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Sample records for selectively enhances growth

  1. Tip-Selective Growth of Silver on Gold Nanostars for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weiqing; Liu, Jie; Niu, Wenxin; Yan, Heng; Lu, Xianmao; Liu, Bin

    2018-04-19

    Nanogaps as "hot spots" with highly localized surface plasmon can generate ultrastrong electromagnetic fields. Superior to the exterior nanogaps obtained via aggregation and self-assembly, interior nanogaps within Au and Ag nanostructures give stable and reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals. However, the synthesis of nanostructures with interior hot spots is still challenging because of the lack of high-yield strategies and clear design principles. Herein, gold-silver nanoclusters (Au-Ag NCs) with multiple interior hot spots were fabricated as SERS platforms via selective growth of Ag nanoparticles on the tips of Au nanostars (Au NSs). Furthermore, the interior gap sizes of Au-Ag NCs can be facilely tuned by changing the amount of AgNO 3 used. Upon 785 nm excitation, single Au-Ag NC 350 exhibits 43-fold larger SERS enhancement factor and the optimal signal reproducibility relative to single Au NS. The SERS enhancement factors and signal reproducibility of Au-Ag NCs increase with the decrease of gap sizes. Collectively, the Au-Ag NCs could serve as a flexible, reproducible, and active platform for SERS investigation.

  2. Selective area growth of GaN rod structures by MOVPE: Dependence on growth conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Shunfeng; Fuendling, Soenke; Wang, Xue; Erenburg, Milena; Al-Suleiman, Mohamed Aid Mansur; Wei, Jiandong; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Waag, Andreas [Institut fuer Halbleitertechnik, TU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 66, 38106 Braunschweig (Germany); Bergbauer, Werner [Institut fuer Halbleitertechnik, TU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 66, 38106 Braunschweig (Germany); Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Leibnizstr. 4, 93055 Regensburg (Germany); Strassburg, Martin [Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Leibnizstr. 4, 93055 Regensburg (Germany)

    2011-07-15

    Selective area growth of GaN nanorods by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy is highly demanding for novel applications in nano-optoelectronic and nanophotonics. Recently, we report the successful selective area growth of GaN nanorods in a continuous-flow mode. In this work, as examples, we show the morphology dependence of GaN rods with {mu}m or sub-{mu}m in diameters on growth conditions. Firstly, we found that the nitridation time is critical for the growth, with an optimum from 90 to 180 seconds. This leads to more homogeneous N-polar GaN rods growth. A higher temperature during GaN rod growth tends to increase the aspect ratio of the GaN rods. This is due to the enhanced surface diffusion of growth species. The V/III ratio is also an important parameter for the GaN rod growth. Its increase causes reduction of the aspect ratio of GaN rods, which could be explained by the relatively lower growth rate on (000-1) N-polar top surface than it on {l_brace}1-100{r_brace} m-planes by supplying more NH{sub 3} (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  3. Copolymers enhance selective bacterial community colonization for potential root zone applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Vy T H; Murugaraj, Pandiyan; Mathes, Falko; Tan, Boon K; Truong, Vi Khanh; Murphy, Daniel V; Mainwaring, David E

    2017-11-21

    Managing the impact of anthropogenic and climate induced stress on plant growth remains a challenge. Here we show that polymeric hydrogels, which maintain their hydrous state, can be designed to exploit functional interactions with soil microorganisms. This microbial enhancement may mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses limiting productivity. The presence of mannan chains within synthetic polyacrylic acid (PAA) enhanced the dynamics and selectivity of bacterial ingress in model microbial systems and soil microcosms. Pseudomonas fluorescens exhibiting high mannan binding adhesins showed higher ingress and localised microcolonies throughout the polymeric network. In contrast, ingress of Bacillus subtilis, lacking adhesins, was unaltered by mannan showing motility comparable to bulk liquids. Incubation within microcosms of an agricultural soil yielded hydrogel populations significantly increased from the corresponding soil. Bacterial diversity was markedly higher in mannan containing hydrogels compared to both control polymer and soil, indicating enhanced selectivity towards microbial families that contain plant beneficial species. Here we propose functional polymers applied to the potential root zone which can positively influence rhizobacteria colonization and potentially plant growth as a new approach to stress tolerance.

  4. Limitations to CO2-induced growth enhancement in pot studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McConnaughay, K D M; Berntson, G M; Bazzaz, F A

    1993-07-01

    Recently, it has been suggested that small pots may reduce or eliminate plant responses to enriched CO 2 atmospheres due to root restriction. While smaller pot volumes provide less physical space available for root growth, they also provide less nutrients. Reduced nutrient availability alone may reduce growth enhancement under elevated CO 2 . To investigate the relative importance of limited physical rooting space separate from and in conjunction with soil nutrients, we grew plants at ambient and double-ambient CO 2 levels in growth containers of varied volume, shape, nutrient concentration, and total nutrient content. Two species (Abutilon theophrasti, a C 3 dicot with a deep tap root andSetaria faberii, a C 4 monocot with a shallow diffuse root system) were selected for their contrasting physiology and root architecture. Shoot demography was determined weekly and biomass was determined after eight and ten weeks of growth. Increasing total nutrients, either by increasing nutrient concentration or by increasing pot size, increased plant growth. Further, increasing pot size while maintaining equal total nutrients per pot resulted in increased total biomass for both species. CO 2 -induced growth and reproductive yield enhancements were greatest in pots with high nutrient concentrations, regardless of total nutrient content or pot size, and were also mediated by the shape of the pot. CO 2 -induced growth and reproductive yield enhancements were unaffected by pot size (growth) or were greater in small pots (reproductive yield), regardless of total nutrient content, contrary to predictions based on earlier studies. These results suggest that several aspects of growth conditions within pots may influence the CO 2 responses of plants; pot size, pot shape, the concentration and total amount of nutrient additions to pots may lead to over-or underestimates of the CO 2 responses of real-world plants.

  5. Selective-catalyst formation for carbon nanotube growth by local indentation pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yasui, T. [Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan)], E-mail: yst@mech.nagaokaut.ac.jp; Nakai, Y.; Onozuka, Y. [Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan)

    2008-01-15

    We studied the selective formation of Co catalyst particles as a function of indentation pressure. We subjected a Co (8 nm thickness)/Si substrate pre-annealed at 600 deg. C to indentation processing. The catalytic function was confirmed in the indentations by the selective growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at 800 deg. C. The number density of CNTs against the indentation pressure was investigated against indentation loads for two types of indenter: a Berkovich indenter with a ridge angle of 115{sup o} and a Berkovich indenter with a ridge angle of 90{sup o}. The pressures above 7 GPa applied by the former indenter enhanced Co atomization acting as a catalyst function for CNT growth (35 CNTs in one indentation). In contrast to this, the number of CNTs was markedly reduced when the latter indenter was used with pressures less than 3 GPa. The pop-out phenomenon was observed in unloading curves at pressures above 7 GPa. These results indicate that metastable Si promotes the self-aggregation of catalyst particles (Co) leading to the selective growth of CNTs within indentations at pressures above 7 GPa.

  6. Refuse derived soluble bio-organics enhancing tomato plant growth and productivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sortino, Orazio [Dipartimento di Scienze Agronomiche Agrochimiche e delle Produzioni Animali, Universita degli Studi di Catania, Via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania (Italy); Dipasquale, Mauro [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita di Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino (Italy); Montoneri, Enzo, E-mail: enzo.montoneri@unito.it [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita di Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino (Italy); Tomasso, Lorenzo; Perrone, Daniele G. [Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita di Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino (Italy); Vindrola, Daniela; Negre, Michele; Piccone, Giuseppe [Dipartimento di Valorizzazione e Protezione delle Risorse Agroforestali, Universita di Torino, Via L. da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (Italy)

    2012-10-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Municipal bio-wastes are a sustainable source of bio-based products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Refuse derived soluble bio-organics promote chlorophyll synthesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Refuse derived soluble bio-organics enhance plant growth and fruit ripening rate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sustainable chemistry exploiting urban refuse allows sustainable development. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Chemistry, agriculture and the environment benefit from biowaste technology. - Abstract: Municipal bio-refuse (CVD), containing kitchen wastes, home gardening residues and public park trimmings, was treated with alkali to yield a soluble bio-organic fraction (SBO) and an insoluble residue. These materials were characterized using elemental analysis, potentiometric titration, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and then applied as organic fertilizers to soil for tomato greenhouse cultivation. Their performance was compared with a commercial product obtained from animal residues. Plant growth, fruit yield and quality, and soil and leaf chemical composition were the selected performance indicators. The SBO exhibited the best performance by enhancing leaf chlorophyll content, improving plant growth and fruit ripening rate and yield. No product performance-chemical composition relationship could be assessed. Solubility could be one reason for the superior performance of SBO as a tomato growth promoter. The enhancement of leaf chlorophyll content is discussed to identify a possible link with the SBO photosensitizing properties that have been demonstrated in other work, and thus with photosynthetic performance.

  7. Molecular Mechanisms of Enhanced Bacterial Growth on Hexadecane with Red Clay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Jaejoon; Jang, In-Ae; Ahn, Sungeun; Shin, Bora; Kim, Jisun; Park, Chulwoo; Jee, Seung Cheol; Sung, Jung-Suk; Park, Woojun

    2015-11-01

    Red clay was previously used to enhance bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil. It was speculated that the enhanced degradation of diesel was due to increased bacterial growth. In this study, we selected Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1, a soil-borne degrader of diesel and alkanes, as a model bacterium and performed transcriptional analysis using RNA sequencing to investigate the cellular response during hexadecane utilization and the mechanism by which red clay promotes hexadecane degradation. We confirmed that red clay promotes the growth of A. oleivorans DR1 on hexadecane, a major component of diesel, as a sole carbon source. Addition of red clay to hexadecane-utilizing DR1 cells highly upregulated β-oxidation, while genes related to alkane oxidation were highly expressed with and without red clay. Red clay also upregulated genes related to oxidative stress defense, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutaredoxin genes, suggesting that red clay supports the response of DR1 cells to oxidative stress generated during hexadecane utilization. Increased membrane fluidity in the presence of red clay was confirmed by fatty acid methyl ester analysis at different growth phases, suggesting that enhanced growth on hexadecane could be due to increased uptake of hexadecane coupled with upregulation of downstream metabolism and oxidative stress defense. The monitoring of the bacterial community in soil with red clay for a year revealed that red clay stabilized the community structure.

  8. Refuse derived soluble bio-organics enhancing tomato plant growth and productivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sortino, Orazio; Dipasquale, Mauro; Montoneri, Enzo; Tomasso, Lorenzo; Perrone, Daniele G.; Vindrola, Daniela; Negre, Michele; Piccone, Giuseppe

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Municipal bio-wastes are a sustainable source of bio-based products. ► Refuse derived soluble bio-organics promote chlorophyll synthesis. ► Refuse derived soluble bio-organics enhance plant growth and fruit ripening rate. ► Sustainable chemistry exploiting urban refuse allows sustainable development. ► Chemistry, agriculture and the environment benefit from biowaste technology. - Abstract: Municipal bio-refuse (CVD), containing kitchen wastes, home gardening residues and public park trimmings, was treated with alkali to yield a soluble bio-organic fraction (SBO) and an insoluble residue. These materials were characterized using elemental analysis, potentiometric titration, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and then applied as organic fertilizers to soil for tomato greenhouse cultivation. Their performance was compared with a commercial product obtained from animal residues. Plant growth, fruit yield and quality, and soil and leaf chemical composition were the selected performance indicators. The SBO exhibited the best performance by enhancing leaf chlorophyll content, improving plant growth and fruit ripening rate and yield. No product performance-chemical composition relationship could be assessed. Solubility could be one reason for the superior performance of SBO as a tomato growth promoter. The enhancement of leaf chlorophyll content is discussed to identify a possible link with the SBO photosensitizing properties that have been demonstrated in other work, and thus with photosynthetic performance.

  9. Selective LPCVD growth of graphene on patterned copper and its growth mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, M.; Huang, B.-C.; Wang, Y.; Woo, J. C. S.

    2016-12-01

    Copper-catalyzed graphene low-pressure chemical-vapor deposition (LPCVD) growth has been regarded as a viable solution towards its integration to CMOS technology, and the wafer-bonding method provides a reliable alternative for transferring the selective graphene grown on a patterned metal film for IC manufacturing. In this paper, selective LPCVD graphene growth using patterned copper dots has been studied. The Raman spectra of grown films have demonstrated large dependence on the growth conditions. To explain the results, the growth mechanisms based on surface adsorption and copper-vapor-assisted growth are investigated by the comparison between the blanket copper films with/without the additional copper source. The copper vapor density is found to be critical for high-quality graphene growth. In addition, the copper-vapor-assisted growth is also evidenced by the carbon deposition on the SiO2 substrate of the patterned-copper-dot sample and chamber wall during graphene growth. This growth mechanism explains the correlation between the growth condition and Raman spectrum for films on copper dots. The study on the copper-catalyzed selective graphene growth on the hard substrate paves the way for the synthesis and integration of the 2D material in VLSI.

  10. Face-selective crystal growth behavior of L-aspartic acid in the presence of L-asparagine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Hiroyasu; Doki, Norihito; Yoshida, Saki; Yokota, Masaaki; Shimizu, Kenji

    2016-02-01

    The kinetic mechanism of L-asparagine (L-Asn) action on L-aspartic acid (L-Asp) crystal growth, namely the face-selective effect of L-Asn on the L-Asp crystal growth rate in each direction, was examined. In the a-axis direction, the effect of L-Asn on the L-Asp crystal growth rate was small. Enhancement and inhibition of L-Asp crystal growth, and interestingly the dissolution of the L-Asp crystal face, were observed in the b-axis direction, depending on the amount of L-Asn added. In the c-axis direction, the L-Asp crystal growth rate decreased with the increase in the amount of L-Asn added, and the experimental results were well fitted with a Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The study showed that there were crystal growth conditions where enhancement and inhibition, as well as inhibition and dissolution, coexisted in the presence of an additive with a structure similar to the growing crystal.

  11. A mechanism of extreme growth and reliable signaling in sexually selected ornaments and weapons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emlen, Douglas J; Warren, Ian A; Johns, Annika; Dworkin, Ian; Lavine, Laura Corley

    2012-08-17

    Many male animals wield ornaments or weapons of exaggerated proportions. We propose that increased cellular sensitivity to signaling through the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway may be responsible for the extreme growth of these structures. We document how rhinoceros beetle horns, a sexually selected weapon, are more sensitive to nutrition and more responsive to perturbation of the insulin/IGF pathway than other body structures. We then illustrate how enhanced sensitivity to insulin/IGF signaling in a growing ornament or weapon would cause heightened condition sensitivity and increased variability in expression among individuals--critical properties of reliable signals of male quality. The possibility that reliable signaling arises as a by-product of the growth mechanism may explain why trait exaggeration has evolved so many different times in the context of sexual selection.

  12. Silvicultural treatments enhance growth rates of future crop trees in a tropical dry forest

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Villegas, Z.; Peña-Claros, M.; Mostacedo, B.; Alarcón, A.; Licona, J.C.; Leaño, C.; Pariona, W.; Choque, U.

    2009-01-01

    Silvicultural treatments are often needed in selectively logged tropical forest to enhance the growth rates of many commercial tree species and, consequently, for recovering a larger proportion of the initial volume harvested over the next cutting cycle. The available data in the literature suggest,

  13. Mechanism for selective growth in electrical steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Eun Jee; Heo, Nam Hoe; Kwon, Se Kyun; Koo, Yang Mo

    2018-01-01

    Through the competitive selective growth process between {100}, {110}, and {111} grains during final annealing which is governed by the primary grain size and the surface segregation concentration of sulfur, the sharp {110} annealing texture can be developed in a C-and Al-free Fe-3%Si-0.1%Mn electrical steel. Generally, the selective growth of the {110} grains occurs actively under the low surface segregation concentration of sulfur. In spite of the surface energy disadvantage, the selective growth of a {hkl} grain can however occur, if the {hkl} grain size is larger than the critical grain size linearly proportional to the strip thickness.

  14. Selecting Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Promote Cassava Growth and Increase Yield under Field Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Séry, D. Jean-Marc; Kouadjo, Z. G. Claude; Voko, B. R. Rodrigue; Zézé, Adolphe

    2016-01-01

    The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation in sustainable agriculture is now widespread worldwide. Although the use of inoculants consisting of native AMF is highly recommended as an alternative to commercial ones, there is no strategy to allow the selection of efficient fungal species from natural communities. The objective of this study was (i) to select efficient native AMF species (ii) evaluate their impact on nematode and water stresses, and (iii) evaluate their impact on cassava yield, an important food security crop in tropical and subtropical regions. Firstly, native AMF communities associated with cassava rhizospheres in fields were collected from different areas and 7 AMF species were selected, based upon their ubiquity and abundance. Using these criteria, two morphotypes (LBVM01 and LBVM02) out of the seven AMF species selected were persistently dominant when cassava was used as a trap plant. LBVM01 and LBVM02 were identified as Acaulospora colombiana (most abundant) and Ambispora appendicula, respectively, after phylogenetic analyses of LSU-ITS-SSU PCR amplified products. Secondly, the potential of these two native AMF species to promote growth and enhance tolerance to root-knot nematode and water stresses of cassava (Yavo variety) was evaluated using single and dual inoculation in greenhouse conditions. Of the two AMF species, it was shown that A. colombiana significantly improved the growth of the cassava and enhanced tolerance to water stress. However, both A. colombiana and A. appendicula conferred bioprotective effects to cassava plants against the nematode Meloidogyne spp., ranging from resistance (suppression or reduction of the nematode reproduction) or tolerance (low or no suppression in cassava growth). Thirdly, the potential of these selected native AMF to improve cassava growth and yield was evaluated under field conditions, compared to a commercial inoculant. In these conditions, the A. colombiana single inoculation and the

  15. Enhancement of intestinal growth in neonatal rats by epidermal growth factor in milk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berseth, C.L.

    1987-01-01

    Breast milk has been shown to enhance neonatal intestinal growth. Because epidermal growth factor (EGF) is present in the milk of various mammalian species, the hypothesis was tested that EGF in rodent milk mediates, in part, the breast milk-enhanced intestinal growth in neonatal rat. Fifty-eight rat pups fed artificial formal that contained 1.2, 3.0, and 6.0 μg/ml EGF for 39 h had greater incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine into DNA and DNA content of intestine than 29 pups fed unsupplemented formula. Pups fed EGF for 5 days had significantly greater body weight, intestinal weight, length, and DNA content than control pups. Conversely, pups fed pooled rat milk containing rabbit-derived antibody to EGF for 39 h had intestines of lower weight that contained less DNA than animals fed rat milk containing normal rabbit serum. EGF appears to mediate, in part, breast milk-enhanced neonatal intestinal growth

  16. Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor-1 Selective Agonist Enhances Collateral Growth and Protects against Subsequent Stroke.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masahiko Ichijo

    Full Text Available Collateral growth after acute occlusion of an intracranial artery is triggered by increasing shear stress in preexisting collateral pathways. Recently, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1PR1 on endothelial cells was reported to be essential in sensing fluid shear stress. Here, we evaluated the expression of S1PR1 in the hypoperfused mouse brain and investigated the effect of a selective S1PR1 agonist on leptomeningeal collateral growth and subsequent ischemic damage after focal ischemia.In C57Bl/6 mice (n = 133 subjected to unilateral common carotid occlusion (CCAO and sham surgery. The first series examined the time course of collateral growth, cell proliferation, and S1PR1 expression in the leptomeningeal arteries after CCAO. The second series examined the relationship between pharmacological regulation of S1PR1 and collateral growth of leptomeningeal anastomoses. Animals were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: LtCCAO and daily intraperitoneal (i.p. injection for 7 days of an S1PR1 selective agonist (SEW2871, 5 mg/kg/day; sham surgery and daily i.p. injection for 7 days of SEW2871 after surgery; LtCCAO and daily i.p. injection for 7 days of SEW2871 and an S1PR1 inverse agonist (VPC23019, 0.5 mg/kg; LtCCAO and daily i.p. injection of DMSO for 7 days after surgery; and sham surgery and daily i.p. injection of DMSO for 7 days. Leptomeningeal anastomoses were visualized 14 days after LtCCAO by latex perfusion method, and a set of animals underwent subsequent permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO 7 days after the treatment termination. Neurological functions 1 hour, 1, 4, and 7 days and infarction volume 7 days after pMCAO were evaluated.In parallel with the increase in S1PR1 mRNA levels, S1PR1 expression colocalized with endothelial cell markers in the leptomeningeal arteries, increased markedly on the side of the CCAO, and peaked 7 days after CCAO. Mitotic cell numbers in the leptomeningeal arteries increased after

  17. Unbound (bioavailable IGF1 enhances somatic growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastien Elis

    2011-09-01

    Understanding insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1 biology is of particular importance because, apart from its role in mediating growth, it plays key roles in cellular transformation, organ regeneration, immune function, development of the musculoskeletal system and aging. IGF1 bioactivity is modulated by its binding to IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs and the acid labile subunit (ALS, which are present in serum and tissues. To determine whether IGF1 binding to IGFBPs is necessary to facilitate normal growth and development, we used a gene-targeting approach and generated two novel knock-in mouse models of mutated IGF1, in which the native Igf1 gene was replaced by Des-Igf1 (KID mice or R3-Igf1 (KIR mice. The KID and KIR mutant proteins have reduced affinity for the IGFBPs, and therefore present as unbound IGF1, or ‘free IGF1’. We found that both KID and KIR mice have reduced serum IGF1 levels and a concomitant increase in serum growth hormone levels. Ternary complex formation of IGF1 with the IGFBPs and the ALS was markedly reduced in sera from KID and KIR mice compared with wild type. Both mutant mice showed increased body weight, body and bone lengths, and relative lean mass. We found selective organomegaly of the spleen, kidneys and uterus, enhanced mammary gland complexity, and increased skeletal acquisition. The KID and KIR models show unequivocally that IGF1-complex formation with the IGFBPs is fundamental for establishing normal body and organ size, and that uncontrolled IGF bioactivity could lead to pathological conditions.

  18. Klebsiella pneumoniae inoculants for enhancing plant growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triplett, Eric W [Middleton, WI; Kaeppler, Shawn M [Oregon, WI; Chelius, Marisa K [Greeley, CO

    2008-07-01

    A biological inoculant for enhancing the growth of plants is disclosed. The inoculant includes the bacterial strains Herbaspirillum seropedicae 2A, Pantoea agglomerans P101, Pantoea agglomerans P102, Klebsiella pneumoniae 342, Klebsiella pneumoniae zmvsy, Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z152, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus PA15, with or without a carrier. The inoculant also includes strains of the bacterium Pantoea agglomerans and K. pneumoniae which are able to enhance the growth of cereal grasses. Also disclosed are the novel bacterial strains Herbaspirillum seropedicae 2A, Pantoea agglomerans P101 and P102, and Klebsiella pneumoniae 342 and zmvsy.

  19. Transgenic plants with enhanced growth characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Unkefer, Pat J.; Anderson, Penelope S.; Knight, Thomas J.

    2018-01-09

    The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting dramatically enhanced growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, more efficient nitrogen utilization, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express both glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are provided. The GPT+GS double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced growth characteristics, with T0 generation lines showing an increase in biomass over wild type counterparts of between 50% and 300%. Generations that result from sexual crosses and/or selfing typically perform even better, with some of the double-transgenic plants achieving an astounding four-fold biomass increase over wild type plants.

  20. Transgenic plants with enhanced growth characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Unkefer, Pat J.; Anderson, Penelope S.; Knight, Thomas J.

    2016-09-06

    The invention relates to transgenic plants exhibiting dramatically enhanced growth rates, greater seed and fruit/pod yields, earlier and more productive flowering, more efficient nitrogen utilization, increased tolerance to high salt conditions, and increased biomass yields. In one embodiment, transgenic plants engineered to over-express both glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) are provided. The GPT+GS double-transgenic plants of the invention consistently exhibit enhanced growth characteristics, with T0 generation lines showing an increase in biomass over wild type counterparts of between 50% and 300%. Generations that result from sexual crosses and/or selfing typically perform even better, with some of the double-transgenic plants achieving an astounding four-fold biomass increase over wild type plants.

  1. Selective-area vapour-liquid-solid growth of InP nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dalacu, Dan; Kam, Alicia; Guy Austing, D; Wu Xiaohua; Lapointe, Jean; Aers, Geof C; Poole, Philip J

    2009-01-01

    A comparison is made between the conventional non-selective vapour-liquid-solid growth of InP nanowires and a novel selective-area growth process where the Au-seeded InP nanowires grow exclusively in the openings of a SiO 2 mask on an InP substrate. This new process allows the precise positioning and diameter control of the nanowires required for future advanced device fabrication. The growth temperature range is found to be extended for the selective-area growth technique due to removal of the competition between material incorporation at the Au/nanowire interface and the substrate. A model describing the growth mechanism is presented which successfully accounts for the nanoparticle size-dependent and time-dependent growth rate. The dominant indium collection process is found to be the scattering of the group III source material from the SiO 2 mask and subsequent capture by the nanowire, a process that had previously been ignored for selective-area growth by chemical beam epitaxy.

  2. Selective-area vapour-liquid-solid growth of InP nanowires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dalacu, Dan; Kam, Alicia; Guy Austing, D; Wu Xiaohua; Lapointe, Jean; Aers, Geof C; Poole, Philip J, E-mail: dan.dalacu@nrc-cnrc.gc.c [Institute for Microstructural Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, K1A 0R6 (Canada)

    2009-09-30

    A comparison is made between the conventional non-selective vapour-liquid-solid growth of InP nanowires and a novel selective-area growth process where the Au-seeded InP nanowires grow exclusively in the openings of a SiO{sub 2} mask on an InP substrate. This new process allows the precise positioning and diameter control of the nanowires required for future advanced device fabrication. The growth temperature range is found to be extended for the selective-area growth technique due to removal of the competition between material incorporation at the Au/nanowire interface and the substrate. A model describing the growth mechanism is presented which successfully accounts for the nanoparticle size-dependent and time-dependent growth rate. The dominant indium collection process is found to be the scattering of the group III source material from the SiO{sub 2} mask and subsequent capture by the nanowire, a process that had previously been ignored for selective-area growth by chemical beam epitaxy.

  3. Overexpression of the human BCL-2 gene product results in growth enhancement of Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized B cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsujimoto, Yoshihide

    1989-01-01

    The biological activity of the human BCL-2 gene product was analyzed in an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected human lymphoblastoid B-cell line transfected with BCL-2 sequences driven by the simian virus 40 promoter and enhancer. Overproduction of the BCL-2 protein conferred a selective growth advantage to the EBV-infected B cells as compared with control transfectants in low-serum medium and also after seeding at limiting dilution but did not render the cells tumorigenic in athymic nude mice. This growth enhancement was also seen in cells transfected with the BCL-2 gene with its own promoter juxtaposed to the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene enhancer, which represents the translocated form of the BCL-2 gene observed in follicular lymphomas with the t(14;18) translocation. The growth advantage of EBV-infected B cells overproducing the BCL-2 protein is neither due to the enhanced growth factor production nor due to an enhanced sensitivity of the BCL-2 transfectants to interleukins 1 or 6, although both lymphokines are known to stimulate proliferation of EBV-infected B-cell lines. The growth advantage of EBV-infected B-cell lines. The growth advantage of EBV-infected B cells by overproduction of the BCL-2 protein suggests the direct involvement of the BCL-2 gene product in the pathogenesis of follicular lymphoma

  4. Does the Euro enhance Economic Growth?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dreyer, Johannes Kabderian; A. Schmid, Peter

    2016-01-01

    of economic integration in Europe. The aim of this article is to investigate whether the EU and EZ memberships enhance growth of their members. In order to perform our empirical analysis, we apply an augmented Solow growth model using convergence analysis and the panel Generalized Method of Moments (GMM...... interesting to new potential EZ members, such as some of the Central Eastern European Countries (CEE), who are about or in the process to join the common currency club....

  5. Molecular selectivity of graphene-enhanced Raman scattering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shengxi; Ling, Xi; Liang, Liangbo; Song, Yi; Fang, Wenjing; Zhang, Jin; Kong, Jing; Meunier, Vincent; Dresselhaus, Mildred S

    2015-05-13

    Graphene-enhanced Raman scattering (GERS) is a recently discovered Raman enhancement phenomenon that uses graphene as the substrate for Raman enhancement and can produce clean and reproducible Raman signals of molecules with increased signal intensity. Compared to conventional Raman enhancement techniques, such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS), in which the Raman enhancement is essentially due to the electromagnetic mechanism, GERS mainly relies on a chemical mechanism and therefore shows unique molecular selectivity. In this paper, we report graphene-enhanced Raman scattering of a variety of different molecules with different molecular properties. We report a strong molecular selectivity for the GERS effect with enhancement factors varying by as much as 2 orders of magnitude for different molecules. Selection rules are discussed with reference to two main features of the molecule, namely its molecular energy levels and molecular structures. In particular, the enhancement factor involving molecular energy levels requires the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies to be within a suitable range with respect to graphene's Fermi level, and this enhancement effect can be explained by the time-dependent perturbation theory of Raman scattering. The enhancement factor involving the choice of molecular structures indicates that molecular symmetry and substituents similar to that of the graphene structure are found to be favorable for GERS enhancement. The effectiveness of these factors can be explained by group theory and the charge-transfer interaction between molecules and graphene. Both factors, involving the molecular energy levels and structural symmetry of the molecules, suggest that a remarkable GERS enhancement requires strong molecule-graphene coupling and thus effective charge transfer between the molecules and graphene. These conclusions are further

  6. Martian Soil Plant Growth Experiment: The Effects of Adding Nitrogen, Bacteria, and Fungi to Enhance Plant Growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kliman, D. M.; Cooper, J. B.; Anderson, R. C.

    2000-01-01

    Plant growth is enhanced by the presence of symbiotic soil microbes. In order to better understand how plants might prosper on Mars, we set up an experiment to test whether symbiotic microbes function to enhance plant growth in a Martian soil simulant.

  7. Growth, Morphology and Growth Related Hormone Level in Kappaphycus alvarezii Produced by Mass Selection in Gorontalo Waters, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Fadilah

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of high quality seed can support the success of the seaweed cultivation. This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, morphology and growth related hormone level of brown strain seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii seed produced by mass selection. Selection was performed in the Tomini Gulf, Gorontalo, based on mass selection of seaweed seed protocol with a slight modification in cut-off 10% of the highest daily growth rate. Selection was carried out for four generations. The selected 4th generation of seed was then used in cultivation performance test in the Celebes Sea, North Gorontalo, for three production cycles. The results showed that the selected K. alvarezii has higher clump weight and daily growth rate, longer thallus, more number of branches, and shorter internodes compared to the unselected control and seaweed from the farmer as external control. Furthermore, total sugar content, levels of kinetin hormone and kinetin:indole-3-acetic acid ratio were higher in selected seaweeds than that of unselected control and external control. Thus, mass selection method could be used to produce high growth of seed, and kinetin and indole-3-acetic acid play an important role in growth of K. alvarezii.

  8. Laterally enhanced growth of electrodeposited Au to form ultrathin films on nonconductive surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Chiaki; Saito, Mikiko; Homma, Takayuki

    2012-01-01

    We investigated the laterally enhanced growth of electrodeposited Au for fabricating nanogap electrodes. To enhance the lateral growth, we carried out electrodeposition over patterned electrodes onto a SiO 2 surface modified with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) or dendrimers with amine groups. The morphology and thickness of the Au films were controlled by adjusting deposition conditions such as duration, applied potential, and Au ion concentration in the bath. To investigate the mechanism of the laterally enhanced growth, the surface states of SAM- or dendrimer-modified SiO 2 were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS results indicate the existence of organic molecules and Au ions on the SiO 2 surface, which suggests that laterally enhanced growth is induced by the Au ions coordinated on the amine groups of the organic molecules. To further analyze the mechanism of the laterally enhanced growth, we investigated the relationship between the morphology of the laterally enhanced growth of Au and the amount of Au ions on organic molecules. The laterally enhanced growth of Au is expected to be useful for fabricating thin film nanogap electrodes.

  9. Analysis of growth characteristics in short-term divergently selected ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    weeks of age body weight in divergent lines of Japanese quail. Growth curves for both sexes within each selection group resembled the general sigmoid shape of a typical growth curve. Gompertz model curves and the observed growth curves were ...

  10. Minimally invasive esthetic ridge preservation with growth-factor enhanced bone matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nevins, Marc L; Said, Sherif

    2017-12-28

    Extraction socket preservation procedures are critical to successful esthetic implant therapy. Conventional surgical approaches are technique sensitive and often result in alteration of the soft tissue architecture, which then requires additional corrective surgical procedures. This case series report presents the ability of flapless surgical techniques combined with a growth factor-enhanced bone matrix to provide esthetic ridge preservation at the time of extraction for compromised sockets. When considering esthetic dental implant therapy, preservation, or further enhancement of the available tissue support at the time of tooth extraction may provide an improved esthetic outcome with reduced postoperative sequelae and decreased treatment duration. Advances in minimally invasive surgical techniques combined with recombinant growth factor technology offer an alternative for bone reconstruction while maintaining the gingival architecture for enhanced esthetic outcome. The combination of freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) and rhPDGF-BB (platelet-derived growth factor-BB) provides a growth-factor enhanced matrix to induce bone and soft tissue healing. The use of a growth-factor enhanced matrix is an option for minimally invasive ridge preservation procedures for sites with advanced bone loss. Further studies including randomized clinical trials are needed to better understand the extent and limits of these procedures. The use of minimally invasive techniques with growth factors for esthetic ridge preservation reduces patient morbidity associated with more invasive approaches and increases the predictability for enhanced patient outcomes. By reducing the need for autogenous bone grafts the use of this technology is favorable for patient acceptance and ease of treatment process for esthetic dental implant therapy. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Effect of selection for relative growth rate and bodyweight of mice on rate, composition and efficiency of growth

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bakker, H.

    1974-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of selection for parameters of a growth curve, four selection lines and a control line were started from one base population. In the selection lines is selected for a large and a small relative growth rate between 21 and 29 days (RGH and RGL) and for a large and

  12. Applied electric field enhances DRG neurite growth: influence of stimulation media, surface coating and growth supplements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Matthew D.; Willits, Rebecca Kuntz

    2009-08-01

    Electrical therapies have been found to aid repair of nerve injuries and have been shown to increase and direct neurite outgrowth during stimulation. This enhanced neural growth existed even after the electric field (EF) or stimulation was removed, but the factors that may influence the enhanced growth, such as stimulation media or surface coating, have not been fully investigated. This study characterized neurite outgrowth and branching under various conditions: EF magnitude and application time, ECM surface coating, medium during EF application and growth supplements. A uniform, low-magnitude EF (24 or 44 V m-1) was applied to dissociated chick embryo dorsal root ganglia seeded on collagen or laminin-coated surfaces. During the growth period, cells were either exposed to NGF or N2, and during stimulation cells were exposed to either unsupplemented media (Ca2+) or PBS (no Ca2+). Parallel controls for each experiment included cells exposed to the chamber with no stimulation and cells remaining outside the chamber. After brief electrical stimulation (10 min), neurite length significantly increased 24 h after application for all conditions studied. Of particular interest, increased stimulation time (10-100 min) further enhanced neurite length on laminin but not on collagen surfaces. Neurite branching was not affected by stimulation on any surface, and no preferential growth of neurites was noted after stimulation. Overall, the results of this report suggest that short-duration electric stimulation is sufficient to enhance neurite length under a variety of conditions. While further data are needed to fully elucidate a mechanism for this increased growth, these data suggest that one focus of those investigations should be the interaction between the growth cone and the substrata.

  13. Supramolecular Nanofibers Enhance Growth Factor Signaling by Increasing Lipid Raft Mobility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Newcomb, Christina J.; Sur, Shantanu; Lee, Sungsoo S.; Yu, Jeong Min; Zhou, Yan; Snead, Malcolm L.; Stupp, Samuel I. (NWU); (USC)

    2016-04-12

    The nanostructures of self-assembling biomaterials have been previously designed to tune the release of growth factors in order to optimize biological repair and regeneration. We report here on the discovery that weakly cohesive peptide nanostructures in terms of intermolecular hydrogen bonding, when combined with low concentrations of osteogenic growth factor, enhance both BMP-2 and Wnt mediated signaling in myoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells, respectively. Conversely, analogous nanostructures with enhanced levels of internal hydrogen bonding and cohesion lead to an overall reduction in BMP-2 signaling. We propose that the mechanism for enhanced growth factor signaling by the nanostructures is related to their ability to increase diffusion within membrane lipid rafts. The phenomenon reported here could lead to new nanomedicine strategies to mediate growth factor signaling for translational targets.

  14. Automatic anatomically selective image enhancement in digital chest radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sezan, M.I.; Minerbo, G.N.; Schaetzing, R.

    1989-01-01

    The authors develop a technique for automatic anatomically selective enhancement of digital chest radiographs. Anatomically selective enhancement is motivated by the desire to simultaneously meet the different enhancement requirements of the lung field and the mediastinum. A recent peak detection algorithm and a set of rules are applied to the image histogram to determine automatically a gray-level threshold between the lung field and mediastinum. The gray-level threshold facilitates anatomically selective gray-scale modification and/or unsharp masking. Further, in an attempt to suppress possible white-band or black-band artifacts due to unsharp masking at sharp edges, local-contrast adaptivity is incorporated into anatomically selective unsharp masking by designing an anatomy-sensitive emphasis parameter which varies asymmetrically with positive and negative values of the local image contrast

  15. Dependence of N-polar GaN rod morphology on growth parameters during selective area growth by MOVPE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shunfeng; Wang, Xue; Mohajerani, Matin Sadat; Fündling, Sönke; Erenburg, Milena; Wei, Jiandong; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Waag, Andreas; Mandl, Martin; Bergbauer, Werner; Strassburg, Martin

    2013-02-01

    Selective area growth of GaN rods by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy has attracted great interest due to its novel applications in optoelectronic and photonics. In this work, we will present the dependence of GaN rod morphology on various growth parameters i.e. growth temperature, H2/N2 carrier gas concentration, V/III ratio, total carrier gas flow and reactor pressure. It is found that higher growth temperature helps to increase the aspect ratio of the rods, but reduces the height homogeneity. Furthermore, H2/N2 carrier gas concentration is found to be a critical factor to obtain vertical rod growth. Pure nitrogen carrier gas leads to irregular growth of GaN structure, while an increase of hydrogen carrier gas results in vertical GaN rod growth. Higher hydrogen carrier gas concentration also reduces the diameter and enhances the aspect of the GaN rods. Besides, increase of V/III ratio causes reduction of the aspect ratio of N-polar GaN rods, which could be explained by the relatively lower growth rate on (000-1) N-polar top surface when supplying more ammonia. In addition, an increase of the total carrier gas flow leads to a decrease in the diameter and the average volume of GaN rods. These phenomena are tentatively explained by the change of partial pressure of the source materials and boundary layer thickness in the reactor. Finally, it is shown that the average volume of the N-polar GaN rods keeps a similar value for a reactor pressure PR of 66 and 125 mbar, while an incomplete filling of the pattern opening is observed with PR of 250 mbar. Room temperature photoluminescence spectrum of the rods is also briefly discussed.

  16. Cloned Hemoglobin Genes Enhance Growth Of Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khosla, Chaitan; Bailey, James E.

    1991-01-01

    Experiments show that portable deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences incorporated into host cells make them produce hemoglobins - oxygen-binding proteins essential to function of red blood cells. Method useful in several biotechnological applications. One, enhancement of growth of cells at higher densities. Another, production of hemoglobin to enhance supplies of oxygen in cells, for use in chemical reactions requiring oxygen, as additive to serum to increase transport of oxygen, and for binding and separating oxygen from mixtures of gases.

  17. Extra Molting and Selection on Nymphal Growth in the Desert Locust.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benjamin Pélissié

    Full Text Available In insects, extra-molting has been viewed as a compensatory mechanism for nymphal growth that contributes to optimize body weight for successful reproduction. However, little is known on the capacity of extra-molting to evolve in natural populations, which limits our understanding of how selection acts on nymphal growth. We used a multi-generational pedigree, individual monitoring and quantitative genetics models to investigate the evolution of extra-molting and its impact on nymphal growth in a solitarious population of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria. Growth compensation via extra-molting was observed for 46% of the females, whose adult weight exceeded by 4% that of other females, at a cost of a 22% longer development time. We found a null heritability for body weight threshold only, and the highest and a strongly female-biased heritability for extra molting. Our genetic estimates show that (1 directional selection can act on growth rate, development time and extra-molting to optimize body weight threshold, the target of stabilizing selection, (2 extra-molting can evolve in natural populations, and (3 a genetic conflict, due to sexually antagonistic selection on extra-molting, might prevent its fixation. Finally, we discuss how antagonistic selection between solitarious and gregarious environments and/or genetic correlations between growth and phase traits might also impact the evolution of extra-molting in locusts.

  18. Automatic, anatomically selective, artifact-free enhancement of digital chest radiographs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sezan, M.I.; Tekalp, A.M.; Schaetzing, R.

    1988-01-01

    The authors propose a technique for automatic, anatomically selective, artifact-free enhancement of digital chest radiographs. Anatomically selective enhancement is motivated by the different enhancement requirements of the lung field and the mediastinum. A recent peak detection algorithm is applied to the image histogram to automatically determine a gray-level threshold between the lung and mediastinum fields. The gray-level threshold facilitates anatomically selective gray-scale modification and unsharp masking. Further, in an attempt to suppress possible white-band artifacts due to unsharp masking at sharp edges, local-contrast adaptivity is incorporated into anatomically selective unsharp masking by designing an anatomy-sensitive emphasis parameter that varied asymmetrically with positive and negative values of the local image contrast

  19. Tunable graphene antennas for selective enhancement of THz-emission

    KAUST Repository

    Filter, Robert; Farhat, Mohamed; Steglich, Mathias; Alaee, Rasoul; Rockstuhl, Carsten; Lederer, Falk L.

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, we will introduce THz graphene antennas that strongly enhance the emission rate of quantum systems at specific frequencies. The tunability of these antennas can be used to selectively enhance individual spectral features. We will show as an example that any weak transition in the spectrum of coronene can become the dominant contribution. This selective and tunable enhancement establishes a new class of graphene-based THz devices, which will find applications in sensors, novel light sources, spectroscopy, and quantum communication devices. © 2013 Optical Society of America.

  20. Growth hormone and selective attention : A review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Quik, Elise H.; van Dam, P. Sytze; Kenemans, J. Leon

    Introduction: The relation between growth hormone (GH) secretion and general cognitive function has been established. General cognitive functioning depends on core functions including selective attention, which have not been addressed specifically in relation to GH. The present review addresses

  1. Growth kinetics and initial stage growth during plasma-enhanced Ti atomic layer deposition

    CERN Document Server

    Kim, H

    2002-01-01

    We have investigated the growth kinetics of plasma-enhanced Ti atomic layer deposition (ALD) using a quartz crystal microbalance. Ti ALD films were grown at temperatures from 20 to 200 deg. C using TiCl sub 4 as a source gas and rf plasma-produced atomic H as the reducing agent. Postdeposition ex situ chemical analyses of thin films showed that the main impurity is oxygen, mostly incorporated during the air exposure prior to analysis. The thickness per cycle, corresponding to the growth rate, was measured by quartz crystal microbalance as a function of various key growth parameters, including TiCl sub 4 and H exposure time, rf plasma power, and sample temperature. The growth rates were independent of TiCl sub 4 exposure above 1x10 sup 3 L, indicating typical ALD mode growth. The key kinetic parameters for Cl extraction reaction and TiCl sub 4 adsorption kinetics were obtained and the growth kinetics were modeled to predict the growth rates based upon these results. Also, the dependency of growth kinetics on d...

  2. Growth enhancement and gene expression of Arabidopsis thaliana irradiated with active oxygen species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Satoshi; Ono, Reoto; Hayashi, Nobuya; Shiratani, Masaharu; Tashiro, Kosuke; Kuhara, Satoru; Inoue, Asami; Yasuda, Kaori; Hagiwara, Hiroko

    2016-07-01

    The characteristics of plant growth enhancement effect and the mechanism of the enhancement induced by plasma irradiation are investigated using various active species in plasma. Active oxygen species in oxygen plasma are effective for growth enhancement of plants. DNA microarray analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana indicates that the genes coding proteins that counter oxidative stresses by eliminating active oxygen species are expressed at significantly high levels. The size of plant cells increases owing to oxygen plasma irradiation. The increases in gene expression levels and cell size suggest that the increase in the expression level of the expansin protein is essential for plant growth enhancement phenomena.

  3. The enhanced effects of antibiotics irradiated of extremely high frequency electromagnetic field on Escherichia coli growth properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torgomyan, Heghine; Trchounian, Armen

    2015-01-01

    The effects of extremely high frequency electromagnetic irradiation and antibiotics on Escherichia coli can create new opportunities for applications in different areas—medicine, agriculture, and food industry. Previously was shown that irradiated bacterial sensitivity against antibiotics was changed. In this work, it was presented the results that irradiation of antibiotics and then adding into growth medium was more effective compared with non-irradiated antibiotics bactericidal action. The selected antibiotics (tetracycline, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, and ceftriaxone) were from different groups. Antibiotics irradiation was performed with low intensity 53 GHz frequency during 1 h. The E. coli growth properties—lag-phase duration and specific growth rate—were markedly changed. Enhanced bacterial sensitivity to irradiated antibiotics is similar to the effects of antibiotics of higher concentrations.

  4. Fusarium oxysporum volatiles enhance plant growth via affecting auxin transport and signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasileios eBitas

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Volatile organic compounds (VOCs have well-documented roles in plant-plant communication and directing animal behavior. In this study, we examine the less understood roles of VOCs in plant-fungal relationships. Phylogenetically and ecologically diverse strains of Fusarium oxysporum, a fungal species complex that often resides in the rhizosphere of assorted plants, produce volatile compounds that augment shoot and root growth of Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco. Growth responses of A. thaliana hormone signaling mutants and expression patterns of a GUS reporter gene under the auxin-responsive DR5 promoter supported the involvement of auxin signaling in F. oxysporum volatile-mediated growth enhancement. In addition, 1-naphthylthalamic acid, an inhibitor of auxin efflux, negated F. oxysporum volatile-mediated growth enhancement in both plants. Comparison of the profiles of volatile compounds produced by F. oxysporum strains that differentially affected plant growth suggests that the relative compositions of both growth inhibitory and stimulatory compounds may determine the degree of plant growth enhancement. Volatile-mediated signaling between fungi and plants may represent a potentially conserved, yet mostly overlooked, mechanism underpinning plant-fungus interactions and fungal niche adaption.

  5. Inhibitor production by normal rat tracheal epithelial cells influences the frequency of spontaneous and X-ray-induced enhanced growth variants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terzaghi-Howe, M.

    1989-01-01

    A cell culture model was used to assay for the induction of cell populations with enhanced growth capacity in culture in irradiated normal rat tracheal epithelial cells (NTEC). Some growth conditions appear to favor the proliferation of both normal and carcinogen-exposed populations, while others appear to select for populations previously exposed to carcinogen. In the present report we focus on what growth conditions are critical for controlling the emergence of spontaneous and X-ray induced proliferating epithelial foci (PEF) and what factor(s) directly influences the relative frequency of PEF in irradiated and control NTEC cultures. (author)

  6. Contractor Selection for Enhancing the Quality of University ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Contractor Selection for Enhancing the Quality of University Education in Nigeria using the Hamming Distance. DEA Omorogbe, SO Aibieyi. Abstract. The need for contractor selection in our university education system cannot be over emphasized. And applying scientific techniques for appropriateness and accuracy in the ...

  7. Enzastaurin (LY317615), a Protein Kinase C Beta Selective Inhibitor, Enhances Antiangiogenic Effect of Radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Willey, Christopher D.; Xiao Dakai; Tu Tianxiang; Kim, Kwang Woon; Moretti, Luigi; Niermann, Kenneth J.; Tawtawy, Mohammed N.; Quarles, Chad C. Ph.D.; Lu Bo

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Angiogenesis has generated interest in oncology because of its important role in cancer growth and progression, particularly when combined with cytotoxic therapies, such as radiotherapy. Among the numerous pathways influencing vascular growth and stability, inhibition of protein kinase B(Akt) or protein kinase C(PKC) can influence tumor blood vessels within tumor microvasculature. Therefore, we wanted to determine whether PKC inhibition could sensitize lung tumors to radiation. Methods and Materials: The combination of the selective PKCβ inhibitor Enzastaurin (ENZ, LY317615) and ionizing radiation were used in cell culture and a mouse model of lung cancer. Lung cancer cell lines and human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) were examined using immunoblotting, cytotoxic assays including cell proliferation and clonogenic assays, and Matrigel endothelial tubule formation. In vivo, H460 lung cancer xenografts were examined for tumor vasculature and proliferation using immunohistochemistry. Results: ENZ effectively radiosensitizes HUVEC within in vitro models. Furthermore, concurrent ENZ treatment of lung cancer xenografts enhanced radiation-induced destruction of tumor vasculature and proliferation by IHC. However, tumor growth delay was not enhanced with combination treatment compared with either treatment alone. Analysis of downstream effectors revealed that HUVEC and the lung cancer cell lines differed in their response to ENZ and radiation such that only HUVEC demonstrate phosphorylated S6 suppression, which is downstream of mTOR. When ENZ was combined with the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, in H460 lung cancer cells, radiosensitization was observed. Conclusion: PKC appears to be crucial for angiogenesis, and its inhibition by ENZ has potential to enhance radiotherapy in vivo.

  8. Selective growth of carbon nanotube on silicon substrates

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZOU Xiao-ping; H. ABE; T. SHIMIZU; A. ANDO; H. TOKUMOT; ZHU Shen-ming; ZHOU Hao-shen

    2006-01-01

    The carbon nanotube (CNT) growth of iron oxide-deposited trench-patterns and the locally-ordered CNT arrays on silicon substrate were achieved by simple thermal chemical vapor deposition(STCVD) of ethanol vapor. The CNTs were uniformly synthesized with good selectivity on trench-patterned silicon substrates. This fabrication process is compatible with currently used semiconductor-processing technologies,and the carbon-nanotube fabrication process can be widely applied for the development of electronic devices using carbon-nanotube field emitters as cold cathodes and can revolutionize the area of field-emitting electronic devices. The site-selective growth of CNT from an iron oxide nanoparticle catalyst patterned were also achieved by drying-mediated self-assembly technique. The present method offers a simple and cost-effective method to grow carbon nanotubes with self-assembled patterns.

  9. Metropolitan migration and population growth in selected developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to estimate the components of metropolitan population growth in selected developing countries during 1960-1970 period. The study examines population growth in 26 cities: 5 are in Africa, 8 in Asia, and 13 in Latin America, using data from national census publications. These cities in general are the political capitals of their countries, but some additional large cities were selected in Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa. All cities, at the beginning of the 1960-1970 decade had over 500,000 population; Accra, the only exception, reached this population level during the 1960s. Some cities had over 4 million residents in 1970. Net migration contributed about 37% to total metropolitan population growth; the remainder of the growth is attributable to natural increase. Migration has a much stronger impact on metropolitan growth than suggested by the above figure: 1) Several metropolitan areas, for various reasons, are unlikely to receive many migrants; without those cities, the share of metropolitan growth from net migration is 44%. 2) Estimates of the natural increase of migrants after their arrival in the metropolitan areas, when added to migration itself, changes the total contribution of migration to 49% in some metropolitan areas. 3) Even where net migration contributes a smaller proportion to metropolitan growth than natural increase, the rates of net migration are generally high and should be viewed in the context of rapid metropolitan population growth from natural increase alone. Finally, the paper also compares the components of metropolitan growth with the components of growth in the remaining urban areas. The results show that the metropolitan areas, in general, grow faster than the remaining urban areas, and that this more rapid growth is mostly due to a higher rate of net migration. Given the significance of migration for metropolitan growth, further investigations of the effects of these migration streams, particularly with

  10. Why higher economic growth cannot always enhance human development

    OpenAIRE

    Ahmed, Md Montasir

    2017-01-01

    This paper studies why higher economic growth cannot always enhance human development. In general, these two dimensions have a strong and positive relationship, but some countries appear unable to balance this relationship. As a consequence, there are some countries with high economic growth but sluggish human development progress. This paper studies how other factors besides GDP – women labor force participation, urbanization, and inequality - are correlated to human development. I construct...

  11. Selective nanoscale growth of lattice mismatched materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung-Chang; Brueck, Steven R. J.

    2017-06-20

    Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods of forming high-quality semiconductor devices using lattice-mismatched materials. In one embodiment, a composite film including one or more substantially-single-particle-thick nanoparticle layers can be deposited over a substrate as a nanoscale selective growth mask for epitaxially growing lattice-mismatched materials over the substrate.

  12. Construction of the World Health Organization child growth standards: Selection of methods for attained growth curves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Borghi, E.; Onis, M. de; Garza, C.; Broeck, J. van den; Frongillo, E.A.; Grummer-Strawn, L.; Buuren, S. van; Pan, H.; Molinari, L.; Martorell, R.; Onyango, A.W.; Martines, J.C.; Pinol, A.; Siyam, A.; Victoria, C.G.; Bhan, M.K.; Araújo, C.L.; Lartey, A.; Owusu, W.B.; Bhandari, N.; Norum, K.R.; Bjoerneboe, G.-E.Aa.; Mohamed, A.J.; Dewey, K.G.; Belbase, K.; Chumlea, C.; Cole, T.; Shrimpton, R.; Albernaz, E.; Tomasi, E.; Cássia Fossati da Silveira, R. de; Nader, G.; Sagoe-Moses, I.; Gomez, V.; Sagoe-Moses, C.; Taneja, S.; Rongsen, T.; Chetia, J.; Sharma, P.; Bahl, R.; Baerug, A.; Tufte, E.; Alasfoor, D.; Prakash, N.S.; Mabry, R.M.; Al Rajab, H.J.; Helmi, S.A.; Nommsen-Rivers, L.A.; Cohen, R.J.; Heinig, M.J.

    2006-01-01

    The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with a number of research institutions worldwide, is developing new child growth standards. As part of a broad consultative process for selecting the best statistical methods, WHO convened a group of statisticians and child growth experts to

  13. A material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motion for cell growth enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ching-Wen; Wang, Gou-Jen

    2013-01-01

    In tissue engineering, cell–cell, cell–scaffold and cell–environment communication balances regulate how cell populations participate in tissue generation, maintenance and repair. These communication balances are called niches. In this study, an easily implemented and material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motions is developed to enhance cell growth. A micropositioning piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate stage is used to provide precise microreciprocating shear stress motions. Various shear stresses were applied to bovine endothelial cells (BECs) that were cultured on the artificially synthesized materials to obtain the suitable shear stress for growth enhancement. It was found that the suitable shear stress for apparent enhancement of BEC growth ranges from 1.8 to 2.2 N m −2 . Biopolymers were further used to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach using the optimized shear stress obtained from the culture on artificially synthesized polymers. The results further confirmed that the growth of BECs was enhanced as expected under the calculated reciprocating frequencies based on the suitable shear stress. It is hoped that the proposed microshear-stress-based niche could be a more cost- and time-effective solution for the enhancement of cell growth in tissue engineering applications. (paper)

  14. The kinetics of chirality assignment in catalytic single-walled carbon nanotube growth and the routes towards selective growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Ziwei; Qiu, Lu; Ding, Feng

    2018-03-21

    Depending on its specific structure, or so-called chirality, a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) can be either a conductor or a semiconductor. This feature ensures great potential for building ∼1 nm sized electronics if chirality-selected SWCNTs could be achieved. However, due to the limited understanding of the growth mechanism of SWCNTs, reliable methods for chirality-selected SWCNTs are still pending. Here we present a theoretical model on the chirality assignment and control of SWCNTs during the catalytic growth. This study reveals that the chirality of a SWCNT is determined by the kinetic incorporation of pentagons, especially the last (6 th ) one, during the nucleation stage. Our analysis showed that the chirality of a SWCNT is randomly assigned on a liquid or liquid-like catalyst surface, and two routes of synthesizing chirality-selected SWCNTs, which are verified by recent experimental achievements, are demonstrated. They are (i) by using high melting point crystalline catalysts, such as Ta, W, Re, Os, or their alloys, and (ii) by frequently changing the chirality of SWCNTs during their growth. This study paves the way for achieving chirality-selective SWCNT growth for high performance SWCNT based electronics.

  15. Halotolerant rhizobacteria promote growth and enhance salinity tolerance in peanut

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandeep Sharma

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Use of Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR is a promising strategy to improve the crop production under optimal or sub-optimal conditions. In the present study, five diazotrophic salt tolerant bacteria were isolated from the roots of a halophyte, Arthrocnemum indicum. The isolates were partially characterized in vitro for plant growth promoting traits and evaluated for their potential to promote growth and enhanced salt tolerance in peanut. The 16S rRNA gene sequence homology indicated that these bacterial isolates belong to the genera, Klebisiella, Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium and Ochrobactrum. All isolates were nifH positive and able to produce indole -3-acetic acid (ranging from 11.5 to 19.1 µg ml-1. The isolates showed phosphate solubilisation activity (ranging from 1.4 to 55.6 µg phosphate /mg dry weight, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity (0.1 to 0.31 µmol α-kB/µg protein/h and were capable of reducing acetylene in acetylene reduction assay (ranging from 0.95 to 1.8 µmol C2H4 mg protein/h. These isolates successfully colonized the peanut roots and were capable of promoting the growth under non-stress condition. A significant increase in total nitrogen (N content (up to 76% was observed over the non-inoculated control. All isolates showed tolerance to NaCl ranging from 4-8% in nutrient broth medium. Under salt stress, inoculated peanut seedlings maintained ion homeostasis, accumulated less reactive oxygen species (ROS and showed enhanced growth compared to non-inoculated seedlings. Overall, the present study has characterized several potential bacterial strains that showed an enhanced growth promotion effect on peanut under control as well as saline conditions. The results show the possibility to reduce chemical fertilizer inputs and may promote the use of bio-inoculants.

  16. Effect of gas flow on the selective area growth of gallium nitride via metal organic vapor phase epitaxy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodak, L. E.; Kasarla, K. R.; Korakakis, D.

    2007-08-01

    The effect of gas flow on the selective area growth (SAG) of gallium nitride (GaN) grown via metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) has been investigated. In this study, the SAG of GaN was carried out on a silicon dioxide striped pattern along the GaN direction. SAG was initiated with the striped pattern oriented parallel and normal to the incoming gas flow in a horizontal reactor. The orientation of the pattern did not impact cross section of the structure after re-growth as both orientations resulted in similar trapezoidal structures bounded by the (0 0 0 1) and {1 1 2¯ n} facets ( n≈1.7-2.2). However, the growth rates were shown to depend on the orientation of the pattern as the normally oriented samples exhibited enhanced vertical and cross-sectional growth rates compared to the parallel oriented samples. All growths occurred under identical conditions and therefore the difference in growth rates must be attributed to a difference in mass transport of species.

  17. Selection for growth performance of tank-reared Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andriantahina, Farafidy; Liu, Xiaolin; Huang, Hao; Xiang, Jianhai

    2013-05-01

    Seven growth-related traits were measured to assess the selection response and genetic parameters of the growth of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, which had been domesticated in tanks for more than four generations. Phenotypic and genetic parameters were evaluated and fitted to an animal model. Realized response was measured from the difference between the mean growth rates of selected and control families. Realized heritability was determined from the ratio of the selection responses and selection differentials. The animal model heritability estimate over generations was 0.44±0.09 for body weight (BW), and ranged from 0.21±0.08 to 0.37±0.06 for size traits. Genetic correlations of phenotypic traits were more variable (0.51-0.97), although correlations among various traits were high (>0.83). Across generations, BW and size traits increased, while selection response and heritability gradually decreased. Selection responses were 12.28%-23.35% for harvest weight and 3.58%-13.53% for size traits. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.34±0.09 to 0.48±0.15 for harvest weight and 0.17±0.01-0.38±0.11 for size traits. All phenotypic and genetic parameters differed between various treatments. To conclude, the results demonstrated a potential for mass selection of growth traits in L. vannamei. A breeding scheme could use this information to integrate the effectiveness constituent traits into an index to achieve genetic progress.

  18. Characterization of Effective Rhizobacteria Isolated from Velvet Bean (Mucuna Pruriens) to Enhance Plant Growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saleem, A. R.; Mahmood, T.; Batool, A.; Khalid, A.

    2016-01-01

    Rhizobacteria with plant growth promoting ability exist in association with plant roots and ameliorate over all plant development and yield. Numerous species of rhizobacteria have been identified with plant growth promoting ability, which can be attributed to multiple microbial characteristics. In the current study rhizobacterial isolates with best plant growth promotion traits were subjected to screening for plant growth promotion under axenic condition. The results of lab assays revealed that out of five rhizobacterial isolates three of bacterial isolate were Gram -ve and two of them were Gram +ve bacterial group. All isolates found positive for the auxin production and ACC-demainase activity. The isolate HS9 showed highest ACC activity (331 ketobutyrate nmol mg-1 biomass hr-1) and auxin production (3.85 without L-TRP). PGPR increase plant growth by reducing the ethylene release and its inhibitory effects, the role of isolates to decrease ethylene effects was affirmed via classical triple response assay on velvet bean. Furthermore, isolate were assessed for resistance test, three efficient strains (G9, HS9 and H38) exhibited antibiotic resistance for streptomycin, kanamycin and rifampicin at 100 mg L-1in TSB medium. For the purpose of co-inoculation, all three isolates showed positive relation to grow together. The results concluded that rhizobacteria selected from rain fed areas were found effective to improve plant growth with their multiple growth enhancing traits. Therefore, PGPR with various characteristics could be a better option for inoculation and co-inoculation to improve plant growth in well watered and water stressed environment. (author)

  19. Selection, calibration, and validation of models of tumor growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, E A B F; Oden, J T; Hormuth, D A; Yankeelov, T E; Almeida, R C

    2016-11-01

    This paper presents general approaches for addressing some of the most important issues in predictive computational oncology concerned with developing classes of predictive models of tumor growth. First, the process of developing mathematical models of vascular tumors evolving in the complex, heterogeneous, macroenvironment of living tissue; second, the selection of the most plausible models among these classes, given relevant observational data; third, the statistical calibration and validation of models in these classes, and finally, the prediction of key Quantities of Interest (QOIs) relevant to patient survival and the effect of various therapies. The most challenging aspects of this endeavor is that all of these issues often involve confounding uncertainties: in observational data, in model parameters, in model selection, and in the features targeted in the prediction. Our approach can be referred to as "model agnostic" in that no single model is advocated; rather, a general approach that explores powerful mixture-theory representations of tissue behavior while accounting for a range of relevant biological factors is presented, which leads to many potentially predictive models. Then representative classes are identified which provide a starting point for the implementation of OPAL, the Occam Plausibility Algorithm (OPAL) which enables the modeler to select the most plausible models (for given data) and to determine if the model is a valid tool for predicting tumor growth and morphology ( in vivo ). All of these approaches account for uncertainties in the model, the observational data, the model parameters, and the target QOI. We demonstrate these processes by comparing a list of models for tumor growth, including reaction-diffusion models, phase-fields models, and models with and without mechanical deformation effects, for glioma growth measured in murine experiments. Examples are provided that exhibit quite acceptable predictions of tumor growth in laboratory

  20. Enhanced shoot investment makes invasive plants exhibit growth advantages in high nitrogen conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, X A; Peng, Y; Li, J J; Peng, P H

    2018-03-12

    Resource amendments commonly promote plant invasions, raising concerns over the potential consequences of nitrogen (N) deposition; however, it is unclear whether invaders will benefit from N deposition more than natives. Growth is among the most fundamental inherent traits of plants and thus good invaders may have superior growth advantages in response to resource amendments. We compared the growth and allocation between invasive and native plants in different N regimes including controls (ambient N concentrations). We found that invasive plants always grew much larger than native plants in varying N conditions, regardless of growth- or phylogeny-based analyses, and that the former allocated more biomass to shoots than the latter. Although N addition enhanced the growth of invasive plants, this enhancement did not increase with increasing N addition. Across invasive and native species, changes in shoot biomass allocation were positively correlated with changes in whole-plant biomass; and the slope of this relationship was greater in invasive plants than native plants. These findings suggest that enhanced shoot investment makes invasive plants retain a growth advantage in high N conditions relative to natives, and also highlight that future N deposition may increase the risks of plant invasions.

  1. Chemicals to enhance microalgal growth and accumulation of high-value bioproducts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinheng eYu

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Photosynthetic microalgae have attracted significant attention as they can serve as important sources for cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products, industrial materials and even biofuel biodiesels. However, current productivity of microalga-based processes is still very low, which has restricted their scale-up application. In addition to various efforts in strain improvement and cultivation optimization, it was proposed that the productivity of microalga-based processes can also be increased using various chemicals to trigger or enhance cell growth and accumulation of bioproducts. Herein, we summarized recent progresses in applying chemical triggers or enhancers to improve cell growth and accumulation of bioproducts in algal cultures. Based on their enhancing mechanisms, these chemicals can be classified into four categories:chemicals regulating biosynthetic pathways, chemicals inducing oxidative stress responses, phytohormones and analogues regulating multiple aspects of microalgal metabolism, and chemicals directly as metabolic precursors. Taken together, the early researches demonstrated that the use of chemical stimulants could be a very effective and economical way to improve cell growth and accumulation of high-value bioproducts in large-scale cultivation of microalgae.

  2. BRE enhances in vivo growth of tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chan, Ben Chung-Lap; Li Qing; Chow, Stephanie Ka-Yee; Ching, Arthur Kar-Keung; Liew, Choong Tsek; Lim, Pak-Leong; Lee, Kenneth Ka-Ho; Chan, John Yeuk-Hon; Chui, Y.-L.

    2005-01-01

    Human BRE, a death receptor-associating intracellular protein, attenuates apoptotic response of human and mouse tumor cell lines to death receptor stimuli in vitro. In this report, we addressed whether the in vitro antiapoptotic effect of BRE could impact on tumor growth in vivo. We have shown that the mouse Lewis lung carcinoma D122 stable transfectants of human BRE expression vector developed into local tumor significantly faster than the stable transfectants of empty vector and parental D122, in both the syngeneic C57BL/6 host and nude mice. In vitro growth of the BRE stable transfectants was, however, not accelerated. No significant difference in metastasis between the transfectants and the parental D122 was detected. Thus, overexpression of BRE promotes local tumor growth but not metastasis. We conclude that the enhanced tumor growth is more likely due to the antiapoptotic activity of BRE than any direct effect of the protein on cell proliferation

  3. Marbled Murrelets Select Distinctive Nest Trees within Old-Growth Forest Patches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael P. Silvergieter

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The coastal old-growth forests of North America's Pacific Coast are renowned both for their commercial and ecological value. This study adds to growing evidence that selective harvesting of the largest trees may have a disproportionate ecological impact. Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus, a threatened species, nest almost exclusively in these old-growth forests. Detailed knowledge of nesting habitat selection provides guidance for habitat management and conservation. Habitat selection for this species has been studied at a variety of scales using ground and remote methods. However, because Marbled Murrelet nesting activity is limited to a single mossy platform on a single tree, we investigated nest tree selection within old-growth forest patches, using a set of 59 forest patches containing active nests. Nest trees were usually distinctive compared with neighboring trees in the surrounding 25 m radius patch. They averaged 15 to 20% taller than neighboring trees depending on region, had significantly larger stem diameters, more potential nesting platforms, and more moss. They had the most extreme values of height and width about three times as often as expected by chance. An analysis of moss platform use as a function of number of platforms per platform tree suggests that murrelets select individual platforms, rather than platform trees per se. Nonetheless, highly selective logging practices that remove high-value trees from stands may also remove trees most likely to be selected by nesting murrelets.

  4. Catecholamines and in vitro growth of pathogenic bacteria: enhancement of growth varies greatly among bacterial species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belay, Tesfaye; Aviles, Hernan; Vance, Monique; Fountain, Kimberly; Sonnenfeld, Gerald

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of catecholamines on in vitro growth of a range of bacterial species, including anaerobes. Bacteria tested included: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Bacteriodes fragilis, Shigella boydii, Shigella sonnie, Enterobacter Sp, and Salmonella choleraesuis. The results of the current study indicated that supplementation of bacterial cultures in minimal medium with norepinephrine or epinephrine did not result in increased growth of bacteria. Positive controls involving treatment of Escherichia coli with catecholamines did result in increased growth of that bacterial species. The results of the present study extend previous observations that showed differential capability of catecholamines to enhance bacterial growth in vitro.

  5. Combined inoculation of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum for enhancing plant growth of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandheep, A R; Asok, A K; Jisha, M S

    2013-06-15

    This study was conducted to evaluate the plant growth promoting efficiency of combined inoculation of rhizobacteria on Vanilla plants. Based on the in vitro performance of indigenous Trichoderma spp. and Pseudomonas spp., four effective antagonists were selected and screened under greenhouse experiment for their growth enhancement potential. The maximum percentage of growth enhancement were observed in the combination of Trichoderma harzianum with Pseudomonas fluorescens treatment followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas putida and Trichoderma virens, respectively in decreasing order. Combined inoculation of Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens registered the maximum length of vine (82.88 cm), highest number of leaves (26.67/plant), recorded the highest fresh weight of shoots (61.54 g plant(-1)), fresh weight of roots (4.46 g plant(-1)) and dry weight of shoot (4.56 g plant(-1)) where as the highest dry weight of roots (2.0806 g plant(-1)) were achieved with treatments of Pseudomonas fluorescens. Among the inoculated strains, combined inoculation of Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens recorded the maximum nitrogen uptake (61.28 mg plant(-1)) followed by the combined inoculation of Trichoderma harzianum (std) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (std) (55.03 mg plant(-1)) and the highest phosphorus uptake (38.80 mg plant(-1)) was recorded in dual inoculation of Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens.

  6. Plasma Enhanced Growth of Carbon Nanotubes For Ultrasensitive Biosensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassell, Alan M.; Li, J.; Ye, Q.; Koehne, J.; Chen, H.; Meyyappan, M.

    2004-01-01

    The multitude of considerations facing nanostructure growth and integration lends itself to combinatorial optimization approaches. Rapid optimization becomes even more important with wafer-scale growth and integration processes. Here we discuss methodology for developing plasma enhanced CVD growth techniques for achieving individual, vertically aligned carbon nanostructures that show excellent properties as ultrasensitive electrodes for nucleic acid detection. We utilize high throughput strategies for optimizing the upstream and downstream processing and integration of carbon nanotube electrodes as functional elements in various device types. An overview of ultrasensitive carbon nanotube based sensor arrays for electrochemical biosensing applications and the high throughput methodology utilized to combine novel electrode technology with conventional MEMS processing will be presented.

  7. Effect of selection for lean growth on gonadal development of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A primary objective of commercial pig production is lean meat yield in order to satisfy consumer needs. The majority of the commercial pig breeds in South Africa have been selected for high lean growth potential and reduced backfat thickness. There are indications that selection for high lean meat yield may affect the ...

  8. Growth and characterization of titanium oxide by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition

    KAUST Repository

    Zhao, Chao; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Li, Jingqi; Wang, Qingxiao; Yang, Yang; Chen, Long; LI, LIANG

    2013-01-01

    The growth of TiO2 films by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition using Star-Ti as a precursor has been systematically studied. The conversion from amorphous to crystalline TiO2 was observed either during high temperature growth or annealing

  9. Genetic Selection to Enhance Animal Welfare Using Meat Inspection Data from Slaughter Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathur, Pramod K; Vogelzang, Roos; Mulder, Herman A; Knol, Egbert F

    2018-01-24

    Animal health and welfare are monitored during meat inspection in many slaughter plants around the world. Carcasses are examined by meat inspectors and remarks are made with respect to different diseases, injuries, and other abnormalities. This is a valuable data resource for disease prevention and enhancing animal welfare, but it is rarely used for this purpose. Records on carcass remarks on 140,375 finisher pigs were analyzed to investigate the possibility of genetic selection to reduce the risk of the most prevalent diseases and indicators of suboptimal animal welfare. As part of this, effects of some non-genetic factors such as differences between farms, sexes, and growth rates were also examined. The most frequent remarks were pneumonia (15.4%), joint disorders (9.8%), pleuritis (4.7%), pericarditis (2.3%), and liver lesions (2.2%). Joint disorders were more frequent in boars than in gilts. There were also significant differences between farms. Pedigree records were available for 142,324 pigs from 14 farms and were used for genetic analysis. Heritability estimates for pneumonia, pleuritis, pericarditis, liver lesions, and joint disorders were 0.10, 0.09, 0.14, 0.24, and 0.17 on the liability scale, respectively, suggesting the existence of substantial genetic variation. This was further confirmed though genome wide associations using deregressed breeding values as phenotypes. The genetic correlations between these remarks and finishing traits were small but mostly negative, suggesting the possibility of enhancing pig health and welfare simultaneously with genetic improvement in finishing traits. A selection index based on the breeding values for these traits and their economic values was developed. This index is used to enhance animal welfare in pig farms.

  10. Chondroitinase C Selectively Degrades Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans that Inhibit Axonal Growth within the Endoneurium of Peripheral Nerve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, James B; Muir, David

    2016-01-01

    The success of peripheral nerve regeneration is highly dependent on the regrowth of axons within the endoneurial basal lamina tubes that promote target-oriented pathfinding and appropriate reinnervation. Restoration of nerve continuity at this structural level after nerve transection injury by direct repair and nerve grafting remains a major surgical challenge. Recently, biological approaches that alter the balance of growth inhibitors and promoters in nerve have shown promise to improve appropriate axonal regeneration and recovery of peripheral nerve function. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are known inhibitors of axonal growth. This growth inhibition is mainly associated with a CSPG's glycosaminoglycan chains. Enzymatic degradation of these chains with chondroitinase eliminates this inhibitory activity and, when applied in vivo, can improve the outcome of nerve repair. To date, these encouraging findings were obtained with chondroitinase ABC (a pan-specific chondroitinase). The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of CSPG subtypes in rodent, rabbit, and human peripheral nerve and to test more selective biological enzymatic approaches to improve appropriate axonal growth within the endoneurium and minimize aberrant growth. Here we provide evidence that the endoneurium, but not the surrounding epineurium, is rich in CSPGs that have glycosaminoglycan chains readily degraded by chondroitinase C. Biochemical studies indicate that chondroitinase C has degradation specificity for 6-sulfated glycosaminoglycans found in peripheral nerve. We found that chondroitinase C degrades and inactivates inhibitory CSPGs within the endoneurium but not so much in the surrounding nerve compartments. Cryoculture bioassays (neurons grown on tissue sections) show that chondroitinase C selectively and significantly enhanced neuritic growth associated with the endoneurial basal laminae without changing growth-inhibiting properties of the surrounding epineurium

  11. Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Silicon Synergistically Enhance Salinity Tolerance of Mung Bean

    KAUST Repository

    Mahmood, Sajid

    2016-06-17

    The present study explored the eco-friendly approach of utilizing plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) inoculation and foliar application of silicon (Si) to improve the physiology, growth, and yield of mung bean under saline conditions. We isolated 18 promising PGPR from natural saline soil in Saudi Arabia, and screened them for plant-growth-promoting activities. Two effective strains were selected from the screening trial, and were identified as Enterobacter cloacae and Bacillus drentensis using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques, respectively. Subsequently, in a 2-year mung bean field trial, using a randomized complete block design with a split-split plot arrangement, we evaluated the two PGPR strains and two Si levels (1 and 2 kg ha−1), in comparison with control treatments, under three different saline irrigation conditions (3.12, 5.46, and 7.81 dS m−1). The results indicated that salt stress substantially reduced stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, relative water content (RWC), total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid content, plant height, leaf area, dry biomass, seed yield, and salt tolerance index. The PGPR strains and Si levels independently improved all the aforementioned parameters. Furthermore, the combined application of the B. drentensis strain with 2 kg Si ha−1 resulted in the greatest enhancement of mung bean physiology, growth, and yield. Overall, the results of this study provide important information for the benefit of the agricultural industry.

  12. Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Silicon Synergistically Enhance Salinity Tolerance of Mung Bean

    KAUST Repository

    Mahmood, Sajid; Daur, Ihsanullah; Al-Solaimani, Samir G.; Ahmad, Shakeel; Madkour, Mohamed H.; Yasir, Muhammad; Hirt, Heribert; Ali, Shawkat; Ali, Zahir

    2016-01-01

    The present study explored the eco-friendly approach of utilizing plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) inoculation and foliar application of silicon (Si) to improve the physiology, growth, and yield of mung bean under saline conditions. We isolated 18 promising PGPR from natural saline soil in Saudi Arabia, and screened them for plant-growth-promoting activities. Two effective strains were selected from the screening trial, and were identified as Enterobacter cloacae and Bacillus drentensis using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques, respectively. Subsequently, in a 2-year mung bean field trial, using a randomized complete block design with a split-split plot arrangement, we evaluated the two PGPR strains and two Si levels (1 and 2 kg ha−1), in comparison with control treatments, under three different saline irrigation conditions (3.12, 5.46, and 7.81 dS m−1). The results indicated that salt stress substantially reduced stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, relative water content (RWC), total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid content, plant height, leaf area, dry biomass, seed yield, and salt tolerance index. The PGPR strains and Si levels independently improved all the aforementioned parameters. Furthermore, the combined application of the B. drentensis strain with 2 kg Si ha−1 resulted in the greatest enhancement of mung bean physiology, growth, and yield. Overall, the results of this study provide important information for the benefit of the agricultural industry.

  13. Selective separation of Eu3+ using polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norton, M.V.

    1994-03-01

    A process to selectively remove 241 Am from liquid radioactive waste was investigated as an actinide separation method applicable to Hanford and other waste sites. The experimental procedures involved removal of Eu, a nonradioactive surrogate for Am, from aqueous solutions at pH 5 using organic polymers in conjunction with ultrafiltration. Commercially available polyacrylic acid (60,000 MW) and Pacific Northwest Laboratory's (PNL) synthesized E3 copolymer (∼10,000 MW) were tested. Test solutions containing 10 μg/mL of Eu were dosed vath each polymer at various concentrations in order to bind Eu (i.e., by complexation and/or cation exchange) for subsequent rejection by an ultrafiltration coupon. Test solutions were filtered with and without polymer to determine if enhanced Eu separation could be achieved from polymer treatment. Both polymers significantly increased Eu removal. Optimum concentrations were 20 μg/mL of polyacrylic acid and 100 μg/mL of E3 for 100% Eu rejection by the Amicon PM10 membrane at 55 psi. In addition to enhancement of removal, the polymers selectively bound Eu over Na, suggesting that selective separation of Eu was possible. This suggests that polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration is a potential process for separation of 241 Am from Hanford tank waste, further investigation of binding agents and membranes effective under very alkaline and high ionic strength is warranted. This process also has potential applications for selective separation of toxic metals from industrial process streams

  14. Effect of growth enhancement agro-input support on rice output ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of growth enhancement agro-input support on rice output: emerging issues for the green economy in Nigeria. ... Journal Home > Vol 14, No 1 (2015) > ... integrating sustainable organic and affordable more environmentally friendly ...

  15. Selective-area growth and controlled substrate coupling of transition metal dichalcogenides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bersch, Brian M.; Eichfeld, Sarah M.; Lin, Yu-Chuan; Zhang, Kehao; Bhimanapati, Ganesh R.; Piasecki, Aleksander F.; Labella, Michael, III; Robinson, Joshua A.

    2017-06-01

    Developing a means for true bottom-up, selective-area growth of two-dimensional (2D) materials on device-ready substrates will enable synthesis in regions only where they are needed. Here, we demonstrate seed-free, site-specific nucleation of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with precise control over lateral growth by utilizing an ultra-thin polymeric surface functionalization capable of precluding nucleation and growth. This polymer functional layer (PFL) is derived from conventional photoresists and lithographic processing, and is compatible with multiple growth techniques, precursors (metal organics, solid-source) and TMDs. Additionally, we demonstrate that the substrate can play a major role in TMD transport properties. With proper TMD/substrate decoupling, top-gated field-effect transistors (FETs) fabricated with selectively-grown monolayer MoS2 channels are competitive with current reported MoS2 FETs. The work presented here demonstrates that substrate surface engineering is key to realizing precisely located and geometrically-defined 2D layers via unseeded chemical vapor deposition techniques.

  16. Continuous background light significantly increases flashing-light enhancement of photosynthesis and growth of microalgae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu-Ghosh, Said; Fixler, Dror; Dubinsky, Zvy; Iluz, David

    2015-01-01

    Under specific conditions, flashing light enhances the photosynthesis rate in comparison to continuous illumination. Here we show that a combination of flashing light and continuous background light with the same integrated photon dose as continuous or flashing light alone can be used to significantly enhance photosynthesis and increase microalgae growth. To test this hypothesis, the green microalga Dunaliella salina was exposed to three different light regimes: continuous light, flashing light, and concomitant application of both. Algal growth was compared under three different integrated light quantities; low, intermediate, and moderately high. Under the combined light regime, there was a substantial increase in all algal growth parameters, with an enhanced photosynthesis rate, within 3days. Our strategy demonstrates a hitherto undescribed significant increase in photosynthesis and algal growth rates, which is beyond the increase by flashing light alone. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Alternative growth promoters alter broiler gut microbiome and enhance body weight gain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) have commonly been used to enhance growth in poultry production. However, there has been increasing concern over the impact of AGPs use in food production on acquisition of antibiotic resistance in zoonotic bacterial pathogens through inter-bacterial transfer of an...

  18. Mathematical modeling predicts enhanced growth of X-ray irradiated pigmented fungi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Shuryak

    Full Text Available Ionizing radiation is known for its cytotoxic and mutagenic properties. However, recent evidence suggests that chronic sub-lethal irradiation stimulates the growth of melanin-pigmented (melanized fungi, supporting the hypothesis that interactions between melanin and ionizing photons generate energy useful for fungal growth, and/or regulate growth-promoting genes. There are no quantitative models of how fungal proliferation is affected by ionizing photon energy, dose rate, and presence versus absence of melanin on the same genetic background. Here we present such a model, which we test using experimental data on melanin-modulated radiation-induced proliferation enhancement in the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, exposed to two different peak energies (150 and 320 kVp over a wide range of X-ray dose rates. Our analysis demonstrates that radiation-induced proliferation enhancement in C. neoformans behaves as a binary "on/off" phenomenon, which is triggered by dose rates 5000 mGy/h. Proliferation enhancement of irradiated cells compared with unirradiated controls occurs at both X-ray peak energies, but its magnitude is modulated by X-ray peak energy and cell melanization. At dose rates <5000 mGy/h, both melanized and non-melanized cells exposed to 150 kVp X-rays, and non-melanized cells exposed to 320 kVp X-rays, all exhibit the same proliferation enhancement: on average, chronic irradiation stimulates each founder cell to produce 100 (95% CI: 83, 116 extra descendants over 48 hours. Interactions between melanin and 320 kVp X-rays result in a significant (2-tailed p-value = 4.8 × 10(-5 additional increase in the number of radiation-induced descendants per founder cell: by 55 (95% CI: 29, 81. These results show that both melanin-dependent and melanin-independent mechanisms are involved in radiation-induced fungal growth enhancement, and implicate direct and/or indirect interactions of melanin with high energy ionizing photons as an important pro

  19. Selective growth of silica nanowires using an Au catalyst for optical recognition of interleukin-10

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sekhar, Praveen K; Ramgir, Niranjan S; Joshi, Rakesh K; Bhansali, Shekhar [Bio-MEMS and Microfabrication Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Avenue, ENB 118, Tampa, FL 33620 (United States)], E-mail: bhansali@eng.usf.edu

    2008-06-18

    The vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth procedure has been extended for the selective growth of silica nanowires on SiO{sub 2} layer by using Au as a catalyst. The nanowires were grown in an open tube furnace at 1100 deg. C for 60 min using Ar as a carrier gas. The average diameter of these bottom-up nucleated wires was found to be 200 nm. Transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates the amorphous nature of these nanoscale wires and suggests an Si-silica heterostructure. The localized silica nanowires have been used as an immunoassay template in the detection of interleukin-10 which is a lung cancer biomarker. Such a nanostructured platform offered a tenfold enhancement in the optical response, aiding the recognition of IL-10 in comparison to a bare silica substrate. The role of nanowires in the immunoassay was verified through the quenching behavior in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Two orders of reduction in PL intensity have been observed after completion of the immunoassay with significant quenching after executing every step of the protocol. The potential of this site-specific growth of silica nanowires on SiO{sub 2} as a multi-modal biosensing platform has been discussed.

  20. Enhanced tumor growth in the remaining lung after major lung resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sano, Fumiho; Ueda, Kazuhiro; Murakami, Junichi; Hayashi, Masataro; Nishimoto, Arata; Hamano, Kimikazu

    2016-05-01

    Pneumonectomy induces active growth of the remaining lung in order to compensate for lost lung tissue. We hypothesized that tumor progression is enhanced in the activated local environment. We examined the effects of mechanical strain on the activation of lung growth and tumor progression in mice. The mechanical strain imposed on the right lung after left pneumonectomy was neutralized by filling the empty space that remained after pneumonectomy with a polypropylene prosthesis. The neutralization of the strain prevented active lung growth. According to an angiogenesis array, stronger monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression was found in the strain-induced growing lung. The neutralization of the strain attenuated the release of MCP-1 from the lung cells. The intravenous injection of Lewis lung cancer cells resulted in the enhanced development of metastatic foci in the strain-induced growing lung, but the enhanced development was canceled by the neutralization of the strain. An immunohistochemical analysis revealed the prominent accumulation of tumor-associated macrophages in tumors arising in the strain-induced growing lung, and that there was a relationship between the accumulation and the MCP-1 expression status. Our results suggested that mechanical lung strain, induced by pulmonary resection, triggers active lung growth, thereby creating a tumor-friendly environment. The modification of that environment, as well as the minimizing of surgical stress, may be a meaningful strategy to improve the therapeutic outcome after lung cancer surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Effect of additives on enhanced sintering and grain growth in uranium dioxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bourgeois, L.

    1992-06-01

    The use of sintering additives has been the most effective way of promoting grain growth of uranium dioxide. We have established a same mechanism for additives which belongs to corundum structure: chromium, aluminium, vanadium and titanium sesquioxides. Study of thermodynamical stabilities of dopants has lead to define suitable sintering atmospheres in order to enhance grain growth. Low solubility limits have been defined at T=1700 deg C for four additives, from variations of final grain size versus initial dopant concentration Identification of second phase after cooling has been done from electronic diffraction patterns. It appears that these solubilities decrease sharply as positive deviation from stoichiometry of uranium dioxide increases. Dilatometric analysis of sintering of doped uranium dioxide has shown in certain cases some enhancement in densification rates, at the point of onset of abnormal grain growth, which is believed to be the source. Nevertheless, the following growth is accompanied with pores coalescence mechanisms and pores entrapment inside grains. Increased thermal stability, during standard annealing, is expected, limiting thereby redensification of nuclear fuel in reactors. Finally, from investigations of additives vaporizations, Al 2 O 3 and Cr 2 O 3 , oxygen exchanges between additives and matrix are believed to occur, which should lead to enhance pore mobility. (Author)., refs., figs., tabs

  2. Selective growth of gallium nitride nanowires by femtosecond laser patterning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ng, D.K.T.; Hong, M.H.; Tan, L.S.; Zhou, Y.; Chen, G.X.

    2008-01-01

    We report on gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires grown using pulsed laser ablation, adopting the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism. The GaN nanowires are obtained based on the principle that a catalyst is required to initiate the nanowires growth. Locations of the GaN nanowires are patterned using femtosecond laser and focused ion beam. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to characterize the nanowires. This patterning of GaN nanowires will enable selective growth of nanowires and bottom-up assembly of integrated electronic and photonic devices

  3. Selective growth of gallium nitride nanowires by femtosecond laser patterning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ng, D.K.T. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore); Hong, M.H. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore)], E-mail: HONG_Minghui@dsi.a-star.edu.sg; Tan, L.S. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Zhou, Y. [Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, DSI Building, 5 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117608 (Singapore); Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Chen, G.X. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

    2008-01-31

    We report on gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires grown using pulsed laser ablation, adopting the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism. The GaN nanowires are obtained based on the principle that a catalyst is required to initiate the nanowires growth. Locations of the GaN nanowires are patterned using femtosecond laser and focused ion beam. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to characterize the nanowires. This patterning of GaN nanowires will enable selective growth of nanowires and bottom-up assembly of integrated electronic and photonic devices.

  4. Selective epitaxial growth of Ge1-xSnx on Si by using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washizu, Tomoya; Ike, Shinichi; Inuzuka, Yuki; Takeuchi, Wakana; Nakatsuka, Osamu; Zaima, Shigeaki

    2017-06-01

    Selective epitaxial growth of Ge and Ge1-xSnx layers on Si substrates was performed by using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) with precursors of tertiary-butyl-germane (t-BGe) and tri-butyl-vinyl-tin (TBVSn). We investigated the effects of growth temperature and total pressure during growth on the selectivity and the crystallinity of the Ge and Ge1-xSnx epitaxial layers. Under low total pressure growth conditions, the dominant mechanism of the selective growth of Ge epitaxial layers is the desorption of the Ge precursors. At a high total pressure case, it is needed to control the surface migration of precursors to realize the selectivity because the desorption of Ge precursors was suppressed. The selectivity of Ge growth was improved by diffusion of the Ge precursors on the SiO2 surfaces when patterned substrates were used at a high total pressure. The selective epitaxial growth of Ge1-xSnx layer was also realized using MOCVD. We found that the Sn precursors less likely to desorb from the SiO2 surfaces than the Ge precursors.

  5. Large-area selective CVD epitaxial growth of Ge on Si substrates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sammak, A.; De Boer, W.; Nanver, L.K.

    2011-01-01

    Selective epitaxial growth of crystalline Ge on Si in a standard ASM Epsilon 2000 CVD reactor is investigated for the fabrication of Ge p+n diodes. At the deposition temperature of 700?C, most of the lattice mismatch-defects are trapped within first 300nm of Ge growth and good quality single crystal

  6. Fishery-induced selection for slow somatic growth in European eel.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniele Bevacqua

    Full Text Available Both theoretical and experimental studies have shown that fishing mortality can induce adaptive responses in body growth rates of fishes in the opposite direction of natural selection. We compared body growth rates in European eel (Anguilla anguilla from three Mediterranean stocks subject to different fishing pressure. Results are consistent with the hypotheses that i fast-growing individuals are more likely to survive until sexual maturity than slow-growing ones under natural conditions (no fishing and ii fishing can select for slow-growing individuals by removing fast-growing ones. Although the possibility of human-induced evolution seems remote for a panmictic species like such as the European eel, further research is desirable to assess the implications of the intensive exploitation on this critically endangered fish.

  7. Enhancement of erythroid colony growth in culture by hemin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Porter, P.N.; Meints, R.H.; Mesner, K.

    1979-01-01

    Hemin was found to enhance the growth of murine erythroid colonies in culture. In the presence of 100 mU/ml erythropoietin (EPO), the addition of hemin (0.05-0.2 mM) resulted in the growth of twice as many colonies as were obtained with EPO alone. Hemin also significantly increased erythroid colony formation in culture in the absence of added EPO. Hemoblobin synthesis as measured by the incorporation of 59 Fe into cyclohexanone extractable heme was augmented in culture by hemin. Neither Δ-aminolevulinic acid, a hemin precursor, nor FeCl 3 increased colony number. (author)

  8. Dietary Lactobacillus plantarum supplementation enhances growth performance and alleviates aluminum toxicity in tilapia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Leilei; Zhai, Qixiao; Zhu, Jiamin; Zhang, Chengcheng; Li, Tianqi; Liu, Xiaoming; Zhao, Jianxin; Zhang, Hao; Tian, Fengwei; Chen, Wei

    2017-09-01

    We investigated the protection offered by the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM639 against waterborne Al exposure in tilapia. Fish were allocated to control, CCFM639-only, Al-only or Al plus CCFM639 groups. The fish were exposed to 2.73mg/L Al ions for 4 weeks. The probiotic was incorporated into the fish diet at 10 8 CFU/g and provided twice daily. Our results showed that L. plantarum CCFM639 significantly enhanced feed utilization, growth performance and antioxidant ability in the absence of waterborne Al exposure. When fish were exposed to Al, dietary supplementation with the strain effectively decreased the death rate and accumulation of Al in tissues, and enhanced growth performance. Moreover, Al-induced changes in hematobiochemical parameters and hepatic oxidative stress and histopathology were also alleviated. Therefore, L. plantarum CCFM639 may be a novel dietary supplement for fish to enhance growth performance and prevent aquaculture and food safety problems induced by Al pollution. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Orientation selection process during the early stage of cubic dendrite growth: A phase-field crystal study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Sai; Wang Zhijun; Guo Yaolin; Wang Jincheng; Yu Yanmei; Zhou Yaohe

    2012-01-01

    Using the phase-field crystal model, we investigate the orientation selection of the cubic dendrite growth at the atomic scale. Our simulation results reproduce how a face-centered cubic (fcc) octahedral nucleus and a body-centered cubic (bcc) truncated-rhombic dodecahedral nucleus choose the preferred growth direction and then evolve into the dendrite pattern. The interface energy anisotropy inherent in the fcc crystal structure leads to the fastest growth velocity in the 〈1 0 0〉 directions. New { 1 1 1} atomic layers prefer to nucleate at positions near the tips of the fcc octahedron, which leads to the directed growth of the fcc dendrite tips in the 〈1 0 0〉 directions. A similar orientation selection process is also found during the early stage of bcc dendrite growth. The orientation selection regime obtained by phase-field crystal simulation is helpful for understanding the orientation selection processes of real dendrite growth.

  10. Holotransferrin enhances selective anticancer activity of artemisinin against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Xiao-rong; Liu, Zhao-xia; Liu, Feng; Pan, Lei; Yu, He-ping; Jiang, Jin-ping; Zhang, Jian-jun; Liu, Li; Yu, Jun

    2013-12-01

    Artemisinin, also termed qinghaosu, is extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine artemesia annua L. (the blue-green herb) in the early 1970s, which has been confirmed for effectively treating malaria. Additionally, emerging data prove that artemisinin exhibits anti-cancer effects against many types of cancers such as leukemia, melanoma, etc. Artemisinin becomes cytotoxic in the presence of ferrous iron. Since iron influx is high in cancer cells, artemisinin and its analogs selectively kill cancer cells with increased intracellular iron concentrations. This study is aimed to investigate the selective inhibitory effects of artemisinin on SMMC-7721 cells in vitro and determine the effect of holotransferrin, which increases the concentration of ferrous iron in cancer cells, combined with artemisinin on the anticancer activity. MTT assay was used for assessing the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells treated with artemisinin. The induction of apoptosis and inhibition of colony formation in SMMC-7721 cells treated with artemisinin were determined by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and colony formation assay, respectively. The results showed that artemisinin at various concentrations significantly inhibited growth, colony formation and cell viability of SMMC-7721 cells (P<0.05), likely due to induction of apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. Of interest, it was found that incubation of artemisinin combined with holotransferrin sensitized the growth inhibitory effect of artemisinin on SMMC-7721 cells (P<0.01). Our data suggest that treatment with artemisinin leads to inhibition of viability and proliferation, and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells. Furthermore, we observed that holotransferrin significantly enhanced the anti-cancer activity of artemisinin. This study may provide a potential therapeutic choice for liver cancer.

  11. Selective Acylation Enhances Membrane Charge Sensitivity of the Antimicrobial Peptide Mastoparan-X

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Etzerodt, Thomas Povl; Henriksen, Jonas Rosager; Rasmussen, Palle

    2011-01-01

    and positioning of the peptide in the membrane caused by either PA or OA acylation play a critical role in the fine-tuning of the effective charge of the peptide and thereby the fine-tuning of the peptide's selectivity between neutral and negatively charged lipid membranes. This finding is unique compared...... to previous reports where peptide acylation enhanced membrane affinity but also resulted in impaired selectivity. Our result may provide a method of enhancing selectivity of antimicrobial peptides toward bacterial membranes due to their high negative charge—a finding that should be investigated for other...

  12. Protein as chemical cue: non-nutritional growth enhancement by exogenous protein in Pseudomonas putida KT2440.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiren Joshi

    Full Text Available Research pertaining to microbe-microbe and microbe-plant interactions has been largely limited to small molecules like quorum sensing chemicals. However, a few recent reports have indicated the role of complex molecules like proteins and polysaccharides in microbial communication. Here we demonstrate that exogenous proteins present in culture media can considerably accelerate the growth of Pseudomonas putida KT2440, even when such proteins are not internalized by the cells. The growth enhancement is observed when the exogenous protein is not used as a source of carbon or nitrogen. The data show non-specific nature of the protein inducing growth; growth enhancement was observed irrespective of the protein type. It is shown that growth enhancement is mediated via increased siderophore secretion in response to the exogenous protein, leading to better iron uptake. We highlight the ecological significance of the observation and hypothesize that exogenous proteins serve as chemical cues in the case of P.putida and are perceived as indicator of the presence of competitors in the environment. It is argued that enhanced siderophore secretion in response to exogenous protein helps P.putida establish numerical superiority over competitors by way of enhanced iron assimilation and quicker utilization of aromatic substrates.

  13. Enhancing growth performance of chromolaena odorata in two soil samples by using cow manure as amendment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anyasi, R.

    2014-01-01

    A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of cow manure on the growth of Chromolaena odorata propagated for the purpose of phytoremediation of organic contaminant in soil. Cow manure was mixed separately with two soil types: clay soil and sandy-loam soils in a ratio of 9:1 (soil:manure) and put into 2 L PVC pots, the homogenized soil types were measured into 2 L PVC planting pots. Selected sprouting stem cuttings of Chromolaena odorata were transplanted into the pots containing the soil-manure mixture. Nutrient status of the soil was monitored weekly through the period of experimentation and the growth of the plants and biomass accumulation were measured. Control experiment was set up with manure. Survival of plants after transplanting was highest for cuttings transplanting after 3 weeks (95%) and 5 weeks (50%) of sprouting in the nursery. Profuse growth of plants in the both amended soil types were observed when compared with the control. Biomass accumulation was significantly higher in amended soils compared to the control. This study has shown that organic manure amendment to both soil types can enhance the growth and biomass accumulation of Chromolaena odorata. This is a good indication that the amendment could be beneficial in soil phytoremediation studies involving C. odorata. (author)

  14. A short communication-Enhancement of growth of fungi commonly ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Four natural agar media designed for the first time from peel and juice of both pure and hybrid passion fruits grown in Uganda were used to compare growth of 22 isolates of 18 species of the most commonly associated mycobiota with passion fruits. The majority of isolates tested was enhanced on both juice agar media ...

  15. Jasmonic Acid Enhances Al-Induced Root Growth Inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhong-Bao; He, Chunmei; Ma, Yanqi; Herde, Marco; Ding, Zhaojun

    2017-02-01

    Phytohormones such as ethylene and auxin are involved in the regulation of the aluminum (Al)-induced root growth inhibition. Although jasmonate (JA) has been reported to play a crucial role in the regulation of root growth and development in response to environmental stresses through interplay with ethylene and auxin, its role in the regulation of root growth response to Al stress is not yet known. In an attempt to elucidate the role of JA, we found that exogenous application of JA enhanced the Al-induced root growth inhibition. Furthermore, phenotype analysis with mutants defective in either JA biosynthesis or signaling suggests that JA is involved in the regulation of Al-induced root growth inhibition. The expression of the JA receptor CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1 (COI1) and the key JA signaling regulator MYC2 was up-regulated in response to Al stress in the root tips. This process together with COI1-mediated Al-induced root growth inhibition under Al stress was controlled by ethylene but not auxin. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that many responsive genes under Al stress were regulated by JA signaling. The differential responsive of microtubule organization-related genes between the wild-type and coi1-2 mutant is consistent with the changed depolymerization of cortical microtubules in coi1 under Al stress. In addition, ALMT-mediated malate exudation and thus Al exclusion from roots in response to Al stress was also regulated by COI1-mediated JA signaling. Together, this study suggests that root growth inhibition is regulated by COI1-mediated JA signaling independent from auxin signaling and provides novel insights into the phytohormone-mediated root growth inhibition in response to Al stress. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Chondroitinase C Selectively Degrades Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans that Inhibit Axonal Growth within the Endoneurium of Peripheral Nerve.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James B Graham

    Full Text Available The success of peripheral nerve regeneration is highly dependent on the regrowth of axons within the endoneurial basal lamina tubes that promote target-oriented pathfinding and appropriate reinnervation. Restoration of nerve continuity at this structural level after nerve transection injury by direct repair and nerve grafting remains a major surgical challenge. Recently, biological approaches that alter the balance of growth inhibitors and promoters in nerve have shown promise to improve appropriate axonal regeneration and recovery of peripheral nerve function. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs are known inhibitors of axonal growth. This growth inhibition is mainly associated with a CSPG's glycosaminoglycan chains. Enzymatic degradation of these chains with chondroitinase eliminates this inhibitory activity and, when applied in vivo, can improve the outcome of nerve repair. To date, these encouraging findings were obtained with chondroitinase ABC (a pan-specific chondroitinase. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of CSPG subtypes in rodent, rabbit, and human peripheral nerve and to test more selective biological enzymatic approaches to improve appropriate axonal growth within the endoneurium and minimize aberrant growth. Here we provide evidence that the endoneurium, but not the surrounding epineurium, is rich in CSPGs that have glycosaminoglycan chains readily degraded by chondroitinase C. Biochemical studies indicate that chondroitinase C has degradation specificity for 6-sulfated glycosaminoglycans found in peripheral nerve. We found that chondroitinase C degrades and inactivates inhibitory CSPGs within the endoneurium but not so much in the surrounding nerve compartments. Cryoculture bioassays (neurons grown on tissue sections show that chondroitinase C selectively and significantly enhanced neuritic growth associated with the endoneurial basal laminae without changing growth-inhibiting properties of the surrounding

  17. A Possible Role of Peptides in the Growth Enhancement of an Industrial Strain of Saccharomyces sp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dino Paolo Cortes

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Individual addition of a commercially available nutritional supplement and a methanol extract from an industrial Saccharomyces sp. strain SMC resulted in the enhanced growth of Saccharomyces sp. strain SMC in minimal medium. Isolation of the growth enhancing components from aqueous extracts of the supplement and the cellular extract was performed using reversed-phase, gel filtration, and ion exchange chromatography. Reversed-phase chromatography using Sep-Pak® vac C18 yielded aqueous washes which elicited increased yeast growth. Gel filtration chromatography of the aqueous washes in a group separation mode using Sephadex G25 gave three distinct groups for the nutritional supplement, and four distinct groups for the cellular extract. Fraction groups that exhibited growth enhancing activity also exhibited high absorbances at all three wavelengths of 214, 260, and 280 nm. Two major fractions which tested positive for growth enhancing activity in succeeding experiments were obtained after passing each of the active GFC groups through a Toyopearl SP 550C cation exchanger column. The active component from the cellular extract did not bind to the cation exchanger. The absorbance data at 214 nm (peptide bond experimental absorbance maximum wavelength, the Bradford assay (showing the presence of proteinaceous matter, and the active component’s inclusion in the Sephadex G25 fractionation range of 1-5 kDa (characteristic of small peptides suggest that the growth enhancing components of the nutritional supplement and methanol cell extracts are peptides.

  18. Growth of non-Campylobacter, oxidase-positive bacteria on selective Campylobacter agar.

    OpenAIRE

    Moskowitz, L B; Chester, B

    1982-01-01

    A total of 67 oxidase-positive, gram-negative bacteria were tested for growth on selective Campylobacter agar (Blaser formulation, BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.) at 42 degrees C under microaerophilic conditions. Although the growth of most of these bacteria was prevented, all strains of Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putrefaciens, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, and Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes grew as well as Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni.

  19. Self-regulating and diameter-selective growth of GaN nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuo, C-K; Hsu, C-W; Wu, C-T; Lan, Z-H; Mou, C-Y; Chen, C-C; Yang, Y-J; Chen, L-C; Chen, K-H

    2006-01-01

    We report diameter-selective growth of GaN nanowires (NWs) by using mono-dispersed Au nanoparticles (NPs) on a ligand-modified Si substrate. The thiol-terminal silane was found to be effective in producing well-dispersed Au NPs in low density on Si substrates so that the agglomeration of Au NPs during growth could be avoided. The resultant GaN NWs exhibited a narrow diameter distribution and their mean diameter was always larger than, while keeping a deterministic relation with, the size of the Au NPs from which they were grown. A self-regulating steady growth model is proposed to account for the size-control process

  20. Trade-offs between microbial growth phases lead to frequency-dependent and non-transitive selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manhart, Michael; Adkar, Bharat V; Shakhnovich, Eugene I

    2018-02-14

    Mutations in a microbial population can increase the frequency of a genotype not only by increasing its exponential growth rate, but also by decreasing its lag time or adjusting the yield (resource efficiency). The contribution of multiple life-history traits to selection is a critical question for evolutionary biology as we seek to predict the evolutionary fates of mutations. Here we use a model of microbial growth to show that there are two distinct components of selection corresponding to the growth and lag phases, while the yield modulates their relative importance. The model predicts rich population dynamics when there are trade-offs between phases: multiple strains can coexist or exhibit bistability due to frequency-dependent selection, and strains can engage in rock-paper-scissors interactions due to non-transitive selection. We characterize the environmental conditions and patterns of traits necessary to realize these phenomena, which we show to be readily accessible to experiments. Our results provide a theoretical framework for analysing high-throughput measurements of microbial growth traits, especially interpreting the pleiotropy and correlations between traits across mutants. This work also highlights the need for more comprehensive measurements of selection in simple microbial systems, where the concept of an ordinary fitness landscape breaks down. © 2018 The Author(s).

  1. Selective growth of Ge nanowires by low-temperature thermal evaporation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutter, Eli; Ozturk, Birol; Sutter, Peter

    2008-10-29

    High-quality single-crystalline Ge nanowires with electrical properties comparable to those of bulk Ge have been synthesized by vapor-liquid-solid growth using Au growth seeds on SiO(2)/Si(100) substrates and evaporation from solid Ge powder in a low-temperature process at crucible temperatures down to 700 °C. High nanowire growth rates at these low source temperatures have been identified as being due to sublimation of GeO from substantial amounts of GeO(2) on the powder. The Ge nanowire synthesis from GeO is highly selective at our substrate temperatures (420-500 °C), i.e., occurs only on Au vapor-liquid-solid growth seeds. For growth of nanowires of 10-20 µm length on Au particles, an upper bound of 0.5 nm Ge deposition was determined in areas of bare SiO(2)/Si substrate without Au nanoparticles.

  2. Seminal plasma enhances cervical adenocarcinoma cell proliferation and tumour growth in vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason R Sutherland

    Full Text Available Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women in sub-Saharan Africa. Extensive evidence has shown that cervical cancer and its precursor lesions are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV infection. Although the vast majority of HPV infections are naturally resolved, failure to eradicate infected cells has been shown to promote viral persistence and tumorigenesis. Furthermore, following neoplastic transformation, exposure of cervical epithelial cells to inflammatory mediators either directly or via the systemic circulation may enhance progression of the disease. It is well recognised that seminal plasma contains an abundance of inflammatory mediators, which are identified as regulators of tumour growth. Here we investigated the role of seminal plasma in regulating neoplastic cervical epithelial cell growth and tumorigenesis. Using HeLa cervical adenocarcinoma cells, we found that seminal plasma (SP induced the expression of the inflammatory enzymes, prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PTGS1 and PTGS2, cytokines interleukin (IL -6, and -11 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A. To investigate the role of SP on tumour cell growth in vivo, we xenografted HeLa cells subcutaneously into the dorsal flank of nude mice. Intra-peritoneal administration of SP rapidly and significantly enhanced the tumour growth rate and size of HeLa cell xenografts in nude mice. As observed in vitro, we found that SP induced expression of inflammatory PTGS enzymes, cytokines and VEGF-A in vivo. Furthermore we found that SP enhances blood vessel size in HeLa cell xenografts. Finally we show that SP-induced cytokine production, VEGF-A expression and cell proliferation are mediated via the induction of the inflammatory PTGS pathway.

  3. Growth Conditions and Gamma-Irradiation as Enhancers of Cellulase Production by Bacillus subtilis Using Solid State Fermentation of Banana Wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    EI Shafey, H.M.

    2008-01-01

    In the present investigation trials have been carried out to study the effect of growth conditions and y-irradiation on the enhancement of cellulases using banana wastes. Bacterial strains were isolated from degraded banana wastes. Using the plate screening medium, a hypercelIulolytic isolate was selected on the basis of the diameter of the hydrolysis zone surrounding the colonies, and identified as Bacillus subtilis. Three method of pretreatment or the substrate were applied and compared in order to increase the susceptibility of the substrate to biodegradation. The methods used were autoclaving at 121 degree C for 60 min, acid hydrolysis using 2 N HCI, and alkali hydrolysis using 2 M NaOH. Pretreatment of the substrate (banana wastes) by autoclaving at 121 degree C for 60 minutes yielded the highest carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) and filter paper cellulase (FPase) enzyme activities in comparing with other methods. Production of CMCase and FPase was followed during changes of the growth conditions using solid state fermentation. Results showed that the two enzymes share the same growth factors for the maximum enzymatic production including 36 degree C incubation temperature, 72 hours incubation period, 60% moisture content, 20% v/w inoculum size, and initial ph 7.0. A gamma irradiation dose of 1.5 kGy was found to have an enhancing effect on the two enzymes production. Production of FPase enzyme was enhanced by 3.43 and 2.28% in pseudo stems and leaves, respectively. On the other hand, production of CMCase enzyme was slightly enhanced by 0.91 and 0.72% using pseudo stems and leaves respectively. Results also showed that banana leaves yielded higher CMCase and FPase enzymes than pseudo stems

  4. Enhancement of insulin-like growth factor 2 receptors in glioblastoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sara, V.; Prisell, Per; Sjoegren, Barbro; Enberg, Goesta

    1986-01-01

    The somatomedins (IGF-1/IGF-2) are a family of growth-promoting hormones which have been identified in the human central nervous system where their specific receptors are distributed. The present study identified somatomedin receptors in glioblastoma and compared them with those found in normal brain. A significant enhancement in the binding of 125 1-IGF-2 but not 125 1-IGF-1 to glioblastoma membranes was found. A fourfold increase in IGF-2 receptor concentration was observed. These findings indicate enhanced expression of the IGF-2 receptor in glioblastoma. (author)

  5. Enhancement of insulin-like growth factor 2 receptors in glioblastoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sara, V; Prisell, P; Sjoegren, B; Persson, L; Boethius, J; Enberg, G

    1986-09-01

    The somatomedins (IGF-1/IGF-2) are a family of growth-promoting hormones which have been identified in the human central nervous system where their specific receptors are distributed. The present study identified somatomedin receptors in glioblastoma and compared them with those found in normal brain. A significant enhancement in the binding of /sup 125/1-IGF-2 but not /sup 125/1-IGF-1 to glioblastoma membranes was found. A fourfold increase in IGF-2 receptor concentration was observed. These findings indicate enhanced expression of the IGF-2 receptor in glioblastoma. 14 refs.

  6. Graphene quantum dots as enhanced plant growth regulators: effects on coriander and garlic plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakravarty, Disha; Erande, Manisha B; Late, Dattatray J

    2015-10-01

    We report investigations on the use of graphene quantum dots for growth enhancement in coriander (Coriandrum sativam L.) and garlic (Allium sativum) plants. The as-received seeds of coriander and garlic were treated with 0.2 mg mL(-1) of graphene quantum dots for 3 h before planting. Graphene quantum dots enhanced the growth rate in coriander and garlic plants, including leaves, roots, shoots, flowers and fruits, when the seeds were treated with graphene quantum dots. Our investigations open up the opportunity to use graphene quantum dots as plant growth regulators that can be used in a variety of other food plants for high yield. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. L-Citrulline Supplementation Enhances Fetal Growth and Protein Synthesis in Rats with Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourdon, Aurélie; Parnet, Patricia; Nowak, Christel; Tran, Nhat-Thang; Winer, Norbert; Darmaun, Dominique

    2016-03-01

    Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) results from either maternal undernutrition or impaired placental blood flow, exposing offspring to increased perinatal mortality and a higher risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease during adulthood. l-Citrulline is a precursor of l-arginine and nitric oxide (NO), which regulates placental blood flow. Moreover, l-citrulline stimulates protein synthesis in other models of undernutrition. The aim of the study was to determine whether l-citrulline supplementation would enhance fetal growth in a model of IUGR induced by maternal dietary protein restriction. Pregnant rats were fed either a control (20% protein) or a low-protein (LP; 4% protein) diet. LP dams were randomly allocated to drink tap water either as such or supplemented with l-citrulline (2 g · kg(-1) · d(-1)), an isonitrogenous amount of l-arginine, or nonessential l-amino acids (NEAAs). On day 21 of gestation, dams received a 2-h infusion of l-[1-(13)C]-valine until fetuses were extracted by cesarean delivery. Isotope enrichments were measured in free amino acids and fetal muscle, liver, and placenta protein by GC-mass spectrometry. Fetal weight was ∼29% lower in the LP group (3.82 ± 0.06 g) than in the control group (5.41 ± 0.10 g) (P growth in a model of IUGR, and the effect may be mediated by enhanced fetal muscle protein synthesis and/or increased NO production. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  8. Selection theory of free dendritic growth in a potential flow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Kurnatowski, Martin; Grillenbeck, Thomas; Kassner, Klaus

    2013-04-01

    The Kruskal-Segur approach to selection theory in diffusion-limited or Laplacian growth is extended via combination with the Zauderer decomposition scheme. This way nonlinear bulk equations become tractable. To demonstrate the method, we apply it to two-dimensional crystal growth in a potential flow. We omit the simplifying approximations used in a preliminary calculation for the same system [Fischaleck, Kassner, Europhys. Lett. 81, 54004 (2008)], thus exhibiting the capability of the method to extend mathematical rigor to more complex problems than hitherto accessible.

  9. Effect of enhanced C2 growth chemistry on nanodiamond film deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teii, Kungen; Ikeda, Tomohiro

    2007-01-01

    A route to high-purity nanocrystalline diamond films from C 2 dimers and related mechanisms have been investigated by enhancing C 2 growth chemistry in Ar-rich microwave plasmas. Efficient C 2 production by direct dissociation from acetylene causes the micro- to nanocrystal transition with a low threshold Ar concentration of ∼70% and produces films of ∼20 nm grains with a distinct visible-Raman peak of diamond. C 2 grows nanodiamond on diamond surfaces but rarely initiates nucleation on foreign surfaces. The phase purity can be improved by increasing the dominance of nanodiamond growth from C 2 over nondiamond growth from CH x (x=0-3) and large radicals

  10. Growth and characterization of titanium oxide by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition

    KAUST Repository

    Zhao, Chao

    2013-09-01

    The growth of TiO2 films by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition using Star-Ti as a precursor has been systematically studied. The conversion from amorphous to crystalline TiO2 was observed either during high temperature growth or annealing process of the films. The refractive index and bandgap of TiO2 films changed with the growth and annealing temperatures. The optimization of the annealing conditions for TiO2 films was also done by morphology and density studies. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Three-dimensional selective growth of nanoparticles on a polymer microstructure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Shaomin; Han, L-H; Chen Shaochen

    2009-01-01

    We demonstrate a new technique for selectively growing gold nanoparticles on a patterned three-dimensional (3D) polymer microstructure. The technique integrates 3D direct writing of heterogeneous microstructures with nanoparticle synthesis. A digital micromirror device is employed as a dynamic mask in the digital projection photopolymerization process to build the heterogeneous microstructure layer by layer. An amine-bearing polyelectrolyte, branched poly(ethylenimine), is selectively attached to the microstructure and acts as both a reducing and a protective agent in the nanoparticle synthesis. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are utilized to analyze the microstructure and the 3D selectivity of the nanoparticle growth.

  12. Growth of 11 introduced tree species on selected forest sites in Hawaii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael G Buck; Roger H. Imoto

    1982-01-01

    Growth and volume data for trees on 25 plots reprsenting 11 introduced species in Hawaii were recorded during a 21-year period. Tree were measured at about 5-year intervals to determine overall growth and stand development. The sites selected were considered better-than-average in terms of elevation, amount of precipitation, and soil quality. Except for redwood, stands...

  13. Growth inhibition of selected microorganisms by an association of dairy starter cultures and probiotics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beniamino T. Cenci-Goga

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Several growth curves for selected pathogens and hygiene indicators alone and vs selected dairy starter cultures (LAB and commercial probiotics have been performed. All strains for LAB and commercial probiotics were inoculated as pure cultures into skim milk to get an initial cocci:bacilli:enterocci ratio of 2:1:1 and a concentration of approximately 107 cfu mL–1 until challenge vs selected pathogens and hygiene indicators. Selected pathogens came from the collection of the Laboratorio di Ispezione degli Alimenti di O.A. or were reference strains (Escherichia coli, CSH26 K12, Staphylococcus aureus 27R, Salmonella Derby 27, Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525, Listeria innocua ATCC 33090. Each strain was inoculated into skim milk to get an initial concentration of approximately 106 cfu mL–1. Growth curves in skim milk for the following challenges were studied: i sterility control; ii association LAB; iii association of LAB vs each selected pathogen or hygiene indicator; iv selected pathogen or hygiene indicator alone. The challenges were carried out in BHI broth and in skim milk at 37°C. The highest reduction was observed in milk but in general the association of LAB and the probiotic was able to limit the growth of pathogens and hygiene indicators.

  14. Enhancing Web Service Selection by User Preferences of Non-Functional Features

    OpenAIRE

    Badr , Youakim; Abraham , Ajith; Biennier , Frédérique; Grosan , Crina

    2008-01-01

    International audience; Selection of an appropriate Web service for a particular task has become a difficult challenge due to the increasing number of Web services offering similar functionalities. The functional properties describe what the service can do and the nonfunctional properties depict how the service can do it. Non-functional properties involving qualitative or quantitative features have become essential criteria to enhance the selection process of services making the selection pro...

  15. Trust-Enhanced Cloud Service Selection Model Based on QoS Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Yuchen; Ding, Shuai; Fan, Wenjuan; Li, Jing; Yang, Shanlin

    2015-01-01

    Cloud computing technology plays a very important role in many areas, such as in the construction and development of the smart city. Meanwhile, numerous cloud services appear on the cloud-based platform. Therefore how to how to select trustworthy cloud services remains a significant problem in such platforms, and extensively investigated owing to the ever-growing needs of users. However, trust relationship in social network has not been taken into account in existing methods of cloud service selection and recommendation. In this paper, we propose a cloud service selection model based on the trust-enhanced similarity. Firstly, the direct, indirect, and hybrid trust degrees are measured based on the interaction frequencies among users. Secondly, we estimate the overall similarity by combining the experience usability measured based on Jaccard's Coefficient and the numerical distance computed by Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Then through using the trust degree to modify the basic similarity, we obtain a trust-enhanced similarity. Finally, we utilize the trust-enhanced similarity to find similar trusted neighbors and predict the missing QoS values as the basis of cloud service selection and recommendation. The experimental results show that our approach is able to obtain optimal results via adjusting parameters and exhibits high effectiveness. The cloud services ranking by our model also have better QoS properties than other methods in the comparison experiments.

  16. The Effect of Divergent Selection on 4-wk BW on the Shape of Growth Curve in Japanese Quail

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H Beyki

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of short-term divergent selection on the shape growth curve in different lines of Japanese quail. The Quail lines utilized in this study were two divergently selected for high (HW and low (LW 4-wk body weight during 7 generation and also a control line (C. The Richard function parameters were used to describe growth curves of different lines. The weight at hatch was approximately similar among lines (8.08 g, 7.55 g and 8.76 g for HW, LW and C line respectively. The results of current study indicated that the selected lines (HW & LW were immediately diverged from the C line after hatch. Sexes within each line had no difference in average growth rate, age and body weight at inflection point and adult body weight. However significant differences were found in the growth curve parameters among lines. The results of current study indicated that short term divergent selection for 4-wk BW in Japanese quail can change the growth pattern and the carcass compartments of the selected birds. Therefore to avoid undesirable side effects due to selection in Japanese quails it is recommended to consider the growth pattern changes of the selected birds in the breeding programs

  17. Selective recognition of Pr3+ based on fluorescence enhancement sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganjali, M.R.; Hosseini, M.; Ghafarloo, A.; Khoobi, M.; Faridbod, F.; Shafiee, A.; Norouzi, P.

    2013-01-01

    (E)-2-(1-(4-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)ethylidene) hydrazinecarbothioamide (L) has been used to detect trace amounts of praseodymium ion in acetonitrile–water solution (MeCN/H 2 O) by fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescent probe undergoes fluorescent emission intensity enhancement upon binding to Pr 3+ ions in MeCN/H 2 O (9/1:v/v) solution. The fluorescence enhancement of L is attributed to a 1:1 complex formation between L and Pr 3+ , which has been utilized as the basis for selective detection of Pr 3+ . The sensor can be applied to the quantification of praseodymium ion with a linear range of 1.6 × 10 −7 to 1.0 × 10 −5 M. The limit of detection was 8.3 × 10 −8 M. The sensor exhibits high selectivity toward praseodymium ions in comparison with common metal ions. The proposed fluorescent sensor was successfully used for determination of Pr 3+ in water samples. - Highlights: • A new fluorescent sensor is introduced as a selective probe for Pr 3+ detection. • Fluorescent intensity of the chemical probe enhances upon binding to Pr 3+ ion. • The sensor can be used for Pr 3+ determination in the range of 1.6 × 10 −7 –1.0 × 10 −5 M

  18. Index selection of beef cattle for growth and milk production using ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Index selection of beef cattle for growth and milk production using computer simulation modelling. ... South African Journal of Animal Science ... into the model allowed for the introduction of variation between individuals and generations.

  19. Selectivity/Specificity Improvement Strategies in Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Wang

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS is a powerful technique for the discrimination, identification, and potential quantification of certain compounds/organisms. However, its real application is challenging due to the multiple interference from the complicated detection matrix. Therefore, selective/specific detection is crucial for the real application of SERS technique. We summarize in this review five selective/specific detection techniques (chemical reaction, antibody, aptamer, molecularly imprinted polymers and microfluidics, which can be applied for the rapid and reliable selective/specific detection when coupled with SERS technique.

  20. Adrenergic beta 2-selective blocker in isoprenaline-enhanced essential tremor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teräväinen, H; Huttunen, J

    1987-01-01

    A beta 2-selective adrenergic-receptor-blocking drug, ICI 118.551, 150 mg/day, prevented almost as effectively as the nonselective antagonist propranolol, 240 mg/day, the isoprenaline enhancement of essential tremor amplitude.

  1. Enhancement of bone formation in rabbits by recombinant human growth hormone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ehrnberg, A.; Brosjoe, O.; Laaftman, P.; Nilsson, O.; Stroemberg, L.

    1993-01-01

    We studied the effect of human recombinant growth hormone on diaphyseal bone in 40 adult rabbits. The diaphyseal periosteum of one femur in each animal was mechanically stimulated by a nylon cerclage band. The bands induced an increase in bone formation, bone mineral content, and maximum torque capacity of the diaphyseal bone at 1 and 2 months. Growth hormone enhanced the anabolic effect of the cerclage bands on bone metabolism, evidenced by a further increase in torsional strength of the femurs. (au) (32 refs.)

  2. EFFECTIVENESS OF E-WALLET PRACTICE IN GRASSROOTS AGRICULTURAL SERVICES DELIVERY IN NIGERIA - A CASE STUDY OF KWARA STATE GROWTH ENHANCEMENT SUPPORT SCHEME

    OpenAIRE

    Grace Modupe ADEBO

    2014-01-01

    This study assesses the effectiveness of the usages of mobile phone-based innovations to reaching small scale farmers in Nigeria using Kwara State growth enhancement support scheme as a case study. Two hundred farmers were randomly selected from four local government areas in the state. A structured interview schedule was used for eliciting information from them. The study revealed that 53.5, 51.0 & 87.2 percents of the respondents’ respectively benefited from improved seeds o...

  3. AlGaInAs narrow stripe selective growth on substrates patterned with different mask designs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, W; Pan, J Q; Yang, H; Hou, L P; Zhou, F; Zhao, L J; Zhu, H L; Wang, W

    2006-01-01

    We have performed a narrow stripe selective growth of oxide-free AlGaInAs waveguides on InP substrates patterned with pairs of SiO 2 mask stripes under optimized growth conditions. The mask stripe width varied from 0 to 40 μm, while the window region width between a pair of mask stripes was fixed at 1.5, 2.5 or 3.5 μm. Flat and smooth AlGaInAs waveguides covered by specific InP layers are successfully grown on substrates patterned with different mask designs. The thickness enhancement ratio and the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the AlGaInAs narrow stripe waveguides are strongly dependent on the mask stripe width and the window region width. In particular, a large PL wavelength shift of 79 nm and a PL FWHM of less than 64 meV are obtained simultaneously with a small mask stripe width varying from 0 to 40 μm when the window region width is 1.5 μm. We present some possible interpretations of the experimental observations in considering both the migration effect from a masked region and the lateral vapour diffusion effect

  4. MUC1 gene polymorphism in three Nelore lines selected for growth and its association with growth and carcass traits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, Fabio Ricardo Pablos; Maione, Sandra; Sartore, Stefano; Soglia, Dominga; Spalenza, Veronica; Cauvin, Elsa; Martelli, Lucia Regina; Mercadante, Maria Eugênia Zerlotti; Sacchi, Paola; de Albuquerque, Lucia Galvão; Rasero, Roberto

    2012-02-01

    The objective of this study was to describe the VNTR polymorphism of the mucin 1 gene (MUC1) in three Nelore lines selected for yearling weight to determine whether allele and genotype frequencies of this polymorphism were affected by selection for growth. In addition, the effects of the polymorphism on growth and carcass traits were evaluated. Birth, weaning and yearling weights, rump height, Longissimus muscle area, backfat thickness, and rump fat thickness, were analyzed. A total of 295 Nelore heifers from the Beef Cattle Research Center, Instituto de Zootecnia de Sertãozinho, were used, including 41 of the control line, 102 of the selection line and 152 of the traditional. The selection and traditional lines comprise animals selected for higher yearling weight, whereas control line animals are selected for yearling weight close to the average. Five alleles were identified, with allele 1 being the most frequent in the three lines, especially in the lines selected for higher means for yearling weight. Heterozygosity was significantly higher in the control line. Association analyses showed significant effects of allele 1 on birth weight and weaning weight while the allele 3 exert significant effects on yearling weight and back fat thickness. Despite these findings, application of this marker to marker-assisted selection requires more consistent results based on the genotyping of a larger number of animals in order to increase the accuracy of the statistical analyses.

  5. Bifunctionalized Intrinsically Microporous Polyimides with Simultaneously Enhanced Gas Permeability and Selectivity

    KAUST Repository

    Ma, Xiaohua; Mukaddam, Mohsin Ahmed; Pinnau, Ingo

    2016-01-01

    Two novel intrinsically microporous copolyimides synthesized by condensation reaction of 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), 3,3,3′,3′-tetramethyl-1,1′-spirobisindane-5,5′-diamino-6,6′-diol, and 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid with diamine ratios of 80/20 (Co-80/20) and 50/50 (Co-50/50) are reported. Unexpectedly, the Co-80/20 not only demonstrates higher microporosity (300 m2 g−1) than the PIM-6FDA-OH homopolymer (190 m2 g−1) but also exhibits simultaneously enhanced CO2 permeability (from 119 to 171 Barrer) and CO2/CH4 selectivity (from 35 to 41) after thermal annealing at 250 °C. This higher permeability originates from enhanced diffusivity (D CO2) and the higher selectivity results from its increased diffusion selectivity (D CO2/D CH4). After crosslinking at 300 °C, the Co-80/20 exhibits an even higher CO2 permeability (261 Barrer) and almost unchanged CO2/CH4 selectivity.

  6. Bifunctionalized Intrinsically Microporous Polyimides with Simultaneously Enhanced Gas Permeability and Selectivity

    KAUST Repository

    Ma, Xiaohua

    2016-03-29

    Two novel intrinsically microporous copolyimides synthesized by condensation reaction of 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), 3,3,3′,3′-tetramethyl-1,1′-spirobisindane-5,5′-diamino-6,6′-diol, and 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid with diamine ratios of 80/20 (Co-80/20) and 50/50 (Co-50/50) are reported. Unexpectedly, the Co-80/20 not only demonstrates higher microporosity (300 m2 g−1) than the PIM-6FDA-OH homopolymer (190 m2 g−1) but also exhibits simultaneously enhanced CO2 permeability (from 119 to 171 Barrer) and CO2/CH4 selectivity (from 35 to 41) after thermal annealing at 250 °C. This higher permeability originates from enhanced diffusivity (D CO2) and the higher selectivity results from its increased diffusion selectivity (D CO2/D CH4). After crosslinking at 300 °C, the Co-80/20 exhibits an even higher CO2 permeability (261 Barrer) and almost unchanged CO2/CH4 selectivity.

  7. Tumour cell–derived extracellular vesicles interact with mesenchymal stem cells to modulate the microenvironment and enhance cholangiocarcinoma growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroaki Haga

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The contributions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs to tumour growth and stroma formation are poorly understood. Tumour cells can transfer genetic information and modulate cell signalling in other cells through the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs. We examined the contribution of EV-mediated inter-cellular signalling between bone marrow MSCs and tumour cells in human cholangiocarcinoma, highly desmoplastic cancers that are characterized by tumour cells closely intertwined within a dense fibrous stroma. Exposure of MSCs to tumour cell–derived EVs enhanced MSC migratory capability and expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin mRNA, in addition to mRNA expression and release of CXCL-1, CCL2 and IL-6. Conditioned media from MSCs exposed to tumour cell–derived EVs increased STAT-3 phosphorylation and proliferation in tumour cells. These effects were completely blocked by anti-IL-6R antibody. In conclusion, tumour cell–derived EVs can contribute to the generation of tumour stroma through fibroblastic differentiation of MSCs, and can also selectively modulate the cellular release of soluble factors such as IL-6 by MSCs that can, in turn, alter tumour cell proliferation. Thus, malignant cells can “educate” MSCs to induce local microenvironmental changes that enhance tumour cell growth.

  8. Selecting enhancing solutions for electrokinetic remediation of dredged sediments polluted with fuel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozas, F; Castellote, M

    2015-03-15

    In this paper a procedure for selecting the enhancing solutions in electrokinetic remediation experiments is proposed. For this purpose, dredged marine sediment was contaminated with fuel, and a total of 22 different experimental conditions were tested, analysing the influence of different enhancing solutions by using three commercial non-ionic surfactants, one bio-surfactant, one chelating agent, and one weak acid. Characterisation, microelectrophoretic and electrokinetic remediation trials were carried out. The results are explained on the basis of the interactions between the fuel, the enhancing electrolytes and the matrix. For one specific system, the electrophoretic zeta potential, (ζ), of the contaminated matrix in the solution was found to be related to the electroosmotic averaged ζ in the experiment and not to the efficiency in the extraction. This later was correlated to a parameter accounting for both contributions, the contaminant and the enhancing solution, calculated on the basis of differences in the electrophoretic ζ in different conditions which has allowed to propose a methodology for selection of enhancing solutions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Automatic method for selective enhancement of different tissue densities at digital chest radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McNitt-Gray, M.F.; Taira, R.K.; Eldredge, S.L.; Razavi, M.

    1991-01-01

    This paper reports that digital chest radiographs often are too bright and/or lack contrast when viewed on a video display. The authors have developed a method that can automatically provide a series of look-up tables that selectively enhance the radiographically soft or dense tissues on a digital chest radiograph. This reduces viewer interaction and improves displayed image quality. On the basis of a histogram analysis, gray-level ranges are approximated for the patient background, radiographically soft tissues, and radiographically dense tissues. A series of look-up tables is automatically created by varying the contrast in each range to achieve a level of enhancement for a selected tissue range. This is repeated for differing amounts of enhancement and for each tissue range. This allows the viewer to interactively select a tissue density range and degree of enhancement at the time of display via precalculated look-up tables. Preclinical trials in pediatric radiology using computed radiography images show that this method reduces viewer interaction and improves or maintains the displayed image quality

  10. Exploring plant growth-promotion actinomycetes from vermicompost and rhizosphere soil for yield enhancement in chickpea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sreevidya, M.; Gopalakrishnan, S.; Kudapa, H.; Varshney, R.K.

    2016-01-01

    The main objective of the present study was to isolate and characterize actinomycetes for their plant growth-promotion in chickpea. A total of 89 actinomycetes were screened for their antagonism against fungal pathogens of chickpea by dual culture and metabolite production assays. Four most promising actinomycetes were evaluated for their physiological and plant growth-promotion properties under in vitro and in vivo conditions. All the isolates exhibited good growth at temperatures from 20 °C to 40 °C, pH range of 7–11 and NaCl concentrations up to 8%. These were also found highly tolerant to Bavistin, slightly tolerant to Thiram and Captan (except VAI-7 and VAI-40) but susceptible to Benlate and Ridomil at field application levels and were found to produce siderophore, cellulase, lipase, protease, chitinase (except VAI-40), hydrocyanic acid (except VAI-7 and VAI-40), indole acetic acid and β-1,3-glucanase. When the four actinomycetes were evaluated for their plant growth-promotion properties under field conditions on chickpea, all exhibited increase in nodule number, shoot weight and yield. The actinomycetes treated plots enhanced total N, available P and organic C over the un-inoculated control. The scanning electron microscope studies exhibited extensive colonization by actinomycetes on the root surface of chickpea. The expression profiles for indole acetic acid, siderophore and β-1,3-glucanase genes exhibited up-regulation for all three traits and in all four isolates. The actinomycetes were identified as Streptomyces but different species in the 16S rDNA analysis. It was concluded that the selected actinomycetes have good plant growth-promotion and biocontrol potentials on chickpea. PMID:26887230

  11. Exploring plant growth-promotion actinomycetes from vermicompost and rhizosphere soil for yield enhancement in chickpea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Sreevidya

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The main objective of the present study was to isolate and characterize actinomycetes for their plant growth-promotion in chickpea. A total of 89 actinomycetes were screened for their antagonism against fungal pathogens of chickpea by dual culture and metabolite production assays. Four most promising actinomycetes were evaluated for their physiological and plant growth-promotion properties under in vitro and in vivo conditions. All the isolates exhibited good growth at temperatures from 20 °C to 40 °C, pH range of 7–11 and NaCl concentrations up to 8%. These were also found highly tolerant to Bavistin, slightly tolerant to Thiram and Captan (except VAI-7 and VAI-40 but susceptible to Benlate and Ridomil at field application levels and were found to produce siderophore, cellulase, lipase, protease, chitinase (except VAI-40, hydrocyanic acid (except VAI-7 and VAI-40, indole acetic acid and β-1,3-glucanase. When the four actinomycetes were evaluated for their plant growth-promotion properties under field conditions on chickpea, all exhibited increase in nodule number, shoot weight and yield. The actinomycetes treated plots enhanced total N, available P and organic C over the un-inoculated control. The scanning electron microscope studies exhibited extensive colonization by actinomycetes on the root surface of chickpea. The expression profiles for indole acetic acid, siderophore and β-1,3-glucanase genes exhibited up-regulation for all three traits and in all four isolates. The actinomycetes were identified as Streptomyces but different species in the 16S rDNA analysis. It was concluded that the selected actinomycetes have good plant growth-promotion and biocontrol potentials on chickpea.

  12. Enhanced lignin monomer production caused by cinnamic Acid and its hydroxylated derivatives inhibits soybean root growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rogério Barbosa Lima

    Full Text Available Cinnamic acid and its hydroxylated derivatives (p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids are known allelochemicals that affect the seed germination and root growth of many plant species. Recent studies have indicated that the reduction of root growth by these allelochemicals is associated with premature cell wall lignification. We hypothesized that an influx of these compounds into the phenylpropanoid pathway increases the lignin monomer content and reduces the root growth. To confirm this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids on soybean root growth, lignin and the composition of p-hydroxyphenyl (H, guaiacyl (G and syringyl (S monomers. To this end, three-day-old seedlings were cultivated in nutrient solution with or without allelochemical (or selective enzymatic inhibitors of the phenylpropanoid pathway in a growth chamber for 24 h. In general, the results showed that 1 cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acids reduced root growth and increased lignin content; 2 cinnamic and p-coumaric acids increased p-hydroxyphenyl (H monomer content, whereas p-coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acids increased guaiacyl (G content, and sinapic acid increased sinapyl (S content; 3 when applied in conjunction with piperonylic acid (PIP, an inhibitor of the cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, C4H, cinnamic acid reduced H, G and S contents; and 4 when applied in conjunction with 3,4-(methylenedioxycinnamic acid (MDCA, an inhibitor of the 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, 4CL, p-coumaric acid reduced H, G and S contents, whereas caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids reduced G and S contents. These results confirm our hypothesis that exogenously applied allelochemicals are channeled into the phenylpropanoid pathway causing excessive production of lignin and its main monomers. By consequence, an enhanced stiffening of the cell wall restricts soybean root growth.

  13. Establishing zebrafish as a novel exercise model: swimming economy, swimming-enhanced growth and muscle growth marker gene expression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arjan P Palstra

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Zebrafish has been largely accepted as a vertebrate multidisciplinary model but its usefulness as a model for exercise physiology has been hampered by the scarce knowledge on its swimming economy, optimal swimming speeds and cost of transport. Therefore, we have performed individual and group-wise swimming experiments to quantify swimming economy and to demonstrate the exercise effects on growth in adult zebrafish. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Individual zebrafish (n = 10 were able to swim at a critical swimming speed (U(crit of 0.548±0.007 m s(-1 or 18.0 standard body lengths (BL s(-1. The optimal swimming speed (U(opt at which energetic efficiency is highest was 0.396±0.019 m s(-1 (13.0 BL s(-1 corresponding to 72.26±0.29% of U(crit. The cost of transport at optimal swimming speed (COT(opt was 25.23±4.03 µmol g(-1 m(-1. A group-wise experiment was conducted with zebrafish (n = 83 swimming at U(opt for 6 h day(-1 for 5 days week(-1 for 4 weeks vs. zebrafish (n = 84 that rested during this period. Swimming zebrafish increased their total body length by 5.6% and body weight by 41.1% as compared to resting fish. For the first time, a highly significant exercise-induced growth is demonstrated in adult zebrafish. Expression analysis of a set of muscle growth marker genes revealed clear regulatory roles in relation to swimming-enhanced growth for genes such as growth hormone receptor b (ghrb, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor a (igf1ra, troponin C (stnnc, slow myosin heavy chain 1 (smyhc1, troponin I2 (tnni2, myosin heavy polypeptide 2 (myhz2 and myostatin (mstnb. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: From the results of our study we can conclude that zebrafish can be used as an exercise model for enhanced growth, with implications in basic, biomedical and applied sciences, such as aquaculture.

  14. Selection for life-history traits to maximize population growth in an invasive marine species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jaspers, Cornelia; Marty, Lise; Kiørboe, Thomas

    2018-01-01

    Species establishing outside their natural range, negatively impacting local ecosystems, are of increasing global concern. They often display life-history features characteristic for r-selected populations with fast growth and high reproduction rates to achieve positive population growth rates (r...

  15. Selective enhancement of orientation tuning before saccades.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohl, Sven; Kuper, Clara; Rolfs, Martin

    2017-11-01

    Saccadic eye movements cause a rapid sweep of the visual image across the retina and bring the saccade's target into high-acuity foveal vision. Even before saccade onset, visual processing is selectively prioritized at the saccade target. To determine how this presaccadic attention shift exerts its influence on visual selection, we compare the dynamics of perceptual tuning curves before movement onset at the saccade target and in the opposite hemifield. Participants monitored a 30-Hz sequence of randomly oriented gratings for a target orientation. Combining a reverse correlation technique previously used to study orientation tuning in neurons and general additive mixed modeling, we found that perceptual reports were tuned to the target orientation. The gain of orientation tuning increased markedly within the last 100 ms before saccade onset. In addition, we observed finer orientation tuning right before saccade onset. This increase in gain and tuning occurred at the saccade target location and was not observed at the incongruent location in the opposite hemifield. The present findings suggest, therefore, that presaccadic attention exerts its influence on vision in a spatially and feature-selective manner, enhancing performance and sharpening feature tuning at the future gaze location before the eyes start moving.

  16. Selenoprotein-deficient transgenic mice exhibit enhanced exercise-induced muscle growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hornberger, Troy A; McLoughlin, Thomas J; Leszczynski, Jori K; Armstrong, Dustin D; Jameson, Ruth R; Bowen, Phyllis E; Hwang, Eun-Sun; Hou, Honglin; Moustafa, Mohamed E; Carlson, Bradley A; Hatfield, Dolph L; Diamond, Alan M; Esser, Karyn A

    2003-10-01

    Dietary intake of selenium has been implicated in a wide range of health issues, including aging, heart disease and cancer. Selenium deficiency, which can reduce selenoprotein levels, has been associated with several striated muscle pathologies. To investigate the role of selenoproteins in skeletal muscle biology, we used a transgenic mouse (referred to as i6A-) that has reduced levels of selenoproteins due to the introduction and expression of a dominantly acting mutant form of selenocysteine transfer RNA (tRNA[Ser]Sec). As a consequence, each organ contains reduced levels of most selenoproteins, yet these mice are normal with regard to fertility, overall health, behavior and blood chemistries. In the present study, although skeletal muscles from i6A- mice were phenotypically indistinguishable from those of wild-type mice, plantaris muscles were approximately 50% heavier after synergist ablation, a model of exercise overload. Like muscle in wild-type mice, the enhanced growth in the i6A- mice was completely blocked by inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Muscles of transgenic mice exhibited increased site-specific phosphorylation on both Akt and p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6k) (P accounting for the enhanced response to synergist ablation. Thus, a single genetic alteration resulted in enhanced skeletal muscle adaptation after exercise, and this is likely through subtle changes in the resting phosphorylation state of growth-related kinases.

  17. Subtle Gardeners: Inland Predators Enrich Local Topsoils and Enhance Plant Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedriani, José M; Garrote, Pedro José; Delgado, María del Mar; Penteriani, Vincenzo

    2015-01-01

    Inland vertebrate predators could enrich of nutrients the local top soils in the area surrounding their nests and dens by depositing faeces, urine, and prey remains and, thus, alter the dynamics of plant populations. Surprisingly, and in contrast with convincing evidence from coastal habitats, whether and how this phenomenon occurs in inland habitats is largely uncertain even though these habitats represent a major fraction of the earth's surface. We investigated during two consecutive breeding seasons the potential enrichment of the top-soils associated with inland ground-nesting eagle owls Bubo bubo, as well as its possible consequences in the growth of two common annual grasses in southern Spain. Top-soils associated with owl nests differed strongly and significantly from control top-soils in chemical parameters, mainly fertility-related properties. Specifically, levels of available phosphorus, total nitrogen, organic matter, and available potassium were 49.1, 5.6, 3.1, and 2.7 times higher, respectively, in top-soils associated with owl nests as compared to control top-soils. Germination experiments in chambers indicated that nutrient enrichment by nesting owls enhanced seedling growth in both annual grasses (Phalaris canariensis and Avena sativa), with seedling size being 1.4-1.3 times higher in owl nest top-soils than in control top-soils. Our experimental study revealed that pervasive inland, predatory birds can profoundly enrich the topsoil around their nests and, thus, potentially enhance local vegetation growth. Because diverse inland vertebrate predators are widespread in most habitats they have a strong potential to enhance spatial heterogeneity, impinge on plant communities, and exert an overlooked effect on primary productivity worldwide.

  18. Subtle Gardeners: Inland Predators Enrich Local Topsoils and Enhance Plant Growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José M Fedriani

    Full Text Available Inland vertebrate predators could enrich of nutrients the local top soils in the area surrounding their nests and dens by depositing faeces, urine, and prey remains and, thus, alter the dynamics of plant populations. Surprisingly, and in contrast with convincing evidence from coastal habitats, whether and how this phenomenon occurs in inland habitats is largely uncertain even though these habitats represent a major fraction of the earth's surface. We investigated during two consecutive breeding seasons the potential enrichment of the top-soils associated with inland ground-nesting eagle owls Bubo bubo, as well as its possible consequences in the growth of two common annual grasses in southern Spain. Top-soils associated with owl nests differed strongly and significantly from control top-soils in chemical parameters, mainly fertility-related properties. Specifically, levels of available phosphorus, total nitrogen, organic matter, and available potassium were 49.1, 5.6, 3.1, and 2.7 times higher, respectively, in top-soils associated with owl nests as compared to control top-soils. Germination experiments in chambers indicated that nutrient enrichment by nesting owls enhanced seedling growth in both annual grasses (Phalaris canariensis and Avena sativa, with seedling size being 1.4-1.3 times higher in owl nest top-soils than in control top-soils. Our experimental study revealed that pervasive inland, predatory birds can profoundly enrich the topsoil around their nests and, thus, potentially enhance local vegetation growth. Because diverse inland vertebrate predators are widespread in most habitats they have a strong potential to enhance spatial heterogeneity, impinge on plant communities, and exert an overlooked effect on primary productivity worldwide.

  19. Growth rate and surfactant-assisted enhancements of rare-earth arsenide InGaAs nanocomposites for terahertz generation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Salas

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available We report the effects of the growth rate on the properties of iii-v nanocomposites containing rare-earth-monopnictide nanoparticles. In particular, the beneficial effects of surfactant-assisted growth of LuAs:In0.53Ga0.47As nanocomposites were found to be most profound at reduced LuAs growth rates. Substantial enhancement in the electrical and optical properties that are beneficial for ultrafast photoconductors was observed and is attributed to the higher structural quality of the InGaAs matrix in this new growth regime. The combined enhancements enabled a >50% increase in the amount of LuAs that could be grown without degrading the quality of the InGaAs overgrowth. Dark resistivity increased by ∼25× while maintaining carrier mobilities over 3000 cm2/V s; carrier lifetimes were reduced by >2×, even at high depositions of LuAs. The combined growth rate and surfactant enhancements offer a previously unexplored regime to enable high-performance fast photoconductors that may be integrated with telecom components for compact, broadly tunable, heterodyne THz source and detectors.

  20. A descriptive study on selected growth parameters and growth hormone receptor gene in healthy young adults from the American Midwest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartin, Samantha N; Hossain, Waheeda A; Manzardo, Ann M; Brown, Shaquanna; Fite, Paula J; Bortolato, Marco; Butler, Merlin G

    2018-02-12

    The first study of growth hormone receptor (GHR) genotypes in healthy young adults in the United States attending a Midwestern university and impact on selected growth parameters. To describe the frequency of GHR genotypes in a sample of healthy young adults from the United States attending a university in the Midwest and analyze the relationship between GHR genotypes and selected growth parameters. Saliva was collected from 459 healthy young adults (237 females, 222 males; age range = 18-25 y) and DNA isolated for genotyping of GHR alleles (fl/fl, fl/d3, or d3/d3). Selected growth parameters were collected and GHR genotype data examined for previously reported associations (e.g., height, weight or bone mass density) or novel findings (e.g., % body water and index finger length). We found 219 participants (48%) homozygous for fl/fl, 203 (44%), heterozygous fl/d3 and 37 (8%) homozygous d3/d3. The distribution of GHR genotypes in our participants was consistent with previous reports of non-US populations. Several anthropometric measures differed by sex. The distribution of GHR genotypes did not significantly differ by sex, weight, or other anthropometric measures. However, the fl/d3 genotype was more common among African-Americans. Our study of growth and anthropometric parameters in relationship to GHR genotypes found no association with height, weight, right index finger length, BMI, bone mass density, % body fat or % body water in healthy young adults. We did identify sex differences with increased body fat, decreased bone density, body water and index finger length in females. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Podoplanin enhances lung cancer cell growth in vivo by inducing platelet aggregation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyata, Kenichi; Takemoto, Ai; Okumura, Sakae; Nishio, Makoto; Fujita, Naoya

    2017-06-22

    Podoplanin/Aggrus, known as a platelet aggregation-inducing factor, is frequently overexpressed in lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC) and glioblastomas among other tumours, and its expression has been reported to be correlated with poor prognosis. However, the contribution of podoplanin to malignant progression has been elusive. Here we demonstrate that in podoplanin-positive LSCC cells, their growth was abrogated by podoplanin knockout in vivo but not in vitro. Conversely, ectopic expression of podoplanin promoted cell growth in vivo and facilitated intratumoral platelet activation. Consistently, LSCC cells evoked podoplanin-mediated platelet aggregation (PMPA), and the releasates from platelets during PMPA promoted the growth of LSCC cells in vitro. Phospho-receptor-tyrosine-kinase array analysis revealed that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) phosphorylation of LSCC cells was responsible for the growth promotion induced by platelet releasates. Treatment with an antiplatelet agent or podoplanin-neutralizing antibody depressed the growth of an LSCC tumour xenograft via suppression of EGFR phosphorylation. These results suggested that podoplanin in LSCC enhanced cell growth by inducing PMPA in vivo and contributed to malignant progression.

  2. Transgenic Overexpression of the Proprotein Convertase Furin Enhances Skin Tumor Growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Fu

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Furin, one of the members of the family of proprotein convertases (PCs, ubiquitously expressed as a type I membrane-bound proteinase, activates several proteins that contribute to tumor progression. In vitro studies using cancer cell lines and clinical specimens demonstrated that furin processes important substrates such as insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R and transforming growth factor β, leading to increased tumor growth and progression. Despite the numerous studies associating furin with tumor development, its effects in preclinical models has not been comprehensively studied. In this study, we sought to determine the protumorigenic role of furin in vivo after a two-stage chemical carcinogenesis protocol in transgenic mice in which furin expression was targeted to the epidermal basal layer. We found that processing of the PC substrate IGF-1R and the proliferation rate of mouse epidermis was enhanced in transgenic mice when compared with their WT counterparts. Histopathologic diagnoses of the tumors demonstrated that furin transgenic mice (line F47 developed twice as many squamous carcinomas as the control, WT mice (P < .002. Similarly, tumors cells from transgenic mice were able to process PC substrates more efficiently than tumor cells from WT mice. Furthermore, furin expression resulted in a higher SCC volume in transgenic mice as well as an increase in the percentage of high-grade SCC, including poorly differentiated and spindle cell carcinomas. In conclusion, expression of furin in the basal layer of the epidermis increased tumor development and enhanced tumor growth, supporting the consideration of furin as a potential target for cancer treatment.

  3. Enhanced individual selection for selecting fast growing fish: the "PROSPER" method, with application on brown trout (Salmo trutta fario

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vandeputte Marc

    2004-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Growth rate is the main breeding goal of fish breeders, but individual selection has often shown poor responses in fish species. The PROSPER method was developed to overcome possible factors that may contribute to this low success, using (1 a variable base population and high number of breeders (Ne > 100, (2 selection within groups with low non-genetic effects and (3 repeated growth challenges. Using calculations, we show that individual selection within groups, with appropriate management of maternal effects, can be superior to mass selection as soon as the maternal effect ratio exceeds 0.15, when heritability is 0.25. Practically, brown trout were selected on length at the age of one year with the PROSPER method. The genetic gain was evaluated against an unselected control line. After four generations, the mean response per generation in length at one year was 6.2% of the control mean, while the mean correlated response in weight was 21.5% of the control mean per generation. At the 4th generation, selected fish also appeared to be leaner than control fish when compared at the same size, and the response on weight was maximal (≈130% of the control mean between 386 and 470 days post fertilisation. This high response is promising, however, the key points of the method have to be investigated in more detail.

  4. Enhancement of wave growth for warm plasmas with a high-energy tail distribution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorne, Richard M.; Summers, Danny

    1991-01-01

    The classical linear theory of electromagnetic wave growth in a warm plasma is considered for waves propagating parallel to a uniform ambient magnetic field. Wave-growth rates are calculated for ion-driven right-hand mode waves for Kappa and Maxwellian particle distribution functions and for various values of the spectral index, the temperature anisotropy, and the ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure appropriate to the solar wind. When the anisotropy is low the wave growth is limited to frequencies below the proton gyrofrequency and the growth rate increases dramatically as the spectral index is reduced. The growth rate for any Kappa distribution greatly exceeds that for a Maxwellian with the same bulk properties. For large thermal anisotropy the growth rate from either distribution is greatly enhanced. The growth rates from a Kappa distribution are generally larger than for a Maxwellian distribution, and significant wave growth occurs over a broader range of frequencies.

  5. Composition–dependent growth dynamics of selectively grown InGaAs nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohashi, Y; Hara, S; Motohisa, J

    2014-01-01

    We grew gallium-rich (x > 0.50) and indium-rich (x < 0.50) In 1 − x Ga x As nanowires by catalyst–free selective-area metal–organic vapor-phase epitaxy (SA-MOVPE), and compared their growth dynamics dependence on V/III ratio. It was found that the growth dynamics of In 1 − x Ga x As nanowires is clearly dependent on the alloy composition x. Specifically, for gallium–rich nanowire growth, the axial growth rate of nanowires initially increased with decreasing V/III ratio, and then started to decrease when the V/III ratio continued to decrease below a critical value. On the other hand, axial growth rate of indium-rich nanowires monotonically decreased with decreasing V/III ratio. In addition, the alloy composition was strongly dependent on the V/III ratio for gallium-rich nanowire growth, while it was relatively independent of the V/III ratio for indium-rich nanowire growth. We discuss the origin of dissimilarity in the growth dynamics dependence on V/III ratio between gallium-rich and indium-rich InGaAs nanowire growth, and conclude that it is due to the inherent dissimilarity between GaAs and InAs. Our finding provides important guidelines for achieving precise control of the diameter, height, and alloy composition of nanowires suitable for future nanowire-based electronics. (papers)

  6. Influence of cavitation bubble growth by rectified diffusion on cavitation-enhanced HIFU

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okita, Kohei; Sugiyama, Kazuyasu; Takagi, Shu; Matsumoto, Yoichiro

    2017-11-01

    Cavitation is becoming increasingly important in therapeutic ultrasound applications such as diagnostic, tumor ablation and lithotripsy. Mass transfer through gas-liquid interface due to rectified diffusion is important role in an initial stage of cavitation bubble growth. In the present study, influences of the rectified diffusion on cavitation-enhanced high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) was investigated numerically. Firstly, the mass transfer rate of gas from the surrounding medium to the bubble was examined as function of the initial bubble radius and the driving pressure amplitude. As the result, the pressure required to bubble growth was decreases with increasing the initial bubble radius. Next, the cavitation-enhanced HIFU, which generates cavitation bubbles by high-intensity burst and induces the localized heating owing to cavitation bubble oscillation by low-intensity continuous waves, was reproduced by the present simulation. The heating region obtained by the simulation is agree to the treatment region of an in vitro experiment. Additionally, the simulation result shows that the localized heating is enhanced by the increase of the equilibrium bubble size due to the rectified diffusion. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP26420125,JP17K06170.

  7. Repeated Microneedle Stimulation Induces Enhanced Hair Growth in a Murine Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yoon Seob; Jeong, Kwan Ho; Kim, Jung Eun; Woo, Young Jun; Kim, Beom Joon; Kang, Hoon

    2016-10-01

    Microneedle is a method that creates transdermal microchannels across the stratum corneum barrier layer of skin. No previous study showed a therapeutic effect of microneedle itself on hair growth by wounding. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of repeated microwound formed by microneedle on hair growth and hair growth-related genes in a murine model. A disk microneedle roller was applied to each group of mice five times a week for three weeks. First, to identify the optimal length and cycle, microneedles of lengths of 0.15 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.5 mm, and 1 mm and cycles of 3, 6, 10, and 13 cycles were applied. Second, the effect of hair growth and hair-growth-related genes such as Wnt3a, β-catenin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and Wnt10b was observed using optimized microneedle. Outcomes were observed using visual inspection, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. We found that the optimal length and cycle of microneedle treatment on hair growth was 0.25 mm/10 cycles and 0.5 mm/10 cycles. Repeated microneedle stimulation promoted hair growth, and it also induced the enhanced expression of Wnt3a, β-catenin, VEGF, and Wnt10b. Our study provides evidence that microneedle stimulation can induce hair growth via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and VEGF. Combined with the drug delivery effect, we believe that microneedle stimulation could lead to new approaches for alopecia.

  8. Controlling surface adsorption to enhance the selectivity of porphyrin based gas sensors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Evyapan, M., E-mail: mevyapan@gmail.com [Department of Physics, University of Balikesir, Balikesir, 10145 (Turkey); Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Building, S1 3JD (United Kingdom); Dunbar, A.D.F. [Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Building, S1 3JD (United Kingdom)

    2016-01-30

    Graphical abstract: The enhancement in the selectivity of the vapor sensing properties of free base porphyrin by controlling the size of the pores in the surface structure was carried out. It can be used as a size selective surface layer which limits the diffusion of analyte molecules into the sensor and in extreme cases stopping the diffusion completely. - Highlights: • Surface of a thin film takes and important part for its sensing characteristics. • A systematic surface modification was carried out in order to control the vapor accessibility. • Size dependant surfaces were fabricated. • Vapor diffusion through into thin film was controlled by modifying the surface structure. • Remarkable quantitative results showed the control on selectivity of the sensor by controlling the surface. - Abstract: This study reports an enhancement in the selectivity of the vapor sensing properties of free base porphyrin 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3,4-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)phenyl]-21H,23H-porphine (EHO) Langmuir–Schaefer (LS) films. These sensors respond by changing color upon adsorption of the analyte gas to the sensor surface. The enhanced selectivity is achieved by adding selective barrier layers of 4-tert-Butylcalix[4]arene, 4-tert-Butylcalix[6]arene and 4-tert-Butylcalix[8]arene embedded in PMMA (Poly(methyl methacrylate)) on top of the porphyrin sensor films to control the gaseous adsorption onto the sensor surface. The Langmuir properties of EHO, PMMA and calix[n]arene monolayers were investigated by surface pressure–area (Π–A) isotherms in order to determine the most efficient transfer pressure. Six layer EHO films were transferred onto glass and silicon substrates to investigate their optical and structural characteristics. The three different calix[n]arenes were embedded within PMMA layers to act as the selective barrier layers which were deposited on top of the six layer EHO films. The different calix[n]arene molecules vary in size and each was mixed with PMMA in

  9. Fatigue crack growth behavior of Inconel 718 produced by selective laser melting

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Konečná, R.; Kunz, Ludvík; Nicoletto, G.; Bača, A.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 35, č. 10 (2016), s. 31-40 ISSN 1971-8993 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Inconel 718 * Selective laser melting * Microstructure * Fatigue crack growth * Fractography Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics

  10. Enrollment of SME Managers to Growth-oriented Training Programs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bager, Torben; Jensen, Kent Wickstrøm; Schou Nielsen, Pia

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Entrepreneurial learning through formal growth-oriented training programs for SME managers promises to enhance the growth competences and growth intentions of the enrolled managers. The impact of such programs, however, depends on who enrolls since initial competence and growth-intention......Purpose: Entrepreneurial learning through formal growth-oriented training programs for SME managers promises to enhance the growth competences and growth intentions of the enrolled managers. The impact of such programs, however, depends on who enrolls since initial competence and growth...... has from 2012 to 2015 trained about 700 SME managers. Data are currently available for 366 of these participants. This evidence is compared with survey results from a randomly selected control group of 292 growth oriented SME managers in the same firm-size group. The data were analyzed through...... of the program. Originality/value The paper is the first systematic study of the importance of who enrolls in training programs for SME managers....

  11. Plant growth enhancement and associated physiological responses are coregulated by ethylene and gibberellin in response to harpin protein Hpa1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaojie; Han, Bing; Xu, Manyu; Han, Liping; Zhao, Yanying; Liu, Zhilan; Dong, Hansong; Zhang, Chunling

    2014-04-01

    The harpin protein Hpa1 produced by the bacterial blight pathogen of rice induces several growth-promoting responses in plants, activating the ethylene signaling pathway, increasing photosynthesis rates and EXPANSIN (EXP) gene expression levels, and thereby enhancing the vegetative growth. This study was attempted to analyze any mechanistic connections among the above and the role of gibberellin in these responses. Hpa1-induced growth enhancement was evaluated in Arabidopsis, tomato, and rice. And growth-promoting responses were determined mainly as an increase of chlorophyll a/b ratio, which indicates a potential elevation of photosynthesis rates, and enhancements of photosynthesis and EXP expression in the three plant species. In Arabidopsis, Hpa1-induced growth-promoting responses were partially compromised by a defect in ethylene perception or gibberellin biosynthesis. In tomato and rice, compromises of Hpa1-induced growth-promoting responses were caused by a pharmacological treatment with an ethylene perception inhibitor or a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor. In the three plant species, moreover, Hpa1-induced growth-promoting responses were significantly impaired, but not totally eliminated, by abolishing ethylene perception or gibberellin synthesis. However, simultaneous nullifications in both ethylene perception and gibberellin biosynthesis almost canceled the full effects of Hpa1 on plant growth, photosynthesis, and EXP2 expression. Theses results suggest that ethylene and gibberellin coregulate Hpa1-induced plant growth enhancement and associated physiological and molecular responses.

  12. Enhanced Plasmonic Wavelength Selective Infrared Emission Combined with Microheater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroki Ishihara

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The indirect wavelength selective thermal emitter that we have proposed is constructed using a new microheater, demonstrating the enhancement of the emission peak generated by the surface plasmon polariton. The thermal isolation is improved using a 2 μm-thick Si membrane having 3.6 and 5.4 mm outer diameter. The emission at around the wavelength of the absorption band of CO2 gas is enhanced. The absorption signal increases, confirming the suitability for gas sensing. Against input power, the intensity at the peak wavelength shows a steeper increasing ratio than the background intensity. The microheater with higher thermal isolation gives larger peak intensity and its increasing ratio against the input power.

  13. Metformin enhances tamoxifen-mediated tumor growth inhibition in ER-positive breast carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Ji; Zhang, Jian; Liu, Wenchao; Guo, Yan; Chen, Suning; Zhong, Cuiping; Xue, Yan; Zhang, Yuan; Lai, Xiaofeng; Wei, Yifang; Yu, Shentong

    2014-01-01

    Tamoxifen, an endocrine therapy drug used to treat breast cancer, is designed to interrupt estrogen signaling by blocking the estrogen receptor (ER). However, many ER-positive patients are low reactive or resistant to tamoxifen. Metformin is a widely used anti-diabetic drug with noteworthy anti-cancer effects. We investigated whether metformin has the additive effects with tamoxifen in ER-positive breast cancer therapy. The efficacy of metformin alone and in combination with tamoxifen against ER-positive breast cancer was analyzed by cell survival, DNA replication activity, plate colony formation, soft-agar, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and nude mice model assays. The involved signaling pathways were detected by western blot assay. When metformin was combined with tamoxifen, the concentration of tamoxifen required for growth inhibition was substantially reduced. Moreover, metformin enhanced tamoxifen-mediated inhibition of proliferation, DNA replication activity, colony formation, soft-agar colony formation, and induction of apoptosis in ER-positive breast cancer cells. In addition, these tamoxifen-induced effects that were enhanced by metformin may be involved in the bax/bcl-2 apoptotic pathway and the AMPK/mTOR/p70S6 growth pathway. Finally, two-drug combination therapy significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. The present work shows that metformin and tamoxifen additively inhibited the growth and augmented the apoptosis of ER-positive breast cancer cells. It provides leads for future research on this drug combination for the treatment of ER-positive breast cancer

  14. A ghrelin-growth hormone axis drives stress-induced vulnerability to enhanced fear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, R M; Burgos-Robles, A; Liu, E; Correia, S S; Goosens, K A

    2014-12-01

    Hormones in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis mediate many of the bodily responses to stressors, yet there is no clear relationship between the levels of these hormones and stress-associated mental illnesses such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, other hormones are likely to be involved in this effect of stress. Here we used a rodent model of PTSD in which rats repeatedly exposed to a stressor display heightened fear learning following auditory Pavlovian fear conditioning. Our results show that stress-related increases in circulating ghrelin, a peptide hormone, are necessary and sufficient for stress-associated vulnerability to exacerbated fear learning and these actions of ghrelin occur in the amygdala. Importantly, these actions are also independent of the classic HPA stress axis. Repeated systemic administration of a ghrelin receptor agonist enhanced fear memory but did not increase either corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) or corticosterone. Repeated intraamygdala infusion of a ghrelin receptor agonist produced a similar enhancement of fear memory. Ghrelin receptor antagonism during repeated stress abolished stress-related enhancement of fear memory without blunting stress-induced corticosterone release. We also examined links between ghrelin and growth hormone (GH), a major downstream effector of the ghrelin receptor. GH protein was upregulated in the amygdala following chronic stress, and its release from amygdala neurons was enhanced by ghrelin receptor stimulation. Virus-mediated overexpression of GH in the amygdala was also sufficient to increase fear. Finally, virus-mediated overexpression of a GH receptor antagonist was sufficient to block the fear-enhancing effects of repeated ghrelin receptor stimulation. Thus, ghrelin requires GH in the amygdala to exert fear-enhancing effects. These results suggest that ghrelin mediates a novel branch of the stress response and highlight a previously unrecognized role for ghrelin and

  15. Grain boundary selective oxidation and intergranular stress corrosion crack growth of high-purity nickel binary alloys in high-temperature hydrogenated water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruemmer, S. M.; Olszta, M. J.; Toloczko, M. B.; Schreiber, D. K.

    2018-02-01

    The effects of alloying elements in Ni-5at%X binary alloys on intergranular (IG) corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) have been assessed in 300-360°C hydrogenated water at the Ni/NiO stability line. Alloys with Cr or Al additions exhibited grain boundary oxidation and IGSCC, while localized degradation was not observed for pure Ni, Ni-Cu or Ni-Fe alloys. Environment-enhanced crack growth was determined by comparing the response in water and N2 gas. Results demonstrate that selective grain boundary oxidation of Cr and Al promoted IGSCC of these Ni alloys in hydrogenated water.

  16. Enhanced selectivity in mixed matrix membranes for CO2 capture through efficient dispersion of amine-functionalized MOF nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghalei, Behnam; Sakurai, Kento; Kinoshita, Yosuke; Wakimoto, Kazuki; Isfahani, Ali Pournaghshband; Song, Qilei; Doitomi, Kazuki; Furukawa, Shuhei; Hirao, Hajime; Kusuda, Hiromu; Kitagawa, Susumu; Sivaniah, Easan

    2017-07-01

    Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for gas separation applications have enhanced selectivity when compared with the pure polymer matrix, but are commonly reported with low intrinsic permeability, which has major cost implications for implementation of membrane technologies in large-scale carbon capture projects. High-permeability polymers rarely generate sufficient selectivity for energy-efficient CO2 capture. Here we report substantial selectivity enhancements within high-permeability polymers as a result of the efficient dispersion of amine-functionalized, nanosized metal-organic framework (MOF) additives. The enhancement effects under optimal mixing conditions occur with minimal loss in overall permeability. Nanosizing of the MOF enhances its dispersion within the polymer matrix to minimize non-selective microvoid formation around the particles. Amination of such MOFs increases their interaction with thepolymer matrix, resulting in a measured rigidification and enhanced selectivity of the overall composite. The optimal MOF MMM performance was verified in three different polymer systems, and also over pressure and temperature ranges suitable for carbon capture.

  17. Enhanced nutrition improves growth and increases blood adiponectin concentrations in very low birth weight infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elin W. Blakstad

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Adequate nutrient supply is essential for optimal postnatal growth in very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight<1,500 g infants. Early growth may influence the risk of metabolic syndrome later in life. Objective: To evaluate growth and blood metabolic markers (adiponectin, leptin, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1 in VLBW infants participating in a randomized nutritional intervention study. Design: Fifty VLBW infants were randomized to an enhanced nutrient supply or a standard nutrient supply. Thirty-seven infants were evaluated with growth measurements until 2 years corrected age (CA. Metabolic markers were measured at birth and 5 months CA. Results: Weight gain and head growth were different in the two groups from birth to 2 years CA (weight gain: pinteraction=0.006; head growth: pinteraction=0.002. The intervention group improved their growth z-scores after birth, whereas the control group had a pronounced decline, followed by an increase and caught up with the intervention group after discharge. At 5 months CA, adiponectin concentrations were higher in the intervention group and correlated with weight gain before term (r=0.35 and nutrient supply (0.35≤r≤0.45. Leptin concentrations correlated with weight gain after term and IGF-1 concentrations with length growth before and after term and head growth after term (0.36≤r≤0.53. Conclusion: Enhanced nutrient supply improved early postnatal growth and may have prevented rapid catch-up growth later in infancy. Adiponectin concentration at 5 months CA was higher in the intervention group and correlated positively with early weight gain and nutrient supply. Early nutrition and growth may affect metabolic markers in infancy.Clinical Trial Registration (ClinicalTrials.gov no.: NCT01103219

  18. Cellulosimicrobium funkei-like enhances the growth of Phaseolus vulgaris by modulating oxidative damage under Chromium(VI toxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chinnannan Karthik

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Contamination of agriculture land by heavy metals is a worldwide risk that has sped up noticeably since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Hence, there arise the demands of heavy metal tolerant plant growth promoting bacterial strains for specific metal contaminated agricultural sites restoration. In this study, 36 bacterial isolates were screened out from the rhizospheric soil of Phaseolus vulgaris. Among these, two bacterial strains AR6 and AR8 were selected based on their higher Cr(VI tolerance (1200 and 1100 μg/mL, respectively and the maximum production of plant growth promoting substances. In the molecular characterization study, both the bacterial strains showed 99% homology with Cellulosimicrobium funkei KM032184. In greenhouse experiments, the exposure of Cr(VI to P.vulgaris inhibited the growth and photosynthetic pigments and increased the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant expressions. However, rhizosphere bacterial inoculations alleviated the negative effect of Cr(VI and enhanced the seed germination rate (89.54%, shoot (74.50%,root length (60%, total biomass (52.53%, chlorophyll a (15.91%, chlorophyll b (17.97%, total chlorophyll (16.58% and carotenoid content (3.59%. Moreover, bacterial inoculations stabilized and modulated the antioxidant system of P. vulgaris by reducing the accumulation of Cr in plant tissues. The present finding shows the Cr(VI tolerance and plant growth promoting properties of the rhizosphere bacterial strains which might make them eligible as biofertilizer of metal-contaminated soils.

  19. Selective growth of gold onto copper indium sulfide selenide nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Witt, Elena; Parisi, Juergen; Kolny-Olesiak, Joanna [Oldenburg Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Physics, Energy and Semiconductor Research

    2013-05-15

    Hybrid nanostructures are interesting materials for numerous applications in chemistry, physics, and biology, due to their novel properties and multiple functionalities. Here, we present a synthesis of metal-semiconductor hybrid nanostructures composed of nontoxic I-III-VI semiconductor nanoparticles and gold. Copper indium sulfide selenide (CuInSSe) nanocrystals with zinc blende structure and trigonal pyramidal shape, capped with dodecanethiol, serve as an original semiconductor part of a new hybrid nanostructure. Metallic gold nanocrystals selectively grow onto vertexes of these CuInSSe pyramids. The hybrid nanostructures were studied by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, and UV-Vis-absorption spectroscopy, which allowed us conclusions about their growth mechanism. Hybrid nanocrystals are generated by replacement of a sacrificial domain in the CuInSSe part. At the same time, small selenium nanocrystals form that stay attached to the remaining CuInSSe/Au particles. Additionally, we compare the synthesis and properties of CuInSSe-based hybrid nanostructures with those of copper indium disulfide (CuInS{sub 2}). CuInS{sub 2}/Au nanostructures grow by a different mechanism (surface growth) and do not show any selectivity. (orig.)

  20. Selected mode of dendritic growth with n-fold symmetry in the presence of a forced flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexandrov, D. V.; Galenko, P. K.

    2017-07-01

    The effect of n-fold crystal symmetry is investigated for a two-dimensional stable dendritic growth in the presence of a forced convective flow. We consider dendritic growth in a one-component undercooled liquid. The theory is developed for the parabolic solid-liquid surface of dendrite growing at arbitrary growth Péclet numbers keeping in mind small anisotropies of surface energy and growth kinetics. The selection criterion determining the stable growth velocity of the dendritic tip and its stable tip diameter is found on the basis of solvability analysis. The obtained criterion includes previously developed theories of thermally and kinetically controlled dendritic growth with convection for the case of four-fold crystal symmetry. The obtained nonlinear system of equations (representing the selection criterion and undercooling balance) for the determination of dendrite tip velocity and dendrite tip diameter is analytically solved in a parametric form. These exact solutions clearly demonstrate a transition between thermally and kinetically controlled growth regimes. In addition, we show that the dendrites with larger crystal symmetry grow faster than those with smaller symmetry.

  1. Heteroepitaxial Growth of Germanium-on-Silicon Using Ultrahigh-Vacuum Chemical Vapor Deposition with RF Plasma Enhancement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alharthi, Bader; Grant, Joshua M.; Dou, Wei; Grant, Perry C.; Mosleh, Aboozar; Du, Wei; Mortazavi, Mansour; Li, Baohua; Naseem, Hameed; Yu, Shui-Qing

    2018-05-01

    Germanium (Ge) films have been grown on silicon (Si) substrate by ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition with plasma enhancement (PE). Argon plasma was generated using high-power radiofrequency (50 W) to assist in germane decomposition at low temperature. The growth temperature was varied in the low range of 250°C to 450°C to make this growth process compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. The material and optical properties of the grown Ge films were investigated. The material quality was determined by Raman and x-ray diffraction techniques, revealing growth of crystalline films in the temperature range of 350°C to 450°C. Photoluminescence spectra revealed improved optical quality at growth temperatures of 400°C and 450°C. Furthermore, material quality study using transmission electron microscopy revealed existence of defects in the Ge layer grown at 400°C. Based on the etch pit density, the average threading dislocation density in the Ge layer obtained at this growth temperature was measured to be 4.5 × 108 cm-2. This result was achieved without any material improvement steps such as use of graded buffer or thermal annealing. Comparison between PE and non-plasma-enhanced growth, in the same machine at otherwise the same growth conditions, indicated increased growth rate and improved material and optical qualities for PE growth.

  2. Enhanced genetic modification of adult growth factor mobilized peripheral blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with rapamycin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lijing; Torres-Coronado, Mónica; Gu, Angel; Rao, Anitha; Gardner, Agnes M; Epps, Elizabeth W; Gonzalez, Nancy; Tran, Chy-Anh; Wu, Xiwei; Wang, Jin-Hui; DiGiusto, David L

    2014-10-01

    Genetic modification of adult human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) with lentiviral vectors leads to long-term gene expression in the progeny of the HSPCs and has been used to successfully treat several monogenic diseases. In some cases, the gene-modified cells have a selective growth advantage over nonmodified cells and eventually are the dominant engrafted population. However, in disease indications for which the gene-modified cells do not have a selective advantage, optimizing transduction of HSPC is paramount to successful stem cell-based gene therapy. We demonstrate here that transduction of adult CD34+ HSPCs with lentiviral vectors in the presence of rapamycin, a widely used mTORC1 inhibitor, results in an approximately threefold increase in stable gene marking with minimal effects on HSPC growth and differentiation. Using this approach, we have demonstrated that we can enhance the frequency of gene-modified HSPCs that give rise to clonogenic progeny in vitro without excessive increases in the number of vector copies per cell or changes in integration pattern. The genetic marking of HSPCs and expression of transgenes is durable, and transplantation of gene-modified HSPCs into immunodeficient mice results in high levels of gene marking of the lymphoid and myeloid progeny in vivo. The prior safe clinical history of rapamycin in other applications supports the use of this compound to generate gene-modified autologous HSPCs for our HIV gene therapy clinical trials. ©AlphaMed Press.

  3. Assisted Reproduction Causes Reduced Fetal Growth Associated with Downregulation of Paternally Expressed Imprinted Genes That Enhance Fetal Growth in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bo; Chen, Shuqiang; Tang, Na; Xiao, Xifeng; Huang, Jianlei; Jiang, Feng; Huang, Xiuying; Sun, Fangzhen; Wang, Xiaohong

    2016-02-01

    Alteration of intrauterine growth trajectory is linked to metabolic diseases in adulthood. In mammalian and, specifically, human species, pregnancies through assisted reproductive technology (ART) are associated with changes in intrauterine growth trajectory. However, it is still unclear how ART alters intrauterine growth trajectory, especially reduced fetal growth in early to midgestation. In this study, using a mouse model, it was found that ART procedures reduce fetal and placental growth at Embryonic Day 10.5. Furthermore, ART leads to decreased methylation levels at H19, KvDMR1, and Snrpn imprinting control regions in the placentae, instead of fetuses. Furthermore, in the placenta, ART downregulated a majority of parentally expressed imprinted genes, which enhance fetal growth, whereas it upregulated a majority of maternally expressed genes which repress fetal growth. Additionally, the expression of genes that regulate placental development was also affected by ART. ART also downregulated a majority of placental nutrient transporters. Disruption of genomic imprinting and abnormal expression of developmentally and functionally relevant genes in placenta may influence the placental development and function, which affect fetal growth and reprogramming. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

  4. Responses to two-way selection on growth in mass-spawned F1 progeny of Argopecten irradians concentricus (Say)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hui; Liu, Jin; Li, Yanhong; Zhu, Xiaowen; Liu, Zhigang

    2014-03-01

    In the present study, the effect of one-generation divergent selection on the growth and survival of the bay scallop ( Argopecten irradians concentricus) was examined to evaluate the efficacy of a selection program currently being carried out in Beibu Bay in the South China Sea. A total of 146 adult scallops were randomly selected from the same cultured population of A. i. concentricus, and divided into two groups in shell length (anterior-posterior measurement): large (4.91-6.02 cm, n=74) and small (3.31-4.18 cm, n=72). At the same time, a control group was also randomly sampled (4.21-4.88 cm, n =80). Mass-spawned F 1 progenies from the three size groups were obtained and reared under identical conditions at all growth phases. The effects of two-way (or upward-downward) selection on fertilization rate, hatching rate, survival rate, daily growth in shell length and body weight were assessed in the three size groups. Results show that significant differences ( Pfertilization rate ( P>0.05), among the three groups. The hatching rate, survival rate and daily growth of the progeny of large-sized parents were greater than those of the control group ( Pbody weight were 0.32 ± 0.04 cm and 2.18 ± 0.05 g, respectively, for the upward selection, and -0.14 ± 0.03 cm and -2.77 ± 0.06 g, respectively, for the downward selection. The realized heritability estimates of shell length and body weight were 0.38 ± 0.06 cm and 0.22 ± 0.07 g for the upward selection, and 0.24 ± 0.06 cm and 0.37 ± 0.09 g for the downward selection, respectively. The change in growth by bidirectional selection suggests that high genetic variation may be present in the cultured bay scallop population in China.

  5. Enhancing SMEs’ Growth by Investing in Organizational Capital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urban Pauli

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this paper is to verify the relationship between the share of investments in organizational capital (OC within the total amount of investments and key performance indicators of SMEs. Research Design & Methods: Quantitative research based on the author’s theoretical model and was conducted on a group of 180 Polish SMEs with the use of a structured questionnaire. To verify the hypothesis measures of dispersion as well as correlation were used. Findings: The share of investments in OC vary at particular growth stages and the highest is in decline stage. Investigated firms invest mostly in 'brand' and 'IT systems'. Investing in OC seems to be important mostly for SMEs that are in the prime stage. In this stage the share of investments in OC is correlated with almost all performance indicators. It suggests that OC can be treated as a source of competitive advantage and firms’ performance. Implications & Recommendations: The appropriate share of investments in particular resources positively impact the effectiveness of decisions aimed at enhancing SMEs growth. Guidelines in what to invest help managers to plan their activities, especially while operating in a rapidly changing environment. Contribution & Value Added: The study contributes to the stream of research devoted to SME growth factors. Despite the fact that there already are publications on the impact of particular resources on organisations’ success or failure, complex studies, including those concerning Polish SMEs, are much needed.

  6. Culturable bacterial endophytes isolated from Mangrove tree (Rhizophora apiculata Blume) enhance seedling growth in Rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deivanai, Subramanian; Bindusara, Amitraghata Santhanam; Prabhakaran, Guruswamy; Bhore, Subhash Janardhan

    2014-07-01

    Endophytic bacteria do have several potential applications in medicine and in other various sectors of biotechnology including agriculture. Bacterial endophytes need to be explored for their potential applications in agricultural biotechnology. One of the potential applications of bacterial endophytes in agricultural is to enhance the growth of the agricultural crops. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore the plant growth promoting potential application of bacterial endophytes. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of endophytic bacteria from mangrove tree (Rhizophora apiculata Blume) for their efficacy in promoting seedling growth in rice. Eight endophytic bacterial isolates (EBIs) isolated from twig and petiole tissues of the mangrove were identified based on their 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene sequence homology. Separately, surface sterilized paddy seeds were treated with cell-free broth and cell suspension of the EBIs. Rice seedlings were analyzed by various bioassays and data was recorded. The gene sequences of the isolates were closely related to two genera namely, Bacillus and Pantoea. Inoculation of EBIs from R. apiculata with rice seeds resulted in accelerated root and shoot growth with significant increase in chlorophyll content. Among the isolates, Pantoea ananatis (1MSE1) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (3MPE1) had shown predominance of activity. Endophytic invasion was recognized by the non-host by rapid accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and was counteracted by the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxide. The results demonstrated that EBIs from mangrove tree can increase the fitness of the rice seedlings under controlled conditions. These research findings could be useful to enhance the seedling growth and could serve as foundation in further research on enhancing the growth of the rice crop using endophytic bacteria.

  7. Enhanced insulin sensitivity in prepubertal children with constitutional delay of growth and development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Dyanne A; Hofman, Paul L; Miles, Harriet L; Sato, Tim A; Billett, Nathalie E; Robinson, Elizabeth M; Cutfield, Wayne S

    2010-02-01

    To test the hypothesis that prepubertal children with presumed constitutional delay of growth and development (CDGD) have enhanced insulin sensitivity and, therefore, insulin sensitivity is associated with later onset of puberty. Twenty-one prepubertal children with presumed CDGD and 23 prepubertal control children, underwent a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test to evaluate insulin sensitivity and other markers of insulin, glucose, and growth regulation. Children in the CDGD group were shorter and leaner than control subjects. Children with presumed CDGD were 40% more insulin sensitive (17.0 x 10(-4) min(-1)/[mU/L] versus 12.1 x 10(-4) min(-1)/[mU/L]; P = .0006) and had reduced acute insulin response, thus maintaining euglycemia (216 mU/L versus 330 mU/L; P = .02) compared with control subjects. In addition, the CDGD group had lower serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 levels (3333 ng/mL versus 3775 ng/mL; P = .0004) and a trend toward lower serum insulin-like growth factor-II levels (794 ng/mL versus 911 ng/mL; P = .06). Prepubertal children with presumed CDGD have enhanced insulin sensitivity, supporting the hypothesis that insulin sensitivity is associated with timing of puberty. It may signify long-term biological advantages with lower risk of metabolic syndrome and malignancy. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Laminin enhances the growth of human neural stem cells in defined culture media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lathia Justin D

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Human neural stem cells (hNSC have the potential to provide novel cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. In order to realise this goal, protocols need to be developed that allow for large quantities of hNSC to be cultured efficiently. As such, it is important to identify factors which enhance the growth of hNSC. In vivo, stem cells reside in distinct microenvironments or niches that are responsible for the maintenance of stem cell populations. A common feature of niches is the presence of the extracellular matrix molecule, laminin. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of exogenous laminin on hNSC growth. Results To measure hNSC growth, we established culture conditions using B27-supplemented medium that enable neurospheres to grow from human neural cells plated at clonal densities. Limiting dilution assays confirmed that neurospheres were derived from single cells at these densities. Laminin was found to increase hNSC numbers as measured by this neurosphere formation. The effect of laminin was to augment the proliferation/survival of the hNSC, rather than promoting the undifferentiated state. In agreement, apoptosis was reduced in dissociated neurospheres by laminin in an integrin β1-dependent manner. Conclusion The addition of laminin to the culture medium enhances the growth of hNSC, and may therefore aid their large-scale production.

  9. Surface nanotopography of an anodized Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy enhances cell growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Her-Hsiung [Department of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan (China); Department of Biomedical Informatics, Asia University, Taichung 413, Taiwan (China); Department of Stomatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Wu, Chia-Ping [Institute of Oral Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Sun, Ying-Sui [Department of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Yang, Wei-En [Institute of Oral Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Lee, Tzu-Hsin, E-mail: biomaterials@hotmail.com [School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Oral Medicine Center, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China)

    2014-12-05

    Highlights: • An electrochemical anodization was applied to α/β-type Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy surface. • Anodized surface had a nontoxic nanoporous topography. • Anodized surface increased proteins adsorption due to nanotopography. • Anodized surface enhanced cell growth due to nanotopography. • Electrochemical anodization has potential as implant surface treatment. - Abstract: The α/β-type Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy is a potential replacement for α/β-type Ti–6Al–4V alloy, which is widely used in biomedical implant applications. The biological response to implant material is dependent on the surface characteristics of the material. In the present study, a simple and fast process was developed to perform an electrochemical anodization treatment on Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy. The proposed process yielded a thin surface nanotopography, which enhanced cell growth on the Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy. The surface characteristics, including the morphology, wettability, and protein adsorption, were investigated, and the cytotoxicity was evaluated according to International Organization for Standardization 10993-5 specifications. Cell adhesion of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the test specimens was observed via fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The anodization process produced a surface nanotopography (pore size <100 nm) on anodized Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy, which enhanced the wettability, protein adsorption, cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell mineralization. The results showed that the surface nanotopography produced using the proposed electrochemical anodization process enhanced cell growth on anodized Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy for implant applications.

  10. Surface nanotopography of an anodized Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy enhances cell growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Her-Hsiung; Wu, Chia-Ping; Sun, Ying-Sui; Yang, Wei-En; Lee, Tzu-Hsin

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • An electrochemical anodization was applied to α/β-type Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy surface. • Anodized surface had a nontoxic nanoporous topography. • Anodized surface increased proteins adsorption due to nanotopography. • Anodized surface enhanced cell growth due to nanotopography. • Electrochemical anodization has potential as implant surface treatment. - Abstract: The α/β-type Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy is a potential replacement for α/β-type Ti–6Al–4V alloy, which is widely used in biomedical implant applications. The biological response to implant material is dependent on the surface characteristics of the material. In the present study, a simple and fast process was developed to perform an electrochemical anodization treatment on Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy. The proposed process yielded a thin surface nanotopography, which enhanced cell growth on the Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy. The surface characteristics, including the morphology, wettability, and protein adsorption, were investigated, and the cytotoxicity was evaluated according to International Organization for Standardization 10993-5 specifications. Cell adhesion of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the test specimens was observed via fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The anodization process produced a surface nanotopography (pore size <100 nm) on anodized Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy, which enhanced the wettability, protein adsorption, cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell mineralization. The results showed that the surface nanotopography produced using the proposed electrochemical anodization process enhanced cell growth on anodized Ti–6Al–7Nb alloy for implant applications

  11. Analyzing production potential of selected food and legume crops for food security in Punjab, Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qasim, M.; Hassan, S.; Bashir, A.; Mehmood, I.; Mahmood, H. Z.

    2015-01-01

    The present study was designed to assess growth rate in area, yield and production of selected major food commodities and to project these parameters on the basis of estimated growth co-efficient. Time-series data for area, yield and production were collected for wheat, sugarcane, rice, mung and gram since 1980-81. The semi-log trend function was employed to find out the growth rate of selected commodities. The findings of the study showed the positive growth rates of area, production and yield of all selected food grain and legume crops. The estimated co-efficient for all growth models (area, production and yield) of selected commodities were statistically highly significant at 1 percentage level except yield of gram which was significant at 10 percentage level. The estimated annual growth rate of area for wheat, rice and sugarcane was 0.9 percentage, 2.1 percentage and 0.8 percentage, respectively with the production growth of 3.0 percentage, 3.8 percentage and 2.2 percentage, respectively and yield growth of 2.1 percentage, 1.6 percentage and 1.5 percentage, respectively. The results highlighted that the major contribution for expansion in production for rice and sugarcane was area while it was yield for wheat. In this scenario the wheat production can be enhanced by increasing its area than that of rice and sugarcane. The annual growth rate for gram and mung area was estimated about 1.0 v and 4.9 percentage, respectively, with the production growth rate of 2.3 percentage and 6.4 percentage while yield growth rate of 2.9 percentage and 1.4 percentage, respectively. Keeping in view the higher growth of gram yield the increase in its area may enhance its production more than that of mung. The proportionate higher increase in the area of wheat and gram may enhance the welfare of producers in particular and provide food security to masses in general. (author)

  12. Abnormal growth kinetics of h-BN epitaxial monolayer on Ru(0001) enhanced by subsurface Ar species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Wei; Meng, Jie; Meng, Caixia; Ning, Yanxiao; Li, Qunxiang; Fu, Qiang; Bao, Xinhe

    2018-04-01

    Growth kinetics of epitaxial films often follows the diffusion-limited aggregation mechanism, which shows a "fractal-to-compact" morphological transition with increasing growth temperature or decreasing deposition flux. Here, we observe an abnormal "compact-to-fractal" morphological transition with increasing growth temperature for hexagonal boron nitride growth on the Ru(0001) surface. The unusual growth process can be explained by a reaction-limited aggregation (RLA) mechanism. Moreover, introduction of the subsurface Ar atoms has enhanced this RLA growth behavior by decreasing both reaction and diffusion barriers. Our work may shed light on the epitaxial growth of two-dimensional atomic crystals and help to control their morphology.

  13. Effect of metal tolerant plant growth promoting bacteria on growth and metal accumulation in Zea mays plants grown in fly ash amended soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Kalpna V; Patra, D D

    2013-01-01

    The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of the application of fly ash (FA) into Garden soil (GS), with and without inoculation of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB), on the growth and metal uptake by Zea mays plants. Three FA tolerant PGPB strains, Pseudomonas sp. PS5, PS14, and Bacillus sp. BC29 were isolated from FA contaminated soils and assessed for their plant growth promoting features on the Z. mays plants. All three strains were also examined for their ability to solubilize phosphate and to produce Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), siderophores, and hydrogencynide acid (HCN) production. Although inoculation of all strains significantly enhanced the growth of plants at both the concentration of FA but maximum growth was observed in plants inoculated with BC29 and PS14 at low level (25%) of FA concentration. The experimental results explored the plant growth promoting features of selected strains which not only enhanced growth and biomass of plants but also protected them from toxicity of FA.

  14. Determination of optimized growth medium and cryoprotective additives to enhance the growth and survival of Lactobacillus salivarius.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeo, Soyoung; Shin, Hee Sung; Lee, Hye Won; Hong, Doseon; Park, Hyunjoon; Holzapfel, Wilhelm; Kim, Eun Bae; Huh, Chul Sung

    2018-03-16

    Beneficial effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been intensively investigated in recent decades with special focus on modulation of the host intestinal microbiota. Numerous discoveries of effective probiotics are driven by a significantly increasing demand for dietary supplements. Consequently, technological advances in the large-scale production and lyophilization are needed by probiotic-related industries for producing probiotic LAB for commercial use. Our study had a dual objective, i.e., to determine the optimum growth medium composition and to investigate appropriate cryoprotective additives (CPAs) for Lactobacillus salivarius , and compare its responses with other Lactobacillus species. The one-factor-at-a-time method and central composite design were applied to determine the optimal medium composition for L. salivarius cultivation. The following composition of the medium was established (per liter): 21.64 g maltose, 85 g yeast extract, 1.21 ml Tween 80, 6 g sodium acetate, 0.2 g MgSO 4 ∙7H 2 O, 0.02 g MnSO 4 ∙H 2 O, 1 g K 2 HPO 4 , 1.5 g KH 2 PO 4 , 0.01 g FeSO 4 ∙7H 2 O and 1 g sodium citrate. A cryoprotective additive combination comprising 10% ( w/v ) skim milk and 10% ( w/v ) sucrose supplemented with 2.5% ( w/v ) sodium glutamate was selected for L. salivarius , and its effectiveness was confirmed using culture-independent methods in the freeze-dried cells of the Lactobacillus strains. In conclusion, the optimized medium enhanced the species-specific cultivation of L. salivarius . On the other hand, the cryoprotective effects of the selected CPA mixture may also be dependent on the bacterial strain. This study highlights the necessity for precise and advanced processing techniques for large-scale production of probiotics in the food and feed industries.

  15. Genotype-temperature interaction in the regulation of development, growth, and morphometrics in wild-type, and growth-hormone transgenic coho salmon.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mare Lõhmus

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available The neuroendocrine system is an important modulator of phenotype, directing cellular genetic responses to external cues such as temperature. Behavioural and physiological processes in poikilothermic organisms (e.g. most fishes, are particularly influenced by surrounding temperatures.By comparing the development and growth of two genotypes of coho salmon (wild-type and transgenic with greatly enhanced growth hormone production at six different temperatures, ranging between 8 degrees and 18 degrees C, we observed a genotype-temperature interaction and possible trend in directed neuroendocrine selection. Differences in growth patterns of the two genotypes were compared by using mathematical models, and morphometric analyses of juvenile salmon were performed to detect differences in body shape. The maximum hatching and alevin survival rates of both genotypes occurred at 12 degrees C. At lower temperatures, eggs containing embryos with enhanced GH production hatched after a shorter incubation period than wild-type eggs, but this difference was not apparent at and above 16 degrees C. GH transgenesis led to lower body weights at the time when the yolk sack was completely absorbed compared to the wild genotype. The growth of juvenile GH-enhanced salmon was to a greater extent stimulated by higher temperatures than the growth of the wild-type. Increased GH production significantly influenced the shape of the salmon growth curves.Growth hormone overexpression by transgenesis is able to stimulate the growth of coho salmon over a wide range of temperatures. Temperature was found to affect growth rate, survival, and body morphology between GH transgenic and wild genotype coho salmon, and differential responses to temperature observed between the genotypes suggests they would experience different selective forces should they ever enter natural ecosystems. Thus, GH transgenic fish would be expected to differentially respond and adapt to shifts in environmental

  16. When bigger is not better: selection against large size, high condition and fast growth in juvenile lemon sharks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dibattista, J D; Feldheim, K A; Gruber, S H; Hendry, A P

    2007-01-01

    Selection acting on large marine vertebrates may be qualitatively different from that acting on terrestrial or freshwater organisms, but logistical constraints have thus far precluded selection estimates for the former. We overcame these constraints by exhaustively sampling and repeatedly recapturing individuals in six cohorts of juvenile lemon sharks (450 age-0 and 255 age-1 fish) at an enclosed nursery site (Bimini, Bahamas). Data on individual size, condition factor, growth rate and inter-annual survival were used to test the 'bigger is better', 'fatter is better' and 'faster is better' hypotheses of life-history theory. For age-0 sharks, selection on all measured traits was weak, and generally acted against large size and high condition. For age-1 sharks, selection was much stronger, and consistently acted against large size and fast growth. These results suggest that selective pressures at Bimini may be constraining the evolution of large size and fast growth, an observation that fits well with the observed small size and low growth rate of juveniles at this site. Our results support those of some other recent studies in suggesting that bigger/fatter/faster is not always better, and may often be worse.

  17. Phosphorus mobilizing consortium Mammoth P™ enhances plant growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Colin; Mancini, Lauren M.; Lee, Melanie N.; Conant, Richard T.; Wallenstein, Matthew D.

    2016-01-01

    Phosphorus (P) is a critical nutrient used to maximize plant growth and yield. Current agriculture management practices commonly experience low plant P use efficiency due to natural chemical sorption and transformations when P fertilizer is applied to soils. A perplexing challenge facing agriculture production is finding sustainable solutions to deliver P more efficiently to plants. Using prescribed applications of specific soil microbial assemblages to mobilize soil bound—P to improve crop nutrient uptake and productivity has rarely been employed. We investigated whether inoculation of soils with a bacterial consortium developed to mobilize soil P, named Mammoth PTM, could increase plant productivity. In turf, herbs, and fruits, the combination of conventional inorganic fertilizer combined with Mammoth PTM increased productivity up to twofold compared to the fertilizer treatments without the Mammoth PTM inoculant. Jalapeño plants were found to bloom more rapidly when treated with either Mammoth P. In wheat trials, we found that Mammoth PTM by itself was able to deliver yields equivalent to those achieved with conventional inorganic fertilizer applications and improved productivity more than another biostimulant product. Results from this study indicate the substantial potential of Mammoth PTM to enhance plant growth and crop productivity. PMID:27326379

  18. Growth of silver-coated gold nanoshells with enhanced linear and nonlinear optical responses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Ya-Fang; Wang, Jia-Hong; Ma, Liang; Nan, Fan; Cheng, Zi-Qiang; Zhou, Li, E-mail: zhouli@whu.edu.cn; Wang, Qu-Quan, E-mail: qqwang@whu.edu.cn [Wuhan University, Department of Physics, Key Laboratory of Artificial Miro- and Nano-structures of the Ministry of Education, and School of Physics and Technology (China)

    2015-03-15

    Silver-coated gold nanoshells with 1,4-BDT molecules as the spacer (Ag/BDT/Au) were synthesized on the surface of SiO{sub 2} nanospheres. The surface plasmon resonance of Au/SiO{sub 2} and Ag/BDT/Au/SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with single and double shells were tuned by adjusting the thickness of Au and Ag nanoshells. The enhanced local field in the gap of Au and Ag shells is demonstrated by measuring Raman scattering and nonlinear refraction. The results show that the Raman intensity is enhanced by 17 times and the nonlinear refractive index is enhanced by 30 % due to the growth of Ag shells.

  19. Synthesis and growth mechanism of Fe-catalyzed carbon nanotubes by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang Jun; Feng Tao; Cheng Xinhong; Dai Lijuan; Cao Gongbai; Jiang Bingyao; Wang Xi; Liu Xianghuai; Zou Shichang

    2006-01-01

    Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) was used to grow Fe-catalyzed carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The nanotubes had a uniform diameter in the range of about 10-20 nm. A base growth mode was responsible for the CNTs growth using a mixture of H 2 (60 sccm) and C 2 H 2 (15 sccm). For a mixture of H 2 (100 sccm) and C 2 H 2 (25 sccm), a complicated growth mechanism took place involving both the base growth and the tip growth. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements revealed that the grown CNTs contained C-H covalent bonds and Fe-C bonds located at the interface between them and the substrates. The factors determining the growth mechanism of CNTs are discussed and their growth mechanisms with the different gas ratios are suggested

  20. Selective disulfide reduction for labeling and enhancement of Fab antibody fragments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirley, Terence L; Greis, Kenneth D; Norman, Andrew B

    2016-11-25

    Many methods have been developed for chemical labeling and enhancement of the properties of antibodies and their common fragments, including the Fab and F(ab') 2 fragments. Somewhat selective reduction of some antibody disulfide bonds has been previously achieved, yielding antibodies and antibody fragments that can be labeled at defined sites, enhancing their utility and properties. Selective reduction of the two hinge disulfide bonds present in F(ab') 2 fragments using mild reduction has been useful. However, such reduction is often not quantitative and results in the reduction of multiple disulfide bonds, and therefore subsequent multiple labeling or conjugation sites are neither homogenous nor stoichiometric. Here, a simple and efficient selective reduction of the single disulfide bond linking the partial heavy chain and the intact light chain which compose the Fab fragment is accomplished utilizing tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) immobilized on agarose beads. The resultant reduced cysteine residues were labeled with several cysteine-selective fluorescent reagents, as well as by cysteine-directed PEGylation. These two cysteine residues can also be re-ligated by means of a bifunctional cysteine cross-linking agent, dibromobimane, thereby both restoring a covalent linkage between the heavy and light chains at this site, far removed from the antigen binding site, and also introducing a fluorescent probe. There are many other research and clinical uses for these selectively partially reduced Fab fragments, including biotinylation, toxin and drug conjugation, and incorporation of radioisotopes, and this technique enables simple generation of very useful Fab fragment derivatives with many potential applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Praziquantel synergistically enhances paclitaxel efficacy to inhibit cancer cell growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen Hua Wu

    Full Text Available The major challenges we are facing in cancer therapy with paclitaxel (PTX are the drug resistance and severe side effects. Massive efforts have been made to overcome these clinical challenges by combining PTX with other drugs. In this study, we reported the first preclinical data that praziquantel (PZQ, an anti-parasite agent, could greatly enhance the anticancer efficacy of PTX in various cancer cell lines, including PTX-resistant cell lines. Based on the combination index value, we demonstrated that PZQ synergistically enhanced PTX-induced cell growth inhibition. The co-treatment of PZQ and PTX also induced significant mitotic arrest and activated the apoptotic cascade. Moreover, PZQ combined with PTX resulted in a more pronounced inhibition of tumor growth compared with either drug alone in a mouse xenograft model. We tried to investigate the possible mechanisms of this synergistic efficacy induced by PZQ and PTX, and we found that the co-treatment of the two drugs could markedly decrease expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP, an anti-apoptotic protein. Our data further demonstrated that down-regulation of XIAP was required for the synergistic interaction between PZQ and PTX. Together, this study suggested that the combination of PZQ and PTX may represent a novel and effective anticancer strategy for optimizing PTX therapy.

  2. Plant growth enhancement and associated physiological responses are coregulated by ethylene and gibberellin in response to harpin protein Hpa1

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Xiaojie; Han, Bing; Xu, Manyu; Han, Liping; Zhao, Yanying; Liu, Zhilan; Dong, Hansong; Zhang, Chunling

    2014-01-01

    The harpin protein Hpa1 produced by the bacterial blight pathogen of rice induces several growth-promoting responses in plants, activating the ethylene signaling pathway, increasing photosynthesis rates and EXPANSIN (EXP) gene expression levels, and thereby enhancing the vegetative growth. This study was attempted to analyze any mechanistic connections among the above and the role of gibberellin in these responses. Hpa1-induced growth enhancement was evaluated in Arabidopsis, tomato, and rice...

  3. Sex differences in the enhanced responsiveness to acute angiotensin II in growth-restricted rats: role of fasudil, a Rho kinase inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojeda, Norma B; Royals, Thomas P; Alexander, Barbara T

    2013-04-01

    This study tested the hypothesis that Rho kinase contributes to the enhanced pressor response to acute angiotensin II in intact male growth-restricted and gonadectomized female growth-restricted rats. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and renal function were determined in conscious animals pretreated with enalapril (250 mg/l in drinking water) for 1 wk to block the endogenous renin-angiotensin system and normalize blood pressure (baseline). Blood pressure and renal hemodynamics did not differ at baseline. Acute Ang II (100 ng·kg(-1)·min(-1)) induced a greater increase in MAP and renal vascular resistance and enhanced reduction in glomerular filtration rate in intact male growth-restricted rats compared with intact male controls (P back to baseline in male growth-restricted rats, and yet glomerular filtration rate remained significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Thus, these data suggest a role for enhanced renal sensitivity to acute Ang II in the developmental programming of hypertension in male growth-restricted rats. However, inhibition of Rho kinase had no effect on the basal or enhanced increase in blood pressure induced by acute Ang II in the gonadectomized female growth-restricted rat. Therefore, these studies suggest that Rho kinase inhibition exerts a sex-specific effect on blood pressure sensitivity to acute Ang II in growth-restricted rats.

  4. Enhancing Auditory Selective Attention Using a Visually Guided Hearing Aid

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Listeners with hearing loss, as well as many listeners with clinically normal hearing, often experience great difficulty segregating talkers in a multiple-talker sound field and selectively attending to the desired “target” talker while ignoring the speech from unwanted “masker” talkers and other sources of sound. This listening situation forms the classic “cocktail party problem” described by Cherry (1953) that has received a great deal of study over the past few decades. In this article, a new approach to improving sound source segregation and enhancing auditory selective attention is described. The conceptual design, current implementation, and results obtained to date are reviewed and discussed in this article. Method This approach, embodied in a prototype “visually guided hearing aid” (VGHA) currently used for research, employs acoustic beamforming steered by eye gaze as a means for improving the ability of listeners to segregate and attend to one sound source in the presence of competing sound sources. Results The results from several studies demonstrate that listeners with normal hearing are able to use an attention-based “spatial filter” operating primarily on binaural cues to selectively attend to one source among competing spatially distributed sources. Furthermore, listeners with sensorineural hearing loss generally are less able to use this spatial filter as effectively as are listeners with normal hearing especially in conditions high in “informational masking.” The VGHA enhances auditory spatial attention for speech-on-speech masking and improves signal-to-noise ratio for conditions high in “energetic masking.” Visual steering of the beamformer supports the coordinated actions of vision and audition in selective attention and facilitates following sound source transitions in complex listening situations. Conclusions Both listeners with normal hearing and with sensorineural hearing loss may benefit from the acoustic

  5. Enhancement of neurite outgrowth in neuron cancer stem cells by growth on 3-D collagen scaffolds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Chih-Hao [Department of Electrical Engineering, I-Shou University, Taiwan, ROC (China); Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou University, Taiwan, ROC (China); Kuo, Shyh Ming [Department of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou University, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, Guei-Sheung [Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne (Australia); Chen, Wan-Nan U. [Department of Biological Science and Technology, I-Shou University, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chuang, Chin-Wen [Department of Electrical Engineering, I-Shou University, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, Li-Feng, E-mail: liulf@isu.edu.tw [Department of Biological Science and Technology, I-Shou University, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2012-11-09

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Neuron cancer stem cells (NCSCs) behave high multiply of growth on collagen scaffold. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Enhancement of NCSCs neurite outgrowth on porous collagen scaffold. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 3-D collagen culture of NCSCs shows an advance differentiation than 2-D culture. -- Abstract: Collagen is one component of the extracellular matrix that has been widely used for constructive remodeling to facilitate cell growth and differentiation. The 3-D distribution and growth of cells within the porous scaffold suggest a clinical significance for nerve tissue engineering. In the current study, we investigated proliferation and differentiation of neuron cancer stem cells (NCSCs) on a 3-D porous collagen scaffold that mimics the natural extracellular matrix. We first generated green fluorescence protein (GFP) expressing NCSCs using a lentiviral system to instantly monitor the transitions of morphological changes during growth on the 3-D scaffold. We found that proliferation of GFP-NCSCs increased, and a single cell mass rapidly grew with unrestricted expansion between days 3 and 9 in culture. Moreover, immunostaining with neuronal nuclei (NeuN) revealed that NCSCs grown on the 3-D collagen scaffold significantly enhanced neurite outgrowth. Our findings confirmed that the 80 {mu}m porous collagen scaffold could enhance attachment, viability and differentiation of the cancer neural stem cells. This result could provide a new application for nerve tissue engineering and nerve regeneration.

  6. Enhancement of neurite outgrowth in neuron cancer stem cells by growth on 3-D collagen scaffolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Chih-Hao; Kuo, Shyh Ming; Liu, Guei-Sheung; Chen, Wan-Nan U.; Chuang, Chin-Wen; Liu, Li-Feng

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Neuron cancer stem cells (NCSCs) behave high multiply of growth on collagen scaffold. ► Enhancement of NCSCs neurite outgrowth on porous collagen scaffold. ► 3-D collagen culture of NCSCs shows an advance differentiation than 2-D culture. -- Abstract: Collagen is one component of the extracellular matrix that has been widely used for constructive remodeling to facilitate cell growth and differentiation. The 3-D distribution and growth of cells within the porous scaffold suggest a clinical significance for nerve tissue engineering. In the current study, we investigated proliferation and differentiation of neuron cancer stem cells (NCSCs) on a 3-D porous collagen scaffold that mimics the natural extracellular matrix. We first generated green fluorescence protein (GFP) expressing NCSCs using a lentiviral system to instantly monitor the transitions of morphological changes during growth on the 3-D scaffold. We found that proliferation of GFP-NCSCs increased, and a single cell mass rapidly grew with unrestricted expansion between days 3 and 9 in culture. Moreover, immunostaining with neuronal nuclei (NeuN) revealed that NCSCs grown on the 3-D collagen scaffold significantly enhanced neurite outgrowth. Our findings confirmed that the 80 μm porous collagen scaffold could enhance attachment, viability and differentiation of the cancer neural stem cells. This result could provide a new application for nerve tissue engineering and nerve regeneration.

  7. A selective androgen receptor modulator with minimal prostate hypertrophic activity enhances lean body mass in male rats and stimulates sexual behavior in female rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allan, George F; Tannenbaum, Pamela; Sbriscia, Tifanie; Linton, Olivia; Lai, Muh-Tsann; Haynes-Johnson, Donna; Bhattacharjee, Sheela; Zhang, Xuqing; Sui, Zhihua; Lundeen, Scott G

    2007-08-01

    Androgen receptor (AR) ligands with tissue selectivity (selective androgen receptor modulators, or SARMs) have potential for treating muscle wasting, hypogonadism of aging, osteoporosis, female sexual dysfunction, and other indications. JNJ-28330835 is a nonsteroidal AR ligand with mixed agonist and antagonist activity in androgen-responsive cell-based assays. It is an orally active SARM with muscle selectivity in orchidectomized rat models. It stimulated growth of the levator ani muscle, stimulating maximal growth at a dose of 10 mg/kg. At the same time, JNJ-28330835 reduced prostate weight in intact rats by a mean of 30% at 10 mg/kg, while having no inhibitory effect on muscle. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor body composition, it prevented half of the loss of lean body mass associated with orchidectomy, and restored about 30% of lost lean mass to aged orchidectomized rats. It had agonist effects on markers of both osteoclast and osteoblast activity, suggesting that it reduces bone turnover. In a model of sexual behavior, JNJ-28330835 enhanced the preference of ovariectomized female rats for sexually intact male rats over nonsexual orchidectomized males. JNJ-28330835 is a prostate-sparing SARM with the potential for clinically beneficial effects in muscle-wasting diseases and sexual function disorders.

  8. Culturable bacterial endophytes isolated from Mangrove tree (Rhizophora apiculata Blume) enhance seedling growth in Rice

    OpenAIRE

    Deivanai, Subramanian; Bindusara, Amitraghata Santhanam; Prabhakaran, Guruswamy; Bhore, Subhash Janardhan

    2014-01-01

    Background: Endophytic bacteria do have several potential applications in medicine and in other various sectors of biotechnology including agriculture. Bacterial endophytes need to be explored for their potential applications in agricultural biotechnology. One of the potential applications of bacterial endophytes in agricultural is to enhance the growth of the agricultural crops. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore the plant growth promoting potential application of bacterial endophyt...

  9. Selective disulfide reduction for labeling and enhancement of Fab antibody fragments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirley, Terence L.; Greis, Kenneth D.; Norman, Andrew B.

    2016-01-01

    Many methods have been developed for chemical labeling and enhancement of the properties of antibodies and their common fragments, including the Fab and F(ab’) 2 fragments. Somewhat selective reduction of some antibody disulfide bonds has been previously achieved, yielding antibodies and antibody fragments that can be labeled at defined sites, enhancing their utility and properties. Selective reduction of the two hinge disulfide bonds present in F(ab’) 2 fragments using mild reduction has been useful. However, such reduction is often not quantitative and results in the reduction of multiple disulfide bonds, and therefore subsequent multiple labeling or conjugation sites are neither homogenous nor stoichiometric. Here, a simple and efficient selective reduction of the single disulfide bond linking the partial heavy chain and the intact light chain which compose the Fab fragment is accomplished utilizing tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) immobilized on agarose beads. The resultant reduced cysteine residues were labeled with several cysteine-selective fluorescent reagents, as well as by cysteine-directed PEGylation. These two cysteine residues can also be re-ligated by means of a bifunctional cysteine cross-linking agent, dibromobimane, thereby both restoring a covalent linkage between the heavy and light chains at this site, far removed from the antigen binding site, and also introducing a fluorescent probe. There are many other research and clinical uses for these selectively partially reduced Fab fragments, including biotinylation, toxin and drug conjugation, and incorporation of radioisotopes, and this technique enables simple generation of very useful Fab fragment derivatives with many potential applications. - Highlights: • TCEP agarose is effective for selective reduction of a single Fab disulfide bond. • This disulfide is solvent accessible and distant from the antigen binding site. • A variety of buffers of varying pHs can be used, simplifying

  10. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) enhances somatic growth by regulating the GH-IGF axis in fingerlings of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vélez, Emilio J; Perelló, Miquel; Azizi, Sheida; Moya, Alberto; Lutfi, Esmail; Pérez-Sánchez, Jaume; Calduch-Giner, Josep A; Navarro, Isabel; Blasco, Josefina; Fernández-Borràs, Jaume; Capilla, Encarnación; Gutiérrez, Joaquim

    2018-02-01

    The growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) endocrine axis is the main growth-regulator system in vertebrates. Some authors have demonstrated the positive effects on growth of a sustained-release formulation of a recombinant bovine GH (rBGH) in different fish species. The aim of this work was to characterize the effects of a single injection of rBGH in fingerlings of gilthead sea bream on growth, GH-IGF axis, and both myogenic and osteogenic processes. Thus, body weight and specific growth rate were significantly increased in rBGH-treated fish respect to control fish at 6weeks post-injection, whereas the hepatosomatic index was decreased and the condition factor and mesenteric fat index were unchanged, altogether indicating enhanced somatic growth. Moreover, rBGH injection increased the plasma IGF-I levels in parallel with a rise of hepatic mRNA from total IGF-I, IGF-Ic and IGF-II, the binding proteins IGFBP-1a and IGFBP-2b, and also the receptors IGF-IRb, GHR-I and GHR-II. In skeletal muscle, the expression of IGF-Ib and GHR-I was significantly increased but that of IGF-IRb was reduced; the mRNA levels of myogenic regulatory factors, proliferation and differentiation markers (PCNA and MHC, respectively), or that of different molecules of the signaling pathway (TOR/AKT) were unaltered. Besides, the growth inhibitor myostatin (MSTN1 and MSTN2) and the hypertrophic marker (MLC2B) expression resulted significantly enhanced, suggesting altogether that the muscle is in a non-proliferative stage of development. Contrarily in bone, although the expression of most molecules of the GH/IGF axis was decreased, the mRNA levels of several osteogenic genes were increased. The histology analysis showed a GH induced lipolytic effect with a clear decrease in the subcutaneous fat layer. Overall, these results reveal that a better growth potential can be achieved on this species and supports the possibility to improve growth and quality through the optimization of its

  11. Trade-off between growth and immune function : a meta-analysis of selection experiments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Most, Peter; de Jong, Berber; Parmentier, Henk K.; Verhulst, Simon

    P>1. Evidence suggests that developing and maintaining an effective immune system may be costly and that an organism has to make a trade-off between immune function and other fitness-enhancing traits. To test for a trade-off between growth and immune function we carried out a meta-analysis of data

  12. Effect of phenolic compounds on the growth of selected probiotic and pathogenic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pacheco-Ordaz, R; Wall-Medrano, A; Goñi, M G; Ramos-Clamont-Montfort, G; Ayala-Zavala, J F; González-Aguilar, G A

    2018-01-01

    Fruit extracts from different tissues (pulp, seed and peel) have shown antimicrobial and prebiotic activities related to their phenolic profile, although structure-specific evaluations have not been reported yet. The effect of five phenolic compounds (catechin and gallic, vanillic, ferulic and protocatechuic acids) identified in different fruits, particularly in mango, was evaluated on the growth of two probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG ATCC 53103 and Lactobacillus acidophilusNRRLB 4495) and two pathogenic (Escherichia coli 0157:H7 ATCC 43890 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028) bacteria. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of phenolic acids ranged from 15-20 mmol l -1 and 20-30 mmol l -1 against E. coli and S. Typhimurium, respectively. For catechin, the MIC and MBC were 35 mmol l -1 and >35 mmol l -1 against E. coli and S. Typhimurium, respectively. The presence of catechin and gallic, protocatechuic and vanillic acids in MRS broth without dextrose allowed the growth of lactobacilli. Catechin combined with protocatechuic or vanillic acid mildly allowed the growth of both probiotics. In conclusion, phenolic compounds can selectively inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria without affecting the viability of probiotics. This study provides relevant information about the effects of phenolic compounds commonly present in fruit and vegetables on the growth of probiotic and pathogenic bacteria. The compounds selectively allowed the growth of probiotic lactobacilli (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Lactobacillus acidophilus) and inhibited pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium) at the same concentration (20 mmol l -1 ). These findings can contribute to the formulation of nutraceutical products, such as synbiotics, that can restore or maintain an optimal composition of human microbiota, potentially improving the overall health of the consumer. © 2017 The

  13. Plasma effects in aligned carbon nanoflake growth by plasma-enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, B.B. [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, 69 Hongguang Rd, Lijiatuo, Banan District, Chongqing 400054 (China); Zheng, K. [Institute of Microstructure and Properties of Advanced Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Cheng, Q.J., E-mail: qijin.cheng@xmu.edu.cn [School of Energy Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Ostrikov, K. [Plasma Nanoscience Center Australia (PNCA), Manufacturing Flagship, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, PO Box 218, Lindfield 2070, NSW (Australia); Institute for Future Environments and School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, QLD (Australia); Plasma Nanoscience, School of Physics, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, NSW (Australia)

    2015-01-15

    Highlights: • Plasma-specific effects in the growth of carbon nanoflakes (CNFs) are studied. • Electic field in the plasma sheath promotes separation of CNFs from the substrate. • The orentention of GNFs is related to the combined electic force and growth effects. • The high growth grates of aligned GNFs are plasma-related. - Abstract: Carbon nanofilms are directly grown on silicon substrates by plasma-enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition in methane environment. It is shown that the nanofilms are composed of aligned carbon nanoflakes by extensive investigation of experimental results of field emission scanning electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In comparison with the graphene-like films grown without plasmas, the carbon nanoflakes grow in an alignment mode and the growth rate of the films is increased. The effects of the plasma on the growth of the carbon nanofilms are studied. The plasma plays three main effects of (1) promoting the separation of the carbon nanoflakes from the silicon substrate, (2) accelerating the motion of hydrocarbon radicals, and (3) enhancing the deposition of hydrocarbon ions onto the substrate surface. Due to these plasma-specific effects, the carbon nanofilms can be formed from the aligned carbon nanoflakes with a high rate. These results advance our knowledge on the synthesis, properties and applications of graphene-based materials.

  14. Enhanced catalytic performance for light-olefins production from chloromethane over hierarchical porous ZSM-5 zeolite synthesized by a growth-inhibition strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qing; Wen, Dafen; Yang, Yanran; Fei, Zhaoyang; Zhang, Zhuxiu; Chen, Xian; Tang, Jihai; Cui, Mifen; Qiao, Xu

    2018-03-01

    Hierarchical porous ZSM-5 (HP-ZSM-5) zeolites were synthesized by hydrothermal crystallization method adding triethoxyvinylsilane as the growth-inhibitor at different hydrothermal crystallized temperatures. The properties of the obtained samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, N2-sorption, uptake of ethylene, 27Al MAS NMR, NH3-TPD, and Py-IR. It was found that the mesopore was introduced and the acidity was adjusted over HP-ZSM-5 samples successfully. The hydrothermal crystallized temperature had an important influence on the porous structure and surface properties. The catalytic performance for chloromethane to light-olefins (CMTO) were also investigated. Compared with ZSM-5 samples, HP-ZSM-5 samples exhibited enhanced stability and increased selectivity of light-olefins for CMTO reaction because of the introduction of the abundant mesopore and appropriate acidity. The lifetime (the duration of chloromethane conversion >98%) and selectivity of light-olefins reached 115 h and 69.3%, respectively.

  15. Template-Directed Self-Assembly of Alkanethiol Monolayers: Selective Growth on Preexisting Monolayer Edges

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sharpe, R.B.A.; Burdinski, Dirk; Huskens, Jurriaan; Zandvliet, Henricus J.W.; Reinhoudt, David; Poelsema, Bene

    2007-01-01

    Self-assembled monolayers were investigated for their suitability as two-dimensional scaffolds for the selective growth of alkanethiol edge structures. Heterostructures with chemical contrast could be grown, whose dimensions were governed by both the initial pattern sizes and the process time.

  16. Plant growth-promoting bacteria for phytostabilization of mine tailings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grandlic, Christopher J; Mendez, Monica O; Chorover, Jon; Machado, Blenda; Maier, Raina M

    2008-03-15

    Eolian dispersion of mine tailings in arid and semiarid environments is an emerging global issue for which economical remediation alternatives are needed. Phytostabilization, the revegetation of these sites with native plants, is one such alternative. Revegetation often requires the addition of bulky amendments such as compost which greatly increases cost. We report the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to enhance the revegetation of mine tailings and minimize the need for compost amendment. Twenty promising PGPB isolates were used as seed inoculants in a series of greenhouse studies to examine revegetation of an extremely acidic, high metal contenttailings sample previously shown to require 15% compost amendment for normal plant growth. Several isolates significantly enhanced growth of two native species, quailbush and buffalo grass, in tailings. In this study, PGPB/compost outcomes were plant specific; for quailbush, PGPB were most effective in combination with 10% compost addition while for buffalo grass, PGPB enhanced growth in the complete absence of compost. Results indicate that selected PGPB can improve plant establishment and reduce the need for compost amendment. Further, PGPB activities necessary for aiding plant growth in mine tailings likely include tolerance to acidic pH and metals.

  17. Selective Herbicides for Cultivation of Eucalyptus urograndis Clones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick J. Minogue

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Competition control is essential for successful eucalyptus plantation establishment, yet few selective herbicides have been identified. Five herbicides, flumioxazin, imazamox, imazapic, oxyfluorfen, and sulfometuron methyl, were evaluated for selective weed control in the establishment of genetically modified frost tolerant Eucalyptus urograndis clones. Herbicides were applied at two or three rates, either before or after weed emergence, and compared to a nontreated control and to near-complete weed control obtained with glyphosate directed sprays. Applications prior to weed emergence were most effective for weed control and, with the exception of imazapic, all resulted in enhanced eucalyptus growth relative to the nontreated control. Among postemergent treatments, only imazamox enhanced stem volume. Among selective herbicide treatments, preemergent 2240 g ha−1 oxyfluorfen produced the best growth response, resulting in stem volume index that was 860% greater than the nontreated control, although only 15% of the volume index obtained with near-complete weed control. Imazapic was the most phytotoxic of all herbicides, resulting in 40% mortality when applied preemergent. Survival was 100% for all other herbicide treatments. This research found the previously nontested herbicides imazamox and imazapic to be effective for selective weed control and refined application rate and timing of five herbicides for use in clonal plantations.

  18. Depolarization and electrical stimulation enhance in vitro and in vivo sensory axon growth after spinal cord injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goganau, Ioana; Sandner, Beatrice; Weidner, Norbert; Fouad, Karim; Blesch, Armin

    2018-02-01

    Activity dependent plasticity is a key mechanism for the central nervous system (CNS) to adapt to its environment. Whether neuronal activity also influences axonal regeneration in the injured CNS, and whether electrical stimulation (ES) can activate regenerative programs in the injured CNS remains incompletely understood. Using KCl-induced depolarization, in vivo ES followed by ex-vivo neurite growth assays and ES after spinal cord lesions and cell grafting, we aimed to identify parameters important for ES-enhanced neurite growth and axonal regeneration. Using cultures of sensory neurons, neurite growth was analyzed after KCl-induced depolarization for 1-72h. Increased neurite growth was detected after short-term stimulation and after longer stimulation if a sufficient delay between stimulation and growth measurements was provided. After in vivo ES (20Hz, 2× motor threshold, 0.2ms, 1h) of the intact sciatic nerve in adult Fischer344 rats, sensory neurons showed a 2-fold increase in in vitro neurite length one week later compared to sham animals, an effect not observed one day after ES. Longer ES (7h) and repeated ES (7days, 1h each) also increased growth by 56-67% one week later, but provided no additional benefit. In vivo growth of dorsal column sensory axons into a graft of bone marrow stromal cells 4weeks after a cervical spinal cord lesion was also enhanced with a single post-injury 1h ES of the intact sciatic nerve and was also observed after repeated ES without inducing pain-like behavior. While ES did not result in sensory functional recovery, our data indicate that ES has time-dependent influences on the regenerative capacity of sensory neurons and might further enhance axonal regeneration in combinatorial approaches after SCI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Limited evidence for CO2 -related growth enhancement in northern Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine populations across climate gradients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, Charlotte C; Ballantyne, Ashley P; Cooper, Leila Annie; Sala, Anna

    2018-04-15

    Forests sequester large amounts of carbon annually and are integral in buffering against effects of global change. Increasing atmospheric CO 2 may enhance photosynthesis and/or decrease stomatal conductance (g s ) thereby enhancing intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), having potential indirect and direct benefits to tree growth. While increasing iWUE has been observed in most trees globally, enhanced growth is not ubiquitous, possibly due to concurrent climatic constraints on growth. To investigate our incomplete understanding of interactions between climate and CO 2 and their impacts on tree physiology and growth, we used an environmental gradient approach. We combined dendrochronology with carbon isotope analysis (δ 13 C) to assess the covariation of basal area increment (BAI) and iWUE over time in lodgepole pine. Trees were sampled at 18 sites spanning two climatically distinct elevation transects on the lee and windward sides of the Continental Divide, encompassing the majority of lodgepole pine's northern Rocky Mountain elevational range. We analyzed BAI and iWUE from 1950 to 2015, and explored correlations with monthly climate variables. As expected, iWUE increased at all sites. However, concurrent growth trends depended on site climatic water deficit (CWD). Significant growth increases occurred only at the driest sites, where increases in iWUE were strongest, while growth decreases were greatest at sites where CWD has been historically lowest. Late summer drought of the previous year negatively affected growth across sites. These results suggest that increasing iWUE, if strong enough, may indirectly benefit growth at drier sites by effectively extending the growing season via reductions in g s . Strong growth decreases at high elevation windward sites may reflect increasing water stress as a result of decreasing snowpack, which was not offset by greater iWUE. Our results imply that increasing iWUE driven by decreasing g s may benefit tree growth in

  20. Selective growth of Ge1- x Sn x epitaxial layer on patterned SiO2/Si substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeuchi, Wakana; Washizu, Tomoya; Ike, Shinichi; Nakatsuka, Osamu; Zaima, Shigeaki

    2018-01-01

    We have investigated the selective growth of a Ge1- x Sn x epitaxial layer on a line/space-patterned SiO2/Si substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. We examined the behavior of a Sn precursor of tributyl(vinyl)tin (TBVSn) during the growth on Si and SiO2 substrates and investigated the effect of the Sn precursor on the selective growth. The selective growth of the Ge1- x Sn x epitaxial layer was performed under various total pressures and growth temperatures of 300 and 350 °C. The selective growth of the Ge1- x Sn x epitaxial layer on the patterned Si region is achieved at a low total pressure without Ge1- x Sn x growth on the SiO2 region. In addition, we found that the Sn content in the Ge1- x Sn x epitaxial layer increases with width of the SiO2 region for a fixed Si width even with low total pressure. To control the Sn content in the selective growth of the Ge1- x Sn x epitaxial layer, it is important to suppress the decomposition and migration of Sn and Ge precursors.

  1. Enhanced canopy growth precedes senescence in 2005 and 2010 Amazonian droughts

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Yi Y.

    2018-04-09

    Unprecedented droughts hit southern Amazonia in 2005 and 2010, causing a sharp increase in tree mortality and carbon loss. To better predict the rainforest\\'s response to future droughts, it is necessary to understand its behavior during past events. Satellite observations provide a practical source of continuous observations of Amazonian forest. Here we used a passive microwave-based vegetation water content record (i.e., vegetation optical depth, VOD), together with multiple hydrometeorological observations as well as conventional satellite vegetation measures, to investigate the rainforest canopy dynamics during the 2005 and 2010 droughts. During the onset of droughts in the wet-to-dry season (May–July) of both years, we found large-scale positive anomalies in VOD, leaf area index (LAI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) over the southern Amazonia. These observations are very likely caused by enhanced canopy growth. Concurrent below-average rainfall and above-average radiation during the wet-to-dry season can be interpreted as an early arrival of normal dry season conditions, leading to enhanced new leaf development and ecosystem photosynthesis, as supported by field observations. Our results suggest that further rainfall deficit into the subsequent dry season caused water and heat stress during the peak of 2005 and 2010 droughts (August–October) that exceeded the tolerance limits of the rainforest, leading to widespread negative VOD anomalies over the southern Amazonia. Significant VOD anomalies were observed mainly over the western part in 2005 and mainly over central and eastern parts in 2010. The total area with significant negative VOD anomalies was comparable between these two drought years, though the average magnitude of significant negative VOD anomalies was greater in 2005. This finding broadly agrees with the field observations indicating that the reduction in biomass carbon uptake was stronger in 2005 than 2010. The enhanced canopy growth

  2. Enhanced canopy growth precedes senescence in 2005 and 2010 Amazonian droughts

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Yi Y.; van Dijk, Albert I.J.M.; Miralles, Diego G.; McCabe, Matthew; Evans, Jason P.; de Jeu, Richard A.M.; Gentine, Pierre; Huete, Alfredo; Parinussa, Robert M.; Wang, Lixin; Guan, Kaiyu; Berry, Joe; Restrepo-Coupe, Natalia

    2018-01-01

    Unprecedented droughts hit southern Amazonia in 2005 and 2010, causing a sharp increase in tree mortality and carbon loss. To better predict the rainforest's response to future droughts, it is necessary to understand its behavior during past events. Satellite observations provide a practical source of continuous observations of Amazonian forest. Here we used a passive microwave-based vegetation water content record (i.e., vegetation optical depth, VOD), together with multiple hydrometeorological observations as well as conventional satellite vegetation measures, to investigate the rainforest canopy dynamics during the 2005 and 2010 droughts. During the onset of droughts in the wet-to-dry season (May–July) of both years, we found large-scale positive anomalies in VOD, leaf area index (LAI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) over the southern Amazonia. These observations are very likely caused by enhanced canopy growth. Concurrent below-average rainfall and above-average radiation during the wet-to-dry season can be interpreted as an early arrival of normal dry season conditions, leading to enhanced new leaf development and ecosystem photosynthesis, as supported by field observations. Our results suggest that further rainfall deficit into the subsequent dry season caused water and heat stress during the peak of 2005 and 2010 droughts (August–October) that exceeded the tolerance limits of the rainforest, leading to widespread negative VOD anomalies over the southern Amazonia. Significant VOD anomalies were observed mainly over the western part in 2005 and mainly over central and eastern parts in 2010. The total area with significant negative VOD anomalies was comparable between these two drought years, though the average magnitude of significant negative VOD anomalies was greater in 2005. This finding broadly agrees with the field observations indicating that the reduction in biomass carbon uptake was stronger in 2005 than 2010. The enhanced canopy growth

  3. Directional enhancement of selected high-order-harmonics from intense laser irradiated blazed grating targets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Guobo; Chen, Min; Liu, Feng; Yuan, Xiaohui; Weng, Suming; Zheng, Jun; Ma, Yanyun; Shao, Fuqiu; Sheng, Zhengming; Zhang, Jie

    2017-10-02

    Relativistically intense laser solid target interaction has been proved to be a promising way to generate high-order harmonics, which can be used to diagnose ultrafast phenomena. However, their emission direction and spectra still lack tunability. Based upon two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we show that directional enhancement of selected high-order-harmonics can be realized using blazed grating targets. Such targets can select harmonics with frequencies being integer times of the grating frequency. Meanwhile, the radiation intensity and emission area of the harmonics are increased. The emission direction is controlled by tailoring the local blazed structure. Theoretical and electron dynamics analysis for harmonics generation, selection and directional enhancement from the interaction between multi-cycle laser and grating target are carried out. These studies will benefit the generation and application of laser plasma-based high order harmonics.

  4. Long fatigue crack growth in Inconel 718 produced by selective laser melting

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Konečná, R.; Kunz, Ludvík; Nicoletto, G.; Bača, A.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 92, NOV (2016), s. 499-506 ISSN 0142-1123. [CP 2015 - International Conference on Crack Paths /5./. Ferrara, 16.09.2015-18.09.2015] Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Inconel 718 * Selective laser melting * Microstructure * Fatigue crack growth * Fractography Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 2.899, year: 2016

  5. Social exclusion impairs distractor suppression but not target enhancement in selective attention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Mengsi; Li, Zhiai; Diao, Liuting; Fan, Lingxia; Zhang, Lijie; Yuan, Shuge; Yang, Dong

    2017-11-01

    Social exclusion has been thought to weaken one's ability to exert inhibitory control. Existing studies have primarily focused on the relationship between exclusion and behavioral inhibition, and have reported that exclusion impairs behavioral inhibition. However, whether exclusion also affects selective attention, another important aspect of inhibitory control, remains unknown. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore whether social exclusion impairs selective attention, and to specifically examine its effect on two hypothesized mechanisms of selective attention: target enhancement and distractor suppression. The Cyberball game was used to manipulate social exclusion. Participants then performed a visual search task while event-related potentials were recorded. In the visual search task, target and salient distractor were either both presented laterally or one was presented on the vertical midline and the other laterally. Results showed that social exclusion differentially affected target and distractor processing. While exclusion impaired distractor suppression, reflected as smaller distractor-positivity (Pd) amplitudes for the exclusion group compared to the inclusion group, it did not affect target enhancement, reflected as similar target-negativity (Nt) amplitudes for both the exclusion and inclusion groups. Together, these results extend our understanding of the relationship between exclusion and inhibitory control, and suggest that social exclusion affects selective attention in a more complex manner than previously thought. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Fruit-Enhanced Resistance to Microbial Infection Induced by Selective Laser Excitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia G. Gonzálvez

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Table grapes were irradiated with laser pulses at two different wavelengths: one selected at 302.1 nm, that is, resonant with the transresveratrol biphoton absorption band, and another selected at 300 nm, that is a nonresonant wavelength where trans-resveratrol two-photon absorption is negligible. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic analyses of the irradiated grapes' skin showed an enhancement of polyphenols' content when the resonant wavelength was employed. Furthermore, microbiological analysis performed with nontreated (control, nonresonant, and resonantly irradiated grapes demonstrated how the last samples developed a significantly lower number of colony forming units. Since the only difference between the two (resonant and nonresonant irradiation conditions was just a couple of nanometres in the employed UV-B laser wavelengths, the germicidal effect should be considered very similar. As a result, the observed difference in the table grape resistance to microbial infection was attributed to a wavelength-dependent-induced photochemistry. Finally, the potentiality of this method to enhance the postharvest health status of table grapes is remarked.

  7. Ionizing radiation changes the electronic properties of melanin and enhances the growth of melanized fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dadachova, Ekaterina; Bryan, Ruth A; Huang, Xianchun; Moadel, Tiffany; Schweitzer, Andrew D; Aisen, Philip; Nosanchuk, Joshua D; Casadevall, Arturo

    2007-05-23

    Melanin pigments are ubiquitous in nature. Melanized microorganisms are often the dominating species in certain extreme environments, such as soils contaminated with radionuclides, suggesting that the presence of melanin is beneficial in their life cycle. We hypothesized that ionizing radiation could change the electronic properties of melanin and might enhance the growth of melanized microorganisms. Ionizing irradiation changed the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal of melanin, consistent with changes in electronic structure. Irradiated melanin manifested a 4-fold increase in its capacity to reduce NADH relative to non-irradiated melanin. HPLC analysis of melanin from fungi grown on different substrates revealed chemical complexity, dependence of melanin composition on the growth substrate and possible influence of melanin composition on its interaction with ionizing radiation. XTT/MTT assays showed increased metabolic activity of melanized C. neoformans cells relative to non-melanized cells, and exposure to ionizing radiation enhanced the electron-transfer properties of melanin in melanized cells. Melanized Wangiella dermatitidis and Cryptococcus neoformans cells exposed to ionizing radiation approximately 500 times higher than background grew significantly faster as indicated by higher CFUs, more dry weight biomass and 3-fold greater incorporation of (14)C-acetate than non-irradiated melanized cells or irradiated albino mutants. In addition, radiation enhanced the growth of melanized Cladosporium sphaerospermum cells under limited nutrients conditions. Exposure of melanin to ionizing radiation, and possibly other forms of electromagnetic radiation, changes its electronic properties. Melanized fungal cells manifested increased growth relative to non-melanized cells after exposure to ionizing radiation, raising intriguing questions about a potential role for melanin in energy capture and utilization.

  8. Enhanced amino acid utilization sustains growth of cells lacking Snf1/AMPK

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nicastro, Raffaele; Tripodi, Farida; Guzzi, Cinzia

    2015-01-01

    when grown with glucose excess. We show that loss of Snf1 in cells growing in 2% glucose induces an extensive transcriptional reprogramming, enhances glycolytic activity, fatty acid accumulation and reliance on amino acid utilization for growth. Strikingly, we demonstrate that Snf1/AMPK-deficient cells...... remodel their metabolism fueling mitochondria and show glucose and amino acids addiction, a typical hallmark of cancer cells....

  9. Arsenic-induced nutrient uptake in As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata and their potential role to enhance plant growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xue; Feng, Hua-Yuan; Fu, Jing-Wei; Chen, Yanshan; Liu, Yungen; Ma, Lena Q

    2018-05-01

    It is known that arsenic (As) promotes growth of As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata (PV), however, the associated mechanisms are unclear. Here we examined As-induced nutrient uptake in P. vittata and their potential role to enhance plant growth in sterile agar by excluding microbial effects. As-hyperaccumulator P. multifida (PM) and non-hyperaccumulator P. ensiformis (PE) belonging to the Pteris genus were used as comparisons. The results showed that, after 40 d of growth, As induced biomass increase in hyperaccumulators PV and PM by 5.2-9.4 fold whereas it caused 63% decline in PE. The data suggested that As played a beneficial role in promoting hyperaccumulator growth. In addition, hyperaccumulators PV and PM accumulated 7.5-13, 1.4-3.6, and 1.8-4.4 fold more As, Fe, and P than the non-hyperaccumulator PE. In addition, nutrient contents such as K and Zn were also increased while Ca, Mg, and Mn decreased or unaffected under As treatment. This study demonstrated that As promoted growth in hyperaccumulators and enhanced Fe, P, K, and Zn uptake. Different plant growth responses to As among hyperaccumulators PV and PM and non-hyperaccumulator PE may help to better understand why hyperaccumulators grow better under As-stress. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Hydrolyzed caseinomacropeptide conjugated galactooligosaccharides support the growth and enhance the bile tolerance in Lactobacillus strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthaiyan, Arunachalam; Hernandez-Hernandez, Oswaldo; Moreno, F Javier; Sanz, Maria Luz; Ricke, Steven C

    2012-07-11

    In this study bioactive caseinomacropeptide was conjugated with prebiotic galactooligosaccharides (hCMP:GOS) by Maillard reaction to synthesize value added prebiotic compounds to Lactobacillus strains. Growth study showed the ability of hCMP:GOS to serve as a sole carbon source for Lactobacillus strains. A significant amount of acetate and lactate was detected in cell free culture supernatant by HPLC. It demonstrated the ability of Lactobacillus strains to ferment the hCMP:GOS as a carbon source. In addition, hCMP:GOS grown Lactobacillus cells exhibited enhanced bile tolerance and retained 90% viability. Overall results of this study indicate that the hCMP conjugated GOS can be potential multipurpose prebiotic substrates to enhance the growth and bile tolerance in Lactobacillus strains and serve as a fermentable substrate to produce beneficial metabolites in the host.

  11. Selective androgen receptor modulators: in pursuit of tissue-selective androgens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omwancha, Josephat; Brown, Terry R

    2006-10-01

    The androgen receptor mediates the androgenic and anabolic activity of the endogenous steroids testosterone and 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone. Current knowledge of the androgen receptor protein structure, and the molecular mechanisms surrounding the binding properties and activities of agonists and antagonists has led to the design and development of novel nonsteroidal ligands with selected tissue-specific androgen receptor agonist and antagonist activities. The activity of these compounds, termed selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), is directed toward the maintenance or enhancement of anabolic effects on bone and muscle with minimal androgenic effects on prostate growth. SARMs are of potential therapeutic value in the treatment of male hypogonadism, osteoporosis, frailty and muscle wasting, burn injury and would healing, anemia, mood and depression, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.

  12. Digestibility in selected rainbow trout families and relation to growth and feed utilisation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Richard Skøtt; Jokumsen, Alfred

    2009-01-01

    Experiments have been carried out aimed at clarifying variations in the digestibility of dietary nutrients in rainbow trout families and studying how differences in digestibility may be related to growth and feed utilisation at various growth rates. The digestibility of protein, lipid...... the digestibility of protein, lipid, nitrogen-free extracts and dry matter was measured. Taken as a whole, our results indicate that selective breeding still offers a large potential for improved growth and feed utilisation in rainbow trout strains. In the first study, family Dc showed a higher specific growth rate......, carbohydrates (nitrogen-free extracts, NFE) and dry matter was analysed in two experiments involving eight rainbow trout families [Ab, Ba, Cd, Dc (first study); V, X, Y, Z (second study)]. In the first experiment rainbow trout were reared for 128 days at 13.0A degrees C, and in the second experiment, they were...

  13. Effects of selection for yolk cholesterol on growth and meat quality in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marek Bednarczyk

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Descendants ( of S18 generation of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica, selected for low (line 11, n=15 or for high (line 12, n=6 yolk cholesterol content were used for this experiment. The high (12 and low (11 lines were developed from a control egg type (line13 wild color plumage stock 07, from Poultry Breeding Station in Ivanka at Danube (Slovakia that was maintained without conscious selection. The results of selected lines were compared to this one from unselected lines, egg type (line 13, n=15 and meat type (line 8, n=15, to study productive performance (growth and carcass weight as well as meat quality traits (intramuscular collagen properties, fatty and cholesterol content. The birds were grown up to 35 days of age. Quails were fed ad libitum with commercial diets according to their ages. Animals had free access to water during the experiment. The body weight of the quails was controlled every week (from week 1 to 5. At the slaughter (at avg. weight of 104.0, 107.7, 110.6 g vs 209.3 g for lines 11, 12, 13 vs 8, respectively; P<0.05 the hot carcass weight was recorded and dressing percentage was calculated. Pectoralis superficialis muscles were removed from the carcasses to assess intramuscular collagen (IMC properties (collagen and crosslink concentrations, intramuscular lipid and cholesterol contents. Growth and slaughter performance, intramuscular fat percentage and IMC properties of Pectoralis superficialis were not different between the birds selected for low (line 11 and high (line 12 yolk cholesterol content and were also found to be similar between the quails of egg type and those selected for yolk cholesterol content (lines 11 and 12. Compared to the birds of egg type line and those selected for yolk cholesterol content, the quails of meat type had higher growth and carcass traits (P<0.05, while meat quality traits were found to be similar. The meat of the quails selected for low cholesterol in the egg yolk (line 11

  14. Selection of efficient salt-tolerant bacteria containing ACC deaminase for promotion of tomato growth under salinity stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kannika Chookietwattana* and Kedsukon Maneewan

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available For successful application of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB in salt-affected soil, bioinoculant with salt-tolerant property is required in order to provide better survival and perform well in the field. The present study aimed to select the most efficient salt-tolerant bacterium containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC deaminase from eighty four bacterial strains and to investigate the effects of the selected bacterium on the germination and growth of tomato (Licopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Seeda under saline conditions. The Bacillus licheniformis B2r was selected for its ability to utilize ACC as a sole nitrogen source under salinity stress. It also showed a high ACC deaminase activity at 0.6 M NaCl salinity. Tomato plants inoculated with the selected bacterium under various saline conditions (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 mM NaCl revealed a significant increase in the germination percentage, germination index, root length, and seedling dry weight especially at salinity levels ranging from 30-90 mM NaCl. The work described in this report is an important step in developing an efficient salt-tolerant bioinoculant to facilitate plant growth in saline soil.

  15. Cholinergic enhancement reduces functional connectivity and BOLD variability in visual extrastriate cortex during selective attention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricciardi, Emiliano; Handjaras, Giacomo; Bernardi, Giulio; Pietrini, Pietro; Furey, Maura L

    2013-01-01

    Enhancing cholinergic function improves performance on various cognitive tasks and alters neural responses in task specific brain regions. We have hypothesized that the changes in neural activity observed during increased cholinergic function reflect an increase in neural efficiency that leads to improved task performance. The current study tested this hypothesis by assessing neural efficiency based on cholinergically-mediated effects on regional brain connectivity and BOLD signal variability. Nine subjects participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover fMRI study. Following an infusion of physostigmine (1 mg/h) or placebo, echo-planar imaging (EPI) was conducted as participants performed a selective attention task. During the task, two images comprised of superimposed pictures of faces and houses were presented. Subjects were instructed periodically to shift their attention from one stimulus component to the other and to perform a matching task using hand held response buttons. A control condition included phase-scrambled images of superimposed faces and houses that were presented in the same temporal and spatial manner as the attention task; participants were instructed to perform a matching task. Cholinergic enhancement improved performance during the selective attention task, with no change during the control task. Functional connectivity analyses showed that the strength of connectivity between ventral visual processing areas and task-related occipital, parietal and prefrontal regions reduced significantly during cholinergic enhancement, exclusively during the selective attention task. Physostigmine administration also reduced BOLD signal temporal variability relative to placebo throughout temporal and occipital visual processing areas, again during the selective attention task only. Together with the observed behavioral improvement, the decreases in connectivity strength throughout task-relevant regions and BOLD variability within stimulus

  16. Anthropogenic selection enhances cancer evolution in Tasmanian devil tumours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ujvari, Beata; Pearse, Anne-Maree; Swift, Kate; Hodson, Pamela; Hua, Bobby; Pyecroft, Stephen; Taylor, Robyn; Hamede, Rodrigo; Jones, Menna; Belov, Katherine; Madsen, Thomas

    2014-02-01

    The Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) provides a unique opportunity to elucidate the long-term effects of natural and anthropogenic selection on cancer evolution. Since first observed in 1996, this transmissible cancer has caused local population declines by >90%. So far, four chromosomal DFTD variants (strains) have been described and karyotypic analyses of 253 tumours showed higher levels of tetraploidy in the oldest strain. We propose that increased ploidy in the oldest strain may have evolved in response to effects of genomic decay observed in asexually reproducing organisms. In this study, we focus on the evolutionary response of DFTD to a disease suppression trial. Tumours collected from devils subjected to the removal programme showed accelerated temporal evolution of tetraploidy compared with tumours from other populations where no increase in tetraploid tumours were observed. As ploidy significantly reduces tumour growth rate, we suggest that the disease suppression trial resulted in selection favouring slower growing tumours mediated by an increased level of tetraploidy. Our study reveals that DFTD has the capacity to rapidly respond to novel selective regimes and that disease eradication may result in novel tumour adaptations, which may further imperil the long-term survival of the world's largest carnivorous marsupial.

  17. Growth-Enhanced Transgenic Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch Strains Have Varied Success in Simulated Streams: Implications for Risk Assessment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosalind A Leggatt

    Full Text Available Growth hormone (GH transgenic fish have accelerated growth and could improve production efficiency in aquaculture. However, concern exists regarding potential environmental risks of GH transgenic fish should they escape rearing facilities. While environmental effects have been examined in some GH transgenic models, there is a lack of information on whether effects differ among different constructs or strains of transgenic fish. We compared growth and survival of wild-type coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch fry, a fast-growing GH transgenic strain containing a metallothionein promoter (TMT, and three lines/strains containing a reportedly weaker histone-3 promoter (TH3 in hatchery conditions and semi-natural stream tanks with varying levels of natural food and predators. Rank order of genotype size and survival differed with varying environmental conditions, both within and among experiments. Despite accelerated growth in hatchery conditions, TMT fry gained little or no growth enhancement in stream conditions, had enhanced survival when food was limiting, and inconsistent survival under other conditions. Rank growth was inconsistent in TH3 strains, with one strain having highest, and two strains having the lowest growth in stream conditions, although all TH3 strains had consistently poor survival. These studies demonstrate the importance of determining risk estimates for each unique transgenic model independent of other models.

  18. Enhanced growth and fatty acid accumulation of microalgae Scenedesmus sp. LX1 by two types of auxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dao, Guo-Hua; Wu, Guang-Xue; Wang, Xiao-Xiong; Zhuang, Lin-Lan; Zhang, Tian-Yuan; Hu, Hong-Ying

    2018-01-01

    Microalgae are potential candidates for the production of valuable products, such as renewable biodiesel, health products and pigments. However, low biomass productivity has restricted their large-scale applications. In this study, the effects of two auxins (one natural type of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and the other synthetic type of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)) on the growth and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) production of a freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus sp. LX1 were investigated. Both auxins showed a "low dosage-promotion and high dosage-inhibition" effect on the growth and FAMEs accumulation. The optimum dosage of IAA and 2,4-D were 1mgL -1 and 0.1mgL -1 , respectively. Moreover, the IAA could increase the monounsaturated fatty acid content. The auxins may promote the growth by enhancing the photosynthetic activity through increasing chlorophyll contents. Therefore, auxin significantly enhanced microalgal growth and FAMEs accumulation, and has a potential for application in developing efficient microalgal cultivation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Enhancement of fatigue crack growth rates in pressure boundary materials due to light-water-reactor environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    VanDerSluys, W.A.; Emanuelson, R.H.

    1988-01-01

    The high level of reliability required of the primary-coolant pressure boundary in a nuclear reactor system leads to a continuing interest in the interaction among the coolant, pressure boundary materials, and service loadings. One area of concern involves the possible enhancement of the growth rate of fatigue cracks due to the coolant. Advances have occurred recently toward a better understanding of the variables influencing the material/environment interactions and methods of addressing this interaction. Sulfur now appears to be one of the principal agents responsible for the observed enhancement of the fatigue crack growth rates in light-water-reactor (LWR) environments. This paper presents the results of investigations on the effect of sulfur in the steel, bulk water environment, and at the crack tip

  20. Cyclophosphamide Enhances Human Tumor Growth in Nude Rat Xenografted Tumor Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yingjen Jeffrey Wu

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available The effect of the immunomodulatory chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide (CTX on tumor growth was investigated in primary and metastatic intracerebral and subcutaneous rat xenograft models. Nude rats were treated with CTX (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally 24 hours before human ovarian carcinoma (SKOV3, small cell lung carcinoma (LX-1 SCLC, and glioma (UW28, U87MG, and U251 tumor cells were inoculated subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, or in the right cerebral hemisphere or were infused into the right internal carotid artery. Tumor development was monitored and recorded. Potential mechanisms were further investigated. Only animals that received both CTX and Matrigel showed consistent growth of subcutaneous tumors. Cyclophosphamide pretreatment increased the percentage (83.3% vs 0% of animals showing intraperitoneal tumors. In intracerebral implantation tumor models, CTX pretreatment increased the tumor volume and the percentage of animals showing tumors. Cyclophosphamide increased lung carcinoma bone and facial metastases after intra-arterial injection, and 20% of animals showed brain metastases. Cyclophosphamide transiently decreased nude rat white blood cell counts and glutathione concentration, whereas serum vascular endothelial growth factor was significantly elevated. Cyclophosphamide also increased CD31 reactivity, a marker of vascular endothelium, and macrophage (CD68-positive infiltration into glioma cell-inoculated rat brains. Cyclophosphamide may enhance primary and metastatic tumor growth through multiple mechanisms, including immune modulation, decreased response to oxidative stress, increased tumor vascularization, and increased macrophage infiltration. These findings may be clinically relevant because chemotherapy may predispose human cancer subjects to tumor growth in the brain or other tissues.

  1. Potential involvement of drought-induced Ran GTPase CLRan1 in root growth enhancement in a xerophyte wild watermelon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akashi, Kinya; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Kajikawa, Masataka; Hanada, Kouhei; Kosaka, Rina; Kato, Atsushi; Katoh, Akira; Nanasato, Yoshihiko; Tsujimoto, Hisashi; Yokota, Akiho

    2016-10-01

    Enhanced root growth is known as the survival strategy of plants under drought. Previous proteome analysis in drought-resistant wild watermelon has shown that Ran GTPase, an essential regulator of cell division and proliferation, was induced in the roots under drought. In this study, two cDNAs were isolated from wild watermelon, CLRan1 and CLRan2, which showed a high degree of structural similarity with those of other plant Ran GTPases. Quantitative RT-PCR and promoter-GUS assays suggested that CLRan1 was expressed mainly in the root apex and lateral root primordia, whereas CLRan2 was more broadly expressed in other part of the roots. Immunoblotting analysis confirmed that the abundance of CLRan proteins was elevated in the root apex region under drought stress. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing CLRan1 showed enhanced primary root growth, and the growth was maintained under osmotic stress, indicating that CLRan1 functions as a positive factor for maintaining root growth under stress conditions.

  2. Growth kinetics and mass transport mechanisms of GaN columns by selective area metal organic vapor phase epitaxy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xue; Hartmann, Jana; Mandl, Martin; Sadat Mohajerani, Matin; Wehmann, Hergo-H.; Strassburg, Martin; Waag, Andreas

    2014-04-01

    Three-dimensional GaN columns recently have attracted a lot of attention as the potential basis for core-shell light emitting diodes for future solid state lighting. In this study, the fundamental insights into growth kinetics and mass transport mechanisms of N-polar GaN columns during selective area metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on patterned SiOx/sapphire templates are systematically investigated using various pitch of apertures, growth time, and silane flow. Species impingement fluxes on the top surface of columns Jtop and on their sidewall Jsw, as well as, the diffusion flux from the substrate Jsub contribute to the growth of the GaN columns. The vertical and lateral growth rates devoted by Jtop, Jsw and Jsub are estimated quantitatively. The diffusion length of species on the SiOx mask surface λsub as well as on the sidewall surfaces of the 3D columns λsw are determined. The influences of silane on the growth kinetics are discussed. A growth model is developed for this selective area metal organic vapor phase epitaxy processing.

  3. Inhibition of BRD4 suppresses tumor growth and enhances iodine uptake in thyroid cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Xuemei; Wu, Xinchao; Zhang, Xiao; Hua, Wenjuan; Zhang, Yajing; Maimaiti, Yusufu; Gao, Zairong; Zhang, Yongxue

    2016-01-01

    Thyroid cancer is a common malignancy of the endocrine system. Although radioiodine "1"3"1I treatment on differentiated thyroid cancer is widely used, many patients still fail to benefit from "1"3"1I therapy. Therefore, exploration of novel targeted therapies to suppress tumor growth and improve radioiodine uptake remains necessary. Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is an important member of the bromodomain and extra terminal domain family that influences transcription of downstream genes by binding to acetylated histones. In the present study, we found that BRD4 was up-regulated in thyroid cancer tissues and cell lines. Inhibition of BRD4 in thyroid cancer cells by JQ1 resulted in cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and enhanced "1"3"1I uptake in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, JQ1 treatment suppressed C-MYC but enhanced NIS expression. We further demonstrated that BRD4 was enriched in the promoter region of C-MYC, which could be markedly blocked by JQ1 treatment. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the aberrant expression of BRD4 in thyroid cancer is possibly involved in tumor progression, and JQ1 is potentially an effective chemotherapeutic agent against human thyroid cancer. - Highlights: • BRD4 is upregulated in thyroid cancer tissues and cell lines. • Inhibition of BRD4 induced cell cycle arrest and enhanced radioiodine uptake in vitro and impaired tumor growth in vivo. • JQ1 suppressed the expression of C-MYC and promoted the expression of NIS and P21. • JQ1 attenuated the recruitment of BRD4 to MYC promoter in thyroid cancer.

  4. Inhibition of BRD4 suppresses tumor growth and enhances iodine uptake in thyroid cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, Xuemei [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Wu, Xinchao [Department of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Zhang, Xiao; Hua, Wenjuan; Zhang, Yajing [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Maimaiti, Yusufu [Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Gao, Zairong, E-mail: gaobonn@163.com [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Zhang, Yongxue [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China); Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province (China)

    2016-01-15

    Thyroid cancer is a common malignancy of the endocrine system. Although radioiodine {sup 131}I treatment on differentiated thyroid cancer is widely used, many patients still fail to benefit from {sup 131}I therapy. Therefore, exploration of novel targeted therapies to suppress tumor growth and improve radioiodine uptake remains necessary. Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is an important member of the bromodomain and extra terminal domain family that influences transcription of downstream genes by binding to acetylated histones. In the present study, we found that BRD4 was up-regulated in thyroid cancer tissues and cell lines. Inhibition of BRD4 in thyroid cancer cells by JQ1 resulted in cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and enhanced {sup 131}I uptake in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, JQ1 treatment suppressed C-MYC but enhanced NIS expression. We further demonstrated that BRD4 was enriched in the promoter region of C-MYC, which could be markedly blocked by JQ1 treatment. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the aberrant expression of BRD4 in thyroid cancer is possibly involved in tumor progression, and JQ1 is potentially an effective chemotherapeutic agent against human thyroid cancer. - Highlights: • BRD4 is upregulated in thyroid cancer tissues and cell lines. • Inhibition of BRD4 induced cell cycle arrest and enhanced radioiodine uptake in vitro and impaired tumor growth in vivo. • JQ1 suppressed the expression of C-MYC and promoted the expression of NIS and P21. • JQ1 attenuated the recruitment of BRD4 to MYC promoter in thyroid cancer.

  5. Correlated responses in tissue weights measured in vivo by computer tomography in Dorset Down sheep selected for lean tissue growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nsoso, S.J.; Young, M.J.; Beatson, P.R.

    2003-01-01

    The aim of this study was to estimate correlated responses in lean, fat and bone weights in vivo in Dorset Down sheep selected for lean tissue growth. Over the period 1986-1992 inclusive, the lean tissue growth line had been selected using two economic indices for an increased aggregate breeding value incorporating predicted lean and fat weights with positive and negative economic weightings, respectively. The control line was selected for no change in lean tissue growth each year. Animals were born and run on pasture all year round. X-ray computer tomography was used to estimate the weights of lean, fat and bone in vivo in the 1994-born sheep, aged 265-274 days and selected randomly into 12 rams and 12 ewes from the selected line and 10 rams and 9 ewes from the control line. The lean tissue growth line had significantly greater responses in lean weight (+0.65 + 0.10 kg) and lean percentage (+1.19 + 0.17%) and significantly lesser fat weight (-0.36 + 0.08 kg) and fat percentage (-1.88 + 0.20%) compared to the control line. There was a significant increase in bone weight (+0.27 + 0.03 kg) and bone percentage (+0.69 + 0.09%) in the lean tissue growth line compared to the control line. Responses differed significantly between sexes of the lean tissue growth line, rams having a greater response in weight of lean (+1.22 + 0.20 vs. +0.08 + 0.22 kg) and bone (+0.45 + 0.06 vs. +0.09 + 0.07 kg), and a lesser response in weight of fat (-0.03 + 0.15 vs. -0.70 + 0.16 kg) than the ewes. Selection led to significant changes in lean (increase) and fat weights (decrease), and bone weight increased. Although responses in the lean tissue growth line differed significantly between sexes, there were confounding factors due to differences in management and lack of comparison at equal stage of development. Therefore, to assess real genetic differences further studies should be conducted taking these factors into consideration

  6. Foliar application of pyraclostrobin fungicide enhances the growth, rhizobial-nodule formation and nitrogenase activity in soybean (var. JS-335).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Juhie; Sharma, Sonika; Guruprasad, K N

    2014-09-01

    A field study was conducted to investigate the impact of the fungicide pyraclostrobin (F500 - Headline®; a.i. 20%) on the activity of nitrogenase in soybean (var. JS-335). Pyraclostrobin (F500) was applied on the leaves of soybean plants at 10 and 20 days after emergence (DAE) of seedlings at concentrations ranging from 0.05% to 1%. Leghemoglobin (Lb) content and nitrogenase activity in root nodules were analyzed at 45(th)day after emergence of seedlings indicated a remarkable increase in Lb content and enhanced activity of nitrogenase in the root nodules of pyraclostrobin treated plants. The fungicide also enhanced the number of nodules along with weight of nodules, root biomass and growth of shoot and leaves. Enhanced nitrogen fixation in the root nodules by pyraclostrobin improves the growth of the plant in soybean before flowering and pod formation which ultimately resulted in yield and yield attributes. These results suggest that pyraclostrobin (F500) can be successfully employed as a foliar spray under field conditions to enhance the growth, nitrogen assimilation and hence yield of soybean. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Selective recognition of monohydrogen phosphate by fluorescence enhancement of a new cerium complex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganjali, Mohammad Reza; Hosseini, Morteza; Memari, Zahra; Faridbod, Farnoush; Norouzi, Parviz; Goldooz, Hassan; Badiei, Alireza

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: ► Finding a new fluorescent enhancing chemosensor for phosphate ions. ► Synthesis of a new complex (bis(8-hydroxy quinoline-5-solphonate) cerium(III) chloride (Ce(QS) 2 Cl)) as a practical fluorescent probe. ► Analysis of phosphate content in three kinds of fertilizers, mixed fertilizer (N–P–K), triple super phosphate (TSP), and single super phosphate (SSP) (from Zarrin Kood Co., Tehran, Iran). - Abstract: Bis(8-hydroxy quinoline-5-solphonate) cerium(III) chloride (Ce(QS) 2 Cl) (L) was synthesized and then used as a novel fluorescent sensor for anion recognition. Preliminarily study showed that fluorescence of L enhanced selectively in the presence of HPO 4 2− ion. This enhancement is attributed to a 1:1 complex formation between L and HPO 4 2− anion. The association constant of 1:1 complex of L-HPO 4 2− was calculated as 3.0 × 10 6 . Thus, L was utilized as a basis for a selective detection of HPO 4 2− anion in solution. The linear response range of the proposed fluorescent chemo-sensor covers a concentration range of HPO 4 2− from 3.3 × 10 −7 to 5.0 × 10 −6 mol L −1 with a detection limit of 2.5 × 10 −8 mol L −1 . L showed selective and sensitive fluorescence enhancement response toward HPO 4 2− ion in comparison with I 3 − , NO 3 − , CN − , CO 3 2− , Br − , Cl − , F − , H 2 PO 4 − and SO 4 2− ions. It was probably attributed to the higher stability of the inorganic complex between HPO 4 2− ion and L. The method was successfully applied for analysis of phosphate ions in some fertilizers samples.

  8. Discovery of Selective Phosphodiesterase 1 Inhibitors with Memory Enhancing Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dyck, Brian; Branstetter, Bryan; Gharbaoui, Tawfik; Hudson, Andrew R; Breitenbucher, J Guy; Gomez, Laurent; Botrous, Iriny; Marrone, Tami; Barido, Richard; Allerston, Charles K; Cedervall, E Peder; Xu, Rui; Sridhar, Vandana; Barker, Ryan; Aertgeerts, Kathleen; Schmelzer, Kara; Neul, David; Lee, Dong; Massari, Mark Eben; Andersen, Carsten B; Sebring, Kristen; Zhou, Xianbo; Petroski, Robert; Limberis, James; Augustin, Martin; Chun, Lawrence E; Edwards, Thomas E; Peters, Marco; Tabatabaei, Ali

    2017-04-27

    A series of potent thienotriazolopyrimidinone-based PDE1 inhibitors was discovered. X-ray crystal structures of example compounds from this series in complex with the catalytic domain of PDE1B and PDE10A were determined, allowing optimization of PDE1B potency and PDE selectivity. Reduction of hERG affinity led to greater than a 3000-fold selectivity for PDE1B over hERG. 6-(4-Methoxybenzyl)-9-((tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl)methyl)-8,9,10,11-tetrahydropyrido[4',3':4,5]thieno[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-5(6H)-one was identified as an orally bioavailable and brain penetrating PDE1B enzyme inhibitor with potent memory-enhancing effects in a rat model of object recognition memory.

  9. Alternative Growth Promoters Modulate Broiler Gut Microbiome and Enhance Body Weight Gain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salaheen, Serajus; Kim, Seon-Woo; Haley, Bradd J.; Van Kessel, Jo Ann S.; Biswas, Debabrata

    2017-01-01

    Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) are frequently used to enhance weight-gain in poultry production. However, there has been increasing concern over the impact of AGP on the emergence of antibiotic resistance in zoonotic bacterial pathogens in the microbial community of the poultry gut. In this study, we adopted mass-spectrophotometric, phylogenetic, and shotgun-metagenomic approaches to evaluate bioactive phenolic extracts (BPE) from blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) pomaces as AGP alternatives in broilers. We conducted two trials with 100 Cobb-500 broiler chicks (in each trial) in four equal groups that were provided water with no supplementation, supplemented with AGP (tylosin, neomycin sulfate, bacitracin, erythromycin, and oxytetracycline), or supplemented with 0.1 g Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L or 1.0 g GAE/L (during the last 72 h before euthanasia) of BPE for 6 weeks. When compared with the control group (water only), the chickens supplemented with AGP and 0.1 g GAE/L of BPE gained 9.5 and 5.8% more body weight, respectively. The microbiomes of both the AGP- and BPE-treated chickens had higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratios. AGP supplementation appeared to be associated with higher relative abundance of bacteriophages and unique cecal resistomes compared with BPE supplementation or control. Functional characterization of cecal microbiomes revealed significant animal-to-animal variation in the relative abundance of genes involved in energy and carbohydrate metabolism. These findings established a baseline upon which mechanisms of plant-based performance enhancers in regulation of animal growth can be investigated. In addition, the data will aid in designing alternate strategies to improve animal growth performance and consequently production. PMID:29123512

  10. Alternative Growth Promoters Modulate Broiler Gut Microbiome and Enhance Body Weight Gain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serajus Salaheen

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs are frequently used to enhance weight-gain in poultry production. However, there has been increasing concern over the impact of AGP on the emergence of antibiotic resistance in zoonotic bacterial pathogens in the microbial community of the poultry gut. In this study, we adopted mass-spectrophotometric, phylogenetic, and shotgun-metagenomic approaches to evaluate bioactive phenolic extracts (BPE from blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus pomaces as AGP alternatives in broilers. We conducted two trials with 100 Cobb-500 broiler chicks (in each trial in four equal groups that were provided water with no supplementation, supplemented with AGP (tylosin, neomycin sulfate, bacitracin, erythromycin, and oxytetracycline, or supplemented with 0.1 g Gallic acid equivalent (GAE/L or 1.0 g GAE/L (during the last 72 h before euthanasia of BPE for 6 weeks. When compared with the control group (water only, the chickens supplemented with AGP and 0.1 g GAE/L of BPE gained 9.5 and 5.8% more body weight, respectively. The microbiomes of both the AGP- and BPE-treated chickens had higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratios. AGP supplementation appeared to be associated with higher relative abundance of bacteriophages and unique cecal resistomes compared with BPE supplementation or control. Functional characterization of cecal microbiomes revealed significant animal-to-animal variation in the relative abundance of genes involved in energy and carbohydrate metabolism. These findings established a baseline upon which mechanisms of plant-based performance enhancers in regulation of animal growth can be investigated. In addition, the data will aid in designing alternate strategies to improve animal growth performance and consequently production.

  11. Insect outbreak shifts the direction of selection from fast to slow growth rates in the long-lived conifer Pinus ponderosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de la Mata, Raul; Hood, Sharon; Sala, Anna

    2017-07-11

    Long generation times limit species' rapid evolution to changing environments. Trees provide critical global ecosystem services, but are under increasing risk of mortality because of climate change-mediated disturbances, such as insect outbreaks. The extent to which disturbance changes the dynamics and strength of selection is unknown, but has important implications on the evolutionary potential of tree populations. Using a 40-y-old Pinus ponderosa genetic experiment, we provide rare evidence of context-dependent fluctuating selection on growth rates over time in a long-lived species. Fast growth was selected at juvenile stages, whereas slow growth was selected at mature stages under strong herbivory caused by a mountain pine beetle ( Dendroctonus ponderosae ) outbreak. Such opposing forces led to no net evolutionary response over time, thus providing a mechanism for the maintenance of genetic diversity on growth rates. Greater survival to mountain pine beetle attack in slow-growing families reflected, in part, a host-based life-history trade-off. Contrary to expectations, genetic effects on tree survival were greatest at the peak of the outbreak and pointed to complex defense responses. Our results suggest that selection forces in tree populations may be more relevant than previously thought, and have implications for tree population responses to future environments and for tree breeding programs.

  12. Combined use of alkane-degrading and plant growth-promoting bacteria enhanced phytoremediation of diesel contaminated soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tara, Nain; Afzal, Muhammad; Ansari, Tariq M; Tahseen, Razia; Iqbal, Samina; Khan, Qaiser M

    2014-01-01

    Inoculation of plants with pollutant-degrading and plant growth-promoting microorganisms is a simple strategy to enhance phytoremediation activity. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of inoculation of different bacterial strains, possessing alkane-degradation and 1-amino-cyclopropane-1 -carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity, on plant growth and phytoremediation activity. Carpet grass (Axonopus affinis) was planted in soil spiked with diesel (1% w/w) for 90 days and inoculated with different bacterial strains, Pseudomonas sp. ITRH25, Pantoea sp. BTRH79 and Burkholderia sp. PsJN, individually and in combination. Generally, bacterial application increased total numbers of culturable hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the rhizosphere ofcarpet grass, plant biomass production, hydrocarbon degradation and reduced genotoxicity. Bacterial strains possessing different beneficial traits affect plant growth and phytoremediation activity in different ways. Maximum bacterial population, plant biomass production and hydrocarbon degradation were achieved when carpet grass was inoculated with a consortium of three strains. Enhanced plant biomass production and hydrocarbon degradation were associated with increased numbers of culturable hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the rhizosphere of carpet grass. The present study revealed that the combined use of different bacterial strains, exhibiting different beneficial traits, is a highly effective strategy to improve plant growth and phytoremediation activity.

  13. Selective epitaxial growth of stepwise SiGe:B at the recessed sources and drains: A growth kinetics and strain distribution study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangmo Koo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The selective epitaxial growth of Si1-xGex and the related strain properties were studied. Epitaxial Si1-xGex films were deposited on (100 and (110 orientation wafers and on patterned Si wafers with recessed source and drain structures via ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition using different growing steps and Ge concentrations. The stepwise process was split into more than 6 growing steps that ranged in thicknesses from a few to 120 nm in order to cover the wide stages of epitaxial growth. The growth rates of SiGe on the plane and patterned wafers were examined and a dependence on the surface orientation was identified. As the germanium concentration increased, defects were generated with thinner Si1-xGex growth. The defect generation was the result of the strain evolution which was examined for channel regions with a Si1-xGex source/drain (S/D structure.

  14. Comparisons of Growth and Survival Performance Among Selected Families and Wild Populations of Fenneropenaeus chinensis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Kun; Kong, Jie; Meng, Xianhong; Luan, Sheng; Cao, Baoxiang; Chen, Baolong

    2018-04-01

    In this study, families of selected population for growth (SP_BWT), selected population for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) resistance (SP_RW), Bohai wild population (WP_BH) and Huanghai wild population (WP_HH) of F. chinensis were constructed through artificial insemination and with the standardized procedure of larvae rearing. Growth and survival performance were studied among four populations after a 70 days common test. The results showed that the maximum least square mean of body weight was 17.50 g in SP_BWT while the minimum was 13.03 g in WP_HH. Compared with WP_BH, body weight of SP_BWT increased by 23.41% ( P 0.05). Body weights of SP_BWT and SP_RW were significantly higher than that of WP_HH, which increased by 34.31% ( P populations was 0.19, 0.18, 0.17 and 0.16 g d-1, respectively. Coefficient of variation of body weight among four populations was high, which ranged from 32.67% to 35.25%. Such a range showed that there was the potentiality for further improvement in selected populations. Coefficient of variation of survival rate among four populations was low, varying between 3.20% and 5.90%. The difference of survival was highly significant ( P populations ( P growth performances were also observed among different families in each population. The body weight of 798F family was the highest. The absolute growth rate (AGR) was 0.25 g d-1, 150% higher than that of the lowest one, 0.1 g d-1 in 807F family. Survival rate of families among four populations was different. The highest was 94.74%, and the lowest was 71.88%.

  15. Mutations Enhancing Amino Acid Catabolism Confer a Growth Advantage in Stationary Phase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zinser, Erik R.; Kolter, Roberto

    1999-01-01

    Starved cultures of Escherichia coli undergo successive rounds of population takeovers by mutants of increasing fitness. These mutants express the growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP) phenotype. Previous work identified the rpoS819 allele as a GASP mutation allowing cells to take over stationary-phase cultures after growth in rich media (M. M. Zambrano, D. A. Siegele, M. A. Almirón, A. Tormo, and R. Kolter, Science 259:1757–1760, 1993). Here we have identified three new GASP loci from an aged rpoS819 strain: sgaA, sgaB, and sgaC. Each locus is capable of conferring GASP on the rpoS819 parent, and they can provide successively higher fitnesses for the bacteria in the starved cultures. All four GASP mutations isolated thus far allow for faster growth on both individual and mixtures of amino acids. Each mutation confers a growth advantage on a different subset of amino acids, and these mutations act in concert to increase the overall catabolic capacity of the cell. We present a model whereby this enhanced ability to catabolize amino acids is responsible for the fitness gain during carbon starvation, as it may allow GASP mutants to outcompete the parental cells when growing on the amino acids released by dying cells. PMID:10482523

  16. Plasmon-Induced Selective Enhancement of Green Emission in Lanthanide-Doped Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weina; Li, Juan; Lei, Hongxiang; Li, Baojun

    2017-12-13

    By introducing an 18 nm thick Au nanofilm, selective enhancement of green emission from lanthanide-doped (β-NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Er 3+ ) upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) is demonstrated. The Au nanofilm is deposited on a microfiber surface by the sputtering method and then covered with the UCNPs. The plasma on the surface of the Au nanofilm can be excited by launching a 980 nm wavelength laser beam into the microfiber, resulting in an enhancement of the local electric field and a strong thermal effect. A 36-fold luminescence intensity enhancement of the UCNPs at 523 nm is observed, with no obvious reduction in the photostability of the UCNPs. Further, the intensity ratios of the emissions at 523-545 nm and at 523-655 nm are enhanced with increasing pump power, which is attributed to the increasing plasmon-induced thermal effect. Therefore, the fabricated device is further demonstrated to exhibit an excellent ability in temperature sensing. By controlling the pump power and the UCNP concentration, a wide temperature range (325-811 K) and a high temperature resolution (0.035-0.046 K) are achieved in the fabricated device.

  17. Effect of Ease of Doing Business to Economic Growth among Selected Countries in Asia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teodorica G. Ani

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Economic activity requires a streamlined regulatory environment and effectual policies that are transparent and accessible to all. The study aimed to explain the effect of ease of doing business to economic growth among selected economies in Asia for the year 2014. The study covered 29 economies in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Ease of doing business is determined by the ten Doing Business indicators (DBI of the World Bank. In the study, Gross Domestic Product (GDP was used as the proxy variable for economic growth. Descriptive research was the research design used. Multiple regression determined the effect of doing business to economic growth. Compared to other economies, Singapore has the best regulatory performance. It achieved the easiest to do business to five indicators, namely, Starting Business, Registering Property, Protecting Investors, Trading Across Borders, and Enforcing Contracts. In addition, China showed the highest economic growth. The study found out that the variations in ease of doing business was explained by dealing with construction permits, getting credit, registering property and trading across borders. Dealing with construction permits and getting credit have negative effect to Gross Domestic Product while registering property and trading across borders have positive effect. Trading across borders greatly affect gross domestic product among selected countries in Asia. The research proposed inputs to policy which may increase the awareness of local government units of different economies on the simplification of the policies of the different components used in measuring doing business.

  18. Inter-annual changes in detritus-based food chains can enhance plant growth response to elevated atmospheric CO2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hines, Jes; Eisenhauer, Nico; Drake, Bert G

    2015-12-01

    Elevated atmospheric CO2 generally enhances plant growth, but the magnitude of the effects depend, in part, on nutrient availability and plant photosynthetic pathway. Due to their pivotal role in nutrient cycling, changes in abundance of detritivores could influence the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on essential ecosystem processes, such as decomposition and primary production. We conducted a field survey and a microcosm experiment to test the influence of changes in detritus-based food chains on litter mass loss and plant growth response to elevated atmospheric CO2 using two wetland plants: a C3 sedge (Scirpus olneyi) and a C4 grass (Spartina patens). Our field study revealed that organism's sensitivity to climate increased with trophic level resulting in strong inter-annual variation in detritus-based food chain length. Our microcosm experiment demonstrated that increased detritivore abundance could not only enhance decomposition rates, but also enhance plant growth of S. olneyi in elevated atmospheric CO2 conditions. In contrast, we found no evidence that changes in the detritus-based food chains influenced the growth of S. patens. Considered together, these results emphasize the importance of approaches that unite traditionally subdivided food web compartments and plant physiological processes to understand inter-annual variation in plant production response to elevated atmospheric CO2. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Divergent selection on 63-day body weight in the rabbit: response on growth, carcass and muscle traits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Combes Sylvie

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The effects of selection for growth rate on weights and qualitative carcass and muscle traits were assessed by comparing two lines selected for live body weight at 63 days of age and a cryopreserved control population raised contemporaneously with generation 5 selected rabbits. The animals were divergently selected for five generations for either a high (H line or a low (L line body weight, based on their BLUP breeding value. Heritability (h2 was 0.22 for 63-d body weight (N = 4754. Growth performance and quantitative carcass traits in the C group were intermediate between the H and L lines (N = 390. Perirenal fat proportion (h2 = 0.64 and dressing out percentage (h2 = 0.55 ranked in the order L Semitendinosus muscle, and the mean diameter of the constitutive myofibres were reduced in the L line only (N = 140. In the Longissimus muscle (N = 180, the ultimate pH (h2 = 0.16 and the maximum shear force reached in the Warner-Braztler test (h2 = 0.57 were slightly modified by selection.

  20. Low doses of glyphosate enhance growth, CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance and transpiration in sugarcane and eucalyptus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascentes, Renan F; Carbonari, Caio A; Simões, Plinio S; Brunelli, Marcela C; Velini, Edivaldo D; Duke, Stephen O

    2018-05-01

    Sublethal doses of herbicides can enhance plant growth and stimulate other process, an effect known as hormesis. The magnitude of hormesis is dependent on the plant species, the herbicide and its dose, plant development stage and environmental parameters. Glyphosate hormesis is well established, but relatively little is known of the mechanism of this phenomenon. The objective of this study was to determine if low doses of glyphosate that cause growth stimulation in sugarcane and eucalyptus concomitantly stimulate CO 2 assimilation. Shoot dry weight in both species increased at both 40 and 60 days after application of 6.2 to 20.2 g a.e. ha -1 glyphosate. The level of enhanced shoot dry weight was 11 to 37%, depending on the time after treatment and the species. Concomitantly, CO 2 assimilation, stomatal conductance and transpiration were increased by glyphosate doses similar to those that caused growth increases. Glyphosate applied at low doses increased the dry weight of sugarcane and eucalyptus plants in all experiments. This hormetic effect was related to low dose effects on CO 2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, indicating that low glyphosate doses enhance photosynthesis of plants. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Digital selective growth of a ZnO nanowire array by large scale laser decomposition of zinc acetate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Sukjoon; Yeo, Junyeob; Manorotkul, Wanit; Kang, Hyun Wook; Lee, Jinhwan; Han, Seungyong; Rho, Yoonsoo; Suh, Young Duk; Sung, Hyung Jin; Ko, Seung Hwan

    2013-05-07

    We develop a digital direct writing method for ZnO NW micro-patterned growth on a large scale by selective laser decomposition of zinc acetate. For ZnO NW growth, by replacing the bulk heating with the scanning focused laser as a fully digital local heat source, zinc acetate crystallites can be selectively activated as a ZnO seed pattern to grow ZnO nanowires locally on a larger area. Together with the selective laser sintering process of metal nanoparticles, more than 10,000 UV sensors have been demonstrated on a 4 cm × 4 cm glass substrate to develop all-solution processible, all-laser mask-less digital fabrication of electronic devices including active layer and metal electrodes without any conventional vacuum deposition, photolithographic process, premade mask, high temperature and vacuum environment.

  2. Hepatocyte growth factor enhances death receptor-induced apoptosis by up-regulating DR5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Yang; Fan, Xing; Goodwin, C Rory; Laterra, John; Xia, Shuli

    2008-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-MET are commonly expressed in malignant gliomas and embryonic neuroectodermal tumors including medulloblastoma and appear to play an important role in the growth and dissemination of these malignancies. Dependent on cell context and the involvement of specific downstream effectors, both pro- and anti-apoptotic effects of HGF have been reported. Human medulloblastoma cells were treated with HGF for 24–72 hours followed by death receptor ligand TRAIL (Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) for 24 hours. Cell death was measured by MTT and Annexin-V/PI flow cytometric analysis. Changes in expression levels of targets of interest were measured by Northern blot analysis, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, Western blot analysis as well as immunoprecipitation. In this study, we show that HGF promotes medulloblastoma cell death induced by TRAIL. TRAIL alone triggered apoptosis in DAOY cells and death was enhanced by pre-treating the cells with HGF for 24–72 h prior to the addition of TRAIL. HGF (100 ng/ml) enhanced TRAIL (10 ng/ml) induced cell death by 36% (P < 0.001). No cell death was associated with HGF alone. Treating cells with PHA-665752, a specific c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, significantly abrogated the enhancement of TRAIL-induced cell death by HGF, indicating that its death promoting effect requires activation of its canonical receptor tyrosine kinase. Cell death induced by TRAIL+HGF was predominately apoptotic involving both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways as evidenced by the increased activation of caspase-3, 8, 9. Promotion of apoptosis by HGF occurred via the increased expression of the death receptor DR5 and enhanced formation of death-inducing signal complexes (DISC). Taken together, these and previous findings indicate that HGF:c-Met pathway either promotes or inhibits medulloblastoma cell death via pathway and context specific mechanisms

  3. Selective chemical binding enhances cesium tolerance in plants through inhibition of cesium uptake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Eri; Chaban, Vitaly; Khandelia, Himanshu; Shin, Ryoung

    2015-03-05

    High concentrations of cesium (Cs(+)) inhibit plant growth but the detailed mechanisms of Cs(+) uptake, transport and response in plants are not well known. In order to identify small molecules with a capacity to enhance plant tolerance to Cs(+), chemical library screening was performed using Arabidopsis. Of 10,000 chemicals tested, five compounds were confirmed as Cs(+) tolerance enhancers. Further investigation and quantum mechanical modelling revealed that one of these compounds reduced Cs(+) concentrations in plants and that the imidazole moiety of this compound bound specifically to Cs(+). Analysis of the analogous compounds indicated that the structure of the identified compound is important for the effect to be conferred. Taken together, Cs(+) tolerance enhancer isolated here renders plants tolerant to Cs(+) by inhibiting Cs(+) entry into roots via specific binding to the ion thus, for instance, providing a basis for phytostabilisation of radiocesium-contaminated farmland.

  4. Exogenously applied plant growth regulators enhance the morpho-physiological growth and yield of rice under high temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shah Fahad

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available A two-year experiment was conducted to ascertain the effects of exogenously applied plant growth regulators (PGR on rice growth and yield attributes under high day (HDT and high night temperature (HNT. Two rice cultivars (IR-64 and Huanghuazhan were subjected to temperature treatments in controlled growth chambers and four different combinations of ascorbic acid (Vc, alpha-tocopherol (Ve, brassinosteroids (Br, methyl jasmonates (MeJA and triazoles (Tr were applied. High temperature severely affected rice morphology, and also reduced leaf area, above- and below-ground biomass, photosynthesis, and water use efficiency, while increased the leaf water potential of both rice cultivars. Grain yield and its related attributes except number of panicles, were reduced under high temperature. The HDT posed more negative effects on rice physiological attributes, while HNT was more detrimental for grain formation and yield. The Huanghuazhan performed better than IR-64 under high temperature stress with better growth and higher grain yield. Exogenous application of PGRs was helpful in alleviating the adverse effects of high temperature. Among PGR combinations, the Vc+Ve+MejA+Br was the most effective treatment for both cultivars under high temperature stress. The highest grain production by Vc+Ve+MejA+Br treated plants was due to enhanced photosynthesis, spikelet fertility and grain filling, which compensated the adversities of high temperature stress. Taken together, these results will be of worth for further understanding the adaptation and survival mechanisms of rice to high temperature and will assist in developing heat-resistant rice germplasm in future.

  5. Selective tuning of enhancement in near band edge emission in hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods coated with gold

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dixit, Tejendra, E-mail: phd12110211@iiti.ac.in [Molecular and Nanoelectronics Research Group (MNRG), Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh (India); Palani, I.A., E-mail: palaniia@iiti.ac.in [Mechatronics and Instrumentation Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh (India); Centre of Material Science and Engineering, IIT Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh (India); Singh, Vipul, E-mail: vipul@iiti.ac.in [Molecular and Nanoelectronics Research Group (MNRG), Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh (India); Centre of Material Science and Engineering, IIT Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh (India)

    2016-02-15

    The room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods (NRs) coated with Au using dc sputtering and thermal evaporation were systematically investigated. Au coated (via dc sputtering) ZnO NRs were found to exhibit very large near band edge emission enhancement, on the contrary Au coated (via thermal evaporation) ZnO NRs showed suppression in the near band edge emission peak. These observed results were further confirmed by excitation intensity (EI) dependent PL spectra of different samples. Further using Raman spectra it has been observed that the longitudinal optical (LO) phonons exhibit an enhancement and a weakening by the Au coatings, using dc sputtering and thermal evaporation respectively. Finally by controlling the concentration of KMnO{sub 4} as an additive during the hydrothermal growth, selective tuning in the defect density was carried out, which was later utilized to probe the effect of defect density of the Au–ZnO plasmonic coupling. Moreover, our results strongly suggest that the EI dependent PL has a strong dependence on the metal coating technique. The findings presented in this article clearly indicate the dependence of Au–ZnO plasmonic coupling on the overall defect density and the process of Au deposition.

  6. Enhancement of cell growth on honeycomb-structured polylactide surface using atmospheric-pressure plasma jet modification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheng, Kuang-Yao; Chang, Chia-Hsing; Yang, Yi-Wei; Liao, Guo-Chun; Liu, Chih-Tung; Wu, Jong-Shinn, E-mail: chongsin@faculty.nctu.edu.tw

    2017-02-01

    Graphical abstract: Atmospheric-pressure plasma enhances cell growth on two different pore sizes of honeycomb pattern on polylactide surface. - Highlights: • Different pore sizes of honeycomb pattern on PLA film are created. • The two-step plasma treatment provided the oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups that had a major impact on cell cultivation. • The plasma treatment had a significant effect for cell proliferation. • The surface structures are the main influence on cell cultivation, while plasma treatment can indeed improve the growth environment. - Abstract: In this paper, we compare the cell growth results of NIH-3T3 and Neuro-2A cells over 72 h on flat and honeycomb structured PLA films without and with a two-step atmospheric-pressure nitrogen-based plasma jet treatment. We developed a fabrication system used for forming of a uniform honeycomb structure on PLA surface, which can produce two different pore sizes, 3–4 μm and 7–8 μm, of honeycomb pattern. We applied a previously developed nitrogen-based atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) jet system to treat the PLA film without and with honeycomb structure. NIH-3T3 and a much smaller Neuro-2A cells were cultivated on the films under various surface conditions. The results show that the two-step plasma treatment in combination with a honeycomb structure can enhance cell growth on PLA film, should the cell size be not too smaller than the pore size of honeycomb structure, e.g., NIH-3T3. Otherwise, cell growth would be better on flat PLA film, e.g., Neuro-2A.

  7. High carotenoids content can enhance resistance of selected Pinctada fucata families to high temperature stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Zihao; Zhang, Bo; Liu, Baosuo; Li, Haimei; Fan, Sigang; Yu, Dahui

    2017-02-01

    Carotenoids are a class of natural antioxidants widely found in aquatic, and they have significant effects on the growth, survival, and immunity of these organisms. To investigate the mechanisms of carotenoids in high temperature resistance, we observed the immune response of selected pearl oyster Pinctada fucata (Akoya pearl oyster) families with different carotenoids contents to high temperature stress. The results indicated that the survival rate (SR) of P. fucata decreased significantly with increase in temperature from 26 °C to 34 °C and with the decrease of total carotenoids content (TCC); when the TCC was higher, the SR tended to be higher. TCC and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) decreased significantly at 30 °C with increasing stress time. Correlation analysis indicated that TAC was positively and linearly correlated with TCC, and SR was S-type correlated with TCC and TAC. Immune analysis indicated that levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in selected families (with higher TCC) under temperature stress (at 30 °C) were generally significantly lower than in the control group (with lowest TCC) and from 0 to 96 h, the levels of each of these substances varied significantly. Levels of SOD, CAT, and MDA within each family first rose from 0 to 3 h, then decreased to their lowest point after 24 h, and then rose again to their highest levels at 96 h. When TCC was higher, the levels of SOD, CAT, and MDA tended to be lower. These findings indicated that carotenoids play an important role in improving survival rates of P. fucata under high temperature stress by enhancing animals' antioxidant system, and could serve as an index for breeding stress-resistant lines in selective breeding practices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Human antibody fragments specific for the epidermal growth factor receptor selected from large non-immunised phage display libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souriau, Christelle; Rothacker, Julie; Hoogenboom, Hennie R; Nice, Edouard

    2004-09-01

    Antibodies to EGFR have been shown to display anti-tumour effects mediated in part by inhibition of cellular proliferation and angiogenesis, and by enhancement of apoptosis. Humanised antibodies are preferred for clinical use to reduce complications with HAMA and HAHA responses frequently seen with murine and chimaeric antibodies. We have used depletion and subtractive selection strategies on cells expressing the EGFR to sample two large antibody fragment phage display libraries for the presence of human antibodies which are specific for the EGFR. Four Fab fragments and six scFv fragments were identified, with affinities of up to 2.2nM as determined by BIAcore analysis using global fitting of the binding curves to obtain the individual rate constants (ka and kd). This overall approach offers a generic screening method for the identification of growth factor specific antibodies and antibody fragments from large expression libraries and has potential for the rapid development of new therapeutic and diagnostic reagents.

  9. Enhanced growth of the red alga Porphyra-Yezoensis Ueda in high CO sub 2 concentrations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, K.; Aruga, Y.; Asada, K.; Ishihara, T.; Akano, T.; Kiyohara, M. (Kansai Environmental Engineering Centre, Osaka (Japan))

    1991-12-01

    Leafy thalli of the red alga Porphyra yezoensis Ueda, initiated from conchospores released from free-living conchocelis, were cultured using aeration with high CO{sub 2}. It was found that the higher the CO{sub 2} concentration, the faster the growth of the thalli. Aeration with elevated CO{sub 2} lowered pH in dark, but raised pH remarkably in light with the thalli, because the photosynthetic conversion of HCO{sub 3} {sup -} to OH{sup -} and CO{sub 2} proceeded much faster than the dissociation of hydrated CO{sub 2} releasing H{sup +}. Photosynthesis of the alga was found to be enhanced in the seawater of elevated dissolved inorganic carbon DIC, CO{sub 2} + HCO{sub 3}{sup -} + CO{sub 3}{sup -}. It is concluded that the increased pH in the light resulted in the increase of DIC in the culture media, thus enhancing photosynthesis and growth. The relevance of the results to removal of atmospheric CO{sub 2} by marine algae is discussed.

  10. Growth of highly oriented carbon nanotubes by plasma-enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Z.P.; Xu, J.W.; Ren, Z.F.; Wang, J.H. [Materials Synthesis Laboratory, Departments of Physics and Chemistry, and Center for Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials (CAPEM), State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260 (United States); Siegal, M.P.; Provencio, P.N. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1421 (United States)

    1998-12-01

    Highly oriented, multiwalled carbon nanotubes were grown on polished polycrystalline and single crystal nickel substrates by plasma enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition at temperatures below 666 {degree}C. The carbon nanotubes range from 10 to 500 nm in diameter and 0.1 to 50 {mu}m in length depending on growth conditions. Acetylene is used as the carbon source for the growth of the carbon nanotubes and ammonia is used for dilution gas and catalysis. The plasma intensity, acetylene to ammonia gas ratio, and their flow rates, etc. affect the diameters and uniformity of the carbon nanotubes. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}

  11. An invasive plant alters phenotypic selection on the vegetative growth of a native congener.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beans, Carolyn M; Roach, Deborah A

    2015-02-01

    The ecological consequences of plant competition have frequently been tested, but the evolutionary outcomes of these interactions have gone largely unexplored. The study of species invasions can make an important contribution to this field of research by allowing us to watch ecological and evolutionary processes unfold as a novel species is integrated into a plant community. We explored the ecological and evolutionary impact of an invasive jewelweed, Impatiens glandulifera, on a closely related native congener, I. capensis and asked: (1) Does the presence of the invasive jewelweed alter the fitness of native jewelweed populations? (2) Does the invasive jewelweed affect the vegetative growth of the native congener? and (3) Does the invasive jewelweed alter phenotypic selection on the vegetative traits of the native congener? We used a greenhouse competition experiment, an invasive species removal field experiment, and a survey of natural populations. We show that when the invasive jewelweed is present, phenotypic selection favors native jewelweed individuals investing less in rapid upward growth and more in branching and fruiting potential through the production of nodes. This research demonstrates that invasive plants have the potential to greatly alter natural selection on native competitors. Studies investigating altered selection in invaded communities can reveal the potential evolutionary impact of invasive competitors, while deepening our understanding of the more general role of competition in driving plant evolution and permitting species coexistence. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

  12. Selection for growth rate and body size have altered the expression profiles of somatotropic axis genes in chickens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yong; Xu, Zhiqiang; Duan, Xiaohua; Li, Qihua; Dou, Tengfei; Gu, Dahai; Rong, Hua; Wang, Kun; Li, Zhengtian; Talpur, Mir Zulqarnain; Huang, Ying; Wang, Shanrong; Yan, Shixiong; Tong, Huiquan; Zhao, Sumei; Zhao, Guiping; Su, Zhengchang; Ge, Changrong

    2018-01-01

    The growth hormone / insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH/IGF-1) pathway of the somatotropic axis is the major controller for growth rate and body size in vertebrates, but the effect of selection on the expression of GH/IGF-1 somatotropic axis genes and their association with body size and growth performance in farm animals is not fully understood. We analyzed a time series of expression profiles of GH/IGF-1 somatotropic axis genes in two chicken breeds, the Daweishan mini chickens and Wuding chickens, and the commercial Avian broilers hybrid exhibiting markedly different body sizes and growth rates. We found that growth rate and feed conversion efficiency in Daweishan mini chickens were significantly lower than those in Wuding chickens and Avian broilers. The Wuding and Daweishan mini chickens showed higher levels of plasma GH, pituitary GH mRNA but lower levels of hepatic growth hormone receptor (GHR) mRNA than in Avian broilers. Daweishan mini chickens showed significantly lower levels of plasma IGF-1, thigh muscle and hepatic IGF-1 mRNA than did Avian broilers and Wuding chickens. These results suggest that the GH part of the somatotropic axis is the main regulator of growth rate, while IGF-1 may regulate both growth rate and body weight. Selection for growth performance and body size have altered the expression profiles of somatotropic axis genes in a breed-, age-, and tissue-specific manner, and manner, and alteration of regulatory mechanisms of these genes might play an important role in the developmental characteristics of chickens. PMID:29630644

  13. Vitamin D enhances IL-1β secretion and restricts growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages from TB patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Eklund

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis (TB, has rekindled the interest in the role of nutritional supplementation of micronutrients, such as vitamin D, as adjuvant treatment. Here, the growth of virulent MTB in macrophages obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with and without TB was studied. The H37Rv strain genetically modified to express Vibrio harveyi luciferase was used to determine the growth of MTB by luminometry in the human monocyte-derived macrophages (hMDMs from study subjects. Determination of cytokine levels in culture supernatants was performed using a flow cytometry-based bead array technique. No differences in intracellular growth of MTB were observed between the different study groups. However, stimulation with 100nM 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D significantly enhanced the capacity of hMDMs isolated from TB patients to control the infection. This effect was not observed in hMDMs from the other groups. The interleukin (IL-1β and IL-10 release by hMDMs was clearly increased upon stimulation with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Furthermore, the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D stimulation also led to elevated levels of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-12p40. It was concluded that vitamin D triggers an inflammatory response in human macrophages with enhanced secretion of cytokines, as well as enhancing the capacity of hMDMs from patients with active TB to restrict mycobacterial growth.

  14. Cross-Selectivity Enhancement of Poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene-Based Sensor Arrays for Detecting Acetone and Ethanol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Daneshkhah

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Two methods for cross-selectivity enhancement of porous poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP/carbon black (CB composite-based resistive sensors are provided. The sensors are tested with acetone and ethanol in the presence of humid air. Cross-selectivity is enhanced using two different methods to modify the basic response of the PVDF-HFP/CB sensing platform. In method I, the adsorption properties of PVDF-HFP/CB are altered by adding a polyethylene oxide (PEO layer or by treating with infrared (IR. In method II, the effects of the interaction of acetone and ethanol are enhanced by adding diethylene carbonate (DEC or PEO dispersed in DEC (PEO/DEC to the film. The results suggest the approaches used in method I alter the composite ability to adsorb acetone and ethanol, while in method II, they alter the transduction characteristics of the composite. Using these approaches, sensor relative response to acetone was increased by 89% compared with the PVDF-HFP/CB untreated film, whereas sensor relative response to ethanol could be decreased by 57% or increased by 197%. Not only do these results demonstrate facile methods for increasing sensitivity of PVDF-HFP/CB film, used in parallel they demonstrate a roadmap for enhancing system cross-selectivity that can be applied to separate units on an array. Fabrication methods, experimental procedures and results are presented and discussed.

  15. Surfactant-mediated growth of ultrathin Ge and Si films and their interfaces: Interference-enhanced Raman study

    OpenAIRE

    Kanakaraju, S; Sood, AK; Mohan, S

    2000-01-01

    We report on the growth and interfaces of ultrathin polycrystalline Ge and Si films when they are grown on each other using ion beam sputter deposition with and without surfactant at different growth temperatures, studied using interference enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Ge films grown on Si without surfactant show Ge segregation at the interfaces forming an alloy of GexSi1-x as indicated by the Ge-Si Raman mode. However, use of Sb as surfactant strongly suppresses the intermixing. Also Si film...

  16. Oligo-carrageenan kappa increases NADPH, ascorbate and glutathione syntheses and TRR/TRX activities enhancing photosynthesis, basal metabolism, and growth in Eucalyptus trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Alberto; Moenne, Fabiola; Gómez, Melissa; Sáez, Claudio A; Contreras, Rodrigo A; Moenne, Alejandra

    2014-01-01

    In order to analyze the effect of OC kappa in redox status, photosynthesis, basal metabolism and growth in Eucalyptus globulus, trees were treated with water (control), with OC kappa at 1 mg mL(-1), or treated with inhibitors of NAD(P)H, ascorbate (ASC), and glutathione (GSH) syntheses and thioredoxin reductase (TRR) activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), and auranofin, respectively, and with OC kappa, and cultivated for 4 months. Treatment with OC kappa induced an increase in NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses, TRR and thioredoxin (TRX) activities, photosynthesis, growth and activities of basal metabolism enzymes such as rubisco, glutamine synthetase (GlnS), adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase (APR), involved in C, N, and S assimilation, respectively, Krebs cycle and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes. Treatment with inhibitors and OC kappa showed that increases in ASC, GSH, and TRR/TRX enhanced NADPH synthesis, increases in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced ASC and GSH syntheses, and only the increase in NADPH enhanced TRR/TRX activities. In addition, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH, and TRR/TRX enhanced photosynthesis and growth. Moreover, the increase in NADPH, ASC and TRR/TRX enhanced activities of rubisco, Krebs cycle, and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes, the increase in GSH, NADPH, and TRR/TRX enhanced APR activity, and the increase in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced GlnS activity. Thus, OC kappa increases NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses leading to a more reducing redox status, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH syntheses, and TRR/TRX activities are cross-talking events leading to activation of photosynthesis, basal metabolism, and growth in Eucalyptus trees.

  17. Oligo-carrageenan kappa increases NADPH, ascorbate and glutathione syntheses and TRR/TRX activities enhancing photosynthesis, basal metabolism, and growth in Eucalyptus trees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto eGonzález

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In order to analyze the effect of OC kappa in redox status, photosynthesis, basal metabolism and growth in Eucalyptus globulus, trees were treated with water (control, with OC kappa at 1 mg mL-1, or treated with inhibitors of NAD(PH, ascorbate (ASC and glutathione (GSH syntheses and thioredoxin reductase (TRR activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO and auranofin, respectively, and with OC kappa, and cultivated for 4 months. Treatment with OC kappa induced an increase in NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses, TRR and thioredoxin (TRX activities, photosynthesis, growth and activities of basal metabolism enzymes such as rubisco, glutamine synthetase (GlnS, adenosine 5´-phosphosulfate reductase (APR, involved in C, N and S assimilation, respectively, Krebs cycle and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes. Treatment with inhibitors and OC kappa showed that increases in ASC, GSH and TRR/TRX enhanced NADPH synthesis, increases in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced ASC and GSH syntheses, and only the increase in NADPH enhanced TRR/TRX activities. In addition, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH and TRR/TRX enhanced photosynthesis and growth. Moreover, the increase in NADPH, ASC and TRR/TRX enhanced activities of rubisco, Krebs cycle and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes, the increase in GSH, NADPH, and TRR/TRX enhanced APR activity, and the increase in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced GlnS activity. Thus, OC kappa increases NADPH, ASC and GSH syntheses leading to a more reducing redox status, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH syntheses and TRR/TRX activities are cross-talking events leading to activation of photosynthesis, basal metabolism and growth in Eucalyptus trees.

  18. Selective Attention to Auditory Memory Neurally Enhances Perceptual Precision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Sung-Joo; Wöstmann, Malte; Obleser, Jonas

    2015-12-09

    Selective attention to a task-relevant stimulus facilitates encoding of that stimulus into a working memory representation. It is less clear whether selective attention also improves the precision of a stimulus already represented in memory. Here, we investigate the behavioral and neural dynamics of selective attention to representations in auditory working memory (i.e., auditory objects) using psychophysical modeling and model-based analysis of electroencephalographic signals. Human listeners performed a syllable pitch discrimination task where two syllables served as to-be-encoded auditory objects. Valid (vs neutral) retroactive cues were presented during retention to allow listeners to selectively attend to the to-be-probed auditory object in memory. Behaviorally, listeners represented auditory objects in memory more precisely (expressed by steeper slopes of a psychometric curve) and made faster perceptual decisions when valid compared to neutral retrocues were presented. Neurally, valid compared to neutral retrocues elicited a larger frontocentral sustained negativity in the evoked potential as well as enhanced parietal alpha/low-beta oscillatory power (9-18 Hz) during memory retention. Critically, individual magnitudes of alpha oscillatory power (7-11 Hz) modulation predicted the degree to which valid retrocues benefitted individuals' behavior. Our results indicate that selective attention to a specific object in auditory memory does benefit human performance not by simply reducing memory load, but by actively engaging complementary neural resources to sharpen the precision of the task-relevant object in memory. Can selective attention improve the representational precision with which objects are held in memory? And if so, what are the neural mechanisms that support such improvement? These issues have been rarely examined within the auditory modality, in which acoustic signals change and vanish on a milliseconds time scale. Introducing a new auditory memory

  19. Evaluation of Enhanced Condensational Growth (ECG) for Controlled Respiratory Drug Delivery in a Mouth-Throat and Upper Tracheobronchial Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hindle, Michael; Longest, P. Worth

    2010-01-01

    Purpose The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of enhanced condensational growth (ECG), as a novel inhalation drug delivery method, on nano-aerosol deposition in a mouth-throat (MT) and upper tracheobronchial (TB) model using in vitro experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Methods Separate streams of nebulized nano-aerosols and saturated humidified air (39°C—ECG; 25°C—control) were combined as they were introduced into a realistic MT-TB geometry. Aerosol deposition was determined in the MT, generations G0–G2 (trachea—lobar bronchi) and G3–G5 and compared to CFD simulations. Results Using ECG conditions, deposition of 560 and 900 nm aerosols was low in the MT region of the MT-TB model. Aerosol drug deposition in the G0–G2 and G3–G5 regions increased due to enhanced condensational growth compared to control. CFD-predicted depositions were generally in good agreement with the experimental values. Conclusions The ECG platform appears to offer an effective method of delivering nano-aerosols through the extrathoracic region, with minimal deposition, to the tracheobronchial airways and beyond. Aerosol deposition is then facilitated as enhanced condensational growth increases particle size. Future studies will investigate the effects of physio-chemical drug properties and realistic inhalation profiles on ECG growth characteristics. PMID:20454837

  20. Effects of near ultraviolet and green radiations on plant growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klein, R.M.; Edsall, P.C.; Gentile, A.C.

    1965-01-01

    Selective removal of near ultraviolet and green wavelengths from white light permitted enhanced growth of marigold, tomato, corn, and Impatiens plants, Chlamydomonas cells and the mycelium of Sordaria. Additions of near ultraviolet and green radiations caused repressions in the growth of marigold and Sordaria. These wavelengths do not alter the oxidative mechanisms of mitochondria, intact algal cells or marigold leaf tissues. The capacity for chlorophyll and carotenoid synthesis by Euglena cells was unaffected by these wavelengths. 23 references, 2 figures, 4 tables.

  1. Energy and water tradeoffs in enhancing food security: A selective international assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mushtaq, Shahbaz; Maraseni, Tek Narayan; Maroulis, Jerry; Hafeez, Mohsin

    2009-01-01

    Rice is the major staple food in most Asian countries. However, with rapidly growing populations, sustained high productivity and yields through improving water productivity is critically important. Increasingly complex energy-agriculture relationships require an in-depth understanding of water and energy tradeoffs. This study contributes to energy and food policies by analysing the complex energy, water and economics dynamics across a selection of major rice growing countries. The results show that tradeoffs exist between yield and energy inputs with high yield attributed to higher levels of energy input. The selected developed countries show higher energy productivity, relative to all other energy inputs, compared to the selected developing counties, owing to enhanced mechanisation, on-farm technology and improved farm management. Among all countries, China has the highest water productivity due to water-saving irrigation practices. These practices offer opportunities for developed and developing countries to increase water productivity at the same time taking advantage of economic and energy benefits of reduced pumping. Sustained production from agriculture is vital to food security. Improved irrigation practices can offset environmental footprints in the short run but their large-scale implementation remains an issue. In the long run, investments are needed to buffer the negative impacts of food production on the environment. Investments to boost water productivity and improved energy use efficiency in crop production are two pathways to reduce energy dependency, enhanced natural resource sustainability and ensuring future food security.

  2. Evolutionary selection growth of two-dimensional materials on polycrystalline substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlassiouk, Ivan V.; Stehle, Yijing; Pudasaini, Pushpa Raj; Unocic, Raymond R.; Rack, Philip D.; Baddorf, Arthur P.; Ivanov, Ilia N.; Lavrik, Nickolay V.; List, Frederick; Gupta, Nitant; Bets, Ksenia V.; Yakobson, Boris I.; Smirnov, Sergei N.

    2018-03-01

    There is a demand for the manufacture of two-dimensional (2D) materials with high-quality single crystals of large size. Usually, epitaxial growth is considered the method of choice1 in preparing single-crystalline thin films, but it requires single-crystal substrates for deposition. Here we present a different approach and report the synthesis of single-crystal-like monolayer graphene films on polycrystalline substrates. The technological realization of the proposed method resembles the Czochralski process and is based on the evolutionary selection2 approach, which is now realized in 2D geometry. The method relies on `self-selection' of the fastest-growing domain orientation, which eventually overwhelms the slower-growing domains and yields a single-crystal continuous 2D film. Here we have used it to synthesize foot-long graphene films at rates up to 2.5 cm h-1 that possess the quality of a single crystal. We anticipate that the proposed approach could be readily adopted for the synthesis of other 2D materials and heterostructures.

  3. Selecting odorant compounds to enhance sweet flavor perception by gas chromatography/olfactometry-associated taste (GC/O-AT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barba, Carmen; Beno, Noelle; Guichard, Elisabeth; Thomas-Danguin, Thierry

    2018-08-15

    Gas chromatography/olfactometry-associated taste (GC/O-AT) analysis combined with mass spectrometry allowed identification of odorant compounds associated with taste attributes (sweet, salty, bitter and sour) in a multi-fruit juice. Nine compounds were selected for their odor-associated sweetness enhancement in a multi-fruit juice odor context using Olfactoscan and for their odor-induced sweet taste enhancement in sucrose solution and sugar-reduced fruit juice through sensory tests. Sweetness of the fruit juice odor was significantly enhanced by methyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate and linalool; sweet perception was significantly enhanced in 7% sucrose solution by ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, furaneol and γ-decalactone, and in 32% sugar-reduced fruit juice by ethyl 2-methylbutanoate. GC/O-AT analysis is a novel, efficient approach to select odorants associated with a given taste. The further screening of taste-associated odorants by Olfactoscan helps to identify the most efficient odorants to enhance a target taste perception and may be used to find new ways to modulate taste perception in foods and beverages. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Increased water-use efficiency does not lead to enhanced tree growth under xeric and mesic conditions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lévesque, M.; Siegwolf, R.; Saurer, M.; Eilmann, B.; Rigling, A.

    2014-01-01

    Higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations (ca ) can under certain conditions increase tree growth by enhancing photosynthesis, resulting in an increase of intrinsic water-use efficiency (i WUE) in trees. However, the magnitude of these effects and their interactions with changing climatic conditions are

  5. Evolution of Bacillus subtilis to enhanced hypobaric growth: global alterations in gene expression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholson, Wayne; Robles-Martinez, Jose; Rivas-Castillo, Andrea; Schuerger, Andrew

    Much astrobiology research is concerned with defining the environmental limits for life in the universe. Because Mars currently is the primary target for life detection missions, it is important to understand how terrestrial microbes might survive, proliferate, and evolve in martian envi-ronments. This issue is relevant in three distinct but related contexts: (i) testing panspermia hypotheses [1], (ii) mitigating the forward contamination of Mars [2], and (iii) understanding the molecular mechanisms leading to microbial growth in extreme extraterrestrial environments [3]. Prime candidates for Earth-to-Mars transfer include bacteria of the genus Bacillus, spores of which are significant contaminants of Mars-bound spacecraft and which are considered good candidates for lithopanspermia [1-4]. It is thus relevant to assess the potential for such microbes to survive and proliferate in the martian environment. The martian atmosphere poses a significant barrier to growth of terrestrial microbes, due to its low pressure (1-10 mbar; average 7 mbar) and anoxic (˜95% CO2) composition. In an earlier study [5] we showed that low pressures approaching those found on the surface of Mars exhibited an inhibitory effect on the germination and vegetative growth of several Bacillus spp. isolated from spacecraft or their assembly facilities. Even in an Earth-like 80%N2/20%O2 atmosphere, growth of B. subtilis cells was nearly completely inhibited at pressures below 35 mbar, well above the highest pressure on the martian surface [5]. The purpose of the present investigation was to use low pressure as a selective agent to test the hypothesis that a terrestrial microorganism, Bacillus subtilis, could evolve the ability for enhanced growth under hypobaric conditions approaching those of Mars. B. subtilis wild-type strains WN624 (SpcR) and WN628 (CmR) have been described previously [6] and were used as ancestral strains. Strains were propagated in LB liquid medium containing the appropriate

  6. Enhanced insulin-like growth factor I gene expression in regenerating rat pancreas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, F.E.; Rosen, K.M.; Villa-Komaroff, L.; Weir, G.C.; Bonner-Weir, S.

    1991-01-01

    Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA expression was studied after 90% partial pancreatectomy in the rat to determine whether IGF-I was associated with pancreatic regeneration. The level of IGF-I mRNA was maximally increased (4-fold above control value) 3 days after pancreatectomy, but thereafter gradually decreased, returning to control levels by 14 days after surgery. By in situ hybridization, IGF-I mRNA in both pancreatectomized and sham-operated rats was localized to capillary endothelial cells, indicating that this is the site of IGF-I expression in the normal rat pancreas. However, enhanced IGF-I mRNA expression was localized to focal areas of regeneration unique to pancreatectomized rats. In these areas, epithelial cells of proliferating ductules and individual connective tissue cells expressed IGF-I, suggesting that IGF-I may play an important role in the growth or differentiation of pancreatic tissue

  7. Enhanced insulin-like growth factor I gene expression in regenerating rat pancreas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, F.E.; Rosen, K.M.; Villa-Komaroff, L.; Weir, G.C.; Bonner-Weir, S. (E. P. Joslin Research Laboratory, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (USA))

    1991-07-15

    Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA expression was studied after 90% partial pancreatectomy in the rat to determine whether IGF-I was associated with pancreatic regeneration. The level of IGF-I mRNA was maximally increased (4-fold above control value) 3 days after pancreatectomy, but thereafter gradually decreased, returning to control levels by 14 days after surgery. By in situ hybridization, IGF-I mRNA in both pancreatectomized and sham-operated rats was localized to capillary endothelial cells, indicating that this is the site of IGF-I expression in the normal rat pancreas. However, enhanced IGF-I mRNA expression was localized to focal areas of regeneration unique to pancreatectomized rats. In these areas, epithelial cells of proliferating ductules and individual connective tissue cells expressed IGF-I, suggesting that IGF-I may play an important role in the growth or differentiation of pancreatic tissue.

  8. Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Enhance Salinity Stress Tolerance in Okra through ROS-Scavenging Enzymes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheikh Hasna Habib

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Salinity is a major environmental stress that limits crop production worldwide. In this study, we characterized plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC deaminase and examined their effect on salinity stress tolerance in okra through the induction of ROS-scavenging enzyme activity. PGPR inoculated okra plants exhibited higher germination percentage, growth parameters, and chlorophyll content than control plants. Increased antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, APX, and CAT and upregulation of ROS pathway genes (CAT, APX, GR, and DHAR were observed in PGPR inoculated okra plants under salinity stress. With some exceptions, inoculation with Enterobacter sp. UPMR18 had a significant influence on all tested parameters under salt stress, as compared to other treatments. Thus, the ACC deaminase-containing PGPR isolate Enterobacter sp. UPMR18 could be an effective bioresource for enhancing salt tolerance and growth of okra plants under salinity stress.

  9. Endocrine Regulation of Compensatory Growth in Fish

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eugene T. Won

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Compensatory growth (CG is a period of accelerated growth that occurs following the alleviation of growth-stunting conditions during which an organism can make up for lost growth opportunity and potentially catch-up in size with non-stunted cohorts. Fish show a particularly robust capacity for the response and have been the focus of numerous studies that demonstrate their ability to compensate for periods of fasting once food is made available again. Compensatory growth is characterized by an elevated growth rate resulting from enhanced feed intake, mitogen production and feed conversion efficiency. Because little is known about the underlying mechanisms that drive the response, this review describes the sequential endocrine adaptations that lead to CG; namely during the precedent catabolic phase (fasting that taps endogenous energy reserves, and the following hyperanabolic phase (refeeding when accelerated growth occurs. In order to elicit a CG response, endogenous energy reserves must first be moderately depleted, which alters endocrine profiles that enhance appetite and growth potential. During this catabolic phase, elevated ghrelin and growth hormone (GH production increase appetite and protein-sparing lipolysis, while insulin-like growth factors (IGFs are suppressed, primarily due to hepatic GH resistance. During refeeding, temporal hyperphagia provides an influx of energy and metabolic substrates that are then allocated to somatic growth by resumed IGF signaling. Under the right conditions, refeeding results in hyperanabolism and a steepened growth trajectory relative to constantly fed controls. The response wanes as energy reserves are re-accumulated and homeostasis is restored. We ascribe possible roles for select appetite and growth-regulatory hormones in the context of these catabolic and hyperanabolic phases of the CG response in teleosts, with emphasis on GH, IGFs, cortisol, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, ghrelin and leptin.

  10. Behavioural genetics: why eugenic selection is preferable to enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savulescu, Julian; Hemsley, Melanie; Newson, Ainsley; Foddy, Bennett

    2006-01-01

    Criminal behaviour is but one behavioural tendency for which a genetic influence has been suggested. Whilst this research certainly raises difficult ethical questions and is subject to scientific criticism, one recent research project suggests that for some families, criminal tendency might be predicted by genetics. In this paper, supposing this research is valid, we consider whether intervening in the criminal tendency of future children is ethically justifiable. We argue that, if avoidance of harm is a paramount consideration, such an intervention is acceptable when genetic selection is employed instead of genetic enhancement. Moreover, other moral problems in avoiding having children with a tendency to criminal behaviour, such as the prospect of social discrimination, can also be overcome.

  11. Orientation selection of equiaxed dendritic growth by three-dimensional cellular automaton model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei Lei [State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi' an 710072 (China); Lin Xin, E-mail: xlin@nwpu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi' an 710072 (China); Wang Meng; Huang Weidong [State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi' an 710072 (China)

    2012-07-01

    A three-dimensional (3-D) adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) cellular automata (CA) model is developed to simulate the equiaxed dendritic growth of pure substance. In order to reduce the mesh induced anisotropy by CA capture rules, a limited neighbor solid fraction (LNSF) method is presented. It is shown that the LNSF method reduced the mesh induced anisotropy based on the simulated morphologies for isotropic interface free energy. An expansion description using two interface free energy anisotropy parameters ({epsilon}{sub 1}, {epsilon}{sub 2}) is used in the present 3-D CA model. It is illustrated by present 3-D CA model that the positive {epsilon}{sub 1} favors the dendritic growth with the Left-Pointing-Angle-Bracket 100 Right-Pointing-Angle-Bracket preferred directions, and negative {epsilon}{sub 2} favors dendritic growth with the Left-Pointing-Angle-Bracket 110 Right-Pointing-Angle-Bracket preferred directions, which has a good agreement with the prediction of the spherical plot of the inverse of the interfacial stiffness. The dendritic growths with the orientation selection between Left-Pointing-Angle-Bracket 100 Right-Pointing-Angle-Bracket and Left-Pointing-Angle-Bracket 110 Right-Pointing-Angle-Bracket are also discussed using the different {epsilon}{sub 1} with {epsilon}{sub 2}=-0.02. It is found that the simulated morphologies by present CA model are as expected from the minimum stiffness criterion.

  12. Ten-year diameter and basal area growth of trees surrounding small group selection openings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philip M. McDonald; Martin W. Ritchie; Celeste S. Abbott

    1996-01-01

    The effects of small openings in forest stands has interested silviculturists and ecologists for years. Interest generally has centered on the vegetation in the openings, not on that immediately outside of them. Quantitative information on the growth of trees adjacent to group-selection openings, although often mentioned in forestry textbooks as contributing to cost...

  13. Polygyny and extra-pair paternity enhance the opportunity for sexual selection in blue tits

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vedder, Oscar; Komdeur, Jan; van der Velde, Marco; Schut, Elske; Magrath, Michael J. L.

    Polygyny and extra-pair paternity are generally thought to enhance sexual selection. However, the extent to which these phenomena increase variance in male reproductive success will depend on the covariance between success at these two strategies. We analysed these patterns over four breeding

  14. Nitrogen nutrition and temporal effects of enhanced carbon dioxide on soybean growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vessey, J. K.; Henry, L. T.; Raper, C. D. Jr

    1990-01-01

    Plants grown on porous media at elevated CO2 levels generally have low concentrations of tissue N and often appear to require increased levels of external N to maximize growth response. This study determines if soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. Ransom'] grown hydroponically at elevated CO2 requires increases in external NO3- concentrations beyond levels that are optimal at ambient CO2 to maintain tissue N concentrations and maximize the growth response. This study also investigates temporal influences of elevated CO2 on growth responses by soybean. Plants were grown vegetatively for 34 d in hydroponic culture at atmospheric CO2 concentrations of 400, 650, and 900 microliters L-1 and during the final 18 d at NO3- concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mM in the culture solution. At 650 and 900 microliters L-1 CO2, plants had maximum increases of 31 and 45% in dry weight during the experimental period. Plant growth at 900 microliters L-1 CO2 was stimulated earlier than at 650 microliters L-1. During the final 18 d of the experiment, the relative growth rates (RGR) of plants grown at elevated CO2 declined. Elevated CO2 caused increases in total N and total NO3(-)-N content and leaf area but not leaf number. Enhancing CO2 levels also caused a decrease in root:shoot ratios. Stomatal resistance increased by 2.1- and 2.8-fold for plants at the 650 and 900 microliters L-1 CO2, respectively. Nitrate level in the culture solutions had no effect on growth or on C:N ratios of tissues, nor did increases in CO2 levels cause a decrease in N concentration of plant tissues. Hence, increases in NO3- concentration of the hydroponic solution were not necessary to maintain the N status of the plants or to maximize the growth response to elevated CO2.

  15. High-yielding Wheat Varieties Harbour Superior Plant Growth Promoting-Bacterial Endophytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehwish Yousaf

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the endophytic microbial flora of different wheat varieties to check whether a better yielding variety also harbours superior plant growth promoting bacteria. Such bacteria are helpful in food biotechnology as their application can enhance the yield of the crop.Material and Methods: Three wheat varieties (Seher, Faisalabad and Lasani were selected, Seher being the most superior variety. endophytic bacteria were isolated from the histosphere of the leaves and roots at different growth phases of the plants. The isolates were analyzed for plant growth promoting activities. Isolates giving best results were identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2013. All the experiments were conducted in triplicates.Results and Conclusion: The endophytes of Seher variety showed maximum plant growth promoting abilities. Among the shoot endophytes, the highest auxin production was shown by Seher isolate SHHP1-3 up to 51.9μg ml-1, whereas in the case of root endophytes, the highest auxin was produced by SHHR1-5 up to 36 μg ml-1. The bacteria showing significant plant growth promoting abilities were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Bacillus, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria species were the dominant bacteria showing all the traits of plant growth promotion. It can be concluded that Seher variety harbours superior plant growth promoting endophytes that must be one of the reasons for its better growth and yield as compared to the other two varieties. The investigated results support possible utilization of the selected isolates in wheat growth promotion with respect to increase in agro-productivity. The application of such bacteria could be useful to enhance wheat yield and can help in food biotechnology.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

  16. Effect of strain, substrate surface and growth rate on B-doping in selectively grown SiGe layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghandi, R.; Kolahdouz, M.; Hallstedt, J.; Wise, R.; Wejtmans, Hans; Radamson, H.H.

    2008-01-01

    In this work, the role of strain and growth rate on boron incorporation in selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of B-doped Si 1-x Ge x (x = 0.15-0.25) layers in recessed or unprocessed (elevated) openings for source/drain applications in CMOS has been studied. A focus has been made on the strain distribution and B incorporation in SEG of SiGe layers

  17. Effect of strain, substrate surface and growth rate on B-doping in selectively grown SiGe layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghandi, R. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden)], E-mail: ghandi@kth.se; Kolahdouz, M.; Hallstedt, J. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden); Wise, R.; Wejtmans, Hans [Texas Instrument, 13121 TI Boulevard, Dallas, Tx 75243 (United States); Radamson, H.H. [School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), Isafjordsg. 22-26, Electrum 229, 16640 Kista (Sweden)

    2008-11-03

    In this work, the role of strain and growth rate on boron incorporation in selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of B-doped Si{sub 1-x}Ge{sub x} (x = 0.15-0.25) layers in recessed or unprocessed (elevated) openings for source/drain applications in CMOS has been studied. A focus has been made on the strain distribution and B incorporation in SEG of SiGe layers.

  18. Vitamin D enhances IL-1β secretion and restricts growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages from TB patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eklund, Daniel; Persson, Hans Lennart; Larsson, Marie; Welin, Amanda; Idh, Jonna; Paues, Jakob; Fransson, Sven-Göran; Stendahl, Olle; Schön, Thomas; Lerm, Maria

    2013-03-01

    The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis (TB), has rekindled the interest in the role of nutritional supplementation of micronutrients, such as vitamin D, as adjuvant treatment. Here, the growth of virulent MTB in macrophages obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with and without TB was studied. The H37Rv strain genetically modified to express Vibrio harveyi luciferase was used to determine the growth of MTB by luminometry in the human monocyte-derived macrophages (hMDMs) from study subjects. Determination of cytokine levels in culture supernatants was performed using a flow cytometry-based bead array technique. No differences in intracellular growth of MTB were observed between the different study groups. However, stimulation with 100nM 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D significantly enhanced the capacity of hMDMs isolated from TB patients to control the infection. This effect was not observed in hMDMs from the other groups. The interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-10 release by hMDMs was clearly increased upon stimulation with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Furthermore, the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D stimulation also led to elevated levels of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and IL-12p40. It was concluded that vitamin D triggers an inflammatory response in human macrophages with enhanced secretion of cytokines, as well as enhancing the capacity of hMDMs from patients with active TB to restrict mycobacterial growth. Copyright © 2013 Asian-African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Electric-Loading Enhanced Kinetics in Oxide Ceramics: Pore Migration, Sintering and Grain Growth: Final Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, I-Wei [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering

    2018-02-02

    Solid oxide fuel cells and solid oxide electrolysis cells rely on solid electrolytes in which a large ionic current dominates. This project was initiated to investigate microstructural changes in such devices under electrochemical forces, because nominally insignificant processes may couple to the large ionic current to yield non-equilibrium phenomena that alter the microstructure. Our studies had focused on yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia (YSZ) widely used in these devices. The experiments have revealed enhanced grain growth at higher temperatures, pore and gas bubble migration at all temperatures, and the latter also lead to enhanced sintering of highly porous ceramics into fully dense ceramics at unprecedentedly low temperatures. These results have shed light on kinetic processes that fall completely outside the realm of classical ceramic processing. Other fast-oxygen oxide ceramics closely related to, and often used in conjunction with zirconia ceramics, have also be investigated, as are closely related scientific problems in zirconia ceramics. These include crystal structures, defects, diffusion kinetics, oxygen potentials, low temperature sintering, flash sintering, and coarsening theory, and all have resulted in greater clarity in scientific understanding. The knowledge is leveraged to provide new insight to electrode kinetics and near-electrode mixed conductivity and to new materials. In the following areas, our research has resulted in completely new knowledge that defines the state-of-the-art of the field. (a) Electrical current driven non-equilibrium phenomena, (b) Enhanced grain growth under electrochemically reducing conditions, (c) Development of oxygen potential polarization in electrically loaded electrolyte, (d) Low temperature sintering and grain growth, and (e) Structure, defects and cation kinetics of fluorite-structured oxides. Our research has also contributed to synthesis of new energy-relevant electrochemical materials and new understanding

  20. Crystal growth and computational materials science

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jayakumar, S.; Ravindran, P.; Arun Kumar, R.; Sudarshan, C.

    2012-01-01

    The proceedings of the international conference on advanced materials discusses the advances being made in the area of single crystals, their preparation and device development from these crystals and details of the progress that is taking place in the computational field relating to materials science. Computational materials science makes use of advanced simulation tools and computer interfaces to develop a virtual platform which can provide a model for real-time experiments. This book includes selected papers in topics of crystal growth and computational materials science. We are confident that the new concepts and results presented will stimulate and enhance progress of research on crystal growth and computational materials science. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

  1. Selective epitaxial growth of monolithically integrated GaN-based light emitting diodes with AlGaN/GaN driving transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Zhaojun; Ma, Jun; Huang, Tongde; Liu, Chao; May Lau, Kei

    2014-01-01

    In this Letter, we report selective epitaxial growth of monolithically integrated GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) with AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) drivers. A comparison of two integration schemes, selective epitaxial removal (SER), and selective epitaxial growth (SEG) was made. We found the SER resulted in serious degradation of the underlying LEDs in a HEMT-on-LED structure due to damage of the p-GaN surface. The problem was circumvented using the SEG that avoided plasma etching and minimized device degradation. The integrated HEMT-LEDs by SEG exhibited comparable characteristics as unintegrated devices and emitted modulated blue light by gate biasing

  2. Across-environment genetic correlations and the frequency of selective environments shape the evolutionary dynamics of growth rate in Impatiens capensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stinchcombe, John R; Izem, Rima; Heschel, M Shane; McGoey, Brechann V; Schmitt, Johanna

    2010-10-01

    Trade-offs can exist within and across environments, and constrain evolutionary trajectories. To examine the effects of competition and resource availability on trade-offs, we grew individuals of recombinant inbred lines of Impatiens capensis in a factorial combination of five densities with two light environments (full light and neutral shade) and used a Bayesian logistic growth analysis to estimate intrinsic growth rates. To estimate across-environment constraints, we developed a variance decomposition approach to principal components analysis, which accounted for sample size, model-fitting, and within-RIL variation prior to eigenanalysis. We detected negative across-environment genetic covariances in intrinsic growth rates, although only under full-light. To evaluate the potential importance of these covariances, we surveyed natural populations of I. capensis to measure the frequency of different density environments across space and time. We combined our empirical estimates of across-environment genetic variance-covariance matrices and frequency of selective environments with hypothetical (yet realistic) selection gradients to project evolutionary responses in multiple density environments. Selection in common environments can lead to correlated responses to selection in rare environments that oppose and counteract direct selection in those rare environments. Our results highlight the importance of considering both the frequency of selective environments and the across-environment genetic covariances in traits simultaneously. © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2010 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  3. Synergistic use of biochar, compost and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for enhancing cucumber growth under water deficit conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadeem, Sajid M; Imran, Muhammad; Naveed, Muhammad; Khan, Muhammad Y; Ahmad, Maqshoof; Zahir, Zahir A; Crowley, David E

    2017-12-01

    Limited information is available about the effectiveness of biochar with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and compost. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the effect of biochar in combination with compost and PGPR (Pseudomonas fluorescens) for alleviating water deficit stress. Both inoculated and un-inoculated cucumber seeds were sown in soil treated with biochar, compost and biochar + compost. Three water levels - field capacity (D0), 75% field capacity (D1) and 50% field capacity (D2) - were maintained. The results showed that water deficit stress significantly suppressed the growth of cucumber; however, synergistic use of biochar, compost and PGPR mitigated the negative impact of stress. At D2, the synergistic use of biochar, compost and PGPR caused significant increases in shoot length, shoot biomass, root length and root biomass, which were respectively 88, 77, 89 and 74% more than in the un-inoculated control. Significant improvements in chlorophyll and relative water contents as well as reduction in leaf electrolyte leakage demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach. Moreover, the highest population of P. fluorescens was observed where biochar and compost were applied together. These results suggest that application of biochar with PGPR and/or compost could be an effective strategy for enhancing plant growth under stress. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  4. Variable selectivity and the role of nutritional quality in food selection by a planktonic rotifer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sierszen, M.E.

    1990-01-01

    To investigate the potential for selective feeding to enhance fitness, I test the hypothesis that an herbivorous zooplankter selects those food items that best support its reproduction. Under this hypothesis, growth and reproduction on selected food items should be higher than on less preferred items. The hypothesis is not supported. In situ selectivity by the rotifer Keratella taurocephala for Cryptomonas relative to Chlamydomonas goes through a seasonal cycle, in apparent response to fluctuating Cryptomonas populations. However, reproduction on a unialgal diet of Cryptomonas is consistently high and similar to that on Chlamydomonas. Oocystis, which also supports reproduction equivalent to that supported by Chlamydomonas, is sometimes rejected by K. taurocephala. In addition, K. taurocephala does not discriminate between Merismopedia and Chlamydomonas even though Merismopedia supports virtually no reproduction by the rotifer. Selection by K. taurocephala does not simply maximize the intake of food items that yield high reproduction. Selectivity is a complex, dynamic process, one function of which may be the exploitation of locally or seasonally abundant foods. (author)

  5. Selectivity enhancement of indium-doped SnO2 gas sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salehi, A.

    2002-01-01

    Indium doping was used to enhance the selectivity of SnO 2 gas sensor. Both indium-doped and undoped SnO 2 gas sensors fabricated with different deposition techniques were investigated. The changes in the sensitivity of the sensors caused by selective gases (hydrogen and wood smoke) ranging from 500 to 3000 ppm were measured at different temperatures from 50 to 300 deg. C. The sensitivity peaks of the samples exhibit different values for selective gases with a response time of approximately 0.5 s. Thermally evaporated indium-doped SnO 2 gas sensor shows a considerable increase in the sensitivity peak of 27% in response to wood smoke, whereas it shows a sensitivity peak of 7% to hydrogen. This is in contrast to the sputter deposited indium-doped SnO 2 gas sensor, which exhibits a much lower sensitivity peak of approximately 2% to hydrogen and wood smoke compared to undoped SnO 2 gas sensors fabricated by chemical vapor deposition and spray pyrolysis. Scanning electron microscopy shows that different deposition techniques result in different porosity of the films. It is observed that the thermally evaporated indium-doped SnO 2 gas sensor shows high porosity, while the sputtered sample exhibits almost no porosity

  6. Enhancement of selective attention by tDCS: interaction with interference in a Sternberg task

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gladwin, T.E.; den Uyl, T.E.; Fregni, F.F.; Wiers, R.W.

    2012-01-01

    Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) enhances performance on working memory tasks. However, such effects may be dependent on modulation of specific aspects of working memory. We therefore tested the hypothesis that tDCS improves selective attention in the context of a Sternberg task.

  7. Part III: Comparing observed growth of selected test organisms in food irradiation studies with growth predictions calculated by ComBase softwares

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farkas, J.; Andrassy, E.; Meszaros, L.; Beczner, J.; Polyak-Feher, K.; Gaal, O.; Lebovics, V.K.; Lugasi, A.

    2009-01-01

    As a result of intensive predictive microbiological modelling activities, several computer programs and softwares became available recently for facilitating microbiological risk assessment. Among these tools, the establishment of the ComBase, an international database and its predictive modelling softwares of the Pathogen Modelling Program (PMP) set up by the USDA Eastern Regional Research Center, Wyndmore, PA, and the Food Micromodel/Growth Predictor by the United Kingdom's Institute of Food Research, Norwich, are most important. The authors have used the PMP 6.1 software version of ComBase as a preliminary trial to compare observed growth of selected test organisms in relation to their food irradiation work during recent years within the FAO/IAEA Coordinated Food Irradiation Research Projects (D6.10.23 and D6.20.07) with the predicted growth on the basis of growth models available in ComBase for the same species as those of the authors' test organisms. The results of challenge tests with Listeria monocytogenes inoculum in untreated or irradiated experimental batches of semi-prepared breaded turkey meat steaks (cordon bleu), sliced tomato, sliced watermelon, sliced cantaloupe and sous vide processed mixed vegetables, as well as Staphylococcus aureus inoculum of a pasta product, tortellini, were compared with their respective growth models under relevant environmental conditions. This comparison showed good fits in the case of non-irradiated and high moisture food samples, but growth of radiation survivors lagged behind the predicted values. (author)

  8. Increased Melanoma Growth and Metastasis Spreading in Mice Overexpressing Placenta Growth Factor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcellini, Marcella; De Luca, Naomi; Riccioni, Teresa; Ciucci, Alessandro; Orecchia, Angela; Lacal, Pedro Miguel; Ruffini, Federica; Pesce, Maurizio; Cianfarani, Francesca; Zambruno, Giovanna; Orlandi, Augusto; Failla, Cristina Maria

    2006-01-01

    Placenta growth factor (PlGF), a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor family, plays an important role in adult pathological angiogenesis. To further investigate PlGF functions in tumor growth and metastasis formation, we used transgenic mice overexpressing PlGF in the skin under the control of the keratin 14 promoter. These animals showed a hypervascularized phenotype of the skin and increased levels of circulating PlGF with respect to their wild-type littermates. Transgenic mice and controls were inoculated intradermally with B16-BL6 melanoma cells. The tumor growth rate was fivefold increased in transgenic animals compared to wild-type mice, in the presence of a similar percentage of tumor necrotic tissue. Tumor vessel area was increased in transgenic mice as compared to controls. Augmented mobilization of endothelial and hematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow was observed in transgenic animals, possibly contributing to tumor vascularization. The number and size of pulmonary metastases were significantly higher in transgenic mice compared to wild-type littermates. Finally, PlGF promoted tumor cell invasion of the extracellular matrix and increased the activity of selected matrix metalloproteinases. These findings indicate that PlGF, in addition to enhancing tumor angiogenesis and favoring tumor growth, may directly influence melanoma dissemination. PMID:16877362

  9. Enhancing trichloroethylene degradation using non-aromatic compounds as growth substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seungjin; Hwang, Jeongmin; Chung, Jinwook; Bae, Wookeun

    2014-06-30

    The effect of non-aromatic compounds on the trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation of toluene-oxidizing bacteria were evaluated using Burkholderia cepacia G4 that expresses toluene 2-monooxygenase and Pseudomonas putida that expresses toluene dioxygenase. TCE degradation rates for B. cepacia G4 and P. putida with toluene alone as growth substrate were 0.144 and 0.123 μg-TCE/mg-protein h, respectively. When glucose, acetate and ethanol were fed as additional growth substrates, those values increased up to 0.196, 0.418 and 0.530 μg-TCE/mg-protein h, respectively for B. cepacia G4 and 0.319, 0.219 and 0.373 μg-TCE/mg-protein h, respectively for P. putida. In particular, the addition of ethanol resulted in a high TCE degradation rate regardless of the initial concentration. The use of a non-aromatic compound as an additional substrate probably enhanced the TCE degradation because of the additional supply of NADH that is consumed in co-metabolic degradation of TCE. Also, it is expected that the addition of a non-aromatic substrate can reduce the necessary dose of toluene and, subsequently, minimize the potential competitive inhibition upon TCE co-metabolism by toluene. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Assessment of DGAT1 and LEP gene polymorphisms in three Nelore (Bos indicus) lines selected for growth and their relationship with growth and carcass traits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, F R P; Mercadante, M E Z; Fonseca, L F S; Ferreira, L M S; Regatieri, I C; Ayres, D R; Tonhati, H; Silva, S L; Razook, A G; Albuquerque, L G

    2010-02-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze LEP and DGAT1 gene polymorphisms in 3 Nelore lines selected for growth and to evaluate their effects on growth and carcass traits. Traits analyzed were birth, weaning, and yearling weight, rump height, LM area, backfat thickness, and rump fat thickness obtained by ultrasound. Two SNP in the LEP gene [LEP 1620(A/G) and LEP 305(T/C)] and the K232A mutation in the DGAT1 gene were analyzed. The sample consisted of 357 Nelore heifers from 2 lines selected for yearling weight and a control line, established in 1980, at the Estação Experimental de Zootecnia de Sertãozinho (Sertãozinho, Brazil). Three genotypes were obtained for each marker. Differences in allele frequencies among the 3 lines were only observed for the DGAT1 K232A polymorphism, with the frequency of the A allele being greater in the control line than in the selected lines. The DGAT1 K232A mutation was associated only with rump height, whereas LEP 1620(A/G) was associated with weaning weight and LEP 305(T/C) with birth weight and backfat thickness. However, more studies, with larger data sets, are necessary before these makers can be used for marker-assisted selection.

  11. Simultaneous inference of selection and population growth from patterns of variation in the human genome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Williamson, Scott H.; Hernandez, Ryan; Fledel-Alon, Adi

    2005-01-01

    Natural selection and demographic forces can have similar effects on patterns of DNA polymorphism. Therefore, to infer selection from samples of DNA sequences, one must simultaneously account for demographic effects. Here we take a model-based approach to this problem by developing predictions fo......-specific methods, and (iii) strong evidence for very recent population growth....... for patterns of polymorphism in the presence of both population size change and natural selection. If data are available from different functional classes of variation, and a priori information suggests that mutations in one of those classes are selectively neutral, then the putatively neutral class can...... this method to a large polymorphism data set from 301 human genes and find (i) widespread negative selection acting on standing nonsynonymous variation, (ii) that the fitness effects of nonsynonymous mutations are well predicted by several measures of amino acid exchangeability, especially site...

  12. Catalyst free growth of ZnO nanowires on graphene and graphene oxide and its enhanced photoluminescence and photoresponse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biroju, Ravi K; Giri, P K; Tilak, Nikhil; Rajender, Gone; Dhara, S

    2015-01-01

    We demonstrate the graphene assisted catalyst free growth of ZnO nanowires (NWs) on chemical vapor deposited (CVD) and chemically processed graphene buffer layers at a relatively low growth temperature (580 °C) in the presence and absence of ZnO seed layers. In the case of CVD graphene covered with rapid thermal annealed ZnO buffer layer, the growth of vertically aligned ZnO NWs takes place, while the direct growth on CVD graphene, chemically derived graphene (graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots) without ZnO seed layer resulted in randomly oriented sparse ZnO NWs. Growth mechanism was studied from high resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy of the hybrid structure. Further, we demonstrate strong UV, visible photoluminescence (PL) and enhanced photoconductivity (PC) from the CVD graphene–ZnO NWs hybrids as compared to the ZnO NWs grown without the graphene buffer layer. The evolution of crystalinity in ZnO NWs grown with ZnO seed layer and graphene buffer layer is correlated with the Gaussian line shape of UV and visible PL. This is further supported by the strong Raman mode at 438 cm −1 significant for the wurtzite phase of the ZnO NWs grown on different graphene substrates. The effect of the thickness of ZnO seed layers and the role of graphene buffer layers on the aligned growth of ZnO NWs and its enhanced PC are investigated systematically. Our results demonstrate the catalyst free growth and superior performance of graphene–ZnO NW hybrid UV photodetectors as compared to the bare ZnO NW based photodetectors. (paper)

  13. Epidermal Growth Factor Enhances Cellular Uptake of Polystyrene Nanoparticles by Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phuc, Le Thi Minh; Taniguchi, Akiyoshi

    2017-06-19

    The interaction between nanoparticles and cells has been studied extensively, but most research has focused on the effect of various nanoparticle characteristics, such as size, morphology, and surface charge, on the cellular uptake of nanoparticles. In contrast, there have been very few studies to assess the influence of cellular factors, such as growth factor responses, on the cellular uptake efficiency of nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the uptake efficiency of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) by A431 cells, a human carcinoma epithelial cell line. The results showed that EGF enhanced the uptake efficiency of A431 cells for PS NPs. In addition, inhibition and localization studies of PS NPs and EGF receptors (EGFRs) indicated that cellular uptake of PS NPs is related to the binding of EGF-EGFR complex and PS NPs. Different pathways are used to enter the cells depending on the presence or absence of EGF. In the presence of EGF, cellular uptake of PS NPs is via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, whereas, in the absence of EGF, uptake of PS NPs does not involve clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Our findings indicate that EGF enhances cellular uptake of PS NPs by clathrin-mediated endocytosis. This result could be important for developing safe nanoparticles and their safe use in medical applications.

  14. Epidermal Growth Factor Enhances Cellular Uptake of Polystyrene Nanoparticles by Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Le Thi Minh Phuc

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The interaction between nanoparticles and cells has been studied extensively, but most research has focused on the effect of various nanoparticle characteristics, such as size, morphology, and surface charge, on the cellular uptake of nanoparticles. In contrast, there have been very few studies to assess the influence of cellular factors, such as growth factor responses, on the cellular uptake efficiency of nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF on the uptake efficiency of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs by A431 cells, a human carcinoma epithelial cell line. The results showed that EGF enhanced the uptake efficiency of A431 cells for PS NPs. In addition, inhibition and localization studies of PS NPs and EGF receptors (EGFRs indicated that cellular uptake of PS NPs is related to the binding of EGF–EGFR complex and PS NPs. Different pathways are used to enter the cells depending on the presence or absence of EGF. In the presence of EGF, cellular uptake of PS NPs is via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, whereas, in the absence of EGF, uptake of PS NPs does not involve clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Our findings indicate that EGF enhances cellular uptake of PS NPs by clathrin-mediated endocytosis. This result could be important for developing safe nanoparticles and their safe use in medical applications.

  15. Improved galvanic replacement growth of Ag microstructures on Cu micro-grid for enhanced SERS detection of organic molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Tian-Long; Li, Ji-Guang; Sun, Xudong; Sakka, Yoshio

    2016-04-01

    Galvanic growth of Ag nano/micro-structures on Cu micro-grid was systematically studied for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. Detailed characterizations via FE-SEM and HR-TEM showed that processing parameters, (reaction time, Ag(+) concentration, and PVP addition) all substantially affect thermodynamics/kinetics of the replacement reaction to yield substrates of significantly different microstructures/homogeneities and thus varied SERS performances (sensitivity, enhancement factor, and reproducibility) of the Ag substrates in the detection of R6G analyte. PVP as an additive was shown to notably alter nucleation/growth behaviors of the Ag crystals and promote the deposition of dense and uniform Ag films of nearly monodisperse polyhedrons/nanoplates through suppressing dendrites crystallization. Under optimized synthesis (50mM of Ag(+), 30s of reaction, and 700 wt.% of PVP), Ag substrates exhibiting a high Raman signal enhancement factor of ~1.1 × 10(6) and a low relative standard deviation of ~0.13 in the repeated detection of 10 μM R6G were obtained. The facile deposition and excellent performance reported in this work may allow the Ag microstructures to find wider SERS applications. Moreover, growth mechanisms of the different Ag nano/micro-structures were discussed based on extensive FE-SEM and HR-TEM analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Heavier chicks at hatch improves marketing body weight by enhancing skeletal muscle growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sklan, D; Heifetz, S; Halevy, O

    2003-11-01

    This study examined some of the factors connected with the greater marketing weight observed in chicks hatching with higher BW. Examination of chicks hatching from maternal flocks of different ages indicated that BW at hatch increased quadratically and yolk sac weight linearly with age, whereas components of the gastrointestinal tract showed no significant trend. Growth of pectoralis muscles and gastrointestinal tract were compared in chicks hatching at the same weight from maternal flocks of 28 and 64 wk of age and in chicks from the same maternal flock (44 wk old) hatching at different weights. The results indicated that no differences were found among chicks hatching with the same weight from maternal flocks of different ages. In contrast, in chicks from the same maternal flock hatching at different weights the gastrointestinal tract tended to compose a smaller proportion of BW in large chicks, and its growth was not correlated with performance. Liver proportions were greater in heavier chicks. Pectoralis growth and satellite cell numbers and activity were greater in heavier chicks through 5 d posthatch, and pectoralis muscles were heavier at marketing. Examination of some of the growth factors involved suggested that in heavier chicks satellite cells underwent higher proliferation and earlier differentiation during their critical period of activity in the immediate posthatch days. To determine when these differences in activity were established, examination of 15-d embryonic myoblast activity indicated that at this stage activity was already greater in the heavier eggs. This finding suggests that programming of muscle growth may be completed in late embryonic stages. This study suggests that enhanced satellite cell activity is involved in increased growth of chicks hatching with higher BW.

  17. Selection of High Oil Yielding Trees of Millettia pinnata (L.) Panigrahi, Vegetative Propagation and Growth in the Field

    OpenAIRE

    Ni Luh Arpiwi; I Made Sutha Negara; I Nengah Simpen

    2017-01-01

    Millettia pinnata (L.) Panigrahi is a potential legume tree that produces seed oil for biodiesel feedstock. The initial step for raising a large-scale plantation of the species is selection of high oil yielding trees from the natural habitat. This is followed by vegetative propagation of the selected trees and then testing the growth of the clone in the field. The aim of the present study was to select high-oil yielding trees of M. pinnata, to propagate the selected trees by budding and to e...

  18. Optimized inorganic carbon regime for enhanced growth and lipid accumulation in Chlorella vulgaris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohman, Egan J; Gardner, Robert D; Pedersen, Todd; Peyton, Brent M; Cooksey, Keith E; Gerlach, Robin

    2015-01-01

    Large-scale algal biofuel production has been limited, among other factors, by the availability of inorganic carbon in the culture medium at concentrations higher than achievable with atmospheric CO2. Life cycle analyses have concluded that costs associated with supplying CO2 to algal cultures are significant contributors to the overall energy consumption. A two-phase optimal growth and lipid accumulation scenario is presented, which (1) enhances the growth rate and (2) the triacylglyceride (TAG) accumulation rate in the oleaginous Chlorophyte Chlorella vulgaris strain UTEX 395, by growing the organism in the presence of low concentrations of NaHCO3 (5 mM) and controlling the pH of the system with a periodic gas sparge of 5 % CO2 (v/v). Once cultures reached the desired cell densities, which can be "fine-tuned" based on initial nutrient concentrations, cultures were switched to a lipid accumulation metabolism through the addition of 50 mM NaHCO3. This two-phase approach increased the specific growth rate of C. vulgaris by 69 % compared to cultures sparged continuously with 5 % CO2 (v/v); further, biomass productivity (g L(-1) day(-1)) was increased by 27 %. Total biodiesel potential [assessed as total fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) produced] was increased from 53.3 to 61 % (FAME biomass(-1)) under the optimized conditions; biodiesel productivity (g FAME L(-1) day(-1)) was increased by 7.7 %. A bicarbonate salt screen revealed that American Chemical Society (ACS) and industrial grade NaHCO3 induced the highest TAG accumulation (% w/w), whereas Na2CO3 did not induce significant TAG accumulation. NH4HCO3 had a negative effect on cell health presumably due to ammonia toxicity. The raw, unrefined form of trona, NaHCO3∙Na2CO3 (sodium sesquicarbonate) induced TAG accumulation, albeit to a slightly lower extent than the more refined forms of sodium bicarbonate. The strategic addition of sodium bicarbonate was found to enhance growth and lipid accumulation rates in

  19. Bacillus pumilus ES4: candidate plant growth-promoting bacterium to enhance establishment of plants in mine tailings

    Science.gov (United States)

    de-Bashan, Luz E.; Hernandez, Juan-Pablo; Bashan, Yoav; Maier, Raina

    2014-01-01

    Three plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB; Bacillus pumilus ES4, B. pumilus RIZO1, and Azospirillum brasilense Cd) were tested for their ability to enhance plant growth and development of the native Sonoran Desert shrub quailbush (Atriplex lentiformis) and for their effect on the native bacterial community in moderately acidic, high-metal content (AHMT) and in neutral, low metal content natural tailings (NLMT) in controlled greenhouse experiments. Inoculation of quailbush with all three PGPB significantly enhanced plant growth parameters, such as germination, root length, dry weight of shoots and roots, and root/shoot ratio in both types of tailings. The effect of inoculation on the indigenous bacterial community by the most successful PGPB Bacillus pumilus ES4 was evaluated by denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) fingerprinting and root colonization was followed by specific fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Inoculation with this strain significantly changed the bacterial community over a period of 60 days. FISH analysis showed that the preferred site of colonization was the root tips and root elongation area. This study shows that inoculation of native perennial plants with PGPB can be used for developing technologies for phytostabilizing mine tailings. PMID:25009362

  20. A VECM approach to detangling growth, exports, imports and FDI knot in selected CEE countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saša Žiković

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The authors analyze the relationship between GDP, imports-coverage ratio (NEX, FDI and gross fixed capital formation (GFC in selected CEE countries by using an error correction model. The empirical results confirm a positive long-run influence of the imports coverage ratio, FDI and GFC on GDP growth for all of the countries, except Croatia. In the case of Croatia, there is a significant negative feedback between FDI and GDP growth in the long run and a positive one in the short run. By using B. Horvat’s research on this subject, a logical explanation of this sort of paradoxical behavior is suggested. The second uncommon result is the long-run positive relationship between GDP and the imports-coverage ratio. The obtained result speaks in favor of a conservative approach to running a national economy, where the current account and the imports-coverage ratio are taken into account and the economic growth is achieved through slower but stable, internally driven growth.

  1. Enhanced Size Selection in Two-Photon Excitation for CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Junsheng; Chábera, Pavel; Pascher, Torbjörn; Messing, Maria E; Schaller, Richard; Canton, Sophie; Zheng, Kaibo; Pullerits, Tõnu

    2017-10-19

    Cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr 3 ) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs), with large two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section and bright photoluminescence (PL), have been demonstrated as stable two-photon-pumped lasing medium. With two-photon excitation, red-shifted PL spectrum and increased PL lifetime is observed compared with one-photon excitation. We have investigated the origin of such difference using time-resolved laser spectroscopies. We ascribe the difference to the enhanced size selection of NCs by two-photon excitation. Because of inherent nonlinearity, the size dependence of absorption cross-section under TPA is stronger. Consequently, larger size NCs are preferably excited, leading to longer excited-state lifetime and red-shifted PL emission. In a broad view, the enhanced size selection in two-photon excitation of CsPbBr 3 NCs is likely a general feature of the perovskite NCs and can be tuned via NC size distribution to influence their performance within NC-based nonlinear optical materials and devices.

  2. Process and analytical studies of enhanced low severity co-processing using selective coal pretreatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baldwin, R.M.; Miller, R.L.

    1991-12-01

    The findings in the first phase were as follows: 1. Both reductive (non-selective) alkylation and selective oxygen alkylation brought about an increase in liquefaction reactivity for both coals. 2. Selective oxygen alkylation is more effective in enhancing the reactivity of low rank coals. In the second phase of studies, the major findings were as follows: 1. Liquefaction reactivity increases with increasing level of alkylation for both hydroliquefaction and co-processing reaction conditions. 2. the increase in reactivity found for O-alkylated Wyodak subbituminous coal is caused by chemical changes at phenolic and carboxylic functional sites. 3. O-methylation of Wyodak subbituminous coal reduced the apparent activation energy for liquefaction of this coal.

  3. Facile hydrothermal growth graphene/ZnO nanocomposite for development of enhanced biosensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Low, Sze Shin [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor (Malaysia); Division of Materials, Mechanics and Structures, Center of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor (Malaysia); Tan, Michelle T.T., E-mail: Michelle.Tan@nottingham.edu.my [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor (Malaysia); Division of Materials, Mechanics and Structures, Center of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor (Malaysia); Loh, Hwei-San [School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor (Malaysia); Biotechnology Research Centre, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor (Malaysia); Khiew, Poi Sim [Division of Materials, Mechanics and Structures, Center of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor (Malaysia); Chiu, Wee Siong [Low Dimensional Materials Research Center, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2016-01-15

    Graphene/zinc oxide nanocomposite was synthesised via a facile, green and efficient approach consisted of novel liquid phase exfoliation and solvothermal growth for sensing application. Highly pristine graphene was synthesised through mild sonication treatment of graphite in a mixture of ethanol and water at an optimum ratio. The X-ray diffractometry (XRD) affirmed the hydrothermal growth of pure zinc oxide nanoparticles from zinc nitrate hexahydrate precursor. The as-prepared graphene/zinc oxide (G/ZnO) nanocomposite was characterised comprehensively to evaluate its morphology, crystallinity, composition and purity. All results clearly indicate that zinc oxide particles were homogenously distributed on graphene sheets, without any severe aggregation. The electrochemical performance of graphene/zinc oxide nanocomposite-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and amperometry analysis. The resulting electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) in a linear range of 1–15 mM with a correlation coefficient of 0.9977. The sensitivity of the graphene/zinc oxide nanocomposite-modified hydrogen peroxide sensor was 3.2580 μAmM{sup −1} with a limit of detection of 7.4357 μM. An electrochemical DNA sensor platform was then fabricated for the detection of Avian Influenza H5 gene based on graphene/zinc oxide nanocomposite. The results obtained from amperometry study indicate that the graphene/zinc oxide nanocomposite-enhanced electrochemical DNA biosensor is significantly more sensitive (P < 0.05) and efficient than the conventional agarose gel electrophoresis. - Highlights: • One step, green and facile exfoliation of graphite in ethanol/water mixture. • G/ZnO nanocomposite prepared via simple, green low temperature solvothermal method. • CV and amperometric study of G/ZnO nanocomposite towards H{sub 2}O{sub 2} with R{sup 2} of 0.9977.

  4. Dihydrotestosterone enhances growth and infectivity of Leishmania Mexicana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-García, L; Wilkins-Rodriguez, A; Salaiza-Suazo, N; Morales-Montor, J; Becker, I

    2018-03-01

    A strong sex-associated susceptibility towards Leishmania has been reported in males, yet little is known on the effect of hormones in Leishmania physiopathogenicity. Due to the enhanced susceptibility of males to Leishmania mexicana infections, we were interested in analysing the effect exerted by the main androgen produced in males (DHT) on L. mexicana promastigotes. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the regulation exerted by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on L. mexicana replication, infectivity, survival and development of tissue lesions. Experiments included growth curves of L. mexicana promastigotes incubated with different doses of DHT, their infection rate, intracellular survival and lesion development in BALB/c mice. Our data show that DHT significantly enhances parasite replication, infection rate and survival in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMФ). Promastigotes in the presence of DHT produced significantly larger lesions in BALB/c earlobes. These results suggest that DHT probably plays a critical role during L. mexicana infections, and the higher susceptibility of males possibly relates to benefits gained by the parasite from host-derived hormones. Our data shed new light on the physiopathology of Leishmania infections and are the first attempt to understand the direct interaction between Leishmania and androgens, particularly DHT. Understanding this trans-regulation process employed by parasites to exploit host molecules sheds new light on L. mexicana physiopathogenesis and opens a possible field for studies on drug development. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Selective laser sintering: A qualitative and objective approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sanjay

    2003-10-01

    This article presents an overview of selective laser sintering (SLS) work as reported in various journals and proceedings. Selective laser sintering was first done mainly on polymers and nylon to create prototypes for audio-visual help and fit-to-form tests. Gradually it was expanded to include metals and alloys to manufacture functional prototypes and develop rapid tooling. The growth gained momentum with the entry of commercial entities such as DTM Corporation and EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems. Computational modeling has been used to understand the SLS process, optimize the process parameters, and enhance the efficiency of the sintering machine.

  6. Influence of bovine lactoferrin on the growth of selected probiotic bacteria under aerobic conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Po-Wen; Ku, Yu-We; Chu, Fang-Yi

    2014-10-01

    Bovine lactoferrin (bLf) is a natural glycoprotein, and it shows broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. However, reports on the influences of bLf on probiotic bacteria have been mixed. We examined the effects of apo-bLf (between 0.25 and 128 mg/mL) on both aerobic and anaerobic cultures of probiotics. We found that bLf had similar effects on the growth of probiotics under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, and that it actively and significantly (at concentrations of >0.25 mg/mL) retarded the growth rate of Bifidobacterium bifidum (ATCC 29521), B. longum (ATCC 15707), B. lactis (BCRC 17394), B. infantis (ATCC 15697), Lactobacillus reuteri (ATCC 23272), L. rhamnosus (ATCC 53103), and L. coryniformis (ATCC 25602) in a dose-dependent manner. Otherwise, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 128 or >128 mg/mL against B. bifidum, B. longum, B. lactis, L. reuteri, and L. rhamnosus (ATCC 53103). With regard to MICs, bLf showed at least four-fold lower inhibitory effect on probiotics than on pathogens. Intriguingly, bLf (>0.25 mg/mL) significantly enhanced the growth of Rhamnosus (ATCC 7469) and L. acidophilus (BCRC 14065) by approximately 40-200 %, during their late periods of growth. Supernatants produced from aerobic but not anaerobic cultures of L. acidophilus reduced the growth of Escherichia coli by about 20 %. Thus, bLf displayed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of most probiotic strains under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. An antibacterial supernatant prepared from the aerobic cultures may have significant practical use.

  7. Size, growth, and size‐selective mortality of subyearling Chinook Salmon during early marine residence in Puget Sound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamble, Madilyn M.; Connelly, Kristin A.; Gardner, Jennifer R.; Chamberlin, Joshua W.; Warheit, Kenneth I.; Beauchamp, David A.

    2018-01-01

    In marine ecosystems, survival can be heavily influenced by size‐selective mortality during juvenile life stages. Understanding how and when size‐selective mortality operates on a population can reveal underlying growth dynamics and size‐selective ecological processes affecting the population and thus can be used to guide conservation efforts. For subyearling Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in Puget Sound, previous research reported a strong positive relationship between marine survival and body mass during midsummer in epipelagic habitats within Puget Sound, suggesting that early marine growth drives survival. However, a fine‐scale analysis of size‐selective mortality is needed to identify specific critical growth periods and habitats. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe occupancy patterns across estuarine delta, nearshore marine, and offshore epipelagic habitats in Puget Sound; (2) describe changes in FL and weight observed across habitats and time; (3) evaluate evidence for size‐selective mortality; and (4) illustrate how marine survival of the stocks studied may be affected by variation in July weight. In 2014 and 2015, we sampled FLs, weights, and scales from seven hatchery‐origin and two natural‐origin stocks of subyearling Chinook Salmon captured every 2 weeks during out‐migration and rearing in estuary, nearshore, and offshore habitats within Puget Sound. Natural‐origin stocks had more protracted habitat occupancy patterns than hatchery‐origin stocks and were smaller than hatchery‐origin stocks in both years. Regardless of origin, subyearlings were longer and heavier and grew faster in offshore habitats compared to estuary and nearshore habitats. For all stocks, we found little evidence of size‐selective mortality among habitats in Puget Sound. These patterns were consistent in both years. Finally, the weights of subyearlings sampled during July in the offshore habitat predicted Puget Sound‐wide marine

  8. Controlled growth of high-density CdS and CdSe nanorod arrays on selective facets of two-dimensional semiconductor nanoplates

    KAUST Repository

    Wu, Xue-Jun; Chen, Junze; Tan, Chaoliang; Zhu, Yihan; Han, Yu; Zhang, Hua

    2016-01-01

    . Here, we report a seeded growth approach for the controlled epitaxial growth of three types of hierarchical one-dimensional (1D)/two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures, where nanorod arrays of II-VI semiconductor CdS or CdSe are grown on the selective

  9. Hydroxamic acid content and toxicity of rye at selected growth stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Clifford P; Park, Yong Bong; Adam, Frédérick; Abdul-Baki, Aref A; Teasdale, John R

    2005-08-01

    Rye (Secale cereale L.) is an important cover crop that provides many benefits to cropping systems including weed and pest suppression resulting from allelopathic substances. Hydroxamic acids have been identified as allelopathic compounds in rye. This research was conducted to improve the methodology for quantifying hydroxamic acids and to determine the relationship between hydroxamic acid content and phytotoxicity of extracts of rye root and shoot tissue harvested at selected growth stages. Detection limits for an LC/MS-MS method for analysis of hydroxamic acids from crude aqueous extracts were better than have been reported previously. (2R)-2-beta-D-Glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIBOA-G), 2,4-dihydroxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIBOA), benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (BOA), and the methoxy-substituted form of these compounds, (2R)-2-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4-hydroxy-7-methoxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA glucose), 2,4-hydroxy-7-methoxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA), and 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (MBOA), were all detected in rye tissue. DIBOA and BOA were prevalent in shoot tissue, whereas the methoxy-substituted compounds, DIMBOA glucose and MBOA, were prevalent in root tissue. Total hydroxamic acid concentration in rye tissue generally declined with age. Aqueous crude extracts of rye shoot tissue were more toxic than extracts of root tissue to lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) root length. Extracts of rye seedlings (Feekes growth stage 2) were most phytotoxic, but there was no pattern to the phytotoxicity of extracts of rye sampled at growth stages 4 to 10.5.4, and no correlation of hydroxamic acid content and phytotoxicity (I50 values). Analysis of dose-response model slope coefficients indicated a lack of parallelism among models for rye extracts from different growth stages, suggesting that phytotoxicity may be attributed to compounds with different modes of action at

  10. Selected area growth integrated wavelength converter based on PD-EAM optical logic gate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niu Bin; Zhou Daibing; Zhang Can; Liang Song; Lu Dan; Zhao Lingjuan; Wang Wei; Qiu Jifang; Wu Jian

    2014-01-01

    A selected area growth wavelength converter based on a PD-EAM optical logic gate for WDM application is presented, integrating an EML transmitter and a SOA-PD receiver. The design, fabrication, and DC characters were analyzed. A 2 Gb/s NRZ signal based on the C-band wavelength converted to 1555 nm with the highest extinction ratio of 7 dB was achieved and wavelength converted eye diagrams with eyes opened were presented. (semiconductor devices)

  11. Career Advancement, Career Enhancement, and Personal Growth of Pepperdine University's Educational Leadership Academy Graduate Program Alumni

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, Ruth I.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was two-fold: (a) to explore and describe the perceived impact of Pepperdine University's Educational Leadership Academy (ELA) on 2003-2006 ELA graduates' career advancement, career enhancement, and personal growth; and (b) to obtain ELA graduates' suggestions for ELA program improvement to better prepare…

  12. A calpain-2 selective inhibitor enhances learning & memory by prolonging ERK activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yan; Wang, Yubin; Zhu, Guoqi; Sun, Jiandong; Bi, Xiaoning; Baudry, Michel

    2016-06-01

    While calpain-1 activation is required for LTP induction by theta burst stimulation (TBS), calpain-2 activation limits its magnitude during the consolidation period. A selective calpain-2 inhibitor applied either before or shortly after TBS enhanced the degree of potentiation. In the present study, we tested whether the selective calpain-2 inhibitor, Z-Leu-Abu-CONH-CH2-C6H3 (3, 5-(OMe)2 (C2I), could enhance learning and memory in wild-type (WT) and calpain-1 knock-out (C1KO) mice. We first showed that C2I could reestablish TBS-LTP in hippocampal slices from C1KO mice, and this effect was blocked by PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK. TBS resulted in PTEN degradation in hippocampal slices from both WT and C1KO mice, and C2I treatment blocked this effect in both mouse genotypes. Systemic injection of C2I 30 min before training in the fear-conditioning paradigm resulted in a biphasic dose-response curve, with low doses enhancing and high doses inhibiting freezing behavior. The difference between the doses needed to enhance and inhibit learning matches the difference in concentrations producing inhibition of calpain-2 and calpain-1. A low dose of C2I also restored normal learning in a novel object recognition task in C1KO mice. Levels of SCOP, a ERK phosphatase known to be cleaved by calpain-1, were decreased in dorsal hippocampus early but not late following training in WT mice; C2I treatment did not affect the early decrease in SCOP levels but prevented its recovery at the later time-point and prolonged ERK activation. The results indicate that calpain-2 activation limits the extent of learning, an effect possibly due to temporal limitation of ERK activation, as a result of SCOP synthesis induced by calpain-2-mediated PTEN degradation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Multivalent conjugates of basic fibroblast growth factor enhance in vitro proliferation and migration of endothelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zbinden, Aline; Browne, Shane; Altiok, Eda I; Svedlund, Felicia L; Jackson, Wesley M; Healy, Kevin E

    2018-05-01

    Growth factors hold great promise for regenerative therapies. However, their clinical use has been halted by poor efficacy and rapid clearance from tissue, necessitating the delivery of extremely high doses to achieve clinical effectiveness which has raised safety concerns. Thus, strategies to either enhance growth factor activity at low doses or to increase their residence time within target tissues are necessary for clinical success. In this study, we generated multivalent conjugates (MVCs) of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a key growth factor involved in angiogenesis and wound healing, to hyaluronic acid (HyA) polymer chains. Multivalent bFGF conjugates (mvbFGF) were fabricated with minimal non-specific interaction observed between bFGF and the HyA chain. The hydrodynamic radii of mvbFGF ranged from ∼50 to ∼75 nm for conjugation ratios of bFGF to HyA chains at low (10 : 1) and high (30 : 1) feed ratios, respectively. The mvbFGF demonstrated enhanced bioactivity compared to unconjugated bFGF in assays of cell proliferation and migration, processes critical to angiogenesis and tissue regeneration. The 30 : 1 mvbFGF outperformed the 10 : 1 conjugate, which could be due to either FGF receptor clustering or interference with receptor mediated internalization and signal deactivation. This study simultaneously investigated the role of both protein to polymer ratio and multivalent conjugate size on their bioactivity, and determined that increasing the protein-to-polymer ratio and conjugate size resulted in greater cell bioactivity.

  14. An HPLC tracing of the enhancer regulation in selected discrete brain areas of food-deprived rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miklya, I; Knoll, B; Knoll, J

    2003-05-09

    The recent discovery of the enhancer regulation in the mammalian brain brought a different perspective to the brain-organized realization of goal-oriented behavior, which is the quintessence of plastic behavioral descriptions such as drive or motivation. According to this new approach, 'drive' means that special endogenous enhancer substances enhance the impulse-propagation-mediated release of transmitters in a proper population of enhancer-sensitive neurons, and keep these neurons in the state of enhanced excitability until the goal is reached. However, to reach any goal needs the participation of the catecholaminergic machinery, the engine of the brain. We developed a method to detect the specific enhancer effect of synthetic enhancer substances [(-)-deprenyl, (-)-PPAP, (-)-BPAP] by measuring the release of transmitters from freshly isolated selected discrete brain areas (striatum, substantia nigra, tuberculum olfactorium, locus coeruleus, raphe) by the aid of HPLC with electrochemical detection. To test the validity of the working hypothesis that in any form of goal-seeking behavior the catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons work on a higher activity level, we compared the amount of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin released from selected discrete brain areas isolated from the brain of sated and food-deprived rats. Rats were deprived of food for 48 and 72 hours, respectively, and the state of excitability of their catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons in comparison to that of sated rats was measured. We tested the orienting-searching reflex activity of the rats in a special open field, isolated thereafter selected discrete brain areas and measured the release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin from the proper tissue samples into the organ bath. The orienting-searching reflex activity of the rats increased proportionally to the time elapsed from the last feed and the amount of dopamine released from the striatum, substantia nigra and

  15. INVITED REVIEW: Inhibitors of myostatin as methods of enhancing muscle growth and development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, P R; Lee, K

    2016-08-01

    With the increasing demand for affordable, high-quality meat, livestock and poultry producers must continually find ways to maximize muscle growth in their animals without compromising palatability of the meat products. Muscle mass relies on myoblast proliferation during prenatal or prehatch stages and fiber hypertrophy through protein synthesis and nuclei donation by satellite cells after birth or hatch. Therefore, understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of myogenesis and muscle development is of great interest. Myostatin is a well-known negative regulator of muscle growth and development that inhibits proliferation and differentiation in myogenic cells as well as protein synthesis in existing muscle fibers. In this review, various inhibitors of myostatin activity or signaling are examined that may be used in animal agriculture for enhancing muscle growth. Myostatin inhibitors are relevant as potential therapies for muscle-wasting diseases and muscle weakness in humans and animals. Currently, there are no commercial myostatin inhibitors for agriculture or biomedical purposes because the safest and most effective option has yet to be identified. Further investigation of myostatin inhibitors and administration strategies may revolutionize animal production and the medical field.

  16. Stimulation of the growth of two probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus Acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium Lactis BL-04, by selected prebiotic canditates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Zanten, Gabriella Christina; Knudsen, Anne; Bandsholm, O.

    2009-01-01

    Prebiotics have been shown to support the growth of probiotic bacteria thereby having a beneficial effect on human health. The aim of this work was to evaluate selected and structurally different carbohydrate prebiotic candidate by measuring their capability to stimulate the growth of the two...

  17. MicroRNA-375 Inhibits Growth and Enhances Radiosensitivity in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Targeting Insulin Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Zhang

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs have emerged as key players in various human biological processes, including tumorigenesis. Here, we investigated the roles of miR-375 in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC. Methods: We performed quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR to detect miR-375 expression in OSCC tissues and corresponding normal oral epithelial tissues and analyze the correlation of miR-375 expression with OSCC metastasis and patient’s survival. Then, the effects of miR-375 expression on proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and radiosensitivity in OSCC cells were determined by using MTT, flow cytometry and clonogenic survival assays. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to test whether miR-375 binds to the 3’-untranslated region (3’-UTR of target mRNA. Results: The expression level of miR-375 in OSCC tissues was significantly lower than that in normal oral epithelial tissues, and low miR-375 expression was correlated with higher incidence of lymph node metastasis and poor survival of OSCC patients. Upregulation of miR-375 significantly inhibits growth, induces cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, increases apoptosis and enhances radiosensitivity in OSCC cells. Analysis of luciferase activity demonstrated that miR-375 binds to the 3’-UTR of insulin like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R. Small interfering RNA (shRNA-mediated IGF-1R knockdown mimics the effects of miR-375 upregulation, while overexpression of IGF-1R partially reverses those effects in OSCC cells. Conclusion: It was obviously demonstrated that miRNA-375 inhibits growth and enhances radiosensitivity in OSCC cells by targeting IGF-1R, suggesting that miR-375 may be a potential therapeutic target for OSCC patients.

  18. Combined enhancements of temperature and UVB influence growth and phenolics in clones of the sexually dimorphic Salix myrsinifolia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nybakken, L.; Hoerkkae, R.; Julkunen-Tiitto, R. (Univ. of Eastern Finland. Dept. of Biology, Joensuu (Finland))

    2012-08-15

    Although several climatic factors are expected to change simultaneously in the future, the effect of such combined changes on plants have seldom been tested under field conditions. We report on a field experiment with dark-leaved willow, Salix myrsinifolia, subjected to enhancements in ultraviolet-A (UVA), UVB radiation and temperature, setup in Joensuu, Eastern Finland. S. myrsinifolia is a dioecious species, known as an important food plant for many herbivores. Cuttings of eight clones, four of each sex, of dark-leaved willow were planted in the field in spring 2009. In both 2009 and 2010, the total biomass increased significantly with temperature, and in 2010 there was an additive effect of UVB radiation. Both height and diameter increased with temperature in 2009, while the effect on height growth ceased in 2010. Males had greater diameter growth than females in 2010. Most phenolic compounds in the leaves decreased under enhanced temperature in both growing seasons. In 2010, four of six salicylates increased in response to enhanced temperature. Some quercetin derivatives increased under enhanced UVB radiation. Females had higher concentrations of chlorogenic acids than males, and while enhanced temperature reduced chlorogenic acid in females only, luteolins were reduced only in males. In summary, the combined enhancements gave no effects in addition to those that appeared under the single-factor treatments, except for the additive effect of UVB on temperature-increased biomass. The few gender-related differences found in response to climate change do not allow any marked expectations of future climate-induced changes in sex ratios. (Author)

  19. Epitaxial growth of SrTiO3/YBa2Cu3O7 - x heterostructures by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, S.; Chern, C. S.; Shi, Z. Q.; Lu, P.; Safari, A.; Lu, Y.; Kear, B. H.; Hou, S. Y.

    1994-06-01

    We report heteroepitaxial growth of SrTiO3 on YBa2Cu3O7-x/LaAlO3 substrates by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. X-ray diffraction results indicated that SrTiO3 films were epitaxially grown on a (001) YBa2Cu3O7-x surface with [100] orientation perpendicular to the surface. The film composition, with Sr/Ti molar ratio in the range of 0.9 to 1.1, was determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The thickness of the SrTiO3 films is 0.1-0.2 μm. The epitaxial growth was further evidenced by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area diffraction. Atomically abrupt SrTiO3/YBa2Cu3O7-x interface and epitaxial growth with [100]SrTiO3∥[001]YBa2Cu3O7-x were observed in this study. The superconducting transition temperature of the bottom YBa2Cu3O7-x layer, as measured by ac susceptometer, did not significantly degrade after the growth of overlayer SrTiO3. The capacitance-voltage measurements showed that the dielectric constant of the SrTiO3 films was as high as 315 at a signal frequency of 100 KHz. The leakage current density through the SrTiO3 films is about 1×10-6 A/cm2 at 2-V operation. Data analysis on the current-voltage characteristic indicated that the conduction process is related to bulk-limited Poole-Frenkel emission.

  20. Zcchc11 Uridylates Mature miRNAs to Enhance Neonatal IGF-1 Expression, Growth, and Survival

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozlowski, Elyse; Matsuura, Kori Y.; Ferrari, Joseph D.; Morris, Samantha A.; Powers, John T.; Daley, George Q.; Quinton, Lee J.; Mizgerd, Joseph P.

    2012-01-01

    The Zcchc11 enzyme is implicated in microRNA (miRNA) regulation. It can uridylate let-7 precursors to decrease quantities of the mature miRNA in embryonic stem cell lines, suggested to mediate stem cell maintenance. It can uridylate mature miR-26 to relieve silencing activity without impacting miRNA content in cancer cell lines, suggested to mediate cytokine and growth factor expression. Broader roles of Zcchc11 in shaping or remodeling the miRNome or in directing biological or physiological processes remain entirely speculative. We generated Zcchc11-deficient mice to address these knowledge gaps. Zcchc11 deficiency had no impact on embryogenesis or fetal development, but it significantly decreased survival and growth immediately following birth, indicating a role for this enzyme in early postnatal fitness. Deep sequencing of small RNAs from neonatal livers revealed roles of this enzyme in miRNA sequence diversity. Zcchc11 deficiency diminished the lengths and terminal uridine frequencies for diverse mature miRNAs, but it had no influence on the quantities of any miRNAs. The expression of IGF-1, a liver-derived protein essential to early growth and survival, was enhanced by Zcchc11 expression in vitro, and miRNA silencing of IGF-1 was alleviated by uridylation events observed to be Zcchc11-dependent in the neonatal liver. In neonatal mice, Zcchc11 deficiency significantly decreased IGF-1 mRNA in the liver and IGF-1 protein in the blood. We conclude that the Zcchc11-mediated terminal uridylation of mature miRNAs is pervasive and physiologically significant, especially important in the neonatal period for fostering IGF-1 expression and enhancing postnatal growth and survival. We propose that the miRNA 3′ terminus is a regulatory node upon which multiple enzymes converge to direct silencing activity and tune gene expression. PMID:23209448

  1. Zcchc11 uridylates mature miRNAs to enhance neonatal IGF-1 expression, growth, and survival.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew R Jones

    Full Text Available The Zcchc11 enzyme is implicated in microRNA (miRNA regulation. It can uridylate let-7 precursors to decrease quantities of the mature miRNA in embryonic stem cell lines, suggested to mediate stem cell maintenance. It can uridylate mature miR-26 to relieve silencing activity without impacting miRNA content in cancer cell lines, suggested to mediate cytokine and growth factor expression. Broader roles of Zcchc11 in shaping or remodeling the miRNome or in directing biological or physiological processes remain entirely speculative. We generated Zcchc11-deficient mice to address these knowledge gaps. Zcchc11 deficiency had no impact on embryogenesis or fetal development, but it significantly decreased survival and growth immediately following birth, indicating a role for this enzyme in early postnatal fitness. Deep sequencing of small RNAs from neonatal livers revealed roles of this enzyme in miRNA sequence diversity. Zcchc11 deficiency diminished the lengths and terminal uridine frequencies for diverse mature miRNAs, but it had no influence on the quantities of any miRNAs. The expression of IGF-1, a liver-derived protein essential to early growth and survival, was enhanced by Zcchc11 expression in vitro, and miRNA silencing of IGF-1 was alleviated by uridylation events observed to be Zcchc11-dependent in the neonatal liver. In neonatal mice, Zcchc11 deficiency significantly decreased IGF-1 mRNA in the liver and IGF-1 protein in the blood. We conclude that the Zcchc11-mediated terminal uridylation of mature miRNAs is pervasive and physiologically significant, especially important in the neonatal period for fostering IGF-1 expression and enhancing postnatal growth and survival. We propose that the miRNA 3' terminus is a regulatory node upon which multiple enzymes converge to direct silencing activity and tune gene expression.

  2. Growth of Listeria spp. in shredded cabbage is enhanced by a mild heat treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ells, Timothy C; Truelstrup Hansen, Lisbeth

    2010-03-01

    Mild thermal processing can enhance the shelf life of cut fruits and vegetables by delaying the onset of spoilage and preserving the organoleptic properties of shredded cabbage. However, food safety issues related to this process have not been fully investigated. Therefore, the survival and growth of Listeria spp. on cabbage treated in this manner was examined. Experimentally, 24 strains of Listeria spp. (including L. monocytogenes) were inoculated onto cut and intact cabbage tissues and stored at 5 degrees C. All strains on intact tissues exhibited a moderate decline in numbers (up to 1.0 log CFU/cm(2)) over the 28-day storage period. Conversely, cut tissue supported growth of most strains during the first 7 to 14 days of incubation with maximum increases of 1.2 log CFU/cm(2). Subsequently, the survival or growth on heat-treated (50 degrees C for 3 min) and untreated shredded cabbage of four L. monocytogenes and four nonpathogenic Listeria spp. strains were compared during storage for 21 days at 5 degrees C. Growth on untreated shred for all strains was similar to the results observed on cut tissue with a maximum increase of approximately 1.0 log CFU/g. However, in the heat-treated cabbage shred all strains displayed a rapid increase in growth (up to 2.5 log CFU/g) during the first 7 days of incubation, which may be indicative of the destruction of an endogenous growth-inhibiting compound within the cabbage. In conclusion, this study shows that mild thermal treatments of cut cabbage may promote pathogen growth if other inimical barriers are not implemented downstream of the thermal treatment.

  3. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) and fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) autocrine enhance breast cancer cells survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiong, Kai Hung; Tan, Boon Shing; Choo, Heng Lungh; Chung, Felicia Fei-Lei; Hii, Ling-Wei; Tan, Si Hoey; Khor, Nelson Tze Woei; Wong, Shew Fung; See, Sze-Jia; Tan, Yuen-Fen; Rosli, Rozita; Cheong, Soon-Keng; Leong, Chee-Onn

    2016-09-06

    Basal-like breast cancer is an aggressive tumor subtype with poor prognosis. The discovery of underlying mechanisms mediating tumor cell survival, and the development of novel agents to target these pathways, is a priority for patients with basal-like breast cancer. From a functional screen to identify key drivers of basal-like breast cancer cell growth, we identified fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) as a potential mediator of cell survival. We found that FGFR4 mediates cancer cell survival predominantly via activation of PI3K/AKT. Importantly, a subset of basal-like breast cancer cells also secrete fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), a canonical ligand specific for FGFR4. siRNA-mediated silencing of FGF19 or neutralization of extracellular FGF19 by anti-FGF19 antibody (1A6) decreases AKT phosphorylation, suppresses cancer cell growth and enhances doxorubicin sensitivity only in the FGFR4+/FGF19+ breast cancer cells. Consistently, FGFR4/FGF19 co-expression was also observed in 82 out of 287 (28.6%) primary breast tumors, and their expression is strongly associated with AKT phosphorylation, Ki-67 staining, higher tumor stage and basal-like phenotype. In summary, our results demonstrated the presence of an FGFR4/FGF19 autocrine signaling that mediates the survival of a subset of basal-like breast cancer cells and suggest that inactivation of this autocrine loop may potentially serve as a novel therapeutic intervention for future treatment of breast cancers.

  4. Selective Regulation of Oocyte Meiotic Events Enhances Progress in Fertility Preservation Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Onder Celik

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Following early embryonic germ cell migration, oocytes are surrounded by somatic cells and remain arrested at diplotene stage until luteinizing hormone (LH surge. Strict regulation of both meiotic arrest and meiotic resumption during dormant stage are critical for future fertility. Intercellular signaling system between the somatic compartment and oocyte regulates these meiotic events and determines the follicle quality. As well as the collected number of eggs, their qualities are also important for in vitro fertilization (IVF outcome. In spontaneous and IVF cycles, germinal vesicle (GV–stage oocytes, premature GV breakdown, and persistence of first meiotic arrest limit the reproductive performance. Likewise, both women with premature ovarian aging and young cancer women are undergoing chemoradiotherapy under the risk of follicle loss because of unregulated meiotic events. Understanding of oocyte meiotic events is therefore critical for the prevention of functional ovarian reserve. High levels of cyclic guanosine monophophate (cGMP, cyclic adenosine monophophate (cAMP and low phosphodiesterase (PDE 3A enzyme activity inside the oocyte are responsible for maintaining of meiotic arrest before the LH surge. cGMP is produced in the somatic compartment, and natriuretic peptide precursor C (Nppc and natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (Npr2 regulate its production. cGMP diffuses into the oocyte and reduces the PDE3A activity, which inhibits the conversion of cAMP to the 5′AMP, and cAMP levels are enhanced. In addition, oocyte itself has the ability to produce cAMP. Taken together, accumulation of cAMP inside the oocyte induces protein kinase activity, which leads to the inhibition of maturation-promoting factor and meiotic arrest also continues. By stimulating the expression of epidermal growth factor, LH inhibits the Nppc/Npr2 system, blocks cGMP synthesis, and initiates meiotic resumption. Oocytes lacking the functional of this pathway may lead to

  5. Low doses of glyphosate enhance growth, CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance and transpiration in sugarcane and eucalyptus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sublethal doses of herbicides can enhance plant growth and stimulate other process, an effect known as hormesis. The magnitude of hormesis is dependent on the plant species, the herbicide and its dose, plant development stage, and environmental parameters. Glyphosate hormesis is well established, bu...

  6. In situ growth rate measurements during plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition of vertically aligned multiwall carbon nanotube films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joensson, M; Nerushev, O A; Campbell, E E B

    2007-01-01

    In situ laser reflectivity measurements are used to monitor the growth of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films grown by DC plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) from an iron catalyst film deposited on a silicon wafer. In contrast to thermal CVD growth, there is no initial increase in the growth rate; instead, the initial growth rate is high (as much as 10 μm min -1 ) and then drops off rapidly to reach a steady level (2 μm min -1 ) for times beyond 1 min. We show that a limiting factor for growing thick films of multiwalled nanotubes (MWNTs) using PECVD can be the formation of an amorphous carbon layer at the top of the growing nanotubes. In situ reflectivity measurements provide a convenient technique for detecting the onset of the growth of this layer

  7. The mechanism of indium-assisted growth of (In)GaN nanorods: eliminating nanorod coalescence by indium-enhanced atomic migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Zhenzhu; Yu, Yuefeng; Han, Jinglei; Wen, Lei; Gao, Fangliang; Zhang, Shuguang; Li, Guoqiang

    2017-11-09

    Both well vertically aligned and uniformly separated (In)GaN nanorods (NRs) were successfully grown on Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Effects of supplied indium (In) flux on the morphology of (In)GaN NRs were investigated systematically. The scanning electron microscopic analysis and transmission electron microscopic measurements revealed that the presence of In flux can help to inhibit NR coalescence and obtain well-separated (In)GaN NRs. By increasing the supplied In flux, the densities of (In)GaN NRs decreased and the axial growth rates increased. According to the energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry measurements and theoretical calculations, the increase of In content of the NRs enhanced Ga diffusion on the NR sidewalls, which resulted in an increased axial growth rate. A kinetic In-assisted growth model for the well-separated (In)GaN NRs is therefore proposed. The model explains that the presence of In flux not only reduces the density of (In)GaN NRs due to the increase in substrate surface migration of Ga adatoms at nucleation stage but also lead to a remarkable enhancement of axial growth rate at growth stage. Consequently, the NR coalescence was significantly suppressed. The results provide a demonstration of obtaining well-separated (In)GaN NRs and open up further possibility of developing (In)GaN NR-based optoelectronic devices.

  8. Long-term insulin-like growth factor-I expression in skeletal muscles attenuates the enhanced in vitro proliferation ability of the resident satellite cells in transgenic mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakravarthy, M. V.; Fiorotto, M. L.; Schwartz, R. J.; Booth, F. W.

    2001-01-01

    Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) overexpression for 1-month in mouse skeletal muscle increases satellite cell proliferation potential. However, it is unknown whether this beneficial enhancement by IGF-I expression would persist over a longer-term duration in aged mice. This is an important issue to address if a prolonged course of IGF-I is to be used clinically in muscle-wasting conditions where satellite cells may become limiting. Using the IGF-I transgenic (IGF-I Tg) mouse that selectively expresses the IGF-I transgene in striated muscles, we found that 18-months of continuous IGF-I overexpression led to a loss in the enhanced in vitro proliferative capacity of satellite cells from Tg skeletal muscles. Also 18-month-old IGF-I Tg satellite cells lost the enhanced BrdU incorporation, greater pRb and Akt phosphorylations, and decreased p27(Kip1) levels initially observed in cells from 1-month-old IGF-I Tg mice. The levels of those biochemical markers reverted to similar values seen in the 18-months WT littermates. These findings, therefore, suggest that there is no further beneficial effect on enhancing satellite cell proliferation ability with persistent long-term expression of IGF-I in skeletal muscles of these transgenic mice.

  9. Enhanced absorption and growth inhibition with amino acid monoester prodrugs of floxuridine by targeting hPEPT1 transporters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsume, Yasuhiro; Vig, Balvinder S; Sun, Jing; Landowski, Christopher P; Hilfinger, John M; Ramachandran, Chandrasekharan; Amidon, Gordon L

    2008-06-28

    A series of amino acid monoester prodrugs of floxuridine was synthesized and evaluated for the improvement of oral bioavailability and the feasibility of target drug delivery via oligopeptide transporters. All floxuridine 5'-amino acid monoester prodrugs exhibited PEPT1 affinity, with inhibition coefficients of Gly-Sar uptake (IC50) ranging from 0.7 - 2.3 mM in Caco-2 and 2.0 - 4.8 mM in AsPC-1 cells, while that of floxuridine was 7.3 mM and 6.3 mM, respectively. Caco-2 membrane permeabilities of floxuridine prodrugs (1.01 - 5.31 x 10(-6 )cm/sec) and floxuridine (0.48 x 10(-6 )cm/sec) were much higher than that of 5-FU (0.038 x 10(-6) cm/sec). MDCK cells stably transfected with the human oligopeptide transporter PEPT1 (MDCK/hPEPT1) exhibited enhanced cell growth inhibition in the presence of the prodrugs. This prodrug strategy offers great potential, not only for increased drug absorption but also for improved tumor selectivity and drug efficacy.

  10. Engineering DNA Backbone Interactions Results in TALE Scaffolds with Enhanced 5-Methylcytosine Selectivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rathi, Preeti; Witte, Anna; Summerer, Daniel

    2017-11-08

    Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) are DNA major-groove binding proteins widely used for genome targeting. TALEs contain an N-terminal region (NTR) and a central repeat domain (CRD). Repeats of the CRD selectively recognize each one DNA nucleobase, offering programmability. Moreover, repeats with selectivity for 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and its oxidized derivatives can be designed for analytical applications. However, both TALE domains also nonspecifically interact with DNA phosphates via basic amino acids. To enhance the 5mC selectivity of TALEs, we aimed to decrease the nonselective binding energy of TALEs. We substituted basic amino acids with alanine in the NTR and identified TALE mutants with increased selectivity. We then analysed conserved, DNA phosphate-binding KQ diresidues in CRD repeats and identified further improved mutants. Combination of mutations in the NTR and CRD was highly synergetic and resulted in TALE scaffolds with up to 4.3-fold increased selectivity in genomic 5mC analysis via affinity enrichment. Moreover, transcriptional activation in HEK293T cells by a TALE-VP64 construct based on this scaffold design exhibited a 3.5-fold increased 5mC selectivity. This provides perspectives for improved 5mC analysis and for the 5mC-conditional control of TALE-based editing constructs in vivo.

  11. Feature-size dependent selective edge enhancement of x-ray images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herman, S.

    1988-01-01

    Morphological filters are nonlinear signal transformations that operate on a picture directly in the space domain. Such filters are based on the theory of mathematical morphology previously formulated. The filt4er being presented here features a ''mask'' operator (called a ''structuring element'' in some of the literature) which is a function of the two spatial coordinates x and y. The two basic mathematical operations are called ''masked erosion'' and ''masked dilation''. In the case of masked erosion the mask is passed over the input image in a raster pattern. At each position of the mask, the pixel values under the mask are multiplied by the mask pixel values. Then the output pixel value, located at the center position of the mask,is set equal to the minimum of the product of the mask and input values. Similarity, for masked dilation, the output pixel value is the maximum of the product of the input and the mask pixel values. The two basic processes of dilation and erosion can be used to construct the next level of operations the ''positive sieve'' (also called ''opening'') and the ''negative sieve'' (''closing''). The positive sieve modifies the peaks in the image whereas the negative sieve works on image valleys. The positive sieve is implemented by passing the output of the masked erosion step through the masked dilation function. The negative sieve reverses this procedure, using a dilation followed by an erosion. Each such sifting operator is characterized by a ''hole size''. It will be shown that the choice of hole size will select the range of pixel detail sizes which are to be enhanced. The shape of the mask will govern the shape of the enhancement. Finally positive sifting is used to enhance positive-going (peak) features, whereas negative enhances the negative-going (valley) landmarks

  12. Mountain pine beetle selectivity in old-growth ponderosa pine forests, Montana, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knapp, Paul A; Soulé, Peter T; Maxwell, Justin T

    2013-05-01

    A historically unprecedented mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreak affected western Montana during the past decade. We examined radial growth rates (AD 1860-2007/8) of co-occurring mature healthy and MPB-infected ponderosa pine trees collected at two sites (Cabin Gulch and Kitchen Gulch) in western Montana and: (1) compared basal area increment (BAI) values within populations and between sites; (2) used carbon isotope analysis to calculate intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) at Cabin Gulch; and (3) compared climate-growth responses using a suite of monthly climatic variables. BAI values within populations and between sites were similar until the last 20-30 years, at which point the visually healthy populations had consistently higher BAI values (22-34%) than the MPB-infected trees. These results suggest that growth rates two-three decades prior to the current outbreak diverged between our selected populations, with the slower-growing trees being more vulnerable to beetle infestation. Both samples from Cabin Gulch experienced upward trends in iWUE, with significant regime shifts toward higher iWUE beginning in 1955-59 for the visually healthy trees and 1960-64 for the MPB-infected trees. Drought tolerance also varied between the two populations with the visually healthy trees having higher growth rates than MPB-infected trees prior to infection during a multi-decadal period of drying summertime conditions. Intrinsic water-use efficiency significantly increased for both populations during the past 150 years, but there were no significant differences between the visually healthy and MPB-infected chronologies.

  13. Hoxa2 Selectively Enhances Meis Binding to Change a Branchial Arch Ground State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amin, Shilu; Donaldson, Ian J.; Zannino, Denise A.; Hensman, James; Rattray, Magnus; Losa, Marta; Spitz, François; Ladam, Franck; Sagerström, Charles; Bobola, Nicoletta

    2015-01-01

    Summary Hox transcription factors (TFs) are essential for vertebrate development, but how these evolutionary conserved proteins function in vivo remains unclear. Because Hox proteins have notoriously low binding specificity, they are believed to bind with cofactors, mainly homeodomain TFs Pbx and Meis, to select their specific targets. We mapped binding of Meis, Pbx, and Hoxa2 in the branchial arches, a series of segments in the developing vertebrate head. Meis occupancy is largely similar in Hox-positive and -negative arches. Hoxa2, which specifies second arch (IIBA) identity, recognizes a subset of Meis prebound sites that contain Hox motifs. Importantly, at these sites Meis binding is strongly increased. This enhanced Meis binding coincides with active enhancers, which are linked to genes highly expressed in the IIBA and regulated by Hoxa2. These findings show that Hoxa2 operates as a tissue-specific cofactor, enhancing Meis binding to specific sites that provide the IIBA with its anatomical identity. PMID:25640223

  14. 2D ultrathin core-shell Pd@Ptmonolayer nanosheets: defect-mediated thin film growth and enhanced oxygen reduction performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wenxin; Zhao, Yunfeng; Ding, Yi

    2015-07-01

    An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured d@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit nearly seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst.An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured d@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit nearly seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Sample preparation, physical and electrochemical characterization, Fig. S1 to S11. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02748a

  15. The archetype enhancer of simian virus 40 DNA is duplicated during virus growth in human cells and rhesus monkey kidney cells but not in green monkey kidney cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Neill, Frank J.; Greenlee, John E.; Carney, Helen

    2003-01-01

    Archetype SV40, obtained directly from its natural host, is characterized by a single 72-bp enhancer element. In contrast, SV40 grown in cell culture almost invariably exhibits partial or complete duplication of the enhancer region. This distinction has been considered important in studies of human tumor material, since SV40-associated tumor isolates have been described having a single enhancer region, suggesting natural infection as opposed to possible contamination by laboratory strains of virus. However, the behavior of archetypal SV40 in cultured cells has never been methodically studied. In this study we reengineered nonarchetypal 776-SV40 to contain a single 72-bp enhancer region and used this reengineered archetypal DNA to transfect a number of simian and human cell lines. SV40 DNA recovered from these cells was analyzed by restriction endonuclease analysis, PCR, and DNA sequencing. Reengineered archetype SV40 propagated in green monkey TC-7 or BSC-1 kidney cells remained without enhancer region duplication even after extensive serial virus passage. Archetype SV40 grown in all but one of the rhesus or human cell lines initially appeared exclusively archetypal. However, when virus from these cell types was transferred to green monkey cells, variants with partial enhancer duplication appeared after as little as a single passage. These findings suggest (1) that virus with a single 72-bp enhancer may persist in cultured cells of simian and human origin; (2) that variants with partially duplicated enhancer regions may arise within cell lines in quantities below limits of detection; (3) that these variants may enjoy a selective advantage in cell types other than those from which they arose (e.g., green monkey kidney cells); and (4) that certain cell lines may support a selective growth advantage for the variants without supporting their formation. Our data indicate that enhancer duplication may also occur in human as well as rhesus kidney cells. Thus, detection of

  16. Modified chemically defined medium for enhanced respiratory growth of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricciardi, A; Ianniello, R G; Parente, E; Zotta, T

    2015-09-01

    Members of the Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum groups are capable of aerobic and respiratory growth. However, they grow poorly in aerobiosis in the currently available chemically defined media, suggesting that aerobic and respiratory growth require further supplementation. The effect of Tween 80, L-alanine, L-asparagine, L-aspartate, L-proline and L-serine on anaerobic and respiratory growth of Lact. casei N87 was investigated using a 2(5) factorial design. The effectiveness of modified CDM (mCDM) was validated on 21 strains of Lact. casei and Lact. plantarum groups. Tween 80 supplementation did not affect anaerobic growth, but improved respiratory growth. L-asparagine, L-proline and L-serine were stimulatory for respiring cells, while the presence of L-aspartate, generally, impaired biomass production. mCDM promoted the growth of Lact. casei and Lact. plantarum, with best results for strains showing a respiratory phenotype. The nutritional requirements of anaerobic and respiratory cultures of members of the Lact. casei and Lact. plantarum groups differ. Tween 80 and selected amino acids derived from pathways related to TCA cycle, pyruvate conversion and NADH recycling are required for respiration. The availability of mCDM will facilitate the study of aerobic metabolism of lactobacilli under controlled conditions. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  17. Development of women's human capital and its impact on economic growth and total factor productivity: A case study of selected OECD countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hajar Mostafaee

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Experiences of developed countries and various studies in the context of economic growth of developing countries have shown that economic growth is not only explained by physical capital and labor force but also, and more importantly, by human capital. The later variable should be entered, as a major determinant, in the endogenous growth model. With the concern of important role of human capital in this research, the primary objective of this paper is to explore the effect of gender discrimination of human capital on economic growth and factor productivity in Iran and the selected OECD countries. More specifically, to indicate the economic capability of educated females, we use data of the considered countries over the period 1974-2008, to estimate the relevant models of growth and productivity. The implication is to compare the empirical results obtained for Iran and the selected developed countries.

  18. A Fat-Facets-Dscam1-JNK Pathway Enhances Axonal Growth in Development and after Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Koch

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Injury to the adult central nervous systems (CNS can result in severe long-term disability because damaged CNS connections fail to regenerate after trauma. Identification of regulators that enhance the intrinsic growth capacity of severed axons is a first step to restore function. Here, we conducted a gain-of-function genetic screen in Drosophila to identify strong inducers of axonal growth after injury. We focus on a novel axis the Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (Dscam1, the de-ubiquitinating enzyme Fat Facets (Faf/Usp9x and the Jun N-Terminal Kinase (JNK pathway transcription factor Kayak (Kay/Fos. Genetic and biochemical analyses link these genes in a common signaling pathway whereby Faf stabilizes Dscam1 protein levels, by acting on the 3′-UTR of its mRNA, and Dscam1 acts upstream of the growth-promoting JNK signal. The mammalian homolog of Faf, Usp9x/FAM, shares both the regenerative and Dscam1 stabilizing activities, suggesting a conserved mechanism.

  19. Nimotuzumab enhances temozolomide?induced growth suppression of glioma cells expressing mutant EGFR in vivo

    OpenAIRE

    Nitta, Yusuke; Shimizu, Saki; Shishido?Hara, Yukiko; Suzuki, Kaori; Shiokawa, Yoshiaki; Nagane, Motoo

    2016-01-01

    Abstract A mutant form of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), EGFRvIII, is common in glioblastoma (GBM) and confers enhanced tumorigenic activity and drug resistance. Nimotuzumab, an anti?EGFR antibody, has shown preclinical and clinical activity to GBM, but its specific activity against EGFRvIII has not been fully investigated. Human glioma U87MG or LNZ308 cells overexpressing either wild?type (wt) EGFR or EGFRvIII were treated with nimotuzumab, temozolomide, or both. Expression and pho...

  20. Growth Related Carrier Mobility Enhancement of Pentacene Thin-Film Transistors with High-k Oxide Gate Dielectric

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ai-Fang, Yu; Qiong, Qi; Peng, Jiang; Chao, Jiang

    2009-01-01

    Carrier mobility enhancement from 0.09 to 0.59 cm 2 /Vs is achieved for pentacene-based thin-film transistors (TFTs) by modifying the HfO 2 gate dielectric with a polystyrene (PS) thin film. The improvement of the transistor's performance is found to be strongly related to the initial film morphologies of pentacene on the dielectrics. In contrast to the three-dimensional island-like growth mode on the HfO 2 surface, the Stranski-Krastanov growth mode on the smooth and nonpolar PS/HfO 2 surface is believed to be the origin of the excellent carrier mobility of the TFTs. A large well-connected first monolayer with fewer boundaries is formed via the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode, which facilitates a charge transport parallel to the substrate and promotes higher carrier mobility. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

  1. EVALUATION OF THE GROWTH OF SELECTED LACTOBACILLI IN PSEUDOCEREAL SUBSTRATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denisa Liptáková

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The growth dynamics of Lactobacillus spp. in sweet water- and milk-based substrates from cooked buckwheat and amaranth flour were studied in this work. The numbers of lactobacilli were observed during fermentation in 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 °C and storage (3 weeks at 6 °C. The earned data and estimated growth parameters showed that certain strains grew well in the milk-based gruels, even water-based amaranth gruel. This was also the case of the species under study characterized with the fastest growth. Based on the rates, only the strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and VT1 were able to grow with the values higher than 0.6 log CFU.ml-1.h-1 that can be expressed as the times to double (td lower than 0.5 h. This was found in both the amaranth and buckwheat milk-based gruels and water-based amaranth gruels but fermented only by the probiotic GG strain. The 3-week storage tests aimed on survival of the lactobacilli at 6 °C showed minimal decrease of the counts in buckwheat gruels with the average rates of -0.084 and -0.004 log CFU.ml-1.d-1 in water- and milk-based gruels, respectively. On the other hand in amaranth gruels, the numbers of lactobacilli slightly increased with the rate of 0.02 log CFU.ml-1.d-1, on average. The results of this pilot study pointed out that the selection of suitable lactic acid bacteria should be performed for optimal fermentation of pseudo-cereal substrates. The numbers of lactobacilli at the end of fermentation were not or very slightly affected by the type of substrate at 6 °C during three weeks.doi:10.5219/169

  2. Overexpression of plasma membrane H+-ATPase in guard cells promotes light-induced stomatal opening and enhances plant growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yin; Noguchi, Ko; Ono, Natsuko; Inoue, Shin-ichiro; Terashima, Ichiro; Kinoshita, Toshinori

    2014-01-07

    Stomatal pores surrounded by a pair of guard cells in the plant epidermis control gas exchange between plants and the atmosphere in response to light, CO2, and the plant hormone abscisic acid. Light-induced stomatal opening is mediated by at least three key components: the blue light receptor phototropin (phot1 and phot2), plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase, and plasma membrane inward-rectifying K(+) channels. Very few attempts have been made to enhance stomatal opening with the goal of increasing photosynthesis and plant growth, even though stomatal resistance is thought to be the major limiting factor for CO2 uptake by plants. Here, we show that transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing H(+)-ATPase using the strong guard cell promoter GC1 showed enhanced light-induced stomatal opening, photosynthesis, and plant growth. The transgenic plants produced larger and increased numbers of rosette leaves, with ∼42-63% greater fresh and dry weights than the wild type in the first 25 d of growth. The dry weights of total flowering stems of 45-d-old transgenic plants, including seeds, siliques, and flowers, were ∼36-41% greater than those of the wild type. In addition, stomata in the transgenic plants closed normally in response to darkness and abscisic acid. In contrast, the overexpression of phototropin or inward-rectifying K(+) channels in guard cells had no effect on these phenotypes. These results demonstrate that stomatal aperture is a limiting factor in photosynthesis and plant growth, and that manipulation of stomatal opening by overexpressing H(+)-ATPase in guard cells is useful for the promotion of plant growth.

  3. Marked stimulation of growth and motility of human keratinocytes by hepatocyte growth factor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, K.; Hashimoto, K.; Yoshikawa, K.; Nakamura, T.

    1991-01-01

    Effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on normal human epidermal keratinocytes cultured under conditions of low Ca2+ (0.1 mM, growth-promoting condition) and physiological Ca2+ (1.8 mM, differentiation-promoting condition) was investigated. In low Ca2+, HGF markedly enhanced the migration of keratinocytes while it suppressed cell growth and DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, HGF enhanced the migration, cell growth, and DNA synthesis of keratinocytes cultured under conditions of physiological Ca2+. The maximal stimulation of DNA synthesis (2.4-fold stimulation) in physiological Ca2+ was seen at 2.5-5 ng/ml HGF and the stimulatory effect of HGF was suppressed by transforming growth factor-beta 1. Analysis of the HGF receptor using 125I-HGF as a ligand showed that human keratinocytes expressed a single class of specific, saturable receptor for HGF in both low and physiological Ca2+ conditions, exhibiting a Kd = 17.3 pM and approximately 690 binding sites/cell under physiological Ca2+. Thus, HGF is a potent factor which enhances growth and migration of normal human keratinocytes under conditions of physiological Ca2+. HGF may play an important role in epidermal tissue repair as it enhances both the migration and growth of keratinocytes

  4. Selection of phosphorus solubilizing bacteria with biocontrol potential for growth in phosphorus rich animal bone charcoal

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Postma, J.; Nijhuis, E.H.; Sommeus, E.

    2010-01-01

    Bacteria with the ability to solubilize phosphorus (P) and to improve plant health were selected and tested for growth and survival in P-rich animal bone charcoal (ABC). ABC is suggested to be suitable as a carrier for biocontrol agents, offering them a protected niche as well as delivering

  5. A non-destructive selection method for faster growth at suboptimal temperature in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drijfhout, E.; Oeveren, J.C. van; Jansen, R.C.

    1991-01-01

    A non-destructive method has been developed to select common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants whose growth is less effected at a suboptimal temperature. Shoot weight was determined at a suboptimal (14°C) and optimal temperature (20°C), 38 days after sowing and accessions identified with a

  6. Development of an affinity-matured humanized anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody for cancer immunotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakanishi, Takeshi; Maru, Takamitsu; Tahara, Kazuhiro; Sanada, Hideaki; Umetsu, Mitsuo; Asano, Ryutaro; Kumagai, Izumi

    2013-02-01

    We showed previously that humanization of 528, a murine anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody, causes reduced affinity for its target. Here, to improve the affinity of the humanized antibody for use in cancer immunotherapy, we constructed phage display libraries focused on the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of the antibody and carried out affinity selection. Two-step selections using libraries constructed in a stepwise manner enabled a 32-fold affinity enhancement of humanized 528 (h528). Thermodynamic analysis of the interactions between the variable domain fragment of h528 (h528Fv) mutants and the soluble extracellular domain of EGFR indicated that the h528Fv mutants obtained from the first selection showed a large increase in negative enthalpy change due to binding, resulting in affinity enhancement. Furthermore, mutants from the second selection showed a decrease in entropy loss, which led to further affinity maturation. These results suggest that a single mutation in the heavy chain variable domain (i.e. Tyr(52) to Trp) enthalpically contributed for overcoming the energetic barrier to the antigen-antibody interaction, which was a major hurdle for the in vitro affinity maturation of h528. We reported previously that the humanized bispecific diabody hEx3 Db, which targets EGFR and CD3, shows strong anti-tumor activity. hEx3 Db mutants, in which the variable domains of h528 were replaced with those of the affinity-enhanced mutants, were prepared and characterized. In a growth inhibition assay of tumor cells, the hEx3 Db mutants showed stronger anti-tumor activity than that of hEx3 Db, suggesting that affinity enhancement of h528Fv enhances the anti-tumor activity of the bispecific diabody.

  7. Enhanced fluidity liquid chromatography of inulin fructans using ternary solvent strength and selectivity gradients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Raffeal; Olesik, Susan V

    2018-01-25

    The value of exploring selectivity and solvent strength ternary gradients in enhanced fluidity liquid chromatography (EFLC) is demonstrated for the separation of inulin-type fructans from chicory. Commercial binary pump systems for supercritical fluid chromatography only allow for the implementation of ternary solvent strength gradients which can be restrictive for the separation of polar polymeric analytes. In this work, a custom system was designed to extend the capability of EFLC to allow tuning of selectivity or solvent strength in ternary gradients. Gradient profiles were evaluated using the Berridge function (RF 1 ), normalized resolution product (NRP), and gradient peak capacity (P c ). Selectivity gradients provided the separation of more analytes over time. The RF 1 function showed favor to selectivity gradients with comparable P c to that of solvent strength gradients. NRP did not strongly correlate with P c or RF 1 score. EFLC with the hydrophilic interaction chromatography, HILIC, separation mode was successfully employed to separate up to 47 fructan analytes in less than 25 min using a selectivity gradient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Selection of High Oil Yielding Trees of Millettia pinnata (L. Panigrahi, Vegetative Propagation and Growth in the Field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ni Luh Arpiwi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Millettia pinnata (L. Panigrahi is a potential legume tree that produces seed oil for biodiesel feedstock. The initial step for raising a large-scale plantation of the species is selection of high oil yielding trees from the natural habitat. This is followed by vegetative propagation of the selected trees and then testing the growth of the clone in the field.  The aim of the present study was to select high-oil yielding trees of M. pinnata, to propagate the selected trees by budding and to evaluate the survival and growth of budded plants in the field. Pods were collected from 30 trees in Lovina Beach, Buleleng Regency, Bali. Oil was extracted from seeds using soxhlet with hexane as a solvent.  The high oil yielding trees were propagated by budding using root stocks grown from M. pinnata seeds.  Scions were taken from young branches of selected trees. Incision was made on rootstock and the same size of cut was made on a scion containing a single bud.  The scion was inserted to the incision of rootstock then closed tightly using plastic strips.   The plastic was removed when the scion grew into a little green shoot. One month after plastic removal, the scion union grew into a single shoot and then the budded plants were removed to polybags. Budded plants were planted in the field of Bukit Jimbaran, Badung Regency, Bali with 4 × 4 spacing. Results showed all budded plants successfully grow new shoots. Two months after planting the survival of budded plants was 100%. Plant height increased by 22.13 cm, stem diameter increased by 2.43 mm and the number of compound leaf increased by 2.08.  It can be concluded that four high oil yielding trees were selected from Lovina Beach and successfully propagated by budding. Survival of budded plants was 100% with vigorous growth.

  9. A novel medium for the enhanced cell growth and production of prodigiosin from Serratia marcescens isolated from soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muthukumaran Geetha

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prodigiosin produced by Serratia marcescens is a promising drug owing to its reported characteristics of having antifungal, immunosuppressive and antiproliferative activity. From an industrial point of view the necessity to obtain a suitable medium to simultaneously enhance the growth of Serratia marcescens and the pigment production was the aim of this work. The usage of individual fatty acid as substrate in industries would be cost-effective in the long run and this paved the way for us to try the effect of different fatty acid-containing seeds and oils of peanut, sesame and coconut as source of substrate. Results The addition of sugars only showed slight enhancement of prodigiosin production in nutrient broth but not in fatty acid containing seed medium. The powdered peanut broth had supported better growth of Serratia marcescens and higher yield of prodigiosin when compared with the existing nutrient broth and peptone glycerol broth. A block in prodigiosin production was seen above 30°C in nutrient broth, but the fatty acid seed medium used by us supported prodigiosin production upto 42°C though the yields were lower than what was obtained at 28°C. From the results, the fatty acid form of carbon source has a role to play in enhanced cell growth and prodigiosin production. Conclusion We conclude by reporting that the powdered and sieved peanut seed of different quality grades were consistent in yielding a fourty fold increase in prodigiosin production over the existing media. A literature survey on the composition of the different media components in nutrient broth, peptone glycerol broth and the fatty acid containing seeds and oils enabled us to propose that the saturated form of fatty acid has a role to play in enhanced cell growth and prodigiosin production. This work has also enabled us to report that the temperature related block of prodigiosin biosynthesis varies with different media and the powdered peanut broth

  10. Global transcriptomic profiling of aspen trees under elevated [CO2] to identify potential molecular mechanisms responsible for enhanced radial growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Hairong; Gou, Jiqing; Yordanov, Yordan; Zhang, Huaxin; Thakur, Ramesh; Jones, Wendy; Burton, Andrew

    2013-03-01

    Aspen (Populus tremuloides) trees growing under elevated [CO(2)] at a free-air CO(2) enrichment (FACE) site produced significantly more biomass than control trees. We investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed increase in biomass by producing transcriptomic profiles of the vascular cambium zone (VCZ) and leaves, and then performed a comparative study to identify significantly changed genes and pathways after 12 years exposure to elevated [CO(2)]. In leaves, elevated [CO(2)] enhanced expression of genes related to Calvin cycle activity and linked pathways. In the VCZ, the pathways involved in cell growth, cell division, hormone metabolism, and secondary cell wall formation were altered while auxin conjugation, ABA synthesis, and cytokinin glucosylation and degradation were inhibited. Similarly, the genes involved in hemicellulose and pectin biosynthesis were enhanced, but some genes that catalyze important steps in lignin biosynthesis pathway were inhibited. Evidence from systemic analysis supported the functioning of multiple molecular mechanisms that underpin the enhanced radial growth in response to elevated [CO(2)].

  11. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, escitalopram, enhances inhibition of prepotent responding and spatial reversal learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Holden D.; Amodeo, Dionisio A.; Sweeney, John A.; Ragozzino, Michael E.

    2011-01-01

    Previous findings indicate treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) facilitates behavioral flexibility when conditions require inhibition of a learned response pattern. The present experiment investigated whether acute treatment with the SSRI, escitalopram, affects behavioral flexibility when conditions require inhibition of a naturally-biased response pattern (elevated conflict test) and/or reversal of a learned response pattern (spatial reversal learning). An additional experiment was carried out to determine whether escitalopram, at doses that affected behavioral flexibility, also reduced anxiety as tested in the elevated plus-maze. In each experiment, Long-Evans rats received an intraperitoneal injection of either saline or escitalopram (0.03, 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg) 30 minutes prior to behavioral testing. Escitalopram, at all doses tested, enhanced acquisition in the elevated conflict test, but did not affect performance in the elevated plus-maze. Escitalopram (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) did not alter acquisition of the spatial discrimination, but facilitated reversal learning. In the elevated conflict and spatial reversal learning test, escitalopram enhanced the ability to maintain the relevant strategy after being initially selected. The present findings suggest that enhancing serotonin transmission with a SSRI facilitates inhibitory processes when conditions require a shift away from either a naturally-biased response pattern or a learned choice pattern. PMID:22219222

  12. Is Visual Selective Attention in Deaf Individuals Enhanced or Deficient? The Case of the Useful Field of View

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dye, Matthew W. G.; Hauser, Peter C.; Bavelier, Daphne

    2009-01-01

    Background Early deafness leads to enhanced attention in the visual periphery. Yet, whether this enhancement confers advantages in everyday life remains unknown, as deaf individuals have been shown to be more distracted by irrelevant information in the periphery than their hearing peers. Here, we show that, in a complex attentional task, a performance advantage results for deaf individuals. Methodology/Principal Findings We employed the Useful Field of View (UFOV) which requires central target identification concurrent with peripheral target localization in the presence of distractors – a divided, selective attention task. First, the comparison of deaf and hearing adults with or without sign language skills establishes that deafness and not sign language use drives UFOV enhancement. Second, UFOV performance was enhanced in deaf children, but only after 11 years of age. Conclusions/Significance This work demonstrates that, following early auditory deprivation, visual attention resources toward the periphery slowly get augmented to eventually result in a clear behavioral advantage by pre-adolescence on a selective visual attention task. PMID:19462009

  13. Compatibility of Azospirillum brasilense and Pseudomonas fluorescens in growth promotion of groundnut ( Arachis hypogea L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Andhare A; Babu, Subramanian

    2017-01-01

    We attempted to study the compatibility among plant beneficial bacteria in the culture level by growing them near in the nutrient agar plates. Among all the bacteria tested, Rhizobium was found to inhibit the growth of other bacteria. From the compatible group of PGPR, we have selected one biofertilizer (Azospirillum brasilense strain TNAU) and one biocontrol agent (Pseudomonas fluorescens strain PF1) for further studies in the pot culture. We have also developed a bioformulation which is talc powder based, for individual bacteria and mixed culture. This formulation was used as seed treatment, soil application, seedling root dip and foliar spray in groundnut crop in vitro germination conditions. A. brasilense was found to enhance the tap root growth and P. fluorescens, the lateral root growth. The other growth parameters like shoot growth, number of leaves were enhanced by the combination of both of the bacteria than their individual formulations. Among the method of application tested in our study, soil application was found to be the best in yielding better results of plant growth promotion.

  14. Compatibility of Azospirillum brasilense and Pseudomonas fluorescens in growth promotion of groundnut ( Arachis hypogea L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ANDHARE A. PRASAD

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT We attempted to study the compatibility among plant beneficial bacteria in the culture level by growing them near in the nutrient agar plates. Among all the bacteria tested, Rhizobium was found to inhibit the growth of other bacteria. From the compatible group of PGPR, we have selected one biofertilizer (Azospirillum brasilense strain TNAU and one biocontrol agent (Pseudomonas fluorescens strain PF1 for further studies in the pot culture. We have also developed a bioformulation which is talc powder based, for individual bacteria and mixed culture. This formulation was used as seed treatment, soil application, seedling root dip and foliar spray in groundnut crop in vitro germination conditions. A. brasilense was found to enhance the tap root growth and P. fluorescens, the lateral root growth. The other growth parameters like shoot growth, number of leaves were enhanced by the combination of both of the bacteria than their individual formulations. Among the method of application tested in our study, soil application was found to be the best in yielding better results of plant growth promotion.

  15. Enhancement of root growth and nitrogen fixation in Trigonella by UV-exclusion from solar radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Sonika; Guruprasad, K N

    2012-12-01

    A field experiment was conducted to study the impact of solar UV on root growth and nitrogen fixation in Trigonella foenum-graecum. Plants were grown in iron mesh cages covered with polyester filters that could specifically cut off UV-B (280-315 nm) or UV-A + B (280-400 nm) part of the solar spectrum. The control plants were grown under a polythene filter transmissible to UV. Root biomass, number of nodules and nodule fresh weight were enhanced after exclusion of solar UV. Nitrogenase activity was significantly enhanced by 120% and 80% in the UV-B and UV-A + B excluded plants respectively. Along with nitrogenase there was concomitant increase in leghemoglobin and hemechrome content in the nodules after exclusion of solar UV. These components of sunlight limits nitrogen fixation and their elimination can enhance nitrogen fixation with agricultural advantages like reduction in the use of fertilizers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. SELECTION AND TREATMENT OF STRIPPER GAS WELLS FOR PRODUCTION ENHANCEMENT, MOCANE-LAVERNE FIELD, OKLAHOMA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scott Reeves; Buckley Walsh

    2003-08-01

    In 1996, Advanced Resources International (ARI) began performing R&D targeted at enhancing production and reserves from natural gas fields. The impetus for the effort was a series of field R&D projects in the early-to-mid 1990's, in eastern coalbed methane and gas shales plays, where well remediation and production enhancement had been successfully demonstrated. As a first step in the R&D effort, an assessment was made of the potential for restimulation to provide meaningful reserve additions to the U.S. gas resource base, and what technologies were needed to do so. That work concluded that: (1) A significant resource base did exist via restimulation (multiples of Tcf). (2) The greatest opportunities existed in non-conventional plays where completion practices were (relatively) complex and technology advancement was rapid. (3) Accurate candidate selection is the greatest single factor that contributes to a successful restimulation program. With these findings, a field-oriented program targeted at tight sand formations was initiated to develop and demonstrate successful candidate recognition technology. In that program, which concluded in 2001, nine wells were restimulated in the Green River, Piceance and East Texas basins, which in total added 2.9 Bcf of reserves at an average cost of $0.26/Mcf. In addition, it was found that in complex and heterogeneous reservoirs (such as tight sand formations), candidate selection procedures should involve a combination of fundamental engineering and advanced pattern recognition approaches, and that simple statistical methods for identifying candidate wells are not effective. In mid-2000, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded ARI an R&D contract to determine if the methods employed in that project could also be applied to stripper gas wells. In addition, the ability of those approaches to identify more general production enhancement opportunities (beyond only restimulation), such as via artificial lift and compression

  17. A multi-phase approach to select new wine yeast strains with enhanced fermentative fitness and glutathione production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonciani, Tommaso; De Vero, Luciana; Mezzetti, Francesco; Fay, Justin C; Giudici, Paolo

    2018-03-01

    The genetic improvement of winemaking yeasts is a virtually infinite process, as the design of new strains must always cope with varied and ever-evolving production contexts. Good wine yeasts must feature both good primary traits, which are related to the overall fermentative fitness of the strain, and secondary traits, which provide accessory features augmenting its technological value. In this context, the superiority of "blind," genetic improvement techniques, as those based on the direct selection of the desired phenotype without prior knowledge of the genotype, was widely proven. Blind techniques such as adaptive evolution strategies were implemented for the enhancement of many traits of interest in the winemaking field. However, these strategies usually focus on single traits: this possibly leads to genetic tradeoff phenomena, where the selection of enhanced secondary traits might lead to sub-optimal primary fermentation traits. To circumvent this phenomenon, we applied a multi-step and strongly directed genetic improvement strategy aimed at combining a strong fermentative aptitude (primary trait) with an enhanced production of glutathione (secondary trait). We exploited the random genetic recombination associated to a library of 69 monosporic clones of strain UMCC 855 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to search for new candidates possessing both traits. This was achieved by consecutively applying three directional selective criteria: molybdate resistance (1), fermentative aptitude (2), and glutathione production (3). The strategy brought to the selection of strain 21T2-D58, which produces a high concentration of glutathione, comparable to that of other glutathione high-producers, still with a much greater fermentative aptitude.

  18. An apple oligogalactan enhances the growth inhibitory effect of 5-fluorouracil on colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuhua; Fan, Lei; Niu, Yinbo; Mian, Wenguang; Zhang, Feng; Xie, Ming; Sun, Yang; Mei, Qibing

    2017-06-05

    Treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a clinical challenge, since current therapies are associated with obvious side effects and high expenses. These limitations highlight an urgent need for developing novel and safe treatment strategies. It is suggested that combinatorial strategies could be more effective and much safer than monotherapy in cancer treatment. In our previous study, an apple oligogalactan (AOG) has been found to show beneficial effect on treating CRC. This study tried to investigate whether AOG could enhance the growth inhibitory effect of 5-FU in human CRC cells (HT-29 and SW-620), a mouse model of colitis associated colorectal cancer and a murine model of xenograft tumor. The IC 50 values of 5-FU were 26.70±0.21μM in HT-29 cells and 26.71±2.06μM in SW-620 cells. Pretreatment with 0.05 or 0.1mM AOG down-regulated IC 50 values of 5-FU to 22.44±1.01 or 18.67±1.16μM in HT-29 and 21.21±1.49 or 17.99±1.42μM in SW-620 cells. AOG enhanced 5-FU-induced cell apoptosis and S phase arrest. The combination not only protected ICR mice against intestinal toxicities and carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine and dextran sodium sulfate, but also decreased the xenograft tumor size, triggered apoptosis and inhibited proliferation of tumor cells in nude mice. The mechanisms of AOG on enhancing the growth inhibitory effect of 5-FU may be through the influence of TLR-4/NF-κB pathway. Taken together, the combinatorial therapy using AOG and 5-FU is a promising strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Enhanced attachment and growth of periodontal cells on glycine-arginine-glycine-aspartic modified chitosan membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiao-Pei Tu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Chitosan, a polymeric carbohydrate derived from the exoskeleton of arthropod, has been suggested to be an excellent biomaterial for improving wound healing, especially for bones. To improve the periodontal cell attachment and growth, the cell adhesive peptide glycine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp, GRGD grafted chitosan membrane was introduced in this study. Materials and Methods: Two types of commercial chitosan, three types of primary cultured cells, and two established cell lines were used. Human gingival and periodontal fibroblasts (hGF and hPDL, human root derived cell (hRDC, and rat calvaria bone cell (rCalB were cultured on the GRGD-fixed by ultraviolet light photochemical method on the chitosan membrane. With (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-5-[3-carboxymethoxyphenyl]-2-[4-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium assay and propidium iodine (PI staining, the cell adhesion and growth on GRGD-grafted chitosan were examined. Basal mRNA expressions of the receptors for GRGD, integrin αv (ITG αv and ITG β3, in the human gingival fibroblast cell line and mouse osteoblast cell line (MC3T3-E1 were examined with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Because the cell adhesion/growth patterns on two chitosan membranes were similar, the GRGD modification was performed on one membrane (Primex only. For periodontal cells (hGFs, hPDLs, and hRDCs, the number of attached cells were increased on the membrane with the high concentration of GRGD than those on the membrane unmodified or modified with low concentration GRGD. For rCalBs cells, a different pattern was noted: GRGD modification did not enhance the calvaria cells attachment or growth. Moreover, mRNA expressions of ITG αv and β3 in AG09319 cells were significantly higher than those in MC3T3-E1 cells. Conclusions: With the limitation of this study, we suggested that GRGD-modified chitosan, especially at high concentration, could enhance the growth of various periodontal

  20. Consensus definition and essential reporting parameters of selective fetal growth restriction in twin pregnancy: a Delphi procedure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Khalil, Asma; Beune, Irene; Hecher, Kurt; Wynia, Klaske; Ganzevoort, Wessel; Reed, Keith; Lewi, Liesbeth; Oepkes, Dick; Gratacos, Eduardo; Thilaganathan, Basky; Gordijn, Sanne J.

    2018-01-01

    Twin pregnancies complicated by selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) are associated with increased perinatal mortality and morbidity. Inconsistences in the diagnostic criteria for sFGR employed in existing studies hinder the ability to compare or combine their findings. It is therefore

  1. Enhancing the mathematical properties of new haplotype homozygosity statistics for the detection of selective sweeps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garud, Nandita R; Rosenberg, Noah A

    2015-06-01

    Soft selective sweeps represent an important form of adaptation in which multiple haplotypes bearing adaptive alleles rise to high frequency. Most statistical methods for detecting selective sweeps from genetic polymorphism data, however, have focused on identifying hard selective sweeps in which a favored allele appears on a single haplotypic background; these methods might be underpowered to detect soft sweeps. Among exceptions is the set of haplotype homozygosity statistics introduced for the detection of soft sweeps by Garud et al. (2015). These statistics, examining frequencies of multiple haplotypes in relation to each other, include H12, a statistic designed to identify both hard and soft selective sweeps, and H2/H1, a statistic that conditional on high H12 values seeks to distinguish between hard and soft sweeps. A challenge in the use of H2/H1 is that its range depends on the associated value of H12, so that equal H2/H1 values might provide different levels of support for a soft sweep model at different values of H12. Here, we enhance the H12 and H2/H1 haplotype homozygosity statistics for selective sweep detection by deriving the upper bound on H2/H1 as a function of H12, thereby generating a statistic that normalizes H2/H1 to lie between 0 and 1. Through a reanalysis of resequencing data from inbred lines of Drosophila, we show that the enhanced statistic both strengthens interpretations obtained with the unnormalized statistic and leads to empirical insights that are less readily apparent without the normalization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Controlled growth of high-density CdS and CdSe nanorod arrays on selective facets of two-dimensional semiconductor nanoplates

    KAUST Repository

    Wu, Xue-Jun

    2016-03-14

    The rational synthesis of hierarchical three-dimensional nanostructures with specific compositions, morphologies and functionalities is important for applications in a variety of fields ranging from energy conversion and electronics to biotechnology. Here, we report a seeded growth approach for the controlled epitaxial growth of three types of hierarchical one-dimensional (1D)/two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures, where nanorod arrays of II-VI semiconductor CdS or CdSe are grown on the selective facets of hexagonal-shaped nanoplates, either on the two basal facets of the nanoplate, or on one basal facet, or on the two basal facets and six side facets. The seed engineering of 2D hexagonal-shaped nanoplates is the key factor for growth of the three resulting types of 1D/2D nanostructures. The wurtzite- and zinc-blende-type polymorphs of semiconductors are used to determine the facet-selective epitaxial growth of 1D nanorod arrays, resulting in the formation of different hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures. © 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

  3. Inhibition of E. coli Growth by Nanodiamond and Graphene Oxide Enhanced by Luria-Bertani Medium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jira, Jaroslav; Rezek, Bohuslav; Kriha, Vitezslav; Artemenko, Anna; Matolínová, Iva; Skakalova, Viera; Stenclova, Pavla; Kromka, Alexander

    2018-03-01

    Nanodiamonds (NDs) and graphene oxide (GO) are modern carbon-based nanomaterials with promising features for the inhibition of microorganism growth ability. Here we compare the effects of nanodiamond and graphene oxide in both annealed (oxidized) and reduced (hydrogenated) forms in two types of cultivation media-Luria-Bertani (LB) and Mueller-Hinton (MH) broths. The comparison shows that the number of colony forming unit (CFU) of Escherichia coli is significantly lowered (45%) by all the nanomaterials in LB medium for at least 24 h against control. On the contrary, a significant long-term inhibition of E. coli growth (by 45%) in the MH medium is provided only by hydrogenated NDs terminated with C-H X groups. The use of salty agars did not enhance the inhibition effects of nanomaterials used, i.e. disruption of bacterial membrane or differences in ionic concentrations do not play any role in bactericidal effects of nanomaterials used. The specific role of the ND and GO on the enhancement of the oxidative stress of bacteria or possible wrapping bacteria by GO nanosheets, therefore isolating them from both the environment and nutrition was suggested. Analyses by infrared spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering corroborate these conclusions.

  4. Inhibition of E. coli Growth by Nanodiamond and Graphene Oxide Enhanced by Luria-Bertani Medium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaroslav Jira

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Nanodiamonds (NDs and graphene oxide (GO are modern carbon-based nanomaterials with promising features for the inhibition of microorganism growth ability. Here we compare the effects of nanodiamond and graphene oxide in both annealed (oxidized and reduced (hydrogenated forms in two types of cultivation media—Luria-Bertani (LB and Mueller-Hinton (MH broths. The comparison shows that the number of colony forming unit (CFU of Escherichia coli is significantly lowered (45% by all the nanomaterials in LB medium for at least 24 h against control. On the contrary, a significant long-term inhibition of E. coli growth (by 45% in the MH medium is provided only by hydrogenated NDs terminated with C-HX groups. The use of salty agars did not enhance the inhibition effects of nanomaterials used, i.e. disruption of bacterial membrane or differences in ionic concentrations do not play any role in bactericidal effects of nanomaterials used. The specific role of the ND and GO on the enhancement of the oxidative stress of bacteria or possible wrapping bacteria by GO nanosheets, therefore isolating them from both the environment and nutrition was suggested. Analyses by infrared spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering corroborate these conclusions.

  5. Evaluation of TFAM and FABP4 gene polymorphisms in three lines of Nellore cattle selected for growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayres, D R; Souza, F R P; Mercadante, M E Z; Fonseca, L F S; Tonhati, H; Cyrillo, J N S G; Bonilha, S F M; Albuquerque, L G

    2010-10-19

    We analyzed the polymorphisms TFAM HaeIII, TFAM MboI and FABP4 MspA1I in three Nellore lines selected for growth in order to evaluate how selection affects the frequencies of these polymorphisms and evaluate their association with growth and carcass traits in Zebu cattle. Birth, weaning and yearling weights, rump height, longissimus muscle area, backfat thickness, and rump fat thickness were analyzed. The sample was constituted of animals from two lines selected for yearling weight (NeS and NeT), and a control line (NeC), established in 1980, at the São Paulo Instituto de Zootecnia. Two hundred and seventy-two heifers were genotyped for TFAM gene SNPs, and 325 heifers were genotyped for the FABP4 SNP. High frequencies were observed for the alleles A (TFAM HaeIII), C (TFAM MboI) and C (FABP4 MspA1I). Significant differences in allele frequencies between NeS and NeT were observed for the TFAM HaeIII, and between the line NeT and lines NeC and NeS for the FABP4 MspA1I SNP. Five haplotypes were observed for the two polymorphisms in the TFAM gene, haplotype AACC being the most frequent. None of the markers separately or according to haplotype was significantly associated with the growth and carcass traits. The low frequencies of alleles that are associated with high marbling scores and thick subcutaneous fat in taurine breeds might explain the low means for these traits in Nellore cattle.

  6. Content dependent selection of image enhancement parameters for mobile displays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yoon-Gyoo; Kang, Yoo-Jin; Kim, Han-Eol; Kim, Ka-Hee; Kim, Choon-Woo

    2011-01-01

    Mobile devices such as cellular phones and portable multimedia player with capability of playing terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (T-DMB) contents have been introduced into consumer market. In this paper, content dependent image quality enhancement method for sharpness and colorfulness and noise reduction is presented to improve perceived image quality on mobile displays. Human visual experiments are performed to analyze viewers' preference. Relationship between the objective measures and the optimal values of image control parameters are modeled by simple lookup tables based on the results of human visual experiments. Content dependent values of image control parameters are determined based on the calculated measures and predetermined lookup tables. Experimental results indicate that dynamic selection of image control parameters yields better image quality.

  7. Enhancement of neutral lipid productivity in the microalga Isochrysis affinis Galbana (T-Iso) by a mutation-selection procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bougaran, Gaël; Rouxel, Catherine; Dubois, Nolwenn; Kaas, Raymond; Grouas, Sophie; Lukomska, Ewa; Le Coz, Jean-René; Cadoret, Jean-Paul

    2012-11-01

    Microalgae offer a high potential for energetic lipid storage as well as high growth rates. They are therefore considered promising candidates for biofuel production, with the selection of high lipid-producing strains a major objective in projects on the development of this technology. We developed a mutation-selection method aimed at increasing microalgae neutral lipid productivity. A two step method, based on UVc irradiation followed by flow cytometry selection, was applied to a set of strains that had an initial high lipid content and improvement was assessed by means of Nile-red fluorescence measurements. The method was first tested on Isochrysis affinis galbana (T-Iso). Following a first round of mutation-selection, the total fatty acid content had not increased significantly, being 262 ± 21 mgTFA (gC)-1 for the wild type (WT) and 269 ± 49 mgTFA (gC)-1 for the selected population (S1M1). Conversely, fatty acid distribution among the lipid classes was affected by the process, resulting in a 20% increase for the fatty acids in the neutral lipids and a 40% decrease in the phospholipids. After a second mutation-selection step (S2M2), the total fatty acid content reached 409 ± 64 mgTFA (gC)-1 with a fatty acid distribution similar to the S1M1 population. Growth rate remained unaffected by the process, resulting in a 80% increase for neutral lipid productivity. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Selective enhancement and verification of woody biomass digestibility as a denitrification carbon source.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Rongting; Zheng, Xilai; Xin, Jia; Sun, Zhaoyue; Zheng, Tianyuan

    2017-11-01

    The denitrification efficiency of woody biomass as carbon source is low because of its poor carbon availability. In this study, representative poplar sawdust was pretreated with lime and peracetic acid to enhance the biomass digestibility to different degrees; sawdust was then mixed with soil to investigate its denitrification efficiency. Under controllable conditions (25-95°C, 12-24h, varying dosages), sawdust digestibility (characterized by reducing sugar yield) was selectively enhanced 1.0-21.8 times over that of the raw sawdust (28.8mgeq.glucoseg -1 dry biomass). This increase was mainly attributed to the removal of lignin from the biomass. As a carbon source, the sawdust (digestibility enhanced by 5.4 times) increased the nitrate removal rate by 4.7 times, without N 2 O emission. However, the sawdust with high digestibility (12.6 or 18.0 times), despite releasing more dissolved organic carbon (DOC), did not exhibit further increase in denitrification efficiency, and emitted N 2 O. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Overexpression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: An Independent Poor Prognosticator That Enhances Cell Growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Chung-Feng; Huang, Hsuan-Ying; Chen, Chang-Han; Chien, Chih-Yen; Hsu, Yao-Chung; Li, Chien-Feng

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: As a key component of polycomb-repressive complex 2, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) represses target genes through histone methylation and is frequently overexpressed and associated with poor prognosis in common carcinomas. For the first time, we reported EZH2 expression and its biological and clinical significance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods and Materials: In NPC cell lines and specimens, endogenous expression of EZH2 mRNA and protein was determined by semiquantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, respectively. To analyze the effect on cell growth, stable silencing of EZH2 was established in EZH2-expressing TW02 NPC cells with RNA interference. EZH2 immunolabeling was assessable for 89 primary NPC biopsy samples and correlated with clinicopathological variables, disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS). Results: Growth activity of TW02 cells was significantly suppressed (p < 0.001) with stable EZH2 silencing. Compared with normal nasopharyngeal tissue, expression levels of EZH2 transcript and protein were apparently upregulated in NPC specimens. As a continuous variable, higher EZH2 expression preferentially occurred in NPCs of T3 to T4 stages (p = 0.03) and significantly predicted inferior DSS (p = 0.0010) and OS (p = 0.004). The prognostic implications for DSS (p = 0.010) and OS (p = 0.006) still remained valid when using the median (≥60%) of EZH2 immunolabeling index to dichotomize the cohort. In the multivariate model, higher EZH2 expression was an independent adverse factor of both DSS (p = 0.012) and OS (p = 0.011), along with American Joint Committee on Cancer Stages III to IV (p = 0.024 for DSS, p = 0.017 for OS). Conclusion: At least partly through promoting cell growth, EZH2 implicates disease progression, confers tumor aggressiveness, and represents an independent adverse prognosticator in patients with NPC.

  10. Enhanced UV-B radiation has little effect on growth, delta13C values and pigments of pot-grown rice (Oryza sativa) in the field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, H.Y.; Kobayashi, K.; Nouchi, I.; Yoneyama, T.

    1996-01-01

    Predicted increase in ultraviolet-B (UV-B: 280–320 mn) radiation may have adverse impacts on growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.), as has been found in studies hitherto. However, most of the studies were conducted in growth chambers or greenhouses where the plants are generally more sensitive to UV-B than in the field, presumably because of the distorted balance between UV-B and ultraviolet-A as well as PAR. This study was conducted to address the effects of enhanced UV-B on growth and yield of rice under a realistic spectral balance in the field. Three cultivars, “Koshihikari”,‘IR 45’and‘IR 74’were pot-grown and irradiated with enhanced UV-B for most of the growing season in the field at Tsukuba, Japan (36°01′N, 140°07′E). The UV-B enhancement simulated ca 38% depletion of stratospheric ozone at Tsukuba. The results showed no UV-B effects on plant height, numbers of tillers and panicles, dry weight of the plant parts or the grain yield for any of the 3 cultivars. Natural abundance of 13 C in the flag leaves was not altered by the UV-B enhancement either. While UV-absorbing compounds showed no response to the UV-B enhancement, chlorophyll contents decreased with enhanced UV-B. However, the decrease of chlorophyll was limited to an early growth stage with no effect later. We thus found no extraordinary impact of the nearly doubled UV-B radiation on rice in the field, and it would appear that a reliable prediction of the effects of UV-B will require experiments carried out over a number of years under various climatic and solar UV-B regimes. (author)

  11. Dendrimer-assisted controlled growth of carbon nanotubes for enhanced thermal interface conductance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amama, Placidus B; Cola, Baratunde A; Sands, Timothy D; Xu, Xianfan; Fisher, Timothy S

    2007-01-01

    Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with systematically varied diameter distributions and defect densities were reproducibly grown from a modified catalyst structure templated in an amine-terminated fourth-generation poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Thermal interface resistances of the vertically oriented MWCNT arrays as determined by a photoacoustic technique reveal a strong correlation with the quality as assessed by Raman spectroscopy. This study contributes not only to the development of an active catalyst via a wet chemical route for structure-controlled MWCNT growth, but also to the development of efficient and low-cost MWCNT-based thermal interface materials with thermal interface resistances ≤10 mm 2 K W -1

  12. Finding an optimal rehabilitation paradigm after stroke: Enhancing fiber growth and training of the brain at the right moment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna-Sophia eWahl

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available After stroke the central nervous system reveals a spectrum of intrinsic capacities to react as a highly dynamic system which can change the properties of its circuits, form new contacts, erase others, and remap related cortical and spinal cord regions. This plasticity can lead to a surprising degree of spontaneous recovery. It includes the activation of neuronal molecular mechanisms of growth and of extrinsic growth promoting factors and guidance signals in the tissue. Rehabilitative training and pharmacological interventions may modify and boost these neuronal processes, but almost nothing is known on the optimal timing of the different processes and therapeutic interventions and on their detailed interactions. Finding optimal rehabilitation paradigms requires an optimal orchestration of the internal processes of re‐organization and the therapeutic interventions in accordance with defined plastic time windows.In this review we summarize the mechanisms of spontaneous plasticity after stroke and experimental interventions to enhance growth and plasticity, with an emphasis on anti‐Nogo‐A immunotherapy. We highlight critical time windows of growth and of rehabilitative training and consider different approaches of combinatorial rehabilitative schedules. Finally, we discuss potential future strategies for designing repair and rehabilitation paradigms by introducing a 3 step model: determination of the metabolic and plastic status of the brain, pharmacological enhancement of its plastic mechanisms, and stabilization of newly formed functional connections by rehabilitative training.

  13. The Effect of Vocabulary Self-Selection Strategy and Input Enhancement Strategy on the Vocabulary Knowledge of Iranian EFL Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masoudi, Golfam

    2017-01-01

    The present study was designed to investigate empirically the effect of Vocabulary Self-Selection strategy and Input Enhancement strategy on the vocabulary knowledge of Iranian EFL Learners. After taking a diagnostic pretest, both experimental groups enrolled in two classes. Learners who practiced Vocabulary Self-Selection were allowed to…

  14. Does low stomatal conductance or photosynthetic capacity enhance growth at elevated CO2 in Arabidopsis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Easlon, Hsien Ming; Carlisle, Eli; McKay, John K; Bloom, Arnold J

    2015-03-01

    The objective of this study was to determine if low stomatal conductance (g) increases growth, nitrate (NO3 (-)) assimilation, and nitrogen (N) utilization at elevated CO2 concentration. Four Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) near isogenic lines (NILs) differing in g were grown at ambient and elevated CO2 concentration under low and high NO3 (-) supply as the sole source of N. Although g varied by 32% among NILs at elevated CO2, leaf intercellular CO2 concentration varied by only 4% and genotype had no effect on shoot NO3 (-) concentration in any treatment. Low-g NILs showed the greatest CO2 growth increase under N limitation but had the lowest CO2 growth enhancement under N-sufficient conditions. NILs with the highest and lowest g had similar rates of shoot NO3 (-) assimilation following N deprivation at elevated CO2 concentration. After 5 d of N deprivation, the lowest g NIL had 27% lower maximum carboxylation rate and 23% lower photosynthetic electron transport compared with the highest g NIL. These results suggest that increased growth of low-g NILs under N limitation most likely resulted from more conservative N investment in photosynthetic biochemistry rather than from low g. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  15. Growth rates and specific motor abilities as a function to predict the selection of talents taekwondo sport (Egyptian national project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Mustafa Bakr

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution ratios of Growth rates and specific motor abilities as a function to predict the selection of talented taekwondo sport. The study was carried out on a sample of (755 individual Clubs and youth centers across the governorates of Egypt, and the average age (11.64 ± 0.48 years, height (144.06 ± 7.04 cm and weight (36.86 ± 7.51 kg. Tests were conducted in the period from 7/11/2011 to 29/12/2011 selected individuals underwent the following tests and measurements (Ability, Hinge flexibility basin, Agility, Kinetics speed in level trunk, Kinetics speed in level face, Endure Performance, Performance , the researcher used the descriptive survey method. The statistical analysis SPSS was used to apply formulas statistical by calculating: average, standard deviation, correlation, stepwise regression. The results showed that the growth rates and special motor abilities contribute to the selection of talented taekwondo. In addition, taekwondo players are characterized by flexibility, Endure performance and motor speed. The study concluded that there are five factors affect the selection of talented junior Taekwondo detailed flexibility contribute (28.8%, endure Performance contribute by (15.1%, ability contribute (7.8%, Growth rates (age, length, weight a contribution rate (5.2%, kinesthetic speed motor (in the level of the trunk - in the face level (1.1%. Predictable talented selection junior taekwondo through the following equation = 49.835 + Age (-0.389 + Length (0.157 + Weight (-0.188 + Flexibility (-0.359 + Ability (0.081 + Agility (-2.261 + Endure Performance (0.608 + Kinetics speed motor in the level of the trunk (0.586 + Kinetics speed motor in the face level (0.260. These results should be taken into account by the taekwondo Federation and trainers for use as an indicator for selecting talented taekwondo sport.

  16. On-the-fly selection of cell-specific enhancers, genes, miRNAs and proteins across the human body using SlideBase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ienasescu, Hans-Ioan; Li, Kang; Andersson, Robin

    2016-01-01

    Genomics consortia have produced large datasets profiling the expression of genes, micro-RNAs, enhancers and more across human tissues or cells. There is a need for intuitive tools to select subsets of such data that is the most relevant for specific studies. To this end, we present Slide...... for individual cell types/tissues, producing sets of genes, enhancers etc. which satisfy these constraints. Changes in slider settings result in simultaneous changes in the selected sets, updated in real time. SlideBase is linked to major databases from genomics consortia, including FANTOM, GTEx, The Human...

  17. Abscisic Acid Regulation of Root Hydraulic Conductivity and Aquaporin Gene Expression Is Crucial to the Plant Shoot Growth Enhancement Caused by Rhizosphere Humic Acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olaetxea, Maite; Mora, Verónica; Bacaicoa, Eva; Garnica, María; Fuentes, Marta; Casanova, Esther; Zamarreño, Angel M; Iriarte, Juan C; Etayo, David; Ederra, Iñigo; Gonzalo, Ramón; Baigorri, Roberto; García-Mina, Jose M

    2015-12-01

    The physiological and metabolic mechanisms behind the humic acid-mediated plant growth enhancement are discussed in detail. Experiments using cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants show that the shoot growth enhancement caused by a structurally well-characterized humic acid with sedimentary origin is functionally associated with significant increases in abscisic acid (ABA) root concentration and root hydraulic conductivity. Complementary experiments involving a blocking agent of cell wall pores and water root transport (polyethylenglycol) show that increases in root hydraulic conductivity are essential in the shoot growth-promoting action of the model humic acid. Further experiments involving an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis in root and shoot (fluridone) show that the humic acid-mediated enhancement of both root hydraulic conductivity and shoot growth depended on ABA signaling pathways. These experiments also show that a significant increase in the gene expression of the main root plasma membrane aquaporins is associated with the increase of root hydraulic conductivity caused by the model humic acid. Finally, experimental data suggest that all of these actions of model humic acid on root functionality, which are linked to its beneficial action on plant shoot growth, are likely related to the conformational structure of humic acid in solution and its interaction with the cell wall at the root surface. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Natural Aphrodisiacs-A Review of Selected Sexual Enhancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Elizabeth; Krychman, Michael

    2015-10-01

    The Food and Drug Administration defines an aphrodisiac drug product as "any product that bears labeling claims that it will arouse or increase sexual desire, or that it will improve sexual performance." Presently, there are no approved medications for the treatment of lowered desire for women, and many opt for "natural" products. The aim of this article was to review the most popular and currently used aphrodisiac products marketed in the United States. The safety and efficacy of animal- and plant-based aphrodisiacs, vitamins and minerals, and popular over-the-counter combination supplements have been reviewed. An English PubMed literature search was performed using the key words "sexuality," "sex," "aphrodisiac," and "sexual enhancer." Approximately 50 articles were reviewed by the authors. The authors used relevant case series, case-controlled, and randomized clinical trial data. Products were evaluated based on the quality of research, and their known efficacy and safety considerations. Products with low risk and potential benefit for sexual response based on prior research studies were highlighted. Research has demonstrated that the risks of yohimbine, Spanish fly, mad honey, and Bufo toad may outweigh any benefit, and these products should be avoided. Other products, such as Maca, Tribulus, Ginkgo, and ginseng, have limited but emerging data. Randomized clinical trial data are often lacking, but future research should be performed to further elucidate the efficacy and safety of these products. Future randomized clinical trials are warranted before health care practitioners can recommend most aphrodisiac products. There remain some medical concerns with drug interactions, purity, reliability, and safety. West E and Krychman M. Natural aphrodisiacs-A review of selected sexual enhancers.. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Haploinsufficiency of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor enhances endothelial repair and favorably modifies angiogenic progenitor cell phenotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuldasheva, Nadira Y; Rashid, Sheikh Tawqeer; Haywood, Natalie J; Cordell, Paul; Mughal, Romana; Viswambharan, Hema; Imrie, Helen; Sukumar, Piruthivi; Cubbon, Richard M; Aziz, Amir; Gage, Matthew; Mbonye, Kamatamu Amanda; Smith, Jessica; Galloway, Stacey; Skromna, Anna; Scott, D Julian A; Kearney, Mark T; Wheatcroft, Stephen B

    2014-09-01

    Defective endothelial regeneration predisposes to adverse arterial remodeling and is thought to contribute to cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We recently demonstrated that the type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) is a negative regulator of insulin sensitivity and nitric oxide bioavailability. In this report, we examined partial deletion of the IGF1R as a potential strategy to enhance endothelial repair. We assessed endothelial regeneration after wire injury in mice and abundance and function of angiogenic progenitor cells in mice with haploinsufficiency of the IGF1R (IGF1R(+/-)). Endothelial regeneration after arterial injury was accelerated in IGF1R(+/-) mice. Although the yield of angiogenic progenitor cells was lower in IGF1R(+/-) mice, these angiogenic progenitor cells displayed enhanced adhesion, increased secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1, and enhanced angiogenic capacity. To examine the relevance of IGF1R manipulation to cell-based therapy, we transfused IGF1R(+/-) bone marrow-derived CD117(+) cells into wild-type mice. IGF1R(+/-) cells accelerated endothelial regeneration after arterial injury compared with wild-type cells and did not alter atherosclerotic lesion formation. Haploinsufficiency of the IGF1R is associated with accelerated endothelial regeneration in vivo and enhanced tube forming and adhesive potential of angiogenic progenitor cells in vitro. Partial deletion of IGF1R in transfused bone marrow-derived CD117(+) cells enhanced their capacity to promote endothelial regeneration without altering atherosclerosis. Our data suggest that manipulation of the IGF1R could be exploited as novel therapeutic approach to enhance repair of the arterial wall after injury. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

  20. Enhancement of soybean (Glycine max L.) growth by bio-fertilizers of Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc rivulare

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sholkamy, E.N.; Komy, H.M.E.

    2015-01-01

    In the present study the nitrogenase activity of Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc rivulare was evaluated in vitro; the test showed that Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc rivulare have the ability to fix nitrogen. In a pot experiment under field conditions, the results of the present study showed that inoculation of the soybean plant with Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc rivulare, either alone or in combination with N-fertilizer at 50 and 100 kg N/ha, caused a significant increase in the growth of these plants, as reflected in plant height, leaf area, weight of plant as well as the legume weight of soybeans. The combination of biofertilization and N-fertilization, especially at 100 kg N/ha, had more effect on both the growth of soybeans and nitrogenase activity compared to biofertilization alone. Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc rivulare are a promising biofertilizers for achieving an efficient association between N2 fixing cyanobacteria and soybeans; and thus enhancement of the growth. (author)

  1. Influence of Gibberellic Acid on Enhancement Growth of Aspergillus Niger for Chitosan Production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hazaa, M.M.; Shash, S.M.; Swailam, H.M.; Aziz, N.H.; Emam, D.A.

    2013-01-01

    Chitosan is obtained by chemical conversion of chitin, which is a constituent of the exoskeleton of crustacean and insects. An alternative source of chitosan is the cell wall of fungi. The waste biomass of Aspergillus niger, following citric acid production, was used as a source for fungal chitosan extraction. In this research we study the effect of different production media, different concentrations of molass, the effect of addition of gibberellic acid at different concentrations (1-5 mg/l) on mycelial growth and chitosan production from Aspergillus niger. Studying the effect of different incubation time. The results showed that, the best production medium was molass salt medium (MSM) with molass concentration 50 g/l and incubation time 48h. Maximum enhancement was observed at 2 mg gibberellic acid. Gibberellic acid at high concentrations inhibit both growth and chitosan content. The produced fungal chitosan was characterized with deacetylation degree of 81.3%, a molecular weight of 24.2 kDa and their FT-IR spectra were compared with that of shrimp chitosan.

  2. High Performance Enhancement-Mode AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT with Selective Fluorine Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao Yang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A novel enhancement-mode (E-mode Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor- (MIS- HEMT with selective fluorine ion (F− treatment is proposed and its mechanism is investigated. The HEMT features the Selective F− treatment both in the AlGaN channel region and in the thick passivation layer between the gate and drain (SFCP-MIS-HEMT. First, the F− in the passivation layer not only extends the depletion region and thus enhances the average electric field (E-field between the gate and drain by the assisted depletion effect but also reduces the E-field peak at the gate end, leading to a higher breakdown voltage (BV. Second, in the AlGaN channel region, the F− region realizes the E-mode and the region without F− maintains a high drain current (ID. Third, MIS structure suppresses the gate leakage current, increasing the gate swing voltage and the BV. Compared with a MIS-HEMT with F− treatment in whole channel (FC-MIS-HEMT, SFCP-MIS-HEMT increases the BV by 46% and the saturation drain current (ID,sat by 28%.

  3. Noninvasive enhanced mid-IR imaging of breast cancer development in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Case, Jason R.; Young, Madison A.; Dréau, D.; Trammell, Susan R.

    2015-11-01

    Lumpectomy coupled with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy is commonly used to treat breast cancer patients. We are developing an enhanced thermal IR imaging technique that has the potential to provide real-time imaging to guide tissue excision during a lumpectomy by delineating tumor margins. This enhanced thermal imaging method is a combination of IR imaging (8 to 10 μm) and selective heating of blood (˜0.5°C) relative to surrounding water-rich tissue using LED sources at low powers. Postacquisition processing of these images highlights temporal changes in temperature and the presence of vascular structures. In this study, fluorescent, standard thermal, and enhanced thermal imaging modalities, as well as physical caliper measurements, were used to monitor breast cancer tumor volumes over a 30-day study period in 19 mice implanted with 4T1-RFP tumor cells. Tumor volumes calculated from fluorescent imaging follow an exponential growth curve for the first 22 days of the study. Cell necrosis affected the tumor volume estimates based on the fluorescent images after day 22. The tumor volumes estimated from enhanced thermal imaging, standard thermal imaging, and caliper measurements all show exponential growth over the entire study period. A strong correlation was found between tumor volumes estimated using fluorescent imaging, standard IR imaging, and caliper measurements with enhanced thermal imaging, indicating that enhanced thermal imaging monitors tumor growth. Further, the enhanced IR images reveal a corona of bright emission along the edges of the tumor masses associated with the tumor margin. In the future, this IR technique might be used to estimate tumor margins in real time during surgical procedures.

  4. Local Application of Growth Hormone to Enhance Osseointegration in Osteoporotic Bones: A Morphometric and Densitometric Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin-Monge, Elena; Tresguerres, Isabel F; Clemente, Celia; Tresguerres, Jesús Af

    The aim of this study was to assess the effect of local application of growth hormone on osseointegration of dental implants inserted in osteoporotic bones. Twenty female New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Ten were ovariectomized and fed a low-calcium diet for 6 weeks, and the others remained intact. A titanium implant was inserted into each tibia, in both groups. In half of the rabbits, 2 IU of growth hormone was placed into the ostectomy prior to the implant insertion. Two weeks after implant surgery, all animals were sacrificed. Tibiae were dissected from soft tissues, and included in methacrylate to be studied under light microscopy. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured by morphometric and densitometric analysis, respectively. Multifactorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical evaluation. P growth hormone was able to increase the BIC in the ovariectomized group, with statistically significant differences with respect to the control group (P growth hormone at the moment of titanium implant insertion in rabbit tibiae significantly enhanced the BIC around titanium implants 15 days after the implantation in this experimental osteoporotic animal model, without affecting the BMD.

  5. Enhanced and selective optical trapping in a slot-graphite photonic crystal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, Aravind; Huang, Ningfeng; Wu, Shao-Hua; Martínez, Luis Javier; Povinelli, Michelle L

    2016-10-03

    Applicability of optical trapping tools for nanomanipulation is limited by the available laser power and trap efficiency. We utilized the strong confinement of light in a slot-graphite photonic crystal to develop high-efficiency parallel trapping over a large area. The stiffness is 35 times higher than our previously demonstrated on-chip, near field traps. We demonstrate the ability to trap both dielectric and metallic particles of sub-micron size. We find that the growth kinetics of nanoparticle arrays on the slot-graphite template depends on particle size. This difference is exploited to selectively trap one type of particle out of a binary colloidal mixture, creating an efficient optical sieve. This technique has rich potential for analysis, diagnostics, and enrichment and sorting of microscopic entities.

  6. Study of various NH4+/NO3- mixtures for enhancing growth of potatoes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, W.; Tibbitts, T. W.

    1993-01-01

    Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of various NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N percentages on growth and mineral concentrations in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants using a non-recirculating nutrient film system in a controlled environment. The first experiment included six NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N percentages at 0/100, 20/80, 40/60, 60/40, 80/20, and 100/0 with the same total N concentration of 4 mM. The second experiment included six NH4(+)-N/NO3(-)-N percentages at 0/100, 4/96, 8/92, 12/88, 16/84, and 20/80 again with the same total N of 4 mM. In each experiment, plants were harvested 35 days after transplanting when tubers had been initiated and started to enlarge. Dry weights of shoots, tubers, and whole plant at the harvest were increased significantly with all mixed nitrogen treatments as compared with single NH4+ or NO3- form. The enhanced growth with mixed nitrogen was greatest at 8% to 20% NH4(+)-N. Also, the concentrations and accumulation of total N in the shoots and roots were greater with mixed nitrogen than with separate NH4+ or NO3- nutrition. With NH4+ present in the solutions, the concentrations of P and Cl in the shoots were increased compared to NO3- alone, whereas the tissue concentrations of Ca and Mg were decreased. It was concluded that nitrogen fertilization provided with combined NH4+ and NO3- forms, even at small proportions of NH4+, can enhance nitrogen uptake and productivity in potato plants.

  7. The enhancement of radiosensitivity by celecoxib, selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, on human cancer cells expressing differential levels of cyclooxygenase-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pyo, Hong Ryull; Shin, You Keun; Kim, Hyun Seok; Seong, Jin Sil; Suh, Chang Ok; Kim, Gwi Eon

    2003-01-01

    To investigate the modulation of radiosensitivity by celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, on cancer cells over- and under-expressing COX-2. A clonogenic radiation survival analysis was performed on A549 human lung and MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines incubated in both 1 and 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) containing media. The apoptosis in both cell lines was measured after treatment with radiation and/or celecoxib. Celecoxib enhanced the radiation sensitivity of the A549 cells in the medium containing the 10% FBS, with radiation enhancement ratios of 1.58 and 1.81 respectively, at surviving fractions of 0.1, with 30 μ M and 50 μ M celecoxib. This enhanced radiosensitivity disappeared in the medium containing the 1% FBS. Celecoxib did not change the radiation sensitivity of the MCF-7 cells in either media. The induction of apoptosis by celecoxib and radiation was not synergistic in either cell line. Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, preferentially enhanced the effect of radiation on COX-2 over-expressing cancer cells compared to the cells with a low expression, and this effect disappeared on incubation of the cells during drug treatment in the medium with suboptimal serum concentration. Apoptosis did not appear to be the underlying mechanism of this radiation enhancement effect due to celecoxib on the A549 cells. These findings suggest radiosensitization by a selective COX-2 inhibitor is COX-2 dependent

  8. Water-vapor-enhanced growth of Ge-GeOx core-shell nanowires and Si1-xGexOy nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, T-J; Ko, C-Y; Lin, W-T

    2007-01-01

    The effects of moist Ar on the growth of Ge-GeO x core-shell nanowires (Ge-GeO x NWs) and Si 1-x Ge x O y nanowires (SiGeONWs) on Si substrates without adding a metal catalyst via the carbothermal reduction of GeO 2 powders at 1100 deg. C were studied. No significant nanowires were grown in dry Ar at a flow rate of 100-300 sccm until a bit of water in the range of 0.5-2 ml was loaded into the furnace. More water suppressed the growth of nanowires because of the exhaustion of more graphite powder. The growth of Ge-GeO x NWs and SiGeONWs follows the vapor-solid and vapor-liquid-solid processes, respectively. The present study showed that the water vapor serves as an oxidizer as well as a reducer at 1100 deg. C in enhancing the growth of SiGeONWs and Ge-GeO x NWs, respectively. The growth mechanisms of Ge-GeO x NWs and SiGeONWs are also discussed

  9. Inhibition of IL-17A suppresses enhanced-tumor growth in low dose pre-irradiated tumor beds.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eun-Jung Lee

    Full Text Available Ionizing radiation induces modification of the tumor microenvironment such as tumor surrounding region, which is relevant to treatment outcome after radiotherapy. In this study, the effects of pre-irradiated tumor beds on the growth of subsequently implanted tumors were investigated as well as underlying mechanism. The experimental model was set up by irradiating the right thighs of C3H/HeN mice with 5 Gy, followed by the implantation of HCa-I and MIH-2. Both implanted tumors in the pre-irradiated bed showed accelerated-growth compared to the control. Tumor-infiltrated lymphocyte (TIL levels were increased, as well as pro-tumor factors such as IL-6 and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1 in the pre-irradiated group. In particular, the role of pro-tumor cytokine interleukin-17A (IL-17A was investigated as a possible target mechanism because IL-6 and TGF-β are key factors in Th17 cells differentiation from naïve T cells. IL-17A expression was increased not only in tumors, but also in CD4+ T cells isolated from the tumor draining lymph nodes. The effect of IL-17A on tumor growth was confirmed by treating tumors with IL-17A antibody, which abolished the acceleration of tumor growth. These results indicate that the upregulation of IL-17A seems to be a key factor for enhancing tumor growth in pre-irradiated tumor beds.

  10. Selection of Yeast Strains for Tequila Fermentation Based on Growth Dynamics in Combined Fructose and Ethanol Media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldrete-Tapia, J A; Miranda-Castilleja, D E; Arvizu-Medrano, S M; Hernández-Iturriaga, M

    2018-02-01

    The high concentration of fructose in agave juice has been associated with reduced ethanol tolerance of commercial yeasts used for tequila production and low fermentation yields. The selection of autochthonous strains, which are better adapted to agave juice, could improve the process. In this study, a 2-step selection process of yeasts isolated from spontaneous fermentations for tequila production was carried out based on analysis of the growth dynamics in combined conditions of high fructose and ethanol. First, yeast isolates (605) were screened to identify strains tolerant to high fructose (20%) and to ethanol (10%), yielding 89 isolates able to grow in both conditions. From the 89 isolates, the growth curves under 8 treatments of combined fructose (from 20% to 5%) and ethanol (from 0% to 10%) were obtained, and the kinetic parameters were analyzed with principal component analysis and k-means clustering. The resulting yeast strain groups corresponded to the fast, medium and slow growers. A second clustering of only the fast growers led to the selection of 3 Saccharomyces strains (199, 230, 231) that were able to grow rapidly in 4 out of the 8 conditions evaluated. This methodology differentiated strains phenotypically and could be further used for strain selection in other processes. A method to select yeast strains for fermentation taking into account the natural differences of yeast isolates. This methodology is based on the cell exposition to combinations of sugar and ethanol, which are the most important stress factors in fermentation. This strategy will help to identify the most tolerant strain that could improve ethanol yield and reduce fermentation time. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  11. Selective Growth and SERS Property of Gold Nanoparticles on Amorphized Silicon Surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuoka, T; Nishi, M; Sakakura, M; Shimotsuma, Y; Miura, K; Hirao, K

    2011-01-01

    We have fabricated gold patterns on a silicon substrate by a simple three-step method using a focused ion beam (FIB). The obtained gold patterns consisted of a large number of gold nanoparticles which grew selectively on the preprocessed silicon surface from an Au ion-containing solution dropped on the substrate. The solution was prepared by reacting HAuCl 4 aqueous solution with (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). It was found that the size and shape of the precipitating gold nanoparticles is controllable by changing the mixing ratio between HAuCl 4 aqueous solution and MPTMS. Additionally, we confirmed that the fabricated gold structures were surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active; the enhanced Raman peaks of rhodamin 6G (R6G) were detected on the fabricated gold structures, whereas no peak was detected on the alternative silicon surface. We also demonstrated the gold patterning using a femtosecond laser instead of an FIB. We believe that our method is a favorable candidate for fabricating SERS-active substrates, since the substrates can be prepared very simply and flexibly.

  12. HERITABILITY AND RESPONSE TO SELECTION FOR GROWTH IN THE F1 GENERATION OF CRAYFISH Procambarus acanthophorus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Perez Rostro

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The crayfish Procambarus (A. acanthophorus is a crustacean relevant for regional fisheries in Veracruz, Mexico, with ideal aquaculture characteristics, except for its small size. Thus, a study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the response to selection in the first generation (F1 and heritability (h2 of the crayfish. A group of 2135 organisms with average weight (±S.D. 4.1 ± 1.79 g were captured from the wild (G0, and 10 % (i = 1,755 of the population was selected with the highest body weight by gender: 140 females (5.62 ± 1.97 g and 48 males (6.02 ± 1.9 g, forming the progenitors of the selection line (LS. The control line (LC was formed from a batch obtained at random. Thirty full-sib families were obtained per line (F1, and cultured individually for five months in a recirculation system with mechanical and biological filtration under laboratory conditions and supplied with food twice a day (Camaronina 35 % protein. Monthly heritability (h2 in broad sense was estimated using a full-sib design, based on the components of variance (ANOVA REML method and the growth was compared between lines in the F1. The mean h2's for weight after five months of culture were 0.27±0.11 for LC and 0.34±0.12 for LS, being the LS in F1 9.6 % heavier than the LC, with 84 and 88 % survival at the end of the study. It is possible to implement a breeding program based on selection for species growth.

  13. Enhancing Growth and Yield of Grey Oyster Mushroom (Plearotussajorcaju Using Different Acoustic Sound Treatments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Roshita

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Mushroom, as believed by many people, grows on specific time and condition as in the wild it grows after a heavy rain falls. The effects of lightning and thunderstorm may suppress the mychorrizal structure to grow and eventually forming fruiting body. This study was conducted to determine the effect of different acoustic sound treatments on the growth and yield of grey oyster mushroom (Pleurotussajor-caju. Five different acoustic sound treatments had been applied during spawning period which were thunder storm, hardcore music, soothing instrumental, Quranic recital and without any sound treatment applied which served as control. The parameters studied were mycelium growth rate, days of mycelium filled up the bags, days of pinhead emergence, days of fruiting body formation, total weight, percentage biological efficiency, pileus color and texture. There were significant differences (P0.05 observed in other parameters, such as pinhead emergence, fruiting bodies formation, pileus color and texture. In summary, treatments using different acoustic sound at 75 dB could be considered as better treatment to enhance the mycelium growth thus accelerate the mushroom cultivation process as well as increasing the mushroom productivity. This research could help farmers to grow and harvest their mushroom at specific time frame and fulfill customer’s demand.

  14. Control of growth mode of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen Hong Quang; Kim, Do-Hyung

    2009-01-01

    We have conducted an experimental study to investigate the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by a dc plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technique. The synthesis of base and tip-type of CNTs was selectively controlled by changing the catalyst size, catalyst film thickness correlated with altering the NH 3 pretreatment plasma current. These types of CNT showed distinctive properties in nanotube structure, growth rate and vertical alignment, which were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and in situ optical interference measurement. The vertically aligned behaviour of CNT was systematically studied by using a fine-patterned catalyst layer with diverse critical dimensions. Freestanding single CNT was successfully realized by optimum tip-type CNT growth, conventional photolithography and wet-etch process.

  15. Engineered nanomaterials for plant growth and development: A perspective analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Sandeep Kumar; Das, Ashok Kumar; Patel, Manoj Kumar; Shah, Ashish; Kumar, Vinay; Gantait, Saikat

    2018-07-15

    With the overwhelmingly rapid advancement in the field of nanotechnology, the engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have been extensively used in various areas of the plant system, including quality improvement, growth and nutritional value enhancement, gene preservation etc. There are several recent reports on the ENMs' influence on growth enhancements, growth inhibition as well as certain toxic impacts on plant. However, translocation, growth responses and stress modulation mechanisms of ENMs in the plant systems call for better and in-depth understanding. Herein, we are presenting a comprehensive and critical account of different types of ENMs, their applications and their positive, negative and null impacts on physiological and molecular aspects of plant growth, development and stress responses. Recent reports revealed mixed effects on plants, ranging from enhanced crop yield, epi/genetic alterations, and phytotoxicity, resulting from the ENMs' exposure. Creditable research in recent years has revealed that the effects of ENMs on plants are species specific and are variable among plant species. ENM exposures are reported to trigger free radical formation, responsive scavenging, and antioxidant armories in the exposed plants. The ENMs are also reported to induce aberrant expressions of microRNAs, the key post-transcriptional regulators of plant growth, development and stress-responses of plants. However, these modulations, if judiciously done, may lead to improved plant growth and yield. A better understanding of the interactions between ENMs and plant responses, including their uptake transport, internalization, and activity, could revolutionize crop production through increased disease resistance, nutrient utilization, and crop yield. Therefore, in this review, we are presenting a critical account of the different selected ENMs, their uptake by the plants, their positive/negative impacts on plant growth and development, along with the resultant ENM-responsive post

  16. Combined administration of low molecular weight sodium alginate boosted immunomodulatory, disease resistance and growth enhancing effects of Lactobacillus plantarum in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Doan, Hien; Hoseinifar, Seyed Hossein; Tapingkae, Wanaporn; Tongsiri, Sudaporn; Khamtavee, Pimporn

    2016-11-01

    The present study investigates the effects of combined or singular administration of low molecular weight sodium alginate (LWMSA) and Lactobacillus plantarum on innate immune response, disease resistance and growth performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Three hundred and twenty fish were supplied and randomly stocked in sixteen glass tanks (150 L) assigned to four treatments as follows: 0 g kg -1 LMWSA (Control, Diet 1), 10 g kg -1 LMWSA (Diet 2), 10 8  CFU g -1 L. plantarum (Diet 3), and 10 g kg -1 LMWSA + 10 8  CFU g -1 L. plantarum (Diet 4). Following 30 and 60 days of the feeding trial, serum lysozyme, phagocytosis, respiratory burst and alternative complement activities as well as growth performance parameters (specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio) were measured. Serum lysozyme, phagocytosis, respiratory burst, and alternative complement activities of fish were significantly stimulated by both LMWSA and L. plantarum diets, however, the highest innate immune response were observed in fish fed synbiotic diet. At the end of the experiment, eight fish per replication were randomly selected for a challenge test against Streptococcus agalactiae. The survival rate of the fish fed supplemented diets was significantly greater than the control treatment and the highest post challenge survival rate was observed in synbiotic diet. Furthermore, SGR and FCR were significantly improved in fish fed supplemented diets after 60 days and the highest growth performance was observed in fish fed synbiotic diet. These results suggest combined LMWSA and L. plantarum can be considered as a promising immunostimulant and growth enhancer in Nile tilapia diet. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Multistable selection equations of pattern formation type in the case of inhomogeneous growth rates: With applications to two-dimensional assignment problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frank, T.D.

    2011-01-01

    We study the stability of solutions of a particular type of multistable selection equations proposed by Starke, Schanz and Haken in the case of an inhomogeneous spectrum of growth parameters. We determine how the stability of feasible solutions depends on the inhomogeneity of the spectrum. We show that the strength of the competitive interaction between feasible solutions can act as a control parameter that induces bifurcations reducing the degree of multistability. - Research highlights: → Feasible solutions can be stable in the case of inhomogeneous growth parameters. → Changing coupling strength can induce bifurcations of feasible solutions. → Optimal solutions are obtained when selected winnings are relatively large.

  18. Augmenting the post-transplantation growth and survivorship of juvenile scleractinian corals via nutritional enhancement.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tai Chong Toh

    Full Text Available Size-dependent mortality influences the recolonization success of juvenile corals transplanted for reef restoration and assisting juvenile corals attain a refuge size would thus improve post-transplantation survivorship. To explore colony size augmentation strategies, recruits of the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis were fed with live Artemia salina nauplii twice a week for 24 weeks in an ex situ coral nursery. Fed recruits grew significantly faster than unfed ones, with corals in the 3600, 1800, 600 and 0 (control nauplii/L groups exhibiting volumetric growth rates of 10.65 ± 1.46, 4.69 ± 0.9, 3.64 ± 0.55 and 1.18 ± 0.37 mm3/week, respectively. Corals supplied with the highest density of nauplii increased their ecological volume by more than 74 times their initial size, achieving a mean final volume of 248.38 ± 33.44 mm3. The benefits of feeding were apparent even after transplantation to the reef. The corals in the 3600, 1800, 600 and 0 nauplii/L groups grew to final sizes of 4875 ± 260 mm3, 2036 ± 627 mm3, 1066 ± 70 mm3 and 512 ± 116 mm3, respectively. The fed corals had significantly higher survival rates than the unfed ones after transplantation (63%, 59%, 56% and 38% for the 3600, 1800, 600 and 0 nauplii/L treatments respectively. Additionally, cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that the costs per unit volumetric growth were drastically reduced with increasing feed densities. Corals fed with the highest density of nauplii were the most cost-effective (US$0.02/mm3, and were more than 12 times cheaper than the controls. This study demonstrated that nutrition enhancement can augment coral growth and post-transplantation survival, and is a biologically and economically viable option that can be used to supplement existing coral mariculture procedures and enhance reef restoration outcomes.

  19. Establishment and growth of container seedlings for reforestation: A function of stocktype and edaphic conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeremiah R. Pinto; John D. Marshall; R. Kasten Dumroese; Anthony S. Davis; Douglas R. Cobos

    2011-01-01

    A properly selected stocktype can greatly enhance reforestation success through increased survival and growth following outplanting. Implementing a robust stocktype trial using stocktypes of equal quality can ensure results lead to the best choice. Six container types, differing primarily in depth and volume, were used to evaluate the performance of ponderosa pine (...

  20. Enhanced vegetation growth peak and its key mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, K.; Xia, J.; Wang, Y.; Ahlström, A.; Schwalm, C.; Huntzinger, D. N.; Chen, J.; Cook, R. B.; Fang, Y.; Fisher, J. B.; Jacobson, A. R.; Michalak, A.; Schaefer, K. M.; Wei, Y.; Yan, L.; Luo, Y.

    2017-12-01

    It remains unclear that whether and how the vegetation growth peak has been shifted globally during the past three decades. Here we used two global datasets of gross primary productivity (GPP) and a satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to characterize recent changes in seasonal peak vegetation growth. The attribution of changes in peak growth to their driving factors was examined with several datasets. We demonstrated that the growth peak of global vegetation has been linearly increasing during the past three decades. About 65% of this trend is evenly explained by the expanding croplands (21%), rising atmospheric [CO2] (22%), and intensifying nitrogen deposition (22%). The contribution of expanding croplands to the peak growth trend was substantiated by measurements from eddy-flux towers, sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and a global database of plant traits, all of which demonstrated that croplands have a higher photosynthetic capacity than other vegetation types. The contribution of rising atmospheric [CO2] and nitrogen deposition are consistent with the positive response of leaf growth to elevated [CO2] (25%) and nitrogen addition (8%) from 346 manipulated experiments. The positive effect of rising atmospheric [CO2] was also well captured by 15 terrestrial biosphere models. However, most models underestimated the contributions of land-cover change and nitrogen deposition, but overestimated the positive effect of climate change.

  1. Video enhancement : content classification and model selection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hu, H.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of video enhancement is to improve the subjective picture quality. The field of video enhancement includes a broad category of research topics, such as removing noise in the video, highlighting some specified features and improving the appearance or visibility of the video content. The

  2. Selective alpha-particle mediated depletion of tumor vasculature with vascular normalization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaspreet Singh Jaggi

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abnormal regulation of angiogenesis in tumors results in the formation of vessels that are necessary for tumor growth, but compromised in structure and function. Abnormal tumor vasculature impairs oxygen and drug delivery and results in radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance, respectively. Alpha particles are extraordinarily potent, short-ranged radiations with geometry uniquely suitable for selectively killing neovasculature.Actinium-225 ((225Ac-E4G10, an alpha-emitting antibody construct reactive with the unengaged form of vascular endothelial cadherin, is capable of potent, selective killing of tumor neovascular endothelium and late endothelial progenitors in bone-marrow and blood. No specific normal-tissue uptake of E4G10 was seen by imaging or post-mortem biodistribution studies in mice. In a mouse-model of prostatic carcinoma, (225Ac-E4G10 treatment resulted in inhibition of tumor growth, lower serum prostate specific antigen level and markedly prolonged survival, which was further enhanced by subsequent administration of paclitaxel. Immunohistochemistry revealed lower vessel density and enhanced tumor cell apoptosis in (225Ac-E4G10 treated tumors. Additionally, the residual tumor vasculature appeared normalized as evident by enhanced pericyte coverage following (225Ac-E4G10 therapy. However, no toxicity was observed in vascularized normal organs following (225Ac-E4G10 therapy.The data suggest that alpha-particle immunotherapy to neovasculature, alone or in combination with sequential chemotherapy, is an effective approach to cancer therapy.

  3. Visual Input Enhances Selective Speech Envelope Tracking in Auditory Cortex at a ‘Cocktail Party’

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golumbic, Elana Zion; Cogan, Gregory B.; Schroeder, Charles E.; Poeppel, David

    2013-01-01

    Our ability to selectively attend to one auditory signal amidst competing input streams, epitomized by the ‘Cocktail Party’ problem, continues to stimulate research from various approaches. How this demanding perceptual feat is achieved from a neural systems perspective remains unclear and controversial. It is well established that neural responses to attended stimuli are enhanced compared to responses to ignored ones, but responses to ignored stimuli are nonetheless highly significant, leading to interference in performance. We investigated whether congruent visual input of an attended speaker enhances cortical selectivity in auditory cortex, leading to diminished representation of ignored stimuli. We recorded magnetoencephalographic (MEG) signals from human participants as they attended to segments of natural continuous speech. Using two complementary methods of quantifying the neural response to speech, we found that viewing a speaker’s face enhances the capacity of auditory cortex to track the temporal speech envelope of that speaker. This mechanism was most effective in a ‘Cocktail Party’ setting, promoting preferential tracking of the attended speaker, whereas without visual input no significant attentional modulation was observed. These neurophysiological results underscore the importance of visual input in resolving perceptual ambiguity in a noisy environment. Since visual cues in speech precede the associated auditory signals, they likely serve a predictive role in facilitating auditory processing of speech, perhaps by directing attentional resources to appropriate points in time when to-be-attended acoustic input is expected to arrive. PMID:23345218

  4. Selection and hydroponic growth of potato cultivars for bioregenerative life support systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molders, K.; Quinet, M.; Decat, J.; Secco, B.; Dulière, E.; Pieters, S.; van der Kooij, T.; Lutts, S.; Van Der Straeten, D.

    2012-07-01

    As part of the ESA-funded MELiSSA program, Ghent University and the Université catholique de Louvain investigated the suitability, growth and development of four potato cultivars in hydroponic culture under controlled conditions with the aim to incorporate such cultivation system in an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). Potato plants can fulfill three major functions in an ECLSS in space missions: (a) fixation of CO2 and production of O2, (b) production of tubers for human nutrition and (c) production of clean water after condensation of the water vapor released from the plants by transpiration. Four cultivars (Annabelle, Bintje, Desiree and Innovator) were selected and grown hydroponically in nutrient film technique (NFT) gullies in a growth chamber under controlled conditions. The plant growth parameters, tuber harvest parameters and results of tuber nutritional analysis of the four cultivars were compared. The four potato cultivars grew well and all produced tubers. The growth period lasted 127 days for all cultivars except for Desiree which needed 145 days. Annabelle (1.45 kg/m2) and Bintje (1.355 kg/m2) were the best performing of the four cultivars. They also produced two times more tubers than Desiree and Innovator. Innovator produced the biggest tubers (20.95 g/tuber) and Desiree the smallest (7.67 g/tuber). The size of Annabelle and Bintje potatoes were intermediate. Bintje plants produced the highest total biomass in term of DW. The highest non-edible biomass was produced by Desiree, which showed both the highest shoot and root DW. The manual length and width measurements were also used to predict the total tuber mass. The energy values of the tubers remained in the range of the 2010 USDA and Souci-Fachmann-Kraut food composition databases. The amount of Ca determined was slightly reduced compared to the USDA value, but close to the Souci-Fachmann-Kraut value. The concentration of Cu, Zn and P were high compared to both databases

  5. Motives for choosing growth-enhancing hormone treatment in adolescents with idiopathic short stature: a questionnaire and structured interview study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Visser-van Balen, J.; Geenen, R.; Kamp, G.A.; Huisman, J.; Wit, J.M.; Sinnema, G.

    2005-01-01

    Background Growth-enhancing hormone treatment is considered a possible intervention in short but otherwise healthy adolescents. Although height gain is an obvious measure for evaluating hormone treatment, this may not be the ultimate goal for the person, but rather a means to reach other goals such

  6. Structure-selective hot-spot Raman enhancement for direct identification and detection of trace penicilloic acid allergen in penicillin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Liying; Jin, Yang; Mao, Hui; Zheng, Lei; Zhao, Jiawei; Peng, Yan; Du, Shuhu; Zhang, Zhongping

    2014-08-15

    Trace penicilloic acid allergen frequently leads to various fatal immune responses to many patients, but it is still a challenge to directly discriminate and detect its residue in penicillin by a chemosensing way. Here, we report that silver-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@Ag NPs) exhibit a structure-selective hot-spot Raman enhancement capability for direct identification and detection of trace penicilloic acid in penicillin. It has been demonstrated that penicilloic acid can very easily link Au@Ag NPs together by its two carboxyl groups, locating itself spontaneously at the interparticle of Au@Ag NPs to form strong Raman hot-spot. At the critical concentration inducing the nanoparticle aggregation, Raman-enhanced effect of penicilloic acid is ~60,000 folds higher than that of penicillin. In particular, the selective Raman enhancement to the two carboxyl groups makes the peak of carboxyl group at C6 of penicilloic acid appear as a new Raman signal due to the opening of β-lactam ring of penicillin. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoparticle sensor reaches a sensitive limit lower than the prescribed 1.0‰ penicilloic acid residue in penicillin. The novel strategy to examine allergen is more rapid, convenient and inexpensive than the conventional separation-based assay methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Improved galvanic replacement growth of Ag microstructures on Cu micro-grid for enhanced SERS detection of organic molecules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Tian-Long [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Advanced Materials Processing Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Li, Ji-Guang, E-mail: LI.Jiguang@nims.go.jp [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Advanced Materials Processing Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Sun, Xudong, E-mail: xdsun@mail.neu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials, School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Sakka, Yoshio [Advanced Materials Processing Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1–1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)

    2016-04-01

    Galvanic growth of Ag nano/micro-structures on Cu micro-grid was systematically studied for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. Detailed characterizations via FE-SEM and HR-TEM showed that processing parameters, (reaction time, Ag{sup +} concentration, and PVP addition) all substantially affect thermodynamics/kinetics of the replacement reaction to yield substrates of significantly different microstructures/homogeneities and thus varied SERS performances (sensitivity, enhancement factor, and reproducibility) of the Ag substrates in the detection of R6G analyte. PVP as an additive was shown to notably alter nucleation/growth behaviors of the Ag crystals and promote the deposition of dense and uniform Ag films of nearly monodisperse polyhedrons/nanoplates through suppressing dendrites crystallization. Under optimized synthesis (50 mM of Ag{sup +}, 30 s of reaction, and 700 wt.% of PVP), Ag substrates exhibiting a high Raman signal enhancement factor of ~ 1.1 × 10{sup 6} and a low relative standard deviation of ~ 0.13 in the repeated detection of 10 μM R6G were obtained. The facile deposition and excellent performance reported in this work may allow the Ag microstructures to find wider SERS applications. Moreover, growth mechanisms of the different Ag nano/micro-structures were discussed based on extensive FE-SEM and HR-TEM analysis. - Highlights: • A facile synthetic technique of growing SERS active Ag substrates onto Cu micro-grid has been systematically studied. • Changing processing parameters has yielded Ag crystals of various morphologies and SERS performances. • PVP additive was observed to suppress Ag dendrite crystallization for nearly monodispersed Ag polyhedrons/nanoplates. • PVP modified SERS substrate exhibits excellent EF and RSD values in the repeated detection of 10 μM R6G analyte.

  8. Enhanced A3 adenosine receptor selectivity of multivalent nucleoside-dendrimer conjugates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shainberg Asher

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background An approach to use multivalent dendrimer carriers for delivery of nucleoside signaling molecules to their cell surface G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs was recently introduced. Results A known adenosine receptor (AR agonist was conjugated to polyamidoamine (PAMAM dendrimer carriers for delivery of the intact covalent conjugate to on the cell surface. Depending on the linking moiety, multivalent conjugates of the N6-chain elongated functionalized congener ADAC (N6-[4-[[[4-[[[(2-aminoethylamino]carbonyl]methyl]anilino]carbonyl]methyl]phenyl]-adenosine achieved unanticipated high selectivity in binding to the cytoprotective human A3 AR, a class A GPCR. The key to this selectivity of > 100-fold in both radioreceptor binding (Ki app = 2.4 nM and functional assays (EC50 = 1.6 nM in inhibition of adenylate cyclase was maintaining a free amino group (secondary in an amide-linked chain. Attachment of neutral amide-linked chains or thiourea-containing chains preserved the moderate affinity and efficacy at the A1 AR subtype, but there was no selectivity for the A3 AR. Since residual amino groups on dendrimers are associated with cytotoxicity, the unreacted terminal positions of this A3 AR-selective G2.5 dendrimer were present as carboxylate groups, which had the further benefit of increasing water-solubility. The A3 AR selective G2.5 dendrimer was also visualized binding the membrane of cells expressing the A3 receptor but did not bind cells that did not express the receptor. Conclusion This is the first example showing that it is feasible to modulate and even enhance the pharmacological profile of a ligand of a GPCR based on conjugation to a nanocarrier and the precise structure of the linking group, which was designed to interact with distal extracellular regions of the 7 transmembrane-spanning receptor. This ligand tool can now be used in pharmacological models of tissue rescue from ischemia and to probe the existence of A3 AR

  9. Cellular growth kinetics distinguish a cyclophilin inhibitor from an HSP90 inhibitor as a selective inhibitor of hepatitis C virus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rudolf K F Beran

    Full Text Available During antiviral drug discovery, it is critical to distinguish molecules that selectively interrupt viral replication from those that reduce virus replication by adversely affecting host cell viability. In this report we investigate the selectivity of inhibitors of the host chaperone proteins cyclophilin A (CypA and heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90 which have each been reported to inhibit replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV. By comparing the toxicity of the HSP90 inhibitor, 17-(Allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG to two known cytostatic compounds, colchicine and gemcitabine, we provide evidence that 17-AAG exerts its antiviral effects indirectly through slowing cell growth. In contrast, a cyclophilin inhibitor, cyclosporin A (CsA, exhibited selective antiviral activity without slowing cell proliferation. Furthermore, we observed that 17-AAG had little antiviral effect in a non-dividing cell-culture model of HCV replication, while CsA reduced HCV titer by more than two orders of magnitude in the same model. The assays we describe here are useful for discriminating selective antivirals from compounds that indirectly affect virus replication by reducing host cell viability or slowing cell growth.

  10. Epidermal growth factor regulation of glutathione S-transferase gene expression in the rat is mediated by class Pi glutathione S-transferase enhancer I.

    OpenAIRE

    Matsumoto, M; Imagawa, M; Aoki, Y

    2000-01-01

    Using chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assays we showed that epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PenCB) induce class Pi glutathione S-transferase (GSTP1) in primary cultured rat liver parenchymal cells. GSTP1 enhancer I (GPEI), which is required for the stimulation of GSTP1 expression by PenCB, also mediates EGF and TGF alpha stimulation of GSTP1 gene expression. However, hepatocyte growth factor and insulin did no...

  11. Study on ECR dry etching and selective MBE growth of AlGaN/GaN for fabrication of quantum nanostructures on GaN (0001) substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oikawa, Takeshi; Ishikawa, Fumitaro; Sato, Taketomo; Hashizume, Tamotsu; Hasegawa, Hideki

    2005-01-01

    This paper attempts to form AlGaN/GaN quantum wire (QWR) network structures on patterned GaN (0001) substrates by selective molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth. Substrate patterns were prepared along - and -directions by electron cyclotron resonance assisted reactive-ion beam etching (ECR-RIBE) process. Selective growth was possible for both directions in the case of GaN growth, but only in the -direction in the case of AlGaN growth. A hexagonal QWR network was successfully grown on a hexagonal mesa pattern by combining the -direction and two other equivalent directions. AFM observation confirmed excellent surface morphology of the grown network. A clear cathodoluminescence (CL) peak coming from the embedded AlGaN/GaN QWR structure was clearly identified

  12. Selective Attention Enhances Beta-Band Cortical Oscillation to Speech under "Cocktail-Party" Listening Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yayue; Wang, Qian; Ding, Yu; Wang, Changming; Li, Haifeng; Wu, Xihong; Qu, Tianshu; Li, Liang

    2017-01-01

    Human listeners are able to selectively attend to target speech in a noisy environment with multiple-people talking. Using recordings of scalp electroencephalogram (EEG), this study investigated how selective attention facilitates the cortical representation of target speech under a simulated "cocktail-party" listening condition with speech-on-speech masking. The result shows that the cortical representation of target-speech signals under the multiple-people talking condition was specifically improved by selective attention relative to the non-selective-attention listening condition, and the beta-band activity was most strongly modulated by selective attention. Moreover, measured with the Granger Causality value, selective attention to the single target speech in the mixed-speech complex enhanced the following four causal connectivities for the beta-band oscillation: the ones (1) from site FT7 to the right motor area, (2) from the left frontal area to the right motor area, (3) from the central frontal area to the right motor area, and (4) from the central frontal area to the right frontal area. However, the selective-attention-induced change in beta-band causal connectivity from the central frontal area to the right motor area, but not other beta-band causal connectivities, was significantly correlated with the selective-attention-induced change in the cortical beta-band representation of target speech. These findings suggest that under the "cocktail-party" listening condition, the beta-band oscillation in EEGs to target speech is specifically facilitated by selective attention to the target speech that is embedded in the mixed-speech complex. The selective attention-induced unmasking of target speech may be associated with the improved beta-band functional connectivity from the central frontal area to the right motor area, suggesting a top-down attentional modulation of the speech-motor process.

  13. Reynolds-number dependence of turbulence enhancement on collision growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Onishi

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the Reynolds-number dependence of turbulence enhancement on the collision growth of cloud droplets. The Onishi turbulent coagulation kernel proposed in Onishi et al. (2015 is updated by using the direct numerical simulation (DNS results for the Taylor-microscale-based Reynolds number (Reλ up to 1140. The DNS results for particles with a small Stokes number (St show a consistent Reynolds-number dependence of the so-called clustering effect with the locality theory proposed by Onishi et al. (2015. It is confirmed that the present Onishi kernel is more robust for a wider St range and has better agreement with the Reynolds-number dependence shown by the DNS results. The present Onishi kernel is then compared with the Ayala–Wang kernel (Ayala et al., 2008a; Wang et al., 2008. At low and moderate Reynolds numbers, both kernels show similar values except for r2 ∼ r1, for which the Ayala–Wang kernel shows much larger values due to its large turbulence enhancement on collision efficiency. A large difference is observed for the Reynolds-number dependences between the two kernels. The Ayala–Wang kernel increases for the autoconversion region (r1, r2 < 40 µm and for the accretion region (r1 < 40 and r2 > 40 µm; r1 > 40 and r2 < 40 µm as Reλ increases. In contrast, the Onishi kernel decreases for the autoconversion region and increases for the rain–rain self-collection region (r1, r2 > 40 µm. Stochastic collision–coalescence equation (SCE simulations are also conducted to investigate the turbulence enhancement on particle size evolutions. The SCE with the Ayala–Wang kernel (SCE-Ayala and that with the present Onishi kernel (SCE-Onishi are compared with results from the Lagrangian Cloud Simulator (LCS; Onishi et al., 2015, which tracks individual particle motions and size evolutions in homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The SCE-Ayala and SCE-Onishi kernels show consistent

  14. Enhancement of fatigue crack growth rates in pressure boundary materials due to light-water-reactor environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Der Sluys, W.A.; Emanuelson, R.H.

    1987-01-01

    Sulfur now appears to be one of the principal agents responsible for the observed enhancement of the fatigue crack growth rates in light-water-reactor (LWR) environments. This paper presents the results of investigations on the effect of sulfur in the steel, in the bulk water environment, and at the crack tip. A time-based format of data presentation is used in this paper along with the conventional crack growth rate based on cycle format. The time-based format is a useful method of data presentation. When presented in the conventional format, an apparent substantial amount of scatter in the data is eliminated and the data fall within a relatively narrow scatter band. This model permits extrapolation from the frequency and ΔK regions where experiments were conducted into previously unexplored regions. (orig./GL)

  15. A biomimetic growth factor delivery strategy for enhanced regeneration of iliac crest defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yilgor Huri, Pinar; Huri, Gazi; Yasar, Umit; Dikmen, Nurten; Ucar, Yurdanur; Hasirci, Nesrin; Hasirci, Vasif

    2013-01-01

    The importance of provision of growth factors in the engineering of tissues has long been shown to control the behavior of the cells within the construct and several approaches were applied toward this end. In nature, more than one type of growth factor is known to be effective during the healing of tissue defects and their peak concentrations are not always simultaneous. One of the most recent strategies includes the delivery of a combination of growth factors with the dose and timing to mimic the natural regeneration cascade. The sequential delivery of bone morphogenetic proteins BMP-2 and BMP-7 which are early and late appearing factors during bone regeneration, respectively, was shown in vitro to enhance osteoblastic differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. In the present study, the aim was to study the effectiveness of this delivery strategy in a rabbit iliac crest model. 3D plotted poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds were loaded with BMP carrying nanoparticles to achieve: (a) single BMP-2 or BMP-7 delivery, and (b) their combined delivery in a simultaneous or (c) sequential (biomimetic) fashion. After eight weeks of implantation, computed tomography and biomechanical tests showed better mineralized matrix formation and bone-implant union strength at the defect site in the case of sequential delivery compared to single or simultaneous delivery modes. Bone mineral density (BMD) and push-out stress were: 33.65±2.25 g cm −3 and 14.5±2.28 MPa, respectively, and almost 2.5 fold higher in comparison to those without growth factors (BMD: 14.14±1.21 g cm −3 ; PS: 6.59±0.65 MPa). This study, therefore, supports those obtained in vitro and emphasizes the importance of mimicking the natural timing of bioavailability of osteogenic factors in improving the regeneration of critical-sized bone defects. (paper)

  16. Al-Fe interactions and growth enhancement in Melastoma malabathricum and Miscanthus sinensis dominating acid sulphate soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Toshihiro; Jansen, Steven; Osaki, Mitsuru

    2006-12-01

    Plants growing in acid sulphate soils are subject to high levels of Al availability, which may have effects on the growth and distribution of these species. Although Fe availability is also high in acid sulphate soils, little is known about the effect of Fe on the growth of native plants in these soils. Two species dominating this soil type in Asia, viz. Melastoma malabathricum and Miscanthus sinensis were grown hydroponically in a nutrient solution with different concentrations of Al and Fe. Melastoma malabathricum is found to be sensitive to Fe (40 and 100 microm). Application of 500 microm Al, however, completely ameliorates Fe toxicity and is associated with a decrease of Fe concentration in shoots and roots. The primary reason for the Al-induced growth enhancement of M. malabathricum is considered to be the Al-induced reduction of toxic Fe accumulation in roots and shoots. Therefore, Al is nearly essential for M. malabathricum when growing in acid sulphate soils. In contrast, application of both Fe and Al does not reduce the growth of M. sinensis, and Al application does not result in lower shoot concentrations of Fe, suggesting that this grass species has developed different mechanisms for adaptation to acid sulphate soils.

  17. 2D Ultrathin Core-shell Pd@Ptmonolayer Nanosheets: Defect-Mediated Thin Film Growth and Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Performance

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Wenxin

    2015-06-16

    An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured Pd@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit a seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

  18. 2D Ultrathin Core-shell Pd@Ptmonolayer Nanosheets: Defect-Mediated Thin Film Growth and Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Performance

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Wenxin; Zhao, Yunfeng; Ding, Yi

    2015-01-01

    An operational strategy for the synthesis of atomically smooth Pt skin by a defect-mediated thin film growth method is reported. Extended ultrathin core-shell structured Pd@Ptmonolayer nanosheets (thickness below 5 nm) exhibit a seven-fold enhancement in mass-activity and surprisingly good durability toward oxygen reduction reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

  19. Sequential electrochemical oxidation and site-selective growth of nanoparticles onto AFM probes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haitao; Tian, Tian; Zhang, Yong; Pan, Zhiqiang; Wang, Yong; Xiao, Zhongdang

    2008-08-19

    In this work, we reported an approach for the site-selective growth of nanoparticle onto the tip apex of an atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe. The silicon AFM probe was first coated with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Subsequently, COOH groups were selectively generated at the tip apex of silicon AFM probes by applying an appropriate bias voltage between the tip and a flat gold electrode. The transformation of methyl to carboxylic groups at the tip apex of the AFM probe was investigated through measuring the capillary force before and after electrochemical oxidation. To prepare the nanoparticle terminated AFM probe, the oxidized AFM probe was then immersed in an aqueous solution containing positive metal ions, for example, Ag+, to bind positive metal ions to the oxidized area (COOH terminated area), followed by chemical reduction with aqueous NaBH 4 and further development (if desired) to give a metal nanoparticle-modified AFM probe. The formation of a metal nanoparticle at the tip apex of the AFM probe was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA).

  20. Estimation of metal uptake in plant parts of roadside grown maize at selected growth stages

    OpenAIRE

    Anongo, M'ember C.; Uyovbisere, Edward O.; Ekong, Nsima J.

    2015-01-01

    Health risk assessment of heavy metals in roadside grown foodcrops consumed by humans is a very good technique because such assessment would provide information about any threat regarding heavy metal contamination. Plant and corresponding soil samples were collected for trace metal analysis to ascertain potential health risks. The non-significant differences of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) levels among the selected growth stages shows that the levels of Pb and Cd in the foodcrops were not influ...

  1. Differential effects of catecholamines on in vitro growth of pathogenic bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belay, Tesfaye; Sonnenfeld, Gerald

    2002-01-01

    Supplementation of minimal medium inoculated with bacterial cultures with norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, or isoproterenol resulted in marked increases in growth compared to controls. Norepinephrine and dopamine had the greatest enhancing effects on growth of cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, while epinephrine and isoproterenol also enhanced growth to a lesser extent. The growth of Escherichia coli in the presence of norepinephrine was greater than growth in the presence of the three other neurochemicals used in the study. Growth of Staphylococcus aureus was also enhanced in the presence of norepinephrine, but not to the same degree as was the growth of gram negative bacteria. Addition of culture supernatants from E. coli cultures that had been grown in the presence of norepinephrine was able to enhance the growth of K. pneumoniae. Addition of the culture supernatant fluid culture from E. coli cultures that had been grown in the presence of norepinephrine did not enhance growth of P. aeruginosa or S. aureus. Culture supernatant fluids from bacteria other than E. coli grown in the presence of norepinephrine were not able to enhance the growth of any bacteria tested. The results suggest that catecholamines can enhance growth of pathogenic bacteria, which may contribute to development of pathogenesis; however, there is no uniform effect of catecholamines on bacterial growth.

  2. Microbial enhanced oil recovery—a modeling study of the potential of spore-forming bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Sidsel Marie; Nesterov, Igor; Shapiro, Alexander

    2016-01-01

    resulted in the following conclusions. In order to obtain sufficient local concentrations of surfactant, substantial amounts of substrate should be supplied; however, massive growth of bacteria increases the risk for clogging at the well inlet areas, causing injectivity loss. In such areas, starvation may......Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) utilizes microbes for enhancing the recovery by several mechanisms, among which the most studied are the following: (1) reduction of oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) by the produced biosurfactant and (2) selective plugging by microbes and metabolic products...

  3. Interrelationships among Growth, Confidence and Governance in the Globalized World-An experiment of some selected countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramesh Chandra Das

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The countries in the world in the globalized era have faced heterogeneity in challenges in managing their growth factors as well as the stake holders of such growth profiles. The political and economic turmoil of the last two decades around the world have opened the eyes of the consumers, business houses and the governments of different countries to read and follow the economic events. The paper has tried to study the causal relation and interrelationships among different growth factors like the confidence levels of the consumers and business houses, inflation, unemployment like economic factors and governance like non-economic factors over a selection of 17 countries across all continents for the period 1996-2010. Because of limited sources of data we have applied the pooled regression technique to justify our study. Confidence levels of both the consumers and business houses cause the growth rates whereas governance causes growth only under pooled data. But for individual country data we observe that in majority of the countries there are absences of causalities between the variables. It has been observed that pooled annual growth rates of GDP of the countries are significantly related to the business and consumer confidence indexes, unemployment rate, debt ratio and overall governance indicators that shows improvement over the individual country analysis where in majority of the cases there is no significant factor for growth and confidence. By segregating the entire data the study find a few countries where a few variables like BCI, stock prices and governance make significant impact upon growth rates. In majority of the countries BCI is explained by CCI, Stock prices and governance while CCI is explained by stock prices, governance and debt ratio.

  4. GROWTH AND PHOTOPROTECTION IN THREE DINOFLAGELLATES (INCLUDING TWO STRAINS OF ALEXANDRIUM TAMARENSE) AND ONE DIATOM EXPOSED TO FOUR WEEKS OF NATURAL AND ENHANCED ULTRAVIOLET-B RADIATION(1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurion, Isabelle; Roy, Suzanne

    2009-02-01

    Long-term growth response to natural solar radiation with enhanced ultraviolet-B (UVB) exposure was examined in two species of dinoflagellates [Alexandrium tamarense (M. Lebour) Balech, At, and Heterocapsa triquetra (Ehrenb.) F. Stein, Ht], including two strains of A. tamarense, one from Spain and another from UK, and one diatom species (Thalassiosira pseudonana Hasle et Heimdal). We examined whether variable photoprotection (mycosporine-like amino acids [MAAs] and xanthophyll-cycle pigments) affected photosynthetic performance, phytoplankton light absorption, and growth. Growth rate was significantly reduced under enhanced UVB for the UK strain of At and for Ht (both grew very little) as well as for the diatom (that maintained high growth rates), but there was no effect for the Spanish strain of At. MAA concentration was high in the dinoflagellates, but undetectable in the diatom, which instead used the xanthophyll cycle for photoprotection. The highest cell concentrations of MAAs and photoprotective pigments were observed in the UK strain of At, along with lowest growth rates and Fv /Fm , indicating high stress levels. In contrast, the Spanish strain showed progressive acclimation to the experimental conditions, with no significant difference in growth between treatments. Increase in total MAAs followed linearly the cumulative UVB of the preceding day, and both total and primary MAAs were maintained at higher constitutive levels in this strain. Acclimation to enhanced UVB in the diatom resulted in an increase in PSII activity and reduction in nonphotochemical quenching, indicating an increased resistance to photoinhibition after a few weeks. All four species showed increased phytoplankton light absorption under enhanced UVB. Large intrastrain differences suggest a need to consider more closely intraspecific variability in UV studies. © 2009 Phycological Society of America.

  5. Selective growth of ZnO thin film nanostructures: Structure, morphology and tunable optical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krishnakanth, Katturi Naga; Sunandana, C. S. [School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-50046 (India); Rajesh, Desapogu, E-mail: rajesh.esapogu@gmail.com, E-mail: mperd@nus.edu.sg [School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad-50046 (India); Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore (Singapore)

    2016-05-23

    The ZnO nanostructures (spherical, rod shape) have been successfully fabricated via a thermal evaporation followed by dip coating method. The pure, doped ZnO thin films were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and UV-Vis spectroscopy, respectively. A possible growth mechanism of the spherical, rod shape ZnO nanostructures are discussed. XRD patterns revealed that all films consist of pure ZnO phase and were well crystallized with preferential orientation towards (002) direction. Doping by PVA, PVA+Cu has effective role in the enhancement of the crystalline quality and increases in the band gap.

  6. Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposited MoOx emitters for silicon heterojunction solar cells

    OpenAIRE

    Ziegler, J.; Mews, M.; Kaufmann, K.; Schneider, T.; Sprafke, A.N.; Korte, L.; Wehrsporn, R.B

    2015-01-01

    A method for the deposition of molybdenum oxide MoOx with high growth rates at temperatures below 200 C based on plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition is presented. The stoichiometry of the overstoichiometric MoOx films can be adjusted by the plasma parameters. First results of these layers acting as hole selective contacts in silicon heterojunction solar cells are presented and discussed

  7. The influence of stress conditions on the growth of selected lactic acid bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bok, H.E.

    1985-01-01

    A study was undertaken to determine the effects of certain stress conditions on selected lactic acid bacteria. Where recontamination occurred, lactic acid bacteria was already the dominant bacterial group, with counts of higher than 10 6 /g in vacuum-packaged 'shelf stable' meat products after 1 week storage at 25 and 37 degrees Celsius respectively. Some of the isolates were capable of growing at a pH of 3,9. The minimum pH for growth of a specific culture was dependant on the type of acid that was used to lower the pH. Lactic and acetic acid had the highest inhibitory action. Hydrochloric and citric acid showed similar inhibitory effects, while the effects when using ascorbic acid or gluconic acid for lowering the pH were also fairly similar. Increase in the activity of certain lactic acid bacteria was noticed where the ratio of undissociated to dissociated citric acid in the medium was increased. After exceeding a concentration of 0,048 moles/l undissosiated citric acid in the medium, the activity of the majority of cultures was progressively inhibited. This phenomenon was also found with acetic acid for certain cultures. Selected lactic acid bacteria were resistant to an water activity (a (sub w)) of 0,94 in MRS broth, where NaCl or glycerol was used as a humectant. The minimum a (sub w) for growth was dependent on the type of humectant used. Concentrations of sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate were necessary to inhibit the majority of strains. The % inhibition by sodium benzoate and methyl paraben did not significantly change with a lowering in the pH of the growth medium. Except in the case of lactic acid, the different acids used to lower the pH of the medium did not have a significant effect on the % inhibition by the chemical preservatives. For the cocci, gamma D 10 values of between 0,82 and 1,29 kGy were recorded, whereas the lactobacilli were less resistant to gamma rays, with D 10 values of between 0,21 and 0,54 kGy

  8. Plant growth enhancing effects by a siderophore-producing endophytic streptomycete isolated from a Thai jasmine rice plant (Oryza sativa L. cv. KDML105).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rungin, Siriwan; Indananda, Chantra; Suttiviriya, Pavinee; Kruasuwan, Worarat; Jaemsaeng, Ratchaniwan; Thamchaipenet, Arinthip

    2012-10-01

    An endophytic Streptomyces sp. GMKU 3100 isolated from roots of a Thai jasmine rice plant (Oryza sativa L. cv. KDML105) showed the highest siderophore production on CAS agar while phosphate solubilization and IAA production were not detected. A mutant of Streptomyces sp. GMKU 3100 deficient in just one of the plant growth promoting traits, siderophore production, was generated by inactivation of a desD-like gene encoding a key enzyme controlling the final step of siderophore biosynthesis. Pot culture experiments revealed that rice and mungbean plants inoculated with the wild type gave the best enhancement of plant growth and significantly increased root and shoot biomass and lengths compared with untreated controls and siderophore-deficient mutant treatments. Application of the wild type in the presence or absence of ferric citrate significantly promoted plant growth of both plants. The siderophore-deficient mutant clearly showed the effect of this important trait involved in plant-microbe interaction in enhancement of growth in rice and mungbean plants supplied with sequestered iron. Our results highlight the value of a substantial understanding of the relationship of the plant growth promoting properties of endophytic actinomycetes to the plants. Endophytic actinomycetes, therefore, can be applied as potentially safe and environmentally friendly biofertilizers in agriculture.

  9. Enhancing Growth of Vigna radiata in the Presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biopolymer and Metarhizium anisopliae Spores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhagwan N. Rekadwad

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Exopolysaccharide producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 2945 (PANCL belonging to gamma-proteobacterium and entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae MCC 1129 (MAMCC belonging to Ascomycota were studied for their morphological features biochemical characteristics and plant growth promotion ability. Optimum growth of PANCL was recorded after 24 h at temperature 30°C and pH 7.0. Gram-negative PANCL appeared as white in color, one mm size, circular, opaque, and nonconsistent elevated colonies with entire margin. It has utilized dextrose, fructose, maltose, and sorbitol as carbon source and produced acid in the medium. PANCL was sensitive to Polymyxin B (300 µgm/disc followed by Neomycin (30 µgm/disc, Gentamycin (10 µgm/disc, and Chloramphenicol (30 µgm/disc. PANCL has secreted extracellular lipase, amylase, protease, and exopolysaccharides (EPS. Another fungal strain MAMCC sporulated after 168 h at temperature 30°C and pH 7.0. MAMCC has septate-white mycelium and bears dirty green colored spores. Growth of MAMCC was enhanced in the presence of Neem and Karela-Amla oil (0.1 mL each. Extracellular polysaccharide produced by PANCL and spores of MAMCC promoted growth of dicotyledon Vigna radiata (Mung individually as well as in consortium. Considerable increase in dry weight of Vigna radiata was recorded. Thus, reported PANCL and MAMCC strains have promoted growth Vigna radiata and may be a solution for sustainable agriculture.

  10. GaAs Solar Cells on V-Grooved Silicon via Selective Area Growth: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Warren, Emily L [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jain, Nikhil [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Tamboli, Adele C [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Vaisman, Michelle [Yale University; Li, Qiang [Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Lau, Kei May [Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

    2017-08-31

    Interest in integrating III-Vs onto Si has recently resurged as a promising pathway towards high-efficiency, low-cost tandem photovoltaics. Here, we present a single junction GaAs solar cell grown monolithically on polished Si (001) substrates using V-grooves, selective area growth, and aspect ratio trapping to mitigate defect formation without the use of expensive, thick graded buffers. The GaAs is free of antiphase domains and maintains a relatively low TDD of 4x107 cm-2, despite the lack of a graded buffer. This 6.25 percent-efficient demonstration solar cell shows promise for further improvements to III-V/Si tandems to enable cost-competitive photovoltaics.

  11. Mining Halophytes for Plant Growth-Promoting Halotolerant Bacteria to Enhance the Salinity Tolerance of Non-halophytic Crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Etesami

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Interest is increasing in the application of PGPRs (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria to ameliorate stresses such as salinity stress in crop production. The identification of salt-tolerant, or halophilic, PGPRs has the potential to promote saline soil-based agriculture. Halophytes are a useful reservoir of halotolerant bacteria with plant growth-promoting capabilities. Here, we review recent studies on the use of halophilic PGPRs to stimulate plant growth and increase the tolerance of non-halophytic crops to salinity. These studies illustrate that halophilic PGPRs from the rhizosphere of halophytic species can be effective bio-inoculants for promoting the production of non-halophytic species in saline soils. These studies support the viability of bioinoculation with halophilic PGPRs as a strategy for the sustainable enhancement of non-halophytic crop growth. The potential of this strategy is discussed within the context of ensuring sustainable food production for a world with an increasing population and continuing climate change. We also explore future research needs for using halotolerant PGPRs under salinity stress.

  12. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria reduce aphid population and enhance the productivity of bread wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naeem, Muhammad; Aslam, Zubair; Khaliq, Abdul; Ahmed, Jam Nazir; Nawaz, Ahmad; Hussain, Mubshar

    2018-04-24

    Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria increase plant growth and give protection against insect pests and pathogens. Due to the negative impact of chemical pesticides on environment, alternatives to these chemicals are needed. In this scenario, the biological methods of pest control offer an eco-friendly and an attractive option. In this study, the effect of two plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains (Bacillus sp. strain 6 and Pseudomonas sp. strain 6K) on aphid population and wheat productivity was evaluated in an aphid susceptible (Pasban-90) and resistant (Inqlab-91) wheat cultivar. The seeds were inoculated with each PGPR strain, separately or the combination of both. The lowest aphid population (2.1tiller -1 ), and highest plant height (85.8cm), number of spikelets per spike (18), grains per spike (44), productive tillers (320m -2 ), straw yield (8.6Mgha -1 ), and grain yield (4.8Mgha -1 ) were achieved when seeds were inoculated with Bacillus sp. strain 6+Pseudomonas sp. strain 6K. The grain yield of both varieties was enhanced by 35.5-38.9% with seed inoculation with both bacterial strains. Thus, the combine use of both PGPR strains viz. Bacillus sp. strain 6+Pseudomonas sp. strain 6K offers an attractive option to reduce aphid population tied with better wheat productivity. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  13. Integrated basic treatment of activated carbon for enhanced CO{sub 2} selectivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adelodun, Adedeji Adebukola; Jo, Young-Min, E-mail: ymjo@khu.ac.kr

    2013-12-01

    We attempted the use of three chemical agents viz nitric acid (HN), calcium nitrate (CaN) and calcium ethanoate (CaEt) to achieve enhanced CO{sub 2} selective adsorption by activated carbon (AC). In dry phase treatment, microporous coconut shell-based carbon (CS) exhibits higher CO{sub 2} capacity than coal-based. However, upon wet-phase pre-treatment, modified CS samples showed lesser CO{sub 2} adsorption efficiency. Surface characterization with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the presence of calcium and amine species on the samples with integrated treatment (A-CaN). These samples recorded the highest low-level CO{sub 2} capture despite calcinated CaEt-doped samples (C-CaEt) showing the highest value for pure and high level CO{sub 2} adsorption capacities. The slope and linearity values of isobaric desorption were used to estimate the proportion of CO{sub 2} chemisorbed and heterogeneity of the adsorbents’ surfaces respectively. Consequently, integrated basic impregnation provides the most efficient adsorbents for selective adsorption of both indoor and outdoor CO{sub 2} levels.

  14. Is rheumatoid arthritis a consequence of natural selection for enhanced tuberculosis resistance?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mobley, James L

    2004-01-01

    Although the bubonic plague or "Black Death" is notorious for the toll it took on the population of Europe in the middle ages, another epidemic, the "White Death" of tuberculosis is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide over the past 300 years. With one in four deaths due to tuberculosis in Western Europe and the United States in the 19th century, this disease undoubtedly acted as a powerful genetic selective force. The epidemiology of modern day rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is strikingly similar to the epidemiology of tuberculosis 100-200 years ago, suggesting the possibility that genetic factors that enhanced survival in tuberculosis epidemics are now influencing susceptibility to RA. Recent advances in the analysis of genetic polymorphisms associated with disease have identified several genes linked to RA susceptibility that encode proteins involved in the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, including TNF-alpha, NRAMP1, PARP-1, HLA-DRB1, and PADI4. These results suggest that rheumatoid arthritis, and possibly other autoimmune diseases, are modern day manifestations of the genetic selective pressure exerted by tuberculosis epidemics of the recent past.

  15. Microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition growth of few-walled carbon nanotubes using catalyst derived from an iron-containing block copolymer precursor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Peng; Lu, Jennifer; Zhou, Otto

    2008-01-01

    The microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) method is now commonly used for directional and conformal growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on supporting substrates. One of the shortcomings of the current process is the lack of control of the diameter and diameter distribution of the CNTs due to difficulties in synthesizing well-dispersed catalysts. Recently, block copolymer derived catalysts have been developed which offer the potential of fine control of both the size of and the spacing between the metal clusters. In this paper we report the successful growth of CNTs with narrow diameter distribution using polystyrene-block-polyferrocenylethylmethylsilane (PS-b-PFEMS) as the catalyst precursor. The study shows that higher growth pressure leads to better CNT growth. Besides the pressure, the effects on the growth of CNTs of the growth parameters, such as temperature and precursor gas ratio, are also studied

  16. Enhanced intestinal anastomotic healing with gelatin hydrogel incorporating basic fibroblast growth factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirai, Kenjiro; Tabata, Yasuhiko; Hasegawa, Suguru; Sakai, Yoshiharu

    2016-10-01

    Anastomotic leakage is a common complication of intestinal surgery. In an attempt to resolve this issue, a promising approach is enhancement of anastomotic wound healing. A method for controlled release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) using a gelatin hydrogel was developed with the objective of investigating the effects of this technology on intestinal anastomotic healing. The small intestine of Wistar rats was cut, end-to-end anastomosis was performed and rats were divided into three groups: bFGF group (anastomosis wrapped with a hydrogel sheet incorporating bFGF), PBS group (wrapped with a sheet incorporating phosphate-buffered saline solution) and NT group (no additional treatment). Degradation profiles of gelatin hydrogels in vivo and histological examinations were performed using gelatin hydrogels with various water contents and bFGF concentrations to define the optimal bFGF dose and hydrogel biodegradability. The anastomotic wound healing process was evaluated by histological examinations, adhesion-related score and bursting pressure. The optimal water content of the hydrogel and bFGF dose was determined as 96% and 30 µg per sheet, respectively. Application of bFGF significantly enhanced neovascularization, fibroblast infiltration and collagen production around the anastomotic site when compared with the other groups. Bursting pressure was significantly increased in the bFGF group. No significant difference was observed in the adhesion-related score among the groups and no anastomotic obstruction and leakage were observed. Therefore controlled release of bFGF enhanced healing of an intestinal anastomosis during the early postoperative period and is a promising method to suppress anastomotic leakage. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Importance of Selecting Appropriate Wavelength, While Quantifying Growth and Production of Quorum Sensing Regulated Pigments in Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Chinmayi; Kothari, Vijay; Patel, Pooja

    2016-01-01

    Pigment production is regulated by quorum-sensing (QS) in certain bacteria which are being widely used as model organisms in different QS labs. This paper emphasizes importance of selecting an appropriate wavelength for quantification of bacterial growth and pigmentation. While screening different natural/synthetic preparations for their possible QSmodulating potential, it becomes very much necessary to establish that the observed effect is truly QS-associated, and not falsely inflated owing to inaccurate quantification of bacterial cell density/ pigment intensity. Pigments were extracted in suitable organic solvents, whereas quantification of bacterial growth and extracted pigments was done photometrically. Findings reported in this paper, suggest that while quantifying cell density in a pigmented bacterial suspension, such a wavelength (e.g. 764 nm) should be selected at which pigment interference is either absent or minimum. Additionally, importance of appropriate dilution of the bacterial cell suspensions, prior to photometric measurement has been highlighted. This work indicates that while working with pigmented bacteria, it is important to pay attention to the absorption spectrum of the pigment(s) involved, and also to dilute the dense bacterial suspensions appropriately prior to measuring optical density, so as to avoid any major deviation of OD from the proportionality to the cell density. Besides presenting the experimental data in this paper, patents regarding measurement of cell growth, as well as those indicating the potential of commercialization of various aspects of QS research have been mentioned.

  18. Enhanced Absorption and Growth Inhibition with Amino Acid Monoester Prodrugs of Floxuridine by Targeting hPEPT1 Transporters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gordon L. Amidon

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available A series of amino acid monoester prodrugs of floxuridine was synthesized and evaluated for the improvement of oral bioavailability and the feasibility of target drug delivery via oligopeptide transporters. All floxuridine 5′-amino acid monoester prodrugs exhibited PEPT1 affinity, with inhibition coefficients of Gly-Sar uptake (IC50 ranging from 0.7 – 2.3 mM in Caco-2 and 2.0 – 4.8 mM in AsPC-1 cells, while that of floxuridine was 7.3 mM and 6.3 mM, respectively. Caco-2 membrane permeabilities of floxuridine prodrugs (1.01 – 5.31 x 10-6 cm/sec and floxuridine (0.48 x 10-6 cm/sec were much higher than that of 5-FU (0.038 x 10-6 cm/sec. MDCK cells stably transfected with the human oligopeptide transporter PEPT1 (MDCK/hPEPT1 exhibited enhanced cell growth inhibition in the presence of the prodrugs. This prodrug strategy offers great potential, not only for increased drug absorption but also for improved tumor selectivity and drug efficacy.

  19. Process and analytical studies of enhanced low severity co-processing using selective coal pretreatment. Final technical report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baldwin, R.M.; Miller, R.L.

    1991-12-01

    The findings in the first phase were as follows: 1. Both reductive (non-selective) alkylation and selective oxygen alkylation brought about an increase in liquefaction reactivity for both coals. 2. Selective oxygen alkylation is more effective in enhancing the reactivity of low rank coals. In the second phase of studies, the major findings were as follows: 1. Liquefaction reactivity increases with increasing level of alkylation for both hydroliquefaction and co-processing reaction conditions. 2. the increase in reactivity found for O-alkylated Wyodak subbituminous coal is caused by chemical changes at phenolic and carboxylic functional sites. 3. O-methylation of Wyodak subbituminous coal reduced the apparent activation energy for liquefaction of this coal.

  20. A literature review on growth models and strategies: The missing link in entrepreneurial growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syed Fida Hussain Shah

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses on the importance of growth models, growth strategies, role of knowledge management system in the formulation of effective strategy for the enterprises following growth. Choice of an appropriate growth strategy is at the heart of any successful entrepreneurial venture. Selection of a strategy may be effective for one entrepreneur while it is not for other. Choice of Growth Strategy depends on various different factors, organisational context and environment which may vary from enterprise to enterprise. Resource based view is very important consideration for the entrepreneurs on the path of growth. Evaluation of all kind of resources helps them to grow their enterprises successfully. Selection of an appropriate growth strategy allows the entrepreneurs in overcoming growth challenges and avoiding the growth reversals and setbacks.

  1. Impacts of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria-based Biostimulants on Wheat Growth under Greenhouse and Field Conditions

    OpenAIRE

    Nguyen, Minh; Ongena, Marc; Colinet, Gilles; Vandenbol, Micheline; Spaepen, Stijn; Bodson, Bernard; Jijakli, Haissam; du Jardin, Patrick; Delaplace, Pierre

    2015-01-01

    Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are one of the main biostimulant classes due to their capacity of stimulating root growth and enhancing soil mineral availability, hence increasing nutrient use efficiency in crops. The aim of this study is to screen commercially PGPR-containing products to enhance wheat growth and yield in combination with an optimized nitrogen (N) fertilizer application scheme. This could lead to a significant reduction of N fertilizer application without affectin...

  2. Motives for choosing growth-enhancing hormone treatment in adolescents with idiopathic short stature: a questionnaire and structured interview study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser-van Balen, Hanneke; Geenen, Rinie; Kamp, Gerdine A; Huisman, Jaap; Wit, Jan M; Sinnema, Gerben

    2005-06-08

    Growth-enhancing hormone treatment is considered a possible intervention in short but otherwise healthy adolescents. Although height gain is an obvious measure for evaluating hormone treatment, this may not be the ultimate goal for the person, but rather a means to reach other goals such as the amelioration of current height-related psychosocial problems or the enhancement of future prospects in life and society. The aim of our study was to clarify the motives of adolescents and their parents when choosing to participate in a growth-enhancing trial combining growth hormone and puberty-delaying hormone treatment. Participants were early pubertal adolescents (25 girls, 13 boys) aged from 11 to 13 years (mean age 11.5 years) with a height standard deviation score (SDS) ranging from -1.03 to -3.43. All had been classified as idiopathic short stature or persistent short stature born small for the gestational age (intrauterine growth retardation) on the basis of a height SDS below -2, or had a height SDS between -1 and -2 and a predicted adult height SDS below -2. The adolescents and their parents completed questionnaires and a structured interview on the presence of height-related stressors, parental worries about their child's behavior and future prospects, problems in psychosocial functioning, and treatment expectations. Questionnaire scores were compared to norms of the general Dutch population. The adolescents reported normal psychosocial functioning and highly positive expectations of the treatment in terms of height gain, whereas the parents reported that their children encountered some behavioral problems (being anxious/depressed, and social and attention problems) and height-related stressors (being teased and juvenilized). About 40% of the parents were worried about their children's future prospects for finding a spouse or job. The motives of the adolescents and their parents exhibited rather different profiles. The most prevalent parental worries related to

  3. Motives for choosing growth-enhancing hormone treatment in adolescents with idiopathic short stature: a questionnaire and structured interview study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huisman Jaap

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Growth-enhancing hormone treatment is considered a possible intervention in short but otherwise healthy adolescents. Although height gain is an obvious measure for evaluating hormone treatment, this may not be the ultimate goal for the person, but rather a means to reach other goals such as the amelioration of current height-related psychosocial problems or the enhancement of future prospects in life and society. The aim of our study was to clarify the motives of adolescents and their parents when choosing to participate in a growth-enhancing trial combining growth hormone and puberty-delaying hormone treatment. Methods Participants were early pubertal adolescents (25 girls, 13 boys aged from 11 to 13 years (mean age 11.5 years with a height standard deviation score (SDS ranging from -1.03 to -3.43. All had been classified as idiopathic short stature or persistent short stature born small for the gestational age (intrauterine growth retardation on the basis of a height SDS below -2, or had a height SDS between -1 and -2 and a predicted adult height SDS below -2. The adolescents and their parents completed questionnaires and a structured interview on the presence of height-related stressors, parental worries about their child's behavior and future prospects, problems in psychosocial functioning, and treatment expectations. Questionnaire scores were compared to norms of the general Dutch population. Results The adolescents reported normal psychosocial functioning and highly positive expectations of the treatment in terms of height gain, whereas the parents reported that their children encountered some behavioral problems (being anxious/depressed, and social and attention problems and height-related stressors (being teased and juvenilized. About 40% of the parents were worried about their children's future prospects for finding a spouse or job. The motives of the adolescents and their parents exhibited rather different profiles

  4. Termitarium-Inhabiting Bacillus spp. Enhanced Plant Growth and Bioactive Component in Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauhan, Ankit Kumar; Maheshwari, Dinesh Kumar; Dheeman, Shrivardhan; Bajpai, Vivek K

    2017-02-01

    Curcumin (diferuloyl methane) is the main bioactive component of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) having remarkable multipotent medicinal and therapeutic applications. Two Bacilli isolated from termitarium soil and identified as Bacillus endophyticus TSH42 and Bacillus cereus TSH77 were used for bacterization of rhizome for raising C. longa ver. suguna for growth and enhancement. Both the strains showed remarkable PGP activities and also chemotactic in nature with high chemotactic index. Turmeric plants bacterized with strains B. endophyticus TSH42 and B. cereus TSH77 individually and in combination increased plant growth and turmeric production up to 18% in field trial in comparison to non-bacterized plants. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed to determine the content of curcumin, which showed concentration of curcumin in un-inoculated turmeric as 3.66 g which increased by 13.6% (4.16 g) when combination of TSH42 and TSH77 was used.

  5. The Reality of Economic Growth towards Green Environment: A Study of Selected OECD Countries 1990-2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shilpi Gupta

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Economic growth and green environment has a direct relation with health, habitat and well being of our society which depends largely on the natural environment. But on the other side the society is neglecting and often ignoring the benefits that nature provides for economic prosperity. This paper studies the role of environment in economic growth, the role of environmental policy in achieving improved environmental results, closely examine the evidence of decoupling production from environmental damages and discuss decoupling in the context of global economy. In order to study these aspects, we explored our comparative research with special reference to selected eight OECD nations namely-France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Portugal, Turkey, UK and USA with coverage period of 1990-2010. The selection of the countries is based on their prominence in industrialised world and their close economic bounding with each other over a considerable period. The coverage period in the study is 20 years because some of the emission data are available till 2013 and some only up to 2010. In order to do a comparative research on various dimensions we take in to our study period between1990-2010. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i3.11065 International Journal of Environment Vol.3(3 2014: 78-88

  6. Lycopene Enhances Docetaxel's Effect in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Associated with Insulin-like Growth Factor I Receptor Levels1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Yaxiong; Parmakhtiar, Basmina; Simoneau, Anne R; Xie, Jun; Fruehauf, John; Lilly, Michael; Zi, Xiaolin

    2011-01-01

    Docetaxel is currently the most effective drug for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), but it only extends life by an average of 2 months. Lycopene, an antioxidant phytochemical, has antitumor activity against prostate cancer (PCa) in several models and is generally safe. We present data on the interaction between docetaxel and lycopene in CRPC models. The growth-inhibitory effect of lycopene on PCa cell lines was positively associated with insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) levels. In addition, lycopene treatment enhanced the growth-inhibitory effect of docetaxel more effectively on DU145 cells with IGF-IR high expression than on those PCa cell lines with IGF-IR low expression. In a DU145 xenograft tumor model, docetaxel plus lycopene caused tumor regression, with a 38% increase in antitumor efficacy (P = .047) when compared with docetaxel alone. Lycopene inhibited IGF-IR activation through inhibiting IGF-I stimulation and by increasing the expression and secretion of IGF-BP3. Downstream effects include inhibition of AKT kinase activity and survivin expression, followed by apoptosis. Together, the enhancement of docetaxel's antitumor efficacy by lycopene supplementation justifies further clinical investigation of lycopene and docetaxel combination for CRPC patients. CRPC patients with IGF-IR-overexpressing tumors may be most likely to benefit from this combination. PMID:21403837

  7. Cholinergic enhancement modulates neural correlates of selective attention and emotional processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, Paul; Vuilleumier, Patrik; Thiel, Christiane M; Driver, Jon; Dolan, Raymond J

    2003-09-01

    Neocortical cholinergic afferents are proposed to influence both selective attention and emotional processing. In a study of healthy adults we used event-related fMRI while orthogonally manipulating attention and emotionality to examine regions showing effects of cholinergic modulation by the anticholinesterase physostigmine. Either face or house pictures appeared at task-relevant locations, with the alternative picture type at irrelevant locations. Faces had either neutral or fearful expressions. Physostigmine increased relative activity within the anterior fusiform gyrus for faces at attended, versus unattended, locations, but decreased relative activity within the posterolateral occipital cortex for houses in attended, versus unattended, locations. A similar pattern of regional differences in the effect of physostigmine on cue-evoked responses was also present in the absence of stimuli. Cholinergic enhancement augmented the relative neuronal response within the middle fusiform gyrus to fearful faces, whether at attended or unattended locations. By contrast, physostigmine influenced responses in the orbitofrontal, intraparietal and cingulate cortices to fearful faces when faces occupied task-irrelevant locations. These findings suggest that acetylcholine may modulate both selective attention and emotional processes through independent, region-specific effects within the extrastriate cortex. Furthermore, cholinergic inputs to the frontoparietal cortex may influence the allocation of attention to emotional information.

  8. Expression of an isoflavone reductase-like gene enhanced by pollen tube growth in pistils of Solanum tuberosum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Eldik, G J; Ruiter, R K; Colla, P H; van Herpen, M M; Schrauwen, J A; Wullems, G J

    1997-03-01

    Successful sexual reproduction relies on gene products delivered by the pistil to create an environment suitable for pollen tube growth. These compounds are either produced before pollination or formed during the interactions between pistil and pollen tubes. Here we describe the pollination-enhanced expression of the cp100 gene in pistils of Solanum tuberosum. Temporal analysis of gene expression revealed an enhanced expression already one hour after pollination and lasts more than 72 h. Increase in expression also occurred after touching the stigma and was not restricted to the site of touch but spread into the style. The predicted CP100 protein shows similarity to leguminous isoflavone reductases (IFRs), but belongs to a family of IFR-like NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoreductases present in various plant species.

  9. Cross-correlation enhanced stability in a tumor cell growth model with immune surveillance driven by cross-correlated noises

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeng Chunhua; Zhou Xiaofeng; Tao Shufen

    2009-01-01

    The transient properties of a tumor cell growth model with immune surveillance driven by cross-correlated multiplicative and additive noises are investigated. The explicit expression of extinction rate from the state of a stable tumor to the state of extinction is obtained. Based on the numerical computations, we find the following: (i) the intensity of multiplicative noise D and the intensity of additive noise α enhance the extinction rate for the case of λ ≤ 0 (i.e. λ denotes cross-correlation intensity between two noises), but for the case of λ > 0, a critical noise intensity D or α exists at which the extinction rate is the smallest; D and α at first weaken the extinction rate and then enhance it. (ii) The immune rate β and the cross-correlation intensity λ play opposite roles on the extinction rate, i.e. β enhances the extinction rate of the tumor cell, while λ weakens the extinction rate of the tumor cell. Namely, the immune rate can enhance the extinction of the tumor cell and the cross-correlation between two noises can enhance stability of the cancer state.

  10. Targeted selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometric immunoassay for insulin-like growth factor 1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric E Niederkofler

    Full Text Available Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1 is an important biomarker of human growth disorders that is routinely analyzed in clinical laboratories. Mass spectrometry-based workflows offer a viable alternative to standard IGF1 immunoassays, which utilize various pre-analytical preparation strategies. In this work we developed an assay that incorporates a novel sample preparation method for dissociating IGF1 from its binding proteins. The workflow also includes an immunoaffinity step using antibody-derivatized pipette tips, followed by elution, trypsin digestion, and LC-MS/MS separation and detection of the signature peptides in a selected reaction monitoring (SRM mode. The resulting quantitative mass spectrometric immunoassay (MSIA exhibited good linearity in the range of 1 to 1,500 ng/mL IGF1, intra- and inter-assay precision with CVs of less than 10%, and lowest limits of detection of 1 ng/mL. The linearity and recovery characteristics of the assay were also established, and the new method compared to a commercially available immunoassay using a large cohort of human serum samples. The IGF1 SRM MSIA is well suited for use in clinical laboratories.

  11. Growth of large patterned arrays of neurons using plasma methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, I G; Bjornstad, K A; Blakely, E A; Galvin, J E; Monteiro, O R; Sangyuenyongpipat, S

    2003-01-01

    To understand how large systems of neurons communicate, we need to develop, among other things, methods for growing patterned networks of large numbers of neurons. Success with this challenge will be important to our understanding of how the brain works, as well as to the development of novel kinds of computer architecture that may parallel the organization of the brain. We have investigated the use of metal ion implantation using a vacuum-arc ion source, and plasma deposition with a filtered vacuum-arc system, as a means of forming regions of selective neuronal attachment on surfaces. Lithographic patterns created by the treating surface with ion species that enhance or inhibit neuronal cell attachment allow subsequent proliferation and/or differentiation of the neurons to form desired patterned neural arrays. In the work described here, we used glass microscope slides as substrates, and some of the experiments made use of simple masks to form patterns of ion beam or plasma deposition treated regions. PC-12 rat neurons were then cultured on the treated substrates coated with Type I Collagen, and the growth and differentiation was monitored. Particularly good selective growth was obtained using plasma deposition of diamond-like carbon films of about one hundred Angstroms thickness. Neuron proliferation and the elaboration of dendrites and axons after the addition of nerve growth factor both showed excellent contrast, with prolific growth and differentiation on the treated surfaces and very low growth on the untreated surfaces

  12. Growth of large patterned arrays of neurons using plasma methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, I G; Bjornstad, K A; Blakely, E A; Galvin, J E; Monteiro, O R; Sangyuenyongpipat, S [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

    2003-05-01

    To understand how large systems of neurons communicate, we need to develop, among other things, methods for growing patterned networks of large numbers of neurons. Success with this challenge will be important to our understanding of how the brain works, as well as to the development of novel kinds of computer architecture that may parallel the organization of the brain. We have investigated the use of metal ion implantation using a vacuum-arc ion source, and plasma deposition with a filtered vacuum-arc system, as a means of forming regions of selective neuronal attachment on surfaces. Lithographic patterns created by the treating surface with ion species that enhance or inhibit neuronal cell attachment allow subsequent proliferation and/or differentiation of the neurons to form desired patterned neural arrays. In the work described here, we used glass microscope slides as substrates, and some of the experiments made use of simple masks to form patterns of ion beam or plasma deposition treated regions. PC-12 rat neurons were then cultured on the treated substrates coated with Type I Collagen, and the growth and differentiation was monitored. Particularly good selective growth was obtained using plasma deposition of diamond-like carbon films of about one hundred Angstroms thickness. Neuron proliferation and the elaboration of dendrites and axons after the addition of nerve growth factor both showed excellent contrast, with prolific growth and differentiation on the treated surfaces and very low growth on the untreated surfaces.

  13. Evaluation of different selection indices combining Pilodyn penetration and growth performance in Eucalyptus clones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrei Caíque Pires Nunes

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed to evaluate the selection indices efficiency for Pilodyn penetration combined with growth traits in Eucalyptus clones. It was carried out experiments in a randomized block design, with single tree plots and 30 replications. Diameter at breast height (DBH, total height (TH, and Pilodyn penetration as an indicator of basic density (BD were measured. The volume was estimated. Based on predicted genotypic values, three indices presented the highest accuracies: I8 (based on partial correlation, I7 (based on the concept of multivariate BLUP and I3 (based on two variables as ratio, which uses a third heritability estimate associated to the ratio DBH/BD, besides the two heritabilities of DBH and BD. Thus, it is possible to optimize the selection by combining properly the variables using their genetic control, precision and the relationships between them. The best options came from using only two no redundant traits DBH and BD.

  14. Assessment of Rice Associated Bacterial Ability to Enhance Rice Seed Germination and Rice Growth Promotion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Gholamalizadeh

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The application of beneficial bacteria has recently been used for sustainable agriculture. In current research, 71 bacterial isolates were obtained from rice plant and the rhizosphere soil of different paddy fields in Guilan province, Iran. After primitive investigation, 40 bacteria with typical predominant characteristics were selected. By PCR-RFLP of their 16S r-DNA gene, 8 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs totally consisted of 33 isolates were obtained. From all of them, 8 isolates were selected for rice seed germination experiment, then, effective isolates were used for pot experiment to evaluate their ability for promoting rice growth. All of them were able to increase rice growth and yield, but in different potential. These tested isolates were identified as Alcaligenes faecalis (DEp8, O1R4, Pantoea ananatis (AEn1, Bacillus vietnamensis (MR5, Bacillus idriensis (MR2 and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by partial sequencing of their 16S r-DNA gene. Among them, AEn1 and MR5 produced indole-3- acetic acid (IAA in larger amounts than the other isolates and the isolates AEn1 and O1R4 were able to solubilize phosphate in higher amounts. According to the results obtained, it can be concluded that AEn1, O1R4 and MR5 can be considered as bacterial inoculants to use as alternatives for chemical fertilizers.

  15. Manipulating the kinetics of seeded growth for edge-selective metal deposition and the formation of concave au nanocrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laskar, Moitree; Zhong, Xiaolan; Li, Zhi-Yuan; Skrabalak, Sara E

    2013-10-01

    By manipulating the kinetics of seeded growth through judicious control of reaction conditions, edge-selective metal deposition can be achieved to synthesize new Au nanostructures with face-centered concavities, referred to herein as Au overgrown trisoctahedra. These nanostructures display higher sensitivity to changes in refractive index compared to both Au traditional trisoctahedra and the Au nanocube seeds from which they are grown. Often, concave nanostructures are achieved by selective etching processes or corner-selective overgrowth and adopt a stellated profile rather than a profile with face-centered concavities. The presented results illustrate another strategy toward concave nanostructures and can facilitate the synthesis of new concave nanostructures for applications in catalysis and chemical sensing. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Rice Seed Priming with Picomolar Rutin Enhances Rhizospheric Bacillus subtilis CIM Colonization and Plant Growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akanksha Singh

    Full Text Available The effect of rutin, a bioflavonoid on the growth and biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis strain CIM was investigated. In addition to swimming, swarming, and twitching potentials of B. subtilis CIM (BS, one picomolar (1 pM of rutin was also observed to boost the biofilm forming ability of the bacterium. Bio-priming of rice seeds with BS and rutin not only augmented root and shoot lengths but also the photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll and carotenoid. Similarly, high accumulation of phenolic and flavonoid contents was observed in the leaves. Fluorescent microscopic images revealed that BS plus rutin enhanced callose deposition in the leaves. It was also established that the least formation of reactive oxygen species in BS plus rutin treated rice plants was due to higher free radicals scavenging activity and total antioxidant potential. The results highlight chemo attractant nature of BS towards rutin, which by enhancing biofilm formation and root colonization indirectly strengthened the plants' defensive state.

  17. Enhanced permeability, selectivity, and antifouling ability of CNTs/Al2O3 membrane under electrochemical assistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Xinfei; Zhao, Huimin; Liu, Yanming; Quan, Xie; Yu, Hongtao; Chen, Shuo

    2015-02-17

    Membrane filtration provides effective solutions for removing contaminants, but achieving high permeability, good selectivity, and antifouling ability remains a great challenge for existing membrane filtration technologies. In this work, membrane filtration coupled with electrochemistry has been developed to enhance the filtration performance of a CNTs/Al2O3 membrane. The as-prepared CNTs/Al2O3 membrane, obtained by coating interconnected CNTs on an Al2O3 substrate, presented good pore-size tunability, mechanical stability, and electroconductivity. For the removal of a target (silica spheres as a probe) with a size comparable to the membrane pore size, the removal efficiency and flux at +1.5 V were 1.1 and 1.5 times higher, respectively, than those without electrochemical assistance. Moreover, the membrane also exhibited a greatly enhanced removal efficiency for contaminants smaller than the membrane pores, providing enhancements of 4 orders of magnitude and a factor of 5.7 for latex particles and phenol, respectively. These results indicated that both the permeability and the selectivity of CNTs/Al2O3 membranes can be significantly improved by electrochemical assistance, which was further confirmed by the removal of natural organic matter (NOM). The permeate flux and NOM removal efficiency at +1.5 V were about 1.6 and 3.0 times higher, respectively, than those without electrochemical assistance. In addition, the lost flux of the fouled membrane was almost completely recovered by an electrochemically assisted backwashing process.

  18. Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (Dusp6), a negative regulator of FGF2/ERK1/2 signaling, enhances 17β-estradiol-induced cell growth in endometrial adenocarcinoma cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hui; Guo, Qiufen; Wang, Chong; Yan, Lei; Fu, Yibing; Fan, Mingjun; Zhao, Xingbo; Li, Mingjiang

    2013-08-25

    Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (Dusp6) is a negative feedback mechanism of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK1/2 signaling. The aim of this study was to explore the expression of Dusp6 in human endometrial adenocarcinomas and the role of Dusp6 expression in the growth regulation of endometrial adenocarcinoma cell. We found that Dusp6 was over-expressed in human endometrial adenocarcinomas. In Ishikawa cells, plasmid-driven Dusp6 expression efficiently blocked the activity of FGF2-induced MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling. Unexpectedly, Dusp6 expression significantly enhanced the growth of Ishikawa cells. In Dusp6 forced-expression cells, 17β-estradiol stimulation increased the cell growth by all most threefolds. In addition, progesterone treatment reduced the cell growth to about half both in Ishikawa cells with and without forced-Dusp6-expression. Dusp6 over-expression is involved in the pathogenesis and development of human endometrial adenocarcinomas. Dusp6 functions as a negative regulator of FGF2/ERK1/2 signaling but enhances the growth and 17β-estradiol-induced cell growth in endometrial adenocarcinoma cell. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  19. Selective Use of the Mother Tongue to Enhance Students’ English Learning Processes...Beyond the Same Assumptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Fernando Cuartas Alvarez

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This article reports the results of an action-research project that examines enhancing students’ English learning processes through the selective use of their mother tongues with the aim of overcoming their reluctant attitudes toward learning English in the classroom. This study involves forty ninth-graders from an all-girls public school in Medellin, Colombia. The data gathered included field notes, questionnaires, and participants’ focus group interviews. The findings show that the mother tongue plays an important role in students’ English learning processes by fostering students’ affective, motivational, cognitive, and attitudinal aspects. Thus, the mother tongue serves as the foothold for further advances in learning English when used selectively.

  20. Enhancing proliferation and optimizing the culture condition for human bone marrow stromal cells using hypoxia and fibroblast growth factor-2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung-Seok Lee

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the cellular characteristics and behaviors of human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs expanded in media in a hypoxic or normoxic condition and with or without fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2 treatment. hBMSCs isolated from the vertebral body and expanded in these four groups were evaluated for cellular proliferation/migration, colony-forming units, cell-surface characterization, in vitro differentiation, in vivo transplantation, and gene expression. Culturing hBMSCs using a particular environmental factor (hypoxia and with the addition of FGF-2 increased the cellular proliferation rate while enhancing the regenerative potential, modulated the multipotency-related processes (enhanced chondrogenesis-related processes/osteogenesis, but reduced adipogenesis, and increased cellular migration and collagen formation. The gene expression levels in the experimental samples showed activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 pathway and glycolysis in the hypoxic condition, with this not being affected by the addition of FGF-2. The concurrent application of hypoxia and FGF-2 could provide a favorable condition for culturing hBMSCs to be used in clinical applications associated with bone tissue engineering, due to the enhancement of cellular proliferation and regenerative potential. Keywords: Bone marrow stromal cells, Hypoxia, Fibroblast growth factor, Tissue regeneration, Microenvironment interactions

  1. Regulation of Vapor Pressure Deficit by Greenhouse Micro-Fog Systems Improved Growth and Productivity of Tomato via Enhancing Photosynthesis during Summer Season.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Dalong; Zhang, Zhongdian; Li, Jianming; Chang, Yibo; Du, Qingjie; Pan, Tonghua

    2015-01-01

    The role of a proposed micro-fog system in regulating greenhouse environments and enhancing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) productivity during summer season was studied. Experiments were carried out in a multi-span glass greenhouse, which was divided into two identical compartments involving different environments: (1) without environment control and (2) with a micro-fog system operating when the air vapor pressure deficit (VPD) of greenhouse was higher than 0.5 KPa. The micro-fog system effectively alleviated heat stress and evaporative demand in the greenhouse during summer season. The physiologically favourable environment maintained by micro-fog treatment significantly enhanced elongation of leaf and stem, which contributed to a substantial elevation of final leaf area and shoot biomass. These improvements in physiological and morphological traits resulted in around 12.3% increase of marketable tomato yield per plant. Relative growth rate (RGR) of micro-fog treatment was also significantly higher than control plants, which was mainly determined by the substantial elevation in net assimilation rate (NAR), and to a lesser extent caused by leaf area ratio (LAR). Measurement of leaf gas exchange parameters also demonstrated that micro-fog treatment significantly enhanced leaf photosynthesis capacity. Taken together, manipulation of VPD in greenhouses by micro-fog systems effectively enhanced tomato growth and productivity via improving photosynthesis during summer season.

  2. Selection of DNA aptamers against epidermal growth factor receptor with high affinity and specificity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Deng-Liang [The First Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou (China); Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou (China); Song, Yan-Ling; Zhu, Zhi; Li, Xi-Lan; Zou, Yuan [State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Yang, Hai-Tao; Wang, Jiang-Jie [The First Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou (China); Yao, Pei-Sen [Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou (China); Pan, Ru-Jun [The First Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou (China); Yang, Chaoyong James, E-mail: cyyang@xmu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Kang, De-Zhi, E-mail: kdzy99988@163.com [The First Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou (China); Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou (China)

    2014-10-31

    Highlights: • This is the first report of DNA aptamer against EGFR in vitro. • Aptamer can bind targets with high affinity and selectivity. • DNA aptamers are more stable, cheap and efficient than RNA aptamers. • Our selected DNA aptamer against EGFR has high affinity with K{sub d} 56 ± 7.3 nM. • Our selected DNA aptamer against EGFR has high selectivity. - Abstract: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/HER1/c-ErbB1), is overexpressed in many solid cancers, such as epidermoid carcinomas, malignant gliomas, etc. EGFR plays roles in proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis of malignant cancer cells and is the ideal antigen for clinical applications in cancer detection, imaging and therapy. Aptamers, the output of the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), are DNA/RNA oligonucleotides which can bind protein and other substances with specificity. RNA aptamers are undesirable due to their instability and high cost of production. Conversely, DNA aptamers have aroused researcher’s attention because they are easily synthesized, stable, selective, have high binding affinity and are cost-effective to produce. In this study, we have successfully identified DNA aptamers with high binding affinity and selectivity to EGFR. The aptamer named TuTu22 with K{sub d} 56 ± 7.3 nM was chosen from the identified DNA aptamers for further study. Flow cytometry analysis results indicated that the TuTu22 aptamer was able to specifically recognize a variety of cancer cells expressing EGFR but did not bind to the EGFR-negative cells. With all of the aforementioned advantages, the DNA aptamers reported here against cancer biomarker EGFR will facilitate the development of novel targeted cancer detection, imaging and therapy.

  3. Selection of DNA aptamers against epidermal growth factor receptor with high affinity and specificity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Deng-Liang; Song, Yan-Ling; Zhu, Zhi; Li, Xi-Lan; Zou, Yuan; Yang, Hai-Tao; Wang, Jiang-Jie; Yao, Pei-Sen; Pan, Ru-Jun; Yang, Chaoyong James; Kang, De-Zhi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • This is the first report of DNA aptamer against EGFR in vitro. • Aptamer can bind targets with high affinity and selectivity. • DNA aptamers are more stable, cheap and efficient than RNA aptamers. • Our selected DNA aptamer against EGFR has high affinity with K d 56 ± 7.3 nM. • Our selected DNA aptamer against EGFR has high selectivity. - Abstract: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/HER1/c-ErbB1), is overexpressed in many solid cancers, such as epidermoid carcinomas, malignant gliomas, etc. EGFR plays roles in proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis of malignant cancer cells and is the ideal antigen for clinical applications in cancer detection, imaging and therapy. Aptamers, the output of the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), are DNA/RNA oligonucleotides which can bind protein and other substances with specificity. RNA aptamers are undesirable due to their instability and high cost of production. Conversely, DNA aptamers have aroused researcher’s attention because they are easily synthesized, stable, selective, have high binding affinity and are cost-effective to produce. In this study, we have successfully identified DNA aptamers with high binding affinity and selectivity to EGFR. The aptamer named TuTu22 with K d 56 ± 7.3 nM was chosen from the identified DNA aptamers for further study. Flow cytometry analysis results indicated that the TuTu22 aptamer was able to specifically recognize a variety of cancer cells expressing EGFR but did not bind to the EGFR-negative cells. With all of the aforementioned advantages, the DNA aptamers reported here against cancer biomarker EGFR will facilitate the development of novel targeted cancer detection, imaging and therapy

  4. Soil bacteria showing a potential of chlorpyrifos degradation and plant growth enhancement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shamsa Akbar

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Since 1960s, the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos has been widely used for the purpose of pest control. However, given its persistence and toxicity towards life forms, the elimination of chlorpyrifos from contaminated sites has become an urgent issue. For this process bioremediation is the method of choice. Results: Two bacterial strains, JCp4 and FCp1, exhibiting chlorpyrifos-degradation potential were isolated from pesticide contaminated agricultural fields. These isolates were able to degrade 84.4% and 78.6% of the initial concentration of chlorpyrifos (100 mg L-1 within a period of only 10 days. Based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis, these strains were identified as Achromobacter xylosoxidans (JCp4 and Ochrobactrum sp. (FCp1. These strains exhibited the ability to degrade chlorpyrifos in sterilized as well as non-sterilized soils, and were able to degrade 93-100% of the input concentration (200 mg kg-1 within 42 days. The rate of degradation in inoculated soils ranged from 4.40 to 4.76 mg-1 kg-1 d-1 with rate constants varying between 0.047 and 0.069 d-1. These strains also displayed substantial plant growth promoting traits such as phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid production and ammonia production both in absence as well as in the presence of chlorpyrifos. However, presence of chlorpyrifos (100 and 200 mg L-1 was found to have a negative effect on indole acetic acid production and phosphate solubilization with percentage reduction values ranging between 2.65-10.6% and 4.5-17.6%, respectively. Plant growth experiment demonstrated that chlorpyrifos has a negative effect on plant growth and causes a decrease in parameters such as percentage germination, plant height and biomass. Inoculation of soil with chlorpyrifos-degrading strains was found to enhance plant growth significantly in terms of plant length and weight. Moreover, it was noted that these strains degraded chlorpyrifos at an increased rate (5

  5. Soil bacteria showing a potential of chlorpyrifos degradation and plant growth enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akbar, Shamsa; Sultan, Sikander

    2016-01-01

    Since 1960s, the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos has been widely used for the purpose of pest control. However, given its persistence and toxicity towards life forms, the elimination of chlorpyrifos from contaminated sites has become an urgent issue. For this process bioremediation is the method of choice. Two bacterial strains, JCp4 and FCp1, exhibiting chlorpyrifos-degradation potential were isolated from pesticide contaminated agricultural fields. These isolates were able to degrade 84.4% and 78.6% of the initial concentration of chlorpyrifos (100mgL(-1)) within a period of only 10 days. Based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis, these strains were identified as Achromobacter xylosoxidans (JCp4) and Ochrobactrum sp. (FCp1). These strains exhibited the ability to degrade chlorpyrifos in sterilized as well as non-sterilized soils, and were able to degrade 93-100% of the input concentration (200mgkg(-1)) within 42 days. The rate of degradation in inoculated soils ranged from 4.40 to 4.76mg(-1)kg(-1)d(-1) with rate constants varying between 0.047 and 0.069d(-1). These strains also displayed substantial plant growth promoting traits such as phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid production and ammonia production both in absence as well as in the presence of chlorpyrifos. However, presence of chlorpyrifos (100 and 200mgL(-1)) was found to have a negative effect on indole acetic acid production and phosphate solubilization with percentage reduction values ranging between 2.65-10.6% and 4.5-17.6%, respectively. Plant growth experiment demonstrated that chlorpyrifos has a negative effect on plant growth and causes a decrease in parameters such as percentage germination, plant height and biomass. Inoculation of soil with chlorpyrifos-degrading strains was found to enhance plant growth significantly in terms of plant length and weight. Moreover, it was noted that these strains degraded chlorpyrifos at an increased rate (5.69mg(-1)kg(-1)d(-1)) in planted soil. The

  6. Selected-area growth of nickel micropillars on aluminum thin films by electroless plating for applications in microbolometers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Do Ngoc Hieu

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available An optimization process of electroless plating of nickel was carried out with NiCl2 as the nickel ion source, NaH2PO2 as the reduction agent, CH3COONa and Na3C6H5O7 as complexing agents. Electroless plated nickel layers on sputtered aluminum corning glass substrates with a resistivity of about 75.9 μΩ cm and a nickel concentration higher than 93% were obtained. This optimum process was successfully applied in growing nickel micropillars at selected areas with a well-controlled height. The microstructure of the masking layers was fabricated by means of optical photolithography for subsequent growth of nickel micropillars on selected areas. Micropillars size was defined by the opening size and the height was controlled by adjusting the plating time at a growth rate of 0.41 μm/min. This result shows that electroless nickel plating could be a good candidate for growing micropillars for applications in microbolometers.

  7. Hierarchical ZnO Nanowires-loaded Sb-doped SnO2-ZnO Micrograting Pattern via Direct Imprinting-assisted Hydrothermal Growth and Its Selective Detection of Acetone Molecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hak-Jong; Choi, Seon-Jin; Choo, Soyoung; Kim, Il-Doo; Lee, Heon

    2016-01-01

    We propose a novel synthetic route by combining imprinting transfer of a Sb-doped SnO2 (ATO)-ZnO composite micrograting pattern (MP), i.e., microstrip lines, on a sensor substrate and subsequent hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanowires (NWs) for producing a hierarchical ZnO NW-loaded ATO-ZnO MP as an improved chemo-resistive sensing layer. Here, ATO-ZnO MP structure with 3-μm line width, 9-μm pitch, and 6-μm height was fabricated by direct transfer of mixed ATO and ZnO nanoparticle (NP)-dispersed resists, which are pre-patterned on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold. ZnO NWs with an average diameter of less than 50 nm and a height of 250 nm were quasi-vertically grown on the ATO-ZnO MP, leading to markedly enhanced surface area and heterojunction composites between each ATO NP, ZnO NP, and ZnO NW. A ZnO NW-loaded MP sensor with a relative ratio of 1:9 between ATO and ZnO (1:9 ATO-ZnO), exhibited highly sensitive and selective acetone sensing performance with 2.84-fold higher response (Rair/Rgas = 12.8) compared to that (Rair/Rgas = 4.5) of pristine 1:9 ATO-ZnO MP sensor at 5 ppm. Our results demonstrate the processing advantages of direct imprinting-assisted hydrothermal growth for large-scale homogeneous coating of hierarchical oxide layers, particularly for applications in highly sensitive and selective chemical sensors.

  8. Sildenafil citrate treatment enhances amino acid availability in the conceptus and fetal growth in an ovine model of intrauterine growth restriction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satterfield, M Carey; Bazer, Fuller W; Spencer, Thomas E; Wu, Guoyao

    2010-02-01

    Adequate placental blood flow is essential for the optimal delivery of nutrients from mother to fetus for conceptus growth. Restricted fetal development results from pathophysiological and environmental factors that alter utero-placental blood flow, placental function, and, therefore, nutrient availability in the fetus. To test this hypothesis, 0, 75, or 150 mg/d sildenafil citrate (Viagra) was administered subcutaneously from d 28 to 115 of gestation to either nutrient-restricted [50% of NRC requirements) or adequately-fed ewes (100% of NRC requirements). On d 115, maternal, fetal, and placental tissues and fluids were collected. Concentrations of total amino acids and polyamines in uterine venous and arterial sera, amniotic and allantoic fluids, and fetal umbilical venous serum were lower (P < 0.05) in nutrient-restricted ewes than in adequately fed ewes, as were the ratios of total amino acids in fetal umbilical venous serum to uterine arterial serum. Sildenafil citrate dose-dependently increased (P < 0.05) total amino acids and polyamines in amniotic fluid, allantoic fluid, and fetal serum without affecting values in maternal serum. Fetal weight was lower (P < 0.05) in nutrient-restricted ewes on d 115. Sildenafil citrate treatment dose-dependently increased (P < 0.05) fetal weight in both nutrient-restricted and adequately fed ewes. This study supports the hypothesis that long-term sildenafil citrate treatment enhances fetal growth, at least in part, by increasing the availability of amino acids in the conceptus. These findings may lead to the clinical use of sildenafil citrate in human pregnancies suspected to be at risk for intrauterine fetal growth retardation.

  9. Growth Performance and Initial Heritability Estimates for Growth Traits in Juvenile Sea Urchin Tripneustes gratilla

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma. Josefa Pante

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Genetic improvement of performance traits of maricultured species is becoming an important concern. Improvement of performance traits is important for two reasons: it enhances the growth and survival of the animals and it translates to economic gains to the fish farmer. In the sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla, growth performance of the different families and heritabilities for wet weight, test diameter and test height were estimated from 1,020 offspring from a mating of each of the 15 males with 1 or 2 females. Measurements were done monthly starting at the grow-out stage or four months after hatching. There were significant family differences for the performance traits in sea urchin reared in tanks at the BML hatchery as revealed by ANOVA. Estimates of heritabilities based on the sire component of variance were low for wet weight (0.027, test diameter (0.033 and zero for test height. Heritabilities estimated from the dam component of variance were low for wet weight (0.063, moderate for test diameter (0.286 and test height (0.227. The results indicate that test diameter and wet weight have lowly heritable traits, which means that mass or individual selection may not be the best method for improving the traits for sea urchin populations in Bolinao. Other methods such as family and combined family selection should be explored.

  10. Nitrogen Metabolism and Growth Enhancement in Tomato Plants Challenged with Trichoderma harzianum Expressing the Aspergillus nidulans Acetamidase amdS Gene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domínguez, Sara; Rubio, M. Belén; Cardoza, Rosa E.; Gutiérrez, Santiago; Nicolás, Carlos; Bettiol, Wagner; Hermosa, Rosa; Monte, Enrique

    2016-01-01

    Trichoderma is a fungal genus that includes species that are currently being used as biological control agents and/or as biofertilizers. In addition to the direct application of Trichoderma spp. as biocontrol agents in plant protection, recent studies have focused on the beneficial responses exerted on plants, stimulating the growth, activating the defenses, and/or improving nutrient uptake. The amdS gene, encoding an acetamidase of Aspergillus, has been used as a selectable marker for the transformation of filamentous fungi, including Trichoderma spp., but the physiological effects of the introduction of this gene into the genome of these microorganisms still remains unexplored. No evidence of amdS orthologous genes has been detected within the Trichoderma spp. genomes and the amdS heterologous expression in Trichoderma harzianum T34 did not affect the growth of this fungus in media lacking acetamide. However, it did confer the ability for the fungus to use this amide as a nitrogen source. Although a similar antagonistic behavior was observed for T34 and amdS transformants in dual cultures against Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, and Fusarium oxysporum, a significantly higher antifungal activity was detected in amdS transformants against F. oxysporum, compared to that of T34, in membrane assays on media lacking acetamide. In Trichoderma-tomato interaction assays, amdS transformants were able to promote plant growth to a greater extent than the wild-type T34, although compared with this strain the transformants showed similar capability to colonize tomato roots. Gene expression patterns from aerial parts of 3-week-old tomato plants treated with T34 and the amdS transformants have also been investigated using GeneChip Tomato Genome Arrays. The downregulation of defense genes and the upregulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism genes observed in the microarrays were accompanied by (i) enhanced growth, (ii) increased carbon and nitrogen levels, and (iii) a

  11. Nitrogen metabolism and growth enhancement in tomato plants challenged with Trichoderma harzianum expressing the Aspergillus nidulans acetamidase amdS gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Domínguez

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Trichoderma is a fungal genus that includes species that are currently being used as biological control agents and/or as biofertilizers. In addition to the direct application of Trichoderma spp. as biocontrol agents in plant protection, recent studies have focused on the beneficial responses exerted on plants, stimulating the growth, activating the defenses, and/or improving nutrient uptake. The amdS gene, encoding an acetamidase of Aspergillus, has been used as a selectable marker for the transformation of filamentous fungi, including Trichoderma spp., but the physiological effects of the introduction of this gene into the genome of these microorganisms still remains unexplored. No evidence of amdS orthologous genes has been detected within the Trichoderma spp. genomes and the amdS heterologous expression in T. harzianum T34 did not affect the growth of this fungus in media lacking acetamide. However, it did confer the ability for the fungus to use this amide as a nitrogen source. Although a similar antagonistic behavior was observed for T34 and amdS transformants in dual cultures against Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum, a significantly higher antifungal activity was detected in amdS transformants against F. oxysporum, compared to that of T34, in membrane assays on media lacking acetamide. In Trichoderma-tomato interaction assays, amdS transformants were able to promote plant growth to a greater extent than the wild-type T34, although compared with this strain the transformants showed similar capability to colonize tomato roots. Gene expression patterns from aerial parts of 3-week-old tomato plants treated with T34 and the amdS transformants have also been investigated using GeneChip Tomato Genome Arrays. The downregulation of defense genes and the upregulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism genes observed in the microarrays were accompanied by i enhanced growth, ii increased carbon and nitrogen levels and iii a

  12. Nitrogen Metabolism and Growth Enhancement in Tomato Plants Challenged with Trichoderma harzianum Expressing the Aspergillus nidulans Acetamidase amdS Gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domínguez, Sara; Rubio, M Belén; Cardoza, Rosa E; Gutiérrez, Santiago; Nicolás, Carlos; Bettiol, Wagner; Hermosa, Rosa; Monte, Enrique

    2016-01-01

    Trichoderma is a fungal genus that includes species that are currently being used as biological control agents and/or as biofertilizers. In addition to the direct application of Trichoderma spp. as biocontrol agents in plant protection, recent studies have focused on the beneficial responses exerted on plants, stimulating the growth, activating the defenses, and/or improving nutrient uptake. The amdS gene, encoding an acetamidase of Aspergillus, has been used as a selectable marker for the transformation of filamentous fungi, including Trichoderma spp., but the physiological effects of the introduction of this gene into the genome of these microorganisms still remains unexplored. No evidence of amdS orthologous genes has been detected within the Trichoderma spp. genomes and the amdS heterologous expression in Trichoderma harzianum T34 did not affect the growth of this fungus in media lacking acetamide. However, it did confer the ability for the fungus to use this amide as a nitrogen source. Although a similar antagonistic behavior was observed for T34 and amdS transformants in dual cultures against Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, and Fusarium oxysporum, a significantly higher antifungal activity was detected in amdS transformants against F. oxysporum, compared to that of T34, in membrane assays on media lacking acetamide. In Trichoderma-tomato interaction assays, amdS transformants were able to promote plant growth to a greater extent than the wild-type T34, although compared with this strain the transformants showed similar capability to colonize tomato roots. Gene expression patterns from aerial parts of 3-week-old tomato plants treated with T34 and the amdS transformants have also been investigated using GeneChip Tomato Genome Arrays. The downregulation of defense genes and the upregulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism genes observed in the microarrays were accompanied by (i) enhanced growth, (ii) increased carbon and nitrogen levels, and (iii) a

  13. Improvement of selected strains through gamma irradiation for enhanced lipolytic potential

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iftikhar, T.; Mubashir, N.; Hussain, Y.; Abbas, S.Q.; Ashraf, I.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the present investigation was to enhance the production of industrially important enzyme lipase by subjecting the wild lipase producing fungal strains i.e. Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus microsporus and Penicillium atrovenetum to various doses of gamma irradiation (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140 and 160 Gy). The isolation and lipolytic activity of selected mutant derived strains is described in this paper. Among all the mutants tested, MBL-5 obtained at 140Gy of Aspergillus niger strain showed highest extracellular lipase activity (13.75 +- 0.15 U mL/sup -1/) while MBL-1 Rhizopus microsporus at the rate 20Gy showed the lowest activity i.e., 1.06 +- 0.11 U mL/sup -1/. A range of pH 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 was used to check the lipolytic potential of various mutants along with their wild type. It was observed that MBL-5 (Aspergillus niger) and MBL-2 (Rhizopus microsporus) showed enhanced extracellular lipase activity at pH 11 while MBL-3 (Penicillium atrovenetum) showed the highest extracellular lipase activity 22.53 +- 0.21 U mL/sup -1/ at pH 9. It indicates a possible role for the MBL-2, MBL-3 and MBL-5 mutant strains in the detergent industry for the development of eco-friendly technologies. (author)

  14. Ectopic expression of a horseradish peroxidase enhances growth rate and increases oxidative stress resistance in hybrid aspen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaoka, Akiyoshi; Matsunaga, Etsuko; Endo, Saori; Kondo, Shinkichi; Yoshida, Kazuya; Shinmyo, Atsuhiko; Ebinuma, Hiroyasu

    2003-07-01

    We previously demonstrated that overexpression of the horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) peroxidase prxC1a gene stimulated the growth rate of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants. Here, the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S::prxC1a construct was introduced into hybrid aspen (Populus sieboldii x Populus grandidentata). The growth rate of these transformed hybrid aspen plants was substantially increased under greenhouse conditions. The average stem length of transformed plants was 25% greater than that of control plants. There was no other obvious phenotypic difference between the transformed and control plants. Fast-growing transformed hybrid aspen showed high levels of expression of prxC1a and had elevated peroxidase activities toward guaiacol and ascorbate. However, there was no increase of the endogenous class I ascorbate peroxidase activities in the transformed plants by separate assay and activity staining of native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, calli derived from the transformed hybrid aspen grew faster than those from control plants and were resistant to the oxidative stress imposed by hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, enhanced peroxidase activity affects plant growth rate and oxidative stress resistance.

  15. Surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy using interacting gold nanowires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neubrech, Frank; Weber, Daniel; Pucci, Annemarie [Kirchhoff-Institut fuer Physik, Heidelberg (Germany); Shen, Hong [Universite Troyes, Troyes (France); Lamy de la Chapelle, Marc [Universite Paris 13, Bobigny (France)

    2009-07-01

    We performed surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy (SEIRS) of molecules adsorbed on gold nanowires using synchrotron light of the ANKA IR-beamline at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany). Arrays of gold nanowires with interparticle spacings down to 30nm were prepared by electron beam lithography. The interparticle distance was reduced further by wet-chemically increasing the size of the gold nanowires. The growth of the wires was proofed using IR spectroscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy. After this preparation step, appropriate arrays of nanowires with an interparticle distance down to a few nanometers were selected to demonstrate the surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy of one monolayer octadecanthiol (ODT). As know from SEIRS studies using single gold nanowires, the spectral position of the antenna-like resonance in relation to the absorption bands of ODT (2850cm-1 and 2919cm-1) is crucial for both, the lineshape of the molecular vibration and the signal enhancement. In contrast to single nanowires studies, a further increase of the enhanced signals is expected due to the interaction of the electromagnetic fields of the close-by nanowires.

  16. Growth of high-density ZnO nanorods on wood with enhanced photostability, flame retardancy and water repellency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kong, Lizhuo; Tu, Kunkun; Guan, Hao [Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091 (China); Wang, Xiaoqing, E-mail: wangxq@caf.ac.cn [Research Institute of Forestry New Technology, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091 (China); Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091 (China)

    2017-06-15

    Highlights: • ZnO nanorod arrays were deposited on the wood surface via a hydrothermal process. • The assembled ZnO nanorod arrays greatly enhanced the photostability of wood. • The treated wood can sustain direct exposure to flame with only minor smoldering. • The ZnO-coated wood modified with stearic acid showed a superhydrophobic surface. - Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays were successfully assembled on the wood surface in situ via a two-step process consisting of formation of ZnO seeds and subsequent crystal growth under hydrothermal conditions at a low temperature. The morphology and crystalline structure of the formed ZnO nanorods were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Highly dense and uniform arrays of ZnO nanorods with well-defined hexagonal facets were generated on the wood surface by tuning the concentration of the ZnO growth solution during the hydrothermal treatment. Accelerated weathering tests indicated that the assembled ZnO nanorod arrays were highly protective against UV radiation and greatly enhanced the photostability of the coated wood. Meanwhile, the ZnO nanorod-coated wood can withstand continuous exposure to flame with only minor smoldering in contrast with the pristine wood catching fire easily and burning rapidly. Moreover, when further modified with low-surface-energy stearic acid, the ZnO nanorod decorated wood surface can be transformed into a superhydrophobic surface, with a water contact angle (CA) of ∼154°. Such ZnO nanorod-modified woods with enhanced photostability, flame retardancy and water repellency offer an interesting alternative to conventional wood preservation strategies, highlighting their potential applications in some novel wood products.

  17. Growth of high-density ZnO nanorods on wood with enhanced photostability, flame retardancy and water repellency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kong, Lizhuo; Tu, Kunkun; Guan, Hao; Wang, Xiaoqing

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • ZnO nanorod arrays were deposited on the wood surface via a hydrothermal process. • The assembled ZnO nanorod arrays greatly enhanced the photostability of wood. • The treated wood can sustain direct exposure to flame with only minor smoldering. • The ZnO-coated wood modified with stearic acid showed a superhydrophobic surface. - Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays were successfully assembled on the wood surface in situ via a two-step process consisting of formation of ZnO seeds and subsequent crystal growth under hydrothermal conditions at a low temperature. The morphology and crystalline structure of the formed ZnO nanorods were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Highly dense and uniform arrays of ZnO nanorods with well-defined hexagonal facets were generated on the wood surface by tuning the concentration of the ZnO growth solution during the hydrothermal treatment. Accelerated weathering tests indicated that the assembled ZnO nanorod arrays were highly protective against UV radiation and greatly enhanced the photostability of the coated wood. Meanwhile, the ZnO nanorod-coated wood can withstand continuous exposure to flame with only minor smoldering in contrast with the pristine wood catching fire easily and burning rapidly. Moreover, when further modified with low-surface-energy stearic acid, the ZnO nanorod decorated wood surface can be transformed into a superhydrophobic surface, with a water contact angle (CA) of ∼154°. Such ZnO nanorod-modified woods with enhanced photostability, flame retardancy and water repellency offer an interesting alternative to conventional wood preservation strategies, highlighting their potential applications in some novel wood products.

  18. Selective Attention Enhances Beta-Band Cortical Oscillation to Speech under “Cocktail-Party” Listening Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yayue; Wang, Qian; Ding, Yu; Wang, Changming; Li, Haifeng; Wu, Xihong; Qu, Tianshu; Li, Liang

    2017-01-01

    Human listeners are able to selectively attend to target speech in a noisy environment with multiple-people talking. Using recordings of scalp electroencephalogram (EEG), this study investigated how selective attention facilitates the cortical representation of target speech under a simulated “cocktail-party” listening condition with speech-on-speech masking. The result shows that the cortical representation of target-speech signals under the multiple-people talking condition was specifically improved by selective attention relative to the non-selective-attention listening condition, and the beta-band activity was most strongly modulated by selective attention. Moreover, measured with the Granger Causality value, selective attention to the single target speech in the mixed-speech complex enhanced the following four causal connectivities for the beta-band oscillation: the ones (1) from site FT7 to the right motor area, (2) from the left frontal area to the right motor area, (3) from the central frontal area to the right motor area, and (4) from the central frontal area to the right frontal area. However, the selective-attention-induced change in beta-band causal connectivity from the central frontal area to the right motor area, but not other beta-band causal connectivities, was significantly correlated with the selective-attention-induced change in the cortical beta-band representation of target speech. These findings suggest that under the “cocktail-party” listening condition, the beta-band oscillation in EEGs to target speech is specifically facilitated by selective attention to the target speech that is embedded in the mixed-speech complex. The selective attention-induced unmasking of target speech may be associated with the improved beta-band functional connectivity from the central frontal area to the right motor area, suggesting a top-down attentional modulation of the speech-motor process. PMID:28239344

  19. Selectively Plasmon-Enhanced Second-Harmonic Generation from Monolayer Tungsten Diselenide on Flexible Substrates

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Zhuo

    2018-01-04

    Monolayer two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) exhibit promising characteristics in miniaturized nonlinear optical frequency converters, due to their inversion asymmetry and large second-order nonlinear susceptibility. However, these materials usually have a very short light interaction lengths with the pump laser because they are atomically thin, such that second-harmonic generation (SHG) is generally inefficient. In this paper, we fabricate a judiciously structured 150-nm-thick planar surface consisting of monolayer tungsten diselenide and sub-20-nm-wide gold trenches on flexible substrates, reporting ~7000-fold SHG enhancement without peak broadening or background in the spectra as compared to WSe2 on as-grown sapphire substrates. Our proof-of-concept experiment yields effective second-order nonlinear susceptibility of 2.1 × 104 pm/V. Three orders of magnitude enhancement is maintained with pump wavelength ranging from 800 nm to 900 nm, breaking the limitation of narrow pump wavelength range for cavity-enhanced SHG. In addition, SHG amplitude can be dynamically controlled via selective excitation of the lateral gap plasmon by rotating the laser polarization. Such fully open, flat and ultrathin profile enables a great variety of functional samples with high SHG from one patterned silicon substrate, favoring scalable production of nonlinear converters. The surface accessibility also enables integration with other optical components for information processing in an ultrathin and flexible form.

  20. Selectively Plasmon-Enhanced Second-Harmonic Generation from Monolayer Tungsten Diselenide on Flexible Substrates

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Zhuo; Dong, Zhaogang; Zhu, Hai; Jin, Lei; Chiu, Ming-Hui; Li, Lain-Jong; Xu, Qing-Hua; Eda, Goki; Maier, Stefan A.; Wee, Andrew T. S.; Qiu, Cheng-Wei; Yang, Joel K.W.

    2018-01-01

    Monolayer two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) exhibit promising characteristics in miniaturized nonlinear optical frequency converters, due to their inversion asymmetry and large second-order nonlinear susceptibility. However, these materials usually have a very short light interaction lengths with the pump laser because they are atomically thin, such that second-harmonic generation (SHG) is generally inefficient. In this paper, we fabricate a judiciously structured 150-nm-thick planar surface consisting of monolayer tungsten diselenide and sub-20-nm-wide gold trenches on flexible substrates, reporting ~7000-fold SHG enhancement without peak broadening or background in the spectra as compared to WSe2 on as-grown sapphire substrates. Our proof-of-concept experiment yields effective second-order nonlinear susceptibility of 2.1 × 104 pm/V. Three orders of magnitude enhancement is maintained with pump wavelength ranging from 800 nm to 900 nm, breaking the limitation of narrow pump wavelength range for cavity-enhanced SHG. In addition, SHG amplitude can be dynamically controlled via selective excitation of the lateral gap plasmon by rotating the laser polarization. Such fully open, flat and ultrathin profile enables a great variety of functional samples with high SHG from one patterned silicon substrate, favoring scalable production of nonlinear converters. The surface accessibility also enables integration with other optical components for information processing in an ultrathin and flexible form.

  1. Design of Highly Selective Gas Sensors via Physicochemical Modification of Oxide Nanowires: Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyung-Sik Woo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Strategies for the enhancement of gas sensing properties, and specifically the improvement of gas selectivity of metal oxide semiconductor nanowire (NW networks grown by chemical vapor deposition and thermal evaporation, are reviewed. Highly crystalline NWs grown by vapor-phase routes have various advantages, and thus have been applied in the field of gas sensors over the years. In particular, n-type NWs such as SnO2, ZnO, and In2O3 are widely studied because of their simple synthetic preparation and high gas response. However, due to their usually high responses to C2H5OH and NO2, the selective detection of other harmful and toxic gases using oxide NWs remains a challenging issue. Various strategies—such as doping/loading of noble metals, decorating/doping of catalytic metal oxides, and the formation of core–shell structures—have been explored to enhance gas selectivity and sensitivity, and are discussed herein. Additional methods such as the transformation of n-type into p-type NWs and the formation of catalyst-doped hierarchical structures by branch growth have also proven to be promising for the enhancement of gas selectivity. Accordingly, the physicochemical modification of oxide NWs via various methods provides new strategies to achieve the selective detection of a specific gas, and after further investigations, this approach could pave a new way in the field of NW-based semiconductor-type gas sensors.

  2. Enhanced performance of the microalga Chlorella sorokiniana remotely induced by the plant growth-promoting bacteria Azospirillum brasilense and Bacillus pumilus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amavizca, Edgar; Bashan, Yoav; Ryu, Choong-Min; Farag, Mohamed A.; Bebout, Brad M.; de-Bashan, Luz E.

    2017-01-01

    Remote effects (occurring without physical contact) of two plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) Azospirillum brasilense Cd and Bacilus pumilus ES4 on growth of the green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana UTEX 2714 were studied. The two PGPB remotely enhanced the growth of the microalga, up to six-fold, and its cell volume by about three-fold. In addition to phenotypic changes, both bacteria remotely induced increases in the amounts of total lipids, total carbohydrates, and chlorophyll a in the cells of the microalga, indicating an alteration of the microalga’s physiology. The two bacteria produced large amounts of volatile compounds, including CO2, and the known plant growth-promoting volatile 2,3-butanediol and acetoin. Several other volatiles having biological functions in other organisms, as well as numerous volatile compounds with undefined biological roles, were detected. Together, these bacteria-derived volatiles can positively affect growth and metabolic parameters in green microalgae without physical attachment of the bacteria to the microalgae. This is a new paradigm on how PGPB promote growth of microalgae which may serve to improve performance of Chlorella spp. for biotechnological applications. PMID:28145473

  3. Cow placenta extract promotes murine hair growth through enhancing the insulin - like growth factor-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongliang Zhang

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Hair loss is seen as an irreversible process. Most research concentrates on how to elongate the anagen, reduce the negative factors of obstructing hair growth and improve the hair number and size. Aim: In our experiment, we tried to prove that the cow placenta extract can promote hair growth by elongating hair shaft and increasing hair follicle number. Materials and Methods: Cow placenta extract (CPE, water and minoxidil applied separately on the back of depilated B57CL/6 mice for the case, negative and positive control respectively. We checked the proliferation of cells which are resident in hair sheath, and the expression of a few growth factors which stimulate hair growth. Results: Result shows that placenta extract more efficiently accelerates cell division and growth factor expression, by raising the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1 mRNA and protein level to increase HF size and hair length. Conclusions: The extract is not a purified product; so, it is less effective than minoxidil, which is approved by the US FDA for the treatment of male pattern baldness. If refinement is done, the placenta extract would be a good candidate medicine for hair loss.

  4. Can Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Reduce the Growth of Agricultural Weeds?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veiga, Rita S. L.; Jansa, Jan; Frossard, Emmanuel; van der Heijden, Marcel G. A.

    2011-01-01

    Background Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known for their beneficial effects on plants. However, there is increasing evidence that some ruderal plants, including several agricultural weeds, respond negatively to AMF colonization. Here, we investigated the effect of AMF on the growth of individual weed species and on weed-crop interactions. Methodology/Principal Findings First, under controlled glasshouse conditions, we screened growth responses of nine weed species and three crops to a widespread AMF, Glomus intraradices. None of the weeds screened showed a significant positive mycorrhizal growth response and four weed species were significantly reduced by the AMF (growth responses between −22 and −35%). In a subsequent experiment, we selected three of the negatively responding weed species – Echinochloa crus-galli, Setaria viridis and Solanum nigrum – and analyzed their responses to a combination of three AMF (Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae and Glomus claroideum). Finally, we tested whether the presence of a crop (maize) enhanced the suppressive effect of AMF on weeds. We found that the growth of the three selected weed species was also reduced by a combination of AMF and that the presence of maize amplified the negative effect of AMF on the growth of E. crus-galli. Conclusions/Significance Our results show that AMF can negatively influence the growth of some weed species indicating that AMF have the potential to act as determinants of weed community structure. Furthermore, mycorrhizal weed growth reductions can be amplified in the presence of a crop. Previous studies have shown that AMF provide a number of beneficial ecosystem services. Taken together with our current results, the maintenance and promotion of AMF activity may thereby contribute to sustainable management of agroecosystems. However, in order to further the practical and ecological relevance of our findings, additional experiments should be performed under field conditions. PMID

  5. Osmotic stress confers enhanced cell integrity to hydrostatic pressure but impairs growth in Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto eScoma

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Alcanivorax is a hydrocarbonoclastic genus dominating oil spills worldwide. While its presence has been detected in oil-polluted seawaters, marine sediment and salt marshes under ambient pressure, its presence in deep-sea contaminated environments is negligible. Recent laboratory evidences highlighted the piezosensitive nature of some Alcanivorax species, whose growth yields are highly impacted by mild hydrostatic pressures (HPs. In the present study, osmotic stress was used as a tool to increase HP resistance in the type strain A. borkumensis SK2. Control cultures grown under standard conditions of salinity and osmotic pressure with respect to seawater (35.6 ppt or 1136 mOsm kg-1, respectively were compared with cultures subjected to hypo- and hyperosmosis (330 and 1720 mOsm kg-1, or 18 and 62 ppt in salinity, equivalent to brackish and brine waters, respectively, under atmospheric or increased HP (0.1 and 10MPa. Osmotic stress had a remarkably positive impact on cell metabolic activity in terms of CO2 production (thus, oil bioremediation and O2 respiration under hyperosmosis, as acclimation to high salinity enhanced cell activity under 10MPa by a factor of 10. Both osmotic shocks significantly enhanced cell protection by reducing membrane damage under HP, with cell integrities close to 100% under hyposmosis. The latter was likely due to intracellular water-reclamation as no trace of the piezolyte ectoine was found, contrary to hyperosmosis. Notably, ectoine production was equivalent at 0.1MPa in hyperosmosis-acclimated cells and at 10MPa under isosmotic conditions, supporting the hypothesis that ectoine synthesis may be primarily triggered by HP rather than osmotic stress. While stimulating cell metabolism and enhancing cell integrity, osmotic stress had always a negative impact on culture growth and performance. No net growth was observed during 4-day incubation tests, and CO2:O2 ratios and pH values indicated that culture performance in

  6. An oncolytic adenovirus enhances antiangiogenic and antitumoral effects of a replication-deficient adenovirus encoding endostatin by rescuing its selective replication in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Ran-yi; Zhou, Ling; Zhang, Yan-ling; Huang, Bi-jun; Ke, Miao-la; Chen, Jie-min; Li, Li-xia; Fu, Xiang; Wu, Jiang-xue; Huang, Wenlin

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •H101 promotes endostatin expression by Ad-Endo via rescuing Ad-Endo replication. •H101 rescued Ad-Endo replication by supplying E1A and E1B19k proteins. •Ad-Endo enhanced the cytotoxicity of H101 in NPC cells. •Ad-Endo and oncolytic Ad H101 have synergistic antitumor effects on NPC. -- Abstract: A replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad) encoding secreted human endostatin (Ad-Endo) has been demonstrated to have promising antiangiogenic and antitumoral effects. The E1B55k-deleted Ad H101 can selectively lyse cancer cells. In this study, we explored the antitumor effects and cross-interactions of Ad-Endo and H101 on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The results showed that H101 dramatically promoted endostatin expression by Ad-Endo via rescuing Ad-Endo replication in NPC cells, and the expressed endostatin proteins significantly inhibited the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. E1A and E1B19k products are required for the rescuing of H101 to Ad-Endo replication in CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells, but not in C666-1 cells. On the other hand, Ad-Endo enhanced the cytotoxicity of H101 by enhancing Ad replication in NPC cells. The combination of H101 and Ad-Endo significantly inhibited CNE-2 xenografts growth through the increased endostatin expression and Ad replication. These findings indicate that the combination of Ad-Endo gene therapy and oncolytic Ad therapeutics could be promising in comprehensive treatment of NPC

  7. An oncolytic adenovirus enhances antiangiogenic and antitumoral effects of a replication-deficient adenovirus encoding endostatin by rescuing its selective replication in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Ran-yi, E-mail: liuranyi@mail.sysu.edu.cn [Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060 (China); Zhou, Ling [Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060 (China); Zhang, Yan-ling [School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515 (China); Huang, Bi-jun; Ke, Miao-la; Chen, Jie-min [Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060 (China); Li, Li-xia [Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060 (China); General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA, Guangzhou 510010 (China); Fu, Xiang; Wu, Jiang-xue [Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060 (China); Huang, Wenlin, E-mail: hwenl@mail.sysu.edu.cn [Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor-Targeted Drug, Doublle Bioproducts Inc., Guangzhou 510663 (China)

    2013-12-13

    Highlights: •H101 promotes endostatin expression by Ad-Endo via rescuing Ad-Endo replication. •H101 rescued Ad-Endo replication by supplying E1A and E1B19k proteins. •Ad-Endo enhanced the cytotoxicity of H101 in NPC cells. •Ad-Endo and oncolytic Ad H101 have synergistic antitumor effects on NPC. -- Abstract: A replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad) encoding secreted human endostatin (Ad-Endo) has been demonstrated to have promising antiangiogenic and antitumoral effects. The E1B55k-deleted Ad H101 can selectively lyse cancer cells. In this study, we explored the antitumor effects and cross-interactions of Ad-Endo and H101 on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The results showed that H101 dramatically promoted endostatin expression by Ad-Endo via rescuing Ad-Endo replication in NPC cells, and the expressed endostatin proteins significantly inhibited the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. E1A and E1B19k products are required for the rescuing of H101 to Ad-Endo replication in CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells, but not in C666-1 cells. On the other hand, Ad-Endo enhanced the cytotoxicity of H101 by enhancing Ad replication in NPC cells. The combination of H101 and Ad-Endo significantly inhibited CNE-2 xenografts growth through the increased endostatin expression and Ad replication. These findings indicate that the combination of Ad-Endo gene therapy and oncolytic Ad therapeutics could be promising in comprehensive treatment of NPC.

  8. Enhanced bioavailability of nerve growth factor with phytantriol lipid-based crystalline nanoparticles in cochlea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bu M

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Meng Bu,1,2 Jingling Tang,3 Yinghui Wei,4 Yanhui Sun,1 Xinyu Wang,1 Linhua Wu,2 Hongzhuo Liu1 1School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, the Second Affiliated Hospital, 3School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China; 4College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China Purpose: Supplementation of exogenous nerve growth factor (NGF into the cochlea of deafened animals rescues spiral ganglion cells from degeneration. However, a safe and potent delivery of therapeutic proteins, such as NGF, to spiral ganglion cells remains one of the greatest challenges. This study presents the development of self-assembled cubic lipid-based crystalline nanoparticles to enhance inner ear bioavailability of bioactive NGF via a round window membrane route.Methods: A novel nanocarrier-entrapped NGF was developed based on phytantriol by a liquid precursor dilution, with Pluronic® F127 and propylene glycol as the surfactant and solubilizer, respectively. Upon dilution of the liquid lipid precursors, monodispersed submicron-sized particles with a slight negative charge formed spontaneously.Results: Biological activity of entrapped NGF was assessed using pheochromocytoma cells with NGF-loaded reservoirs to induce significant neuronal outgrowth, similar to that seen in free NGF-treated controls. Finally, a 3.28-fold increase in inner ear bioavailability was observed after administration of phytantriol lipid-based crystalline nanoparticles as compared to free drug, contributing to an enhanced drug permeability of the round window membrane. Conclusion: Data presented here demonstrate the potential of lipid-based crystalline nanoparticles to improve the outcomes of patients bearing cochlear implants. Keywords: nerve growth factor, lipid-based crystalline nanoparticles, PC12 cells, inner ear drug

  9. The growth of axially modulated p–n GaN nanowires by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Tung-Hsien; Hong, Franklin Chau-Nan

    2013-01-01

    Due to the n-type characteristics of intrinsic gallium nitride, p-type gallium nitride (GaN) is more difficult to synthesize than n-type gallium nitride in forming the p–n junctions for optoelectronic applications. For the growth of the p-type gallium nitride, magnesium is used as the dopant. The Mg-doped GaN nanowires (NWs) have been synthesized on (111)-oriented n + -silicon substrates by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The scanning electron microscope images showed that the GaN NWs were bent at high Mg doping levels, and the transmission electron microscope characterization indicated that single-crystalline GaN NWs grew along < 0001 > orientation. As shown by energy dispersive spectroscopy, the Mg doping levels in GaN NWs increased with increasing partial pressure of magnesium nitride, which was employed as the dopant precursor for p-GaN NW growth. Photoluminescence measurements suggested the presence of both p- and n‐type GaN NWs. Furthermore, the GaN NWs with axial p–n junctions were aligned between either two-Ni or two-Al electrodes by applying alternating current voltages. The current–voltage characteristics have confirmed the formation of axial p–n junctions in GaN nanowires. - Highlights: ► Grow axially modulated GaN nanowires by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition ► Control the Mg concentration of GaN nanowires by tuning Mg 3 N 2 temperature ► Align the GaN nanowires by applying alternating current voltages between electrodes

  10. Fatigue crack growth and life prediction under mixed-mode loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajith, S.; Murthy, K. S. R. K.; Robi, P. S.

    2018-04-01

    Fatigue crack growth life as a function of crack length is essential for the prevention of catastrophic failures from damage tolerance perspective. In damage tolerance design approach, principles of fracture mechanics are usually applied to predict the fatigue life of structural components. Numerical prediction of crack growth versus number of cycles is essential in damage tolerance design. For cracks under mixed mode I/II loading, modified Paris law (d/a d N =C (ΔKe q ) m ) along with different equivalent stress intensity factor (ΔKeq) model is used for fatigue crack growth rate prediction. There are a large number of ΔKeq models available for the mixed mode I/II loading, the selection of proper ΔKeq model has significant impact on fatigue life prediction. In the present investigation, the performance of ΔKeq models in fatigue life prediction is compared with respect to the experimental findings as there are no guidelines/suggestions available on the selection of these models for accurate and/or conservative predictions of fatigue life. Within the limitations of availability of experimental data and currently available numerical simulation techniques, the results of present study attempt to outline models that would provide accurate and conservative life predictions. Such a study aid the numerical analysts or engineers in the proper selection of the model for numerical simulation of the fatigue life. Moreover, the present investigation also suggests a procedure to enhance the accuracy of life prediction using Paris law.

  11. Mushroom-free selective epitaxial growth of Si, SiGe and SiGe:B raised sources and drains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartmann, J. M.; Benevent, V.; Barnes, J. P.; Veillerot, M.; Lafond, D.; Damlencourt, J. F.; Morvan, S.; Prévitali, B.; Andrieu, F.; Loubet, N.; Dutartre, D.

    2013-05-01

    We have evaluated various Cyclic Selective Epitaxial Growth/Etch (CSEGE) processes in order to grow "mushroom-free" Si and SiGe:B Raised Sources and Drains (RSDs) on each side of ultra-short gate length Extra-Thin Silicon-On-Insulator (ET-SOI) transistors. The 750 °C, 20 Torr Si CSEGE process we have developed (5 chlorinated growth steps with four HCl etch steps in-between) yielded excellent crystalline quality, typically 18 nm thick Si RSDs. Growth was conformal along the Si3N4 sidewall spacers, without any poly-Si mushrooms on top of unprotected gates. We have then evaluated on blanket 300 mm Si(001) wafers the feasibility of a 650 °C, 20 Torr SiGe:B CSEGE process (5 chlorinated growth steps with four HCl etch steps in-between, as for Si). As expected, the deposited thickness decreased as the total HCl etch time increased. This came hands in hands with unforeseen (i) decrease of the mean Ge concentration (from 30% down to 26%) and (ii) increase of the substitutional B concentration (from 2 × 1020 cm-3 up to 3 × 1020 cm-3). They were due to fluctuations of the Ge concentration and of the atomic B concentration [B] in such layers (drop of the Ge% and increase of [B] at etch step locations). Such blanket layers were a bit rougher than layers grown using a single epitaxy step, but nevertheless of excellent crystalline quality. Transposition of our CSEGE process on patterned ET-SOI wafers did not yield the expected results. HCl etch steps indeed helped in partly or totally removing the poly-SiGe:B mushrooms on top of the gates. This was however at the expense of the crystalline quality and 2D nature of the ˜45 nm thick Si0.7Ge0.3:B recessed sources and drains selectively grown on each side of the imperfectly protected poly-Si gates. The only solution we have so far identified that yields a lesser amount of mushrooms while preserving the quality of the S/D is to increase the HCl flow during growth steps.

  12. A selection that reports on protein-protein interactions within a thermophilic bacterium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Peter Q; Silberg, Jonathan J

    2010-07-01

    Many proteins can be split into fragments that exhibit enhanced function upon fusion to interacting proteins. While this strategy has been widely used to create protein-fragment complementation assays (PCAs) for discovering protein-protein interactions within mesophilic organisms, similar assays have not yet been developed for studying natural and engineered protein complexes at the temperatures where thermophilic microbes grow. We describe the development of a selection for protein-protein interactions within Thermus thermophilus that is based upon growth complementation by fragments of Thermotoga neapolitana adenylate kinase (AK(Tn)). Complementation studies with an engineered thermophile (PQN1) that is not viable above 75 degrees C because its adk gene has been replaced by a Geobacillus stearothermophilus ortholog revealed that growth could be restored at 78 degrees C by a vector that coexpresses polypeptides corresponding to residues 1-79 and 80-220 of AK(Tn). In contrast, PQN1 growth was not complemented by AK(Tn) fragments harboring a C156A mutation within the zinc-binding tetracysteine motif unless these fragments were fused to Thermotoga maritima chemotaxis proteins that heterodimerize (CheA and CheY) or homodimerize (CheX). This enhanced complementation is interpreted as arising from chemotaxis protein-protein interactions, since AK(Tn)-C156A fragments having only one polypeptide fused to a chemotaxis protein did not complement PQN1 to the same extent. This selection increases the maximum temperature where a PCA can be used to engineer thermostable protein complexes and to map protein-protein interactions.

  13. Diamond growth on Fe-Cr-Al alloy by H2-plasma enhanced graphite etching

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Y. S.; Hirose, A.

    2007-01-01

    Without intermediate layer and surface pretreatment, adherent diamond films with high initial nucleation density have been deposited on Fe-15Cr-5Al (wt. %) alloy substrate. The deposition was performed using microwave hydrogen plasma enhanced graphite etching in a wide temperature range from 370 to 740 degree sign C. The high nucleation density and growth rate of diamond are primarily attributed to the unique precursors used (hydrogen plasma etched graphite) and the chemical nature of the substrate. The improvement in diamond adhesion to steel alloys is ascribed to the important role played by Al, mitigation of the catalytic function of iron by suppressing the preferential formation of loose graphite intermediate phase on steel surface

  14. Vitamin E analogue, D-alpha tocopherol succinate, enhances x-ray induced growth delay of human adenocarcinoma cancer cell line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaworska, A.; Ottesen, T.E.

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of d-alpha Tocopherol succinate (alpha-TS) in modifying radiation-induced viability reduction and apoptosis occurrence in the model for normal and cancer cells. Our hypothesis was that alpha-TS enhances the growth-inhibitory effect of x-irradiation in cancer cells and that the effect is more pronounced in these cells than in normal cells. Murine NIH 3T3 Swiss albino embryonic cells and HT29 human Caucasian colon adenocarcinoma cells were used in the experiments. Alpha-TS was added to the cultures 1 h prior to irradiation with doses of 2 or 5Gy of x-ray. After irradiation cells were incubated for 73 h. Trypan blue exclusion viability test and estimation of apoptosis and necrosis were made. Apoptotic and necrotic cells were counted in fluorescence microscope using fluorescence dyes: propidium iodide and Hoechst 33342. For experiments with the dose of 5 Gy at least five series of experiments were performed. At lower doses (up to approximately 25μM/ml) treatment with alpha-TS alone enhanced growth of both cell lines. At higher doses treatment with alpha-TS alone delayed the growth of the cell cultures, accompanied by 20-25% necrosis. At the concentrations higher than 25μM/mL alpha-TS alone caused growth delay of both cell cultures, being much more pronounced for the cancer cell line HT29. At the concentrations of 50 μM/mL, responsible for about 30-60% of growth delay, there was observed a synergy effect for x-rays and alpha-TS for both cell lines. The effect was more pronounced for HT29 cells (DMF=0.48 for HT29 versus DMF=0.73 for NIH 3T3). These results may confirm the views of the literature reports suggesting that use of vitamin E together with radiation could be favorable for colon cancer treatment; however, more experiments using more advanced techniques are needed

  15. Development of Selectable Marker-Free Transgenic Rice Plants with Enhanced Seed Tocopherol Content through FLP/FRT-Mediated Spontaneous Auto-Excision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, Hee-Jong; Qin, Yang; Park, Soo-Yun; Park, Soon Ki; Cho, Yong-Gu; Shin, Kong-Sik; Lim, Myung-Ho; Cho, Hyun-Suk

    2015-01-01

    Development of marker-free transgenic plants is a technical alternative for avoiding concerns about the safety of selectable marker genes used in genetically modified (GM) crops. Here, we describe the construction of a spontaneous self-excision binary vector using an oxidative stress-inducible modified FLP/FRT system and its successful application to produce marker-free transgenic rice plants with enhanced seed tocopherol content. To generate selectable marker-free transgenic rice plants, we constructed a binary vector using the hpt selectable marker gene and the rice codon-optimized FLP (mFLP) gene under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible promoter between two FRT sites, along with multiple cloning sites for convenient cloning of genes of interest. Using this pCMF binary vector with the NtTC gene, marker-free T1 transgenic rice plants expressing NtTC were produced by Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation using hygromycin as a selective agent, followed by segregation of selectable marker genes. Furthermore, α-, γ-, and total tocopherol levels were significantly increased in seeds of the marker-free transgenic TC line compared with those of wild-type plants. Thus, this spontaneous auto-excision system, incorporating an oxidative stress-inducible mFLP/FRT system to eliminate the selectable marker gene, can be easily adopted and used to efficiently generate marker-free transgenic rice plants. Moreover, nutritional enhancement of rice seeds through elevation of tocopherol content coupled with this marker-free strategy may improve human health and public acceptance of GM rice.

  16. Growing risk avoidance in Asian oncology site selection: how trends in site selection are limiting growth of the Asia cancer trial landscape

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Horsburgh D

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available David Horsburgh,1 Yi-Chen Josey Lee,2 Elvira Zenaida Lansang,1 Ken J Lee,3 Malcolm Ogg,4 Karen Wai1 1Feasibility and Site Identification Asia, Quintiles East Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore; 2Feasibility and Site Identification Asia, Quintiles East Asia Pte Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Site Services Asia, Quintiles East Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore; 4Global Integrated Site Services, Quintiles, Green Park, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom Background: Asia-Pacific represents the fastest-growing region for clinical trials, with growth in oncology studies being a strong contributor. Such demand has seen a rapid change in Asia's total site pool and the number of experienced and inexperienced, or naïve, sites being activated. Given the perceived risks involved with naïve sites, this study aims to investigate changes in the rate of naïve site selection and how this risk management may influence future growth within the region. Methods: Rates of total naïve and experienced sites initiated per year, per protocol, and the relative contribution of each to the yearly site total were analyzed. Data was collected from Quintiles internal metrics as well as from the publicly available ClinicalTrials.gov database and was filtered to include oncology studies involving at least one Asian country, between the years 2000 and 2012. Results and discussion: Despite a general increase in the number of sites activated overall, the contribution of naïve sites to the yearly total fell to 20% in 2012. Experienced sites were heavily favored, with reliance on the existing site network preferred to expansion through naïve sites. This is likely a result of the perceived challenges with using inexperienced sites and the industry desire to avoid this risk. However, fluctuations in naïve sites activation suggest that the limited level of growth in the site pool may not be enough to sustain demand, with sudden outreaches to naïve sites necessary as current site pool capacity is occasionally

  17. Quantitative and Selective Analysis of Feline Growth Related Proteins Using Parallel Reaction Monitoring High Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mårten Sundberg

    Full Text Available Today immunoassays are widely used in veterinary medicine, but lack of species specific assays often necessitates the use of assays developed for human applications. Mass spectrometry (MS is an attractive alternative due to high specificity and versatility, allowing for species-independent analysis. Targeted MS-based quantification methods are valuable complements to large scale shotgun analysis. A method referred to as parallel reaction monitoring (PRM, implemented on Orbitrap MS, has lately been presented as an excellent alternative to more traditional selected reaction monitoring/multiple reaction monitoring (SRM/MRM methods. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF-system is not well described in the cat but there are indications of important differences between cats and humans. In feline medicine IGF-I is mainly analyzed for diagnosis of growth hormone disorders but also for research, while the other proteins in the IGF-system are not routinely analyzed within clinical practice. Here, a PRM method for quantification of IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF binding protein (BP -3 and IGFBP-5 in feline serum is presented. Selective quantification was supported by the use of a newly launched internal standard named QPrEST™. Homology searches demonstrated the possibility to use this standard of human origin for quantification of the targeted feline proteins. Excellent quantitative sensitivity at the attomol/μL (pM level and selectivity were obtained. As the presented approach is very generic we show that high resolution mass spectrometry in combination with PRM and QPrEST™ internal standards is a versatile tool for protein quantitation across multispecies.

  18. The impact of CO2 emissions on economic growth: evidence from selected higher CO2 emissions economies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azam, Muhammad; Khan, Abdul Qayyum; Bin Abdullah, Hussin; Qureshi, Muhammad Ejaz

    2016-04-01

    The main purpose of this work is to analyze the impact of environmental degradation proxied by CO2 emissions per capita along with some other explanatory variables namely energy use, trade, and human capital on economic growth in selected higher CO2 emissions economies namely China, the USA, India, and Japan. For empirical analysis, annual data over the period spanning between 1971 and 2013 are used. After using relevant and suitable tests for checking data properties, the panel fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) method is employed as an analytical technique for parameter estimation. The panel group FMOLS results reveal that almost all variables are statistically significant, whereby test rejects the null hypotheses of non cointegration, demonstrating that all variables play an important role in affecting the economic growth role across countries. Where two regressors namely CO2 emissions and energy use show significantly negative impacts on economic growth, for trade and human capital, they tend to show the significantly positive impact on economic growth. However, for the individual analysis across countries, the panel estimate suggests that CO2 emissions have a significant positive relationship with economic growth for China, Japan, and the USA, while it is found significantly negative in case of India. The empirical findings of the study suggest that appropriate and prudent policies are required in order to control pollution emerging from areas other than liquefied fuel consumption. The ultimate impact of shrinking pollution will help in supporting sustainable economic growth and maturation as well as largely improve society welfare.

  19. Growth of high-density ZnO nanorods on wood with enhanced photostability, flame retardancy and water repellency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Lizhuo; Tu, Kunkun; Guan, Hao; Wang, Xiaoqing

    2017-06-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays were successfully assembled on the wood surface in situ via a two-step process consisting of formation of ZnO seeds and subsequent crystal growth under hydrothermal conditions at a low temperature. The morphology and crystalline structure of the formed ZnO nanorods were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Highly dense and uniform arrays of ZnO nanorods with well-defined hexagonal facets were generated on the wood surface by tuning the concentration of the ZnO growth solution during the hydrothermal treatment. Accelerated weathering tests indicated that the assembled ZnO nanorod arrays were highly protective against UV radiation and greatly enhanced the photostability of the coated wood. Meanwhile, the ZnO nanorod-coated wood can withstand continuous exposure to flame with only minor smoldering in contrast with the pristine wood catching fire easily and burning rapidly. Moreover, when further modified with low-surface-energy stearic acid, the ZnO nanorod decorated wood surface can be transformed into a superhydrophobic surface, with a water contact angle (CA) of ∼154°. Such ZnO nanorod-modified woods with enhanced photostability, flame retardancy and water repellency offer an interesting alternative to conventional wood preservation strategies, highlighting their potential applications in some novel wood products.

  20. Effects of Surface Modification of Nanodiamond Particles for Nucleation Enhancement during Its Film Growth by Microwave Plasma Jet Chemical Vapour Deposition Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chii-Ruey Lin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The seedings of the substrate with a suspension of nanodiamond particles (NDPs were widely used as nucleation seeds to enhance the growth of nanostructured diamond films. The formation of agglomerates in the suspension of NDPs, however, may have adverse impact on the initial growth period. Therefore, this paper was aimed at the surface modification of the NDPs to enhance the diamond nucleation for the growth of nanocrystalline diamond films which could be used in photovoltaic applications. Hydrogen plasma, thermal, and surfactant treatment techniques were employed to improve the dispersion characteristics of detonation nanodiamond particles in aqueous media. The seeding of silicon substrate was then carried out with an optimized spin-coating method. The results of both Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements demonstrated that plasma treated diamond nanoparticles possessed polar surface functional groups and attained high dispersion in methanol. The nanocrystalline diamond films deposited by microwave plasma jet chemical vapour deposition exhibited extremely fine grain and high smooth surfaces (~6.4 nm rms on the whole film. These results indeed open up a prospect of nanocrystalline diamond films in solar cell applications.