion mutant, xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases15 (xth15), showed enhanced aluminum resistance, accompanied by low endogenous indole-3-acetic acid levels, implying that auxin may be involved in plant responses to aluminum stress. We used yucca and xth15 mutants for further study. The two mutants accumulated similar total aluminum in roots and had significantly reduced cell wall aluminum and increased symplastic aluminum content relative to the wild-type ecotype Columbia, indicating that altered aluminum levels in the symplast or cell wall cannot fully explain the differential aluminum resistance of these two mutants. The expression of Al sensitive1 (ALS1), a gene that functions in aluminum redistribution between the cytoplasm and vacuole and contributes to symplastic aluminum detoxification, was less abundant in yucca and more abundant in xth15 than the wild type, consistent with possible ALS1 function conferring altered aluminum sensitivity in the two mutants. Consistent with the idea that xth15 can tolerate more symplastic aluminum because of possible ALS1 targeting to the vacuole, morin staining of yucca root tip sections showed more aluminum accumulation in the cytosol than in the wild type, and xth15 showed reduced morin staining of cytosolic aluminum, even though yucca and xth15 had similar overall symplastic aluminum content. Exogenous application of an active auxin analog, naphthylacetic acid, to the wild type mimicked the aluminum sensitivity and distribution phenotypes of yucca, verifying that auxin may regulate aluminum distribution in cells. Together, these data demonstrate that auxin negatively regulates aluminum tolerance through altering ALS1 expression and aluminum distribution within plant cells, and plants must coordinate exclusion and internal detoxification to reduce aluminum toxicity effectively. PMID:23776189

Preparation, in vitro and in vivo evaluation of polymeric nanoparticles based on hyaluronic acid-poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) and D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate for tumor-targeted delivery of morin hydrate

PubMed Central

Abbad, Sarra; Wang, Cheng; Waddad, Ayman Yahia; Lv, Huixia; Zhou, Jianping

2015-01-01

Herein, we describe the preparation of a targeted cellular delivery system for morin hydrate (MH), based on a low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid-poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) (HA-PBCA) block copolymer. In order to enhance the therapeutic effect of MH, D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) was mixed with HA-PBCA during the preparation process. The MH-loaded HA-PBCA “plain” nanoparticle (MH-PNs) and HA-PBCA/TPGS “mixed” nanoparticles (MH-MNs) were concomitantly characterized in terms of loading efficiency, particle size, zeta potential, critical aggregation concentration, and morphology. The obtained MH-PNs and MH-MNs exhibited a spherical morphology with a negative zeta potential and a particle size less than 200 nm, favorable for drug targeting. Remarkably, the addition of TPGS resulted in about 1.6-fold increase in drug-loading. The in vitro cell viability experiment revealed that MH-MNs enhanced the cytotoxicity of MH in A549 cells compared with MH solution and MH-PNs. Furthermore, blank MNs containing TPGS exhibited selective cytotoxic effects against cancer cells without diminishing the viability of normal cells. In addition, the cellular uptake study indicated that MNs resulted in 2.28-fold higher cellular uptake than that of PNs, in A549 cells. The CD44 receptor competitive inhibition and the internalization pathway studies suggested that the internalization mechanism of the nanoparticles was mediated mainly by the CD44 receptors through a clathrin-dependent endocytic pathway. More importantly, MH-MNs exhibited a higher in vivo antitumor potency and induced more tumor cell apoptosis than did MH-PNs, following intravenous administration to S180 tumor-bearing mice. Overall, the results imply that the developed nanoparticles are promising vehicles for the targeted delivery of lipophilic anticancer drugs. PMID:25609946

Radical scavenging propensity of Cu2 +, Fe3 + complexes of flavonoids and in-vivo radical scavenging by Fe3 +-primuletin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabeen, Erum; Janjua, Naveed Kausar; Ahmed, Safeer; Murtaza, Iram; Ali, Tahir; Hameed, Shahid

2017-01-01

Cu2 + and Fe3 + complexes of three flavonoids (morin or mo, quercetin or quer and primuletin or prim) were synthesized with the objective of improving antioxidant capacities of flavonoids. The radical scavenging activities of pure flavonoids and their metal complexes were assayed to monitor their tendencies towards sequestering of radicals at physiological conditions. The scavenger potencies of metal-flavonoid complexes were significantly higher than those of the parent flavonoids. Further, influence of the solvent polarity on the radical capturing by flavonoids and their metal complexes was in favor for the polar solvent. Fe3 +-prim displayed its radical scavenging ability via up gradation of CAT and SOD activities in in-vivo antioxidant assays.

[Elderly human being with ostomy and environments of care: reflection on the perspective of complexity].

PubMed

Barros, Edaiane Joana Lima; Santos, Silvana Sidney Costa; Lunardi, Valéria Lerch; Lunardi Filho, Wilson Danilo

2012-01-01

This is discussion about the relationship between elderly human beings with ostomy and their environments care, under the perspective of Complexity Edgar Morin. An axis holds the reflection: environments of care for elderly humans with ostomy. In this sense, we present three types of environment that surround the context of elderly humans with ostomy: home environment, group environment and hospital environment. This brings, as a social contribution, a new look about resizing caring of elderly humans with ostomy in their environment. It is considered that the environment hosting this human being contains a diversity of feelings, emotions, experiences; it binds multiple meanings, from the Complexity perspective, about the relationship between the environment and the caring process.

[Nursing training from the perspective of education-- reflections and challenges for the future].

PubMed

Faustino, Regina Lúcia; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa

2002-12-01

The present article proposes to show a reflection in the nurse's formation on the point of view of educators, philosophers and contemporary researchers. Moacir Gadotti, Edgar Morin e Philippe Perrenoud's theories and reflections were used, as well as the four pillars of the contemporary education, presented in the Delors Account. The adoption of tools like learning to know, learning to do, learning to be and learning to live together as well as the competences abording, are indispensable devices in the formation of professionals in the modern world. It is believed that in incorporating these new dimensions to the nurse's formation, it will be possible to untie the notts that are to be overcome in the conformation of critic nursing professionals, competent and agents of social transformation.

Spectrophotometric analysis of flavonoid-DNA binding interactions at physiological conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janjua, Naveed Kausar; Siddiqa, Asima; Yaqub, Azra; Sabahat, Sana; Qureshi, Rumana; Haque, Sayed ul

2009-12-01

Mode of interactions of three flavonoids [morin (M), quercetin (Q), and rutin (R)] with chicken blood ds.DNA (ck.DNA) has been investigated spectrophotometrically at different temperatures including body temperature (310 K) and at two physiological pH values, i.e. 7.4 (human blood pH) and 4.7 (stomach pH). The binding constants, Kf, evaluated using Benesi-Hildebrand equation showed that the flavonoids bind effectively through intercalation at both pH values and body temperature. Quercetin, somehow, showed greater binding capabilities with DNA. The free energies of flavonoid-DNA complexes indicated the spontaneity of their binding. The order of binding constants of three flavonoids at both pH values were found to be Kf(Q) > Kf(R) > Kf(M) and at 310 K.

Reduction of forecast uncertainty in the context of hydropower production: a case study for two catchment in Lac-St-Jean, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brisson, Cathy; Boucher, Marie-Amélie; Latraverse, Marco

2014-05-01

This research focuses on the improvement of streamflow forecasts for two subcatchments in the Lac-St-Jean area, a northern part of the province of Quebec in Canada. Those two subcatchments, named Manouane and Passes-Dangereuses, are part of a bigger system, which comprises many reservoirs and six hydropower plants. This system is managed by Rio Tinto Alcan, an aluminium producer who needs this energy for its processes. Optimal management of the hydropower plants highly depends on the reliability of the inflow forecasts to the reservoirs and also on the reliability of observed streamflow. The latter are not directly measured, but rather deduced from the computation of a water balance. This water balance includes streamflow computation based on rating curves for river sections and upstream reservoirs and a modelling process using CEQUEAU hydrological model (Morin et al., 1981). In addition, mostly during the winter, the model has to account for a transfer of water from Lac Manouane reservoir to Passes-Dangereuses through Bonnard channel. Winter flow though Bonnard channel is controlled by a spillway, and represented in CEQUEAU by a transfer function and a fixed time delay (2 days). However, it is suspected that the evacuation function, as it is currently computed, is inaccurate. The main objective of this work is to reduce predictive uncertainty for Lac Manouane and Passes-Dangereuses catchment, for the one-day ahead horizon. This objective is twofold. First, the uncertainty related to the parameterization of the hydrological model had never been evaluated. It was to be investigated whether it is better to spatialize the calibration of the hydrological model. In its actual form, the calibration of the hydrological model CEQUEAU (Morin et al., 1981) is based exclusively on the downstream outflow. There is, however, intermediate streamflow measurements data available for an intermediate location. Our study shows that calibrating the model using streamflows for both locations (intermediate location and downstream) leads to improved forecasts, as measured by the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency criterion. The parameter sets thus determined best represent the phenomena of exchange and runoff in the watershed. Second, this study aims at reducing the uncertainty associated to the evacuation function for the Bonnard channel as well as the time delay related to this transfer. Instead of using a fixed 2-day time delay for the transfer, it was attempted to represent the channel in the hydrological model CEQUEAU and compute the time delay from this model. The results show that hydrological modelling does not improve the results and that the 2-day time delay is adequate, especially for first days of opening and few days after closure of the gate. In addition, this research shows that the evacuation function of Bonnard spillway is inexact for large streamflows. It is considered the main source of uncertainty for the prediction of inflows to the reservoirs. We also show that the evacuated streamflows can be successfully corrected by hydrological modelling. This case study shows that a careful revision of the inflow forecasting process for those important watersheds can help reduce predictive uncertainty. Although the application is specific to the Lac-St-Jean area, we believe that our experience could serve other users and water managers with similar issues regarding inflow uncertainty. Reference Morin, G., J.-P. Fortin, J.-P. Lardeau, W. Sochanska and S. Paquette. 1981. Modèle CEQUEAU : Manuel d'utilisation. Rapport de recherche no R-93, INRS-Eau, Sainte-Foy

Lyophilized aqueous extracts of Mori Fructus and Mori Ramulus protect Mesenchymal stem cells from •OH-treated damage: bioassay and antioxidant mechanism.

PubMed

Jiang, Qian; Li, Xican; Tian, Yage; Lin, Qiaoqi; Xie, Hong; Lu, Wenbiao; Chi, Yuguang; Chen, Dongfeng

2017-05-02

Mori Fructus and Mori Ramulus are two traditional Chinese herbal medicines from mulberries. The present work explores their beneficial effects on •OH-treated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and discusses possible mechanisms. Lyophilized aqueous extracts of Mori Fructus (LAMF) and Mori Ramulus (LAMR) were prepared and analyzed using HPLC. LAMF and LAMR (along with morin) were further investigated for their effects on •OH-treated MSCs using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl (MTT) assay. The direct antioxidation mechanisms were studied using 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO•)-scavenging, 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS + •)-scavenging and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazl (DPPH•)-scavenging, as well as Cu 2+ -reducing and Fe 3+ -reducing antioxidant power. Finally, the indirect antioxidant mechanism was investigated based on the UV-vis spectra of Fe 2+ -chelation. In each LAMF and LAMR, seven phytophenols were successfully measured by HPLC, including five flavonoids (morin, rutin, astragalin, isoquercitrin and luteolin) and two non-flavonoids (chlorogenic acid and maclurin). MTT assays revealed that LAMF, LAMR and morin could effectively increase the survival of •OH-treated MSCs at 10-100 μg/mL, and could effectively scavenge PTIO• (IC 50 6609.7 ± 756.6, 4286.9 ± 84.9 and 103.4 ± 0.9 μg/mL, respectively), DPPH• (IC 50 208.7 ± 3.0, 97.3 ± 3.1 and 8.2 ± 0.7 μg/mL, respectively) and ABTS + • (IC 50 73.5 ± 5.8, 34.4 ± 0.1 and 4.2 ± 0.2 μg/mL, respectively), and reduce Cu 2+ (IC 50 212.5 ± 7.0, 123.2 ± 0.9 and 14.1 ± 0.04 μg/mL, respectively) & Fe 3+ (IC 50 277.0 ± 3.1, 191.9 ± 5.2 and 5.0 ± 0.2 μg/mL, respectively). In the Fe 2+ -chelating assay, the five flavonoids produced much stronger shoulder-peaks than the two non-flavonoids within 420-850 nm. Mori Fructus and Mori Ramulus, can protect MSCs from •OH-induced damage. Such beneficial effects can mainly be attributed to the antioxidant action of phytophenols, which occurs via direct (ROS-scavenging) and indirect mechanism (Fe 2+ -chelating). The ROS-scavenging mechanism, however, include at least a H + -transfer and an electron-transfer (ET), and possibly includes a hydrogen-atom-transfer (HAT). In the Fe 2+ -chelating, flavonoids are more effective than non-flavonoids. This can be attributed to several adjacent planar chelating-sites between the 3-OH and 4-C = O, between the 4-C = O and 5-OH, or between the 3'-OH and 4'-OH in flavonoids. Such multiple-Fe 2+ -chelating reactions cause overlap in the UV-vis absorptions to deepen the complex color, enhance the peak strength, and form shoulder-peaks. By comparison, two non-flavonoids with catechol moiety produce only a weak single peak.

Iron oxide nanotubes synthesized via template-based electrodeposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Jin-Hee; Min, Seong-Gi; Malkinski, Leszek; Wiley, John B.

2014-04-01

Considerable effort has been invested in the development of synthetic methods for the preparation iron oxide nanostructures for applications in nanotechnology. While a variety of structures have been reported, only a few studies have focused on iron oxide nanotubes. Here, we present details on the synthesis and characterization of iron oxide nanotubes along with a proposed mechanism for FeOOH tube formation. The FeOOH nanotubes, fabricated via a template-based electrodeposition method, are found to exhibit a unique inner-surface. Heat treatment of these tubes under oxidizing or reducing atmospheres can produce either hematite (α-Fe2O3) or magnetite (Fe3O4) structures, respectively. Hematite nanotubes are composed of small nanoparticles less than 20 nm in diameter and the magnetization curves and FC-ZFC curves show superparamagnetic properties without the Morin transition. In the case of magnetite nanotubes, which consist of slightly larger nanoparticles, magnetization curves show ferromagnetism with weak coercivity at room temperature, while FC-ZFC curves exhibit the Verwey transition at 125 K.Considerable effort has been invested in the development of synthetic methods for the preparation iron oxide nanostructures for applications in nanotechnology. While a variety of structures have been reported, only a few studies have focused on iron oxide nanotubes. Here, we present details on the synthesis and characterization of iron oxide nanotubes along with a proposed mechanism for FeOOH tube formation. The FeOOH nanotubes, fabricated via a template-based electrodeposition method, are found to exhibit a unique inner-surface. Heat treatment of these tubes under oxidizing or reducing atmospheres can produce either hematite (α-Fe2O3) or magnetite (Fe3O4) structures, respectively. Hematite nanotubes are composed of small nanoparticles less than 20 nm in diameter and the magnetization curves and FC-ZFC curves show superparamagnetic properties without the Morin transition. In the case of magnetite nanotubes, which consist of slightly larger nanoparticles, magnetization curves show ferromagnetism with weak coercivity at room temperature, while FC-ZFC curves exhibit the Verwey transition at 125 K. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr06924a

Study of the interaction of flavonoids with 3-mercaptopropionic acid modified CdTe quantum dots mediated by cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide in aqueous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aucelio, Ricardo Q.; Carvalho, Juliana M.; Real, Juliana T.; Maqueira-Espinosa, Luis; Pérez-Gramatges, Aurora; da Silva, Andrea R.

2017-02-01

Flavonoids are polyphenols that help the maintenance of health, aiding the prevention of diseases. In this work, CdTe QDs coated with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3MPA), with an average size of 2.7 nm, were used as photoluminescence probe for flavonoids in different conditions. The interaction between 14 flavonoids and QDs was evaluated in aqueous dispersions in the absence and in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). To establish a relationship between photoluminescence quenching and the concentration of flavonoids, the Stern-Volmer model was used. In the absence of CTAB, the linear ranges for quercetin, morin and rutin were from 5.0 × 10- 6 mol L- 1 to 6.0 × 10- 5 mol L- 1 and from 1.0 × 10- 5 mol L- 1 to 6.0 × 10- 4 mol L- 1 for kaempferol. The sensibility of the Stern-Volmer curves (Ks) indicated that quercetin interacts more strongly with the probe: Ks quercetin > Ks kaempferol > Ks rutin > Ks morin. The conjugation extension in the 3 rings, and the acidic hydroxyl groups (positions 3ʹand 4ʹ) in the B-ring enhanced the interaction with 3MPA-CdTe QDs. The other flavonoids do not interact with the probe at 10- 5 mol L- 1 level. In CTAB organized dispersions, Ks 3-hydroxyflavone > Ks 7-hydroxyflavone > Ks flavona > Ks rutin in the range from 1.0 × 10- 6 mol L- 1 to 1.2 × 10- 5 mol L- 1 for flavones and of 1.0 × 10- 6 mol L- 1 to 1.0 × 10- 5 mol L- 1 for rutin. Dynamic light scattering, conductometric measurements and microenvironment polarity studies were employed to elucidate the QDs-flavonoids interaction in systems containing CTAB. The quenching can be attributed to the preferential solubility of hydrophobic flavonoid in the palisade layer of the CTAB aggregates adsorbed on the surface of the 3MPA CdTe QDs.

Are archetypes transmitted or emergent? A response to Christian Roesler.

PubMed

Martin-Vallas, François

2013-04-01

In this paper the author argues that Jung's concept of archetype should not be reduced to an univocal definition. Jung himself proposed many definitions of this concept, some of them being partially or totally contradictory to others. A univocal and logical way of thinking can lead us to refute and reject part of those definitions, but a complex way of thinking, as proposed by Edgar Morin or Roy Bhaskar for example, can allow us to consider that those apparent contradictions in Jung's definitions of archetype reflect the complexity of the psychic reality. The main argument of the author is that Jung was missing the epistemological concept of emergence (which appeared in science at the time of his death) and that he tried to express it with the epistemological concepts of his time. © 2013, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Modeled Forecasts of Dengue Fever in San Juan, PR Using NASA Satellite Enhanced Weather Forecasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morin, Cory; Quattrochi, Dale; Zavodsky, Bradley; Case, Jonathan

2015-01-01

Dengue virus is transmitted between humans and mosquitoes of the genus Aedes and causes approximately 96 million cases of disease (dengue fever) each year (Bhatet al. 2013). Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and eye, muscle and joint pain (CDC). More sever manifestations such as abdominal pain, bleeding from nose and gums, vomiting of blood, and clammy skin occur in rare cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (CDC). Dengue fever occurs throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide, however, the geographical range and size of epidemics is increasing. Weather and climate are drivers of dengue virus transmission dynamics (Morin et al. 2013) by affecting mosquito proliferation and the virus extrinsic incubation period (i.e. required time for the virus to replicate and disseminate within the mosquito before it can retransmit the virus).

New Electrochemical Evaluation of the Antioxidant Capacity of Beverages with Polyoxometalates as Redox Probes.

PubMed

Ueda, Tadaharu; Okumura, Takashi; Tanaka, Yukino; Akase, Saki; Shimamura, Tomoko; Ukeda, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

A new method was developed to evaluate antioxidant activity based on the redox properties of polyoxometalates, which are partially reduced by antioxidants to generate a limiting potential. The polyoxometalates [PMo12O40](3-), [PVW11O40](4-) and [SV2W10O40]4- formed in situ were used as electrochemical probes for the new evaluation method, and their formation conditions were optimized to evaluate the antioxidant activities of gallic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, quercetin, morin, trans-ferulic acid, sesamol, α-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol and L-ascorbic acid. The observed difference between initial potential and limiting potential (ΔE) were compared with spectrophotometrically evaluated antioxidant activities. In addition, the antioxidant capacities of five beverages (Japanese green tea, concentrated catechin-containing green tea, grapefruit juice, red wine and Japanese sake) were evaluated.

Catalytic Activity of μ-Carbido-Dimeric Iron(IV) Octapropylporphyrazinate in the 3,5,7,2',4'-Pentahydroxyflavone Oxidation Reaction with tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyurin, D. V.; Zaitseva, S. V.; Kudrik, E. V.

2018-05-01

It is found for the first time that μ-carbido-dimeric iron(IV) octapropylporphyrazinate displays catalytic activity in the oxidation reaction of natural flavonol morin with tert-butyl hydroperoxide, with the catalyst being stable under conditions of the reaction. The kinetics of this reaction are studied. It is shown the reaction proceeds via tentative formation of a complex between the catalyst and the oxidant, followed by O‒O bond homolytic cleavage. The kinetics of the reaction is described in the coordinates of the Michaelis-Menten equation. A linear dependence of the apparent reaction rate constant on the concentration of the catalyst is observed, testifying to its participation in the limiting reaction step. The equilibrium constants and rates of interaction are found. A mechanism is proposed for the reaction on the basis of the experimental data.

[Miranda de Ebro: Medical condition of the concentration camp in the autumn of 1943].

PubMed

Héraut, Louis-Armand

2008-01-01

Georges Morin's thesis (Algiers January 4 1944) allows to understand the sanitary conditions of the refugee camp at Miranda De Ebro (Spain) in the fall 1943. To avoid the Nazi occupation and the Obligatory Work Service in Germany 18,000 French got in Spain in 1943 and 10,000 including 39 physicians came through Miranda. The French were the majority and they created a Health Service separate from the official Spanish Health Service. The general dirtiness, the lack of water, the rudimentary conditions of lodging, the inadequacy and imbalance of food provoked two diseases among the young men: scabies and the so-called "mirandite" that is to say all the diarrheic diseases in the camp. Despite hard conditions of living the death rate in the camp remained smaller than crossing the Pyrenees from France where the danger threatened the escaped men.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering in art and archaeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leona, Marco

2005-11-01

The identification of natural dyes found in archaeological objects and in works of art as textile dyes and lake pigments is a demanding analytical task. To address the problems raised by the very low dye content of dyed fibers and lake pigments, and by the requirement to remove only microscopic samples, surface enhanced Raman scattering techniques were investigated for application to museum objects. SERS gives excellent results with the majority of natural dyes, including: alizarin, purpurin, laccaic acid, carminic acid, kermesic acid, shikonin, juglone, lawsone, brazilin and brazilein, haematoxylin and haematein, fisetin, quercitrin, quercetin, rutin, and morin. In this study, limits of detection were determined for representative dyes and different SERS supports such as citrate reduced Ag colloid and silver nanoisland films. SERS was successfully used to identify natural madder in a microscopic fragment from a severely degraded 11th Century Byzantine textile recently excavated in Amorium, Turkey.

Holes and grooves: the contribution of microscopy and taphonomy to the problem of art origins.

PubMed

D'Errico, F; Villa, P

1997-07-01

Optical and scanning electron microscopy, comparative anatomy, data from modern and Pleistocene carnivore accumulations, and analysis of archeological materials show that some of the pieces interpreted by various scholars as engraved or perforated bones from European Lower and Middle Paleolithic sites (such as Pech de l'Azé II, Stránska Skála, Kulna, Bois Roche and Cueva Morin) are not early manifestations of non-utilitarian behavior. Putative engravings are in fact vascular grooves, while perforated pieces are partially-digested bones regurgitated by hyenas. The current debate on art origins has often been centered on the symbolic value and cognitive implications of these and similar pieces without a first-hand analysis of the objects to provide convincing demonstration of the human origins of the marks. Such demonstration is a necessary prerequisite to any discussion of their significance for the evolution of symbolic behavior.

Strategic issues in performance appraisal: theory and practice.

PubMed

Fombrun, C J; Laud, R L

1983-01-01

Performance appraisal systems have tremendous strategic potential for governing employee behavior and thus corporate direction through their links to selection, training and career planning, and reward systems. Authors Charles J. Fombrun, assistant professor of management at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and Robert P. Laud, senior vice-president of Drake Beam Morin, Inc., surveyed appraisal systems of Fortune 1300 corporations to find out how well companies are realizing this potential. Among their conclusions: (1) In most organizations, the typical performance appraisal system is focused on short-term goals. Strengthening the linkage between the appraisal system and the long-term implications of strategic planning could improve organizational effectiveness in the future. (2) The performance appraisal system's most prevalent use is as a feedback mechanism rather than as a management tool. Thus, the authors conclude, the role of the performance appraisal system as a strategic organizational tool is largely unappreciated by U.S. organizations.

In Vitro Phytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Selected Flavonoids

PubMed Central

De Martino, Laura; Mencherini, Teresa; Mancini, Emilia; Aquino, Rita Patrizia; De Almeida, Luiz Fernando Rolim; De Feo, Vincenzo

2012-01-01

The knowledge of flavonoids involved in plant-plant interactions and their mechanisms of action are poor and, moreover, the structural characteristics required for these biological activities are scarcely known. The objective of this work was to study the possible in vitro phytotoxic effects of 27 flavonoids on the germination and early radical growth of Raphanus sativus L. and Lepidium sativum L., with the aim to evaluate the possible structure/activity relationship. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the same compounds was also evaluated. Generally, in response to various tested flavonoids, germination was only slightly affected, whereas significant differences were observed in the activity of the various tested flavonoids against radical elongation. DPPH test confirms the antioxidant activity of luteolin, quercetin, catechol, morin, and catechin. The biological activity recorded is discussed in relation to the structure of compounds and their capability to interact with cell structures and physiology. No correlation was found between phytotoxic and antioxidant activities. PMID:22754304

Dietary Intervention by Phytochemicals and Their Role in Modulating Coding and Non-Coding Genes in Cancer

PubMed Central

Budisan, Liviuta; Gulei, Diana; Zanoaga, Oana Mihaela; Irimie, Alexandra Iulia; Chira, Sergiu; Braicu, Cornelia; Gherman, Claudia Diana; Berindan-Neagoe, Ioana

2017-01-01

Phytochemicals are natural compounds synthesized as secondary metabolites in plants, representing an important source of molecules with a wide range of therapeutic applications. These natural agents are important regulators of key pathological processes/conditions, including cancer, as they are able to modulate the expression of coding and non-coding transcripts with an oncogenic or tumour suppressor role. These natural agents are currently exploited for the development of therapeutic strategies alone or in tandem with conventional treatments for cancer. The aim of this paper is to review the recent studies regarding the role of these natural phytochemicals in different processes related to cancer inhibition, including apoptosis activation, angiogenesis and metastasis suppression. From the large palette of phytochemicals we selected epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), genistein, morin and kaempferol, due to their increased activity in modulating multiple coding and non-coding genes, targeting the main hallmarks of cancer. PMID:28587155

Dietary Intervention by Phytochemicals and Their Role in Modulating Coding and Non-Coding Genes in Cancer.

PubMed

Budisan, Liviuta; Gulei, Diana; Zanoaga, Oana Mihaela; Irimie, Alexandra Iulia; Sergiu, Chira; Braicu, Cornelia; Gherman, Claudia Diana; Berindan-Neagoe, Ioana

2017-06-01

Phytochemicals are natural compounds synthesized as secondary metabolites in plants, representing an important source of molecules with a wide range of therapeutic applications. These natural agents are important regulators of key pathological processes/conditions, including cancer, as they are able to modulate the expression of coding and non-coding transcripts with an oncogenic or tumour suppressor role. These natural agents are currently exploited for the development of therapeutic strategies alone or in tandem with conventional treatments for cancer. The aim of this paper is to review the recent studies regarding the role of these natural phytochemicals in different processes related to cancer inhibition, including apoptosis activation, angiogenesis and metastasis suppression. From the large palette of phytochemicals we selected epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), genistein, morin and kaempferol, due to their increased activity in modulating multiple coding and non-coding genes, targeting the main hallmarks of cancer.

Numerical analysis of temperature distribution due to basement radiogenic heat production, St. Lawrence Lowlands, eastern Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hejuan; Giroux, Bernard; Harris, Lyal B.; Mansour, John

2017-04-01

Although eastern Canada is considered as having a low potential for high-temperature geothermal resources, the possibility for additional localized radioactive heat sources in Mesoproterozoic Grenvillian basement to parts of the Palaeozoic St. Lawrence Lowlands in Quebec, Canada, suggests that this potential should be reassessed. However, such a task remains hard to achieve due to scarcity of heat flow data and ambiguity about the nature of the basement. To get an appraisal, the impact of radiogenic heat production for different Grenville Province crystalline basement units on temperature distribution at depth was simulated using the Underworld Geothermal numerical modelling code. The region south of Trois-Rivières was selected as representative for the St. Lawrence Lowlands. An existing 3D geological model based on well log data, seismic profiles and surface geology was used to build a catalogue of plausible thermal models. Statistical analyses of radiogenic element (U, Th, K) concentrations from neighbouring outcropping Grenville domains indicate that the radiogenic heat production of rocks in the modelled region is in the range of 0.34-3.24 μW/m3, with variations in the range of 0.94-5.83 μW/m3 for the Portneuf-Mauricie (PM) Domain, 0.02-4.13 μW/m3 for the Shawinigan Domain (Morin Terrane), and 0.34-1.96 μW/m3 for the Parc des Laurentides (PDL) Domain. Various scenarios considering basement characteristics similar to the PM domain, Morin Terrane and PDL Domain were modelled. The results show that the temperature difference between the scenarios can be as much as 12 °C at a depth of 5 km. The results also show that the temperature distribution is strongly affected by both the concentration of radiogenic elements and the thermal conductivity of the basement rocks. The thermal conductivity in the basement affects the trend of temperature change between two different geological units, and the spatial extent of thermal anomalies. The validity of the results was assessed by comparing the modelled temperature and heat flow data with the available experimental data. The overall agreement is good, although some discrepancies appear at some wells. Hence, detailed investigations are needed to obtain a more reliable estimate of temperature distribution at a local scale.

Amelioration of iron toxicity: A mechanism for aluminum-induced growth stimulation in tea plants.

PubMed

Hajiboland, Roghieh; Barceló, Juan; Poschenrieder, Charlotte; Tolrà, Roser

2013-11-01

Tea plants (Camellia sinensis) are well adapted to acid soils with high Al availability. These plants not only accumulate high leaf Al concentrations, but also respond to Al with growth stimulation. Decreased oxidative stress has been associated with this effect. Why tea plants not exposed to Al suffer from oxidative stress has not been clarified. In this study, hydroponically grown tea plants treated with 0 to 300 μM Al were analyzed for growth, Al and Fe accumulation, and Al distribution by means of morin and hematoxylin staining. Roots of control plants stained black with hematoxylin. This indicates the formation of a Fe-hematoxylin complex. Young leaves of controls accumulated more than 1000 mg Fe kg(-1) dry weight. This concentration is above the Fe-toxicity threshold in most species. Supply of Al stimulated growth and reduced Fe uptake and transport. These results indicate that Al-induced growth stimulation might be due to alleviation of a latent Fe toxicity occurring in tea plants without Al supply. © 2013.

KSC-02pd0387

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-04-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- While gathering with friends and family at the pad, the STS-110 crew poses in front of Space Shuttle Atlantis still enclosed by the Rotating Service Structure. Standing left to right are Mission Specialist Steven Smith, Jerry Ross and Lee Morin; Pilot Stephen Frick; Mission Specialist Rex Walheim; Commander Michael Bloomfield; and Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa. The mission continues the expansion of the International Space Station by delivering and installing the S0 Integrated Truss Structure, the initial section of a framework that will eventually hold the power and cooling systems needed for future international research laboratories. The payload also comprises the Canadian Mobile Transporter (attached to the S0 truss), power distribution system modules, a heat pipe radiator for cooling, computers and a pair of rate gyroscopes. The 11-day mission is the 13th assembly flight to the ISS and includes four spacewalks to attach the S0 truss to the U.S. Lab Destiny. Launch is scheduled for April 4

KSC-02pd0388

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-04-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- While gathering with friends and family at the pad, the STS-110 crew poses in front of Space Shuttle Atlantis still enclosed by the Rotating Service Structure. Standing left to right are Mission Specialist Steven Smith, Jerry Ross and Lee Morin; Pilot Stephen Frick; Mission Specialist Rex Walheim; Commander Michael Bloomfield; and Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa. The mission continues the expansion of the International Space Station by delivering and installing the S0 Integrated Truss Structure, the initial section of a framework that will eventually hold the power and cooling systems needed for future international research laboratories. The payload also comprises the Canadian Mobile Transporter (attached to the S0 truss), power distribution system modules, a heat pipe radiator for cooling, computers and a pair of rate gyroscopes. The 11-day mission is the 13th assembly flight to the ISS and includes four spacewalks to attach the S0 truss to the U.S. Lab Destiny. Launch is scheduled for April 4

Inhibitory Mechanism of Apigenin on α-Glucosidase and Synergy Analysis of Flavonoids.

PubMed

Zeng, Li; Zhang, Guowen; Lin, Suyun; Gong, Deming

2016-09-21

Inhibition of α-glucosidase activity may suppress postprandial hyperglycemia. The inhibition kinetic analysis showed that apigenin reversibly inhibited α-glucosidase activity with an IC50 value of (10.5 ± 0.05) × 10(-6) mol L(-1), and the inhibition was in a noncompetitive manner through a monophasic kinetic process. The fluorescence quenching and conformational changes determined by fluorescence and circular dichroism were due to the formation of an α-glucosidase-apigenin complex, and the binding was mainly driven by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding. The molecular simulation showed that apigenin bound to a site close to the active site of α-glucosidase, which may induce the channel closure to prevent the access of substrate, eventually leading to the inhibition of α-glucosidase. Isobolographic analysis of the interaction between myricetin and apigenin or morin showed that both of them exhibited synergistic effects at low concentrations and tended to exhibit additive or antagonistic interaction at high concentrations.

Elastic and anelastic relaxations accompanying magnetic ordering and spin-flop transitions in hematite, Fe2O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oravova, Lucie; Zhang, Zhiying; Church, Nathan; Harrison, Richard J.; Howard, Christopher J.; Carpenter, Michael A.

2013-03-01

Hematite, Fe2O3, provides in principle a model system for multiferroic (ferromagnetic/ferroelastic) behavior at low levels of strain coupling. The elastic and anelastic behavior associated with magnetic phase transitions in a natural polycrystalline sample have therefore been studied by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) in the temperature range from 11 to 1072 K. Small changes in softening and attenuation are interpreted in terms of weak but significant coupling of symmetry-breaking and non-symmetry-breaking strains with magnetic order parameters in the structural sequence R\\overline{3}c{1}^{\\prime}\\rightarrow C 2/c\\rightarrow R\\overline{3}c. The R\\overline{3}c{1}^{\\prime}\\rightarrow C 2/c transition at TN = 946 ± 1 K is an example of a multiferroic transition which has both ferromagnetic (from canting of antiferromagnetically ordered spin moments) and ferroelastic (rhombohedral → monoclinic) character. By analogy with the improper ferroelastic transition in Pb3(PO4)2, W and W‧ ferroelastic twin walls which are also 60° and 120° magnetic domain walls should develop. These have been tentatively identified from microstructures reported in the literature. The very low attenuation in the stability field of the C2/c structure in the polycrystalline sample used in the present study, in comparison with the strong acoustic dissipation reported for single crystal samples, implies, however, that the individual grains each consist of a single ferroelastic domain or that the twin walls are strongly pinned by grain boundaries. This absence of attenuation allows an intrinsic loss mechanism associated with the transition point to be seen and interpreted in terms of local coupling of shear strains with fluctuations which have relaxation times in the vicinity of ˜10-8 s. The first order C 2/c\\rightarrow R\\overline{3}c (Morin) transition occurs through a temperature interval of coexisting phases but the absence of an acoustic loss peak suggests that the relaxation time for interface motion is short in comparison with the time scale of the applied stress (at ˜0.1-1 MHz). Below the Morin transition a pattern of attenuation which resembles that seen below ferroelastic transitions has been found, even though the ideal low temperature structure cannot contain ferroelastic twins. This loss behavior is tentatively ascribed to the presence of local ferromagnetically ordered defect regions which are coupled locally to shear strains.

Hematite at Meridiani Planum and Gusev Crater as identified by the Moessbauer Spectrometer MIMOS II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klingelhoefer, G.; Morris, R. V.; Rodionov, D.; Schroeder, C.; de Souza, P. A.; Yen, A.; Renz, F.; Wdowiak, T.

2006-01-01

The Moessbauer (MB) spectrometers on the MER rovers Opportunity and Spirit, which landed on Mars in January 2004, have identified the iron-containing mineral hematite (a-Fe2O3) at both landing sites. On Earth, hematite can occur either by itself or with other iron oxides as massive deposits, in veins , and as particles dispersed through a silicate or other matrix material. Hematite particle size can range from nanophase (superparamagnetic) to multidomain and particle shape ranges from equant to acicular to platy. Fine-grained hematite is red in color and is a pigmenting agent. Coarse-grained hematite can be spectrally neutral (gray) at visible wavelengths. Substitutional impurities, particularly Al, are common in hematite. Chemically pure, coarse-grained, and well-crystalline hematite has a magnetic transition (the Morin transition) at 260 K. Moessbauer spectra, recorded as a function of temperature, provide a way to characterize Martian hematite with respect to some of the physical and chemical characteristics. At Meridiani Planum besides the iron-sulfate mineral jarosite also the Fe-oxide hematite has been identified by the Moessbauer spectrometer, mainly in three distinct types of reservoir: - outcrop matrix material dominated by the mineral jarosite in the MB spectrum, certain basaltic soils, and mm-sized spherules dubbed blueberries. Moessbauer spectra of each reservoir yield a distinct set of hyperfine parameters for hematite, suggesting different degrees of crystallinity and particle size. The hematite found by MB instrument MIMOS II in the outcrop material shows the Morin transition at relatively high temperatures (ca. 250 K) which is an indication of pure and well-crystallized hematite. The source of the hematite in the Blueberries as identified by Moessbauer spectroscopy, and also by MiniTES, is not known. These spherules, covering nearly the whole landing site area (Eagle crater, plains, Endurance crater), may be concretions formed in the outcrop involving aqueous processes. They are dispersed throughout the hematite containing jarositic outcrop material. According to Moessbauer analysis the dominating iron-bearing mineral in the spherules is hematite, and jarosite not been detected so far in significant amounts. But there are some places with hematite showing characteristics different from the hematite described above: (1) the soil at B023_HematiteSlope_Hema2 has some blueberries, but the MB did not seem to intercept any. The temperature dependence of its MB parameters are different from those of blueberries. (2) B049_RasberryNewton_Filling shows a unique Hm MB signature, as well as (3) B051_RealSharksTooth_Enamel1.

Properties of Martian Hematite at Meridiani Planum by Simultaneous Fitting of Mars Mossbauer Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agresti, D. G.; Fleischer, I.; Klingelhoefer, G.; Morris, R. V.

2010-01-01

Mossbauer spectrometers [1] on the two Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs) have been making measurements of surface rocks and soils since January 2004, recording spectra in 10-K-wide temperature bins ranging from 180 K to 290 K. Initial analyses focused on modeling individual spectra directly as acquired or, to increase statistical quality, as sums of single-rock or soil spectra over temperature or as sums over similar rock or soil type [2, 3]. Recently, we have begun to apply simultaneous fitting procedures [4] to Mars Mossbauer data [5-7]. During simultaneous fitting (simfitting), many spectra are modeled similarly and fit together to a single convergence criterion. A satisfactory simfit with parameter values consistent among all spectra is more likely than many single-spectrum fits of the same data because fitting parameters are shared among multiple spectra in the simfit. Consequently, the number of variable parameters, as well as the correlations among them, is greatly reduced. Here we focus on applications of simfitting to interpret the hematite signature in Moessbauer spectra acquired at Meridiani Planum, results of which were reported in [7]. The Spectra. We simfit two sets of spectra with large hematite content [7]: 1) 60 rock outcrop spectra from Eagle Crater; and 2) 46 spectra of spherule-rich lag deposits (Table 1). Spectra of 10 different targets acquired at several distinct temperatures are included in each simfit set. In the table, each Sol (martian day) represents a different target, NS is the number of spectra for a given sol, and NT is the number of spectra for a given temperature. The spectra are indexed to facilitate definition of parameter relations and constraints. An example spectrum is shown in Figure 1, together with a typical fitting model. Results. We have shown that simultaneous fitting is effective in analyzing a large set of related MER Mossbauer spectra. By using appropriate constraints, we derive target-specific quantities and the temperature dependence of certain parameters. By examining different fitting models, we demonstrate an improved fit for martian hematite modeled with two sextets rather than as a single sextet, and show that outcrop and spherule hematite are distinct. For outcrop, the weaker sextet indicates a Morin transition typical of well-crystallized and chemically pure hematite, while most of the outcrop hematite remains in a weakly ferromagnetic state at all temperatures. For spherule spectra, both sextets are consistent with weakly ferromagnetic hematite with no Morin transition. For both hematites, there is evidence for a range of particle sizes.

Cross-linguistic validity of the French and Dutch versions of the Very Short form of the Physical Self-Inventory among adolescents.

PubMed

Maïano, Christophe; Morin, Alexandre J S; Probst, Michel

2015-09-01

The study tested the cross-linguistic validity of the Very Short form of the Physical Self-Inventory (PSI-VS) among 1115 Flemish (Dutch version) adolescents, and a comparison sample of 1103 French adolescents (French version; from Morin & Maïano, 2011a). Flemish adolescents also completed a positively worded reformulation of the reverse-keyed item of the physical attractiveness (PA) subscale. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported the factor validity and reliability (except for the Dutch PA subscale) of the PSI-VS, and its partial measurement invariance across samples. CFA conducted on the modified version of the Dutch PSI-VS (11 original items plus the positively worded replacement), presented satisfactory reliability (ω=.67-.89), and was fully invariant across sexes, age groups, and body mass index categories. Additionally, results revealed latent mean differences across sexes and body mass index categories. Therefore, the modified Dutch PSI-VS can be used whenever there is a need for a very short physical self-concept questionnaire. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant Activities of Selected Berries and Their Free, Esterified, and Insoluble-Bound Phenolic Acid Contents

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

To explore the potential of berries as natural sources of bioactive compounds, the quantities of free, esterified, and insoluble-bound phenolic acids in a number of berries were determined. In addition, the antioxidant activities of the berries were determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assays, in addition to determination of their metal ion chelating activities. Furthermore, several phenolic compounds were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography. Of the 6 tested berries, black chokeberry and blackberry exhibited the strongest antioxidant activities, and the various berry samples were found to contain catechin, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, epicatechin, vanillic acid, quercitrin, resveratrol, morin, naringenin, and apigenin. Moreover, the antioxidant activities and total phenolic contents of the fractions containing insoluble-bound phenolic acids were higher than those containing the free and esterified phenolic acids. The results imply that the insoluble-bound fractions of these berries are important natural sources of antioxidants for the preparation of functional food ingredients and preventing diseases associated with oxidative stress. PMID:29662846

Fluorescent nanonetworks: A novel bioalley for collagen scaffolds and Tissue Engineering

PubMed Central

Nidhin, Marimuthu; Vedhanayagam, Mohan; Sangeetha, Selvam; Kiran, Manikantan Syamala; Nazeer, Shaiju S.; Jayasree, Ramapurath S.; Sreeram, Kalarical Janardhanan; Nair, Balachandran Unni

2014-01-01

Native collagen is arranged in bundles of aligned fibrils to withstand in vivo mechanical loads. Reproducing such a process under in vitro conditions has not met with major success. Our approach has been to induce nanolinks, during the self-assembly process, leading to delayed rather than inhibited fibrillogenesis. For this, a designed synthesis of nanoparticles - using starch as a template and a reflux process, which would provide a highly anisotropic (star shaped) nanoparticle, with large surface area was adopted. Anisotropy associated decrease in Morin temperature and superparamagnetic behavior was observed. Polysaccharide on the nanoparticle surface provided aqueous stability and low cytotoxicity. Starch coated nanoparticles was utilized to build polysaccharide - collagen crosslinks, which supplemented natural crosslinks in collagen, without disturbing the conformation of collagen. The resulting fibrillar lamellae showed a striking resemblance to native lamellae, but had a melting and denaturation temperature higher than native collagen. The biocompatibility and superparamagnetism of the nanoparticles also come handy in the development of stable collagen constructs for various biomedical applications, including that of MRI contrast agents. PMID:25095810

A novel polymer inclusion membranes based optode for sensitive determination of Al³⁺ ions.

PubMed

Suah, Faiz Bukhari Mohd; Ahmad, Musa; Heng, Lee Yook

2015-06-05

A novel approach for the determination of Al(3+) from aqueous samples was developed using an optode membrane produced by physical inclusion of Al(3+) selective reagent, which is morin into a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride). The inclusion of Triton X-100 was found to be valuable and useful for enhancing the sorption of Al(3+) ions from liquid phase into the membrane phase, thus increasing the intensity of optode's absorption. The optode showed a linear increase in the absorbance at λ(max)=425 nm over the concentration range of 1.85×10(-6)-1.1×10(-4) mol L(-1) (0.05-3 μg mL(-1)) of Al(3+) ions in aqueous solution after 5 min. The limit of detection was determined to be 1.04×10(-6) mol L(-1) (0.028 μg mL(-1)). The optode developed in the present work was easily prepared and found to be stable, has good mechanical strength, sensitive and reusable. In addition, the optode was tested for Al(3+) determination in lake water, river water and pharmaceutical samples, which the result was satisfactory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic Properties of Hematite-Titania Nanocomposites from Ilmenite Leachant Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanad, M. M. S.; Rashad, M. M.

2017-07-01

Different Fe2O3/TiO2 nanocomposite ratios have been auto-synthesized from the leaching solution of Egyptian ilmenite ore with and without solvent extraction of soluble iron ions. Hydrolysis-hydrothermal strategy was then implemented for preparation of Fe2O3-TiO2 nanocomposites. The x-ray diffraction results indicated that rutile and hematite were only found at high iron oxide content. Meanwhile, anatase and hematite were the predominant phases at low iron oxide content. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy investigations exhibited nano-rods like morphology and the space lattice distances of TiO2 and Fe2O3 were clearly estimated. Moreover, the chemical composition of different Fe2O3-TiO2 nanocomposites was also elucidated using energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared analyses techniques. The values of saturation magnetization ( M s) and remanent magnetization ( M r) were noticeably increased by 17.5% and 18.4% with increasing the Fe2O3/TiO2 molar ratio from 1.0 to 3.0, respectively. Field cooling-warming magnetization studies showed that the Morin transition temperature ( T M = 200 K) was consistent with the previously published values.

Synthesis of UiO-66-OH zirconium metal-organic framework and its application for selective extraction and trace determination of thorium in water samples by spectrophotometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghaddam, Zahra Safaei; Kaykhaii, Massoud; Khajeh, Mostafa; Oveisi, Ali Reza

2018-04-01

In this study, a zirconium-based metal-organic framework (Zr-MOF), named UiO-66-OH, was synthesized by the solvo-thermal method and characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This Zr-MOF was then employed as a sorbent for selective extraction and preconcentration of thorium ions after their complexation with 2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxychromen-4-one (morin) from environmental water samples prior to its spectrophotometrical determination. The experimental parameters affecting extraction, such as pH of sample solution, amount of Zr-MOF, type and volume of eluting solvent, adsorption and desorption time, and concentration of complexing agent were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, an enrichment factor of 250 was achieved. The limit of detection was calculated to be 0.35 μg·L- 1 with a linear range between 10 and 2000 μg·L- 1of thorium. The maximum sorption capacity of MOF toward thorium was found to be 47.5 mg·g- 1. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to the analysis of real water samples.

Comparison of antioxidant activity of compounds isolated from guava leaves and a stability study of the most active compound.

PubMed

Nantitanon, W; Okonogi, S

2012-02-01

In the present study, quercetin (QT), morin (MR), and quercetin-3-O-glucopyranoside (QG) isolated from guava leaves were comparatively tested for antioxidant activity using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods. QT was the most active among them. The free radical scavenging activity of QT was approximately four times higher than MR and two times higher than QG. The reducing power of QT was eight times higher than MR and two times higher than QG. A mixture of QT with MR or QG showed interesting combination effect. The synergistic antioxidant activity was obtained when QT was mixed with MR whereas the antagonistic effect was found when mixed with QG. The stability study of QT in liquid preparations indicated that the decomposition reaction rate of QT could be explained by a kinetic model assuming a first-order chemical reaction. The aqueous solution of QT was rapidly decomposed with t1/2 of approximately five days whereas QT entrapped in chitosan nanoparticles was five times longer. It was concluded that QT was the most active antioxidant from guava leaves. Entrapment of QT in chitosan nanoparticles could significantly enhance its stability.

Conditions for the successful integration of Human and Organizational Factors (HOF) in the nuclear safety analysis.

PubMed

Tosello, Michèle; Lévêque, Françoise; Dutillieu, Stéphanie; Hernandez, Guillaume; Vautier, Jean-François

2012-01-01

This communication presents some elements which come from the experience feedback at CEA about the conditions for the successful integration of HOF in the nuclear safety analysis. To point out some of these conditions, one of the concepts proposed by Edgar Morin to describe the functioning of "complex" systems: the dialogical principle has been used. The idea is to look for some dialogical pairs. The elements of this kind of pair are both complementary and antagonist to one another. Three dialogical pairs are presented in this communication. The first two pairs are related to the organization of the HOF network and the last one is related to the methods which are used to analyse the working situations. The three pairs are: specialist - non-specialist actors of the network, centralized - distributed human resources in the network and microscopic - macroscopic levels of HOF methods to analyse the working situations. To continuously improve these three dialogical pairs, it is important to keep the differences which exist between the two elements of a pair and to find and maintain a balance between the two elements of the pairs.

Computational discovery of putative quorum sensing inhibitors against LasR and RhlR receptor proteins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annapoorani, Angusamy; Umamageswaran, Venugopal; Parameswari, Radhakrishnan; Pandian, Shunmugiah Karutha; Ravi, Arumugam Veera

2012-09-01

Drugs have been discovered in the past mainly either by identification of active components from traditional remedies or by unpredicted discovery. A key motivation for the study of structure based virtual screening is the exploitation of such information to design targeted drugs. In this study, structure based virtual screening was used in search for putative quorum sensing inhibitors (QSI) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The virtual screening programme Glide version 5.5 was applied to screen 1,920 natural compounds/drugs against LasR and RhlR receptor proteins of P. aeruginosa. Based on the results of in silico docking analysis, five top ranking compounds namely rosmarinic acid, naringin, chlorogenic acid, morin and mangiferin were subjected to in vitro bioassays against laboratory strain PAO1 and two more antibiotic resistant clinical isolates, P. aeruginosa AS1 (GU447237) and P. aeruginosa AS2 (GU447238). Among the five compounds studied, except mangiferin other four compounds showed significant inhibition in the production of protease, elastase and hemolysin. Further, all the five compounds potentially inhibited the biofilm related behaviours. This interaction study provided promising ligands to inhibit the quorum sensing (QS) mediated virulence factors production in P. aeruginosa.

Flavonoids inhibit both rice and sheep serotonin N-acetyltransferases and reduce melatonin levels in plants.

PubMed

Lee, Kyungjin; Hwang, Ok Jin; Reiter, Russel J; Back, Kyoungwhan

2018-05-31

The plant melatonin biosynthetic pathway has been well characterized, but inhibitors of melatonin synthesis have not been well studied. Here, we found that flavonoids potently inhibited plant melatonin synthesis. For example, flavonoids including morin and myricetin significantly inhibited purified, recombinant sheep serotonin N-acetyltransferase (SNAT). Flavonoids also dose-dependently and potently inhibited purified rice SNAT1 and SNAT2. Thus, myricetin (100 μmol/L) reduced rice SNAT1 and SNAT2 activity 7- and 10-fold, respectively, and also strongly inhibited the N-acetylserotonin methyltransferase activity of purified, recombinant rice caffeic acid O-methyltransferase. To explore the in vivo effects, rice leaves were treated with flavonoids and then cadmium. Flavonoid-treated leaves had lower melatonin levels than the untreated control. To explore the direct roles of flavonoids in melatonin biosynthesis, we first functionally characterized a putative rice flavonol synthase (FLS) in vitro and generated flavonoid-rich transgenic rice plants that overexpressed FLS. Such plants produced more flavonoids but less melatonin than the wild-type, which suggests that flavonoids indeed inhibit plant melatonin biosynthesis. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: in vitro inhibition of α isoforms (hCA I, hCA II, bCA III, hCA IV) by flavonoids.

PubMed

Ekinci, Derya; Karagoz, Lutfi; Ekinci, Deniz; Senturk, Murat; Supuran, Claudiu T

2013-04-01

A series of flavonoids, such as quercetin, catechin, apigenin, luteolin, morin, were investigated for their inhibitory effects against the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA). The compounds were tested against four α-CA isozymes purified from human and bovine (hCA I, hCA II, bCA III, hCA IV) tissues. The four isozymes showed quite diverse inhibition profiles with these compounds. The flavonoids inhibited hCA I with K(I)-s in the range of 2.2-12.8 μM, hCA II with K(I)-s in the range of 0.74-6.2 μM, bCA III with K(I)-s in the range of 2.2-21.3 μM, and hCA IV with inhibition constants in the range of 4.4-15.7, with an esterase assay using 4-nitrophenyl acetate as substrate. Some simple phenols/sulfonamides were also investigated as standard inhibitors. The flavonoids incorporate phenol moieties which inhibit these CAs through a diverse, not yet determined inhibition mechanism, compared to classic inhibitors such as the sulfonamide/sulfamate ones.

Hematite at Meridiani Planum and Gusev Crater as identified by the Moessbauer Spectrometer MIMOS II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klingelhoefer, G.; Morris, R. V.; Rodionov, D.; Schroeder, C.; de Souza, P. A.; Yen, A.; Renz, F.; Wdowiak, T.

2004-12-01

The Moessbauer (MB) spectrometers on the MER rovers Opportunity and Spirit, which landed on Mars in January 2004, have identified the iron-containing mineral hematite (a-Fe2O3) at both landing sites. On Earth, hematite can occur either by itself or with other iron oxides as massive deposits, in veins , and as particles dispersed through a silicate or other matrix material. Hematite particle size can range from nanophase (superparamagnetic) to multidomain and particle shape ranges from equant to acicular to platy. Fine-grained hematite is red in color and is a pigmenting agent. Coarse-grained hematite can be spectrally neutral (gray) at visible wavelengths. Substitutional impurities, particularly Al, are common in hematite. Chemically pure, coarse-grained, and well-crystalline hematite has a magnetic transition (the Morin transition) at ~260 K. Moessbauer spectra, recorded as a function of temperature, provide a way to characterize Martian hematite with respect to some of the physical and chemical characteristics. At Meridiani Planum besides the iron-sulfate mineral jarosite also the Fe-oxide hematite has been identified by the Moessbauer spectrometer, mainly in three distinct types of reservoir: - outcrop matrix material dominated by the mineral jarosite in the MB spectrum, certain basaltic soils, and mm-sized spherules dubbed blueberries. Moessbauer spectra of each reservoir yield a distinct set of hyperfine parameters for hematite, suggesting different degrees of crystallinity and particle size. The hematite found by MB instrument MIMOS II in the outcrop material shows the Morin transition at relatively high temperatures (ca. 250 K) which is an indication of pure and well-crystallized hematite. The source of the hematite in the `Blueberries' as identified by Moessbauer spectroscopy, and also by MiniTES, is not known. These spherules, covering nearly the whole landing site area (Eagle crater, plains, Endurance crater), may be concretions formed in the outcrop involving aqueous processes. They are dispersed throughout the hematite containing jarositic outcrop material. According to Moessbauer analysis the dominating iron-bearing mineral in the spherules is hematite, and jarosite not been detected so far in significant amounts. But there are some places with hematite showing characteristics different from the hematite described above: (1) the soil at B023-HematiteSlope-Hema2 has some blueberries, but the MB did not seem to intercept any. The temperature dependence of its MB parameteres are different from those of blueberries. (2) B049-RasberryNewton-Filling shows a unique Hm MB signature, as well as (3) B051-RealSharksTooth-Enamel1. At Gusev Crater no widespread occurrence of hematite has been detected on the Gusev plains, although minor amounts of hematite were detected in an alteration rind on the rock Mazatzal at the rim of Bonneville crater. At the Columbia Hills, however, the MB instrument did find hematite in significant amounts in highly altered rocks, showing at the same time a significant decrease in the amount of olivine compared to typical basaltic rocks at Gusev crater.

The development and evaluation of a large-scale self-referral CBT-I intervention for men who have insomnia: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Archer, Marc; Brown, June S L; Idusohan, Helen; Coventry, Shirley; Manoharan, Andiappan; Espie, Colin A

2009-05-01

Whilst effective psychological treatments such as CBT-I have been developed for insomnia, few services provide CBT-I and awareness of CBT-I is low among referrers. In addition, men tend to seek help less frequently for their insomnia than women. This paper describes the development and evaluation of psycho-educational CBT-I workshops, each for up to 25 people, and designed to be acceptable to men. The CBT-I programme was based on Morin and Espie (2003), and adapted into a self-referral one-day workshop format designed specifically to improve access. Workshops were held on Saturdays in leisure centres. A one group pretest-posttest design was used and assessments were collected before and 6 weeks after each workshop. Over a 6-month period, 74 men self-referred, and attended the Introductory Talks preceding the workshops. Of these, 49.3% had never sought help from their GP, 66.2% suffered from clinical insomnia (ISI) and 61.6% were experiencing elevated depression symptoms (BDI over 10). At follow-up, the workshops were found to be effective in reducing insomnia and depression. Satisfaction ratings with the workshops were very high. Given these promising results, further work is now proposed for a larger controlled study with a longer-term follow-up.

Variations and voids: the regulation of human cloning around the world.

PubMed

Pattinson, Shaun D; Caulfield, Timothy

2004-12-13

No two countries have adopted identical regulatory measures on cloning. Understanding the complexity of these regulatory variations is essential. It highlights the challenges associated with the regulation of a controversial and rapidly evolving area of science and sheds light on a regulatory framework that can accommodate this reality. Using the most reliable information available, we have performed a survey of the regulatory position of thirty countries around the world regarding the creation and use of cloned embryos (see Table 1). We have relied on original and translated legislation, as well as published sources and personal communications. We have examined the regulation of both reproductive cloning (RC) and non-reproductive cloning (NRC). While most of the countries studied have enacted national legislation, the absence of legislation in seven of these countries should not be equated with the absence of regulation. Senator Morin was not correct in stating that the majority of recent legislation bans both RC and NRC. Recent regulatory moves are united only with regard to the banning of RC. While NRC is not permitted in seventeen of the countries examined, it could be permitted in up to thirteen countries. There is little consensus on the various approaches to cloning laws and policies, and the regulatory position in many countries remains uncertain.

Variations and voids: the regulation of human cloning around the world

PubMed Central

Pattinson, Shaun D; Caulfield, Timothy

2004-01-01

Background No two countries have adopted identical regulatory measures on cloning. Understanding the complexity of these regulatory variations is essential. It highlights the challenges associated with the regulation of a controversial and rapidly evolving area of science and sheds light on a regulatory framework that can accommodate this reality. Methods Using the most reliable information available, we have performed a survey of the regulatory position of thirty countries around the world regarding the creation and use of cloned embryos (see Table 1). We have relied on original and translated legislation, as well as published sources and personal communications. We have examined the regulation of both reproductive cloning (RC) and non-reproductive cloning (NRC). Results While most of the countries studied have enacted national legislation, the absence of legislation in seven of these countries should not be equated with the absence of regulation. Senator Morin was not correct in stating that the majority of recent legislation bans both RC and NRC. Recent regulatory moves are united only with regard to the banning of RC. While NRC is not permitted in seventeen of the countries examined, it could be permitted in up to thirteen countries. Conclusions There is little consensus on the various approaches to cloning laws and policies, and the regulatory position in many countries remains uncertain. PMID:15596013

Ultrasound extracted flavonoids from four varieties of Portuguese red grape skins determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

PubMed

Novak, Ivana; Janeiro, Patricia; Seruga, Marijan; Oliveira-Brett, Ana Maria

2008-12-23

Several flavonoids present in red grape skins from four varieties of Portuguese grapes were determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) with electrochemical detection (ECD). Extraction of flavonoids from red grape skins was performed by ultrasonication, and hydrochloric acid in methanol was used as extraction solvent. The developed RP-HPLC method used combined isocratic and gradient elution with amperometric detection with a glassy carbon-working electrode. Good peak resolution was obtained following direct injection of a sample of red grape extract in a pH 2.20 mobile phase. Eleven different flavonoids: cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (kuromanin), delphinidin-3-O-glucoside (myrtillin), petunidin-3-O-glucoside, peonidin-3-O-glucoside, malvidin-3-O-glucoside (oenin), (+)-catechin, rutin, fisetin, myricetin, morin and quercetin, can be separated in a single run by direct injection of sample solution. The limit of detection obtained for these compounds by ECD was 20-90 pg/L, 1000 times lower when compared with photodiode array (PDA) limit of detection of 12-55 ng/L. RP-HPLC-ECD was characterized by an excellent sensitivity and selectivity, and appropriate for the simultaneous determination of these electroactive phenolic compounds present in red grape skins.

Inhibition effect of flavonoids on monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in Caco-2 cells.

PubMed

Shim, Chang-Koo; Cheon, Eun-Pa; Kang, Keon Wook; Seo, Ki-Soo; Han, Hyo-Kyung

2007-11-01

This study aimed to investigate the inhibition effect of flavonoids on monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in Caco-2 cells. The cellular uptake of benzoic acid was examined in the presence and the absence of naringin, naringenin, morin, silybin and quercetin in Caco-2 cells. All the tested flavonoids except naringin significantly inhibited (P<0.05) the cellular uptake of [(14)C]-benzoic acid. Particularly, naringenin and silybin exhibited strong inhibition effects with IC50 values of 23.4 and 30.2 microM, respectively. Kinetic analysis indicated that the inhibition mode of naringenin and silybin on MCT1 activity was competitive with a Ki of 15-20 microM. The effect of flavonoids on the gene expression of MCT1 was also examined by using RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Results indicated that the expression level of MCT1 was not affected by the treatment with naringenin or silybin. The cellular accumulation of naringenin in Caco-2 cells was not changed in the presence of benzoic acid or L-lactic acid, implying that naringenin might not be a substrate of MCT1. In conclusion, some flavonoids appeared to be competitive inhibitors of MCT1, suggesting the potential for diet-drug interactions between flavonoids and MCT1 substrates.

Self-stigma and suicidality in patients with neurotic spectrum disorder - a cross sectional study.

PubMed

Latalova, Klara; Prasko, Jan; Kamaradova, Dana; Ociskova, Marie; Cinculova, Andrea; Grambal, Ales; Kubinek, Radim; Mainerova, Barbora; Smoldasova, Jarmila; Tichackova, Anezka; Sigmundova, Zuzana

2014-01-01

Self-stigmatization is a step-by-step process during which the person uncritically accepts the societal negative evaluation and applies it to himself. Relation between self-stigma and suicidality in neurotic disorders is not known. The aim of our study was to find connection between self-stigma and the level of suicidality in neurotic spectrum disorders. It was a cross-sectional study of 198 inpatients with pharmacoresistant neurotic spectrum disorders hospitalized at the psychotherapeutic ward of the Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Olomouc. Patients were diagnosed using the ICD-10 research diagnostic criteria. The assessments included Internalized Stigma Of Mental Illness (ISMI), Beck Depression Inventory-second edition (BDI-II), objective and subjective Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Morin sleep scale, Dissociative Experience Scale (DES) and Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale, item 10 Suicidal Thoughts (MADRS item 10 suicidality) for the assessment. The subjective rate of suicidality and also the objective rate of suicidality were strongly positively correlated with the total score of ISMI. There were also significant correlations with all subscores except for the correlation between the BDI 9 and the sub score Resistance against stigma, which barely missed the level of statistical significance. More attention should be paid to self-stigma in neurotic patients, especially in those with suicidal thoughts and tendencies.

Identification, recognition and misidentification syndromes: a psychoanalytical perspective

PubMed Central

Thibierge, Stéphane; Morin, Catherine

2013-01-01

Misidentification syndromes are currently often understood as cognitive disorders of either the “sense of uniqueness” (Margariti and Kontaxakis, 2006) or the recognition of people (Ellis and Lewis, 2001). It is however, necessary to consider how a normal “sense of uniqueness” or normal person recognition are acquired by normal or neurotic subjects. It will be shown here that the normal conditions of cognition can be considered as one of the possible forms of a complex structure and not as just a setting for our sense and perception data. The consistency and the permanency of the body image in neurosis is what permits the recognition of other people and ourselves as unique beings. This consistency and permanency are related to object repression, as shown by neurological disorders of body image (somatoparaphrenia), which cause the object to come to the foreground in the patient’s words (Thibierge and Morin, 2010). In misidentification syndromes, as in other psychotic syndromes, one can also observe damage to the specular image as well as an absence of object repression. This leads us to question whether, in the psychiatric disorders related to a damaged specular image, disorders of cognition can be studied and managed using the same methods as for neurotic patients. PMID:24298262

The beneficial role of curcumin on inflammation, diabetes and neurodegenerative disease: A recent update.

PubMed

Ghosh, Shatadal; Banerjee, Sharmistha; Sil, Parames C

2015-09-01

The concept of using phytochemicals has ushered in a new revolution in pharmaceuticals. Naturally occurring polyphenols (like curcumin, morin, resveratrol, etc.) have gained importance because of their minimal side effects, low cost and abundance. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a component of turmeric isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma longa. Research for more than two decades has revealed the pleiotropic nature of the biological effects of this molecule. More than 7000 published articles have shed light on the various aspects of curcumin including its antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Apart from these well-known activities, this natural polyphenolic compound also exerts its beneficial effects by modulating different signalling molecules including transcription factors, chemokines, cytokines, tumour suppressor genes, adhesion molecules, microRNAs, etc. Oxidative stress and inflammation play a pivotal role in various diseases like diabetes, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular diseases. Curcumin, therefore, could be a therapeutic option for the treatment of these diseases, provided limitations in its oral bioavailability can be overcome. The current review provides an updated overview of the metabolism and mechanism of action of curcumin in various organ pathophysiologies. The review also discusses the potential for multifunctional therapeutic application of curcumin and its recent progress in clinical biology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A GeoWall with Physics and Astronomy Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dukes, Phillip; Bruton, Dan

2008-03-01

A GeoWall is a passive stereoscopic projection system that can be used by students, teachers, and researchers for visualization of the structure and dynamics of three-dimensional systems and data. The type of system described here adequately provides 3-D visualization in natural color for large or small groups of viewers. The name ``GeoWall'' derives from its initial development to visualize data in the geosciences.1 An early GeoWall system was developed by Paul Morin at the electronic visualization laboratory at the University of Minnesota and was applied in an introductory geology course in spring of 2001. Since that time, several stereoscopic media, which are applicable to introductory-level physics and astronomy classes, have been developed and released into the public domain. In addition to the GeoWall's application in the classroom, there is considerable value in its use as part of a general science outreach program. In this paper we briefly describe the theory of operation of stereoscopic projection and the basic necessary components of a GeoWall system. Then we briefly describe how we are using a GeoWall as an instructional tool for the classroom and informal astronomy education and in research. Finally, we list sources for several of the free software media in physics and astronomy available for use with a GeoWall system.

Behavior of major and trace elements upon weathering of peridotites in New Caledonia : A possible site on ultramafic rocks for the Critical Zone Exploration Network (CZEN) ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juillot, Farid; Fandeur, D.; Fritsch, E.; Morin, G.; Ambrosi, J. P.; Olivi, L.; Cognigni, A.; Hazemann, J. L.; Proux, O.; Webb, S.; Brown, G. E., Jr.

2010-05-01

Ultramafic rocks cover about 1% of the continental surfaces and are related to ophiolitic bodies formed near convergent plate boundaries (Coleman, 1977). The most typical ultramafic rocks are dunite and harzburgite, which are composed of easily weatherable ferromagnesian mineral species (olivines and pyroxenes), but also of more resistant spinels (chromite and magnetite). Oceanic serpentinization of these ultramafic rocks usually lead to partial transformation of these initial mineral assemblages by forming hydrous layer silicates such as serpentine (lizardite, chrysotile and antigorite) talc, chlorite and actinolite (Malpas, 1992). It also lead to the formation of highly sheared textures, which favor meteoric weathering through preferential water flows. Compared to their crystalline rock counterpart that covers most of the continental surfaces, these ultramafic rocks mainly differ by their lower SiO2, Al2O3 and K2O contents (less than 50%, 10% and 1%, respectively) and, on the opposite, much higher MgO content (more than 18%). Moreover, they commonly have higher concentrations in FeO and other trace elements, such as Ni, Cr, Mn and Co. Weathering of these rocks is then at the origin of major geochemical anomalies on continental surfaces, especially when they occur in tropical and subtropical regions. Such conditions are encountered in New Caledonia where one third of the surface is covered with peridotites (mainly harzburgite with small amounts of dunite) obducted about 35 millions years ago during large tectonic events in the Southwest Pacific at the Late Eocene (Cluzel et al., 2001). Tropical weathering of these ultramafic rocks lead to the development of thick lateritic regoliths where almost all Mg and Si have been leached out and Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr and Co have been relatively concentrated. In these oxisols, Ni, Cr and Co can exhibit concentration up to several wt%, which make them good candidates for ore mining (New Caledonia is the third Ni producer in the world). However, these high concentration of potentially toxic elements can represent a serious hazard for the environmental quality of the Caledonian ecosystem which is a '' biodiversity hotspot' (Myers, 2000), which emphasize the strong need for characterizing the natural cycling of these elements upon weathering of ultramafic rocks. To reach this goal, we have studied the mineralogical distribution, crystal-chemistry and mass balance modelling of major (Si, Mg, Al, Fe, Mn) and trace elements (Ni, Cr and Co) in the freely-drained weathering profile developed in the serpentinized harzburgites of Mt Koniambo (West Coast of New Caledonia). Results show that both hydrothermal and meteoric processes contributed to the vertical differentiation of this freely drained weathering profiles in serpentinized ultramafic rocks. Finally, they also emphasize the importance of both redox reactions and interactions with Mn- and Fe-oxyhydroxydes (Fandeur et al., 2009a; 2009b) to explain the opposite behavior observed between very mobile Ni and almost immobile Cr (Fandeur et al., 2010). These results bring new insights on the geochemical behavior of trace elements upon weathering of ultramafic rocks under tropical conditions leading to the formation of supergene ore deposits. They also emphasize the interest of such a weathering site on ultramafic rocks under tropical climate to complemente the reference sites of the Critical Zone Exploration Network (CZEN). References Cluzel D., Aitchinson J.C. and Picard C. (2001) Tectonic accretion and underplating of mafic terranes in the Late Eocene intraoceanic fore-arc of New-Caledonia (Southwest Pacific): geodynamic implications. Tectonophysics, 340, 23-59. Coleman, R.G. (1977) Ophiolites: Ancient oceanic lithosphere?: Berlin, Germany, Springer-Verlag, 229p. Fandeur D., Juillot F., Morin G., Olivi L., Cognigni A., Fialin M., Coufignal F., Ambrosi J.P., Guyot F. and Fritsch E. (2009a). Synchrotron-based speciation of chromium in an Oxisol from New-Caledonia : Importance of secondary Fe-oxyhydroxydes. American Mineralogist, 94, 710-719. Fandeur D., Juillot F., Morin G., Olivi L., Cognigni A., Webb S., Ambrosi J.P., Fritsch E. and Brown Jr. G.E. (2009b). XANES evidence for oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI) by Mn-oxides in a lateritic regolith developed on serpentinized ultramafic rocks in New Caledonia. Environmental Science and Technology, 43, 7384-7390. Fandeur D., Fritsch E., Juillot F., Morin G., and Ambrosi J.P. (2010). Influence of mineralization and weathering on the distribution and mobility of major and trace elements along a freely-drained lateritic regolith developed in ultramafic rocks in New-Caledonia. Chemical Geology, submitted. Malpas J. (1992) Serpentine and the geology of serpentinized rocks. In The ecology of aeras with serpentinized rocks, Roberts B.A. and Proctor J (eds), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherland. Myers, N., R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, G. A. B. da Fonseca, J. Kent (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403, 853-858.

Study of the comprehension of the scientific method by members of a university health research laboratory.

PubMed

Burlamaque-Neto, A C; Santos, G R; Lisbôa, L M; Goldim, J R; Machado, C L B; Matte, U; Giugliani, R

2012-02-01

In Brazil, scientific research is carried out mainly at universities, where professors coordinate research projects with the active participation of undergraduate and graduate students. However, there is no formal program for the teaching/learning of the scientific method. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the comprehension of the scientific method by students of health sciences who participate in scientific projects in an academic research laboratory. An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using Edgar Morin complexity as theoretical reference. In a semi-structured interview, students were asked to solve an abstract logical puzzle - TanGram. The collected data were analyzed using the hermeneutic-dialectic analysis method proposed by Minayo and discussed in terms of the theoretical reference of complexity. The students' concept of the scientific method is limited to participation in projects, stressing the execution of practical procedures as opposed to scientific thinking. The solving of the TanGram puzzle revealed that the students had difficulties in understanding questions and activities focused on subjects and their processes. Objective answers, even when dealing with personal issues, were also reflected on the students' opinions about the characteristics of a successful researcher. Students' difficulties concerning these issues may affect their scientific performance and result in poorly designed experiments. This is a preliminary study that should be extended to other centers of scientific research.

The fast method of Cu-porphyrin complex synthesis for potential use in positron emission tomography imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilian, Krzysztof; Pęgier, Maria; Pyrzyńska, Krystyna

2016-04-01

Porphyrin based photosensitizers are useful agents for photodynamic therapy and fluorescence imaging of cancer. Additionally, porphyrins are excellent metal chelators, forming stable metalo-complexes and 64Cu isotope can serve as a positron emitter (t1/2 = 12.7 h). The other advantage of 64Cu is its decay characteristics that facilitates the use of 64Cu-porphyrin complex as a therapeutic agent. Thus, 64Cu chelation with porphyrin photosensitizer may become a simple and versatile labeling strategy for clinical positron emission tomography. The present study reports a convenient method for the synthesis of Cu complex with tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP). The experimental conditions for labeling, such as the metal-to-ligand molar ratio, pH and time of reaction were optimized to achieve a high complexation efficiency in a short period of time as possible. In order to accelerate the metallation, the use of substitution reactions of cadmium or lead porphyrin and the presence of reducing agent, such as ascorbic acid, hydroxylamine and flavonoid - morin, were evaluated. The optimum conditions for the synthesis of the copper complex were borate buffer at pH 9 with the addition of 10-fold molar excess, with respect to Cu2 + ions and TCPP and ascorbic acid which resulted in reduction of the reaction time from 30 min to below 1 min.

Infrared spectroscopy of flavones and flavonols. Reexamination of the hydroxyl and carbonyl vibrations in relation to the interactions of flavonoids with membrane lipids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranović, Goran; Šegota, Suzana

2018-03-01

Detailed vibrational assignments for twelve flavonoids (seven flavones (flavone, 3- and 5-hydroxyflavone, chrysin, apigenin, fisetin and luteolin) and five flavonols (galangin, kaempferol, quercetin, morin and myricetin)) have been made based on own and reported experimental data and calculations at the B3LYP/6-31 + G(d,p) level of theory. All the molecules are treated in a uniform way by using the same set of redundancy-free set of internal coordinates. A generalized harmonic mode mixing is used to corroborate the vibrational characteristics of this important class of molecules. Each flavonoid molecule can be treated from the vibrational point of view as made of relatively weakly coupled chromone and phenyl part. It has been shown that the strongest band around 1600 cm- 1 need not be attributable to the Cdbnd O stretching. The way the vibrations of any of the hydroxyl groups are mixed with ring vibrations and vibrations of other neighboring hydroxyl groups is rather involved. This imposes severe limitations on any attempt to describe normal modes of a flavonol in terms of hydroxyl or carbonyl group vibrations. The role of water molecules in the appearance of flavonoid IR spectra is emphasized. Knowing for the great affinity of phosphate groups in lipids towards water, the immediate consequence is a reasonable assumption that flavonoid lipid interactions is mediated by water.

Study of the comprehension of the scientific method by members of a university health research laboratory

PubMed Central

Burlamaque-Neto, A.C.; Santos, G.R.; Lisbôa, L.M.; Goldim, J.R.; Machado, C.L.B.; Matte, U.; Giugliani, R.

2012-01-01

In Brazil, scientific research is carried out mainly at universities, where professors coordinate research projects with the active participation of undergraduate and graduate students. However, there is no formal program for the teaching/learning of the scientific method. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the comprehension of the scientific method by students of health sciences who participate in scientific projects in an academic research laboratory. An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using Edgar Morin complexity as theoretical reference. In a semi-structured interview, students were asked to solve an abstract logical puzzle - TanGram. The collected data were analyzed using the hermeneutic-dialectic analysis method proposed by Minayo and discussed in terms of the theoretical reference of complexity. The students' concept of the scientific method is limited to participation in projects, stressing the execution of practical procedures as opposed to scientific thinking. The solving of the TanGram puzzle revealed that the students had difficulties in understanding questions and activities focused on subjects and their processes. Objective answers, even when dealing with personal issues, were also reflected on the students' opinions about the characteristics of a successful researcher. Students' difficulties concerning these issues may affect their scientific performance and result in poorly designed experiments. This is a preliminary study that should be extended to other centers of scientific research. PMID:22249427

Expression of Aluminum-Induced Genes in Transgenic Arabidopsis Plants Can Ameliorate Aluminum Stress and/or Oxidative Stress1

PubMed Central

Ezaki, Bunichi; Gardner, Richard C.; Ezaki, Yuka; Matsumoto, Hideaki

2000-01-01

To examine the biological role of Al-stress-induced genes, nine genes derived from Arabidopsis, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were expressed in Arabidopsis ecotype Landsberg. Lines containing eight of these genes were phenotypically normal and were tested in root elongation assays for their sensitivity to Al, Cd, Cu, Na, Zn, and to oxidative stresses. An Arabidopsis blue-copper-binding protein gene (AtBCB), a tobacco glutathione S-transferase gene (parB), a tobacco peroxidase gene (NtPox), and a tobacco GDP-dissociation inhibitor gene (NtGDI1) conferred a degree of resistance to Al. Two of these genes, AtBCB and parB, and a peroxidase gene from Arabidopsis (AtPox) also showed increased resistance to oxidative stress induced by diamide, while parB conferred resistance to Cu and Na. Al content of Al-treated root tips was reduced in the four Al-resistant plant lines compared with wild-type Ler-0, as judged by morin staining. All four Al-resistant lines also showed reduced staining of roots with 2′,7′-dichloro fluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA), an indicator of oxidative stress. We conclude that Al-induced genes can serve to protect against Al toxicity, and also provide genetic evidence for a link between Al stress and oxidative stress in plants. PMID:10712528

Biochemical characterization and antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of different Ganoderma collections.

PubMed

Saltarelli, Roberta; Ceccaroli, Paola; Buffalini, Michele; Vallorani, Luciana; Casadei, Lucia; Zambonelli, Alessandra; Iotti, Mirco; Badalyan, Susanna; Stocchi, Vilberto

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to conduct a molecular and biochemical characterization and to compare the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of four Ganoderma isolates belonging to Ganoderma lucidum (Gl-4, Gl-5) and Ganoderma resinaceum (F-1, F-2) species. The molecular identification was performed by ITS and IGS sequence analyses and the biochemical characterization by enzymatic and proteomic approaches. The antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extracts was compared by three different methods and their flavonoid contents were also analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antiproliferative effect on U937 cells was determined by MTT assay. The studied mycelia differ both in the enzymatic activities and protein content. The highest content in total phenol and the highest antioxidant activity for DPPH free radical scavenging and chelating activity on Fe(2+) were observed with the Gl-4 isolate of G. lucidum. The presence of quercetin, rutin, myricetin, and morin as major flavonoids with effective antioxidant activity was detected. The ethanolic extracts from mycelia of G. lucidum isolates possess a substantial antiproliferative activity against U937 cells in contrast to G. resinaceum in which the antiproliferative effects were insignificant. This study provides a comparison between G. lucidum and G. resinaceum mycelial strains, and shows that G. resinaceum could be utilized to obtain several bioactive compounds. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Red Dawn: Characterizing Iron Oxide Minerals in Atmospheric Dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yauk, K.; Ottenfeld, C. F.; Reynolds, R. L.; Goldstein, H.; Cattle, S.; Berquo, T. S.; Moskowitz, B. M.

2012-12-01

Atmospheric dust is comprised of many components including small amounts of iron oxide minerals. Although the iron oxides make up a small weight percent of the bulk dust, they are important because of their roles in ocean fertilization, controls on climate, and as a potential health hazard to humans. Here we report on the iron oxide mineralogy in dust from a large dust storm, dubbed Red Dawn, which engulfed eastern Australia along a 3000 km front on 23 September 2009. Red Dawn originated from the lower Lake Eyre Basin of South Australia, western New South Wales (NSW) and southwestern Queensland and was the worst dust storm to have hit the city of Sydney in more than 60 years. Dust samples were collected from various locations across eastern Australia (Lake Cowal, Orange, Hornsby, Sydney) following the Red Dawn event. Our dust collection provides a good opportunity to study the physical and mineralogical properties of iron oxides from Red Dawn using a combination of reflectance spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy (MB), and magnetic measurements. Magnetization measurements from 20-400 K reveal that magnetite/maghemite, hematite and goethite are present in all samples with magnetite occurring in trace amounts (< 0.5wt%). However, the amount of magnetite/maghemite even in trace concentrations generally increases from Lake Cowal from west to east (0.01 to 0.29 wt%), with highest magnetite contents in the urban-Sydney sites. These observations indicate the additions of magnetite from local urban sources. Variable temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy (300 K and 4.2 K) indicate that goethite and hematite compose approximately 25-45 % of the Fe-bearing phases in the Orange and Lake Cowal samples. Goethite is more abundant than hematite in the Lake Cowal samples whereas the opposite is observed for Orange. Hematite is observed at both temperatures but goethite only at 4.2 K. The identification of goethite in Mössbauer analyses at low-temperature but not at room temperature indicates the presence of nanogoethite and small particle sizes (< 30 nm). Magnetization experiments indicates that some of the nanogoethite has remanence blocking temperatures above 300 K (and hence larger particle sizes) but it must be a small fraction of the total grain distribution considering that goethite was not indicated at 300 K with Mössbauer. Likewise, Mössbauer spectra indicate that the hematite component is still above the Morin transition (TM=265 K) and in its canted antiferromagnetic state even at 4.2 K. Suppression of the Morin transition in hematite can occur due to reduced crystallinity, cation substitution (e.g., Ti4+, Al 3+), or small particle effects (d< 100 nm). Finally, we compared reflectance with a magnetic parameter (hard isothermal remanent magnetization, HIRM) for ferric oxide abundance to assess the degree to which ferric oxide in these samples might absorb solar radiation. In samples for which both parameters were obtained, HIRM and average reflectance over the visible wavelengths are correlated as a group (r2=0.24). These results indicate that the ferric oxide minerals in Red Dawn dust absorb solar radiation. Much of this ferric oxide occurs likely as grain coatings of nanohematite and nanogoethite, thereby providing high surface area to enhance absorption of solar radiation.

Interparticle interaction effects on magnetic behaviors of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Can, Musa Mutlu; Fırat, Tezer; Özcan, Şadan

2011-07-01

The interparticle magnetic interactions of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles were investigated by temperature and magnetic field dependent magnetization curves. The synthesis were done in two steps; milling metallic iron (Fe) powders in pure water (H2O), known as mechanical milling technique, and annealing at 600 °C. The crystal and molecular structure of prepared samples were determined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) spectra and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra results. The average particle sizes and the size distributions were figured out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The magnetic behaviors of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were analyzed with a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). As a result of the analysis, it was observed that the prepared α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles did not perform a sharp Morin transition (the characteristic transition of α-Fe2O3) due to lack of unique particle size distribution. However, the transition can be observed in the wide temperature range as “a continuously transition”. Additionally, the effect of interparticle interaction on magnetic behavior was determined from the magnetization versus applied field (σ(M)) curves for 26±2 nm particles, dispersed in sodium oxalate matrix under ratios of 200:1, 300:1, 500:1 and 1000:1. The interparticle interaction fields, recorded at 5 K to avoid the thermal interactions, were found as ∼1082 Oe for 26±2 nm particles.

Aluminum surface corrosion and the mechanism of inhibitors using pH and metal ion selective imaging fiber bundles.

PubMed

Szunerits, Sabine; Walt, David R

2002-02-15

The localized corrosion behavior of a galvanic aluminum copper couple was investigated by in situ fluorescence imaging with a fiber-optic imaging sensor. Three different, but complementary methods were used for visualizing remote corrosion sites, mapping the topography of the metal surface, and measuring local chemical concentrations of H+, OH-, and Al3+. The first method is based on a pH-sensitive imaging fiber, where the fluorescent dye SNAFL was covalently attached to the fiber's distal end. Fluorescence images were acquired as a function of time at different areas of the galvanic couple. In a second method, the fluorescent dye morin was immobilized on the fiber-optic imaging sensor, which allowed the in situ localization of corrosion processes on pure aluminum to be visualized over time by monitoring the release of Al3+. The development of fluorescence on the aluminum surface defined the areas associated with the anodic dissolution of aluminum. We also investigated the inhibition of corrosion of pure aluminum by CeCl3 and 8-hydroxyquinoline. The decrease in current, the decrease in the number of active sites on the aluminum surface, and the faster surface passivation are all consistent indications that cerium chloride and 8-hydroxyquinoline inhibit corrosion effectively. From the number and extent of corrosion sites and the release of aluminum ions monitored with the fiber, it was shown that 8-hydroxyquinoline is a more effective inhibitor than cerium chloride.

Aluminium localization in root tips of the aluminium-accumulating plant species buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench)

PubMed Central

Klug, Benjamin; Specht, André; Horst, Walter J.

2011-01-01

Aluminium (Al) uptake and transport in the root tip of buckwheat is not yet completely understood. For localization of Al in root tips, fluorescent dyes and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were compared. The staining of Al with morin is an appropriate means to study qualitatively the radial distribution along the root tip axis of Al which is complexed by oxalate and citrate in buckwheat roots. The results compare well with the distribution of total Al determined by LA-ICP-MS which could be reliably calibrated to compare with Al contents by conventional total Al determination using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The Al localization in root cross-sections along the root tip showed that in buckwheat Al is highly mobile in the radial direction. The root apex predominantly accumulated Al in the cortex. The subapical root section showed a homogenous Al distribution across the whole section. In the following root section Al was located particularly in the pericycle and the xylem parenchyma cells. With further increasing distance from the root apex Al could be detected only in individual xylem vessels. The results support the view that the 10 mm apical root tip is the main site of Al uptake into the symplast of the cortex, while the subapical 10–20 mm zone is the main site of xylem loading through the pericycle and xylem parenchyma cells. Progress in the better molecular understanding of Al transport in buckwheat will depend on the consideration of the tissue specificity of Al transport and complexation. PMID:21831842

High-resolution stochastic downscaling of climate models: simulating wind advection, cloud cover and precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peleg, Nadav; Fatichi, Simone; Burlando, Paolo

2015-04-01

A new stochastic approach to generate wind advection, cloud cover and precipitation fields is presented with the aim of formulating a space-time weather generator characterized by fields with high spatial and temporal resolution (e.g., 1 km x 1 km and 5 min). Its use is suitable for stochastic downscaling of climate scenarios in the context of hydrological, ecological and geomorphological applications. The approach is based on concepts from the Advanced WEather GENerator (AWE-GEN) presented by Fatichi et al. (2011, Adv. Water Resour.), the Space-Time Realizations of Areal Precipitation model (STREAP) introduced by Paschalis et al. (2013, Water Resour. Res.), and the High-Resolution Synoptically conditioned Weather Generator (HiReS-WG) presented by Peleg and Morin (2014, Water Resour. Res.). Advection fields are generated on the basis of the 500 hPa u and v wind direction variables derived from global or regional climate models. The advection velocity and direction are parameterized using Kappa and von Mises distributions respectively. A random Gaussian fields is generated using a fast Fourier transform to preserve the spatial correlation of advection. The cloud cover area, total precipitation area and mean advection of the field are coupled using a multi-autoregressive model. The approach is relatively parsimonious in terms of computational demand and, in the context of climate change, allows generating many stochastic realizations of current and projected climate in a fast and efficient way. A preliminary test of the approach is presented with reference to a case study in a complex orography terrain in the Swiss Alps.

STS-110/Atlantic/ISS 8A Pre-Launch On Orbit-Landing-Crew Egress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The crew of STS-110, which consists of Commander Michael Bloomfield, Pilot Stephen Frick, and Mission Specialists Rex Walheim, Ellen Ochoa, Lee Morin, Jerry Ross, and Steven Smith is introduced at the customary pre-flight meal. The narrator provides background information on the astronauts during suit-up. Each crew member is shown in the White Room before boarding Space Shuttle Atlantis, and some display signs to loved ones. Launch footage includes the following replays: Beach Tracker, VAB, Pad B, Tower 1, DLTR-3, Grandstand, Cocoa Beach DOAMS, Playalinda DOAMS, UCS-23, SLF Convoy, OTV-154, OTV-163, OTV-170 (mislabeled), and OTV-171 (mislabeled). After the launch, NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe gives a speech to the Launch Control Center, with political dignitaries present. While on-orbit, Atlantis docks with the International Space Station (ISS), and Canadarm 2 on the ISS lifts the S0 Truss out of the orbiter's payload bay. The video includes highlights of three extravehicular activities (EVAs). In the first, the S0 Truss is fastened to the Destiny Laboratory Module on the ISS. During the third EVA, Walheim and Smith assist in the checkout of the handcart on the S0 Truss. The Atlantis crew is shown gathered together with the Expedition 4 crew of the ISS, and again by itself after undocking. Replays of the landing include: VAB, Tower 1, Mid-field, Runway South End, Runway North End, Tower 2, Playalinda DOAMS, Cocoa Beach DOAMS, and Pilot Point of View (PPOV). After landing, Commander Bloomfield lets each of his crew members give a short speech.

Predictability of Sleep in Patients with Insomnia

PubMed Central

Vallières, Annie; Ivers, Hans; Beaulieu-Bonneau, Simon; Morin, Charles M.

2011-01-01

Study Objectives: To evaluate whether the night-to-night variability in insomnia follows specific predictable patterns and to characterize sleep patterns using objective sleep and clinical variables. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: University-affiliated sleep disorders center. Participants: 146 participants suffering from chronic and primary insomnia. Measurements and Results: Daily sleep diaries were completed for an average of 48 days and self-reported questionnaires once. Three nights were spent in the sleep laboratory for polysomnographic (PSG) assessment. Sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, and total sleep time were derived from sleep diaries and PSG. Time-series diary data were used to compute conditional probabilities of having an insomnia night after 1, 2, or 3 consecutive insomnia night(s). Conditional probabilities were submitted to a k-means cluster analysis. A 3-cluster solution was retained. One cluster included 38 participants exhibiting an unpredictable insomnia pattern. Another included 30 participants with a low and decreasing probability to have an insomnia night. The last cluster included 49 participants exhibiting a high probability to have insomnia every night. Clusters differed on age, insomnia severity, and mental fatigue, and on subjective sleep variables, but not on PSG sleep variables. Conclusion: These findings replicate our previous study and provide additional evidence that unpredictability is a less prevalent feature of insomnia than suggested previously in the literature. The presence of the 3 clusters is discussed in term of sleep perception and sleep homeostasis dysregulation. Citation: Vallières A; Ivers H; Beaulieu-Bonneau S; Morin CM. Predictability of sleep in patients with insomnia. SLEEP 2011;34(5):609-617. PMID:21532954

Simulation of radar backscattering from snowpack at X-band and Ku-band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, Michel; Phan, Xuan-Vu; Ferro-Famil, Laurent

2016-04-01

This paper presents a multilayer snowpack electromagnetic backscattering model, based on Dense Media Radiative Transfer (DMRT). This model is capable of simulating the interaction of electromagnetic wave (EMW) at X-band and Ku-band frequencies with multilayer snowpack. The air-snow interface and snow-ground backscattering components are calculated using the Integral Equation Model (IEM) by [1], whereas the volume backscattering component is calculated based on the solution of Vector Radiative Transfer (VRT) equation at order 1. Case study has been carried out using measurement data from NoSREx project [2], which include SnowScat data in X-band and Ku-band, TerraSAR-X acquisitions and snowpack stratigraphic in-situ measurements. The results of model simulations show good agreement with the radar observations, and therefore allow the DMRT model to be used in various applications, such as data assimilation [3]. [1] A.K. Fung and K.S. Chen, "An update on the iem surface backscattering model," Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, IEEE, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 75 - 77, april 2004. [2] J. Lemmetyinen, A. Kontu, J. Pulliainen, A. Wiesmann, C. Werner, T. Nagler, H. Rott, and M. Heidinger, "Technical assistance for the deployment of an x- to ku-band scatterometer during the nosrex ii experiment," Final Report, ESA ESTEC Contract No. 22671/09/NL/JA., 2011. [3] X. V. Phan, L. Ferro-Famil, M. Gay, Y. Durand, M. Dumont, S. Morin, S. Allain, G. D'Urso, and A. Girard, "3d-var multilayer assimilation of x-band sar data into a detailed snowpack model," The Cryosphere Discussions, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 4881-4912, 2013.

From AWE-GEN to AWE-GEN-2d: a high spatial and temporal resolution weather generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peleg, Nadav; Fatichi, Simone; Paschalis, Athanasios; Molnar, Peter; Burlando, Paolo

2016-04-01

A new weather generator, AWE-GEN-2d (Advanced WEather GENerator for 2-Dimension grid) is developed following the philosophy of combining physical and stochastic approaches to simulate meteorological variables at high spatial and temporal resolution (e.g. 2 km x 2 km and 5 min for precipitation and cloud cover and 100 m x 100 m and 1 h for other variables variable (temperature, solar radiation, vapor pressure, atmospheric pressure and near-surface wind). The model is suitable to investigate the impacts of climate variability, temporal and spatial resolutions of forcing on hydrological, ecological, agricultural and geomorphological impacts studies. Using appropriate parameterization the model can be used in the context of climate change. Here we present the model technical structure of AWE-GEN-2d, which is a substantial evolution of four preceding models (i) the hourly-point scale Advanced WEather GENerator (AWE-GEN) presented by Fatichi et al. (2011, Adv. Water Resour.) (ii) the Space-Time Realizations of Areal Precipitation (STREAP) model introduced by Paschalis et al. (2013, Water Resour. Res.), (iii) the High-Resolution Synoptically conditioned Weather Generator developed by Peleg and Morin (2014, Water Resour. Res.), and (iv) the Wind-field Interpolation by Non Divergent Schemes presented by Burlando et al. (2007, Boundary-Layer Meteorol.). The AWE-GEN-2d is relatively parsimonious in terms of computational demand and allows generating many stochastic realizations of current and projected climates in an efficient way. An example of model application and testing is presented with reference to a case study in the Wallis region, a complex orography terrain in the Swiss Alps.

The Csr System Regulates Escherichia coli Fitness by Controlling Glycogen Accumulation and Energy Levels.

PubMed

Morin, Manon; Ropers, Delphine; Cinquemani, Eugenio; Portais, Jean-Charles; Enjalbert, Brice; Cocaign-Bousquet, Muriel

2017-10-31

In the bacterium Escherichia coli , the posttranscriptional regulatory system Csr was postulated to influence the transition from glycolysis to gluconeogenesis. Here, we explored the role of the Csr system in the glucose-acetate transition as a model of the glycolysis-to-gluconeogenesis switch. Mutations in the Csr system influence the reorganization of gene expression after glucose exhaustion and disturb the timing of acetate reconsumption after glucose exhaustion. Analysis of metabolite concentrations during the transition revealed that the Csr system has a major effect on the energy levels of the cells after glucose exhaustion. This influence was demonstrated to result directly from the effect of the Csr system on glycogen accumulation. Mutation in glycogen metabolism was also demonstrated to hinder metabolic adaptation after glucose exhaustion because of insufficient energy. This work explains how the Csr system influences E. coli fitness during the glycolysis-gluconeogenesis switch and demonstrates the role of glycogen in maintenance of the energy charge during metabolic adaptation. IMPORTANCE Glycogen is a polysaccharide and the main storage form of glucose from bacteria such as Escherichia coli to yeasts and mammals. Although its function as a sugar reserve in mammals is well documented, the role of glycogen in bacteria is not as clear. By studying the role of posttranscriptional regulation during metabolic adaptation, for the first time, we demonstrate the role of sugar reserve played by glycogen in E. coli Indeed, glycogen not only makes it possible to maintain sufficient energy during metabolic transitions but is also the key component in the capacity of cells to resume growth. Since the essential posttranscriptional regulatory system Csr is a major regulator of glycogen accumulation, this work also sheds light on the central role of posttranscriptional regulation in metabolic adaptation. Copyright © 2017 Morin et al.

Mapping alpha-helical induced folding within the intrinsically disordered C-terminal domain of the measles virus nucleoprotein by site-directed spin-labeling EPR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Belle, Valérie; Rouger, Sabrina; Costanzo, Stéphanie; Liquière, Elodie; Strancar, Janez; Guigliarelli, Bruno; Fournel, André; Longhi, Sonia

2008-12-01

Using site-directed spin-labeling EPR spectroscopy, we mapped the region of the intrinsically disordered C-terminal domain of measles virus nucleoprotein (N(TAIL)) that undergoes induced folding. In addition to four spin-labeled N(TAIL) variants (S407C, S488C, L496C, and V517C) (Morin et al. (2006), J Phys Chem 110: 20596-20608), 10 new single-site cysteine variants were designed, purified from E. coli, and spin-labeled. These 14 spin-labeled variants enabled us to map in detail the gain of rigidity of N(TAIL) in the presence of either the secondary structure stabilizer 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol or the C-terminal domain X (XD) of the viral phosphoprotein. Different regions of N(TAIL) were shown to contribute to a different extent to the binding to XD, while the mobility of the spin labels grafted at positions 407 and 460 was unaffected upon addition of XD; that of the spin labels grafted within the 488-502 and the 505-522 regions was severely and moderately reduced, respectively. Furthermore, EPR experiments in the presence of 30% sucrose allowed us to precisely map to residues 488-502, the N(TAIL) region undergoing alpha-helical folding. The mobility of the 488-502 region was found to be restrained even in the absence of the partner, a behavior that could be accounted for by the existence of a transiently populated folded state. Finally, we show that the restrained motion of the 505-522 region upon binding to XD is due to the alpha-helical transition occurring within the 488-502 region and not to a direct interaction with XD.

STS-110 Astronaut Jerry Ross Performs Extravehicular Activity (EVA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis on April 8, 2002, the STS-110 mission prepared the International Space Station (ISS) for future space walks by installing and outfitting the 43-foot-long Starboard side S0 (S-zero) truss and preparing the first railroad in space, the Mobile Transporter. The 27,000 pound S0 truss was the first of 9 segments that will make up the Station's external framework that will eventually stretch 356 feet (109 meters), or approximately the length of a football field. This central truss segment also includes a flatcar called the Mobile Transporter and rails that will become the first 'space railroad,' which will allow the Station's robotic arm to travel up and down the finished truss for future assembly and maintenance. The completed truss structure will hold solar arrays and radiators to provide power and cooling for additional international research laboratories from Japan and Europe that will be attached to the Station. STS-110 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) marked the first use of the Station's robotic arm to maneuver space walkers around the Station and was the first time all of a shuttle crew's space walks were based out of the Station's Quest Airlock. In this photograph, Astronaut Jerry L. Ross, mission specialist, anchored on the end of the Canadarm2, moves near the newly installed S0 truss. Astronaut Lee M. E. Morin, mission specialist, (out of frame), worked in tandem with Ross during this fourth and final scheduled session of EVA for the STS-110 mission. The final major task of the space walk was the installation of a beam, the Airlock Spur, between the Quest Airlock and the S0. The spur will be used by space walkers in the future as a path from the airlock to the truss.

STS-110 Extravehicular Activity (EVA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

STS-110 mission specialist Lee M.E. Morin carries an affixed 35 mm camera to record work which is being performed on the International Space Station (ISS). Working with astronaut Jerry L. Ross (out of frame), the duo completed the structural attachment of the S0 (s-zero) truss, mating two large tripod legs of the 13 1/2 ton structure to the station's main laboratory during a 7-hour, 30-minute space walk. The STS-110 mission prepared the Station for future space walks by installing and outfitting the 43-foot-long S0 truss and preparing the Mobile Transporter. The S0 Truss was the first of 9 segments that will make up the Station's external framework that will eventually stretch 356 feet (109 meters), or approximately the length of a football field. This central truss segment also includes a flatcar called the Mobile Transporter and rails that will become the first 'space railroad,' which will allow the Station's robotic arm to travel up and down the finished truss for future assembly and maintenance. The completed truss structure will hold solar arrays and radiators to provide power and cooling for additional international research laboratories from Japan and Europe that will be attached to the Station. Milestones of the S-110 mission included the first time the ISS robotic arm was used to maneuver space walkers around the Station and marked the first time all space walks were based out of the Station's Quest Airlock. It was also the first Shuttle to use three Block II Main Engines. The Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis, STS-110 mission, was launched April 8, 2002 and returned to Earth April 19, 2002.

An in vitro and in silico study on the flavonoid-mediated modulation of the transport of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) through Caco-2 monolayers

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

Schutte, Maaike E.; Freidig, Andreas P.; Sandt, Johannes J.M. van de

The present study describes the effect of different flavonoids on the absorption of the pro-carcinogen PhIP through Caco-2 monolayers and the development of an in silico model describing this process taking into account passive diffusion and active transport of PhIP. Various flavonoids stimulated the apical to basolateral PhIP transport. Using the in silico model for flavone, kaempferol and chrysoeriol, the apparent Ki value for inhibition of the active transport to the apical side was estimated to be below 53 {mu}M and for morin, robinetin and taxifolin between 164 and 268 {mu}M. For myricetin, luteolin, naringenin and quercetin, the apparent Kimore » values were determined more accurately and amounted to 37.3, 12.2, 11.7 and 5.6 {mu}M respectively. Additional experiments revealed that the apical to basolateral PhIP transport was also increased in the presence of a typical BCRP or MRP inhibitor with apparent Ki values in the same range as those of the flavonoids. This observation together with the fact that flavonoids are known to be inhibitors of MRPs and BCRP, corroborates that inhibition of these apical membrane transporters is involved in the flavonoid-mediated increased apical to basolateral PhIP transport. Based on the apparent Ki values obtained, it is concluded that the flavonols, at the levels present in the regular Western diet, are capable of stimulating the transport of PhIP through Caco-2 monolayers from the apical to the basolateral compartment. This points to flavonoid-mediated stimulation of the bioavailability of PhIP and, thus, a possible adverse effect of these supposed beneficial food ingredients.« less

Anti-inflammatory activity of Theobroma cacao L. stem bark ethanol extract and its fractions in experimental models.

PubMed

Oyeleke, Sabitiu A; Ajayi, Abayomi M; Umukoro, Solomon; Aderibigbe, A O; Ademowo, Olusegun George

2018-08-10

The stem bark of Theobroma cacao L. have been used for the treatment of inflammation, toothache, measles and malaria in ethnomedicine. However, the anti-inflammatory activity of Theobroma cacao stem bark has not been fully elucidated. The anti-inflammatory activity of Theobroma cacao stem bark ethanol extract and its fractions was investigated in this study. The anti-inflammatory effect of ethanol extract of Theobroma cacao stem bark (EETc) and its dichloromethane (DCMF), ethylacetate (EAF) and aqueous (AQF) fractions was investigated in erythrocytes membrane stabilizing assay and carrageenan-induced paw oedema. The anti-inflammatory activity of the EAF and EETc was investigated in carrageenan induced-granuloma air pouch models. The extract and fractions showed significant membrane stabilizing action on rat erythrocytes cell membrane. The oral administration of DCMF, EAF and AQF (250 mg/kg) significantly inhibited paw oedema induced by carrageenan (41.3%, 55.0% and 45.0%, respectively) compared to control group. The EAF (62.5, 125 and 250 mg/kg) and EETc (250 mg/kg) significantly inhibited exudates formation in carrageenan air pouch by (63.8, 71.5, 74.5, 64.3%) at 24 h and by (69.4%, 75.7%, 77.1% and 68.4%) at 72 h respectively. The EETc and EAF significantly reduced neutrophil counts, protein, nitrite, Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and malondialdehyde (MDA) but increased reduced glutathione (GSH) levels compared to control in pouch exudates. The HPLC fingerprint of EAF revealed presence of caffeic acid, rutin, ferulic acid and morin. Ethanol extract of Theobroma cacao and its ethylacetate fraction demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity partly by reducing neutrophil migration and inflammatory mediator production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and Magnetic Properties of Dilute Ca²⁺ Doped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Samar Layek; Rout, K; Mohapatra, M; Anand, S; Verma, H C

2016-01-01

Undoped and calcium substituted hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles are synthesized by surfactant-directed co-precipitation and post annealing method. The annealed nanoparticles were found to be in single phase in nature and crystallize in the rhombohedral structure with space group R3c as confirmed by Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. Average crystallite sizes are calculated to be 20 to 30 nm and 50 to 60 nm for the nanoparticles annealed at 400 and 600 °C respectively. Mössbauer spectra for all the nanoparticles could be fitted with a sextet corresponding to the single magnetic state of the iron atoms in its Fe³⁺ state in the hematite matrix. The FTIR and Raman spectra of all the samples correspond to specific modes of α-Fe₂O₃. UV-Vis spectra of annealed samples showed broad peaks in the range of 525-630 nm resulting from spin-forbidden ligand field transition together with the spin-flip transition among the 2t₂g states. The estimated band gap energies were in the range of 1.6 to 1.9 eV which are much lower than the reported values for nano hematite. From the room temperature magnetic hysteresis loop measurements, weak ferromagnetic behavior is observed in all undoped and Ca²⁺ doped hematite samples. Morin temperature (T(M)) is calculated to be 257 and 237 K for 1.45% doped samples with particle size 54 and 27 nm respectively. The sample with Ca content of 1.45 wt% when annealed at 400 °C showed that the particles were of different shapes which included both quasi spherical and rod shaped. On annealing the same sample at 600 °C, the nanorods collapsed to form bigger spherical and ellipsoidal particles.

Weld residual stresses and plastic deformation

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

Rybicki, E.; Shiratori, M.

1989-01-01

Residual stresses due to welding can play a primary role in the performance of piping systems and pressure vessels. The stresses are high, in the range of the yield stress of the material, and can influence the fatigue and fracture behavior as well as component service life. Thus, it is important to have an understanding of weld residual stresses. The papers in this section address the important topic of residual stresses and failure analysis. The paper by Boyles reviews computer simulation in the prediction and analysis of fatigue, fracture, and creep of welded structures. The growing use of expert systemsmore » for these purposes is also covered. Karisson, et al, determine the deformations and stresses during the butt-welding of a pipe. The determination of residual deformations and stresses is also presented. Oddy, Goldak, and McDill propose a method to incorporate transformation plasticity in a finite element program. A three-dimensional analysis of a short longitudinal pipe weld in a typical pressure vessel steel is presented. Chaaban, Morin, Ma, and Bazergui study the influence of ligament thickness, strain hardening, expansion sequence, and level of applied expansion pressure on the interference fit in a model of a tube-to-tubesheet joint in a heat exchanger. This section contains papers dealing with models for plastic deformation. Imatani, Teraura, and Inoue formulate a viscoplastic constitutive model based on an anisotropic yield criterion. Comparisons with experimental results obtained using thin walled tubular specimens made from SUS 304 stainless steel show that the present yield criterion adequately accounts for prior deformation history. Niitsu, Horiguchi, and Ikegami investigate the plastic behavior of S25C mild steel tubular specimens subjected to combined axial and torsional loading at both constant and variable temperatures.« less

Aluminum-Resistant Arabidopsis Mutants That Exhibit Altered Patterns of Aluminum Accumulation and Organic Acid Release from Roots1

PubMed Central

Larsen, Paul B.; Degenhardt, Jörg; Tai, Chin-Yin; Stenzler, Laura M.; Howell, Stephen H.; Kochian, Leon V.

1998-01-01

Al-resistant (alr) mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana were isolated and characterized to gain a better understanding of the genetic and physiological mechanisms of Al resistance. alr mutants were identified on the basis of enhanced root growth in the presence of levels of Al that strongly inhibited root growth in wild-type seedlings. Genetic analysis of the alr mutants showed that Al resistance was semidominant, and chromosome mapping of the mutants with microsatellite and random amplified polymorphic DNA markers indicated that the mutants mapped to two sites in the Arabidopsis genome: one locus on chromosome 1 (alr-108, alr-128, alr-131, and alr-139) and another on chromosome 4 (alr-104). Al accumulation in roots of mutant seedlings was studied by staining with the fluorescent Al-indicator dye morin and quantified via inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry. It was found that the alr mutants accumulated lower levels of Al in the root tips compared with wild type. The possibility that the mutants released Al-chelating organic acids was examined. The mutants that mapped together on chromosome 1 released greater amounts of citrate or malate (as well as pyruvate) compared with wild type, suggesting that Al exclusion from roots of these alr mutants results from enhanced organic acid exudation. Roots of alr-104, on the other hand, did not exhibit increased release of malate or citrate, but did alkalinize the rhizosphere to a greater extent than wild-type roots. A detailed examination of Al resistance in this mutant is described in an accompanying paper (J. Degenhardt, P.B. Larsen, S.H. Howell, L.V. Kochian [1998] Plant Physiol 117: 19–27). PMID:9576769

Integration of snow management practices into a detailed snow pack model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spandre, Pierre; Morin, Samuel; Lafaysse, Matthieu; Lejeune, Yves; François, Hugues; George-Marcelpoil, Emmanuelle

2016-04-01

The management of snow on ski slopes is a key socio-economic and environmental issue in mountain regions. Indeed the winter sports industry has become a very competitive global market although this economy remains particularly sensitive to weather and snow conditions. The understanding and implementation of snow management in detailed snowpack models is a major step towards a more realistic assessment of the evolution of snow conditions in ski resorts concerning past, present and future climate conditions. Here we describe in a detailed manner the integration of snow management processes (grooming, snowmaking) into the snowpack model Crocus (Spandre et al., Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., in press). The effect of the tiller is explicitly taken into account and its effects on snow properties (density, snow microstructure) are simulated in addition to the compaction induced by the weight of the grooming machine. The production of snow in Crocus is carried out with respect to specific rules and current meteorological conditions. Model configurations and results are described in detail through sensitivity tests of the model of all parameters related to snow management processes. In-situ observations were carried out in four resorts in the French Alps during the 2014-2015 winter season considering for each resort natural, groomed only and groomed plus snowmaking conditions. The model provides realistic simulations of the snowpack properties with respect to these observations. The main uncertainty pertains to the efficiency of the snowmaking process. The observed ratio between the mass of machine-made snow on ski slopes and the water mass used for production was found to be lower than was expected from the literature, in every resort. The model now referred to as "Crocus-Resort" has been proven to provide realistic simulations of snow conditions on ski slopes and may be used for further investigations. Spandre, P., S. Morin, M. Lafaysse, Y. Lejeune, H. François and E. George-Marcelpoil, Integration of snow management processes into a detailed snowpack model, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., in press.

ASSESSMENT OF MAXIMUM SUSTAINABLE SWIMMING PERFORMANCE IN RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS)

PubMed

Wilson; Egginton

1994-07-01

Levels of swimming activity in fishes have been divided into three categories on the basis of the time a given speed can be maintained before the onset of fatigue (Beamish, 1978): sustained (more than 200 min), prolonged (20 s to 200 min) and burst swimming (less than 20 s). The locomotory capacity of a given species reflects both its lifestyle and its body form, although definitions of performance may vary. It is generally accepted that only the aerobic ('red') muscle fibres should be active at truly sustainable swimming speeds, i.e. at speeds that can be maintained indefinitely without fatigue. However, the standard laboratory method of evaluating the maximum sustainable swimming speed (Ucrit; Brett, 1964) almost certainly entails the recruitment of at least some of the rapidly fatigable fast glycolytic ('white') fibres at sub-critical speeds and undoubtedly complicates the evaluation of maximal cardiovascular performance. It would therefore be useful to have an objective and reproducible measure of truly sustainable performance that, by definition, relies solely on aerobic muscle activity. Electromyography (EMG) has been used to examine the pattern of white muscle recruitment following thermal acclimation in striped bass, Morine saxatilis (Sisson and Sidell, 1987). We wished to incorporate this method into a study of the acclimatory responses to chronic changes in environmental temperature of the cardiovascular and locomotory systems in rainbow trout (Wilson and Egginton, 1992). The present communication presents results on the cardiovascular performance and blood chemistry, at rest and during maximal aerobic exercise, of rainbow trout acclimated to 11 °C, as a validation of the methodology currently in use with fish acclimated to seasonal temperature extremes (Taylor et al. 1992). Different acclimation temperatures are known to produce compensatory changes in the relative proportions of red and white muscle mass (Sidell and Moerland, 1989). The aim of these continuing investigations is to compare the anatomical, cardiovascular and locomotory limitations to aerobic exercise over the full temperature range of a eurythermal fish species.

Determination of phenolic acids and flavonoids in raw propolis by silica-supported ionic liquid-based matrix solid phase dispersion extraction high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection.

PubMed

Wang, Zhibing; Sun, Rui; Wang, Yuanpeng; Li, Na; Lei, Lei; Yang, Xiao; Yu, Aimin; Qiu, Fangping; Zhang, Hanqi

2014-10-15

The silica-supported ionic liquid (S-SIL) was prepared by impregnation and used as the dispersion adsorbent of matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD) for the simultaneous extraction of eight phenolic acids and flavonoids, including caffeic acid, ferulic acid, morin, luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, chrysin, and kaempferide in raw propolis. High performance liquid chromatography with a Zorbax SB-C18 column (150mm×4.6mm, 3.5μm) was used for separation of the analytes. The mobile phase consisted of 0.2% phosphoric acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile and the flow rate of the mobile phase was 0.5mL/min. The experimental conditions for silica-supported ionic liquid-based matrix solid phase dispersion (S-SIL-based MSPD) were optimized. S-SIL containing 10% [C6MIM]Cl was used as dispersant, 20mL of n-hexane as washing solvent and 15mL of methanol as elution solvent. The ratio of S-SIL to sample was selected to be 4:1. The standard curves showed good linear relationship (r>0.9995). The limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 5.8-22.2ngmL(-1) and 19.2-74.0ngmL(-1), respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of intra-day and inter-day determination were lower than 8.80% and 11.19%, respectively. The recoveries were between 65.51% and 92.32% with RSDs lower than 8.95%. Compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and soxhlet extraction, the present method consumed less sample, organic solvent, and extraction time, although the extraction yields obtained by S-SIL-based MSPD are slightly lower than those obtained by UAE. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Origin and Fate of Phosphorus In The Seine River Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Némery, J.; Garnier, J.; Billen, G.; Meybeck, M.; Morel, C.

In the large man impacted river systems, like the Seine basin, phosphorus originates from both diffuse sources, i.e. runoff on agricultural soils and point sources generally well localised and quantified, i.e. industrial and domestic sewage. On the basis of our biogeochemical model of the Seine river ecological functioning (RIVERSTRAHLER: Billen et al., 1994; Garnier et al., 1995), a reduction of eutrophication and a better oxygenation of the larger streamorders could only be obtained by reducing P-point sources by 80 %. We are considering here P-sources, pathways and budgets through a nested approach from the Blaise sub-basin (600 km2, cattle breeding), the Grand Morin (1200 km, agricultural), the Marne (12 000 km, agricultural/urbanized) and the whole Seine catchment (65 000 km2, 17 M inhabitants). Particulate P mobility is also studied by the 32P isotopic exchange method developed in agronomy (Fardeau, 1993; Morel, 1995). The progressive reduction of polyphosphate content in washing powders and phosphorus retention in sewage treatment plants over the last ten years has led to a marked relative decrease of P point sources with regards to the diffuse ones, particularly for Paris megacity (10 M inhabitants). Major P inputs on the Marne basin are fertilizers (17 000 106 g P y-1) and 400 106 g P y-1 for treated wastewaters. Riverine output (900 106 g P y-1) is 1/3 associated to suspended matter (TSS) and is 2/3 as P-PO43-. Most fertilizer P is therefore retained on soils and exported in food supply. First results on P mobility show an important proportion of potentially remobilised P from TSS used for phytoplankton development (streamorder 5 to 8) and from deposited sediment used by macrophytes (streamorder 2 to 5). These kinetics of P exchange will improve the P sub-model in the whole basin ecological model.

Differential activation of genes related to aluminium tolerance in two contrasting rice cultivars.

PubMed

Roselló, Maite; Poschenrieder, Charlotte; Gunsé, Benet; Barceló, Juan; Llugany, Mercè

2015-11-01

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a highly Al-tolerant crop. Among other mechanisms, a higher expression of STAR1/STAR2 (sensitive to Al rhizotoxicity1/2) genes and of Nrat1 (NRAMP Aluminium Transporter 1), and ALS1 (Aluminium sensitive 1) can at least in part be responsible for the inducible Al tolerance in this species. Here we analysed the responses to Al in two contrasting rice varieties. All analysed toxicity/tolerance markers (root elongation, Evans blue, morin and haematoxylin staining) indicated higher Al-tolerance in variety Nipponbare, than in variety Modan. Nipponbare accumulated much less Al in the roots than Modan. Aluminium supply caused stronger expression of STAR1 in Nipponbare than in Modan. A distinctively higher increase of Al-induced abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation was found in the roots of Nipponbare than in Modan. Highest ABA levels were observed in Nipponbare after 48 h exposure to Al. This ABA peak was coincident in time with the highest expression level of STAR1. It is proposed that ABA may be required for cell wall remodulation facilitated by the enhanced UDP-glucose transport to the walls through STAR1/STAR2. Contrastingly, in the roots of Modan the expression of both Nrat1 coding for a plasma membrane Al-transporter and of ALS1 coding for a tonoplast-localized Al transporter was considerably enhanced. Moreover, Modan had a higher Al-induced expression of ASR1 a gene that has been proposed to code for a reactive oxygen scavenging protein. In conclusion, the Al-exclusion strategy of Nipponbare, at least in part mediated by STAR1 and probably regulated by ABA, provided better protection against Al toxicity than the accumulation and internal detoxification strategy of Modan mediated by Nrat1, ALS1 and ARS1. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the U.S. Geological Survey Seventh Biennial Geographic Information Science Workshop, Denver, Colorado, May 12-16, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helterbrand, Wm. Steve; Sieverling, Jennifer B.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Seventh Biennial Geographic Information Science (GIS) Workshop (USGS-GIS 2008) on May 12 through 16, 2008, at the Denver Federal Center in Denver, Colorado, is unique in that it brings together GIS professionals from all of the USGS disciplines across all regions, and focuses primarily on the needs and accomplishments of the USGS. The theme for the 2008 workshop, ?GIS for Tomorrow?s Challenges,? provides an opportunity for USGS GIS professionals to demonstrate how they have responded to the challenges set forth in the USGS Science Strategy. During this workshop, attendees will have an opportunity to present or demonstrate their work; develop their knowledge by attending hands-on workshops and presentations given by professionals from the USGS and other Federal agencies, GIS-related companies, and academia; and to network with other professionals to develop collaborative opportunities. In addition to participation in numerous workshops and presentations, attendees will have opportunities to listen to top-level managers from the USGS present updates and goals concerning the future of several USGS programs. Monday evening?s Star Guest presentation by Thomas Wagner, NSF Office of Polar Programs, and Paul Morin, Antarctic Geospatial Information Center, entitled ?Mapping all that is White: Antarctic Science and Operations Viewed Though Geospatial Data,? will be one of many valuable presentations. This Proceedings volume will serve as an activity reference for workshop attendees, as well as an archive of technical abstracts presented at the workshop. Author, co-author, and presenter names, affiliations, and contact information are listed with presentation titles with the abstracts. Some hands-on sessions are offered twice; in these instances, abstracts submitted for publication are presented in the proceedings on both days on which they are offered. All acronyms used in these proceedings are explained in the text of each abstract.

Operationally Defined Apoplastic and Symplastic Aluminum Fractions in Root Tips of Aluminum-Intoxicated Wheat

PubMed Central

Tice, Kathy R.; Parker, David R.; DeMason, Darleen A.

1992-01-01

Knowledge of the mechanistic basis of differential aluminum (Al) tolerance depends, in part, on an improved ability to quantify Al located in the apoplastic and symplastic compartments of the root apex. Using root tips excised from seedlings of an Al-tolerant wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivum L. cv Yecora Rojo) grown in Al solutions for 2 d, we established an operationally defined apoplastic Al fraction determined with six sequential 30-min washes using 5 mm CaCl2 (pH 4.3). Soluble symplastic Al was eluted by freezing root tips to rupture cell membranes and performing four additional 30-min CaCl2 washes, and a residual fraction was determined via digestion of root tips with HNO3. The three fractions were then determined in Yecora Rojo and a sensitive wheat cultivar (Tyler) grown at 18, 55, or 140 μm total solution Al (AlT). When grown at equal AlT, Tyler contained more Al than Yecora Rojo in all fractions, but both total Al and fractional distribution were similar in the two cultivars grown at AlT levels effecting a 50% reduction in root growth. Residual Al was consistently 50 to 70% of the total, and its location was elucidated by staining root tips with the fluorophore morin and examining them using fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Wall-associated Al was only observed in tips prior to any washing, and the residual fraction was manifested as distinct staining of the cytoplasm and nucleus but not of the apoplastic space. Accordingly, the residual fraction was allocated to the symplastic compartment for both cultivars, and recalculated apoplastic Al was consistently approximately 30 to 40% of the total. Distributions of Al in the two cultivars did not support a symplastic detoxification hypothesis, but the role of cytoplasmic exclusion remains unsettled. Images Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:16652962

Behavior of the potential antitumor V(IV)O complexes formed by flavonoid ligands. 3. Antioxidant properties and radical production capability.

PubMed

Sanna, Daniele; Ugone, Valeria; Fadda, Angela; Micera, Giovanni; Garribba, Eugenio

2016-08-01

The radical production capability and the antioxidant properties of some V(IV)O complexes formed by flavonoid ligands were examined. In particular, the bis-chelated species of quercetin (que), [VO(que)2](2-), and morin (mor), [VO(mor)2], were evaluated for their capability to reduce the stable radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and produce the hydroxyl radical (•)OH by Fenton-like reactions, where the reducing agent is V(IV)O(2+). The results were compared with those displayed by other V(IV)O complexes, such as [VO(H2O)5](2+), [VO(acac)2] (acac=acetylacetonate) and [VO(cat)2](2-) (cat=catecholate). The capability of the V(IV)O flavonoids complexes to reduce DPPH is much larger than that of the V(IV)O species formed by non-antioxidant ligands and it is due mainly to the flavonoid molecule. Through the 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) spin trapping assay of the hydroxyl radical it was possible to demonstrate that in acidic solution V(IV)O(2+) has an effectiveness in producing (•)OH radicals comparable to that of Fe(2+). When V(IV)O complexes of flavonoids were taken into account, the amount of hydroxyl radicals produced in Fenton-like reactions depends on the specific structure of the ligand and on their capability to reduce H2O2 to give (•)OH. Both the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under physiological conditions by V(IV)O complexes of flavonoid ligands and their radical scavenging capability can be put in relationship with their antitumor effectiveness and it could be possible to modulate these actions by changing the features of the flavonoid coordinated to the V(IV)O(2+) ion, such as the entity, nature and position of the substituents and the number of phenolic groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MO-F-CAMPUS-J-04: One-Year Analysis of Elekta CBCT Image Quality Using NPS and MTF

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

Nakahara, S; Tachibana, M; Watanabe, Y

2015-06-15

Purpose: To compare quantitative image quality (IQ) evaluation methods using Noise Power Spectrum (NPS) and Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) with standard IQ analyses for minimizing the observer subjectivity of the standard methods and maximizing the information content. Methods: For our routine IQ tests of Elekta XVI Cone-Beam CT, image noise was quantified by the standard deviation of CT number (CT#) (Sigma) over a small area in an IQ test phantom (CatPhan), and the high spatial resolution (HSR) was evaluated by the number of line-pairs (LP#) visually recognizable on the image. We also measured the image uniformity, the low contrast resolutionmore » ratio, and the distances of two points for geometrical accuracy. For this study, we did additional evaluation of the XVI data for 12 monthly IQ tests by using NPS for noise, MTF for HSR, and the CT#-to-density relationship. NPS was obtained by applying Fourier analysis in a small area on the uniformity test section of CatPhan. The MTF analysis was performed by applying the Droege-Morin (D-M) method to the line pairs on the phantom. The CT#-to-density was obtained for inserts in the low-contrast test section of the phantom. Results: All the quantities showed a noticeable change over the one-year period. Especially the noise level changed significantly after a repair of the imager. NPS was more sensitive to the IQ change than Sigma. MTF could provide more quantitative and objective evaluation of the HSR. The CT# was very different from the expected CT#; but, the CT#-to-density curves were constant within 5% except two months. Conclusion: Since the D-M method is easy to implement, we recommend using MTF instead of the LP# even for routine periodic QA. The month-to-month variation of IQ was not negligible; hence a routine IQ test must be performed, particularly after any modification of hardware including detector calibration.« less

Ochres and earths: matrix and chromophores characterization of 19th and 20th century artist materials.

PubMed

Montagner, Cristina; Sanches, Diogo; Pedroso, Joana; Melo, Maria João; Vilarigues, Márcia

2013-02-15

The present paper describes the main results obtained from the characterization of a wide range of natural and synthetic ochre samples used in Portugal from the 19th to the 20th century, including powder and oil painting samples. The powder ochre samples came from several commercial distributors and from the collection of Joaquim Rodrigo (1912-1997), a leading Portuguese artist, particularly active during the sixties and seventies. The micro-samples of oil painting tubes came from the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea-Museu do Chiado (National Museum of Contemporary Art-Chiado Museum) in Lisbon and were used by Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro (1857-1929), one of the most prominent naturalist Portuguese painters. These tubes were produced by the main 19th century colourmen: Winsor & Newton, Morin et Janet, Maison Merlin, and Lefranc. The samples have been studied using μ-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μ-FTIR), Raman microscopy, μ-Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (μ-EDXRF), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The analyzed ochres were found to be a mixture of several components: iron oxides and hydroxides in matrixes with kaolinite, gypsum and chalk. The results obtained allowed to identify and characterize the ochres according to their matrix and chromophores. The main chromophores where identified by Raman microscopy as being hematite, goethite and magnetite. The infrared analysis of the ochre samples allowed to divide them into groups, according to the composition of the matrix. It was possible to separate ochres containing kaolinite matrix and/or sulfate matrix from ochres where only iron oxides and/or hydroxides were detected. μ-EDXRF and Raman were the best techniques to identify umber, since the presence of elements such as manganese is characteristic of these pigments. μ-EDXRF also revealed the presence of significant amounts of arsenic in all Sienna tube paints. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Modalities in Women With Provoked Vestibulodynia.

PubMed

Morin, Mélanie; Carroll, Marie-Soleil; Bergeron, Sophie

2017-07-01

Pelvic floor muscle physical therapy is recommended in clinical guidelines for women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD). Including isolated or combined treatment modalities, physical therapy is viewed as an effective first-line intervention, yet no systematic review concerning the effectiveness of physical therapy has been conducted. To systematically appraise the current literature on the effectiveness of physical therapy modalities for decreasing pain during intercourse and improving sexual function in women with PVD. A systematic literature search using PubMed, Scopus, CINHAL, and PEDro was conducted until October 2016. Moreover, a manual search from reference lists of included articles was performed. Ongoing trials also were reviewed using clinicaltrial.gov and ISRCTNregistry. Randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohorts, and case reports evaluating the effect of isolated or combined physical therapy modalities in women with PVD were included in the review. Main outcome measures were pain during intercourse, sexual function, and patient's perceived improvement. The literature search resulted in 43 eligible studies including 7 randomized controlled trials, 20 prospective studies, 5 retrospective studies, 6 case reports, and 6 study protocols. Most studies had a high risk of bias mainly associated with the lack of a comparison group. Another common bias was related to insufficient sample size, non-validated outcomes, non-standardized intervention, and use of other ongoing treatment. The vast majority of studies showed that physical therapy modalities such as biofeedback, dilators, electrical stimulation, education, multimodal physical therapy, and multidisciplinary approaches were effective for decreasing pain during intercourse and improving sexual function. The positive findings for the effectiveness of physical therapy modalities in women with PVD should be investigated further in robust and well-designed randomized controlled trials. Morin M, Carroll M-S, Bergeron S. Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Modalities in Women With Provoked Vestibulodynia. Sex Med Rev 2017;5:295-322. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ochres and earths: Matrix and chromophores characterization of 19th and 20th century artist materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montagner, Cristina; Sanches, Diogo; Pedroso, Joana; Melo, Maria João; Vilarigues, Márcia

2013-02-01

The present paper describes the main results obtained from the characterization of a wide range of natural and synthetic ochre samples used in Portugal from the 19th to the 20th century, including powder and oil painting samples. The powder ochre samples came from several commercial distributors and from the collection of Joaquim Rodrigo (1912-1997), a leading Portuguese artist, particularly active during the sixties and seventies. The micro-samples of oil painting tubes came from the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea-Museu do Chiado (National Museum of Contemporary Art-Chiado Museum) in Lisbon and were used by Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro (1857-1929), one of the most prominent naturalist Portuguese painters. These tubes were produced by the main 19th century colourmen: Winsor & Newton, Morin et Janet, Maison Merlin, and Lefranc. The samples have been studied using μ-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μ-FTIR), Raman microscopy, μ-Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (μ-EDXRF), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The analyzed ochres were found to be a mixture of several components: iron oxides and hydroxides in matrixes with kaolinite, gypsum and chalk. The results obtained allowed to identify and characterize the ochres according to their matrix and chromophores. The main chromophores where identified by Raman microscopy as being hematite, goethite and magnetite. The infrared analysis of the ochre samples allowed to divide them into groups, according to the composition of the matrix. It was possible to separate ochres containing kaolinite matrix and/or sulfate matrix from ochres where only iron oxides and/or hydroxides were detected. μ-EDXRF and Raman were the best techniques to identify umber, since the presence of elements such as manganese is characteristic of these pigments. μ-EDXRF also revealed the presence of significant amounts of arsenic in all Sienna tube paints.

Toxicological evaluation of hydroethanolic extract of Helicteres sacarolha A. St.- Hil. et al.

PubMed

Balogun, Sikiru Olaitan; da Silva, Iberê Ferreira; Colodel, Edson Moleta; de Oliveira, Ruberlei Godinho; Ascêncio, Sérgio Donizeti; Martins, Domingos Tabajara de Oliveira

2014-11-18

Helicteres sacarolha, popularly known in Brazil as 'rosquinha', 'sacarolhas', 'semente-de-macaco', is widely distributed in different phytogeographic zones in Brazil. Preparations from its roots and leaves are employed in popular Brazilian medicine in the treatments of ailments such as peptic ulcer, hypertension among others. Cytotoxicity, acute oral and subchronic toxicity of the hydroethanolic extract of Helicteres sacrolha was investigated as well as the classes of phytochemical present in the extract. Hydroethanolic (70%) extract of Helicteres sacarolha (HEHs) was prepared by maceration. Potential cytotoxicity was evaluated in CHO-k1 cells. Acute administration of HEHs was done in mice as a single dose up to 5000mg/kg and subchronic oral toxicity study for 30 days in Wistar rats at daily oral doses of 0, 250 and 750mg/kg b.w. Clinical observations and toxicological related parameters were determined every 6 days. Blood was collected for biochemical and hematological analyses, while histological examinations were performed on selected organs. Selected secondary metabolites detected were quantified by UV-spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The extract was non-cytotoxic to CHO-k1 cells. In acute oral toxicity, there was no mortality or clinical alterations in the female mice, at all doses, except for the transient diarrhea observed at 5000mg/kg acute. Doses up to 2000mg/kg caused no mortality or treatment-related clinical manifestations in the male mice, but treatment-related alterations were however observed at 4000mg/kg, with mortalities recorded at 5000mg/kg. During the subchronic oral toxicity study, no mortality or treatment-related clinical signs were observed. Differences in relative organ weight, hematological parameters and histopathology observations between the treated and the control groups were considered not to be treatment-related. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed the presence of relatively high content of phenolics and flavonoids in HEHs. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of the quantified compounds and demonstrated the presence of ellagic acid, morin and naringin. Our results confirmed that HEHs have a broad safety margin for therapeutic use. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of the Potential Impact of Climate Change on Dengue Transmission in the Southeastern United States

PubMed Central

Butterworth, Melinda K.; Morin, Cory W.; Comrie, Andrew C.

2016-01-01

Background: Dengue fever, caused by a mosquito-transmitted virus, is an increasing health concern in the Americas. Meteorological variables such as temperature and precipitation can affect disease distribution and abundance through biophysical impacts on the vector and on the virus. Such tightly coupled links may facilitate further spread of dengue fever under a changing climate. In the southeastern United States, the dengue vector is widely established and exists on the current fringe of dengue transmission. Objectives: We assessed projected climate change–driven shifts in dengue transmission risk in this region. Methods: We used a dynamic mosquito population and virus transmission model driven by meteorological data to simulate Aedes aegypti populations and dengue cases in 23 locations in the southeastern United States under current climate conditions and future climate projections. We compared estimates for each location with simulations based on observed data from San Juan, Puerto Rico, where dengue is endemic. Results: Our simulations based on current climate data suggest that dengue transmission at levels similar to those in San Juan is possible at several U.S. locations during the summer months, particularly in southern Florida and Texas. Simulations that include climate change projections suggest that conditions may become suitable for virus transmission in a larger number of locations and for a longer period of time during each year. However, in contrast with San Juan, U.S. locations would not sustain year-round dengue transmission according to our model. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that Dengue virus (DENV) transmission is limited by low winter temperatures in the mainland United States, which are likely to prevent its permanent establishment. Although future climate conditions may increase the length of the mosquito season in many locations, projected increases in dengue transmission are limited to the southernmost locations. Citation: Butterworth MK, Morin CW, Comrie AC. 2017. An analysis of the potential impact of climate change on dengue transmission in the southeastern United States. Environ Health Perspect 125:579–585; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP218 PMID:27713106

Piper betle shows antioxidant activities, inhibits MCF-7 cell proliferation and increases activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase.

PubMed

Abrahim, Noor Nazirahanie; Kanthimathi, M S; Abdul-Aziz, Azlina

2012-11-15

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer and the focus on finding chemotherapeutic agents have recently shifted to natural products. Piper betle is a medicinal plant with various biological activities. However, not much data is available on the anti-cancer effects of P. betle on breast cancer. Due to the current interest in the potential effects of antioxidants from natural products in breast cancer treatment, we investigated the antioxidant activities of the leaves of P. betle and its inhibitory effect on the proliferation of the breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. The leaves of P. betle were extracted with solvents of varying polarities (water, methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane) and their phenolic and flavonoid content were determined using colorimetric assays. Phenolic composition was characterized using HPLC. Antioxidant activities were measured using FRAP, DPPH, superoxide anion, nitric oxide and hyroxyl radical scavenging assays. Biological activities of the extracts were analysed using MTT assay and antioxidant enzyme (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) assays in MCF-7 cells. Overall, the ethyl acetate extract showed the highest ferric reducing activity and radical scavenging activities against DPPH, superoxide anion and nitric oxide radicals. This extract also contained the highest phenolic content implying the potential contribution of phenolics towards the antioxidant activities. HPLC analyses revealed the presence of catechin, morin and quercetin in the leaves. The ethyl acetate extract also showed the highest inhibitory effect against the proliferation of MCF-7 cells (IC50=65 μg/ml). Treatment of MCF-7 cells with the plant extract increased activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase. Ethyl acetate is the optimal solvent for the extraction of compounds with antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities. The increased activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase in the treated cells could alter the antioxidant defense system, potentially contributing towards the anti-proliferative effect. There is great potential for the ethyl acetate extract of P. betle leaf as a source of natural antioxidants and to be developed as therapeutics in cancer treatment.

Piper betle shows antioxidant activities, inhibits MCF-7 cell proliferation and increases activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer and the focus on finding chemotherapeutic agents have recently shifted to natural products. Piper betle is a medicinal plant with various biological activities. However, not much data is available on the anti-cancer effects of P. betle on breast cancer. Due to the current interest in the potential effects of antioxidants from natural products in breast cancer treatment, we investigated the antioxidant activities of the leaves of P. betle and its inhibitory effect on the proliferation of the breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. Methods The leaves of P. betle were extracted with solvents of varying polarities (water, methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane) and their phenolic and flavonoid content were determined using colorimetric assays. Phenolic composition was characterized using HPLC. Antioxidant activities were measured using FRAP, DPPH, superoxide anion, nitric oxide and hyroxyl radical scavenging assays. Biological activities of the extracts were analysed using MTT assay and antioxidant enzyme (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) assays in MCF-7 cells. Results Overall, the ethyl acetate extract showed the highest ferric reducing activity and radical scavenging activities against DPPH, superoxide anion and nitric oxide radicals. This extract also contained the highest phenolic content implying the potential contribution of phenolics towards the antioxidant activities. HPLC analyses revealed the presence of catechin, morin and quercetin in the leaves. The ethyl acetate extract also showed the highest inhibitory effect against the proliferation of MCF-7 cells (IC50=65 μg/ml). Treatment of MCF-7 cells with the plant extract increased activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase. Conclusions Ethyl acetate is the optimal solvent for the extraction of compounds with antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities. The increased activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase in the treated cells could alter the antioxidant defense system, potentially contributing towards the anti-proliferative effect. There is great potential for the ethyl acetate extract of P. betle leaf as a source of natural antioxidants and to be developed as therapeutics in cancer treatment. PMID:23153283

Purple Corn (Zea mays L.) Phenolic Compounds Profile and Its Assessment as an Agent Against Oxidative Stress in Isolated Mouse Organs

PubMed Central

Ramos-Escudero, Fernando; Muñoz, Ana María; Alvarado-Ortíz, Carlos; Alvarado, Ángel

2012-01-01

Abstract This study was designed to determine the contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavanols, and anthocyanins of purple corn (Zea mays L.) extracts obtained with different methanol:water concentrations, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). Another objective was to determine the antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and deoxyribose assay, individual phenolic compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and endogenous antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and total peroxidase [TPX]) activity and lipid peroxidation activity (thiobarbituric acid–reactive substances [TBARS] assay) in isolated mouse organs. Overall, the highest total content of polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavonols, and flavanols was obtained with the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). The 50% inhibitory concentration values obtained by the DPPH and ABTS assays with this extract were 66.3 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL, respectively. The antioxidant activity by the FRAP assay was 26.1 μM Trolox equivalents/g, whereas the deoxyribose assay presented 93.6% inhibition. Because of these results, the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N), was used for the remaining tests. Eight phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, ferulic acid, morin, quercetin, naringenin, and kaempferol. Furthermore, it was observed that the purple corn extract was capable of significantly reducing lipid peroxidation (lower malondialdehyde [MDA] concentrations by the TBARS assay) and at the same time increasing endogenous antioxidant enzyme (CAT, TPX, and SOD) activities in isolated mouse kidney, liver, and brain. On the basis of the results, it was concluded that the purple corn extract contained various bioactive phenolic compounds that exhibited considerable in vitro antioxidant activity, which correlated well with the decreased MDA formation and increase in activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes observed in the isolated mouse organs. This warrants further in vivo studies with purple corn extracts to assess its antioxidant activity and other bioactivities. PMID:22082063

Purple corn (Zea mays L.) phenolic compounds profile and its assessment as an agent against oxidative stress in isolated mouse organs.

PubMed

Ramos-Escudero, Fernando; Muñoz, Ana María; Alvarado-Ortíz, Carlos; Alvarado, Ángel; Yáñez, Jaime A

2012-02-01

This study was designed to determine the contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavanols, and anthocyanins of purple corn (Zea mays L.) extracts obtained with different methanol:water concentrations, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). Another objective was to determine the antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and deoxyribose assay, individual phenolic compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and endogenous antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and total peroxidase [TPX]) activity and lipid peroxidation activity (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS] assay) in isolated mouse organs. Overall, the highest total content of polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavonols, and flavanols was obtained with the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). The 50% inhibitory concentration values obtained by the DPPH and ABTS assays with this extract were 66.3 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL, respectively. The antioxidant activity by the FRAP assay was 26.1 μM Trolox equivalents/g, whereas the deoxyribose assay presented 93.6% inhibition. Because of these results, the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N), was used for the remaining tests. Eight phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, ferulic acid, morin, quercetin, naringenin, and kaempferol. Furthermore, it was observed that the purple corn extract was capable of significantly reducing lipid peroxidation (lower malondialdehyde [MDA] concentrations by the TBARS assay) and at the same time increasing endogenous antioxidant enzyme (CAT, TPX, and SOD) activities in isolated mouse kidney, liver, and brain. On the basis of the results, it was concluded that the purple corn extract contained various bioactive phenolic compounds that exhibited considerable in vitro antioxidant activity, which correlated well with the decreased MDA formation and increase in activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes observed in the isolated mouse organs. This warrants further in vivo studies with purple corn extracts to assess its antioxidant activity and other bioactivities.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Insomnia in a Population-Based Sample

PubMed Central

LeBlanc, Mélanie; Mérette, Chantal; Savard, Josée; Ivers, Hans; Baillargeon, Lucie; Morin, Charles M.

2009-01-01

Introduction: Despite the high prevalence of insomnia, there is little information about its incidence and risk factors. This study estimated the incidence of insomnia and examined potential risk factors in a cohort of good sleepers followed over a one-year period. Methods. Participants were 464 good sleepers who completed 3 postal evaluations over a one-year period (i.e., baseline, 6 months, and 12 months). Questionnaires assessed sleep, psychological and personality variables, stressful life events and coping skills, and health-related quality of life. Participants were categorized into 3 subgroups: (a) good sleepers (i.e., participants who remained good sleepers at the 3 assessments), (b) insomnia symptoms incident cases (i.e., developed insomnia symptoms either at 6- or 12-month follow-up), and (c) insomnia syndrome incident cases (i.e., developed an insomnia syndrome either at 6- or 12- month follow-up). Results: One-year incidence rates were 30.7% for insomnia symptoms and 7.4% for insomnia syndrome. These rates decreased to 28.8% and 3.9% for those without prior lifetime episode of insomnia. Compared to good sleepers and insomnia symptoms incident cases, insomnia syndrome incident cases presented a premorbid psychological vulnerability to insomnia, characterized by higher depressive and anxiety symptoms, lower extraversion, higher arousability, and poorer self-rated mental health at baseline. They also presented a higher level of bodily pain and a poorer general health. Five variables were associated with a new onset of an insomnia syndrome: previous episode of insomnia, positive family history of insomnia, higher arousability predisposition, poorer self-rated general health, and higher bodily pain. Conclusion: The one-year insomnia incidence rate was very high and several psychological and health factors were associated with new onset insomnia. Improved knowledge about the nature of these predisposing factors would be helpful to guide the development of effective public health prevention and intervention programs to promote better sleep quality. Citation: LeBlanc M; Mérette C; Savard J; Ivers H; Baillargeon L; Morin CM. Incidence and risk factors of insomnia in a population-based sample. SLEEP 2009;32(8):1027-1037. PMID:19725254

From Utility to Exploration: Teaching with Data to Develop Complexity Thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutz, T. M.

2016-12-01

Scientific, social, and economic advances are possible because we impose simplicity and predictability on natural and social systems that are inherently complex and uncertain. But, the work of Edgar Morin, Gregory Bateson and others, suggests that a failure to integrate the simple and the complex in our thinking (worldview) is a root cause of humanity's unsustainable existence. This diagnosis is challenging for scientists because we make the world visible through data: complex earth systems reduced to numbers. What we do with those numbers mirrors our approach to the world. Geoscience students gain much of their experience working with data from courses in statistics, physics, and chemistry as well as courses in their major. They learn to solve problems within a scientific context, and are led to see data analysis as a set of tools needed to make predictions and decisions (e.g., probabilities, regression equations). They learn that there are right ways of doing things and correct answers to be found. We do need such skills - but they reflect a simple and reductionist view. For example, the objective of a regression model may be to reduce a large number of data to a much smaller number of parameters to gain utility in prediction. However, this is the "wrong direction" to approach complexity. The mission of Geometrics, a combined undergraduate & graduate course (ESS 321/521), at West Chester University is to seek ways to meaningfully reveal complexity (within the limitations of the data) and to understand data differently. The aim is to create multiple, possibly divergent, views of data sets to create a sense of richness and depth. This presentation will give examples of heuristic models, exploratory methods (e.g., moving average and kernel modeling; ensemble simulation) and visualizations (data slicing, conditioning, and rotation). Excel programs used in the course are constructed to develop a sense of playfulness and freedom in the students' approach to data, and they open up an often neglected side of scientific methods: abductive reasoning, and the formation of hypotheses that recognize complexity.

Combined effect of CO2 enrichment and foliar application of salicylic acid on the production and antioxidant activities of anthocyanin, flavonoids and isoflavonoids from ginger

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration caused by climate change and agricultural practices is likely to affect biota by producing changes in plant growth, allocation and chemical composition. This study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of the application of salicylic acid (SA, at two levels: 0 and 10-3 M) and CO2 enrichment (at two levels: 400 and 800 μmol·mol−1) on the production and antioxidant activities of anthocyanin, flavonoids and isoflavonoids from two Malaysian ginger varieties, namely Halia Bentong and Halia Bara. Methods High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry was employed to identify and quantify the flavonoids and anthocyanins in the ginger extracts. The antioxidant activity of the leaf extracts was determined by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assays. The substrate specificity of chalcone synthase, the key enzyme for flavonoid biosynthesis, was investigated using the chalcone synthase (CHS) assay. Results CO2 levels of 800 μmol·mol−1 significantly increased anthocyanin, rutin, naringenin, myricetin, apigenin, fisetin and morin contents in ginger leaves. Meanwhile, the combined effect of SA and CO2 enrichment enhanced anthocyanin and flavonoid production compared with single treatment effects. High anthocyanin content was observed in H Bara leaves treated with elevated CO2 and SA. The highest chalcone synthase (CHS) activity was observed in plants treated with SA and CO2 enrichment. Plants not treated with SA and kept under ambient CO2 conditions showed the lowest CHS activity. The highest free radical scavenging activity corresponded to H Bara treated with SA under high CO2 conditions, while the lowest activity corresponded to H Bentong without SA treatment and under atmospheric CO2 levels. As the level of CO2 increased, the DPPH activity increased. Higher TBA activity was also recorded in the extracts of H Bara treated with SA and grown under high CO2 conditions. Conclusions The biological activities of both ginger varieties were enhanced when the plants were treated with SA and grown under elevated CO2 concentration. The increase in the production of anthocyanin and flavonoids in plants treated with SA could be attributed to the increase in CHS activity under high CO2 levels. PMID:23176249

Combined effect of CO(2) enrichment and foliar application of salicylic acid on the production and antioxidant activities of anthocyanin, flavonoids and isoflavonoids from ginger.

PubMed

Ghasemzadeh, Ali; Jaafar, Hawa Ze; Karimi, Ehsan; Ibrahim, Mohd Hafiz

2012-11-23

The increase in atmospheric CO(2) concentration caused by climate change and agricultural practices is likely to affect biota by producing changes in plant growth, allocation and chemical composition. This study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of the application of salicylic acid (SA, at two levels: 0 and 10-3 M) and CO(2) enrichment (at two levels: 400 and 800 μmol·mol-1) on the production and antioxidant activities of anthocyanin, flavonoids and isoflavonoids from two Malaysian ginger varieties, namely Halia Bentong and Halia Bara. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry was employed to identify and quantify the flavonoids and anthocyanins in the ginger extracts. The antioxidant activity of the leaf extracts was determined by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assays. The substrate specificity of chalcone synthase, the key enzyme for flavonoid biosynthesis, was investigated using the chalcone synthase (CHS) assay. CO(2) levels of 800 μmol·mol-1 significantly increased anthocyanin, rutin, naringenin, myricetin, apigenin, fisetin and morin contents in ginger leaves. Meanwhile, the combined effect of SA and CO(2) enrichment enhanced anthocyanin and flavonoid production compared with single treatment effects. High anthocyanin content was observed in H Bara leaves treated with elevated CO(2) and SA. The highest chalcone synthase (CHS) activity was observed in plants treated with SA and CO(2) enrichment. Plants not treated with SA and kept under ambient CO(2) conditions showed the lowest CHS activity. The highest free radical scavenging activity corresponded to H Bara treated with SA under high CO(2) conditions, while the lowest activity corresponded to H Bentong without SA treatment and under atmospheric CO(2) levels. As the level of CO(2) increased, the DPPH activity increased. Higher TBA activity was also recorded in the extracts of H Bara treated with SA and grown under high CO(2) conditions. The biological activities of both ginger varieties were enhanced when the plants were treated with SA and grown under elevated CO(2) concentration. The increase in the production of anthocyanin and flavonoids in plants treated with SA could be attributed to the increase in CHS activity under high CO(2) levels.

Slow CCL2-dependent translocation of biopersistent particles from muscle to brain

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Long-term biodistribution of nanomaterials used in medicine is largely unknown. This is the case for alum, the most widely used vaccine adjuvant, which is a nanocrystalline compound spontaneously forming micron/submicron-sized agglomerates. Although generally well tolerated, alum is occasionally detected within monocyte-lineage cells long after immunization in presumably susceptible individuals with systemic/neurologic manifestations or autoimmune (inflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA). Methods On the grounds of preliminary investigations in 252 patients with alum-associated ASIA showing both a selective increase of circulating CCL2, the major monocyte chemoattractant, and a variation in the CCL2 gene, we designed mouse experiments to assess biodistribution of vaccine-derived aluminum and of alum-particle fluorescent surrogates injected in muscle. Aluminum was detected in tissues by Morin stain and particle induced X-ray emission) (PIXE) Both 500 nm fluorescent latex beads and vaccine alum agglomerates-sized nanohybrids (Al-Rho) were used. Results Intramuscular injection of alum-containing vaccine was associated with the appearance of aluminum deposits in distant organs, such as spleen and brain where they were still detected one year after injection. Both fluorescent materials injected into muscle translocated to draining lymph nodes (DLNs) and thereafter were detected associated with phagocytes in blood and spleen. Particles linearly accumulated in the brain up to the six-month endpoint; they were first found in perivascular CD11b+ cells and then in microglia and other neural cells. DLN ablation dramatically reduced the biodistribution. Cerebral translocation was not observed after direct intravenous injection, but significantly increased in mice with chronically altered blood-brain-barrier. Loss/gain-of-function experiments consistently implicated CCL2 in systemic diffusion of Al-Rho particles captured by monocyte-lineage cells and in their subsequent neurodelivery. Stereotactic particle injection pointed out brain retention as a factor of progressive particle accumulation. Conclusion Nanomaterials can be transported by monocyte-lineage cells to DLNs, blood and spleen, and, similarly to HIV, may use CCL2-dependent mechanisms to penetrate the brain. This occurs at a very low rate in normal conditions explaining good overall tolerance of alum despite its strong neurotoxic potential. However, continuously escalating doses of this poorly biodegradable adjuvant in the population may become insidiously unsafe, especially in the case of overimmunization or immature/altered blood brain barrier or high constitutive CCL-2 production. PMID:23557144

Slow CCL2-dependent translocation of biopersistent particles from muscle to brain.

PubMed

Khan, Zakir; Combadière, Christophe; Authier, François-Jérôme; Itier, Valérie; Lux, François; Exley, Christopher; Mahrouf-Yorgov, Meriem; Decrouy, Xavier; Moretto, Philippe; Tillement, Olivier; Gherardi, Romain K; Cadusseau, Josette

2013-04-04

Long-term biodistribution of nanomaterials used in medicine is largely unknown. This is the case for alum, the most widely used vaccine adjuvant, which is a nanocrystalline compound spontaneously forming micron/submicron-sized agglomerates. Although generally well tolerated, alum is occasionally detected within monocyte-lineage cells long after immunization in presumably susceptible individuals with systemic/neurologic manifestations or autoimmune (inflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA). On the grounds of preliminary investigations in 252 patients with alum-associated ASIA showing both a selective increase of circulating CCL2, the major monocyte chemoattractant, and a variation in the CCL2 gene, we designed mouse experiments to assess biodistribution of vaccine-derived aluminum and of alum-particle fluorescent surrogates injected in muscle. Aluminum was detected in tissues by Morin stain and particle induced X-ray emission) (PIXE) Both 500 nm fluorescent latex beads and vaccine alum agglomerates-sized nanohybrids (Al-Rho) were used. Intramuscular injection of alum-containing vaccine was associated with the appearance of aluminum deposits in distant organs, such as spleen and brain where they were still detected one year after injection. Both fluorescent materials injected into muscle translocated to draining lymph nodes (DLNs) and thereafter were detected associated with phagocytes in blood and spleen. Particles linearly accumulated in the brain up to the six-month endpoint; they were first found in perivascular CD11b+ cells and then in microglia and other neural cells. DLN ablation dramatically reduced the biodistribution. Cerebral translocation was not observed after direct intravenous injection, but significantly increased in mice with chronically altered blood-brain-barrier. Loss/gain-of-function experiments consistently implicated CCL2 in systemic diffusion of Al-Rho particles captured by monocyte-lineage cells and in their subsequent neurodelivery. Stereotactic particle injection pointed out brain retention as a factor of progressive particle accumulation. Nanomaterials can be transported by monocyte-lineage cells to DLNs, blood and spleen, and, similarly to HIV, may use CCL2-dependent mechanisms to penetrate the brain. This occurs at a very low rate in normal conditions explaining good overall tolerance of alum despite its strong neurotoxic potential. However, continuously escalating doses of this poorly biodegradable adjuvant in the population may become insidiously unsafe, especially in the case of overimmunization or immature/altered blood brain barrier or high constitutive CCL-2 production.

Psychosexual Development in Men with Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism on Long-Term Treatment: A Mixed Methods Study

PubMed Central

Dwyer, Andrew A; Quinton, Richard; Pitteloud, Nelly; Morin, Diane

2015-01-01

Introduction Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) is a rare, genetic, reproductive endocrine disorder characterized by absent puberty and infertility. Limited information is available on the psychosocial impact of CHH and psychosexual development in these patients. Aim The aim of this study was to determine the impact of CHH on psychosexual development in men on long-term treatment. Methods A sequential mixed methods explanatory design was used. First, an online survey (quantitative) was used to quantify the frequency of psychosexual problems among CHH men. Second, patient focus groups (qualitative) were conducted to explore survey findings in detail and develop a working model to guide potential nursing and interdisciplinary interventions. Main Outcome Measures Patient characteristics, frequency of body shame, difficulty with intimate relationships, and never having been sexually active were assessed. Additionally, we collected subjective patient-reported outcomes regarding the impact of CHH on psychological/emotional well-being, intimate relationships, and sexual activity. Results A total of 101 CHH men on long-term treatment (>1 year) were included for the analysis of the online survey (mean age 37 ± 11 years, range 19–66, median 36). Half (52/101, 51%) of the men had been seen at a specialized academic center and 37/101 (37%) reported having had fertility-inducing treatment. A high percentage of CHH men experience psychosexual problems including difficulty with intimate relationships (70%) and body image concerns/body shame (94/101, 93%), and the percentage of men never having been sexually active is five times the rate in a reference group (26% vs. 5.4%, P < 0.001). Focus groups revealed persisting body shame and low self-esteem despite long-term treatment that has lasting impact on psychosexual functioning. Conclusions CHH men frequently experience psychosexual problems that pose barriers to intimate relationships and initiating sexual activity. These lingering effects cause significant distress and are not ameliorated by long-term treatment. Psychosexual assessment in CHH men with appropriate psychological support and treatment should be warranted in these patients. Dwyer AA, Quinton R, Pitteloud N, and Morin D. Psychosexual development in men with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism on long-term treatment: A mixed methods study. Sex Med 2015;3:32–41. PMID:25844173

Density Functional Theory Modeling of Ferrihydrite Nanoparticle Adsorption Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubicki, J.

2016-12-01

Ferrihydrite is a critical substrate for adsorption of oxyanion species in the environment1. The nanoparticulate nature of ferrihydrite is inherent to its formation, and hence it has been called a "nano-mineral"2. The nano-scale size and unusual composition of ferrihydrite has made structural determination of this phase problematic. Michel et al.3 have proposed an atomic structure for ferrihydrite, but this model has been controversial4,5. Recent work has shown that the Michel et al.3 model structure may be reasonably accurate despite some deficiencies6-8. An alternative model has been proposed by Manceau9. This work utilizes density functional theory (DFT) calculations to model both the structure of ferrihydrite nanoparticles based on the Michel et al. 3 model as refined in Hiemstra8 and the modified akdalaite model of Manceau9. Adsorption energies of carbonate, phosphate, sulfate, chromate, arsenite and arsenate are calculated. Periodic projector-augmented planewave calculations were performed with the Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP10) on an approximately 1.7 nm diameter Michel nanoparticle (Fe38O112H110) and on a 2 nm Manceau nanoparticle (Fe38O95H76). After energy minimization of the surface H and O atoms. The model will be used to assess the possible configurations of adsorbed oxyanions on the model nanoparticles. Brown G.E. Jr. and Calas G. (2012) Geochemical Perspectives, 1, 483-742. Hochella M.F. and Madden A.S. (2005) Elements, 1, 199-203. Michel, F.M., Ehm, L., Antao, S.M., Lee, P.L., Chupas, P.J., Liu, G., Strongin, D.R., Schoonen, M.A.A., Phillips, B.L., and Parise, J.B., 2007, Science, 316, 1726-1729. Rancourt, D.G., and Meunier, J.F., 2008, American Mineralogist, 93, 1412-1417. Manceau, A., 2011, American Mineralogist, 96, 521-533. Maillot, F., Morin, G., Wang, Y., Bonnin, D., Ildefonse, P., Chaneac, C., Calas, G., 2011, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 75, 2708-2720. Pinney, N., Kubicki, J.D., Middlemiss, D.S., Grey, C.P., and Morgan, D., 2009, Chemistry of Materials, 21, 5727-5742. Hiemstra T. (2013) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 105, 316-325. Manceau A. (2014) American Mineralogist, 99, 102-108. Kresse, G., and Furthmuller, J., 1996, Physical Review B, 54, 11169-11186.

Monthly Fluctuations of Insomnia Symptoms in a Population-Based Sample

PubMed Central

Morin, Charles M.; LeBlanc, M.; Ivers, H.; Bélanger, L.; Mérette, Chantal; Savard, Josée; Jarrin, Denise C.

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: To document the monthly changes in sleep/insomnia status over a 12-month period; to determine the optimal time intervals to reliably capture new incident cases and recurrent episodes of insomnia and the likelihood of its persistence over time. Design: Participants were 100 adults (mean age = 49.9 years; 66% women) randomly selected from a larger population-based sample enrolled in a longitudinal study of the natural history of insomnia. They completed 12 monthly telephone interviews assessing insomnia, use of sleep aids, stressful life events, and physical and mental health problems in the previous month. A total of 1,125 interviews of a potential 1,200 were completed. Based on data collected at each assessment, participants were classified into one of three subgroups: good sleepers, insomnia symptoms, and insomnia syndrome. Results: At baseline, 42 participants were classified as good sleepers, 34 met criteria for insomnia symptoms, and 24 for an insomnia syndrome. There were significant fluctuations of insomnia over time, with 66% of the participants changing sleep status at least once over the 12 monthly assessments (51.5% for good sleepers, 59.5% for insomnia syndrome, and 93.4% for insomnia symptoms). Changes of status were more frequent among individuals with insomnia symptoms at baseline (mean = 3.46, SD = 2.36) than among those initially classified as good sleepers (mean = 2.12, SD = 2.70). Among the subgroup with insomnia symptoms at baseline, 88.3% reported improved sleep (i.e., became good sleepers) at least once over the 12 monthly assessments compared to 27.7% whose sleep worsened (i.e., met criteria for an insomnia syndrome) during the same period. Among individuals classified as good sleepers at baseline, risks of developing insomnia symptoms and syndrome over the subsequent months were, respectively, 48.6% and 14.5%. Monthly assessment over an interval of 6 months was found most reliable to estimate incidence rates, while an interval of 3 months proved the most reliable for defining chronic insomnia. Conclusions: Monthly assessment of insomnia and sleep patterns revealed significant variability over the course of a 12-month period. These findings highlight the importance for future epidemiological studies of conducting repeated assessment at shorter than the typical yearly interval in order to reliably capture the natural course of insomnia over time. Citation: Morin CM; LeBlanc M; Ivers H; Bélanger L; Mérette C; Savard J; Jarrin DC. Monthly fluctuations of insomnia symptoms in a population-based sample. SLEEP 2014;37(2):319-326. PMID:24497660

Loss of diacylglycerol kinase epsilon in mice causes endothelial distress and impairs glomerular Cox-2 and PGE2 production

PubMed Central

Zhu, Jili; Chaki, Moumita; Lu, Dongmei; Ren, Chongyu; Wang, Shan-Shan; Rauhauser, Alysha; Li, Binghua; Zimmerman, Susan; Jun, Bokkyoo; Du, Yong; Vadnagara, Komal; Wang, Hanquin; Elhadi, Sarah; Quigg, Richard J.; Topham, Matthew K.; Mohan, Chandra; Ozaltin, Fatih; Zhou, Xin J.; Marciano, Denise K.; Bazan, Nicolas G.

2016-01-01

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a disorder characterized by microvascular occlusion that can lead to thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and glomerular damage. Complement activation is the central event in most cases of TMA. Primary forms of TMA are caused by mutations in genes encoding components of the complement or regulators of the complement cascade. Recently, we and others have described a genetic form of TMA caused by mutations in the gene diacylglycerol kinase-ε (DGKE) that encodes the lipid kinase DGKε (Lemaire M, Fremeaux-Bacchi V, Schaefer F, Choi MR, Tang WH, Le Quintrec M, Fakhouri F, Taque S, Nobili F, Martinez F, Ji WZ, Overton JD, Mane SM, Nurnberg G, Altmuller J, Thiele H, Morin D, Deschenes G, Baudouin V, Llanas B, Collard L, Majid MA, Simkova E, Nurnberg P, Rioux-Leclerc N, Moeckel GW, Gubler MC, Hwa J, Loirat C, Lifton RP. Nat Genet 45: 531–536, 2013; Ozaltin F, Li BH, Rauhauser A, An SW, Soylemezoglu O, Gonul II, Taskiran EZ, Ibsirlioglu T, Korkmaz E, Bilginer Y, Duzova A, Ozen S, Topaloglu R, Besbas N, Ashraf S, Du Y, Liang CY, Chen P, Lu DM, Vadnagara K, Arbuckle S, Lewis D, Wakeland B, Quigg RJ, Ransom RF, Wakeland EK, Topham MK, Bazan NG, Mohan C, Hildebrandt F, Bakkaloglu A, Huang CL, Attanasio M. J Am Soc Nephrol 24: 377–384, 2013). DGKε is unrelated to the complement pathway, which suggests that unidentified pathogenic mechanisms independent of complement dysregulation may result in TMA. Studying Dgke knockout mice may help to understand the pathogenesis of this disease, but no glomerular phenotype has been described in these animals so far. Here we report that Dgke null mice present subclinical microscopic anomalies of the glomerular endothelium and basal membrane that worsen with age and develop glomerular capillary occlusion when exposed to nephrotoxic serum. We found that induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and of the proangiogenic prostaglandin E2 are impaired in Dgke null kidneys and are associated with reduced expression of the antithrombotic cell adhesion molecule platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1/CD31 in the glomerular endothelium. Notably, prostaglandin E2 supplementation was able to rescue motility defects of Dgke knockdown cells in vitro and to restore angiogenesis in a test in vivo. Our results unveil an unexpected role of Dgke in the induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and in the regulation of glomerular prostanoids synthesis under stress. PMID:26887830

Loss of diacylglycerol kinase epsilon in mice causes endothelial distress and impairs glomerular Cox-2 and PGE2 production.

PubMed

Zhu, Jili; Chaki, Moumita; Lu, Dongmei; Ren, Chongyu; Wang, Shan-Shan; Rauhauser, Alysha; Li, Binghua; Zimmerman, Susan; Jun, Bokkyoo; Du, Yong; Vadnagara, Komal; Wang, Hanquin; Elhadi, Sarah; Quigg, Richard J; Topham, Matthew K; Mohan, Chandra; Ozaltin, Fatih; Zhou, Xin J; Marciano, Denise K; Bazan, Nicolas G; Attanasio, Massimo

2016-05-01

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a disorder characterized by microvascular occlusion that can lead to thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and glomerular damage. Complement activation is the central event in most cases of TMA. Primary forms of TMA are caused by mutations in genes encoding components of the complement or regulators of the complement cascade. Recently, we and others have described a genetic form of TMA caused by mutations in the gene diacylglycerol kinase-ε (DGKE) that encodes the lipid kinase DGKε (Lemaire M, Fremeaux-Bacchi V, Schaefer F, Choi MR, Tang WH, Le Quintrec M, Fakhouri F, Taque S, Nobili F, Martinez F, Ji WZ, Overton JD, Mane SM, Nurnberg G, Altmuller J, Thiele H, Morin D, Deschenes G, Baudouin V, Llanas B, Collard L, Majid MA, Simkova E, Nurnberg P, Rioux-Leclerc N, Moeckel GW, Gubler MC, Hwa J, Loirat C, Lifton RP. Nat Genet 45: 531-536, 2013; Ozaltin F, Li BH, Rauhauser A, An SW, Soylemezoglu O, Gonul II, Taskiran EZ, Ibsirlioglu T, Korkmaz E, Bilginer Y, Duzova A, Ozen S, Topaloglu R, Besbas N, Ashraf S, Du Y, Liang CY, Chen P, Lu DM, Vadnagara K, Arbuckle S, Lewis D, Wakeland B, Quigg RJ, Ransom RF, Wakeland EK, Topham MK, Bazan NG, Mohan C, Hildebrandt F, Bakkaloglu A, Huang CL, Attanasio M. J Am Soc Nephrol 24: 377-384, 2013). DGKε is unrelated to the complement pathway, which suggests that unidentified pathogenic mechanisms independent of complement dysregulation may result in TMA. Studying Dgke knockout mice may help to understand the pathogenesis of this disease, but no glomerular phenotype has been described in these animals so far. Here we report that Dgke null mice present subclinical microscopic anomalies of the glomerular endothelium and basal membrane that worsen with age and develop glomerular capillary occlusion when exposed to nephrotoxic serum. We found that induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and of the proangiogenic prostaglandin E2 are impaired in Dgke null kidneys and are associated with reduced expression of the antithrombotic cell adhesion molecule platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1/CD31 in the glomerular endothelium. Notably, prostaglandin E2 supplementation was able to rescue motility defects of Dgke knockdown cells in vitro and to restore angiogenesis in a test in vivo. Our results unveil an unexpected role of Dgke in the induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and in the regulation of glomerular prostanoids synthesis under stress. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Magnetic Properties of Iron Oxide Minerals in Atmospheric Dust and Source Sediments from Western US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskowitz, B. M.; Yauk, K.; Till, J. L.; Berquo, T. S.; Banerjee, S. K.; Reynolds, R. L.; Goldstein, H. L.

2011-12-01

Atmospheric dust contains iron oxide minerals that can play important roles in various physical and biological processes affecting atmospheric and surface temperatures, marine phytoplankton productivity, and human health. Iron oxide minerals in dust deposited on mountain snow cover are especially important because these minerals absorb solar and IR radiation leading to changes in albedo and affecting the timing and rate of spring and summer snowpack melting. As part of an ongoing project to study physical and chemical properties of dust from sources to sinks in the western US, we will describe one approach to characterize iron oxide mineralogy using magnetic property measurements and Mossbauer spectroscopy. Magnetic property measurements over a wide range of temperatures (2-300 K) and magnetic fields (0-5 T) are particularly sensitive to composition, particle size (from nanometer to micrometer), and concentration of iron oxide and oxyhydroxide minerals. The high sensitivity of magnetic measurements to target minerals allows the measurement of bulk samples preventing any aliasing of composition or grain size resulting from attempts at prior magnetic separation. In addition, different magnetic measurement protocols can isolate different particle-size assemblages and different compositions in multicomponent mixtures and help to identify dust-source areas. These techniques have been applied to dust deposited on snow (DOS) cover of the San Juan Mountains, Colorado (collected 2005-2010) and Wasatch Mountains, Utah (collected 2010) and possible dust-source sediments from the North American Great Basin and Colorado Plateau deserts. Results show that all samples contain a high coercivity phase consistent with hematite and/or goethite as the dominate ferric oxide mineral plus minor amounts of magnetite (<0.5 wt%). The presence of magnetite was determined from the detection of the characteristic Verwey transition (T=121 K) on low-temperature (< 300 K) remanence and susceptibility curves. Room temperature remanence parameters for the San Juan Mountains DOS fall into two discrete populations of hematite concentration ( x2 difference) but with similar spreads in magnetite concentrations (0.05-0.2%) within each group. Preliminary Mössbauer spectroscopy at 300 K for San Juan Mountains DOS indicates hematite as the sole magnetic phase with magnetite below the detection limits. However, spectra taken at 4.2 K show an increase in the hematite component and the appearance of goethite indicating superparamagnetism and nanoparticle size distribution for both phases. The lack of the Morin transition (T=263 K) for hematite on low-temperature remanence curves is also consistent with nanohematite as the main iron oxide phase in DOS from the San Juan Mountains.

Gallesia integrifolia (Spreng.) Harms: In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities and mode of action.

PubMed

Arunachalam, Karuppusamy; Ascêncio, Sérgio Donizeti; Soares, Ilsamar Mendes; Souza Aguiar, Raimundo Wagner; da Silva, Larissa Irene; de Oliveira, Ruberlei Godinho; Balogun, Sikiru Olaitan; de Oliveira Martins, Domingos Tabajara

2016-05-26

Gallesia integrifolia (Phytolaccaceae) is commonly known as "pau-d'alho" in Brazil or "garlic plant" due to the strong scent of garlic peculiar to all parts of the plant. The bark decoction is used for the treatment of microbial infections among other diseases by different ethnic groups in Brazil, Peruvian Amazonians, Bolivia and Mosetene Indians. This study aimed to advance in the antibacterial activity and characterize the mode of action of the hydroethanolic extract of the inner stem bark of G. integrifolia (HEGi) using in vivo and in vitro experimental models. The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyzes of HEGi were carried out using colorimetric and HPLC technique. The cytotoxic potential of HEGi was evaluated against CHO-K1 cells by Alamar blue assay and its acute toxicity was assessed by the Hippocratic screening test using Swiss-Webster mice. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by micro- dilution method against ten strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The mode of action of HEGi was investigated by outer membrane permeability, nucleotide leakage and potassium efflux assays. In vivo infection model was established by using Staphylococcus aureus infection model Wistar rats. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of HEGi revealed the presence of saponins, alkaloids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Phytochemical quantification of HEGi showed that higher total phenolic (80.10±0.62mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (16.10±0.03mg RE/g) contents. HPLC fingerprint analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid, rutin, and morin. In the Alamar blue assay no cytotoxic effect of HEGi in CHO-K1 cells was observed up to 200µg/mL, and no signs or symptoms of acute toxicity were observed in mice of both sexes at higher doses of up to 2000mg/kg, p.o. HEGi demonstrated bacteriostatic effect against selected Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial pathogens. Its mode of action is associated, at least partly, with changes in the permeability of bacterial membranes, evidenced by the increased entry of hydrophobic antibiotic in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, intense K(+) efflux and nucleotides leakage in Shigella flexneri, Streptococcus pyogenes and S. aureus. HEGi attenuated the experimental blood borne S. aureus infection in rats at all the tested doses levels (10, 50 and 250mg/kg). HEGi is safe at the dose tested when used acutely, and it presented broad antibacterial effect, which support its traditional use in the treatment of bacterial infections. It contains well known important phytochemicals, recognized to be active against bacterial pathogens in vitro and might be collectively responsible for the antibacterial activity of HEGi. It is bacteriostatic in nature, with membrane perturbation being one of it mode of action. HEGi represent a potential phytotherapic antibacterial agent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteomic analysis of the adaptative response of Mucor spp. to cheese environment.

PubMed

Morin-Sardin, Stéphanie; Jany, Jean-Luc; Artigaud, Sébastien; Pichereau, Vianney; Bernay, Benoît; Coton, Emmanuel; Madec, Stéphanie

2017-02-10

In the cheese industry context, Mucor species exhibit an ambivalent behavior as some species are essential "technological" organisms of some cheeses while others can be spoiling agents. Previously, we observed that cheese "technological" species exhibited higher optimal growth rates on cheese related matrices than on synthetic media. This growth pattern combined with morphological differences raise the question of their adaptation to cheese. In this study, using a comparative proteomic approach, we described the metabolic pathways of three Mucor strains considered as "technological" or "contaminant" in the cheese environment (M. lanceolatus UBOCC-A-109153, M. racemosus UBOCC-A-109155, M. circinelloides CBS 277-49) as well as a non-cheese related strain (M. endophyticus CBS 385-95). Overall, 15.8 to 19.0% of the proteomes showed a fold change ≥1.6 in Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) versus Cheese Agar (CA), a cheese mimicking-medium. The 289 differentially expressed proteins identified by LC MS-MS analysis were mostly assigned to energy and amino-acid metabolisms in PDA whereas a higher diversity of biological processes was observed for cheese related strains in CA. Surprisingly, the vast majority (72.9%) of the over-accumulated proteins were different according to the considered medium and strain. These results strongly suggest that the observed better adaptative response of "technological" strains to cheese environment is mediated by species-specific proteins. The Mucor genus consists of a multitude of poorly known species. In the food context, few species are known for their positive role in the production of various food products, including cheese, while others are spoiling agents. The present study focused on the analysis of morphological and proteome differences of various Mucor spp. representative strains known as either positively (hereafter referred as "technological") or negatively (hereafter referred as "contaminant") associated with cheese or non-related to cheese (endophyte) on two different media, a synthetic medium and a cheese-mimicking medium. The main goal was to assess if adaptative traits of "technological" strains to the cheese environment could be identified. This work was based on observations we did in a recently published physiological study (Morin-Sardin et al., 2016). One of the important innovative aspects lies in the use for the first time of an extensive 2-DE approach to compare proteome variations for 4 strains on two different media. Results obtained offered an insight in the metabolic mechanisms associated with growth on a given medium and showed that adaptation to cheese environment is probably supported by species-specific proteins. The obtained data represent an essential step point for more targeted studies at the genomic and transcriptomic levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toward a new system approach of complexity in geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, E.

2012-04-01

Since three decades the conceptual vision of catchment and fluvial geomorphology is strongly based on the "fluvial system" (S. A. Schumm, 1977) and the "river continuum system" (R. L. Vannote et al., 1980) concepts that can be embedded in a classical physical "four dimensions system" (C. Amoros and G.-E. Petts, 1993). Catchment and network properties, sediment and water budgets and their time-space variations are playing a major role in this geomorpho-ecological approach of hydro-geomorphosystems in which human impacts are often considered as negative externalities. The European Water Framework Directive (i.e. WFD, Directive 2000/60/EC) and its objective of good environmental status is addressing the question of fluvial/catchment/landscape geomorphology and its integration into IWRM in such a sustainable way that deeply brings back society and social sciences into the water system analysis. The DPSIR methodology can be seen as an attempt to cope with the analysis of unsustainable consequences of society's water-sediment-landscape uses, environmental pressures and their consequences on complex fluvial dynamics. Although more and more scientific fields are engaged in this WFD objective there's still a lack of a global theory that could integrate geomorphology into the multi-disciplinary brainstorming discussion about sustainable use of water resources. Our proposition is to promote and discuss a trans-disciplinary approach of catchments and fluvial networks in which concepts can be broadly shared across scientific communities. The objective is to define a framework for thinking and analyzing geomorphological issues within a whole "Environmental and Social System" (i.e. ESS, E. Masson 2010) with a common set of concepts and "meta-concepts" that could be declined and adapted in any scientific field for any purpose connected with geomorphology. We assume that geomorphological research can benefit from a six dynamic dimensions system approach based on structures, functions, connections, phases, topologies and adaptations. By combining these six dimensions one can easily understand that geomorphological features and dynamics are then considered as very complex systems in which hierarchies, information, discontinuities, openness, resilience and self-organized responses are fundamental properties emerging among many others (E. Masson 2010). This conceptual approach is consistent with many other scientific concepts used in ecological sciences (S-E. Jorgensen et al. 2007, C-S. Holling and al. 2002, I. Prigogine 1997, W-M. Elsasser 1987…) but also in human sciences (A. Dauphiné 2003, Ch.P.Péguy 2001, P. Bourdieu 1987, U. Beck 1986, J. Tricart 1968, C. Levy-Strauss 1958…), in physics (P. Bak, 1996, K-R. Popper 1982, I. Prigogine 1955…) and obviously into systemic science (E. Morin 1977, J-L. Moigne 1977, L. Von Bertalanffy 1968). Our contribution is then an encouraging attempt to expand the frontier of geomorphological theory with a new trans-disciplinary approach that deals with the huge complexity of hydrosystems considered as a whole Environmental and Social System.

Assessment of toxicity and differential antimicrobial activity of methanol extract of rhizome of Simaba ferruginea A. St.-Hil. and its isolate canthin-6-one.

PubMed

Gazoni, Vanessa Fátima; Balogun, Sikiru Olaitan; Arunachalam, Karuppusamy; Oliveira, Darley Maria; Filho, Valdir Cechinel; Lima, Samara Rosolem; Colodel, Edson Moleta; Soares, Ilsamar Mendes; Ascêncio, Sérgio Donizeti; Martins, Domingos Tabajara de Oliveira

2018-09-15

Simaba ferruginea A. St.-Hil., Simaroubaceae, popularly known as "calunga" is a typical subtropical shrub used in Central Brazil mainly for infection, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and gastric duodenal-ulcers. It presents in its composition the alkaloid canthin-6-one, an alkaloid indole β-carboxylic. This study aims to investigate the toxicity, antimicrobial activities of methanol extract of Simaba ferruginea (MESf) and canthin-6-one by using different experimental models. The present study evaluated the phytochemical analysis by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), toxicological potential of MESf and canthin-6-one, using the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity assays with CHO-K1 cells and in vivo acute test in mice. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the broth microdilution assays, while the antimicrobial mechanism of action was also assessed using different in vitro bacterial and fungal models. The HPLC analysis of MESf revealed the presence of canthin-6-one, kaempferol and morin. Differential in vitro toxicities were observed between MESf and canthin-6-one. In the cytotoxicity assay, MESf presented toxicity against CHO-K1, while canthin-6-one did not. In the case of in vitro genotoxicity, both showed to be potentially genotoxic. In the in vivo toxicity study, both MESf (up to 1000 mg/kg) and cantin-6-one (up to 100 mg/kg) caused no toxicologically relevant alterations and are thus considered not to be toxic. MESf was shown to be relatively safe with NOAEL (100 mg/kg) when administrate in mice. Both MESf and canthin-6-one also showed differential antimicrobial activities. On one hand, MESf demonstrated good spectrum of antibacterial action against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 12.5 μg/mL) and Escherichia coli (MIC 25 μg/mL) and moderate activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Shigella flexneri (MIC 200 μg/mL) but no antifungal effect. On the hand, canthin-6-one showed no antibacterial activity, except against Staphylococcus aureus (100 μg/mL), but potent in vitro fungicidal activity against clinically important Aspergillus niger and Candida species at MFC intervals ranging from 3.12 to 25 μg/mL. Both MESf and canthin-6-one were bacteriostatic in action. MESf antimicrobial mechanism of actions are associated with changes in the permeability of bacterial membranes, evidenced by the increased entry of hydrophobic antibiotic in Shigella flexneri, intense K + efflux (Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus) and nucleotides leakage (Staphylococcus aureus). In the antifungal mode of action, canthin-6-one inhibited Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth and including alteration in the cell membrane of Neurospora crassa. The results of this work demonstrated the differential antimicrobial activities of MESf and its alkaloid isolate, canthin-6-one with antibacterial and antifungal activities, respectively. The present study support the popular use of Simaba ferruginea in combatting afflictions related to bacterial infections, and demonstrate that canthin-6-one as a promising antifungal agent. Both MESf and canthin-6-one are considered non-toxic based on the in vitro toxicological study. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insight into the radiotolerance of the life support bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H by means of phenotypic and transcriptomic methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastroleo, Felice; Monsieurs, Pieter; Leys, Natalie

The MELiSSA life support system from the European Space Agency is targeting the produc-tion of oxygen, water and food by recycling organic waste. Among different types of pro-cesses, MELiSSA uses several interconnected bioreactors inhabited by microorganisms and higher plants (Hendrickx et al., 2006; Mergeay et al., 1988). Because this loop is foreseen to be functional in space where it will be exposed to higher doses and different spectra of ionizing radiation, it was decided to screen the radiotolerance of the organisms used. In this study, the radiotolerance (i.e. tolerance to ionizing radiation) of the photosynthetic bacterium Rho-dospirillum rubrum S1H was investigated. In this test, first the effect of low energy Cobalt-60 gamma rays, were tested. To assess the radiotolerance of bacterium S1H, the survival rate after increasing exposure was determined. R. rubrum S1H appeared relatively radiosensitive, as the radiation dose at which 90% of the population was killed (D10 value) was 4 times lower than the model bacterium Escherichia coli. It was demonstrate that the culture medium has an impact on radiation tolerance. This survival curve also permitted to select a number of sub-lethal ionizing radiation doses (¡ D10 ), that were used to analyze the gene expression response of R. rubrum S1H after gamma irradiation. The microarray transcriptome analysis results ob-tained from different doses and different culture medium showed a significant response of the bacterium to sublethal doses. Potential marker genes for ionizing radiation stress in R. rubrum S1H were identified. By quantitative PCR, it was shown that the expression of these marker genes increased with the recovery time after exposure to ionizing radiation. In other words, the radiation tolerance and the response of R. rubrum S1H to low energy Cobalt-60 gamma ionizing radiation was characterized. Therefore to ensure MELiSSA process robustness during extended space exploration mission, it is advised that this particular aspect of R. rubrum S1H metabolism should be carefully monitored and possibly countermeasure could be taken in order to avoid potential malfunctioning of the continuous culture bioreactor. Hendrickx L., De Wever H., Hermans V., Mastroleo F., Morin N., Wilmotte A., Janssen P. and Mergeay M. Microbial ecology of the closed artificial ecosystem MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Sup-port System Alternative): reinventing and compartmentalizing the Earth's food and oxygen regenera-tion system for long-haul space exploration missions. Res Microbiol 2006;157:77-86. Mergeay M., Verstraete W., Dubertret G., Lefort-Tran M., Chipaux C., Binot R.A. `MELiSSA'—A micro-organisms-based model for `CELSS' development. Proceedings at the 3rd European Symposium on Space Thermal Control Life Support Systems Noordwijk, The Netherlands (1988) pp 65-68. The presented work was financially supported by the European Space Agency (ESA-PRODEX), the Belgian Science Policy (Belspo) (PRODEX agreements No C90247 No 90094) and the SCK•CEN PhD AWM grant of F. Mastroleo. We are grateful to C. Lasseur and C. Paillé, both from ESTEC/ESA, for their constant support and advice.

Crucial steps in the evolution of the preperitoneal approaches to the groin: an historical review.

PubMed

Read, R C

2011-02-01

Preperitoneal approaches to the repair of primary, bilateral, recurrent, inguinal, and femoral herniae, the most common abdominal protrusions, now dominate techniques of repair. The purpose of this review is to outline crucial steps which have led to this result. Abernethy (Surgical cases and remarks. Of the operation for the aneurysm. Cadell and Davies (Strand), London, pp. 149-176, 1797) introduced an operation to treat aneurysms of the external iliac artery, which was endorsed by Cooper (The anatomy and surgical treatment of abdominal hernia. Longman and Co, London, 1804). Bogros (Essai sur l'anatomie chirurgical de la region iliac et description d'un nouveau procede pour faire la ligature des arteries epigastric et iliaque externe. Th. Paris, no. 153. A Paris, de l'imprimerie de Didot le Jeune, imprimeur de la Faculte de Medicine, rue des Macons, Sorbonne no. 13, 1823) described his preperitoneal space which continues into the suprapubic space of Retzius. Annandale (Edinb Med J 21:1087-1091, 1876) initiated anterior preperitoneal repair. Cheatle (Br Med J 2:68-69, 1920, Br Med J 2:1025-1026, 1921) demonstrated the median posterior preperitoneal approach, resurrected by Henry (Lancet 1:531-533, 1936). McEvedy (Ann R Coll Surg Engl 7:484-496, 1950) modified the Cheatle-Henry procedure by using a unilateral oblique incision in the rectus sheath and underlying transversalis fascia with medial retraction of the rectus muscle. Estrin et al. (Surg Gynecol Obstet 116:547-550, 1963) reinforced this repair with prostheses attached to Cooper's ligament, thereby, eliminating tension. Anterior prosthetic preperitoneal repair was introduced by Usher et al. (Am Surg 24:969-974, 1958) using polyethylene and, later, polypropylene meshes which were not slit, since the spermatic cord was lateralized. Stoppa et al., beginning in 1965, performed giant prosthetic reinforcement of the visceral sac, covering Fruchaud's myopectineal orifice preperitoneally with extensive overlap. They used a posterior approach to avoid scarring in recurrent cases and to allow the exposure of large, bilateral, inguinal, and femoral sacs (Rev Med Picardie 1:46-46, 1972). Wantz (Surg Gynecol Obstet, 169:408-417, 1989) proposed a unilateral version. Gilbert (Am J Surg 163:331-335, 1992) described the anterior preperitoneal sutureless repair of groin herniation. He employed a two-layered prosthesis, the upper resting on the transversalis fascia, the lower in the space of Bogros. They were connected by a plug passed through the internal inguinal ring. Kugel (Am J Surg 178:298-302, 1999) described his anterior preperitoneal prosthetic repair of groin herniation through an abdominal gridiron incision. Laparoscopic repair of groin protrusions began in 1982 (Ger; Ann R Coll Surg Engl 64:342-344, 1982). In 1992, Arregui et al. (Surg Laparosc Endosc 2:53-58, 1992) and Dion and Morin (Can J Surg 35:209-212, 1992) reported on their transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) approach. To avoid intraperitoneal complications, Dulucq (Cahiers Chir 79:15-16, 1991) recommended a totally extraperitoneal (TEP) approach. These techniques incur fewer recurrences than open techniques and diminish postoperative pain. However, the operating time is longer, they are more expensive, and special skills are needed. In addition, general anesthesia is required. Thus, late in the 18th century, surgeons began incising the groin to treat aneurysms there. This experience led to the discovery of the preperitoneal space of Bogros, which, in the 1870 s, was employed for the anterior repair of groin herniation. The posterior preperitoneal approach became established in the 1920s-1960s, along with the use of prostheses. Laparoscopy was applied near the end of the century.

Communicating climate change: alerting versus stimulating action, a few "philosophical" interrogations from a marine biogeochemist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragueneau, O.

2009-04-01

I'm a marine biogeochemist, working on diatoms and their role in the oceanic biological pump and climate. Since a few years, I'm placing a lot of time and energy in communicating science about climate change because I feel that, in addition to the remarkable work performed by the IPCC which has major implications on the political agenda, we also need to talk to each citizen to stimulate action towards mitigation. While doing so, many questions arise and I think it is very important that we share our experiences, so that each of us can continue the best he can. First, I try to experience different forms of communication. Science cafés, conferences, seminars with a group of adults to explore scientific controversies (e.g. carbon compensation, biofuels…), work with teachers to bring climate change in classes. My objectives are double: convey the most recent scientific information on climate change and stimulate action. And here arises the first question: what is the frontier between outreach and a more "political" engagement? Is there any difference between working with professionals towards integrated coastal zone management, and talking to citizens, which is an important scale, when addressing climate change? During these interventions, I have realized the need to communicate about "numbers". Global numbers, in terms of gigatons emitted by human activities. But also individual numbers, to address questions such as: how important are personal emissions compared to the industry for example? And what about my own emissions? Compared to those of my neighbour… The mean individual emissions in France compared to England or Germany. In Europe compared to the US or Africa… And if I want to do something, should I act on my transport, the energy I use at home, my food? In fact, do I even know there is CO2 in my plate? To help answering some of these questions, I have developed a calculator of personal CO2 emissions, that I use in a "conference-workshop" where people can come to calculate their own emissions and then, replace them in a more global context. During the debates then, very rapidly, politics and ethics come into play. Beyond the question raised above concerning outreach versus engagement, I find it VERY DIFFICULT to find the right balance between alerting and stimulating action. On one hand, we need to alert on the reality of the numbers given (and it is hard to reduce our personal emissions by a factor of 4 in France or 10 in the US), the ethical problems they raise (we, in developed countries, are responsible for the majority of past CO2 emissions and we should do the major effort, Ragueneau et al., 2008). And on the other hand, we need to remain optimistic and show that solutions do exist, if we do not want to discourage people to act. There is debate between the ethics of fear (H. Jonas) and the ethics of hope (E. Morin) as best ways to stimulate action and I feel we need to share our experiences on how best navigate between these two lines. So I would be very happy to participate in such a session to discuss the role of scientists in essential issues such as societal debates related to climate change, the frontier between outreach and political engagement, and the attitude needed to convince that there is a problem, that this problem is big and we need to stress it, but that it can be addressed with very positive implications for each of us.

Geologic and isostatic map of the Nenana Basin area, central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frost, G.M.; Barnes, D.F.; Stanley, R.G.

2002-01-01

Introduction The Nenana Basin area is a prospective petroleum province in central Alaska, and this geologic and isostatic gravity map is part of a petroleum resource assessment of the area. The geology was compiled from published sources (Chapman and others, 1971, 1975a, 1975b, 1982; Chapman and Yeend, 1981; Csejtey and others, 1986; Jones and others, 1983; Pewe and others, 1966; Reed, 1961; and Weber and others, 1992), as shown on the index map (map sheet). Map units are organized and presented according to the scheme of lithotectonic terranes proposed by Jones and others (1987) and Silberling and Jones (1984); we recognize, however, that this terrane scheme is controversial and likely to be revised in the future. In some cases, we combined certain terranes because we were unable to match the terrane boundaries given by Jones and others (1987) and Silberling and Jones (1984) with specific faults shown on existing geologic maps. Postaccretion cover deposits represent overlap assemblages that depositionally overlie accreted terranes. Plutonic igneous rocks shown on this map include several plutons that are clearly postaccretionary, based on isotopic ages and (or) field relations. It is possible that some of the plutons predate accretion, but this has not been demonstrated. According to Jones and others (1982), the terranes in the area of our map were assembled during late Mesozoic or earliest Cenozoic time. The gravity contours are derived from data used in earlier compilations (Barnes, 1961, 1977; Hackett, 1981; Valin and others, 1991; Frost and Stanley, 1991) that are supplemented by some National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data along the Alaska Pipeline level line (W.E. Strange, written commun., 1980). The earlier compilations were used for simple Bouguer maps, prepared primarily by non-digital methods, and are superseded by this map. The present map is the result of digital processing that includes the 1967 Geodetic Reference System, the IGSN-71 datum, digital terrain corrections, and conversion to isostatic gravity so that geologic structures on the margin of the Alaska Range are more clearly portrayed (Simpson and others, 1986). Computation procedures are described in part by Barnes (1972, 1984), Jachens and Roberts (1981), and Barnes and others (1994). The calculations used a crustal density of 2.67 g/cm 3 , a density contrast at the base of the isostatic root of 0.4 g/cm 3 , and a root thickness at sea level of 25 km. The distribution of data within the map area is uneven and locally controls the shape of the computer-generated contours. Altimetry was used for most of the elevation control and its inconsistency is responsible for many of the small contour irregularities. Ninety percent of the measurements are estimated to have an accuracy of about 1.5 mgal or about a quarter of the 5 mgal contour interval. Data collection and analysis were assisted by R.V. Allen, R.C. Jachens, M.A. Fisher, T.R. Bruns, J.G. Blank, J.W. Bader, Z.C. Valin, J.W. Cady, R.L. Morin, and P.V. Woodward. The most promising area for petroleum exploration is a prominent 25 mgal isostatic gravity low north of Nenana (T. 2 S., R. 8 W.). This gravity low probably corresponds to the deepest part of a sedimentary basin filled by Cenozoic strata that includes nonmarine fluvial and lacustrine deposits of the Eocene to Miocene Usibelli Group. Smaller gravity lows are associated with outcrops of these sedimentary rocks north of Suntrana (T. 12 S., R. 6-9 W.) and Sable Pass (T. 16 S., R. 11 W.). A broad low on the north flank of the Alaska Range east of the Wood River (T. 10 S., R. 1 E.) indicates another basin under the Tanana lowland that extends eastward off the map area towards Delta Junction, where its presence was confirmed by both gravity and seismic data (Barnes and others, 1991). Gravity modelling suggests that the base of the Usibelli Group in the area north of Nenana (T. 2 S., R. 8 W.) is about 3,000 to 3,350 m beneath t

PREFACE: Transport phenomena in proton conducting media Transport phenomena in proton conducting media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eikerling, Michael

2011-06-01

Proton transport phenomena are of paramount importance for acid-base chemistry, energy transduction in biological organisms, corrosion processes, and energy conversion in electrochemical systems such as polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The relevance for such a plethora of materials and systems, and the ever-lasting fascination with the highly concerted nature of underlying processes drive research across disciplines in chemistry, biology, physics and chemical engineering. A proton never travels alone. Proton motion is strongly correlated with its environment, usually comprised of an electrolyte and a solid or soft host material. For the transport in nature's most benign proton solvent and shuttle, water that is, insights from ab initio simulations, matured over the last 15 years, have furnished molecular details of the structural diffusion mechanism of protons. Excess proton movement in water consists of sequences of Eigen-Zundel-Eigen transitions, triggered by hydrogen bond breaking and making in the surrounding water network. Nowadays, there is little debate about the validity of this mechanism in water, which bears a stunning resemblance to the basic mechanistic picture put forward by de Grotthuss in 1806. While strong coupling of an excess proton with degrees of freedom of solvent and host materials facilitates proton motion, this coupling also creates negative synergies. In general, proton mobility in biomaterials and electrochemical proton conducting media is highly sensitive to the abundance and structure of the proton solvent. In polymer electrolyte membranes, in which protons are bound to move in nano-sized water-channels, evaporation of water or local membrane dehydration due to electro-osmotic coupling are well-known phenomena that could dramatically diminish proton conductivity. Contributions in this special issue address various vital aspects of the concerted nature of proton motion and they elucidate important structural and dynamic effects of solvent, charge-bearing species at interfaces and porous host materials on proton transport properties. As a common thread, articles in this special issue contribute to understanding the functionality provided by complex materials, beyond hydrogen bond fluctuations in water. The first group of articles (Smirnov et al, Henry et al, Medvedev and Stuchebrukhov) elucidates various aspects of the impact of local structural fluctuations, hydrogen bonding and long-range electrostatic forces on proton transfer across and at the surface of mitochondrial membranes. The second group of articles (Ilhan and Spohr, Allahyarov et al and Idupulapati et al) employ molecular dynamics simulations to rationalize vital dependencies of proton transport mechanisms in aqueous-based polymer electrolyte membranes on the nanoporous, phase-separated ionomer morphology, and on the level of hydration. The articles by Gebel et al, Boillat et al, and Aleksandrova et al employ small angle neutron scattering, neutron radiography, and electrochemical atomic force microscopy, respectively, to obtain detailed insights into the kinetics of water sorption, water distribution, water transport properties, as well as spatial maps of proton conductivity in fuel cell membranes. The contribution of Paschos et al provides a comprehensive review of phosphate-based solid state protonic conductors for intermediate temperature fuel cells. The topic of proton conductive materials for high-temperature, water-free operation of fuel cells is continued in the article of Verbraeken et al which addresses synthesis and characterization of a proton conducting perovskite. The guest editor wishes to acknowledge and thank all contributing authors for their commitment to this special issue. Moreover, I would like to thank the staff at IOP Publishing for coordinating submission and refereeing processes. Finally, for the readers, I hope that this special issue will be a valuable and stimulating source of insights into the versatile and eminently important field of transport phenomena in proton conducting media. Complex dynamics of fluids in disordered and crowded environments contents Electrostatic models of electron-driven proton transfer across a lipid membrane Anatoly Yu Smirnov, Lev G Mourokh and Franco Nori Molecular basis of proton uptake in single and double mutants of cytochrome c oxidase Rowan M Henry, David Caplan, Elisa Fadda and Régis Pomès Proton diffusion along biological membranes E S Medvedev and A A Stuchebrukhov Ab initio molecular dynamics of proton networks in narrow polymer electrolyte pores Mehmet A Ilhan and Eckhard Spohr A simulation study of field-induced proton-conduction pathways in dry ionomers Elshad Allahyarov, Philip L Taylor and Hartmut Löwen Molecular structure and transport dynamics in perfluoro sulfonyl imide membranes Nagesh Idupulapati, Ram Devanathan and Michel Dupuis The kinetics of water sorption in Nafion membranes: a small-angle neutron scattering study Gérard Gebel, Sandrine Lyonnard, Hakima Mendil-Jakani and Arnaud Morin Using 2H labeling with neutron radiography for the study of solid polymer electrolyte water transport properties P Boillat, P Oberholzer, B C Seyfang, A Kästner, R Perego, G G Scherer, E H Lehmann and A Wokaun Spatial distribution and dynamics of proton conductivity in fuel cell membranes: potential and limitations of electrochemical atomic force microscopy measurements E Aleksandrova, S Hink, R Hiesgen and E Roduner A review on phosphate based, solid state, protonic conductors for intermediate temperature fuel cells O Paschos, J Kunze, U Stimming and F Maglia A structural study of the proton conducting B-site ordered perovskite Ba3Ca1.18Ta1.82O8.73 Maarten C Verbraeken, Hermenegildo A L Viana, Philip Wormald and John T S Irvine

Toward Open Science at the European Scale: Geospatial Semantic Array Programming for Integrated Environmental Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Rigo, Daniele; Corti, Paolo; Caudullo, Giovanni; McInerney, Daniel; Di Leo, Margherita; San-Miguel-Ayanz, Jesús

2013-04-01

Interfacing science and policy raises challenging issues when large spatial-scale (regional, continental, global) environmental problems need transdisciplinary integration within a context of modelling complexity and multiple sources of uncertainty [1]. This is characteristic of science-based support for environmental policy at European scale [1], and key aspects have also long been investigated by European Commission transnational research [2-5]. Parameters ofthe neededdata- transformations ? = {?1????m} (a.5) Wide-scale transdisciplinary modelling for environment. Approaches (either of computational science or of policy-making) suitable at a given domain-specific scale may not be appropriate for wide-scale transdisciplinary modelling for environment (WSTMe) and corresponding policy-making [6-10]. In WSTMe, the characteristic heterogeneity of available spatial information (a) and complexity of the required data-transformation modelling (D- TM) appeal for a paradigm shift in how computational science supports such peculiarly extensive integration processes. In particular, emerging wide-scale integration requirements of typical currently available domain-specific modelling strategies may include increased robustness and scalability along with enhanced transparency and reproducibility [11-15]. This challenging shift toward open data [16] and reproducible research [11] (open science) is also strongly suggested by the potential - sometimes neglected - huge impact of cascading effects of errors [1,14,17-19] within the impressively growing interconnection among domain-specific computational models and frameworks. From a computational science perspective, transdisciplinary approaches to integrated natural resources modelling and management (INRMM) [20] can exploit advanced geospatial modelling techniques with an awesome battery of free scientific software [21,22] for generating new information and knowledge from the plethora of composite data [23-26]. From the perspective of the science-policy interface, INRMM should be able to provide citizens and policy-makers with a clear, accurate understanding of the implications of the technical apparatus on collective environmental decision-making [1]. Complexity of course should not be intended as an excuse for obscurity [27-29]. Geospatial Semantic Array Programming. Concise array-based mathematical formulation and implementation (with array programming tools, see (b) ) have proved helpful in supporting and mitigating the complexity of WSTMe [40-47] when complemented with generalized modularization and terse array-oriented semantic constraints. This defines the paradigm of Semantic Array Programming (SemAP) [35,36] where semantic transparency also implies free software use (although black-boxes [12] - e.g. legacy code - might easily be semantically interfaced). A new approach for WSTMe has emerged by formalizing unorganized best practices and experience-driven informal patterns. The approach introduces a lightweight (non-intrusive) integration of SemAP and geospatial tools (c) - called Geospatial Semantic Array Programming (GeoSemAP). GeoSemAP (d) exploits the joint semantics provided by SemAP and geospatial tools to split a complex D- TM into logical blocks which are easier to check by means of mathematical array-based and geospatial constraints. Those constraints take the form of precondition, invariant and postcondition semantic checks. This way, even complex WSTMe may be described as the composition of simpler GeoSemAP blocks, each of them structured as (d). 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Vol. 359 of IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. Springer Boston, Berlin, Heidelberg, Ch. 34, pp. 310-318. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22285-6_34 San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., Schulte, E., Schmuck, G., Camia, A., Strobl, P., Liberta, G., Giovando, C., Boca, R., Sedano, F., Kempeneers, P., McInerney, D., Withmore, C., de Oliveira, S. S., Rodrigues, M., Durrant, T., Corti, P., Oehler, F., Vilar, L., Amatulli, G., Mar. 2012. Comprehensive monitoring of wildfires in Europe: The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). In: Tiefenbacher, J. (Ed.), Approaches to Managing Disaster - Assessing Hazards, Emergencies and Disaster Impacts. InTech, Ch. 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/28441 de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., Stancanelli, G., 2012. Mapping European forest tree species distribution to support pest risk assessment. In: Baker, R., Koch, F., Kriticos, D., Rafoss, T., Venette, R., van der Werf, W. (Eds.), Advancing risk assessment models for invasive alien species in the food chain: contending with climate change, economics and uncertainty. Bioforsk FOKUS 7. OECD Co-operative Research Programme on Biological Resource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems; Bioforsk - Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research. http://www.pestrisk.org/2012/BioforskFOKUS7-10_IPRMW-VI.pdf Estreguil, C., Caudullo, G., de Rigo, D., Whitmore, C., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2012. Reporting on European forest fragmentation: Standardized indices and web map services. IEEE Earthzine. http://www.earthzine.org/2012/07/05/reporting-on-european-forest-fragmentation-standardized-indices-and-web-map-services/ Estreguil, C., de Rigo, D. and Caudullo, G. (exp. 2013). Towards an integrated and reproducible characterisation of habitat pattern. Submitted to Environmental Modelling & Software Amatulli, G., Camia, A., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2009. Projecting future burnt area in the EU-mediterranean countries under IPCC SRES A2/B2 climate change scenarios (JRC55149), 33-38 de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Amatulli, G., Strobl, P., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J. (exp. 2013). Modelling tree species distribution in Europe with constrained spatial multi-frequency analysis. In prep. GRASS Development Team, 2012. Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) Software. Open Source Geospatial Foundation. http://grass.osgeo.org http://www.spatial-ecology.net/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=wiki:firemod Neteler, M., Bowman, M. H., Landa, M., Metz, M., 2012. GRASS GIS: A multi-purpose open source GIS. Environmental Modelling & Software 31, 124-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2011.11.014 Neteler, M., Mitasova, H., 2008. Open source GIS a GRASS GIS approach. ISBN: 978-0-387-35767-6 Warmerdam, F., 2008. The geospatial data abstraction library. In: Hall, G. B., Leahy, M. G. (Eds.), Open Source Approaches in Spatial Data Handling. Vol. 2 of Advances in Geographic Information Science. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp. 87-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74831-15 Open Geospatial Consortium, 2007. OpenGIS Web Processing Service version 1.0.0. No. OGC 05-007r7 in OpenGIS Standard. Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). http://portal.opengeospatial.org/files/?artifact_id=24151 Hazzard, E., 2011. Openlayers 2.10 beginner's guide. Packt Publishing. ISBN: 1849514127 Obe, R., Hsu, L., 2011. PostGIS in Action. Manning Publications. http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2018871 Sutton, T., 2009. Clipping data from postgis. linfiniti.com Open Source Geospatial Solutions. http://linfiniti.com/2009/09/clipping-data-from-postgis/

Free and Open Source Software underpinning the European Forest Data Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez Aseretto, Dario; Di Leo, Margherita; de Rigo, Daniele; Corti, Paolo; McInerney, Daniel; Camia, Andrea; San-Miguel-Ayanz, Jesús

2013-04-01

Worldwide, governments are growingly focusing [1] on free and open source software (FOSS) as a move toward transparency and the freedom to run, copy, study, change and improve the software [2]. The European Commission (EC) is also supporting the development of FOSS (see e.g., [3]). In addition to the financial savings, FOSS contributes to scientific knowledge freedom in computational science (CS) [4] and is increasingly rewarded in the science-policy interface within the emerging paradigm of open science [5-8]. Since complex computational science applications may be affected by software uncertainty [4,9-11], FOSS may help to mitigate part of the impact of software errors by CS community-driven open review, correction and evolution of scientific code [10,12-15]. The continental scale of EC science-based policy support implies wide networks of scientific collaboration. Thematic information systems also may benefit from this approach within reproducible [16] integrated modelling [4]. This is supported by the EC strategy on FOSS: "for the development of new information systems, where deployment is foreseen by parties outside of the EC infrastructure, [F]OSS will be the preferred choice and in any case used whenever possible" [17]. The aim of this contribution is to highlight how a continental scale information system may exploit and integrate FOSS technologies within the transdisciplinary research underpinning such a complex system. A European example is discussed where FOSS innervates both the structure of the information system itself and the inherent transdisciplinary research for modelling the data and information which constitute the system content. The information system. The European Forest Data Centre (EFDAC, http://forest.jrc.ec.europa.eu/efdac/) has been established at the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) as the focal point for forest data and information in Europe to supply European decision-makers with processed, quality checked and timely policy relevant forest data and information (see also [18]). A set of web-based tools allow accessing the information located in EFDAC. The following applications - running on GNU/Linux platforms - are the core elements of EFDAC: In (a.1) a metadata client allows users to search for EFDAC related spatial datasets while (a.2) is a customized web map service that allows the user to visualize, navigate and query available maps and derived geo-datasets on several forest-related topics. The database system currently relies on ORACLE and PostgreSQL [24] with PostGIS [25]. EFFIS (a.3) [26-33] is a comprehensive system covering the full cycle of forest-fire management. The system supports forest-fire prevention and fighting in Europe, North Africa and Middle East countries through the provision of timely and reliable information on forest-fires [29,30,32]. Within EFFIS, UMN Mapserver [34] is used for the management and publication of the fire behavior forecast and the other fire-related layers in a wide range of formats including INSPIRE and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards such as: Transdisciplinary modelling research. The EFDAC portal [39] provides data and information which rely on coordinated research [40-50] on wide-scale transdisciplinary modelling for environment (WSTMe) [51]. This contributed to advanced computational modelling approaches such as morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) [52-54] and geospatial semantic array programming (GeoSemAP) [51,55]. FOSS is here essential. For example, GeoSemAP is based on a semantically-enhanced [56,57] joint use of geospatial and array programming [58] tools (c) where semantic transparency also implies FOSS use. References Hahn, R. W., Bessen, J., Evans, D. S., Lessig, L., Smith, B. L., 2009. Government Policy Toward Open Source Software. Hahn, R. W. (Ed.). ISBN: 0-8157-3393-3 http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn Free Software Foundation, 2012. What is free software? http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html (revision 1.118 archived at http://www.webcitation.org/6DXqCFAN3 ) Kroes, N., 2010. How to get more interoperability in Europe. In: Open Forum Europe 2010 Summit - Openness at the heart of the EU Digital Agenda. No. SPEECH/10/300. European Commission press release. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-10-300_en.pdf de Rigo, D., 2013. Behind the horizon of reproducible integrated environmental modelling at European scale: ethics and practice of scientific knowledge freedom. F1000 Research. To appear as discussion paper Stallman, R. M., 2005. Free community science and the free development of science. PLoS Med 2 (2), e47+. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020047 Cai, Y., Judd, K. L., Lontzek, T. S., 2012. Open science is necessary. Nature Climate Change 2 (5), 299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1509 Morin, A., Urban, J., Adams, P. D., Foster, I., Sali, A., Baker, D., Sliz, P., 2012. Shining light into black boxes. Science 336 (6078), 159-160. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1218263 Ince, D. C., Hatton, L., Graham-Cumming, J., 2012. The case for open computer programs. Nature 482 (7386), 485-488. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature10836 Lehman, M. M., Ramil, J. F., 2002. Software uncertainty. In: Bustard, D., Liu, W., Sterritt, R. (Eds.), Soft-Ware 2002: Computing in an Imperfect World. Vol. 2311 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer Berlin / Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg, Ch. 14, pp. 477-514. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46019-5_14 Hatton, L., 2012. Defects, scientific computation and the scientific method uncertainty quantification in scientific computing. Vol. 377 of IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. Springer Boston, Berlin, Heidelberg, Ch. 8, pp. 123-138. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32677-68 de Rigo, D., 2013. Software Uncertainty in Integrated Environmental Modelling: the role of Semantics and Open Science. Geophysical Research Abstracts 15, EGU General Assembly 2013 Hatton, L., 2007. The chimera of software quality. Computer 40 (8), 104-103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/MC.2007.292 Cai, Y., Judd, K. L., Lontzek, T. S., May 2012. Open science is necessary. Nature Climate Change 2 (5), 299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1509 Sonnenburg, S., Braun, M. L., Ong, C. S., Bengio, S., Bottou, L., Holmes, G., LeCun, Y., Müller, K. R., Pereira, F., Rasmussen, C. E., Rätsch, G., Schölkopf, B., Smola, A., Vincent, P., Weston, J., Williamson, R., Dec. 2007. The need for open source software in machine learning. J. Mach. Learn. Res. 8, 2443-2466. http://jmlr.csail.mit.edu/papers/v8/sonnenburg07a.html de Vos, M. G., Janssen, S. J. C., van Bussel, L. G. J., Kromdijk, J., van Vliet, J., Top, J. L., Dec. 2011. Are environmental models transparent and reproducible enough? In: Chan, F., Marinova, D., Anderssen, R. S. (Eds.), MODSIM2011, 19th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation. Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand, pp. 2954-2961. http://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim2011/G7/devos.pdf Peng, R. D., 2011. Reproducible research in computational science. Science 334 (6060), 1226-1227. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1213847 European Commission, 2011. Strategy for internal use of OSS at the EC. European Commission, Directorate-General for Informatics (DIGIT). http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/informatics/oss_tech/index_en.htm (archived at: http://www.webcitation.org/6DXuBeTAU ) European Commission, 2006. European Union forest action plan. No. COM(2006) 302 final. Communication from the Commission. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2006:0302:FIN:EN:HTML Ticheler, J., Hielkema, J. U., 2007. GeoNetwork opensource. OSGeo Journal 2, 1-5. http://journal.osgeo.org/index.php/journal/article/viewFile/86/69 European Parliament, 2007. Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 march 2007 establishing an infrastructure for spatial information in the european community (INSPIRE). Official Journal of the European Union 50 (L 108), 1-14. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:108:0001:0014:EN:PDF European Commission, 2008. Commission regulation (EC) no 1205/2008 of 3 december 2008 implementing directive 2007/2/EC of the european parliament and of the council as regards metadata. Official Journal of the European Union 51 (L 326), 12-30. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:326:0012:0030:EN:PDF Hazzard, E., 2011. Openlayers 2.10 beginner's guide. Packt Publishing. ISBN: 9781849514125 Holovaty, A., Kaplan-Moss, J., 2009. The definitive guide to Django: Web development done right. Apress (distributed by Springer-Verlag). ISBN: 9781590597255. http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1572516 Worsley, J. C., Drake, J. D., 2002. Practical PostgreSQL: a hardened, robust, open source database. O'Reilly. ISBN: 1565928466. http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=580258 Obe, R., Hsu, L., 2011. PostGIS in Action. Manning Publications. ISBN:1935182269. http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2018871 San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2010. Wildfires in Europe: The analysis of past and future trends within the European Forest Fire Information System. In: EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. Vol. 12 of EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. pp. 15401+. http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2010/EGU2010-15401.pdf Camia, A., Durrant Houston, T., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2010. The European fire database: development, structure and implementation. In: 6th International Conference on Forest Fire Research. No. A20. Coimbra, Portugal Whitmore, C., Camia, A., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2010. Enhancing the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) with open source software. In: FOSS4G 2010. Barcelona, Spain. http://2010.foss4g.org/presentations_show.php?id=3693 San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., Schulte, E., Schmuck, G., Camia, A., 2012. The European Forest Fire Information System in the context of environmental policies of the European Union. Forest Policy and Economics. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2011.08.012 San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., Schulte, E., Schmuck, G., Camia, A., Strobl, P., Liberta, G., Giovando, C., Boca, R., Sedano, F., Kempeneers, P., McInerney, D., Withmore, C., de Oliveira, S. S., Rodrigues, M., Durrant, T., Corti, P., Oehler, F., Vilar, L., Amatulli, G., 2012. Comprehensive monitoring of wildfires in Europe: The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). In: Tiefenbacher, J. (Ed.), Approaches to Managing Disaster - Assessing Hazards, Emergencies and Disaster Impacts. InTech, Ch. 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/28441 Giovando, C., Whitmore, C., Camia, A., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2010. Enhancing the European forest fire information system (EFFIS) with open source software. In: FOSS4G 2010. http://2010.foss4g.org/presentations_show.php?id=3693 Corti, P., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., Camia, A., McInerney, D., Boca, R., Di Leo, M., 2012. Fire news management in the context of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). In: proceedings of "Quinta conferenza italiana sul software geografico e sui dati geografici liberi" (GFOSS DAY 2012). http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.101918 Amatulli, G., Camia, A., 2007. Exploring the relationships of fire occurrence variables by jeans of CART and MARS models. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Wildland Fire Conference, Sevilla, Spain, 13-18 May 2007. http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/sevilla-2007/contributions/doc/cd/SESIONES_TEMATICAS/ST4/Amatulli_Camia_ITALY.pdf MapServer, http://mapserver.org/ Open Geospatial Consortium, 2006. OpenGIS Web Map Service version 1.3.0. No. OGC 06-042 in OpenGIS Standard. Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). http://portal.opengeospatial.org/files/?artifact_id=14416 http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/wms

Logarithmic conformal field theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gainutdinov, Azat; Ridout, David; Runkel, Ingo

2013-12-01

Conformal field theory (CFT) has proven to be one of the richest and deepest subjects of modern theoretical and mathematical physics research, especially as regards statistical mechanics and string theory. It has also stimulated an enormous amount of activity in mathematics, shaping and building bridges between seemingly disparate fields through the study of vertex operator algebras, a (partial) axiomatisation of a chiral CFT. One can add to this that the successes of CFT, particularly when applied to statistical lattice models, have also served as an inspiration for mathematicians to develop entirely new fields: the Schramm-Loewner evolution and Smirnov's discrete complex analysis being notable examples. When the energy operator fails to be diagonalisable on the quantum state space, the CFT is said to be logarithmic. Consequently, a logarithmic CFT is one whose quantum space of states is constructed from a collection of representations which includes reducible but indecomposable ones. This qualifier arises because of the consequence that certain correlation functions will possess logarithmic singularities, something that contrasts with the familiar case of power law singularities. While such logarithmic singularities and reducible representations were noted by Rozansky and Saleur in their study of the U (1|1) Wess-Zumino-Witten model in 1992, the link between the non-diagonalisability of the energy operator and logarithmic singularities in correlators is usually ascribed to Gurarie's 1993 article (his paper also contains the first usage of the term 'logarithmic conformal field theory'). The class of CFTs that were under control at this time was quite small. In particular, an enormous amount of work from the statistical mechanics and string theory communities had produced a fairly detailed understanding of the (so-called) rational CFTs. However, physicists from both camps were well aware that applications from many diverse fields required significantly more complicated non-rational theories. Examples include critical percolation, supersymmetric string backgrounds, disordered electronic systems, sandpile models describing avalanche processes, and so on. In each case, the non-rationality and non-unitarity of the CFT suggested that a more general theoretical framework was needed. Driven by the desire to better understand these applications, the mid-1990s saw significant theoretical advances aiming to generalise the constructs of rational CFT to a more general class. In 1994, Nahm introduced an algorithm for computing the fusion product of representations which was significantly generalised two years later by Gaberdiel and Kausch who applied it to explicitly construct (chiral) representations upon which the energy operator acts non-diagonalisably. Their work made it clear that underlying the physically relevant correlation functions are classes of reducible but indecomposable representations that can be investigated mathematically to the benefit of applications. In another direction, Flohr had meanwhile initiated the study of modular properties of the characters of logarithmic CFTs, a topic which had already evoked much mathematical interest in the rational case. Since these seminal theoretical papers appeared, the field has undergone rapid development, both theoretically and with regard to applications. Logarithmic CFTs are now known to describe non-local observables in the scaling limit of critical lattice models, for example percolation and polymers, and are an integral part of our understanding of quantum strings propagating on supermanifolds. They are also believed to arise as duals of three-dimensional chiral gravity models, fill out hidden sectors in non-rational theories with non-compact target spaces, and describe certain transitions in various incarnations of the quantum Hall effect. Other physical applications range from two-dimensional turbulence and non-equilibrium systems to aspects of the AdS/CFT correspondence and describing supersymmetric sigma models beyond the topological sector. We refer the reader to the reviews in this collection for further applications and details. More recently, our understanding of logarithmic CFT has improved dramatically thanks largely to a better understanding of the underlying mathematical structures. This includes those associated to the vertex operator algebras themselves (representations, characters, modular transformations, fusion, braiding) as well as structures associated with applications to two-dimensional statistical models (diagram algebras, eg. Temperley-Lieb quantum groups). Not only are we getting to the point where we understand how these structures differ from standard (rational) theories, but we are starting to tackle applications both in the boundary and bulk settings. It is now clear that the logarithmic case is generic, so it is this case that one should expect to encounter in applications. We therefore feel that it is timely to review what has been accomplished in order to disseminate this improved understanding and motivate further applications. We now give a quick overview of the articles that constitute this special issue. Adamović and Milas provide a detailed summary of their rigorous results pertaining to logarithmic vertex operator (super)algebras constructed from lattices. This survey discusses the C2-cofiniteness of the (p, p') triplet models (this is the generalisation of rationality to the logarithmic setting), describes Zhu's algebra for (some of) these theories and outlines the difficulties involved in explicitly constructing the modules responsible for their logarithmic nature. Cardy gives an account of a popular approach to logarithmic theories that regards them, heuristically at least, as limits of ordinary (but non-rational) CFTs. More precisely, it seems that any given correlator may be computed as a limit of standard (non-logarithmic) correlators, any logarithmic singularities that arise do so because of a degeneration when taking the limit. He then illustrates this phenomenon in several theories describing statistical lattice models including the n → 0 limit of the O(n ) model and the Q → 1 limit of the Q-state Potts model. Creutzig and Ridout review the continuum approach to logarithmic CFT, using the percolation (boundary) CFT to detail the connection between module structure and logarithmic singularities in correlators before describing their proposed solution to the thorny issue of generalising modular data and Verlinde formulae to the logarithmic setting. They illustrate this proposal using the three best-understood examples of logarithmic CFTs: the (1, 2) models, related to symplectic fermions; the fractional level WZW model on , related to the beta gamma ghosts; and the WZW model on GL(1|1). The analysis in each case requires that the spectrum be continuous; C2-cofinite models are only recovered as orbifolds. Flohr and Koehn consider the characters of the irreducible modules in the spectrum of a CFT and discuss why these only span a proper subspace of the space of torus vacuum amplitudes in the logarithmic case. This is illustrated explicitly for the (1, 2) triplet model and conclusions are drawn for the action of the modular group. They then note that the irreducible characters of this model also admit fermionic sum forms which seem to fit well into Nahmrsquo;s well-known conjecture for rational theories. Quasi-particle interpretations are also introduced, leading to the conclusion that logarithmic C2-cofinite theories are not so terribly different to rational theories, at least in some respects. Fuchs, Schweigert and Stigner address the problem of constructing local logarithmic CFTs starting from the chiral theory. They first review the construction of the local theory in the non-logarithmic setting from an angle that will then generalise to logarithmic theories. In particular, they observe that the bulk space can be understood as a certain coend. The authors then show how to carry out the construction of the bulk space in the category of modules over a factorisable ribbon Hopf algebra, which shares many properties with the braided categories arising from logarithmic chiral theories. The authors proceed to construct the analogue of all-genus correlators in their setting and establish invariance under the mapping class group, i.e. locality of the correlators. Gainutdinov, Jacobsen, Read, Saleur and Vasseur review their approach based on the assumption that certain classes of logarithmic CFTs admit lattice regularisations with local degrees of freedom, for example quantum spin chains (with local interactions). They therefore study the finite-dimensional algebras generated by the hamiltonian densities (typically the Temperley-Lieb algebras and their extensions) that describe the dynamics of these lattice models. The authors then argue that the lattice algebras exhibit, in finite size, mathematical properties that are in correspondence with those of their continuum limits, allowing one to predict continuum structures directly from the lattice. Moreover, the lattice models considered admit quantum group symmetries that play a central role in the algebraic analysis (representation structure and fusion). Grumiller, Riedler, Rosseel and Zojer review the role that logarithmic CFTs may play in certain versions of the AdS/CFT correspondence, particularly for what is known as topologically massive gravity (TMG). This has been a very active subject over the last five years and the article takes great care to disentangle the contributions from the many groups that have participated. They begin with some general remarks on logarithmic behaviour, much in the spirit of Cardyrsquo;s review, before detailing the distinction between the chiral (no logs) and logarithmic proposals for critical TMG. The latter is then subjected to various consistency checks before discussing evidence for logarithmic behaviour in more general classes of gravity theories including those with boundaries, supersymmetry and galilean relativity. Gurarie has written an historical overview of his seminal contributions to this field, putting his results (and those of his collaborators) in the context of understanding applications to condensed matter physics. This includes the link between the non-diagonalisability of L0 and logarithmic singularities, a study of the c → 0 catastrophe, and a proposed resolution involving supersymmetric partners for the stress-energy tensor and its logarithmic partner field. Henkel and Rouhani describe a direction in which logarithmic singularities are observed in correlators of non-relativistic field theories. Their review covers the appropriate modifications of conformal invariance that are appropriate to non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, strongly anisotropic critical points and certain variants of TMG. The main variation away from the standard relativistic idea of conformal invariance is that time is explicitly distinguished from space when considering dilations and this leads to a variety of algebraic structures to explore. In this review, the link between non-diagonalisable representations and logarithmic singularities in correlators is generalised to these algebras, before two applications of the theory are discussed. Huang and Lepowsky give a non-technical overview of their work on braided tensor structures on suitable categories of representations of vertex operator algebras. They also place their work in historic context and compare it to related approaches. The authors sketch their construction of the so-called P(z)-tensor product of modules of a vertex operator algebra, and the construction of the associativity isomorphisms for this tensor product. They proceed to give a guide to their works leading to the first authorrsquo;s proof of modularity for a class of vertex operator algebras, and to their works, joint with Zhang, on logarithmic intertwining operators and the resulting tensor product theory. Morin-Duchesne and Saint-Aubin have contributed a research article describing their recent characterisation of when the transfer matrix of a periodic loop model fails to be diagonalisable. This generalises their recent result for non-periodic loop models and provides rigorous methods to justify what has often been assumed in the lattice approach to logarithmic CFT. The philosophy here is one of analysing lattice models with finite size, aiming to demonstrate that non-diagonalisability survives the scaling limit. This is extremely difficult in general (see also the review by Gainutdinov et al ), so it is remarkable that it is even possible to demonstrate this at any level of generality. Quella and Schomerus have prepared an extensive review covering their longstanding collaboration on the logarithmic nature of conformal sigma models on Lie supergroups and their cosets with applications to string theory and AdS/CFT. Beginning with a very welcome overview of Lie superalgebras and their representations, harmonic analysis and cohomological reduction, they then apply these mathematical tools to WZW models on type I Lie supergroups and their homogeneous subspaces. Along the way, deformations are discussed and potential dualities in the corresponding string theories are described. Ruelle provides an exhaustive account of his substantial contributions to the study of the abelian sandpile model. This is a statistical model which has the surprising feature that many correlation functions can be computed exactly, in the bulk and on the boundary, even though the spectrum of conformal weights is largely unknown. Nevertheless, there is much evidence suggesting that its scaling limit is described by an, as yet unknown, c = -2 logarithmic CFT. Semikhatov and Tipunin present their very recent results regarding the construction of logarithmic chiral W-algebra extensions of a fractional level algebra. The idea is that these algebras are the centralisers of a rank-two Nichols algebra which possesses at least one fermionic generator. In turn, these Nichols algebra generators are represented by screening operators which naturally appear in CFT bosonisation. The major advantage of using these generators is that they give strong hints about the representation theory and fusion rules of the chiral algebra. Simmons has contributed an article describing the calculation of various correlation functions in the logarithmic CFT that describes critical percolation. These calculations are interpreted geometrically in a manner that should be familiar to mathematicians studying Schramm-Loewner evolutions and point towards a (largely unexplored) bridge connecting logarithmic CFT with this branch of mathematics. Of course, the field of logarithmic CFT has benefited greatly from the work of many of researchers who are not represented in this special issue. The interested reader will find many links to their work in the bibliographies of the special issue articles and reviews. In summary, logarithmic CFT describes an extension of the incredibly successful methods of rational CFT to a more general setting. This extension is necessary to properly describe many different fundamental phenomena of physical interest. The formalism is moreover highly non-trivial from a mathematical point of view and so logarithmic theories are of significant interest to both physicists and mathematicians. We hope that the collection of articles that follows will serve as an inspiration, and a valuable resource, for both of these communities.